A
.Y
V
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UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
AT LOS ANGELES
L
1 Contro
Th.
Great Controversy
Between Christ and Satan
The Conflict of the Ages in the
Christian Dispensation
BY ELLEN G. WHITE
Author of " Patriarchs and Prophets," " Desire of Ages," " Education,"
"Ministry of Healing," "Christ's Object Lessons," "Steps
to Christ," and various other works
PACIFIC PRESS PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION
Mountain View, California
Portland, Oregon Omaha, Nebraska Cristobal. Canal Zone
Brookficld, Illinois (Foreign-language publications only.)
312. 1
Y813V01JIlo3 ji>^lO
Copyright, l/iSS. 1907, 1911, by
Mrs. E. G. White
Entered at Stationers' Hall
All Rights Reserved
1928
-t-^ / \
W5i5_^
,4
This book, reader, is not published to tell us that there
is sin and woe and misery in this world. We know it all
too well.
This book is not published to tell us that there is an
irreconcilable controversy between darknesS and light, sin
and righteousness, wrong and right, death and life. In our
heart of hearts we know it, and know that we are partici-
pators, actors, in the conflict.
But to every one of us comes at times a longing to know
more of the great controversy. How did the controversy
begin? or was it alM'ays here? What elements enter into its
awfully complex aspect? How am I related to it? What
is my responsibility? I find myself in this world by no
choice of my own. Does that mean to me evil or good?
What are the great principles involved? How long
will the controversy continue? What will be its ending?
Will this earth sink, as some scientists tell us, into the
depths of a sunless, frozen, eternal night? or is there a
better future before it, radiant with the light of life, warm
with the eternal love of God?
The question comes closer still: How may the con-
troversy in my own heart, the strife between inflowing self-
ishness and outgoing love, be settled in the victory of good,
and settled forever? What does the Bible say? What has
God to teach us upon this question, eternally important
to every soul?
Questions like these meet us from every side. They rise
insistent up from the depths of our own heart. They
demand definite answer.
Surely the God who created in us the longing for the
better, the desire for the truth, will not withhold from us
the answer to all needed knowledge; for "the Lord Je-
hovah will do nothing, except He reveal His secret unto
His servants the prophets."
iii
iH?181
iv PREFACE
It is the aim of this book, reader, to help the troubled
soul to a right solution of all these problems. It is
written by one who has tasted and found that God is
good, and who has learned in communion with God and
the study of His word that the secret of the Lord is with
them that fear Him, and that He will show them His
covenant.
That we may ])etter understand the principles of the
all-important controversy, in which the life of a universe
is involved, the author has set it before us in great, con-
crete object-lessens of the last twenty centuries.
The book opens with the sad closing scenes of Jerusa-
lem's history, the city of God's chosen, after her rejec-
tion of the Man of Calvary, who came to save. Thence
onward along the great highway of the nations, it points
us to the persecutions of God's children in the first cen-
turies; the great apostasy which followed in His church;
the world-awakening of the Reformation, in which some
of the great principles of the controversy are clearly mani-
fest; the awful lesson of the rejection of right principles
by France; the revival and exaltation of the Scriptures,
and their beneficent, life-saving influence ; the religious
awakening of the last days; the unsealing of the radiant
fountain of God's word, with its wonderful revelations of
light and knowledge to meet the baleful upspringing of
every delusion of darkness.
The present impending conflict, with the vital prin-
ciples involved, in which no one can be neutral, are simply,
lucidly, strongly set forth.
Last of all, we are told of the eternal and glorious
victory of good over evil, right over wrong, light over
darkness, joy over sorrow, hope over despair, glory over
shame, life over death, and everlasting, long-suffering love
over vindictive hate.
Former editions of this book have brought many souls to
the True Shepherd; it is the prayer of the publishers that
this edition may be even more fruitful of eternal good.
The Publishers.
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:tte»
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Hf*^'
INTRODUCTION ji (^^
Before the entrance of sin, Adam enjoyed open com-
munion with his Maker; but since man separated himself
from God by transgression, the human race has been cut
off from this high privilege. By the plan of redemption,
however, a way has been opened whereby the inhabitants of
the earth may still have connection with heaven, God has
communicated with men by Ilis Spirit, and divine light has
been imparted to the world by revelations to His chosen
servants. "Holy men of God spake as they were moved
by the Holy Ghost." 2 Peter 1:21.
During the first twenty-five hundred years of human
history, there was no written revelation. Those who had
been taught of God, communicated their knowledge to
others, and it was handed down from father to sou, through
successive generations. The p reparation of the written word
beg an in the time of Moses . Inspired revelations were
then embodied in an inspired book. This work continued
during the long period of sixteen hundred years, — from
Moses, the historian of creation and the law, to John, the
recorder of the most sublime truths of the gospel.
The Bible points to God as its author; yet it was written
by human hands; and in the varied style of its different
books it presents the charae.tiu-istics of the several writei-s.
The truths revealed are all "given by inspiration of God"
(2 Tim. 3: 10) ; yet they are expressed in the words of men.
The Infinite One by His Holy Spirit has shed light into the
minds and hearts of His servants. He has given dreams
and visions, symbols and figures; and those to whom the
vi INTRODUCTION
truth was thus revealed, have themselves embodied the
thought in human language.
The ten commandments were spoken by God Himself,
and were written by His own hand. They are of divine,
and not of human composition. But the Bible, Avith its
God-given truths expressed in the language of men, pre-
sents a union of the divine and the human. Such a union
existed in the nature of Christ, who was the Sou of God and
the Son of man. Thus it is true of the Bible, as it was of
Christ, that "the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among
us." John 1:14.
•Written in different ages, by men who differed widely
in rank and occupation, and in mental and spiritual en-
dowments^ the books of the Bible present a wide contrast
in style, as well as a diversity in the nature of the sub-
jects unfolded. Diff'erent forms of expression are employed
by different writers; often the same truth is more strikingly
presented by one than by another. And as several writers
present a subject under varied aspects and relations, there
may appear, to the superficial, careless, or prejudiced
reader, to be discrepancy or contradiction, where the
thoughtful, reverent student, with clearer insight, discerns
the underlying harmony.
As presented through different individuals, t he truth is
brou ght out in its varied aspects . One writer is more
strongly impressed with one phase of the subject; he grasps
those points that harmonize with his experience or with
his power of perception and appreciation; another seizes
upon a different phase; and each, under the guidance of
the Holy Spirit, presents what is most forcibly impressed
upon his own mind — a different aspect of the truth in
each, but a perfect harmony through all. And the trutlis
thus revealed unite to form a perfect whole, adapted to
meet the wants of men in all the circumstances and experi-
ences of life.
God has been pleased to communicate His truth to the
world by human agencies, and He Himself, by His Holy
Spirit, qualified men and enabled them to do this work.
He guided the mind in the selection of what to speak and
INTRODUCTION vii
what to write. The treasure was intrusted to earthen ves-
sels, yet it is, none the less, from Heaven. T he testimo ny
is conveyed through the imperf ect expr ession of human
language, yet it is the testimony of Uod ; and the obedient,
believing child of God beholds in it the glory of a divine
power, full of grace and truth.
In His word, God has committed to men the knowledge
necessary for salvation. The Holy Scriptures are to be
accepted as an authoritative, infallible revelation of His
will. They are the standard of character, the revealer of
doctrines, and the test of experience. "Every scripture
inspired of God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof,
for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness;
that the man of God may be complete, furnished completely
unto every good work." 2 Tim. 3:16, 17, Kevised Version.
Yet the fact that God has revealed His will to men
through His word, has not rendered needless the continued
presence and guiding of the Holy Spirit. On the contrary,
the Spirit was promised by our Saviour, to open the "Word
to His servants, to illuminate and apply its teachings. And
since it was the Spirit of God that inspired the Bible, it
is impossible that the teaching of the Spirit should ever be
contrary to that of the Word.
The Spirit was not given — nor can it ever be bestowed
— to supersede the Bible; for the Scriptures explicitly state
that the word of God is the standard by which all teach-
ing and experience must be tested. Says the apostle John,
"Believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they
are of God: because many false prophets are gone out
into the world." 1 John 4:1. And Isaiah declares, "To
the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according
to this word, it is because there is no light in them."
Isa. 8:20.
Great reproach has been east upon the work of the Holy
Spirit by the errors of a class that, claiming its enlighten-
ment, profess to have no further need of guidance from
the word of God. They are governed by impressions which
they regard as the voice of God in the soul. But the spirit
viii INTRODUCTION
that controls them is not the Spirit of God. This following
of impressions, to the neglect of the Scriptures, can lead
only to confusion, to deception and ruin. It serves only to
further the designs of the evil one. Since the ministry of
the Holy Spirit is of vital importance to the church of
Christ, it is one of the devices of Satan, through the errors
of extremists and fanatics, to cast contempt upon the work
of the Spirit, and cause the people of God to neglect this
source of strength which our Lord Himself has provided.
In harmony with the word of God, His Spirit was to
continue its work throughout tlie period of the gospel
dispensation. During the ages while the Scriptures of
both the Old and the New Testament Avere being given, the
Holy Spirit did not cease to communicate light to individ-
ual minds, apart from the revelations to be embodied in
the Sacred Canon. The Bible itself relates how, through the
Holy Spirit, men received warning, reproof, counsel, and
instruction, in matters in no way relating to the giving of
the Scriptures. And mention is made of prophets in dif-
ferent ages, of whose utterances nothing is recorded. In
like manner, after the close of the canon of Scripture, the
Holy Spirit was still to continue its work, to enlighten,
warn, and comfort the children of God.
Jesus promised His disciples, "The Comforter, which is
the Holy Ghost, whom tlie Father will send in My name.
He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your
remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." "When
He, the Spirit of truth, is come. He w411 guide you into
all truth: . . . and He will show you things to come."
John 14:26; 16:13. Scripture plainly teaches that these
promises, so far from being limited to apostolic days, ex-
tend to the church of Christ in all ages. The Saviour
assures His followers, "I am with you alway, even unto
the end of the world." Matt. 28:20. And Paul declares
that the gifts and manifestations of the Spirit were set in
the church "for the perfecting of the saints, for the work
of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till
we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge
INTRODUCTION ix
of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure
of the stature of the fulness of Christ. ' ' Eph. 4 : 12, 13.
For the believers at Ephesus the apostle prayed, "That
the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may
give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the
knowledge of Him : the eyes of your understanding being
enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of His
calling, and . . . what is the exceeding greatness of His
power to US-ward who believe. ' ' Eph. 1 : 17-19. The min-
istry of the divine Spirit in enlightening the understanding
and opening to the mind the deep things of God's holy
word, was the blessing which Paul thus besought for the
Ephesian church.
After the wonderful manifestation of the Holy Spirit on
the day of Pentecost, Peter exhorted the people to repent-
ance and baptism in the name of Christ, for the remission
of their sins; and he said: "Ye shall receive the gift of the
Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your
children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the
Lord our God shall call." Acts 2: 38, 39.
In immediate connection with the scenes of the great
day of God, the Lord by the prophet Joel has promised a
special manifestation of His Spirit. Joel 2 : 28. This proph-
ecy received a partial fulfilment in the outpouring of the
Spirit on the day of Pentecost; but it will reach its full
accomplishment in the manifestation of divine grace which
will attend the closing work of the gospel.
The great controversy between good and evil will in-
crease in intensity to the very close of time. In all ages
tlie wrath of Satan has been manifested against the church
of Christ; and God has bestowed His grace and Spirit upon
His people to strengthen them to stand against the power of
the evil one. When the apostles of Christ were to bear
His gospel to the world and to record it for all future ages,
they were especially endowed with the enlightenment of the
Spirit. But as the church approaches her final deliverance,
Satan is to work with greater power. He comes down "hav-
ing great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a
X INTRODUCTION
short time. ' ' Rev. 12 : 12. He will work ' ' with all power
and signs and lying wonders. ' ' 2 Thess, 2 : 9. For six thou-
sand years that master-mind that once was highest among
the angels of God, has been wholly bent to the work of
deception and ruin. And all the depths of satanic skill
and subtlety acquired, all the cruelty developed, during
these struggles of the ages, will be brought to bear against
God's people in the final conflict. And in this time of peril
the followers of Christ are to bear to the world the
warning of the Lord's second advent; and a people are
to be prepared to stand before Him at flis coming, "with-
out spot, and blameless." 2 Peter 3:14. At this time the
special endowment of divine grace and power is not less
needful to the church than in apostolic days.
Through the illumination of the Holy Spirit, the scenes
of the long-continued conflict between good and evil have
been opened to the writer of these pages. From time to
time I have been permitted to behold the working, in dif-
ferent ages, of the great controversy between Christ, the
Prince of life, the Author of our salvation, and Satan, the
prince of evil, the author of sin, the first transgressor of
God's holy law. Satan's enmity against Christ has been
manifested against His followers. The same hatred of the
principles of God's law, the same policy of deception, by
which error is made to appear as truth, by which human
laws are substituted for the law of God, and men are led
to worship the creature rather than the Creator, may be
traced in all the history of the past. Satan's efforts to mis-
represent the character of God, to cause men to cherish a
false conception of the Creator, and thus to regard Him
with fear and hate rather than with love; his endeavors
to set aside the divine law, leading the people to think
themselves free from its requirements; and his persecution
of those who dare to resist his deceptions, have been stead-
fastly pursued in all ages. They may be traced in the
history of patriarchs, prophets, and apostles, of martyrs
and reformers.
INTRODUCTION »
In the great final conflict, Satan will employ the same
policy, manifest the same spirit, and work for the same
end, as in all preceding ages. That which has been, will
be, except that the coming struggle will be marked with a
terrible intensity such as the w^orld has never witnessed.
Satan's deceptions will be more subtle, his assaults more
determined. If it were possible, he would lead astray the
elect. Mark 13 : 22, Revised Version.
As the Spirit of God has opened to my mind the great
truths of His word, and the scenes of the past and the
future, I have been bidden to make known to others that
which has thus been revealed, — to trace the history of the
controversy in past ages, and especially so to present it
as to shed a light on the fast-approaching struggle of the
future. In pursuance of tliis purpose, I have endeavored
to select and group together events in the history of the
church in such a manner as to trace the unfolding of the
great testing truths that at different periods have been
given to the world, that have excited the wrath of Satan,
and the enmity of a world-loving church, and that have
been maintained by the witness of those who "loved not
their lives unto the death."
In these records we may see a foreshadowing of the con-
flict before us. Regarding them in the light of God's word,
and by the illumination of His Spirit, we may see unveiled
the devices of the wicked one, and the dangers which they
must shun who would be found "without fault" before the
Lord at His coming.
The great events which have marked the progress of
reform in past ages, are matters of history, well knowTi and
universally acknowledged by the Protestant world; they
are facts which none can gainsay. This history I have pre-
sented briefly, in accordance with the scope of the book,
and the brevity which must necessarily be observed, the
facts having been condensed into as little space as seemed
consistent with a proper understanding of their application.
In some cases where a historian has so grouped together
XU INTRODUCTION
events as to afford, in brief, a comprehensive view of the
subject, or has summarized details in a convenient manner,
h^s w^jrds have been quoted ; but in some instances no
specific credit has been given, since the quotations are not
given for the purpose of citing that writer as authority, but
because his statement affords a ready and forcible presenta-
tion of the subject. In narrating the experience and views
of those carrying forward the work of reform in our own
time, similar use has been made of their i)ublislied works.
It is not so much the object of this book to present new
truths concerning the struggles of former times, as to bring
out facts and principles which have a bearing on coming
events. Yet viewed as a part of the controversy between
the forces of light and darkness, all these records of ^he
past are seen to have a new significance ; and through them
a light is cast upon the future, illumining the pathway of
those who, like the reformers of past ages, will be called,
even at the peril of all earthly good, to witness "for the
word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ."
"To unfold the scenes of the great controversy between
truth and error; to reveal the wiles of Satan, and the
means by which he may be successfully resisted; to present
a satisfactory solution of the great problem of evil, shedding
such a light upon the origin and the final disposition of sin
as to make fully manifest the justice -and benevolence of
God in all His dealings with His creatures; and to show the
holy, unchanging nature of His law, is the object of this
book. That through its influence souls may be delivere<l
from the power of darkness, and ])ecome "partakers of the
inheritance of the saints in light," to the praise of Him
who loved us, and gave Himself for us, is the earnest
prayer of the writer.
E. G. W.
u
It.
i gT? Go? Co? [T5? cT-go'^^xro ^g°D ^^rt) ^CT) ':nj«
H?»iS'
IMCON T"E N f ^ii
I The Destruction of Jerusalem - - 17
II Persecution in the First Centuries - 89
III The Apostasy ----- 49
IV The Waldenses - - - - 61
V John Wyclippe - - - - 79
VI IIuss and Jerome - - - . 97
VII Luther's Separation prom Rome - - 120
VIII Luther Bepore the Diet - - - 145
IX The Swiss Repormer - - - . 171
X Progress of Reform in Germany - - 185
XI Protest of the Princes - - - 197
XII The French Reformation - - 211
XIII The Netherlands and Scandinavia - - 287
XIV Later English Reformers - - 245
XV The Bible and the French Revolution - 265
XVI The Pilgrim Fathers - - - 289
XVII Heralds of the Morning ... 299
XVIII An American Reformer - - - 817
XIX Light Through Darkness - - . 343
XX A Great Religious Awakening - - 355
XXI A Warning Rejected - - . 375
XXII Prophecies Fulfilled ... 391
XXIII What Is the Sanctuary? ^ . - 409
PV- - CONTENTS
XXIV In the Holy of Holies
XXV God's Law Immutable
XXVI A Work of Reform
XXVII Modern Revivals
XXVIII The Investigative Judgment
XXIX The Origin of Evil
XXX Enmity Between Man and Satan
XXXI Agency of Evil Spirits
XXXII Snares of Satan -
XXXIII The First Great Deception
XXXIV Spiritualism
XXXV Aims of the Papacy
XXXVI The Impending Conflict -
XXXVII The Scriptures a Safeguard -
XXXVIII The Final Warning
XXXIX "The Time of Trouble"
XL God's People Delivered
XLI Desolation of the Earth
XLII The Controversy Ended -
Appendix
Index of Scripture References
General Index ...
423
433
451
461
479
492
505
511
518
531
551
563
582
593
603
613
635
653
662
679
691
697
\)^
v^
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y\
THE DESTRUCTION OF dERUSALEM-1 •
"If thou hadst kno^^^l, even thou, at least in this thy
day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now
they are hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon
thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and
compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, and
shall lay tliee even with the ground, and thy children within
thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon an-
other; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.""
From the crest of Olivet, Jesus looked upon Jerusalem.
Fair and peaceful was the scene spread out before Him, Jt
was the season of the Passover, and from all lands the chil-
dren of Jacob had gathered there to celebrate the great na-
tional festival. In the midst of gardens and vineyards, and
green slopes studded with pilgrims' tents, rose the terraced
hills, the stately palaces, and massive bulwarks of Israel's
capital. Tlie daughter of Zion seemed in her pride to say,
"I sit a queen, and shall see no sorrow;" as lovely then, and
deeming herself as secure in Heaven's favor, as when, ages
before, the royal minstrel sung, "Beautiful for situation, the
joy of the whole earth, is ]\Iount Zion, . . . the city of the
great King. " * In full view were the magnificent buildings
of the temple. The rays of the setting sun lighted up the
snowy whiteness of its marble walls, and gleamed from
golden gate and tower and pinnacle. "The perfection of
«Luke 19:42-44. »Ps. 48:2.
(17)
18 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
beauty" it stood, the pride of the Jewish nation. What
child of Israel could gaze upon the scene without a thrill
of joy and admiration ! But far other thoughts occupied
the mind of Jesus. ''When He was come near, He beheld
the city, and wept over it."* Amid the universal rejoicing
of the triumphal entry, while palm branches waved, while
glad hosannas awoke the echoes of the hills, and thousands of
voices declared Him king, the world's Redeemer was over-
whelmed with a sudden and mysterious sorrow. He, the Son
of God, the Promised One of Israel, -whose power h^d con-
quered death, and called its captives from the grave, was
in tears, not of ordinary grief, but of intelise, irrepressible
agony.
His tears were not for Himself, though He well knew
whither His feet were tending. Before Him lay Gethsemane,
the scene of His approaching agony. The sheep gate also
^as in sight, "through which for centuries the victims for
sacrifice had been led, and which was to open for Him when
He should be "brouglit as a lamb to the slaughter."' Not
far distant was Calvary, the place of crucifixion. Upon the
path which Christ was soon to tread must fall the horror of
great darkness as He should make His soul an offering for
siii. Yet it was not the contemplation of these scenes that
cast the shadow upon Him in this hour of gladness. No
foreboding of His ovm superhuman anguish clouded that
unselfish spirit. He wept for the doomed thousands of
Jerusalem — because of the blindness and impenitence of
those whom He came to bless and to save.
'"''The history of more than a thousand years of God's
special favor and guardian care, manifested to the chosen
people, was open to the eye of Jesus. There was ]\Iount
IMoriah, where the son of promise, an unresisting victim,
had been bound to the altar, — emblem of the offering of the
Son of God.' There, the covenant of blessing, the glorious
Messianic promise, had been confirmed to the father of the
faithful.' There, the flames of the sacrifice ascending to
» Luke 19:41. =Isa. 53:7. "6611.22:9,16-18.
DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM 19
heaven from the threshing-floor of Oman had turned aside
the sword of the destroying angel ' — fitting symbol of the
Saviour's sacrifice and mediation for guilty men. Jerusa-
lem had been honored of God above all the earth. The
Lord had "chosen Zion," He had "desired it for His habi-
tation. ' ' " There, for ages, holy prophets had uttered their
messages of warning. There, priests had waved their censers,
and the cloud of incense, with the prayers of the w^orshipers,
had ascended before God. There, daily the blood of slain
lambs had been offered, pointing forward to the Lamb of
God. There, Jeliovali had revealed His presence in the cloud
of glory above, the mercy-seat. There, rested the base of
that mystic ladder connecting earth with heaven,' — that lad-
der upon which angels of God descended and ascended, and
which opened to the world the way into the holiest of all.
Had Israel as a nation preserved her allegiance to Heaven,
Jerusalem would have stood forever, the elect of God.* But
the history of that favored people was a record of back-
sliding and rebellion. They had resisted Heaven's grace,
abused their privileges, and slighted their opportunities. .,
Although Israel had "mocked the messengers of God, and
despised His words, and misused His prophets, ' ' " He had
still manifested Himself to them, as "the Lord God, mer;
ciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness
and truth;"* notwitlistanding repeated rejections, His mercy
had continued its pleadings. With more than a father's
pitying love for the son of his care, God had "sent to theral
by His messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because
He had compassion on His people, and on His dwelling-
place."" When remonstrance, entreaty, and rebuke had
failed. He sent to them the best gift of heaven; nay. He
poured out all heaven in that one Gift.
The Son of God Himself was sent to plead with the
impenitent city. It was Christ that had brought Israel
as a goodly vine out of Egypt.^ His own hand had east
»1 Chronicleg 21. ='Pg. 132:13. »Oen. 28:12; John 1:51.
•Jer. 17:21-25. »2 Chron. 36:16, 15. «Ex. 34:6. 'Ps. 80:8.
20 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
out the heathen before it. He had planted it ''in a very
fruitful hill. ' ' ' His guardian care had hedged it about.
His servants had been sent to nurture it. "What could
have been done more to My vineyard," He exclaims, "that
I have not done in it?"' Though when He "looked that
it should bring forth grapes, it brought forth wild grapes,"*
yet with a still yearning hope of fruitfulness He came in
person to His vineyard, if haply it might be saved from
destruetion. He digged about His vine; He pruned and
cherished it. He was unwearied in His efforts to save this
vine of His own planting.
For three years the Lord of light and glory had gone in
and out among His people. He "went about doing good, and
healing all that wore oppressed of the devil,"" binding up
the broken-hearted, setting at liberty them that were bound,
restoring sight to the blind, causing the lame to walk and
the deaf to hear, cleansing the lepers, raising the dead, and
preaching the gospel to the poor.' To all classes alike was
addressed the gracious call, "Come unto Me, all ye that
labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ' ' *
Though rewarded with evil for good, and hatred for His
love,* He had steadfastly pursued His mission of mercy.
Never were those repelled that sought His grace. A home-
less wanderer, reproach and penury His daily lot. He lived
to minister to the needs and lighten the woes of men, to
plead with them to accept the gift of life. The waves of
mercy, beaten back by those stubborn hearts, returned in a
stronger tide of pitying, inexpressi])le love. But Israel had
turned from her best Friend and only Helper. The plead-
ings of His love had been despised, His counsels spurned,
His warnings ridiculed.
The hour of hope and pardon was fast passing; the cup
of God's long-deferred wrath was almost full. The cloud
that had been gathering through ages of apostasy and rebel-
lion, now black with woe, was about to burst upon a guilty
^Isa. 5:1-4. »Acta 10:38; Luke 4:18; Matt. 11:5.
'Matt. 11:28. *P8. 109:5.
DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM 21
people; and He who alone could save them from their
impending fate had been slighted, abused, rejected, and
was soon to be crucified. When Christ should hang upon
the cross of Calvary, Israel's day as a nation favored and
blessed of God would be ended. The loss of even one soul
is a calamity infinitely outweighing the gains and treas-
ures of a world; but as Christ looked upon Jerusalem, the
doom of a whole city, a whole nation, was before Him, —
that city, that nation, which had once been the chosen of
God, His peculiar treasure.
Prophets had wept over the apostasy of Israel, and the
terrible desolations by which their sins were visited. Jere-
miah wished that his eyes were a fountain of tears, that he
might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of
his people, for the Lord's flock that was carried away cap-
tive.* What, then, was the grief of Him whose prophetic
glance took in, not years, but ages! He beheld the destroy-
ing angel with sword uplifted against the city which had
so long been Jehovah's dwelling-place. From the ridge of
Olivet, the very spot afterward occupied by Titus and his
army, He looked across the valley upon the sacred courts
and porticoes, and with tear-dimmed eyes He saw, in awful
perspective, the walls surrounded by alien hosts. He heard
the tread of armies marshaling for war. He heard the voice
of mothers and children crying for bread in the besieged
city. He saw her holy and beautiful house, her palaces and
towers, given to the flames, and where once they stood, only
a heap of smouldering ruins.
Looking down the ages. He saw the covenant people scat-
tered in every land, ''like wrecks on a desert shore." In
the temporal retribution about to fall upon her children,
He saw but the first draught from that cup^qf jvvrath whifiji
at the final judgment she must drain to its dregs. Divine
pity, yearning love, found utterance in the mournful words:
*' '0 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets,
and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would
»Jer. 9:1; 13:17.
22 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gath-
ereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not ! ' '
that thou, a nation favored above every other, hadst
known the time of thy visitation, and the things that be-
long unto thy peace ! I have stayed the angel of justice, I
have called thee to repentance, but in vain. It is not
merely servants, delegates, and prophets, whom thou hast
refused and rejected, but the Holy One of Israel, thy Re-
deemer. If thou art destroyed, thou alone art responsible.
* Ye will not come to Me, that ye might have life. "' "
Christ saw in Jerusalem a symbol of the world hardened
in unbelief and rebellion, and hastening on to meet the
retributive judgments of God. The woes of a fallen race,
pressing upon Ilis soul, forced from His lips that exceed-
ing bitter cry. He saw the record of sin traced in human
misery, tears, and blood; His heart was moved with infinite
pity for the afflicted and suffering ones of earth; He yearned
to relieve them all. But even His hand might not turn
back the tide of human woe; few would seek their only
Source of help. He was willing to pour out His soul unto
death, to bring salvation within their reach; but few would
come to Him that they might have life.
The Majesty of heaven in tears! the Son of the infinite
God troubled in spirit, bowed down with anguish! The
scene filled all heaven with wonder. That scene reveals i o
us llic cxccM'dinii' sinfulness of sin; it ,jgh02;sjjgjjj[iaj;ii^
task it is, vwn U>r infinite power, to save ^^" fflliity ^^"^"^ t^"
consc4u<'n<-('s ol' t!'aiis,urrssiuy the law ut' Liod. Jesus, look-
ing down to the last generation, saw the world involved in
a deception similar to that which caused the destruction of
Jerusalem. The great sin of the Jews was their, y^^jgfi^iflft of
^rist; tlie gwat sin of the Christian world would be their
r e-j ectioD of tlie law of God, the foundation of His govern-
laent in lieaven and eartli. The precepts of Jehovah would
be despised and set at naught. Millions in bondage to sin,
slaves of Satan, doomed to suffer the second death, would
»Matt. 23:37. = Jolin 5:40.
DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM 23
refuse to listen to the words of truth in their day of visita-
tion. Terrible blindness! strange infatuation!
Two days before the Passover, when Christ had for the
last time departed from the temple, after denouncing the
hypocrisy of the Jewish rulers. He again went out with His
disciples to the Mount of Olives, and seated Himself with
them upon the grassy slope overlooking the city. Once more
He gazed upon its walls, its towers, and its palaces. Once
more He beheld the temple in its dazzling splendor, a dia-
dem of beauty crowning the sacred mount.
A thousand years before, the psalmist had magnified
God's favor to Israel in making her holy house His dwell-
ing-place: "In Salem also is His tabernacle, and His
dwelling-place in Zion."' Pie "chose the tribe of Judah,
the Mount Zion which He loved. And He built His sanc-
tuary like high palaces."* The first temple had been erected
during the most prosperous period of Israel's history. Vast
stores of treasure for this purpose had been collected by
King David, and the plans for its construction were made
by divine inspiration." Solomon, the wisest of Israel's
monarchs, had completed the work. This temple was the
most magnificent building which the world ever saw. Yet
the Lord had declared by the prophet Haggai, concerning
the second temple, "The glory of this latter house shall
be greater than of the former." "I will shake all nations,
and the Desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill
this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts.'"
After the destruction of the temple by Nebuchadnezzar,
it was rebuilt about five hundred years before the birth of
Christ, by a people who from a life-long captivity had
returned to a wasted and almost deserted country. There
were then among them aged men Avho had seen the glory
of Solomon's temple, and who wept at the foundation of
the new building, that it must be so inferior to the former.
The feeling that prevailed is forcibly descril)ed by the
prophet: "Who is left among you that saw this house in
'Ps. 76:2; 78:68, 69. '1 Chron. 28:12, 19. 'Haggai 2:9, 7.
24 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
her first glory? and how do ye see it now? is it not in
your eyes in comparison of it as nothing ? " ' Then was
given the promise that the glory of this latter house should
be greater than that of the former.
But the second temple had not equaled the first in mag-
nificence; nor was it hallowed by those visible tokens of the
divine presence which pertained to the first temple. There
was no manifestation of supernatural power to mark its
dedication. No cloud of glory was seen to fill the newly
erected sanctuary. No fire from heaven descended to con-
sume the sacrifice upon its altar. The shekinah no longer
abode between the cherubim in the most holy place; the
ark, the mercy-seat, and the tables of the testimony were
not to be found therein. No voice sounded from heaven to
make known to the inquiring priest the will of Jehovah.
For centuries the Jews had vainly endeavored to show
wherein the promise of God given by Haggai, had been ful-
filled ; yet pride and unbelief blinded their minds to the
true meaning of the prophet's words. The second temple
was not honored with the cloud of Jehovah's glory, but with
the living presence of One in whom dwelt the fulness of
the Godhead bodily — who was God Himself manifest in the
flesh. The "Desire of all nations" had indeed come to His
temple when the JNIan of Nazareth taught and healed in the
sacred courts. In the presence of Christ, and in this only,
did the second temple exceed the first in glory. But Israel
had put from her the proffered Gift of heaven. With the
humble Teacher who had that day passed out from its
golden gate, the glory had forever departed from the temple.
Already were the Saviour's words fulfilled, "Your house is
left unto you desolate. ' ' ^
The disciples had been filled ^nth awe and wonder at
Christ's prediction of the overthrow of the temple, and they
desired to understand more fully the meaning of His words.
Wealth, labor, and architectural skill had for more than
forty years been freely expended to enhance its splendors.
1 Haggai 2:3; Ezra 3:12. 'Matt, 23:38.
DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM 25
Herod the Great had lavished upon it both Roman wealth
and Jewish treasure, and even the emperor of the world had
enriched it with his gifts. Massive blocks of white marble,
of almost fabulous size, forwarded from Rome for this pur^
pose, formed a part of its structure; and to these the dis-
ciples had called the attention of their Master, saying, "See
what manner of stones and what buildings are here!"'
To these words, Jesus made the solemn and startling
reply, "Verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here
one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. ' ' '
With the overthrow of Jenisalem the disciples associated
the events of Christ's personal coming in temporal glory to
take the throne of universal empire, to punish the impeni-
tent Jews, and to break from otf the nation the Roman yoke.
The Lord had told them that He would come the second
time. Hence at the mention of judgments upon Jerusalem,
their minds reverted to that coming; and as they were gath-
ered about the Saviour upon the Mount of Olives, they
asked, "When shall these things be? and what shall be the
sign of Thy coming, and of the end of the world?"'
The future was mercifully veiled from the disciples. Had
they at that time fully comprehended the two awful facts, — ■
the Redeemer's sufferings and death, and the destruction of
their city and temple, — they would have been overwhelmed
with horror. Christ presented before them an outline of the
prominent events to take place before the close of time. His
words were not then fully understood; but their meaning
was to be unfolded as His people should need the instruction
therein given. The ])rophecy which He uttered was twofold
in its meaning : while foreshado\\ing the destruction of Jeru-
salem, it prefigured also the terrors of the last great day.
Jesus declared to the listening disciples the judgments
that were to fall upon apostate Israel, and especially the
retributive vengeance that would come upon them for their
rejection and crucifixion of the Messiah. Unmistakable signs
would precede the awful climax. The dreaded hour would
>Mark 13:1. 'Matt. 24:2,3.
26 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
dome suddenly and swiftly. And the Saviour warned His
followers: "When ye therefore shall see the abomination of
desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the
holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) then let
them which be in Judea flee into the mountains. ' ' ^ When
the idolatrous standards of the Romans should be set up in
the holy ground, which extended some furlongs outside the
city walls, then the followers of Christ were to find safety in
flight. When the warning sign should be seen, those who
would escape must make no delay. Throughout the land
of Judea, as well as in Jerusalem itself, the signal for flight
must be immediately obeyed. He who chanced to be upon
the housetop must not go down into his house, even to save
his most valued treasures. Those who were working in the
fields or vineyards must not take time to return for the
outer garment laid aside while they should be toiling in
the heat of the day. They must not hesitate a moment,
lest they be involved in the general destruction.
In the reign of Herod, Jerusalem had not only been
greatly beautified, but by the erection of towers, walls, and
fortresses, adding to the natural strength of its situation, it
had been rendered apparently impregnable. He who would
at this time have foretold publicly its destruction, would,
like Noah in \)is day, have been called a crazed alarmist.
But Christ had said, "Heaven and earth shall pass away,
but My words shall not pass away. ' ' " -Because of her
sins, wrath had been deaounced against Jerusalem, and her
stubborn unbelief renderea ]ier doom certain.
The Lord had declared .y the prophet INFicah: "Hear
this, I pray you, ye heads of tin house of Jacob, and princes
of the house of Israel, that abhu. judgment, and pervert all
equity. They build up Zion withi)iood, and Jerusalem with
iniquity. The heads thereof juc^e for reward, and the
priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof di-
vine for money: yet will they lean Ujon the Lord, and say,
Is not the Lord among us? none evi can come upon us."*
»Matt. 24:15,16; Luke 21:20. 'Matt. >4. 35, sMicah 3:9-11.
DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM 27
These words faithfully deseril)ed the corrupt and self-
righteous inhabitants of Jerusalem. "While claiming to
observe rigidly tlio precepts of God's law, they were trans-
gressing all its principles. They hated Christ because His
purity and holiness revealed their iniquity; and they accused
Him of being the cause of all the troubles which had come
upon them in consequence of their sins. Though they
knew Him to be sinless, they had declared that His death
was necessary to their safety as a nation. "If we let Him
thus alone," said the Jewish leaders, *'all men will believe
on Him : and the Romans shall come and take away both our
place and nation. " ' If Christ were sacrificed, they might
once more become a strong, united people. Thus they rea-
soned, and they concurred in the decision of their high
priest, that it would be better for one man to die than
for the whole nation to perish.
Thus the Jewish leaders had "built up Zion with blood,
and Jerusalem with iniquity." And yet, while they slew
their Saviour because He reproved their sins, such was their
self-righteousness that they regarded themselves as God's
favored people, and expected the Lord to deliver them from
their enemies. "Therefore," continued the prophet, "shall
Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall
become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high
places of the forest."*
For nearly forty years after the doom of Jerusalem had
been pronounced by Christ Himself, the Lord delayed His
judgments upon the city and the nation. Wonderful was
the long-sufforing of God toward the rejecters of His gospel
and the murderers of His Son. The parable of the unfruit-
ful tree represented God's dealings with the Jewish nation.
The command had gone forth, "Cut it down; why cum-
bereth it the ground?'" but divine mercy had spared it
yet a little longer. There were still many among the Jews
who were ignorant of the character and the work of Christ.
And the children had not enjoyed the opportunities or re-
* John 11:48. »Micali3:12. »Lukel3:7.
28 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
ceived the light which their parents had spurned. Through
the preaching of the apostles and their associates, God
would cause light to shine upon them; they would be per-
mitted to see how prophecy had been fulfilled, not only in
the birth and life of Christ, but in His death and resurrec-
tion. The children were not condemned for the sins of the
parents; but when, with a knowledge of all the light given
to their parents, the children rejected the additional light
granted to themselves, they became partakers of the parents'
sins, and filled up the measure of their iniquit3\
The long-suffering of God toward Jerusalem only con-
firmed the Jews in their stubborn impenitence. In their
hatred and cruelty toward the disciples of Jesus, they
rejected the last offer of mercy. Then God withdrew His
protection from them, and removed His restraining power
from Satan and his angels, and the nation was left to the
control of the leader she had chosen. Her children had
spurned the grace of Christ, which would have enabled them
to subdue their evil impulses, and now these became the
conquerors. Satan aroused the fiercest and most debased
passions of the soul. Men did not reason; they were be-
yond reason, — controlled by impulse and blind rage. They
iDecame satanic in their cruelty. In the family and in the
nation, among the highest and the lowest classes alike, there
was suspicion, envy, hatred, strife, rebellion, murder. There
was no safety anywhere. Friends and kindred betrayed
one another. Parents slew their children and children their
parents. The rulers of the people had no power to rule
themselves. Uncontrolled passions made them tyrants. The
Jews had accepted false testimony to condemn the inno-
cent Son of God. Now false accusations made their own
lives uncertain. By their actions they had long been say-
ing, "Cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before
us."^ Now their desire was granted. The fear of God no
longer disturbed them. Satan was at the head of the na-
'Isa. 30:11.
DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM 29
tion, and the highest civil and religious authorities were
under his sway.
The leaders of the opposing factions at times united to
plunder and torture their wretched victims, and again they
fell upon each other's forces, and slaughtered without mercy.
Even the sanctity of the temple could not restrain their
horrible ferocity. The worshipers were stricken down be-
fore the altar, and the sanctuary was polluted with the
bodies of the slain. Yet in their blind and blasphemous
presumption the instigators of this hellish work publicly
declared that they had no fear that Jerusalem would be
destroyed, for it was God's own city. To establish their
power more firmly, they bribed false prophets to proclaim,
even w^hile Roman legions were besieging the temple, that
the people were to wait for deliverance from God. To the
last, multitudes held fast to the belief that the Most High
would interpose for the defeat of their adversaries. But
Israel had spurned the divine protection, and now she had
no defense. Unhappy Jerusalem! rent by internal dissen-
sions, the blood of her children slain by one another's
hands crimsoning her streets, while alien armies beat down
her fortifications and slew her men of w'ar!
All the predictions given ])y Christ concerning the de-
struction of Jerusalem were fulfilled to the letter. The Jews
experienced the truth of His words of warning, "With what
measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. ' ' *
Signs and wonders appeared, foreboding disaster and
doom. In the midst of the night an unnatural light shone
over the temple and the altar. Upon the clouds at sunset
were pictured chariots and men of war gathering for battle.
The priests ministering by night in the sanctuary were ter-
rified by mysterious sounds; the earth trembled, and a mul-
titude of voices were heard crying, "Let us depart hence."
The great eastern gate, which was so heavy that it could
hardly be shut by a score of men, and which w^s secured by
'Matt. 7:2.
§6 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
immense bars of iron fastened deep in the pavement of solid
stone, opened at midnight, without visible agency/
For seven years a man continued to go up and down the
streets of Jerusalem, declaring the woes that were to come
upon the city. By day and by night he chanted the wild
dirge, ' ' A voice from the east ! a voice from the west ! a voice
from the four winds! a voice against Jerusalem and against
the temple! a voice against the bridegrooms and the brides!
a voice against the whole people!" This strange being was
imprisoned and scourged, but no complaint escaped his lips.
To insult and abuse he answered only, "Woe, woe to Jeru-
salean!" "woe, woe to the inhabitants thereof!" His warn-,
ing cry ceased not until he was slain in the siege he had
foretold.
Not one Christian perished in the destruction of Jerusa-
lem. Christ had given Ilis disciples warning, and all who
believed His words watched for the promised sign. "When
ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies," said Jesus,
"then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. Then let
them which are in Judea flee to the mountains; and let
them which are in the midst of it depart out."° After
the Romans under Cestius had surrounded the city, they
unexpectedly abandoned the siege when everything seemed
favorable for an immediate attack. The besieged, despair-
ing of successful resistance, were on the point of surrender,
when the Roman general withdrew his forces without the
least apparent reason. But God's merciful providence was
directing events for the good of His own people. The prom-
ised sign had been given to the waiting Christians, and now
an opportunity v/as afforded for all who would, to obey
the Saviour's Avarning. Events were so overruled that
neither Jews nor Romans should hinder the flight of the
Christians. Upon the retreat of Cestius, the Jews, sallying
from Jerusalem, pursued after his retiring army; and while
both forces were thus fully engaged, the Christians had an
opportunity to leave the city. At this time the country also
»Milman, "History of the Jews," book 13. ''Luke 21:20,21.
DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM %
had been cleared of enemies who might liave endeavored to
intercept them. At the time of the siege, the Jews were
assembled at Jerusalem to keep the Feast of Tabernacles,
and thus the Christians throughout the land were able to
make their escape unmolested. Without delay they fled to
a place of safety, — the city of Pella, in the land of Perea,
beyond Jordan.
The Jewish forces, pursuing after Cestius and his army,
fell upon their rear with such fierceness as to threaten them
with total destruction. It was with great difficulty that the
Romans succeeded in making their retreat. The Jews es-
caped almost without loss, and with their spoils returned
in triumph to Jerusalem. Yet this apparent success brought
them only evil. It inspired them with that spirit of stub-
born resistance to the Romans which speedily brought un-
utterable woe upon the doomed city.
Terrible were the calamities that fell upon Jerusalem
when the siege was resumed by Titus. The city was invested
at the time of the Passover, when millions of Jews Were as-
sembled within its walls. Their stores of provision, which
if carefully preserved would have supplied the inhabitants
for years,, had previously been destroyed through the jeal-
ousy and revenge of the contending factions, and now all
the horrors of starvation were experienced. A measure of
wheat was sold for a talent. So fierce were the pangs of
hunger that men would gnaw the leather of their belts and
sandals and the covering of their shields. Great numl)ers of
the people would steal out at night to gather wild plants
growing outside tlie city walls, though many were seized and
put to death with cruel torture, and often tiiose who re-
turned in safety were robbed of what they had gleaned at
so great peril. The most inhuman tortures were inflicted
by those in power, to force from the want-stricken people
the last scanty supplies which they might have concealed.
And these cruelties were not infrequently practised bj^ men
who were themselves well fed, and who were merely desir-
ous of laying up a store of provision for the future.
^2 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
Thousands perished from famine and pestilence. Natural
affection seemed to have been destroyed. Husbands robbed
their wives, and wives their husbands. Children would be
seen snatching the food from the mouths of their aged par-
ents. The question of the prophet, "Can a woman forget
her sucking child ? ' " received the answer within the walls
of that doomed city, "The hands of the pitiful women have
sodden their own children: they were their meat in the
destruction of the daughter of my people. ' ' " Again was
fulfilled the warning prophecy given fourteen centuries be-
fore: "The tender and delicate woman among you, which
would not adventure to set the sole of her foot upon the
gi^ound for delicateness and tenderness, her eye shall be evil
toward the husband of her bosom, and toward her son, and
toward her daughter, . . . and toward her children which
she shall bear: for she shall eat them for want of all things
secretly in th6 siege and straitness, wherewith thine enemy
shall distress thee in thy gates. " '
The Roman leaders endeavored to strike terror to the
Jews, and thus cause them to surrender. Those prison-
ers who resisted when taken, were scourged, tortured, and
crucified before the wall of the city. Hundreds were daily
put to death in this manner, and the dreadful work con-
tinued until, along the valley of Jehoshaphat and at Cal-
vary, crosses were erected in so great numbers that there
was scarcely room to move among them. So terribly was
visited that awful imprecation uttered before the judgment-
seat of Pilate: "His blood be on us, and on our children."*
Titus would willingly have put an end to the fearful
scene, and thus have spared Jerusalem the full measure of
her doom. He was filled wth horror as he saw the bodies
of the dead lying in heaps in the valleys. Like one en-
tranced, he looked from the crest of Olivet upon the mag-
nificent temple, and gave command that not one stone of
it be touched. Before attempting to gain possession of this
stronghold, he made an earnest appeal to the Jewish leaders
^Isa. 49:15. =" Lam. 4:10. »Deut. 28:56, 57. 'Matt. 27:25.
DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM 33
not to force him to defile the sacred place with blood. If
they would come forth and fight in any other place, no
Roman should violate the sanctity of the temple. Josephus
himself, in a most eloquent appeal, entreated them to sur-
render, to save themselves, their city, and their place of
worship. But his words were answered with bitter curses.
Darts were hurled at him, their last human mediator, as he
stood pleading with them. The Jews had rejected the en-
treaties of the Son . of God, and now expostulation and
entreaty only made them more determined to resist to the
last. In vain were the efforts of Titus to save the temple;
One greater than he had declared that not one stone was
to be left upon another.
The blind obstinacy of the Jewish leaders, and the
detestable crimes perpetrated within the besieged city,
excited the horror and indignation of the Romans, and
Titus at last decided to take the temple l)y storm. He
determined, however, that if possible it should be saved
from destruction. But his commands were disregarded.
After he had retired to his tent at night, the Jews, sallying
from the temple, attacked the soldiers without. In the
struggle, a firebrand was flung by a soldier through an
opening in the porch, and immediately the cedar-lined
chambers about the holy house were in a blaze. Titus rushed
to the place, followed by his generals and legionaries, and
commanded the soldiers to quench the flames. His words
were unheeded. In their fury the soldiers hurled blazing
brands into the chambers adjoining the temple, and then
with tlieir swords they slaughtered in great numbers those
who had found shelter there. Blood flowed down the
temple steps like water. Thousands upon thousands of
Jews perished. Above the sound of battle, voices were
heard shouting, ' ' Icliabod ! ' ' — the glory is departed.
"Titus found it impossible to check the rage of the
soldiery; he entered with his officers, and surveyed the
interior of the sacred edifice. The splendor filled tiiem with
wonder; and as the flames had not yet penetrated to the
2— G. C.
34 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
holy place, he made a last effort to save it, and springing
forth, again exhorted the soldiers to stay the progress of
the conflagration. The centurion Liberalis endeavored to
force obedience with his staff of office; but even respect
for the emperor gave way to the furious animosity against
the Jews, to the fierce excitement of battle, and to the
insatiable hope of plunder. The soldiers saw everything
around them radiant with gold, which shone dazzlingly in
the ^nld light of the flames; they supposed that incalculable
treasures were laid up in the sanctuary. A soldier, unper-
ceived, thrust a lighted torch between the hinges of the
door: the whole building was in flames in an instant. The
blinding smoke and fire forced the officers to retreat, and
the noble edifice was left to its fate.
' ' It was an appalling spectacle to the Roman — what
was it to the Jew? The whole summit of the hill which
commanded the city, blazed like a volcano. One after
another the buildings fell in, with a tremendous crash, and
were swallowed up in the fiery abyss. The roofs of cedar
were like sheets of flame; the gilded pinnacles shone like
spikes of red light; the gate towers sent up tall columns of
flame and smoke. The neighboring hills were lighted up;
and dark groups of people were seen watching in horrible
anxiety the progress of the destruction : the walls and
heights of the upper city Avere crowded wdth faces, some
pale with the agony of despair, others scowling unavailing
vengeance. The shouts of the Roman soldiery as they ran
to and fro, and the bowlings of the insurgents who were
perishing in the flames, mingled with the roaring of the
conflagration and the thundering sound of falling timbers.
The echoes of the mountains replied or brought back the
shrieks of the people on the heights; all along the walls
resounded screams and wailings ; men who were expiring
with famine rallied their remaining strength to utter a cry
of anguish and desolation.
DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM 35
"The slaughter within was even more dreadful than the
spectacle from without. Men and women, old and young,
insurgents and priests, those who fought and those who
entreated mercy, were hewn down in indiscriminate car-
nage. The number of the slain exceeded that of the slayers.
The legionaries had to clamber over heaps of dead to carry
on the work of extermination. ' ' ^
After the destruction of the temple, the whole city soon
fell into the hands of the Romans. The leaders of the Jews
forsook their impregnable towers, and Titus found them sol-
itary. He gazed upon them with amazement, and declared
that God had given them into his hands; for no engines,
however powerful, could have prevailed against those stu-
pendous battlements. Both the city and the temple were
razed to their foundations, and the ground upon which the
holy house had stood Avas ' ' plowed like a field. " ^ In the
siege and the slaughter that followed, more than a million
of the people perished ; the survivors were carried away as
captives, sold as slaves, dragged to Rome to grace the con-
queror's triumph, thrown to wild beasts in the amphithea-
ters, or scattered as homeless wanderers throughout the earth.
The Jews had forged their own fetters ; they had filled
for themselves the cup of vengeance. In the utter destruc-
tion that befell them as a nation, and in all the woes that
followed them in their dispersion, they were but reaping the
harvest which their own hands had sown. Says the prophet,
"0 Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself;" "for thou hast
fallen by thine iniquity."^ Their sufferings are often rep-
resented as a punishment visited upon them by the direct
decree of God. It is thus that the great deceiver seeks to
conceal his own work. By stul)born rejection of divine love
and mercy, the Jews had caused the protection of God to be
withdraAATi from them, and Satan was permitted to rule them
according to his Anil. The horrible cruelties enacted in the
^Milman, "History of the Jews," book 16. ' Jer, 26:18.
»Hosea 13:9; 14:1.
36 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
destruction of Jerusalem are a demonstration of Satan's
vindictive power over those who yield to his control.
We cannot know how much we owe to Christ for the
peace and protection which we enjoy. It is the restraining
power of God thai prevents mankind from passing fully
under the control of Satan. The disobedient and unthank-
ful have great reason for gratitude for God's mercy and
long-suffering in holding in check the cruel, malignant power
of the evil one. But when men pass the limits of divine
forbearance, that restraint is removed. God does not stand
toward the sinner as an executioner of the sentence against
transgression; but He leaves the rejecters of His mercy to
themselves, to. reap that wliich they have sown. Every ray
of light rejected, every warning despised or unheeded, every
passion indulged, every transgression of the law of God, is
a seed sown, which yields its unfailing harvest. The Spirit
of God, persistently resisted, is at last withdrawn from the
sinner, and then there is left no power to control the evil
passions of the soul, and no protection from the malice and
enmity of Satan. The destruction of Jerusalem is a fearful
and solemn warning to all who are trifling with the offers of
divine grace, and resisting the pleadings of divine mercy.
Never was there given a more decisive testimony to God's
hatred of sin, and to the certain punishment that will fall
upon the guilty.
The Saviour's prophecy concerning the visitation of
judgments upon Jerusalem is to have another fulfilment,
of which that terrible desolation was but a faint shadow.
In the fate of the chosen city we may behold the doom of a
world that has rejected God's mercy and trampled upon His
law. Dark are the records of human misery that earth has
witnessed during its long centuries of crime. The heart
sickens and the mind grows faint in contemplation. Ter-
rible have been the results of rejecting the authority of
Heaven. But a scene yet darker is presented in the revela-
tions of the future. The records of the past, — the long
DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM 37
procession of tumults, conflicts, and revolutions, the "battle
of the warrior, with confused noise, and garments rolled in
blood, ' ' ' — what are these, in contrast with the terrors of that
day when the restraining Spirit of God shall be wholly with-
drawn from the wicked, no longer to hold in check the
outburst of human passion and satanic wrath ! The world
will then behold, as never before, the results of Satan's rule.
But in- that day, as in the time of Jerusalem's destruc-
tion, God's people will be delivered, "every one that shall
be found written among the living." Christ has declared
that He will come the second time, to gather His faithful
ones to Himself: "Then shall all the tribes of the earth
mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the
clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He
shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and
they shall gather together His elect from the four winds,
from one end of heaven to the other. ' ' ' Then shall they that
obey not the gospel be consumed with the spirit of His
mouth, and be destroyed with the brightness of His coming.*
Like Israel of old, the wicked destroy themselves; they fall
by their iniquity. By a life of sin, they have placed them-
selves so out of harmony with God, their natures have be-
come so debased with evil, that the manifestation of His
glory is to them a consuming fire.
Let men beware lest they neglect the lesson conveyed to
them in the words of Christ. As He warned His disciples of
Jerusalem's destruction, giving them a sign of the approach-
ing ruin, that they might make their escape; so He has
warned the world of the day of final destruction, and has
given them tokens of its approach, that all who will may
flee from the wrath to come. Jesus declares, "There shall
be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and
upon the earth distress of nations. ' ' * Those who behold
these harbingers of His coming are to "know that it is near,
.»Isa. 9:5. 'Matt. 24:30,31. *2 These. 2:8.
*Luke 21:25; Matt. 24:29; Mark 13:24-26; Rev. 6:12-17.
187181
38
THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
even at the doors. "^ "Watch ye therefore,"' are His words
of admonition. They that heed the warning shall not be
left in darkness, that that day should overtake them un-
awares. But to them that will not watch, "the day of the
Lord so cometh as a thief in the night". ' ' ^
The world is no more ready to credit the message for tliis
time than were the Jews to receive the Saviour's warning
concerning Jerusalem, Come when it may, the day of God
will come unawares to the ungodly. When life is going on
in its unvarying round; when men are absorbed in pleasure,
in business, in traffic, in money-making; when religious
leaders are magnifying the world's progress and enlighten-
ment, and the people are lulled in a false security, — then,
as the midnight thief steals within the unguarded dwelling,
so shall sudden destruction come upon the careless and
ungodly, "and they shall not escape. "^
•Matt. 24:33. = Mark 13:.35. '1 Thess. 5:2-5.
-=pm
?,"^
PERSECUTION IN THE FIRST CENTURIES -2
When Jesus revealed to His disciples the fate of Jerusa-
lem and the scenes of the second advent, He foretold also the
experience of His people from the time when He should be
taken from them, to His return in power and glory for their
deliverance. From Olivet the Sa\dour beheld the storms
about to fall upon the apostolic church; and penetrating
deeper into the future, His eye discerned the fierce, wasting
tempests that were to beat upon His followers in the coming
ages of darkness and persecution. In a few brief utterances
of awful significance, He foretold the portion which the
rulers of this world would mete out to the church of God.'
The followers of Christ must tread the same path of humilia-
tion, reproach, and suffering which their Master trod. The
enmity that burst forth against the world's Redeemer, would
be manifested against all who should believe on His name.
The history of the early church testified to the fulfilment
of the Saviour's words. The powers of earth and hell ar-
rayed themselves against Christ in the person of His follow-
ers. Paganism foresaw that should the gospel triumph,
her temples and altars would be swept away; therefore she
summoned her forces to destroy Christianity. The fires of
persecution were kindled. Christians were stripped of their
possessions, and driven from their homes. They "endured
a great fight of afflictions. "° They "had trial of cruel
^Matt. 24:9,21,22. = Heb. 10:32.
(39)
40 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and im-
prisonment. ' ' ' Great numbers sealed their testimony with
their blood. Noble and slave, rich and poor, learned and
ignorant, were alike slain without mercy.
These persecutions, beginning under Nero about the time
of the martyrdom of Paul, continued with greater or less
fury for centuries. Christians were falsely accused of the
most dreadful crimes, and declared to be the cause of great
calamities — famine, pestilence, and earthquake. As they
became the objects of popular hatred and suspicion, inform-
ers stood ready, for the sake of gain, to betray the innocent.
They were condemned as rebels against the empire, as foes
of religion, and pests to society. Great numbers were
thrown to wild beasts or burned alive in the amphitheaters.
Some were crucified; others were covered with the skins
of wild animals, and thrust into the arena to be torn by
dogs. Their punishment was often made the chief enter-
tainment at public fetes. Vast multitudes assembled to
enjoy the sight, and greeted their dying agonies with
laughter and applause.
Wherever they sought refuge, the followers of Christ
were hunted like beasts of prey. They were forced to seek
concealment in desolate and solitary places. "Destitute, af-
flicted, tormented; (of whom the world was not worthy:)
they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens
and caves of the earth.'" The catacombs afforded shelter
for thousands. Beneath the liills outside the city of Rome,
long galleries had been tunneled through earth and rock;
the dark and intricate network of passages extended for
miles beyond the city walls. In these underground retreats,
the followers of Christ buried their dead; and here also,
when suspected and proscribed, they found a home. Wlien
the Lifegiver shall awaken those who have fought the good
fight, many a martyr for Christ's sake will come forth from
those gloomy caverns.
»Heb. 11:36-38.
PERSECUTION IN THE FIRST CENTURIES 41
Under the fiercest persecution, these witnesses for Jesus
kept their faith unsullied. Though deprived of every com-
fort, shut away from the light of the sun, making their
home in the dark but friendly bosom of the earth, they
uttered no complaint. With words of faith, patience, and
hope, they encouraged one another to endure privation and
distress. The loss of every earthly blessing could not force
them to renounce their belief in Christ. Trials and perse-
cution were but steps bringing them nearer their rest and
their reward.
Like God's servants of old, many were "tortured, not
accepting deliverance ; that they might obtain a better resur-
rection. "' These called to mind the words of their Master,
that when persecuted for Christ's sake, they were to be
exceeding glad, for great would be their reward in heaven ;
for so the prophets had been persecuted before them. They
rejoiced that they were accounted worthy to suffer for the
truth, and songs of triumph ascended from the midst of
crackling flames. Looking upward by faith, they saw Christ
and angels leaning over the battlements of heaven, gazing
upon them with the deepest interest, and regarding their
steadfastness with approval. A voice came down to them
from the throne of God, "Be thou faithful unto death,
and I will give thee a crown of life. "°
In vain were Satan's efforts to destroy the church of
Christ by violence. The great controversy in which the
disciples of Jesus yielded up their lives, did not cease when
these faithful standard-bearers fell at their post. By defeat
they conquered. God's workmen were slain, but His work
went steadily forward. The gospel continued to spread, and
the number of its adherents to increase. It penetrated into
regions that were inaccessible, even to the eagles of Rome.
Said a Christian, expostulating with the heathen rulers who
were urging forward the persecution: You may "kill us,
torture us, condemn us. . . . Your injustice is the proof
*Heb. 11:35. *Rev. 2:10:
42 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
that we are innocent. , . . Nor does your cruelty . . .
avail you.'' It was but a stronger invitation to bring
others to their persuasion. "The oftener we are mown
dovm by you, the more in number we grow; the blood of
Christians is seed. ' ' ^
Thousands were imprisoned and slain; but others sprung
up to fill their places. And those who were martyred for
their faith were secured to Christ, and accounted of Him as
conquerors. They had fought the good fight, and they were
to receive the crowTi of glory when Christ should come.
The sufferings which they endured brought Christians nearer
to one another and to their Redeemer. Their living example
and dying testimony were a constant witness for the truth;
and where least expected, the subjects of Satan were leaving
his service, and enlisting under the banner of Christ,
Satan therefore laid his plans to war more successfully
against the government of God, by planting his banner in
the Christian church. If the followers of Christ could be
deceived, and led to displease God, then their strength,
fortitude, and firmness would fail, and they would fall
an easy prey.
The great adversary now endeavored to gain by artifice
what he had failed to secure by force. Persecution ceased,
and in its stead were substituted the dangerous allurements
of temporal prosperity and worldly honor. Idolaters were
led to receive a part of the Christian faith, while they
rejected other essential truths. They professed to accept
Jesus as the Son of God, and to believe in His death and
resurrection; but they had no conviction of sin, and felt
no need of repentance or of a change of heart. "With some
concessions on their part, they proposed that Christians
should make concessions, that all might unite on the plat-
form of belief in Christ.
Now the church was in fearful peril. Prison, torture,
fire, and sword were blessings in comparison with this.
Some of the Christians stood firm, declaring that they could
> TertulliaB 's ^'Apology," par. 50 (ed. T. ami T. Clark, 1869).
PERSECUTION IN THE FIRST CENTURIES 43
make no compromise. Others were in favor of yielding or
modifying some features of their faith, and uniting with
those who had accepted a part of Christianity, urging that
this might be the means of their full conversion. That was
a time of deep anguish to the faithful followers of Christ.
Under a cloak of pretended Christianity, Satan was insinu-
ating himself into the church, to corrupt their faith, and
turn their minds from the word of truth.
Most of the Christians at last consented to lower their
standard, and a union was formed between Christianity and
paganism. Although the worshipers of idols professed to be
converted, and united with the church, they still clung to
their idolatry, only changing the objects of their worship to
images of Jesus, and even of J\Iary and the saints. The foul
leaven of idolatry, thus brouglit into the church, continued
its baleful work. Unsound doctrines, superstitious rites,
and idolatrous ceremonies were incorporated into her faith
and worship. As the followers of Christ united with idol-
aters, the Christian religion became corrupted, and the
church lost her purity and power. There were some, how-
ever, who were not misled by these delusions. They stilt
maintained their fidelity to the Author of truth, and wor-
shiped God alone.
There have ever been two classes among those who pro-
fess to be followers of Christ. While one class study the
Saviour's life, and earnestly seek to correct their defects
and conform to tlie Pattern, the other class shun the plain,
practical truths which expose their errors. Even in her best
estate, the church was not composed wholly of the true, pure,
and sincere. Our Saviour taught that those who wilfully
indulge in sin are not to be received into the church ; yet lie
connected with Himself men who were faulty in character,
and granted them the benefits of His teachings and example,
that they might have an opportunity to see their errors and
correct them. Among the twelve apostles was a traitor.
44 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
Judas was accepted, not because of his defects of character,
but notwithstanding them. He Avas connected with the
disciples, thf^t, through the instruction and example of
Christ, he might learn what constitutes Christian character,
and thus be led to see his errors, to repent, and by the aid
of divine grace, to purify his soul *'in obeying the truth."
But Judas did not walk in the light so graciously permitted
to shine upon him. By indulgence in sin, he invited the
temptations of Satan. His evil traits of eliaracter became
predominant. He yielded his mind to the control of the
powers of darkness, he became angry when his faults were
reproved, and thus he was led to commit the fearful crime
of betraying his Master. So do all who cherish evil under
a profession of godliness hate those who disturb their peace
by condemning their course of sin. When a favorable op-
portunity is presented, they will, like Judas, betray those
who for their good have sought to reprove them.
The apostles encountered those in the church who pro-
fessed godliness while they were secretly cherishing iniquity.
Ananias and Sapphira acted the part of deceivers, pretend-
ing to make an entire sacrifice for God, when they were
covetously withholding a portion for themselves. The Spirit
of truth revealed to the apostles the real character of these
pretenders, and the judgments of God rid the church of this
foul blot upon its purity. This signal evidence of the
discernipg Spirit of Christ in the church was a terror to
hypocrites and evil-doers. They could not long remain in
connection with those who were, in habit and disposition,
constant representatives of Christ; and as trials and perse-
cution came upon His followers, those only who were willing
to forsake all for the truth's sake desired to become His dis-
ciples. Thus, as long as persecution continued, the church
remained comparatively pure. But as it ceased, converts
were added who were less sincere and devoted, and the way
was opened for Satan to obtain a foothold.
PERSECUTION IN THE FIRST CENTURIES 45
But there is no union between the Prince of light and
the prince of darkness, and there can be no union between
their followers. When Christians consented to unite with
those who were but half converted from paganism, they
entered upon a path which led farther and farther from the
truth, Satan exulted that he had succeeded in deceiving
so large a number of the followers of Christ. He then
brought his power to bear more fully upon these, and
inspired them to persecute those who remained true to God.
None understood so well how to oppose the true Christian
faith as did those who had once been its defenders; and
these apostate Christians, uniting with their half-pagan
companions, directed their warfare against the most essen- ,
tial features of the doctrines of Christ.
It required a desperate struggle for those who would
be faithful to stand firm against the deceptions and abomi-
nations which were disguised in sacerdotal garments and
introduced into the church. The Bible was not accepted as
the standard of faith. The doctrine of religious freedom
was termed heresy, and its upholders were hated and pro-
scribed.
After a long and severe conflict, the faithful few decided
to dissolve all union wth the apostate church if she still
refused to free herself from falsehood and idolatry. They
saw that separation was an absolute necessity if they would
obey the word of God. They dared not tolerate errors fatal
to their own souls, and set an example wliich would imperil
the faith of their children and children's children. .To
secure peace and unity they were ready to make any con-
cession consistent with fidelity to God; but they felt that
even peace would be too dearly purchased at the sacrifice of
principle. If unity could be secured only by the compro-
mise of truth and righteousness, then let there be difference,
and even war.
46 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
Well would it be for the church and the world if the
principles that actuated those steadfast souls were revived in
the hearts of God's professed people. '^ There is an alarming
indifference in regard to the doctrines which are the pillars
of the Christian faith. ' The opinion is gaining ground, that,
after all, these are not of vital importance. This degeneracy
is strengthening the hands of the agents of Satan, so that
false theories and fatal delusions which the faithful in ages
past imperiled their lives to resist and expose, are now
regarded with favor by thousands who claim to be followers
of Christ.
The early Christians were indeed a peculiar people.
Their blameless deportment and unswerving faith were a
continual reproof that disturbed the sinner's peace. Though
few in numbers, without wealth, position, or honorary titles,
they were a terror to evil-doers wherever their character
and doctrines were knoMH. Therefore they were hated by
the wicked, even as Abel was hated by the ungodly Cain.
For the same reason that Cain slew Abel, did those who
sought to throw off the restraint of the Holy Spirit, put to
death God's people. It was for the same reason that the
Jews rejected and crucified the Saviour, — because the purity
and holiness of His character was a constant rebuke to their
selfishness and corruption. From the days of Christ until
now. His faithful disciples have excited the hatred and
opposition of those who love and follow the ways of sin.
How, then, can the gospel be called a message of peace?
When Isaiah foretold the birth of the Messiah, he ascribed
to Him the title, "Prince of Peace." When angels an-
nounced to the shepherds that Christ was born, they sung
above the plains of Bethlehem, "Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace, good will toward men. ' ' ' There is a
seeming contradiction between these prophetic declarations
and the words of Christ, "I came not to send peace, but a
sword."' But rightly understood, the two are in perfect
^Luke 2:14. ^^ Matt. 10:34.
PERSECUTION IN THE FIRST CENTURIES 47
harmony. The gospel is a message of peace. Christianity is
a system, which, received and obeyed, would spread peace,
harmony, and happiness throughout the earth. The religion
of Christ will unite in close brotherhood all who accept its
teachings. It was the mission of Jesus to reconcile men to
God, and thus to one another. But the world at large are
under the control of Satan, Christ's bitterest foe. The gos-
pel presents to them principles of life which are wholly at
variance with their habits and desires, and they rise in
rebellion against it. They hate the purity which reveals and
condemns their sins, and they persecute and destroy those
who would urge upon them its just and holy claims. It is
in this sense — because the exalted truths it brings, occa-
sion hatred and strife — that the gospel is called a sword.
The mysterious providence which permits the righteous
to suffer persecution at the hand of the wicked, has been a
cause of great perplexity to many who are weak in faith.
Some are even ready to cast away their confidence in God,
because He suffers the basest of men to prosper, while the
best and purest are afflicted and tormented by their cruel
power. How, it is asked, can One who is just and merciful,
and who is also infinite in power, tolerate such injustice and
oppression? This is a question with which we have notliing
to do. God has given us sufficient evidence of His love, and
we are not to doubt His goodness because we cannot under-
stand the workings of His providence. Said the Saviour to
His disciples, foreseeing the doubts that would press upon
their souls in days of trial and darkness: "Remember the
word that I said unto you. The servant is not greater than
his lord. If they have persecuted ]\le, they will also perse-
cute you. ' ' ' Jesus suffered for us more than any of His
followers can be made to suffer through the cruelty of wicked
men. Those who are called to endure torture and martyr-
dom, are but following in the steps of God's dear Son.
»John 15:20.
48 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
"The Lord is not slack concerning His promise."* He
does not forget or neglect His children; but He permits the
wicked to reveal their true character, that none who desire
to do His will may be deceived concerning them. Again,
the righteous are placed in the furnace of affliction, that they
themselves may be purified; tha.t their example may con-
vince others of the reality of faith and godliness; and also
that their consistent course may condemn the ungodly and
unbelieving.
God permits the wicked to prosper, and to reveal their
enmity against Him, that when they shall have filled up the
measure of their iniquity, all may see His justice and mercy
in their utter destruction. The day of His vengeance hastens,
when all who have transgressed His law and oppressed His
people will meet the just recompense of their deeds; when
every act of cruelty or injustice toward God's faithful ones
will be punished as though done to Christ Himself.
There is another and more important question that
should engage the attention of the churches of to-day.
The apostle Paul declares that "all that will live godly
in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.'"' Why is it,
then, that persecution seems in a great degree to slumber?
The only reason is, that the church has conformed to the
world's standard, and therefore awakens no opposition.
The religion which is current in our day is not of the pure
and holy character that marked the Christian faith in the
days of Christ and His apostles. It is only because of
the spirit of compromise vnth sin, because the great truths
of the word of God are so indifferently regarded, because
there is so little vital godliness in the church, that Chris-
tianity is apparently so popular with the Morld. Let there
be a re\aval of the faith and power of the early church, and
the spirit of persecution will be revived, and the fires
of persecution will be rekindled.
^2 Peter 3:9. *2 Tim. 3:12.
THE APOSTASY -3
The apostle Paul, in his second letter to the Thessa-
lonians, foretold the great apostasy which would result in
the establishment of the papal power. He declared that the
day of Christ should not come, "except there come a falling
ttway first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of per-
dition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is
called God, or that is worshiped; so that he as God sitteth
in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. ' ' *
And furthermore, the apostle warns his brethren that "the
mystery of iniquity doth already work. ' ' ' Even at that
early date he saw, creeping into the church, errors that
would prepare the way for the development of the papacy.
Little by little, at first in stealth and silence, and then
more openly as it increased in strength and gained control
of the minds of men, the mystery of iniquity carried for-
ward its deceptive and blasphemous work. Almost imper-
ceptibly the customs of heathenism found their way into
the Christian church. The spirit of compromise and con-
formity was restrained for a time by the fierce persecutions
which the church endured under paganism. But as perse-
cution ceased, and Christianity entered the courts and pal-
aces of kings, she laid aside the humble simplicity of Christ
and His apostles for the pomp and pride of pagan priests
and rulers; and in place of the requirements of God, she
substituted human theories and traditions. The nominal
»2 Thess. 2:3,4,7.
(49)
50 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
conversion of Constantine, in the early part of the fourth
century, caused great rejoicing; and the world, cloaked
with a form of righteousness, walked into the church.
Now the work of corruption rapidly progressed. Paganism,
while appearing to be vanquished, became the conqueror.
Her spirit controlled the church. Her doctrines, cere-
monies, and superstitions were incorporated into the faith
and worship of the professed followers of Christ.
This compromise between paganism and Christianity
resulted in the development of the "man of sin" foretold
in prophecy as opposing and exalting himself above God.
That gigantic system of false religion is a masterpiece of
Satan's power, — a monument of his efforts to seat himself
upon the throne to rule the earth according to his will.
Satan once endeavored to form a compromise with
Christ. He came to the Son of God in the wilderness of
temptation, and showing Him all the kingdoms of the world
and the glory of them, offered to give all into His hands if
He would but acknowledge the supremacy of the prince of
darkness. Christ rebuked the presumptuous tempter, and
forced him to depart. But Satan meets with greater success
in presenting the same temptations to man. To secure
worldly gains and honors, the church was led to seek the
favor and support of the great men of earth; and having
thus rejected Christ, she was induced to yield allegiance
to the representative of Satan, — the bishop of Rome.
It is one of the leading doctrines of Romanism that the
pope is the visible head of the universal church of Christ,
invested with supreme authority over bishops and pastors
in all parts of the world. More than this, the pope has
been given the very titles of Deity. He has been styled
"Lord God the Pope,'" and has been declared infallible.
He demands the homage of all men. The same claim
urged by Satan in the wilderness of temptation, is still
urged by him through the Church of Rome, and vast
numbers are ready to yield him homage.
* See Appendix.
THE APOSTASY 51-
But those who fear and reverence God meet this Heaven-
daring assumption as Christ met the solicitations of the
wily foe : ' ' Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him
only shalt thou serve.'" God .has never given a hint in His
word that He has appointed any man to be the head of
the church. The doctrine of papal supremacy is directly
opposed to tlie teachings of the Scriptures. The pope can
have no power over Christ's church except by usurpation.
Romanists have persisted in bringing against Protestants
the charge of heresy, and wilful separation from the true
church. But these accusations apply rather to themselves.
They are the ones who laid down the banner of Christ, and
departed from ''the faith which was once delivered unto
the saints. ' ' ^
Satan well knew that the Holy Scriptures would enable
men to discern his deceptions and withstand his power. It
was by the Word that even the Saviour of the world had
resisted his attacks. At every assault, Christ presented the
, shield of eternal truth, saying, "It is written." To every
suggestion of the adversary, He opposed the wisdom and
power of the Word. In order for Satan to maintain his
sway over men, and establish the authority of the papal
usurper, he must keep them in ignorance of the Scriptures.
The Bible would exalt God, and place finite men in their
true position ; therefore its sacred truths must be concealed
and suppressed. This logic was adopted by the Roman
Churcli. For hundreds of years the circulation of the Bible
was prohibited. The people were forbidden to read it or to
have it in their houses, and unprincipled priests and prel-
ates interpreted its teachings to sustain tlieir ]>ret('usions.
Thus the pope came to be almost universally acknowledged
as the vicegerent of God on earth, endowed with authority
over church and state.
The detector of error having been removed, Satan worked
according to his will. Prophecy had declared that the
papacy was to "tliink to change times and laws."' This
•Luke 4:8. 'Jude3. » Dan. 7:25.
52 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
work it was not slow to attempt. To afford converts from
heathenism a substitute for the worship of idols, and thus
to promote their nominal acceptance of Christianity, the
adoration of images and relics was gradually introduced into
the Christian worship. The decree of a general council '
finally established this system of idolatry. To complete the
sacrilegious work, Rome presumed to expunge from the law
of God the second commandment, forbidding image worship,
and to divide the tenth commandment, in order to preserve
the number.
The spirit of concession to paganism opened the way for
a still further disregard of Heaven's authority. Satan,
working through unconsecrated leaders of the church, tam-
pered with the fourth commandment also, and essayed to set
aside the ancient Sabbath, the day which God had blessed
and sanctified,* and in its stead to exalt the festival observed
by the heathen as "the venerable day of the sun." This
change was not at first attempted openly. In the first cen-
turies the true Sabbath had been kept by all Christians.
They were jealous for the honor of God, and believing that
His law is immutable, they zealously guarded the sacredness
of its precepts. But with great subtlety, Satan worked
through his agents to bring about his object. That the atten-
tion of the people might be called to the Sunday, it was
made a festival in honor of the resurrection of Christ. Relig-
ious services were held upon it ; yet it was regarded as a day
of recreation, the Sabbath being still sacredly observed.
To prepare the way for the work which he designed to
accomplish, Satan had led the Jews, before the advent of
Christ, to load down the Sabbath with the most rigorous
exactions, making its observance a burden. Now, taking
advantage of the false light in which he had thus caused
it to be regarded, he cast contempt upon it as a Jewish
institution. While Christians generally continued to observe
the Sunday as a joyous festival, he led them, in order to
>See Appendix. 'Gen. 2:2,3.
THE APOSTASY 53
show their hatred of Judaism, to make tlie Sabbath a fast,
a day of sadness and gloom.
In the early part of the fourth century, the emperor
Constantine issued a decree making Sunday a public fes-
tival throughout the Roman empire/ The day of the sun
was reverenced by his pagan subjects, and was honored by
Christians; it was the emperor's policy to unite the con^
flicting interests of heathenism and Christianity. He was
urged to do this by the bishops of the church, who, inspired
by ambition and thirst for power, perceived that if the
same day was observed by both Christians and heathen, it
would promote the nominal acceptance of Christianity by
pagans, and thus advance the power and glory of the church.
But while many God-fearing Christians were gradually led
to regard Sunday as possessing a degree of sacredness, they
still held the true Sabbath as the holy of the Lord, and
observed it in obedience to the fourth commandment.
The arch-deceiver had not completed his work. lie was
resolved to gather the Christian world under his banner,
and to exercise his power through his vicegerent, the proud
pontiff who claimed to be the representative of Christ.
Through half-converted pagans, ambitious prelates, and
world-loving churchmen, he accomplished his purpose. Vast
councils were held from time to time, in which the dig-
nitaries of the church were convened from all the world.
In nearly every council the Sabbath which God had insti-
tuted was pressed down a little lower,- while tiie Sunday
was correspondingly exalted. Tiuis the pagan festival came
finally to be honored as a divine institution, while the Bible
Sabbath was pronounced a relic of Judaism, and its ob-
servers were declared to be accursed.
The great apostate had succeeded in exalting himself
"above all that is called God, or that is worshiped."* He
had dared to change the only precept of tlie divine law that
unmistakably points all mankind to the true and living
God. In the fourth commandment, God is revealed as the
' See Appendix. " 2 Thess. 2 -A.
54 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
Creator of the heavens and the earth, and is thereby dis-
tinguished from all false gods. It was as a memorial of
the work of creation that the seventh day was sanctified
as a rest-day for man. It was designed to keep the living
God ever before the minds of men as the source of being
and the object of reverence and worship. Satan strives to
turn men from their allegiance to God, and from rendering
obedience to His law; therefore he directs his efforts espe-
cially against that commandment which points to God as
the Creator.
Protestants now urge that the resurrection of Christ on
Sunday made it the Cliristian Sabbath. But Scripture evi-
dence is lacking. No such honor was given to the day by
Christ or His apostles. The observance of Sunday as a
Christian institution had its origin in that "mystery of
lawlessness ' ' ' which, even in Paul 's day, had begun its
work. Where and when did the Lord adopt this child of
the papacy? What valid reason can be given for a change
which the Scriptures" do not sanction?
In the sixth century the papacy had become firmly estab-
lished. Its seat of power was fixed in the imperial city,
and the bishop of Rome was declared to be the head over
the entire church. Paganism had given place to the papacy.
The dragon had given to the beast "his power, and his
seat, and great authority."" And now began the 1260
years of papal oppression foretold in the prophecies of
Daniel and the Revelation." Christians were forced to
choose either to yield their integrity and accept the papal
ceremonies and worship, or to wear away their lives in dun-
geons or suffer death by the rack, the fagot, or the heads-
man's axe. Now were fulfilled the words of Jesus: "Ye
shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kins-
folks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be
put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for My
name's sake,"^ Persecution opened upon the faithful with
greater fury than ever before, and the world became a vast
'2 Thess. 2:7, E, V. 'Kev. 13:2; see Appendix,
'Dan, 7:25; Eev. 13:5-7. 'Luke 21:16, 17.
THE APOSTASY 66
battle-field. For hundreds of years the church of Christ
found refuge in seclusion and obscurity. Thus says the
prophet: "The woman fled into the wilderness, where she
hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her
there a thousand two hundred and threescore days. ' ' *
The accession of the Roman Church to power marked the
beginning of the Dark Ages. As her power increased,
the darkness deepened. Faith was transferred from Christ,
the true foundation, to the pope of Rome. Instead of trust-
ing in the Son of God for forgiveness of sins and for eternal
salvation, the people looked to the pope, and to the priests
and prelates to whom he delegated authority. They were
taught that the pope was their earthly mediator, and that
none could approach God except through him ; and further,
that he stood in the place of God to them, and was there-
fore to be implicitly obeyed. A deviation from his require-
ments was sufficient cause for the severest punishment to
be visited upon the bodies and souls of the offenders. Thus
the minds of the people were turned away from God to
fallible, erring, and cruel men, nay, more, to the prince of
darkness himself, who exercised his power through them.
Sin was disguised in a garb of sanctity. When the Scrip-
tures are suppressed, and man comes to regard himself as
supreme, we need look only for fraud, deception, and
debasing iniquity. "With the elevation of human laws and
traditions, was manifest the corruption that ever results
from setting aside the law of God.
Those were days of peril for the church of Christ. The
faithful standard-bearers were few indeed. Though the
truth was not left without witnesses, yet at times it seemed
that error and superstition would wholly prevail, and true
religion M''0uld be bani.shed from the earth. The gospel was
lost sight of, but the forms of religion were multiplied, and
the people were burdened with rigorous exactions.
They were taught not only to look to the pope as tlieii-
mediator, I TuFto trust JtQ.. .works of their owri to atone for sin^ »
Long pilgrimages, acts of penance, the worship of relics,
' Rev. 12:6.
66 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
the erection of churches, shrines, and altars, the payment
of large sums to the church, — these and many similar acts
were enjoined to appease the wrath of God or to secure His
favor; as if God were like men, to be angered at trifles,
or pacified by gifts or acts of penance!
Notwithstanding that vice prevailed, even among the
leaders of the Roman Church, her influence seemed steadily
to increase. About the close of the eighth century, papists
put forth the claim that in the first ages of the church the
bishops of Rome had possessed the same spiritual power
which they now assumed. To establish this claim, some
means must be employed to give it a show of authority;
and this was readily suggested by the father of lies.
Ancient writings were forged by monks. Decrees of coun-
cils before unheard of, were discovered, establishing the
universal supremacy of the pope from the earliest times.
And a church that had rejected the truth, greedily ac-
cepted these deceptions.*
The few faithful builders upon tlie true foundation *
were perplexed and hindered, as the rubbish of false doc-
trine obstructed the work. Like the builders upon the wall
of Jerusalem in Nehemiah's day, some were ready to say,
"The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and
there is much rubbish ; so that Ave are not able to build. ' ' *
"Wearied with the constant struggle against persecution,
fraud, iniquity, and every other obstacle that Satan could
devise to hinder their progress, some who had been faithful
builders became disheartened; and for the sake of peace and
security for their property and their lives, they turned away
from the true foundation. Others, undaunted by the oppo-
sition of their enemies, fearlessly declared, "Be not ye afraid
of them : remember the Lord, which is great and terrible ; " *
and they proceeded with the work, every one with his
sword girded by his side.*
The same spirit of hatred and opposition to the truth
has inspired the enemies of God in every age, 'and the same
' See Appendix. «1 Cor. 3:10, 11. ^Neh. 4:10, 14.
*Eph. 6:17.
THE APOSTASY 57
vigilance and fidelity have been required in His servants.
The words of Christ to the first disciples are applicable to
His followers to the close of time: "What I say unto you
I say unto all, Watch. ' ' *
The darkness seemed to grow more dense. Image wor-
ship became more general. Candles were burned before
images, and prayers were offered to them. The most ab-
surd and superstitious customs prevailed. The minds of
men were so completely controlled by superstition that rea-
son itself seemed to have lost its sway. While priests and
bishops were themselves pleasure-loving, sensual, and cor-
rupt, it could only be expected that the people who looked
to them for guidance would be sunken in ignorance and vice.
Another step in papal assumption was taken, when, in
the eleventh century, Pope Gregory VII. proclaimed the
perfection of the Roman Church. Among the propositions
which he put forth, was one declaring that the church had
never erred, nor would it ever err, according to the Scrip-
tures. But the Scripture proofs did not accompany the
assertion. The proud pontiff also claimed the power to
depose emperors, and declared that no sentence which he
pronounced could be reversed by any one, but that it was
his prerogative to reverse the decisions of all others.*
A striking illustration of the tyrannical character of this
advocate of infallibility was given in his treatment of the
German emperor, Henry IV. For presuming to disregard
the pope's authority, this monarch was declared to be ex-
communicated and dethroned. Terrified by the desertion
and threats of his own princes, who were encouraged in
rebellion against him by the papal mandate, Henry felt the
necessity of making his peace with Rome. In company
with his wife and a faithful servant, he crossed the Alps in
midwinter, that he might humble himself before the pope.
Upon reaching the castle whither Gregory had withdrawn,
he was conducted, without his guards, into an outer court,
and there, in the severe cold of winter, with uncovered head
•Mark 13:37. »See Appendix.
68 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
and naked feet, and in a miserable dress, he awaited the
pope's permission to come into his presence. Not until he
had continued three daj^s fasting and making confession,
did the pontiff condescend to grant him pardon. Even
then it was only upon condition that the emperor should
await the sanction of the pope before resuming the insignia
or exercising the power of royalty. And Gregory, elated
with his triumph, boasted that it was his duty to pull
down the pride of kings.
How striking the contrast between the overbearing pride
of this haughty pontiff and the meekness and gentleness of
Clirist, who represents Himself as pleading at the door of
the heart for admittance, that He may come in to bring
pardon and peace, and who taught His disciples, "Whoso-
ever will be chief among you, let him be your servant. ' ' *
The advancing centuries witnessed a constant increase of
error in the doctrines j)ut forth from Rome. Even before
the establishment of the papacy, tlie teachings of heathen
philosophers had received attention and exerted an influ-
enee in the church. Many who professed conversion still
clung to the tenets of their pagan philosophy, and not
only continued its study themselves, but urged it upon
others as a means of extending their influence among the
heathen. Serious errors were thus -introduced into the
Christian faith. Prominent among these was the belief in
man's natural immortality and his consciousness in death.
This doctrine laid the foundation upon which Rome estab-
lished the invocation of saints and the adoration of the
Virgin Mary. From this sprung also the heresy of eternal
torment for the finally impenitent, which was early incor-
porated into the papal faith.
Then the way was prepared for the introduction of still
another invention of paganism, which Rome named purga-
tory, and employed to terrify the credulous and supersti-
tious multitudes. By this heresy is affirmed the existence
of a place of torment, in which the souls of such as have
*Matt. 20:27.
THE APOSTASY 89
not merited eternal damnation are to suffer punishment
for their sins, and from which, when freed from impurity,
they are admitted to heaven.'
Still another fabrication was needed to enable Rome to
profit by the fears and the vices of her adherents. This was
supplied by the doctrine of indulgences. Full remission of
sins, past, present, and future, and release from all the pains
and penalties incurred, were promised to all who Sv^ould
enlist in the pontiff's wars to extend his temporal dominion,
to punish his enemies, or to exterminate those who dared
deny his spiritual supremacy. The people were also taught
that by the paj^ment of money to the church they might free
themselves from sin, and also release the souls of their
deceased friends who were confined in the tormenting flames.
By such means did Rome fill her coffers, and sustain the
magnificence, luxury, and vice of the pretended representa-
tives of Him who had not where to lay His head.'
The scriptural ordinance of the Lord's supper had been
supplanted by the idolatrous sacrifice of the mass. Papal
priests pretended, by their senseless mummery, to convert
the simple l)read and wine into the actual "body and
blood of Clirist."" With blasphemous presumption, they
openly claimed the power of creating God, the Creator of
all things. Christians were required, on pain of death, to
avow their faith in this horrible. Heaven-insulting heresy.
Multitudes who refused were given to the flames/
In the thirteenth century was established that most ter-
rible of all the engines of the papacy, — the Inquisition.
The prince of darkness wrought with the leaders of the
papal hierarchy. In their secret councils, Satan and his
angels controlled the minds of evil men, while unseen in the
midst stood an angel of God, taking the fearful record of
their iniquitous decrees, and writing the history of deeds
too horrible to appear to human eyes. "Babylon the great"
was "drunken with the blood of the saints." The mangled
■ forms of millions of martyrs cried to God for vengeance
upon that apostate power.
'See Appendix. * Cardinal Wiseman's Locturps on "The Real
Presence," Lecture 8, sec. 3, par. 26.
60 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
Popery had become the world's despot. Kings and emper-
ors bowed to the decrees of the Roman pontiff. The destinies
of men, both for time and for eternity, seemed under his con-
trol. For hundreds of years the doctrines of Rome had been
extensively and implicitly received, its rites reverently per-
formed, its festivals generally observed. Its clergy were hon-
ored and liberally sustained. Never since has the Roman
Church attained to greater dignity, magnificence, or power.
But ''the noon of the papacy was the midnight of the
world."* The Holy Scriptures were almost unknown, not
only to the people, but to the priests. Like the Pharisees of
old, the papal leaders hated the light which would reveal
their sins. God's law, the standard of righteou.sness, having
been removed, they exercised power without limit, and prac-
tised vice without restraint. Fraud, avarice, and profligacy
prevailed. Men shrank from no crime by which they could
gain wealth or position. The palaces of popes and prelates
were scenes of the vilest debauchery. Some of the reigning
pontiffs were guilty of crimes so revolting that secular rulers
endeavored to depose tliese dignitaries of the church as
monsters too vile to be tolerated. For centuries Europe had
made no progress in learning, arts, or civilization. A moral
and intellectual paralysis had fallen upon Christendom.
The condition of the world under the Romish power pre-
sented a fearful and striking fulfilment of the words of the
prophet Hosea: "My people are destroyed for lack of knowl-
edge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, 1 will also
reject thee : . . . seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy
God, I wall also forget thy children." "There is no truth,
nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. By swear-
ing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing
adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood."*
Such were the results of banishing the word of God.
* WyKe, " History of Protestantism/' book 1, chap 4.
^^ Hosea 4:6,1,2.
THE WALDENSES-4
Amid the gloom that settled upon the earth during the
long period of papal supremacy, the light of truth could not
be wholly extinguished. In every age there were witnesses
for God, — men who cherished faith in Christ as the only
mediator between God and man, who held the Bible as the
only rule of life, and who hallowed the true Sabbath. How
much the world owes to these men, posterity will never
know. They were branded as heretics, their motives im-
pugned, their characters maligned, their writings suppressed,
misrepresented, or mutilated. Yet they stood firm, and
from age to age maintained their faith in its purity, as a
sacred heritage for the generations to come.
The history of God's people during the ages of darkness
that followed upon Rome's supremacy, is written in heaven,
but they have little place in human records. Few traces
of their existence can be found, except in the accusations
of their persecutors. It was the policy of Rome to obliter-
ate every trace of dissent from her doctrines or decrees.
Everything heretical, whether persons or writings, she
sought to destroy. Expressions of doubt, or questions as to
the authority of papal dogmas, were enough to forfeit the
life of rich or poor, high or low. Rome endeavored also to
destroy every record of her cruelty toward dissenters. Papal
councils decreed that books and writings containing such
(61)
62 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
records should be committed to the flames. Before the in-
vention of printing, books were few in number, and in a form
not favorable for preservation - therefore there was little to
prevent the Romanists from carrying out their purpose.
No church within the limits of Romish jurisdiction was
long left undisturbed in the enjoyment of freedom of con-
science. No sooner had the papacy obtained power than
she stretched out her arms to crush all that refused to
acknowledge her sway; and one after another, the churches
submitted to her dominion.
In Great Britain, primitive Christianity had very early
taken root. The gospel received bj' the Britons in the
first centuries, was then uncorrupted by Romish apostasy.
Persecution from pagan emperors, which extended even to
these far-off shores, was the only gift that the first churches
of Britain received from Rome. Many of the Christians,
fleeing from persecution in England, found refuge in
Scotland; thence the truth was carried to Ireland, and in
all these countries it was received with gladness.
"When the Saxons invaded Britain, heathenism gained
control. The conquerors disdained to be instructed by their
slaves, and the Christians were forced to retreat to the
mountains and the wild moors. Yet the light, hidden for
a time, continued to burn. In Scotland, a century later,
it shone out with a briglitness that extended to far-distant
lands. From Ireland came the pious Columba and his co-
laborers, who, gathering about them the scattered believers
on the lonely island of lona, made this the center of their
missionary labors. Among these evangelists was an ob-
server of the Bible Sabbath, and thus this truth was intro-
duced among the people. A school was established at lona,
from which missionaries went out, not only to Scotland and
England, but to Germany, Switzerland, and even Italy.
But Rome had fixed her eyes on Britain, and resolved
to bring it under her supremacy. In the sixth century
her missionaries undertook the conversion of the heathen
THE WALBENSES 63
Saxons. They were received with favor by the proud bar-
barians, and they induced many thousands to profess the
Romish faith. As the work progressed, the papal leaders
and their converts encountered the primitive Christians.
A striking contrast was presented. The latter were simple,
humble, and scriptural in character, doctrine, and manners,
while the former manifested the superstition, pomp, and
arrogance of popery. The emissary of Rome demanded
that these Christian churches acknowledge the supremacy
of the sovereign pontiff. The Britons meekly replied that
they desired to love all men, but that the pope was not
entitled to supremacy in the church, and they could render
to him only that submission which was due to every follower
of Christ. Repeated attempts were made to secure their
allegiance to Rome; but these humble Christians, amazed
at the pride displayed by her emissaries, steadfastly replied
that they knew no other master than Christ. Now the true
spirit of the papacy was revealed. Said the Romish leader:
"If you will not receive brethren who bring you peace, you
shall receive enemies M^ho will bring you war. If you will
not unite with us in showing the Saxons the way of life,
you shall receive from them the stroke of death. ' ' ' These
were no idle threats. "War, intrigue, and deception were
employed against these witnesses for a Bible faith, until the
churches of Britain were destroyed, or forced to submit to
the authority of the pope.
In lands beyond the jurisdiction of Rome, there existed
for many centuries bodies of Christians who remained al-
most wholly free from papal corruption. They were sur-
rounded by heathenism, and in the lapse of ages were
affected by its errors ; but they continued to regard the Bible
as the only rule of faith, and adhered to many of its truths.
These Christians believed in the perpetuity of the law of
God, and observed the Sabbath of the fourth command-
ment. Churches that held to this faith and practice, existed
in Central Africa and among the Armenians of Asia.
* D'Aubigne, "History of the Reformation of the
Sixteenth Century," b. 17, ch. 2.
64 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
But of those who resisted the encroachments of the papal
power, the Waldenses stood foremost. In the very land
where popery had fixed its seat, there its falsehood and
corruption were most steadfastly resisted. For centuries the
churches of Piedmont maintained their independence; but
the time came at last when Kome insisted upon their sub-
mission. After ineffectual struggles against her tyranny,
the leaders of these churches reluctantly acknowledged the
supremacy of the power to which the whole world seemed
to pay homage. There were some, however, who refused to
yield to the autliority of pope or prelate. They were de-
termined to maintain their allegiance to God, and to pre-
serve the purity and simplicity of their faith. A separation
took place. Those who adhered to the ancient faith now
withdrew; some, forsaking their native Alps, raised the
banner of truth in foreign lands; others retreated to the
secluded glens and rocky fastnesses of the mountains, and
ihere preserved their freedom to worship God.
Tlie faith whicli for many centuries was held and taught
by tlie Waldensian Christians, was in marked contrast to
the false doctrines put forth from Rome. Their religious
belief was founded upon the written word of God, the true
system of Christianity. But those humble peasants, in their
obscure retreats, shut away from the world, and bound to
daily toil among their flocks and their vineyards, had not
by themselves arrived at the truth in opposition to the
dogmas and heresies of the apostate church. Theirs was
not a faith newly received. Their religious belief was their
inheritance from their fathers. They contended for the
faith of the apostolic church, — "the faith which was once
delivered unto the saints."' "The church in the wilder-
ness," and not the proud hierarchy enthroned in the world's
great capital, was the true church of Christ, the guardian
of the treasures of truth which God has committed to His
people to be given to the world.
'Jude 3.
THE WALDENSES 66
Among the leading causes that had led to the separation
of the true church from Rome, was the hatred of the latter
toward the Bible Sabbath. As foretold by prophecy, the
papal power cast down the truth to the ground. The law
of God was trampled in the dust, while the traditions and
customs of men were exalted. The churches that were
under the rule of the papacy were early compelled to honor
the Sunday as a holy day. Amid the prevailing error and
superstition, many, even of the true people of God, became
so bewildered that while they observed the Sabbath, they
refrained from labor also on the Sunday. But this did not
satisfy the papal leaders. They demanded not only that
Sunday be hallowed, but that the Sabbath be profaned; and
they denounced in the strongest language those who dared
to show it honor. It was only by fleeing from the power
of Rome that any could obey God's law in peace.
The Waldenses were among the first of the peoples of
Europe to obtain a translation of the Holy Scriptures,*
Hundreds of years before the Reformation, they possessed
the Bible in manuscript in their native tongue. They had
the truth unadulterated, and this rendered them the special
objects of hatred and persecution. They declared the
Church of Rome to be the apostate Babylon of the Apoca-
lypse, and at the peril of their lives they stood up to resist
her corruptions. While, under the pressure of long-
continued persecution, some compromised their faith, little
by little yielding its distinctive principles, others held fast
the truth. Through ages of darkness and apostasy, there
were Waldenses who denied the supremacy of Rome, who
rejected image worship as idolatry, and who kept the true
Sabbath. Under the fiercest tempests of opposition they
maintained their faith. Though gashed by the Savoyard
spear, and scorched by the Romish fagot, they stood un-
flinchingly for God's word and His honor.
Behind .the lofty bulwarks of the mountains, — in all
ages the refuge oi the persecuted and oppressed, — the Wal-
* See Appendix.
3— G. C.
66 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
denses found a hiding-place. Here the light of truth was
kept burning amid the darkness of the Middle Ages. Here,
for a thousand years, witnesses for the truth maintained the
ancient faith,
God had provided for His people a sanctuary of awful
grandeur, befitting the mighty truths committed to their
trust. To those faithful exiles the mountains were an em-
blem of the immutable righteousness of Jehovah. They
pointed their children to the heights towering above them
in unchanging majesty, and spoke to them of Him with
whom there is no variableness nor shadow of turning, whose
word is as enduring as the everlasting hills. God had set
fast the mountains, and girded them with strength; no arm
but that of Infinite Power could move them out of their
place. In like manner He had established His law, the
foundation of His government in heaven and upon earth.
The arm of man might reach his fellow-men and destroy
their lives; l)ut that arm could as readily uproot the moun-
tains from their foundations, and luirl them into the sea, as
it could change one precept of the law of Jehovah, or blot
out one of His promises to those who do His will. In their
fidelity to His law, God's servants should be as firm as the
unchanging hills.
The mountains that girded their lowly valleys were a
constant witness to God's creative power, and a never-failing
assurance of His protecting care. Those pilgrims learned to
love the silent symbols of Jehovah's presence. They in-
dulged no repining because of the hardships of their lot;
they were never lonely amid the mountain solitudes. They
thanked God that He had provided for them an asylum from
the wrath and cruelty of men. Tliey rejoiced in their free-
dom to worship before Him. Often when pursued by their
enemies, the strength of the hills proved a sure defense.
From many a lofty cliff they chanted the praise of God,
and the armies of Rome could not silence their songs of
thanksgiving.
THE WALDENSES &t
Pure, simple, and fervent was the piety of these followers
of Christ. The principles of truth they valued above houses
and lands, friends, kindred, even life itself. These princi-
ples they earnestly sought to impress upon the hearts of the
young. From earliest childhood the youth were instructed
in the Scriptures, and taught to regard sacredly the claims
of the law of God. Copies of the Bible were rare; therefore
its precious words were committed to memory. Many were
able to repeat large portions of both the Old and the New
Testament. Thoughts of God were associated alike with the
sublime scenery of nature and with the humble blessings of
daily life. Little children learned to look with gratitude
to God as the giver of every favor and every comfort.
Parents, tender and affectionate as they were, loved their
children too wisely to accustom them to self-indulgence.
Before them was a life of trial and hardship, perhaps a
martyr's death. They were educated from childhood to
endure hardness, to submit to control, and yet to think and
act for themselves. Very early they were taught to bear
responsibilities, to be guarded in speech, and to understand
tlie wisdom of silence. One indiscreet word let fall in the
hearing of their enemies, might imperil not only the life of
the speaker, but the lives of hundreds of his brethren ; for as
wolves hunting their prey did the enemies of truth pursue
those who dared to claim freedom of religious faith.
The Waldenses had sacrificed their worldly prosperity
for the truth's sake, and with persevering patience they
toiled for their bread. Every spot of tillable land among
the mountains was carefully improved; the valleys and the
less fertile hillsides were made to yield their increase.
Economy and severe self-denial formed a part of the edu-
cation which the children received as their only legacy.
They were taught that God designs life to be a discipline,
and that their wants could be supplied only by personal
labor, by forethought, care, and faith. The process was
laborious and wearisome, but it Avas wholesome, just what
68 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
man needs in his fallen state, the school which God has
provided for his training and development. While the
youth were inured to toil and hardship, the culture of
the intellect was not neglected. They were taught that
all their powers belonged to God, and that all were to be
improved and developed for His service.
The Vaudois churches, in their purity and simplicity,
resembled the church of apostolic times. Rejecting the
supremacy of pope and prelate, they held the Bible as
the only supreme, infallible autliority. Their pastors, un-
like the lordly priests of Rome, followed the example of
their Master, who "came not to be ministered unto, but to
minister." They fed the flock of God, leading them to the
green pastures and li\'ing fountains of His holy word. Far
from the monuments of human pomp and pride, the people
assembled, not in magnificent churches or grand cathedrals,
but beneath the shadow of the mountains, in the Alpine
valleys, or, in time of danger, in some rocky stronghold, to
listen to the words of truth from the servants of Christ.
The pastors not only preached the gospel, but they visited
the sick, catechized the children, admonished the erring, and
labored to settle disputes and promote harmony and broth-
erly love. In times of peace they were sustained by the
freewill offerings of the people; but, like Paul the tent-
maker, each learned some trade or profession by which, if
necessary, to provide for his own support.
From their pastors the youth received instruction. While
attention was given to branches of general learning, the
Bible was made the chief study. The Gospels of Matthew
and John were committed to memory, with many of the
Epistles, They were employed also in copying the Scrip-
tures. Some manuscripts contained the whole Bible, others
only brief selections, to which some simple explanations of
the text were added by those who were able to expound
the Scriptures. Thus were brought forth the treasures of
THE WALDENSES 69
truth so long concealed by those who sought to exalt them-
selves above God.
By patient, untiring labor, sometimes in the deep, dark
caverns of the earth, by the light of torches, the sacred
Scriptures were written out, verse by verse, chapter by
chapter. Thus the work went on, the revealed will of God
shining out like pure gold; how much brighter, clearer,
and more powerful because of the trials undergone for its
sake, only those could realize who were engaged in the work.
Angels from heaven surrounded these faithful workers.
Satan had urged on the papal priests and prelates to
bury the Word of truth beneath the rubbish of error, heresy,
and superstition; but in a most wonderful manner it was
preserved uncorrupted through all the ages of darkness.
It bore not the stamp of man, but the impress of God.
Men have been unwearied in their efforts to obscure the
plain, simple meaning of the Scriptures, and to make them
contradict their own testimony; but like the ark upon the
billowy deep, the word of God outrides the storms that
threaten it with destruction. As the mine has rich veins
of gold and silver hidden beneath the surface, so that all
must dig who would discover its precious stores, so the Holy
Scriptures have treasures of truth that are revealed only to
the earnest, humble, prayerful seeker. God designed the
Bible to be a lesson-book to all mankind, in childhood,
youth, and manhood, and to ])e studied through all time.
He gave His word to men as a revelation of Himself. Every
new truth discerned is a fresh disclosure of the character of
its Author. The study of the Scriptures is the means
divinely ordained to bring men into closer connection with
their Creator, and to give thom a clearer knowledge of His
will. It is the medium of communication between God
and man.
While the Waldenses regarded the fear of the Lord as
the beginning of wisdom, they were not blind to the impor-
tance of a contact with the world, a knowledge of men and
70 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
of active life, in expanding the mind and quickening the per-
ceptions. From their schools in the mountains some of the
youth were sent to institutions of learning in the cities of
France or Italy, where was a more extended field for study,
thought, and observation than in their native Alps. The
youth thus sent forth were exposed to temptation, they wit-
nessed vice, they encountered Satan's wily agents, who
urged upon them the most subtle heresies and the most
dangerous deceptions. But their education from childhood
had been of a character to prepare them for all this.
In the schools whither they went, they were not to make
confidants of any. Their garments were so prepared as to
conceal their greatest treasure, — the precious manuscripts
of the Scriptures. These, the fruit of months and years of
toil, they carried with them, and whenever they could do
so without exciting suspicion, they cautiously placed some
portion in the way of those whose hearts seemed open to
receive the truth. From their mother's knee the Walden-
sian youth had been trained with this purpose in view;
they understood their work, and faithfully performed it.
Converts to the true faith were won in these institutions
of learning, and frequently its principles were found to
be permeating the entire school ; yet the papal leaders
could not, by the closest inquiry, trace the so-called cor-
rupting heresy to its source.
The spirit of Christ is a missionary spirit. The very first
impulse of the renewed lieart is to bring others also to the
Saviour. Such was the spirit of the Vaudois Christians.
They felt that God required more of them than merely to
preserve the truth in its purity in their own churches; that
a solemn responsibility rested upon them to let their light
shine forth to those who were in darkness; by the mighty
power of God's word they sought to break the bondage
which Rome had imposed. The Vaudois ministers were
trained as missionaries, every one who expected to enter
the ministry being required first to gain an experience as
THE WALDENSES 71
an evangelist. Each was to serve three years in some mis-
sion field before taking charge of a church at liome. This
service, requiring at the outset self-denial and sacrifice, was
a fitting introduction to the pastor's life in those times that
tried men's souls. The youth who received ordination to
the sacred office saw before them, not the prospect of earthly
wealth and glory, but a life of toil and danger, and possibly
a martyr's fate. The missionaries went out two and two, as
Jesus sent forth His disciples. With each young man was
usually associated a man of age and experience, the youth
being under the guidance of Ms companion, who was held
responsible for his training, and whose instruction he was
required to heed. These co-laborers were not always to-
gether, but often met for prayer and counsel, thus strength-
ening each other in the faith.
To have made known the object of their mission would
have insured its defeat; therefore they carefully concealed
their real character. Every minister possessed a knowledge
of some trade or profession, and the missionaries prosecuted
their work under cover of a secular calling. Usually they
chose that of merchant or peddler. "They carried silks,
jewelry, and other articles, at that time not easily pur-
chasable save at distant marts; and they were welcomed as
merchants where they would have been spurned as mis-
sionaries.'" All the while their hearts were uplifted to God
for wisdom to present a treasure more precious than gold
or gems. They secretly carried about with them copies of
the Bible, in whole or in part; and whenever an oppor-
tunity was presented, they called the attention of their cus-
tomers to these manuscripts. Often an interest to read
God's word was thus awakened, and some portion was
gladly left with those who desired to receive it.
The work of these missionaries began in the plains and
valleys at the foot of their own mountains, but it extended
far beyond these limits. With naked feet and in garments
coarse and travel-stained as were those of their Master, they
» Wylie, b. 1, ch. 7.
72 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
passed through great cities, and penetrated to distant lands.
Everywhere they scattered the precious seed. Churches
sprung up in their path, and the blood of martyrs wit-
nessed for the truth. The day of God will reveal a rich
harvest of souls garnered by the labors of these faithful
men. Veiled and silent, the word of God was making its
way through Christendom, and meeting a glad reception
in the homes and hearts of men.
To the Waldenses the Scriptures were not merely a rec-
ord of God's dealings with men in the past, and a revelation
of the responsibilities and duties of the present, but an un-
folding of the perils and glories of the future. They believed
that the end of all things was not far distant ; and as they
studied the Bible with prayer and tears, they were the more
deeply impressed with its precious utterances, and with their
duty to make known to others its saving truths. They saw
the plan of salvation clearly revealed in the sacred pages,
and they found comfort, hope, and peace in believing in
Jesus, As the light illuminated their understanding and
made glad their hearts, they longed to shed its beams upon
those who were in the darkness of papal error.
They saw that under the guidance of pope and priests,
multitudes were vainly endeavoring to obtain pardon by
afflicting their bodies for the sin of their souls. Taught to
trust to their good works to save them, they were ever look-
ing to themselves, their minds dwelling upon their sinful
condition, seeing themselves exposed to the wrath of God,
afflicting soul and body, yet finding no relief. Thus con-
scientious souls were bound by the doctrines of Rome.
Thousands abandoned friends and kindred, and spent their
lives in convent cells. By oft-repeated fasts and cruel
scourgings, by midnight vigils, by prostration for weary
hours upon the cold, damp stones of their dreary abode,
by long pilgrimages, by humiliating penance and fearful
torture, thousands vainly sought to obtain peace of con
science. Oppressed with a sense of sin, and haunted witl/
THE WALDENSES 73
the fear of God's avenging wrath, many suffered on, until ex-
hausted nature gave way, and without one ray of light or
hope, they sank into the tomb.
The Waldenses longed to break to these starving souls
the bread of life, to open to them the messages of peace
in the promises of God, and to point them to Christ as their
only hope of salvation. The doctrine that good works can
atone for the transgression of God's law, they held to be
based upon falsehood. Reliance upon human merit inter-
cepts the view of Christ's infinite love. Jesus died as a sac-
rifice for man because the fallen race can do nothing to
recommend themselves to God. The merits of a crucified
and risen Saviour are the foundation of the Christian's
faith. The dependence of the soul upon Christ is as real,
and its connection wdth Him must be as close, as that of
a limb to the body, or of a branch to the vine.
The teachings of propes and priests had led men to looli
upon the character of God, and even of Christ, as stern,
gloomy, and forbidding. The Saviour was represented as
so far devoid of sympathy with man in his fallen state
that the mediation of priests and saints must be invoked.
Those whose minds had been enlightened by the word of
God longed to point these souls to Jesus as their compas-
sionate, loving Saviour, standing with outstretched arms,
inviting all to come to Him with their l)urden of sin, their
care and weariness. They longed to clear away the ob-
structions which Satan had piled up that men might not
see the promises, and come directly to God, confessing their
sins, and obtaining pardon and peace.
Eagerly did the Vaudois missionary unfold to the in-
quiring mind the precious truths of the gospel. Cautiously
he produced the carefully written portions of the Holy
Scriptures. It was his greatest joy to give hope to the
conscientious, sin-stricken soul, who could see only a God
of vengeance, waiting to execute justice. With quivering
lip and tearful eye did he, often on bended knees, open
74 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
to his brethren the precious promises that reveal the sin-
ner's only hope. Thus the light of truth penetrated many
a darkened mind, rolling back the cloud of gloom, until the
Sun of Righteousness shone into the heart with healing in
His beams. It was often the case that some portion of
Scripture was read again and again, the hearer desiring it
to be repeated, as if he would assure himself that he had
heard aright. Especially was the repetition of these words
eagerly desired: "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleans-
eth us from all sin."* "As Moses lifted up the serpent in
the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up :
that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but
have eternal life. ' ' '
Many were undeceived in regard to the claims of Rome.
They saw how vain is the mediation of men or angels in
behalf of the sinner. As the true light dawned upon their
minds, they exclaimed with rejoicing, "Christ is my priest;
His blood is my sacrifice; His altar is my confessional."
They cast themselves wholly upon the merits of Jesus, re-
peating the words, "Without faith it is impossible to please
Him."* "There is none other name under heaven given
among men, whereby we must be saved."*
The assurance of a Saviour's love seemed too much for
some of these poor tempest-tossed souls to realize. So great
was tlie relief which it brought, such a flood of light was
shed upon them, that they seemed transported to heaven.
Their hands were laid confidingly in the hand of Christ;
their feet were planted upon the Rock of Ages. All fear of
death was banished. They could now covet the prison and
the fagot if they might thereby honor the name of their
Redeemer.
In secret places the word of God was thus brought forth
and read, sometimes to a single soul, sometimes to a little
company who were longing for light and truth. Often the
entire night was spent in this manner. So great would be
the wonder and admiration of the listeners that the mes-
»1 John 1:7. = John 3:14, 15. « Heb. 11:6. 'Acts 4:12.
THE WALDENSES 75
senger of mercy was not infrequently compelled to cease his
reading until the understanding could grasp tlie tidings of
salvation. Often would words like these be uttered: "Will
God indeed accept my offering? Will He smile upon me?
Will He pardon mef" The answer was read, "Come unto
Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give
you rest. ' ' '
Faith grasped the promise, and the glad response was
heard: "No more long pilgrimages to make; no more pain-
ful journeys to holy shrines. I may come to Jesus just as
I am, sinful and unholy, and He will not spurn the peni-
tential prayer. 'Thy sins be forgiven thee.' Mine, even
mine, may be forgiven!"
A tide of sacred joy would fill the heart, and the name
of Jesus would be magnified by praise and thanksgiving.
Those happy souls returned to their homes to diffuse light,
to repeat to others, as well as they could, their new experi-
ence; that they had found the true and living Way. There
was a strange and solemn power in the words of Scripture
that spoke directly to the hearts of those who were longing
for the truth. It was the voice of God, and it carried con-
viction to those who heard.
The messenger of truth went on his way; but his appear-
ance of humility, his sincerity, his earnestness and deep
fervor, were subjects of frequent remark. In many in-
stances his hearers had not asked him whence he came or
whither he went. They had been so overwhelmed, at first
wath surprise, and afterward with gratitude and joy, that
they had not thought to question him. When they had
urged him to accompany them to their homes, he had re-
plied that he must visit the lost sheep of the fiock. Could
he have been an angel from heaven? they queried.
In many cases the messenger of truth was seen no more.
He had made his Avay to other lands, or he Avas wearing out
his life in some unknown dungeon, or perhaps his bones
were whitening on the spot where he had witnessed for the
»Matt. 11:28.
76 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
truth. But the words he had left behind could not be de-
stroyed. They were doing their work in the hearts of men ;
the blessed results will be fully known only in the judgment.
The Waldensian missionaries were invading the kingdom
of fSatan, and the powers of darkness aroused to greater
vigilance. Every effort to advance the truth was watched
by the prince of evil, and he excited the fears of his agents.
The papal leaders saw a portent of danger to their cause
from the labors of these humble itinerants. If the light of
truth were allowed to shine unobstructed, it would sweep
away the lieavy clouds of error that enveloped the people;
it would direct the minds of men to God alone, and would
eventually destroy the supremacy of Rome.
The very existence of this people, holding the faith of
the ancient church, was a constant testimony to Home's apos-
tasy, and therefore excited the most bitter hatred and perse-
cution. Their refusal to surrender the Scriptures was also
an offense that Rome could not tolerate. She determined to
blot them from the earth. Now began the most terrible cru-
sades against God's people in their mountain homes. In-
quisitors were put upon their track, and the scene of innocent
Abel falling before the murderous Cain was often repeated.
Again and again were their fertile lands laid waste, their
dwellings and chapels swept away, so that where once were
flourishing fields and the homes of an innocent, industrious
people, there remained only a desert. As the ravenous beast
is rendered more furious by the taste of blood, so the rage
of the papists was kindled to greater intensity by the suf-
ferings of their victims. Many of these witnesses for a
pure faith were pursued across the mountains, and hunted
down in the valleys where they were hidden, shut in by
mighty forests and pinnacles of rock.
No charge could be brought against the moral character
of this proscribed class. Even their enemies declared them
to be a peaceable, quiet, pious people. Their grand offense
was that they would not worship God according to the will
THE WALDENSES 77
of the pope. For tl\is crime, every humiliation, insult, and
torture that men or devils could invent was heaped upon
them.
When Rome at one time determined to exterminate the
hated sect, a bull was issued by the pope, condemning them
as heretics, and delivering them to slaughter.' They were
not accused as idlers, or dishonest, or disorderly; but it was
declared that they had an appearance of piety and sanctity
that seduced "the sheep of the true fold." Therefore the
pope ordered "that malicious and abominable sect of malig-
nants, " if they "refuse to abjure, to be crushed like ven-
omous snakes."" Did this haughty potentate expect to meet
those words again? Did he know that they were registered
in the books of heaven, to' confront him at the judgment?
' ' Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these
My brethren," said Jesus, "ye have done it unto Me."'
This bull called upon all members of the church to join
the crusade against the heretics. As an incentive to engage
in this cruel work, it "absolved from all ecclesiastical pains
and penalties, general and particular; it released all who
joined the crusade from any oaths they might have taken;
it legitimatized their title to any property they might have
illegally acquired; and promised remission of all their sins
to such as should kill any heretic. It annulled all con-
tracts made in favor of Vaudois, ordered their domestics
to abandon them, forbade all persons to give them any aid
whatever, and empowered all persons to take possession of
their property. "'' This document clearly reveals the master-
spirit behind the scenes. It is the roar of the dragon, and
not the voice of Christ, that is heard therein.
The papal leaders would not conform their characters to
the great standard of God's law, but erected a standard
to suit themselves, and determined to compel all to conform
to this because Rome willed it. The most horrible tragedies
were enacted. Corrupt and blasphemous priests and popes
were doing the work which Satan appointed them. ]\Iercy
*See Appendix. 'Wylie, b. 16, cb. 1. "Matt. 25:40.
78
THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
had no place in their natures. The same spirit that crucified
Christ and slew the apostles, the same that moved the blood-
thirsty Nero against the faithful in his day, was at work
to rid the earth of those who were beloved of God.
The persecutions visited for many centuries upon this
God-fearing people were endured by them with a patience
and constancy that honored their Redeemer. Notwithstand-
ing the crusades against them, and the inhuman butchery
to which they were subjected, they continued to send out
their missionaries to scatter the precious truth. They were
hunted to the death; yet their blood watered the seed sown,
and it failed not of yielding fruit. Thus the Waldenses
witnessed for God, centuries before the birth of Luther.
Scattered over many lands, they planted the seeds of the
Keformation that began in the time of Wyeliffe, grew broad
and deep in the days of Luther, and is to be carried forward
to the close of time by those who also are willing to suffer
all things for "the word of God, and for the testimony of
Jesus Christ. ' ' '
'Rev. 1:9.
dOHN WYGLIFFE- 5
Before the Reformation, there were at times but very
few copies of the Bible in existence; but God had not suf-
fered His word to be wholly destroyed. Its truths were not
to be forever hidden. He could as easily unchain the words
of life as He could open prison doors and unbolt iron gates
to set His servants free. In the different countries of Eu-
rope men were moved by the Spirit of God to search for
the truth as for hid treasures. Providentially guided to the
Holy Scriptures, they studied the sacred pages with intense
interest. They were willing to accept the light, at any cost
to themselves. Though they did not see all things clearly,
they were enabled to perceive many long-buried truths. As
Heaven-sent messengers they went forth, rending asunder
the chains of error and superstition, and calling upon those
who liad been so long enslaved, to arise and assert their
liberty.
Except among the Waldenses, the word of God liad for
ages been locked up in languages known only to the learned ;
but the time had come for the Scriptures to be translated,
and given to the people of different lands in their native
tongue. The world had passed its midnight. The hours
of darkness were wearing away, and in many lands ap-
peared tokens of the coming dawn.
(79)
80 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
In the fourteenth century arose in England the '^'morn-
ing star of the Kef ormation. " John Wycliffe was the herald
of reform, not for England alone, but for all Christendom.
The great protest against Rome which it was permitted him
to utter, was never to be silenced. That protest opened the
struggle which was to result in the emancipation of individ-
uals, of churches, and of nations.
"Wycliffe received a liberal education, and Avith him the
fear of the Lord was the beginning of wisdom. He was
noted at college for his fervent piety as well as for his
remarkable talents and sound scholarship. In his thirst
for knowledge he sought to become acquainted with every
branch of learning. He was educated in the scholastic
philosophy, in the canons of the church, and in the civil
law, especially that of his own country. In his after-labors
the value of this early training was apparent. A thorough
acquaintance with the speculative philosophy of his time
enabled him to expose its errors; and by his study of na-
tional and ecclesiastical law he was prepared to engage in
the great struggle for ciAal and religious liberty. While
he could wield the weapons drawn from the word of God,
he had acquired the intellectual discipline of the schools,
and he understood the tactics of the schoolmen. The power
of his genius and the extent and thoroughness of his knowl-
edge commanded the respect of both friends and foes. His
adherents saw with satisfaction that their champion stood
foremost among the leading minds of the nation; and his
enemies were prevented from casting contempt upon the
cause of reform by exposing the ignorance or weakness of
its supporter.
While Wycliffe was still at college, he entered upon the
study of the Scriptures. In those early times, when the
Bible existed only in the ancient languages, scholars were
enabled to find their way to the fountain of truth, which was
closed to the uneducated classes. Thus already the way had
been prepared for Wycliffe 's future work as a Reformer.
JOHN WYCLIFFE 81
Men of learning had studied the word of God, and had
found the great truth of His free grace there revealed. In
their teachings they had spread a knowledge of this truth,
and had led others to turn to the Living Oracles.
When Wycliffe's attention was directed to the Scriptures,
he entered upon their investigation with the same thor-
oughness which had enabled him to master the learning of
the schools. Heretofore he had felt a great want, which
neither his scholastic studies nor the teaching of the church
could satisfy. In the word of God he found that which he
had before sought in vain. Here he saw the plan of sal-
vation revealed, and Christ set forth as the only advocate
for man. He gave himself to the service of Christ, and
determined to proclaim the truths he had discovered.
Like after-reformers, Wycliffe did not, at the opening
of his work, foresee whither it would lead him. He did not
set himself deliberately in opposition to Rome. But devo-
tion to truth could not but bring him in conflict with false-
hood. The more clearly he discerned the errors of the
papacy, the more earnestly he presented the teaching of
the Bible. He saw that Rome had forsaken the w^ord of
God for human tradition ; he fearlessly accused the priest-
hood of having banished the Scriptures, and demanded that
the Bible be restored to the people, and that its authority be
again established in the church. He was an able and ear-
nest teacher, and an eloquent preacher, and his daily life
was a demonstration of the trutlis he preached. His knowl-
edge of the Scriptures, the force of his reasoning, the purity
of his life, and his unbending courage and integrity, won
for him general esteem and confidence. IMany of the people
had become dissatisfied with their former faith, as they
saw the iniquity that prevailed in the Roman Church, and
they hailed with unconcealed joy the truths brought to view
by Wyelilfe; but the papal leaders were filled with rage
when they perceived that this Reformer was gaining an
influence greater than their own.
82 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
Wycliffe was a keen detector of error, and he struck fear-
lessly against many of the abuses sanctioned by the author-
ity of Rome. While acting as chaplain for the king, he took
a bold stand against the payment of tribute claimed by the
pope from the English monarch, and showed that the papal
assumption of authority over secular rulers was contrary to
both reason and revelation. The demands of the pope had
excited great indignation, and Wycliffe 's teachings exerted
an influence upon the leading minds of the nation. The
king and the nobles united in denying the pontiff's claim to
temporal authority, and in refusing the payment of the
tribute. Thus an effectual blow was struck against the
papal supremacy in England.
Another evil against which the Reformer waged long and
resolute battle, was the institution of the orders of mendicant
friars. These friars swarmed in England, casting a blight
upon the greatness and prosperity of tlie nation. Industry,
education, morals, all felt the withering influence. The
monks' life of idleness and beggary was not only a heavy
drain upon the resources of the people, but it brought useful
labor into contempt. The youth were demoralized and cor-
rupted. By the influence of the friars many were induced
to enter a cloister and devote themselves to a monastic life,
and this not only without the consent of their parents, but
even without their knowledge, and contrary to their com-
mands. One of the early Fathers of the Roman Church,
urging the claims of monasticism above the obligations of
filial love and duty, had declared: ''Though thy father
should lie before thy door, weeping and lamenting, and thy
mother should show the body that bore thee and the breasts
that nursed thee, see that thou trample them under foot,
and go onward straightway to Christ." By this "mon-
strous inhumanity," as Luther afterward styled it, ''savor-
ing more of the wolf andHhe tyrant than of the Christian
and the man," were the hearts of children steeled against
their parents.* Thus did the papal leaders, like the Pharisees
'Sears, Barnas, "Life of Luther," pp. 70, 69.
JOHN WYCLIFFE 83
of old, make the commandinent of God of none effect by
their tradition. Thus homes were made desolate, and parents
were deprived of the society of their sons and daughters.
Even the students in the universities were deceived by
the false representations of the monks, and induced to join
their orders. Many afterward repented this step, seeing that
they had blighted their own lives, and had brought sorrow
upon their parents; but once fast in the snare, it was impos-
sible for them to obtain their freedom. Many parents, fear-
ing the influence of the monks, refused to send their sons to
the universities. There was a marked falling off in the
number of students in attendance at the great centers of
learning. The schools languished, and ignorance prevailed.
The pope had bestowed on these monks the power to hear
confessions and to grant pardon. This became a source of
great evil. Bent on enhancing their gains, the friars were
so ready to grant absolution that criminals of all descriptions
resorted to them, and as a result, the worst vices rapidly
increased. The sick and the poor were left to suffer, while
the gifts that should have relieved their wants went to the
monks, who with threats demanded the alms of the people,
denouncing the impiety of those who should withhold gifts
from their orders. Notwithstanding their profession of pov-
erty, the wealth of the friars was constantly increasing, and
their magnificent edifices and luxurious tables made more
apparent the growing poverty of the nation. And while
spending their time in luxury and pleasure, they sent out in
their stead ignorant men, who could only recount marvelous
tales, legends, and jests to amuse the people, and make them
still more completely the dupes of the monks. Yet the
friars continued to maintain their hold on the superstitious
multitudes, and led them to believe that all religious duty
was comprised in acknowledging the supremacy of the pope,
adoring the saints, and making gifts to the monks, and
that this was sufficient to secure them a place in heaven.
84 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
Men of learning and piety had labored in vain to bring
about a reform in these monastic orders; but Wyelitfe, with
clearer insight, struck at the root of the evil, declaring
that the system itself was false, and that it should be abol-
ished. Discussion and inquiry were awakening. As the
monks traversed the country, vending the pope's pardons,
many were led to doubt the possibility of purchasing for-
giveness with money, and they questioned whether they
should not seek pardon from God rather than from the pon-
tiff of Rome.' Not a few were alarmed at the rapacity of the
friars, whose greed seemed never to be satisfied. "The monks
and priests of Rome," said they, "are eating us away like a
cancer. God must deliver us, or the people will perish."/'
To cover their avarice, these begging monks claimed that
.they were follo\\dng the Saviour's example, declaring that
Jesus and His disciples had been supported by the charities
of the people. This claim resulted in injury to their cause,
for it led many to the Bible to learn the truth for them-
selves, — a result which of all others was least desired by
Rome. The minds of men were directed to the Source of
truth, which it was her object to conceal.
Wycliffe began to write and publish tracts against the
friars, not, however, seeking so much to enter into dispute
with them as to call the minds of the people to the teachings
of the Bible and its Autlior. He declared that the power
of pardon or of excommunication is possessed by the pope in
no greater degree than by common priests, and that no man
can be truly excommunicated unless he has first brought
upon himself the condemnation of God. In no more effec-
tual way could he have undertaken the overthrow of that
mammoth fabric of spiritual and temporal dominion which
the pope had erected, and in Avhich the souls and bodies
of millions were held captive.
Again "Wycliffe was called to defend the rights of the
English cro^^^l against the encroachments of Rome; and
being appointed a royal ambassador, he spent two years in
the Netherlands, in conference with the commissioners of the
*3ee Appendix. ^D'Aubigne, b. 17, ch. 7.
JOHN WYCLIFFE 86
pope. Here he was brought into communication with eccle-
siastics from France, Italy, and Spain, and he had an oppor-
tunity to look behind the scenes, and gain a knowledge of
many tilings which would have remained hidden from him
in England. He learned much that was to give point to
his after-labors. In these representatives from the papal
court he read the true character and aims of the hierarchy.
He returned to England to repeat his former teachings more
openly and with greater zeal, declaring that covetousness,
pride, and deception were the gods of Rome.
In one of his tracts he said, speaking of the pope and
his collectors: "They draw out of our land poor men's live-
lihood, and many thousand marks, by the year, of the king's
money, for sacraments and spiritual things, that is cursed
heresy of simony, and maketh all Christendom assent and
maintain this heresy. And certes though our realm had a
huge hill of gold, and never other man took thereof but
only this proud worldly priest's collector, by process of
time this hill must be spended; for he taketh ever money
out of our land, and sendeth naught again but God's curse
for his simony. ' ' '
Soon after his return to England, Wycliffe received from
the king the appointment to the rectory of Lutterworth.
This was an assurance that the monarch at least had not
been displeased by his plain speaking. Wycliffe 's influence
was felt in shaping the action of the court, as well as in
moulding the belief of the nation.
The papal thunders were soon hurled against him. Three
bulls were dispatched to England, — to the university, to the
king, and to the prelates, — all commanding immediate and
decisive measures to silence the teacher of heresy.'' Before
the arrival of the bulls, however, the bishops, in their zeal,
had suminoned Wycliffe before them for trial. But two of
the most powerful princes in the kingdom accompanied
him to the tribunal ; and the people, surroiuiding the build-
' Lewis, Eev. .John, "History of the Life and Sufferings of .T. Wiclif, "
p. 37 (ed. 1820). = See Appendix.
Neander, "History of the Christian Religion and Church,"
period 6, sec. 2, part 1, par. 8.
86 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
ing and rushing in, so intimidated the judges that the pro-
ceedings were for the time suspended, and he was allowed
to go his way in peace. A little later, Edward III., whom
in his old age the prelates were seeking to influence against
the Reformer, died, and Wycliffe's former protector became
regent of the kingdom.
But the arrival of the papal bulls laid upon all England
a peremptory command for the arrest and imprisonment of
the heretic. These measures pointed directly to the stake.
It appeared certain that Wycliffe must soon fall a prey to
the vengeance of Rome. But He who declared to one of
old, "Fear not: I am thy shield,"* again stretched out
His hand to protect His servant. Death came, not to the
Reformer, but to the pontiff who had decreed his destruc-
tion. Gregory XI. died, and the ecclesiastics who had as-
sembled for Wycliffe's trial, dispersed.
God's providence still further overruled events to give
opportunity for the growth of the Reformation. The death
of Gregory was followed by the election of two rival popes.
Two conflicting powers, each professedly infallible, now
claimed obedience.* Each called upon the faithful to assist
him in making war upon the other, enforcing his demands
by terrible anathemas against his adversaries, and promises
of rewards in heaven to his supporters. This occurrence
greatly weakened the power of the papacy. The rival
factions had all they could do to attack each other, and
Wycliffe for a time had rest. Anathemas and recrimina-
tions were flying from pope to pope, and torrents of blood
were poured out to support their conflicting claims. Crimes
and scandals flooded the church. Meanwhile the Reformer,
in the quiet retirement of his parish of Lutterworth, was
laboring diligently to point men from the contending popes
to Jesus, the Prince of Peace.
The schism, with all the strife and corruption which it
caused, prepared the way for the Reformation, by enabling
the people to see what the papacy really was. In a tract
[which he published, "On the Schism of the Popes," Wyc-
*Geii. 15:1. 'See Appendix.
JOHN WYCLIFFE 8?
liffe called upon the people to consider whether these two
priests were not speaking the truth in condemning each
other as the antichrist. "God," said he, "would no longer
suffer the fiend to reign in only one such priest, but . . .
made division among two, so that men, in Christ's name,
may the more easily overcome them both. ' ' '
Wycliffe, like his Master, preached the gospel to the
poor. Not content with spreading the light in their hum-
ble homes in his own parish of Lutterworth, he determined
that it should be carried to every part of England. To
accomplish this he organized a body of preachers, simple,
devout men, who loved the truth and desired nothing so
much as to extend it. These men went everywhere, teach-
ing in the market-places, in the streets of the great cities,
and in the country lanes. They sought out the aged, the
sick, and the poor, and opened to them the glad tidings
of the grace of God.
As a professor of theology at Oxford, Wycliffe preached
the word of God in the halls of the university. So faith-
fully did he present the truth to the students under his
instruction, that he received the title of "The Gospel Doc-
tor." But the greatest work of his life was to be the trans-
lation of the Scriptures into the English language. In a
work, "On the Truth and Meaning of Scripture," he ex-
pressed his intention to translate the Bible, so that every
man in England might read, in the language in which he
was born, the wonderful works of God.
But suddenly his labors were stopped. Though not yet
sixty years of age, unceasing toil, study, and the assaults of
his enemies, had told upon his strength, and made him pre-
maturely old. He was attacked by a dangerous illness. The
tidings brought great joy to the friars. Now they thought
he would bitterly repent the evil he had done the church,
and they hurried to his chamber to listen to his confession.
Representatives from the four religious orders, with four
civil officers, gathered about the supposed dying man. "You
*Vaughau, B., "Life and Opinions of John de Wyclifife,"
Vol. II, p. 6 (ed. 1831).
88 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
have death on your lips," they said; "be touched by your
faults, and retract in our presence all that you have said
to our injury." The Reformer listened in silence; then
he bade his attendant raise him in his bed, and gazing
steadily upon them as they stood waiting for his recanta-
tion, he said, in the firm, strong voice which had so often
caused them to tremble, "I shall not die, but live, and
again declare the evil deeds of the friars."* Astonished and
abashed, the monks hurried from the room.
Wycliffe's words were fulfilled. lie lived to place in the
hands of his countrymen the most powerful of all weapons
against Rome, — to give tliem the Bible, the Heaven-appointed
agent to liberate, enlighten, and evangelize the people. There
were many and great obstacles to surmount in the accom-
plishment of this work. "Wycliffe was weighed down with in-
firmities; he knew that only a few years for labor remained
for him; he saw the opposition which he must meet; but,
encouraged by the promises of God's word, he went forward
nothing daunted. In the full vigor of his intellectual pow-
ers, rich in experience, he had been preserved and prepared
by God's special providence for this, the greatest of his
labors. "While all Christendom was filled with tumult, the
Reformer in his rectory at Lutterworth, unheeding the storm
that raged without, applied himself to his chosen task.
At last the work was completed, — the first English trans-
lation of the Bible ever made. The word of God was opened
to England. The Reformer feared not now the prison or
the stake. He had placed in the hands of the English
people a light which should never be extinguished. In
giving the Bible to his countrymen, he had done more to
break the fetters of ignorance and vice, more to liberate
and elevate his country, than was ever achieved by the
most brilliant victories on fields of battle.
The art of printing being still unknown, it was only by
slow and wearisome labor that copies of the Bible could be
multiplied. So great was the interest to obtain the book,
'D'Aubigne, b. 17, ch. 7.
JOHN WYCLIFFE 89
that many willingly engaged in tlie work of transcribing it,
but it was with difficulty that the copyists could supply the
demand. Some of the more wealthy purchasers desired the
whole Bible. Others bought only a portion. In many cases,
several families united to purchase a copy. Thus Wycliffe's
Bible soon found its way to the homes of the people.
The appeal to men's reason aroused them from their pas-
sive submission to papal dogmas. Wycliffe now taught the
distinctive doctrines of Protestantism, — salvation through
faith in Christ, and the sole infallibility of the Scriptures.
The preachers whom he had sent out circulated the Bible,
together with the Reformer's writings, and with such suc-
cess that the new faith was accepted by nearly one half of
the people of England.
The appearance of the Scriptures brought dismay to the
authorities of the church. They had now to meet an agency
more powerful than Wycliffe, — an agency against which
their weapons would avail little. There was at this time no
law in England prohibiting the Bible, for it had never be-
fore been published in the language of the people. Such
laws were afterward enacted and rigorously enforced. IMean-
while, notwithstanding the efforts of the priests, there was for
a season opportunity for the circulation of the word of God.
Again the papal leaders plotted to silence the Reformer's
voice. Before three tribunals he was successively summoned
for trial, but witliout avail. First a synod of bishops de-
clared his writings heretical, and winning the young king,
Richard II., to their side, they obtained a royal decree
consigning to prison all who should hold the condemned
doctrines.
Wycliffe appealed from the synod to Parliament ; he fear-
lessly arraigned the liierareliy before the national council,
and demanded a reform of tlie enormous abuses sanctioned
by the church. With convincing ])o\ver he portrayed the
usurpations and corruptions of the papal see. His enemies
were brought to confusion. The friends and supporters of
Wycliffe had been forced to yield, and it had been confi-
90 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
dently expected that the Reformer himself, in his old age,
alone and friendless, would bow to the combined authority
of the crown and the mitre. But instead of this the papists
saw themselves defeated. Parliament, roused by the stir-
ring appeals of Wyeliffe, repealed the persecuting edict,
and the Reformer was again at liberty.
A third time he was brouglit to trial, and now before the
highest ecclesiastical tribunal in the kingdom. Here no
favor would be shown to heresy. Here a^ last Rome would
triumph, and the Reformer's work would be stopped. So
thought the papists. If they could but accomplish their
purpose, Wyeliffe would be forced to abjure his doctrines,
or would leave the court only for the flames.
But Wyeliffe did not retract; he would not dissemble.
He fearlessly maintained his teachings, and repelled the ac-
cusations of his persecutors. Losing sight of himself, of his
position, of the occasion, he summoned his hearers before
the divine tribunal, and weighed their sophistries and
deceptions in the balances of eternal truth. The power of
the Holy Spirit was felt in the council-room. A spell from
God was upon the hearers. They seemed to have no power
to leave the place. As arrows from the Lord's quiver, the
Reformer's words pierced their hearts. The charge of her-
esy, which they had brought against him, he with convinc-
ing power threw back upon themselves. Why, he demanded,
did they dare to spread their errors? For the sake of
gain, to make merchandise of the grace of God.
"With whom, think you," he finally said, "are ye con-
tending? with an old man on the brink of the grave? No!
with Truth, — Truth which is stronger than you, and will
overcome you." ' So saying, he withdrew from the assembly,
and not one of his adversaries attempted to prevent him.
Wycliffe's work was almost done; the banner of truth
which he had so long borne was soon to fall from his hand;
but once more he was to bear witness for the gospel. The
truth was to be proclaimed from the very stronghold of the
^Wylie, b. 2, ch. 13.
JOHN WYCLIFFE 91
kingdom of error. Wycliffe was summoned for trial before
the papal tribunal at Rome, which had so often shed the
blood of the saints. He was not blind to the danger that
threatened him, yet he would have obeyed the summons had
not a shock of palsy made it impossible for him to perform
the journey. But though his voice was not to be heard at
Rome, he could speak by letter, and this he determined to do.
From his rectory the Reformer wrote to the pope a letter,
which, while respectful in tone and Christian in spirit, was
a keen rebuke to the pomp and pride of the papal see.
"Verily I do rejoice," he said, "to open and declare unto
every man the faith which I do hold, and especially unto
the bishop of Rome: which, forasmuch as I do suppose to
be sound and true, he will most willingly confirm my said
faith, or if it be erroneous, amend the same.
"First, I suppose that the gospel of Christ is the whole
body of God's law. ... 1 do give and hold the bishop of
Rome, forasmuch as he is the vicar of Christ here on earth,
to be most bound, of all other men, unto that law of the
gospel. For the greatness among Christ's disciples did not
consist in worldly dignity or honors, but in the near and
exact following of Christ in His life and manners. . . .
Christ, for the time ^ of His pilgrimage here, was a most
poor man, abjecting and casting off all worldly rule and
honor. . . .
"No faithful man ought to follow either the pope him-
self or any of the holy men, but in such points as he hath
followed the Lord Jesus Christ; for Peter and the sons of
Zebedee, by desiring worldly honor, contrary to the fol-
lowing of Christ's steps, did offend, and therefore in those
errors they are not to be followed. . . .
"The pope ought to leave unto the secular power all
temporal dominion and rule, and thereunto effectually to
move and exhort his whole clergy; for so did Christ, and
especially by His apostles. Wherefore, if I have erred in any
of these points, I will most humbly submit myself unto cor-
92 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
rection, even by death, if necessity so require; and if I
could labor according to my will or desire in mine own
person, I would surely present myself before the bishop
of Rome; but the Lord hath otherwse visited me to the
contrary, and hath taught me rather to obey God than
men. ' '
In closing he said: "Let us pray unto our God, that He
will so stir up our pope Urban VI., as he began, that he
with his clergy may follow the Lord Jesus Christ in life
and manners; and that they may teach the people effect-
ually, and that they, likewise, may faithfully follow them
in the same. ' ' '
Thus Wycliffe presented to the pope and his cardinals
the meekness and humility of Christ, exhibiting not only
to themselves but to all Christendom the contrast between
them and the Master whose representatives they professed
to be.
Wycliffe fully expected that his life would be the price
of his fidelity. The king, the pope, and the bishops were
united to accomplish his ruin, and it seemed certain that a
few months at most would bring him to the stake. But
his courage was unshaken. "Why do you talk of seeking
the crown of martyrdom afar?" he said. "Preach the
gospel of Christ to haughty prelates, and martyrdom will
not fail you. What ! I should live and be silent ? . . .
Never! Let the blow fall, I await its coming."*
But God's providence still shielded His servant. The
man who for a whole lifetime had stood boldly in defense
of the truth, in daily peril of his life, was not to fall a
victim to the hatred of its foes. Wycliffe had never sought
to shield himself, but the Lord had been his protector;
and now, when his enemies felt sure of their prey, God's
hand removed him beyond their reach. In his church at
Lutterworth, as he was about to dispense the communion,
he fell, stricken vdih palsy, and in a short time yielded up
his life.
Toxe, "Acts anrl Monuments" Ce<5ited bv Rev. J. Pratt),
Vol. Ill, pp. 49, 50. ' D 'Aubigne, b. 17, ch. 8.
JOHN WYCLIFFE 93
God had appointed to Wycliffe his work. He had put
the word of truth in }iis mouth, and He set a guard about
him that this word might come to the people. His life was
protected, and his labors were prolonged, until a founda-
tion was laid for the great work of the Reformation.
Wycliffe came from the obscurity of the Dark Ages.
There were none who went before him from whose work he
could shape his system of reform. Raised up like John the
Baptist to accomplish a special mission, he was the herald of
a new era. Yet in the system of truth which he presented
there was a unity and completeness which Reformers who
followed him did not exceed, and which some did not reach,
even a hundred years later. So broad and deep was laid
the foundation, so firm and true was the framework, that
it needed not to be reconstructed by those Avho came
a.fter him.
The great movement that Wycliffe inaugurated, which
was to liberate the conscience and the intellect, and set free
the nations so long bound to the triumphal car of Rome,
had its spring in the Bi])le. Here was the source of that
stream of blessing, which, like the water of life, has flowed
down the ages since the fourteenth century. Wycliffe ac-
cepted the Holy Scriptures with implicit faith as the inspired
revelation of God's will, a sufficient rule of faith and prac-
tice. He had been educated to regard the Church of Rome
as the divine, infallible authority, and to accept with un-
questioning reverence the established teachings and customs
of a thousand years; but he turned away from all these to
listen to God's holy word. This was the authority which
he urged the people to acknowledge. Instead of the church
speaking through the pope, he declared the only true author-
ity to be the • voice of God speaking through His word.
And he taught not only that the Bible is a perfect reve-
lation of God's will, but that the Holy Spirit is its only
interpreter, and that every man is, by the study of its
teachings, to learn his duty for himself. Thus lie turned
the minds of men from the pope and the Church of Rome
to the word of God.
94 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
Wycliffe was one of the greatest of the Reformers. In
breadth of intellect, in clearness of thought, in firmness to
maintain the truth, and boldness to defend it, he was equaled
by few who came after him. Purity of life, unwearying
diligence in study and in labor, incorruptible integrity, and
Christlike love and faithfulness in his ministry, character-
ized the first of the Reformers. And this notwithstanding
the intellectual darkness and moral corruption of the age
from which he emerged.
The character of Wycliffe is a testimony to the educating,
transforming power of the Holy Scriptures. It was the
Bible that made him what he was. The effort to grasp the
great truths of revelation imparts freshness and vigor to all
the faculties. It expands the mind, sharpens the percep-
tions, and ripens the judgment. The study of the Bible will
ennoble every thought, feeling, and aspiration as no other
study can. It gives stability of purpose, patience, courage,
and fortitude ; it refines the character, and sanctifies the
soul. An earnest, reverent study of the Scriptures, bringing
the mind of the student in direct contact with the infinite
mind, would give to the world men of stronger and more
active intellect, as well as of nobler principle, than has ever
resulted from the ablest training that human philosophy
affords. "The entrance of Thy words," says the psalmist,
"giveth light; it giveth understanding."*
The doctrines which had been taught by Wycliffe con-
tinued for a time to spread; his followers, known as
Wycliffites and Lollards, not only traversed England, but
scattered to other lands, carrying the knowledge of the
gospel. Now that their leader was removed, the preachers
labored with even greater zeal than before, and multitudes
flocked to listen to their teachings. Some of the nobility,
and even the wife of the king, were among the converts.
In many places there was a marked reform in the manners
of the people, and the idolatrous symbols of Romanism were
removed from the churches. But soon the pitiless storm of
persecution burst upon those who had dared to accept the
»Ps. 119:130.
JOHN WYCLTFFE 95
Bible as their guide. The English raonarchs, eager to
strengthen tlieir power by securing the support of Rome,
did not hesitate to sacrifice the Reformers. For the first
time in the history of England, the stake was decreed
against the disciples of the gospel. Martyrdom succeeded
martyrdom. The advocates of truth, proscribed and tor-
tured, could only pour their cries into the ear of the Lord
of Sabaoth. Hunted as foes of the church and traitors to
the realm, they continued to preach in secret places, find-
ing shelter as best they could in the humble homes of the
poor, and often hiding away even in dens and caves.
Notwithstanding the rage of persecution, a calm, devout,
earnest, patient protest against the prevailing corruption of
religious faith continued for centuries to be uttered. The
Christians of that early time had only a partial knowledge
of the truth, but they had learned to love and obey Cod's
word, and they patiently suffered for its sake. Like the
disciples in apostolic days, many sacrificed their worldly
possessions for the cause of Christ. Those who were per-
mitted to dwell in their homes, gladly sheltered their
banished brethren ; and when they too were driven forth,
they cheerfully accepted the lot of the outcast. Thousands,
it is true, terrified by the fury of their persecutors, pur-
chased their freedom at the sacrifice of their faith, and
went out of their prisons, clothed in penitents' robes, to
publish their recantation. But the number was not small
— and among them were men of nol)le birth as well as
the humble and lowly — who bore fearless testimony to the
truth in dungeon cells, in "Lollard towers," and in the
midst of torture and flame, rejoicing that they were counted
worthy to know "the fellowship of His sufferings."
The papists had failed to work their will with Wycliffe
during his life, and their hatred could not ])e satisfied whi]4»
his body rested quietly in the grave. By tlie decree of the
Council of Constance, more than forty years after his death
his bones were exhumed and publicly burned, and the ashes
were thrown into a neighboring brouk. "This brook," says
96 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
an old writer, "hatli conveyed liis ashes into Avon, Avon
into Severn, Severn into the narrow seas, they into the
main ocean. And thus the ashes of Wyclift'e are the emblem
of his doctrine, which now is dispersed all the world over. ' ' '
Little did his enemies realize the significance of their ma-
licious act.
It was through the writings of Wyclift'e that John Huss,
of Bohemia, was led to renounce many of the errors of
Romanism, and to enter upon the work of reform. Thus in
these two countries, so wndely separated, the seed of truth
was sown. From Bohemia the work extended to other lands.
The minds of men were directed to the long-forgotten word
of God. A divine hand was preparing the way for the
Great Reformation.
> Fuller, T., "Church History of Britain," b. 4, sec. 2, par. 54.
HUSS AND cJEROME-6
The gospel had been planted in Bohemia as early as the
ninth century. The Bible was translated, and public wor-
ship was conducted, in the language of the people. But as
the power of the pope increased, so the word of God was
obscured. Gregory VII., wlio had taken it upon him to
humble the pride of kings, was no less intent upon en-
slaving the people, and accordingly a bull was issued for-
bidding public worship to be conducted in the Bohemian
tongue. The pope declared that ''it was pleasing to the
Omnipotent that His worship should be celebrated in an
unknown language, and that many evils and heresies had
arisen from not observing this rule. ' ' * Thus Rome decreed
that the light of God's word should be extinguished, and
the people should be shut up in darkness. But Heaven
had provided other agencies for the preservation of the
church. Many of the Waldenses and Albigenses, driven
by persecution from their homes in France and Italy, came
to Bohemia. Though they dared not teach openly, they
labored zealously in secret. Thus the true faith was pre-
served from century to century.
Before the days of ITuss, there were men in Bohemia who
TOAG up to condemn openly the corruption in the church
and the profligacy of the people. Their labors excited wide-
spread interest. The fears of the liierarcliy were roused, and
persecution was opened against the disciples of the gospel.
•WyUe, b. 3, ch, 1.
(97)
4_G. C.
98 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
Driven to worship in the forests and the mountains, they
were hunted by soldiers, and many were put to death. After
a time it was decreed that all who departed from the Rom-
ish worship should be burned. But while the Christians
yielded up their -lives, they looked forward to the triumph
of their cause. One of those who "taught that salvation
was only to be found by faith in the crucified Saviour,"
declared when dying, "The rage of the enemies of the truth
now prevails against us, but it will not be forever; there
shall arise one from among the common people, without
sword or authority, and against him they shall not be able
to prevail.'" Luther's time was yet far distant; but al-
ready one was rising, whose testimony against Rome would
stir the nations.
John Huss was of hum})le birth, and was early left an
orphan by the death of his father. Ilis pious mother, re-
garding education and the fear of God as the most valuable
of possessions, sought to secure this heritage for her son.
Huss studied at tlie provincial school, and then repaired to
the university at Prague, receiving admission as a charity
scholar. ITe was accompanied on the journey to Prague by
his mother; widowed and poor, she had no gift of worldly
wealth to bestow upon her son, but as they drew near to
the great city, she kneeled down beside the fatherless youth,
and invoked for him the blessing of their Father in heaven.
Little did that mother realize how her prayer was to be
answered.
At the university, IIuss soon distinguished himself by his
untiring application and rapid progress, while his blameless
life and gentle, winning deportment gained him universal
esteem. He was a sincere adherent of the Roman Church,
and an earnest seeker for the spiritual blessings which it
professes to bestow. On the occasion of a jubilee, he went
to confession, paid the last few coins in his scanty stdre, and
joined in the processions, that he might share in the abso-
lution promised. After completing his college course, he
entered the priesthood, and rapidly attaining to eminence,
* Wylie, b. 3, ch. 1.
HUSS AND JEROME 99.
he soon became attached to the court of the king. He was
also made professor and afterward rector of the university
where he had received his education. In a few years the
humble charity scholar had become the pride of his country,
and his name was renowned throughout Europe.
But it was in another field that Huss began the work
of reform. Several years after taking priest's orders he
was appointed preacher of the chapel of Bethlehem. The
founder of this chapel had advocated, as a matter of great
importance, the preaching of the Scriptures in the language
of the people. Notwithstanding Rome's opposition to this
practice, it had not been wholly discontinued in Bohemia.
But there was great ignorance of the Bible, and the worst
vices prevailed among the people of all ranks. These evils
Huss unsparingly denounced, appealing to the word of
God to enforce the principles of truth and purity which
he inculcated.
A citizen of Prague, Jerome, who afterward became so
closely associated with Huss, had, on returning from Eng-
land, brought with him the writings of Wycliffe. The
queen of England, who had been a convert to Wycliffe 's
teachings, was a Bohemian princess, and through her influ-
ence also the Reformer's works were widely circulated in her
native country. These works Huss read with interest; he
believed their author to be a sincere Christian, and was in-
clined to regard with favor the reforms which he advo-
cated. Already, though he knew it not, Huss had entered
upon a path which was to lead him far away from Rome.
About this time there arrived in Prague two strangers
from England, men of learning, who had received the light,
and had come to spread it in this distant land. Beginning
with an open attack on the pope's supremacy, they were soon
silenced by the authorities; but being un\Wlling to relinquish
their purpose, they had recourse to other measures. Being
artists as well as preachers, they proceeded to exercise their
skill. In a place open to the public they drew two pictures.
One represented the entrance of Christ into Jerusalem,
100 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
' ' meek, and sitting upon an ass, ' ' * and followed by His dis-
ciples in travel-worn garments and with naked feet. The
other picture portrayed a pontifical procession, — the pope
arrayed in his rich robes and triple crown, mounted upon
a horse magnificently adorned, preceded by trumpeters, and
followed by cardinals and prelates in dazzling array.
Here was a sermon which arrested the attention of all
classes. Crowds came to gaze upon the drawings. None
could fail to read the moral, and many were deeply im-
pressed by the contrast between the meekness and humility
of Christ the Master, and the pride and arrogance of the
pope, His professed servant. There was great commotion in
Prague, and the strangers after a time found it necessary,
for their own safety, to depart. But the lesson they had
taught was not forgotten. The pictures made a deep im-
pression on the mind of IIuss, and led him to a closer study
of the Bible and of Wycliffe's writings. Though he was not
prepared, even yet, to accept all the reforms advocated by
Wycliffe, he saw more clearly the true character of the
papacy, and with greater zeal denounced the pride, the
ambition, and the corruption of the hierarchy.
From Bohemia the light extended to Germany; for dis-
turbances in the University of Prague caused the withdrawal
of hundreds of German students. Many of them had re-
ceived from Huss their first knowledge of the Bible, and on
their return they spread the gospel in their fatherland.
Tidings of the work at Prague were carried to Rome, and
Huss was soon summoned to appear before the pope. To
obey would be to expose himself to certain death. The king
and queen of Bohemia, the university, members of the no-
bility, and officers' of the government, united in an appeal
to the pontiff that Huss be permitted to remain at Prague,
and to answer at Rome by deputy. Instead of granting
this request, the pope proceeded to the trial and condem-
nation of Huss, and then declared the city of Prague to
be under interdict.
^Matt. 21:5.
HUSS AND JEROME 101
In that age this sentence, whenever pronounced, created
wide-spread alarm. The ceremonies by which it was accom-
panied were well adapted to strike terror to a people who
looked upon the pope as the representative of God Himself,
holding the keys of heaven and hell, and possessing power
to invoke temporal as well as spiritual judgments. It was
believed that the gates of heaven were closed against the
region smitten with interdict ; that until it should please
the pope to remove the ban, the dead were shut out from
the abodes of bliss. In token of this terrible calamity,
all the services of religion were suspended. The churches
were closed. Marriages were solemnized in the churchyard.
The dead, denied burial in consecrated ground, were in-
terred, without the rites of sepulture, in the ditches or the
fields. Thus by measures which appealed to the imagina-
tion, Rome essayed to control the consciences of men.
The city of Prague was filled with tumult. A large class
denounced Huss as the cause of all their calamities, and
demanded that he be given up to the vengeance of Rome.
