Abyssinia　was　soon　beguiled　into　an　acknowledgment　of　the　pope　as　the　vicar
  of　Christ。　Other　concessions　followed。
  578
  An　edict　was　issued　forbidding　the　observance　of　the　Sabbath　under　the
  severest　penalties。　（See　Michael　Geddes；　Church　History　of　Ethiopia；　pages
  311；　312。）　But　papal　tyranny　soon　became　a　yoke　so　galling　that　the
  Abyssinians　determined　to　break　it　from　their　necks。　After　a　terrible
  struggle　the　Romanists　were　banished　from　their　dominions；　and　the　ancient
  faith　was　restored。　The　churches　rejoiced　in　their　freedom；　and　they　never
  forgot　the　lesson　they　had　learned　concerning　the　deception；　the　fanaticism；
  and　the　despotic　power　of　Rome。　Within　their　solitary　realm　they　were
  content　to　remain；　unknown　to　the　rest　of　Christendom。
  The　churches　of　Africa　held　the　Sabbath　as　it　was　held　by　the　papal　church
  before　her　complete　apostasy。　While　they　kept　the　seventh　day　in　obedience
  to　the　commandment　of　God；　they　abstained　from　labor　on　the　Sunday　in
  conformity　to　the　custom　of　the　church。　Upon　obtaining　supreme　power；　Rome
  had　trampled　upon　the　Sabbath　of　God　to　exalt　her　own；　but　the　churches　of
  Africa；　hidden　for　nearly　a　thousand　years；　did　not　share　in　this　apostasy。
  When　brought　under　the　sway　of　Rome；　they　were　forced　to　set　aside　the　true
  and　exalt　the　false　sabbath；　but　no　sooner　had　they　regained　their
  independence　than　they　returned　to　obedience　to　the　fourth　commandment。　（See
  Appendix。）
  These　records　of　the　past　clearly　reveal　the　enmity　of　Rome　toward　the　true
  Sabbath　and　its　defenders；　and　the　means　which　she　employs　to　honor　the
  institution　of　her　creating。　The　word　of　God　teaches　that　these　scenes　are
  to　be　repeated　as　Roman　Catholics　and　Protestants　shall　unite　for　the
  exaltation　of　the　Sunday。
  The　prophecy　of　Revelation　13　declares　that　the　power　represented　by　the
  beast　with　lamblike　horns　shall　cause　〃the　earth　and　them　which　dwell
  therein〃　to　worship　the　papacy　there　symbolized　by　the　beast　〃like　unto　a
  leopard。〃　The　beast　with　two　horns　is　also　to　say　〃to　them　that　dwell　on　the
  earth；　that　they　should　make　an　image　to　the　beast；〃　and；
  579
  furthermore；　it　is　to　command　all；　〃both　small　and　great；　rich　and　poor；
  free　and　bond；〃　to　receive　the　mark　of　the　beast。　Revelation　13：11…16。　It
  has　been　shown　that　the　United　States　is　the　power　represented　by　the　beast
  with　lamblike　horns；　and　that　this　prophecy　will　be　fulfilled　when　the
  United　States　shall　enforce　Sunday　observance；　which　Rome　claims　as　the
  special　acknowledgment　of　her　supremacy。　But　in　this　homage　to　the　papacy
  the　United　States　will　not　be　alone。　The　influence　of　Rome　in　the　countries
  that　once　acknowledged　her　dominion　is　still　far　from　being　destroyed。　And
  prophecy　foretells　a　restoration　of　her　power。　〃I　saw　one　of　his　heads　as　it
  were　wounded　to　death；　and　his　deadly　wound　was　healed：　and　all　the　world
  wondered　after　the　beast。〃　Verse　3。　The　infliction　of　the　deadly　wound
  points　to　the　downfall　of　the　papacy　in　1798。　After　this；　says　the　prophet；
  〃his　deadly　wound　was　healed：　and　all　the　world　wondered　after　the　beast。〃
  Paul　states　plainly　that　the　〃man　of　sin〃　will　continue　until　the　second
  advent。　2　Thessalonians　2：3…8。　To　the　very　close　of　time　he　will　carry
  forward　the　work　of　deception。　And　the　revelator　declares；　also　referring　to
  the　papacy：　〃All　that　dwell　upon　the　earth　shall　worship　him；　whose　names
  are　not　written　in　the　book　of　life。〃　Revelation　13：8。　In　both　the　Old　and
  the　New　World；　the　papacy　will　receive　homage　in　the　honor　paid　to　the
  Sunday　institution；　that　rests　solely　upon　the　authority　of　the　Roman
  Church。
  Since　the　middle　of　the　nineteenth　century；　students　of　prophecy　in　the
  United　States　have　presented　this　testimony　to　the　world。　In　the　events　now
  taking　place　is　seen　a　rapid　advance　toward　the　fulfillment　of　the
  prediction。　With　Protestant　teachers　there　is　the　same　claim　of　divine
  authority　for　Sundaykeeping；　and　the　same　lack　of　Scriptural　evidence；　as
  with　the　papal　leaders　who　fabricated　miracles　to　supply　the　place　of　a
  command　from　God。　The　assertion　that　God's　judgments　are　visited　upon　men
  for　their　violation　of　the
  580
  Sunday…sabbath；　will　be　repeated；　already　it　is　beginning　to　be　urged。　And　a
  movement　to　enforce　Sunday　observance　is　fast　gaining　ground。
  Marvelous　in　her　shrewdness　and　cunning　is　the　Roman　Church。　She　can　read
  what　is　to　be。　She　bides　her　time；　seeing　that　the　Protestant　churches　are
  paying　her　homage　in　their　acceptance　of　the　false　sabbath　and　that　they　are
