MR No. 703—Sorcery Shows and Lotteries Are Satan's Snares

We have been pained as we have had brought to our notice papers, advertisers of sorcery and witchcraft, the work of magicians and all this sort of thing, going on in Battle Creek.... There is in these manifestations of a power that is above human power; and where is it? It is the power of Satan; and just as soon as you begin to bring yourselves in connection with these sorcerers, and give them the least license, you dishonor the God of heaven, and imperil your own souls....9MR 111.1

How is he [Satan] working here in Battle Creek? Here come up these magicians and there is an itching curiosity to go and see; and when they [Seventh-day Adventist young people] go to see, they bring themselves into contact with them [the sorcerers and magicians]; and when they bring themselves in contact with them, they are in direct communication with the powers of darkness.9MR 111.2

Then there is some lottery business connected with it, and one young man who goes there obtains a gold watch. What then? The watch may be genuine gold. It may be no fraud; but ah, there is a fraud back of that, and that is the snare. If he has gained this once, he will want to try it again. Oh, I would rather, had it been a son of mine, to have him lying in his coffin than sporting that gold watch.9MR 111.3

Then here are other boys. He shows his watch to them, and then there is an itching with them to try their luck in just the same way, and so they will attempt this matter themselves. Then another will attempt it, and another; and so the influence extends from one to another; and the devil knows just how to play his game. He is playing a game for the souls of the youth here in Battle Creek.—Manuscript 1, 1890, pp. 4, 5, 7, 8. (“Heaven's Part in Life's Conflict,” February 1, 1890.)9MR 111.4

White Estate

Washington, D. C.,

March 1, 1979.