99,the ,great ,controversy99 ,between ,christ and ,satan ,the ,conflict of the ,ages in the ,christian ,dispensation ,by ,ellen ,g4 ,white ,review ,herald ,publishing ,association ,washington1 ,d4,c4 ,copyright #ahhh1 #aijg1 #aiaa1 by ,mrs4 ,e4 ,g4 ,white ,,contents ,preface ,introduction4 #a4 ,the ,destruction ,of ,jerusalem4 #b4 ,persecution ,in ,the ,first ,centuries4 #c4 ,the ,apostasy4 #d4 ,the ,waldenses4 #e4 ,john ,wycliffe4 #f4 ,huss and ,jerome4 #g4 ,luther's ,separation ,from ,rome4 #h4 ,luther ,before ,the ,diet4 #i4 ,the ,swiss ,reformer4 #aj4 ,progress ,of ,reform ,in ,germany4 #aa4 ,protest ,of ,the ,princes4 #ab4 ,the ,french ,reformation4 #ac4 ,the ,netherlands ,and ,scandinavia4 #ad4 ,later ,english ,reformers4 #ae4 ,the ,bible ,and ,the ,french ,revolution4 #af4 ,the ,pilgrim ,fathers4 #ag4 ,heralds ,of ,the ,morning4 #ah4 ,an ,american ,reformer4 #ai4 ,light ,through ,darkness4 #bj4 ,a ,great ,religious ,awakening4 #ba4 ,a ,warning ,rejected4 #bb4 ,prophecies ,fulfilled4 #bc4 ,what ,is ,the ,sanctuary8 #bd4 ,in ,the ,holy ,of ,holies4 #be4 ,god's ,law ,immutable4 #bf4 ,a ,work ,of ,reform4 #bg4 ,modern ,revivals4 #bh4 ,the ,investigative ,judgment4 #bi4 ,the ,origin ,of ,evil4 #cj4 ,enmity ,between ,man ,and ,satan4 #ca4 ,agency ,of ,evil ,spirits4 #cb4 ,snares ,of ,satan4 #cc4 ,the ,first ,great ,deception4 #cd4 ,spiritualism4 #ce4 ,aims ,of ,the ,papacy4 #cf4 ,the ,impending ,conflict4 #cg4 ,the ,scriptures ,a ,safeguard4 #ch4 ,the ,final ,warning4 #ci4 8,the ,time ,of ,trouble40 #dj4 ,god's ,people ,delivered4 #da4 ,desolation ,of ,the ,earth4 #db4 ,the ,controversy ,ended4 ,appendix4 ,index of ,scripture ,references4 ,general ,index4 ,footnotes ,,preface ,illustration3 ,preface4 ,this book1 reader1 is not published to tell us that there is sin and woe and misery in this world4 ,we know it all too well4 ,this book is not published to tell us that there is an irreconcilable controversy between darkness and light1 sin and righteousness1 wrong and right1 death and life4 ,in our heart of hearts we know it1 and know that we are participators1 actors1 in the conflict4 ,but to every one of us comes at times a longing to know more of the great controversy4 ,how did the controversy begin8 or was it always here8 ,what elements enter into its awfully complex aspect8 ,how am ,i related to it8 ,what is my responsibility8 ,i find myself in this world by no choice of my own4 ,does that mean to me evil or good8 ,what are the great principles involved8 ,how long will the controversy continue8 ,what will be its ending8 ,will this earth sink1 as some scientists tell us1 into the depths of a sunless1 frozen1 eternal night8 or is there a better future before it1 radiant with the light of life1 warm with the eternal love of ,god8 ,the question comes closer still3 ,how may the controversy in my own heart1 the strife between inflowing selfishness and outgoing love1 be settled in the victory of good1 and settled forever8 ,what does the ,bible say8 ,what has ,god to teach us upon this question1 eternally important to every soul8 ,questions like these meet us from every side4 ,they rise insistent up from the depths of our own heart4 ,they demand definite answer4 ,surely the ,god who created in us the longing for the better1 the desire for the truth1 will not withhold from us the answer to all needed knowledge2 for 8the ,lord ,jehovah will do nothing1 except ,he reveal ,his secret unto ,his servants the prophets40 ,it is the aim of this book1 reader1 to help the troubled soul to a right solution of all these problems4 ,it is written by one who has tasted and found that ,god is good1 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 ,him1 and that ,he will show them ,his covenant4 ,that we may better understand the principles of the all-important controversy1 in which the life of a universe is involved1 the author has set it before us in great1 concrete object-lessons of the last twenty centuries4 ,the book opens with the sad closing scenes of ,jerusalem's history1 the city of ,god's chosen1 after her rejection of the ,man of ,calvary1 who came to save4 ,thence onward along the great highway of the nations1 it points us to the persecutions of ,god's children in the first centuries2 the great apostasy which followed in ,his church2 the world-awakening of the ,reformation1 in which some of the great principles of the controversy are clearly manifest2 the awful lesson of the rejection of right principles by ,france2 the revival and exaltation of the ,scriptures1 and their beneficent1 life-saving influence2 the religious awakening of the last days2 the unsealing of the radiant fountain of ,god's word1 with its wonderful revelations of light and knowledge to meet the baleful upspringing of every delusion of darkness4 ,the present impending conflict1 with the vital principles involved1 in which no one can be neutral1 are simply1 lucidly1 strongly set forth4 ,last of all1 we are told of the eternal and glorious victory of good over evil1 right over wrong1 light over darkness1 joy over sorrow1 hope over despair1 glory over shame1 life over death1 and everlasting1 long-suffering love over vindictive hate4 ,former editions of this book have brought many souls to the ,true ,shepherd2 it is the prayer of the publishers that this edition may be even more fruitful of eternal good4 ,,the ,,publishers4 ,,introduction4 ,illustration3 ,introduction ,before the entrance of sin1 ,adam enjoyed open communion with his ,maker2 but since man separated himself from ,god by transgression1 the human race has been cut off from this high privilege4 ,by the plan of redemption1 however1 a way has been opened whereby the inhabitants of the earth may still have connection with heaven4 ,god has communicated with men by ,his ,spirit1 and divine light has been imparted to the world by revelations to ,his chosen servants4 8,holy men of ,god spake as they were moved by the ,holy ,ghost40 #b ,peter #a3ba4 ,during the first twenty-five hundred years of human history1 there was no written revelation4 ,those who had been taught of ,god1 communicated their knowledge to others1 and it was handed down from father to son1 through successive generations4 ,the preparation of the written word began in the time of ,moses4 ,inspired revelations were then embodied in an inspired book4 ,this work continued during the long period of sixteen hundred years1--from ,moses1 the historian of creation and the law1 to ,john1 the recorder of the most sublime truths of the gospel4 ,the ,bible points to ,god as its author2 yet it was written by human hands2 and in the varied style of its different books it presents the characteristics of the several writers4 ,the truths revealed are all 8given by inspiration of ,god0 7#b ,tim4 #c3af72 yet they are expressed in the words of men4 ,the ,infinite ,one by ,his ,holy ,spirit has shed light into the minds and hearts of ,his servants4 ,he has given dreams and visions1 symbols and figures2 and those to whom the truth was thus revealed1 have themselves embodied the thought in human language4 ,the ten commandments were spoken by ,god ,himself1 and were written by ,his own hand4 ,they are of divine1 and not of human composition4 ,but the ,bible1 with its ,god-given truths expressed in the language of men1 presents a union of the divine and the human4 ,such a union existed in the nature of ,christ1 who was the ,son of ,god and the ,son of man4 ,thus it is true of the ,bible1 as it was of ,christ1 that 8the ,word was made flesh1 and dwelt among us40 ,john #a3ad4 ,written in different ages1 by men who differed widely in rank and occupation1 and in mental and spiritual endowments1 the books of the ,bible present a wide contrast in style1 as well as a diversity in the nature of the subjects unfolded4 ,different forms of expression are employed by different writers2 often the same truth is more strikingly presented by one than by another4 ,and as several writers present a subject under varied aspects and relations1 there may appear1 to the superficial1 careless1 or prejudiced reader1 to be discrepancy or contradiction1 where the thoughtful1 reverent student1 with clearer insight1 discerns the underlying harmony4 ,as presented through different individuals1 the truth is brought out in its varied aspects4 ,one writer is more strongly impressed with one phase of the subject2 he grasps those points that harmonize with his experience or with his power of perception and appreciation2 another seizes upon a different phase2 and each1 under the guidance of the ,holy ,spirit1 presents what is most forcibly impressed upon his own mind--a different aspect of the truth in each1 but a perfect harmony through all4 ,and the truths thus revealed unite to form a perfect whole1 adapted to meet the wants of men in all the circumstances and experiences of life4 ,god has been pleased to communicate ,his truth to the world by human agencies1 and ,he ,himself1 by ,his ,holy ,spirit1 qualified men and enabled them to do this work4 ,he guided the mind in the selection of what to speak and what to write4 ,the treasure was intrusted to earthen vessels1 yet it is1 none the less1 from ,heaven4 ,the testimony is conveyed through the imperfect expression of human language1 yet it is the testimony of ,god2 and the obedient1 believing child of ,god beholds in it the glory of a divine power1 full of grace and truth4 ,in ,his word1 ,god has committed to men the knowledge necessary for salvation4 ,the ,holy ,scriptures are to be accepted as an authoritative1 infallible revelation of ,his will4 ,they are the standard of character1 the revealer of doctrines1 and the test of experience4 8,every scripture inspired of ,god is also profitable for teaching1 for reproof1 for correction1 for instruction which is in righteousness2 that the man of ,god may be complete1 furnished completely unto every good work40 #b ,tim4 #c3af1 #ag1 ,revised ,version4 ,yet the fact that ,god has revealed ,his will to men through ,his word1 has not rendered needless the continued presence and guiding of the ,holy ,spirit4 ,on the contrary1 the ,spirit was promised by our ,saviour1 to open the ,word to ,his servants1 to illuminate and apply its teachings4 ,and since it was the ,spirit of ,god that inspired the ,bible1 it is impossible that the teaching of the ,spirit should ever be contrary to that of the ,word4 ,the ,spirit was not given--nor can it ever be bestowed--to supersede the ,bible2 for the ,scriptures explicitly state that the word of ,god is the standard by which all teaching and experience must be tested4 ,says the apostle ,john1 8,believe not every spirit1 but try the spirits whether they are of ,god3 because many false prophets are gone out into the world40 #a ,john #d3a4 ,and ,isaiah declares1 8,to the law and to the testimony3 if they speak not according to this word1 it is because there is no light in them40 ,isa4 #h3bj4 ,great reproach has been cast upon the work of the ,holy ,spirit by the errors of a class that1 claiming its enlightenment1 profess to have no further need of guidance from the word of ,god4 ,they are governed by impressions which they regard as the voice of ,god in the soul4 ,but the spirit that controls them is not the ,spirit of ,god4 ,this following of impressions1 to the neglect of the ,scriptures1 can lead only to confusion1 to deception and ruin4 ,it serves only to further the designs of the evil one4 ,since the ministry of the ,holy ,spirit is of vital importance to the church of ,christ1 it is one of the devices of ,satan1 through the errors of extremists and fanatics1 to cast contempt upon the work of the ,spirit1 and cause the people of ,god to neglect this source of strength which our ,lord ,himself has provided4 ,in harmony with the word of ,god1 ,his ,spirit was to continue its work throughout the period of the gospel dispensation4 ,during the ages while the ,scriptures of both the ,old and the ,new ,testament were being given1 the ,holy ,spirit did not cease to communicate light to individual minds1 apart from the revelations to be embodied in the ,sacred ,canon4 ,the ,bible itself relates how1 through the ,holy ,spirit1 men received warning1 reproof1 counsel1 and instruction1 in matters in no way relating to the giving of the ,scriptures4 ,and mention is made of prophets in different ages1 of whose utterances nothing is recorded4 ,in like manner1 after the close of the canon of ,scripture1 the ,holy ,spirit was still to continue its work1 to enlighten1 warn1 and comfort the children of ,god4 ,jesus promised ,his disciples1 8,the ,comforter1 which is the ,holy ,ghost1 whom the ,father will send in ,my name1 ,he shall teach you all things1 and bring all things to your remembrance1 whatsoever ,i have said unto you40 8,when ,he1 the ,spirit of truth1 is come1 ,he will guide you into all truth3 444 and ,he will show you things to come40 ,john #ad3bf2 #af3ac4 ,scripture plainly teaches that these promises1 so far from being limited to apostolic days1 extend to the church of ,christ in all ages4 ,the ,saviour assures ,his followers1 8,i am with you alway1 even unto the end of the world40 ,matt4 #bh3bj4 ,and ,paul declares that the gifts and manifestations of the ,spirit were set in the church 8for the perfecting of the saints1 for the work of the ministry1 for the edifying of the body of ,christ3 till we all come in the unity of the faith1 and of the knowledge of the ,son of ,god1 unto a perfect man1 unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of ,christ40 ,eph4 #d3ab1 #ac4 ,for the believers at ,ephesus the apostle prayed1 8,that the ,god of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 the ,father of glory1 may give unto you the ,spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of ,him3 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened2 that ye may know what is the hope of ,his calling1 and 444 what is the exceeding greatness of ,his power to us-ward who believe40 ,eph4 #a3ag-ai4 ,the ministry of the divine ,spirit in enlightening the understanding and opening to the mind the deep things of ,god's holy word1 was the blessing which ,paul thus besought for the ,ephesian church4 ,after the wonderful manifestation of the ,holy ,spirit on the day of ,pentecost1 ,peter exhorted the people to repentance and baptism in the name of ,christ1 for the remission of their sins2 and he said3 8,ye shall receive the gift of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,for the promise is unto you1 and to your children1 and to all that are afar off1 even as many as the ,lord our ,god shall call40 ,acts #b3ch1 #ci4 ,in immediate connection with the scenes of the great day of ,god1 the ,lord by the prophet ,joel has promised a special manifestation of ,his ,spirit4 ,joel #b3bh4 ,this prophecy received a partial fulfilment in the outpouring of the ,spirit on the day of ,pentecost2 but it will reach its full accomplishment in the manifestation of divine grace which will attend the closing work of the gospel4 ,the great controversy between good and evil will increase in intensity to the very close of time4 ,in all ages the wrath of ,satan has been manifested against the church of ,christ2 and ,god has bestowed ,his grace and ,spirit upon ,his people to strengthen them to stand against the power of the evil one4 ,when the apostles of ,christ were to bear ,his gospel to the world and to record it for all future ages1 they were especially endowed with the enlightenment of the ,spirit4 ,but as the church approaches her final deliverance1 ,satan is to work with greater power4 ,he comes down 8having great wrath1 because he knoweth that he hath but a short time40 ,rev4 #ab3ab4 ,he will work 8with all power and signs and lying wonders40 #b ,thess4 #b3i4 ,for six thousand years that master-mind that once was highest among the angels of ,god1 has been wholly bent to the work of deception and ruin4 ,and all the depths of satanic skill and subtlety acquired1 all the cruelty developed1 during these struggles of the ages1 will be brought to bear against ,god's people in the final conflict4 ,and in this time of peril the followers of ,christ are to bear to the world the warning of the ,lord's second advent2 and a people are to be prepared to stand before ,him at ,his coming1 8without spot1 and blameless40 #b ,peter #c3ad4 ,at this time the special endowment of divine grace and power is not less needful to the church than in apostolic days4 ,through the illumination of the ,holy ,spirit1 the scenes of the long-continued conflict between good and evil have been opened to the writer of these pages4 ,from time to time ,i have been permitted to behold the working1 in different ages1 of the great controversy between ,christ1 the ,prince of life1 the ,author of our salvation1 and ,satan1 the prince of evil1 the author of sin1 the first transgressor of ,god's holy law4 ,satan's enmity against ,christ has been manifested against ,his followers4 ,the same hatred of the principles of ,god's law1 the same policy of deception1 by which error is made to appear as truth1 by which human laws are substituted for the law of ,god1 and men are led to worship the creature rather than the ,creator1 may be traced in all the history of the past4 ,satan's efforts to misrepresent the character of ,god1 to cause men to cherish a false conception of the ,creator1 and thus to regard ,him with fear and hate rather than with love2 his endeavors to set aside the divine law1 leading the people to think themselves free from its requirements2 and his persecution of those who dare to resist his deceptions1 have been steadfastly pursued in all ages4 ,they may be traced in the history of patriarchs1 prophets1 and apostles1 of martyrs and reformers4 ,in the great final conflict1 ,satan will employ the same policy1 manifest the same spirit1 and work for the same end1 as in all preceding ages4 ,that which has been1 will be1 except that the coming struggle will be marked with a terrible intensity such as the world has never witnessed4 ,satan's deceptions will be more subtle1 his assaults more determined4 ,if it were possible1 he would lead astray the elect4 ,mark #ac3bb1 ,revised ,version4 ,as the ,spirit of ,god has opened to my mind the great truths of ,his word1 and the scenes of the past and the future1 ,i have been bidden to make known to others that which has thus been revealed1--to trace the history of the controversy in past ages1 and especially so to present it as to shed a light on the fast-approaching struggle of the future4 ,in pursuance of this purpose1 ,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 world1 that have excited the wrath of ,satan1 and the enmity of a world-loving church1 and that have been maintained by the witness of those who 8loved not their lives unto the death40 ,in these records we may see a foreshadowing of the conflict before us4 ,regarding them in the light of ,god's word1 and by the illumination of ,his ,spirit1 we may see unveiled the devices of the wicked one1 and the dangers which they must shun who would be found 8without fault0 before the ,lord at ,his coming4 ,the great events which have marked the progress of reform in past ages1 are matters of history1 well known and universally acknowledged by the ,protestant world2 they are facts which none can gainsay4 ,this history ,i have presented briefly1 in accordance with the scope of the book1 and the brevity which must necessarily be observed1 the facts having been condensed into as little space as seemed consistent with a proper understanding of their application4 ,in some cases where a historian has so grouped together events as to afford1 in brief1 a comprehensive view of the subject1 or has summarized details in a convenient manner1 his words have been quoted2 but in some instances no specific credit has been given1 since the quotations are not given for the purpose of citing that writer as authority1 but because his statement affords a ready and forcible presentation of the subject4 ,in narrating the experience and views of those carrying forward the work of reform in our own time1 similar use has been made of their published works4 ,it is not so much the object of this book to present new truths concerning the struggles of former times1 as to bring out facts and principles which have a bearing on coming events4 ,yet viewed as a part of the controversy between the forces of light and darkness1 all these records of the past are seen to have a new significance2 and through them a light is cast upon the future1 illumining the pathway of those who1 like the reformers of past ages1 will be called1 even at the peril of all earthly good1 to witness 8for the word of ,god1 and for the testimony of ,jesus ,christ40 ,to unfold the scenes of the great controversy between truth and error2 to reveal the wiles of ,satan1 and the means by which he may be successfully resisted2 to present a satisfactory solution of the great problem of evil1 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 creatures2 and to show the holy1 unchanging nature of ,his law1 is the object of this book4 ,that through its influence souls may be delivered from the power of darkness1 and become 8partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light10 to the praise of ,him who loved us1 and gave ,himself for us1 is the earnest prayer of the writer4 ,e4 ,g4 ,w4 ,illustration3 ,jerusalem ,from ,the ,mount ,of ,olives4 ,jerusalem ,from ,the ,mount ,of ,olives4 #a4 ,,the ,,destruction ,,of ,,jerusalem4 ,illustration3 ,the ,destruction ,of ,jerusalem 8,if thou hadst known1 even thou1 at least in this thy day1 the things which belong unto thy peace6 but now they are hid from thine eyes4 ,for the days shall come upon thee1 that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee1 and compass thee round1 and keep thee in on every side1 and shall lay thee even with the ground1 and thy children within thee2 and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another2 because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation407#a7 ,from the crest of ,olivet1 ,jesus looked upon ,jerusalem4 ,fair and peaceful was the scene spread out before ,him4 ,it was the season of the ,passover1 and from all lands the children of ,jacob had gathered there to celebrate the great national festival4 ,in the midst of gardens and vineyards1 and green slopes studded with pilgrims' tents1 rose the terraced hills1 the stately palaces1 and massive bulwarks of ,israel's capital4 ,the daughter of ,zion seemed in her pride to say1 8,i sit a queen1 and shall see no sorrow20 as lovely then1 and deeming herself as secure in ,heaven's favor1 as when1 ages before1 the royal minstrel sung1 8,beautiful for situation1 the joy of the whole earth1 is ,mount ,zion1 444 the city of the great ,king407#b7 ,in full view were the magnificent buildings of the temple4 ,the rays of the setting sun lighted up the snowy whiteness of its marble walls1 and gleamed from golden gate and tower and pinnacle4 8,the perfection of beauty0 it stood1 the pride of the ,jewish nation4 ,what child of ,israel could gaze upon the scene without a thrill of joy and admiration6 ,but far other thoughts occupied the mind of ,jesus4 8,when ,he was come near1 ,he beheld the city1 and wept over it407#c7 ,amid the universal rejoicing of the triumphal entry1 while palm branches waved1 while glad hosannas awoke the echoes of the hills1 and thousands of voices declared ,him king1 the world's ,redeemer was overwhelmed with a sudden and mysterious sorrow4 ,he1 the ,son of ,god1 the ,promised ,one of ,israel1 whose power had conquered death1 and called its captives from the grave1 was in tears1 not of ordinary grief1 but of intense1 irrepressible agony4 ,his tears were not for ,himself1 though ,he well knew whither ,his feet were tending4 ,before ,him lay ,gethsemane1 the scene of ,his approaching agony4 ,the sheep gate also was in sight1 through which for centuries the victims for sacrifice had been led1 and which was to open for ,him when ,he should be 8brought as a lamb to the slaughter407#d7 ,not far distant was ,calvary1 the place of crucifixion4 ,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 sin4 ,yet it was not the contemplation of these scenes that cast the shadow upon ,him in this hour of gladness4 ,no foreboding of ,his own superhuman anguish clouded that unselfish spirit4 ,he wept for the doomed thousands of ,jerusalem--because of the blindness and impenitence of those whom ,he came to bless and to save4 ,the history of more than a thousand years of ,god's special favor and guardian care1 manifested to the chosen people1 was open to the eye of ,jesus4 ,there was ,mount ,moriah1 where the son of promise1 an unresisting victim1 had been bound to the altar1--emblem of the offering of the ,son of ,god47#e7 ,there1 the covenant of blessing1 the glorious ,messianic promise1 had been confirmed to the father of the faithful4 ,there1 the flames of the sacrifice ascending to heaven from the threshing-floor of ,ornan had turned aside the sword of the destroying angel7#f7--;fitting symbol of the ,saviour's sacrifice and mediation for guilty men4 ,jerusalem had been honored of ,god above all the earth4 ,the ,lord had 8chosen ,zion10 ,he had 8desired it for ,his habitation407#g7 ,there1 for ages1 holy prophets had uttered their messages of warning4 ,there1 priests had waved their censers1 and the cloud of incense1 with the prayers of the worshipers1 had ascended before ,god4 ,there1 daily the blood of slain lambs had been offered1 pointing forward to the ,lamb of ,god4 ,there1 ,jehovah had revealed ,his presence in the cloud of glory above the mercy-seat4 ,there1 rested the base of that mystic ladder connecting earth with heaven17#h7--that ladder upon which angels of ,god descended and ascended1 and which opened to the world the way into the holiest of all4 ,had ,israel as a nation preserved her allegiance to ,heaven1 ,jerusalem would have stood forever1 the elect of ,god47#i7 ,but the history of that favored people was a record of backsliding and rebellion4 ,they had resisted ,heaven's grace1 abused their privileges1 and slighted their opportunities4 ,although ,israel had 8mocked the messengers of ,god1 and despised ,his words1 and misused ,his prophets107#aj7 ,he had still manifested ,himself to them1 as 8the ,lord ,god1 merciful and gracious1 long-suffering1 and abundant in goodness and truth207#aa7 notwithstanding repeated rejections1 ,his mercy had continued its pleadings4 ,with more than a father's pitying love for the son of his care1 ,god had 8sent to them by ,his messengers1 rising up betimes1 and sending2 because ,he had compassion on ,his people1 and on ,his dwelling-place407#ab7 ,when remonstrance1 entreaty1 and rebuke had failed1 ,he sent to them the best gift of heaven2 nay1 ,he poured out all heaven in that one ,gift4 ,the ,son of ,god ,himself was sent to plead with the impenitent city4 ,it was ,christ that had brought ,israel as a goodly vine out of ,egypt47#ac7 ,his own hand had cast out the heathen before it4 ,he had planted it 8in a very fruitful hill407#ad7 ,his guardian care had hedged it about4 ,his servants had been sent to nurture it4 8,what could have been done more to ,my vineyard10 ,he exclaims1 8that ,i have not done in it807#ae7 ,though when ,he 8looked that it should bring forth grapes1 it brought forth wild grapes107#af7 yet with a still yearning hope of fruitfulness ,he came in person to ,his vineyard1 if haply it might be saved from destruction4 ,he digged about ,his vine2 ,he pruned and cherished it4 ,he was unwearied in ,his efforts to save this vine of ,his own planting4 ,for three years the ,lord of light and glory had gone in and out among ,his people4 ,he 8went about doing good1 and healing all that were oppressed of the devil107#ag7 binding up the broken-hearted1 setting at liberty them that were bound1 restoring sight to the blind1 causing the lame to walk and the deaf to hear1 cleansing the lepers1 raising the dead1 and preaching the gospel to the poor4 ,to all classes alike was addressed the gracious call1 8,come unto ,me1 all ye that labor and are heavy laden1 and ,i will give you rest407#ah7 ,though rewarded with evil for good1 and hatred for ,his love17#ai7 ,he had steadfastly pursued ,his mission of mercy4 ,never were those repelled that sought ,his grace4 ,a homeless wanderer1 reproach and penury ,his daily lot1 ,he lived to minister to the needs and lighten the woes of men1 to plead with them to accept the gift of life4 ,the waves of mercy1 beaten back by those stubborn hearts1 returned in a stronger tide of pitying1 inexpressible love4 ,but ,israel had turned from her best ,friend and only ,helper4 ,the pleadings of ,his love had been despised1 ,his counsels spurned1 ,his warnings ridiculed4 ,the hour of hope and pardon was fast passing2 the cup of ,god's long-deferred wrath was almost full4 ,the cloud that had been gathering through ages of apostasy and rebellion1 now black with woe1 was about to burst upon a guilty people2 and ,he who alone could save them from their impending fate had been slighted1 abused1 rejected1 and was soon to be crucified4 ,when ,christ should hang upon the cross of ,calvary1 ,israel's day as a nation favored and blessed of ,god would be ended4 ,the loss of even one soul is a calamity infinitely outweighing the gains and treasures of a world2 but as ,christ looked upon ,jerusalem1 the doom of a whole city1 a whole nation1 was before ,him1--that city1 that nation1 which had once been the chosen of ,god1 ,his peculiar treasure4 ,prophets had wept over the apostasy of ,israel1 and the terrible desolations by which their sins were visited4 ,jeremiah wished that his eyes were a fountain of tears1 that he might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of his people1 for the ,lord's flock that was carried away captive47#bj7 ,what1 then1 was the grief of ,him whose prophetic glance took in1 not years1 but ages6 ,he beheld the destroying angel with sword uplifted against the city which had so long been ,jehovah's dwelling-place4 ,from the ridge of ,olivet1 the very spot afterward occupied by ,titus and his army1 ,he looked across the valley upon the sacred courts and porticoes1 and with tear-dimmed eyes ,he saw1 in awful perspective1 the walls surrounded by alien hosts4 ,he heard the tread of armies marshaling for war4 ,he heard the voice of mothers and children crying for bread in the besieged city4 ,he saw her holy and beautiful house1 her palaces and towers1 given to the flames1 and where once they stood1 only a heap of smouldering ruins4 ,looking down the ages1 ,he saw the covenant people scattered in every land1 8like wrecks on a desert shore40 ,in the temporal retribution about to fall upon her children1 ,he saw but the first draught from that cup of wrath which at the final judgment she must drain to its dregs4 ,divine pity1 yearning love1 found utterance in the mournful words3 8 #8,o ,jerusalem1 ,jerusalem1 thou that killest the prophets1 and stonest them which are sent unto thee1 how often would ,i have gathered thy children together1 even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings1 and ye would not6'7#ba7 ,o that thou1 a nation favored above every other1 hadst known the time of thy visitation1 and the things that belong unto thy peace6 ,i have stayed the angel of justice1 ,i have called thee to repentance1 but in vain4 ,it is not merely servants1 delegates1 and prophets1 whom thou hast refused and rejected1 but the ,holy ,one of ,israel1 thy ,redeemer4 ,if thou art destroyed1 thou alone art responsible4 #8,ye will not come to ,me1 that ye might have life4' 07#bb7 ,christ saw in ,jerusalem a symbol of the world hardened in unbelief and rebellion1 and hastening on to meet the retributive judgments of ,god4 ,the woes of a fallen race1 pressing upon ,his soul1 forced from ,his lips that exceeding bitter cry4 ,he saw the record of sin traced in human misery1 tears1 and blood2 ,his heart was moved with infinite pity for the afflicted and suffering ones of earth2 ,he yearned to relieve them all4 ,but even ,his hand might not turn back the tide of human woe2 few would seek their only ,source of help4 ,he was willing to pour out ,his soul unto death1 to bring salvation within their reach2 but few would come to ,him that they might have life4 ,the ,majesty of heaven in tears6 the ,son of the infinite ,god troubled in spirit1 bowed down with anguish6 ,the scene filled all heaven with wonder4 ,that scene reveals to us the exceeding sinfulness of sin2 it shows how hard a task it is1 even for infinite power1 to save the guilty from the consequences of transgressing the law of ,god4 ,jesus1 looking down to the last generation1 saw the world involved in a deception similar to that which caused the destruction of ,jerusalem4 ,the great sin of the ,jews was their rejection of ,christ2 the great sin of the ,christian world would be their rejection of the law of ,god1 the foundation of ,his government in heaven and earth4 ,the precepts of ,jehovah would be despised and set at naught4 ,millions in bondage to sin1 slaves of ,satan1 doomed to suffer the second death1 would refuse to listen to the words of truth in their day of visitation4 ,terrible blindness6 strange infatuation6 ,two days before the ,passover1 when ,christ had for the last time departed from the temple1 after denouncing the hypocrisy of the ,jewish rulers1 ,he again went out with ,his disciples to the ,mount of ,olives1 and seated ,himself with them upon the grassy slope overlooking the city4 ,once more ,he gazed upon its walls1 its towers1 and its palaces4 ,once more ,he beheld the temple in its dazzling splendor1 a diadem of beauty crowning the sacred mount4 ,a thousand years before1 the psalmist had magnified ,god's favor to ,israel in making her holy house ,his dwelling-place3 8,in ,salem also is ,his tabernacle1 and ,his dwelling-place in ,zion407#bc7 ,he 8chose the tribe of ,judah1 the ,mount ,zion which ,he loved4 ,and ,he built ,his sanctuary like high palaces407#bd7 ,the first temple had been erected during the most prosperous period of ,israel's history4 ,vast stores of treasure for this purpose had been collected by ,king ,david1 and the plans for its construction were made by divine inspiration47#be7 ,solomon1 the wisest of ,israel's monarchs1 had completed the work4 ,this temple was the most magnificent building which the world ever saw4 ,yet the ,lord had declared by the prophet ,haggai1 concerning the second temple1 8,the glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former40 8,i will shake all nations1 and the ,desire of all nations shall come3 and ,i will fill this house with glory1 saith the ,lord of hosts407#bf7 ,after the destruction of the temple by ,nebuchadnezzar1 it was rebuilt about five hundred years before the birth of ,christ1 by a people who from a life-long captivity had returned to a wasted and almost deserted country4 ,there were then among them aged men who had seen the glory of ,solomon's temple1 and who wept at the foundation of the new building1 that it must be so inferior to the former4 ,the feeling that prevailed is forcibly described by the prophet3 8,who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory8 and how do ye see it now8 is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing807#bg7 ,then was given the promise that the glory of this latter house should be greater than that of the former4 ,but the second temple had not equaled the first in magnificence2 nor was it hallowed by those visible tokens of the divine presence which pertained to the first temple4 ,there was no manifestation of supernatural power to mark its dedication4 ,no cloud of glory was seen to fill the newly erected sanctuary4 ,no fire from heaven descended to consume the sacrifice upon its altar4 ,the shekinah no longer abode between the cherubim in the most holy place2 the ark1 the mercy-seat1 and the tables of the testimony were not to be found therein4 ,no voice sounded from heaven to make known to the inquiring priest the will of ,jehovah4 ,for centuries the ,jews had vainly endeavored to show wherein the promise of ,god given by ,haggai1 had been fulfilled2 yet pride and unbelief blinded their minds to the true meaning of the prophet's words4 ,the second temple was not honored with the cloud of ,jehovah's glory1 but with the living presence of ,one in whom dwelt the fulness of the ,godhead bodily--who was ,god ,himself manifest in the flesh4 ,the 8,desire of all nations0 had indeed come to ,his temple when the ,man of ,nazareth taught and healed in the sacred courts4 ,in the presence of ,christ1 and in this only1 did the second temple exceed the first in glory4 ,but ,israel had put from her the proffered ,gift of heaven4 ,with the humble ,teacher who had that day passed out from its golden gate1 the glory had forever departed from the temple4 ,already were the ,saviour's words fulfilled1 8,your house is left unto you desolate407#bh7 ,the disciples had been filled with awe and wonder at ,christ's prediction of the overthrow of the temple1 and they desired to understand more fully the meaning of ,his words4 ,wealth1 labor1 and architectural skill had for more than forty years been freely expended to enhance its splendors4 ,herod the ,great had lavished upon it both ,roman wealth and ,jewish treasure1 and even the emperor of the world had enriched it with his gifts4 ,massive blocks of white marble1 of almost fabulous size1 forwarded from ,rome for this purpose1 formed a part of its structure2 and to these the disciples had called the attention of their ,master1 saying1 8,see what manner of stones and what buildings are here607#bi7 ,to these words1 ,jesus made the solemn and startling reply1 8,verily ,i say unto you1 ,there shall not be left here one stone upon another1 that shall not be thrown down407#cj7 ,with the overthrow of ,jerusalem the disciples associated the events of ,christ's personal coming in temporal glory to take the throne of universal empire1 to punish the impenitent ,jews1 and to break from off the nation the ,roman yoke4 ,the ,lord had told them that ,he would come the second time4 ,hence at the mention of judgments upon ,jerusalem1 their minds reverted to that coming2 and as they were gathered about the ,saviour upon the ,mount of ,olives1 they asked1 8,when shall these things be8 and what shall be the sign of ,thy coming1 and of the end of the world807#ca7 ,the future was mercifully veiled from the disciples4 ,had they at that time fully comprehended the two awful facts1--the ,redeemer's sufferings and death1 and the destruction of their city and temple1--they would have been overwhelmed with horror4 ,christ presented before them an outline of the prominent events to take place before the close of time4 ,his words were not then fully understood2 but their meaning was to be unfolded as ,his people should need the instruction therein given4 ,the prophecy which ,he uttered was twofold in its meaning3 while foreshadowing the destruction of ,jerusalem1 it prefigured also the terrors of the last great day4 ,jesus declared to the listening disciples the judgments that were to fall upon apostate ,israel1 and especially the retributive vengeance that would come upon them for their rejection and crucifixion of the ,messiah4 ,unmistakable signs would precede the awful climax4 ,the dreaded hour would come suddenly and swiftly4 ,and the ,saviour warned ,his followers3 8,when ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation1 spoken of by ,daniel the prophet1 stand in the holy place1 7whoso readeth1 let him understand37 then let them which be in ,judea flee into the mountains407#cb7 ,when the idolatrous standards of the ,romans should be set up in the holy ground1 which extended some furlongs outside the city walls1 then the followers of ,christ were to find safety in flight4 ,when the warning sign should be seen1 those who would escape must make no delay4 ,throughout the land of ,judea1 as well as in ,jerusalem itself1 the signal for flight must be immediately obeyed4 ,he who chanced to be upon the housetop must not go down into his house1 even to save his most valued treasures4 ,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 day4 ,they must not hesitate a moment1 lest they be involved in the general destruction4 ,in the reign of ,herod1 ,jerusalem had not only been greatly beautified1 but by the erection of towers1 walls1 and fortresses1 adding to the natural strength of its situation1 it had been rendered apparently impregnable4 ,he who would at this time have foretold publicly its destruction1 would1 like ,noah in his day1 have been called a crazed alarmist4 ,but ,christ had said1 8,heaven and earth shall pass away1 but ,my words shall not pass away407#cc7 ,because of her sins1 wrath had been denounced against ,jerusalem1 and her stubborn unbelief rendered her doom certain4 ,the ,lord had declared by the prophet ,micah3 8,hear this1 ,i pray you1 ye heads of the house of ,jacob1 and princes of the house of ,israel1 that abhor judgment1 and pervert all equity4 ,they build up ,zion with blood1 and ,jerusalem with iniquity4 ,the heads thereof judge for reward1 and the priests thereof teach for hire1 and the prophets thereof divine for money3 yet will they lean upon the ,lord1 and say1 ,is not the ,lord among us8 none evil can come upon us407#cd7 ,these words faithfully described the corrupt and self-righteous inhabitants of ,jerusalem4 ,while claiming to observe rigidly the precepts of ,god's law1 they were transgressing all its principles4 ,they hated ,christ because ,his purity and holiness revealed their iniquity2 and they accused ,him of being the cause of all the troubles which had come upon them in consequence of their sins4 ,though they knew ,him to be sinless1 they had declared that ,his death was necessary to their safety as a nation4 8,if we let ,him thus alone10 said the ,jewish leaders1 8all men will believe on ,him3 and the ,romans shall come and take away both our place and nation407#ce7 ,if ,christ were sacrificed1 they might once more become a strong1 united people4 ,thus they reasoned1 and they concurred in the decision of their high priest1 that it would be better for one man to die than for the whole nation to perish4 ,thus the ,jewish leaders had 8built up ,zion with blood1 and ,jerusalem with iniquity40 ,and yet1 while they slew their ,saviour because ,he reproved their sins1 such was their self-righteousness that they regarded themselves as ,god's favored people1 and expected the ,lord to deliver them from their enemies4 8,therefore10 continued the prophet1 8shall ,zion for your sake be plowed as a field1 and ,jerusalem shall become heaps1 and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest407#cf7 ,for nearly forty years after the doom of ,jerusalem had been pronounced by ,christ ,himself1 the ,lord delayed ,his judgments upon the city and the nation4 ,wonderful was the long-suffering of ,god toward the rejecters of ,his gospel and the murderers of ,his ,son4 ,the parable of the unfruitful tree represented ,god's dealings with the ,jewish nation4 ,the command had gone forth1 8,cut it down2 why cumbereth it the ground807#cg7 but divine mercy had spared it yet a little longer4 ,there were still many among the ,jews who were ignorant of the character and the work of ,christ4 ,and the children had not enjoyed the opportunities or received the light which their parents had spurned4 ,through the preaching of the apostles and their associates1 ,god would cause light to shine upon them2 they would be permitted to see how prophecy had been fulfilled1 not only in the birth and life of ,christ1 but in ,his death and resurrection4 ,the children were not condemned for the sins of the parents2 but when1 with a knowledge of all the light given to their parents1 the children rejected the additional light granted to themselves1 they became partakers of the parents' sins1 and filled up the measure of their iniquity4 ,the long-suffering of ,god toward ,jerusalem only confirmed the ,jews in their stubborn impenitence4 ,in their hatred and cruelty toward the disciples of ,jesus1 they rejected the last offer of mercy4 ,then ,god withdrew ,his protection from them1 and removed ,his restraining power from ,satan and his angels1 and the nation was left to the control of the leader she had chosen4 ,her children had spurned the grace of ,christ1 which would have enabled them to subdue their evil impulses1 and now these became the conquerors4 ,satan aroused the fiercest and most debased passions of the soul4 ,men did not reason2 they were beyond reason1--controlled by impulse and blind rage4 ,they became satanic in their cruelty4 ,in the family and in the nation1 among the highest and the lowest classes alike1 there was suspicion1 envy1 hatred1 strife1 rebellion1 murder4 ,there was no safety anywhere4 ,friends and kindred betrayed one another4 ,parents slew their children and children their parents4 ,the rulers of the people had no power to rule themselves4 ,uncontrolled passions made them tyrants4 ,the ,jews had accepted false testimony to condemn the innocent ,son of ,god4 ,now false accusations made their own lives uncertain4 ,by their actions they had long been saying1 8,cause the ,holy ,one of ,israel to cease from before us407#ch7 ,now their desire was granted4 ,the fear of ,god no longer disturbed them4 ,satan was at the head of the nation1 and the highest civil and religious authorities were under his sway4 ,the leaders of the opposing factions at times united to plunder and torture their wretched victims1 and again they fell upon each other's forces1 and slaughtered without mercy4 ,even the sanctity of the temple could not restrain their horrible ferocity4 ,the worshipers were stricken down before the altar1 and the sanctuary was polluted with the bodies of the slain4 ,yet in their blind and blasphemous presumption the instigators of this hellish work publicly declared that they had no fear that ,jerusalem would be destroyed1 for it was ,god's own city4 ,to establish their power more firmly1 they bribed false prophets to proclaim1 even while ,roman legions were besieging the temple1 that the people were to wait for deliverance from ,god4 ,to the last1 multitudes held fast to the belief that the ,most ,high would interpose for the defeat of their adversaries4 ,but ,israel had spurned the divine protection1 and now she had no defense4 ,unhappy ,jerusalem6 rent by internal dissensions1 the blood of her children slain by one another's hands crimsoning her streets1 while alien armies beat down her fortifications and slew her men of war6 ,all the predictions given by ,christ concerning the destruction of ,jerusalem were fulfilled to the letter4 ,the ,jews experienced the truth of ,his words of warning1 8,with what measure ye mete1 it shall be measured to you again407#ci7 ,signs and wonders appeared1 foreboding disaster and doom4 ,in the midst of the night an unnatural light shone over the temple and the altar4 ,upon the clouds at sunset were pictured chariots and men of war gathering for battle4 ,the priests ministering by night in the sanctuary were terrified by mysterious sounds2 the earth trembled1 and a multitude of voices were heard crying1 8,let us depart hence40 ,the great eastern gate1 which was so heavy that it could hardly be shut by a score of men1 and which was secured by immense bars of iron fastened deep in the pavement of solid stone1 opened at midnight1 without visible agency47#dj7 ,for seven years a man continued to go up and down the streets of ,jerusalem1 declaring the woes that were to come upon the city4 ,by day and by night he chanted the wild dirge1 8,a voice from the east6 a voice from the west6 a voice from the four winds6 a voice against ,jerusalem and against the temple6 a voice against the bridegrooms and the brides6 a voice against the whole people60 ,this strange being was imprisoned and scourged1 but no complaint escaped his lips4 ,to insult and abuse he answered only1 8,woe1 woe to ,jerusalem60 8woe1 woe to the inhabitants thereof60 ,his warning cry ceased not until he was slain in the siege he had foretold4 ,not one ,christian perished in the destruction of ,jerusalem4 ,christ had given ,his disciples warning1 and all who believed ,his words watched for the promised sign4 8,when ye shall see ,jerusalem compassed with armies10 said ,jesus1 8then know that the desolation thereof is nigh4 ,then let them which are in ,judea flee to the mountains2 and let them which are in the midst of it depart out407#da7 ,after the ,romans under ,cestius had surrounded the city1 they unexpectedly abandoned the siege when everything seemed favorable for an immediate attack4 ,the besieged1 despairing of successful resistance1 were on the point of surrender1 when the ,roman general withdrew his forces without the least apparent reason4 ,but ,god's merciful providence was directing events for the good of ,his own people4 ,the promised sign had been given to the waiting ,christians1 and now an opportunity was afforded for all who would1 to obey the ,saviour's warning4 ,events were so overruled that neither ,jews nor ,romans should hinder the flight of the ,christians4 ,upon the retreat of ,cestius1 the ,jews1 sallying from ,jerusalem1 pursued after his retiring army2 and while both forces were thus fully engaged1 the ,christians had an opportunity to leave the city4 ,at this time the country also had been cleared of enemies who might have endeavored to intercept them4 ,at the time of the siege1 the ,jews were assembled at ,jerusalem to keep the ,feast of ,tabernacles1 and thus the ,christians throughout the land were able to make their escape unmolested4 ,without delay they fled to a place of safety1--the city of ,pella1 in the land of ,perea1 beyond ,jordan4 ,the ,jewish forces1 pursuing after ,cestius and his army1 fell upon their rear with such fierceness as to threaten them with total destruction4 ,it was with great difficulty that the ,romans succeeded in making their retreat4 ,the ,jews escaped almost without loss1 and with their spoils returned in triumph to ,jerusalem4 ,yet this apparent success brought them only evil4 ,it inspired them with that spirit of stubborn resistance to the ,romans which speedily brought unutterable woe upon the doomed city4 ,terrible were the calamities that fell upon ,jerusalem when the siege was resumed by ,titus4 ,the city was invested at the time of the ,passover1 when millions of ,jews were assembled within its walls4 ,their stores of provision1 which if carefully preserved would have supplied the inhabitants for years1 had previously been destroyed through the jealousy and revenge of the contending factions1 and now all the horrors of starvation were experienced4 ,a measure of wheat was sold for a talent4 ,so fierce were the pangs of hunger that men would gnaw the leather of their belts and sandals and the covering of their shields4 ,great numbers of the people would steal out at night to gather wild plants growing outside the city walls1 though many were seized and put to death with cruel torture1 and often those who returned in safety were robbed of what they had gleaned at so great peril4 ,the most inhuman tortures were inflicted by those in power1 to force from the want-stricken people the last scanty supplies which they might have concealed4 ,and these cruelties were not infrequently practised by men who were themselves well fed1 and who were merely desirous of laying up a store of provision for the future4 ,thousands perished from famine and pestilence4 ,natural affection seemed to have been destroyed4 ,husbands robbed their wives1 and wives their husbands4 ,children would be seen snatching the food from the mouths of their aged parents4 ,the question of the prophet1 8,can a woman forget her sucking child807#db7 received the answer within the walls of that doomed city1 8,the hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children3 they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people407#dc7 ,again was fulfilled the warning prophecy given fourteen centuries before3 8,the tender and delicate woman among you1 which would not adventure to set the sole of her foot upon the ground for delicateness and tenderness1 her eye shall be evil toward the husband of her bosom1 and toward her son1 and toward her daughter1 444 and toward her children which she shall bear3 for she shall eat them for want of all things secretly in the siege and straitness1 wherewith thine enemy shall distress thee in thy gates407#dd7 ,the ,roman leaders endeavored to strike terror to the ,jews1 and thus cause them to surrender4 ,those prisoners who resisted when taken1 were scourged1 tortured1 and crucified before the wall of the city4 ,hundreds were daily put to death in this manner1 and the dreadful work continued until1 along the valley of ,jehoshaphat and at ,calvary1 crosses were erected in so great numbers that there was scarcely room to move among them4 ,so terribly was visited that awful imprecation uttered before the judgment-seat of ,pilate3 8,his blood be on us1 and on our children407#de7 ,titus would willingly have put an end to the fearful scene1 and thus have spared ,jerusalem the full measure of her doom4 ,he was filled with horror as he saw the bodies of the dead lying in heaps in the valleys4 ,like one entranced1 he looked from the crest of ,olivet upon the magnificent temple1 and gave command that not one stone of it be touched4 ,before attempting to gain possession of this stronghold1 he made an earnest appeal to the ,jewish leaders not to force him to defile the sacred place with blood4 ,if they would come forth and fight in any other place1 no ,roman should violate the sanctity of the temple4 ,josephus himself1 in a most eloquent appeal1 entreated them to surrender1 to save themselves1 their city1 and their place of worship4 ,but his words were answered with bitter curses4 ,darts were hurled at him1 their last human mediator1 as he stood pleading with them4 ,the ,jews had rejected the entreaties of the ,son of ,god1 and now expostulation and entreaty only made them more determined to resist to the last4 ,in vain were the efforts of ,titus to save the temple2 ,one greater than he had declared that not one stone was to be left upon another4 ,the blind obstinacy of the ,jewish leaders1 and the detestable crimes perpetrated within the besieged city1 excited the horror and indignation of the ,romans1 and ,titus at last decided to take the temple by storm4 ,he determined1 however1 that if possible it should be saved from destruction4 ,but his commands were disregarded4 ,after he had retired to his tent at night1 the ,jews1 sallying from the temple1 attacked the soldiers without4 ,in the struggle1 a firebrand was flung by a soldier through an opening in the porch1 and immediately the cedar-lined chambers about the holy house were in a blaze4 ,titus rushed to the place1 followed by his generals and legionaries1 and commanded the soldiers to quench the flames4 ,his words were unheeded4 ,in their fury the soldiers hurled blazing brands into the chambers adjoining the temple1 and then with their swords they slaughtered in great numbers those who had found shelter there4 ,blood flowed down the temple steps like water4 ,thousands upon thousands of ,jews perished4 ,above the sound of battle1 voices were heard shouting1 8,ichabod60--the glory is departed4 8,titus found it impossible to check the rage of the soldiery2 he entered with his officers1 and surveyed the interior of the sacred edifice4 ,the splendor filled them with wonder2 and as the flames had not yet penetrated to the holy place1 he made a last effort to save it1 and springing forth1 again exhorted the soldiers to stay the progress of the conflagration4 ,the centurion ,liberalis endeavored to force obedience with his staff of office2 but even respect for the emperor gave way to the furious animosity against the ,jews1 to the fierce excitement of battle1 and to the insatiable hope of plunder4 ,the soldiers saw everything around them radiant with gold1 which shone dazzlingly in the wild light of the flames2 they supposed that incalculable treasures were laid up in the sanctuary4 ,a soldier1 unperceived1 thrust a lighted torch between the hinges of the door3 the whole building was in flames in an instant4 ,the blinding smoke and fire forced the officers to retreat1 and the noble edifice was left to its fate4 8,it was an appalling spectacle to the ,roman--what was it to the ,jew8 ,the whole summit of the hill which commanded the city1 blazed like a volcano4 ,one after another the buildings fell in1 with a tremendous crash1 and were swallowed up in the fiery abyss4 ,the roofs of cedar were like sheets of flame2 the gilded pinnacles shone like spikes of red light2 the gate towers sent up tall columns of flame and smoke4 ,the neighboring hills were lighted up2 and dark groups of people were seen watching in horrible anxiety the progress of the destruction3 the walls and heights of the upper city were crowded with faces1 some pale with the agony of despair1 others scowling unavailing vengeance4 ,the shouts of the ,roman soldiery as they ran to and fro1 and the howlings of the insurgents who were perishing in the flames1 mingled with the roaring of the conflagration and the thundering sound of falling timbers4 ,the echoes of the mountains replied or brought back the shrieks of the people on the heights2 all along the walls resounded screams and wailings2 men who were expiring with famine rallied their remaining strength to utter a cry of anguish and desolation4 8,the slaughter within was even more dreadful than the spectacle from without4 ,men and women1 old and young1 insurgents and priests1 those who fought and those who entreated mercy1 were hewn down in indiscriminate carnage4 ,the number of the slain exceeded that of the slayers4 ,the legionaries had to clamber over heaps of dead to carry on the work of extermination407#df7 ,after the destruction of the temple1 the whole city soon fell into the hands of the ,romans4 ,the leaders of the ,jews forsook their impregnable towers1 and ,titus found them solitary4 ,he gazed upon them with amazement1 and declared that ,god had given them into his hands2 for no engines1 however powerful1 could have prevailed against those stupendous battlements4 ,both the city and the temple were razed to their foundations1 and the ground upon which the holy house had stood was 8plowed like a field407#dg7 ,in the siege and the slaughter that followed1 more than a million of the people perished2 the survivors were carried away as captives1 sold as slaves1 dragged to ,rome to grace the conqueror's triumph1 thrown to wild beasts in the amphitheaters1 or scattered as homeless wanderers throughout the earth4 ,the ,jews had forged their own fetters2 they had filled for themselves the cup of vengeance4 ,in the utter destruction that befell them as a nation1 and in all the woes that followed them in their dispersion1 they were but reaping the harvest which their own hands had sown4 ,says the prophet1 8,o ,israel1 thou hast destroyed thyself20 8for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity407#dh7 ,their sufferings are often represented as a punishment visited upon them by the direct decree of ,god4 ,it is thus that the great deceiver seeks to conceal his own work4 ,by stubborn rejection of divine love and mercy1 the ,jews had caused the protection of ,god to be withdrawn from them1 and ,satan was permitted to rule them according to his will4 ,the horrible cruelties enacted in the destruction of ,jerusalem are a demonstration of ,satan's vindictive power over those who yield to his control4 ,we cannot know how much we owe to ,christ for the peace and protection which we enjoy4 ,it is the restraining power of ,god that prevents mankind from passing fully under the control of ,satan4 ,the disobedient and unthankful have great reason for gratitude for ,god's mercy and long-suffering in holding in check the cruel1 malignant power of the evil one4 ,but when men pass the limits of divine forbearance1 that restraint is removed4 ,god does not stand toward the sinner as an executioner of the sentence against transgression2 but ,he leaves the rejecters of ,his mercy to themselves1 to reap that which they have sown4 ,every ray of light rejected1 every warning despised or unheeded1 every passion indulged1 every transgression of the law of ,god1 is a seed sown1 which yields its unfailing harvest4 ,the ,spirit of ,god1 persistently resisted1 is at last withdrawn from the sinner1 and then there is left no power to control the evil passions of the soul1 and no protection from the malice and enmity of ,satan4 ,the destruction of ,jerusalem is a fearful and solemn warning to all who are trifling with the offers of divine grace1 and resisting the pleadings of divine mercy4 ,never was there given a more decisive testimony to ,god's hatred of sin1 and to the certain punishment that will fall upon the guilty4 ,the ,saviour's prophecy concerning the visitation of judgments upon ,jerusalem is to have another fulfilment1 of which that terrible desolation was but a faint shadow4 ,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 law4 ,dark are the records of human misery that earth has witnessed during its long centuries of crime4 ,the heart sickens and the mind grows faint in contemplation4 ,terrible have been the results of rejecting the authority of ,heaven4 ,but a scene yet darker is presented in the revelations of the future4 ,the records of the past1--the long procession of tumults1 conflicts1 and revolutions1 the 8battle of the warrior1 with confused noise1 and garments rolled in blood107#di7--what are these1 in contrast with the terrors of that day when the restraining ,spirit of ,god shall be wholly withdrawn from the wicked1 no longer to hold in check the outburst of human passion and satanic wrath6 ,the world will then behold1 as never before1 the results of ,satan's rule4 ,but in that day1 as in the time of ,jerusalem's destruction1 ,god's people will be delivered1 8every one that shall be found written among the living40 ,christ has declared that ,he will come the second time1 to gather ,his faithful ones to ,himself3 8,then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn1 and they shall see the ,son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory4 ,and ,he shall send ,his angels with a great sound of a trumpet1 and they shall gather together ,his elect from the four winds1 from one end of heaven to the other407#ej7 ,then shall they that obey not the gospel be consumed with the spirit of ,his mouth1 and be destroyed with the brightness of ,his coming47#ea7 ,like ,israel of old1 the wicked destroy themselves2 they fall by their iniquity4 ,by a life of sin1 they have placed themselves so out of harmony with ,god1 their natures have become so debased with evil1 that the manifestation of ,his glory is to them a consuming fire4 ,let men beware lest they neglect the lesson conveyed to them in the words of ,christ4 ,as ,he warned ,his disciples of ,jerusalem's destruction1 giving them a sign of the approaching ruin1 that they might make their escape2 so ,he has warned the world of the day of final destruction1 and has given them tokens of its approach1 that all who will may flee from the wrath to come4 ,jesus declares1 8,there shall be signs in the sun1 and in the moon1 and in the stars2 and upon the earth distress of nations407#eb7 ,those who behold these harbingers of ,his coming are to 8know that it is near1 even at the doors407#ec7 8,watch ye therefore107#ed7 are ,his words of admonition4 ,they that heed the warning shall not be left in darkness1 that that day should overtake them unawares4 ,but to them that will not watch1 8the day of the ,lord so cometh as a thief in the night407#ee7 ,the world is no more ready to credit the message for this time than were the ,jews to receive the ,saviour's warning concerning ,jerusalem4 ,come when it may1 the day of ,god will come unawares to the ungodly4 ,when life is going on in its unvarying round2 when men are absorbed in pleasure1 in business1 in traffic1 in money-making2 when religious leaders are magnifying the world's progress and enlightenment1 and the people are lulled in a false security1--then1 as the midnight thief steals within the unguarded dwelling1 so shall sudden destruction come upon the careless and ungodly1 8and they shall not escape407#ef7 #b4 ,,persecution ,,in ,,the ,,first ,,centuries4 ,illustration3 ,chapter header4 ,when ,jesus revealed to ,his disciples the fate of ,jerusalem and the scenes of the second advent1 ,he foretold also the experience of ,his people from the time when ,he should be taken from them1 to ,his return in power and glory for their deliverance4 ,from ,olivet the ,saviour beheld the storms about to fall upon the apostolic church2 and penetrating deeper into the future1 ,his eye discerned the fierce1 wasting tempests that were to beat upon ,his followers in the coming ages of darkness and persecution4 ,in a few brief utterances of awful significance1 ,he foretold the portion which the rulers of this world would mete out to the church of ,god47#eg7 ,the followers of ,christ must tread the same path of humiliation1 reproach1 and suffering which their ,master trod4 ,the enmity that burst forth against the world's ,redeemer1 would be manifested against all who should believe on ,his name4 ,the history of the early church testified to the fulfilment of the ,saviour's words4 ,the powers of earth and hell arrayed themselves against ,christ in the person of ,his followers4 ,paganism foresaw that should the gospel triumph1 her temples and altars would be swept away2 therefore she summoned her forces to destroy ,christianity4 ,the fires of persecution were kindled4 ,christians were stripped of their possessions1 and driven from their homes4 ,they 8endured a great fight of afflictions407#eh7 ,they 8had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings1 yea1 moreover of bonds and imprisonment407#ei7 ,great numbers sealed their testimony with their blood4 ,noble and slave1 rich and poor1 learned and ignorant1 were alike slain without mercy4 ,these persecutions1 beginning under ,nero about the time of the martyrdom of ,paul1 continued with greater or less fury for centuries4 ,christians were falsely accused of the most dreadful crimes1 and declared to be the cause of great calamities--famine1 pestilence1 and earthquake4 ,as they became the objects of popular hatred and suspicion1 informers stood ready1 for the sake of gain1 to betray the innocent4 ,they were condemned as rebels against the empire1 as foes of religion1 and pests to society4 ,great numbers were thrown to wild beasts or burned alive in the amphitheaters4 ,some were crucified2 others were covered with the skins of wild animals1 and thrust into the arena to be torn by dogs4 ,their punishment was often made the chief entertainment at public ftes4 ,vast multitudes assembled to enjoy the sight1 and greeted their dying agonies with laughter and applause4 ,wherever they sought refuge1 the followers of ,christ were hunted like beasts of prey4 ,they were forced to seek concealment in desolate and solitary places4 8,destitute1 afflicted1 tormented2 7of whom the world was not worthy37 they wandered in deserts1 and in mountains1 and in dens and caves of the earth407#fj7 ,the catacombs afforded shelter for thousands4 ,beneath the hills outside the city of ,rome1 long galleries had been tunneled through earth and rock2 the dark and intricate network of passages extended for miles beyond the city walls4 ,in these underground retreats1 the followers of ,christ buried their dead2 and here also1 when suspected and proscribed1 they found a home4 ,when the ,lifegiver shall awaken those who have fought the good fight1 many a martyr for ,christ's sake will come forth from those gloomy caverns4 ,under the fiercest persecution1 these witnesses for ,jesus kept their faith unsullied4 ,though deprived of every comfort1 shut away from the light of the sun1 making their home in the dark but friendly bosom of the earth1 they uttered no complaint4 ,with words of faith1 patience1 and hope1 they encouraged one another to endure privation and distress4 ,the loss of every earthly blessing could not force them to renounce their belief in ,christ4 ,trials and persecution were but steps bringing them nearer their rest and their reward4 ,like ,god's servants of old1 many were 8tortured1 not accepting deliverance2 that they might obtain a better resurrection407#fa7 ,these called to mind the words of their ,master1 that when persecuted for ,christ's sake1 they were to be exceeding glad1 for great would be their reward in heaven2 for so the prophets had been persecuted before them4 ,they rejoiced that they were accounted worthy to suffer for the truth1 and songs of triumph ascended from the midst of crackling flames4 ,looking upward by faith1 they saw ,christ and angels leaning over the battlements of heaven1 gazing upon them with the deepest interest1 and regarding their steadfastness with approval1 ,a voice came down to them from the throne of ,god1 8,be thou faithful unto death1 and ,i will give thee a crown of life407#fb7 ,in vain were ,satan's efforts to destroy the church of ,christ by violence4 ,the great controversy in which the disciples of ,jesus yielded up their lives1 did not cease when these faithful standard-bearers fell at their post4 ,by defeat they conquered4 ,god's workmen were slain1 but ,his work went steadily forward4 ,the gospel continued to spread1 and the number of its adherents to increase4 ,it penetrated into regions that were inaccessible1 even to the eagles of ,rome4 ,said a ,christian1 expostulating with the heathen rulers who were urging forward the persecution3 ,you may 8kill us1 torture us1 condemn us4444 ,your injustice is the proof that we are innocent4444 ,nor does your cruelty 444 avail you40 ,it was but a stronger invitation to bring others to their persuasion4 8,the oftener we are mown down by you1 the more in number we grow2 the blood of ,christians is seed407#fc7 ,thousands were imprisoned and slain2 but others sprung up to fill their places4 ,and those who were martyred for their faith were secured to ,christ1 and accounted of ,him as conquerors4 ,they had fought the good fight1 and they were to receive the crown of glory when ,christ should come4 ,the sufferings which they endured brought ,christians nearer to one another and to their ,redeemer4 ,their living example and dying testimony were a constant witness for the truth2 and where least expected1 the subjects of ,satan were leaving his service1 and enlisting under the banner of ,christ4 ,satan therefore laid his plans to war more successfully against the government of ,god1 by planting his banner in the ,christian church4 ,if the followers of ,christ could be deceived1 and led to displease ,god1 then their strength1 fortitude1 and firmness would fail1 and they would fall an easy prey4 ,the great adversary now endeavored to gain by artifice what he had failed to secure by force4 ,persecution ceased1 and in its stead were substituted the dangerous allurements of temporal prosperity and worldly honor4 ,idolaters were led to receive a part of the ,christian faith1 while they rejected other essential truths4 ,they professed to accept ,jesus as the ,son of ,god1 and to believe in ,his death and resurrection2 but they had no conviction of sin1 and felt no need of repentance or of a change of heart4 ,with some concessions on their part1 they proposed that ,christians should make concessions1 that all might unite on the platform of belief in ,christ4 ,now the church was in fearful peril4 ,prison1 torture1 fire1 and sword were blessings in comparison with this4 ,some of the ,christians stood firm1 declaring that they could make no compromise4 ,others were in favor of yielding or modifying some features of their faith1 and uniting with those who had accepted a part of ,christianity1 urging that this might be the means of their full conversion4 ,that was a time of deep anguish to the faithful followers of ,christ4 ,under a cloak of pretended ,christianity1 ,satan was insinuating himself into the church1 to corrupt their faith1 and turn their minds from the word of truth4 ,most of the ,christians at last consented to lower their standard1 and a union was formed between ,christianity and paganism4 ,although the worshipers of idols professed to be converted1 and united with the church1 they still clung to their idolatry1 only changing the objects of their worship to images of ,jesus1 and even of ,mary and the saints4 ,the foul leaven of