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Testimonies for the Church Volume 8
Help in Time of Trouble
When the children of Israel were journeying through the wilder-
ness, the Lord protected them from venomous serpents; but the time
came when, because of Israel’s transgression, impenitence, and stub-
bornness, the Lord removed His restraining power from these reptiles,
and many of the people were bitten and died. Then it was that the
brazen serpent was uplifted, that all who repented and looked to it in
faith might live.
In the time of confusion and trouble before us, a time of trouble
such as has not been since there was a nation, the uplifted Saviour will
be presented to the people in all lands, that all who look to Him in
faith may live.
A Failure to Honor God
In view of the terrible crisis before us what are those doing who
profess to believe the truth? I was called by my Guide, who said,
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“Follow Me,” and I was shown things among our people that were not
in accordance with their faith. There seemed to be a bicycle craze.
Money was spent to gratify an enthusiasm in this direction that might
better, far better, have been invested in building houses of worship
where they are greatly needed. There were presented before me some
very strange things in Battle Creek. A bewitching influence seemed
to be passing as a wave over our people there, and I saw that this
would be followed by other temptations. Satan works with intensity
of purpose to induce our people to invest their time and money in
gratifying supposed wants. This is a species of idolatry. The example
will be followed, and while hundreds are starving for bread, while
famine and pestilence are seen and felt, because God cannot, according
to His own name’s glory, protect those who are working contrary to
His will, shall those who profess to love and serve God act as did the
people in the days of Noah, following the imagination of their hearts?
While you have been gratifying your inclination in the appropri-
ation of money-God’s money-for which you must give an account,
missionary work has been hindered and bound about for want of means
and workers to plant the banner of truth in places where the people
have never heard the message of warning. Will God say to those who