Page 180 - Maranatha (1976)

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Sabbath vs Sunday Issue Joins, June 13
The third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man
worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his
forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath
of God.
Revelation 14:9, 10
.
Heretofore those who presented the truths of the third angel’s message
have often been regarded as mere alarmists. Their predictions that religious
intolerance would gain control in the United States, that church and state
would unite to persecute those who keep the commandments of God, have
been pronounced groundless and absurd.... But as the question of enforcing
Sunday observance is widely agitated, the event so long doubted and dis-
believed is seen to be approaching, and the third message will produce an
effect which it could not have had before....
Men of faith and prayer will be constrained to go forth with holy zeal,
declaring the words which God gives them. The sins of Babylon will be laid
open. The fearful results of enforcing the observances of the church by civil
authority, the inroads of spiritualism, the stealthy but rapid progress of the
papal power—all will be unmasked. By these solemn warnings the people
will be stirred.... As the people go to their former teachers with the eager
inquiry, Are these things so? the ministers present fables, prophesy smooth
things, to soothe their fears and quiet the awakened conscience. But since
many refuse to be 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.
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