"Heretofore those who presented the truths of the third angel's message have often been regarded as mere alarmists. Their predictions that religious intolerance would gain control in the United States, that church and state would unite to persecute those who keep the commandments of God, have been pronounced groundless and absurd. It has been confidently declared that this land could never become other than what it has been—the defender of religious freedom. But as the question of enforcing Sunday observance is widely agitated, the event so long doubted and disbelieved is seen to be approaching, and the third message will produce an effect which it could not have had before. GC 605.3"
"Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,"
The EGW passage speaks of predictions being scoffed at, which is thematically similar to 2 Peter 3:3, which speaks of scoffers in the last days.