26 A Sketch of the Christian Experience and Views of Ellen G. White
The enemies of the present truth have been trying to open the door
of the Holy Place, that Jesus has shut, and to close the door of the Most
Holy Place, which he opened in 1844, where the Ark is, containing
the two tables of stone, on which are written the ten commandments,
by the finger of Jehovah.
Satan is now using every device in this sealing time, to keep the
minds of God’s people from the present truth, and to cause them to
waver. I saw a covering that God was drawing over his people to
protect them in the time of trouble; and every soul that was decided on
the truth, and was pure in heart, was to be covered with the covering
of Almighty God.
Satan knew this, and was at work in mighty power to keep the
minds of as many as he possibly could unsettled and wavering on the
truth. I saw that the mysterious knocking in N. Y. and other places,
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was the power of Satan, and that such things would be more and more
common, clothed in a religious garb, to lull the deceived to more
security, and to draw the minds of God’s people, if possible, to those
things and cause them to doubt the teachings, and power of the Holy
Ghost.
I saw that Satan was working through agents in a number of ways.
He was at work through ministers who have rejected the truth, and
are given over to strong delusions to believe a lie that they might
be damned. While they were preaching or praying some would fall
prostrate and helpless; not by the power of the Holy Ghost, but by
the power of Satan breathed upon these agents, and through them to
the people. Some professed Adventists who had rejected the present
truth, while preaching, praying or in conversation used mesmerism
to gain adherents, and the people would rejoice in this influence, for
they thought it was the Holy Ghost. And even some that used it were
so far in the darkness and deception of the Devil, that they thought it
was the power of God, given them to exercise. They had made God
altogether such an one as themselves, and had valued his power as a
thing of naught.
Some of these agents of Satan were affecting the bodies of some
of the saints; those that they could not deceive and draw away from
the truth, by a Satanic influence. Oh, that all could get a view of it
as God revealed it to me, that they might know more of the wiles of
Satan, and be on their guard. I saw that Satan was at work in these