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Testimonies for the Church Volume 1
The present enfeebled condition of the human family was presented
before me. Every generation has been growing weaker, and disease of
every form afflicts the race. Thousands of poor mortals with deformed,
sickly bodies, shattered nerves, and gloomy minds are dragging out a
miserable existence. Satan’s power upon the human family increases.
If the Lord should not soon come and destroy his power, the earth
would erelong be depopulated.
I was shown that Satan’s power is especially exercised upon the
people of God. Many were presented before me in a doubting, despair-
ing condition. The infirmities of the body affect the mind. A cunning
and powerful enemy attends our steps and employs his strength and
skill in trying to turn us out of the right way. And it is too often the case
that the people of God are not on their watch, therefore are ignorant of
his devices. He works by means which will best conceal himself from
view, and he often gains his object.
Brethren have invested means in patent rights and other enterprises,
and have induced others to interest themselves, who could not bear the
perplexity and care of such business. Their anxious, overtaxed minds
seriously affect their already diseased bodies, and they then yield to
despondency, which increases to despair. They lose all confidence
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in themselves and think that God has forsaken them, and they dare
not believe that He will be merciful to them. These poor souls will
not be left to the control of Satan. They will make their way through
the gloom and again fasten their trembling faith upon the promises
of God; He will deliver them and turn their sorrow and mourning
into peace and gladness. But such, I was shown, must learn by the
things they suffer to let patent rights and these various enterprises
alone. They should not allow even their brethren to flatter them to
entangle themselves in such enterprises, for their anticipations will not
be realized, and then they will be thrown upon the enemy’s battlefield
unarmed for the conflict. Means which should be put into the treasury
of God to advance His cause is worse than lost by being invested in
some of these modern improvements. If any who profess the truth feel
at liberty to engage, and capable of engaging, in these patent rights
and inventions, they should not go among their brethren and make
that their field of operation, but go among unbelievers. Let not your
name and profession as an Adventist decoy your brethren who wish
to consecrate their means to God. But go out into the world, and let