the great controversy-第111章

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satisfied　with　the　mere　authority　of　men　and　demand　a　plain　〃Thus　saith　the
Lord；〃　the　popular　ministry；　like　the　Pharisees　of　old；　filled　with　anger　as
their　authority　is　questioned；　will　denounce　the　message　as　of　Satan　and
stir　up　the　sin…loving　multitudes　to　revile　and　persecute　those　who　proclaim
it。

As　the　controversy　extends　into　new　fields　and　the　minds　of　the　people　are
called　to　God's　downtrodden　law；　Satan　is　astir。　The　power　attending　the
message　will　only　madden　those　who　oppose　it。　The　clergy　will　put　forth
almost　superhuman　efforts　to　shut　away　the　light　lest　it　should　shine　upon
their　flocks。　By　every　means　at　their　command　they　will　endeavor　to　suppress
the　discussion　of　these　vital　questions。　The　church　appeals　to　the　strong
arm　of　civil　power；　and；　in　this　work；　papists　and　Protestants　unite。　As　the
movement　for　Sunday　enforcement　becomes　more　bold　and　decided；　the　law　will
be　invoked　against　commandment　keepers。　They　will　be　threatened　with　fines
and　imprisonment；　and　some　will　be　offered　positions　of　influence；　and　other
rewards　and　advantages；　as　inducements　to　renounce　their　faith。　But　their
steadfast　answer　is：　〃Show　us　from　the　word　of　God　our　error〃the　same　plea
that　was　made　by　Luther　under　similar　circumstances。　Those　who　are　arraigned
before　the　courts　make　a　strong　vindication　of　the　truth；　and　some　who　hear
them　are　led　to　take　their　stand　to　keep　all　the　commandments　of　God。　Thus
light　will　be　brought　before　thousands　who　otherwise　would　know　nothing　of
these　truths。

608


Conscientious　obedience　to　the　word　of　God　will　be　treated　as　rebellion。
Blinded　by　Satan；　the　parent　will　exercise　harshness　and　severity　toward　the
believing　child；　the　master　or　mistress　will　oppress　the　commandment…keeping
servant。　Affection　will　be　alienated；　children　will　be　disinherited　and
driven　from　home。　The　words　of　Paul　will　be　literally　fulfilled：　〃All　that
will　live　godly　in　Christ　Jesus　shall　suffer　persecution。〃　2　Timothy　3：12。
As　the　defenders　of　truth　refuse　to　honor　the　Sunday…sabbath；　some　of　them
will　be　thrust　into　prison；　some　will　be　exiled；　some　will　be　treated　as
slaves。　To　human　wisdom　all　this　now　seems　impossible；　but　as　the
restraining　Spirit　of　God　shall　be　withdrawn　from　men；　and　they　shall　be
under　the　control　of　Satan；　who　hates　the　divine　precepts；　there　will　be
strange　developments。　The　heart　can　be　very　cruel　when　God's　fear　and　love
are　removed。

As　the　storm　approaches；　a　large　class　who　have　professed　faith　in　the　third
angel's　message；　but　have　not　been　sanctified　through　obedience　to　the
truth；　abandon　their　position　and　join　the　ranks　of　the　opposition。　By
uniting　with　the　world　and　partaking　of　its　spirit；　they　have　come　to　view
matters　in　nearly　the　same　light；　and　when　the　test　is　brought；　they　are
prepared　to　choose　the　easy；　popular　side。　Men　of　talent　and　pleasing
address；　who　once　rejoiced　in　the　truth；　employ　their　powers　to　deceive　and
mislead　souls。　They　become　the　most　bitter　enemies　of　their　former　brethren。
When　Sabbathkeepers　are　brought　before　the　courts　to　answer　for　their　faith；
these　apostates　are　the　most　efficient　agents　of　Satan　to　misrepresent　and
accuse　them；　and　by　false　reports　and　insinuations　to　stir　up　the　rulers
against　them。

In　this　time　of　persecution　the　faith　of　the　Lord's　servants　will　be　tried。
They　have　faithfully　given　the　warning；　looking　to　God　and　to　His　word
alone。　God's　Spirit；　moving　upon　their　hearts；　has　constrained　them　to
speak。　Stimulated

