Chapter 60—A Cross in Accepting the Truth Dear Sister U, I am somewhat acquainted with your peculiar temperament, your caution, your fears, your lack of hope and confidence. I sympathize with you in your sufferings of mind, as you cannot see everything in regard to our position and faith as clearly as you could wish. We know you to be strictly conscientious, and have not a doubt that, could you have the privilege of hearing on all points of present truth, and of weighing the evidences for yourself, you would be established, strengthened, settled, so that opposition or reproach would not move you from the sure foundation. As you have not had the privilege, as many others have, of attending meetings and experiencing for yourself the evidences attending the presentation of the truth we hold sacred, we feel the more solicitous for you. Our hearts are drawn out after you, and our love toward you is sincere and fervent. We fear that amid the perils of these last days you may make shipwreck. Be not grieved with me for thus writing. You cannot have a full sense, as I have, of the wiles and sophistry of Satan. His deceptions are many; his snares are carefully and cunningly prepared to entangle the unwary and unsuspecting. We want you to escape his wiles; we want you to be fully on the Lord’s side, loving, and waiting and earnestly longing for, the appearing of our Saviour in the clouds of heaven. {2T 489.1}

Ved menneskets skabelse har Herren udtænkt at det skulle være aktivt og nyttigt. Alligevel lever mange i denne verden som unyttige maskiner, som de knap nok findes. De gør ikke stien lysere for nogen, de er ikke til velsignelse for nogen. De lever kun for at bebyrde andre. Såvidt deres indflydelse til det rigtige angår, er de blot et nul; men deres snak går til den forkerte side. Ransag nøje sådannes levned og en godgørende handling kan knapt nok findes. Når de dør, dør også deres eftermæle. Deres navne snart gå fortabt; for de kan ikke leve, selv ikke i deres venners kærlighed, ved midler af sand godhed og dydige handlinger. Hos sådanne personer har livet været en fejltagelse. De har ikke været trofaste forvaltere. De har glemt at deres Skaber har krav på dem og at han har udtænkt at de skal være aktive i at gøre godt og til velsignelse for andre med deres indflydelse. Egenkærlige interesser tiltrækker sindet og leder til at glemme Gud og deres Skabers hensigter.