*A Black Cloud Arising***
By Lewis Kingsley
It has been often said that the nineteenth century has been an age of light and advancement; but now in the morning of the twentieth century we see a power at work to interfere with the God-given rights of earth’s inhabitants. Satan is busy in his work of deceiving; and when we come to consider this fair land of undimmed gospel light, with free speech and a free press, we find that Satan is on the alert, opposing the free and true principles of the gospel of Christ; and the saddest of all is that Satan is working successfully through those called the people of God. Very soon, through the medium of the combined churches, and others, he will remove the old land-marks set up by the fathers of this nation, and established in our national Constitution, granting to all the right to worship God according to the dictates of the individual conscience. But alas! that which once was light has become darkness, and how great that darkness! Those of the world who will worship the beast and his image will enjoy their citizenship, and be honored by the devil and his motley crowd, but God’s true people will not be permitted to keep his commandments according to his divine command, without incurring the wrath of God’s enemies, and suffering such persecutions as history shows were inflicted upon the people of God in the Dark Ages. Praise God for his Word, which tells us how to obtain a preparation to stand true to our God amid it all. Thousands will see their mistake when it is too late, that they have helped to turn this great nation back into the darkness of the days of Huss and Wycliffe, who died as martyrs of Jesus; but God lives, and will deliver his true people; he will not permit them to suffer more than is needful to fit them for the society of heaven. O, let not fear take the place of trust! God shall supply all our need.