“Men who stand in very responsible positions at the heart of the work are asleep. Satan has paralyzed them in order that his plans and devices may not be discerned, while he is active to ensnare, deceive, and destroy.
“Some who occupy the position of watchmen to warn the people of danger have given up their watch and recline at ease. They are unfaithful sentinels. They remain inactive, while their wily foe enters the fort and works successfully by their side to tear down what God has commanded to be built up. They see that Satan is deceiving the inexperienced and unsuspecting; yet they take it all quietly, as though they had no special interest, as though these things did not concern them. They apprehend no special danger; they see no cause to raise an alarm. To them everything seems to be going well, and they see no necessity of raising the faithful, trumpet notes of warning which they hear borne by the plain testimonies, to show the people their transgressions and the house of Israel their sins. These reproofs and warnings disturb the quiet of these sleepy, ease-loving sentinels, and they are not pleased...”
“These are the true feelings of many of our people. And Satan exults at his success in controlling the minds of so many who profess to be Christians. He has deceived them, benumbed their sensibilities, and planted his hellish banner right in their midst, and they are so completely deceived that they know not that it is he. The people have not erected graven images, yet their sin is no less in the sight of God... They are idolaters, and are worse, far worse, in the sight of God than the heathen, graven-image worshipers who have no knowledge of a better way.”
Like ancient Israel the church has dishonored her God by departing from the light, neglecting her duties, and abusing her high and exalted privilege of being peculiar and holy in character. Her members have violated their covenant to live for God and Him only. They have joined with the selfish and world-loving. Pride, the love of pleasure, and sin have been cherished, and Christ has departed. His Spirit has been quenched in the church. Satan works side by side with professed Christians; yet they are so destitute of spiritual discernment that they do not detect him….Their only hope of salvation is to separate from the world and zealously maintain their separate, holy, and peculiar character.* Oh! why will not God's people comply with the conditions laid down in His word?
Testimonies for the Church, vol 2, p 439-440, 442, 444.

*“Our holy faith cries out, Separation.” 1T 240.

“Men and women are in the last hours of probation, and yet are careless and stupid, and ministers have no power to arouse them; they are asleep themselves. Sleeping preachers preaching to a sleeping people!”
Testimonies for the Church, vol 2, p 337.

The church leaders and the people were asleep and knew not that Satan had planted his hellish banner in their midst. Christ had departed and Satan had now been working side by side undetected. Yet, they still had hope of salvation if they would separate from the world and comply with the condition of obedience. But they were careless and stupid! And knew it not.

Sis. White had tried to set before His people their danger and their sins and had endeavored to arouse them by pointing them back to God’s appointed way; the straight and narrow path as mentioned earlier in EW 14-15.
“I have stated before them that, from what was shown me, but a small number of those now professing to believe the truth would eventually be saved--not because they could not be saved, but because they would not be saved in God's own appointed way. The way marked out by our divine Lord is too narrow and the gate too strait to admit them while grasping the world or while cherishing selfishness or sin of any kind. There is no room for these things; and yet there are but few who will consent to part with them, that they may pass the narrow way and enter the strait gate.”
Testimonies for the Church, vol 2, p 445-446.

The suceeding years found God’s people in much worse condition; in 1882, we read that the church had turned back and was steadily retreating toward Egypt or the world, instead of following Christ, her Leader.

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