history　of　the　church　have　each　been　marked　by　the　development　of　some
  special　truth；　adapted　to　the　necessities　of　God's　people　at　that　time。
  Every　new　truth　has　made　its　way　against　hatred　and　opposition；　those　who
  were　blessed　with　its　light　were　tempted　and　tried。　The　Lord　gives　a　special
  truth　for　the　people　in　an　emergency。　Who　dare　refuse　to　publish　it？　He
  commands　His　servants　to　present　the　last　invitation　of　mercy　to　the　world。
  They　cannot　remain　silent；　except　at　the　peril　of　their　souls。　Christ's
  ambassadors
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  have　nothing　to　do　with　consequences。　They　must　perform　their　duty　and　leave
  results　with　God。
  As　the　opposition　rises　to　a　fiercer　height；　the　servants　of　God　are　again
  perplexed；　for　it　seems　to　them　that　they　have　brought　the　crisis。　But
  conscience　and　the　word　of　God　assure　them　that　their　course　is　right；　and
  although　the　trials　continue；　they　are　strengthened　to　bear　them。　The
  contest　grows　closer　and　sharper；　but　their　faith　and　courage　rise　with　the
  emergency。　Their　testimony　is：　〃We　dare　not　tamper　with　God's　word；　dividing
  His　holy　law；　calling　one　portion　essential　and　another　nonessential；　to
  gain　the　favor　of　the　world。　The　Lord　whom　we　serve　is　able　to　deliver　us。
  Christ　has　conquered　the　powers　of　earth；　and　shall　we　be　afraid　of　a　world
  already　conquered？〃
  Persecution　in　its　varied　forms　is　the　development　of　a　principle　which　will
  exist　as　long　as　Satan　exists　and　Christianity　has　vital　power。　No　man　can
  serve　God　without　enlisting　against　himself　the　opposition　of　the　hosts　of
  darkness。　Evil　angels　will　assail　him；　alarmed　that　his　influence　is　taking
  the　prey　from　their　hands。　Evil　men；　rebuked　by　his　example；　will　unite　with
  them　in　seeking　to　separate　him　from　God　by　alluring　temptations。　When　these
  do　not　succeed；　then　a　compelling　power　is　employed　to　force　the　conscience。
  But　so　long　as　Jesus　remains　man's　intercessor　in　the　sanctuary　above；　the
  restraining　influence　of　the　Holy　Spirit　is　felt　by　rulers　and　people。　It
  still　controls　to　some　extent　the　laws　of　the　land。　Were　it　not　for　these
  laws；　the　condition　of　the　world　would　be　much　worse　than　it　now　is。　While
  many　of　our　rulers　are　active　agents　of　Satan；　God　also　has　His　agents　among
  the　leading　men　of　the　nation。　The　enemy　moves　upon　his　servants　to　propose
  measures　that　would　greatly　impede　the　work　of　God；　but　statesmen　who　fear
  the　Lord　are　influenced　by　holy　angels　to　oppose　such　propositions　with
  unanswerable　arguments。　Thus　a　few　men　will
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  hold　in　check　a　powerful　current　of　evil。　The　opposition　of　the　enemies　of
  truth　will　be　restrained　that　the　third　angel's　message　may　do　its　work。
  When　the　final　warning　shall　be　given；　it　will　arrest　the　attention　of　these
  leading　men　through　whom　the　Lord　is　now　working；　and　some　of　them　will
  accept　it；　and　will　stand　with　the　people　of　God　through　the　time　of
  trouble。
  The　angel　who　unites　in　the　proclamation　of　the　third　angel's　message　is　to
  lighten　the　whole　earth　with　his　glory。　A　work　of　world…wide　extent　and
  unwonted　power　is　here　foretold。　The　advent　movement　of　1840…44　was　a
  glorious　manifestation　of　the　power　of　God；　the　first　angel's　message　was
  carried　to　every　missionary　station　in　the　world；　and　in　some　countries
  there　was　the　greatest　religious　interest　which　has　been　witnessed　in　any
  land　since　the　Reformation　of　the　sixteenth　century；　but　these　are　to　be
  exceeded　by　the　mighty　movement　under　the　last　warning　of　the　third　angel。
  The　work　will　be　similar　to　that　of　the　Day　of　Pentecost。　As　the　〃former
  rain〃　was　given；　in　the　outpouring　of　the　Holy　Spirit　at　the　opening　of　the
  gospel；　to　cause　the　upspringing　of　the　precious　seed；　so　the　〃latter　rain〃
  will　be　given　at　its　close　for　the　ripening　of　the　harvest。　〃Then　shall　we
  know；　if　we　follow　on　to　know　the　Lord：　His　going　forth　is　prepared　as　the
  morning；　and　He　shall　come　unto　us　as　the　rain；　as　the　latter　and　former
  rain　unto　the　earth。〃　Hosea　6：3。　〃Be　glad　then；　ye　children　of　Zion；　and
  rejoice　in　the　Lord　your　God：　for　He　hath　given　you　the　former　rain
  moderately；　and　He　will　cause　to　come　down　for　you　the　rain；　the　former
  rain；　and　the　latter　rain。〃　Joel　2：23。　〃In　the　last　days；　saith　God；　I　will
  pour　out　of　My　Spirit　upon　all　flesh。〃　〃And　it　shall　come　to　pass；　that
  whosoever　shall　call　on　the　name　of　the　Lord　shall　be　saved。〃　Acts　2：17；　21。
  The　great　work　of　the　gospel　is　not　to　close　with　less　manifestation　of　the
  power　of　God　than　marked　its　opening。　The　prophecies　which　were　fulfilled　in
