Getting Decision Now Difficult—In our day it is a difficult matter to bring those who profess to believe the truth to the experimental knowledge of its vitalizing, sanctifying power. This has been experienced in years gone by, but form has taken the place of the power, and its simplicity has been lost in a round of ceremonies.—Manuscript 104, 1898. {Ev 293.4} A Parable—Gathering the Ripening Fruitage—In a dream given me September 29, 1886, I was walking with a large company who were looking for berries. ... The day wore on, and very little was accomplished. At last I said: “Brethren, you call this an unsuccessful expedition. If this is the way you work, I do not wonder at your lack of success. Your success or failure depends upon the way you take hold of the work. There are berries here; for I have found them. Some of you have been searching the low bushes in vain; others have found a few berries; but the high bushes have been passed by, simply because you did not expect to find fruit on them. You see that the fruit which I have gathered is large and ripe. In a little while other berries will ripen, and we can go over the bushes again. This is the way in which I was taught to gather fruit. If you had searched near the wagon, you might have found fruit as well as I.... {Ev 293.5}

Nu er det vanskeligere at tage en beslutning. - I vore dage er det en vanskelig sag at bringe dem som bekender at tro sandheden til en erfaringsmæssig kundskab om dens livgivende og helligende kraft. Dette har været erfaringen i årevis, men formaliter har taget kraftens plads, og dens enkelhed er gået tabt i en række ceremonier. - manuskript 104, 1898.