To Whom Do We Belong?

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jul 9, 1896

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 22, No. 27.

“To Whom Do We Belong?”

—What a mighty international factor capital is becoming is shown by a recent setting forth by the New York World of the British capital invested in the United States, amounting in the aggregate to the vast sum of $3,193,500,000. The three chief items are real estate, $1,500,000,000; bonds, $1,250,000,000; mines, $150,000,000. This is thirty times greater than the amount ordinarily in the United States Treasury. It is four times as large as the sum total of the nation’s immediate resources, as shown by the official report of the Secretary of the Treasury at the end of the last fiscal year. At the end of the civil war the nation’s debt was $2,773,000,000, or $400,000,000 less than what the British now own in the United States. To-day, with the national debt fallen to about $1,500,000,000, the British could pay it twice over by taking out of the American pocket what belongs to them. The Freeman’s Labor Journal in referring to this, asks, “To whom do we belong, any way?” We confess that it is a serious question from a political and commercial standpoint. But it is a far more serious question in the light of our eternal welfare. “To whom do we belong?” To whom does our service belong? The word of God returns answer, “For ye are bought with a price” (1 Cor. 6:20), “the precious blood of Christ” (1 Peter 1:19). We are his by creation and redemption. Therefore, “fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man;” “fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come.” Eccl. 12:13; Rev. 14:7.