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Testimonies for the Church Volume 4
his earthly possessions. He accumulates and hoards. Had he kept
the commandments, his worldly possessions would not have been so
great. How could he, while plotting and striving for self, love God
with all his heart, and with all his mind, and with all his strength, and
his neighbor as himself? Had he distributed to the necessities of the
poor and blessed his fellow men with a portion of his means as their
wants demanded, he would have been far happier and would have had
greater heavenly treasure and less of earth upon which to place his
affections.
Christ assured the young man who came to Him that if he would
obey His requirements, he should have treasure in heaven. This world-
loving man was very sorrowful. He wanted heaven, but he desired to
retain his wealth. He renounced immortal life for the love of money
and power. Oh, what a miserable exchange! Yet many are doing this
who profess to keep all the commandments of God. You, dear brother,
are in danger of doing the same, but you do not realize it. Be not
offended because I lay this matter so plainly before you. God loves
you. How poorly have you returned His love!
I was shown that in your first experience your heart was all aglow
with the truth; your mind was absorbed in the study of the Scriptures;
you saw new beauty in every line. Then the good seed sown in your
heart was springing up and bearing fruit to the glory of God. But after
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a time the cares of this life and the deceitfulness of riches choked the
good seed of the word of God sown in your heart, and you failed to
bring forth fruit. The truth struggled for supremacy in your mind, but
the cares of this life and the love of other things gained the victory.
Satan sought, through the attractions of this world, to enchain you and
paralyze your moral powers so that you should have no sense of God’s
claims upon you, and he has nearly succeeded.
Now, dear brother, you must make a most earnest, persevering
effort to dislodge the enemy and assert your liberty; for he has made
you a slave to this world until your love of gain has become a ruling
passion. Your example to others has been bad; selfish interests have
been prominent. By profession you say to the world: My citizenship
is not here, but above; while your works decidedly say that you are
a dweller on the earth. As a snare shall the day of judgment come
upon all who dwell on the face of the earth. Your profession is only a
hindrance to souls. You have not corresponding works. “I know thy