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Testimonies for the Church Volume 2
virtue, and true modesty. If you go on in your willful, headstrong
course, what will be your fate?
A new year has dawned upon us. What have you determined to
do? What have you resolved shall be the record borne up to God by
the ministering angels of your work from day to day? What words
that you have uttered will appear in the page of the book of records?
What thoughts will the Searcher of hearts find cherished by you?
He is a discerner of the thoughts, of the intents and purposes of the
heart. You have a fearful record of the past year, which is laid open
to the view of the Majesty of heaven and the myriads of pure, sinless
angels. Your thoughts and acts, your desperate and unsanctified
feelings, may have been concealed from mortals; but remember, the
most trivial acts of your life are open to the view of God. You have
a spotted record in heaven. The sins you have committed are all
registered there.
God’s frown is upon you, and yet you appear destitute of feeling;
you do not realize your lost and undone condition. At times you do
have feelings of remorse; but your proud, independent spirit soon
rises above this, and you stifle the voice of conscience. You are
not happy, yet you imagine that if you could have your own way
unrestrained you would be happy. Poor child! you occupy a position
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similar to that of Eve in Eden. She imagined that she would be
highly exalted if she could only eat of the fruit of the tree which God
had forbidden her even to touch, lest she die. She ate, and lost all
the glories of Eden.
You should control your thoughts. This will not be an easy task;
you cannot accomplish it without close and even severe effort. Yet
God requires this of you; it is a duty resting upon every accountable
being. You are responsible to God for your thoughts. If you indulge
in vain imaginations, permitting your mind to dwell upon impure
subjects, you are, in a degree, as guilty before God as if your thoughts
were carried into action. All that prevents the action is the lack of
opportunity. Day and night dreaming and castle-building are bad and
exceedingly dangerous habits. When once established, it is next to
impossible to break up such habits, and direct the thoughts to pure,
holy, elevated themes. You will have to become a faithful sentinel
over your eyes, ears, and all your senses if you would control your
mind and prevent vain and corrupt thoughts from staining your soul.