To quiet the storm, the Reformer withdrew for a time to his
native village. Writing to the friends Avhom he had left at
Prague, he said: "If I have withdrawn from the midst of
you, it is to follow the precept and example of Jesus Christ,
in order not to give room to the ill-minded to draw on them-
selves eternal condemnation, and in order not to be to the
pious a cause of afthction and persecution. I have retired
also through an apprehension that impious priests might
continue for a longer time to prohibit the preaching of the
word of God amongst you; but I have not quitted you to
deny the divine truth, for which, with God's assistance, I am
willing to die.'" IIuss did not cease his labors, but trav-
eled through the surrounding country, preaching to eager
crowds. Thus the measures to which the pope resorted to
suppress the gospel, were causing it to be the more widely
extended. "We can do nothing against the truth, but for
the truth.'"
* Bonneohose, "The Reformers before the Ref ormatioQ, "
Vol. I, p. 87 (ed. 1844). »2 Cor. 13:8.
102 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
"The mind of Huss, at this stage of his career, would
seem to have been the scene of a painful conflict. Although
the church was seeking to overwhelm him by her thunder-
bolts, he had not renounced her authority. The Roman
Church was still to him the spouse of Christ, and the pope
was the representative and vicar of God. What Huss was
warring against was the abuse of authority, not the principle
itself. This brought on a terrible conflict between the convic-
tions of his understanding and the claims of his conscience.
Li the authority was just and infallible, as he believed it
to be, how came it that he felt compelled to disobey it?
To obey, he saw, w^as to sin; but why should obedience to
an infallible church lead to such an issue? This was the
problem he could not solve; this was the doubt that tortured
him hour by hour. The nearest approximation to a solution
which he was alile to make, was that it had happened again,
as once before in the days of the Sa\aour, that the priests of
the church had become wicked persons, and were using their
lawful authority for unlawful ends. This led him to adopt
for his own guidance, and to preach to others for theirs, the
maxim tliat the ])rc('epts of Scripture, conveyed through
the understanding, are to rule the conscience; in other
w^ords, that God speaking in the Bible, and not the church
speaking through the priesthood, is the one infallible guide.'"
When after a time the excitement in Prague subsided,
Huss returned to his chapel of Bethlehem, to continue with
greater zeal and courage the preaching of the word of God.
His enemies were active and powerful, but the queen and
many of the nobles were his friends, and the people in great
numbers sided with him. Comparing his pure and elevat-
ing teachings and holy life with the degrading dogmas
which the Romanists preached, and the avarice and de-
bauchery which they practised, many regarded it an honor
to be on his side.
Hitherto Huss had stood alone in his labors; but now
Jerome, who while in England had accepted the teachings'
^Wylie, b. 3, ch. 2-
HUSS AND JEROME 103
of Wycliffe, joined in the work of reform. The two were
hereafter united in their lives, and in death they were not
to be divided. Brilliancy of genius, eloquence and learning
— gifts that win popular favor — were possessed in a pre-
eminent degree by Jerome; but in those qualities which con-
stitute real strength of character, Huss was the greater. His
calm judgment served as a restraint upon the impulsive
spirit of Jerome, who, with true humility, perceived his
worth, and yielded to his counsels. Under their united
labors the reform was more rapidly extended.
God permitted great light to shine upon the minds of
these chosen men, revealing to them many of the errors of
Rome; but they did not receive all the light that was to be
given to the world. Through these, His servants, God was
leading the people out of the darkness of Romanism; but
there were many and great obstacles for them to meet, and
He led them on, step by step, as they could bear it. They
were not prepared to receive all the light at once. Like the
full glory of tlie noontide sun to those who have long dwelt
in darkness, it would, if presented, have caused them to turn
away. Therefore He revealed it to the leaders little by
little, as it could be received by the people. From century
to century, other faithful workers were to follow, to lead
the people on still farther in the path of reform.
The schism in the church still continued. Three popes
were now contending for the supremacy, and their strife
filled Christendom with crime and tumult. Not content
with hurling anathemas, they resorted to temporal weapons.
Each cast about him to purchase arms and to obtain soldiers.
Of course money must be had; and to procure this, the
gifts, offices, and blessings of the church were offered for
sale.' The priests also, imitating their superiors, resorted to
simony and war to humble tlieir rivals and strengthen their
own power. With daily increasing boldness, Huss thundered
against the abominations which were tolerated in the name of
religion; and the people openly accused the Romish leaders
as the cause of the miseries that overwhelmed Christendom.
' See Appendix.
104 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
Again the city of Prague seemed on the verge of a
bloody conflict. As in former ages, God's servant was ac-
cused as ' ' he that troubleth Israel. ' ' ^ The city was again
placed under interdict, and Huss withdrew to his native
village. The testimony so faithfully borne from his loved
chapel of Bethlehem was ended. He was to speak from a
wider stage, to all Christendom, before laying down his life
as a witness for the truth.
To cure the evils that were distracting Europe, a general
council was sunmioned to meet at Constance. The council
was called at the desire of the emperor Sigismund, by one of
the three rival popes, John XXIII. The demand for a coun-
cil had been far from welcome to Pope John, whose char-
acter and policy could ill bear investigation, even by prelates
as lax in morals as were the churchmen of those times.
He dared not, however, oppose the will of Sigismund.*
The chief objects to be accomplished by the council were
to heal the schism in the church, and to root out heresy.
Hence the two anti-popes were summoned to appear before
it, as well as the leading propagator of the new opinions,
John Huss. The former, having regard to their own safety,
did not attend in person, but were represented by their dele-
gates. Pope John, while ostensibly {he convoker of the
council, came to it with many misgivings, suspecting the
emperor's secret purpose to depose him, and fearing to
be brought to account for the vices which had disgraced
the tiara, as well as for the crimes which had secured it.
Yet he made his entry into the city of Constance \s'ith great
pomp, attended by ecclesiastics of the highest rank, and fol-
lowed by a train of courtiers. All the clergy and dignita-
ries of the city, ^snth an immense crowd of citizens, went out
to welcome him. Above his head was a golden canopy,
borne by four of the chief magistrates. The host was car-
ried before him, and the rich dresses of the cardinals and
nobles made an imposing display.
Meanwhile another traveler was approaching Constance.
Huss was conscious of the dangers which threatened him.
*1 Kinga 18:17. *See Appendix.
HUSS AND JEROME 105
He parted from his friends as if he were never to meet them
again, and went on his journey feeling that it was leading
him to the stake. Notwithstanding he had obtained a safe-
conduct from the king of J3ohemia, and received one also
from the emperor Sigismund while on his journey, he made
all his arrangements in view of the probability of his death.
In a letter addressed to his friends at Prague he said:
"My brethren, ... I am departing with a safe-conduct from
the king, to meet my numerous and mortal enemies. ... I
confide altogether in the all-powerful God, in my Saviour;
I trust that He will listen to your ardent prayers, that He
will infuse His prudence and His wisdom into my mouth, in
order that I may resist them; and that He will accord me
His Holy Spirit to fortify me in His truth, so that I may
face with courage, temptations, prison, and if necessary, a
cruel death. Jesus Christ suffered for His well-beloved; and
therefore ought we to be astonished that He has left us His
example, in order that we may ourselves endure with pa-
tience all things for our own salvation? He is God, and we
are His creatures; He is the Lord, and we are His servants;
He is Master of the world, and we are contemptible mor-
tals : — yet He suffered ! Why, then, should we not suffer
also, particularly Avhen suffering is for us a purification?
Therefore, beloved, if my death ought to contribute to His
glory, pray that it may come quickly, and that He may
enable me to support all my calamities with constancy. But
if it be better that I return amongst you, let us pray to God
that I may return without stain, — that is, that I may not
suppress one tittle of the truth of the gospel, in order to
leave my brethren an excellent example to follow. Probably,
therefore, you will never more behold my face at Prague;
but should the will of the all-powerful God deign to restore
me to you, let us then advance with a firmer heart in the
knowledge and the love of His law. ' ' *
In another letter, to a priest who had become a disciple
of the gospel, Huss spoke with deep humility of his own
errors, accusing himself "of having felt pleasure in wearing
* Bonnechose, Vol, I, pp. 147, 148.
106 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
rich apparel, and of having wasted hours in frivolous occu-
pations. " He then added these touching admonitions: "May
the glory of God and the salvation of souls occupy thy mind,
and not the possession of benefices and estates. Beware of
adorning thy house more than thy soul; and above all, give
thy care to the spiritual edifice. Be pious and humble mth
the poor, and consume not thy substance in feasting.
Shouldst thou not amend thy life and refrain from super-
fluities, I fear that thou wilt be severely chastened, as I am
myself. . . . Thou knowest my doctrine, for thou hast re-
ceived my instructions from thy childhood; it is therefore
useless for me to write to thee any further. But I conjure
thee, by the mercy of our Lord, not to imitate me in any of
the vanities into which thou hast seen me fall." On the
cover of the letter he added, "I conjure thee, my friend,
not to break tliis seal until thou shalt have acquired the
certitude that I am dead."*
On his journey, Huss everywhere beheld indications of
the spread of his doctrines, and the favor with which his
cause was regarded. The people thronged to meet him, and
in some towns the magistrates attended him through their
streets.
Upon arriving at Constance, Huss was granted full lib-
erty. To the emperor's safe-conduct was added a personal
assurance of protection by the pope. But in violation of
these solemn and repeated declarations, the Reformer was
in a short time arrested, by order of the pope and cardinals,
and thrust into a loathsome dungeon. Later he was trans-
ferred to a strong castle across the Rhine, and there kept a
prisoner. The pope, profiting little by his perfidy, was soon
after committed to the same prison.* He had been proved
before the council to be guilty of the barest crimes, besides
murder, simony, and adultery, "sins not fit to be named."
So the council itself declared; and he was finally deprived
of the tiara, and thrown into prison. The anti-popes also
were deposed, and a new pontiif was chosen.
> Bonnechose, Vol. I, pp. 148, 149. * See Idem , p. 247.
HUSS AND JEROME 107
Though the pope himself had been guilty of greater
crimes than Huss had ever charged upon the priests, and
for which he had demanded a reformation, yet the same
council which degraded the pontiff proceeded to crush the
Reformer. The imprisonment of Huss excited great indig-
nation in Bohemia. Powerful noblemen addressed to the
council earnest protests against this outrage. The emperor,
who was loath to permit the violation of a safe-conduct, op-
posed the proceedings against him. But the enemies of the
Reformer were malignant and determined. They appealed
to the emperor's prejudices, to his fears, to his zeal for the
church. They brought forward arguments of great length to
prove that "faith ought not to be kept with heretics, nor
persons suspected of heresy, though they are furnished witli
safe-conducts from the emperor and kings."* Thus they
prevailed.
Enfeebled by illness and imprisonment, — for the damp,
foul air of his dungeon had brought on a fever which nearly
ended his life, — Huss was at last brought before the council.
Loaded with chains, he stood in the presence of the em-
peror, whose honor and good faith had been pledged to
protect him. During his long trial he firmly maintained the
truth, and in the presence of the assembled dignitaries of
church and state, he uttered a solemn and faithful protest
against the corruptions of the hierarchy. When required to
choose whether he would recant his doctrines or suffer
death, he accepted the martyr's fate.
The grace of God sustained him. During the weeks of
suffering that passed before his final sentence, heaven's
peace filled his soul. "I write this letter," he said to a
friend, "in my prison, and with my fettered hand, expect-
ing my sentence of death to-morrow. . , . When, with the
assistance of Jesus Christ, we sluill again meet in the deli-
cious peace of the future life, you will learn how merciful
God has shown Himself toward me, how effectually He has
supported me in the midst of my temptations and trials.""
^ Lenf ant, ' ' History of the Council of Constance, ' ' Vol. I, p. 516.
' Bonnechose, Vol. II, p. 67.
i08 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
In the gloom of his dungeon he foresaw the triumph of
the true faith. Returning in his dreams to the chapel at
Prague where he had preached the gospel, he saw the pope
and his bishops effacing the pictures of Christ which he had
painted on its walls. "This vision distressed him: but on
the next day he saw many painters occupied in restoring
these figures in greater number and in brighter colors. As
soon as their task was ended, the painters, who were sur-
rounded by an immense crowd, exclaimed, 'Now let the
popes and bishops come; they shall never efface them
more!' " Said the Reformer, as he related his dream,
"I maintain this for certain, that the image of Christ will
never be effaced. They have wished to destroy it, but it shall
be painted afresh in all hearts by much better preachers
than myself,"*
For the last time, Huss was brought before the council.
It was a vast and brilliant assembly, — the emperor, the
princes of the empire, the royal deputies, the cardinals,
bishops, and priests, and an immense crowd who had come
as spectators of the events of the day. From all parts of
Christendom had been gathered the witnesses of this first
great sacrifice in the long struggle by which liberty of con-
science was to be secured.
Being called upon for his final decision, Huss declared
his refusal to abjure, and fixing his penetrating glance upon
the monarch whose plighted word had been so shamelessly
violated, he declared, "I determined, of my own free will,
to appear before this council, under the public protection
and faith of the emperor here present. " * A deep flush
crimsoned the face of Sigismund as the eyes of all in the
assembly turned upon him.
Sentence having been pronounced, the ceremony of degra-
dation began. The bishops clothed their prisoner in the
sacerdotal habit, and as he took the priestly robe, he said,
* D 'Aubigne, b. 1, ch. 6. ' Bonnechose, Vol. II, p. 84.
HUSS AND JEROME 109
"Our Lord Jesus Christ was covered with a white robe, by-
way of insult, when Herod had Him conducted before
Pilate. ' ' ' Being again exhorted to retract, he replied, turn-
ing toward the people: "With what face, then, should I
behold the heavens? How should I look on those multitudes
of men to whom I have preached the pure gospel? No;
I esteem their salvation more than this poor body, now ap-
pointed unto death." The vestments were removed one by
one, each bishop pronouncing a curse as he performed his
part of the ceremony. Finally "they put on his head a cap
or pyramidal-shaped mitre of paper, on which were painted
frightful figures of demons, with the word 'Arch-Heretic'
conspicuous in front. 'Most joyfully,' said Huss, 'will I
wear tliis crown of shame for Thy sake, Jesus, who for
me didst wear a crown of thorns.' "
When he was thus arrayed, "the prelates said, 'Now we
devote thy soul to the devil.' 'And I,' said John Huss, lift-
ing up his eyes toward heaven, 'do commit my spirit into
Thy hands, Lord Jesus, for Thou hast redeemed me.'"'
He was now delivered up to the secular authorities, and
led away to the place of execution. An immense proces-
sion followed, hundreds of men at arms, priests and bishops
in their costly robes, and the inhabitants of Constance.
When he had been fastened to the stake, and all was ready
for the fire to be lighted, the martyr was once more exhorted
to save himself by renouncing his errors. "What errors,"
said Huss, "shall I renounce? I know myself guilty of
none. I call God to witness that all that I have written
and preached has been with the view of rescuing souls from
sin and perdition ; and, therefore, most joyfully will I
confirm with my blood that truth which I have written
and preached. ' ' " When the flames kindled about him, he
began to sing, "Jesus, Thou Son of David, have mercy on
me," and so continued till his voice was silenced forever.
Even his enemies were struck with his heroic bearing.
A zealous papist, describing the martyrdom of Huss, and of
»Bonneehose, Vol. II, p. 86, "Wylie, b. 3, ct. 7.
no THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
Jerome, who died soon after, said: "Both bore themselves
with constant mind when their last hour approached. They
prepared for the fire as if they were going to a marriage
feast. They uttered no cry of pain. "When the flames rose,
they began to sing hymns; and scarce could the vehemency
of the fire stop their singing. ' ' '
"When the body of Huss had been wholly consumed, his
ashes, with the soil upon which they rested, were gathered up
and cast into the Rhine, and thus borne onward to the ocean.
His persecutors vainly imagined that they had rooted out
the truths he preached. Little did they dream that the ashes
that day borne away to the sea were to be as seed scattered
in all the countries of the earth; that in lands yet unknown
it would yield abundant fruit in witnesses for the truth.
The voice which had spoken in the council hall of Constance
had wakened echoes that would be heard through all coming
ages. Huss was no more, but the truths for which he died
could never perish. His example of faith and constancy
would encourage multitudes to stand firm for the truth, in
the face of torture and death. His execution had exhibited
to the whole world the perfidious cruelty of Rome. The
enemies of truth, though they knew it not, had been further-
ing the cause which they vainly sought to destroy.
Yet another stake was to be set up at Constance. The
blood of another witness must testify for the truth. Jerome,
upon bidding farewell to Huss on his departure for the
council, had exhorted him to courage and firmness, declaring
that if he should fall into any peril, he himself would fly to
his assistance. Upon hearing of the Reformer's imprison-
ment, the faithful disciple immediately prepared to fulfil his
promise. "Without a safe-conduct he set out, with a single
companion, for Constance. On arriving there he was con-
vinced that he had only exposed himself to peril, without
the possibility of doing anything for the deliverance of Huss.
He fled from the city, but was arrested on the homeward
journey, and brought back loaded with fetters, and under
the custody of a band of soldiers. At his first appearance
»Wylie, b. 3, cb. 7.
HUSS AND JEROME Ul
before the council, his attempts to reply to the accusations
brought against him were met with shouts, "To the flames
with him! to the flames!'" He was'throAvn into a dungeon,
chained in a position which caused him great suffering, and
fed on bread and water. After some months the cruelties
of his imprisonment brought upon Jerome an illness that
threatened his life, and his enemies, fearing that he might
escape them, treated him with less severity, though he re-
mained in prison for one year.
The death of Huss had not resulted as the papists had
hoped. The violation of his safe-conduct had roused a storm
of indignation, and as the safer course, the council deter-
mined, instead of burning Jerome, to force him, if possible,
to retract. He was brought before the assembly, and offered
the alternative to recant, or to die at the stake. Death at
the beginning of his imprisonment would have been a mercy,
in comparison with the terrible sufferings which he had
undergone; but now, weakened by illness, by the rigors of
his prison-house, and the torture of anxiety and suspense,
separated from his friends, and disheartened by the death
of Huss, Jerome's fortitude gave way, and he consented to
submit to the council. He pledged himself to adhere to
the Catholic faith, and accepted the action of the council in
condemning the doctrines of Wycliffe and Huss, excepting,
however, the "holy truths" which they had taught.^
By this expedient Jerome endeavored to silence the voice
of conscience and escape his doom. But in the solitude of
his dungeon he saw more clearly what he had done. He
thought of the courage and fidelity of Huss, and in contrast
pondered upon his own denial of the truth. He thought of
the divine Master whom he had pledged himself to serve,
and who for his sake endured the death of the cross. Before
his retraction he had found comfort, amid all his sufferings,
in the assurance of God's favor; but now remorse and doubt
tortured his soul. He knew that still other retractions must
be made before he could be at peace with Rome. The path
upon which he was entering could end only in complete
* Bonneehose, Vol. I, p. 234, ' See Bonnechose, Vol. II, p. 141.
112 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
apostasy. His resolution was taken : to escape a brief period
of suffering he would not deny his Lord.
Soon he was again brought before the council. His sub-
mission had not satisfied his judges. Their thirst for blood,
whetted by the death of Huss, clamored for fresh victims.
Only by an unreserved surrender of the truth could Jerome
preserve his life. But he had determined to avow his faith,
and follow his brother-martyr to the flames.
He renounced his former recantation, and as a dying
man, solemnly required an opportunity to make his defense.
Fearing the effect of his words, the prelates insisted that he
should merely affirm or deny the truth of the charges
brought against him. Jerome protested against such cruelty
and injustice. "You have held me shut up three hundred
and forty days in a frightful prison," he said, "in the
midst of filth, noisoraeness, stench, and the utmost want of
everything; you then bring me out before you, and lending
an ear to my mortal enemies, you refuse to hear me. . . .
If you be really wise men, and the lights of the world,
take care not to sin against justice. As to me, I am only
a feeble mortal ; my life is but of little importance ; and
when I exhort you not to deliver an unjust sentence, I
speak less for myself than for you. ' ' '
His request was finally granted. In the presence of his
judges, Jerome kneeled down and prayed that the divine
Spirit might control his thoughts and words, that he might
speak nothing contrary to the truth or unworthy of his
Master. To him that day was fulfilled the promise of God
to the first disciples: "Ye shall be brought before governors
and kings for My sake. . . . But when they deliver you
up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it
shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.
For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father
which speaketh in you. ' ' '
The words of Jerome excited astonishment and admira-
tion, even in his enemies. For a whole year he had been
immured in a dungeon, unable to read or even to see, in
^Bonnechose, Vol. II, pp. 146, 147. *Matt. 10:18-20.
HUSS AND JEROME 113
great physical suffering and mental anxiety. .Yet his argu-
ments were presented with as much clearness and power
as if he had had undisturbed opportunity for study. He
pointed his hearers to the long line of holy men who had
been condemned by unjust judges. In almost every gen-
eration have been those who, while seeking to elevate the
people of their time, have been reproached and cast out,
but who in later times have been shown to be deserving of
honor. Christ Himself was condemned as a malefactor at
an unrighteous tribunal.
At his retraction, Jerome had assented to the justice of
the sentence condemning Huss; he now declared his repent-
ance, and bore witness to the innocence and holiness of the
martyr. ''I knew him from his childhood," he said. "He
was a most excellent man, just and holy; he was condemned,
notwithstanding his innocence, ... I also — I am ready
to die: I will not recoil before the torments that are pre-
pared for me by my enemies and false witnesses, who will
one day have to render an account of their impostures be-
fore the great God, whom nothing can deceive. ' ' *
In self-reproach for his own denial of the truth, Jerome
continued: "Of all the sins that I have committed since my
youth, none weigh so heavily on my mind, and cause me
such poignant remorse, as that which I committed in this
fatal place, when I approved of the iniquitous sentence
rendered against Wycliffe, and against the holy martyr,
John Huss, my master and my friend. Yes! I confess it
from my heart, and declare with horror that I disgrace-
fully quailed when, through a dread of death, I con-
demned their doctrines. I therefore supplicate . . . Al-
mighty God to deign to pardon me my sins, and this one
in particular, the most heinous of all." Pointing to his
judges, he said firmly: "You condemned Wycliffe and
John Huss, not for having shaken the doctrine of the
church, but simply because they branded with reprobation
the scandals proceeding from the clergy, — their pomp, their
pride, and all the vices of the prelates and priests. The
*Bonnechose, Vol. II, p, 151.
114 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
things which they have affirmed, and which are irrefutable,
I also think and declare, like them."
His words were interrupted. The prelates, trembling
with rage, cried out, "What need is there of further proof?
We behold with our own eyes the most obstinate of heretics ! ' '
Unmoved by the tempest, Jerome exclaimed : ' ' What ! do
you suppose that I fear to die? You have held me for a
whole year in a frightful dungeon, more horrible than death
itself. You have treated me more cruelly than a Turk, Jew,
or pagan, and my flesh has literally rotted off my bones
alive; and yet I make no complaint, for lamentation ill be-
comes a man of heart and spirit ; but I cannot but express my
astonishment at such great barl)arity toward a Christian. ' ' *
Again the storm of rage burst out, and Jerome was hur-
ried away to prison. Yet there were some in the assembly
upon whom his words had made a deep impression, and
who desired to save his life. He was visited by dignitaries
of the church, and urged to submit himself to the council.
The most brilliant prospects were presented before him as
the reward of renouncing his opposition to Rome. But like
his Master, when offered the glory of the world, Jerome
remained steadfast.
"Prove to me from the Holy Writings that I am in
error," he said, "and I will abjure it."
"The Holy Writings!" exclaimed one of his tempters,
"is everything then to be judged by them? Who can un-
derstand them till the church has interpreted them?"
"Are the traditions of men more worthy of faith than
the gospel of our Saviour?" replied Jerome. "Paul did
not exhort those to whom he wrote to listen to the tradi-
tions of men, but said, 'Search the Scriptures,' "
* ' Heretic ! ' ' was the response, ' ' I repent having pleaded
so long with you. I see that you are urged on by the
devil."'
Erelong sentence of condemnation was passed upon him.
He was led out to the same spot upon which Huss had
yielded up his life. He went singing on his way, his coun-
»Bonnechose, Vol. II, pp. 151-153. »Wylie, b. 3, ch. 10.
HUSS AND JEROME 115
tenanee lighted up with joy and peace. His gaze was fixed
upon Christ, and to him death had lost its terrors. When
the executioner, about to kindle the pile, stepped behind
bim, the martyr exclaimed, "Come forward boldly; apply
the fire before my face. Had I been afraid, I sliould not
be here."
His last words, uttered as the flames rose about him, were
a prayer. "Lord, Almighty Father," he cried, "have pity
on me, and pardon me my sins; for Thou knowest that I
have always loved Thy truth."' His voice ceased, but his
lips continued to move in prayer. When the fire had done
its work, the ashes of the martyr, with the earth upon which
they rested, were gathered up, and like those of Huss, were
thrown into the Rhine.
So perished God's faithful light-bearers. But the light
of the truths which they proclaimed, — the liglit of their
heroic example, — could not be extinguished. As well might
men attempt to turn back the sun in its course as to pre-
vent the dawning of that day which was even then break-
ing upon the world.
The execution of Huss had kindled a flame of indigna-
tion and horror in Bohemia. It was felt by the whole nation
that he had fallen a prey to the malice of the priests and
the treachery of the emperor. He was declared to have been
a faithful teacher of the truth, and the council that decreed
his death was charged with the guilt of murder. His doc-
trines now attracted greater attention than ever before. By
the papal edicts the writings of Wycliffe had been con-
demned to the flames. But those that had escaped destruc-
tion were now brought out from their hiding-places, and
studied in connection with the Bible, or such parts of it as
the people could obtain, and many were thus led to accept
the reformed faith.
The murderers of Huss did not stand quietly by and wit-
ness the triumph of his cause. The pope and the emperor
united to crush out the movement, and the armies of Sigis-
mund were hurled upon Bohemia.
* Bonnechose, Vol. II, p. 168.
116 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
But a deliverer was raised up. Ziska, who soon after the
opening of the war became totally blind, yet who was on^
of the ablest generals of his age, was the leader of the
Bohemians. Trusting in the help of God and the right-
eousness of their cause, that people withstood the mightiest
armies that could be brought against them. Again and
again the emperor, raising fresh armies, invaded Bohemia,
only to be ignominiously repulsed. The Hussites were raised
above the fear of death, and nothing could stand against
them. A few years after tlie opening of the war, the brave
Ziska died; but his place was filled by Procopius, who was
an equally brave and skilful general, and in some respects
a more able leader.
The enemies of the Bohemians, knowing that the blind
warrior was dead, deemed the opportunity favorable for
recovering all that they had lost. The pope now proclaimed
a crusade against the Hussites, and again an immense force
was precipitated upon Bohemia, but only to suffer terrible
defeat. Another crusade was proclaimed. In all the papal
countries of Europe, men, money, and munitions of war
were raised. Multitudes flocked to the papal standard,
assured that at last an end would be made of the Hussite
heretics. Confident of victory, the vast force entered Bohe-
mia. The i)eople rallied to repel them. The two armies
approached each other, until only a river lay between them.
"The crusaders were in greatly superior force, but in-
stead of dashing across the stream, and closing in battle
wdth the Hussites whom they had come so far to meet, they
stood gazing in silence at those warriors. ' ' ' Then suddenly
a mysterious terror fell upon the host. Without striking a
blow, that mighty force broke and scattered, as if dispelled
by an unseen power. Great numbers were slaughtered by
the Hussite army, which pursued the fugitives, and an im-
mense booty fell into the hands of the victors, so that the
war, instead of impoverishing, enriched the Bohemians.
A few years later, under a new pope, still another cru-
sade was set on foot. As before, men and means were drawn
»Wylie, b. 3, ch. 17.
HUSS AND JEROME 117
from all the papal countries of Europe. Great were the in-
ducements held out to those who should engage in this per-
ilous enterprise. Full forgiveness of the most heinous crimes
was insured to every crusader. All who died in the war
were promised a rich reward in heaven, and those who sur-
vived were to reap honor and riches on the field of battle.
Again a vast army was collected, and crossing the frontier
they entered Bohemia. The Hussite forces fell back before
them, thus drawing the invaders fartlij^ and farther into
the country, and leading them to count the victory already
won. At last the army of Procopius made a stand, and
turning upon the foe, advanced to give them battle. The
crusaders, now discovering their mistake, lay in their en-
campment awaiting the onset. As the sound of the approach-
ing force was heard, even before the Hussites were in sight,
a panic again fell upon the crusaders. Princes, generals,
and common soldiers, casting away their armor, fled in all
directions. In vain the papal legate, who was the leader
of the invasion, endeavored to rally his terrified and dis-
organized forces. Despite his utmost endeavors, he himself
was swept along in the tide of fugitives. The rout was
complete, and again an immense booty fell into the hands
of the victors.
Thus the second time a vast army, sent forth by the most
powerful nations of Europe, a host of brave, warlike men,
trained and equipped for battle, fled without a blow, before
the defenders of a small and hitherto feeble nation. Here
was a manifestation of divine power. The invaders were
smitten with a supernatural terror. He who overthrew the
hosts of Pharaoh in the Red Sea, who put to flight the
armies of Midian before Gideon and his three hundred, who
in one night laid low the forces of the proud Assyrian, had
again stretched out His hand to wither the power of the
oppressor. "There were they in great fear, where no fear
was: for God hath scattered the bones of him that encamp-
eth against thee: thou hast put them to shame, because God
hath despised them. ' ' '
'Ps. 53:5.
118 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
The papal leaders, despairing of conquering by force, at
last resorted to diplomacy. A compromise was entered into,
that while professing to grant to the Bohemians freedom of
conscience, really betrayed them into the power of Rome.
The Bohemians had specified four points as the condition of
peace with Rome : The free preaching of the Bible ; the right
of the whole church to both the bread and the wine in the
communion, and the use of the mother tongue in divine
worship ; the exchttlon of the clergy from all secular offices
and authority; and in cases of crime, the jurisdiction of the
civil courts over clergy and laity alike. The papal author-
ities at last "agreed that the four articles of the Hussites
should be accepted, but that the right of explaining them,
that is, of determining their precise import, should belong
to the council — in other words, to the pope and the em-
peror. "* On this basis a treaty was entered into, and
Rome gained by dissimulation and fraud what she had
failed to gain by conflict ; for, placing her own interpre-
tation upon the Hussite articles, as upon the Bible, she
could pervert their meaning to suit her own purposes.
A large class in Bohemia, seeing that it betrayed their
liberties, could not consent to the compact. Dissensions and
divisions arose, leading to strife and bloodshed among them-
selves. In this strife the noble Procopius fell, and the lib-
erties of Bohemia perished.
Sigismund, the betrayer of Huss and Jerome, now became
king of Bohemia, and regardless of his oath to support the
rights of the Bohemians, he proceeded to establish popery.
But he had gained little by his subservience to Rome. Foi
twenty years his life had been filled with labors and perils.
His armies had been wasted and his treasuries drained by
a long and fruitless struggle; and now, after reigning one
year, he died, leaving his kingdom on the brink of civil war,
and bequeathing to posterity a name branded with infamy.
Tumults, strife, and bloodshed were protracted. Again
foreign armies invaded Bohemia, and internal dissension
^Wylie, b. 3, ch. 18.
HUSS AXD JEHCME 119
continued to distract the nation. Those who remained
faithful to the gospel were subjected to a bloody persecution.
As their former bretliren, entering into compact with
Rome, imbibed her errors, those who adhered to the an-
cient faith had formed themselves into a distinct church,
taking the name of "United Brethren." This act drew
upon them maledictions from all classes. Yet their firm-
ness was unshaken. Forced to find refuge in the woods
and caves, they still assembled to read God's word and unite
in His worship.
Through messengers secretly sent out into different coun-
tries, they learned that here and there were "isolated con-
fessors of the truth, a few in this city and a few in that,
the object, like themselves, of persecution ; and that amid
the mountains of the Alps was an ancient church, resting
on the foundations of Scripture, and protesting against the
idolatrous corruptions of Rome. ' ' * This intelligence was
received with great joy, and a correspondence was opened
with the Waldensian Christians.
Steadfast to the gospel, the Bohemians waited through
the night of their persecution, in the darkest hour still
turning their eyes toward the horizon like men who watch
for the morning. "Their lot was cast in evil days, but
. . . they remembered the words first uttered by IIuss, and
repeated by Jerome, that a century must revolve before the
day should break. These were to the Taborites [Hussites]
what the words of Joseph were to the tribes in the house of
bondage: 'I die, and God will surely visit you, and bring
you out. ' " ' " The closing period of the fifteenth century
witnessed the slow but sure increase of the churches of the
Brethren. Although far from being unmolested, they yet
enjoyed comparative rest. At the commencement of the
sixteenth century, their churches numbered two hundred in
Bohemia and Moravia."' "So goodly was the remnant
which, escaping the destructive fury of fire and sword, was
permitted to see the dawning of that day which Huss had
foretold."'
' Wylie, b. 3, oh. 19.
-Oillett, "Life and Times of .lohn Huss" (3d ed.-), Vol. II. p. 570.
<4^^ii!&mmmm^H^^m<^j^v^mtp. t-^,
LUTHER'S SEPARATION FROM ROME -7
Foremost among those who were called to lead the
church from the darkness of popery into the light of a
purer faith, stood IMartin Luther. Zealous, ardent, and
devoted, knowing no fear hut the fear of God, and acknowl-
edging no foundation for religious faith but the Holy
Scriptures, Luther was the man for his time: through him,
God accomplished a great work for the reformation of the
church and the enlightenment of the world.
Like the first heralds of the gospel, Luther sprung from
the ranks of poverty. His early years were spent in the
humble home of a German peasant. By daily toil as a
miner, his father earned the means for his education. He
intended him for a lawyer; but God purposed to make him
a builder in the great temple that was rising so slowly
through the centuries. Hardship, privation, and severe
discipline were the school in which Infinite "Wisdom pre-
pared Luther for the important mission of his life.
Luther's father w^as a man« of strong and active mind
and great force of character, honest, resolute, and straight-
forward. He w^as true to his convictions of duty, let the
consequences be what they might. His sterling good sense
led him to regard the monastic system w^ith distrust. He
was highly displeased when Luther, without his consent,
entered a monastery ; and it was two years before the father
was reconciled to his son, and even then his opinions rs'
mained the same.
(120)
LUTHER'S SEPARATION EROM ROME 121
Luther's parents bestowed great care upon the education
and training of their children. They endeavored to instruct
them in the knowledge of God and the practice of Christian
virtues. The father's prayer often ascended in the hearing
of his son, that the child might remember the name of the
Lord, and one day aid in the advancement of His truth.
Every advantage for moral or intellectual culture which
their life of toil permitted them to enjoy, was eagerly im-
proved by these parents. Their efforts were earnest and
persevering to prepare their children for a life of piety and
usefulness. With their firmness and strength of character
they sometimes exercised too great severity; but the Re-
former himself, though conscious that in some respects they
had erred, found in their discipline more to approve than
to condemn.
At school, where he was sent at an early age, Luther was
treated with harshness and even violence. So great was the
poverty of his parents, that upon going from home to school
in another town he was for a time obliged to obtain his food
by singing from door to door, and he often suffered from
hunger. The gloomy, superstitious ideas of religion then
prevailing filled him with fear. He would lie down at
night with a sorrowful heart, looking forward with trem-
bling to the dark future, and in constant terror at the
thought of God as a stern, unrelenting judge, a cruel tyrant,
rather than a kind heavenly Father.
Yet under so many and so great discouragements, Luther
pressed resolutely forward toward the high standard of
moral and intellectual excellence which attracted his soul.
He thirsted for knowledge, and the earnest and practical
character of his mind led him to desire the solid and use-
ful rather than the showy and superficial.
When, at the age of eighteen, he entered the University
of Erfurt, his situation was more favorable and his pros-
pects were brighter than in his earlier years. His parents
having by thrift and industry acquired a competence, they
were able to render him all needed assistance. And the
122 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
influence of judicious friends had somewhat lessened the
gloomy effects of his former training. He applied himself
to the study of the best authors, diligently treasuring their
most weighty thoughts, and making the wisdom of the wise
his own. Even under the harsh discipline of his former in-
structors, he had early given promise of distinction; and
with favorable influences his mind rapidly developed. A
retentive memory, a lively imagination, strong reasoning
powers, and untiring application, soon placed him in the
foremost rank among his associates. Intellectual discipline
ripened his understanding, and aroused an activity of mind
and a keenness of perception that were preparing him for
the conflicts of his life.
The fear of the Lord dwelt in the heart of Luther, ena-
bling him to maintain his steadfastness of purpose, and lead-
ing him to deep humility before God. He had an abiding
sense of his dependence upon divine aid, and he did not
fail to begin each day with prayer, while his heart was con-
tinually breathing a petition for guidance and support.
"To pray well," he often said, "is the better half of study.'' '
While one day examining the books in the library of the
university, Luther discovered a Latin Bible. Such a book he
had never before seen. He was ignorant even of its exist-
ence. He had heard portions of the Gospels and Epistles,
which were read to the people at public w'orship, and he
supposed that these were the entire Bible. Now, for the
first time, he looked upon the whole of God's word. "With
mingled awe and wonder he turned the sacred pages; with
quickened pulse and throbbing heart he read for himself the
words of life, pausing now and then to exclaim, "0 that
God would give me such a book for myself!"' Angels
of heaven were by his side, and rays of light from the
throne of God revealed the treasures of truth to his under-
standing. He had ever feared to offend God, but now the
deep conviction of his condition as a sinner took hold upon
him as never before.
^D'Aubigne, "History of the Eeformation of the Sixteenth Cen-
tury," b. 2, ch. 2.
LUTHER'S SEPARATION FROM ROME 123
An earnest desire to be free from sin and to find peace
with God, led him at last to enter a cloister, and devote him-
self to a monastic life. Here he was required to perform the
lowest drudgery, and to beg from house to house. He was
at an age when respect and appreciation are most eagerly
craved, and these menial offices were deeply mortifying to
his natural feelings; but he patiently endured this humilia-
tion, believing that it was necessary because of his sins.
Every moment that could be spared from his daily duties
he employed in study, robbing himself of sleep, and grudg-
ing even the time spent at his scanty meals. Above every-
thing else he delighted in the study of God's word. He
had found a Bible chained to the convent wall, and to this
he often repaired. As his convictions of sin deepened, he
sought by his own works to obtain jjardon and peace. He
led a most rigorous life, endeavoring by fasting, vigils, and
scourgings to subdue the evils of his nature, from which
the monastic life had brought no release. He shrank from
no sacrifice by which he might attain to that purity of heart
which would enable him to stand approved before God. "I
was indeed a pious monk," he afterward said, *'and fol-
lowed the rules of my order more strictly than I can ex-
press. If ever monk could obtain heaven by his monkish
works, I should certainly have been entitled to it. . . . If it
had continued much longer, I should have carried my mor-
tifications even to death. ' " As the result of this painful dis-
cipline, he lost strength, and suffered from fainting spasms,
from the effects of which he never fully recovered. But
M'ith all his efforts, his burdened soul found no relief. He
was at last driven to the verge of despair.
"When it appeared to Luther that all M-as lost, God raised
up a friend and helper for him. The pious Staupitz opened
the word of God to Luther's mind, and bade liim look away
from himself, cease the contemplation of infinite punishment
for the violation of God's law, and look to Jesus, his sin-
pardoning Saviour. "Instead of torturing yourself on
account of your sins, throw yourself into the Redeemer's
'D'Aubigne, b. 2, ch. 3.
124 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
arms. Trust in Him, in the righteousness of His life, in
the atonement of His death. . . . Listen to the Son of God.
He became man to give you the assurance of divine favor."
■'Love Him who first loved you."* Thus spoke this mes-
senger of mercy. His words made a deep impression upon
Luther's mind. After many a struggle with long-cherished
errors, he was enabled to grasp the truth, and peace came
to his troubled soul.
Luther was ordained a priest, and was called from the
cloister to a professorship in the University of Wittenberg.
Here he applied himself to the study of the Scriptures in
the original tongues. He began to lecture upon the Bible;
and the book of Psalms, the Gospels, and the Epistles were
opened to the understanding of crowds of delighted listeners.
Staupitz, his friend and superior, urged him to ascend the
pulpit, and preach the word of God. Luther hesitated, feel-
ing himself unworthy to speak to the people in Christ's
stead. It was only after a long struggle that he yielded to
the solicitations of his friends. Already he was mighty in
the Scriptures, and the grace of God rested upon him. His
eloquence captivated his hearers, the clearness and power
with which he presented the truth convinced their under-
standing, and his fervor touched their hearts.
Luther was still a true son of the papal church, and had
no thought that he would ever be anything else. In- the
providence of God he was led to visit Some. He pursued
his journey on foot, lodging at the monasteries on the way.
At a convent in Italy he was filled with wonder at the
wealth, magnificence, and luxury that he witnessed. En-
dowed with a princely revenue, the monks dwelt in splendid
apartments, attired themselves in the richest and most costly
robes, and feasted at a sumptuous table. With painful mis-
givings Luther contrasted this scene with the self-denial and
hardship of his own life. His mind was becoming perplexed.
At last he beheld in the distance the seven-hilled city.
With deep emotion he prostrated himself upon the earth,
^D'Aubigne, b. 2, ch. 4.
LUTHER'S SEPARATION FROM ROME 125
exclaiming, * * Holy Rome, I salute thee ! " * He entered the
city, visited the churches, listened to the marvelous tales
repeated by priests and monks, and performed all the cere-
monies required. Everywhere he looked upon scenes that
filled him with astonishment and horror. He saw that
iniquity existed among all classes of the clergy. He heard
indecent jokes from prelates, and was filled with horror at
their awful profanity, even during mass. As he mingled
with the monks and citizens, he met dissipation, debauchery.
Turn where he would, in the place of sanctity he found prof-
anation. "No one can imagine," he wrote, "what sins and
infamous actions are conunitted in Rome; they must be seen
and heard to be believed. Thus they are in the habit of
saying, 'If there is a hell, Rome is built over it: it is an
abyss whence issues every kind of sin. ' " '
By a recent decretal, an indulgence had been promised
by the pope to all who should ascend upon their knees
"Pilate's staircase," said to have been descended by our
Saviour on leaving the Roman judgment hall, and to have
])een miraculously conveyed from Jerusalem to Rome.
Luther was one day devoutly climbing these steps, when
suddenly a voice like thunder seemed to say to him, "The
just shall live by faith. "^ He sprung to his feet, and
hastened from the place in shame and horror. That text
never lost its power upon his soul. From that time he saw
more clearly than ever before the fallacy of trusting to
human works for salvation, and the necessity of constant
faith in the merits of Christ. His eyes had been opened,
and were never again to be closed, to the delusions of the
papacy. When he turned his face from Rome, he had
turned away also in heart, and from that time the separa-
tion grew wider, until he severed all connection with the
papal church.
After his return from Rome, Luther received at the Uni-
versity of Wittenberg the degree of Doctor of Divinity. Now
he was at liberty to devote himself, as never before, to the
»D'Aubigiid, b. 2, ch. 6. "Rom. 1:17.
126 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
Scriptures that he loved. He had taken a solemn vow to
study carefully and to preach with fidelity the word of God,
not the sayings and doctrines of the popes, all the days of
his life. He was no longer the mere monk or professor, but
the authorized herald of the Bible. He had been called as
a shepherd to feed the flock of God, that were hungering
and thirsting for the truth. He firmly declared that Chris-
tians should receive no other doctrines than those which
rest on the authority of the Sacred Scriptures. These words
struck at the very foundation of papal supremacy. They
contained the vital principle of the Reformation.
Luther saw the danger of exalting human theories above
the word of God. He fearlessly attacked the speculative
infidelity of the schoolmen, and opposed the philosophy and
theology which had so long held a controlling influence
upon the people. He denounced such studies as not only
worthless but pernicious, and sought to turn the minds of
his hearers from the sophistries of philosophers and theolo-
gians to the eternal truths set forth by prophets and apostles.
Precious was the message which he bore to the eager
crowds that hung upon his words. Never before had such
teachings fallen upon their ears. The glad tidings of a
Saviour's love, the assurance of pardon and peace through
His atoning blood, rejoiced their hearts, and inspired within
them an immortal hope. At Wittenberg a light was kin-
dled whose rays should extend to the uttermost parts of the
earth, and which was to increase in briglitness to the close
of time.
But light and darkness cannot harmonize. Between
truth and error there is an irrepressible conflict. To up-
hold and defend the one is to attack and overthrow the
other. Our Saviour Himself declared, "I came not to send
peace, but a sword."* Said Luther, a few years after the
opening of the Reformation: ''God does not guide me, He
pushes me forward. He carries me away. I am not master
of myself. I desire to live in repose; but I am thrown into
»Matt. 10:34.
LUTHER'S SEPARATION FROM ROME 127
the midst of tumults and revolutions. ' ' ^ He was now about
to be urged into the contest.
The Roman Church had made merchandise of the grace
of God. The tables of the money-changers ^ were set up
beside her altars, and the air resounded with the shouts
of buyers and sellers. Under the plea of raising funds for
the erection of St. Peter's church at Rome, indulgences for
sin were publicly offered for sale by the authority of the
pope. By the price of crime a temple was to be built up
for God's worship, — the corner-stone laid with the wages
of iniquity! But the very means adopted for Rome's ag-
grandizement provoked the deadliest blow to her power
and greatness. It was this that aroused the most deter-
mined and successful of the enemies of popery, and led to
the battle which shook the papal throne, and jostled the
triple crown upon the pontiff's head.
The official appointed to conduct the sale of indulgences
in Germany — Tetzel by name — had been convicted of the
basest offenses against society and against the law of God;
but having escaped the punishment due to his crimes, he
was employed to further the mercenary and unscrupulous
projects of the pope. With great effrontery he repeated the
most glaring falsehoods, and related marvelous tales to de-
ceive an ignorant, credulous, and superstitious people. Had
they possessed the word of God, they would not have been
thus deceived. It was to keep them under the control
of the papacy, in order to swell the power and wealth of
her ambitious leaders, that the Bible had been withheld
from them.*
As Tetzel entered a town, a messenger went before him,
announcing, "The grace of God and of the holy father is at
your gates."* And the people welcomed the blasphemous
pretender as if he were God Himself come down from
heaven to them. The infamous traffic was set up in the
church, and Tetzel, ascending the pulpit, extolled indul-
^D'Aubigne, b. 5, ch. 2. ^'Matt. 21:12.
* See Gieseler, ' ' Ecclesiastical History, ' ' Period IV, sec. 1, par. 5.
*D'Aubign6, b. 3, ch. 1.
128 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
gences as the most precious gift of God. He declared that
by virtue of his certificates of pardon, all the sins which the
purchaser should afterward desire to commit would be for-
given him, and that "not even repentance is necessary.'"
More than this, he assured his hearers that the indulgences
had power to save not only the living but the dead; that
the very moment the money should clink against the bottom
of his chest, the soul in whose behalf it had been paid would
escape from purgatory and make its way to heaven.''
When Simon Magus offered to purchase of the apostles
the power to work miracles, Peter answered him, "Thy
money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the
gift of God may be purchased with money. ' ' * But Tetzel 's
offer was grasped by eager thousands. Gold and silver
flowed into his treasury. A salvation that could be bought
with money was more easily obtained than that which re-
quires repentance, faith, and diligent effort to resist and
overcome sin.*
The doctrine of indulgences liad been opposed by men of
learning and piety in the Roman Chureli, and there were
many who had no faith in pretensions so contrary to both
reason and revelation. No prelate dared lift his voice
against this iniquitous traffic; but the minds of men were
becoming disturbed and uneasy, and many eagerly inquired
if God would not work through some instrumentality for
the purification of His church.
Luther, though still a papist of the straitest sort, was
filled with horror at the blasphemous assumptions of the
indulgence mongers. Many of his own congregation had
purchased certificates of pardon, and they soon began to
come to their pastor, confessing their various sins, and ex-
pecting absolution, not because they were penitent and
wished to reform, but on the ground of the indulgence.
Luther refused them absolution, and warned them that
» D 'Aubigne, b. 3, ch. 1.
' See Hagenbach, ' * History of the Keformation, ' ' Vol. I, p. 96.
« Acta 8:20. * See Appendix.
LUTHER'S SEPARATION FROM ROME 129
unless they should repent and reform their lives, they must
perish in their sins. In great perplexity they repaired to
Tetzel with the complaint that their confessor had refused
his certificates; and some boldly demanded that their money
be returned to them. The friar was filled with rage. He
uttered the most terrible curses, caused fires to be lighted
in the public squares, and declared that he "had received
an order from the pope to burn all heretics who presumed
to oppose his most holy indulgences. " ^
Luther now entered boldly upon his work as a champion
of the truth. His voice was heard from the pulpit in
earnest, solemn warning. He set before the people the
offensive character of sin, and taught them that it is
impossible for man, by his own works, to lessen its guilt or
evade its punishment. Nothing but repentance toward God
and faith in Christ can save the sinner. The grace of
Christ cannot be purchased; it is a free gift. He counseled
the people not to buy indulgences, but to look in faith
to a crucified Redeemer. He related his own painful ex-
j)erienee in vainly seeking by humiliation and penance to
secure salvation, and assured his hearers that it was by
looking away from himself and believing in Christ that he
found peace and joy.
As Tetzel continued his traffic and his impious preten-
sions, Luther determined upon a more effectual protest
against these crying abuses. An occasion soon offered. The
castle church of Wittenberg possessed many relics, which on
certain holy days were exhibited to the people, and full
remission of sins was granted to all who then visited the
church and made confession. Accordingly on these days
the people in great numbers resorted thither. One of the
most important of these occasions, the festival of "All
Saints," was approaching. On the preceding day, Luther,
joining the crowds that were already making their way to
the church, posted on its door a paper containing ninety-
five propositions against the doctrine of indulgences. He
'D'Aubigne, b. 3, ch. 4.
i> r,. G.
130 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
declared his willingness to defend these theses next day at
the university, against all who should see fit to attack them.
His propositions attracted universal attention. Thej*
were read and re-read, and repeated in every direction.
Great excitement was created in the university and in the
whole city. By these theses it was shown that the power
to grant the pardon of sin, and to remit its penalty, had
never been committed to the pope or to any other man.
The whole scheme was a farce, — an artifice to extort money
by playing upon the superstitions of the people, — a device
of Satan to destroy the souls of all who should trust to its
lying pretensions. It was also clearly shown that the gospel
of Christ is the most valuable treasure of the church, and
that the grace of God, therein revealed, is freely bestowed
upon all who seek it by repentance and faith.
Luther's theses challenged discussion; but no one dared
accept the challenge. The questions which he proposed had
in a few days spread through all Germany, and in a few
weeks they had sounded throughout Christendom. Many
devoted Komanists, who had seen and lamented the terrible
iniquity prevailing in the church, but had not known how
to arrest its progress, read the propositions with great joy,
recognizing in them the voice of God. They felt that the
Lord had graciously set His hand to arrest the rapidly swell-
ing tide of corruption that was issuing from the see of Rome.
Princes and magistrates secretly rejoiced that a check was to
be put upon the arrogant power which denied the right of
appeal from its decisions.
But the sin-loving and superstitious multitudes were ter-
rified as the sophistries that had soothed their fears were
swept away. Crafty ecclesiastics, interrupted in their work
of sanctioning crime, and seeing their gains endangered,
were enraged, and rallied to uphold their pretensions. The
Reformer had bitter accusers to meet. Some charged him
with acting hastily and from impulse. Others accused him
of presumption, declaring that he was not directed of God,
but was acting from pride and forwardness. **Who does not
LUTHER'S SEPARATION FROM ROME 131
know, ' ' he responded, ' ' that a man rarely puts forth any new
idea without having some appearance of pride, and without
being' accused of exciting quarrels? . . . Why were Christ
and all the martyrs put to death? Because they seemed
to be proud contemners of the wisdom of the time, and be-
cause they advanced novelties wdthout having first humbly
taken counsel of the oracles of the ancient opinions."
Again he declared: "Whatever I do will be done, not by
the prudence of men, but by the counsel of God. If the
work be of God, who shall stop it? if it be not, who can for-
ward it? Not my will, nor theirs, nor ours; but Thy will,
holy Father, which art in heaven."^
Though Luther had been moved by the Spirit of God to
begin his work, he was not to carry it forward without
severe conflicts. The reproaches of his enemies, their mis-
representation of his purposes, and their unjust and mali-
cious reflections upon his character and motives, came in
upon him like an overwhelming flood; and they were not
without effect. He had felt confident that the leaders of
the people, both in the church and in the schools, would
gladly unite with him in efforts for reform. Words of en-
couragement from those in high position had inspired him
with joy and hope. Already in anticipation he had seen
a brighter day dawning for the church. But encourage-
ment had changed to reproach and condemnation. Many
dignitaries, of both church and state, were convicted of
the truthfulness of his theses; but they soon saw that the
acceptance of these truths would involve great changes. To
enlighten and reform the people would be virtually to un-
dermine the authority of Rome, to stop thousands of streams
now flowing into her treasury, and thus greatly to curtail
the extravagance and luxury of the papal leaders. Further-
more, to teach the people to think and act as responsible
beings, looking to Christ alone for salvation, would over-
throw the pontiff's throne, and eventually destroy their
own authority. For this reason they refused the knowledge
tendered them of God, and arrayed themselves against
»D'Aubign6, b. 3, ch 6.
132 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
Christ and the truth by their opposition to the man whom
He had sent to enlighten them.
Luther trembled as he looked upon himself — one man
opposed to the mightiest powers of earth. He sometimes
doubted whether he had indeed been led of God to set him-
self against the authority of the church. "Who was I,"
he writes, "to oppose the majesty of the pope, before Avhom
. : . the kings of the earth and tlie whole world trem-
bled? ... No one can know what my heart suffered dur-
ing these first two years, and into what despondency, I
may say into what despair, I was sunk. ' ' * But he was
not left to become utterly disheartened. When human sup-
port failed, he looked to God alone, and learned that he
could lean in perfect safety upon that all-powerful arm.
To a friend of the Reformation Luther wrote: "We
cannot attain to the understanding of Scripture either by
study or by the intellect. Your first duty is to begin by
prayer. Entreat the Lord to grant you, of His great mercy,
the true understanding of His word. There is no other
interpreter of tlie word of God than the Author of this word,
as He Himself has said, 'They shall be all taught of God.'
Hope for nothing from your own labors, from your own un-
derstanding: trust solely in God, and in the influence of
His Spirit. Believe this on the word of a man who has had
experience."^ Here is a lesson of vital importance to those
who feel that God has called them to present to others the
solemn truths for this time. These truths will stir the
enmity of Satan, and of men who love the fables that he
has devised. In the conflict with the powers of evil, there
is need of something more than strength of intellect and
human wisdom.
When enemies appealed to custom and tradition, or to
the assertions and authority of the pope, Luther met them
with the Bible, and the Bible only. Here were arguments
which they could not answer; therefore the slaves of formal-
ism and superstition clamored for. his blood, as the Jews
had clamored for the blood of Christ. "He is a heretic,"
^D'Aubigne, b. 3, ch. 6. *D'Aubign6, b. 3, ch. 7.
LUTHER'S SEPARATION FROM ROME 133
cried the Roman zealots. "It is high treason against the
church to allow so horrible a heretic to live one hour longer.
Let the scaffold be instantly erected for him ! " ' But Luther
did not fall a prey to their fury. God had a work for
him to do, and angels of heaven were sent to protect himt
Many, however, who had received from Luther the pre^
cious light, were made the objects of Satan's wrath, and
for the truth's sake fearlessly suffered torture and death.
Luther's teachings attracted the attention of thoughtful
minds throughout all Germany. From his sermons and
writings issued beams of light which awakened and illumi-
nated thousands. A living faith was taking the place of
the dead formalism in wliicli the church had so long been
held. The people were daily losing confidence in the super-
stitions of Romanism. The barriers of prejudice were giv-
ing way. The word of God, by which Luther tested every
doctrine and every claim, was like a two-edged sword,
cutting its way to the hearts of the people. Everywhere
there was awakening a desire for spiritual progress. Every-
where was such a hungering and thirsting after righteous-
ness as had not been known for ages. The eyes of the
people, so long directed to human rites and earthly media-
tors, were now turning in penitence and faith to Christ and
Him crucified. Mnwh.'i'inii [>ii<; vtf'nr<j ■"'■
This wide-spread interest aroused still further the fears
of the papal authorities. Luther received a summons to ap-
pear at Rome, to answer to the charge of heresy. The com-
mand filled his friends with terror. They knew full well
the danger that threatened him in that corrupt city, already
drunk with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. They pro-
tested against his going to Rome, and requested that he
receive his examination in Germany.
This arrangement was finally effected, and the pope's
legate was appointed to hear the ease. In the instructions
communicated by the pontiff to this official, it was stated
that Luther had already been declared a heretic. The legate
was therefore charged "to prosecute and constrain without
*D'Aubigiie, b. 3, ch. 9,
i§4 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
any delay." If he should remain steadfast, and the legate
should fail to gain possession of his person, he was em-
powered "to proscribe him in every part of Germany; to
banish, curse, and excommunicate all those who are at-
tached to him. ' ' ' And further, the pope directed his legate,
in order entirely to root out the pestilent heresy, to excom-
municate all, of whatever dignity in church or state, except
the emperor, who should neglect to seize Luther and his ad-
herents, and deliver them up to the vengeance of Rome.
Here is displayed the true spirit of popery. Not a trace
of Christian principle, or even of common justice, is to be
seen in the whole document. Luther was at a great dis-
tance from Rome; he had had no opportunity to explain or
defend his position; yet before his case had been investi-
gated, he was summarily pronounced a heretic, and in
the same day, exhorted, accused, judged, and condemned;
and all this by the self-styled holy father, the only su-
preme, infallible authority in church or state!
At this time, when Luther so much needed the sympa-
thy and counsel of a true friend, God's providence sent
Melanehthon to Wittenberg. Young in years, modest and
diffident in his manners, Melanehthon 's sound judgment, ex-
tensive knowledge, and winning eloquence, combined with
the purity and uprightness of his character, won uni-
versal admiration and esteem. The brilliancy of his talents
was not more marked than his gentleness of disposition.
He soon became an earnest disciple of the gospel, and
Luther's most trusted friend and valued supporter; his
gentleness, caution, and exactness serving as a complement
to Luther's courage and energy. Their union in the work
added strength to the Reformation, and Avas a source of
great encouragement to Luther.
Augsburg had been fixed upon as the place of trial, and
the Reformer set out on foot to perform the journey thither.
Serious fears were entertained in his behalf. Threats had
been made openly that he would be seized and murdered on
the way, and his friends begged him not to venture. They
*D'Aubign6, b. 4, ch. 2.
LUTHER'S SEPARATION FROM ROME 135
even entreated him to leave Wittenberg for a time, and find
safety with those who would gladly protect him. But he
would not leave the position where God had placed him.
He must continue faithfully to maintain the truth, notwith-
standing the storms that were beating upon him. His
language was: "I am like Jeremiah, a man of strife and
contention; but the more their threats increase, the more
my joy is multiplied. . . . They have already destroyed my
honor and my reputation. One single thing remains; it is
ray wretched body: let them take it; they will thus shorten
my life by a few hours. But as for my soul, they cannot
take that. He who desires to proclaim the word of Christ
to the world, must expect death at every moment. ' ' '
The tidings of Luther's arrival at Augsburg gave great
satisfaction to the papal legate. The troublesome heretic
who was exciting the attention of the whole world seemed
now in the power of Rome, and the legate determined that
he should not escape. The Reformer had failed to provide
himself with a safe-conduct. His friends urged him not to
appear before the legate without one, and they themselves
undertook to procure it from the emperor. The legate in-
tended to force Luther, if possible, to retract, or, failing
in this, to cause him to be conveyed to Rome, to share the
fate of Huss and Jerome. Therefore through his agents
he endeavored to induce Luther to appear without a safe-
conduct, trusting himself to his mercy. This the Reformer
firmly declined to do. Not until he had received the docu-
ment pledging him the emperor's protection, did he appear
in the presence of the papal ambassador.
As a matter of policy, the Romanists had decided to
attempt to win Luther by an appearance of gentleness. The
legate, in his interviews with him, professed great friendli-
ness; but he demanded that Luther submit implicitly to
the autliority of the church, and yield every point without
argument or question. He had not rightly estimated the
character of the man with whom he had to deal. Luther,
in reply, expressed his regard for the church, his desire for
*D'Aubigu6, b. 4, ch. 4.
lS6 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
the truth, his readiness to answer all objections to what he
had taught, and to submit his doctrines to the decision of
certain leading universities. But at the same time he pro-
tested against the cardinal's course in requiring him to
retract without having proved him in error.
The only response was, ' ' Retract, retract ! ' ' The Reformer
showed that his position was sustained by the Scriptures,
and firmly declared that he could not renounce the truth.
The legate, unable to reply to Luther's arguments, over-
whelmed him with a storm of reproaches, gibes, and flat-
tery, interspersed with quotations from tradition and the
sayings of the Fathers, granting the Reformer no oppor-
tunity to speak. Seeing that the conference, thus con-
tinued, would be utterly futile, Luther finally obtained a
reluctant permission to present his answer in Avriting.
"In so doing," said he, writing to a friend, "the op-
pressed find double gain ; first, Avhat is written may be
submitted to the judgment of others; and second, one has a
better chance of working on the fears, if not on the con-
science, of an arrogant and babbling despot, who would
otherwise overpower by his imperious language. ' ' *
V'i At the next interview, Luther presented a clear, concise,
and forcible exposition of his views, fully supported by
many quotations from Scripture. This paper, after reading
aloud, he handed to the cardinal, who, however, cast it
contemptuously aside, declaring it to be a mass of idle words
and irrelevant quotations. Luther, fully roused, now met
the haughty prelate on his own ground, — the traditions
and teachings of the church, — and utterly overthrew his
assumptions.
When the prelate saw that Luther's reasoning was un-
answerable, he lost all self-control, and in a rage cried out:
"Retract! or I will send you to Rome, there to appear
before the judges commissioned to take cognizance of your
cause. I will excommunicate you and all your partisans,
and all who shall at any time countenance you, and will
' Martyn, ' ' The Life and Times of Luther, ' ' pp. 271, 272.
L UTHER 'S SEPARA TION FR 031 R OME 1 37
cast them out of the church." And he finally declared,
in a haughty and angry, ,, tone, ,.' '.Retract, or return no
more."' iiiTuroilt Ixul virit luoil// iikk! jh' T
The Reformer promptly withdrew with his friends, thus
declaring plainly that no retraction was to be expected from
him. This was not what the cardinal had purposed. He had
flattered himself that by violence he could awe Luther to
submission. Now, left alone with his supporters, he looked
from one to another in utter chagrin at the unexpected
failure of his schemes.
Luther's efforts on this occasion were not without good
results. The large assembly present had opportunity to
compare the two men, and to judge for themselves of the
spirit manifested by them, as well as of the strength and
truthfulness of their positions. How marked the contrast !
The Reformer, simple, humble, firm, stood up in the strength
of God, having truth on his side; the pope's representa-
tive, self-important, overbearing, haughty, and unreason-
able, was without a single argument from the Scriptures,
yet vehemently crying, "Retract, or be sent to Rome for
punishment. ' '
..Notwithstanding Luther had secured a safe-conduct, the
Romanists were plotting to seize and imprison him. His
friends urged that as it was useless for him to prolong his
stay, he should return to Wittenberg without delay, and that
the utmost caution should be observed in order to conceal
his intentions. He accordingly left Augsburg before day-
break, on horseback, accompanied only by a guide furnished
him by the magistrate. With many forebodings he secretly
made his way through the dark and silent streets of the city.
Enemies, vigilant and cruel, were plotting his destruction.
Would he escape the snares prepared for him? Those were
moments of anxiety and earnest prayer. He reached a small
gate in the wall of the city. It was opened for him, and
with his guide he passed through without hindrance. Once
safely outside, the fugitives hastened their flight, and before
'D'Aubigne, b. 4, ch. 8 (London ed.).
t38 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
the legate learned of Luther's departure, he was beyond the
reach of his persecutors. Satan and his emissaries were
defeated. Tlie man whom they had thought in their power
was gone, escaped as a bird from the snare of the fowler.
At the news of Luther's escape, the legate was over-
whelmed with surprise and anger. He had expected to
receive great honor for his wisdom and firmness in dealing
with this disturber of the church; but his hope was dis-
appointed. He gave expression to his wrath in a letter
to Frederick, the elector of Saxony, bitterly denouncing
Luther, and demanding that Frederick send the Reformer
to Rome or banish him from Saxony.
In defense, Luther urged that the legate or the pope
show him his errors from the Scriptures, and pledged him-
self in the most solemn manner to renounce his doctrines
if they could be shown to contradict the word of God.
And he expressed his gratitude to God that he had been
counted worthy to suffer in so holy a cause.
The elector had, as yet, little knowledge of the reformed
doctrines, but he was deeply impressed by the candor,
force, and clearness of Luther's words; and until the
Reformer should be proved to be in error, Frederick re-
solved to stand as his protector. In reply to the legate's
demand he wrote : " ' Since Doctor Martin has appeared
before you at Augsburg, you should be satisfied. "We did
not expect that you would endeavor to make him retract
without having convinced him of his errors. None of the
learned men in our principality have informed me that Mar-
tin's doctrine is impious, antichristian, or heretical.' The
prince refused, moreover, to send Luther to Rome, or to
expel him from his states. ' ' '
The elector saw that there was a general breaking down
of the moral restraints of society. A great work of reform
was needed. The complicated and expensive arrangements
to restrain and punish crime would be unnecessary if men
but acknowledged and obeyed the requirements of God and
the dictates of an enlightened conscience. He saw that
»D'Aubigne, b. 4, ch. 10.
LUTHER'S SEPARATION FROM ROME 139
Luther was laboring to secure this object, and he secretly
rejoiced that a better influence was making itself felt in
the church.
He saw also that as a professor in the university Luther
was eminently successful. Only a year had passed since
the Reformer posted his theses on the castle church, yet there
was already a great falling off in the number of pilgrims
that visited the church at the festival of All Saints. Rome
had been deprived of worshipers and offerings, but their
place was filled by another class, who now came to Witten-
berg, not pilgrims to adore her relics, but students to fill
her halls of learning. The writings of Luther had kindled
everywhere a new interest in the Holy Scriptures, and not
only from all parts of Germany, but from other lands,
students flocked to the university. Young men, coming in
sight of Wittenberg for the first time, "raised their hands
to heaven, and praised God for having caused the light
of truth to shine forth from this city, as from Zion in
times of old, and whence it spread even to the most dis-
tant countries. ' ' '
Luther was as yet but partially converted from the
errors of Romanism. But as he compared the Holy Oracles
with the papal decrees and constitutions, he was filled with
wonder. "I am reading," he wrote, "the decrees of the
pontiffs, and ... I do not know whether the pope is
antichrist himself, or his apostle, so greatly is Christ mis-
represented and crucified in them. ' ' ^ Yet at this time
Luther was still a supporter of the Roman Church, and
had no thought that he would ever separate from her
communion.
The Reformer's writings and his doctrine were extend-
ing to every nation in Christendom. The work spread to
Switzerland and Holland. Copies of his writings found their
way to France and Spain, In England his teachings were
received as the word of life. To Belgium and Italy also the
truth had extended. Thousands were awakening from their
deathlike stupor to the joy and hope of a life of faitli,
* D 'Aubigne, b, 4, ch. 10. * IJera, b. 5, ch. 1.
140 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
Rome became more and more exasperated by the attacks
of Luther, and it was declared by some of his fanatical
opponents, even by doctors in Catholic universities, that
he who should kill the rebellious monk would be without
sin. One daj' a stranger, with a pistol hidden under his
cloak, approached the Reformer, and inquired why he went
thus alone, "I am in God's hands, " answered Luther.
''He is my strength and my shield. What can man do unto
me?'" Upon hearing these words, the stranger turned pale,
and fled away, as from the presence of the angels af heaven.
In Rome was bent upon the destruction of Luther ; but
God was his defense. His doctrines were heard every^
where,— "in cottages and convents, ... in the castles of
the nobles, in the universities, and in the palaces of kings;"
and noble men were rising on every hand to sustain his
efforts.'
It was about this time that Luther, reading the works
of Huss, found that the great truth of justification by faith,
which he himself was seeking to uphold and teach, had been
held by the Bohemian Reformer. "We have all," said
Luther, "Paul, Augustine, and myself, been Hussites with-
out knowing it!" "God will surely visit it upon the world,"
he continued, "that the truth was preached to it a cen-
tury ago, and burned ! " ^ - '
In an appeal to the emperor and nobility of Germany in
behalf of the Reformation of Christianity, Luther wrote
concerning the pope: "It is a horrible thing to behold
the man who styles himself Christ's vicegerent, display-
ing a magnificence that no emperor can equal. Is this
being like the poor Jesus, or the humble Peter? He is,
say they, the lord of the world ! But Christ, whose vicar
he boasts of being, has said, 'My kingdom is not of this
world.' Can the dominions of a vicar extend beyond those
of his superior ? " *
■Ji' He wrote thus of the universities: "I am much afraid
that the universities will prove to be the great gates of
/»D'Aubigiie, b. 6, ch. 2. 'Wylie, b. 6, ch. 1.
'D'Aubigne, b. 6, cli. 3.
LUTHER'S SEPARATION FROM ROME 141
hell, unless they diligently labor in explaining the Holy
Scriptures, and engraving them in the hearts of youth. I
advise no one to place his child where the Scriptures do not
reign paramount. Every institution in which men are not
unceasingly occupied with the word of God must become
corrupt. " '
This appeal was rapidly circulated throughout Germany,
and exerted a powerful influence upon the people. The
whole nation was stirred, and multitudes were roused to
rally around the standard of reform. Luther's opponents,
burning \\dth a desire for revenge, urged the pope to take
decisive measures against him. It was decreed that his
doctrines should be immediately condemned. Sixty days
were granted the Reformer and his adherents, after which,
if they did not recant, they were all to be excommunicated.
' That was a terrible crisis for the Reformation. For cen-
turies Rome's sentence of excommunication had struck ter-
ror to powerful monarchs; it had filled mighty empires with
woe and desolation. Those upon whom its condemnation
fell, were universally regarded with dread and horror; they
were cut off from intercourse with their fellows, and treated
as outlaws, to be hunted to extermination. Luther was not
blind to the tempest about to burst upon him; but he stood
firm, trusting in Christ to be his support and shield. With
a martyr 's faith and courage he wrote : ' ' What is about to
happen I know not, nor do I care to know. . . . Let the
blow light where it may, I am without fear. Not so much
as a leaf falls, without the will of our Father. How much
rather will' He care for us! It is a light thing to' die foi'
the Word, since the Word which was made flesh hath Him-
self died. If we die with Him, we shall live with Him;
and passing through that which He has passed through
before us, we shall be where He is and dwell with Hira
forever.'"'
•r 'When the papal bull reached Luther, he said: "I despise
and attack it, as impious, false. ... It is Christ Himself
^D'Aubigne, b. 6, eh. ,3.
»D'Aubign6, b. 6, ch. 9 (3d London ed., Walther, 1840).
142 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
who is condemned therein. ... I rejoice in having to bear
such ills for the best cf causes. Already I feel greater
liberty in my heart; for at last I know that the pope is
antichrist, and that his throne is that of Satan himself, ' ' '
Yet the mandate of Rome was not Avithout effect. Prison,
torture, and sword were Aveapons potent to enforce obedience.
The weak and superstitious trembled before the decree of the
pope; and while there was general sympathy for Luther,
many felt that life was too dear to be risked in the cause of
reform. Everything seemed to indicate that the Reformer's
work was about to close.
But Luther was fearless still. Rome had hurled her
anathemas against him, and the world looked on, nothing
doubting that he would perish or be forced to yield. But
with terrible power he fiung back upon herself the sentence
of condemnation, and publicly declared his determination
to abandon her forever. In the presence of a crowd of
students, doctors, and citizens of all ranks, Luther burned
the pope's bull, with the canon laws, the decretals, and cer-
tain writings sustaining the papal power. "My enemies
have been able, by burning my books," he said, "to injure
the cause of truth in the minds of the common i)eople,
and destroy their souls; for this reason I consumed their
books in return. A serious struggle has just begun.
Hitherto I have been only playing with the pope. I began
this work in God 's name ; it will be ended without me,
and by His might."*
To the reproaches of his enemies who taunted him with
the weakness of his cause, Luther answered: "Who knows
if God has not chosen and called me, and if they ought
not to fear that, by despising me, they despise God Him-
self? Moses was alone at the departure from Egypt;
Elijah was alone in the reign of King Ahab; Isaiah alone
in Jerusalem; Ezekiel alone in Babylon. , . . God never
selected as a prophet either the high priest or any other
great personage; but ordinarily He chose low and de-
»D'Aubigne, b. 6, ch. 9. "D'Aubigne, b. 6, cli. 10.
LUTHER'S SEPARATION FROM ROME 14S
spised men, once even the sheplierd Amos. In every age,
the saints have had to reprove the great, kings, princes,
priests, and wise men, at the peril of their lives. ... I do
not say that I am a prophet; but I say that they ought
to fear precii^ely because I am alone and that they are
many, I am sure of this, that the word of God is with
me, and that it is not with them. ' ' *
Yet it was not without a terrible struggle with himself
that Luther decided upon a final separation from the church.
It Avas about this time that he wrote : " I feel more and more
every day how difficult it is to lay aside the scruples which
one has imbibed in childhood. 0, how much pain it has
caused me, though I had the Scriptures on my side, to
justify it to myself that I should dare to make a stand alone
against the pope, and hold him forth as antichrist! What
have the tribulations of my heart not been! How many
times have I not asked myself with bitterness that question
which was so frequent on the lips of the papists: 'Art
thou alone wise? Can every one else be mistaken? How
will it be, if, after all, it is thyself who art wrong, and
who art involving in thy error so many souls, who will then
be eternally damned?' 'Twas so I fought with myself and
with Satan, till Christ, by His own infallible word, for-
tified my heart against these doubts. ' ' *
The pope had threatened Luther with excommunication
if he did not recant, and the threat was now fulfilled. A
new bull appeared, declaring the Reformer's final separation
from the Roman Church, denouncing him as accursed of
Heaven, and including in the same condemnation all who
should receive his doctrines. The great contest had been
fully entered upon.
Opposition is the lot of all whom God employs to present
truths specially applicable to their time. There was a pres-
ent truth in the days of Luther, — a truth at that time of
special importance ; there is a present truth for the church
to-day. He who does all things according to the counsel of
»D'Aubign6, b. 6, ch. 10.
'Martyn, "Life and Times of Luther," pp. 372,373.
144 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
His will, has been pleased to place men under various cir-
cumstances, and to enjoin upon them duties peculiar to the
times in which they live, and the conditions under which
they are placed. If they would prize the light given them,
broader views of truth would be opened before them. But
truth is no more desired by the majority to-day than it was
by the papists who opposed Luther. There is the same
disposition to accept the theories and traditions of men in-
stead of the word of God as in former ages. Those who
present tlie truth for this time should not expect to be re-
ceived with greater favor than were earlier reformers. The
great controversy between truth and error, between Christ
and Satan, is to increase in intensity to the close of this
world's history.
Said Jesus to His disciples: "If ye were of the world, the
world would love his own: but because ye are not of
the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, there-
fore the world hateth you. Kemember the word that I said
unto you. The servant is not greater than his Lord. If
they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you;' if
they have kept jNIy saying, they will keep yours also ' ' *
And on the other hand our Lord decliared plainly: "Woe
unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so
did their fathers to the false prophets."* The spirit of
the world is no more in harmony with the spirit of Christ
to-day than in earlier times ; and those who preach the
word of God in its purity will be received with no greater
favor now than then. The forms of opposition to the truth
may change, the enmity may be less open because it is
more subtle; but the same antagonism still exists, and will
be manifested to the end of time.
'John 15:19,20. "Luke 6:26.
LUTHER BEFORE THE DIET-8
A NEW emperor, Charles V., had ascended the throne of
Germany, and the emissaries of Rome hastened to present
their congratulations, and induce the monarch to employ his
power against the Reformation. On the other hand, the
elector of Saxony, to whom Charles was in great degree
indebted for his crown, entreated him to take no step against
Luther until he should have granted him a hearing. The
emperor was thus placed in a position of great perplexity
and embarrassment. The papists would be satisfied with
nothing short of an imperial edict sentencing Luther to
death. The elector had declared firmly that "neither his
imperial majesty nor any other person had shown that
Luther's writings had been refuted;" therefore he requested
"that Doctor Luther should be furnished with a safe-
conduct, so that he might appear before a tribunal of
learned, pious, and impartial judges. " *
The attention of all parties was now directed to the as-
sembly of the German states which convened at "Worms soon
after the accession of Charles to the empire. There were
important political questions and interests to be considered
by this national council; for the first time the princes of
Germany were to meet their youthful monarch in deliber-
ative assembly. From all parts of the fatherland had come
jthe dignitaries of church and state. Secular lords, liigh-
bor^i,, powerful, and jealous of their hereditary rights;
»D'A\ibigii6, b, 6, ch. 11.
(145)
146 '^HE GREAT CONTROVERSY
princely ecclesiastics, flushed with their conscious superi-
ority in rank and power; courtly knights and their armed
retainers; and ambassadors from foreign and distant lands,
— all gathered at Worms. Yet in that vast assembly the
subject that excited the deepest interest, was the cause
of the Saxon Reformer.
Charles had pre^dously directed the elector to bring
Luther with him to the Diet, assuring him of protection,
and promising a free discussion, with competent persons, of
the questions in dispute. Luther was anxious to appear
before the emperor. His health was at this time much im-
paired; yet he wrote to the elector: "If I cannot go to
Worms in good health, I will be carried there, sick as I
am. For if the emperor calls me, I cannot doubt that
it is the call of God Himself. If they desire to use vio-
lence against me, and that is very probable (for it is not
for their instruction that they order me to appear), I
place the matter in the Lord's hands. He still lives and
reigns who preserved the three young men in the burning
fiery furnace. If He will not save me, my life is of little
consequence. Let us only prevent the gospel from being
exposed to the scorn of the wicked, and let us shed our
blood for it, for fear they should triumph. It is not for
me to decide whether my life or my death will contribute
most to the salvation of all. . . . You may expect every-
thing from me . . . except flight and recantation. Fly I
cannot, and still less retract."*
As the news was circulated at Worms that Luther was to
appear before the Diet, a general excitement M^as created.
Aleander, the papal legate to whom the case had been spe-
cially intrusted, was alarmed and enraged. He saw that the
result would be disastrous to the papal cause. To institute
inquiry into a case in which the pope had already pro-
nounced sentence of condemnation, would be to cast con-
tempt upon the authority of the sovereign pontiff. Further-
more, he was apprehensive that the eloquent and powerful
arguments of this man might turn away many of the princes
» D 'Aubigfi^, b, 7, Qh. 1.
LUTHER BEFORE THE DIET y^t
from the cause of the pope. He therefore, in the most urgent
manner, remonstrated with Charles against Luther's appear-
ance at Worms. About this time the bull declaring Luther's
excommunication was published; and this, coupled with the
representations of the legate, induced the emperor to yield.
He wrote to the elector that if Luther would not retract,
he must remain at Wittenberg.
Not content with this victory, Aleander labored with all
the power and cunning at his command to secure Luther's
condemnation. With a persistence worthy of a better cause,
he urged the matter upon the attention of princes, prelates,
and other members of the assembly, accusing the Reformer
of "sedition, rebellion, impiety, and blasphemy." But the
vehemence and passion manifested by the legate revealed
too plainly the spirit by which he was actuated. "He is
moved by hatred and vengeance," was the general remark,
"much more than by zeal and piety."* The majority of
the Diet were more than ever inclined to regard Luther's
cause with favor. /i..:
With redoubled zeal, Aleander urged upon the emperor
the duty of executing the papal edicts. But under the laws
of Germany this could not be done without the concurrence
of the princes; and overcome at last by the legate's importu-
nity, Charles bade him present his case to the Diet. "It
was a proud day for the nuncio. The assembly was a great
one: the cause was even greater. Aleander was to plead for
Rome, . . . the mother and mistress of all churches." He
was to vindicate the princedom of Peter before the assembled
principalities of Christendom. ' ' He had the gift of eloquence,
and he rose to the greatness of the occasion. Providence
ordered it that Rome should appear and plead by the ablest
01* her orators in the presence of the most august of tri-
bunals, before she was condemned."* With some misgiv-
ings those who favored the Reformer looked forward to
the effect of Aleander 's speech. The elector of Saxony
was not present, but by his direction some of his councilors
attended, to take notes of tlie nuncio's address.
•D'Aubignfi, b. 7, cli. L »Wylie, b. G, ch. 4.
148 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY^
With all the power of learning and eloquence, Aleander
set himself to overthrow the truth. Charge after charge he
hurled against Luther as an enemy of the church and the
state, the living and the dead, clergy and laity, councils
and private Christians. "In Luther's errors there is
enough," he declared, to warrant the burning of "a hun*
dred thousand heretics." "'i l!^'"" ^^'^
In conclusion, he endeavored to east contempt upon the
adherents of the reformed faith : ' ' What are all these Lu-
therans? A crew of insolent pedagogues, corrupt priests,
dissolute monks, ignorant lawyers, and degraded nobleSj
with the common people whom they have misled and per-
verted. How far superior to them is the Catholic party in
number, ability, and power! A unanimous decree from this
illustrious assembly will enlighten the simple, warn the im-
prudent, decide the waverers, and give strength to the
weak." '
With such weapons the advocates of truth in every age
have been attacked. The same arguments are still urged
against all who dare to present, in opposition to established
errors, the plain and direct teachings of God's word. "Who
are these preachers of new doctrines?" exclaim those who
desire a popular religion. "They are unlearned, few in
numbers, and of the poorer class. Yet they claim to have
the truth, and to be the chosen people of God. They are
ignorant and deceived. How greatly superior in numbers
and influence is our church ! How many great and learned
men are among us ! How much more power is on our side ! ' '
These are the arguments that have a telling influence upon
the world; but they are no more conclusive' now than iB
the days of the Reformer. ^ ' '
The Reformation did not, as many suppose, end with
Luther. It is to be continued to the close of this world's
history. Luther had a great work to do in reflecting to
others the light which God had permitted to shine upon
him ; yet he did not receive all the light which was to be
given to the world. From that time to this, new light has
^ D 'Aubigne, b. 7, ch. 3.
LUTHER BEFORE THE DIET 149
been continually shining upon the Scriptures, and new-
truths have been constantly unfolding.
The legate's address made a deep impression upon the
Diet. There was no Luther present, wdth the clear and con-
vincing truths of God's word, to vanquish the papal cham-
pion. No attempt was made to defend the Reformer. There
was manifest a general disposition not only to condemn him
and the doctrines which he taught, but if possible to uproot
the heresy. Rome had enjoyed the most favorable oppor-
tunity to defend her cause. All that she could say in her
owTi vindication had been said. But the apparent victory
was the signal of defeat. Henceforth the contrast between
truth and error would be more clearly seen, as they should
take the field in open warfare. Never from that day would
Rome stand as secure as she had stood.
While most of the members of the Diet would not have
hesitated to yield up Ijuther to the vengeance of Rome, many
of them saw and deplored the existing depravity in the
church, and desired a suppression of the abuses suffered by
the German people in consequence of the corruption and
greed of the hierarchy. The legate had presented the papal
rule in the most favorable light. Now the Lord moved
upon a member of the Diet to give a true delineation of the
effects of papal tyranny. With noble firmness, Duke George
of Saxony stood up in that princely assembly, and specified
with terrible exactness the deceptions and abominations of
popery, and their dire results. In closing he said:
' ' These are some of the abuses that cry out against Rome.
All shame has been put aside, and their only object is
. . . money, money, money, ... so that the preachers who
should teach the truth, utter nothing but falsehoods, and
are not only tolerated, but rewarded, because the greater
their lies, the greater their gain. It is from this foul
spring that such tainted waters flow. Debauchery stretches
out the hand to avarice. . . . Alas, it is the scandal caused
by the clergy that hurls so many poor souls into eternal
condemnation. A general reform must be effected. ' ' *
*D'Aubigne, b. 7, ch. 4.
150 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY \
A more able and forcible denunciation of the papal
abuses could not have been presented by Luther himself;
and the fact that the speaker was a determined enemy of
the Reformer, gave greater influence to his words.
Had the eyes of the assembly been opened, they would
have beheld angels of God in the midst of them, shedding
beams of light athwart the darkness of error, and opening
minds and hearts to the reception of truth. It was the
power of the God of truth and wisdom that controlled even
the adversaries of the Reformation, and thus prepared the
way for the great work about to be accomplished. Martin
Luther was not jiresent; but the voice of One greater than
Luther had been heard in that assembly.
A committee was at once appointed by the Diet to pre-
pare an enumeration of the papal oppressions that weighed
so heavily on the German people. This list, containing a
liundred and one specifications, was presented to the em-
peror, with a request that he would take immediate measures
for the correction of these abuses. ' ' What a loss of Christian
souls," said the petitioners, "what depredations, what extor-
tions, on account of the scandals by which the spiritual head
of Christendom is surrounded! It is our duty to prevent
the ruin and dishonor of our people. For this reason we
most humbly but most urgently entreat you to order a
general reformation, and to undertake its accomplishment."'
The council now demanded the Reformer's appearance
before them. Notwithstanding the entreaties, protests, and
threats of Aleander, the emperor at last consented, and
Luther was summoned to appear before the Diet. With the
summons was issued a safe-conduct, insuring his return to
a place of security. These were borne to Wittenberg by a
herald, who was commissioned to conduct him to Worms.
The friends of Luther were terrified and distressed.
Knowing the prejudice and enmity against him, they
feared that even his safe-conduct would not be respected,
and they entreated him not to imperil his life. He replied:
"The papists do not desire my coming to Worms, but my
^D'Aubigne, b. 7, ch. 4.
LUTHER BEFORE THE DIET 151
condemnation and my death. It matters not. Pray not
for me, but for the word of God. . . . Christ will give
me His Spirit to overcome these ministers of error, I
despise them diirinp: my life; I shall triumph over them
by my death. They are busy at Worms about compelling
me to retract; and this shall be my retraction: I said for-
merly that the pope was Christ's vicar; now I assert that
he is our Lord's adversary, and the devil's apostle."*
Luther was not to make his perilous journey alone. Be-
sides the imperial messenger, three of his firmest friends
determined to accompany him. Melanchthon earnestly de-
sired to join them. His heart was knit to Luther's, and he
yearned to follow him, if need be, to prison or to death.
But his entreaties were denied. Should Luther perish, the
hopes of the Reformation must center upon his youthful
co-laborer. Said the Reformer as he parted from Melanch-
thon: "If I do not return, and my enemies put me to death,
continue to teach, and stand fast in the truth. Labor in
my stead. ... If you survive, my death will be of little
consequence.'"' Students and citizens who had gathered to
witness Luther's departure were deeply moved. A multi-
tude whose hearts had been touched by the gospel, bade
him farewell with weeping. Thus the Reformer and his
companions set out from Wittenberg.
I On the journey they saw that the minds of the people
were oppressed by gloomy forebodings. At some towns no
honors were proffered them. As they stopped for the night,
a friendly priest expressed his fears by holding up before
Luther the portrait of an Italian reformer who had suffered
martyrdom. The next day they learned that Luther's writ-
ings had been condemned at Worms. Imperial messengers
were proclaiming the emperor's decree, and calling upon
the people to bring the proscribed works to the magistrates.
The herald, fearing for Luther's safety at the council, and
thinking that already his resolution might be shaken, asked
if he still wished to go forward. He answered, "Although
interdicted in every city, I shall go on. " '
*D'Aubign6, b. 7, cb. 6, "Idem, ch. 7.
152 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
At Erfurt, Luther was received with honor. Sur-
rounded by admiring crowds, he passed through the streets
that he had often traversed with his beggar's wallet. He
visited his convent cell, and thought upon the struggles
through which the light now flooding Germany had been shed
upon his soul. He was urged to preach. This he had been
forbidden to do, but the herald granted him permission,
and the friar who had once been made the drudge of the
convent, now entered the pulpit.
To a crowded assembly he spoke from the words of
Christ, "Peace be unto you." "Philosophers, doctors, and
writers," he said, "have endeavored to teach men the way
to obtain everlasting life, and they have not succeeded. I
will now tell it to you : . . . God has raised one Man from
the dead, the Lord Jesus Christ, that He might destroy
death, extirpate sin, and shut the gates of hell. This is the
work of salvation. . . . Christ has vanquished ! this is the
joyful news; and we are saved by His work, and not by
our own. . . . Our Lord Jesus Christ said, 'Peace be unto
you; behold My hands;' that is to say. Behold, man! it
is I, I alone, who have taken away thy sin, and ransomed
thee; and now thou hast peace, saith the Lord."
He continued, showing that true faith will be manifested
by a holy life. ' ' Since God has saved us, let us so order our
works that they may be acceptable to Him. Art thou rich?
let thy goods administer to the necessities of the poor.
Art thou poor? let thy services be acceptable to the rich.
If thy labor is useful to thyself alone, the service that thou
pretendest to render unto God is a lie."*
The people listened as if spellbound. The bread of life
was broken to those starving souls. Christ was lifted up
before them as above popes, legates, emperors, and kings.
Luther made no reference to his own perilous position. He
did not seek to make himself the object of thought or sym-
pathy. In the contemplation of Christ, h€ had lost sight of
self. He hid behind the Man of Calvary, seeking only to
present Jesus as the sinner's Redeemer.
'D'Aubigne, b. 7, cU, 7,
LUTHER BEFORE THE DIET 153
As the Reformer proceeded on his journey, he was every-
where regarded with great interest. An eager multitude
thronged about him, and friendly voices warned him of the
purpose of the Romanists. "They will bum you," said
some, "and reduce your body to ashes, as they did with
John Huss. " Luther answered, "Though they should
kindle a fire all the way from Worms to Wittenberg, the
flames of which reached to heaven, I would walk through
it in the name of the Lord; I would appear before them;
I would enter the jaws of this behemoth, and break his
teeth, confessing the Lord Jesus Christ.'"
The news of his approach to Worms created great com-
motion. His friends trembled for his safety ; his enemies
feared for the success of their cause. Strenuous efforts were
made to dissuade him from entering the city. At the insti-
gation of the papists he was urged to repair to the castle
of a friendly knight, where, it was declared, all difficulties
could be amicably adjusted. Friends endeavored to excite
his fe3,rs by describing the dangers that threatened him.'
All their efforts failed. Luther, still unshaken, declared,
"Even should there be as many devils in Worms as tiles
on the housetops, still I would enter it. " *
Upon his arrival at Worms, a vast crowd flocked to the
gates to welcome him. So great a concourse had not as-
seinbled to greet the emperor himself. The excitement was
intense, and from the midst of the throng a shrill and
plaintive voice chanted a funeral dirge, as a warning to
Luther of the fate that awaited him. "God will be my
defense," said he, as he alighted from his carriage.
The papists had nolf believed that Luther would really
A'enture to appear at Worms, and his arrival filled them
with consternation. The emperor immediately summoned
his councilors to consider what course should be pursued.
One of the bishops, a rigid papist, declared: "We have long
consulted on this matter. Let your imperial majesty get
rid of this man at once. Did not Sigismund cause John
Huss to be burnt ? We are not bound either to give or
^D'Aubigflg, b. 7, eh. 7.
154 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
to observe the safe-eondnct of a heretic." "No," said the
emperor ; " we must keep our promise. " * It was therefore
decided that the Reformer should be heard.
All the city were eager to see this remarkable man, and
a throng of visitors soon filled his lodgings. Luther had
scarcely recovered from his recent illness; he was wearied
from the journey, which had occupied two full weeks; he
must prepare to meet the momentous events of the morrow,
and he needed quiet and repose. But so great was the
desire to see him, that he had enjoyed only a few hours'
rest, when noblemen, knights, priests, and citizens gathered
eagerly about him. Among these were many of the nobles
who had so boldly demanded of the emperor a reform of
ecclesiastical abuses, and who, says Luther, "had all been
freed by my gospel."* Enemies, as well as friends, came to
look upon the dauntless monk; but he received them with
unshaken calmness, replying to all with dignity and wisdom.
His bearing was firm and courageous. His pale, thin face,
marked with the traces of toil and illness, wore a kindly
and even joyous expression. The solemnity and deep ear-
nestness of his words gave him a power that even his ene-
mies could not wholly withstand. Both friends and foes
were filled with wonder. Some were convinced that a divine
influence attended him; others declared, as had the Phari-
sees concerning Christ, "He hath a devil."
On the following day, Luther was summoned to attend
the Diet. An imperial officer was appointed to conduct him
to the hall of audience; yet it was with difficulty that he
reached the place. Every avenue was crowded with spec-
tators, eager to look upon the monk who had dared resist
the authority of the pope.
As he was about to enter the presence of his judges, an
old general, the hero of many battles, said to him kindly:
"Poor monk, poor monk, thou art now going to make a
nobler stand than I or any other captains have ever made
in the bloodiest of our battles. But if thy cause is just,
» D 'Aubigne, b. 7, ch. 8.
'Martyn, "Life and Times of Luther," p. 393.
LUTHER BEFORE THE DIET 155
and thou art sure of it, go forward in God's name, and
fear nothing. God will not forsake thee."'
At length Luther stood before the council. The emperor
occupied the throne. He was surrounded by the most illus-
trious personages in the empire. Never had any man ap-
peared in the presence of a more imposing asseml)ly than
that before which Martin Luther was to answer for his faith.
' * This appearance was of itself a signal victory over the
papacy. The pope had condemned the man, and he was
now standing before a tribunal which, by this very act, set
itself above the pope. The pope had laid him under an
interdict, and cut him off from all human society; and yet
he was summoned in respectful language, and received be-
fore the most august assembly in the world. The pope had
condemned him to perpetual silence, and he was now about
to speak before thousands of attentive hearers drawn to-
gether from the farthest parts of Christendom. An immense
revolution had thus been effected by Luther's instrumental-
ity. Rome was already descending from her throne, and it
was the voice of a monk that caused this humiliation. ' ' *
In the presence of that powerful and titled assembly, the
lowly-born Reformer seemed awed and embarrassed. Sev-
eral of the princes, observing his emotion, approached him,
and one of them whispered, "Fear not them which kill the
body, but are not able to kill the soul." Another said,
"When ye shall be brought before governors and kings for
My sake, it shall be given you, by the Spirit of your Father,
what ye shall say." Thus the words of Christ were brought
by the world's great men to strengthen His servant in the
hour of trial.
Luther was conducted to a position directly in front of
the emperor's throne. A deep silence fell upon the crowded
assembly. Then an imperial officer arose, and pointing to
a collection of Luther's writings, demanded that the Re-
former answer two questions, — whether he acknowledged
them as his, and whether he proposed to retract the opinions
which he had therein advanced. The titles of the books
» D 'Aubign^, b. 7, ch. 8.
156 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
having been read, Luther replied that as to the first question,
he acknowledged the books to be his. "As to the second,"
he said, "seeing that it is a question which concerns faith
and the salvation of souls, and in which the word of God,
the greatest and most precious treasure either in heaven
or earth, is interested, I should act imprudently were I to
reply without reflection. I might affirm less than the cir-
cumstance demands, or more than truth requires, and so
sin against this saying of Christ: 'AVhosoever shall deny Me
before men, him will I also deny before My Father which is
in . heaven. ' ' For this reason I entreat your imperial
majesty, with all humility, to allow me time, that I may
answer without offending against the word of God. " " '
In making this request, Luther moved wisely. His course
convinced the assembly that he did not act from passion or
impulse. Such calmness and self-command, unexpected in
one who had shown himself bold and uncompromising,
added to his power, and enabled him afterward to answer
Avith a prudence, decision, wisdom, and dignity that sur-
prised and disappointed his adversaries, ■ and rebuked their
insolence and pride. '-' "
The next day he was to appear to render his final answer.
For a time his heart sunk within him as he contemplated
the forces that were combined against the truth. His faitli
faltered ; fearfulness and trembling came upon him, and
horror overwhelmed him. Dangers multiplied before him ;
his enemies seemed about to triumph, and the powers of
darkness to prevail. Clouds gathered about him, and seemed
to separate him from God. He longed for the assurance
that the Lord of hosts would be with him. In anguish of
spirit he threw himself with his face upon the earth, and
poured out those broken, heart-rending cries, which none
but God can fully understand.
"0 almighty and everlasting God," he pleaded, "how
terrible is this world ! Behold, it openeth its mouth tcj swaU
low me up, and I have so little trust in Thee. ... If it is
only in the strength of this world that I must put my trust,
^Matt. 10:33. 'D'Aubigne, b. 7, ch. 8.
LUTHER BEFORE THE DIET 157
all is over. ; . . My last hour is come, my condemnation has
been pronounced. ... God, do Thou help nie against all
the wisdom of the world. Do this, . . . Thou alone; . . .
for this is not my work, but Thine. I have nothing to do
here, nothing to contend for with these great ones of the
world. . . . But the cause is Thine, ... and it is a right-
eous and eternal cause. Lord, help me ! Faithful and
unchangeable God, in no man do I place my trust. . . .
All that is of man is uncertain; all that cometh of man fails.
. ■ . . Thou hast chosen me for this work. . . . Stand at my
side, for the sake of Thy well-beloved Jesus Christ, who is
my defense, my shield, and my strong tower. ' ' *
An all-wise Providence had permitted Luther to realize
his peril, that he might not trust to his own strength, and
rush presumptuously into danger. Yet it was not the fear
of personal suffering, a dread of torture or death, which
seemed immediately impending, that overwhelmed him with
its terror. He had come to the crisis, and he felt his in-
sufficiency to meet it. Through his weakness the cause of
truth might suffer loss. Not for his own safety, but for
the triumph of the gospel did he wrestle with God. Like
Israel's, in that night struggle beside the lonely stream,
was the anguish and conflict of his soul. Like Israel, he
prevailed with God. In his utter helplessness his faith fast-
ened upon Christ, the mighty deliverer. He was strength-
ened with the assurance that he would not appear alone
before the council. Peace returned to his soul, and he
rejoiced that he was permitted to uplift the word of God
before the rulers of the nation.
With his mind stayed upon God, Luther prepared for
the struggle before him. He thought upon the plan of his
answer, examined passages in his own writings, and drew
from . the Holy Scriptures suitable proofs to sustain his
pdsitioris. Then, laying his left hand on the Sacred Volume,
which was open before him, he lifted his right hand to
heaven, and vowed "to remain faithful to the gospel, and
*D'Aubigne, b. 7, ch. 8.
^58 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
freely to confess his faith, even should he seal his testi-
mony with his blood. ' ' '
When he was again ushered into the presence of the Diet,
his countenance bore no trace of fear or embarrassment.
Calm and peaceful, yet grandly brave and noble, he stood
as God's witness among the great ones of the earth. The
imperial officer now demanded his decision as to whether
he desired to retract his doctrines. Luther made his an-
swer in a subdued and humble tone, without violence or
passion. His demeanor was diffident and respectful; yet he
manifested a confidence and joy that surprised the assembly.
' ' Most serene emperor, illustrious princes, gracious lords, ' '
said 'Luther, ' ' I appear before you this day, in conformity
with the order given me yesterday, and by God's mercies
I conjure your majesty and your august highnesses to listen
graciously to the defense of a cause which I am assured is
just and true. If, through ignorance, I should transgress
the usages and proprieties of courts, I entreat you to par-
don me ; for I Avas not brought up in the palaces of kings,
but in the seclusion of a convent. ' ' '
Then, proceeding to the question, he stated that his pub-
lished works were not all of the same character. In some
he had treated of faith and good works, and even his ene-
mies declared them not only harmless but profitable. To
retract ' "these would be to condemn truths which all parties
confessed. The second class consisted of writings exposing
the corruptions and abuses of the papacy. To revoke these
works would strengthen the tyranny of Rome, and open a
wider door to many and groat impieties. In the third class
of his books he had attacked individuals who had defended
existing evils. Concerning these he freely confessed that he
had been more violent than was becoming. He did not
claim to be free from fault; but even these books he could
not revoke, for such a course would embolden the enemies
of truth, and they would then take occasion to crush God's
people with still greater cruelty.
»D'Aubigne, b. 7, ch. 8.
LUTHER BEFORE THE DIET 159
"Yet I am but a mere man, and not God," he con-
tinued; "I shall therefore defend myself as Christ did:
'If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil.' . . . By
the mercy of God, I conjure you, most serene emperor,
and you, most illustrious princes, and all men of every
degree, to prove from the writings of the prophets and
apostles that I have erred. As soon as I am convinced of
this, I will retract every error, and be the first to lay hold
of my books and throw them into the fire.
"What I have just said plainly shows, I hope, that I.
have carefully weighed and considered the dangers to which
I expose myself; but far from being dismayed, I rejoice
to see that the gospel is now, as in former times, a cause
of trouble and dissension. This is the character, this is
•the destiny, of the word of God, 'I came not to send
peace on earth, but a sword,' said Jesus Christ. God is
wonderful and terrible in His counsels; beware lest, by
presuming to quench dissensions, you should persecute the
holy word of God, and draw down upon yourselves a fright-
ful deluge of insurmountable dangers, of present disasters,
and eternal desolation. ... I might quote many examples
from the oracles of God. I might speak of the Pharaohs,
the kings of Babylon, and those of Israel, whose labors
never more effectually contributed to their own destruction
than when they sought by counsels, to all appearance most
wise, to strengthen their dominion. 'God removeth moun-
tains, and they know it not. ' " *
Luther had spoken in German; he was now requested to
repeat the same words in Latin. Though exhausted by the
previous effort, he complied, and again delivered his speech,
with the same clearness and energy as at the first. God's
providence directed in this matter. The minds of many of
the princes were so ])linded by error and superstition that
at the first delivery they did not see the force of Luther's
reasoning ; but the repetition enabled them to perceive clearly
the points presented.
' D 'Aubigne, b. 7, ch. 8,
160 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
Those who stubbornly closed their eyes to the light, and
determined not to be convinced of the truth, were enraged
at the power of Luther's words. As he ceased speaking,
the spokesman of the Diet said angrily, "You have not an-
swered the question put to you. . . . You are required to
give a clear and precise answer. . . . Will you, or will you
not, retract?" '■"' ' ^'^^^^ «^UaOfifi
The Reformer answered: "Since your most ^erend
majesty and your high mightinesses require from me a
clear, simple, and precise answer, I will give you one, and
it is this: I cannot submit my faith either to the pope
or to the councils, because it is clear as the day that they
have frequently erred and contradicted each other. Unles^
therefore I am convinced by the testimony of Scripture
or by the clearest reasoning, unless I am persuaded by
means of the passages I have quoted, and unless they thus
render my conscience bound by the word of God, 7 ca7i-
not and I will not retract, for it is unsafe for a Chris-
tian to speak against his conscience. Here I stand. I can
do no other; may God help me. Amen."*' '" '*?4*''''' i^J '
Thus stood this righteous man, upon the su're f6'dil'dal!i6'Q
of the word of God. The light of heaven illuminated his
countenance. His greatness and purity of character, his
peace and joy of heart, were manifest to all as he testified
against the po\ver of error, and witnessed to the superiority
of that faith that overcomes the world. '
The whole assembly were for a time speechless with
amazement. At his first answer, Luther had spoken in a
low tone, with a respectful, almost submissive bearing. The
Romanists had interpreted this as e\'idence that his cour-
age was beginning to fail. They regarded the request for
delay as merely the prelude to his recantation. Charles him-
self, noting, half contemptuously, the monk's worn frame,
his plain attire, and the simplicity of his address, had de-
clared, "This monk will never make a heretic of me." The
courage and firmness which he now displayed, as well as the
power and clearness of his reasoning, filled all parties with
"D'Aubigue, b. 7, ch. 8.
LUTHER BEFORE THE DIET lei
surprise. The emperor, moved to admiration, exclaimed,
"This monk speaks with an intrepid heart and unshaken
courage." Many of the German princes looked with pride
and joy upon this representative of their nation.
The partisans of Rome had been worsted; their cause
appeared in a most unfavorable light. They sought to
maintain their power, not by appealing to the Scriptures,
but by a resort to threats, Rome's unfailing argument.
Said the spokesman of the Diet, "If you do not retract, the
emperor and the states of the empire will consult what
course to adopt against an incorrigible heretic."
Luther's friends, who had with great joy listened to his
noble defense, trembled at these words; but the doctor him-
self said calmly, "May God be my helper, for I can retract
nothing. " '
He was directed to withdraw from the Diet, while the
princes consulted together. It was felt that a great crisis
had come. Luther's persistent refusal to submit, might
affect the history of the church for ages. It was decided to
give him one more opportunity to retract. For the last
time he was brought into the assembly. Again the question
was put, whether he would renounce his doctrines, "I have
no other reply to make," he said, "than that which I have
already made." It was evident that he could not be in-
duced, either by promises or threats, to yield to the man-
date of Rome.
The papal leaders were chagrined that their power, which
had caused kings and nobles to tremble, should be thus
despised by a humble monk; they longed to make him feel
their wrath by torturing his life away. But Luther, un-
derstanding his danger, had spoken to all with Christian
dignity and calmness. His words had been free from pride,
passion, and misrepresentation. lie had lost sight of him-
self, and of the great men surrounding him, and felt only
that he was in the presence of One infinitely superior to
popes, prelates, kings, and emperors. Christ had spoken
through Luther's testimony with a power and graudeur that
* D 'Aubign6, b. 7, ch. 8.
162 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
for the time inspired both friends and foes with awe and
wonder. The Spirit of God had been present in that council,
impressing the hearts of the chiefs of the empire. Several
of the princes boldly acknowledged the justice of Lutlier's
cause. Many were convinced of the truth ; but vsdtli some the
impressions received were not lasting. There was another
class who did not at the time express their convictions, but
who, having searched the Scriptures for themselves, at a
future time became fearless supporters of the Reformation.
The elector Frederick had looked forward anxiously to
Luther's appearance before the Diet, and with deep emotion
he listened to his speech. With joy and pride he witnessed
the doctor's courage, firmness, and self-possession, and deter-
mined to stand more firmly in his defense. He contrasted
the parties in contest, and saw that the wisdom of popes,
kings, and prelates had been brought to naught by the
power of truth. The papacy had sustained a defeat which
would be felt among all nations and in all ages.
As the legate perceived the effect produced by Luther's
speech, he feared, as never before, for the security of the
Romish power, and resolved to employ every means at his
command to effect the Reformer's overthrow. With all the
eloquence and diplomatic skill for which he was so emi-
nently distinguished, he represented to the youthful emperor
the folly and danger of sacrificing, in the cause of an insig-
nificant monk, the friendship and support of the powerful
see of Rome.
His words were not without effect. On the day following
Luther's answer, Charles caused a message to be presented
to the Diet, announcing his determination to carry out the
policy of his predecessors to maintain and protect the Cath-
olic religion. Since Luther had refused to renounce his
errors, the most vigorous measures should be employed
against him and the heresies he taught. "A single monk,
misled by his own folly, has risen against the faith of
Christendom. To stay such impiety, I \nll sacrifice my
kingdoms, my treasures, my friends, my body, my blood,
LUTHER BEFORE THE DIET 163
my soul, and my life. I am about to dismiss the Augustine
Luther, forbidding him to cause the least disorder among
the people; I shall then proceed against him and his ad-
herents as contumacious heretics, by excommunication, by
interdict, and by every means calculated to destroy them.
I call on the members of the states to behave like faithful
Christians. ' ' * Nevertheless the emperor declared that Lu-
ther's safe-conduct must be respected, and that before pro-
ceedings against him could be instituted, he must be allowed
to reach his home in safety.
Two conflicting opinions were now urged by the members
of the Diet. The emissaries and representatives of the pope
again demanded that the Reformer's safe-conduct should be
disregarded. "The Rhine," they said, "should receive his
ashes, as it had received those of John Huss a century ago. ' ' *
But princes of Germany, though themselves papists and
avowed enemies to Luther, protested against such a breach
of public faith, as a stain upon the honor of the nation.
They pointed to the calamities which had followed the
death of Huss, and declared that they dared not call down
upon Germany, and upon the head of their youthful em-
peror, a repetition of those terrible evils.
Charles himself, in answer to the base proposal, said,
"Though honor and faith should be banished from all the
world, they ought to find a refuge in the hearts of princes. ' ' '
He was still further urged by the most bitter of Luther's
papal enemies to deal with the Reformer as Sigismund had
dealt with Huss, — abandon liim to the mercies of the
church; but recalling the scene when Huss in public assem-
bly had pointed to his chains and reminded the monarch
of his plighted faith, Charles V. declared, "I should not
like to blush like Sigismund. ' ' ^
Yet Charles had deliberately rejected the truths pre-
sented by Luther. "I am firmly resolved to imitate the
example of my ancestors,"* wrote the monarch. He had
decided that he would not step out of the path of custom,
*D'Aubigne, b. 7, ch. 9. *See Lenfant, "History of the
Council of Constance," Vol. I, p. 422.
164 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
even to walk in the ways of truth and righteousness. Be-
cause his fathers did, he would uphold the papacy, with all
its cruelty and corruption. Thus he took his position, refus-
ing to accept any light in advance of what his fathers had re-
ceived, or to perform any duty that they had not performed.
There are many at the present day thus clinging to the
customs and traditions of their fathers. When the Lord
sends them additional light, they refuse to accept it, because,
not having been granted to their fathers, it was not received
by them. We are not placed where our fathers were; con-
sequently our duties and responsibilities are not the same
as theirs. We shall not be approved of God in looking to
the example of our fathers to determine our duty instead of
searching the Word of truth for ourselves. Our responsi-
bility is greater than was that of our ancestors. We are
accountable for the light which they received, and which
was handed down as an inheritance for us, and we are ac-
countable also for the additional light which is now shining
upon us from the word of God.
Said Christ of the unbelieving Jews, "If I had not come
and spoken unto them, they had not had sin : but now they
have no cloak for their sin."^ The same divine power had
spoken through Luther to the emperor and princes of Ger-
many. And as the light shone forth from God's word, his
Spirit pleaded for the last time with many in that assembly.
As Pilate, centuries before, permitted pride and popularity
to close his heart against the world's Redeemer; as the
trembling Felix bade the messenger of truth, "Go thy way
for this time ; when I have a convenient season, I will call
for thee;" as the proud Agrippa confessed, "Almost thou
persuadest me to be a Christian, ' ' ' yet turned away from
the Heaven-sent message, — so had Charles V., yielding
to the dictates of worldly pride and policy, decided to
reject the light of truth.
Rumors of the designs against Luther were wddely circu-
lated, causing great excitement throughout the city. The
'John 15:22. » Acts 24:25; 26:28.
LUTHER BEFORE THE DIET 165
Reformer had made many friends, who, knowing the treach-
erous cruelty of Rome toward all who dared expose her
corruptions, resolved that he should not be sacrificed. Hun-
dreds of nobles pledged themselves to protect him. Not a
few openly denounced the royal message as evincing a weak
submission to the controlling power of Rome. On the gates
of houses and in public places, placards were posted, some
condemning and others sustaining Luther. On one of these
were written merely the significant words of the wise man,
' ' Woe to thee, land, when thy king is a child. ' ' * The pop-
ular enthusiasm in Luther's favor throughout all Germany
convinced both the emperor and the Diet that any injustice
shown him would endanger the peace of the empire, and
even the stability of the throne.
Frederick of Saxony maintained a studied reserve, care-
fully concealing his real feelings toward the Reformer, while
at the same time he guarded him with tireless vigilance,
watching all his movements and all those of his enemies.
But there were many who made no attempt to conceal
their sympathy with Luther. He was visited by princes,
counts, barons, and other persons of distinction, both lay
and ecclesiastical. "The doctor's little room," wrote Spala-
tin, "could not contain all the visitors who presented them-
selves."^ The people gazed upon him as if he were more
than human. Even those who had no faith in his doctrines,
could not but admire that lofty integrity which led him to
brave death rather than violate his conscience.
Earnest efforts were made to obtain Luther's consent to a
compromise with Rome. Nobles and princes represented to
him that if he persisted in setting up his oanti judgment
against that of the church and the councils, he would soon
be banished from the empire, and then would have no
defense. To this appeal Luther answered: "The gospel of
Christ cannot be preached without offense. . . . Why then
should the fear or apprehension of danger separate me from
the Lord, and from that divine word which alone is truth?
'Eccl. 10:16. -Martyn, Vol. I, p. 404.
166 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
No; I would rather give up my body, my blood, and my
life."'
Again he was urged to submit to the judgment of the
emperor, and then he would have nothing to fear. ''I con-
sent," said he in reply, "with all my heart, that the emperor,
the princes, and even the meanest Christian, should examine
and judge my works; but on one condition, that they take
the word of God for their standard. ]\Ien have nothing to
do but to obey it. Do not offer violence to my conscience,
which is bound and chained up with the Holy Scriptures."*
To another appeal he said, "I consent to renounce my
safe-conduct. I place my person and my life in the em-
peror's hands, but the Avord of God — never!"' He stated
his willingness to submit to the decision of a general coun-
cil, but only on condition that the council be required to
decide according to the Scriptures. "In what concerns the
word of God and the faith," he added, "every Christian is
as good a judge as the pope, though supported by a million
councils, can be for him. ' ' ^ Both friends and foes were at
last convinced that further effort for reconciliation would
be useless.
Had the Reformer yielded a single point, Satan and his
hosts would have gained the victory. But his unwavering
firmness was the moans of emancipating the church, and
beginning a new and better era. The influence of this one
man, who dared to think and act for himself in religious
matters, was to affect the church and the world, not only in
his ovm. time, but in all future generations. His firmness
and fidelity would strengthen all, to the close of time, who
should pass through a similar experience. The power and
majesty of God stood forth above the counsel of men, above
the mighty power of Satan,
Luther was soon commanded by the authority of the em-
peror to return home, and he knew that this notice would be
speedily followed by his condemnation. Threatening clouds
overhung his path; but as he departed from Worms, his
^D'Aubigne, b. 7, ch. 10. *Martyn, Vol, I, p. 410.
LUTHER BEFORE THE DIET 167
heart was filled with joy and praise. "The devil himself,"
said he, "guarded the jjope's citadel; but Christ has made a
wide breach in it, and Satan was constrained to confess that
the Lord is mightier than he, ' ' '
After his departure, still desirous that his firmness should
not be mistaken for rebellion, Luther wrote to the em-
peror. "God, who is the searcher of hearts, is my witness,"
he said, "that I am ready most earnestly to obey your
majesty, in honor or in dishonor, in life or in death, and
with no exception save the word of God, by which man lives.
In all the afi'airs of this present life, my fidelity shall be
unshaken, for here to lose or to gain is of no consequence to
salvation. But when eternal interests are concerned, God
wills not that man should submit unto man. For such sub-
mission in spiritual matters is a real worship, and ought
to be rendered solely to the Creator. ' ' *
On the journey from Worms, Luther's reception was even
more flattering than during his progress thither. Princely
ecclesiastics welcomed the excommunicated monk, and civil
rulers honored the man whom the emperor had denounced.
He was urged to preach, and notwithstanding the imperial
prohibition, he again entered the pulpit. "I never pledged
myself to chain up the word of God," he said, "nor will I.""
He had not been long absent from Worms, when the
papists prevailed upon the emperor to issue an edict against
him. In this decree Luther was denounced as "Satan him-
self under the form of a man and dressed in a monk's
frock. " ^ It was commanded that as soon as his safe-con-
duct should expire, measures be taken to stop his work.
All persons were forbidden to harbor him, to give him food
or drink, or by word or act, in public or private, to aid
or abet him. He was to be seized wherever he might be,
and delivered to the authorities. His adherents also were
to be imprisoned, and their property confiscated. His writ-
ings were to be destroyed, and finally, all who should
» D 'Aubigne, b. 7, ch. 11. » Martyn, Vol. I, p. 420.
168 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
dare to act contrary to this decree were included in its con-
demnation. The elector of Saxony, and the princes most
friendly to Luther, had left Worms soon after his depar-
ture, and the emperor's decree received the sanction of the
Diet. Now the Romanists were jubilant. They considered
the fate of the Reformation sealed.
God had provided a way of escape for His servant in this
hour of peril. A vig^ilant eye had followed Luther's move-
ments, and a true and noble heart had resolved upon his
rescue. It was plain that Rome would be satisfied with
nothing short of his death; only by concealment could he
be preserved from the jaws of the lion. God gave wisdom
to Frederick of Saxony to devise a plan for the Reformer's
preservation. With the co-operation of true friends, the
elector's purpose was carried out, and Luther was effectually
hidden from friends and foes. Upon his homeward journey,
he was seized, separated from his attendants, and hurriedly
conveyed through the forest to the castle of Wartburg, an
isolated mountain fortress. Both his seizure and his con-
cealment were so involved in mystery that even Frederick
himself for a long time knew not whither he had been con-
ducted. This ignorance was not without design; so long as
the elector knew nothing of Luther's whereabouts, he could
reveal nothing. He satisfied himself that the Reformer was
safe, and with this knowledge he was content.
Spring, summer, and autumn passed, and winter came,
and Luther still remained a prisoner. Aleander and his
partisans exulted as the light of the gospel seemed about
to be extinguished. But instead of this, the Reformer was
filling his lamp from the storehouse of truth; and its light
was to shine forth with brighter radiance.
In the friendly security of the Wartburg, Luther for a
time rejoiced in his release from the heat and turmoil of
battle. But he could not long find satisfaction in quiet and
repose. Accustomed to a life of activity and stern conflict,
he could ill endure to remain inactive. In those solitary
days, the condition of the church rose up before him, and
LUTHER BEFORE THE DIET 169
he cried in despair, "Alas! there is no one in this latter day
of His anger, to stand like a wall before the Lord, and save
Israel!"' Again, his thoughts returned to himself, and he
feared being charged with cowardice in withdrawing from
the contest. Then he reproached himself for his indolence
and self-indulgence. Yet at the same time he was daily ac-
complishing more than it seemed possible for one man to
do. Ilis pen was never idle. While his enemies flattered
themselves that he Avas silenced, they were astonished and
confused by tangi])le proof that he was still active. A host
of tracts, issuing from his pen, circulated throughout Ger-
many. He also performed a most important service for his
countrymen by translating the New Testament into the Ger-
man tongue. From his rocky Patmos he continued for
nearly a whole year to proclaim the gospel, and rebuke the
sins and errors of the times.
But it was not merely to preserve Luther from the wrath
of his enemies, nor even to afford him a season of quiet for
these important labors, that God had withdrawn His servant
from the stage of public life. There were results more pre-
cious than these to be secured. In the solitude and ob-
scurity of his mountain retreat, Luther was removed from
earthly supports, and shut out from human praise. He was
thus saved from the pride and self-confidence that are so
often caused by success. By suffering and humiliation he
was prepared again to walk safely upon the dizzy heights
to which he had been so suddenly exalted.
As men rejoice in the freedom which the truth brings
them, they are inclined to extol those whom God has em-
ployed to break the chains of error and superstition. Satan
seeks to divert men's thoughts and affections from God, and
to fix them upon human agencies ; he leads them ' to honor
the mere instrument, and to ignore the Hand that directs
all the events of providence. Too often, religious leaders
who are thus praised and reverenced lose sight of their de-
pendence upon God, and are led to trust in themselves. As
*D'Aubign6, b. 9, ch. 2.
170
THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
a result, they seek to control the minds and consciences of
the people, who are disposed to look to them for guidance
instead of looking to the word of God. The work of reform
is often retarded because of this spirit indulged by its
supporters. From this danger, God would guard the cause
of the Reformation. He desired that work to receive, not
the impress of man, but that of God. The eyes of men had
been turned to Luther as the expounder of the truth; he
was removed that all eyes might be directed to the eternal
Author of truth.
THE SWISS REFORMER-9
In the choice of instrumentalities for the reforming of
the church, the same divine plan is seen as in that for the
planting of the church. The heavenly Teacher passed by
the great men of earth, the titled and wealthy, who were
accustomed to receive praise and homage as leaders of the
people. They were so proud and self-confident in their
boasted superiority that they could not be moulded to sym-
pathize with their fellow-men, and to become co-laborers
with the humble ]\Ian of Nazareth. To the unlearned,
toiling fishermen of Galilee was the call addressed, "Follow
Me, and I will make you fishers of men. ' ' * These disciples
were humble and teachable. The less they had been influ-
enced by the false teaching of their time, the more success-
fully could Christ instruct and train them for His service.
So in the days of the Great Reformation. The leading
Reformers were men from humble life, — men who were most
free of any of their time from pride of rank, and from the
influence of bigotry and priestcraft. It is God's plan to
employ humble instruments to accomplish great results.
Then the glory will not be given to men, but to Plim who
works through them to will and to do of His own good
pleasure.
A few weeks after the birth of Luther in a miner's cabin
in Saxony, Ulric Zwingle was born in a herdsman's cottage
among the Alps. Zwingle 's surroundings in childhood, and
»Matt. 4:19.
(171)
172 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
his early training, were such as to prepare him for his
future mission. Reared amid scenes of natural grandeur,
beauty, and awful sublimity, his mind was early impressed
with a sense of the greatness, the power, and the majesty of
God. The history of the brave deeds achieved upon his
native mountains, kindled his youthful aspirations. And
at the side of his pious grandmother he listened to the few
precious Bible stories which she had gleaned from amid the
legends and traditions of the church. With eager interest
he heard of the grand deeds of patriarchs and prophets, of
the shepherds who watched their flocks on the hills of Pales-
tine where angels talked with them, of the Babe of Bethle-
hem and the Man of Calvary.
Like John Luther, Zwingle's father desired an education
for his son, and the boy was early sent from his native val-
ley. His mind rapidly developed, and it soon became a
question where to find teachers competent to instruct him.
At the age of thirteen he went to Bern, which then pos-
sessed the most distinguished school in Switzerland, Here,
however, a danger arose which threatened to blight the
promise of his life. Determined efforts were put forth by
the friars to allure him into a monastery. The Dominican
and Franciscan monks were in rivalry for popular favor.
This they endeavored to secure by the showy adornments
of their churches, the pomp of their ceremonials, and the
attractions of famous relics and miracle-working images.
The Dominicans of Bern saw that if they could win this
talented young scholar, they would secure both gain and
honor. His extreme youth, his natural ability as a speaker
and writer, and his genius for music and poetry, would be
more effective than all their pomp and display, in attract-
ing the people to their services and increasing the revenues
of their order. By deceit and flattery they endeavored to
induce Zwingle to enter their convent. Luther, while a stu-
dent at school, had buried himself in a convent cell, and he
would have been lost to the world had not God's providence
released him. Z\vingle was not permitted to encounter the
THE SWISS REFORMER 173
same peril. Providentially his father received information
of the designs of the friars. He had no intention of allow-
ing his son to follow the idle and worthless life of the
monks. He saw that his future usefulness was at stake,
and directed him to return home without delay.
The command was obeyed; but the youth could not be
long content in his native valley, and he soon resumed his
studies, repairing, after a time, to Basel. It was here that
Zwingle first heard the gospel of God's free grace. Wittem-
baeh, a teacher of the ancient languages, had, while studying
Greek and Hebrew, been led to the Holy Scriptures, and
thus rays of divine light were shed into the minds of the
students under his instruction. He declared that there was
a truth more ancient, and of infinitely greater worth, than
the theories taught by schoolmen and philosophers. This
ancient truth was that the death of Christ is the sinner's
only ransom. To Zwingle these words were as the first
ray of light that precedes the dawn.
Zwingle was soon called from Basel, to enter upon his
life-work. His first field of labor was in an Alpine parish,
not far distant from his native valley. Having received
ordination as a priest, he "devoted himself with his whole
soul to the search after divine truth; for he was well
aware," says a fellow-reformer, "how much he must know
to whom the flock of Christ is entrusted."' The more he
searched the Scriptures, the clearer appeared the contrast
between their truths and the heresies of Rome. He sub-
mitted himself to the Bible as the word of God, the only
sufficient, infallible rule. He saw that it must be its own
interpreter. He dared not attempt to explain Scripture to
sustain a preconceived theory or doctrine, but held it his
duty to learn what is its direct and obvious teaching. He
sought to avail himself of every help to obtain a full and
correct understanding of its meaning, and he invoked the
aid of the Holy Spirit, which would, he declared, reveal
it to all who sought it in sincerity and with prayer.
»Wylie, b. 8, cb. 5.
174 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
"The Scriptures," said Zwingle, "come from God, not
from man, and even that God who enlightens will give thee
to understand that the speech comes from God. The word of
God , . . cannot fail ; it is bright, it teaches itself, it dis-
closes itself, it illumines the soul with all salvation and
grace, comforts it in God, humbles it, so that it loses
and even forfeits itself, and embraces God. ' ' ' The truth of
these words Zwingle himself had proved. Speaking of his
experience at this time, he afterward wrote : ' ' When ... I
began to give myself wholly up to the Holy Scriptures,
philosophy and theology (scholastic) would always keep
suggesting quarrels to me. At last I came to this, that I
thought, 'Thou must let all that lie, and learn the meaning
of God purely out of His owti simple word.' Then I began
to ask God for His light, and the Scriptures began to be
much easier to me. ' ' *
The doctrine preached by Zwingle was not received from
Luther. It was the doctrine of Christ. "If Luther preaches
Christ," said the Swiss Reformer, "he does what I am
doing. Those whom he has brought to Christ are more
numerous than those whom I have led. But this matters
not. I will bear no other name than that of Christ, whose
soldier I am, and who alone is my chief. Never has one
single word been written by me to Luther, nor by Luther
to me. And why? , . . That it might be shown how much
the Spirit of God is in unison with itself, since both of us,
without any collusion, teach the doctrine of Christ with
such uniformity."'
In 1516 Zwingle was invited to become a preacher in the
convent at Einsiedeln. Here he was to have a closer view
of the corruptions of Rome, and was to exert an influence
as a Reformer that would be felt far beyond his native Alps.
Among the chief attractions of Einsiedeln was an image of
the Virgin which was said to have the power of working
miracles. Above the gateway of the convent was the in-
scription, "Here a plenary remission of sins may be ob-
*WyUe, b. 8, ch. 6. 'D'Aubigne, b. 8, ch. 9,
THE SWISS REFORMER 175
tained."* Pilgrims at all seasons resorted to the shrine of
the Virgin, but at the great yearly festival of its consecra-
tion, multitudes came from all parts of Switzerland, and
even from France and Germany. Zwingle, greatly afflicted
at the sight, seized the opportunity to proclaim liberty
through the gospel to these bond-slaves of superstition.
"Do not imagine," he said, "that God is in this temple
more than in any other part of creation. Whatever be the
country in which you dwell, God is around you, and hears
you. . . . Can unprofitable works, long pilgrimages, offer-
ings, images, the invocation of the Virgin or of the saints,
secure for you the grace of God? . . . What avails the
multitude of words with which we embody our prayers?
What efficacy has a glossy cowl, a smooth-shorn head, a
long and flowing robe, or gold-embroidered slippers? . . .
God looks at the heart, and our hearts are far from Him."
"Christ," he said, "who was once offered upon the cross,
is the sacrifice and victim, that had made satisfaction for
the sins of believers to all eternity. ' ' *
To many listeners these teachings were unwelcome. It
was a bitter disappointment to them to be told that their
toilsome journey had been made in vain. The pardon freely
offered to them through Christ they could not comprehend.
They were satisfied with the old way to heaven which
Rome had marked out for them. They shrank from the
perplexity of searching for anything better. It was easier
to trust their salvation to the priests and the pope than to
seek for purity of heart.
But another class received with gladness the tidings of
redemption through Christ. The observances enjoined by
Rome had failed to bring peace of soul, and in faith they
accepted the Saviour's blood as their propitiation. These
returned to their homes to reveal to others the precious
light which they had received. The truth was thus carried
from hamlet to hamlet, from town to town, and the number
of pilgrims to the Virgin's shrine greatly lessened. There
■■ D 'Aubigne, b, 8, ch. 5,
176 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
was a falling off in the offerings, and consequently in the
salary of Zwingle, which was drawn from them. But this
caused him only joy as he saw that the power of fanaticism
and superstition was being broken.
The authorities of the church Avere not blind to the work
which Zwingle was accomplishing; but for the present they
forbore to interfere. Hoping yet to secure him to their
cause, they endeavored to win him by flatteries; and mean-
while the truth was gaining a hold upon the hearts of the
people.
Z^Adngle's labors at Einsiedeln had prepared him for a
wider field, and this he was soon to enter. After three years
here, he was called to the office of preacher in the cathedral
at Zurich. This was then the most important town of the
Swiss confederacy, and the influence exerted here would be
widely felt. The ecclesiastics by whose invitation he came
to Zurich wore, however, desirous of preventing any inno-
vations, and they accordingly proceeded to instruct him as
to his duties.
"You will make every exertion," they said, "to collect
the revenues of the chapter, without overlooking the least.
You will exhort the faithful, both from the pulpit and in
the confessional, to pay all tithes and dues, and to show
by their offerings their affection to the church. You will
be diligent in increasing the income arising from the sick,
from masses, and in general from every ecclesiastical or-
dinance." "As for the administration of the sacraments,
the preaching, and the care of the flock," added his in-
structors, "these are also the duties of the chaplain. But
for these you may employ a substitute, and particularly in
preaching. You should administer the sacraments to none
but persons of note, and only when called upon; you are
forbidden to do so without distinction of persons. ' ' ^
Zwingle listened in silence to this charge, and in reply,
after expressing his gratitude for the honor of a call to this
important station, he proceeded to explain the course which
^D'Aubigne, b. 8, ch, 6.
THE SWISS REFORMER 177
he proposed to adopt. ''The life of Christ," he said, "has
been too long hidden from the people. I shall preach
upon the whole of the Gospel of St. Matthew, . . . draw-
ing solely from the fountains of Scripture, sounding its
depths, comparing one passage with another, and seeking
for understanding by constant and earnest prayer. It is
to God's glory, to the praise of His only Son, to the real
salvation of souls, and to their edification in the true faith,
that I shall consecrate my ministry. ' ' * Though some of
the ecclesiastics disapproved his plan, and endeavored to
dissuade him from it, Zwingle remained steadfast. He
declared that he was about to introduce no new method,
but the old method employed by the church in earlier and
purer times.
Already an interest had been awakened in the truths he
taught; and the people flocked in great numbers to listen
to his preaching. Many who had long since ceased to at-
tend service were among his hearers. He began his min-
istry by opening the Gospels, and reading and explaining
to his hearers the inspired narrative of the life, teachings,
and death of Christ. Here, as at Einsiedeln, he presented
the word of God as the only infallible authority, and the
death of Christ as the only complete sacrifice. "It is to
Christ," he said, "that I desire to lead you, — to Christ,
the true source of salvation. ' ' ' Around the preacher
crowded the people of all classes, from statesmen and
scholars to the artisan and the peasant. With deep in-
terest they listened to his words. He not only proclaimed
the offer of a free salvation, but fearlessly rebuked the evils
and corruptions of the times. Many returned from the
cathedral praising God. "This man," they said, "is a
preacher of the truth. He will be , our Moses, to lead us
forth from this Egyptian darkness. ' ' '
But though at first his labors were received with great
enthusiasm, after a time opposition arose. The monks set
themselves to hinder his work and condemn his teachings.,
'D'Aubigne, b. 8, ch. 6.
178 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
Many assailed him with gibes and sneers; others resorted
to insolence and threats. But Zwingle bore all with pa-
tience, saying, "If we desire to gain over the wicked to
Jesus Christ, we must shut our eyes against many things. ' ' *
About this time a new agency came in to advance the
work of reform. One Lucian was sent to Zurich with some
of Luther's writings, by a friend of the reformed faith at
Basel, who suggested that the sale of these books might be a
powerful means of scattering the light. "Ascertain," he
wrote to Zwingle, "whether this man possesses sufficient
prudence and skill; if so, let him carry from city to city,
from town to town, from village to village, and even from
house to house, among the Swiss, the works of Luther, and
especially his exposition of the Lord's prayer written for
the laity. The more they are known, the more purchasers
they will find."* Thus the light found entrance.
At the time when God is preparing to break the shackles
of ignorance and superstition, then it is that Satan works
with greatest power to enshroud men in darkness, and to
bind their fetters still more firmly. As men were rising up
in different lands to present to the people forgiveness and
justification through the blood of Christ, Home proceeded
with renewed energy to open her market throughout Chris-
tendom, offering pardon for money.
Every sin had its price, and men were granted free li-
cense for crime, if the treasury of the church was kept well
filled. Thus the two movements advanced, — one offering
forgiveness of sin for money, the other forgiveness through
Christ, — Rome licensing sin, and making it her source of
revenue; the Reformers condemning sin, and pointing to
Christ as the propitiation and deliverer.
In Germany the sale of indulgences had been committed
to the Dominican friars, and was conducted by the infamous
Tetzel. In Switzerland the traffic was put into the hands
of the Franciscans, under the control of Samson, an Ital-
ian monk. Samson had already done good service to the
^D'Aubigne, b, 8, ch, 6.
THE SWISS REFORMER 179
church, having secured immense sums from Germany and
Switzerland to fill the papal treasury. Now he traversed
Switzerland, attracting great crowds, despoiling the poor
peasants of their scanty earnings, and exacting rich gifts
from the wealthy classes. But the influence of the reform
already made itself felt in curtailing, though it could not
stop, the traffic. Zwingle was still at Einsiedeln when Sam-
son, soon after entering Switzerland, arrived with his wares
at a neighboring town. Being apprised of his mission, the
Reformer immediately set out to oppose him. The two did
not meet, but such was Zwingle 's success in exposing the
friar's pretensions that he was obliged to leave for other
quarters.
At Zurich, Zwingle preached zealously against the par-
don-mongers; and when Samson approached the place, he
was met by a messenger from the council, with an in-
timation that he was expected to pass on. He finally secured
an entrance by stratagem, but was sent away without the
sale of a single pardon, and he soon after left Smtzerland.
A strong impetus was given to the reform by the appear-
ance of the plague, or "great death," which swept over
Switzerland in the year 1519. As men were thus brought
face to face with the destroyer, many were led to feel how
vain and worthless were the pardons which they had so
lately purchased; and they longed for a surer foundation
for their faith. Zwingle at Zurich was smitten do^^^l; he
was brought so low that all hope of his recovery was relin-
quished, and the report was widely circulated that he was
dead. In that trying hour his hope and courage were un-
shaken. He looked in faith to the cross of Calvary, trust-
ing in the all-sufficient propitiation for sin. When he came
back from the gates of death, it was to preach the gospel
with greater fervor than ever before; and his words ex-
erted an unwonted power. The people welcomed with joy
their beloved pastor, returned to them from the brink of
the grave. They themselves had come from attending
180 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
upon the sick and the dying, and they felt, as never before,
the value of the gospel.
ZA\dngle had arrived at a clearer understanding of its
truths, and had more fully experienced in himself its renew-
ing power. The fall of man and the plan of redemption
were the subjects upon which he dwelt. "In Adam," he,
said, "we are all dead, sunk in corruption and condemna-
tion. " * " Christ . . . has purchased for us a never-ending
redemption. . . . His passion is ... an eternal sacrifice,
and everlastingly effectual to heal; it satisfies the divine
justice forever in behalf of all those who rely upon it with
firm and unshaken faith." Yet he clearly taught that men
are not, because of the grace of Christ, free to continue in
sin. "Wherever there is faith in God, there God is; and
wherever God abideth, there a zeal exists urging and im-
pelling men to good works. ' ' '
Such was the interest in Zwingle's preaching that the
cathedral was filled to overflowing with the crowds that
came to listen to him. Little by little, as they could bear
it, he opened the truth to his hearers. He was careful not
to introduce, at first, points which would startle them and
create prejudice. His work was to win their hearts to
the teachings of Christ, to soften them by His love, and keep
before them His example; and as they should receive the
principles of the gospel, their superstitious beliefs and prac-
tices would inevitably be overthrown.
Step by step the Reformation advanced in Zurich. In
alarm its enemies aroused to active opposition. One year
before, the monk of Wittenberg had uttered his "No" to
the pope and the emperor at Worms, and now everything
seemed to indicate a similar withstanding of the papal
claims at Zurich. Repeated attacks were made upon
Zwingle. In the papal cantons, from time to time, disciples
of the gospel were brought to the stake, but this was not
enough ; the teacher of heresy must be silenced. Accordingly
the bishop of Constance dispatched three deputies to the
€!©uncil of Zurich, accusing Zwingle of teaching the people
»Wylie, b. 8, ch. 9. =D'Aubigne, b. 8, eh. 9.
THE SWISS REFORMER 181
to transgress the laws of the church, thus endangering the
peace and good order of society. If the authority of the
church were to be set aside, he urged, universal anarchy
would result. Zwingle replied that he had been for four
years teaching the gospel in Zurich, "which was more quiet
and peaceful than any other town in the confederacy." "Is
not, then," he said, "Christianity the best safeguard of the
general security ? " *
The deputies had admonished the councilors to continue
in the church, out of which, they declared, there was no sal-
vation. Zwingle responded: "Let not this accusation move
you. The foundation of the church is the same Rock, the
same Christ, that gave Peter his name because he confessed
Him faithfully. In every nation whosoever believes with all
his heart in the Lord Jesus is accepted of God. Here,
truly, is the church, out of which no one can be saved. ' ' '
As a result of the conference, one of the bishop 's deputies
accepted the reformed faith.
The council declined to take action against Zwingle, and
Rome prepared for a fresh attack. The Reformer, when ap-
prised of the plots of his enemies, exclaimed, "Let them
come on ; I fear them as the beetling cliff fears the waves
that thunder at its feet. ' ' * The efforts of the ecclesiastics
only furthered the cause which they sought to overthrow.
The truth continued to spread. In Germany its adherents,
east down by Luther's disappearance, took heart again, as
they saw the progress of the gospel in Switzerland.
As the Reformation became established in Zurich, its
fruits were more fully seen in the suppression of vice, and
the promotion of order and harmony. "Peace has her habi-
tation in our town," wrote Zwingle; "no quarrel, no hypoc-
risy, no envy, no strife. Whence can such union come but
from the Lord, and our doctrine, which fills us with the
fruits of peace and piety?"*
The victories gained by the Reformation stirred the
Romanists to still more determined efforts for its over-
»Wylie, b. 8, ch. 11. ^'D'Anbigne, b. 8, ch. 11 (Lomlou ed.).
'Wylie, b. 8, ch. 15.
182 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
throw. Seeing how little had been accomplished by perse-
cution in suppressing Luther's work in Germany, they de-
cided to meet the reform with its own weapons. They
would hold a disputation with Zwingle, and having the ar-
rangement of matters, they would make sure of victory by
choosing, themselves, not only the place of the combat, but
the judges that should decide between the disputants. And
if they could once get Zwingle into their power, they would
take care that he did not escape them. The leader silenced,
the movement could speedily be crushed. This purpose, how-
ever, was carefully concealed.
The disputation was appointed to be held at Baden ; but
Zwingle was not present. The Council of Zurich, suspect-
ing the designs of the papists, and warned by the burning
piles kindled in the papal cantons for confessors of the gos-
pel, forbade their pastor to expose himself to this peril. At
Zurich he was ready to meet all the partisans that Rome
might send ; but to go to Baden, where the blood of martyrs
for the truth had just been shed, was to go to certain death.
(Ecolampadius and Haller were chosen to represent the Re-
formers, while the famous Doctor Eck, supported by a host
of learned doctors and prelates, was the champion of Rome.
Though Zwingle was not present at the conference, his
influence was felt. The secretaries were all chosen by the
papists, and others were forbidden to take notes, on pain
of death. Notwithstanding this, Zwingle received daily a
faithful account of what was said at Baden. A student in
attendance at the disputation, made a record each evening
of the arguments that day presented. These papers two
other students undertook to deliver, with the daily letters
of (Ecolampadius, to Zwingle at Zurich. The Reformer an-
swered, giving counsel and suggestions. His letters were
written by night, and the students returiK.d with them to
Baden in the morning. To elude the vigilance of the guard
stationed at the city gates, these messengers brought baskets
of poultry on their heads, and they were permitted to pass
without hindrance.
THE SWISS REFORMER 183
Thus Zwingle maintained the battle with his wily antag-
onists. He "has labored more," said Myconiiis, "by his
meditations, his sleepless nights, and the advice which he
transmitted to Baden, than he would have done by dis-
cussing in person in the midst of his enemies. ' ' '
The Romanists, flushed with anticipated triumph, had
come to Baden attired in their richest robes and glittering
with jewels. They fared luxuriously, their tables spread
with the most costly delicacies and the choicest wines. The
burden of their ecclesiastical duties was lightened by gaiety
and reveling. In marked contrast appeared the Reformers,
who were looked upon by the people as little better than a
company of beggars, and whose frugal fare kept them but
short time at table. CEcolampadius 's landlord, taking occa-
sion to watch him in his room, found him always engaged
in study or at prayer, and greatly wondering, reported that
the heretic was at least "very pious."
At the conference, "Eck haughtily ascended a pulpit
splendidly decorated, while the humble CEcolampadius,
meanly clothed, was forced to take his seat in front of his
opponent on a rudely carved stool. "^ Eck's stentorian voice
and unbounded assurance never failed him. His zeal was
stimulated by the hope of gold as well as fame; for the de-
fender of the faith was to be rewarded by a handsome fee.
When better arguments failed, he had resort to insults, and
even to oaths.
CEcolampadius, modest and self-distrustful, had shrunk
from the combat, and he entered upon it with the solemn
avowal, "I acknowledge no other standard of judgment than
the word of God. ' ' ' Though gentle and courteous in de-
meanor, he proved himself able and unflinching. While the
Romanists, according to their wont, appealed for authority
to the customs of the church, the Reformer adhered stead-
fastly to the Holy Scriptures. "Custom," he said, "has
no force in our Switzerland, unless it be according to the
constitution; now, in matters of faith, the Bible is our
constitution." *
'P'Aubigne, b. 11, ch. 13.
184
THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
The contrast between the two disputants was not without
effect. The calm, clear reasoning of the Reformer, so gently
and modestly presented, appealed to minds that turned in
disgust from Eck's boastful and boisterous assumptions.
The discussion continued eighteen days. At its close, the
papists with great confidence claimed the victory. Most of
the deputies sided with Rome, and the Diet pronounced the
Reformers vanquished, and declared that they, together with
Zwingle, their leader, were cut off from the church. But
the fruits of the conference revealed on which side the
advantage lay. The contest resulted in a strong impetus
to the Protestant cause, and it was not long afterward
that the important cities of Bern and Basel declared for
the Reformation.
PROGRESS OF REFORM IN GERMANY-10
Luther's mysterious disappearance excited consternation
throughout all Germany. Inquiries concerning him were
heard everywhere. The wildest rumors were circulated, and
many believed that he had been murdered. There was
great lamentation, not only by his avowed friends, but by
thousands who had not openly taken their stand with the
Reformation. Many bound themselves by a solemn oath to
avenge his death.
The Romish leaders saw with terror to what a pitch had
risen the feeling against them. Though at first exultant at
the supposed death of Luther, they soon desired to hide
from the wrath of the people. His enemies had not been
so troubled by his most daring acts while among them, as
they were at his removal. Those who in their rage had
sought to destroy the bold Reformer, were filled with
fear now that he had become a helpless captive, "The only
remaining way of saving ourselves," said one, "is to light
torches, and hunt for Luther through the whole world, to
restore him to the nation that is calling for him. ' ' ' The
edict of the emperor seemed to fall powerless. The papal
legates were filled with indignation as they saw that it com-
manded far less attention than did the fate of Luther.
The tidings that he was safe, though a prisoner, calmed
the fears of the people, while it still further aroused their
enthusiasm in his favor. His writings were read with
'D'Aubign6, b. 9, ch. 1.
(185)
186 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
greater eagerness than ever before. Increasing numbers
joined the cause of the heroic man who had, at such fearful
odds, defended the word of God. The Reformation was
constantly gaining in strength. The seed which Luther had
sown sprung up everywhere. His absence accomplished a
work which his presence would have failed to do. Other
laborers felt a new responsibility, now that their great
leader was removed. With new faith and earnestness they
pressed forward to do all in their power, that the work so
nobly begun might not be hindered.
But Satan was not idle. He now attempted what he has
attempted in every other reformatory movement, — to deceive
and destroy the people by palming off upon them a counter-
feit in place of the true work. As there were false christs
in the first century of the Christian church, so there arose
false prophets in the sixteenth century.
A few men, deeply affected by the excitement in the re-
ligious world, imagined themselves to have received special
revelations from Heaven, and claimed to have been divinely
commissioned to carry forward to its completion the Refor-
mation which, they declared, had been but feebly begun
by Luther. In truth, they were undoing the very work
which he had accomplished. They rejected the great prin-
ciple which was the very foundation of the Reformation, —
that the word of God is the all-sufficient rule of faith and
practice; and for that unerring guide they substituted the
changeable, uncertain standard of their own feelings and
impressions. By this act of setting aside the great detector
of error and falsehood, the way was opened for Satan to
control minds as best pleased himself.
One of these prophets claimed to liave been instructed
by the angel Gabriel. A student who united with him for-
sook his studies, declaring that he had been endowed by
God Himself with wisdom to expound His word. Others
who were naturally inclined to fanaticism united with them.
The proceedings of these enthusiasts created no lit^Je excite-
PROGRESS OF REFORM IN GERMANY 1»7
ment. The preaching of Luther had aroused the people
everywhere to feel the necessity of reform, and now some
really honest persons were misled by the pretensions of the
new prophets.
The leaders of the movement proceeded to Wittenberg,
and urged their claims upon Melanchthon and his co-
laborers. Said they: "We are sent by God to instruct the
people. We have held familiar conversations with the
Lord ; we know what will happen ; in a word, we are
apostles and prophets, and appeal to Doctor Luther."*
The Reformers were astonished and perplexed. This was
such an element as they had never before encountered, and
they knew not what course to pursue. Said Melanchthon :
"There are indeed extraordinary spirits in these men; but
what spirits ? . . . On the one hand, let us beware of quench-
ing the Spirit of God, and on the other, of being led astray
by the spirit of Satan. " '
The fruit of the new teaching soon became apparent. The
people were led to neglect the Bible, or to cast it wholly
aside. The schools were thrown into confusion. Students,
spurning all restraint, abandoned their studies, and Avith-
drew from the university. The men who thought them-
selves competent to revive and control the work of the
Reformation, succeeded only in bringing it to the verge of
ruin. The Romanists now regained their confidence, and
exclaimed exultingly, "One last struggle, and all will be
ours."'
Luther at the Wartburg, hearing of what had occurred,
said with deep concern, "I always expected that Satan
would send us this plague. ' ' ' He perceived the true char-
acter of those pretended prophets, and saw the danger that
threatened the cause of truth. The opposition of the pope
and the emperor had not caused him so great perplexity
and distress as he now experienced. From the professed
friends of the Reformation had risen its worst enemies. The
very truths which had brought him so great joy and con.
*D'Aubigne, b. 9, ch 7.
188 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
solation were being employed to stir up strife and create
confusion in the church.
In the work of reform, Luther had been urged forward
by the Spirit of God, and had been carried beyond himself.
He had not purposed to take such positions as he did, or
to make so radical changes. He had been but the instru-
ment in the hand of Infinite Power. Yet he often trembled
for the result of his work. He had once said, "If I knew
that my doctrine injured one man, one single man, however
lowly and obscure, — which it cannot, for it is the gospel
itself, — I would rather die ten times than not retract it."*
And now Wittenberg itself, the very center of the Ref-
ormation, was fast falling under the power of fanaticism
and lawlessness. This terrible condition had not resulted
from the teachings of Luther; but throughout Germany
his enemies were charging it upon him. In bitterness
of soul he sometimes asked, "Can such then be the end
of this great work of the Reformation ? " * Again, as he
wrestled with God in prayer, peace flowed into his heart.
"The work is not mine, but Thine own," he said; "Thou
wilt not suffer it to be corrupted by superstition or fanati-
cism." But the thought of remaining longer from the
conflict in such a crisis, became insupportable. He deter-
mined to return to "Wittenberg.
"Without delay he set out on his perilous journey. He
was under the ban of the empire. Enemies were at liberty
to take his life; friends were forbidden to aid or shelter
him. The imperial government was adopting the most
stringent measures against his adherents. But he saw that
the work of the gospel was imperiled, and in the name
of the Lord he went out fearlessly to battle for the truth.
In a letter to the elector, after stating his purpose to
leave the "Wartburg, Luther said: "Be it known to your
highness that I am going to "Wittenberg under a protec-
tion far higher than that of princes and electors. I think
not of soliciting your highness' support, and far from
*D'Aubigne, b. 9, ch. 7,
PROGRESS OF REFORM IN GERMANY 189
desiring your protection, I would rather protect you my-
self. If I knew that your highness could or would protect
me, I would not go to Wittenberg at all. There is no
sword that can further this cause. God alone must do every-
thing, without the help or concurrence of man. He who
has the greatest faith is he who is most able to protect. ' ' '
In a second letter, written on the way to "Wittenberg,
Luther added: "I am ready to incur the displeasure of
your highness and the anger of the whole world. Are not
the Wittenbergers my sheep? Has not God entrusted them
to me? And ought I not, if necessary, to expose myself to
death for their sakes? Besides, I fear to see a terrible out-
break in Germany, by which God will punish our nation. ' ' '
With great caution and humility, yet with decision and
firmness, he entered upon his work. "By the Word," said
he, "must we overthrow and destroy what has been set up
by violence. I will not make use of force against the super-
stitious and unbelieving. ... No one must be constrained.
Liberty is the very essence of faith. ' ' ^
It was soon noised through Wittenberg that Luther had
returned, and that he was to preach. The people flocked
from all directions, and the church was filled to overflowing.
Ascending the pulpit, he with great wisdom and gentleness
instructed, exhorted, and reproved. Touching the course of
some who had resorted to violent measures in abolishing the
mass, he said :
"The mass is a bad thing; God is opposed to it; it ought
to be abolished; and I would that throughout the whole
world it were replaced by the supper of the gospel. But let
no one be torn from it by force. We must leave the matter
in God's hands. His word must act, and not we. And
why so? you will ask. Because I do not hold men's hearts
in my hand, as the potter holds the clay. We have a right
to speak: we have not the right to act. Let us preach; the
rest belongs unto God. Were I to employ force, what
should I gain? Grimace, formality, apings, human ordi-
nances, and hypocrisy, . . . But there would be no sin-
*D'Aubign6, b. 9, ch. 8.
190 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
cerity of heart, nor faith, nor charity. Where these three
are wanting, all is wanting, and I would not give a pear-
stalk for such a result. . . God does more by His word
alone than you and I and all the world by our united
strength. God lays hold upon the heart; and when the
heart is taken, all is won. . . .
"I will preach, discuss, and write; but I will constrain
none, for faith is a voluntary act. See what I have done.
I stood up against the pope, indulgences, and papists, but
without violence or tumult. I put forward God's word;
I preached and wrote — this was all I did. And yet while
I was asleep, . . , the word that I had preached over-
threw popery, so that neither prince nor emperor has
done it so much harm. And yet I did nothing; the Word
alone did all. If I had wished to appeal to force, the whole
of Germany would perhaps have been deluged with blood.
But what would have been the result? Ruin and desola-
tion both to body and soul. I therefore kept quiet, and left
the "Word to run through the world alone. "^
Day after day, for a whole week, Luther continued to
preach to eager crowds. The word of God broke the spell
of fanatical excitement. The power of the gospel brought
back the misguided people into the way of truth.
Luther had no desire to encounter the fanatics whose
course had been productive of so great evil. He knew them
to be men of unsound judgment and undisciplined passions,
who, while claiming to be especially illuminated from heaven,
would not endure the slightest contradiction, or even the
kindest reproof or counsel. Arrogating to themselves su-
preme authority, they required every one, without a ques-
tion, to acknowledge their claims. But as they demanded
an interview Avith him, he consented to meet them; and so
successfully did he expose their pretensions, that the impos-
tors at once departed from "Wittenberg.
The fanaticism was checked for a time; but several years
later it broke out with greater violence and more terrible
results. Said Luther, concerning the leaders in this move-
*D'Aubigne, b. 9, ch. 8.
PROGRESS OF REFORM IN GERMANY 191
ment : " To them the Holy Scriptures were but a dead letter,
and they all began to cry, 'The Spirit! the Spirit!' But
most assuredly I will not follow where their spirit leads
them. May God of His mercy preserve me from a church
in which there are none but saints. I desire to dwell with
the humble, the feeble, the sick, who know and feel their
sins, and who groan and cry continually to God from
the bottom of their hearts to obtain His consolation and
support. ' ' '
Thomas Miinzer, the most active of the fanatics, was a
man of considerable ability, which, rightly directed, would
have enabled him to do good; but he had not learned the
first principles of true religion. "He was possessed with a
desire of reforming the world, and forgot, as all enthusiasts
do, that the reformation should begin with himself. ' ' ^ He
was ambitious to obtain position and influence, and was
unwilling to be second, even to Luther. He declared that the
Reformers, in substituting the authority of Scripture for
that of the pope, were only establishing a different form of
popery. He himself, he claimed, had been divinely com-
missioned to introduce the true reform. "He who pos-
sesses this spirit," said Miinzer, "possesses the true faith,
although he should never see the Scriptures in his life. ' ' *
The fanatical teachers gave themselves up to be governed
by impressions, regarding every thought and impulse as the
voice of God; consequently they went to great extremes.
Some even burned their Bibles, exclaiming, "The letter
killeth, but the Spirit giveth life." Miinzer 's teaching ap-
pealed to men's desire for the marvelous, while it gratified
their pride by virtually placing human ideas and opinions
above the word of God. His doctrines were received by
thousands. He soon denounced all order in public worship,
and declared that to obey princes was to attempt to serve
both God and Belial.
The minds of the people, already beginning to throw off
the yoke of the papacy, were also becoming impatient under
the restraints of civil authority. ]\Iiinzer's revolutionary
'D'Aubigue, b. 10, ch. 10.
192 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
teachings, claiming divine sanction, led them to break away
from all control, and give the rein to their prejudices and
passions. The most terrible scenes of sedition and strife
followed, and the fields of Germany were drenched with
blood.
The agony of soul which Luther had so long before ex-
perienced at Erfurt, now pressed upon him with redoubled
power as he saw the results of fanaticism charged upon the
Reformation. The papist princes declared — and many were
ready to credit the statement — that the rebellion was the
legitimate fruit of Luther's doctrines. Although this charge
was without the slightest foundation, it could not but cause
the Reformer great distress. That the cause of truth should
be thus disgraced by being ranked with the basest fanaticism,
seemed more than he could endure. On the other hand,
the leaders in the revolt hated Luther because he had not
only opposed their doctrines and denied their claims to
divine inspiration, but had pronounced them rebels against
tile civil authority. In retaliation they denounced him as a
base pretender. He seemed to have brought upon himself
the enmity of both princes and people.
The Romanists exulted, expecting to witness the speedy
downfall of the Reformation; and they blamed Luther, even
for the errors which he had been most earnestly endeavoring
to correct. The fanatical party, by falsely claiming to have
been treated with great injustice, succeeded in gaining the
sympathies of a large class of the people, and, as is often
the case with those who take the wrong side, they came
to be regarded as martyrs. Thus the ones who were exert-
ing every energy in opposition to the Reformation, were
pitied and lauded as the victims of cruelty and oppression.
This was the work of Satan, prompted by the same spirit
of rebellion which was first manifested in heaven.
Satan is constantly seeking to deceive men, and lead
them to call sin righteousness, and righteousness sin. How
successful has been his work ! How often censure and re-
proach are cast upon God's faithful servants because they
PROGRESS OF REFORM IN GERMANY 193
will stand fearlessly in defense of the truth! Men who are
but agents of Satan are praised and flattered, and even
looked upon as martyrs, while those who should be respected
and sustained for their fidelity to God, are left to stand
alone, under suspicion and distrust.
