- Preface
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- Chapter 13—Temptation No Excuse for Sin
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- Chapter 38—Accountability for Light
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- Chapter 41—Divine Guidance
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- Chapter 44—Self-denial
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- Chapter 46—Abiding Presence of Christ
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- Chapter 50—Education for Eternity
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- Chapter 55—Aspiration for Improvement
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- Chapter 59—Responsibility for Soul Winning
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- Chapter 61—Personal Work
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- Chapter 64—Unselfish Service
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- Chapter 79—Our Attitude in Prayer
- Chapter 80—Faith and Prayer
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- Chapter 82—Search the Scriptures for Yourself
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- Chapter 87—A Well-grounded Hope
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- Chapter 94—The Effect of Fiction
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- Chapter 107—A Christian Household
- Chapter 108—Faithfulness in Home Duties
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- Chapter 115—The Hour of Worship
- Chapter 116—Religious Hospitality
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- Chapter 126—Words of Counsel
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- Chapter 129—Unholy Influences at Work
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- Chapter 134—Literary Societies
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- Chapter 137—Christian Sociability and Courtesy
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- Chapter 141—The Choice of Companions
- Chapter 142—The Golden Rule
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- Chapter 147—Irreligious Visitors
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- Chapter 155—Responsibilities of Marriage
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- Chapter 157—The Example of Isaac
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Enemies to Spirituality
Could a large share of the books published be consumed, a plague would be stayed that is doing a fearful work upon mind and heart. Love stories, frivolous and exciting tales, and even that class of books called religious novels—books in which the author attaches to his story a moral lesson—are a curse to the readers. Religious sentiments may be woven all through a storybook, but, in most cases, Satan is but clothed in angel-robes, the more effectively to deceive and allure. None are so confirmed in right principles, none so secure from temptation, that they are safe in reading these stories.MYP 272.1
The readers of fiction are indulging an evil that destroys spirituality, eclipsing the beauty of the sacred page. It creates an unhealthy excitement, fevers the imagination, unfits the mind for usefulness, weans the soul from prayer, and disqualifies it for any spiritual exercise.MYP 272.2
God has endowed many of our youth with superior capabilities; but too often they have enervated their powers, confused and enfeebled their minds, so that for years they have made no growth in grace or in a knowledge of the reasons of our faith, because of their unwise choice of reading. Those who are looking for the Lord soon to come, looking for that wondrous change, when “this corruptible shall put on incorruption,” should in this probationary time be standing upon a higher plane of action.MYP 272.3
My dear young friends, question your own experience as to the influence of exciting stories. Can you, after such reading, open the Bible and read with interest the words of life? Do you not find the Book of God uninteresting? The charm of that love story is upon the mind, destroying its healthy tone, and making it impossible for you to fix the attention upon the important, solemn truths that concern your eternal welfare.MYP 273.1
Resolutely discard all trashy reading. It will not strengthen your spirituality, but will introduce into the mind sentiments that pervert the imagination, causing you to think less of Jesus and to dwell less upon His precious lessons. Keep the mind free from everything that would lead it in a wrong direction. Do not encumber it with trashy stories, which impart no strength to the mental powers. The thoughts are of the same character as the food provided for the mind.MYP 273.2