the great controversy-第131节

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religious　organizations　of　the　day　have　refused　to　listen　to　unpopular
truths　plainly　brought　to　view　in　the　Scriptures；　and　in　combating　them　they
have　adopted　interpretations　and　taken　positions　which　have　sown　broadcast
the　seeds　of　skepticism。　Clinging　to　the　papal　error　of　natural　immortality
and　man's

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consciousness　in　death；　they　have　rejected　the　only　defense　against　the
delusions　of　spiritualism。　The　doctrine　of　eternal　torment　has　led　many　to
disbelieve　the　Bible。　And　as　the　claims　of　the　fourth　commandment　are　urged
upon　the　people；　it　is　found　that　the　observance　of　the　seventh…day　Sabbath
is　enjoined；　and　as　the　only　way　to　free　themselves　from　a　duty　which　they
are　unwilling　to　perform；　many　popular　teachers　declare　that　the　law　of　God
is　no　longer　binding。　Thus　they　cast　away　the　law　and　the　Sabbath　together。
As　the　work　of　Sabbath　reform　extends；　this　rejection　of　the　divine　law　to
avoid　the　claims　of　the　fourth　commandment　will　become　well…nigh　universal。
The　teachings　of　religious　leaders　have　opened　the　door　to　infidelity；　to
spiritualism；　and　to　contempt　for　God's　holy　law；　and　upon　these　leaders
rests　a　fearful　responsibility　for　the　iniquity　that　exists　in　the　Christian
world。

Yet　this　very　class　put　forth　the　claim　that　the　fast…spreading　corruption
is　largely　attributable　to　the　desecration　of　the　so…called　〃Christian
sabbath；〃　and　that　the　enforcement　of　Sunday　observance　would　greatly
improve　the　morals　of　society。　This　claim　is　especially　urged　in　America；
where　the　doctrine　of　the　true　Sabbath　has　been　most　widely　preached。　Here
the　temperance　work；　one　of　the　most　prominent　and　important　of　moral
reforms；　is　often　combined　with　the　Sunday　movement；　and　the　advocates　of
the　latter　represent　themselves　as　laboring　to　promote　the　highest　interest
of　society；　and　those　who　refuse　to　unite　with　them　are　denounced　as　the
enemies　of　temperance　and　reform。　But　the　fact　that　a　movement　to　establish
error　is　connected　with　a　work　which　is　in　itself　good；　is　not　an　argument
in　favor　of　the　error。　We　may　disguise　poison　by　mingling　it　with　wholesome
food；　but　we　do　not　change　its　nature。　On　the　contrary；　it　is　rendered　more
dangerous；　as　it　is　more　likely　to　be　taken　unawares。　It　is　one　of　Satan's
devices　to　combine　with　falsehood　just　enough　truth　to　give　it　plausibility。
The　leaders　of　the　Sunday　movement　may　advocate　reforms

588

which　the　people　need；　principles　which　are　in　harmony　with　the　Bible；　yet
while　there　is　with　these　a　requirement　which　is　contrary　to　God's　law；　His
servants　cannot　unite　with　them。　Nothing　can　justify　them　in　setting　aside
the　commandments　of　God　for　the　precepts　of　men。

Through　the　two　great　errors；　the　immortality　of　the　soul　and　Sunday
sacredness；　Satan　will　bring　the　people　under　his　deceptions。　While　the
former　lays　the　foundation　of　spiritualism；　the　latter　creates　a　bond　of
sympathy　with　Rome。　The　Protestants　of　the　United　States　will　be　foremost　in
stretching　their　hands　across　the　gulf　to　grasp　the　hand　of　spiritualism；
they　will　reach　over　the　abyss　to　clasp　hands　with　the　Roman　power；　and
under　the　influence　of　this　threefold　union；　this　country　will　follow　in　the
steps　of　Rome　in　trampling　on　the　rights　of　conscience。

As　spiritualism　more　closely　imitates　the　nominal　Christianity　of　the　day；
it　has　greater　power　to　deceive　and　ensnare。　Satan　himself　is　converted；
after　the　modern　order　of　things。　He　will　appear　in　the　character　of　an
angel　of　light。　Through　the　agency　of　spiritualism；　miracles　will　be
wrought；the　sick　will　be　healed；　and　many　undeniable　wonders　will　be
performed。　And　as　the　spirits　will　profess　faith　in　the　Bible；　and　manifest
respect　for　the　institutions　of　the　church；　their　work　will　be　accepted　as　a
manifestation　of　divine　power。

The　line　of　distinction　between　professed　Christians　and　the　ungodly　is　now
hardly　distinguishable。　Church　members　love　what　the　world　loves　and　are
ready　to　join　with　them；　and　Satan　determines　to　unite　them　in　one　body　and
thus　strengthen　his　cause　by　sweeping　all　into　the　ranks　of　spiritualism。
Papists；　who　boast　of　miracles　as　a　certain　sign　of　the　true　church；　will　be
readily　deceived　by　this　wonder…working　power；　and　Protestants；　having　cast
away　the　shield　of　truth；　will　also　be　deluded。　Papists；　Protestants；　and
worldlings　will　alike　accept　the　form　of　godliness　without　the　power；　and
they　will　see　in　this　union　a　grand　movement

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for　the　conversion　of　the　world　and　the　ushering　in　of　the　long…expected
millennium。

