You have gone directly contrary to the light which God has been pleased to give in regard to the use of tobacco. The gratification of appetite has eclipsed the light given of Heaven, and you have made a God of this hurtful indulgence. It is your idol. You have bowed to this instead of God, at the same time professing great faith in the visions, but acting entirely contrary to them. For years you have not advanced one step in the divine life, but have been growing weaker and weaker, darker and darker. You have felt sadly afflicted over the course of Brother P in opposing the truth as he has done. You have ascribed the weak, discouraged state of the church to his opposition. It is true that he has been a great hindrance to the advancement of the cause of God in -----. But the course you have pursued, while professing to know the truth and to have an experience in the cause of God, has been a greater hindrance than his course. If you had stood in the counsel of God and been sanctified through the truth which you professed to believe, Brother P would not have had all the doubts he has had. Your position as a defender of the visions has been a stumbling block to those who were unbelieving. I was shown that your brother tried to stand up under the heavy burdens which the sad condition of the church brought upon him until he nearly fell under the weight he was bearing, and left for his life. I saw that God’s care was over Brother and Sister R, and if their faith remained unwavering they would yet see the salvation of God in their own house and in the church. {2T 96.3}

Du er gået direkte modsat det lys som Gud har fundet for godt at give om brugen af tobak. (97) Appetittens glæder har fordunklet det lys der er givet af himlen og du har gjort denne skadelige last til en gud. Den er din afgud. Du har bøjet dig for denne i stedet for mod Gud, samtidig bekender du en tro på synerne, men handler fuldstændig modsat dem. I årevis har du ikke gået et skridt frem i det guddommelige liv, men blev svagere og svagere, mørkere og mørkere. Du har følt dig pinlig berørt over den måde bror P modsætter sig sandheden på. Du har tillagt menighedens svage, modløse tilstand hans modstand. Det er sandt at han har været en stor hindring for Guds sags fremme i ___. Men den fremgangsmåde du har udøvet er, skønt du vedkender at kende sandheden og har en oplevelse i Guds sag, er en større hindring end hans fremgangsmåde. Hvis du havde stået i Guds rådssamling og været helliget igennem den sandhed du vedkender dig at tro, ville bror P ikke have haft al den tvivl han har haft. Din rolle som forsvarer for synerne har været en anstødssten for dem som var vantro. Jeg fik vist at din bror prøvede at rejse sig under de tunge byrder som du ved menighedens sørgelige tilstand havde bragt på ham indtil han næsten faldt under brydernes vægt og gik bort. Jeg så at Guds omsorg var for bror og søster R og hvis deres tro forblev uden bølger, ville de endnu kunne se Guds frelse i deres eget hus og i menigheden.