At present, persecution is not general, but let the Southern element have words come to them of a nature to arouse their excitable disposition, and the whole cause of truth would suffer and the great missionary field be closed. Let all be warned. Let the instruction be given to this much-oppressed people that the keeping of the Sabbath does not necessitate their working on Sunday; for if they should do this, they would have instigated against them all the powers of the white population who are transgressors of the law of God. Church members and priests and rulers will combine to organize secret societies to work in their land to whip, imprison, and destroy the lives of the colored race. History will be repeated. Let efforts be made in as silent a manner as possible, but this people need not be told that the observance of Sunday is the mark of the beast until this time shall come. If the Southern people get some of the ideas in their minds of the mark of the beast, they would misconstrue and give, honestly, the most false impression on these subjects and do strange things. (SW 75.1) MC VC