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miraculous about our Saviour’s birth, death and resurrection; and they
put Jesus back, with the Bible, in the shade, where they want him,
and then get the world looking to them and their lying wonders and
miracles, which they declare far exceed the works of Christ.
Thus the world is taken in the snare, and lulled to security; not to
find out their awful deception, until the seven last plagues are poured
out. Satan laughs as he sees his plan succeed so well, and the whole
world in the snare.
5. On pages 29-33, is a view given January, 1850. That portion of
this view, which relates to means being withheld from the messengers,
more particularly applied to that time. Since that time friends of the
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cause of present truth have been raised up, who have watched for
opportunity to do good with their means. And some have handed out
too freely, to the injury of the receivers. For above two years I have
been shown more relative to a careless and too free use of the Lord’s
money, than a lack of means.
The following is from a view given me at Jackson, Mich., June
2d, 1853. It related mostly to the brethren in that place. “I saw that
the brethren commenced to sacrifice their property, and handed it out
without having the true object set before them—the suffering cause—
and they handed out too freely, too much and too often. I saw that the
teachers should have stood in a place to correct this error, and exert
a good influence in the church. Money was made to be of little or
no consequence; the sooner disposed of, the better. A bad example
has been set by some in accepting large donations, and not giving
the least caution to those who had means not to use it too freely and
carelessly. And by accepting so large an amount of means, without
questioning whether God had made it their duty to bestow so largely,
they sanctioned the brethren’s giving too bountifully.
Those who gave, also erred, not being particular to inquire into the
necessities of the case, whether there was actual need or not. Those
who had means were thrown into great perplexity. One brother was
much hurt by too much means being put into his hands. He did not
study economy; but lived extravagantly, and in his travels laid out
money here and there to no profit. He spread a wrong influence by
making such free use of the Lord’s money, and would say to others,
and in his own heart, There is means enough in Jackson, more than can
be used before the Lord comes. Some were very much injured by such
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