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Christian Recreation
517
in by some. All were not Sabbathkeepers, and an influence was
manifest that was not as pleasant as we could wish.
But I believe that, while we are seeking to refresh our spirits and
invigorate our bodies, we
are required of God
to use all our powers
at all times to the best purpose. We may associate together as we
do here today, and do all to the glory of God. We can and should
conduct our recreations in such a manner that we shall be fitted for
the more successful discharge of the duties devolving upon us, and
that our influence shall be more beneficial upon those with whom
we associate. Especially should it be the case upon an occasion like
this, which should be of good cheer to us all. We can return to our
homes improved in mind and refreshed in body, and prepared to
engage in the work anew, with better hope and better courage.
[587]
We believe that it is our privilege every day of our lives to glorify
God upon the earth; that we are not to live in this world merely for
our own amusement, merely to please ourselves. We are here to
benefit humanity, to be a blessing to society. And if we should let
our minds run in that low channel in which many who are seeking
only vanity and folly permit their minds to run, how could we be a
blessing to society, a benefit to our race and generation? We cannot
innocently indulge in any amusement which will unfit us for the
more faithful discharge of ordinary life duties.
We want to seek the elevated and lovely. We want to direct the
mind away from those things that are superficial and of no impor-
tance, that have no solidity. What we desire is, to be gathering new
strength from all that we engage in. From all these gatherings for
the purpose of recreation, from all these pleasant associations, we
want to be gathering new strength to become better men and women.
From every source possible we want to gather new courage, new
strength, new power, that we may elevate our lives to purity and
holiness, and not come down upon the low level of this world. We
hear many who profess the religion of Christ speak often like this:
“We must all come down upon a level.” There is no such thing as
Christians coming down upon a level. To embrace the truth of God
and the religion of the Bible is not coming down, it is coming up
upon an elevated level, a higher standpoint, where we may commune
with God.