the great controversy-第49章

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elect's　sake　those　days　shall　be　shortened。〃　Matthew　24：22。　Through　the
influence　of　the　Reformation　the　persecution　was　brought　to　an　end　prior　to
1798。

Concerning　the　two　witnesses　the　prophet　declares　further：　〃These　are　the
two　olive　trees；　and　the　two　candlesticks　standing　before　the　God　of　the
earth。〃　〃Thy　word；〃　said　the　psalmist；　〃is　a　lamp　unto　my　feet；　and　a　light
unto　my　path。〃　Revelation　11：4；　Psalm　119：105。　The　two　witnesses　represent
the　Scriptures　of　the　Old　and　the　New　Testament。　Both　are　important
testimonies　to　the　origin　and　perpetuity　of　the　law　of　God。　Both　are
witnesses　also　to　the　plan　of　salvation。　The　types；　sacrifices；　and
prophecies　of　the　Old　Testament　point　forward　to　a　Saviour　to　come。　The
Gospels　and　Epistles　of　the　New　Testament　tell　of　a　Saviour　who　has　come　in
the　exact　manner　foretold　by　type　and　prophecy。

〃They　shall　prophecy　a　thousand　two　hundred　and　three…score　days；　clothed　in
sackcloth。〃　During　the　greater　part　of　this　period；　God's　witnesses　remained
in　a　state　of　obscurity。　The　papal　power　sought　to　hide　from　the　people　the
word　of　truth；　and　set　before　them　false　witnesses　to　contradict　its
testimony。　（See　Appendix。）　When　the　Bible　was　proscribed　by　religious　and
secular　authority；　when　its　testimony　was　perverted；　and　every　effort　made
that　men　and　demons　could　invent　to　turn　the　minds　of　the　people　from　it；
when　those　who　dared　proclaim　its　sacred　truths　were　hunted；　betrayed；
tortured；　buried　in　dungeon　cells；　martyred　for　their　faith；　or　compelled　to
flee　to　mountain　fastnesses；　and　to　dens　and　caves　of　the　earththen　the
faithful　witnesses　prophesied　in　sackcloth。　Yet　they　continued　their
testimony　throughout　the　entire　period　of　1260　years。　In　the　darkest　times
there　were　faithful　men　who　loved　God's　word　and　were　jealous　for　His　honor。
To　these　loyal　servants　were

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given　wisdom；　power；　and　authority　to　declare　His　truth　during　the　whole　of
this　time。

〃And　if　any　man　will　hurt　them；　fire　proceedeth　out　of　their　mouth；　and
devoureth　their　enemies：　and　if　any　man　will　hurt　them；　he　must　in　this
manner　be　killed。〃　Revelation　11：5。　Men　cannot　with　impunity　trample　upon
the　word　of　God。　The　meaning　of　this　fearful　denunciation　is　set　forth　in
the　closing　chapter　of　the　Revelation：　〃I　testify　unto　every　man　that
heareth　the　words　of　the　prophecy　of　this　book；　If　any　man　shall　add　unto
these　things；　God　shall　add　unto　him　the　plagues　that　are　written　in　this
book：　and　if　any　man　shall　take　away　from　the　words　of　the　book　of　this
prophecy；　God　shall　take　away　his　part　out　of　the　book　of　life；　and　out　of
the　holy　city；　and　from　the　things　which　are　written　in　this　book。〃
Revelation　22：18；　19。

Such　are　the　warnings　which　God　has　given　to　guard　men　against　changing　in
any　manner　that　which　He　has　revealed　or　commanded。　These　solemn
denunciations　apply　to　all　who　by　their　influence　lead　men　to　regard　lightly
the　law　of　God。　They　should　cause　those　to　fear　and　tremble　who　flippantly
declare　it　a　matter　of　little　consequence　whether　we　obey　God's　law　or　not。
All　who　exalt　their　own　opinions　above　divine　revelation；　all　who　would
change　the　plain　meaning　of　Scripture　to　suit　their　own　convenience；　or　for
the　sake　of　conforming　to　the　world；　are　taking　upon　themselves　a　fearful
responsibility。　The　written　word；　the　law　of　God；　will　measure　the　character
of　every　man　and　condemn　all　whom　this　unerring　test　shall　declare　wanting。

〃When　they　shall　have　finished　＇are　finishing＇　their　testimony。〃　The　period
when　the　two　witnesses　were　to　prophesy　clothed　in　sackcloth；　ended　in　1798。
As　they　were　approaching　the　termination　of　their　work　in　obscurity；　war　was
to　be　made　upon　them　by　the　power　represented　as　〃the　beast　that　ascendeth
out　of　the　bottomless　pit。〃　In　many　of　the　nations　of　Europe　the　powers　that
ruled　in　church　and　state　had　for　centuries　been　controlled　by　Satan　through
the

