reap　that　which　they　have　sown。　Every　ray　of　light　rejected；　every　warning
  despised　or　unheeded；　every　passion　indulged；　every　transgression　of　the　law
  of　God；　is　a　seed　sown　which　yields　its　unfailing　harvest。　The　Spirit　of
  God；　persistently　resisted；　is　at　last　withdrawn　from　the　sinner；　and　then
  there　is　left　no　power　to　control　the　evil　passions　of　the　soul；　and　no
  protection　from　the　malice　and　enmity　of　Satan。　The　destruction　of　Jerusalem
  is　a　fearful　and　solemn　warning　to　all　who　are　trifling　with　the　offers　of
  divine　grace　and　resisting　the　pleadings　of　divine　mercy。　Never　was　there
  given　a　more　decisive　testimony　to　God's　hatred　of　sin　and　to　the　certain
  punishment　that　will　fall　upon　the　guilty。
  The　Saviour's　prophecy　concerning　the　visitation　of　judgments　upon　Jerusalem
  is　to　have　another　fulfillment；　of　which　that　terrible　desolation　was　but　a
  faint　shadow。　In　the　fate　of　the　chosen　city　we　may　behold　the　doom　of　a
  world　that　has　rejected　God's　mercy　and　trampled　upon　His　law。　Dark　are　the
  records　of　human　misery　that　earth　has　witnessed　during　its　long　centuries
  of　crime。　The　heart　sickens；　and　the　mind　grows　faint　in　contemplation。
  Terrible　have　been　the　results　of　rejecting　the　authority　of　Heaven。　But　a
  scene　yet　darker　is　presented　in　the　revelations　of　the　future。　The　records
  of　the　past；the　long　procession　of　tumults；
  37
  conflicts；　and　revolutions；　the　〃battle　of　the　warrior　。　。　。　with　confused
  noise；　and　garments　rolled　in　blood〃　（Isaiah　9：5）；　what　are　these；　in
  contrast　with　the　terrors　of　that　day　when　the　restraining　Spirit　of　God
  shall　be　wholly　withdrawn　from　the　wicked；　no　longer　to　hold　in　check　the
  outburst　of　human　passion　and　satanic　wrath！　The　world　will　then　behold；　as
  never　before；　the　results　of　Satan's　rule。
  But　in　that　day；　as　in　the　time　of　Jerusalem's　destruction；　God's　people
  will　be　delivered；　everyone　that　shall　be　found　written　among　the　living。
  Isaiah　4：3。　Christ　has　declared　that　He　will　come　the　second　time　to　gather
  His　faithful　ones　to　Himself：　〃Then　shall　all　the　tribes　of　the　earth　mourn；
  and　they　shall　see　the　Son　of　man　coming　in　the　clouds　of　heaven　with　power
  and　great　glory。　And　He　shall　send　His　angels　with　a　great　sound　of　a
  trumpet；　and　they　shall　gather　together　His　elect　from　the　four　winds；　from
  one　end　of　heaven　to　the　other。〃　Matthew　24：30；　31。　Then　shall　they　that
  obey　not　the　gospel　be　consumed　with　the　spirit　of　His　mouth　and　be
  destroyed　with　the　brightness　of　His　coming。　2　Thessalonians　2：8。　Like
  Israel　of　old　the　wicked　destroy　themselves；　they　fall　by　their　iniquity。　By
  a　life　of　sin；　they　have　placed　themselves　so　out　of　harmony　with　God；　their
  natures　have　become　so　debased　with　evil；　that　the　manifestation　of　His
  glory　is　to　them　a　consuming　fire。
  Let　men　beware　lest　they　neglect　the　lesson　conveyed　to　them　in　the　words　of
  Christ。　As　He　warned　His　disciples　of　Jerusalem's　destruction；　giving　them　a
  sign　of　the　approaching　ruin；　that　they　might　make　their　escape；　so　He　has
  warned　the　world　of　the　day　of　final　destruction　and　has　given　them　tokens
  of　its　approach；　that　all　who　will　may　flee　from　the　wrath　to　come。　Jesus
  declares：　〃There　shall　be　signs　in　the　sun；　and　in　the　moon；　and　in　the
  stars；　and　upon　the　earth　distress　of　nations。〃　Luke　21：25；　Matthew　24：29；
  Mark　13：24…26；　Revelation　6：12…17。　Those　who　behold　these　harbingers　of　His
  coming　are　to　〃know　that　it　is　near；　even
  38
  at　the　doors。〃　Matthew　24：33。　〃Watch　ye　therefore；〃　are　His　words　of
  admonition。　Mark　13：35。　They　that　heed　the　warning　shall　not　be　left　in
  darkness；　that　that　day　should　overtake　them　unawares。　But　to　them　that　will
  not　watch；　〃the　day　of　the　Lord　so　cometh　as　a　thief　in　the　night。〃
  1　Thessalonians　5：2…5。
  The　world　is　no　more　ready　to　credit　the　message　for　this　time　than　were　the
  Jews　to　receive　the　Saviour's　warning　concerning　Jerusalem。　Come　when　it
  may；　the　day　of　God　will　come　unawares　to　the　ungodly。　When　life　is　going　on
  in　its　unvarying　round；　when　men　are　absorbed　in　pleasure；　in　business；　in
  traffic；　in　money…making；　when　religious　leaders　are　magnifying　the　world's
  progress　and　enlightenment；　and　the　people　are　lulled　in　a　false
  securitythen；　as　the　midnight　thief　steals　within　the　unguarded　dwelling；
  so　shall　sudden　destruction　come　upon　the　careless　and　ungodly；　〃and　they
  shall　not　escape。〃　Verse　3。
  （39）
  Chapter　2
  Persecution　in　the　First　Centuries