idolatry1 thus brought into the church1 continued its baleful work4 ,unsound doctrines1 superstitious rites1 and idolatrous ceremonies were incorporated into her faith and worship4 ,as the followers of ,christ united with idolaters1 the ,christian religion became corrupted1 and the church lost her purity and power4 ,there were some1 however1 who were not misled by these delusions4 ,they still maintained their fidelity to the ,author of truth1 and worshiped ,god alone4 ,there have ever been two classes among those who profess to be followers of ,christ4 ,while one class study the ,saviour's life1 and earnestly seek to correct their defects and conform to the ,pattern1 the other class shun the plain1 practical truths which expose their errors4 ,even in her best estate1 the church was not composed wholly of the true1 pure1 and sincere4 ,our ,saviour taught that those who wilfully indulge in sin are not to be received into the church2 yet ,he connected with ,himself men who were faulty in character1 and granted them the benefits of ,his teachings and example1 that they might have an opportunity to see their errors and correct them4 ,among the twelve apostles was a traitor4 ,judas was accepted1 not because of his defects of character1 but notwithstanding them4 ,he was connected with the disciples1 that1 through the instruction and example of ,christ1 he might learn what constitutes ,christian character1 and thus be led to see his errors1 to repent1 and by the aid of divine grace1 to purify his soul 8in obeying the truth40 ,but ,judas did not walk in the light so graciously permitted to shine upon him4 ,by indulgence in sin1 he invited the temptations of ,satan4 ,his evil traits of character became predominant4 ,he yielded his mind to the control of the powers of darkness1 he became angry when his faults were reproved1 and thus he was led to commit the fearful crime of betraying his ,master4 ,so do all who cherish evil under a profession of godliness hate those who disturb their peace by condemning their course of sin4 ,when a favorable opportunity is presented1 they will1 like ,judas1 betray those who for their good have sought to reprove them4 ,the apostles encountered those in the church who professed godliness while they were secretly cherishing iniquity4 ,ananias and ,sapphira acted the part of deceivers1 pretending to make an entire sacrifice for ,god1 when they were covetously withholding a portion for themselves4 ,the ,spirit of truth revealed to the apostles the real character of these pretenders1 and the judgments of ,god rid the church of this foul blot upon its purity4 ,this signal evidence of the discerning ,spirit of ,christ in the church was a terror to hypocrites and evil-doers4 ,they could not long remain in connection with those who were1 in habit and disposition1 constant representatives of ,christ2 and as trials and persecution came upon ,his followers1 those only who were willing to forsake all for the truth's sake desired to become ,his disciples4 ,thus1 as long as persecution continued1 the church remained comparatively pure4 ,but as it ceased1 converts were added who were less sincere and devoted1 and the way was opened for ,satan to obtain a foothold4 ,but there is no union between the ,prince of light and the prince of darkness1 and there can be no union between their followers4 ,when ,christians consented to unite with those who were but half converted from paganism1 they entered upon a path which led farther and farther from the truth4 ,satan exulted that he had succeeded in deceiving so large a number of the followers of ,christ4 ,he then brought his power to bear more fully upon these1 and inspired them to persecute those who remained true to ,god4 ,none understood so well how to oppose the true ,christian faith as did those who had once been its defenders2 and these apostate ,christians1 uniting with their half-pagan companions1 directed their warfare against the most essential features of the doctrines of ,christ4 ,it required a desperate struggle for those who would be faithful to stand firm against the deceptions and abominations which were disguised in sacerdotal garments and introduced into the church4 ,the ,bible was not accepted as the standard of faith4 ,the doctrine of religious freedom was termed heresy1 and its upholders were hated and proscribed4 ,after a long and severe conflict1 the faithful few decided to dissolve all union with the apostate church if she still refused to free herself from falsehood and idolatry4 ,they saw that separation was an absolute necessity if they would obey the word of ,god4 ,they dared not tolerate errors fatal to their own souls1 and set an example which would imperil the faith of their children and children's children4 ,to secure peace and unity they were ready to make any concession consistent with fidelity to ,god2 but they felt that even peace would be too dearly purchased at the sacrifice of principle4 ,if unity could be secured only by the compromise of truth and righteousness1 then let there be difference1 and even war4 ,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 people4 ,there is an alarming indifference in regard to the doctrines which are the pillars of the ,christian faith4 ,the opinion is gaining ground1 that1 after all1 these are not of vital importance4 ,this degeneracy is strengthening the hands of the agents of ,satan1 so that false theories and fatal delusions which the faithful in ages past imperiled their lives to resist and expose1 are now regarded with favor by thousands who claim to be followers of ,christ4 ,the early ,christians were indeed a peculiar people4 ,their blameless deportment and unswerving faith were a continual reproof that disturbed the sinner's peace4 ,though few in numbers1 without wealth1 position1 or honorary titles1 they were a terror to evil-doers wherever their character and doctrines were known4 ,therefore they were hated by the wicked1 even as ,abel was hated by the ungodly ,cain4 ,for the same reason that ,cain slew ,abel1 did those who sought to throw off the restraint of the ,holy ,spirit1 put to death ,god's people4 ,it was for the same reason that the ,jews rejected and crucified the ,saviour1--because the purity and holiness of ,his character was a constant rebuke to their selfishness and corruption4 ,from the days of ,christ until now1 ,his faithful disciples have excited the hatred and opposition of those who love and follow the ways of sin4 ,how1 then1 can the gospel be called a message of peace8 ,when ,isaiah foretold the birth of the ,messiah1 he ascribed to ,him the title1 8,prince of ,peace40 ,when angels announced to the shepherds that ,christ was born1 they sung above the plains of ,bethlehem1 8,glory to ,god in the highest1 and on earth peace1 good will toward men407#fd7 ,there is a seeming contradiction between these prophetic declarations and the words of ,christ1 8,i came not to send peace1 but a sword407#fe7 ,but rightly understood1 the two are in perfect harmony4 ,the gospel is a message of peace4 ,christianity is a system1 which1 received and obeyed1 would spread peace1 harmony1 and happiness throughout the earth4 ,the religion of ,christ will unite in close brotherhood all who accept its teachings4 ,it was the mission of ,jesus to reconcile men to ,god1 and thus to one another4 ,but the world at large are under the control of ,satan1 ,christ's bitterest foe4 ,the gospel presents to them principles of life which are wholly at variance with their habits and desires1 and they rise in rebellion against it4 ,they hate the purity which reveals and condemns their sins1 and they persecute and destroy those who would urge upon them its just and holy claims4 ,it is in this sense--because the exalted truths it brings1 occasion hatred and strife--that the gospel is called a sword4 ,the mysterious providence which permits the righteous to suffer persecution at the hand of the wicked1 has been a cause of great perplexity to many who are weak in faith4 ,some are even ready to cast away their confidence in ,god1 because ,he suffers the basest of men to prosper1 while the best and purest are afflicted and tormented by their cruel power4 ,how1 it is asked1 can ,one who is just and merciful1 and who is also infinite in power1 tolerate such injustice and oppression8 ,this is a question with which we have nothing to do4 ,god has given us sufficient evidence of ,his love1 and we are not to doubt ,his goodness because we cannot understand the workings of ,his providence4 ,said the ,saviour to ,his disciples1 foreseeing the doubts that would press upon their souls in days of trial and darkness3 8,remember the word that ,i said unto you1 ,the servant is not greater than his lord4 ,if they have persecuted ,me1 they will also persecute you407#ff7 ,jesus suffered for us more than any of ,his followers can be made to suffer through the cruelty of wicked men4 ,those who are called to endure torture and martyrdom1 are but following in the steps of ,god's dear ,son4 8,the ,lord is not slack concerning ,his promise407#fg7 ,he does not forget or neglect ,his children2 but ,he permits the wicked to reveal their true character1 that none who desire to do ,his will may be deceived concerning them4 ,again1 the righteous are placed in the furnace of affliction1 that they themselves may be purified2 that their example may convince others of the reality of faith and godliness2 and also that their consistent course may condemn the ungodly and unbelieving4 ,god permits the wicked to prosper1 and to reveal their enmity against ,him1 that when they shall have filled up the measure of their iniquity1 all may see ,his justice and mercy in their utter destruction4 ,the day of ,his vengeance hastens1 when all who have transgressed ,his law and oppressed ,his people will meet the just recompense of their deeds2 when every act of cruelty or injustice toward ,god's faithful ones will be punished as though done to ,christ ,himself4 ,there is another and more important question that should engage the attention of the churches of to-day4 ,the apostle ,paul declares that 8all that will live godly in ,christ ,jesus shall suffer persecution407#fh7 ,why is it1 then1 that persecution seems in a great degree to slumber8 ,the only reason is1 that the church has conformed to the world's standard1 and therefore awakens no opposition4 ,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 apostles4 ,it is only because of the spirit of compromise with sin1 because the great truths of the word of ,god are so indifferently regarded1 because there is so little vital godliness in the church1 that ,christianity is apparently so popular with the world4 ,let there be a revival of the faith and power of the early church1 and the spirit of persecution will be revived1 and the fires of persecution will be rekindled4 ,illustration3 ,st4 ,peter's ,and ,the ,vatican ,st4 ,peter's ,and ,the ,vatican #c4 ,,the ,,apostasy4 ,illustration3 ,chapter header4 ,the apostle ,paul1 in his second letter to the ,thessalonians1 foretold the great apostasy which would result in the establishment of the papal power4 ,he declared that the day of ,christ should not come1 8except there come a falling away first1 and that man of sin be revealed1 the son of perdition2 who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called ,god1 or that is worshiped2 so that he as ,god sitteth in the temple of ,god1 showing himself that he is ,god407#fi7 ,and furthermore1 the apostle warns his brethren that 8the mystery of iniquity doth already work407#gj7 ,even at that early date he saw1 creeping into the church1 errors that would prepare the way for the development of the papacy4 ,little by little1 at first in stealth and silence1 and then more openly as it increased in strength and gained control of the minds of men1 the mystery of iniquity carried forward its deceptive and blasphemous work4 ,almost imperceptibly the customs of heathenism found their way into the ,christian church4 ,the spirit of compromise and conformity was restrained for a time by the fierce persecutions which the church endured under paganism4 ,but as persecution ceased1 and ,christianity entered the courts and palaces of kings1 she laid aside the humble simplicity of ,christ and ,his apostles for the pomp and pride of pagan priests and rulers2 and in place of the requirements of ,god1 she substituted human theories and traditions4 ,the nominal conversion of ,constantine1 in the early part of the fourth century1 caused great rejoicing2 and the world1 cloaked with a form of righteousness1 walked into the church4 ,now1 the work of corruption rapidly progressed4 ,paganism1 while appearing to be vanquished1 became the conqueror4 ,her spirit controlled the church4 ,her doctrines1 ceremonies1 and superstitions were incorporated into the faith and worship of the professed followers of ,christ4 ,this compromise between paganism and ,christianity resulted in the development of the 8man of sin0 foretold in prophecy as opposing and exalting himself above ,god4 ,that gigantic system of false religion is a masterpiece of ,satan's power1--a monument of his efforts to seat himself upon the throne to rule the earth according to his will4 ,satan once endeavoured to form a compromise with ,christ4 ,he came to the ,son of ,god in the wilderness of temptation1 and showing ,him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them1 offered to give all into ,his hands if ,he would but acknowledge the supremacy of the prince of darkness4 ,christ rebuked the presumptuous tempter1 and forced him to depart4 ,but ,satan meets with greater success in presenting the same temptations to man4 ,to secure worldly gains and honors1 the church was led to seek the favor and support of the great men of earth2 and having thus rejected ,christ1 she was induced to yield allegiance to the representative of ,satan1--the bishop of ,rome4 ,it is one of the leading doctrines of ,romanism that the pope is the visible head of the universal church of ,christ1 invested with supreme authority over bishops and pastors in all parts of the world4 ,more than this1 the pope has been given the very titles of ,deity4 ,he has been styled 8,lord ,god the ,pope107#ga7 and has been declared infallible4 ,he demands the homage of all men4 ,the same claim urged by ,satan in the wilderness of temptation1 is still urged by him through the ,church of ,rome1 and vast numbers are ready to yield him homage4 ,but those who fear and reverence ,god meet this ,heaven-daring assumption as ,christ met the solicitations of the wily foe3 8,thou shalt worship the ,lord thy ,god1 and ,him only shalt thou serve407#gb7 ,god has never given a hint in ,his word that ,he has appointed any man to be the head of the church4 ,the doctrine of papal supremacy is directly opposed to the teachings of the ,scriptures4 ,the pope can have no power over ,christ's church except by usurpation4 ,romanists have persisted in bringing against ,protestants the charge of heresy1 and wilful separation from the true church4 ,but these accusations apply rather to themselves4 ,they are the ones who laid down the banner of ,christ1 and departed from 8the faith which was once delivered unto the saints407#gc7 ,satan well knew that the ,holy ,scriptures would enable men to discern his deceptions and withstand his power4 ,it was by the ,word that even the ,saviour of the world had resisted his attacks4 ,at every assault1 ,christ presented the shield of eternal truth1 saying1 8,it is written40 ,to every suggestion of the adversary1 ,he opposed the wisdom and power of the ,word4 ,in order for ,satan to maintain his sway over men1 and establish the authority of the papal usurper1 he must keep them in ignorance of the ,scriptures4 ,the ,bible would exalt ,god1 and place finite men in their true position2 therefore its sacred truths must be concealed and suppressed4 ,this logic was adopted by the ,roman ,church4 ,for hundreds of years the circulation of the ,bible was prohibited4 ,the people were forbidden to read it or to have it in their houses1 and unprincipled priests and prelates interpreted its teachings to sustain their pretensions4 ,thus the pope came to be almost universally acknowledged as the vicegerent of ,god on earth1 endowed with authority over church and state4 ,the detector of error having been removed1 ,satan worked according to his will4 ,prophecy had declared that the papacy was to 8think to change times and laws407#gd7 ,this work it was not slow to attempt4 ,to afford converts from heathenism a substitute for the worship of idols1 and thus to promote their nominal acceptance of ,christianity1 the adoration of images and relics was gradually introduced into the ,christian worship4 ,the decree of a general council7#ge7 finally established this system of idolatry4 ,to complete the sacrilegious work1 ,rome presumed to expunge from the law of ,god the second commandment1 forbidding image worship1 and to divide the tenth commandment1 in order to preserve the number4 ,the spirit of concession to paganism opened the way for a still further disregard of ,heaven's authority4 ,satan1 working through unconsecrated leaders of the church1 tampered with the fourth commandment also1 and essayed to set aside the ancient ,sabbath1 the day which ,god had blessed and sanctified17#gf7 and in its stead to exalt the festival observed by the heathen as 8the venerable day of the sun40 ,this change was not at first attempted openly4 ,in the first centuries the true ,sabbath had been kept by all ,christians4 ,they were jealous for the honor of ,god1 and believing that ,his law is immutable1 they zealously guarded the sacredness of its precepts4 ,but with great subtlety1 ,satan worked through his agents to bring about his object4 ,that the attention of the people might be called to the ,sunday1 it was made a festival in honor of the resurrection of ,christ4 ,religious services were held upon it2 yet it was regarded as a day of recreation1 the ,sabbath being still sacredly observed4 ,to prepare the way for the work which he designed to accomplish1 ,satan had led the ,jews1 before the advent of ,christ1 to load down the ,sabbath with the most rigorous exactions1 making its observance a burden4 ,now1 taking advantage of the false light in which he had thus caused it to be regarded1 he cast contempt upon it as a ,jewish institution4 ,while ,christians generally continued to observe the ,sunday as a joyous festival1 he led them1 in order to show their hatred of ,judaism1 to make the ,sabbath a fast1 a day of sadness and gloom4 ,in the early part of the fourth century1 the emperor ,constantine issued a decree making ,sunday a public festival throughout the ,roman empire47#gg7 ,the day of the sun was reverenced by his pagan subjects1 and was honored by ,christians2 it was the emperor's policy to unite the conflicting interests of heathenism and ,christianity4 ,he was urged to do this by the bishops of the church1 who1 inspired by ambition and thirst for power1 perceived that if the same day was observed by both ,christians and heathen1 it would promote the nominal acceptance of ,christianity by pagans1 and thus advance the power and glory of the church4 ,but while many ,god-fearing ,christians were gradually led to regard ,sunday as possessing a degree of sacredness1 they still held the true ,sabbath as the holy of the ,lord1 and observed it in obedience to the fourth commandment4 ,the arch-deceiver had not completed his work4 ,he was resolved to gather the ,christian world under his banner1 and to exercise his power through his vicegerent1 the proud pontiff who claimed to be the representative of ,christ4 ,through half-converted pagans1 ambitious prelates1 and world-loving churchmen1 he accomplished his purpose4 ,vast councils were held from time to time1 in which the dignitaries of the church were convened from all the world4 ,in nearly every council the ,sabbath which ,god had instituted was pressed down a little lower1 while the ,sunday was correspondingly exalted4 ,thus the pagan festival came finally to be honored as a divine institution1 while the ,bible ,sabbath was pronounced a relic of ,judaism1 and its observers were declared to be accursed4 ,the great apostate had succeeded in exalting himself 8above all that is called ,god1 or that is worshiped407#gh7 ,he had dared to change the only precept of the divine law that unmistakably points all mankind to the true and living ,god4 ,in the fourth commandment1 ,god is revealed as the ,creator of the heavens and the earth1 and is thereby distinguished from all false gods4 ,it was as a memorial of the work of creation that the seventh day was sanctified as a rest-day for man4 ,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 worship4 ,satan strives to turn men from their allegiance to ,god1 and from rendering obedience to ,his law2 therefore he directs his efforts especially against that commandment which points to ,god as the ,creator4 ,protestants now urge that the resurrection of ,christ on ,sunday made it the ,christian ,sabbath4 ,but ,scripture evidence is lacking4 ,no such honor was given to the day by ,christ or ,his apostles4 ,the observance of ,sunday as a ,christian institution had its origin in that 8mystery of lawlessness07#gi7 which1 even in ,paul's day1 had begun its work4 ,where and when did the ,lord adopt this child of the papacy8 ,what valid reason can be given for a change which the ,scriptures do not sanction8 ,in the sixth century the papacy had become firmly established4 ,its seat of power was fixed in the imperial city1 and the bishop of ,rome was declared to be the head over the entire church4 ,paganism had given place to the papacy4 ,the dragon had given to the beast 8his power1 and his seat1 and great authority407#hj7 ,and now began the #abfj years of papal oppression foretold in the prophecies of ,daniel and the ,revelation47#ha7 ,christians were forced to choose either to yield their integrity and accept the papal ceremonies and worship1 or to wear away their lives in dungeons or suffer death by the rack1 the fagot1 or the heads-man's axe4 ,now were fulfilled the words of ,jesus3 8,ye shall be betrayed both by parents1 and brethren1 and kins-folks1 and friends2 and some of you shall they cause to be put to death4 ,and ye shall be hated of all men for ,my name's sake407#hb7 ,persecution opened upon the faithful with greater fury than ever before1 and the world became a vast battle-field4 ,for hundreds of years the church of ,christ found refuge in seclusion and obscurity4 ,thus says the prophet3 8,the woman fled into the wilderness1 where she hath a place prepared of ,god1 that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days407#hc7 ,the accession of the ,roman ,church to power marked the beginning of the ,dark ,ages4 ,as her power increased1 the darkness deepened4 ,faith was transferred from ,christ1 the true foundation1 to the pope of ,rome4 ,instead of trusting in the ,son of ,god for forgiveness of sins and for eternal salvation1 the people looked to the pope1 and to the priests and prelates to whom he delegated authority4 ,they were taught that the pope was their earthly mediator1 and that none could approach ,god except through him2 and further1 that he stood in the place of ,god to them1 and was therefore to be implicitly obeyed4 ,a deviation from his requirements was sufficient cause for the severest punishment to be visited upon the bodies and souls of the offenders4 ,thus the minds of the people were turned away from ,god to fallible1 erring1 and cruel men1 nay1 more1 to the prince of darkness himself1 who exercised his power through them4 ,sin was disguised in a garb of sanctity4 ,when the ,scriptures are suppressed1 and man comes to regard himself as supreme1 we need look only for fraud1 deception1 and debasing iniquity4 ,with the elevation of human laws and traditions1 was manifest the corruption that ever results from setting aside the law of ,god4 ,those were days of peril for the church of ,christ4 ,the faithful standard-bearers were few indeed4 ,though the truth was not left without witnesses1 yet at times it seemed that error and superstition would wholly prevail1 and true religion would be banished from the earth4 ,the gospel was lost sight of1 but the forms of religion were multiplied1 and the people were burdened with rigorous exactions4 ,they were taught not only to look to the pope as their mediator1 but to trust to works of their own to atone for sin4 ,long pilgrimages1 acts of penance1 the worship of relics1 the erection of churches1 shrines1 and altars1 the payment of large sums to the church1--these and many similar acts were enjoined to appease the wrath of ,god or to secure ,his favor2 as if ,god were like men1 to be angered at trifles1 or pacified by gifts or acts of penance6 ,notwithstanding that vice prevailed1 even among the leaders of the ,roman ,church1 her influence seemed steadily to increase4 ,about the close of the eighth century1 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 assumed4 ,to establish this claim1 some means must be employed to give it a show of authority2 and this was readily suggested by the father of lies4 ,ancient writings were forged by monks4 ,decrees of councils before unheard of1 were discovered1 establishing the universal supremacy of the pope from the earliest times4 ,and a church that had rejected the truth1 greedily accepted these deceptions47#hd7 ,the few faithful builders upon the true foundation7#he7 were perplexed and hindered1 as the rubbish of false doctrine obstructed the work4 ,like the builders upon the wall of ,jerusalem in ,nehemiah's day1 some were ready to say1 8,the strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed1 and there is much rubbish2 so that we are not able to build407#hf7 ,wearied with the constant struggle against persecution1 fraud1 iniquity1 and every other obstacle that ,satan could devise to hinder their progress1 some who had been faithful builders became disheartened2 and for the sake of peace and security for their property and their lives1 they turned away from the true foundation4 ,others1 undaunted by the opposition of their enemies1 fearlessly declared1 8,be not ye afraid of them3 remember the ,lord1 which is great and terrible207#hg7 and they proceeded with the work1 every one with his sword girded by his side47#hh7 ,the same spirit of hatred and opposition to the truth has inspired the enemies of ,god in every age1 and the same vigilance and fidelity have been required in ,his servants4 ,the words of ,christ to the first disciples are applicable to ,his followers to the close of time3 8,what ,i say unto you ,i say unto all1 ,watch407#hi7 ,the darkness seemed to grow more dense4 ,image worship became more general4 ,candles were burned before images1 and prayers were offered to them4 ,the most absurd and superstitious customs prevailed4 ,the minds of men were so completely controlled by superstition that reason itself seemed to have lost its sway4 ,while priests and bishops were themselves pleasure-loving1 sensual1 and corrupt1 it could only be expected that the people who looked to them for guidance would be sunken in ignorance and vice4 ,another step in papal assumption was taken1 when1 in the eleventh century1 ,pope ,gregory ,,vii4 proclaimed the perfection of the ,roman ,church4 ,among the propositions which he put forth1 was one declaring that the church had never erred1 nor would it ever err1 according to the ,scriptures4 ,but the ,scripture proofs did not accompany the assertion4 ,the proud pontiff also claimed the power to depose emperors1 and declared that no sentence which he pronounced could be reversed by any one1 but that it was his prerogative to reverse the decisions of all others47#ij7 ,a striking illustration of the tyrannical character of this advocate of infallibility was given in his treatment of the ,german emperor1 ,henry ,,iv4 ,for presuming to disregard the pope's authority1 this monarch was declared to be excommunicated and dethroned4 ,terrified by the desertion and threats of his own princes1 who were encouraged in rebellion against him by the papal mandate1 ,henry felt the necessity of making his peace with ,rome4 ,in company with his wife and a faithful servant1 he crossed the ,alps in midwinter1 that he might humble himself before the pope4 ,upon reaching the castle whither ,gregory had withdrawn1 he was conducted1 without his guards1 into an outer court1 and there1 in the severe cold of winter1 with uncovered head and naked feet1 and in a miserable dress1 he awaited the pope's permission to come into his presence4 ,not until he had continued three days fasting and making confession1 did the pontiff condescend to grant him pardon4 ,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 royalty4 ,and ,gregory1 elated with his triumph1 boasted that it was his duty to pull down the pride of kings4 ,how striking the contrast between the overbearing pride of this haughty pontiff and the meekness and gentleness of ,christ1 who represents ,himself as pleading at the door of the heart for admittance1 that ,he may come in to bring pardon and peace1 and who taught ,his disciples1 8,whosoever will be chief among you1 let him be your servant407#ia7 ,the advancing centuries witnessed a constant increase of error in the doctrines put forth from ,rome4 ,even before the establishment of the papacy1 the teachings of heathen philosophers had received attention and exerted an influence in the church4 ,many who professed conversion still clung to the tenets of their pagan philosophy1 and not only continued its study themselves1 but urged it upon others as a means of extending their influence among the heathen4 ,serious errors were thus introduced into the ,christian faith4 ,prominent among these was the belief in man's natural immortality and his consciousness in death4 ,this doctrine laid the foundation upon which ,rome established the invocation of saints and the adoration of the ,virgin ,mary4 ,from this sprung also the heresy of eternal torment for the finally impenitent1 which was early incorporated into the papal faith4 ,then the way was prepared for the introduction of still another invention of paganism1 which ,rome named purgatory1 and employed to terrify the credulous and superstitious multitudes4 ,by this heresy is affirmed the existence of a place of torment1 in which the souls of such as have not merited eternal damnation are to suffer punishment for their sins1 and from which1 when freed from impurity1 they are admitted to heaven47#ib7 ,still another fabrication was needed to enable ,rome to profit by the fears and the vices of her adherents4 ,this was supplied by the doctrine of indulgences4 ,full remission of sins1 past1 present1 and future1 and release from all the pains and penalties incurred1 were promised to all who would enlist in the pontiff's wars to extend his temporal dominion1 to punish his enemies1 or to exterminate those who dared deny his spiritual supremacy4 ,the people were also taught that by the payment of money to the church they might free themselves from sin1 and also release the souls of their deceased friends who were confined in the tormenting flames4 ,by such means did ,rome fill her coffers1 and sustain the magnificence1 luxury1 and vice of the pretended representatives of ,him who had not where to lay ,his head47#ic7 ,the scriptural ordinance of the ,lord's supper had been supplanted by the idolatrous sacrifice of the mass4 ,papal priests pretended1 by their senseless mummery1 to convert the simple bread and wine into the actual 8body and blood of ,christ407#id7 ,with blasphemous presumption1 they openly claimed the power of creating ,god1 the ,creator of all things4 ,christians were required1 on pain of death1 to avow their faith in this horrible1 ,heaven-insulting heresy4 ,multitudes who refused were given to the flames47#ie7 ,in the thirteenth century was established that most terrible of all the engines of the papacy1--the ,inquisition4 ,the prince of darkness wrought with the leaders of the papal hierarchy4 ,in their secret councils1 ,satan and his angels controlled the minds of evil men1 while unseen in the midst stood an angel of ,god1 taking the fearful record of their iniquitous decrees1 and writing the history of deeds too horrible to appear to human eyes4 8,babylon the great0 was 8drunken with the blood of the saints40 ,the mangled forms of millions of martyrs cried to ,god for vengeance upon that apostate power4 ,popery had become the world's despot4 ,kings and emperors bowed to the decrees of the ,roman pontiff4 ,the destinies of men1 both for time and for eternity1 seemed under his control4 ,for hundreds of years the doctrines of ,rome had been extensively and implicitly received1 its rites reverently performed1 its festivals generally observed4 ,its clergy were honored and liberally sustained4 ,never since has the ,roman ,church attained to greater dignity1 magnificence1 or power4 ,but 8the noon of the papacy was the midnight of the world407#if7 ,the ,holy ,scriptures were almost unknown1 not only to the people1 but to the priests4 ,like the ,pharisees of old1 the papal leaders hated the light which would reveal their sins4 ,god's law1 the standard of righteousness1 having been removed1 they exercised power without limit1 and practised vice without restraint4 ,fraud1 avarice1 and profligacy prevailed4 ,men shrank from no crime by which they could gain wealth or position4 ,the palaces of popes and prelates were scenes of the vilest debauchery4 ,some of the reigning pontiffs were guilty of crimes so revolting that secular rulers endeavored to depose these dignitaries of the church as monsters too vile to be tolerated4 ,for centuries ,europe had made no progress in learning1 arts1 or civilization4 ,a moral and intellectual paralysis had fallen upon ,christendom4 ,the condition of the world under the ,romish power presented a fearful and striking fulfilment of the words of the prophet ,hosea3 8,my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge3 because thou hast rejected knowledge1 ,i will also reject thee3444 seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy ,god1 ,i will also forget thy children40 8,there is no truth1 nor mercy1 nor knowledge of ,god in the land4 ,by swearing1 and lying1 and killing1 and stealing1 and committing adultery1 they break out1 and blood toucheth blood407#ig7 ,such were the results of banishing the word of ,god4 #d4 ,,the ,,waldenses4 ,illustration3 ,chapter header4 ,amid the gloom that settled upon the earth during the long period of papal supremacy1 the light of truth could not be wholly extinguished4 ,in every age there were witnesses for ,god1--men who cherished faith in ,christ as the only mediator between ,god and man1 who held the ,bible as the only rule of life1 and who hallowed the true ,sabbath4 ,how much the world owes to these men1 posterity will never know4 ,they were branded as heretics1 their motives impugned1 their characters maligned1 their writings suppressed1 misrepresented1 or mutilated4 ,yet they stood firm1 and from age to age maintained their faith in its purity1 as a sacred heritage for the generations to come4 ,the history of ,god's people during the ages of darkness that followed upon ,rome's supremacy1 is written in heaven1 but they have little place in human records4 ,few traces of their existence can be found1 except in the accusations of their persecutors4 ,it was the policy of ,rome to obliterate every trace of dissent from her doctrines or decrees4 ,everything heretical1 whether persons or writings1 she sought to destroy4 ,expressions of doubt1 or questions as to the authority of papal dogmas1 were enough to forfeit the life of rich or poor1 high or low4 ,rome endeavored also to destroy every record of her cruelty toward dissenters4 ,papal councils decreed that books and writings containing such records should be committed to the flames4 ,before the invention of printing1 books were few in number1 and in a form not favorable for preservation2 therefore there was little to prevent the ,romanists from carrying out their purpose4 ,no church within the limits of ,romish jurisdiction was long left undisturbed in the enjoyment of freedom of conscience4 ,no sooner had the papacy obtained power than she stretched out her arms to crush all that refused to acknowledge her sway2 and one after another1 the churches submitted to her dominion4 ,in ,great ,britain1 primitive ,christianity had very early taken root4 ,the gospel received by the ,britons in the first centuries1 was then uncorrupted by ,romish apostasy4 ,persecution from pagan emperors1 which extended even to these far-off shores1 was the only gift that the first churches of ,britain received from ,rome4 ,many of the ,christians1 fleeing from persecution in ,england1 found refuge in ,scotland2 thence the truth was carried to ,ireland1 and in all these countries it was received with gladness4 ,when the ,saxons invaded ,britain1 heathenism gained control4 ,the conquerors disdained to be instructed by their slaves1 and the ,christians were forced to retreat to the mountains and the wild moors4 ,yet the light1 hidden for a time1 continued to burn4 ,in ,scotland1 a century later1 it shone out with a brightness that extended to far-distant lands4 ,from ,ireland came the pious ,columba and his co-laborers1 who1 gathering about them the scattered believers on the lonely island of ,iona1 made this the center of their missionary labors4 ,among these evangelists was an observer of the ,bible ,sabbath1 and thus this truth was introduced among the people4 ,a school was established at ,iona1 from which missionaries went out1 not only to ,scotland and ,england1 but to ,germany1 ,switzerland1 and even ,italy4 ,but ,rome had fixed her eyes on ,britain1 and resolved to bring it under her supremacy4 ,in the sixth century her missionaries undertook the conversion of the heathen ,saxons4 ,they were received with favor by the proud barbarians1 and they induced many thousands to profess the ,romish faith4 ,as the work progressed1 the papal leaders and their converts encountered the primitive ,christians4 ,a striking contrast was presented4 ,the latter were simple1 humble1 and scriptural in character1 doctrine1 and manners1 while the former manifested the superstition1 pomp1 and arrogance of popery4 ,the emissary of ,rome demanded that these ,christian churches acknowledge the supremacy of the sovereign pontiff4 ,the ,britons meekly replied that they desired to love all men1 but that the pope was not entitled to supremacy in the church1 and they could render to him only that submission which was due to every follower of ,christ4 ,repeated attempts were made to secure their allegiance to ,rome2 but these humble ,christians1 amazed at the pride displayed by her emissaries1 steadfastly replied that they knew no other master than ,christ4 ,now the true spirit of the papacy was revealed4 ,said the ,romish leader3 8,if you will not receive brethren who bring you peace1 you shall receive enemies who will bring you war4 ,if you will not unite with us in showing the ,saxons the way of life1 you shall receive from them the stroke of death407#ih7 ,these were no idle threats4 ,war1 intrigue1 and deception were employed against these witnesses for a ,bible faith1 until the churches of ,britain were destroyed1 or forced to submit to the authority of the pope4 ,in lands beyond the jurisdiction of ,rome1 there existed for many centuries bodies of ,christians who remained almost wholly free from papal corruption4 ,they were surrounded by heathenism1 and in the lapse of ages were affected by its errors2 but they continued to regard the ,bible as the only rule of faith1 and adhered to many of its truths4 ,these ,christians believed in the perpetuity of the law of ,god1 and observed the ,sabbath of the fourth commandment4 ,churches that held to this faith and practice1 existed in ,central ,africa and among the ,armenians of ,asia4 ,but of those who resisted the encroachments of the papal power1 the ,waldenses stood foremost4 ,in the very land where popery had fixed its seat1 there its falsehood and corruption were most steadfastly resisted4 ,for centuries the churches of ,piedmont maintained their independence2 but the time came at last when ,rome insisted upon their submission4 ,after ineffectual struggles against her tyranny1 the leaders of these churches reluctantly acknowledged the supremacy of the power to which the whole world seemed to pay homage4 ,there were some1 however1 who refused to yield to the authority of pope or prelate4 ,they were determined to maintain their allegiance to ,god1 and to preserve the purity and simplicity of their faith4 ,a separation took place4 ,those who adhered to the ancient faith now withdrew2 some1 forsaking their native ,alps1 raised the banner of truth in foreign lands2 others retreated to the secluded glens and rocky fastnesses of the mountains1 and there preserved their freedom to worship ,god4 ,the faith which for many centuries was held and taught by the ,waldensian ,christians1 was in marked contrast to the false doctrines put forth from ,rome4 ,their religious belief was founded upon the written word of ,god1 the true system of ,christianity4 ,but those humble peasants1 in their obscure retreats1 shut away from the world1 and bound to daily toil among their flocks and their vineyards1 had not by themselves arrived at the truth in opposition to the dogmas and heresies of the apostate church4 ,theirs was not a faith newly received4 ,their religious belief was their inheritance from their fathers4 ,they contended for the faith of the apostolic church1--8the faith which was once delivered unto the saints407#ii7 8,the church in the wilderness10 and not the proud hierarchy enthroned in the world's great capital1 was the true church of ,christ1 the guardian of the treasures of truth which ,god has committed to ,his people to be given to the world4 ,among the leading causes that had led to the separation of the true church from ,rome1 was the hatred of the latter toward the ,bible ,sabbath4 ,as foretold by prophecy1 the papal power cast down the truth to the ground4 ,the law of ,god was trampled in the dust1 while the traditions and customs of men were exalted4 ,the churches that were under the rule of the papacy were early compelled to honor the ,sunday as a holy day4 ,amid the prevailing error and superstition1 many1 even of the true people of ,god1 became so bewildered that while they observed the ,sabbath1 they refrained from labor also on the ,sunday4 ,but this did not satisfy the papal leaders4 ,they demanded not only that ,sunday be hallowed1 but that the ,sabbath be profaned2 and they denounced in the strongest language those who dared to show it honor4 ,it was only by fleeing from the power of ,rome that any could obey ,god's law in peace4 ,the ,waldenses were among the first of the peoples of ,europe to obtain a translation of the ,holy ,scriptures47#ajj7 ,hundreds of years before the ,reformation1 they possessed the ,bible in manuscript in their native tongue4 ,they had the truth unadulterated1 and this rendered them the special objects of hatred and persecution4 ,they declared the ,church of ,rome to be the apostate ,babylon of the ,apocalypse1 and at the peril of their lives they stood up to resist her corruptions4 ,while1 under the pressure of long-continued persecution1 some compromised their faith1 little by little yielding its distinctive principles1 others held fast the truth4 ,through ages of darkness and apostasy1 there were ,waldenses who denied the supremacy of ,rome1 who rejected image worship as idolatry1 and who kept the true ,sabbath4 ,under the fiercest tempests of opposition they maintained their faith4 ,though gashed by the ,savoyard spear1 and scorched by the ,romish fagot1 they stood unflinchingly for ,god's word and ,his honor4 ,behind the lofty bulwarks of the mountains1--in all ages the refuge of the persecuted and oppressed1--the ,waldenses found a hiding-place4 ,here the light of truth was kept burning amid the darkness of the ,middle ,ages4 ,here1 for a thousand years1 witnesses for the truth maintained the ancient faith4 ,god had provided for ,his people a sanctuary of awful grandeur1 befitting the mighty truths committed to their trust4 ,to those faithful exiles the mountains were an emblem of the immutable righteousness of ,jehovah4 ,they pointed their children to the heights towering above them in unchanging majesty1 and spoke to them of ,him with whom there is no variableness nor shadow of turning1 whose word is as enduring as the everlasting hills4 ,god had set fast the mountains1 and girded them with strength2 no arm but that of ,infinite ,power could move them out of their place4 ,in like manner ,he had established ,his law1 the foundation of ,his government in heaven and upon earth4 ,the arm of man might reach his fellow-men and destroy their lives2 but that arm could as readily uproot the mountains from their foundations1 and hurl them into the sea1 as it could change one precept of the law of ,jehovah1 or blot out one of ,his promises to those who do ,his will4 ,in their fidelity to ,his law1 ,god's servants should be as firm as the unchanging hills4 ,the mountains that girded their lowly valleys were a constant witness to ,god's creative power1 and a never-failing assurance of ,his protecting care4 ,those pilgrims learned to love the silent symbols of ,jehovah's presence4 ,they indulged no repining because of the hardships of their lot2 they were never lonely amid the mountain solitudes4 ,they thanked ,god that ,he had provided for them an asylum from the wrath and cruelty of men4 ,they rejoiced in their freedom to worship before ,him4 ,often when pursued by their enemies1 the strength of the hills proved a sure defense4 ,from many a lofty cliff they chanted the praise of ,god1 and the armies of ,rome could not silence their songs of thanksgiving4 ,pure1 simple1 and fervent was the piety of these followers of ,christ4 ,the principles of truth they valued above houses and lands1 friends1 kindred1 even life itself4 ,these principles they earnestly sought to impress upon the hearts of the young4 ,from earliest childhood the youth were instructed in the ,scriptures1 and taught to regard sacredly the claims of the law of ,god4 ,copies of the ,bible were rare2 therefore its precious words were committed to memory4 ,many were able to repeat large portions of both the ,old and the ,new ,testament4 ,thoughts of ,god were associated alike with the sublime scenery of nature and with the humble blessings of daily life4 ,little children learned to look with gratitude to ,god as the giver of every favor and every comfort4 ,parents1 tender and affectionate as they were1 loved their children too wisely to accustom them to self-indulgence4 ,before them was a life of trial and hardship1 perhaps a martyr's death4 ,they were educated from childhood to endure hardness1 to submit to control1 and yet to think and act for themselves4 ,very early they were taught to bear responsibilities1 to be guarded in speech1 and to understand the wisdom of silence4 ,one indiscreet word let fall in the hearing of their enemies1 might imperil not only the life of the speaker1 but the lives of hundreds of his brethren2 for as wolves hunting their prey did the enemies of truth pursue those who dared to claim freedom of religious faith4 ,the ,waldenses had sacrificed their worldly prosperity for the truth's sake1 and with persevering patience they toiled for their bread4 ,every spot of tillable land among the mountains was carefully improved2 the valleys and the less fertile hillsides were made to yield their increase4 ,economy and severe self-denial formed a part of the education which the children received as their only legacy4 ,they were taught that ,god designs life to be a discipline1 and that their wants could be supplied only by personal labor1 by forethought1 care1 and faith4 ,the process was laborious and wearisome1 but it was wholesome1 just what man needs in his fallen state1 the school which ,god has provided for his training and development4 ,while the youth were inured to toil and hardship1 the culture of the intellect was not neglected4 ,they were taught that all their powers belonged to ,god1 and that all were to be improved and developed for ,his service4 ,the ,vaudois churches1 in their purity and simplicity1 resembled the church of apostolic times4 ,rejecting the supremacy of pope and prelate1 they held the ,bible as the only supreme1 infallible authority4 ,their pastors1 unlike the lordly priests of ,rome1 followed the example of their ,master1 who 8came not to be ministered unto1 but to minister40 ,they fed the flock of ,god1 leading them to the green pastures and living fountains of ,his holy word4 ,far from the monuments of human pomp and pride1 the people assembled1 not in magnificent churches or grand cathedrals1 but beneath the shadow of the mountains1 in the ,alpine valleys1 or1 in time of danger1 in some rocky stronghold1 to listen to the words of truth from the servants of ,christ4 ,the pastors not only preached the gospel1 but they visited the sick1 catechized the children1 admonished the erring1 and labored to settle disputes and promote harmony and brotherly love4 ,in times of peace they were sustained by the freewill offerings of the people2 but1 like ,paul the tent-maker1 each learned some trade or profession by which1 if necessary1 to provide for his own support4 ,from their pastors the youth received instruction4 ,while attention was given to branches of general learning1 the ,bible was made the chief study4 ,the ,gospels of ,matthew and ,john were committed to memory1 with many of the ,epistles4 ,they were employed also in copying the ,scriptures4 ,some manuscripts contained the whole ,bible1 others only brief selections1 to which some simple explanations of the text were added by those who were able to expound the ,scriptures4 ,thus were brought forth the treasures of truth so long concealed by those who sought to exalt themselves above ,god4 ,by patient1 untiring labor1 sometimes in the deep1 dark caverns of the earth1 by the light of torches1 the sacred ,scriptures were written out1 verse by verse1 chapter by chapter4 ,thus the work went on1 the revealed will of ,god shining out like pure gold2 how much brighter1 clearer1 and more powerful because of the trials undergone for its sake1 only those could realize who were engaged in the work4 ,angels from heaven surrounded these faithful workers4 ,satan had urged on the papal priests and prelates to bury the ,word of truth beneath the rubbish of error1 heresy1 and superstition2 but in a most wonderful manner it was preserved uncorrupted through all the ages of darkness4 ,it bore not the stamp of man1 but the impress of ,god4 ,men have been unwearied in their efforts to obscure the plain1 simple meaning of the ,scriptures1 and to make them contradict their own testimony2 but like the ark upon the billowy deep1 the word of ,god outrides the storms that threaten it with destruction4 ,as the mine has rich veins of gold and silver hidden beneath the surface1 so that all must dig who would discover its precious stores1 so the ,holy ,scriptures have treasures of truth that are revealed only to the earnest1 humble1 prayerful seeker4 ,god designed the ,bible to be a lesson-book to all mankind1 in childhood1 youth1 and manhood1 and to be studied through all time4 ,he gave ,his word to men as a revelation of ,himself4 ,every new truth discerned is a fresh disclosure of the character of its ,author4 ,the study of the ,scriptures is the means divinely ordained to bring men into closer connection with their ,creator1 and to give them a clearer knowledge of ,his will4 ,it is the medium of communication between ,god and man4 ,while the ,waldenses regarded the fear of the ,lord as the beginning of wisdom1 they were not blind to the importance of a contact with the world1 a knowledge of men and of active life1 in expanding the mind and quickening the perceptions4 ,from their schools in the mountains some of the youth were sent to institutions of learning in the cities of ,france or ,italy1 where was a more extended field for study1 thought1 and observation than in their native ,alps4 ,the youth thus sent forth were exposed to temptation1 they witnessed vice1 they encountered ,satan's wily agents1 who urged upon them the most subtle heresies and the most dangerous deceptions4 ,but their education from childhood had been of a character to prepare them for all this4 ,in the schools whither they went1 they were not to make confidants of any4 ,their garments were so prepared as to conceal their greatest treasure1--the precious manuscripts of the ,scriptures4 ,these1 the fruit of months and years of toil1 they carried with them1 and whenever they could do so without exciting suspicion1 they cautiously placed some portion in the way of those whose hearts seemed open to receive the truth4 ,from their mother's knee the ,waldensian youth had been trained with this purpose in view2 they understood their work1 and faithfully performed it4 ,converts to the true faith were won in these institutions of learning1 and frequently its principles were found to be permeating the entire school2 yet the papal leaders could not1 by the closest inquiry1 trace the so-called corrupting heresy to its source4 ,the spirit of ,christ is a missionary spirit4 ,the very first impulse of the renewed heart is to bring others also to the ,saviour4 ,such was the spirit of the ,vaudois ,christians4 ,they felt that ,god required more of them than merely to preserve the truth in its purity in their own churches2 that a solemn responsibility rested upon them to let their light shine forth to those who were in darkness2 by the mighty power of ,god's word they sought to break the bondage which ,rome had imposed4 ,the ,vaudois ministers were trained as missionaries1 every one who expected to enter the ministry being required first to gain an experience as an evangelist4 ,each was to serve three years in some mission field before taking charge of a church at home4 ,this service1 requiring at the outset self-denial and sacrifice1 was a fitting introduction to the pastor's life in those times that tried men's souls4 ,the youth who received ordination to the sacred office saw before them1 not the prospect of earthly wealth and glory1 but a life of toil and danger1 and possibly a martyr's fate4 ,the missionaries went out two and two1 as ,jesus sent forth ,his disciples4 ,with each young man was usually associated a man of age and experience1 the youth being under the guidance of his companion1 who was held responsible for his training1 and whose instruction he was required to heed4 ,these co-laborers were not always together1 but often met for prayer and counsel1 thus strengthening each other in the faith4 ,to have made known the object of their mission would have insured its defeat2 therefore they carefully concealed their real character4 ,every minister possessed a knowledge of some trade or profession1 and the missionaries prosecuted their work under cover of a secular calling4 ,usually they chose that of merchant or peddler4 8,they carried silks1 jewelry1 and other articles1 at that time not easily purchasable save at distant marts2 and they were welcomed as merchants where they would have been spurned as missionaries407#aja7 ,all the while their hearts were uplifted to ,god for wisdom to present a treasure more precious than gold or gems4 ,they secretly carried about with them copies of the ,bible1 in whole or in part2 and whenever an opportunity was presented1 they called the attention of their customers to these manuscripts4 ,often an interest to read ,god's word was thus awakened1 and some portion was gladly left with those who desired to receive it4 ,the work of these missionaries began in the plains and valleys at the foot of their own mountains1 but it extended far beyond these limits4 ,with naked feet and in garments coarse and travel-stained as were those of their ,master1 they passed through great cities1 and penetrated to distant lands4 ,everywhere they scattered the precious seed4 ,churches sprung up in their path1 and the blood of martyrs witnessed for the truth4 ,the day of ,god will reveal a rich harvest of souls garnered by the labors of these faithful men4 ,veiled and silent1 the word of ,god was making its way through ,christendom1 and meeting a glad reception in the homes and hearts of men4 ,to the ,waldenses the ,scriptures were not merely a record of ,god's dealings with men in the past1 and a revelation of the responsibilities and duties of the present1 but an unfolding of the perils and glories of the future4 ,they believed that the end of all things was not far distant2 and as they studied the ,bible with prayer and tears1 they were the more deeply impressed with its precious utterances1 and with their duty to make known to others its saving truths4 ,they saw the plan of salvation clearly revealed in the sacred pages1 and they found comfort1 hope1 and peace in believing in ,jesus4 ,as the light illuminated their understanding and made glad their hearts1 they longed to shed its beams upon those who were in the darkness of papal error4 ,they saw that under the guidance of pope and priests1 multitudes were vainly endeavoring to obtain pardon by afflicting their bodies for the sin of their souls4 ,taught to trust to their good works to save them1 they were ever looking to themselves1 their minds dwelling upon their sinful condition1 seeing themselves exposed to the wrath of ,god1 afflicting soul and body1 yet finding no relief4 ,thus conscientious souls were bound by the doctrines of ,rome4 ,thousands abandoned friends and kindred1 and spent their lives in convent cells4 ,by oft-repeated fasts and cruel scourgings1 by midnight vigils1 by prostration for weary hours upon the cold1 damp stones of their dreary abode1 by long pilgrimages1 by humiliating penance and fearful torture1 thousands vainly sought to obtain peace of conscience4 ,oppressed with a sense of sin1 and haunted with the fear of ,god's avenging wrath1 many suffered on1 until exhausted nature gave way1 and without one ray of light or hope1 they sank into the tomb4 ,the ,waldenses longed to break to these starving souls the bread of life1 to open to them the messages of peace in the promises of ,god1 and to point them to ,christ as their only hope of salvation4 ,the doctrine that good works can atone for the transgression of ,god's law1 they held to be based upon falsehood4 ,reliance upon human merit intercepts the view of ,christ's infinite love4 ,jesus died as a sacrifice for man because the fallen race can do nothing to recommend themselves to ,god4 ,the merits of a crucified and risen ,saviour are the foundation of the ,christian's faith4 ,the dependence of the soul upon ,christ is as real1 and its connection with ,him must be as close1 as that of a limb to the body1 or of a branch to the vine4 ,the teachings of popes and priests had led men to look upon the character of ,god1 and even of ,christ1 as stern1 gloomy1 and forbidding4 ,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 invoked4 ,those whose minds had been enlightened by the word of ,god longed to point these souls to ,jesus as their compassionate1 loving ,saviour1 standing with outstretched arms1 inviting all to come to ,him with their burden of sin1 their care and weariness4 ,they longed to clear away the obstructions which ,satan had piled up that men might not see the promises1 and come directly to ,god1 confessing their sins1 and obtaining pardon and peace4 ,eagerly did the ,vaudois missionary unfold to the inquiring mind the precious truths of the gospel4 ,cautiously he produced the carefully written portions of the ,holy ,scriptures4 ,it was his greatest joy to give hope to the conscientious1 sin-stricken soul1 who could see only a ,god of vengeance1 waiting to execute justice4 ,with quivering lip and tearful eye did he1 often on bended knees1 open to his brethren the precious promises that reveal the sinner's only hope4 ,thus the light of truth penetrated many a darkened mind1 rolling back the cloud of gloom1 until the ,sun of ,righteousness shone into the heart with healing in ,his beams4 ,it was often the case that some portion of ,scripture was read again and again1 the hearer desiring it to be repeated1 as if he would assure himself that he had heard aright4 ,especially was the repetition of these words eagerly desired3 8,the blood of ,jesus ,christ ,his ,son cleanseth us from all sin407#ajb7 8,as ,moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness1 even so must the ,son of man be lifted up3 that whosoever believeth in ,him should not perish1 but have eternal life407#ajc7 ,many were undeceived in regard to the claims of ,rome4 ,they saw how vain is the mediation of men or angels in behalf of the sinner4 ,as the true light dawned upon their minds1 they exclaimed with rejoicing1 8,christ is my priest2 ,his blood is my sacrifice2 ,his altar is my confessional40 ,they cast themselves wholly upon the merits of ,jesus1 repeating the words1 8,without faith it is impossible to please ,him407#ajd7 8,there is none other name under heaven given among men1 whereby we must be saved407#aje7 ,the assurance of a ,saviour's love seemed too much for some of these poor tempest-tossed souls to realize4 ,so great was the relief which it brought1 such a flood of light was shed upon them1 that they seemed transported to heaven4 ,their hands were laid confidingly in the hand of ,christ2 their feet were planted upon the ,rock of ,ages4 ,all fear of death was banished4 ,they could now covet the prison and the fagot if they might thereby honor the name of their ,redeemer4 ,in secret places the word of ,god was thus brought forth and read1 sometimes to a single soul1 sometimes to a little company who were longing for light and truth4 ,often the entire night was spent in this manner4 ,so great would be the wonder and admiration of the listeners that the messenger of mercy was not infrequently compelled to cease his reading until the understanding could grasp the tidings of salvation4 ,often would words like these be uttered3 8,will ,god indeed accept my offering8 ,will ,he smile upon me8 ,will ,he pardon me80 ,the answer was read1 8,come unto ,me1 all ye that labor and are heavy laden1 and ,i will give you rest407#ajf7 ,faith grasped the promise1 and the glad response was heard3 8,no more long pilgrimages to make2 no more painful journeys to holy shrines4 ,i may come to ,jesus just as ,i am1 sinful and unholy1 and ,he will not spurn the penitential prayer4 #8,thy sins be forgiven thee4' ,mine1 even mine1 may be forgiven60 ,a tide of sacred joy would fill the heart1 and the name of ,jesus would be magnified by praise and thanksgiving4 ,those happy souls returned to their homes to diffuse light1 to repeat to others1 as well as they could1 their new experience2 that they had found the true and living ,way4 ,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 truth4 ,it was the voice of ,god1 and it carried conviction to those who heard4 ,the messenger of truth went on his way2 but his appearance of humility1 his sincerity1 his earnestness and deep fervor1 were subjects of frequent remark4 ,in many instances his hearers had not asked him whence he came or whither he went4 ,they had been so overwhelmed1 at first with surprise1 and afterward with gratitude and joy1 that they had not thought to question him4 ,when they had urged him to accompany them to their homes1 he had replied that he must visit the lost sheep of the flock4 ,could he have been an angel from heaven8 they queried4 ,in many cases the messenger of truth was seen no more4 ,he had made his way to other lands1 or he was wearing out his life in some unknown dungeon1 or perhaps his bones were whitening on the spot where he had witnessed for the truth4 ,but the words he had left behind could not be destroyed4 ,they were doing their work in the hearts of men2 the blessed results will be fully known only in the judgment4 ,the ,waldensian missionaries were invading the kingdom of ,satan1 and the powers of darkness aroused to greater vigilance4 ,every effort to advance the truth was watched by the prince of evil1 and he excited the fears of his agents4 ,the papal leaders saw a portent of danger to their cause from the labors of these humble itinerants4 ,if the light of truth were allowed to shine unobstructed1 it would sweep away the heavy clouds of error that enveloped the people2 it would direct the minds of men to ,god alone1 and would eventually destroy the supremacy of ,rome4 ,the very existence of this people1 holding the faith of the ancient church1 was a constant testimony to ,rome's apostasy1 and therefore excited the most bitter hatred and persecution4 ,their refusal to surrender the ,scriptures was also an offense that ,rome could not tolerate4 ,she determined to blot them from the earth4 ,now began the most terrible crusades against ,god's people in their mountain homes4 ,inquisitors were put upon their track1 and the scene of innocent ,abel falling before the murderous ,cain was often repeated4 ,again and again were their fertile lands laid waste1 their dwellings and chapels swept away1 so that where once were flourishing fields and the homes of an innocent1 industrious people1 there remained only a desert4 ,as the ravenous beast is rendered more furious by the taste of blood1 so the rage of the papists was kindled to greater intensity by the sufferings of their victims4 ,many of these witnesses for a pure faith were pursued across the mountains1 and hunted down in the valleys where they were hidden1 shut in by mighty forests and pinnacles of rock4 ,no charge could be brought against the moral character of this proscribed class4 ,even their enemies declared them to be a peaceable1 quiet1 pious people4 ,their grand offense was that they would not worship ,god according to the will of the pope4 ,for this crime1 every humiliation1 insult1 and torture that men or devils could invent was heaped upon them4 ,when ,rome at one time determined to exterminate the hated sect1 a bull was issued by the pope1 condemning them as heretics1 and delivering them to slaughter47#ajg7 ,they were not accused as idlers1 or dishonest1 or disorderly2 but it was declared that they had an appearance of piety and sanctity that seduced 8the sheep of the true fold40 ,therefore the pope ordered 8that malicious and abominable sect of malignants10 if they 8refuse to abjure1 to be crushed like venomous snakes407#ajh7 ,did this haughty potentate expect to meet those words again8 ,did he know that they were registered in the books of heaven1 to confront him at the judgment8 8,inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these ,my brethren10 said ,jesus1 8ye have done it unto ,me407#aji7 ,this bull called upon all members of the church to join the crusade against the heretics4 ,as an incentive to engage in this cruel work1 it 8absolved from all ecclesiastical pains and penalties1 general and particular2 it released all who joined the crusade from any oaths they might have taken2 it legitimatized their title to any property they might have illegally acquired2 and promised remission of all their sins to such as should kill any heretic4 ,it annulled all contracts made in favor of ,vaudois1 ordered their domestics to abandon them1 forbade all persons to give them any aid whatever1 and empowered all persons to take possession of their property40 ,this document clearly reveals the master-spirit behind the scenes4 ,it is the roar of the dragon1 and not the voice of ,christ1 that is heard therein4 ,the papal leaders would not conform their characters to the great standard of ,god's law1 but erected a standard to suit themselves1 and determined to compel all to conform to this because ,rome willed it4 ,the most horrible tragedies were enacted4 ,corrupt and blasphemous priests and popes were doing the work which ,satan appointed them4 ,mercy had no place in their natures4 ,the same spirit that crucified ,christ and slew the apostles1 the same that moved the bloodthirsty ,nero against the faithful in his day1 was at work to rid the earth of those who were beloved of ,god4 ,the persecutions visited for many centuries upon this ,god-fearing people were endured by them with a patience and constancy that honored their ,redeemer4 ,notwithstanding the crusades against them1 and the inhuman butchery to which they were subjected1 they continued to send out their missionaries to scatter the precious truth4 ,they were hunted to the death2 yet their blood watered the seed sown1 and it failed not of yielding fruit4 ,thus the ,waldenses witnessed for ,god1 centuries before the birth of ,luther4 ,scattered over many lands1 they planted the seeds of the ,reformation that began in the time of ,wycliffe1 grew broad and deep in the days of ,luther1 and is to be carried forward to the close of time by those who also are willing to suffer all things for 8the word of ,god1 and for the testimony of ,jesus ,christ407#aaj7 #e4 ,,john ,,wycliffe4 ,illustration3 ,chapter header4 ,before the ,reformation1 there were at times but very few copies of the ,bible in existence2 but ,god had not suffered ,his word to be wholly destroyed4 ,its truths were not to be forever hidden4 ,he could as easily unchain the words of life as ,he could open prison doors and unbolt iron gates to set ,his servants free4 ,in the different countries of ,europe men were moved by the ,spirit of ,god to search for the truth as for hid treasures4 ,providentially guided to the ,holy ,scriptures1 they studied the sacred pages with intense interest4 ,they were willing to accept the light1 at any cost to themselves4 ,though they did not see all things clearly1 they were enabled to perceive many long-buried truths4 ,as ,heaven-sent messengers they went forth1 rending asunder the chains of error and superstition1 and calling upon those who had been so long enslaved1 to arise and assert their liberty4 ,except among the ,waldenses1 the word of ,god had for ages been locked up in languages known only to the learned2 but the time had come for the ,scriptures to be translated1 and given to the people of different lands in their native tongue4 ,the world had passed its midnight4 ,the hours of darkness were wearing away1 and in many lands appeared tokens of the coming dawn4 ,in the fourteenth century arose in ,england the 8morning star of the ,reformation40 ,john ,wycliffe was the herald of reform1 not for ,england alone1 but for all ,christendom4 ,the great protest against ,rome which it was permitted him to utter1 was never to be silenced4 ,that protest opened the struggle which was to result in the emancipation of individuals1 of churches1 and of nations4 ,wycliffe received a liberal education1 and with him the fear of the ,lord was the beginning of wisdom4 ,he was noted at college for his fervent piety as well as for his remarkable talents and sound scholarship4 ,in his thirst for knowledge he sought to become acquainted with every branch of learning4 ,he was educated in the scholastic philosophy1 in the canons of the church1 and in the civil law1 especially that of his own country4 ,in his after-labors the value of this early training was apparent4 ,a thorough acquaintance with the speculative philosophy of his time enabled him to expose its errors2 and by his study of national and ecclesiastical law he was prepared to engage in the great struggle for civil and religious liberty4 ,while he could wield the weapons drawn from the word of ,god1 he had acquired the intellectual discipline of the schools1 and he understood the tactics of the schoolmen4 ,the power of his genius and the extent and thoroughness of his knowledge commanded the respect of both friends and foes4 ,his adherents saw with satisfaction that their champion stood foremost among the leading minds of the nation2 and his enemies were prevented from casting contempt upon the cause of reform by exposing the ignorance or weakness of its supporter4 ,while ,wycliffe was still at college1 he entered upon the study of the ,scriptures4 ,in those early times1 when the ,bible existed only in the ancient languages1 scholars were enabled to find their way to the fountain of truth1 which was closed to the uneducated classes4 ,thus already the way had been prepared for ,wycliffe's future work as a ,reformer4 ,men of learning had studied the word of ,god1 and had found the great truth of ,his free grace there revealed4 ,in their teachings they had spread a knowledge of this truth1 and had led others to turn to the ,living ,oracles4 ,when ,wycliffe's attention was directed to the ,scriptures1 he entered upon their investigation with the same thoroughness which had enabled him to master the learning of the schools4 ,heretofore he had felt a great want1 which neither his scholastic studies nor the teaching of the church could satisfy4 ,in the word of ,god he found that which he had before sought in vain4 ,here he saw the plan of salvation revealed1 and ,christ set forth as the only advocate for man4 ,he gave himself to the service of ,christ1 and determined to proclaim the truths he had discovered4 ,like after-reformers1 ,wycliffe did not1 at the opening of his work1 foresee whither it would lead him4 ,he did not set himself deliberately in opposition to ,rome4 ,but devotion to truth could not but bring him in conflict with falsehood4 ,the more clearly he discerned the errors of the papacy1 the more earnestly he presented the teaching of the ,bible4 ,he saw that ,rome had forsaken the word of ,god for human tradition2 he fearlessly accused the priesthood of having banished the ,scriptures1 and demanded that the ,bible be restored to the people1 and that its authority be again established in the church4 ,he was an able and earnest teacher1 and an eloquent preacher1 and his daily life was a demonstration of the truths he preached4 ,his knowledge of the ,scriptures1 the force of his reasoning1 the purity of his life1 and his unbending courage and integrity1 won for him general esteem and confidence4 ,many of the people had become dissatisfied with their former faith1 as they saw the iniquity that prevailed in the ,roman ,church1 and they hailed with unconcealed joy the truths brought to view by ,wycliffe2 but the papal leaders were filled with rage when they perceived that this ,reformer was gaining an influence greater than their own4 ,wycliffe was a keen detector of error1 and he struck fearlessly against many of the abuses sanctioned by the authority of ,rome4 ,while acting as chaplain for the king1 he took a bold stand against the payment of tribute claimed by the pope from the ,english monarch1 and showed that the papal assumption of authority over secular rulers was contrary to both reason and revelation4 ,the demands of the pope had excited great indignation1 and ,wycliffe's teachings exerted an influence upon the leading minds of the nation4 ,the king and the nobles united in denying the pontiff's claim to temporal authority1 and in refusing the payment of the tribute4 ,thus an effectual blow was struck against the papal supremacy in ,england4 ,another evil against which the ,reformer waged long and resolute battle1 was the institution of the orders of mendicant friars4 ,these friars swarmed in ,england1 casting a blight upon the greatness and prosperity of the nation4 ,industry1 education1 morals1 all felt the withering influence4 ,the monks' life of idleness and beggary was not only a heavy drain upon the resources of the people1 but it brought useful labor into contempt4 ,the youth were demoralized and corrupted4 ,by the influence of the friars many were induced to enter a cloister and devote themselves to a monastic life1 and this not only without the consent of their parents1 but even without their knowledge1 and contrary to their commands4 ,one of the early ,fathers of the ,roman ,church1 urging the claims of monasticism above the obligations of filial love and duty1 had declared3 8,though thy father should lie before thy door1 weeping and lamenting1 and thy mother should show the body that bore thee and the breasts that nursed thee1 see that thou trample them under foot1 and go onward straightway to ,christ40 ,by this 8monstrous inhumanity10 as ,luther afterward styled it1 8savoring more of the wolf and the tyrant than of the ,christian and the man10 were the hearts of children steeled against their parents47#aaa7 ,thus did the papal leaders1 like the ,pharisees of old1 make the commandment of ,god of none effect by their tradition4 ,thus homes were made desolate1 and parents were deprived of the society of their sons and daughters4 ,even the students in the universities were deceived by the false representations of the monks1 and induced to join their orders4 ,many afterward repented this step1 seeing that they had blighted their own lives1 and had brought sorrow upon their parents2 but once fast in the snare1 it was impossible for them to obtain their freedom4 ,many parents1 fearing the influence of the monks1 refused to send their sons to the universities4 ,there was a marked falling off in the number of students in attendance at the great centers of learning4 ,the schools languished1 and ignorance prevailed4 ,the pope had bestowed on these monks the power to hear confessions and to grant pardon4 ,this became a source of great evil4 ,bent on enhancing their gains1 the friars were so ready to grant absolution that criminals of all descriptions resorted to them1 and as a result1 the worst vices rapidly increased4 ,the sick and the poor were left to suffer1 while the gifts that should have relieved their wants went to the monks1 who with threats demanded the alms of the people1 denouncing the impiety of those who should withhold gifts from their orders4 ,notwithstanding their profession of poverty1 the wealth of the friars was constantly increasing1 and their magnificent edifices and luxurious tables made more apparent the growing poverty of the nation4 ,and while spending their time in luxury and pleasure1 they sent out in their stead ignorant men1 who could only recount marvelous tales1 legends1 and jests to amuse the people1 and make them still more completely the dupes of the monks4 ,yet the friars continued to maintain their hold on the superstitious multitudes1 and led them to believe that all religious duty was comprised in acknowledging the supremacy of the pope1 adoring the saints1 and making gifts to the monks1 and that this was sufficient to secure them a place in heaven4 ,men of learning and piety had labored in vain to bring about a reform in these monastic orders2 but ,wycliffe1 with clearer insight1 struck at the root of the evil1 declaring that the system itself was false1 and that it should be abolished4 ,discussion and inquiry were awakening4 ,as the monks traversed the country1 vending the pope's pardons1 many were led to doubt the possibility of purchasing forgiveness with money1 and they questioned whether they should not seek pardon from ,god rather than from the pontiff of ,rome47#aab7 ,not a few were alarmed at the rapacity of the friars1 whose greed seemed never to be satisfied4 8,the monks and priests of ,rome10 said they1 8are eating us away like a cancer4 ,god must deliver us1 or the people will perish407#aac7 ,to cover their avarice1 these begging monks claimed that they were following the ,saviour's example1 declaring that ,jesus and ,his disciples had been supported by the charities of the people4 ,this claim resulted in injury to their cause1 for it led many to the ,bible to learn the truth for themselves1--a result which of all others was least desired by ,rome4 ,the minds of men were directed to the ,source of truth1 which it was her object to conceal4 ,wycliffe began to write and publish tracts against the friars1 not1 however1 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 ,author4 ,he declared that the power of pardon or of excommunication is possessed by the pope in no greater degree than by common priests1 and that no man can be truly excommunicated unless he has first brought upon himself the condemnation of ,god4 ,in no more effectual way could he have undertaken the overthrow of that mammoth fabric of spiritual and temporal dominion which the pope had erected1 and in which the souls and bodies of millions were held captive4 ,again ,wycliffe was called to defend the rights of the ,english crown against the encroachments of ,rome2 and being appointed a royal ambassador1 he spent two years in the ,netherlands1 in conference with the commissioners of the pope4 ,here he was brought into communication with ecclesiastics from ,france1 ,italy1 and ,spain1 and he had an opportunity to look behind the scenes1 and gain a knowledge of many things which would have remained hidden from him in ,england4 ,he learned much that was to give point to his after-labors4 ,in these representatives from the papal court he read the true character and aims of the hierarchy4 ,he returned to ,england to repeat his former teachings more openly and with greater zeal1 declaring that covetousness1 pride1 and deception were the gods of ,rome4 ,in one of his tracts he said1 speaking of the pope and his collectors3 8,they draw out of our land poor men's livelihood1 and many thousand marks1 by the year1 of the king's money1 for sacraments and spiritual things1 that is cursed heresy of simony1 and maketh all ,christendom assent and maintain this heresy4 ,and certes though our realm had a huge hill of gold1 and never other man took thereof but only this proud worldly priest's collector1 by process of time this hill must be spended2 for he taketh ever money out of our land1 and sendeth naught again but ,god's curse for his simony407#aad7 ,soon after his return to ,england1 ,wycliffe received from the king the appointment to the rectory of ,lutterworth4 ,this was an assurance that the monarch at least had not been displeased by his plain speaking4 ,wycliffe's influence was felt in shaping the action of the court1 as well as in moulding the belief of the nation4 ,the papal thunders were soon hurled against him4 ,three bulls were dispatched to ,england1--to the university1 to the king1 and to the prelates1--all commanding immediate and decisive measures to silence the teacher of heresy47#aae7 ,before the arrival of the bulls1 however1 the bishops1 in their zeal1 had summoned ,wycliffe before them for trial4 ,but two of the most powerful princes in the kingdom accompanied him to the tribunal2 and the people1 surrounding the building and rushing in1 so intimidated the judges that the proceedings were for the time suspended1 and he was allowed to go his way in peace4 ,a little later1 ,edward ,,iii41 whom in his old age the prelates were seeking to influence against the ,reformer1 died1 and ,wycliffe's former protector became regent of the kingdom4 ,but the arrival of the papal bulls laid upon all ,england a peremptory command for the arrest and imprisonment of the heretic4 ,these measures pointed directly to the stake4 ,it appeared certain that ,wycliffe must soon fall a prey to the vengeance of ,rome4 ,but ,he who declared to one of old1 8,fear not3 ,i am thy shield107#aaf7 again stretched out ,his hand to protect ,his servant4 ,death came1 not to the ,reformer1 but to the pontiff who had decreed his destruction4 ,gregory ,,xi4 died1 and the ecclesiastics who had assembled for ,wycliffe's trial1 dispersed4 ,god's providence still further overruled events to give opportunity for the growth of the ,reformation4 ,the death of ,gregory was followed by the election of two rival popes4 ,two conflicting powers1 each professedly infallible1 now claimed obedience47#aag7 ,each called upon the faithful to assist him in making war upon the other1 enforcing his demands by terrible anathemas against his adversaries1 and promises of rewards in heaven to his supporters4 ,this occurrence greatly weakened the power of the papacy4 ,the rival factions had all they could do to attack each other1 and ,wycliffe for a time had rest4 ,anathemas and recriminations were flying from pope to pope1 and torrents of blood were poured out to support their conflicting claims4 ,crimes and scandals flooded the church4 ,meanwhile the ,reformer1 in the quiet retirement of his parish of ,lutterworth1 was laboring diligently to point men from the contending popes to ,jesus1 the ,prince of ,peace4 ,the schism1 with all the strife and corruption which it caused1 prepared the way for the ,reformation1 by enabling the people to see what the papacy really was4 ,in a tract which he published1 8,on the ,schism of the ,popes10 ,wycliffe called upon the people to consider whether these two priests were not speaking the truth in condemning each other as the antichrist4 8,god10 said he1 8would no longer suffer the fiend to reign in only one such priest1 but 444 made division among two1 so that men1 in ,christ's name1 may the more easily overcome them both407#aah7 ,wycliffe1 like his ,master1 preached the gospel to the poor4 ,not content with spreading the light in their humble homes in his own parish of ,lutterworth1 he determined that it should be carried to every part of ,england4 ,to accomplish this he organized a body of preachers1 simple1 devout men1 who loved the truth and desired nothing so much as to extend it4 ,these men went everywhere1 teaching in the market-places1 in the streets of the great cities1 and in the country lanes4 ,they sought out the aged1 the sick1 and the poor1 and opened to them the glad tidings of the grace of ,god4 ,as a professor of theology at ,oxford1 ,wycliffe preached the word of ,god in the halls of the university4 ,so faithfully did he present the truth to the students under his instruction1 that he received the title of 8,the ,gospel ,doctor40 ,but the greatest work of his life was to be the translation of the ,scriptures into the ,english language4 ,in a work1 8,on the ,truth and ,meaning of ,scripture10 he expressed his intention to translate the ,bible1 so that every man in ,england might read1 in the language in which he was born1 the wonderful works of ,god4 ,but suddenly his labors were stopped4 ,though not yet sixty years of age1 unceasing toil1 study1 and the assaults of his enemies1 had told upon his strength1 and made him prematurely old4 ,he was attacked by a dangerous illness4 ,the tidings brought great joy to the friars4 ,now they thought he would bitterly repent the evil he had done the church1 and they hurried to his chamber to listen to his confession4 ,representatives from the four religious orders1 with four civil officers1 gathered about the supposed dying man4 8,you have death on your lips10 they said2 8be touched by your faults1 and retract in our presence all that you have said to our injury40 ,the ,reformer listened in silence2 then he bade his attendant raise him in his bed1 and gazing steadily upon them as they stood waiting for his recantation1 he said1 in the firm1 strong voice which had so often caused them to tremble1 8,i shall not die1 but live1 and again declare the evil deeds of the friars407#aai7 ,astonished and abashed1 the monks hurried from the room4 ,wycliffe's words were fulfilled4 ,he lived to place in the hands of his countrymen the most powerful of all weapons against ,rome1--to give them the ,bible1 the ,heaven-appointed agent to liberate1 enlighten1 and evangelize the people4 ,there were many and great obstacles to surmount in the accomplishment of this work4 ,wycliffe was weighed down with infirmities2 he knew that only a few years for labor remained for him2 he saw the opposition which he must meet2 but1 encouraged by the promises of ,god's word1 he went forward nothing daunted4 ,in the full vigor of his intellectual powers1 rich in experience1 he had been preserved and prepared by ,god's special providence for this1 the greatest of his labors4 ,while all ,christendom was filled with tumult1 the ,reformer in his rectory at ,lutterworth1 unheeding the storm that raged without1 applied himself to his chosen task4 ,at last the work was completed1--the first ,english translation of the ,bible ever made4 ,the word of ,god was opened to ,england4 ,the ,reformer feared not now the prison or the stake4 ,he had placed in the hands of the ,english people a light which should never be extinguished4 ,in giving the ,bible to his countrymen1 he had done more to break the fetters of ignorance and vice1 more to liberate and elevate his country1 than was ever achieved by the most brilliant victories on fields of battle4 ,the art of printing being still unknown1 it was only by slow and wearisome labor that copies of the ,bible could be multiplied4 ,so great was the interest to obtain the book1 that many willingly engaged in the work of transcribing it1 but it was with difficulty that the copyists could supply the demand4 ,some of the more wealthy purchasers desired the whole ,bible4 ,others bought only a portion4 ,in many cases1 several families united to purchase a copy4 ,thus ,wycliffe's ,bible soon found its way to the homes of the people4 ,the appeal to men's reason aroused them from their passive submission to papal dogmas4 ,wycliffe now taught the distinctive doctrines of ,protestantism1--salvation through faith in ,christ1 and the sole infallibility of the ,scriptures4 ,the preachers whom he had sent out circulated the ,bible1 together with the ,reformer's writings1 and with such success that the new faith was accepted by nearly one half of the people of ,england4 ,the appearance of the ,scriptures brought dismay to the authorities of the church4 ,they had now to meet an agency more powerful than ,wycliffe1--an agency against which their weapons would avail little4 ,there was at this time no law in ,england prohibiting the ,bible1 for it had never before been published in the language of the people4 ,such laws were afterward enacted and rigorously enforced4 ,meanwhile1 notwithstanding the efforts of the priests1 there was for a season opportunity for the circulation of the word of ,god4 ,again the papal leaders plotted to silence the ,reformer's voice4 ,before three tribunals he was successively summoned for trial1 but without avail4 ,first a synod of bishops declared his writings heretical1 and winning the young king1 ,richard ,,ii41 to their side1 they obtained a royal decree consigning to prison all who should hold the condemned doctrines4 ,wycliffe appealed from the synod to ,parliament2 he fearlessly arraigned the hierarchy before the national council1 and demanded a reform of the enormous abuses sanctioned by the church4 ,with convincing power he portrayed the usurpations and corruptions of the papal see4 ,his enemies were brought to confusion4 ,the friends and supporters of ,wycliffe had been forced to yield1 and it had been confidently expected that the ,reformer himself1 in his old age1 alone and friendless1 would bow to the combined authority of the crown and the mitre4 ,but instead of this the papists saw themselves defeated4 ,parliament1 roused by the stirring appeals of ,wycliffe1 repealed the persecuting edict1 and the ,reformer was again at liberty4 ,a third time he was brought to trial1 and now before the highest ecclesiastical tribunal in the kingdom4 ,here no favor would be shown to heresy4 ,here at last ,rome would triumph1 and the ,reformer's work would be stopped4 ,so thought the papists4 ,if they could but accomplish their purpose1 ,wycliffe would be forced to abjure his doctrines1 or would leave the court only for the flames4 ,but ,wycliffe did not retract2 he would not dissemble4 ,he fearlessly maintained his teachings1 and repelled the accusations of his persecutors4 ,losing sight of himself1 of his position1 of the occasion1 he summoned his hearers before the divine tribunal1 and weighed their sophistries and deceptions in the balances of eternal truth4 ,the power of the ,holy ,spirit was felt in the council-room4 ,a spell from ,god was upon the hearers4 ,they seemed to have no power to leave the place4 ,as arrows from the ,lord's quiver1 the ,reformer's words pierced their hearts4 ,the charge of heresy1 which they had brought against him1 he with convincing power threw back upon themselves4 ,why1 he demanded1 did they dare to spread their errors8 ,for the sake of gain1 to make merchandise of the grace of ,god4 8,with whom1 think you10 he finally said1 8are ye contending8 with an old man on the brink of the grave8 ,no6 with ,truth1--,truth which is stronger than you1 and will overcome you407#abj7 ,so saying1 he withdrew from the assembly1 and not one of his adversaries attempted to prevent him4 ,wycliffe's work was almost done2 the banner of truth which he had so long borne was soon to fall from his hand2 but once more he was to bear witness for the gospel4 ,the truth was to be proclaimed from the very stronghold of the kingdom of error4 ,wycliffe was summoned for trial before the papal tribunal at ,rome1 which had so often shed the blood of the saints4 ,he was not blind to the danger that threatened him1 yet he would have obeyed the summons had not a shock of palsy made it impossible for him to perform the journey4 ,but though his voice was not to be heard at ,rome1 he could speak by letter1 and this he determined to do4 ,from his rectory the ,reformer wrote to the pope a letter1 which1 while respectful in tone and ,christian in spirit1 was a keen rebuke to the pomp and pride of the papal see4 8,verily ,i do rejoice10 he said1 8to open and declare unto every man the faith which ,i do hold1 and especially unto the bishop of ,rome3 which1 forasmuch as ,i do suppose to be sound and true1 he will most willingly confirm my said faith1 or if it be erroneous1 amend the same4 8,first1 ,i suppose that the gospel of ,christ is the whole body of ,god's law4444 ,i do give and hold the bishop of ,rome1 forasmuch as he is the vicar of ,christ here on earth1 to be most bound1 of all other men1 unto that law of the gospel4 ,for the greatness among ,christ's disciples did not consist in worldly dignity or honors1 but in the near and exact following of ,christ in ,his life and manners4444 ,christ1 for the time of ,his pilgrimage here1 was a most poor man1 abjecting and casting off all worldly rule and honor4444 8,no faithful man ought to follow either the pope himself or any of the holy men1 but in such points as he hath followed the ,lord ,jesus ,christ2 for ,peter and the sons of ,zebedee1 by desiring worldly honor1 contrary to the following of ,christ's steps1 did offend1 and therefore in those errors they are not to be followed4444 8,the pope ought to leave unto the secular power all temporal dominion and rule1 and thereunto effectually to move and exhort his whole clergy2 for so did ,christ1 and especially by ,his apostles4 ,wherefore1 if ,i have erred in any of these points1 ,i will most humbly submit myself unto correction1 even by death1 if necessity so require2 and if ,i could labor according to my will or desire in mine own person1 ,i would surely present myself before the bishop of ,rome2 but the ,lord hath otherwise visited me to the contrary1 and hath taught me rather to obey ,god than men40 ,in closing he said3 8,let us pray unto our ,god1 that ,he will so stir up our pope ,urban ,,vi41 as he began1 that he with his clergy may follow the ,lord ,jesus ,christ in life and manners2 and that they may teach the people effectually1 and that they1 likewise1 may faithfully follow them in the same407#aba7 ,thus ,wycliffe presented to the pope and his cardinals the meekness and humility of ,christ1 exhibiting not only to themselves but to all ,christendom the contrast between them and the ,master whose representatives they professed to be4 ,wycliffe fully expected that his life would be the price of his fidelity4 ,the king1 the pope1 and the bishops were united to accomplish his ruin1 and it seemed certain that a few months at most would bring him to the stake4 ,but his courage was unshaken4 8,why do you talk of seeking the crown of martyrdom afar80 he said4 8,preach the gospel of ,christ to haughty prelates1 and martyrdom will not fail you4 ,what6 ,i should live and be silent8444 ,never6 ,let the blow fall1 ,i await its coming407#abb7 ,but ,god's providence still shielded ,his servant4 ,the man who for a whole lifetime had stood boldly in defense of the truth1 in daily peril of his life1 was not to fall a victim to the hatred of its foes4 ,wycliffe had never sought to shield himself1 but the ,lord had been his protector2 and now1 when his enemies felt sure of their prey1 ,god's hand removed him beyond their reach4 ,in his church at ,lutterworth1 as he was about to dispense the communion1 he fell1 stricken with palsy1 and in a short time yielded up his life4 ,god had appointed to ,wycliffe his work4 ,he had put the word of truth in his mouth1 and ,he set a guard about him that this word might come to the people4 ,his life was protected1 and his labors were prolonged1 until a foundation was laid for the great work of the ,reformation4 ,wycliffe came from the obscurity of the ,dark ,ages4 ,there were none who went before him from whose work he could shape his system of reform4 ,raised up like ,john the ,baptist to accomplish a special mission1 he was the herald of a new era4 ,yet in the system of truth which he presented there was a unity and completeness which ,reformers who followed him did not exceed1 and which some did not reach1 even a hundred years later4 ,so broad and deep was laid the foundation1 so firm and true was the framework1 that it needed not to be reconstructed by those who came after him4 ,the great movement that ,wycliffe inaugurated1 which was to liberate the conscience and the intellect1 and set free the nations so long bound to the triumphal car of ,rome1 had its spring in the ,bible4 ,here was the source of that stream of blessing1 which1 like the water of life1 has flowed down the ages since the fourteenth century4 ,wycliffe accepted the ,holy ,scriptures with implicit faith as the inspired revelation of ,god's will1 a sufficient rule of faith and practice4 ,he had been educated to regard the ,church of ,rome as the divine1 infallible authority1 and to accept with unquestioning reverence the established teachings and customs of a thousand years2 but he turned away from all these to listen to ,god's holy word4 ,this was the authority which he urged the people to acknowledge4 ,instead of the church speaking through the pope1 he declared the only true authority to be the voice of ,god speaking through ,his word4 ,and he taught not only that the ,bible is a perfect revelation of ,god's will1 but that the ,holy ,spirit is its only interpreter1 and that every man is1 by the study of its teachings1 to learn his duty for himself4 ,thus he turned the minds of men from the pope and the ,church of ,rome to the word of ,god4 ,wycliffe was one of the greatest of the ,reformers4 ,in breadth of intellect1 in clearness of thought1 in firmness to maintain the truth1 and boldness to defend it1 he was equaled by few who came after him4 ,purity of life1 unwearying diligence in study and in labor1 incorruptible integrity1 and ,christlike love and faithfulness in his ministry1 characterized the first of the ,reformers4 ,and this notwithstanding the intellectual darkness and moral corruption of the age from which he emerged4 ,the character of ,wycliffe is a testimony to the educating1 transforming power of the ,holy ,scriptures4 ,it was the ,bible that made him what he was4 ,the effort to grasp the great truths of revelation imparts freshness and vigor to all the faculties4 ,it expands the mind1 sharpens the perceptions1 and ripens the judgment4 ,the study of the ,bible will ennoble every thought1 feeling1 and aspiration as no other study can4 ,it gives stability of purpose1 patience1 courage1 and fortitude2 it refines the character1 and sanctifies the soul4 ,an earnest1 reverent study of the ,scriptures1 bringing the mind of the student in direct contact with the infinite mind1 would give to the world men of stronger and more active intellect1 as well as of nobler principle1 than has ever resulted from the ablest training that human philosophy affords4 8,the entrance of ,thy words10 says the psalmist1 8giveth light2 it giveth understanding407#abc7 ,the doctrines which had been taught by ,wycliffe continued for a time to spread2 his followers1 known as ,wycliffites and ,lollards1 not only traversed ,england1 but scattered to other lands1 carrying the knowledge of the gospel4 ,now that their leader was removed1 the preachers labored with even greater zeal than before1 and multitudes flocked to listen to their teachings4 ,some of the nobility1 and even the wife of the king1 were among the converts4 ,in many places there was a marked reform in the manners of the people1 and the idolatrous symbols of ,romanism were removed from the churches4 ,but soon the pitiless storm of persecution burst upon those who had dared to accept the ,bible as their guide4 ,the ,english monarchs1 eager to strengthen their power by securing the support of ,rome1 did not hesitate to sacrifice the ,reformers4 ,for the first time in the history of ,england1 the stake was decreed against the disciples of the gospel4 ,martyrdom succeeded martyrdom4 ,the advocates of truth1 proscribed and tortured1 could only pour their cries into the ear of the ,lord of ,sabaoth4 ,hunted as foes of the church and traitors to the realm1 they continued to preach in secret places1 finding shelter as best they could in the humble homes of the poor1 and often hiding away even in dens and caves4 ,notwithstanding the rage of persecution1 a calm1 devout1 earnest1 patient protest against the prevailing corruption of religious faith continued for centuries to be uttered4 ,the ,christians of that early time had only a partial knowledge of the truth1 but they had learned to love and obey ,god's word1 and they patiently suffered for its sake4 ,like the disciples in apostolic days1 many sacrificed their worldly possessions for the cause of ,christ4 ,those who were permitted to dwell in their homes1 gladly sheltered their banished brethren2 and when they too were driven forth1 they cheerfully accepted the lot of the outcast4 ,thousands1 it is true1 terrified by the fury of their persecutors1 purchased their freedom at the sacrifice of their faith1 and went out of their prisons1 clothed in penitents' robes1 to publish their recantation4 ,but the number was not small--and among them were men of noble birth as well as the humble and lowly--who bore fearless testimony to the truth in dungeon cells1 in 8,lollard towers10 and in the midst of torture and flame1 rejoicing that they were counted worthy to know 8the fellowship of ,his sufferings40 ,the papists had failed to work their will with ,wycliffe during his life1 and their hatred could not be satisfied while his body rested quietly in the grave4 ,by the decree of the ,council of ,constance1 more than forty years after his death his bones were exhumed and publicly burned1 and the ashes were thrown into a neighboring brook4 8,this brook10 says an old writer1 8hath conveyed his ashes into ,avon1 ,avon into ,severn1 ,severn into the narrow seas1 they into the main ocean4 ,and thus the ashes of ,wycliffe are the emblem of his doctrine1 which now is dispersed all the world over407#abd7 ,little did his enemies realize the significance of their malicious act4 ,it was through the writings of ,wycliffe that ,john ,huss1 of ,bohemia1 was led to renounce many of the errors of ,romanism1 and to enter upon the work of reform4 ,thus in these two countries1 so widely separated1 the seed of truth was sown4 ,from ,bohemia the work extended to other lands4 ,the minds of men were directed to the long-forgotten word of ,god4 ,a divine hand was preparing the way for the ,great ,reformation4 #f4 ,,huss ,,and ,,jerome4 ,illustration3 ,chapter header4 ,the gospel had been planted in ,bohemia as early as the ninth century4 ,the ,bible was translated1 and public worship was conducted1 in the language of the people4 ,but as the power of the pope increased1 so the word of ,god was obscured4 ,gregory ,,vii41 who had taken it upon him to humble the pride of kings1 was no less intent upon enslaving the people1 and accordingly a bull was issued forbidding public worship to be conducted in the ,bohemian tongue4 ,the pope declared that 8it was pleasing to the ,omnipotent that ,his worship should be celebrated in an unknown language1 and that many evils and heresies had arisen from not observing this rule407#abe7 ,thus ,rome decreed that the light of ,god's word should be extinguished1 and the people should be shut up in darkness4 ,but ,heaven had provided other agencies for the preservation of the church4 ,many of the ,waldenses and ,albigenses1 driven by persecution from their homes in ,france and ,italy1 came to ,bohemia4 ,though they dared not teach openly1 they labored zealously in secret4 ,thus the true faith was preserved from century to century4 ,before the days of ,huss1 there were men in ,bohemia who rose up to condemn openly the corruption in the church and the profligacy of the people4 ,their labors excited widespread interest4 ,the fears of the hierarchy were roused1 and persecution was opened against the disciples of the gospel4 ,driven to worship in the forests and the mountains1 they were hunted by soldiers1 and many were put to death4 ,after a time it was decreed that all who departed from the ,romish worship should be burned4 ,but while the ,christians yielded up their lives1 they looked forward to the triumph of their cause4 ,one of those who 8taught that salvation was only to be found by faith in the crucified ,saviour10 declared when dying1 8,the rage of the enemies of the truth now prevails against us1 but it will not be forever2 there shall arise one from among the common people1 without sword or authority1 and against him they shall not be able to prevail407#abf7 ,luther's time was yet far distant2 but already one was rising1 whose testimony against ,rome would stir the nations4 ,john ,huss was of humble birth1 and was early left an orphan by the death of his father4 ,his pious mother1 regarding education and the fear of ,god as the most valuable of possessions1 sought to secure this heritage for her son4 ,huss studied at the provincial school1 and then repaired to the university at ,prague1 receiving admission as a charity scholar4 ,he was accompanied on the journey to ,prague by his mother2 widowed and poor1 she had no gift of worldly wealth to bestow upon her son1 but as they drew near to the great city1 she kneeled down beside the fatherless youth1 and invoked for him the blessing of their ,father in heaven4 ,little did that mother realize how her prayer was to be answered4 ,at the university1 ,huss soon distinguished himself by his untiring application and rapid progress1 while his blameless life and gentle1 winning deportment gained him universal esteem4 ,he was a sincere adherent of the ,roman ,church1 and an earnest seeker for the spiritual blessings which it professes to bestow4 ,on the occasion of a jubilee1 he went to confession1 paid the last few coins in his scanty store1 and joined in the processions1 that he might share in the absolution promised4 ,after completing his college course1 he entered the priesthood1 and rapidly attaining to eminence1 he soon became attached to the court of the king4 ,he was also made professor and afterward rector of the university where he had received his education4 ,in a few years the humble charity scholar had become the pride of his country1 and his name was renowned throughout ,europe4 ,but it was in another field that ,huss began the work of reform4 ,several years after taking priest's orders he was appointed preacher of the chapel of ,bethlehem4 ,the founder of this chapel had advocated1 as a matter of great importance1 the preaching of the ,scriptures in the language of the people4 ,notwithstanding ,rome's opposition to this practice1 it had not been wholly discontinued in ,bohemia4 ,but there was great ignorance of the ,bible1 and the worst vices prevailed among the people of all ranks4 ,these evils ,huss unsparingly denounced1 appealing to the word of ,god to enforce the principles of truth and purity which he inculcated4 ,a citizen of ,prague1 ,jerome1 who afterward became so closely associated with ,huss1 had1 on returning from ,england1 brought with him the writings of ,wycliffe4 ,the queen of ,england1 who had been a convert to ,wycliffe's teachings1 was a ,bohemian princess1 and through her influence also the ,reformer's works were widely circulated in her native country4 ,these works ,huss read with interest2 he believed their author to be a sincere ,christian1 and was inclined to regard with favor the reforms which he advocated4 ,already1 though he knew it not1 ,huss had entered upon a path which was to lead him far away from ,rome4 ,about this time there arrived in ,prague two strangers from ,england1 men of learning1 who had received the light1 and had come to spread it in this distant land4 ,beginning with an open attack on the pope's supremacy1 they were soon silenced by the authorities2 but being unwilling to relinquish their purpose1 they had recourse to other measures4 ,being artists as well as preachers1 they proceeded to exercise their skill4 ,in a place open to the public they drew two pictures4 ,one represented the entrance of ,christ into ,jerusalem1 8meek1 and sitting upon an ass107#abg7 and followed by ,his disciples in travel-worn garments and with naked feet4 ,the other picture portrayed a pontifical procession1--the pope arrayed in his rich robes and triple crown1 mounted upon a horse magnificently adorned1 preceded by trumpeters1 and followed by cardinals and prelates in dazzling array4 ,here was a sermon which arrested the attention of all classes4 ,crowds came to gaze upon the drawings4 ,none could fail to read the moral1 and many were deeply impressed by the contrast between the meekness and humility of ,christ the ,master1 and the pride and arrogance of the pope1 ,his professed servant4 ,there was great commotion in ,prague1 and the strangers after a time found it necessary1 for their own safety1 to depart4 ,but the lesson they had taught was not forgotten4 ,the pictures made a deep impression on the mind of ,huss1 and led him to a closer study of the ,bible and of ,wycliffe's writings4 ,though he was not prepared1 even yet1 to accept all the reforms advocated by ,wycliffe1 he saw more clearly the true character of the papacy1 and with greater zeal denounced the pride1 the ambition1 and the corruption of the hierarchy4 ,from ,bohemia the light extended to ,germany2 for disturbances in the ,university of ,prague caused the withdrawal of hundreds of ,german students4 ,many of them had received from ,huss their first knowledge of the ,bible1 and on their return they spread the gospel in their fatherland4 ,tidings of the work at ,prague were carried to ,rome1 and ,huss was soon summoned to appear before the pope4 ,to obey would be to expose himself to certain death4 ,the king and queen of ,bohemia1 the university1 members of the nobility1 and officers of the government1 united in an appeal to the pontiff that ,huss be permitted to remain at ,prague1 and to answer at ,rome by deputy4 ,instead of granting this request1 the pope proceeded to the trial and condemnation of ,huss1 and then declared the city of ,prague to be under interdict4 ,in that age this sentence1 whenever pronounced1 created wide-spread alarm4 ,the ceremonies by which it was accompanied were well adapted to strike terror to a people who looked upon the pope as the representative of ,god ,himself1 holding the keys of heaven and hell1 and possessing power to invoke temporal as well as spiritual judgments4 ,it was believed that the gates of heaven were closed against the region smitten with interdict2 that until it should please the pope to remove the ban1 the dead were shut out from the abodes of bliss4 ,in token of this terrible calamity1 all the services of religion were suspended4 ,the churches were closed4 ,marriages were solemnized in the churchyard4 ,the dead1 denied burial in consecrated ground1 were interred1 without the rites of sepulture1 in the ditches or the fields4 ,thus by measures which appealed to the imagination1 ,rome essayed to control the consciences of men4 ,the city of ,prague was filled with tumult4 ,a large class denounced ,huss as the cause of all their calamities1 and demanded that he be given up to the vengeance of ,rome4 ,to quiet the storm1 the ,reformer withdrew for a time to his native village4 ,writing to the friends whom he had left at ,prague1 he said3 8,if ,i have withdrawn from the midst of you1 it is to follow the precept and example of ,jesus ,christ1 in order not to give room to the ill-minded to draw on themselves eternal condemnation1 and in order not to be to the pious a cause of affliction and persecution1 ,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 you2 but ,i have not quitted you to deny the divine truth1 for which1 with ,god's assistance1 ,i am willing to die407#abh7 ,huss did not cease his labors1 but traveled through the surrounding country1 preaching to eager crowds4 ,thus the measures to which the pope resorted to suppress the gospel1 were causing it to be the more widely extended4 8,we can do nothing against the truth1 but for the truth407#abi7 8,the mind of ,huss1 at this stage of his career1 would seem to have been the scene of a painful conflict4 ,although the church was seeking to overwhelm him by her thunderbolts1 he had not renounced her authority4 ,the ,roman ,church was still to him the spouse of ,christ1 and the pope was the representative and vicar of ,god4 ,what ,huss was warring against was the abuse of authority1 not the principle itself4 ,this brought on a terrible conflict between the convictions of his understanding and the claims of his conscience4 ,if the authority was just and infallible1 as he believed it to be1 how came it that he felt compelled to disobey it8 ,to obey1 he saw1 was to sin2 but why should obedience to an infallible church lead to such an issue8 ,this was the problem he could not solve2 this was the doubt that tortured him hour by hour4 ,the nearest approximation to a solution which he was able to make1 was that it had happened again1 as once before in the days of the ,saviour1 that the priests of the church had become wicked persons1 and were using their lawful authority for unlawful ends4 ,this led him to adopt for his own guidance1 and to preach to others for theirs1 the maxim that the precepts of ,scripture1 conveyed through the understanding1 are to rule the conscience2 in other words1 that ,god speaking in the ,bible1 and not the church speaking through the priesthood1 is the one infallible guide407#acj7 ,when after a time the excitement in ,prague subsided1 ,huss returned to his chapel of ,bethlehem1 to continue with greater zeal and courage the preaching of the word of ,god4 ,his enemies were active and powerful1 but the queen and many of the nobles were his friends1 and the people in great numbers sided with him4 ,comparing his pure and elevating teachings and holy life with the degrading dogmas which the ,romanists preached1 and the avarice and debauchery which they practised1 many regarded it an honor to be on his side4 ,hitherto ,huss had stood alone in his labors2 but now ,jerome1 who while in ,england had accepted the teachings of ,wycliffe1 joined in the work of reform4 ,the two were hereafter united in their lives1 and in death they were not to be divided4 ,brilliancy of genius1 eloquence and learning--gifts that win popular favor--were possessed in a preeminent degree by ,jerome2 but in those qualities which constitute real strength of character1 ,huss was the greater4 ,his calm judgment served as a restraint upon the impulsive spirit of ,jerome1 who1 with true humility1 perceived his worth1 and yielded to his counsels4 ,under their united labors the reform was more rapidly extended4 ,god permitted great light to shine upon the minds of these chosen men1 revealing to them many of the errors of ,rome2 but they did not receive all the light that was to be given to the world4 ,through these1 ,his servants1 ,god was leading the people out of the darkness of ,romanism2 but there were many and great obstacles for them to meet1 and ,he led them on1 step by step1 as they could bear it4 ,they were not prepared to receive all the light at once4 ,like the full glory of the noontide sun to those who have long dwelt in darkness1 it would1 if presented1 have caused them to turn away4 ,therefore ,he revealed it to the leaders little by little1 as it could be received by the people4 ,from century to century1 other faithful workers were to follow1 to lead the people on still farther in the path of reform4 ,the schism in the church still continued4 ,three popes were now contending for the supremacy1 and their strife filled ,christendom with crime and tumult4 ,not content with hurling anathemas1 they resorted to temporal weapons4 ,each cast about him to purchase arms and to obtain soldiers4 ,of course money must be had2 and to procure this1 the gifts1 offices1 and blessings of the church were offered for sale47#aca7 ,the priests also1 imitating their superiors1 resorted to simony and war to humble their rivals and strengthen their own power4 ,with daily increasing boldness1 ,huss thundered against the abominations which were tolerated in the name of religion2 and the people openly accused the ,romish leaders as the cause of the miseries that overwhelmed ,christendom4 ,again the city of ,prague seemed on the verge of a bloody conflict4 ,as in former ages1 ,god's servant was accused as 8he that troubleth ,israel407#acb7 ,the city was again placed under interdict1 and ,huss withdrew to his native village4 ,the testimony so faithfully borne from his loved chapel of ,bethlehem was ended4 ,he was to speak from a wider stage1 to all ,christendom1 before laying down his life as a witness for the truth4 ,to cure the evils that were distracting ,europe1 a general council was summoned to meet at ,constance4 ,the council was called at the desire of the emperor ,sigismund1 by one of the three rival popes1 ,john ,,xxiii4 ,the demand for a council had been far from welcome to ,pope ,john1 whose character and policy could ill bear investigation1 even by prelates as lax in morals as were the churchmen of those times4 ,he dared not1 however1 oppose the will of ,sigismund47#acc7 ,the chief objects to be accomplished by the council were to heal the schism in the church1 and to root out heresy4 ,hence the two anti-popes were summoned to appear before it1 as well as the leading propagator of the new opinions1 ,john ,huss4 ,the former1 having regard to their own safety1 did not attend in person1 but were represented by their delegates4 ,pope ,john1 while ostensibly the convoker of the council1 came to it with many misgivings1 suspecting the emperor's secret purpose to depose him1 and fearing to be brought to account for the vices which had disgraced the tiara1 as well as for the crimes which had secured it4 ,yet he made his entry into the city of ,constance with great pomp1 attended by ecclesiastics of the highest rank1 and followed by a train of courtiers4 ,all the clergy and dignitaries of the city1 with an immense crowd of citizens1 went out to welcome him4 ,above his head was a golden canopy1 borne by four of the chief magistrates4 ,the host was carried before him1 and the rich dresses of the cardinals and nobles made an imposing display4 ,meanwhile another traveler was approaching ,constance4 ,huss was conscious of the dangers which threatened him4 ,he parted from his friends as if he were never to meet them again1 and went on his journey feeling that it was leading him to the stake4 ,notwithstanding he had obtained a safe-conduct from the king of ,bohemia1 and received one also from the emperor ,sigismund while on his journey1 he made all his arrangements in view of the probability of his death4 ,in a letter addressed to his friends at ,prague he said3 8,my brethren1 444 ,i am departing with a safe-conduct from the king1 to meet my numerous and mortal enemies4444 ,i confide altogether in the all-powerful ,god1 in my ,saviour2 ,i trust that ,he will listen to your ardent prayers1 that ,he will infuse ,his prudence and ,his wisdom into my mouth1 in order that ,i may resist them2 and that ,he will accord me ,his ,holy ,spirit to fortify me in ,his truth1 so that ,i may face with courage1 temptations1 prison1 and if necessary1 a cruel death4 ,jesus ,christ suffered for ,his well-beloved2 and therefore ought we to be astonished that ,he has left us ,his example1 in order that we may ourselves endure with patience all things for our own salvation8 ,he is ,god1 and we are ,his creatures2 ,he is the ,lord1 and we are ,his servants2 ,he is ,master of the world1 and we are contemptible mortals3--yet ,he suffered6 ,why1 then1 should we not suffer also1 particularly when suffering is for us a purification8 ,therefore1 beloved1 if my death ought to contribute to ,his glory1 pray that it may come quickly1 and that ,he may enable me to support all my calamities with constancy4 ,but if it be better that ,i return amongst you1 let us pray to ,god that ,i may return without stain1--that is1 that ,i may not suppress one tittle of the truth of the gospel1 in order to leave my brethren an excellent example to follow4 ,probably1 therefore1 you will never more behold my face at ,prague3 but should the will of the all-powerful ,god deign to restore me to you1 let us then advance with a firmer heart in the knowledge and the love of ,his law407#acd7 ,in another letter1 to a priest who had become a disciple of the gospel1 ,huss spoke with deep humility of his own errors1 accusing himself 8of having felt pleasure in wearing rich apparel1 and of having wasted hours in frivolous occupations40 ,he then added these touching admonitions3 8,may the glory of ,god and the salvation of souls occupy thy mind1 and not the possession of benefices and estates4 ,beware of adorning thy house more than thy soul2 and above all1 give thy care to the spiritual edifice4 ,be pious and humble with the poor1 and consume not thy substance in feasting4 ,shouldst thou not amend thy life and refrain from superfluities1 ,i fear that thou wilt be severely chastened1 as ,i am myself4444 ,thou knowest my doctrine1 for thou hast received my instructions from thy childhood2 it is therefore useless for me to write to thee any further4 ,but ,i conjure thee1 by the mercy of our ,lord1 not to imitate me in any of the vanities into which thou hast seen me fall40 ,on the cover of the letter he added1 8,i conjure thee1 my friend1 not to break this seal until thou shalt have acquired the certitude that ,i am dead407#ace7 ,on his journey1 ,huss everywhere beheld indications of the spread of his doctrines1 and the favor with which his cause was regarded4 ,the people thronged to meet him1 and in some towns the magistrates attended him through their streets4 ,upon arriving at ,constance1 ,huss was granted full liberty4 ,to the emperor's safe-conduct was added a personal assurance of protection by the pope4 ,but in violation of these solemn and repeated declarations1 the ,reformer was in a short time arrested1 by order of the pope and cardinals1 and thrust into a loathsome dungeon4 ,later he was transferred to a strong castle across the ,rhine1 and there kept a prisoner4 ,the pope1 profiting little by his perfidy1 was soon after committed to the same prison47#acf7 ,he had been proved before the council to be guilty of the basest crimes1 besides murder1 simony1 and adultery1 8sins not fit to be named40 ,so the council itself declared2 and he was finally deprived of the tiara1 and thrown into prison4 ,the anti-popes also were deposed1 and a new pontiff was chosen4 ,though the pope himself had been guilty of greater crimes than ,huss had ever charged upon the priests1 and for which he had demanded a reformation1 yet the same council which degraded the pontiff proceeded to crush the ,reformer4 ,the imprisonment of ,huss excited great indignation in ,bohemia4 ,powerful noblemen addressed to the council earnest protests against this outrage4 ,the emperor1 who was loath to permit the violation of a safe-conduct1 opposed the proceedings against him4 ,but the enemies of the ,reformer were malignant and determined4 ,they appealed to the emperor's prejudices1 to his fears1 to his zeal for the church4 ,they brought forward arguments of great length to prove that 8faith ought not to be kept with heretics1 nor persons suspected of heresy1 though they are furnished with safe-conducts from the emperor and kings407#acg7 ,thus they prevailed4 ,enfeebled by illness and imprisonment1--for the damp1 foul air of his dungeon had brought on a fever which nearly ended his life1--,huss was at last brought before the council4 ,loaded with chains1 he stood in the presence of the emperor1 whose honor and good faith had been pledged to protect him4 ,during his long trial he firmly maintained the truth1 and in the presence of the assembled dignitaries of church and state1 he uttered a solemn and faithful protest against the corruptions of the hierarchy4 ,when required to choose whether he would recant his doctrines or suffer death1 he accepted the martyr's fate4 ,the grace of ,god sustained him4 ,during the weeks of suffering that passed before his final sentence1 heaven's peace filled his soul4 8,i write this letter10 he said to a friend1 8in my prison1 and with my fettered hand1 expecting my sentence of death to-morrow4444 ,when1 with the assistance of ,jesus ,christ1 we shall again meet in the delicious peace of the future life1 you will learn how merciful ,god has shown ,himself toward me1 how effectually ,he has supported me in the midst of my temptations and trials407#ach7 ,in the gloom of his dungeon he foresaw the triumph of the true faith4 ,returning in his dreams to the chapel at ,prague where he had preached the gospel1 he saw the pope and his bishops effacing the pictures of ,christ which he had painted on its walls4 8,this vision distressed him3 but on the next day he saw many painters occupied in restoring these figures in greater number and in brighter colors4 ,as soon as their task was ended1 the painters1 who were surrounded by an immense crowd1 exclaimed1 #8,now let the popes and bishops come2 they shall never efface them more6' 0 ,said the ,reformer1 as he related his dream1 8,i maintain this for certain1 that the image of ,christ will never be effaced4 ,they have wished to destroy it1 but it shall be painted afresh in all hearts by much better preachers than myself407#aci7 ,for the last time1 ,huss was brought before the council4 ,it was a vast and brilliant assembly1--the emperor1 the princes of the empire1 the royal deputies1 the cardinals1 bishops1 and priests1 and an immense crowd who had come as spectators of the events of the day4 ,from all parts of ,christendom had been gathered the witnesses of this first great sacrifice in the long struggle by which liberty of conscience was to be secured4 ,being called upon for his final decision1 ,huss declared his refusal to abjure1 and fixing his penetrating glance upon the monarch whose plighted word had been so shamelessly violated1 he declared1 8,i determined1 of my own free will1 to appear before this council1 under the public protection and faith of the emperor here present407#adj7 ,a deep flush crimsoned the face of ,sigismund as the eyes of all in the assembly turned upon him4 ,sentence having been pronounced1 the ceremony of degradation began4 ,the bishops clothed their prisoner in the sacerdotal habit1 and as he took the priestly robe1 he said1 8,our ,lord ,jesus ,christ was covered with a white robe1 by way of insult1 when ,herod had ,him conducted before ,pilate407#ada7 ,being again exhorted to retract1 he replied1 turning toward the people3 8,with what face1 then1 should ,i behold the heavens8 ,how should ,i look on those multitudes of men to whom ,i have preached the pure gospel8 ,no2 ,i esteem their salvation more than this poor body1 now appointed unto death40 ,the vestments were removed one by one1 each bishop pronouncing a curse as he performed his part of the ceremony4 ,finally 8they put on his head a cap or pyramidal-shaped mitre of paper1 on which were painted frightful figures of demons1 with the word #8,arch-,heretic' conspicuous in front4 #8,most joyfully1' said ,huss1 #8will ,i wear this crown of shame for ,thy sake1 ,o ,jesus1 who for me didst wear a crown of thorns4' 0 ,when he was thus arrayed1 8the prelates said1 #8,now we devote thy soul to the devil4' #8,and ,i1' said ,john ,huss1 lifting up his eyes toward heaven1 #8do commit my spirit into ,thy hands1 ,o ,lord ,jesus1 for ,thou hast redeemed me4' 07#adb7 ,he was now delivered up to the secular authorities1 and led away to the place of execution4 ,an immense procession followed1 hundreds of men at arms1 priests and bishops in their costly robes1 and the inhabitants of ,constance4 ,when he had been fastened to the stake1 and all was ready for the fire to be lighted1 the martyr was once more exhorted to save himself by renouncing his errors4 8,what errors10 said ,huss1 8shall ,i renounce8 ,i know myself guilty of none4 ,i call ,god to witness that all that ,i have written and preached has been with the view of rescuing souls from sin and perdition2 and1 therefore1 most joyfully will ,i confirm with my blood that truth which ,i have written and preached407#adc7 ,when the flames kindled about him1 he began to sing1 8,jesus1 ,thou ,son of ,david1 have mercy on me10 and so continued till his voice was silenced forever4 ,even his enemies were struck with his heroic bearing4 ,a zealous papist1 describing the martyrdom of ,huss1 and of ,jerome1 who died soon after1 said3 8,both bore themselves with constant mind when their last hour approached4 ,they prepared for the fire as if they were going to a marriage feast4 ,they uttered no cry of pain4 ,when the flames rose1 they began to sing hymns2 and scarce could the vehemency of the fire stop their singing407#add7 ,when the body of ,huss had been wholly consumed1 his ashes1 with the soil upon which they rested1 were gathered up and cast into the ,rhine1 and thus borne onward to the ocean4 ,his persecutors vainly imagined that they had rooted out the truths he preached4 ,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 earth2 that in lands yet unknown it would yield abundant fruit in witnesses for the truth4 ,the voice which had spoken in the council hall of ,constance had wakened echoes that would be heard through all coming ages4 ,huss was no more1 but the truths for which he died could never perish4 ,his example of faith and constancy would encourage multitudes to stand firm for the truth1 in the face of torture and death4 ,his execution had exhibited to the whole world the perfidious cruelty of ,rome4 ,the enemies of truth1 though they knew it not1 had been furthering the cause which they vainly sought to destroy4 ,yet another stake was to be set up at ,constance4 ,the blood of another witness must testify for the truth4 ,jerome1 upon bidding farewell to ,huss on his departure for the council1 had exhorted him to courage and firmness1 declaring that if he should fall into any peril1 he himself would fly to his assistance4 ,upon hearing of the ,reformer's imprisonment1 the faithful disciple immediately prepared to fulfil his promise4 ,without a safe-conduct he set out1 with a single companion1 for ,constance4 ,on arriving there he was convinced that he had only exposed himself to peril1 without the possibility of doing anything for the deliverance of ,huss4 ,he fled from the city1 but was arrested on the homeward journey1 and brought back loaded with fetters1 and under the custody of a band of soldiers4 ,at his first appearance before the council1 his attempts to reply to the accusations brought against him were met with shouts1 8,to the flames with him6 to the flames607#ade7 ,he was thrown into a dungeon1 chained in a position which caused him great suffering1 and fed on bread and water4 ,after some months the cruelties of his imprisonment brought upon ,jerome an illness that threatened his life1 and his enemies1 fearing that he might escape them1 treated him with less severity1 though he remained in prison for one year4 ,the death of ,huss had not resulted as the papists had hoped4 ,the violation of his safe-conduct had roused a storm of indignation1 and as the safer course1 the council determined1 instead of burning ,jerome1 to force him1 if possible1 to retract4 ,he was brought before the assembly1 and offered the alternative to recant1 or to die at the stake4 ,death at the beginning of his imprisonment would have been a mercy1 in comparison with the terrible sufferings which he had undergone2 but now1 weakened by illness1 by the rigors of his prison-house1 and the torture of anxiety and suspense1 separated from his friends1 and disheartened by the death of ,huss1 ,jerome's fortitude gave way1 and he consented to submit to the council4 ,he pledged himself to adhere to the ,catholic faith1 and accepted the action of the council in condemning the doctrines of ,wycliffe and ,huss1 excepting1 however1 the 8holy truths0 which they had taught47#adf7 ,by this expedient ,jerome endeavored to silence the voice of conscience and escape his doom4 ,but in the solitude of his dungeon he saw more clearly what he had done4 ,he thought of the courage and fidelity of ,huss1 and in contrast pondered upon his own denial of the truth4 ,he thought of the divine ,master whom he had pledged himself to serve1 and who for his sake endured the death of the cross4 ,before his retraction he had found comfort1 amid all his sufferings1 in the assurance of ,god's favor2 but now remorse and doubt tortured his soul4 ,he knew that still other retractions must be made before he could be at peace with ,rome4 ,the path upon which he was entering could end only in complete apostasy4 ,his resolution was taken3 to escape a brief period of suffering he would not deny his ,lord4 ,soon he was again brought before the council4 ,his submission had not satisfied his judges4 ,their thirst for blood1 whetted by the death of ,huss1 clamored for fresh victims4 ,only by an unreserved surrender of the truth could ,jerome preserve his life4 ,but he had determined to avow his faith1 and follow his brother-martyr to the flames4 ,he renounced his former recantation1 and as a dying man1 solemnly required an opportunity to make his defense4 ,fearing the effect of his words1 the prelates insisted that he should merely affirm or deny the truth of the charges brought against him4 ,jerome protested against such cruelty and injustice4 8,you have held me shut up three hundred and forty days in a frightful prison10 he said1 8in the midst of filth1 noisomeness1 stench1 and the utmost want of everything2 you then bring me out before you1 and lending an ear to my mortal enemies1 you refuse to hear me4444 ,if you be really wise men1 and the lights of the world1 take care not to sin against justice4 ,as to me1 ,i am only a feeble mortal2 my life is but of little importance2 and when ,i exhort you not to deliver an unjust sentence1 ,i speak less for myself than for you407#adg7 ,his request was finally granted4 ,in the presence of his judges1 ,jerome kneeled down and prayed that the divine ,spirit might control his thoughts and words1 that he might speak nothing contrary to the truth or unworthy of his ,master4 ,to him that day was fulfilled the promise of ,god to the first disciples3 8,ye shall be brought before governors and kings for ,my sake4444 ,but when they deliver you up1 take no thought how or what ye shall speak3 for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak4 ,for it is not ye that speak1 but the ,spirit of your ,father which speaketh in you407#adh7 ,the words of ,jerome excited astonishment and admiration1 even in his enemies4 ,for a whole year he had been immured in a dungeon1 unable to read or even to see1 in great physical suffering and mental anxiety4 ,yet his arguments were presented with as much clearness and power as if he had had undisturbed opportunity for study4 ,he pointed his hearers to the long line of holy men who had been condemned by unjust judges4 ,in almost every generation have been those who1 while seeking to elevate the people of their time1 have been reproached and cast out1 but who in later times have been shown to be deserving of honor4 ,christ ,himself was condemned as a malefactor at an unrighteous tribunal4 ,at his retraction1 ,jerome had assented to the justice of the sentence condemning ,huss2 he now declared his repentance1 and bore witness to the innocence and holiness of the martyr4 8,i knew him from his childhood10 he said4 8,he was a most excellent man1 just and holy2 he was condemned1 notwithstanding his innocence4444 ,i also--,i am ready to die3 ,i will not recoil before the torments that are prepared for me by my enemies and false witnesses1 who will one day have to render an account of their impostures before the great ,god1 whom nothing can deceive407#adi7 ,in self-reproach for his own denial of the truth1 ,jerome continued3 8,of all the sins that ,i have committed since my youth1 none weigh so heavily on my mind1 and cause me such poignant remorse1 as that which ,i committed in this fatal place1 when ,i approved of the iniquitous sentence rendered against ,wycliffe1 and against the holy martyr1 ,john ,huss1 my master and my friend4 ,yes6 ,i confess it from my heart1 and declare with horror that ,i disgracefully quailed when1 through a dread of death1 ,i condemned their doctrines4 ,i therefore supplicate 444 ,almighty ,god to deign to pardon me my sins1 and this one in particular1 the most heinous of all40 ,pointing to his judges1 he said firmly3 8,you condemned ,wycliffe and ,john ,huss1 not for having shaken the doctrine of the church1 but simply because they branded with reprobation the scandals proceeding from the clergy1--their pomp1 their pride1 and all the vices of the prelates and priests4 ,the things which they have affirmed1 and which are irrefutable1 ,i also think and declare1 like them40 ,his words were interrupted4 ,the prelates1 trembling with rage1 cried out1 8,what need is there of further proof8 ,we behold with our own eyes the most obstinate of heretics60 ,unmoved by the tempest1 ,jerome exclaimed3 8,what6 do you suppose that ,i fear to die8 ,you have held me for a whole year in a frightful dungeon1 more horrible than death itself4 ,you have treated me more cruelly than a ,turk1 ,jew1 or pagan1 and my flesh has literally rotted off my bones alive2 and yet ,i make no complaint1 for lamentation ill becomes a man of heart and spirit2 but ,i cannot but express my astonishment at such great barbarity toward a ,christian407#aej7 ,again the storm of rage burst out1 and ,jerome was hurried away to prison4 ,yet there were some in the assembly upon whom his words had made a deep impression1 and who desired to save his life4 ,he was visited by dignitaries of the church1 and urged to submit himself to the council4 ,the most brilliant prospects were presented before him as the reward of renouncing his opposition to ,rome4 ,but like his ,master1 when offered the glory of the world1 ,jerome remained steadfast4 8,prove to me from the ,holy ,writings that ,i am in error10 he said1 8and ,i will abjure it40 8,the ,holy ,writings60 exclaimed one of his tempters1 8is everything then to be judged by them8 ,who can understand them till the church has interpreted them80 8,are the traditions of men more worthy of faith than the gospel of our ,saviour80 replied ,jerome4 8,paul did not exhort those to whom he wrote to listen to the traditions of men1 but said1 #8,search the ,scriptures4' 0 8,heretic60 was the response1 8,i repent having pleaded so long with you4 ,i see that you are urged on by the devil407#aea7 ,erelong sentence of condemnation was passed upon him4 ,he was led out to the same spot upon which ,huss had yielded up his life4 ,he went singing on his way1 his countenance lighted up with joy and peace4 ,his gaze was fixed upon ,christ1 and to him death had lost its terrors4 ,when the executioner1 about to kindle the pile1 stepped behind him1 the martyr exclaimed1 8,come forward boldly2 apply the fire before my face4 ,had ,i been afraid1 ,i should not be here40 ,his last words1 uttered as the flames rose about him1 were a prayer4 8,lord1 ,almighty ,father10 he cried1 8have pity on me1 and pardon me my sins2 for ,thou knowest that ,i have always loved ,thy truth407#aeb7 ,his voice ceased1 but his lips continued to move in prayer4 ,when the fire had done its work1 the ashes of the martyr1 with the earth upon which they rested1 were gathered up1 and like those of ,huss1 were thrown into the ,rhine4 ,so perished ,god's faithful light-bearers4 ,but the light of the truths which they proclaimed1--the light of their heroic example1--could not be extinguished4 ,as well might men attempt to turn back the sun in its course as to prevent the dawning of that day which was even then breaking upon the world4 ,the execution of ,huss had kindled a flame of indignation and horror in ,bohemia4 ,it was felt by the whole nation that he had fallen a prey to the malice of the priests and the treachery of the emperor4 ,he was declared to have been a faithful teacher of the truth1 and the council that decreed his death was charged with the guilt of murder4 ,his doctrines now attracted greater attention than ever before4 ,by the papal edicts the writings of ,wycliffe had been condemned to the flames4 ,but those that had escaped destruction were now brought out from their hiding-places1 and studied in connection with the ,bible1 or such parts of it as the people could obtain1 and many were thus led to accept the reformed faith4 ,the murderers of ,huss did not stand quietly by and witness the triumph of his cause4 ,the pope and the emperor united to crush out the movement1 and the armies of ,sigismund were hurled upon ,bohemia4 ,but a deliverer was raised up4 ,ziska1 who soon after the opening of the war became totally blind1 yet who was one of the ablest generals of his age1 was the leader of the ,bohemians4 ,trusting in the help of ,god and the righteousness of their cause1 that people withstood the mightiest armies that could be brought against them4 ,again and again the emperor1 raising fresh armies1 invaded ,bohemia1 only to be ignominiously repulsed4 ,the ,hussites were raised above the fear of death1 and nothing could stand against them4 ,a few years after the opening of the war1 the brave ,ziska died2 but his place was filled by ,procopius1 who was an equally brave and skilful general1 and in some respects a more able leader4 ,the enemies of the ,bohemians1 knowing that the blind warrior was dead1 deemed the opportunity favorable for recovering all that they had lost4 ,the pope now proclaimed a crusade against the ,hussites1 and again an immense force was precipitated upon ,bohemia1 but only to suffer terrible defeat4 ,another crusade was proclaimed4 ,in all the papal countries of ,europe1 men1 money1 and munitions of war were raised4 ,multitudes flocked to the papal standard1 assured that at last an end would be made of the ,hussite heretics4 ,confident of victory1 the vast force entered ,bohemia4 ,the people rallied to repel them4 ,the two armies approached each other1 until only a river lay between them4 8,the crusaders were in greatly superior force1 but instead of dashing across the stream1 and closing in battle with the ,hussites whom they had come so far to meet1 they stood gazing in silence at those warriors407#aec7 ,then suddenly a mysterious terror fell upon the host4 ,without striking a blow1 that mighty force broke and scattered1 as if dispelled by an unseen power4 ,great numbers were slaughtered by the ,hussite army1 which pursued the fugitives1 and an immense booty fell into the hands of the victors1 so that the war1 instead of impoverishing1 enriched the ,bohemians4 ,a few years later1 under a new pope1 still another crusade was set on foot4 ,as before1 men and means were drawn from all the papal countries of ,europe4 ,great were the inducements held out to those who should engage in this perilous enterprise4 ,full forgiveness of the most heinous crimes was insured to every crusader4 ,all who died in the war were promised a rich reward in heaven1 and those who survived were to reap honor and riches on the field of battle4 ,again a vast army was collected1 and crossing the frontier they entered ,bohemia4 ,the ,hussite forces fell back before them1 thus drawing the invaders farther and farther into the country1 and leading them to count the victory already won4 ,at last the army of ,procopius made a stand1 and turning upon the foe1 advanced to give them battle4 ,the crusaders1 now discovering their mistake1 lay in their encampment awaiting the onset4 ,as the sound of the approaching force was heard1 even before the ,hussites were in sight1 a panic again fell