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Coming Conflict
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which will lead to the persecution of those who conscientiously
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refuse to do what the rest of the Christian world are doing, and
acknowledge the claims of the papal Sabbath.
The dignitaries of Church and State will unite to bribe, persuade,
or compel all classes to honor the Sunday. The lack of divine author-
ity will be supplied by oppressive enactments. Political corruption is
destroying love of justice and regard for truth, and in order to secure
public favor, legislators will yield to the popular demand for a law
enforcing Sunday observance. Liberty of conscience, which has cost
this nation so great a sacrifice, will no longer be respected. In the
soon-coming conflict we shall see exemplified the prophet’s words:
“And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war
with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of
God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” [
Revelation 12:17
.]
Our land is in jeopardy. The time is drawing on when its leg-
islators shall so abjure the principles of Protestantism as to give
countenance to Romish apostasy. The people for whom God has so
marvelously wrought, strengthening them to throw off the galling
yoke of popery, will by a national act give vigor to the corrupt faith
of Rome, and thus arouse the tyranny which only waits for a touch
to start again into cruelty and despotism. With rapid steps are we
already approaching this period. When Protestant churches shall
seek the support of the secular power, thus following the example
of that apostate church, for opposing which their ancestors endured
the fiercest persecution, then will there be a national apostasy which
will end only in national ruin.
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