which　He　bears　long；　and　which　He　will　not　smite　until　it　has　filled　up　the
  measure　of　its　iniquity　in　God's　account；　will　finally　drink　the　cup　of
  wrath　unmixed　with　mercy。
  When　Christ　ceases　His　intercession　in　the　sanctuary；　the　unmingled　wrath
  threatened　against　those　who　worship　the　beast　and　his　image　and　receive　his
  mark　（Revelation　14：9；　10）；　will　be　poured　out。　The　plagues　upon　Egypt　when
  God　was　about　to　deliver　Israel　were　similar　in　character　to　those
  628
  more　terrible　and　extensive　judgments　which　are　to　fall　upon　the　world　just
  before　the　final　deliverance　of　God's　people。　Says　the　revelator；　in
  describing　those　terrific　scourges：　〃There　fell　a　noisome　and　grievous　sore
  upon　the　men　which　had　the　mark　of　the　beast；　and　upon　them　which　worshiped
  his　image。〃　The　sea　〃became　as　the　blood　of　a　dead　man：　and　every　living
  soul　died　in　the　sea。〃　And　〃the　rivers　and　fountains　of　waters　。　。　。　became
  blood。〃　Terrible　as　these　inflictions　are；　God's　justice　stands　fully
  vindicated。　The　angel　of　God　declares：　〃Thou　art　righteous；　O　Lord；　。　。　。
  because　Thou　hast　judged　thus。　For　they　have　shed　the　blood　of　saints　and
  prophets；　and　Thou　hast　given　them　blood　to　drink；　for　they　are　worthy。〃
  Revelation　16：2…6。　By　condemning　the　people　of　God　to　death；　they　have　as
  truly　incurred　the　guilt　of　their　blood　as　if　it　had　been　shed　by　their
  hands。　In　like　manner　Christ　declared　the　Jews　of　His　time　guilty　of　all　the
  blood　of　holy　men　which　had　been　shed　since　the　days　of　Abel；　for　they
  possessed　the　same　spirit　and　were　seeking　to　do　the　same　work　with　these
  murderers　of　the　prophets。
  In　the　plague　that　follows；　power　is　given　to　the　sun　〃to　scorch　men　with
  fire。　And　men　were　scorched　with　great　heat。〃　Verses　8；　9。　The　prophets　thus
  describe　the　condition　of　the　earth　at　this　fearful　time：　〃The　land
  mourneth；　。　。　。　because　the　harvest　of　the　field　is　perished。　。　。　。　All　the
  trees　of　the　field　are　withered：　because　joy　is　withered　away　from　the　sons
  of　men。〃　〃The　seed　is　rotten　under　their　clods；　the　garners　are　laid
  desolate。　。　。　。　How　do　the　beasts　groan！　the　herds　of　cattle　are　perplexed；
  because　they　have　no　pasture。　。　。　。　The　rivers　of　water　are　dried　up；　and
  the　fire　hath　devoured　the　pastures　of　the　wilderness。〃　〃The　songs　of　the
  temple　shall　be　howlings　in　that　day；　saith　the　Lord　God：　there　shall　be
  many　dead　bodies　in　every　place；　they　shall　cast　them　forth　with　silence。〃
  Joel　1：10…12；　17…20；　Amos　8：3。
  These　plagues　are　not　universal；　or　the　inhabitants　of　the　earth　would　be
  wholly　cut　off。　Yet　they　will　be　the　most
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  awful　scourges　that　have　ever　been　known　to　mortals。　All　the　judgments　upon
  men；　prior　to　the　close　of　probation；　have　been　mingled　with　mercy。　The
  pleading　blood　of　Christ　has　shielded　the　sinner　from　receiving　the　full
  measure　of　his　guilt；　but　in　the　final　judgment；　wrath　is　poured　out　unmixed
  with　mercy。
  In　that　day；　multitudes　will　desire　the　shelter　of　God's　mercy　which　they
  have　so　long　despised。　〃Behold；　the　days　come；　saith　the　Lord　God；　that　I