upon the crusaders4 ,princes1 generals1 and common soldiers1 casting away their armor1 fled in all directions4 ,in vain the papal legate1 who was the leader of the invasion1 endeavored to rally his terrified and disorganized forces4 ,despite his utmost endeavors1 he himself was swept along in the tide of fugitives4 ,the rout was complete1 and again an immense booty fell into the hands of the victors4 ,thus the second time a vast army1 sent forth by the most powerful nations of ,europe1 a host of brave1 warlike men1 trained and equipped for battle1 fled without a blow1 before the defenders of a small and hitherto feeble nation4 ,here was a manifestation of divine power4 ,the invaders were smitten with a supernatural terror4 ,he who overthrew the hosts of ,pharaoh in the ,red ,sea1 who put to flight the armies of ,midian before ,gideon and his three hundred1 who in one night laid low the forces of the proud ,assyrian1 had again stretched out ,his hand to wither the power of the oppressor4 8,there were they in great fear1 where no fear was3 for ,god hath scattered the bones of him that encampeth against thee3 thou hast put them to shame1 because ,god hath despised them407#aed7 ,the papal leaders1 despairing of conquering by force1 at last resorted to diplomacy4 ,a compromise was entered into1 that while professing to grant to the ,bohemians freedom of conscience1 really betrayed them into the power of ,rome4 ,the ,bohemians had specified four points as the condition of peace with ,rome3 ,the free preaching of the ,bible2 the right of the whole church to both the bread and the wine in the communion1 and the use of the mother tongue in divine worship2 the exclusion of the clergy from all secular offices and authority2 and in cases of crime1 the jurisdiction of the civil courts over clergy and laity alike4 ,the papal authorities at last 8agreed that the four articles of the ,hussites should be accepted1 but that the right of explaining them1 that is1 of determining their precise import1 should belong to the council--in other words1 to the pope and the emperor407#aee7 ,on this basis a treaty was entered into1 and ,rome gained by dissimulation and fraud what she had failed to gain by conflict2 for1 placing her own interpretation upon the ,hussite articles1 as upon the ,bible1 she could pervert their meaning to suit her own purposes4 ,a large class in ,bohemia1 seeing that it betrayed their liberties1 could not consent to the compact4 ,dissensions and divisions arose1 leading to strife and bloodshed among themselves4 ,in this strife the noble ,procopius fell1 and the liberties of ,bohemia perished4 ,sigismund1 the betrayer of ,huss and ,jerome1 now became king of ,bohemia1 and regardless of his oath to support the rights of the ,bohemians1 he proceeded to establish popery4 ,but he had gained little by his subservience to ,rome4 ,for twenty years his life had been filled with labors and perils4 ,his armies had been wasted and his treasuries drained by a long and fruitless struggle2 and now1 after reigning one year1 he died1 leaving his kingdom on the brink of civil war1 and bequeathing to posterity a name branded with infamy4 ,tumults1 strife1 and bloodshed were protracted4 ,again foreign armies invaded ,bohemia1 and internal dissension continued to distract the nation4 ,those who remained faithful to the gospel were subjected to a bloody persecution4 ,as their former brethren1 entering into compact with ,rome1 imbibed her errors1 those who adhered to the ancient faith had formed themselves into a distinct church1 taking the name of 8,united ,brethren40 ,this act drew upon them maledictions from all classes4 ,yet their firmness was unshaken4 ,forced to find refuge in the woods and caves1 they still assembled to read ,god's word and unite in ,his worship4 ,through messengers secretly sent out into different countries1 they learned that here and there were 8isolated confessors of the truth1 a few in this city and a few in that1 the object1 like themselves1 of persecution2 and that amid the mountains of the ,alps was an ancient church1 resting on the foundations of ,scripture1 and protesting against the idolatrous corruptions of ,rome407#aef7 ,this intelligence was received with great joy1 and a correspondence was opened with the ,waldensian ,christians4 ,steadfast to the gospel1 the ,bohemians waited through the night of their persecution2 in the darkest hour still turning their eyes toward the horizon like men who watch for the morning4 8,their lot was cast in evil days1 but 444 they remembered the words first uttered by ,huss1 and repeated by ,jerome1 that a century must revolve before the day should break4 ,these were to the ,taborites ,hussites what the words of ,joseph were to the tribes in the house of bondage3 #8,i die1 and ,god will surely visit you1 and bring you out4' 07#aeg7 8,the closing period of the fifteenth century witnessed the slow but sure increase of the churches of the ,brethren4 ,although far from being unmolested1 they yet enjoyed comparative rest4 ,at the commencement of the sixteenth century1 their churches numbered two hundred in ,bohemia and ,moravia407#aeh7 8,so goodly was the remnant which1 escaping the destructive fury of fire and sword1 was permitted to see the dawning of that day which ,huss had foretold40 #g4 ,,luther',s ,,separation ,,from ,,rome4 ,illustration3 ,chapter header4 ,foremost among those who were called to lead the church from the darkness of popery into the light of a purer faith1 stood ,martin ,luther4 ,zealous1 ardent1 and devoted1 knowing no fear but the fear of ,god1 and acknowledging no foundation for religious faith but the ,holy ,scriptures1 ,luther was the man for his time2 through him1 ,god accomplished a great work for the reformation of the church and the enlightenment of the world4 ,like the first heralds of the gospel1 ,luther sprung from the ranks of poverty4 ,his early years were spent in the humble home of a ,german peasant4 ,by daily toil as a miner1 his father earned the means for his education4 ,he intended him for a lawyer2 but ,god purposed to make him a builder in the great temple that was rising so slowly through the centuries4 ,hardship1 privation1 and severe discipline were the school in which ,infinite ,wisdom prepared ,luther for the important mission of his life4 ,luther's father was a man of strong and active mind and great force of character1 honest1 resolute1 and straight-forward4 ,he was true to his convictions of duty1 let the consequences be what they might4 ,his sterling good sense led him to regard the monastic system with distrust4 ,he was highly displeased when ,luther1 without his consent1 entered a monastery2 and it was two years before the father was reconciled to his son1 and even then his opinions remained the same4 ,luther's parents bestowed great care upon the education and training of their children4 ,they endeavored to instruct them in the knowledge of ,god and the practice of ,christian virtues4 ,the father's prayer often ascended in the hearing of his son1 that the child might remember the name of the ,lord1 and one day aid in the advancement of ,his truth4 ,every advantage for moral or intellectual culture which their life of toil permitted them to enjoy1 was eagerly improved by these parents4 ,their efforts were earnest and persevering to prepare their children for a life of piety and usefulness4 ,with their firmness and strength of character they sometimes exercised too great severity2 but the ,reformer himself1 though conscious that in some respects they had erred1 found in their discipline more to approve than to condemn4 ,at school1 where he was sent at an early age1 ,luther was treated with harshness and even violence4 ,so great was the poverty of his parents1 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 door1 and he often suffered from hunger4 ,the gloomy1 superstitious ideas of religion then prevailing filled him with fear4 ,he would lie down at night with a sorrowful heart1 looking forward with trembling to the dark future1 and in constant terror at the thought of ,god as a stern1 unrelenting judge1 a cruel tyrant1 rather than a kind heavenly ,father4 ,yet under so many and so great discouragements1 ,luther pressed resolutely forward toward the high standard of moral and intellectual excellence which attracted his soul4 ,he thirsted for knowledge1 and the earnest and practical character of his mind led him to desire the solid and useful rather than the showy and superficial4 ,when1 at the age of eighteen1 he entered the ,university of ,erfurt1 his situation was more favorable and his prospects were brighter than in his earlier years4 ,his parents having by thrift and industry acquired a competence1 they were able to render him all needed assistance4 ,and the influence of judicious friends had somewhat lessened the gloomy effects of his former training4 ,he applied himself to the study of the best authors1 diligently treasuring their most weighty thoughts1 and making the wisdom of the wise his own4 ,even under the harsh discipline of his former instructors1 he had early given promise of distinction2 and with favorable influences his mind rapidly developed4 ,a retentive memory1 a lively imagination1 strong reasoning powers1 and untiring application1 soon placed him in the foremost rank among his associates4 ,intellectual discipline ripened his understanding1 and aroused an activity of mind and a keenness of perception that were preparing him for the conflicts of his life4 ,the fear of the ,lord dwelt in the heart of ,luther1 enabling him to maintain his steadfastness of purpose1 and leading him to deep humility before ,god4 ,he had an abiding sense of his dependence upon divine aid1 and he did not fail to begin each day with prayer1 while his heart was continually breathing a petition for guidance and support4 8,to pray well10 he often said1 8is the better half of study407#aei7 ,while one day examining the books in the library of the university1 ,luther discovered a ,latin ,bible4 ,such a book he had never before seen4 ,he was ignorant even of its existence4 ,he had heard portions of the ,gospels and ,epistles1 which were read to the people at public worship1 and he supposed that these were the entire ,bible4 ,now1 for the first time1 he looked upon the whole of ,god's word4 ,with mingled awe and wonder he turned the sacred pages2 with quickened pulse and throbbing heart he read for himself the words of life1 pausing now and then to exclaim1 8,o that ,god would give me such a book for myself607#afj7 ,angels of heaven were by his side1 and rays of light from the throne of ,god revealed the treasures of truth to his understanding4 ,he had ever feared to offend ,god1 but now the deep conviction of his condition as a sinner took hold upon him as never before4 ,an earnest desire to be free from sin and to find peace with ,god1 led him at last to enter a cloister1 and devote himself to a monastic life4 ,here he was required to perform the lowest drudgery1 and to beg from house to house4 ,he was at an age when respect and appreciation are most eagerly craved1 and these menial offices were deeply mortifying to his natural feelings2 but he patiently endured this humiliation1 believing that it was necessary because of his sins4 ,every moment that could be spared from his daily duties he employed in study1 robbing himself of sleep1 and grudging even the time spent at his scanty meals4 ,above everything else he delighted in the study of ,god's word4 ,he had found a ,bible chained to the convent wall1 and to this he often repaired4 ,as his convictions of sin deepened1 he sought by his own works to obtain pardon and peace4 ,he led a most rigorous life1 endeavoring by fasting1 vigils1 and scourgings to subdue the evils of his nature1 from which the monastic life had brought no release4 ,he shrank from no sacrifice by which he might attain to that purity of heart which would enable him to stand approved before ,god4 8,i was indeed a pious monk10 he afterward said1 8and followed the rules of my order more strictly than ,i can express4 ,if ever monk could obtain heaven by his monkish works1 ,i should certainly have been entitled to it4444 ,if it had continued much longer1 ,i should have carried my mortifications even to death407#afa7 ,as the result of this painful discipline1 he lost strength1 and suffered from fainting spasms1 from the effects of which he never fully recovered4 ,but with all his efforts1 his burdened soul found no relief4 ,he was at last driven to the verge of despair4 ,when it appeared to ,luther that all was lost1 ,god raised up a friend and helper for him4 ,the pious ,staupitz opened the word of ,god to ,luther's mind1 and bade him look away from himself1 cease the contemplation of infinite punishment for the violation of ,god's law1 and look to ,jesus1 his sin-pardoning ,saviour4 8,instead of torturing yourself on account of your sins1 throw yourself into the ,redeemer's arms4 ,trust in ,him1 in the righteousness of ,his life1 in the atonement of ,his death4444 ,listen to the ,son of ,god4 ,he became man to give you the assurance of divine favor10 8,love ,him who first loved you407#afb7 ,thus spoke this messenger of mercy4 ,his words made a deep impression upon ,luther's mind4 ,after many a struggle with long-cherished errors1 he was enabled to grasp the truth1 and peace came to his troubled soul4 ,luther was ordained a priest1 and was called from the cloister to a professorship in the ,university of ,wittenberg4 ,here he applied himself to the study of the ,scriptures in the original tongues4 ,he began to lecture upon the ,bible2 and the book of ,psalms1 the ,gospels1 and the ,epistles were opened to the understanding of crowds of delighted listeners4 ,staupitz1 his friend and superior1 urged him to ascend the pulpit1 and preach the word of ,god4 ,luther hesitated1 feeling himself unworthy to speak to the people in ,christ's stead4 ,it was only after a long struggle that he yielded to the solicitations of his friends4 ,already he was mighty in the ,scriptures1 and the grace of ,god rested upon him4 ,his eloquence captivated his hearers1 the clearness and power with which he presented the truth convinced their understanding1 and his fervor touched their hearts4 ,luther was still a true son of the papal church1 and had no thought that he would ever be anything else4 ,in the providence of ,god he was led to visit ,rome4 ,he pursued his journey on foot1 lodging at the monasteries on the way4 ,at a convent in ,italy he was filled with wonder at the wealth1 magnificence1 and luxury that he witnessed4 ,endowed with a princely revenue1 the monks dwelt in splendid apartments1 attired themselves in the richest and most costly robes1 and feasted at a sumptuous table4 ,with painful misgivings ,luther contrasted this scene with the self-denial and hardship of his own life4 ,his mind was becoming perplexed4 ,at last he beheld in the distance the seven-hilled city4 ,with deep emotion he prostrated himself upon the earth1 exclaiming1 8,holy ,rome1 ,i salute thee607#afc7 ,he entered the city1 visited the churches1 listened to the marvelous tales repeated by priests and monks1 and performed all the ceremonies required4 ,everywhere he looked upon scenes that filled him with astonishment and horror4 ,he saw that iniquity existed among all classes of the clergy4 ,he heard indecent jokes from prelates1 and was filled with horror at their awful profanity1 even during mass4 ,as he mingled with the monks and citizens1 he met dissipation1 debauchery4 ,turn where he would1 in the place of sanctity he found profanation4 8,no one can imagine10 he wrote1 8what sins and infamous actions are committed in ,rome2 they must be seen and heard to be believed4 ,thus they are in the habit of saying1 #8,if there is a hell1 ,rome is built over it3 it is an abyss whence issues every kind of sin4' 07#afd7 ,by a recent decretal1 an indulgence had been promised by the pope to all who should ascend upon their knees 8,pilate's staircase10 said to have been descended by our ,saviour on leaving the ,roman judgment hall1 and to have been miraculously conveyed from ,jerusalem to ,rome4 ,luther was one day devoutly climbing these steps1 when suddenly a voice like thunder seemed to say to him1 8,the just shall live by faith407#afe7 ,he sprung to his feet1 and hastened from the place in shame and horror4 ,that text never lost its power upon his soul4 ,from that time he saw more clearly than ever before the fallacy of trusting to human works for salvation1 and the necessity of constant faith in the merits of ,christ4 ,his eyes had been opened1 and were never again to be closed1 to the delusions of the papacy4 ,when he turned his face from ,rome1 he had turned away also in heart1 and from that time the separation grew wider1 until he severed all connection with the papal church4 ,after his return from ,rome1 ,luther received at the ,university of ,wittenberg the degree of ,doctor of ,divinity4 ,now he was at liberty to devote himself1 as never before1 to the ,scriptures that he loved4 ,he had taken a solemn vow to study carefully and to preach with fidelity the word of ,god1 not the sayings and doctrines of the popes1 all the days of his life4 ,he was no longer the mere monk or professor1 but the authorized herald of the ,bible4 ,he had been called as a shepherd to feed the flock of ,god1 that were hungering and thirsting for the truth4 ,he firmly declared that ,christians should receive no other doctrines than those which rest on the authority of the ,sacred ,scriptures4 ,these words struck at the very foundation of papal supremacy4 ,they contained the vital principle of the ,reformation4 ,luther saw the danger of exalting human theories above the word of ,god4 ,he fearlessly attacked the speculative infidelity of the schoolmen1 and opposed the philosophy and theology which had so long held a controlling influence upon the people4 ,he denounced such studies as not only worthless but pernicious1 and sought to turn the minds of his hearers from the sophistries of philosophers and theologians to the eternal truths set forth by prophets and apostles4 ,precious was the message which he bore to the eager crowds that hung upon his words4 ,never before had such teachings fallen upon their ears4 ,the glad tidings of a ,saviour's love1 the assurance of pardon and peace through ,his atoning blood1 rejoiced their hearts1 and inspired within them an immortal hope4 ,at ,wittenberg a light was kindled whose rays should extend to the uttermost parts of the earth1 and which was to increase in brightness to the close of time4 ,but light and darkness cannot harmonize4 ,between truth and error there is an irrepressible conflict4 ,to uphold and defend the one is to attack and overthrow the other4 ,our ,saviour ,himself declared1 8,i came not to send peace1 but a sword107#aff7 ,said ,luther1 a few years after the opening of the ,reformation3 8,god does not guide me1 ,he pushes me forward1 ,he carries me away4 ,i am not master of myself4 ,i desire to live in repose2 but ,i am thrown into the midst of tumults and revolutions407#afg7 ,he was now about to be urged into the contest4 ,the ,roman ,church had made merchandise of the grace of ,god4 ,the tables of the money-changers7#afh7 were set up beside her altars1 and the air resounded with the shouts of buyers and sellers4 ,under the plea of raising funds for the erection of ,st4 ,peter's church at ,rome1 indulgences for sin were publicly offered for sale by the authority of the pope4 ,by the price of crime a temple was to be built up for ,god's worship1--the corner-stone laid with the wages of iniquity6 ,but the very means adopted for ,rome's aggrandizement provoked the deadliest blow to her power and greatness4 ,it was this that aroused the most determined and successful of the enemies of popery1 and led to the battle which shook the papal throne1 and jostled the triple crown upon the pontiff's head4 ,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 ,god2 but having escaped the punishment due to his crimes1 he was employed to further the mercenary and unscrupulous projects of the pope4 ,with great effrontery he repeated the most glaring falsehoods1 and related marvelous tales to deceive an ignorant1 credulous1 and superstitious people4 ,had they possessed the word of ,god1 they would not have been thus deceived4 ,it was to keep them under the control of the papacy1 in order to swell the power and wealth of her ambitious leaders1 that the ,bible had been withheld from them47#afi7 ,as ,tetzel entered a town1 a messenger went before him1 announcing1 8,the grace of ,god and of the holy father is at your gates407#agj7 ,and the people welcomed the blasphemous pretender as if he were ,god ,himself come down from heaven to them4 ,the infamous traffic was set up in the church1 and ,tetzel1 ascending the pulpit1 extolled indulgences as the most precious gift of ,god4 ,he declared that by virtue of his certificates of pardon1 all the sins which the purchaser should afterward desire to commit would be forgiven him1 and that 8not even repentance is necessary407#aga7 ,more than this1 he assured his hearers that the indulgences had power to save not only the living but the dead2 that the very moment the money should clink against the bottom of his chest1 the soul in whose behalf it had been paid would escape from purgatory and make its way to heaven47#agb7 ,when ,simon ,magus offered to purchase of the apostles the power to work miracles1 ,peter answered him1 8,thy money perish with thee1 because thou hast thought that the gift of ,god may be purchased with money407#agc7 ,but ,tetzel's offer was grasped by eager thousands4 ,gold and silver flowed into his treasury4 ,a salvation that could be bought with money was more easily obtained than that which requires repentance1 faith1 and diligent effort to resist and overcome sin47#agd7 ,the doctrine of indulgences had been opposed by men of learning and piety in the ,roman ,church1 and there were many who had no faith in pretensions so contrary to both reason and revelation4 ,no prelate dared lift his voice against this iniquitous traffic2 but the minds of men were becoming disturbed and uneasy1 and many eagerly inquired if ,god would not work through some instrumentality for the purification of ,his church4 ,luther1 though still a papist of the straitest sort1 was filled with horror at the blasphemous assumptions of the indulgence mongers4 ,many of his own congregation had purchased certificates of pardon1 and they soon began to come to their pastor1 confessing their various sins1 and expecting absolution1 not because they were penitent and wished to reform1 but on the ground of the indulgence4 ,luther refused them absolution1 and warned them that unless they should repent and reform their lives1 they must perish in their sins4 ,in great perplexity they repaired to ,tetzel with the complaint that their confessor had refused his certificates2 and some boldly demanded that their money be returned to them4 ,the friar was filled with rage4 ,he uttered the most terrible curses1 caused fires to be lighted in the public squares1 and declared that he 8had received an order from the pope to burn all heretics who presumed to oppose his most holy indulgences407#age7 ,luther now entered boldly upon his work as a champion of the truth4 ,his voice was heard from the pulpit in earnest1 solemn warning4 ,he set before the people the offensive character of sin1 and taught them that it is impossible for man1 by his own works1 to lessen its guilt or evade its punishment4 ,nothing but repentance toward ,god and faith in ,christ can save the sinner4 ,the grace of ,christ cannot be purchased2 it is a free gift4 ,he counseled the people not to buy indulgences1 but to look in faith to a crucified ,redeemer4 ,he related his own painful experience in vainly seeking by humiliation and penance to secure salvation1 and assured his hearers that it was by looking away from himself and believing in ,christ that he found peace and joy4 ,as ,tetzel continued his traffic and his impious pretensions1 ,luther determined upon a more effectual protest against these crying abuses4 ,an occasion soon offered4 ,the castle church of ,wittenberg possessed many relics1 which on certain holy days were exhibited to the people1 and full remission of sins was granted to all who then visited the church and made confession4 ,accordingly on these days the people in great numbers resorted thither4 ,one of the most important of these occasions1 the festival of 8,all ,saints10 was approaching4 ,on the preceding day1 ,luther1 joining the crowds that were already making their way to the church1 posted on its door a paper containing ninety-five propositions against the doctrine of indulgences4 ,he declared his willingness to defend these theses next day at the university1 against all who should see fit to attack them4 ,his propositions attracted universal attention4 ,they were read and re-read1 and repeated in every direction4 ,great excitement was created in the university and in the whole city4 ,by these theses it was shown that the power to grant the pardon of sin1 and to remit its penalty1 had never been committed to the pope or to any other man4 ,the whole scheme was a farce1--an artifice to extort money by playing upon the superstitions of the people1--a device of ,satan to destroy the souls of all who should trust to its lying pretensions4 ,it was also clearly shown that the gospel of ,christ is the most valuable treasure of the church1 and that the grace of ,god1 therein revealed1 is freely bestowed upon all who seek it by repentance and faith4 ,luther's theses challenged discussion2 but no one dared accept the challenge4 ,the questions which he proposed had in a few days spread through all ,germany1 and in a few weeks they had sounded throughout ,christendom4 ,many devoted ,romanists1 who had seen and lamented the terrible iniquity prevailing in the church1 but had not known how to arrest its progress1 read the propositions with great joy1 recognizing in them the voice of ,god4 ,they felt that the ,lord had graciously set ,his hand to arrest the rapidly swelling tide of corruption that was issuing from the see of ,rome4 ,princes and magistrates secretly rejoiced that a check was to be put upon the arrogant power which denied the right of appeal from its decisions4 ,but the sin-loving and superstitious multitudes were terrified as the sophistries that had soothed their fears were swept away4 ,crafty ecclesiastics1 interrupted in their work of sanctioning crime1 and seeing their gains endangered1 were enraged1 and rallied to uphold their pretensions4 ,the ,reformer had bitter accusers to meet4 ,some charged him with acting hastily and from impulse4 ,others accused him of presumption1 declaring that he was not directed of ,god1 but was acting from pride and forwardness4 8,who does not know10 he responded1 8that a man rarely puts forth any new idea without having some appearance of pride1 and without being accused of exciting quarrels8444 ,why were ,christ and all the martyrs put to death8 ,because they seemed to be proud contemners of the wisdom of the time1 and because they advanced novelties without having first humbly taken counsel of the oracles of the ancient opinions40 ,again he declared3 8,whatever ,i do will be done1 not by the prudence of men1 but by the counsel of ,god4 ,if the work be of ,god1 who shall stop it8 if it be not1 who can forward it8 ,not my will1 nor theirs1 nor ours2 but ,thy will1 ,o holy ,father1 which art in heaven407#agf7 ,though ,luther had been moved by the ,spirit of ,god to begin his work1 he was not to carry it forward without severe conflicts4 ,the reproaches of his enemies1 their misrepresentation of his purposes1 and their unjust and malicious reflections upon his character and motives1 came in upon him like an overwhelming flood2 and they were not without effect4 ,he had felt confident that the leaders of the people1 both in the church and in the schools1 would gladly unite with him in efforts for reform4 ,words of encouragement from those in high position had inspired him with joy and hope4 ,already in anticipation he had seen a brighter day dawning for the church4 ,but encouragement had changed to reproach and condemnation4 ,many dignitaries1 of both church and state1 were convicted of the truthfulness of his theses2 but they soon saw that the acceptance of these truths would involve great changes4 ,to enlighten and reform the people would be virtually to undermine the authority of ,rome1 to stop thousands of streams now flowing into her treasury1 and thus greatly to curtail the extravagance and luxury of the papal leaders4 ,furthermore1 to teach the people to think and act as responsible beings1 looking to ,christ alone for salvation1 would overthrow the pontiff's throne1 and eventually destroy their own authority4 ,for this reason they refused the knowledge tendered them of ,god1 and arrayed themselves against ,christ and the truth by their opposition to the man whom ,he had sent to enlighten them4 ,luther trembled as he looked upon himself--one man opposed to the mightiest powers of earth4 ,he sometimes doubted whether he had indeed been led of ,god to set himself against the authority of the church4 8,who was ,i10 he writes1 8to oppose the majesty of the pope1 before whom 444 the kings of the earth and the whole world trembled8 444 ,no one can know what my heart suffered during these first two years1 and into what despondency1 ,i may say into what despair1 ,i was sunk407#agg7 ,but he was not left to become utterly disheartened4 ,when human support failed1 he looked to ,god alone1 and learned that he could lean in perfect safety upon that all-powerful arm4 ,to a friend of the ,reformation ,luther wrote3 8,we cannot attain to the understanding of ,scripture either by study or by the intellect4 ,your first duty is to begin by prayer4 ,entreat the ,lord to grant you1 of ,his great mercy1 the true understanding of ,his word4 ,there is no other interpreter of the word of ,god than the ,author of this word1 as ,he ,himself has said1 #8,they shall be all taught of ,god4' ,hope for nothing from your own labors1 from your own understanding3 trust solely in ,god1 and in the influence of ,his ,spirit4 ,believe this on the word of a man who has had experience407#agh7 ,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 time4 ,these truths will stir the enmity of ,satan1 and of men who love the fables that he has devised4 ,in the conflict with the powers of evil1 there is need of something more than strength of intellect and human wisdom4 ,when enemies appealed to custom and tradition1 or to the assertions and authority of the pope1 ,luther met them with the ,bible1 and the ,bible only4 ,here were arguments which they could not answer2 therefore the slaves of formalism and superstition clamored for his blood1 as the ,jews had clamored for the blood of ,christ4 8,he is a heretic10 cried the ,roman zealots4 8,it is high treason against the church to allow so horrible a heretic to live one hour longer4 ,let the scaffold be instantly erected for him607#agi7 ,but ,luther did not fall a prey to their fury4 ,god had a work for him to do1 and angels of heaven were sent to protect him4 ,many1 however1 who had received from ,luther the precious light1 were made the objects of ,satan's wrath1 and for the truth's sake fearlessly suffered torture and death4 ,luther's teachings attracted the attention of thoughtful minds throughout all ,germany4 ,from his sermons and writings issued beams of light which awakened and illuminated thousands4 ,a living faith was taking the place of the dead formalism in which the church had so long been held4 ,the people were daily losing confidence in the superstitions of ,romanism4 ,the barriers of prejudice were giving way4 ,the word of ,god1 by which ,luther tested every doctrine and every claim1 was like a two-edged sword1 cutting its way to the hearts of the people4 ,everywhere there was awakening a desire for spiritual progress4 ,everywhere was such a hungering and thirsting after righteousness as had not been known for ages4 ,the eyes of the people1 so long directed to human rites and earthly mediators1 were now turning in penitence and faith to ,christ and ,him crucified4 ,this wide-spread interest aroused still further the fears of the papal authorities4 ,luther received a summons to appear at ,rome1 to answer to the charge of heresy4 ,the command filled his friends with terror4 ,they knew full well the danger that threatened him in that corrupt city1 already drunk with the blood of the martyrs of ,jesus4 ,they protested against his going to ,rome1 and requested that he receive his examination in ,germany4 ,this arrangement was finally effected1 and the pope's legate was appointed to hear the case4 ,in the instructions communicated by the pontiff to this official1 it was stated that ,luther had already been declared a heretic4 ,the legate was therefore charged 8to prosecute and constrain without any delay40 ,if he should remain steadfast1 and the legate should fail to gain possession of his person1 he was empowered 8to proscribe him in every part of ,germany2 to banish1 curse1 and excommunicate all those who are attached to him407#ahj7 ,and further1 the pope directed his legate1 in order entirely to root out the pestilent heresy1 to excommunicate all1 of whatever dignity in church or state1 except the emperor1 who should neglect to seize ,luther and his adherents1 and deliver them up to the vengeance of ,rome4 ,here is displayed the true spirit of popery4 ,not a trace of ,christian principle1 or even of common justice1 is to be seen in the whole document4 ,luther was at a great distance from ,rome2 he had had no opportunity to explain or defend his position2 yet before his case had been investigated1 he was summarily pronounced a heretic1 and in the same day1 exhorted1 accused1 judged1 and condemned2 and all this by the self-styled holy father1 the only supreme1 infallible authority in church or state6 ,at this time1 when ,luther so much needed the sympathy and counsel of a true friend1 ,god's providence sent ,melanchthon to ,wittenberg4 ,young in years1 modest and diffident in his manners1 ,melanchthon's sound judgment1 extensive knowledge1 and winning eloquence1 combined with the purity and uprightness of his character1 won universal admiration and esteem4 ,the brilliancy of his talents was not more marked than his gentleness of disposition4 ,he soon became an earnest disciple of the gospel1 and ,luther's most trusted friend and valued supporter2 his gentleness1 caution1 and exactness serving as a complement to ,luther's courage and energy4 ,their union in the work added strength to the ,reformation1 and was a source of great encouragement to ,luther4 ,augsburg had been fixed upon as the place of trial1 and the ,reformer set out on foot to perform the journey thither4 ,serious fears were entertained in his behalf4 ,threats had been made openly that he would be seized and murdered on the way1 and his friends begged him not to venture4 ,they even entreated him to leave ,wittenberg for a time1 and find safety with those who would gladly protect him4 ,but he would not leave the position where ,god had placed him4 ,he must continue faithfully to maintain the truth1 notwithstanding the storms that were beating upon him4 ,his language was3 8,i am like ,jeremiah1 a man of strife and contention2 but the more their threats increase1 the more my joy is multiplied4444 ,they have already destroyed my honor and my reputation4 ,one single thing remains2 it is my wretched body3 let them take it2 they will thus shorten my life by a few hours4 ,but as for my soul1 they cannot take that4 ,he who desires to proclaim the word of ,christ to the world1 must expect death at every moment407#aha7 ,the tidings of ,luther's arrival at ,augsburg gave great satisfaction to the papal legate4 ,the troublesome heretic who was exciting the attention of the whole world seemed now in the power of ,rome1 and the legate determined that he should not escape4 ,the ,reformer had failed to provide himself with a safe-conduct4 ,his friends urged him not to appear before the legate without one1 and they themselves undertook to procure it from the emperor4 ,the legate intended to force ,luther1 if possible1 to retract1 or1 failing in this1 to cause him to be conveyed to ,rome1 to share the fate of ,huss and ,jerome4 ,therefore through his agents he endeavored to induce ,luther to appear without a safe-conduct1 trusting himself to his mercy4 ,this the ,reformer firmly declined to do4 ,not until he had received the document pledging him the emperor's protection1 did he appear in the presence of the papal ambassador4 ,as a matter of policy1 the ,romanists had decided to attempt to win ,luther by an appearance of gentleness4 ,the legate1 in his interviews with him1 professed great friendliness2 but he demanded that ,luther submit implicitly to the authority of the church1 and yield every point without argument or question4 ,he had not rightly estimated the character of the man with whom he had to deal4 ,luther1 in reply1 expressed his regard for the church1 his desire for the truth1 his readiness to answer all objections to what he had taught1 and to submit his doctrines to the decision of certain leading universities4 ,but at the same time he protested against the cardinal's course in requiring him to retract without having proved him in error4 ,the only response was1 8,retract1 retract60 ,the ,reformer showed that his position was sustained by the ,scriptures1 and firmly declared that he could not renounce the truth4 ,the legate1 unable to reply to ,luther's arguments1 overwhelmed him with a storm of reproaches1 gibes1 and flattery1 interspersed with quotations from tradition and the sayings of the ,fathers1 granting the ,reformer no opportunity to speak4 ,seeing that the conference1 thus continued1 would be utterly futile1 ,luther finally obtained a reluctant permission to present his answer in writing4 8,in so doing10 said he1 writing to a friend1 8the oppressed find double gain2 first1 what is written may be submitted to the judgment of others2 and second1 one has a better chance of working on the fears1 if not on the conscience1 of an arrogant and babbling despot1 who would otherwise overpower by his imperious language407#ahb7 ,at the next interview1 ,luther presented a clear1 concise1 and forcible exposition of his views1 fully supported by many quotations from ,scripture4 ,this paper1 after reading aloud1 he handed to the cardinal1 who1 however1 cast it contemptuously aside1 declaring it to be a mass of idle words and irrelevant quotations4 ,luther1 fully roused1 now met the haughty prelate on his own ground1--the traditions and teachings of the church1--and utterly overthrew his assumptions4 ,when the prelate saw that ,luther's reasoning was unanswerable1 he lost all self-control1 and in a rage cried out3 8,retract6 or ,i will send you to ,rome1 there to appear before the judges commissioned to take cognizance of your cause4 ,i will excommunicate you and all your partisans1 and all who shall at any time countenance you1 and will cast them out of the church40 ,and he finally declared1 in a haughty and angry tone1 8,retract1 or return no more407#ahc7 ,the ,reformer promptly withdrew with his friends1 thus declaring plainly that no retraction was to be expected from him4 ,this was not what the cardinal had purposed4 ,he had flattered himself that by violence he could awe ,luther to submission4 ,now1 left alone with his supporters1 he looked from one to another in utter chagrin at the unexpected failure of his schemes4 ,luther's efforts on this occasion were not without good results4 ,the large assembly present had opportunity to compare the two men1 and to judge for themselves of the spirit manifested by them1 as well as of the strength and truthfulness of their positions4 ,how marked the contrast6 ,the ,reformer1 simple1 humble1 firm1 stood up in the strength of ,god1 having truth on his side2 the pope's representative1 self-important1 overbearing1 haughty1 and unreasonable1 was without a single argument from the ,scriptures1 yet vehemently crying1 8,retract1 or be sent to ,rome for punishment40 ,notwithstanding ,luther had secured a safe-conduct1 the ,romanists were plotting to seize and imprison him4 ,his friends urged that as it was useless for him to prolong his stay1 he should return to ,wittenberg without delay1 and that the utmost caution should be observed in order to conceal his intentions4 ,he accordingly left ,augsburg before daybreak1 on horseback1 accompanied only by a guide furnished him by the magistrate4 ,with many forebodings he secretly made his way through the dark and silent streets of the city4 ,enemies1 vigilant and cruel1 were plotting his destruction4 ,would he escape the snares prepared for him8 ,those were moments of anxiety and earnest prayer4 ,he reached a small gate in the wall of the city4 ,it was opened for him1 and with his guide he passed through without hindrance4 ,once safely outside1 the fugitives hastened their flight1 and before the legate learned of ,luther's departure1 he was beyond the reach of his persecutors4 ,satan and his emissaries were defeated4 ,the man whom they had thought in their power was gone1 escaped as a bird from the snare of the fowler4 ,at the news of ,luther's escape1 the legate was overwhelmed with surprise and anger4 ,he had expected to receive great honor for his wisdom and firmness in dealing with this disturber of the church2 but his hope was disappointed4 ,he gave expression to his wrath in a letter to ,frederick1 the elector of ,saxony1 bitterly denouncing ,luther1 and demanding that ,frederick send the ,reformer to ,rome or banish him from ,saxony4 ,in defense1 ,luther urged that the legate or the pope show him his errors from the ,scriptures1 and pledged himself in the most solemn manner to renounce his doctrines if they could be shown to contradict the word of ,god4 ,and he expressed his gratitude to ,god that he had been counted worthy to suffer in so holy a cause4 ,the elector had1 as yet1 little knowledge of the reformed doctrines1 but he was deeply impressed by the candor1 force1 and clearness of ,luther's words2 and until the ,reformer should be proved to be in error1 ,frederick resolved to stand as his protector4 ,in reply to the legate's demand he wrote3 8 #8,since ,doctor ,martin has appeared before you at ,augsburg1 you should be satisfied4 ,we did not expect that you would endeavor to make him retract without having convinced him of his errors4 ,none of the learned men in our principality have informed me that ,martin's doctrine is impious1 antichristian1 or heretical4' ,the prince refused1 moreover1 to send ,luther to ,rome1 or to expel him from his states407#ahd7 ,the elector saw that there was a general breaking down of the moral restraints of society4 ,a great work of reform was needed4 ,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 conscience4 ,he saw that ,luther was laboring to secure this object1 and he secretly rejoiced that a better influence was making itself felt in the church4 ,he saw also that as a professor in the university ,luther was eminently successful4 ,only a year had passed since the ,reformer posted his theses on the castle church1 yet there was already a great falling off in the number of pilgrims that visited the church at the festival of ,all ,saints4 ,rome had been deprived of worshipers and offerings1 but their place was filled by another class1 who now came to ,wittenberg1 not pilgrims to adore her relics1 but students to fill her halls of learning4 ,the writings of ,luther had kindled everywhere a new interest in the ,holy ,scriptures1 and not only from all parts of ,germany1 but from other lands1 students flocked to the university4 ,young men1 coming in sight of ,wittenberg for the first time1 8raised their hands to heaven1 and praised ,god for having caused the light of truth to shine forth from this city1 as from ,zion in times of old1 and whence it spread even to the most distant countries407#ahe7 ,luther was as yet but partially converted from the errors of ,romanism4 ,but as he compared the ,holy ,oracles with the papal decrees and constitutions1 he was filled with wonder4 8,i am reading10 he wrote1 8the decrees of the pontiffs1 and 444 ,i do not know whether the pope is antichrist himself1 or his apostle1 so greatly is ,christ misrepresented and crucified in them407#ahf7 ,yet at this time ,luther was still a supporter of the ,roman ,church1 and had no thought that he would ever separate from her communion4 ,the ,reformer's writings and his doctrine were extending to every nation in ,christendom4 ,the work spread to ,switzerland and ,holland4 ,copies of his writings found their way to ,france and ,spain4 ,in ,england his teachings were received as the word of life4 ,to ,belgium and ,italy also the truth had extended4 ,thousands were awakening from their deathlike stupor to the joy and hope of a life of faith4 ,rome became more and more exasperated by the attacks of ,luther1 and it was declared by some of his fanatical opponents1 even by doctors in ,catholic universities1 that he who should kill the rebellious monk would be without sin4 ,one day a stranger1 with a pistol hidden under his cloak1 approached the ,reformer1 and inquired why he went thus alone4 8,i am in ,god's hands10 answered ,luther4 8,he is my strength and my shield4 ,what can man do unto me807#ahg7 ,upon hearing these words1 the stranger turned pale1 and fled away1 as from the presence of the angels of heaven4 ,rome was bent upon the destruction of ,luther2 but ,god was his defense4 ,his doctrines were heard everywhere1--8in cottages and convents1 444 in the castles of the nobles1 in the universities1 and in the palaces of kings20 and noble men were rising on every hand to sustain his efforts4 ,it was about this time that ,luther1 reading the works of ,huss1 found that the great truth of justification by faith1 which he himself was seeking to uphold and teach1 had been held by the ,bohemian ,reformer4 8,we have all10 said ,luther1 8,paul1 ,augustine1 and myself1 been ,hussites without knowing it60 8,god will surely visit it upon the world10 he continued1 8that the truth was preached to it a century ago1 and burned607#ahh7 ,in an appeal to the emperor and nobility of ,germany in behalf of the ,reformation of ,christianity1 ,luther wrote concerning the pope3 8,it is a horrible thing to behold the man who styles himself ,christ's vicegerent1 displaying a magnificence that no emperor can equal4 ,is this being like the poor ,jesus1 or the humble ,peter8 ,he is1 say they1 the lord of the world6 ,but ,christ1 whose vicar he boasts of being1 has said1 #8,my kingdom is not of this world4' ,can the dominions of a vicar extend beyond those of his superior807#ahi7 ,he wrote thus of the universities3 8,i am much afraid that the universities will prove to be the great gates of hell1 unless they diligently labor in explaining the ,holy ,scriptures1 and engraving them in the hearts of youth4 ,i advise no one to place his child where the ,scriptures do not reign paramount4 ,every institution in which men are not unceasingly occupied with the word of ,god must become corrupt407#aij7 ,this appeal was rapidly circulated throughout ,germany1 and exerted a powerful influence upon the people4 ,the whole nation was stirred1 and multitudes were roused to rally around the standard of reform4 ,luther's opponents1 burning with a desire for revenge1 urged the pope to take decisive measures against him4 ,it was decreed that his doctrines should be immediately condemned4 ,sixty days were granted the ,reformer and his adherents1 after which1 if they did not recant1 they were all to be excommunicated4 ,that was a terrible crisis for the ,reformation4 ,for centuries ,rome's sentence of excommunication had struck terror to powerful monarchs2 it had filled mighty empires with woe and desolation4 ,those upon whom its condemnation fell1 were universally regarded with dread and horror2 they were cut off from intercourse with their fellows1 and treated as outlaws1 to be hunted to extermination4 ,luther was not blind to the tempest about to burst upon him2 but he stood firm1 trusting in ,christ to be his support and shield4 ,with a martyr's faith and courage he wrote3 8,what is about to happen ,i know not1 nor do ,i care to know4444 ,let the blow light where it may1 ,i am without fear4 ,not so much as a leaf falls1 without the will of our ,father4 ,how much rather will ,he care for us6 ,it is a light thing to die for the ,word1 since the ,word which was made flesh hath ,himself died4 ,if we die with ,him1 we shall live with ,him2 and passing through that which ,he has passed through before us1 we shall be where ,he is and dwell with ,him forever407#aia7 ,when the papal bull reached ,luther1 he said3 8,i despise and attack it1 as impious1 false4444 ,it is ,christ ,himself who is condemned therein4444 ,i rejoice in having to bear such ills for the best of causes4 ,already ,i feel greater liberty in my heart2 for at last ,i know that the pope is antichrist1 and that his throne is that of ,satan himself407#aib7 ,yet the mandate of ,rome was not without effect4 ,prison1 torture1 and sword were weapons potent to enforce obedience4 ,the weak and superstitious trembled before the decree of the pope2 and while there was general sympathy for ,luther1 many felt that life was too dear to be risked in the cause of reform4 ,everything seemed to indicate that the ,reformer's work was about to close4 ,but ,luther was fearless still4 ,rome had hurled her anathemas against him1 and the world looked on1 nothing doubting that he would perish or be forced to yield4 ,but with terrible power he flung back upon herself the sentence of condemnation1 and publicly declared his determination to abandon her forever4 ,in the presence of a crowd of students1 doctors1 and citizens of all ranks1 ,luther burned the pope's bull1 with the canon laws1 the decretals1 and certain writings sustaining the papal power4 8,my enemies have been able1 by burning my books10 he said1 8to injure the cause of truth in the minds of the common people1 and destroy their souls2 for this reason ,i consumed their books in return4 ,a serious struggle has just begun4 ,hitherto ,i have been only playing with the pope4 ,i began this work in ,god's name2 it will be ended without me1 and by ,his might407#aic7 ,to the reproaches of his enemies who taunted him with the weakness of his cause1 ,luther answered3 8,who knows if ,god has not chosen and called me1 and if they ought not to fear that1 by despising me1 they despise ,god ,himself8 ,moses was alone at the departure from ,egypt2 ,elijah was alone in the reign of ,king ,ahab2 ,isaiah alone in ,jerusalem2 ,ezekiel alone in ,babylon4444 ,god never selected as a prophet either the high priest or any other great personage2 but ordinarily ,he chose low and despised men1 once even the shepherd ,amos4 ,in every age1 the saints have had to reprove the great1 kings1 princes1 priests1 and wise men1 at the peril of their lives4444 ,i do not say that ,i am a prophet2 but ,i say that they ought to fear precisely because ,i am alone and that they are many4 ,i am sure of this1 that the word of ,god is with me1 and that it is not with them407#aid7 ,yet it was not without a terrible struggle with himself that ,luther decided upon a final separation from the church4 ,it was about this time that he wrote3 8,i feel more and more every day how difficult it is to lay aside the scruples which one has imbibed in childhood4 ,o1 how much pain it has caused me1 though ,i had the ,scriptures on my side1 to justify it to myself that ,i should dare to make a stand alone against the pope1 and hold him forth as antichrist6 ,what have the tribulations of my heart not been6 ,how many times have ,i not asked myself with bitterness that question which was so frequent on the lips of the papists3 #8,art thou alone wise8 ,can every one else be mistaken8 ,how will it be1 if1 after all1 it is thyself who art wrong1 and who art involving in thy error so many souls1 who will then be eternally damned8' ',twas so ,i fought with myself and with ,satan1 till ,christ1 by ,his own infallible word1 fortified my heart against these doubts407#aie7 ,the pope had threatened ,luther with excommunication if he did not recant1 and the threat was now fulfilled4 ,a new bull appeared1 declaring the ,reformer's final separation from the ,roman ,church1 denouncing him as accursed of ,heaven1 and including in the same condemnation all who should receive his doctrines4 ,the great contest had been fully entered upon4 ,opposition is the lot of all whom ,god employs to present truths specially applicable to their time4 ,there was a present truth in the days of ,luther1--a truth at that time of special importance2 there is a present truth for the church to-day4 ,he who does all things according to the counsel of ,his will1 has been pleased to place men under various circumstances1 and to enjoin upon them duties peculiar to the times in which they live1 and the conditions under which they are placed4 ,if they would prize the light given them1 broader views of truth would be opened before them4 ,but truth is no more desired by the majority to-day than it was by the papists who opposed ,luther4 ,there is the same disposition to accept the theories and traditions of men instead of the word of ,god as in former ages4 ,those who present the truth for this time should not expect to be received with greater favor than were earlier reformers4 ,the great controversy between truth and error1 between ,christ and ,satan1 is to increase in intensity to the close of this world's history4 ,said ,jesus to ,his disciples3 8,if ye were of the world1 the world would love his own3 but because ye are not of the world1 but ,i have chosen you out of the world1 therefore the world hateth you4 ,remember the word that ,i said unto you1 ,the servant is not greater than his ,lord4 ,if they have persecuted ,me1 they will also persecute you2 if they have kept ,my saying1 they will keep yours also407#aif7 ,and on the other hand our ,lord declared plainly3 8,woe unto you1 when all men shall speak well of you6 for so did their fathers to the false prophets407#aig7 ,the spirit of the world is no more in harmony with the spirit of ,christ to-day than in earlier times2 and those who preach the word of ,god in its purity will be received with no greater favor now than then4 ,the forms of opposition to the truth may change1 the enmity may be less open because it is more subtle2 but the same antagonism still exists1 and will be manifested to the end of time4 #h4 ,,luther ,,before ,,the ,,diet4 ,illustration3 ,chapter header4 ,a new emperor1 ,charles ,v41 had ascended the throne of ,germany1 and the emissaries of ,rome hastened to present their congratulations1 and induce the monarch to employ his power against the ,reformation4 ,on the other hand1 the elector of ,saxony1 to whom ,charles was in great degree indebted for his crown1 entreated him to take no step against ,luther until he should have granted him a hearing4 ,the emperor was thus placed in a position of great perplexity and embarrassment4 ,the papists would be satisfied with nothing short of an imperial edict sentencing ,luther to death4 ,the elector had declared firmly that 8neither his imperial majesty nor any other person had shown that ,luther's writings had been refuted20 therefore he requested 8that ,doctor ,luther should be furnished with a safe-conduct1 so that he might appear before a tribunal of learned1 pious1 and impartial judges407#aih7 ,the attention of all parties was now directed to the assembly of the ,german states which convened at ,worms soon after the accession of ,charles to the empire4 ,there were important political questions and interests to be considered by this national council2 for the first time the princes of ,germany were to meet their youthful monarch in deliberative assembly4 ,from all parts of the fatherland had come the dignitaries of church and state4 ,secular lords1 high-born1 powerful1 and jealous of their hereditary rights2 princely ecclesiastics1 flushed with their conscious superiority in rank and power2 courtly knights and their armed retainers2 and ambassadors from foreign and distant lands1--all gathered at ,worms4 ,yet in that vast assembly the subject that excited the deepest interest1 was the cause of the ,saxon ,reformer4 ,charles had previously directed the elector to bring ,luther with him to the ,diet1 assuring him of protection1 and promising a free discussion1 with competent persons1 of the questions in dispute4 ,luther was anxious to appear before the emperor4 ,his health was at this time much impaired2 yet he wrote to the elector3 8,if ,i cannot go to ,worms in good health1 ,i will be carried there1 sick as ,i am4 ,for if the emperor calls me1 ,i cannot doubt that it is the call of ,god ,himself4 ,if they desire to use violence against me1 and that is very probable 7for it is not for their instruction that they order me to appear71 ,i place the matter in the ,lord's hands4 ,he still lives and reigns who preserved the three young men in the burning fiery furnace4 ,if ,he will not save me1 my life is of little consequence4 ,let us only prevent the gospel from being exposed to the scorn of the wicked1 and let us shed our blood for it1 for fear they should triumph4 ,it is not for me to decide whether my life or my death will contribute most to the salvation of all4444 ,you may expect everything from me 444 except flight and recantation4 ,fly ,i cannot1 and still less retract407#aii7 ,as the news was circulated at ,worms that ,luther was to appear before the ,diet1 a general excitement was created4 ,aleander1 the papal legate to whom the case had been specially intrusted1 was alarmed and enraged4 ,he saw that the result would be disastrous to the papal cause4 ,to institute inquiry into a case in which the pope had already pronounced sentence of condemnation1 would be to cast contempt upon the authority of the sovereign pontiff4 ,furthermore1 he was apprehensive that the eloquent and powerful arguments of this man might turn away many of the princes from the cause of the pope4 ,he therefore1 in the most urgent manner1 remonstrated with ,charles against ,luther's appearance at ,worms4 ,about this time the bull declaring ,luther's excommunication was published2 and this1 coupled with the representations of the legate1 induced the emperor to yield4 ,he wrote to the elector that if ,luther would not retract1 he must remain at ,wittenberg4 ,not content with this victory1 ,aleander labored with all the power and cunning at his command to secure ,luther's condemnation4 ,with a persistence worthy of a better cause1 he urged the matter upon the attention of princes1 prelates1 and other members of the assembly1 accusing the ,reformer of 8sedition1 rebellion1 impiety1 and blasphemy40 ,but the vehemence and passion manifested by the legate revealed too plainly the spirit by which he was actuated4 8,he is moved by hatred and vengeance10 was the general remark1 8much more than by zeal and piety407#bjj7 ,the majority of the ,diet were more than ever inclined to regard ,luther's cause with favor4 ,with redoubled zeal1 ,aleander urged upon the emperor the duty of executing the papal edicts4 ,but under the laws of ,germany this could not be done without the concurrence of the princes2 and overcome at last by the legate's importunity1 ,charles bade him present his case to the ,diet4 8,it was a proud day for the nuncio4 ,the assembly was a great one3 the cause was even greater4 ,aleander was to plead for ,rome1 444 the mother and mistress of all churches40 ,he was to vindicate the princedom of ,peter before the assembled principalities of ,christendom4 8,he had the gift of eloquence1 and he rose to the greatness of the occasion4 ,providence ordered it that ,rome should appear and plead by the ablest of her orators in the presence of the most august of tribunals1 before she was condemned407#bja7 ,with some misgivings those who favored the ,reformer looked forward to the effect of ,aleander's speech4 ,the elector of ,saxony was not present1 but by his direction some of his councilors attended1 to take notes of the nuncio's address4 ,with all the power of learning and eloquence1 ,aleander set himself to overthrow the truth4 ,charge after charge he hurled against ,luther as an enemy of the church and the state1 the living and the dead1 clergy and laity1 councils and private ,christians4 8,in ,luther's errors there is enough10 he declared1 to warrant the burning of 8a hundred thousand heretics40 ,in conclusion1 he endeavored to cast contempt upon the adherents of the reformed faith3 8,what are all these ,lutherans8 ,a crew of insolent pedagogues1 corrupt priests1 dissolute monks1 ignorant lawyers1 and degraded nobles1 with the common people whom they have misled and perverted4 ,how far superior to them is the ,catholic party in number1 ability1 and power6 ,a unanimous decree from this illustrious assembly will enlighten the simple1 warn the imprudent1 decide the waverers1 and give strength to the weak407#bjb7 ,with such weapons the advocates of truth in every age have been attacked4 ,the same arguments are still urged against all who dare to present1 in opposition to established errors1 the plain and direct teachings of ,god's word4 8,who are these preachers of new doctrines80 exclaim those who desire a popular religion4 8,they are unlearned1 few in numbers1 and of the poorer class4 ,yet they claim to have the truth1 and to be the chosen people of ,god4 ,they are ignorant and deceived4 ,how greatly superior in numbers and influence is our church6 ,how many great and learned men are among us6 ,how much more power is on our side60 ,these are the arguments that have a telling influence upon the world2 but they are no more conclusive now than in the days of the ,reformer4 ,the ,reformation did not1 as many suppose1 end with ,luther4 ,it is to be continued to the close of this world's history4 ,luther had a great work to do in reflecting to others the light which ,god had permitted to shine upon him2 yet he did not receive all the light which was to be given to the world4 ,from that time to this1 new light has been continually shining upon the ,scriptures1 and new truths have been constantly unfolding4 ,the legate's address made a deep impression upon the ,diet4 ,there was no ,luther present1 with the clear and convincing truths of ,god's word1 to vanquish the papal champion4 ,no attempt was made to defend the ,reformer4 ,there was manifest a general disposition not only to condemn him and the doctrines which he taught1 but if possible to uproot the heresy4 ,rome had enjoyed the most favorable opportunity to defend her cause4 ,all that she could say in her own vindication had been said4 ,but the apparent victory was the signal of defeat4 ,henceforth the contrast between truth and error would be more clearly seen1 as they should take the field in open warfare4 ,never from that day would ,rome stand as secure as she had stood4 ,while most of the members of the ,diet would not have hesitated to yield up ,luther to the vengeance of ,rome1 many of them saw and deplored the existing depravity in the church1 and desired a suppression of the abuses suffered by the ,german people in consequence of the corruption and greed of the hierarchy4 ,the legate had presented the papal rule in the most favorable light4 ,now the ,lord moved upon a member of the ,diet to give a true delineation of the effects of papal tyranny4 ,with noble firmness1 ,duke ,george of ,saxony stood up in that princely assembly1 and specified with terrible exactness the deceptions and abominations of popery1 and their dire results4 ,in closing he said3 8,these are some of the abuses that cry out against ,rome4 ,all shame has been put aside1 and their only object is 444 money1 money1 money1 444 so that the preachers who should teach the truth1 utter nothing but falsehoods1 and are not only tolerated1 but rewarded1 because the greater their lies1 the greater their gain4 ,it is from this foul spring that such tainted waters flow4 ,debauchery stretches out the hand to avarice4444 ,alas1 it is the scandal caused by the clergy that hurls so many poor souls into eternal condemnation4 ,a general reform must be effected407#bjc7 ,a more able and forcible denunciation of the papal abuses could not have been presented by ,luther himself2 and the fact that the speaker was a determined enemy of the ,reformer1 gave greater influence to his words4 ,had the eyes of the assembly been opened1 they would have beheld angels of ,god in the midst of them1 shedding beams of light athwart the darkness of error1 and opening minds and hearts to the reception of truth4 ,it was the power of the ,god of truth and wisdom that controlled even the adversaries of the ,reformation1 and thus prepared the way for the great work about to be accomplished4 ,martin ,luther was not present2 but the voice of ,one greater than ,luther had been heard in that assembly4 ,a committee was at once appointed by the ,diet to prepare an enumeration of the papal oppressions that weighed so heavily on the ,german people4 ,this list1 containing a hundred and one specifications1 was presented to the emperor1 with a request that he would take immediate measures for the correction of these abuses4 8,what a loss of ,christian souls10 said the petitioners1 8what depredations1 what extortions1 on account of the scandals by which the spiritual head of ,christendom is surrounded6 ,it is our duty to prevent the ruin and dishonor of our people4 ,for this reason we most humbly but most urgently entreat you to order a general reformation1 and to undertake its accomplishment407#bjd7 ,the council now demanded the ,reformer's appearance before them4 ,notwithstanding the entreaties1 protests1 and threats of ,aleander1 the emperor at last consented1 and ,luther was summoned to appear before the ,diet4 ,with the summons was issued a safe-conduct1 insuring his return to a place of security4 ,these were borne to ,wittenberg by a herald1 who was commissioned to conduct him to ,worms4 ,the friends of ,luther were terrified and distressed4 ,knowing the prejudice and enmity against him1 they feared that even his safe-conduct would not be respected1 and they entreated him not to imperil his life4 ,he replied3 8,the papists do not desire my coming to ,worms1 but my condemnation and my death4 ,it matters not4 ,pray not for me1 but for the word of ,god4444 ,christ will give me ,his ,spirit to overcome these ministers of error4 ,i despise them during my life2 ,i shall triumph over them by my death4 ,they are busy at ,worms about compelling me to retract2 and this shall be my retraction3 ,i said formerly that the pope was ,christ's vicar2 now ,i assert that he is our ,lord's adversary1 and the devil's apostle407#bje7 ,luther was not to make his perilous journey alone4 ,besides the imperial messenger1 three of his firmest friends determined to accompany him4 ,melanchthon earnestly desired to join them4 ,his heart was knit to ,luther's1 and he yearned to follow him1 if need be1 to prison or to death4 ,but his entreaties were denied4 ,should ,luther perish1 the hopes of the ,reformation must center upon his youthful co-laborer4 ,said the ,reformer as he parted from ,melanchthon3 8,if ,i do not return1 and my enemies put me to death1 continue to teach1 and stand fast in the truth4 ,labor in my stead4444 ,if you survive1 my death will be of little consequence407#bjf7 ,students and citizens who had gathered to witness ,luther's departure were deeply moved4 ,a multitude whose hearts had been touched by the gospel1 bade him farewell with weeping4 ,thus the ,reformer and his companions set out from ,wittenberg4 ,on the journey they saw that the minds of the people were oppressed by gloomy forebodings4 ,at some towns no honors were proffered them4 ,as they stopped for the night1 a friendly priest expressed his fears by holding up before ,luther the portrait of an ,italian reformer who had suffered martyrdom4 ,the next day they learned that ,luther's writings had been condemned at ,worms4 ,imperial messengers were proclaiming the emperor's decree1 and calling upon the people to bring the proscribed works to the magistrates4 ,the herald1 fearing for ,luther's safety at the council1 and thinking that already his resolution might be shaken1 asked if he still wished to go forward4 ,he answered1 8,although interdicted in every city1 ,i shall go on407#bjg7 ,at ,erfurt1 ,luther was received with honor4 ,surrounded by admiring crowds1 he passed through the streets that he had often traversed with his beggar's wallet4 ,he visited his convent cell1 and thought upon the struggles through which the light now flooding ,germany had been shed upon his soul4 ,he was urged to preach4 ,this he had been forbidden to do1 but the herald granted him permission1 and the friar who had once been made the drudge of the convent1 now entered the pulpit4 ,to a crowded assembly he spoke from the words of ,christ1 8,peace be unto you40 8,philosophers1 doctors1 and writers10 he said1 8have endeavored to teach men the way to obtain everlasting life1 and they have not succeeded4 ,i will now tell it to you4444 ,god has raised one ,man from the dead1 the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 that ,he might destroy death1 extirpate sin1 and shut the gates of hell4 ,this is the work of salvation4444 ,christ has vanquished6 this is the joyful news2 and we are saved by ,his work1 and not by our own4444 ,our ,lord ,jesus ,christ said1 #8,peace be unto you2 behold ,my hands2' that is to say1 ,behold1 ,o man6 it is ,i1 ,i alone1 who have taken away thy sin1 and ransomed thee2 and now thou hast peace1 saith the ,lord40 ,he continued1 showing that true faith will be manifested by a holy life4 8,since ,god has saved us1 let us so order our works that they may be acceptable to ,him4 ,art thou rich8 let thy goods administer to the necessities of the poor4 ,art thou poor8 let thy services be acceptable to the rich4 ,if thy labor is useful to thyself alone1 the service that thou pretendest to render unto ,god is a lie407#bjh7 ,the people listened as if spellbound4 ,the bread of life was broken to those starving souls4 ,christ was lifted up before them as above popes1 legates1 emperors1 and kings4 ,luther made no reference to his own perilous position4 ,he did not seek to make himself the object of thought or sympathy4 ,in the contemplation of ,christ1 he had lost sight of self4 ,he hid behind the ,man of ,calvary1 seeking only to present ,jesus as the sinner's ,redeemer4 ,as the ,reformer proceeded on his journey1 he was everywhere regarded with great interest4 ,an eager multitude thronged about him1 and friendly voices warned him of the purpose of the ,romanists4 8,they will burn you10 said some1 8and reduce your body to ashes1 as they did with ,john ,huss40 ,luther answered1 8,though they should kindle a fire all the way from ,worms to ,wittenberg1 the flames of which reached to heaven1 ,i would walk through it in the name of the ,lord2 ,i would appear before them2 ,i would enter the jaws of this behemoth1 and break his teeth1 confessing the ,lord ,jesus ,christ407#bji7 ,the news of his approach to ,worms created great commotion4 ,his friends trembled for his safety2 his enemies feared for the success of their cause4 ,strenuous efforts were made to dissuade him from entering the city4 ,at the instigation of the papists he was urged to repair to the castle of a friendly knight1 where1 it was declared1 all difficulties could be amicably adjusted4 ,friends endeavored to excite his fears by describing the dangers that threatened him4 ,all their efforts failed2 ,luther1 still unshaken1 declared1 8,even should there be as many devils in ,worms as tiles on the housetops1 still ,i would enter it407#baj7 ,upon his arrival at ,worms1 a vast crowd flocked to the gates to welcome him4 ,so great a concourse had not assembled to greet the emperor himself4 ,the excitement was intense1 and from the midst of the throng a shrill and plaintive voice chanted a funeral dirge1 as a warning to ,luther of the fate that awaited him4 8,god will be my defense10 said he1 as he alighted from his carriage4 ,the papists had not believed that ,luther would really venture to appear at ,worms1 and his arrival filled them with consternation4 ,the emperor immediately summoned