Counterfeit holiness, spurious sanctification, is still doing
its work of deception. Under various forms it exhibits the
same spirit as in the days of Luther, diverting minds from
the Scriptures, and leading men to follow their own feelings
and impressions rather than to yield obedience to the law of
God. This is one of Satan's most successful devices to cast
reproach upon purity and truth.
Fearlessly did Luther defend the gospel from the at-
tacks which came from every quarter. The word of God
proved itself a weapon mighty in every conflict. With that
Word he warred against the usurped authority of the pope,
and the rationalistic philosophy of the schoolmen, while he
stood firm as a rock against the fanaticism that sought to
ally itself with the Reformation.
Each of these opposing elements was in its o^vn way set-
ting aside the Holy Scriptures, and exalting human wisdom
as the source of religious truth and knowledge. Rationalism
idolizes reason, and makes this the criterion for religion.
Romanism, claiming for her sovereign pontiff an inspira-.
tion descended in unbroken line from the apostles, and un-
changeable through all time, gives ample opportunity for
every species of extravagance and corruption to be con-
cealed under the sanctity of tlie apostolic commission. The
inspiration claimed by Miinzer and his associates proceeded
from no higher source than the vagaries of the imagination,
and its influence was subversive of all authority, human
or divine. True Christianity receives the word of God as
the great treasure-house of inspired truth, and the test of
all inspiration.
Upon his return from the Wartburg, Luther completed
his translation of the New Testament, and the gospel Avas
soon after given to the people of Germany in their own
.C.
194 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
language. This translation was received with great joy by
all who loved the truth; but it was scornfully rejected by
those who chose human traditions and the commandments
of men.
The priests were alarmed at the thought that the com-
mon people would now be able to discuss with them the pre-
cepts of God's word, and that their own ignorance would
thus be exposed. The weapons of their carnal reasoning
were powerless against the sword of the Spirit. Rome sum-
moned all her authority to prevent the circulation of the
Scriptures; but decrees, anathemas, and tortures were alike
in vain. The more she condemned and prohibited the Bible,
the greater was the anxiety of the people to know what it
really taught. All who could read were eager to study the
v;ord of God for themselves. They carried it about with
them, and read and re-read, and could not be satisfied until
they had committed large portions to memory. Seeing the
favor with whi(;h the New Testament was received, Luther
immediately began the translation of the Old, and pub-
lished it in parts as fast as completed.
Luther's writings were welcomed alike in city and in
hamlet. "What Luther and his friends composed, others
circulated. Monks, convinced of the unlawfulness of mon-
astic obligations, desirous of exchanging a long life of sloth-
fulness for one of active exertion, but too ignorant to
proclaim the word of God, traveled through the provinces,
visiting hamlets and cottages, where they sold the books
of Luther and his friends. Germany soon swarmed with
these bold colporteurs. " ""
These writings were studied with deep interest by rich
and poor, the learned and the ignorant. At night the
teachers of the village schools read them aloud to little
groups gathered at the fireside. With every effort, some
souls would be convicted of the truth, and, receiving the
word with gladness, would in their turn tell the good news
to others.
*D'Aubigne, b. 9, ch. 11.
PROGRESS OF REFORM IN GERMANY 195
The words of inspiration were verified : ' ' l^he entrance of
Thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the
simple. ' ' ' The study of the Scriptures was working a
mighty change in the minds and hearts of the people. The
papal rule had placed upon its subjects an iron yoke which
held them in ignorance and degradation. A superstitious
observance of forms had been scrupulously maintained ; but
in all their service the heart and intellect had had little
part. The preaching of Luther, setting forth the plain truths
of God's word, and then the word itself, placed in the hands
of the common people, had aroused their dormant powers,
not only purifying and ennobling the spiritual nature, but
imparting new strength and vigor to the intellect.
Persons of all ranks were to be seen with the Bible in
their hands, defending the doctrines of the Reformation.
The papists who had left the study of the Scriptures to the
priests and monks, now called upon them to come forward
and refute the new teachings. But, ignorant alike of the
Scriptures and of the power of God, priests and friars were
totally defeated by those whom they had denounced as un-
learned and heretical. "Unhappily," said a Catholic writer,
"Luther had persuaded his followers to i)ut no faith in
any other oracle than the Holy Scriptures. ' ' ^ Crowds
would gather to hear the truth advocated by men of little
education, and even discussed by them with learned and elo-
quent theologians. The shameful ignorance of these great
men was made apparent as their arguments were met by the
simple teachings of God's word. Laborers, soldiers, women,
and even children, were better acquainted with the Bible
teachings than were the priests and learned doctors.
The contrast between the disciples of the gospel and the
upholders of popish superstition was no less manifest in the
ranks of scholars than among the common people. "Op-
posed to the old champions of the hierarchy, who had
neglected the study of languages and the cultivation of liter-
ature, . . . were generous-minded youths, devoted to study,
»Ps. 119:130. »D'Aubigne, b. 9, ch. 11.
196 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
investigating Scripture, and familiarizing themselves with
the masterpieces of antiquity. Possessing an active mind,
an elevated soul, and intrepid heart, these young men soon
acquired such knowledge that for a long period none could
compete w^ith them. . . . Accordingly, when these youthful
defenders of the Reformation met the Komish doctors in
any assembly, tliey attacked them with such ease and confi-
dence that tliese ignorant men hesitated, ))ecame embarrassed,
and fell into a contempt merited in the eyes of all."^
As the Romish clergy saw their congregations diminish-
ing, they invoked the aid of the magistrates, and by every
means in their power endeavored to bring back their hear-
ers. But the people had found in the new teachings that
which supplied the wants of their souls, and they turned
away from those who had so long fed them with the worth-
less husks of superstitious rites and human traditions.
When persecution was kindled against the teachers of the
truth, they gave heed to the words of Christ, "When they
persecute you in this city, flee ye into another.'" The light
penetrated everywhere. The fugitives would find some-
where a hospitable door opened to them, and there abiding,
they would preach Christ, sometimes in the church, or if
denied that privilege, in private houses or in the open air.
Wherever they could obtain a hearing was a consecrated
temple. The truth, proclaimed with such energy and assur-
ance, spread with irresistible power.
In vain both ecclesiastical and civil authorities were
invoked to crush the heresy. In vain they resorted to im-
prisonment, torture, fire, and sword. Thousands of believers
sealed their faith with their blood, and yet the work went
on. Persecution served only to extend the truth; and the
fanaticism which Satan endeavored to unite with it, resulted
in making more clear the contrast between the work of
Satan and the work of God.
^D'Aubigne, b. 9, ch. 11. "Matt. 10:23.
PROTEST OF THE PRINGES-11
One of the noblest testimonies ev'er uttered for the Refor-
mation, was the Protest offered by the Christian princes of
Germany at the Diet of Spires in 1529. The courage, faith,
and firmness of those men of God, gained for succeeding
ages liberty of thought and of conscience. Their Protest
gave to the reformed church the name of Protestant; its
principles are "the very essence of Protestantism."*
A dark and threatening day had come for the Reforma-
tion. Notwithstanding the edict of Worms, declaring Luther
to be an outlaw, and forl)idding the teaching or belief of his
doctrines, religious toleration had thus far prevailed in the
empire. God's providence had held in check the forces that
opposed the truth. Charles V. was bent on crushing the
Reformation, but often as he raised his hand to strike, he
had been forced to turn aside the blow. Again and again
the immediate destruction of all who dared to oppose them-
selves to Rome appeared inevitable ; but at the critical mo-
ment the armies of the Turk appeared on the eastern frontier,
or the king of France, or even the pope himself, jealous of
the increasing greatness of the emperor, made war upon
him; and thus, amid the strife and tumult of nations, the
Reformation had been left to strengthen and extend.
At last, however, the papal sovereigns had stifled their
feuds, that they might make common cause against the
Reformers, The Diet of Spires in 1526 had given each state
full liberty in matters of religion until the meeting of a
'D'Aubigne, b. 13, eh. 6.
(197)
198 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
general council; but no sooner had the dangers passed which
secured this concession, than the emperor summoned a sec-
ond Diet to convene at Spires in 1529 for the purpose of
crushing heresy. The princes were to be induced, by peace-
able means if possible, to side against the Reformation; but
if these failed, Charles was prepared to resort to the sword.
The papists were exultant. They appeared at Spires in
great numbers, and openly manifested their hostility toward
the Reformers and all who favored tliem. Said Melanchthon,
"We are the execration and the sweepings of the world;
but Christ will look down on His poor people, and will pre-
serve them.'" The evangelical princes in attendance at the
Diet were forbidden even to have the gospel preached in
their dwellings. But the people of Spires thirsted for the
Avord of God, and notwithstanding the prohibition, thou-
sands flocked to the services held in the chapel of the elector
of Saxony.
This hastened the crisis. An imperial message announced
to the Diet that as the resolution granting liberty of con-
science had given rise to great disorders, the emperor re-
quired that it be annulled. This arbitrary act excited the
indignation and alarm of the evangelical Christians. Said
one, "Christ has again fallen into the hands of Caiaphas and
Pilate." The Romanists became more violent. A bigoted
papist declared: "The Turks are better than the Lutherans;
for the Turks observe fast-days, and the Lutherans violate
them. If we must choose between the Holy Scriptures of
God and the old errors of the church, we should reject the
former." Said Melanchthon, "Every day, in full assembly,
Faber casts some new stone at us Gospelers. ' ' '
Religious toleration had been legally established, and the
evangelical states were resolved to oppose the infringement
of their rights. Luther, being still under the ban imposed
by the edict of Worms, was not permitted to be present at
Spires; but his place was supplied by his co-laborers and
the princes whom God had raised up to defend His cause in
this emergency. The noble Frederick of Saxony, Luther's
»D'Aubigne, b. 13, ch. 5.
PROTEST OF THE PRINCES 199
former protector, had been removed by death; but Duke
John, his brother and successor, liad joyfully welcomed the
Reformation, and while a friend of peace, he displayed great
energy and courage in all matters relating to the interests
of the faith.
The priests demanded that the states which had accepted
the Reformation submit implicitly to Romish jurisdiction.
The Reformers, on the other hand, claimed the liberty which
had previously been granted. They could not consent that
Rome should again bring under her control those states
that had with so great joy received the word of God.
As a compromise it was finally proposed that where the
Reformation had not become established, the edict of Worms
should be rigorously enforced; and that "in those where
the people had deviated from it, and where they could not
conform to it without danger of revolt, they should at least
effect no new reform, they should touch upon no controverted
point, they should not oppose the celebration of the mass,
they should permit no Roman Catholic to embrace Luther-
anism. ' ' ' This measure passed the Diet, to the great sat-
isfaction of the popish priests and prelates.
If this edict were enforced, "the Reformation could neither
be extended . . . where as yet it was unknown, nor be estab-
lished on solid foundations . . . where it already existed. ' ' '
Liberty of speech would be prohibited. No conversions
would be allowed. And to these restrictions and prohibi-
tions the friends of the Reformation were required at once
to submit. The hopes of the world seemed about to be ex-
tinguished. "The re-establishment of the Romish liierarchy
. . . would infallibly bring back the ancient abuses;" and
an occasion would readily be found for "completing the
destruction of a work already so violently shaken" by fa-
naticism and dissension.*
As the evangelical party met for consultation, one looked
to another in blank dismay. From one to another passed
the inquiry, "What is to be done?" Mighty issues for the
world were at stake. "Shall the chiefs of the Reformation
»D'Aubigne, b. 13, ch. 5.
200 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
submit, and accept the edict ? How easily might the Reform-
ers at this crisis, which was truly a tremendous one, have
argued themselves into a wrong course! How many plau-
sible pretexts and fair reasons might they have found for
submission ! The Lutheran princes were guaranteed the
free exercise of their religion. The same boon was extended
to all those of their subjects who, prior to the passing of
the measure, liad embraced the reformed views. Ought not
this to content tliem? How many perils would submission
avoid! On what unknown hazards and conflicts would
opposition launch them ! Who knows what opportunities
the future may bring? Let us embrace peace; let us seize
the olive-branch Rome holds out, and close the wounds of
Germany. With arguments like these might the Reformers
have justified their adoption of a course which would have
assuredly issued in no long time in the overthrow of their
cause.
"Happily they looked at the principle on which this ar-
rangement was based, and they acted in faith. What was that
principle? It was the right of Rome to coerce conscience
and forbid free inquiry. But were not themselves and their
Protestant subjects to enjoy religious freedom? Yes, as a
favor specially stipulated for in the arrangement, but not
as a right. As to all outside that arrangement, the great
principle of authority was to rule ; conscience was out of
court; Rome was infallible judge, and must be obeyed. The
acceptance of the proposed arrangement would have been a
virtual admission that religious liberty ought to be confined
to reformed Saxony; and as to all the rest of Christendom,
free inquiry and the profession of the reformed faith were
crimes, and must be visited with the dungeon and the stake.
Could they consent to localize religious liberty? to have it
proclaimed that the Reformation had made its last convert?
had subjugated its last acre? and that wherever Rome bore
sway at this hour, there her dominion was to be perpetu-
ated? Could the Reformers have pleaded that they were
innocent of the blood of those hundreds and thousands who,
in pursuance of this arrangement, would have to yield up
PROTEST OF THE PRINCES 1201
their lives in popish lands ? This would have been to betray,
at that supreme hour, the cause of the gospel and the lib-
erties of Christendom."' Rather would they "sacrifice
everything, even their states, their crowns, and their lives. "^
"Let us reject this decree," said the princes. "In matters
of conscience the majority has no power." The deputies
declared: "It is to the decree of 1526 that we are indebted
for the peace that the empire enjoys: its abolition would fill
Germany with troubles and divisions. The Diet is incom-
petent to do more than preserve religious liberty until the
council meets. " " To protect liberty of conscience is the duty
of the state, and this is the limit of its authority in matters
of religion. Every secular government that attempts to reg-
ulate or enforce religious observances by civil authority, is
sacrificing the very principle for which the evangelical Chris-
tians so nobly struggled.
The papists determined to put down what they termed
' ' daring obstinacy. ' ' They began by endeavoring to cause
divisions among the supporters of the Reformation, and to
intimidate all who had not openly declared in its favor. The
representatives of the free cities were at last summoned be-
fore the Diet, and required to declare whether they would
accede to the terms of the proposition. They pleaded for
delay, but in vain. When brought to the test, nearly one half
their number sided with the Reformers. Those who thus
refused to sacrifice liberty of conscience and the right of
individual judgment, well knew that their position marked
them for future criticism, condemnation, and persecution.
Said one of the delegates, "We must either deny the word
of God, or — be burnt. ' ' "
King Ferdinand, the emperor's representative at the Diet,
saw that the decree would cause serious divisions unless the
I)rinees could be induced to accept and sustain it. He there-
fore tried the art of persuasion, well knowing that to employ
force with such men would only render them the more deter-
mined. He "begged the princes to accept the decree, as-
suring them that the emperor would be exceedingly pleased
*Wylie, b. 9, ch. 15. 'D'Aubign^, b. 13, cb. 5.
202 THE GREAT CONTUOVERSY
with them," But these faithful men acknowledged an au-
thority above that of earthly rulers, and they answered
calmly, "We will obey the emperor in everything that may
contribute to maintain peace and the honor of God."'
In the presence of the Diet, the king at last announced to
the elector and his friends that the edict "was about to be
drawn up in the form of an imperial decree," and that "their
only remaining course was to submit to the majority." Hav-
ing thus spoken, he withdrew from the assembly, giving the
Reformers no opportunity for deliberation or reply. "To
no purpose they sent a deputation entreating the king to
return." To their remonstrances he answered only, "It is
a settled affair ; submission is all that remains. ' ' *
The imperial party were convinced that the Christian
princes would adhere to the Holy Scriptures as superior to
human doctrines and requirements; and they knew that
wherever this principle was accepted, the papacy would
eventually be overthrown. But, like thousands since their
time, looking only "at the things which are seen," they flat-
tered themselves that the cause of the emperor and the pope
was strong, and that of the Reformers weak. Had the Re-
formers depended upon human aid alone, they would have
been as powerless as the papists supposed. But though weak
in numbers, and at variance with Rome, they had their
strength. They appealed "from the report of the Diet to
the word of God, and from the emperor Charles to Jesus
Christ, the King of kings and Lord of lords. ' ' '
As Ferdinand had refused to regard their conscientious
convictions, the princes decided not to heed his absence, but
to bring their Protest before the national council without
delay. A solemn declaration was therefore drawn up, and
presented to the Diet:
"We protest by these presents, before God, our only Crea-
tor, Preserver, Redeemer, and Saviour, and who will one
day be our Judge, as well as before all men and all crea-
tures, that we, for us and for our people, neither consent
nor adhere in any manner whatsoever to the proposed decree,
*D'Aubigne, b. 13, ch. 5. 'Idem, b. 13, ch. 6.
PROTEST OF THE PRINCES 203
in anything that is contrary to God, to His holy word, to
our right consciencej to the salvation of our souls."
' ' What ! we ratify this edict ! We assert that when Al-
mighty God calls a man to His knowledge, this man never-
theless cannot receive the knowledge of God?" "There is
no sure doctrine but such as is conformable to the word
of God. . . . The Lord forbids the teaching of any other
doctrine. . . . The Holy Scriptures ought to be explained
by other and clearer texts; . . . this holy book is, in all
things necessary for the Christian, easy of understanding,
and calculated to scatter the darkness. We are resolved,
with the grace of God, to maintain the pure and exclusive
preaching of His only word, such as it is contained in the
biblical books of the Old and New Testaments, without
adding anytliing thereto that may be contrary to it. This
Word is the only truth; it is the sure rule of all doctrine
and of all life, and can never fail or deceive us. He who
builds on this foundation shall stand against all the powers
of hell, while all the human vanities that are set up against
it shall fall before the face of God."
"For this reason we reject the yoke that is imposed on
us." "At the same time we are in expectation that his
imperial majesty will behave toward us like a Christian
prince who loves God above all things; and we declare our-
selves ready to pay unto him, as well as unto you, gracious
lords, all the affection and obedience that are our just and
legitimate duty. ' ' *
A deep impression was made upon the Diet. The major-
ity were filled with amazement and alarm at the boldness
of the protesters. The future appeared to them stormy and
uncertain. Dissension, strife, and bloodshed seemed inevit-
able. But the Reformers, assured of the justice of their
cause, and relying upon the arm of Omnipotence, were "full
of courage and firmness."
"The principles contained in this celebrated Protest . . .
constitute the very essence of Protestantism. Now this
Protest opposes two abuses of man in matters of faith: the
•D'Aubign^, b. 13, ch. 6.
204 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
first is the intrusion of the civil magistrate, and the second
the arbitrary authority of the church. Instead of these
abuses, Protestantism sets the power of conscience above the
magistrate, and the authority of the word of God above the
visible church. In the first place, it rejects the civil power
in divine things, and says with the prophets and apostles,
'We must obey God rather than man.' In presence of the
cro^vn of Charles the Fifth, it uplifts the crown of Jesus
Christ. But it goes farther: it lays down the principle that
all human teacliing should be subordinate to the oracles
of God.'" The protesters had moreover affirmed their right
to utter freely their convictions of truth. They w'ould not
only believe and obey, but teach what the word of God
presents, and they denied the right of priest or magistrate
to interfere. The Protest of Spires was a solemn witness
against religious intolerance, and an assertion of the right
of all men to worship God according to the dictates of their
own consciences.
The declaration had been made. It was written in the
memory of thousands, and registered in the books of heaven,
where no effort of man could erase it. All evangelical Ger-
many adopted the Protest as the expression of its faith.
Everyvvhere men beheld in this declaration the promise of a
new and better era. Said one of the princes to the Prot-
estants of Spires, "May the Almighty, who has given you
grace to confess energetically, freely, and fearlessly, preserve
you in that Christian firmness until the day of eternity."*
Had the Reformation, after attaining a degree of success,
consented to temporize to secure favor wdth the world, it
would have been untrue to God and to itself, and would thus
have insured its own destruction. The experience of these
noble Reformers contains a lesson for all succeeding ages.
Satan's manner of working against God and His word has
not changed; he is still as much opposed to the Scriptures
being made the guide of life as in the sixteenth century. In
our time there is a wide departure from their doctrines and
precepts, and there is need of a return to the great Prot-
'D'Aubigne, b. 13, ch. 6.
PROTEST OF THE PRINCES 206
estant principle, — the Bible, and the Bible only, as the rule
of faith and duty. Satan is still working through every
means which he can control to destroy religious liberty.
The antichristian power which the protesters of Spires
rejected, is now with renewed vigor seeking to re-establish
its lost supremacy. The same unswerving adherence to the
word of God manifested at that crisis of the Reformation,
is the only hope of reform to-day.
There appeared tokens of danger to the Protestants;
there were tokens, also, that the divine hand was stretched
out to protect the faithful. It was about this time that
"Melanehthon hastily conducted through the streets of
Spires toward the Rhine his friend Simon Grynaeus, press-
ing him to cross the river. The latter was astonished at
such precipitation. 'An old man of grave and solemn air,
but who is unknown to me,' said Melanehthon, 'appeared
before me and said, In a minute officers of justice will be
sent by Ferdinand to arrest Gryngeus.' "
During the day, Grynosus had been scandalized at a
sermon by Faber, a leading papal doctor; and at the close,
remonstrated with him for defending "certain detestable
errors." "Faber dissembled his anger, but immediately
after repaired to the king, from whom he had obtained an
order against the importunate professor of Heidelberg.
Melanehthon doubted not that God had saved his friend
by sending one of His holy angels to forewarn him.
"Motionless on the banks of the Rhine, he waited until
the waters of that stream had rescued Grynaeus from his
persecutors. 'At last,' cried IMelanchthon, as he saw him
on the opposite side, 'at last he is torn from the cruel jaws
of those who thirst for innocent blood,* "When he returned
to his house, Melanehthon was informed that officers in
search of Gryna-us had ransacked it from top to bottom. * ' *
The Reformation was to be brought into greater prom-
inence before the mighty ones of the earth. The evangelical
princes had been denied a hearing by King Ferdinand; but
they were to be granted an opportunity to present their
• D 'AubiguS, b. 13, ch. 6.
206 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
cause in the presence of the emperor and the assembled
dignitaries of church and state. To quiet the dissensions
which disturbed the empire, Charles V., in the year follow-
ing the Protest of Spires, convoked a Diet at Augsburg,
over which he announced his intention to preside in person.
Thither the Protestant leaders were summoned.
Great dangers threatened the Reformation; but its advo-
cates still trusted their cause with God, and pledged them-
selves to be firm to the gospel. The elector of Saxony was
urged by his councilors not to appear at the Diet. The
emperor, they said, required the attendance of the princes
in order to draw them into a snare. "Is it not risking
everything to go and shut oneself up within the walls of a
city with a powerful enemy?" But others nobly declared,
"Let the princes only comport themselves with courage, and
God's cause is saved." "God is faithful; lie will not aban-
don us,"* said Luther. The elector set out, with his retinue,
for Augsburg. All were acquainted with the dangers that
menaced him, and many went forward with gloomy counte-
nance and troubled heart. But Luther, who accompanied
them as far as Coburg, revived their sinking faith by sing-
ing the hymn, written on that journey, "A strong tower
is our God." ^lany an anxious foreboding was banished,
many a heavy heart lightened, at the sound of the inspir-
ing strains.
The reformed princes had determined upon having a
statement of their \aews in systematic form, with the evi-
dence from the Scriptures, to present before the Diet; and
the task of its preparation was committed to Luther, Melanch-
thon, and their associates. This Confession was accepted
by the Protestants as an exposition of their faith, and they
assembled to affix their names to the important document.
It was a solemn and trying time. The Reformers were solic-
itous that their cause should not be confounded with polit-
ical questions; they felt that the Reformation should exer-
cise no other influence than that which proceeds from the
»D'Aubigng, b. 14, ch. 2.
PROTEST OF THE PRINCES 207
word of God. As the Christian princes advanced to sign
the Confession, Melanchthon interposed, saying, "It is for
the theologians and ministers to propose these things; let
us reserve for other matters the authority of the mighty ones
of the earth." "God forbid," replied John of Saxony,
"that you should exclude me. I am resolved to do what
is right, without troubling myself about my crown. I desire
to confess the Lord. My electoral hat and my ermine
are not so precious to me as the cross of Jesus Christ."
Having thus spoken, he wrote down his name. Said another
of the princes as he took the pen, "If the honor of my
Lord Jesus Christ requires it, I am ready ... to leave my
goods and life behind." "I would rather renounce my sub-
jects and my states, rather quit the country of my fathers
staff in hand," he continued, "than receive any other doc-
trine than that which is contained in this Confession. ' ' *
Such was the faith and daring of those men of God.
The appointed time came to appear before the emperor.
Charles V., seated upon his throne, surrounded by the
electors and the princes, gave audience to the Protestant
Reformers. The confession of their faith was read. In that
august assembly the truths of the gospel were clearly set
forth, and the errors of the papal church were pointed out.
Well has that day been pronounced "the greatest day of the
Reformation, and one of the most glorious in the history of
Christianity and of mankind."'
But a few years had passed since the monk of "Witten-
berg stood alone at Worms before the national council. Now
in his stead were the noblest and most powerful princes
of the empire. Luther had been forbidden to appear at
Augsburg, but he had been present by his words and prayers.
"I am overjoyed," he wrote, "that I have lived until this
hour, in which Christ has been publicly exalted by such
illustrious confessors, and in so glorious an assembly."*
Thus was fulfilled what the Scripture says, "I will speak
of Thy testimonies before kings. " *
»D'Aubigiie, b. 14, ch. 6, 'Idem, b. 14, cb. 7. "Ps. 119:46,
208 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
In the days of Paul, the gospel for which he was impris-
oned was thus brought before the princes and nobles of the
imperial city. So on this occasion, that which the em-
peror had forbidden to be preached from the pulpit, was pro-
claimed in the palace; what many had regarded as unfit
even for servants to listen to, was heard with wonder by the
masters and lords of the empire. Kings and great men
were the auditory, crowned princes were the preachers, and
the sermon was the royal truth of God. ''Since the apos-
tolic age," says a writer, "there has never been a greater
work or a more magnificent confession."*
"All that the Lutherans have said is true; we can-
not deny it," declared a papist bishop. "Can you refute
by sound reasons the Cohfession made by the elector and
his allies?" asked another, of Doctor Eck. "With the writ-
ings of the apostles and prophets — no!" was the reply;
"but with those of the Fathers and of the councils' — yes!"
"I understand," responded the questioner. "The Lutherans,
according to you, are in Scripture, and we are outside."*
Some of the iirinces of Germany were won to the re-
formed faith. The emperor himself declared that the Prot-
estant articles were but the truth. The Confession was
translated into many languages, and circulated through all
Europe, and it has been accepted by millions in succeeding
generations as the expression of their faith.
God's faithful servants were not toiling alone. While
"principalities and powers and wicked spirits in high places"
were leagued against them, the Lord did not forsake His
people. Could their eyes have been opened, they would
have seen as marked evidence of divine presence and aid
as was granted to a prophet of old. When Elisha's servant
pointed his master to the hostile army surrounding them,
and cutting off all opportunity for escape, the prophet prayed,
"Lord, I pray Thee, open his eyes, that he may see."' And,
lo, the mountain was filled with chariots and horses of fire, the
army of heaven stationed to protect the man of God. Thus did
angels guard the workers in the cause of the Reformation.
ip'Aubigne, b. 14, clj, 7. » Idem, b. 14, eb. 8. *Z Kinga 6:17,
PROTEST OF THE PRINCES 209
One of the principles most firmly maintained by Luther
was that there should be no resort to secular power in sup-
port of the Reformation, and no appeal to arms for its de-
fense. He rejoiced that the gospel was confessed by princes
of the empire ; but when they proposed to unite in a defensive
league, he declared that ''the doctrine of the gospel should
be defended by God alone. . . . The less man meddled in
the work, the more striking would be God's intervention in
its behalf. All the politic precautions suggested were, in his
view, attributable to unworthy fear and sinful mistrust.'"
When powerful foes were uniting to overthrow the re-
formed faith, and thousands of swords seemed about to be
unsheathed against it, Luther wrote: "Satan is putting
forth his fury; ungodly pontiffs are conspiring; and we are
threatened with war. Exhort the people to contend val-
iantly before the throne of the Lord, by faith and prayer,
so that our enemies, vanquished by the Spirit of God, may
be constrained to peace. Our chief want, our chief labor, is
prayer; let the people know that they are now exposed to the
edge of the sword and to the rage of Satan, and let them
pray."'
Again, at a later date, referring to the league contemplated
by the reformed princes, Luther declared that the only weapon
employed in this warfare should be "the sword of the Spirit."
He wrote to the elector of Saxony: "We cannot on our con-
science approve of the proposed alliance. We would rather
die ten times than see our gospel cause one drop of blood
to be shed. Our part is to be like lambs of the slaughter.
The cross of Christ must be borne. Let your highness be
witliout fear. We shall do more by our prayers than all
our enemies by their boastings. Only let not your hands
be stained with the blood of your brethren. If the em-
peror requires us to be given up to his tribunals, we are
ready to appear. You cannot defend our faith: each one
should believe at his own risk and peril."*
»D'Aubign6, b. 10, ch. 14 (London erl.).
' P 'Aubigng, b. iO, ch. 14. » Idem, b. 14, ch. 1.
210 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
From the secret place of prayer came the power that
shook the world in the Great Reformation. There with holy
calmness, the servants of the Lord set their feet upon the
rock of His promises. During the struggle at Augsburg,
Luther "did not pass a day \\dthout devoting three hours at
least to prayer, and they were hours selected from those the
most favorable to study." In the privacy of his chamber
he was heard to pour out his soul before God in words "full
of adoration, fear, and hope, as when one speaks to a friend."
"I know that Thou art our Father and our God," he said,
"and that Thou wilt scatter the persecutors of Thy children;
for Thou art Thyself endangered with us. All this matter
is Thine, and it is only by Thy constraint that we have put
our hands to it. Defend us, then, Father!"'
To Melanchthon, who was crushed under the burden of
anxiety and fear, he wrote: "Grace and peace in Christ —
in Christ, I say, and not in the world. Amen. I hate with
exceeding hatred those extreme cares which consume you.
If the cause is unjust, abandon it; if the cause is just, why
should we belie the promises of Him who comm.ands us to
sleep without fear? . . . Christ will not be wanting to the
work of justice and of truth. He lives. He reigns; what
fear, then, can we have ? " '
God did listen to the cries of His servants. He gave to
princes and ministers grace and courage to maintain the
truth against the rulers of the darkness of this world. Saith
the Lord, "Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner-stone, elect,
precious: and he that believeth on Him shall not be con-
founded."' The Protestant Reformers had built on Christ,
and the gates of hell could not prevail against them.
'D'Aubigne, b. 14, ch. 6. U Peter 2:6.
THE FRENCH REFORMATION -12
The Protest of Spires and the Confession at Augsburg,
which marked the triumph of the Reformation in Germany,
were followed by years of conflict and darkness. Weakened
by divisions among its supporters, and assailed by powerful
foes, Protestantism seemed destined to be utterly destroyed.
Thousands sealed their testimony with their blood. Civil
war broke out ; the Protestant cause was betrayed by one of
its leading adherents; the noblest of the reformed princes
fell into the hands of the emperor, and were dragged as
captives from town to town. But in the moment of his
apparent triumph, the emperor was smitten with defeat.
He saw the prey wrested from his grasp, and he was forced
at last to grant toleration to the doctrines which it had
been the ambition of his life to destroy. He had staked
his kingdom, his treasures, and life itself, upon the crush-
ing out of the heresy. Now he saw his armies wasted by
battle, his treasuries drained, his many kingdoms threatened
by revolt, while everywhere the faith which he had vainly
endeavored to suppress, was exten/iing. Charles V. had
been battling against omnipotent power. God had said,
"Let there be light," but the emperor had sought to keep
the darkness unbroken. His purposes had failed; and in
premature old age, worn out with the long struggle, he
abdicated the throne, and buried himself in a cloister.
In Switzerland, as in Germany, there came dark days for
the Reformation. "While many cantons accepted the re-
(211)
212 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
formed faith, others clung with blind persistence to the
creed of Rome. Their persecution of those who desired to
receive the truth, iinally gave rise to civil war. Zwingle
and many who had united mth him in reform, fell on the
bloody field of Cappel. CEcolampadius, overcome by these
terrible disasters, soon after died. Rome was triumphant^
and in many places seemed about to recover all that she had
lost. But He whose counsels are from everlasting had not
forsaken His cause or His people. His hand would bring
deliverance for them. In other lands He had raised up
laborers to carry forward the reform.
In France, before the name of Luther had been heard as
a Reformer, the day had already begun to break. One of
the first to catch the light was the aged Lefevre, a man of
extensive learning, a professor in the University of Paris,
and a sincere and zealous papist. In his researches into
ancient literature his attention was directed to the Bible,
and he introduced its study among his students.
Lefevre was an enthusiastic adorer of the saints, and he
had undertaken to prepare a history of the saints and
martyrs, as given in the legends of the church. This was a
work which involved great labor; but he had already made
considerable progress in it, when, thinking that he might
obtain useful assistance from the Bible, he began its study
with this object. Here indeed he found saints brought to
view, but not such as figured in the Roman calendar. A
flood of divine light broke in upon his mind. In amaze-
ment and disgust he turned away from his self-appointed
task, and devoted himself to the word of God. The precious
truths which he there discovered, he soon began to teach.
In 1512,- before either Luther or Zwingle had begun the
work of reform, Lefevre wrote: ''It is God who gives us,
by faith, that righteousness which by grace alone justifies
to eternal life."* Dwelling upon the mysteries of redemp-
tion, he exclaimed, ''Oh, the unspeakable greatness of that
exchange, — the Sinless One is condemned, and he who is
»Wylie, b. 13, ch. 1.
THE FRENCH REFORMATION 213
guilty goes free; the Blessing bears the curse, and the cursed
is brought into blessing; the Life dies, and the dead live;
the Glory is whelmed in darkness, and he who knew noth-
ing but confusion of face is clothed with glory. ' ' '
And while teaching that the glory of salvation belongs
solely to God, he also declared that the duty of obedience
belongs to man. "If thou art a member of Christ's
church," he said, "thou art a member of His body; if
thou art of Plis body, then thou art full of the divine na-
ture. . . . Oh, if men could but enter into the understand-
ing of this privilege, how purely, chastely, and holily would
they live, and how contemptible, when compared with the
glory within them, — that glory which the eye of flesh can-
not see, — would they deem all the glory of this world. ' ' *
There were some among Lefevre's students who listened
eagerly to his words, and who, long after the teacher's
voice should be silenced, w^ere to continue to declare the
truth. Such was William Farel. The son of pious par-
ents, and educated to accept with implicit faith the teach-
ings of the church, he might, with the apostle Paul, have
declared concerning himself, "After the most straitest sect
of our religion I lived a Pharisee. " ^ A devoted Romanist,
he burned with zeal to destroy all who should dare to
oppose the church. "I would gnash my teeth like a furi-
ous wolf," he afterward said, referring to this period of
his life, "when I heard any one speaking against the pope."*
He had been untiring in his adoration of the saints, in
company with Lefevre making the round of the churches
of Paris, worshiping at the altars, and adorning with gifts
the holy shrines. But these observances could not bring
peaice of soul. Conviction of sin fastened upon him, which
all the acts of penance that he practised, failed to banish.
As to a voice from heaven, he listened to the Reformer's
words: "Salvation is of grace." "The Innocent One is con-
demned, and the criminal is acquitted." "It is the cross
•D'Aubigne, b. 12, eh. 2 (London ed.). 'Acts 26:5.
»WyUe, b. 13, ch. 2.
214 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
of Christ alone that openeth the gates of heaven, and
shutteth the gates of hell. ' ' '
Farel joyfully accepted the truth. By a conversion like
that of Paul, he turned from the bondage of tradition to the
liberty of the sons of God. "Instead of the murderous
heart of a ravening wolf, he came back," he says, "quietly,
like a meek and harmless lamb, having his heart entirely
withdrawTi from the pope, and given to Jesus Christ. ' ' '
While Lefevre continued to spread the light among his
students, Farel, as zealous in the cause of Christ as he had
been in that of the pope, went forth to declare the truth in
public. A dignitary of the church, the bishop of Meaux,
soon after united with them. Other teachers who ranked
high for their ability and learning, joined in proclaiming
the gospel, and it won adherents among all classes, from \\\e
homes of artisans and peasants to the palace of the king.
The sister of Francis I., then the reigning monarch, ac-
cepted the reformed faith. The king himself, and the queen
mother, appeared for a time to regard it with favor, and
with high hopes the Reformers looked forward to the time
when France should be won to the gospel.
But their hopes were not to be realized. Trial and per-
secution awaited the disciples of Christ. This, however, was
mercifully veiled from their eyes. A time of peace inter-
vened, that they might gain strength to meet the tempest ;
and the Reformation made rapid progress. The bishop of
Meaux labored zealously in his own diocese to instruct both
the clergy and the people. Ignorant and immoral priests
were removed, and, so far as possible, replaced by men of
learning and piety. The bishop greatly desired that his
people might have access to the word of God for themselves,
and this was soon accomplished. Lefevre undertook the
translation of the New Testament; and at the very time
when Luther's German Bible was issuing from the press in
Wittenberg, the French New Testament was published at
Meaux. The bishop spared no labor or expense to circulate
^Wylie, b. 13, ch. 2. =* D 'Aubigne, b. 12, ch. 3.
THE FRENCH REFORMATION 216
it in his parishes, and soon the peasants of Meaux were
in possession of the Holy Scriptures.
As travelers perishing from thirst welcome with joy a
living water-spring, so did these souls receive the message of
heaven. The laborers in the field, the artisans in the work-
shop, cheered their daily toil by talking of the precious
truths of the Bible. At evening, instead of resorting to the
wine shops, they assembled in one another's homes to read
God's word and join in prayer and praise. A great change
was soon manifest in these communities. Though belong-
ing to the humblest class, an unlearned and hard-working
peasantry, the reforming, uplifting power of divine grace
was seen in their lives. Humble, loving, and holy, they
stood as witnesses to what the gospel will accomplish for
those who receive it in sincerity.
The light kindled at Meaux shed its beams afar. Every
day the number of converts was increasing. The rage of
the hierarchy was for a time held in check by the king, who
despised the narrow bigotry of the monks; but the papal
leaders finally prevailed. Now the stake was set up. The
bishop of Meaux, forced to choose between the fire and re-
cantation, accepted the easier path ; but notwithstanding the
leader's fall, his flock remained steadfast. Many witnessed
for the truth amid the flames. By their courage and fidelity
at the stake, these humble Christians spoke to thousands
who in days of peace had never heard their testimony.
It was not alone the humble and the poor, that amid
suffering and scorn dared to bear witness for Christ. In the
lordly halls of the castle and the palace, there were kingly
souls by whom truth was valued above wealth or rank or
even life. Kingly armor concealed a loftier and more stead-
fast spirit than did the bishop's robe and mitre. Louis de
Berquin was of. noble birth. A brave and courtly knight,
he was devoted to study, polished in manners, and of blame-
less morals. "He was," says a writer, "a great follower of
the papistical constitutions, and a great hearer of masses and
sermons; . . . and he crowned all his other virtues by hold-
216 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
ing Lutheranism in special abhorrence," But, like so many
others, providentially guided to the Bible, he was amazed
to find there, ''not the doctrines of Rome, but the doctrines
of Luther."* Henceforth he gave himself with entire devo-
tion to the cause of the gospel.
"The most learned of the nobles of France," his genius
and eloquence, his indomitable courage and heroic zeal,
and his influence at court, — for he was a favorite with the
king, — caused him to be regarded by many as one destined
to be the Reformer of his country. Said Beza, "Berquin
would have been a second Luther, had he found in Francis
I. a second elector." "He is worse than Luther,"' cried
the papists. More dreaded he was indeed by the Roman-
ists of France. They thrust him into prison as a heretic,
but he was set at liberty by the king. For years the strug-
gle continued. Francis, wavering between Rome and the
Reformation, alternately tolerated and restrained the fierce
zeal of the monks. Berquin was three times imprisoned
by the papal authorities, only to be released by the monarch,
who, in admiration of his genius and his nobility of char-
acter, refused to sacrifice him to the malice of the hierarchy.
Berquin was repeatedly warned of the danger that
threatened him in France, and urged to follow the steps
of those who had found safety in voluntary exile. The
timid and time-serving Erasmus, who with all the splendor
of his scholarship failed of that moral greatness which 'holds
life and honor subservient to truth, wrote to Berquin :
"Ask to be sent as ambassador to some foreign country;
go and travel in Germany. You know Beda and such as
he — ■ he is a thousand-headed monster, darting venom on
every side. Your enemies are named legion. Were your
cause better than that of Jesus Christ, they will not let
you go till they have miserably destroyed you. Do not
trust too much to the king's protection. At all events,
do not compromise me with the faculty of theology."*
But as dangers thickened, Berquin 's zeal only waxed the
stronger. So far from adopting the politic and self-serving
*Wjlie, b. 13, cb. 9.
THE FRENCH REFORMATION 217
counsel of Erasmus, lie determined upon still bolder meas-
ures. He would not only stand in defense of the truth, but
he would attack error. The charge of heresy which the
Romanists were seeking to fasten upon him, he would rivet
upon them. The most active and bitter of his opponents
were the learned doctors and monks of the theological
department in the great University of Paris, one of the high-
est ecclesiastical authorities both in the city and the nation.
From the writings of these doctors, Berquin drew twelve
propositions which he publicly declared to be "opposed to
the Bible, and heretical;" and he appealed to the king to
act as judge in the controversy.
The monarch, not loath to bring into contrast the power
and acuteness of the opposing champions, and glad of an
opportunity of humbling the pride of these haughty monks,
bade the Romanists defend their cause by the Bible. This
weapon, they well knew, would avail them little; imprison-
ment, torture, and the stake were arms which they better
understood how to wield. Now the tables were turned, and
they saw themselves about to fall into the pit into which
they had hoped to plunge Berquin. In amazement they
looked about them for some way of escape.
**Just at that time an image of the Virgin at the
comer of one of the streets, was mutilated." There was
great excitement in the city. Crowds of people flocked to
the place, with expressions of mourning and indignation.
The king also was deeply moved. Here was an advantage
which the monks could turn to good account, and they were
quick to improve it. ''These are the fruits of the doctrines
of Beniuin," they cried. *'A11 is about to be overthrown
— religion, the laws, the throne itself — by this Lutlieran
conspiracy." ' i':. '. '
Again Berquin was apprehended. The king withdrew
from Paris, and the monks were thus left free to work their
will. The Reformer was tried, and condemned to die, and
lest Francis should even yet interpose to save him, the
sentence was executed on the very day it was pronounced.
•WyHe, b. 13, ch. 9.
218 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
At noon Berquin was conducted to the place of death. An
immense throng gathered to witness the event, and there
were many who saw with astonishment and misgiving that
the victim had been chosen from the best and bravest of
the noble families of France. Amazement, indignation,
scorn, and bitter hatred darkened the faces of that surg-
ing crowd; but upon one face no shadow rested. The
martyr's thoughts were far from that scene of tumult; he
was conscious only of the presence of his Lord,
The wretched tumbrel upon which he rode, the frowning
faces of his persecutors, the dreadful death to which he was
going, — these he heeded not; He who liveth and was dead,
and is alive forevermore, and hath the keys of death and
of hell, was beside him. Berquin 's countenance was radi-
ant with the light and peace of heaven. He had attired
himself in goodly raiment, wearing "a cloak of velvet, a
doublet of satin and damask, and golden hose,'" He was
about to testify to liis faith in presence of the King of kings
and the witnessing universe, and no token of mourning
should belie his joy.
As the procession moved slowly through the crowded
streets, the people marked with wonder the unclouded peace,
the joyous triumph, of his look and bearing. "He is," they
said, "like one who sits in a temple, and meditates on holy
things. "=*
At the stake, Berquin endeavored to address a few words
to the people; but the monks, fearing the result, began to
shout, and the soldiers to clash their arms, and their clamor
drowned the martyr's voice. Thus in 1529, the highest
literary and ecclesiastical authority of cultured Paris "set
the populace of 1793 the base example of stifling on the
scaffold the sacred words of the dying. ' ' '
Berquin was strangled, and his body was consumed in
the flames. The tidings of his death caused sorrow to the
friends of the Reformation throughout France. But his
'D'Aubigne, "History of the Reformation in the Time of Calvin,"
b. 2, ch. 16. - Wylie, b. 13, ch. 9.
THE FRENCH REFORMATION 219
example was not lost. "We too are ready," said the wit-
nesses for the truth, "to meet death cheerfully, setting our
eyes on the life that is to come. " *
During tlie persecution at Meaux, the teachers of the
reformed faith were deprived of their license to preach, and
they departed to other fields. Lefevre after a time made
his way to Germany. Farel returned to his native town
in eastern France, to spread the light in the home of his
childhood. Already tidings had been received of what was
going on at Meaux, and the truth, which he taught with
fearless zeal, found listeners. Soon the authorities were
roused to silence him, and he was banished from the city.
Though he could no longer labor publicly, he traversed the
plains and villages, teaching in private dwellings and in
secluded meadows, and finding shelter in the forests and
among the rocky caverns which had been his haunts in boy-
hood. God was preparing him for greater trials. "The
crosses, persecutions, and machinations of Satan, of which
I was forewarned, have not been wanting," he said; "they
are even much severer than I could have borne of myself;
but God is my Father; He has provided and always will
provide me the strength which I require. ' ' ^
As in apostolic days, persecution had "fallen out rather
unto the furtherance of the gospel. ' ' ^ Driven from Paris
and Meaux, "they that were scattered abroad went every-
where preaching the word. ' ' * And thus the light found its
way into many of the remote provinces of France.
God was still preparing workers to extend His cause. In
one of the schools of Paris was a thoughtful, quiet youth,
already giving evidence of a powerful and penetrating mind,
and no less marked for the blamelessness of his life than for
intellectual ardor and religious devotion. His genius and
application soon made him the pride of the college, and it
was confidently anticipated that John Calvin would become
'D'Aubigne, "History of the Reformation in the Time of Calvin,"
b. 2, ch. 16.
'D'Aubigne, b. 12, ch. 9. =• Phil. 1:12. •Acts 8:4.
220 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
one of the ablest and most honored defenders of the church;
But a ray of divine light penetrated even within the walls
of scholasticism and superstition by which Calvin was in-
closed. He heard of the new doctrines with a shudder,
nothing doubting that the heretics deserved the fire to
which they were given. Yet all unwittingly he Was brought
face to face with the heresy, and forced to test the power
of Romish theology to combat the Protestant teaching.
A cousin of Calvin's, who had joined the Reformers, was
in Paris. The two kinsmen often met, and discussed to-
gether the matters that were distur})ing Christendom.
'"There are but two religions in the world," said Olivetan,
the Protestant. "The one class of religions are those which
men have invented, in all of which man saves himself by
ceremonies and good works; the other is that one religion
which is revealed in the Bible, and which teaches man to
look for salvation solely from the free grace of God."
"I will have none of your new doctrines," exclaimed
Calvin; "think you that I have lived in error all my
days?"'
But thoughts had been awakened in his mind which he
could not banish at will. Alone in his chamber he pon-
dered upon his cousin's words. Conviction of sin fastened
upon him; he saw himself, without an intercessor, in the
presence of a holy and just Judge. The mediation of saints,
good works, the ceremonies of the church, all were power-
less to atone for sin. He could see before him nothing but
the blackness of eternal despair. In vain the doctors of the
church endeavored to relieve his woe. Confession, penance,
were resorted to in vain; they could not reconcile the soul
with God.
While still engaged in these fruitless struggles, Calvin,
chancing one day to visit one of the public squares, wit-
nessed there the burning of a heretic. He was filled with
wonder at the expression of peace which rested upon the
martyr's countenance. Amid the tortures of that dreadful
death, and under the more terrible condemnation of the
»Wylie, b. 13, ch. 7.
THE FRENCH REFORMATION 221
church, he manifested a faith and courage which the young
student painfully contrasted with his own despair and
darkness, while living in strictest obedience to the church.
Upon the Bible, he knew, the heretics rested their faith. He
determined to study it, and discover, if he could, the secret
of their joy.
In the Bible he found Christ. "0 Father," he cried,
"His sacrifice has appeased Thy wrath; His blood has
washed away my impurities; His cross has borne my curse;
His death has atoned for me. We had devised for ourselves
many useless follies, but Thou hast placed Thy word be-
fore me like a torch, and Thou hast touched my heart, in
order that I may hold in abomination all other merits save
those of Jesus. ' ' *
Calvin had been educated for the priesthood. When
only twelve years of age he had been appointed to the
chaplaincy of a small church, and his head had been shorn
by the bishop in accordance with the canon of the church.
He did not receive consecration, nor did he fulfil the duties
of a priest, but he became a member of the clergy, holding
the title of his office, and receiving an allowance in con-
sideration thereof.
Now, feeling that he could never become a priest, he
turned for a time to the study of law, but finally abandoned
this purpose, and determined to devote his life to the gospel.
But he hesitated to become a public teacher. He was nat-
urally timid, and was burdened with a sense of the weighty
responsibility of the position, and he desired still to devote
himself to study. The earnest entreaties of his friends, how-
ever, at last won his consent. "Wonderful it is," he said,
"that one of so lowly an origin should be exalted to so
great a dimity."'
Quietly did Calvin enter upon his work, and his words
were as the dew falling to refresh the earth. He had left
Paris, and was now in a provincial town under the protec-
tion of the princess Margaret, who, loving the gospel, ex-
tended her protection to its disciples. Calvin was still a
» Martyn, Vol. Ill, ch. 13. "" Wylie, b. 13, ch. 9.
222 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
youth, of gentle, unpretentious bearing. His work began
with the people at their homes. Surrounded by the mem-
bers of the household, he read the Bible, and opened the
truths of salvation. • Those who heard the message, carried
the good news to others, and soon the teacher passed beyond
the city to the outlying towns and hamlets. To both the
castle and the cabin he found entrance, and he went for-
ward, laying the foundation of churches that were to yield
fearless witnesses for the truth.
A few months, and he was again in Paris. There was
unwonted agitation in the circle of learned men and schol-
ars. The study of the ancient languages had led men to
the Bible, and many whose hearts were untouched by its
truths were eagerly discussing them, and even giving battle
to the champions of Komanism. Calvin, though an able
combatant in the fields of theological controversy, had a
higher mission to accomplish than that of these noisy school-
men. The minds of men were stirred, and now was the
time to open to them the truth. While the halls of the
universities were filled with the clamor of theological dis-
putation, Calvin was making liis way from house to house,
opening the Bible to the people, and speaking to them of
Christ and Ilim crucified.
In God's providence, Paris was to receive another invita-
tion to accept the gospel. The call of Lefevre and Farel
had been rejected, but again the message was to be heard
by all classes in that great capital. The king, influenced
by political considerations, had not yet fully sided with
Rome against the Reformation. Margaret still clung to
the hope that Protestantism was to triumph in France. She
resolved that the reformed faith should be preached ijn
Paris. During the absence of the king, she ordered a
Protestant minister to preach in the churches of the city.
This being forbidden by the papal dignitaries, the princess
threw open the palace. An apartment was fitted up as a
chapel, and it was announced that every day, at a specified
hour, a sermon would be preached, and the people of every
THE FRENCH REFORMATION 223
rank and station were invited to attend. Crowds flocked to
the service. Not only the chapel, but the ante-chambers and
halls were thronged. Thousands every day assembled, —
nobles, statesmen, lawyers, merchants, and artisans. The
king, instead of forbidding the assemblies, ordered that two
of the churches of Paris should be opened. Never before
had the city been so moved ])y the word of God. The spirit
of life from heaven seemed to be breathed upon the people.
Temperance, purity, order, and industry were taking the
place of drunkenness, licentiousness, strife, and idleness.
But the hierarchy were not idle. The king still refused
to interfere to stop the preaching, and they turned to the
populace. No means were spared to excite the fears, the
prejudices, and the fanaticism of the ignorant and supersti-
tious multitudes. Yielding blindly to her false teachers,
Paris, like Jerusalem of old, knew not the time of her visi-
tation, nor the things which belonged unto her peace. For
two years the word of God was preached in the capital ;
but while there were many who accepted the gospel, the
majority of the people rejected it. Francis had made a
show of toleration, merely to serve his own purposes, and
the papists succeeded in regaining the ascendency. Again
the churches were closed, and the stake was set up.
Calvin was still in Paris, preparing himself by study,
meditation, and prayer, for his future labors, and continu-
ing to spread the light. At last, however, suspicion fast-
ened upon him. The authorities determined to bring him to
the flames. Regarding himself as secure in his seclusion,
he had no thought of danger, when friends came hurrying
to his room with the news that officers were on their way to
arrest him. At the instant a loud knocking was heard
at the outer entrance. There was not a moment to be
lost. Some of his friends detained the officers at the door,
while others assisted the Reformer to let himself down from
a window, and he rapidly made his way to the outskirts of
the city. Finding shelter in the cottage of a laborer who
was a friend to the reform, he disguised himself in the
224 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
garments of his host, and shouldering a hoe, started on
his journey. Traveling southward, he again found refuge
in the dominions of Margaret/
Here for a few months he remained, safe under the pro-
tection of powerful friends, and engaged as before in study.
But his heart was set upon the evangelization of France,
and he could not long remain inactive. As soon as the
storm had somewhat abated, he sought a new field of
labor in Poitiers, where was a university, and where already
the new opinions had found favor. Persons of all classes
gladly listened to the gospel. There was no public preach-
ing, but in the home of the chief magistrate, in his own
lodgings, and sometimes in a public garden, Calvin opened
the words of eternal life to those who desired to listen.
After a time, as the number of hearers increased, it was
thought safer to assemble outside the city. A dave in the
side of a deep and narrow gorge, where trees and over-
hanging rocks made the seclusion still more complete, was
chosen as the place of meeting. Little companies, leaving
the city by different routes, found their way hither. In
this retired spot the Bible was read and explained. Here
the Lord's supper was eele])rated for the first time by the
Protestants of France. From this little church several
faithful evangelists were sent out.
Once more Calvin returned to Paris. He could not even
yet relinquish the hope that France as a nation would
accept the Reformation. But he found almost every door
of labor closed. To teach the gospel was to take the direct
road to the stake, and he at last determined to depart to
Germany. Scarcely had he left France when a storm burst
over the. Protestants, that, had he remained, must surely
have involved him in the general ruin.
The French Reformers, eager to see their country keep-
ing pace with Germany and S^^^tzerland, determined to
strike a bold blow against the superstitions of Rome, that
should arouse the whole nation. Accordingly placards at-
tacking the mass were in one night posted all over France.
' See D 'Aubigne, ' ' History of the Eef ormation in the Time
of Calvin," b. 2, ch. 30.
THE FRENCH REFORMATION 225
Instead of advancing the reform, this zealous but ill-judged
movement brought ruin, not only upon its propagators, but
upon the friends of the reformed faith throughout France.
It gave the Romanists what they had long desired, — a
pretext for demanding the utter destruction of the heretics
as agitators dangerous to the stability of the throne and
the peace of the nation.
By some secret hand — whether of indiscreet friend or
wily foe was never known — one of the placards was at-
tached to the door of the king's private chamber. The
monarch was filled with horror. In this paper, superstitions
that had received the veneration of ages were attacked with
an unsparing hand. And the unexampled boldness of ob-
truding these plain and startling utterances into the royal
presence, aroused the wrath of the king. In his amaze-
ment he stood for a little time trembling and speechless.
Then his rage found utterance in the terrible words: "Let
all be seized without distinction who are susjoected of Luther-
esy. I will exterminate them all."^ The die was cast. The
king had determined to throw himself fully on the side
of Rome.
Measures were at once taken for the arrest of every
Lutheran in Paris. A poor artisan, an adherent of the
reformed faith, who had been accustomed to summon the
believers to their secret assemblies, was seized, and with
the threat of instant death at the stake, was commanded to
conduct the papal emissary to the home of every Protestant
in the city. He shrunk in horror from the base proposal,
but at last fear of the flames prevailed, and he consented
to become the betrayer of his brethren. Preceded by the
host, and surrounded by a train of priests, incense-bearers,
monks, and soldiers, Morin, the royal detective, with the
traitor, slowly and silently passed through the streets of
the city. The demonstration was ostensibly in honor of
the "holy sacrament," an act of expiation for the insult
put upon the mass by the protesters. But beneath this
pageant a deadly purpose was concealed. On arriving op-
" D 'Aubigne, ' ' History of the Eeformatiou iu the Time of Calvin, ' '
b. 4, cb. lU.
8— G-G
226 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
posite the house of a Lutheran, the betrayer made a sign,
but no word was uttered. The procession halted, the house
was entered, the family were dragged forth and chained,
and the terrible company went forward in search of fresh
victims. They "spared no house, great or small, not even
the colleges of the University of Paris. . . . iMorin made all
the city quake. ... It was a reign of terror. ' ' ^
The victims were put to death with cruel torture, it being
specially ordered that the fire should be lowered, in order
to prolong their agony. But they died as conquerors. Their
constancy was unshaken, their peace unclouded. Their per-
secutors, powerless to move their inflexible firmness, felt
themselves defeated. "The scaffolds were distributed over
all the quarters of Paris, and the burnings followed on suc-
cessive days, the design being to spread the terror of heresy
by spreading the executions. The advantage, however, in
the end, remained with the gospel. All Paris was enabled
to see what kind of men the new opinions could produce.
There was no i)ulpit like the martyr's \n\e. Tlie serene joy
that lighted up the faces of these men as they passed along
... to the place of execution, their heroism as they stood
amid the bitter flames, their meek forgiveness of injuries,
transformed, in instances not a few, anger into pity, and
hate into love, and pleaded with resistless eloquence in
behalf of the gospel. ' ' ^
The priests, bent upon keeping the popular fury at its
height, circulated the most terrible accusations against the
Protestants. They were charged with plotting to massacre
the Catholics, to overthrow the government, and to murder
the king. Not a shadow of evidence could be produced in
support of the allegations. Yet these prophecies of evil were
to have a fulfilment; under far different circumstances,
however, and from causes of an opposite character. The
cruelties that were inflicted upon the innocent Protestants
by the Catholics, accumulated in a weight of retribution,
and in after-centuries wrought the very doom they had pre-
dicted to be impending, upon the king, his government, and
* D 'Aubigne, ' * History of the Reformation in the Time of Calvin, ' '
b. 4, ch. 10. ^ Wylie, b. 13, ch. 20.
THE FRENCH REFORMATION 227
his subjects; but it was brought about by infidels, and by
the papists themselves. It was not the establishment, but
the suppression, of Protestantism, that, three hundred years
later, was to bring upon France these dire calamities.
Suspicion, distrust, and terror now pervaded all classes
of society. Amid the general alarm it was seen how deep a
hold the Lutheran teaching had gained upon the minds of
men who stood highest for education, influence, and excel-
lence of character. Positions of trust and honor were sud-
denly found vacant. Artisans, printers, scholars, professors
in the universities, authors, and even courtiers, disappeared.
Hundreds fled from Paris, self-constituted exiles from their
native land, in many cases thus giving the first intimation
that they favored the reformed faith. The papists looked
about them in amazement at thought of the unsuspected
heretics that had been tolerated among them. Their rage
spent itself upon the multitudes of humbler victims who
were within their power. The prisons were crowded, and
the very air seemed darkened with the smoke of burning
piles, kindled for the confessors of the gospel.
Francis I. had gloried in being a leader in the great
movement for the revival of learning which marked the
opening of the sixteenth century. Pie had delighted to
gather at his court men of letters from every country. To
his love of learning and his contempt for the ignorance and
superstition of the monks was due, in part at least, the
degree of toleration that had been granted to the reform.
But, inspired with zeal to stamp out heresy, this patron of
learning issued an edict declaring printing abolished all
over France! Francis I. presents one among the many ex-
amples on record showing that intellectual culture is not a
safeguard against religious intolerance and persecution.
France by a solemn and public ceremony was to commit
herself fully to the destruction of Protestantism. The
priests demanded that the affront offered to high Heaven in
the condemnation of the mass, be expiated in blood, and
that the king, in behalf of his people, publicly give his
sanction to the dreadful work.
228 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
The 21st of January, 1535, was fixed upon for the awful
ceremonial. The superstitious fears and bigoted hatred of
the whole nation had been roused, Paris was thronged
with the multitudes that from all the surrounding country-
crowded her streets. The day was to be ushered in by a
vast and imposing procession. "The houses along the line
of march were hung with mourning drapery, and altars
rose at intervals." Before every door was a lighted torch
in honor of the "holy sacrament." Before daybreak the
procession formed, at the palace of the king. "First came
the banners and crosses of the several parishes; next ap-
peared the citizens, walking two and two, and bearing
torches." The four orders of friars followed, each in its
ovv^n peculiar dress. Then came a vast collection of famous
relics. Following these rode lordly ecclesiastics in their
purple and scarlet robes and jeweled adornings, a gorgeous
and glittering array.
"The host was carried by the bishop of Paris under
a magnificent canopy, . . . supported by four princes of
the blood. . . . After the host walked the king. . . . Francis
I. on that day wore no crown, nor robe of state." With
"head uncovered, his eyes cast on the ground, and in his
hand a lighted taper," the king of France appeared "in
the character of a penitent."* At every altar he bowed
down in humiliation, not for the vices that defiled his soul,
nor the innocent blood that stained his hands, but for the
deadly sin of his subjects who had dared to condemn the
mass. Following him came the queen and the dignitaries of
state, also walking two and two, each with a lighted torch.
As a part of the services of the day, the monarch him-
self addressed the high officials of the kingdom in the great
hall of the bishop's palace. "With a sorrowful countenance
he appeared before them, and in words of moving eloquence
bewailed "the crime, the blasphemy, the day of sorrow and
disgrace," that had come upon the nation. And he called
upon every loyal subject to aid in the extirpation of the
pestilent heresy that threatened France with ruin. "As true,
»Wylie, b. 13, ch. 21.
THE FRENCH REFORMATION 229
Messieurs, as I am your king," he said, "if I knew one of
my own limbs spotted or infected with this detestable rotten-
ness, I would give it you to cut off. . . . And further, if I
saw one of my children defiled by it, I would not spare
him. ... I would deliver him up myself, and would sac-
rifice him to God." Tears choked his utterance, and the
whole assembly wept, with one accord exclaiming, "We will
live and die for the Catholic religion ! " '
Terrible had become the darkness of the nation that had
rejected the light of truth. "The grace that bringeth salva-
tion" had appeared; but France, after beholding its power
and holiness, after thousands had been drawn by its divine
beauty, after cities and hamlets had been illuminated by its
radiance, had turned away, choosing darkness rather than
light. They had put from them the heavenly gift, when it
was offered them. They had called evil good, and good
evil, till they had fallen victims to their wilful self-deception.
Now, though they might actually believe that they were do-
ing God service in persecuting His people, yet their sincerity
did not render them guiltless. The light that would have
saved them from deception, from staining their souls with
blood-guiltiness, they had wilfully rejected.
A solemn oath to extirpate heresy was taken in the great
cathedral where, nearly three centuries later, the "Goddess
of Reason" was to be enthroned by a nation that had for-
gotten the living God. Again the procession formed, and
the representatives of France set out to begin the work
which they had sworn to do. "At short distances scaf-
folds had been erected, on which certain Protestant Chris-
tians were to be burned alive, and it was arranged that
the fagots should be lighted at the moment the king ap-
proached, and that the procession should halt to witness
the execution."^ The details of the tortures endured by
these witnesses for Christ are too harrowing for recital; but
there was no wavering on the part of "the victims. On
being urged to recant, one answered: "I only believe in
what the prophets and the apostles formerly preached, and
*D'Aubigiie, "History of the Eeformation in the Time of Calvin,"
b. 4, ch. 1?,. ' Wylie, b. 13, ch. 21.
230 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
what all the company of saints believed. My faith has a
confidence in God which will resist all the powers of hell."'
Again and again the procession halted at the places of
torture. Upon reaching their starting-point at the royal
palace, the crowd dispersed, and the king and the prelates
withdrew, well satisfied with the daj'^'s proceedings, and
congratulating themselves that the work now begun would
be continued to the complete destruction of heresy.
The gospel of peace which France had rejected was to
be only too surely rooted out, and terrible would be the
results. On the 21st of January, 1793, two hundred and
fifty-eight years from the very day that fully committed
France to the persecution of the Reformers, another pro-
cession, with a far different purpose, passed through the
streets of Paris. "Again the king was the chief figure;
again there were tumult and shouting; again there was
heard the cry for more victims; again there were black
scaffolds; and again the scenes of the day were closed by
horrid executions; Louis XVL, struggling hand to hand
with his jailers and executioners, was dragged forward to
the block, and there held down by main force till the axe
had fallen, and his dissevered head rolled on the scaffold."*
Nor was the king the only victim; near the same spot two
thousand and eight hundred human beings perished by the
guillotine during the bloody days of the Reign of Terror.
'The Reformation had presented to the world an open
Bible, unsealing the precepts of the law of God, and urging
its claims upon the consciences of the people. Infinite
Love had unfolded to men the statutes and principles of
heaven. God had said, "Keep therefore and do them; for
this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight
of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and
say. Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding
people."' When France rejected the gift of heaven, she
sowed the seeds "^f anarchy and ruin ; and the inevitable
outworking of cause and effect resulted in the Revolution
and the Reign of Terror.
*D'Aubigne. "History of the Reformation in the Time of Calvin,"
b. 4, ch. 12. ^Wylie, b. 13, ch. 21. 'Deut. 4:6.
THE FRENCH REFORMATION 231
Long before the persecution excited by tlie i)lacards, the
bold and ardent Farel had been forced to flee from the
land of his birth. He repaired to Switzerland, and by his
labors, seconding the work of Zwingle, he helped to turn
the scale in favor of the Reformation. His later years were
to be spent here, yet he continued to exert a decided in-
fluence upon the reform in France. During the flrst years
of his exile, his efforts were especially directed to spreading
the gospel in his native country. He spent considerable
time in preaching among his countrymen near the frontier,
where with tireless vigilance he watched the conflict, and
aided by his words of encouragement and counsel. With
the assistance of other exiles, the writings of the German
Reformers were translated into the French language, and
together with the French Bible, were printed in large quan-
tities. By colporteurs, these works were sold extensively in
France. They were furnished to the colporteurs at a low
price, and thus the profits of the work enabled them to
continue it.
Farel entered upon his work in Switzerland in the
humble guise of a schoolmaster. Repairing to a secluded
parish, he devoted himself to the instruction of children.
Besides the usual branches of learning, he cautiously intro-
duced the truths of the Bible, hoping through the children
to reach their parents. There were some who believed, but
the priests came forward to stop the work, and the super-
stitious country people were roused to oppose it. "That
cannot be the gospel of Christ," urged the priests, "seeing
the preaching of it does not bring peace, but war. ' ' ' Ijike
the flrst disciples, when joersecuted in one city he fled to
another. From village to village, from city to city, he went,
traveling on foot, enduring hunger, cold, and weariness,
and everywhere in peril of his life. He preached in the
market-places, in the churches, sometimes in the pulpits of
the cathedrals. Sometimes he found the church empty of
hearers; at times his preaching was interrupted by shouts
and jeers; again he was pulled violently out of the pulpit.
More than once he was set upon by the rabble, and beaten
'WyUe, b. 14, ch. 3.
232 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
almost to death. Yet he pressed forward. Though often
repulsed, with unwearjang persistence he returned to the
attack; and one after another, he saw towns and cities
which had been strongholds of popery, opening their gates
to the gospel. The little parish where he had first labored,
soon accepted the reformed faith. The cities of Morat and
NeuehStel also renounced the Romish rites, and removed the
idolatrous images from their churches.
Farel had long desired to plant the Protestant standard
in Geneva. If this city could be won, it would be a center
for the Reformation in France, in Switzerland, and in Italy.
With this object before him, he had continued his labors
until many of the surrounding to^\Tas and hamlets had been
gained. Then with a single companion he entered Geneva.
But only two sermons was he permitted to preach. The
priests, having vainly endeavored to secure his condemna-
tion by the civil authorities, summoned him before an eccle-
siastical council, to which they came with arms concealed
under their robes, determined to take his life. Outside the
hall, a furious mob, with clubs and swords, was gathered to
make sure of his death if he should succeed in escaping
the council. The presence of magistrates and an armed
force, however, saved him. Early next morning he was
conducted, with his companion, across the lake to a place of
safety. Thus ended his first effort to evangelize Geneva.
For the next trial a lowlier instrument was chosen, — a
young man, so humble in appearance that he was coldly
treated even by the professed friends of reform. But what
could such a one do where Farel had been rejected? How
could one of little courage and experience withstand the
tempest before which the strongest and bravest had been
forced to flee? "Not by might, nor by power, but by My
Spirit, saith the Lord."* "God hath chosen the weak things
of the world to confound the things which are mighty."
"Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the
weakness of God is stronger than men."'
Froment began his work as a schoolmaster. The truths
»Zeeh. 4:6. *1 Cor. 1:27, 25.
THE FRENCH REFORMATION 233
which he taught the children at school, they repeated at
their homes. Soon the parents came to hear the Bible
explained, until the schoolroom was filled with attentive
listeners. New Testaments and tracts were freely distrib-
uted, and they reached many who dared not come openly
to listen to the new doctrines. After a time this laborer
also was forced to flee; but the truths he taught had taken
hold upon the minds of the people. The Reformation had
been planted, and it continued to strengthen and extend.
The preachers returned, and through their labors the Prot-
estant worship was finally established in Geneva.
The city had already declared for the Reformation, when
Calvin, after various wanderings and vicissitudes, entered
its gates. Returning from a last visit to his birthplace, he
was on his way to Basel, when, finding the direct road occu-
pied by the armies of Charles V., he was forced to take the
circuitous route by Geneva.
In this visit, Farel recognized the hand of God. Though
Geneva had accepted the reformed faith, yet a great work
remained to be accomplished here. It is not as communi-
ties but as individuals that men are converted to God;
the work of regeneration must be wrought in the heart
and conscience by the power of the Holy Spirit, not by
the decrees of councils. While the people of Geneva had
cast off the authority of Rome, they were not so ready to
renounce the vices that had flourished under her rule. To
establish here the pure principles of the gospel, and to pre-
pare this people to fill worthily the position to which Provi-
dence seemed calling them, was no light task.
Farel was confident that he had found in Calvin one
whom he could unite with himself in this work. In the
name of God he solemnly adjured the young evangelist to
remain and labor here. Calvin drew back in alarm. Timid
and peace-loving, he shrank from contact \nth the bold,
independent, and even violent spirit of the Genevese. The
feebleness of his health, together with his studious habits,
led him to seek retirement. Believing that by his pen he
could best serve the cause of reform, he desired to find a
234 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
quiet retreat for study, and there, through the press, instruct
and build up the churches. But Farel's solemn admoni-
tion came to him as a call from heaven, and he dared
not refuse. It seemed to him, he said, "that the hand of
God was stretched down from heaven, that it lay hold of
him, and fixed him irrevocably to the place he was so
impatient to leave. ' ' ^
At this time great perils surrounded the Protestant cause.
The anathemas of the pope thundered against Geneva, and
mighty nations threatened it with destruction. How was
this little city to resist the powerful hierarchy that had so
often forced kings and emperors to submission? How could
it stand against tlie armies of the world's great conquerors?
Throughout Christendom, Protestantism was menaced by
formidable foes. The first triumphs o£ the Reformation
past, Kome suinnioiu'd now forces, hoping to accomplish its
destruction. At this time, the order of the Jesuits M'as cre-
ated, the most cruel, unscrupulous, and powerful of all the
champions o£ popery. Cut off from earthly ties and human
interests, dead to the claims of natural affection, reason and
conscience wholly silenced, they knew no rule, no tie, but
that of their order, and no duty but to extend its power.'
The gospel of Christ had enabled its adherents to meet
danger and endure suffering, undismayed by cold, hunger,
toil, and poverty, to uphold the banner of truth in face of
the rack, the dungeon, and the stake. To combat these
forces, Jesuitism inspired its followers with a fanaticism
that enabled them to endure like dangers, and to oppose
to the power of truth all the weapons of deception. There
was no crime too great for them to commit, no deception
too base for them to practise, no disguise too difficult for
them to assume. Vowed to perpetual poverty and humility,
it was their studied aim to secure wealth and power, to be
devoted to the overthrow of Protestantism, and the re-
establishment of the papal supremacy.
^D'Aubigne, "History of the Eeformation in the Time of Cahdn,"
b. 9, ch. 17. *See Appendix.
THE FRENCH REFORMATION 235
When appearing as members of their order, they wor**
a garb of sanctity, visiting prisons and hospitals, minister-
ing to the sick and the poor, professing to have renounced
the world, and bearing the sacred name of Jesus, who went
about doing good. But under this blameless exterior the
most criminal and deadly purposes were often concealed. It
was a fundamental principle of the order that the end
justifies the means. By this code, lying, theft, perjury, as-
sassination, were not only pardonable but commendable,
when they served the interests of the church. Under vari-
ous disguises the Jesuits worked their way into offices of
state, climbing up to be the counselors of kings, and shap-
ing the policy of nations. They became servants, to act as
spies upon their masters. They established colleges for the
sons of princes and nobles, and schools for the common peo-
ple; and the children of Protestant parents were drawn into
an observance of popish rites. All the outward pomp and
display of the Romish worship was brought to bear to
confuse the mind, and dazzle and captivate the imagina-
tion; and thus the liberty for which the fathers had toiled
and bled was betrayed by the sons. The Jesuits rapidly
spread themselves over Europe, and wherever they went,
there followed a revival of popery.
To give them greater power, a bull was issued re-estab-
lishing the Inquisition.^ Notwithstanding the general abhor-
rence with which it was regarded, even in Catholic countries,
this terrible tribunal was again set up by popish rulers, and
atrocities too terrible to bear the light of day were repeated
in its secret dungeons. In many countries, thousands upon
thousands of the very flower of the nation, the purest and
noblest, the most intellectual and highly educated, pious and
devoted pastors, industrious and patriotic citizens, brilliant
scholars, talented artists, skilful artisans, were slain, or
forced to flee to other lands.
Such were the means which Rome had invoked to quench
the light of the Reformation, to withdraw from men the
Bible, and to restore the ignorance and superstition of the
*See Appendix.
236 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
Dark Ages. But under God's blessing and the labors of
those noble men whom He had raised up to succeed Luther,
Protestantism was not overthrown. Not to th^ favor or arms
of princes was it to owe its strength. The smallest countries,
the humblest and least powerful nations, became its strong-
holds. It was little Geneva in the midst of mighty foes
plotting her destruction; it was Holland on her sand-banks
by the northern sea, wrestling against the tyranny of Spain,
then the greatest and most opulent of kingdoms; it was
bleak, sterile Sweden, that gained victories for the Refor-
mation.
For nearly thirty years, Calvin labored at Geneva; first
to establish there a church adhering to the morality of the
Bible, and then for the advancement of the Reformation
throughout Europe. His course as a public leader was not
faultless, nor were his doctrines free from error. But he was
instrumental in promulgating truths that were of special
importance in his time, in maintaining the principles of
Protestantism against the fast-returning tide of popery, and
in promoting in the reformed churches simplicity and purity
of life, in place of the pride a»d corruption fostered under
the Romish teaching.
From Geneva, publications and teachers went out to
spread the reformed doctrines. To this point the persecuted
of all lands looked for instruction, counsel, and encourage
ment. The city of Calvin became a refuge for the hunted
Reformers of all "Western Europe. Fleeing from the awful
tempests that continued for centuries, the fugitives came
to the gates of Geneva. Starving, wounded, bereft of home
and kindred, they were warmly welcomed and tenderly cared
for; and finding a home here, they blessed the city of their
adoption by their skill, their learning, and their piety.
Many who sought here a refuge returned to their own
countries to resist the tyranny of Rome. John Knox, the
brave Scotch Reformer, not a few of the English Puritans,
the Protestants of Holland and of Spain, and the Hugue-
nots of France, carried from Geneva the torch of truth to
lighten the darkness of their native lands.
THE NETHERLANDS AND SGANDINA\7IA-13
In the Netherlands the papal tyranny very early called
forth resolute protest. Seven hundred years before Luther's
time, the Roman pontiff was thus fearlessly impeached by
two bishops, who, having been sent on an embassy to Rome,
had learned the true character of the ' ' holy see : ' ' God ' ' has
made His queen and spouse, the church, a noble and ever-
lasting provision for her family, with a dowry that is neither
fading nor corruptible, and given her an eternal crown and
scepter; ... all which benefits you like a thief intercept.
You set up yourself in the temple as God ; instead of pastor,
you are become a wolf to the sheep ; . . . you would make
us believe you are a supreme ])ishop, but yoii rather behave
like a tyrant. . . . Whereas you ought to be a servant of
servants, as you call yourself, you endeavor to become a
lord of lords. . . . You bring the commands of God into con-
tempt. . . . The Holy Ghost is the builder of all churches
as far as the earth extends. . . . The city of our God, of
which we are the citizens, reaches to all the regions of
the heavens; and it is greater than the city, by the holy
prophets named Babylon, which pretends to be divine, wins
herself to heaven, and ])rags that her wisdom is immortal;
and finally, though without reason, that she never did err,
nor ever can."*
* Brandt, "History of the Reformation in and about the Low
Countries," b. 1, p. 6.
(237)
238 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
Others arose from century to century to echo this pro-
test. And those early teachers, who, traversing different
lands and known by various names, bore the character of
the Vaudois missionaries, and spread everyAvhere the knowl-
edge of the gospel, penetrated to the Netherlands. Their
doctrines spread rapidly. The Waldensian Bible they trans-
lated in verse into the Dutch language. They declared
"that there was great advantage in it; no jests, no fables,
no trifles, no deceits, but the words of truth; that indeed
there was here and there a hard crust, but that the marrow
and sweetness of what was good and holy might be easily
discovered in it. " * Thus wrote the friends of the ancient
faith, in the twelfth century.
Now began the Romish persecutions; but in the midst of
fagots and torture the believers continued to multiply,
steadfastly declaring that the Bible is the only infallible
authority in religion, and that "no man should be coerced
to believe, but should be won by preaching. ' ' "
The teachings of Luther found a congenial soil in the
Netherlands, and earnest and faithful men arose to preach
the gospel. From one of the provinces of Holland came
Menno Simons. Educated a Roman Catholic, and ordained
to the priesthood, he was wholly ignorant of the Bible, and
he would not read it, for fear of being beguiled into heresy.
When a doubt concerning the doctrine of transubstantiation
forced itself upon him, he regarded it as a temptation from
Satan, and by prayer and confession sought to free himself
from it; but in vain. By mingling in scenes of dissipation
he endeavored to silence the accusing voice of conscience;
but without avail. After a time he was led to the study of
the New Testament, and this, with Luther's writings, caused
him to accept the reformed faith. He soon after witnessed
in a neighboring village the beheading of a man who was
put to death for having been rebaptized. This led him to
study the Bible in regard to infant baptism. He could find
no evidence for it in the Scriptures, but saw that repentance
* Brandt, b. 1, p. 14. 'Martyn, Vol. II, p. 87.
THE NETHERLANDS AND SCANDINAVIA 239
and faith are everywhere required as the condition of re-
ceiving baptism.
]\Ienno withdrew from the Roman Church, and devoted
his life to teaching the truths which he had received. In
both Germany and the Netherlands a class of fanatics had
risen, advocating absurd and seditious doctrines, outraging
order and decency, and proceeding to violence and insur-
rection. Menno saw the horrible results to which these
movements would inevitably lead, and he strenuously op-
posed the erroneous teachings and wild schemes of the
fanatics. There were many, however, who had been misled
by these fanatics, but who had renounced their pernicious
doctrines; and there were still remaining many descendants
of the ancient Christians, the fruits of the Waldensian
teaching. Among these classes Menno labored with great
zeal and success.
For twenty-five years he traveled, with his wife and
children, enduring great hardships and privations, and fre-
quently in peril of his life. He traversed the Netherlands
and northern Germany, laboring chiefly among the humbler
classes, but exerting a wide-spread influence. Naturally
eloquent, though possessing a limited education, he was a
man of unwavering integrity, of humble spirit and gentle
manners, and of sincere and earnest piety, exemplifying in
his own life the precepts which he taught, and he com-
manded the confidence of the people. His followers were
scattered and oppressed. They suffered greatly from being
confounded with the fanatical Munsterites. Yet great num-
bers were converted under his labors.
Nowhere were the reformed doctrines more generally
received than in the Netherlands. In few countries did
their adherents endure more terrible persecution. In Ger-
many Charles V. had banned the Reformation, and he would
gladly have brought all its adherents to the stake; but the
princes stood up as a barrier against his tyranny. In the
Netherlands his power was greater, and persecuting edicts
followed each other in quick succession. To read the Bible,
240 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
to hear or preach it, or even to speak coneernmg it, was to
incur the penalty of death by the stake. To pray to God in
secret, to refrain from bowing to an image, or to sing a
psalm, was also punishable with death. Even those who
should abjure their errors, were condemned, if men, to die
by the sword; if women, to be buried alive. Thousands
perished under the reign of Charles and of Philip II.
At one time a whole family was brought before the in-
quisitors, charged with remaining away from mass, and
worshiping at home. On his examination as to their prac-
tices in secret, the youngest son answered, *'We fall on our
knees, and pray that God may enlighten our minds and
pardon our sins; we pray for our sovereign, that his reign
may be prosperous and his life happy; we pray for our
magistrates, that God may preserve them."* Some of the
judges were deeply moved, yet the father and one of his
sons were condemned to the stake.
The rage of the persecutors was equaled by the faith of
the martyrs. Not only men ])ut delicate women and young
maidens displayed unflinching courage. "Wives would
take their stand by their husband's stake, and while he was
enduring the fire they would whisper words of solace, or
sing psalms to cheer him." "Young maidens would lie
down in their living grave as if they were entering into
their chamber of nightly sleep; or go forth to the scaffold
and the fire, dressed in their best apparel, as if they were
going to their marriage. ' ' *
As in the days when paganism sought to destroy the
gospel, the blood of the Christians was seed.' Persecu-
tion served to increase the number of witnesses for the
truth. Year after year the monarch, stung to madness by
the unconquerable determination of the people, urged on
his cruel work; but in vain. Under the noble William of
Orange, the Revolution at last brought to Holland freedom
to worship God.
In the mountains of Piedmont, on the plains of France
and the shores of Holland, the progress of the gospel was
* Wylie, b. 18, ch. 6, * See TertuUian 's ' ' Apology, ' ' par. 50.
THE NETHERLANDS AND SCANDINAVIA 241
marked with the blood of its disciples. But in the countries
of the North it found a peaceful entrance. Students at
Wittenberg, returning to their homes, carried the reformed
faith to Scandinavia. The publication of Luther's writings
also spread the light. The simple, hardy people of the
North turned from the corruption, the pomp, and the super-
stitions of Rome, to welcome the purity, the simplicity, and
the life-giving truths of the Bible.
Tausen, "the Reformer of Denmark," was a peasant's
son. The boy early gave evidence of vigorous intellect; he
thirsted for an education; but this was denied him by the
circumstances of his parents, and he entered a cloister.
Here the purity of his life, together with his diligence and
fidelity, won the favor of his superior. Examination showed
him to possess talent that promised at some future day good
service to the church. It was determined to give him an
education at some one of the universities of Germany or the
Netherlands. The young student was granted permission to
choose a school for himself, with one proviso, that he must
not go to Wittenberg. The scholar of the chul-ch was not
to be endangered by the poison of heresy. So said the friars.
Tausen went to Cologne, which was then, as now, one oi
the strongholds of Romanism. Here he soon became dis-
gusted with the mysticisms of the schoolmen. About the
same time he obtained Luther's writings. He read them
with wonder and delight, and greatly desired to enjoy the
personal instruction of the Reformer. But to do so he must
risk giving offense to his monastic superior, and forfeiting
his support. His decision was soon made, and erelong he
was enrolled as a student at Wittenberg.
On returning to Denmark, he again repaired to his clois-
ter. No one as yet suspected him of Lutheranism; he did
not reveal his secret, but endeavored, without exciting the
prejudices of his companions, to lead them to a purer faith
and a holier life. He opened the Bible, and explained its
true meaning, and at last preached Christ to them as the
sinner's righteousness and his only hope of salvation.
242 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
Great was the wrath of the prior, who had built high hopes
upon him as a valiant defender of Rome. He was at once
removed from his OAvn monastery to another, and confined
to his cell, under strict supervision.
To the terror of his new guardians, several of the monks
soon declared themselves converts to Protestantism. Through
the bars of his cell, Tausen had communicated to his com-
panions a knowledge of the truth. Had those Danish
fathers been skilled in the church's plan of dealing with
heresy, Tausen 's voice would never again have been heard;
but instead of consigning him to a tomb in some under-
ground dungeon, they expelled him from the monastery.
Now they were powerless. A royal edict, just issued, offered
protection to the teachers of the new doctrine. Tausen
began to preach. The churches were opened to him, and
the people thronged to listen. Others also were preaching
the word of God. The New Testament, translated into the
Danish tongue, was widely circulated. The efforts made
by the papists to overthrow the work resulted in extending
it, and erelong Denmark declared its acceptance of the
reformed faith.
In Sweden, also, young men who had drunk from the
well of "Wittenberg carried the water of life to their coun-
trymen. Two of the leaders in the Swedish Reformation,
Olaf and Laurentius Petri, the sons of a blacksmith of
Orebro, studied under Luther and Melanchthon, and the
truths which they thus learned they were diligent to teach.
Like the great Reformer, Olaf aroused the people by his
zeal and eloquence, while Laurentius, like Melanchthon, was
learned, thoughtful, and calm. Both were men of ardent
piety, of high theological attainments, and of unflinching
courage in advancing the truth. Papist opposition was not
lacking. The Catholic priests stirred up the ignorant and
superstitious people. Olaf Petri was often assailed by the
mob, and upon several occasions barely escaped with his
life. These Reformers were, however, favored and pro-
tected by the king.
THE NETHERLANDS AND SCANDINAVIA 243
Under the rule of the Roman Church, the people were
sunken in poverty, and ground down by oppression. They
were destitute of the Scriptures; and having a religion of
mere signs and ceremonies, which .conveyed no light to the
mind, they were returning to the superstitious beliefs and
pagan practices of their heathen ancestors. The nation was
divided into contending factions, whose perpetual strife in-
creased tlie misery of all. The king determined upon a
reformation in the state and the church, and he welcomed
these able assistants in the battle against Rome.
In the presence of the monarch and the leading men
of Sweden, Olaf Petri with great ability defended the
doctrines of the reformed faith against the Romish cham-
pions. He declared that the teachings of the Fathers are
to be received only when in accordance with the Scrii)tures;
that the essential doctrines of the faith are presented in the
Bible in a clear and simple manner, so that all men may
understand them. Christ said, "My doctrine is not Mine,
but His that sent Me;"' and Paul declared that should he
preach any other gospel than that which he had received,
he would be accursed." "Plow, then," said the Reformer,
"shall others presume to enact dogmas at their pleasure, and
impose them as things necessary to salvation V" He showed
that the decrees of the church are of no authority when
in opposition to the commands of God, and maintained
the great Protestant principle, that "the Bible and the
Bible only," is the rule of faith and practice.
Tills contest, though conducted upon a stage compara-
tively obscure, serves to show us "the sort of men that
formed the rank and file of the army of the Reformers.
They were not illiterate, sectarian, noisy controversialists
— far from it ; they were men wlio had studied the word
of God, and knew well how to wield the weapons with which
the armory of the Bible supplied them. In respect of erudi-
tion they were ahead of their age. When we confine our
attention to such brilliant centers as Wittenberg and Zurich,
»Jobn 7:16. » Gal. 1:8. »Wylie, b. 10, cb. 4.
244 THf: GREAT CONTROVERSY
and to such illustrious names as those of Luther and Me-
lanchthon, of Zwdngle and (Ecolampadius, we are apt to
be told, these were the leaders of the movement, and we
should naturally expect in them prodigious power and vast
acquisitions; but the subordinates were not like these. "Well,
we turn to the obscure theater of Sweden, and the humble
names of Olaf and Laurentius Petri — from the masters to
the disciples — what do we find? . . . Scholars and theolo-
gians; men who have thoroughly mastered the whole system
of gospel truth, and who win an easy victory over the soph-
ists of tlie schools and the dignitaries of Rome. ' ' *
As the result of this disputation, the king of Sweden
accepted the Protestant faith, and not long afterward the
national assembly declared in its favor. The New Testa-
ment had been translated by Olaf Petri into the Swedish
language, and at the desire of the king the two brothers
undertook the translation of the whole Bible. Thus for the
first time the people of Sweden received the word of God
in their native tongue. It was ordered by the Diet that
throughout the kingdom, ministers should explain the Scrip-
tures, and that the children in the schools should be taught
to read the Bible.
Steadily and surely the darkness of ignorance and super-
stition was dispelled by the blessed light of the gospel.
Freed from Romish oppression, the nation attained to a
strength and greatness it had never before reached. Sweden
became one of the bulwarks of Protestantism. A century
later, at a time of sorest peril, this small and hitherto feeble
nation — the only one in Europe that dared lend a help-
ing hand — came to the deliverance of Germany in the
terrible struggles of the Thirty Years' War. All Northern
Europe seemed about to be brought again under the tyr-
anny of Rome. It Avas the armies of Sweden that enabled
Germany to turn the tide of popish success, to win toleration
for the Protestants, — Calvinists as well as Lutherans, —
and to restore liberty of conscience to those countries that
had accepted the Reformation.
^Wylie, b. 10, ch. 4.
LATER ENGLISH REFORMERS-14
While Luther was opening a closed Bible to the people
of Germany, Tyndale was impelled by the Spirit of God to
do the same for England. Wycliffe's Bible had been trans-
lated from the Latin text, which contained many errors. It
had never been printed, and the cost of manuscript copies
was so great that few but wealthy men or nobles could pro-
cure it; and furthermore, being strictly proscribed by the
church, it had had a comparatively narrow circulation. In
1516, a year before the appearance of Luther's theses,
Erasmus had published his Greek and Latin version of the
New Testament. Now for the first time the word of God
was printed in the original tongue. In this work many
errors of former versions were corrected, and the sense was
more clearly rendered. It led many among the educated
classes to a better knowledge of the truth, and gave a new
impetus to the work of reform. But the common people
were still, to a great extent, debarred from God's word.
Tyndale was to complete the work of Wycliffe in giving the
Bible to his countrymen.
A diligent student and an earnest seeker for truth, he
had received the gospel from the Greek Testament of Eras-
mus. He fearlessly preached his convictions, urging that
all doctrines be tested by the Scriptures. To the papist
claim that the church had given the Bible, and the church
alone could explain it, Tyndale responded: "Do you know
(245)
246 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
who taught the eagles to find their prey? Well, that same
God teaehes His hungry children to find their Father in
His word. Far from having given us the Scriptures, it is
you who have hidden them from us; it is you who burn
those who teach them, and if you could, you would burn
the Scriptures themselves.'"
Tyndale's preaching excited great interest; many ac-
cepted the truth. But the priests were on the alert, and
no sooner had he left the field than they by their threats and
misrepresentations endeavored to destroy his work. Too
often they succeeded. "What is to be done?" he exclaimed.
"While I am sowing in one place, the enemy ravages the
field I have just left. I cannot be everywhere. Oh! if
Christians possessed the Holy Scriptures in their own tongue,
they could of themselves withstand these sophists. Without
the Bible it is impossible to establish the laity in the truth. ' ' '
A new purpose now took possession of his mind. "It
was in the language of Israel," said he, "that the psalms
were sung in the temple of Jehovah; and shall not the gos-
pel speak the language of England among us? . . . Ought
the church to have less light at noonday than at the dawn?
. . . Christians must read the New Testament in tneir
mother- tongue." The doctors and teachers of the church
disagreed ainong themselves. Only by the Bible could men
arrive at the truth. "One holdeth this doctor, another
that. . . . Now each of these authors contradicts the other.
How then can we distinguish him who says right from him
who says wrong? . . . How? . . . Verily by God's word."'
It was not long after that a learned Catholic doctor,
engaging in controversy with him, exclaimed, "We were bet-
ter to be without God's laws than the pope's." Tyndale re-
plied, "I defy the pope and all his laws; and if God spare
my life, ere many years I will cause a boy that driveth the
plow^ to knoAv more of the Scripture than you do. "^
The purpose which he had begun to cherish, of giving
to the people the New Testament Scriptures in their own
»D'Aubigne, b. 18, ch. 4.
"Anderson, "Annals of the EngUsh Bible," p. 19 (rev. ed. 1862).
LATER ENGLISH REFORMERS 247
language, was now confirmed, and he immediately applied
himself to the work. Driven from his home by persecu-
tion, he went to London, and there for a time pursued his
labors undisturbed. But again the violence of the papists
forced him to flee. All England seemed closed against him,
and lie resolved to seek shelter in Germany. Here he began
the printing of the English New Testament. Twice the
work was stopped; but when forbidden to print in one city,
he went to another. At last he made his way to Worms,
where, a few years before, Luther had defended the gospel
before the Diet. In that ancient city were many friends
of the Reformation, and Tyndale there prosecuted his Avork
without further hindrance. Three thousand copies of the
New Testament were soon finished, and another edition
followed in the same year.
With great earnestness and perseverance he continued
his labors. Notwithstanding the English authorities had
guarded their ports with the strictest vigilance, the word
of God was in various ways secretly conveyed to London,
and thence circulated throughout the country. The papists
attempted to suppress the truth, but in vain. The bishop
of Durham at one time bought of a bookseller who was a
friend of Tyndale, his whole stock of Bibles, for the pur-
pose of destroying them, supposing that this would greatly
hinder the work. But on the contrary, the money thus
furnished, purchased material for a new and better edition,
which, but for this, could not have been published. When
Tyndale was afterward made a prisoner, his liberty was
offered him on condition that he would reveal the names
of those who had helped him meet the expense of printing
his Bibles. He replied that the bishop of Durham had done
more than any other person; for by paying a large price
for the books left on hand, he had enabled him to go on
with good courage.
Tyndale was betrayed into the hands of his enemies, and
at one time suffered imprisonment for many months. He
finally witnessed for his faith by a martyr's death; but
the weapons which ]ie jjrepared have enabled other soldiers
248 THU GREAT CONTROVERSY
to do battle through all the centuries even to our time.
Latimer maintained from the pulpit that the Bible ought
to be read in the language of the people. The Author of
Holy Scripture, said he, "is God Himself;" and this Scrip-
ture partakes of the might and eternity of its Author.
"There is no king, emperor, magistrate, and ruler . , .,
but are bound to obey . . . His holy word." "Let us
not take any by-walks, but let God*s word direct us: let
us not walk after . . . our forefathers, nor seek not what
they did, but what they should have done. ' ' '
Barnes and Frith, the faithful friends of Tyndale, arose
to defend the truth. The Ridleys and Cranmer followed.
These leaders in the English Reformation were men of
learning, and most of them had been highly esteemed for
zeal or piety in the Romish communion. Their o])position to
the papacy was the result of their knowledge of the errors of
the "holy see." Their acquaintance with the mysteries of
Babylon, gave grtater power to their testimonies against her.
"Now I would ask a strange question," said Latimer.
"Who is the most diligent bishop and prelate in all Eng-
land? ... I see you listening and hearkening that I should
name him. ... I will tell you : it is the devil. . . . He is
never out of his diocese; . . . call for him when you will,
he is ever at home; ... he is ever at his plow. ... Ye
shall never find him idle, I warrant you. . . . Where the
devil is resident, . . . there away with books, and up with
candles: away with Bibles, and up with beads; away with
the light of the gospel, and up with the light of candles,
yea, at noondays; . . . down with Christ's cross, up with
purgatory pick-purse ; c . . away with clothing the naked,
the poor, and impotent, up with decking of images and gay
garnisliing of stocks and stones; up with man's traditions
and his laws, down Avith God's traditions and His most
holy word. ... that our prelates would be as diligent
to sow the corn of good doctrine, as Satan is to sow cockle
and darnel ! " ^
- Latimer, ' ' First Sermon Preached before King Edward VI. ' '
(ed, Parker Society). * Latimer, "Sermon of the Plough."
LATER ENGLISH REFORMERS 249
The grand principle maintained by these Reformers —
the same that had been held by the Waldenses, by Wycliffe,
by John Huss, by Luther, Zwingle, and those who united
with them — ^was the infallible authority of the Holy Scrip-
tures as a rule of faith and practice. They denied the
right of popes, councils, Fathers, and kings, to control the
conscience in matters of religion. The Bible was their
authority, and by its teaching they tested all doctrines and
all claims. Faith in God and His word sustained these
holy men as they yielded up their lives at the stake. "Be
of good comfort," exclaimed Latimer to his fellow-martyr
as the flames were about to silence their voices, "we shall
this day light such a candle, by God's grace, in England,
as I trust shall never be put out. ' ' ^
In Scotland the seeds of truth scattered by Columba
and his co-laborers had never been wholly destroyed. For
hundreds of years after the churches of England submitted
to Rome, those of Scotland maintained their freedom. In
the twelfth century, however, popery became established
here, and in no country did it exercise a more absolute
sway. Nowhere was the darkness deeper. Still there came
rays of light to pierce the gloom, and give promise of the
coming day. The Lollards, coming from England with the
Bible and the teachings of Wycliffe, did much to preserve
the knowledge of the gospel, and every century had its
witnesses and martyrs.
With the opening of the Great Reformation came the
writings of Luther, and then Tyndale's English New Testa-
ment. Unnoticed by the hierarchy, these messengers si-
lently traversed the mountains and valleys, kindling into
new life the torch of truth so nearly extinguished in Scot-
land, and undoing the work which Rome for four centuries
of oppression had done.
Then the blood of martyrs gave fresh impetus to the
movement. The papist leaders, suddenly awakening to the
danger that threatened their cause, brought to the stake
*" Works of Hugh Latimer," Vol. I, p, xiii (ed. Parker Society).
250 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
some of the noblest and most honored of the sons of Scot-
land. They did but erect a pulpit, from which the words
of these dying witnesses were heard throughout the land,
thrilling the souls of the people with an undying purpose
to cast off the shackles of Rome.
Hamilton and Wishart, princely in character as in
birth, with a long line of humbler disciples, yielded up
their lives at the stake. But from the burning pile of
Wishart there came one whom the flames were not to
silence, one who under God was to strike the death-knell
of popery in Scotland.
John Knox had turned away from the traditions and
mysticisms of the church, to feed upon the truths of God's
word; and the teaching of Wishart had confirmed his de-
termination to forsake the communion of Rome, and join
himself to the persecuted Reformers.
Urged by his companions to take the office of preacher,
he shrunk with trem])ling from its responsibility, and it was
only after days of seclusion and painful conflict with him-
self that he consented, l^iit having once accepted the posi-
tion, he pressed forward with inflexible determination and
undaunted courage as long as life continued. This true-
hearted Reformer, feared not the face of man. The fires of
martyrdom, blazing around him, served only to quicken his
zeal to greater intensity. With the tyrant's axe held men-
acingly over his head, he stood his ground, striking sturdy
blows on tlie right liand and on the left to demolish idolatry.
Wlien brought face to face with the queen of Scotland,
in whose presence the zeal of many a leader of the Prot-
estants had abated, John Knox bore unswerving witness for
the truth. He was not to l)e won' by caresses; he quailed
not before threats. The queen charged him with heresy.
He had taught the people to receive a religion prohibited
by the state, she declared, and had thus transgressed God's
command enjoining subjects to obey their princes. Knox
answered firmly :
"As right religion took neither original strength nor
authority from worldly princes, but from the eternal God
LATER ENGLISH REFORMERS 251
alone, so are not subjects bound to frame their religion
according to the appetites of their princes. For oft it is
that princes are the most ignorant of all others in God's
true religion, ... If all the seed of Abraham had been of
the religion of Pharaoh, whose subjects they long were, I
pray you, madam, what religion would there have been in
the world? Or if all men in the days of the apostles had
been of the religion of the Roman emperors, what religion
would there have been upon the face of the earth? . . .
And so, madam, ye may perceive that subjects are not
bound to the religion of their princes, albeit they are com-
manded to give them obedience."
Said Mary, "Ye interpret the Scriptures in one man-
ner, and they [the Roman Catholic teachers] interpret in
another; whom shall I believe, and who shall be judge?"
"Ye shall believe God, that plainly speaketh in His
word," answered the Reformer; "and farther than the
"Word teaches you, ye neither shall believe the one nor the
other. The word of God is plain in itself; and if there
appear any obscurity in one place, the Holy Ghost, which
is never contrary to Himself, explains the same more clearly
in other places, so that there can remain no doubt but unto
such as obstinately remain ignorant. ' ' *
Such were the truths that the fearless Reformer, at
the peril of his life, spoke in the ear of royalty. With the
same undaunted courage he kept to his purpose, praying
and fighting the battles of the Lord, until Scotland was
free from popery.
In England the establishment of Protestantism as the
national religion diminished, but did not wholly stop, perse-
cution. While many of the doctrines of Rome had been
renounced, not a few of its forms were retained. The su-
premacy of the pope was rejected, but in his place the
monarch was enthroned as the head of the church. In the
service of the church there was still a wide departure from
the purity and simplicity of the gospel. The great principle
of religious liberty was not as yet understood. Though
'LavDg, "Works of John Knox," Vol. il, pp. 281, 284 (e<3. 1895).
252 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
the horrible cruelties which Rome employed against heresy
were resorted to but rarely by Protestant rulers, yet the
right of every man to worship God according to the dic-
tates of his own conscience was not acknowledged. All
were required to accept the doctrines and observe the forms
of worship prescribed by the established church. Dissenters
suffered persecution, to a greater or less extent, for hundreds
of years.
In the seventeenth century thousands of pastors were
expelled from their positions. The people were forbidden,
on pain of heavy fines, imprisonment, and banishment, to
attend any religious meetings except such as were sanc-
tioned by the church. Those faithful souls who could not
refrain from gathering to worship God, were compelled to
meet in dark alleys, in obscure garrets, and at some seasons
in the woods at midnight. In the sheltering depths of the
forest, a temple of God's owti building, those scattered and
persecuted children of the Lord assembled to pour out their
souls in prayer and praise. But despite all their precau-
tions, many suffered for their faith. The jails were
crowded. Families were broken up. Many were banished
to foreign lands. Yet God was with His people, and per-
secution could not prevail to silence their testimony. Many
were driven across the ocean to America, and here laid the
foundations of civil and religious liberty which have been
the buhvark and glory of this country.
Again, as in apostolic days, persecution turned out to the
furtherance of the gospel. In a loathsome dungeon crowded
with profligates and felons, John Bunyan breathed the very
atmosphere of heaven ; and tlierc he wrote his wonderful
allegory of the pilgrim's journey from the land of destruc-
tion to the celestial city. For over two hundred years that
voice from Bedford jail has spoken with thrilling power to
the hearts of men. Bunyan 's ''Pilgrim's Progress" and
"Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners" have guided
many feet into the path of life.
Baxter, Flavel, Alleine, and other men of talent, educa-
tion, and deep Christian experience, stood up in valiant de-
LATER ENGLISH REFORMERS 253
fense of the faith which was once delivered to the saints.
The work accomplished by these men, proscribed and out-
lawed by the rulers of this world, can never perish. Flavel's
"Fountain of Life" and "Method of Grace" have taught
thousands how to commit the keeping of their souls to
Christ. Baxter's "Reformed Pastor" has proved a blessing
to many who desire a revival of the work of God, and his
"Saints' Everlasting Rest" has done its work in leading
souls to the "rest that remaineth for the people of God."
A hundred years later, in a day of great spiritual dark-
ness, Whitefield and the Wesleys appeared as light-bearers
for God. Under the rule of the established church, the
people of England had lapsed into a state of religious de-
clension hardly to be distinguished from heathenism. Natu-
ral religion was the favorite study of the clergy, and
included most of their theology. The higher classes sneered
at piety, and prided themselves on being above what they
called its fanaticism. The lower classes were grossly ig-
norant, and abandoned to vice, while the church had no
courage or faith any longer to support the downfallcn cause
of truth.
The great doctrine of justification by faith, so clearly
taught by Luther, had been almost wholly lost sight of;
and the Romish principle of trusting to good works for
salvation, had taken its place. "Whitefield and the Wesleys,
who were members of the established church, were sincere
seekers for the favor of God, and this they had been taught
was to be secured by a virtuous life and an observance of
the ordinances of religion.
"When Charles "Wesley at one time fell ill, and anticipated
that death was approaching, he was asked upon what he
rested his hope of eternal life. His answer was, "I have
used my best endeavors to serve God." As the friend who
had put the question seemed not to be fully satisfied with
his answer, "Wesley thought, ""What! are not my endeavors
a sufficient ground of hope? "Would he rob me of my
endeavors? I have nothing else to trust to."* Such was
» Whitehead, John, "Life of the Rev. Charles Wesley," p. 102
(2d Am. eel. 1845).
254 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
the dense darkness that had settled down on the church,
hiding the atonement, robbing Christ of His glory, and
turning the minds of men from their only hope of salva-
tion, — the blood of the crucified Redeemer.
Wesley and his associates were led to see that true re-
ligion is seated in the heart, and that God's law extends
to the thoughts as well as to the words and actions. Con-
vinced of the necessity of holiness of heart, as well as cor-
rectness of outward deportment, they set out in earnest upon
a new life. By the most diligent and prayerful efforts they
endeavored to subdue the evils of the natural heart. They
lived a life of self-denial, charity, and humiliation, observing
with great rigor and exactness every measure which they
thought could be helpful to them in obtaining what they
most desired, — that holiness which could secure the favor
of God. But they did not obtain the object which they
sought. In vain were their endeavors to free themselves
from the condemnation of sin or to break its power. It
was the same struggle which Luther had experienced in his
cell at Erfurt. It was the same question which had tor-
tured his soul, — "How should man be just before God?"*
The fires of divine truth, well-nigh extinguished upon
the altars of Protestantism, were to be rekindled from the
ancient torch handed do\^Ti the ages by the Bohemian Chris-
tians. After the Reformation, Protestantism in Bohemia
had been trampled out by the hordes of Rome. All who
refused to renounce the truth were forced to flee. Some of
these, finding refuge in Saxony, there maintained the an-
cient faith. It was from the descendants of these Chris-
tians that light came to Wesley and his associates.
John and Charles Wesley, after being ordained to the
ministry, were sent on a mission to America. On board
the ship was a company of Moravians. Violent storms were
encountered on the passage, and John Wesley, brought face
to face with death, felt that he had not the assurance of
peace with God. The Germans, on the contrary, manifested
a calmness and trust to which he was a stranger.
*Job 9:2 (margin).
LATER ENGLISH REFORMERS 256
•'I had long before," he says, "observed the great seri-
ousness of their behavior. Of their humility they had
given a continual proof, by performing those servile offices
for the other passengers which none of the English would
undertake; for which they desired and would receive no
pay, saying it was good for their proud hearts, and their
loving Saviour had done more for them. And every day
had given them occasion of showing a meekness which no
injury could move. If they were pushed, struck, or
thrown down, they rose again and went away; but no
complaint was found in their mouth. There was now an
opportunity of trying whether they were delivered from
the spirit of fear, as well as from that of pride, anger, and
revenge. In the midst of the psalm wherewith their service
began, the sea broke over, split the mainsail in pieces,
covered the ship, and poured in between the decks as if the
great deep had already swallowed us up. A terrible scream- >
ing began among the English. The Germans calmly sung i
on. I asked one of them afterward, 'Were you not afraid?* |
He answered, 'I thank God, no.' I asked, 'But were not '?
your women and children afraid?' He replied mildly, 'No;
our women and children are not afraid to die.' "*
Upon arriving in Savannah, Wesley for a short time
abode with the Moravians, and was deeply impressed with
their Christian deportment. Of one of their religious serv-
ices, in striking contrast to the lifeless formalism of the
Church of England, he wrote: "The great simplicity as
well as solemnity of the whole almost made me forget the
seventeen hundred years between, and imagine myself in
one of those assemblies where form and state were not; but
Paul, the tent-maker, or Peter, the fisherman, presided; yet
with the demonstration of the Spirit and of power. "^
On his return to England, Wesley, under the instruction
of a Moravian preacher, arrived at a clearer understand-
ing of Bible faith. He was convinced that he must re-
nounce all dependence upon his own works for salvation,
^Whitehead, "Life of the Rev. John Wesley." p. 10 (Am. ed. 1845).
' Idem, pp. 11, 12.
256 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
and must trust wholly to the "Lamb of God that taketh
away the sin of the world." At a meeting of the Moravian
society in London, a statement was read from Luther, de-
scribing the change which the Spirit of God works in the
heart of the believer. As Wesley listened, faith was kin-
dled in his soul. "I felt my heart strangely warmed,"
he says. "I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for
salvation: and an assurance was given me, that He had
taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the
law of sin and death. ' ' '
Through long years of wearisome and comfortless striv-
ing, — years of rigorous self-denial, of reproach and humili-
ation, — Wesley had steadfastly adhered to his one purpose
of seeking God. Now he had found Him; and he found
that the grace which he had toiled to vdn by prayers and
fasts, by almsdeeds and self-abnegation, was a gift, "with-
out money, and without price."
Once established in the faith of Christ, his whole soul
burned with the desire to spread everywhere a knowledge
of the glorious gospel of God 's free grace. ' ' I look upon all
the world as my parish," he said; "in whatever part of it
I am, I judge it meet, right, and my bounden duty, to de-
clare unto all that are willing to hear, the glad tidings of
salvation. ' ' *
He continued his strict and self-denying life, not now
as the ground, but the result of faith; not the root, but the
fniit of holiness. The grace of God in Christ is the foun-
dation of the Christian's hope, and that grace will be mani-
fested in obedience. Wesley's life was devoted to the
preaching of the great truths which he had received, —
justification through faith in the atoning blood of Christ,
and the renewing power of the Holy Spirit upon the heart,
bringing forth fruit in a life conformed to the example
of Christ.
Whitefield and the Wesleys had been prepared for their
work by long and sharp personal convictions of their
» Whitehead, "Life of John Wesley," p. 52. "Idem, p. 74.
LATER ENGLISH REFORMERS 257
own lost condition; and that they might be able to endure
hardness as good soldiers of Christ, they had been subjected
to the fiery ordeal of scorn, derision, and persecution, both
in the university and as they were entering the ministry.
They and a few others who sympathized with them were
contemptuously called Methodists by their ungodly fellow-
students, — a name which is at the present time regarded
as honorable by one of the largest denominations in Eng-
land and America.
As members of the Church of England, they were
strongly attached to her forms of worship, but the Lord had
presented before them in His word a higher standard. The
Holy Spirit urged them to preach Christ and Him crucified.
The power of the Highest attended their labors. Thou-
sands were convicted and truly converted. It was neces-
sary that these sheep be protected from ravening wolves.
Wesley had no thought of forming a new denomination, but
he organized them under what was called the Methodist
Connection.
Mysterious and trying was the opposition which these
preachers encountered from the established church; yet God,
in His wisdom, had overruled events to cause the reform to
begin wdthin the church itself. Had it come wholly from
without, it would not have penetrated where it was so much
needed. But as the revival preachers were churchmen, and
labored within the pale of the church wherever they could
find opportunity, the truth had an entrance where the doors
would otherwise have remained closed. Some of the clergy
were roused from their moral stupor, and became zealous
preachers in their own parishes. Churches that had been
petrified by formalism were quickened into life.
In Wesley's time, as in all ages of the church's history,
men of different gifts performed their appointed work.
They did not harmonize upon every point of doctrine, but
all were moved by the Spirit of God, and united in the
absorbing aim to win souls to Christ. The differences be-
tween Whitefield and the Wesleys threatened at one time to
9— G. C.
258 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
create alienation; but as they learned meekness in the school
of Christ, mutual forbearance and charity reconciled them.
They had no time to dispute, while error and iniquity were
teeming everywhere, and sinners were going down to ruin.
The servants of God trod a rugged path. Men of influ-
ence and learning employed their powers against them.
After a time many of the clergy manifested determined
hostility, and the doors of the churches were closed against
a pure faitli and those who proclaimed it. The course of the
clergy in denouncing them from the pulpit, aroused the
elements of darkness, ignorance, and iniquity. Again and
again did John Wesley escape death by a miracle of God's
mercy. When the rage of the mob was excited against him,
and there seemed no way ofescape, an angel in human form
came to his side, the mob fell back, and the servant of Christ
passed in safety from the place of danger.
Of his deliverance from the enraged mob on one of these
occasions, Wesley said: "Many .^.endeavored to throw me
down while we were going down hill on a slippery path
to the town; as well judging that if I was once on the
ground, I should hardly rise any more. But I made no
stumble at all, nor the least slip, till I was entirely out of
their hands. . . . Although many strove to lay hold on my
collar or clothes, to pull me down, they could not fasten at
all: only one got fast hold of the flap of my waistcoat,
which w^as soon left in his hand; the other flap, in the
pocket of which was a bank-note, was torn but half off.
... A lusty man just behind, struck at me several times,
with a large oaken stick; with which if he had struck me
once on the back part of my head, it would have saved
him all further trouble. But every time the blow was turned
aside, I know not how; for I could not move to the right
hand or left. . . . Another came rushing through the press,
and raising his arm to strike, on a sudden let it drop, and
only stroked my head, saying, 'What soft hair he has!'
. . . The very first men whose hearts were turned were the
heroes of the town, the captains of the rabble on all occa-
LATER ENGLISH REFORMERS 259
sions, one of them having been a prize-fighter at the bear-
gardens. . . .
"By how gentle degrees does God prepare us for His
will! Two years ago, a piece of brick grazed my shoulders.
It was a year after that the stone struck me between the
eyes. Last month I received one blow, and this evening two,
one before we came into the town, and one after we were
gone out; but both were as nothing: for though one man
struck me on the breast with all his might, and the other
on the mouth with such a force that the blood gushed out
immediately, I felt no more pain from either of the blows
than if they had touched me with a straw."*
The Methodists of those early days — people as well as
preachers — endured ridicule and persecution, alike from
church-members and from the openly irreligious who were
inflamed by their misrepresentations. They were arraigned
before courts of justice — such only in name, for justice was
rare in the courts of that time. Often they suffered vio-
lence from their persecutors. Mobs went from house to
house, destroying furniture and goods, plundering whatever
they chose, and brutally abusing men, women, and children.
In some instances, public notices were posted, calling upon
those who desired to assist in breaking the windows and
robbing the houses of the Methodists, to assemble at a given
time and place. These open violations of both human and
divine law were allowed to pass without a reprimand. A
systematic persecution was carried on against a people whose
only fault was that of seeking to turn the feet of sinners
from the path of destruction to the path of holiness.
Said John Wesley, referring to the charges against him-
self and his associates: "Some allege that the doctrines of
these men are false, erroneous, and enthusiastic; that they
are new and unheard-of till of late; that they are Quaker-
ism, fanaticism, popery. This whole pretense has been
already cut up by the roots, it having been shown at large
that every branch of this doctrine is the plain doctrine of
» Wesley's Works, Vol. Ill, pp. 297, 298 (ed. 1831).
260 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
Scripture interpreted by our own church. Therefore it
cannot be either false or erroneous, provided the Scripture
be true." "Others allege, 'Their doctrine is too strict;
they make the way to heaven too narrow.' And this is in
truth the original objection, (as it was almost the only one
for some time,) and is secretly at the bottom of a thousand
more, which appear in various forms. But do they make
the way to heaven any narrower than our Lord and His
apostles made it? Is their doctrine stricter than that of
the Bible? Consider only a few plain texts: 'Thou shalt
love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy
mind, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength.'
'For every idle word which men shall speak, they shall give
an account in the day of judgment.' '"Whether ye eat, or
drink, or whatever ye do, do all to the glory of God.'
"If their doctrine is stricter than this, they are to blame;
but you know in your conscience it is not. And who can
be one jot less strict without corrupting the word of God?
Can any steward of the mysteries of God be found faith-
ful if he change any part of that sacred depositum? No.
He can a])ate nothing, he can soften nothing; he is con-
strained to declare to all men, 'I may not bring down the
Scripture to your taste. You must come up to it, or per-
ish forever,' This is the real ground of that other popular
cry concerning 'the uneharitableness of these men.' Un-
charitable, are they? In what respect? Do they not feed
the hungry and clothe the naked? 'No; that is not the
thing: they are not Avanting in tliis: but they are so un-
charitable in judging! they think none can be saved but
those of their own way.' '"
The spiritual declension which had been manifest in
England just before the time of "Wesley, was in great degree
the result of Antinomian teaching. ]\lany affirmed that
Christ had abolished the moral law, and that Christians are
therefore under no obligation to observe it; that a believer
is freed from the "bondage of good works." Others, though
» Wesley's Works, Vol. Ill, pp. 152, 153.
LATER ENGLISH REFORMEHS 261
admitting the perpetuity of the law, declared that it was
unnecessary for ministers to exhort the people to obedience
of its precepts, since those whom God had elected to salva-
tion would, "by the irresistible impulse of divine grace, be
led to the practice of piety and virtue," while those who
were doomed to eternal reprobation "did not have power
to obey the divine law."
Others, also holding that "the elect cannot fall from
grace nor forfeit the divine favor," arrived at the still more
hideous conclusion that "the wicked actions they commit
are not really sinful, nor to be considered as instances of
their violation of the divine law, and that consequently they
have no occasion either to confess their sins or to break
them off by repentance. ' ' * Therefore, they declared that
even one of the vilest of sins, "considered universally an
enormous violation of the divine law, is not a sin in the
sight of God," if committed by one of the elect, "because
it is one of the essential and distinctive characteristics of
the elect, that they cannot do anything that is either dis-
pleasing to God or prohibited by the law."
These monstrous doctrines are essentially the same as
the later teaching of popular educators and theologians, —
that there is no unchangeable divine law as the standard
of right, but that the standard of morality is indicated by
society itself, and has constantly been subject to change.
All these ideas are inspired by the same master-spirit, —
by him who, even among the sinless inhabitants of heaven,
began his work of seeking to break down the righteous
restraints of the law of God.
The doctrine of the divine decrees, unalterably fixing
the character of men, had led many to a virtual rejection
of the law of God. Wesley steadfastly opposed the errors of
the Antinomian teachers, and showed that this doctrine
which led to Antinomianism was contrary to the Scriptures.
"The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared
'McClintock and Strong's Cyclopaedia, art. Antiuomians (ed. 1871).
262 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
to all men.** "This is good and acceptable in the sight
of God our Saviour; who will have all men to be saved,
and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there
is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the
man Christ Jesus; who gave Himself a ransom for all."*
The Spirit of God is freely bestoAved, to enable every man
to lay hold upon the means of salvation. Thus Christ, "the
true Light," "lighteth every man that cometh into the
world. ' ' ^ Men fail of salvation through their own wilful
refusal of the gift of life.
In answer to the claim that at the death of Christ the
precepts of the decalogue had been abolished with the cere-
monial law, Wesley said: "The moral law, contained in the
ten commandments and enforced by the prophets, He did
not take away. It was not the design of His coming to
revoke any part of this. This is a law which never can be
broken, which 'stands fast as the faithful witness in heaven.'
. . . This was from the beginning of the world, being
'written not on tables of -stone,' but on the hearts of
all the children of men, when they came out of the hands
of the Creator. And however the letters once wrote by
the finger of God are now in a great measure defaced
by sin, yet can they not wholly be blotted out, while we
have any consciousness of good and evil. Every part of
this law must remain in force upon all mankind, and
in all ages; as not depending either on time or place,
or any other circumstances liable to change, but on the
nature of God, and the nature of man, and their unchange-
able relation to each other.
" ' I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. ' . . . "Without
question, His meaning in this place is (consistently with
all that goes before and follows after), — I am come to estab-
lish it in its fulness, in spite of all the glosses of men : I am
come to place in a full and clear view whatsoever was dark
or obscure therein: I am come to declare the true and full
import of every part of it; to show the length and breadth,
the entire extent, of every commandment contained therein,
»Titus 2:11; 1 Tim. 2:3-6. *John 1:9.
LATER ENGLISH REFORMERS 263
and the height and depth, the inconceivable purity and
spirituality of it in all its branches. ' ' ^
Wesley declared the perfect harmony of the law and the
gospel. "There is, therefore, the closest connection that can
be conceived, between the law and the gospel. On the one
hand, the law continually makes way for, and points us to,
the gospel; on the other, the gospel continually leads us to
a more exact fulfilling of the law. The law, for instance,
requires us to love God, to love our neighbor, to be meek,
humble, or holy. We feel that we are not sufficient for
these things ; yea, that ' with man this is impossible : ' but we
see a promise of God to give us that love, and to make us
humble, meek, and holy: we lay hold of this gospel, of these
glad tidings; it is done unto us according to our faith; and
'the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us,' through faith
which is in Christ Jesus. . . .
"In the highest rank of the enemies of the gospel of
Christ," said Wesley, "are they who openly and explicitly
'judge the law' itself, and 'speak evil of the law;' who teach
men to break (to dissolve, to loose, to untie the obligation of)
not one only, whether of the least or of the greatest, but all
the commandments at a stroke. . . . The most surprising of
all the circumstances that attend this strong delusion, is that
they who are given up to it, really believe that they honor
Christ by overthrowing His law, and that they are magnify-
ing: His office while they are destroying His doctrine! Yea,
they honor Him just as Judas did when he said, 'Hail,
Master, and kissed Him.' And He may as justly say to
every one of them, 'Betrayest thou the Son of man with a
kiss?' It is no other than betraying Him with a kiss, to
talk of His blood, and take away His crown ; to set light
by any part of His law, under pretense of advancing His
gospel. Nor indeed can any one escape this cliarge, who
preaches faith in any such a manner as either directly or
indirectly tends to set aside any branch of obedience: who
preaches Christ so as to disannul, or weaken in any wise,
the least of the commandments of God. ' ' *
' Weslej^ 's Works, Sermon 25.
264 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
To those who urged that "the preaching of the gospel
answers all the ends of the law," Wesley replied: "This
we utterly deny. It does not answer the very first end of the
law, namely, the convincing men of sin, the awakening those
who are still asleep on the brink of hell." The apostle
Paul declares that "by the law is the knowledge of sin;"
"and not until man is convicted of sin, will he truly feel
his need of the atoning lilood of Christ. . . . 'They that be
whole,' as our Lord Himself observes, 'need not a physi-
cian, but they that are sick.' It is absurd, therefore, to
offer a physician to them that are whole, or that at least
imagine themselves so to be. You are first to convince
them that they are sick; otherwise they will not thank you
for your labor. It is equally absurd to offer Christ to
them whose heart is whole, having never yet been broken.'"
Thus while preaching the gospel of the grace of God,
Wesley, like his INIaster, sought to "magnify the law, and
make it honorable." Faith Fully did he accomplish the work
given him of God, and glorious were tlie results which he
was permitted to behold. At the close of his long life of
more than fourscore jamrs — aljove half a century spent in
itinerant ministry — his avowed adherents numbered more
than half a million souls. But the multitude that through
his labors had been lifted from the ruin and degradation of
sin to a higher and a purer life, and the number who by
his teaching had attained to a deeper and richer experi-
ence, will never be known till the whole family of the re-
deemed shall be gathered into the kingdom of God. His
life presents a lesson of priceless worth to every Christian.
Would that the faith and humility, the untiring zeal, self-
sacrifice, and devotion of this servant of Christ, might be
refiected in the churches of to-day!
' Wesley 's Works, Sermon 35,
il^f..i '
••■Jr"l
m
)
.^
j\
A
THE BIBLE AND THE FRENCH REVyOLUTION-15
In the sixteenth century the Reformation, presenting an
open Bible to the people, had sought admission to all the
countries of Europe. Some nations welcomed it with glad-
ness, as a messenger of Heaven. In other lands, the papacy
succeeded to a great extent in preventing its entrance; and
the light of Bible knowledge, with its elevating influences,
was almost wholly excluded. In one country, though the
light found entrance, it was not comprehended by the dark-
ness. For centuries, truth and error struggled for the mas-
tery. At last the evil triumphed, and the truth of Heaven
was thrust out. ''This is the condemnation, that light is
come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than
light."* The nation was left to reap the results of the
course which she had chosen. The restraint of God's Spirit
was removed from a people that had despised the gift of
His grace. Evil was permitted to come to maturity. And
all the world saw the fruit of wilful rejection of the light.
The war against the Bible, carried forward for so many
centuries in France, culminated in the scenes of the Revo-
lution. That terrible outbreaking was but the legitimate
result of Rome's suppression of the Scriptures.'' It pre-
sented the most striking illustration which the world has
ever witnessed, of the working out of the papal policy, — an
illustration of the results to which for more than a thou-
'Jolin 3:19.
' See Appenclix.
(265)
266 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
sand years the teaching of the Roman Church had been
tending.
The suppression of the Scriptures during the period of
papal supremacy was foretold by the prophets; and the
Revelator points also to the terrible results that were to
accrue especially to France from the domination of "the
man of sin."
Said the angel of the Lord: "The holy city shall they
tread under foot forty and two months. And I will give
power unto My two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a
thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sack-
cloth. . . . And when they shall have finished their tes-
timony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit
shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and
kill them. And tlieir dead bodies shall lie in the street of
the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt,
where also our Lord was crucified. . . . And they that dwell
upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and
shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets
tormented them that dwelt on the earth. And after three
days and a half the Spirit of life from God entered into
them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell
upon them which saw them. ' ' *
The periods here mentioned — "forty and two months,"
and "a thousand two hundred and threescore days" — are
the same, alike representing the time in which the church
of Christ was to suffer oppression from Rome. The 1260
years of papal supremacy began in a. d. 538, and would
therefore terminate in 1798." At that time a French army
entered Rome, and made the pope a prisoner, and he died
in exile. Though a new pope was soon afterward elected,
the papal hierarchy has never since been able to wield the
power which it before possessed.
The persecution of the church did not continue through-
out the entire period of the 1260 years. God in mercy to
His people cut short the time of their fiery trial. In fore-
'Rev. 11:2-11. 'See Appendix.
THE BIBLE AND THE FRENCH REVOLUTION 267
telling the "great tribulation" to befall the church, the
Saviour said, "Except those days should be shortened, there
should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those
days shall be shortened. ' ' * Through the influence of the
Reformation, the persecution was brought to an end prior
to 1798.
Concerning the two witnesses, the prophet declares
further, "These are the two olive-trees, and the two candle-
sticks standing before the God of the earth." "Thy word,"
said the psalmist, "is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto
my path."^ The two witnesses represent the Scriptures
of the Old and the New Testament. Both are important
testimonies to the origin and perpetuity of the law of God.
Both are witnesses also to the plan of salvation. The types,
sacriflces, and prophecies of the Old Testament point for-
ward to a Saviour to come. The Gospels and Epistles of
the New Testament tell of a Saviour who has come in the
exact manner foretold by type and prophecy.
"They shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and three-
score days, clothed in sackcloth." During the greater part
of this period, God's witnesses remained in a state of obscu-
rity. The papal power sought to hide from the people the
Word of truth, and set before them false witnesses to con-
tradict its testimony.^ When the Bible was proscribed by
religious and secular authority; when its testimony was
perverted, and every effort made that men and demons could
invent to turn the minds of the people from it; when those
who dared proclaim its sacred truths were hunted, betrayed,
tortured, buried in dungeon cells, martyred for their faitli,
or compelled to flee to mountain fastnesses, and to dens and
caves of the earth, — then the faithful witnesses prophesied
in sackcloth. Yet they continued their testimony through-
out the entire period of 1260 years. In the darkest times
there were faithful men who loved God's word, and were
jealous for His honor. To these loyal servants were given
'Matt. 24:22. * Rev. 11:4; Ps. 119:105. "See Appendix.
268 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
wisdom, power, and authority to declare His truth during
the whole of this time.
"And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of
their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man
will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. ' ' * Men
cannot with impunity trample upon the word of God. The
meaning of this fearful denunciation is set forth in the
closing chapter of the Revelation : " I testify unto every man
that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book. If any
man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him
the plagues that are written in this book: and if any man
shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy,
God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out
of the holy city, and from the things which are written in
this book."'
Such are the warnings which God has given to guard
men against changing in any manner that which He has
revealed or commanded. These solemn denunciations apply
to all who by their influence lead men to regard lightly the
law of God. They should cause those to fear and trem])le
who flippantly declare it a matter of little consequence
whether we obey God's law or not. All who exalt their own
opinions above di\ane revelation, all who would change the
plain meaning of Scripture to suit their own convenience,
or for the sake of conforming to the world, are taking upon
themselves a fearful responsibility. The written word, the
law of God, will measure the character of every man, and
condemn all whom this unerring test shall declare wanting.
"When they shall have finished [are finishing] their testi-
mony." The period when the two witnesses were to proph-
esy clothed in sackcloth, ended in 1798. As they were
approaching the termination of their work in obscurity,
war WRS to be made upon them by the power represented
as "the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit."
In many of the nations of Europe the powers that ruled
in church and state had for centuries been controlled by
>Kev. 11:5. * Rev! 22:18, 19.
THE BIBLE AND THE FRENCH REVOLUTION 269
Satan, through the medium of the papacy. But here is
brought to view a new manifestation of satanie power.
It had been Rome's policy, under a profession of rever-
ence for the Bible, to keep it locked up in an unknown
tongue, and hidden away from the people. Under her rule
the witnesses prophesied, "clothed in sackcloth." But an-
other power — the beast from the bottomless pit — was to
arise to make open, avowed war upon the word of God.
The "great city" in whose streets the witnesses are slain,
and where their dead bodies lie, "is spiritually Egypt."
Of all nations presented in Bible history, Egypt most
boldly denied the existence of the living God, and resisted
His commands. No monarch ever ventured upon more open
and high-handed rebellion against the authority of Heaven
than did the king of Egypt. When the message was
brought him by Moses, in the name of the Lord, Pharaoh
proudly answered, "Wlio is Jehovah, that I should obey
His voice to let Israel go? I know not Jehovah, neither will
I let Israel go. " ^ This is atheism ; and the nation rep-
resented by Egypt would give voice to a similar denial of
the claims of the living God, and would manifest a like
spirit of unbelief and defiance. The "great city" is also
compared, "spiritually," to Sodom. The corruption of
Sodom in breaking the la w of God w as especially manif e sted
i n licentiousness . And this sin was also to be a pre-eminent
characteristic of the nation that should fulfil the specifica-
tions of this scripture.
According to the words of the prophet, then, a little be-
fore the year 1798 some power of satanie origin and char-
acter would rise to make war upon the Bible. And in the
land where the testimony of God's two witnesses should
thus be silenced, there would be manifest the atheism of
the Pharaoh and the licentiousness of Sodom.
This prophecy has received a most exact and striking ful-
filment in the history of France. During the Revolution,
in 1793, "the world for the first time heard an assembly of
»Ex. 5:2.
270 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
men, born and educated in civilization, and assuming the
right to govern one of the finest of the European nations,
uplift their united voice to deny the most solemn truth
which man's soul receives, and renounce unanimously the
belief and worship of a Deity. " ^ " France is the only
nation in the world concerning which the authentic record
surviA'es, that as a nation she lifted her hand in open re-
bellion against the Author of the universe. Plenty of blas-
phemers, plenty of infidels, there have been, and still
continue to be, in England, Germany, Spain, and elsewhere;
but France stands apart in tlie world's history as the single
state which, by the decree of her Legislative Assembly, pro-
nounced that there was no God, and of which the entire
population of the capital, and a vast majority elsewhere,
women as well as men, danced and sang with joy in accept-
ing the announcement.'"'
France presented also the characteristic which especially
distinguished Sodom. During the Revolution there was
manifest a state of moral debasement and corruption simi-
lar to that which brought destruction upon the cities of the
plain. And the historian presents together the atheism and
the licentiousness of France, as given in the prophecy :
"Intimately connected with these laws affecting religion, was
that which reduced the union of marriage — the most sacred
engagement which human beings can form, and the perma-
nence of which leads most strongly to the consolidation of
society — to the state of a mere civil contract of a transitory
character, which any. two persons might engage in and cast
loose at pleasure. ... If fiends had set themselves to work
to discover a mode of most effectually destroying whatever
is venerable, graceful, or permanent in domestic life, and of
obtaining at the same time an assurance that the mischief
which it was their object to create should be perpetuated
from one generation to another, they could not have in-
vented a more effectual plan than the degradation of mar-
* Seott, Sir Walter, "Life of Napoleon Buonaparte,'*
Vol. I, ch. 17 (ed. 1854).
* Blackwood's Magazine, November, 1870.
THE BIBLE AND THE FRENCH REVOLUTION 271
riage. . . . Sophie Arnoult, an actress famous for the witty
things she said, described the republican marriage as 'the
sacrament of adultery. ' " '
"Where also our Lord was crucified." This specifica-
tion of the prophecy was also fulfilled by France. In no
land had the spirit of enmity against Christ been more
strikingly displayed. In no country had the truth en-
countered more bitter and cruel opposition. In the per-
secution which France had visited upon the confessors of
the gospel, she had crucified Christ in the person of His
disciples.
Century after century the blood of the saints had been
shed. While the Waldenses laid down their lives upon the
mountains of Piedmont "for the word of God, and for
the testimony of Jesus Christ," similar witness to the truth
had been borne by their brethren, the Albigenses of France.
In the days of the Reformation, its disciples had been put
to death with horrible tortures. King and nobles, high-
born women and delicate maidens, the pride and chivalry
of the nation, had feasted their eyes upon the agonies of
the martyrs of Jesus. The brave Huguenots, battling for
those rights which the human heart holds most sacred, had
poured out their blood on many a hard-fought field. The
Protestants were counted as outlaws, a price was set upon
their heads, and they were hunted down like wild beasts.
The "Church in the Desert," the few descendants of
the ancient Christians that still lingered in France in the
eighteenth century, hiding away in the mountains of the
south, still cherished the faith of their fathers. As they
ventured to meet by night on mountainside or lonely moor,
they were chased by dragoons, and dragged away to life-
long slavery in the galleys. The purest, the most refined,
and the most intelligent of the French, were chained, in
horrible torture, amidst robbers and assassins.* Others,
more mercifully dealt with, were shot down in cold blood,
as, unarmed and helpless, they fell upon their knees in
» Seott, Vol. I, ch. 17. » See WyUe, b. 22, ch. 6.
272 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
prayer. Hundreds of aged men, defenseless women, and
innocent children were left dead upon the earth at their
place of meeting. In traversing the mountainside or the
forest, where they had been accustomed to assemble, it was
not unusual to find "at every four paces, dead bodies dotting
the sward, and corpses hanging suspended from the trees."
Their country, laid waste with the sword, the axe, the
fagot, "was converted into one vast, gloomy wilderness."
"These atrocities were enacted ... in no dark age, but
in the brilliant era of Louis XIV. Science was then cul-
tivated, letters flourished, the divines of the court and of
the capital were learned and eloquent men, and greatly
affected the graces of meekness and charity. ' ' '
But blackest in the black catalogue of crime, most hor-
rible among the fiendish deeds of all the dreadful centu-
ries, was the St. Bartholomew Massacre. The world still
recalls with shuddering horror the scenes of that most
cowardly and cruel onslaught. The king of France, urged
on by Romish priests and prelates, lent his sanction to the
dreadful work. A bell, tolling at dead of night, was a
signal for the slaughter. Protestants by thousands, sleep-
ing quietly in their homes, trusting to the plighted honor
of their king, were dragged forth without a warning, and
murdered in cold blood.
As Christ was the invisible leader of His people from
Egyptian bondage, so was Satan the unseen leader of his
subjects in this horrible work of multiplying martyrs. For
seven days the massacre was continued in Paris, the first
three with inconceivable fury. And it was not confined to
the city itself, but by special - order of the king, was ex-
tended to all tile provinces and towns where Protestants
were found. Neither age nor sex was respected. Neither
the innocent babe nor the man of gray hairs was spared.
Noble and peasant, old and young, mother and child, were
cut down together. Throughout France the butchery con-
tinued for two months. Seventy thousand of the very flower
of the nation perished.
* Wylie, b. 22, ch. 7t
THE BIBLE AND THE FRENCH REVOLUTION 273
"When the news of the massacre reached Rome, the
exultation among the clergy knew no bounds. The cardinal
of Lorraine rewarded the messenger with a thousand crowns;
the cannon of St. Angelo thundered forth a joyous salute;
the bells rang out from every steeple; bonfires turned night
into day; and Gregory XIII., attended by the cardinals and
other ecclesiastical dignitaries, w^ent in long procession to
the church of St. Louis, where the cardinal of Lorraine
chanted a Te Deum. ... A medal was struck to com-
memorate the massacre, and in the Vatican may still be
seen three frescoes of Vasari, describing the attack upon
the admiral, the king in council plotting the massacre, and
the massacre itself. Gregory sent Charles the Golden Rose;
and four months after the massacre, ... he listened com-
jilacently to the sermon of a French priest, . . . who spoke
of 'that day so full of happiness and joy, when the most
holy father received the news, and went in solemn state to
render thanks to God and St. Louis.' '"
The same master-spirit that urged on the St. Bartholo-
mew Massacre led also in the scenes of the Revolution.
Jesus Christ was declared to be an impostor, and the rally-
ing cry of the French infidels was, "Crush the Wretch,"
meaning Christ. Heaven-daring blasphemy and abominable
wickedness went hand in hand, and the basest of men, the
most abandoned monsters of cruelty and vice, were most
highly exalted. In all this, supreme homage was paid to
Satan; while Christ, in His characteristics of truth, purity,
and unselfish love, was crucified.
"The beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall
make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill
them." The atheistical power that ruled in France during
the Revolution and the Reign of Terror, did wage such a
war against God and His holy word as the world had
never witnessed. The worship of the Deity was abolished
by the National Assembly. Bibles were collected and pub-
licly burned with every possible manifestation of scorn.
- 'White, Henry, "The Massacre of St. Bartholomew,"
ch. 14, par. 34 (ed. 1871).
274 ■ THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
The law of God was trampled under foot. The institutions
of the Bible were abolished. The weekly rest-day was set
aside, and in its stead eveiy tenth day was devoted to
reveling and blasphemy. Baptism and the communion were
prohibited. And announcements posted conspicuously over
the burial-places declared death to be an eternal sleep.
The fear of God v/as said to be so far from the beginning
of wisdom that it was the beginning of folly. All religious
worship was prohibited, except that of liberty and the
country. The "constitutional bishop of Paris was brought
forward to play the principal part in the most impudent
and scandalous farce ever acted in the face of a national
representation. . . . He was brought forward in full pro-
cession, to declare to the Convention that the religion which
he had taught so many years was, in every respect, a piece
of priestcraft, which had no foundation either in history or
eacred truth. He disowned, in solemn and explicit terms,
the existence of the Deity to whose worship he had been
consecrated, and devoted himself in future to the homage of
liberty, equality, virtue, and morality. He then laid on the
table his episcopal decorations, and received a fraternal
embrace from the president of the Convention. Several
apostate priests followed the example of this prelate. ' ' '
"And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over
them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another;
because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on
the earth." Infidel France had silenced the reproving voice
of God's two witnesses. The Word of truth lay dead in
her streets, and those who hated the restrictions and require-
ments of God's law were jubilant. Men publicly defied
the King of heaven. Like the sinners of old, they cried,
"How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the Most
High?"*
With blasphemous boldness almost beyond belief, one of
the priests of the new order said : ' ' God, if You exist, avenge
Your injured name. I bid You defiance! You remain
silent; You dare not launch Your thunders. Who after
'Scott, Vol, I, cb, J7. *P8. 73:11.
THE BIBLE AND THE FRENCH REVOLUTION 275
this will believe in Your existence ? " ' What an echo is this
of the Pharaoh's demand: "Who is Jehovah, that I should
obey His voice?" "I know not Jehovah!"
' ' The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. ' ' *
And the Lord declares concerning the perverters of the
truth, ' ' Their folly shall be manifest unto all. ' ' ' After
France had renounced the worship of the living God, "the
high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity," it was only
a little time till she descended to degrading idolatry, by
the worship of the Goddess of Reason, in the person of a
profligate woman. And this in the representative assembly
of the nation, and by its highest civil and legislative authori-
ties ! Says the historian : ' ' One of the ceremonies of this
insane time stands unrivaled for absurdity combined with
impiety. The doors of the Convention were thrown open to
a band of musicians, preceded by whom, the members of the
municipal body entered in solemn procession, singing a
hymn in praise of liberty, and escorting, as the object of
their future worship, a veiled female, whom they termed
the Goddess of Reason. Being brought within the bar, she
was unveiled with great form, and placed on the right of
the president, when she was generally recognized as a danc-
ing girl of the opera. ... To this person, as the fittest
representative of that reason whom they worshiped, the
National Convention of France rendered public homage.
"This impious and ridiculous mummery had a certain
fashion; and the installation of the Goddess of Reason was
renewed and imitated throughout the nation, in such places
where the inhabitants desired to shovv themselves equal to
all the heights of the Revolution, ' ' *
Said the orator who introduced the worship of Reason:
"Legislators! Fanaticism has given way to reason. Its
bleared eyes could not endure the brilliancy of the light.
This day an immense concourse has assembled beneath those
gothic vaults, which, for the first time, re-echoed the truth.
^Lacretelle's "History," Vol, XI, p. 309; in Alison's "History
of Europe," Vol. I, eh. 10,
« Pa. 14:1. "2 Tim. 3:9. ♦ Seott, Vol. I, cb, 17.
276 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY vVa Ati'i;
There the French have celebrated the only true worship,—
that of Liberty, that of Reason. There we have formed
wishes for the prosperity of the arms of the Republic.
There we have abandoned inanimate idols for Reason, for
that animated image, the masterpiece of nature."'
When the goddess was brought into the Convention, the
orator took her by the hand, and turning to the assembly
said: "Mortals, cease to tremble before the powerless thun-
ders of a God whom your fears have created. Henceforth
acknowledge no divinity but Reason. I offer you its noblest
and purest image; if you must have idols, sacrifice only to
such as this. . . . Fall before the august Senate of Free-
dom, oh! Veil of Reason! ...
' ' The goddess, after being embraced by the president, was
mounted on a magnificent ear, and conducted, amid an
immense crowd, to the cathedral of Notre Dame, to take
the place of the Deity. There she was elevated on the high
altar, and received the adoration of all present."*
This was followed, not long afterward, by the public
burning of the Bil)le. On one occasion ''the Popular So-
ciety of the Museum" entered the hall of the municipality,
exclaiming, "Vive la Raison!" and carrying on the top of
a pole the half-burned remains of several books, among
others breviaries, missals, and the Old and New Testa-
ments, wliieh "expiated in a great fire," said the president,
"all the fooleries which they have made the lumian race
commit."*
It was popery that had begun the work which atheism was
completing. The policy of Rome had wrought out those corv-
ditions, social, political, and religious, that were hurrying
France on to ruin. Writers, in referring to the horrors ot
the Revolution, say that these excesses are to be charged
upon the throne and the church.* In strict justice they are
to be charged upon the church. Popery had poisoned the
» Thiers, M. A., "History of the French Revolution, " Vol. II, pp. 370, 371.
* Alison, Vol. T, ch. 10. ^Journal of Paris, 1793, No. 318. Quoted
in Buchez-Roux's collection of Parliamentary History, Vol. XXX,
pp. 200, 201. * See Appendix.
THE BIBLE AND THE FRENCH REVOLUTION 277
minds of kings against the Reformation, as an enemy to
the crown, an element of discord that would be fatal to
the peace and harmony of the nation. It was the genius
of Rome that by this means inspired the direst cruelty
and the most galling oppression which proceeded from the
throne.
The spirit of liberty went with the Bible. Wherever
the gospel was received, the minds of the people were
awakened. They began to cast off the shackles that had
held them bond-slaves of ignorance, vice, and superstition.
They began to think and act as men. ]\Ionarchs saw it,
and trembled for their despotism.
Rome was not slow to inflame their jealous fears. Said
the pope to the regent of France in 1525: "This mania
[Protestantism] will not only confound and destroy religion,
but all principalities, nobility, laws, orders, and ranks be-
sides. " ' A few years later a papal nuncio warned the king :
"Sire, be not deceived. The Protestants will upset all civil
as well as religious order. . . . The throne is in as much
danger as the altar. . . . The introduction of a new
religion must necessarily introduce a new government. ' ' '
And theologians appealed to the prejudices of the people
by declaring that the Protestant doctrine "entices men
away to novelties and folly; it robs the king of the de-
voted affection of his subjects, and devastates both church
and state." Thus Rome succeeded in arraying France
against the Reformation. "It was to uphold the throne,
preserve the nobles, and maintain the laws, that the sword
of persecution was first unsheathed in France. " *
Little did the rulers of the land foresee the results of that
fateful policy. The teaching of the Bible would have
implanted in the minds and hearts of the people those prin-
ciples of justice, temperance, truth, equity, and benevolence
which are the very corner-stone of a nation's prosperity,
"Righteousness exalteth a nation." Thereby "the throne is
» F61ice, G. de, "History of the Protestants of France, " b. 1, ch. 2, par. 8.
'D'Aubign6, "History of the Reformation in the Time of
Cahin," b. 2, ch. 36. » Wylie, b. 13, cb. 4.
278 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
established.'" "The work of righteousness shall be peace;"
and the effect, ' ' quietness and assurance forever. ' ' ^ He
who obeys the divine law will most truly respect and obey
the laws of his country. He who fears God will honor
the king in the exercise of all just and legitimate authority.
But unhappy France prohibited the Bible, and banned its
disciples. Century after century, men of principle and in-
tegrity, men of intellectual acuteness and moral strength,
who had the courage to avow their convictions, and the
faith to suffer for the truth, — for centuries these men toiled
as slaves in the galleys, perished at the stake, or rotted in
dungeon cells. Thousands upon thousands found safety in
flight; and this continued for two hundred and fifty years
after the opening of the lieformation.
"Scarcely was there a generation of Frenchmen during
that long period that did not A\dtness the disciples of the
gospel fleeing before the insane fury of the persecutor, and
carrying ^vith them the intelligence, the arts, the industry,
the order, in which, as a rule, they pre-eminently excelled,
to enrich the lands in which they found an asylum. And
in proportion as they replenished other countries with these
good gifts, did they empty their own of them. If all
that was now driven away had been retained in France;
if, during these three hundred years, the industrial skill
of the exiles had been cultivating her soil; if, during these
three hundred years, their artistic bent had been improving
her manufactures; if, during these three hundred years,
their creative genius and analytic power had been enriching
her literature and cultivating her science; if their wisdom
had been guiding her councils, their bravery fighting her
battles, their equity framing her laws, and the religion of
the Bible strengthening the intellect and governing the
conscience of her people, what a glory would at this day
have encompassed France! What a great, prosperous, and
happy country — a pattern to the nations — would she
have been !
»Prov. 14:34- 16:12. » Isa. 32:17.
THE BIBLE AND THE FRENCH REVOLUTION 279
"But a blind and inexorable bigotry chased from her soil
every teacher of virtue, every champion of order, every hon-
est defender of the throne; it said to the men who would
have made their country a 'renown and glory' in the earth,
Choose which you will have, a stake or exile. At last the
ruin of the state was complete ; there remained no more
conscience to Ve proscribed; no more religion to be dragged
to the stake ; no more patriotism to be chased into banish-
ment. ' ' ^ And the Revolution, with all its horrors, was the
dire result.
"With the flight of the Huguenots a general decline set-
tled upon France. Flourishing manufacturing cities fell
into decay; fertile districts returned to their native wild-
ness; intellectual dulness and moral declension succeeded
a period of unwonted progress. Paris became one vast
almshouse, and it is estimated that, at the breaking out of
the Revolution, two hundred thousand paupers claimed
charity from the hands of the king. The Jesuits alone
flourished in the decaying nation, and ruled with dreadful
tyranny over churches and schools, the prisons and the
galleys. "
The gospel would have brought to France the solution of
those political and social problems that baffled the skill of
her clergy, her king, and her legislators, and finally plunged
the nation into anarchy and ruin. But under the domina-
tion of Rome the people had lost the Saviour's blessed les-
sons of self-sacrifice and unselfish love. They had been led
away from the practice of self-denial for the good of others.
The rich had found no rebuke for their oppression of the
poor, the poor no help for their servitude and degradation.
The selfishness of the Avealthy and powerful grew more and
more apparent and oppressive. For centuries the greed
and profligacy of ithe noble resulted in grinding extortion
toward the peasant. The rich wronged the poor, and the
poor hated the rich.
In many provinces the estates were held by the nobles,
and the laboring classes were only tenants; they were at the
>WyHe, b. 13, ch. 20.
280 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
mercy of their landlords, and were forced to submit to
their exorbitant demands. The burden of supporting both
the church and the state fell upon the middle and lower
classes, who were heavily taxed by the civil authorities and
by the clergy. "The pleasure of the nobles was considered
the supreme law; the farmers and the peasants might starve,
for aught their oppressors cared. . . . The people were
compelled at every turn to consult the exclusive interest of
the landlord. The lives of the agricultural laborers were
lives of incessant work and unrelieved misery; their com-
plaints, if they ever dared to complain, were treated with
insolent contempt. The courts of justice would always listen
to a noble as against a peasant ; bribes were notoriously
accepted by the judges; and the merest caprice of the aris-
tocracy had the force of law, by virtue of this system
of universal corruption. Of the taxes wrung from the
commonalty, by the secular magnates on the one hand, and
the clergy on the other, not half ever found its way into
the royal or episcopal treasury; the rest was sciuandered in
profligate self-indulgence. And the men who thus impov-
erished their fellovv-subjocts were themselves exempt from
taxation, and entitled by law or custom to all the appoint-
ments of the state. The privileged classes numbered a
hundred and fifty thousand, and for their gratification
millions were condemned to hopeless and degrading lives. ' ' '
The court was given up to luxury and profligacy. There
was little confidence existing between the people and the
rulers. Suspicion fastened upon all the measures of the
government, as designing and selfish. For more than half
a century before the time of the Revolution, the throne was
occupied by Louis XV., who, even in those evil times, was
distinguished as an indolent, frivolous, and sensual monarch.
With a depraved and cruel aristocracy and an impoverished
and ignorant lower class, the state financially embarrassed,
and the people exasperated, it needed no prophet's eye to
foresee a terrible impending outbreak. To the warnings of
his counselors the king was accustomed to reply, "Try to
* See Appendix.
THE BIBLE AND THE FRENCH REVOLUTION 281
make things go on as long as I am likely to live; after my
death it may be as it will." It was in vain that the neces-
sity of reform was urged. He saw the evils, but had neither
the courage nor the power to meet them. The doom await-
ing France was but too truly pictured in his indolent and
selfish answer, — "After me, the deluge!"
By working upon the jealousy of the kings and the rul-
ing classes, Rome had influenced them to keep the people in
bondage, well knowing that the state would thus be weak-
ened, and purposing by this means to fasten both rulers and
people in her thrall. With far-sighted policy she perceived
that in order to enslave men effectually, the shackles must be
bound upon their souls; that the surest way to prevent them
from escaping their bondage was to render them incapable
of freedom. A thousandfold more terrible than the physical
suffering which resulted from lier policy, was the moral deg-
radation. Deprived of the Bible, and abandoned to the
teacliings of bigotry and sellishness, the people were shrouded
in ignorance and superstition, and sunken in vice, so that
they were wholly unfitted for self-government.
But the outworking of all this was widely different from
what Rome had purposed. Instead of holding the masses in
a blind submission to her dogmas, her work resulted in
making them infidels and revolutionists. Romanism they
despised as priestcraft. They beheld the clergy as a party to
their oppression. The only god they knew was the god of
Rome; her teaching was their only religion. They regarded
her greed and cruelty as the legitimate fruit of the Bible,
and they would have none of it.
Rome had misrepresented the character of God, and per-
verted His requirements, and now men rejected botli the
Bible and its Author. She had retiuired a blind faith in her
dogmas, under the pretended sanction of the Scriptures. In
the reaction, Voltaire and his associates cast aside God's word
altogether, and spread everywhere the poison of infidelity.
Rome had ground down the people under her iron heel; and
now the masses, degraded and brutalized, in their recoil from
282 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
her tyranny, cast off all restraint. Enraged at the glitter-
ing cheat to which they had so long paid homage, they re-
jected truth and falsehood together ; and mistaking license for
liberty, the slaves of vice exulted in their imagined freedom.
At the opening of the Revolution, by a concession of the
king, the people were granted a representation exceeding
that of the nobles and the clergy combined. Thus the bal-
ance of power was in their hands; but they were not pre-
pared to use it witli wisdom and moderation. Eager to
redress the wrongs they had suffered, they determined to
undertake the reconstruction of society. An outraged popu-
lace, whose minds were filled with bitter and long-treasured
memories of wrong, resolved to revolutionize the state of
misery that had grown unbearable, and to revenge them-
selves upon those whom they regarded as the authors of
their sufferings. The oppressed wrought out the lesson they
had learned under tyranny, and became the oppressors of
those who had oppressed them.
Unhappy France reaped in blood the harvest slie had
sown. Terrible were the results of her sul)mission to the
controlling power of Rome. "Where France, under the in-
fluence of Romanism, had set up the first stake at the open-
ing of the Reformation, there the Revolution set up its first
guillotine. On the very spot where the first martyrs to the
Protestant faith were burned in the sixteenth century, the
first victims were guillotined in the eighteenth. In repell-
ing the gospel, which would have brought her healing,
France had opened the door to infidelity and ruin. When
the restraints of God's law were cast aside, it was found
that the laws of man were inadequate to hold in check the
powerful tides of liuman passion; and the nation swept on
to revolt and anarchy. The war against the Bible inaug-
urated an era which stands in the world's history as "The
Reign of Terror." Peace and happiness were banished from
the homes and hearts of men. No one was secure. He who
triumphed to-day was suspected, condemned, to-morrow.
Violence and lust held undisputed sway.
THE BIBLE AND THE FRENCH REVOLUTION 283
King, clergy, and nobles were compelled to submit to the
atrocities of an excited and maddened people. Their thirst
for vengeance was only stimulated by the execution of the
king; and those who had decreed his death, soon followed
him to the scaffold. A general slaughter of all suspected
of hostility to the Revolution was determined. The prisons
were crowded, at one time containing more than two hun-
dred thousand captives. The cities of the kingdom were
filled with scenes of horror. One party of revolutionists was
against another party, and France became a vast field for
contending masses, swayed by the fury of their passions.
"In Paris one tumult succeeded another, and the citizens
were divided into a medley of factions, that seemed intent
on nothing but mutual extermination." And to add to the
general misery, the nation became involved in a prolonged
and devastating war with the great powers of Europe.
"The country was nearly bankrupt, the armies were clam-
oring for arrears of pay, the Parisians were starving, the
provinces were laid waste by brigands, and civilization was
almost extinguished in anarchy and license."
All too well the people had learned the lessons of cruelty
and torture which Rome had so diligently taught. A day
of retribution at last had come. It was not now the dis-
ciples of Jesus that were thrust into dungeons and dragged
to the stake. Long ago these had perished or been driven
into exile. Unsparing Rome now felt the deadly power of
those whom she had trained to delight in deeds of blood.
