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Counsels for the Church
dancing. The one tended to the remembrance of God and exalted His
holy name. The other is a device of Satan to cause men to forget God
and to dishonor Him
The young generally conduct themselves as though the precious
hours of probation, while mercy lingers, were one grand holiday, and
they were placed in this world merely for their own amusement, to be
gratified with a continued round of excitement. Satan has been making
special efforts to lead them to find happiness in worldly amusements
and to justify themselves by endeavoring to show that these amuse-
ments are harmless, innocent, and even important for health
Many are eagerly participating in worldly, demoralizing amuse-
ments which God’s word forbids. Thus they sever their connection
with God and rank themselves with the pleasure lovers of the world.
The sins that destroyed the antediluvians and the cities of the plain
exist today—not merely in heathen lands, not only among popular
professors of Christianity, but with some who profess to be looking
for the coming of the Son of man. If God should present these sins
before you as they appear in His sight, you would be filled with shame
and terror
The desire for excitement and pleasing entertainment is a tempta-
tion and a snare to God’s people, and especially to the young. Satan
is constantly preparing inducements to attract minds from the solemn
work of preparation for scenes just in the future. Through the agency
of worldlings he keeps up a continual excitement to induce the unwary
[165]
to join in worldly pleasures. There are shows, lectures, and an endless
variety of entertainments that are calculated to lead to a love of the
world; and through this union with the world, faith is weakened.
God does not own the pleasure seeker as His follower. Those
only who are self-denying, and who live lives of sobriety, humility,
and holiness, are true followers of Jesus. And such cannot enjoy the
frivolous, empty conversation of the lover of the world
If you truly belong to Christ, you will have opportunities for wit-
nessing for Him. You will be invited to attend places of amusement,
and then it will be that you will have an opportunity to testify to your
231
Patriarchs and Prophets, 707
232
Testimonies for the Church 1:501
233
Testimonies for the Church 5:218
234
Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 325, 328