Babylon - Then and Now quotes

"LET THERE BE LIGHT" Ministries

BABYLON -- THEN and NOW quotes

1) “And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities" Revelation 18:1-5.

Since the ancient vibrant city and kingdom of Babylon are no longer here, then who or what is Babylon today? Some clues in Revelation 18:2 revealed that:

Babylon once was the habitation of God's angels, but now is the habitation of devils.

Babylon once was the hold of the Holy Spirit, but now is the place of every foul spirit

Babylon once was clean and pure, but now is a cage (closed structure) of every unclean and hateful bird.

Other clues are found listed later in Revelation 18 which states:

“And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard o more at all in thee (or Babylon); and no craftsman, or whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee; And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee...” Revelation 18:22-23.

These inspired verses provide other clues that reveal to us that

Babylon once had good and heavenly music in her, but no more.

Babylon once had good and holy craftsmen which kept her in good working order, but no longer.

Babylon once had the sound of a millstone in her that was grinding out and discovering the heart of the seed of truth, but no more.

Babylon once had the light of a candle in her, but now the candlestick had been removed and no more of God’s light is seen.

Babylon once had the voice of the Bridegroom or Christ in her, as well as the voice of the bride – the Lamb’s wife or true church in her, but no longer is this the case.

All these clues lead us to understand that Babylon used to be a church of God.

2) Which of the 200 or more major churches of today are part of Babylon?

"That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past." Ecclesiastes 3:15.

So "that which hath been," or that which has already occurred in history "is now" or is presently reoccurring now. And "that which is to be," or that which is yet future, "hath already been" or has already occurred in history. So if we look at historical events then we can know what is taking place presently all around us, and also what is to face us in the near future. And the best historical evidence to trust is found written through inspiration of the Holy Spirit – being the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy!

“To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Isaiah 8:20.

3) What was the condition of the churches of Protestantism before the year of 1840?

"Those who received the great blessings of the Reformation did not go forward in the path so nobly entered upon by them. A few faithful men arose from time to time, to proclaim new truth, and expose long-cherished error; but the majority, like the Jews in Christ's day, or the papists in the time of Luther, were content to believe as their fathers believed, and to live as they lived. Therefore religion again degenerated into formalism; and errors and superstitions which would have been cast aside had the church continued to walk in the light of God's word, were retained and cherished. Thus the spirit inspired by the Reformation gradually died out, until there was almost as great need of reform in the Protestant churches as in the Roman Church in the time of Luther. There was the same spiritual stupor, the same respect for the opinions of men, the same spirit of worldliness, the same substitution of human theories for the teachings of God's word. Pride and extravagance were fostered under the guise of religion. The churches became corrupted by allying themselves with the world. Thus were degraded the great principles for which Luther and his fellow-laborers had done and suffered so much.

"As Satan saw that he had failed to crush out the truth by persecution, he again resorted to the same plan of compromise which had led to the great apostasy and the formation of the church of Rome. He induced Christians to ally themselves, not now with pagans, but with those who, by their worship of the god of this world, as truly proved themselves idolaters. Satan could no longer keep the Bible from the people; it had been placed within the reach of all. But he led thousands to accept false interpretations and unsound theories, without searching the Scriptures to learn the truth for themselves. He had corrupted the doctrines of the Bible, and traditions which were to ruin millions were taking deep root. The church was upholding and defending these traditions, instead of contending for the faith once delivered to the saints....

"The Lord raised up men to investigate his work, to examine the foundation upon which the Christian world were building, and to raise the solemn inquiry, What is truth? Are we building upon the rock, or upon shifting sand?

"God saw that many of His professed people were not building for eternity; and in his care and love he was about to send a message of warning to arouse them from their stupor, and prepare them for the coming of their Lord. The warning was not to be intrusted to learned doctors of divinity or popular ministers of the gospel. Had these been faithful watchmen, diligently and prayerfully searching the Scriptures, they would have known the time of night; the prophecies of Daniel and John would have revealed to them the great events about to take place. If they had faithfully followed the light already given, some star of heavenly radiance would have been sent to guide them into all truth." Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 194-196.

