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Spiritual Gifts, Volume 4b
flesh of their flesh, they regarded not; but, as appealing looks were
turned to them, they held their treasures the firmer, as though fearful,
in an unguarded moment, they should lose a little, or divide with them.
Their eager eyes would often fasten upon the earthly crown, and count
and recount its treasures. Images of want and wretchedness appeared
in that multitude, and looked wishfully at the treasures there, and
turned hopelessly away as the stronger overpowered and drove back
the weaker. Yet they could not give it up thus; but with a multitude
of deformed, sickly and aged, sought to press their way to the earthly
crown. Some died in seeking to reach it. Others fell just in the act of
taking hold of it. Many but just laid hold of it when they fell. Dead
bodies strewed the ground, yet on rushed the multitude, trampling
over the fallen and dead bodies of their companions. Every one who
reached the crown possessed a share in it, and were loudly applauded
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by an interested company standing around it.
A large company of evil angels were very busy. Satan was in their
midst, and all looked with the most exulting satisfaction upon the
company struggling for the crown. Satan seemed to throw a peculiar
charm upon those who eagerly sought it. Many who sought this earthly
crown were professed Christians. Some of them seemed to have a little
light. They would look wishfully upon the heavenly crown, and often
seemed charmed with its beauty, yet could obtain no true sense of its
value and glory. While one hand was reaching forth languidly for the
heavenly the other was reached eagerly for the earthly, determined to
possess that, and in their earnest pursuit for the earthly, they lost sight
of the heavenly. They were left in darkness, yet they were anxiously
groping about to secure the earthly crown. Some became disgusted
with the company who sought it so eagerly, and they seemed to have a
sense of their danger, and turned from it, and earnestly sought for the
heavenly crown. The countenances of such soon changed from dark
to light, from gloom to cheerfulness and holy joy.
A company I then saw pressing through the crowds of people with
their eyes intently fixed upon the heavenly crown. As they earnestly
urged their way through the disorderly crowd, angels attended them,
and made room through the dense throng for them to advance. As they
neared the heavenly crown, the light emanating from it shone upon
them, and around them, dispelling their darkness, and growing clearer
and brighter, until they seemed to be transformed, and resembled the