de 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 earth,--then
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 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."(390) 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."(391)

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