the great controversy-第119部分

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the　people　and　even　to　themselves　as　the　vilest　of　criminals。　So　it　will　be
now。　While　Satan　seeks　to　destroy　those　who　honor　God's　law；　he　will　cause
them　to　be　accused　as　lawbreakers；　as　men　who　are　dishonoring　God　and
bringing　judgments　upon　the　world。

God　never　forces　the　will　or　the　conscience；　but　Satan's　constant　resortto
gain　control　of　those　whom　he　cannot　otherwise　seduceis　compulsion　by
cruelty。　Through　fear　or　force　he　endeavors　to　rule　the　conscience　and　to
secure　homage　to　himself。　To　accomplish　this；　he　works　through　both
religious　and　secular　authorities；　moving　them　to　the　enforcement　of　human
laws　in　defiance　of　the　law　of　God。

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Those　who　honor　the　Bible　Sabbath　will　be　denounced　as　enemies　of　law　and
order；　as　breaking　down　the　moral　restraints　of　society；　causing　anarchy　and
corruption；　and　calling　down　the　judgments　of　God　upon　the　earth。　Their
conscientious　scruples　will　be　pronounced　obstinacy；　stubbornness；　and
contempt　of　authority。　They　will　be　accused　of　disaffection　toward　the
government。　Ministers　who　deny　the　obligation　of　the　divine　law　will　present
from　the　pulpit　the　duty　of　yielding　obedience　to　the　civil　authorities　as
ordained　of　God。　In　legislative　halls　and　courts　of　justice；　commandment
keepers　will　be　misrepresented　and　condemned。　A　false　coloring　will　be　given
to　their　words；　the　worst　construction　will　be　put　upon　their　motives。

As　the　Protestant　churches　reject　the　clear；　Scriptural　arguments　in　defense
of　God's　law；　they　will　long　to　silence　those　whose　faith　they　cannot
overthrow　by　the　Bible。　Though　they　blind　their　own　eyes　to　the　fact；　they
are　now　adopting　a　course　which　will　lead　to　the　persecution　of　those　who
conscientiously　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　authority　will　be
supplied　by　oppressive　enactments。　Political　corruption　is　destroying　love
of　justice　and　regard　for　truth；　and　even　in　free　America；　rulers　and
legislators；　in　order　to　secure　public　favor；　will　yield　to　the　popular
demand　for　a　law　enforcing　Sunday　observance。　Liberty　of　conscience；　which
has　cost　so　great　a　sacrifice；　will　no　longer　be　respected。　In　the
soon…coming　conflict　we　shall　see　exemplified　the　prophet's　words：　〃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。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（593）

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　37

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Scriptures　a　Safeguard


〃To　the　law　and　to　the　testimony：　if　they　speak　not　according　to　this　word；
it　is　because　there　is　no　light　in　them。〃　Isaiah　8：20。　The　people　of　God　are
directed　to　the　Scriptures　as　their　safeguard　against　the　influence　of　false
teachers　and　the　delusive　power　of　spirits　of　darkness。　Satan　employs　every
possible　device　to　prevent　men　from　obtaining　a　knowledge　of　the　Bible；　for
its　plain　utterances　reveal　his　deceptions。　At　every　revival　of　God's　work
the　prince　of　evil　is　aroused　to　more　intense　activity；　he　is　now　putting
forth　his　utmost　efforts　for　a　final　struggle　against　Christ　and　His
followers。　The　last　great　delusion　is　soon　to　open　before　us。　Antichrist　is
to　perform　his　marvelous　works　in　our　sight。　So　closely　will　the　counterfeit
resemble　the　true　that　it　will　be　impossible　to　distinguish　between　them
except　by　the　Holy　Scriptures。　By　their　testimony　every　statement　and　every
miracle　must　be　tested。

Those　who　endeavor　to　obey　all　the　commandments　of　God　will　be　opposed　and
derided。　They　can　stand　only　in　God。　In　order　to　endure　the　trial　before
them；　they　must　understand　the　will　of　God　as　revealed　in　His　word；　they　can
honor　Him　only　as　they　have　a　right　conception　of　His　character；　government；
and　purposes；　and　act　in　accordance　with　them。　None　but　those　who　have
fortified　the　mind　with　the　truths　of　the　Bible　will　stand　through　the　last
great

594

conflict。　To　every　soul　will　come　the　searching　test：　Shall　I　obey　God
rather　than　men？　The　decisive　hour　is　even　now　at　hand。　Are　our　feet　planted
on　the　rock　of　God's　immutable　word？　Are　we　prepared　to　stand　firm　in
defense　of　the　commandments　of　God　and　the　faith　of　Jesus？

Before　His　crucifixion　the　Saviour　explained　to　His　disciples　that　He　was　to
be　put　to　death　and　to　rise　again　from　the　tomb；　and　angels　were　present　to
impress　His　words　on　minds　and　hearts。　But　the　disciples　were　looking　for
temporal　deliverance　from　the　Roman　yoke；　and　they　could　not　tolerate　the
thought　that　He　in　whom　all　their　hopes　centered　should　suffer　an
ignominious　death。　The　words　which　they　needed　to　remember　were　banished
from　their　minds；　and　when　the　time　of　trial　came；　it　found　them　unprepared。
The　death　of　Jesus　as　fully　destroyed　their　hopes　as　if　He　had　not
forewarned　them。　So　in　the　prophecies　the　future　is　opened　before　us　as
plainly　as　it　was　opened　to　the　disciples　by　the　words　of　Christ。　The　events
connected　with　the　close　of　probation　and　the　work　of　preparation　for　the
time　of　trouble；　are　clearly　presented。　But　multitudes　have　no　more
understanding　of　these　important　truths　than　if　they　had　never　been
revealed。　Satan　watches　to　catch　away　every　impression　that　would　make　them
wise　unto　salvation；　and　the　time　of　trouble　will　find　them　unready。

