Address to the Young
471
musical instrument which call the mind from God and heaven to light
and trifling things.
The young are required in whatsoever they do, in word or deed,
to do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the
Father by Him. I saw that but few of the youth understand what it is to
be Christians, to be Christlike. They will have to learn the truths of
God’s word before they can conform their lives to the pattern. There
is not one young person in twenty who has experienced in his life
that separation from the world which the Lord requires of all who
would become members of His family, children of the heavenly King.
“Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the
Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will
be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters, saith the
Lord Almighty.”
What a promise is here made upon condition of obedience! Do
you have to cut loose from friends and relatives in deciding to obey the
elevated truths of God’s word? Take courage, God has made provision
for you, His arms are open to receive you. Come out from among them
and be separate, and touch not the unclean, and He will receive you. He
promises to be a Father unto you. Oh, what a relationship is this! higher
and holier than any earthly tie. If you make the sacrifice, if you have to
forsake father, mother, sisters, brothers, wife, and children for Christ’s
sake, you will not be friendless. God adopts you into His family; you
become members of the royal household, sons and daughters of the
King who rules in the heaven of heavens. Can you desire a more
exalted position than is here promised? Is not this enough? Said the
angel: “What could God do for the children of men more than He has
already done? If such love, such exalted promises are not appreciated,
[511]
could He devise anything higher, anything richer and more lofty? All
that God could do has been done for the salvation of man, and yet
the hearts of the children of men have become hardened. Because
of the multiplicity of the blessings with which God has surrounded
them, they receive them as common things and forget their gracious
Benefactor.”
I saw that Satan is a vigilant foe intent upon his purpose of leading
the youth to a course of action entirely contrary to that which God
would approve. He well knows that there is no other class that can do
as much good as young men and young women who are consecrated to