Testimonies for the Church Volume 1 - A New You Ministry

are peace.” The future abode of the righteous and their everlasting reward are highand ennobling themes for the young to contemplate. Dwell upon the marvelous planof salvation, the great sacrifice made by the King of glory that you might be elevatedthrough the merits of His blood and by obedience finally be exalted to the throne ofChrist. This subject should engage the noblest contemplation of the mind. To bebrought into favor with God—what a privilege! To commune with Him—what canmore elevate, refine, and exalt us above the frivolous pleasures of earth? To have ourcorrupt natures renovated by grace, our lustful appetites and animal propensities insubjection, to stand forth with noble, moral independence, achieving victories everyday, will give peace of conscience which can arise alone from rightdoing.Young friends, I saw that with such employment and diversion as this you mightbe happy. But the reason why you are restless is, you do not seek to the only truesource for happiness. You are ever trying to find out of Christ that enjoyment which isfound only in Him. In Him are no disappointed hopes. Prayer, oh, how is this preciousprivilege neglected! The reading of the word of God prepares the mind for prayer.One of the greatest reasons why you have so little disposition to draw nearer to Godby prayer is, you have unfitted yourselves for this sacred work by reading fascinatingstories which have excited the imagination and aroused unholy passions. The word ofGod becomes distasteful, the hour of prayer is forgotten. Prayer is the strength of theChristian. When alone he is not alone; he feels the presence of One who has said: “Lo,I am with you alway.”The young want just what they have not; namely, religion. Nothing can take theplace of this. Profession alone is nothing. Names are registered upon the church booksupon earth, but not in the book of life. I saw that there is not one in twenty of the youthwho knows what experimental religion is.504