In his book, Dance Like...
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In his book, Dance Like a Poor Man, Samuel Hoffer tells the story of a 12-year-old Hutterite named Peter. Peter finds himself being tempted by, and surrendering to, things outside the colony. But Peter's conscience works hard to bring him back into line. One Sunday morning, as Peter sits in church, it finally pulls the reigns tight on Peter. He recalls his experience: "The preacher talked about how the devil operated. My brain made pictures. First, the devil asks for your finger, making it itch for something you ought not to do. But because you don't know at first that it's the devil who's doing it, you give in. Then he gives you an even bigger desire, and soon he takes your hand too. Once he has your hand, he's in charge ... When you finally wake up, the devil's hellish snares are wound around you so severely, you can't move backward or forward." (Samuel Hoffer, Dance Like a Poor Man [Winnipeg, Manitoba: Hoffer Publishers, 1995], 56.)
