the great controversy-第99节

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the　power　of　the　first　beast　before　him；　and　causeth　the　earth　and　them
which　dwell　therein　to　worship　the　first　beast；　whose　deadly　wound　was
healed；　。　。　。　saying　to　them　that　dwell　on　the　earth；　that　they　should　make

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an　image　to　the　beast；　which　had　the　wound　by　a　sword；　and　did　live。〃
Revelation　13：11…14。

The　lamblike　horns　and　dragon　voice　of　the　symbol　point　to　a　striking
contradiction　between　the　professions　and　the　practice　of　the　nation　thus
represented。　The　〃speaking〃　of　the　nation　is　the　action　of　its　legislative
and　judicial　authorities。　By　such　action　it　will　give　the　lie　to　those
liberal　and　peaceful　principles　which　it　has　put　forth　as　the　foundation　of
its　policy。　The　prediction　that　it　will　speak　〃as　a　dragon〃　and　exercise
〃all　the　power　of　the　first　beast〃　plainly　foretells　a　development　of　the
spirit　of　intolerance　and　persecution　that　was　manifested　by　the　nations
represented　by　the　dragon　and　the　leopardlike　beast。　And　the　statement　that
the　beast　with　two　horns　〃causeth　the　earth　and　them　which　dwell　therein　to
worship　the　first　beast〃　indicates　that　the　authority　of　this　nation　is　to
be　exercised　in　enforcing　some　observance　which　shall　be　an　act　of　homage　to
the　papacy。

Such　action　would　be　directly　contrary　to　the　principles　of　this　government；
to　the　genius　of　its　free　institutions；　to　the　direct　and　solemn　avowals　of
the　Declaration　of　Independence；　and　to　the　Constitution。　The　founders　of
the　nation　wisely　sought　to　guard　against　the　employment　of　secular　power　on
the　part　of　the　church；　with　its　inevitable　result　intolerance　and
persecution。　The　Constitution　provides　that　〃Congress　shall　make　no　law
respecting　an　establishment　of　religion；　or　prohibiting　the　free　exercise
thereof；〃　and　that　〃no　religious　test　shall　ever　be　required　as　a
qualification　to　any　office　of　public　trust　under　the　United　States。〃　Only
in　flagrant　violation　of　these　safeguards　to　the　nation's　liberty；　can　any
religious　observance　be　enforced　by　civil　authority。　But　the　inconsistency
of　such　action　is　no　greater　than　is　represented　in　the　symbol。　It　is　the
beast　with　lamblike　hornsin　profession　pure；　gentle；　and　harmlessthat
speaks　as　a　dragon。

〃Saying　to　them　that　dwell　on　the　earth；　that　they　should

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make　an　image　to　the　beast。〃　Here　is　clearly　presented　a　form　of　government
in　which　the　legislative　power　rests　with　the　people；　a　most　striking
evidence　that　the　United　States　is　the　nation　denoted　in　the　prophecy。

But　what　is　the　〃image　to　the　beast〃？　and　how　is　it　to　be　formed？　The　image
is　made　by　the　two…horned　beast；　and　is　an　image　to　the　beast。　It　is　also
called　an　image　of　the　beast。　Then　to　learn　what　the　image　is　like　and　how
it　is　to　be　formed　we　must　study　the　characteristics　of　the　beast
itselfthe　papacy。

When　the　early　church　became　corrupted　by　departing　from　the　simplicity　of
the　gospel　and　accepting　heathen　rites　and　customs；　she　lost　the　Spirit　and
power　of　God；　and　in　order　to　control　the　consciences　of　the　people；　she
sought　the　support　of　the　secular　power。　The　result　was　the　papacy；　a　church
that　controlled　the　power　of　the　state　and　employed　it　to　further　her　own
ends；　especially　for　the　punishment　of　〃heresy。〃　In　order　for　the　United
States　to　form　an　image　of　the　beast；　the　religious　power　must　so　control
the　civil　government　that　the　authority　of　the　state　will　also　be　employed
by　the　church　to　accomplish　her　own　ends。

Whenever　the　church　has　obtained　secular　power；　she　has　employed　it　to
punish　dissent　from　her　doctrines。　Protestant　churches　that　have　followed　in
the　steps　of　Rome　by　forming　alliance　with　worldly　powers　have　manifested　a
similar　desire　to　restrict　liberty　of　conscience。　An　example　of　this　is
given　in　the　long…continued　persecution　of　dissenters　by　the　Church　of
England。　During　the　sixteenth　and　seventeenth　centuries；　thousands　of
nonconformist　ministers　were　forced　to　flee　from　their　churches；　and　many；
both　of　pastors　and　people；　were　subjected　to　fine；　imprisonment；　torture；
and　martyrdom。

It　was　apostasy　that　led　the　early　church　to　seek　the　aid　of　the　civil
government；　and　this　prepared　the　way　for　the　development　of　the　papacythe
beast。　Said　Paul：　〃There〃　shall　〃come　a　falling　away；　。　。　。　and　that　man　of
sin　be

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revealed。〃　2　Thessalonians　2：3。　So　apostasy　in　the　church　will　prepare　the
way　for　the　image　to　the　beast。

