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thoughts. If you indulge in vain imaginations, permitting your mind
to dwell upon impure subjects, you are, in a degree, as guilty before
God as if your thoughts were carried into action. All that prevents
the action is the lack of opportunity. Day and night dreaming and
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castle-building are bad and exceedingly dangerous habits. When once
established, it is next to impossible to break up such habits and direct
the thoughts to pure, holy, elevated themes
Beware of Flattery—I am pained when I see men praised, flat-
tered, and petted. God has revealed to me the fact that some who
receive these attentions are unworthy to take His name upon their lips;
yet they are exalted to heaven in the estimation of finite beings, who
read only from outward appearance. My sisters, never pet and flatter
poor, fallible, erring men, either young or old, married or unmarried.
You know not their weaknesses, and you know not but that these very
attentions and this profuse praise may prove their ruin. I am alarmed
at the shortsightedness, the want of wisdom, that many manifest in
this respect.
Men who are doing God’s work, and who have Christ abiding in
their hearts, will not lower the standard of morality, but will ever seek
to elevate it. They will not find pleasure in the flattery of women or in
being petted by them. Let men, both single and married, say: “Hands
off! I will never give the least occasion that my good should be evil
spoken of. My good name is capital of far more value to me than gold
or silver. Let me preserve it untarnished. If men assail that name, it
shall not be because I have given them occasion to do so, but for the
same reason that they spoke evil of Christ—because they hated the
purity and holiness of His character, for it was a constant rebuke to
them.
If the Minister Tempts—The slightest insinuations, from what-
ever source they may come, inviting you to indulge in sin or to allow
the least unwarrantable liberty with your persons should be resented
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as the worst of insults to your dignified womanhood. The kiss upon
your cheek, at an improper time and place, should lead you to repel
the emissary of Satan with disgust. If it is from one in high places,
who is dealing in sacred things, the sin is of tenfold greater magni-
23
Testimonies For The Church 1, 561
.
24
Testimonies For The Church 5, 595
.