Brother B has cultivated an almost ungovernable propensity for sight-seeing and trips of pleasure. Time and means are wasted to gratify his desire for pleasure excursions. His selfish love of pleasure leads to the neglect of sacred duties. Brother B loves to preach, but he has never taken up this work feeling the woe upon him if he preach not the gospel. He has frequently left work in the office which demanded his care, to comply with calls from some of his brethren in other churches. If he had felt the solemnity of the work of God for this time, and gone forth making God his trust, practicing self-denial, and lifting the cross of Christ, he would have accomplished good. But he frequently had so little realization of the holiness of the work, that he would improve the opportunity of visiting other churches in making the occasion a scene of self-gratification, in short, a pleasure trip. What a contrast between his course and that pursued by the apostles, who went forth burdened with the word of life, and in the demonstration of the Spirit preached Christ crucified! They pointed out the living way through self-denial and the cross. They had fellowship with their Saviour in His sufferings, and their greatest desire was to know Christ Jesus, and Him crucified. They considered not their own convenience, nor counted their lives dear unto themselves. They lived not to enjoy, but to do good, and to save souls for whom Christ died. {3T 26.2}

Bror B har udviklet den mest uregerlige tilbøjelighed for fornøjelses udflugter og ture. Hans egenkærlighed for fornøjelser fører til forsømmelse af hellige pligter. Bror B holder af at prædike, men han har aldrig følt smerte på sig hvis han ikke forkynder evangeliet. Han har ofte forladt arbejdet på kontoret som kræver hans omhu, (27) for at rette sig efter sine brødres kald fra andre menigheder. Hvis han havde følt Guds arbejdes alvor for denne tid og gået frem med Gud som sin tillid, praktiseret selvforglemmelse og løftet Kristi kors, ville han have udrettet noget godt. Men han udviser ofte så lidt arbejdshellighed, så han udnytter anledningen til at besøge andre menigheder og tilfredsstille sig selv ved en kort fornøjelig tur. Hvilken modsætning er der ikke mellem hans fremgangsmåde og apostlenes, som gik ud bebyrdede med livets ord og i Åndens tilkendegivelse forkyndte Kristus korsfæstet! De pegede på den levende vej gennem selvfornægtelse og korset. De havde fællesskab med deres Frelser og hans lidelser og deres største ønske var at kende Kristus Jesus og ham korsfæstet. De tog ikke hensyn til deres eget behag, regnede heller ikke deres liv for dyrebar for sig selv. De levede ikke for at nyde, men for at gøre godt og for at frelse sjæle, Kristus døde for.