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Last Crisis
15
On one occasion, when in New York City, I was in the night
season called upon to behold buildings rising story after story toward
heaven. These buildings were warranted to be fireproof, and they
were erected to glorify their owners and builders. Higher and still
higher these buildings rose, and in them the most costly material
was used. Those to whom these buildings belonged were not asking
themselves: “How can we best glorify God?” The Lord was not in
their thoughts.
I thought: “Oh, that those who are thus investing their means
could see their course as God sees it! They are piling up magnificent
buildings, but how foolish in the sight of the Ruler of the universe
is their planning and devising. They are not studying with all the
powers of heart and mind how they may glorify God. They have lost
sight of this, the first duty of man.”
As these lofty buildings went up, the owners rejoiced with ambi-
tious pride that they had money to use in gratifying self and provok-
ing the envy of their neighbors. Much of the money that they thus
invested had been obtained through exaction, through grinding down
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the poor. They forgot that in heaven an account of every business
transaction is kept; every unjust deal, every fraudulent act, is there
recorded. The time is coming when in their fraud and insolence men
will reach a point that the Lord will not permit them to pass, and
they will learn that there is a limit to the forbearance of Jehovah.
The scene that next passed before me was an alarm of fire. Men
looked at the lofty and supposedly fire-proof buildings and said:
“They are perfectly safe.” But these buildings were consumed as
if made of pitch. The fire engines could do nothing to stay the
destruction. The firemen were unable to operate the engines.
I am instructed that when the Lord’s time comes, should no
change have taken place in the hearts of proud, ambitious human
beings, men will find that the hand that had been strong to save will
be strong to destroy. No earthly power can stay the hand of God. No
material can be used in the erection of buildings that will preserve
them from destruction when God’s appointed time comes to send
retribution on men for their disregard of His law and for their selfish
ambition.
There are not many, even among educators and statesmen, who
comprehend the causes that underlie the present state of society.