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Testimonies for the Church Volume 4
things would exist prior to His second appearing. It constitutes one of
the signs of the last days. A similar state of things existed before the
Flood. The minds of the people were bewitched upon the subject of
marriage. When there is so much uncertainty, so great danger, there
is no reason why we should make great parade or display, even if
the parties were perfectly suited to each other; but that remains to be
tested.
When those who profess to be reformers, those in humble life, ape
the customs and fashions of the worldly wealthy, it is a reproach to our
faith. There are some to whom God gave the word of warning; but did
that stop them? No; they did not fear God, for the bewitching power
of Satan was upon them. And some in Battle Creek have influenced
these poor infatuated ones to follow their own judgment, and by doing
this they have crippled their usefulness and incurred the displeasure of
God.
God wants men to cultivate force of character. Those who are
merely timeservers are not the ones who will receive a rich reward
by and by. He wants those who labor in His cause to be men of keen
feeling and quick perception. They should be temperate in eating; rich
and luxurious food should find no place upon their tables; and when
the brain is constantly taxed and there is a lack of physical exercise,
they should eat sparingly, even of plain food. Daniel’s clearness of
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mind and firmness of purpose, his strength of intellect in acquiring
knowledge, were due in a great degree to the plainness of his diet in
connection with his life of prayer.
Eli was a good man, pure in morals; but he was too indulgent.
He incurred the displeasure of God because he did not strengthen the
weak points in his character. He did not want to hurt the feelings of
anyone and had not the moral courage to rebuke and reprove sin. His
sons were vile men; yet he did not remove them from their position
of trust. These sons profaned the house of God. He knew this, and
felt sad in consequence of it, for he loved purity and righteousness;
but he had not sufficient moral force to suppress the evil. He loved
peace and harmony, and became more and more insensible to impurity
and crime. But the great God takes the matter in hand Himself. When
the rebuke falls upon him, through the instrumentality of a child, he
accepts it, feeling that it is what he deserves. He does not show any