Today the church of God is free to carry forward to completion the divine plan for the salvation of a lost race. For many centuries God's people suffered a restriction of their liberties. The preaching of the gospel in its purity was prohibited, and the severest of penalties were visited upon those who dared disobey the mandates of men. As a consequence, the Lord's great moral vineyard was almost wholly unoccupied. The people were deprived of the light of God's word. The darkness of error and superstition threatened to blot out a knowledge of true religion. God's church on earth was a verily in captivity during this long period of relentless persecution as were the children of Israel held captive in Babylon during the period of the exile.

I dag har Guds menighed frihed til at "fuldbyrde den guddommelige plan til den fortabte menneskeheds frelse. I mange hundrede år har Guds folk lidt under, at deres frihed var begrænset. Det var forbudt at forkynde evangeliet i dets renhed, og de, der vovede at overtræde de forbud, som var udstedt af mennesker, blev straffet hårdt. Følgen var, at Herrens store åndelige vingård næsten slet ikke blev passet. Folket blev berøvet Guds ord lys. Vildfarelsens og overtroens mørke truede med at udslette den sande religion. I denne lange tidsperiode, hvor forfølgelsen rasede ubarmhjertigt, var Guds menighed på jorden lige så bogstaveligt i fangenskab som Israels børn, da de var fanger i Babylon.