his councilors to consider what course should be pursued4 ,one of the bishops1 a rigid papist1 declared3 8,we have long consulted on this matter4 ,let your imperial majesty get rid of this man at once4 ,did not ,sigismund cause ,john ,huss to be burnt8 ,we are not bound either to give or to observe the safe-conduct of a heretic40 8,no10 said the emperor2 8we must keep our promise407#baa7 ,it was therefore decided that the ,reformer should be heard4 ,all the city were eager to see this remarkable man1 and a throng of visitors soon filled his lodgings4 ,luther had scarcely recovered from his recent illness2 he was wearied from the journey1 which had occupied two full weeks2 he must prepare to meet the momentous events of the morrow1 and he needed quiet and repose4 ,but so great was the desire to see him1 that he had enjoyed only a few hours' rest1 when noblemen1 knights1 priests1 and citizens gathered eagerly about him4 ,among these were many of the nobles who had so boldly demanded of the emperor a reform of ecclesiastical abuses1 and who1 says ,luther1 8had all been freed by my gospel407#bab7 ,enemies1 as well as friends1 came to look upon the dauntless monk2 but he received them with unshaken calmness1 replying to all with dignity and wisdom4 ,his bearing was firm and courageous4 ,his pale1 thin face1 marked with the traces of toil and illness1 wore a kindly and even joyous expression4 ,the solemnity and deep earnestness of his words gave him a power that even his enemies could not wholly withstand4 ,both friends and foes were filled with wonder4 ,some were convinced that a divine influence attended him2 others declared1 as had the ,pharisees concerning ,christ1 8,he hath a devil40 ,on the following day1 ,luther was summoned to attend the ,diet4 ,an imperial officer was appointed to conduct him to the hall of audience2 yet it was with difficulty that he reached the place4 ,every avenue was crowded with spectators1 eager to look upon the monk who had dared resist the authority of the pope4 ,as he was about to enter the presence of his judges1 an old general1 the hero of many battles1 said to him kindly3 8,poor monk1 poor monk1 thou art now going to make a nobler stand than ,i or any other captains have ever made in the bloodiest of our battles4 ,but if thy cause is just1 and thou art sure of it1 go forward in ,god's name1 and fear nothing4 ,god will not forsake thee407#bac7 ,at length ,luther stood before the council4 ,the emperor occupied the throne4 ,he was surrounded by the most illustrious personages in the empire4 ,never had any man appeared in the presence of a more imposing assembly than that before which ,martin ,luther was to answer for his faith4 8,this appearance was of itself a signal victory over the papacy4 ,the pope had condemned the man1 and he was now standing before a tribunal which1 by this very act1 set itself above the pope4 ,the pope had laid him under an interdict1 and cut him off from all human society2 and yet he was summoned in respectful language1 and received before the most august assembly in the world4 ,the pope had condemned him to perpetual silence1 and he was now about to speak before thousands of attentive hearers drawn together from the farthest parts of ,christendom4 ,an immense revolution had thus been effected by ,luther's instrumentality4 ,rome was already descending from her throne1 and it was the voice of a monk that caused this humiliation407#bad7 ,in the presence of that powerful and titled assembly1 the lowly-born ,reformer seemed awed and embarrassed4 ,several of the princes1 observing his emotion1 approached him1 and one of them whispered1 8,fear not them which kill the body1 but are not able to kill the soul40 ,another said1 8,when ye shall be brought before governors and kings for ,my sake1 it shall be given you1 by the ,spirit of your ,father1 what ye shall say40 ,thus the words of ,christ were brought by the world's great men to strengthen ,his servant in the hour of trial4 ,luther was conducted to a position directly in front of the emperor's throne4 ,a deep silence fell upon the crowded assembly4 ,then an imperial officer arose1 and pointing to a collection of ,luther's writings1 demanded that the ,reformer answer two questions1--whether he acknowledged them as his1 and whether he proposed to retract the opinions which he had therein advanced4 ,the titles of the books having been read1 ,luther replied that as to the first question1 he acknowledged the books to be his4 8,as to the second10 he said1 8seeing that it is a question which concerns faith and the salvation of souls1 and in which the word of ,god1 the greatest and most precious treasure either in heaven or earth1 is interested1 ,i should act imprudently were ,i to reply without reflection4 ,i might affirm less than the circumstance demands1 or more than truth requires1 and so sin against this saying of ,christ3 #8,whosoever shall deny ,me before men1 him will ,i also deny before ,my ,father which is in heaven4'7#bae7 ,for this reason ,i entreat your imperial majesty1 with all humility1 to allow me time1 that ,i may answer without offending against the word of ,god407#baf7 ,in making this request1 ,luther moved wisely4 ,his course convinced the assembly that he did not act from passion or impulse4 ,such calmness and self-command1 unexpected in one who had shown himself bold and uncompromising1 added to his power1 and enabled him afterward to answer with a prudence1 decision1 wisdom1 and dignity that surprised and disappointed his adversaries1 and rebuked their insolence and pride4 ,the next day he was to appear to render his final answer4 ,for a time his heart sunk within him as he contemplated the forces that were combined against the truth4 ,his faith faltered2 fearfulness and trembling came upon him1 and horror overwhelmed him4 ,dangers multiplied before him2 his enemies seemed about to triumph1 and the powers of darkness to prevail4 ,clouds gathered about him1 and seemed to separate him from ,god4 ,he longed for the assurance that the ,lord of hosts would be with him4 ,in anguish of spirit he threw himself with his face upon the earth1 and poured out those broken1 heart-rending cries1 which none but ,god can fully understand4 8,o almighty and everlasting ,god10 he pleaded1 8how terrible is this world6 ,behold1 it openeth its mouth to swallow me up1 and ,i have so little trust in ,thee4444 ,if it is only in the strength of this world that ,i must put my trust1 all is over4444 ,my last hour is come1 my condemnation has been pronounced4444 ,o ,god1 do ,thou help me against all the wisdom of the world4 ,do this1 444 ,thou alone2 444 for this is not my work1 but ,thine4 ,i have nothing to do here1 nothing to contend for with these great ones of the world4444 ,but the cause is ,thine1 444 and it is a righteous and eternal cause4 ,o ,lord1 help me6 ,faithful and unchangeable ,god1 in no man do ,i place my trust4444 ,all that is of man is uncertain2 all that cometh of man fails4444 ,thou hast chosen me for this work4444 ,stand at my side1 for the sake of ,thy well-beloved ,jesus ,christ1 who is my defense1 my shield1 and my strong tower407#bag7 ,an all-wise ,providence had permitted ,luther to realize his peril1 that he might not trust to his own strength1 and rush presumptuously into danger4 ,yet it was not the fear of personal suffering1 a dread of torture or death1 which seemed immediately impending1 that overwhelmed him with its terror4 ,he had come to the crisis1 and he felt his insufficiency to meet it4 ,through his weakness the cause of truth might suffer loss4 ,not for his own safety1 but for the triumph of the gospel did he wrestle with ,god4 ,like ,israel's1 in that night struggle beside the lonely stream1 was the anguish and conflict of his soul4 ,like ,israel1 he prevailed with ,god4 ,in his utter helplessness his faith fastened upon ,christ1 the mighty deliverer4 ,he was strengthened with the assurance that he would not appear alone before the council4 ,peace returned to his soul1 and he rejoiced that he was permitted to uplift the word of ,god before the rulers of the nation4 ,with his mind stayed upon ,god1 ,luther prepared for the struggle before him4 ,he thought upon the plan of his answer1 examined passages in his own writings1 and drew from the ,holy ,scriptures suitable proofs to sustain his positions4 ,then1 laying his left hand on the ,sacred ,volume1 which was open before him1 he lifted his right hand to heaven1 and vowed 8to remain faithful to the gospel1 and freely to confess his faith1 even should he seal his testimony with his blood407#bah7 ,when he was again ushered into the presence of the ,diet1 his countenance bore no trace of fear or embarrassment4 ,calm and peaceful1 yet grandly brave and noble1 he stood as ,god's witness among the great ones of the earth4 ,the imperial officer now demanded his decision as to whether he desired to retract his doctrines4 ,luther made his answer in a subdued and humble tone1 without violence or passion4 ,his demeanor was diffident and respectful2 yet he manifested a confidence and joy that surprised the assembly4 8,most serene emperor1 illustrious princes1 gracious lords10 said ,luther1 8,i appear before you this day1 in conformity with the order given me yesterday1 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 true4 ,if1 through ignorance1 ,i should transgress the usages and proprieties of courts1 ,i entreat you to pardon me2 for ,i was not brought up in the palaces of kings1 but in the seclusion of a convent407#bai7 ,then1 proceeding to the question1 he stated that his published works were not all of the same character4 ,in some he had treated of faith and good works1 and even his enemies declared them not only harmless but profitable4 ,to retract these would be to condemn truths which all parties confessed4 ,the second class consisted of writings exposing the corruptions and abuses of the papacy4 ,to revoke these works would strengthen the tyranny of ,rome1 and open a wider door to many and great impieties4 ,in the third class of his books he had attacked individuals who had defended existing evils4 ,concerning these he freely confessed that he had been more violent than was becoming4 ,he did not claim to be free from fault2 but even these books he could not revoke1 for such a course would embolden the enemies of truth1 and they would then take occasion to crush ,god's people with still greater cruelty4 8,yet ,i am but a mere man1 and not ,god1 he continued2 8,i shall therefore defend myself as ,christ did3 #8,if ,i have spoken evil1 bear witness of the evil4'444 ,by the mercy of ,god1 ,i conjure you1 most serene emperor1 and you1 most illustrious princes1 and all men of every degree1 to prove from the writings of the prophets and apostles that ,i have erred4 ,as soon as ,i am convinced of this1 ,i will retract every error1 and be the first to lay hold of my books and throw them into the fire40 8,what ,i have just said plainly shows1 ,i hope1 that ,i have carefully weighed and considered the dangers to which ,i expose myself2 but far from being dismayed1 ,i rejoice to see that the gospel is now1 as in former times1 a cause of trouble and dissension4 ,this is the character1 this is the destiny1 of the word of ,god4 #8,i came not to send peace on earth1 but a sword1' said ,jesus ,christ4 ,god is wonderful and terrible in ,his counsels2 beware lest1 by presuming to quench dissensions1 you should persecute the holy word of ,god1 and draw down upon yourselves a frightful deluge of insurmountable dangers1 of present disasters1 and eternal desolation4444 ,i might quote many examples from the oracles of ,god4 ,i might speak of the ,pharaohs1 the kings of ,babylon1 and those of ,israel1 whose labors never more effectually contributed to their own destruction than when they sought by counsels1 to all appearance most wise1 to strengthen their dominion4 #8,god removeth mountains1 and they know it not4' 07#bbj7 ,luther had spoken in ,german2 he was now requested to repeat the same words in ,latin4 ,though exhausted by the previous effort1 he complied1 and again delivered his speech1 with the same clearness and energy as at the first4 ,god's providence directed in this matter4 ,the minds of many of the princes were so blinded by error and superstition that at the first delivery they did not see the force of ,luther's reasoning2 but the repetition enabled them to perceive clearly the points presented4 ,those who stubbornly closed their eyes to the light1 and determined not to be convinced of the truth1 were enraged at the power of ,luther's words4 ,as he ceased speaking1 the spokesman of the ,diet said angrily1 8,you have not answered the question put to you4444 ,you are required to give a clear and precise answer4444 ,will you1 or will you not1 retract80 ,the ,reformer answered3 8,since your most serene majesty and your high mightinesses require from me a clear1 simple1 and precise answer1 ,i will give you one1 and it is this3 ,i cannot submit my faith either to the pope or to the councils1 because it is clear as the day that they have frequently erred and contradicted each other4 ,unless therefore ,i am convinced by the testimony of ,scripture or by the clearest reasoning1 unless ,i am persuaded by means of the passages ,i have quoted1 and unless they thus render my conscience bound by the word of ,god1 ,i cannot and ,i will not retract1 for it is unsafe for a ,christian to speak against his conscience4 ,here ,i stand1 ,i can do no other2 may ,god help me4 ,amen407#bba7 ,thus stood this righteous man1 upon the sure foundation of the word of ,god4 ,the light of heaven illuminated his countenance4 ,his greatness and purity of character1 his peace and joy of heart1 were manifest to all as he testified against the power of error1 and witnessed to the superiority of that faith that overcomes the world4 ,the whole assembly were for a time speechless with amazement4 ,at his first answer1 ,luther had spoken in a low tone1 with a respectful1 almost submissive bearing4 ,the ,romanists had interpreted this as evidence that his courage was beginning to fail4 ,they regarded the request for delay as merely the prelude to his recantation4 ,charles himself1 noting1 half contemptuously1 the monk's worn frame1 his plain attire1 and the simplicity of his address1 had declared1 8,this monk will never make a heretic of me40 ,the courage and firmness which he now displayed1 as well as the power and clearness of his reasoning1 filled all parties with surprise4 ,the emperor1 moved to admiration1 exclaimed1 8,this monk speaks with an intrepid heart and unshaken courage40 ,many of the ,german princes looked with pride and joy upon this representative of their nation4 ,the partisans of ,rome had been worsted2 their cause appeared in a most unfavorable light4 ,they sought to maintain their power1 not by appealing to the ,scriptures1 but by a resort to threats1 ,rome's unfailing argument4 ,said the spokesman of the ,diet1 8,if you do not retract1 the emperor and the states of the empire will consult what course to adopt against an incorrigible heretic40 ,luther's friends1 who had with great joy listened to his noble defense1 trembled at these words2 but the doctor himself said calmly1 8,may ,god be my helper1 for ,i can retract nothing407#bbb7 ,he was directed to withdraw from the ,diet1 while the princes consulted together4 ,it was felt that a great crisis had come4 ,luther's persistent refusal to submit1 might affect the history of the church for ages4 ,it was decided to give him one more opportunity to retract4 ,for the last time he was brought into the assembly4 ,again the question was put1 whether he would renounce his doctrines4 8,i have no other reply to make10 he said1 8than that which ,i have already made40 ,it was evident that he could not be induced1 either by promises or threats1 to yield to the mandate of ,rome4 ,the papal leaders were chagrined that their power1 which had caused kings and nobles to tremble1 should be thus despised by a humble monk2 they longed to make him feel their wrath by torturing his life away4 ,but ,luther1 understanding his danger1 had spoken to all with ,christian dignity and calmness4 ,his words had been free from pride1 passion1 and misrepresentation4 ,he had lost sight of himself1 and of the great men surrounding him1 and felt only that he was in the presence of ,one infinitely superior to popes1 prelates1 kings1 and emperors4 ,christ had spoken through ,luther's testimony with a power and grandeur that for the time inspired both friends and foes with awe and wonder4 ,the ,spirit of ,god had been present in that council impressing the hearts of the chiefs of the empire4 ,several of the princes boldly acknowledged the justice of ,luther's cause4 ,many were convinced of the truth2 but with some the impressions received were not lasting4 ,there was another class who did not at the time express their convictions1 but who1 having searched the ,scriptures for themselves1 at a future time became fearless supporters of the ,reformation4 ,the elector ,frederick had looked forward anxiously to ,luther's appearance before the ,diet1 and with deep emotion he listened to his speech4 ,with joy and pride he witnessed the doctor's courage1 firmness1 and self-possession1 and determined to stand more firmly in his defense4 ,he contrasted the parties in contest1 and saw that the wisdom of popes1 kings1 and prelates had been brought to naught by the power of truth4 ,the papacy had sustained a defeat which would be felt among all nations and in all ages4 ,as the legate perceived the effect produced by ,luther's speech1 he feared1 as never before1 for the security of the ,romish power1 and resolved to employ every means at his command to effect the ,reformer's overthrow4 ,with all the eloquence and diplomatic skill for which he was so eminently distinguished1 he represented to the youthful emperor the folly and danger of sacrificing1 in the cause of an insignificant monk1 the friendship and support of the powerful see of ,rome4 ,his words were not without effect4 ,on the day following ,luther's answer1 ,charles caused a message to be presented to the ,diet1 announcing his determination to carry out the policy of his predecessors to maintain and protect the ,catholic religion4 ,since ,luther had refused to renounce his errors1 the most vigorous measures should be employed against him and the heresies he taught4 8,a single monk1 misled by his own folly1 has risen against the faith of ,christendom4 ,to stay such impiety1 ,i will sacrifice my kingdoms1 my treasures1 my friends1 my body1 my blood1 my soul1 and my life4 ,i am about to dismiss the ,augustine ,luther1 forbidding him to cause the least disorder among the people2 ,i shall then proceed against him and his adherents as contumacious heretics1 by excommunication1 by interdict1 and by every means calculated to destroy them4 ,i call on the members of the states to behave like faithful ,christians407#bbc7 ,nevertheless the emperor declared that ,luther's safe-conduct must be respected1 and that before proceedings against him could be instituted1 he must be allowed to reach his home in safety4 ,two conflicting opinions were now urged by the members of the ,diet4 ,the emissaries and representatives of the pope again demanded that the ,reformer's safe-conduct should be disregarded4 8,the ,rhine10 they said1 8should receive his ashes1 as it had received those of ,john ,huss a century ago407#bbd7 ,but princes of ,germany1 though themselves papists and avowed enemies to ,luther1 protested against such a breach of public faith1 as a stain upon the honor of the nation4 ,they pointed to the calamities which had followed the death of ,huss1 and declared that they dared not call down upon ,germany1 and upon the head of their youthful emperor1 a repetition of those terrible evils4 ,charles himself1 in answer to the base proposal1 said1 8,though honor and faith should be banished from all the world1 they ought to find a refuge in the hearts of princes407#bbe7 ,he was still further urged by the most bitter of ,luther's papal enemies to deal with the ,reformer as ,sigismund had dealt with ,huss1--abandon him to the mercies of the church2 but recalling the scene when ,huss in public assembly had pointed to his chains and reminded the monarch of his plighted faith1 ,charles ,v4 declared1 8,i should not like to blush like ,sigismund407#bbf7 ,yet ,charles had deliberately rejected the truths presented by ,luther4 8,i am firmly resolved to imitate the example of my ancestors107#bbg7 wrote the monarch4 ,he had decided that he would not step out of the path of custom1 even to walk in the ways of truth and righteousness4 ,because his fathers did1 he would uphold the papacy1 with all its cruelty and corruption4 ,thus he took his position1 refusing to accept any light in advance of what his fathers had received1 or to perform any duty that they had not performed4 ,there are many at the present day thus clinging to the customs and traditions of their fathers4 ,when the ,lord sends them additional light1 they refuse to accept it1 because1 not having been granted to their fathers1 it was not received by them4 ,we are not placed where our fathers were2 consequently our duties and responsibilities are not the same as theirs4 ,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 ourselves4 ,our responsibility is greater than was that of our ancestors4 ,we are accountable for the light which they received1 and which was handed down as an inheritance for us1 and we are accountable also for the additional light which is now shining upon us from the word of ,god4 ,said ,christ of the unbelieving ,jews1 8,if ,i had not come and spoken unto them1 they had not had sin3 but now they have no cloak for their sin407#bbh7 ,the same divine power had spoken through ,luther to the emperor and princes of ,germany4 ,and as the light shone forth from ,god's word1 his ,spirit pleaded for the last time with many in that assembly4 ,as ,pilate1 centuries before1 permitted pride and popularity to close his heart against the world's ,redeemer2 as the trembling ,felix bade the messenger of truth1 8,go thy way for this time2 when ,i have a convenient season1 ,i will call for thee20 as the proud ,agrippa confessed1 8,almost thou persuadest me to be a ,christian107#bbi7 yet turned away from the ,heaven-sent message1--so had ,charles ,v41 yielding to the dictates of worldly pride and policy1 decided to reject the light of truth4 ,rumors of the designs against ,luther were widely circulated1 causing great excitement throughout the city4 ,the ,reformer had made many friends1 who1 knowing the treacherous cruelty of ,rome toward all who dared expose her corruptions1 resolved that he should not be sacrificed4 ,hundreds of nobles pledged themselves to protect him4 ,not a few openly denounced the royal message as evincing a weak submission to the controlling power of ,rome4 ,on the gates of houses and in public places1 placards were posted1 some condemning and others sustaining ,luther4 ,on one of these were written merely the significant words of the wise man1 8,woe to thee1 ,o land1 when thy king is a child407#bcj7 ,the popular 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 empire1 and even the stability of the throne4 ,frederick of ,saxony maintained a studied reserve1 carefully concealing his real feelings toward the ,reformer1 while at the same time he guarded him with tireless vigilance1 watching all his movements and all those of his enemies4 ,but there were many who made no attempt to conceal their sympathy with ,luther4 ,he was visited by princes1 counts1 barons1 and other persons of distinction1 both lay and ecclesiastical4 8,the doctor's little room10 wrote ,spalatin1 8could not contain all the visitors who presented themselves407#bca7 ,the people gazed upon him as if he were more than human4 ,even those who had no faith in his doctrines1 could not but admire that lofty integrity which led him to brave death rather than violate his conscience4 ,earnest efforts were made to obtain ,luther's consent to a compromise with ,rome4 ,nobles and princes represented to him that if he persisted in setting up his own judgment against that of the church and the councils1 he would soon be banished from the empire1 and then would have no defense4 ,to this appeal ,luther answered3 8,the gospel of ,christ cannot be preached without offense4444 ,why then should the fear or apprehension of danger separate me from the ,lord1 and from that divine word which alone is truth8 ,no2 ,i would rather give up my body1 my blood1 and my life407#bcb7 ,again he was urged to submit to the judgment of the emperor1 and then he would have nothing to fear4 8,i consent10 said he in reply1 8with all my heart1 that the emperor1 the princes1 and even the meanest ,christian1 should examine and judge my works2 but on one condition1 that they take the word of ,god for their standard4 ,men have nothing to do but to obey it4 ,do not offer violence to my conscience1 which is bound and chained up with the ,holy ,scriptures407#bcc7 ,to another appeal he said1 8,i consent to renounce my safe-conduct4 ,i place my person and my life in the emperor's hands1 but the word of ,god--never607#bcd7 ,he stated his willingness to submit to the decision of a general council1 but only on condition that the council be required to decide according to the ,scriptures4 8,in what concerns the word of ,god and the faith10 he added1 8every ,christian is as good a judge as the pope1 though supported by a million councils1 can be for him407#bce7 ,both friends and foes were at last convinced that further effort for reconciliation would be useless4 ,had the ,reformer yielded a single point1 ,satan and his hosts would have gained the victory4 ,but his unwavering firmness was the means of emancipating the church1 and beginning a new and better era4 ,the influence of this one man1 who dared to think and act for himself in religious matters1 was to affect the church and the world1 not only in his own time1 but in all future generations4 ,his firmness and fidelity would strengthen all1 to the close of time1 who should pass through a similar experience4 ,the power and majesty of ,god stood forth above the counsel of men1 above the mighty power of ,satan4 ,luther was soon commanded by the authority of the emperor to return home1 and he knew that this notice would be speedily followed by his condemnation4 ,threatening clouds overhung his path2 but as he departed from ,worms1 his heart was filled with joy and praise4 8,the devil himself10 said he1 8guarded the pope's citadel2 but ,christ has made a wide breach in it1 and ,satan was constrained to confess that the ,lord is mightier than he407#bcf7 ,after his departure1 still desirous that his firmness should not be mistaken for rebellion1 ,luther wrote to the emperor4 8,god1 who is the searcher of hearts1 is my witness10 he said1 8that ,i am ready most earnestly to obey your majesty1 in honor or in dishonor1 in life or in death1 and with no exception save the word of ,god1 by which man lives4 ,in all the affairs of this present life1 my fidelity shall be unshaken1 for here to lose or to gain is of no consequence to salvation4 ,but when eternal interests are concerned1 ,god wills not that man should submit unto man4 ,for such submission in spiritual matters is a real worship1 and ought to be rendered solely to the ,creator407#bcg7 ,on the journey from ,worms1 ,luther's reception was even more flattering than during his progress thither4 ,princely ecclesiastics welcomed the excommunicated monk1 and civil rulers honored the man whom the emperor had denounced4 ,he was urged to preach1 and notwithstanding the imperial prohibition1 he again entered the pulpit4 8,i never pledged myself to chain up the word of ,god10 he said1 8nor will ,i407#bch7 ,he had not been long absent from ,worms1 when the papists prevailed upon the emperor to issue an edict against him4 ,in this decree ,luther was denounced as 8,satan himself under the form of a man and dressed in a monk's frock407#bci7 ,it was commanded that as soon as his safe-conduct should expire1 measures be taken to stop his work4 ,all persons were forbidden to harbor him1 to give him food or drink1 or by word or act1 in public or private1 to aid or abet him4 ,he was to be seized wherever he might be1 and delivered to the authorities4 ,his adherents also were to be imprisoned1 and their property confiscated4 ,his writings were to be destroyed1 and finally1 all who should dare to act contrary to this decree were included in its condemnation4 ,the elector of ,saxony1 and the princes most friendly to ,luther1 had left ,worms soon after his departure1 and the emperor's decree received the sanction of the ,diet4 ,now the ,romanists were jubilant4 ,they considered the fate of the ,reformation sealed4 ,god had provided a way of escape for ,his servant in this hour of peril4 ,a vigilant eye had followed ,luther's movements1 and a true and noble heart had resolved upon his rescue4 ,it was plain that ,rome would be satisfied with nothing short of his death2 only by concealment could he be preserved from the jaws of the lion4 ,god gave wisdom to ,frederick of ,saxony to devise a plan for the ,reformer's preservation4 ,with the co-operation of true friends1 the elector's purpose was carried out1 and ,luther was effectually hidden from friends and foes4 ,upon his homeward journey1 he was seized1 separated from his attendants1 and hurriedly conveyed through the forest to the castle of ,wartburg1 an isolated mountain fortress4 ,both his seizure and his concealment were so involved in mystery that even ,frederick himself for a long time knew not whither he had been conducted4 ,this ignorance was not without design2 so long as the elector knew nothing of ,luther's whereabouts1 he could reveal nothing4 ,he satisfied himself that the ,reformer was safe1 and with this knowledge he was content4 ,spring1 summer1 and autumn passed1 and winter came1 and ,luther still remained a prisoner4 ,aleander and his partisans exulted as the light of the gospel seemed about to be extinguished4 ,but instead of this1 the ,reformer was filling his lamp from the storehouse of truth2 and its light was to shine forth with brighter radiance4 ,in the friendly security of the ,wartburg1 ,luther for a time rejoiced in his release from the heat and turmoil of battle4 ,but he could not long find satisfaction in quiet and repose4 ,accustomed to a life of activity and stern conflict1 he could ill endure to remain inactive4 ,in those solitary days1 the condition of the church rose up before him1 and he cried in despair1 8,alas6 there is no one in this latter day of ,his anger1 to stand like a wall before the ,lord1 and save ,israel607#bdj7 ,again1 his thoughts returned to himself1 and he feared being charged with cowardice in withdrawing from the contest4 ,then he reproached himself for his indolence and self-indulgence4 ,yet at the same time he was daily accomplishing more than it seemed possible for one man to do4 ,his pen was never idle4 ,while his enemies flattered themselves that he was silenced1 they were astonished and confused by tangible proof that he was still active4 ,a host of tracts1 issuing from his pen1 circulated throughout ,germany4 ,he also performed a most important service for his countrymen by translating the ,new ,testament into the ,german tongue4 ,from his rocky ,patmos he continued for nearly a whole year to proclaim the gospel1 and rebuke the sins and errors of the times4 ,but it was not merely to preserve ,luther from the wrath of his enemies1 nor even to afford him a season of quiet for these important labors1 that ,god had withdrawn ,his servant from the stage of public life4 ,there were results more precious than these to be secured4 ,in the solitude and obscurity of his mountain retreat1 ,luther was removed from earthly supports1 and shut out from human praise4 ,he was thus saved from the pride and self-confidence that are so often caused by success4 ,by suffering and humiliation he was prepared again to walk safely upon the dizzy heights to which he had been so suddenly exalted4 ,as men rejoice in the freedom which the truth brings them1 they are inclined to extol those whom ,god has employed to break the chains of error and superstition4 ,satan seeks to divert men's thoughts and affections from ,god1 and to fix them upon human agencies2 he leads them to honor the mere instrument1 and to ignore the ,hand that directs all the events of providence4 ,too often1 religious leaders who are thus praised and reverenced lose sight of their dependence upon ,god1 and are led to trust in themselves4 ,as a result1 they seek to control the minds and consciences of the people1 who are disposed to look to them for guidance instead of looking to the word of ,god4 ,the work of reform is often retarded because of this spirit indulged by its supporters4 ,from this danger1 ,god would guard the cause of the ,reformation4 ,he desired that work to receive1 not the impress of man1 but that of ,god4 ,the eyes of men had been turned to ,luther as the expounder of the truth2 he was removed that all eyes might be directed to the eternal ,author of truth4 #i4 ,,the ,,swiss ,,reformer4 ,illustration3 ,chapter header4 ,in the choice of instrumentalities for the reforming of the church1 the same divine plan is seen as in that for the planting of the church4 ,the heavenly ,teacher passed by the great men of earth1 the titled and wealthy1 who were accustomed to receive praise and homage as leaders of the people4 ,they were so proud and self-confident in their boasted superiority that they could not be moulded to sympathize with their fellow-men1 and to become co-laborers with the humble ,man of ,nazareth4 ,to the unlearned1 toiling fishermen of ,galilee was the call addressed1 8,follow ,me1 and ,i will make you fishers of men407#bda7 ,these disciples were humble and teachable4 ,the less they had been influenced by the false teaching of their time1 the more successfully could ,christ instruct and train them for ,his service4 ,so in the days of the ,great ,reformation4 ,the leading ,reformers were men from humble life1--men who were most free of any of their time from pride of rank1 and from the influence of bigotry and priestcraft4 ,it is ,god's plan to employ humble instruments to accomplish great results4 ,then the glory will not be given to men1 but to ,him who works through them to will and to do of ,his own good pleasure4 ,a few weeks after the birth of ,luther in a miner's cabin in ,saxony1 ,ulric ,zwingle was born in a herdsman's cottage among the ,alps4 ,zwingle's surroundings in childhood1 and his early training1 were such as to prepare him for his future mission4 ,reared amid scenes of natural grandeur1 beauty1 and awful sublimity1 his mind was early impressed with a sense of the greatness1 the power1 and the majesty of ,god4 ,the history of the brave deeds achieved upon his native mountains1 kindled his youthful aspirations4 ,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 church4 ,with eager interest he heard of the grand deeds of patriarchs and prophets1 of the shepherds who watched their flocks on the hills of ,palestine where angels talked with them1 of the ,babe of ,bethlehem and the ,man of ,calvary4 ,like ,john ,luther1 ,zwingle's father desired an education for his son1 and the boy was early sent from his native valley4 ,his mind rapidly developed1 and it soon became a question where to find teachers competent to instruct him4 ,at the age of thirteen he went to ,bern1 which then possessed the most distinguished school in ,switzerland4 ,here1 however1 a danger arose which threatened to blight the promise of his life4 ,determined efforts were put forth by the friars to allure him into a monastery4 ,the ,dominican and ,franciscan monks were in rivalry for popular favor4 ,this they endeavored to secure by the showy adornments of their churches1 the pomp of their ceremonials1 and the attractions of famous relics and miracle-working images4 ,the ,dominicans of ,bern saw that if they could win this talented young scholar1 they would secure both gain and honor4 ,his extreme youth1 his natural ability as a speaker and writer1 and his genius for music and poetry1 would be more effective than all their pomp and display1 in attracting the people to their services and increasing the revenues of their order4 ,by deceit and flattery they endeavored to induce ,zwingle to enter their convent4 ,luther1 while a student at school1 had buried himself in a convent cell1 and he would have been lost to the world had not ,god's providence released him4 ,zwingle was not permitted to encounter the same peril4 ,providentially his father received information of the designs of the friars4 ,he had no intention of allowing his son to follow the idle and worthless life of the monks4 ,he saw that his future usefulness was at stake1 and directed him to return home without delay4 ,the command was obeyed2 but the youth could not be long content in his native valley1 and he soon resumed his studies1 repairing1 after a time1 to ,basel4 ,it was here that ,zwingle first heard the gospel of ,god's free grace4 ,wittembach1 a teacher of the ancient languages1 had1 while studying ,greek and ,hebrew1 been led to the ,holy ,scriptures1 and thus rays of divine light were shed into the minds of the students under his instruction4 ,he declared that there was a truth more ancient1 and of infinitely greater worth1 than the theories taught by schoolmen and philosophers4 ,this ancient truth was that the death of ,christ is the sinner's only ransom4 ,to ,zwingle these words were as the first ray of light that precedes the dawn4 ,zwingle was soon called from ,basel1 to enter upon his life-work4 ,his first field of labor was in an ,alpine parish1 not far distant from his native valley4 ,having received ordination as a priest1 he 8devoted himself with his whole soul to the search after divine truth2 for he was well aware10 says a fellow-reformer1 8how much he must know to whom the flock of ,christ is entrusted407#bdb7 ,the more he searched the ,scriptures1 the clearer appeared the contrast between their truths and the heresies of ,rome4 ,he submitted himself to the ,bible as the word of ,god1 the only sufficient1 infallible rule4 ,he saw that it must be its own interpreter4 ,he dared not attempt to explain ,scripture to sustain a preconceived theory or doctrine1 but held it his duty to learn what is its direct and obvious teaching4 ,he sought to avail himself of every help to obtain a full and correct understanding of its meaning1 and he invoked the aid of the ,holy ,spirit1 which would1 he declared1 reveal it to all who sought it in sincerity and with prayer4 8,the ,scriptures10 said ,zwingle1 8come from ,god1 not from man1 and even that ,god who enlightens will give thee to understand that the speech comes from ,god4 ,the word of ,god 444 cannot fail2 it is bright1 it teaches itself1 it discloses itself1 it illumines the soul with all salvation and grace1 comforts it in ,god1 humbles it1 so that it loses and even forfeits itself1 and embraces ,god407#bdc7 ,the truth of these words ,zwingle himself had proved4 ,speaking of his experience at this time1 he afterward wrote3 8,when 444 ,i began to give myself wholly up to the ,holy ,scriptures1 philosophy and theology 7scholastic7 would always keep suggesting quarrels to me4 ,at last ,i came to this1 that ,i thought1 #8,thou must let all that lie1 and learn the meaning of ,god purely out of ,his own simple word4' ,then ,i began to ask ,god for ,his light1 and the ,scriptures began to be much easier to me407#bdd7 ,the doctrine preached by ,zwingle was not received from ,luther4 ,it was the doctrine of ,christ4 8,if ,luther preaches ,christ10 said the ,swiss ,reformer1 8he does what ,i am doing4 ,those whom he has brought to ,christ are more numerous than those whom ,i have led4 ,but this matters not4 ,i will bear no other name than that of ,christ1 whose soldier ,i am1 and who alone is my chief4 ,never has one single word been written by me to ,luther1 nor by ,luther to me4 ,and why8444 ,that it might be shown how much the ,spirit of ,god is in unison with itself1 since both of us1 without any collusion1 teach the doctrine of ,christ with such uniformity407#bde7 ,in #aeaf ,zwingle was invited to become a preacher in the convent at ,einsiedeln4 ,here he was to have a closer view of the corruptions of ,rome1 and was to exert an influence as a ,reformer that would be felt far beyond his native ,alps4 ,among the chief attractions of ,einsiedeln was an image of the ,virgin which was said to have the power of working miracles4 ,above the gateway of the convent was the inscription1 8,here a plenary remission of sins may be obtained407#bdf7 ,pilgrims at all seasons resorted to the shrine of the ,virgin1 but at the great yearly festival of its consecration1 multitudes came from all parts of ,switzerland1 and even from ,france and ,germany4 ,zwingle1 greatly afflicted at the sight1 seized the opportunity to proclaim liberty through the gospel to these bond-slaves of superstition4 8,do not imagine10 he said1 8that ,god is in this temple more than in any other part of creation4 ,whatever be the country in which you dwell1 ,god is around you1 and hears you4444 ,can unprofitable works1 long pilgrimages1 offerings1 images1 the invocation of the ,virgin or of the saints1 secure for you the grace of ,god8444 ,what avails the multitude of words with which we embody our prayers8 ,what efficacy has a glossy cowl1 a smooth-shorn head1 a long and flowing robe1 or gold-embroidered slippers8444 ,god looks at the heart1 and our hearts are far from ,him40 8,christ10 he said1 8who was once offered upon the cross1 is the sacrifice and victim1 that had made satisfaction for the sins of believers to all eternity407#bdg7 ,to many listeners these teachings were unwelcome4 ,it was a bitter disappointment to them to be told that their toilsome journey had been made in vain4 ,the pardon freely offered to them through ,christ they could not comprehend4 ,they were satisfied with the old way to heaven which ,rome had marked out for them4 ,they shrank from the perplexity of searching for anything better4 ,it was easier to trust their salvation to the priests and the pope than to seek for purity of heart4 ,but another class received with gladness the tidings of redemption through ,christ4 ,the observances enjoined by ,rome had failed to bring peace of soul1 and in faith they accepted the ,saviour's blood as their propitiation4 ,these returned to their homes to reveal to others the precious light which they had received4 ,the truth was thus carried from hamlet to hamlet1 from town to town1 and the number of pilgrims to the ,virgin's shrine greatly lessened4 ,there was a falling off in the offerings1 and consequently in the salary of ,zwingle1 which was drawn from them4 ,but this caused him only joy as he saw that the power of fanaticism and superstition was being broken4 ,the authorities of the church were not blind to the work which ,zwingle was accomplishing2 but for the present they forbore to interfere4 ,hoping yet to secure him to their cause1 they endeavored to win him by flatteries2 and meanwhile the truth was gaining a hold upon the hearts of the people4 ,zwingle's labors at ,einsiedeln had prepared him for a wider field1 and this he was soon to enter4 ,after three years here1 he was called to the office of preacher in the cathedral at ,zurich4 ,this was then the most important town of the ,swiss confederacy1 and the influence exerted here would be widely felt4 ,the ecclesiastics by whose invitation he came to ,zurich were1 however1 desirous of preventing any innovations1 and they accordingly proceeded to instruct him as to his duties4 8,you will make every exertion10 they said1 8to collect the revenues of the chapter1 without overlooking the least4 ,you will exhort the faithful1 both from the pulpit and in the confessional1 to pay all tithes and dues1 and to show by their offerings their affection to the church4 ,you will be diligent in increasing the income arising from the sick1 from masses1 and in general from every ecclesiastical ordinance40 8,as for the administration of the sacraments1 the preaching1 and the care of the flock10 added his instructors1 8these are also the duties of the chaplain4 ,but for these you may employ a substitute1 and particularly in preaching4 ,you should administer the sacraments to none but persons of note1 and only when called upon2 you are forbidden to do so without distinction of persons407#bdh7 ,zwingle listened in silence to this charge1 and in reply1 after expressing his gratitude for the honor of a call to this important station1 he proceeded to explain the course which he proposed1 to adopt4 8,the life of ,christ10 he said1 8has been too long hidden from the people4 ,i shall preach upon the whole of the ,gospel of ,st4 ,matthew1 444 drawing solely from the fountains of ,scripture1 sounding its depths1 comparing one passage with another1 and seeking for understanding by constant and earnest prayer4 ,it is to ,god's glory1 to the praise of ,his only ,son1 to the real salvation of souls1 and to their edification in the true faith1 that ,i shall consecrate my ministry407#bdi7 ,though some of the ecclesiastics disapproved his plan1 and endeavored to dissuade him from it1 ,zwingle remained steadfast4 ,he declared that he was about to introduce no new method1 but the old method employed by the church in earlier and purer times4 ,already an interest had been awakened in the truths he taught2 and the people flocked in great numbers to listen to his preaching4 ,many who had long since ceased to attend service were among his hearers4 ,he began his ministry by opening the ,gospels1 and reading and explaining to his hearers the inspired narrative of the life1 teachings1 and death of ,christ4 ,here1 as at ,einsiedeln1 he presented the word of ,god as the only infallible authority1 and the death of ,christ as the only complete sacrifice4 8,it is to ,christ10 he said1 8that ,i desire to lead you1--to ,christ1 the true source of salvation407#bej7 ,around the preacher crowded the people of all classes1 from statesmen and scholars to the artisan and the peasant4 ,with deep interest they listened to his words4 ,he not only proclaimed the offer of a free salvation1 but fearlessly rebuked the evils and corruptions of the times4 ,many returned from the cathedral praising ,god4 8,this man10 they said1 8is a preacher of the truth4 ,he will be our ,moses1 to lead us forth from this ,egyptian darkness407#bea7 ,but though at first his labors were received with great enthusiasm1 after a time opposition arose4 ,the monks set themselves to hinder his work and condemn his teachings4 ,many assailed him with gibes and sneers2 others resorted to insolence and threats4 ,but ,zwingle bore all with patience1 saying1 8,if we desire to gain over the wicked to ,jesus ,christ1 we must shut our eyes against many things407#beb7 ,about this time a new agency came in to advance the work of reform4 ,one ,lucian was sent to ,zurich with some of ,luther's writings1 by a friend of the reformed faith at ,basel1 who suggested that the sale of these books might be a powerful means of scattering the light4 8,ascertain10 he wrote to ,zwingle1 8whether this man possesses sufficient prudence and skill2 if so1 let him carry from city to city1 from town to town1 from village to village1 and even from house to house1 among the ,swiss1 the works of ,luther1 and especially his exposition of the ,lord's prayer written for the laity4 ,the more they are known1 the more purchasers they will find407#bec7 ,thus the light found entrance4 ,at the time when ,god is preparing to break the shackles of ignorance and superstition1 then it is that ,satan works with greatest power to enshroud men in darkness1 and to bind their fetters still more firmly4 ,as men were rising up in different lands to present to the people forgiveness and justification through the blood of ,christ1 ,rome proceeded with renewed energy to open her market throughout ,christendom1 offering pardon for money4 ,every sin had its price1 and men were granted free license for crime1 if the treasury of the church was kept well filled4 ,thus the two movements advanced1--one offering forgiveness of sin for money1 the other forgiveness through ,christ1--,rome licensing sin1 and making it her source of revenue2 the ,reformers condemning sin1 and pointing to ,christ as the propitiation and deliverer4 ,in ,germany the sale of indulgences had been committed to the ,dominican friars1 and was conducted by the infamous ,tetzel4 ,in ,switzerland the traffic was put into the hands of the ,franciscans1 under the control of ,samson1 an ,italian monk4 ,samson had already done good service to the church1 having secured immense sums from ,germany and ,switzerland to fill the papal treasury4 ,now he traversed ,switzerland1 attracting great crowds1 despoiling the poor peasants of their scanty earnings1 and exacting rich gifts from the wealthy classes4 ,but the influence of the reform already made itself felt in curtailing1 though it could not stop1 the traffic4 ,zwingle was still at ,einsiedeln when ,samson1 soon after entering ,switzerland1 arrived with his wares at a neighboring town4 ,being apprised of his mission1 the ,reformer immediately set out to oppose him4 ,the two did not meet1 but such was ,zwingle's success in exposing the friar's pretensions that he was obliged to leave for other quarters4 ,at ,zurich1 ,zwingle preached zealously against the pardon-mongers2 and when ,samson approached the place1 he was met by a messenger from the council1 with an intimation that he was expected to pass on4 ,he finally secured an entrance by stratagem1 but was sent away without the sale of a single pardon1 and he soon after left ,switzerland4 ,a strong impetus was given to the reform by the appearance of the plague1 or 8great death10 which swept over ,switzerland in the year #aeai4 ,as men were thus brought face to face with the destroyer1 many were led to feel how vain and worthless were the pardons which they had so lately purchased2 and they longed for a surer foundation for their faith4 ,zwingle at ,zurich was smitten down2 he was brought so low that all hope of his recovery was relinquished1 and the report was widely circulated that he was dead4 ,in that trying hour his hope and courage were unshaken4 ,he looked in faith to the cross of ,calvary1 trusting in the all-sufficient propitiation for sin4 ,when he came back from the gates of death1 it was to preach the gospel with greater fervor than ever before2 and his words exerted an unwonted power4 ,the people welcomed with joy their beloved pastor1 returned to them from the brink of the grave4 ,they themselves had come from attending upon the sick and the dying1 and they felt1 as never before1 the value of the gospel4 ,zwingle had arrived at a clearer understanding of its truths1 and had more fully experienced in himself its renewing power4 ,the fall of man and the plan of redemption were the subjects upon which he dwelt4 8,in ,adam10 he said1 8we are all dead1 sunk in corruption and condemnation407#bed7 8,christ 444 has purchased for us a never-ending redemption 444 ,his passion is 444 an eternal sacrifice1 and everlastingly effectual to heal2 it satisfies the divine justice forever in behalf of all those who rely upon it with firm and unshaken faith40 ,yet he clearly taught that men are not1 because of the grace of ,christ1 free to continue in sin4 8,wherever there is faith in ,god1 there ,god is2 and wherever ,god abideth1 there a zeal exists urging and impelling men to good works407#bee7 ,such was the interest in ,zwingle's preaching that the cathedral was filled to overflowing with the crowds that came to listen to him4 ,little by little1 as they could bear it1 he opened the truth to his hearers4 ,he was careful not to introduce1 at first1 points which would startle them and create prejudice4 ,his work was to win their hearts to the teachings of ,christ1 to soften them by ,his love1 and keep before them ,his example2 and as they should receive the principles of the gospel1 their superstitious beliefs and practices would inevitably be overthrown4 ,step by step the ,reformation advanced in ,zurich4 ,in alarm its enemies aroused to active opposition4 ,one year before1 the monk of ,wittenberg had uttered his 8,no0 to the pope and the emperor at ,worms1 and now everything seemed to indicate a similar withstanding of the papal claims at ,zurich4 ,repeated attacks were made upon ,zwingle4 ,in the papal cantons1 from time to time1 disciples of the gospel were brought to the stake1 but this was not enough2 the teacher of heresy must be silenced4 ,accordingly the bishop of ,constance dispatched three deputies to the ,council of ,zurich1 accusing ,zwingle of teaching the people to transgress the laws of the church1 thus endangering the peace and good order of society4 ,if the authority of the church were to be set aside1 he urged1 universal anarchy would result4 ,zwingle replied that he had been for four years teaching the gospel in ,zurich1 8which was more quiet and peaceful than any other town in the confederacy40 8,is not1 then10 he said1 8,christianity the best safeguard of the general security807#bef7 ,the deputies had admonished the councilors to continue in the church1 out of which1 they declared1 there was no salvation4 ,zwingle responded3 8,let not this accusation move you4 ,the foundation of the church is the same ,rock1 the same ,christ1 that gave ,peter his name because he confessed ,him faithfully4 ,in every nation whosoever believes with all his heart in the ,lord ,jesus is accepted of ,god4 ,here1 truly1 is the church1 out of which no one can be saved407#beg7 ,as a result of the conference1 one of the bishop's deputies accepted the reformed faith4 ,the council declined to take action against ,zwingle1 and ,rome prepared for a fresh attack4 ,the ,reformer1 when apprised of the plots of his enemies1 exclaimed1 8,let them come on2 ,i fear them as the beetling cliff fears the waves that thunder at its feet407#beh7 ,the efforts of the ecclesiastics only furthered the cause which they sought to overthrow4 ,the truth continued to spread4 ,in ,germany its adherents1 cast down by ,luther's disappearance1 took heart again1 as they saw the progress of the gospel in ,switzerland4 ,as the ,reformation became established in ,zurich1 its fruits were more fully seen in the suppression of vice1 and the promotion of order and harmony4 8,peace has her habitation in our town10 wrote ,zwingle2 8no quarrel1 no hypocrisy1 no envy1 no strife4 ,whence can such union come but from the ,lord1 and our doctrine1 which fills us with the fruits of peace and piety807#bei7 ,the victories gained by the ,reformation stirred the ,romanists to still more determined efforts for its overthrow4 ,seeing how little had been accomplished by persecution in suppressing ,luther's work in ,germany1 they decided to meet the reform with its own weapons4 ,they would hold a disputation with ,zwingle1 and having the arrangement of matters1 they would make sure of victory by choosing1 themselves1 not only the place of the combat1 but the judges that should decide between the disputants4 ,and if they could once get ,zwingle into their power1 they would take care that he did not escape them4 ,the leader silenced1 the movement could speedily be crushed4 ,this purpose1 however1 was carefully concealed4 ,the disputation was appointed to be held at ,baden2 but ,zwingle was not present4 ,the ,council of ,zurich1 suspecting the designs of the papists1 and warned by the burning piles kindled in the papal cantons for confessors of the gospel1 forbade their pastor to expose himself to this peril4 ,at ,zurich he was ready to meet all the partisans that ,rome might send2 but to go to ,baden1 where the blood of martyrs for the truth had just been shed1 was to go to certain death4 colampadius and ,haller were chosen to represent the ,reformers1 while the famous ,doctor ,eck1 supported by a host of learned doctors and prelates1 was the champion of ,rome4 ,though ,zwingle was not present at the conference1 his influence was felt4 ,the secretaries were all chosen by the papists1 and others were forbidden to take notes1 on pain of death4 ,notwithstanding this1 ,zwingle received daily a faithful account of what was said at ,baden4 ,a student in attendance at the disputation1 made a record each evening of the arguments that day presented4 ,these papers two other students undertook to deliver1 with the daily letters of colampadius1 to ,zwingle at ,zurich4 ,the ,reformer answered1 giving counsel and suggestions4 ,his letters were written by night1 and the students returned with them to ,baden in the morning4 ,to elude the vigilance of the guard stationed at the city gates1 these messengers brought baskets of poultry on their heads1 and they were permitted to pass without hindrance4 ,thus ,zwingle maintained the battle with his wily antagonists4 ,he 8has labored more10 said ,myconius1 8by his meditations1 his sleepless nights1 and the advice which he transmitted to ,baden1 than he would have done by discussing in person in the midst of his enemies407#bfj7 ,the ,romanists1 flushed with anticipated triumph1 had come to ,baden attired in their richest robes and glittering with jewels4 ,they fared luxuriously1 their tables spread with the most costly delicacies and the choicest wines4 ,the burden of their ecclesiastical duties was lightened by gaiety and reveling4 ,in marked contrast appeared the ,reformers1 who were looked upon by the people as little better than a company of beggars1 and whose frugal fare kept them but short time at table4 colampadius's landlord1 taking occasion to watch him in his room1 found him always engaged in study or at prayer1 and greatly wondering1 reported that the heretic was at least 8very pious40 ,at the conference1 8,eck haughtily ascended a pulpit splendidly decorated1 while the humble colampadius1 meanly clothed1 was forced to take his seat in front of his opponent on a rudely carved stool407#bfa7 ,eck's stentorian voice and unbounded assurance never failed him4 ,his zeal was stimulated by the hope of gold as well as fame2 for the defender of the faith was to be rewarded by a handsome fee4 ,when better arguments failed1 he had resort to insults1 and even to oaths4 colampadius1 modest and self-distrustful1 had shrunk from the combat1 and he entered upon it with the solemn avowal1 8,i acknowledge no other standard of judgment than the word of ,god407#bfb7 ,though gentle and courteous in demeanor1 he proved himself able and unflinching4 ,while the ,romanists1 according to their wont1 appealed for authority to the customs of the church1 the ,reformer adhered steadfastly to the ,holy ,scriptures4 8,custom10 he said1 8has no force in our ,switzerland1 unless it be according to the constitution2 now1 in matters of faith1 the ,bible is our constitution407#bfc7 ,the contrast between the two disputants was not without effect4 ,the calm1 clear reasoning of the ,reformer1 so gently and modestly presented1 appealed to minds that turned in disgust from ,eck's boastful and boisterous assumptions4 ,the discussion continued eighteen days4 ,at its close1 the papists with great confidence claimed the victory4 ,most of the deputies sided with ,rome1 and the ,diet pronounced the ,reformers vanquished1 and declared that they1 together with ,zwingle1 their leader1 were cut off from the church4 ,but the fruits of the conference revealed on which side the advantage lay4 ,the contest resulted in a strong impetus to the ,protestant cause1 and it was not long afterward that the important cities of ,bern and ,basel declared for the ,reformation4 #aj4 ,,progress ,,of ,,reform ,,in ,,germany4 ,illustration3 ,chapter header4 ,luther's mysterious disappearance excited consternation throughout all ,germany4 ,inquiries concerning him were heard everywhere4 ,the wildest rumors were circulated1 and many believed that he had been murdered4 ,there was great lamentation1 not only by his avowed friends1 but by thousands who had not openly taken their stand with the ,reformation4 ,many bound themselves by a solemn oath to avenge his death4 ,the ,romish leaders saw with terror to what a pitch had risen the feeling against them4 ,though at first exultant at the supposed death of ,luther1 they soon desired to hide from the wrath of the people4 ,his enemies had not been so troubled by his most daring acts while among them1 as they were at his removal4 ,those who in their rage had sought to destroy the bold ,reformer1 were filled with fear now that he had become a helpless captive4 8,the only remaining way of saving ourselves10 said one1 8is to light torches1 and hunt for ,luther through the whole world1 to restore him to the nation that is calling for him407#bfd7 ,the edict of the emperor seemed to fall powerless4 ,the papal legates were filled with indignation as they saw that it commanded far less attention than did the fate of ,luther4 ,illustration3 ,luther at the ,wartburg4 ,luther at the ,wartburg4 8,the tidings that he was safe1 though a prisoner1 calmed the fears of the people40 ,the tidings that he was safe1 though a prisoner1 calmed the fears of the people1 while it still further aroused their enthusiasm in his favor4 ,his writings were read with greater eagerness than ever before4 ,increasing numbers joined the cause of the heroic man who had1 at such fearful odds1 defended the word of ,god4 ,the ,reformation was constantly gaining in strength4 ,the seed which ,luther had sown sprung up everywhere4 ,his absence accomplished a work which his presence would have failed to do4 ,other laborers felt a new responsibility1 now that their great leader was removed4 ,with new faith and earnestness they pressed forward to do all in their power1 that the work so nobly begun might not be hindered4 ,but ,satan was not idle4 ,he now attempted what he has attempted in every other reformatory movement1--to deceive and destroy the people by palming off upon them a counterfeit in place of the true work4 ,as there were false christs in the first century of the ,christian church1 so there arose false prophets in the sixteenth century4 ,a few men1 deeply affected by the excitement in the religious world1 imagined themselves to have received special revelations from ,heaven1 and claimed to have been divinely commissioned to carry forward to its completion the ,reformation which1 they declared1 had been but feebly begun by ,luther4 ,in truth1 they were undoing the very work which he had accomplished4 ,they rejected the great principle which was the very foundation of the ,reformation1--that the word of ,god is the all-sufficient rule of faith and practice2 and for that unerring guide they substituted the changeable1 uncertain standard of their own feelings and impressions4 ,by this act of setting aside the great detector of error and falsehood1 the way was opened for ,satan to control minds as best pleased himself4 ,one of these prophets claimed to have been instructed by the angel ,gabriel4 ,a student who united with him forsook his studies1 declaring that he had been endowed by ,god ,himself with wisdom to expound ,his word4 ,others who were naturally inclined to fanaticism united with them4 ,the proceedings of these enthusiasts created no little excitement4 ,the preaching of ,luther had aroused the people everywhere to feel the necessity of reform1 and now some really honest persons were misled by the pretensions of the new prophets4 ,the leaders of the movement proceeded to ,wittenberg1 and urged their claims upon ,melanchthon and his co-laborers4 ,said they3 8,we are sent by ,god to instruct the people4 ,we have held familiar conversations with the ,lord2 we know what will happen2 in a word1 we are apostles and prophets1 and appeal to ,doctor ,luther407#bfe7 ,the ,reformers were astonished and perplexed4 ,this was such an element as they had never before encountered1 and they knew not what course to pursue4 ,said ,melanchthon3 8,there are indeed extraordinary spirits in these men2 but what spirits8444 ,on the one hand1 let us beware of quenching the ,spirit of ,god1 and on the other1 of being led astray by the spirit of ,satan407#bff7 ,the fruit of the new teaching soon became apparent4 ,the people were led to neglect the ,bible1 or to cast it wholly aside4 ,the schools were thrown into confusion4 ,students1 spurning all restraint1 abandoned their studies1 and withdrew from the university4 ,the men who thought themselves competent to revive and control the work of the ,reformation1 succeeded only in bringing it to the verge of ruin4 ,the ,romanists now regained their confidence1 and exclaimed exultingly1 8,one last struggle1 and all will be ours407#bfg7 ,luther at the ,wartburg1 hearing of what had occurred1 said with deep concern1 8,i always expected that ,satan would send us this plague407#bfh7 ,he perceived the true character of those pretended prophets1 and saw the danger that threatened the cause of truth4 ,the opposition of the pope and the emperor had not caused him so great perplexity and distress as he now experienced4 ,from the professed friends of the ,reformation had risen its worst enemies4 ,the very truths which had brought him so great joy and consolation were being employed to stir up strife and create confusion in the church4 ,in the work of reform1 ,luther had been urged forward by the ,spirit of ,god1 and had been carried beyond himself4 ,he had not purposed to take such positions as he did1 or to make so radical changes4 ,he had been but the instrument in the hand of ,infinite ,power4 ,yet he often trembled for the result of his work4 ,he had once said1 8,if ,i knew that my doctrine injured one man1 one single man1 however lowly and obscure1--which it cannot1 for it is the gospel itself1--,i would rather die ten times than not retract it407#bfi7 ,and now ,wittenberg itself1 the very center of the ,reformation1 was fast falling under the power of fanaticism and lawlessness4 ,this terrible condition had not resulted from the teachings of ,luther2 but throughout ,germany his enemies were charging it upon him4 ,in bitterness of soul he sometimes asked1 8,can such then be the end of this great work of the ,reformation807#bgj7 ,again1 as he wrestled with ,god in prayer1 peace flowed into his heart4 8,the work is not mine1 but ,thine own10 he said2 8,thou wilt not suffer it to be corrupted by superstition or fanaticism40 ,but the thought of remaining longer from the conflict in such a crisis1 became insupportable4 ,he determined to return to ,wittenberg4 ,without delay he set out on his perilous journey4 ,he was under the ban of the empire4 ,enemies were at liberty to take his life2 friends were forbidden to aid or shelter him4 ,the imperial government was adopting the most stringent measures against his adherents4 ,but he saw that the work of the gospel was imperiled1 and in the name of the ,lord he went out fearlessly to battle for the truth4 ,in a letter to the elector1 after stating his purpose to leave the ,wartburg1 ,luther said3 8,be it known to your highness that ,i am going to ,wittenberg under a protection far higher than that of princes and electors4 ,i think not of soliciting your highness' support1 and far from desiring your protection1 ,i would rather protect you myself4 ,if ,i knew that your highness could or would protect me1 ,i would not go to ,wittenberg at all4 ,there is no sword that can further this cause4 ,god alone must do everything1 without the help or concurrence of man4 ,he who has the greatest faith is he who is most able to protect407#bga7 ,in a second letter1 written on the way to ,wittenberg1 ,luther added3 8,i am ready to incur the displeasure of your highness and the anger of the whole world4 ,are not the ,wittenbergers my sheep8 ,has not ,god entrusted them to me8 ,and ought ,i not1 if necessary1 to expose myself to death for their sakes8 ,besides1 ,i fear to see a terrible outbreak in ,germany1 by which ,god will punish our nation407#bgb7 ,with great caution and humility1 yet with decision and firmness1 he entered upon his work4 8,by the ,word10 said he1 8must we overthrow and destroy what has been set up by violence4 ,i will not make use of force against the superstitious and unbelieving4444 ,no one must be constrained4 ,liberty is the very essence of faith407#bgc7 ,it was soon noised through ,wittenberg that ,luther had returned1 and that he was to preach4 ,the people flocked from all directions1 and the church was filled to overflowing4 ,ascending the pulpit1 he with great wisdom and gentleness instructed1 exhorted1 and reproved4 ,touching the course of some who had resorted to violent measures in abolishing the mass1 he said3 8,the mass is a bad thing2 ,god is opposed to it2 it ought to be abolished2 and ,i would that throughout the whole world it were replaced by the supper of the gospel4 ,but let no one be torn from it by force4 ,we must leave the matter in ,god's hands4 ,his word must act1 and not we4 ,and why so8 you will ask4 ,because ,i do not hold men's hearts in my hand1 as the potter holds the clay4 ,we have a right to speak3 we have not the right to act4 ,let us preach2 the rest belongs unto ,god4 ,were ,i to employ force1 what should ,i gain8 ,grimace1 formality1 apings1 human ordinances1 and hypocrisy4444 ,but there would be no sincerity of heart1 nor faith1 nor charity4 ,where these three are wanting1 all is wanting1 and ,i would not give a pear-stalk for such a result4444 ,god does more by ,his word alone than you and ,i and all the world by our united strength4 ,god lays hold upon the heart2 and when the heart is taken1 all is won4444 8,i will preach1 discuss1 and write2 but ,i will constrain none1 for faith is a voluntary act4 ,see what ,i have done4 ,i stood up against the pope1 indulgences1 and papists1 but without violence or tumult4 ,i put forward ,god's word2 ,i preached and wrote--this was all ,i did4 ,and yet while ,i was asleep1 444 the word that ,i had preached overthrew popery1 so that neither prince nor emperor has done it so much harm4 ,and yet ,i did nothing2 the ,word alone did all4 ,if ,i had wished to appeal to force1 the whole of ,germany would perhaps have been deluged with blood4 ,but what would have been the result8 ,ruin and desolation both to body and soul4 ,i therefore kept quiet1 and left the ,word to run through the world alone407#bgd7 ,day after day1 for a whole week1 ,luther continued to preach to eager crowds4 ,the word of ,god broke the spell of fanatical excitement4 ,the power of the gospel brought back the misguided people into the way of truth4 ,luther had no desire to encounter the fanatics whose course had been productive of so great evil4 ,he knew them to be men of unsound judgment and undisciplined passions1 who1 while claiming to be especially illuminated from heaven1 would not endure the slightest contradiction1 or even the kindest reproof or counsel4 ,arrogating to themselves supreme authority1 they required every one1 without a question1 to acknowledge their claims4 ,but as they demanded an interview with him1 he consented to meet them2 and so successfully did he expose their pretensions1 that the impostors at once departed from ,wittenberg4 ,the fanaticism was checked for a time2 but several years later it broke out with greater violence and more terrible results4 ,said ,luther1 concerning the leaders in this movement3 8,to them the ,holy ,scriptures were but a dead letter1 and they all began to cry1 #8,the ,spirit6 the ,spirit6' ,but most assuredly ,i will not follow where their spirit leads them4 ,may ,god of ,his mercy preserve me from a church in which there are none but saints4 ,i desire to dwell with the humble1 the feeble1 the sick1 who know and feel their sins1 and who groan and cry continually to ,god from the bottom of their hearts to obtain ,his consolation and support407#bge7 ,thomas ,mnzer1 the most active of the fanatics1 was a man of considerable ability1 which1 rightly directed1 would have enabled him to do good2 but he had not learned the first principles of true religion4 8,he was possessed with a desire of reforming the world1 and forgot1 as all enthusiasts do1 that the reformation should begin with himself407#bgf7 ,he was ambitious to obtain position and influence1 and was unwilling to be second1 even to ,luther4 ,he declared that the ,reformers1 in substituting the authority of ,scripture for that of the pope1 were only establishing a different form of popery4 ,he