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medium　of　the　papacy。　But　here　is　brought　to　view　a　new　manifestation　of
satanic　power。

It　had　been　Rome's　policy；　under　a　profession　of　reverence　for　the　Bible；　to
keep　it　locked　up　in　an　unknown　tongue　and　hidden　away　from　the　people。
Under　her　rule　the　witnesses　prophesied　〃clothed　in　sackcloth。〃　But　another
power　the　beast　from　the　bottomless　pitwas　to　arise　to　make　open；　avowed
war　upon　the　word　of　God。

〃The　great　city〃　in　whose　streets　the　witnesses　are　slain；　and　where　their
dead　bodies　lie；　is　〃spiritually〃　Egypt。　Of　all　nations　presented　in　Bible
history；　Egypt　most　boldly　denied　the　existence　of　the　living　God　and
resisted　His　commands。　No　monarch　ever　ventured　upon　more　open　and
highhanded　rebellion　against　the　authority　of　Heaven　than　did　the　king　of
Egypt。　When　the　message　was　brought　him　by　Moses；　in　the　name　of　the　Lord；
Pharaoh　proudly　answered：　〃Who　is　Jehovah；　that　I　should　hearken　unto　His
voice　to　let　Israel　go？　I　know　not　Jehovah；　and　moreover　I　will　not　let
Israel　go。〃　Exodus　5：2；　A。R。V。　This　is　atheism；　and　the　nation　represented
by　Egypt　would　give　voice　to　a　similar　denial　of　the　claims　of　the　living
God　and　would　manifest　a　like　spirit　of　unbelief　and　defiance。　〃The　great
city〃　is　also　compared；　〃spiritually；〃　to　Sodom。　The　corruption　of　Sodom　in
breaking　the　law　of　God　was　especially　manifested　in　licentiousness。　And
this　sin　was　also　to　be　a　pre…eminent　characteristic　of　the　nation　that
should　fulfill　the　specifications　of　this　scripture。

According　to　the　words　of　the　prophet；　then；　a　little　before　the　year　1798
some　power　of　satanic　origin　and　character　would　rise　to　make　war　upon　the
Bible。　And　in　the　land　where　the　testimony　of　God's　two　witnesses　should
thus　be　silenced；　there　would　be　manifest　the　atheism　of　the　Pharaoh　and　the
licentiousness　of　Sodom。

This　prophecy　has　received　a　most　exact　and　striking　fulfillment　in　the
history　of　France。　During　the　Revolution；　in
1793；　〃the　world　for　the　first　time　heard　an　assembly　of　men；

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born　and　educated　in　civilization；　and　assuming　the　right　to　govern　one　of
the　finest　of　the　European　nations；　uplift　their　united　voice　to　deny　the
most　solemn　truth　which　man's　soul　receives；　and　renounce　unanimously　the
belief　and　worship　of　a　Deity。〃Sir　Walter　Scott；　Life　of　Napoleon；　vol。　1；
ch。
17。　〃France　is　the　only　nation　in　the　world　concerning　which
the　authentic　record　survives；　that　as　a　nation　she　lifted　her　hand　in　open
rebellion　against　the　Author　of　the　universe。　Plenty　of　blasphemers；　plenty
of　infidels；　there　have　been；　and　still　continue　to　be；　in　England；　Germany；
Spain；　and　elsewhere；　but　France　stands　apart　in　the　world's　history　as　the
single　state　which；　by　the　decree　of　her　Legislative　Assembly；　pronounced
that　there　was　no　God；　and　of　which　the　entire　population　of　the　capital；
and　a　vast　majority　elsewhere；　women　as　well　as　men；　danced　and　sang　with
joy　in　accepting　the　announcement。〃Blackwood's　Magazine；　November；　1870。

