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Spiritual Gifts, Volume 4b
life?” Jesus gave him his choice, to part with his possessions and have
eternal life, or retain them, and lose it. His riches were of greater
value to him than the heavenly treasure. The condition, that he must
part with his treasures, and give to the poor, in order to be a follower
of Christ, and have eternal life, chilled his desire, and he went away
sorrowful.
Those who were shown me clamorous for the earthly crown, were
those who will resort to any means to acquire property. They become
insane upon that point. Their whole thoughts and energies are directed
for earthly riches. They trample upon the rights of others, and oppress
the poor and the hireling in his wages. If they can take advantage
of those who are less shrewd, and poorer than they, and manage to
increase their riches, they will not hesitate a moment to oppress them,
and even see them brought to beggary.
The men whose heads were white with age, and their faces fur-
rowed with care, who were eagerly grasping the treasures within the
crown, were the aged who have but a few years before them. Yet they
were eager to secure their earthly treasures. The nearer they came to
the grave, the more anxious they were to cling to them. Their own
relatives were not benefited. The members of their own families were
permitted to labor beyond their strength to save a little money. They
did not use it for other’s good, or for their own. It was enough for them
to know that they had it. When their duty to the poor, and the wants
of God’s cause are presented before them, they are sorrowful. They
would gladly accept the gift of everlasting life, but are not willing
that it should cost them any thing. The conditions are too hard. But
Abraham would not withhold his only son. He could sacrifice this
child of promise to obey God, more easily than many would sacrifice
some of their earthly possessions.
It was painful to see those who should be ripening for glory, and
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daily fitting for immortality, exerting all their strength to keep their
earthly treasures. Such, I saw, could not value the heavenly treasure.
Their strong affections for the earthly, cause them to show by their
works that they do not esteem the heavenly inheritance enough to make
any sacrifice for it.
The “young man” manifested a willingness to keep the command-
ments, yet our Lord told him that he lacked one thing. He desired
eternal life, but loved his possessions more. Many are self-deceived.