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of the wife and mother, may, as the result, bury the mother and one or
more of the children. Health and life were sacrificed for the love of
money. “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some
coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves
through with many sorrows.”
There is a great work to be accomplished for Sabbathkeepers. Their
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eyes must be opened and they see their true condition, and be zealous
and repent, or they will fail of everlasting life. The spirit of the world
has taken possession of them, and they are brought into captivity by the
powers of darkness. They do not heed the exhortation of the apostle
Paul: “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed
by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good,
and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” With many, a worldly spirit,
with covetousness and selfishness, predominates. Those who possess
it are looking out for their own special interest. The selfish rich man
does not interest himself in the things of his neighbors, unless it be to
study how he can advantage himself at their disadvantage. The noble
and godlike in man is parted with, sacrificed for selfish interests. The
love of money is the root of all evil. It blinds the vision and prevents
people from discerning their obligations to God or to their neighbors.
Some flatter themselves that they are liberal because they at times
donate freely to ministers and for the advancement of the truth. Yet
these so-called liberal men are close in their deal and ready to over-
reach. They have abundance of this world, and this binds upon them
great responsibilities as God’s stewards. Yet, when dealing with a
poor, hard-laboring brother, they are exacting to the last farthing. The
poor side to a bargain is the poor man’s legacy. Instead of favoring his
poor brother, the sharp, exacting rich man takes all the advantage and
adds to his already accumulated wealth by the misfortune of the other.
He prides himself because of his shrewdness, but with his wealth he
is heaping up to himself a heavy curse and laying a stumbling block
in the way of his brother. By his meanness and close calculation he
is cutting off his ability to benefit him with his religious influence.
All this lives in the memory of that poor brother, and the most earnest
prayers and apparently zealous testimonies from his rich brother’s lips
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will only have an influence to grieve and disgust. He looks upon him as
a hypocrite; a root of bitterness springs up whereby many are defiled.
The poor man cannot forget the advantages taken of him; neither can