About this time we commenced labor for our brethren and friends near Greenville. As is the case in many places, our brethren needed help. There were some who kept the Sabbath, yet did not belong to the church, and also some who had given up the Sabbath, who needed help. We felt disposed to help these poor souls, but the past course and present position of leading members of the church in relation to these persons made it almost impossible for us to approach them. In laboring with the erring, some of our brethren had been too rigid, too cutting in remarks. And when some were disposed to reject their counsel and separate from them, they would say: “Well, if they want to go off, let them go.” While such a lack of the compassion, and long-suffering, and tenderness of Jesus was manifested by His professed followers, these poor, erring, inexperienced souls, buffeted by Satan, were certain to make shipwreck of faith. However great may be the wrongs and sins of the erring, our brethren must learn to manifest not only the tenderness of the Great Shepherd, but also His undying care and love for the poor, straying sheep. Our ministers toil and lecture week after week, and rejoice that a few souls embrace the truth; and yet brethren of a prompt, decided turn of mind may, in five minutes, destroy their work by indulging the feelings which prompt words like these: “Well, if they want to leave us, let them go.” {2T 18.2}

Omkring på det tidspunkt begyndte vi at arbejde for vore brødre og venner nær Greenville. Som det er tilfældet mange steder, behøver vore brødre hjælp. Der var nogle som holdt sabbaten og dog ikke hørte til menigheden og også nogle som havde opgivet sabbaten, som behøvede hjælp. Vi følte at vi måtte hjælpe disse stakkels sjæle, men de ledende brødres tidligere fremgangsmåde og nuværende stilling i forhold til disse personer, gjorde det næsten umuligt for os at komme ind til dem. Under arbejdet med de fejlende, har nogle af vore brødre været for strenge, til at skære sig igennem. Og når nogle var ved at forkaste deres råd og adskille sig fra dem, ville de sige: "Hvis de ønsker at gå, så lad dem gå." Så længe en sådan mangel på Jesu medlidenhed, langmodighed og ømhed (19) blev vist af hans bekendende efterfølgere, var disse stakkels, fejlende uerfarne sjæle, slået af Satan, sikre på at lide troens skibbrud. Hvor store de fejlendes fejl og synder end måtte være, må vore brødre ikke blot lære at vise vor Store Hyrdes nænsomhed, men også hans udødelige kærlighed for stakkels, omstrejfende får. Vore prædikanter slider i det og holder forelæsninger uge efter uge og glæder sig over at nogle få sjæle antager sandheden; og dog ødelægger brødrene, som ellers er så beslutsomme, deres arbejde på nogle få minutter, ved at lade deres ord få frit løb, som har disse ord i sig: "Hvis de ønsker at gå, så lad dem gå."