Sacrifice for the Cause
By A. P. Lawton
DEAR BRETHREN AND SISTERS: I rejoice that we have watchmen upon the walls who shun not to declare the whole truth. We are praying God to show us our duty, and when he does so through his servants, we will not draw back. No; we will take heed and thank God that we may have eternal life at the expense of all things. I am aware that some (even who profess present truth) will feel that these are hard sayings, and who can bear them. They look back upon the time when they enjoyed the favor of God without the sacrifice of all their temporal possessions. Paul also was alive without the law once, but when the commandment came, sin revived and he died. So we also after knowing our duty. I have never been able to reconcile this withholding our means from the cause. If the Message is true, of what use can our goods possibly be a little hence? On the contrary they will be a witness against us. If by the dispersion of our goods we can get the light before one poor soul who would embrace it, and be saved by it, we should be amply compensated for the sacrifice of our entire estate, be it never so great. A little from this we shall receive the blessing of those ready to perish, (saved through our means,) or the reproaches of those lost by our withholding. Dear brethren, let us awake and arise and put on the whole armor. Let us not, when appealed to for our means, follow the example of the rich young man in the gospel, who went away sorrowful. Will ye also go away? There is no harmony in professing this Message and withholding our means from the suffering cause. Not that we should scatter indiscriminately, but judiciously. Our Lord is coming! and may God grant that we may not be found holding on to our goods until they can be of no other use than a witness against us. As to our lukewarmness, we need no greater evidence than the absence of the gifts. If we were all holy, humble and pure, the gifts would not be withheld. Yours waiting for the return of our Lord from heaven.
A. P. LAWTON.
Winfield, N. Y.