Useful Occupation Better Than Games
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able human agent, in watching and improving opportunities to do work
for the Master. He has a vineyard in which everyone can perform good
work. Suffering humanity needs help everywhere. The students may
win their way to hearts by speaking words in season, by doing favors
for those who need even physical labor. This will not degrade any one
of you, and it will bring a consciousness of the approval of God. It
will be putting the talents, entrusted to you for wise improvement, to
the exchangers. It will increase them by trading upon them.
There are healthful methods of exercise that may be planned which
will be beneficial to both soul and body. There is a great work to
be done, and it is essential that every responsible agent shall educate
himself to do this work acceptably to God. There is much for all to
learn, and there cannot be invented a better use for brain, bone, and
muscle than to accept the wisdom of God in doing good, and adopting
some human device for remedying the existing evils of this profligate,
extravagant age.
It is our duty ever to seek to do good in the use of the muscles and
brain God has given to youth, that they may be useful to others, making
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their labors lighter, soothing the sorrowing, lifting up the discouraged,
speaking words of comfort to the hopeless, turning the minds of the
students from fun and frolic which often carries them beyond the
dignity of manhood and womanhood to shame and disgrace. The
Lord would have the mind elevated, seeking higher, nobler channels
of usefulness.
The Dangers to Spirituality
Is the eye single to the glory of God in these games? I know that
this is not so. There is a losing sight of God’s way and His purposes.
The employment of intelligent beings, in probationary time, is super-
seding God’s revealed will, and substituting for it the speculations and
inventions of the human agent, with Satan by his side to imbue with his
spirit. Keep the Word of God close by your side. Guided by it you will
be wise, you will be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the
work of the Lord. We must in these last days watch unto prayer. The
Lord God of heaven protests against the burning passion cultivated for
supremacy in the games that are so engrossing.