Through　spiritualism；　Satan　appears　as　a　benefactor　of　the　race；　healing　the
diseases　of　the　people；　and　professing　to　present　a　new　and　more　exalted
system　of　religious　faith；　but　at　the　same　time　he　works　as　a　destroyer。　His
temptations　are　leading　multitudes　to　ruin。　Intemperance　dethrones　reason；
sensual　indulgence；　strife；　and　bloodshed　follow。　Satan　delights　in　war；　for
it　excites　the　worst　passions　of　the　soul　and　then　sweeps　into　eternity　its
victims　steeped　in　vice　and　blood。　It　is　his　object　to　incite　the　nations　to
war　against　one　another；　for　he　can　thus　divert　the　minds　of　the　people　from
the　work　of　preparation　to　stand　in　the　day　of　God。

Satan　works　through　the　elements　also　to　garner　his　harvest　of　unprepared
souls。　He　has　studied　the　secrets　of　the　laboratories　of　nature；　and　he　uses
all　his　power　to　control　the　elements　as　far　as　God　allows。　When　he　was
suffered　to　afflict　Job；　how　quickly　flocks　and　herds；　servants；　houses；
children；　were　swept　away；　one　trouble　succeeding　another　as　in　a　moment。　It
is　God　that　shields　His　creatures　and　hedges　them　in　from　the　power　of　the
destroyer。　But　the　Christian　world　have　shown　contempt　for　the　law　of
Jehovah；　and　the　Lord　will　do　just　what　He　has　declared　that　He　wouldHe
will　withdraw　His　blessings　from　the　earth　and　remove　His　protecting　care
from　those　who　are　rebelling　against　His　law　and　teaching　and　forcing　others
to　do　the　same。　Satan　has　control　of　all　whom　God　does　not　especially　guard。
He　will　favor　and　prosper　some　in　order　to　further　his　own　designs；　and　he
will　bring　trouble　upon　others　and　lead　men　to　believe　that　it　is　God　who　is
afflicting　them。

While　appearing　to　the　children　of　men　as　a　great　physician　who　can　heal　all
their　maladies；　he　will　bring　disease　and　disaster；　until　populous　cities
are　reduced　to　ruin　and　desolation。　Even　now　he　is　at　work。　In　accidents　and
calamities　by　sea　and　by　land；　in　great　conflagrations；　in　fierce

590

tornadoes　and　terrific　hailstorms；　in　tempests；　floods；　cyclones；　tidal
waves；　and　earthquakes；　in　every　place　and　in　a　thousand　forms；　Satan　is
exercising　his　power。　He　sweeps　away　the　ripening　harvest；　and　famine　and
distress　follow。　He　imparts　to　the　air　a　deadly　taint；　and　thousands　perish
by　the　pestilence。　These　visitations　are　to　become　more　and　more　frequent
and　disastrous。　Destruction　will　be　upon　both　man　and　beast。　〃The　earth
mourneth　and　fadeth　away；〃　〃the　haughty　people　。　。　。　do　languish。　The　earth
also　is　defiled　under　the　inhabitants　thereof；　because　they　have
transgressed　the　laws；　changed　the　ordinance；　broken　the　everlasting
covenant。〃　Isaiah　24：4；　5。

And　then　the　great　deceiver　will　persuade　men　that　those　who　serve　God　are
causing　these　evils。　The　class　that　have　provoked　the　displeasure　of　Heaven
will　charge　all　their　troubles　upon　those　whose　obedience　to　God's
commandments　is　a　perpetual　reproof　to　transgressors。　It　will　be　declared
that　men　are　offending　God　by　the　violation　of　the　Sunday　sabbath；　that　this
sin　has　brought　calamities　which　will　not　cease　until　Sunday　observance
shall　be　strictly　enforced；　and　that　those　who　present　the　claims　of　the
fourth　commandment；　thus　destroying　reverence　for　Sunday；　are　troublers　of
the　people；　preventing　their　restoration　to　divine　favor　and　temporal
prosperity。　Thus　the　accusation　urged　of　old　against　the　servant　of　God　will
be　repeated　and　upon　grounds　equally　well　established：　〃And　it　came　to　pass；
when　Ahab　saw　Elijah；　that　Ahab　said　unto　him；　Art　thou　he　that　troubleth
Israel？　And　he　answered；　I　have　not　troubled　Israel；　but　thou；　and　thy
father's　house；　in　that　ye　have　forsaken　the　commandments　of　the　Lord；　and
thou　hast　followed　Baalim。〃　1　Kings　18：17；　18。　As　the　wrath　of　the　people
shall　be　excited　by　false　charges；　they　will　pursue　a　course　toward　God's
ambassadors　very　similar　to　that　which　apostate　Israel　pursued　toward
Elijah。

The　miracle…working　power　manifested　through　spiritualism

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will　exert　its　influence　against　those　who　choose　to　obey　God　rather　than
men。　Communications　from　the　spirits　will　declare　that　God　has　sent　them　to
convince　the　rejecters　of　Sunday　of　their　error；　affirming　that　the　laws　of
the　land　should　be　obeyed　as　the　law　of　God。　They　will　lament　the　great
wickedness　in　the　world　and　second　the　testimony　of　religious　teachers　that
the　degraded　state　of　morals　is　caused　by　the　desecration　of　Sunday。　Great
will　be　the　indignation　exc