"The example of persecution which the clergy of France
had exhibited for so many ages, was now retorted upon
thera with signal vigor. The scaffolds ran red with the
blood of the priests. The galleys and the prisons, once
crowded wnth Huguenots, were now filled \nth their per-
secutors. Chained to the bench and toiling at the oar,
the Roman Catholic clergy experienced all those woes
which their church had so freely inflicted on the gentle
heretics. ' ' *
*See Appendix.
284 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
"Then came those days wlien the most barbarous of all
codes was administered by the most barbarous of all tribu-
nals; when no man could greet his neighbors or say his
prayers . . . without danger of committing a capital crime;
when spies lurked in every corner; when the guillotine was
long and hard at work every morning; when the jails were
filled as close as the holds of a slave-ship ; when the gut-
ters ran foaming with blood into the Seine. . . . While
the daily Avagon-loads of victims were carried to their doom
through the streets of Paris, the proconsuls, whom the
sovereign committee had sent forth to the departments,
reveled in an extravagance of cruelty unknown even in the
capital. The knife of the deadly machine rose and fell too
slow for their work of slaughter. Long rows of captives
were mowed doA^^l with grape-shot. Holes were made in
the l)Ottom of crowded barges. Lyons was turned into a
desert. At Arras even the cruel mercy of a speedy death
was denied to the prisoners. All down the Loire, from
Saumur to the sea, great flocks of crows and kites feasted on
naked corpses, twined together in hideous embraces. No
mercy was shown to sex or age. The number of young
lads and of girls of seventeen who were murdered by that
execrable government, is to be reckoned by hundreds. Babies
torn from the breast were tossed from pike to pike along
the Jacobin ranks."' In the short space of ten years, mul-
titudes of human beings perished.
All this was as Satan would have it. This was what for
ages he had been working to secure. His policy is deception
from first to last, and his steadfast purpose is to bring woe
and wretchedness upon men, to deface and defile the work-
manship of God, to mar the divine purposes of benevolence
and love, and thus cause grief in heaven. Then by his
deceptive arts he blinds the minds of men, and leads them to
throw back the blame of his work upon God, as if all this
miseiy were the result of the Creator's plan. In like
manner, when those w^ho have been degraded and brutalized
*See Appendix.
THE BIBLE AND THE FRENCH REVOLUTION 285
through ' his cruel power achieve their freedom, he urges
them on to excesses and atrocities. Then this picture of
unbridled license is pointed out by tyrants and oppressors
as an illustration of the results of liberty.
When error in one garb has been detected, Satan only
masks it in a different disguise, and multitudes receive it as
eagerly as at the first. When the people found Romanism
to be a deception, and he could not through this agency
lead them to transgression of God's law, he urged them to
regard all religion as a cheat, and the Bible a fable; and
casting aside the divine statutes, they gave themselves up to
unbridled iniquity.
The fatal error which wrought such woe for the inhab-
itants of France was the ignoring of this one great truth:
that true freedom lies within the proscriptions of the law of
God. "0 that thou hadst hearkened to My command-
ments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy right-
eousness as the w^aves of the sea." "There is no peace,
saith the Lord, unto the wicked." "But whoso hearkeneth
unto i\Ie shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear
of evil."'
Atheists, infidels, and apostates oppose and denounce
God's law; but the results of their influence prove that the
well-being of man is bound up with his obedience of the
divine statutes. Those who will not read the lesson from
the book of God, are bidden to read it in the history of
nations.
When Satan wrought through the Roman Church to
lea.d men away from obedience, his agency was concealed,
and his work was so disguised that the degradation and
misery which resulted were not seen to be the fruit of trans-
gression. And his power was so far counteracted by the
working of the Spirit of God, that his purposes were pre-
vented from reaching their full fruition. The people did
not trace the effect to its cause, and discover the source
of their miseries. But in the Revolution, the law of God
»Isa. 48:18, 22; Prov. 1:33.
286 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
was openly set aside by the National Council. And in the
Reign of Terror which followed, the working of cause and
effect could be seen by all.
When France publicly rejected God and set aside the
Bible, wicked men and spirits of darkness exulted in their
attainment of the object so long desired, — a kingdom free
from the restraints of the law of God. Because sentence
against an evil work was not speedily executed, therefore
the heart of the sons of men was "fully set in them to do
evil."' But the transgression of a just and righteous law
must inevitably result in misery and ruin. Though not
visited at once with judgments, the wickedness of men was
nevertheless surely working out their doom. Centuries of
apostasy and crime had been treasuring up wrath against
the day of retribution; and when their iniquity was full,
the despisers of God learned too late that it is a fearful
thing to have Avorn out the divine patience. The restrain-
ing Spirit of God, which imposes a check upon the cruel
power of Satan, was in a great measure removed, and he
whose only delight is the wretchedness of men, was per-
mitted to work his will. Those who had chosen the service
of rebellion, were left to reap its fruits, until the land was
filled with crimes too horrible for pen to trace. From
devastated provinces and ruined cities a terrible cry was
heard, — a cry of bitterest anguish. France was shaken as
if by an earthquake. Religion, law, social order, the fam-
ily, the state, and the church, — all were smitten down by
the impious hand that had been lifted against the law of
God. Truly spake the wise man : ' ' The wicked shall fall
by his own wickedness." "Though a sinner do evil a
hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know
that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear
before Him : but it shall not be well with the wicked. ' ' '
"They hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the
Lord;" "therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own
way, and be filled with their own devices. * ' '
'Eccl. 8:11-13. »Prov. 1:29, 31.
THE BIBLE AND THE FRENCH REVOLUTION 287
God's faithful witnesses, slain by the blasphemous power
that "ascendeth out of the bottomless pit," were not long
to remain silent. "After three days and a half the Spirit
of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon
their feet ; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. ' ' '
It was in 1793 that the decrees which abolished the Christian
religion and set aside the Bible, passed the French Assembly.
Three years and a half later a resolution rescinding these de-
crees, thus granting toleration to the Scriptures, was adopted
by the same body. The world stood aghast at the enormity
of guilt which had resulted from a rejection of the Sacred
Oracles, and men recognized the necessity of faith in God
and His word as the foundation of virtue and morality. Saith
the Lord, "Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed?
and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, and lifted up
thine eyes on high ? even against the Holy One of Israel. ' ' '
"Therefore, behold, I will this once cause them to know,
T will cause them to know Mine hand and My might; and
they shall know that My name is Jehovah. ' ' ^
Concerning the two witnesses, the prophet declares
further: "And they heard a great voice from heaven say-
ing unto them. Come up hither. And they ascended up
to heaven in a cloud ; and their enemies beheld them. ' ' *
Since France made war upon God's two wdtnesses, they have
been honored as never before. In 1804 the British and
Foreign Bible Society was organized. This was followed
by similar organizations, with numerous branches, upon the
continent of Europe. In 1816 the American Bible Society
was founded. When the British Society was formed, the
Bible had been printed and circulated in fifty tongues. It
has since been translated into more than four hundred lan-
guages and dialects."
For the fifty years preceding 1792, little attention was
given to the work of foreign missions. No new societies
were formed, and there were but few churches that made
'Rev. 11:11. 'Isa. 37:23. ' Jer. 16:21.
•Rev. 11:12. "See Appendix.
288 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
any effort foir the spread of Christianity in heathen lands.
But toward the close of the eighteenth century a great
change took place. Men became dissatisfied with the results
of rationalism, and realized the necessity of divine revela-
tion and experimental religion. From this time the work of
foreign missions attained an unprecedented growth. '
The improvements in printing have given an impetus
to the work of circulating the Bible. The increased facilities
for communication between different countries, the breaking
dowTi of ancient barriers of prejudice and national exclu-
siveness, and the loss of secular power by the pontiff of
Rome, linve opened the way for the entrance of the word
of God. For some years the Bible has been sold \vithout re-
straint in the streets of Rome, and it has now been carried
to every part of the habitable globe.
The infidel Voltaire once boastingly said: "I am weary
of hearing people repeat that twelve men established the
Christian religion. I will prove that one man may suffice
to overthrow it." A century has passed since his death.
Millions have joined in 'the war upon the Bible. But it is
so far from being destroyed, that where there were a
hundred in Voltaire's time, there are now ten thousand, yes,
a hundred thousand copies of the Book of God. In the
words of an early Reformer concerning the Christian church,
"The Bible is an anvil that has worn out many hammers."
Saith the Lord, "No weapon that is formed against thee
shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee
in judgment thou shalt condemn.""'
"The word of our God shall stand forever." "All His
commandments are sure. They stand fast forever and ever,
and are done in truth and uprightness." ' Whatever is built
upon the authority of man will be overthrown; but that
which is founded upon the rock of God's immutable word
shall stand forever.
^ See Appendix. *Isa. 54:17. »Isa. 40:8; Ps. 111:7, 8.
THE PILGRIM FATHERS~16
The English Reformers, while renouncing the doctrines
of Romanism, had retained many of its forms. Thus
though the authority and the creed of Rome were rejected,
not a few of her customs and ceremonies were incorporated
into the worship of the Church of England. It was claimed
that these things were not matters of conscience; that
though they were not commanded in Scripture, and hence
were non-essential, yet not l)eing forbidden, they were not
intrinsically evil. Their observance tended to narrow the
gulf which separated the reformed churches from Rome,
and it was urged that they would promote the acceptance of
the Protestant faith by Romanists.
To the conservative and compromising, these arguments
seemed conclusive. But there was another class that did
not so judge. The fact that these customs "tended to
bridge over the chasm between Rome and the Reforma-
tion,"' was in their view a conclusive argument against
retaining them. They looked upon them as badges of the
slavery from which they had been delivered, and to which
they had no disposition to return. They reasoned that
Cod has in Ilis word esta])lislied the regulations governing
Ilis worship, and that men are not at liberty to adtl to
these or to detract from them. The very beginning of the
great apostasy was in seeking to supplement the authority
'Martjn, Vol. V, o. 22.
(289*.
10— (•;.(,'- ^
290 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
of God by that of the church. Rome began by enjoining
what God had not forbidden, and she ended by forbidding
what He had explicitly enjoined.
Many earnestly desired to return to the purity and sim
plicity Avhich characterized the primitive church. They
regarded many of the established customs of the English
Church as monuments of idolatry, and they could not in
conscience unite in her worship. But the church, being
supported by the civil authority, would permit no dissent
from her forms. Attendance upon her service was required
by law, and unauthorized assemblies for religious worship
were prohibited, under penalty of imprisonment, exile, and
death.
At the opening of the seventeenth century the monarch
who had just ascended the throne of England declared his
determination to make the Puritans "conform, or . . .
harry them out of the land, or else worse. ' ' ' Hunted, per-
secuted, and imprisoned, they could discern in the future
no promise of better days, and many yielded to the con-
viction that for such as would serve God according to the
dictates of their conscience, "England v/as ceasing forever
to be a habitable place.'"' Some at last determined to seek
refuge in Holland. Difficulties, losses, and imprisonment
were encountered. Their purposes were thwarted, and they
were betrayed into the hands of their enemies. But stead-
fast perseverance finally conquered, and they found shelter
on the friendly shores of the Dutch Republic.
In their flight they had left their houses, their goods, and
their means of livelihood. They were strangers in a strange
land, among a people of different language and customs.
They were forced to resort to new and untried occupations
to earn their bread. Middle-aged men, who had spent their
lives in tilling the soil, had now to learn mechanical trades.
But they cheerfully accepted the situation, and lost no time
in idleness or repining. Though often pinched with pov-
* Bancroft, George, "History of the United States of America,"
Part I, eh. 12, par. 6.
*Palfre7, J. G., "History of New England," ch. 3, par. 43.
THE PILGRIM FATHERS 291
erty, they thanked God for the blessings which were still
granted them, and found their joy in unmolested spiritual
communion. "They knew they were pilgrims, and looked
not much on those things, but lifted up their eyes to
heaven, their dearest country, and quieted their spirits. ' ' *
In the midst of exile and hardship, their love and faith
waxed strong. They trusted the Lord's promises, and He
did not fail them in time of need. His angels were by their
side, to encourage and support them. And when God's
hand seemed pointing them across the sea, to a land where
they might found for themselves a state, and leave to their
children the precious heritage of religious liberty, they
went forward, without shrinking, in the path of providence.
God had permitted trials to come upon His people to pre-
pare them for the accomplishment of His gracious purpose
toward them. The church had been brought low, that she
might be exalted. God was about to display His power in
her behalf, to give to the world another evidence that He
will not forsake those who trust in Him. He had overruled
events to cause the wrath of Satan and the plots of evil
men to advance His glory, and to bring His people to a
place of security. Persecution and exile were opening the
way to freedom.
When first constrained to separate from the English
Church, the Puritans had joined themselves together by a
solemn covenant, as the Lord's free people, "to walk to-
gether in all His ways made known or to be made known
to them, ' ' ^ Here Avas the true spirit of reform, the vital
principle of Protestantism. It was with this purpose that,
the Pilgrims departed from Holland to find a home in the
New World. John Robinson, their pastor, who was provi-
dentially prevented from accompanying them, in his fare-
well address to the exiles said :
"Brethren, we are now erelong to part asunder, and the
Lord knoweth whether I shall live ever to see your faces
more. But whether the Lord hath appointed it or not, I
' Bancroft, Part T, ch 12, par. 15.
* Brown, J., "The Pilgrim Fathers," p, 74.
292 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
charge you before God and His blessed angels to follow
me no farther than I have followed Christ. If God should
reveal anything to you by any other instrument of His, be
as ready to receive it as ever you were to receive any
truth of my ministry; for I am very confident the Lord
hath more truth and light yet to break forth out of His
holy word. ' ' *
"For my part, I cannot sufficiently bewail the condi-
tion of the reformed churches, who are come to a period
in religion, and will go at present no farther than the in-
struments of their reformation. The Lutherans cannot be
drawn to go beyond what Luther saw; . . . and the Cal-
vinists, you see, stick fast where they were left by that
great man of God, who yet saw not all things. This is a
misery much to be lamented; for though they Avere burn-
ing and shining lights in their time, yet they penetrated
not into the Avhole counsel of God, but were they now
li\dng, would be as willing to embrace further light as
that which they first received."'
"Remember your church covenant, in which you have
agreed to walk in all the ways of the Lord, made or to be
made known unto you. Remember your promise and cove-
nant with God and with one another, to receive whatever
light and truth shall be made known to you from His
written word; but withal, take heed, I beseech you, Avhat
you receive for truth, and compare it and weigh it with
other scriptures of truth before you accept it; for it is
not possible the Christian world should come so lately out
of such thick antichristian darkness, and that full per-
fection of knowledge should break forth at once. "V
It was the desire for liberty of conscience that inspired
the Pilgrims to brave the perils of the long journey across
the sea, to endure the hardships and dangers of the wilder-
ness, and with God's blessing to lay, on the shores of
America, the foundation of a mighty nation. Yet honest
' Martyn, Vol. V, p. 70.
'Neal, D., "History of the Puritans," Vol. I, p. 269 (two-vol. ed. 1848).
3 Martyn, Vol. V, pp. 70, 71.
THE PILGRIM FATHERS 293
and God-fearing as they were, the Pilgrims did not yet
comprehend the great principle of religious liberty. The
freedom which they sacrificed so much to secure for them-
selves, they were not equally ready to grant to others.
"Very few, even of the foremost thinkers and moralists of
the seventeenth century, had any just conception of that
grand principle, the outgrowth of the New Testament, which
acknowledges God as the sole judge of human faith."' The
doctrine that God has conmiitted to the church the right
to control the conscience, and to define and punish heresy,
is one of the most deeply rooted of papal errors. While the
Reformers rejected the creed of Rome, they were not entirely
free from her spirit of intolerance. The dense darkness in
which, through the long ages of her rule, popery liad envel-
oped all Christendom, had not even yet been wholly dissi-
pated. Said one of the leading ministers in the colony of
Massachusetts Bay: "It was toleration that made the world
antichristian ; and the church never took harm by the pun-
ishment of heretics. ' ' " The regulation was adopted by the
colonists, that only church-members should have a voice in
the civil government. A kind of state church was formed,
all the people being required to contribute to the support of
the clergy, and the magistrates being authorized to suppress
heresy. Thus the secular power was in the hands of the
church. It was not long before these measures led to the
iinevitable result — persecution.
Eleven years after the planting of the first colony, Roger
Williams came to the New World. Like the early Pilgrims,
he came to enjoy religious freedom; but unlike them, he
saw — what so few in his time had yet seen — that this free-
dom was the inalienable right of all, whatever might be
their creed. He was an earnest seeker for truth, with Robin-
son holding it impossible that all the light from God's word
had yet been received. Williams "was the first person in
modern Christendom to establish civil government on the
doctrine of the liberty of conscience, the equality of opinions
^Maityn, Vol. V, p. 297. ^dem. p. 335.
294 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
before the law. " * He declared it to be the duty of the
magistrate to restrain crime, but never to control the con-
science. "The public or the magistrates may decide," he
said, ' ' what is due from man to man ; but when they at-
tempt to prescribe a man's duties to God, they are out
of place, and there can be no safety; for it is clear that
if the magistrate has the power, he may decree one set of
opinions or beliefs to-day and another to-morrow; as has
been done in England })y different kings and queens, and
by different popes and councils in the Roman Church; so
that belief would become a heap of confusion.""
Attendance at the services of the established church was
required under a penalty of fine or imprisonment. "Will-
iams reprobated the law; the worst statute in the English
code was that which did but enforce attendance upon the
parish church. To compel men to unite with those of a
different creed, he regarded as an open violation of their
natural rights; to drag to public worship the irreligious and
the unwilling, seemed only like requiring hypocrisy. . . .
'No one should be bound to worship, or,' he added, 'to
maintain a worship, against his own consent.' 'What!' ex-
claimed his antagonists, amazed at his tenets, 'is not the
laborer worthy of his hire?' 'Yes,' replied he, 'from
them that hire him.' "*
Roger Williams was respected and beloved as a faithful
minister, a man of rare gifts, of unbending integrity and
true benevolence; yet his steadfast denial of the right of
civil magistrates to authority over the church, and his
demand for religious liberty, could not be tolerated. The
application of this new doctrine, it was urged, would "sub-
vert the fundamental state and government of the country. ' ' *
He was sentenced to ])anishment from the colonies, and
finally, to avoid arrest, he was forced to flee, amid the cold
and storms of winter, into the unbroken forest.
"For fourteen weeks," he says, "I was sorely tossed
in a bitter season, not knowing what bread or bed did
' Bancroft, Part I, ch. 15, par. 16. " Martyn, Vol. V, p. 340.
' Bancroft, Part I, ch. 15, par. 2. * Idem, par. 10.
THE PILGRIM FATHERS 295
mean." But "the ravens fed me in the wilderness," and
a hollow tree often served him for a shelter/ Thus he
continued his painful flight through the snow and the
trackless forest, until he found refuge with an Indian tribe
whose confidence and affection he had won while endeavor-
ing to teach them the truths of the gospel.
Making his way at last, after months of change and
wandering, to the shores of Narragansett Bay, he there
laid the foundation of the first state of modern times that
in the fuUest sense recognized the right of religious free-
dom. The fundamental principle of Roger Williams's col-
ony, was "that every man should have liberty to worship
God according to the light of his own conscience. ' ' "^ His
little State, Rhode Island, became the asylum of the op-
pressed, and it increased and prospered until its founda-
tion principles — civil and religious liberty — became the
corner-stones of the American Republic.
In that grand old document which our forefathers set
forth as their bill of rights — the Declaration of Inde-
pendence — they declared: "We hold thes,e truths to be
self-evident, that all men are created equal ; that they are
endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights;
that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of hap-
piness." And the Constitution guarantees, in the most
explicit terms, the inviolability of conscience: "No religious
test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office
of public trust under the United States." "Congress shall
make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or pro-
hibiting the free exercise thereof."
"The framers of the (constitution recognized the eternal
principle that man's relation with his God is al)ove human
legislation, and his rights of conscience inalienable. Reason-
ing was not necessary to establish this truth ; we are con-
scious of it in our own bosoms. It is this consciousness
which, in defiance of human laws, has sustained so many
martyrs in tortures and fiames. Tliey felt that their duty to
God was superior to human enactments, and that man could
' Martyu, Vol. V, pp. 349, 350. ' Idem, p. 354.
296 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
exercise no authority over their consciences. It is an inborn
principle which nothing can eradicate. ' ' '
As the tidings spread through the countries of Europe,
of a land where every man might enjoy the fruit of his owii
labor and obey the convictions of his conscience, thousands
flocked to the shores of the New World. Colonies rapidlj
multiplied. "Massachusetts, by special law, offered freo
welcome and aid, at the public cost, to Christians of any
nationality who might fly beyond tlie Atlantic 'to escape
from wars or famine, or the oppression of their perse-
cutors.' Thus the fugitive and the downtrodden were,
by statute, made the guests of the commonwealth. " '' In
twenty years from the first landing at Plymouth, as many
thousand Pilgrims were settled in New England.
To secure the object which they sought, "they were eon-
tent to earn a bare subsistence by a life of frugality and
toil. Tliey asked nothing from the soil but the reasonable
returns of their own labor. No golden vision threw a de-
ceitful halo around their patli. . . . Tliey were content with
the slow but steady progress of their social polity. They
patiently endured the privations of tlie wilderness, water-
ing the tree of liberty with their tears, and with the sweat
of their brow, till it took deep root in the land."
The Bible was held as the foundation of faith, the source
of wisdom, and the charter of liberty. Its principles were
diligently taught in the home, in the school, and in the
church, and its fruits were manifest in thrift, intelligence
purity, and temperance. One might be for years a dweller
in the Puritan settlements, "and not see a drunkard, or
hear an oath, or meet a beggar."^ It was demonstrated
that the principles of the Bible are the surest safeguards of
national greatness. The feeble and isolated colonies grew
to a confederation of powerful States, and the world marked
with wonder the peace and prosperity of "a church with-
out a pope, and a state without a king."
But continually increasing numbers were attracted to
the shores of America, actuated by motives widely different
* Congressional Documents (U. S. A.), Serial No. 200, Document No. 271.
* Martyn, Vol. V, p. 417. " Bancroft, Part I, eh. 19, par. 25.
THE PILGRIM FATHERS 297
from those of the first Pilgrims. Though the primitive
faith and purity exerted a wide-spread and moulding power,
yet its influence became less and less as the numbers in-
creased of those who sought only worldly advantage.
The regulation adopted by the early colonists, of per-
mitting only members of the church to vote or to hold
office in the ciAdl government, led to most pernicious results.
This measure liad been accepted as a means of preserv-
ing the purity of the state, but it resulted in the corrup-
tion of the church. A profession of religion being the
condition of suffrage and office-holding, many, actuated
solely by motives of worldly policy, united with the church
without a change of heart. Thus the churches came to
consist, to a considerable extent, of unconverted persons;
and even in the ministry were those who not only held
errors of doctrine, but who were ignorant of the renewing
power of tlie Holy Spirit. Thus again was demonstrated
the evil results, so often witnessed in the history of the
church from the days of Constantine to the present, of
attempting to build up the church by the aid of the state,
of appealing to the secular power in support of the gospel of
Him who declared, ' ' IMy kingdom is not of this world. ' ' *
The union of the church with the state, be the degree never
so slight, while it may appear to bring the Avorld nearer to
the church, does in reality but bring the church nearer to
the world.
The great principle so nobly advocated by Robinson and
Roger Williams, that truth is progressive, that Christians
should stand ready to accept all the light which may shine
from God's holy word, was lost sight of by their descend-
ants. The Protestant churches of America — and those of
Europe as well — so highly favored in receiving the bless-
ings of the Reformation, failed to press forward in the path
of reform. Though a few faithful men arose, from time to
time, to proclaim new truth and expose long-cherished error,
the majority, like the Jews in Christ's day or the papists in
the time of Luther, were content to believe as their fathers
'John 18:36.
298 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
had believed, and to live as they had lived. Therefore
religion again degenerated into formalism; and errors and
superstitions which would have been cast aside had the
church continued to walk in the light of God's word, were
retained and cherished. Thus the spirit inspired by the
Reformation gradually died out, until there was almost as
great need of reform in the Protestant churches as in the
Roman Church in the time of Luther. Therfe was the same
worldliness and spiritual stupor, a similar reverence for the
opinions of men, and substitution of human theories for
the teachings of God's word.
The \^dde circulation of the Bible in the early part of
the nineteenth century, and the great light thus shed upon
the world, was not followed by a corresponding advance in
knowledge of revealed truth, or in experimental religion.
Satan could not, as in former ages, keep God's word from
the people; it had been placred within the reach of all; but
in order still to accomplish his object, he led many to value
it but lightly. Men neglected to search the Scriptures, and
thus they continued to accept false interpretations, and to
eheiish doctrines which had no foundation in the Bible.
Seeing the failure of his efforts to crush out the truth by
persecution, Satan had again resorted to the plan of com-
promise which led to the great apostasy and the formation
of the Church of Rome. He had induced Christians to
ally themselves, not now with pagans, but with those who,
by their devotion to the things of this world, had proved
themselves to' be as truly idolaters as were the worshipers of
graven images. And the results of this union were no less
pernicious now than in former ages; pride and extravagance
were fostered under the guise of religion, and the churches
became corrupted. Satan continued to pervert the doctrines
of the Bible, and traditions that were to ruin millions were
taking deep root. The -church was upholding and defend-
ing these traditions, instead of contending for "the faith
which was once delivered to the saints." Thus were de-
graded the principles for which the Reformers had done
and suffered so much.
HERALDS OF THE MORNING-17
One of the most solemn and yet most glorious truths
revealed in the Bible is that of Christ's second coming,
to complete the great work of redemption. To God's pil-
grim people, so long left to sojourn in "the region and
shadow of death," a precious, joy-inspiring hope is given
in the promise of His appearing, who is "the resurrection
and the life," to "bring home again His banished." The
doctrine of the second advent is the very key-note of the
Sacred Scriptures. From the day when the first pair turned
their sorrowing steps from Eden, the children of faith have
waited the coming of the Promised One to break the des-
troyer 's power and bring them again to the lost Paradise.
Holy men of old looked forward to the advent of the
Messiah in glory, as the consummation of their hope.
Enoch, only the seventh in descent from them that dwelt
in Eden, he who for three centuries on earth walked with
his God, was permitted to behold from afar the coming of
the Deliverer, "Behold," he declared, "the Lord cometh
with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment upon
all. ' ' ^ The patriarch Job in the night of his affliction ex-
claimed with unshaken trust-. "I know that my Redeemer
liveth, and tliat He shall stand at the latter day upon the
earth : ... in my flesh shall I see God : whom I shall see for
myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another. ' ' '
'Jude 14,15. *Job 19:25-27.
(299)
300 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
The coming of Christ to usher in the reign of righteous-
ness, has inspired the most sublime and impassioned utter-
ances of the sacred writers. The poets and prophets of the
Bible have dwelt upon it in words glowing with celestial
fire. The psalmist sung of the power and majesty of Israel's
King: "Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath
shined. Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence.
. . . He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the
earth, that He may judge His people. " ' " Let the heavens
rejoice, and let the earth be glad . . . before the Lord: for
He cometh, for He cometh to judge the earth: He shall
judge the world with righteousness, and the people with
His truth."*
Said the prophet Lsaiah: "Awake and sing, ye that dwell
in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the eartli
shall cast out the dead." "Thy dead men shall live, to-
gether with my dead body shall they arise." "He will swal-
low up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away
tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of His people shall
He take away from off all the earth : for the Lord hath
spoken it. And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our
God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us: this
is the Lord; we have waited for Him, we will be glad and
rejoice in His salvation."*
And Habakkuk, rapt in holy vision, beheld His appearing.
"God came from Teman, and the Holy One froiu Mount
Paran. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was
full of His praise. And His brightness was as the light."
"He stood, and measured the earth: He beheld, and drove
asunder the nations; and the everlasting mountains were
scattered, the perpetual hills did bow: His ways are ever-
lasting." "Thou didst ride upon Thine horses and Thy
chariots of salvation." "The mountains saw Thee, and they
trembled: . . . the deep uttered his voice, and lifted up his
hands on high. The sun and moon stood still in their
habitation : at the light of Thine arrows they went, and
'Ps. 50:2-4. *Ps. 96:11, 13. ' Isa. 26:19; 25:8, 9.
HERALDS OF THE MORNING 301
at the shining of Thy glittering spear." "Thou wentest
forth for the salvation of Thy people, even for salvation
with Thine anointed. ' ' '
When the Saviour was about to be separated from His
disciples, He comforted them in their sorrow with the as-
surance that He would come again: "Let not your heart
be troubled. ... In My Father's house are many mansions.
... I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and pre-
pare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you
unto Myself. " ' " The Son of man shall come in His glory,
and all the holy angels with Him. Then shall He sit upon
the throne of His glory : and before Him shall be gath-
ered all nations. ' ' "
The angels who lingered upon Olivet after Christ's
ascension, repeated to the disciples the promise of His
return: "This same Jesus, which is taken up from you
into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen
Him go into heaven."* And the apostle Paul, speaking
by the Spirit of inspiration, testified: "The Lord Himself
shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice
of the Archangel, and with the trump of God."' Says the
prophet of Patmos, "Behold, He cometh with clouds; and
every eye shall see Him, ' ' "
About His coming cluster the glories of that "restitution
of all things, wliich God hath spoken by the mouth of all
His holy prophets since the world began.'" Then the long-
continued rule of evil shall })e broken; "the kingdoms of
this world" will become "the kingdoms of our Lord, and of
His Christ; and He shall reign forever and ever."* "The
glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it
together." "The Lord God will cause righteousness and
praise to spring forth before all the nations." He shall be
"for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto
the residue of His people.'"*
'Hab. 3:3-13. == John 14:1-3. » Matt. 25:31,32. 'Acts 1:11.
<'lThes3. 4:16. "Rev. 1:7. 'Acts 3:21. "Rev. 11:15.
•Isa. 40:5; 61:11; 28:5.
802 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
It is then that the peaceful and long-desired kingdom of
the Messiah shall be established under the whole heaven.
"The Lord shall comfort Zion: He will comfort all her waste
places; and He will make her wilderness like Eden, and her
desert like the garden of the Lord." "The glory of Lebanon
shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon."
"Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy
land any more be termed Desolate : but thou shalt be called
J\Iy Delight, and thy land Beulah. " "As the bridegroom
rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee. ' ' *
The coming of the Lord has been in all ages the hope of
His true followers. The Saviour's parting promise upon
Olivet, that He would come again, lighted up the future for
His disciples, filling their hearts with joy and hope that
sorrow could not quench nor trials dim. Amid suffering
and persecution, "the appearing of the great God and our
Saviour Jesus Christ" was the "blessed hope." "When the
Thessalonian Christians were filled with grief as they
buried their loved ones, who had hoped to live to witness
the coming of the Lord, Paul, their teacher, pointed them
to the resurrection, to take place at the Saviour's advent.
Then the dead in Christ should rise, and together with the
living be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. "And
so," he said, "shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore
comfort one another with these words."'
On rocky Patmos the beloved disciple hears the promise,
"Surely I come quickly," and his longing response voices
the prayer of the church in all her pilgrimage, "Even so,
come, Lord Jesus. ' " i
From the dungeon, the stake, the scaffold, where saints
jind martyrs witnessed for the truth, comes down the cen-
turies the utterance of their faith and hope. Being ' ' assured
of His personal resurrection, and consequently of their own
at His coming, for this cause," says one of these Chris-
tians, ' ' they despised death, and were found to be above it. " *
*Isa. 51:3; 35:2; 62:4,5 (margin). ', *1 Thess. 4:16-18.
•Eev. 22:20. 'Taylor, Daniel T., "The Heign uf Christ on Earth:
or, The Voice of the Church in All Ages," p. 33.
HERALDS OF THE MORNING 303
They were willing to go down to the grave, that they might
' ' rise free. ' ' ' They looked for the ' ' Lord to come from
heaven in the clouds with the glory of His Father," "bring-
ing to the jnst the times of the kingdom. ' ' The Waldenses
cherished the same faith." Wycliffe looked forward to the
Eedeemer's appearing as the hope of the church.'
Luther declared: "I persuade myself verily, that the
day of judgment will not be absent full three hundred
years. God will not, can not, suffer this wicked world much
longer." "The great day is drawing near in which the
kingdom of abominations shall be overthrown. " *
"This aged world is not far from its end," said Melanch-
thon. Calvin bids Christians "not to hesitate, ardently
desiring the day of Christ's coming as of all events most
auspicious;" and declares that "the whole family of the
faithful will keep in view that day." "We must hunger
after Christ, we must seek, contemplate," he says, "till the
dawning of that great day, when our Lord will fully mani-
fest the glory of His kingdom. ' ' *
"Has not our Lord Jesus carried up our flesh into
heaven?" said Knox, the Scotch Reformer, "and shall He
not return? We know that He shall return, and that with
expedition." Ridley and Latimer, who laid down their
lives for the truth, looked in faith for the Lord's coming,
Ridley wrote: "The world without doubt — this I do be-
lieve, and therefore I say it — draws to an end. Let us
with John, the servant of God, cry in our hearts unto our
Saviour Christ, Come, Lord Jesus, come. ' ' *
"The thoughts of the coming of the Lord," said Baxter,
"are most sweet and joyful to me.'" "It is the work of faith
and the character of His saints to love His appearing and to
look for that blessed hope." "If death be the last enemy to
be destroyed at the resurrection, we may learn how earnestly
believers should long and pray for the second coming of
Christ, when this full and final conquest shall be made.'"
'Taylor, "The Voice of the Church," p. 54. ^ Idem, pp. 129-132.
'Idem, pp. 132-134. * Idem, pp. 158, 134. "Idem, pp. 151, 145.
•Baxter, Richard, "Works," Vol. XVII, p. 555. 'Idem. p. 500.
304 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
''This is the day that all believers should long, and hope^
and wait for, as being the accomplishment of all the work
of their redemption, and all the desires and endeavors of
their souls." "Hasten, Lord, this blessed day!"' Such
was the hope of the apostolic church, of the "church in
the wilderness," and of the Reformers.
Prophecy not only foretells the manner and object of
Christ's coming, but presents tokens by which men are to
know when it is near. Said Jesus: "There shall be signs
in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars. "^ "The sun
shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,
and the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are
in heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the
Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and
glory."" The revelator thus describes the first of the signs
to precede the second advent: "There was a great earth-
quake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and
the moon became as blood. ' ' *
These signs were witnessed before the opening of the
nineteenth century. In fulfilment of this prophecy there oc-
curred, in the year 1755, the most terrible earthquake that
has ever been recorded. Though commonly known as the
earthquake of Lisbon, it extended to the greater part of
Europe, Africa, and America. It was felt in Greenland, in
the West Indies, in the island of ^ladeira, in Norway and
Sweden, Great Britain and Ireland. It pervaded an extent
of not less than four million square miles. In Africa the
shock was almost as severe as in Europe. A great part of
Algiers was destroyed; and a short distance from Morocco,
a \dllage containing eight or ten thousand inhabitants was
swallowed up. A vast wave swept over the coast of Spain
and Africa, engulfing cities, and causing great destruction.
It was in Spain and Portugal that the shock manifested
its extreme violence. At Cadiz the inflowing wave was said
to be sixty feet high. ]\Iountains, "some of the largest in
Portugal, were impetuously shaken, as it were, from their
1 Baxter, "Works," Vol. XVII, pp. 182, 183.
'I^ujje 21:25. »Mark 13:24-26. * IJev. 0:12,
HERALDS OP THE MORNING 305
Very foundations; and some of them opened at their sum-
mits, which were split and rent in a wonderful manner,
huge masses of them being thrown down into the adjacent
valleys. Flames are related to have issued from these
mountains. ' ' '
At Lisbon "a sound of thunder was heard underground,
and immediately afterward a violent shock threw down the
greater part of that city. In the course of about six minutes,
sixty thousand persons perished. The sea first retired, and
laid the bar dry ; it then rolled in, rising fifty feet or more
above its ordinary level." "Among other extraordinary
events related to have occurred at Lisbon during the catas-
trophe, was the subsidence of a new quay, built entirely of
marble, at an immense expense. A great concourse of
people had collected there for safety, as a spot where they
might be beyond the reach of falling ruins ; but suddenly
the quay sank down with all the people on it, and not one
of the dead bodies ever floated to the surface."'
"The shock" of the earthquake "was instantly followed
by the fall of every church and convent, almost all the large
public buildings, and more than one fourth of the houses.
In about two hours after the shock, fires broke out in dif-
ferent quarters, and raged with such violence for the space
of nearly three days, that the city was completely desolated.
The earthquake happened on a holy-day, when the churches
and convents were full of people, very few of whom es-
caped. """ "The terror of the people was beyond description.
Nobody wept; it was beyond tears. They ran hither and
thither, delirious with horror and astonishment, beating their
faces and breasts, crying, 'Misericordia! the world's at an
end!' Mothers forgot their children, and ran about loaded
with crucifixed images. Unfortunately, many ran- to the
churches for protection; but in vain was the sacrament ex-
posed; in vain did the poor creatures embrace the altars;
images, priests, and people were buried in one common
ruin." It has been estimated that ninety thousand persons
lost their lives on that fatal day.
»Lyell, Sir Charles, " Principles of Geology," p. 495 (ed. 1858, N. Y.).
'Encyclopaedia Americana, ?irt, Lisbon, note (ed. 1831).
306 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
Twenty-five years later appeared the next sign mentioned
in the prophecy, — the darkening of the sun and moon.
What rendered this more striking was the fact that the
time of its fulfilment had been definitely pointed out. In
the Saviour's conversation with His disciples upon Olivet,
after describing the long period of trial for the church, — the
1260 years of papal persecution, concerning which He had
promised that the tribulation should be shortened, — He thus
mentioned certain events to precede His coming, and fixed
the time when the first of these should be udtnessed: "In
those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened,
and the moon shall not give her light. ' ' ' The 1260 days, or
years, terminated in 1798. A quarter of a century earlier,
persecution had almost wholly ceased. Following this per-
secution, according to the words of Christ, the sun was to
be darkened. On the 19th of May, 1780, this prophecy
was fulfilled.
"Almost if not altogether alone, as the most mysterious
and as yet unexplained phenomenon of its kind, . . . stands
the dark day of ]\Iay 19, 1780, — a most unaccountable
darkening of the whole visible heavens and atmosphere in
New England. ' ' '
An eye-witness living in Massachusetts describes the
event as follows:
"In the morning the sun rose clear, but was soon over-
cast. The clouds became lowery, and from them, black and
ominous, as they soon appeared, lightning flashed, thunder
rolled, and a little rain fell. Toward nine o'clock, the
clouds became thinner, and a.ssumed a brassy or coppery ap-
pearance, and earth, rocks, trees, buildings, water, and per-
sons were changed by this strange, unearthly light. A few
minutes later, a heavy black cloud spread over the entire
sky except a narrow rim at the horizon, and it was as dark
as it usually is at nine o'clock on a summer evening. . . .
"Fear, anxiety, and awe gradually filled the minds of
the people. Women stood at the door, looking out upon the
dark landscape ; men returned from their labor in the fields ;
» Mark 13 : 24. = Devens, R. M., < < Qur First Century, ' ' p. 89,
HERALDS OF THE MORNING 307
the carpenter left his tools, the blacksmith his forge, the
tradesman his counter. Schools were dismissed, and trem-
blingly the children fled homeward. Travelers put up at
the nearest farmhouse. 'What is coming?' queried every
lip and heart. It seemed as if a hurricane was about to
dash across the land, or as if it was the day of the con-
summation of all things.
"Candles were used; and hearth-fires shone as brightly
as on a moonless evening in autumn. . . . Fowls retired to
their roosts and went to sleep, cattle gathered at the pasture-
bars and lowed, frogs peeped, birds sang their evening songs,
and bats flew about. But the human knew that night had
not come. . . .
"Dr. Nathanael Whittaker, pastor of the Tabernacle
church in Salem, held religious services in the meeting-
house, and preached a sermon in which he maintained that
the darkness was supernatural. Congregations came to-
gether in many other places. The texts for the extem-
poraneous sermons were invariably those that seemed to
indicate that the darkness was consonant with scriptural
prophecy. . . . The darkness was most dense shortly after
eleven o 'clock. " * "In most parts of the country it was so
great in the daytime, that the people could not tell the
hour by either watch or clock, nor dine, nor manage their
domestic business, without the light of candles. . . .
"The extent of this darkness was extraordinary. It was
observed as far east as Falmouth. To the westward it
reached to the farthest part of Connecticut, and to Albany,
To the southward, it was observed along the seacoa-sts; and
to the north as far as the American settlements extend. ' ' '
The intense darkness of the day was succeeded, an hour
or two before evening, by a partially clear sky, and the sun
appeared, though it was still obscured by the black, heavy
mist. "After sundown, the clouds came again overhead,
»"The Essex Antiquarian," Salem, Mass., April, 1899 (Vol. Til,
No. 4, pp. 53, 54). ^Gordon, Dr. Win., "History of the Rise,
Progress, and Establishment of the Independence of the U. S. A.,"
Vol. Ill, p. 57 (N. Y., 1789).
308 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
and it grew dark very fast." "Nor was the darkness of
the night less uncommon and terrifying than that of the
day; notwithstanding there was almost a full moon, no ob-
ject was discernible but by the help of some artificial light,
which, when seen from the neighboring houses and other
places at a distance, appeared tlirough a kind of Egyptian
darkness which seemed almost impervious to the rays. ' ' *
Said an eye-^\^tnpss of the scene: "I could not help con-
ceiving at the time, that if every luminous body in the uni-
verse had been shrouded in impenetrable shades, or struck
out of existence, the darkness could not have been more
complete.'"' Though at nine o'clock that night the moon
rose to the full, "it had not the least effect to dispel the
deatlilike shadows." After midnight the darkness disap-
peared, and the moon, when lirst visible, had the appear-
ance of blood.
May 19, 1780, stands in history as "The Dark Day."
Since the time of Moses, no period of darkness of equal
density, extent, and duration, ' has ever been recorded. The
description of this event, as given by eye-witnesses, is but
an echo of the words of the Lord, recorded by the prophet
Joel, twenty-five hundred years previous to their fulfilment:
"The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into
blood, before tlie great and the terrible day of the Lord
) y s
come.
Christ had bidden His people watch for the signs of His
advent, and rejoice as they should behold the tokens of their
coming King. "When these things begin to come to i)ass,"
He said, "then look up, and lift up your heads; for your
redemption draweth nigh." He pointed His followers to
the budding trees of spring, and said: "When they now
shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that sum-
mer is now nigh at hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these
* Thomas, "Massachusetts Spy; or, American Oracle of Liberty,"
Vol. X, No. 472 (May 25, 1780).
^Letter by Dr. Samuel Tenney, of Exeter, N. H., December, 1785 (in
"Massachusetts Historical Society Collections," 1792, 1st series.
Vol. I, p. 97). "Joel 2:31.
HERALDS OF THE MORNING 309
things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is
nigh at hand."'
But as the spirit of humility and devotion in the church
had given place to pride and formalism, love for Christ and
faith in His coming had grown cold. Absorbed in world-
liness and pleasure-seeking, the professed people of God
were blinded to the Saviour's instructions concerning the
signs of His appearing. The doctrine of the second ad-
vent had been neglected; the scriptures relating to it were
obscured by misinterpretation, until it was, to a great ex-
tent, ignored and forgotten. Especially was this the case
in the churches of America. The freedom and comfort
enjoyed by all classes of society, the ambitious desire for
wealth and luxury, begetting an absorbing devotion to
money-making, the eager rush for popularity and power,
which seemed to be within the reach of all, led men to
center their interests and hopes on the things of this life,
and to put far in the future that solemn day when the
present order of things should pass away.
When the Saviour pointed out to His followers the signs
of His return. He foretold the state of backsliding that
would exist just prior to His second advent. There would
be, as in the days of Noah, the activity and stir of worldly
business and pleasure-seeking — buying, selling, planting,
building, marrying, and giving in marriage — with forget-
fulness of God and the future life. For those living at this
time, Christ's admonition is: "Take heed to yourselves, lest
at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and
drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day i-oiiie
upon you unawares." "Watch ye therefore, and ])ray al-
ways, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these
things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son
of man.'"*
The condition of the church at this time is pointed out
in the Saviour's words in the Revelation, "Thou hast a
^Luke 21:28, 30, 31. 'Luke 21:34, 36.
310 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
name that thou iivest, and art dead. ' ' ' And to those who
refuse to arouse from their careless .security, the solemn
warning is addressed, "If therefore thou shalt not watch, I
will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not knov
what hour I will come upon thee. ' ' '
It was needful that men should be awakened to their
danger ; that they should be roused to prepare for the solemn
events connected with the close of probation. The prophet
of God declares : ' ' The day of the Lord is great and \ ery
terrible; and who can abide it?" Who shall stand when
He appeareth who is "of purer eyes than to behold eviil,"
and cannot "look on iniquity"?' To them that cry, "My
God, ^we know Thee," yet have transgressed His covenant,
and hastened after another god," hiding iniquity in their
hearts, and loving the paths of unrighteousness, — to these
the day of the Lord is "darkness, and not light, even very
dark, and no brightness in it. " ^ "It shall come to pass at
that time," saith the Lord, "that I will search Jerusalem
with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their
lees: that say in their heart. The Lord will not do good,
neither will He do evil."* "I will punish the world for
their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity ; and I will cause
the arroganey of the proud to cease, and Avill lay low the
haughtiness of the terrible. " ' " Neither their silver nor
their gold shall be able to deliver them;" "their goods
shall become a booty, and their houses a desolation. ' ' "
The prophet Jeremiah, looking forward to this fearful
time, exclaimed: "I am pained at my very heart." "I
cannot hold my peace, because thou hast heard, my
soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war. De-
struction upon destruction is cried. " ' ' ' ^ '
"That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and
distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of dark-
ness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, a
day of the trumpet and alarm."' "Behold, the day of
'Rev. 3:1, 3. ''Joel 2:11; Hab. 1:13; Hosea 8:2, 1; Ps. 16:4.
»Amos 5:20. * Zeph. 1:12. » Isa. 13:11. « Zeph. 1:18, 13.
'Jer. 4:19, 20. ' Zeph. 1:15, 16.
HERALDS OF THE MORNING 311
the Lord cometh, ... to lay the land desolate: and He
shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it."'
In view of that great day the word of God, in the most
solemn and impressive language, calls upon His people to
arouse from their spiritual lethargy, and to seek His face
with repentance and humiliation: "Blow ye the trumpet in
Zion, and sound an alarm in My holy mountain: let all
the inhabitants of the land tremble : for the day of the Lord
cometh, for it is nigh at hand." "Sanctify a fast, call a
solemn assembly: gather the people, sanctify the congrega-
tion, assemble the elders, gather the children : ... let the
bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of
her closet. Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep
between the porch and the altar." "Turn ye even to Me
with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping,
and with mourning: and rend your heart, and not your
garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for He is gra-
cious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness."'
To prepare a people to stand in the day of God, a great
work of reform was to be accomplished. God saw that many
of His professed people were not building for eternity, and
in His mercy He was about to send a message of warning
to arouse them from their stupor, and lead them to make
ready for the coming of the Lord.
This warning is brought to view in Revelation 14. Here
is a threefold message represented as proclaimed by heav-
enly beings, and immediately followed by the coming- of
the Son of man "to reap the harvest of the earth." The
first of these warnings announces the approaching judg-
ment. The prophet beheld an angel flying "in the midst of
heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them
that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred,
and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice. Fear
God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judg-
ment is come : and worship Him that made heaven, and
earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. ' ' '
'Isa. 13:9. ^ Joel 2:1, 15-18, 12, 13. 'Rev. 14:6, 7.
312 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
This message is declared to be a part of the "everlasting
gospel," The work of preaching the gospel has not been
committed to angels, but has been intrusted to men. Holy
angels have been employed in directing this work, they
have in charge the great movements for the salvation ol'
men; but the actual proclamation of the gospel is performed
by the servants of Christ upon the earth.
• Faithful men, who were obedient to the promptings of
God's Spirit and the teachings of His word, were to pro-
claim this warning to the world. They were those who
had taken heed to the "sure word of prophecy," the "light
that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the
day-star arise. ' ' ' They had been seeking the knowledge of
God more than all hid treasures, counting it "better than
the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine
gold. ' ' ^ And the Lord revealed to them the great things
of the kingdom. "The secret of the Lord is with them
that fear Him; and He will show them His covenant."'
It was not the scholarly theologians who had an under-
standing of this truth, and engaged in its proclamation. Had
these been faithful watchmen, diligently and prayerfully
searching the Scriptures, they would have known the time of
night; the prophecies M-ould have opened to them the events
about to take place. But they did not occupy this position,
and the message was given by hurtibler men. Said Jesus,
"Walk Avhile ye have the light, lest darkness come upon
you."* Those who turn away from the light which God has
given, or who neglect to seek it when it is within their reach,
are left in darkness. But the Saviour declares, "He that fol-
loweth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the
light of life. "^ Whoever is with singleness of purpose
seeking to do God's will, earnestly heeding the light al-
ready given, -wall receive greater light; to that soul some
star of heavenly radiance will be sent, to guide him into
all truth.
>2 Peter 1:19. =Prov. 3:14. 'Ps, 25:14. ♦John 12:35.
"John 8:12.
HERALDS OF THE MORNING 313
At the time of Christ's first advent, the priests and
scribes of the holy city, to whom were intrusted the oracles
of God, might have discerned the signs of .the times, and
proclaimed the coming of the Promised One. The prophecy
of Micah designated Ilis birthplace;' Daniel specified the
time of His advent.' God committed these prophecies to
the Jewish leaders; they were without excuse if they did
not know and declare to the people that the Messiah's com-
ing was at hand. Their ignorance was the result of sinful
neglect. The Jews were building monuments for the slain
prophets of God, while by their deference to the great
men of earth they were paying homage to the servants of
Satan. Absorbed in their ambitious strife for place and
power among men, they lost sight of the divine honors
proffered them by the King of heaven.
With profound and reverent interest the elders of Israel
should have been studying the place, the time, the cir-
cumstances, of the greatest event in the world's history, —
the coming of the Son of God to accomplish the redemption
of man. All the people should have been watching and
waiting that they might be among the first to welcome the
world's Redeemer. But lo, at Bethlehem two weary trav-
elers from the hills of Nazareth traverse the whole length
of the narrow street to the eastern extremity of the town,
vainly seeking a place of rest and shelter for the night.
No doors are open to receive them. In a w^retched hovel
prepared for cattle, they at last find refuge, and there
the Saviour of the world is born.
Heavenly angels had seen the glory which the Son of
God shared with the Father before the world was, and they
had looked forward with intense interest to His appearing
on earth, as an event fraught with the greatest joy to all
peopk. Angels were appointed to carry the glad tidings to
those who were prepared to receive it, and who would joy-
fully make it known to the inhabitants of the earth. Christ
had stooped to take upon Himself man's nature; He was
'Micah 5:2. 'Dan. 9:25.
314 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
to bear an infinite weight of woe as He should make His
soul an offering for sin; yet angels desired that even in His
humiliation, the Son of the Highest might appear before
men with a dignity and glory befitting His character.
Would the great men of earth assemble at Israel's capital
to greet His coming? Would legions of angels present
Him to the expectant company?
An angel visits the earth to see who are prepared to wel-
come Jesus, But* he can discern no tokens of expectancy.
He hears no voice of praise and triumph, that the period
of Messiah's coming is at hand. The angel hovers for a
time over the chosen city and the temple where the divine
presence has been manifested for ages; but even here is the
same indifference. The priests, in their pomp and pride, are
offering polluted sacrifices in the temple. The Pharisees
are with loud voices addressing the people, or making boast-
ful prayers at the corners of the streets. In tlie palaces of
kings, in the asseml)lies of philosophers, in the schools of
the rabbis, all are alike unmindful of the wondrous fact
which has filled all heaven with joy and praise, — that the
Kedeemer of men is about to appear upon the earth.
There is no evidence that Christ is expected, and no
preparation for the Prince of life. In amazement the celes-
tial messenger is about to return to heaven with the shame-
ful tidings, when he discovers a group of shepherds who are
watching their flocks by night, and as they gaze into the
starry heavens, are contemplating the prophecy of a Messiah
to come to earth, and longing for the advent of the world's
Redeemer. Here is a company that is prepared to receive
the heavenly message. And suddenly the angel of the Lord
appears, declaring the good tidings of great joy. Celestial
glory floods all the plain, an innumerable company of
angels is revealed, and as if the joy were too great for one
messenger to bring from heaven, a multitude of voices
Jjreak forth in" the anthem which all the nations of the
saved shall one day sing, *' Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace, good ^\dll toward men."*
*Luke 2:14.
HERALDS OF THE MORNING S15
0, what a lesson is this wonderful story of Bethlehem!
How it rebukes our unbelief, our pride and self-sufficiency.
How it warns us to beware, lest by our criminal indiffer-
ence we also fail to discern the signs of the times, and
therefore know not the day of our visitation.
It was not alone upon the hills of Judea, not among the
lowly shepherds only, that angels found the watchers for
Messiah's coming. In the land of the heathen also were
those that looked for Him; they were wise men, rich and
noble, the philosophers of the East. Students of nature, the
magi had seen God in His handiwork. From the Hebrew
Scriptures they had learned of the Star to arise out of
Jacob, and with eager desire they awaited His coming, who
should be not only the "Consolation of Israel," but a
"Light to lighten the Gentiles," and "for salvation unto the
ends of the earth. "^ They were seekers for light, and light
from the throne of God illumined the path for their feet.
While the priests and rabbis of Jerusalem, the appointed
guardians and expounders of the truth, were shrouded in
darkness, the Heaven-sent star guided these Gentile stran-
gers to the birthplace of the new-born King.
It is "unto them that look for Him" that Christ is to
"appear the second time without sin unto salvation."'
Like the tidings of the Saviour's birth, the message of the
second advent was not committed to the religious leaders of
the people. They had failed to preserve their connection
with God, and had refused light from heaven; therefore
they were not of the number described by the apostle Paul:
"But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day i^hould
overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light,
and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor
of darkness. ' ' '
The watchmen upon the walls of Zion should have been
the first to catch the tidings of the Saviour's advent, the
first to lift their voices to proclaim Him near, the first
to warn the people to prepare for His coming. But they
were at ease, dreaming of peace and safety, while the peo-
* Luke 2:25, 32; Acta 13:47. ' fleb. 9:28. =■ 1 Thess. 5:4, 5.
316 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
pie were asleep in their sins. Jesus saw His church, like
the barren fig-tree, covered with pretentious leaves, yet
destitute of precious fruit. There was a boastful observ-
ance of the forms of religion, while the spirit of true
humility, penitence, and faith — which alone could render
the service acceptable to God — was lacking. Instead of the
graces of the Spirit, there were manifested pride, formalism,
vainglory, selfishness, oppression. A backsliding church
closed their eyes to the signs of the times. God did not
forsake them, or suffer His faithfulness to fail; but they
departed from Him, and separated themselves from His
love. As they refused to comply with the conditions, His
promises were not fulfilled to them.
Such is the sure result of neglect to appreciate and im-
prove the light and privileges which God bestows. Unless
the church will follow on in His opening providence, accept-
ing every ray of light, performing every duty which may
be revealed, religion will inevitably degenerate into the ob-
servance of forms, and the spirit of vital godliness will dis-
appear. This truth has been repeatedly illustrated in the
history of the church. God requires of His people works of
faith and obedience corresponding to the blessings and privi-
leges bestowed. Obedience requires a sacrifice and involves
a cross; and this is why so many of the professed followers
of Christ refused to receive the light from heaven, and, like
the Jews of old, knew not the time of their visitation.'
Because of their pride and unbelief, the Lord passed them
by, and revealed His truth to those who, like the shep-
herds of Bethlehem and the Eastern magi, had given heed
to all the light they had received.
* Luke 19:44.
AN AMERIGAN REFORMER -18
An upright, honest-hearted farmer, who had been led to
doubt the divine authority of the Scriptures, yet who sin-
cerely desired to know the truth, was the man specially
chosen of God to lead out in the proclamation of Christ's
second coming. Like many other reformers, William Miller
had in early life battled with poverty, and had thus learned
the great lessons of energy and self-denial. The members
of the family from which he sprung were characterized by
an independent, liberty-loving spirit, by capability of endur-
ance, and ardent patriotism, — traits which were also promi-
nent in his character. His father Avas a captain in the army
of the Revolution, and to the sacrifices which he made in
the struggles and sufferings of that stormy period, may be
traced the straitened circumstances of Miller's early life.
lie had a sound physical constitution, and even in child-
hood gave evidence of more than ordinary intellectual
strength. As he grew older, this became more marked. His
mind was active and well developed, and he had a keen
thirst for knowledge. Though he did not enjoy the advan-
tages of a collegiate education, his love of study and a habit
of careful thought and close criticism rendered him a man
of sound judgment and comprehensive views. He possessed
an irreproachable moral character and an enviable repu-
tation, being generally esteemed for integrity, thrift, and
benevolence. By dint of energy and application he early
(317)
318 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
acquired a competence, though his habits of study were still
maintained. He filled various civil and military offices
with credit, and the avenues to wealth and honor seemed
wide open to him.
His mother was a woman of sterling piety, and in child-
hood he had been subject to religious impressions. In early
manhood, however, he was thrown into the society of deists,
whose influence was the stronger from the fact that they
were mostly good citizens, and men of humane and benev-
olent disposition. Living, as they did, in the midst of Chris-
tian institutions, their characters had been to some extent
moulded by their surroundings. For the excellencies which
won them respect and confidence they were indebted to the
Bible ; and yet these good gifts were so perverted as to exert
an influence against the word of God. By association with
these men, Miller was led to adopt their sentiments. The
current interpretations of Scripture presented difficulties
which seemed to him insurmountable; yet his new belief,
while setting aside the Bible, offered nothing better to take
its place, and he remained far from satisfied. He continued
to hold these views, however, for about twelve years. But at
the age of thirty-four, the Holy Spirit impressed his heart
with a sense of his condition as a sinner. He found in his
former belief no assurance of happiness beyond the grave.
The future was dark and gloomy. Referring afterward to
his feelings at this time, he said:
"Annihilation was a cold and chilling thought, and
accountability was sure destruction to all. The heavens
were as brass over my head, and the earth as iron under
my feet. Eternity — what was it? And death — why was
it 1 The more I reasoned, the further I was from demon-
stration. The more I thought, the more scattered were my
conclusions. I tried to stop thinking, but my thoughts would
not be controlled. I was truly wretched, but did not under-
stand the cause. I murmured and complained, but knew not
of whom. I knew that there was a wrong, but knew not how
or where to find the right. I mourned, but without hope."
AN AMERICAN REFORMER 319
In this state he contmued for some months. ''Suddenly,"
he says, '"the character of a Saviour was vividly impressed
upon my mind. It seemed that there might be a being so
good and compassionate as to himself atone for our trans-
gressions, and thereby save us from suffering the penalty of
sin. I immediately felt how lovely such a being must be,
and imagined that I could cast myself into the arms of, and
trust in the mercy of, such a one. But the question arose,
How can it be proved that such a being does exist? Aside
from the Bible, I found tliat I could get no evidence of the
existence of such a Saviour, or even of a future state. . . .
"1 saw that the Bible did bring to view just such a Sa-
viour as I needed; and I was perplexed to find how an unin-
spired book should develop principles so perfectly adapted to
the wants of a fallen world. I was constrained to admit that
the Scriptures must be a revelation from God. They became
my delight; and in Jesus I found a friend. The Saviour
became to me the chief est among ten thousand; and the
Scriptures, which before were dark and contradictory, now
became the lamp to my feet and light to my path. My
mind became settled and satisfied. I found the Lord God to
be a Rock in the midst of the ocean of life. The Bible now
became my chief study, and I can truly say, I searched it
with great delight. I found the half was never told me.
I wondered why I had not seen its beauty and glory before,
and marveled that I could have ever rejected it. I found
everything revealed that my heart could desire, and a rem-
edy for every disease of the soul. I lost all taste for other
reading, and applied my heart to get wisdom from God.'"
Miller publicly professed his faith in the religion which
he had despised. But his infidel associates were not slow to
bring forward all those arguments which he himself had
often urged against the divine authority of the Scriptures.
He was not then prepared to answer them; but he reasoned
that if the Bible is a revelation from God, it must be con-
distent with itself; and that as it was given for man's in-
' Blisa, S., • • Memoirs of Wm, Miller, ' ' pp. 05-67.
320 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
struction, it must be adapted to his understanding. He
determined to study the Scriptures for himself, and ascertain
if every apparent contradiction could not be harmonized.
Endeavoring to lay aside all preconceived opinions, and
dispensing with commentaries, he compared scripture with
scripture by the aid of the marginal references and the con-
cordance. He pursued his study in a regular and method-
ical manner; beginning with Genesis, and reading verse by
verse, he proceeded no faster than the meaning of the sev-
eral passages so unfolded as to leave him free from all
embarrassment. When he found anything obscure, it was
his custom to compare it with every other text which seemed
to have any reference to the matter under consideration.
Every word was permitted to have its proper bearing upon
the subject of the text, and if his view of it harmonized
with every collateral passage, it ceased to be a difficulty.
Thus whenever he met with a passage hard to be under-
stood, he found an explanation in some other portion of the
Scriptures. As he studied with earnest prayer for divine
enlightenment, that which had before appeared dark to his
understanding was made clear. He experienced the truth
of the psalmist's words, "The entrance of Thy words giveth
light ; it giveth understanding unto the simple. ' ' '
With intense interest he studied the books of Daniel and
the Revelation, employing the same principles of interpre-
tation as in the other scriptures, and found, to his great
joy, that the prophetic symbols could be understood. He
saw that the prophecies, so far as they had been fulfilled,
had been fulfilled literally ; that all the various figures, meta-
phors, parables, similitudes, etc., were either explained in
their immediate connection, or the terms in which they
were expressed were defined in other scriptures, and when
thus explained, were to be literally understood. **I was
thus satisfied," he says, "that the Bible is a system of
revealed truths, so clearly and simply given that the way.
faring man, though a fool, need not err therein. "* Link
'Ps. 119:130. =* Bliss, "Memoirs of Wm. Miller," p. 70.
AN AMERICAN REFORMER 321
after link of the chain of truth rewarded his efforts, as
step by step he traced down tlie great lines of prophecy.
Angels of heaven were guiding his mind and opening the
Scriptures to his understanding.
Taking the manner in which the prophecies had been
fulfilled in the past, as a criterion by which to judge
of the fulfilment of those which were still future, he be-
came satisfied that the popular view of the spiritual reign
of Christ — a temporal millennium before the end of the
world — was not sustained by the word of God. This
doctrine, pointing to a thousand years of righteousness
and peace before the personal coming of the Lord, put
far off the terrors of the day of God. But, pleasing
though it may be, it is contrary to the teachings of Christ
and His apostles, w^ho declared that the wheat and the
tares are to grow together until the harvest, the end of
the world;' that "evil men and seducers shall wax worse
and worse;" that "in the last days perilous times shall
come;"* and that the kingdom of darkness shall con-
tinue until the advent of the Lord, and shall be con-
sumed with the spirit of His mouth, and be destroyed with
the brightness of His coming,'
The doctrine of the world's conversion and the spiritual
reign of Christ was not held by the apostolic church. It w^as
not generally accepted by Christians until about the be-
ginning of the eighteenth century. Like every other error,
its results were evil. It taught men to look far in the future
for the coming of the Lord, and prevented them from giving
heed to the signs heralding His approach. It induced a
feeling of confidence and security tliat was not well founded,
and led many to neglect the i)reparation necessary iu order
to meet their Lord.
Miller found the literal, personal coming of Christ to be
plainly taught in the Scriptures. Says Paul, "The Lord
Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the
» Matt 13:30, d8-41. »2 Tim. 3 :13, 1. «2 Thess. 2:8.
11— G. C.
322 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of God. ' ' * Aud
the Saviour declares : ' ' They shall see the Son of man coming
in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." "For
as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even
unto the west ; so shall also the coming of the Son of man
be. " ' He is to be accompanied by all the hosts of heaven.
"The Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy
angels with Him. ' " " And He shall send His angels with
a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together
His elect.'"
At His coming the righteous dead will be raised, and the
righteous living will be changed. "We shall not all sleep,"
says Paul, "but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in
the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump : for the trumpet
shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and
we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on
incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. ' ' *
And in his letter to the Thessalonians, after describing the
coming of tlie Lord, lie says: "The dead in Christ sliall rise
first: then we wliich are alive and remain shall be caught
up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in
the air : and so shall we ever be with the Lord. ' ' '
' Not until the personal advent of Christ can His people
receive the kingdom. The Saviour said : ' ' When the Son
of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with
Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory: and
before Him shall be gathered all nations: and He shall sepa-
rate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his
sheep from the goats : and He shall set the sheep on His right
hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say
unto them on His right hand, Come, ye blessed of INIy Father,
inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation
of the world. "^ We have seen by the scriptures just given
that when the Son of man comes, the dead are raised incor-
ruptible, and the living are changed. By this great change
they are prepared to receive the kingdom; for Paul says,
^ 1 Thess. 4 : 16, 17. ' Matt. 24 : 30, 27, 31.
»Matt. 25:31-34. 'l Cor. 15:51-53,
AN AMERICAN REFORMER 323
"Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God;
neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. ' ' * Man in his
present state is mortal, corruptible; but the kingdom of God
will be incorruptible, enduring forever. Therefore man in
his present state cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
But when Jesus comes, He confers immortality upon His
people; and then He calls them to inherit the kingdom of
which they have hitherto been only heirs.
These and other scriptures clearly proved to Miller's mind
that the events which were generally expected to take place
before the coming of Christ, such as the universal reign of
peace and the setting up of the kingdom of God upon the
earth, were to be subsequent to the second advent. Further-
more, all the signs of the times and the condition of the
world corresponded to the prophetic description of the last
days. He was forced to the conclusion, from the study of
Scripture alone, that the period allotted for the continu-
ance of the earth in its present state was about to close.
"Another kind of evidence that vitally affected my
mind," he says, "was the chronology of the Scriptures. . . .
I found that predicted events, which had been fulfilled in
the past, often occurred within a given time. The one hun-
dred and twenty years to the flood (Gen. ^:3); the seven
days that were to precede it, with forty days of predicted
rain (Gen. 7:4) ; the four hundred years of the sojourn of
Abraham's seed (Gen. 15: 13) ; the three days of the butler's
and baker's dreams (Gen. 40:12-20); the seven years of
Pharaoh's (Gen. 41:28-54); the forty years in the wilder-
ness (Num. 14:34); the three and a half years of famine
(1 Kings 17:1);" .. , the seventy years' captivity (Jer.
25: 11) ; Nebuchadnezzar's seven times (Dan. 4: 13-16) ; and
the seven weeks, threescore and two weeks, and the one week,
making seventy weeks, determined upon the Jews (Dan.
9:24-27), — the events limited by these times were all once
only a matter of prophecy, and were fulfilled in accordance
with the predictions.'"
»1 Cor. 15:50, = See Luke 4:25.
" Blias, ' ' Memoirs of Wm. Miller, ' ' pp. 74, 75.
324 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
When, therefore, he found, in his study of the Bible,
various chronological periods that, according to his under-
standing of them, extended to the second coming of Christ,
he could not but regard them as the "times before ap-
pointed," which God had revealed unto His servants. "The
secret things," says Moses, "belong unto the Lord our God:
but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to
our children forever ; " ^ and the Lord declares by the
prophet Amos, that He "will do nothing, but He revealeth
His secret unto His servants the prophets. ' ' ' The students
of God's word may, then, confidently expect to find the
most stupendous event to take place in human history
clearly pointed out in the Scriptures of truth.
"As I was fully convinced," says Miller, "that 'all
Scripture given by inspiration of God is profitable ; ' ' that
it came not at any time by the will of man, but was written
as holy men were moved by the Holy Ghost,* and was writ-
ten 'for our learning, that we through patience and comfort
of the Scriptures might have hope,'" I could but regard
the chronological portions of the Bible as being as much a
portion of the word of God, and as much entitled to our
serious consideration, as any other portion of the Scrip-
tures. I therefore felt that in endeavoring to comprehend
what God had in His mercy seen fit to reveal to us, I had
no right to pass over the prophetic periods."'
The prophecy which seemed most clearly to reveal the
time of the second advent was that of Dan. 8: 14: "Unto two
thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary
be cleansed." Following his rule of making Scripture its
own interpreter, IMiller learned that a day in symbolic
prophecy represents a year ; * he saw that the period of 2300
prophetic days, or literal years, would extend far beyond the
close of the Jev^dsh dispensation, hence it could not refer to
the sanctuary of that dispensation. ]\Iiller accepted the
generally received view, that in the Christian age the earth
^Deut. 29:29 ^Amos 3:7. » See 2 Tim. 3:16.
*2 Peter 1:21. ''Rom. 15:4. « Num. 14:34; Eze. 4:6.
* Bliss, ' ' Memoirs of Wm. Miller, ' ' p. 75.
'AN AMERICAN REFORMER 325
is the sanctuary, and lie therefore understood that the cleans-
ing of the sanctuary foretold in Dan. 8:14 represented the
purification of the earth by fire at the second coming of
Christ. If, then, the correct starting-point could be found
for the 2300 days, he concluded that the time of the second
advent could be readily ascertained. Thus would be revealed
the time of that great consummation, the time when the
present state, with "ail its pride and power, pomp and
vanity, wickedness and oppression, would come to an end;"
when the curse would be "removed from off tlie earth, death
be destroyed, reward be given to the servants of God, the
prophets and saints, and them who fear Ilis name, and
those be destroyed that destroy the earth. ' ' '
With a new and deeper earnestness, Miller continued the
examination of the prophecies, whole nights as well as days
being devoted to the study of what now appeared of such
stupendous importance and all-absorbing interest. In the
eighth chapter of Daniel he could find no clue to the start-
ing-point of the 2300 days; the angel Gabriel, though com-
manded to make Daniel understand the vision, gave him
only a partial explanation. As the terrible persecution to
befall the church was unfolded to the prophet's vision,
physical strength gave way. He could endure no more,
and the angel left him for a time. Daniel "fainted, and
was sick certain days." "And I M^as astonished at the
vision," he says, "but none understood it."
Yet God had bidden His messenger, "Make this man
to understand the vision." That commission must be ful-
filled. In obedience to it, the angel, some time afterward,
returned to Daniel, saying, "I am now come forth to give
thee skill and understanding;" "therefore understand the
matter, and consider the vision."' There was one important
point in the vision of chapter eight which had been left unex-
plained, namely, that relating to time, — the period of the
2300 days; therefore the angel, in resuming his explana-
tion, dwells chiefly upon the subject of time: ■*' 'f'b'
* Bliss, "Memoirs of Wm. Miller," p. 76.
= Dan. 9:22,23,25-27.
326 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
''Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and
upon thy holy city. . . . Know therefore and understand,
that from the going forth of the commandment to restore
and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall
be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street
shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
And after threescore and two weeks shall IMessiah be cut off,
but not for Himself. . . . And He shall confirm the cove-
nant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week
He shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease."
"The angel had been sent to Daniel for the express pur-
pose of explaining to him the point which he had failed to
understand in the vision of the eighth chapter, the state-
ment relative to time, — "Unto two thousand and three
hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed." After
bidding Daniel "understand the matter, and consider the
vision," the very first words of the angel are, "Seventy
weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy
city." The word here translated "determined," literally sig-
nifies "cut off." Seventy weeks, representing 490 years, are
declared by the angel to be cut off, as specially pertaining to
the Jews. But from what were they cut off? As the 2300
days was the only period of time mentioned in chapter
eight, it must be the period from which the seventy weeks
were cut off; the seventy weeks must therefore be a part of
the 2300 days, and the two periods must begin together.
The seventy weeks were declared by the angel to date from
the going forth of the commandment to restore and build
Jerusalem. If the date of this commandment could be
found, then the starting-point for the great period of the
2300 days would be ascertained.
In the seventh chapter of Ezra the decree is found.*
In its completest form it was issued by Artaxerxes, king of
Persia, b. c. 457. But in Ezra 6:14 the house of the Lord
at Jerusalem is said to have been built "according to the
commandment [margin, decree] of Cyrus, and Darius, and
Artaxerxes king of Persia." These three kings, in originat-
»Ezra 7:12-26.
AN AMERICAN REFORMER 327
ing, re-affirming, and completing the decree, brought it to
the perfection required by the prophecy to mark the begin-
ning of the 2300 years. Taking b. c. 457, the time when
the decree was completed, as the date of the commandment,
every specification of the prophecy concerning the seventy
weeks was seen to have been fulfilled.
"From the going forth of the commandment to restore
and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be
seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks, ' ' — namely, sixty-
nine weeks, or 483 years. The decree of Artaxerxes went
into effect in the autumn of b. c. 457. From this date, 483
years extend to the autumn of a. d. 27.^ At that time this
prophecy was fulfilled. The word "Messiah" signifies "the
Anointed One. ' ' In the autumn of a. d. 27, Christ was bap-
tized by John, and received the anointing of the Spirit. The
apostle Peter testifies that "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth
with the Holy Ghost and with power. ' ' ' And the Saviour
Himself declared, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, be-
cause He hath anointed Me to preach the gospel to the
poor."^ After His baptism He went into Galilee, "preach-
ing the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying. The
time is fulfilled. ' ' *
"And He shall confirm the covenant with many for one
week." The "week" here brought to view is the last one of
the seventy; it is the last seven years of the period allotted
especially to the Jews. During this time, extending from
A. D. 27 to A. D. 34, Christ, at first in person and afterward
by His disciples, extended the gospel invitation especially to
the Jews. As the apostles went forth with the good tidings
of the kingdom, the Saviour's direction was, "Go not into
the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samari-
tans enter ye not: but go rather to the lost sheep of the
house of Israel."'
"In the midst of the week He shall cause the sacrifice
and the oblation to cease." In a. d. 31, three and a half
'See Appendix; also diagram opposite- page 328.
•Acta 10:38. ^Luke4:18. * Mark 1 :14, 15. » Matt. 10:5,6.
S28 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
years after His baptism, our Lord was crucified. With th«
great sacrifice offered upon Calvary, ended that system of
offerings which for four thousand years had pointed forward
to the Lamb of God. Type had met antitype, and all the
sacrifices and oblations of the ceremonial system were there
to cease.
The seventy weeks, or 490 years, especially allotted to the
Jews, ended, as we have seen, in a. d. 3-4. At that time,
through the action of tlie Jewish Sanhedrim, the nation
sealed its rejection of the gospel by the martyrdom of
Stephen and the persecution of the followers of Christ. Then
the message of salvation, no longer restricted to the chosen
people, was given to the world. The disciples, forced by per-
secution to flee from Jerusalem, "went everywhere preach-
ing the Word." "Philip went down to the city of Samaria,
and preached Christ unto them." Peter, divinely guided,
opened the gospel to the centurion of Ciesarea, the God-
fearing Cornelius; and the ardent Paul, won to the faith of
Christ, was commissioned to carry the glad tidings "far
hence unto the Gentiles."*
Thus far every specification of the prophecies is strikingly
fulfilled, and the beginning of the seventy weeks is fixed
beyond question at b. c. 457, and their exi)iration in a. d. 34.
From this data there is no difficulty in finding the termi-
nation of the 2300 days. The seventy weeks — 490 days —
having been cut off from the 2300, there were 1810 days
remaining. After the end of 490 days, the 1810 days were
still to be fulfilled. From a.d 34, 1810 years extend to
1844. Consequently the 2300 days of Dan. 8 : 14 terminate
in 184;4. At the expiration of tliis great prophetic period,
upon the testimony of the angel of God, "the sanctuary shall
be cleansed." Thus the time of the cleansing of the sanc-
tuary — which was almost universally believed to take place
at the second advent — was definitely pointed out.
Miller and his associates at first believed that the 2300 days
would terminate in the spring of 1844, whereas the prophecy
»Act3 8:4,5; 22:21.
AN AMERICAN REFORMER 329
points to th.e autumn of that year/ The misapprehension
of this point brought disappointment and perplexity to ,
those who had fixed upon the earlier date as the time of the
Lord's coming. But this did not in the least affect the
strength of the argument showing that the 2300 days termi-
nated in the year 1844, and that the great event represented
by the cleansing of the sanctuary must then take place.
Entering upon the study of the Scriptures as he had
done, in order to prove that they were a revelation from
God, ]\Iiller had not, at the outset, the slightest expectation of
reaching the conclusion at which he had now arrived. He
himself could hardly credit the results of his investigation.
But the Scripture evidence was too clear and forcible to be
set aside.
He had devoted two years to the study of the Bible, when,
in 1818, he reached the solemn conviction that in about
twenty-five years Christ would appear for the redemption of
His people. ''I need not speak," says Miller, "of the joy that
filled my heart in view of the delightful prospect, nor of the
ardent longings of my soul for a participation in the joys of
the redeemed. The Bible was now to me a new book. It
was indeed a feast of reason; all that was dark, mystical, or
obscure to me in its teachings, had been dissipated from
my mind before the clear light that now dawned from its
sacred pages; and oh, how bright and glorious the truth
appeared! All the contradictions and inconsistencies I had
before found in the Word were gone; and although there
were many portions of which I was not satisfied I had
a full understanding, yet so much light had emanated from
it to the illumination of my before darkened mind, that I
felt a delight in studying the Scripture wliich I had not
before supposed could be derived from its teachings. ' ' ^
''With the solemn conviction that such momentous events
were predicted in the Scriptures to be fulfilled in so short a
space of time, the question came home to me with mighty
* See diagram ; al80 Appendix.
'Bliss, "Memoirs of Wm. Miller," pp. 76, 77.
g30 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
power regarding my duty to the world, in view of the evi«
dence that had affected my own mind. ' ' * He could not but
feel that it was his duty to impart to others the light which
he had received. He expected to encounter opposition from
the ungodly, but was confident that all Christians would
rejoice in the hope of meeting the Saviour whom they pro-
fessed to love. His only fear was, that in their great joy at
the prospect of glorious deliverance, so soon to be consum-
mated, many would receive the doctrine without sufficiently
examining the Scriptures in demonstration of its truth. He
therefore hesitated to present it, lest he should be in error,
and be the means of misleading others. He was thus led to
review the evidences in support of the conclusions at which
he had arrived, and to consider carefully every difficulty
which presented itself to his mind. He found that objec-
tions vanished before the light of God's word, as mist be-
fore the rays of the sun. Five years spent thus, left him
fully convinced of the correctness of his position.
And now the duty of making known to others what he
believed to ))e so clearly taught in the Scriptures, urged
itself with new force upon him. "Wlien I was about my
business," he said, "it was continually ringing in my ears,
*Go and tell the world of their danger.' This text was con-
stantly occurring to me: 'When I say unto the wicked,
wdcked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to
warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in
his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn
from it ; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his
iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.'" I felt that if
the wicked could be effectually warned, multitudes of them
would repent ; and that if they were not warned, their blood
might be required at my hand.'"
He began to present his views in private as he had oppor-
tunity, praying that some minister might feel their force
and devote himself to their promulgation. But he could
'Bliss, *' Memoirs of Wm. Miller," p. 81.
«£ze. 33:8,9. » Bliss, p. 92.
AN AMERICAN REFORMER S31
not banish the conviction that he had a personal duty to
perform in ^ving tlie warning. The words were ever recur-
ring to his niind, ''Go and tell it to the world; their blood
will I require at thy hand." For nine years he waited, the
burden still pressing upon his soul, until in 1831 he for
the first time publicly gave the reasons of his faith.
As Elisha was called from following his oxen in the field,
to receive the mantle of consecration to the prophetic office,
so was William Miller called to leave his plow, and open to
the people the mysteries of the kingdom of God. With
trembling he entered upon his work, leading his hearers
down, step hy step, tbrough the prophetic periods to the
second appearing of Christ. With every effort he gained
strength and courage as he saw the w4de-spread interest
excited by his words.
It was only at the solicitation of his brethren, in whose
words he heard the call of God, that Miller consented to
present his views in public. He was now fifty years of age,
unaccustomed to public speaking, and burdened with a
sense of unfitness for the work before him. But from tlie
first his labors were blessed in a remarkable manner to the
salvation of souls. His first lecture was followed by a relig-
ious awakening in which thirteen entire families, with the
exception of two persons, were converted. He was immedi-
ately urged to speak in other places, and in nearly every
place his labor resulted in a revival of the work of God.
Sinners were converted, Christians were roused to greater
consecration, and deists and infidels were led to acknowledge
the truth of tlie Bible and the Christian religion. The
testimony of those among whom he labored was, "A class
of minds are reached by him not within the influence of
other men. ' ' ' His preaching was calculated to arouse the
public mind to the great things of religion, and to check
the growing worldliness and sensuality of the age.
In nearly every to\Mi there were scores, in some, hun-
dreds, converted as the result of his preaching. In many
* Bliss, "Memoirs of Wm. Miller," p. 138.
332 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
places Protestant churches of nearly all denominations were
thrown open to him; and the invitations to labor usually
came from the ministers of the several congregations. It was
his invariable rule not to labor in any place to which he
had not been invited, yet he soon found himself unable to
comply with half the requests that poured in upon him.
Many who did not accept his views as to the exact time
of the second advent, were convinced of the certainty and
nearness of Christ's coming and their need of preparation.
In some of the large cities his work produced a marked
impression. Liquor-dealers abandoned the traffic, and turned
their shops into meeting-rooms; gambling dens were broken
up; infidels, deists, Universal] sts, and even the most aban-
doned profligates were reformed, some of whom had not en-
tered a house of worship for years. Prayer-meetings were
established by the various denominations, in different quar-
ters, at almost every hour, business men assembling at
midday for prayer and praise. There was no extravagant
excitement, but an almost universal solemnity on the minds
of the people. His work, like that of the early Reformers,
tended rather to convince the understanding and arouse the
conscience than merely to excite the emotions.
In 1833 Miller received a license to preach, from the
Baptist Church, of which he was a member. A large
number of the ministers of his denomination also approved
his work, and it was with their formal sanction that he
continued his labors. He traveled and preached unceas-
ingly, though his personal labors were confined principally
to the New England and Middle States. For several years
his expenses were met wholly from his own private purse,
and he never afterward received enough to meet the expense
of travel to the places where he was invited. Thus his
public labors, so far from being a pecuniary benefit, were
a heavy tax upon his property, which gradually dimin-
ished during this period of his life. He was the father of
a large family, but as they were all frugal and industrious,
his farm sufficed for their maintenance as well as his own.
AN AMERICAN REFORMER 333
In 1833, two years after Miller began to present in
public the evidences of Christ's soon coming, the last of
the signs appeared which were promised by the Saviour as
tokens of His second advent. Said Jesus, "The stars shall
fall from heaven."' And John in the Revelation declared,
as he beheld in vision the scenes that should herald the day
of God, "The stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as
a fig-tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of
a mighty wind."' This prophecy received a striking and
impressive fulfilment in the great meteoric shower of No-
vember 13, 1833. That was the most extensive and won-
derful display of falling stars which has ever been recorded;
"the whole firmament, over all the United States, being
then, for hours, in fiery commotion! No celestial phenom-
enon has ever occurred in this country, since its first set-
tlement, which was viewed with such intense admiration by
one class in the community, or with so much dread and
alarm by another." "Its sublimity and awful beauty still
linger in many minds. . . . Never did rain fall much
thicker than the meteors fell toward the earth; east, west,
north, and south, it was the same. In a word, the whole
heavens seemed in motion. ... The display, as described in
Professor Silliman's Journal, was seen all over North Amer-
ica. . . . From two o'clock until broad daylight, the sky
being perfectly serene and cloudless, an incessant play of
dazzlingly brilliant luminosities was kept up in the whole
heavens. ' ' '
"No language, indeed, can come up to the splendor of
that magnificent display; ... no one who did not witness
it can form an ade(iuate conception of its glory. It seemed
as if the whole starry heavens had congregated at one point
near the zenith, and were simultaneously shooting forth,
with the velocity of lightning, to every part of the horizon;
and yet they were not exhausted — thousands swiftly fol-
lowed in the tracks of thousands, as if created for the
»Matt. 24:29. "Rev. 6:13.
'Devens, R. M., "Ameriean Progress; or, The Great Events of
the Greatest Century," ch. Ii8, pars. 1-5.
334 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
occasion. " ' "A more correct picture of a fig-tree casting
its figs when blown by a mighty wind, it was not possible
to behold."'
In the New York Journal of Commerce of Nov. 14,
1833, appeared a long article regarding this wonderful
phenomenon, containing this statement: "No philosopher or
scholar has told or recorded an event, I suppose, like that
of yesterday morning. A prophet eighteen hundred years
ago foretold it exactly, if we will be at the trouble of under-
standing stars falling to mean falling stars, ... in tiie
only sense in which it is possible to be literally true."
Thus was displayed the last of those signs of His coming,
concerning which Jesus bade His disciples, "When ye shall
see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors."*
After these signs, John beheld, as the great event next im-
pending, the heavens departing as a scroll, while the earth
quaked, mountains and islands removed out of their places,
and the wicked in terror sought to flee from the presence of
the Son of man.*
Many who witnessed the falling of the stars, looked upon
it as a herald of the coming judgment, — "an awful type, a
sure forerunner, a merciful sign, of that great and dreadful
day."* Thus the attention of the people was directed to the
fulfilment of prophecy, and many were led to give heed to
the warning of the second advent.
In the year 1840, another remarkable fulfilment of proph-
ecy excited wide-spread interest. Two years before, Josiah
Litch, one of the leading ministers preaching the second
advent, published an exposition of Revelation 9, predicting
the fall of the Ottoman empire. According to his calcu-
lations, this power was to be overthrown "in a. d. 1840,
sometime in the month of August;" and only a few days
previous to its accomplishment he wrote: "Allowing the
first period, 150 years, to have been exactly fulfilled before
Deacozes ascended the throne by permission of the Turks,
and that the 391 years, fifteen days, commenced at the
close of the first period, it will end on the 11th of August,
"Heed, F., in the Christian Advocate and Journal, Dec. 13, 1833.
•**Tlie Old Countryman," in Portland evening Advertiser, Nov. 26, 1833.
•Matt. 24:33. •fiev. 6:12-17.
AN AMERICAN REFORMER 335
1840, when the Ottoman power in Constantinople may be
expected to be broken. And this, I believe, will be found
to be the case. ' ' '
At the very time specified, Turkey, through her ambas-
sadors, accepted the protection of the allied powers of Eu-
rope, and thus placed herself under the control of Christian
nations. The event exactly fulfilled the prediction." When
it became known, multitudes were convinced of the correct-
ness of the principles of prophetic interpretation adopted by
Miller and his associates, and a wonderful impetus was given
to the Advent Movement. Men of learning and position
united with Miller, both in preaching and publishing his
views, and from 1840 to 1844 the work rapidly extended.
William Miller possessed strong mental powers, disci-
plined by thought and study; and he added to these the
wisdom of heaven, by connecting himself with the Source of
wisdom. He was a man of sterling worth, who could not but
command respect and esteem wherever integrity of character
and moral excellence were valued. Uniting true kindness
of heart with Christian humility and the power of self-
control, he was attentive and affable to all, ready to listen
to the opinions of others, and to weigh their arguments.
Without passion or excitement, he tested all theories and
doctrines by the word of God; and his sound reasoning, and
thorough knowledge of the Scriptures, enabled him to refute
error and expose falsehood.
Yet he did not prosecute his work without bitter opposi-
tion. As with earlier Reformers, the truths which he pre-
sented were not received with favor by popular religious
teachers. As these could not maintain their position by the
Scriptures, they were driven to resort to the sayings and
doctrines of men, to the traditions of the Fathers. But the
word of God was the only testimony accepted by the
preachers of the advent truth. "The Bible, and the Bible
only," was their watchword. The lack of Scripture argu-
jaent on the part of their opponents was supplied by ridicule
and scoffing. Time, means, and talents were employed in
* Litch, Josiah, article in Signs of the Times, and Expositor of
Prophecy, Aug. 1, 1840. •See Appendix.
836 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
maligning those whose only offense was that they looked
with joy for the return of their Lord, and were striving
to live holy lives, and to exhort others to prepare for His
appearing.
Earnest were the efforts put forth to draw away the
minds of the people from the subject of the second advent.
It was made to appear a sin, something of which men
should be ashamed, to study the prophecies which relate to
the coming of Christ and the end of the world. Thus the
popular ministry undermined faith in the word of God.
Their teaching made men infidels, and many took license to
walk after their own ungodly lusts. Then the authors of the
evil charged it all upon Adventists.
While drawing crowded houses of intelligent and atten-
tive hearers. Miller's name was seldom mentioned by the re-
ligious press except by way of ridicule or denunciation. Tbe
careless and ungodly, em])oldened by the position of religious
teachers, resorted to opprobrious epithets, to base and blas-
phemous witticisms, in their efforts to heap contumely upon
him and his work. The gray-headed man who had left a
comfortable home to travel at his own expense from city to
city, from town to town, toiling unceasingly to bear to . the
world the solemn warning of the judgment near, was sneer-
ingly denounced as a fanatic, a liar, a speculating knave.
The ridicule, falsehood, and abuse heaped upon him
called forth indignant remonstrance, eyen from the secular
pre^s, "To treat a subject of such overwhelming majesty
and fearful consequences," with lightness and ribaldry, was
declared by worldly men to be "not merely to sport with
the feelings of its propagators and advocates," but "to
make a jest of the day of judgment, to scoff at the Deity
Himself, and contemn the terrors of His judgment-bar. ' ' *
The instigator of all evil sought not only to counteract
the effect of the advent message, but to destroy the mes-
senger himself. ]\Iiller made a practical application of
Scripture truth to the hearts of his hearers, reproving their
^ Bliss, "Memoirs of Wm. Miller," p. 183.
AN AMERICAN REFORMER 337
sins and disturbing their self-satisfaction, and his plain and
cutting words aroused their enmity. The opposition man-
ifested by church-members toward his message, emboldened
the baser classes to go to greater lengths; and enemies
plotted to take his life as he should leave the i)lace of
meeting. But holy angels were in the throng, and one of
these, in the form of a man, took the arm of this servant
of the Lord, and led him in safety from the angry mob.
His work was not yet done, and Satan and his emissaries
were disappointed in their purpose.
Despite all opposition, the interest in the Advent Move-
ment had continued to increase. From scores and hundreds,
the congregations had grown to as many thousands. Large
accessions had been made to the various churches, but after
a time the spirit of opposition was manifested even against
these converts, and the churches began to take disciplinary
steps with those who had embraced Miller's views. This
action called forth a response from his pen, in an address to
Christians of all denominations, urging that if his doctrines
were false, he should be shown his error from the Scriptures.
"What have we believed," he said, "that we have not
been commanded to believe by the word of God, which you
yourselves allow is the rule, and only rule, of our faith
and practice? "What have we done that sliould cair down
such virulent denunciations against us from pulpit and
press, and give you just cause to exclude us [Adventists]
from your churches and fellowship?" "If we are wrong,
pray show us wherein consists our wrong. Show us from
the word of God that we are in error; we have had ridicule
enough; that can never convince us tliat we are in the
wrong; the word of God alone can change our views. Our
conclusions have been formed deliberately and prayerfully,
as we have seen the evidence in the Scriptures,"^
From age to age the warnings which God has sent to the
world by His servants have been received with like incre-^
dulity and unbelief. "When the iniquity of the antediluvians
> Bliss, ' ' Memoirs of Wm. Miller, ' ' pp. 250, 252.
338 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
moved Him to bring a flood of waters upon the earth, He
first made known to them His purpose, that they might
have opportunity to turn from their evil ways. For a
hundred and twenty years was sounded in their ears the
warning to repent, lest the wrath of God be manifested in
their destruction. But the message seemed to them an
idle tale, and they believed it not. Emboldened in their
wickedness, they mocked the messenger of God, made light
of his entreaties, and even accused him of presumption.
How dare one man stand up against all the great men
of the earth? If Noah's message were true, why did not
all the world see it and believe it? One man's assertion
against the wisdom of thousands! They would not credit
the warning, nor would they seek shelter in the ark, "'•
Scoffers pointed to the things of nature, — to the unvary-
ing succession of the seasons, to the blue skies that had
never poured out rain, to the green fields refreshed by the
soft dews of night, — and they cried out, "Doth he not
speak parables?" In contempt they declared the preacher
of righteousness to be a wild enthusiast; and they went on,
more eager in their pursuit of pleasure, more intent upon
their evil ways, than ever before. But their unbelief did
not hinder the predicted event. God bore long with their
wickedness, giving them ample opportunity for repentance;
but at the appointed time His judgments were visited upon
the rejecters of His mercy. 'i
Christ declares that there will exist similar unbelief
concerning His second coming. As the people of Noah's
day "knew not until the flood came, and took them all
away; so," in the w'ords of our Saviour, "shall also the
coming of the Son of man be. ' " When the professed people
of God are uniting with the world, living as they live, and
joining with them in forbidden pleasure; when the luxury
of the world becomes the luxury of the church ; when the
marriage bells are chiming, and all are looking forward to
many years of worldly prosperity, — then, suddenly as the
*Matt. 24;39>
AN AMERICAN REFORMER 339
lightning flashes from the heavens, will come the end of
their bright visions and delusive hopes.
As God sent His servant to warn the world of the com-
ing flood, so He sent chosen messengers to make known the
nearness of the flnal judgment. And as Noah's contem-
poraries laughed to scorn the predictions of the preacher of
righteousness, so in Miller's day many, even of the professed
people, of God, scoffed at the words of warning.
And why were the doctrine and preaching of Christ's
second coming so unwelcome to the churches? While to
the wicked the advent of the Lord brings woe and desola-
tion, to the righteous it is fraught with joy and hope. This
great truth had been the consolation of God's faithful ones
through all the ages; why had it become, like its Author,
"a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense" to Ilis pro-
fessed people? It was our Lord Himself who promised His
disciples, "If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come
again, and receive you unto Myself. " ^ It was the com-
passionate Saviour, who, anticipating the loneliness and
sorrow of His followers, commissioned angels to comfort
them with the assurance that He would come again in
person, even as He went into heaven. As the disciples stood
gazing intently upward to catch the last glimpse of Him
whom they loved, their attention was arrested by the words,
"Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven?
this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven,
shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into
heaven."^ Hope was kindled afresh by the angel's message.
The disciples "returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and
were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. ' ' ^
They were not rejoicing because Jesus had been separated
from them, and they were left to struggle with the trials
and temptations of the world, but because of the angel's
assurance that He would come again.
The proclamation of Christ's coming should now be, as
when made by the angels to the shepherds of Bethlehem,
•John 14:3. » Acts 1:11. "Luke 24:52,53.
340 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
good tidings of great joy. Those who really love the Sa-
viour cannot but hail with gladness the announcement
founded upon the word of God, that He in whom their hopes
of eternal life are centered, is coming again, not to be in-
sulted, despised, and rejected, as at His first advent, but
in power and glory, to redeem His people. It is those
who do not love the Saviour, that desire Him to remain
away; and there can be no more conclusive evidence that
the churches have departed from God than the irritation
and animosity excited by this Heaven-sent message.
Those wlio accepted the advent doctrine were roused to
the necessity of repentance and humiliation before God.
Many had long been halting between Christ and the world;
now they felt that it was time to take a stand. "The
things of eternity assumed to them an unwonted reality.
Heaven was brought near, and they felt themselves guilty
befor3 God."* Christians Mere quickened to new spiritual
life. They were made to feel that time was short, that what
they had to do for their fellow-men must be done quickly.
Earth receded, eternity seemed to open before them, and
the soul, with all that pertains to its immortal weal or woe,
was felt to eclipse every temporal object. The Spirit of God
rested upon them, and gave power to their earnest appeals
to their brethren, as well as to sinners, to prepare for the
day of God. The silent testimony of their daily life was a
constant rebuke to formal and unconsecrated church-mem-
bers. These did not wish to be disturbed in their pursuit of
pleasure, their devotion to money-making, and their ambi-
tion for worldly honor. Hence the enmity and opposition
excited against the advent faith and those who proclaimed it.
As the arguments from the prophetic periods were found
to be impregnable, opposers endeavored to discourage inves-
tigation of the subject, by teaching that the prophecies were
sealed. Thus Protestants followed in the steps of Romanists,
While the papal church withholds the Bible' from the
people, Protestant churches claimed that an important part
» Bliss, "Memoirs of Wm. Miller," p. 146. 'See Appendix.
AN AMERICAN REFORMER 341
of the sacred word — and that the part which brings to
view truths specially applicable to our time — could not
be understood.
; Ministers and people declared that the prophecies of
Daniel and the Revelation were incomprehensible mysteries.
But Christ directed His disciples to the words of the prophet
Daniel concerning events to take place in their time, and
said, ' ' Whoso readeth, let him understand. ' ' ' And the as-
sertion that the Revelation is a mystery, not to be under-
stood, is contradicted by the very title of the book: "The
Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto Him, to
show unto His servants things which must shortly come to
pass. . . . Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the
words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are
written therein:, for the time is at hand.""
Says the prophet : ' ' Blessed is he that readeth ' ' — there
are those who will not read; the blessing is not for them.
' ' And they that hear ' ' — there are some, also, who refuse
to hear anything concerning the prophecies; the blessing is
not for this class. "And keep those things which are
written therein ' ' — many refuse to heed the warnings and
instructions contained in the Revelation; none of these can
claim the blessing promised. All who ridicule the subjects
of the prophecy, and mock at the symbols here solemnly
given, all who refuse to reform their lives, and prepare
for the coming of the Son of man, will be unblessed.
In view of the testimony of Inspiration, how dare men
teach that the Revelation is a mystery, beyond the reach of
human understanding? It is a mystery revealed, a book
opened. The study of the Revelation directs the mind to
the prophecies of Daniel, and both present most important
instruction, given of God to men, concerning events t-o
take place at the close of this world's history.
To John were opened scenes of deep and thrilling interest
in the experience of the church. He saw the position,
dangers, conflicts, and final deliverance of the people of God.
^Matt. 24:15. ='Eev. 1:1-3.
342
THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
He records the closing messages which are to ripen the har-
vest of the earth, either as sheaves for the heavenly garner
or as fagots for the fires of destruction. Subjects of vast
importance were revealed to him, especially for the last
church, that those who should turn from error to truth
might be instructed concerning the perils and conflicts be-
fore them. None need be in darkness in regard to what
is coming upon the earth.
Why, then, this wide-spread ignorance concerning an
important part of Holy Writ? Why this general reluctance
to investigate its teachings? It is the result of a studied
effort of the prince of darkness to conceal from men that
which reveals his deceptions. For this reason, Christ the
Revelator, foreseeing the warfare that would be waged
against the study of the Revelation, pronounced a blessing
upon all who should read, hear, and observe the words of
the prophecy.
LIGHT THROUGH DARKNESS -19
The work of God in the earth presents, from age to age,
a striking similarity in every great reformation or religious
movement. The principles of God's dealing with men are
ever the same. The important movements of the present
have their parallel in those of the past, and the experience
of the church in former ages has lessons of great value for
our own time.
No truth is more clearly taught in the Bible than that
God by His Holy Spirit especially directs His servants on
earth in the great movements for the carrying forward of
the work of salvation. ]\Ien are instruments in the hand
of God, employed by Him to accomplish His purposes of
grace and mercy. Each has his part to act; to each is
granted a measure of light, adapted to the necessities of his
time, and sufficient to enable him to perform the work which
God has given him to do. But no man, however honored of
Heaven, has ever attained to a full understanding of the
great plan of redemption, or even to a perfect appreciation
of the divine purpose in tlie work for his own time. ]\Ien do
not fully understand what God would accomplish by the
work which He gives them to do ; they do not comprehend, in
all its bearings, the message which they utter in His name.
"Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find
out the Almighty unto perfection?" "My thoughts are not
your thoughts, neither are your ways ^ly ways, saith the
(343)
344 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are
My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than
your thoughts." "I am God, and there is none like Me,
declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient
times the things that are not yet done. ' ' ^
Even the prophets who were favored wath the special
illumination of the Spirit, did not fully comprehend the
import of the revelations committed to them. The mean-
ing was to be unfolded from age to age, as the people of
God should need the instruction therein contained.
Peter, writing of the salvation brought to light through
the gospel, says: Of this salvation "the prophets have in-
quired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace
that should come unto you : searching what, or what manner
of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify,
when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and
the glory that should iolloAv. Unto whom it was revealed,
that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister.""
Yet while it was not given to the prophets to understand
fully the things revealed to them, they earnestly sought
to obtain all the light which God had been pleased to
make manifest. They "inquired and searched diligently,"
"searching Avhat, or what manner of time the Spirit of
Christ Mdiich Avas in them did signify." What a lesson to
the people of God in the Christian age, for whose benefit
these prophecies were given to His servants! "Unto whom
ft was revealed that not unto themselves, but unto us they
did minister." Witness those holy men of God as they
"inquired and searched diligently" concerning revelations
given them for generations that were yet unborn. Contrast
their holy zeal with the listless unconcern with which the
favored ones of later ages treat this gift of heaven. What
a rebuke to the ease-loving, world-loving indifference which
is content to declare that the prophecies cannot be under-
stood.
*Job 11:7; Isa. 55:8,9; 46:9,10. '1 Peter 1:10-12,
LIGHT THROUGH DARKNESS 845
Though the finite minds of men are inadequate to enter
into the counsels of the Infinite One, or to understand fully
the working out of His purposes, yet often it is because of
some error or neglect on their own part, that they so dimly
comprehend the messages of Heaven. Not infrequently
the minds of the people, and even of God's servants, are so
blinded by human opinions, the traditions and false teach-
ing of men, that they are able only partially to grasp the
great things which He has revealed in His word. Thus it
was with the disciples of Christ, even when the Saviour was
with them in person. Their minds had become imbued
with the popular conception of the Messiah as a temporal
prince, who was to exalt Israel to the throne of universal
empire, and they could not understand the meaning of His
words foretelling His sufferings and death.
Christ Himself had sent them forth with the message,
' ' The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand :
repent ye, and believe the gospel.*' ' That message was based
on the prophecy of Daniel 9. The sixty-nine weeks were
declared by the angel to extend to "the Messiah the Prince,"
and with high hopes and joyful anticipations the disciples
looked forward to the establishment of Messiah's kingdom
at Jerusalem, to rule over the whole earth.
They preached the message which Christ had committed
to them, though they themselves misapprehended its mean-
ing. Wliile their announcement was founded on Dan. 9 : 25,
they did not see, in the next verse of the same chapter, that
Messiah was to be cut off'. From their very birth their
hearts had been set upon the anticipated glory of an earthly
enipire, and this blinded tjieir understanding alike to the
specifications of the prophecy and to the words of Christ.
They performed their duty in presenting to the Jewish
nation the invitation of mercy, and then, at the very time
when they expected to see their Lord ascend the throne of
David, they beheld Him seized as a malefactor, scourged,
derided, and condemned, and lifted up on the cross of
»Mark 1:15.
346 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
Calvary. What despair and anguish wrung the hearts of
those disciples during the days while their Lord was sleep-
ing in the tomb !
Christ had come at the exact time and in the manner
foretold by prophecy. The testimony of Scripture had been
fulfilled in every detail of. His ministry. He had preached
the message of salvation, and "His word was with power."
The hearts of Ilis hearers had witnessed that it was of
Heaven. The word and the Spirit of God attested the
divine commission of His Son.
The disciples still clung with undying affection to their
beloved Master. And yet their minds were shrouded in
uncertainty and doubt. In their anguish they did not then
recall the words of Christ pointing forward to His suffering
and death. If Jesus of Nazareth had been the true Messiah,
would they have been thus plunged in grief and disappoint-
ment? This was the question that tortured their souls
while the Saviour lay in His sepulcher during the hopeless
hours of that Sabbath wliich intervened between His death
and His resurrection.
Though tlie night of sorrow gathered dark about these
followers of Jesus, yet were they not forsaken. Saith the
prophet: "When I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light
unto me. . . . He will bring me forth to the light, and I
shall behold His righteousness." "Yea, the darkness hideth
not from Thee ; })ut the niglit shineth as the day : the dark-
ness and the light are both alike to Tliee. ' ' God hath spoken :
"Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness." "I
will bring the l)lind by a way that they knew not ; I will
lead them in paths that they have not known : I will make
darkness light before them, and crooked things straight.
These things wall I do unto them, and not forsake them. ' ' *
The announcement which had been made by the disciples
in the name of the Lord was in every particular correct,
and the events to which it pointed were even then taking
place. "The time is fulfilled, the kingdom of God is at
'Micah 7:8,9; Ps. 139:12; 112:4; laa. 42:16.
LIGHT THROUGH DARKNESS 347
hand," had been their message. At the expiration of "the
time" — the sixty-nine weeks of Daniel 9, which were to
extend to the Messiah, "the Anointed One" — Christ had
received the anointing of the Spirit, after His baptism by
John in Jordan. And the "kingdom of God" which they
had declared to be at hand, was established by the death
of Christ. This kingdom was not, as they had been taught
to believe, an earthly empire. Nor was it that future, im-
mortal kingdom which shall be set up when "the kingdom
and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the
whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of
the Most High;" that everlasting kingdom, in which "all
dominions shall serve and obey Him."* As used in the
Bible, the expression "kingdom of God" is employed to des-
ignate both the kingdom of grace and the kingdom of glory.
The kingdom of grace is brought to view by Paul in the
Epistle to the HebrcAvs. After pointing to Christ, the com-
passionate intercessor who is "touched with the feeling .of
our infirmities," the apostle says, "Let us therefore come
boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy,
and find grace. "^ The throne of grace represents the king-
dom of grace; for the existence of a throne implies the ex-
istence of a kingdom. In many of His parables, Christ
uses the expression, "the kingdom of heaven," to designate
the work of divine grace upon the hearts of men.
So the throne of glory represents the kingdom of glory;
and this kingdom is referred to in the Saviour's words,
"When the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the
holy angels with Him, then sliall He sit upon the throne of
His glory: and before Him shall be gathered all nations."'
This kingdom is yet future. It is not to be set up until
the second advent of Christ.
The kingdom of grace was instituted immediately after
the fall of man, when a plan was devised for the redemption
of the guilty race. It then existed in the purpose and by
the promise of God; and through faith, men could become
»Dan. 7:27. ^Heb. 4:16. "Matt. 25:31,32.
348 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
its subjects. Yet it was not actually established until the
death of Christ. Even after entering upon His earthly mis-
sion, the Saviour, wearied with the stubbornness and ingrati-
tude of men, might have drawn back from the sacrifice of
Calvary. In Gethsemane the cup of woe trembled in His
hand. He might even then have wiped the blood-sweat from
His brow, and have left the guilty race to perish in their
iniquity. Had He done this, there could have been no
redemption for fallen men. But when the Saviour yielded
up His life, and with His expiring breath cried out, "It is
finished," then the fulfilment of the plan of redemption was
assured. The promise of salvation made to the sinful pair
in Eden was ratified. The kingdom of grace, which had
before existed by the promise of God, was then established.
Thus the death of Christ — the very event which the
disciples had looked upon as the final destruction of their
hope — was that which made it forever sure. While it had
brought them a cruel disappointment, it Avas the climax of
proof that their belief had been correct. The event that
had filled them with mourning and despair, was that which
opened the door of hope to every child of Adam, and in
which centered the future life and eternal happiness of all
God's faithful ones in all the ages.
Purposes of infinite mercy were reaching their fulfil-
ment, even through the disappointment of the disciples.
"While their hearts had been won by the divine grace and
power of His teaching, who "spake as never man spake," yet
intermingled Avith the pure gold of their love for Jesus, was
the base alloy of worldly pride and selfish ambitions. Even
in the Passover chamber, at that solemn hour when their
INIaster was already entering the shadow of Gethsemane,
there was "a strife among them, which of them should be
accounted the greatest. ' ' * Their vision was filled with the
throne, the crown, and the glory, while just before them
lay the shame and agony of the garden, the judgment-hall,
the cross of Calvary. It was their pride of heart, their
^Luke 22:24.
LIGHT THROUGH DARKNESS 349
thirst for worldly glory, that had led them to cling so
tenaciously to the false teaching of their time, and to pass
unheeded the Saviour's words showing the true nature of
His kingdom, and pointing forward to His agony and death.
And these errors resulted in the trial — sharp but needful
— • which was permitted for their correction. Though the
disciples had mistaken the meaning of their message, and
had failed to realize their expectations, yet they had
preached the warning given them of God, and the Lord
would reward their faith and honor their obedience. To
them was to be intrusted the work of heralding to all
nations the glorious gospel of their risen Lord. It was
to prepare them for this work, that the experience which
seemed to them so bitter had been permitted.
After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples
on the way to Emmaus, and "beginning at Moses and all
the prophets. He expounded unto them in all the Scrip-
tures the things concerning Himself. ' ' ' The hearts of the
disciples were stirred. Faith was kindled. They were "be-
gotten again unto a lively hope," even before Jesus revealed
Himself to them. It was His purpose to enlighten their
understanding, and to fasten their faith upon the "sure
Avord of prophecy." He wished the truth to take firm root
in their minds, not merely because it was supported by His
personal testimony, but because of the unquestionable evi-
dence presented by the symbols and shadows of the typical
law, and by the prophecies of the Old Testament. It was
needful for the followers of Christ to have an intelligent
faith, not only in their own behalf, but that they might
carry the knowledge of Christ to the world. And as the
very first step in imparting this knowledge, Jesus directed
the disciples to "Moses and the prophets." Such was the
testimony given by the risen Saviour to the value and
importance of the Old Testament Scriptures.
What a change was wrought in the hearts of the disci-
ples, as they looked once more on the loved countenance of
*Luke 24:27.
860 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
their Master ! ^ In a more complete and perfect sense than
ever before, they had "found Him, of whom Moses in the
law, and the prophets, did write." The uncertainty, the
anguish, the despair, gave place to perfect assurance, to
unclouded faith. What marvel that after His ascension
they "were continually in the temple, praising and bless-
ing God." The people, knowing only of the Saviour's igno-
minious death, looked to see in their faces the expression
of sorrow, confusion, and defeat ; but they saw there gladness
and triumph. What a preparation these disciples had
received for the work before them ! They had passed through
the deepest trial which it was possible for them to experience,
and had seen how, when to human vision all Avas lost, the
word of God had been triumphantly accomplished. Hence-
forward what could daunt their faith, or chill the ardor of
their love? In the keenest sorrow they had "strong consola-
tion," a hope which was as "an anchor of the soul, both sure
and steadfast. ' ' ' They had been witness to the wisdom and
power of God, and they were ' ' persuaded, that neither death,
nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things
present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any
other creature," would be able to separate them from "the
love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." "In all
these things," they said, "we are more than conquerors
through Him that loved us. " ^ " The word of the Lord
endureth forever."* And "who is he that condemneth? It
is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is
even at the right hand of God, who also maketh interces-
sion for us."*
Saith the Lord: "My people shall never be ashamed."'
"Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the
morning. ' ' ' When on His resurrection day these disciples
met the Saviour, and their hearts burned within them as they
listened to His words; when they looked upon the head
and hands and feet that had been bruised for them; when,
before His ascension, Jesus led them out as far as Bethany,
»Luke 24:32. = Heb. 6:18,19. «Eom. 8:38,39,37.
*1 Peter 1:25. "Rom. 8:34. •Joel 2:26. 'Ps. 30:5.
LIGHT THROUGH DARKNESS 351
and lifting up His hands in blessing, bade them, "Go ye into
all the world, and preach the gospel," adding, "Lo, I am
with you alway;"' when on the day of Pentecost the prom-
ised Comforter descended, and the power from on high was
given, and the souls of the believers thrilled with the con-
scious presence of their ascended Lord, — then, even though,
like His, their pathway led through sacrifice and martyrdom,
would they have exchanged the ministry of the gospel of
His grace, with the "crown of righteousness" to be received
at His coming, for the glory of an earthly throne, which
had been the hope of their earlier discipleship ? He who is
"able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or
think," had granted them, with the fellowship of His suffer-
ings, the communion of His joy, — the joy of "bringing many
sons unto glory," joy unspeakable, "an eternal weight of
glory," to which, says Paul, "our light affliction, which is
but for a moment," is "not worthy to be compared."
The experience of tlie disciples who preached the "gospel
of the kingdom" at the first advent of Christ, had its
counterpart in the experience of those who proclaimed the
message of His second advent. As the disciples went out
preaching, "The time is fulfilled, the kingdom of God is
at hand," so Miller and his associates proclaimed that the
longest and last prophetic period brought to view in the
Bible was about to expire, that the judgment was at hand,
and the everlasting kingdom was to be ushered in. The
preaching of the disciples in regard to time was based on
the seventy weeks of Daniel 9. The message given by
Miller and his associates announced the termination of the
2300 days of Dan. 8:14, of which the seventy weeks form a
part. Tlie preaching of each was based u])on the fulfilment
of a different portion of the same great prophetic period.
Like the first disciples, William Miller and his associates
did not, themselves, fully comprehend the import of the
message which they bore. Errors that had been long estab-
lished in the church prevented them from arriving at a cor-
'Mark 1U:15: Matt. 28:20.
g52 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
rect interpretation of an important point in the prophecy.
Therefore, though they proclaimed the message which God
had committed to them to be given to the world, yet through
a misapprehension of its meaning, they suffered disappoint-
ment.
In explaining Dan. 8:1-4, "Unto two thousand and three
hundred days, then shall the sanctuary be cleansed," Miller,
as has been stated, adopted the generally received view that
the earth is the sanctuary, and he believed that the cleansing
of the sanctuary represented the purification of the earth by
fire at the coming of the Lord. When, therefore, he found
that the close of the 2300 days was definitely foretold, he
concluded that this revealed the time of the second advent.
His error resulted from accepting the popular view as to
what constitutes the sanctuary.
In the typical system, which was a shadow of the sacri-
fice and priosthood of Christ, the cleansing of the sanc-
tuary was the last service performed hy the high priest in
the yearly round of ministration. It was the closing work
of the atonement, — a removal or putting away of sin from
Israel. It prefigured the closing work in the ministration
of our High Priest in heaven, in the removal or blotting
out of the sins of His people, which are registered in the
heavenly records. This service involves a work of investi-
gation, a work of judgment; and it immediately precedes
the coming of Christ in the clouds of heaven with power
and great glory; for when He comes, every case has been
decided. Says Jesus, '"Sly reward is with Me, to give every
man according as his work shall be."* It is this work of
judgment, immediately preceding the second advent, that is
announced in the first angel's message of Rev. 14:7, "Fear
God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment
is come."
Those who proclaimed this warning gave the right mes-
sage at the right time. But as the early disciples declared,
"The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand,"
>Eev. 22:12.
LIGHT THROUGH DARKNESS 353
based on the prophecy of Daniel 9, while they failed to per-
ceive that the death of the Messiah was foretold in the same
scripture; so Miller and his associates preached the message
based on Dan, 8 :14 and Rev. 14 :7, and failed to see that
there were still other messages brought to view in Revela-
tion 14, which were also to be given before the advent of the
Lord. As the disciples were mistaken in regard to the king-
dom to be set up at the end of the seventy weeks, so Advent-
ists were mistaken in regard to the event to take place at
the expiration of the 2300 days. In both cases there was an
acceptance of, or rather an adherence to, popular errors that
blinded the mind to the truth. Both classes fulfilled the
will of God in delivering the message which He desired to
be given, and both, through their own misapprehension of
their message, suffered disappointment.
Yet God accomplished His own beneficent purpose in per-
mitting the warning of the judgment to be given just as it
was. The great day was at hand, and in His providence the
people were brouglit to the test of a definite time, in order
to reveal to them what w^as in their hearts. The message
Avas designed for the testing and purification of the church.
They were to be led to see whether their affections were set
upon this world or upon Christ and heaven. They professed
to love the Saviour; now they were to prove their love.
Were they ready to renounce their worldly hopes and ambi-
tions, and welcome with joy the advent of their Lord? The
message was designed to enable them to discern their true
spiritual state; it was sent in mercy to arouse them to seek
the Lord with repentance and humiliation.
The disappointment also, though the result of their own
misappreliensiou of the message which they gave, was to be
overruled for good. It would test the hearts of those who
liad professed to receive tlie warning. In the face of their
disappointment, w^ould they rashly give up their experience,
and cast away their confidence in God's word? or would
they, in prayer and humility, seek to discern where they
12— G.C.
354 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
had failed to comprehend the significance of the prophecy?
How many had moved from fear, or from impulse and ex-
citement? How many were half-hearted and unbelieving?
Multitudes professed to love the appearing of the Lord.
When called to endure the scoffs and reproach of the world,
and the test of delay and disappointment, would they
renounce the faith? Because they did not immediately un-
derstand tlie dealings of God with them, would they cast
aside truths sustained by the clearest testimony of His word?
This test would reveal the strength of those who with real
faith had obeyed what they believed to be the teaching of
the word and the Spirit of God. It would teach them, as
only such an experience could, the danger of accepting the
theories and interpretations of men, instead of making the
Bible its owti interpreter. To the children of faith the per-
plexity and sorrow resulting from their error, would work
the needed correction. They would ])e led to a closer study
of the prophetic word. They would be taught to examine
more carefully the foundation of their faith, and to reject
everything, however widely accepted by the (Jhristian world,
that was not founded upon the Scriptures of truth.
With these believers, as ■wdth the first disciples, that wliich
in the hour of trial seemed dark to their understanding,
would afterward, be made plain. When they should see the
"end of the Lord," they would know that notwithstanding
the trial resulting from their errors. His purposes of love
toward them had been steadily fulfilling. They would learn
by a blessed experience that He is "very pitiful, and of,
tender mercy;" that all His paths "are mercy and truth
unto such as keep His covenant and His testimonies."
o-at
A GREAT RELIGIOUS AWAKENING -20
A GREAT religious awakening under the proclamation of
Christ's soon coming, is foretold in the prophecy of the first
angel's message of Revelation 14. An angel is seen flying
"in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to
preach unto them that dwell on t^e earth, and to every
nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people." "With a
loud voice" he proclaims the message, "Fear God, and give
glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come: and
worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea,
and the fountains of waters. ' ' ^
The fact that an angel is said to be the herald of this
warning, is significant. By the purity, the glory, and the
power of the heavenly messenger, divine wisdom has been
pleased to represent the exalted character of the work to
be accomplished by the message, and the power and glory
that were to attend it. And the angel's flight "in the
midst of heaven," the "loud voice" with which the warn-
ing is uttered, and its promulgation to all "that dwell on
the earth," — "to every nation, and kindred, and tongue,
and people," — give evidence of the rapidity and world-
wide extent of the movement.
The message itself sheds light as to the time when this
movement is to take place. It is declared to be a part of
the "everlasting gospel;" and it announces the opening of
»Eev. 14:6,7.
(355)
356 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
the judgment. The message of salvation has been preached
in all ages; but this message is a part of the gospel which
could be proclaimed only in the last days, for only then
would it be true that the hour of judgment had come. The
prophecies present a succession of events leading down to
the opening of the judgment. This is especially true of the
book of Daniel. But that part of his prophecy which re-
lated to the last days, Daniel was bidden to close up and
seal ''to the time of the end." Not till we reach this time
could a message concerning the judgment be proclaimed,
based on a fulfilment of these prophecies. But at the time
of the end, says the prophet, "many shall run to and fro,
and knowledge shall be increased. ' ' *
The apostle Paul warned the church not to look for the
coming of Christ in his day. "That day shall not come,"
he says, "except there come a falling away first, and that
man of sin be revealed."' Not till after the great apostasy,
and the long period of the reign of the "man of sin," can we
look for the advent of our Lord. The "man of sin," which
is also styled the "mystery of iniquity," the "son of per-
dition," and "that \ncked, " represents the papacy, which,
as foretold in prophecy, was to maintain its supremacy for
1260 years. This period ended in 1798. The coming of
Christ could not take place before that time. Paul covers
with his caution the whole of the Christian dispensation
down to the year 1798. It is this side of that time that
the message of Christ's second coming is to be proclaimed.
No such message has ever been given in past ages. Paul,
as we have seen, did not preach it; he pointed his brethren
into the then far-distant future for the coming of the Lord.
The Reformers did not proclaim it. Martin Luther placed
the judgment about three hundred years in the future
from his day. But since 1798 the book of Daniel has been
unsealed, knowledge of the prophecies has increased, and
many have proclaimed the solemn message of the judg-
ment near.
»Dan. 12:4. *2 Thess. 2:3.
A GREAT RELIGIOUS AWAKENING 357
Like the great Reformation of the sixteenth century, the
Advent Movement appeared in different countries of Chris-
tendom at the same time. In both Europe and America,
men of faith and prayer were led to the study of the
prophecies, and tracing down the inspired record, they saw
convincing evidence that the end of all things was at hand.
In different lands tliere were isolated bodies of Christians
who, solely by the study of the Scriptures, arrived at the
belief that the Saviour's advent Mas near.
In 1821, three years after Miller had arrived at his expo-
sition of the prophecies pointing to the time of the judgment.
Dr. Joseph Wolff, "the missionary to the world," began
to proclaim the Lord's soon coming. Wolff was born in
Germany, of Hebrew parentage, his father being a Jewish
rabbi. While very young, he was convinced of the truth
of the Christian religion. Of an active, inquiring mind, he
had been an eager listener to the conversations that took
place in his father's house, as devout Hebrews daily assem-
bled to recount the hopes and anticipations of their people,
the glory of the coming Messiah, and the restoration of
Israel, One day hearing Jesus of Nazareth mentioned, the
boy inquired who He was. "A Jew of the greatest talent,"
was the answer; "but as He pretended to be the Messiah,
the Jewish tribunal sentenced Him to death." "Why,"
rejoined the questioner, "is Jerusalem destroyed, and why
are we in captivity?" "Alas, alas!" answered his father,
"because the Jews murdered the prophets." The thought
was at once suggested to the child, "Perhaps Jesus was
also a prophet, and the Jews killed Him when He was in-
nocent. " * So strong was this feeling, that though forbidden
to enter a Christian church, he would often linger outside
to listen to the preaching.
When only seven years old, he was boasting to an aged
Christian neighbor of the future triumph of Israel at the
advent of the IMessiah, when the old man said kindly, "Dear
boy, I will tell you who the real IMessiah was: He was Jesus
'"Travels and Adventures of the Rev, Joseph WoIfiF,"
Vol. I, p. 6 (ed. 1860).
358 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
of Nazareth, ... whom your ancestors have crucified, as
they did the prophets of old. Go home and read the fifty-
third chapter of Isaiah, and you will be convinced that
Jesus Christ is the Son of God."* Conviction at once fast-
ened upon him. He went home and read the scripture,
wondering to see how perfectly it had been fulfilled in
Jesus of Nazareth. Were the words of the Christian true?
The boy asked of his father an explanation of the proph-
ecy, but was met with a silence so stern that he never again
dared to refer to the subject. This, however, only increased
his desire to know more of the Christian religion.
The knowledge he sought was studiously kept from him
in his Jewish home; but when only eleven years old, he left
his father's house, and went out into the world to gain for
himself an education, to choose his religion and his life-work.
He found a home for a time with kinsmen, but was soon
driven from them as an apostate, and alone and penniless
he had to make his own way among strangers. He went
from place to place, studying diligently, and maintaining
himself by teaching Hebrew. Through the influence of a
Catholic instructor, he was led to accept the Romish faith,
and formed the purpose of becoming a missionary to his
own people. With this object he went, a few years later, to
pursue his studies in the College of the Propaganda at Rome.
Here his habit of independent thought and candid speech
brought upon him the imputation of heresy. He openly
attacked the abuses of the church, and urged the necessity
of reform. Though at first treated with special favor by the
papal dignitaries, he was after a time removed from Rome.
Under the surveillance of the church he went from place to
place, until it became evident that he could never be brought
to submit to the bondage of Romanism. He was declared
to be incorrigible, and was left at liberty to go where he
pleased. He now made his way to England, and profess-
ing the Protestant faith, united with the English Church.
After two years' study he set out, in 1821, upon his mission.
»" Travels and Adventures of the Rev. Joseph Wolff," Vol. I, p. 7.
A GREAT JIELIGIOUS AWAKENING 359
While Wolff accepted the great truth of Christ's first
advent as "a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief,"
he saw that the prophecies bring to view with equal clear-
ness His second advent with power and glory. And while he
sought to lead his people to Jesus of Nazareth as the Prom-
ised One, and to point them to His first coming in humilia-
tion as a sacrifice for the sins of men, he taught them also of
His second coming as a king and deliverer.
"Jesus of Nazareth, the true Messiah," he said, "whose
hands and feet were pierced, who was brought like a lamb
to the slaughter, who was the IMan of sorrows and acquainted
with grief, who after the sceptej was taken from Judah, and
the legislative power from between his feet, came the first
time; shall come the second time in the clouds of heaven,
and with the trump of the Archangel,"* "and shall stand
upon the Mount of Olives; and that dominion, once con-
signed to Adam over the creation, and forfeited by him
(Gen. 1:26; 3:17), shall be given to Jesus. He shall be
king over all the eartli. The groanings and lamentations
of the creation shall cease, but songs of praises and thanks-
givings shall be heard. . . . When Jesus comes in the glory
of His Father, with the holy angels, . . . the dead be-
lievers shall rise first. 1 Thess. 4:16; 1 Cor. 15 : 23. This
is w^hat we Christians call the first resurrection. Then the
animal kingdom shall change its nature (Isa. 11:. 6-9), and
be subdued unto Jesus. Psalm 8. Universal peace shall
prevail."* "The Lord again shall look down upon the earth,
and say, 'Behold, it is very good.' "*
Wolff believed the coming of the Lord to be at hand,
his interpretation of the i)rophetic periods placing the great
consummation within a very few years of the time pointed
out by Miller. To those who urged from the scripture, "Of
that day and hour knoweth no man," that men are to know
nothing concerning the nearness of the advent, Wolff re-
plied: "Did our Lord say that that day and hour should
never be known? Did He not give us signs of the times, in
* Wolff, "Researches and Missionary Labors," p. 62 (ed. 1835).
""Journal of the Rev. Joseph Wolff," pp. 378, 379 (ed. 1839).
•Idem, p. 29 i.
360 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY ^
order that we may know at least the approach of His coining,
as one knows the approach of the summer by the fig-tree
putting forth its leaves 1 Matt. 24 : 32. Are we never to
know that period, whilst He Himself exhorteth us not only
to read Daniel the prophet, but to understand it? and in
that very Daniel, where it is said that the words were shut
up to the time of the end (which was the case in his time),
and that 'many sliall run to and fro' (a Hebrew expression
for observing and thinking upon the time), 'and knowledge'
(regarding that time) 'shall be increased.' Dan. 12:4, Be-
sides this, our Lord does not intend to say by this, that the
approach of the time shall not be known, but that the
exact 'day and hour knoweth no man.' Enough, He does
say, shall be known by the signs of the times, to induce us
to prepare for His coming, as Noah prepared the ark. ' ' '
Concerning the popular system of interpreting, or misin-
terpreting, the Scriptures, Wolff wrote: "The greater part
of the Christian church liave swerved from tlie plain sense
of Scripture, and have turned to the phantomizing system of
the Buddhists, who believe tliat the future happiness of
mankind will consist in moving about in the air, and sup-
pose that when they are reading Jews, they must understand
Gentiles; and when they read Jerusalem, they must under-
stand the church; and if it is said earth, it means sky; and
for the coming of the Lord they must understand the prog-
ress of the missionary societies; and going up to the moun-
tain of the Lord's house, signifies a grand class-meeting of
Methodists.'"
During the twenty-four years from 1821 to 1845, "Wolff
traveled extensively: in Africa, visiting Egypt and Abys-
sinia; in Asia, traversing Palestine, Syria, Persia, Bokhara,
and India. He also visited the United States, on the jour-
ney thither preaching on the island of St. Helena. He
arrived in New York in August, 1837 ; and after speaking in
that city, he preached in Philadelphia and Baltimore, and
finally proceeded to Washington. Here, he says, "on a
motion brought forward by the ex-president, John Quincy
^ Wolff, "Researches and Missionary Labors," pp. 404, 405.
*"Joarnal of the Rev. Joseph Wolff," p. 96.
A GREAT RELIGIOUS AWAKENING 361
Adams, in one of the houses of Congress, the House unani-
mously granted to me the use of the Congress Hall for a
lecture, which I delivered on a Saturday, honored with the
presence of all the members of Congress, and also of the
bishop of Virginia, and of the clergy and citizens of Wash-
ington. The same honor was granted to me by the mem-
bers of the government of New Jersey and Pennsylvania,
in whose presence I delivered lectures on my researches in
Asia, and also on the personal reign of Jesus Christ.'"
Dr. Wolff traveled in the most barbarous countries, with-
out the protection of any European authority, enduring
many hardships, and surrounded with countless perils. He
was bastinadoed and starved, sold as a slave, and three times
condemned to death. He was beset by robbers, and some-
times nearly perished from thirst. Once he was stripped
of all that he possessed, and left to travel hundreds of
miles on foot through the mountains, the snow beating in
his face, and his naked feet benumbed by contact wuth the
frozen ground.
When warned against going unarmed among savage and
hostile tribes, he declared himself "provided with arms," —
"prayer, zeal for Christ, and confidence in His help." "1
am also," he said, "provided with the love of God and my
neighbor in my heart, and the Bible is in my hand. "^ The
Bible in Hebrew and English he carried with him wherever
he went. Of one of his later journeys he says, "I . . .
kept the Bible open in ray hand. I felt my power was in
the book, and that its might would sustain me."'
Thus he persevered in his labors until the message of
the judgment had been carried to a large part of the hab-
itable globe. Among Jews, Turks, Parsees, Hindoos, and
many other nationalities and races, he distributed the word
of God in these various tongues, and everywhere heralded
the approaching reign of the Messiah.
In his travels in Bokhara he found the doctrine of the
Lord's soon coming held l\y a remote and isolated people.
* "Journal of the Rev. Joseph Wolff," pp. .'^08, 399.
» Adams, W. H. D., "In Perils Oft," p. 11)2. ' hlcni, p. 201.
362 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
The Arabs of Yemen, he says, ''are in possession of a book
called 'Seera, ' which gives notice of the second coming of
Christ and His reign in glory; and they expect great events
to' take place in the year 1840. " * "In Yemen ... I spent
six days with the children of Rechab. They drink no wine,
plant no vineyard, sow no seed, and live in tents, and re-
member good old Jonadab, the son of Rechab; and I found
in their company children of Israel, of the tribe of Dan,
. . . who expect, with the children of Rechab, the speedy
arrival of the Messiah in the clouds of heaven. ' ' ''
A similar belief was found by another missionary to exist
in Tartary. A Tartar priest put the question to the mission-
ary, as to when Christ would come the second time. When
the missionary answered that he knew nothing about it, the
priest seemed greatly surprised at such ignorance in one who
professed to be a Bible teacher, and stated his o^vn belief,
founded on prophecy, that Christ would come about 1844.
As early as 1826 the advent message began to be preached
in England. The movement here did not take so definite
a form as in America; the exact time of the advent was not
so generally taught, but the great truth of Christ's soon com-
ing in power and glory was extensively proclaimed. And
this not among the dissenters and non-conformists only.
Mourant Brock, an English writer, states that about seven
hundred ministers of the Church of England were engaged
in preaching this "gospel of the kingdom." The message
pointing to 1844 as the time of the Lord's coming was also
given in Great Britain. Advent publications from the
United States were Mddely circulated. Books and journals
were republished in England. And in 1842, Robert Winter,
an Englishman by birth, who had received the advent faith
in America, returned to his native country to herald the
coming of the Lord. Many united with him in the work,
and the message of the judgment was proclaimed in various
parts of England.
» "Journal of the Eev. Joseph Wolff," p. 377.
'Idem, p. 389.
A GREAT RELIGIOUS AWAKENING 363
In South America, in the midst of barbarism and priest-
craft, Lacunza, a Spaniard and a Jesuit, found his way to
the Scriptures, and thus received the truth of Christ's speedy
return. Impelled to give the warning, yet desiring to escape
the censures of Rome, he published his views under the
assumed name of "Rabbi Ben-Israel," representing himself
as a converted Jew. Lacunza lived in tlie eighteenth cen-
tury, but it was about 1825 that his book, having found its
■way to London, was translated into the English language.
Its publication served to deepen the interest already awak-
ening in England in the subject of the second advent.
In Germany the doctrine had been taught in the eight-
eenth century by Bengel, a minister in the Lutheran Church,
and a celebrated biblical scholar and critic. Upon com-
pleting his education, Bengel had "devoted himself to the
fitudy of theology, to which the grave and religious tone
of his mind, deepened and strengthened by his early train-
ing and discipline, naturally inclined him. Like other
young men of thoughtful character, before and since, he
had to struggle with doubts and difficulties of a religious
nature, and he alludes, with much feeling, to the 'many
arrows which pierced his poor heart, and made his youth
hard to bear. ' ' " Becoming a member of the consistory of
WUrtemberg, he advocated the cause of religious liberty.
"While maintaining the rights and privileges of the church,
he was an advocate for all reasonable freedom being ac-
corded to those who felt themselves bound, on grounds of
conscience, to withdraw from her communion. ' ' ' The good
effects of this policy are still felt in his native province.
It was while i)reparing a sermon from Revelation 21 for
"Advent Sunday" that the light of Christ's second coming
broke in upon Bengel 's mind. The prophecies of the Rev-
elation unfolded to his understanding as never before. Over-
whelmed with a sense of the stupendous importance and
surpassing glory of the scenes presented by the prophet, he
was forced to turn for a time from the contemplation of the
* Encyclopaedia Britannica, art. Bengel (ninth edition).
364 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
subject. In the pulpit it again presented itself to him with
all its vividness and power. From that time he devotee"
himself to the study of the prophecies, especially those of
the Apocalypse, and soon arrived at the belief that they
pointed to the coming of Christ as near. The date which
he fixed upon as the time of the second advent was within
a very few years of that afterward held by Miller.
Bengel's writings have been spread throughout Christen-
dom. His views of prophecy were quite generally received
in his own state of Wiirtemberg, and to some extent in
other parts of Germany The movement continued after his
death, and the advent message w^as heard in Germany at
the same time that it was attracting attention in other lands.
At an early date some of the believers went to Russia, and
there formed colonies, and the faith of Christ's soon coming
is still held by the German churches of that country.
The light shone also in France and Switzerland. At
Geneva, where Farel and Calvin had spread the truths of the
Reformation, Gaussen preached the message of the second
advent. While a student at scliool, Gaussen had encountered
that spirit of rationalism which pervaded all Europe during
the latter part of the eighteenth and the opening of the nine-
teenth century; and when he entered the ministry he was
not only ignorant of true faith, but inclined to skepticism.
In his youth he had become interested in the study of proph-
ecy. After reading Rollin's "Ancient History," his attention
was called to the second chapter of Daniel, and he was
struck with the wonderful exactness with which the proph-
ecy had been fulfilled, as seen in the historian's record.
Here was a testimony to the inspiration of the Scriptures,
which served as an anchor to him amid the perils of later
years. He could not rest satisfied with the teachings of
rationalism, and in studj'^ing the Bible and searching for
clearer light he was, after a time, led to a positive faith.
As he pursued his investigation of the prophecies, he
arrived at the belief that the coming of the Lord was at
hand. Impressed with the solemnity and importance of
A GREAT RELIGIOUS AWAKENING 365
this great truth, he desired to bring it before the people ; but
the popular belief that the prophecies of Daniel are mys-
teries and cannot be understood, was a serious obstacle in
his way. He finally determined — as Farel had done before
him in evangelizing Geneva — to begin with the children,
through whom he hoped to interest the parents.
"I desire this to be understood," he afterward said,
speaking of his object in this undertaking, "it is not be-
cause of its small importance, but on the contrary because
of its great value, that I wished to present it in this familiar
form, and that I addressed it to the children. I desired to
be heard, and I feared that I would not be if I addressed
myself to the grown people first." "I determined therefore
to go to the youngest. I gather an audience of children; if
the group enlarges, if it is seen that they listen, are pleased,
interested, that they understand and explain the subject, I
am sure to have a second circle soon, and in their turn,
grown people will see that it is worth their while to sit down
and study. "When this is done, the cause is gained. ' ' ^
The effort was successful. As he addressed the children,
older persons came to listen. The galleries of his church
were filled with attentive hearers. Among them were men
of rank and learning, and strangers and foreigners visiting
Geneva; and thus the message was carried to other parts.
Encouraged by this success, Gaussen published his les-
sons, with the liope of promoting the study of the prophetic
books in the churches of the French-speaking people. "To
publish instruction given to the children," says Gaussen, "is
to say to adults, who too often neglect such books under
the false pretense that they are obscure, 'How can they be
obscure, since your children understand them?' " "I had a
great desire," he adds, "to render a knowledge of the proph-
ecies popular in our flocks, if possible." "There is no study,
indeed, which it seems to me answers the needs of the time
better." "It is by this that we are to prepare for the tribu-
lation near at hand, and watch and wait for Jesus Christ."
'Gaussen, L., "Daniel tlie Prophet," Vol. II, Preface.
366 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
Though one of the most distinguished and beloved of
preachers in the French language, Gaussen was after a time
suspended from the ministry, his principal offense being that
instead of the church's catechism, a tame and rationalistic
manual, almost destitute of positive faith, he had used the
Bible in giving instruction to the youth. He afterward
became teacher in a theological school, while on Sunday
he continued his work as . catechist, addressing the children,
and instructing them in the Scriptures. His works on
prophecy also excited much interest. From the professor's
chair, through the press, and in his favorite occupation as
teacher of children, he continued for many years to exert
an extensive influence, and was instrumental in calling the
attention of many to the study of the prophecies which
showed that the coming of the Lord was near,
f In Scandinavia also the advent message was proclaimed,
and a wide-spread interest was kindled. Many were roused
from their careless security, to confess and forsake their sins,
and seek pardon in the name of Christ. But the clergy of
the state church opposed the movement, and through their
influence some who preached the message were thrown into
prison. In many places wliere the preachers of the Lord's
soon coming were thus silenced, God was pleased to send the
message, in a miraculous manner, through little children.
As they were under age, the law of the state could not
restrain them, and they were permitted to speak unmolested.
The movement was chiefly among the lower class, and
it was in the humble dwellings of the laborers that the
people assembled to hear the warning. The child-preachers
themselves were mostly poor cottagers. Some of them were
not more than six or eight years of age; and while their
lives testified that they loved the Saviour, and were trying to
live in obedience to God's holy requirements, they ordinarily
manifested only the intelligence and ability usually seen in
children of that age. Wlien standing before the people,
however, it was evident that they were moved by an influ-
A GREAT RELIGIOUS AWAKENING 367
snce beyond their own natural gifts. Tone and manner
changed, and with solemn power they gave the warning of
t'xie judgment, employing the very words of Scripture,
"P^ear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His
judgment is come." They reproved the sins of the people,
not only condemning immorality and vice, but rebuking
worldliness and backsliding, and warning their hearers to
make haste to flee from the wrath to come.
The people heard with trembling. The convicting Spirit
of God spoke to their hearts. Many were led to search the
Scriptures with new and deeper interest, the intemperate
and immoral were reformed, others abandoned their dis-
honest practices, and a work was done so marked that even
ministers of the state church were forced to acknowledge
that the hand of God was in the movement.
It was God's will that the tidings of the Saviour's com-
ing should be given in the Scandinavian countries; and
when the voices of His servants were silenced, He put His
Spirit upon the children, that the work might be accom-
plished. When Jesus drew near to Jerusalem attended by
the rejoicing multitudes that, with shouts of triumph and
the waving of palm branches, heralded Him as the Son of
David, the jealous Pharisees called upon Him to silence
them; but Jesus answered that all this was in fulfilment
of prophecy, and if these should hold their peace, the very
stones would cry out. The people, intimidated by the
threats of the priests and rulers, ceased their joyful procla-
mation as they entered the gates of Jerusalem; but the
children in the temple courts afterward took up the refrain,
and waving their branches of palm, they cried, "Hosanna
to the Son of David ! " * When the Pharisees, sorely dis-
pleased, said unto Him, "Hearest Thou what these say?"
Jesus answered, "Yea; have ye never read, Out of the
mouth of babes and sucklings Thou hast perfected praise?"
As God wrought through children at the time of Christ's
first advent, so He wrought through them in giving the
»Matt. 21:8-16.
368 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
message of His second advent, God's word must be ful-
filled, that the proclamation of the Saviour's coming should
be given to all peoples, tongues, and nations.
' '■ To William Miller and his co-laborers it was given to
pteach the warning in America. This country became the
center of the great Advent Movement. It was here that
the prophecy of the first angel's message had its most
direct fulfilment. The writings of Miller and his asso-
ciates were carried to distant lands. Wherever mission-
aries had penetrated in all the world, were sent the glad
tidings of Christ's speedy return. Far and wide spread
the message of the everlasting gospel, "Fear God, and give
glory to Ilim; for the hour of His judgment is come."
The testimony of the prophecies which seemed to point
to the coming of Christ in the spring of 1844, took deep hold
of the minds of the people. As the message went from State
to State, there was everywhere awakened wide-spread in-
terest. Many were convinced that the arguments from the
prophetic periods were correct, and sacrificing their pride of
opinion, they joyfully received the truth. Some ministers
laid aside their sectarian views and feelings, left their sal-
aries and their churches, and united in proclaiming the
coming of Jesus. There were comparatively few minis-
ters, however, who would accept this message; therefore it
was largely committed to humble laymen. Farmers left
their fields, mechanics their tools, traders their merchandise,
professional men their positions; and yet the number of
workers was small in comparison with the work to be ac-
complished. The condition of an ungodly church and a
world lying in wickedness, burdened the souls of the true
watchmen, and they willingly endured toil, privation, and
suffering, that they might call men to repentance unto sal-
vation. Though opposed by Satan, the work went steadily
forward, and the advent truth was accepted by many
thousands.
A GREAT RELIGIOUS AWAKENING 369
Everywhere the searching testimony was heard, warning
sinners, both worldlings and church-members, to flee from
the wrath to come. Like John the Baptist, the forerunner
of Christ, the preachers laid the axe at the root of the tree,
and urged all to bring forth fruit meet for repentance.
Their stirring appeals were in marked contrast to the assur-
ances of peace and safety that were heard from popular pul-
pits; and wherever the message was given, it moved the
people. The simple, direct testimony of the Scriptures, set
home by the power of the Holy Spirit, brought a weight of
conviction which few were able wholly to resist. Professors
of religion were roused from their false security. They saw
their backslidings, their worldliness and unbelief, their pride
and selfishness. ]\Iany sought the Lord with repentance and
humiliation. The affections that had so long clung to
earthly things they now fixed upon heaven. The Spirit of
God rested upon them, and Avith hearts softened and sub-
dued they joined to sound the cry, "Fear God, and give
glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come."
Sinners inquired with Aveeping, "What must I do to be
saved?" Those whose lives had been marked with dishon-
esty were anxious to make restitution. All who found peace
in Christ longed to see others share the ])lessing. The hearts
of parents were turned to their children, and the hearts of
children to their parents. The barriers of pride and reserve
were swept away. Heartfelt confessions were made, and
the members of the household labored for the salvation of
those who were nearest and dearest. Often was heard the
sound of earnest intercession. Everysvhere were souls in
deep anguish, pleading with God. I\Iany wrestled all. night
in prayer for the assurance that their own sins were par-
doned, or for the conversion of their relatives or neighbors.
All classes flocked to the Adventist meetings. Rich and
poor, high and low, were, from various causes, anxious to
hear for themselves the doctrine of the second advent. The
Lord held the spirit of opposition in check while His servants
370 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
explained the reasons of their faith. Sometimes the instru-
ment was feeble; but the Spirit of God gave power to His
truth. The presence of holy angels was felt in these assem-
blies, and many were daily added to the believers. As the
evidences of Christ's soon coming M-ere repeated, vast crowds
listened in breathless silence to the solemn words. Heaver
and earth seemed to approach each other. The power of God
was felt upon old and young and middle-aged. ]\Ien sought
their homes with praises upon their lips, and the glad sound
rang out upon the still night air. None who attended those
meetings can ever forget those scenes of deepest interest.
The proclamation of a definite time for Christ's coming
called forth great opposition from many of all classes, from
the minister in the pulpit down to the most reckless. Heaven-
daring sinner. The words of prophecy were fulfilled: "There
shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their
own lusts, and saying. Where is the promise of His coming?
for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they
were from the beginning of the creation."* ]\Iany who pro-
fessed to love the Saviour, declared that they had no oppo-
sition to the doctrine of the second advent; they merely
objected to the definite time. But God's all-seeing eye read
their hearts. They did not wish to hear of Christ's coming
to judge the world in righteousness. They had been unfaith-
ful servants, their works would not bear the inspection of
the heart-searching God, and they feared to meet their Lord.
Like the Jews at the time of Christ's first advent, they were
not prepared to welcome Jesus. They not only refused to
listen to the plain arguments from the Bible, but ridiculed
those who were looking for the Lord. Satan and his angels
exulted, and fiung the taunt in the face of Christ and holy
angels, that His professed people had so little love for Him
that they did not desire His appearing.
"No man knoweth the day nor the hour," was the argu-
ment most often brought forward by rejecters of the advent
faith. The scripture is, "Of that day and hour knoweth no
^2 Peter 3:3,4,
A GREAT RELIGIOUS AWAKENING 37l
man, no, not the angels of heaven, but My Father only. " ' A
clear and harmonious explanation of this text was given by
those who were looking for the Lord, and the wrong use
made of it by their opponents was clearly shown. The
words were spoken by Christ in that memorable conversa-
tion with His disciples upon Olivet, after He had for the last
time departed from the temple. The disciples had asked
the question, "What shall be the sign of Thy coming, and of
the end of the world T' Jesus gave them signs, and said,
"When ye shall see all these things, know that it is near,
even at the doors."' One saying of the Saviour must not
be made to destroy another. Though no man knoweth tlie
day nor the Jiour of His coming, we are instructed and
required to know when it is near. We are further taught
that to disregard His warning, and refuse or neglect to know
when His advent is near, will be as fatal for us as it was for
those who lived in the days of Noah not to know wdien the
flood was coming. And the parable in the same chapter,
contrasting the faithful and the unfaithful servant, and
giving the doom of him who said in his heart, "My Lord
delayeth His coming, ' ' shows in what light Christ will regard
and reward those whom He finds watching, and teaching His
coming, and those denying it. ' ' Watch therefore, ' ' He says ;
"blessed is that servant, whom his Lord when He coraetli
shall find so doing."* "H" therefore thou shalt not watch, I
will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what
hour I will come upon thee."'
Paul speaks of a class to whom the Lord's aj>pearing will
come unawares. "The day of the Lord so cometh as a thief
in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety;
then sudden destruction cometh upon them, . . . and they
shall not escape." But He adds, to those who have given
heed to the Saviour's warning, "Ye, brethren, are not
in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the
day : we are not of the night, nor of darkness. ' ' '
'Matt. 24:36, 3, 33, 42-51. *Rev. 3:3. «1 Thess. 5:2-5.
372 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
Thus it was shown that Scripture gives no warrant for
men to remain in ignorance concerning the nearness of
Christ's coming. But those who desired only an excuse to
reject the truth closed their ears to this explanation; and
the words, "No man knoweth the day nor the hour," con-
tinued to be echoed by the bold scoffer, and even by the
professed minister of Christ. As the people were roused,
and began to inquire the way of salvation, religious teachers
stepped in between them and the truth, seeking to quiet
their fears by falsely interpreting the word of God. Un-
faithful Avatclmien united in the work of the great deceiver,
crying, Peace, peace, when God had not spoken peace. Like
the Pharisees in Christ's day, many refused t6 enter the
kingdom of heav'en themselves, and those who were enter-
ing in, they hindered. The blood of these souls will be
required at their hand.
The most humble and devoted in the churches were
usually the first to receive the message. Those who studied
the Bible for themselves could not but see the unscriptural
character of the popular views of prophecy; and wherever
the people were not controlled by the inlluence of the clergy,
wherever they would search the word of God for themselves,
the advent doctrine needed only to be compared with the
Scriptures to establish its divine authority.
Many were persecuted by their unbelieving brethren. In
order to retain their position in the church, some consented
to l)e silent in regard to their hope; but others felt that
loyalty to God forbade them thus to hide the truths which
He had committed to their trust. Not a few were cut off
from the fellowship of the church for no other reason than
expressing their belief in the coming of Christ. Very pre-
cious to those who bore this trial of their faith were the
words of the prophet, "Your brethren that hated you, that
cast you out for My name's sake, said. Let the Lord be
glorified: but He shall appear to your joy, and they shall
be ashamed. ' ' *
*Ida. 66:5.
A GREAT RELIGIOUS AWAKENING 373
Angels of God were watching with the deepest interest
the result of the warning. "When there was a general
rejection of the message by the churches, angels turned
away in sadness. But there were many who had not yet
been tested in regard to the advent truth. Many were
misled by husbands, wives, parents, or children, and were
made to believe it a sin even to listen to such heresies as
were taught by the Adventists. Angels were l)idden to
keep faithful watch over these souls; for another light was
yet to shine upon them from the throne of God.
With unspeakable desire those who had received the
message watched for the coming of their Saviour. The
time when they expected to meet Him was at hand. They
approached tliis hour with a calm solemnity. They rested
in sweet communion with God, an earnest of the peace that
was to be theirs in the bright hereafter. None who experi-
enced this hope and trust can forget those precious hours of
waiting. For some weeks preceding the time, worldly busi-
ness was for the most part laid aside. The sincere believers
carefully examined every thought and emotion of their
hearts as if upon their death-beds and in a few hours to close
their eyes upon earthly scenes. There was no making of
' ' ascension robes ; ' " but all felt the need of internal evidence
that they were prepared to meet the Saviour; their white
robes were purity of soul, — characters cleansed from sin by
the atoning blood of Christ. Would that there was still
with the professed people of God the same spirit of heart-
searching, the same earnest, determined faith. Had they
continued thus to humble themselves before the Lord, and
press their petitions at the mercy-seat, they would be in
possession of a far richer experience than they now have.
There is too little prayer, too little real conviction of sin,
and the lack of living faith leaves many destitute of the
grace so richly provided by our Redeemer.
God designed to prove His people. His hand covered a
mistake in the reckoning of the prophetic periods. Advent-
* See Appendix.
374 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
ists did not discover the error, nor was it discovered by the
most learned of their opponents. The latter said: "Your
reckoning of the prophetic periods is correct. Some great
event is about to take place; but it is not what Mr. Miller
predicts; it is the conversion of the world, and not the
second advent of Christ. ' ' ^
The time of expectation passed, and Christ did not appear
for the deliverance of His people. Those who with sincere
faith and love had looked for their Saviour, experienced a
bitter disappointment. Yet the purposes of God were being
accomplished : He was testing the hearts of those who pro-
fessed to be waiting for His appearing. There were among
them many wiio had been actuated by no higher motive
than fear. Their profession of faith had not affected their
hearts or their lives. When the expected event failed to
take place, these persons declared that they were not dis-
appointed; they had never believed that Christ would come.
They were among the first to ridicule the sorrow of the true
believers.
But Jesus and all the heavenly host looked with love and
sympathy upon the tried and faithful yet disappointed ones.
Could the veil separating the visible from the invisible
world have been swept back, angels would have been seen
drawing near to these steadfast souls, aud sliielding them
from the shafts of Satan.
' See Appendix.
si^'a^ <a. ^s^ '5^ ^^ <V&.'i^'!»^
A WARNING REdEGTED-21
In preaching the doctrine of the second advent, William
Miller and his associates had labored with the sole purpose
of arousing men to a preparation for the judgment. They
had sought to awaken professors of religion to the true hope
of the church, and to their need of a deeper Christian ex-
perience ; and they labored also to awaken the unconverted
to the duty of immediate repentance and conversion to God.
"They made no attempt to convert men to a sect or party in
religion. Hence they labored among all parties and sects,
without interfering with their organization or discipline."
"In all my labors," said Miller, "I never had the desire
or thought to establish any separate interest from that of
existing denominations, or to benefit one at the expense of
another. I thought to benefit all. Supposing that all Chris-
tians would rejoice in the prospect of Christ's coming, and
that those who could not see as I did would not love any
the less those who should embrace this doctrine, I did not
conceive there would ever be any necessity for separate
meetings. My whole object was a desire to convert souls to
God, to notify the world of a coming judgment, and to
induce my fellow-men to make that preparation of heart
which will enable them to meet their God in peace. The
great majority of those who were converted under my
labors united with the various existing churches."'
'Bliss, "Memoirs of Wm. Miller," p. 328.
(375)
376 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
As his work tended to build up the churches, it was for
a time regarded with favor. But as ministers and religious
leaders decided against the advent doctrine, and desired to
suppress all agitation of the subject, they not only opposed
it from the pulpit, but denied their members the privilege
of attending preaching upon the second advent, or even of
speaking of their hope in the social meetings of the church.
Thus the believers found themselves in a position of great
trial and perplexity. They loved their churches, and were
loath to separate from them; but as they saw the testimony
of God's word suppressed, and their right to investigate the
prophecies denied, they felt that loyalty to God forbade
them to submit. Those who sought to shut out the testi-
mony of God's word, they could not regard as constituting
the church of Christ, "the pillar and ground of the truth."
Hence they felt themselves justified in separating from their
former connection. In the summer of 1844 about fifty
thousand withdrew from the churches.
About this time a marked change was apparent in most
of the churches throughout the United States. There had
been for many years a gradual but steadily increasing con-
formity to worldly practices and customs, and a correspond-
ing decline in real spiritual life; but in that year there were
evidences of a sudden and marked declension in nearly all
the churches of the land. While none seemed able to sug-
gest the cause, the fact itself was widely noted and com-
mented upon, by both the press and the pulpit.
At a meeting of the presbytery of Philadelphia, Mr.
Barnes, . author of a commentary widely used, and pastor
of one of the leading churches in that city, "stated that
he had been in the ministry for twenty years, and never,
till the last communion, had he administered the ordinance
without receiving more or less into the church. But now
there are no awakenings, no conversions, not much apparent
growth in grace in professors, and none come to his study
to converse about the salvation of their souls. With the
A WARNING REJECTED 377
increase of business, and the brightening prospects of com-
merce and manufacture, there is an increase of worldly-
mindedness. Thus it is with all the denominations." '
In the month of February of the same year, Professor
Finney, of Oberlin College, said: "We have had the fact
before our minds, that, in general, the Protestant churches
of our country, as such, were either apathetic or hostile to
nearly all the moral reforms of the age. There are par-
tial exceptions, yet not enough to render the fact otherwise
than general. We have also another corroborated fact:
the almost universal absence of revival influence in the
churches. The spiritual apathy is almost all-pervading,
and is fearfully deep ; so the religious press of the whole
land testifies. . , . Very extensively, church-members are be-
coming devotees of fashion, — join hands with the ungodly
in parties of pleasure, in dancing, in festivities, etc. . . .
But we need not expand this painful subject. Suffice it
that the evidence thickens and rolls heavily upon us, to
show that the churclies generally are hecoming sadly de-
generate. They have gone very far from the Lord, and
He has withdrawn Himself from them."