4) Did God leave His people in this wretched and corrupt condition? No.

"Jesus sends his people a message of warning to prepare them for his coming. To the prophet John was made known the closing work in the great plan of man's redemption. He beheld an angel flying 'in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his Judgment is come; and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.'...

"Jesus saw His church, like the barren fig-tree, covered with pretentious leaves, yet destitute of precious fruit. There was a boastful observance of the forms of religion, while the spirit of true humility, penitence and faith--which alone could render the service acceptable to God--was lacking. Instead of the graces of the Spirit, there were manifested pride, formalism, vainglory, selfishness, oppression. A backsliding church closed their eyes to the signs of the times. God did not forsake them, or suffer his faithfulness to fail; but they departed from Him, and separated themselves from his love. As they refused to comply with the conditions, His promises were not fulfilled to them." Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 199-201.

5) What was the true condition of God's church and His professed people at the time of the proclamation of this powerful first angel's message?

"At the proclamation of the first angel's message, the people of God were in Babylon..." Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 239.

What year did the first angel's message begin? It really started in 1833, but it didn't gain momentum until 1840. So by 1840 God's church had become Babylon and His professed people were numbered with Babylon!

But how could God's once pure church become so corrupted that it became Babylon?

"The churches became corrupted by allying themselves with the world." Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 194.

"The close relation of the church to Christ is represented under the figure of marriage. The Lord had joined his people to Himself by a solemn covenant, He promising to be their God, and they pledging themselves to be His, and His alone. Said Paul, addressing the church, 'I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.' But when her confidence and affection were turned away from Him, and she sought after vanity, and allowed the love of worldly things to separate her from God, she forfeited the privileges included in this peculiar and sacred relation. By the apostle James those who assimilate to the world are addressed as 'adulterers and adulteresses.'" Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 233-234.

"A virtuous woman represents a pure church, a vile woman an apostate church. Babylon is said to be a harlot." Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 233.

6) Are there any other examples in history, prior to 1840, of this same scenario occurring?

"Babylon is also charged with the sin of unlawful connection with 'the kings of the earth.' It was a departure from the Lord, and alliance with the heathen, that the Jewish church became a harlot; and Rome, corrupting herself in like manner by seeking the support of worldly powers, receives a like condemnation." Great Controversy, p 382.

(PLEASE NOTE: The Roman Catholic church was not always corrupt, but at one time was God's pure and chosen Apostolic church and people! In Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 396 we are told that the papal church kept the seventh-day Sabbath before her complete apostasy. So in the beginning the Roman Catholic Church was once the pure Apostolic Church of God.)

The Jewish church was once God's pure church and His professed people, but because they departed from His side and united herself with the heathen world they then became a harlot of Babylon. And Rome – which was once God's pure Apostolic Christian church and His professed people – by also departing from His side and uniting herself with the world, then she also became a harlot of Babylon. Now the Protestant churches have followed this same history and have departed from Christ’s side and united herself with the world, and now she has also become an harlot of Babylon.

7) In order to try to accomplish a marvelous conversion and to bring His church back to His loving side, God sent them all a most precious and powerful message.

"It was to separate the church of Christ from the corrupting influence of the world that the first angel's message was given." Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 231.

8) Who gave this powerful message?

"The angel represented in prophecy as delivering this message, symbolizes a class of faithful men, who, obedient to the promptings of God's Spirit and the teachings of His word, proclaim this warning to the inhabitants of earth. This message was not to be committed to the religious leaders of the people." Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 199.

"There were but few ministers, however, who would accept this message; therefore it was largely committed to humble laymen. Farmers left their fields, mechanics their tools, traders their merchandise, professional men their positions; and yet the number of workers was small in comparison with the work to be accomplished. The condition of an ungodly church and a world lying in wickedness burdened the souls of the true watchmen, and they willingly endured toil, privation, and suffering that they might call men to repentance unto salvation. Though opposed by Satan, the work went steadily forward..." Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 223.

