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elect's sake those days shall be shortened。〃 Matthew 24：22。 Through the
influence of the Reformation the persecution was brought to an end prior to
1798。
Concerning the two witnesses the prophet declares further： 〃These are the
two olive trees； and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the
earth。〃 〃Thy word；〃 said the psalmist； 〃is a lamp unto my feet； and a light
unto my path。〃 Revelation 11：4； Psalm 119：105。 The two witnesses represent
the Scriptures of the Old and the New Testament。 Both are important
testimonies to the origin and perpetuity of the law of God。 Both are
witnesses also to the plan of salvation。 The types； sacrifices； and
prophecies of the Old Testament point forward to a Saviour to come。 The
Gospels and Epistles of the New Testament tell of a Saviour who has come in
the exact manner foretold by type and prophecy。
〃They shall prophecy a thousand two hundred and three…score days； clothed in
sackcloth。〃 During the greater part of this period； God's witnesses remained
in a state of obscurity。 The papal power sought to hide from the people the
word of truth； and set before them false witnesses to contradict its
testimony。 （See Appendix。） When the Bible was proscribed by religious and
secular authority； when its testimony was perverted； and every effort made
that men and demons could invent to turn the minds of the people from it；
when those who dared proclaim its sacred truths were hunted； betrayed；
tortured； buried in dungeon cells； martyred for their faith； or compelled to
flee to mountain fastnesses； and to dens and caves of the earththen the
faithful witnesses prophesied in sackcloth。 Yet they continued their
testimony throughout the entire period of 1260 years。 In the darkest times
there were faithful men who loved God's word and were jealous for His honor。
To these loyal servants were
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given wisdom； power； and authority to declare His truth during the whole of
this time。
〃And if any man will hurt them； fire proceedeth out of their mouth； and
devoureth their enemies： and if any man will hurt them； he must in this
manner be killed。〃 Revelation 11：5。 Men cannot with impunity trample upon
the word of God。 The meaning of this fearful denunciation is set forth in
the closing chapter of the Revelation： 〃I testify unto every man that
heareth the words of the prophecy of this book； If any man shall add unto
these things； God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this
book： and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this
prophecy； God shall take away his part out of the book of life； and out of
the holy city； and from the things which are written in this book。〃
Revelation 22：18； 19。
Such are the warnings which God has given to guard men against changing in
any manner that which He has revealed or commanded。 These solemn
denunciations apply to all who by their influence lead men to regard lightly
the law of God。 They should cause those to fear and tremble who flippantly
declare it a matter of little consequence whether we obey God's law or not。
All who exalt their own opinions above divine revelation； all who would
change the plain meaning of Scripture to suit their own convenience； or for
the sake of conforming to the world； are taking upon themselves a fearful
responsibility。 The written word； the law of God； will measure the character
of every man and condemn all whom this unerring test shall declare wanting。
〃When they shall have finished ＇are finishing＇ their testimony。〃 The period
when the two witnesses were to prophesy clothed in sackcloth； ended in 1798。
As they were approaching the termination of their work in obscurity； war was
to be made upon them by the power represented as 〃the beast that ascendeth
out of the bottomless pit。〃 In many of the nations of Europe the powers that
ruled in church and state had for centuries been controlled by Satan through
the
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medium of the papacy。 But here is brought to view a new manifestation of
satanic power。
It had been Rome's policy； under a profession of reverence for the Bible； to
keep it locked up in an unknown tongue and hidden away from the people。
Under her rule the witnesses prophesied 〃clothed in sackcloth。〃 But another
power the beast from the bottomless pitwas to arise to make open； avowed
war upon the word of God。
〃The great city〃 in whose streets the witnesses are slain； and where their
dead bodies lie； is 〃spiritually〃 Egypt。 Of all nations presented in Bible
history； Egypt most boldly denied the existence of the living God and
resisted His commands。 No monarch ever ventured upon more open and
highhanded rebellion against the authority of Heaven than did the king of
Egypt。 When the message was brought him by Moses； in the name of the Lord；
Pharaoh proudly answered： 〃Who is Jehovah； that I should hearken unto His
voice to let Israel go？ I know not Jehovah； and moreover I will not let
Israel go。〃 Exodus 5：2； A。R。V。 This is atheism； and the nation represented
by Egypt would give voice to a similar denial of the claims of the living
God and would manifest a like spirit of unbelief and defiance。 〃The great
city〃 is also compared； 〃spiritually；〃 to Sodom。 The corruption of Sodom in
breaking the law of God was especially manifested in licentiousness。 And
this sin was also to be a pre…eminent characteristic of the nation that
should fulfill the specifications of this scripture。
According to the words of the prophet； then； a little before the year 1798
some power of satanic origin and character would rise to make war upon the
Bible。 And in the land where the testimony of God's two witnesses should
thus be silenced； there would be manifest the atheism of the Pharaoh and the
licentiousness of Sodom。
This prophecy has received a most exact and striking fulfillment in the
history of France。 During the Revolution； in
1793； 〃the world for the first time heard an assembly of men；
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born and educated in civilization； and assuming the right to govern one of
the finest of the European nations； uplift their united voice to deny the
most solemn truth which man's soul receives； and renounce unanimously the
belief and worship of a Deity。〃Sir Walter Scott； Life of Napoleon； vol。 1；
ch。
17。 〃France is the only nation in the world concerning which
the authentic record survives； that as a nation she lifted her hand in open
rebellion against the Author of the universe。 Plenty of blasphemers； plenty
of infidels； there have been； and still continue to be； in England； Germany；
Spain； and elsewhere； but France stands apart in the world's history as the
single state which； by the decree of her Legislative Assembly； pronounced
that there was no God； and of which the entire population of the capital；
and a vast majority elsewhere； women as well as men； danced and sang with
joy in accepting the announcement。〃Blackwood's Magazine； November； 1870。
France presented also the characteristics which especially distinguished
Sodom。 During the Revolution there was manifest a state of moral debasement
and corruption similar to that which brought destruction upon the cities of
the plain。 And the historian presents together the atheism and the
licentiousness of France； as given in the prophecy： 〃Intimately connected
with these laws affecting religion； was that which reduced the union of
marriagethe most sacred engagement which human beings can form； and the
permanence of which leads most strongly to the consolidation of societyto
the state of a mere civil contract of a transitory character； which any two
persons might engage in and cast loose at pleasure。 。 。 。 If fiends had set
themselves to work to discover a mode of most effectually destroying
whatever is venerable； graceful； or permanent in domestic life； and of
obtaining at the same time an assurance that the mischief which it was their
object to create should be perpetuated from one generation to another； they
could not have invented a more effectual plan that the degradation of
marriage。 。 。 。 Sophie Arnoult； an
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ac