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Fanaticism and Ignorance
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and the coming of Jesus as they would of a horse. They had a
superficial knowledge or theory of the truth, but further than this
they were ignorant. Its principles had not taken hold of their lives and
led them to an abhorrence of self. They had never viewed themselves
in the light in which Paul viewed himself, which led him to see the
moral defects in his character. They had never been slain by the
law of God, and had not separated themselves from their impurities
and defilement. It is the favorite occupation of some of this class to
engage in trifling conversation and levity. This habit they contracted,
and indulged upon occasions which should have been characterized
by solemn meditation and devotion. In doing this, they manifested
a lack of true dignity and refinement, and forfeited the esteem of
sensible persons who had no knowledge of the truth. This class
threw themselves into a current of temptation and kept where the
enemy led them successfully, and he has so easily controlled their
minds and corrupted their entire experience that in all probability
they will be unable to recover themselves out of his snare and obtain
a healthful experience.
The fires of the day of God will consume the stubble and chaff,
and there will be nothing left of any who continue in the ungodly
course which they have so long loved. This class have a disrelish for
the society of those whom God is truly with. Their religious experi-
ence is of so low an order that they have no part nor lot in a rational,
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intelligent religious experience; therefore they have despised the
society of those whom God leads and is teaching. Sarcasm and irony
is the stronghold of some peculiar minds of this class. They are bold
and insolent, and do not regard good manners. They have no care to
discriminate and render honor to whom honor is due. They manifest
a proud, rebellious, defiant spirit against those who differ from their
opinions. Their boisterous manners and wrong course lead the true
servant of God to feel that they have resisted the efforts made for
them, and he becomes disheartened in reference to laboring any
further in their behalf. They engage in a contemptible triumph of
exactly the same nature as that which Satan and evil angels engage
in over the souls whom they secure. They have Satan and evil angels
on their side to exult with them. The cases of the persons in whom
this cast of character is peculiarly and strikingly developed are hope-
less. They are incased in self-righteousness, and everything like