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Third Angel’s Message
183
The Christian exiles who first fled to America, sought an asylum
from royal oppression and priestly intolerance, and they determined
to establish a government upon the broad foundation of civil and
religious liberty. These principles are the secret of our power and
prosperity as a nation. Millions from other lands have sought our
shores, and the United States has risen to a place among the most
powerful nations of the earth.
But the stern tracings of the prophetic pencil reveal a change in
this peaceful scene. The beast with lamb-like horns speaks with the
voice of a dragon, and “exerciseth all the power of the first beast
before him.” The spirit of persecution manifested by paganism and
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the papacy is again to be revealed. Prophecy declares that this power
will say “to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make
an image to the beast.” [
Revelation 13:14
.] The image is made to
the first or leopard-like beast, which is the one brought to view
in the third angel’s message. By this first beast is represented the
Roman Church, an ecclesiastical body clothed with civil power,
having authority to punish all dissenters. The image to the beast
represents another religious body clothed with similar power. The
formation of this image is the work of that beast whose peaceful rise
and mild professions render it so striking a symbol of the United
States. Here is to be found an image of the papacy. When the
churches of our land, uniting upon such points of faith as are held by
them in common, shall influence the State to enforce their decrees
and sustain their institutions, then will Protestant America have
formed an image of the Roman hierarchy. Then the true church will
be assailed by persecution, as were God’s ancient people. Almost
every century furnishes examples of what bigotry and malice can do
under a plea of serving God by protecting the rights of Church and
State. Protestant churches that have followed in the steps of Rome
by forming alliance with worldly powers have manifested a similar
desire to restrict liberty of conscience. In the seventeenth century
thousands of non-conformist ministers suffered under the rule of the
Church of England. Persecution always follows religious favoritism
on the part of secular governments.
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The beast with lamb-like horns commands “all, both small and
great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right
hand, or in their foreheads; and that no man might buy or sell, save