Chapter 11—A Violated Conscience Dear Brother N, I feel compelled by a sense of duty to address you a few lines. I have been shown some things in regard to your case which I dare not withhold. I was shown that Satan took advantage of you because your wife did not embrace the truth. You were thrown into the society of a corrupt woman, one whose steps take hold on hell. She professed great sympathy for you because of the opposition you received from your wife. Like the serpent in Eden, she made her manners fascinating. She cast the impression on your mind that you were an abused man; that your wife did not appreciate your feelings and reciprocate your affections; that a mistake had been made in your marriage relation; until you imagined the marriage vows of lifelong constancy to her whom you had taken as your wife, to be as galling chains. You went for sympathy to this apparent angel in speech. You poured into her ears that which should have been entrusted alone to your wife whom you had vowed to love, honor, and cherish as long as you both should live. You forgot to watch and pray always lest you should enter into temptation. Your soul was marred by a crime. You stamped your life record in heaven with a fearful blot. Yet deep humiliation and repentance before God will be acceptable to Him. The blood of Christ can avail to wash these sins away. {2T 89.1}

[Kære bror N! Drevet af pligtfølelse ser jeg mig nødsaget til at sende dig nogle linjer. Enkelte ting, som jeg ikke vover at tilbageholde, er blevet vist mig vedrørende din sag. Jeg så, at Satan benyttede sig af, at din hustru ikke antog sandheden. Du kom i selskab med en fordærvet kvinde, en kvinde, hvis trin fører til helvede. Hun tilkendegav stor medfølelse mod dig på grund af den modstand, du mødte hos din hustru. Ligesom slangen i Eden gjorde hun sin optræden fortryllende. Hun bibragte dit sind det indtryk, at du blev urigtigt behandlet, at din hustru ikke satte pris på dine følelser og gengældte din kærlighed og at dit ægteskabsforhold var en fejltagelse, indtil du indbildte dig, at ægteskabsløftet om livsvarigt troskab mod hende, som du havde taget til hustru, var som gnavene lænker. Du søgte medfølelse hos denne tilsyneladende engel i tale. Du fyldte hendes øren med ting, som du kun burde have betroet din hustru, hvem du havde lovet at elske, hædre og beskytte, så længe I begge var i live. Du glemte at våge og bede, for at du ikke skulle Gå ind i fristelse. Din sjæl var fordærvet ved en forbrydelse. Du satte en frygtelig plet på dit livsregnskab i himmelen. Men dyb ydmygelse og omvendelse for Gud vil han antage. Kristi blod formår at aftvætte disse synder.