Testimonies for the Church, Volume 2 - Ellen G. White

I saw your feet faltering, your faith wavering.
Doubt and unbelief were enclosing you about, and
the light of Jesus was departing. Vanity is one of
the strongest principles of our depraved natures,
and Satan will constantly appeal to it with success.
Persons have not been wanting who were ready to
aid Satan in his work—to flatter you, to present
your ability and the influence you could have in
society, to urge that it would be a great pity for you
to unite your interests with a people of humble
faith and mingle in a class of society, as they
regard it, beneath you. It has seemed to you that
you were making a great sacrifice for the truth. It is
true that the masses who possess influence do not
choose to sacrifice their worldly ambition, to
separate their affections from the world, and turn
their footsteps into the narrow, humble path
traveled by the suffering Man of Calvary. They
consider their talents and influence too precious to
be devoted to the cause of God, too precious to be
given back to glorify the Giver who lent them these
talents to be improved upon and returned to Him,
both principal and interest. For the temporal
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