Appeal to the Young
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see the influence that they would exert over other minds in leading
them to vanity, love of dress, and carelessness in regard to their eternal
interests. The only hope for this class is for them to take heed to their
ways, humble their proud, vain hearts before God, make confession of
their sins, and be converted.
Vanity in dress as well as the love of amusement is a great tempta-
tion for the youth. God has sacred claims upon us all. He claims the
whole heart, the whole soul, the whole affections. The answer which
is sometimes made to this statement is: “Oh, I do not profess to be a
Christian!” What if you do not? Has not God the same claims upon
you that He has upon the one who professes to be His child? Because
you are bold in your careless disregard of sacred things, is your sin of
neglect and rebellion passed over by the Lord? Every day that you dis-
regard the claims of God, every opportunity of offered mercy that you
slight, is charged to your account and will swell the list of sins against
you in the day when the accounts of every soul will be investigated.
I address you, young men and women, professors or nonprofessors:
God calls for your affections, for your cheerful obedience and devotion
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to Him. You now have a short time of probation, and you may improve
this opportunity to make an unconditional surrender to God.
Obedience and submission to God’s requirements are the condi-
tions given by the inspired apostle by which we become children of
God, members of the royal family. Every child and youth, every man
and woman, has Jesus rescued by His own blood from the abyss of ruin
to which Satan was compelling them to go. Because sinners will not
accept of the salvation freely offered them, are they released from their
obligations? Their choosing to remain in sin and bold transgression
does not lessen their guilt. Jesus paid a price for them, and they belong
to Him. They are His property; and if they will not yield obedience
to Him who has given His life for them, but devote their time and
strength and talents to the service of Satan, they are earning their
wages, which is death. Immortal glory and eternal life is the reward
that our Redeemer offers to those who will be obedient to Him. He
has made it possible for them to perfect Christian character through
His name and to overcome on their own account as He overcame in
their behalf. He has given them an example in His own life, showing
them how they may overcome. “The wages of sin is death; but the gift
of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”