When at Battle Creek, Michigan, May 5, 1855, I saw that there was a great lack of faith with the servants of God, as well as with the church. They were too easily discouraged, too ready to doubt God, too willing to believe that they had a hard lot and that God had forsaken them. I saw that this was cruel. God so loved them as to give His dearly beloved Son to die for them, and all heaven was interested in their salvation; yet after all that had been done for them, it was hard to believe and trust so kind and good a Father. He has said that He is more willing to give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him, than earthly parents are to give good gifts to their children. I saw that the servants of God and the church were too easily discouraged. When they asked their Father in heaven for things which they thought they needed, and these did not immediately come, their faith wavered, their courage fled, and a murmuring feeling took possession of them. This, I saw, displeased God. {1T 120.1}

[Under mit ophold i Battle Creek, Michigan, så jeg den 5. maj 1855, at der var stor mangel på tro hos Guds tjenere såvel som hos menigheden. De havde for let ved at blive modløse, var for meget tilbøjelige til at tvivle på Gud, for villige til at synes, at de havde det svært og at Gud havde forladt dem. Jeg så, at dette var hensynsløst. Gud elskede dem så højt, at han gav sin højt elskede søn i døden for dem og hele himmelen interesserede sig for deres frelse; men efter alt, hvad der var blevet gjort for dem, faldt det dem alligevel svært at tro og fortrøste sig på en så kærlig og god fader. Han har sagt, at han er mere villig til at give Helligånden til dem, der beder ham, end jordiske forældre er til at give deres børn gode gaver. Jeg så, at Guds tjenere og menigheden har for let ved at blive modløse. Når de bad deres fader i himmelen om ting, som de mente, at de behøvede og disse ikke kom øjeblikkelig, vaklede troen, deres mod forsvandt og en tilbøjelighed til at knurre greb dem. Jeg så, at dette mishagede Gud.