Satan’s snares are laid for us as verily as they were laid for the children of Israel just prior to their entrance into the land of Canaan. We are repeating the history of that people. Lightness, vanity, love of ease and pleasure, selfishness, and impurity are increasing among us. There is need now of men who are firm and fearless in declaring the whole counsel of God; men who will not sleep as do others, but watch and be sober. Knowing as I do the great lack of holiness and power with our ministers, I am deeply pained to see the efforts for self-exaltation. If they could but see Jesus as He is, and themselves as they are, so weak, so inefficient, so unlike their Master, they would say: If my name may be written in the obscurest part of the book of life, it is enough for me, so unworthy am I of His notice. {5T 160.2}

Satans snare lægges foran os ligeså sandelig som de blev lagt for Israels børn lige før de gik ind i Kanaans land. Vi gentager dette folks historie. Lethed, forfængelighed, kærlighed til magelighed, fornøjelse, selviskhed og urenhed udbredes iblandt os. Der er nu brug for mænd, som er faste og ikke bange for at stå inde for Guds råd; mænd som ikke vil sove ligesom andre gør, men våger og er ædruelige. Med kendskab til den store mangel på hellighed og kraft hos vore prædikanter, smertes jeg dybt over at se anstrengelserne for selvophøjelse. Hvis de blot kunne se Jesus som han er og dem selv som de er, så svage, så utilstrækkelige, så ulig deres Mester, ville de sige: Hvis mit navn kun var skrevet i de dunkleste dele af livets bog, er det nok for mig, så uværdig er jeg for hans opmærksomhed.