As the benefits conferred upon His creatures by our heavenly Father are recounted, do you not feel reproved for your ungrateful repinings? For a number of years He lent you a daughter and sister, until you began to regard her as yours and felt that you had a right to this good gift. God heard your murmurings. If there was a cloud in sight, you seemed to forget that the sun ever shone; and clouds and darkness were ever about you. God sent you affliction; He removed your treasure from you that you might discern between prosperity and real sorrow. But you did not subdue your hearts before Him and repent of the great sin of ingratitude which had separated you from His love. Like Job, you felt that you had cause for grief, and would not be comforted. Was this reasonable? You know that death is a power that none can resist; but you have made your lives nearly useless by your unavailing grief. Your feelings have been little less than rebellion against God. I saw you all dwelling upon your bereavement, and giving way to your excitable feelings, until your noisy demonstrations of grief caused angels to hide their faces and withdraw from the scene. {5T 312.4}

Når det fortælles at hans skabninger tildeles gaver af vor himmelske (313) fader, føler I jer så ikke irettesat for jeres utaknemmelige gentagelser? I en årrække har han lånt jer en datter og søster, indtil I begyndte at betragte hende som jeres og følte at I havde ret til denne gode gave. Gud hørte jeres knurren. Hvis der var en sky i sigte, syntes i at glemme at solen nogensinde har skinnet; og skyer og mørke var altid omkring jer. Gud sendte jer plager; han fjernede jeres rigdomme fra jer, så I kunne skelne mellem velstand og reel sorg. Men I betvang ikke jeres hjerter for ham og angrede den store utaknemmelighedssynd som har adskilt jer fra hans kærlighed. Ligesom Job, følte I at i havde grund til sorg og ville ikke lade jer trøste. Var dette rimeligt? I ved at døden er en kraft som ingen kan modstå; men I har gjort jeres liv næsten unyttige ved jeres unødige sorg. Jeres følelser har været lidt mindre, end oprør mod Gud. Jeg så at I altid dvælede ved jeres smertelige tab og gav plads for jeres pirrelige følelser, indtil jeres støjende sorgdemonstrationer fik englene til at skjule deres ansigter og trække tilbage fra scenen.