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The Shaking
I saw some, with strong faith and agonizing cries, pleading with
God. Their countenances were pale and marked with deep anxiety,
expressive of their internal struggle. Firmness and great earnestness
was expressed in their countenances; large drops of perspiration fell
from their foreheads. Now and then their faces would light up with
the marks of God’s approbation, and again the same solemn, earnest,
anxious look would settle upon them.
Evil angels crowded around, pressing darkness upon them to
shut out Jesus from their view, that their eyes might be drawn to the
darkness that surrounded them, and thus they be led to distrust God
and murmur against Him. Their only safety was in keeping their
eyes directed upward. Angels of God had charge over His people,
and as the poisonous atmosphere of evil angels was pressed around
these anxious ones, the heavenly angels were continually wafting
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their wings over them to scatter the thick darkness.
As the praying ones continued their earnest cries, at times a ray
of light from Jesus came to them, to encourage their hearts and light
up their countenances. Some, I saw, did not participate in this work
of agonizing and pleading. They seemed indifferent and careless.
They were not resisting the darkness around them, and it shut them
in like a thick cloud. The angels of God left these and went to the
aid of the earnest, praying ones. I saw angels of God hasten to the
assistance of all who were struggling with all their power to resist
the evil angels and trying to help themselves by calling upon God
with perseverance. But His angels left those who made no effort to
help themselves, and I lost sight of them.
I asked the meaning of the shaking I had seen and was shown
that it would be caused by the straight testimony called forth by the
counsel of the True Witness to the Laodiceans. This will have its
effect upon the heart of the receiver, and will lead him to exalt the
standard and pour forth the straight truth. Some will not bear this
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