  will　send　a　famine　in　the　land；　not　a　famine　of　bread；　nor　a　thirst　for
  water；　but　of　hearing　the　words　of　the　Lord：　and　they　shall　wander　from　sea
  to　sea；　and　from　the　north　even　to　the　east；　they　shall　run　to　and　fro　to
  seek　the　word　of　the　Lord；　and　shall　not　find　it。〃　Amos　8：11；　12。
  The　people　of　God　will　not　be　free　from　suffering；　but　while　persecuted　and
  distressed；　while　they　endure　privation　and　suffer　for　want　of　food　they
  will　not　be　left　to　perish。　That　God　who　cared　for　Elijah　will　not　pass　by
  one　of　His　self…sacrificing　children。　He　who　numbers　the　hairs　of　their　head
  will　care　for　them；　and　in　time　of　famine　they　shall　be　satisfied。　While　the
  wicked　are　dying　from　hunger　and　pestilence；　angels　will　shield　the
  righteous　and　supply　their　wants。　To　him　that　〃walketh　righteously〃　is　the
  promise：　〃Bread　shall　be　given　him；　his　waters　shall　be　sure。〃　〃When　the
  poor　and　needy　seek　water；　and　there　is　none；　and　their　tongue　faileth　for
  thirst；　I　the　Lord　will　hear　them；　I　the　God　of　Israel　will　not　forsake
  them。〃　Isaiah　33：15；　16；　41：17。
  〃Although　the　fig　tree　shall　not　blossom；　neither　shall　fruit　be　in　the
  vines；　the　labor　of　the　olive　shall　fail；　and　the　fields　shall　yield　no
  meat；　the　flock　shall　be　cut　off　from　the　fold；　and　there　shall　be　no　herd
  in　the　stalls；〃　yet　shall　they　that　fear　Him　〃rejoice　in　the　Lord〃　and　joy
  in　the　God　of　their　salvation。　Habakkuk　3：17；　18。
  〃The　Lord　is　thy　keeper：　the　Lord　is　thy　shade　upon　thy　right　hand。　The　sun
  shall　not　smite　thee　by　day；　nor　the　moon　by　night。　The　Lord　shall　preserve
  thee　from　all　evil：
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  He　shall　preserve　thy　soul。〃　〃He　shall　deliver　thee　from　the　snare　of　the
  fowler；　and　from　the　noisome　pestilence。　He　shall　cover　thee　with　His
  fathers；　and　under　His　wings　shalt　thou　trust：　His　truth　shall　be　thy　shield
  and　buckler。　Thou　shalt　not　be　afraid　for　the　terror　by　night；　nor　for　the
  arrow　that　flieth　by　day；　nor　for　the　pestilence　that　walketh　in　darkness；
  nor　for　the　destruction　that　wasteth　at　noonday。　A　thousand　shall　fall　at
  thy　side；　and　ten　thousand　at　thy　right　hand；　but　it　shall　not　come　nigh
  thee。　Only　with　thine　eyes　shalt　thou　behold　and　see　the　reward　of　the
  wicked。　Because　thou　hast　made　the　Lord；　which　is　my　refuge；　even　the　Most
  High；　thy　habitation；　there　shall　no　evil　befall　thee；　neither　shall　any
  plague　come　nigh　thy　dwelling。〃　Psalms　121：5…7；　91：3…10。
  Yet　to　human　sight　it　will　appear　that　the　people　of　God　must　soon　seal
  their　testimony　with　their　blood　as　did　the　martyrs　before　them。　They
  themselves　begin　to　fear　that　the　Lord　has　left　them　to　fall　by　the　hand　of
  their　enemies。　It　is　a　time　of　fearful　agony。　Day　and　night　they　cry　unto
  God　for　deliverance。　The　wicked　exult；　and　the　jeering　cry　is　heard：　〃Where
  now　is　your　faith？　Why　does　not　God　deliver　you　out　of　our　hands　if　you　are
  indeed　His　people？〃　But　the　waiting　ones　remember　Jesus　dying　upon　Calvary's
  cross　and　the　chief　priests　and　rulers　shouting　in　mockery：　〃He　saved
