The sad, gloomy state of your mind, which leads you to weep and feel that life is not desirable, is the result of allowing your thoughts to run in an impure channel, upon forbidden subjects, while you indulge habits that are steadily and surely undermining your constitution and preparing you for premature decay. It would have been far better for you had you never gone to -----. Your stay there injured you. You dwelt upon your infirmities, and mingled in society which was corrupting in its influence. Miss C was a corrupt, evil-minded woman. Her association with you increased the evil which was already upon you. “Evil communications corrupt good manners.” At the present time your condition is not acceptable in the sight of God; yet you imagine that you have no desire to live. But should you be taken at your expressed wish, and your life cease, your case would be hopeless indeed. You are neither prepared for this world nor the next. {2T 324.2}

Da vi bad jer om at tage ham gjorde vi det fordi vi var overbevist om at det var jeres opgave og at I herved fik velsignelse. Vi forventede ikke I blot ville gøre det for at få gavn af den hjælp i fik fra drengen, men at I ville være ham til gavn, at udføre en opgave over for en forældreløs, en opgave som enhver sand kristen bør opsøge og være ivrig efter at udføre; en opgave, en opofrende opgave, som vi troede det ville være godt at tage op, hvis I udførte den med glæde, med det for øje at være det redskab i Guds hænder der frelser en sjæl fra Satans snare, der frelser en søn hvis far har helliget sit dyrebare liv til at lede sjæle til Guds Lam som tager verdens synd bort.