himself1 he claimed1 had been divinely commissioned to introduce the true reform4 8,he who possesses this spirit10 said ,mnzer1 8possesses the true faith1 although he should never see the ,scriptures in his life407#bgg7 ,the fanatical teachers gave themselves up to be governed by impressions1 regarding every thought and impulse as the voice of ,god2 consequently they went to great extremes4 ,some even burned their ,bibles1 exclaiming1 8,the letter killeth1 but the ,spirit giveth life40 ,mnzer's teaching appealed to men's desire for the marvelous1 while it gratified their pride by virtually placing human ideas and opinions above the word of ,god4 ,his doctrines were received by thousands4 ,he soon denounced all order in public worship1 and declared that to obey princes was to attempt to serve both ,god and ,belial4 ,the minds of the people1 already beginning to throw off the yoke of the papacy1 were also becoming impatient under the restraints of civil authority4 ,mnzer's revolutionary teachings1 claiming divine sanction1 led them to break away from all control1 and give the rein to their prejudices and passions4 ,the most terrible scenes of sedition and strife followed1 and the fields of ,germany were drenched with blood4 ,the agony of soul which ,luther had so long before experienced at ,erfurt1 now pressed upon him with redoubled power as he saw the results of fanaticism charged upon the ,reformation4 ,the papist princes declared--and many were ready to credit the statement--that the rebellion was the legitimate fruit of ,luther's doctrines4 ,although this charge was without the slightest foundation1 it could not but cause the ,reformer great distress4 ,that the cause of truth should be thus disgraced by being ranked with the basest fanaticism1 seemed more than he could endure4 ,on the other hand1 the leaders in the revolt hated ,luther because he had not only opposed their doctrines and denied their claims to divine inspiration1 but had pronounced them rebels against the civil authority4 ,in retaliation they denounced him as a base pretender4 ,he seemed to have brought upon himself the enmity of both princes and people4 ,the ,romanists exulted1 expecting to witness the speedy downfall of the ,reformation2 and they blamed ,luther1 even for the errors which he had been most earnestly endeavoring to correct4 ,the fanatical party1 by falsely claiming to have been treated with great injustice1 succeeded in gaining the sympathies of a large class of the people1 and1 as is often the case with those who take the wrong side1 they came to be regarded as martyrs4 ,thus the ones who were exerting every energy in opposition to the ,reformation1 were pitied and lauded as the victims of cruelty and oppression4 ,this was the work of ,satan1 prompted by the same spirit of rebellion which was first manifested in heaven4 ,satan is constantly seeking to deceive men1 and lead them to call sin righteousness1 and righteousness sin4 ,how successful has been his work6 ,how often censure and reproach are cast upon ,god's faithful servants because they will stand fearlessly in defense of the truth6 ,men who are but agents of ,satan are praised and flattered1 and even looked upon as martyrs1 while those who should be respected and sustained for their fidelity to ,god1 are left to stand alone1 under suspicion and distrust4 ,counterfeit holiness1 spurious sanctification1 is still doing its work of deception4 ,under various forms it exhibits the same spirit as in the days of ,luther1 diverting minds from the ,scriptures1 and leading men to follow their own feelings and impressions rather than to yield obedience to the law of ,god4 ,this is one of ,satan's most successful devices to cast reproach upon purity and truth4 ,fearlessly did ,luther defend the gospel from the attacks which came from every quarter4 ,the word of ,god proved itself a weapon mighty in every conflict4 ,with that ,word he warred against the usurped authority of the pope1 and the rationalistic philosophy of the schoolmen1 while he stood firm as a rock against the fanaticism that sought to ally itself with the ,reformation4 ,each of these opposing elements was in its own way setting aside the ,holy ,scriptures1 and exalting human wisdom as the source of religious truth and knowledge4 ,rationalism idolizes reason1 and makes this the criterion for religion4 ,romanism1 claiming for her sovereign pontiff an inspiration descended in unbroken line from the apostles1 and unchangeable through all time1 gives ample opportunity for every species of extravagance and corruption to be concealed under the sanctity of the apostolic commission4 ,the inspiration claimed by ,mnzer and his associates proceeded from no higher source than the vagaries of the imagination1 and its influence was subversive of all authority1 human or divine4 ,true ,christianity receives the word of ,god as the great treasure-house of inspired truth1 and the test of all inspiration4 ,upon his return from the ,wartburg1 ,luther completed his translation of the ,new ,testament1 and the gospel was soon after given to the people of ,germany in their own language4 ,this translation was received with great joy by all who loved the truth2 but it was scornfully rejected by those who chose human traditions and the commandments of men4 ,the priests were alarmed at the thought that the common people would now be able to discuss with them the precepts of ,god's word1 and that their own ignorance would thus be exposed4 ,the weapons of their carnal reasoning were powerless against the sword of the ,spirit4 ,rome summoned all her authority to prevent the circulation of the ,scriptures2 but decrees1 anathemas1 and tortures were alike in vain4 ,the more she condemned and prohibited the ,bible1 the greater was the anxiety of the people to know what it really taught4 ,all who could read were eager to study the word of ,god for themselves4 ,they carried it about with them1 and read and re-read1 and could not be satisfied until they had committed large portions to memory4 ,seeing the favor with which the ,new ,testament was received1 ,luther immediately began the translation of the ,old1 and published it in parts as fast as completed4 ,luther's writings were welcomed alike in city and in hamlet4 8,what ,luther and his friends composed1 others circulated4 ,monks1 convinced of the unlawfulness of monastic obligations1 desirous of exchanging a long life of slothfulness for one of active exertion1 but too ignorant to proclaim the word of ,god1 traveled through the provinces1 visiting hamlets and cottages1 where they sold the books of ,luther and his friends4 ,germany soon swarmed with these bold colporteurs407#bgh7 ,these writings were studied with deep interest by rich and poor1 the learned and the ignorant4 ,at night the teachers of the village schools read them aloud to little groups gathered at the fireside4 ,with every effort1 some souls would be convicted of the truth1 and1 receiving the word with gladness1 would in their turn tell the good news to others4 ,the words of inspiration were verified3 8,the entrance of ,thy words giveth light2 it giveth understanding unto the simple407#bgi7 ,the study of the ,scriptures was working a mighty change in the minds and hearts of the people4 ,the papal rule had placed upon its subjects an iron yoke which held them in ignorance and degradation4 ,a superstitious observance of forms had been scrupulously maintained2 but in all their service the heart and intellect had had little part4 ,the preaching of ,luther1 setting forth the plain truths of ,god's word1 and then the word itself1 placed in the hands of the common people1 had aroused their dormant powers1 not only purifying and ennobling the spiritual nature1 but imparting new strength and vigor to the intellect4 ,persons of all ranks were to be seen with the ,bible in their hands1 defending the doctrines of the ,reformation4 ,the papists who had left the study of the ,scriptures to the priests and monks1 now called upon them to come forward and refute the new teachings4 ,but1 ignorant alike of the ,scriptures and of the power of ,god1 priests and friars were totally defeated by those whom they had denounced as unlearned and heretical4 8,unhappily10 said a ,catholic writer1 8,luther had persuaded his followers to put no faith in any other oracle than the ,holy ,scriptures407#bhj7 ,crowds would gather to hear the truth advocated by men of little education1 and even discussed by them with learned and eloquent theologians4 ,the shameful ignorance of these great men was made apparent as their arguments were met by the simple teachings of ,god's word4 ,laborers1 soldiers1 women1 and even children1 were better acquainted with the ,bible teachings than were the priests and learned doctors4 ,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 people4 8,opposed to the old champions of the hierarchy1 who had neglected the study of languages and the cultivation of literature1 444 were generous-minded youths1 devoted to study1 investigating ,scripture1 and familiarizing themselves with the masterpieces of antiquity4 ,possessing an active mind1 an elevated soul1 and intrepid heart1 these young men soon acquired such knowledge that for a long period none could compete with them4444 ,accordingly1 when these youthful defenders of the ,reformation met the ,romish doctors in any assembly1 they attacked them with such ease and confidence that these ignorant men hesitated1 became embarrassed1 and fell into a contempt merited in the eyes of all407#bha7 ,as the ,romish clergy saw their congregations diminishing1 they invoked the aid of the magistrates1 and by every means in their power endeavored to bring back their hearers4 ,but the people had found in the new teachings that which supplied the wants of their souls1 and they turned away from those who had so long fed them with the worthless husks of superstitious rites and human traditions4 ,when persecution was kindled against the teachers of the truth1 they gave heed to the words of ,christ1 8,when they persecute you in this city1 flee ye into another407#bhb7 ,the light penetrated everywhere4 ,the fugitives would find somewhere a hospitable door opened to them1 and there abiding1 they would preach ,christ1 sometimes in the church1 or if denied that privilege1 in private houses or in the open air4 ,wherever they could obtain a hearing was a consecrated temple4 ,the truth1 proclaimed with such energy and assurance1 spread with irresistible power4 ,in vain both ecclesiastical and civil authorities were invoked to crush the heresy4 ,in vain they resorted to imprisonment1 torture1 fire1 and sword4 ,thousands of believers sealed their faith with their blood1 and yet the work went on4 ,persecution served only to extend the truth2 and the fanaticism which ,satan endeavored to unite with it1 resulted in making more clear the contrast between the work of ,satan and the work of ,god4 #aa4 ,,protest ,,of ,,the ,,princes4 ,illustration3 ,chapter header4 ,one of the noblest testimonies ever uttered for the ,reformation1 was the ,protest offered by the ,christian princes of ,germany at the ,diet of ,spires in #aebi4 ,the courage1 faith1 and firmness of those men of ,god1 gained for succeeding ages liberty of thought and of conscience4 ,their ,protest gave to the reformed church the name of ,protestant2 its principles are 8the very essence of ,protestantism407#bhc7 ,a dark and threatening day had come for the ,reformation4 ,notwithstanding the edict of ,worms1 declaring ,luther to be an outlaw1 and forbidding the teaching or belief of his doctrines1 religious toleration had thus far prevailed in the empire4 ,god's providence had held in check the forces that opposed the truth4 ,charles ,v4 was bent on crushing the ,reformation1 but often as he raised his hand to strike1 he had been forced to turn aside the blow4 ,again and again the immediate destruction of all who dared to oppose themselves to ,rome appeared inevitable2 but at the critical moment the armies of the ,turk appeared on the eastern frontier1 or the king of ,france1 or even the pope himself1 jealous of the increasing greatness of the emperor1 made war upon him2 and thus1 amid the strife and tumult of nations1 the ,reformation had been left to strengthen and extend4 ,at last1 however1 the papal sovereigns had stifled their feuds1 that they might make common cause against the ,reformers4 ,the ,diet of ,spires in #aebf had given each state full liberty in matters of religion until the meeting of a general council2 but no sooner had the dangers passed which secured this concession1 than the emperor summoned a second ,diet to convene at ,spires in #aebi for the purpose of crushing heresy4 ,the princes were to be induced1 by peaceable means if possible1 to side against the ,reformation2 but if these failed1 ,charles was prepared to resort to the sword4 ,the papists were exultant4 ,they appeared at ,spires in great numbers1 and openly manifested their hostility toward the ,reformers and all who favored them4 ,said ,melanchthon1 8,we are the execration and the sweepings of the world2 but ,christ will look down on ,his poor people1 and will preserve them407#bhd7 ,the evangelical princes in attendance at the ,diet were forbidden even to have the gospel preached in their dwellings4 ,but the people of ,spires thirsted for the word of ,god1 and notwithstanding the prohibition1 thousands flocked to the services held in the chapel of the elector of ,saxony4 ,this hastened the crisis4 ,an imperial message announced to the ,diet that as the resolution granting liberty of conscience had given rise to great disorders1 the emperor required that it be annulled4 ,this arbitrary act excited the indignation and alarm of the evangelical ,christians4 ,said one1 8,christ has again fallen into the hands of ,caiaphas and ,pilate40 ,the ,romanists became more violent4 ,a bigoted papist declared3 8,the ,turks are better than the ,lutherans2 for the ,turks observe fast-days1 and the ,lutherans violate them4 ,if we must choose between the ,holy ,scriptures of ,god and the old errors of the church1 we should reject the former40 ,said ,melanchthon1 8,every day1 in full assembly1 ,faber casts some new stone at us ,gospelers407#bhe7 ,religious toleration had been legally established1 and the evangelical states were resolved to oppose the infringement of their rights4 ,luther1 being still under the ban imposed by the edict of ,worms1 was not permitted to be present at ,spires2 but his place was supplied by his co-laborers and the princes whom ,god had raised up to defend ,his cause in this emergency4 ,the noble ,frederick of ,saxony1 ,luther's former protector1 had been removed by death2 but ,duke ,john1 his brother and successor1 had joyfully welcomed the ,reformation1 and while a friend of peace1 he displayed great energy and courage in all matters relating to the interests of the faith4 ,the priests demanded that the states which had accepted the ,reformation submit implicitly to ,romish jurisdiction4 ,the ,reformers1 on the other hand1 claimed the liberty which had previously been granted4 ,they could not consent that ,rome should again bring under her control those states that had with so great joy received the word of ,god4 ,as a compromise it was finally proposed that where the ,reformation had not become established1 the edict of ,worms should be rigorously enforced2 and that 8in those where the people had deviated from it1 and where they could not conform to it without danger of revolt1 they should at least effect no new reform1 they should touch upon no controverted point1 they should not oppose the celebration of the mass1 they should permit no ,roman ,catholic to embrace ,lutheranism407#bhf7 ,this measure passed the ,diet1 to the great satisfaction of the popish priests and prelates4 ,if this edict were enforced1 8the ,reformation could neither be extended 444 where as yet it was unknown1 nor be established on solid foundations 444 where it already existed407#bhg7 ,liberty of speech would be prohibited4 ,no conversions would be allowed4 ,and to these restrictions and prohibitions the friends of the ,reformation were required at once to submit4 ,the hopes of the world seemed about to be extinguished4 8,the re-establishment of the ,romish hierarchy 444 would infallibly bring back the ancient abuses20 and an occasion would readily be found for 8completing the destruction of a work already so violently shaken0 by fanaticism and dissension47#bhh7 ,as the evangelical party met for consultation1 one looked to another in blank dismay4 ,from one to another passed the inquiry1 8,what is to be done80 ,mighty issues for the world were at stake4 8,shall the chiefs of the ,reformation submit1 and accept the edict8 ,how easily might the ,reformers at this crisis1 which was truly a tremendous one1 have argued themselves into a wrong course6 ,how many plausible pretexts and fair reasons might they have found for submission6 ,the ,lutheran princes were guaranteed the free exercise of their religion4 ,the same boon was extended to all those of their subjects who1 prior to the passing of the measure1 had embraced the reformed views4 ,ought not this to content them8 ,how many perils would submission avoid6 ,on what unknown hazards and conflicts would opposition launch them6 ,who knows what opportunities the future may bring8 ,let us embrace peace2 let us seize the olive-branch ,rome holds out1 and close the wounds of ,germany4 ,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 cause4 8,happily they looked at the principle on which this arrangement was based1 and they acted in faith4 ,what was that principle8 ,it was the right of ,rome to coerce conscience and forbid free inquiry4 ,but were not themselves and their ,protestant subjects to enjoy religious freedom8 ,yes1 as a favor specially stipulated for in the arrangement1 but not as a right4 ,as to all outside that arrangement1 the great principle of authority was to rule2 conscience was out of court2 ,rome was infallible judge1 and must be obeyed4 ,the acceptance of the proposed arrangement would have been a virtual admission that religious liberty ought to be confined to reformed ,saxony2 and as to all the rest of ,christendom1 free inquiry and the profession of the reformed faith were crimes1 and must be visited with the dungeon and the stake4 ,could they consent to localize religious liberty8 to have it proclaimed that the ,reformation had made its last convert8 had subjugated its last acre8 and that wherever ,rome bore sway at this hour1 there her dominion was to be perpetuated8 ,could the ,reformers have pleaded that they were innocent of the blood of those hundreds and thousands who1 in pursuance of this arrangement1 would have to yield up their lives in popish lands8 ,this would have been to betray1 at that supreme hour1 the cause of the gospel and the liberties of ,christendom407#bhi7 ,rather would they 8sacrifice everything1 even their states1 their crowns1 and their lives407#bij7 8,let us reject this decree10 said the princes4 8,in matters of conscience the majority has no power40 ,the deputies declared3 8,it is to the decree of #aebf that we are indebted for the peace that the empire enjoys3 its abolition would fill ,germany with troubles and divisions4 ,the ,diet is incompetent to do more than preserve religious liberty until the council meets407#bia7 ,to protect liberty of conscience is the duty of the state1 and this is the limit of its authority in matters of religion4 ,every secular government that attempts to regulate or enforce religious observances by civil authority1 is sacrificing the very principle for which the evangelical ,christians so nobly struggled4 ,the papists determined to put down what they termed 8daring obstinacy40 ,they began by endeavoring to cause divisions among the supporters of the ,reformation1 and to intimidate all who had not openly declared in its favor4 ,the representatives of the free cities were at last summoned before the ,diet1 and required to declare whether they would accede to the terms of the proposition4 ,they pleaded for delay1 but in vain4 ,when brought to the test1 nearly one half their number sided with the ,reformers4 ,those who thus refused to sacrifice liberty of conscience and the right of individual judgment1 well knew that their position marked them for future criticism1 condemnation1 and persecution4 ,said one of the delegates1 8,we must either deny the word of ,god1 or--be burnt407#bib7 ,king ,ferdinand1 the emperor's representative at the ,diet1 saw that the decree would cause serious divisions unless the princes could be induced to accept and sustain it4 ,he therefore tried the art of persuasion1 well knowing that to employ force with such men would only render them the more determined4 ,he 8begged the princes to accept the decree1 assuring them that the emperor would be exceedingly pleased with them40 ,but these faithful men acknowledged an authority above that of earthly rulers1 and they answered calmly1 8,we will obey the emperor in everything that may contribute to maintain peace and the honor of ,god407#bic7 ,in the presence of the ,diet1 the king at last announced to the elector and his friends that the edict 8was about to be drawn up in the form of an imperial decree10 and that 8their only remaining course was to submit to the majority40 ,having thus spoken1 he withdrew from the assembly1 giving the ,reformers no opportunity for deliberation or reply4 8,to no purpose they sent a deputation entreating the king to return40 ,to their remonstrances he answered only1 8,it is a settled affair2 submission is all that remains407#bid7 ,the imperial party were convinced that the ,christian princes would adhere to the ,holy ,scriptures as superior to human doctrines and requirements2 and they knew that wherever this principle was accepted1 the papacy would eventually be overthrown4 ,but1 like thousands since their time1 looking only 8at the things which are seen10 they flattered themselves that the cause of the emperor and the pope was strong1 and that of the ,reformers weak4 ,had the ,reformers depended upon human aid alone1 they would have been as powerless as the papists supposed4 ,but though weak in numbers1 and at variance with ,rome1 they had their strength4 ,they appealed 8from the report of the ,diet to the word of ,god1 and from the emperor ,charles to ,jesus ,christ1 the ,king of kings and ,lord of lords407#bie7 ,as ,ferdinand had refused to regard their conscientious convictions1 the princes decided not to heed his absence1 but to bring their ,protest before the national council without delay4 ,a solemn declaration was therefore drawn up1 and presented to the ,diet3 8,we protest by these presents1 before ,god1 our only ,creator1 ,preserver1 ,redeemer1 and ,saviour1 and who will one day be our ,judge1 as well as before all men and all creatures1 that we1 for us and for our people1 neither consent nor adhere in any manner whatsoever to the proposed decree1 in anything that is contrary to ,god1 to ,his holy word1 to our right conscience1 to the salvation of our souls40 8,what6 we ratify this edict6 ,we assert that when ,almighty ,god calls a man to ,his knowledge1 this man nevertheless cannot receive the knowledge of ,god80 8,there is no sure doctrine but such as is conformable to the word of ,god4444 ,the ,lord forbids the teaching of any other doctrine4444 ,the ,holy ,scriptures ought to be explained by other and clearer texts2 444 this holy book is1 in all things necessary for the ,christian1 easy of understanding1 and calculated to scatter the darkness4 ,we are resolved1 with the grace of ,god1 to maintain the pure and exclusive preaching of ,his only word1 such as it is contained in the biblical books of the ,old and ,new ,testaments1 without adding anything thereto that may be contrary to it4 ,this ,word is the only truth2 it is the sure rule of all doctrine and of all life1 and can never fail or deceive us4 ,he who builds on this foundation shall stand against all the powers of hell1 while all the human vanities that are set up against it shall fall before the face of ,god40 8,for this reason we reject the yoke that is imposed on us40 8,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 things2 and we declare ourselves ready to pay unto him1 as well as unto you1 gracious lords1 all the affection and obedience that are our just and legitimate duty407#bif7 ,a deep impression was made upon the ,diet4 ,the majority were filled with amazement and alarm at the boldness of the protesters4 ,the future appeared to them stormy and uncertain4 ,dissension1 strife1 and bloodshed seemed inevitable4 ,but the ,reformers1 assured of the justice of their cause1 and relying upon the arm of ,omnipotence1 were 8full of courage and firmness40 8,the principles contained in this celebrated ,protest 444 constitute the very essence of ,protestantism4 ,now this ,protest opposes two abuses of man in matters of faith3 the first is the intrusion of the civil magistrate1 and the second the arbitrary authority of the church4 ,instead of these abuses1 ,protestantism sets the power of conscience above the magistrate1 and the authority of the word of ,god above the visible church4 ,in the first place1 it rejects the civil power in divine things1 and says with the prophets and apostles1 #8,we must obey ,god rather than man4' ,in presence of the crown of ,charles the ,fifth1 it uplifts the crown of ,jesus ,christ4 ,but it goes farther3 it lays down the principle that all human teaching should be subordinate to the oracles of ,god407#big7 ,the protesters had moreover affirmed their right to utter freely their convictions of truth4 ,they would not only believe and obey1 but teach what the word of ,god presents1 and they denied the right of priest or magistrate to interfere4 ,the ,protest of ,spires was a solemn witness against religious intolerance1 and an assertion of the right of all men to worship ,god according to the dictates of their own consciences4 ,the declaration had been made4 ,it was written in the memory of thousands1 and registered in the books of heaven1 where no effort of man could erase it4 ,all evangelical ,germany adopted the ,protest as the expression of its faith4 ,everywhere men beheld in this declaration the promise of a new and better era4 ,said one of the princes to the ,protestants of ,spires1 8,may the ,almighty1 who has given you grace to confess energetically1 freely1 and fearlessly1 preserve you in that ,christian firmness until the day of eternity407#bih7 ,had the ,reformation1 after attaining a degree of success1 consented to temporize to secure favor with the world1 it would have been untrue to ,god and to itself1 and would thus have insured its own destruction4 ,the experience of these noble ,reformers contains a lesson for all succeeding ages4 ,satan's manner of working against ,god and ,his word has not changed2 he is still as much opposed to the ,scriptures being made the guide of life as in the sixteenth century4 ,in our time there is a wide departure from their doctrines and precepts1 and there is need of a return to the great ,protestant principle1--the ,bible1 and the ,bible only1 as the rule of faith and duty4 ,satan is still working through every means which he can control to destroy religious liberty4 ,the antichristian power which the protesters of ,spires rejected1 is now with renewed vigor seeking to re-establish its lost supremacy4 ,the same unswerving adherence to the word of ,god manifested at that crisis of the ,reformation1 is the only hope of reform to-day4 ,there appeared tokens of danger to the ,protestants2 there were tokens1 also1 that the divine hand was stretched out to protect the faithful4 ,it was about this time that 8,melanchthon hastily conducted through the streets of ,spires toward the ,rhine his friend ,simon ,grynus1 pressing him to cross the river4 ,the latter was astonished at such precipitation4 #8,an old man of grave and solemn air1 but who is unknown to me1' said ,melanchthon1 #8appeared before me and said1 ,in a minute officers of justice will be sent by ,ferdinand to arrest ,grynus4' 0 ,during the day1 ,grynus had been scandalized at a sermon by ,faber1 a leading papal doctor2 and at the close1 remonstrated with him for defending 8certain detestable errors40 8,faber dissembled his anger1 but immediately after repaired to the king1 from whom he had obtained an order against the importunate professor of ,heidelberg4 ,melanchthon doubted not that ,god had saved his friend by sending one of ,his holy angels to forewarn him4 8,motionless on the banks of the ,rhine1 he waited until the waters of that stream had rescued ,grynus from his persecutors4 #8,at last1' cried ,melanchthon1 as he saw him on the opposite side1 #8at last he is torn from the cruel jaws of those who thirst for innocent blood4' ,when he returned to his house1 ,melanchthon was informed that officers in search of ,grynus had ransacked it from top to bottom407#bii7 ,the ,reformation was to be brought into greater prominence before the mighty ones of the earth4 ,the evangelical princes had been denied a hearing by ,king ,ferdinand2 but they were to be granted an opportunity to present their cause in the presence of the emperor and the assembled dignitaries of church and state4 ,to quiet the dissensions which disturbed the empire1 ,charles ,v41 in the year following the ,protest of ,spires1 convoked a ,diet at ,augsburg1 over which he announced his intention to preside in person4 ,thither the ,protestant leaders were summoned4 ,great dangers threatened the ,reformation2 but its advocates still trusted their cause with ,god1 and pledged themselves to be firm to the gospel4 ,the elector of ,saxony was urged by his councilors not to appear at the ,diet4 ,the emperor1 they said1 required the attendance of the princes in order to draw them into a snare4 8,is it not risking everything to go and shut oneself up within the walls of a city with a powerful enemy80 ,but others nobly declared1 8,let the princes only comport themselves with courage1 and ,god's cause is saved40 8,god is faithful2 ,he will not abandon us107#cjj7 said ,luther4 ,the elector set out1 with his retinue1 for ,augsburg4 ,all were acquainted with the dangers that menaced him1 and many went forward with gloomy countenance and troubled heart4 ,but ,luther1 who accompanied them as far as ,coburg1 revived their sinking faith by singing the hymn1 written on that journey1 8,a strong tower is our ,god40 ,many an anxious foreboding was banished1 many a heavy heart lightened1 at the sound of the inspiring strains4 ,the reformed princes had determined upon having a statement of their views in systematic form1 with the evidence from the ,scriptures1 to present before the ,diet2 and the task of its preparation was committed to ,luther1 ,melanchthon1 and their associates4 ,this ,confession was accepted by the ,protestants as an exposition of their faith1 and they assembled to affix their names to the important document4 ,it was a solemn and trying time4 ,the ,reformers were solicitous that their cause should not be confounded with political questions2 they felt that the ,reformation should exercise no other influence than that which proceeds from the word of ,god4 ,as the ,christian princes advanced to sign the ,confession1 ,melanchthon interposed1 saying1 8,it is for the theologians and ministers to propose these things2 let us reserve for other matters the authority of the mighty ones of the earth40 8,god forbid10 replied ,john of ,saxony1 8that you should exclude me4 ,i am resolved to do what is right1 without troubling myself about my crown4 ,i desire to confess the ,lord4 ,my electoral hat and my ermine are not so precious to me as the cross of ,jesus ,christ40 ,having thus spoken1 he wrote down his name4 ,said another of the princes as he took the pen1 8,if the honor of my ,lord ,jesus ,christ requires it1 ,i am ready 444 to leave my goods and life behind40 8,i would rather renounce my subjects and my states1 rather quit the country of my fathers staff in hand10 he continued1 8than receive any other doctrine than that which is contained in this ,confession407#cja7 ,such was the faith and daring of those men of ,god4 ,the appointed time came to appear before the emperor4 ,charles ,v41 seated upon his throne1 surrounded by the electors and the princes1 gave audience to the ,protestant ,reformers4 ,the confession of their faith was read4 ,in that august assembly the truths of the gospel were clearly set forth1 and the errors of the papal church were pointed out4 ,well has that day been pronounced 8the greatest day of the ,reformation1 and one of the most glorious in the history of ,christianity and of mankind407#cjb7 ,but a few years had passed since the monk of ,wittenberg stood alone at ,worms before the national council4 ,now in his stead were the noblest and most powerful princes of the empire4 ,luther had been forbidden to appear at ,augsburg1 but he had been present by his words and prayers4 8,i am overjoyed10 he wrote1 8that ,i have lived until this hour1 in which ,christ has been publicly exalted by such illustrious confessors1 and in so glorious an assembly407#cjc7 ,thus was fulfilled what the ,scripture says1 8,i will speak of ,thy testimonies before kings407#cjd7 ,in the days of ,paul1 the gospel for which he was imprisoned was thus brought before the princes and nobles of the imperial city4 ,so on this occasion1 that which the emperor had forbidden to be preached from the pulpit1 was proclaimed in the palace2 what many had regarded as unfit even for servants to listen to1 was heard with wonder by the masters and lords of the empire4 ,kings and great men were the auditory1 crowned princes were the preachers1 and the sermon was the royal truth of ,god4 8,since the apostolic age10 says a writer1 8there has never been a greater work or a more magnificent confession407#cje7 8,all that the ,lutherans have said is true2 we cannot deny it10 declared a papist bishop4 8,can you refute by sound reasons the ,confession made by the elector and his allies80 asked another1 of ,doctor ,eck4 8,with the writings of the apostles and prophets--no60 was the reply2 8but with those of the ,fathers and of the councils--yes60 8,i understand10 responded the questioner4 8,the ,lutherans1 according to you1 are in ,scripture1 and we are outside407#cjf7 ,some of the princes of ,germany were won to the reformed faith4 ,the emperor himself declared that the ,protestant articles were but the truth4 ,the ,confession was translated into many languages1 and circulated through all ,europe1 and it has been accepted by millions in succeeding generations as the expression of their faith4 ,god's faithful servants were not toiling alone4 ,while 8principalities and powers and wicked spirits in high places0 were leagued against them1 the ,lord did not forsake ,his people4 ,could their eyes have been opened1 they would have seen as marked evidence of divine presence and aid as was granted to a prophet of old4 ,when ,elisha's servant pointed his master to the hostile army surrounding them1 and cutting off all opportunity for escape1 the prophet prayed1 8,lord1 ,i pray ,thee1 open his eyes1 that he may see407#cjg7 ,and1 lo1 the mountain was filled with chariots and horses of fire1 the army of heaven stationed to protect the man of ,god4 ,thus did angels guard the workers in the cause of the ,reformation4 ,one of the principles most firmly maintained by ,luther was that there should be no resort to secular power in support of the ,reformation1 and no appeal to arms for its defense4 ,he rejoiced that the gospel was confessed by princes of the empire2 but when they proposed to unite in a defensive league1 he declared that 8the doctrine of the gospel should be defended by ,god alone4444 ,the less man meddled in the work1 the more striking would be ,god's intervention in its behalf4 ,all the politic precautions suggested were1 in his view1 attributable to unworthy fear and sinful mistrust407#cjh7 ,when powerful foes were uniting to overthrow the reformed faith1 and thousands of swords seemed about to be unsheathed against it1 ,luther wrote3 8,satan is putting forth his fury2 ungodly pontiffs are conspiring2 and we are threatened with war4 ,exhort the people to contend valiantly before the throne of the ,lord1 by faith and prayer1 so that our enemies1 vanquished by the ,spirit of ,god1 may be constrained to peace4 ,our chief want1 our chief labor1 is prayer2 let the people know that they are now exposed to the edge of the sword and to the rage of ,satan1 and let them pray407#cji7 ,again1 at a later date1 referring to the league contemplated by the reformed princes1 ,luther declared that the only weapon employed in this warfare should be 8the sword of the ,spirit40 ,he wrote to the elector of ,saxony3 8,we cannot on our conscience approve of the proposed alliance4 ,we would rather die ten times than see our gospel cause one drop of blood to be shed4 ,our part is to be like lambs of the slaughter4 ,the cross of ,christ must be borne4 ,let your highness be without fear4 ,we shall do more by our prayers than all our enemies by their boastings4 ,only let not your hands be stained with the blood of your brethren4 ,if the emperor requires us to be given up to his tribunals1 we are ready to appear4 ,you cannot defend our faith3 each one should believe at his own risk and peril407#caj7 ,from the secret place of prayer came the power that shook the world in the ,great ,reformation4 ,there with holy calmness1 the servants of the ,lord set their feet upon the rock of ,his promises4 ,during the struggle at ,augsburg1 ,luther 8did not pass a day without devoting three hours at least to prayer1 and they were hours selected from those the most favorable to study40 ,in the privacy of his chamber he was heard to pour out his soul before ,god in words 8full of adoration1 fear1 and hope1 as when one speaks to a friend40 8,i know that ,thou art our ,father and our ,god10 he said1 8and that ,thou wilt scatter the persecutors of ,thy children2 for ,thou art ,thyself endangered with us4 ,all this matter is ,thine1 and it is only by ,thy constraint that we have put our hands to it4 ,defend us1 then1 ,o ,father607#caa7 ,to ,melanchthon1 who was crushed under the burden of anxiety and fear1 he wrote3 8,grace and peace in ,christ--in ,christ1 ,i say1 and not in the world4 ,amen4 ,i hate with exceeding hatred those extreme cares which consume you4 ,if the cause is unjust1 abandon it2 if the cause is just1 why should we belie the promises of ,him who commands us to sleep without fear8444 ,christ will not be wanting to the work of justice and of truth4 ,he lives1 ,he reigns2 what fear1 then1 can we have807#cab7 ,god did listen to the cries of ,his servants4 ,he gave to princes and ministers grace and courage to maintain the truth against the rulers of the darkness of this world4 ,saith the ,lord1 8,behold1 ,i lay in ,zion a chief corner-stone1 elect1 precious3 and he that believeth on ,him shall not be confounded407#cac7 ,the ,protestant ,reformers had built on ,christ1 and the gates of hell could not prevail against them4 #ab4 ,,the ,,french ,,reformation4 ,illustration3 ,chapter header4 ,the ,protest of ,spires and the ,confession at ,augsburg1 which marked the triumph of the ,reformation in ,germany1 were followed by years of conflict and darkness4 ,weakened by divisions among its supporters1 and assailed by powerful foes1 ,protestantism seemed destined to be utterly destroyed4 ,thousands sealed their testimony with their blood4 ,civil war broke out2 the ,protestant cause was betrayed by one of its leading adherents2 the noblest of the reformed princes fell into the hands of the emperor1 and were dragged as captives from town to town4 ,but in the moment of his apparent triumph1 the emperor was smitten with defeat4 ,he saw the prey wrested from his grasp1 and he was forced at last to grant toleration to the doctrines which it had been the ambition of his life to destroy4 ,he had staked his kingdom1 his treasures1 and life itself1 upon the crushing out of the heresy4 ,now he saw his armies wasted by battle1 his treasuries drained1 his many kingdoms threatened by revolt1 while everywhere the faith which he had vainly endeavored to suppress1 was extending4 ,charles ,v4 had been battling against omnipotent power4 ,god had said1 8,let there be light10 but the emperor had sought to keep the darkness unbroken4 ,his purposes had failed2 and in premature old age1 worn out with the long struggle1 he abdicated the throne1 and buried himself in a cloister4 ,in ,switzerland1 as in ,germany1 there came dark days for the ,reformation4 ,while many cantons accepted the reformed faith1 others clung with blind persistence to the creed of ,rome4 ,their persecution of those who desired to receive the truth1 finally gave rise to civil war4 ,zwingle and many who had united with him in reform1 fell on the bloody field of ,cappel4 colampadius1 overcome by these terrible disasters1 soon after died4 ,rome was triumphant1 and in many places seemed about to recover all that she had lost4 ,but ,he whose counsels are from everlasting had not forsaken ,his cause or ,his people4 ,his hand would bring deliverance for them4 ,in other lands ,he had raised up laborers to carry forward the reform4 ,in ,france1 before the name of ,luther had been heard as a ,reformer1 the day had already begun to break4 ,one of the first to catch the light was the aged ,lefevre1 a man of extensive learning1 a professor in the ,university of ,paris1 and a sincere and zealous papist4 ,in his researches into ancient literature his attention was directed to the ,bible1 and he introduced its study among his students4 ,lefevre was an enthusiastic adorer of the saints1 and he had undertaken to prepare a history of the saints and martyrs1 as given in the legends of the church4 ,this was a work which involved great labor2 but he had already made considerable progress in it1 when1 thinking that he might obtain useful assistance from the ,bible1 he began its study with this object4 ,here indeed he found saints brought to view1 but not such as figured in the ,roman calendar4 ,a flood of divine light broke in upon his mind4 ,in amazement and disgust he turned away from his self-appointed task1 and devoted himself to the word of ,god4 ,the precious truths which he there discovered1 he soon began to teach4 ,in #aeab1 before either ,luther or ,zwingle had begun the work of reform1 ,lefevre wrote3 8,it is ,god who gives us1 by faith1 that righteousness which by grace alone justifies to eternal life407#cad7 ,dwelling upon the mysteries of redemption1 he exclaimed1 8,oh1 the unspeakable greatness of that exchange1--the ,sinless ,one is condemned1 and he who is guilty goes free2 the ,blessing bears the curse1 and the cursed is brought into blessing2 the ,life dies1 and the dead live2 the ,glory is whelmed in darkness1 and he who knew nothing but confusion of face is clothed with glory407#cae7 ,and while teaching that the glory of salvation belongs solely to ,god1 he also declared that the duty of obedience belongs to man4 8,if thou art a member of ,christ's church10 he said1 8thou art a member of ,his body2 if thou art of ,his body1 then thou art full of the divine nature4444 ,oh1 if men could but enter into the understanding of this privilege1 how purely1 chastely1 and holily would they live1 and how contemptible1 when compared with the glory within them1--that glory which the eye of flesh cannot see1--would they deem all the glory of this world407#caf7 ,there were some among ,lefevre's students who listened eagerly to his words1 and who1 long after the teacher's voice should be silenced1 were to continue to declare the truth4 ,such was ,william ,farel4 ,the son of pious parents1 and educated to accept with implicit faith the teachings of the church1 he might1 with the apostle ,paul1 have declared concerning himself1 8,after the most straitest sect of our religion ,i lived a ,pharisee407#cag7 ,a devoted ,romanist1 he burned with zeal to destroy all who should dare to oppose the church4 8,i would gnash my teeth like a furious wolf10 he afterward said1 referring to this period of his life1 8when ,i heard any one speaking against the pope407#cah7 ,he had been untiring in his adoration of the saints1 in company with ,lefevre making the round of the churches of ,paris1 worshiping at the altars1 and adorning with gifts the holy shrines4 ,but these observances could not bring peace of soul4 ,conviction of sin fastened upon him1 which all the acts of penance that he practised1 failed to banish4 ,as to a voice from heaven1 he listened to the ,reformer's words3 8,salvation is of grace40 8,the ,innocent ,one is condemned1 and the criminal is acquitted40 8,it is the cross of ,christ alone that openeth the gates of heaven1 and shutteth the gates of hell407#cai7 ,farel joyfully accepted the truth4 ,by a conversion like that of ,paul1 he turned from the bondage of tradition to the liberty of the sons of ,god4 8,instead of the murderous heart of a ravening wolf1 he came back10 he says1 8quietly1 like a meek and harmless lamb1 having his heart entirely withdrawn from the pope1 and given to ,jesus ,christ407#cbj7 ,while ,lefevre continued to spread the light among his students1 ,farel1 as zealous in the cause of ,christ as he had been in that of the pope1 went forth to declare the truth in public4 ,a dignitary of the church1 the bishop of ,meaux1 soon after united with them4 ,other teachers who ranked high for their ability and learning1 joined in proclaiming the gospel1 and it won adherents among all classes1 from the homes of artisans and peasants to the palace of the king4 ,the sister of ,francis ,i41 then the reigning monarch1 accepted the reformed faith4 ,the king himself1 and the queen mother1 appeared for a time to regard it with favor1 and with high hopes the ,reformers looked forward to the time when ,france should be won to the gospel4 ,but their hopes were not to be realized4 ,trial and persecution awaited the disciples of ,christ4 ,this1 however1 was mercifully veiled from their eyes4 ,a time of peace intervened1 that they might gain strength to meet the tempest2 and the ,reformation made rapid progress4 ,the bishop of ,meaux labored zealously in his own diocese to instruct both the clergy and the people4 ,ignorant and immoral priests were removed1 and1 so far as possible1 replaced by men of learning and piety4 ,the bishop greatly desired that his people might have access to the word of ,god for themselves1 and this was soon accomplished4 ,lefevre undertook the translation of the ,new ,testament2 and at the very time when ,luther's ,german ,bible was issuing from the press in ,wittenberg1 the ,french ,new ,testament was published at ,meaux4 ,the bishop spared no labor or expense to circulate it in his parishes1 and soon the peasants of ,meaux were in possession of the ,holy ,scriptures4 ,as travelers perishing from thirst welcome with joy a living water-spring1 so did these souls receive the message of heaven4 ,the laborers in the field1 the artisans in the workshop1 cheered their daily toil by talking of the precious truths of the ,bible4 ,at evening1 instead of resorting to the wine shops1 they assembled in one another's homes to read ,god's word and join in prayer and praise4 ,a great change was soon manifest in these communities4 ,though belonging to the humblest class1 an unlearned and hard-working peasantry1 the reforming1 uplifting power of divine grace was seen in their lives4 ,humble1 loving1 and holy1 they stood as witnesses to what the gospel will accomplish for those who receive it in sincerity4 ,the light kindled at ,meaux shed its beams afar4 ,every day the number of converts was increasing4 ,the rage of the hierarchy was for a time held in check by the king1 who despised the narrow bigotry of the monks2 but the papal leaders finally prevailed4 ,now the stake was set up4 ,the bishop of ,meaux1 forced to choose between the fire and recantation1 accepted the easier path2 but notwithstanding the leader's fall1 his flock remained steadfast4 ,many witnessed for the truth amid the flames4 ,by their courage and fidelity at the stake1 these humble ,christians spoke to thousands who in days of peace had never heard their testimony4 ,it was not alone the humble and the poor1 that amid suffering and scorn dared to bear witness for ,christ4 ,in the lordly halls of the castle and the palace1 there were kingly souls by whom truth was valued above wealth or rank or even life4 ,kingly armor concealed a loftier and more steadfast spirit than did the bishop's robe and mitre4 ,louis de ,berquin was of noble birth4 ,a brave and courtly knight1 he was devoted to study1 polished in manners1 and of blameless morals4 8,he was10 says a writer1 8a great follower of the papistical constitutions1 and a great hearer of masses and sermons2 444 and he crowned all his other virtues by holding ,lutheranism in special abhorrence40 ,but1 like so many others1 providentially guided to the ,bible1 he was amazed to find there1 8not the doctrines of ,rome1 but the doctrines of ,luther407#cba7 ,henceforth he gave himself with entire devotion to the cause of the gospel4 8,the most learned of the nobles of ,france10 his genius and eloquence1 his indomitable courage and heroic zeal1 and his influence at court1--for he was a favorite with the king1--caused him to be regarded by many as one destined to be the ,reformer of his country4 ,said ,beza1 8,berquin would have been a second ,luther1 had he found in ,francis ,i4 a second elector40 8,he is worse than ,luther107#cbb7 cried the papists4 ,more dreaded he was indeed by the ,romanists of ,france4 ,they thrust him into prison as a heretic1 but he was set at liberty by the king4 ,for years the struggle continued4 ,francis1 wavering between ,rome and the ,reformation1 alternately tolerated and restrained the fierce zeal of the monks4 ,berquin was three times imprisoned by the papal authorities1 only to be released by the monarch1 who1 in admiration of his genius and his nobility of character1 refused to sacrifice him to the malice of the hierarchy4 ,berquin was repeatedly warned of the danger that threatened him in ,france1 and urged to follow the steps of those who had found safety in voluntary exile4 ,the timid and time-serving ,erasmus1 who with all the splendor of his scholarship failed of that moral greatness which holds life and honor subservient to truth1 wrote to ,berquin3 8,ask to be sent as ambassador to some foreign country2 go and travel in ,germany4 ,you know ,beda and such as he--he is a thousand-headed monster1 darting venom on every side4 ,your enemies are named legion4 ,were your cause better than that of ,jesus ,christ1 they will not let you go till they have miserably destroyed you4 ,do not trust too much to the king's protection4 ,at all events1 do not compromise me with the faculty of theology407#cbc7 ,but as dangers thickened1 ,berquin's zeal only waxed the stronger4 ,so far from adopting the politic and self-serving counsel of ,erasmus1 he determined upon still bolder measures4 ,he would not only stand in defense of the truth1 but he would attack error4 ,the charge of heresy which the ,romanists were seeking to fasten upon him1 he would rivet upon them4 ,the most active and bitter of his opponents were the learned doctors and monks of the theological department in the great ,university of ,paris1 one of the highest ecclesiastical authorities both in the city and the nation4 ,from the writings of these doctors1 ,berquin drew twelve propositions which he publicly declared to be 8opposed to the ,bible1 and heretical20 and he appealed to the king to act as judge in the controversy4 ,the monarch1 not loath to bring into contrast the power and acuteness of the opposing champions1 and glad of an opportunity of humbling the pride of these haughty monks1 bade the ,romanists defend their cause by the ,bible4 ,this weapon1 they well knew1 would avail them little2 imprisonment1 torture1 and the stake were arms which they better understood how to wield4 ,now the tables were turned1 and they saw themselves about to fall into the pit into which they had hoped to plunge ,berquin4 ,in amazement they looked about them for some way of escape4 8,just at that time an image of the ,virgin at the corner of one of the streets1 was mutilated40 ,there was great excitement in the city4 ,crowds of people flocked to the place1 with expressions of mourning and indignation4 ,the king also was deeply moved4 ,here was an advantage which the monks could turn to good account1 and they were quick to improve it4 8,these are the fruits of the doctrines of ,berquin10 they cried4 8,all is about to be overthrown--religion1 the laws1 the throne itself--by this ,lutheran conspiracy407#cbd7 ,again ,berquin was apprehended4 ,the king withdrew from ,paris1 and the monks were thus left free to work their will4 ,the ,reformer was tried1 and condemned to die1 and lest ,francis should even yet interpose to save him1 the sentence was executed on the very day it was pronounced4 ,at noon ,berquin was conducted to the place of death4 ,an immense throng gathered to witness the event1 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 ,france4 ,amazement1 indignation1 scorn1 and bitter hatred darkened the faces of that surging crowd2 but upon one face no shadow rested4 ,the martyr's thoughts were far from that scene of tumult2 he was conscious only of the presence of his ,lord4 ,the wretched tumbrel upon which he rode1 the frowning faces of his persecutors1 the dreadful death to which he was going1--these he heeded not2 ,he who liveth and was dead1 and is alive forevermore1 and hath the keys of death and of hell1 was beside him4 ,berquin's countenance was radiant with the light and peace of heaven4 ,he had attired himself in goodly raiment1 wearing 8a cloak of velvet1 a doublet of satin and damask1 and golden hose407#cbe7 ,he was about to testify to his faith in presence of the ,king of kings and the witnessing universe1 and no token of mourning should belie his joy4 ,as the procession moved slowly through the crowded streets1 the people marked with wonder the unclouded peace1 the joyous triumph1 of his look and bearing4 8,he is10 they said1 8like one who sits in a temple1 and meditates on holy things407#cbf7 ,at the stake1 ,berquin endeavored to address a few words to the people2 but the monks1 fearing the result1 began to shout1 and the soldiers to clash their arms1 and their clamor drowned the martyr's voice4 ,thus in #aebi1 the highest literary and ecclesiastical authority of cultured ,paris 8set the populace of #agic the base example of stifling on the scaffold the sacred words of the dying407#cbg7 ,berquin was strangled1 and his body was consumed in the flames4 ,the tidings of his death caused sorrow to the friends of the ,reformation throughout ,france4 ,but his example was not lost4 8,we too are ready10 said the witnesses for the truth1 8to meet death cheerfully1 setting our eyes on the life that is to come407#cbh7 ,during the persecution at ,meaux1 the teachers of the reformed faith were deprived of their license to preach1 and they departed to other fields4 ,lefevre after a time made his way to ,germany4 ,farel returned to his native town in eastern ,france1 to spread the light in the home of his childhood4 ,already tidings had been received of what was going on at ,meaux1 and the truth1 which he taught with fearless zeal1 found listeners4 ,soon the authorities were roused to silence him1 and he was banished from the city4 ,though he could no longer labor publicly1 he traversed the plains and villages1 teaching in private dwellings and in secluded meadows1 and finding shelter in the forests and among the rocky caverns which had been his haunts in boyhood4 ,god was preparing him for greater trials4 8,the crosses1 persecutions1 and machinations of ,satan1 of which ,i was forewarned1 have not been wanting10 he said2 8they are even much severer than ,i could have borne of myself2 but ,god is my ,father2 ,he has provided and always will provide me the strength which ,i require407#cbi7 ,as in apostolic days1 persecution had 8fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel407#ccj7 ,driven from ,paris and ,meaux1 8they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word407#cca7 ,and thus the light found its way into many of the remote provinces of ,france4 ,god was still preparing workers to extend ,his cause4 ,in one of the schools of ,paris was a thoughtful1 quiet youth1 already giving evidence of a powerful and penetrating mind1 and no less marked for the blamelessness of his life than for intellectual ardor and religious devotion4 ,his genius and application soon made him the pride of the college1 and it was confidently anticipated that ,john ,calvin would become one of the ablest and most honored defenders of the church4 ,but a ray of divine light penetrated even within the walls of scholasticism and superstition by which ,calvin was inclosed4 ,he heard of the new doctrines with a shudder1 nothing doubting that the heretics deserved the fire to which they were given4 ,yet all unwittingly he was brought face to face with the heresy1 and forced to test the power of ,romish theology to combat the ,protestant teaching4 ,a cousin of ,calvin's1 who had joined the ,reformers1 was in ,paris4 ,the two kinsmen often met1 and discussed together the matters that were disturbing ,christendom4 8,there are but two religions in the world10 said ,olivetan1 the ,protestant4 8,the one class of religions are those which men have invented1 in all of which man saves himself by ceremonies and good works2 the other is that one religion which is revealed in the ,bible1 and which teaches man to look for salvation solely from the free grace of ,god40 8,i will have none of your new doctrines10 exclaimed ,calvin2 8think you that ,i have lived in error all my days807#ccb7 ,but thoughts had been awakened in his mind which he could not banish at will4 ,alone in his chamber he pondered upon his cousin's words4 ,conviction of sin fastened upon him2 he saw himself1 without an intercessor1 in the presence of a holy and just ,judge4 ,the mediation of saints1 good works1 the ceremonies of the church1 all were powerless to atone for sin4 ,he could see before him nothing but the blackness of eternal despair4 ,in vain the doctors of the church endeavored to relieve his woe4 ,confession1 penance1 were resorted to in vain2 they could not reconcile the soul with ,god4 ,while still engaged in these fruitless struggles1 ,calvin1 chancing one day to visit one of the public squares1 witnessed there the burning of a heretic4 ,he was filled with wonder at the expression of peace which rested upon the martyr's countenance4 ,amid the tortures of that dreadful death1 and under the more terrible condemnation of the church1 he manifested a faith and courage which the young student painfully contrasted with his own despair and darkness1 while living in strictest obedience to the church4 ,upon the ,bible1 he knew1 the heretics rested their faith4 ,he determined to study it1 and discover1 if he could1 the secret of their joy4 ,in the ,bible he found ,christ4 8,o ,father10 he cried1 8,his sacrifice has appeased ,thy wrath2 ,his blood has washed away my impurities2 ,his cross has borne my curse2 ,his death has atoned for me4 ,we had devised for ourselves many useless follies1 but ,thou hast placed ,thy word before me like a torch1 and ,thou hast touched my heart1 in order that ,i may hold in abomination all other merits save those of ,jesus407#ccc7 ,calvin had been educated for the priesthood4 ,when only twelve years of age he had been appointed to the chaplaincy of a small church1 and his head had been shorn by the bishop in accordance with the canon of the church4 ,he did not receive consecration1 nor did he fulfil the duties of a priest1 but he became a member of the clergy1 holding the title of his office1 and receiving an allowance in consideration thereof4 ,now1 feeling that he could never become a priest1 he turned for a time to the study of law1 but finally abandoned this purpose1 and determined to devote his life to the gospel4 ,but he hesitated to become a public teacher4 ,he was naturally timid1 and was burdened with a sense of the weighty responsibility of the position1 and he desired still to devote himself to study4 ,the earnest entreaties of his friends1 however1 at last won his consent4 8,wonderful it is10 he said1 8that one of so lowly an origin should be exalted to so great a dignity407#ccd7 ,quietly did ,calvin enter upon his work1 and his words were as the dew falling to refresh the earth4 ,he had left ,paris1 and was now in a provincial town under the protection of the princess ,margaret1 who1 loving the gospel1 extended her protection to its disciples4 ,calvin was still a youth1 of gentle1 unpretentious bearing4 ,his work began with the people at their homes4 ,surrounded by the members of the household1 he read the ,bible1 and opened the truths of salvation4 ,those who heard the message1 carried the good news to others1 and soon the teacher passed beyond the city to the outlying towns and hamlets4 ,to both the castle and the cabin he found entrance1 and he went forward1 laying the foundation of churches that were to yield fearless witnesses for the truth4 ,a few months1 and he was again in ,paris4 ,there was unwonted agitation in the circle of learned men and scholars4 ,the study of the ancient languages had led men to the ,bible1 and many whose hearts were untouched by its truths were eagerly discussing them1 and even giving battle to the champions of ,romanism4 ,calvin1 though an able combatant in the fields of theological controversy1 had a higher mission to accomplish than that of these noisy schoolmen4 ,the minds of men were stirred1 and now was the time to open to them the truth4 ,while the halls of the universities were filled with the clamor of theological disputation1 ,calvin was making his way from house to house1 opening the ,bible to the people1 and speaking to them of ,christ and ,him crucified4 ,in ,god's providence1 ,paris was to receive another invitation to accept the gospel4 ,the call of ,lefevre and ,farel had been rejected1 but again the message was to be heard by all classes in that great capital4 ,the king1 influenced by political considerations1 had not yet fully sided with ,rome against the ,reformation4 ,margaret still clung to the hope that ,protestantism was to triumph in ,france4 ,she resolved that the reformed faith should be preached in ,paris4 ,during the absence of the king1 she ordered a ,protestant minister to preach in the churches of the city4 ,this being forbidden by the papal dignitaries1 the princess threw open the palace4 ,an apartment was fitted up as a chapel1 and it was announced that every day1 at a specified hour1 a sermon would be preached1 and the people of every rank and station were invited to attend4 ,crowds flocked to the service4 ,not only the chapel1 but the ante-chambers and halls were thronged4 ,thousands every day assembled1--nobles1 statesmen1 lawyers1 merchants1 and artisans4 ,the king1 instead of forbidding the assemblies1 ordered that two of the churches of ,paris should be opened4 ,never before had the city been so moved by the word of ,god4 ,the spirit of life from heaven seemed to be breathed upon the people4 ,temperance1 purity1 order1 and industry were taking the place of drunkenness1 licentiousness1 strife1 and idleness4 ,but the hierarchy were not idle4 ,the king still refused to interfere to stop the preaching1 and they turned to the populace4 ,no means were spared to excite the fears1 the prejudices1 and the fanaticism of the ignorant and superstitious multitudes4 ,yielding blindly to her false teachers1 ,paris1 like ,jerusalem of old1 knew not the time of her visitation1 nor the things which belonged unto her peace4 ,for two years the word of ,god was preached in the capital2 but while there were many who accepted the gospel1 the majority of the people rejected it4 ,francis had made a show of toleration1 merely to serve his own purposes1 and the papists succeeded in regaining the ascendency4 ,again the churches were closed1 and the stake was set up4 ,calvin was still in ,paris1 preparing himself by study1 meditation1 and prayer1 for his future labors1 and continuing to spread the light4 ,at last1 however1 suspicion fastened upon him4 ,the authorities determined to bring him to the flames4 ,regarding himself as secure in his seclusion1 he had no thought of danger1 when friends came hurrying to his room with the news that officers were on their way to arrest him4 ,at the instant a loud knocking was heard at the outer entrance4 ,there was not a moment to be lost4 ,some of his friends detained the officers at the door1 while others assisted the ,reformer to let himself down from a window1 and he rapidly made his way to the outskirts of the city4 ,finding shelter in the cottage of a laborer who was a friend to the reform1 he disguised himself in the garments of his host1 and shouldering a hoe1 started on his journey4 ,traveling southward1 he again found refuge in the dominions of ,margaret47#cce7 ,here for a few months he remained1 safe under the protection of powerful friends1 and engaged as before in study4 ,but his heart was set upon the evangelization of ,france1 and he could not long remain inactive4 ,as soon as the storm had somewhat abated1 he sought a new field of labor in ,poitiers1 where was a university1 and where already the new opinions had found favor4 ,persons of all classes gladly listened to the gospel4 ,there was no public preaching1 but in the home of the chief magistrate1 in his own lodgings1 and sometimes in a public garden1 ,calvin opened the words of eternal life to those who desired to listen4 ,after a time1 as the number of hearers increased1 it was thought safer to assemble outside the city4 ,a cave in the side of a deep and narrow gorge1 where trees and overhanging rocks made the seclusion still more complete1 was chosen as the place of meeting4 ,little companies1 leaving the city by different routes1 found their way hither4 ,in this retired spot the ,bible was read and explained4 ,here the ,lord's supper was celebrated for the first time by the ,protestants of ,france4 ,from this little church several faithful evangelists were sent out4 ,once more ,calvin returned to ,paris4 ,he could not even yet relinquish the hope that ,france as a nation would accept the ,reformation4 ,but he found almost every door of labor closed4 ,to teach the gospel was to take the direct road to the stake1 and he at last determined to depart to ,germany4 ,scarcely had he left ,france when a storm burst over the ,protestants1 that1 had he remained1 must surely have involved him in the general ruin4 ,the ,french ,reformers1 eager to see their country keeping pace with ,germany and ,switzerland1 determined to strike a bold blow against the superstitions of ,rome1 that should arouse the whole nation4 ,accordingly placards attacking the mass were in one night posted all over ,france4 ,instead of advancing the reform1 this zealous but ill-judged movement brought ruin1 not only upon its propagators1 but upon the friends of the reformed faith throughout ,france4 ,it gave the ,romanists what they had long desired1--a pretext for demanding the utter destruction of the heretics as agitators dangerous to the stability of the throne and the peace of the nation4 ,by some secret hand--whether of indiscreet friend or wily foe was never known--one of the placards was attached to the door of the king's private chamber4 ,the monarch was filled with horror4 ,in this paper1 superstitions that had received the veneration of ages were attacked with an unsparing hand4 ,and the unexampled boldness of obtruding these plain and startling utterances into the royal presence1 aroused the wrath of the king4 ,in his amazement he stood for a little time trembling and speechless4 ,then his rage found utterance in the terrible words3 8,let all be seized without distinction who are suspected of ,lutheresy4 ,i will exterminate them all407#ccf7 ,the die was cast4 ,the king had determined to throw himself fully on the side of ,rome4 ,measures were at once taken for the arrest of every ,lutheran in ,paris4 ,a poor artisan1 an adherent of the reformed faith1 who had been accustomed to summon the believers to their secret assemblies1 was seized1 and with the threat of instant death at the stake1 was commanded to conduct the papal emissary to the home of every ,protestant in the city4 ,he shrunk in horror from the base proposal1 but at last fear of the flames prevailed1 and he consented to become the betrayer of his brethren4 ,preceded by the host1 and surrounded by a train of priests1 incense-bearers1 monks1 and soldiers1 ,morin1 the royal detective1 with the traitor1 slowly and silently passed through the streets of the city4 ,the demonstration was ostensibly in honor of the 8holy sacrament10 an act of expiation for the insult put upon the mass by the protesters4 ,but beneath this pageant a deadly purpose was concealed4 ,on arriving opposite the house of a ,lutheran1 the betrayer made a sign1 but no word was uttered4 ,the procession halted1 the house was entered1 the family were dragged forth and chained1 and the terrible company went forward in search of fresh victims4 ,they 8spared no house1 great or small1 not even the colleges of the ,university of ,paris4444 ,morin made all the city quake4444 ,it was a reign of terror407#ccg7 ,the victims were put to death with cruel torture1 it being specially ordered that the fire should be lowered1 in order to prolong their agony4 ,but they died as conquerors4 ,their constancy was unshaken1 their peace unclouded4 ,their persecutors1 powerless to move their inflexible firmness1 felt themselves defeated4 8,the scaffolds were distributed over all the quarters of ,paris1 and the burnings followed on successive days1 the design being to spread the terror of heresy by spreading the executions4 ,the advantage1 however1 in the end1 remained with the gospel4 ,all ,paris was enabled to see what kind of men the new opinions could produce4 ,there was no pulpit like the martyr's pile4 ,the serene joy that lighted up the faces of these men as they passed along 444 to the place of execution1 their heroism as they stood amid the bitter flames1 their meek forgiveness of injuries1 transformed1 in instances not a few1 anger into pity1 and hate into love1 and pleaded with resistless eloquence in behalf of the gospel407#cch7 ,the priests1 bent upon keeping the popular fury at its height1 circulated the most terrible accusations against the ,protestants4 ,they were charged with plotting to massacre the ,catholics1 to overthrow the government1 and to murder the king4 ,not a shadow of evidence could be produced in support of the allegations4 ,yet these prophecies of evil were to have a fulfilment2 under far different circumstances1 however1 and from causes of an opposite character4 ,the cruelties that were inflicted upon the innocent ,protestants by the ,catholics1 accumulated in a weight of retribution1 and in after-centuries wrought the very doom they had predicted to be impending1 upon the king1 his government1 and his subjects2 but it was brought about by infidels1 and by the papists themselves4 ,it was not the establishment1 but the suppression1 of ,protestantism1 that1 three hundred years later1 was to bring upon ,france these dire calamities4 ,suspicion1 distrust1 and terror now pervaded all classes of society4 ,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 education1 influence1 and excellence of character4 ,positions of trust and honor were suddenly found vacant4 ,artisans1 printers1 scholars1 professors in the universities1 authors1 and even courtiers1 disappeared4 ,hundreds fled from ,paris1 self-constituted exiles from their native land1 in many cases thus giving the first intimation that they favored the reformed faith4 ,the papists looked about them in amazement at thought of the unsuspected heretics that had been tolerated among them4 ,their rage spent itself upon the multitudes of humbler victims who were within their power4 ,the prisons were crowded1 and the very air seemed darkened with the smoke of burning piles1 kindled for the confessors of the gospel4 ,francis ,i4 had gloried in being a leader in the great movement for the revival of learning which marked the opening of the sixteenth century4 ,he had delighted to gather at his court men of letters from every country4 ,to his love of