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Cause in Vermont
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the cause of God is really lost. They consider so many dollars gone
and feel dissatisfied unless they can immediately replace them so
that their earthly treasure may not decrease. They exercise close-
ness and even sharpness in dealing with their brethren and also with
worldlings. They do not scruple to overreach in deal in order to
advantage themselves and gain a few dollars.
Some, fearing they will suffer loss of earthly treasure, neglect
prayer and the assembling of themselves together for the worship
of God, that they may have more time to devote to their farms or
their business. They show by their works which world they place
the highest estimate upon. They sacrifice religious privileges, which
are essential to their spiritual advancement, for the things of this life
and fail to obtain a knowledge of the divine will. They come short of
perfecting Christian character and do not meet the measurement of
God. They make their temporal, worldly interests first, and rob God
of the time which they should devote to His service. Such persons
God marks, and they will receive a curse rather than a blessing.
Some place their means beyond their control by putting it into the
hands of their children. Their secret motive is to place themselves
in a position where they will not feel responsible to give of their
property to spread the truth. These love in word, but not in deed
and in truth. They do not realize that it is the Lord’s money they are
handling, not their own.
Many would love to see souls converted if it could be done
without any sacrifice on their part; but if their property is touched,
they draw back, for it is of more value to them than the souls of
men and women for whom Christ died. If those to whom God has
entrusted means understood their responsibilities as His stewards,
they would retain in their own hands that which God has lent them,
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that they might faithfully perform the duty devolving upon them
to do their part in helping carry forward the work of God. If all
could comprehend the plan of salvation, and the worth of even one
soul purchased by the blood of Christ, they would make every other
interest of minor consequence.
Parents should have great fear in entrusting children with the
talents of means that God has placed in their hands, unless they
have the surest evidence that their children have greater interest in,
love for, and devotion to, the cause of God than they themselves