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Testimonies for the Church Volume 1
sacrifice to God, or thou wilt be unworthy of eternal life; for it was
purchased for thee dearly, even by the agony, the sufferings, and blood
of the beloved Son of God.”
I saw that many in different places, East and West, were adding
farm to farm, and land to land, and house to house, and they make the
cause of God their excuse, saying they do this that they may help the
cause. They shackle themselves so that they can be of but little benefit
to the cause. Some buy a piece of land, and labor with all their might to
pay for it. Their time is so occupied that they can spare but little time
to pray, and serve God, and gain strength from Him to overcome their
besetments. They are in debt, and when the cause needs their help they
cannot assist; for they must get free from debt first. But as soon as they
are free from debt they are farther from helping the cause than before;
for they again involve themselves by adding to their property. They
flatter themselves that this course is right, that they will use the avails
in the cause, when they are actually laying up treasure here. They love
the truth in word, but not in work. They love the cause just as much
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as their works show. They love the world more and the cause of God
less; the attraction to earth grows stronger and the attraction to heaven
weaker. Their heart is with their treasure. By their example they say to
those around them that they are intending to stay here, that this world
is their home. Said the angel: “Thou art thy brother’s keeper.”
Many have indulged in needless expense, merely to gratify the
feelings, the taste, and the eye, when the cause needed the very means
thus used, and when some of the servants of God were poorly clothed
and were crippled in their labor for lack of means. Said the angel:
“Their time to do will soon be past. Their works show that self is their
idol, and to it they sacrifice.” Self must first be gratified; their feeling
is: “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Warning after warning many have
received, but heeded not. Self is the main object, and to it everything
must bow.
I saw that the church has nearly lost the spirit of self-denial and
sacrifice; they make self and self-interest first, and then they do for the
cause what they think they can as well as not. Such a sacrifice, I saw,
is lame, and not accepted of God. All should be interested to do their
utmost to advance the cause. I saw that those who have no property,
but have strength of body, are accountable to God for their strength.
They should be diligent in business and fervent in spirit; they should