Dangers and Duties of Youth
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promote His glory, knowledge will aid you to accomplish this end; it
will help you to bring into exercise the powers which God has given
you, and to employ them in His service.
But, young men, if you gain ever so much knowledge and yet fail
to put that knowledge to a practical use you fail of your object. If, in
obtaining an education, you become so absorbed in your studies that
you neglect prayer and religious privileges, and become careless and
indifferent to the welfare of your souls, if you cease to learn in the
school of Christ, you are selling your birthright for a mess of pottage.
The object for which you are obtaining an education should not be
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lost sight of for a moment. It should be to so develop and direct your
faculties that you may be more useful and bless others to the extent
of your ability. If by obtaining knowledge you increase your love of
yourselves, and your inclination to excuse yourselves from bearing
responsibilities, you are better without an education. If you love and
idolize books, and allow them to get between you and your duties, so
that you feel a reluctance to leave your studies and your reading to do
essential labor that someone must do, you should restrain your desire
to study and cultivate a love for doing those things in which you now
take no interest. He that is faithful in that which is least will also be
faithful in greater things.
You need to cultivate love and affection for your parents and for
your brothers and sisters. “Be kindly affectioned one to another with
brotherly love; in honor preferring one another; not slothful in busi-
ness; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope; patient in
tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; distributing to the necessity
of saints; given to hospitality.” Young men, you cannot afford to sacri-
fice your eternal interests for your school studies. Your teachers may
stimulate you by applause, and you may be deceived by the sophistry
of Satan. You may be led on step by step to seek to excel and to obtain
the approbation of your teachers, but your knowledge in the divine
life, in experimental religion, will grow less and less. Your names will
stand registered before the holy, exalted angels and before the Creator
of the universe and Christ, the Majesty of heaven, in a very poor light.
Opposite them will be a record of sins, of mistakes, failures, neglects,
and such ignorance in spiritual knowledge that the Father and His Son,
Jesus our Advocate, and ministering angels will be ashamed to own
you as children of God.