And a writer in the Religious Telescope testified: "We
have never witnessed such a general declension of religion
as at the present. Truly, the church should awake, and
search into the cause of this affliction; for as an affliction
every one that loves Zion must view it. When we call to
mind how 'few and far between' cases of true conversion
are, and the almost unparalleled impertinence and hardness
of sinners, we almost involuntarily exclaim, 'Has God for-
gotten to be gracious ? or, Is the door of mercy closed ? ' "
Such a condition never exists without cause in the
church itself. The spiritual darkness which falls upon na-
tions, upon churches and individuals, is due, not to an arbi-
trary withdrawal of the succors of divine grace on the part
of God, but to neglect or rejection of divine light on the
* Congregational Journal, May 23, 1844.
378 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
part of men. A striking illustration of this truth is pre-
sented in the history of the Jewish people in the time of
Christ, By their devotion to the world and forgetfulness
of God and His word, their understanding had become
darkened, their hearts earthly and sensual. Thus thej^ were
in ignorance concerning ^Messiah's advent, and in their pride
and unbelief they rejected the Redeemer. God did not even
then cut off the Jewish nation from a knowledge of, or a
participation in, the blessings of salvation. But those who
rejected the truth lost all desire for the gift of Heaven,
They had "put darkness for light, and light for darkness,"
until the light which was in them became darkness; and
how great was that darkness!
It suits the policy of Satan, that men should retain the
forms of religion, if but the spirit of vital godliness is lack-
ing. After their rejection of the gospel, the Jews continued
zealously to maintain their ancient rites, they rigorously
preserved their national exclusiveness, while they them-
selves could not 1)11 1 admit that the presence of God was
no longer manifest among them. The prophecy of Daniel
pointed so unmistakal)ly to the time of ^Messiah's coming,
and so directly foretold His death, that they discouraged
its study, and finally the rabbis pronounced a curse on all
who should attempt a computation of the time. In blind-
ness and impenitence, the people of Israel for eighteen
hundred years have stood, indifferent to the gracious offers
of salvation, unmindful of the blessings of the gospel, a
solemn and fearful warning of the danger of rejecting
light from heaven.
Wherever the cause exists, the same results will follow.
He who deliberately stifles his convictions of duty because
it interferes with his inclinations, will finally lose the power
to distinguish between truth and error. The understanding
becomes darkened, the conscience callous, the heart hard-
ened, and the soul is separated from God. "Where the mes-
sage of divine truth is spurned or slighted, there the church
will be enshrouded in darkness; faith and love grow cold,
A WARNING REJECTED 379
and estrangement and dissension enter. Church-members
center their interests and energies in worldly pursuits, and
sinners become hardened in their impenitence.
The first angel's message of Revelation 1-4, announcing
the hour of God's judgment, and calling upon men to fear
and worship Him, was designed to separate the professed
people of God from the corrupting influences of the world,
and to arouse them to see their true condition of worldli-
ness and backsliding. In this message, God had sent to the
church a warning, which, had it been accepted, would have
corrected the evils that were shutting them away from Him.
Had they received the message from heaven, humbling
their hearts before the Lord, and seeking in sincerity a prep-
aration to stand in His presence, the Spirit and power of
God would have been manifested among them. The church
would again have reached that blessed state of unity, faith,
and love, which existed in apostolic days, when the believers
"were of one heart and of one soul," and "spake the word
of God with boldness," when "the Lord added to the church
daily such as should be saved." *
If God's professed people would receive the light as it
shines upon them from His word, they would reach that
unity for which Christ prayed, that which the apostle
describes, "the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."
"There is," he says, ^'one body, and one Spirit, even as
ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one
faith, one baptism.""
Such wore the blessed results experienced by those who
accepted the advent message. They came from different
denominations, and their denominational barriers Mere
hurled to the ground; conflicting creeds were sliivered to
atoms; the unscriptural hope of a temporal millennium was
abandoned, false views of the second advent were corrected,
pride and conformity to the world were swept away;
wrongs were made right; hearts were united in the sweet-
est fellowship, and love and joy reigned supreme. If this
•Acts 4:32,31; 2:47. =Eph. 4:3-5.
380 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
doctrine did this for the few who did receive it, it would
have done the same for all, if all had received it.
But the churches generally did not accept the warning.
Thair ministers, who, as ' ' watchmen unto the house of Israel, ' '
should have been the first to discern the tokens of Jesus'
coming, had failed to learn the truth, either from the testi-
mony of the prophets or from the signs of the times. As
worldly hopes and ambitions filled the heart, love for God
and faith in His word had grown cold; and when the advent
doctrine was presented, it only aroused their prejudice and
unbelief. The fact that the message was, to a great extent,
preached by laymen, was urged as an argument against it.
As of old, the plain testimony of God's word was met with
the inquiry, "Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees
believed?" And finding how difficult a task it was to refute
the arguments drawn from the prophetic periods, many dis-
couraged the study of the prophecies, teaching that the
prophetic books were sealed, and were not to be understood.
Multitudes, trusting implicitly to their pastors, refused to
listen to the warning; and others, though convinced of the
truth, dared not confess it, lest they should be "put out of
the synagogue." The message which God had sent for the
testing and purification of the church, revealed all too surely
how great was the number who had set their affections on
this world rather than upon Christ. The ties which bound
them to earth were stronger than the attractions heaven-
ward. They chose to listen to the voice of worldly wis-
dom, and turned away from the heart-searching message
of truth.
In refusing the warning of the first angel, they rejected
the means which Heaven had provided for their restoration.
They spurned the gracious messenger that would have cor-
rected the e^^ls which separated them from God, and with
greater eagerness they turned to seek the friendship of the
world. Here was the cause of that fearful condition of
worldliness, backsliding, and spiritual death which existed in
the churches in 1844.
A WARNING REJECTED 38l
In Revelation 14, the first angel is followed by a second,
proclaiming, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city,
because she made all nations drink of the wine of the
wrath of her fornication, ' ' * The term ' ' Babylon ' ' is derived
from "Babel," and signifies confusion. It is employed in
Scripture to designate the various forms of false or apostate
religion. In Revelation 17, Babylon is represented as a
woman, — a figure which is used in the Bilile as tlie symbol
of a church, a virtuous woman representing a pure church, a
vile woman an apostate church.
In the Bible the sacred and enduring character of the
relation that exists between Christ and His church is repre-
sented by the union of marriage. The Lord has joined His
people to Himself by a solemn covenant. He promising to be
their God, and they pledging themselves to be His, and His
alone. He declares, "I will betroth thee unto Me forever;
yea, I will betroth thee iinto Me in righteousness, and in
judgment, and in loving-kindness, and in mercies. ' ' ' And
again, "I am married unto you."' And Paul employs the
same figure in the New Testament when he says, "I have
espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a
jhaste virgin to Christ. ' ' *
The unfaithfulness of the church to Christ* in permitting
her confidence and affection to be turned from Him, and
allowing the love of worldly things to occupy the soul, is
likened to the violation of the marriage vow. The sin of
Israel in departing from tlie Lord is i)resented under this
figure; and the wonderful love of God which they thus
despised is touchingly portrayed: "I sware unto thee, and
entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord God, and
thou becamest ]\Iine. " "And thou wast exceeding beautiful,
and thou didst prosper into a kingdom. And thy renown
went forth among the heathen for thy beauty : for it was
perfect through ]\Iy comeliness, which I had put upon thee.
. . . But thou didst trust in thine own beauty, and playedst
the harlot because of thy renown." "As a wife treacher'
>Rev. 14:8. *Ho8ea 2:19. "Jer. 3:14. *2 Cor. 11:2.
382 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
ously departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt treach-
erously with Me, house of Israel, saith the Lord;" "as a
wife that committeth adultery, which taketh strangers in-
stead of her husband. ' ' *
In the New Testament, language very similar is addressed
to professed Christians who seek the friendship of the world
above the favor of God. Says the apostle James: ''Ye adul-
terers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of
the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be
a friend of the world is the enemy of God."
The woman (Babylon) of Revelation 17, is described as
''arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold
and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her
hand full of abominations and filthiness: . . . and upon
her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon the
Great, the mother of harlots." Says the prophet, "I saw
the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with
the blood of the martyrs of Jesus." Babylon is further
declared to be "that great city, which reigneth over the
kings of the earth. "^ The power that for so many cen-
turies maintained despotic sway over the monarchs of Chris-
tendom, is Komo. The purple and scarlet color, the gold
and precious 'stones and pearls, vividly picture the mag-
nificence and more than kingly pomp affected by the
haughty see of Rome. And no other power could be so
truly declared "drunken with the blood of the saints" as
that church which has so cruelly persecuted the followers of
Christ. Babylon is also charged with the sin of unlawful
connection with "the kings of the earth." It was by depar-
ture from the Lord, and alliance with the heathen, that the
Jewish church became a harlot; and Rome, corrupting her-
self in like manner by seeking the support of worldly
poAvers, receives a like condemnation.
Babylon is said to be "the mother of harlots." By her
daughters must be symbolized churches that cling to her doc-
trines and traditions, and follow her example of sacrificing
»Eze. 16:8,13-15,32; Jer. 3:20. 'Rev. 17:4-6, 18.
A WARNING REJECTED 383
the truth and the approval of God, in order to form an
unlawful alliance with the world. The message of Revela-
tion 14, announcing the fall of Babylon, must apply to relig-
ious bodies that were once pure and have become corrupt.
Since this message follows the warning of the judgment, it
must be given in the last days; therefore it cannot refer to
the Roman Church alone, for that church has been in a
fallen condition for many centuries. Furthermore, in the
eighteenth chapter of the Revelation, the people of God
are called upon to come out of Babylon. According to
this scripture, many of God's people must still be in Baby-
lon. And in what religious bodies are the greater part of
the followers of Christ now to be found? Without doubt,
in -the various churches professing the Protestant faith.
At the time of their rise, these churches took a noble stand
for God and the truth, and His blessing was with them.
Even the unbelieving world was constrained to acknowl-
edge the beneficent results that followed an acceptance of
the principles of the gospel. In tlie words of the prophet
to Israel, "Thy renown went forth among the heathen for
thy beauty : for it was perfect through My comeliness, which
I had put upon thee, saith the Lord God. ' ' ' But they fell
by the same desire which was the curse and ruin of Israel, —
the desire of imitating the practices and courting the friend-
ship of the ungodly. "Thou didst trust in thine own beauty,
and playedst the harlot because of thy renown. ' ' '
Many of the Protestant churches are following Rome's
example of iniquitous connection with "the kings of the
earth" — the state churches, by their relation to secular gov-
ernments; and other denominations, by seeking the favor of
the world. And the term "Babylon" — confusion — may be
appropriately applied to these bodies, all professing to derive
their doctrines from the Bible, yet divided into almost innu-
merable sects, with widely conliicting creeds and theories.
Besides a sinful union with the world, the churches that
separated from Rome present other of her characteristics.
'Eze. 16:14, 15.
384 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
A Roman Catholic work argues that "if the Church of
Rome were ever guilty of idolatry in relation to the saints,
her daughter, the Church of England, stands guilty of the
same, which has ten churches dedicated to Mary for one
dedicated to Christ. " ^
And Dr. Hopkins, in "A Treatise on the Millennium,"
declares: "There is no reason to consider the antichristian
spirit and practices to be confined to that which is now
called the Church of Rome. The Protestant churches have
much of antichrist in them, and are far from being wholly
reformed from . . . corruptions and wickedness. ' ' *
Concerning the separation of the Presbyterian Church
from Rome, Dr. Guthrie writes: "Three hundred yeaxs ago,
our church, with an open Bible on her banner, and this
motto, 'Search the Scriptures,' on her scroll, marched out
from the gates of Rome." Then he asks the significant
question, "Did they come clean out of Babylon?"*
"The Cliurch of England," says Spurgeon, "seems to be
eaten through and through with sacramentarianism ; but non-
conformity appears to be almost as badly riddled with philo-
sophical infidelity. Those of whom we thought better things
are turning aside one by one from the fundamentals of the
faith. Through and through, I believe, the very heart of
England is honeycombed with a damnable infidelity whicli
dares still go into the pulpit and call itself Christian."
What was the origin of the great apostasy ? How did the
cliurch first depart from the simplicity of the gospel? By
conforming to the practices of paganism, to facilitate the
acceptance of Christianity by the heathen. The apostle
Paul declared, even in his day, "The mystery of iniquity
doth already work. ' ' * During the lives of the apostles the
church remained comparatively pure. But "toward the lat-
ter end of the second century most of the churches assumed
a new form; the first simplicity disappeared, and insen-
^Dr. Challoner, "The Catholic Christian Instructed," Preface, pp. 21,
22 (ed. 1897). = Hopkins, Samuel, " Works, " Vol. II, p. 328 (ed. 1854).
•Guthrie, John, "The Gospel in Ezekiel," p. 237 (Edinburgh ed. 1857).
*2 Thess. 2:7.
A WARNING REJECTED 385
sibly, as the old disciples retired to their graves, their
children, along with new converts,. . . . came forward and
new-modeled the cause. " * To secure converts, the exalted
standard of the Christian faith was lowered, and as the
result "a pagan flood, flowing into the church, carried
with it its customs, practices, and idols."" As the Christian
religion secured the favor and support of secular rulers,
it was nominally accepted by multitudes; but while in ap-
pearance Christians, many "remained in substance pagans,
especially worshiping in secret their idols. " ^
Has not the same process been repeated in nearly every
church calling itself Protestant? As its founders, those who
possessed the true spirit of reform, pass away, their descend-
ants come forward and "new-model the cause." While
blindly clinging to the creed of their fathers and refusing to
accept any truth in advance of what they saw, the children
of the reformers depart widely from their example of humil-
ity, self-denial, and renunciation of the world. Thus "the
first simplicity disappears." A worldly flood, flowing into
the church, "carries with it its customs, practices, and idols."
Alas, to what a fearful extent is tliat friendship of the
world which is "enmity with God," now cherished among
the professed followers of Christ ! How widely have the
popular churches throughout Christendom departed from
the Bible standard of humility, self-denial, simplicity, and
godliness! Said Jolin Wesley, in speaking of the right use
of money: "Do not waste any part of so precious a talent,
merely in gratifying the desire of the eye, by superfluous
or expensive' api)arel, or by needless ornaments. Waste no
part of it in curiously adorning your houses; in superfluous
or expensive furniture ; in costly pictures, painting, gild-
ing. . . . Lay out nothing to gratify the pride of life, to
gain tlie admiration or praise of men. ... 'So long as
thou doest well unto thyself, men will speak good of thee.'
So long as thou art 'clothed in purple and flne linen, and
farest sumptuously every day,' no doubt many will applaud
'Robinaon, "Robert, "Ecclesiastical Eesearches, " ch. 6, par. 17
(ed. 1792, p. SI).
-Gavazzi's Lectures, p. 278 (ed. 1854).
18— o. a
386 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
thy elegance of taste, thy generosity and hospitality. But
do not buy their applause so dear. Rather be content with
the honor that eometh from God, ' ' ' But in many churches
of our time, such teaching is disregarded.
A profession of religion has become popular with the
world. Rulers, politicians, lawyers, doctors, merchants, join
the church as a means of securing the respect and confidence
of society, and advancing their own worldly interests. Thus
they seek to cover all their unrighteous transactions under
a profession of Christianity. The various religious bodies,
re-enforced by the wealth and influence of these baptized
worldlings, make a still higher bid for popularity and
patronage. Splendid churches, embellished in .the most ex-
travagant manner, are erected on popular avenues. The
worshipers array themselves in costly and fashionable attire.
A high salary is paid for a talented minister to entertain
and attract the people. His sermons must not touch popu-
lar sins, but be made smooth and pleasing for fashionable
ears. Thus fashionable sinners are enrolled on the church-
records, and fashionable sins are concealed under a pre-
tense of godliness.
Commenting on the present attitude of professed Chris-
tians toward the world, a leading secular journal says: "In-
sensibly the church has yielded to the spirit of the age, and
adapted its forms of worship to modern wants." "All
things, indeed, that help to make religion attractive, the
church now employs as its instruments." And a writer in
the New York Independent speaks thus concerning Method-
ism as it is: "The line of separation between the godly and
the irreligious fades out into a kind of penumbra, and zeal-
ous men on both sides are toiling to obliterate all difference
between their modes of action and enjoyment." "The
popularity of religion tends vastly to increase the number
of those who would secure its benefits without squarely
meeting its duties."
* Wesley's Works, Sermon 50, "The Use of Money."
A WARNING REJECTED 387
Says Howard Crosby: "It is a matter of deep concern
that we find Christ's church so little fulfilling the designs
of its Lord. Just as the ancient Jews let a familiar inter-
course with the idolatrous nations steal away their hearts
from God, ... so the church of Jesus now is, by its false
partnerships with an unbelieving world, giving up the di-
vine methods of its true life, and yielding itself to the per-
nicious, though often plausible, habits of a Christless society,
using the arguments and reaching the conclusions which are
foreign to the revelation of God, and directly antagonistic
to all growth in grace. ' ' '
In this tide of worldliness and pleasure-seeking, self-
denial and self-sacrifice for Christ's sake are almost wholly
lost. ''Some of the men and women now in active life in
our churches were educated, when children, to make sacri-
fices in order to be able to give or do something for Christ."
But "if funds are wanted now, . . . nobody must be called
on to give. Oh, no ! have a fair, tableaux, mock trial, anti-
quarian supper, or something to eat — anything to amuse
the people."
Governor Washburn, of Wisconsin, in his annual mes-
sage, Jan. 9, 1873, declared: "Some law seems to be required
to break up the schools where gamblers are made. These
are everywhere. Even the church (unwittingly, no doubt)
is sometimes found doing the work of the devil. Gift
concerts, gift enterprises and raffles, sometimes in aid of
religious or charitable objects, but often for less worthy
purposes, lotteries, prize packages, etc., are all devices to
obtain money without value received. Notliing is so de-
moralizing or intoxicating, particularly to the young, as the
acquisition of money or property without labor. Respect-
able people engaging in these chance enterprises, and easing
their consciences with the reflection that the money is to
go to a good object, it is not strange that the youth of the
State should so often fall into the habits Avhich the ex-
citement of games of hazard is almost certain to engender."
a ,■<
.'••The Healthy Christian: An Appeal to the Church,"
pp. 141, 142 (ed. 1871).
THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
^^''The spirit of worldly conformity is invading the churches
tliroughout Christendom. Robert Atkins, in a sermon
preached in London, draws a dark picture of the spiritual
declension that prevails in England: "The truly righteous
ar^ diminished from the earth, and no man layeth it to
heart. The professors of religion of the present day, in
every church, are lovers of the world, conformers to the
world, lovers of creature comfort, and aspirers after respect-
ability. They are called to suffer with Christ, but they
shrink from even reproach. . . . Apostasy, apostasy, apos-
tasy, is engraven on the very front of every church; and did
they know it, and did tliey feel it, there might be hope ; but,
alas! they cry, 'We are rich, and increased in goods, and
stand in need of nothing.' "'
The great sin charged against Babylon is, that she "made
all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornica-
tion." This cup of intoxication which she presents to the
world, represents the false doctrines that she has accepted
as the result of her unlawful connection with the great ones
of the earth. Friendship with the world corrupts her faith,
and in her turn she exerts a corrupting influence upon the
world by teaching doctrines which are opposed to the
plainest statements of Holy Writ.
Rome withheld the Bible from the people, and required
all men to accept her teachings in its place. It was the
work of the Reformation to restore to men the word of God;
but is it not too true that in the churches of our time men
are taught to rest their faith upon their creed and the teach-
ings of their church rather than on the Scriptures? Said
Charles Beeeher, speaking of the Protestant churches: "They
shrink from any rude word against creeds with the same
sensitiveness witli which those holy fathers would have
shrunk from a rude word against the rising veneration of
saints and martyrs which they were fostering. , . . The
Protestant evangelical denominations have so tied up one
another's hands, and their own, that, between them all, a
man cannot become a preacher at all, anywhere, without
•Second Advent Library, Tract No. 39.
A WARNING REJECTED 389
accepting some book besides the Bible. . . . There is noth-
ing imaginary in the statement that the creed power is
now beginning to prohibit the Bible as really as Rome
did, though in a subtler way." '
When faithful teachers expound the word of God, there
arise men of learning, ministers professing to understand the
Scriptures, who denounce sound doctrine as heresy, and thus
turn away inquirers after truth. Were it not that the
world is hopelessly intoxicated with the wine . of Babylon,
multitudes would be convicted and converted by the plain,
cutting truths of the word of God. But religious faith
appears so confused and discordant, that the people know
not what to believe as truth. The sin of the world's
impenitence lies at the door of the church.
The second angel's message of Revelation 14 was first
preached in the summer of 1844, and it then had a more
direct application to the churches of the United States,
where the warning of the judgment had been most widely
proclaimed and most generally rejected, and where the
declension in the churches had been most rapid. But the
message of the second angel did not reach its complete
fulfilment in 1844. The churches then experienced a moral
fall, in consequence of their refusal of the light of the
advent message; but that fall was not complete. As they
have continued to reject the special truths for this time,
they have fallen lower and lower. Not yet, however, can
it be said that "Babylon is fallen, . . . because she made
all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornica-
tion." She has not yet made all nations do this. The
spirit of world-conforming and indifference to the testing
truths for our time, exists and has been gaining ground in
churches of the Protestant faith in all the countries of
Christendom; and these churches are included in the solemn
and terrible denunciation of the second angel. But the
work of apostasy has not yet reached its culmination.
The Bible declares that before the coming of the Lord,
Satan will work "with all power and signs and lying won-
» Sermon on "The Bible a Sufficient Creed," delivered at Fort Wayne,
Intl., Feb. 22, 1846.
390 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
ders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness;" and
they that "received not the love of the truth, that they
might be saved," will be left to receive "strong delusion,
that they should believe a lie. " ' Not until this condition
shall be reached, and the union of the church with the world
shall be fully accomplished throughout Christendom, will the
fall of Babylon be complete. The change is a progressive
one, and the perfect fulfilment of Rev. 14 : 8 is yet future.
Notwithstanding the sjuritual darkness and alienation
from God that exist in the churches which constitute Baby-
lon, the great body of Christ's true followers are still to be
found in their communion. There are many of these who
have never seen the special truths for this time. Not a few
are dissatisfied with their present condition, and are longing
for clearer light. They look in vain for the image of Christ
in the churches with which they are connected. As these
bodies depart farther and farther from the truth, and ally
themselves more closely with the world, the difference
between the two classes will widen, and it will finally re-
sult in separation. The time will come when those who love
God supremely can no longer remain in connection with such
as are "lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; hav-
ing a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof."
Revelation 18 points to llie time when, as the result of
rejecting the threefold warning of Rev. 14 : 6-12, the church
will have fully reached the condition foretold by the sec-
ond angel, and the people of God still in Babylon will be
called upon to separate from her communion. This mes-
sage is the last that will ever be given to the world ; and
it will accomplish its work. When those that "believed not
the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness, ' ' ^ shall be
left to receive strong delusion and to believe a lie, then the
light of truth will shine upon all whose hearts are open to
receive it, and all the children of the Lord that remain in
Babylon will heed the call, ' ' Come out of her. My people. ' ' '
*2 Thess. 2:9-11. =2 Thess. 2:12. 'Rev. 18:4.
PROPHECIES FULFILLED -22
"When the time passed at which the Lord's coming was
first expected, — in the spring of 1844, — those who had
looked in faith for His appearing were for a season involved
in doubt and uncertainty. Wliile tlie world regarded them
as liaving l)een utterly defeated, and proved to have been
clierislniig a delusion, their source of consolation was still
the word of God. IMany continued to search the Scriptures,
examining anew the evidences of their faith, and carefully
studying the prophecies to obtain further light. The Bible
testimony in support of their position seemed clear and con-
clusive. Signs which could not be mistaken pointed to the
coming of Christ as near. The special blessing of the Lord,
both in the conversion of sinners and the revival of spiritual
life among Christians, had testified that the message was of
Heaven. And though the believers could not explain their
disappointment, they felt assured that God had led them in
their past experience.
Interwoven with prophecies which they had regarded as
applying to the time of the second advent, was instruction
specially adapted to their state of uncertainty and suspense,
and encouraging them to wait patiently in the faitli that
what was now dark to their understanding would in due
time be made plain.
(391)
392 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
Among these prophecies was that of Hab. 2 : 1-4 : " I will
stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will
watch to see what He will say unto me, and what I shall
answer when I am reproved. And the Lord answered me,
and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables,
that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for
an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not
lie : though it tarry, wait for it ; because it will surely come,
it will not tarry. Behold, his soul which is lifted up is
not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith."
As early as 1842, the direction given in this prophecy, to
"write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he
may run that readeth it," had suggested to Charles Fitch
the preparation of a prophetic chart to illustrate the visions
of Daniel and the Revelation. The publication of this
chart was regarded as a fumlment of the command given
by Habakkuk. No one, however, then noticed that an
apparent delay in the accomplishment of the vision — a
tarrying time — is presented in the same prophecy. After
the disappointment, this scripture appeared very signifi-
cant: "The vision is yet for an appointed time, but at
the end it shall speak, and not lie : though it tarry, wait
for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. . . .
The just shall live by his faith."
A portion of Ezekiel's prophecy also' was a source of
strength and comfort to believers: "The word of the Lord
came unto me, saying, Son of man, what is that prov-
erb that ye have in the land of Israel, saying. The days
are prolonged, and every vision faileth? Tell them there-
fore, Thus saith the Lord God, . . . The days are at hand,
and the effect of every vision. ... I will speak, and the
word that I shall speak shall come to pass; it shall be no
more prolonged." "They of the house of Israel say. The
vision that he seeth is for many days to come, and lie
prophesieth of the times that are far off. Therefore say
unto them. Thus saith the Lord God: There shall none of
PROPHECIES FULFILLED 393
My words be prolonged any more, but the word which I
have spoken shall be done. ' ' *
The waiting ones rejoiced, believing that lie who knows
the end from the beginning had looked down through the
ages, and foreseeing their disappointment, had given them
words of courage and hope. Had it not been for such por-
tions of Scripture, admonishing them to wait with patience,
and to hold fast their confidence in God's word, their faith
would have failed in that trying hour.
The parable of the ten virgins of Matthew 25 also illus-
trates the experience of the Adventist people. In Matthew
24, in answer to the question of His disciples concerning the
sign of His coming and of the end of the world, Christ had
pointed out some of the most important events in the his-
tory of the world and of the church from His first to His
second advent; namely, the destruction of Jerusalem, the
great tribulation of the church under the pagan and ])apal
persecutions, the darkening of the sun and moon, and the
falling of the stars. After this He spoke of His coming in
His kingdom, and related the parable describing the two
classes of servants who look for His appearing. Chapter 25
opens with the words, "Then shall the kingdom of heaven
be likened unto ten virgins." Here is brought to view the
church living in the last days, the same that is pointed out
in the close of chapter 24. In this parable their experience
is illustrated by the incidents of an Eastern marriage.
"Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten
virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the
bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were
foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took
no oil with them : but the wise took oil in their vessels vnih.
their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slum-
bered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made,
Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him."
The coming of Christ, as announced by the first angel's
message, was understood to be represented by the coming of
>Eze. 12:21-25,27,28.
394 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
the bridegroom. The wide-spread reformation under the
proclamation of His soon coming, answered to the going
forth of the virgins. In this parable, as in that of Matthew
24, two classes are represented. All had taken their lamps,
the Bible, and by its light had gone forth to meet the
Bridegroom. But while "they that were foolish took their
lamps, and took no oil with them," "the wise took oil in
their vessels with their lamps." The latter class had re-
ceived the grace of God, the regenerating, enlightening
power of the H0I.Y Spirit, which renders His word a lamp
to the feet and a light to the path. In the fear of God they
had studied the Scriptures to learn the truth, and had ear-
nestly sought for purity of heart and life. These had a
personal exi)erienco, a faith in God and in His M^ord, which
could not l)e overtJirown by disn])pointment and delay.
Others "took their lamps, and took no oil with them."
They had moved from impulse. Their fears had been
excited l)y the solemn message, but tliey had depended upon
the faith of their brethren, satisfied with the flickering light
of good emotions, without a thorough understanding of tlie
truth, or a genuine work of grace in the heart. These had
gone forth to meet the Lord, full of hope in the prospect of
immediate reward; but they were not prepared for delay
and disappointment. When trials came, their faith failed,
and their lights burned dim. m
"While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and
slept." By the tarrying of the bridegroom is represented
the passing of the time when the Lord was expected, the
disappointment, and the seeming delay. In this time of
uncertainty, the interest of the superficial and half-hearted
soon began to M'aver, and their efforts to relax; but those
whose faith was baf>ed on a personal knowledge of the Bible,
had a rock beneath their feet, which the waves of disap-
pointment could not wash away. "They all slumbered and
slept;" one class in unconcern and abandonment of their
faith, the other class patiently waiting till clearer light
PROPHECIES FULFILLED 395
should be given. Yet "m the night of trial the latter seemed
to lose, to some extent, their zeal and devotion. The half-
hearted and superficial could no longer lean upon the faith
of their brethren. Each must stand or fall for himself.
About this time, fanaticism began to appear. Some who
had professed to be zealous believers in the message, rejected
the word of God as the one infallible guide, and claiming
to be led by the Spirit, gave themselves up to the control of
their own feelings, impressions, and imaginations. There
were some who manifested a blind and bigoted zeal, de-
nouncing all who would not sanction their course. Their
fanatical ideas and exercises met with no sympathy from
the great body of Adventists; yet they served to bring
reproach upon the cause of truth.
Satan was seeking by this means to oppose and destroy
the work of God. The people had been greatly stirred by
the Advent Movement, thousands of sinners had been con-
verted, and faithful men were giving themselves to the work
of proclaiming the truth, even in the tarrying time. The
prince of evil was losing his subjects; and in order to bring
reproach upon the cause of God, he sought to deceive some
who professed the faith, and to drive them to extremes.
Then his agents stood ready to seize upon every error, every
failure, every unbecoming act, and hold it up before the
people in the most exaggerated light, to render Adventists
and their faith odious. Thus the greater the number whom
he could crowd in to make a profession of faith in the
second advent while his power controlled their hearts, the
greater advantage would he gain by calling attention to
them as representatives of the whole body of believers.
Satan is "the accuser of the brethren," and it is his spirit
that inspires men to watch for the errors and defects of
the Lord's people, and to hold them up to notice, while their
good deeds are passed by without a mention. He is always
Active when God is at work for the salvation of souls. "When
the sons of God come to present themselves before the Lord,
396 * THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
Satan cornes also among them. In every revival he is ready-
to bring in those who are uusanctified in heart and unbal-
anced in mind. When these have accepted some points of
truth, and gained a place with believers, he works through
them to introduce theories that will deceive the unwary.
No man is proved to be a true Christian because he is found
in company with the children of God, even in the house of
worship and around the table of the Lord. Satan is fre-
quently there upon the most solemn occasions, in the form
of those whom he can use as his agents.
The prince of evil contests e^'ery inch of ground over
which God's people advance in their journey toward the
heavenly city. In all the history of the church, no reforma-
tion has been carried forward without encountering serious
obstacles. Thus it was in I'aul's day. Wherever the apostle
raised up a church, there were some who professed to receive
the faith, but who brought in heresies, that, if received,
would eventually crowd out tlie love of the truth. Luther
also suffered great perplexity and distress from the course
of fanatical persons who claimed that God had spoken
directly through them, and who therefore set their own
ideas and opinions above the testimony of the Scriptures.
Many who were lacking in faith and experience, but who
had considerable self-sufticiency, and who loved to hear
and tell some new thing, were beguiled by the pretensions
of the new teachers, and they joined the agents of Satan in
their work of tearing down what God had moved Luther
to build up. And the- Wesleys, and others Avho blessed
the world by their influence and their faith, encountered
at every step the wiles of Satan in pusliing overzealous,
unbalanced, and uusanctified ones into fanaticism of every
grade.
William IVIiller had no sympathy with those influences
that led to fanaticism. He declared, with Luther, that
every spirit should be tested by the word of God. "The
devil," said Miller, "has great power over the minds of some
at the present day. And how shall we know what manner of
PROPHECIES FULFILLED 397
spirit they are of? The Bible answers: 'By their fruits ye
shall know them.' . . . There are many spirits gone out into
the world; and we are commanded to try the spirits. The
spirit that does not cause us to live soberly, righteously,
and godly, in this present M^orld, is not the. Spirit of Christ.
I am more and more convinced that Satan has much to do
in these wild movements. . . . INIany among us, who pretend
to be wholly sanctified, are following the traditions of men,
and apparently are as ignorant of truth as others who
make no such pretensions.'" "The spirit of error will lead
us from the truth ; and the Spirit of God will lead us into
truth. But, say you, a man may be in an error, and think
he has the truth. What then? We answer. The Spirit and
word agree. If a man judges hims^f by the word of God,
and finds a perfect harmony through the whole wdrd,
then he must believe he has the truth ; but if he f5nds
the spirit by which he is led does not harmonize with
the whole tenor of God's law or book, then let him walk
carefully, lest he be caught in the snare of the devil.'" "I
have often obtained mor6' evidence of inward piety from
a kindling eye, a wet cheek, and a choked utterance, than
from all the noise in Christendom."'
In the days of the Reformation its enemies charged all
the evils of fanaticism upon the very ones who were labor-
ing most earnestly against it. A similar course was pursued
by the opposers of the Advent Movement. And not con-
tent with misrepresenting and exaggerating the errors of
extremists and fanatics, they circulated unfavorable reports
that had not the slightest semblance of truth. These per-
sons were actuated by prejudice an(i li^atred. Their peace
was disturbed by the proclamation of Christ at the door.
They feared it might be true, yet hoped it was not, and this
was the secret of their warfare against Adventists and their
faith. !•/.:■,/. ( -.ii
» Bliss, "Memoirs of Wm. Miller," pp. 236, 23,7,^382.
' The Advent Herald and Sions of the Times Reporter,' Yo\. VIII,,
No. 23 (Jan. 15, 1845). ' • J-^
398 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
The fact that a few fanatics worked their way into the
ranks of Adventists is no more a reason to decide that the
movement was not of God, than was the presence of fanat-
ics and deceivers in the church in Paul's or Luther's day
a sufficient excuse for condemning their work. Let the
people of God arouse out of sleep, and begin in earnest
the work of repentance and reformation ; let them search
the Scriptures to learn the truth as it is in Jesus; let them
make an entire consecration to God, and evidence will not
be wanting that Satan is still active and vigilant. With
all possible deception he will manifest his power, calling
to his aid all the fallen angels of his realm.
It was not the proclamation of , the second advent that
created fanaticism and division. These appeared in the
summer of 1844, when Adventists were in a state of doubt
and perplexity concerning their real position. The preach-
ing of the first angel's message and of the "midnight cry"
tended directly to repress fanaticism and dissension. Those
who participated in these solemn movements were in har-
mony; their hearts were filled with love for one another,
and for Jesus, whom they expected soon to see. The one
faith, the one blessed hope, lifted them above the control
of any human influence, and proved a shield against the
assaults of Satan.
"While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and
slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the
bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those
virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. " * In the summer
of 1844, midway between the time when it had been first
thought that the 2300 days would end, and the autumn of
the same year, to which it was afterward found that they
extended, the message was proclaimed in the very words of
Scripture, "Behold, the Bridegroom cometh!"
That which led to this movement was the discovery that
the decree of Artaxerxes for the restoration of Jerusalem,
which formed the starting-point for the period of the 2300
days, went into effect in the autumn of the year b. c. 457,
» Matt. 25:5-7.
PROPHECIES FULFILLED 399
and not at the beginning of the year, as had been formerly
believed. Reckoning from the autumn of 457, the 2300
years terminate in the autumn of 1844/
Arguments drawn from the Old Testament types also
pointed to the autumn as the time when the event repre-
sented by the "cleansing of the sanctuary" must take
place. This was made very clear as attention was given
to the manner in which the types relating to the first advent
of Christ had been fulfilled.
The slaying of the Passover lamb was a shadow of the
death of Christ. Says Paul, "Christ our passover is sacri-
ficed for us." ^ The sheaf of first-fruits, which at the time of
the Passover was waved before the Lord, was typical of the
resurrection of Christ. Paul says, in speaking of the resur-
rection of the Lord, and of all His people, "Christ the first-
fruits; afterward they that are Christ's at His coming."*
Like the wave-sheaf, which w^as the first ripe grain gathered
before the harvest, Christ is the first-fruits of that immortal
harvest of redeemed ones that at the future resurrection
shall be gathered into the garner of God.
These types were fulfilled, not only as to the event, but
as to the time. On the fourteenth day of the first Jewish
month, the very day and month on which, for fifteen long
centuries, the Passover lamb had been slain, Christ, having
eaten the Passover with His disciples, instituted that feast
which was to commemorate His own death as "the Lamb of
God, which taketh away the sin of the world." That same
night He was taken by wicked hands, to be crucified and
slain. And as the antitype of the wave-sheaf, our Lord was
raised from the dead on the third day, "the first-fruits of
them that slept," ^ a sample of all the resurrected just, whose
"vile body" shall be changed, and "fashioned like unto His
glorious body."*
In like manner, the types which relate to the second
advent must be fulfilled at the time pointed out in the
' See diagram opposite p. 328 ; also Appendix.
'1 Cor. 5:7. »} Oor. 15:23, 20. * Phil. 3:21.
400 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
symbolic service. Under the jMosaie system, the cleansing
of the sanctuary, or the great day of atonement, occurred on
the tenth day of the seventh Jewish month,' when the high
priest, having made an atonement for all Israel, and thus
removed their sins from the sanctuary, came forth and
blessed the people. So it was believed that Christ, our
great High Priest, would appear to purify the earth by the
destruction of sin and sinners, and to bless His waiting
people with immortality. The tenth day of the seventh
month, the great day of atonement, the time of the cleansing
of the sanctuary, which in the year 1844 fell upon the
twenty-second of October, was regarded as the time of the
Lord 's coming. This Avas in harmony with the proofs
already presented, that the 2300 days would terminate in
the autumn, and the conclusion seemed irresistible.
In the parable of ]\Iatthew 25 the time of waiting and
slumber is followexl by the coming of the bridegroom. This
was in accordance with the arguments just presented, both
from prophecy and from the types. They carried strong
conviction of their truthfulness; and the "midnight cry"
was heralded by thousands of believers.
Like a tidal wave the movement swept over the land.
From city to city, from village to village, and into remote
country places it went, until the waiting people of God were
fully aroused. Fanaticism disappeared before this procla-
mation, like early frost before the rising sun. Believers saw
their doubt and perjjlexity removed, and hope and courage
animated their hearts. The work was free from those ex-
tremes which are ever manifested w'hen there is human
excitement without the controlling influence of the word
and Spirit of God. It was similar in character to those
seasons of humiliation and returning unto the Lord which
among ancient Israel followed messages of reproof from His
servants. It bore the characteristics that mark the work of
God in every age. There was little ecstatic joy, but rather
deep searching of heart, confession of sin, and forsaking of
^ Lev. 16:29-34.
PROPHECIES FULFILLED 401
the world. A preparation to meet the Lord was the hiirden
of agonizing spirits. There was persevering prayer, and un-
reserved consecration to God.
Said Miller, in describing that work: "There is no great
expression of joy : that is, as it were, suppressed for a future
occasion, when all heaven and earth will rejoice together
with joy unspeakable and full of glory. There is no shout-
ing: that, too, is reserved for the shout from heaven. The
singers are silent : they are waiting to join the angelic hosts,
the choir from heaven, . . . There is no clashing of senti-
ments : all are of one heart and of one mind. ' ' '
Another who participated in the movement testified: "It
produced everywhere the most deep searching of heart and
humiliation of soul before the God of high heaven. It caused
a weaning of affections from the things of this world, a heal-
ing of controversies and animosities, a confession of wrongs,
a breaking down before God, and penitent, broken-hearted
supplications to Ilim for pardon and acceptance. It caused
self-abasement and prostration of soul, such as we never
before witnessed. As God by Joel commanded, when the
great day of God should be at hand, it produced a rending
of hearts and not of garments, and a turning unto the Lord
with fasting, and weeping, and mourning. As God said
by Zechariah, a spirit of grace and supplication was poured
out upon His children; they looked to Him whom they
had pierced, there was a great mourning in the land, . . .
and those who were looking for the Lord afflicted their souls
before Him. ' ' "
Of all the great religious movements since the days of the
apostles, none have been more free from human imperfec-
tion and the wiles of Satan than was that of the autumn
of 1844. Even now, after the lapse of many years, all who
shared in that movement and who have stood firm upon
the platform of truth, still feel the holy influence of that
blessed work, and bear witness that it was of God.
'Bliss, "Memoirs of Wm. Miller," pp. 270, 271.
'Bliss, in the Advent Shield and Review, Vol. I, p. 271 (Jan., 1845).
402 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
At the call, ''The Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet
Him," the waiting ones "arose and trimmed their lamps;"
they studied the Avord of God with an intensity of interest
before unknown. Angels were sent from heaven to arouse
those who had become discouraged, and prepare them to
receive the message. The work did not stand in the wis-
dom and learning of men, but in the power of God. It was
not the most talented, but the most huml)le and devoted,
who were the first to hear and obey the call. Farmers left
their crops standing in the fields, mechanics laid down their
tools, and with tears and rejoicing went out to give the
warning. Those who had formerly led in the cause were
among the last to join in this movement. The churches in
general closed their doors against this message, and a large
company of those who received it withdrew from their
connection. In the providence of God, this proclamation
united with the second angel's message, and gave power
to that work.
The message, "Hehold, tlic Bridegroom cometh!" was no?
so much a matter of argument, tliongh the Scripture proof
was clear and conclusive. There went with it an impelling
power that moved the soul. There was no doul)t, no ques-
tioning. Upon the occasion of Christ's triumphal entry into
Jerusalem, the jieople who were assembled from all parts of
the land to keep the feast, flocked to the Mount of Olives,
and as they joined the throng tliat were escorting Jesus,
they caught the inspiration of the hour, and helped to swell
the shout, ''Blessed is lie that cometh in the name of the
Lord ! " * In like manner did unbelievers who flocked to
the Adventist meetings — some from curiosity, some merely
to ridicule — feel the convincing power attending the mes-
sage, ' ' Behold, the Bridegroom cometh ! ' '
At that time there was faith that brought answers to
prayer, — faith that had respect to the recompense of reward.
Like showers of rain upon the thirsty earth, the Spirit of
grace descended upon the earnest seekers. Those who ex-
^Matt. 21:9.
PROPHECIES FULFILLED 408
peeted soon to stand face to face with their Redeemer,
felt a solemn joy that was unutterable. The softening,
subduing power of the Holy Spirit melted the heart, as
His blessing was bestowed in rich measure upon the faith-
ful, believing ones.
Carefully and solemnly those who received the message
came up to the time when they hoped to meet their Lord.
Every morning they felt that it was their first duty to secure
the evidence of their acceptance with God. Their hearts
were closely united, and they prayed much with and for
one another. They often met together in secluded places to
commune with God, and the voice of intercession ascended
to heaven from the fields and 'groves. The assurance of the
Saviour's approval was more necessary to them than their
daily food; and if a cloud darkened their minds, they did
not rest until it was swept away. As they felt the witness
of pardoning grace, they longed to behold Him whom their
souls loved.
*' " But again they were destined to disappointment. The
time of expectation passed, and their Saviour did not appear.
"With unwavering confidence they had looked forward to His
coming, and now they felt as did Mary, when, coming to
the Saviour's tomb and finding it empty, she exclaimed with
weeping, "They have taken away my Lord, and I know
not where they have laid Him."*
A feeling of awe, a fear that the message might be true,
had for a time served as a restraint upon the unbelieving
world. After the passing of the time, this did not at once
disappear; at first they dared not triumph over the disap-
pointed ones; but as no tokens of God's wrath were seen,
they recovered from their fears, and resumed their reproach
and ridicule. A large class who had professed to believe in
the Lord's soon coming, renounced their faith. Some who
had been very confident were so deeply wounded in their
pride that they felt like fleeing from the world. Like Jonah,
they complained of God, and chose death rather than life.
» John 20:13.
404 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
Those who had based their faith upon the opinions of others,
and not upon the word of God, were now as ready again to
change their views. The scoffers won the weak and cowardly
to their ranks, and all these united in declaring that there
could be no more fears or expectations now. The time
had passed, the Lord had not come, and the world mighl
remain the same for thousands of years.
The earnest, sincere believers had given up all for Christ,
and had shared His presence as never before. They had, as
they believed, given their last warning to the world ; and
expecting soon to be received into the society of their divine
Master and the heavenly angels, they had, to a great extent,
withdrawn from the society of those who did not receive the
message. With intense desire they had prayed, "Come,
Lord Jesus, and come quickly. ' ' But lie had not come. And
now to take up again the heavy burden of life's cares and
perplexities, and to endure the taunts and sneers of a scoff-
ing world, Avas a terrible trial of faith and patience.
Yet this disappointment M'as not so great as was that
experienced by the disciples at the time of Christ's first
advent. When Jesus rode triumphantly into Jerusalem, His
followers believed that He was about to ascend the throne
of David, and deliver Israel from her oppressors. With
high hopes and joyful anticipations they vied with one
another in showing honor to their King. Many spread their
outer garments as a carpet in His path, or strewed before
Him the leafy ])ranches of the palm. In their enthusiastic
joy they united in the glad acclaim, "Ilosanna to the Son
of David!" When the Pharisees, disturbed and angered by
this outburst of rejoicing, wished Jesus to rebuke His dis-
ciples. He replied, "If these should hold their peace, the
stones would immediately cry out."* Prophecy must be
fulfilled. The disciples were accomplishing the purpose of
God; yet they were doomed to a bitter disappointment. But
a few days had passed ere they witnessed the Saviour's ago-
nizing death, and laid Him in the tomb. Their expecta-
tions had not been realized in a single particular, and their
»Luke 19:40.
PROPHECIES FULFILLED 405
hopes died with Jesus. Not till their Lord Had come forth
triumphant from the grave could they perceive that all had
leen foretold by prophecy, and "that Christ must needs
have suffered, and risen again from the dead. ' ' '
Five hundred years before, the Lord had declared by the
prophet Zechariah, "Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion;
shout, daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh
unto thee: lie is just, and having salvation; lowly, and
riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass."'
Had the disciples realized that Christ was going to judgment
and to death, they could not have fulfilled this prophecy.
In like numner, ]\Iiller and his associates fulfilled proph-
ecy, and gave a message which Inspiration had foretold
should be given to the world, but which they could not
have given had they fully understood the prophecies point-
ing out their disappointment, and presenting another mes-
sage to be preached to all nations before the Lord should
come. The first and second angels' messages were given
at the right time, and accomplished the work which God
designed to accomplish by them.
The world had been looking on, expecting that if the
time passed and Christ did not appear, the whole system of
Adventism would be given up. But while many, under
strong temptation, jaelded their faith, there were some who
stood firm. Tlie fruits of the Advent Movement, the spirit
of humility and heart-searcliing, of renouncing of the world
and reformation of life, which had attended the work, testi-
fied that it was of God. They dared not deny that the
power of the Holy Spirit had witnessed to the preaching of
the second advent, and they could detect no error in their
reckoning of the prophetic periods. The ablest of their
opponents had not succeeded in overthrowing their system
of prophetic interpretation. They could not consent, with-
out Bible evidence, to renounce positions wliich had been
reached through earnest, prayerful study of the Scriptures,
by minds enlightened by the Spirit of God, and hearts
'Acts 17:3. =Ze('li. 9:9.
406 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
burning with its living power; positions which had with-
stood the most searching criticisms and the most bitter
opposition of popular religious teachers and worldly-wise
men, and which had stood firm against the combined forces
of learning and eloquence, and the taunts and revilings
alike of the honorable and the base.
True, there had been a failure as to the expected event,
but even this could not shake their faith in the word of
God. When Jonah proclaimed in the streets of Nineveh
that within forty days the city would be overthrown, the
Lord accepted the humiliation of the Ninevites, and extended
their period of probation; yet the message of Jonah was
sent of God, and Nineveh was tested according to His will.
Adventists believed that in like manner God had led them
to give the warning of the judgment. "It has," they de-
ijlared, "tested the hearts of all who heard it, and awakened
a love for the Lord's appearing; or it has called forth a
hatred, more or less perceivable, but known to God, of His
coming. It has drawn a line, ... so that those who will ex-
amine their own hearts, may know on which side of it they
would have been found, had the Lord then come — whether
they would have exclaimed, 'Lo! this is our God, we have
waited for Ilini, and He will save us;' or whether they would
have called to the rocks and mountains to fall on them to hide
them from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and
from the wrath of tlie Lamb. God thus, as we believe,
has tested His people, has tried their faith, has proved them,
and seen wliether they would shrink, in the hour of trial,
from the position in which He might see fit to place them;
and whether they would relinquish this world and rely with
implicit confidence in the word of God. ' ' '
The feelings of those who still believed that God had led
them in their past experience, are expressed in the words of
William Miller: "Were I to live my life over again, with
^ The Advent Herald and Sic/ns of the Times Beporter, Vol. VIII,
No. 14 (Nov. 13, 1844).
PROPHECIES FULFILLED 407
the same evidence that I then had, to be honest with God
and man I should have to do as I have done." "I hope
that I have cleansed my garments from the blood of souls.
I feel that, as far as it was in my power, I have freed myself
from all guilt in their condemnation." "Although I have
been twice disappointed," wrote this man of God, "I am
not yet cast down or discouraged. . . . My hope in the com-
ing of Christ is as strong as ever. I have done only what,
after years of solemn consideration, I felt it my solemn duty
to do. If I have erred, it has been on the side of charity,
love to my fellow-men, and conviction of duty to God."
"One thing I do know, I have preached nothing but what I
believed; and God has been with me; His power has
been manifested in the work, and much good has been ef-
fected." "Many thousands, to all human appearance, have
been made to study the Scriptures by the preaching of the
time; and by that means, through faith and the sprinkling
of the blood of Christ, have been reconciled to God."* "I
have never courted the smiles of the proud, nor quailed when
the world frowned. I shall not now purchase their favor,
nor shall I go beyond duty to tempt their hate. I shall never
seek my life at their hands, nor shrink, I hope, from losing
it, if God in His good providence so orders."'
God did not forsake His people; His Spirit still abode
with those who did not rashly deny the light which they had
received, and denounce the Advent Movement. In the
Epistle to the Hebrews are words of encouragement and
warning for the tried, waiting ones at this crisis-. "Cast not
^way therefore your confidence, which hath great recom-
pense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after
ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
For yet a little while, and He that shall come will come,
and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if
any man draw back, My soul shall have no pleasure in him.
» Bliss, "Memoirs of Wm. Miller," pp. 256, 255, 277, 280, 281.
= ^^^lite, J., "Life of Wm. MiUer," p. 315.
408 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but
of them that believe to the saving of the soul.'"
That this admonition is addressed to the church in the
last days is evident from the words pointing to the nearness
of the Lord's coming: "For yet a little while, and He that
shall come will come, and will not tarry." And it is plainly
implied that there would be a seeming delay, and that the
Lord would appear to tarry. The instruction here given is
especially adapted to the experience of Adventists at this
time. The people here addressed were in danger of making
shipwreck of faith. They had done the will of God in fol-
lowing the guidance of His Spirit and His word; yet they
could not understand His purpose in their past experience,
nor could they discern the pathway before them, and they
Avere tempted to doubt whether God had indeed been lead-
ing them. At this time the words were applicable, ''Now
the just shall live by faith." As the bright light of the
"midnight cry" had shone upon their pathway, and they
had seen the prophecies unsealed, and the rapidly fulfilling
signs telling that the coming of Christ was near, they had
walked, as it were, by sight. But now, bowed down by dis-
appointed hopes, they could stand only by faith in God and
in His word. The scoffing world were saying : ' ' You have
been deceived. Give up your faith, and say that the Advent
Movement was of Satan." But God's word declared, "If
any man draw back, My soul shall have no pleasure in
him." To renounce their faith now, and deny the power of
the Holy Spirit which had attended the message, would be
drawing back toward perdition. They were encouraged to
steadfastness by the words of Paul, "Cast not away there-'
fore your confidence;" "ye have need of patience," "for
yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and
aWII not tarry." Their only safe course was to cherish the
light which they had already received of God, hold fast
to His promises, and continue to search the Scriptures, and
patiently wait and watch to receive further light.
*Heb. 10:35-39.
WliAT IS THE SANCTUARY? - 23
The scripture which above all others had been both the
foundation and the central pillar of the advent faith, was the
declaration, "Unto two thousand and three hundred days;
then shall the sanctuary be cleansed. ' ' * These had been
familiar words to all believers in the Lord's soon coming.
By the lips of thousands was this prophecy repeated as the
watchword of their faith. All felt that upon the events
therein foretold depended their brightest expectations and
most cherished hopes. These prophetic days had been
shown to terminate in the autumn of 1844. In common
with the rest of the Christian world, Adventists then held
that the earth, or some portion of it, was the sanctuary.
They understood that the cleansing of the sanctuary was the
purification of the earth by the fires of the last great day,
and that this would take place at the second advent. Hence
the conclusion that Christ would return to the earth in 1844.
But the appointed time had passed, and the Lord had not
appeared. The ])elievers knew that God's word could not
fail; their interpretation of the prophecy must be at fault;
but where was the mistake? Many raslily cut the knot of
difficulty by denying that the 2300 days ended in 1844.
No reason could ])e given for this, except tliat Christ had
not come at the time they expected Him. They argued that
if the prophetic days had ended in 1844, Christ would then
»Dan. 8:14.
(409)
410 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
have returned to cleanse the sanctuary by the purification of
the earth by fire; and that since He had not come, the days
could not have ended.
To accept this conclusion was to renounce the former
reckoning of the prophetic periods. The 2300 days had
been found to begin when the commandment of Artaxerxes
for the restoration and building of Jerusalem, went into
effect, in the autumn of b. c. 457. Taking this as the
starting-point, there was perfect harmony in the application
of all the events foretold in the explanation of that period
in Dan. 9 : 25-27. Sixty-nine weeks, the first 483 of the 2300
years, were to reach to the ^Messiah, the Anointed One; and
Christ's baptism and anointing by the Holy Spirit, a. d. 27,
exactly fulfilled the s])ecification. In the midst of the sev-
entieth week, IMessiah was to be cut off. Tliree and a half
years after His baptism, Christ was crucified, in the spring of
A. D. 31. The seventy weeks, or 490 years, were to pertain
especially to the Jews. At the expiration of this period, the
nation sealed its rejection of Christ by the persecution of His
disciples, and the apostles turned to the Gentiles, a. d. 34.
Tlie first 490 years of the 2300 having then ended, 1810
years would remain. From a. d. 34, 1810 years extend to
1844. "Then," said the angel, "shall the sanctuary be
cleansed." All the preceding specifications of the prophecy
had been unquestionably fulfilled at the time appointed.
"With this reckoning, all was clear and harmonious,
except that it was not seen that any event answering to
the cleansing of the sanctuary had taken place in 1844.
To deny that the days ended at that time was to involve
the whole question in confusion, and to renounce positions
whicli had been established l)y unmistakable fulfilments of
prophecy.
But God had led His people in the great Advent Move-
ment; His power and glory had attended tlie work, and He
would not permit it to end in darkness and disappointment,
to be reproached as a false and fanatical excitement. He
would not leave His word involved in doubt and uncer-
' WHAT IS THE SANCTUARY f 411
tainty. Though many abandoned their former reckoning
of the prophetic periods, and denied the correctness of the
movement based thereon, others were unwilling to renounce
points of faith and experience that were sustained by the
Scriptures and by the witness of the Spirit of God. They
believed that they had adopted sound principles of interpre-
tation in their study of the prophecies, and that it was their
duty to hold fast the truths already gained, and to con-
tinue the same course of biblical research. "With earnest
prayer they re\aewed their position, and studied the Scrip-
tures to discover their mistake. As they could see no error
in their reckoning of the prophetic periods, they were led to
examine more closely the subject of the sanctuary.
In their investigation they learned that there is no
Scripture evidence sustaining the popular view that the
earth is the sanctuary; but they found in the Bible a full
explanation of the subject of the sanctuary, its nature, loca-
tion, and services; the testimony of the sacred writers being
so clear and ample as to place the matter "beyond all ques-
tion. The apostle Paul, in the Epistle to the Hebrews, says :
"Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of
divine service, and a worldly sanctuary. For there was a
tabernacle made; the first, wherein Avas the candlestick, and
the table, and the showbread; which is called the sanctuary.
And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the
holiest of all ; which had the golden censer, and the ark of
the covenant overlaid round a])out with gold, wherein was
the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that
budded, and the tables of the covenant; and over it the
cherubim of glory shadowing the mercy-seat."*
The sanctuary to which Paul here refers was the taber-
nacle built by ]\Ioses at the command of God, as the earthly
dwelling-place of the Most High. "Let them make Me a
sanctuary; that I may dwell among them,'"" was the direc-
tion given to Moses whiles in the mount with God. The
Israelites were journeying through the wilderness, and the
'Heb. 9:1-5. * Ex. 25:8.
412 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
tabernacle was so constructed that it could be removed from
place to place; yet it was a structure of great magnificence.
Its walls consisted of upright boards hea\dly plated with
gold, and set in sockets of silver, while the roof was formed
of a series of curtains, or coverings, the outer of skins,
the innermost of fine linen beautifully wrought with figures
of cherubim. Besides the outer court, which contained the
altar of burnt-offering, the tabernacle itself consisted of two
apartments called the holy and the most holy place, sepa-
rated by a rich and beautiful curtain, or veil; a similar veil
closed the entrance to the first apartment.
In the holy place was the candlestick, on the south, with
its seven lamps giving light to the sanctuary both by day
and by night; on the north stood the table of showbread;
and before the veil separating the holy from the most holy
was the golden altar of incense, from which the cloud of
fragrance, with the prayers of Israel, was daily ascending
before God.
In the most holy place stood the ark, a chest of precious
wood overlaid with gold, the depository of the two tables of
stone upon which God had inscribed the law of ten com-
mandments. Above the ark, and forming the cover to the
sacred chest, was the mercy-seat, a magnificent piece of
workmanship, surmounted by two cherubim, one at each
end, and all wrought of solid gold. In this apartment the
divine presence was manifested in the cloud of glory between
the cherubim.
'After the settlement of the Hebrews in Canaan, the taber-
nacle was replaced by the temple of Solomon, which, though
a permanent structure and upon a larger scale, observed
the same proportions, and was similarly furnished. In this
form the sanctuary existed — except while it lay in ruins
in Daniel's time — until its destruction by the Romans,
in A.D. 70.
This is the only sanctuary that ever existed on the earth,
of which the Bible gives any information. This was declared
WHAT IS THE SANCTUARY? 413
by Paul to be the sanctuary of the first covenant. But has
the new covenant no sanctuary?
Turning again to the book of Hebrews, the seekers for
truth found that the existence of a second, or new-cove-
nant sanctuary, was implied in the words of Paul already
quoted : ' ' Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances
of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary. ' ' And the use of
the word "also" intimates that Paul has before made men-
tion of this sanctuary. Turning back to the beginning of
the previous chapter, they read: *'Now of the things which
we have spoken this is the sum : We have such an high
priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the
Majesty in the heavens; a minister of the sanctuary, and of
the true tabernacle, which tlic Lord pitched, and not man." '
Here is revealed the sanctuary of the new covenant.
The sanctuary of the first covenant was pitched by man,
built by Moses; this is pitched by the Lord, not by man.
In that sanctuary the earthly priests performed their service;
in this, Christ, our great high priest, ministers at God's right
hand. One sanctuary was on earth, the other is in heaven.
Further, the tabernacle built by Moses was made after a
pattern. The Lord directed him, "According to all that I
show thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pat-
tern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make
it." And again the charge was given, "Look that thou
make them after their pattern, which was showed thee in the
mount. ' ' ^ And Paul says that the first tabernacle ' ' was a
figure for the time then present, in which were oflPered both
gifts and sacrifices;" that its holy places were "patterns of
things in the heavens;" that the priests who offered gifts
according to the law, served "unto the example and shadow
of heavenly things," and that "Christ is not entered into
the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of
the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the pres-
ence of God for us."'
»Heb. 8:1,2. *Ex. 25:9,40. "Heb. 9:9,23; 8:5; 9:21
414 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
The sanctuary in heaven, in which Jesus ministers in
our behalf, is the great original, of which the sanctuary
built by JMoses was a copy. God placed His Spirit upon the
builders of the earthly sanctuary. The artistic skill dis-
played in its construction was a manifestation of divine
wisdom. The walls had the appearance of massive gold,
reflecting in every direction the light of the seven lamps
of the golden candlestick. The table of showbread and the
altar of incense glittered like burnished gold. The gor-
geous curtain which formed the ceiling, inwrought with
figures of angels in blue and purple and scarlet, added to
the beauty of the scene. And beyond the second veil was
the holy shekinah, the \dsible manifestation of God's glory,
before Avhieh none but the high priest could enter and live.
The matchless splendor of the earthly tabernacle reflected
to human vision the glories of that heavenly temple where
Christ our forerunner ministers for us before the throne of
God. The abiding-place of the King of kings, where thou-
sand thousands minister unto Him, and ten thousand times
ten thousand stand before Him ; * that temple, filled with
the glory of the eternal throne, where seraphim, its shining
guardians, veil their faces in adoration, could find, in the
most magnificent structure ever reared by human hands,
but a faint reflection of its vastness and glory. Yet impor-
tant truths concerning the heavenly sanctuary and the
great work there carried forward for man's redemption,
were taught by the earthly sanctuary and its services.
The holy places of the sanctuary in heaven are represented
by the two apartments in the sanctuary on earth. As in
vision the apostle John was granted a view of the temple of
God in heaven, he beheld there "seven lamps of fire burn-
ing before the throne. ' ' ^ He saw an angel ' ' having a golden
censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that
he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the
golden altar which was before the throne. ' ' ' Here the
prophet was permitted to behold the first apartment of
'Dan. 7:10. ^'Eev. 4:5. 'Rev. 8:3.
WHAT IS THE SANCTUARY? 415
the sanctuary in heaven; and he saw there the "seven lamps
of fire" and the "golden altar," represented by the golden
candlestick and the altar of incense in the sanctuary on
earth. Again, "the temple of God was opened,"' and he
looked within the inner veil, upon the holy of holies. Here
he beheld "the ark of His testament," represented by the
sacred chest constructed by Moses to contain the law of God.
Thus those who were studying the subject found indispu-
table proof of the existence of a sanctuary in heaven. i\Ioses
made the earthly sanctuary after a pattern which was
sliown him. Paul teaches that that pattern was the true
sanctuary which is in heaven. And John testifies that he
saw it in heaven.
In the temple in heaven, the dwelling-place of God, His
throne is established in righteousness and judgment. In
the most holy place is His law, the great rule of right by
which all mankind are tested. The ark that enshrines the
tables of the law is covered with the mercy-seat, before
which Christ pleads His blood in the sinner's behalf. Thus
is represented the union of justice and mercy in the plan of
human redemption. This union infinite wisdom alone could
devise, and infinite power accomplish ; it is a union that
fills all heaven with wonder and adoration. The cheru-
bim of the earthly sanctuary, looking reverently down upon
the mercy-seat, represent the interest with which the heav-
enly host contemplate the work of redemption. Tliis is the
mystery of mercy into which angels desire to look, — that
God can be just while He justifies the repenting sinner, and
renews His intercourse with the fallen race; that Christ
could stoop to raise unnumbered multitudes from the abyss
of ruin, and clothe them with the spotless garments of His
own righteousness, to unite with angels who have never
fallen, and to dwell forever in the presence of God.
The work of Christ as man's intercessor is presented
in that beautiful prophecy of Zechariah concerning Him
"whoso name is The Branch." Says the prophet: "He shall
*Rev. 11:19.
416 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
build the temple of the Lord; and He shall bear the glory,
and shall sit and rule upon His [the Father's] throne; and
He shall be a priest upon His throne: and the counsel of
peace shall be between Them both."^
"He shall build the temple of the Lord." By His sacri-
fice and mediation, Christ is both the foundation and the
builder of the church of God. The apostle Paul points to
Him as "the chief corner-stone; in whom all the building
fitly framed together groweth unto a holy temple in the
Lord: in whom ye also," he says, "are builded together
for a hal)itation of God through the Spirit."'
"He shall bear the glory." To Christ belongs the glory
of redemption for the fallen race. Through the eternal
ages, the song of the ransomed ones will be, ' ' Unto Him that
loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, . . .
to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. ' ' *
He "shall sit and rule upon His throne; and He shall be
a priest upon His throne." Not now "upon the throne of
His glory;" the kingdom of glory has not yet been ushered
in. Not until His work as a mediator shall be ended, will
God "give unto Him the throne of His father David," a
kingdom of which "there shall be no end."* As a priest,
Christ is now set down with the Father in His throne."
Upon the throne with the eternal, self-existent One, is He
who "hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows," who
"was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without
sin," that He might be "able to succor them that are
tempted." "If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the
Father."" His intercession is that of a pierced and broken
body, of a spotless life. The wounded hands, the pierced
side, tlie marred feet, plead for fallen man, whose redemp-
tion was purchased at such infinite cost.
"And the counsel of peace shall be between Them both."
The love of the Father, no less than of the Son, is the foun-
tain of salvation for the lost race. Said Jesus to His dis-
ciples, before He went away, ' ' I say not unto you, that I will
»Zeeh. 6:13. ^'Eph. 2:20-22. « Rev. 1:5,6. 'Luke 1:32,33.
*Rev. 3:21. " Isa. 53:4; Heb. 4:15; 2:18; 1 John 2:1.
WHAT TS THE SANCTUARY? 417
pray the Father for you: for the Father Himself loveth
you. ' ' * God was ' ' in Christ, reconciling the world unto
Himself."* And in the ministration in the sanctuary abcrve,
*'the counsel of peace shall be between Them both." "God
so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Sen,
that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have
everlasting life."'
The question. What is the sanctuary? is clearly an-
swered in the Scriptures. The term "sanctuary," as used in
the Bible, refers, first, to the tabernacle built by Moses, as
a pattern of heavenly things ; and, secondly, to the ' ' true
tabernacle" in heaven, to which the earthly sanctuary
pointed. At the death of Christ the typical service ended.
The "true tabernacle" in heaven is the sanctuary of the
new covenant. And as the prophecy of Dan. 8 : 14 is ful-
filled in this dispensation, the sanctuary to which it refers
must be the sanctuary of the new covenant. At the termi-
niation of the 2300 days, in 1844, there had been no sanc-
tuary on earth for many centuries. Thus the prophecy,
"Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the
sanctuary be cleansed," unquestionably points to the sanc-
tuary in heaven.
But the most important question remains to be answered :
What is the cleansing of the sanctuary? That there was
such a service in connection with the earthly sanctuary, is
stated in the Old Testament Scriptures. But can there be
anything in heaven to be cleansed? In Hebrews 9 the
cleansing of both the earthly and tlie heavenly sanctuary is
plainly taught. "Almost all things are by the law purged
with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the
heavens should be purified with these [tlie blood of animals] ;
but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices
than these,"* even the precious blood of Christ.
The cleansing, both in the typical and in the real service,
must be accomplished with blood: in the former, with the
» John 16:26, 27. ==2 001.5:19. "John 3:16. * Heb. 9:22, 23.
14— G. ('.
418 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
blood of animals; in the latter, with the blood of Christ.
Paul states, as the reason why this cleansing must be per-
formed with blood, that without shedding of blood is no
remission. Remission, or putting away of sin, is the work
to be accomplished. But how could there be sin connected
with the 'sanctuary, either in heaven or upon the earth?
This may be learned by reference to the symbolic service;
for the priests who officiated on earth, served "unto the
example and shadow of heavenly things. ' ' '
The ministration of the earthly sanctuary consisted of
two divisions; the priests ministered daily in the holy place,
while once a year the high priest performed a special work
of atonement in the most holy, for the cleansing of the
sanctuary. Day by day the repentant sinner brought his
offering to the door of the tabernacle, and placing his hand
upon the victim's head, confessed his sins, thus in figure
transfei-ring them from himself to the innocent sacrifice. The
animal was then slain. "Without shedding of blood," says
the apostle, there is no I'emission of sin. "The life of the
flesh is in the blood. ' ' ^ The broken law of God demanded
the life of the transgressor. The blood, representing the
forfeited life of the sinner, whose guilt the victim bore, was
carried by the priest into the holy place and sprinkled before
the veil, behind which was the ark containing the law that
the sinner had transgressed. By this ceremony the sin was,
through the blood, transferred in figure to the sanctuary.
In some cases the blood was not taken into the holy place;
but the flesh was then to be eaten by the priest, as Moses
directed the sons of Aaron, saying, "God hath given it you
to bear the iniquity of the congregation.'" Both ceremonies
alike symbolized the transfer of the sin from the penitent
to the sanctuary.
Such was the work that went on, day by day, throughout
the year. The sins of Israel were thus transferred to the
sanctuary, and a special work became necessary for their
removal. God commanded that an atonement be made for
^Heb. 8:5. ''Lev. 17:11. 'Lev. 10:17.
WHAT JS THE SANCTUARY f 419
each of the sacred apartments. "He shall make an atone-
ment for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the
children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all
their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the eon- '
gregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their
uncleanness." An atonement was also to be made for the
altar, to "cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of
the children of Israel."*
Once a year, on the great day of atonement, the priest
entered the most holy place for the cleansing of the sanc-
tuary. The work there performed completed the yearly
round of ministration. On the day of atonement, two kids
of the goats were brought to the door of the tabernacle,
and lots were cast upon them, "one lot for the Lord, and
the other lot for the scapegoat. ' ' ' The goat upon which
fell the lot for the Lord was to be slain as a sin-offering
for the people. And the priest was to bring his blood
within the veil, and sprinkle it upon the mercy-seat, and
before the mercy-seat. The blood was also to be sprinkled
upon the altar of incense, that was before the veil.
"And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of
the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the
children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their
sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall
send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilder-
ness : and the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities
unto a land not inhabited. ' ' ^ The scapegoat came no more
into the camp of Israel, and the man who led him away
was required to wash himself and his clothing with water
before returning to the camp.
The whole ceremony was designed to impress the Israelites
with the holiness of God and His abhorrence of sin ; and,
further, to show them that they could not come in contact
with sin without becoming polluted. Every man was re-
quired to afflict his soul Avhile this work of atonement was
going forward. All business was to be laid aside, and the
»Lev. 16:16,19. *Lev, 16:8,21,22.
420 rfl-J?: GREAT CONTROVERSY
whole congregation of Israel were to spend the day in solemn
humiliation before God, with prayer, fasting, and deep
searching of heart.
* Important truths concerning the atonement are taught by
the typical ser\'ice. A substitute was accepted in the sinner's
stead ; but the sin was not canceled l)y the blood of the
victim. A means was thus provided by which it was trans-
ferred to the sanctuary. By the offering of blood, the sinner
acknowledged the authority of the law, confessed his guilt
in transgression, and expressed his desire for pardon through
faith in a Kedeemer to come; but he was not yet entirely
released from the condemnation of the law. On the day of
atonement the high priest, having taken an offering from
the congregation, went into the most holy place with the
blood of this offering, and sprinkled it upon the mercy-seat,
directly over the law, to make satisfaction for its claims.
Then, in his character of mediator, he took the sins upon
himself and bore them from the sanctuary. Placing his
hands upon the head of the scapegoat, he confessed over
him all these sins, thus in figure transferring them from
himself to the goat. The goat then ])ore them away, and
they were regarded as forever separated from the people.
Such was the service performed *'unto the exam.ple and
shadow of heavenly things." And what was done in type in
the ministration of the earthly sanctuary, is done in reality
in the ministration of the heavenly sanctuary. After His
ascension, our Sa\nour liegan His work as our high priest.
Says Paul, "Christ is not entered into the holy places made
with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into
heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us."*
The ministration of the priest throughout the year in the
first apartment of the sanctuary, ''within the veil" which
formed the door and separated the holy place from the outer
court, represents the work of ministration upon which Christ
entered at His ascension. It was the work of the priest in
the daily ministration to present before God the blood of
^Heb. 9:24.
WHAT IS THE SANCTUARY? 421
the sill-offering, also the incense which ascended with the
prayers of Israel. So did Christ plead His blood before the
Father in behalf of sinners, and present before Him also,
with the precious fragrance of His own righteousness, the
prayers of penitent believers. Such was the work of minis-
tration in the first apartment of the sanctuary in heaven.
Thither the faith of Christ's disciples followed Him as He
ascended from their sight. Here their hopes centered,
"which hope we have," said Paul, "as an anchor of the soul,
both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within
the veil ; whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus,
made an high priest forever." ''Neither by the blood of
goats and calves, but by His own blood He entered in once
into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption
for us."'
For eighteen centuries this work of ministration con-
tinued in the first apartment of tlie sanctuary. The blood
of Christ, pleaded in behalf of penitent believers, secured
their pardon and acceptance with the Father, yet their sins
still remained upon the books of record. As in the typical
service there was a work of atonement at the close of the
year, so before Christ's work for the redemption of men is
completed, there is a work of atonement for the removal of
sin from the sanctuary. This is the service which began
Avhen the 2300 days ended. At that time, as foretold by
Daniel the prophet, our High Priest entered the most holy,
to perform the last division of His solemn work, — to cleanse
the sanctuary.
As anciently the sins of the people were by faith placed
upon the sin-offering, and through its blood traiisfoi-red,
in figure, to the earthly sanctuary; so in the new covenant
the sins of the repentant are by faith placed upon Christ,
and transferred, in fact, to the heavenly sanctuary. And
as the typical cleansing of the earthly was accomplished
by the removal of the sins by which it had been polluted,
so the actual cleansing of the heavenly is to be accomplished
*Heb. 6:19,20; 9:12.
422 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
by the removal, or blotting out, of the sins which are there
recorded. But before this can be accomplished, there must
be an examination of the books of record to determine who,
through repentance of sin and faith in Christ, are entitled
to the benefits of His atonement. The cleansing of the
sanctuary therefore involves a work of investigation, — a
work of judgment. This work must be performed prior to
the coming of Christ to redeem His people; for when He
comes, His reward is with Him to give to every man accord-
ing to his works.*
Thus those who followed in the light of the prophetic
word saw that, instead of coming to the earth at the ter-
mination of the 2300 days in 1844, Christ then entered
the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary, to perform
the closing work of atonement, preparatory to His coming.
It was seen, also, that while the sin-offering pointed to
Christ as a sacrifice, and the high priest represented Christ
as a mediator, the scapegoat typified Satan, the author of sin,
upon whom the sins of the truly penitent will finally be
placed. When the high priest, by virtue of the blood of
the sin-offering, removed the sins from the sanctuary, he
placed them upon the scapegoat. When Christ, by virtue
of His own blood, removes the sins of His people from the
heavenly sanctuary at the close of His ministration. He will
place them upon Satan, who, in the execution of the judg-
ment, must bear the final penalty. The scapegoat was
sent away into a land not inhabited, never to come again
into the congregation of Israel. So will Satan be forever
banished from the presence of God and His people, and he
will be blotted from existence in the final destruction of sin
and sinners.
>Eev. 22:12.
IN THE HOLY OF HOLIES-24
The subject of the sanctuary was the key which unlocked
the mystery of the disappointment of 1844. It opened to
view a complete system of truth, connected and harmonious,
showing that God's hand had directed the great Advent
Movement, and revealing present duty as it })rought to light
the position and work of His people. As the disciples of
Jesus, after the terrible night of their anguish and disap-
pointment, were "glad when they saw the Lord," so did
those now rejoice who had looked in faith for His second
coming. They had expected Him to appear in glory to give
reward to His servants. As their hopes were disappointed,
they had lost sight of Jesus, and with Mary at the sepuleher
they cried, "They have taken away my Lord, and I know not
where they have laid Him." Now in the holy of holies they
again beheld Him, their compassionate high priest, soon to
appear as their king and deliverer. Light from the sanc-
tuary illumed the past, the present, and the future. They
knew that God liad led them by His unerring providence.
Though, like the first disciples, they themselves had faih^d to
understand the message which they bore, yet it had been in
every respect correct. In proclaiming it they had fulfilled
the purpose of God, and their labor had not been in vain
in the Lord. "Begotten again unto a lively hope," they
rejoiced "with joy unspeakable and full of glory."
(423)
424 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
Both the prophecy of Dan. 8:14, "Unto two thousand and
three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed,"
and the first angel's message, "Fear God, and give glory to
Him; for the hour of His judgment is come," pointed to
Christ's ministration in the most holy place, to the investi-
gative judgment, and not to the coming of Christ for the
redemption of His people and the destruction of the wicked.
The mistake had not been in the reckoning of the prophetic
periods, but in the event to take place at the end of the 2300
days. Through this error the believers had suffered dis-
appointment, yet all that was foretold by the prophecy, and
all that they had any Scripture warrant to expect, had been
accomplished. At the very time when they were lament-
ing the failure of their hopes, the event had taken place
which was foretold by the message, and which must be
fulfilled before the Lord could ai)pear to give reward to His
servants. ''
Christ had come, not to the earth, as they expected, but,
as foreshadowed in the type, to the most holy place of the
temple of God in heaven. He is represented by the prophet
Daniel as coming at this time to the AneicTit of days: "I
saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of
man came with the clouds of heaven, and came" — not to
the earth, but — "to the Ancient of days, and they brought
Him near before Him. " '
This coming is foretold also by the prophet Malachi :
"The Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His tem-
ple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight
in : behold, He shall come, saith the Lord of hosts. ' ' ' The
coming of the Lord to His temple was sudden, unexpected,
to His people. They were not looking for Him there. They
expected Him to come to earth, "in fiaming fire taking
vengeance on them that knoAV not God, and that obey not
the gospel. ' ' '
But the people were not yet ready to meet their Lord.
There was still a work of preparation to be accomplished
*Dan. 7:13 *Mal. 3:1. ' ? T^hess. 1:«,
IN THE HOLY OF BOLTES 425
for them. Li^ht was to bo f?iven, directing their minds to
the temple of God in heaven; and as they should by faith
follow their Higli Priest in His ministration tliere, new duties
would be revealed. Another message of warning and in-
struction >vas to be given to the church.
Says the prophet: "Who may abide the day of Tlis com-
ing? and who shall stand when He appeareth? for He is
like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap: and He shall sit
as a refiner and purifier of silver : and He shall purify the
sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they
may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. ' ' '
Those who are living upon the earth when the intercession
of Christ shall cease in the sanctuary above, are to stand
in the sight of a holy God without a mediator. Their robes
must be spotless, their characters must be purified from sin
by the blood of sprinkling Through the grace of God and
their own diligent effort, they nuist he conquerors in the
battle with evil. While the investigative judgment is going
forward in heaven, while the sins of penitent believers are
being removed from the sanctuary, there is to be a special
work of purification, of putting away of sin, among God's
people upon earth. This work is more clearly presented
in the messages of Revelation 14.
When this work shall have been accomplished, the fol-
lowers of Christ will be ready for His appearing. "Then
shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto
the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former years. ' ' ^
Then the church which our Lord at His coming is to re-
ceive to Himself will bo "a glorious church, not having
spot, or Avrinkle, or any such thing. ' ' ' Then she will look
forth "as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun,
and terrible as an army with banners."*
Besides the coming of the Lord to His temple, Malachi
also foretells His second advent, His coming for the execution
of the judgment, in these words : ' ' And I will come near to
you to judgment; and I will be a sudft witness against the
^Mal. 3:2,3. *Mal. 3:4. ' Eph. 5:27. ♦Cant. 6:10. -:
426 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false
swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his
wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside
the stranger from his right, and fear not Me, saitli the Lord
of hosts. ' ' * Jude refers to the same scene when he says,
' ' Behold, the Lord cometh mth ten thousands of His saints,
to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are
ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds. ' ' ' This
coming, and the coming of the Lord to His temple, are dis-
tinct and separate events.
The coming of Christ as our high priest to the most holy
place, for the cleansing of the sanctuary, brought to view in
Dan. 8:14; the coming of the Son of man to the Ancient of
days, as presented in Dan. 7:13; and the coming of the
Lord to His temple, foretold by Malachi, are descriptions of
the same event; and this is also represented by the coming
of the bridegroom to the marriage, described by Christ in
the parable of the ten virgins, of Matthew 25.
In the summer and autumn of 1844, the proclamation,
"Behold, the Bridegroom cometh," was given. The two
classes represented by tlie wise and foolish virgins were
then developed, — one class who looked with joy to the
Lord's appearing, and who had been diligently preparing
to meet Him; another class that, influenced by fear, and
acting from impulse, had been satisfied with a theory of the
truth, but were destitute of the grace of God. In the par-
able, when the bridegroom came, "they that were ready went
in with him to the marriage." The coming of the bride-
groom, here brought to view, takes place before the mar-
riage. The marriage represents the reception by Christ of
His kingdom. The holy city, the New Jerusalem, which is
the capital and representative of the kingdom, is called "the
bride, the Lamb's wife." Said the angel to John, "Come
hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife." "He
carried me away in the spirit," says the prophet, "and
showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending
^Mal. 3:5. *Jude 14,15.
IN THE HOLY OF HOLIES 427
out of heaven from God."* Clearly, then, the bride repre-
sents the holy city, and the virgins that go out to meet the
bridegroom are a symbol of the church. In the Revelation
the people of God are said to be the guests at the marriage
supper." If guests, they cannot be represented also as the
bride. Christ, as stated by the prophet Daniel, will re-
ceive from the Ancient of days in heaven, "dominion, and
glory, and a kingdom ; ' ' He will receive tlie New Jerusalem,
the capital of His kingdom, "prepared as a bride adorned
for her husband."' Having received the kingdom, He will
come in His glory, as King of kings and Lord of lords, for
the redemption of His people, who are to "sit down with
Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob," at His table in His king-
dom,* to partake of the marriage supper of the Lamb.
The proclamation, "Behold, the Bridegroom cometh," in
the summer of 1844, led thousands to expect the immediate
advent of the Lord. At the appointed time the Bridegroom
came, not to the earth, as the people expected, but to the
Ancient of days in heaven, to the marriage, the reception of
His kingdom. "They that were ready went in with Him to
the marriage, and the door was shut." They were not
to be present in person at the marriage; for it takes place
in heaven, while they are upon the. earth. The followers of
Christ are to "wait for their Lord, when He will return
from tlie wedding. ' ' '^ But they are to understand His work,
and to follow Him by faith as He goes in before God. It is
in this sense tliat they are said to go in to the marriage.
In the parable it was tliose that had oil in their vessels
with their lamps that went in to tlie marriage. Those who,
with a knowledge of the truth from the Scriptures, had also
the Spirit and grace of God, and who, in the night of their
bitter trial, had patiently waited, searching the Bible for
clearer light, — these saw the truth concerning the sanctuary
in heaven and the Saviour's change of ministration, and
by faith they followed Him in His work in the sanctuary
above. And all who through the testimony of the Scrip-
'Eev. 21:9,10. »Rev. 19:9. ^Ban. 7:14; Rev. 21:2.
♦Matt. 8:11; Luke 22:30. "Luke 12:36.
428 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
tures accept the same truths, following Christ by faith as
He enters in before God to perform the last work of media-
tion, and at its close to receive His kingdom, — all these are
represented as going in to the marriage.
In the parable of Matthew 22 the same figure of the
marriage is introduced, and the investigative judgment is
clearly represented as taking place before the marriage.
Previous to the wedding the king comes in to see the guests,'
to see if all are attired in the wedding garment, the spot-
less robe of character washed and made white in the blood
of the Lamb." He who is found wanting is cast out, but
all who upon examination are seen to have the wedding
garment on, are "accepted of Ood, and accounted worthy of
a share in His kingdom and a seat upon His throne. This
Svork of examination of character, of determining who are
prepared for tlie kingdom of God, is that of the investigative
judgment, the closing Avork in the sanctuary above.
When the work of investigation shall be ended, when the
cases of those who in all ages have professed to be followers
of Christ have been examined and decided, then, and not
till then, probation will close, and the door of mercy will be
shut. Thus in the one short sentence, "They that were
ready went in with Him to the marriage, and the door was
shut," we are carried down through the Saviour's final
ministration, to the time when the great work for man's
salvation shall be completed.
In the service of the earthly sanctuary, which, as we liave
seen, is a figure of the service in the heavenly, when the
high priest on the day of atonement entered the most holy
place, the ministration in the first apartment ceased. God
commanded, "There shall be no man in the tabernacle of
the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement
in the holy place, until lie come out."* So when Christ
entered the holy of holies to perform the closing work of
the atonement, He ceased His ministration in the first apart-
ment. But when the ministration in the first apartment
»Matt. 22:11. 'Eev. 7:14. «Lev. 16:17.
IN THE HOLY OF HOLIES 429
ended, the ministration in the second apartment began.
When in the typical service the high priest left the holy on
the day of atonement, he went in before God to present the
blood of the sin-offering in behalf of all Israel who truly
repented of their sins. So Christ had only completed one
part of His work as our intercessor, to enter upon another
portion of the work, and He still pleaded His blood before
the Father in behalf of sinners. 'li i
This subject was not understood by Adventists in 1844.
After the passing of the time when the Saviour was expected,
they still believed His coming to be near; they held that
they had reached an important crisis, and that the work of
Christ as man's intercessor before God, had ceased. It ap-
peared to them to be taught in the Bible, that man's proba-
tion would close a short time before the actual coming of
the Lord in the clouds of heaven. This seemed evident
from those scriptures which point to a time when men
will seek, knock, and cry at the door of mercy, and it will
not be opened. And it was a question with them whether
the date to which they had looked for the coming of Christ
might not rather mark the beginning of this period which
was immediately to precede His coming. Having given the
warning of the judgment near, they felt that their work for
the world was done, and they lost their burden of soul for
the salvation of sinners, while the bold and blasphemous
scoffing of the ungodly seemed to them another evidence
that the Spirit of God had been Avithdrawn from the re-
jecters of liis mercy. All this confirmed them in the
belief that probation had ended, or, as they then expressed
it, ''the door of mercy was shut."
But clearer light came with the investigation of the sanc-
tuary question. They now saw that they were correct in
believing that the end of the 2300 days in 1844 marked an
important crisis. But while it was true that tluit door of
hope and mercy by which men had for eighteen hundred
years found access to God, was closed, another door was
(430 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
opened, and forgiveness of sins was offered to men through
the intercession of Christ in the most holy. One part of His
ministration had closed, only to give place to another.
There was still an "open door" to the heavenly sanctuary,
where Christ was ministering in the sinner's behalf.
Now was seen the application of those words of Christ in
the Revelation, addressed to the church at this very time:
"These things saith He that is holy, He that is true, He
that hath the key of David, He that openeth, and no man
shutteth ; and shutteth, and no man openeth ; I know thy
works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and
no man can shut it. " ^
It is those who by faith follow Jesus in the great work of
the atonement, who receive the benefits of His mediation in
their behalf; while those who reject the light which brings
to view this work of ministration, are not benefited thereby.
The Jews who rejected the light given at Christ's first
advent, and refused to believe on Him as the Saviour of the
world, could not receive pardon through Him. When Jesus
at His ascension entered by His own blood into the heavenly
sanctuary to shed upon His disciples the blessings of His
mediation, the Jews were left in total darkness, to continue
their useless sacrifices and offerings. The ministration of
types and shadows had ceased. That door by which men
had formerly found access to God, was no longer open. The
Jews had refused to seek Him in the only way whereby He
could then be found, through the ministration in the sanc-
tuary in heaven. Therefore they found no communion
with God. To them the door was shut. They had no
knowledge of Christ as the true sacrifice and the only medi-
ator before God; hence they could not receive the benefits
of His mediation.
The condition of the unbelieving Jews illustrates the
condition of the careless and unbelieving among professed
Christians, who are willingly ignorant of the work of our
merciful High Priest. In the typical service, when the
»Eev. 3:7,8.
IN THE HOLY OF HOLIES 431
hifjh priest entered the most holy place, all Israel were re-
quired to gather about the sanctuary, and in the most solemn
manner humble their souls before God, that they might re-
ceive the pardon of their sins, and not be cut off from the
congregation. How much more essential in this antityp-
ical day of atonement that we understand the work of our
High Priest, and know what duties are required of us.
Men cannot Mdth impunity reject the warnings which
God in mercy sends them. A message was sent from
heaven to the world in Noah's day, and their salvation
depended upon the manner in which they treated that mes-
sage. Because they rejected the warning, the Spirit of God
was withdrawn from the sinful race, and they perished in
the waters of the flood. In the time of Abraham, mercy
ceased to plead with the guilty inhabitants of Sodom, and
all but Lot with his wife and two daughters, were consumed
by the fire sent down from heaven. So in the days of Christ.
The Son of God declared to the unbelieving Jews' of that
generation, ' ' Your house is left unto you desolate. ' ' * Look-
ing down to the last days, the same Infinite Power declares,
concerning those who "received not the love of the truth,
that' they might be saved," ''For this cause God shall send
them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that
they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but
had pleasure in unrighteousness."^ As they reject the
teachings of His word, God withdraws His Spirit, and leaves
them to the deceptions which they love.
But Christ still intercedes in man's behalf, and light will
be given to those who seek it. Though this was not at first
understood by Adventists, it was afterward made plain, as
the scriptures which define their true position began to open
before them.
The passing of the time in 1844 was followed by a period
of great trial to those who still held the advent faith.
Their only relief, so far as ascertaining their true position
was concerned, was the light which directed their minds to
^Matt. 23:38. »3 Thess. 3:10-12.
432
THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
the sanctuary above. Some renounced their faith in their
former reckoning of the prophetic periods, and ascribed to
human oi- satanie agencies the powerful influence of the
Holy Spirit which had attended the Advent JNIoveraent.
Another class firmly held that the Lord had led them in
their past experience; and as they waited and watched and
prayed to know the \\dll of God, they saw that their great
High Priest had entered upon another work of ministration,
and following Him by faith, they were led to see also the
closing work of the church. They had a clearer under-
standing of the first and second angels' messages, and Avere
prepared to receive and give to the world the solemn warn-
ing of the third angel of Revelation 14.
GOD'S LAW IMMUTABLE-25
''The temple of God was opened in heaven, and there
was seen in His temple the ark of His testament."* The ark
of God's testament is in the holy of holies, the second apart-
ment of the sanctuary. In the ministration of tlie earthly
tabernacle, which served ''unto the example and shadow of
heavenly things," this apartment was opened only upon the
great day of atonement, for the cleansing of the sanctuary.
Therefore the announcement that the temple of God was
opened in heaven, and the ark of His testament was seen,
points to the opening of the most holy place of the heavenly
sanctuary, in 1844, as Christ entered there to perform the
closing work of the atonement. Those who by faith followed
their great High Priest, as He entered upon His ministry in
the most holy place, beheld the ark of His testament. As
they had studied the subject of the sanctuary, they had
come to understand the Saviour's change of ministration,
and they saw that He was now officiating before the ark of
God, pleading His blood in behalf of sinners.
The ark in the tabernacle on earth contained the two
tables of stone, upon which were inscribed the precepts of
the law of God. The ark was merely a receptacle for the
tables of the law, and the presence of these di^^ne precepts
gave to it its value and saeredness. "When the temple of God
was opened in heaven, the ark of His testament was seen.
'Eev. 11:19.
(433)
434 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
Within the holy of holies, in the sanctuary in heaven, the
divine law is sacredly enshrined, — the law that was spoken
by God Himself amid the thunders of Sinai, and written
with His o^Ti finger on the tables of stone.
The law of God in the sanctuary in heaven is the great
original, of which the precepts inscribed upon the tables of
stone, and recorded by Moses in the Pentateuch, were an
unerring transcript. Those who arrived at an understand-
ing of this important point, were thus led to see the sacred,
unchanging character of the divine law. They saw, as
never before, the force of the Saviour's words, "Till heaven
and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass
from the law. ' ' * The law of God, being a revelation of His
will, a transcript of His character, must forever endure, "as
a faithful witness in heaven." Not one command has been
annulled; not a jot or tittle has been changed. Says the
psalmist: "Forever, O Lord, Thy word is settled in heaven."
"All His commandments are sure. They stand fast forever
and ever. ' ' "
In the very l)Osora of the decalogue is the fourth com-
mandment, as it was first proclaimed: "Remember the Sab-
bath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do
all thy work: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the
Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou,
nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy
maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is
within thy gates: for in six days the Lord made heaven
and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the
seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day,
and hallowed it. " ^
The Spirit of God impressed the hearts of those students
of His word. The conviction was urged upon them, that
they had ignorantly transgressed this precept by disregard-
ing the Creator's rest-day. They began to examine the
reasons for observing the first day of the week instead of
the day which God had sanctified. They could find no
»Matt. 5:18. ^Ps. 119; 89 j 111:7,8. "Ex. 20:8-11.
GOD'S LAW IMMUTABLE 435
evidence in the Scriptures that the fourth commandment
had been abolished, or that the Sabbath had been changed;
the blessing which first hallowed the seventh day had
never been removed. They had been honestly seeking to
know and to do God's will; now, as they saw themselves
transgressors of His law, sorrow filled their hearts, and
they manifested their loyalty to God by keeping His Sab-
bath holy.
Many and earnest were the efforts made to overthrow
their faith. None could fail to see that if the earthly sanc-
tuary was a figure or pattern of the heavenly, the law
deposited in the ark on earth was an exact transcript of
the law in the ark in heaven; and that an acceptance
of the truth concerning the heavenly sanctuary involved an
acknowledgment of the claims of God's law, and the obliga-
tion of the Sabbath of the fourth commandment. Here was
the secret of the bitter and determined opposition to the har-
monious exposition of the Scriptures that revealed the minis-
tration of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary. JMen sought to
close the door which God had opened, and to open the door
which He had closed. But "He that openeth, and no man
shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth," had declared,
"Behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man
can shut it. " * Christ had opened the door, or ministration,
of the most holy place, light was shining fnmi that open door
of the sanctuary in heaven, and the fourth commandment
was shown to be included in the law which is there en-
shrined; what God had established, no man could overthrow.
Those who had accepted the light concerning the media-
tion of Christ and the perpetuity of the law of God, found
that these were the truths presented in Revelation 14. The
messages of this chapter constitute a threefold warning,'
which is to prepare the inha])itants of the earth for the
Lord's second coming. The annoiuieement, "The hour of
His judgment is come," points to the closing work of
Christ's ministration for the salvation of men. It heralds
•Rev. 3:7,8. "See Appendix.
436 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
a truth which must be proclaimed until the Saviour's in-
tercession shall cease, and He shall return to the earth to
take His people to Himself. The work of judgment which
began in 1844, must continue until the cases of all are
decided, both of the living and the dead; hence it will ex-
tend to the close of human probation. That men may be
prepared to stand in the judgment, the message commands
them to "fear God, and give glory to Him," "and worship
Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the
fountains of waters." The result of an acceptance of these
messages is given in the words, "Here are they that keep
the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." In
order to be prepared for the judgment, it is necessary that
men should keep the law of God. That law will be the
standard of character in the judgment. The apostle Paul
declares, "As many as have sinned in the law shall be
judged by the law, ... in the day when God shall judge
tlie secrets of men by Jesus Christ." And he says that "the
doers of the law shall be justified. ' ' ' Faith is essential in
order to the keeping of the law of God; for "without faith
it is impossible to please Him." And "whatsoever is not of
faith is sin. ' ' *
By the first angel, men are called upon to "fear God, -and
give glory to Him," and to worship Him as the Creator of
the heavens and the earth. In order to do this, they must
obey His law. Says the wise man, "Fear God, and keep His
commandments: for this is the whole duty of man."' With-
out obedience to His commandments, no worship can be
pleasing to God. "This is the love of God, that we keep
His commandments." "He that turneth away his ear from
hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination."*
The duty to worship God is based upon the fact that He
is the Creator, and that to Him all other beings owe their
existence. And wherever, in the Bible, His claim to rever-
ence and worship, above the gods of the heathen, is pre-
»Rom. 2:12-16. «Heb. 11:6; Rom. 14:23.
»Eccl. 12:13. 'l John 5:3; Prov. 28:9.
GOD'S LAW IMMUTABLE 437
sented, there is cited the evidence of His creative power.
"All the gods of the nations are idols: but the Lord made
the heavens."* "To whom then will ye liken Me, or shall
I be equal? saith the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high,
and behold who hath created these things." "Thus saith
the Lord that created the heavens; God Himself that formed
the earth and made it: ... I am Jehovah; and there is
none else."* Says the psalmist, "Know ye that Jehovah,
He is God: it is He that hath made us, and not we our-
selves." "0 come, let us worship and bow down: let us
kneel before the Lord our Maker."* And the holy beings
who worship God in heaven state, as the reason why their
homage is due to Him, "Thou art worthy, Lord, to
receive glory and honor and power: for Thou hast created
all things."*
In Revelation 14, men are called upon to worship the
Creator; and the prophecy brings to view a class that, as
the result of the threefold message, are keeping the com-
mandments of God. One of these commandments points
directly to God as the creator. The fourth precept declares:
"The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: . . .
for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea,
and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: where-
fore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it. " '
Concerning the Sabbath, the Lord says, further, that it
is "a sign, . . . that ye may know that I am the Lord your
God. ' ' • And the reason given is, * ' For in six days the
Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He
rested, and was refreshed."*
"The importance of the Sabbath as a memorial of crea-
tion is that it keeps ever present the true reason why wor-
ship is due to God," — because He is the Creator, and we
are His creatures. "The Sabbath, therefore, lies at the very
foundation of divine worship ; for it teaches this great truth
in the most impressive manner, and no other institution
*Ps. 96:5. *Isa. 40:25,26; 45:18. « Ps. 100:3; 95:6.
« Rev. 4:11. • Ex. 20:10, 11. "Eze. 20:20. 'Ex. 31:17.
438 1HE GREAT CONTROVERSY
does this. The true ground of divine worship, not of that m
the seventh day merely, but of all worship, is found in the
distinction between the Creator and His creatures. This
great fact can never become obsolete, and must never be
forgotten. " * It was to keep this truth ever before the minds
of men, that God instituted the Sabbath in Eden; and so
long as the fact that He is our Creator continues to be a
reason why we should worship Him, so long the Sabbath will
continue as its sign and memorial. Had the Sabbath been
universally kept, man's thoughts and affections would have
been led to the Creator as the object of reverence and wor-
ship, and there would never have been an idolater, an
atheist, or an infidel. The keeping of the Sabbath is a sign
of loyalty to the true Ood. "Him that made heaven, and
earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters." It follows
that the message which conmiands men to worship God
and keep His commandments, will especially call upon
them to keep the fourth commandment.
In contrast to those who keep the commandments of
God and have the faith of Jesus, tlie third angel points
to another class, against whose errors a solemn and fear-
ful warning is uttered: "If any man worship the beast and
his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his
hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of
God."* A correct interpretation of the symbols employed
is necessary to an understanding of this message. What is
represented by the beast, the image, the mark?
The line of prophecy in which these symbols are found,
begins Avith Revelation 12, with the dragon that sought to de-
stroy Christ at His birth. The dragon is said to ])e Satan ;' he
it was that moved upon Herod to put the Saviour to death.
But the chief agent of Satan in making war upon Christ and
His people during the first centuries of the Christian era, was
the Roman empire, in which paganism was the prevailing
religion. Thus while the dragon, primarily, represents Satan,
it is, in a secondary sense, a symbol of pagan Rome.
» Andrews, J. N., "History of the Sabbath," ch. 27.
^'Eev. 14:9,10. 'Rev. 12:9.
G07)'.9 LAW IMMUTABLE 439
In chapter 13' is described another beast, "like unto a
leopard," to which the dragon gave "his power, and his
seat, and great authority." This symbol, as most Protes-
tants have believed, represents the papacy, which succeeded
to the power and seat and authority onco held by the
ancient Roman empire. Of the leopard-like beast it is
declared: "There was given unto him a mouth speaking
great things and blasphemies. . . And he opened his mouth
in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, and His
tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And it was
given unto him to make war with the saints, and to over-
come them: and power was given him over all kindreds,
and tongues, and nations." This prophecy, Avliich is nearly
identical with the description of the little horn of Daniel 7,
unquestionably points to the papacy.
"Power was given unto hi7u to continue forty and two
months." And, says the prophet, "I saw one of his heads as
it were wounded to death." And again, "He that leadeth
into captivity shall go into captivity : he that killeth with
the sword must be killed witli the sword." The forty and
U\o months are the same as the "time and times and the
dividing of time," three years and a half, or 1260 days, of
Uaniel 7, — the time during which the papal power wa.s to
oppress God's people. This period, as stated in preceding
chapters, began with the supremacy of the papacy, a. d.
538, and terminated in 1798. At that time, the pope was
made captive by the French army, the papal power re-
ceived its deadly wound, and the prediction was fulfilled,
"He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity."
At this point anotlier sjnubol is introduced. Says the
prophet, "I beheld another beast coming up out of the
earth ; and he had two horns like a lamb. ' ' ' Both the ap-
pearance of this beast and the manner of its rise indicate
that the nation which it represents is unlike those presented
under the preceding symbols. The great kingdoms that
have ruled" the world were presented to the prophet Daniel
* Verses 1-10. ='Rev. 13:11.
440 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
as beasts of prey, rising when the ' ' four winds of th^
heaven strove upon the great sea. " ' - In Revelation 17,
an angel explained that waters represent "peoples, and
multitudes, and nations, and tongues. ' ' ^ Winds are a sym-
bol of strife. The four winds of heayen striving upon the
great sea, represent the terrible scenes of conquest and
revolution by which kingdoms have attained to power.
But the beast with lamb-like horns was seen "coming up
out of the earth." Instead of overthrowing other powers to
establish itself, the nation thus represented must arise in
territory previously unoccupied, and grow up gradually and
peacefully. It could not, then, arise among the crowded
and struggling nationalities of the Old World, — that turbu-
lent sea of "peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and
tongues." It must be sought in the Western Continent.
What nation of the Noav World was in 1798 rising into
power, giving promise of strength and greatness, and attract-
ing the attention of the world? The application of the
symbol admits of no question. One nation, and only one,
meets the spei-iiications of this prophecy; it points unmis-
takably to the United States of America, Again and again
the thought, almost the exact words, of the sacred writer
have been unconsciously employed by the orator and the
historian in describing the rise and growth of this nation.
The beast was seen "coming" up out of the earth;" and
according to the translators, the word here rendered "com-
ing up" literally signifies "to grow or spring up as a
plant." And, as we have seen, the nation must arise in
territory previously unoccupied. A prominent writer, de-
scribing the rise of the United States, speaks of "the mystery
of her coining forth from vacancy," ^ and says, "Like a silent
seed we greAV into empire." A European journal in 1850
spoke of the United States as a wonderful empire, which was
"emerging," and "amid the silence of the earth daily adding
to its power and pride."* Edward Everett, in an oration
* Dan. 7:2. * Rev. 17:15. * Townsend, G. A., "The New
World Compared with the Old," p. 463 (ed. 1869)=,
* The Duilin Nation.
GOD'S LAW IMMUTABLE 441
on the Pilgrim founders of this nation, said: "Did they
look for a retired spot, inoffensive for its obscurity, and
safe in its remoteness, where the little church of Leyden
might enjoy the freedom of conscience? Behold the mighty
regions over which, in peaceful conquest, . . . they have
borne the banners of the cross ! " *
"And he had two horns like a lamb." The lamb-like
horns indicate youth, innocence, and gentleness, fitly repre-
senting the character of the United States when presented
to the prophet as "coming up" in 1798. Among the Chris-
tian exiles who first fled to America, and sought an asylum
from royal oppression and priestly intolerance, were many
who determined to establish a government upon the broad
foundation of civil and religious liberty. Their views
found place in the Declaration of Independence, which sets
forth the great truth that "all men are created equal," and
endowed with the inalienable right to "life, liberty, and the
pursuit of happiness." And tlie Constitution guarantees to
the people tiie right of sell-government, providing that
representatives elected by the popular vote shall enact and
administer the laws. Freedom of religious faith was also
granted, every man being permitted to worship God ac-
cording to the dictates of his conscience. Republicanism
and Protestantism became the fundamental principles of
the nation. These principles are the secret of its power
and prosperity. The oppressed and down-trodden through-
out Christendom have turned to this land with interest and
hope. Millions have sought its shores, and the United
States has risen to a place among the most powerful na-
tions of the earth.
But the beast with lamb-like horns "spake as a dragon.
And ne exercisetii a/l the ])owt'r of the first beast before
him, and eauscth the earth and them which dwell therein to
worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed;
and . . . saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they
• Speech delivered at Plymouth, Mass., Dee. 22, 1824, p. 11.
442 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
should make an image to the beast, which had the wound
by a sword and did live. ' ' *
The lamb-like horns and dragon voice of the symbol
point to a striking contradiction between the professions and
the practice of the nation thus represented. The "speaking"
of the nation is the action of its legislative and judicial
authorities. By such action it will give the lie to those lib-
eral and peaceful principles which it has put forth as the
foundation of its policy. The prediction that it will speak
"as a dragon," and exercise "all the power of the first
beast," plainly foretells a development of the spirit of in-
tolerance and persecution that was manifested by the na-
tions represented by the dragon and the leopard-like beast.
And the statement that the beast with two horns "causeth
the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first
beast," indicates that the authority of this nation is to be
exercised in enforcing some observance which shall be an
act of homage to the papacy.
Such action would be directly contrary to the principles
of this government, to the genius of its free institutions, to
the direct and solemn avowals of the Declaration of Inde-
pendence, and to the Constitution. The founders of the
nation wisely sought to guard against the employment of
secular power on the part of the church, with its inevitable
result — intolerance and persecution. The Constitution pro-
vides that "Congress shall make no law respecting an estab-
lishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, ' '
and that "no religious test shall ever be required as a quali-
fication to any office of public trust under the United
States." Only in flagrant violation of these safeguards to
the nation's liberty, can any religious observance be en-
forced by civil authority. But the inconsistency of such
action is no greater than is represented in the symbol.
It is the beast with lamb-like horns — in profession pure>
gentle, and harmless — that speaks as a dragon.
'Rev. 13:11-14.
GOD'S LAW IMMVTABLE 443
"Saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they
should make an image to the beast." Hero is clearly pre-
sented a form of government in which the legislative power
rests with the people; a most striking evidence that the
United States is the nation denoted in the prophecy.
But what is the "image to the beast"? and how is it
to be formed? The image is made by the two-horned beast,
and is an image to the first beast. It is also called an image
of the beast. Then to learn what the image is like, and
how it is to be formed, we must study the characteristics of
the beast itself, — the papacy.
When the early church became corrupted by departing
from the simplicity of the gospel and accepting heathen
rites and customs, she lost the Spirit and power of God ; and
in order to control the consciences of the people, she sought
the support of the secular power. The result was the papacy,
a church that controlled the power of the state, and employed
it to further her own ends, especially for the punishment of
"heresy." In order for the United States to form an image
of the beast, the religious power must so control the civil
government that the authority of the state will also be
employed by the church to accomplish her own ends.
Whenever the church has obt.iined secular power, she has
employed it to punish dissent from her doctrines. Prot-
estant churches that have followed in the steps of Rome by
forming alliance with worldly powers, have manifested a
similar desire to restrict liberty of conscience. An example
of this is given in the long-continued persecution of dis-
senters by the Church of England. During the sixteenth
and seventeenth centuries, thousands of non-conformist min-
isters were forced to leave their churches, and many, both
of pastors and people, were subjected to fine, imprisonment,
torture, and martyrdom.
It was apostasy that led the early church to seek the aid
of the civil government, and this prepared the way for the
development of the papacy, — the beast. Said Paul, "There"
shall "come a falling away, . . o and that man of sin be
444 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
revealed. " * So apostasy in the church will prepare the way
for the image to the beast.
The Bible declares that before the coining of the Lord
there will exist a state of religious declension similar to
that in the first centuries. "In the last days perilous times
shall come. For men shall be lovers of tlicir own selves,
covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to par-
ents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-
breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of
those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers
of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of
godliness, but denying the power thereof."' "Now the
Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some
shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits,
and doctrines of devils."' Satan will work "with all
power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceiv-
ableness of unrighteousness." And all that "received not
the love of the truth, that they might be saved," will be left
to accept "strong delusion, that they should believe a lie."*
When this state of ungodliness shall be reached, the same
results will follow as in the first centuries.
The wide diversity of belief in the Protestant churches is
regarded by many as decisive proof that no effort to secure
a forced uniformity can ever be made. But there has been
for years, in churches of the Protestant faith, a strong and
growing sentiment in favor of a union based upon common
points of doctrine. To secure such a union, the discussion
of subjects upon which all were not agreed — however im-
portant they might be from a Bible standpoint — must
necessarily be waived.
Charles Beecher, in a sermon in the year 1846, declared
that the ministry of "the evangelical Protestant denomina-
tions" is "not only formed all the way up under a tremen-
dous pressure of merely human fear, but they live, and
move, and breathe in a state of things radically corrupt, and
appealing every hour to every baser element of their nature
*2 Thess. 2:3. « 2 Tim. 3 : 1-5. "1 Tim. 4:1. « 2 Thess. 2:9-11.
GOD'S LAW IMMUTABLE 445
io hush up the truth, and bow the knee to the power of
apostasy. Was not this the way things went with Rome?
Are we not living her life over again ? And what do we see
just ahead? Another general council! A world's conven-
tion ! Evangelical alliance, and universal creed ! " ' When
this shall be gained, then, in the effort to secure complete
uniformity, it will be only a step to the resort to force.
When the leading churches of the United States, uniting
upon such points of doctrine as are held by them in com-
mon, shall influence the state to enforce their decrees, and to
sustain their institutions, then Protestant America will have
formed an image of the Roman hierarchy, and the inflic-
tion of civil penalties upon dissenters will inevitably result.
The beast with two horns "causeth [commands] all, both
small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a
mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: and that
no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or
the name of the beast, or the number of his name. ' ' ' The
third angel's warning is, "If any man worship the beast
and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in
his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of
God." "The beast" mentioned in this message, whose wor-
ship is enforced by the two-horned beast, is the first, or
leopard-like beast of Revelation 13,— the papacy. The
"image to the beast" represents that form of apostate Prot-
estantism which will be developed when the Protestant
churches shall seek the aid of the civil power for the
enforcement of their dogmas. The "mark of the beast" still
remains to be defined.
After the warning against the worship of the beast and
his image, the prophecy declares, "Here are they that keep
the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." Since
those who keep God's commandments are thus placed in
contrast with those that worship the beast and his image
and receive his mark, it follows that the keeping of God's
*Sennoii on "Thp Bible a Sufficient Creofl," delivered at
Fort Wayne, Ind., Feb. 22, 1848.
*Eev. 13:16,17.
446 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
law, on the one hand, and its violation, on the other, will
make the distinction between the worshipers of God and
the worshipers of the beast.
The special characteristic of the beast, and therefore of
his image, is the breaking of God's commandments. Says
Daniel, of the little horn, the papacy, "He shall think to
change the times and the law. ' ' * And Paul styled the same
power the "man of sin," who was to exalt himself above
God. One prophecy is a complement of the other. Only
by changing God's law could the papacy exalt itself above
God; Avhoever should understandingly keep the law as thus
changed would be giving supreme honor to that power by
which the change was made. Such an act of obedience to
papal laws would be a mark of allegiance to the pope in the
place of God.
The papacy has attempted to change the law of God.
The second commandment, forbidding image worship, has
been dropped from the law, and the fourth commandment
has been so changed as to authorize the observance of the
first instead of the seventh day as the Sabbath. But papists
urge, as a reason for omitting the second commandment,
that it is unnecessary, being included in the first, and that
they are giving the law exactly as God designed it to be
understood. This cannot be the change foretold by the
prophet. An intentional, deliberate change is presented: "He
shall think to change the times and the law." The change in
the fourth commandment exactly fulfils the prophecy. For
this the only authority claimed is that of the church. Here
the papal power openly sets itself above God.
While the worshipers of God will be especially distin-
guished by their regard for the fourth commandment, —
since this is the sign of His creative power, and the witness
to His claim upon man's reverence and homage, — the wor-
shipers of the beast will be distinguished by their efforts to
tear do\ATi the Creator's memorial, to exalt the institution
of Rome. It was in behalf of the Sunday that popery first
»Dan. 7:25, E. V.
GOD'S LAW IMMUTABLE 447
asserted its arrogant claims;' and its first resort to the
power of the state was to compel the observance of Sunday
as "the Lord's day." But the Bible points to the seventh
day, and not to the first, as the Lord's day. Said Christ,
"The Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath." The fourth
commandment declares, "The seventh day is the Sabbath
of the Lord." And by the prophet Isaiah the Lord desig-
nates it, "My holy day."'
The claim so often put forth, that Christ changed the
Sabbath, is disproved by His own words. In His sermon on
the mount He said: "Think not that I am come to destroy
the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but
to fulfil. For verily I say unto you. Till heaven and earth
pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise jjass from the
law, fill all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break
one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so,
he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven : but
whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called
great in the kingdom of heaven. ' "
It is a fact generally admitted by Protestants, that the
Scriptures give no authority for the change of the Sab-
bath. This is plainly stated in publications issued by the
American Tract Society and the American Sunday-school
Union. One of these works acknowledges "the complete
silence of the New Testament so far as any explicit com-
mand for the Sabbath [Sunday, the first day of the week]
or definite rules for its observance are concerned. ' ' *
Another says: "Up to the time of Christ's death, no
change had been made in the day ; " " and, ' ' so far as the rec-
ord shows, they [the apostles] did not . . . give any explicit
command enjoining the abandonment of the seventh-day
Sabbath, and its observance on the first day of the week.""
Roman Catholics acknowledge that' the change of the
Sabbath was made by their church, and declare that Prot-
»See Appendix. "Mark 2:28; Isa. 58:13. 'Matt. 5:17-19.
•Elliott, George, "The Abiding Sabbath," p. 184.
•Waffle, A. E., "The Lord's Day," p. 18G.
• Idem, pp. 187, 188.
448 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
estants, by observing the Sunday, are recognizing her power.
In the "Catholic Catechism of Christian Religion," in
answer to a question as to the day to be observed in obedi-
ence to the fourth commandment, this statement is made:
"During the old law, Saturday was the day sanctified; but
the church, instructed by Jesus Christ, and directed by the
Spirit of God, has substituted Sunday for Saturday; so now
we sanctify the first, not the seventh day. Sunday means,
and now is, the day of the Lord."
As the sign of the authority of the Catholic Church,
papist writers cite "the very act of changing the Sabbath
into Sunday, which Protestants allow of; , . . because by
keeping Sunday, they acknowledge the church's power to
ordain feasts, and to command them under sin. ' ' ' What
then is the change of the Sabbath, but the sign, or 'mark,
of the authority of the Roman Church — "the mark of the
beast"?
The Roman Church has not relinquished her claim to
supremacy; and when tlie world and the Protestant churches
accept a sabbath of her creating, while they reject the Bible
Sabbath, they virtually admit this assumption. They may
claim the authority of tradition and of the Fathers for the
change; but in so doing they ignore the very principle
which separates them from Rome, — that "the Bible, and the
Bible only, is the religion of Protestants." The papist can
see that they are deceiving themselves, willingly closing
their eyes to the facts in the case. As the movement for
Sunday enforcement gains favor, he rejoices, feeling assured
that it will eventually bring the whole Protestant world
under the banner of Rome.
Romanists declare that "the observance of Sunday by the
Protestants is an homage they pay, in spite of themselves, to
the authority of the [Catholic] Church."* The enforcement
of Sunday-keeping on the part of Protestant churches is an
enforcement of the worship of the papacy — of the beast.
Those who, understanding the claims of the fourth com-
* Tuberville, H., ' ' An Abridgement of the Christian Doctrine, ' ' p. 58.
'"Plain Talk about Protestantism," p. 213.
GOD'S LAW IMMUTABLE 449
mandment, choose to observe the false instead of the true
Sabbath, are thereby paying homage to that power by which
alone it is commanded. But in the very act of enforcing
a religious duty by secular power, the churches would them-
selves form an image to the beast; hence the enforcement of
Sunday-keeping in the United States would be an enforce-
ment of the worship of the beast and his image.
But Christians of past generations observed the Sunday,
supposing that in so doing they were keeping the Bible Sab-
bath; and there are now true Christians in every church,
not excepting the Roman Catholic communion, who honestly
believe that Sunday is the Sabbath of divine appointment.
God accepts their sincerity of purpose and their integrity
before Him. But when Sunday observance shall be enforced
by law, and the world shall be enlightened concerning the
obligation of the true Sabbath, then whoever shall transgress
the command of God, to obey a precept which has no higher
authority than that of Rome, will thereby honor popery
above God. He is paying homage to Rome, and to the
power which enforces the institution ordained by Rome.
He is worshiping the beast and his image. As men then
reject the institution w^hich God has declared to be the sign
of His authority, and honor in its stead that which Rome
has chosen as the token of her supremacy, they will thereby
accept the sign of allegiance to Rome — "the mark of the
beast." And it is not until the issue is thus plainly set
before the people, and they are brought to choose between
the commandments of God and the commandments of men,
that those who continue in transgression will receive "the
mark of the beast."
The most fearful threatening ever addressed to mortals
is contained in the third angel's message. That must be a
terrible sin which calls down the wrath of God unmingled
with mercy. Men are not to be left in darkness concerning
this important matter; the warning against this sin is to be
given to the world before the visitation of God's judgments,
that all may know why they are to be inflicted, and have
1»— Q.C.
450 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
opportunity to escape them. Prophecy declares that the
first angel would make his announcement to "every nation,
and kindred, and tongue, and people." The warning of the
third angel, which forms a part of the same threefold mes-
sage, is to be no less wide-spread. It is represented in the
prophecy as being proclaimed with a loud voice, by an angel
flying in the midst of heaven; and it will command the
attention of the world.
In the issue of the contest, all Christendom will be di-
vided into two great classes, — those who keep the com-
mandments of God and the faith of Jesus, and those who
worship the beast and his image and receive his mark. Al-
though church and state will unite their power to compel
"all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond,"
to receive ' ' the mark of the beast, ' ' ' yet the people of God
will not receive it. The prophet of Patmos beholds "them
that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his
image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name,
stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God," and
singing the song of Moses and the Lamb."
'Rev. 13:16. *Rcv. 15:2,3.
A WORK OF REFORM -26
The work of Sabbath reform to be accomplished in the
last days is foretold in the prophecy of Isaiah : ' * Thus saith
the Lord, Keep ye judgment, and do justice : for JNIy sal-
vation is near to come, and ]\Iy righteousness to be revealed.
Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that
layeth hold on it; that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting
it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil." "The sons
of the stranger, that join themselves to the Lord, to serve
Him, and to love the name of the Lord, to be His servants,
every one that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and
taketli hold of My covenant; even them will I bring to ]\Iy
holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of
prayer. " *
These words apply in the Christian age, as shown by
the context: "The Lord God which gathereth the outcasts
of Israel saith, Yet will I gather others to him, beside those
that are gathered unto him."^ Here is foreshadowed the
gathering in of the Gentiles by the gospel. And upon tliose
who then honor the Sabbath, a blessing is pronounced.
Thus the obligation of the fourth conmiandment extends
past the crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of Christ,
to the time when His servants should preach to all nations
the message of glad tidings.
'Isa. 56:1,2,6,7,
'Isa. 56:8.
(451)
452 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
The Lord commands by the same prophet, "Bind up the
testimony, seal the law among My disciples."^ The seal of
God's law is found in the fourth commandment. This only,
of all the ten, brings to view both the name and the title of
the Lawgiver. It declares Him to be the Creator of the
heavens and the earth, and thus shows His claim to rev-
erence and worship above all others. Aside from this pre-
cept, there is nothing in the decalogue to show by whose
authority the law is given. "When the Sal)bath was changed
by the papal power, the seal was taken from the law. The
disciples of Jesus are called upon to restore it, by exalting
the Sabbath of the fourth commandment to its rightful
position as the Creator's memorial and the sign of His
authority.
"To the law and to the testimony." While conflicting
doctrines and theories abound, the law of God is the one
unerring rule by M-hich ail opinions, doctrines, and theories
are to be tested. Says the prophet, "If they speak not
according to this word, it is because there is no light in
them.'"
Again, the command is given, "Cry aloud, spare not, lift
up thy voice like a trumpet, and show My people their
transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins." It is not
the wicked world, but those whom the Lord designates as
"My people," that are to be reproved for their transgres-
sions. He declares further, "Yet they seek Me daily, and
delight to know My ways, as a nation that did righteousness,
and forsook not the ordinance of their God. ' ' " Here is
brought to view a class who think themselves righteous, and
appear to manifest great interest in the service of God; but
the stern and solemn rebuke of the Searcher of hearts
proves them to be trampling upon the divine precepts.
The prophet thus points out the ordinance which has
been forsaken: "Thou shalt raise up the foundations of
many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer
»l8a. 8:16,20. ' Isa. 58:1,2.
A WORK OF REFORM 453
of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in. If thou
turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy
pleasure on My holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight,
the holy of the Lord, honorable; and shalt honor Him, not
doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor
speaking thine own words: then shalt thou delight thyself
in the Lord*"* This prophecy also applies in our time.
The breach was made in the law of God when the Sabbath
was changed by the Roman power. But the time has come
for that divine institution to be restored. The breach is to
be repaired, anjd the foundation of many generations to be
raised up.
Hallowed by the Creator's rest and blessing, the Sabbath
was kept by Adam in his innocence in holy Eden ; by Adam,
fallen yet repentant, when he was driven from his happy
estate. It was kept by all the patriarchs, from Abel to
righteous Noah, to Abraham, to Jacob. When the chosen
people were in bondage in Egypt, many, in the midst of
prevailing idolatry, lost their knowledge of God's law; but
when the Lord delivered Israel, He proclaimed His law in
awful grandeur to the assembled multitude, that they might
know His will, and fear and obey Him forever.
From that day to the present, the knowledge of God's law
has been preserved in the earth, and the Sabbath of the
fourth commandment has been kept. Though the "man of
sin" succeeded in trampling under foot God's holy day, yet
even in the period of his supremacy there were, hidden in
secret places, faithful souls who paid it honor. Since the
Reformation, there have been some in every generation to
maintain its observan(;e. Though often in the midst of re-
proach and persecution, a constant testimony has been borne
to the perpetuity of the law of God, and the sacred obli-
gation of the creation Sabbath.
These truths, as presented in Revelation 14 in connection
with the "everlasting gospel," will distinguish the church
of Christ at the time of His appearing. For as the result of
»l8a. 58:12,13.
454 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
the threefold message it is announced, "Here are they that
keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus."
And this message is the last to be given before the coming
of the Lord. Immediately following its proclamation, the
Son of man is seen by the prophet, coming in glory to reap
the harvest of the earth.
Those who received the light concerning the sanctuary
and the immutability of the law of God, were filled with joy
and wonder, as they saw the beauty and harmony of the
system of truth that opened to their understanding. They
desired that the light which appeared to them so precious
might be imparted to all Christians; and they could not but
believe that it would be joyfully accepted. But truths that
would place them at variance with the world were not wel-
come to many wlio claimed to be followers of Christ. Obe-
dience to the fourth commandment required a sacrifice from
which the majority drew back„
As the claims of the Sabbatli were presented, many rea-
soned from the worldling's 5'andpoint. Said they: "We
have always kept Sunday, our fathers kept it, and many
good and pious men have died happy while keeping it.
If they were right, so are we. The keeping of this nevf
Sabbath would throw us out of harmony with the world,
and we would have no influence over them. What can a
little company keeping the seventh day hope to accomplish
against all the world who are keeping Sunday?" It was by
similar arguments that the Jews endeavored to justify their
rejection of Christ. Their fathers had been accepted of God
in presenting the sacrificial offerings, and w^hy could not the
children find salvation in pursuing the same course? So, in
the time of Luther, papists reasoned that true Christians had
died in the Catholic faith, and therefore that religion was
sufficient for salvation. Such reasoning would prove an
effectual barrier to all advancement in religious faith or
practice.
Many urged that Sunday-keeping had been an established
doctrine and a wide-spread custom of the church for many
A WORK OF REFORM 455
centuries. Against this argument it was shown that the
Sabbath and its observance were more ancient and wide-
spread, even as old as the world itself, and bearing the sanc-
tion both of angels and of God. When the foundations of
the earth were laid, when the morning stars sang together,
and all the sons of God shouted for joy, then was laid the
foundation of the Sabbath.' Well may this institution de-
mand our reverence .- it was ordained by no human author-
ity, and rests upon no luiman traditions; it was established
by the Ancient of days, and commanded by His eternal word.
As the attention of the people was called to the subject of
Sabbath reform, popular ministers perverted the word of
God, placing such interpretations upon its testimony as
would best quiet inquiring minds. And those who did not
search the Scriptures for themselves were content to accept
conclusions that were in accordance with their desires. By
argument, sophistry, the traditions of the Fathers, and the
authority of tlie church, many endeavored to overthrow the
truth. Its advocates were driven to their Bibles to defend
the validity of the fourth commandment. Humble men,
armed with the Word of truth alone, withstood the attacks
of men of learning, who, with surprise and anger, found
their eloquent sophistry powerless against the simple,
straightforward reasoning of men who were versed in the
Scriptures rather than in the subtleties of the schools.
In the absence of Bible testimony in their favor, many
with unwearying persistence urged, — forgetting how the
same reasoning had been employed against Christ and His
apostles, — "Why do not our great men understand this
Sabbath question? But few believe as you do. It cannot
be that you are right, and that all the men of learning in
the world are wrong."
To refute such arguments it was needful only to cite the
teachings of the Scriptures and the history of the Lord's
dealings with His people in all ages. God works through
those who hear and obey His voice, those who will, if need
»Job 38:6,7; Gen. 2:1-3.
456 THE GREAT CGNTBOVERSY
be, speak unpalatable trutlis, those who do not fear to re-
prove popular sins. The reason why He does not oftener
choose men of learning and high position to lead out in
reform movements, is that they trust to their creeds, theo-
ries, and theological systems, and feel no need to be taught
of God. Only those who have a personal connection with
the Source of wisdom are able to understand or explain
the Scriptures. Men who have little of the learning of the
schools are sometimes called to declare the truth, not because
they are unlearned, but because they are not too self-suffi-
cient to be taught of God. They learn in the school of
Christ, and their humility and obedience make them great.
In committing to tliem a knowledge of His truth, God
confers upon them an honor, in comparison with which
earthly honor and human greatness sink into insignificance.
The majority of Adventists rejected the truths concerning
the sanctuary and the law of God, and many also renounced
their faith in the Advent Movement, and adopted unsound
and contiieting views of tlie prophecies which applied to
that work. Some were led into the error of repeatedly fixing
upon a definite time for the coming of Christ. The light
which was now shining on the subject of the sanctuary
would have shown them that no prophetic period extends to
the second advent; that the exact time of this event is not
foretold. But, turning from the light, they continued to set
time after time for the Lord to come, and as often they were
disappointed.
Wlien the Thessalonian church received erroneous views
concerning the coming of Christ, the apostle Paul counseled
them to test their hopes and anticipations carefully by the
word of God. He cited them to prophecies revealing the
events to take place before Christ should come, and showed
that they had no ground to expect Him in their day. "Let
no man deceive you by any means, ' ' ^ are his words of warn-^
ing. Should they indulge expectations that were not sanc-
tioned by the Scriptures, they would be led to a mistaken
»2 Thess. 2:3.
A WORK' OF REFORM 457
course of action; disappointment would expose them to the
derision of unbelievers, and they would be in danger of
yielding to discouragement, and would be tempted to doubt
the truths essential for their salvation. The apostle's ad-
monition to the Thessalonians contains an important lesson
for those who live in the last days. Many Adventists have
felt that unless they could fix their faith upon a definite
time for the Lord's coming, .they could not be zealous and
diligent in the work of preparation. But as their hopes are
again and again excited, only to be destroyed, their faith
receives such a shock that it becomes well-nigh impossible
for them to be impressed by the great truths of prophecy.
The preaching of a definite time for the judgment, in the
giving of the first message, was ordered of God. The com-
putation of the prophetic periods on which that message
was based, placing the close of the 2300 days in the autumn
of 1844, stands without impeachment. The repeated efforts
to find new dates for tlie beginning and close of the pro-
phetic periods, and the unsound reasoning necessary to
sustain these positions, not only lead minds away from the
present truth, but throw contempt upon all efforts to explain
the prophecies. The more frequently a definite time is set
for the second advent, and the more widely it is taught, the
better it suits the purposes of Satan. After the time has
passed, he excites ridicule and contempt of its advocates,
and thus casts reproach upon the great Advent IMovement
of 1843 and 1844. Those Avho persist in this error will at
last fix upon a date too far in the future for the coming of
Christ. Thus they will be led to rest in a false security,
and many will not be undeceived until it is too late.
The history of ancient Israel is a striking illustration of
the past experience of the Adventist body. God led Ilis
people in the Advent Movement, even as He led the children
of Israel from Egypt. In the great disappointment their
faith was tested as was that of the Hebrews at the Red Sea.
Had they still trusted to the guiding hand that had been
458 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
with them in their past experience, they would have seen
of the salvation of God. If all who had labored unitedly
in the work in 1844, had received the third angel's message
and proclaimed it in the power of the Holy Spirit, the Lord
would have wrought mightily with their efforts. A flood
of light would have been shed upon tlie world. Years ago
the inhabitants of the earth would have been warned, the
closing work completed, and .Christ would have come for
the redemption of His people.
It was not the will of God that Israel should wander forty
years in the wilderness; He desired to lead them directly to
the land of Canaan, and establish them there, a holy, happy
people. But ' ' they could not enter in because of unbelief. ' ' '
Because of their backsliding and apostasy, they perished in
the desert, and others were raised up to enter the promised
land. In like manner, it was not the will of God that the
coming of Christ should be so long delayed, and His people
should remain so many years in this world of sin and sorrow.
But unbelief separated them from God. As they refused to
do the work which He had appointed them, others were
raised up to proclaim the message. In mercy to the world,
Jesus delays His coming, that sinners may have an oppor-
tunity to hear the warning, and find in Him a shelter before
the wrath of God sliall be poured out.
Now, as in former ages, the presentation of a truth that
reproves the sins and errors of the times, will excite oppo-
sition. "Every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither
Cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved."'
As men see that they cannot maintain their position by the
Scriptures, many determine to maintain it at all hazards,
and with a malicious spirit they assail the character and
motives of those "who stand in defense of unpopular truth.
It is the same policy which has been pursued in all ages.
Elijah was declared to be a troubler in Israel, Jeremiah a
traitor, Paul a polluter of the temple. From that day to
this, those who would be loyal to truth have been denounced
»Heb. 3:19. » John 3:20.
A WOBK OF REFORM 459
as seditious, heretical, or schismatic. Multitudes who are
too unbelieving to accept the sure word of prophecy, will
receive with unquestioning credulity an accusation against
those. who dare to reprove fashionable sins. This spirit will
increase more and more. And the Bible plainly teaches
that a time is approaching when the laws of the state will
so conflict with the law of God that whosoever would obey
all the divine precepts must brave reproach and punish^
ment as an evil-doer.
In view of this, what is the duty of the messenger of
truth? Shall he conclude that the truth ought not to be
presented, since often its only effect is to arouse men to evade
or resist its claims ? No ; he has no more reason for with-
holding the testimony of God's word, because it excites oppo-
sition, than had earlier reformers. The confession of faith
made by saints and martyrs was recorded for the benefit of
succeeding generations. Those living examples of holiness
and steadfast integrity have come down to inspire courage
in those who are now called to stand as witnesses for God.
They received grace and truth, not for themselves alone, but
tliat, through them, the knowledge of God might enlighten
the earth. Has God given light to His servants in this gen-
eration? Then they should let it shine forth to the world.
Anciently the Lord declared to one who spoke in His
name, "The house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for
they will not hearken unto IMe. " Nevertheless He said,
"Thou shalt speak j\Iy words unto them, whether they will
hear, or whether they will forbear." ' To the servant of God
at this time is the command addressed, "Lift up thy voice
like a trumpet, and show ^ly people their transgression, and
the house of Jacob their sins."
So far as his opportunities extend, every one who has re-
ceived the light of truth is under the same solemn and fear-
ful responsibility as was the prophet of Israel, to whom the
word of the Lord came, saying: "Son of man, I have set
thee a watchman unto the house of Israel ; therefore thou
'Eze. 3:7j 2:7.
460 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
shalt hear the word at My mouth, and warn them from
Me. When I say unto the wicked, wicked man, thou shalt
surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from
his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his
blood wall I require at thine hand. Nevertheless, if thou
warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not
turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou
hast delivered thy soul."*
The great obstacle both to the acceptance and to the
promulgation of truth, is the fact that it involves incon-
venience and reproach. This is the only argument against
the truth which its advocates have never been able to refute.
But this does not dfeter the true followers of Christ. These
do not wait for truth to become popular. Being convinced
of their duty, they deliberately accept the cross, with the
apostle Paul counting that "our light affliction, which is
but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and
eternal weight of glory;'" with one of old, "esteeming the
reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in
Egypt.'"
Whatever may be their profession, it is only those who
are world-servers at heart that act from policy rather than
principle in religious things. We should choose the right
because it is right, and leave consequences with God. To
men of principle, faith, and daring, the world is indebted
for its great reforms. By such men the work of reform for
this time must be carried forward.
Thus saith the Lord: "Hearken unto Me, ye that know
righteousness, the people in whose heart is My law; fear ye
not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their re-
vilings. For the moth shall eat them up like a garment,
and the worm shall eat them like wool: but My righteous-
ness shall be forever, and My salvation from generation to
generation. ' ' *
*Eze. 33:7-9. *2Cor. 4:17. »Heb. 11:26. 'Isa. 51:7.8.
MODERN REUI\7ALS-27
Wherever the word of God has been faithfully preached,
results have followed that attested its divine origin. The
Spirit of God accompanied the message of His servants, and
the word was with power. Sinners felt their consciences
quickened. The ''light which lighteth every man that Com-
eth into the world," illumined the secret chambers of their
souls, and the hidden things of darkness were made mani-
fest. Deep conviction took hold upon their minds and hearts.
They were convinced of sin, and of righteousness, and of
judgment to come. They had a sense of the righteousness
of Jehovah, and felt the terror of appearing, in their guilt
and uncleanness, before the Searcher of hearts. In anguish
they cried out, "Who shall deliver me from the body of this
death?" As the cross of Calvary, with its infinite sacrifice
for the sins of men, was revealed, they saw that nothing but
the merits of Christ could suffice to atone for their trans-
gressions; this alone could reconcile man to God. With
faith and humility they accepted the Lamb of God, that
taketh away the sin of the world. Through the blood of
Jesus they had "remission of sins that are past."
These souls brought forth fruit meet for repentance.
They believed and were baptized, and rose to walk in newness
of life, — new creatures in Christ) Jesus ; not to fashion them-
selves according to the fonner lusts, but by the faith of the
(461)
462 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
Son of God to follow in His steps, to reflect His character^
and to purify themselves even as He is pure. The things
they once hated, they now loved; and the things they
once loved, they hated. The proud and self-assertive became
meek and lowly of heart. The vain and supercilious became
serious and unobtrusive. The profane became reverent, the
drunken sober, and the profligate pure. The vain fashions of
the world were laid aside. Christians sought not the "out-
ward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold,
or of putting on of apparel; but . . . the hidden man of
the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the orna-
ment of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of
God of great price. "^
Revivals brought deep heart-searching and humility.
They were characterized by solemn, earnest appeals to the
sinner, by yearning compassion for the purchase of the
blood of Christ. IMen and women prayed and wrestled with
God for the salvation of souls. The fruits of such revivals
were seen in souls who shrank not at self-denial and sacrifice,
but rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer reproach
and trial for the sake of Christ. Men beheld a transforma-
tion in the lives of those who had professed the name of
Jesus. The community was benefited by their influence.
They gathered with Christ, and sowed to the Spirit, to reap
life everlasting.
It could be said of them: **Ye sorrowed to repentance."
"For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be
repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a
godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what
clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear,
yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge !
In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in
tji^s matter. " "
^,({|This is the result of the work of the Spirit of God. There
is no evidence of genuine repentance unless it works reforma-
U Peter 3:3,4. "2 Cor. 7:9-11.
MODEJtN REVIVALS? 463
tion. If he restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed,
confess his sins, and love God and his fellow-men, the sinner
may be sure that he has found peace with God. Such were
the effects that in former years followed seasons of religious
awakening. Judged by their fruits, they were known to be
blessed of God in the salvation of men and the uplifting of
humanity.
But many of the revivals of modern times have presented
a marked contrast to those manifestations of divine grace
which in earlier days followed the labors of God's servants.
It is true that a wide-spread interest is kindled, many profess
conversion, and there are large accessions to the churches;
nevertheless the results are not such as to warrant the
belief that there has been a corresponding increase of real
spiritual life. The light which flames up for a time soon
dies out, leaving the darkness more dense than before.
Popular revivals are too often carried by appeals to the
imagination, by exciting the emotions, by gratifying the love
for what is new and startling. Converts thus gained have
little desire to listen to Bible truth, little interest in the testi-
mony of prophets and apostles. Unless a religious service
has something of a sensational character, it has no attrac-
tions for them. A message which appeals to unimpas-
sioned reason awakens no response. The plain warnings
of God's word, relating directly to their eternal interests,
are unheeded.
"With every truly converted soul the relation to God and
to eternal things will be the great topic of life. But where,
in the popular churches of to-day, is the spirit of consecra-
tion to God? The converts do not renounce their pride and
love of the world. They are no more willing to deny self, to
take up the cross, and follow the meek and lowly Jesus, than
before their conversion. Religion has become the sport of
infidels and skeptics because so many who bear its name
are ignorant of its principles. The power of godliness has
well-nigh departed from many of the churches. Picnics,
church theatricals, church fairs, fine houses, persotial display,
404 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
have banished thoughts of God. Lands and goods and
worldly occupations engross* the mind, and things of eternal
interest receive hardly a passing notice.
Notwithstanding the wide-spread declension of faith and
piety, there are true followers of Christ in these churches.
Before the final visitation of God's judgments upon the
earth, there will be, among the people of the Lord, such a
re\'ival of primitive godliness as has not been witnessed
since apostolic times. The Spirit and power of God will be
poured out upon His children. At that time many will
separate themselves from those churches in which the love
of tliis world has supplanted love for God and His word.
Many, both of ministers and people, will gladly accept those
great truths which God has caused to be proclaimed at this
time, to prepare a people for the Lord's second coming. The
enemy of souls desires to hinder this work; and before the
time for such a movement shall come, he will endeavor to
prevent it, by introducing a counterfeit. In those churches
which he can bring under his deceptive power, he will make
it appear that God's special blessing is poured out; there
will be manifest what is thought to be great religious interest.
Multitudes will exult that God is working marvelously for
them, when the work is that of another spirit. Under a
religious guise, Satan ^vill seek to extend his influence
over the Christian world.
In many of the revivals which have occurred during the
last half century, the same influences have been at work, to
a greater or less degree, that will be manifest in the more
extensive movements of the future. There is an emotional
excitement, a mingling of the true with the false, that is
well adapted to mislead. Yet none need be deceived. In
the light of God's word it is not difficult to determine the
nature of these movements. Wherever men neglect the
testimony of the Bible, turning away from those plain, soul-
testing truths which require self-denial and renunciation of
the world, there we may be sure that God's blessing is not
MODERN REVIVALS 465
bestowed. And by tlie rule which Christ Himself has given,
"Ye shall know them by their fruits,'" it is evident that
these movements are not the work of the Spirit of God.
In the truths of His word, God has given to men a reve-
lation of Himself; and to all who accept them they are a
shield against the deceptions of Satan. It is a neglect of
these truths that has opened the door to the evils which are
now becoming so wide-spread in the religious world. The
nature and the importance of the law of God have been, to
a great extent, lost sight of. A wrong conception of the
character, the perpetuity, and the obligation of the divine
law, has led to errors in relation to conversion and sanctifica-
tion, and has resulted in lowering the standard of piety in
the church. Here is to be found the secret of the lack of the
Spirit and power of God in the revivals of our time.
There are, in the various denominations, men eminent
for their piety, by whom this fact is acknowledged and de-
plored. Prof. Edwards A. Park, in setting forth the current
religious perils, ably says: "One source of danger is the
neglect of the pulpit to enforce the divine law. In former
days the pulpit was an echo of the voice of conscience. . . .
Our most illustrious preachers gave a wonderful majesty to
their discourses by following the example of the Master, and
giving prominence to the law, its precepts, and its threat-
enings. They repeated the two great maxims, that the law
is a transcript of the divine perfections, and that a man who
does not love the law does not love the gospel; for the law,
as well as the gospel, is a mirror reflecting the true char-
acter of God. This peril leads to another, that of under-
rating the evil of sin, the extent of it, the demerit of it. In
proportion to the rightfulness of the commandment is the
wrongfulness of disobeying it. . . .
"Affiliated to the dangers already named is the danger
of underestimating the justice of God. The tendency of
the modern pulpit is to strain out the divine justice from
the divine benevolence, to sink benevolence into a sentiment
»Matt. 7:16.
466 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
rather than exalt it into a principle. The new theological
prism puts asunder what God has joined together. Is the
divine law a good or an evil? It is a good. Then justice
is good ; for it is a disposition to execute the law. From the
habit of underrating the divine law and justice, the extent
and demerit of human disobedience, men easily slide into
the habit of underestimating the grace which has provided
an atonement for sin." Thus the gospel loses its value and
importance in the minds of men, and soon they are ready
practically to east aside the Bible itself.
INIany religious teachers assert that Christ by His death
abolished the law, and men are henceforth free from its
requirements. There are some who represent it as a grievous
yoke ; and in contrast to the bondage of the law, they present
the liberty to ])e enjoyed under the gospel.
But not so did prophets and apostles regard the holy law
of God. Said David, ' ' I will walk at liberty : for I seek Thy
precepts. ' ' * The apostle James, who wrote after the death
of Christ, refers to the decalogue as the "royal law," and the
"perfect law of liberty." " And the Revelator, half a century
after the crucifixion, pronounces a blessing upon them "that
do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree
of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. ' ' *
The claim that Christ by His death abolished His Father's
law, is without foundation. Had it been possible for the
law to be changed or set aside, then Christ need not have
died to save man from the penalty of sin. The death of
Christ, so far from abolishing the law, proves that it is im-
mutable. The Son of God came to "magnify the law, and
make it honorable. ' ' * He said, ' ' Think not that I am come
to destroy the law;" "till heaven and earth pass, one jot or
one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law."° And con-
cerning Himself He declares, "I delight to do Thy will, O
My God: yea, Thy law is within My heart."'
*Ps. 119:45. => James 2:8; 1:25. 'Rev. 22:14.
*Isa. 42:^1. 'Matt. 5:17,18, 'Ps. 40:8.
3WDERN REVIVALS 467
The law of God, from its very nature, is unchangeable.
It is a revelation of the will and the character of its Author.
God is love, and His law is love. Its two great principles
are love to God and love to man. "Love is the fulfilling of
the law. ' ' ' The character of God is righteousness and truth ;
such is the nature of His law. Says the psalmist, "Thy law
is the truth;" "all Thy commandments are righteousness."*
And the apostle Paul declares, "The law is holy, and the
commandment holy, and just, and good."^ Such a law,
being an expression of the mind and will of God, must be
as enduring as its Author.
It is the work of conversion and sanetification to reconcile
men to God, by bringing them into accord with the princi-
ples of His law. In the beginning, man was created in the
image of God. He was in perfect harmony with the nature
and the law of God; the principles of righteousness were
written upon his heart. But sin alienated him from his
Maker. He no longer reflected the divine image. His heart
was at war with the principles of God's law. "The carnal
mind is enmity against God : for it is not subject to the law
of God, neither indeed can be."* But "God so loved the
world, that He gave His only begotten Son, ' ' that man might
be reconciled to God. Through the merits of Christ he can
be restored to harmony with his Maker. His heart must be
renewed by divine grace; he must have a new life from
above. This change is the new birth, without which, says
Jesus, "he cannot see the kingdom of God."
The first step in reconciliation to God, is the conviction of
sin. "Sin is the transgression of the law." "By the law is
the knowledge of sin."" In order to see his guilt, the sinner
must test his character by God's great standard of righteous-
ness. It is a mirror which shows the perfection of a righteous
character, and enables him to discern the defects in his own.
The law reveals to man his sins, but it provides no rem-
edy. While it promises life to the obedient, it declares that
-Rom. 13:10. 'Ps. 119:142,172. 'Rom. 7:12.
*Eom. 8:7. "1 John 3:4; Kom. 3:20.
468 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
death is the portion of the transgressor. The gospel of
Christ alone can free him from the condemnation or the de-
filement of sin. He must exercise repentance toward God,
whose law has been transgressed; and faith in Christ, his
atoning sacrifice. Thus he obtains "remission of sins that
are past," and becomes a partaker of the divine nature. He
is a child of God, having received the spirit of adoption,
whereby he cries, "Abba, Father!"
Is he now free to transgress God 's law 1 Says Paul : * ' Do
we then make void the law through faith? God forbid:
yea, we establisli the law." "How shall we, that are dead to
sin, live any longer therein?" And John declares, "This is
the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His
commandments are not grievous. " * In the new birth the
heart is brought into harmony with God, as it is brought
into accord with His law. Wlien this mighty change has
taken place in the sinner, he has passed from death unto
life, from sin unto holiness, from transgression and rebellion
to obedience and loyalty. The old life of alienation from
God has ended; the new life of reconciliation, of faith and
love, has begun. Then "the righteousness of the law" will
"be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after
the Spirit. ' ' ' And the language of the soul will be, "0
how love I Thy law! it is my meditation all the day.""
"The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul.""
Witliout the law, men have no just conception of the purity
and holiness of God, or of their own guilt and uncleanness.
They have no true conviction of sin, and feel no need of
repentance. Not seeing their lost condition as violators of
God's law, they do not realize their need of the atoning
blood of Christ. The hope of salvation is accepted without
a radical change of heart or reformation of life. Thus super-
ficial conversions abound, and multitudes are joined to the
church who have never been united to Christ.
»Rom. 3:31; 6:2; 1 John 5:3.- 'Rom. 8:4.
«Pa. 119:97. *Ps. 19:7.
MODERN REVWALS 469
Erroneous theories of sanctification, also, springing from
neglect or rejection of the divine law, have a prominent
place in the religious movements of the day. These theories
are both false in doctrine and dangerous in practical results;
and the fact that they are so generally finding favor, ren-
ders it doubly essential that all have a clear understanding
of what the Scriptures teach upon this point.
True sanctification is a Bible doctrine. The apostle Paul,
in his letter to the Thessalonian church, declares, "This is
the will of God, even your sanctification." And he prays,
"The very God of peace sanctify you wholly."' The Bible
clearly teaches what sanctification is, and how it is to be
attained. The Saviour prayed for His disciples, "Sanctify
them through Thy truth : Thy word is truth. ' ' ' And Paul
teaches that believers are to be ' ' sanctified by ^ the Holy
Ghost."' What is the work of the Holy Spirit ? Jesus told
His disciples, "When He, the Spirit of truth, is come. He
will guide you into all truth."* And the psalmist says,
' ' Thy law is the truth. ' ' By the word and the Spirit of God
are opened to men the great principles of righteousness em-
bodied in His law. And since the law of God is "holy, and
just, and good," a transcript of the divine perfection, it fol-
lows that a character formed by obedience to that law will
be holy. Christ is a perfect example of such a character.
He says, * ' I have kept My Father 's commandments. " " I do
always those things that please Him."' The followers of
Christ are to become like Him, — by the grace of God to
form characters in harmony with the principles of His holy
law. This is Bible sanctification.
This work can be accomplished only through faith in
Christ, by the power of the indwelling Spirit of God. Paul
admonishes believers, "Work out your own salvation with
fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you
both to will and to do of His good pleasure."' The Chris-
tian will feel the promptings of sin, but he will maintain a
'1 Thess. 4:3; 5:23. "John 17:17,19. " Eom. 15:16.
•John 16:13. » John 15:10; 8:29. "Phil. 2:12, 13.
470 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
constant warfare against it. Here is where Christ's help is
needed. Human weakness becomes united to divine strength,
and faith exclaims, "Thanks be to God, which giveth us
the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. ' ' '
The Scriptures plainly show that the work of sanctifi-
cation is progressive. When in conversion the sinner finds
peace with God through the blood of the atonement, the
Christian life has but just begun. Now he is to "go on unto
perfection;" to grow up "unto the measure of the stature
of the fulness of Christ." Says the apostle Paul, "This one
thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and
reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press
toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in
Christ Jesus." ' And Peter sets before us the steps by which
Bible sanc.tification is to be attained : ' ' Giving all diligence,
add to your faith virtue ; and to virtue knowledge ; and to
knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to
patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and
to brotherly kindness charity. ... If ye do these things,
ye shall never fall. ' ' *
Those who experience the sanetification of the Bible will
manifest a spirit of humility. Like Moses, they have had
a view of the awful majesty of holiness, and they see their
own unworthiness in contrast Avith the purity and exalted
perfection of the Infinite One.
' ' The prophet Daniel was an example of true sanetification.
His long life was filled up ^\'ith noble service for his ]\Iaster.
lie was a man "greatly beloved"* of Heaven. Yet instead
of claiming to be pure and holy, this honored prophet iden-
tified himself with the really sinful of Israel, as he pleaded
before God in behalf of his people: "We do not present our
supplications before Thee for our righteousnesses, but for Thy
great mercies." "We have sinned, we have done wickedly."
He declares, "I was speaking, and praying, and confessing
my sin and the sin of my people." And when at a later
time the Son of God appeared, to give him instruction,
U Cor. 15:57. = Phil. 3:13,14. '2 Peter 1:5-10. ♦Dan. 10:11.
MODERN REVIVALS 471
Daniel says, "My comeliness was turned in me into cor-
ruption, and 1 retained no strength. ' ' '
When Job heard the voice of the Lord out of the whirl-
wind, he exclaimed, ''I abhor myself, and repent in dust
and ashes. " ' It was when Isaiah saw the glory of the Lord,
and heard the cherubim crying, "Holy, holy, holy, is the
Lord of hosts," that he cried out, "Woe is me! for I am
undone."* Paul, after he was caught up into the third
heaven, and heard things which it was not possible for a
man to utter, speaks of himself as "less than the least of
all saints."* It was the beloved John, who leaned on Jesus'
breast and beheld His glo ry, that fell as one dead before
the feet of the ange l.^
There can be no self-exaltation, no boastful claim to
freedom from sin, on the part of those who walk in the
shadow of Calvary's cross. They feel that it was their sin
which caused the agony that broke the heart of the Son of
God, and this thought will lead them to self-abasement.
Those who live nearest to Jesus discern most clearly the
frailty and sinfulness of humanity, and their only hope is
in the merit of a crucified and risen Saviour.
The sanctification now gaining prominence in the relig-
ious world, carries with it a spirit of self-exaltation, and a
disregard for the law of God, that mark it as foreign to the
religion of the Bible. Its advocates teach that sanctification
is an instantaneous work, by which, through faitii alone,
they attain to perfect holiness. "Only believe," say they,
"and the blessing is yours." No further effort on the part
of the receiver is supposed to be required. At the same time
they deny the authority of the law of God, urging that they
are released from obligation to keep the commandments.
But is it possible for men to be holy, in accord with the will
and character of God, without coming into harmony with
the principles which are an expression of His nature and
will, and which show what is well pleasing to Ilim ?
'Dan. 9:18, 15, 20; 10:R. Mob 42:6. ' Tsa. 6:3, 5.
*2 Cor. 12:2-4 (margin); Eph. 3:8. "Rev. 1:17.
472 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
The desire for an easy religion, that requires no striving,
no self-denial, no divorce from the follies of the world, has
made the doctrine of faith, and faith only, a popular doc-
trine; but what saith the word of God? Says the apostle
James: ''What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man
say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
. . o Wilt thou know, vain man, that faith without works
is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works,
when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seesi
thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was
faith made perfect? ... Ye see then how that by works a
gian is justified, and not by faith only."^
The testimony of the word of God is against this en-
snaring doctrine of faith without works. It is not faith
that claims the favor of Heaven without complying with the
conditions upon which mercy is to be granted, it is pre-
sumption ; for genuine faith has its foundation in the prom-
ises and provisions of the Scriptures.
Let none deceive themselves with the belief that they can
become holy while wilfully violating one of God's require-
ments. The commission of a known sin silences the wit-
nessing voice of the Spirit, and separates the soul from
God. "Sin is the transgression of the law." And "whoso-
ever sinneth [transgresseth the law] hath not seen Him,
neither known Him. ' ' ^ Though John in his epistles dwells
so fully upon love, yet he does not hesitate to reveal the true
character of that class who claim to be sanctified while liv-
ing in transgression of the law of God. "He that saith, I
know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar,
and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth His word,
in him verily is the love of God perfected. ' ' ^ Here is the
test of every man's profession. We cannot accord holiness
to any man without bringing him to the measurement of
God's only standard of holiness in heaven and in earth.
If men feel no weight of the moral law, if they belittle and
make light of God's precepts, if they break one of the least
» James 2:14-24. M John 3:6. *1 John 2:4, 5.
MODERN REVIVALS 473
of these commandments, and teach men so, tliey shall be of
no esteem in the si^ht of Heaven, and we may know that
their claims are without foundation.
And the claim to be without sin is, in itself, evidence that
he who makes this claim is far from holy. It is because he
has no true conception of the infinite purity and holiness of
God, or of what they must become who shall be in harmony
with His character; because he has no true conception of the
purity and exalted loveliness of Jesus, and the malignity
and evil of sin, that man can regard himself as holy. The
greater the distance between himself and Christ, and the
more inadequate his conceptions of the divine character and
requirements, the more righteous he appears in his own eyes.
The sanctification set forth in the Scriptures embraces the
entire being,— spirit, soul, and body. Paul prayed for the
Thessalonians, that their "whole spirit and soul and body
be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ."' Again he writes to believers, "I beseech you
therefore, brethren, by tlie mercies of God, that ye present
your bodies a living sacrifice, liply, acceptable unto God."^
In the time of ancient Israel, every offering brought as a
sacrifice to God was carefully examined. If any defect was
discovered in the animal presented, it was refused; for God
had commanded that the offering be "without blemish."
So Christians are bidden to present their bodies, "a living
sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God." In order to do this,
all their powers must be preserved in the best possible con-
dition. Every practice that weakens i)liysical or mental
strength unfits man for the service of his Creator. And
will God be pleased with anything less than the best we can
offer? Said Christ, "Tliou slialt love the Lord thy God
with all thy heart." Tiiose wlio do love God with all the
heart will desire to give Him the best service of their life,
and tliey will be constantly seeking to bring every power
of their being into harmony with the laws that will promote
their ability to do His will. They will not, by the indulgence
»1 Thesa. 5:23. »Rom. 12:1.
474 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
of appetite or passion, enfeeble or defile the offering which
they present to their heavenly Father.
Peter says, "Abstain from fleshly lusts, which war
against the soul. ' ' ' Every sinful gratification tends to be-
numb the faculties and deaden the mental and spiritual per-
ceptions, and the word or the Spirit of God can make but
a feeble impression upon the heart. Paul writes to the
Corinthians, "Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of
the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."*
And with the fruits of the Spirit, — "love, joy, peace, long-
suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, ' ' — he classes
"temperance."'
