Chapter 17—The Great Apostasy
I was carried forward to the time when the heathen idolaters cruelly
persecuted the Christians, and killed them. Blood flowed in torrents.
The noble, the learned, and the common people, were alike slain
without mercy. Wealthy families were reduced to poverty because
they would not yield their religion. Notwithstanding the persecution
and sufferings those Christians endured, they would not lower the
standard. They kept their religion pure. I saw that Satan exulted
and triumphed over the sufferings of God’s people. But God looked
with great approbation upon his faithful martyrs, and the Christians
who lived in that fearful time were greatly beloved of him; for they
were willing to suffer for his sake. Every suffering endured by them
increased their reward in heaven. But although Satan rejoiced because
the saints suffered, yet he was not satisfied. He wanted control of the
mind as well as the body. The sufferings those Christians endured
drove them closer to the Lord, and led them to love one another, and
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caused them to fear more than ever to offend him. Satan wished
to lead them to displease God; then they would lose their strength,
fortitude and firmness. Although thousands were slain, yet others were
springing up to supply their place. Satan saw that he was losing his
subjects, and although they suffered persecution and death, yet they
were secured to Jesus Christ, to be the subjects of his kingdom, and
he laid his plans to more successfully fight against the government of
God, and overthrow the church. He led on those heathen idolaters to
embrace part of the Christian faith. They professed to believe in the
crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, without a change of heart, and
proposed to unite with the followers of Jesus. O the fearful danger of
the church! It was a time of mental anguish. Some thought that if they
should come down and unite with those idolaters who had embraced a
portion of the Christian faith, it would be the means of their conversion.
Satan was seeking to corrupt the doctrines of the Bible. At last I saw
the standard lowered, and those heathen were uniting with Christians.
They had been worshipers of idols, and although they professed to be
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