MY DEAR YOUNG FRIENDS: This is an important question, and eternal consequences hang upon your decision. I have often heard those words spoken from full hearts; and the speakers seemed to realize the greatness of the work, and their inability to perform it in their own strength. But there is One fully able to help you, One that is strong to save and mighty to deliver. Trusting in him you have nothing to fear but it is truly a great work, surrounded by so many influences directly opposed to your progress; fearful and doubting you are sometimes almost ready to give the struggle o'er; but while you fear the Lord, you may take courage from this precious assurance, that "Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame, and remembereth that we are dust." Ps. ciii, 14, 15. How kind and tender these words. Earthly parents may not fully understand how much their children can endure, and lay upon them tasks too heavy for them; but not so your heavenly Father. He knows how weak and frail you are, and though the work of overcoming is a daily and hourly task, yet he will lay upon you no burden that you may not overcome by the help of Him who was tempted in all points as you are, and who knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation. If you are fully submitted to God, you may successfully resist the Devil and his wiles. Present yourselves a living sacrifice to God; lay all upon his altar; remember that he will not accept a lame sacrifice, but give him the whole heart, and you will find the Lord faithful and true. He will give you grace to overcome and strength to stand in the midst of all the evils in these perilous times. But my heart has been pained to hear that some of my young friends are conforming to the world, following its fashions, loving its pleasures, and consequently losing the spirit of the message, losing their interest in the truth, losing their spirituality, not anxiously seeking the society of those who are interested in their spiritual welfare, and who could encourage and advise them, but delighting in the company of those who will lead them still farther away from truth and duty.
Dear Young Friends, are you blind to these things? Are you deceived with regard to your real condition? Do you imagine yourselves in the favor of God and the enjoyment of his blessing, when in fact he frowns upon you, and holy angels are made to weep over your wayward and inconsistent course? O, let me entreat you to examine your hearts and see whether the love of God dwells there. Is not your heart divided, and does not the world engage the larger share of your thoughts, more than you bestow upon the work of overcoming, the exceeding great reward, and those things calculated to inspire the Christian with zeal and energy, and quicken their pace in the narrow way? You say you desire to overcome. If so, you will be making some effort in that direction. The Lord wants to save you, Jesus still intercedes, angels are waiting to minister, friends are pleading fervently at a throne of grace, the Spirit is wooing and beseeching you. O do not harden your hearts and grieve it away forever; but now while you feel its sweet drawing influence, hasten to secure the approbation of God by turning away from the unholy influences that are binding you down to this poor dark world. These things that now so please the eye and delight the sense, are soon to wither and blacken under the plagues of God's wrath. Will you continue to love them and cling to them and at last perish with them, miserably perish for the sake of a few fleeting hours of worldly enjoyment? Wisdom points out a way by which an eternal life of glory may be secured, and though there may be difficulties and obstacles to be overcome, yet this way is not without its enjoyments, for she declares that her ways are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are peace. When you taste the sweets of obedience, and get a view of the glorious things in reserve for the faithful, the seeming pleasures of earth will no longer charm you. O95improve the precious moments. Now is the time to break away from opposing influences and engage with all your hearts in the work of preparation to stand in the battle in the day of the Lord.
Will you do it? Will you overcome and have the reward, the glory, eternal life?