  the　outpouring　of　the
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  former　rain　at　the　opening　of　the　gospel　are　again　to　be　fulfilled　in　the
  latter　rain　at　its　close。　Here　are　〃the　times　of　refreshing〃　to　which　the
  apostle　Peter　looked　forward　when　he　said：　〃Repent　ye　therefore；　and　be
  converted；　that　your　sins　may　be　blotted　out；　when　the　times　of　refreshing
  shall　come　from　the　presence　of　the　Lord；　and　He　shall　send　Jesus。〃　Acts
  3：19；　20。
  Servants　of　God；　with　their　faces　lighted　up　and　shining　with　holy
  consecration；　will　hasten　from　place　to　place　to　proclaim　the　message　from
  heaven。　By　thousands　of　voices；　all　over　the　earth；　the　warning　will　be
  given。　Miracles　will　be　wrought；　the　sick　will　be　healed；　and　signs　and
  wonders　will　follow　the　believers。　Satan　also　works；　with　lying　wonders；
  even　bringing　down　fire　from　heaven　in　the　sight　of　men。　Revelation　13：13。
  Thus　the　inhabitants　of　the　earth　will　be　brought　to　take　their　stand。
  The　message　will　be　carried　not　so　much　by　argument　as　by　the　deep
  conviction　of　the　Spirit　of　God。　The　arguments　have　been　presented。　The　seed
  has　been　sown；　and　now　it　will　spring　up　and　bear　fruit。　The　publications
  distributed　by　missionary　workers　have　exerted　their　influence；　yet　many
  whose　minds　were　impressed　have　been　prevented　from　fully　comprehending　the
  truth　or　from　yielding　obedience。　Now　the　rays　of　light　penetrate
  everywhere；　the　truth　is　seen　in　its　clearness；　and　the　honest　children　of
  God　sever　the　bands　which　have　held　them。　Family　connections；　church
  relations；　are　powerless　to　stay　them　now。　Truth　is　more　precious　than　all
  besides。　Notwithstanding　the　agencies　combined　against　the　truth；　a　large
  number　take　their　stand　upon　the　Lord's　side。
  （613）
  Chapter　39
  The　Time　of　Trouble
  〃At　that　time　shall　Michael　stand　up；　the　great　Prince　which　standeth　for
  the　children　of　thy　people：　and　there　shall　be　a　time　of　trouble；　such　as
  never　was　since　there　was　a　nation　even　to　that　same　time：　and　at　that　time
  thy　people　shall　be　delivered；　everyone　that　shall　be　found　written　in　the
  book。〃　Daniel　12：1。
  When　the　third　angel's　message　closes；　mercy　no　longer　pleads　for　the　guilty
  inhabitants　of　the　earth。　The　people　of　God　have　accomplished　their　work。
  They　have　received　〃the　latter　rain；〃　〃the　refreshing　from　the　presence　of
  the　Lord；〃　and　they　are　prepared　for　the　trying　hour　before　them。　Angels　are
  hastening　to　and　fro　in　heaven。　An　angel　returning　from　the　earth　announces
  that　his　work　is　done；　the　final　test　has　been　brought　upon　the　world；　and
  all　who　have　proved　themselves　loyal　to　the　divine　precepts　have　received
  〃the　seal　of　the　living　God。〃　Then　Jesus　ceases　His　intercession　in　the
  sanctuary　above。　He　lifts　His　hands　and　with　a　loud　voice　says；　〃It　is
  done；〃　and　all　the　angelic　host　lay　off　their　crowns　as　He　makes　the　solemn
  announcement：　〃He　that　is　unjust；　let　him　be　unjust　still：　and　he　which　is
  filthy；　let　him　be　filthy　still：　and　he　that　is　righteous；　let　him　be
  righteous　still：　and　he　that　is　holy；　let　him　be　holy　still。〃　Revelation
  22：11。　Every　case　has　been　decided　for　life　or　death。　Christ　has　made　the
  atonement　for　His　people　and
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  blotted　out　their　sins。　The　number　of　His　subjects　is　made　up；　〃the　kingdom
  and　dominion；　and　the　greatness　of　the　kingdom　under　the　whole　heaven；〃　is
  about　to　be　given　to　the　heirs　of　salvation；　and　Jesus　is　to　reign　as　King
  of　kings　and　Lord　of　lords。
  When　He　leaves　the　sanctuary；　darkness　covers　the　inhabitants　of　the　earth。
  In　that　fearful　time　the　righteous　must　live　in　the　sight　of　a　holy　God
  without　an　intercessor。　The　restraint　which　has　been　upon　the　wicked　is
  removed；　and　Satan　has　entire　control　of　the　finally　impenitent。　God's
  long…suffering　has　ended。　The　world　has　rejected　His　mercy；　despised　His
  love；　and　trampled　upon　His　law。　The　wicked　have　passed　the　boundary　of
  their　probation；　the　Spirit　of　God；　persistently　resisted；　has　been　at　last
  withdrawn。　Unsheltered　by　divine　grace；　they　have　no　protection　from　the
  wicked　one。　Satan　will　then　plunge　the　inhabitants　of　the　earth　into　one
  great；　final　trouble。　As　the　angels　of　God　cease　to　hold　in　check　the　fierce
  winds　of　human　passion；　all　the　elements　of　strife　will　be　let　loose。　The
  whole　world　will　be　involved　in　ruin　more　terrible　than　that　which　came　upon
  Jerusalem　of　old。
  A　single　angel　destroyed　all　the　first…born　of　the　Egyptians　and　filled　the
  land　with　mourning。　When　David　offended　against　God　by　numbering　the　people；
  one　angel　caus