learning and his contempt for the ignorance and superstition of the monks was due1 in part at least1 the degree of toleration that had been granted to the reform4 ,but1 inspired with zeal to stamp out heresy1 this patron of learning issued an edict declaring printing abolished all over ,france6 ,francis ,i4 presents one among the many examples on record showing that intellectual culture is not a safeguard against religious intolerance and persecution4 ,france by a solemn and public ceremony was to commit herself fully to the destruction of ,protestantism4 ,the priests demanded that the affront offered to high ,heaven in the condemnation of the mass1 be expiated in blood1 and that the king1 in behalf of his people1 publicly give his sanction to the dreadful work4 ,the #bast of ,january1 #aece1 was fixed upon for the awful ceremonial4 ,the superstitious fears and bigoted hatred of the whole nation had been roused4 ,paris was thronged with the multitudes that from all the surrounding country crowded her streets4 ,the day was to be ushered in by a vast and imposing procession4 8,the houses along the line of march were hung with mourning drapery1 and altars rose at intervals40 ,before every door was a lighted torch in honor of the 8holy sacrament40 ,before daybreak the procession formed1 at the palace of the king4 8,first came the banners and crosses of the several parishes2 next appeared the citizens1 walking two and two1 and bearing torches40 ,the four orders of friars followed1 each in its own peculiar dress4 ,then came a vast collection of famous relics4 ,following these rode lordly ecclesiastics in their purple and scarlet robes and jeweled adornings1 a gorgeous and glittering array4 8,the host was carried by the bishop of ,paris under a magnificent canopy1 444 supported by four princes of the blood4444 ,after the host walked the king4444 ,francis ,i4 on that day wore no crown1 nor robe of state40 ,with 8head uncovered1 his eyes cast on the ground1 and in his hand a lighted taper10 the king of ,france appeared 8in the character of a penitent407#cci7 ,at every altar he bowed down in humiliation1 not for the vices that defiled his soul1 nor the innocent blood that stained his hands1 but for the deadly sin of his subjects who had dared to condemn the mass4 ,following him came the queen and the dignitaries of state1 also walking two and two1 each with a lighted torch4 ,as a part of the services of the day1 the monarch himself addressed the high officials of the kingdom in the great hall of the bishop's palace4 ,with a sorrowful countenance he appeared before them1 and in words of moving eloquence bewailed 8the crime1 the blasphemy1 the day of sorrow and disgrace10 that had come upon the nation4 ,and he called upon every loyal subject to aid in the extirpation of the pestilent heresy that threatened ,france with ruin4 8,as true1 ,messieurs1 as ,i am your king10 he said1 8if ,i knew one of my own limbs spotted or infected with this detestable rottenness1 ,i would give it you to cut off4444 ,and further1 if ,i saw one of my children defiled by it1 ,i would not spare him4444 ,i would deliver him up myself1 and would sacrifice him to ,god40 ,tears choked his utterance1 and the whole assembly wept1 with one accord exclaiming1 8,we will live and die for the ,catholic religion607#cdj7 ,terrible had become the darkness of the nation that had rejected the light of truth4 8,the grace that bringeth salvation0 had appeared2 but ,france1 after beholding its power and holiness1 after thousands had been drawn by its divine beauty1 after cities and hamlets had been illuminated by its radiance1 had turned away1 choosing darkness rather than light4 ,they had put from them the heavenly gift1 when it was offered them4 ,they had called evil good1 and good evil1 till they had fallen victims to their wilful self-deception4 ,now1 though they might actually believe that they were doing ,god service in persecuting ,his people1 yet their sincerity did not render them guiltless4 ,the light that would have saved them from deception1 from staining their souls with blood-guiltiness1 they had wilfully rejected4 ,a solemn oath to extirpate heresy was taken in the great cathedral where1 nearly three centuries later1 the 8,goddess of ,reason0 was to be enthroned by a nation that had forgotten the living ,god4 ,again the procession formed1 and the representatives of ,france set out to begin the work which they had sworn to do4 8,at short distances scaffolds had been erected1 on which certain ,protestant ,christians were to be burned alive1 and it was arranged that the fagots should be lighted at the moment the king approached1 and that the procession should halt to witness the execution407#cda7 ,the details of the tortures endured by these witnesses for ,christ are too harrowing for recital2 but there was no wavering on the part of the victims4 ,on being urged to recant1 one answered3 8,i only believe in what the prophets and the apostles formerly preached1 and what all the company of saints believed4 ,my faith has a confidence in ,god which will resist all the powers of hell407#cdb7 ,again and again the procession halted at the places of torture4 ,upon reaching their starting-point at the royal palace1 the crowd dispersed1 and the king and the prelates withdrew1 well satisfied with the day's proceedings1 and congratulating themselves that the work now begun would be continued to the complete destruction of heresy4 ,the gospel of peace which ,france had rejected was to be only too surely rooted out1 and terrible would be the results4 ,on the #bast of ,january1 #agic1 two hundred and fifty-eight years from the very day that fully committed ,france to the persecution of the ,reformers1 another procession1 with a far different purpose1 passed through the streets of ,paris4 8,again the king was the chief figure2 again there were tumult and shouting2 again there was heard the cry for more victims2 again there were black scaffolds2 and again the scenes of the day were closed by horrid executions2 ,louis ,,xvi41 struggling hand to hand with his jailers and executioners1 was dragged forward to the block1 and there held down by main force till the axe had fallen1 and his dissevered head rolled on the scaffold407#cdc7 ,nor was the king the only victim2 near the same spot two thousand and eight hundred human beings perished by the guillotine during the bloody days of the ,reign of ,terror4 ,the ,reformation had presented to the world an open ,bible1 unsealing the precepts of the law of ,god1 and urging its claims upon the consciences of the people4 ,infinite ,love had unfolded to men the statutes and principles of heaven4 ,god had said1 8,keep therefore and do them2 for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations1 which shall hear all these statutes1 and say1 ,surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people407#cdd7 ,when ,france rejected the gift of heaven1 she sowed the seeds of anarchy and ruin2 and the inevitable outworking of cause and effect resulted in the ,revolution and the ,reign of ,terror4 ,long before the persecution excited by the placards1 the bold and ardent ,farel had been forced to flee from the land of his birth4 ,he repaired to ,switzerland1 and by his labors1 seconding the work of ,zwingle1 he helped to turn the scale in favor of the ,reformation4 ,his later years were to be spent here1 yet he continued to exert a decided influence upon the reform in ,france4 ,during the first years of his exile1 his efforts were especially directed to spreading the gospel in his native country4 ,he spent considerable time in preaching among his countrymen near the frontier1 where with tireless vigilance he watched the conflict1 and aided by his words of encouragement and counsel4 ,with the assistance of other exiles1 the writings of the ,german ,reformers were translated into the ,french language1 and together with the ,french ,bible1 were printed in large quantities4 ,by colporteurs1 these works were sold extensively in ,france4 ,they were furnished to the colporteurs at a low price1 and thus the profits of the work enabled them to continue it4 ,farel entered upon his work in ,switzerland in the humble guise of a schoolmaster4 ,repairing to a secluded parish1 he devoted himself to the instruction of children4 ,besides the usual branches of learning1 he cautiously introduced the truths of the ,bible1 hoping through the children to reach their parents4 ,there were some who believed1 but the priests came forward to stop the work1 and the superstitious country people were roused to oppose it4 8,that cannot be the gospel of ,christ10 urged the priests1 8seeing the preaching of it does not bring peace1 but war407#cde7 ,like the first disciples1 when persecuted in one city he fled to another4 ,from village to village1 from city to city1 he went1 traveling on foot1 enduring hunger1 cold1 and weariness1 and everywhere in peril of his life4 ,he preached in the market-places1 in the churches1 sometimes in the pulpits of the cathedrals4 ,sometimes he found the church empty of hearers2 at times his preaching was interrupted by shouts and jeers2 again he was pulled violently out of the pulpit4 ,more than once he was set upon by the rabble1 and beaten almost to death4 ,yet he pressed forward4 ,though often repulsed1 with unwearying persistence he returned to the attack2 and one after another1 he saw towns and cities which had been strongholds of popery1 opening their gates to the gospel4 ,the little parish where he had first labored1 soon accepted the reformed faith4 ,the cities of ,morat and ,neuchtel also renounced the ,romish rites1 and removed the idolatrous images from their churches4 ,farel had long desired to plant the ,protestant standard in ,geneva4 ,if this city could be won1 it would be a center for the ,reformation in ,france1 in ,switzerland1 and in ,italy4 ,with this object before him1 he had continued his labors until many of the surrounding towns and hamlets had been gained4 ,then with a single companion he entered ,geneva4 ,but only two sermons was he permitted to preach4 ,the priests1 having vainly endeavored to secure his condemnation by the civil authorities1 summoned him before an ecclesiastical council1 to which they came with arms concealed under their robes1 determined to take his life4 ,outside the hall1 a furious mob1 with clubs and swords1 was gathered to make sure of his death if he should succeed in escaping the council4 ,the presence of magistrates and an armed force1 however1 saved him4 ,early next morning he was conducted1 with his companion1 across the lake to a place of safety4 ,thus ended his first effort to evangelize ,geneva4 ,for the next trial a lowlier instrument was chosen1--a young man1 so humble in appearance that he was coldly treated even by the professed friends of reform4 ,but what could such a one do where ,farel had been rejected8 ,how could one of little courage and experience withstand the tempest before which the strongest and bravest had been forced to flee8 8,not by might1 nor by power1 but by ,my ,spirit1 saith the ,lord407#cdf7 8,god hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty40 8,because the foolishness of ,god is wiser than men2 and the weakness of ,god is stronger than men407#cdg7 ,froment began his work as a schoolmaster4 ,the truths which he taught the children at school1 they repeated at their homes4 ,soon the parents came to hear the ,bible explained1 until the schoolroom was filled with attentive listeners4 ,new ,testaments and tracts were freely distributed1 and they reached many who dared not come openly to listen to the new doctrines4 ,after a time this laborer also was forced to flee2 but the truths he taught had taken hold upon the minds of the people4 ,the ,reformation had been planted1 and it continued to strengthen and extend4 ,the preachers returned1 and through their labors the ,protestant worship was finally established in ,geneva4 ,the city had already declared for the ,reformation1 when ,calvin1 after various wanderings and vicissitudes1 entered its gates4 ,returning from a last visit to his birthplace1 he was on his way to ,basel1 when1 finding the direct road occupied by the armies of ,charles ,v41 he was forced to take the circuitous route by ,geneva4 ,in this visit1 ,farel recognized the hand of ,god4 ,though ,geneva had accepted the reformed faith1 yet a great work remained to be accomplished here4 ,it is not as communities but as individuals that men are converted to ,god2 the work of regeneration must be wrought in the heart and conscience by the power of the ,holy ,spirit1 not by the decrees of councils4 ,while the people of ,geneva had cast off the authority of ,rome1 they were not so ready to renounce the vices that had flourished under her rule4 ,to establish here the pure principles of the gospel1 and to prepare this people to fill worthily the position to which ,providence seemed calling them1 was no light task4 ,farel was confident that he had found in ,calvin one whom he could unite with himself in this work4 ,in the name of ,god he solemnly adjured the young evangelist to remain and labor here4 ,calvin drew back in alarm4 ,timid and peace-loving1 he shrank from contact with the bold1 independent1 and even violent spirit of the ,genevese4 ,the feebleness of his health1 together with his studious habits1 led him to seek retirement4 ,believing that by his pen he could best serve the cause of reform1 he desired to find a quiet retreat for study1 and there1 through the press1 instruct and build up the churches4 ,but ,farel's solemn admonition came to him as a call from heaven1 and he dared not refuse4 ,it seemed to him1 he said1 8that the hand of ,god was stretched down from heaven1 that it lay hold of him1 and fixed him irrevocably to the place he was so impatient to leave407#cdh7 ,at this time great perils surrounded the ,protestant cause4 ,the anathemas of the pope thundered against ,geneva1 and mighty nations threatened it with destruction4 ,how was this little city to resist the powerful hierarchy that had so often forced kings and emperors to submission8 ,how could it stand against the armies of the world's great conquerors8 ,throughout ,christendom1 ,protestantism was menaced by formidable foes4 ,the first triumphs of the ,reformation past1 ,rome summoned new forces1 hoping to accomplish its destruction4 ,at this time1 the order of the ,jesuits was created1 the most cruel1 unscrupulous1 and powerful of all the champions of popery4 ,cut off from earthly ties and human interests1 dead to the claims of natural affection1 reason and conscience wholly silenced1 they knew no rule1 no tie1 but that of their order1 and no duty but to extend its power47#cdi7 ,the gospel of ,christ had enabled its adherents to meet danger and endure suffering1 undismayed by cold1 hunger1 toil1 and poverty1 to uphold the banner of truth in face of the rack1 the dungeon1 and the stake4 ,to combat these forces1 ,jesuitism inspired its followers with a fanaticism that enabled them to endure like dangers1 and to oppose to the power of truth all the weapons of deception4 ,there was no crime too great for them to commit1 no deception too base for them to practise1 no disguise too difficult for them to assume4 ,vowed to perpetual poverty and humility1 it was their studied aim to secure wealth and power1 to be devoted to the overthrow of ,protestantism1 and the reestablishment of the papal supremacy4 ,when appearing as members of their order1 they wore a garb of sanctity1 visiting prisons and hospitals1 ministering to the sick and the poor1 professing to have renounced the world1 and bearing the sacred name of ,jesus1 who went about doing good4 ,but under this blameless exterior the most criminal and deadly purposes were often concealed4 ,it was a fundamental principle of the order that the end justifies the means4 ,by this code1 lying1 theft1 perjury1 assassination1 were not only pardonable but commendable1 when they served the interests of the church4 ,under various disguises the ,jesuits worked their way into offices of state1 climbing up to be the counselors of kings1 and shaping the policy of nations4 ,they became servants1 to act as spies upon their masters4 ,they established colleges for the sons of princes and nobles1 and schools for the common people2 and the children of ,protestant parents were drawn into an observance of popish rites4 ,all the outward pomp and display of the ,romish worship was brought to bear to confuse the mind1 and dazzle and captivate the imagination2 and thus the liberty for which the fathers had toiled and bled was betrayed by the sons4 ,the ,jesuits rapidly spread themselves over ,europe1 and wherever they went1 there followed a revival of popery4 ,to give them greater power1 a bull was issued re-establishing the ,inquisition47#cej7 ,notwithstanding the general abhorrence with which it was regarded1 even in ,catholic countries1 this terrible tribunal was again set up by popish rulers1 and atrocities too terrible to bear the light of day were repeated in its secret dungeons4 ,in many countries1 thousands upon thousands of the very flower of the nation1 the purest and noblest1 the most intellectual and highly educated1 pious and devoted pastors1 industrious and patriotic citizens1 brilliant scholars1 talented artists1 skilful artisans1 were slain1 or forced to flee to other lands4 ,such were the means which ,rome had invoked to quench the light of the ,reformation1 to withdraw from men the ,bible1 and to restore the ignorance and superstition of the ,dark ,ages4 ,but under ,god's blessing and the labors of those noble men whom ,he had raised up to succeed ,luther1 ,protestantism was not overthrown4 ,not to the favor or arms of princes was it to owe its strength4 ,the smallest countries1 the humblest and least powerful nations1 became its strongholds4 ,it was little ,geneva in the midst of mighty foes plotting her destruction2 it was ,holland on her sand-banks by the northern sea1 wrestling against the tyranny of ,spain1 then the greatest and most opulent of kingdoms2 it was bleak1 sterile ,sweden1 that gained victories for the ,reformation4 ,for nearly thirty years1 ,calvin labored at ,geneva2 first to establish there a church adhering to the morality of the ,bible1 and then for the advancement of the ,reformation throughout ,europe4 ,his course as a public leader was not faultless1 nor were his doctrines free from error4 ,but he was instrumental in promulgating truths that were of special importance in his time1 in maintaining the principles of ,protestantism against the fast-returning tide of popery1 and in promoting in the reformed churches simplicity and purity of life1 in place of the pride and corruption fostered under the ,romish teaching4 ,from ,geneva1 publications and teachers went out to spread the reformed doctrines4 ,to this point the persecuted of all lands looked for instruction1 counsel1 and encouragement4 ,the city of ,calvin became a refuge for the hunted ,reformers of all ,western ,europe4 ,fleeing from the awful tempests that continued for centuries1 the fugitives came to the gates of ,geneva4 ,starving1 wounded1 bereft of home and kindred1 they were warmly welcomed and tenderly cared for2 and finding a home here1 they blessed the city of their adoption by their skill1 their learning1 and their piety4 ,many who sought here a refuge returned to their own countries to resist the tyranny of ,rome4 ,john ,knox1 the brave ,scotch ,reformer1 not a few of the ,english ,puritans1 the ,protestants of ,holland and of ,spain1 and the ,huguenots of ,france1 carried from ,geneva the torch of truth to lighten the darkness of their native lands4 #ac4 ,,the ,,netherlands ,,and ,,scandinavia4 ,illustration3 ,chapter header4 ,in the ,netherlands the papal tyranny very early called forth resolute protest4 ,seven hundred years before ,luther's time1 the ,roman pontiff was thus fearlessly impeached by two bishops1 who1 having been sent on an embassy to ,rome1 had learned the true character of the 8holy see30 ,god 8has made ,his queen and spouse1 the church1 a noble and everlasting provision for her family1 with a dowry that is neither fading nor corruptible1 and given her an eternal crown and scepter2 444 all which benefits you like a thief intercept4 ,you set up yourself in the temple as ,god2 instead of pastor1 you are become a wolf to the sheep2 444 you would make us believe you are a supreme bishop1 but you rather behave like a tyrant4444 ,whereas you ought to be a servant of servants1 as you call yourself1 you endeavor to become a lord of lords4444 ,you bring the commands of ,god into contempt4444 ,the ,holy ,ghost is the builder of all churches as far as the earth extends4444 ,the city of our ,god1 of which we are the citizens1 reaches to all the regions of the heavens2 and it is greater than the city1 by the holy prophets named ,babylon1 which pretends to be divine1 wins herself to heaven1 and brags that her wisdom is immortal2 and finally1 though without reason1 that she never did err1 nor ever can407#cea7 ,others arose from century to century to echo this protest4 ,and those early teachers1 who1 traversing different lands and known by various names1 bore the character of the ,vaudois missionaries1 and spread everywhere the knowledge of the gospel1 penetrated to the ,netherlands4 ,their doctrines spread rapidly4 ,the ,waldensian ,bible they translated in verse into the ,dutch language4 ,they declared 8that there was great advantage in it2 no jests1 no fables1 no trifles1 no deceits1 but the words of truth2 that indeed there was here and there a hard crust1 but that the marrow and sweetness of what was good and holy might be easily discovered in it407#ceb7 ,thus wrote the friends of the ancient faith1 in the twelfth century4 ,now began the ,romish persecutions2 but in the midst of fagots and torture the believers continued to multiply1 steadfastly declaring that the ,bible is the only infallible authority in religion1 and that 8no man should be coerced to believe1 but should be won by preaching407#cec7 ,the teachings of ,luther found a congenial soil in the ,netherlands1 and earnest and faithful men arose to preach the gospel4 ,from one of the provinces of ,holland came ,menno ,simons4 ,educated a ,roman ,catholic1 and ordained to the priesthood1 he was wholly ignorant of the ,bible1 and he would not read it1 for fear of being beguiled into heresy4 ,when a doubt concerning the doctrine of transubstantiation forced itself upon him1 he regarded it as a temptation from ,satan1 and by prayer and confession sought to free himself from it2 but in vain4 ,by mingling in scenes of dissipation he endeavored to silence the accusing voice of conscience2 but without avail4 ,after a time he was led to the study of the ,new ,testament1 and this1 with ,luther's writings1 caused him to accept the reformed faith4 ,he soon after witnessed in a neighboring village the beheading of a man who was put to death for having been rebaptized4 ,this led him to study the ,bible in regard to infant baptism4 ,he could find no evidence for it in the ,scriptures1 but saw that repentance and faith are everywhere required as the condition of receiving baptism4 ,menno withdrew from the ,roman ,church1 and devoted his life to teaching the truths which he had received4 ,in both ,germany and the ,netherlands a class of fanatics had risen1 advocating absurd and seditious doctrines1 outraging order and decency1 and proceeding to violence and insurrection4 ,menno saw the horrible results to which these movements would inevitably lead1 and he strenuously opposed the erroneous teachings and wild schemes of the fanatics4 ,there were many1 however1 who had been misled by these fanatics1 but who had renounced their pernicious doctrines2 and there were still remaining many descendants of the ancient ,christians1 the fruits of the ,waldensian teaching4 ,among these classes ,menno labored with great zeal and success4 ,for twenty-five years he traveled1 with his wife and children1 enduring great hardships and privations1 and frequently in peril of his life4 ,he traversed the ,netherlands and northern ,germany1 laboring chiefly among the humbler classes1 but exerting a wide-spread influence4 ,naturally eloquent1 though possessing a limited education1 he was a man of unwavering integrity1 of humble spirit and gentle manners1 and of sincere and earnest piety1 exemplifying in his own life the precepts which he taught1 and he commanded the confidence of the people4 ,his followers were scattered and oppressed4 ,they suffered greatly from being confounded with the fanatical ,munsterites4 ,yet great numbers were converted under his labors4 ,nowhere were the reformed doctrines more generally received than in the ,netherlands4 ,in few countries did their adherents endure more terrible persecution4 ,in ,germany ,charles ,v4 had banned the ,reformation1 and he would gladly have brought all its adherents to the stake2 but the princes stood up as a barrier against his tyranny4 ,in the ,netherlands his power was greater1 and persecuting edicts followed each other in quick succession4 ,to read the ,bible1 to hear or preach it1 or even to speak concerning it1 was to incur the penalty of death by the stake4 ,to pray to ,god in secret1 to refrain from bowing to an image1 or to sing a psalm1 was also punishable with death4 ,even those who should abjure their errors1 were condemned1 if men1 to die by the sword2 if women1 to be buried alive4 ,thousands perished under the reign of ,charles and of ,philip ,,ii4 ,at one time a whole family was brought before the inquisitors1 charged with remaining away from mass1 and worshiping at home4 ,on his examination as to their practices in secret1 the youngest son answered1 8,we fall on our knees1 and pray that ,god may enlighten our minds and pardon our sins2 we pray for our sovereign1 that his reign may be prosperous and his life happy2 we pray for our magistrates1 that ,god may preserve them407#ced7 ,some of the judges were deeply moved1 yet the father and one of his sons were condemned to the stake4 ,the rage of the persecutors was equaled by the faith of the martyrs4 ,not only men but delicate women and young maidens displayed unflinching courage4 8,wives would take their stand by their husband's stake1 and while he was enduring the fire they would whisper words of solace1 or sing psalms to cheer him40 8,young maidens would lie down in their living grave as if they were entering into their chamber of nightly sleep2 or go forth to the scaffold and the fire1 dressed in their best apparel1 as if they were going to their marriage407#cee7 ,as in the days when paganism sought to destroy the gospel1 the blood of the ,christians was seed47#cef7 ,persecution served to increase the number of witnesses for the truth4 ,year after year the monarch1 stung to madness by the unconquerable determination of the people1 urged on his cruel work2 but in vain4 ,under the noble ,william of ,orange1 the ,revolution at last brought to ,holland freedom to worship ,god4 ,in the mountains of ,piedmont1 on the plains of ,france and the shores of ,holland1 the progress of the gospel was marked with the blood of its disciples4 ,but in the countries of the ,north it found a peaceful entrance4 ,students at ,wittenberg1 returning to their homes1 carried the reformed faith to ,scandinavia4 ,the publication of ,luther's writings also spread the light4 ,the simple1 hardy people of the ,north turned from the corruption1 the pomp1 and the superstitions of ,rome1 to welcome the purity1 the simplicity1 and the life-giving truths of the ,bible4 ,tausen1 8the ,reformer of ,denmark10 was a peasant's son4 ,the boy early gave evidence of vigorous intellect2 he thirsted for an education2 but this was denied him by the circumstances of his parents1 and he entered a cloister4 ,here the purity of his life1 together with his diligence and fidelity1 won the favor of his superior4 ,examination showed him to possess talent that promised at some future day good service to the church4 ,it was determined to give him an education at some one of the universities of ,germany or the ,netherlands4 ,the young student was granted permission to choose a school for himself1 with one proviso1 that he must not go to ,wittenberg4 ,the scholar of the church was not to be endangered by the poison of heresy4 ,so said the friars4 ,tausen went to ,cologne1 which was then1 as now1 one of the strongholds of ,romanism4 ,here he soon became disgusted with the mysticisms of the schoolmen4 ,about the same time he obtained ,luther's writings4 ,he read them with wonder and delight1 and greatly desired to enjoy the personal instruction of the ,reformer4 ,but to do so he must risk giving offense to his monastic superior1 and forfeiting his support4 ,his decision was soon made1 and erelong he was enrolled as a student at ,wittenberg4 ,on returning to ,denmark1 he again repaired to his cloister4 ,no one as yet suspected him of ,lutheranism2 he did not reveal his secret1 but endeavored1 without exciting the prejudices of his companions1 to lead them to a purer faith and a holier life4 ,he opened the ,bible1 and explained its true meaning1 and at last preached ,christ to them as the sinner's righteousness and his only hope of salvation4 ,great was the wrath of the prior1 who had built high hopes upon him as a valiant defender of ,rome4 ,he was at once removed from his own monastery to another1 and confined to his cell1 under strict supervision4 ,to the terror of his new guardians1 several of the monks soon declared themselves converts to ,protestantism4 ,through the bars of his cell1 ,tausen had communicated to his companions a knowledge of the truth4 ,had those ,danish fathers been skilled in the church's plan of dealing with heresy1 ,tausen's voice would never again have been heard2 but instead of consigning him to a tomb in some underground dungeon1 they expelled him from the monastery4 ,now they were powerless4 ,a royal edict1 just issued1 offered protection to the teachers of the new doctrine4 ,tausen began to preach4 ,the churches were opened to him1 and the people thronged to listen4 ,others also were preaching the word of ,god4 ,the ,new ,testament1 translated into the ,danish tongue1 was widely circulated4 ,the efforts made by the papists to overthrow the work resulted in extending it1 and erelong ,denmark declared its acceptance of the reformed faith4 ,in ,sweden1 also1 young men who had drunk from the well of ,wittenberg carried the water of life to their countrymen4 ,two of the leaders in the ,swedish ,reformation1 ,olaf and ,laurentius ,petri1 the sons of a blacksmith of ,orebro1 studied under ,luther and ,melanchthon1 and the truths which they thus learned they were diligent to teach4 ,like the great ,reformer1 ,olaf aroused the people by his zeal and eloquence1 while ,laurentius1 like ,melanchthon1 was learned1 thoughtful1 and calm4 ,both were men of ardent piety1 of high theological attainments1 and of unflinching courage in advancing the truth4 ,papist opposition was not lacking4 ,the ,catholic priests stirred up the ignorant and superstitious people4 ,olaf ,petri was often assailed by the mob1 and upon several occasions barely escaped with his life4 ,these reformers were1 however1 favored and protected by the king4 ,under the rule of the ,roman ,church1 the people were sunken in poverty1 and ground down by oppression4 ,they were destitute of the ,scriptures2 and having a religion of mere signs and ceremonies1 which conveyed no light to the mind1 they were returning to the superstitious beliefs and pagan practices of their heathen ancestors4 ,the nation was divided into contending factions1 whose perpetual strife increased the misery of all4 ,the king determined upon a reformation in the state and the church1 and he welcomed these able assistants in the battle against ,rome4 ,in the presence of the monarch and the leading men of ,sweden1 ,olaf ,petri with great ability defended the doctrines of the reformed faith against the ,romish champions4 ,he declared that the teachings of the ,fathers are to be received only when in accordance with the ,scriptures2 that the essential doctrines of the faith are presented in the ,bible in a clear and simple manner1 so that all men may understand them4 ,christ said1 8,my doctrine is not ,mine1 but ,his that sent ,me207#ceg7 and ,paul declared that should he preach any other gospel than that which he had received1 he would be accursed47#ceh7 8,how1 then10 said the ,reformer1 8shall others presume to enact dogmas at their pleasure1 and impose them as things necessary to salvation807#cei7 ,he showed that the decrees of the church are of no authority when in opposition to the commands of ,god1 and maintained the great ,protestant principle1 that 8the ,bible and the ,bible only10 is the rule of faith and practice4 ,this contest1 though conducted upon a stage comparatively obscure1 serves to show us 8the sort of men that formed the rank and file of the army of the ,reformers4 ,they were not illiterate1 sectarian1 noisy controversialists--far from it2 they were men who had studied the word of ,god1 and knew well how to wield the weapons with which the armory of the ,bible supplied them4 ,in respect of erudition they were ahead of their age4 ,when we confine our attention to such brilliant centers as ,wittenberg and ,zurich1 and to such illustrious names as those of ,luther and ,melanchthon1 of ,zwingle and colampadius1 we are apt to be told1 these were the leaders of the movement1 and we should naturally expect in them prodigious power and vast acquisitions2 but the subordinates were not like these4 ,well1 we turn to the obscure theater of ,sweden1 and the humble names of ,olaf and ,laurentius ,petri--from the masters to the disciples--what do we find8444 ,scholars and theologians2 men who have thoroughly mastered the whole system of gospel truth1 and who win an easy victory over the sophists of the schools and the dignitaries of ,rome407#cfj7 ,as the result of this disputation1 the king of ,sweden accepted the ,protestant faith1 and not long afterward the national assembly declared in its favor4 ,the ,new ,testament had been translated by ,olaf ,petri into the ,swedish language1 and at the desire of the king the two brothers undertook the translation of the whole ,bible4 ,thus for the first time the people of ,sweden received the word of ,god in their native tongue4 ,it was ordered by the ,diet that throughout the kingdom1 ministers should explain the ,scriptures1 and that the children in the schools should be taught to read the ,bible4 ,steadily and surely the darkness of ignorance and superstition was dispelled by the blessed light of the gospel4 ,freed from ,romish oppression1 the nation attained to a strength and greatness it had never before reached4 ,sweden became one of the bulwarks of ,protestantism4 ,a century later1 at a time of sorest peril1 this small and hitherto feeble nation--the only one in ,europe that dared lend a helping hand--came to the deliverance of ,germany in the terrible struggles of the ,thirty ,years' ,war4 ,all ,northern ,europe seemed about to be brought again under the tyranny of ,rome4 ,it was the armies of ,sweden that enabled ,germany to turn the tide of popish success1 to win toleration for the ,protestants1--,calvinists as well as ,lutherans1--and to restore liberty of conscience to those countries that had accepted the ,reformation4 #ad4 ,,later ,,english ,,reformers4 ,illustration3 ,chapter header4 ,while ,luther was opening a closed ,bible to the people of ,germany1 ,tyndale was impelled by the ,spirit of ,god to do the same for ,england4 ,wycliffe's ,bible had been translated from the ,latin text1 which contained many errors4 ,it had never been printed1 and the cost of manuscript copies was so great that few but wealthy men or nobles could procure it2 and furthermore1 being strictly proscribed by the church1 it had had a comparatively narrow circulation4 ,in #aeaf1 a year before the appearance of ,luther's theses1 ,erasmus had published his ,greek and ,latin version of the ,new ,testament4 ,now for the first time the word of ,god was printed in the original tongue4 ,in this work many errors of former versions were corrected1 and the sense was more clearly rendered4 ,it led many among the educated classes to a better knowledge of the truth1 and gave a new impetus to the work of reform4 ,but the common people were still1 to a great extent1 debarred from ,god's word4 ,tyndale was to complete the work of ,wycliffe in giving the ,bible to his countrymen4 ,a diligent student and an earnest seeker for truth1 he had received the gospel from the ,greek ,testament of ,erasmus4 ,he fearlessly preached his convictions1 urging that all doctrines be tested by the ,scriptures4 ,to the papist claim that the church had given the ,bible1 and the church alone could explain it1 ,tyndale responded3 8,do you know who taught the eagles to find their prey8 ,well1 that same ,god teaches ,his hungry children to find their ,father in ,his word4 ,far from having given us the ,scriptures1 it is you who have hidden them from us2 it is you who burn those who teach them1 and if you could1 you would burn the ,scriptures themselves407#cfa7 ,tyndale's preaching excited great interest2 many accepted the truth4 ,but the priests were on the alert1 and no sooner had he left the field than they by their threats and misrepresentations endeavored to destroy his work4 ,too often they succeeded4 8,what is to be done80 he exclaimed4 8,while ,i am sowing in one place1 the enemy ravages the field ,i have just left4 ,i cannot be everywhere4 ,oh6 if ,christians possessed the ,holy ,scriptures in their own tongue1 they could of themselves withstand these sophists4 ,without the ,bible it is impossible to establish the laity in the truth407#cfb7 ,a new purpose now took possession of his mind4 8,it was in the language of ,israel10 said he1 8that the psalms were sung in the temple of ,jehovah2 and shall not the gospel speak the language of ,england among us8444 ,ought the church to have less light at noonday than at the dawn8444 ,christians must read the ,new ,testament in their mother-tongue40 ,the doctors and teachers of the church disagreed among themselves4 ,only by the ,bible could men arrive at the truth4 8,one holdeth this doctor1 another that4444 ,now each of these authors contradicts the other4 ,how then can we distinguish him who says right from him who says wrong8444 ,how8444 ,verily by ,god's word407#cfc7 ,it was not long after that a learned ,catholic doctor1 engaging in controversy with him1 exclaimed1 8,we were better to be without ,god's laws than the pope's40 ,tyndale replied1 8,i defy the pope and all his laws2 and if ,god spare my life1 ere many years ,i will cause a boy that driveth the plow to know more of the ,scripture than you do407#cfd7 ,the purpose which he had begun to cherish1 of giving to the people the ,new ,testament ,scriptures in their own language1 was now confirmed1 and he immediately applied himself to the work4 ,driven from his home by persecution1 he went to ,london1 and there for a time pursued his labors undisturbed4 ,but again the violence of the papists forced him to flee4 ,all ,england seemed closed against him1 and he resolved to seek shelter in ,germany4 ,here he began the printing of the ,english ,new ,testament4 ,twice the work was stopped2 but when forbidden to print in one city1 he went to another4 ,at last he made his way to ,worms1 where1 a few years before1 ,luther had defended the gospel before the ,diet4 ,in that ancient city were many friends of the ,reformation1 and ,tyndale there prosecuted his work without further hindrance4 ,three thousand copies of the ,new ,testament were soon finished1 and another edition followed in the same year4 ,with great earnestness and perseverance he continued his labors4 ,notwithstanding the ,english authorities had guarded their ports with the strictest vigilance1 the word of ,god was in various ways secretly conveyed to ,london1 and thence circulated throughout the country4 ,the papists attempted to suppress the truth1 but in vain4 ,the bishop of ,durham at one time bought of a bookseller who was a friend of ,tyndale1 his whole stock of ,bibles1 for the purpose of destroying them1 supposing that this would greatly hinder the work4 ,but on the contrary1 the money thus furnished1 purchased material for a new and better edition1 which1 but for this1 could not have been published4 ,when ,tyndale was afterward made a prisoner1 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 ,bibles4 ,he replied that the bishop of ,durham had done more than any other person2 for by paying a large price for the books left on hand1 he had enabled him to go on with good courage4 ,tyndale was betrayed into the hands of his enemies1 and at one time suffered imprisonment for many months4 ,he finally witnessed for his faith by a martyr's death2 but the weapons which he prepared have enabled other soldiers to do battle through all the centuries even to our time4 ,latimer maintained from the pulpit that the ,bible ought to be read in the language of the people4 ,the ,author of ,holy ,scripture1 said he1 8is ,god ,himself20 and this ,scripture partakes of the might and eternity of its ,author4 8,there is no king1 emperor1 magistrate1 and ruler 444 but are bound to obey 444 ,his holy word40 8,let us not take any by-walks1 but let ,god's word direct us3 let us not walk after 444 our forefathers1 nor seek not what they did1 but what they should have done407#cfe7 ,barnes and ,frith1 the faithful friends of ,tyndale1 arose to defend the truth4 ,the ,ridleys and ,cranmer followed4 ,these leaders in the ,english ,reformation were men of learning1 and most of them had been highly esteemed for zeal or piety in the ,romish communion4 ,their opposition to the papacy was the result of their knowledge of the errors of the 8holy see40 ,their acquaintance with the mysteries of ,babylon1 gave greater power to their testimonies against her4 8,now ,i would ask a strange question10 said ,latimer4 8,who is the most diligent bishop and prelate in all ,england8 444 ,i see you listening and hearkening that ,i should name him4444 ,i will tell you3 it is the devil4444 ,he is never out of his diocese2 444 call for him when you will1 he is ever at home2 444 he is ever at his plow4444 ,ye shall never find him idle1 ,i warrant you4444 ,where the devil is resident1 444 there away with books1 and up with candles2 away with ,bibles1 and up with beads2 away with the light of the gospel1 and up with the light of candles1 yea1 at noondays2 444 down with ,christ's cross1 up with purgatory pick-purse2 444 away with clothing the naked1 the poor1 and impotent1 up with decking of images and gay garnishing of stocks and stones2 up with man's traditions and his laws1 down with ,god's traditions and ,his most holy word4444 ,o that our prelates would be as diligent to sow the corn of good doctrine1 as ,satan is to sow cockle and darnel607#cff7 ,the grand principle maintained by these ,reformers--the same that had been held by the ,waldenses1 by ,wycliffe1 by ,john ,huss1 by ,luther1 ,zwingle1 and those who united with them--was the infallible authority of the ,holy ,scriptures as a rule of faith and practice4 ,they denied the right of popes1 councils1 ,fathers1 and kings1 to control the conscience in matters of religion4 ,the ,bible was their authority1 and by its teaching they tested all doctrines and all claims4 ,faith in ,god and ,his word sustained these holy men as they yielded up their lives at the stake4 8,be of good comfort10 exclaimed ,latimer to his fellow-martyr as the flames were about to silence their voices1 8we shall this day light such a candle1 by ,god's grace1 in ,england1 as ,i trust shall never be put out407#cfg7 ,in ,scotland the seeds of truth scattered by ,columba and his co-laborers had never been wholly destroyed4 ,for hundreds of years after the churches of ,england submitted to ,rome1 those of ,scotland maintained their freedom4 ,in the twelfth century1 however1 popery became established here1 and in no country did it exercise a more absolute sway4 ,nowhere was the darkness deeper4 ,still there came rays of light to pierce the gloom1 and give promise of the coming day4 ,the ,lollards1 coming from ,england with the ,bible and the teachings of ,wycliffe1 did much to preserve the knowledge of the gospel1 and every century had its witnesses and martyrs4 ,with the opening of the ,great ,reformation came the writings of ,luther1 and then ,tyndale's ,english ,new ,testament4 ,unnoticed by the hierarchy1 these messengers silently traversed the mountains and valleys1 kindling into new life the torch of truth so nearly extinguished in ,scotland1 and undoing the work which ,rome for four centuries of oppression had done4 ,then the blood of martyrs gave fresh impetus to the movement4 ,the papist leaders1 suddenly awakening to the danger that threatened their cause1 brought to the stake some of the noblest and most honored of the sons of ,scotland4 ,they did but erect a pulpit1 from which the words of these dying witnesses were heard throughout the land1 thrilling the souls of the people with an undying purpose to cast off the shackles of ,rome4 ,hamilton and ,wishart1 princely in character as in birth1 with a long line of humbler disciples1 yielded up their lives at the stake4 ,but from the burning pile of ,wishart there came one whom the flames were not to silence1 one who under ,god was to strike the death-knell of popery in ,scotland4 ,john ,knox had turned away from the traditions and mysticisms of the church1 to feed upon the truths of ,god's word2 and the teaching of ,wishart had confirmed his determination to forsake the communion of ,rome1 and join himself to the persecuted ,reformers4 ,urged by his companions to take the office of preacher1 he shrunk with trembling from its responsibility1 and it was only after days of seclusion and painful conflict with himself that he consented4 ,but having once accepted the position1 he pressed forward with inflexible determination and undaunted courage as long as life continued4 ,this true-hearted ,reformer feared not the face of man4 ,the fires of martyrdom1 blazing around him1 served only to quicken his zeal to greater intensity4 ,with the tyrant's axe held menacingly over his head1 he stood his ground1 striking sturdy blows on the right hand and on the left to demolish idolatry4 ,when brought face to face with the queen of ,scotland1 in whose presence the zeal of many a leader of the ,protestants had abated1 ,john ,knox bore unswerving witness for the truth4 ,he was not to be won by caresses2 he quailed not before threats4 ,the queen charged him with heresy4 ,he had taught the people to receive a religion prohibited by the state1 she declared1 and had thus transgressed ,god's command enjoining subjects to obey their princes4 ,knox answered firmly3 8,as right religion took neither original strength nor authority from worldly princes1 but from the eternal ,god alone1 so are not subjects bound to frame their religion according to the appetites of their princes4 ,for oft it is that princes are the most ignorant of all others in ,god's true religion4444 ,if all the seed of ,abraham had been of the religion of ,pharaoh1 whose subjects they long were1 ,i pray you1 madam1 what religion would there have been in the world8 ,or if all men in the days of the apostles had been of the religion of the ,roman emperors1 what religion would there have been upon the face of the earth8444 ,and so1 madam1 ye may perceive that subjects are not bound to the religion of their princes1 albeit they are commanded to give them obedience40 ,said ,mary1 8,ye interpret the ,scriptures in one manner1 and they the ,roman ,catholic teachers interpret in another2 whom shall ,i believe1 and who shall be judge80 8,ye shall believe ,god1 that plainly speaketh in ,his word10 answered the ,reformer2 8and farther than the ,word teaches you1 ye neither shall believe the one nor the other4 ,the word of ,god is plain in itself2 and if there appear any obscurity in one place1 the ,holy ,ghost1 which is never contrary to ,himself1 explains the same more clearly in other places1 so that there can remain no doubt but unto such as obstinately remain ignorant407#cfh7 ,such were the truths that the fearless ,reformer1 at the peril of his life1 spoke in the ear of royalty4 ,with the same undaunted courage he kept to his purpose1 praying and fighting the battles of the ,lord1 until ,scotland was free from popery4 ,in ,england the establishment of ,protestantism as the national religion diminished1 but did not wholly stop1 persecution4 ,while many of the doctrines of ,rome had been renounced1 not a few of its forms were retained4 ,the supremacy of the pope was rejected1 but in his place the monarch was enthroned as the head of the church4 ,in the service of the church there was still a wide departure from the purity and simplicity of the gospel4 ,the great principle of religious liberty was not as yet understood4 ,though the horrible cruelties which ,rome employed against heresy were resorted to but rarely by ,protestant rulers1 yet the right of every man to worship ,god according to the dictates of his own conscience was not acknowledged4 ,all were required to accept the doctrines and observe the forms of worship prescribed by the established church4 ,dissenters suffered persecution1 to a greater or less extent1 for hundreds of years4 ,in the seventeenth century thousands of pastors were expelled from their positions4 ,the people were forbidden1 on pain of heavy fines1 imprisonment1 and banishment1 to attend any religious meetings except such as were sanctioned by the church4 ,those faithful souls who could not refrain from gathering to worship ,god1 were compelled to meet in dark alleys1 in obscure garrets1 and at some seasons in the woods at midnight4 ,in the sheltering depths of the forest1 a temple of ,god's own building1 those scattered and persecuted children of the ,lord assembled to pour out their souls in prayer and praise4 ,but despite all their precautions1 many suffered for their faith4 ,the jails were crowded4 ,families were broken up4 ,many were banished to foreign lands4 ,yet ,god was with ,his people1 and persecution could not prevail to silence their testimony4 ,many were driven across the ocean to ,america1 and here laid the foundations of civil and religious liberty which have been the bulwark and glory of this country4 ,again1 as in apostolic days1 persecution turned out to the furtherance of the gospel4 ,in a loathsome dungeon crowded with profligates and felons1 ,john ,bunyan breathed the very atmosphere of heaven2 and there he wrote his wonderful allegory of the pilgrim's journey from the land of destruction to the celestial city4 ,for over two hundred years that voice from ,bedford jail has spoken with thrilling power to the hearts of men4 ,bunyan's 8,pilgrim's ,progress0 and 8,grace ,abounding to the ,chief of ,sinners0 have guided many feet into the path of life4 ,baxter1 ,flavel1 ,alleine1 and other men of talent1 education1 and deep ,christian experience1 stood up in valiant defense of the faith which was once delivered to the saints4 ,the work accomplished by these men1 proscribed and outlawed by the rulers of this world1 can never perish4 ,flavel's 8,fountain of ,life0 and 8,method of ,grace0 have taught thousands how to commit the keeping of their souls to ,christ4 ,baxter's 8,reformed ,pastor0 has proved a blessing to many who desire a revival of the work of ,god1 and his 8,saints' ,everlasting ,rest0 has done its work in leading souls to the 8rest that remaineth for the people of ,god40 ,a hundred years later1 in a day of great spiritual darkness1 ,whitefield and the ,wesleys appeared as light-bearers for ,god4 ,under the rule of the established church1 the people of ,england had lapsed into a state of religious declension hardly to be distinguished from heathenism4 ,natural religion was the favorite study of the clergy1 and included most of their theology4 ,the higher classes sneered at piety1 and prided themselves on being above what they called its fanaticism4 ,the lower classes were grossly ignorant1 and abandoned to vice1 while the church had no courage or faith any longer to support the downfallen cause of truth4 ,the great doctrine of justification by faith1 so clearly taught by ,luther1 had been almost wholly lost sight of2 and the ,romish principle of trusting to good works for salvation1 had taken its place4 ,whitefield and the ,wesleys1 who were members of the established church1 were sincere seekers for the favor of ,god1 and this they had been taught was to be secured by a virtuous life and an observance of the ordinances of religion4 ,when ,charles ,wesley at one time fell ill1 and anticipated that death was approaching1 he was asked upon what he rested his hope of eternal life4 ,his answer was1 8,i have used my best endeavors to serve ,god40 ,as the friend who had put the question seemed not to be fully satisfied with his answer1 ,wesley thought1 8,what6 are not my endeavors a sufficient ground of hope8 ,would he rob me of my endeavors8 ,i have nothing else to trust to407#cfi7 ,such was the dense darkness that had settled down on the church1 hiding the atonement1 robbing ,christ of ,his glory1 and turning the minds of men from their only hope of salvation1--the blood of the crucified ,redeemer4 ,wesley and his associates were led to see that true religion is seated in the heart1 and that ,god's law extends to the thoughts as well as to the words and actions4 ,convinced of the necessity of holiness of heart1 as well as correctness of outward deportment1 they set out in earnest upon a new life4 ,by the most diligent and prayerful efforts they endeavored to subdue the evils of the natural heart4 ,they lived a life of self-denial1 charity1 and humiliation1 observing with great rigor and exactness every measure which they thought could be helpful to them in obtaining what they most desired1--that holiness which could secure the favor of ,god4 ,but they did not obtain the object which they sought4 ,in vain were their endeavors to free themselves from the condemnation of sin or to break its power4 ,it was the same struggle which ,luther had experienced in his cell at ,erfurt4 ,it was the same question which had tortured his soul1--8,how should man be just before ,god807#cgj7 ,the fires of divine truth1 well-nigh extinguished upon the altars of ,protestantism1 were to be rekindled from the ancient torch handed down the ages by the ,bohemian ,christians4 ,after the ,reformation1 ,protestantism in ,bohemia had been trampled out by the hordes of ,rome4 ,all who refused to renounce the truth were forced to flee4 ,some of these1 finding refuge in ,saxony1 there maintained the ancient faith4 ,it was from the descendants of these ,christians that light came to ,wesley and his associates4 ,john and ,charles ,wesley1 after being ordained to the ministry1 were sent on a mission to ,america4 ,on board the ship was a company of ,moravians4 ,violent storms were encountered on the passage1 and ,john ,wesley1 brought face to face with death1 felt that he had not the assurance of peace with ,god4 ,the ,germans1 on the contrary1 manifested a calmness and trust to which he was a stranger4 8,i had long before10 he says1 8observed the great seriousness of their behavior4 ,of their humility they had given a continual proof1 by performing those servile offices for the other passengers which none of the ,english would undertake2 for which they desired and would receive no pay1 saying it was good for their proud hearts1 and their loving ,saviour had done more for them4 ,and every day had given them occasion of showing a meekness which no injury could move4 ,if they were pushed1 struck1 or thrown down1 they rose again and went away2 but no complaint was found in their mouth4 ,there was now an opportunity of trying whether they were delivered from the spirit of fear1 as well as from that of pride1 anger1 and revenge4 ,in the midst of the psalm wherewith their service began1 the sea broke over1 split the mainsail in pieces1 covered the ship1 and poured in between the decks as if the great deep had already swallowed us up4 ,a terrible screaming began among the ,english4 ,the ,germans calmly sung on4 ,i asked one of them afterward1 #8,were you not afraid8' ,he answered1 #8,i thank ,god1 no1' ,i asked1 #8,but were not your women and children afraid8' ,he replied mildly1 #8,no2 our women and children are not afraid to die4' 07#cga7 ,upon arriving in ,savannah1 ,wesley for a short time abode with the ,moravians1 and was deeply impressed with their ,christian deportment4 ,of one of their religious services1 in striking contrast to the lifeless formalism of the ,church of ,england1 he wrote3 8,the great simplicity as well as solemnity of the whole almost made me forget the seventeen hundred years between1 and imagine myself in one of those assemblies where form and state were not2 but ,paul1 the tent-maker1 or ,peter1 the fisherman1 presided2 yet with the demonstration of the ,spirit and of power407#cgb7 ,on his return to ,england1 ,wesley1 under the instruction of a ,moravian preacher1 arrived at a clearer understanding of ,bible faith4 ,he was convinced that he must renounce all dependence upon his own works for salvation1 and must trust wholly to the 8,lamb of ,god that taketh away the sin of the world40 ,at a meeting of the ,moravian society in ,london1 a statement was read from ,luther1 describing the change which the ,spirit of ,god works in the heart of the believer4 ,as ,wesley listened1 faith was kindled in his soul4 8,i felt my heart strangely warmed10 he says4 8,i felt ,i did trust in ,christ1 ,christ alone1 for salvation3 and an assurance was given me1 that ,he had taken away my sins1 even mine1 and saved me from the law of sin and death407#cgc7 ,through long years of wearisome and comfortless striving1--years of rigorous self-denial1 of reproach and humiliation1--,wesley had steadfastly adhered to his one purpose of seeking ,god4 ,now he had found ,him2 and he found that the grace which he had toiled to win by prayers and fasts1 by almsdeeds and self-abnegation1 was a gift1 8without money1 and without price40 ,once established in the faith of ,christ1 his whole soul burned with the desire to spread everywhere a knowledge of the glorious gospel of ,god's free grace4 8,i look upon all the world as my parish10 he said2 8in whatever part of it ,i am1 ,i judge it meet1 right1 and my bounden duty1 to declare unto all that are willing to hear1 the glad tidings of salvation407#cgd7 ,he continued his strict and self-denying life1 not now as the ground1 but the result of faith2 not the root1 but the fruit of holiness4 ,the grace of ,god in ,christ is the foundation of the ,christian's hope1 and that grace will be manifested in obedience4 ,wesley's life was devoted to the preaching of the great truths which he had received1--justification through faith in the atoning blood of ,christ1 and the renewing power of the ,holy ,spirit upon the heart1 bringing forth fruit in a life conformed to the example of ,christ4 ,whitefield and the ,wesleys had been prepared for their work by long and sharp personal convictions of their own lost condition2 and that they might be able to endure hardness as good soldiers of ,christ1 they had been subjected to the fiery ordeal of scorn1 derision1 and persecution1 both in the university and as they were entering the ministry4 ,they and a few others who sympathized with them were contemptuously called ,methodists by their ungodly fellow-students1--a name which is at the present time regarded as honorable by one of the largest denominations in ,england and ,america4 ,as members of the ,church of ,england1 they were strongly attached to her forms of worship1 but the ,lord had presented before them in ,his word a higher standard4 ,the ,holy ,spirit urged them to preach ,christ and ,him crucified4 ,the power of the ,highest attended their labors4 ,thousands were convicted and truly converted4 ,it was necessary that these sheep be protected from ravening wolves4 ,wesley had no thought of forming a new denomination1 but he organized them under what was called the ,methodist ,connection4 ,mysterious and trying was the opposition which these preachers encountered from the established church2 yet ,god1 in ,his wisdom1 had overruled events to cause the reform to begin within the church itself4 ,had it come wholly from without1 it would not have penetrated where it was so much needed4 ,but as the revival preachers were churchmen1 and labored within the pale of the church wherever they could find opportunity1 the truth had an entrance where the doors would otherwise have remained closed4 ,some of the clergy were roused from their moral stupor1 and became zealous preachers in their own parishes4 ,churches that had been petrified by formalism were quickened into life4 ,in ,wesley's time1 as in all ages of the church's history1 men of different gifts performed their appointed work4 ,they did not harmonize upon every point of doctrine1 but all were moved by the ,spirit of ,god1 and united in the absorbing aim to win souls to ,christ4 ,the differences between ,whitefield and the ,wesleys threatened at one time to create alienation2 but as they learned meekness in the school of ,christ1 mutual forbearance and charity reconciled them4 ,they had no time to dispute1 while error and iniquity were teeming everywhere1 and sinners were going down to ruin4 ,the servants of ,god trod a rugged path4 ,men of influence and learning employed their powers against them4 ,after a time many of the clergy manifested determined hostility1 and the doors of the churches were closed against a pure faith and those who proclaimed it4 ,the course of the clergy in denouncing them from the pulpit1 aroused the elements of darkness1 ignorance1 and iniquity4 ,again and again did ,john ,wesley escape death by a miracle of ,god's mercy4 ,when the rage of the mob was excited against him1 and there seemed no way of escape1 an angel in human form came to his side1 the mob fell back1 and the servant of ,christ passed in safety from the place of danger4 ,of his deliverance from the enraged mob on one of these occasions1 ,wesley said3 8,many endeavored to throw me down while we were going down hill on a slippery path to the town2 as well judging that if ,i was once on the ground1 ,i should hardly rise any more4 ,but ,i made no stumble at all1 nor the least slip1 till ,i was entirely out of their hands4444 ,although many strove to lay hold on my collar or clothes1 to pull me down1 they could not fasten at all3 only one got fast hold of the flap of my waistcoat1 which was soon left in his hand2 the other flap1 in the pocket of which was a bank-note1 was torn but half off4444 ,a lusty man just behind1 struck at me several times1 with a large oaken stick2 with which if he had struck me once on the back part of my head1 it would have saved him all further trouble4 ,but every time the blow was turned aside1 ,i know not how2 for ,i could not move to the right hand or left4444 ,another came rushing through the press1 and raising his arm to strike1 on a sudden let it drop1 and only stroked my head1 saying1 #8,what soft hair he has6' 444 ,the very first men whose hearts were turned were the heroes of the town1 the captains of the rabble on all occasions1 one of them having been a prize-fighter at the bear-gardens4444 8,by how gentle degrees does ,god prepare us for ,his will6 ,two years ago1 a piece of brick grazed my shoulders4 ,it was a year after that the stone struck me between the eyes4 ,last month ,i received one blow1 and this evening two1 one before we came into the town1 and one after we were gone out2 but both were as nothing3 for though one man struck me on the breast with all his might1 and the other on the mouth with such a force that the blood gushed out immediately1 ,i felt no more pain from either of the blows than if they had touched me with a straw407#cge7 ,the ,methodists of those early days--people as well as preachers--endured ridicule and persecution1 alike from church-members and from the openly irreligious who were inflamed by their misrepresentations4 ,they were arraigned before courts of justice--such only in name1 for justice was rare in the courts of that time4 ,often they suffered violence from their persecutors4 ,mobs went from house to house1 destroying furniture and goods1 plundering whatever they chose1 and brutally abusing men1 women1 and children4 ,in some instances1 public notices were posted1 calling upon those who desired to assist in breaking the windows and robbing the houses of the ,methodists1 to assemble at a given time and place4 ,these open violations of both human and divine law were allowed to pass without a reprimand4 ,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 holiness4 ,said ,john ,wesley1 referring to the charges against himself and his associates3 8,some allege that the doctrines of these men are false1 erroneous1 and enthusiastic2 that they are new and unheard-of till of late2 that they are ,quakerism1 fanaticism1 popery4 ,this whole pretense has been already cut up by the roots1 it having been shown at large that every branch of this doctrine is the plain doctrine of ,scripture interpreted by our own church4 ,therefore it cannot be either false or erroneous1 provided the ,scripture be true40 8,others allege1 #8,their doctrine is too strict2 they make the way to heaven too narrow4' ,and this is in truth the original objection1 7as it was almost the only one for some time17 and is secretly at the bottom of a thousand more1 which appear in various forms4 ,but do they make the way to heaven any narrower than our ,lord and ,his apostles made it8 ,is their doctrine stricter than that of the ,bible8 ,consider only a few plain texts3 #8,thou shalt love the ,lord thy ,god with all thy heart1 and with all thy mind1 and with all thy soul1 and with all thy strength4' #8,for every idle word which men shall speak1 they shall give an account in the day of judgment4' #8,whether ye eat1 or drink1 or whatever ye do1 do all to the glory of ,god4' 8,if their doctrine is stricter than this1 they are to blame2 but you know in your conscience it is not4 ,and who can be one jot less strict without corrupting the word of ,god8 ,can any steward of the mysteries of ,god be found faithful if he change any part of that sacred depositum8 ,no4 ,he can abate nothing1 he can soften nothing2 he is constrained to declare to all men1 #8,i may not bring down the ,scripture to your taste4 ,you must come up to it1 or perish forever4' ,this is the real ground of that other popular cry concerning #8the uncharitableness of these men4' ,uncharitable1 are they8 ,in what respect8 ,do they not feed the hungry and clothe the naked8 #8,no2 that is not the thing3 they are not wanting in this3 but they are so uncharitable in judging6 they think none can be saved but those of their own way4' 07#cgf7 ,the spiritual declension which had been manifest in ,england just before the time of ,wesley1 was in great degree the result of ,antinomian teaching4 ,many affirmed that ,christ had abolished the moral law1 and that ,christians are therefore under no obligation to observe it2 that a believer is freed from the 8bondage of good works40 ,others1 though admitting the perpetuity of the law1 declared that it was unnecessary for ministers to exhort the people to obedience of its precepts1 since those whom ,god had elected to salvation would1 8by the irresistible impulse of divine grace1 be led to the practice of piety and virtue10 while those who were doomed to eternal reprobation 8did not have power to obey the divine law40 ,others1 also holding that 8the elect cannot fall from grace nor forfeit the divine favor10 arrived at the still more hideous conclusion that 8the wicked actions they commit are not really sinful1 nor to be considered as instances of their violation of the divine law1 and that consequently they have no occasion either to confess their sins or to break them off by repentance407#cgg7 ,therefore1 they declared that even one of the vilest of sins1 8considered universally an enormous violation of the divine law1 is not a sin in the sight of ,god10 if committed by one of the elect1 8because it is one of the essential and distinctive characteristics of the elect1 that they cannot do anything that is either displeasing to ,god or prohibited by the law40 ,these monstrous doctrines are essentially the same as the later teaching of popular educators and theologians1--that there is no unchangeable divine law as the standard of right1 but that the standard of morality is indicated by society itself1 and has constantly been subject to change4 ,all these ideas are inspired by the same master-spirit1--by him who1 even among the sinless inhabitants of heaven1 began his work of seeking to break down the righteous restraints of the law of ,god4 ,the doctrine of the divine decrees1 unalterably fixing the character of men1 had led many to a virtual rejection of the law of ,god4 ,wesley steadfastly opposed the errors of the ,antinomian teachers1 and showed that this doctrine which led to ,antinomianism was contrary to the ,scriptures4 8,the grace of ,god that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men40 8,this is good and acceptable in the sight of ,god our ,saviour2 who will have all men to be saved2 and to come unto the knowledge of the truth4 ,for there is one ,god1 and one mediator between ,god and men1 the man ,christ ,jesus2 who gave ,himself a ransom for all407#cgh7 ,the ,spirit of ,god is freely bestowed1 to enable every man to lay hold upon the means of salvation4 ,thus ,christ1 8the true ,light10 8lighteth every man that cometh into the world407#cgi7 ,men fail of salvation through their own wilful refusal of the gift of life4 ,in answer to the claim that at the death of ,christ the precepts of the decalogue had been abolished with the ceremonial law1 ,wesley said3 8,the moral law1 contained in the ten commandments and enforced by the prophets1 ,he did not take away4 ,it was not the design of ,his coming to revoke any part of this4 ,this is a law which never can be broken1 which #8stands fast as the faithful witness in heaven4' 444 ,this was from the beginning of the world1 being #8written not on tables of stone1' but on the hearts of all the children of men1 when they came out of the hands of the ,creator4 ,and however the letters once wrote by the finger of ,god are now in a great measure defaced by sin1 yet can they not wholly be blotted out1 while we have any consciousness of good and evil4 ,every part of this law must remain in force upon all mankind1 and in all ages2 as not depending either on time or place1 or any other circumstances liable to change1 but on the nature of ,god1 and the nature of man1 and their unchangeable relation to each other4 8 #8,i am not come to destroy1 but to fulfil4'444 ,without question1 ,his meaning in this place is 7consistently with all that goes before and follows after71--,i am come to establish it in its fulness1 in spite of all the glosses of men3 ,i am come to place in a full and clear view whatsoever was dark or obscure therein3 ,i am come to declare the true and full import of every part of it2 to show the length and breadth1 the entire extent1 of every commandment contained therein1 and the height and depth1 the inconceivable purity and spirituality of it in all its branches407#chj7 ,wesley declared the perfect harmony of the law and the gospel4 8,there is1 therefore1 the closest connection that can be conceived1 between the law and the gospel4 ,on the one hand1 the law continually makes way for1 and points us to1 the gospel2 on the other1 the gospel continually leads us to a more exact fulfilling of the law4 ,the law1 for instance1 requires us to love ,god1 to love our neighbor1 to be meek1 humble1 or holy4 ,we feel that we are not sufficient for these things2 yea1 that #8with man this is impossible3' but we see a promise of ,god to give us that love1 and to make us humble1 meek1 and holy3 we lay hold of this gospel1 of these glad tidings2 it is done unto us according to our faith2 and #8the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us1' through faith which is in ,christ ,jesus4444 8,in the highest rank of the enemies of the gospel of ,christ10 said ,wesley1 8are they who openly and explicitly #8judge the law' itself1 and #8speak evil of the law2' who teach men to break 7to dissolve1 to