Chapter 58—A Plea for Economy
There should be no extravagance in building fine homes, in buying
costly furniture, in indulging in worldly dress, or in providing luxuri-
ous food; but in everything let us think of the souls for whom Christ
has died. Let selfishness and pride die. Let none continue to expend
means to multiply pictures to be sent to their friends. Let us save every
dollar that can be saved, that the matchless charms of Christ may be
presented before the souls of the perishing.
Satan will suggest many ways in which you may expend money.
But if it is spent for self-gratification,—for unnecessary things, no
matter how trifling their cost,—it is not spent for the glory of God. Let
us look well to this matter, and see if we are denying ourselves as we
should. Are we making sacrifices, that we may send the light of truth
to the lost? ...
There should be but one interest in the church; one desire should
control all, and that is the desire to conform to the image of Christ.
Each one should strive to do for Jesus all that it is possible for him to
do, by personal effort, by gifts, by sacrifices. There should be meat in
the house of the Lord, and that means a full treasury, that responses
may be made to Macedonian cries coming from every land. How
pitiful it is that we are obliged to say to these who cry for help, “We
cannot send you men or money. We have an empty treasury.”
Let all the pennies, dimes, and dollars that are lost to the cause
through selfish love of pleasure, through desire to meet the world’s
standard, through love of ease, be turned into the channel that flows
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to God’s treasury. It is the rills flowing into one that finally make the
river. Let us be conscientious Christians, be laborers together with
God....
New fields of work must be opened, souls are to be added to the
faith, new names will appear on the church records,—names that will
appear in the immortal records in heaven. O that we might realize
what might be done with the money expended for the gratification of
self!—
The Review and Herald, January 27, 1891
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