Conformity to Christ or the World—A sister who had spent some weeks at one of our institutions in _____, said that she felt much disappointed in what she saw and heard there.... Before accepting the truth, she had followed the fashions of the world in her dress, and had worn costly jewelry and other ornaments; but upon deciding to obey the Word of God, she felt that its teachings required her to lay aside all extravagant and superfluous adorning. She was taught that Seventh-day Adventists did not wear jewelry, gold, silver, or precious stones, and that they did not conform to worldly fashions in their dress. When she saw among those who profess the faith such a wide departure from Bible simplicity, she felt bewildered. Had they not the same Bible which she had been studying, and to which she had endeavored to conform her life? Had her past experience been mere fanaticism? Had she misinterpreted the words of the apostle, “The friendship of the world is enmity with God, for whosoever will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God”? {Ev 270.1}

Tilslutte sig Kristus eller verden. - En søster som havde brugt nogle uger på en af vore institutioner i ___, sagde at hun følte sig meget skuffet over hvad hun så og hørte der. . . . Før hun accepterede sandheden, havde hun fulgt verdens moder i hendes klædestil, og havde båret kostelige juveler og andre smykker; men beslutningen om at adlyde Guds ord, mærkede hun at dets lære krævede at lægge alt som er ekstravagant og alle overflødige smykker til side. Hun havde lært at syvende-dags adventisterne ikke bærer ædelstene, guld, sølv eller dyrebare stene, og at de ikke tilpasser sig verdslige moder i deres klæder. Da hun iblandt dem som bekender sit til troen så en så stor afstand fra bibelsk enkelhed, følte hun sig i vildrede. Havde de ikke den samme bibel, som hun har studeret, i hvilken hun havde bestræbt sig for at tilpasse sit liv efter? Var hendes tidligere erfaring blot fanatisme? Havde hun fejlfortolket apostlens ord: "Venskab med verden er fjendskab med Gud, for hvem som vil være ven med verden er fjende til Gud"?