The neglect of the light that God has given you has, in a degree, made you captive, subject to Satan’s devices; therefore a door has been left open for him to gain access to you in other directions and make you a weak man. He sees that he has succeeded in blinding your eyes to the interests of your family by leading you to neglect the light which the Lord has given. Then Satan has beset you in another direction. He has excited your love of traffic, your love of gain; and thus your interest has been divided from the cause and work of God. The love of God and the truth is gradually becoming of less importance. Souls for whom Christ died are of less value to you than your temporal interests. If you continue to pursue this course, you will soon become jealous, sensitive, and envious, and will go away from the truth, as others have gone. {2T 627.1}

Dem som samler sig midler investerer meget i jorder, medens de frarøver deres familier for livets bekvemmeligheder, handler ligesom sindsyge. De lader ikke deres familier nyde ting som Gud har givet dem rigeligt. Uanset om de har store besiddelser, er deres familier ofte tvunget til at arbejde langt ud over deres styrke for at opspare endnu flere midler til ophobning. Hjerne, ben og muskler bebyrdes til det yderste for indsamlingen og religion og kristne pligter forsømmes. Arbejde, arbejde, arbejde er målet fra morgen til aften.