I saw that these national fasts were an insult to Jehovah. He accepts of no such fasts. The recording angel writes in regard to them: “Ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness.” I was shown how our leading men have treated the poor slaves who have come to them for protection. Angels have recorded it. Instead of breaking their yoke and letting the oppressed go free, these men have made the yoke more galling for them than when in the service of their tyrannical masters. Love of liberty leads the poor slaves to leave their masters and risk their lives to obtain liberty. They would never venture to leave their masters and expose themselves to the difficulties and horrors attending their recapture if they had not as strong a love for liberty as any of us. The escaped slaves have endured untold hardships and dangers to obtain their freedom, and as their last hope, with the love of liberty burning in their breasts, they apply to our Government for protection; but their confidence has been treated with the utmost contempt. Many of them have been cruelly treated because they committed so great a crime as to dare to make an effort to obtain their freedom. Great men, professing to have human hearts, have seen the slaves almost naked and starving, and have abused them, and sent them back to their cruel masters and hopeless bondage, to suffer inhuman cruelty for daring to seek their liberty. Some of this wretched class they thrust into unwholesome dungeons, to live or die, they cared not which. They have deprived them of the liberty and free air which heaven has never denied them, and then left them to suffer for food and clothing. In view of all this, a national fast is proclaimed! Oh, what an insult to Jehovah! The Lord saith by the mouth of Isaiah: “Yet they seek Me daily, and delight to know My ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God.” {1T 257.1}

Jeg så at disse nationale faster var en fornærmelse mod Jehova. Han accepter ikke sådanne faster. Englen som sidder og skriver ned skrev om dem: "I faster for strid og diskussion og for at slå med ondskabens næve." Jeg fik vist hvordan vore ledende mænd havde behandlet de stakkels slaver som havde kommet til dem for at få beskyttelse. Engle har nedskrevet det. I stedet for at bryde deres åg og lade de betyngede gå fri, har disse mænd gjort åget mere plagsomt for dem, end når de er i deres tyranniske mesteres tjeneste. Kærlighed til frihed leder de stakkels slaver til at forlade deres herrer og risikere deres liv for at få frihed. De ville aldrig vove at forlade deres mestre og for deres generobring udsætte sig selv for vanskeligheder og rædsel, hvis de ikke har en så stærk en kærlighed for frihed som nogen af os. De undvegne slaver har udholdt uudsigelige genvordigheder og farer for at få deres frihed og idet deres sidste håb, for kærlighed til frihed brændte i deres hjerter, henvendte de sig til vor regering for at få beskyttelse; men deres tillid blev blevet behandlet med største foragt. Mange af dem blev behandlet grusomt fordi de vovede at begå så stor kriminalitet i deres anstrengelser for at få deres frihed. Store mænd, der giver sig ud for at have menneskelige hjerter, har set slaverne næsten nøgne og lide nød og har misbrugt dem og sendt dem tilbage til deres grusomme mestre og håbløse trældom og at lide umenneskelig grusomhed for at de vovede at søge deres frihed. Nogle i denne ulykkelige klasse smed de ind i usunde fangehuller, for at overleve eller dø, det bekymrede de sig ikke om. De har frataget dem friheden og den frie luft som himlen aldrig har fornægtet dem og da overladt dem til at lide for mad og klæder. I betragtning af alt dette, blev en national faste proklameret! Herren sagde ved Esajas' mund: »Mig søger de dag efter dag og ønsker at kende mine veje, som var de et folk, der øver retfærd, ej svigter, hvad dets Gud fandt ret."