The Great Controversy The Great Controversy | Page 396
in the night of trial the latter seemed to lose, to some extent, their zeal
and devotion. The halfhearted and superficial could no longer lean upon
the faith of their brethren. Each must stand or fall for himself.
About this time, fanaticism began to appear. Some who had
professed to be zealous believers in the message rejected the word of
God as the one infallible guide and, claiming to be led by the Spirit,
gave themselves up to the control of their own feelings, impressions,
and imaginations. There were some who manifested a blind and bigoted
zeal, denouncing all who would not sanction their course. Their fanatical
ideas and exercises met with no sympathy from the great body of
Adventists; yet they served to bring reproach upon the cause of truth.
Satan was seeking by this means to oppose and destroy the work
of God. The people had been greatly stirred by the advent movement,
thousands of sinners had been converted, and faithful men were giving
themselves to the work of proclaiming the truth, even in the tarrying
time. The prince of evil was losing his subjects; and in order to
bring reproach upon the cause of God, he sought to deceive some who
professed the faith and to drive them to extremes. Then his agents stood
ready to seize upon every error, every failure, every unbecoming act,
and hold it up before the people in the most exaggerated light, to render
Adventists and their faith odious. Thus the greater the number whom
he could crowd in to make a profession of faith in the second advent
while his power controlled their hearts, the greater advantage would he
gain by calling attention to them as representatives of the whole body of
believers.
Satan is “the accuser of the brethren,” and it is his spirit that inspires
men to watch for the errors and defects of the Lord’s people, and to
hold them up to notice, while their good deeds are passed by without
a mention. He is always active when God is at work for the salvation
of souls. When the sons of God come to present themselves before the
Lord,
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