Instead of rendering to God the means He has placed in their hands, many invest it in more land. This evil is growing with our brethren. They had before all they could well care for, but the love of money or a desire to be counted as well off as their neighbors leads them to bury their means in the world and withhold from God His just dues. Can we be surprised if they are not prospered? if God does not bless their crops and they are disappointed?

I stedet for at give Gud de midler, han har lagt i deres hænder, bruger mange dem til at udvide deres landejendom. Dette onde tiltager blandt vore brødre. De havde alt, hvad de kunne overkomme at passe, men pengekærhed eller ønsket om at blive anset for at være lige så velhavende (152) som deres naboer leder dem til at begrave deres midler i verden og forholde Gud hans retmæssige del. Kan det undre os, om de ikke har lykken med sig og om Gud ikke velsigner deres grøde og de møder skuffelse?