Notwithstanding these inspired declarations, how many
professed Christians are enfeebling their powers in the pur-
suit of gain or the worship of fashion ; how many are de-
basing their godlike manhood by gluttony, by wine-drinking,
by forbidden pleasure. And the church, instead of rebuking,
too often encourages the evil by appealing to appetite, to
desire for gain or love of pleasure, to replenish her treasury,
which love for Clirist is too feeble to supply. Were Jesus
to enter the churches of to-day, and behold the feasting
and unholy traffic there conducted in the name of religion,
would He not drive out those desecrators, as He banished
the money-changers from the temple?
The apostle James declares that the wisdom from above
is "first pure." Had he encountered those who take the
precious name of Jesus upon lips defiled by tobacco, those
whose breath and person are contaminated by its foul odor,
and who polhite the air of heaven, and force all about them
to inhale the poison, — had the apostle come in contact with
a practice so opposed to the purity of the gospel, would he
not have denounced it as "earthly, sensual, devilish"?
Slaves of tobacco, claiming the blessing of entire sanctifi-
cation, talk of their hope of heaven; but God's word plainly
declares that "there shall in no wise enter into it anything
that defileth."*
n Peter 2:11. »2 Cor. 7;1. "Gal. 5:22, 23. *Eev. 21:27.
MODERN REVIVALS 475
"Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy
Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are.
not your own ? for ye are bought with a price : therefore
glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are
God's."' He whose body is the temple of the Holy Spirit
will not be enslaved by a pernicious habit. His powers
belong to Christ, who has bought him with the price of
blood. His property is the Lord's. How could lie be guilt-
less in squandering this intrusted capital? Professed Chris-
tians yearly expend an immense sum upon useless and per-
nicious indulgences, while souls are perishing for the word
of life. God is robbed in tithes and offerings, while they
consume upon the altar of destroying lust more than they
give to relieve the poor or for the support of the gospel. If
all who profess to be followers of Christ were truly sancti-
fied, their means, instead of being spent for needless and
even hurtful indulgences, would be turned into the Lord's
treasury, and Christians would set an example of temper-
ance, self-denial, and self-sacrifice. Then they would be the
light of the world.
The world is given up to self-indulgence. "The lust of
the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life," control
the masses of the people. But Christ's followers have a
holier calling. "Come out from among them, and be ye
separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean." In
the light of God's word we are justified in declaring that
sanctification cannot bo genuine which does not work this
utter renunciation of the sinful pursuits and gratifications
of the world.
To those who comply with the conditions, "Come out
from among them, and be ye separate, . . . and touch not"
the unclean," Gx)d's promise is, "I will receive you, and
will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and
daughters, saith the Lord Almighty."' It is the privilege
and the duty of every Christian to have a rich and abundant
experience in the things of God. "I am the light of the
*1 Cor. 6:19. 20. »2 Cor. 6:17, 18.
476 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
world," said Jesus. ''He that followeth Me shall not walk
in darkness, but shall have the light of life."' "The path
of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and
more unto the perfect day."* Every step of faith and
obedience brings the soul into closer connection with the
Light of the world, in whom "there is no darkness at all."
The bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness shine upon
the servants of God, and they are to reflect His rays. As the
stars tell us that there is a great light in heaven with whose
glory they are made bright, so Christians are to make it
manifest that there is a God on the throne of the universe
whose character is worthy of praise and imitation. The
graces of His Spirit, the purity and holiness of His char-
acter, will be manifest in His witnesses.
Paul, in his letter to the Colossians, sets forth the rich
blessings granted to the children of God. He says: "We
"do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might
be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and
spiritual understanding; that ye might walk worthy of the
Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work,
and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with
all might, according to His glorious power, unto all patience
and long-sufiiering with joyfulness." '
Again he writes of his desire that the brethren at Ephesus
might come to understand the height of the Christian's
privilege. He opens before them, in the most comprehensive
language, the marvelous power and knowledge that they
might possess as sons and daughters of the Most High. It
was theirs "to be strengthened with might by IHs Spirit in
the inner man," to be "rooted and grounded in love," to
"comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and
length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of
Christ, which passeth knowledge." But the prayer of the
apostle reaches the climax of privilege when he prays tha.t
"ye might be filled with all the fulness of God."*
^John 8:12. =Prov. 4:18. 'Col. 1:9-11. * Eph. 3:16-19.
MODERN REVIVALS iTl
Here are revealed the heights of attainment that we may
reach through faith in the promises of our heavenly Father,
when we fulfil His requirements. Through the merits of
Christ, we have access to the throne of Infinite Power. "He
that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us
all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all
things?'" The Father gave His Spirit without measure to
His Son, and we also may partake of its fulness. Jesus
says : * ' If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts
unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly
Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?'"' "If
ye shall ask an,ything in My name, T will do it." "Ask, and
ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.""
While the Christian's life will be characterized by humil-
ity, it should not be marked with sadness and self-deprecia-
tion. It is the privilege of every one so to live that God
will approve and bless him. It is not the will of our heav-
enly Father that we should be ever under condemnation and
darkness. There is no evidence of true humility in going
with the head bowed down and the heart filled with thoughts
of self. We may go to Jesus and be cleansed, and stand be-
fore the law without shame and remorse. "There is there-
fore now no condemnation to tiiera which are in Christ
Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.".*
Through Jesus the fallen sons of Adam become "sons of
God." "Both He that sanctifieth and they that are sancti-
fied are all of one : for which cause He is not ashamed to
call them brethren. "° The Christian's life should be one
of faith, of victory, and joy in God. "Whatsoever is born
of God overcometh the world : and this is the victory that
overcometh the world, even our faith."" Truly spake God's
servant Nehemiah, "The joy of the Lord is your strength.'"
And Paul says: "Rejoice in the Lord alway : and again I
say, Rejoice." "Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing.
*Eoin. 8:32. ^'Luke 11:13. Mohn 14:14; 16:24. ■* Eom. 8:1.
•Heb. 2:11, '1 John 5:4. ' Neh. 8:10.
478 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in
Christ Jesus concerning you, ' ' *
Such are the fruits of Bible conversion and sanctification ;
and it is because the great principles of righteousness set
forth in the law of God are so indifferently regarded by the
Christian world, that these fruits are so rarely witnessed.
This is why there is manifest so little of that deep, abiding
work of the Spirit of God which marked revivals in former
years.
It is by beholding that we become changed. And as those
sacred precepts in which God has opened to men the perfec-
tion and holiness of His character are neglected, and the
minds of the peojile are attracted to human teachings and
theories, what marvel that there has followed a decline of
living piety in the -church. Saith the Lord, ''They have
forsaken ]\Ie the fountain of living waters, and hewed them
out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water. ' ' '
''Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of
the ungodly. . . . But his delight is in the law of the Lord;
and in His law doth he meditate day and night. And he
shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that
bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not
wither ; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. " ' It is
only as the law of God is restored to its rightful position
that there can be a revival of primitive faith and godli-
ness among His professed people. "Thus saith the Lord,
Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths,
where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find
rest for your souls. ' ' *
*Phil. 4:4; 1 Thess. 5:16-18.
^'Jer. 2:13. ^Ps. 1:1-3. *Jer. 6:16.
THE IMUESTIGATIl/E JUDGMENT -28
"I beheld/' says the prophet Daniel, ''till thrones were
placed, and One that was ancient of days did sit : His rai-
ment was white as snow, and the hair of His head like pure
wool ; His throne was fiery flames, and tlie wheels thereof
burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from
before Him: thousand thousands ministered unto Him, and
ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him : the
judgment was set, and the books were opened, ' ' '
Thus was presented to the prophet's vision the great and
solemn day when the characters and the lives of men should
pass in review before the Judge of all the earth, and to every
man should be rendered "according to his works." The
Ancient of days is God the Father. Says the psalmist,
"Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever Thou
hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlast-
ing to everlasting. Thou art God. " ' It is He, the source of
all being, and the fountain of all law, that is to preside in
the judgment. And holy angels, as ministers and witnesses,
in number "ten thousand times ten thousand, and thou-
sands of thousands," attend this great tribunal.
"And, behold, one like the Son of man came with the
clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they
brought Him near before Him. And tbere was given Him
'Dan. 7:9,10, E.V. 'Ps. 90:2.
(479)
480 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, na-
tions, and languages, should serve Him : His dominion is
an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away. ' ' ^ The
coming of Christ here described is not His second coming
to the earth. He comes to the Ancient of days in heaven
to receive dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, which will
be given Him at the close of His work as a mediator. It is
this coming, and not His second advent to the earth, that
was foretold in prophecy to take place at the termination of
the 2300 days in 1844. Attended by heavenly angels, our
great High Priest enters the holy of holies, and there appears
in the presence of God, to engage in the last acts of His
ministration in behalf of man, — to perform the work of
investigative judgment, and to make an atonement for all
who are shown to b^ entitled to its benefits.
In the typical service, only those who had come before
God with confession and repentance, and whose sins, through
the blood of the sin-offering, were transferred to the sanc-
tuary, had a part in the service of the day of atonement.
So in the great day of final atonement and investigative
judgment, the only cases considered are those of the pro-
fessed people of God. The judgment of the wicked is a
distinct and separate work, and takes place at a later period.
"Judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first
})egin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not
the gospel?"'
The books of record in heaven, in which the names and
tlie deeds of men are registered, are to determine the decis-
ions of the judgment. Says the prophet Daniel, "The judg-
ment was set, and' the books were opened." The revelator,
describing the same scene, adds, "Another book was opened,
which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of
those things which were written in the books, according to
their works."'
The book of life contains the names of all who have ever
entered the service of God. Jesus bade His disciples, "Re-
»Dan. 7:13,14. *1 Peter 4:17. 'Kev. 20:12.
THE INVESTIGATIVE JUDGMENT 481
joice, because your names are writteji in heaven. ' ' ' Paul
speaks of his faithful fellow- workers, "whose names are in
the book of life."" Daniel, looking down to "a time of
trouble, such as never was," declares that God's people
shall be delivered, "every one that shall be found written
in the book." And the revelator says that those only
shall enter the city of God whose names "are written in
the Lamb 's book of life. ' ' '
"A book of remembrance" is written before God, in
which are recorded the good deeds of "them that feared the
Lord, and that thought upon His name."* Their words of
faith, their acts of love, are registered in heaven. Nehemiah
refers to this when he says, * ' Remember me, my God,
. . . and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done
for the house of my God. " ° In the book of God 's remem-
brance every deed of righteousness is immortalized. There
every temptation resisted, every evil overcome, every word
of tender pity expressed, is faithfully chronicled. And every
act of sacrifice, every suffering and sorrow endured for
Clirist's sake, is recorded. Says the psalmist, "Thou tellest
my wanderings: put Thou my tears into Thy bottle: are
they not in Thy book?"'
There is a record also of the sins of men. "For God
shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret
thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." "Every
idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account
thereof in the day of judgment." Said the Saviour, "By
thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou
shalt be condemned. ' ' ' The secret purposes and motives
appear in the unerring register; for God "will bring to
light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest
the counsels of the hearts."* "Behold, it is written before
Me, . . . your iniquities, and the iniquities of your fathers
together, saith the Lord."' ,;)*•,,
'Luke 10:20. 'Phil. 4:3. 'Dan. 12:1; Rev. 21:27. 'Mai. 3:16.
•Neh. 13:14. 'Pa. ."56:8. ' Eccl. 12:14; Matt. 12:36.37.
•1 Cor. 4:5, » Isa. 65:6,7.
le— a.a
482 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
Every man's work passes in review before God, and is
registered for faithfulness or unfaithfulness. Opposite each
name in the books of heaven is entered, with terrible exact-
ness, every wrong word, every selfish act, every unfulfilled
duty, and every secret sin, with every artful dissembling.
Heaven-sent warnings or reproofs neglected, wasted mo-
ments, unimproved opportunities, the influence exerted for
good or for evil, with its far-reaching results, all are chron-
icled by the recording angel.
The law of God is the standard by which the characters
and the lives of men will be tested in the judgment. Says
the wise man: "Fear God, and keep His commandments:
for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring
every work into judgment."' The apostle James admon-
ishes his brethren, "So speak ye, and so do, as they that
shall be judged by the law of liberty."*
Those who in the judgment are "accounted worthy," will
have a part in the resurrection of the just. Jesus said,
"Tliey which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that
world, and the resurrection from the dead, . . . are equal
unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the
children of the resurrection. ' ' ° And again He declares that
**thex that have done good" shall come forth "unto the
resurrection of life. ' ' * The righteous dead will not be raised
until after the judgment at which they are accounted
worthy of "the resurrection of life." Hence they will not
be present in person at the tribunal when their records are
examined and their cases decided.
Jesus will appear as their advocate, to plead in their
behalf before God. "If any man sin, we have an advocate
with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, "° "For Christ
is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which
are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to ap-
pear in the presence of God for us." "Wherefore He is able
also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by
Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them."*
»Eccl. 12:13,14. ''James 2:12. »Luke 20:35,36.
•John 5:29. "1 John 2:1. » Heb. 9:24; 7:25.
THE INVESTIGATIVE JUDGMENT 483
As the books of record are opened in the judgment, the
lives of all who have believed on Jesus come in review before
God. Beginning with those who first lived upon the earth,
our Advocate presents the cases of each successive genera-
tion, and closes with the living. Every name is mentioned,
every ease closely investigated. Names are accepted, names
rejected. When any have sins remaining upon the books
of record, unrepented of and unforgiven, their names will
be blotted out of the book of life, and the record of their
good deeds will be erased from the book of God's remem-
brance. The Lord declared to Moses, "Whosoever hatli
sinned against Me, him will I blot out of My book. ' ' '
And says the prophet Ezekiel, "When the righteous turn-
eth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity,
. . . all his righteousness that he hath done shall not be
mentioned. ' ' ^
All who have truly repented of sin, and by faith claimed
the blood of Christ as their atoning sacrifice, have had
pardon entered against their names in the books of heaven;
as they have become partakers of the righteousness of
Christ, and their characters are found to be in harmony
with the law of God, their sins will be blotted out, and
they themselves will be accounted worthy of eternal life.
The Lord declares, by the prophet Isaiah, "I, even I, am
He that blotteth out thy transgressions for Mine own sake,
and will not remember thy sins.'" Said Jesus : "He that
overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment ; and
I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I
will confess his name before My Father, and before His
angels." "Whosoever therefore shall confess ]\Ie before
men, him will I confess also before My Father Avhich is in
heaven. But whosoever shall d,eny Me before men, him
will I also deny before I\Iy Father which is in heaven. ' ' *
The deepest interest manifested among men in the deci-
sions of earthly tribunals but faintly represents the interest
»Ex. 32:33. ^^ Eze. 18:24. « Isa. 43:25.
*Eev. 3:5; Matt. 10:32,33.
484 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
evinced in the heavenly courts when the names entered ii\
the book of life come up in review before the Judge of
all the earth. The divine Intercessor presents the plea
that all who have overcome through faith in His blood be
forgiven their transgressions, that they be restored to their
Eden home, and crowned as joint-heirs with Himself to the
' ' first dominion. ' ' ' Satan, in his eif orts to deceive and tempt
our race, had thought to frustrate the divine plan in man's
creation ; but Christ now asks that this plan be carried into
effect, as if man had never fallen. He asks for His people
not only j)ardon and justification, full and complete, but a
share in His glory and a seat upon His throne.
,,., While Jesus is pleading for the subjects of His gra.ce,
Satan accuses them before God as transgressors. The great
deceiver has sought to lead them into skepticism, to cause
them to lose confidence in God, to separate themselves from
His love, and to break His law. Now he points to the record
of their lives, to the defects of character, the unlikeness to
Christ, which has dishonored their Redeemer, to all the sins
that he has tempted them to commit, and because of these
he claims them as his subjects.
Jesus does not excuse their sins, but shows their penitence
and faith, and, claiming for them forgiveness. He lifts His
wounded hands before the Father and the holy angels, say-
ing, "I know them by name. I have graven them on the
palms of INIy hands. 'The sacrifices of God are a broken
spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, God, Thou wilt not
despise. ' " ' And to the accuser of His people He declares,
"The Lord rebuke thee, Satan; even the Lord that hath
chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked
out of the fire?"^ Christ will clothe His faithful ones with
His own righteousness, that He may present them to His
Father "a glorious church, not ha\nng spot, or wrinkle, or
any such thing."* Their names stand enrolled in the book
of life, and concerning them it is written, "They shall walk
with Me in white : for they are worthy. ' ' °
^Micah 4:8. =Ps. 51:17. ' Zech. 3:2. * Eph. 5:27.
•Rev. 3:4.
THE INVESTIGATIVE JUDGMENT 485
Thus will be realized the complete fulfilment of the new-
covenant promise, "I will forgive their iniquity, and I will
remember their sin no more." "In those days, and in that
time, saith the Lord, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought
for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and
they shall not be found. ' " "In that day shall the branch
of the: Lord be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the
earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped
of Israel. And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in
Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called
holy, even every one that is written among the living in
Jerusalem. " ''
The work of the investigative judgment and the blotting
out of sins is to be accomplished before the second advent of
the Lord. Since the dead are to be judged out of the things
written in the books, it is impossible that the sins of men
should be blotted out until after the judgment at which their
cases are to be investigated. But the apostle Peter distinctly
states that the sins of believers will be blotted out "when
the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the
Lord; and He shall send Jesus Christ."^ When the investi-
gative judgment closes, Christ will come, and His reward will
be with Him to give to every man as his work shall be.
In the typical service the high priest, having made the
atonement for Israel, . came forth and blessed the congrega-
tion. So Christ, at the close of His work as mediator, will
appear, "without sin unto salvation,"* to bless His waiting
people with eternal life. As the priest, in removing the sins
from the sanctuary, confessed them upon the head of tlie
scapegoat, so Christ will place all these sins upon Satan, the
originator and instigator of sin. The scapegoat, bearing
the sins of Israelj was sent away "unto a land not inhab-
ited;"" so Satan, bearing the guilt of all the sins which he
has caused God's people to commit, will be for a thousand
years confined to the earth, which will then be desolate, with-
out inhabitant, and he will at last suffer the full penalty of
'Jer. 31:34; 50:20. " Isa. 4:2,3. 'Acts 3:19,20.
*Heb. 9:28. "Lev. 16:22.
486 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
sin in the fires that shall destroy all the wicked. Thus the
great plan of redemption will reach its accomplishment in
the final eradication of sin, and the deliverance of all who
have been willing to renounce evil.
At the time appointed for the judgment — the close of
the 2300 days, in 1844 — began the work of investigation
and blotting out of sins. All who have ever taken upon
themselves the name of Christ must pass its searching scru-
tiny. Both the living and the dead are to be judged "out
of those things which were written in the books, according
to their works."
Sins that have not been repented of and forsaken will not
be pardoned, and blotted out of the books of record, but
will stand to witness against the sinner in the day of God.
He may have committed his evil deeds in the light of day or
in the darkness of night; but they were open and manifest
before Him with whom we have to do. Angels of God wit-
nessed each sin, and registered it in the unerring records.
Sin may be concealed, denied, covered up from father,
mother, wife, children, and associates; no one but the
guilty actors may cherish the least suspicion of the wrong;
but it is laid bare before the intelligences of heaven.
The darkness of the darkest night, the secrecy of all de-
ceptive arts, is not sufficient to veil one thought from the
knowledge of the Eternal. God has an exact record of
every unjust account and every unfair dealing. He is not
deceived by appearances of piety. He makes no mistakes
in His estimation of character. INIen may be deceived by
those who are corrupt in heart, but God pierces all dis-
guises, and reads the inner life.
How solemn is the thought ! Day after day, passing into
eternity, bears its burden of records for the books of heaven.
Words once spoken, deeds once done, can never be recalled.
Angels have registered both the good and the evil. The
mightiest conqueror upon the earth cannot call back the
record of even a single day. Our acts, our words, even our
most secret motives, all have their weight in deciding our
THE INVESTIGATIVE JUDGMENT 487
destiny for weal or woe. Though they may ])e forgotten by
us, they will bear their testimony to justify or to condemn.
As the features of the countenance are reproduced with
unerring accuracy on the polished plate of the artist, so the
character is faithfully delineated in the books above. Yet
how little solicitude is felt concerning that record which is
to meet the gaze of heavenly beings. Could the veil which
separates the visible from the invisible world be swept back,
and the children of men behold an angel recording every
word and deed, which they must meet again in the judg-
ment, how many Avords that are daily uttered would remain
unspoken; how many deeds would remain undone.
In the judgment, the use made of every talent will be
scrutinized. How have we employed the capital lent us of
Heaven? Will the Lord at His coming receive His own with
usury? Have we improved the powers intrusted us, in hand
and heart and ])rain, to the glory of God and the blessing of
the world? How have we used our time, our pen, our voice,
our money, our influence? Wliat have we done for Christ,
in the person of the poor, the afflicted, the orphan, or the
widow ? God has made us the depositaries of His holy w'ord ;
what have we done with the light and truth given us to
make men wise unto salvation? No value is attached to a
mere profession of faith in Christ; only the love which is
shown by works is counted genuine. Yet it is love alone
which in the sight of Heaven makes any act of value,
Wliatever is done from love, however small it may appear
in the estimation of men, is accepted and rewarded of God.
The hidden selfishness of men stands revealed in the
books of heaven. There is the record of unfulfilled duties
to their fellow-men, of forgetfulness of the Saviour's claims.
There they will see how often were given to Satan the time,
thought, and strength that belonged to Christ. Sad is the
record which angels bear to heaven. Intelligent beings,
professed followers of Christ, are absorbed in the acquire-
ment of worldly possessions or the enjoyment of earthly
pleasures. Money, time, and strength are sacrificed for dis-
488 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY v\
play, and self-indulgence; but few are the moments devoted
to prayer, to the searching of the Scriptures, to humiliation
of soul and confession of sin,
Satan invents unnumbered schemes to occupy our minds,
that they may not dwell upon the very work with which we
ought to be best acquainted. The arch-deceiver hates the
great truths that bring to view an atoning sacrifice and an
all-powerful Mediator. He knows that with him everything
depends on his diverting minds from Jesus and His truth.
Those who would share the benefits of the Saviour's
mediation should permit nothing to interfere with their
duty to perfect holiness in the fear of God. The precious
hours, instead of being given to pleasure, to display, or to
gain-seeking, should be devoted to an earnest, prayerful
study of the Word of truth. The subject of the sanctuary
and the investigative judgment should be clearly under-
stood by the people of God. All need a knowledge for
themselves of the position an(i work of their great High
Priest. Otherwise, it will be impossible for them to exercise
the faith which is essential at this time, or to occupy the
position which God designs them to fill. Every individual
has a soul to save or' to lose. Each has a ease pending at
the bar of God. Each must meet the great Judge face to
face. How important, then, that every mind contemplate
often the solemn scene when the judgment shall sit a;nd
the books shall be opened, when, with Daniel, every indi-
vidual must stand in his lot, at the end of the days.
All who have received the light upon these subjects are
to bear testimony of the great truths wliich God has com-
mitted to them. The sanctuary in heaven is tlie very center
of Christ's work in behalf of men. It concerns every soul
living upon the earth. It opens to view the plan of re-
demption, bringing us down to the very close of time, and
revealing the triumphant issue of the contest between right-
eousness and sin. It is of the utmost importance that all
should thoroughly investigate these subjects, and be able
THE INVESTIGATIVE JUDGMENT 489
to give an answer to every one that asketh them a reason
of the hope that is in tlicm.
The intercession of Christ in man's behalf in the sanc-
tuary above is as essential to the plan of salvation as was His
death upon the (?ross. By His death He began that work
which after His resurrection He ascended to complete in
heaven. We must by faith enter within the veil, "whither
the Forerunner is for us entered." * There the light from the
cross of Calvary is reflected. There we may gain a clearer
insight into the mysteries of redemption. The salvation of
man is accomplished at an infinite expense to heaven; the
sacrifice made is equal to the broadest demands of the broken
law of God. Jesus has opened the way to the Father's
throne, and through His mediation the sincere desire of all
who come to Him in faith may be presented before God.
"He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso
confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. " " If those
who hide and excuse their faults could see how Satan exults
over them, how he taunts Christ and holy angels with their
course, they would make haste to confess their sins and to
put them away. Through defects in the character, Satan
works to gain control of the whole mind, and he knows that
if these defects are cherished, he will succeed. Therefore he
is constantly seeking to deceive the followers of Christ with
his fatal sophistry that it is impossible for them to overcome.
But Jesus pleads in their behalf His wounded hands, His
bruised body; and He declares to all who M'ould follow Him,
"My grace is sufficient for thee.'" "Take My yoke upon
you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart:
and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For ]\Iy yoke is easy,
and j\ly burden is light."* Let none, then, regard their
defects as incurable. God will give faith and grace to over-
come them.
We are now living in the great day of atonement. In the
typical service; while the high priest was making the atone-
ment for Israel, all were required to afflict their souls by
»Heb. 6:20. »Prov. 28:13. «2 Cor. 12:9. 'Matt. 11:29,30.
490 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
repentance of sin and humiliation before the Lord, lest they
be cut off from among the people. In like manner, all who
would have their names retained in the book of life, should
now, in the few remaining days of their probation, afflict
their souls before God by sorrow for sin and true repent-
ance. There must be deep, faithful searching of heart. The
light, frivolous spirit indulged by so many professed Chris-
tians must be put away. There is earnest warfare before all
who would subdue the evil tendencies that strive for the mas-
tery. The work of preparation is an individual work. We
are not saved in groups. The purity and devotion of one
will not offset the want of these qualities in another. Though
all nations are to pass in judgment before God, yet He will
examine the case of each individual with as close and search-
ing scrutiny as if there were not another being upon the
earth. Every one must be tested, and found without spot
or wrinkle or any such thing.
Solemn are tlie scenes connected with the closing work
of the atonement. IMomentous are the interests involved
therein. The judgment is now passing in the sanctuary
above. For many years this work has been in progress.
Soon — none know how soon — it will pass to the cases
of the living. In the awful presence of God our lives are
to come up in review. At this time above all others it
behooves every soul to heed the Saviour's admonition,
* ' Watch and pray : for ye know not when the time is. " '
"If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee
as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come
upon thee."*
When the work of the investigative judgment closes, the
destiny of all will have been decided for life or death. Pro-
bation is ended a short time before the appearing of the
Lord in the clouds of heaven. Christ in the Revelation,
looking forward to that time, declares: "He that is unjust,
let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be
filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous
*Mark 13:33. *Rev. 3:3.
THE INVESTIGATIVE JUDGMENT 491
Still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, be-
hold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give
every man according as his work shall be. " *
The righteous and the wicked will still be living upon the
earth in their mortal state, — men will be planting and build-
ing, eating and drinking, all unconscious that the final,
irrevocable decision has been pronounced in the sanctuary
above. Before the flood, after Noah entered the ark, God
shut him in, and shut the ungodly out; but for seven days
the people, knowing not that their doom was fixed, continued
their careless, pleasure-loving life, and mt)cked the warnings
of impending judgment. "So," says the Saviour, "shall
also the coming of the Son of man be. " '' Silently, unno-
ticed as the midnight thief, will come the decisive hour
which marks the fixing of every man's destiny, the final
withdrawal of mercy's offer to guilty men,
' ' Watch ye therefore : . . . lest coming suddenly lie find
you sleeping."* Perilous is the condition of those who,
growing weary of their watch, turn to the attractions of the
world. While the man of business is absorbed in the pur-
suit of gain, while the pleasure-lover is seeking indulgence,
while the daughter of fashion is arranging her adorn-
ments, — it may be in that hour the Judge of all the earth
will pronounce the sentence, "Thou art weighed in the
balances, and art found wanting. ' ' *
'Kev. 22:11,12. 'Matt. 24:39. ''Mark 13:35,36. ^ Dan. 5:27.
THE ORIGIN OF EWlL-29
To MANY minds, the origin of sin and the reason for its
existence are a source of great perplexity. They see the
work of evil, with its terrible results of Woe and desolation,
and they question how all this can ' exist under the so^^
ereignty of One who is infinite in wisdom,' in power, and
in love. Here is a mystery, of which they find no explana-
tion. Arid in their uncertainty and doubt, they are blinded
to truths plainly revealed in God's word, and essential to
salvation. There are those who, in their inquiries concern-
ing the existence of sin, endeavor to search into that which
God has never revealed; hence they find no solution of
their difficulties; and such as are actuated by a disposition
to doubt and cavil, seize upon this as an excuse for rejecting
the words of Holy "Writ. Others, however, fail of a satis-
factory understanding of the great problem of evil, from the
fact that tradition and misinterpretation have obscured the
teaching of the Bible concerning the character of God,
the nature of His government, and the principles of His
dealing with sin.
It is impossible to explain the origin of sin so as to give
a reason for its existence. Yet enough may be understood
concerning both the origin and the final disposition of sin,
to make fully manifest the justice and benevolence of God
in all His dealings with evil. Nothing is more plainly
(492)
THE ORIGIN OF EVIL 498
taught in Scripture than that God was in no wise responsible
for the entrance of sin; that there was no arbitrary with-
drawal of divine grace, no deficiency in the divine govern-
ment, that gave occasion for the uprising of rebellion. Sin
is an intruder, for whose presence no reason can be given.
It is mysterious, unaccountable; to excuse it, is to defend it.
Could excuse for it be found, or cause be shown for its ex-
istence, it would cease to be sin. Our only definition of sin
is that given in the word of God; it is ''the transgression
of the law;" it is the outworking of a principle at war with
the great law of love which is the foundation of the divine
government. *
Before the entrance of evil, there was peace and joy
throughout the universe. All was in perfect harmony with
the Creator's will. Love for God was supreme, love for one
another impartial. Christ the Word, the only ])egotten of
God, was one with the eternal Father, — one in nature, in
character, and in purpose, — the only being in all the uni-
verse that could enter into all the counsels and purposes of
God. By Christ, the Father wrought in the creation of all
heavenly beings. *'By Him were all things created, that are
in heaven, . . . whether they be thrones, or dominions, or
principalities, or powers ; " * and to Christ, equally with the
Father, all heaven gave allegiance.
The law of love being the foundation of the government
of God, the happiness of all created beings depended upon
their perfect accord with its great principles of righteous-
ness. God desires from, iill His creatures the service of
love,— homage that sx)riugs from an intelligei^l-, apprecia-
tion of His charactegf. He takes no pleasure in a forced
allegiance, and to all He grants freedom of will, that they
may render Him voluntary service.
But there was one that chose to pervert this freedom.
Sin originated with him who, next to Christ, had been
most honored of God, and who stood highest in power and
glory among the inhabitants of heaven. Before his fail,
»C«L 1:16.
494 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
Lucifer was first of the covering cherubs, holy and undefiled..
"Thus saith the Lord God: Thou sealest up the sum, full
of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. Thou hast been in Eden
the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering."
"Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have
set thee so : thou wast upon the holy mountain of God ; thou
hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.
Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast
created, till iniquity was found in thee. ' ' *
Lucifer might have remained in favor with God, beloved
and honored by all the angelic host, exercising his noble
powers to bless others and to glorify his Maker. But, says
the prophet, "Thine heart was lifted up because of thy
beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy
brightness."* Little by little, Lucifer came to indulge a
desire for self -exaltation. "Thou hast set thine heart as
the heart of God." "Thou hast said, ... I will exalt
my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the
mount of the congregation. ... I will ascend above the
heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High."*
Instead of seeking to make God supreme in the affections
and allegiance of His creatures, it was Lucifer's endeavor
to win their service and homage to himself. And coveting
the honor which the infinite Father had bestowed upon His
Son, this prince of angels aspired to power which it was
the prerogative of Christ alone to wield.
All heaven had rejoiced to reflect the Creator's glory and
to show forth His praise. And while God was thus honored,
all had been peace and gladness. But a^ote of discord now
marred the celestial harmonies. The service and exaltation
of self, contrary to the Creator's plan, awakened forebodings
of evil in minds to whom God's glory was supreme. The
heavenly councils pleaded -with. Lucifer. The Son of God
presented before him the greatness, the goodness, and the
justice of the Creator, and the sacred, unchanging nature
of His law. God Himself had established the order of
»Eze. 28:12-15,17. *Eze. 28:6; Isa. 14:13,14.
THE ORIGIN OF EVIL 495
heaven; and in departing from it, Lucifer would dishonor
his Maker, and bring ruin upon himself. But the warning,
given in infinite love and mercy, only aroused a spirit of
resistance. Lucifer allowed jealousy of Christ to prevail,
and he became the more determined.
Pride in his own glory nourished the desire for suprem-
acy. The high honors conferred upon Lucifer were not
appreciated as the gift of God, and called forth no grati-
tude to the Creator. He gloried in his brightness and exal-
tation, and aspired to be equal with God. lie was beloved
and reverenced by the heavenly host. Angels delighted to
execute his commands, and he was clothed with wisdom and
glory above them all. Yet the Son of God was the acknowl-
edged Sovereign of heaven, one in power and authority with
the Father. In all the counsels' of God, Christ was a par-
ticipant, while Lucifer was not permitted thus to enter into
the divine purposes. "Why," questioned this mighty angel,
"should Christ have the supremacy? Why is He thus hon-
ored above Lucifer?"
Leaving his place in the immediate_jjresence of God, UxOP^
Luci fer went. ,£QrtlL-ta diffuse the spirit-o£-disGontent-among '-^'^^S
the angels. Working with mysterious secrecy, and for a ^^0*^
time concealing his real purpose under an. appearance of Pi\^^ewj
reverence for God, he endeavored to excite dissatisfaction
concerning the laws that governed heavenly beings, inti-
mating that they imposed an unnecessary restraint. Since
their natures were holy, he urged that the angels should
obey the dictates of their own will. He sought to create
sympathy for himself, by representing that God had dealt
unjustly with him in bestowing supreme honor upon Christ.
He claimed that in aspiring to greater power and honor he
was not aiming at self-exaltation, but was seeking to ssecure
liberty for all the inhabitants of heaven, that by tliis means
they might attain to a higher state of existence.
God, in His great mercy, bore long with Lucifer. He was
not immediately degraded from his exalted station when he
first indulged the spirit of discontent, nor even when he be-
496 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
gan to present his false claims before the loyal angels. Long
was he retained in heaven. Again and again he was offered
pardon, on condition of repentance and submission. Such
efforts as only infinite love and wisdom could devise, were
made to convince him of his error. The spirit of discontent
had never before been known in heaven. Lucifer himself
did not at first see whitlier he was drifting; he did not un-
derstand the real nature of his feelings. But as his dis-
satisfaction was proved to be without cause, Lucifer was
convinced that lie was in the \\rong, that the divine claims
Were just, and that he ought to acknowledge them as such
before all heaven. Had he done this, he might have saved
himself and man^j^ejs. ITo had not at this time fully
cast off his allegiance to God. Though he had forsaken
his position as covering cherub, yet if he had been willing
to return to God, acknowledging the Creator's wisdom, and
satisfied to fill the place appointed him in God's great plan,
he would have been re-instated in his office. But pride
forbade him to submit, fie persistently defended his own
course, maintained that he had no need of repentance, and
fully committed himself, in the great controversy, against
his Maker.
"" All the powers of his master-mind were now bent to the
M'ork of deception, to secure the sympathy of the angels that
had been under his command. Even the fact that Christ had
warned and counseled him, was perverted to serve his trai-
torous designs. To those whose loving trust bound them
most closely to him, Satan had represented that he was
Avrongly judged, that his position was not respected, and that
his liberty was to be abridged. From misrepresentation of
the words of Christ, he passed to prevarication and direct
falsehood, accusing the Son of God of a design to humiliate
him before the inhabitants of heaven. He sought also to
make a false issue between himself and the loyal angels. All
whom he could not subvert and bring fully to his side, he
accused of indifference to the interests of heavenly beings.
The very work which he himself was doing, he charged
THE ORIGIN OF EVIL 497
upon those who remained true to God. And to sustain his
charge of God's injustice toward him, he resorted to misrep-
resentation of the words and acts of the Creator. It was his
policy to perplex the angels with subtle arguments concern-
ing the purposes of God. Everything that was simple h«
shrouded in mystery, and by artful perversion cast doubt
upon the plainest statements of Jehovah. His high position,
in such close connection with the divine administration, gave
greater force to his representations, and many were induced
to unite with him in rebellion against Heaven's authority.
God in His wisdom permitted Satan to carry forward his
work, until the spirit of disaffection ripened into active
revolt. It was necessary for his plans to be fully developed,
that their true nature and tendency might be seen by all.
Lucifer, as the anointed cherub, had been highly exalted; he
was greatly loved by the heavenly beings, and his influence
over them was strong. God's goverinnent included not only
the inhabitants of heaven, but of all the worlds that He had
created; and Satan thought that if he could carry the angels
of heaven with him in rebellion, he could carry also the
other worlds. He had artfully presented his side of the
question, employing sophistry and fraud to secure his ob-
jects. His power to deceive was very great, arid by dis-
guising himself in a cloak of falsehood he had gained an
advantage. Even the loyal angels could not fully discern
his charactef, or see to what his work was leading.
Satan had been so highly honored, and all his acts were
so clothed with mystery, that it was difficult to disclose to
the angels the true nature of his work. Until fully devel-
oped, sin would not appear the evil thing it was. Hereto-
fore it had had no place in the universe of God, and holy
beings had no conception of its nature and malignity. They
could not discern the terrible consequences that would result
from setting aside the divine law. Satan had, at first, con-
cealed his work under a specious profession of loyalty to
God. He claimed to be seeking to promote the honor of
God, the stability of His government, and the good of all
498 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
the inhabitants of heaven. While instilling discontent into
the minds of the angels under him, he had artfully made it
appear that he was seeking to remove dissatisfaction. "When
he urged that changes be made in the order and laws of
God's government, it was under the pretense that these were
necessary in order to preserve harmony in heaven.
In Ilis dealing with sin, God could employ only right-
eousness and truth. Satan could use what God could not —
flattery and deceit. He had sought to falsify the word of
God, and had misrepresented His plan of government before
the angels, claiming that God was not just in laying laws
and rules upon the inhabitants of heaven; that in requiring
submission and obedience from His creatures, He was seek-
ing iixMcly the exaltation of Himself. Therefore it must
be demonstrated before the inhabitants of heaven, as well as
of all the worlds, that God's government was just, His law
perfect. Satan had made it appear that he himself was seek-
ing to promote the good of the universe. The true character
of the usurper, and his real object, must be understood by all.
He must have time to manifest himself by his wicked works.
The discord which his own course had caused in heaven,
Satan charged upon the law and government of God. All
evil he declared to be the result of the divine administration.
He claimed that it was his own object to improve upon the
statutes of Jehovah. Therefore it was necessary that he
should demonstrate the nature of his claims, and show the
working out of his proposed changes in the divine law. His
own work must condemn him. Satan had claimed from
the first that he was not in rebellion. The whole universe
must see the deceiver unmasked.
Even when it was decided that he could no longer remain
in heaven, Infinite Wisdom did not destroy Satan. Since
the service of love can alone be acceptable to God, the alle-
giance of His creatures must rest upon a conviction of His
justice and benevolence. The inhabitants of heaven and
of other worlds, being unprepared to comprehend the nature
or consequences of sin, could not then have seen the justice
THE ORIGIN OF EVIL 499
and mercy of God in the destruction of Satan. Had he been
immediately blotted from existence, they would have served
God from fear, rather than from love. The influence of the
deceiver would not have been fully destroyed, nor would the
spirit of rebellion have been utterly eradicated. Evil must
be permitted to come to maturity. For the good of the
entire universe through ceaseless ages, Satan must more
fully develop his principles, that his charges against the
divine government might be seen in their true light by all
created beings, that the justice and mercy of God and the
immutability of His law might forever be placed beyond all
question.
Satan's rebellion was to be a lesson to the universe
through all coming ages, a perpetual testimony to the
nature and terrible results of sin. The working out of
Satan's rule, its effects upon both men and angels, would
show what must be the fruit of setting aside the divine
authority. It would testify that with the existence of God's
government and His law is bound up the well-being of all
the creatures He has made. Thus the history of this ter-
rible experiment of rebellion was to be a perpetual safe-
guard to all holy intelligences, to prevent them from being
deceived as to the nature of transgression, to save them
from committing sin and suffering its punishment.
To the very close of the controversy in heaven, the great
usurper continued to justify himself. When it was an-
nounced that with all his sympathizers he must be expelled
from the abodes of bliss, then the rebel leader boldly avowed
his contempt for the Creator's law. He reiterated his claim
that angels needed no control, but should be left to follow
their own mil, which would ever guide them right. He
denounced the divine statutes as a restriction of their liberty,
and declared that it was his purpose to secure the abolition of
law; that, freed from this restraint, the hosts of heaven might
enter upon a more exalted, more glorious state of existence.
With one accord, Satan and his host threw the blame of
their rebellion wholly upon Christ, declaring that if they
500 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
had not been reproved, they would never have rebelled.
Thus stubborn and defiant in their disloyalty, seeking vainly
to overthrow the government of God, yet blasphemously
claiming to be themselves the innocent victims of oppressive
power, the arch-rebel and all his sympathizers were at last
banished from heaven.
The same spirit that prompted rebellion in heaven, still
inspires rebellion on earth. Satan has continued with men
the same policy which lie pursued with the angels. His
spirit now reigns in the children of disobedience. Like him
they seek to break down the restraints of the law of God,
and promise men liberty through transgression of its pre-
cepts. Reproof of sin still arouses the spirit of hatred and
resistance. When God's messuLns of warning are brought
home to the conscience, Satan leads men to justify them-
selves, and to seek the sympathy of others in their course
of sin. Instead of correcting their errors, tliey excite indig-
nation against the reprover, as if he were the sole cause of
difficulty. From the days of righteous Abel to our own
time, such is the spirit which has been displayed toward
those who dare to condemn sin.
By the same misrepresentation of the character of God
as he had practised in heaven, causing Him to be regarded
as severe and tyrannical, Satan induced man to sin. And
having succeeded thus far, he declared that God's unjust
restrictions had led to man's fall, as they had led to his
own rebellion.
But the Paternal One Himself proclaims His character:
"The Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and
abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thou-
sands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and
that will by no means clear the guilty. " '
In the banishment of Satan from heaven, God declared
His justice, and maintained the honor of His throne. But
when man had sinned through yielding to the deceptions
of this apostate spirit, God gave an evidence of His love by
yielding up His only begotten Son to die for the faUen race.
»Ex. 34:6,7.
THE ORIGIN OF EVIL 501
In the atonement the character of God is revealed. The
mighty argument of the cross demonstrates to the whole
universe that the course of sin which Lucifer had chosen
was in no wise chargeable upon the government of God.
In the contest between Christ and Satan, during the Sa-
viour's earthly ministry, the character of the great deceiver
was unmasked. Nothing could so effectually have uprooted
Satan from the affections of the heavenly angels and the
whole loyal universe, as did his cruel warfare upon the
world's Kedeemer. The daring blasphemy of his demand
that Christ should pay him homage, his presumptuous bold-
ness in bearing Him to the mountain summit and the pin-
nacle of the temple, the malicious intent betrayed in urging
Him to cast Himself down from the dizzy height, the un-
sleeping malice that hunted Ilim from place to place, inspir-
ing the hearts of priests and people to reject His love, and
at the last to cry, "Crucify Him! crucify Ilim!"— all this
excited the amazement and indignation of the universe.
It was Satan that prompted the world's rejection of
Christ. The prince of evil exerted all his power and cun-
ning to destroy Jesus; for he saw that the Saviour's mercy
and love, His compassion and pitying tenderness, were repre-
senting to the Avorld the character of God. Satan contested
every claim put forth by the Son of God, and employed men
as his agents to fill the Saviour's life with suffering and
sorrow. The sophistry and falsehood by which he had
sought to hinder the work of Jesus, the hatred manifested
through the children of disobedience, his cruel accusations
against Him whose life was one of unexampled goodness, all
sprung from deep-seated revenge. The pent-up fires of envy
and malice, hatred and revenge, burst forth on Calvary
against the Son of God, while all heaven gazed upon the
scene in silent horror.
When the great sacrifice had been consummated, Christ
ascended on high, refusing the adoration of angels until He
had presented the request, "I will that they also, whom
Thou hast given Ale, be with Me where I am."' Then with
'John 17:24.
502 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
inexpressible love and power came forth the answer from
the Father's throne, "Let all the angels of God worship
Him. ' ' ^ Not a stain rested upon Jesus. His humiliation
ended, His sacrifice completed, there was given unto Him
a name that is above every name.
Now tlie guilt of Satan stood forth without excuse. He
hacL revealed his true character as a liar and a murderer.
It was seen that the very same spirit with which he ruled
the children of men, who were under his power, he would
have manifested had he been permitted to control the in-
habitants of heaven. He had claimed that the transgression
of God's law would bring lil)erty and exaltation; but it was
seen to result in bondage and degradation.
Satan's lying charges against the divine character and
government appeared in their true light. He had accused
God of seeking merely the exaltation of Himself in requiring
submission and obedience from His creatures, and had de-
clared that while the Creator exacted self-denial from all
others. He Himself practised no self-denial and made no
sacrifice. Now it was seen that for the salvation of a fallen
and sinful race, the Ruler of the universe had made the
greatest sacrifice which love could make; for "God was in
Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself."' It was seen,
also, that while Lucifer had opened the door for the entrance
of sin, by his desire for honor and su])remacy, Christ had,
in cfder to destroy sin. humbled Himself, a nd beco me obe-
dient unto death. ■■. ■ .1 <• ,'\^>/r -ni; ■'■■luiifi ^^
God had manifested His abhorrence of the principles of
rebellion. All heaven saw His justice revealed, both in the
condemnation of Satan and in the redemption of man.
Lucifer had declared that if the law of God was changelesr:.
and its penalty could not be remitted, every transgressor
must be forever debarred from the Creator's favor. He had
claimed that the sinful race were placed beyond redemption,
and were therefore his rightful prey. But the death cf
Christ was an argument in man's behalf that could not be
iijt/, LtHeb. 1:6. '2 Cor. 5:19.
THE ORTGIN OF EVIL 503
overthrown. The penalty of the law fell upon Him who
was equal with God, and man was free to accept the right-
eousness of Christ, and by a life of penitence and humilia-
tion to triumph, as the Son of God had triumphed, over the
power of Satan. Thus God is just, and yet the justifier of
all who believe in Jesus.
But it was not merely to accomplish the redemption of
man that Christ came to the earth to suffer and to die. He
came to "magnify the law" and to ''make it honorable."
Not alone that the inhabitants of this world might regard
the law as it should be regarded; but it was to demonstrate
to all the worlds of the universe that God's law is unchange-
able. Could its claims have been set aside, then the Son of
God need not have yielded up His life to atone for its trans-
gression. The death of Christ proves it immutable. And
the sacrifice to which infinite love impelled the Father and
the Son, that sinners might be redeemed, demonstrates to
all the universe — what nothing less than this plan of atone-
ment could have sufficed to do — that justice and mercy are
the foundation of the law and government of God.
In the final execution of the judgment it will be seen that
no cause for sin exists. When the Judge of all the earth
shall demand of Satan, "Why hast thou rebelled against
Me, and robbed Me of the subjects of My kingdom?" the
originator of evil can render no excuse. Every mouth will
be stopped, and all the hosts of rebellion will be speechless.
The cross of Calvary, while it declares the law immu-
table, proclaims to the universe that the wages of sin is death.
In the Saviour's expiring cry, "It is finished," the death-
knell of Satan was rung. The great controversy which had
been so long in progress was then decided, and the final
eradication of evil was made certain. The Son of God
passed through the portals of the tomb, that "through death
He might destroy him that had the power of death, that
is, the devil.'" Lucifer's desire for self -exaltation had led
him to say, "I will exalt my throne above the stars of
'Heb. 2:14.
504 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
God: „ . . I will be like the Most High." God declares,
"I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth, . . . and never
shalt thou be any more."* When "the day cometh, that
shall burn as an oven, ... all the proud, yea, and all
that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh
shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall
leave them neither root nor branch. ' ' ^
The whole universe will have become witnesses to the
nature and results of sin. And its utter extermination,
which in the beginning would have brought fear to angels
and dishonor to God, will now vindicate His love and es-
tablish His honor before the universe of beings who delight
to do His will, and in whose heart is His law. Never will
evil again be manifest. Says the word of God, "Affliction
shall not rise up the second time."' The law of God,
which Satan has reproached as the yoke of bondage, will
be honored as the law of liberty. A tested and proved
creation \vill never again be turned from allegiance to
Him whose character has been fully manifested before them
as fathomless love and infinite wusdom.
'Isa. 14:13, 14; Eze. 28:18, 19. 'Mai. 4:1, «Nahum 1:9.
ENMITY BETWEEN MAN AND SATAN-30 '^-
;.>
"I WILL put enmity between thee and the woman, and
between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head,
and thou shalt bruise his heel."' The divine sentence pro-
nounced against Satan after the fall of man, was also a
prophecy, embracing all the ages to the close of time, and
foreshadowing the great conflict to engage all the races of
men who should live upon tlie earth.
God declares, "I will put enmity." This enmity is not
naturally entertained. When man transgressed the divine
law, his nature became evil, and he was in harmony, and
not at variance, with Satan. There exists naturally no
enmity between sinful man and the originator of sin. Both
became evil through apostasy. The apostate is never at
rest, except as he obtains sympathy and support by inducing
others to follow his example. For this reason, fallen, angels
and wicked men unite in desperate companionship. Had
not God specially inl^rposed, Satan and man would have
entered into an alliance against Heaven; and instead of
cherishing enmity against Satan, the whole human family
would have been united in opposition to God.
* SfttajOL^tewpted man. to sin, as he had caused angels to
rebel, that he might thus secure co-operation in his warfare
against Heaven. There was jgo dissensiao— between—Mmaaf f
and the f8 |)en angpfs afi T-Ptyai»rls thp^r hatr^fl nj' ^linUt ' "'^"^°
^Gen. 3:15. ^
(505)
506 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
d^al^therpointsther^wgigj^y^gj^^ they were firmly united
in opposing the authority of the Ruler of the universe. But
when Satan heard the declaration that enmity should exist
between himself and the woman, and between his seed and
her seed, he knew that his efforts to deprave human nature
would be interrupted; that by some means man was to be
enabled to resist his power.
Sg,Jg4j^^,,^jjjjyjy^affain^^he^^ be-
cause, through Christ, ^|jjgj,gaj^^|j^jjjj>jggjjjjj^ God's love and
mercy. He desires to thM^art the divine plan for man's re-
demption, to cast dishonor upon God, by defacing and de-
filing His handiwork; he would cause grief in heaven, and
fill the earth with woe and desolation. And he points to all
this evil as the result of God's work in creating man. -
Itisth^ijgg^gl^Jj^J^jyiyjgy^jm^
..creat£S_u^aa];^,efl]ait^__agaiD Satan . Without this eon-
verting grace and renewing power, man would continue the
captive of Satan, a servant ever ready to do his bidding.
But the new principle in the soul creates conflict where
hitherto had been peace. The power which Christ imparts,
enables man to resist the tyrant and usurper. Whoever is
seen to abhor sin instead of loving it, whoever resists and
conquers those passions that have held sway within, displays
the operation of a principle wholly from above.
The antagonism that exists between the spirit of Christ
and the spirit of Satan was most strikingly displayed in the
world's reception of Jesus. It was not so much because He
appeared without worldly wealth, poftip, or grandeur, that
the Jews were led to reject Him. They saw that He pos-
sessed power which would more than compensate for the
lack of these outward advantages. But the purity and holi -
ness of _Q]irist called fo rthagaffl^l■,P^nj thfi i.li'nil^rPfl pf i?^''
Tmgodly. His life of self denial and sinless devotion was a
perpetual reproof to a proud, sensual people. It was this
that evoked enmity against the Son of God. Sg.tan find
^vil angels_join£d-with eyJLia^fl . All the energies of apos-
tasy conspired against the Champion of truth.
ENMITY BETWEEN MAN AND SATAN 507
The same enmity is manifested toward Christ's followers
as was manifested toward their Master. Whoever sees the
repulsive character of sin, and in strength from above re-
sists temptation, will assuredly arouse the wrath of Satan
and his subjects. Hatred of the pure principles of truth,
and reproach and persecution of its advocates, will exist as
long as sin and sinners remain. The followers of Christ
and the servants of Satan cannot harmonize. The offense
of the cross has not ceased. "All that will live godly in
Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.'"
Satan's agents are constantly working under his direction
to establish his authority and build up his kingdom in oppo-
sition to the government of God. To this end they seek to
deceive Christ's followers, and allure them from their alle-
giance. Like their leader, they misconstrue and pervert
the Scriptures to accomplish their object. As Satan en-
deatiYored to cast reproach upon God, so do his agents seek
to malign God's people. The spirit which put Christ to
death moves the wicked to destroy His followers. All this
is foreshadowed in that first prophecy, "I will put enmity
between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her
seed." And this will continue to the close of time.
Satan summons all his forces, and throws his whole power
into the combat. Why is it that he meets with no greater
resistance? Why are the soldiers of Christ so sleepy and
indifferent? Because they have so little real connection
with Christ; because they are so destitute of His Spirit, ^in
is nottoth^jg^jj^jj^jj^jj^^^ij^j^^
JMSSferTl'hey do not meet it, as did Christ, with decisive
and^etermined resistaat'e. They do jyQjjjBaliifc«til&^Sfieed-
ir\g evil and malignity of sin, andJJtiey; axe blinded both, to
the character and th.c pnwor nf i\^f^ ^^v\,^,.a of d^LcJaie§s.
There is little enmity against Satan and his works, because
there is so great ignornnco forif^rrning his power and malicf,
and the vast extent (jf liis wjirriii'c ;i,ir;iinsi Christ and His
church. Multitudes are deluded here. They do not know
that their en emy is a mighty general, Avho contr ols t he
'2 Tim. 3:12.
508 'W \THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
minds of evil angels, and that with well-matured plans and
skilful movements he is warring against Christ to prevent
the salvation of souls. Among professed Christians, and
even among ministers of the gospel, there is heard scarcely
a reference to Satan, except perhaps an incidental mention
in the pulpit. They overlook the evidences of his continual
activity and success; they neglect the many warnings of his
subtlety; they seem to ignore his very existence. hai;
While men are ignorant of his devices, this vigilant foe
is upon their track every moment. He is intruding his
presence in every department of the household, in every
street of our cities, in the churches, in the national coun-
cils, in the courts of justice, perplexing, deceiving, seducing,
everywhere ruining the souls and bodies of men, women,
and children, breaking up families, sowing hatred, emula-
tion, strife, sedition, murder. And the Christian world seem
to regard these things as though God had^A&BQUlifidJilie nij
Satan is continually seeking to overcome the people of
God by breaking down the barriers which separate them
from the world. Ancient Israel were enticed into sin when
they ventured into forbidden association with the heathen.
In a similar manner are modern Israel led astray. "The
god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which
believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ,
who 1? the image of God, should shine unto them."* All
who are not decided followers of Christ are servants of
Satan. In the unregenerate heart there is love of sin, and
a disposition to cherish and excuse it. In the renewed heart
there^.is hatred of sin,, and determi^^^ resistance against jt.
Wlien Christians choose the society of the ungodly and
unbelieving, they expose themselves to temptation. Satan
conceals himself from view, and stealthily draws his decep-
tive covering over their eyes. They cannot see that such
company is calculated to do them harm; and while all the
time assimilating to the world in character, words, and
actions, they are becoming more and more blinded. ,>iii
*2 Cor. 4:4.
ENMITY BETWEEN MAN AND SATAN 509
Conformity to worldly customs converts the church to
the world; it never converts the world to Christ. Famil-
iarity with sin will ine\dtably cause it to appear less repul-
sive. He who chooses to associate with the servants of
Satan, will soon cease to fear their master. When in the
way of duty we are brought into trial, as was Daniel in
the king's court, we may be sure that God will protect us;
but if we place ourselves under temptation, we shall fall
sooner or later.
The tempter often works most successfully through those
who are least suspected of being under his control. The
possessors of talent and education are admired and honored,
as if these qualities could atone for the absence of the fear
of God, or entitle men to His favor. Talent and culture,
considered in themselves, are gifts of God; but when these
are made to supply the place of piety, when, instead of
bringing the soul nearer to God, they lead away from Him,
then they become a curse and a snare. The opinion prevails
with many that all which appears like courtesy or re-
finement must, in some sense, pertain to Christ. Never
was there a greater mistake. These qualities should grace
the character of every Christian, for they would exert a
powerful influence in favor of true religion; but they must
be consecrated to God, or they also are a power for evil.
Many a man of cultured intellect and pleasant manners, who
would not stoop to what is commonly regarded as an im-
moral act, is but a polished instrument in the hands of Satan.
The insidious, deceptive character of his influence and ex-
ample renders him a more dangerous enemy to the cause of
Christ than are those who are ignorant and uncultured.
By earnest prayer and dependence upon God, Solomon
obtained the wisdom which excited the wonder and ad-
miration of the world. But when he turned from ' the
Source of his strength, and went forward relying upon him-
self, he fell a prey to temptation. Then the marvelous
powers bes to^£^_on this_vvisest of kings, only rendered him
a more effectiye_agent_of_the_adversary; of souls.
510 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
While Satan is constantly seeking to blind their minds
to the fact, let Christians never forget that they ''wrestle
not against flesh and blood, but against principalities,
against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this
world, against wicked spirits in high places. ' ' * The in-
spired warning is sounding down the centuries to our time :
"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as
a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may de-
vour."* "Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may
be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ' ' *
' •) iFrom the days of Adam to our own time, our great
enemy has been exercising his power to oppress and destroy.
He is now preparing for his last campaign against the
church. All who seek to follow Jesus will be brought into
conflict with this relentless foe. The more nearly the
Christian imitates the divine Pattern, the more surely will
he make himself a mark for the attacks of Satan. All who
are actively engaged in the cause of God, seeking to unveil
the deceptions of the evil one and to present Christ before
the people, \\\\\ be able to join in the testimony of Paul, in
which he speaks of serving the Lord Avith all humility of
mind, with many tears and temptations.
Satan assailed Christ with his fiercest and most subtle
temptations; but he was repulsed in every conflict. Those
battles were fought in our behalf; those victories make it
possible for us to conquer. Christ will give strength to all
who seek it. No man without his own consent can be over-
come by Satan. The tempter has no power to control the
will or to force the soul to sin. He may distress, but he
cannot contaminate. He can cause agony, but not defile-
ment. The fact that Christ has conquered should inspire
T^TJg fnllf^^^ya with nmirflprp to fight manfully the battle
agamsj, sin and Satan.
'Eph. 6:12 (margin). »1 Peter 5:8. • Eph. 6:11.
■HNll^
AGENCY OF EUIL 6PIR1TS-31
The connection of the visible wdth the invisible world,
the ministration of angels of God, and the agency of evil
spirits, are plainly revealed in the Scriptures, and insepa-
rably interwoven with human history. There is a growing
tendency to disbelief in the existence of evil spirits, while the
holy ^mgels that "minister fQx_.them.wiiQ shall be heirs of
salvation,"^ are regarded by many as the spirits of the dead.
But the Scriptures not only teach the existence of angels,
both good and evil, but present unquestionable proof that
these are not the disembodied spirits of dead men.
Before the creation of man, angels were in existence; for
when the foundations of the earth were laid, "the morning
stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for
joy.''* After the fall of man, angels were sent to guard the
tree of life, and this before a human being had died. Angels
are in nature superior to men; for the psalmist says that
man was made * * a little lower than the angelfe. ' ' ^
We are informed in Scripture as to the number, and the
I)Ower and glory, of the heavenly beings, of tlieir connection
with the government of God, and also of their relation to
the work of redemption. "The Lord hath jjrepared His
throne in the heavens; and His kingdom ruleth over all."
And, says the prophet, "I heard the voice of many angels
round about the throne." In the presence-chamber of the
»Heb. 1:14. »Job 38:7. "Ps. 8:5.
(511)
512 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
King of kings they wait — "angels, that excel in strength,"
"ministers of His, that do His pleasure," "hearkening unto
the voice of His word,"' Ten thousand times ten thousand
and thousands of thousands, were the heavenly messengers
beheld by the prophet Daniel, The apostle Paul declared
them ' ' an innumerable company. " ^ As God 's messengers
they go forth, like ' ' the appearance of a flash of lightning, ' ' ^
so dazzling their glory, and so swift their flight. The angel
that appeared at tlie Saviour's tomb, his countenance "like
lightning, and his raiment white as snow," caused the keep-
ers for fear of him to quake, and they '^' became as dead
men."* When Sennacherib, the haughty Assyrian, re-
proached and blasphemed God, and threatened Israel with
destruction, "it came to pass that night, that the angel of
the Lord went out, and smote in the camp of tlie Assyrians
an hundred fourscore and five thousand." There were
"cut off all the mighty men of valor, and the leaders and
captains," from the army of Sennacherib. "So he returned
with shame of face to his o^^^l land."*
Angels are sent on missions of mercy to the children of
God. To Abraham, with promises of blessing; to the gates
of Sodom, to rescue righteous Lot from its fiery doom; to
Elijah, as he was about to perish from weariness and hun-
ger in the desert ; to Elisha, with chariots and horses of
fire surrounding the little town where he was shut in by
his foes; to Daniel, while seeking divine wisdom in the
court of a heathen king, or abandoned to become the lions'
prey; to Peter, doomed to death in , Herod's dungeon; to
the prisoners at Philippi ; to Paul and his companions in the
night of tempest on the sea; to open the mind of Cornelius
to receive the gospel ; to dispatch Peter with the message of
salvation to the Gentile stranger, — thus holy angels .have,
in all ages, ministered to God's people. '.Minilt
A guardian angel is appointed to every follower of
Christ, These heavenly watchers shield the righteous from
»Ps, 103:19-21; Rev. 5:11, * Dan. 7:10; Heb. 12:22. -Eze. 1:14,
*Matt. 28:3, 4, ^2 Kings 19:35; 2 Chron. 32:21.
AGENCY OF EVIL SPIRTTS 513
the power of the wicked one. This Satan himself recognized
when he said, "Doth Job fear God for naught? Hast not
Thou made a hedge about him, and about his house, and
about all that he hath on every side?"* The agency by
which God protects His people is presented in the words of
'the psalmist, "The angel of the Lord encampeth round
about them that fearTlim, and delivereth them. "^ Said
the Saviour, speaking of those that believe in Him, "Take
heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I
say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold
the face of My Father. ' ' ' The angels appointed to minister
to the children of God have at all times access to His
presence.
Thus God's people, exposed to the deceptive power and
unsleeping malice of tiie prince of darkness, and in conflict
with all the forces of evil, are a.ssured of the unceasing
guardianship of heavenly angels. Nor is such assurance
given without need. If God has granted to His children
promise of grace and jjrotection, it is because there are
mighty agencies of evil to be met, — agencies numerous,
determined, and untiring, of whose malignity and power
none can safely be ignorant or unheeding.
Evil spirits, in the beginning created sinless, were equal
in nature, power, and glory with the holy beings that are
now God's messengers. But fallen through sin, they are
leagued together for the dishonor of God and the destruction
of men. United with Satan in his rebellion, and with hira
cast out from heaven, they have, through all succeeding
ages, co-operated with him in his warfare against the di-
vine authority. ^q_nr<^ -^^^^«^ m Scripture of their con-
federacyand government, of^lhein various orders, of tlieir
intelligence anST subtlety, and _of their malicious designs
against the peace and happiness of men.
Old Testament history presents occasional mentions of
their existence and agency ; but it was during the time when
Christ was upon the earth that evil spirits manifested their
»Job 1:9, 10. *P8. 34:7. 'Matt. 18:10.
17— G. C.
514 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
power in the most striking manner. Christ had eome to
enter upon the plan devised for man's redemption, and
Satan determined to assert his right to control the world.
He had succeeded in establishing idolatry in every part
of the earth except the land, of Palestine. To the only
land that had not fully yielded to the tempter's sway, Christ
came to shed upon the people the light of heaven. Here
two rival powers claimed supremacy. Jesus was stretching
out His arms of love, inviting all who would to find pardon
and peace in Him. The hosts of darkness saw that they did
not possess unlimited control, and they understood that if
Christ's mission should be successful, their rule was soon to
end. Satan raged like a chained lion, and defiantly exhibited
liis power over the bodies as well as the souls of men.
J , ; The fact that men have been possessed with demons, is
clearly stated in the New Testament. The persons thus
afflicted were not merely suffering with disease from natural
causes. Christ had perfect understanding of that with
which He was dealing, and He recognized the direct pres-
ence and agency of evil spirits.
•1, /.A striking example of their number, power, and malig-
nity, and also of the power and mercy of Christ, is given in
the Scripture account of the healing of the demoniacs at
Gadara. Those wretched maniacs, spurning all restraint,
writhing, foaming, raging, were filling the air with their
cries, doing violence to themselves, and endangering all who
should approach them. Their bleeding and disfigured bodies
and distracted minds presented a spectacle well-pleasing to
the prince of darkness. One of the demons controlling the
sufferers declared, "My name is Legion: for we are many." '
In the Roman army a legion consisted of from three to five
thousand men. Satan's hosts also are marshaled in com-
panies, and the single company to which these demons be-
longed numbered no less than a legion.
At the command of Jesus, the evil spirits departed from
their victims, lea\dng them calmly sitting at the Saviour's
feet, subdued, intelligent, and gentle. But the demons were
» Mark 5:9.
AGENCY OF EVIL SPIRITS 515
permitted to sweep a herd of swine into the sea; and to the
dwellers of Gadara the loss of these outweighed the blessings
which Christ had bestowed, and the divine Healer was en-
treated to depart. This was the result wliich Satan designed
to secure. By casting the blame of their loss upon Jesus,
he aroused the selfish fears of the people, and prevented
them from listening to His words. Satan is constantly
accusing Christians as the cause of loss, misfortune, and
suffering, instead of allowing the reproach to fall where it
belongs, — upon himself and his agents.
But the purposes of Christ were not thwarted. He al-
lowed the evil spirits to destroy the herd of swine as a
rebuke to those Jews who were raising these unclean beasts
for the sake of gain. Had not Christ restrained the demons,
they would have plunged into the sea, not only the swine,
but also their keepers and owners. The preservation of
both the keepers and the owners was due alone to His
power, mercifully exercised for their deliverance. Further-
more, this event was permitted to take place that the dis-
ciples might witness the cruel power of Satan upon both
man and beast. The Saviour desired His followers to have
a knowledge of the foe whom they were to meet, that they
might not be deceived and overcome by his devices. It was
also His Avill that the people of that region should behold
His power to break the bondage of Satan and release his
captives. And thowgh Jesus Himself departed, the men
so marvelously delivered, remained to declare the mercy of
their Benefactor.
Other instances of a similar nature are recorded in the
Scriptures. The daughter of the Syro-Phenician Avoman was
grievously vexed with a devil, whom Jesus cast out by His
word.* One ' ' possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb ; ' " a
youth who had a dumb spirit, that ofttimes "cast him into
the fire, and into the waters to destroy him;"' the maniac
who, tormented by "a spirit of an unclean devil,"* dis-
turbed the Sabbath quiet of the synagogue at Capernaum, —
•Mark 7:26-30. ^^ Matt. 12:22. 'Mark 9:17-27.
*Luke 4:33-36.
516 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
all were healed by the compassionate Saviour. In nearly
every instance, Christ addressed the demon as an intelli-
gent entity, commanding him to come out of his victim
and to torment him no more. The worshipers at Capernaum,
beholding His mighty power, "were all amazed, and spake
among themselves, saying, "What a word is this! for with
authority and power He commandeth the unclean spirits,
and they come out."'
Those possessed with devils are usually represented as
being in a condition of great suffering; yet there were ex-
ceptions to this rule. For the sake of obtaining super-
natural power, some welcomed the satanic influence. These
pf course had no conflict with the demons. Of this class
were those who possessed tlie spirit of divination, — Simon
Magus, Elymas the sorcerer, and the damsel who followed
Paul and Silas at Philippi.
None are in greater danger from the influence of evil
spirits than those who, notwithstanding the direct and ample
testimony of the Scriptures, deny the existence and agency
of tlio devil and his angels. So long as we are ignorant
of their wiles, they have almost inconceivable . advantage;
many give heed to their suggestions while they suppose
themselves to be following the dictates of their own wisdom.
This is why, as we approach the close of time, when Satan
is to work with greatest power to deceive and destroy, he
spreads everywhere the belief that he 'does not exist. It
is his policy to conceal himself and his manner of working.
There is nothing that the great deceiver fears so much as
that we shall become acquainted with his devices. The
better to disguise his real character and purposes, he has
caused himself to be so represented as to excite no stronger
emotion than ridicule or contempt. He is well pleased to
be painted as a ludicrous or loathsome object, misshapen,
half animal and half human. He is pleased to hear his
name used in sport and mockery by those who think them-
selves intelligent and well informed.
^Luke 4:36.
AGENCY OF EVIL SPIRITS 517
It is because he has masked himself with consummate
skill that the question is so widely asked, "Does such a
being really exist?" It is an evidence of his success that
theories giving the lie to the plainest testimony of the
Scriptures are so generally received in the religious world.
And it is because Satan can most readily control the minds
of those who are unconscious of his influence, that the word
of God gives us so many examples of his malignant work,
unveiling before us his secret forces, and thus placing us on
our guard against his assaults.
The power and malice of Satan and his host might justly
alarm us, were it not that we may find shelter and deliv-
erance in the superior power of our Redeemer. We care-
fully secure our houses with bolts and locks to protect our
property and our lives from evil men; but we seldom think
of the evil angels who are constantly seeking access to us,
and against whose attacks we have, in our own strength,
no method of defense. If permitted, they can distract our
minds, disorder and torment our bodies, destroy our pos-
sessions and our lives. Their only delight is in misery and
destruction. Fearful is the condition of those who resist
the divine claims, and yield to Satan's temptations, until
God gives them up to the control of evil spirits. But
those who follow Christ are ever safe under His watchcare.
Angels that excel in strength are sent from heaven to pro-
tect them. The wicked one cannot break through the guard
which God has stationed about His people.
f^'s^^'^'^^^^^^^d
SNARES OF SATAN -32
The great controversy between Christ and Satan, that has
been carried forward for nearly six thousand years, is soon
to close; and the wicked one redoubles his efforts to defeat
the work of Christ in man's behalf, and to fasten souls in
his snares. To hold the people in darkness and impenitence
till the Saviour's mediation is ended, and there is no longer
a sacrifice for sin, is the object which he seeks to accomplish.
When there is no special effort made to resist his power,
when indifference prevails in the church and the world,
Satan is not concerned ; for he is in no danger of losing those
whom he is leading captive at his will. But when the atten-
tion is called to eternal things, and souls are inquiring,
"What must I do to be saved?" he is on the ground, seek-
ing to match his power against the power of Christ, and to
counteract the influence of the Holy Spirit.
The Scriptures declare that upon one occasion, when the
angels of God came to present themselves before the Lord,
Satan came also among them,* not to bow before the Eternal
King, but to further his own malicious designs against the
righteous. With the same object he is in attendance when
men assemble for the worship of God. Though hidden
from sight, he is M^orking with all diligence to control the
minds of the worshipers. Like a skilful general, he lays
his plans beforehand. As he sees the messenger of God
searching the Scriptures, he takes note of the subject to be
'Job 1:6.
(518)
♦ SNARES OF SATAN 519
presented to the people. Then he employs all his cunning
and shrewdness so to control circumstances that the message
may not reach those whom he is deceiving on that very
point. The one who most needs the warning will he urged
into some business transaction which requires his presence,
or will by some other means be prevented from hearing the
words that might prove to him a savor of life unto life.
Again, Satan sees the Lord's servants burdened because
of the spiritual darkness that enshrouds the people. Pie
hears their earnest prayers for divine grace and power to
break the spell of indifference, carelessness, and indolence.
Then with renewed zeal he plies his arts. He tempts men
to the indulgence of appetite or to some other form of self-
gratification, and thus benumbs their sensibilities, so that
they fail to hear the very things which they most need to
learn.
Satan well knows that all whom he can lead to neglect
prayer and the searching of the Scriptures, will be overcome
by his attacks. Therefore ho invents every possible device
to engross the mind. There has ever been a class professing
godliness, who, instead of following on to know the truth,
make it their religion to seek some fault of character or
error of faith in those with whom they do not agree. Such
are Satan's right-hand helpers. Accusers of the brethren
are not few; and they are always active when God is at
work, and His servants are rendering Him true homage.
They will put a false coloring upon the words and acts of
those who love and obey the truth. They will represent
the most earnest, zealous, self-denying servants of Christ as
deceived or deceivers. It is their work to misrepresent the
motives of every true and noble deed, to circulate insinua-
tions, and arouse suspicion in the minds of the inexperi-
enced. In every conceivable manner they will seek to
cause that which is pure and righteous to be regarded as
foul and deceptive.
But none need be deceived concerning them. It may be
readily seen whose children they are, whose example tliey
520 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
follow, and whose work they do. "Ye shall know them
hy their fruits. ' ' * Their course resembles that of Satan, the
envenomed slanderer, "the accuser of our brethren."*
The great deceiver has many agents ready to present any
and every kind of error to ensnare souls, — heresies prepared
to suit the varied tastes and capacities of those whom he
would ruin. It is his plan to bring into tlie church insin-
cere, unregenerate elements that will encourage doubt and
unbelief, and liinder all who desire to see the work of God
advance, and to advance with it. Many who have no real
faith in God or in His word, assent to some principles of
truth, and pass as Christians; and thus they are enabled to
introduce their errors as scriptural doctrines.
The position that it is of no consequence what men be-
lieve, is one of Satan's most successful deceptions. He knows
that the truth, received in the love of it, sanctifies the soul
of the receiver; therefore he is constantly seeking to sub-
stitute false theories, fables, another gospel. From the be-
ginning, the servants of God have contended against false
teachers, not merely as vicious men, but as inculcators of
falsehoods that were fatal to the soul. Elijah, Jeremiah,
Paul, firmly and fearlessly opposed those who were turning
men from the word of God. That liberality which regards
a correct religious faith as unimportant, found no favor with
these holy defenders of the truth.
The vague and fanciful interpretations of Scripture, and
the many conflicting theories concerning religious faith, that
are found in the Christian world, are the work of our great
adversary, to confuse minds so that they shall not discern
the truth. And the discord and division which exist among
the churches of Christendom are in a great measure due
to the prevailing custom of wresting the Scriptures to sup-
port a favorite theory. Instead of carefully studying God's
word with humility of heart to obtain a knowledge of His
will, many seek only to discover something odd or original.
^Matt. 7:16. »Eev. 12:10.
SNARES OF SATAN 521
In order to sustain erroneous doctrines or unchristian
practices, some will seize upon passages of Scripture sep-
arated from the context, perhaps quoting half of a- single
verse as proving their point, when the remaining portion
would show the meaning to be quite the opposite. With
the cunning of the serpent, they entrench themselves behind
disconnected utterances construed to suit their carnal de-
sires. Thus do many wilfully pervert the word of God.
Others, who have an active imagination, seize upon the
figures and symbols of Holy Writ, interpret them to suit
their fancy, with little regard to the testimony of Scripture
as its own interpreter, and then they present their vagaries
as the teachings of the Bible.
Whenever the study of the Scriptures is entered upon
without a prayerful, humble, teachable spirit, the plainest
and simplest as well as the most difficult passages will be
wrested from their true meaning. The papal leaders select
such portions of Scripture as best serve their purpose, in-
terpret to suit themselves, and then present these to the
people, wliile they deny them the privilege of studying the
Bible and understanding its sacred truths for themselves.
The whole Bible should be given to the people just as it
reads. It would be better for them not to have Bible in-
struction at all, than to have the teaching of the Scriptures
thus grossly misrepresented.
The Bible was designed to be a guide to all who wish
to become acquainted with the will of their Maker. God
gave to men the sure word of prophecy; angels and even
Christ Himself came to make known to Daniel and John the
things that must shortly come to pass. Those important
matters that concern our salvation were not left involved in
mystery. They were not revealed in such a way as to per-
plex and mislead the honest seeker after truth. Said the
Lord by the prophet Ilabakkuk, "Write the vision, and
make it plain, . . . that he may run that readeth it."*
The word of God is plain to all who study it with a prayer-
»Hab. 2:2.
522 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
ful heart. Every truly honest soul will come to the light of
truth. "Light is sown for the righteous."' And no church
can advance in holiness unless its members are earnestly
seeking for truth as for hid treasure.
By the cry, Liberality, men are blinded to the devices of
their adversary, while he is all the time working steadily
for the accomplishment of his object. As he succeeds in
supplanting the Bible by human speculations, the law of
God is set aside, and the churches are under the bondage
of sin while they claim to be free.
To many, scientific research has become a curse. God
has permitted a flood of light to be poured upon the world
in discoveries in science and art; but even the* greatest
minds, if not guided by the word of God in their research,
become bewildered in their attempts to investigate the re-
lations of science and revelation.
Human knowledge of both material and spiritual things
is partial and imperfect; therefore many are unable to har-
monize their views of science with Soripture statements.
]\Iany accept mere theories and speculations as scientific
facts, and they think that God's word is to be tested by the
teachings of "science falsely so called.'" The Creator and
His works are beyond their comprehension ; and because
they cannot explain these by natural laws, Bible history is
regarded as unreliable. Those who doubt the reliability of
the records of the Old and New Testaments, too often go a
step farther, and doubt the existence of God, and attribute
infinite power to nature. Having let go their anchor, they
are left to beat about upon the rocks of infidelity.
Thus many err from the faith, and are seduced by the
devil. Men have endeavored to be wiser than their Creator;
human philosophy has attempted to search out and explain
mystenfis_ffihich^jivill_neYer be revealed, through the eternal
ages. If men would but search and understand what God
has made kno^^^l of Himself and His purposes, they would
obtain such a view of the glory, majesty, and power of
Jehovah, that they would realize their own littleness, and
»Ps. 97:11. »1 Tim. 6:20.
SNARES OF SATAN 523
would be content with that which has been revealed for
themselves and their children.
It is a masterpiece of Satan's deceptions to keep the
minds of men searching and conjecturing in regard to that
which God has not made known, and which He does not
intend that we shall understand. It was thus that Lucifer
lost his place in heaven. He became dissatisfied because all
the secrets of God's purposes were not confided to him, and
he entirely disregarded that which was revealed concerning
his own work in the lofty position assigned him. By
arousing the same discontent in the angels under his com-
mand, he caused their fall. Now he seeks to imbue the minds
of men with the same spirit, and to lead them also to dis-
regard the direct commands of God.
Those who are unwilling to accept the plain, cutting
truths of the Bible, are continually seeking for pleasing fa-
bles that will quiet the conscience. The less spiritual, self-
denying, and humiliating the doctrines presented, the greater
the favor with which they are received. These persons de-
grade the intellectual powers to serve their carnal desires.
Too wise in their own conceit to search the Scriptures with
contrition of soul and earnest prayer for divine guidance,
they have no shield from delusion. Satan is ready to supply
the heart's desire, and he palms off his deceptions in the
place of truth. It was thus that the papacy gained its
power over the minds of men; and by rejection of the truth
because it involves a cross, Protestants are following the
same path. All who neglect the word of God to study con-
venience and policy, that they may not be at variance wdth
the world, will be left to receive damnable heresy for relig-
ious truth. Every conceivable form of error will be accepted
by those who wilfully reject the truth. He who looks with
horror upon one deception will readily receive another. The
apostle Paul, speaking of a class who "received not the
love of the truth, that they might be saved," declares,
"For this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that
they, should believe a lie: that they all might be damned
524 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unright-
eousness. ' ' ' With such a warning before us, it behooves us
to be on our guard as to what doctrines we receive.
Among the most successful agencies of the great deceiver
are the delusive teachings and lying wonders of Spiritualism.
Disguised as an angel of light, he spreads his nets where
least suspected. If men would but study the Book of God
with earnest prayer that they might understand it, they
would not be left in darkness to receive false doctrines. But
as they reject the truth, they fall a prey to deception.
Another dangerous error is the doctrine that denies the
deity of Christ, claiming that He had no existence before
His advent to this world. This theory is received with favor
by a large class who profess to believe the Bible; yet it
directly contradicts the plainest statements of our Saviour
concerning His relationship with the Father, His divine
character, and His pre-existence. It cannot be entertained
without the most unwarranted wresting of the Scriptures.
It not only lowers man's conceptions of the work of redemp-
tion, ])ut undermines faith in the Bible as a revelation from
God. While this renders it the more dangerous, it makes
it also harder to meet. If men reject the testimony of the
inspired Scriptures concerning the deity of Christ, it is
in vain to argue the point with them ; for no argument,
however conclusive, could convince them. "The natural
man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God : for they
are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, be-
cause they are spiritually discerned. ' ' ^ None who hold this
error can have a true conception of the character or the
mission of Christ, or of the great plan of God for man's
redemption.
Still another subtle and mischievous error is the fast-
spreading belief that Satan has no existence as a personal
being; that the name is used in Scripture merely to rep-
resent men's evil thoughts and desires.
- ...J 2 Theas. 2 : 10-12. * 1 Cor. 2 : 14.
SNARES OF SATAN 525
The teaching so mdely echoed from popular pulpits, that
the second advent of Christ is His coming to each individual
at death, is a device to divert the minds of men from His
personal coming in the clouds of heaven. For years 8atan
has thus been saying, "Behold, He is in the secret cham-
bers ; ' " and many souls have been lost by accepting this
deception.
Again, worldly wisdom teaches that prayer is not essen-
tial. Men of science claim that there can be no real answer
to prayer; that this would be a violation of law, a miracle,
and that miracles have no existence. The universe, say they,
is governed by fixed laws, and God Himself does nothing
contrary to these laws. Thus they represent God as bound
by His own laws — as if the operation of divine laws could
exclude divine freedom. Such teaching is opposed to tll6
testimony of the Scriptures. Were not miracles wrought by
Christ and His apostles? The same compassionate Saviour
lives to-day, and He is as willing to listen to the prayer
of faith as when He walked visibly among men. The nat-
ural co-operates with the supernatural. It is a part of
God's -plan to grant us, in answer to the prayer of faith,
that which He would not bestow did we not thus ask.
Innumerable are the erroneous doctrines and fanciful
ideas that are obtaining among the churches of Cliristendom.
it is impossible to estimate the evil results of removing one
of the landmarks fixed by the word of God. Few who
venture to do this stop with the rejection of a single truth.
The majority continue to set aside one after another of the
principles of truth, until tluiy become actual infidels.
The errors of popular theology have driven many a soul
to skepticism, who might otherwise have been a believer in
the Scriptures. It is impossible for him to accept doctrines
which outrage his sense of justice, mercy, and benevolence;
and since these are represented as the teaching of the Bible,
he refuses to receive it as the word of God.
»Matt. 24:23-26.
626 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
And this is the object which Satan seeks to accomplish.
There is nothing that he desires more than to destroy con-
fidence in God and in His word. Satan stands at the head
of the great army of doubters, and he works to tlie utmost
of his power to beguile souls into his ranks. It is becoming
fashionable to doubt. There is a large class by w'hom the
word of God is looked upon with distrust for the same
reason as was its Author, — because it reproves and condemns
sin. Those who are unwilling to obey its requirements,
endeavor to overthrow its authority. They read the Bible, or
listen to its teachings as presented from the sacred desk,
merely to find fault with the Scriptures or with the sermon.
Not a few become infidels in order to justify or excuse them-
selves in neglect of duty. Others adopt skeptical principles
from pride and indolence. Too ease-loving to distinguish
themselves by accomplishing anything worthy of honor,
which requires effort and self-denial, they aim to secure a
reputation for superior wisdom by criticising the Bible.
There is much which the finite mind, unenlightened by
divine wisdom, is powerless to comprehend; and thus they
find occasion to criticise. There are many who seem to feel
that it is a virtue to stand on the side of unbelief, skepti-
cism, and infidelity. But underneath an appearance of
candor, it will be found that such persons are actuated by
self-confidence and pride. Many delight in finding some-
thing in the Scriptures to puzzle the minds of others.
Some at first criticise and reason on the wrong side, from a
mere love of controversy. They do not realize that they
are thus entangling themselves in the snare of the fowler.
But having openly expressed unbelief, they feel that they
must maintain their position. Thus they unite with tlie
ungodly, and close to themselves the gates of Paradise.
God has given in His word sufficient evidence of its divine
character. The great truths which concern our redemption
are clearly presented. By the aid of the Holy Spirit, which
is promised to all who seek it in sincerity, every man may
SNARES OF SATAN 52?
understand these truths for himself. God has granted to
men a strong foundation ujwn which to rest their faith.
Yet the finite minds of men are inadqquate fully to com-
prehend the plans and purposes of the Infinite One. We
can never by searching find out God. We must not attempt
to lift with presumptuous hand the curtain behind which
He veils His majesty. The apostle exclaims, "How un-
searchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding
out!"* We can so far comprehend His dealings with us, and
the motives by which He is actuated, that we may discern
boundless love and mercy united to infinite power. Our
Father in heaven orders everything in wisdom and right-
eousness, and we are not to be dissatisfied and distrustful,
but to bow in reverent submission. He will reveal to us
as much of His purposes as it is for our good to know, and
beyond that we must trust the Hand that is omnipotent, the
Heart that is full of love.
While God has given ample evidence for faith, He will
never remove all excuse for unbelief. All who look for
hooks to hang their doubts upon, will find them. And
those who refuse to accept and obey God's word until every
objection has been removed, and there is no longer an op-
portunity for doubt, will never come to the liglit.
Distrust of God is the natural outgrowth of the unre-
newed heart, which is at enmity with Him. But faith is
inspired by the Holy Spirit, and it will flourish only as it
is cherished. No man can become strong in faith without
a determined effort. Unbelief strengthens as it is encour-
aged; and if men, instead of dwelling upon the evidences
which God has given to sustain their faith, permit them-
selves to question and cavil, they will find their doubts con-
stantly becoming more confirmed.
(M But those who doubt God's promises, and distrust the
assurance of His grace, are dishonoring Him; and their
influence, instead of drawing others to Christ, tends to
*Rom, U;33.
528 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
repel them from Him. They are unproductive trees,, that
spread their dark branches far and wide, shutting away the
sunlight from other plants, and causing them to droop and
die under the chilling shadow. The life-work of tliese per-
sons will appear as a never-ceasing witness against them.
They are sowing seeds of doubt and skepticism that will
yield an unfailing harvest.
There is but one course for those to pursue who honestly
desire to be freed from doubts. Instead of questioning and
caviling concerning that which they do not understand, let
them give heed to the light which already shines upon
them, and the.y will receive greater light. Let them do
every duty which has been made plain to their under-
standing, and they will be enabled to understand and per-
form those of which they are now in doubt.
, Satan can present a counterfeit so closely resembling the
truth that it deceives those who are willing to be deceived,
who desire to shun the self-denial and sacrifice demanded by
the truth; but it is impossible for him to hold under his
power one soul who honestly desires, at whatever cost, to
know the truth. Christ is the truth, and the "light, which
lighteth every man that cometh into the world.'" The
Spirit of truth has been sent to guide men into all truth.
And upon the authority of the Son of God it is declared,
"Seek, and ye shall find." "If any man will do His will,
he shall know of the doctrine."^
The followers of Christ know little of the plots which
Satan and his hosts are forming against them. But He who
sitteth in the heavens will overrule all these devices for the
accomplishment of His deep designs. The Lord permits His
people to be subjected to the fiery ordeal of temptation, not
because He takes pleasure in their distress and affliction,
but because this process is essential to their final victory.
He could not, consistently with His own glory, shield them
from temptation; for the very object of the trial is to pre-
pare them to resist all the allurements of evil.
»Johii 1:9. ^Matt. 7:7; John 7:17.
SNARES OF SATAN 529
Neither wicked men nor devils can hinder the work of
God, or shut out His presence from His people, if they will,
with subdued, contrite hearts, confess and put away their
sins, and in faith claim His promises. Every temptation,
every opposing influence, whether open or secret, may be
successfully resisted, "not by might, nor by power, but by
My Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts, ' ' '
"The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and His
ears are open unto their prayers. . . . And who is he that
will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?"*
When Balaam, allured by the promise of rich rewards, prac-
tised enchantments against Israel, and by sacrifices to the
Lord sought to invoke a curse upon His people, the Spirit
of God forbade the evil which he longed to pronounce, and
Balaam was forced to exclaim : ' ' How shall I curse, whom
God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the Lord
hath not defied?" "Let me die the death of the righteous,
and let my last end be like his ! ' ' When sacrifice had
again been offered, the ungodly prophet declared: "Behold,
I have received commandment to bless : and He hath blessed ;
and I cannot reverse it. He hath not beheld iniquity in
Jacob, neither hath He seen perverseness in Israel : the Lord
his God is with him, and the shout of a King is among
them." "Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob,
neither is there any divination against Israel: according
to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, Wliat
hath God wrought!"' Yet a third time altars were erected,
and again Balaam essayed to secure a curse. But from the
unwilling lips of the prophet, the Spirit of God declared the
prosperity of His chosen, and rebuked the folly and malice
of their foes: "Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed
is he that curseth thee."*
The people of Israel were at this time loyal to God; and
so long as they continued in obedience to His law, no power
in earth or hell could prevail against them. But the curse
which Balaam had not been permitted to pronounce against
>Zech.4:6. '1 Peter 3:12, 13. » Num. 23:8, 10, 20, 21, 23; 24:9.
530 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
God's people, he finally succeeded in bringing upon them
by seducing them into sin. When they transgressed God's
commandments, then they separated themselves from Him,
and they were left to feel the power of the destroyer.
Satan is well aware that the weakest soul who abides in
Christ is more than a match for the hosts of darkness, and
that, should he reveal himself openly, he would be met and
resisted. Therefore he seeks to draw away the soldiers of
the cross from their strong fortification, while he lies in
ambush mth his forces, .ready to destroy all who venture
upon his ground. Only in humble reliance upon God, and
obedience to all His commandments, can Ave be secure.
No man is safe for a day or an hour without prayer.
Especially should we entreat the Lord for wisdom to under-
stand His word. Here are revealed the wiles of the
tempter, and the means })y which he may be successfully
resisted. Satan is an expert in quoting Scripture, placing
his own interpretation upon passages, by which he hopes
to cause us to stumble. We should study the Bible with
humility of heart, never losing sight of our dependence
upon God. While we must constantly guard against the
devices of Satan, we should pray in faith continually,
"Lead us not into temptation."
I
THE FIRST GREAT DEGEPTION-33
With the earliest history of man, Satan began his ef-
forts to deceive our race. He who had incited rebellion in
heaven, desired to bring the inhabitants of the earth to
unite with him in his warfare against the government of
God. Adam and Eve had been perfectly happy in obedience
to the law of God, and this fact was a constant testimony
against the claim which Satan had urged in heaven, that
God's law was oppressive, and opposed to the good of His
creatures. And furthermore, Satan's envy was excited as
he looked upon the beautiful home prepared for the sin-
less pair. He determined to cause their fall, that, having
separated them from God and brought them under his own
power, he might gain possession of the earth, and here es-
tablish his kingdom, in opposition to the Most High.
Had Satan revealed himself in his real character, he
would have been repulsed at once, for Adam and Eve had
been warned against this dangerous foe; but he worked in
the dark, concealing his purpose, that he might more effect-
ually accomplish his object. Employing as his medium the
serpent, then a creature of fascinating appearance, he ad-
dressed himself to Eve, "Hath God said, Ye shall not eat
of every tree of the garden?"^ Had Eve refrained from
entering into argument with the tempter, she would have
been safe; but she ventured to parley with him, and fell a
'Gen. 3:1.
(531)
532 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
victim to his wiles. It is thus that many are still overcome.
They doubt and argue concerning the requirements of God;
and instead of obeying the divine commands, they accept
human theories, which but disguise the devices of Satan.
"The M^oman said unto the serpent. We may eat of the
fruit of the trees of the garden: but of the fruit of the
tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said. Ye
shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And
the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your
eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good
and evil."' He declared that they would become like God,
possessing greater Avisdom than before, and being capable
of a higher state of existence. Eve yielded to temptation;
and through her influence, Adam was led into sin. They
accepted the words of the serpent, that God did not mean
what He said; tli^y distrusted their Creator, and imagined
that He was restricting their liberty, and that they might
obtain great wisdom and exaltation by transgressing His law.
But what did Adam, after liis sin, find to be the meaning
of the words, "In the day that thou eatest thereof thou
slialt surely die"? Did he find them to mean, as Satan had
led him to believe, that he was to be ushered into a more
exalted state of existence? Then indeed there was great
good to be gained by transgression, and Satan was proved
to be a benefactor of tlie race. But Adam did not find
this to be the meaning of the divine sentence. God de^
clared tliat as a penalty for his sin, man should return to
the ground whence he was taken: "Dust thou art, and unto
dust shalt thou return. ' ' " The words of Satan, ' ' Your eyes
shall be opened," proved to be true in this sense only:
After Adam and Eve had disobeyed God, their eyes were
opened to discern their folly; they did know evil, and they
tasted the bitter fruit of transgression.
In the midst of Eden grew the tree of life, whose fruit
had the power of perpetuating life. Had Adam remained
* Gen. 3:2-5. 'Gen. 3:19.
.,^00
THE FIRST GREAT DECEPTION
obedient to God, he would have continued to enjoy free
access to this tree, and would have lived forever. But when
he sinned, he was cut off from partaking of the tree of life,
and he became subject to death. The divine sentence, "Dust
thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return," points to the
utter extinction of life.
Immortality, promised to man on condition of obedience,
had been forfeited by transgression. Adam could not trans-
mit to his posterity that which he did not possess; and there
could have been no hope for the fallen race had not God,
by the sacrifice of His Son, brought immortality within their
reach. While "death passed upon all men, for that all
have sinned," Christ "hath brought life and immortality
to light through the gospel. ' ' * And only through Christ
can immortality be obtained. Said Jesus, "He that believeth
on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not
the Son shall not see life. "^ Every man may come into
possession of this priceless blessing if he will comply with
the conditions. All "who by patient continuance in well
doing seek for glory and honor and immortality," will re-
ceive "eternal life."*
The only one who promised Adam life in disobedience
was the great deceiver. And the declaration of the serpent
to Eve in Eden, — "Ye shall not surely die," — was the first
sermon ever preached upon the immortality of the soul.
Yet this declaration, resting solely upon the authority of
Satan, is echoed from the pulpits of Christendom, and is re-
ceived by the majority of mankind as readily as it was
received by our first parents. The divine sentence, "The
soul that sinneth, it shall die,"* is made to mean. The soul
that sinneth, it shall not die, but live eternally. We cannot
but wonder at the strange infatuation which renders men
so credulous concerning the words of Satan, and so unbe-
lieving in regard to the words of God.
Had man, after his fall, been allowed free access to the
tree of life, he would have lived forever, and thus sin
»Rom. 5:12j 2 Tim. 1:10. »John 3:36. »Rom. 2:7.
•Eze. 18:20.
534 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
would have been immortalized. But cherubim and a flaming
sword kept ' ' the way of the tree of life, ' ' ' and not one of
the family of Adam lias been permitted to pass that bar-
rier and partake of the life-giving fruit. Therefore there is
not an immortal sinner.
But after the fall, Satan bade his angels make a special
effort to inculcate the belief in man's natural immortality;
and having induced the people to receive this error, they
were to lead them on to conclude that the sinner would live
in eternal misery. Now the prince of darkness, working
through his agents, represents God as a revengeful tyrant,
declaring that lie plunges into hell all those who do not
please Ilim, and causes them ever to feel Ilis wrath; and
that while they suffer unutterable anguish, and writhe in
the eternal flames, their Creator looks down upon them with
satisfaction.
Thus the arch-fiend clothes with his own attributes the
Creator and Benefactor of mankind. Cruelty is satanic.
God is love; and all that He created was pure, holy, and
lovely, until sin was brought in by the first great rebel.
Satan himself is the enemy who tempts man to sin, and
then destroys him if he can ; and when he has made sure
of his victim, then he exults in the ruin he has wrought.
If permitted, he would sweep the entire race into his net.
Were it not for the interposition of divine power, not one
son or daughter of Adam would escape.
Satan is seeking to overcome men to-day, as he overcame
our first parents, by shaking their confidence in their Crea-
tor, and leading them to doubt the wisdom of His govern-
ment and the justice of His laws. Satan and his emissaries
represent God as even worse than themselves, in order to
justify their own malignity and rebellion. The great de-
ceiver endeavors to shift his own horrible cruelty of char-
acter upon our heavenly Father, that he may cause himself
to appear as one greatly wronged by his expulsion from
heaven because he would not submit to so unjust a governor.
'Gen. 3:24. , -. '
THE FIRST GREAT DECEPTION 535
He presents before the world the liberty which they may
enjoy under his mild sway, in contrast with the bondage
imposed by the stern decrees of Jehovah. Thus he succeeds
in luring souls away from their allegiance to God.
How repugnant to every emotion of love and mercy, and
even to our sense of justice, is the doctrine that the wicked
dead are tormented witli fire and brimstone in an eternally
burning hell; that for the sins of a brief earthly life they
are to suffer torture as long as God shall live. Yet this
doctrine has been widely taught, and is still embodied in
many of the creeds of Christendom. Said a learned doctor
of divinity: "The sight of hell-torments will exalt the hap-
piness of the saints forever. When they see others who are
of the same nature and born under the same circumstances,
plunged in such misery, and they so distinguished, it will
make them sensible of how happy they are." Another used
these words: "While the decree of reprobation is eternally
executing on the vessels of wrath, the smoke of their tor-
ment will be eternally ascending in view of the vessels of
mercy, who, instead of taking the part of these miserable
objects, will say. Amen, Alleluia! praise ye the Lord!"
Where, in the pages of God's word, is such teaching to be
found? Will the redeemed in heaven be lost to all emo-
tions of pity and compassion, and even to feelings of common
humanity? Are these to be exchanged for the indifference
of the stoic, or the cruelty of the savage? No, no; such is
not the teaching of the Book of God. Those who present
the views expressed in the ((uotations given above may be
learned and even honest men ; but they are deluded by the
sophistry of Satan. He leads them to misconstrue strong
expressions of Scripture, giving to the language the coloring
of bitterness and malignity which pertains to himself, but
not to our Creator. "As I live, saith the Lord God, I have
no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked
turn from his way and live : turn ye, turn ye from your
evil ways ; for why will ye die ? " '
»Eze. 33:11.
536 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
What would be gained to God should we admit that He
delights in witnessing unceasing tortures; that He is regaled
with the groans and shrieks and imprecations of the suf-
fering creatures whom He holds in the flames of hell? Can
these horrid sounds be music in the ear of Infinite Love?
It is urged that the infliction of endless misery upon the
wicked would show God's hatred of sin as an evil which is
ruinous to the peace and order of the universe. Oh, dread-
ful blasphemy ! As if God 's hatred of sin is the reason why
it is perpetuated. For, according to the teachings of these
theologians, continued torture without hope of mercy mad-
dens its wretched victims, and as they pour out their rage
in curses and blasphemy, they are forever augmenting their
load of guilt. God's glory is not enhanced by thus per-
petuating continually increasing sin through ceaseless ages.
It is beyond the power of tlie human mind to estimate
the evil which has been wrought by the heresy of eternal
torment. The religion of tlie Bible, full of love and good-
ness, and abounding in compassi(m, is darkened by super-
stition and clothed with terror. When we consider in what
false colors Satan has painted the character of God, can we
wonder that our merciful Creator is feared, dreaded, and
even hated? The appalling views of God which have spread
over the world from the teachings of the pulpit have made
thousands, yes, millions, of skeptics and infldels.
The theory of eternal torment is one of the false doc-
trines that constitute the wine of the abominations of Baby-
lon, of which she makes all nations drink.' That ministers
of Christ should have accepted this heresy and proclaimed it
from the sacred desk, is indeed a mystery. They received
it from Rome, as they received the false sabbath. True,
it has been taught by great and good men; but the light
on this subject had not come to them as it has come to us.
They were responsible only for the light which shone in
their time; we are accountable for that which shines in our
day. If we turn from the testimony of God's word, and
»Eev. 14:8; 17:2.
I
THE FIRST GREAT DECEPTION 537
accept false doctrines because our fathers taught them, we
fall under the condemnation pronounced upon Babylon;
we are drinking of the wine of her abominations.
A large class to whom the doctrine of eternal torment is
revolting, are driven to the opposite error. They see that
the Scriptures represent God as a being of love and com-
passion, and they cannot believe that He will consign His
creatures to the fires of an eternally burning hell. But
holding that the soul is naturally immortal, they see no
alternative but to conclude that all mankind will finally be
saved. Many regard the threatenings of the Bible as de-
signed merely to frighten men into obedience, and not to be
literally fulfilled. Thus the sinner can live in selfish
pleasure, disregarding the requirements of God, and yet
expect to be finally received into His favor. Such a doc-
trine, presuming upon God's mercy, but ignoring His jus-
tice, pleases the carnal heart, and emboldens tlio wcked in
their iniquity.
To show how believers in universal salvation wrest the
Scriptures to sustain their soul-destroying dogmas, it is
needful only to cite their own utterances. At the funeral
of an irreligious young man, who had been killed instantly
by an accident, a Universalist minister selected as his text
the Scripture statement concerning David, "He was com-
forted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead. ' ' *
* ' I am frequently asked, ' ' said the speaker, ' ' what will be
the fate of those who leave the world in sin, die, perhaps,
in a state of inebriation, die with the scarlet stains of crime
unwashed from their robes, or die as this young man died,
having never made a profession or enjoyed an experience
of religion. We are content with the Scriptures; their
answer shall solve the awful problem. Amnon was exceed-
ingly sinful; he was unrepentant, he was made drunk, and
while drunk was killed. David was a prophet of God; he
must have known whether it would be ill or well for Amnon
in the world to come. What were the expressions of his
»2 Sam. 13:39.
538 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
heart? 'The soul of King David longed to go forth unto
Absalom: for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing
he was dead.'
"And what is the inference to be deduced from this
language? Is it not that endless suffering formed no part
of his religious belief? So we conceive; and here we dis-
cover a triumphant argument in support of the more
pleasing, more enlightened, more benevolent hypothesis of
ultimate universal purity and peace. He was comforted, see-
ing his son was dead. And why so? Because by the eye of
prophecy he could look forward into the glorious future,
and see that son far removed from all temptations, released
from the bondage and purified from the corruptions of sin,
and after being made sufficiently holy and enlightened,
admitted to the assembly of ascended and rejoicing spirits.
His only comfort was, that in being removed from the pres-
ent state of sin and suffering, his beloved son had gone where
the loftiest breathings of the Holy Spirit would be shed
upon his darkened soul; where his mind would be unfolded
to the wisdom of heaven and the sweet raptures of im-
mortal love, and thus prepared with a sanctified nature to
enjoy the rest and society of the heavenly inheritance.
"In these thoughts we would be understood to believe
that the salvation of heaven depends upon nothing which
we can do in this life; neither upon a present change of
heart, nor upon present belief, or a present profession of
religion. ' '
Thus does the professed minister of Christ reiterate the
falsehood uttered by the serpent in Eden, "Ye shall not
surely die." "In the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes
shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods." He declares
that the vilest of sinners, — the murderer, the thief, and
the adulterer, — will after death be prepared to enter into
immortal bliss.
And from what does this perverter of the Scriptures
draw his conclusions? From a single sentence expressing
THE FTEST GREAT DECEPTION 639
David's submission to the dispensation of Providence. His
soul "longed to go forth unto Absalom: for he was com-
forted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead." The
poignancy of his grief having been softened by time, his
thoughts turned from the dead to the living son, self-
banished through fear of the just punishment of his crime.
And this is the evidence that the incestuous, drunken
Amnon was at death immediately transported to the abodes
of bliss, there to be purified and prepared for the compan-
ionship of sinless angels! A pleasing fable indeed, well
suited to gratify the carnal heart ! This is Satan 's own
doctrine, and it does his work effectually. Should we be
surprised that, with such instruction, wickedness abounds?
The course pursued by this one false teacher illustrates
that of many others. A few words of Scripture are sep-
arated from the context, which would, in many cases, show
their meaning to be exactly opposite to the interpretation
put upon them; and such disjointed passages are perverted
and used in proof of doctrines that have "no foundation in
the word of God. The testimony cited as evidence that the
drunken Amnon is in heaven, is a mere inference, directly
contradicted by the plain and positive statement of the
Scriptures, that no drunkard shall inherit the kingdom of
God.' It is thus that doubters, unbelievers, and skeptics
turn the truth into a lie. And multitudes have been de-
ceived by their sophistry, and rocked to sleep in the cradle
of carnal security.
I If it were true that the souls of all men passed directly
to heaven at the hour of dissolution, then we might well
covet death rather than life. ]\Iany have been led by this
belief to put an end to their existence. When overwhelmed
with trouble, perplexity, and disappointment, it seems an
easy thing to break the brittle thread of life, and soar away
into the bliss of the eternal world.
God has given in His word decisive evidence that He will
punish the transgressors of His law. Those who flatter
'1 Cor. 6:10.
540 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
themselves that He is too merciful to execute justice upon
the sinner, have only to look to the cross of Calvary. The
death of the spotless Son of God testifies that "the wages
of sin is death," that every violation of God's law must
receive its just retribution. Christ the sinless became sin
for man. He bore the guilt of transgression, and the hiding
of His Father's face, until His heart was broken and His
life crushed out. All this sacrifice was made that sinners
might be redeemed. In no other way could man be freed
from the penalty of sin. And every soul that refuses to
become a partaker of the atonement provided at such a
cost, must bear in his own person the guilt and punish-
ment of transgression.
Let us consider what the Bible teaches further concern-
ing the ungodly and unrepentant, whom the Universalist
places in heaven as holy, happy angels.
"I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of
the water of life freely.'" This promise is only to those
that thirst. None but those who feel their need of the water
of life, and seek it at the loss of all things else, will be
supplied. "He that overcometh shall inherit all things;
and I will be his God, and he shall be My son."' Here,
also, conditions are specified. In order to inherit all things,
we must resist and overcome sin.
The Lord declares by the prophet Isaiah, "Say ye to the
righteous, that it shall be well with him." "Woe unto the
wicked ! it sliall be ill with him : for the reward of his hands
shall be given him."' "Though a sinner do evil a hundred
times," says the wise man, "and his days be prolonged, yet
surely I know that it shall be well Avith them that fear God,
which fear before Him: but it shall not be well with the
wicked.''" And Paul testifies that the sinner is treasuring
up unto himself "wrath against the day of wrath and reve-
lation of the righteous judgment of God, who will render
to every man according to his deeds;" "tribulation and
anguish upon every soul of man that doeth evil. ' ' *
'Rev. 21:6, 7. * Isa.. 3:10, 11. " Eccl. 8:12,13. * Rom. 2:5,6,9.
I
THE FIRST GREAT DECEPTION 541
''No fornicator, nor unclean person, nor covetous man,
who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom
of Christ and God."* ''Follow peace with all men, and
holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. ' ' '
"Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they
may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through
the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers,
and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and who-
soever loveth and maketh a lie. ' ' '
God has given to men a declaration of His character, and
of His method of dealing with sin. "The Lord God, mer-
ciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness
and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity
and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear
the guilty."* "All the wicked will He destroy." "The
transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the
wicked shall be cut off."" The power and authority of the
divine government will be employed to put down rebellion;
yet all the manifestations of retributive justice will be per-
fectly consistent with the character of God as a merciful,
long-suffering, benevolent being.
God does not force the, will or judgment of any. He
takes no pleasure in a slavish obedience. He desires that the
creatures of His hands shall love Him because He is w^orthy
of love. He would have them obey Him because they have
an intelligent appreciation of His wisdom, justice, and be-
nevolence. And all Avho have a just conception of these
qualities will love Him because they are drawn toward
Him in admiration of His attributes.
The principles of kindness, mercy, and love, taught and
exemplified by our Saviour, are a transcript of the will and
character of God. Christ declared that He taught nothing
except that which He had received from His Father. The
principles of the divine government are in perfect harmony
with the Saviour's precept, "Love your enemies." God
executes justice upon the wicked, for the good of the uni-
»Eph. 5:5, A.E. V. ' Heb. 12:14. « Rev. 22:14, 15.
*Ex. 34:6, 7. »Ps. 145:20; 37:38.
542 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
verse, and even for the good of those upon Avhom His
judgments are visited. He would make them happy if He
could do so in accordance with the laws of His government
and the justice of His character. He surrounds them with
the tokens of His love, He grants them a knowledge of
His law, and follows them with the offers of His mercy;
but they despise His love, make void His law, and reject
His mercy. While constantly receiving His gifts, they dis-
honor the Giver; they hate God because they knoAv that He
abhors their sins. The Lord bears long with their per-
versity; bat the decisive hour will come at last, when their
destiny is to be decided. Will He then chain these rebels
to His side? Will He force them to do His will?
Those who have chosen Satan as their leader, and have
been controlled by his power, are not prepared to enter the
presence of God. Pride, deception, licentiousness, cruelty,
have become fixed in their characters. Can they enter
heaven, to dwell forever with those whom they despised
and hated on earth? Truth will never be agreeable to a
liar; meekness will not satisfy self-esteem and pride; purity
is not acceptable to the corrupt; disinterested love does not
appear attractive to the selfish. What source of enjoj'ment
could heaven offer to those who are wholly absorbed in
earthly and selfish interests?
Could those whose lives have been spent in rebellion
against God be suddenly transported to heaven, and witness
the high, the holy state of perfection that ever exists there, —
every soul filled with love, every countenance beaming with
joy, enrapturing music in melodious strains rising in honor
of God and the Lamb, and ceaseless streams of light flow-
ing upon tlie redeemed from the face of Him who sitteth
upon the throne, — could those whose hearts are filled with
hatred of God, of truth and holiness, mingle "with the
heavenly throng and join their songs of praise? Could they
endure the glory of God and the Lamb? No, no; years of
probation were granted them, that they might form char-
THE FIRST GREAT DECEPTION 543
acters for heaven; but they have never trained the mind to
love purity; they have never learned the language of
heaven, and now it is too late. A life of rebellion against
God has unfitted them for heaven. Its purity, holiness, and
peace would be torture to them; the glory of God would be
a consuming fire. They would long to llee from that holy
place. They would welcome destruction, that they might
be hidden from the face of Him who died to redeem them.
The destiny of the wicked is fixed by their own choice.
Their exclusion from heaven is voluntary with themselves,
and just and merciful on the part of God.
Like the waters of the flood, the fires of the great day
declare God's verdict that the wicked are incurable. They
have no disposition to submit to divine authority. Their
will has been exercised in revolt; and when life is ended,
it is too late to turn the current of their thoughts in the
opposite direction, too late to turn from transgression to
obedience, from hatred to love.
In sparing the life of Cain the murderer, God gave the
world an example of what would be the result of per-
mitting the sinner to live, to continue a course of unbridled
iniquity. Through the influence of Cain's teaching and ex-
ample, multitudes of his descendants were led into sin,
until "the wickedness of man was great in the earth," and
"every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only
evil continually." "The earth also was corrupt before God,
and the earth was filled with violence. ' ' '
In mercy to tlie world, God blotted out its wicked in-
habitants in Noah's time. In mercy, He destroyed the
corrupt dwellers in Sodom. Tlirough the deceptive power
of Satan, the workers of iniquity obtain sympathy and
admiration, and are thus constantly leading others to re-
bellion. It was so in Cain's and in Noah's day, and in the
time of Abraham and Lot; it is so in our time. It is in
mercy to the universe that God will finally destroy the
rejecters of His grace.
'Gen. 6:5, 11,
544 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
''The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eter-
nal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. ' ' * "While life is
the inheritance of the righteous, death is the portion of the
wicked, Moses declared to Israel, "I have set before thee
this day life and good, and death and evil.'"' The death
referred to in these scriptures is not that pronounced upon
Adam, for all mankind suffer the penalty of his trans-
gression. It is the "second death" that is placed in con-
trast with everlasting life.
In consequence of Adam's sin, death passed upon the
whole human race. All alike go down into the grave.
And through the provisions of the plan of salvation, all
are to be brought ' forth from their graves. ' ' There shall
be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust;" ^
"for as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be
made alive. ' ' * But a distinction is made between the two
classes that are brought forth. "All that are in the graves
shall hear His voice, and shall come forth; they that have
done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that
have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation."'
They who have been "accounted worthy" of the resurrec-
tion of life, are "blessed and holy." "On such the second
death hath no power. " " But those who have not, through
repentance and faith, secured pardon, must receive the
penalty of transgression, — "the wages of sin." They suffer
punishment varying in duration and intensity, "according
to their works," but finally ending in the second death.
Since it is impossible for God, consistently with His justice
and mercy, to save the sinner in his sins, He deprives him
of the existence which his transgressions have forfeited,
and of which he has proved himself unworthy. Says an
inspired writer, "Yet a little while, and the wicked shall
not be : yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and
it shall not be." And another declares, "They shall be as
^Eom. 6:23. =*Deut. 30:15. ^Acts 24:15. *1 Cor. 15:22.
"John 5:28, 29. •Rev. 20:6.
THE FIRST GREAT DECEPTION 545
though they had not been. ' ' * Covered with infamy, they
sink into hopeless, eternal oblivion.
Thus will be made an end of sin, with all the woe and
ruin which have resulted from it. Says the psalmist : ' ' Thou
hast destroyed the wicked, Thou hast put out their name
forever and ever. thou enemy, destructions are come to
a perpetual end. "^ John, in the Revelation, looking for-
ward to the eternal state, hears a universal anthem of
praise, undisturbed ])y one note of discord. Every creature
in heaven and earth was heard ascribing glory to God.*
There will then be no lost souls to blaspheme God, as they
writhe in never-ending torment; no wretched beings in hell
will mingle their shrieks with the songs of the saved.
Upon the fundamental error of natural immortality rests
the doctrine of consciousness in death, — a doctrine, like
eternal torment, opposed to the teachings of the Scriptures,
to the dictates of reason, and to our feelings of humanity.
According to the popular belief, the redeemed in heaven are
acquainted with all that takes place on the earth, and es-
pecially with the lives of the friends whom they have left
behind. But how could it be a source of happiness to the
dead to know the troubles of the living, to witness the sins
committed by their own loved ones, and to see them endur-
ing all the sorrows, disappointments, and anguish of life?
How much of heaven's bliss would be enjoyed by those
who were hovering over their friends on earth? And how
utterly revolting is the belief that as soon as the breath
leaves the body, the soul of the impenitent is consigned to
the flames of hell ! To what depths of anguish must those
be plunged who see their friends passing to the grave un-
prepared, to enter upon an eternity of woe and sin ! Many
have been driven to insanity by this harrowing thought. '•
What say the Scriptures concerning tiiese tilings? David
declares that man is not conscious in death, "llis breath
goetli forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his
thoughts perish."* Solomon bears the same testimony:
'Pa. 37:10; Obadiah 16. =Ps. 9:5, 6. "Rev. 5:13. * Ps. 146:4.
18— O.C.
546 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
"The living know that they shall die: but the dead know
not anything." "Their love, and their hatred, and their
envy, is now perished ; neither have they any more a por-
tion forever in anything that is done under the sun."
"There is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom,
in the grave, whither thou goest."*
When, in answer to his prayer, Hezekiah's life was pro-
longed fifteen years, the grateful king rendered to God a
tribute of praise for His great mercy. In this song he tells
the reason why he thus rejoices: "The grave cannot praise
Thee, death cannot celebrate Thee: they that go down into
the pit cannot hope for Thy truth. The living, the living,
he shall praise Thee, as I do this day. ' ' ' Popular theology
represents the righteous dead as in heaven, entered into
bliss, and praising God with an immortal tongue; but
Hezekiah could see no such glorious prospect in death.
With his words agrees the testimony of the psalmist: "In
death there is no remembrance of Thee : in the grave who
shall give Thee thanks?" "The dead praise not the Lord,
neither any that go down into silence. ' ' '
Peter, on the day of Pentecost, declared that the patri-
arch David "is both dead and buried, and his sepulcher is
with us unto this day." "For David is not ascended into
the heavens."* The fact that David remains in the grave
until the resurrection, proves that the righteous do not go
to heaven at death. It is only tlirough the resurrection,
and by virtue of the fact that Christ has risen, that David
can at last sit at the right hand of God.
And said Paul: "If the dead rise not, then is not Christ
raised: and if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye
are yet in your sins. Tlien they also which are fallen asleep
in Christ are perished. " " If for four thousand years the
righteous had gone directly to heaven at death, how could
Paul have said that if there is no resurrection, "they which
»Eccl. 9:5,6, 10. « Isa. 38:18, 19. ' Ps. 6:5; 115:17.
*Act8 2:29,34. *1 Cor, 15:16-18.
THE FIRST GREAT DECEPTION 547
are fallen asleep in Christ are perished"? No resurrection
would be necessary.
The martyr Tyndale, referring to the state of the dead,
declared: "I confess openly, that I am not persuaded that
they be already in the full glory that Christ is in, or the
elect angels of God are in. Neither is it any article of my
faith; for if it were so, I see not but then the preaching of
the resurrection of the flesh were a thing in vain.'"
It is an undeniable fact that the hope of immortal bless-
edness at death has led to wide-spread neglect of the Bible
doctrine of the resurrection. This tendency was remarked
by Dr. Adam Clarke, who said: "The doctrine of the resur-
rection appears to have been thought of much more con-
sequence among the primitive Christians than it is 7iow!
How is this? The apostles were continually insisting on
it, and exciting the followers of God to diligence, obedi-
ence, and cheerfulness through it. And their successors
in the present day seldom mention it ! So apostles preached,
and so primitive Christians believed ; so we preach, and
so our hearers believe. There is not a doctrine in the gos-
pel on which more stress is laid ; and there is not a doctrine
in the present system of preaching which is treated with
more neglect!"*
This has continued until the glorious truth of the res-
urrection has been almost M'holly obscured, and lost sight
of by the Christian world. Thus a leading religious writer,
commenting on the words of Paul in 1 Thess. 4 : 13-18,
says: "For all practical purposes of comfort the doctrine
of the blessed immortality of the righteous takes the place
for us of any doubtful doctrine of the Lord's second
coming. At our death the Lord comes for us. That is
what we are to wait and watch for. The dead are already
passed into glory. They do not wait for the trump for
their judgment and blessedness."
•Tyndale, Wm., Preface to "New Testament" (ed. 1534). Reprinted in
, "British Reformers— Tindal, Frith, Barnes," p. 349 (ed. 1830).
■Commentary on the New Testament, Vol. II, general comments
''"' on 1 Corinthians 15, par. 3.
548 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
But when about to leave His disciples, Jesus did not tell
them that they would soon come to Him. "I go to prepare
a place for you," He said. "And if I go and prepare a
place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto My-
self. ' ' ' And Paul tells us, further, that ' ' the Lord Himself
shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the
Archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in
Christ shall rise first : then we which are alive and remain
shall be caught up together Avith them in the clouds, to meet
the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the
Lord." And he adds, "Comfort one another with these
Avords. ' ' " How wide the contrast between these words ot
comfort and those of the Universalist minister previously
quoted. The latter consoled the bereaved friends with the
assurance, that, however sinful the dead might have been,
when he breathed out his life here he was to be received
among the angels. Paul points his brethren to the future
coming of the Lord, when the fetters of the tomb shall
be broken, and the "dead in Christ" shall be raised to
eternal life.
Before any can enter the mansions of the blest, their
cases must be investigated, and their characters and their
deeds must pass in review before God. All are to be judged
according to the things written in the books, and to be
rewarded as their works have been. This judgment does
not take place at death. Mark the words of Paul: "He
hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world
in righteousness by that Man whom He hath ordained;
whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He
hath raised Him from the dead. ' ' ^ Here the apostle plainly
stated that a specified time, then future, had been fixed
upon for the judgment of the world.
Jude refers to the same period: "The angels which kept
not their first estate, but left their own habitation. He hath
reserved in everlasting chains imder darkness unto the
judgment of the great day." And again he quotes the
words of Enoch: "Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thou-
^ John 14:2, 3. ^ 1 Thess. 4:16-18. "Acts 17:31.
THE FIRST GREAT DECEPTION 549
sands of Hi,s saints, to execute judgment upon all."* John
declares that he "saw the dead, small and great, stand before
God; and the books were opened; . . . and the dead were
judged out of those things which were written in the
books. ' ' ■
But if the dead are already enjoying the bliss of heaven
or writhing in the flames of hell, what need of a future
judgment? The teachings of God's word on these impor-
tant points are neither obscure nor contradictory; they
may be understood by common minds. But what candid
mind can see either wisdom or justice in the current theory?
"Will the righteous, after the investigation of their cases at
the judgment, receive the conunendation, "Well done, thou
good and faithful servant, . . . enter thou into the joy of
thy Lord, ' ' ' when they have been dwelling in His pres-
ence, perhaps for long ages? Are the wicked summoned
from the place of torment to receive the sentence from the
Judge of all the earth, "Depart from Me, ye cursed, into
everlasting fire"?' Oh, solemn mockery! shameful impeach-
ment of the wisdom and justice of God !
The theory of the immortality of the soul was one of
those false doctrines that Rome, borrowing from paganism,
incorporated into the religion of Christendom. Martin
Luther classed it with the "monstrous fables that form part
of the Roman dunghill of decretals."' Commenting on the
words of Solomon in Ecclesiastes, tliat the dead know not
anything, the Reformer says: "Another place proving that
the dead have no . . . feeling. There is, saith he, no duty,
no science, no knowledge, no wisdom there. Solomon judg-
eth that the dead are asleep, and feel nothing at all. For
the dead lie there, accounting neither days nor years, but
when they are awaked, they shall seem to have slept scarce
one minute." ^
Nowhere in the Sacred Scriptures is found the statement
that the righteous go to their reward or the wicked to their
' Jude 6, 14, 15. 'Rev. 20:12. 'Matt. 25:21, 41.
*Petavel, E., "The Problem of Immortality," p. 255 (ed. 1892).
•Luther's "Exposition of Solomon's Booke Called Ecclesiastes,"
p. 152 (ed. 1573, London).
550 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
punishment at death. The patriarchs and prophets have
left no such assurance. Christ and His apostles have given
no hint of it. The Bible clearly teaches that the dead do
not go immediately to heaven. They are represented as
sleeping until the resurrection.* In the very day when the
silver cord is loosed and the golden bowl broken,^ man's
thoughts perish. They that go down to the grave are in
silence. They know no more of anything that is done under
the sun.' Blessed rest for the weary righteous! Time, be
it long or short, is but a moment to them. They sleep ; they
are awakened by the trump of God to a glorious immor-
tality. "For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be
raised incorruptible. ... So when this corruptible shall
have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put
on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying
that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory."* As
they are called forth from their deep slumber, they begin
to think just where they ceased. The last sensation was
the pang of death, the last thought that they were falling
beneath the power of the grave. When they arise from the
tomb, their first glad thought will be echoed in the tri-
umphal shout, "0 death, where is thy sting? grave,
where is thy \'ictory?"*
»1 Thess. 4:14; Job H: 10-12. ^Eecl. 12:6. 'Job 14:21.
*1 Cor. 15:52-55.
SPIRITUALISM -34
The ministration of holy angels, as presented in the
Scriptures, is a truth most comforting and precious to every
follower of Christ. But the Bible teaching upon this point
has been obscured and perverted by the errors of popular
theology. The doctrine of natural immortality, first bor-
rowed from the pagan philosophy, and in the darkness of
the great apostasy incorporated into the Christian faith,
has supplanted the truth, so plainly taught in Scripture,
that "the dead know not anything." Multitudes have come
to believe that it is the spirits of the dead who are the
"ministering spirits sent forth to minister for them who
shall be heirs of salvation." And this notwithstanding the
testimony of Scripture to the existence of heavenly angels,
and their connection with the history of man, before the
death of a human being.
The doctrine of man's consciousness in death, especially
the belief that the spirits of the dead return to minister to
the living, has prej)ared the way for modern Spiritualism.
If the dead are admitted to the presence of God and holy
angels, and privileged with knowledge far exceeding what
they before possessed, why should they not return to the
earth to enlighten and instruct the living? If, as taught
by popular theologians, the spirits of the dead are hovering
about their friends on earth, why should they not be per-
mitted to communicate with them, to warn them against
(551)
552 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
evil, or to comfort them in sorrow? How can those who
believe in man's consciousness in death reject what comes
to them as divine light communicated by glorified spirits?
Here is a channel regarded as sacred, through which Satan
works for the accomplishment of his purposes. The fallen
angels who do his bidding appear as messengers from the
spirit world. While professing to bring the living into
communication with the dead, the prince of evil exercises
his bewitching influence upon their minds.
He has power to bring before men the appearance of
their departed friends. The counterfeit is perfect ; the famil-
iar look, the words, the tone, are reproduced with marvelous
distinctness. Many are comforted with the assurance that
their loved ones are enjoying the bliss of heaven; and
without suspicion of danger, they give ear to "seducing
spirits, and doctrines of devils."
When they have been led to believe that the dead actu-
ally return to communicate wdth them, Satan causes those
to appear who went into tlie grave unprepared. They claim
to be happy in heaven, and even to occupy exalted posi-
tions there ; and thus the error is widely taught, that no
difference is made between the righteous and the wicked.
The pretended visitants from the world of spirits sometimes
utter cautions and warnings which prove to be correct.
Then, as confidence is gained, they present doctrines that
directly undermine faith in the Scriptures. With an ap-
pearance of deep interest in the well-being of their friends
on earth, they insinuate the most dangerous errors. The
fact that they state some truths, and are able at times to
foretell future events, gives to their statements an appear-
ance of reliability; and their false teachings are accepted
by the multitudes as readily, and believed as implicitly, as
if they were the most sacred truths of the Bible. The law
of God is set aside, the Spirit of grace despised, the blood
of the covenant counted an unholy thing. The spirits deny
the deity of Christ, and place pven the Creator on a level
with themselves. Thus under a new disguise the great rebel
SPIRITUALISM 553
still carries on his warfare against God, bogun in heaven,
and for nearly six thousand years continued upon the earth.
Many endeavor to account for spiritual manifestations
by attributing them wholly to fraud and sleight of hand on
the part of the medium. But while it is true that the re-
sults of trickery have often been palmed off as genuine
manifestations, there have been, also, marked exhibitions
of supernatural power. The mysterious rapping with which
modern Spiritualism began was not the result of human
trickery or cunning, but was the direct work of evil angels,
who thus introduced one of the most successful of soul-
destroying delusions. Many will be ensnared through the
belief that Spiritualism is a merely human imposture;
when brought face to face with manifestations which they
cannot but regard as supernatural, they will be deceived,
and will be led to accept them as the great power of God.
These persons overlook the testimony of the Scriptures
concerning the wonders wrought by Satan and his agents.
It was by satanic aid that Pharaoh's magicians were en-
abled to counterfeit the work of God. Paul testifies that
before the second advent of Christ there will be similar
manifestations of satanic power. The coming of the Lord
is to be preceded by "the working of Satan with all power
and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness
of unrighteousness."^ And the apostle John, describing the
miracle-working power that will be manifested in the last
days, declares: "He doolh great wonders, so that he maketh
fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight
of men, and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by
the means of those miracles which he had power to do. "^
No mere impostures arc here foretold. Men are deceived
by the miracles which Satan's agents have power to do, not
which they pretend to do.
The prince of darkness, wlio has so long bent the powers
of his master-mind to the -work of deception, skilfully adapts
his temptations to men of all classes and conditions. To per-
»2 Theas. 2:9, 10. ^'Rev. 13:13, 14.
554 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
sons of culture and refinement he presents Spiritualism in
its more refined and intellectual aspects, and thus succeeds
in drawing many into his snare. The wisdom which Spir-
itualism imparts is that described by the apostle James,
which "descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual,
devilish."^ This, however, the great deceiver conceals, when
concealment will best suit his purpose. He who could ap-
pear clothed with the brightness of the heavenly seraphs
before Christ in the wilderness of temptation, comes to men
in the most attractive manner, as an angel of light. He
appeals to the reason by the presentation of elevating
themes; he delights the fancy with enrapturing scenes; and
he enlists the affections by his eloquent portrayals of love
and charity. He excites the imagination to lofty flights,
leading men to take so great pride in their own wisdom
that in their hearts they despise the Eternal One. That
miglity being who could take the world's Redeemer to an
exceedingly high mountain, and bring before Him all the
kingdoms of the earth and the glory of them, will present
his temptations to men in a manner to pervert the senses
of all who are not shielded by divine power.
Satan beguiles men now as he beguiled Eve in Eden, by
flattery, by kindling a desire to obtain forbidden knowledge,
by exciting ambition for self-exaltation. It was cherishing
these evils that caused his fall, and through them he aims
to compass the ruin of men. "Ye shall be as gods," he
declares, "knowing good and evil.'"' Spiritualism teaches
"that man is the creature of progression; that it is his
destiny from his birth to progress, even to eternity, toward
the Godhead." And again: "Each mind will judge itself
and not another." "The judgment will be right, because
it is the judgment of self. . . . The throne is within you."
Said a Spiritualistic teacher, as the "spiritual conscious-
ness" awoke within him, "My fellow-men, all were unf alien
demigods." And another declares, "Any just and perfect
being is Christ."
* James 3:15. »Gen. 3:5.
SPIRITUALISM 555
Thus, in place of the righteousness and perfection of
the infinite God, the true object of adoration; in place
of the perfect righteousness of His law, the true standard
of human attainment, Satan has substituted the sinful,
erring nature of man himself, as the only object of adora-
tion, the only rule of judgment, or standard of character.
This is progress, not upward, but downward.
It is a law both of the intellectual and the spiritual
nature, that by beholding, we become changed. The mind
gradually adapts itself to the subjects upon which it is
allowed to dwell. It becomes assimilated to that which it
is accustomed to love and reverence. Man will never rise
higher than his standard of purity or goodness or truth.
If self is his loftiest ideal, he will never attain to anything
more exalted. Rather, he will constantly sink lower and
lower. The grace of God alone has power to exalt man.
Left to himself, his course must inevitably be downward.
To the self-indulgent, the pleasure-loving, the sensual,
Spiritualism presents itself under a less subtle disguise than
to the more refined and intellectual ; in its grosser forms
they find that which is in harmony with their inclinations.
Satan studies every indication of the frailty of human na-
ture, he marks the sins which each individual is inclined to
commit, and then he takes care that opportunities shall not
be wanting to gratify the tendency to evil. He tempts men
to excess in that which is in itself lawful, causing them,
through intemperance, to w'eaken physical, mental, and
moral power. He has destroyed and is destroying thousands
through the indulgence of the passions, thus brutalizing the
entire nature of man. And to complete his work, he de-
clares, through the spirits, that "true knowledge places man
above all law;'"* that "whatever is, is right;" that "God
doth not condemn;" and that "all sins which are com-
mitted are innocent." When the people are thus led to
believe that desire is the highest law, that liberty is license,
and that man is accountable only to himself, who can
wonder that corruption and depravity teem on every hand?
556 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
Multitudes eagerly accept teachings that leave them at
liberty to obey the promptings of the carnal heart. The
reins of self-control are laid upon the neck of lust, the
powers of mind and soul are made subject to the animal
propensities, and Satan exultiugly sweeps into his net
thousands who profess to be followers of Christ.
But none need be deceived by the lying claims of Spir-
itualism. God has given the world sufficient light to enable
them to discover the snare. As already shown, the theory
which forms the very foundation of Spiritualism is at war
with the plainest statements of Scripture. The Bible de-
clares that the dead know not anything, that their thoughts
have perished; they have no part in anything that is done
under the sun; they know nothing of the joys or sor-
rows of those who were dearest to them on earth.
Furthermore, God has expressly forbidden all pretended
communication with departed spirits. In the days of the
Hebrews there was a class of people who claimed, as do the
Spiritualists of to-day, to hold conmiunication with the dead.
But the "familiar spirits," as these visitants from other
worlds were called, are declared by the Bible to be the
"spirits of devils.'" The work of dealing with familiar
spirits was pronounced an abomination to the Lord, and
was solemnly forbidden under penalty of death.^ The very
name of witchcraft is now held in contempt. The clairai
that men can hold intercourse with evil spirits is regarded
as a fable of the Dark Ages. But Spiritualism, which num-
bers its converts by hundreds of thousands, yea, by mil-
lions, which has made its way into scientific circles, which
has invaded churches, and has found favor in legislative
bodies, and even in the courts of kings, — this mammoth de-
ception is but a revival, in a new disguise, of the witchcraft
condemned and prohibited of old.
If there were no other evidence of the real character of
Spiritualism, it should be enough for the Christian that the
spirits make no difference between righteousness and sin,
* Compare Num. 25:1-3; Ps. 106:28; 1 Cor. 10:20; Rev. 16:14.
= Lev. 19:31; 20:27,
SPIRITUALISM 557
between the noblest and purest of the apostles of Christ and
the most corrupt of the servants of Satan. By representing
the basest of men as in heaven, and highly exalted there,
Satan says t6 the world: "No matter how wicked you are;
no matter whether you believe or disbelieve God and the
Bible. Live as you please; heaven is your home." The
Spiritualist teachers virtually declare, "Every one that
doeth evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and He de-
lighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?"'
Saith the word of God, "Woe unto them that call evil
good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light
for darkness. " ^
The apostles, as personated by these lying spirits, are
made to contradict what they wrote at the dictation of the
Holy Spirit when on earth. They deny the divine origin
of the Bible, and thus tear away the foundation of the
Christian's hope, and put out the light that reveals the
way to heaven. Satan is making the world believe that
the Bible is a mere fiction, or at least a book suited to the
infancy of the race, but now to be lightly regarded, or cast
aside as obsolete. And to take the place of the word of
God he holds out spiritual manifestations. Here is a chan-
nel wholly under his control ; by this means he can make the
world believe what he will. The Book that is to judge him
and his followers he puts in the shade, just where he
wants it; the Saviour of the world he makes to be no more
than a common man. And as the Roman guard that
watched the tomb of Jesus spread the lying report which
the priests and elders put into their mouths to disprove
His resurrection, so do the believers in spiritual manifesta-
tions try to make it appear that there is nothing miracu-
lous in the circumstances of our Saviour's life. After thus
seeking to put Jesus in the background, they call attention
to their own miracles, declaring that these far exceed the
works of Christ.
It is true that Spiritualism is now changing its form,
and, veiling some of its more objectionable features, is as-
»Mal. 2:17. »lsa. 5:20.
558 THE GREAT CONTROVEBSY
suming a Christian guise. But its utterances from the plat-
form and the press have been before the public for many
years, and in these its real character stands revealed. These
teachings cannot be denied or hidden.
Even in its present form, so far from being more worthy
of toleration than formerly, it is really a more dangerous,
because a more subtle deception. While it formerly de-
nounced Christ and the Bible, it now professes to accept
both. But the Bible is interpreted in a manner that is
pleasing to the unrenewed heart, while its solemn and vital
truths are made of no effect. Love is dwelt upon as the
chief attribute of God, but it is degraded to a weak senti-
mentalism, making little distinction between good and evil.
God's justice, His denunciations of sin, the requirements of
His holy law, are all kept out of sight. The people are
taught to regard the decalogue as a dead letter. Pleasing,
bewitching fables captivate the senses, and lead men to re-
ject the Bible as the foundation of their faith. Christ is as
verily denied as before; but Satan has so blinded the eyes
of the people that the deception is not discerned.
There are few who have any just conception of the de-
ceptive power of Spiritualism and the danger of coming
under its influence. Many tamper with it, merely to gratify
their curiosity. They have no real faith in it, and would
be filled with horror at the thought of yielding themselves
to the spirits' control. But they venture upon the forbidden
ground, and the mighty destroyer exercises his power upon
them against their will. Let them once be induced to sub-
mit their minds to his direction, and he holds them captive.
It is impossible, in their own strength, to break away from
the bewitching, alluring spell. Nothing but the power of
God, granted in answer to the earnest prayer of faith, can
deliver these ensnared souls.
All who indulge sinful traits of character, or wilfully
cherish a known sin, are inviting the temptations of Satan.
They separate themselves from God and from the watch-
care of His angels; as the evil one presents his deceptions,
SPIRITUALISM 559
they are without defense, and fall an easy prey. Those
who thus place themselves in his power, little realize where
their course will end. Having achieved their overthrow,
the tempter will employ them as his agents to lure others
to ruin.
Says the prophet Isaiah : ' ' When they shall say unto
you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto
wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people
seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? To the
law and to the testimony : if they speak not according to this
word, it is because there is no light in them. "^ If men had
been willing to receive the truth so plainly stated in the
Scriptures, concerning the nature of man and the state of
the dead, they would see in the claims and manifestations
of Spiritualism the working of Satan with power and signs
and lying wonders. But rather than yield the liberty so
agreeable to the carnal heart, and renounce the sins which
they love, multitudes close their eyes to the light, and walk
straight on, regardless of warnings, while Satan weaves his
snares about them, and they become his prey. "Because
they received not the love of the truth, that they might be
saved," therefore "God shall send them strong delusion,
that they should believe a lie."*
Those who oppose the teachings of Spiritualism are as-
sailing, not men alone, but Satan and his angels. They
have entered upon a contest against principalities and pow-
ers and wicked spirits in high places. Satan will not
yield one inch of ground except as he is driven back by the
power of heavenly messengers. The people of God should
be able to meet him, as did our Saviour, with the words,
•'It is written." Satan can quote Scripture now as in the
days of Christ, and he will pervert its teacliings to sustain
his delusions. Those who would stand in this time of peril
must understand for themselves the testimony of the Scrip-
tures.
•Isa. 8:19, 20. »2 Thess. 2:10, 11.
560 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
]\Iany will be confronted by the spirits of devils person-
ating beloved relatives or friends, and declaring the most
dangerous heresies. These visitants will appeal to our ten-
derest sympathies, and will work miracles to sustain their
pretensions. We must be prepared to withstand them with
the Bible truth that the dead know not anything, and that
they who thus appear are the spirits of devils.
Just before us is the "hour of temptation, which shall
come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the
earth. ' ' * All whose faith is not firmly established upon the
word of God will be deceived and overcome. Satan "works
with all deceivableness of unrighteousness" to gain control
of the cliildren of men; and his deceptions will continually
increase. But he can gain his object only as men volun-
tarily yield to his temptations. Those who are earnestly
seeking a knowledge of the truth, and are striving to purify
their souls through obedience, thus doing what they can to
prepare for the conflict, will find, in the God of truth, a sure
defense. "Because thou hast kept the word of My pa-
tience, I also will keep thee,"* is the Saviour's promise. He
would sooner send every angel out of lieaven to protect His
people, than leave one soul that trusts in Him to be over-
come by Satan.
The prophet Isaiah brings to view the fearful deception
which will come upon the wicked, causing them to count
themselves secure from the judgments of God: "We have
made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at
agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through,
it shall not come unto us : for we have made lies our refuge,
and under falsehood have we hid ourselves."^ In the class
here described are included those who in their stubborn
impenitence comfort themselves with the assurance that
there is to be no punishment for the sinner; that all
mankind, it matters not how corrupt, are to be exalted to
heaven, to become as the angels of God. But still more
emphatically are those making a covenant with death and
^Rev. 3:X0. 'Isa. 28:15.
I
SPIRITUALISM 561
an agreement with hell, who renounce the truths which
Heaven has provided as a defense for the righteous in
the day of trouble, and accept the refuge of lies offered
by Satan in its stead,— the delusive pretensions of Spirit-
ualism.
Marvelous beyond expression is the blindness of the
people of this generation. Thousands reject the word of
God as unworthy of belief, and with eager confidence re-
ceive the deceptions of Satan. Skeptics and scoffers de-
nounce the bigotry of those who contend for the faith of
prophets and apostles, and they divert themselves by hold-
ing up to ridicule the solemn declarations of the Scrip-
tures concerning Christ and the plan of salvation, and the
retribution to be visited upon the rejecters of the truth.
They affect great pity for minds so narrow, weak, and
superstitious as to acknowledge the claims of God and
obey the requirements of His law. They manifest as much
assurance as if, indeed, they had made a covenant with
death and an agreement with hell, — as if they had erected
an impassable, impenetrable barrier between themselves and
the vengeance of God. Nothing can arouse their fears.
So fully have they yielded to the tempter, so closely are
they united with him, and so thoroughly imbued with his
spirit, that they have no power and no inclination to break
away from his snare.
Satan has long been preparing for his final effort to
deceive the world. The foundation of his work was laid by
the assurance given to Eve in Eden, "Ye shall not surely
die." "In the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be
opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil."*
Little by little he has prepared the way for his masterpiece
of deception in the development of Spiritualism. He has
not yet reached the full accomplishment of his designs; but
it will be reached in the last remnant of time. Says the
prophet: "I saw three unclean spirits like frogs; . . .
they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go
'Gen. 3:4, 5.
562
THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to
gather them to the battle of that great day of God Al-
mighty.'" Except those who are kept by the power of
God, through faith in His word, the whole world will be
swept into the ranks of this delusion. The people are fast
being lulled to a fatal security, to be awakened only by
the outpouring of the wrath of God.
Saith the Lord God: "Judgment also will I lay to the
line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall
sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow
the hiding-place. And your covenant with death shall be
disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand;
when the overflowing scourge sliall pass through, then ye
shall be trodden down by it."*
»Eev. 16:13, 14. »Isa. 28:17, 18.
AIMS OF THE PAPAGY-35
Romanism is now regarded by Protestants with far
greater favor than in former years. In those countries where
Catholicism is not in the ascendency, and the papists are
taking a conciliatory course in order to gain influence, there
is an increasing indifference concerning the doctrines that
separate the reformed churches from the papal hierarchy; the
opinion is gaining ground, that, after all, we do not differ
so widely upon vital points as has been supposed, and that
a little concession on our part will bring us into a better
understanding with Rome. The time , was when Protes-
tants placed a high value upon the liberty of conscience
which had been so dearly purchased. They taught their
children to abhor popery, and held that to seek harmony
with Rome would be disloyalty to God. But how widely
different are the sentiments now expressed.
The defenders of the papacy declare that the church has
been maligned; and the Protestant world are inclined to
accept the statement. Many urge that it is unjust to judge
the church of to-day by the abominations and absurdities
that marked her reign during the centuries of ignorance and
darkness. They excuse her horrible cruelty as the result of
the barbarism of the times, and plead that the influence
of modern civilization has changed her sentiments.
(563)
564 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
Have these persons forgotten the claim of infallibility put
forth for eight hundred years by this haughty power? So
far from being relinquished, this claim was affirmed in the
nineteenth century with greater positiveness than ever before.
As Rome asserts that the church *' never erred; nor will it,
according to the Scriptures, ever err,"^ how can she renounce
the principles which governed her course in past ages?
The papal church will never relinquish her claim to infal-
libility. All that she has done in her persecution of those
who reject her dogmas, she holds to be right; and would she
not repeat the same acts, should the opportunity be pre-
sented? Let the restraints now imposed by secular govern-
ments be removed, and Rome be re-instated in her former
power, and there would speedily be a revival of her tyranny
and persecution.
A well-known writer speaks thus of the attitude of thu
papal hierarchy as regards freedom of conscience, and ot
the perils which especially threaten the United States fi-om
the success of her policy: '. '.' .'
"There are many who are disposed to attribute any' tear
of Roman Catholicism in the United States to bigotry or
childishness. Such see nothing in the character and atti-
tude of Romanism that is hostile to our free institutions, or
find nothing portentous in its growth. Let us, then, first
compare some of the fundamental principles of our govern-
ment with those of the Catholic Church.
"The Constitution of the United States guarantees lih-
erty of conscience. Nothing is dearer or more fundamental.
Pope Pius IX., in his Encyclical Letter of August 15, 1854,
said: 'The absurd and erroneous doctrines or ravings in
defense -of liberty of conscience, are a most pestilential
error — a pest, of all others, most to be dreaded in a
state.' The same pope, in his Encyclical Letter of December
8, 1864, anathematized 'those who assert the liberty of eon-
*Mosheim, "Eccl. Hist," b. 3, cent. 11, part 2, ch. 2, par. 9, note 1.
AIMS OF THE PAPACY 565
science and of religious worship,' also 'all such as maintain
that the church may not employ force.'
"The pacific tone of Rome in the United States does not
imply a change of heart. She is tolerant where she is help-
less. Says Bishop O'Connor: 'Religious liberty is merely
endured until the opposite can be carried into effect with-
out peril to the Catholic world.' . „ . The archbishop of
St. Louis once said: 'Heresy and unbelief are crimes; and
in . Cliristian countries, as in Italy and Spain, for instance,
where all the people are Catholics, and where the Catholic
religion is an essential part of the law of the land, they are
punished as other crimes.' . . .
"Every cardinal, archbishop, and bishop in tlie Catholic
Church takes an oath of allegiance to the pope, in which
occur the following words: 'Heretics, schismatics, and rebels
to our said lord (the pope), or his aforesaid successors, I
mil to my utmost persecute and oppose. ' " '
It is true that there are real Christians in the Roman
Catholic communion. Thousands in that church are serving
God according to the best light they have. They are not
allowed access to His word, and therefore they do not dis-
cern the truth. They have never seen the contrast between
a living heart-service and a round of mere forms and cere-
monies. God looks wdth pitying tenderness upon these
souls, educated as they are in a faith that is delusive and
unsatisfying. He will cause rays of light to penetrate the
dense darkness that surrounds them. He will reveal to them
the truth as it is in Jesus, and many will yet take their
position with His people.
But Romanism as a system is no more in harmony with
tlie gospel of Christ now than at any former x^eriod in her
history. The Protestant churches are in great darkness, or
they would discern the signs of the times. The Roman
Church is far-reaching in her plans and modes of operation.
She is employing every device to extend her influence and
increase her power in preparation for a fierce and deter-
* Strong, Dr. Josiah, "Our Country," e'li. 5, pars. 1-3.
566 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
mined conflict to regain control of the world, to re-establish
persecution, and to undo all that Protestantism has done.
Catholicism is gaining ground upon every side. See the
increasing number of her churches and chapels in Protes-
tant countries. Look at the popularity of her colleges and
seminaries in America, so widely patronized by Protestants.
Look at the growth of ritualism in England, and the fre-
quent defections to the ranks of the Catholics. These things
should awaken the anxiety of all who prize the pure priii-
ciples of the gospel.
Protestants have tampered with and patronized popery;
they have made compromises and concessions which papists
themselves are surprised to see, and fail to understand. Men
are closing their eyes to the real character of Romanism,
and the dangers to be apprehended from her supremacy.
The people need to be aroused to resist the advances of this
most dangerous foe to civil and religious liberty.
Many Protestants suppose that the Catholic religion is
unattractive, and that its worship is a dull, meaningless
round of ceremony. Here they mistake. While Romanism
is based upon deception, it is not a coarse and clumsy im-
posture. The religious service of the Roman Church is a
most impressive ceremonial. Its gorgeous display and sol-
emn rites fascinate the senses of the people, and silence the
voice of reason and of conscience. The eye is charmed.
Magnificent churches, imposing processions, golden altars,
jeweled shrines, choice paintings, and exquisite sculpture ap-
peal to the love of beauty. The ear also is captivated. The
music is unsurpassed. The rich notes of the deep-toned
organ, blending with the melody of many voices as it swells
through the lofty domes and pillared aisles of her grand
cathedrals, cannot fail to impress the mind with awe and
reverence.
This outward splendor, pomp, and ceremony, that only
mocks the longings of the sin-sick soul, is an evidence of in-
ward corruption. The religion of Christ needs not such at-
tractions to recommend it. In the light shining from the cross,
AIMS OF THE PAPACY 667
true Christianity appears so pure and lovely that no external
decorations can enhance its true worth. It is the beauty of
holiness, a meek and quiet spirit, which is of value with God.
Brilliancy of style is not necessarily an index of pure,
elevated thought. High conceptions of art, delicate refine-
ment of taste, often exist in minds that are earthly and
sensual. They are often employed by Satan to lead men to
forget the necessities of the soul, to lose sight of the future,
immortal life, to turn away from their infinite Helper, and
to live for this world alone.
A religion of externals is attractive to the unrenewed
heart. The pomp and ceremony of the Catholic worship
has a seductive, bewitching power, by which many are de-
ceived; and they come to look upon the Roman Church as
the very gate of heaven. None but those who have planted
their feet firmly up(m the foundation of truth, and whose
hearts are renewed by the Spirit of Cod, are proof against
her influence. Thousands who have not an experimental
knowledge of Christ will be led to accept the forms of
godliness without the power. Such a religion is just what
the multitudes desire.
The church's "claim to the right to pardon, leads the
Romanist to feel at liberty to sin; and the ordinance of
confession, without which her pardon is not granted, tends
also to give license to evil. He who kneels before fallen
man, and opens in confession the secret thoughts and imag-
inations of his heart, is debasing his manhood, and degrad-
ing every noble instinct of his soul. In unfolding the sins of
his life to a priest, — an erring, sinful mortal, and too often
corrupted with wine and licentiousness, — his standard of
character is lowered, and he is defiled in consequence. His
thought of God is degraded to the likeness of fallen human-
ity; for the priest stands as a representative of God. This
degrading confession of man to man is the secret spring
from which has flowed much of the evil that is defiling the
world, and fitting it for the final destruction. Yet to him
who loves self-indulgence, it is more pleasing to confess to a
568 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
fellow-mortal than to open the soul to God. It is more pal-
atable to human nature to do penance than to renounce sin ;
it is easier to mortify the flesh by sackcloth and nettles and
galling chains than to crucify fleshly lusts. Heavy is the
yoke which the carnal heart is willing to bear rather than
bow to the yoke of Christ.
There is a striking similarity between the Church of
Eome and the Jewish Church at the time of Christ's first
advent. While the Jews secretly trampled upon every prin-
ciple of the law of God, they were outwardly rigorous in
the observance of its precepts, loading it down with exac-
tions and traditions that made obedience painful and bur-
densome. As the Jews professed to revere the law, so do
Romanists claim to reverence the cross. They exalt the sym-
bol of Christ's sufferings, while in their lives they deny
Him whom it represents.
Papists place crosses upon their churches, upon their
altars, and upon their garments. Everywhere is seen the
insignia of the cross. P^verywhere it is outwardly honored
and exalted. But the teachings of Christ are buried beneath
a mass of senseless traditions, false interpretations, and
rigorous exactions. The Saviour's words concerning the
bigoted Jews, apply with still greater force to the leaders
of the Roman Catholic Church : * ' They bind heavy burdens
and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders;
but they themselves will not move them with one of their
fingers.'" Conscientious souls are kept in constant terror,
fearing the wrath of an offended God, while many of the
dignitaries of the church are living in luxury and sensual
pleasure.
The worship of images and relics, the invocation of saints,
and the exaltation of the pope, are devices of Satan to
attract the minds of the people from God and from His
Son. To accomplish their ruin, he endeavors to turn their
attention from Him through whom alone they can find
salvation. He will direct them to any object that can be
substituted for the One who has said, "Come unto Me,
^Matt. 23:4.
k
AIMS OF THE PAPACY 569
all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you
rest.'"
It is Satan's constant effort to misrepresent the character
of God, the nature of sin, and the real issues at stake in the
great controversy. His sophistry lessens the obligation of
the divine law, and gives men license to sin. At the same
time he causes them to cherish false conceptions of God, so
that they regard Him with fear and hate, rather than with
love. The cruelty inherent in his own character is attrib-
uted to the Creator; it is embodied in systems of religion,
and expressed in modes of worship. Thus the minds of men
are blinded, and Satan secures them as his agents to war
against God. By perverted conceptions of the divine attri-
butes, heathen nations were led to believe human sacrifices
necessary to secure the favor of Deity ; and horrible cruelties
have been perpetrated under the various forms of idolatry.
The Roman Catholic Church, uniting the forms of pa-
ganism and Christianity, and, like paganism, misrepresent-
ing the character of God, has resorted to practices no less
cruel and revolting. In the days of Rome's supremacy,
there were instruments of torture to compel assent to her
doctrines. There was the stake for those who would not
concede to her claims. There were massacres on a scale that
will never be known until revealed in the judgment. Dig-
nitaries of the church studied, under Satan their master,
to invent means to cause the greatest possible torture, and
not end the life of their victim. In many cases the infernal
process was repeated to the utmost limit of "human endur-
ance, until nature gave up the struggle, and the sufferer
hailed death as a sweet release.
Such was the fate of Rome's opponents. For her adherr
ents she had the discipline of the scourge, of famishing
hunger, of bodily austerities in every conceivable, heart-
sickening form. To secure the favor of Heaven, penitents
violated the laws of God by violating the laws of nature.
They were taught to sunder the ties which He has formed
to bless and gladden man's earthly sojourn. The chureh-
»Matt. 11:28.
570 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
yard contains millions of victims, who spent their lives in
vain endeavors to subdue their natural affections, to repress,
as offensive to God, every thought and feeling of sympathy
with their fellow-creatures.
If we desire to understand the determined cruelty of
Satan, manifested for hundreds of years, not among those
who never heard of God, but in the very heart and through-
out the extent of Christendom, we have only to look at the
history of Romanism. Through this mammoth system of
deception the prince of evil achieves his purpose of bringing
dishonor to God and wretchedness to man. And as we see
how he succeeds in disguising himself, and accomplishing
his work througli the leaders of the church, we may better
understand why he has so great antipathy to the Bible. If
that book is read, the mercy and love of God will be re-
vealed; it will be seen that lie lays upon men none of these
heavy burdens. All that lie asks is a broken and contrite
heart, a humble, obedient s[)int.
Christ gives no example in His life for men and women
to shut themselves in monasteries in order to become fitted
for heaven. lie has never taught that love and sympathy
must be repressed. The Saviour's heart overflowed with
love. The nearer man approaches to moral perfection, the
keener are his sensi))ilities, the more acute is his perception
of sin, and the deeper his sympathy for the afflicted. The
pope claims to be the vicar of Christ; but how does his char-
acter bear comparison with that of our Saviour? Was
Christ ever known to consign men to the prison or the rack
because they did not pay Him homage as the King of
heaven? Was Ilis voice heard condemning to death those
who did not accept Him? When He was slighted by the
people of a Samaritan village, the apostle John was filled
with indignation, and inquired, "Lord, wilt Thou that we
command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them,
even as Elias did?" Jesus looked with pity upon His dis-
ciple, and rebuked his harsh spirit, saying, "The Son of
man is not come to destroy men 's lives, but to save them. ' * *
*Luke 9:54, 56.
AIMS OF THE PAPACY 571
How different from the spirit manifested by Christ is that
of His professed vicar.
The Roman Church now presents a fair front to the
world, covering, with apologies her record of horrible cruel-
ties. She has clothed herself in CHristlike garments; but
she is unchanged. Every principle of the papacy that ex-
isted in past ages exists to-day. The doctrines devised in
the darkest ages are still held. Let none deceive themselves.
The papacy that Protestants are now so ready to honor is
the same that ruled the world in the days of the Reforma-
tion, when men of God stood up, at the peril of their lives,
to expose her iniquity. She possesses the same pride and
arrogant assumption that lorded it over kings and princes,
and claimed the prerogatives of God. Her spirit is no less
cruel and despotic now than when she crushed out human
liberty, and slew the saints of the Most High.
The papacy is just what prophecy declared that she
would be, the apostasy of the latter times. * It is a part of
her policy to assume the character which will best accom-
plish her purpose; but beneath the variable appearance of
the chameleon, she conceals the invariable venom of the
serpent. "Faith ought not to be kept with heretics, nor
persons suspected of heresy,"^ she declares. Shall this
power, whose record for a thousand years is written in the
blood of the saints, be now acknowledged as a part of the
church of Christ?
