You may think me too severe, but I cannot be more severe than the transaction deserves. Did you all think, when you condemned the guiltless, that God was altogether such a one as yourselves? The subsequent condition of Brother D was the result of the position taken by you on that occasion. Had you shown fairness and sympathy, he would stand today where his influence would tell on the side of truth with the power that a meek and quiet spirit exerts. Brother D was not a ready speaker, and the smooth words and fair speeches of A B, uttered with apparent coolness and candor, had effect. The poor, sightless man should have been regarded with pity and tenderness; but, instead of this, he was placed in the worst possible light. God saw and will not hold one of you guiltless who acted a part in that unfair investigation. Brother A, it will not then appear so amusing to you as when you were sitting in judgment against a blind brother. You should learn a lesson from this experience; namely, to close your ears to those who would prejudice you against the very ones whom God would have you sustain, pity, and strengthen. {4T 325.1}

Du tror jeg er for streng, men jeg kan ikke være streng nok i denne sag. Troede I alle at når I dømmer den uskyldige, at Gud stort set var ligesom jer? Bror D's senere tilstand var en følge af den holdning I tog den gang. Havde du udvist retfærdighed og forståelse, ville han i dag kunne have en indflydelse for sandheden og den vil tælle med en kraft som en sagtmodig og stille ånd udviser. Bror D var ikke en hurtig taler og AB's glatte ord og ærlige udsagn, sagt med en tilsyneladende koldblodighed og oprigtighed, havde virkning. Det stakkels blinde menneske burde være betragtet med medfølenhed og ømhed; men i stedet for dette blev han sat i det værst tænkelige lys. Gud så det og vil ikke holde nogen af jer skyldfrie, som havde del i denne unfair undersøgelse. Bror A, det vil ikke være så morsomt for dig, når du sidder i domslokalet med en blind bror imod dig. Du bør lære en lektie af denne erfaring; nemlig, at lukke dine ører for dem, som vil hindre dig i at hjælpe dem, som Gud vil have du støtter, hjælper, har medlidenhed med og styrker.