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Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene
it to low and sensual things, bring it back. When corrupt imaginings
seek to gain possession of your mind, flee to the throne of grace, and
pray for strength from heaven. By the grace of Christ it is possible for
us to reject impure thoughts. Jesus will attract the mind, purify the
thoughts, and cleanse the heart from every secret sin. “The weapons
of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God; ... casting
down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against
the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the
obedience of Christ.” [
2 Corinthians 10:4, 5
.]
The youth are seldom taught self-denial and self-control. They
are allowed to have their own way till they become headstrong and
self-willed, and parents are put to their wit’s end to know what course
to pursue in order to save them from ruin. The corrupting doctrine that
has prevailed, that, from a health standpoint, the sexes should mingle
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together, has done its mischievous work. When parents and guardians
manifest a tithe of the shrewdness that Satan exercises, then can the
association of the sexes be more nearly harmless. As it is, he is only
too successful in his efforts to bewitch the minds of the youth, and the
association of boys and girls only increases the evil. Young boys have
scarcely entered their teens before they begin to show attention to girls
of their own age, and the girls show a painful lack of maidenly reserve
and modesty.
What is the effect of this association? Does it tend to promote
purity?—No, indeed. Children become infatuated with a love-sick
sentimentalism, and religion has no influence over them to arrest their
wrong course. What can be done to stay the tide of evil? Parents can
do much if they will.
If a young girl is accosted with low familiarity, she should be taught
to so resent it that no such advances will ever be repeated. When a
girl’s company is frequently sought by boys or young men, something
is wrong. She needs the restraining and guiding influence of a firm
and wise mother.
Young persons who are thrown into one another’s society, may
make their association a blessing or a curse. They may edify and
strengthen one another, improving in deportment, in disposition, in
knowledge; or, by permitting themselves to become careless and un-
faithful, they may exert only a demoralizing influence.