Nothing so readily arouses the evil traits in your character as to dispute your wisdom and judgment in exercising your authority. Your strong, overbearing spirit, which has appeared to slumber, is roused to its fullest energy. Self then controls you, and you are no more governed by candid reason and calm judgment than is an insane person. Self in all its strength wrestles for the mastery, and it will take the firmest mind to hold you in restraint. After your fit of insanity has gone by, then you can bear to have your course questioned. But you stand ready to justify yourself by the plea that you are so sensitive; you feel so deeply; you suffer so much. I saw that all this will not excuse you in the sight of God. You mistake pride for sensitiveness. Self is prominent. When self is crucified, then this sensitiveness, or pride, will die; until then you are not a Christian. To be a Christian is to be Christlike, to possess humility and a meek and quiet spirit that will bear contradiction without being enraged or becoming insane. If the deceptive covering which is about you could be rent asunder, so that you could see yourself as God sees you, you would no longer seek to justify self, but would fall all broken upon Christ, the only One who can remove the defects in your character and then bind you up. {2T 572.3}

Hvad er hensigten med at komme sammen? Er det for at oplyse Gud, at belære ham derved, at vi i bønnen fortæller ham alt, hvad vi ved? Vi kommer sammen for at opbygge hverandre ved at udveksle tanker og følelser, for at samle styrke og lys og frimodighed ved at lære hinandens forhåbninger og mål at kende; og ved vore alvorlige, hjertelige bønner, som opsendes i tro, modtager vi vederkvægelse og kraft fra ham, som er kilden til vor styrke. Disse møder bør være overmåde dyrebare stunder og de bør gøres interessante for alle, der har nogen smag for religiøse anliggender.