Men in responsible positions will not only ignore and despise the Sabbath themselves, but from the sacred desk, will urge upon the people the observance of the first day of the week, pleading tradition and custom in behalf of this man-made institution. They will point to calamities on land and sea—to the storms of wind, the floods, the earthquakes, the destruction by fire—as judgments indicating God’s displeasure because Sunday is not sacredly observed. These calamities will increase more and more, one disaster will follow close upon the heels of another; and those who make void the law of God will point to the few who are keeping the Sabbath of the fourth commandment as the ones who are bringing wrath upon the world. This falsehood is Satan’s device that he may ensnare the unwary. The Signs of the Times, January 17, 1884
When the angel of mercy folds her wings and departs, Satan will do the evil deeds he has long wished to do. Storm and tempest, war and bloodshed,—in these things he delights, and thus he gathers in his harvest. And so completely will men be deceived by him that they will declare that these calamities are the result of the desecration of the first day of the week. From the pulpits of the popular churches will be heard the statement that the world is being punished because Sunday is not honored as it should be. And it will require no great stretch of imagination for men to believe this. They are guided by the enemy, and therefore they reach conclusions which are false. Review and Herald, vol. 4, p. 335
As we saw in the opening of this study, it is the mounting natural disasters and economic troubles that is one of the motivations for bringing forth the recognition and setting aside of Sunday. The milder measures for Sunday sacredness are even now being agitated, and will be implemented largely under the guise of strengthening the family, and to improve social morals, and for a much needed day of rest. Since these issues really hide the strong religious element behind Sunday, more stern enforcement will be called for. Especially will this be the case as it is seen that the disasters are increasing and showing no sign of letting up. Thus it is concluded that strict enforcement will be necessary to appease an angry God. What heretofore may have been milder laws, decrees and enactments will become more and more oppressive. Human nature being what it is, society will be looking for a scapegoat to blame their troubles upon. Faithful Sabbath keepers, who by this time are greatly pushed to the forefront in the controversy over Sunday, will be seen as the few stubborn ones who are creating the problems due to their persistence in not heeding the laws and wishes of the government and society to sacredly observe Sunday. Though they may refrain from open work by carrying forward missionary work on Sunday, yet their conscientiousness in keeping the seventh-day Sabbath will come to be seen as belligerence and stubborn disregard for the laws of the land, and therefore must be stopped at all costs.
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