The effect of such debasing habits is not the same upon all minds. There are some children who have the moral powers largely developed, who, by associating with children that practice self-abuse, become initiated into this vice. The effect upon such will be too frequently to make them melancholy, irritable, and jealous; yet such may not lose their respect for religious worship, and may not show special infidelity in regard to spiritual things. They will at times suffer keenly from feelings of remorse, and will feel degraded in their own eyes, and lose their self-respect. {2T 392.3}

[Du trænger til at være mådeholden i alle ting. Opelsk sindets højere og ædlere evner og de dyriske tilbøjeligheder vil miste sin styrke. Det er umulig for dig at vokse i åndelig kraft, så længe appetitten og lidenskaberne ikke er under fuld kontrol. Apostlen Paulus siger: »Men jeg er hård mod mit legeme og holder det i ave, for at ikke jeg, der har prædiket for andre, selv skal blive forkastet."