You have a work to do to set your house in order. Pure, sinless angels cannot delight to come into a dwelling where so much iniquity is practiced. You are asleep at your post. Things of minor importance have occupied your minds to the exclusion of more weighty matters. It should be the first business of your life to seek the kingdom of heaven and its righteousness; then you have the promise that all things shall be added. Here is where you have failed in your family. Had you been agonizing that you and yours might enter in at the strait gate, you would have earnestly gathered every ray of light that the Lord has permitted to shine upon your pathway, and would have cherished and walked in it. {2T 399.1}

Din hustru har lige så meget ret til sin mening som du har til din. Hendes ægteskabsforhold udsletter ikke hendes identitet. Hun har et personligt ansvar. Du er ikke afklaret (419) før du tager tingene væk fra hende og viser en mere næstekærlig, Kristi lignende overbærenhed over for hende og betragter andre i det lys du selv ønsker at blive betragtet. Du har endnu at lære at »gøre intet af egennytte eller lyst til tom ære, men agt i ydmyghed hverandre højere end jer selv.« »Vær hverandre hjerteligt hengivne i broderkærlighed; kom hverandre i forkøbet med at vise ærbødighed! Vær ikke lunkne i jeres iver; vær brændende i ånden; tjen Herren.«