It is not without reason that the claim has been put
forth in Protestant countries, that Catholicism differs less
widely from Protestantism than in former times. There has
been a change; but the change is not in the papacy. Ca-
tholicism indeed resembles much of the Protestantism that
now exists; because Protestantism has so greatly degen-
erated since the days of the Reformers.
As the Protestant churches have been seeking the favor
of the world, false charity has blinded their eyes. They do
not see but that it is right to believe good of all evil; and
*2 Thess. 2:3, 4. 'Lenfant, "History of the Council of
Constance," Vol. I, p. 516 (ed. 1728).
572 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
as the inevitable result, they will finally believe evil of all
good. Instead of standing in defense of the faith once
delivered to the saints, they are now, as it were, apologizing
to Rome for their uncharitable opinion of her, begging
pardon for their bigotry.
A large class, even of those who look upon Romanism
with no favor, apprehend little danger from her power and
influence. Many urge that the intellectual and moral dark-
ness prevailing during the Middle Ages favored the spread
of her dogmas, superstitions, and oppression, and that the
greater intelligence of modern times, the general diffusion of
knowledge, and the increasing liberality in matters of re-
ligion, forbid a revival of intolerance and tyranny. The
very thought that such a state of things will exist in this
enlightened age is ridiculed. It is true that great light,
intellectual, moral, and religious, is shining upon this gen-
eration. In the open pages of God's holy M^ord, light
from heaven has been shed upon the world. But it should
be remembered that the greater the light bestowed, the
greater the darkness of those who pervert or reject it.
A prayerful study of the Bible would show Protestants
the real character of the papacy, and would cause them to
abhor and to shun it; but many are so wse in their own
conceit that they feel no need of humbly seeking God that
they may be led into the truth. Although priding them-
selves on their enlightenment, they are ignorant both of the
Scriptures and of the power of God. They must have some
means of quieting their consciences; and they seek that
which is least spiritual and humiliating. What they desire
is a method of forgetting God which shall pass as a method
of remembering Him. The papacy is well adapted to meet
the wants of all these. It is prepared for two classes of
mankind, embracing nearly the whole world, — those who
would be saved by their merits, and those who would be
saved in their sins. Here is the secret of its power.
A day of great intellectual darkness has been shown to
be favorable to the success of the papacy. It will yet be
ABIS OF THE PAPACY 573
demonstrated that a day of great intellectual light is equally
favorable for its success. In past ages, when men were
without God's w^ord, and without the knowledge of the
truth, their eyes were blindfolded, and thousands were en-
snared, not seeing the net spread for their feet. In this
generation there are many whose eyes become dazzled by the
glare of human speculations, "science falsely so called;"
they discern not the net, and walk into it as readily as if
blindfolded. God designed that man's intellectual powers
should be held as a gift from his Maker, and should be
employed in the service of truth and righteousness; but
when pride and ambition are cherished, and men exalt
their own theories above the word of God, then intelligence
can accomplish greater harm than ignorance. Thus the
false science of the present day, which undermines faith
in the Bible, will prove as successful in preparing the way
for the acceptance of the papacy, with its pleasing forms,
as did the withholding of knowledge in opening the way
for its aggrandizement in the Dark Ages.
In the movements now in progress in the United States
to secure for the institutions and usages of the church the
support of the state, Protestants are following in the steps
of papists. Nay, more, they are opening the door for the
papacy to regain in Protestant America the supremacy
which she has lost in the Old World. And that which gives
greater significance to this movement is the fact that the
principal object contemplated is the enforcement of Sunday
observance, — a custom which originated with Rome, and
which she claims as the sign of her authority. It is the
spirit of the papacy, — the spirit of conformity to worldly
customs, the veneration for human traditions above the
commandments of God, — that is permeating the Protestant
churches, and leading them on to do the same work of Sun-
day exaltation which the papacy has done before them.
If the reader would understand the agencies to be em-
ployed in the soofi-coming contest, li" li;is T)ut to trace
the recor d of the .means whicli Ivunif eiujiluved for the
—^ III II II II 11 —■—■•fin aTii I
574 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
same object in ages past. If he would know how papists
and Protestants united will deal with those who reject
their dogmas, let him see the spirit which Rome manifested
toward the Sabbath and its defenders.
Royal edicts, general councils, and church ordinances
sustained by secular power, were the steps by which the
pagan festival attained its position of honor in the Chris-
tian world. The first public measure enforcing Sunday ob-
servance was the law enacted T>y Constantine.' This edict
required townspeople to rest uu "the venerable da,y_j)f the
sun, " but permitted countrymen to continue their agricul-
tural pursuits. Though virtually a heathen statute, it was
enforced by the emperor after his nominal acceptance of
Christianity.
The royal mandate not proving a sufficient substitute for
divine authority, Eusebius, a bishop who sought the favor
of princes, and who was the special friend and flatterer of
Constantine, advanced the claim that Christ had transferred
the Sabbath to Sunday. Not a single testimony of the
Scriptures was produced in proof of the new doctrine.
Eusebius himself unwittingly acknowledges its falsity, and
points to the real authors of the change. "All things," he
says, "whatever that it was duty to do on the Sabbath,
these u'C have transferred to the Lord's day,"" But the Sun-
day argument, groundless as it was, served to embolden men
in trampling upon the Sabbath of the Lord. All who desired
to be honored by the world accepted the popular festival.
As the papacy became firmly established, the work of
Sunday exaltation was continued. For a time the people en-
gaged in agricultural labor when not attending church, and
the seventh day was still regarded as the Sabbath. But
steadily a change was effected. Those in holy office were
forbidden to pass judgment in any civil controversy on the
Sunday. Soon after, all persons, of whatever rank, were
commanded to refrain from common labor, on pain of a fine
^A. T>. 321; see Appendix. .•<itr<«;*»*rv >
^Cox, R., "Sabbath Laws and Sabbath Duties," p. 538 (ed. 1853).
AIMS OF THE PAPACY 575
for freemen, and stripes in the case of servants. Later it
was decreed that rich men should be punished with the loss
of half of their estates; and finally, that if still obstinate
they should be made slaves. The lower classes were to
suffer perpetual banishment.
Miracles also were called into requisition. Among other
wonders it was reported that as a husbandman who was
about to plow his field on Sunday, cleaned his plow with
an iron, the iron stuck fast in his hand, and for two years
he carried it about with him, "to his exceeding great pain
and shame. ' ' ^
Later, the pope gave directions that the parish priest
should admonish the violators of Sunday, and wish them
to go to church and say their prayers, lest they bring some
great calamity on themselves and neighbors. An ecclesi-
astical council brought forward the argument, since so
widely employed, even by Protestants, that because persons
had been struck by lightning while laboring on Sunday, it
must be the Sabbath. "It is apparent," said the prelates,
"how high the displeasure of God was upon their neglect
of this day." An appeal was then made that priests and
ministers, kings and princes, and all faithful people, "use
their utmost endeavors and care that the day be restored
to its honor, and, for the credit of Christianity, more de-
voutly observed for the time to come. ' ' ^
The decrees of councils proving insufficient, the secular
authorities were besought to issue an edict that would strike
terror to the hearts of the people, and force them to refrain
from labor on the Sunday. At a synod held in Rome, all
previous decisions were reaffirmed with greater force and
solemnity. They were also incorporated into the ecclesi-
astical law, and enforced by the civil authorities through-
out nearly all Christendom.'
*West, Francis, "Historical and Practical Discourse on tbe Lord's
Day," p. 174.
* Morer, Tho., ' ' Discourse in Six Dialogues on the Name, Notion, and
Observation of the Lord's Day," p. 271 (ed. 1701).
•See Heylyn, "History of the Sabbath," Part 11, ch. 5, sec. 7.
576 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
Still the absence of scriptural authority for Sunday-
keeping occasioned no little embarrassment. The people
questioned the right of their teachers to set aside the
positive declaration of Jehovah, "The seventh day is the
Sabbath of the Lord thy God," in order to honor the day
of the sun. To supply the lack of Bible testimony, other
expedients were necessary. A zealous advocate of Sunday,
who about the close of the tv;elfth century visited the
churches of England, was resisted by faithful witnesses for
the truth ; and so fruitless were his efforts that he departed
from the country for a season, and cast about him for
some means to enforce his teachings. "When he returned,
the lack was supplied, and in his after-labors he met with
greater success. He brought with him a roll purporting
to be from God Himself, which contained the needed com-
mand for Sunday observance, with awful threats to terrify
the disobedient. This precious document — as base a coun-
terfeit as the institution it supported — was said to have
fallen from heaven, and to have been found in Jerusalem,
upon the altar of St. Simeon, in Golgotha. But in fact,
the pontifical palace at Rome was the source whence it
proceeded. Frauds and forgeries to advance the power and
prosperity of the church have in all ages been esteemed law-
ful by the papal hierarchy.
The roll forbade labor from the ninth hour, three o'clock,
on Saturday afternoon, till sunrise on Monday ; and its
authority was declared to be confirmed by many miracles.
It was reported that persons laboring beyond the appointed
hour were stricken with paralysis. A miller who attempted
to grind his corn, saw, instead of flour, a torrent of blood
come forth, and the mill-wheel stood still, notwithstanding
the strong rush of the water. A woman who placed dough
in the oven, found it raw when taken out, though the oven
was very hot. Another who had dough prepared for bak-
ing at the ninth hour, but determined to set it aside till
Monday, found, the next day, that it had been made into
loaves and baked by divine power. A man who baked
AIMS OF THE PAPACY 577
bread after the ninth hour on Saturday, found, when he
broke it the next morning, that blood started therefrom.
By such absurd and superstitious fabrications did the
advocates of Sunday endeavor to establish its saeredness/
In Scotland, as in England, a greater regard for Sunday
was secured by uniting with it a portion of the ancient
Sabbath. But the time required to be kept holy varied.
An edict from the king of Scotland declared that "Satur-
day from twelve at noon ought to be accounted holy," and
that no man, from that time till Monday morning, should
engage in worldly business."
But notwithstanding all the efforts to establish Sunday
sacredness, papists themselves publicly confessed the divine
authority of the Sabbath, and the human origin of the in-
stitution by which it had been supplanted. In the six-
teenth century a papal council plainly declared: "Let all
Cliristians remember that the seventh day was consecrated
by God, and hath been received and observed, not only by
the Jews, but by all others who pretend to worship God;
though we Christians have changed their Sabbath into the
Lord's day. "^ Those who were tampering with the divine
law were not ignorant of the character of their work. They
were deliberately setting themselves above God.
A striking illustration of Rome's policy toward those
who disagree with her was given in the long and bloody
persecution of the Waldenses, some of whom were observers
of the Sabbath. Others suffered in a similar manner for
their fidelity to the fourth commandment. The history of
the churches of Ethiopia and Abyssinia is especially sig-
nificant. Amid the gloom of the Dark Ages, the Christians
of Central Africa were lost sight of and forgotten by the
world, and for mapy centuries they enjoyed freedom in the
exercise of their faith. But at last Rome learned of their
existence, and the emperor of A]>yssinia was soon l)eguiled
into an acknowledgment of the pope as the vicar of Christ.
'See Eoger de Hoveden, "Annals," Vol. 11, pp. 528-530 (Bohn ed.).
' Morer, "Dialogues on the Lord's Day," pp. -90, 291.
'Idem, pp. 281, 282.
19— G.C.
578 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
Other concessions followed. An edict was issued forbidding
the observance of the Sabbath under the severest penalties/
But papal tyranny soon became a yoke so galling that the
Abyssinians determined to break it from their necks. After
a terrible struggle, the Romanists were banished from their
dominions, and the ancient faith was restored. The churches
rejoiced in their freedom, and they never forgot the lesson
they had learned concerning the deception, the fanaticism,
and the despotic power of Rome. Within their solitary
realm they were content to remain, unknown to the rest
of Christendom. -fiiHi/.f
The churches of Africa lield the Sabbath as it was held
by the papal church before her complete apostasy. While
they kept the seventh day in obedience to the command-
ment of God, they abstained from labor on the Sunday in
conformity to tlie custom of the church. Upon obtaining
supreme power, Rome had trampled upon the Sabbath of
God to exalt her own ; ])ut the churches of Africa, liidden
for nearly a thousand years, did not share in this apostasy.
When brought under tlie sway of Rome, they were forced
to set aside the true and exalt the false sHbl)ath ; but no
sooner had they regained their independence than they
returned to obedience to the fourth commandment.^
These records of the past clearly reveal the enmity of
Rome toward the true Sabbath and its defenders, and the
means wliich she employs to honor the institution of her
creating. The word of God teaches that these scenes are
to be repeated as Roman Catholics and Protestants shall
unite for the exaltation of the Sunday.
The prophecy of Revelation 13 declares that the power
represented by the beast with lamb-like horns shall cause
"the earth and them which dwell thereyi" to worship the
papacy — there symbolized by the beast "like unto a leop-
ard." The beast with two horns is also to say "to them
that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to
the beast;" and, furthermore, it is to command all, "both
*See "Church History of Ethiopia," pp. 311, 312. ' See Appendix.
AIMS OF THE PAPACY 579
small and great, rich and poor, free and bond," to re-
ceive "the mark of the beast."* It has been shown that
the United States is the power represented by the beast
with lamb-like horns, and that this prophecy will be ful-
filled when the United States shall enforce Sunday ob-
servance, which Rome claims as the special acknowledgment
of hfer' supremacy. But in this homage to papacy the United
States will not be alone. The influence of Rome in the coun-
tries that once acknowledged her dominion, is still far from
being destroyed. And prophecy foretells a restoration of
her power. "I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to
death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world
wondered after the beast."' The infliction of the deadly
wound points to the downfall of the papacy in 1798. After
this, says the prophet, "His deadly wound was healed: and
all the world wondered after the beast. ' ' Paul states
plainly, that the man of sin will continue until the second
advent.' To the very close of time he will carry forward
his ; work, of deception. And the revelator declares, also
referring to the papacy, "All that dwell upon the earth
shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book
of life."' In both the Old and the New World, the papacy
will receive homage in the honor paid to the Sunday insti-
tution, that rests solely upon the authority of the Roman
Church.
For more than half a century, students of prophecy in
the United States have presented this testimony to the world.
In the events now taking place is seen a rapid advance
toward the fulfilment of the prediction. With Protestant
teachers there is the same claim of divine autliority for
Sunday-keeping, and the same lack of scriptural evidence,
as with the papal loaders who fabricated miracles to supply
the place of a command from God. The assertion that
God's judgments are visited upon men for their violation
of the Sunday-sabbath, will be repeated; already it is be-
'Eev. 13; 11-16. . »Eev. 13:3. »2 Theas. 2:8. 'Rev. 13:8.
580 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
ginning to be urged. And a movement to enforce Sunday
observance is fast gaining ground.
Marvelous in her shrewdijess and cunning is the Roman
Church. She can read what is to be. She bides her time,
seeing that the Protestant churches are paying her homage
in their acceptance of the false sabbath, and that they are
preparing to enforce it by the very means which she herself
employed in bygone days. Those who reject the light of
truth will yet seek the aid of this self-styled infallible power
to exalt an institution that originated with her. How read-
ily she will come to the help of Protestants in this work, it
is not difficult to conjecture. "Who understands better than
the papal leaders how to deal with those who are disobe-
dient to the church?
The Roman Catholic Church, with all its ramifications
throughout the world, forms one vast organization, under
the control, and designed to serve the interests, of the papal
see. Its millions of communicants, in every country on
the globe, are instructed to hold themselves as bound in
allegiance to the pope. Whatever their nationality or their
government, they are to regard the authority of the church
as above all other. Though they may take the oath pledg-
ing their loyalty to the state, yet back of this lies the vow
of obedience to Rome, absolving them from every pledge
inimical to her interests.
History testifies of her artful and persistent efforts to
insinuate herself into the affairs of nations; and having
gained a foothold, to further her own aims, even at the
ruin of princes and people. In the year 1204, Pope Inno-
cent III. extracted from Peter II., king of Arragon, the
following extraordinary oath: *'I, Peter, king of Arra-
gonians, profess and promise to be ever faithful and obe-
dient to my lord, Pope Innocent, to his Catholic successors,
and the Roman Church, and faithfully to preserve my
kingdom in his obedience, defending the Catholic faith, and
persecuting heretical pravity. ' ' * This is in harmony with
• Cowling, J,, ' ' History of Eomanism, " b. 5, ch. 6, sec. 55.
AIMS OF THE PAPACY 581
the claims regarding the poM^er of the Roman pontiff, that
"it is lawful for him to depose emperors," and that "he
can absolve subjects from their allegiance to unrighteous
rulers."'
And let it be remembered, it is the boast of Rome that
she never changes. The principles of Gregory VII. and
Innocent III. are still the principles of the Roman Catholic
Church. And had she but the power, she would put them
in practice with as much vigor now as in past centuries.
Protestants little know what they are doing when they
propose to accept the aid of Rome in the work of Sunday
exaltation. Wliile they are bent upon the accomplislunent
of their purpose, Rome is aiming to re-establish her power,
to recover her lost supremacy. Let the principle once be
established in the United States, that the church may employ
or control the power of the state; that religious observ-
ances may be enforced by secular laws; in short, that the
authority of church and state is to dominate the conscience,
and -the triumph of Rome in this country is assured.
God's word has given Avarning of the impending dan-
ger; let this be unheeded, and the Protestant world will
learn what the purposes of Rome really are, only when it
is too late to escape the snare. She is silently growing into
power. Her doctrines are exerting their influence in leg-
islative halls, in the churches, and in the hearts of men.
She is piling up her lofty and massive structures, in the
secret recesses of which her former persecutions will be
repeated. Stealthilj'- and unsuspeetedly she is strengthen-
ing her forces to further her own ends Avhen the time sliall
come for her to strike. All that she desires is vantage-
ground, and this is already being given her. We shall soon
see and shall feel what the purpose of the Roman element
is. Whoever shall believe and obey the word of God, A\il]
thereby incur reproach and persecution.
•Mosheim, "Ecclesiastical History," b. 3, cent. 11, part 2, ch. 2,
sec. 9, note 8 (tr. by Murdock). See also Appendix.
THE IMPENDING GONFLIGT-36
From the very beginning of the great controversy in
heaven, it has been Satan's purpose to overthrow the law
of God. It was to accomplish this that he entered upon
his rebellion against the Creator; and though he was cast
out of heaven, he has continued the same warfare upon the
earth. To deceive men, and thus lead them to transgress
God's law, is the object which he has steadfastly pursued.
Whether this be accomplished by casting aside the law
altogether, or by rejecting one of its precepts, the result
will be ultimately the same. He that offends "in one point,"
manifests contempt for the whole law ; his influence and
example are on the side of transgression; he becomes "guilty
of all.'"
In seeking to cast contempt upon the divine statutes,
Satan has perverted the doctrines of the Bible, and errors
have thus become incorporated into the faith of thousands
who profess to believe the Scriptures. The last great con-
flict between truth and error is but the final struggle of
the long-standing controversy concerning the law of God.
Upon this battle we are nmv entering, — a battle between
the laws of men and the precepts of Jehovah, between the
religion of the Bible and the religion of fable and tradition.
The agencies which will unite against truth and right-
eousness in this contest are now actively at work. God's
holy word, which has been handed down to us at such a
^ James 2:10.
(582)
i
THE IMPENDING CONFLICT 583
cost of suffering and blood, is but little valued. The Bible
is within the reach of all, but there are few who really
accept it as the guide of life. Infidelity prevails to an
alarming extent, not in the world merely, but in the church.
Many have come to deny doctrines which are the very pil-
lars of the Christian faith. The great facts of creation as
presented by the inspired writers, the fall of man, the
atonement, and the perpetuity of the law of God, are prac-
tically rejected, either wholly or in part, by a large share
of the professedly Christian world. Thousands who pride
themselves upon their wisdom and independence, regard it
an evidence of weakness to place implicit confidence in the
Bible; they think it a proof of superior talent and learning
to cavil at the Scriptures, and to spiritualize and explain
away their most important truths. Many ministers are
teaching their people, and many professors and teachers are
instructing their students, that the law of God has been
changed or abrogated ; and those who regard its require-
ments as still valid, to be literally obeyed, are thought to
be deserving only of ridicule or contempt.
In rejecting the truth, men reject its Author. In tramp-
ling upon the law of God, they deny the authority of the
Lawgiver. It is as easy to make an idol of false doctrines
and theories as to fashion an idol of wood or stone. By
misrepresenting the attributes of God, Satan leads men
to conceive of II im in a false character. With many, a
philosophical idol is enthroned in the place of Jehovah ;
while the living God, as He is revealed in His word, in
Christ, and in the works of creation, is worshiped by but
few. Thousands deify nature, while tliey deny the God of
nature. Though in a different form, idolatry exists in the
Christian world to-day as verily, as it existed among ancient
Israel in tlie days of Elijah. The god of many professedly
wise men, of philosophers, poets, politicians, journalists, —
the god of polished fashionable circles, of many colleges
and universities, even of some theological institutions, — is
little better than Baal, the sun-god of Phenicia.
584 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
No error accepted by the Christian world strikes more
boldly against the authority of Heaven, none is more
directly opposed to the dictates of reason, none is more per-
nicious in its results, than the modern doctrine, so rapidly
gaining ground, that God's law is no longer binding upon
men. Every nation has its laws, which command respect
and obedience; no government could exist without them;
and can it be conceived that the Creator of the heavens and
the earth has no law to govern the beings He has made?
Suppose that prominent ministers were publicly to teach
that the statutes which govern their land and protect the
rights of its citizens were not obligatory, — that they re-
stricted the liberties of the people, and therefore ought not
to be obeyed; how long would such men be tolerated in
the pulpit? But is it a graver offense to disregard the laws
of states and nations than to trample upon those divine
precepts which are the foundation of all government?
It would be far more consistent for nations to abolish
their statutes, and permit" the people to do as they please,
than for the Ruler of the universe to annul His law, and
leave the world without a standard to condemn the guilty
or justify the obedient. Would we know the result of
making void the law of God? The experiment has been
tried. Terrible were the scenes enacted in France when
atheism became the controlling power. It was then demon-
strated to the world that to throw off the restraints which
God has imposed is to accept the rule of the cruelest of
tyrants. When the standard of righteousness is set aside,
the way is open for the prince of evil to establish his
power in the earth.
Wherever the divine precepts are rejected, sin ceases to
appear sinful, or righteousness desirable. Those who refuse
to submit to the government of God are wholly unfitted to
govern themselves. Through their pernicious teachings,
the spirit of insubordination is implanted in the hearts of
children and youth, who are naturally impatient of control;
and a lawless, licentious state of society results. While
THE IMPENDING CONFLICT 585
scoffing at the credulity of those who obey the requirements
of God, the multitudes eagerly accept the delusions of
Satan. They give the rein to lust, and practise the sins
which have called down judgments upon the heathen.
Those who teach the people to regard lightly the com-
mandments of God, sow disobedience, to reap disobedience.
Let the restraint imposed by the divine law be wholly cast
aside, and human laws would soon be disregarded. Be-
cause God forbids dishonest practices, coveting, lying, and
defrauding, men are ready to trample upon His statutes as
a hindrance to their worldly prosperity; but the results of
banishing these precepts would be such as they do not an-
ticipate. If the law were not binding, why should any fear
to transgress? Property would no longer be safe. Men
would obtain their neighbors' possessions by violence; and
the strongest would become richest. Life itself would not
be respected. The marriage vow would no longer stand as
a sacred bulwark to protect the family. He who had the
power, would, if he desired, take his neighbor's wife by vio-
lence. The fifth commandment would be set aside with the
fourth. Children would not shrink from taking the life
of their parents, if by so doing they could obtain the
desire of their corrupt hearts. The civilized world would
become a horde of robbers and assassins; and peace, rest,
and happiness would be banished from the earth.
Already the doctrine that men are released from obedi-
ence to God's requirements has weakened the force of moral
obligation, and opened the flood-gates of iniquity upon the
world. Lawlessness, dissipation, and corruption are sweep-
ing in upon us like an overwhelming tide. In the family,
Satan is at work. His banner waves, even in professedly
Christian households. There is envy, evil surmising, hypoc-
risy, estrangement, emulation, strife, betrayal of sacred
trusts, indulgence of lust. The whole system of religious
principles and doctrines, which should form the foundation
and framework of social life, seems to be a tottering mass,
ready to fall to ruin. The vilest of criminals, when thrown
586 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
into prison for their offenses, are often made the recipients
of gifts and attentions, as if they had attained an envia])le
distinction. Great publicity is given to their character and
crimes. The press publishes the revolting details of vice,
thus initiating others into the practice of fraud, robbery,
and murder; and Satan exults in the success of his hellish
schemes. The infatuation of vice, the wanton taking of
life, the terrible increase of intemperance and iniquity
of every order and degree, should arouse all who fear God,
to inquire what can be done to stay the tide of evil.
Courts of justice are corrupt. Rulers are actuated by
desire for gain, and love of sensual pleasure. Intemperance
has beclouded the faculties of many, so that Satan has
almost complete control of them. Jurists are perverted,
bribed, deluded. Drunkenness and revelry, passion, envy,
dishonesty of every sort, are represented among those who
administer the laws. "Justice standeth afar off: for truth
is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter."*
The iniquity and spiritual darkness that prevailed under
the supremacy of Rome were the inevitable result of her
suppression of the Scriptures; but where is to be found
the cause of the wide-spread infidelity, the rejection of the
law of God, and the consequent corruption, under the full
blaze of gospel light in an age of religious freedom? Now
that Satan can no longer keep the world under his control
by withholding the Scriptures, he resorts to other means to
accomplish the same object. To destroy faith in the Bible
serves his purpose as well as to destroy the Bible itself. By
introducing the belief that God's law is not binding, he as
effectually leads men to transgress as if they were wholly
ignorant of its precepts. And now, as in former ages, he
has worked through the church to further his designs. The
religious organizations of the day have refused to listen to
unpopular truths plainly brought to view in the Scriptures,
and in combating them they have adopted interpretations
and taken positions which have sown broadcast the seeds
of skepticism. Clinging to the papal error of natural im-
'Isa. 59^4
I
THE IMPENDING CONFLICT 587
The doctrine or eternal torment has led many to disbelieve
the Bible. And as the claims of the fourth commandment
are urged upon the people, it is found that the observance
of the seventh-day Sabbath is enjoined; and as the only
way to free themselves from a duty which they are un-
willing to perform, many popular teachers declare that the
law of God is no longer binding. Thus thoy cast away the
law and the Sabbath together. As tlie work of Sabbath
reform extends, this rejection of the divine law to avoid the
claims of the fourth commandment will become well-nigh
universal. The teachings of religious leaders have opened
the door to infidelity, to Spiritualism, and to contempt for
God's holy law; and upon these leaders rests a fearful re-
sponsibility for the iniquity that exists in the Christian
world.
Yet this very class put forth the claim that tlie fast-
spreading corruption is largely attributable to the dese-
cration of the so-called "Christian sabbath," and that the
enforcement of Sunday observance would greatly improve
the morals of society. This claim is especially urged in
America, where the doctrine of the true Sabbath has been
most widely preached. Here the temperance work, one of
the most prominent and important of moral reforms, is often
combined with the Sunday movement, and the advocates of
the latter represent themselves as laboring to promote the
highest interest of society; and those who refuse to unite
with them are denounced as the enemies of temperance and
reform. But the fact that a movement to establish error is
connected with a work which is in itself good, is not an
argument in favor of the error. We may disguise poison
by mingling it with wholesome food, but we do not change
its nature. On the contrary, it is rendered more dangerous,
as it is more likely to be taken unawares. It is one of
Satan's devices to combine with falsehood just enough truth
to give it plausibility. The leaders of the Sunday movement
588 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
may adyQgate reforms which the people need, principles
which are in harmony with the Bible; yet while there is
with these a requirement which is contrary to God's law,
His servants cannot unite with them. Nothing can justify
them in setting aside the commandments of God for the
precepts of men.
th rough the two great errors, the immortality of the sou l
and Sunday sacredness. Satan will bring the peo ple under
his deceptions. "While the former lays the foundation of
Spiritualism, the latter creates a bond of sympathy with
Rome. The Protestants of the United States will be fore-
most in stretching their hands across the gulf to grasp the
hand of Spiritualism; they will reach over the abyss to
clasp hands with the Roman power; and under the influ-
ence of this threefold union, this country will follow in
the steps of Rome in trampling on the rights of conscience.
As Spiritualism more closely imitates the nominal Chris-
tianity of the day, it has greater power to deceive and
ensnare. Satan himself is converted, after the modern
order of things. He will appear in the character of an
angel of light. Through the agency of Spiritualism, mir-
acles will be wrought, the sick will be healed, and many
undeniable wonders will be performed. And as the spirits
will profess faith in the Bible, and manifest respect for
the institutions of the church, their work will be accepted
as a manifestation of divine power.
The line of distinction between professed Christians and
the ungodly is now hardly distinguishable. Church-mem-
bers love what the world loves, and are ready to join with
them; and Satan determines to unite them in one body, and
thus strengthen his cause by sweeping all into the ranks
of Spiritualism. Papists, who boast of miracles as a certain
sign of the true church, will be readily deceived by this
wonder-working power; and Protestants, having cast away
the shield of truth, will also be deluded. Papists, Protes-
tants, and worldlings will alike accept the form of godliness
without the power, and they will see in this union a grand
I
THE IMPENDING CONFLICT 589
movement for the conversion of the world, and the usher-
ing in of the long-expected millennium.
Through Spiritualism, Satan appears as a benefactor of
the race, healing the diseases of the people, and professing
to present a new and more exalted system of religious faith;
but at the same time he works as a destroyer. His temp-
tations are leading multitudes to ruin. Intemperance de-
thrones reason; sensual indulgence, strife, and bloodshed
follow. Satan delights in war; for it excites the worst pas-
sions of the soul, and then sweeps into eternity its victims
steeped in vice and blood. It is his object to incite the
nations to war against one another; for he can thus divert
the minds of the people from the work of preparation to
jjtand in the day of God.
Satan works through the elements also to garner his
harvest of unprepared souls. He has studied the secrets
of the laboratories of nature, and he uses all his power to
control the elements as far as God allows. When he was
suffered to afflict Job, how quickly flocks and herds, servants,
houses, children, were swept away, one trouble succeeding
another as in a moment. It is God that shields His crea-
tures, and hedges them in from the power of the destroyer.
But the Christian world have shown contempt for the law
of Jehovah; and the Lord will do just what He has declared
that He would, — He will withdraw His blessings from the
earth, and remove His protecting care from those who are
rebelling against His law, and teaching and forcing others
to do the same. Satan has control of all whom God does
not especially guard. He will favor and prosper some, in
order to further his own designs ; and he will bring trouble
upon others, and lead men to believe that it is God who is
afflicting them
While appearing to the children of men as a great phy-
sician who can heal all their maladies, he will bring disease
and disaster, until populous cities are reduced to ruin and
desolation. Even now he is at work. In accidents and
/calamities by sea and by land, in great conflagrations, in
590 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
fierce tornadoes and terrific hail-storms, in tempests, floods,
cyclones, tidal waves, and earthquakes, in every place and
in a thousand forms, Satan is exercising his power. He
sweeps away the ripening harvest, and famine and distress
follow. He imparts to the air a deadly taint, and thousands
perish by the pestilence. These visitations are to become
more and more frequent and disastrous. Destruction will
be upon both man and beast. ''The earth mourneth and
fadeth away," "the haughty people ... do languish. The
earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because
they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance,
broken the everlasting covenant."*
And then the great deceiver will persuade men that those
who serve God are causing these evils. The class that have
provoked the displeasure of Heaven will charge all theii
troubles upon those whose obedience to (Grod's command-
ments is a perpetual reproof to transgressors. It will be
declared that men are offending God by the violation of
the Sunday-sabbath; that this sin has brought calamities
which will not cease until Sunday observance shall be
strictly enforced; and that those who present the claims
of the fourth commandment, thus destroying reverence for
Sunday, are troublers of the people, preventing their res-
toration to divine favor and temporal prosperity. Thus the
accusation urged of old against the servant of God will be
repeated, and upon grounds equally well established: "And
it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto
him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel? And he answered,
I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house,
in that ye have forsaken the commandments of tlie Lord,
and thou hast followed Baalim."" As the wrath of the
people shall be excited by false charges, they will pursue
a course toward God's ambassadors very similar to, that
which apostate Israel pursued toward Elijah.
The miracle-working power manifested through Spirit-
ualism will exert its influence against those who choose te
»Isa. 24:4, t '1 Kings 18:17, 18, \
I
THE IMPENDING CONFLICT 591
obey God rather than men. Communications from the
spirits will declare that God has sent them to convince the
rejecters of Sunday of their error, affirming that the laws
of the land should be obeyed as the law of God, They will
lament the great wickedness in the world, and second the
testimony of religious teachers, that the degraded state of
morals is caused by the desecration of Sunday. Great will
be the indignation excited against all who refuse to accept
their testimony.
Satan's policy in this final conflict with God's people is
the same that he employed in the opening of the great con-
troversy in heaven. He professed to be seeking to promote
the stability of the divin'e government, while secretly bend-
ing every effort to secure its overthrow. And the very work
which he was thus endeavoring to accomplish, he charged
upon the loyal angels. The same policy of deception has
marked the history of the Roman Church. It has professed
to act as the vicegerent of Heaven, while seeking to exalt
itself above God, and to change His law. Under the rule
of Rome, those who suffered death for their fidelity to the
gospel were denounced as evil-doers; they were declared to
be in league with Satan ; and every possible means was
employed to cover them with reproach, to cause them to
appear, in the eyes of the people, and even to themselves,
as the vilest of criminals. So it will be now. While Satan
seeks to destroy those wlio honor God's law, he will cause
them to be accused as lawbreakers, as men who are dis-
honoring God, and bringing judgments upon the world.
God never forces the will or the conscience; but Satan's
constant resort — to gain control of those whom he cannot
otherwise seduce — is compulsion by cruelty. Through fear
or force he endeavors to rule the conscience, and to secure
' homage to himself. To accomplish this, he works through
both religious and secular authorities, moving them to the
enforcement of human laws in defiance of the law of God.
592 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
Those who honor the Bible Sabbath will be denounced
as enemies of law and order, as breaking down the moral
restraints of society, causing anarchy and corruption, and
calling down the judgments of God upon the earth. Their
conscientious scruples will be pronounced obstinacy, stub-
bornness, and contempt of authority. They will be accused
of disaffection toward the government. Ministers who deny
the obligation of the divine law will present from the pulpit
the duty of yielding obedience to the civil authorities as
ordained of God. In legislative halls and courts of justice,
commandment-keepers will be misrepresented and con-
demned. A false coloring will be given to their words;
the worst construction will be put upon their motives.
As the Protestant churches reject the clear, scriptural
arguments in defense of God's law, they will long to silence
those whose faith they cannot overthrow by the Bible.
Though they blind their own eyes to the fact, they are now
adopting a course which will lead to the persecution of
those who conscientiously refuse to do what the rest of the
Christian world are doing, and acknowledge the claims of
the papal sabbath.
The dignitaries of church and state will unite to bribe,
persuade, or compel all classes to honor the Sunday. The
lack of divine authority will be supplied by oppressive en-
actments. Political corruption is destroying love of justice
and regard for truth ; and even in free America, rulers and
legislators, in order to secure public favor, will yield to the
popular demand for a law enforcing Sunday observance.
Liberty of conscience, which has cost so great a sacrifice,
will no longer be respected. In the soon-coming conflict
we shall see exemplified the prophet's words, "The dragon
was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the
remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God,
and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.'"
*Kev. 12:17.
TliE SCRIPTURES A SAFEGUARD-37
"To THE law and to the testimony: if tliey speak not
according to this word, it is because there is no light in
them. ' ' ' The people of God are directed to the Scriptures
as their safeguard against the influence of false teachers
and the delusive power of spirits of darkness. Satan em-
ploys every possible device to prevent men from obtain-
ing a knowledge of the Bible; for its plain utterances
reveal his deceptions. At every revival of God's work, the
prince of evil is aroused to more intense activity; he is
now putting forth his utmost efforts for a final struggle
against Christ and His followers. The last great delusion
is soon to open before us. Antichrist is to perform his
^rvelous works in our sight. So closely will the counter-
feit resemble the true, that it will be impossible to distin-
guish between them except by the Holy Scriptures. By their
testimony every statement and every miracle must be tested.
Those who endeavor to obey all the commandments of
God will be opposed and derided. They can stand only in
God. In order to endure the trial before them, they must
understand the will of God as revealed in His word; they
can honor Him only as they have a right conception of His
character, government, and purposes, and act in accordance
with them. None but tliose who ha\(j fortified the minj [_
with the truths of the Bible will stand through the last grt>at
>Isa. 8:20.
(593)
594 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY __
conflict. To every soul will come the searching test, Shall 1
obey God rather than men? The decisive hour is even now
at hand. Are our feet planted on the rock of God's immu-
table word? Are we prepared to stand firm in defense of
the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus f
Before His crucifixion, the Saviour explained to His dis-
ciples that He was to be put to death, and to rise again
from the tomb; and angels were present to impress His
words on minds and hearts. But the disciples were looking
for temporal deliverance from the Roman yoke, and they
could not tolerate the thought that He in whom all their
hopes centered should suffer an ignominious death. The
words which they needed to remember were banished from
their minds; and when the time of trial came, it found them
unprepared. The death of Jesus as fully destroyed their
hopes as if He had not forewarned them. So in the prophe-
cies the future is opened before us as plaiiily as, it was
opened to the disciples by the words of Christ. The events
connected with the close of probation and , the work of
preparation for the time of trouble, are clearly presented!
But multitudes liave no more understanding of these im-
portant truths than if they had never been revealed. Satan
vratehes 'tio" •c&itW'U'Mf'ii'^&ty impression that would make
them wise unto salvation, and'thfe-'tifhe of troifbTdr'WfIT''flM
them unready.
When God sends to men warnings so important that they
are represented as proclaimed by holy angels flying in the
midst of heaven. He requires every person endowed with
reasoning powers to heed the message. The fearful judg-
ments denounced against the worship of the beast and his
image," should lead all to a diligent study of the prophecies
to learn what the mark of the beast is, and how they are to
avoid receiving it. But the masses of the people turn away
" ffieif " 'eais "ff6nl''^1^g'&'rfflg ' 'the ' tfutfit'lM ire turned unto
"^fables. The apostle Paul declared, looking down to the last
days, "The time will come when they will not endure
»Eev. 14: 9-11.
I
THE SCRIPTURES A SAFEGUARD 695
sound , doctrine. " ' That time has fully come. The mul-
titudes do not want Bible truth, because it interferes with
the desires of the sinful, world-loving heart; and Satan
supplies the deceptions which they love.
n, But God will have a people upon the earth to maintain
the Bible, and the Bible only, as the standard of all doc-
trines, and the basis of all reforms. The opinions of
learned men, the deductions of science, the creeds or deci-
sions of ecclesiastical councils, as numerous and discordant
as are the churches which they represent, the voice of the
majority,— not one nor all of these should be regarded as
evidence for or against any point of religious faith. Before
accepting any doctrine or precei)t, we should demand a
plain "Thus saith the Lord" in its support.
Satan is constantly endeavoring to attract attention to
man in the place of God. He leads the people to look to
bishops, to pastors, to professors of theology, as their guides,
instead of searching the Scriptures to learn their duty for
themselves. Then, by controlling the minds of these leaders,
he can influence the multitudes according to his Avill.
When Christ came to speak the words of life, the com-
►non people heard Him gladly ; and many, even of the
priests and rulers, believed on Him. But the chief of the
priesthood and the leading men of the nation were deter-
mined to condemn and repudiate His teachings. Though
they were baffled in all their efforts to find accusations
against Him, though they could not but feel the influence
of tlic divine power and wisdom attending His words, yet
they encased themselves in prejudice ; they rejected the
clearest evidence of His IMessiahship, lest they should be
forced to become His discii)les. These opponents of Jesus
were, men whom the people had been taught from infancy
to reverence, to whose authority they had boon accustomed
implicitly to bow. "How is it," they asked, "that our
rulers and learned scribes do not believe on Jesus? Would
Bot.these pious men receive Hira if He were the Christ?"
>2 Tim. 4:3.
596 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
It was the influence of such teachers that led the Jewish
nation to reject their Redeemer.
The spirit which actuated those priests and rulers is still
manifested by many who make a high profession of piety.
They refuse to examine the testimony of the Scriptures con-
cerning the special truths for this time. They point to their
o^^•n numbers, wealth, and popularity, and look with con-
tempt upon the advocates of truth as few, poor, and unpop-
ular, having a faith that separates them from the world.
Christ foresaw that the undue assumption of authority
indulged by the scribes and Pharisees would not cease with
the dispersion of the Jews. He had a prophetic view of the
work of exalting hr.man authority to rule the conscience,
which has been so terrible a curse to the church in all ages.
And His fearful denunciations of the scribes and Pharisees,
and His warnings to the people not to follow these blind
leaders, were placed on record as an admonition to future
generations.
Tlie Roman Church reserves to the clergy the right to
interpret the Scriptures. On the ground that ecclesiastics
alone are competent to explain God's word, it is withheld
from the common people. Though the Reformation gave
the Scriptures to all, yet the selfsame principle which was
maintained by Rome prevents multitudes in Protestant
churches from searcliing the Bible for themselves. They art
taught to accept its teachings as interpreted by the church;
and there are thousands who dare receive nothing, however
plainly revealed in Scripture, that is contrary to their creed,
or tlie established teaching of their church.
Notwithstanding the Bible is full of warnings against
false teachers, many are ready thus to commit the keeping
of their souls to the clergy. There are to-day thousands of
professors of religion who can give no other reason for
points of faith which they hold than that they were so
instructed by their religious leaders. They pass by the
Saviour's teachings almost unnoticed, and place implicit
THE SCRIPTURES A SAFEGUARD 597
confidence in the words of the ministers. But are ministers
infallible? How can we trust our souls to their guidance
unless we know from God's word that they are light-
bearers? A lack of moral courage to step aside from the
beaten track of the world, leads many to follow in the steps
of learned men ; and by their reluctance to investigate for
themselves, they are becoming hopelessly fastened in the
chains of error. They see that the truth for this time is
plainly brought to view in the Bible, and they feel the
power of the Holy Spirit attending its proclamation; yet
they allow the opposition of the clergy to turn them from
the light. Though reason and conscience are convinced,
these deluded souls dare not think differently from the min-
ister; and their individual judgment, their eternal interests,
are sacrificed to the unbelief, the pride and prejudice, of
another.
Many are the ways by which Satan works through
liuman influence to bind his captives. He secures multi-
tudes to himself by attaching them by the silken cords of
affection to those who are enemies of the cross of Christ,
^"hatever this attachment may be, parental, filial, conjugal,
or social, the effect is the same; the opposers of truth exert
their power to control the conscience, and the souls held
under their sway have not sufficient courage or independ-
ence to obey their own convictions of duty.
The truth and the glory of God are inseparable; it is
impossible for us, -vnth the Bible within our reach, to honor
God by erroneous opinions. ]\lany claim that it matters
not what one believes, if his life is only right. But the life
is moulded by the faith. If light and truth is within our
reach, and we neglect to improve the privilege of hearing
and seeing it, we virtually reject, it j we are choosing dark-
ness rather than light.
"There is a way tliat seemeth right unto a man, ])ut tiie
end thereof are the ways of death."' Ignorance is no ex-
cuse for error or sin, when there is every opportunity to
'Prov. lG:2o.
598 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
know the will of God. A man is traveling, and comes to
a place where there are several roads, and a guide-board
indicating where each one leads. If he disregards the guide-
board, and takes whichever road seems to him to be right,
he may be ever so sincere, but will in all probability find
himself on the wrong road.
God has given us His word that we may become ac-
quainted with its teachings, and know for ourselves what
He requires of us. When the lawyer came to Jesus with
the inquiry, "What shall I do to inherit eternal life?" the
Saviour referred him to the Scriptures, saying, "What is
written in the law? how readest thou?" Ignorance will not
excuse young or old, nor release them from the punishment
due for the transgression of God's law; because there is in
their hands a faithful presentation of that law and of its
principles and its claims. It is not enough to have good
intentions; it is not enough to do what a man thinks is
right, or wKat the minister tells him is right. His soul's
salvation is at stake, and he should search the Scriptures
for himself. However strong may be his convictions, how-
ever confident he may be that the minister knows what is
truth, this is not his foundation. He has a chart point-
ing out every way-mark on the heavenward journey, and
he ought not to guess at anything.
It is the first and liighest duty of every rational being to
learn from the Scriptures what is truth, and then to walk
in the light, and encourage others to follow his exam-
ple. We should day by day study the Bible diligently,
weighing every thought, and comparing scripture with
scripture. With divine help, we are to form our opinions
for ourselves, as we are to answer for ourselves before God.
^'^^^Jj|^T<2^^J^^2^M^|a^J^^ jjj] ^^f" Bihip HavP ]}Q2n
involved*^^^^ Tand darkness by learned ,men^ who, with
a pretense of great, wasdom, teach that the Scriptures have
a mystical, a secret, spiritual meaning not apparent in the
language employed. These men are false teachers. It was
THE SCRIPTURES A SAFEGUARD 599
to such a class that Jesus declared, "Ye know not the Scrip-
tures, neither tlie power of God."' The language of the
Bible should be explained according to its obvious meaning,
unless a symbol or figure is employed. Christ has given the
promise, "If any man will do His will, he shall know of
the doctrine. " ^ . If men would but take the Bible as it
reads, if there were no false teachers to mislead and confuse
their minds, a Avork Avould be accomplished that would make
angels glad, and that would bring into the fold of Christ
tiiousands upon thousands who are now wandering in error.
We should exert all the powers of the mind in the study
of the Scriptures, and should task the understanding to com-
prehend, as far as mortals can, the deep things of God; yet
we must not forget that the docility and submission of a
child is the true spirit of the learner. Scriptural difficulties
can never be mastered by the same methods that are era-
ployed in grappling with philosophical problems. "We
should not engage in the study of the Bible with that self-
reliance with which so many enter the domains of science,
but with a prayerful dependence upon God, and a sincere
desire to learn His will. We must come with a humble and
teachable spirit to obtain knowledge from the great I AM.
Otherwise, evil angels will so blind our minds and harden
our hearts that we shall not be impressed by the truth.
Many a portion of Scripture which learned men pro-
nounce a mystery, or pass over as unimportant, is full of
comfort and instruction to him who has been taught in the
school of Christ. One reason why many theologians have
no clearer understanding of God's word is, they close their
eyes o 'ruths which they do not wish to practise. An un-
derstanding of Bible truth depends not so much on the
power of intellect brought to the search as on the single-
ness of purpose, the earnest longing after righteousness.
The Bible should never be studied without prayer. The
Holy Spirit alone can cause us to feel the importance of
those things easy to be understood, or prevent us from wrest-
1 Mark 12:24. » John 7:17.
600 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
ing truths difficult of comprehension. It is the office of
heavenly angels to prepare the heart so to comprehend God's
word that we shall be charmed with its beauty, admonished
by its warnings, or animated and strengthened by its prom-
ises. We should make the psalmist's petition our own,
"Open Thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things
out of Thy law."^ Temptations often appear irresistible
because, through neglect of prayer and the study of the
Bible, the tempted one cannot readily remember God's
promises and meet Satan with the Scripture weapons. But
angels are round about those who are willing to be taught
in divine things; and in the time of great necessity, they will
bring to their remembrance the very truths which are needed.
Thus "when the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit
of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him. ' ' ^
Jesus promised Ilis disciples, "The Comforter, which is
the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name,
He shall teach you all things, and l)ring all things to your
remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."^ But
the teachings of Christ must previously have been stored
in tlie mind, in order for the Spirit of God to bring them
to our remembrance in the time of peril. "Thy word have
I hid in mine heart," said David, "that I might not sin
against Thee."*
All who value their eternal interests should be on their
guard against the inroads of skepticism. The very pillars
of truth will be assailed. It is impossible to keep beyond
the reach of the sarcasms and sophisms, the insidious and
pestilent teachings, of modern infidelity. Satan adapts his
temptations to all classes. He assails the illiterate with a
jest or sneer, while he meets the educated with scientific
objections and philosophical reasoning, alike calculated to
excite distrust or contempt of the Scriptures. Even youth
of little experience presume to insinuate doubts concerning
the fundamental principles of Christianity. And this youth-
ful infidelity, shallow as it is, has its influence. Many are
iPs. 119:18. *Isa. 59:19. = John 14; 86, •Ps. 119:11,
THE SCRIPTURES A SAFEGUARD 601
thus led to jest at the faith of their fathers, and to do
despite to the Spirit of grace/ Many a life that promised
to be an honor to God and a blessing to the world, has been
blighted by the foul breath of infidelity. All who trust to
the boastful decisions of human reason, and imagine that
they can explain divine mysteries, and arrive at truth
unaided by the wisdom of God, are entangled in the snare
of Satan.
We are living in tho most solemn period of this world's
history. The destiny of earth's teeming multitudes is about
to be decided. Our own future well-being, and also the
salvation of other souls, depend upon the course which we
now pursue. We need to be guided by the Spirit of truth.
Every follower of Christ should earnestly inquire, ''Lord,
what wilt Thou have me to do?" We need to humble our-
selves before the Lord, with fasting and prayer, and to
meditate much upon His word, especially upon the scenes
of the judgment. We should now seek a deep and living
experience in the things of God. We have not a moment
to lose. Events of vital importance are taking place
around us; we are on Satan's enchanted ground. Sleep
not, sentinels of God; the foe is lurking near, ready at any
moment, should you become lax and drowsy, to spring upon
you and make you his prey.
Many are deceived as to their true condition before God.
They congratulate themselves upon the wrong acts which
they do not commit, and forget to enumerate the good and
noble deeds which God re(iuires of them, but which they
have neglected to perform. It is not enough that they are
trees in the garden of God. They are to answer His expec-
tation by bearing fruit. He holds them accountable for
their failure to accomplish all the good wliich they could
have done, through His grace strengthening them. In the
books of heaven they are registered as cumberers of the
ground. Yet the case of even this class is not utterly
hopeless. With those who have slighted God's mercy and
'Heb. 10:29.
602
THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
abused His grace, the heart of long-suffering Love yet
pleads. "Wherefore He saith, Awake, thou that sleep-
est, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee
light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, . . . redeem-
ing the time, because the days are evil. ' ' '
When the testing time shall come, those who have made
God's word their rule of life will be revealed. In summer
there is no noticeable difference between evergreens and
other trees; but Avhen the blasts of winter come, the ever-
greens remain unchanged, while other trees are stripped of
their foliage. So the false-hearted professor may not now
be distinguished from the real Christian, but the time is
just upon us when the difference will be apparent. Let
opposition arise, let bigotry and intolerance again bear
sway, let persecution be kindled, and the half-hearted and
hypocritical will waver and yield the faith; but the true
(/hristian will stand firm as a rock, his faith stronger, his
hope brighter, than in days of prosperity.
Says the psalmist: "Thy testimonies are my meditation."
"Through Thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I
hate every false way. ' ' "
"Happy is the man that findeth wisdom." "He shall be
as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her
roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but
her leaf shall be green ; and shall not be careful in the
year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit. ""*
'Eph. ,'5:14-16. =P3. 119:99,104. » p,.o^, 3.13. j^j.. 17. g.
TME FINAL WARNING -38
1' "I SAW another angel come down from heaven, having
great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.
And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon
the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation
of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of
every unclean and hateful bird." "And I heard another
voice from heaven, saying. Come out of her, My people,
that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive
not of her plagues. ' ' ^
This scripture points forward to a time when the an-
nouncement of the fall of Babylon, as made by the second
angel ^ of Revelation 14, is to be repeated, with the addi-
tional mention of the corruptions which have been enter-
i ng the various o rganizations that constitute_Babylon, since
that message was first given, in the summer of 1844. A ter-
rible condition of the religious world is here described.
With every rejection of truth, the minds of the people will
become darker, their hearts more stubborn, until they are
entrenched in an infidel hardihood. Tn defiance of the warn-
ings which God has given, they will continue to trample
upon one of the precepts of the decalogue, until they are
led to persecute those who hold it sacred. Christ is set at
naught in the contempt placed upon His word and His
people. As the teachings of Spiritualism are accepted by
'Rev. 18:1, 2, 4. *Rev. 14:8.
(603)
604 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
the churches, the restraint imposed upon the carnal heart
is removed, and the profession of religion will become a
cloak to conceal the basest iniquity. A belief in spiritual
manifestations opens the door to seducing spirits, and doc-
trines of devils, and thus the influence of evil angels will
be felt in the churches.
Of Babylon, at the time brought to view in this proph-
ecy, it is declared, "Her sins have reached unto heaven, and
God hath remembered her iniquities. ' ' * She has filled up
the measure of her guilt, and destruction is about to fall
upon her. But God still has a people in Babylon; and
before the visitation of His judgments, these faithful ones
must be called out, that they "partake not of her sins, and
receive not of her plagues." Hence the movement sym-
bolized by the angel coming down from heaven, lightening
the earth with his glory, and crying mightily with a strong
voice, announcing the sins of Babylon. In connection with
his message the call is heard, "Come out of her. My
people." These announcements, uniting with the third
angel's message, constitute the final warning to be given
to the inhabitants of the earth.
Fearful is the issue to which the world is to be brought.
The powers of earth, uniting to war against the command-
ments of God, Avill decree that all, "both small and great,
rich and poor, free and bond, ' ' ' shall conform to the
customs of the church by the observance of t he fals e
sabbath. All Avho refuse compliance will be visited wirh
civil penalties, and it will finally be declared that they are
deserving of death. On the other hand, the law of God
enjoining the Creator's rest-day demands obedience, and
threatens wrath against all who transgress its precepts.
With the issue thus clearly brought before him, whoever
shall trample upon God's law to obey a human enactment,
receives the mark of the beast; he accepts the sign of alle-
giance to the power which he chooses to obey instead, of
God. The warning from heaven is, "If any man worship
^Eev. 18:5. *Rev. 13:16.
THE FINAL WARNING 605
the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his fore-
head, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of
the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture
into the cup of His indignation. ' ' '
But not one is made to suffer the wrath of God until the
truth has been brought home to his mind and conscience,
and has been rejected. There are many who have never
had an opportunity to hear the special truths for this time.
The obligation of the fourth commandment has never been
set before them in its true light. lie who reads every heart,
and tries every motive, wiir leave none who desire a knowl-
edge of the truth, to be deceived as to the issues of the
controversy. The decree is not to be urged upon the people
blindly., "'lEVery one is to have sufficient light to make his
decision' intelligently.
The Sabbath will be the great test of loyalty; for it is
the point of truth especially controverted. When the final
test shall be brought to bear upon men, then the line of
distinction will be drawn between those who serve God and
those who serve Him not. While the observance of the false
sabbath in compliance with the law of the state, contrary
to the fourth commandment, Avill be an avowal of alle-
giance to a power that is in opposition to God, the keeping
of the true Sabbath, in obedience to God's law, is an evi-
dence of loyalty to the Creator. While one class, by
accepting the sign of submission to earthly powers, receive
the mark of the beast, the other, choosing the token of
allegiance to divine authority, receive the seal of God.
Heretofore those who presented the truths of the third
angel's message have often l>een 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
fias been confidently declared that this land could never
become other than what it has been, — the defender "^ of re-
*Eev. 14:9, 10.
606 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
ligious freedom. But as the question of enforcing Sunday
observance is widely agitated, the event so long doubted an4
disbelieved is seen to be approaching, and the third mes-
sage will produce an effect -which it could not have had
before.
In every generation God has sent His servants to rebuke
sin, both in the world and in the church. But the people
desire smooth things spokei) to them, and the pure, unvar-
nished truth is not acceptable. Many reformers, in enter-
ing upon their work, determinedtoexercus^ereatji^^
i^attejjj^^g^JJjg^gg^^^JjJy^jiJyyj^^ They
hoped, by the example of a pure Christian life, to lead the
people back to the doctrines of the Bible . But th e Spirit
of God came upon them as it came upon_ EH jaH^ moving
him to rebuke the sins of a wickoa~king and an apostate
people ; they could not refrain from preaching the plain
utterances of the Bible, — doctrines which they had been
reluctant to present. They were impelled to zealously de-
clare the truth, and the danger which threatened souls.
The words which the Lord gave them they uttered,' fearless
of consequence, and the people were compelled to hfe^at the
warning.
Thus the message of the third angel will be proclaimed.
As the time comes for it to be given with greatest power,
the Lord mil work through humble instruments, leading
the minds of those who consecrate themselves to His setvice.
The laborers will be qualified rather by the unction of His
Spirit than by the training of literary institutions. Men of
faith and prayer will be constrained to go forth with holy
zeal, declaring the words which God gives them. The sins
^ Babylon will be laid open. The fearful results of en-
forcing the observances of the church by civil authority; the
inroads of Spiritualism, the stealthy but rapid progress of
; the papal power, — all will be unmasked. B y these solemn
'^^j^rning s the people wi IL4>fe-..&tijr£d. Thousands upon thou-
sands will listen who have never heard words like these.
rhpKV pc^\^^u KwMixsV^^l
THE FINAL WARNING 607
In amazeme nt they:.Jhear the testimony that Babylon is the
ffhnrp.h. fallf^p hftnan^ft nf hftr ftrrnys ^nd sins, hec^ausft of h^r
rejection of the truth sent to her from heaven. As the
^people go to their former teaehers with tln' ci^vr inquiry,
Are these things so? the ministers present fables, prophesy
smooth things, to soothe their fears, and quiet the awakened
conscience. But since many refuse to be satisfied with the
mere authority of men, and demand a plain "Thus saith
the Lord," the popular ministry, like the Pharisees of old,
filled with anger as their authority is questioned, will de-
nounce the message as of S atan, and stir up the sin-loving
multitiides to revile and persecute those who proclaim it.
As xl^e controversy extends into new fields, and the
minds of the people are called toJj^i^,^g^j^2;j^;n4roddenJa\v,
^j^ fan is astir. The power attending the message will only
madden those who oppose it. The clergy will put forth
almost superhuman efforts to shut away the U^lji^^Ait it
should shine upon their flocks. By every means at their
comm^ (|] tliev will ende avo|L to suppress the diseussion^^
^jdese vital (:|ue stion ^ . The church a ppeals to the strong
arm of civil power, a nd in this work, papists and Prote s-
t ants unite . As the movement for Sunday enforcement be-
comes more bold and decided, the law^ will be invoked
a gain st co mmandment -k eeper s. They v/ill be threatened
Qth fines smd u pjpyisonment, and some will be offered
positions of influence, and other rewards and advantages,
as inducements to renounce their l«*th. But their stead-
fast answer is, ''Show us from the word of God our er-
ror, ' ' — the same plea that was made by Luther under
similar circumstances. Those who are arraigned before the
courts, make a strong vindication of the truth, and some
who hear them are led to take their stand to keep all the
commandments of (jod. Thus light will be brought before
thousands who otherwise would know nothing of these
truths.
608 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
, Conscientious obedience tO the word of God will be
treated as rebellion. Blinded by Satan, the parent will ex-
ercise harshness and severity toward the believing child; the
master or mistress will oppress the commandment-keeping
servant. Affection will be alienated; children will be dis-
inherited, and driven from home. The words of Paul will
be literally fulfilled, "All that will live godly in Christ
Jesus shall suffer persecution."' As the defenders of truth
refuse to honor the Sunday-sabbath, some of them will be
thrust into prison, some will be exiled, some will be treated
as slaves. To human wisdom, all this now seems impos-
sible; but as the restraining ^'Spirit of God shall be with-
drawn from men, and they shall be under the control of
Satan, who hates the divine precepts, there will be strange
developments. The heart can be very cruel when God's
fear and love are removed.
As tha. ^tqrm approa ches, a large class who have pro-
fpRsp|][^|p^i^j^ ^fi*. til ^ ^(bird anger§,. message, Ijut Imve not been
sanc tified through obedience to the truth, ulumdon their
position, and join the ranks of the opposition. By uiaiting
with the world and partaking of its spirit, they have conie
to view matters in nearly the sairle light; and when the
test is brought, they are prepared to choose the easy, popu-
lar side. Men of tal^ifl! and pleasing address, who once
rejoiced in the truth, employ their powers to deceive ghd
mislead souls. They beeome the most bitter enemies of their
former brethren. WIk'H Salitiatli-kcL'pf^i-s are brought be-
foi-c tlu' eoiirts to answer for tlieir faith, these apostates
are tli<' lll()^t efficient agents of Satan to misrepresent and
accuse them, and" by false reports and insinuations to stir
up the rulers against them.
In this time of persecution the faith of the Lord's
servants will be tried. They have faithfully given the
warning, looking to God and to His word alone. God's
Spirit, moving upon their hearts, has constrained them to
speak. Stimulated with holy zeal, and with the divine im-
'2 Tim. 3:12.
THE FINAL WARNING 609
pulse strong tipon them, they entered upon the performance
of their duties without coldly calculating the consequences
of speaking to the people the word which the Lord had
given them. They have not consulted their temporal inter-
ests, nor sought to preserve their reputation or their lives.
Yet when the storm of opposition and reproach bursts upon
them, some, overwhelmed with consternation, will be ready
to exclaim, "Had we foreseen the consequences of our
words, we would have held our peace." They are hedged
in with difficulties. Satan assails them with fierce tempta-
tions. The work which they have undertaken seems far
beyond their ability to accomplish. They are threatened
with destruction. The enthusiasm which animated them is
gone; yet they cannot turn back. Then, feeling their utter
helplessness, they flee to the Mighty One for strength. They
remember that the words which they have spoken were not
theirs, but His who bade them give the warning. God put
the truth into their hearts, and they could not forbear to
proclaim it.
The same trials have been experienced by men of God in
ages past. Wycliffe, Huss, Luther, Tyndale, Baxter, Wesley,
urged that all doctrines be brought to the test of the Bible,
and declared that they would renounce everything which
it condemned. Against these men, persecution raged with
relentless fury; yet they ceased not to declare the truth.
Different periods in the history of the church have each
been marked by the development of some special truth,
adapted to the necessities of God's people at that time.
Every new truth has made its way against hatred and oppo-
sition; those who were blessed with its light were tempted
and tried. The Lord gives a special truth for the people
in an emergency. Who dare refuse to publish it? He com-
mands His servants to present the last invitation of mercy
to the world. They cannot remain silent, except at the
peril of their souls. Christ's ambassadors have nothing to
20— G. C.
'eiO THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
do with consequences. They must perforin their duty, and
leave results with God.
As the opposition rises to a fiercer height, the servants of
God are again perplexed; for it seems to them that they
have brought the crisis. But conscience and the word of
God assure them that their course is right; and although
the trials continue, they are strengthened to bear them.
The contest grows closer and sharper, but their faith and
courage rise with the emergency. Their testimony is: "We
dare not tamper with God's word, dividing His holy law;
calling one portion essential and another non-essential, to
gain the favor of the world. The Lord whom we serve is
a))le to deliver us. Christ has conquered the powers of
earth ; and shall we be afraid of a world already con-
quered ? ' '
Tersecution in its varied forms is the development of a
principle which will exist as long as Satau exists and Chris-
tianity has vital power. No man can serve God without
enlisting agaijist himself the opposition of the hosts of
darkness. Evil angels will assail him, alarmed that his in-
fluence is taking the prey from their hands. Evil men, re-
buked by his example, will unite with them in seeking to
separate him from God by alluring temptations. "When
these do not succeed, then a compelling power is employed
to force tlie conscience.
But so long as Jesus remains man's intercessor in the
sanctuary above, the restraining influence of the Holy Spirit
is felt by rulers and people. It still controls, to some ex-
tent, the laws of the laud. Were it not for these laws, the
condition of the world would be much worse than it now
is. While many of our rulers are active agents of Satan,
God also has His agents among the leading men of the
nationi ' The enemy moves upon his servants to propose
measures that would greatly impede the work of God ; but
statesmen who fear the Lord are influenced by holy angels
to oppose such propositions with unanswerable arguments.
.0 .D— Oi:
THE FINAL WARNING WT eil
Thus a few men will hold in check a powerful current of
evil. The opposition of the enemies of truth will be re-
strained that the third angel's message may do its work.
When the final warning shall be given, it will arrest the
attention of these leading men through whom the Lord is
now working, and some of them will accept it, and will
stand with the people of God through the time of trouble.
The angel who unites in the proclamation of the third
angel's message, is to lighten the whole earth with his glory.
A work of world-wide extent and unwonted power is here
foretold. The Advent Movement of 1840-44 was a glorious,
manifestation of the power of God; the first angel's mes-
sage was carried to every missionary station in the world,
and in some countries there was the greatest religious
interest which has been witnessed in any land since the
Reformation of the sixteenth century; but these are to be
exceeded by the mighty movement under the last warning
of the third angel.
The work will be similar to that of the day of Pentecost.
As the "former rain" was given, in the outpouring of the
Holy Spirit at the opening of the gospel, to cause the up-
springing of tlic precious seed, so the "latter rain" will be
given at its close, for the ripening of the harvest. "Then
shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: His going
forth is prepared as the morning; and lie shall come unto
us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the
earth."* "Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice
in the Lord your God : for He hath given you the former
rain moderately, and He will cause to come down for you
the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain. " "^ "In the
last days, saith God, I will pour out of ]\Iy Spirit upon all
flesh." "And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall
call on the name of the Lord shall be saved."'
The great work of the gospel is not to close with less
manifestation of the power of God than marked its open-
ing. Th^ prophecies which were fulfilled in the outpouring
^Hosea 6:3. 'Joel 2:23. 'Acts 2:17. 21.
612 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
of the former rain at the opening of the gospel, are again
to be fulfilled in the latter rain at its close. Here are "the
times of refreshing" to which the apostle Peter looked foi*-
ward when he said, "Repent ye therefore, and be con-
verted, that your sins may be blotted out when the times
of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; and
He shall send Jesus. " *
Servants of God, with their faces lighted up and shining
with holy consecration, will hasten from place to place to
proclaim the message from heaven. By thousands of voices,
all over the earth, tlie warning will be given. Miracles
will be wrought, the sick will be healed, and signs and
wonders will follow the believers. Satan also works with
lying wonders, even bringing down fire from heaven in the
sight of men.' Thus the inhabitants of the earth will be
brought to take their stand.
i: The message will be carried not so much by argument
as by the deep conviction of the Spirit of God. The argu-
ments have been presented. The seed has been sown, and
now it will spring up and bear fruit. The publications dis-
tributed by missionary workers have exerted their influence,
yet many whose minds were impressed have been prevented
from fully comprehending the truth or from yielding obe-
dience. Now the rays of light penetrate everywhere, the
truth is seen in its clearness, and the honest children of God
sever the bands which have held them. Family connec-
tions, church relations, are powerless to stay them now.
Truth is more precious than all besides. Notwithstanding
the agencies combined against the truth, a large number
take their stand upon the Lord's side.
»Aets 3:19, 20. "Rev. 13:13.
..'0 .B&a<jLI
"THE TIME OF TROUBLE"-39
■b
"At that time shall Michael stand up, the great princei
which standeth for the children of thy people: and there
shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there
was a nation even to that same time : and at that time thy
people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found
written in the book."*
Wlien the third angel's message closes, mercy no lo^gp^
pleads for llie guilty inhabitants of the earth. The people,
of God have acctomplisliod thoir work. They have received
"the latter rain," "tlie refreshing from the presence of
tlie Lord," and they are prepared for the trying hour before
them. i\ngels are hastening to and fro in heaven. An
angel returning from the earth announces that his work is
done; the final test has been brought upon tlie world, and
all who have proved themselves loyal to the divine precepts
have received "the seal of the living God." Then Jesus
ceases His intercession in the sanctuary above. He lifts
His hands, and with a loud voice says, "It is done;" and
all the angelic host lay off their crowns as He makes tlie
solemn announcement: "He that is unjust, let him be un-
just still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and
he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is
holy, let him be holy still."* Every case has been decided
for life or death. Christ has made the atonement for His
Dan. 12:1.
Eev. 22:11.
(613)
614 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
people, and blotted out their sins. The number of His sub-
jects is made up ; " the kingdom and dominion, and the
greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven," is
about to be given to the heirs of salvation, and Jesus is to
reign as King of kings, and Lord of lords.
Wlien He leaves the sanctuary, darkness covers the in-
habitants of the earth. In that fearful time the righteous
must live in the sight of a holy God without an intercessor.
The restraint which has been upon the wicked is removed,
and Satan has entire control of the finally impenitent. God's
long-suffering has ended. The world has rejected His mercy,
despised His love, and trampled upon His law. The wicked
have passed the boundary of their probation; the Spirit of
God, persistently resisted, has been at last withdrawn. Un-
sheltered by divine grace, they have no protection from the
wicked one. Satan will then plunge the inhabitants of the
earth into one great, final trouble. As the angels of God
cease to liold in check the fierce winds of human passion,
all the elements of strife will be let loose. The whole world
will be involved' in ruin more terrible than that which came
upon Jerusalem of old.
A single angel destroyed all the first-born of the Egyp-
tians, and filled the land with mourning. When David
offended against God by num])ering the people, one angel
caused that terrible destruction by which his sin was pun-
ished. The same destructive power exercised by holy angels
when God commands, will be exercised by evil angels when
He permits. There are forces now ready, and only waiting
the divine permission, to spread desolation everywhere.
Those who honor the law of God have been accused of
bringing judgments upon the world, and they will be re-
garded as the cause of the fearful convulsions of nature and
the strife and bloodshed among men that are filling the
earth with woe. The power attending the last warning has
enraged the wicked; their anger is kindled against all who
THE TIME OF TROUBLE 6l6
have received tlie message, and Satan will excite to still
greater intensity the spirit of hatred and persecution.
When God's presence was finally witlidrawn from the
Jewish nation, priests and people knew it not. Though
under the control of Satan, and swayed by the most horrible
and malignant passions, they still regarded themselves as
the chosen of God. The ministration in tlie temple con-
tinued; sacrifices were offered upon its polluted altars, and
daily the divine blessing was invoked upon a people guilty
of the blood of God's dear Son, and seeking to slay His min-
isters and apostles. So when the irrevocable decision of
the sanctuary has been pronounced, add the destiny of the
world has been forever fixed, the inhabitants of the earth
will know it not. Tlie forms of religion will be continued
by a people from whom the Spirit of God has been finallj''
withdrawn; and the satanic zeal with which the prince of
evil will inspire tliem for the actcomplishment of his malig-
nant designs, will bear the semblance of zeal for God.
As the Sabbath has become the special point of contro-
versy througliout C'liristendom, and religious and secular
authorities have combined to enforce the observance of the
Sunday, the persistent refusal of a small minority to yield
to the popular demand, will make them objects of universal
execration. It will be urged that the few who stand in op-
position to an institution of the church and a law of the
state, ought not to be tolerated; that it is better for them to
suffer than for whole nations to be thrown into confusion
and lawlessness. The same argument eighteen hundred
years ago was brought against Christ by the "rulers of the
people." "It is expedient i'or us," said the wily Caiaphas,
"that one man should die for the people, and that the whole
nation perish not."' This argument will appear conclusive;
and a decree will finally be issued against those who liallow
the Sabbath of the fourth commandment, denouncing them
as deserving of the severest punishment, and giving the
people liberty, after a certain time, to put them to death.
'John 11:50.
616 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
Romanism in the Old World, and apostate Protestantism in
the New, will pursue a similar course toward those who
honor all the divine precepts.
The people of God will then be plunged into those scenes
of affliction and distress described by the propliet as the
time of Jacob's trouble. "Thus saith the Lord: We have
heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace. . . .
All faces are turned into paleness. Alas! for that day is
great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's
trouble; but he shall be saved out of it."*
Jacob's night of anguish, when he wi-estled in prayer for
deliverance from the hand of Esau,' represents the expe-
rience of God's people in the time of trou})le. Because of
the deception practised to secure his father's blessing, in-
tended for Esau, Jacob had fled for his life, alarmed by
his brother's deadly threats. After remaining for many
years an exile, he had set out, at God's command, to return
with his wives and children, liis flocks aiul herds, to his
native country. On reaching the borders of the land, he
was flllcd with terror l)y the tidings of Esau's approach at
the head of a band of warriors, doubtless bent up(m revenge.
Jacob's company, unarmed and defenseless, seemed about to
fall helpless victims of violence and slaughter. And to the
burden of anxiety and fear was added the crushing weight
of self-reproach; for it was his own sin that had brought
this danger. His only hope was in the mercy of God; his
only defense must be prayer. Yet he leaves nothing un-
done on his own part to atone for the wrong to his brother,
and to avert the threatened danger. So should the followers
of Christ, as they approach the time of trouble, make every
exertion to place themselves in a proper light before the
people, to disarm prejudice, and to avert the danger which
threatens liberty of conscience.
Having sent his family away, that they may not witness
his distress, Jacob remains alone to intercede with God. He
confesses his sin, and gratefully acknowledges the mercy of
^Jer. 30:5-7. *Gen. 32:24-30.
THE TIME OF TROUBLE 617
God toward him, while with deep humiliation he pleads the
covenant made with his fathers, and the promises to him-
self in the night \dsiori at Bethel and in the land of his
exile. The crisis in his life has come ; everything is at
stake. In the darkness and solitude he continues praying
and humbling himself before God. Suddenly a hand is
laid upon his shoulder. He thinks that an enemy is seek-
ing his life, and with all the energy of despair he wrestles
with his assailant. As the day begins to break, the stranger
puts forth his superhuman power: at his touch the strong
man seems paralyzed, and he falls, a helpless, weeping sup-
pliant, upon the neck of his mysterious antagonist. Jacob
knows now that it is the Angel of the Covenant with whom
he has been in conflict. Thongh disabled, and suffering the
keenest pain, he does not relinquish his purpose. Long has
he endured perplexity, remorse, and trouble for his sin; now
he must have the assurance that it is pardoned. The divine
visitant seems about to depart; but Jacob clings to Him,
pleading for a blessing. The Angel urges, "Let Me go; for
the day breaketh;" but the patriarch exclaims, *'I will not
let Thee go, except Thou bless me." What confidence, what
firmness and perseverance, are here displayed! Had this
been a boastful, presumptuous claim, Jacob would have been
instantly destroyed; but his was the assurance of one who
confesses his weakness and unworthiness, yet trusts the
mercy of a covenant-keeping God.
"He had power over the Angel, and prevailed.'"
Through humiliation, repentance, and self-surrender, this
sinful, erring mortal prevailed with the INIajesty of heaven.
He had fastened his trembling grasp upon the promises of
God, and the heart of Infinite Love could not turn away
the sinner's plea. As an evidence of his triumph, and an
encouragement to others to imitate his example, his name
was changed from one which was a reminder of his sin,
to one that commemorated his victory. And the fact that
Jacob had prevailed with God was an assurance that he
»Hosea 12:4.
618 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
would prevail with men. He no longer feared to encotin-
ter his brother's anger; for the Lord was his defense.
Satan had accused Jacob before the angels of God, claim-
ing the right to destroy him because of his sin; he had
moved upon Esau to march against him; and during the
patriarch's long night of wrestling, Satan endeavored to
force upon him a sense of his guilt, in order to discourage
him, and break his hold upon God. Jacob was driven
almost to despair; but he knew that without help from
heaven he must perish. He had sincerely repented of his
great sin, and he appealed to the mercy of God. He would
not be turned from his purpose, but held fast the Angel, and
urged his petition with earnest, agonizing cries, until he
prevailed.
As Satan influenced Esau to march against Jacob, so he
will stir up the wicked to destroy God's people in the time
of trouble. And as he accused Jacob, he will urge 'his accu-
sations against the people of God. He numbers the world
as bis su]>jects; but the little company who keep the com-
mandments of God are resisting his supremacy. If he could
blot them from the earth, his triumph would be complete.
He sees that holy angels are guarding them, and he infers
that their sins have been pardoned; but he does not know
that their cases have been decided in the sanctuary above.
He has an accurate knowledge of the sins which he has
tempted them to commit, and he presents these before God
in the most exaggerated light, representing this people to
be just as deserving as himself of exclusion from the favor
of God. He declares that the Lord cannot in justice for-
give their sins, and yet destroy him and his angels. He
claims them as his prey, and demands that they be given
into his hands to destroy.
As Satan accuses the people of God on account of their
sins, the Lord permits him to try them to the uttermost.
Their confidence in God, their faith and firmness, ^^dll be
severely tested. As they review the past, their hopes sink;
THE TIME OF TROUBLE 619
for in their whole lives they can see little good. They are
fully conscious of their weakness and unworthiness. Satan
endeavors to terrify them with the thought that their eases
are hopeless, that the stain of their defilement will never
be .washed away. He hopes so to destroy their faith that
they will yield to his temptations, and turn from their alle-
giance to God.
Though God's people will be surrounded by enemies who
are bent upon their destruction, yet the anguish which they
suffer is not a dread of persecution for the truth's sake;
they fear tliat every sin has not been repented of, and
that through some fault in themselves they will fail to
realize the fulfilment of the Saviour's promise, *'I will keep
thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon
all the world. " ^ If they could have the assurance of
pardon, they would not shrink from torture or death; but
should they prove unworthy, and lose their lives because of
their own defects of character, then God's holy name would
be reproached.
On every hand they hear the plottings of treason, and
see the active working of rebellion; and there is aroused
within them an intense desire, an earnest yearning of soul,
that this great apostasy may be terminated, and the wick-
edness of the wicked may come to an end. But while they
plead with God to stay the work of rebellion, it is with a
keen sense of self-reproach that they themselves have no
more power to resist and urge back the mighty tide of evil.
They feel that had they always employed all their ability
in the service of Christ, going forward from strengtli to
strength, Satan's forces would have less power to prevail
against them.
They afflict their souls before God, pointing to their past
repentance of their many sins, and pleading the Saviour's
promise, "Let him take hold of My strength, that he may
make peace with IMe ; and he shall make peace with Me. ' ' '
Their faith does not fail because their prayers are not im-
»Kev. 3:10. » Isa 27:.'>
620 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
mediately answered. Though suffering the keenest anxiety,
terror, and distress, they do not cease their intercessions.
The}'- lay hold of the strength of God as Jacob laid hold of
the Angel ; and the language of their souls is, "I will not let
Thee go, except Thou bless me."
Had not Jacob previously repented of his sin in ob-
taining the birthright by fraud, God would not have heard
his prayer and mercifully preserved his life. So, in the
time of trouble, if the people of God had uneonfessed sins
to appear before tliem wliile tortured with fear and anguish,
they would be overwhelmed; despair would cut off their
faith, and they could not have confidence to plead with God
for deliverance. But while they have a deep sense of their
un worthiness, they have no concealed wrongs to reveal.
Their sins liave gone beforeliand to judgment, and have been
blotted out; and they cannot bring them to remembrance.
Satan leads many to believe that God mil overlook their
unfaithfulness in the minor affairs of life; but the Lord
shows in His dealings with Jacob that He will in no wise
sanction or tolerate evil. All who endeavor to excuse or
conceal their sins, and permit them to remain upon the
books of heaven, uneonfessed and unforgiven, will be over-
come by Satan. The more exalted their profession, and the
more honorable the position which they hold, the more
grievous is their course in the sight of God, and the more
sure the triumph of their great adversary. Those who
delay a preparation for the day of God cannot obtain it
in the time of trouble, or at any subsequent time. The
ease of all such is hopeless.
Those professed Christians who come up to that last fear-
ful conliict unprepared, Anil, in their despair, confess their
sins in words of burning anguish, while the vsdcked exult
over their distress. These confessions are of the same char-
acter as was that of Esau or of Judas. Those who make
them, lament the )-esult of transgression, but not its guilt
They feel no true contrition, no abhorrence of evil. They
^iTHE TIME OF TROUBLE . 621
acknowledge their sin, through fear of punishment; but, like
Pharaoh of old, they would return to their defiance of
Heaven, should the judgments be removed.
Jacob 's history is also an assurance that God will not
cast off those who have been deceived, and tempted, and be-
trayed into sin, but who have returned unto Him with true
repentance. While Satan seeks to destroy this class, God
will send His angels to comfort and protect them in the
time of peril. The assaults of Satan are fierce and deter-
mined, his delusions are terrible; but the Lord's eye is upon
His people, and His ear listens to their cries. Their afflic-
tion is great, the flames of the furnace seem about to con-
sume them; but the Refiner will bring them, forth as gold
tried in the fire. God's love for His children during the
period of their severest trial, is as strong and tender as in
the days of their sunniest prosperity; but it is needful for
them to be placed iu the furnace of fire; their earthliness
must be consumed, that the image of Chi-ist may be per-
fectly reflected.
The season of distress and anguish before us will require
a faith that can endure weariness, delay, and hunger, — a
faith that will not faint, though severely tried. The period
of probation is granted to all to prepare for that time.
Jacob prevailed because he was persevering and deter-
mined. His victory is an evidence of the power of impor-
tunate prayer. All who will lay hold of God's promises,
as he did, and be as earnest and persevering as he was, will
succeed as he succeeded. Those who are unwilling to deny
self, to agonize before God. to pray long and earnestly for
His blessing, will not obtain it. Wrestling with God — how
few know what it is ! How few have ever had their souls
drawn out after God with intensity of desire until every
power is on the stretch. When waves of despair which no
language can express sweep over the suppliant, how few
cling with unyielding faith to the promises of God.'
I
622 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
Those who exercise but little faith now, are in the great-
est danger of falling under the power of satanic delusions
and the decree to compel the conscience. And even if they
endure the test, they will be plunged into deeper distress
and anguish in the time of trouble, because they have never
made it a habit to trust in God. The lessons of faith which
they have neglected, they will be forced to learn under a
terrible pressure of discouragement.
^J||^g^^^houl^y,^2^^^|2,^^
Hisnromjggg,^ Angels record every prayer that is earnest
and sincere. We should rather dispense with selfish grati-
fications than neglect communion with God. The deepest
poverty, the greatest self-denial, with His approval, is better
than riches, honors, ease, and friendship without it. We
must take time to pray. If we allow our minds to be ab-
sorbed by worldly interests, the Lord may give us time by
removing from us our idols of gold, of houses, or of fertile
lands.
The young would not be seduced into sin if they would
refuse to enter any path save that upon which they could
ask God's blessing. If the messengers who bear the last
solemn warning to the world would pray for the blessing
of God; not in a cold, listless, lazy manner, but fervently
and in faith, as did Jacob, they would find many places
where they could say, "I have seen God face to face, and
my life is preserved."^ They would be accounted of
heaven as princes, having jxtwer to i)revail with God and
with men.
The "time of trouble such as never was," is soon to open
upon us; and we shall need an experience which we do not
now possess, and which many are too indolent to obtain.
It is often the case that trouble is greater in anticipation
that in reality; but this is not true of the crisis before us.
The. most vivid presentation cannot reach the magnitude
.0^1 the ordeal. In that time of trial, every soul must stand
for himself before God. "Though Noah, Daniel, and Job"
were in the land, "as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall
*Gen. 82:30.
THE TIME OF TROUBLE 623
deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver
their own soids by their righteousness.'"
Now, while our great High Priest is making the atone-
ment for us, we should seek to become perfect in Christ.
Not even by a thought could our Saviour be brought to
yield to the power of temptation. Satan finds in human
hearts some point where he can gain a foothold; some sin-
ful desire is cherished, by means of which his temptations
assert their power. But Christ declared of Himself, "The
prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in Me.'"
Satan could find nothing in the Son of God that would
enable him to gain the victory. He had kept His Father's
commandments, and there was no sin in Him that Satan
could use to his advantage. This is the condition in which
those must be found who shall stand in the time of trouble.
It is in this life that we are to separate sin from us,
through faith in the atoning blood of Christ. Our precious
Saviour invites us to join ourselves to Him, to unite our
weakness to His strength, our ignorance to His wisdom,
our unworthiness to His merits. God's jirovidence is the
school in which we are to learn the meekness and lowliness
of Jesus. The Lord is ever setting before us, not the way
we would choose, which seems easier and pleasanter to us,
but the true aims of life. It rests with us to co-operate
with the agencies which Heaven employs in the work of
conforming our characters to the divine model. None can
neglect or defer this work but at the most fearful peril
to their souls.
The apostle John in vision heard a loud voice in heaven
exclaiming, "Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the
sea ! for the devil is come down unto you, having great'
wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.'"
Fearful are the scenes which call forth this exclamation
from the heavenly voice. The wrath of Satan increases as
his time grows short, and his w'ork of deceit and destruc-
tion will reach its culmination in the time of trouble.
»Eze. 14:20, ?John 14:30, »Rev. 12:1^
^624 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
I'l'j Fearful sights of a supernatural character will soon he
revealed in the heavens, in token of the power of miracle-
working demons. The spirits of devik will go forth to the
kings of the earth and to the whole world, to fasten them
in deception, and urge them on to unite wdth Satan in his
last struggle against the government of heaven. By these
agencies, rulers and subjects will be alike deceived. Per-
sons wall arise pretending to be Christ Himself, and claiming
the title and worship which belong to the world's Redeemer.
They will perform wonderful miracles of healing, and will
profess to have revelations from heaven contradicting the
testimony of the Scriptures.'
As the crowning act in the great drama of deception,
Satan himself w ilI_personate_XIiLcist. The church has long
professed to look to the Saviour's advent as the consum-
mation of her hopes. Now the great deceiver will make
it appear that Christ has come. In different parts of the
earth, Satan will manifest himself among men as a majeslic
being of dazzling brightness, resembling the description of
the Son of God given by John in the Revelation." The
glory that surrounds him is unsurpassed by anything that
mortal eyes have yet beheld. The shout of triumph rings
oiit upon the air, "Christ has come! Christ has come!"
The people prostrate themselves in adoration before him,
while he lifts up his hands, and pronounces a blessing upon
them, as Christ blessed His disciples when He was uporj the
earth. His voice is soft and subdued, yet full of melody.
In gentle, compassionate tones he presents some of the
same gracious, heavenly truths which the Saviour uttered;
he heals the diseases of the people, and then, in his assumed
character of Christ, he claims to have changed the Sab-
bath to Sunday, and commands all to hallow the day
which he has blessed. He declares that those who persist in
keeping holy the seventh day are blaspheming his name
by refusing to listen to his angels sent to them with light
and truth. This is the strong, almost overmastering delu-
sion. Jjike the Samaritans who were deceived by , , Simoa
THE TIMT: of trouble 625
Magus, the multitudes, from the least to the greatest, give
heed to these sorceries, saying, This is "the great power
of God."'
But the people of God will not be misled. The teach-,
ings of this false christ are not in accordance with the
Scriptures. His blessing is pronounced upon the worship-
ers of the beast and his image, the very class upon whom
the Bible declares that God's unmingled wrath shall be
poured out.
And, furthermore, Satan is not permitted to counter-
feit the manner of Christ's advent. The Saviour has warned
His people against deception upon this point, and has clearly
foretold the manner of His second coming. ''There shall
arise false christs, and false prophets, and shall show great
signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they
shall deceive the very elect. . . . Wherefore if they shall
say unto you. Behold, He ,is in the desert; go not forth:
behold. He is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For
as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even
unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man
be."' This coming, there is no possibility of counterfeiting.
It will be universally known — witnessed by the whole
world. . .
Only those who have been diligent students of the Scrip-
tures, and who have received the love of the truth, vnW be
shielded from the powerful delusion that takes the world
captive. By the Bible testimony these vdW detect the de-
ceiver in his disguise. To all, the testing time will come.
By the sifting of temptation, the genuine Christian wall be
revealed. Are the people of God now so firmly estab-
lished upon His word that they would not yield to the evi-
dence of their senses? Would they, in such a crisis, cling
to the Bible, and the Bible only? Satan will, if possible,
prevent them from obtaining a preparation to stand in
that day. He will so arrange affairs as to hedge up their
way, entangle them with earthly treasures, cause them to
carry a heavy, wearisome burden, that their hearts may be
'Acts 8:10.
*Matt. 24:24-27, 31; 25;31j Bev, 1:7; 1 Thess. 4:16, 17,
626 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
overcharged with the cares of this life, and the day of trial
may come upon them as a thief.
As the decree issued by the various rulers of Christen-
dom against commandment-keepers shall withdraw the pro-
tection of government, and abandon them to those who
desire their destruction, the people of God will flee from
the cities and villages and associate together in companies,
dwelling in the most desolate and solitary places. Many
will find refuge in the strongholds of the mountains. Like
the Christians of the Piedmont valleys, they will make the
high places of the earth their sanctuaries, and will thank
God for the ' ' munitions of rocks. ' ' ' But many of all na-
tions, and of all classes, high and low, rich and poor, black
and white, will be cast into the most unjust and cruel
bondage, Tlie beloved of God pass weary days, bound in
chains, shut in by prison bars, sentenced to be slain, some
apparently left to die of starvation in dark and loathsome
dungeons. No human ear is open to hear their moans; no
human hand is ready to lend them help.
Will the Lord forget His people in this trying hour?
Did He forget faithful Noah when judgments were visited
upon the antediluvian world? Did He forget Lot when the
fire came down from heaven to consume the cities of the
plain? Did He forget Joseph surrounded by idolaters in
Egypt? Did He forget Elijah when the oath of Jezebel
threatened him with the fate of the prophets of Baal? Did
He forget Jeremiah in the dark and dismal pit of his
prison-house? Did He forget the three worthies in the
fiery furnace? or Daniel in the den of lions?
"Zion said, Jehovah hath forsaken me, and my Lord
hath forgotten me. Can a woman forget her sucking child,
that she should not have compassion on the son of her
womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.
Behold. I have graven thee upon the palms of My hands. ' ' '
The Lord of hosts has said, "He that toucheth you, touch-
eth the apple of His eye. " *
'Isa. 33:16. =Isa. 49:14-16, 'Zech. 2:8.
THE TIME OF TROUBLE 627
Though enemies may thrust them into prison, yet dun-
geon walls cannot cut off the communication between their
souls and Christ. One who sees their every weakness, who
is acquainted with every trial, is above all earthly powers;
and angels will come to them in lonely cells, bringing light
and peace from heaven. The prison will be as a palace;
for the rich in faith dwell there, and the gloomy walls will
be lighted up with heavenly light, as when Paul and
Silas prayed and sung praises at midnight in the Philip-
pian dungeon.
God's judgments will be visited upon those who are
seeking to oppress and destroy His people. His long for-
bearance with the wicked emboldens men in transgression,
but their punishment is none the less certain and terrible
because it is long delayed. ''The Lord shall rise up as in
Mount Perazim, He shall be wroth as in the valley of
Gibeon, that He may do His work, His strange work; and
bring to pass His act. His strange act. " ^ To our merciful
God the act of punishment is a strange act. "As I live,
saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the
wicked."' The Lord is "merciful and gracious, long-suf-
fering, and abundant in goodness and truth, . . . forgiving
iniquity and transgression and sin." Yet He will "by
no means clear the guilty." "The Lord is slow to anger,
and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked."'
By terrible things in righteousness He will vindicate the
authority of His downtrodden law. The severity of the ret-
ribution awaiting the transgressor may be judged by the
Lord's reluctance to execute justice. The nation with which
He bears long, and which He will not smite until it has
filled up the measure of its iniquity in God's account, will
finally drink the cup of wrath unmixed with mercy.
When Christ ceases His intercession in the sanctuary,
the unmingled wrath threatened against those who worship
the beast and his image and receive his mark,' will be
poured out. The plagues upon Egypt when God was about
to deliver Israel, were similar in character to those more
•188.28:21. »Eze.33:ll. = Ex. 34 :6, 7; Nabum 1:3.
«Rev. 14:9. 10.
628 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
terrible and extensive judgments which are to fall upon
the world just before the final deliverance of God's people.
Says the revelator, in describing those terrific scourges:
"There fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men
which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which wor-
shiped his image." The sea "became as the blood of a
dead man : and every living soul died in the sea. " And
"the rivers and fountains of waters . . . became blood."
Terrible as these inflictions are, God's justice stands fully
vindicated. The angel of God declares: "Thou are right-
eous, Lord, . . . because Thou hast judged thus. For
they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and Thou
hast given them blood to drink ; for they are worthy. ' ' '
By condemning the people of God to death, they have as
truly incurred the guilt of their blood as if it had been
shed by their hands. In like manner Christ declared the
Jews of His time guilty of all the blood of holy men which
had been shed since the days of Abel; for they possessed
the same spirit, and were seeking to do the same work, with
these murderers of the prophets. ,oJ arft
In the plague that follows, power is given to the 'sun "to
scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great
heat."' The prophets thus describe the condition of the
earth at this fearful time : ' ' The land mourneth ; ...
because the harvest of the field is perished." "All the
trees of the field are withered: because joy is withered
away from the sons of men." "The seed is rotten under
their clods, the garners are laid desolate." "How do the
beasts groan ! the herds of cattle are perplexed, because
they have no j)asture. . . . Tlie rivers of waters are dried
up, and the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilder-
ness." "The songs of the temple shall be bowlings in
that day, saith the Lord God: there shall be many dead
bodies in every place ; they shall cast them forth with . si-
lence.'" . 'r
These plagues are not universal, or the inhabitants of
the earth would be wholly cut off. Yet they will lie the
'Rev. 16:2-6, 8, 9. == Joel 1:10-12, 17-20; Amoa 8:3.
THE TIME OF TROUBLE 629
most awful scourges that have ever been known to mortals.
All the judgments upon men, prior to the close of proba-
tion, have been mingled with mercy. The pleading blood
of Christ has shielded the sinner from receiving the full
measure of his guilt; but in the final judgment, wrath is
poured out unmixed with mercy.
In that day, multitudes will desire the shelter of God's
mercy which they have so long despised. "Behold, the
days come, saitli the Lord God, that I will send a famine
in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water,
but of hearing the words of the Lord: and they shall
wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the
east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the
Lord, and shall not find it."* >-
The people of God will not be free from suffering; but
while persecuted and distressed, while tliey endure priva-
tion, and suffer for want of food, they will not be left to
perish. That God who cared for Elijah, will not pass by
one of His self-sacrificing children. He w^ho numbers the
hairs of their head, will care for them; and in time of fam-
ine they shall be satisfied. While the wicked are dying
from hunger and pestilence, angels will shield the right-
eous, and supply their wants. To him that "walketh
righteously" is the promise, "Bread shall be given him; his
waters shall be sure." "When the poor and needy seek
water, and there is none, and tlieir tongue faileth for thirst,
I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not for-
sake them. ' ' "
"Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall
fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and
the fields shall yield no meat; the fiock sliall be cut off
from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:"
yet shall they that fear Him "rejoice in the Lord," and
joy in the God of their salvation.*
' ' The Lord is thy keeper : the Lord is thy shade upon thy
right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the
moon by niglit. The Lord shall preserve thee from all
'Amos 8:11, 12. = Isa. 33:16; 41:17. ' Hab. 3:17, 18.
630 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
evil: He shall preserve thy soul." "He shall deliver thee
from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pesti-
lence. He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His
wings shalt thou trust: His truth shall be thy shield and
buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night;
nor for the arrow that flieth by day; nor for the pestilence
that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wast-
eth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten
thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh
thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the
reward of the wicked. Because thou hast made the Lord,
M^hich is my refuge, even the Most High, thy habitation;
there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague
come nigh thy dwelling."*
Yet to human sight it will appear that the people of God
must soon seal their testimony with their blood, as did the
martyrs before them. They themselves begin to fear that
the Lord has left them to fall by the hand of their enemies.
It is a time of fearful agony. Day and night they cry
unto God for deliverance. The wicked exult, and the jeer-
ing cry is heard, "Where now is your faith? Why does not
God deliver you out of our hands if you are indeed His
people?" But the waiting ones remember Jesus dying upon
Calvary's cross, and the chief priests and rulers shouting
in mockery, "He saved others; Himself He cannot save.
K He be the King of Israel, let Him now come down from
the cross, and we will believe Him."'' Like Jacob, all are
wrestling with God. Their countenances express their in-
ternal struggle. Paleness sits upon every face. Yet they
cease not their earnest intercession.
Could men see with heavenly vision, they Avould behold
companies of angels that excel in strength stationed about
those who have kept the word of Christ's patience. With
sympathizing tenderness, angels have witnessed their dis-
tress, and have heard their prayers. They are waiting the
word of their Commander to snatch them from their peril.
But they must wait yet a little longer. The people of God
'Ps. 121:5-7; 91:3-10. = Matt. 27:42.
THE TIME OF TROUBLE 631
must drink of the cup, and be baptized with the baptism.
The very delay, so painful to them, is the best answer to
their petitions. As they endeavor to wait trustingly for the
Lord to work, they are led to exercise faith, hope, and pa-
tience, which have been too little exercised during their
religious experience. Yet for the elect's sake, the time of
trouble will be shortened. "Shall not God avenge His own
elect, which cry day and night unto Him? ... I tell
you that He Mall avenge them speedily."^ The end Avill
come more quickly than men expect. The wheat will be
gathered and bound in sheaves for the garner of God; the
tares will be bound as fagots for the fires of destruction.
The heavenly sentinels, faithful to their trust, continue
their watch. Though a general decree has fixed the time
when commandment-keepers may be put to death, their
enemies will in some cases anticipate the decree, and before
the time specified, will endeavor to take their lives. But
none can pass the mighty guardians stationed about every
faithful soul. Some are assailed in their flight from the
cities and villages; but the swords raised against them break
and fall as powerless as a straw. Others are defended by
angels in the form of men of war.
In all ages, God has wrought through holy angels for
the succor and deliverance of His people. Celestial beings
have taken an active part in the affairs of men. They
have appeared clothed in garments that shone as the
lightning; they have come as men, in the garb of way-
farers. Angels have appeared in human form to men of
God. They have rested, as if weary, under the oaks at
noon. They have accepted the hospitalities of human
homes. They have acted as guides to benighted travelers..
They have, with their own hands, kindled the fires of the
altar. They have opened prison doors, and set free the
servants of the Lord. Clothed wdth the panoply of heaven,
they came to roll away the stone from the Saviour's tomb.
In the form of men, angels are often in the assemblies of
the righteous, and they visit the assemblies of the wicked,
»Luke 18:7, 8.
632 THE GBEAT CONTROVERSY
as they went to Sodom, to make a record of their deeds, to
determine whether they have passed the boundary of God's
forbearance. The Lord delights in mercy; and for the
sake of a few who really serve Him, He restrains calamities,
and prolongs the tranquillity of multitudes. Little do sin-
ners against God realize that they are indebted for their
own lives to the faithful few whom they delight to ridi-
cule and oppress.
Though the rulers of this world know it not, yet often
in their councils angels have been spokesmen. Human
eyes have looked upon them; human ears have listened to
their appeals; human lips have opposed their suggestions
and ridiculed their counsels; human hands have met them
with insult and abuse. In the council hall and the court
of justice, these heavenly messengers have shoAvn an inti-
mate acquaintance with human history; they have proved
themselves better able to plead the cause of the oppressed
than were their ablest and most eloquent defenders. They
have defeated purposes and arrested evils that would have
greatly retarded the work of God, and would have caused
great suffering to His people. In the hour of peril and dis-
tress, "the angel of the Lord encampeth round about them
that fear Him, and delivereth them."^
With earnest longing, God's people await the tokens of
their coming King. As the Avatchmen are accosted, ''What
of the night?" the answer is given unfalteringly, " 'The
morning cometh, and also the night. ' ' Light is gleaming
upon the clouds above the mountain tops. Soon there will
be a revealing of His glory. The Sun of Righteousness is
about to shine forth. The morning and the night are both
at hand, — the opening of endless day to the righteous, the
settling down of eternal night to the wicked."
As the wrestling ones urge their petitions before God, the
veil separating them from the unseen seems almost with-
drawn. The heavens glow with the dawning of eternal day,
and like the melody of angel songs, the w^ords fall upon
*Ps. 34:7. *l8a. 21:11, 12.
THE TIME OF TROUBLE
the ear, "Stand fast to your allegiance. Help is coming."
Christ, the almighty victor, holds out to His weary soldiers
a crown of immortal glory; and His voice comes from the
gates ajar: "Lo, I am with you. Be not afraid. I am ac-
quainted with all your sorrows; I have borne your griefs.
You are not warring against untried enemies. I have
fought the battle in your behalf, and in My name you are
more than conquerors."
The precious Saviour will send help just when we need
it. Tlie way to heaven is consecrated by His footprints.
Every thorn that wounds our feet has wounded His. Every
cross that we are caj.led to bear, He has borne before us.
The Lord permits conflicts, to prepare the soul for peace.
The time of trouble is a fearful ordeal for God's people;
but it is the time for every true believer to look up, and by
faith he may see the bow of promise encircling him.
"The redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with
singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their
head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and
mourning shall flee away. I, even I, am He that eomfort-
eth you : who art thou, that thou shouldst be afraid of a
man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be
made as grass; and forgettest the Lord thy Maker; . . .
and hast feared continually every day because of the fury
of the oppressor, as if he 'were ready to destroy? and where
is the fury of the oppressor? The captive exile hasteneth
that he may be loosed, and that he should not die in the pit,
nor that his bread should fail. But I am the Lord thy
God, that divided the sea, whose waves roared: the Lord of
hosts is His name. And I have put ]\Iy words in thy mouth,
and I have covered thee in the shadow of ^line hand."'
"Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken,
but not with wine: Thus saith thy Lord Jehovali, and thy
God that pleadeth the cause of His people. Behold, I have
taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, even the
dregs of the cup of My fury; thou shalt no more drink it
>l8a. 51:11-16.
634 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
again: but I will put it into the hand of them that afflict
thee; which have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may
go over : and thou hast laid thy body as the ground, and
as the street, to them that went over.'"
The eye of God, looking down the ages, was fixed upon
the crisis which His people are to meet, when earthly powers
shall be arrayed against them. Like the captive exile, they
will be in fear of death by starvation or by violence. But
the Holy One who divided the Red Sea before Israel, will
manifest His mighty power and turn their captivity. "They
shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when
I make up My jeAvels; and I will spare them, as a man
spareth his own son that serveth him."^ If the blood of
Christ's faithful witnesses were shed at this time, it would
not, like the blood of the martyrs, be as seed sown to yield
a harvest for God. Their fidelity would not be a testimony
to convince others of the truth; for the obdurate heart has
beaten back the waves of mercy until they return no more.
If the righteous were now left to fall a prey to their ene-
mies, it would be a triumph for the prince of darkness.
Says the psalmist, "In the time of trouble He shall hide me
in His pavilion : in the secret of His tabernacle shall He
hide me."* Christ has spoken: "Come, My people, enter
thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee:
hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the in-
dignation be overpast. For, behold, the Lord cometh out
of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their
iniquity."* Glorious will be the deliverance of those who
have patiently waited for His coming, and whose names are
written in the book of life.
»Isa. 51:21-23. -Mai. 3:17. » Ps. 27:5. * Isa. 26:20, 21.
GOD'S PEOPLE DELIUERED-40
When the protection of human laws shall be with-
drawn from those who honor the law of God, there will
be, in different lands, a simultaneous movement for their
destruction. As the time appointed in the decree draws
near, the people will conspire to root out the hated sect.
It will be determined to strike in one night a decisive blow,
which shall utterly silence the voice of dissent and reproof.
The people of God — some in prison cells, some hidden
in solitary retreats in the forests and the mountains — still
plead for divine protection, while in every quarter com-
panies of armed men, urged on by hosts of evil angels, are
preparing for the work of death. It is now, in the hour of
utmost extremity, that the God of Israel will interpose for
the deliverance of His chosen. Saith the Lord: *'Ye shall
have a song, as in the night when a holy solemnity is kept;
and gladness of heart, as when one goeth ... to come
into the mountain of Jehovah, to the Mighty One of Israel.
And the Lord shall cause His glorious voice to be heard, and
shall show the lighting down of Plis arm, with the indig-
nation of His anger, and with the flame of a devouring
fire, with scattering, and tempest, and hailstones."*
With shouts of triumph, jeering, and imprecation,
throngs of evil men are about to rush upon their prey,
»Isa. 30:29, 30.
(635)
636 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
when, lo, a dense blackness, deeper than the darkness of
the night, falls upon the earth. Then a rainbow, shining
with the glory from the throne of God, spans the heavens,
and seems to encircle each praying company. The angry
multitudes are suddenly arrested. Their mocking cries die
away. The objects of their murderous rage are forgotten.
With fearfid forebodings they gaze upon the symbol of
God's covenant, and long to be shielded from its overpower-
ing brightness.
By the people of God a voice, clear and melodious, is
heard, saying, "Look- up," and lifting their eyes to the
heavens, they behold the bow of promise. The black, angry
clouds that covered the firmament are parted, and like
Stephen they look up steadfastly into heaven, and see the
glory of God, and the Son of man seated upon His throne.
In His divine form they discern the marks of His humilia-
tion; and from His lips they hear the request, presented
before His Father and the holy angels, "I will that they
also, whom Thou hast given ]\Ie, be vN-ith Me Avhere I am."*
Again a voice, musical and triumphant, is heard, saying:
"They come! they come! holy, harmless, and undefiled.
They have kept the word of INIy patience; they shall "walk
among the angels;" and the pale, quivering lips of those
who have held fast their faith, utter a shout of victory.
It is at midnight that God manifests His power for the
deliverance of His people. The sun appears, shining in its
strength. Signs and wonders follow in quick succession.
The wicked look with terror and amazement upon the scene,
while the righteous behold vrith solemn joy the tokens of
their deliverance. Everything in nature seems turned out
o:^ its course. The streams cease to flow. Dark, heavy
clouds come up, and clash against each other. In the midst
of the angry heavens is one clear space of indescribable
glory, whence comes the voice of God like the sound of
many waters, sajnng, "It is done. ' ' *
Vohn 17:24. 'Rev. 16:17.
aOD'S PEOPLE DELIVERED 637
That voice shakes the heavens and the earth. There is
a mighty earthquake, "such as was not since men were
upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.'"
The firmament appears to open and shut. The glory from
the throne of God seems flashing through. The moun-
tains shake like a reed in the wind, and ragged rocks are
scattered on every side. There is a roar as of a coming
tempest. The sea is lashed into fury. There is heard the
shriek of the hurricane, like the voice of demons upon a
mission of destruction. The whole earth heaves and swells
like the waves of the sea. Its surface is breaking up. Its
very foundations seem to be giving way. ]\Iountain chains
are sinking. Inhabited islands disappear. The seaports
that have become like Sodom for wickedness, are swallowed
up by the angry waters. Babylon the Great has come
in remembrance before God, "to give unto her the cup.
of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath.'" Great hail-
stones, every one "about the weight of a talent," are doing
their work of destruction. The proudest cities of the
6arth are laid low. TJie lordly palaces, upon which the
world's great men have lavished their wealth in order to
glorify themselves, are crumbling to ruin before their eyes.
Prison walls are rent asunder, and God's people, who have
been held in bondage for their faith, are set free.
Graves are opene d, and "many of them that sleep in the
dus t of the ear th . . . aw ake, some to everlasting life, and
some to shame and everl asting c ontemp t." ^ All Avho have
died in the fai th of the tmra angel's message come forth
from the tomb' glorified, to hear God^s covenant ot' pelii^e
with those who have kept His law. "They also which
pierced Him,"' those that mocked and derided Christ's
dying agonies, and the most violent opposers of His truth
and His people, are raised to behold Him in His glory, and
to see the honor placed upon the loyal and obedient.
Thick clouds still cover the sky ; yet the sun now and
then breaks through, appearing like the avenging eye of
*Rev. 16:17,18. =Rev. 16:19,21.
•Dan. 12:2. 'Eev. 1:7.
63g THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
Jehovah. Fierce lightnings leap from the heavens, envel-
oping the earth in a sheet of flame. Above the terrific roar
of thunder, voices, mysterious and awful, declare the doom
of the wicked. The w^ords spoken are not comprehended
by all; but they are distinctly understood by the false
teachers. Those who a little before were so reckless, so
boastful and defiant, so exultant in their cruelty to God's
commandment-keeping people, are now overwhelmed with
consternation, and shuddering in fear. Their wails are
heard above the sound of the elements. Demons acknowl-
edge the deity of Christ, and tremble before His power,
while men are supplicating for mercy, and groveling in
abject terror.
Said the prophets of old, as they beheld in holy vision
the day of God: "Howl ye; for the day of the Lord is at
hand ; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty. ' ' '
"Enter into tlie rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear
of the Lord, and for the glory of His majesty. The lofty
looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men
shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted
in that day. For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon
every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that
is lifted up; and he shall be brought low." "In that day
a man shall cast the idols of his silver, and the idols of his
goldj which they made each one for himself to worship, to
the moles and to the bats; to go into the clefts of .the. rocks,
and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the Lord,
and for the glory of His majesty, when He ariseth to shake
terribly the earth.'''^' — '"^■""'''^'' "Ti'^'i' i; "•
Through a rift in the clouds, there beams a star whose
brilliancy is increased fourfold in contrast with the dark-
ness. It speaks hope and joy to the faithful, but severity
and wrath to the transgressors of God's law. Those who
have sacrificed all for Christ are now secure, hidden as in
the secret of the Lord's pavilion. They have been tested,
and before the world and the despisers of truth they have
»Isa. 13:6. == Isa. 2:10-12, 20, 21 (margin);'
GOD'S PEOPLE DELIVERED 639
evinced their fidelity to Him who died for them. A mar-
velous eliange has come over those who have held fast their
integrity in the very face of death. They have been sud-
denly delivered from the dark and terrible tyranny of men
transformed to demons. Their faces, so lately pale, anxious,
and haggard, are now aglow with wonder, faith, and love.
Their voices rise in triumphant song: "God is our refuge
and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will
not w^e fear, though the earth be removed, and though the
mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; thougli the
waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains
shake with the swelling thereof. ' ' '
While these words of holy trust ascend to God, the clouds
sweep back, and the starry heavens are seen, unspeakably
glorious in contrast with the black and angry firmament
on either side. The glory of the celestial city streams from
the gates ajar. Then there appears against the sky a hand
holding two tables of stone folded together. Says the
prophet, "Tlie heavens sliall declare His righteousness: for
God is judge Himself."" That holy law, God's righteous-
ness, that amid thunder and flame was proclaimed from
Sinai as the guide of life, is now revealed to men as the
rule of judgment. The hand opens the tables, and there
are seen the precepts of the decalogue, traced as with a pen
of fire. The words are so plain that all can read them.
Memory is aroused, the darkness of superstition and heresy
is swept from every mind, and God's ten words, brief, com-
prehensive, and authoritative, are presented to the view of
all the inhabitants of the earth^'l^ noffii if (J
It is impossible to describe the horror and despair of
those who have trampled upon God's holy re(iuirements.
The Lord gave them His law ; they might have compared
their characters with it, and learned their defects while
there was yet opportunity for repentance and reform ; but
in order to secure the favor of the world, they set aside
its precepts and taught others to transgress. They havf
^Ps, 46:1-3. »Ps. 50:6.
640 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
endeavored to compel God's people to profane His Sabbath.
Now they are condemned by that law which they have de-
spised. With awful distinctness they see that they are
without excuse. They chose whom they would serve and
worship. "Then shall ye return, and discern between the
righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God
and him that serveth Him not. ' ' ^
The enemies of God's law, from the ministers down to
the least among them, have a new conception of truth and
duty. Too late they see that the Sabbath of the fourth
commandment is the seal of the living God. Too late they
see the true nature of their spurious sabbath, and the sandy
foundation upon which they have been building. They find
that they have been fighting against God. Religious teach-
ers have led souls to perdition while professing to guide
them to the gates of Paradise. Not until the day of final
accounts will it be kno\\'n how great is the responsibility of
men in holy office, and how terrible are the results of their
unfaithfulness. Only in eternity can we rightly estimate
the loss of a single soul. Fearful will be the doom of him
to whom God shall say. Depart, thou wicked servant.
The voice of God is heard from heaven, declaring tiie
day and hour of Jesus' coming, and delivering the everr
lasting covenant to His people. Like peals of loudest thun-
der. His words roll through the earth. The Israel of God
stand listening, with their eyes fixed upward. Their coun-
tenances are lighted up ^\'ith His glory, and shine as did
the face of Moses when he came down from Sinai. The
wicked cannot look upon them. And when the blessing is
pronounced on those who have honored God by keeping
His Sabbath holy, there is a mighty shout of victory.
Soon there appears in the east a small black cloud, about
half the size of a man's hand. It is the cloud which sur-
rounds the Saviour, and which seems in the distance to be
shrouded in darkness. The people of God know this to be
the sign of the Son of man. In solemn silence they gaze
upon it as it draws nearer the earth, becoming lighter and
^Mal. 3:18,
GOB'S PEOPLE DELIVERED 641
more glorious, until it is a great white cloud, its base a glory
like consuming fire, and above it the rainbow of the cove-
nant. Jesus rides forth as a mighty conqueror. Not now
a "man of sorrows," to drink the bitter cup of shame and
woe, He comes, victor in heaven and earth, to judge the
living and the dead. "Faithful and true," "in righteous-
ness He doth judge and make war." And "the armies
which were in heaven follow Him. ' ' ^ With anthems of
celestial melody the holy angels, a vast, unnumbered throng,
attend Him on His way. The firmament seems filled with
radiant forms, — ' ' ten thousand times ten thousand, and
thousands of thousands." No human pen can portray the
scene; no mortal mind is adequate to conceive its splendor.
"His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of
His praise. And His brightness was as the light. "° As the
living cloud comes still nearer, every eye beholds the Prince
of life. No crown of thorns now mars that sacred head,
but a diadem of glory rests on His holy brow. His coun-
tenance outshines the dazzling brightness of the noonday
sun. "And He hath on His vesture and on His thigh a
name written, King of kings, and Lord of lords. ' ' '
Before His presence, "all faces are turned into pale-
ness;" upon the rejecters of God's mercy falls the terror
of eternal despair. "The heart melteth, and the knees smite
together," "and the faces of them all gather blackness."*
The righteous cry with trembling, "Who shall be able to
stand?" The angels' song is hushed, and there is a period
of awful silence. Then the voice of Jesus is heard, saying,
"My grace is sufficient for you." The faces of the right-
eous are lighted up, and joy fills every heart. And the
angels strike a note higher, and sing again, as they draw
still nearer to the earth.
The King of kings descends upon the cloud, wrapped in
flaming fire. The heavens are rolled together as a scroll,
the earth trembles before Him, and every mountain and
'Kev. 19:11, 14. => Hab. Z:^. 4. » Rev. 19:16.
*Jer. 30:6; Kahum 2:10.
ai— G. c.
642 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
island is moved out of its place. "Our God shall come, and
shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before Him, and
it shall be very tempestuous round about Him. He shall
call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that He
may judge His people.'"
"And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the
rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and
every bondman, and every freeman, hid themselves in the
dens and in the rocks of the mountains; and said to the
mountains and rocks. Fall on us, and hide us from the face
of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wratli of
the Lamb : for the great day of His wrath is come ; and who
shall be able to stand V'
■,,, [The derisive jests have ceased. Lying lips are hushed
into silence. The clash of arms, the tumult of battle, "with
confused noise, and garments rolled in blood, "Ms stilled.
Naught now is heard but the voice of prayer and the sound
of weeping and lamentation. The cry bursts forth from
lips so lately scoffing, "The great day of His wrath is come;
and who shall be able to stand?" The wicked pray to be
buried beneath the rocks of the mountains, rather than meet
the face of Him whom they have despised and rejected.
That voice which penetrates the ear of the dead, they
know. How often have its plaintive, tender tones called
them to repentance. How often has it been heard in the
touching entreaties of a friend, a brother, a Redeemer. To
the rejecters of His grace, no other could be so full of con-
demnation, so burdened with denunciation, as that voice
which has so long pleaded, "Turn ye, turn ye from your
evil ways; for why will ye die?"* that it were to them
the voice of a stranger ! Says Jesus : " I have called, and ye
refused; I have stretched out My hand, and no man re-
garded; but ye have set at naught all My counsel, and
would none of My reproof."" That voice awakens mem-
ories which they would fain blot out, — warnings despised,
invitations refused, privileges slighted.
^Ps. 50:3, 4. =Rev. 6:15-17. » Isa. 9:5. * Eze. 33:11.
"Prov. 1:24, 25.
X> .0— 1«
aOD\S PEOPLE DELIVERED 643
There are those who mocked Christ in His humiliation.
With thrilling poM^er come to their minds the Sufferer's
words, when, adjured by the high priest, He solemnly de-
clared, "Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting
on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of
heaven.'" Now they behold Him in His glory, and thoy
are yet to see Him sitting on the right hand of power.
Those who derided His claim to be the Son of God are
speechless now. There is the haughty Herod who jeered
at His royal title, and bade the mocking soldiers crown Him
king. There are the very men who with impious hands
placed upon His form the purple robe, upon His sacred brow
the thorny crown, and in His unresisting hand the mimic
scepter, and bowed before Him in blasphemous mockery.
The men who smote and spit upon the Prince of life, now
turn from His piercing gaze, and seek to fiee from the over-
powering glory of His presence. Those who drove the nails
through His hands and feet, the soldier who pierced His
side, behold these marks with terror and remorse.
With awful distinctness do priests and rulers recall the
events of Calvary. With shuddering horror they remember
how,' wagging their heads in satanic exultation, they ex-
claimed: "He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If
He be the King of Israel, let Him now come down from
the cross, and we will believe Him. He trusted in God; let
Him deliver Him now, if He will have Him."'
Vividly they recall the Saviour's parable of the hus-
bandmen who refused to render to their lord the fruit of
the vineyard, who abused his servants and slew his son.
They remember, too, the sentence which they themselves pro-
nounced: The lord of the vineyard "^^^ll miserably destroy
those wicked men." In the sin and punishment of those
unfaithful men, the priests and elders see their own course
and their o\\ti just doom. And now there rises a cry of
mortal agony. Louder tlian the shout, "Crucify Him! cru-
cify Him ! ' ' which rang through the streets of Jerusalem,
'Matt. 26:64. »Matt. 27:42,43.
644 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
swells the awful, despairing wail, "He is the Son of God!
He is the true Messiah ! ' ' They seek to flee from the pres-
ence of the King of kings. In the deep caverns of the earth,
rent asunder by the warring of the elements, they vainly
attempt to hide.
In the lives of all who reject truth, there are moments
when conscience awakens, when memory presents the tor-
turing recollection of a life of hypocrisy, and the soul is
harassed with vain regrets. But what are these compared
with the remorse of that day when "fear cometh as desola-
tion," when "destruction cometh as a whirlwind"!* Those
who Avould have destroyed Christ and His faithful people,
now witness the glory which rests upon them. In the
midst of their terror they hear the voices of the saints in
joyful strains exclaiming, "Lo, this is our God; we have
waited for Him, and He will save us. " ^
' Amid the reeling of the earth, the flash of lightning, and
the roar of thunder, the voice of the Son of God calls fort h
the sleeping sain ts. He looks upon the graves of the right-
eous, then raising His hands to heaven He cries, "A^vake,
awak e, awake, ye that sleep in the dust, and aris e! '
Throughout the length and breadth of the earth, the dead
shall hear that voice; and they that hear shall live. And the
whole earth shall ring with the tread of the exceeding great
army of every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. From
the prison-house of death they come, clothed with immortal
glory, crying, ' ' O death, where is thy sting ? grave, where
is thy victory?"* And the living righteous and the risen
saints unite their voices in a long, glad shout of victory.
All come forth from their graves the same in stature as
when they entered the tomb. Adam, who stands among
the risen throng, is of lofty height and majestic form, in
stature but little below the Son of God. He presents a
marked contrast to the people of later generations; in this
one respect is shown the great degeneracy of the race. But
all arise with the freshness and vigor of eternal youth. In
»Prov. 1:27. ''Isa. 25:9. n Cor. 15:55.
GOD'S PEOPLE DELIVERED 645
the beginning, man was created in the likeness of God, not
only in character, but in form and feature. Sin defaced and
almost obliterated the divine image; but Christ came to
restore that which had been lost. He will change our vile
bodies, and fashion them like unto His glorious body. The
mortal, corruptible form, devoid of comeliness, once polluted
with sin, becomes perfect, beautiful, and immortal. All
blemislies and deformities are left in the grave. Restored
to the tree of life in the long-lost Eden, the redeemed will
"grow up"* to the full stature of the race in its primeval
glory. The last lingering traces of the curse of sin will be
removed, and Christ's faithful ones will appear "in the
beauty of the Lord our God," in mind and soul and body
reflecting the perfect image of their Lord. Oh, wonderful
redemption! long talked of, long hoped for, contemplated
with eager anticipation, but never fully understood.
The living righteous are changed "in a moment, in the
twinkling of an eye." At the voice of God they were glo-
rified; now they are made immortal, and with the risen
saints are caught up to meet their Lord in the air. Angels
"gather together the elect from the four winds, from one
end of heaven to the other." Little children are borne by
holy angels to their mothers' arm§. Friends long separated
by death are united, nevermore to part, and with songs of
gladness ascend together to the city of God.
On each side of the cloudy chariot are wings, and beneath
it are living wheels; and as the chariot rolls upward, the
wheels cry, "Holy," and the wings, as they move, cry,
"Holy," and the retinu§ of angels cry, "Holy, holy, holy,
Lord God Almighty." And the redeemed shout " Alleluia !'j
as the chariot moves onward toward the New Jerusalem.
Before entering the city of God, the Saviour bestows
upon His followers the emblems of victory, and invests
them with the insignia of their royal state. The glittering
ranks are drawn up, in the form of a hollow square, about
their King, whose form rises in majesty high above saint
*Mal. 4:2.
646 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
and angel, whose countenance beams upon them full of be-
nignant love. Throughout the unnumbered host of the re-
deemed, every glance is fixed upon Him, every eye beholds
His glory whose "visage was so marred more than any man,
and His form more than the sons of men," Upon the
heads of the overcomers, Jesus with His own right hand
places the crown of glory. For each there is a crown, bear-
ing his own "new name,"* and the inscription, "Ploliness
to the Lord." In every hand are placed the victor's palm
and the shining harp. Then, as the commanding angels
strike the note, every hand sweeps the harp strings with
skilful touch, awaking sweet music in rich, melodious
strains. Kapture unutterable thrills every heart, and each
voice is raised in grateful praise: "Unto Him that loved
us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and hath
made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to
Him be glory and dominion forever and ever."*
Before the ransomed throng is the holy city. Jesus
opens wide the pearly gates, and the nations that have kept
the truth enter in. There they behold the Paradise of
God, the home of Adam in his innocency. Then that voice,
richer than any music that ever fell on mortal ear, is
heard, saying, "Your conflict is ended." "Come, ye blessed
of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from
the foundation of the world."
Now is fidfilled tlie Saviour's prayer for His disciples,
"I will that they also whom Thou hast given Me be with
Me where I am." "Faultless before the presence of His
glory with exceeding joy,""" Christ presents- to the Father
the purcliase of His blood, declaring, "Here am I, and the
children whom Thou hast given Me." "Those that Thou
gavest^Ie I have kept." Oh, the wonders of redeeming
love! the rapture of that hour when the infinite Father,
looking upon the ransomed, shall behold His image, sin's
discord banished, its blight removed, and the human once
more in harmony with the divine!
* Rev. 2 : 17. ' Rev. 1 :5, 6. ' Jude 24.
GOD'S PEOPLE DELIVERED 647
"With unutterable love, Jesus welcomes His faithful ones
to the "joy of their Lord." The Saviour's joy is in seeing,
in the kingdom of glory, the souls that have been saved by
His agony and humiliation. And the redeemed will be
sharers in His joy, as they behold, among the blessed, those
who have been won to Christ through their prayers, their
labors, and their loving sacrifice. As they gather about
the great white tlirone, gladness unspeakable will fill their
hearts, when they behold those whom they have won for
Christ, and see that one has gained others, and these still
others, all brought into the haven of rest, there to lay
their crowns at Jesus' feet, and praise Him through the
endless cycles of eternity.
As the ransomed ones are welcomed to the city of God,
there rings out upon the air an exultant cry of adoration.
The two Adams are about to meet. The Son of God is
standing with outstretched arms to receive the father of our
race, — the being whom He created, who sinned against his
Maker, and for whose sin the marks of the crucifixion are
borne upon the Saviour's form. As Adam discerns the
prints of the cruel nails, he does not fall upon the bosom
of his Lord, but in humiliation casts himself at His feet,
crying, ''Worthy, worthy is the Lamb that was slain!"
Tenderly the Saviour lifts him up, and bids him look once
more upon the Eden home from which he has so long been
exiled.
After his expulsion from Eden, Adam's life on earth was
filled with sorrow. p]very dying leaf, every victim of sac-
rifice, every blight upon the fair face of nature, every stain
upon man's purity, was a fresh reminder of his sin. Ter-
rible was the agony of remorse as he beheld iniquity abound-
ing, and, in answer to his warnings, met the reproaclios cast
upon himself as the cause of sin. With patient huiftjiity
he bore, for nearly a thousand years, the penalty of trans-
gression. Faithfully did he repent of his sin, and trust in
the merits of the promised Saviour, and he died in the hope
648 TEE GREAT CONTROVERSY
of a resurrection. The Son of God redeemed man's failure
and fall; and now, through the work of the atonement,
Adam is re-instated in his first dominion.
Transported with joy, he beholds the trees that were
once his delight, — the very trees whose fruit he himself had
gathered in the days of his innocence and joy. He sees
the vines that his own hands have trained, the very flowers
that he once loved to care for. His mind grasps the reality
of the scene; he comprehends that this is indeed Eden re-
stored, more lovely now than when he was ])anished from it.
The Saviour leads him to the tree of life, and plucks the
glorious fruit, and bids him eat. He looks about him, and
beholds a multitude of his family redeemed, standing in the
Paradise of God. Then he casts his glittering crown at
the feet of Jesus, and falling upon His breast, embraces the
Redeemer. He touches the golden harp, and the vaults of
heaven echo the triumphant song, "Worthy, worthy, worthy
is the Lamb that was slain, and lives again!" The family
of Adam take up the strain, and cast their crowns at the
Saviour's feet as they bow before Him in adoration.
This reunion is witnessed by the angels who wept at the
fall of Adam, and rejoiced when Jesus, after His resurrec-
tion, ascended to heaven, having opened the grave for all
who should believe on His name. Now they behold the
work of redemption accomplished, and they unite their
voices in the song of praise.
Upon the crystal sea before the throne, that sea of glass
as it were mingled with fire, — so resplendent is it with the
glory of God, — are gathered the company that have "got-
ten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and
over his mark, and over the number of his name. ' ' ' With
the Lamb upon ]\Iount Zion, "having the harps of God,"
the y stand, the hundred and forty^ and four thousand that
wprA rf>fl<^yi^^ ^fi from ainoug men ; and there is heard, as
the sound of many waters, and as the sound of a great thun-
»Kev. 15:2.
GOD'S PEOPLE DELIVERED 649
der, ' ' the voice of harpers harping with their harps. ' ' '
And they sing "a new song" before the throne, a song
which (n^jnarf can learn save the hundred and forty and
four thousand. It is the song of ]\toses and the Lamb, — a
song of deliverance. N^jjig but the hundred and forty-four
thousand can learn that songj for it is the song of their
experience, — an experience such as no other company have
ever had. "These are they which follow the Lamb whither-
soever He goeth.'" These, having been translated from the
earth, frpm^_^tP^-^ ^-^^ living, are counted as-/' the. first-
fruits unto God and to the Lamb. " ' " These are they which
came out of great tribulation;"' they have passed through
the tim e of trouble such as never was since there Avas a
nation; they have endiired the anguish of the time of
Jacob's trouble; they have stood without an intercessor
through the final outpouring of God's judgments. But
they have been delivered, for they have "washed their
robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."
*'In their mouth was found no guile: for they are without
fault" before God. "Therefore are they before the throne
of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple : and
He that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. ' ' '
They have seen the earth wasted with famine and pestilence,
the sun having power to scorch men with great heat, and
they themselves have endured suffering, hunger, and thirst.
But "they shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more;
neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. P^or the
Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them,
and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and
God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. ' ' '
Tn all ages the Saviour's chosen have been educated and
disciplined in the school of trial. They walked in narrow
paths on earth; they were p\irified in the furnace of afflic-
tion. For Jesus' sake they endured opposition, hatred, cal-
umny. They followed Him through conflicts sore; they
endured self-denial and experienced bitter disappointments.
'Rev. 14:1-5; 15:3. =" Rev. 7:14-17.
I
650 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
By their own painful experience they learned the evil of
sin, its power, its guilt, its woe; and they look upon it with
abhorrence. A sense of the infinite sacrifices made for its
cure, humbles them in their own sight, and fills their hearts
with gratitude and praise which those who have never
fallen cannot appreciate. They love much, because they
have been forgiven much. Having been partakers of
Christ's sufferings, they are fitted to be partakers with
Him of His glory. _.
The heirs of God have come from garrets, from hovels^
from dungeons, from scaffolds, from mountains, from des-
erts, from the caves of the earth, from the caverns of the
sea. On earth they were '"destitute, afflicted, tormented."
Millions went downa to the grave loaded with infamy, be-
cause they steadfastly refused to yield to the deceptive
claims of Satan. By human tribunals they were adjudged
the vilest of criminals. But now "God is judge Himself."*
Now the decisions of earth are reversed. "The rebuke of
His people shall He take away. "^ " They shall call them.
The holy people, The redeemed of the Lord." He hath
appointed "to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of
joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of
heaviness."' They are no longer feeble, afflicted, scattered,
and oppressed. Henceforth they are to be ever with the
Lord. They stand before the throne clad in richer robes
than the most honored of the earth have ever worn. They
are crowned with diadems more glorious than were ever
placed upon the brow of earthly monarchs. The days of
pain and weeping are forever ended. The King of glory
has wiped the tears from all faces; every cause of grief has
been removed. Amid the waving of palm-branches they
pour forth a song of praise, clear, sweet, and harmonious;
every voice takes up the strain, until the anthem swells
through the vaults of heaven, "Salvation to our God which
sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb." And all the
inhabitants of heaven respond in the ascription, "Amen:
^Ps. 50:6. =Isa. 25:8. " Isa. 62:12; 61:3.
GOD'S PEOPLE DELIVERED 651
Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and
honor, and power, and might, be unto our God forever and
ever. ' ' '
In this life we can only begin to understand the won-
derful theme of redemption. With our finite comprehension
we may consider most earnestly the shame and the glory,
the life and the death, the justice and the mercy, that meet
in the cross; yet with the utmost stretch of our mental
powers we fail to grasp its full significance. The length
and the breadth, the depth and the height, of redeeming
love are but dimly comprehended. The plan of redemp-
tion will not be fully understood, even when the ransomed
see as they are seen and know as they are known ; but
through the eternal ages, new truth will continually unfold
to the wondering and delighted mind. Though the griefs
and pains and temptations of earth are ended, and the
cause removed, the people of God will ever have a distinct,
intelligent knowledge of what their salvation has cost.
The cross of Christ will be the science and the song of
ihe redeemed through all eternity. In Christ glorified they
will behold Christ crucified. Never will it be forgotten that
He whose power created and upheld the unnumbered worlds
through the vast realms of space, the Beloved of God, the
Majesty of heaven. He whom cherub and shining seraph
delighted to adore, — humbled Himself to uplift fallen man;
that He bore the guilt and shame of sin, and the hiding of
His Father's face, till the woes of a lost world broke His
heart, and crushed out His life on Calvary's cross. That
the Maker of all worlds, the Arbiter of all destinies, should
lay aside His glory, and humiliate Himself from love to
man, will ever excite the wonder and adoration of the uni-
verse. As the nations of the saved look upon their Re-
deemer, and behold the eternal glory of the Father shining
in His countenance ; as they behold His throne, which is
from everlasting to everlasting, and know that His kingdom
is to have no end, they break forth in rapturous song,
»E€V. 7:10, 12.
I
652
THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
"Worthy, worthy is the Lamb that was slain, and hath
redeemed us to God by His own most precious blood ! ' '
The mystery of the cross explains all other mysteries.
In the light that streams from Calvary, the attributes of God
which had filled us with fear and awe appear beautiful and
attractive. Mercy, tenderness, and parental love are seen to
blend with holiness, justice, and power. While we behold
the majesty of His throne, high and lifted up, we see His
character in its gracious manifestations, and comprehend,
as never before, the significance of that endearing title,
"Our Father."
It will be seen that He who is infinite in wisdom could
devise no plan for our salvation except the sacrifice of His
Son. Tlie compensation for this sacrifice is the joy of
peopling the earth with ransomed beings, holy, happy, and
immortal. The result of the Saviour's conflict with the
powers of darkness is joy to the redeemed, redounding to
the glory of God throughout eternity. And such is the
value of the soul that the Father is satisfied with the price
paid; and Christ Himself, beholding the fruits of His great
sacrifice, is satisfied.
DESOLATION OF THE EARTH -41
**Heb sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath
remembered her iniquities." "In the cup which she hath
filled, fill to her double. How much she hath glorified her-
self, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give
her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no
widow, and shall see no sorrow. Therefore shall her plagues
come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and
she shall be utterly burned with fire : for strong is the
Lord God who judgeth her. And the kings of the earth,
who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with
her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, . . . saying, Alas,
alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one
hour is thy judgment come. ' ' *
*'The merchants of the earth," that have "waxed rich
through the abundance of her delicacies," "shall stand afar
off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, and
saying, Alas, alas that great city, that was clothed in fine
linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and
precious stones, and pearls! For in one hour so great riches
is come to naught. ' ' ^
Such are the judgments that fall upon Babylon in the
day of the visitation of God's wrath. She has filled up
the measure of her iniquity; her time has come; she is
ripe for destruction.
»Rev. 18:5-10. «Kev. 18:3, 15-17.
(653)
654 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
When the voice of God turns the captivity of His people,
there is a terrible awakening of those who have lost all in
the great conflict of life. While probation continued they
were blinded by Satan's deceptions, and they justified their
course of sin. The rich prided themselves upon their supe-
riority to those who were less favored; but they had ob-
tained their riches by violation of the law of God, They
had neglected to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to
deal justly, and to love mercy. Tliey had sought to exalt
themselves, and to obtain the homage of their fellow-crea-
tures. Now they are stripped of all that made them great,
,and are left destitute and defenseless. They look with ter-
ror upon the destruction of the idols which they preferred
before their Maker. They have sold their souls for earthly
riches and enjoyments, and have not sought to become rich
toward God. The result is, their lives are a failure; their
pleasures are now turned to gall, their treasures to corrup-
tion. . The gain of a lifetime is swept away in a moment.
The rich bemoan the destruction of their grand houses, the
scattering of their gold and silver. But their lamentations
are silenced by the fear that they themselves are to .perish
with their idols. w i [»•.!?> ,*i'>i{
^„..The wicked are filled with regret, not because of their
sinful neglect of God and their fellow-men, but because God
has conquered. They lament that the result is what it is ;
but they do not repent of their wickedness. They would
leave no means untried to conquer if they could.
The world see the very class whom they have mocked
and derided, and desired to exterminate, pass unharmed
througli pestilence, tempest, and earthquake. He who is
to the transgressors of His law a devouring fire, is to His
people a safe pavilion. i)'-
The minister who has sacrificed truth to gain the favdr
of men, now discerns the character and influence of his
teachings. It is apparent that the omniscient eye was . fol-
lowing him as he stood in the desk, as he walked the streets,
as he mingled with men in the various scenes of life. Every
DESOLATION OF THE EARTH 655
emotion of the soul, every line written, every word uttered,
every act that led men to rest in a refuge of falsehood, has
been scattering seed; and now, in the wretched, lost souls
around him, he beliolds the harvest.
Saith the Lord: "They have healed the hurt of the
daughter of My people slightly, saying. Peace, peace; when
there is no peace." "With lies ye have made the heart
of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad ; and
strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not
return from his wicked way, by promising him life. ' ' '
"Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the
sheep of My pasture ! . . . Behold, I will visit upon you
the evil of your doings." "Howl, ye shepherds, and cry;
and wallow yourselves in the ashes, ye principal of the flock :
for your days for slaughter and your dispersions are accom-
plished; . . . and the shepherds shall have no way to flee,
nor the principal of the flock to escape. ' ' '
Ministeis and people see that they have not sustained the
right relation to God. They see that they have rebelled
against the Author of all just and righteous law. The set-
ting aside of the divine precepts gave rise to thousands of
springs of evil, discord, hatred, iniquity, until the earth
became one vast field of strife, one sink of corruption. This
is the view that now appears to those who rejected truth
and chose to cherish error. No language can express the
longing which the disobedient and disloyal feel for that
which they have lost forever, — eternal life. Men whom the
world has worshiped for their talents and eloquence now
see these things in their true light. They realize what they
have forfeited by transgression, and thoy fall at the feet of
those whose fidelity they have despised and derided,' and
confess that God has loved them. •
The people see that they have been deluded. They accuse
one another of having led them to destruction; but all unite
in heaping their bitterest condemnation upon the ministers.
Unfaithful pastors have prophesied smooth things; they
have led their hearers to make void the law of God and to
» Jer. 8:11; Eze. 13:22. Mer. 23:1, 2; 25:34, 35 (margin).
656 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
persecute those who would keep it holy. Now, in their
despair, these teachers confess before the world their work
of deception. The multitudes are filled with fury. "We
are lost!" they cry, "and you are the cause of our ruin;"
and they turn upon the false shepherds. The very ones that
once admired them most, will pronounce the most dreadful
curses upon them. The very hands that once crowned them
with laurels, will be raised for their destruction. The
swords which were to slay God's people, are now employed
to destroy their enemies. Everywhere there is strife and
bloodshed.
"A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth; for
the Lord hath a controversy with the nations, He will plead
with all flesh ; lie Avill give them that are wicked to the
sword. ' ' ' For six thousand years the great controversy has
been in progress; the Son of God and His heavenly messen-
gers have been in conflict with the power of the evil one,
to warn, enlighten, and save the children of men. Now all
have made their decision; the wicked have fully united with
Satan in liis warfare against God. The time has come for
God to vindicate the authority of His downtrodden law.
Now the controversy is not alone with Satan, but with mei;i.
"The Lord hath a controversy with the nations;" "He will
give them that are -wicked to the sword."
The mark of deliverance has been set upon those "that
sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done."
Now the angel of death goes forth, represented in Ezekiel's
vision by the men with the slaughtering weapons, to whom
the command is given : ' ' Slay utterly old and young, both
maids, and little children, and women : but come not near
any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at My sanctu-
ary."* Says the pirophet, "They began at the ancient men
which were before the house. ' ' ' The work of destruction
begins among those who have professed to be the spiritual
guardians of the people. The false watchmen are the first
to fall. There are none to pity or to spare. Men, women,
maidens, and little children perish together.
>Jer. 25:31. »Eze. 9:1-6.
DESOLATION- OF THE EARTH 657
**The Lord cometh out of His place to punish the inhab-
itants of the earth for their iniquity : the earth also shall
disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain."'
"And this shall be the plague wherewith the Lord will smite
all the people that have fought against Jerusalem: Their
flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet,
and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their
tongue shall consume away in their mouth. And it shall
come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the Lord
shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one
on the hand of his neighbor, and his hand shall rise up
against the hand of his neighbor,'" In the mad strife
of their own fierce passions, and by the awful outpouring of
God's unmingled wrath, fall the wicked inhabitants of the
earth, — priests, rulers, and people, rich and poor, high and
low. "And the slain of the Lord shall be at that day from
one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth :
they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried.'"
At the coming of Christ the wicked are blotted from the
face of the whole earth, — consumed with the spirit of His
mouth, and destroyed by the brightness of His glory. Christ
takes His people to the city of God, and the earth is emptied
of its inhabitants. "Behold, the Lord maketh the earth
empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down,
and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof." "The land
shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the Lord
hath spoken this word. "^ "Because they have transgressed
the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting
covenant. Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and
they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhab-
itants of the earth are burned."*
The whole earth appears like a desolate wilderness. The
ruins of cities and villages destroyed by the earthquake,
uprooted trees, ragged rocks thrown out by the sea or torn
out of the earth itself, are scattered over its surface, while
vast caverns mark the spot where the mountains have been
rent from their foundations.
'Isa. 26:21. »Zech. 14:12,13.
•Jer. 25:33. ♦ Isa. 24:1,3,5,6.
658 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
Now the event takes place, foreshadowed in the last
solemn service of the day of atonement. When the min-
istration in the holy of holies had been completed, and the
sins of Israel had been removed from the sanctuary by vir-
tue of the blood of the sin-offering, then the scapegoat was
presented alive before the Lord; and in presence of the
congregation the high priest confessed over him ' ' all the
iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgres-
sions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the
goat. " * In like manner, when the work of atonement in
the heavenly sanctuary has been completed, then in the
presence of God and heavenly angels, and the host of the
redeemed, the sins of God's people will be placed upon
Satan; he will be declared guilty of all the evil which he
has caused them to commit. And as the scapegoat was sent
away into a land not inhabited, so Satan will l)e banished to
the desolate eartii, an uninhabited and dreary wilderness.
The rovelator foretells the banishment of Satan, and the
condition of chaos and desolation to which the earth is to
be reduced; and he declares that this condition will exist
for a thousand years. After presenting the scenes of the
Lord's second coming and the destruction of the wicked,
the prophecy continues: "I saw an angel come down from
heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great
chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old
serpent, which is the devil, and Satan, and bound him a
thousand years, and cast him into the bottomless pit, and
shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should de-
ceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be
fulfilled : and after that he must be loosed a little season. ' ' "
That the expression "bottomless pit" represents the
earth in a state of confusion and darkness, is evident from
other scriptures. Concerning the condition of the earth
"in the beginning," the Bible record says that it "was
Avithout form, and void; and darkness was upon the face
of the deep."^ Prophecy teaches that it will be brought
»Lev. 16:21. *Rev. 20:1-3.
' Gen. 1 : 2. The word here translated * ' deep ' ' is the same that in
Eev. 20:1-3 is rendered "bottomless pit."
DESOLATION OF THE EARTH 659
back, partially at least, to this condition. Looking forward
to the great day of God, the prophet Jeremiah declares: "I
beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void ;
and the heavens, and they had no light. I beheld the moun-
tains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly.
I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of
the heavens were fled. I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place
was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken
down. ^0HM*nMHIHMMHHan^BMMM^lM
Here is to be the lioiii£_iiL Batan-mib— hia-SY^il .-aiige.is-^orl
a thousand years. Liiiiited t^ineearth, he willnotiiave
access to other worlds, to tempt and annoy those who have
never fallen. It is in this sense that he is bound : there are
none remaining, upon whom he can exercise his power.
He is wholly cut off from the work of deception and ruin
which for so many centuries has been his sole delight.
The prophet Isaiah, looking forward to the time of
Satan's overthrow, exclaims: "How art thou fallen from
heaven, Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut
down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations ! . . .
Thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven,
I will exalt my throne above the stars of God." "I wili_be
li^ the Most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to
hell, to the sides of the pit. They that see thee shall nar-
rowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying. Is this
the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake
kingdoms; that made the world as a wilderness, and de-
stroyed the cities thereof; that qu e ried not_Jh6 house q£ Jus
prisoners?"' ■'■* '•• "' ■ - ■ - '. ■■ ^■■'■t •d.-i.t
"For six thousand years, Satan's work of rebellion has
"made the earth to tremble." He has "made the world as
a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof." And "he
opened not the hduse of his prisoners." For six thousand
years his prison-house has received God's people, and he
would have held them captive forever, but Christ has broken
his bondS) and set the prisoners free.
'Jer. 4:23-27. * laa. 14:12-17.
660 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
Even the wicked are now placed beyond the power of
Satan; and alone with his evil angels he remains to realize
the effect of the curse which sin has brought. "The kinga
of the nations, even all of them, lie in glory, every one in
his own house [the grave] . But thou art cast out of thy
grave like an abominable branch, . . . Thou shalt not be
joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed
thy land, and slain thy people. ' ' '
liHiAMpaaMpiijibteaMMUHHflifllMr to and fro in
th^dggolat^^ayijl^^^beholdth^results of his rebellion
against the law of God. Durrngtms time his sufferings are
intense. Since his fall, his life of unceasing activity has
banished reflection ; but he is now deprived of his power,
and left to contemplate the part which he has acted since
first he rebelled against the government of heaven, and to
look forward with trembling and terror to the dreadful
future, when he must suffer for all the evil that he has
done, and be punished for the sins that he has caused to
be committed.
To God's people, the captivity of Satan will bring glad-
ness and rejoicing. Says the prophet : "It shall come to
pass in the day that the Lord shall give thee rest from thy
sorrow, and from thy trouble, and from the hard service
wherein thou wast made to serve, that thou shalt take up
this proverb against the king of Babylon [here representini^
Satan], and say. How hath the oppressor ceased! , . . The
Lord hath broken tlie staff of the wicked, the scepter of
the rulers; that smote the peoples in wrath with a continual
stroke, that ruled the nations in anger, with a persecution
that none restrained."^
During the thousand years between the first and the
second resurrection, the judgment of the wicked takes place.
The apostle Paul points to this judgment as an event that
follows the second advent. "Judge nothing before the time,
until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden
things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of
» Isa. 14 : 18-20. * Isa. 14 : 3-6, R. V.
DESOLATION OF THE EARTH 661
the hearts.'" Daniel declares that when the Ancient of days
came, "judgment was given to the saints of the Most
High."" At this time the righteous reign as kings and
priests unto God. John in the Revelation says: "I saw
thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given
unto them." "They shall be priests of God and of Christ,
and shall reign with Him a thousand years. "^ It is at
this time that, as foretold by Paul, "the saints shall judge
the world."' In union with Christ they judge the wicked,
comparing their acts with the statute-book, the Bible, and
deciding every case according to the deeds done in the
body. Then the portion which the wicked must suffer is
meted out, according to their M'orks; and it is recorded
against their names in the book of death.
Satan also and evil angels are judged by Christ and His
people. Says Paul, "Know ye not that we shall judge
angels?"" And Jude declares that "the angels which kept
not their first estate, but left their OM^n habitation, He hath
reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the
judgment of the great day."*
At the close of the thousand years the second resurrec-
tion will take place. Then the wicked will be raised from
the dead, and appear before God for the execution of "the
judgment written." Thus the revelator, after describing
the resurrection of the righteous, says, "The rest of the dead
lived not again until the thousand years were finished.""
And Isaiah declares, concerning the wicked, "They shall be
gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and
shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall
they he visited.'"
»1 Cor. 4:5. ^'Dan. 7:22. » Rev. 20:4, 6; 1 Cor. 6:2, 3,
♦Jude 6. "Rev. 20:5; Isa. 24:22.
THE GOMTROUERSY ENDED -42
At the close of the thousand years, Christ again returns
to the earth. lie is accompanied by the host of the
redeemed, and attended bj^ a retinue of angels. As lie
descends in terrific majasty, lie bids the wicked dead arise
to receive their doom. They come forth, a mighty host, num-
berless as the sands of the sea. What a contrast to those
who were raised at the first resurrection ! The righteous
were clothed with immortal youth and beauty. The wicked
bear the traces of disease and death.
Every eye in that vast multitude is turned to behold the
glory of the Son of God. With one voice the wicked hosts
exclaim, "Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the
Lord!" It is not love to Jesus that inspires this utterance.
The force of truth urges the words from unwilling lips. As
the wicked went into their graves, so they come forth, with
the same enmity to Christ, and the same spirit of rebellion.
They are to have no new probation, in which to remedy the
defects of their past lives. Nothing would be gained by
this. A lifetime of transgression has not softened their
hearts. A second probation, were it given them, would be
occupied as was the first, in evading the requirements of
God and exciting rebellion against Him.
Christ descends upon the I\Iount of Olives, whence, after
His resurrection. He ascended, and where angels repeated
the promise of His return. Says the prophet : ' ' The Lord my
(662)
THE CONTROVERSY ENDED 663
God shall come, and all the saints with Thee." ''And His
feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which
is before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives
shall cleave in the midst thereof, . . . and there shall be
a very great valley." "And the Lord shall be king over
all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and His
name one."* As the New Jerusalem, in its dazzling splen-
dor, eomes down out of heaven, it rests upon the place puri-
fied and made ready to receive it, and Christ, with His
people and the angels, enters the holy city.
Now Satan prepares for a last mighty struggle for the
supremacy. While deprived of his power, and cut off from
his work of deception, the prince of evil was miserable and
dejected ; but as the wicked dead are raised, and he sees the
vast multitudes upon his side, his hopes revive, and he
determines not to yield the great controversy. He will
marshal all the armies of the lost under his banner, and
through them endeavor to execute his plans. The wicked
are Satan's captives. In rejecting Christ they have accepted
the rule of the rebel leader. They are ready to receive his
suggestions and to do his bidding. Yet, true to his early
cunning, he does not acknowledge himself to be Satan. He
claims to be the prince who is the rightful owner of the
world, and whose inheritance has been unlawfully wrested
from him. He represents himself to his deluded subjects
as a redeemer, assuring them that his power has brought
them forth from their graves, and that he is about to rescue
them from the most cruel tyranny. The presence of Christ
having been removed, Satan works wonders to support his
claims. He makes the weak strong, and inspires all with
his own spirit and energy. Ho proposes to lead them
against the camp of the saints, and to take possession of
the city of God. Witii fiendish exultation he points to the
unnumbered millions who have been raised from the dead,
and declares that as their leader he is well able to over-
throw the city, and regain his throne and his kingdom.
»Zech. 14:5, 4, 9.
664 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
In that vast throng are multitudes of the long-lived race
that existed before the flood; men of lofty stature and giant
intellect, who, yielding to the control of fallen angels, de-
voted all their skill and knowledge to the exaltation of
themselves ; men whose wonderful works of art led the
world to idolize their genius, but whose cruelty and evil
inventions, defiling the earth and defacing the image of
God, caused Him to blot them from the face of His creation.
There are kings and generals who conquered nations, val-
iant men who never lost a battle, proud, ambitious warriors
whose approach made kingdoms tremble. In death these
experienced no change. As they come up from the grave,
they resume the current of their thoughts just where it
ceased. They are actuated by the same desire to conquer
that ruled them when thoy fell.
Satan consults with his angels, and then with these
kings and conquerors and mighty men. They look upon
the strength and numbers on their side, and declare that
the army within the city is small in comparison with theirs,
and that it can be overcome. They lay their plans to take
possession of the riches and glory of the New Jerusalem.
AU immediately begin to prepare for battle. Skilful arti-
sans construct implements of war. IMilitary leaders, famed
for their success, marshal the throngs of warlike men into
companies and divisions.
At last the order to advance is given, and the countless
host moves on, — an army such as was never summoned by
earthly conquerors, such as the combined forces of all ages
since war began on earth could never equal. Satan, the
mightiest of warriors, leads the van, and his angels unite
their forces for this final struggle. Kings and warriors are
in his train, and the multitudes follow in vast companies,
each under its appointed leader. With military precision,
the serried ranks advance over the earth's broken and un-
even surface to the city of God. By command of Jesus, the
gates of the New Jerusalem are closed, and the armies of
Satan surround the city, and make ready for the onset.
THE CONTROVERSY EXDED 665
Now Christ again appears to the view of His enemies.
Far above the city, upon a foundation of burnished gold, is
a throne, high and lifted up. Upon this throne sits the Son
of God, and around Him are the subjects of His kingdom.
The power and majesty of Christ no language can describe,
no pen portray. The glory of the Eternal Father is en-
shrouding His Son. The brightness of His presence fills
the city of God, and flows out beyond the gates, flooding
the whole earth with its radiance.
Nearest the throne are those who were once zealous in the
cause of Satan, but who, plucked as brands from the burn-
ing, have followed their Saviour with deep, intense devotion.
Next are those who perfected Christian characters in the
midst of falsehood and infidelity, those who honored the
law of God when the Christian world declared it void, and
the millions, of all ages, who were martyred for their faith.
And beyond is the "great multitude, which no man could
number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and
tongues, . . . before the tlirpne, and ])efore the Lamb,
clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands."*
Their warfare is ended, their victory won. They have run
the race and reached the prize. The palm branch in their
hands is a symbol of their triumph, the white robe an em-
blem of the spotless righteousness of Clirist which now is
theirs.
The redeemed raise a song of praise that echoes and re-
echoes through the vaults of heaven, "Salvation to our
God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb."
And angel and seraph unite their voices in adoration. As
the redeemed have belield the power and malignity of
Satan, they have seen, as never before, that no power but
that of Christ could have made them conquerors. In all
that shining throng there are none to ascribe salvation to
themselves, as if they had prevailed by their own power and
goodness. Nothing is said of what they have done or suf-
fered; but the burden of every song, the keynote of every
anthem, is, Salvation to our God, and unto the Lamb.
>Rev. 7:9.
666 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
In the presence of the assembled inhabitants of earth and
heaven the final coronation of the Son of God takes place.
And now, invested with supreme majesty and power, the
King of kings pronounces sentence upon the rebels against
His government, and executes justice upon those who have
transgressed His law and oppressed His people. Says the
prophet of God: "I saw a great white throne, and Him
that sat on it, from Avhose face the earth and the heaven fled
away; and there Avas found no place for them. And I saw
the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books
were opened : and another book was opened, which is the
book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things
which were written in the books, according to their works."*
As soon as the books of record are opened, and the eye of
Jesus looks upon the kicked, they are conscious of every sin
which tliey have ever committed. They see just where
their feet diverged from the path of purity and holiness,
just how far pride and rebellion liave carried them in the
violation of the law of God. The seductive temptations
which they encouraged by indulgence in sin, the blessings
perverted, the messengers of God despised, the warnings
rejected, the waves of mercy beaten back by the stub-
born, unrepentant heart, — all appear as if written in
letters of fire.
Above the throne is revealed the cross; and like a pano-
ramic view appear the scenes of Adam's temptation and
fall, and the successive steps in the great plan of redemp-
tion. The Saviour's lowly birth; His early life of sim-
plicity and obedience ; His baptism in Jordan ; the fast and
temptation in the wilderness; His public ministry, unfold-
ing to men lieaven's most precious blessings; the days
crowded with deeds of love and mercy, the nights of prayer
and watching in the solitude of the mountains; the plottings
of envy, hate, and malice which repaid His benefits; the
awful, mysterious agony in Gethsemane, beneath the crush-
ing weight of the sins of the whole world; His betrayal
into the hands of the murderous mob; the fearful events
>EeT. 20:11, 12.
THE CONTROVERSY ENDED 667
of that night of horror, — the unresisting prisoner, for-
saken by His best-loved disciples, rudely hurried through
the streets of Jerusalem; the Son of God exultingly dis-
played before Annas, arraigned in the high priest's palace,
in the judgment-hall of Pilate, before the cowardly and
cruel Herod, mocked, insulted, tortured, and condemned to
die, — all are vividly portrayed.
And now before the swaying multitude are revealed the
final scenes, — the patient Sufferer treading the path to Cal-
vary; the Prince of heaven hanging upon the cross; the
haughty priests and the jeering rabble deriding His ex-
piring agony; the supernatural darkness; the heaving earth,
the rent rocks, the open graves, marking the moment when
the world's Redeemer yielded up His life.
The awful spectacle appears just as it was. Satan, his
angels, and his subjects have no power to turn from the
picture of their own work. Each actor recalls the part
which he performed. Herod, who slew the innocent chil-
dren of Bethlehem that he might destroy the King of Israel;
the base Herodias, upon whose guilty soul rests the blood of
John the Baptist ; the weak, time-serving Pilate ; the mock-
ing soldiers; the priests and rulers and the maddened throng
who cried, "His blood be on us, and on our children!" —
all behold the enormity of their guilt. They vainly seek to
hide from the divine majesty of His countenance, outshining
the glory of the sun, while the redeemed cast their crowns
at the Saviour's feet, exclaiming, "He died for me!"