  When　Jesus　revealed　to　His　disciples　the　fate　of　Jerusalem　and　the　scenes　of
  the　second　advent；　He　foretold　also　the　experience　of　His　people　from　the
  time　when　He　should　be　taken　from　them；　to　His　return　in　power　and　glory　for
  their　deliverance。　From　Olivet　the　Saviour　beheld　the　storms　about　to　fall
  upon　the　apostolic　church；　and　penetrating　deeper　into　the　future；　His　eye
  discerned　the　fierce；　wasting　tempests　that　were　to　beat　upon　His　followers
  in　the　coming　ages　of　darkness　and　persecution。　In　a　few　brief　utterances　of
  awful　significance　He　foretold　the　portion　which　the　rulers　of　this　world
  would　mete　out　to　the　church　of　God。　Matthew　24：9；　21；　22。　The　followers　of
  Christ　must　tread　the　same　path　of　humiliation；　reproach；　and　suffering
  which　their　Master　trod。　The　enmity　that　burst　forth　against　the　world's
  Redeemer　would　be　manifested　against　all　who　should　believe　on　His　name。
  The　history　of　the　early　church　testified　to　the　fulfillment　of　the
  Saviour's　words。　The　powers　of　earth　and　hell　arrayed　themselves　against
  Christ　in　the　person　of　His　followers。　Paganism　foresaw　that　should　the
  gospel　triumph；　her　temples　and　altars　would　be　swept　away；　therefore　she
  summoned　her　forces　to　destroy　Christianity。　The　fires　of　persecution　were
  kindled。　Christians　were　stripped　of　their　possessions　and　driven　from　their
  homes。　They　〃endured　a　great　fight　of　afflictions。〃　Hebrews　10：32。　They　〃had
  trial　of　cruel
  40
  mockings　and　scourgings；　yea；　moreover　of　bonds　and　imprisonment。〃　Hebrews
  11：36。　Great　numbers　sealed　their　testimony　with　their　blood。　Noble　and
  slave；　rich　and　poor；　learned　and　ignorant；　were　alike　slain　without　mercy。
  These　persecutions；　beginning　under　Nero　about　the　time　of　the　martyrdom　of
  Paul；　continued　with　greater　or　less　fury　for　centuries。　Christians　were
  falsely　accused　of　the　most　dreadful　crimes　and　declared　to　be　the　cause　of
  great　calamitiesfamine；　pestilence；　and　earthquake。　As　they　became　the
  objects　of　popular　hatred　and　suspicion；　informers　stood　ready；　for　the　sake
  of　gain；　to　betray　the　innocent。　They　were　condemned　as　rebels　against　the
  empire；　as　foes　of　religion；　and　pests　to　society。　Great　numbers　were　thrown
  to　wild　beasts　or　burned　alive　in　the　amphitheaters。　Some　were　crucified；
  others　were　covered　with　the　skins　of　wild　animals　and　thrust　into　the　arena
  to　be　torn　by　dogs。　Their　punishment　was　often　made　the　chief　entertainment
  at　public　fetes。　Vast　multitudes　assembled　to　enjoy　the　sight　and　greeted
  their　dying　agonies　with　laughter　and　applause。
  Wherever　they　sought　refuge；　the　followers　of　Christ　were　hunted　like　beasts
  of　prey。　They　were　forced　to　seek　concealment　in　desolate　and　solitary
  places。　〃Destitute；　afflicted；　tormented；　（of　whom　the　world　was　not
  worthy：）　they　wandered　in　deserts；　and　in　mountains；　and　in　dens　and　caves
  of　the　earth。〃　Verses　37；　38。　The　catacombs　afforded　shelter　for　thousands。
  Beneath　the　hills　outside　the　city　of　Rome；　long　galleries　had　been　tunneled
  through　earth　and　rock；　the　dark　and　intricate　network　of　passages　extended
  for　miles　beyond　the　city　walls。　In　these　underground　retreats　the　followers
  of　Christ　buried　their　dead；　and　here　also；　when　suspected　and　proscribed；
  they　found　a　home。　When　the　Life…giver　shall　awaken　those　who　have　fought
  the　good　fight；　many　a　martyr　for　Christ's　sake　will　come　forth　from　those
  gloomy　caverns。
  41
  Under　the　fiercest　persecution　these　witnesses　for　Jesus　kept　their　faith
  unsullied。　Though　deprived　of　every　comfort；　shut　away　from　the　light　of　the
  sun；　making　their　home　in　the　dark　but　friendly　bosom　of　the　earth；　they
  uttered　no　complaint。　With　words　of　faith；　patience；　and　hope　they
  encouraged　one　another　to　endure　privation　and　distress。　The　loss　of　every
  earthly　blessing　could　not　force　them　to　renounce　their　belief　in　Christ。
  Trials　and　persecution　were　but　steps　bringing　them　nearer　their　rest　and
  their　reward。
  Like　God's　servants　of　old；　many　were　〃tortured；　not　accepting　deliverance；
  that　they　might　obtain　a　better　resurrection。〃　Verse　35。　These　called　to
  mind　the　words　of　their　Master；　that　when　persecuted　for　Christ's　sake；　they
  were　to　be　exceeding　glad；　for　great　would　be　their　reward　in　heaven；　for　so
  the　prophets　had　been　persecuted　before　them。　They　rejoiced　that　they　were
  accounted　worthy　to　suffer　for　the　truth；　and　songs　of　triumph　ascended　from
  the　midst　of　crackling　flames。　Looking　upward　by　faith；　they　saw　Christ　and
  angels　leaning　over　the　battlements　of　heav