land　with　mourning。　When　David　offended　against　God　by　numbering　the　people；
  one　angel　caused　that　terrible　destruction　by　which　his　sin　was　punished。
  The　same　destructive　power　exercised　by　holy　angels　when　God　commands；　will
  be　exercised　by　evil　angels　when　He　permits。　There　are　forces　now　ready；　and
  only　waiting　the　divine　permission；　to　spread　desolation　everywhere。
  Those　who　honor　the　law　of　God　have　been　accused　of　bringing　judgments　upon
  the　world；　and　they　will　be　regarded　as　the　cause　of　the　fearful　convulsions
  of　nature　and　the　strife　and　bloodshed　among　men　that　are　filling　the　earth
  with　woe。　The　power　attending　the　last　warning　has　enraged　the　wicked；　their
  anger　is　kindled　against　all　who
  615
  have　received　the　message；　and　Satan　will　excite　to　still　greater　intensity
  the　spirit　of　hatred　and　persecution。
  When　God's　presence　was　finally　withdrawn　from　the　Jewish　nation；　priests
  and　people　knew　it　not。　Though　under　the　control　of　Satan；　and　swayed　by　the
  most　horrible　and　malignant　passions；　they　still　regarded　themselves　as　the
  chosen　of　God。　The　ministration　in　the　temple　continued；　sacrifices　were
  offered　upon　its　polluted　altars；　and　daily　the　divine　blessing　was　invoked
  upon　a　people　guilty　of　the　blood　of　God's　dear　Son　and　seeking　to　slay　His
  ministers　and　apostles。　So　when　the　irrevocable　decision　of　the　sanctuary
  has　been　pronounced　and　the　destiny　of　the　world　has　been　forever　fixed；　the
  inhabitants　of　the　earth　will　know　it　not。　The　forms　of　religion　will　be
  continued　by　a　people　from　whom　the　Spirit　of　God　has　been　finally
  withdrawn；　and　the　satanic　zeal　with　which　the　prince　of　evil　will　inspire
  them　for　the　accomplishment　of　his　malignant　designs；　will　bear　the
  semblance　of　zeal　for　God。
  As　the　Sabbath　has　become　the　special　point　of　controversy　throughout
  Christendom；　and　religious　and　secular　authorities　have　combined　to　enforce
  the　observance　of　the　Sunday；　the　persistent　refusal　of　a　small　minority　to
  yield　to　the　popular　demand　will　make　them　objects　of　universal　execration。
  It　will　be　urged　that　the　few　who　stand　in　opposition　to　an　institution　of
  the　church　and　a　law　of　the　state　ought　not　to　be　tolerated；　that　it　is
  better　for　them　to　suffer　than　for　whole　nations　to　be　thrown　into　confusion
  and　lawlessness。　The　same　argument　eighteen　hundred　years　ago　was　brought
  against　Christ　by　the　〃rulers　of　the　people。〃　〃It　is　expedient　for　us；〃　said
  the　wily　Caiaphas；　〃that　one　man　should　die　for　the　people；　and　that　the
  whole　nation　perish　not。〃　John　11：50。　This　argument　will　appear　conclusive；
  and　a　decree　will　finally　be　issued　against　those　who　hallow　the　Sabbath　of
  the　fourth　commandment；　denouncing　them　as　deserving　of　the　severest
  punishment　and　giving
  616
  the　people　liberty；　after　a　certain　time；　to　put　them　to　death。　Romanism　in
  the　Old　World　and　apostate　Protestantism　in　the　New　will　pursue　a　similar
  course　toward　those　who　honor　all　the　divine　precepts。
  The　people　of　God　will　then　be　plunged　into　those　scenes　of　affliction　and
  distress　described　by　the　prophet　as　the　time　of　Jacob's　trouble。　〃Thus
  saith　the　Lord：　We　have　heard　a　voice　of　trembling；　of　fear；　and　not　of
  peace。　。　。　。　All　faces　are　turned　into　paleness。　Alas！　for　that　day　is
  great；　so　that　none　is　like　it：　it　is　even　the　time　of　Jacob's　trouble；　but
  he　shall　be　saved　out　of　it。〃　Jeremiah　30：5…7。
  Jacob's　night　of　anguish；　when　he　wrestled　in　prayer　for　deliverance　from
  the　hand　of　Esau　（Genesis　32：24…30）；　represents　the　experience　of　God's
  people　in　the　time　of　trouble。　Because　of　the　deception　practiced　to　secure
  his　father's　blessing；　intended　for　Esau；　Jacob　had　fled　for　his　life；
  alarmed　by　his　brother's　deadly　threats。　After　remaining　for　many　years　an
  exile；　he　had　set　out；　at　God's　command；　to　return　with　his　wives　and
  children；　his　flocks　and　herds；　to　his　native　country。　On　reaching　the
  borders　of　the　land；　he　was　filled　with　terror　by　the　tidings　of　Esau's
  approach　at　the　head　of　a　band　of　warriors；　doubtless　bent　upon　revenge。
  Jacob's　company；　unarmed　and　defenseless；　seemed　about　to　fall　helpless
  victims　of　violence　and　slaughter。　And　to　the　burden　of　anxiety　and　fear　was
  added　the　crushing　weight　of　self…reproach；　for　it　was　his　own　sin　that　had
  brought　this　danger。　His　only　hope　was　in　the　mercy　of　God；　his　only　defense
  must　be　prayer。　Yet　he　leaves　nothing　undone　on　his　own　part　to　atone　for
  the　wrong　to　his　brother　and　to　avert　the　threatened　danger。　So　should　the