France　presented　also　the　characteristics　which　especially　distinguished
Sodom。　During　the　Revolution　there　was　manifest　a　state　of　moral　debasement
and　corruption　similar　to　that　which　brought　destruction　upon　the　cities　of
the　plain。　And　the　historian　presents　together　the　atheism　and　the
licentiousness　of　France；　as　given　in　the　prophecy：　〃Intimately　connected
with　these　laws　affecting　religion；　was　that　which　reduced　the　union　of
marriagethe　most　sacred　engagement　which　human　beings　can　form；　and　the
permanence　of　which　leads　most　strongly　to　the　consolidation　of　societyto
the　state　of　a　mere　civil　contract　of　a　transitory　character；　which　any　two
persons　might　engage　in　and　cast　loose　at　pleasure。　。　。　。　If　fiends　had　set
themselves　to　work　to　discover　a　mode　of　most　effectually　destroying
whatever　is　venerable；　graceful；　or　permanent　in　domestic　life；　and　of
obtaining　at　the　same　time　an　assurance　that　the　mischief　which　it　was　their
object　to　create　should　be　perpetuated　from　one　generation　to　another；　they
could　not　have　invented　a　more　effectual　plan　that　the　degradation　of
marriage。　。　。　。　Sophie　Arnoult；　an

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actress　famous　for　the　witty　things　she　said；　described　the　republican
marriage　as　'the　sacrament　of　adultery。'〃Scott；　vol。　1；　ch。　17。

〃Where　also　our　Lord　was　crucified。〃　This　specification　of　the　prophecy　was
also　fulfilled　by　France。　In　no　land　had　the　spirit　of　enmity　against　Christ
been　more　strikingly　displayed。　In　no　country　had　the　truth　encountered　more
bitter　and　cruel　opposition。　In　the　persecution　which　France　had　visited
upon　the　confessors　of　the　gospel；　she　had　crucified　Christ　in　the　person　of
His　disciples。

Century　after　century　the　blood　of　the　saints　had　been　shed。　While　the
Waldenses　laid　down　their　lives　upon　the　mountains　of　Piedmont　〃for　the　word
of　God；　and　for　the　testimony　of　Jesus　Christ；〃　similar　witness　to　the　truth
had　been　borne　by　their　brethren；　the　Albigenses　of　France。　In　the　days　of
the　Reformation　its　disciples　had　been　put　to　death　with　horrible　tortures。
King　and　nobles；　highborn　women　and　delicate　maidens；　the　pride　and　chivalry
of　the　nation；　had　feasted　their　eyes　upon　the　agonies　of　the　martyrs　of
Jesus。　The　brave　Huguenots；　battling　for　those　rights　which　the　human　heart
holds　most　sacred；　had　poured　out　their　blood　on　many　a　hard…fought　field。
The　Protestants　were　counted　as　outlaws；　a　price　was　set　upon　their　heads；
and　they　were　hunted　down　like　wild　beasts。

The　〃Church　in　the　Desert；〃　the　few　descendants　of　the　ancient　Christians
that　still　lingered　in　France　in　the　eighteenth　century；　hiding　away　in　the
mountains　of　the　south；　still　cherished　the　faith　of　their　fathers。　As　they
ventured　to　meet　by　night　on　mountainside　or　lonely　moor；　they　were　chased
by　dragoons　and　dragged　away　to　lifelong　slavery　in　the　galleys。　The　purest；
the　most　refined；　and　the　most　intelligent　of　the　French　were　chained；　in
horrible　torture；　amidst　robbers　and　assassins。　（See　Wylie；　b。　22；　ch。
6。）　Others；　more　mercifully　dealt　with；　were　shot　down　in
cold　blood；　as；　unarmed　and　helpless；　they　fell　upon　their

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knees　in　prayer。　Hundreds　of　aged　men；　defenseless　women；　and　innocent
children　were　left　dead　upon　the　earth　at　their　place　of　meeting。　In
traversing　the　mountainside　or　the　forest；　where　they　had　been　accustomed　to
assemble；　it　was　not　unusual　to　find　〃at　every　four　paces；　dead　bodies
dotting　the　sward；　and　corpses　hanging　suspended　from　the　trees。〃　Their
country；　laid　waste　with　the　sword；　the　ax；　the　fagot；　〃was　converted　into
one　vast；　gloomy　wilderness。〃　〃These　atrocities　were　enacted　。　。　。　in　no
dark　age；　but　in　the　brilliant　era　of　Louis　XIV。　Science　was　then
cultivated；　letters　flourished；　the　divines　of　the　court　and　of　the　capital
were　learned　and　eloquent　men；　and　greatly　affected　the　graces　of　meekness
and　charity。〃Ibid。；　b。　22；　ch。　7。

But　blackest　in　the　black　catalogue　of　crime；　most　horrible　among　the
fiendish　deeds　of　all　the　dreadful　centuries；　was　the　St。　Bartholomew
Massacre。　The　world　still　recalls　with　shuddering　horror　the　scenes　of　that
most　cowardly　and　cruel　onslaught。　The　king　of　France；　urged　on　by　Romish