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The Adventist Home
pleasures of earth will soon come to an end, and that which is sown
must also be reaped
He is in every sense of the word a deceiver, a skillful charmer. He
has many finely woven nets, which appear innocent, but which are
skillfully prepared to entangle the young and unwary
Education Is Dwarfed by the Love of Pleasure—Parents make
a mistake in rushing their children into society at an early age, fearing
that they will not know anything unless they attend parties and mingle
with those who are lovers of pleasure. Even while they are at school,
they allow their children to attend parties and mingle in society. This
is a great mistake. In this way children learn evil much faster than
they do the sciences, and their minds are filled with useless things,
while their passion for amusement is developed to such an extent that
it is impossible for them to obtain a knowledge of even the common
branches of education. Their attention is divided between education
and a love of pleasure, and as the love of pleasure predominates, their
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intellectual advancement is slow
Like Israel of old, the pleasure lovers eat and drink and rise up to
play. There is mirth and carousing, hilarity and glee. In all this the
youth follow the example of the authors of the books placed in their
hands for study. The greatest evil of it all is the permanent effect that
these things have upon the character
God’s Last Message Regarded With Indifference—As the time
of their probation was closing, the antediluvians gave themselves up to
exciting amusements and festivities. Those who possessed influence
and power were bent on keeping the minds of the people engrossed
with mirth and pleasure, lest any should be impressed by the last
solemn warning. Do we not see the same repeated in our day? While
God’s servants are giving the message that the end of all things is
at hand, the world is absorbed in amusements and pleasure seeking.
There is a constant round of excitement that causes indifference to
God and prevents the people from being impressed by the truths which
alone can save them from the coming destruction
9
The Youth’s Instructor, January 1, 1907
.
10
Counsels to Teachers, Parents, and Students, 325
.
11
The Youth’s Instructor, July 27, 1893
.
12
Testimonies For The Church 8, 66
.
13
Patriarchs and Prophets, 103
.