The idol of our day!

(John Angell James, "The Young Man's Friend and Guide through Life to Immortality")

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One of the evils of our age is an excessive love of pleasure, which leads to self-indulgence, and indisposes the mind for sober thought and true piety.

Love of pleasure is one of the growing tendencies of the day in which we live, and threatens infinite damage to the present and eternal welfare of mankind, by bringing on an age of frivolity, sensuality and 'practical atheism'.

Find your pleasure, young men . . .
  in the improvement of your mind,
  in attention to duties,
  in true piety, and
  in active benevolence.
Is there not scope enough for enjoyment here?

Excessive worldliness is another of the dangers of this age. In our wealthy and materialistic country, there is most imminent peril of sinking into the mere worldling, and living only to get wealth. Never was there so great a danger of having . . .
  the conscience benumbed,
  moral principles prostrated,
  the heart rendered callous,
  the intellect emptied of its strength
-as in the age in which we live!

Wealth is the idol of our day! Without watchfulness and prayer, you are in danger of . . .
  bowing devoutly at its shrine,
  becoming its worshipers, and
  immolating your souls as a burnt-offering on its altars!

"Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces!" Ezekiel 14:3