The　Bible　declares　that　before　the　coming　of　the　Lord　there　will　exist　a
state　of　religious　declension　similar　to　that　in　the　first　centuries。　〃In
the　last　days　perilous　times　shall　come。　For　men　shall　be　lovers　of　their
own　selves；　covetous；　boasters；　proud；　blasphemers；　disobedient　to　parents；
unthankful；　unholy；　without　natural　affection；　trucebreakers；　false
accusers；　incontinent；　fierce；　despisers　of　those　that　are　good；　traitors；
heady；　high…minded；　lovers　of　pleasures　more　than　lovers　of　God；　having　a
form　of　godliness；　but　denying　the　power　thereof。〃　2　Timothy　3：1…5。　〃Now　the
Spirit　speaketh　expressly；　that　in　the　latter　times　some　shall　depart　from
the　faith；　giving　heed　to　seducing　spirits；　and　doctrines　of　devils。〃　1
Timothy　4：1。　Satan　will　work　〃with　all　power　and　signs　and　lying　wonders；
and　with　all　deceivableness　of　unrighteousness。〃　And　all　that　〃received　not
the　love　of　the　truth；　that　they　might　be　saved；〃　will　be　left　to　accept
〃strong　delusion；　that　they　should　believe　a　lie。〃　2　Thessalonians　2：9…11。
When　this　state　of　ungodliness　shall　be　reached；　the　same　results　will
follow　as　in　the　first　centuries。

The　wide　diversity　of　belief　in　the　Protestant　churches　is　regarded　by　many
as　decisive　proof　that　no　effort　to　secure　a　forced　uniformity　can　ever　be
made。　But　there　has　been　for　years；　in　churches　of　the　Protestant　faith；　a
strong　and　growing　sentiment　in　favor　of　a　union　based　upon　common　points　of
doctrine。　To　secure　such　a　union；　the　discussion　of　subjects　upon　which　all
were　not　agreedhowever　important　they　might　be　from　a　Bible
standpointmust　necessarily　be　waived。

Charles　Beecher；　in　a　sermon　in　the　year　1846；　declared　that　the　ministry　of
〃the　evangelical　Protestant　denominations〃　is　〃not　only　formed　all　the　way
up　under　a　tremendous　pressure　of　merely　human　fear；　but　they　live；　and
move；　and　breathe　in　a　state　of　things　radically　corrupt；　and　appealing
every　hour　to　every　baser　element　of　their　nature　to　hush　up

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the　truth；　and　bow　the　knee　to　the　power　of　apostasy。　Was　not　this　the　way
things　went　with　Rome？　Are　we　not　living　her　life　over　again？　And　what　do　we
see　just　ahead？　Another　general　council！　A　world's　convention！　Evangelical
alliance；　and　universal　creed！〃Sermon　on　〃The　Bible　a　Sufficient　Creed；〃
delivered　at　Fort　Wayne；　Indiana；　Feb。　22；
1846。　When　this　shall　be　gained；　then；　in　the　effort　to　secure
complete　uniformity；　it　will　be　only　a　step　to　the　resort　to　force。

When　the　leading　churches　of　the　United　States；　uniting　upon　such　points　of
doctrine　as　are　held　by　them　in　common；　shall　influence　the　state　to　enforce
their　decrees　and　to　sustain　their　institutions；　then　Protestant　America
will　have　formed　an　image　of　the　Roman　hierarchy；　and　the　infliction　of
civil　penalties　upon　dissenters　will　inevitably　result。

The　beast　with　two　horns　〃causeth　＇commands＇　all；　both　small　and　great；　rich
and　poor；　free　and　bond；　to　receive　a　mark　in　their　right　hand；　or　in　their
foreheads：　and　that　no　man　might　buy　or　sell；　save　he　that　had　the　mark；　or
the　name　of　the　beast；　or　the　number　of　his　name。〃　Revelation　13：16；　17。　The
third　angel's　warning　is：　〃If　any　man　worship　the　beast　and　his　image；　and
receive　his　mark　in　his　forehead；　or　in　his　hand；　the　same　shall　drink　of
the　wine　of　the　wrath　of　God。〃　〃The　beast〃　mentioned　in　this　message；　whose
worship　is　enforced　by　the　two…horned　beast；　is　the　first；　or　leopardlike
beast　of　Revelation　13the　papacy。　The　〃image　to　the　beast〃　represents　that
form　of　apostate　Protestantism　which　will　be　developed　when　the　Protestant
churches　shall　seek　the　aid　of　the　civil　power　for　the　enforcement　of　their
dogmas。　The　〃mark　of　the　beast〃　still　remains　to　be　defined。

After　the　warning　against　the　worship　of　the　beast　and　his　image　the
prophecy　declares：　〃Here　are　they　that　keep　the　commandments　of　God；　and　the
faith　of　Jesus。〃　Since　those　who　keep　God's　commandments　are　thus　placed　in
contrast　with　those　that　worship　the　beast　and　his　image　and　receive　his
mark；　it　follows　that　the　keeping　of　God's　law；　on　the

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one　hand；　and　its　violation；　on　the　other；　will　make　the　distinction　between
the　worshipers　of　God　and　the　worshipers　of　the　beast。

The　special　characteristic　of　the　beast；　and　therefore　of　his　image；　is　the
breaking　of　God's　commandments。　Says　Daniel；　of　the　little　horn；　the　papacy：
〃He　shall　think　to　change　times　and　the　law。〃　Daniel　7：25；　R。V。　And　Paul
styled　the　same　power　the　〃man　of　sin；〃　who　was　to　exalt　himself　above　God。
One　prophecy　is　a　complement　of　the　other。　Only　by　changing　God's　law　could
the　papacy　exalt　itself　above　God；　whoever　should　understandingly　keep　the