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Messages to Young People
vain and corrupt thoughts from staining your soul. The power of grace
alone can accomplish this most desirable work. You are weak in this
direction.
Subduing Passions and Affections
You have become wayward, bold, and daring. The grace of God
has no place in your heart. In the strength of God alone can you bring
yourself where you can be a recipient of His grace, an instrument of
righteousness. Not only does God require you to control your thoughts,
but also your passions and affections. Your salvation depends upon
your governing yourself in these things. Passion and affection are
powerful agents. If misapplied, if set in operation through wrong
motives, if misplaced, they are powerful to accomplish your ruin, and
leave you a miserable wreck, without God and without hope.
The imagination must be positively and persistently controlled, if
the passions and affections are made subject to reason, conscience,
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and character. You are in danger, for you are just upon the point
of sacrificing your eternal interests at the altar of passion. Passion
is obtaining positive control of your entire being—passion of what
quality? of a base, destructive nature. By yielding to it, you will
embitter the lives of your parents, bring sadness and shame to your
sisters, sacrifice your own character, and forfeit heaven and a glorious
immortal life. Are you ready to do this? I appeal to you to stop where
you are. Advance not another step in your headstrong, wanton course;
for before you are misery and death. Unless you exercise self-control
in regard to your passions and affections, you will surely bring yourself
into disrepute with all around you, and will bring upon your character
disgrace which will last while you live.
You are disobedient to your parents, pert, unthankful, and unholy.
These miserable traits are the fruits of a corrupt tree. You are for-
ward. You love the boys, and love to make them the theme of your
conversation. “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.”
Habits have become powerful to control you; and you have learned
to deceive in order to carry out your purposes and accomplish your
desires.—
Testimonies for the Church 2:560-562
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