They are Getting Rich by James White

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 12, 1867

They are Getting Rich.

By James White

No class of the common people are becoming wealthy so fast as Seventh-day Adventists, notwithstanding the fears and absurd cries that they are wasting their time and property, and are coming to want. What is there to hinder from getting rich? Let us look at a few facts.

1. The keeping of the Sabbath, which many have feared would bring them to want, is no real disadvantage to the farmer and the mechanic, with few exceptions. Once it was; but the public confidence in them is so restored, and has become so great in their strict honesty, that keeping the Lord's Sabbath has opened the way for them to transact business to greater profit than before they embraced it.

As an illustration of the above, in point of public confidence, we give the case of a Bro. J. of Battle Creek. The school board of that city were about to expend $50,000, in building. They called on different builders for their figures on the smallest house, and they gave them in at $11,000. The board then called for Bro. J.'s figures, which were $12,300. They gave him the job, although it costs the city $1,300 more, and give him the privilege of working on Sunday. The simple reason of this is, the general punctuality, honesty, and faithfulness, of that large class of the brethren in Battle Creek, have gained the entire confidence of the people of the city. However they may regard our faith, this is their opinion of the men.

2. This public confidence throws a great amount of work in the way of our brethren, so that the poorer class of mechanics get the highest wages, and all work themselves almost within an inch of their lives.

3. Seventh-day Adventists, in separating from the world, have no holidays, on which to spend time and money, but continue the ceaseless round of work, work, work. They have cut off the needless expenses of tobacco, tea, coffee, flesh as food, and finery for their persons and their houses generally. Industry and economy have become almost a part of their religion, and the ruling passion of many of them is, the love of money. It is no uncommon thing to find, on the present tour, men who put down their property at four thousand dollars on the S. B. book, and their figures are not often too high, who, when we were in Northern Michigan four years since, were worth hardly a dime. And the figures of the more wealthy have generally risen a thousand a year, while this year's possessions of from one to four thousand, are rising to four, and all the way up to ten, thousand. This is nearer as it should be.

It is the poor of this world, with few exceptions, who embrace the Sabbath; yet, with all the common embarrassments of humble life, we soon see them along side of their neighbors, in point of property. We discard the idea that Providence has fated some to be poor, and others to be rich. The foregoing are among the causes which bring their sure results. You will hardly find a poor man in the society of Friends, while, as a body, they are rich. Their separating from the world has led them on the same road to wealth in which Seventh-day Adventists are pursuing. The world-wide reputation of the honest Quaker gives him the advantage anywhere.

But we are compelled to admit that there are instances where economy is followed by extreme penuriousness and meanness, and then by the withering blast of the Lord upon the prosperity of such. We have spoken of things as they generally stand. But while Providence has made decided examples of some, scattering their increase and more or less of the principal, others should take warning. Dishonest gain, whether obtained before or since embracing the third message, will sooner or later be a curse to the man in whose hands it may be found. But says the guilty conscience, “What can be done at this late hour?” Truth and honesty answer, “Restoration, confession, and a change of course.” They need to share largely in good, old-fashioned, Zaccheus religion, which restored four-fold.

Be not deceived, O ye rich. Not all that you hold with an iron grasp comes under the blessing of obedience. Already may the word be going forth, “Go to now, ye rich men,” gather up unholy gain, and prepare it to be mingled with the miseries that are before you. This terrible language does not seem to us to fix the unchangeable state of those addressed, but is made while a ray of hope lingers. At least, it speaks of the miseries as being future,—“That shall come upon you.” You may stintingly pay S. B., on this unjust gain which you have drawn from the pockets of others, or the blood and bone of laborers, out of, or in, your own families; yet, remember, all such offerings are an offense; God counts them as moth eaten, rust, and corruption.

We close, by suggesting the remedies for that which threatens Seventh-day Adventists as a people, namely, they are getting rich. While the Word of God does not condemn industry and economy, and enjoins a plain and simple life, it does require,

1. Temperance in all things, labor not excepted. Besides the rest at night, and the ceasing of manual labor on the Sabbath, God's ancient people had, among other sacrifices, certain days in which they were to do no servile work. You should have your periods of relaxation from toil and care, that you may be refreshed.

2. And while God's word does not condemn the man who holds property honestly gained, it plainly points out his duty to the widow, to the orphan, and the worthy poor, and his duty to the cause of God. It is the uniform custom of some, when their duty to the poor is mentioned, to commence at once setting forth the lack of industry and economy of some who claim to be the Lord's worthy poor. Behind these they hide themselves, and do but little, if anything, for any one. What if there be unworthy poor? this is no proof that they have no duty to the poor. And what if they should give to some who should prove afterward to have received their liberalities unworthily? Should they for this reason stop giving, as though this had changed God's requirements? We look back upon the past fifteen years, and a shade of sadness comes over us, because of the fact that three out of four who have shared our liberalities have become our worst enemies. And then again light and joy spring up in the heart, on reflection that we have never turned away the poor who have appealed to us for help. We would not recommend rashness, in distributing to the poor, and would suggest that the truly worthy poor are but few, in this land of plenty. It is the advancement of the cause of truth that calls for a living, smoking, consuming, sacrifice. And although it will be difficult for a rich man to enter the kingdom of Heaven, as illustrated by our Saviour, yet it is possible, if he be willing to become poor. Many are called, but few chosen of God as his precious jewels; and the heirs of the kingdom will finally be of the poor of this world who are rich in faith.

JAMES WHITE.

Greenville, Mich., Jan. 30, 1867.