Dangers and Duties of Youth

Addressed to Two Young Men

I was shown last December the dangers and temptations of youth. The two younger sons of father —— need to be converted. They need to die daily to self. Paul, the faithful apostle, had a fresh experience daily. He says, “I die daily.” This is exactly the experience these young men need. They are in danger of overlooking present duty, and of neglecting the education essential for practical life. They regard education in books as the all-important matter to be attended to in order to make life a success.T22 147.1

These young men have duties at home which they overlook. They have not learned to take up the duties, and bear the home responsibilities which it is their duty to bear. They have a faithful, practical mother, who has borne many burdens which her children should not suffer her to bear. In this they failed to honor their mother. They have not shared the burdens of their father as was their duty, and have neglected to honor their father as they should. They follow inclination rather than duty. They have pursued a selfish course in their life, in shunning burdens and toil, and have failed to obtain a valuable experience, which they cannot afford to be deprived of if they would make life a success. They have not felt the importance of being faithful in little things. They have not felt under obligation to their parents to be true, thorough and faithful, in the humble, lowly duties of life which lie directly in their pathway. They look above the common, essential branches of knowledge so very necessary for practical life.T22 147.2

If these young men would be a blessing anywhere, it should be at home. If they yield to inclination, rather than to be guided by the cautious decision of sober reason, sound judgment, and enlightened conscience, they cannot be a blessing to society, or to their father's family, and their prospects in this world, and in the better world, may be endangered. Many youth receive the impression that their early life is not designed for care-taking, but to be fritted away in idle sport, in jesting, in joking and foolish indulgences. Some think of nothing while engaged in folly and indulgence of the senses, but the momentary gratification connected with it for the time. Their desire for amusement, their love for society, to chat, talk, and laugh, increases by indulgence, and they lose all relish for the sober realities of life, and home duties seem uninteresting. There is not enough change to meet their minds, and they become restless, peevish, and irritable. These young men should feel it a duty to make home happy and cheerful. They should bring sunshine into the dwelling, rather than a shadow by needless repining and unhappy discontent.T22 148.1

These young men should remember that they are responsible for all the privileges they have enjoyed, and that they are accountable for the improvement of their time, and must render an exact account for the improvement of their abilities. These young men may inquire, Shall we have no amusement or recreation? Shall we work, work, work, without variation? Any amusement that they can engage in, asking the blessing of God upon it in faith, will not be dangerous. But any amusement in which they engage, which disqualifies them for secret prayer, or for devotion at the altar of prayer, or to engage in the prayer-meeting, is not safe, but dangerous. A change from physical labor that has taxed the strength severely may be very necessary for a time, that they may again engage in labor, putting forth exertion with greater success. But entire rest may not be necessary, or even attended with the best results so far as their physical strength is concerned. They need not, even when weary with one kind of labor, trifle away their precious moments. They may then seek to do something not so exhausting, but yet which will be a blessing to their mother and sisters, in lightening their cares by taking upon themselves the roughest burdens they have to bear. In this way, they can find amusement springing from principle which will yield them true happiness, and their time not be spent in trifling, and in habits of selfish indulgence. Their time may be ever employed to advantage, and they constantly refreshed with variation, and yet redeeming the time, so that every moment tells with good account to some one.T22 149.1

You have thought, to obtain an education in the sciences would be of the highest importance. There is no virtue in ignorance, and knowledge will not necessarily dwarf Christian growth, but if taken hold of from principle, having the right object before you, to obtain knowledge that you may bring into exercise the powers which God has given you and employ them in his service, feeling your obligations to God to use your faculties to do good to others and promote his glory, knowledge will aid you to accomplish this end.T22 150.1

But, young men, if you gain ever so much knowledge and yet fail to put that knowledge to a practical use, you fail of your object. If, in obtaining an education, you become absorbed in your studies so that you neglect prayer and religious privileges, and become careless and indifferent to the welfare of your soul, if you cease to learn in the school of Christ, you are selling your birthright for a mess of pottage. The object of your obtaining an education should not be lost sight of for a moment. It should be to develop and direct your faculties that you may be the more highly useful, and, to the extent of your ability, bless others. If to obtain knowledge would increase your love of yourselves and increase your inclination to a still greater degree to excuse yourselves from bearing responsibilities, you are better without an education. If you love books and idolize them, allow them to get in between you and your duties, so that you will feel a reluctance to leave your studies and your reading to do essential labor that someone must do, you should restrain your studies and cultivate a love for doing those things in which you now take no interest. He that is faithful in that which is least will also be faithful in greater things. You need to cultivate love and affection for your parents, brothers, and sisters. “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another; not slothful in business; fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.” You cannot, young men, afford to sacrifice your eternal interest for your school studies. Your teachers may stimulate you by applause, and you may be deceived by the sophistry of Satan. You may be led on from step to step to seek to excel, and obtain the approbation of your teachers, until your knowledge in the divine life, in experimental religion, will grow less and less. Your name will stand registered before the holy, exalted angels, and before the Creator of the universe, and Jesus Christ, the majesty of Heaven, in very poor light. Failure, failure, mistakes, neglect, committal of sins, and such ignorance in spiritual knowledge, that the Father, and his Son Jesus our advocate, and ministering angels, will be ashamed to own you as children of God.T22 150.2

