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Third Angel’s Message
245
eye was upon them to overthrow them; but the third angel was
pointing them to the most holy place, and those who had had an
experience in the past messages were pointing them the way to
the heavenly sanctuary. Many saw the perfect chain of truth in
the angels’ messages, and gladly received them in their order, and
followed Jesus by faith into the heavenly sanctuary. These messages
were represented to me as an anchor to the people of God. Those
who understand and receive them will be kept from being swept
away by the many delusions of Satan.
After the great disappointment in 1844, Satan and his angels
were busily engaged in laying snares to unsettle the faith of the body.
He affected the minds of persons who had had an experience in the
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messages, and who had an appearance of humility. Some pointed to
the future for the fulfillment of the first and second messages, while
others pointed far back into the past, declaring that they had been
there fulfilled. These were gaining an influence over the minds of the
inexperienced and unsettling their faith. Some were searching the
Bible to build up a faith of their own, independent of the body. Satan
exulted in all this; for he knew that those who broke loose from
the anchor he could affect by different errors and drive about with
divers winds of doctrine. Many who had led in the first and second
messages now denied them, and there was division and confusion
throughout the body.
My attention was then called to William Miller. He looked
perplexed and was bowed with anxiety and distress for his people.
The company who had been united and loving in 1844 were losing
their love, opposing one another, and falling into a cold, backslidden
state. As he beheld this, grief wasted his strength. I saw leading men
watching him, and fearing lest he should receive the third angel’s
message and the commandments of God. And as he would lean
toward the light from heaven, these men would lay some plan to
draw his mind away. A human influence was exerted to keep him in
darkness and to retain his influence among those who opposed the
truth. At length William Miller raised his voice against the light from
heaven. He failed in not receiving the message which would have
fully explained his disappointment and cast a light and glory on the
past, which would have revived his exhausted energies, brightened
his hope, and led him to glorify God. He leaned to human wisdom