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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
co
the time of trouble, are clearly brought to view. 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
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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 14:9-12.] 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 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
majority,—not one or 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
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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 encased
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 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 mani-
fested 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 practiced
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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.
With the many warnings against false teachers, why are the
people so ready 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 hold than that they were
so instructed by their religious leaders. They pass by the Saviour’s
teachings almost u
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words of the ministers. But are ministers infallible? How can we
trust our souls to their guidance unless we know from God’s word
that they are light-bearers? A lack of moral courage to step aside
from the beaten track of the world, leads many to follow in the steps
of learned men; and by their reluctance to investigate for themselves,
they are becoming hopelessly fastened in the chains of error. They
see that the truth for this time is plainly brought to view in the Bible,
and they feel the power of the Holy Spirit attending its proclamation;
yet they allow the opposition of the clergy to turn them from the light.
Though reason and conscience are convinced, these deluded souls
dare not think differently from the minister; and their individual
judgment, their eternal interests, are sacrificed to the unbelief, the
pride and prejudice, of another.
Many are the forms of human influence through which Satan
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works to bind his captives. He secures multitudes to himself by
attaching them by the silken cords of affection to those who are
enemies of the cross of Christ. Whatever this attachment may be,
parental, filial, conjugal, or social, the effect is the same; the op-
posers of truth rule with despotic power, and the souls held under
their sway have not sufficient courage or independence to obey their
own convictions of duty.
The truth and the glory of God are inseparable; it is impossible
for us, with the Bible within our reach, to honor God by erroneous
opinions. It is the first and highest duty of every rational being
to learn from the Scriptures what is truth, and then to walk in the
light, and encourage others to follow his example. Ignorance of
God’s word is sin, when every provision has been made that we