The day of trust and responsibility is ours; we have a work to do for God. The church in ----- has been gradually growing cold and irreligious. There is much to be done for its individual members. Great light has shone upon their pathway. For this they will be held accountable. Said Christ: “Ye are the light of the world;” “ye are the salt of the earth.” They need a deeper work of grace in their hearts. There must be a reformation before God can bless them. There are plenty of formal professors. A selfish grasping for gain eclipses the heavenly inheritance. If the kingdom of heaven is made first, noble integrity will shine forth in the life and character. This is what Brother A needs if he would exert an influence for good. He loves to handle money, and to see it accumulate by turning it one way and another. His mind and affections are absorbed in worldly enterprises. He is drunken with the cares of this life; that is, he is so swallowed up in his business that he cannot think rationally and intelligently of the things of God; his vision is obscured by love of money. The truth should reach down deep into his heart and develop fruit in his private and public life. {5T 280.1}

(280) Tillidens og ansvarets dage er vore, vi har et arbejde at gøre for Gud. Menigheden i ___ er gradvist blevet kold og ureligiøs. Der er meget at gøre for dets medlemmer, enkeltvis. Stort lys har skinnet på deres stivej. For dette vil de drages til ansvar. Kristus sagde: »I er verdens lys;« »I er jordens salt.« De behøver et dybere nådesarbejde i deres hjerter. Der må ske en reformation, før Gud kan velsigne dem. Der er masser af formelle bekendere. Gribe efter vinding, i selviskhed, fordunkler den himmelske arv. Himlens rige sættes først, ædel renhed vil skinne frem i liv og karakter. Det er hvad bror A behøver, hvis han vil udøve en indflydelse for det gode. Han kan lide at have med penge at gøre og se dem vokse ved at spekulere det ene og andet sted. Hans tanker og kærlighed er optaget af verdslige forretninger. Han er beruset af dette livs bekymringer; som er at han er opslugt i sine forretninger, at han ikke kan tænke rationelt og forstandsmæssigt om Guds ting; hans synsevne er fordunklet af pengekærlighed. Sandheden burde række langt dybere i hans hjerte og udvikle frugter i hans private og offentlige liv.