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Testimonies for the Church Volume 2
land, and are citizens of this world.
The condition of poor Lazarus feeding upon the crumbs from
the rich man’s table is preferable to that of these professors. If they
possessed genuine faith, instead of increasing their treasures upon
the earth they would be selling off, freeing themselves from the
cumbersome things of earth and transferring their treasure before
them to heaven. Then their interest and hearts will be there, for the
heart of man will be where his greatest treasure is. Most of those
who profess to believe the truth testify that that which they value the
most is in this world. For this they have care, wearing anxiety, and
labor. To preserve and add to their treasure is the study of their lives.
They have transferred so little to heaven, have taken so little stock
in the heavenly treasure, that their minds are not specially attracted
to that better country. They have taken large stock in the enterprises
of this earth, and these investments, like the magnet, draw down
their minds from the heavenly and imperishable to the earthly and
corruptible. “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
Selfishness girds many about as with iron bands. It is “my
farm,” “my goods,” “my trade,” “my merchandise.” Even the claims
of common humanity are disregarded by them. Men and women
professing to be waiting and loving the appearing of their Lord
are shut up to self. The noble, the godlike, they have parted with.
The love of the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes,
the pride of life, have so fastened upon them that they are blinded.
They are corrupted by the world and discern it not. They talk of
love to God, but their fruits show not the love they express. They
rob Him in tithes and offerings, and the withering curse of God is
upon them. The truth has been illuminating their pathway on every
side. God has wrought wonderfully in the salvation of souls in their
own households, but where are their offerings, presented to Him in
grateful thanks for all His tokens of mercy to them? Many of them
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are as unthankful as the brute creation. The sacrifice for man was
infinite, beyond the comprehension of the strongest intellect, yet
men who claim to be partakers of these heavenly benefits, which
were brought to them at so great a cost, are too thoroughly selfish to
make any real sacrifice for God. Their minds are upon the world, the
world, the world. In the forty-ninth psalm we read: “They that trust
in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;