The experience of the former year was, however, repeated to a greater extent. A large class renounced their faith. Some, who had been very confident, were so deeply wounded in their pride that they felt like fleeing from the world. Like Jonah, they complained of God, and chose death rather than life. Those who had built their faith upon the evidence of others, and not upon the word of God, were now as ready to again change their views. The hypocrites, who had hoped to deceive the Lord as well as themselves with their counterfeit penitence and devotion, now felt relieved from impending danger, and openly opposed the cause they had lately professed to love. {1T 56.1}

Erfaringen fra det tidligere år blev dog gentaget i et større omfang. Mange gav afkald på deres tro. Nogle, som havde været meget sikre, var så dybt sårede i deres stolthed, at de havde lyst til at flygte fra verden. Ligesom Jonas beklagede de sig over Gud og valgte døden snarere end livet. De, som havde bygget deres tro på andres vidnesbyrd og ikke på Guds ord, var nu lige så rede til igen at ændre deres syn. Hyklerne, som havde håbet at bedrage Herren så vel som sig selv med deres forfalskede anger og hengivelse, følte sig nu frigjorte fra den forestående fare. De modsatte sig åbenlyst den sag, som de for nylig havde hævdet at holde af.