Finance
267
Stewards
God has placed in our hands the means to carry forward His
work—God is constantly bestowing upon you the blessings of this life;
and if He asks you to dispense His gifts by helping the various branches
[260]
of His work, it is for your own temporal and spiritual interest to do so,
and thus acknowledge God as the giver of every blessing. God, as the
Master-worker, co-operates with men in securing the means necessary
for their sustenance; and He requires them to co-operate with Him
in the salvation of souls. He has placed in the hands of His servants
the means wherewith to carry forward His work in home and foreign
missions. But if only half the people do their duty, the treasury will
not be supplied with the necessary funds, and many parts of the work
of God must be left incomplete.—
The Review and Herald, December
23, 1890
.
Satan seeks to control the church by controlling money—
[Satan to his angels:] Go, make the possessors of lands and money
drunk with cares. If you can make them place their affections upon
these things, we shall have them yet. They may profess what they
please, only make them care more for money than for the success
of Christ’s kingdom, or the spread of the truths we hate. Present the
world before them in the most attractive light, that they may love and
idolize it. We must keep all the means in our ranks we can. The more
means they have, the more will they injure our kingdom by getting our
subjects. And as they appoint meetings in different places, then we
are in danger. Be very vigilant then. Cause all the distraction you can.
Destroy love for each other. Discourage and dishearten their ministers;
for we hate them. Hold up every plausible excuse to those that have
means, lest they hand it out. Control the money matters if you can,
and drive their ministers to want, and distress. This will weaken their
courage and zeal. Battle every inch of ground. Make covetousness
and love of earthly treasures the ruling traits of their character. As
long as these traits rule, salvation and grace stand back. Crowd all
you can around them to attract them, and they will be surely ours.
Not only are we sure of them, but their hateful influence will not be
exercised toward others to lead them to heaven. And those who shall
attempt to give, put within them a grudging disposition, that it may be
sparingly.—
Early Writings, 266, 267
.