Some men and women make themselves believe that they do not consider the things of this world of much value, but prize the truth and its advancement higher than any worldly gain. Many will awake at last to find that they have been deceived. They may have once appreciated the truth, and earthly treasures in comparison with truth may have appeared to them valueless; but after a time, as their worldly treasure increased, they became less devotional. Although they have enough for a comfortable sustenance, yet all their acts show that they are in nowise satisfied. Their works testify that their hearts are bound up in their earthly treasure. Gain, gain, is their watchword. To this end every member of the family participates in their labor. They give themselves scarcely any time for devotion or for prayer. They work early and late. Sickly, diseased women and feeble children whip up their flagging ambition and use up the vitality and strength they have to reach an object, to gain a little, make a little more money. They flatter themselves that they are doing this that they may help the cause of God. Terrible deception! Satan looks on and laughs for he knows that they are selling soul and body through their lust for gain. They are continually making flimsy excuses for thus selling themselves for gain. They are blinded by the God of this world. Christ has bought them by His own blood; but they rob Christ, rob God, tear themselves to pieces, and are almost useless in society. {1T 476.1}

Nogle mænd og kvinder bilder sig selv ind at de ikke betragter denne verdens goder af stor værdi, men de lovpriser sandheden og dets fremskyndelse højere end verdslig fremgang. Mange vil til sidst vågne op og finde ud af at de er blevet bedraget. De har tidligere værdsat sandheden og jordiske rigdomme var, i sammenligning med sandheden, som værdiløs for dem; men efter et stykke tid, når deres verdslige rigdomme blev større, blev de mindre sandhedssøgende. Selv om de havde nok til et godt liv, viste alle, i deres handlinger alligevel, at de på ingen måde var tilfredse. Deres gerninger vidner om at deres hjerter er bundet i jordiske rigdomme. Mere, mere er deres slagord. I dette tager ethvert medlem af familien del i deres arbejde. De giver sig selv næsten ingen tid til helligelse eller bøn. De arbejder tidlig og sent. Usunde og syge kvinder og svage børn oppisker deres svage mål og opbruger den livskraft og styrke de har, for at vinde lidt og få lidt flere penge. De bilder sig selv ind at når de gør dette, hjælper de Guds sag. Et forfærdeligt bedrag! Satan ser på og ler for han ved at de snyder sjæl og legeme ved deres lyst til mere. De gør sig hele tiden dårlige undskyldninger for at snyde dem selv for mere. De er forblændet af denne verdens gud. Kristus har købt dem for sit eget blod; men de stjæler fra Kristus, stjæler fra Gud, river sig selv i stykker og er næsten unødige i samfundet.