18
A Solemn Appeal
to be taken to a holy Heaven, to dwell with pure, sinless beings in
God’s everlasting kingdom.
It is the special work of Satan in these last days to take possession
of the minds of youth, to corrupt their thoughts, and inflame their
passions, knowing that by thus doing he can lead them to self-pollution,
and then all the noble faculties of the mind will become debased, and
he can control them to suit his own purposes. All are free moral
agents; and as such they must bring their thoughts to run in the right
channel. Their meditations should be of that nature which will elevate
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their minds, and make Jesus and Heaven the subjects of their thoughts.
Here is a wide field in which the mind can safely range. If Satan
seeks to divert the mind from this to low and sensual things, bring it
back again, and place it on eternal things; and when the Lord sees the
determined effort made to retain only pure thoughts, he will attract the
mind, like the magnet, and purify the thoughts, and enable them to
cleanse themselves from every secret sin. “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 10:5
. The first work of those who would reform is, to
purify the imagination. If the mind is led out in a vicious direction,
it must be restrained to dwell only upon pure and elevated subjects.
When tempted to yield to a corrupt imagination, then flee to the throne
of grace, and pray for strength from Heaven. In the strength of God
the imagination can be disciplined to dwell upon things which are pure
and heavenly.
Some young persons who have been initiated into the vile practices
of the world, seek to awaken the curiosity of other inquisitive minds,
and impart to them that secret knowledge, ignorance of which would
be bliss. They are not content with practicing themselves the vice they
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have learned. They are hurried on by the devil, to whisper their evil
communications to other minds, to corrupt their good manners. And
unless the youth have fixed religious principles, they will be corrupted.
A heavy penalty will rest upon those who suffered Satan to use them
as mediums to lead astray, and corrupt the minds of others. A heavy
curse rested upon the serpent in Eden, because he was the medium
Satan used to tempt our first parents to transgress; and a heavy curse
from God will follow those who yield themselves as instruments in
the subversion of others. And although those who permit themselves