In last month’s editorial, it was shown that Satan’s practice of blame, which he has always used, will be used at the end of time. It will be used upon the faithful people of God—first by the leaders in the professed remnant church and then later by the world at large. We will now investigate this in the form of questions and answers:
- At the end of time, from where will the worst opposition to God’s faithful people come?
Answer: “The opposition which Christ received came from his own nation, who would have been greatly blessed had they accepted him. In like manner the remnant church receive opposition from those who profess to be their brethren.” Review and Herald, August 28, 1883.
“The work which the church has failed to do in a time of peace and prosperity she will have to do in a terrible crisis under most discouraging, forbidding circumstances. The warnings that worldly conformity has silenced or withheld must be given under the fiercest opposition from enemies of the faith. And at that time the superficial, conservative class, whose influence has steadily retarded the progress of the work, will renounce the faith and take their stand with its avowed enemies, toward whom their sympathies have long been tending. These apostates will then manifest the most bitter enmity, doing all in their power to oppress and malign their former brethren and to excite indignation against them. This day is just before us. The members of the church will individually be tested and proved. They will be placed in circumstances where they will be forced to bear witness for the truth. Many will be called to speak before councils and in courts of justice, perhaps separately and alone.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 463. (See also The Great Controversy, 608.)
- What will be one of the initial attacks against God’s faithful people by their professed brethren?
Answer: One of the initial attacks, which has already occurred many times in the last few years, is that God’s faithful people should be accountable to the church organization and that these believers are offshoots because they are not accountable to the church organization. It is asserted that they believe that the church organization has no right to control their operations in any way. This type of attack has existed since before the days of Madison, an independent school co-founded by E. A. Sutherland and P. T. Magan near Nashville, Tennessee (1904), but we will only document since that time.
“The Lord does not set limits about His workers in some lines as men are wont to set. In their work, Brethren Magan and Sutherland have been hindered unnecessarily. Means have been withheld from them because in the organization and management of the Madison school, it was not placed under the control of the conference. But the reasons why this school was not owned and controlled by the conference have not been duly considered.” Special Testimonies, Series B, No. 11, 31, 32.
“In the matter of the Madison school, there has been a standing off from them because they were not under the ownership and control of some Conference. This is a question that should sometimes be considered, but it is not the Lord’s plan that means should be withheld from Madison because they are not bound to the conference. The attitude which some of our brethren have assumed toward this enterprise shows that it is not wise for every working agency to be under the dictation of conference officers. There are some enterprises under certain conditions, that will produce better results if standing alone.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 8, 202.