Many fail to meet their high responsibilities and privileges. O how long will this deadness and insensibility continue? How long will differences rend the church? The Lord Jesus is the one spiritual Head, and we are the members of his body. The church is represented as growing up "into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ; from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love." Cannot we pray over this matter more earnestly, that the Holy Spirit of God may quicken the discernment of his people to see that by putting away envy, evil surmisings, jealousy, they may answer the prayer of Christ, that his disciples might be one, as he is one with the Father? Can it be that the senses of those who claim to believe the truth are paralyzed? Do they not see that they deny Christ? Do they not understand that they scatter from him in acting as though it was a light matter to disagree and engage in controversy? Brother looks coldly upon brother, minister distrusts minister. The church seems to have lost the blending attribute of love, and its members unite no better than ropes of sand. And yet the great crisis of the day of God is at hand.

Mange kommer til kort i at leve op til deres høje ansvar og privilegier. O, hvor længe vil denne kulde og ufølsomhed fortsætte? Hvor længe vil uoverensstemmelser sønderrive og splitte menigheden? Herren Jesus er i åndelig forstand menighedens hoved, og vi er lemmerne på hans legeme. Menigheden skal "i et og alt vokse op til ham, som er hovedet, Kristus selv. Ham skyldes det, at hele legemet vokser sin vækst, så det opbygges i kærlighed, idet alle de enkelte led hjælper til at knytte og holde det hele sammen, efter den kraft, der er til målt hver enkelt de!" Kan vi ikke bede mere inderligt om dette, at Guds Helligånd må levendegøre hans folks dømmekraft, så de indser, at ved at aflægge ondskab, ond mistanke, skinsyge vil de besvare Kristi bøn om, at hans disciple må være et, ligesom han er et med Faderen? Kunne det tænkes, at sanserne hos dem, der bekender sig til at tro på sandheden, er lammet? Ser de ikke, at de fornægter Kristus? Forstår de ikke, at de fjernes fra ham ved at handle, som om det var en let sag at være uenig og inddrages i stridigheder? Broder viser kulde over for broder, prædikant mistror prædikant. Menigheden synes at have mistet kærligheden som deres smukke kendetegn, og dens medlemmer har ikke bedre sammenhold end reb af sand. Og dog er Guds dags store krise nær forestående.