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226
Early Writings
God, applying cutting truths to the hearts of his hearers, great rage
was kindled against him, and as he left the place of meeting, some
waylaid him in order to take his life. But angels of God were sent to
protect him, and they led him safely away from the angry mob. His
work was not yet finished.
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The most devoted gladly received the message. They knew that
it was from God and that it was delivered at the right time. Angels
were watching with the deepest interest the result of the heavenly
message, and when the churches turned from and rejected it, they in
sadness consulted with Jesus. He turned His face from the churches
and bade His angels faithfully watch over the precious ones who
did not reject the testimony, for another light was yet to shine upon
them.
I saw that if professed Christians had loved their Saviour’s ap-
pearing, if they had placed their affections on Him, and had felt that
there was none upon the earth to be compared with Him, they would
have hailed with joy the first intimation of His coming. But the
dislike which they manifested, as they heard of their Lord’s coming,
was a decided proof that they did not love Him. Satan and his angels
triumphed, and cast it in the face of Christ and His holy angels, that
His professed people had so little love for Jesus that they did not
desire His second appearing.
I saw the people of God joyful in expectation, looking for their
Lord. But God designed to prove them. His hand covered a mistake
in the reckoning of the prophetic periods. Those who were looking
for their Lord did not discover this mistake, and the most learned
men who opposed the time also failed to see it. God designed that
His people should meet with a disappointment. The time passed, and
those who had looked with joyful expectation for their Saviour were
sad and disheartened, while those who had not loved the appearing
of Jesus, but embraced the message through fear, were pleased that
He did not come at the time of expectation. Their profession had
not affected the heart and purified the life. The passing of the time
was well calculated to reveal such hearts. They were the first to turn
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and ridicule the sorrowful, disappointed ones who really loved the
appearing of their Saviour. I saw the wisdom of God in proving His
people and giving them a searching test to discover those who would
shrink and turn back in the hour of trial.