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Chapter 35—Servants of Mammon
The case of Brother I is fearful. This world is his god; he
worships money. He has not heeded the warning given him years
ago and overcome his love of the world while in the exercise of all
his faculties. The dollars which he has since accumulated have been
like so many cords to entangle his soul and bind him to the world.
As he has gained in property he has become more greedy for gain.
All the powers of his being are devoted to the one object, securing
money. This has been the burden of his thoughts, the anxiety of his
life. He has turned all the powers of his being in this one direction
until, to all intents and purposes, he is a worshiper of mammon.
Upon this subject he is insane. His example before his family is
leading them to think that property is to be valued before heaven and
immortality. He has for years been educating his mind to acquire
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property. He is sacrificing his eternal interest for treasures upon the
earth. He believes the truth, he loves the principles of truth, and
loves to see others prospering in the truth; but he has made himself
so thoroughly a slave to mammon that he feels bound to serve this
master as long as he shall live. But the longer he lives the more
devoted will he become to his love of gain, unless he tears away
from this terrible god, money. It will be like tearing out his vitals,
but it must be done if he values heaven.
He needs the censure of none, but the pity of all. His life has been
a terrible mistake. He has suffered imaginary pecuniary want, while
surrounded with plenty. Satan has taken possession of his mind and,
exciting his organ of acquisitiveness, has made him insane upon this
subject. The higher, nobler powers of his being have been brought
very much into subjection to this close, selfish propensity. His only
hope is in breaking the bands of Satan and overcoming this evil
in his character. He has tried to do this by doing something after
his conscience has been wrought upon, but this is not sufficient.
This merely making a mighty effort and parting with a little of his
mammon, and feeling all the time that he is parting with his soul, is
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