In attending school you are exposed to a variety of temptations that you would not be at your home in your father's house, under the watchcare of God fearing parents.T22 152.1

If you prayed while at home by yourselves twice or three times a day for grace to escape the corruptions that are in the world through lust, when at school, exposed to temptations and the contaminating influences which prevail at school in this degenerate age, you need to pray as much more earnestly and constantly as your surroundings are more unfavorable to the formation of Christian character.T22 152.2

These young men have not sufficient strength of Christian character, especially is this the case with ——. He is not settled, rooted, and grounded, in the truth. His hold of God has been so slight that he has not been receiving strength and light from above, but has been gathering darkness to his own soul. He has heard unbelief talked so much, and he has taken so little practical interest in the truth that he has not been prepared to give a reason of his hope. He has been unstable, like a reed trembling in the wind. He is kind at heart, yet loves fun, idleness, and to be in company with his young friends. He has indulged this inclination to the sacrifice of his soul's interest. It is important that you should avoid mingling too much in the society of irreligious youth. The culture of your mind and heart, in connection with the practical duties of life, require that a large share of your time be spent in the society of those whose conversation and faith will increase your faith and love for the truth.T22 153.1

You have tried to throw off the restraint that the belief of the truth imposes, but you have not dared to be very bold in your unbelief. Too often the levities of the world, the society of those from whom self-communion and religion are excluded, has been your choice, and you was, to all intents and purposes, reckoned with that class who bring the truth into contempt. You are not strong enough in faith or purpose to be in such society. In order to kill time, you have engaged in a spirit of trifling which has done positive injury to you in blunting your conscience. You love approbation. If you gain this in an honorable way, it is not so sinful; but you are in danger of deceiving yourself and others, and need to be guarded on this point that you earn all the approval you receive. If you are approved because of your sound principles and moral worth, this is your gain. But to be petted, and courted, and flattered because you can make bright speeches and apt remarks, and because you are cheerful, lively, and witty, and not for intellectual and moral worth, you will be looked upon by sensible, godly men and women as an object of pity rather than envy. You should be guarded against flattery. Whoever is foolish enough to flatter you cannot be your true friend. Your true friends will caution, entreat, and warn you, and reprove your faults.T22 153.2

You have opened your mind to dark unbelief. Close it in the fear of God. Seek for the evidences of the pillars of our faith and lay hold upon them with firm grasp. You need this confidence in present truth which will prove to you an anchor. This will impart to your character an energy, efficiency, and noble dignity that will command respect. Encourage habits of industry. Here you seriously lack. You have both brilliant ideas of success, but remember that in God is your only hope. Your prospects may at times look flattering to you, but anticipations which exalt you above the simple, humble home duties and above the religious duties, will prove a failure. You, my dear young friends, need to humble your hearts before God, and be obtaining a valuable experience in the Christian life, following on to know the Lord, gaining a rich experience, and blessing others by a daily life of spotless purity, of noble integrity, of thoroughness in the performance of Christian duty, and in the duties of practical life.T22 154.1

You have duties to do at home; you have responsibilities to bear which you have not yet lifted. That which ye sow ye shall also reap. These young men are now sowing the seed. Every act of their life, every word spoken, is a seed for good or evil. As is the seed, so will be the crop. If they indulge lustful passions, and give up to hasty, perverted passions, or to the gratification of appetite, or the inclination of an unsanctified heart, if they foster pride, wrong principles, and cherish habits of unfaithfulness, or of dissipation, they will reap a plentiful harvest of remorse, shame, and despair.T22 155.1

The angels of God are seeking to lead these young men to cry unto God in sincerity, Be thou the guide of my youth. The angels of God are inviting and seeking to draw these dear youth from the snares of Satan. Heaven may be theirs if they will seek to obtain it. A crown of immortal glory will be theirs if they will give all for Heaven.T22 155.2

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