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testify that the possessors are genuine Christians. They seem to be
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constantly reaching upward to a treasure that is imperishable.
With every gift and offering there should be a suitable object before
the giver, not to uphold any in idleness, not to be seen of men or to get
a great name, but to glorify God by advancing His cause. Some make
large donations to the cause of God while their brother who is poor,
may be suffering close by them, and they do nothing to relieve him.
Little acts of kindness performed for their brother in a secret manner
would bind their hearts together, and would be noticed in heaven. I
saw that in their prices and wages the rich should make a difference in
favor of the afflicted and widows and the worthy poor among them.
But it is too often the case that the rich take advantage of the poor,
reaping every benefit that is to be gained, and exacting the last penny
for every favor. It is all written in heaven. “I know thy works.”
The greatest sin which now exists in the church is covetousness.
God frowns upon His professed people for their selfishness. His ser-
vants have sacrificed their time and strength to carry them the word
of life, and many have shown by their works that they prize it but
lightly. If they can help the servant of God just as well as not, they
sometimes do it; but they often let him pass on, and do but little for
him. If they employ a day laborer, he must be paid full wages. But not
so with the self-sacrificing servant of God. He labors for them in word
and doctrine; he carries the heavy burden of the work on his soul; he
patiently shows from the word of God the dangerous errors which are
hurtful to the soul; he enforces the necessity of immediately tearing
up the weeds which choke the good seed sown; he brings out of the
storehouse of God’s word things new and old to feed the flock of God.
All acknowledge that they have been benefited; but the poisonous
weed, covetousness, is so deeply rooted that they let the servant of
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God leave them without ministering to him of their temporal things.
They have prized his wearing labor just as highly as their acts show.
Says the True Witness: “I know thy works.”
I saw that God’s servants are not placed beyond the temptations of
Satan. They are often fearfully beset by the enemy, and have a hard
battle to fight. If they could be released from their commission, they
would gladly labor with their hands. Their labor is called for by their
brethren; but when they see it so lightly prized, they are depressed.
True, they look to the final settlement for their reward, and this bears