Life Insurance
509
Satan is constantly presenting inducements to God’s chosen people
to attract their minds from the solemn work of preparation for the
scenes just in the future. He is in every sense of the word a deceiver,
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a skillful charmer. He clothes his plans and snares with coverings of
light borrowed from heaven. He tempted Eve to eat of the forbidden
fruit by making her believe that she would be greatly advantaged
thereby. Satan leads his agents to introduce various inventions and
patent rights and other enterprises, that Sabbathkeeping Adventists
who are in haste to be rich may fall into temptation, become ensnared,
and pierce themselves through with many sorrows. He is wide awake,
busily engaged in leading the world captive, and through the agency
of worldlings he keeps up a continual pleasing excitement to draw the
unwary who profess to believe the truth to unite with worldlings. The
lust of the eye, the desire for excitement and pleasing entertainment, is
a temptation and snare to God’s people. Satan has many finely woven,
dangerous nets which are made to appear innocent, but with which he
is skillfully preparing to infatuate God’s people. There are pleasing
shows, entertainments, phrenological lectures, and an endless variety
of enterprises constantly arising calculated to lead the people of God to
love the world and the things that are in the world. Through this union
with the world, faith becomes weakened, and means which should be
invested in the cause of present truth are transferred to the enemy’s
ranks. Through these different channels Satan is skillfully draining the
purses of God’s people, and for it the displeasure of the Lord is upon
them.
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