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Sensuality in the Young
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you in your efforts to overcome your love of self, your pride of heart,
your vanity and love of the approbation of worldlings, have been
only a hindrance by their own lack of spirituality and true godliness.
We cannot tell you how much we regret that those who should be
self-denying Christians are so far from coming up to the standard.
Those who should be steadfast, abounding in the work of God, are
weakened by Satan because they remain at such a distance from
God. They fail to obtain the power of His grace, through which they
might overcome the infirmities of their nature, and, by obtaining
signal victories in God, show those of weaker faith the way, the truth,
and the life.
That which has caused us the greatest discouragement has been
to see those in-----who have had years of experience in the cause
and work of God, shorn of their strength by their own unfaithfulness.
They are outgeneraled by the enemy in nearly every attack. God
would have made these persons strong, like faithful sentinels at their
post, to guard the fort, had they walked in the light He had given
them and remained steadfast to duty, seeking to know and do the
whole will of God. Satan will, no doubt, through his delusions
deceive these delinquent souls, and make them believe that they are
about right after all. They have committed no grievous, outbreaking
sins, and they must, after all, be on the true foundation, and God
will accept their works. They see no special sins to repent of, no sins
which call for special humiliation, humble confession, and rending
of heart. The delusion upon such is strong indeed when they mistake
the form of godliness for the power thereof, and flatter themselves
that they are rich and have need of nothing. The curse of Meroz rests
upon them: “Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the Lord, curse ye
bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of
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the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty.”
My sister, excuse not your defects because others are wrong.
In the day of God you will not dare to plead as an excuse for your
neglect to form a character for heaven, that others did not manifest
devotion and spirituality. The same lack which you discovered in
others was in yourself. And the fact that others were sinners makes
your sins nonetheless grievous. Both they and you, if you continue
in your present state of unfitness, will be separated from Christ,
and will with Satan and his angels be punished with everlasting