The Lord designs to warn you, to reprove, to counsel, through the testimonies given, and to impress your minds with the importance of the truth of His word. The written testimonies are not to give new light, but to impress vividly upon the heart the truths of inspiration already revealed. Man’s duty to God and to his fellow man has been distinctly specified in God’s word; yet but few of you are obedient to the light given. Additional truth is not brought out; but God has through the Testimonies simplified the great truths already given and in His own chosen way brought them before the people to awaken and impress the mind with them, that all may be left without excuse. {2T 605.2}

Eli fremstiller nøjagtig dit tilfælde. Du har af og til bebrejdet dine børn og sagt: Hvorfor er I så onde? men du har ikke brugt din myndighed som fader, som præst for huset, til at befale og have dine ord som lov i din familie. Din og også din hustrus fejltagne kærlighed for jeres børn har fået dig til at forsømme den højtidelige forpligtelse der er overdraget jer som forældre.