God’s frown has been brought upon the church on account of individuals with corrupt hearts being in it. They have wanted to be foremost, when neither God nor their brethren placed them there. Selfishness and exaltation have marked their course. A place is now open for all such where they can go and find pasture with those of their kind. And we should praise God that in mercy He has rid the church of them. God has given many of these persons up to their own ways to be filled with their own doings. An excitement and sympathy now leads them, which will deceive some; but every honest one will be enlightened as to the true state of this company, and will remain with God’s peculiar people, hold fast the truth, and follow in the humble path, unaffected by the influence of those who have been given up of God to their own ways, to be filled with their own doings. I saw that God had given these persons opportunity to reform, He had enlightened them as to their love for self and their other sins; but they would not heed it. They would not be reformed, and He mercifully relieved the church of them. The truth will take effect if the servants of God and the church will devote themselves to Him and His cause. {1T 122.2}

Guds misbilligelse er kommet over menigheden, på grund af de enkelte personer med fordærvede hjerter i sig. De ønskede at være forrest, hvor hverken Gud eller deres brødre havde sat dem. Selviskhed og ophøjelse var markerende for deres handlemåde. Et sted er nu åbent for alle sådanne, så de kan gå og finde græsgange med dem, af deres slags. Og vi bør prise Gud at han i barmhjertighed har befriet deres menighed. Gud har opgivet mange af disse personer til deres egne metoder og de fyldes med deres egne gerninger. En sindsbevægelse og forståelse leder dem nu, som vil bedrage nogle. Men enhver oprigtig vil være oplyst med hensyn til denne gruppes sande tilstand og vil forblive hos Guds særlige folk, holde fast på sandheden og følge de ydmyge stier, upåvirket af deres indflydelse, som er blevet opgivet af Gud til deres egne veje, fyldes af egne gerninger. Jeg så at Gud havde givet disse personer anledning til at fornyelse, han havde oplyst dem om deres kærlighed til selvet og deres øvrige synder; men de ville ikke give agt på det. De vil ikke blive fornyet og han skiller barmhjertig menigheden væk fra dem. Sandheden vil få virkning, hvis Guds tjenere og menigheden vil hellige sig selv til ham og hans sag.