Amid the ransomed throng are the apostles of Christ, the
heroic Paul, the ardent Peter, the loved and loving John,
and their true-hearted brethren, and Avith them the vast
host of martyrs; while outside the walls, with every vile
and abominable thing, are those by whom they were per-
secuted, imprisoned, and slain. There is Nero, that monster
of cruelty and vice, beholding the joy and exaltation of those
whom he once tortured, and in whose extremest anguish he
found Satanic delight. His mother is there to witness the
result of her own work; to see how the evil stamp of char-
668 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
acter transmitted to her son, the passions encouraged and
developed by her influence and example, have borne fruit
in crimes that caused the world to shudder.
There are papist priests and prelates, who claimed to be
Christ's ambassadors, yet employed the rack, the dungeon,
and the stake to control the consciences of His people. There
are the proud pontiffs who exalted themselves above God,
and presumed to change the law of the Most High. Those
pretended fathers of the church have an account to render
to God from which they would fain be excused. Too late
they are made to see that the Omniscient One is jealous of
His law, and that He will in no wise clear the guilty. They
learn now that Christ identifies His interest with that of His
suffering people; and they feel the force of His own words,
"Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of
these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me. ' ' *
The whole wicked world stand arraigned at the bar of
God, on the charge of high treason against the government
of heaven. They have none to plead their cause; they are
without excuse; and the sentence of eternal death is pro-
nounced against them.
It is now evident to all that the wages of sin is not noble
independence and eternal life, but slavery, ruin, and death.
The wicked see what they have forfeited by their life of
rebellion. The far more exceeding and eternal weight of
glory was despised when offered them; but how desirable
it now appears. "All this," cries the lost soul, "I might
have had; but I chose to put these things far from me.
Oh, strange infatuation! I have exchanged peace, happi-
ness, and honor, for wretchedness, infamy, and despair."
All see that their exclusion from heaven is just. By their
lives they have declared, "We will not have this Jesus to
reign over us."
As if entranced, the \ncked have looked upon the coro-
nation of the Son of God. They see in His hands the tables
of the divine law, the statutes which they have despised and
transgressed. They witness the outburst of wonder, rapture,
»Matt. 25:40.
THE CONTROVERSY ENDED 669
and adoration from the saved; and as the wave of melody
sweeps over the multitudes without the city, all with one
voice exclaim, "Great and marvelous are Thy works. Lord
God Almighty; just and true are Thy ways, Thou King of
saints ; ' " and falling prostrate, they worship the Prince
of life.
Satan seems paralyzed as he beholds the glory and
majesty of Christ. He who was once a covering cherub
remembers whence he has fallen. A shining seraph, "son of
the morning;" how changed, how degraded! From the
council where once he was honored, he is forever excluded.
He sees another now standing near to the Father, veiling
His glory. He has seen the crown placed upon the head of
Christ by an angel of lofty stature and majestic presence,
and he knows that the exalted position of this angel might
have been his.
Memory recalls the home of his innocence and purity,
the peace and content that were his until he indulged in
murmuring against God, and envy of Christ. His accu-
sations, his rebellion, his deceptions to gain the sympathy
and support of the angels, his stubborn persistence in mak-
ing no effort for self-recovery when God would have granted
him forgiveness, — all come vividly before him. He reviews
his work among men and its results, — the enmity of man
toward his fellow-man, the terrible destruction of life, the
rise and fall of kingdoms, the overturning of thrones, the
long succession of tumults, conflicts, and revolutions. He
recalls his constant efforts to oppose the work of Christ and
to sink man lower and lower. He sees that his hellish plots
have been powerless to destroy those who have put their
trust in Jesus. As Satan looks upon his kingdom, the fruit
of his toil, he sees only failure and ruin. PTe has led the
multitudes to believe that the city of God would be an easy
prey; but he knows that this is false. Again and again, in
the progress of the great controversy, he has been defeated,
and compelled to yield. He knows too well the power and
majesty of the Eternal.
^Eev. 15:3.
670 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
The aim of the great rebel has ever been to justify him-
self, and to prove the divine government responsible for the
rebellion. To this end he has bent all the power of his
giant intellect. He has worked deliberately and systemat-
ically, and with marvelous success, leading vast multitudes
to accept his version of the great controversy which has
been so long in progress. For thousands of years this chief
of conspiracy has palmed off falsehood for truth. But the
time has now come when the rebellion is to be finally de-
feated, and the history and character of Satan disclosed.
In his last great effort to dethrone Christ, destroy His peo-
ple, and take possession of the city of God, the arch-deceiver
has been fully unmasked. Those who have united with him
see the total failure of his cause. Christ's followers and the
loyal angels behold the full extent of his machinations
against the government of God. He is the object of uni-
versal abhorrence.
Satan sees that his voluntary rebellion has unfitted him
for heaven. He has trained his powers to war against God;
the purity, peace, and harmony of heaven would be to him
supreme torture. His accusations against the mercj' and
justice of God are now silenced. The reproach which he
has endeavored to cast upon Joliovah rests wholly upon
himself. And now Satan bows down, and confesses the
justice of his sentence. ' fn.Bv/0)
"Who shall not fear Thee, Lord, and glorify Thy
name? for Thou only art holy: for all nations shall come
and worship before Thee; for Thy judgments are made
manifest.'" Every question of truth and error in the long-
standing controversy has now been made plain. The re-
sults of rebellion, the fruits of setting aside the divine
statutes, have been laid open to the view of all ct^eated in-
telligences. The working out of Satan's rule in contrast
with the government of God, has been presented to the
whole universe. Satan's own works have condemned him.
God's wisdom, His justice, and His goodness stand fully
vindicated. It is seen that all His dealings in the great
'Bev. 15:4.
THE CONTROVERSY ENDED 671
controversy have been conducted with respect to the eternal
good of His people, and tlie good of all the worlds that He
has created. ''AH Thy works shall praise Thee, Lord;
and Thy saints shall bless Thee. ' ' ' The history of sin will
stand to all eternity as a witness that with the existence of
God's law is bound up the happiness of all the beings He
has created. "With all the facts of the great controversy in
view, the whole universe, both loyal and rebellious, with
one accord declare, "Just and true are Thy ways, Thou
King of saints."
Before the universe has been clearly presented the great
sacrifice made by the Father and the Son in man's behalf.
The hour has come when Christ occupies His rightful posi-
tion, and is glorified above principalities and powers and
every name that is named. It was for the joy that was set
before Him, — that He might bring many sons unto glory, —
that He endured the cross and despised the shame. And
inconceivably great as was the sorrow and the shame, yet
greater is the joy and the glory. He looks upon the re-
deemed, renewed in His own image, every heart bearing the
perfect impress of the divine, every face reflecting the like-
ness of their King. He beholds in them the result of the
travail of His soul, and He is satisfied. Then, in a voice that
reaches the assembled multitudes of the righteous and the
wicked. He declares, "Behold the purchase of My blood!
For these I suffered, for these I died, that they might dwell
in ]\Iy presence throughout eternal ages." And the song of
praise ascends from the white-robed ones about the throne,
"Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and
riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and
blessing. ' ' '
Notwithstanding that Satan has been constrained to ac-
knowledge God's justice, and to bow to the supremacy of
Christ, his character remains unchanged. The spirit of re-
bellion, like a mighty torrent, again bursts forth. Filled
with frenzy, he determines not to yield the great contro-
versy. The time has come for a last desperate struggle
»Ps. 145:10. 'Rev. 5:12
672 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
against the King of heaven. He rushes into the midst of
his subjects, and endeavors to inspire them with his own
fury, and arouse them to instant battle. But of all the
countless millions whom he has allured into rebellion, there
are none now to acknowledge his supremacy. His power is
at an end. The wicked are filled with the same hatred of
God that inspires Satan ; but they see that their case is
hopeless, that they cannot prevail against Jehovah, Their
rage is kindled against Satan and those who have been his
agents in deception, and with the fury of demons they turn
upon them.
Saith the Lord: "Because thou hast set thine heart as
the heart of God; behold, therefore I ^\^ll bring strangers
upon thee, the terrible of the nations: and they shall draw
their swords against the beauty of thy wisdom, and they
shall defile thy brightness. They shall bring thee down to
the pit." "I will destroy thee, covering cherub, from
the midst of the stones of fire. ... I will cast thee to the
ground, I Avill lay thee before kings, that they may behold
thee. ... I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the
sight of all them that behold thee. . . . Thou shalt be
a terror, and never shalt thou be any more. ' ' '
* ' Every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and
garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning
and fuel of fire." *'The indignation of the Lord is upon
all nations, and His fury upon all their armies: He hath
utterly destroyed them. He hath delivered them to the
slaughter." "Upon the wicked He shall rain quick burning
coals, fire and brimstone, and a horrible tempest: this shall
be the portion of their cup."' Fire comes down from God
out of heaven. The earth is broken up. The weapons con-
cealed in its depths are drawn forth. Devouring flames
burst from every yawning chasm. The very rocks are on
fire. The day has come that shall bum as an oven. The
elements melt with fervent heat, the earth also, and the
works that are therein are burned up.' The earth's surface
»Eze. 28:6-8, 16-19. ^^ Isa. 9:5; 34:2; Ps. 11:6 (margin).
"Mai. 4:1; 2 Peter 3:10.
THE CONTROVERSY ENDED 673
seems one molten mass, — a vast, seething lake of fire. It is
the time of the judgment and perdition of ungodly men,—
"the day of the Lord's vengeance, and the year of recom-
penses for the controversy of Zion. ' ' '
The wicked receive their recompense in the earth.' They
"shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them
up, gaith the Lord of hosts. ' ' ' Some are destroyed as in a
moment, wliile others suffer many days. All are punished
"according to their deeds." The sins of the righteous hav-
ing been transferred to Satan, he is made to suffer not only
for his own rebellion, but for all the sins which he has
caused God's people to commit. His punishment is to be
far greater than that of those whom he has deceived. After
all have perished who fell by his deceptions, he is still to
live and suffer on. In the cleansing flames the wicked are at
last destroyed, root and branch, — Satan the root, his fol-
lowers the branches. The full penalty of the law has been
visited; the demands of justice have been met; and heaven
and earth, beholding, declare the righteousness of .Jehovah.
Satan's work of ruin is forever ended. For six thousand
years he has wrought his will, filling the earth with woe,
and causing grief throughout the universe. The whole
creation has groaned and travailed together in pain. Now
God's creatures are forever delivered from his presence and
temptations. "The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: thej'
[the righteous] break forth into singing."^ And a shout
of praise and triumph ascends from the whole loyal uni-
verse. "The voice of a great multitude," "as the voice
of many ; waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings,"
is heard, saying, "Alleluia; for the Lord God omnipotent
reigneth. ' '
While the earth was wrapped in the fire of destruction,
the righteous abode safely in the holy city. Upon those
that had part in the first resurrection, the second deatli has
no power. While God is to the wicked a consuming fire,
He is to His people both a sun and a shield.*
. »l8a. 34:8; Prov. 11:31. -'Mai. 4:1.
•Isa. 14:7. * Rev. 20:6; Ps. 84:11.
22— G.C.
674 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
"I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first
heaven and the first earth were passed away. ' ' * The fire
that consumes the wicked purifies the earth. Every trace
of the curse is swept away. No eternally burning hell will
keep before the ransomed the fearful consequences of sin.
One reminder alone remains: our Redeemer will ever
bear the marks of His crucifixion. Upon His wounded head,
upon His side, His hands and feet, are the only traces of
the cruel work that sin has wrouglit. Says the prophet,
beholding Christ in His glory, "He had bright beams com-
ing out of His side: and there was the hiding of His
power.'"' That pierced side whence flowed the crimson
stream that reconciled man to God, — there is the Saviour's
glory, there "the hiding of His poAver. " "Mighty to save,"
through the sacrifice of redemption, He was therefore strong
to execute justice upon them that despised God's mercy.
And tlie tokens of His humiliation arc His highest honor;
through the eternal ages the wounds of Calvary will show
forth His praise, and declare His power.
"0 tower of the flock, the stronghold of the daughter
of Zi(m, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion."^
The time has come, to which holy men have looked with
longing since the flaming sword barred the first pair from
Eden, — the time for "the redemption of the purchased
possession."* The earth originally given to man as his
kingdom, betrayed by him into the hands of Satan, and so
long held by the mighty foe, has been brought back by the
great plan of redemption. All that was lost by sin has been
restored. "Thus saith the Lord . . . that formed the earth
and made it; Pie hath established it, Pie created it not in
vain, He formed it to be inhal)ited."* God's original pur-
pose in the creation of the earth is fulfilled as it is made
the eternal abode of the redeemed. "The righteous shall
inherit the land, and dwell therein forever.'"
A fear of making the future inheritance seem too ma-
terial has led many to spiritualize away the very truths
>Eev. 21:1. *Hab. 3:4 (margin). 'Micah 4:8; Eph. 1:14.
*Isa. 45:18. "Ps. 37:29.
THE CONTROVERSY ENDISD 675
which lead us to look upon it as our home. Christ assured
His disciples that He went to prepare mansions for them in
the Father's house. Those who accept the teachings of
God's word will not be wholly ignorant concerning the
heavenly abode. And yet, "eye hath not seen, nor ear heard,
neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which
God hath prepared for them that love Him."* Human,
language is inadequate to describe the reward of the
righteous. It will be known only to those who behold it.
No finite mind can comprehend the glory of the Para-
dise of God.
In the Bible the inheritance of the saved is called a coun-
try.' There the heavenly Shepherd leads His flock to
fountains of living waters. The tree of life yields its fruit
every month, and the leaves of the tree are for the service
of the nations. There are ever-flowing streams, clear as
crystal, and beside them waving trees cast their shadows
upon the paths prepared for the ransomed of the Lord.
-There the wide-spreading plains swell into hills of beauty,
and the mountains of God rear their lofty summits. On
those peaceful plains, beside those living streams, God's
people, so long pilgrims and wanderers, shall find a home.
"My people shall dwell in a peaceful habitation, and
in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting-places." "Violence
shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction
within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salva-
tion, and thy gates Praise." "They shall build houses,
and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat
the fruit of them. They shall not build, and another in-
habit ; they shalt not plant, and another eat : . . . Mine
elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. "^
There, "the wilderness and the solitary place shall be
glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as
the rose." "Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir-tree,
and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle-tree. ' ' *
**The wolf also shall dwell \vith the lamb, and the leopard
M Cor. 2:9. = Heb. 11:14-16.
«Isa. 32:18; 60:18; 65:21, 22. 'Isft. 35:1; 55:13.
676 THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
shall lie down with the kid; . . . and a little child shall
lead them." ''They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My
holy mountain/'* saith the Lord. 'i
Pain cannot exist in the atmosphere of heaven. There
will be no more tears, no funeral trains, no badges of mourn-
ing. "There shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor
crying, . . . for the former things are passed away."'
"The inhabitant shall not say, I am sick: the people that
dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity. " *
There is tlie New Jerusalem, the metropolis of the glorified
new earth, "a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and
a royal diadem in the hand of thy God."' "Her light was
like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone,
clear as crystal." "The nations of them which are saved
shall walk in the light of it : and the kings of the earth do
bring their glory and honor into it. " "^ Saith the Lord; ' ' I
will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in My people."' "The
tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them,
and .they shall be His people, and God Himself 'shall be
with them, and be their God. "^ i
In the city of God "there shall be no night" None
will need or desire repose. There will be no weariness in
doing the will of God and offering praise to His name. We
shall ever feci the freshness of the morning, and shall ever
be far from its close. "And they need no candle, neither
light of the sun; for the Lord God givnth them light."'
The light of the sun will be superseded by a radiance which
is not painfully dazzling, yet which immeasurably surpasses
the brightness of our noontide. The glory of God and the
Lamb floods the holy city with unfading light. The
redeemed walk in the sunless glory of perpetual day. ' ''i'
"I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty
and the Lamb are the temple of it."' The people of God
are privileged to hold open communion with the Father and
the Son. "Now we see through a glass, darkly."* We be-
hold the image of God reflected, as in a mirror, in ths works
*Isa. 11:6, 9; 33:24; 62:3; 65:19. ^'Eev. 21:4, 11, 24, 3.
«E©v. 22:5; 21:22. :.'■ J ; *1 Cor. 13:12.
THE CONTROVERSY ENDED 677
of nature and in His dealings with men; but then we shall
see Him face to face, without a dimming veil between. "We
shall stand in His presence, and behold the glory of His
countenance.
There the redeemed shall "know, even as also they are
known." The loves and sympathies which God Himself has
planted in . the soul, shall there find truest and sweetest
exercise. The pure communion with holy beings, the har-
monious social life with the blessed angels and with the faith-
ful ones of all ages, who have washed their robes and made
them white in the blood of the Lamb, the sacred ties that
bind together "the whole family in heaven and earth,"* —
these help to constitute; the happiness of the redeemed. t<>
There, immortal minds will contemplate with neverr
failing delight the wonders' of creative power, the mys-
teries of redeeming love. There will be no cruel, deceiving
foe to tempt to f orgetf ulness of God. Every faculty will be
developed, every capacity increased. The acquirement of
knowledge will not weary^theii'mind or exhaust the energies.
There the grandest enterprises may be carried forward, the
loftiest aspirations reached, the highest ambitions realized;
^nd iStill; there will arise new heights to surmount, new
wonders to admire, new truths to comprelicnd, fresh objects
to call forth the powers of mind and soul and body.
All the treasures of the universe will be open to the
study of God's redeemed. Unfettered by mortality, they
wing their tireless flight to worlds afar, — worlds that
thrilled with sorrow at the spectacle of human woe, and
rang wth songs of gladness at the tidings of a ransomed
soul. "With unutterable delight the children of earth enter
into the joy and the wisdom of unfallen beings. They share
the treasures of knowledge and understanding gained
through ages upon ages in contemplation of God's handi-
work. "With undimmed vision they gaze upon the glory of
creation, — suns and stars and systems, all in their ap-
pointed order circling the throne of Deity. Upon all
'Eph. 3:15.
678' THE GREAT CONTROVERSY
things, from the least to the greatest, the Creator's name
is written, and in all are the riches of His power displayed.
And the years of eternity, as they roll, will bring richer
and still more glorious revelations of God and of Christ.
As knowledge is progressive, so will love, reverence, and
happiness increase. The more men learn of God, the
greater will be their admiration of His character. As
Jesus opens before them the riches of redemption, and the
amazing achievements in the great controversy -vvith Satan,
the hearts of the ransomed thrill with more fervent devo-
tion, and with more rapturous joy they sweep the harps of
gold; and ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands
of thousands of voices unite to swell the mighty chorus of
praise.
"And every creature which is in heaven, and on the
earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea,
and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and
honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth
upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever. ' ' *
The great controversy is ended. Sin and sinners are
no more. The entire universe is clean. One pulse of har-
mony and gladness beats through the vast creation. From
Him who created all, flow life and light and gladness,
throughout the realms of illimitable space. From the
minutest atom to the greatest world, all things, animate and
inanimate, in their unshadowed beauty and perfect joy,
declare that God is love.
'Rev. 5:13.
APPENDIX
GENERAL NOTES
Page 50. Titles. — In a passage which forms a part of the Eoman
canon law, Pope Innocent III. declares that the Eoman pontiff is "the
vicegerent upon earth, not of a mere man, but of very God ; ' ' and in a
gloss on the passage it is explained that this is because he is the vice-
gerent of Christ, who is "very God and very man." (See Decretal.
D. Gregor. Pap. IX. lib. 1. de translat. Episc. tit. 7. c. 3. Corp. Jur.
Canon, ed. Paris, 1612; torn. II. Decretal, col. 205.)
For the title, ' * Lord God the Pope, ' ' see a gloss on the Extravagantes
of Pope John XXII., title 14, ch. 4, " Declararmis." In an Antwerp
edition of the Extravagantes, dated 1584, the words " Dominum Deum
nostrum Papain" ("Our Lord God the Pope") occur in column 153. In
a Paris edition, dated 1612, they occur in column 140. In several
editions published since 1612, the word "Deum" ("God") has been
omitted.
Page 52. Image Worship. — "The worship of images . . . was
one of those corruptions of Christianity which crept into the church
stealthily and almost without notice or observation. This corruption
did not, like other heresies, develop itself at once, for in that case it
would have met with decided censure and rebuke: but, making its com-
mencement under a fair disguise, so gradually was one practice after
another introduced in connection with it, that the church had become
deeply steeped in practical idolatry, not only without any efficient
opposition, but almost without any decided remonstrance; and when
at length an endeavor was made to root it out, the evil was found too
deeply fixed to admit of removal. ... It must be traced to the
idolatrous tendency of the human heart, and its propensity to serve the
creature more than the Creator, . . ,
' ' Images and pictures were first introduced into churches, not to
be worsliiped, but either in the place of books to give instruction to
those who could not read, or to excite devotion in the minds of others.
How far they ever answered such a purpose is doubtful; but, even
granting that this was the ease for a time, it soon ceased to be so,
and it was found that pictures and images brought into churches
darkened rather than enlightened the minds of the ignorant — degraded
(679)
680 APPENDIX
rather than exalted the devotion of the worshiper. So that, however
they might have been intended to direct men's minds to God, they
ended in turning them from Him to the worship of created things."
— J. Mendham, "The Seventh General Council, the Second of Niccea,"
Introduction, pp. iii-vi.
For a record of the proceedings and decisions of the Second Council
of Nice, A. D. 787, called to establish the worship of images, see Baronius,
"Ecclesiastical Annals," Vol. IX,^ pp. 391-407 (1612 Antwerp ed.) ;
J. Mendham, "The Seventh General Council, the Second of.Nicsea;"
Ed. Stillingfleet, "Defence of the Piscourse Concerning the Idolatry
Practiced in the Church of Korne" (London, 1686); "A Select Library
of Nieene and Post-Nicene Fathers, ' ' second series. Vol. XIV, pp.
521-587 (N. Y., 1900); C. J. Ilefele, "History of the Councils of the
Church, from the Original Documents," bk. 18, ch. 1, sec. 332, 333;
ch. 2, sec. 345-352 (T, & T. piark ed., 1896,, Vol. V, pp. 260-3(14, 342-372).
'.'.''- .!"■< I li !■• rii< J .li .mot '.Pif ,^ii!;*j .1
Page 53. Edict of Const'antine.— fhe 'law issued ty Constantine
on the seventh of March, A. D. 321, regarding a day of rest, reads thus:
"Let all judges, and all city people, and all tradesmen, rest upon
the venerable day of the sun. But let those dwelling in the country
freely and vnth full liberty attend to the qulture of their fields; since
it frequently happens, that no other day is so i^t for the sowing' of
grain, or the planting of vines; hence the favorable time should not
be allowed to pass, lest the provisions of heaven be lost." — A^ H.
Lewis; "History of the Sabbath and the Sunday," pp^ 1S3, 1^4 (Sd
ed., rev., 1903).
The original (in the "Codex of Justinian," lib. 3, tit. 12, leg. 3)
is quoted by Dr. J. A. Hesscy in his Bampton Lectures on "Sunday,"
lecture 3, par. 1, and by Dr. Philip Schaff in his "History of the
Christian Church," Vol. Ill, sec. 75, par. 5, note 1. See also Mosheim,
* ' Ecclesiastical History, ' ' cent. 4, part 2, ch. 4, sec. 5 ; Chambers ' En-
cyclopaedia, art. Sabbath; Encyclopaedia Britanniea, ninth ed., art. Sun-
day; Peter Heylyn, "History of the Sabbath," part 2, ch. 3 (2d eA.;
rev., London, 1636, pp. 66, 67). 'ji'
:..ii \.\A
Page 54. Prophetic Dates. — See note for page 329. ■^'■'
Page 56. Forged Writings.-^ Aftiiong' thfe 'diidWmfen^s that' "Itt" the
present time are generally admitted to be forgeries, the Donation of
Constantine and the Pseudo-Isi dorian Decretald'' are of. priniary iiA^
portance. ' ''■'•'•' '■■' ''' ' .v^' '|'"^'jI
In citing facts concerning the question, "When and by whom was
Constantine 's Donation forged ? " M. Gosselin, Director of the- Seminary
of St. Sulpice (Paris), says:
GENERAL NOTES 681
"Though this document is unquestionably spurious, it would be
difficult to determine with precision the date of its fabrication. M.
de Marca, Muratori, and other learned critics, are of the opinion that
it was composed in the eighth century, before the reign of Charlemagne.
Muratori, moreover, thinks it probable that it may have induced that
monarch and Pepin to be so generous to the Holy See. ' ' — Gosselin,
"The Potver of the Pope during the Middle Ages," Vol, I, p. 321
(translated by the Rev. Matthew Kelly, St. Patrick's College, May-
nooth; Baltimore, ,T. Murphy & Co., 1853).
On the date of the Pseudo-Isidorian Decretals, see Mosheim, "Ec-
clesiastical History," bk. 3, cent. 9, part 2, ch. 2, sec. 8. As Dr.
Murdock, the translator, points out in a foot-note, the learned Catholic
historian, M, L'Abbe Fleury, in his "Ecclesiastical History." (diss.
4, sec. 1), says of these decretals, that "they crept to light near the
close of the eighth century. ' ' Fleury, writing near the close of the
seventeenth century, says further that these ' ' false decretals were looked
upon as authentic for the space of eight hundred years; and it was
with much difficulty that tliey were given up in the last century. It
is true that at present there are hardly any, though meanly instructed
in these matters, :who do not acknowledge that these decretals are
false." — Fleury, "Ecclesiastical History," hJc. 44, par. 54 (G. Adam's
translation, London, 1732, Vol. V, p. 196). See also Gibbon, "Decline
audi Fall of the Roman Empire, "ch. 49, par. 16.
Page 57. Dictates of Hildebrand (Gregory VTI.). — See Baronius,
"Ecclesiastical Annals," An. 107d (Antwerp ed., 1608, Vol. XI, page
479). A copy of the "Dictates," in the original, may also be found
in Gieseler, "Ecclesiastical History," period 3, sec. 47, note 4 (ed.
1836, tr. by F. Cunningham). An English ti-anslation is given in Mos-
heim, "Ecclesiastical History," bk. 3, cent. 11, part 2, ch. 2, sec. 9,
note 8 (Soames' ed., tr. by Murdock).
Page 59. Purgatory. — Dr. Joseph Faa Di Bruno thus defines pur-
gatory: "Purgatory is a state of suffering after this life, in which
those souls are for a time detained, who depart this life after their
deadly sins have been remitted as to the stain and guilt, and as to
the everlasting pain that waa due to them; but who have on account
of those sins still some debt of temporal punishment to pay; as also
those souls which leave this world guilty only of venial &inii."-r-" Cath-
olic Belief," page 196 (ed. 1884; imprimateur Archbishop of New
York).
See also K. R. Hagenbach, "Compendium of the History of Doc-
trines," Vol. I, pp. 234-237, 405, 408; Vol. II, pp. 135-150, 308, 309
(T. & T. Clark ed.) ; Ghas. Elliott, "Delineation of Roman Catholi-
cism," bk. 2, ch. 12; Catholic Encyclopft'dia, art. Purgatory.
eM APPENDIX
Page 59. Indulgences. — For a detailed history of the doctrine of
indulgences, see the Catholic Encyclopaedia, art. Indulgences (contrib-
uted by W. H. Kent, O. S. C, of Bayswater, London) ; Carl Ullmann,
"Reformers before the Eef ormation, " Vol. I, bk. 2, part 1, ch. 2;
M. Creighton, "History of the Papacy," Vol. V, pp. 56-64, 71;
L. von Ranke, "History of the Reformation in Germany," bk. 2, ch. 1,
par. 131, 132, 139-142, 153-155 (2d London ed., 1845, tr. by S. Austin,
Vol. I, pp. 331, 335-337, 343-346); Chas. Elliott, "Delineation of
Roman Catholicism," bk. 2, ch. 13; H. C. Lea, "A History of Auricular
Confession and Indulgences ; " G. P. Fisher, ' ' The Reformation, ' ' ch.
4, par. 7.
On the practical outworkings of the doctrine of indulgences during
the period of the Reformation, see a paper by Dr. H. C. Lea, entitled,
"Indulgences in Spain," published in "Papers of the American Society
of Church History," Vol. I, pp. 129-171. Of the value of this historical
sidelight. Dr. Lea says, in his opening paragraph: "Unvexed by the
controversy which raged between Luther and Dr. Eck and Silvester
Prierias, Spain continued tranquilly to follow in the old and beaten
path, and furnishes us with the incontestable official documents which
enable us to examine the matter in the pure light of history."
Page 59. The Ma.«;s. — On the doctrine of the mass, see Cardinal
Vv'iseman's work, "The Real Presence of the Body and Blood of Our
Lord Jesus Christ in the Blessed Eucharist ; ' ' also Catholic Encyclo-
paedia, art. Eucharist (contributed by J. Pohle, S. T. D., Breslau) ;
"Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent," sess. 13, ch. 1-8
(London ed., 1851, tr. by T. A. Buckley, pp. 70-79) ; K. R. Hagenbach,
"Compendium of the History of Doctrines," Vol. I, pp. 214-223,
393-398, and Vol. II, pp. 88-114; J. Calvin, "Institutes," bk. 4,
ch. 17, 18; R. Hooker, "Ecclesiastical Polity," bk. 5, ch. 67; Chas.
Elliott, "Delineation of Roman Catholicism," bk. 2, ch. 4, 5.
Page 65. Wat.densian Versions of the Bible. — On early Wal-
densian translations of portions of the Bible into the language of the
common people, see Townley, "Illustrations of Biblical Literature,"
Vol. I, ch. 10, par. 1-13; E. Petavcl, "The Bible in France," ch. 2,
par. 3, 4, 8-10, 13, 21 (Paris ed., 1864); G. H. Putnam, "The Censor-
ship of the Church of Rome," Vol. II, ch. 2.
Page 77. Edict Against the Waldenses. — A considerable portion
of the text of the papal bull issued by Innocent VIII. in 1487 against
the Waldenses (the original of which is in the library of the University
of Cambridge) is given, in an English translation, in Dowling's "His-
tory of Romanism," bk. 6, ch. 5, sec. 62 (ed. 1871). ■ -
GENERAL NOTES 683
Page 84. Indulgences. — See note for page 59.
Page 85. Wycliffe. — For the original text of the papal bulls issued
against Wycliffe, with an English translation, see J. Foxe, "Acts and
Monuments," Vol. Ill, pp. 4-13 (Pratt-Townsend ed., London, 1870).
See also J. Lewis, "Life of Wiclif," pp. 49-51, 305-314 (ed. 1820);
Lechler, "John Wycliffe and His English Precursors," ch. 5, sec. 2
(pp. 162-164, London ed., 1884, tr. by Loriraer) ; A. Neander, "General
History of the Christian Church," period G, sec. 2, part 1, par. 8.
Page 8G. Infallibility. — On the doctrine of Infallibility, see Cath-
olic Encyclopaedia, art. Infallibility (contributed by P. J. Turner,
S. T. D.); Geo. Salmon, "The Infallibility of the Church;" Chas.
Elliott, "Delineation of Eoman Catholicism," bk. 1, ch. 4; Cardinal
Gibbous, "The Faith of Our Fathers," ch. 7 (49th ed., 1897).
Page 103. Indulgences. — See note for page 59.
Page 104. Council of Constance. — On the calling of the Council
of Constance by Pope John XXIIL, at the instance of the emperoi
Sigismund, see Mosheim, ' ' Ecclesiastical History, ' ' bk. 3, cent. 15,
part 2, ch. 2, sec. 3; J. Dowling, "History of Romanism," bk. 6, ch. 2,
par. 13; A. Bower, "History of the Popes," Vol. VII, pp. 141-143
(London ed., 1766); Neander, "History of the Christian Religion and
Church," period 6, sec. 1 (1854, 5-vol. ed., tr. by Torrey, Vol. V,
pp. 94-101).
Page 128. Indulgences. — See note for page 59.
Page 234. Jesuitism. — For a statement concerning the origin, the
principles, and the purposes of the "Society of Jesus," as outlined
by members of this Order, see a work entitled * ' Concerning Jesuits, ' '
edited by the Rev. John Gerard, S. J., and published in London, 1902,
by the Catholic Trutli Society. In this work it is said that "the main-
spring of the whole organizatioTi of the Society is a spirit of entire
obedience: 'Let each one,' writes St. Ignatius, 'persuade himself that
those who live under obedience ought to allow themselves to be moved
&nd directed by divine Providence through their superiors, just as though
they were a dead body, which allows itself to be carried anywhere and
to be treated in any manner whatever, or as an old man's staff, which
serves him who holds it in his hand in whatsoever way he Mill. '
"This absolute submission is ennobled by its motive, and should be,
continues the . . . founder, 'prompt, joyous, and persevering; . . .
the obedient religious accomplishes joyfully that which his superiors
have confided to him for the general good, assured that thereby he
684 APPENDIX
corresponds truly with the divine will. ' ' ' — The Comtesse i?. de Courson,
in ' ' Concerning Jesuits, " p. 6.
See also L. E. Dupin, "A Compendibns History of the Church,"
cent. 16, ch. 33 (London ed., 1713', Vol. IV, pjj. 132-135) ; Mosheim,
"Ecclesiastical History," cent. 16, see. 3, part 1,' ch. 1, par. 10 (includ-
ing notes 5, 6); Encyclopgedia Britannica (ninth ed.), art. Jesuits;
C. Paroissien, ' ' The Principles of the Jesuits, Developed in a Collection
of Extracts from Their Own Authors" (London, 1860 — an earlier
edition appeared in 1839); W. C. Cartwright, "The Jesiiits, Their
Constitution and, Teaching" (London, 1876) ; E. L. Taunton, '/The
History of tlie Jesuits in England, 1580-1773 " [Ldndon, 1901),
Page 23.5. The Inquisition. — See Catholic Eli'^Jrclopfydia, Sifi Ttiqui-
sition (contributed by J. Blotzer, S. J., Munich) ; H. C. Lea, "History of
the Inquisition in the Middle Ages;" Limborch, "History of the Inqui-
sition," Vol. f, bk. 1, ch. L'5, 27-31 (London ed., 1731, tr. by S. Chandler,
Vol. I, pp. 131-142, 144-161); L. von Ranke, "History of the Popes,"
bk. 2, ch. 6.
Page 265. Causes of the Fre\'Ch Eevolution.— ^ On the far-reach-
ihg consequences of the rejection of the Bible, ' an<3 "of iBible religidn,
by the people of France, see H. von Sybel, ' ' liistory ' of the Frfeiicli
Revolution," bk. 5, ch. 1, par. 3-7; H. T. Buckte, "History of Civiliza-
tion in England," ch. 8, 12 (N. Y. ed., 1895, Vol. I, pp. 364-366,
369-371, 437, 550, 540, 541); Blaclwood's Magazine, Vol. XXXIV,
No. 215 (November, 1833, p. 739); J. G. Lorimer, " An Historical
Sketch of the Protestant Church in France, ' ' ch. 8, par. 6, 7.
Page 266. Prophetic Dates. — See note for page 329.
Page 267. Efforts to Suppress and' Destroy the Bible. — Refer-
ring to the long-continued efforts in France to Suppress the Bible -r
particularly versions in the language of the common people, Gausseri
says: "The decree of Toulouse, 1229," which established the "tribunal
of the Inquisition against all the readers of the Bible in the vulgar
tongue, . . . was an edict of fire, bloodshed, and devastation. In its
3d, 4th, 5th, and 6th chapters, it ordained the entire destruction of the
houses, the humblest places of concealment, and even the subterranean
retreats of ' men convicted of possessing the Scriptures ; that they shoula
be pursued to the forests and caves of the earth ; and that even those
who harbored them should be severely punished." As a result, the
Bible "was everywhere prohibited; it vanished, as it were, underground;
it descended into the tomb. ' ' These decrees were ' ' followed for five
hundred years by innumerable punishments, in which the blood of the
saints flowed like water." — L. (iaassen, " The Canon of the Holy Scrip-
GENERAL NOTES 685
tures," part S, hlc. 2, cJii 7, sec. 5, prop. 561; and ch. 13, sec. 2, prop.
641, par. S.
On the special efforts made to destroy Bibles during the Eeign of
Terror, late in 1793, Dr. Lorimer says: "Wherever a Bible could be
found it might be said to be persecuted to death; so much so, that
several ' respectable commentators interpret the slaying of the two
witnesses in the eleventh <*hapter of the Apocalypse, of the general
suppression, 'nay, destriictiohj of the Old and New Testaments in France
at this period."- — J. G. Lorimer, "An Historical SletcJi of the i'rot-
estant ChurcJi in France," ch. 8, par. 4, 5.
See also G.' P. Fisher, "The Eeformation," eh. 15, par. 16; E.
Petavel, "The Bible in France," ch. 2, par. 3, 8-10, 13, 21 (Paris ed.,
1864);' G. H. Putnam, " The Censorship of the Church of Eome,"
tol.'I, eh. 4' (1906 ed., pp. 97, 99, 101, 102); Vol. II, ch. 2 tpp.'i5-19)';
S. Smiles^ "The' Huguenots: Their Settlements, Churches, and In-
dustries," etc., ch. 1, par. 32, 34; ch. 2, par. 6; eh. 3, pan 1'4; cti. 18)
par. 5 (with note); S. Smiles, "The Huguenots in France after the
Revocation, "eh. 2, par. 8; ch. 10, par. 30; ch. 12, par. 2-4; J. A. Wylie,
"History of Protestantism',' "'bk. 22, ch. 6, par. 3.
Page 276. The Reign of Terror. — On the responsibility of mis-
guided leaders, in both church and state, and particularly in the church,
for the scenes of the French Revolution, see W. M. Sloane, ' ' The French
Revolution and Religious Reform," Preface, and ch. 2, par. 1, 2, 10-14
(1901 ed., pp. vii-ix, 19, 20, 26-31, 40); P. Schaff, in "Papers of the
American Society of Church History," Vol. I, pp. 38, 44; S. Smiles,
"The Huguenots after the Revocation," ch. 18, par. 4, 6, 9, 10, 12-16,
27; J. G. Lorimer, "An Historical Sketch of the Protestant Church of
Prance," ch. 8, par. 6, 7; A. Galton, "Church and State in France,
1300-1907, "ch. 3, sec. 2 (Lotldon ed., 1907) ; Sir J. Stephen, "Lectures
on the History of France," lecture 16, par. 60. '
'.go - . «t
Page 280. The Masses and the Privileged Classes. — ■ On ^ Social
conditions prevailing in France prior to the period of the Revolution,
see H. von Hoist, "Lowell Lectures on the' French Revolution," lecture
1; also Taine, "Ancient Regime," and A. Young, "Travels in France."
Page 283. Retribution. — For further details concerning tlie retril^-
utive character of the French Revolution, see Thos. H. Gill, "The
Papal Drama," bk.. 10; E. de Pressense, "The Church and the French
Revolution," bk. 3, eh. 1.
Page 284. The Atrocities of the Reign of Terror, — See M. A,
Thiers, "History of the French Revolution," Vol. Ill, pp. 42-44, 62-74,
106 (N. Y. ed., 1890, tr. by F. Shoberl) ; F. A. Miguet, "History of
686 APPENDIX
the French Eevolution, " ch. 9, par. 1 (Bohn ed., 1894); A, Alison,
"History of Europe," 1789-1815, Vol. I, ch. 14 (N. Y. ed., 1872,
ypl„j:,,pp. 293-312).
Page 287. The Circulation of the Scriptures. — In 1804, according
to Mr. William Canton, of the British and Foreign Bible Society,
"ail the Bibles extant in the world, in manuscript or in print, counting
every version in every land, were computed at not many more than four
millions. . < . The various languages in which those four millions were
written, including such bygone speech as the Moeso-Gothic of Ulfilas
and the Anglo-Saxon of Bede, are set down as numbering about fifty."
—"What Is the Bible Society?" p. 23 (rev. ed., J 904).
A hundred years later, at the close of its first centenary, the British
and Foreign Bible Society was able to report a total distribution of
Bibles, Testaments, or portions thereof, by that society alone, to the
number of 186,680,101 — a total that, in 1910, had grown to upwards
of 220,000,000 copies, in nearly four hundred distinct tongues.
To these totals must be added the millions of copies of the Scriptures
or portions thereof, in many languages, distributed by other Bible
societies and by various commercial agencies. The American Bible
Society, — the greatest of the daughters of the British parent society, —
during the first ninety-four years of its work, reported a total dis-
tribution of 87,296,182 copies. (See Bible Society Record, June, 1910.)
According to conservative estimates, about six million copies of the
Bible are printed annually by commercial houses, which, added to the
combined output of the Bible societies, gives a total yearly circulation
of more than fifteen million copies.
The Scriptures, in whole or in part, have been printed in more
than five hundred distinct tongues; and the work of translation into
new languages and dialects is still carried forward with unflagging
zeal.
Page 288. FoREiGx Missions. — Dr. G. P. Fisher, in a chapter on
"Christian Missions" in his "History of the Christian Church," out-
lines the beginnings of the missionary movement, wiiich, in "the later
years of the eighteenth century, ushered in a brilliant era of missionary
acti\'ity, an era which, in the history of missions, is only less remarkable
than the first of the Christian ages." In 1792, "the Baptist society
was founded, with Carey as one of its first missionaries. Carey sailed
for India, and there, with the help of other members of the same
society, founded the mission of Serampore. " In 1795, the London
Missionary Society was founded; in 1799, there was formed "the
organization which in 1812 became the Church Missionaiy Society."
Soon afterward, the Wesleyau Missionary Society was founded.
GENERAL NOTES 687
"While the missionary acti\'ity was growing tip in Great Britain,
the Christians of America were becoming animated with a like zeal."
In 1812, they founded the American Board of Commissioners for
Foreign Missions; and in 1814, the American Baptist Missionary Union.
Adoniram Judson, one of the first missionaries to go out from America,
sailed for Calcutta in 1812, and reached Burmah in July, 1813. In 1837,
the Presbyterian Board was formed. (See Fisher, "History of the
Christian Church," period 9, ch. 7, par. 3-25.)
Dr. A. T. Pierson, in an article published in the Missionary Review
of the World for January, 1910, declares: "A half -century ago, China
and Manchuria, Japan and Korea, Turkey and Arabia, and even the
vast continent of Africa, were sleeping — hermit nations, locked in the
cell of long seclusion and exclusion. Central Asia was comparatively
unexplored, as was Central Africa. In many lands, Satan's long
occupation was undisputed and his empire unmolested. Papal countries
were as intolerant as pagan; Italy and Spain imprisoned a man for
daring to sell a Bible, or preach the gosj)el. Prance was practically
infidel, and Germany permeated with rationalism; and over a large part
of the mission field, the doors were shut and locked by a more or lese
rigid exclusion and caste system. Now the changes, on every side,
are so remarkable and so radical that, to one who should suddenly come
out of this middle period of the last century, . . . the world would
be unrecognizable. He who holds the keys of the tWo-leaved gates has
been unlocking them, opening up all lands to the Messenger of the
Cross. Even in the Eternal City, where, a half-century ago, a -visitor had
to leave his Bible outside the walls, there are Protestant chapels by the
score, and a free circulation of the Scriptures. ' '
Page 327. Prophetic Dates. — See note for page 329.
Page 329. Prophetic Dates. — The historical and chronological
facts connected with the prophetic periods of Daniel 8 and 9, including
many e\idences pointing unmistakably to the year 457 B. c. as the proper
time from which to begin reckoning these periods, have been clearly
outlined by many students of prophecy. See Stanley Leathes, "Old
Testament Prophecy," lectures 10, 11 (Warburton Lectures for 1876-
1880); W. Goode, "Fulfilled Prophecy," sermon 10, including Note A
(Warburton Lectures for 1854-1858); A. Thorn, "Chronology of Proph-
ecy," pp. 26-106 (London ed., 1848); Sir Isaac Newton, "Observa-
tions upon the Prophecies of Daniel, and the Apocalypse of St. John,"
ch. 10 (London ed., 173.3, pp. 128-143); Uriah Smith, "Thoughts on
Daniel and the Revelation," part 1, ch. 8, 9. On the date of the
crucifixion, see Wm. Hales, "Analysis of Chronology," Vol. I, pp.
94-101; Vol. Ill, pp. 164-258 (2d London ed., 1830).
6S8 APPENDIX
Page 335. Fall op the Ottoman Empire. — For further details as
to the predicted fall of the Ottoman empire during the month of August,
1840, see J. Litch, ' ' The Probability of the Second Coming of Glirist
about A. D. 1843" (published in June, 1838) ; J. Litch, "An Address ti
the Clergy" (published in the spring of 1840; a second edition, with
historical data in support of the accuracy of former calculations of the
prophetic period extending to the fall of the Ottoman empire, was pub-'
iished in 1841); the Advent Shield and Review, Vol. I (1844), No. 1,
article 2, pp. 56, 57, 59-61; J. N. Loughborough, "The Great Advent
Movement," pp. 129-132 (1905 ed.) ; J. Litch, article in Signs of the
Times, and Expositor of Prophecy, Aug. 1, 1840. See also article in
Signs of the Times, and Expositor of Prophecy, Feb. 1, 1841.
Page 340. Withholding the Bible from the People. — On the atti-
tude of the Roman Catholic Church toward the circulation of the Holy
Scriptures, in vernacular versions, among the laity, see Catholic En-
cyclopaedia, art. Bible ; also G. P. Fisher, ' ' The Reformation, ' ' ch. 15,
par. 16 (1873 ed., pp. 530-532); J. Cardinal Gibbons, "The Faith of
Our Fathers," ch. 8 (49th ed., 1897, pp. 98-117); J. Dowling, '< History
of Romanism," b. 7, ch. 2, sec. 14, and b. 9, ch. 3, see. 24-27 (1871
ed., pp. 491-496, 621-625); L. F. Bungener, "History of the Council
of Trent," pp. 101-110 (2d Edinburgh ed., 1853, tr. by D. D. Scott);
G. H. Putnam, "Books and Their Makers during the Middle Ages,"
Vol. I, part 2, ch. 2, par. 49, 54-56.
11 )
Page 373. Ascension Robes. — The story that the Adventists m^dc?
robes with which to ascend ' ' to meet the Lord in the air, ' ' was invented
by those who wished to re])roach the cause. It was circulated so
industriously that many believed it; but careful inquiry proved its
falsity. For many years a large reward has been offered for proof that
one such instance ever occurred, but the proof has not been produced.
None who loved the appearing of the Saviour were so ignorant of the
teachings of the Scriptures as to suppose that robes which they could
make would be necessary for that occasion. The only robe which the
saints will need to meet the Lord is the righteousness of Christ. See,
Rev. 19:8. , '"' .[.^
"Page 374. THE CHRONOLOGY OF Prophecy. — Dr. Geo. Bush, Pro-
fessor of Hebrew and Oriental Literature in the New York City
University, in a letter addressed to Mr. Miller, and published in the
Advent Herald, and Signs of the Times Reporter, Boston, March 6i
and 13, 1844, made some important admissions relative to his calculation
of the prophetic times. Mr. Bush wrote:
"Neither is it to be objected, as I conceive, to yourself or your
friends, that you have devoted much time and attention to the study
GENERAL NOTES 689
of the chronology of prophecy, and have labored much to determine the
commencing and closing dates of its great i)eriod8. If these periods
are actually given by the Holy Ghost in the prophetic books, it was
doubtless with the design that they should be studied, and probably,
in the iend, fully understood; aad no man is to be charged with pre-
sumptuous f oily ; who reverently makes the attempt to do this. . . .
In taking a day as the prophetical term for a year, I believe yon are
sustained by the soundest exegesis, as well as fortified by the high
names of Mede, Sir Isaac Newton, Kirby, Scott, Keith, and a host
of others, who have long since come to substantially your conclusions
on this head. They all agree that the leading periods mentioned by
Daniel and John do actually expire about this age of the world, and it
wotild be' a strange logic that would convict you of heresy for holding
in effect' the same vieM's which stand forth so prominently in the notices
of those eminent divines." "Your results in this field of inquiry do
not strike me as so far out of the way as to affect any of the great
interests of truth and duty." "Your error, as I apprehend, lies in
another direction than your chronology." "You have entirely mistaken
thie nature of the events which are to occur when those periods have
expired. This is the head and front of your expository offending."
Page 399. Prophetic Dates. — See note for page 329.
Page 435. A Threefold Message. — Rev. 14:6, 7, foretells the
proclamation of the first angel's message. Then the prophet continues:
"There followed another angel, saj'ing, Babylon is fallen, is fallen,
. . . and the third angel followed them." The word here rendered
"followed," means, in constructions like that in this text, "to go
with. ' ' Liddell and Scott render the word thus : "To follow one, go
after or with him." Robinson says: "To follow, to go with, to
accompany any one. " It is the same word that is used in Mark 5 : 24 :
"Jesus went with him; and much people followed Him, and thronged
Him. " It is also used of the redeemed one hundred and forty-four
thousand, where it is said, "These are they which follow the Lamb
whithersoever He gocth. " Rev. 14:4. In both these places it is
evident that the idea intended to be conveyed is that of going together,
in company with. So in 1 Cor. 10:4, where we read of the children
of Israel that "they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them,"
the word "followed" is translated from the same Greek word, and the
margin has it, ' ' went with them. ' ' From this we learn that the idea
in Rev. 14:8, 9, is not simply that the second and third angels followed
the first in point of time, but that they went with him. The three
messages are but one threefold message. They are three only in the
order of their rise. But having risen, they go on together, and are
inseparable.
690 APPENDIX
Page 447. Supremacy of the Bishops of Rome. — Some of the
leading circumstances connected with the assumption of supremacy
by the bishops of Eonie, are outlined in Mosheim 's ' ' Ecclesiastical
History," cent. 2, part 2, ch. 4, sec. 9-11. See also G. P. Fisher,
"History of the Christian Church," period 2, ch. 2, par. 11-17 (1890
ed., pp. 56-58); Gieseler, "Ecclesiastical History," period 1, div. 3,
ch. 4, sec. 66, par. 3, including note 8 (N, Y. ed., 1836, tr. by F.
Cunningham) ; J. N. Andrews, ' ' History of the Sabbath, ' ' pp. 276-279
(3d ed., rev.).
Page 574. Edict of Constantine. — See note for page 53.
Page 578. The Abyssinian Church. — On the observance of the
Bible Sabbath in Abyssinia, see Dean A. P. Stanley, "Lectures on
the History of the Eastern Church," lecture 1, par. 15 (N. Y. ed.,
1862, pp. 96, 97); Michael Geddea, "Church History of Ethiopia,"
pp. 87, 88, 311, 312; Gibbon, "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire,"
ch. 47, par. 37-39; Samuel Gobat, "Journal of Three Years' Residence
in Abyssinia," pp. 55-58, 83, 93, 97, 98 (N. Y. ed., 1850); A. H.
Lewis, "A Critical History of the Sabbath and the Sunday in taa
Christian Church," pp. 208-215 (2d ed., rev.).
Page 581. Dictates of Hildebrand. — See note for page 57.
Index of Scripture References
GENESIS
1:2 658
2:1-3 455
2: 2, 3 52
3:1 531
3:2-5 532
3: 4, 5 561
3:5 554
3: 15 505
3: 19 532
3: 24 534
6: 5, 11 543
15 : 1 86
22:9,1618 18
?8: 12 ,. . 19
32: 24-30 616
32: 30 622
EXODUS
5:2 269
20: 8-11 434
20: 10, 11 437
25: 8 411
25: 9, 40 413
31: 17 437
32: 33 483
34: 6 19
84: 6, 7 . . .500, 541, 627
LEVITICUS
10: 17 418
16: 8, 21, 22 419
16: 16, 19 419
16: 17 428
16: 21 658
16: 22 485
16: 29-84 400
17: 11 418
19: 31 556
20: 27 656
NUMBERS
14: 34 324
23: 8, 10, 20, 21, 23 529
24: 9 529
25: 13 556
DEUTERONOMY
4: 6 230
28: 5G, 57 . : . ., 32
29: 29 ::'::: ^ 324
30: 15 . 544
II SAMUEL
13: 39 537
I KINGS
18: 17 104
18: 17, li
w:r-i^^°
II KINGS
6: 17 208
19: 35 512
I CHRONICLES
21: 19
28: 12, 19 23
II CHRONICLES
32: 21 512
36: 16, 15 19
EZRA
3: 12 24
7: 12-26 326
NEHEMIAH
4: 10, 14 56
8: 10 477
13: 14 481
JOB
1:6 518
1: 9, 10 513
9:2 254
11: 7 344
14: 10-12 550
14: 21 550
19: 25-27 299
38: 6, 7 455
38: 7 511
42: 6 471
PSALMS
1: 1-3 478
6:5 546
8:5 511
9: 5, 6 545
11: 6 672
14: 1 275
16: 4 310
19: 7 463
25: 14 .' 312
27: 5 634
30: 5 350
34: 7 513, 632
37: 10 545
37: 29 674
37: 38 541
40: 8 466
46: 1-3 639
48: 2 17
50: 2-4 300
50:3, 4 642
50: 6 039, 650
51: 17 484
53: 5 117
56: 8 481
73: 11 274
76: 2 23
78: 68, 69 23
80: 8 19
84: 11 673
90: 2 479
91: 3-10 630
95: 437
96: 5 437
96: 11, 13 300
97: 11 522
100: 3 437
103: 19-21 512
106: 28 556
109: 5 20
111: 7, 8 288,434
112: 4 346
115: 17 546
119: 11 . . . opo
119: 18 ...ti.i, (KM)
119: 45 4fie
(691)
692
INDEX OF SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
119: 46 207
119: 89 434
119: 97 ^...... .,., . 468
119: 99, 104 . .. . . . 602
119: 105 267
119: 130 . ..94, 195, 320
119: 142, 172 467
121: 5-7 630
132: 13 19
139: 12 346
145: 10 671
145: 20 541
146: 4 545
PROVERBS
1: 24, 25 642
!;^1: 27 644
1: 29. 31 286
1 : 33 285
3: 13 602
3: 14 312
4: 18 476
11: 31 673
14: 84 277
16: 12 277
16: 25 597
28: 9 43|S
28: 13 489
ECCLESIASTES
8: 1113 286
8: 12, 13 540
9: 5, 6, 10 546
10: 16 165
12: 6 550
12: 13 ;...,... 436
42: 13, 14 482
12; 14 481
''■■ CANTICLES
6: 10 425
; :. ISAIAH
"2: 10-12, 20, 21. . , 638
' 3: 10, 11 540
4: 2, 3 485
5:1-4 20
5: 20 557
'6:3,5 471
8: 16, 20 452
8: 19, 20 559
8: 20 . 593
9: 5 37, 642, 672
11: 6, 9 676
48: 6 : . 638
13: 9 311
13: 11 310
14: 3-C 660
14: 7 673
14: 12-17 659
14: 13, 14 494. 504
14: 18-20 660
21: 11, 12 632
24: 1, 3, 5, 6 . . 657
24: 4, 5 590
24: 22 661
25: 8 .. 650
25: 8, 9 300
25: 9 644
26: 19 300
26: 20, 21 634
26: 21 657
27: 5 M^\.].t .,.. . 619
28: 5 301
28: 15 '. 560
28: 17, 18 562
28: 21 627
30: 11 28
80: 29, 30 635
32: 17 277
32: 18 675
33: 16 626, 629
83: 24 676
34: 2 672
34: 8 . 673
35: 1 675
85: 2 302
87: 23 . 287
38: 18, 19 546
40: 5 301
40: 8 . 288
40: 25, 26 .. . . i . . . 437
41: 17 ,v, . 629
42: 16.. I'r ;'.'/?>!. 346
42: 21 .■.'... 4CG
43: 25 483
45: 18 137, 674
40: 9, 10 344
48: 18, 22 . 285
49: 14-16 626
49: 15 32
51: 3 , . 302
61: 7, 8 460
51: 11-16 633
51: 21-23 634
53: 4 416
53: 7 18
54: 17 288
55: 8, 9 344
55: 13 675
56: 1, 2, 6, 7 451
'■mizshrh til
58: 12, 13 453
58: 13 447
59: 14 586
59: 19 COO
60: 18 675
61: 3 650
61: 11 ^, 301
62: 3 6t6
62 : 4, 5 ,302
62 : 12 ' 650
65 : 6, 7 • v ^,81
65 : 19 !' 6l6
65: 21, 22 .. ..'^ 6t5
66: 5 .,.: 372
JEREMIAHi : f;
2: 13 4^8
3 : 14 38'l.
3: 20 .. ■,: 38?
4: 19, 20 ' sip
4: 23-27 .,'. 659
6: 16 : . . 478
8: 11 . 655
9:1 21
13:17 ..:..;. 21
16: 21 ......... '.'..^ 287
17: 8 .. . . '.'..'.' 602
17:21-25.... 19
23: 1, 2 .' 655
25: 31 ' 656
25: 33 . :. 657
25: 34, 35 ........ 665
26: 18 ..;'.'. ...."..' 85
30: 5-X.,^,_^,y.^.j. 616
30: ..'..'. .....\. 641
81: 34 ........-..'.' 48fe
50: 20 ..... . . 46S
, , LAMENTATIONS ■ :
4t 10 '.82
chi- . . '. :M
001 . . EZEKIELi . a£
1: 14 512
2:7 459
3:7 ... . . . V . 459
4: 6 . . .^., ... 1. . 324
9:1.6.!?5(^:^^.. 656
12: 21-25, 27, 28. .. 393
13: 22 .... . . . ; . . . 655
14: 20 628
16: 8, 13-15, 32... J 382
INDEX OF SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
693
16: 14, 15 383
18: 20 533
18: 24 483
20: 20 437
28: 6 494
28: 6-8, 1619 673
28: 12-15, 17 494
28: 18, 19 504
33: 7-9 460
33: 8, 9 330
33: 11 535, G27, 642
DANIEL
5: 27 491
7:2 440
7: 9, 10 479
7: 10 414, 512
7: 13 424
7: 13, 14 480
7: 14 427
7: 22 661
7: 25 51, 54, 446
7: 27 347
8: 14 : 409
9: 18, 15, 20 471
9: 22, 23, 25-27. . . 325
9: 25 313
10: 8 471
10: 11 470
12: 1 481, 613
12: 2 637
12: 4 356
HOSEA
2: 19 881
4 : 6, 1, 2 60
6: 3 611
8: 2, 1 810
12: 4 617
13 : 9 35
.14:1 .?••;••• 3^
JOEL ; ; :
1: 10-12, 17-20 . ..- 628
2: 1, 15-18, 12, 13. 311
2: 11 310
2: 23 611
2: 26 350
2; 31 308
AMOS
8:7 324
5: 20 310
8: 3 628
■8; 11. 12 629
OBADIAH
16 545
MICAH
3:9-11 26
3: 12 27
4:8 484, 674
5:2 313
7: 8, 9 346
NAIIUM
1:3 627
1:9 504
2: 10 641
HABAKKUK
1: 13 310
2:2 521
3: 3, 4 641
3: 313 301
3:4 674
3: 17, 18 .. .. 629
ZEPHANIAH
1: 12 310
1: 15, 16 310
1: 18, 13 . ... . 310
HAGGAI ■
2:3 24
2: 9, 7 23
ZECHARIAH
2:8 626
3:2 484
4:6 . .232, 529
6: 13 416
9:9 405
14: 5, 4, 9 663
14: 12, 13 C57
MALACHI
2: 17 557
.3:1 424
3: 2, 3 425
3:4 425
3:5 426
3: 16 481
3: 17 634
3: 18 640
4:1 504, 672, 673
4:2 645
MATTHEW
4: 19 171
5: 17, 18 466
5: 17-19 447
5: 18 4S4
7: 2 29
7: 7 528
7: 16 465, 520
8: 11 427
10: 5, 6 327
10: 18-20 112
10: 23 196
10: 32, 33 :. 483
10: 33 156
10: 34 46, 126
11: 5 20
11: 28 20, 75, 569
11: 29, 30 489
12: 22 515
12: 36, 37 ... , 481
13: 30, 38-41.. 321
18: 10 ; :".':^- Si3
20: 27 .; .K' :$8
21: 5 .-....'.-■ i60
21: 8-lG 367
21: 9 402
21: 12 127
22: 11 428
23: 4 568
23: 37 22
23: 38 24, 481
24: 2, 3 25
24: 9, 21, 22 39
24: 15 341
24: 15, 16 26
24; 22 267
24: 23-26 525
24: 24-27, 31 625
24: 29 %i, S33
24: 30, 27, 31 322
24: 30, 31 37
24: 33 38, 334
24: 35 26
24: 36, 3, 33, 42-51. 371
24: 39 338, 491
25: 5-7 398
25: 21, 41 549
25: 31 625
25: 31, 32 301, 347
25: 31-34 322
25: 40 77, 668
26: 64 643
27: 25 32
27: 42 680
27: 42, 43 643
28: 3, 4 5ia
28: 20 86J
694 INDEX OF SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
MARK 3:19 26.-> ' ROMANS
1:14,15 327 3=20 453 j.^^ jjS
1:15 345 3:36 533 2 i 5, 6, V ! ! " * 540
2:28 447 5:28,29 544 2-7 " 533
5:9 514 5:29 482 2'.12.16'.'.'.'.'.'..'.'.4B6
7:26-30 515 5:40 23 3. go 457
9:17-27 515 7:16 243 3:31.. '468
12:24 599 7:17 528,599 5.^3 533
13:1 25 8:12 312.476 q. ^ .'. ■"468
18:24 306 8:29 469 5.33 544
13:24-26 37,304 11:48 27 ^.jg " • " ' ^^^
13:33 490 11:50 615
13:35 38 12:35 312
13:35,36 491 14:1-3 301
13:37 57 14:2,3 ,..,.... 548
8: 1 ..UJ'/MJ. .. 477
8:4 468
8: 7 467
. 8: 32 477
16:15 351 14:3 339 8:34. 350
LUKE J^'J^ • til 8:33,39,37 350
,.,2 33 4i« '*="" ^^'^ 11:33 527
1:32,33 416 14:30 623 ,„ ,
14: 30 623
2:14 40,314 15. jq 409
2 : 25, 32 315 15 : 19, 20 144
4: 8 51
12: 1 473
13: 10 467
14: 23 436
15:20 47 15:4 334
4:18 20,327 ir.^o ir,
4.05 323 ^-^^ ^'^^ 15:16 469
^"^^ ^^^ 16: 13 469
*= 11'^^ 51" 16: 24 477 I CORINTHIANS
4: 36 516
6-26 144 16:26,27 417 1:27,25 232
9:54,56 570 17:17.19 469 2:9 675
10:20 481 17:24 501,636 2:14 524
11: 13 ........... 471 18:36 297 3:10,11 56
12^36 427 20:13 403 4:5 481,661
is': 7 .'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'..'. 27 ACTS ^"'^ ^®^
18:7,8 631 6:2,3 661
19:40 404 1:11 301,339 6:10 539
19: 41 !' ^ !!!!!. ! 18 2:17,21 611 6:19,20 475
19:42-44. ........ 17 2:29,34 546 10:20 556
19:44 ..!..!..!!! 316 2:47 379 13:12 676
20:35,36 482 3:19,20 485,612 15:1618 546
21:16,17 54 3:21 301 15:22 544
21:20 26 4:12 74 15:23,20 399
21:20,21 30 4:32,31 379 15:50 323
21:25 37,304 8:4 219 15:51-53...... 322
21:28,30,31 309 8:4,5 828 15:52-55..? 550
21:34,36 309 8:10 625 15:55.. 644
22:24 348 8:20 128 15:57 470
10: 38 20, 327 II CORINTHIANS
13:47 315 4:4 508
17:3 405 4:17 460
17:31 548 5:19 417,502
JOHN 22:21.; 328 6:17,18 475
1:9 262, 528 24 : 15 . . . . . ". . . . '. . 544 7:1 474
1:51 19 24: 25 ..7;77/,V. . 164 7:9-11 462
8:14,15 74 26:5 213 11:2 381
3:16 417 26:28 164 12:2-4 471
22: 30 427
24: 27 349
24: 32 350
24: 52, 53 339
INDEX OF SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
695
12: 9 489
13: 8 101
GALATIANS
1:8 243
5: 22, 23 474
EPHESIANS
1: 14 674
2: 20-22 416
3:8 471
3: 15 677
3: 1619 476
4: 3-5 379
5:5 541
5; 14-16 603
5: 27 425, 484
6: 11 510
6: 12 510
6: 17 56
PHILIPPIANS
1: 12 219
2: 12, 13 469
3: 13, 14 470
3: 21 399
4: 3 481
4: 4 478
COLOSSIANS
1: 9-11 476
1: 16 493
I THESSALONIANS
4:3 469
4: 14 550
4: 16 301
4: 16, 17 322, 625
4: 16-18 302, 548
5: 2-5 38, 371
5: 4, 5 -. 315
5: 16-18 478
5: 23 469, 473
II THESSALONIANS
1:8 424
2:3 356, 444, 456
2: 3, 4 571
2: 3, 4, 7 49
2:4 53
2:7 54, 384
2:8 37, 321, 579
2: 9, 10 553
2: 9-11 390, 444
2: 10, 11 559
2: 10-12 431, 524
2: 12 390
I TIMOTHT
2: 3-6 262
4:1 444
6: 20 522
II TIMOTHY
1: 10 533
3: 1-5. 444
3:9 275
3: 12 48, 507, 608
3: 13, 1 321
3: 16 324
4:3 595
TITUS
2: 11 262
HEBREWS
1:6 503
1: 14 511
2: 11 477
2: 14 503
2: 18 416
3 : 19 458
4: 15 416
4: 16 347
6: 18, 19 350
6: 19, 20 421
6: 20 489
7: 25 482
8: 1, 2 413
8:5 413, 418
9: 1-0 411
9: 9, 23 413
9: 12 421
9: 22, 23 417
9: 24 413, 420, 482
9: 28 315, 485
0: 29 600
0: 32 39
0: 35-39 408
1:6 74, 436
1: 14-16 675
1: 26 460
1: 35 41
1: 36-38 40
2: 14 541
2: 22 512
JAMES
1: 25 466
2:8 466
2; 10 582
2: 12 482
2: 14-24 472
3: 15 554
I PETER
1: 10-12 344
1: 25 350
2:6 210
2: 11 474
3: 3, 4 462
3: 12, 13 529
4: 17 480
5:8 510
II PETER
1: 5-10 470
1: 19 312
1: 21 324
3: 3, 4 370
3:9 48
3: 10 672
I JOHN
1:7 74
2:1 416, 482,
2: 4, 5 . 472
3:4 467
3:6 472
5:3 436, 468
5:4 477
JUDE
3 51, 64
6 661
6, 14, 15 549
14, 15 299, 426
24 646
REVELATION
1:1-3 341
1: 5, 6 416, 646
1:7 301, &K, 637
1:9 78
1: 13-15 624
1: 17 471
2: 10 41
2: 17 646
3: 1, 3 310
3:3 371, 490
3:4 484
3:5 483
3: 7, 8 430, 435
3: 10 560, 619
3: 21 416
4:5 414
4: 11 437
5: 11 512
696 INDEX OF SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
5:12 671 13:8 579 18:4 390
5:13 545,678 13:11 439 18:5 604
6:12 304 13:11-14., 443 18:5-10. 653
6:12-17. 37,334 13:11-16 579 19 : 9 . V'jf .■ ;7.^! 1 . . 437
6:13 333 13:13 612 19:11,14 641
6 : 1517 642 13:13,14 553 19 : 16 641
7:9 665 13:16 450,604 20:1-3 658
7:10,12 651 13:16,17 445 20:4,6 661
7:14 428 14:1-5 649 20:5 661
7:14-17 649 14:6,7 ...311,355 20:6 544,673
8:3 414 14:8 381,536,603 20:11,12 666
11:2-11.... .. 266 14: 9, 10 . .438, 605, 627 20:12 480,549
11: 4 ......'.•..•,■. . 267 14:9-11 594 21:1 674
11: 5 ..T:'.T;i'i. I '^ . 268 15:2 648 21:2 427
11:11..,,. . . 286 15:2,3 450 21:4,11,24,3 676
11:12 287 15:3 649,669 21:6,7 540
11:15 301 15:4 670 21:9,10 427
11:19 415,433 16:2-6,8,9 628 21:22 676
12:6 55 16:13,14 562 21:27 474,481
12:9 438 16:14... 556 22:5 676
1?: 10 ^.. 520 16:17,18 636,637 22:11........... 613
12:12 623 16:19,21 637 22 : 11, Vb' !'.'.'.'!.. . 491
12:17 592 17:2 536 22:12 352,422
13:1-16 439 17:4-6,18 382 22:14 466
13:2... 54 17:15 440 22:14, If, , ..... 541
13: 3 579 18: 1, 2, 4 603 22:18. 19 268
13.5-7 54 18:3,1517 653 22:20 302
GENERAL INDEX
Abel, hated by Cain, 46.
Sabbath kept by, 453.
Abraham, Messianic promise to, 18.
pleads for Sodom, 431.
Sabbath observed by, 453.
angels' mission to, 512.
Abyssinia, WolfC's travels in, SCO.
Christian churches in, 578.
Accuser, Satan the, 395, 484.
Accusers of the brethren, Satan's helpers,
519, 520.
Adam, promise of redemption to, 345.
Sahbath kept by, 453.
temptation and fall of, 531-534, 666.
.stature of, 644.
repentance of, 647, 648.
redeemed, 644.
meeting of first and second Adams,
647.
joy of, in New Jerusalem, 648.
Adams, John Quincy, 360.
Advent of Christ, types of, 399, 400.
see also First advent; Second advent.
Advent faith, scriptural basis of, 409.
Advent message, proclam.ation of, tiinelv,
351-354.
general proclamation of, 355-374.
. result of receiving, 379.
I,. rejection of, by churches generally,
380.
««e also Advent Movement; Proph-
ecies; Signs.
Advent Movement, beginning of, 330.
impetus given to, by fulfilment of
Litch's prediction, 334, 335.
opposition to, 336-338, 403.
defense of, by Miller, 33 7.
growth and progress of, 837, 357,
368-370, 395-398, 401.
experiences during, 351-354.
extent of proclamation of, 357.
character of, 400-404.
results of, 340, 405.
a te.st, 406.
no regrets for experiences in, 406,
407. '
Ood's power manifested in, 398-408,
611.
God the leader in, 410, 411, 423,
424, 432, 457.
see also First angel's message; Sec-
ond angel's message; Th<rd an-
gel's message ; Miller ; Prophecy :
Prophecies; Signs.
Adventists, rise of, 331, 332, 335.
opposition to, by churches, 337.
Adventists — continued.
disappointment of, m 1844, 329,
351, 374, 391-394, 403-408.
infidelity charged to. 336.
mistake of, 353.
persecution of, 372.
polity of, in days of Miller. 375.
unity among, 379, 398
withdraw from churches, 375. 376.
390.
trial and faith of, 391, 392. 403-408.
parable of ten virgins applied to,
393, 394, 398-402.
searching Scriptures after passing
of time, 391.
fanaticism among, 395-398.
midnight cry given by, 400-403, 423.
sanctuary question studied by, 411-
415, 429, 454.
law of God studied by, 434, 435.
attitude of, toward further light,
456-460.
see also First angel's message ;
Prophecy; Prophecies; Seventh-
day Adventists; Signs.
Advocate, see Christ.
Affection, natural, destroyed by monastic
system, 82.
one of Satan's agencies to hold men
in his snares, 597.
Africa, Christians in, 63, 577, 578.
Wolff's travels in, 360.
Agrippa, 165.
Albigenses, as refugees in Bohemia, 97,
271.
see also Waldenses.
Aleander, papal legate, at Diet of Worms,
133, 140-150, 162, 168.
Alleine, work of, in England, 252.
America, an asvlum for the persecuted,
252.
Whitefield and the Wesleys as mis-
sionaries to, 253, 254.
religious liberty in, 295. 296.
advent message proclaimed in, 363.
prediction of supremacy of Roman
Catholic Church in. 573, 579.
see also United States; Miller.
American Bible Society, organization of,
287.
American Sabbath-school t^nion on the
change of the Sabbath, 447.
American Tract Society, on the change
of the Sabbath, 447.
Amnon, Universalist minister on fate of,
537-539.
Ananias and Sappbira, 44.
[097]
698
GENERAL INDEX
Angel, seeking for watchers for first
advent of Christ, 314, 315.
Angels, good, announce the birth of
Christ, 46.
records of persecution kept by, 59, 61.
give tidings of Christ's birth, 313,
314.
watch effect of warning of second
advent, 373.
protect advent believers after dis-
appointment, 374.
work of, under midnight cry, 402.
not spirits of departed, 511.
work of, as recorders, 482, 486, 487.
number, power, and work of, 511-
514, 630-632.
guardianship of, 512, 513.
will bring truths to remembrance
when needed, 600.
protect people of Qod in time of
trouble, 630-632.
attend Christ at second advent, 641.
as speakers in national councils,
632.
Angels, evil, agency of, 398, 511-517.
power of, 614.
when to be judged, 661.
see also Spirits; Spiritualism.
Annihilation, 318.
Antediluvians, warnings nnheeded bv,
837, 338.
Antichrist, recognized bv Wycliffe, 8G;
by Luther, 139, i41, 205.
spirit of, in Protestant churches,
384.
nee also Papacy.
Antinnmians, warnings unheeded by, 337,
338.
Antinoniianism, errors of, 260, 261.
Apostasy, of ancient Israel, 20, 21.
of earlv church, 49-60.
the great, 42-45, 286, 289, 298,
384. 389, 443, 571, 619.
of Protestant churches, 383-390,
443-445.
prepared way for papacy, 443.
ia last days, 444.
see also Babylon.
Arabs, belief of, in second coming of
Christ, 362.
Wolff's travels among, 361, 362.
Ark of God's testament, seen in heav-
enly sanctuary, 433.
tables of stone in, 433.
Armageddon, battle of, 603, 664, 671, 672.
Armenia, Christians in, 63.
Artaxerxes, decree of, to restore and
rebuild .Jerusalem, 326, 327, 410.
Ascension of Christ, 350, 351.
Asia, Wolff's travels in, 360-362.
Associations, influence of, 508, 509
Atheism, definition of, 269.
in France, 269, 270, 274-276, 285,
584.
Atkins, Robert, on spiritual declension
in England, 387, 383.
Atonement, in earthly sanctuary, 418-
420.
important truths taught by, 420.
in heavenly sanctuarv, 399-402, 420-
422, 428-430.
great time of, 489, 490, 623.
Augsburg, trial of Luther at, 134-137.
Diet of, 206, 207.
Confession of Protestant princes at,
206-211.
Baal, 583.
Babylon, symbol of apostate religion, 65,
381-384, 390.
fall of, 383-390.
many of God's people in, 383, 390.
the great sin of, 388.
false doctrines of, 388-390, 536, 537.
message to God's people in, 603,
604.
sins of, revealed by preaching of
third angel's message, 605, 606.
judgments to fall upon, 653.
see also Apostasy ; Church ; Papacy ;
Roman Catholic Church.
Backsliding, of Israelites, 19.
among professed Christians, a sign
of Christ's coming, 309, 316.
Baden, conference at, 182-184.
results in strong impetus to Prot-
estant cause, 18-1.
Balaam, 529, 530.
Baptism, prohibited in France, 274.
of Christ, 327.
Barnes, English Reformer, 248.
Ba.sel, Switzerland, 173, 178.
Battle, the last great, 663, 604.
Baxter, work of, 252, 253.
belief of, in second advent, 303.
Beasts of prophecy, interpretation of:
the dragon (Satan and pagan
Rome), 438.
the leopard (papacy), 48, 439, 443-
445.
the two-horned beast (United
States), 439-442, 445.
beast from bottomless pit, 269, 286
see also Prophecy ; Prophecies.
Beda, 216.
Beecher, Charles, on creeds, 388.
on condition of Protestant ministry
in America, 444, 445.
Belgium, Luther's writings circulated in,
139.
Eengel, second advent message given by,
in Germany, 363, 364.
Bern, Zwingle in convent at, 172, 173.
Berquin, Louis de, life, work, and mar-
tyrdom of, 215-218.
Bethlehem, story of, 313-315.
Bible, a system of revealed truth, 320,
321.
the charter of liberty, 296, 335.
preservation of, through ages of
darkness, 69, 79.
our guide, 63, 203, 205, 521.
immutability of, 66.
GENERAL INDEX
699
6ible — continued.
power of, to protect in danger, 361.
chart of truth, 508.
its own interpreter, 93, 173, 324,
598, 599.
harmony in, 329.
reliability of history in, 522.
how to study, 132, 173, 174, 320,
321, 521, 598, 599.
results from study of, 72, 79, 94,
195, 196, 204, 212, 214, 215,
222, 277, 530, 560, 572, 593-602.
memorizing of, 67, 194.
study of, by Miller, 319-330; by
Adventists, 405-408.
can be understood by common people,
60, 89, 195, 246, 319, 320, 341.
ignorance of, among people, 60, 99,
195, 342; among Roman Catholic
clergy, 195.
efforts of Saten against, 204, 526,
593-595.
little valued, 582, 583.
suppression of, by papacy, 51, 69,
194, 340, 388; by Protestants,
376.
results of suppression of, 55, 60,
586.
results of rejection of, 465, 526,
527, 586, 587, 598.
war against, in France, 265-288.
God's two witnesses, interpretation of,
266-269, 286, 287; honor shown
to, 287, 288.
false theories regarding, 522, 523,
536, 537.
denied by evil spirits, 557.
supplanted by spirit manifestations,
557.
ridiculed, 561.
authority of, contended for by
Wycliffe, 81; acknowledged by
Vaudois, 68; Huss, 102; Luther,
126, 132, 166; Zwingle, 173,
177; (Ecolampadius, 183; Germ.in
princes, 204; Calvin, 221; Dutch,
238; Tyndale, 245; by all lead-
ing Reformers, 203, 249; by
Miller, 319; by Protestants, 448.
as a rule of ifaith and practice, re-
jected, 45 ; accepted by Walden-
ses, 63, 249; Wycliffe, 249;
Huss, 249; Luther, 120, 240;
Zwingle, 173, 249; German
princes, 205; Pilgrim Fathers,
296; by all Protestants, 204,
205 ; by Miller, 396 ; by people
of God at the end of the world,
595.
translations of, by W a 1 d e n s e s
(French), 65: by Wvcliffe (Eng-
lish), 80, 81, 87-89, 245; bv
Luther (German), 193, 194; by
Lefevre (French), 214; into
Dutch, 238; Danish, 242; Swed-
ish, 244; by Tyndale (English),
245-247.
circulation of, 72, 89, 99, 194, 195,
231, 233, 247, 287, 288, 298,
3G1.
copying by hand, 68, 69, 88, 80.
tee also Prophecy ; Two witnesses.
Bishops of Rome, power claimed by, 50,
56, 261, 580, 581.
see aUo Pope ; Papacy ; Remap
Catholic Church.
Blindness of .Tev;^, regarding first ad-
vent, 378.
of people of this generation, 561,
562.
Blood of Christians is seed, 42, 240,
249, 634.
Bohemia, gospel planted in, 97.
an asylum for Waldensos and Al-
bigenses, 97.
papal bull prohibiting public wor-
ship in Bohemian tongue, 97,
141, 197.
the Bible in, 99.
cartoon of Christ and the pope, by
two artists, 99, 100.
advance of gospel in, after death of
Huss, 115.
crusades against, miraculous defeat
of, 116, 117.
persecution of Hussites in, 118, 119,
254.
see also Huss ; Jerome. ;
Bokhara, travels of Wolff in, 360, 361.
Books, on second advent, in Spanish
lands, 363.
in Germany, 363, 364.
in America, 368.
of record in heaven, blotting out
of sins from, 421, 422, 614; to
determine decisions in final judg-
ment, 480-483 ; wicked to be
judged from, 666.
Book of Life: contains names of all
who have entered service of God,
480, 484; names of finally im-
penitent blotted out of, 483.
Book of Remembrance: contains
record of good deeds, 481; good
deeds of wicked erased from, 483 ;
interest of heaven in, 484.
Book of Death : contains record of
evil deeds, 481; sins of righteous
erased from, 483; judgment
passed on wicked, recorded in,
661.
see also Literature; Writings.
Bottomless pit, represents desolated earth,
658, 659.
beast from, represents atheistical
power displayed in France, 269,
286.
British and Foreign Bibla Society,
founding of, 287.
Britons, primitive Christianity among,
62.
Rome attempts to subjugate. 63.
see also England; Great Britain.
Brock, Mourant, 362.
Bulls, papal, to exterminate Vaudois,
76, 77.
against Wycliffe, 85, 86.
against Luther, 141; burned by
Luther, 142; published, 147.
to establish the Inquisition, 235.
Bunyan, John, 252.
?O0
GENERAL INDEX-
Gain, hatred of, for Abel, 46.
life of, why spared, 543.
Calvary, wages of sin proclaimed by,
348, 504, 540.
Satan's character revealed by, 501.
502.
Calvin, educated for priesthood, 221.
conversion of, to Protestantism, 219-
221.
laboi-s of, in Geneva, 233-236.
not free from errors, 236, 292.
belief of, in second coming of
Christ, 303.
Cartoon, of Christ and the pope, 99, 100.
Catacombs, a shelter for Christians from
persecution, 40.
Catholicism, see Roman Catholic Church;
Papacy; Pope; Jesuits.
Cestius, retreat of, from Jerusalem, 30,
31.
Character, examination of, in final judg-
ment, 428, 479.
of God, misrepresented bj' Satan,
569; by papacy, 569.
Charity, monks claimed that Jesus was
supported by, 84.
false, 571.
Charles V., 145, 233, 239.
refusal of, to receive light, 163-105.
at Bict of Spires, 197, 198, 202.
at Diet of Augsburg, 206, 207.
abdication of, 211.
Charles IX., 272.
Chart, prophetic, 392.
Child-preachers, in Sweden, 366, 367
Children, of Geneva, Oaussen began his
ministry with, 365, 366.
Christ heraldod by. at triumphal
entry into Jerusalem, 367.
Christ, birth of, 46, 313.
sorrow of, over Jerusalem, 18-22.
^., . care of, for Israel, 19, 20.
work of, on this earth, 20, 415-417,
503.
rejected by Israelites, 20, 23.
beholds downfall of Israel, 21, 2 J.
peace on earth due to His restrain-
ing power, 36.
sacrifice of, 345, 848.
coming of, to most holy place in
heavenly temple, 424-427.
ministration of, 427-432; Chris-
tians generally ignorant of, 4 30,
431; not understood by Ad-
ventists in 1844, 429, 431.
our advocate, 474, 482-484.
work of, in investigative judgment,
482. 483.
contest of, with Satan, 501.
death of, revealed Satan's true
character, 501, 502.
victory of, over temptation, 510.
deity of, 524.
tenderness of, 570.
rejection of, by Jewish leaders, 50.^,
596.
views exaltation of human author-
ity, 596.
Christ — continued.
close of work of, in heavenlv sanc-
tuary, 425, 427, 428, 613, 614.
second coming of, 299-316. 640-644.
appearance of, at second coming,
641.
how regarded by redeemed, 652.
satisfied with fruits of sacrifice,
652, 671.
returns to earth at close of thou-
sand years, 662.
coronation of, 666.
xee also JMrst advent; Messiah;
Second advent.
Christian church, danger of, in seeking
support of secular rulers, 381,
385.
Christian world, great sin of, is rejection
of law of God, 22.
Christianity, assailed by paganism, 39.
union of, with paganism, 43.
see also Religion.
Christians, escape of, from Jerusalem,
30, 31. '
I)crBecution of, in first centuries,
39-48.
gospel advanced bv persecution of,
42.
spiritual declension of,' 309-311,
463.
to reject the message of Christ's
second coming, 338, 339.
true, in every church, 449, 565.
to be divided into two classes, 450.
satisfied with religion oi their fa-
thers, 454.
reject Sabbath truth, 454.
Kplf-indulgence of, 4 74, 475.
l;lessings on true, 476.
hei!;hts to be gained by, as sons of
God, 476, 477.
ch.Tracter and work of Satan not
comprehended by, 507, 508.
to watch and pray, 510.
under care of guardian angels, 512,
513, 517.
Christian experience needed by,
COl. 602.
see also People of God; Persecu-
tion; Redeemed; Religion; Books
of record.
Chronologj', scriptural, 323-329, 398-
400, 409, 410, 424, 438-440.
■see also Prophecy; Prophecies.
Church, the true, 64.
perils of, in Dark Ages, 55-60.
represented in prophecy by virtuous
woman, 381.
seeking favor of world, 383.
use of secular power by, always op-
pressive, 442, 443.
Satan preparing last campaign
against, 510.
see also People of God; Redeemed;
Israel; Christians; Reformation.
Churches, spiritual apathy in, 308, 309,
376-378, 463, 464.
apostasy of, 384, 444.
rejection of advent message by, 373,
380.
GENERAL INDEX
701
Churches — continued.
Adventists forced to withdraw from,
',„ 375, 376, 390.
worldliness in, . 376, 380, 382-388.
a', fall of, 389;
true Christians in, 390, 464.
.*' seeking aid of civil powei-, 445'.
,€l unholy traffic in, 474.
cause of lack of power in, 463.
see aluo Babylon; Protestants; Ro-
man Catholic Church.
Church and state, 201. ' .;*i'^ ,
. i in. Europe, 268, 269.ililiH .nic
in the United States, 293;' 296, 297,
442-44,5. .,. - ■
in all the worid, 450, 606, 607.
Church of England,. 289, 384, 443.
see also England.
Church of Rome, see Roman Catholic
. Church; Babylon.
Civil rulers, see Church and etate.
Clarke, Dr. Adam, on sleep of the dead,
,V 547.
Cleansing of sanctuary, see Sanctuary.
Clergy, see Ministers.
Cloud, sign of Christ's coming, 640, 641.
College of the Propaganda, Rome, 358.
Colporteurs in time of Wycliffe, 87.
in time of Reformation, 178, 194,
.' 231.
see also Bible, circulation of; Lit-
erature ; Writings.
Coltimba, 62, 249.
Comforter, work of, 600,,, ,, . . ,/
Coming of Christ, second;- 'ied Sfecond
advent. '
Commandments, see Law of God; Sab-
• bath; Fourth commandment.
Compromise of p'rineiple, urged upon
early C'hristi.-in.s, 42, 43.
between Christianity and' paganism,
49, .50, 298.
■ of Bohemians with Rome, 118.
urged upon Luther, 165, 16C.
at Spires, rejected, 199.
between Protestants and Roman
-Catholics, 199, 566.
Compulsion, Satan's resort, 591.
Confessional, evils of the, 74, 83, 98, 567.
Confession of faith, by Wycliffe, 91, 92.
by Luther, 158, 160.
by German princes, at Augsburg,
202-210. ! '■
Conflict, the impending, causes of, 582-
592.
Conscience, Rome no right to coerce, 200.
freedom of, 591.
see also Freedom; Religious Liberty.
Consciousness in death, theory of, 58,
545.
see also Spiritualism.
Oonetance, martrrdora of Ifuss and
Jerome at, 109, 115.
.0('C eoe also Council of Conatance.
a
Constantine, nominal conversion of, 50.
first Sunday law issued by, 574.
Constitution of the United States, 295,
. 296, 441, 442.
Controversy, between truth and error.
144.
between Christ and Satan, beginning
of, 493-500, 582; close of, 518,
582-592, 662-678.
Conversion, fruits of true, 463, 478.
work of, 465, 467.
Convictions of dutv, result of stifiintj,
378.
Coronation of Christ, CCC.' '. ,^
Councils, ecclesia.stical, .53. ^,. ,j.,,
forged decrees of, 56, 198,. Soew
of Constance, 95, 96, 10>-115. '''
of Nice, 52. ^ ' '
of Zurich, 180-182. ' ■.,,•,,'!
Counterfeits in religion, l86, '1^3, 464.
528. ' S':n.:r^,
Courts, of heaven, angels interested in
decisions of, 481!, 481.
of justice, corruption in, 586.
angels of heaven attend earthly, 632.
Covenants, old and new, sanctuaries of,
413.
Cranmer, 248.
Creation, Sabbath the memorial of, 437,
438, 446, 452.
Creeds, resting faith on, 388.
Criminals, false sympathy for, 585, 586.
Crosby, Ploward, on condition of churches
in 1871, 387.
Cross, insignia of, displayed by Rome,
568. •
to be science and song of redeemed,
651.
Crusades, against Waldenses, 76.
against Hussites, 115-117.
Culture, use made of, by Satan, 509.
Cyrus, decree of, to restore and rebuil<J
Jerusalem, 326.
Diiniel, first advent foretold by, 312.
an example of true sanctification,
470.
protected by angels in heathen court
and in lions' don, 512.
overcome by vision of persecution,
325.
book of, studied by Miller, 320;
unsealed in 1798, 356; relation
of, to the Revelation, 341.
Darius, decree of, to restore and rebuild
Jerusalem, 326.
Dark Ages, 54, 55, 60, 93, 556.
see also Middle Ages.
Dark Day, 305-308. ' ' '
Daughters of Rome, 382-384.
see also Churches ; Protestants.
Day of the Lord, 38, 48, 310, 311, 479.
see also End.
Day for year, in prophetic expoBition,
324.
702
GENERAL INDEX
Dead, condition of, 544-552.
Death, theory of consciousness in, 58,
545, 551, 552.
declared by France to be an eternal
sleep, 274.
the penalty of transgression, 533,
540, 541, 544.
contrast between first and second,
544.
a sleep, 546-550, 556.
see also Resurrection.
Decalogue, see Law of God.
Deceptions, of Ratnn, 192, 193, 389, 300,
516-530, 556.
the fir.st great, 531-550.
why so successful, 507, 508.
Declaration of Independence, 295, 29(;,
441, 442.
Decree, to restore and rebuild Jerusa-
lem, 320-329, 398.
against WydifTc's followers, 89.
against Reformation, 198, 199.
against the Lutherans, 199, 200.
against Sabbath-keepers, 615, 626,
631.
see also Edict.
Decretals, forged, in support of papal
claims, 56.
Deists, Miller's association with, 318, 319.
effect of his preaching on, 332.
Deliverance of God's people, 635-652.
terror of wicked at beholding, 636,
639, 640, 642-644.
Demons, possession bv, in time of Christ,
513-516.
see also Evil spirits.
Denmark, Reformation in, 241, 242.
Denominations, effect on, of Miller's mes-
sage, 332.
Miller at first no thought of sepa-
rating from, 375.
Adventists forced to leave, 376, 370.
true Christians in all, 449.
Dependence on God, our need of, 530.
on man, danger in, 388, 696, 597.
Destruction, of Jerusalem, 17-38.
compared to destruction of world,
37, 38, 653-661.
in time of trouble, 637.
Diet, of Augsburg, 206, 207; "greatest
day of the Reformation," 207.
of Spires, first, 197, second, 19S;
decree of, against Reformation,
198, 199; protest of princes
against decree of, 201-204.
of Worms, 145-168; Luther before,
150-167.
see also Council.
Disappointment, of disciples, 346, 348.
of advent believers, 353, 354, 374,
391, 393, 403-408, 423, 431, 432.
of disciples and advent believers
compared, 351, 4jD4
will of God fulfilled in, 353, 354,
391, 405.
Disciples, humble men, 171.
in siege of Jerusalem, 328.
Disciples — continued.
failure of, to understand Christ's
prediction of the destruction of
Jerusalem, 24, 25.
failure of, to understand Christ's
mission, 345, 349.
disappointment of, 346, 348, 404.
courage of, after resurrection, 349,
350.
commission to, 351.
Disobedience, result of, 532, 533.
penalty of, 533, 534.
Doctrine, Bible the foundation of all true,
126.
of election, 261.
perverted by Satan, 298.
false, in churches, 388, 389.
pleasing fables of, 523.
see also Indulgences; Infallibility;
Mass ; Purgatory.
Door, the open and shut, 429, 430, 435.
see also Mercy.
Doubt, cause of, 522.
becoming fashionable, 526, 527.
how to be freed from, 526-528.
youth assailed by, 600.
see also Infidelity.
Dragon, of Revelation twelve, 438, 439,
658.
voice of, heard in early persecutions,
77.
two-horned beast speaks like, 441,
442.
Earth, as home of Adam and Eve, 531-
533.
how sin entered, 531.
final desolation of, 653-661.
condition of, during thousand years,
058-060.
purification of, by fire, 672-674, 678.
Earthquake, the great, at Lisbon, 304,
305.
at end of world, 637.
see also Signs.
Eck, Doctor, champion of Rome, 182.
at discussion in Baden, 183, 184.
on refutation of Augsburg Confes-
sion, 208.
Eden, loss of, by Adam and Eve, 348,
531-533, 646.
restoration of, 299, 484, 648.
Edict, of Spires, 197; repeal of, 198.
of Worms, against Lutherans, 167,
168, 197, 201, 202, 208.
Edward III., Wycliffe chaplain for, 81,
84, 85.
Egypt, boldest of nations in resisting
God, 269.
spiritual, 269.
labors of Joseph Wolff in, 360.
plagues of, 614, 627, 628.
Einsiedeln, Zwingle at, 174-176.
Election, doctrine of, 261.
Elector of Saxony, see Frederick; John.
Elijah, visited by angels, 512, 629.
accusations against, 458, 520, 590.
GENERAL INDEX
703
Elijah — continued.
idolatry in time of, 583.
as a reprover, 606.
Elisha, protected by angels, 208, 512.
Lliller compared 1* •S'^i,
End of world, 3\, ii, 062-678.
see aho Day of the Lord.
"End of the Lord," meaning of, 354.
England, primitive Christianity in, 62.
attempt of Rome to conquer, 62, 63.
Sabbath observed in, 63.
Wycliffe's influence on political af-
fairs in, 82, 84, 85.
progress of Reformation in, 245-
264.
persecution of believers in, 94, 95,
252.
Protestantism established in, 251.
departure of Puritans from, 290,
291.
advent message proclaimed in, 362.
aee also Church of England.
Enmity, between man and Satan, 505-
510.
of man against Satan, implanted by
God, 506.
of Jews against Christ, 506.
Enoch, 299.
Erasmus, Greek and Latin editions of
New Testament by, 245.
letter of, to Berquiu, 216.
Erfurt, preaching of Luther at, 152.
Errors, accepted by rejecters of truth,
523.
enumeration of some great, 524-520,
588.
see also Truth; Deceptions; Snares.
Esau, Jacob's deliverance from, 616-618.
Eternal torment, theory of, 58.
contrary to God's character, 534-
537.
received from Rome, 536.
Ethiopia; Christians in, during Dark
Ages, 577.
Eucharist, see Mass.
Eusebius, on the Sabbath, 574.
Eve, temptation of, 531-534.
Satan's lie to, 561.
Everett, Edward, 441.
Evil, origin of, 492-504.
God not responsible for, 492, 493.
Satan the author of, 493-504.
final extermination of, 5U4, 545,
673, G78.
see also Satan ; Sin.
Evil spirits, agency of, 511-517,
work of, 513.
efforts of, against Christ, 513, 314.
danger of those who deny existence
of, 516.
cast out by Christ, 514-516.
work and power of, in time of
trouble, 614.
see also Angela, evil; Satan; Spir-
itualism.
Excommunication, of IIuss, 100.
of Luther, 133, 141, 143, 147.
Faith, awakening of, by Luther's preach-
ing, 133.
lack of, in our day, 373.
essential to keeping of the law, 436.
nature of, 469-472.
faith only, without works, a popu-
lar doctrine, 472.
ample evidence for, 527.
need of cherishing, 621.
see also Justification; Works.
False decretals, 56.
False doctrines, of Rome, in Protestant
churches, 388, 389.
False prophets, 186, 187.
Familiar spirits, 556.
see also Spiritualism.
Fanaticism, in time of Luther, 186-193,
396, 397.
in Paul's day, 396.
in Wesley s time, 396.
in Netherlands, 239.
after disappointment of 1844, 395-
398.
disappeared before proclamation of
midnight cry, 400.
met by all reformers, 396.
Parel, 213, 214.
New Testament translated by, 214.
work of, in Prance, 219.
in Switzerland, 230-232.
in Geneva, 232, 233, 265.
Fashion, worship of, 474.
Fathers, clingins to customs and tradi-
tions of, 164, 454.
Fathers of the church, traditions of, used
for support of Sunday as Sab-
bath, 448, 455.
Ferdinand, King, 201, 202, 205.
Finney, Prof. C. G., on spiritual apathy
in the churches, 377.
First advent of Christ, failure of Jews
to understand prophecies of, 312-
314, 378.
a curse pronounced by Jews on all
who should compute time of, 378.
aee also Jews ; Pharisees.
First angel's message, 311.
giving of, 351, 355-374, 379, 380,
398.
purpose of, 379.
represented bv coming of bride-
groom, 393, 394, 398, 400-403.
points to Christ's ministration in
most holy place, and to investi-
gative judgment, 424, 434-436.
see also Advent Movement ; Ad-
ventists.
Fitch, Charles, prophetic chart of, 392.
Plavel, work of, in England, 252, 253.
Forbearance of God, limits to, 36.
see also God.
Force, not employed by God, 493, 641-
543, 591.
704
GENERAL INDEX
Foreign missions, rise and growth of,
287, 238.
Forged documents, used by papacy, 56.
Formalism in Christian churches, 378.
Fourth commandment, importance of,
484, 485.
change of, by papacy, 52, 446-449.
contains the seal of God, 640.
see also Sabbath; Law of God; Seal.
Fr&nce, Luther's writings circulated in,
139.
Reformation in, 211-236.
rejection of gospel by, 230. .
compared to Sodom, 270.
atheism and licentiou.sness in, 270-
274, 584.
St. Bartholomew massacre in, 272,
273.
Xwrsecutlon of believers in, 97, 271.
conditions in, during the Revolution,
,;'.'( ■'"279-287.
proclamation of advent message in,
364.
Francis I., attitude of, toward gospel,
214, 222, 223.
■' admiration- of, for Berquin, 21G,
217.
decides against the Reformation,
227-230.
Frederick, elector of Saxony, friendship
of, for Luther, 138, 145, 165.
at Diet tff Worms, 162.
plans Luther's escape to Wartburg
castle, 168.
Luther's letter to, on leaving Wart-
burg, 188, 180.
death of, 198, 199.
Freedom, of conscience, crushing of, 62.
of will, granted by God, 493, 541,
542, 591.
see also Conscience.
French Revolution, 230, 265-288.
scenes of, 273-277, 282-287.
Friars, mendicant, influence of, 82-85.
opposed by Wyrliffe, 82-84, 87, 88.
sale of indulgences by, 127-129.
in time of Luther, 195.
Frith, 248.
Froment, work of, in Geneva, 232. 233.
Gambler?, influence of Miller's message
on, 332.
Gambling, Governor Washburn on, 387.
Gaussen, work of. in Geneva, 364-366.
teaching ciiildren, 365.
Geneva, establishment of Reformation in,
232-234.
an asylum for Protestants, 236.
Gentiles, Paul an apostle to, 328.
Ceorge, duke of Sa.xony, denunciation of
papacy by, 149, 150.
Germany, early missionaries to, 62,
progress of Reformation in, 120-170,
185-210.
proclamation of advent message in,
363.
Gethsemaue, 348.
Gifts, mental, use of, 509.
God, long-suffering towatd Israel, 27, 28.
forbearance of, 354. 495.
as Creator, 437, 438, 452. • ; , ■
wisdom of, in dealing with Ufebel-
lion of S^tan, 497, 498. ,, ...
character of, 500, 541, 542. " ^'
care of, for His people, 528-530,
560, 621, 626, 627, 633, 634.
love of, contrasted with cruelty of
Satan, 570.
Goddess of Reason, 275, 276.
Godliness, revival of, before end, 464.
Gospel, opposed to worldly maxims, 47.
advanced by death of Huss, 119.
establishment of, in Zurich, 179-181.
acceptance of, in France, 214, 215.
preacljing of^ committed to men,
312.
first dissemination of, by disciples,
328.
man freed from condemnation by,
468.
Government, of God, founded en love,
493.
Satan's efforts against, 534, ,591.
laws necessary to, 584.
see also United States. ', ,, , ,
Great Britain, progress of .Reformation
in, 79-96.' ' '' ' ' '
see also England'- Ctiurch of Eng-
land. ■ ■ ■ ''■' "' •'" ' "' '
(Gregory VTT., pope^, tJerfeCtioti 6if Roman
Church proclaimed by, 57, =97,
581.
Gregory XT., death of, 86.
Gregory XIII., attitude of, toward St.
Bartholomew massacre, 2 73.
GryniEus, rescue of, by Melanchthou, 205.
Guardian angel, detailed to every fol-
lower of Chrisf, 572.
Guillotine in Franqe, 282.
Guthrie, Dr. Thomas, on separation of
Presbrterian Church from Rome,
384.
Haller, 182-184.
Hamilton, 250.
Heaven, purity and holiness of, 542.
rebels could not be "happy in, 542,
543.
sanctuary in, see Sanctuary.
HfiU, false theories regarding, 536-537.
Henry IV., humiliation of, 57, 58,
Heresy, 44, 45, 58.
the council of Constance designed
to root out, 104.
in Roman Catholic Church, 58, 5*.
in America, 2i)3, 443.
sound doctrine denouncedJ-'afil ' 389.
in Panl's day, 396. ' '^ "^
accusations of, against Protestants^
51; Waldenses, 61, 76-78; Wyc-
liffe, 89, 90; Huss. 100, 107;
Jerome, 114; Luther, 132, 133,
196; Berquin, 216.
see aluo Error. '
GENERAL INDEX
705
Heretics, attitude of Roman Catholic
Church toward, 76-78, 104- 115,
153, 154, 215-219, 577, 578.
see also Persecution ; Religious lib-
erty.
Herod, 643.
Hezekiah, 546.
Holiness, cannot be acquired without
obedience, 472, 473,
perfecting, 488.
see also Justification; Sanctification.
Holland, Luther's writings circulated in,
139.
Puritans in, 290, 291.
Holv of holies, 423-432.
coming of Christ to, 424-427, 480.
work of Christ in, 427-430, 433.
see also Sanctuary.
Holy Spirit, work of, 343, 462.
aid of, promised to sincere seekers,
52C.
see also Pentecost ; Spirit of God.
Hopkins, Dr. Samuel, on corruption in
Protestant churches, 384.
Huguenots, persecution of, 227, 271-273.
effect of flight of, on France, 279.
Humility, 477.
Huss, .John, 97-119.
early years and education of, 98.
conversion of, 100.
■writing,s of Wycliile read by, 9G, 99
condemnation of, by the pope, 100.
joined by .lerome in work of re-
form, 102, 103.
character of, 103.
used as God's instrument, 103.
summoned to council of Constance,
104.
letter of, to friends in Prague, 105.
letter of, to converted priest, 105,
106.
imprisonment of, 106.
courage of, 107, 110.
refusal of, to recant, 108.
martyrdom of, 109, 110.
Hypocrites in the church, 396.
Idolatry, in the t^iarch, 42, 43.
prevalence of, 43, 514, 583.
in France, 276.
in Roman Catholic Church, 568.
see aluu Image worship.
Ignorance, of Bible, 99, 195, 342.
no excuse for sin, 597, 598.
Image to the beast, 438, 442-445, 449.
see also Mark of the beast; United
States; Protestants.
Image worship, 52, 65, 446.
Immortality of the soul, natural, taught
by the Roman Church, 58, 549;
Satan's first deception, 5.'i 1-550;
origin and falsity of, 545, 549,
588; not taught in Scriptures, 550.
true, when to be conferred, 223, 322,
323 ; to be received through
obedience, 533.
India, Wolff's travels in, 360.
Indulgences, a profitable fabrication, 59,
567.
sale of, in Germany, by Tetzel, 127-
129; in Switzerland, by Sam-
son, 178, 179.
Luther's famous theses against, 128,
129.
Infallibility, of Scriptures, 89, 173, 174.
of pope, doctrine of, 50, 57, 237.
5G4.
see also Gregory VII.
Infidelitv, attacked by Luther, 120.
prevalence of, 281, 288, 461, 526,
583 586
in France, 270, 274-277, 281, 285,
288, 580, 587.
Wm. Miller converted from, 318,
319.
cause of, 522.
danger from, 463, 600.
see also Atheism ; Deism.
Innocent III., 581.
Inquisition, establishment of, 59.
in France, 235.
instruments of, a means of "con-
version," 569.
Intemperance, result of, 586, 589.
Intercession of Chri.st, 482-484, 489.
Interdict, papal, against Prague, 100,
101.
Intolerance, of Pilgrims, 293.
lona, center of missionary effort, 62.
Sabbath observed on, 62.
Ireland, Christianity in, 02.
Isaiah, an example of tnie sanctification,
471.
Israelites, long-suffering of God toward,
19, 28.
compared to a goodly vine, 20.
apostasy of, 21.
great sin of, rejection of Christ, 22.
in bondage, lost knowledge of God's
law, 453.
advent believers in 1844 compared
to, 457-460.
cause of rorty years' wandering of,
45j.
enticed ,ijrto sin by association with
heathen, 508, 529, 530.
see also Jews.
Italy, missionaries sent to, 62.
persecution in, 97.
Luther's writings in, 139,
Jacob, Sabbath kept by, 453.
experience of, at Ijrook Jabbok
(Jacob's trouble), G10G22.
.Teremiah, distress of, over .Jerusalem, 21.
denounced as a traitor. 458.
fearlessly opposed wron(>, 520.
Jerome, 99-119.
character of, 103.
imprisonment of, in Constance 110,
111.
sutferings of. 111.
23— G. C.
706
GENERAL INDEX
Jerome — continued.
recantation and repentance of, 111-
114.
defense of Huss by, 113.
martyrdom of, 115.
Jerusalem, destruction of, 17-38.
sorrow of Christ over, 18-22.
privileges bestowed upon, 19.
symbol of rebellious world, 22.
strategic location of, 26.
prophecies against, 27.
self-righteousness of, 27.
condition of society in, after re-
jection of Christ, 28.
besieged by Cestius, 30, 31; by
Titus, 31.
sufferings of people in, during siege,
31-33.
not one Christian perished in, 30.
destruction of, foreshadows de-
struction of world, 36-38.
see aiso New Jerusalem.
Jesus, see Christ; Messiah.
Jesuits, organization, aims, and work of,
234, 235.
in France, 279.
Jewish church, alliance of, with heathen,
382.
leaders, failure of, to understand
prophecies of first advent, 312,
313, 378.
Jews, woe upon, 30.
sufferings of, during siege of Jeru-
salem, 31-33. 35.
Sabbath laws of, 52.
sinful ignorance of, regarding first
advent, 313.
fate of, sealed by rejection of gos-
pel, 328.
seventy weeks allotted to, in i)roph-
ecy, 328, 345.
proclamation of second advent to,
by Joseph Wolff, 359-362.
spiritual darkness of, 377, 378.
worldliness of, in time of Christ,
378.
formalism of, 378.
rejection of prophetic truths by,
378.
refusal of, to receive light, 430.
rejection of, by God, 431.
satisfied with religion of their
fathers, 454.
spirit of, revealed in rejection of
Christ, 506.
ceremonies of, 508.
God's presence withdrawn from,
615.
guilt of, 628.
see also Israelites ; Jerusalem.
Job, affliction of, .'SO.
an example of true sanctification,
471.
John the Baptist, Wycliffe compared to,
93.
John, duke and elector of Saxony, 199.
signs Confession at Augsburg, 207.
Luther's letter to, 209, 210.
John XXIII., pope, summoned to coun-
cil of Constance, 104.
character of, 104, 106.
Huss imprisoned by order of, 106.
committed to same prison, 106.
Jonah, 406.
Joseph, 626.
Judas, failure of, to learn lessons of
Christ, 43, 44.
Judgment, warning of, 353.
message, extent of, 361.
preparation for, 436.
law of God the standard in, 482.
time of, 548.
the investigative: 352, 353, 422-
429, 436, 479-491; opening of.
announced bv message of first
angel, 355, 356, 486; Daniel's
vision of, 479; only cases of pro-
fessing Christians considered in,
480 ; righteous dead not raised
till after, 482; work of Christ
in, 483-485 ; work of Satan in,
484; work of, finished before
second advent, 485 ; close scru-
tiny of, 428, 486-488; should be
clearly understood by people of
God, 488, 489; progress of, 489-
491. See also First angel's
message.
the executive: 425, 426, 503;
scenes of, 665-673.
of wicked, going on in heaven during
thousand years, 480, 660, 661.
Judgments of God, 543, 627, 628.
Justice, courts of, corruption in, 586.
Justice of God, shown in punishment of
wicked, 541-544.
arknowledged by the lost, 668; by
Satan, 609, 670.
Justification by faith, revealed to Luther,
125.
held by Huss, 140.
learned by Wesley, 253-256.
see also Faith.
Justification bv works, 55, 56, 73, 83,
123, 253, 255, 250.
Kingdom, when the saints will inherit,
322.
reception of, by Christ, 427, 479.
480.
of God, when set up, 323.
of glorv, 347.
of grace, 347, 348.
Knox, John, work of, in Scotland, 250,
251.
conflict of, with Queen Mary, 250,
251.
belief of, in second coming of
Christ, 303.
Laborers, to be qualified by Holy Spirit,
in latter rain, 600.
Lacunza, work of, in South America,
363.
Latimer, supremacy of Bible upheld by,
248, 249.
martyrdom of, 249.
GENERAL INDEX
707
Latter rain, power attending, Cll-613.
Liiw, ceremonial, abrogation of, by death
of Christ, 328.
Law, moral, the foundation of God's
government, GO.
immutabilitv of, 66, 433-450, 454,
46G, 467, 503.
not abrogated by Christ, 260. 46G-
468.
sacredness of, 433, 434.
perpetuity of, 434, 453.
unerring rule of life, 452.
knowledge of, preserved in earth,
453.
nature of, 467.
defended by Wesley, 262-264.
in ark in heavenly sanctuary, 433,
434.
reveals sin, 467, 468.
blessings in obedience to, 478.
Standard of character in judgment,
482.
how regarded by religious leaders,
465, 466; by prophets and
apostles, 466.
to be rejected by Christian world,
22.
changes made In, by Roman Cath-
olic Church, 52, 65, 446.
result of believing it abolished, 260-
262.
trampled underfoot by Rome, 65,
453 ; by Prance, 274, 285, 286.
result of disobeying, 478.
result of setting aside, 584-588.
Satan's object, to lead into trans-
gression of, 582.
widespread belief in abrogation of,
584, 585.
light on, to be given to all, C05.
wicked see in hand of Christ at
second advent, 639, 668.
see also Fourth commandment :
Sabbath; Sanctuary; Temple in
heaven.
Laws, oppressive, to be enacted in the
United States, 442.
Laymen, advent message largely pro-
claimed by, 380.
Lefevre, first in France to receive Ref-
ormation, 212.
teachings of, 213.
translation of New Testament by,
214.
i.eopard beast of Revelation thirteen,
interpretation of, 139, 578.
characteristics of, 446.
see also Beast.
Lessons in God's dealings with men,
343, 344.
Liberality in religious belief, sometimes
danger in, 520-522.
Liberty, civil and religious, Wycliffe's
struggle for, 80.
end of religious, in Bohemia, 118.
secured by edict of Spires, 197, 198.
in Germany, 200, 201.
goes with Bible. 265, 270, 277, 281,
285.
Liberty — continued.
not license, 281, 284.
rejection of principles of, by France,
265, 276, 277, 281, 285.
false ideas of, 522, 535.
in God's law, 285, 466-468.
carnal, 559.
of conscience once valued by Prot*
estants, 563.
see also Persecution: Puritans;
Religious liberty; United States.
Li°-ht of truth, result of rejecting, 164,
165, 378, 431, 456, 458-460, 583,
597.
importance of receiving, 344, 408.
to be faithfully disseminated, 459,
460.
Liquor-dealers, influence of Miller's
preaching on, 332.
Lisbon earthquake, 304, 305.
Litch, Josiah, prediction of, regarding
fall of Ottoman empire, 334, 335.
Literature, circulation of, by Waldenses,
70, 71.
in time of Wvcliffe, 84, 85, 87-89,
94.
in Bohemia, 96, 97, 99, 100, 119.
in time of Luther, 139, 140, 160,
169, 194.
in Switzerland, 178.
in France, 214, 215, 231.
in Geneva, 236.
in Scotland, 249.
see also Books ; Writings.
Little horn of Daniel seven, 446.
see also Leopard beast.
Lollards, persecution of, 94, 95.
Lollard towers, 95.
Lord's day, see Sabbath; Fourth com-
mandment ; Sunday; Roman
Catholic Church.
Lord's supper, supplanted by the mass,
59.
Lot, escape of, 431, 512.
Lotteries, 387.
Louis XV., selfishness of, 280.
Louis XVI., execution of, 230.
Lucian, 178.
Lucifer, the originator of evil, 493-499.
desire of, to penetrate secret pur-
poses of God, 523.
see also Satan.
Luther, Martin, 120170, 185-210.
early years, parentage, and train-
ing of, 120-122.
study of Scriptures by, 122, 123.
work of, in University of Witten-
berg, 124126, 128, 139.
visit of, to Rome, 124, 125.
accepts doctrine of righteousness by
faith, 125.
the.ses of, against indulgences, 129,
130.
efforts of Rome against, 131-137,
140-144.
trial of, at Augsburg, 135-137.
refusal of, to recant. 136.
708
GENERAL INDEX
Luther — continued.
escape of, from Augsburg, 137.
■wide influence of writings of, 139,
140, 194.
crisis in work of, 141-143.
courage of, 141, 142, 151-153.
final separation of, from Rome, 143.
journey of, to Worms, 151-153.
before the Diet, 155-161.
prayer of, 157.
refusal of, to compromise with
Rome, 165, 166.
edict of Rome against, 167.
seclusion of, in Wartburg castle,
168, 169.
saved from self-exaltation, 169, 170.
efforts of, against fanaticism at Wit-
tenberg, 188 193.
translation of New Testament by,
193.
resort to .secular power for pro-
tection, opposed by, 209.
belief of, in second coming of Christ,
303.
on time of the judgment, 356.
on state of the dead, 549.
Lutterworth, see Wycliffe.
Magi, rank, learning, and wealth of, 315.
Hebrew Scriptures understood by,
315.
watching for the Messiah, 315.
light heeded by, 316.
Man, nature of, at creation, 467.
Satan plots ruin of, 531.
looking to, in place of God, 59.''>.
"Man of sin," developed by comproniisn
between paganism and Christian-
ity, 50, 266. (S'ee Papacy.
Margaret, sister of Francis I., a Prot-
estant, 214.
protector of Protestants, 221-224.
Mark of the beast, sign of allegiance to
Rome, 445-450, 579, 627.
how received, 604, 605.
see also Image; Protestants; United
States.
Marks of the crucifixion, Christ always
to bear, 674.
Marriage as a svmbol. 381, 382.
supper of the Lamb, 427, 428.
Martyrs, early Christian, 40, 47.
in the sixth century, 54, 55.
by the Inquisition, in the thirteenth
century, 59.
no fear of death in, 74.
in England, 94, 95, 247. 249, 252.
in Bohemia, 98, 109, 110, 114, 115,
254.
in Switzerland, 180.
in German V, 211.
in France, 217, 218, 220, 225-230,
271, 282.
in Meaux, 215.
in the Netherlands, 233, 240.
in Scotland, 249, 250.
Mary, Queen of Scots, and -John Knox,
250. 251.
Mass (or Eucharist), 59, 189, 190.
Meaux, Reformation in, 214, 215, 219.
Mediator, Christ as, 74, 75, 126, 133.
488.
when man will be without a, 425.
Melanchthon, the friend of Luther, 134,
151, 210.
perplexed by fanaticism. 187.
rescues Grynseus, 205.
Augsburg Confession drawn up by,
196-206.
on second advent, 303,
Mendicants, see Friars.
Menno Simons, work of, 238, 239.
Mercy of God, to first disciples, 343.
door of, open, 429, 430, 435.
shown in destruction by flood, 543.
Message of Revelation eighteen, when
given, 390, 603.
condition of world under, 603, 604.
see also First angel's message ; Sec-
ond angel's message ; Third an-
gel's message; Advent Movement.
Messiah, prophecies of, 326, 327, 345,
346, 410.
first advent of, explained to Joseph
Wolff, 357-359.
Jews ignorant of coming of, 378.
see also Christ ; First advent.
Meteoric shower, see Stars.
Methodists, origin of, 257.
character of, in days of Wesley,
259.
persecution of, 259,
see also Weslt^y.
Middle Ages, 66, 572.
see also Dark Ages.
Midnight, God's people delivered at, 636.
of tiie world (figurative). 60.
Midnight cry. 398-408, 426, 427.
impelling power of, 402.
Millennium, temporal, not taught 'n
Bible, 321.
effect of belief in, 321.
condition of eartli during, 653-660.
see also Thousand years.
Miller. William, 317-342.
earlv vears and character of. 317,
318, 335.
conversion of, from infidelity, 319.
studv of Bible by, 319-330.
called to preach, 330, 331.
work of, 331, 332, 368-375.
associates of, in labors, 335.
opposition to, by religious teachers,
335-337.
protected by angels, 337.
wrong conclusion of, regarding end
of 2300 days, 351-353.
proclamation of second advent mea
sage committed to, 368.
attitude of, toward fanaticism, 396,
397.
see also Advent Movement; First
angel's message.
Mind, when under control of Satan, 59,
a law of the, 555.
GENERAL INDEX
709
Ministers, training of, by Vaudois, 70,
'71.
influence of popular, in undermin-
ing faith in Bible, 836.
errors taught by, 536.
not infallible, ,596, 507.
leaning on, for religious belief, 59C.
harvest from false teachings of, 654,
655.
see also Preaching.
Ministration, of earthly priests, 413, 418-
422.
of Christ, 413, 415-417, 420-422,
480, 482-485, 488-491.
of angels, 480, 482, 486, 487, 511.
Miracles, of Christ; casting out of devils,
at Gadara, 514, 515; man pos-
sessed, blind and dumb, 515;
youth who had dumb spirit, 515;
demoniac at C:i])ernaum, 5i6.
of healing, to be performed in time
of trouble, 612, 024.
so-called, in support of Sunday ob-
servance, 575-577; through
agency of Spiritualism, 588 ;
counterfeit, 593; of Satan, 612,
624.
Missionary spirit, the spirit of Christ, 70.
Missionaries, Waldonsian, 70-76.
in Kiijibind, 87, 94.
Whifefield and the Wesleys in
America, 254.
see al.so Colporteurs; Writings;
Wolflf.
Missions, foreign, growth of, 287.
Monasteries, 82-84.
Money, Wesley on riglit use of, 385.
how squandered by professed Chris-
tians, 475.
used in self-indulgence, 488.
Monks, 82-85.
see also Friars; Monasteries.
Moon, darkening of, 305-308.
see also Signs.
Moravians, churches of, 119.
in storm at sea, 254, 255.
Wesley's stay among, 255, 256.
Morin, 225, 226.
Moses, writer of Pentateuch, 434.
Munsterites, 239.
Munzer, 191-193.
Myconius, 183.
Mysteries, revealed, 341, 599.
unrevealcd, 522.
itfystery in God's providences, 47, 48.
Mystery of iniquity, work of, in early
church, 49, 384, 385.
National prosperitv, foundation of, 277-
279, 285, 286.
National reform movement, 587.
Nature, worship of, 522, 583.
Nehemiah, 56.
Nero, character of, 78.
Nero — rontiniied.
among Satan's host, at end of world,
667.
mother of, 667.
Netherlands, progress of Reformation in,
237-240.
New birth, results of, 468.
New earth, description of, 675-678.
New England, as an asylum for the op-
pressed, 295, 296.
advent message in, 332.
Now Jerusalem, as the bride, 426, 427.
righteous welcomed to, 646, 647,
665.
descends from heaven, 663.
effort of Satan to conquer, 663, 664.
metropolis of new earth, 676.
New Testament, see Bible, translations of.
Nineveh, Jonah's message to, 406.
Noah, me-ssage of, 337-339, 371, 431,
491.
Sabbath kept by, 453.
Nobles, of France, 279, 280.
Obedience, blessings of, 476.
OOcolampadius, character and work of,
182-184.
death of, 212.
OlTcrings, sec Sanctuary.
Olivetan, cousin of Calvin, 220.
One hundred and forty-four thousand,
song of, 648.
Open door, see Door of mercy.
Oppression, see Dark Ages; Papacy;
Persecution.
Ottoman empire, fall of, predicted by
Litch, 334, 335.
Paganism, union of, with Christianity,
43, 50, 52.
persecutions under, 39-48.
errors of, in Christian church, 58.
Pagan Rome, in prophecy, 438.
authority of, transferred to papacy,
54, 439.
see also Dragon.
Palestine, travels of Wolff in, 360.
Pajjacy, establishment of, 50, 54.
supremacy of, 50, 51, 60, 82, 126,
251, 453, 573, 581.
condition of world under, 60.
arrogance of, 50, 60.
attitude of, toward Waldenses, 76-78.
efforts of, to silence Wycliffe, 85, 86.
the great schism in, 86, 87, 103.
how represented in prophecv, 438,
439, 445, 446, 578.
special characteristic of, 446.
how Protestants pav homage to,
442. 447, 448.
attempt of, to change law of God,
52, 446.
character and aims of, 562-581.
infallibility claimed by, 50, 57, 564.
in the United States. 564, 573.
future success of, 566, 572.
710
GENERAL INDEX
Papacy — continued.
an attractive religion, 566.
right to pardon sin, claimed bv, 83,
567.
compared to Jewisii church, 568.
cruelty of, 569-571.
false science to prepare way for,
573.
to regain power, 578-581.
see also Pope; Popes; Roman Cath-
olic Church; Traditions.
Parable, of ten virgins, 393-395, 398,
400, 402, 426-428.
of marriage supper, 428.
Pardon for sin, claimed bv Rome, 83,
567.
obtained only through Christ, 126.
Paris, the Reformation in, 212-230.
conditions in, at Revolution, 279,
283.
Park, Edwards A., on law of God, 465,
466.
Passover lamb, Christ represented bv,
399.
Pastors, trusting to, for religious belief,
380, 65,').
see also Ministers.
Paul, conversion of, 328.
commission of, to ftentiles, 328.
heresy in days of, 396.
warning of, to Thessalonians, 456.
accusation against. 458.
an e.xample of true sanctification,
471.
protected by angels, 512.
courageous opposer of wrong, 520.
in the New Jerusalem, 667.
Penalty, civil, to bo inflicted for keep-
ing law of God, 459.
Penance, 56.
Pentecost, 351; experience of last days
similar to, 611.
see also Holy Spirit.
People of God, suppression of history of,
during Dark Ages, 61.
contrasted with worshipers of beast
and image, 445, 446.
distinguished by regard for fourth
commandment, 446.
during great dav of atonement, 490,
491, 601, 602.
protected by angels, 513, 517, 630-
632.
care of God for, 528-530, 560, 621,
626, 627, 631-634.
denounced as cause of disasters, 590-
592, 614, 615.
trial of, to the utmost, 618.
persecution of, 619.
faith of, 619, 621, 622.
anxiety of, over past sins, 619-621.
seek for perfection in Christ, 622,
623.
deliverance of, 635-652.
rainbow about companies of, 636.
translation of, 645, 646.
see also Christians; Persecution;
Redeemed; "Time of trouble."
Persecution, Christ's followers to suffer,
39, 143, 144, 507, 610.
in first centuries, 39-48.
a means of keeping church pure,
44, 48.
reasons for, to be left with God,
47, 48, 609.
why not seen to-day, 48.
during 1260 year.s, 55, 266, 439;
cut short, 266, 267.
truth extended bv, 96, 196, 219,
240, 250, 252.
of Waldenses, 65, 78, 97.
of Wvcliffe, 89, 90, 609.
of Lollards, 94, 95.
of Huss, 100-109, 609.
of Luther, 137-143, 145-167, 609.
in Germany, 196.
of French Protestants, 223-226, 271-
273, 278.
of believers in Netherlands, 239,
240.
of Wesley and his followers, 258,
259, 609.
of Puritans, 290.
of advent believers, 372.
of Sabbath-keepers, 607-609
see n/.s'o Heretics.
Persia, Wolff's travels in, 360.
Peter, protected by angels, 512.
Petri, Olaf and Laurentius, 242-244.
Pharaoh, 251, 269, 275.
Pharisees, ignorance of, regarding Mes-
siah, 314.
Philosophy, pagan, in the church, 58.
human, 126, 522.
Physical righteousness, 473-475.
Piedmont, see Waldenses.
Pilate, 164.
Pilate's staircase, 125.
Pilgrim Fathers, see Puritans.
"Pilgrim's Progress," 252.
Pius IX., pope, 564.
Plagues, of Egypt, 627, 628.
of last days, 628, 629.
Plan of salvation, revealed in Bible, 81.
under the guidance of God, 343.
culmination of, 486.
to be study of redeemed, 651.
Pleasure-seeking, 387.
Policy in religious matters, 460.
Political corruption, 586, 592.
Pope, arrogant claims of, 50, 51, 56.
authority claimed by, 50, 57, 261,
580.
acknowledged as God's vicegerent,
51, 53, 102, 140.
faith transferred from Christ to, 55.
impeachment of, 237.
led into captivity, 439.
see also Papacy; Roman Catholic
Church.
Popes, great schism of, 86, 87, 103, 104.
Prague, Reformation in, 99, 100, 104.
placed under interdict, 100, 101,
104.
GENERAL INDEX
711
Prayer, necessity of, in Biblo study, 132,
599, 600.
Luther's belief in, 156, 157, 209,
210.
power of, 210.
lack of, 373, 488.
necessity for, 525, 530, 601.
in time 'of trouble, 621, 622.
Preaching, of Luther, 152.
of Zwingle, 174-177, 180.
of Farel and Froinent, 232.
of Joseph Wolff, 359-362.
of children in Scandinavia, 366, 367.
of advent truths, in 1844, 400-408.
of unpopular truths, 458-460.
see also Ministers.
Predestination, 261.
Present truth, in days of Luther, 14:;.
in our <\ay, 143, 144.
Presumption, 59.
Priests, at har of God, 668.
see also Friars ; Monks.
Priests and rulers, rejection of Christ by,
595.
ministers of today compared with,
596.
Printing, art of, 61, SS', 288.
of Tyndale's Bible, 247.
see also Books.
Prison-house of Satan, 659.
Prizes, oflfering of, a species of gambling,
387.
Probation, close of, 428, 429.
no future, 662.
Procopius, 116-118.
Prophecy, importance of study of, 341,
342, 344, 345.
consolation in, 391-394.
study of, by William Miller, 320-
329 ; by prophets, 344 ; by Gaus-
sen, 365; by Adventists, 391, 423.
fulfilled by Miller and his asso-
ciates, 405.
of 1260 years, 54, 266, 439.
of 2300 years, 324-329, 351-353,
398, 409, 410, 417, 429, 457, 486.
of the "two witnesses," 266-287.
to be understood, 340, 341, 521.
of first advent, not understood by
disciples, 346, 347.
srr also Beasts; Chronology; Proph-
ecies; Signs.
Prophecies, of destruction of Jerusalem,
21, 22, 25-27, 30.
of second advent, 299-302, 310, 311,
320-329.
failure of Jews to understand, 313-
316, 344-346.
concerning first advent, fulfilment
of, 344-348, 405, 424-429.
of Daniel and the Revelation, not
mysteries, 340-342, 365, 380, 594.
fulfilled, 391-408.
on Sabbath reform, 451-453.
. iree also Chronology; Papacy; Proph-
ecy; "Time of trouble;" United
States.
Protest, of early Christians, 95.
of the Princes, 197-204; text of,
202-204; effect of, 203, 204.
Protestantism, vital principles of, 197,
202, 203, 291, 441.
dangers of, 211, 234, 235.
strength of, 236.
apostasy of, 297, 298, 384-390,
444, 571.
to clasp hands with Spiritualism
and Catholicism, 588.
Protestants, rise of, 204, 205.
persecution of, in France, 225, 230.
menaced by powerful foes, 234.
increasing favor shown to Rome by,
563, 566.
homage paid to Rome by, in Sunday-
keeping, 447, 448.
following in steps of Rome, 383,
384, 443, 523, 573.
Protestant churches, rise of, 383.
daughters of Rome, 382.
fall of, 383, 389.
many true Christians in, 383, 390.
seeking aid of secular power, 383.
union of, upon common points of
doctrine, 444, 445.
seeking favor of world, 571.
Punishment, of rich, 653, 654.
of unfaithful pastors and people,
654-657.
of Satan, 658-660.
of wicked, 666, 673.
Purgatory, doctrine of, 58, 59.
an invention of paganism, 58.
Puritans, 280-298.
persecution of, in England, 290.
flight of, from England, 290.
departure of, from Holland, 291-293.
intolerance of, 293.
character of early, 296.
regard of, for Bible, 296.
Rainbow, seen in time of trouble, 636.
Reason, worship of, 193.
in France, 275, 276.
Rebellion, of Lucifer, 493-500, 503.
spirit of, 500, 502.
Rrchabites, Wolff visits, 362.
Reconciliation, 467, 468.
Records, of Inquisition, 59. 61, 62.
in books of heaven, 59, 61, 486, 487.
see also Books.
Redeemed, entrance of, into New Jeru-
salem, 646, 617.
song of, 649-651, 665.
triumph of, 650.
home of, 674-678.
hold open communion with God,
676, 677.
education of, 677, 678.
Reformation, foundation of, laid by
Wycliffe, 92-94.
advancement of, 148, 186, 197.
efforts of Satan to counterfeit,
186 192.
712
GENERAL INDEX
Reformation — continued.
friends of, protected bv angels, 205-
208.
threatened by grave dangers, 206,
200.
brought to notice of great men, 208.
progress of, in Great Britain, 70-
96, 245-253; in Germany, 1-0-
170, 185-210; in Switzerland,
171-184, 232-234; in France,
214-224; in Netherlands and
Scandinavia. 237-244.
France warned against, by pope,
277.
extent of, 265.
work of, to restore Bible to people,
388.
obstacles met by, 396.
nee also Calvin; IIiiss; Luther;
Protestantism; Protestants; Tyn-
dale ; Wycliffe; Zwingle.
Reformers, 'Wvcliflfe one of the greatest,
94.
character of, 94, 171, 243, 244.
work of, 606.
belief of, in second coming of
Christ, 302, 303.
*fc also Onlvin ; Huss; Jerome;
Knox; Ijatimer; Luther; Me-
Innclillion ; Wycliflfe; Zwingle;
etc.
Roign of Terror, 273, 282.
Ueligion, profession of, has become pop-
ular, 386.
formality in. 5.5.
the sport of infidels, 463.
Satan's counterfeit of, 464.
IJure, defined, 4 74.
Religious liberty, termed heresy, 45.
in Germany, 197-205.
in Holland, 240.
in Reformed countries, 244.
believed in by Puritans, 291-298.
upheld by Roger Williams, 293-295.
in United States, 441, 443.
merely endured by Rome, 565.
God's way of ^yorking, 591.
see alto Conscience; Heretics; Per-
secution; Puritans; Toleration;
United States.
Religious worship prohibited in France,
274.
Remission of sin, in sanctuaiT services,
417, 418.
Repentance, 468.
Republicanism, a fundamental principle
of the United States, 441.
Resurrection of the dead, 322.
of Christ, wave-sheaf a tj^e of, 399.
the first, 482, 544.
the first and second, distinction
between, 544.
doctrine of, why neglected, 547.
special, of Sabbath-keepers, 637 ; of
those who crucified Christ, 63 7.
of righteous, 644.
of wicked, 661, 662.
Revelation, book of, studied by Miller,
320.
Revelation — continned.
to be understood, 341. 342.
relation of, to book of Daniel, 341.
Revivals, modern, 461-478.
results of genuine, 461, 462.
popular, 463, 464.
secret of lack of power in, 465.
Revolution, see French Revolution.
Rich, punishment of, 654.
Richard IL, 89.
Ridley, 248, 303.
Righteousness by faith, see Justification
by faith.
Robbing God, 475.
Robinson, Pastor John, address of, to
Puritans, 291, 292.
Roman Catholic Church, development of,
50-60, 580.
claims of, 261, 564, 567, 580, 596.
cu.stoms in, 49.
attitude of, toward Bible, 51, 81,
89, 97, 195, 235, 236, 265, 269,
340, 388.
errors introduced bv, 58, 59, 82-84,
536.
records of persecution, 61, 62, 563,
570, 571.
condition of, in time of Wycliffe,
86; Hubs, 103; Luther, 149.
Luther's separation from, 120-143.
defended by Alcander, 147-149.
efforts of, against Luther, 137-141,
145-167.
description of, as Babylon, 382, 383;
as leopard beast, 179, 439, 578.
result of revolt against, in France,
283-285.
sign of authority of, 446-448, 573.
true Christians in, 449, 565.
Protestants following in steps of,
383, 384, 443, 523, 573.
gaining in favor with Protestants,
563, 572-574, 580, 581.
popularity of, 566, 571.
schools of, patronized by Protes-
tants, 566.
worship of, attractive, 566, 567.
in comparison with Jewish church,
568.
idolatry in, 568.
means used by, to compel obedience,
569.
reserves right to interpret Scrip-
tures, 596.
see also Papacy ; Pope.
Rome, the seat of papal power, 54.
visit of Luther to, 124, 125.
visit of bishops to, 237.
Rulers, corruption among, 586.
Russia, proclamation of advent message
in, 364.
Sabbath, memorial of creation, 54, 455.
authority of, 455.
observed throughout the ages, 52,
61-65, 453.
set aside for Sunday, 53.
hatred of Rome for, 64, 65.
GENERAL INDEX
713
Sabbath — continued.
abolished in France, 274.
Btudy of, by advent believers, 434,
435.
importance of, 437, 438.
a sign of creative power of God,
54, 436-438.
change of, 447, 448, 452.
not changed by Christ, 447.
no authority in Bible for change of,
447.
promises to observers of, 451-453.
arguments against, 454, 455, 587.
divine authority of, acknowledged
by Romanists, 447, 577.
disasters attributed to observance of,
590.
test of loyalty to God, 605.
gee also Fourth commandment;
Law of God; Sabbath-keepers;
Sunday.
Sabbath-keepers, in all ages, 52, 453.
in 1844, 434, 435.
work of, 454, 603-606, 609, 611,
612.
among Waldenses, 577.
persec\itii)n of, by enemies, 592,
607-GlO, 626, 627; by former
brethren, 608.
denounced as cause of disasters,
590, 592, 614, 615.
decree to be issued against, 615,
616, 626, 631, 635.
experience of, in time of trouble,
616-634.
the mountains afford refuge for, 626.
special resurrection of, 637.
triumph of, 638-6 10.
see nlun Christians; People of God;
Redeemed ; Sabbath.
Sabbath reform, 451-456, 587.
Sacrifice of the mass, 59, 189, 190.
Sacrifices, see Sanctuary.
Sacrificing for Christ, 387.
Safe-conduct, of Huss, 105-107, 163.
of Luther, 150, 154, 163.
Saloons, closed ns effect of Miller's
preaching, 332.
Samson, indulgence-monger in Switzer-
land, 178, 179.
Sanctification, true, work of, 465, 467,
469, 470, 473; how attained,
469, 470; nature of, 470; as
set forth in the Scriptures, 473,
474; fruits of, 477, 478; ex-
amples of, 470, 471.
false, in Luther's dav, 193; in
last days, 469, 471-473, 415. .
Sanctuary, in tvpe and antitype, 409-
432.
not the earth, 411.
study of, by Adventists, 411-415.
key to meaning of disappointment
in 1844, 423, 4.^1, 432.
should be clearly understood, 488-
490.
earthly, description of, 411-415;
a pattern of heavenly, 414, 415;
services in, a type, 417-420, 428,
Sanctuary — continued.
433, 435; cleansing of, 328, 352,
410, 417, 418, 426; services in,
continued after crucifixion, 615.
heavenly, services in, 413-415, 420-
422, "428-431, 433, 435; advent
believers directed to, 424, 425 ;
ministration in first apartment of,
421, 422; work of Christ in, 421,
422, 433-435, 480, 482-491.
see also Advent Movement; Law;
Tabernacle ; Temple.
Satan, efforts of, to indiice Christians to
compromise with world, 49, 50,
298.
arts of, 192, 193, 518, 519.
satisfaction of, in horrors of Reign
of Terror, 284.
policy of, 3 78.
the accuser, 395, 484.
position and beauty of, before fall,
493-495.
disaffection and rebellion of, 494-
500.
long-suffering of God with, 496.
rebellion of, a les.son to universe,
499.
character of God misrepresented by,
281, 498, 500, 502.
character of, 501, 502.
self-exaltation of, 504, 554.
enmity of, toward man, 505, 510.
danger in denying existence of,
516, 524.
importance of having right esti-
mate of, 516, 517.
power and malice of, 517.
present at worship of God, 518.
jjowcr of, to show appearance of
departed friends, 552, 560; to
ai)pear as angel of light, 588.
ability of, to quote Scripture, 559.
work of, through elements, 589, 590.
compulsion the resort of, 591,
to personate Christ, 624.
binding of, 658-660.
sins of God's people to be placed
upon, 658, 673.
judgment of, 661.
last struggle of, for supremacy, 663,
664, 671, 672.
acknowledges justice of his sentence,
669, 670.
see also Evil spirits; Lucifer;
Snares of Satan.
Saxons in Great Britain, 62, 63.
Saxony, Bohemians flee to, 254.
Scandinavia, progress of the Reformation
in, 241-244.
proclamation of advent message in,
366.
child-preachers in, 366, 367.
Scapegoat, in sanctuary service, 419, 420.
Satan tjpified by, 422, 485, 658.
Schism, the Great, see Popes.
Science, research into, sometimes a snare
of Satan, 522.
false, to prepare way for papacy,
573.
714
GENERAL INDEX
Science — continued.
not a true foundation for religious
belief, 595.
Scoffers, in Noah's time, 338.
in Miller's time, 339, 340, 404, 408,
429.
in last days, 561, 635, 642.
Scotland, a refuge for persecuted Chris
tians, 62.
persecutions in, 249, 250.
work of Knox in, 250, 251.
Scriptures, the detector of error, 51.
study of, 80, 81, 598, 599, 600.
Wycliffe demands restoration of, to
people, 81.
infallibility of, 89, 249.
WolflP on popular system of inter-
pretation of, 360.
study of, danger of neglecting, 510,
521.
fanciful interpretations of, 520, 521.
a safeguard. 559, 593-603.
see also Bible; Word of God.
Seal of God, 613, 640.
Second advent of Christ, foretold, 39,
454.
hope of believers in all ages, 299-
303.
signs of, 304-316, 333, 334.
warning of, why not committed fo
religious leaders, 315.
manner of, 321.
taught in Scriptures, 321-323.
time of, 324; not known by men,
457; error in regard to, 328,
368, 482.
warning of, rejected. 338, 339, 366.
proclamation of, 352-354.
preached by ,Tosei>h Wolflf, 359, 360:
William Miller, 329-333, 352
354, 308-374.
belief in, found in Bokhara,
Yemen, and Tartary, 361, 362.
taught in England, South America.
Germany, Prance, Switzerland,
Scandinavia, 362-367.
preparation for, in 1844, 401-403.
false theory of, 525.
manner of, cannot be- counterfeited
by Satan, 625.
scenes of, 636-644.
see also Advent Movement; Christ:
Prophecy; Prophecies.
Second angel's message, 381-390.
Second commandment, expunged from
law by papacy, 52.
Secret^ of God, men not to search into,
523.
Self-depreciation, 477.
Self-exaltation, Luther removed from
danger of, 170.
danger from, 471, 494-499, 503.
Self-indulgence, 473-475, 488.
Self-justification, of Satan, 499.
of sinners to-day, 500.
Self sufficiency, 509.
Sennacherib, 512.
Seventh-day Adventists, 409-422, 429-
432.
proclamation of final warning bv,
603-612.
see also Law; People of God; Sab-
bath; Sanctuary; Third angel's
message.
Seventy weeks, prophecy of, 324, 328,
345-347, 410.
Sigismund, 104-108, 115-118, 163.
Signs of second advent, 304-316, 391,
456.
Lisbon earthquake, 304, 305.
darkening of sun and moon, 306-
308.
condition of churches, 309, 310.
falling of the stars, 333, 334.
see also Prophecies.
Simon Magus, 128.
Sin, definition of, 472.
origin of, 492-502.
love of, 508.
end of, 504, 545.
remission of, in sanctuary service,
417, 418, 421, 425.
see also Evil; Satan.
Sins, secret, revealed in judgment, 486.
blotting out of, from books in heaven,
421, 432, 484-486, 614.
Skepticism, sec Infidelity.
Snares of Satan, 518 530.
in worldly business, 519.
self-gratification, 519.
in appeals to appetite, 474.
neglect of prayer and Bible study.
519, 525.
accusing of brethren, 519.
unconverted church-members, 520.
false theories, 520, 523.
wresting and perverting of Scrip-
ture, 520, 521.
liberality of religious belief, 522.
scientific research, 522.
unwise speculations, 522, 523.
Spiritualism, 524.
denial of pre-existence of Christ,
524.
false teaching regarding second ad-
vent, 525.
Society, condition of, in last daj-s, 583-
' 586.
corruption in, attributed to Sun-
day desecration, 587.
Sodom, warning rejected by, 431, 513
spiritual, 269.
Solomon, 509.
Sopnie Arnoult, 270.
South America, proclamation of advent
message in, 363.
Spain, Luther's writings in, 139.
earthquake felt in, 304.
Spalatin, 165.
.Speculation, human, 126, 522.
Spires, Diet of, 197-210.
protest of, 197-204.
GENERAL INDEX
715
Spirit of God, when to be withdrawn
from earth, G15.
see also Ploly Spirit; Pentecost.
Spirit manifestations, 552, 560.
the rapping delusion, 553.
made to take place of Bible, 557.
see also Kvil spirits; Spiritualism.
Spirits, to be tried by Bible, 307.
agency of evil, 511-517.
communion with, forbidden, 556.
uphold Sunday observance, 591.
Spiritualism, 551-562.
one of Satan's most successful
agencies, 524, 552, 561, 562.
converts to, where found, 556.
erroneous teaching of, 555-558.
leads to self-indulgence and excess,
555, 603, 604.
assuming Christian guise, 558.
deceptive power of, 558, 559, 588.
Scriptures a safeguard against, 559.
miracles to be wrought through,
588, 589.
see also Angels; Evil Spirits; Satan;
Spirit manifestations.
Spurgeon, on sacramentarianism in the
Church of England, 384.
Standard-bearers, 55.
Star, seen at deliverance of God's people;
638.
Stars, falling of, 333, 334.
see also Signs.
State, duty of, 201.
see also Church and state; United
States.
Staupitz, 123.
St. Bartholomew massacre, 272, 273.
Stephen, 328.
Suffrage in the United States, 297.
Sun, darkening of, 305-308.
see also Signs.
Sunday, made a public festival, 53.
given place of Sabbath by Rome,
53, 447, 448.
origin of observance of, 54, 474-
477.
no scriptural evidence for, 434, 435.
observance of, an act of homage to
Rome, 442, 448, 449, 579, 580.
not the Lord's day, 447.
enforcement of, in United States,
573.
first law for observance of, 574.
so-called miracles in support of, 575,
576.
observance of, in future, to be en-
forced by law, 449, 573, 579,
592.
movement in United States, 587.
accusations against non-observers of,
587, 590.
spirit manifestations in support of,
591.
to be declared sacred by Satan when
personating Christ, 624.
see also Mark ; Sabbath.
Supremacy of Rome, see Papacy.
Sweden, gospel welcomed to, 243.
work of the Petri brothers in, 242,
243.
work of, in Thirty Years' War, 244.
Reformation in, 243, 244.
second advent message in, 366, 367.
Switzerland, missionaries to, 62.
Luther's writings in, 139.
advent message proclaimed in, 364.
Symbols of prophecy, interpretation of,
438-445, 578.
Syria, travels of Wolfif in, 300.
Tabernacle, of Moses, 411-415.
replaced by temple of Solomon, 412.
destruction of, by Romans, 17-38,
412.
the sanctuary of first covenant, 413.
services in, a shadow of heavenly,
433.
see also Sanctuary.
Talent, proper use of, 487.
use of, by Satan, 509.
Tarrying time, 398-408.
a trial of patience, 392, 393.
a fulfilment of prophecy, 407, 408.
Tausen, "Reformer of Denmark," char-
acter and work of, 241, 242.
imprisonment of, 242.
Temperance Avork and the Sunday move-
ment, 587.
Temple of Solomon, beauty of, 17, 18, 23.
history of, 24 (note), 412.
destruction of, beheld by Christ, 21.
second, made more glorious by
presence of (Christ, 24.
overthi'ow of, predicted, 24, 25.
destroyed by Titus, 31-35, 412.
scenes at destruction of, 30-35.
see also Sanctuary.
Temple in heaven, God's dwelling-place,
414, 415.
sanctuary of new covenant, 413.
opened, 433.
see also Law, moral.
Temptation, of Christ, 50, 51, 510.
of Waldensian youth, 70.
how to resist, 510, 600.
why permitted, 528-530.
of Adam and Eve in Eden, 531, 532.
Ten virgins, parable of, 393, 394, 400-
402.
Terror of wicked at advent of Christ,
636-644.
Test, of world, in giving of advent mes-
sage, 353, 354.
of Adventists, in disappointment of
1844, 373, 374.
of loyalty to God, Sabbath the
great, 605.
Tetzpl, sale of indulgences by, 127-129,
178.
Theology, popular, opposed by Luther,
^126.
re.sult of, 525.
Theories, false, a snare of Satan, 520
525.
716
GENERAL INDEX
Theses of Luther against indulgences,
129, 130.
discussion aroused by, 130.
Thessalonian church, Paul's advice to,
456, 457.
Third angel's message, 432, 435, 437-
450.
the last to go to the world, 390.
fearful threatening of, 449.
extent of, 450.
to be proclaimed with power, 605,
606.
close of, marks beginning of "time
of trouble," 613.
see also People of God ; Prophecy ;
Prophecies; Signs.
Thirty Years' War, part of Sweden in,
244.
Thousand years, see Millennium.
work of redeemed during, 660, 661.
Threefold message, 450, 453.
"Time of trouble," 613-634.
warning regarding, 310, 311.
beginning of, 613.
soon to open, 622.
scenes of, 623, 624.
e.Nporience of people of God in, 615-
634.
Time-setting, 457.
Tithing, 475.
Titus, in siegr- of .Terusalem, 21, 31-35.
humanity of, 32-34.
Tobacco, 474, 475.
Toleration, not a precept of Roman
Church, 564.
see also Religious liberty.
Traditions acknowledged as authority by
Rome, 183, 448.
Translation, of Bible, see Bible.
of righteous at second advent, 645,
646.
Transubstantiation, 238.
Trial, object of, 291, 621.
see also Test.
Tree of life, 532.
Trust in God, need for, 527.
Truth, spread of, in time of persecution,
42, 95, 96, 101, 196, 240, 249,
634.
opposition to, 458-460.
men moved to search Bible for, 79,
81.
Rome contending against, 90.
progressive nature of, 291, 292, 297.
why not revealed to great men, 310.
proper attitude toward, 378-380.
need of searching for, 522, 598.
counterfeits of, 523, 528.
see also Sabbath; Sanctuary; Third
angel's message.
Truths, development of new, 609.
Turkish empire, see Ottoman empire.
Twelve hundred and sixty years, begin-
ning of, 54, 266, 439.
Twenty-three hundred years, exposition
of, 324-329, 351-353, 398, 409,
410, 417, 429, 457.
end of, marks opening of investi-
gative judgment, 423, 424, 486.
see also Miller ; Prophecy ; Sanctu-
ary.
Two-horned beast, United States repre-
sented by, 439-443.
see also United States.
Two witnesses, prophecy concerning,
266-287.
see also Bible; Scriptures.
Tyndale, work of, 245-247.
martyrdom of, 247.
on sleep of the dead, 547.
Tj'pes, see Sanctuary.
Unbelief, result of cherishing, 527, 528.
Union, of Christians and pagans, 45.
of church and state, 297, 442, 445,
450, 607.
of church and world, 390.
of all Protestant churches, 444, 445.
of Protestantism, Spiritualism, and
Roman Catholicism, 588.
United Brethren, 119.
United States, religious liberty in, 295.
growth of, 295, 296.
government of, 297.
dark day seen in, 306-308.
falling stars seen in, 333, 334.
-lo.seph Wolffs visit to, 360.
represented in prophecy by two-
horned beast, 439, 440.
rise of, 440, 441.
characteristics of, 441.
once an asylum for the oppressed,
441, 442.
Constitution of, 442.
to enact oppressive laws, 442, 579.
prediction of supremacy of Rome
in, 578, 579.
Sunday movement in, 587.
see also Mark of the beast; Prot-
estants; Puritans; Religious lib-
erty ; Two-horned beast.
Unity among advent believers, 379.
Universalism, fallacy of, 537-539.
a Universalist minister on state of
the dead, 537-539.
University of Erfurt, Luther a student
at, 121, 122.
of Paris, Lefevre in, 212, 217.
of Prague, Huss In, 98-100.
of Wittenberg, Luther and Me-
lanchthon as professors in, 124-
126, 134.
Vaudois, see Waldenses.
Virgin Mary, 43, 58, 174, 175, 217.
Voice, from heaven, heard by God's
people, 636.
of God declares hour of Jesus' com-
ing, 640.
Voltaire, intidelity of, 281.
boast of, against Christianity, 288.
GENERAL INDEX
717
Waldenses, 61-78.
among the first to obtain transla-
tion of Bible, 65.
training of youth of, 66-68.
authority of Bible recognized by,
68, 72.
diligence of, in copying Bible, 69.
jouth of, sent to institutions of
learning, 70.
belief of, in second advent, 72, 303.
self-sacrificing missionary labors of,
70-76, 237.
results of work of, 71-76.
persecution of, 76-78, 97.
Sabbath-keepers among, 577.
see also Albigenses ; Heretics.
War, delight of Satan in, 589.
Warning, last message of, 311, 312,
390, 432, 435, 604-612.
to be given to all, 38, 605.
of judgment to come, 352, 353.
rejection of, 375-390, 431.
against worship of beast, 445.
most fearful ever given to men, 449.
will be heeded by leading men, 611.
see also Third angel's message.
Warnings, importance of, 594.
Wartburg, Luther concealed in, 168-170,
185-193.
Washburn, Governor, on church gam-
bling, 387.
Watchman, false, first to suffer at the
end, 656.
Waters or sea, as a symbol, 440.
Wedding garment, 428.
Week, length of, changed by France, 273.
Wesley, Charles, missionarv to America,
254.
trusting to good works for s.alvutiun,
253, 254.
Wesley, John, missionary to America,
254.
acceptance of righteousness by failh,
255, 250.
work of, 256-258.
guarded by an angel, 253.
law of God upheld by, 262-264.
results of work of, 264.
wiles of Satan encountered by, 396.
on right use of money, 385.
see also Methodists.
Whitefield, a missionarv to America, 253,
256, 257.
Wicked, how restrained, 36.
why permitted to prosjier, 4 8.
end of, 544, 545.
terror and remorse of, at second
advent, 37, 635, 644.
resurrection of, 661.
sentence pronounced upon, 660.
destruction of, 673.
see also Judgments; Kvil.
Wiles of Satan, see Satan; Snares of
Satan.
Will, freedom of, see Freedom.
Williams, Roger, apostle of religious lib-
erty, 293.
work and banishment of, 294.
Winds, prophetic, symbol of war, 440.
Wine of Babylon, meaning of, 388.
application of, 389, 536.
Winter, Robert, advent message pro-
claimed by, in England, 362.
Wise men, see Magi.
Wishart, 250.
Witchcraft, Spiritualism a form of, 556.
Wittenbach, a teacher at Ba.sel, 173.
Wittenberg, students of, carried Refor-
mation to .Scandinavia, 241.
see also Luther; University of Wit-
tenberg.
Wolflf, Dr. Joseph, parentage and early
years of, 357.
education of, 357, 358.
message of second advent given
by, 359, 360.
work and travels of, 300-362.
Woman as a symbol, 55, 381, 382.
Word of God, weapon of Christ against
Satan, 51.
medium of communication between
God and man, 69, 79.
results following the preaching of,
461.
our onlv safety in time of trouble,
625.
attitude of Roman Catholic Church
toward, 81.
see also Bible ; Scriptures.
Works, righteousness by, 55, 56.
salvation by, 253.
see also Faith ; Wesley.
World, condition of, under papal rule, 60.
religious, condition of, 390, 586,
603, 604.
following in steps of Jews, 36-33.
end of, 653-078.
Worldliness in nominal churches, 376-
390, 508.
Worms, see Diet; Luther.
Worship, of beast, see Leopard beast,
of Reason, 193, 275, 276.
of God prohibited in France, 274.
freedom of, see Religious liberty.
Writings, of Christians, suppression of,
in Dark Ages, 61.
of Wycliffe, 89, 96, 249.
of Luther, circulation of, 133, 139,
178, 194, 233; condemnation of,
at Worms, 155, 156 ; he refuses
to retract them, 158-160; read
eagerly, 1S5,- 186, 194, 195;
translated into French, 231; in
Netlu'rlaiuls, 238; read by Tau-
sen, 241; in England, 249.
of Bunyan, 250.
of Flavel, 253.
of Baxter, 253.
of Miller, 335, 368.
of Ijacunza, 363.
of Bengel, 364.
of Gaussen, 365.
on second advent, 3G2.
.s^-t' also Books; Literature.
WyclitTe, John, 79-96.
herald of reform, 80.
scholarship of, 8U.
718
GENERAL INDEX
Wycliffe — continued.
study of Scriptures by, 80, 81.
fearlessness of, in exposing claims
of papacy, 81.
battle of, against friars, 82-85.
as ambassador to Netherlands, 84,
85.
influence of, on court and nation,
84, 85.
protected by God, 86, 92.
teacher at Oxford, "the Gospel Doc-
tor," 87.
illness of, 87, 88.
translation of Bible into English bv,
88.
doctrines taught by, 89.
persecution of, by papacy, 89.
trials of, by papacy, 85, 89, 90.
ri'fusal of, to retract, 90.
arraignment of bis persecutors by,
90.
summoned to Rome, 91.
letter of, to pope, 91, 92.
work of, 93.
character of, 93, 94.
death of, 92.
writings of, in Bohemia, 99.
belief of, iu second coming uf Christ,
iOi.
Wycliffites, see Lollards.
Yemen, Wolff's travels in, 362.
Youth, Waldensian, training of, 67, 68,
70, 71.
influence of monastic life on, 82, 83
infidelity of, 600, 601.
as princes of heaven, 622.
Ziska, defends Bohemia against army of
Sigismund, 116,
death of, 116.
Zurich, Zwingle's labors at, 176-181.
peace in, a result of the gospel, 181.
council of, refuse to take action
against Zwingle, 180, 181.
disputation at, between Eck and
CEcolampadius, 132-184.
Zwingle, Ulric, 171-184.
early surroundings of, 171, 172.
designs of friars upon, 172.
acceptance of Bible as rule of con-
duct by, 173, 174.
work of, at Einsiedeln, 174-176.
work of, at Zurich, 176-182.
efforts of Rome against, 180-184.
death uf, 212,
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