p. 147 | Love of Money by Burritt

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 24, 1871

Love of Money.

By Burritt

“THE love of money is the root of all evil.”

This may appear at first view too broad an assertion, but the experience of the past proves that every kind of evil comes from the fountain of selfish attachment to the perishing things of this world.

Love of money, when it has full control, weakens every noble power of the mind and ultimately obliterates the noble and higher attributes, bringing the human down upon a level with the animal in point of goodness and nobleness.

Looking out for one's self, directing all the energies of mind and soul to this one object, forgetful of the wants of another, is truly debasing to every generous impulse of the soul and robs it, in this life even, of true happiness.

By exercising any faculty it is cultivated and strengthened. The more we bring the higher and more elevating feelings into exercise the more spontaneous and natural is their growth, and the less selfish and self-caring we become. And the broader the field the mind can act upon in making others happy and doing them good, the more does the soul expand and every noble and generous quality increases. This is god-like; and when it flows from a heart filled with love to God, it will fit us for Heaven and the society of pure and holy beings.—Burritt.