  followers　of　Christ；　as　they　approach　the　time　of　trouble；　make　every
  exertion　to　place　themselves　in　a　proper　light　before　the　people；　to　disarm
  prejudice；　and　to　avert　the　danger　which　threatens　liberty　of　conscience。
  Having　sent　his　family　away；　that　they　may　not　witness　his　distress；　Jacob
  remains　alone　to　intercede　with　God。　He
  617
  confesses　his　sin　and　gratefully　acknowledges　the　mercy　of　God　toward　him
  while　with　deep　humiliation　he　pleads　the　covenant　made　with　his　fathers　and
  the　promises　to　himself　in　the　night　vision　at　Bethel　and　in　the　land　of　his
  exile。　The　crisis　in　his　life　has　come；　everything　is　at　stake。　In　the
  darkness　and　solitude　he　continues　praying　and　humbling　himself　before　God。
  Suddenly　a　hand　is　laid　upon　his　shoulder。　He　thinks　that　an　enemy　is
  seeking　his　life；　and　with　all　the　energy　of　despair　he　wrestles　with　his
  assailant。　As　the　day　begins　to　break；　the　stranger　puts　forth　his
  superhuman　power；　at　his　touch　the　strong　man　seems　paralyzed；　and　he　falls；
  a　helpless；　weeping　suppliant；　upon　the　neck　of　his　mysterious　antagonist。
  Jacob　knows　now　that　it　is　the　Angel　of　the　covenant　with　whom　he　has　been
  in　conflict。　Though　disabled　and　suffering　the　keenest　pain；　he　does　not
  relinquish　his　purpose。　Long　has　he　endured　perplexity；　remorse；　and　trouble
  for　his　sin；　now　he　must　have　the　assurance　that　it　is　pardoned。　The　divine
  visitant　seems　about　to　depart；　but　Jacob　clings　to　Him；　pleading　for　a
  blessing。　The　Angel　urges；　〃Let　Me　go；　for　the　day　breaketh；〃　but　the
  patriarch　exclaims；　〃I　will　not　let　Thee　go；　except　Thou　bless　me。〃　What
  confidence；　what　firmness　and　perseverance；　are　here　displayed！　Had　this
  been　a　boastful；　presumptuous　claim；　Jacob　would　have　been　instantly
  destroyed；　but　his　was　the　assurance　of　one　who　confesses　his　weakness　and
  unworthiness；　yet　trusts　the　mercy　of　a　covenant…keeping　God。
  〃He　had　power　over　the　Angel；　and　prevailed。〃　Hosea　12：4。　Through
  humiliation；　repentance；　and　self…surrender；　this　sinful；　erring　mortal
  prevailed　with　the　Majesty　of　heaven。　He　had　fastened　his　trembling　grasp
  upon　the　promises　of　God；　and　the　heart　of　Infinite　Love　could　not　turn　away
  the　sinner's　plea。　As　an　evidence　of　his　triumph　and　an　encouragement　to
  others　to　imitate　his　example；　his　name　was　changed　from　one　which　was　a
  reminder　of　his　sin；　to　one　that　commemorated　his　victory。　And　the　fact　that
  Jacob
  618
  had　prevailed　with　God　was　an　assurance　that　he　would　prevail　with　men。　He
  no　longer　feared　to　encounter　his　brother's　anger；　for　the　Lord　was　his
  defense。
  Satan　had　accused　Jacob　before　the　angels　of　God；　claiming　the　right　to
  destroy　him　because　of　his　sin；　he　had　moved　upon　Esau　to　march　against　him；
  and　during　the　patriarch's　long　night　of　wrestling；　Satan　endeavored　to
  force　upon　him　a　sense　of　his　guilt　in　order　to　discourage　him　and　break　his
  hold　upon　God。　Jacob　was　driven　almost　to　despair；　but　he　knew　that　without
  help　from　heaven　he　must　perish。　He　had　sincerely　repented　of　his　great　sin；
  and　he　appealed　to　the　mercy　of　God。　He　would　not　be　turned　from　his
  purpose；　but　held　fast　the　Angel　and　urged　his　petition　with　earnest；
  agonizing　cries　until　he　prevailed。
  As　Satan　influenced　Esau　to　march　against　Jacob；　so　he　will　stir　up　the
  wicked　to　destroy　God's　people　in　the　time　of　trouble。　And　as　he　accused
  Jacob；　he　will　urge　his　accusations　against　the　people　of　God。　He　numbers
  the　world　as　his　subjects；　but　the　little　company　who　keep　the　commandments
  of　God　are　resisting　his　supremacy。　If　he　could　blot　them　from　the　earth；
  his　triumph　would　be　complete。　He　sees　that　holy　angels　are　guarding　them；
  and　he　infers　that　their　sins　have　been　pardoned；　but　he　does　not　know　that
  their　cases　have　been　decided　in　the　sanctuary　above。　He　has　an　accurate
  knowledge　of　the　sins　which　he　has　tempted　them　to　commit；　and　he　presents
  these　before　God　in　the　most　exaggerated　light；　representing　this　people　to
  be　just　as　deserving　as　himself　of　exclusion　from　the　favor　of　God。　He
  declares　that　the　Lord　cannot　in　justice　forgive　their　sins　and　yet　destroy
  him　and　his　angels。　He　claims　them　as　his　prey　and　demands　that　they　be
  given　into　his　hands　to　destroy。
  As　Satan　accuses　the　people　of　God　on　account　of　their　sins；　the　Lord
  permits　him　to　try　them　to　the　uttermost。　Their　confidence　in　God；　their
  faith　and　firmness；　will　be　severely　tested。　As　they　review　the　past；　their
  hopes　sink；
  619
  for　in　their　whole　lives　they　can　see　little　good。　They　are　fully　co