In your prosperity you did not carry out the resolves you had made in adversity. The deceitfulness of riches turned you from your purposes. Cares increased upon you. Your influence became extended. As the afflicted realized relief from suffering, they glorified you, and you learned to love praise from the lips of poor mortals. You were in a popular city, and thought it necessary for the success of your business, as well as to retain your influence, for your surroundings to be somewhat in accordance with your business. But you carried things too far. You were swayed too much by the opinions and judgment of others. You expended means needlessly, only to gratify the lust of the eye and the pride of life. You forgot that you were handling your Lord’s money. When means were expended by you which would only encourage vanity, you did not consider that the recording angel was making a record which you would blush to meet again. Said the angel, pointing to you: “You glorified yourself, but did not magnify God.” You even gloried in the fact that it was in your power to purchase these things. {2T 279.2}

[I din medgang gennemførte du ikke de beslutninger, du havde fattet i modgangens tid. Rigdommens bedrag førte dig bort fra dine forsætter. Du fik forøgede bekymringer. Din indflydelse blev større. Når de trængende fandt lindring for lidelse, berømmede de dig og du lærte at synes om ros fra stakkels dødelige menneskers læber. Du opholdt dig i en populær by og anså det for nødvendigt af hensyn til din beskæftigelse og til opretholdelsen af din indflydelse, at dine omgivelser nogenlunde svarede til din forretning. Men du gik for vidt. Du lod dig i for høj grad lede af andres meninger og skøn. Du gjorde unødvendig brug af midler blot for at tilfredsstille øjnenes lyst og livets hoffærdighed. Du glemte, at det var Herrens penge, du havde mellem hænderne. Når du udgav pengemidler, som kun ville opelske forfængelighed, betænkte du ikke, at den skrivende engel nedtegnede en beretning, som du ville blues ved at møde igen. Idet engelen pegede på dig, sagde han: "Du priste dig selv, men du ophøjede ikke mig." Du roste dig endog af den kendsgerning, at det stod i din magt at købe disse ting . Vejl f menigh bd. 1 side 207]