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Testimonies for the Church Volume 3
In attending school you are exposed to a variety of temptations
to which you would not be exposed at home in your father’s house,
under the watchcare of God-fearing parents. If while at home you
prayed by yourselves twice or three times a day for grace to escape
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the corruptions that are in the world through lust, you need to pray
as much more earnestly and constantly when at school, exposed to
temptations and the contaminating influences which prevail in schools
in this degenerate age, as your surroundings are more unfavorable to
the formation of Christian character.
These young men have not sufficient strength of Christian char-
acter; especially is this the case with A O. He is not settled, rooted,
and grounded in the truth. His hold of God has been so slight that he
has not been receiving strength and light from above, but has been
gathering darkness to his own soul. He has heard unbelief talked so
much and has taken so little practical interest in the truth that he is
not prepared to give a reason of his hope. He is unstable like a reed
trembling in the wind. He is kind at heart, yet loves fun, idleness, and
the company of his young friends. He has indulged this inclination
to the sacrifice of his soul’s interest. It is important, my brother, that
you avoid mingling too much in the society of irreligious youth. The
culture of your mind and heart, in connection with the practical duties
of life, requires that a large share of your time be spent in the society
of those whose conversation and faith will increase your faith and love
for the truth.
You have tried to throw off the restraint that the belief of the truth
imposes, but you have not dared to be very bold in your unbelief. Too
often the levities of the world, and the society of those from whom
self-communion and religion are excluded, have been your choice,
and you have been, to all intents and purposes, reckoned with that
class who bring the truth into contempt. You are not strong enough in
faith or purpose to be in such society. In order to kill time you have
indulged in a spirit of trifling which has done positive injury to you by
blunting your conscience. You love approbation. If you gain this in an
honorable way, it is not so sinful; but you are in danger of deceiving
yourself and others; you need to be guarded on this point and see that
you earn all the approval you receive. If you are approved because
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of your sound principles and moral worth, this is your gain. But if
you are petted and courted and flattered because you can make bright