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advancing the cause of God. The needy have suffered; they have not
been blessed by your means. God will not accept your riches now. Go
to now, ye rich men.”
Then I was directed to these words: “Behold, the hire of the
laborers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back
by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered
into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.” I saw that God is not in all
the riches that are obtained. Satan often has much more to do with
acquiring property than God. Much of it is obtained by oppressing
the hireling in his wages. The naturally covetous rich man obtains
his riches by grinding down the hireling, and taking advantage of
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individuals wherever he can, thereby adding to a treasure that will eat
his flesh as it were fire.
A strictly honest, honorable course has not been taken by some.
Such must take a very different course and work fast to redeem the
time. Many Sabbathkeepers are at fault here. Advantage is taken even
of their poor brethren, and those who have an abundance exact more
than the real worth of things, more than they would pay for the same
things, while these same brethren are embarrassed and distressed for
want of means. God knows all these things. Every selfish act, every
covetous extortion, will bring its reward.
I saw that it is cruel and unjust to have no consideration for a
brother’s situation. If he is distressed, or poor, yet doing the best he
can, allowance should be made for him, and even the full value of
things he may purchase of the wealthy should not be exacted; but they
should have bowels of compassion for him. God will approve of such
kindly acts, and the doer will not lose his reward. But a fearful account
stands against many Sabbathkeepers for close, covetous acts.
I was pointed back to a time when there were but few who listened
to and embraced the truth. They had not much of this world’s goods.
The wants of the cause were divided among a very few. Then it was
necessary for some to sell their houses and lands, and obtain cheaper
to serve them as a shelter, or home, while their means were freely and
generously lent to the Lord, to publish the truth, and to otherwise aid
in advancing the cause of God. As I beheld these self-sacrificing ones,
I saw that they had endured privation for the benefit of the cause. I saw
an angel standing by them, pointing them upward, and saying: “Ye