Perceptions Confused by Choosing Temporal Advantages—Lot chose Sodom as a place of residence because he looked more to the temporal advantages he would gain than to the moral influences that would surround himself and his family. What did he gain so far as the things of this world are concerned? His possessions were destroyed, part of his children perished in the destruction of that wicked city, his wife was turned to a pillar of salt by the way, and he himself was saved “so as by fire.” Nor did the evil results of his selfish choice end here; but the moral corruption of the place was so interwoven with the character of his children that they could not distinguish between good and evil, sin and righteousness.—The Signs of the Times, May 29, 1884. (Messages to Young People, 419.) {1MCP 339.1}

(339) Opfattelsesevnen forvirres ved at vælge timelige fortrin. - Lot valgte Sodoma til boplads, fordi han så mere på de timelige fordele, han dermed kunne vinde, end på den moralske indflydelse, der ville omgive ham og hans familie. Hvad vandt han, hvad denne verdens ting angår? Hans ejendele blev ødelagte. Nogle af hans børn omkom i den ugudelige stads ødelæggelse. Hans hustru blev til en saltstøtte på vejen, og han selv blev frelst som gennem ild. Det dårlige resultat af hans egenkærlige valg endte ikke her, men den moralske fordærvelse på det sted var så indvævet i hans børns karakter, at de ikke kunne skelne mellem godt og ondt, mellem synd og retfærdighed. - ST, 29. Maj, 1884. (MYP 419.)