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with　holy　zeal；　and　with　the　divine　impulse　strong　upon　them；　they　entered
upon　the　performance　of　their　duties　without　coldly　calculating　the
consequences　of　speaking　to　the　people　the　word　which　the　Lord　had　given
them。　They　have　not　consulted　their　temporal　interests；　nor　sought　to
preserve　their　reputation　or　their　lives。　Yet　when　the　storm　of　opposition
and　reproach　bursts　upon　them；　some；　overwhelmed　with　consternation；　will　be
ready　to　exclaim：　〃Had　we　foreseen　the　consequences　of　our　words；　we　would
have　held　our　peace。〃　They　are　hedged　in　with　difficulties。　Satan　assails
them　with　fierce　temptations。　The　work　which　they　have　undertaken　seems　far
beyond　their　ability　to　accomplish。　They　are　threatened　with　destruction。
The　enthusiasm　which　animated　them　is　gone；　yet　they　cannot　turn　back。　Then；
feeling　their　utter　helplessness；　they　flee　to　the　Mighty　One　for　strength。
They　remember　that　the　words　which　they　have　spoken　were　not　theirs；　but　His
who　bade　them　give　the　warning。　God　put　the　truth　into　their　hearts；　and
they　could　not　forbear　to　proclaim　it。

The　same　trials　have　been　experienced　by　men　of　God　in　ages　past。　Wycliffe；
Huss；　Luther；　Tyndale；　Baxter；　Wesley；　urged　that　all　doctrines　be　brought
to　the　test　of　the　Bible　and　declared　that　they　would　renounce　everything
which　it　condemned。　Against　these　men　persecution　raged　with　relentless
fury；　yet　they　ceased　not　to　declare　the　truth。　Different　periods　in　the
history　of　the　church　have　each　been　marked　by　the　development　of　some
special　truth；　adapted　to　the　necessities　of　God's　people　at　that　time。
Every　new　truth　has　made　its　way　against　hatred　and　opposition；　those　who
were　blessed　with　its　light　were　tempted　and　tried。　The　Lord　gives　a　special
truth　for　the　people　in　an　emergency。　Who　dare　refuse　to　publish　it？　He
commands　His　servants　to　present　the　last　invitation　of　mercy　to　the　world。
They　cannot　remain　silent；　except　at　the　peril　of　their　souls。　Christ's
ambassadors

610

have　nothing　to　do　with　consequences。　They　must　perform　their　duty　and　leave
results　with　God。

As　the　opposition　rises　to　a　fiercer　height；　the　servants　of　God　are　again
perplexed；　for　it　seems　to　them　that　they　have　brought　the　crisis。　But
conscience　and　the　word　of　God　assure　them　that　their　course　is　right；　and
although　the　trials　continue；　they　are　strengthened　to　bear　them。　The
contest　grows　closer　and　sharper；　but　their　faith　and　courage　rise　with　the
emergency。　Their　testimony　is：　〃We　dare　not　tamper　with　God's　word；　dividing
His　holy　law；　calling　one　portion　essential　and　another　nonessential；　to
gain　the　favor　of　the　world。　The　Lord　whom　we　serve　is　able　to　deliver　us。
Christ　has　conquered　the　powers　of　earth；　and　shall　we　be　afraid　of　a　world
already　conquered？〃

Persecution　in　its　varied　forms　is　the　development　of　a　principle　which　will
exist　as　long　as　Satan　exists　and　Christianity　has　vital　power。　No　man　can
serve　God　without　enlisting　against　himself　the　opposition　of　the　hosts　of
darkness。　Evil　angels　will　assail　him；　alarmed　that　his　influence　is　taking
the　prey　from　their　hands。　Evil　men；　rebuked　by　his　example；　will　unite　with
them　in　seeking　to　separate　him　from　God　by　alluring　temptations。　When　these
do　not　succeed；　then　a　compelling　power　is　employed　to　force　the　conscience。

But　so　long　as　Jesus　remains　man's　intercessor　in　the　sanctuary　above；　the
restraining　influence　of　the　Holy　Spirit　is　felt　by　rulers　and　people。　It
still　controls　to　some　extent　the　laws　of　the　land。　Were　it　not　for　these
laws；　the　condition　of　the　world　would　be　much　worse　than　it　now　is。　While
many　of　our　rulers　are　active　agents　of　Satan；　God　also　has　His　agents　among
the　leading　men　of　the　nation。　The　enemy　moves　upon　his　servants　to　propose
measures　that　would　greatly　impede　the　work　of　God；　but　statesmen　who　fear
the　Lord　are　influenced　by　holy　angels　to　oppose　such　propositions　with
unanswerable　arguments。　Thus　a　few　men　will