  others；　Himself　He　cannot　save。　If　He　be　the　King　of　Israel；　let　Him　now
  come　down　from　the　cross；　and　we　will　believe　Him。〃　Matthew　27：42。　Like
  Jacob；　all　are　wrestling　with　God。　Their　countenances　express　their　internal
  struggle。　Paleness　sits　upon　every　face。　Yet　they　cease　not　their　earnest
  intercession。
  Could　men　see　with　heavenly　vision；　they　would　behold　companies　of　angels
  that　excel　in　strength　stationed　about　those　who　have　kept　the　word　of
  Christ's　patience。　With　sympathizing　tenderness；　angels　have　witnessed　their
  distress　and　have　heard　their　prayers。　They　are　waiting　the　word　of　their
  Commander　to　snatch　them　from　their　peril。　But　they　must　wait　yet　a　little
  longer。　The　people　of　God　must　drink
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  of　the　cup　and　be　baptized　with　the　baptism。　The　very　delay；　so　painful　to
  them；　is　the　best　answer　to　their　petitions。　As　they　endeavor　to　wait
  trustingly　for　the　Lord　to　work　they　are　led　to　exercise　faith；　hope；　and
  patience；　which　have　been　too　little　exercised　during　their　religious
  experience。　Yet　for　the　elect's　sake　the　time　of　trouble　will　be　shortened。
  〃Shall　not　God　avenge　His　own　elect；　which　cry　day　and　night　unto　Him？　。　。　。
  I　tell　you　that　He　will　avenge　them　speedily。〃　Luke　18：7；　8。　The　end　will
  come　more　quickly　than　men　expect。　The　wheat　will　be　gathered　and　bound　in
  sheaves　for　the　garner　of　God；　the　tares　will　be　bound　as　fagots　for　the
  fires　of　destruction。
  The　heavenly　sentinels；　faithful　to　their　trust；　continue　their　watch。
  Though　a　general　decree　has　fixed　the　time　when　commandment　keepers　may　be
  put　to　death；　their　enemies　will　in　some　cases　anticipate　the　decree；　and
  before　the　time　specified；　will　endeavor　to　take　their　lives。　But　none　can
  pass　the　mighty　guardians　stationed　about　every　faithful　soul。　Some　are
  assailed　in　their　flight　from　the　cities　and　villages；　but　the　swords　raised
  against　them　break　and　fall　powerless　as　a　straw。　Others　are　defended　by
  angels　in　the　form　of　men　of　war。
  In　all　ages；　God　has　wrought　through　holy　angels　for　the　succor　and
  deliverance　of　His　people。　Celestial　beings　have　taken　an　active　part　in　the
  affairs　of　men。　They　have　appeared　clothed　in　garments　that　shone　as　the
  lightning；　they　have　come　as　men　in　the　garb　of　wayfarers。　Angels　have
  appeared　in　human　form　to　men　of　God。　They　have　rested；　as　if　weary；　under
  the　oaks　at　noon。　They　have　accepted　the　hospitalities　of　human　homes。　They
  have　acted　as　guides　to　benighted　travelers。　They　have；　with　their　own
  hands；　kindled　the　fires　at　the　altar。　They　have　opened　prison　doors　and　set
  free　the　servants　of　the　Lord。　Clothed　with　the　panoply　of　heaven；　they　came
  to　roll　away　the　stone　from　the　Saviour's　tomb。
  In　the　form　of　men；　angels　are　often　in　the　assemblies　of
  632
  the　righteous；　and　they　visit　the　assemblies　of　the　wicked；　as　they　went　to
  Sodom；　to　make　a　record　of　their　deeds；　to　determine　whether　they　have
  passed　the　boundary　of　God's　forbearance。　The　Lord　delights　in　mercy；　and
  for　the　sake　of　a　few　who　really　serve　Him；　He　restr