Brother B does not try to be in union with his brethren; his self-confidence has led him to feel no special necessity for union. He feels that their minds have been cast in a mold inferior to his own and that to receive their opinions and counsel as worthy of attention would be a great condescension. This self-confidence has shut him away from the love and sympathy of his brethren and from union with them. He feels that he is too wise and experienced to need the precautions which are indispensable to many. He has so high an opinion of his own abilities and such a reliance upon his own attainments that he believes himself prepared for any emergency. Said the heavenly angels, pointing to Brother B: “Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” Self-confidence leads to neglect of watchfulness and of humble, penitential prayer. There are outward temptations to be shunned and inward foes and perplexities to be overcome, for Satan adapts his temptations to the different characters and temperaments of individuals. {3T 445.1}

Bror B prøver ikke at være enig med sine brødre; hans selvsikkerhed har fået ham til ikke at føle noget særlig behov for enighed. Han føler at deres tanker er blevet dannet lidt ringere end hans egne og at modtage deres meninger og råd som værdifuld omsorg er en stor ydmygelse. Denne selvtillid har lukket ham ude fra hans brødres kærlighed og sympati og fra at være enig med dem. Han føler at han er for klog og for erfaren til at have brug for de forholdsregler som er uundværlige for mange. Han har så stor en mening om hans egne evner og en sådan tillid til hans egne færdigheder at han tror at han kan klare enhver nødsituation. De himmelske sagde, da de pegede på bror B: »Derfor skal den, der mener at stå, tage sig i agt, at han ikke falder!« Selv-sikkerhed fører til at forsømme årvågenhed og til ydmyg bodsbøn. Der er ydre fristelser der skal undgås og indre fjender og forviklinger der skal overvindes, for Satan tilpasser sine fristelser til de enkelte personers forskellige karakter og temperament.