Wills and Legacies
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the worst kind of robbery. They rob God of His just dues, not only all
through life, but also at death.
It is utter folly to defer to make a preparation for the future life
until nearly the last hour of the present life. It is also a great mistake to
defer to answer the claims of God for liberality to His cause until the
time comes when you are to shift your stewardship upon others. Those
to whom you entrust your talents of means may not do as well with
them as you have done. How dare rich men run so great risks! Those
who wait till death before they make a disposition of their property,
surrender it to death rather than to God. In so doing many are acting
directly contrary to the plan of God plainly stated in His word. If
they would do good they must seize the present golden moments and
labor with all their might, as if fearful that they may lose the favorable
opportunity.
Those who neglect known duty by not answering to God’s claims
upon them in this life, and who soothe their consciences by calcu-
lating on making their bequests at death, will receive no words of
commendation from the Master, nor will they receive a reward. They
practiced no self-denial, but selfishly retained their means as long
as they could, yielding it up only when death claimed them. That
which many propose to defer until they are about to die, if they were
Christians indeed they would do while they have a strong hold on life.
They would devote themselves and their property to God, and, while
acting as His stewards, they would have the satisfaction of doing their
duty. By becoming their own executors, they could meet the claims of
God themselves, instead of shifting the responsibility upon others. We
should regard ourselves as stewards of the Lord’s property and God as
the supreme proprietor, to whom we are to render His own when He
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shall require it. When He shall come to receive His own with usury,
the covetous will see that instead of multiplying the talents entrusted
to them, they have brought upon themselves the doom pronounced
upon the unprofitable servant.
The Lord designs that the death of His servants shall be regarded
as a loss because of the influence for good which they exerted and the
many willing offerings which they bestowed to replenish the treasury
of God. Dying legacies are a miserable substitute for living benevo-
lence. The servants of God should be making their wills every day in
good works and liberal offerings to God. They should not allow the