144
Testimonies for the Church Volume 1
of the work is in the West, and it is of the greatest importance that the
servants of God should move in His opening providence.
I saw that when the message shall increase greatly in power, then
the providence of God will open and prepare the way in the East for
much more to be accomplished than can be at the present time. God
will then send some of His servants in power to visit places where little
or nothing can now be done, and some who are now indifferent will be
aroused and will take hold of the truth. [
The remainder of this article
is from a vision given at Round Grove, Illinois, December 9, 1856.
]
I saw that God has warned those who have moved from the East
to the West. He has shown them their duty, that it must not be their
object to get rich, but to do good to souls, to live out their faith, and
tell those around them that this world is not their home.
The warning was sufficient, if it had been heeded; but many failed
to consider what God had shown. They rushed on and on, and became
drunk with the spirit of the world. “Look back,” said the angel, “and
weigh all that God has shown in regard to those moving from the East
to the West.” Have you obeyed it? I saw that you had gone entirely
contrary to God’s teachings, purchased largely, and instead of your
works saying to those around you that you are seeking a better country,
they have plainly declared that your home and treasure were here.
Your works have denied your faith.
Nor is this all. The love that should exist between brethren has
been lacking. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” has been manifest; a
selfish, covetous spirit has been in the hearts of the brethren. Instead of
looking out for the interests of the brethren and caring for them, there
has been manifested in deal a close, selfish spirit that God despises.
Those who make so high a profession, and who number themselves
[150]
among the peculiar people of God, saying by their profession that
they are zealous of good works, should be noble and generous, and
should ever manifest a disposition to favor their brethren instead of
themselves, and should give their brethren the best chance. Generosity
begets generosity. Selfishness begets selfishness.
I saw that through the past summer the prevailing spirit has been to
grasp as much of this world as possible. The commandments of God
have not been kept. With the mind we serve the law of God; but the
minds of many have been serving the world. And while their minds
were all occupied with things of earth and serving themselves, they