Dangers of the Young
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harvest. Some parents have suffered their children to form characters,
the marks of which may be seen all through life. Upon their parents
lies this sin. They may profess to be Christians, yet without a special
work of grace upon the heart, and a thorough reform in life, their past
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habits will be seen in all their experience, and they will exhibit just the
character their parents allowed them to form.
On account of the standard of piety being so low among professed
Christians generally, it is much more laborious and trying for those
who wish to follow Christ in sincerity. The influence of worldly
professors is injurious to the young. The mass of professed Christians
have removed the line of distinction between Christians and the world.
And while they profess to be living for Christ, they are living for
the world. Their faith has but little restraining influence upon their
pleasures. While they profess to be children of the light, they walk
in darkness and are children of the night and of darkness. Those who
walk in darkness cannot love God, and sincerely desire to glorify him.
They are not enlightened to discern the excellence of heavenly things,
and therefore cannot truly love them. They profess to be Christians
because it is considered honorable, and there is no cross for them to
bear. Their motives are often selfish. Some such professors can enter
the ball-room, and unite with all the amusements which it affords.
Others cannot go quite to such a length as this, yet they can attend
parties of pleasure, picnics, donation-parties, and exhibitions. And
the most discerning Christian would fail to detect in such professed
Christians one mark of his or her Christianity. One would fail to see
any difference in their appearance from the greatest unbeliever. The
profligate, and open scoffer of religion, and the openly profane, all
mingle together as one. And God regards them as one in spirit and
practice.
A profession of Christianity without corresponding faith and works,
will avail nothing. No man can serve two masters. The children of
the wicked One are their own master’s servants, and to whom they
yield themselves servants to obey, his servants they are. Until they
renounce the Devil and all his works, they cannot be the servants of
God. It cannot be harmless for servants of the heavenly King to engage
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in the pleasures and amusements which Satan’s servants engage in,
even if they often repeat that such amusements are harmless. God
has revealed sacred and holy truths, to separate his people from the