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Testimonies for the Church Volume 2
Thus the characters of the people were plainly developed. Those
who placed a high value upon the blessings which God bestowed
upon them brought offerings in accordance with this appreciation
of His blessings. Those whose moral powers were stupefied and
benumbed by selfishness and idolatrous love of the favors received,
rather than inspired by fervent love for their bountiful Benefactor,
brought meager offerings. Thus their hearts were revealed. Besides
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these special religious feast days of gladness and rejoicing, the
yearly Passover was to be commemorated by the Jewish nation. The
Lord covenanted that, if they were faithful in the observance of His
requirements, He would bless them in all their increase, and in all
the works of their hands.
God requires no less of His people in these last days, in sacrifices
and offerings, than He did of the Jewish nation. Those whom He has
blessed with a competency, and even the widow and the fatherless,
should not be unmindful of His blessings. Especially should those
whom He has prospered render to Him the things that are His. They
should appear before Him with a spirit of self-sacrifice and bring
their offerings in accordance with the blessings He has bestowed
upon them. But many whom God prospers manifest base ingratitude
to Him. If His blessings rest upon them, and He increases their
substance, they use these bounties as cords to bind them to the love
of their possessions; they allow worldly business to take possession
of their affections and of their entire being, and neglect devotion and
religious privileges. They cannot afford to leave their business cares
and come before God even once a year. They turn the blessings
of God into a curse by serving their own temporal interests to the
neglect of His requirements.
Men who possess thousands remain at home year after year,
engrossed in their worldly cares and interests, and feel that they
cannot afford to make the small sacrifice of attending the yearly
gatherings to worship God. He has blessed them in basket and in
store, and surrounded them with His benefits on the right hand and
on the left; yet they withhold from Him the small offerings which
He requires of them. They love to serve themselves. Their souls will
be like the unrefreshed desert, without the dew or rain of heaven.
The Lord has brought to them the precious blessing of His grace;
He has delivered them from the slavery of sin and the bondage of
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