Duty in View of the Time of Trouble
The Lord has shown me repeatedly, that it is contrary to the Bible
to make any provision for our temporal wants in the time of trouble. I
saw that if the saints had food laid up by them, or in the fields, in the
time of trouble, when sword, famine and pestilence are in the land,
it would be taken from them by violent hands, and strangers would
reap their fields. Then will be the time for us to trust wholly in God,
and he will sustain us. I saw that our bread and water would be sure at
that time, and we should not lack or suffer hunger; for God was able
to spread a table for us in the wilderness. And if necessary, he would
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send ravens to feed us as he did to feed Elijah, or rain manna from
heaven, as he did for the Israelites.
I saw that houses and lands would be of no use to the saints in the
time of trouble, for they would then have to flee from their possessions,
before infuriated mobs, and at that time they could not be disposed of
to advance the cause of present truth. I was shown that it was the will
of God that the saints should cut loose from every encumbrance before
the time of trouble comes, and make a covenant with God by sacrifice.
If they have their property on the altar, and earnestly inquire of God
for duty, he will teach them when to dispose of these things. Then they
will be free in the time of trouble, and have no clogs to weigh them
down.
I saw if any held on to their property, and did not inquire duty of
the Lord, he would not make duty known, and they would be permitted
to keep their property, and then in the time of trouble it would come
up before them like a mountain to crush them, and they would try to
dispose of it, but would not be able. I heard some mourn like this:
“The cause was languishing, God’s people were starving for the truth,
and we made no effort to supply the lack, and now our property is
useless. Oh! that we had let it go, and laid up treasure in heaven.” I
saw a sacrifice did not increase, but decrease, and was consumed. I
also saw that God had not required all of his people to dispose of their
property at the same time, but in a time of need he would teach them,
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