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Testimonies for the Church Volume 5
improvements would not be mine, but that you would claim them], and
went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His
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Lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant,
thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have
not strewed: thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the
exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own
with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him
which hath ten talents. For unto everyone that hath [made a right use
of my goods] shall be given, and he shall have abundance [for I can
trust him, knowing that he will make right improvement of what is lent
him]: but from him that hath not [who has been fearful to trust me]
shall be taken away even that which he hath. [I shall deprive him of
what he claims as his; he shall forfeit all right of trust; I will take away
his talents and give them to one who will improve them.] And cast ye
the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping
and gnashing of teeth.”
The spirit manifested by the brethren in regard to their pledges has
been very offensive to God. Had they seen the cause prospering in
the fields already entered they would have felt differently. There was
no deception practiced upon them, and the charge of deception which
they made was against the Spirit of God and not against the servant
He sent. Had Brother A occupied the right position in this matter, had
he cherished the spirit which influenced him to make the pledge, he
would not have felt such an unwillingness to invest in the cause of God.
But he thought how much he could do with his means by investing
it in worldly enterprises. Avarice, worldliness, and covetousness are
defects in character which are opposed to the exercise of the Christian
graces. Said the apostle: “Let your conversation [your very deportment
and habits of life] be without covetousness; and be content with such
things as ye have: for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake
thee.”
It was evident that many who vowed had no faith and believed
themselves wronged. They talked of it and dwelt upon it until it
seemed a reality to them. They felt that they ought not to have aided
the General Conference, and urged that they ought to have had the
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means to use in their own field. The Lord worked for them according
to their limited faith. Satan, who had been holding their minds in
deception, caused them to think that they had done a liberal thing in