Principles of Persecution; Uriah Smith, 1865 “Thoughts on the Revelation”
And here, as an introductory inquiry, we raise the question, Who, or what, is it that persecutes the true church? It is the false or apostate church. What is it that is ever warring against true religion? It is false and counterfeit religion. Who ever heard of the civil power, merely, of any nation, persecuting the people of God? Governments may war against other governments, to avenge some wrong real or imaginary, or to acquire territory and extend their power; but governments do not persecute (mark the word)–do not persecute, people on account of their religion, unless under the control of some opposite and hostile system of religion.