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hold　in　check　a　powerful　current　of　evil。　The　opposition　of　the　enemies　of
truth　will　be　restrained　that　the　third　angel's　message　may　do　its　work。
When　the　final　warning　shall　be　given；　it　will　arrest　the　attention　of　these
leading　men　through　whom　the　Lord　is　now　working；　and　some　of　them　will
accept　it；　and　will　stand　with　the　people　of　God　through　the　time　of
trouble。

The　angel　who　unites　in　the　proclamation　of　the　third　angel's　message　is　to
lighten　the　whole　earth　with　his　glory。　A　work　of　world…wide　extent　and
unwonted　power　is　here　foretold。　The　advent　movement　of　1840…44　was　a
glorious　manifestation　of　the　power　of　God；　the　first　angel's　message　was
carried　to　every　missionary　station　in　the　world；　and　in　some　countries
there　was　the　greatest　religious　interest　which　has　been　witnessed　in　any
land　since　the　Reformation　of　the　sixteenth　century；　but　these　are　to　be
exceeded　by　the　mighty　movement　under　the　last　warning　of　the　third　angel。

The　work　will　be　similar　to　that　of　the　Day　of　Pentecost。　As　the　〃former
rain〃　was　given；　in　the　outpouring　of　the　Holy　Spirit　at　the　opening　of　the
gospel；　to　cause　the　upspringing　of　the　precious　seed；　so　the　〃latter　rain〃
will　be　given　at　its　close　for　the　ripening　of　the　harvest。　〃Then　shall　we
know；　if　we　follow　on　to　know　the　Lord：　His　going　forth　is　prepared　as　the
morning；　and　He　shall　come　unto　us　as　the　rain；　as　the　latter　and　former
rain　unto　the　earth。〃　Hosea　6：3。　〃Be　glad　then；　ye　children　of　Zion；　and
rejoice　in　the　Lord　your　God：　for　He　hath　given　you　the　former　rain
moderately；　and　He　will　cause　to　come　down　for　you　the　rain；　the　former
rain；　and　the　latter　rain。〃　Joel　2：23。　〃In　the　last　days；　saith　God；　I　will
pour　out　of　My　Spirit　upon　all　flesh。〃　〃And　it　shall　come　to　pass；　that
whosoever　shall　call　on　the　name　of　the　Lord　shall　be　saved。〃　Acts　2：17；　21。

The　great　work　of　the　gospel　is　not　to　close　with　less　manifestation　of　the
power　of　God　than　marked　its　opening。　The　prophecies　which　were　fulfilled　in
the　outpouring　of　the

612

former　rain　at　the　opening　of　the　gospel　are　again　to　be　fulfilled　in　the
latter　rain　at　its　close。　Here　are　〃the　times　of　refreshing〃　to　which　the
apostle　Peter　looked　forward　when　he　said：　〃Repent　ye　therefore；　and　be
converted；　that　your　sins　may　be　blotted　out；　when　the　times　of　refreshing
shall　come　from　the　presence　of　the　Lord；　and　He　shall　send　Jesus。〃　Acts
3：19；　20。

Servants　of　God；　with　their　faces　lighted　up　and　shining　with　holy
consecration；　will　hasten　from　place　to　place　to　proclaim　the　message　from
heaven。　By　thousands　of　voices；　all　over　the　earth；　the　warning　will　be
given。　Miracles　will　be　wrought；　the　sick　will　be　healed；　and　signs　and
wonders　will　follow　the　believers。　Satan　also　works；　with　lying　wonders；
even　bringing　down　fire　from　heaven　in　the　sight　of　men。　Revelation　13：13。
Thus　the　inhabitants　of　the　earth　will　be　brought　to　take　their　stand。

The　message　will　be　carried　not　so　much　by　argument　as　by　the　deep
conviction　of　the　Spirit　of　God。　The　arguments　have　been　presented。　The　seed
has　been　sown；　and　now　it　will　spring　up　and　bear　fruit。　The　publications
distributed　by　missionary　workers　have　exerted　their　influence；　yet　many
whose　minds　were　impressed　have　been　prevented　from　fully　comprehending　the
truth　or　from　yielding　obedience。　Now　the　rays　of　light　penetrate
everywhere；　the　truth　is　seen　in　its　clearness；　and　the　honest　children　of
God　sever　the　bands　which　have　held　them。　Family　connections；　church
relations；　are　powerless　to　stay　them　now。　Truth　is　more　precious　than　all
besides。　Notwithst