It seems wonderfully strange to me, considering all I have written in regard to the reading of exciting stories, to see a recommendation from your pen to read Robinson Crusoe, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, and Aesop’s Fables. My brother, you made a mistake in writing that article. If these books are among those which you have for sale, I beg of you never to offer them again to our youth. It is your duty to call their attention to the Bible; do not become their tempter by offering to them attractive storybooks, which will divert their minds from the study of the Scriptures. We must ourselves be drinking of the water of life, else we will be constantly hewing out for ourselves broken cisterns which can hold no water. {5T 519.3}

Det virker besynderligt på mig, i betragtning af alt det jeg har skrevet om spændingsromaner, at se en anbefaling fra din pen, om at læse Robinson Cruse, Onkel Toms hytte og Aesops fabler. Min bror, du gør en fejltagelse ved at skrive den artikel. Hvis disse bøger er blandt dem, som du har til salg, beder jeg dig aldrig at give dem til vore unge igen. Det er din pligt at henlede deres opmærksomhed på bibelen; bliv ikke deres frister, ved at give dem tiltrækkende romanbøger, som vil adskille deres tanker fra skriftstudierne. Vi må selv drikke af livets vand, ellers vil vi hele tiden bryde cisterner for os selv, som ikke kan holde vand.