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Chapter 41—True Conversion
Dear Brother P,
While at-----one year ago, we labored for your interest. I had
been shown your dangers, and we were desirous of saving you; but
we see you have not had strength to carry out the resolutions there
made. I am troubled over the matter, and fear that I was not as
faithful as I should have been in bringing before you all I knew of
your case. Some things I withheld from you. While in Battle Creek
in June, I was again shown that you were not making any advance,
and that the reason you were not is that you have not made a clean
track behind you. You do not enjoy religion. You have departed from
God and righteousness. You have been seeking happiness in the
wrong way, in forbidden pleasures; and you have not moral courage
to confess and forsake your sins that you may find mercy.
You did not view sin as heinous in the sight of God, and put it
away; you failed to make thorough work; and when the enemy came
in with his temptations, you did not resist him. Had you seen how
offensive sin was in the sight of God, you would not have so readily
yielded to temptation. You were not so thoroughly converted as to
abhor your life of sin and folly. Sin yet seemed pleasant to you, and
you were loath to yield up its delusive pleasures. Your inmost soul
was not converted, and you soon lost that which you had gained.
Personal vanity in your case, as well as in that of many others,
has been a special hindrance to you. You have ever had a love of
praise. This has been a snare to you. Your professed friends have
shown a special pleasure in your society, and this has gratified you.
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Weak-minded, sympathetic women have praised you and appeared
charmed with your society; and you have felt a fascinating power
upon you in their company. You did not realize, while spending in
pleasure seeking those hours which belonged to your family, that
Satan was weaving his net about your feet.
Satan has temptations laid for every step of your life. You have
not been as economical of means as you should have been. You
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