There were some who kept the Sabbath, attended meeting, and paid systematic benevolence, yet were out of the church. And it is true that they were not fit to belong to any church. But while leading church members stood as some in that church did, giving them little or no encouragement, it was almost impossible for them to arise in the strength of God and do better. As we began to labor with the church, and teach them that they must have a spirit of labor for the erring, much that I had seen relative to the cause in that place, opened before me, and I wrote out pointed testimonies not only for those who had erred greatly and were out of the church, but for those members in the church who had erred greatly in not going in search of the lost sheep. And I was never more disappointed in the manner in which these testimonies were received. When those who had been greatly in fault were reproved by most pointed testimonies, read to them publicly, they received them, and confessed with tears. But some of those in the church, who claimed to be the fast friends of the cause and the Testimonies, could hardly think it possible that they had been as wrong as the testimonies declared them to be. When told that they were self-caring, shut up to themselves and families; that they had failed to care for others, had been exclusive, and had left precious souls to perish; that they were in danger of being overbearing and self-righteous, they were brought into a state of great agitation and trial. {2T 19.2}

Der var nogle som holdt sabbaten, deltog i møder og betalte systematisk godgørenhed og alligevel var uden for menigheden. Men selv om nogle ledende menighedsmedlemmer stod sådan som nogle i den menighed gjorde og gav dem lidt eller ingen hjælp, var det næsten umuligt for dem at stå frem i Guds kraft og gøre det bedre. Idet vi begyndte at arbejde med menigheden og lære dem at de måtte have en arbejdsånd for de fejlende, åbnedes meget af det jeg havde set med hensyn til det steds problem sig for mig og jeg skrev et tydeligt vidnesbyrd ned ikke kun for dem som havde fejlet så stærkt og var ude af menigheden, men for (20) de medlemmer i menigheden som havde fejlet så stærkt ved ikke at have gået ud og søgt efter de tabte får. Og jeg var aldrig mere skuffet over den måde hvorpå disse vidnesbyrd blev modtaget på. Når dem som havde begået så store fejl blev irettesat af det tydeligste vidnesbyrd, blev de læst åbent op og de blev modtaget og de kom til bekendelse med tårer. Men nogle af dem i menigheden, som påberåbte sig at være sagens og Vidnesbyrdets faste venner, kunne næsten ikke tro at det var muligt at de havde været ligeså forkerte som vidnesbyrdet erklærede at de var. Når det blev sagt at de bekymrede sig om sig selv, holdt sig inde for dem selv og deres familier; så at de havde svigtet i omsorgen for andre, havde været afvisende og havde ladet dyrebare sjæle gå tabt, så at de var i fare for være hovne og selvretfærdige, kom de i stor uro og fik vanskeligheder.