When　God　sends　to　men　warnings　so　important　that　they　are　represented　as
proclaimed　by　holy　angels　flying　in　the　midst　of　heaven；　He　requires　every
person　endowed　with　reasoning　powers　to　heed　the　message。　The　fearful
judgments　denounced　against　the　worship　of　the　beast　and　his　image
（Revelation　14：9…11）；　should　lead　all　to　a　diligent　study　of　the　prophecies
to　learn　what　the　mark　of　the　beast　is；　and　how　they　are　to　avoid　receiving
it。　But　the　masses　of　the　people　turn　away　their　ears　from　hearing　the　truth
and　are　turned　unto　fables。　The　apostle　Paul　declared；　looking　down　to　the
last　days：　〃The　time　will　come　when　they　will　not

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　595

endure　sound　doctrine。〃　2　Timothy　4：3。　That　time　has　fully　come。　The
multitudes　do　not　want　Bible　truth；　because　it　interferes　with　the　desires
of　the　sinful；　world…loving　heart；　and　Satan　supplies　the　deceptions　which
they　love。

But　God　will　have　a　people　upon　the　earth　to　maintain　the　Bible；　and　the
Bible　only；　as　the　standard　of　all　doctrines　and　the　basis　of　all　reforms。
The　opinions　of　learned　men；　the　deductions　of　science；　the　creeds　or
decisions　of　ecclesiastical　councils；　as　numerous　and　discordant　as　are　the
churches　which　they　represent；　the　voice　of　the　majoritynot　one　nor　all　of
these　should　be　regarded　as　evidence　for　or　against　any　point　of　religious
faith。　Before　accepting　any　doctrine　or　precept；　we　should　demand　a　plain
〃Thus　saith　the　Lord〃　in　its　support。

Satan　is　constantly　endeavoring　to　attract　attention　to　man　in　the　place　of
God。　He　leads　the　people　to　look　to　bishops；　to　pastors；　to　professors　of
theology；　as　their　guides；　instead　of　searching　the　Scriptures　to　learn
their　duty　for　themselves。　Then；　by　controlling　the　minds　of　these　leaders；
he　can　influence　the　multitudes　according　to　his　will。

When　Christ　came　to　speak　the　words　of　life；　the　common　people　heard　Him
gladly；　and　many；　even　of　the　priests　and　rulers；　believed　on　Him。　But　the
chief　of　the　priesthood　and　the　leading　men　of　the　nation　were　determined　to
condemn　and　repudiate　His　teachings。　Though　they　were　baffled　in　all　their
efforts　to　find　accusations　against　Him；　though　they　could　not　but　feel　the
influence　of　the　divine　power　and　wisdom　attending　His　words；　yet　they
incased　themselves　in　prejudice；　they　rejected　the　clearest　evidence　of　His
Messiahship；　lest　they　should　be　forced　to　become　His　disciples。　These
opponents　of　Jesus　were　men　whom　the　people　had　been　taught　from　infancy　to
reverence；　to　whose　authority　they　had　been　accustomed　implicitly　to　bow。
〃How　is　it；〃　they　asked；　〃that　our　rulers　and　learned　scribes　do　not　believe
on　Jesus？　Would　not　these　pious　men　receive　Him　if　He　were

596

the　Christ？〃　It　was　the　influence　of　such　teachers　that　led　the　Jewish
nation　to　reject　their　Redeemer。

The　spirit　which　actuated　those　priests　and　rulers　is　still　manifested　by
many　who　make　a　high　profession　of　piety。　They　refuse　to　examine　the
testimony　of　the　Scriptures　concerning　the　special　truths　for　this　time。
They　point　to　their　own　numbers；　wealth；　and　popularity；　and　look　with
contempt　upon　the　advocates　of　truth　as　few；　poor；　and　unpopular；　having　a
faith　that　separates　them　from　the　world。

Christ　foresaw　that　the　undue　assumption　of　authority　indulged　by　the
scribes　and　Pharisees　would　not　cease　with　the　dispersion　of　the　Jews。　He
had　a　prophetic　view　of　the　work　of　exalting　human　authority　to　rule　the
conscience；　which　has　been　so　terrible　a　curse　to　the　church　in　all　ages。
And　His　fearful　denunciations　of　the　scribes　and　Pharisees；　and　His　warnings
to　the　people　not　to　follow　these　blind　leaders；　were　placed　on　record　as　an
admonition　to　future　generations。

The　Roman　Church　reserves　to　the　clergy　the　right　to　interpret　the
Scriptures。　On　the　ground　that　ecclesiastics　alone　are　competent　to　explain
God's　word；　it　is　withheld　from　the　common　people。＇*　SEE　APPENDIX　NOTE　FOR
PAGE　340。＇　Though　the　Reformation　gave　the　Scriptures　to　all；　yet　the
selfsame　principle　which　was　maintained　by　Rome　prevents　multitudes　in
Protestant　churches　from　searching　the　Bible　for　themselves。　They　are　taught
to　accept　its　teachings　as　interpreted　by　the　church；　and　there　are
thousands　who　dare　receive　nothing；　however　plainly　revealed　in　Scripture；
that　is　contrary　to　their　creed　or　the　established　teaching　of　their　church。

Notwithstanding　the　Bible　is　full　of　warnings　against　false　teachers；　many
are　ready　thus　to　commit　the　keeping　of　their　souls　to　the　clergy。　There　are
today　thousands　of　professors　of　religion　who　can　give　no　other　reason　for
points　of　faith　which　they