God never forces the will or the conscience ; but Satan ' s constant resort--to gain control of those whom he cannot otherwise seduce--is compulsion by cruelty . Through fear or force he endeavours 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 .
Those who honour 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 colouring 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 honour 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 favour , 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 .
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