Samuel became a great man in the fullest sense, as God estimates character. Many whom the world calls great, fall far below the divine standard. They lack the very elements of true and noble manhood. Men of giant intellect and brilliant genius, men before whom the world bows in willing homage, have prostituted these precious gifts of God to the service of the arch-deceiver. The name of Byron stands high in the literary world. God gave him great natural abilities; had his powers been rightly directed, he might have been a blessing to society. But his talents were not consecrated to God. The purity of Heaven did not permeate his life or breathe forth in his literary productions. Many of his works lead to immorality and irreligion. They reveal the true character of the man--corrupt in taste, depraved in heart. He rejected the service of God, and chose to ally himself to Satan. |
The Signs of the Times 3/11 1881 |
Samuel blev en stor mand i sin fulde betydning, som Gud vurderer karakteren. Mange som verden kalder for store, falder langt under den guddommelige standard. De mangler elementerne i den sande og ædle manddom. Mænd med stor forstand og strålende geni, mænd som verden bøjer sig ned og hylder, har misbrugt disse dyrebare gaver af Gud til at tjene ærkebedrageren med. Bryons navn står højt i litteraturverden. Gud har givet ham store naturlige evner; og var hans kræfter blev ledt rigtigt, kunne han have været en velsignelse for samfundet. Men hans talenter var ikke helliget til Gud. Himlens renhed gennemtrængte ikke hans liv eller åndede frem i hans litterære værker. Mange af hans værker leder til umoralitet og ureligiøsitet. De åbenbarer menneskets sande karakter – fordærvet smag og fordærvet hjerte. Han forkastede Guds tjeneste, og valgte at alliere sig med Satan. |