It has been difficult for you to feel that your heavenly Father is still your kind benefactor. Your troubles and perplexities have had a tendency to discourage, and you have felt that death would be preferable to life. But at a certain time, could your eyes have been opened, you would have seen angels of God seeking to save you from yourself. The angels of God led you where you could receive the truth and plant your feet upon a foundation that would be more firm than the everlasting hills. Here you saw light and cherished it. New faith, new life, sprang up in your pathway. God in His providence connected you with His work in the office of the Pacific Press. He has been at work for you, and you should see His guiding hand. Sorrow has been your portion; but you have brought much of it upon yourself because you have not had self-control. You have been very severe at times. You have a quick temper, which must be overcome. In your life you have been in danger, either of indulging in self-confidence or else of throwing yourself away and becoming despondent. A continual dependence upon the word and providence of God will qualify you to exert your powers wholly for your Redeemer, who has called you, saying: “Follow Me.” You should cultivate a spirit of entire submission to the will of God, earnestly, humbly seeking to know His ways and to follow the leadings of His Spirit. You must not lean to your own understanding. You should have deep distrust of your own wisdom and supposed prudence. Your condition demands these cautions. It is unsafe for man to confide in his own judgment. He has limited capacities at best, and many have received, as their birthright, both strong and weak points of character, which are positive defects. These peculiarities color the entire life. {4T 360.2}

Det har været svært for dig at mærke, at vor himmelske fader stadig er din venlige velgører. Dine trængsler og rådvildhed har haft en tendens til modløshed og du har følt at døden var frem for at foretrække end livet. Men i en vis tid kunne dine øjne være åbnet, du ville have set Guds engle forsøge at redde dig fra dig selv. Guds engle førte dig hvor du kunne have modtaget sandheden og plante dine fødder på en fastere grund, end de evige høje. Her så du lyset og værnede om det. Ny tro og nyt liv sprang op på din stivej. Gud har i sit forsyn knyttet dig til sit værk på Pacific Press-virksomheden. Han har arbejdet for dig og du burde kunne se hans ledende hånd. Sorg er blevet din del; men du har pådraget dig selv meget af den, fordi du ikke har haft selvkontrol. Du har været meget streng, nogen gange. Du har et opfarende temperament, som må overvindes. I dit liv har du været i fare, enten for at føje selvsikkerhed eller kaste det hele bort og fortvivles. En stadig afhængighed af Guds ord og forsyn, vil udruste dig til at bruge dine kræfter fuldt for din Forløser, som har kaldet dig og siger: »Følg mig.« Du bør opelske en fuldstændig underkastelse af Guds vilje, søge alvorligt og ydmygt at kende hans veje og (361) følge hans Ånds ledelse. Du må ikke læne dig op af din egen forståelse. Du bør føle dyb mistillid til din egen visdom og formodede klogskab. Dine omstændigheder påkræver denne forsigtighed. Det er usikkert for mennesket at stole på sin egen dømmekraft. I bedste fald har han begrænset sine evner og mange har, fra fødselen, fået både stærke og svage karakterpunkter, som er tydelige mangler. Disse særheder farver hele livet.