“If the world hate you,” said Christ, “ye know that it hated Me before it hated you.” You have entertained the opinion that the reason why the world is so much opposed to us as a people is that we are too unsocial, too plain in our dress, and too strict in regard to amusements, withdrawing ourselves from them too much in practice as well as in precept. You have thought that if we would be less exclusive and would mingle more with the world, their opinions and impressions of us would be greatly modified. But no greater mistake could affect the human mind. Said Christ: “If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept My saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for My name’s sake, because they know not Him that sent Me.” {5T 433.1}

»Når verden hader jer,« sagde Kristus, »så skal I vide, at den har hadet mig før jer.« I har haft den opfattelse at fordi verden er så meget imod os som et folk, er fordi vi er for uselskabelige, for enkle i vore klæder og for strenge over for fornøjelser og holder os selv for meget borte fra dem i praksis såvel som i forskrift. I har troet af hvis vi var mindre afvisende og ville blande os mere med verden, ville deres meninger om os og indtryk af os, modereres meget. Men ingen større fejltagelse kan påvirke et menneskers tanker. Kristus sagde: »Var I af verden, så ville verden elske sit eget; men fordi I ikke er af verden, men jeg har udvalgt jer af verden, derfor hader verden jer. Kom det ord i hu, som jeg har sagt jer: En tjener er ikke større end sin herre. Har de forfulgt mig, vil de også forfølge jer; har de holdt fast ved mit ord, vil de også holde fast ved jeres. Men alt dette vil de gøre mod jer for mit navns skyld, fordi de ikke kender ham, som har sendt mig."