  preparing　to　enforce　it　by　the　very　means　which　she　herself　employed　in
  bygone　days。　Those　who　reject　the　light　of　truth　will　yet　seek　the　aid　of
  this　self…styled　infallible　power　to　exalt　an　institution　that　originated
  with　her。　How　readily　she　will　come　to　the　help　of　Protestants　in　this　work
  it　is　not　difficult　to　conjecture。　Who　understands　better　than　the　papal
  leaders　how　to　deal　with　those　who　are　disobedient　to　the　church？
  The　Roman　Catholic　Church；　with　all　its　ramifications　throughout　the　world；
  forms　one　vast　organization　under　the　control；　and　designed　to　serve　the
  interests；　of　the　papal　see。　Its　millions　of　communicants；　in　every　country
  on　the　globe；　are　instructed　to　hold　themselves　as　bound　in　allegiance　to
  the　pope。　Whatever　their　nationality　or　their　government；　they　are　to　regard
  the　authority　of　the　church　as　above　all　other。　Though　they　may　take　the
  oath　pledging　their　loyalty　to　the　state；　yet　back　of　this　lies　the　vow　of
  obedience　to　Rome；　absolving　them　from　every　pledge　inimical　to　her
  interests。
  History　testifies　of　her　artful　and　persistent　efforts　to　insinuate　herself
  into　the　affairs　of　nations；　and　having　gained　a　foothold；　to　further　her
  own　aims；　even　at　the　ruin　of　princes　and　people。　In　the　year　1204；　Pope
  Innocent　III　extracted　from　Peter　II；　king　of　Arragon；　the　following
  extraordinary　oath：　〃I；　Peter；　king　of　Arragonians；　profess　and　promise　to
  be　ever　faithful　and　obedient　to　my　lord；　Pope　Innocent；　to　his　Catholic
  successors；　and　the　Roman　Church；　and　faithfully　to　preserve　my　kingdom　in
  his　obedience；　defending　the　Catholic　faith；　and　persecuting　heretical
  pravity。〃　John　Dowling；　The　History　of　Romanism；　b。　5；　ch。　6；　sec。
  581
  55。　This　is　in　harmony　with　the　claims　regarding　the　power
  of　the　Roman　pontiff　〃that　it　is　lawful　for　him　to　depose　emperors〃　and
  〃that　he　can　absolve　subjects　from　their　allegiance　to　unrighteous
  rulers。〃Mosheim；　b。　3；　cent。　11；　pt。　2；　ch。　2；　sec。　9；　note　17。　（See　also
  Appendix。）
  And　let　it　be　remembered；　it　is　the　boast　of　Rome　that　she　never　changes。
  The　principles　of　Gregory　VII　and　Innocent　III　are　still　the　principles　of
  the　Roman　Catholic　Church。　And　had　she　but　the　power；　she　would　put　them　in
  practice　with　as　much　vigor　now　as　in　past　centuries。　Protestants　little
  know　what　they　are　doing　when　they　propose　to　accept　the　aid　of　Rome　in　the
  work　of　Sunday　exaltation。　While　they　are　bent　upon　the　accomplishment　of
  their　purpose；　Rome　is　aiming　to　re…establish　her　power；　to　recover　her　lost
  supremacy。　Let　the　principle　once　be　established　in　the　United　States　that
  the　church　may　employ　or　control　the　power　of　the　state；　that　religious
  observances　may　be　enforced　by　secular　laws；　in　short；　that　the　authority　of
  church　and　state　is　to　dominate　the　conscience；　and　the　triumph　of　Rome　in
  this　country　is　assured。
  God's　word　has　given　warning　of　the　impending　danger；　let　this　be　unheeded；
  and　the　Protestant　world　will　learn　what　the　purposes　of　Rome　really　are；
  only　when　it　is　too　late　to　escape　the　snare。　She　is　silently　growing　into
  power。　Her　doctrines　are　exerting　their　influence　in　legislative　halls；　in
  the　churches；　and　in　the　hearts　of　men。　She　is　piling　up　her　lofty　and
  massive　structures　in　the　secret　recesses　of　which　her　former　persecutions
  will　be　repeated。　Stealthily　and　unsuspectedly　she　is　strengthening　her
  forces　to　further　her　own　ends　when　the　time　shall　come　for　her　to　strike。
  All　that　she　desires　is　vantage　ground；　and　this　is　already　being　given　her。
  We　shall　soon　see　and　shall　feel　what　the　purpose　of　the　Roman　element　is。
  Whoever　shall　believe　and　obey　the　word　of　God　will　thereby　incur　reproach
  and　persecution。
  （582）
  Chapter　36
  The　Impending　Conflict
  From　the　very　beginning　of　the　great　controversy　in　heaven　it　has　been
  Satan's　purpose　to　overthrow　the　law　of　God。　It　was　to　accomplish　this　that
  he　entered　upon　his　rebellion　against　the　Creator；　and　though　he　was　cast
  out　of　heaven　he　has　continued　the　same　warfare　upon　the　earth。　To　deceive
  men；　and　thus　lead　them　to　transgress　God's　law；　is　the　object　which　he　has
  steadfastly　pursued。　Whether　this　be　accomplished　by　casting　aside　the　law
  altogether；　or　by　rejecting　one　of　its　precepts；　the　result　will　be
  ultimately　the　same。　He　that　offends　〃in　one　point；〃　manifests　contempt　for
  the　whole　law；　his　influence　and　example　are　on　the　side　of　transgression；
  he　becomes　〃guilty　of　all。〃　James　2：10。
  In　seeking　to　cast　contem