"I wondered if they were having their ‘reward in full’ looking down on others with their shunning and secret gatherings!"
I had a mate I flatted with from the same church. Whenever someone suggested delayed gratification is more biblical, he'd say "I want my reward now!" and he'd grab the last cake or whatever.
As for pioneers being publicly rewarded by God for what they did in secret: Puh-lease! 🙄 Their hours are recorded and published. Everyone knows what they've done and acknowledges how "spiritual" they are . You're totally right, LongHairGal, their reward is in the "here and now", not in the "hereafter".