Brother F, you do not honor your profession. Your zeal is a worldly zeal, your interest a worldly interest. You are dying spiritually. You understand not your perilous condition. The love of the world is swallowing up your religion. You must awake; you must seek God and repent of your backslidings. In contrition take words and return to the Lord. Your religious duties have become merely a form. You do not enjoy religion; for this enjoyment is dependent upon willing obedience. The willing and obedient shall eat the good of the land. You do not possess a bright evidence that you will dwell with God in His kingdom. You occasionally engage in the outward performance of religious duties, but your heart is not in the exercise. You occasionally drop a word of warning to sinners, or a word in favor of the truth; but it is a reluctant service, as though rendered to a taskmaster, instead of the cheerful service of filial affection. If your heart is aglow with Christian zeal, the most arduous duties will be pleasant and easy. {2T 234.1}

Bror F, du ærer ikke din bekendelse. Din nidkærhed er verdslig, din interesse en verdslig interesse. Du dør åndeligt. Du forstår ikke den farlige tilstand du er i. Verdenskærlighed opsluger din religion. Du må vågne op; du må opsøge Gud og angre dit frafald. Tag ordene i anger og vend tilbage til Herren. Dine religiøse pligter er blot blevet en formssag. Du nyder ikke religionen; for denne nydelse er afhængig af villig lydighed. Den villige og lydige skal spise af det gode land. Du har ikke et klart bevis for at du skal dvæle sammen med Gud i hans rige. Lejlighedsvis gør du ydre religiøse pligter, men dit hjerte er ikke med. Af og til falder der et advarselsord til syndere, eller et ord til fordel for sandheden; men det er modvilligt, som om det er for en hård herres skyld, i stedet for at tjene i et barns hengivenhed. Hvis dit hjerte gløder af kristen iver, vil de vanskeligste pligter blive behagelige og lette.