But gradually a change came. The believers began to look for defects in others. Dwelling upon mistakes, giving place to unkind criticism, they lost sight of the Saviour and His love. They became more strict in regard to outward ceremonies, more particular about the theory than the practice of the faith. In their zeal to condemn others, they overlooked their own errors. They lost the brotherly love that Christ had enjoined, and, saddest of all, they were unconscious of their loss. They did not realize that happiness and joy were going out of their lives and that, having shut the love of God out of their hearts, they would soon walk in darkness.

Men efterhånden forandrede dette sig. De troende begyndte at lede efter fejl hos andre. De opholdt sig ved fejltagelser, beskæftigede sig med ukærlig kritik og tabte Frelseren og hans kærlighed af syne. De blev mere omhyggelige med hensyn til ydre formaliteter og mere nøjeregnende, når det gjaldt teorier end udøvelsen af virksom tro. Af lutter iver for at dømme andre overså de deres egne vildfarelser. De mistede den broderkærlighed, som Kristus havde indskærpet dem og hvad der var det allersørgeligste: de var sig ikke selv deres synd bevidst. De forstod ikke, at lykken og glæden forsvandt ud af deres liv og at de ved at have lukket deres hjerter for Guds kærlighed snart ville komme til at vandre i mørke.