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102
Early Writings
will yet appear to them, professing to be beloved friends and rela-
tives, who will declare to them that the Sabbath has been changed,
also other unscriptural doctrines. They will do all in their power
to excite sympathy and will work miracles before them to confirm
what they declare. The people of God must be prepared to withstand
these spirits with the Bible truth that the dead know not anything,
and that they who appear to them are the spirits of devils. Our minds
must not be taken up with things around us, but must be occupied
with the present truth and a preparation to give a reason of our hope
with meekness and fear. We must seek wisdom from on high that
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we may stand in this day of error and delusion.
We must examine well the foundation of our hope, for we shall
have to give a reason for it from the Scriptures. This delusion will
spread, and we shall have to contend with it face to face; and unless
we are prepared for it, we shall be ensnared and overcome. But if
we do what we can on our part to be ready for the conflict that is
just before us, God will do His part, and His all-powerful arm will
protect us. He would sooner send every angel out of glory to the
relief of faithful souls, to make a hedge about them, than have them
deceived and led away by the lying wonders of Satan.
I saw the rapidity with which this delusion was spreading. A
train of cars was shown me, going with the speed of lightning. The
angel bade me look carefully. I fixed my eyes upon the train. It
seemed that the whole world was on board, that there could not be
one left. Said the angel, “They are binding in bundles ready to burn.”
Then he showed me the conductor, who appeared like a stately, fair
person, whom all the passengers looked up to and reverenced. I was
perplexed and asked my attending angel who it was. He said, “It is
Satan. He is the conductor in the form of an angel of light. He has
taken the world captive. They are given over to strong delusions, to
believe a lie, that they may be damned. This agent, the next highest
in order to him, is the engineer, and other of his agents are employed
in different offices as he may need them, and they are all going with
lightning speed to perdition.”
I asked the angel if there were none left. He bade me look in
an opposite direction, and I saw a little company traveling a narrow
pathway. All seemed to be firmly united, bound together by the
truth, in bundles, or companies. Said the angel, “The third angel is
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