My sufferings of mind were intense. Sometimes for a whole night I would not dare to close my eyes, but would wait until my twin sister was fast asleep, then quietly leave my bed and kneel upon the floor, praying silently with a dumb agony that cannot be described. The horrors of an eternally burning hell were ever before me. I knew that it was impossible for me to live long in this state, and I dared not die and meet the terrible fate of the sinner. With what envy did I regard those who realized their acceptance with God! How precious did the Christian’s hope seem to my agonized soul! {1T 26.2}

Mit sinds lidelser var heftige. Nogle gange turde jeg ikke lukke mine øjne hele natten, men jeg ventede, indtil min tvillingesøster sov dybt, derefter forlod jeg stille min seng og knælede på gulvet, idet jeg bad stille med en stum smerte, der ikke kan beskrives. Et evigt brændende helvedes rædsler stod hele tiden for mig. Jeg vidste, at det ikke var muligt for mig at leve længe i denne tilstand, og jeg turde ikke dø og møde synderens frygtelige skæbne. Med hvilken misundelse betragtede jeg ikke dem, der forstod deres anerkendelse hos Gud! Hvor dyrebar forekom den kristnes håb ikke for min forpinte sjæl!