It is not the work of a gospel minister to lord it over God’s heritage, but in lowliness of mind, with gentleness and long forbearance, to exhort, reprove, rebuke, with all long-suffering and doctrine. How will the foregoing scriptures compare with your past life? You have been cultivating a selfish disposition nearly all your life. You married a woman of a strong, set will. Her natural disposition was supremely selfish. You were both lovers of self, and uniting your interests did not help the case of either, but increased the peril of both. Neither of you were conscientious, and neither had the fear of God before you in a high sense. Love of self, self-gratification, has been the ruling principle. Both of you have had so little consecration to God that you could not benefit each other. You have each wanted your own way; each has wanted to be petted and praised and waited upon. {3T 229.1}

Det er ikke en evangelietjeners arbejde at spille herre over Guds arv, men i sindets ydmyghed, med venlighed og stor tålmodighed, at formane, irettesætte og dadle, med al langmodighed og lære. Hvordan kan de førnævnte skriftsteder sammenlignes med dit tidligere liv. Du har opdyrket en selvisk natur i næsten hele dit liv. Du giftede dig med en kvinde med en stærk vilje. Hendes naturlige tilbøjeligheder var yderst egenkærlige. I elskede begge selvet og uenigheden i jeres interesser hjalp ikke hver jeres sag, men forøgede begges fare. Ingen af jer havde en samvittighed og ingen havde gudsfrygten for sig i et højt sæde. Kærlighed til selvet, selvtilfredsstillelse, har været det herskende princip. I begge har haft meget lidt helligelse til Gud, så at I ikke kunne hjælpe hinanden. I har hver for sig gået jeres egen vej, hver har ønsket at blive forkælet og rost og opvartet.