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The Mystery of Iniquity
It has ever been the design of Satan to draw the minds of the
people from Jesus to man, and to destroy individual accountability.
Satan failed in his design when he tempted the Son of God; but he
succeeded better when he came to fallen man. Christianity became
corrupted. Popes and priests presumed to take an exalted position,
and taught the people to look to them for the pardon of their sins,
instead of looking to Christ for themselves.
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The people were wholly deceived. They were taught that the
popes and priests were Christ’s representatives, when in fact they
were the representatives of Satan, and those who bowed to them
worshiped Satan. The people called for the Bible; but the priests
considered it dangerous to let them have it to read for themselves,
lest they should become enlightened and expose the sins of their
leaders. The people were taught to receive every word from these
deceivers as from the mouth of God. They held that power over
the mind which God alone should hold. If any dared to follow their
own convictions, the same hate which Satan and the Jews exercised
toward Jesus would be kindled against them, and those in authority
would thirst for their blood.
I was shown a time when Satan especially triumphed. Multitudes
of Christians were slain in a dreadful manner, because they would
preserve the purity of their religion. The Bible was hated, and efforts
were made to rid the earth of it. The people were forbidden to read
it, on pain of death; and all the copies which could be found were
burned. But I saw that God had a special care for His Word. He
protected it. At different periods there were but a very few copies of
the Bible in existence, yet He would not suffer His Word to be lost,
for in the last days copies of it were to be so multiplied that every
family could possess it. I saw that when there were but few copies of
the Bible, it was precious and comforting to the persecuted followers
of Jesus. It was read in the most secret manner, and those who had
this exalted privilege felt that they had had an interview with God,
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