Why was the message given to the humble laymen instead of to the religious leaders of the church?

"They had failed to preserve their connection with God, and had refused the light from Heaven...they were at ease, dreaming of peace and safety, while the people were asleep in their sins....

“Because of their pride and unbelief, the Lord passed them by, and revealed His truth to men in humble life, who had given heed to all the light they had received." Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 200-201.

9) What was the response of God's church and its leadership to this heavenly message of love and mercy from God through His humble laymen?

"In every age, God has called his servants to lift up their voices against the prevailing errors and sins of the multitude....The majority are usually to be found on the side of error and falsehood. The fact that doctors of divinity have the word on their side does not prove them to be on the side of truth and of God. The wide gate and the narrow way are sought only the few.

"If ministers and people had really desired to know the truth, and had given to the Advent doctrine the earnest, prayerful attention which its importance demands, they would have seen that it was in harmony with the Scriptures. Had they united with its advocates in their labors, there would have resulted such a revival of the work of God as the world had never witnessed....

"While they refuse to search the Scriptures to learn if these things are so, they grasp every fable..." Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 214-217.

"Those who are unwilling to accept the plain, cutting truths of the Bible, are continually seeking for pleasing fables that will quiet their consciences." Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 346.

The Protestant churches and its leadership started searching for every kind of fable with which to quiet their consciences that their church was really an harlot of Babylon and that they needed to dissolve their marriage and union with the world. And since they were unwilling to accept this truth, then they were also unwilling to allow any of their membership the privilege of hearing or accepting this truth either.

"...men belonging to the different companies [of Protestants] and revered by them passed through, some with pleasing words, and others with wrathful looks and threatening gestures, and fastened the cords which were weakening. These men were constantly saying, 'God is with us. We stand in the light. We have the truth.' I inquired who these men were, and was told that they were ministers and leading men who had rejected the light themselves, and were unwilling that others should receive it." Early Writings, p 241.

"Ministers occupied themselves in gathering up damaging reports, absurd and malicious fabrications, and dealing them out from the pulpit. Earnest were the efforts put forth to draw away the minds of the people..." Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 218-219.

"Unfaithful watchmen hindered the progress of the work of God. As the people were roused, and began to inquire the way of salvation, these leaders stepped in between them and the truth, seeking to quiet their fears by falsely interpreting the word of God. In this work, Satan and unconsecrated ministers united, crying, Peace, peace, when God had not spoken peace. Like the Pharisees in Christ's day, many refused to enter the kingdom of Heaven themselves, and those who were entering in, they hindered. The blood of these souls will be required at their hand.

"Whenever the message of truth was proclaimed, the most humble and devoted in the churches were the first to receive it. Those who studied the Bible for themselves could not but see the unscriptural character of the popular views of prophecy, and wherever the people were not deceived by the efforts of the clergy to misstate and pervert the faith, wherever they would search the word of God for themselves, the Advent doctrine needed only to be compared with the Scriptures to establish its divine authority.

"Many were persecuted by their unbelieving brethren. In order to retain their position in the church, some consented to be silent in regard to their hope; but others felt that loyalty to God forbade them thus to hide the truths which He had committed to their trust. Not a few were cut off from the fellowship of the church..." Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 226-227.

10) What were some of the tactics these apostate ministers and leaders of God’s Protestant churches used to try and draw the minds of their people away from the truth?

--Gathered false and damaging lies (character assassination) about the messengers of truth and dealt these out from the pulpit.

--Falsely interpreted the word of God.

--Cried peace, peace without God speaking peace.

--Misstated and perverted the truth.

--Threatened loss of church positions (blackmail) unless quiet.

--Disfellowshipment.

--Threatening gestures.

--Speaking blatant lies, such as;

-"God is with us," not with those speaking against our church.

-"We stand in the light," not those outside of our church.

