A realization of these facts has brought unspeakable burdens upon me, driving sleep from my eyes. At times it has seemed that my heart would break, and I could only pray, while giving vent to my anguish in weeping aloud. Oh, I felt so sorry for my Saviour! His searching for fruit amid the leaf-covered branches of the fig tree and His disappointment in finding nothing but leaves” seemed so vivid before my eyes. I felt that I could not have it so. I could in no way be reconciled to the past years of neglect of duty on the part of ministers and people. I feared that the withering curse passed upon the fig tree might be the fate of these careless ones. The terrible neglect of doing the work and fulfilling the mission which God has entrusted to them incurs a loss which none of us can afford to sustain. It is running a risk too fearful to contemplate and too terrible to be ventured at any time in our religious history, but especially now, when time is so short and so much is to be done in this day of God’s preparation. All heaven is earnestly engaged for the salvation of men; light is coming from God to His people, defining their duty, so that none need err from the right path. But God does not send His light and truth to be lightly esteemed and trifled with. If the people are inattentive, they are doubly guilty before Him. {5T 257.2}

Erkendelse af disse kendsgerninger har pådraget mig uudsigelige byrder, drevet søvnen fra mine øjne. Nogen gange har det været som om at mit hjerte vil bryde sammen og jeg kunne kun bede, da jeg gav luft for min smerte og grad højt. Oh, jeg følte mig så ked af det for min Frelser! Han søgte efter frugter midt i blandt bladdækkede grene på figentræet og hans "skuffelse over at ikke finde andet end blade" var så levende for mine øjne. Jeg følte at jeg ikke have det sådan. Jeg kunne på ingen måde forenes med tidligere års pligtforsømmelse på prædikanternes og folkenes side. Jeg frygtede at den knusende forbandelse, der gik over figentræet, kunne være disse uforsigtiges skæbne. Denne frygtelige forsømmelse, ikke at gøre arbejdet og fuldbyrde den mission som Gud havde betroet dem, pådrager et tab, som ingen af os kan holde oppe. Det er at se for stor en risiko at løbe og for frygtelig at vove i vor religiøse historie, men især nu, hvor tiden er så kort og så meget skal gøres på denne Guds beredelsesdag. Hele (258) himlen er alvorligt engageret i menneskers frelse; lys kommer fra Gud til hans folk, forklarer deres pligt, så at ingen behøver at fejle fra den rigtige sti. Men Gud sender ikke sit lys og sandhed for at den skal tages let eller spøges med dem. Hvis folk er passive, er de dobbelt skyldige over for ham.