t the great
wickedness in the world, and second the testimony of religious teachers,
that the degraded state of morals is caused by the desecration of Sunday.
Great will be the indignation excited against all who refuse to accept
their testimony.

Satan's policy in this final conflict with God's people is the same that
he employed in the opening of the great controversy in heaven. He
professed to be seeking to promote the stability of the divine government,
while secretly bending every effort to secure its overthrow. And the very
work which he was thus endeavoring to accomplish, he charged upon the
loyal angels. The same policy of deception has marked the history of the
Roman Church. It has professed to act as the vicegerent of Heaven, while
seeking to exalt itself above God, and to change His law. Under the rule
of Rome, those who suffered death for their fidelity to the gospel were
denounced as evil-doers; they were declared to be in league with Satan;
and every possible means was employed to cover them with reproach, to
cause them to appear, in the eyes of the people, and even to themselves,
as the vilest of criminals. So it will be now. While Satan seeks to
destroy those who honor God's law, he will cause them to be accused as
lawbreakers, as men who are dishonoring God, and bringing judgments upon
the world.

God never forces the will or the conscience; but Satan's constant
resort--to gain control of those whom he cannot otherwise seduce--is
compulsion by cruelty. Through fear or force he endeavors to rule the
conscience, and to secure homage to himself. To accomplish this, he works
through both religious and secular authorities, moving them to the
enforcement of human laws in defiance of the law of God.

Those who honor the Bible Sabbath will be denounced as enemies of law and
order, as breaking down the moral restraints of society, causing anarchy
and corruption, and calling down the judgments of God upon the earth.
Their conscientious scruples will be pronounced obstinacy, stubbornness,
and contempt of authority. They will be accused of disaffection toward the
government. Ministers who deny the obligation of the divine law will
present from the pulpit the duty of yielding obedience to the civil
authorities as ordained of God. In legislative halls and courts of
justice, commandment-keepers will be misrepresented and condemned. A false
coloring will be given to their words; the worst construction will be put
up