-"We have the truth," not those preaching doctrines we disagree with.


	"LET THERE BE LIGHT" Ministries home \| Sermon Quotes BABYLON -- THEN and NOW quotes 1) “And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities" Revelation 18:1-5. Since the ancient vibrant city and kingdom of Babylon are no longer here, then who or what is Babylon today? Some clues in Revelation 18:2 revealed that: Babylon once was the habitation of God's angels, but now is the habitation of devils. Babylon once was the hold of the Holy Spirit, but now is the place of every foul spirit Babylon once was clean and pure, but now is a cage (closed structure) of every unclean and hateful bird. Other clues are found listed later in Revelation 18 which states: “And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard o more at all in thee (or Babylon); and no craftsman, or whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee; And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee...” Revelation 18:22-23. These inspired verses provide other clues that reveal to us that Babylon once had good and heavenly music in her, but no more. Babylon once had good and holy craftsmen which kept her in good working order, but no longer. Babylon once had the sound of a millstone in her that was grinding out and discovering the heart of the seed of truth, but no more. Babylon once had the light of a candle in her, but now the candlestick had been removed and no more of God’s light is seen. Babylon once had the voice of the Bridegroom or Christ in her, as well as the voice of the bride – the Lamb’s wife or true church in her, but no longer is this the case. All these clues lead us to understand that Babylon used to be a church of God. 2) Which of the 200 or more major churches of today are part of Babylon? "That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past." Ecclesiastes 3:15. So "that which hath been," or that which has already occurred in history "is now" or is presently reoccurring now. And "that which is to be," or that which is yet future, "hath already been" or has already occurred in history. So if we look at historical events then we can know what is taking place presently all around us, and also what is to face us in the near future. And the best historical evidence to trust is found written through inspiration of the Holy Spirit – being the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy! “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Isaiah 8:20. 3) What was the condition of the churches of Protestantism before the year of 1840? "Those who received the great blessings of the Reformation did not go forward in the path so nobly entered upon by them. A few faithful men arose from time to time, to proclaim new truth, and expose long-cherished error; but the majority, like the Jews in Christ's day, or the papists in the time of Luther, were content to believe as their fathers believed, and to live as they lived. Therefore religion again degenerated into formalism; and errors and superstitions which would have been cast aside had the church continued to walk in the light of God's word, were retained and cherished. Thus the spirit inspired by the Reformation gradually died out, until there was almost as great need of reform in the Protestant churches as in the Roman Church in the time of Luther. There was the same spiritual stupor, the same respect for the opinions of men, the same spirit of worldliness, the same substitution of human theories for the teachings of God's word. Pride and extravagance were fostered under the guise of religion. The churches became corrupted by allying themselves with the world. Thus were degraded the great principles for which Luther and his fellow-laborers had done and suffered so much. "As Satan saw that he had failed to crush out the truth by persecution, he again resorted to the same plan of compromise which had led to the great apostasy and the formation of the church of Rome. He induced Christians to ally themselves, not now with pagans, but with those who, by their worship of the god of this world, as truly proved themselves idolaters. Satan could no longer keep the Bible from the people; it had been placed within the reach of all. But he led thousands to accept false interpretations and unsound theories, without searching the Scriptures to learn the truth for themselves. He had corrupted the doctrines of the Bible, and traditions which were to ruin millions were taking deep root. The church was upholding and defending these traditions, instead of contending for the faith once delivered to the saints.... "The Lord raised up men to investigate his work, to examine the foundation upon which the Christian world were building, and to raise the solemn inquiry, What is truth? Are we building upon the rock, or upon shifting sand? "God saw that many of His professed people were not building for eternity; and in his care and love he was about to send a message of warning to arouse them from their stupor, and prepare them for the coming of their Lord. The warning was not to be intrusted to learned doctors of divinity or popular ministers of the gospel. Had these been faithful watchmen, diligently and prayerfully searching the Scriptures, they would have known the time of night; the prophecies of Daniel and John would have revealed to them the great events about to take place. If they had faithfully followed the light already given, some star of heavenly radiance would have been sent to guide them into all truth." Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 194-196. 4) Did God leave His people in this wretched and corrupt condition? No. "Jesus sends his people a message of warning to prepare them for his coming. To the prophet John was made known the closing work in the great plan of man's redemption. He beheld an angel flying 'in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his Judgment is come; and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.'... "Jesus saw His church, like the barren fig-tree, covered with pretentious leaves, yet destitute of precious fruit. There was a boastful observance of the forms of religion, while the spirit of true humility, penitence and faith--which alone could render the service acceptable to God--was lacking. Instead of the graces of the Spirit, there were manifested pride, formalism, vainglory, selfishness, oppression. A backsliding church closed their eyes to the signs of the times. God did not forsake them, or suffer his faithfulness to fail; but they departed from Him, and separated themselves from his love. As they refused to comply with the conditions, His promises were not fulfilled to them." Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 199-201. 5) What was the true condition of God's church and His professed people at the time of the proclamation of this powerful first angel's message? "At the proclamation of the first angel's message, the people of God were in Babylon..." Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 239. What year did the first angel's message begin? It really started in 1833, but it didn't gain momentum until 1840. So by 1840 God's church had become Babylon and His professed people were numbered with Babylon! But how could God's once pure church become so corrupted that it became Babylon? "The churches became corrupted by allying themselves with the world." Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 194. "The close relation of the church to Christ is represented under the figure of marriage. The Lord had joined his people to Himself by a solemn covenant, He promising to be their God, and they pledging themselves to be His, and His alone. Said Paul, addressing the church, 'I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.' But when her confidence and affection were turned away from Him, and she sought after vanity, and allowed the love of worldly things to separate her from God, she forfeited the privileges included in this peculiar and sacred relation. By the apostle James those who assimilate to the world are addressed as 'adulterers and adulteresses.'" Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 233-234. "A virtuous woman represents a pure church, a vile woman an apostate church. Babylon is said to be a harlot." Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 233. 6) Are there any other examples in history, prior to 1840, of this same scenario occurring? "Babylon is also charged with the sin of unlawful connection with 'the kings of the earth.' It was a departure from the Lord, and alliance with the heathen, that the Jewish church became a harlot; and Rome, corrupting herself in like manner by seeking the support of worldly powers, receives a like condemnation." Great Controversy, p 382. (PLEASE NOTE: The Roman Catholic church was not always corrupt, but at one time was God's pure and chosen Apostolic church and people! In Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 396 we are told that the papal church kept the seventh-day Sabbath before her complete apostasy. So in the beginning the Roman Catholic Church was once the pure Apostolic Church of God.) The Jewish church was once God's pure church and His professed people, but because they departed from His side and united herself with the heathen world they then became a harlot of Babylon. And Rome – which was once God's pure Apostolic Christian church and His professed people – by also departing from His side and uniting herself with the world, then she also became a harlot of Babylon. Now the Protestant churches have followed this same history and have departed from Christ’s side and united herself with the world, and now she has also become an harlot of Babylon. 7) In order to try to accomplish a marvelous conversion and to bring His church back to His loving side, God sent them all a most precious and powerful message. "It was to separate the church of Christ from the corrupting influence of the world that the first angel's message was given." Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 231. 8) Who gave this powerful message? "The angel represented in prophecy as delivering this message, symbolizes a class of faithful men, who, obedient to the promptings of God's Spirit and the teachings of His word, proclaim this warning to the inhabitants of earth. This message was not to be committed to the religious leaders of the people." Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 199. "There were but few ministers, however, who would accept this message; therefore it was largely committed to humble laymen. Farmers left their fields, mechanics their tools, traders their merchandise, professional men their positions; and yet the number of workers was small in comparison with the work to be accomplished. The condition of an ungodly church and a world lying in wickedness burdened the souls of the true watchmen, and they willingly endured toil, privation, and suffering that they might call men to repentance unto salvation. Though opposed by Satan, the work went steadily forward..." Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 223. Why was the message given to the humble laymen instead of to the religious leaders of the church? "They had failed to preserve their connection with God, and had refused the light from Heaven...they were at ease, dreaming of peace and safety, while the people were asleep in their sins.... “Because of their pride and unbelief, the Lord passed them by, and revealed His truth to men in humble life, who had given heed to all the light they had received." Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 200-201. 9) What was the response of God's church and its leadership to this heavenly message of love and mercy from God through His humble laymen? "In every age, God has called his servants to lift up their voices against the prevailing errors and sins of the multitude....The majority are usually to be found on the side of error and falsehood. The fact that doctors of divinity have the word on their side does not prove them to be on the side of truth and of God. The wide gate and the narrow way are sought only the few. "If ministers and people had really desired to know the truth, and had given to the Advent doctrine the earnest, prayerful attention which its importance demands, they would have seen that it was in harmony with the Scriptures. Had they united with its advocates in their labors, there would have resulted such a revival of the work of God as the world had never witnessed.... "While they refuse to search the Scriptures to learn if these things are so, they grasp every fable..." Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 214-217. "Those who are unwilling to accept the plain, cutting truths of the Bible, are continually seeking for pleasing fables that will quiet their consciences." Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 346. The Protestant churches and its leadership started searching for every kind of fable with which to quiet their consciences that their church was really an harlot of Babylon and that they needed to dissolve their marriage and union with the world. And since they were unwilling to accept this truth, then they were also unwilling to allow any of their membership the privilege of hearing or accepting this truth either. "...men belonging to the different companies [of Protestants] and revered by them passed through, some with pleasing words, and others with wrathful looks and threatening gestures, and fastened the cords which were weakening. These men were constantly saying, 'God is with us. We stand in the light. We have the truth.' I inquired who these men were, and was told that they were ministers and leading men who had rejected the light themselves, and were unwilling that others should receive it." Early Writings, p 241. "Ministers occupied themselves in gathering up damaging reports, absurd and malicious fabrications, and dealing them out from the pulpit. Earnest were the efforts put forth to draw away the minds of the people..." Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 218-219. "Unfaithful watchmen hindered the progress of the work of God. As the people were roused, and began to inquire the way of salvation, these leaders stepped in between them and the truth, seeking to quiet their fears by falsely interpreting the word of God. In this work, Satan and unconsecrated ministers united, crying, Peace, peace, when God had not spoken peace. Like the Pharisees in Christ's day, many refused to enter the kingdom of Heaven themselves, and those who were entering in, they hindered. The blood of these souls will be required at their hand. "Whenever the message of truth was proclaimed, the most humble and devoted in the churches were the first to receive it. Those who studied the Bible for themselves could not but see the unscriptural character of the popular views of prophecy, and wherever the people were not deceived by the efforts of the clergy to misstate and pervert the faith, wherever they would search the word of God for themselves, the Advent doctrine needed only to be compared with the Scriptures to establish its divine authority. "Many were persecuted by their unbelieving brethren. In order to retain their position in the church, some consented to be silent in regard to their hope; but others felt that loyalty to God forbade them thus to hide the truths which He had committed to their trust. Not a few were cut off from the fellowship of the church..." Spirit of Prophecy, vol 4, p 226-227. 10) What were some of the tactics these apostate ministers and leaders of God’s Protestant churches used to try and draw the minds of their people away from the truth? --Gathered false and damaging lies (character assassination) about the messengers of truth and dealt these out from the pulpit. --Falsely interpreted the word of God. --Cried peace, peace without God speaking peace. --Misstated and perverted the truth. --Threatened loss of church positions (blackmail) unless quiet. --Disfellowshipment. –Pleasing words. --Wrathful looks. --Threatening gestures. --Speaking blatant lies, such as; -"God is with us," not with those speaking against our church. -"We stand in the light," not those outside of our church. -"We have the truth," not those preaching doctrines we disagree with.