loose1 to untie the obligation of7 not one only1 whether of the least or of the greatest1 but all the commandments at a stroke4444 ,the most surprising of all the circumstances that attend this strong delusion1 is that they who are given up to it1 really believe that they honor ,christ by overthrowing ,his law1 and that they are magnifying ,his office while they are destroying ,his doctrine6 ,yea1 they honor ,him just as ,judas did when he said1 #8,hail1 ,master1 and kissed ,him4' ,and ,he may as justly say to every one of them1 #8,betrayest thou the ,son of man with a kiss8' ,it is no other than betraying ,him with a kiss1 to talk of ,his blood1 and take away ,his crown2 to set light by any part of ,his law1 under pretense of advancing ,his gospel4 ,nor indeed can any one escape this charge1 who preaches faith in any such a manner as either directly or indirectly tends to set aside any branch of obedience3 who preaches ,christ so as to disannul1 or weaken in any wise1 the least of the commandments of ,god407#cha7 ,to those who urged that 8the preaching of the gospel answers all the ends of the law10 ,wesley replied3 8,this we utterly deny4 ,it does not answer the very first end of the law1 namely1 the convincing men of sin1 the awakening those who are still asleep on the brink of hell40 ,the apostle ,paul declares that 8by the law is the knowledge of sin20 8and not until man is convicted of sin1 will he truly feel his need of the atoning blood of ,christ4444 #8,they that be whole1' as our ,lord ,himself observes1 #8need not a physician1 but they that are sick4' ,it is absurd1 therefore1 to offer a physician to them that are whole1 or that at least imagine themselves so to be4 ,you are first to convince them that they are sick2 otherwise they will not thank you for your labor4 ,it is equally absurd to offer ,christ to them whose heart is whole1 having never yet been broken407#chb7 ,thus while preaching the gospel of the grace of ,god1 ,wesley1 like his ,master1 sought to 8magnify the law1 and make it honorable40 ,faithfully did he accomplish the work given him of ,god1 and glorious were the results which he was permitted to behold4 ,at the close of his long life of more than fourscore years--above half a century spent in itinerant ministry--his avowed adherents numbered more than half a million souls4 ,but the multitude that through his labors had been lifted from the ruin and degradation of sin to a higher and a purer life1 and the number who by his teaching had attained to a deeper and richer experience1 will never be known till the whole family of the redeemed shall be gathered into the kingdom of ,god4 ,his life presents a lesson of priceless worth to every ,christian4 ,would that the faith and humility1 the untiring zeal1 self-sacrifice1 and devotion of this servant of ,christ1 might be reflected in the churches of to-day6 #ae4 ,,the ,,bible ,,and ,,the ,,french ,,revolution4 ,illustration3 ,chapter header4 ,in the sixteenth century the ,reformation1 presenting an open ,bible to the people1 had sought admission to all the countries of ,europe4 ,some nations welcomed it with gladness1 as a messenger of ,heaven4 ,in other lands1 the papacy succeeded to a great extent in preventing its entrance2 and the light of ,bible knowledge1 with its elevating influences1 was almost wholly excluded4 ,in one country1 though the light found entrance1 it was not comprehended by the darkness4 ,for centuries1 truth and error struggled for the mastery4 ,at last the evil triumphed1 and the truth of ,heaven was thrust out4 8,this is the condemnation1 that light is come into the world1 and men loved darkness rather than light407#chc7 ,the nation was left to reap the results of the course which she had chosen4 ,the restraint of ,god's ,spirit was removed from a people that had despised the gift of ,his grace4 ,evil was permitted to come to maturity4 ,and all the world saw the fruit of wilful rejection of the light4 ,the war against the ,bible1 carried forward for so many centuries in ,france1 culminated in the scenes of the ,revolution4 ,that terrible outbreaking was but the legitimate result of ,rome's suppression of the ,scriptures47#chd7 ,it presented the most striking illustration which the world has ever witnessed1 of the working out of the papal policy1--an illustration of the results to which for more than a thousand years the teaching of the ,roman ,church had been tending4 ,the suppression of the ,scriptures during the period of papal supremacy was foretold by the prophets2 and the ,revelator points also to the terrible results that were to accrue especially to ,france from the domination of 8the man of sin40 ,said the angel of the ,lord3 8,the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months4 ,and ,i will give power unto ,my two witnesses1 and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days1 clothed in sackcloth4444 ,and when they shall have finished their testimony1 the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them1 and shall overcome them1 and kill them4 ,and their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city1 which spiritually is called ,sodom and ,egypt1 where also our ,lord was crucified4444 ,and they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them1 and make merry1 and shall send gifts one to another2 because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth4 ,and after three days and a half the ,spirit of life from ,god entered into them1 and they stood upon their feet2 and great fear fell upon them which saw them407#che7 ,the periods here mentioned--8forty and two months10 and 8a thousand two hundred and threescore days0--are the same1 alike representing the time in which the church of ,christ was to suffer oppression from ,rome4 ,the #abfj years of papal supremacy began in ,a4,d4 #ech1 and would therefore terminate in #agih47chf7 ,at that time a ,french army entered ,rome1 and made the pope a prisoner1 and he died in exile4 ,though a new pope was soon afterward elected1 the papal hierarchy has never since been able to wield the power which it before possessed4 ,the persecution of the church did not continue throughout the entire period of the #abfj years4 ,god in mercy to ,his people cut short the time of their fiery trial4 ,in foretelling the 8great tribulation0 to befall the church1 the ,saviour said1 8,except those days should be shortened1 there should no flesh be saved3 but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened407#chg7 ,through the influence of the ,reformation1 the persecution was brought to an end prior to #agih4 ,concerning the two witnesses1 the prophet declares further1 8,these are the two olive-trees1 and the two candle-sticks standing before the ,god of the earth40 8,thy word10 said the psalmist1 8is a lamp unto my feet1 and a light unto my path407#chh7 ,the two witnesses represent the ,scriptures of the ,old and the ,new ,testament4 ,both are important testimonies to the origin and perpetuity of the law of ,god4 ,both are witnesses also to the plan of salvation4 ,the types1 sacrifices1 and prophecies of the ,old ,testament point forward to a ,saviour to come4 ,the ,gospels and ,epistles of the ,new ,testament tell of a ,saviour who has come in the exact manner foretold by type and prophecy4 8,they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days1 clothed in sackcloth40 ,during the greater part of this period1 ,god's witnesses remained in a state of obscurity4 ,the papal power sought to hide from the people the ,word of truth1 and set before them false witnesses to contradict its testimony47#chi7 ,when the ,bible was proscribed by religious and secular authority2 when its testimony was perverted1 and every effort made that men and demons could invent to turn the minds of the people from it2 when those who dared proclaim its sacred truths were hunted1 betrayed1 tortured1 buried in dungeon cells1 martyred for their faith1 or compelled to flee to mountain fastnesses1 and to dens and caves of the earth1--then the faithful witnesses prophesied in sackcloth4 ,yet they continued their testimony throughout the entire period of #abfj years4 ,in the darkest times there were faithful men who loved ,god's word1 and were jealous for ,his honor4 ,to these loyal servants were given wisdom1 power1 and authority to declare ,his truth during the whole of this time4 8,and if any man will hurt them1 fire proceedeth out of their mouth1 and devoureth their enemies3 and if any man will hurt them1 he must in this manner be killed407#cij7 ,men cannot with impunity trample upon the word of ,god4 ,the meaning of this fearful denunciation is set forth in the closing chapter of the ,revelation3 8,i testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book1 ,if any man shall add unto these things1 ,god shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book3 and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy1 ,god shall take away his part out of the book of life1 and out of the holy city1 and from the things which are written in this book407#cia7 ,such are the warnings which ,god has given to guard men against changing in any manner that which ,he has revealed or commanded4 ,these solemn denunciations apply to all who by their influence lead men to regard lightly the law of ,god4 ,they should cause those to fear and tremble who flippantly declare it a matter of little consequence whether we obey ,god's law or not4 ,all who exalt their own opinions above divine revelation1 all who would change the plain meaning of ,scripture to suit their own convenience1 or for the sake of conforming to the world1 are taking upon themselves a fearful responsibility4 ,the written word1 the law of ,god1 will measure the character of every man1 and condemn all whom this unerring test shall declare wanting4 8,when they shall have finished are finishing their testimony40 ,the period when the two witnesses were to prophesy clothed in sackcloth1 ended in #agih4 ,as they were approaching the termination of their work in obscurity1 war was to be made upon them by the power represented as 8the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit40 ,in many of the nations of ,europe the powers that ruled in church and state had for centuries been controlled by ,satan1 through the medium of the papacy4 ,but here is brought to view a new manifestation of satanic power4 ,it had been ,rome's policy1 under a profession of reverence for the ,bible1 to keep it locked up in an unknown tongue1 and hidden away from the people4 ,under her rule the witnesses prophesied1 8clothed in sackcloth40 ,but another power--the beast from the bottomless pit--was to arise to make open1 avowed war upon the word of ,god4 ,the 8great city0 in whose streets the witnesses are slain1 and where their dead bodies lie1 8is spiritually ,egypt40 ,of all nations presented in ,bible history1 ,egypt most boldly denied the existence of the living ,god1 and resisted ,his commands4 ,no monarch ever ventured upon more open and high-handed rebellion against the authority of ,heaven than did the king of ,egypt4 ,when the message was brought him by ,moses1 in the name of the ,lord1 ,pharaoh proudly answered1 8,who is ,jehovah1 that ,i should obey ,his voice to let ,israel go8 ,i know not ,jehovah1 neither will ,i let ,israel go407#cib7 ,this is atheism2 and the nation represented by ,egypt would give voice to a similar denial of the claims of the living ,god1 and would manifest a like spirit of unbelief and defiance4 ,the 8great city0 is also compared1 8spiritually10 to ,sodom4 ,the corruption of ,sodom in breaking the law of ,god was especially manifested in licentiousness4 ,and this sin was also to be a pre-eminent characteristic of the nation that should fulfil the specifications of this scripture4 ,according to the words of the prophet1 then1 a little before the year #agih some power of satanic origin and character would rise to make war upon the ,bible4 ,and in the land where the testimony of ,god's two witnesses should thus be silenced1 there would be manifest the atheism of the ,pharaoh and the licentiousness of ,sodom4 ,this prophecy has received a most exact and striking fulfilment in the history of ,france4 ,during the ,revolution1 in #agic1 8the world for the first time heard an assembly of men1 born and educated in civilization1 and assuming the right to govern one of the finest of the ,european nations1 uplift their united voice to deny the most solemn truth which man's soul receives1 and renounce unanimously the belief and worship of a ,deity407#cic7 8,france is the only nation in the world concerning which the authentic record survives1 that as a nation she lifted her hand in open rebellion against the ,author of the universe4 ,plenty of blasphemers1 plenty of infidels1 there have been1 and still continue to be1 in ,england1 ,germany1 ,spain1 and elsewhere2 but ,france stands apart in the world's history as the single state which1 by the decree of her ,legislative ,assembly1 pronounced that there was no ,god1 and of which the entire population of the capital1 and a vast majority elsewhere1 women as well as men1 danced and sang with joy in accepting the announcement407#cid7 ,france presented also the characteristic which especially distinguished ,sodom4 ,during the ,revolution there was manifest a state of moral debasement and corruption similar to that which brought destruction upon the cities of the plain4 ,and the historian presents together the atheism and the licentiousness of ,france1 as given in the prophecy3 8,intimately connected with these laws affecting religion1 was that which reduced the union of marriage--the most sacred engagement which human beings can form1 and the permanence of which leads most strongly to the consolidation of society--to the state of a mere civil contract of a transitory character1 which any two persons might engage in and cast loose at pleasure4444 ,if fiends had set themselves to work to discover a mode of most effectually destroying whatever is venerable1 graceful1 or permanent in domestic life1 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 another1 they could not have invented a more effectual plan than the degradation of marriage4444 ,sophie ,arnoult1 an actress famous for the witty things she said1 described the republican marriage as #8the sacrament of adultery4' 07#cie7 8,where also our ,lord was crucified40 ,this specification of the prophecy was also fulfilled by ,france4 ,in no land had the spirit of enmity against ,christ been more strikingly displayed4 ,in no country had the truth encountered more bitter and cruel opposition4 ,in the persecution which ,france had visited upon the confessors of the gospel1 she had crucified ,christ in the person of ,his disciples4 ,century after century the blood of the saints had been shed4 ,while the ,waldenses laid down their lives upon the mountains of ,piedmont 8for the word of ,god1 and for the testimony of ,jesus ,christ10 similar witness to the truth had been borne by their brethren1 the ,albigenses of ,france4 ,in the days of the ,reformation1 its disciples had been put to death with horrible tortures4 ,king and nobles1 high-born women and delicate maidens1 the pride and chivalry of the nation1 had feasted their eyes upon the agonies of the martyrs of ,jesus4 ,the brave ,huguenots1 battling for those rights which the human heart holds most sacred1 had poured out their blood on many a hard-fought field4 ,the ,protestants were counted as outlaws1 a price was set upon their heads1 and they were hunted down like wild beasts4 ,the 8,church in the ,desert10 the few descendants of the ancient ,christians that still lingered in ,france in the eighteenth century1 hiding away in the mountains of the south1 still cherished the faith of their fathers4 ,as they ventured to meet by night on mountainside or lonely moor1 they were chased by dragoons1 and dragged away to life-long slavery in the galleys4 ,the purest1 the most refined1 and the most intelligent of the ,french1 were chained1 in horrible torture1 amidst robbers and assassins47#cif7 ,others1 more mercifully dealt with1 were shot down in cold blood1 as1 unarmed and helpless1 they fell upon their knees in prayer4 ,hundreds of aged men1 defenseless women1 and innocent children were left dead upon the earth at their place of meeting4 ,in traversing the mountainside or the forest1 where they had been accustomed to assemble1 it was not unusual to find 8at every four paces1 dead bodies dotting the sward1 and corpses hanging suspended from the trees40 ,their country1 laid waste with the sword1 the axe1 the fagot1 8was converted into one vast1 gloomy wilderness40 8,these atrocities were enacted 444 in no dark age1 but in the brilliant era of ,louis ,,xiv4 ,science was then cultivated1 letters flourished1 the divines of the court and of the capital were learned and eloquent men1 and greatly affected the graces of meekness and charity407#cig7 ,but blackest in the black catalogue of crime1 most horrible among the fiendish deeds of all the dreadful centuries1 was the ,st4 ,bartholomew ,massacre4 ,the world still recalls with shuddering horror the scenes of that most cowardly and cruel onslaught4 ,the king of ,france1 urged on by ,romish priests and prelates1 lent his sanction to the dreadful work4 ,a bell1 tolling at dead of night1 was a signal for the slaughter4 ,protestants by thousands1 sleeping quietly in their homes1 trusting to the plighted honor of their king1 were dragged forth without a warning1 and murdered in cold blood4 ,as ,christ was the invisible leader of ,his people from ,egyptian bondage1 so was ,satan the unseen leader of his subjects in this horrible work of multiplying martyrs4 ,for seven days the massacre was continued in ,paris1 the first three with inconceivable fury4 ,and it was not confined to the city itself1 but by special order of the king1 was extended to all the provinces and towns where ,protestants were found4 ,neither age nor sex was respected4 ,neither the innocent babe nor the man of gray hairs was spared4 ,noble and peasant1 old and young1 mother and child1 were cut down together4 ,throughout ,france the butchery continued for two months4 ,seventy thousand of the very flower of the nation perished4 8,when the news of the massacre reached ,rome1 the exultation among the clergy knew no bounds4 ,the cardinal of ,lorraine rewarded the messenger with a thousand crowns2 the cannon of ,st4 ,angelo thundered forth a joyous salute2 the bells rang out from every steeple2 bonfires turned night into day2 and ,gregory ,,xiii41 attended by the cardinals and other ecclesiastical dignitaries1 went in long procession to the church of ,st4 ,louis1 where the cardinal of ,lorraine chanted a ,te ,deum4444 ,a medal was struck to commemorate the massacre1 and in the ,vatican may still be seen three frescoes of ,vasari1 describing the attack upon the admiral1 the king in council plotting the massacre1 and the massacre itself4 ,gregory sent ,charles the ,golden ,rose2 and four months after the massacre1 444 he listened complacently to the sermon of a ,french priest1 444 who spoke of #8that day so full of happiness and joy1 when the most holy father received the news1 and went in solemn state to render thanks to ,god and ,st4 ,louis4' 07#cih7 ,the same master-spirit that urged on the ,st4 ,bartholomew ,massacre led also in the scenes of the ,revolution4 ,jesus ,christ was declared to be an impostor1 and the rallying cry of the ,french infidels was1 8,crush the ,wretch10 meaning ,christ4 ,heaven-daring blasphemy and abominable wickedness went hand in hand1 and the basest of men1 the most abandoned monsters of cruelty and vice1 were most highly exalted4 ,in all this1 supreme homage was paid to ,satan2 while ,christ1 in ,his characteristics of truth1 purity1 and unselfish love1 was crucified4 8,the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them1 and shall overcome them1 and kill them40 ,the atheistical power that ruled in ,france during the ,revolution and the ,reign of ,terror1 did wage such a war against ,god and ,his holy word as the world had never witnessed4 ,the worship of the ,deity was abolished by the ,national ,assembly4 ,bibles were collected and publicly burned with every possible manifestation of scorn4 ,the law of ,god was trampled under foot4 ,the institutions of the ,bible were abolished4 ,the weekly rest-day was set aside1 and in its stead every tenth day was devoted to reveling and blasphemy4 ,baptism and the communion were prohibited4 ,and announcements posted conspicuously over the burial-places declared death to be an eternal sleep4 ,the fear of ,god was said to be so far from the beginning of wisdom that it was the beginning of folly4 ,all religious worship was prohibited1 except that of liberty and the country4 ,the 8constitutional 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 representation4444 ,he was brought forward in full procession1 to declare to the ,convention that the religion which he had taught so many years was1 in every respect1 a piece of priestcraft1 which had no foundation either in history or sacred truth4 ,he disowned1 in solemn and explicit terms1 the existence of the ,deity to whose worship he had been consecrated1 and devoted himself in future to the homage of liberty1 equality1 virtue1 and morality4 ,he then laid on the table his episcopal decorations1 and received a fraternal embrace from the president of the ,convention4 ,several apostate priests followed the example of this prelate407#cii7 8,and they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them1 and make merry1 and shall send gifts one to another2 because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth40 ,infidel ,france had silenced the reproving voice of ,god's two witnesses4 ,the ,word of truth lay dead in her streets1 and those who hated the restrictions and requirements of ,god's law were jubilant4 ,men publicly defied the ,king of heaven4 ,like the sinners of old1 they cried1 8,how doth ,god know8 and is there knowledge in the ,most ,high807#djj7 ,with blasphemous boldness almost beyond belief1 one of the priests of the new order said3 8,god1 if ,you exist1 avenge ,your injured name4 ,i bid ,you defiance6 ,you remain silent2 ,you dare not launch ,your thunders4 ,who after this will believe in ,your existence807#dja7 ,what an echo is this of the ,pharaoh's demand3 8,who is ,jehovah1 that ,i should obey ,his voice80 8,i know not ,jehovah60 8,the fool hath said in his heart1 ,there is no ,god407#djb7 ,and the ,lord declares concerning the perverters of the truth1 8,their folly shall be manifest unto all407#djc7 ,after ,france had renounced the worship of the living ,god1 8the high and lofty ,one that inhabiteth eternity10 it was only a little time till she descended to degrading idolatry1 by the worship of the ,goddess of ,reason1 in the person of a profligate woman4 ,and this in the representative assembly of the nation1 and by its highest civil and legislative authorities6 ,says the historian3 8,one of the ceremonies of this insane time stands unrivaled for absurdity combined with impiety4 ,the doors of the ,convention were thrown open to a band of musicians1 preceded by whom1 the members of the municipal body entered in solemn procession1 singing a hymn in praise of liberty1 and escorting1 as the object of their future worship1 a veiled female1 whom they termed the ,goddess of ,reason4 ,being brought within the bar1 she was unveiled with great form1 and placed on the right of the president1 when she was generally recognized as a dancing girl of the opera4444 ,to this person1 as the fittest representative of that reason whom they worshiped1 the ,national ,convention of ,france rendered public homage4 8,this impious and ridiculous mummery had a certain fashion2 and the installation of the ,goddess of ,reason was renewed and imitated throughout the nation1 in such places where the inhabitants desired to show themselves equal to all the heights of the ,revolution407#djd7 ,said the orator who introduced the worship of ,reason3 8,legislators6 ,fanaticism has given way to reason4 ,its bleared eyes could not endure the brilliancy of the light4 ,this day an immense concourse has assembled beneath those gothic vaults1 which1 for the first time1 re-echoed the truth4 ,there the ,french have celebrated the only true worship1--that of ,liberty1 that of ,reason4 ,there we have formed wishes for the prosperity of the arms of the ,republic4 ,there we have abandoned inanimate idols for ,reason1 for that animated image1 the masterpiece of nature407#dje7 ,when the goddess was brought into the ,convention1 the orator took her by the hand1 and turning to the assembly said3 8,mortals1 cease to tremble before the powerless thunders of a ,god whom your fears have created4 ,henceforth acknowledge no divinity but ,reason4 ,i offer you its noblest and purest image2 if you must have idols1 sacrifice only to such as this4444 ,fall before the august ,senate of ,freedom1 oh6 ,veil of ,reason6444 8,the goddess1 after being embraced by the president1 was mounted on a magnificent car1 and conducted1 amid an immense crowd1 to the cathedral of ,notre ,dame1 to take the place of the ,deity4 ,there she was elevated on the high altar1 and received the adoration of all present407#djf7 ,this was followed1 not long afterward1 by the public burning of the ,bible4 ,on one occasion 8the ,popular ,society of the ,museum0 entered the hall of the municipality1 exclaiming1 8,vive la ,raison60 and carrying on the top of a pole the half-burned remains of several books1 among others breviaries1 missals1 and the ,old and ,new ,testaments1 which 8expiated in a great fire10 said the president1 8all the fooleries which they have made the human race commit407#djg7 ,it was popery that had begun the work which atheism was completing4 ,the policy of ,rome had wrought out those conditions1 social1 political1 and religious1 that were hurrying ,france on to ruin4 ,writers1 in referring to the horrors of the ,revolution1 say that these excesses are to be charged upon the throne and the church47#djh7 ,in strict justice they are to be charged upon the church4 ,popery had poisoned the minds of kings against the ,reformation1 as an enemy to the crown1 an element of discord that would be fatal to the peace and harmony of the nation4 ,it was the genius of ,rome that by this means inspired the direst cruelty and the most galling oppression which proceeded from the throne4 ,the spirit of liberty went with the ,bible4 ,wherever the gospel was received1 the minds of the people were awakened4 ,they began to cast off the shackles that had held them bond-slaves of ignorance1 vice1 and superstition4 ,they began to think and act as men4 ,monarchs saw it1 and trembled for their despotism4 ,rome was not slow to inflame their jealous fears4 ,said the pope to the regent of ,france in #aebe3 8,this mania ,protestantism will not only confound and destroy religion1 but all principalities1 nobility1 laws1 orders1 and ranks besides407#dji7 ,a few years later a papal nuncio warned the king3 8,sire1 be not deceived4 ,the ,protestants will upset all civil as well as religious order4444 ,the throne is in as much danger as the altar4444 ,the introduction of a new religion must necessarily introduce a new government407#daj7 ,and theologians appealed to the prejudices of the people by declaring that the ,protestant doctrine 8entices men away to novelties and folly2 it robs the king of the devoted affection of his subjects1 and devastates both church and state40 ,thus ,rome succeeded in arraying ,france against the ,reformation4 8,it was to uphold the throne1 preserve the nobles1 and maintain the laws1 that the sword of persecution was first unsheathed in ,france407#daa7 ,little did the rulers of the land foresee the results of that fateful policy4 ,the teaching of the ,bible would have implanted in the minds and hearts of the people those principles of justice1 temperance1 truth1 equity1 and benevolence which are the very corner-stone of a nation's prosperity4 8,righteousness exalteth a nation40 ,thereby 8the throne is established407#dab7 8,the work of righteousness shall be peace20 and the effect 8quietness and assurance forever407#dac7 ,he who obeys the divine law will most truly respect and obey the laws of his country4 ,he who fears ,god will honor the king in the exercise of all just and legitimate authority4 ,but unhappy ,france prohibited the ,bible1 and banned its disciples4 ,century after century1 men of principle and integrity1 men of intellectual acuteness and moral strength1 who had the courage to avow their convictions1 and the faith to suffer for the truth1--for centuries these men toiled as slaves in the galleys1 perished at the stake1 or rotted in dungeon cells4 ,thousands upon thousands found safety in flight2 and this continued for two hundred and fifty years after the opening of the ,reformation4 8,scarcely was there a generation of ,frenchmen during that long period that did not witness the disciples of the gospel fleeing before the insane fury of the persecutor1 and carrying with them the intelligence1 the arts1 the industry1 the order1 in which1 as a rule1 they pre-eminently excelled1 to enrich the lands in which they found an asylum4 ,and in proportion as they replenished other countries with these good gifts1 did they empty their own of them4 ,if all that was now driven away had been retained in ,france2 if1 during these three hundred years1 the industrial skill of the exiles had been cultivating her soil2 if1 during these three hundred years1 their artistic bent had been improving her manufactures2 if1 during these three hundred years1 their creative genius and analytic power had been enriching her literature and cultivating her science2 if their wisdom had been guiding her councils1 their bravery fighting her battles1 their equity framing her laws1 and the religion of the ,bible strengthening the intellect and governing the conscience of her people1 what a glory would at this day have encompassed ,france6 ,what a great1 prosperous1 and happy country--a pattern to the nations--would she have been6 8,but a blind and inexorable bigotry chased from her soil every teacher of virtue1 every champion of order1 every honest defender of the throne2 it said to the men who would have made their country a #8renown and glory' in the earth1 ,choose which you will have1 a stake or exile4 ,at last the ruin of the state was complete2 there remained no more conscience to be proscribed2 no more religion to be dragged to the stake2 no more patriotism to be chased into banishment407#dad7 ,and the ,revolution1 with all its horrors1 was the dire result4 8,with the flight of the ,huguenots a general decline settled upon ,france4 ,flourishing manufacturing cities fell into decay2 fertile districts returned to their native wildness2 intellectual dulness and moral declension succeeded a period of unwonted progress4 ,paris became one vast almshouse1 and it is estimated that1 at the breaking out of the ,revolution1 two hundred thousand paupers claimed charity from the hands of the king4 ,the ,jesuits alone flourished in the decaying nation1 and ruled with dreadful tyranny over churches and schools1 the prisons and the galleys40 ,the gospel would have brought to ,france the solution of those political and social problems that baffled the skill of her clergy1 her king1 and her legislators1 and finally plunged the nation into anarchy and ruin4 ,but under the domination of ,rome the people had lost the ,saviour's blessed lessons of self-sacrifice and unselfish love4 ,they had been led away from the practice of self-denial for the good of others4 ,the rich had found no rebuke for their oppression of the poor1 the poor no help for their servitude and degradation4 ,the selfishness of the wealthy and powerful grew more and more apparent and oppressive4 ,for centuries the greed and profligacy of the noble resulted in grinding extortion toward the peasant4 ,the rich wronged the poor1 and the poor hated the rich4 ,in many provinces the estates were held by the nobles1 and the laboring classes were only tenants2 they were at the mercy of their landlords1 and were forced to submit to their exorbitant demands4 ,the burden of supporting both the church and the state fell upon the middle and lower classes1 who were heavily taxed by the civil authorities and by the clergy4 8,the pleasure of the nobles was considered the supreme law2 the farmers and the peasants might starve1 for aught their oppressors cared4444 ,the people were compelled at every turn to consult the exclusive interest of the landlord4 ,the lives of the agricultural laborers were lives of incessant work and unrelieved misery2 their complaints1 if they ever dared to complain1 were treated with insolent contempt4 ,the courts of justice would always listen to a noble as against a peasant2 bribes were notoriously accepted by the judges2 and the merest caprice of the aristocracy had the force of law1 by virtue of this system of universal corruption4 ,of the taxes wrung from the commonalty1 by the secular magnates on the one hand1 and the clergy on the other1 not half ever found its way into the royal or episcopal treasury2 the rest was squandered in profligate self-indulgence4 ,and the men who thus impoverished their fellow-subjects were themselves exempt from taxation1 and entitled by law or custom to all the appointments of the state4 ,the privileged classes numbered a hundred and fifty thousand1 and for their gratification millions were condemned to hopeless and degrading lives407#dae7 ,the court was given up to luxury and profligacy4 ,there was little confidence existing between the people and the rulers4 ,suspicion fastened upon all the measures of the government1 as designing and selfish4 ,for more than half a century before the time of the ,revolution1 the throne was occupied by ,louis ,,xv41 who1 even in those evil times1 was distinguished as an indolent1 frivolous1 and sensual monarch4 ,with a depraved and cruel aristocracy and an impoverished and ignorant lower class1 the state financially embarrassed1 and the people exasperated1 it needed no prophet's eye to foresee a terrible impending outbreak4 ,to the warnings of his counselors the king was accustomed to reply1 8,try to make things go on as long as ,i am likely to live2 after my death it may be as it will40 ,it was in vain that the necessity of reform was urged4 ,he saw the evils1 but had neither the courage nor the power to meet them4 ,the doom awaiting ,france was but too truly pictured in his indolent and selfish answer1--8,after me1 the deluge60 ,by working upon the jealousy of the kings and the ruling classes1 ,rome had influenced them to keep the people in bondage1 well knowing that the state would thus be weakened1 and purposing by this means to fasten both rulers and people in her thrall4 ,with far-sighted policy she perceived that in order to enslave men effectually1 the shackles must be bound upon their souls2 that the surest way to prevent them from escaping their bondage was to render them incapable of freedom4 ,a thousandfold more terrible than the physical suffering which resulted from her policy1 was the moral degradation4 ,deprived of the ,bible1 and abandoned to the teachings of bigotry and selfishness1 the people were shrouded in ignorance and superstition1 and sunken in vice1 so that they were wholly unfitted for self-government4 ,but the outworking of all this was widely different from what ,rome had purposed4 ,instead of holding the masses in a blind submission to her dogmas1 her work resulted in making them infidels and revolutionists4 ,romanism they despised as priestcraft4 ,they beheld the clergy as a party to their oppression4 ,the only god they knew was the god of ,rome2 her teaching was their only religion4 ,they regarded her greed and cruelty as the legitimate fruit of the ,bible1 and they would have none of it4 ,rome had misrepresented the character of ,god1 and perverted ,his requirements1 and now men rejected both the ,bible and its ,author4 ,she had required a blind faith in her dogmas1 under the pretended sanction of the ,scriptures4 ,in the reaction1 ,voltaire and his associates cast aside ,god's word altogether1 and spread everywhere the poison of infidelity4 ,rome had ground down the people under her iron heel2 and now the masses1 degraded and brutalized1 in their recoil from her tyranny1 cast off all restraint4 ,enraged at the glittering cheat to which they had so long paid homage1 they rejected truth and falsehood together2 and mistaking license for liberty1 the slaves of vice exulted in their imagined freedom4 ,at the opening of the ,revolution1 by a concession of the king1 the people were granted a representation exceeding that of the nobles and the clergy combined4 ,thus the balance of power was in their hands2 but they were not prepared to use it with wisdom and moderation4 ,eager to redress the wrongs they had suffered1 they determined to undertake the reconstruction of society4 ,an outraged populace1 whose minds were filled with bitter and long-treasured memories of wrong1 resolved to revolutionize the state of misery that had grown unbearable1 and to revenge themselves upon those whom they regarded as the authors of their sufferings4 ,the oppressed wrought out the lesson they had learned under tyranny1 and became the oppressors of those who had oppressed them4 ,unhappy ,france reaped in blood the harvest she had sown4 ,terrible were the results of her submission to the controlling power of ,rome4 ,where ,france1 under the influence of ,romanism1 had set up the first stake at the opening of the ,reformation1 there the ,revolution set up its first guillotine4 ,on the very spot where the first martyrs to the ,protestant faith were burned in the sixteenth century1 the first victims were guillotined in the eighteenth4 ,in repelling the gospel1 which would have brought her healing1 ,france had opened the door to infidelity and ruin4 ,when the restraints of ,god's law were cast aside1 it was found that the laws of man were inadequate to hold in check the powerful tides of human passion2 and the nation swept on to revolt and anarchy4 ,the war against the ,bible inaugurated an era which stands in the world's history as 8,the ,reign of ,terror40 ,peace and happiness were banished from the homes and hearts of men4 ,no one was secure4 ,he who triumphed to-day was suspected1 condemned1 to-morrow4 ,violence and lust held undisputed sway4 ,king1 clergy1 and nobles were compelled to submit to the atrocities of an excited and maddened people4 ,their thirst for vengeance was only stimulated by the execution of the king2 and those who had decreed his death1 soon followed him to the scaffold4 ,a general slaughter of all suspected of hostility to the ,revolution was determined4 ,the prisons were crowded1 at one time containing more than two hundred thousand captives4 ,the cities of the kingdom were filled with scenes of horror4 ,one party of revolutionists was against another party1 and ,france became a vast field for contending masses1 swayed by the fury of their passions4 8,in ,paris one tumult succeeded another1 and the citizens were divided into a medley of factions1 that seemed intent on nothing but mutual extermination40 ,and to add to the general misery1 the nation became involved in a prolonged and devastating war with the great powers of ,europe4 8,the country was nearly bankrupt1 the armies were clamoring for arrears of pay1 the ,parisians were starving1 the provinces were laid waste by brigands1 and civilization was almost extinguished in anarchy and license40 ,all too well the people had learned the lessons of cruelty and torture which ,rome had so diligently taught4 ,a day of retribution at last had come4 ,it was not now the disciples of ,jesus that were thrust into dungeons and dragged to the stake4 ,long ago these had perished or been driven into exile4 ,unsparing ,rome now felt the deadly power of those whom she had trained to delight in deeds of blood4 8,the example of persecution which the clergy of ,france had exhibited for so many ages1 was now retorted upon them with signal vigor4 ,the scaffolds ran red with the blood of the priests4 ,the galleys and the prisons1 once crowded with ,huguenots1 were now filled with their persecutors4 ,chained to the bench and toiling at the oar1 the ,roman ,catholic clergy experienced all those woes which their church had so freely inflicted on the gentle heretics407#daf7 8,then came those days when the most barbarous of all codes was administered by the most barbarous of all tribunals2 when no man could greet his neighbors or say his prayers 444 without danger of committing a capital crime2 when spies lurked in every corner2 when the guillotine was long and hard at work every morning2 when the jails were filled as close as the holds of a slave-ship2 when the gutters ran foaming with blood into the ,seine4444 ,while the daily wagon-loads of victims were carried to their doom through the streets of ,paris1 the proconsuls1 whom the sovereign committee had sent forth to the departments1 reveled in an extravagance of cruelty unknown even in the capital4 ,the knife of the deadly machine rose and fell too slow for their work of slaughter4 ,long rows of captives were mowed down with grape-shot4 ,holes were made in the bottom of crowded barges4 ,lyons was turned into a desert4 ,at ,arras even the cruel mercy of a speedy death was denied to the prisoners4 ,all down the ,loire1 from ,saumur to the sea1 great flocks of crows and kites feasted on naked corpses1 twined together in hideous embraces4 ,no mercy was shown to sex or age4 ,the number of young lads and of girls of seventeen who were murdered by that execrable government1 is to be reckoned by hundreds4 ,babies torn from the breast were tossed from pike to pike along the ,jacobin ranks407#dag7 ,in the short space of ten years1 multitudes of human beings perished4 ,all this was as ,satan would have it4 ,this was what for ages he had been working to secure4 ,his policy is deception from first to last1 and his steadfast purpose is to bring woe and wretchedness upon men1 to deface and defile the workmanship of ,god1 to mar the divine purposes of benevolence and love1 and thus cause grief in heaven4 ,then by his deceptive arts he blinds the minds of men1 and leads them to throw back the blame of his work upon ,god1 as if all this misery were the result of the ,creator's plan4 ,in like manner1 when those who have been degraded and brutalized through his cruel power achieve their freedom1 he urges them on to excesses and atrocities4 ,then this picture of unbridled license is pointed out by tyrants and oppressors as an illustration of the results of liberty4 ,when error in one garb has been detected1 ,satan only masks it in a different disguise1 and multitudes receive it as eagerly as at the first4 ,when the people found ,romanism to be a deception1 and he could not through this agency lead them to transgression of ,god's law1 he urged them to regard all religion as a cheat1 and the ,bible a fable2 and casting aside the divine statutes1 they gave themselves up to unbridled iniquity4 ,the fatal error which wrought such woe for the inhabitants of ,france was the ignoring of this one great truth3 that true freedom lies within the proscriptions of the law of ,god4 8,o that thou hadst hearkened to ,my commandments6 then had thy peace been as a river1 and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea40 8,there is no peace1 saith the ,lord1 unto the wicked40 8,but whoso hearkeneth unto ,me shall dwell safely1 and shall be quiet from fear of evil407#dah7 ,atheists1 infidels1 and apostates oppose and denounce ,god's law2 but the results of their influence prove that the well-being of man is bound up with his obedience of the divine statutes4 ,those who will not read the lesson from the book of ,god1 are bidden to read it in the history of nations4 ,when ,satan wrought through the ,roman ,church to lead men away from obedience1 his agency was concealed1 and his work was so disguised that the degradation and misery which resulted were not seen to be the fruit of transgression4 ,and his power was so far counteracted by the working of the ,spirit of ,god1 that his purposes were prevented from reaching their full fruition4 ,the people did not trace the effect to its cause1 and discover the source of their miseries4 ,but in the ,revolution1 the law of ,god was openly set aside by the ,national ,council4 ,and in the ,reign of ,terror which followed1 the working of cause and effect could be seen by all4 ,when ,france publicly rejected ,god and set aside the ,bible1 wicked men and spirits of darkness exulted in their attainment of the object so long desired1--a kingdom free from the restraints of the law of ,god4 ,because sentence against an evil work was not speedily executed1 therefore the heart of the sons of men was 8fully set in them to do evil407#dai7 ,but the transgression of a just and righteous law must inevitably result in misery and ruin4 ,though not visited at once with judgments1 the wickedness of men was nevertheless surely working out their doom4 ,centuries of apostasy and crime had been treasuring up wrath against the day of retribution2 and when their iniquity was full1 the despisers of ,god learned too late that it is a fearful thing to have worn out the divine patience4 ,the restraining ,spirit of ,god1 which imposes a check upon the cruel power of ,satan1 was in a great measure removed1 and he whose only delight is the wretchedness of men1 was permitted to work his will4 ,those who had chosen the service of rebellion1 were left to reap its fruits1 until the land was filled with crimes too horrible for pen to trace4 ,from devastated provinces and ruined cities a terrible cry was heard1--a cry of bitterest anguish4 ,france was shaken as if by an earthquake4 ,religion1 law1 social order1 the family1 the state1 and the church1--all were smitten down by the impious hand that had been lifted against the law of ,god4 ,truly spake the wise man3 8,the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness40 8,though a sinner do evil a hundred times1 and his days be prolonged1 yet surely ,i know that it shall be well with them that fear ,god1 which fear before ,him3 but it shall not be well with the wicked407#dbj7 8,they hated knowledge1 and did not choose the fear of the ,lord20 8therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way1 and be filled with their own devices407#dba7 ,god's faithful witnesses1 slain by the blasphemous power that 8ascendeth out of the bottomless pit10 were not long to remain silent4 8,after three days and a half the ,spirit of life from ,god entered into them1 and they stood upon their feet2 and great fear fell upon them which saw them407#dbb7 ,it was in #agic that the decrees which abolished the ,christian religion and set aside the ,bible1 passed the ,french ,assembly4 ,three years and a half later a resolution rescinding these decrees1 thus granting toleration to the ,scriptures1 was adopted by the same body4 ,the world stood aghast at the enormity of guilt which had resulted from a rejection of the ,sacred ,oracles1 and men recognized the necessity of faith in ,god and ,his word as the foundation of virtue and morality4 ,saith the ,lord1 8,whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed8 and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice1 and lifted up thine eyes on high8 even against the ,holy ,one of ,israel407#dbc7 8,therefore1 behold1 ,i will this once cause them to know1 ,i will cause them to know ,mine hand and ,my might2 and they shall know that ,my name is ,jehovah407#dbd7 ,concerning the two witnesses the prophet declares further3 8,and they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them1 ,come up hither4 ,and they ascended up to heaven in a cloud2 and their enemies beheld them407#dbe7 ,since ,france made war upon ,god's two witnesses1 they have been honored as never before4 ,in #ahjd the ,british and ,foreign ,bible ,society was organized4 ,this was followed by similar organizations1 with numerous branches1 upon the continent of ,europe4 ,in #ahaf the ,american ,bible ,society was founded4 ,when the ,british ,society was formed1 the ,bible had been printed and circulated in fifty tongues4 ,it has since been translated into more than four hundred languages and dialects47#dbf7 ,for the fifty years preceding #agib1 little attention was given to the work of foreign missions4 ,no new societies were formed1 and there were but few churches that made any effort for the spread of ,christianity in heathen lands4 ,but toward the close of the eighteenth century a great change took place4 ,men became dissatisfied with the results of rationalism1 and realized the necessity of divine revelation and experimental religion4 ,from this time the work of foreign missions attained an unprecedented growth47#dbg7 ,the improvements in printing have given an impetus to the work of circulating the ,bible4 ,the increased facilities for communication between different countries1 the breaking down of ancient barriers of prejudice and national exclusiveness1 and the loss of secular power by the pontiff of ,rome1 have opened the way for the entrance of the word of ,god4 ,for some years the ,bible has been sold without restraint in the streets of ,rome1 and it has now been carried to every part of the habitable globe4 ,the infidel ,voltaire once boastingly said3 8,i am weary of hearing people repeat that twelve men established the ,christian religion4 ,i will prove that one man may suffice to overthrow it40 ,a century has passed since his death4 ,millions have joined in the war upon the ,bible4 ,but it is so far from being destroyed1 that where there were a hundred in ,voltaire's time1 there are now ten thousand1 yes1 a hundred thousand copies of the ,book of ,god4 ,in the words of an early ,reformer concerning the ,christian church1 8,the ,bible is an anvil that has worn out many hammers40 ,saith the ,lord1 8,no weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper2 and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn407#dbh7 8,the word of our ,god shall stand forever40 8,all ,his commandments are sure4 ,they stand fast forever and ever1 and are done in truth and uprightness407#dbi7 ,whatever is built upon the authority of man will be overthrown2 but that which is founded upon the rock of ,god's immutable word shall stand forever4 #af4 ,,the ,,pilgrim ,,fathers4 ,illustration3 ,chapter header4 ,the ,english ,reformers1 while renouncing the doctrines of ,romanism1 had retained many of its forms4 ,thus though the authority and the creed of ,rome were rejected1 not a few of her customs and ceremonies were incorporated into the worship of the ,church of ,england4 ,it was claimed that these things were not matters of conscience2 that though they were not commanded in ,scripture1 and hence were non-essential1 yet not being forbidden1 they were not intrinsically evil4 ,their observance tended to narrow the gulf which separated the reformed churches from ,rome1 and it was urged that they would promote the acceptance of the ,protestant faith by ,romanists4 ,to the conservative and compromising1 these arguments seemed conclusive4 ,but there was another class that did not so judge4 ,the fact that these customs 8tended to bridge over the chasm between ,rome and the ,reformation107#dcj7 was in their view a conclusive argument against retaining them4 ,they looked upon them as badges of the slavery from which they had been delivered1 and to which they had no disposition to return4 ,they reasoned that ,god has in ,his word established the regulations governing ,his worship1 and that men are not at liberty to add to these or to detract from them4 ,the very beginning of the great apostasy was in seeking to supplement the authority of ,god by that of the church4 ,rome began by enjoining what ,god had not forbidden1 and she ended by forbidding what ,he had explicitly enjoined4 ,many earnestly desired to return to the purity and simplicity which characterized the primitive church4 ,they regarded many of the established customs of the ,english ,church as monuments of idolatry1 and they could not in conscience unite in her worship4 ,but the church1 being supported by the civil authority1 would permit no dissent from her forms4 ,attendance upon her service was required by law1 and unauthorized assemblies for religious worship were prohibited1 under penalty of imprisonment1 exile1 and death4 ,at the opening of the seventeenth century the monarch who had just ascended the throne of ,england declared his determination to make the ,puritans 8conform1 or 444 harry them out of the land1 or else worse407#dca7 ,hunted1 persecuted1 and imprisoned1 they could discern in the future no promise of better days1 and many yielded to the conviction that for such as would serve ,god according to the dictates of their conscience1 8,england was ceasing forever to be a habitable place407#dcb7 ,they were at last determined to seek refuge in ,holland4 ,difficulties1 losses1 and imprisonment were encountered4 ,their purposes were thwarted1 and they were betrayed into the hands of their enemies4 ,but steadfast perseverance finally conquered1 and they found shelter on the friendly shores of the ,dutch ,republic4 ,in their flight they had left their houses1 their goods1 and their means of livelihood4 ,they were strangers in a strange land1 among a people of different language and customs4 ,they were forced to resort to new and untried occupations to earn their bread4 ,middle-aged men1 who had spent their lives in tilling the soil1 had now to learn mechanical trades4 ,but they cheerfully accepted the situation1 and lost no time in idleness or repining4 ,though often pinched with poverty1 they thanked ,god for the blessings which were still granted them1 and found their joy in unmolested spiritual communion4 8,they knew they were pilgrims1 and looked not much on those things1 but lifted up their eyes to heaven1 their dearest country1 and quieted their spirits407#dcc7 ,in the midst of exile and hardship1 their love and faith waxed strong4 ,they trusted the ,lord's promises1 and ,he did not fail them in time of need4 ,his angels were by their side1 to encourage and support them4 ,and when ,god's hand seemed pointing them across the sea1 to a land where they might found for themselves a state1 and leave to their children the precious heritage of religious liberty1 they went forward1 without shrinking1 in the path of providence4 ,god had permitted trials to come upon ,his people to prepare them for the accomplishment of ,his gracious purpose toward them4 ,the church had been brought low1 that she might be exalted4 ,god was about to display ,his power in her behalf1 to give to the world another evidence that ,he will not forsake those who trust in ,him4 ,he had overruled events to cause the wrath of ,satan and the plots of evil men to advance ,his glory1 and to bring ,his people to a place of security4 ,persecution and exile were opening the way to freedom4 ,when first constrained to separate from the ,english ,church1 the ,puritans had joined themselves together by a solemn covenant1 as the ,lord's free people1 8to walk together in all ,his ways made known or to be made known to them407#dcd7 ,here was the true spirit of reform1 the vital principle of ,protestantism4 ,it was with this purpose that the ,pilgrims departed from ,holland to find a home in the ,new ,world4 ,john ,robinson1 their pastor1 who was providentially prevented from accompanying them1 in his farewell address to the exiles said3 8,brethren1 we are now erelong to part asunder1 and the ,lord knoweth whether ,i shall live ever to see your faces more4 ,but whether the ,lord hath appointed it or not1 ,i charge you before ,god and ,his blessed angels to follow me no farther than ,i have followed ,christ4 ,if ,god should reveal anything to you by any other instrument of ,his1 be as ready to receive it as ever you were to receive any truth of my ministry2 for ,i am very confident the ,lord hath more truth and light yet to break forth out of ,his holy word407#dce7 8,for my part1 ,i cannot sufficiently bewail the condition of the reformed churches1 who are come to a period in religion1 and will go at present no farther than the instruments of their reformation4 ,the ,lutherans cannot be drawn to go beyond what ,luther saw2 444 and the ,calvinists1 you see1 stick fast where they were left by that great man of ,god1 who yet saw not all things4 ,this is a misery much to be lamented2 for though they were burning and shining lights in their time1 yet they penetrated not into the whole counsel of ,god1 but were they now living1 would be as willing to embrace further light as that which they first received407#dcf7 8,remember your church covenant1 in which you have agreed to walk in all the ways of the ,lord1 made or to be made known unto you4 ,remember your promise and covenant with ,god and with one another1 to receive whatever light and truth shall be made known to you from ,his written word2 but withal1 take heed1 ,i beseech you1 what you receive for truth1 and compare it and weigh it with other scriptures of truth before you accept it2 for it is not possible the ,christian world should come so lately out of such thick antichristian darkness1 and that full perfection of knowledge should break forth at once407#dcg7 ,it was the desire for liberty of conscience that inspired the ,pilgrims to brave the perils of the long journey across the sea1 to endure the hardships and dangers of the wilderness1 and with ,god's blessing to lay1 on the shores of ,america1 the foundation of a mighty nation4 ,yet honest and ,god-fearing as they were1 the ,pilgrims did not yet comprehend the great principle of religious liberty4 ,the freedom which they sacrificed so much to secure for themselves1 they were not equally ready to grant to others4 8,very few1 even of the foremost thinkers and moralists of the seventeenth century1 had any just conception of that grand principle1 the outgrowth of the ,new ,testament1 which acknowledges ,god as the sole judge of human faith407#dch7 ,the doctrine that ,god has committed to the church the right to control the conscience1 and to define and punish heresy1 is one of the most deeply rooted of papal errors4 ,while the ,reformers rejected the creed of ,rome1 they were not entirely free from her spirit of intolerance4 ,the dense darkness in which1 through the long ages of her rule1 popery had enveloped all ,christendom1 had not even yet been wholly dissipated4 ,said one of the leading ministers in the colony of ,massachusetts ,bay3 8,it was toleration that made the world antichristian2 and the church never took harm by the punishment of heretics407#dci7 ,the regulation was adopted by the colonists1 that only church-members should have a voice in the civil government4 ,a kind of state church was formed1 all the people being required to contribute to the support of the clergy1 and the magistrates being authorized to suppress heresy4 ,thus the secular power was in the hands of the church4 ,it was not long before these measures led to the inevitable result--persecution4 ,eleven years after the planting of the first colony1 ,roger ,williams came to the ,new ,world4 ,like the early ,pilgrims1 he came to enjoy religious freedom2 but unlike them1 he saw--what so few in his time had yet seen--that this freedom was the inalienable right of all1 whatever might be their creed4 ,he was an earnest seeker for truth1 with ,robinson holding it impossible that all the light from ,god's word had yet been received4 ,williams 8was the first person in modern ,christendom to establish civil government on the doctrine of the liberty of conscience1 the equality of opinions before the law407#ddj7 ,he declared it to be the duty of the magistrate to restrain crime1 but never to control the conscience4 8,the public or the magistrates may decide10 he said1 8what is due from man to man2 but when they attempt to prescribe a man's duties to ,god1 they are out of place1 and there can be no safety2 for it is clear that if the magistrate has the power1 he may decree one set of opinions or beliefs to-day and another to-morrow2 as has been done in ,england by different kings and queens1 and by different popes and councils in the ,roman ,church2 so that belief would become a heap of confusion407#dda7 ,attendance at the services of the established church was required under a penalty of fine or imprisonment4 8,williams reprobated the law2 the worst statute in the ,english code was that which did but enforce attendance upon the parish church4 ,to compel men to unite with those of a different creed1 he regarded as an open violation of their natural rights2 to drag to public worship the irreligious and the unwilling1 seemed only like requiring hypocrisy4444 #8,no one should be bound to worship1 or1' he added1 #8to maintain a worship1 against his own consent4' #8,what6' exclaimed his antagonists1 amazed at his tenets1 #8is not the laborer worthy of his hire8' #8,yes1' replied he1 #8from them that hire him4' 07#ddb7 ,roger ,williams was respected and beloved as a faithful minister1 a man of rare gifts1 of unbending integrity and true benevolence2 yet his steadfast denial of the right of civil magistrates to authority over the church1 and his demand for religious liberty1 could not be tolerated4 ,the application of this new doctrine1 it was urged1 would 8subvert the fundamental state and government of the country407#ddc7 ,he was sentenced to banishment from the colonies1 and finally1 to avoid arrest1 he was forced to flee1 amid the cold and storms of winter1 into the unbroken forest4 8,for fourteen weeks10 he says1 8,i was sorely tossed in a bitter season1 not knowing what bread or bed did mean40 ,but 8the ravens fed me in the wilderness10 and a hollow tree often served him for a shelter47#ddd7 ,thus he continued his painful flight through the snow and the trackless forest1 until he found refuge with an ,indian tribe whose confidence and affection he had won while endeavoring to teach them the truths of the gospel4 ,making his way at last1 after months of change and wandering1 to the shores of ,narragansett ,bay1 he there laid the foundation of the first state of modern times that in the fullest sense recognized the right of religious freedom4 ,the fundamental principle of ,roger ,williams's colony1 was 8that every man should have liberty to worship ,god according to the light of his own conscience407#dde7 ,his little ,state1 ,rhode ,island1 became the asylum of the oppressed1 and it increased and prospered until its foundation principles--civil and religious liberty--became the corner-stones of the ,american ,republic4 ,in that grand old document which our forefathers set forth as their bill of rights--the ,declaration of ,independence--they declared3 8,we hold these truths to be self-evident1 that all men are created equal2 that they are endowed by their ,creator with certain unalienable rights2 that among these are life1 liberty1 and the pursuit of happiness40 ,and the ,constitution guarantees1 in the most explicit terms1 the inviolability of conscience3 8,no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office of public trust under the ,united ,states40 8,congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion1 or prohibiting the free exercise thereof40 8,the framers of the ,constitution recognized the eternal principle that man's relation with his ,god is above human legislation1 and his rights of conscience inalienable4 ,reasoning was not necessary to establish this truth2 we are conscious of it in our own bosoms4 ,it is this consciousness which1 in defiance of human laws1 has sustained so many martyrs in tortures and flames4 ,they felt that their duty to ,god was superior to human enactments1 and that man could exercise no authority over their consciences4 ,it is an inborn principle which nothing can eradicate407#ddf7 ,as the tidings spread through the countries of ,europe1 of a land where every man might enjoy the fruit of his own labor and obey the convictions of his conscience1 thousands flocked to the shores of the ,new ,world4 ,colonies rapidly multiplied4 8,massachusetts1 by special law1 offered free welcome and aid1 at the public cost1 to ,christians of any nationality who might fly beyond the ,atlantic #8to escape from wars or famine1 or the oppression of their persecutors4' ,thus the fugitive and the downtrodden were1 by statute1 made the guests of the commonwealth407#ddg7 ,in twenty years from the first landing at ,plymouth1 as many thousand ,pilgrims were settled in ,new ,england4 ,to secure the object which they sought1 8they were content to earn a bare subsistence by a life of frugality and toil4 ,they asked nothing from the soil but the reasonable returns of their own labor4 ,no golden vision threw a deceitful halo around their path4444 ,they were content with the slow but steady progress of their social polity4 ,they patiently endured the privations of the wilderness1 watering the tree of liberty with their tears1 and with the sweat of their brow1 till it took deep root in the land40 ,the ,bible was held as the foundation of faith1 the source of wisdom1 and the charter of liberty4 ,its principles were diligently taught in the home1 in the school1 and in the church1 and its fruits were manifest in thrift1 intelligence1 purity1 and temperance4 ,one might be for years a dweller in the ,puritan settlements1 8and not see a drunkard1 or hear an oath1 or meet a beggar407#ddh7 ,it was demonstrated that the principles of the ,bible are the surest safeguards of national greatness4 ,the feeble and isolated colonies grew to a confederation of powerful ,states1 and the world marked with wonder the peace and prosperity of 8a church without a pope1 and a state without a king40 ,but continually increasing numbers were attracted to the shores of ,america1 actuated by motives widely different from those of the first ,pilgrims4 ,though the primitive faith and purity exerted a wide-spread and moulding power1 yet its influence became less and less as the numbers increased of those who sought only worldly advantage4 ,the regulation adopted by the early colonists1 of permitting only members of the church to vote or to hold office in the civil government1 led to most pernicious results4 ,this measure had been accepted as a means of preserving the purity of the state1 but it resulted in the corruption of the church4 ,a profession of religion being the condition of suffrage and office-holding1 many1 actuated solely by motives of worldly policy1 united with the church without a change of heart4 ,thus the churches came to consist1 to a considerable extent1 of unconverted persons2 and even in the ministry were those who not only held errors of doctrine1 but who were ignorant of the renewing power of the ,holy ,spirit4 ,thus again was demonstrated the evil results1 so often witnessed in the history of the church from the days of ,constantine to the present1 of attempting to build up the church by the aid of the state1 of appealing to the secular power in support of the gospel of ,him who declared1 8,my kingdom is not of this world407#ddi7 ,the union of the church with the state1 be the degree never so slight1 while it may appear to bring the world nearer to the church1 does in reality but bring the church nearer to the world4 ,the great principle so nobly advocated by ,robinson and ,roger ,williams1 that truth is progressive1 that ,christians should stand ready to accept all the light which may shine from ,god's holy word1 was lost sight of by their descendants4 ,the ,protestant churches of ,america--and those of ,europe as well--so highly favored in receiving the blessings of the ,reformation1 failed to press forward in the path of reform4 ,though a few faithful men arose1 from time to time1 to proclaim new truth and expose long-cherished error1 the majority1 like the ,jews in ,christ's day or the papists in the time of ,luther1 were content to believe as their fathers had believed1 and to live as they had lived4 ,therefore religion again degenerated into formalism2 and errors and superstitions which would have been cast aside had the church continued to walk in the light of ,god's word1 were retained and cherished4 ,thus the spirit inspired by the ,reformation gradually died out1 until there was almost as great need of reform in the ,protestant churches as in the ,roman ,church in the time of ,luther4 ,there was the same worldliness and spiritual stupor1 a similar reverence for the opinions of men1 and substitution of human theories for the teachings of ,god's word4 ,the wide circulation of the ,bible in the early part of the nineteenth century1 and the great light thus shed upon the world1 was not followed by a corresponding advance in knowledge of revealed truth1 or in experimental religion4 ,satan could not1 as in former ages1 keep ,god's word from the people2 it had been placed within the reach of all2 but in order still to accomplish his object1 he led many to value it but lightly4 ,men neglected to search the ,scriptures1 and thus they continued to accept false interpretations1 and to cherish doctrines which had no foundation in the ,bible4 ,seeing the failure of his efforts to crush out the truth by persecution1 ,satan had again resorted to the plan of compromise which led to the great apostasy and the formation of the ,church of ,rome4 ,he had induced ,christians to ally themselves1 not now with pagans1 but with those who1 by their devotion to the things of this world1 had proved themselves to be as truly idolaters as were the worshipers of graven images4 ,and the results of this union were no less pernicious now than in former ages2 pride and extravagance were fostered under the guise of religion1 and the churches became corrupted4 ,satan continued to pervert the doctrines of the ,bible1 and traditions that were to ruin millions were taking deep root4 ,the church was upholding and defending these traditions1 instead of contending for 8the faith which was once delivered to the saints40 ,thus were degraded the principles for which the ,reformers had done and suffered so much4 #ag4 ,,heralds ,,of ,,the ,,morning4 ,illustration3 ,chapter header4 ,one of the most solemn and yet most glorious truths revealed in the ,bible is that of ,christ's second coming1 to complete the great work of redemption4 ,to ,god's pilgrim people1 so long left to sojourn in 8the region and shadow of death10 a precious1 joy-inspiring hope is given in the promise of ,his appearing1 who is 8the resurrection and the life10 to 8bring home again ,his banished40 ,the doctrine of the second advent is the very key-note of the ,sacred ,scriptures4 ,from the day when the first pair turned their sorrowing steps from ,eden1 the children of faith have waited the coming of the ,promised ,one to break the destroyer's power and bring them again to the lost ,paradise4 ,holy men of old looked forward to the advent of the ,messiah in glory1 as the consummation of their hope4 ,enoch1 only the seventh in descent from them that dwelt in ,eden1 he who for three centuries on earth walked with his ,god1 was permitted to behold from afar the coming of the ,deliverer4 8,behold10 he declared1 8the ,lord cometh with ten thousands of ,his saints1 to execute judgment upon all407#dej7 ,the patriarch ,job in the night of his affliction exclaimed with unshaken trust3 8,i know that my ,redeemer liveth1 and that ,he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth3 444 in my flesh shall ,i see ,god3 whom ,i shall see for myself1 and mine eyes shall behold1 and not another407#dea7 ,the coming of ,christ to usher in the reign of righteousness1 has inspired the most sublime and impassioned utterances of the sacred writers4 ,the poets and prophets of the ,bible have dwelt upon it in words glowing with celestial fire4 ,the psalmist sung of the power and majesty of ,israel's ,king3 8,out of ,zion1 the perfection of beauty1 ,god hath shined4 ,our ,god shall come1 and shall not keep silence4444 ,he shall call to the heavens from above1 and to the earth1 that ,he may judge ,his people407#deb7 8,let the heavens rejoice1 and let the earth be glad 444 before the ,lord3 for ,he cometh1 for ,he cometh to judge the earth3 ,he shall judge the world with righteousness1 and the people with ,his truth407#dec7 ,said the prophet ,isaiah3 8,awake and sing1 ye that dwell in dust3 for thy dew is as the dew of herbs1 and the earth shall cast out the dead40 8,thy dead men shall live1 together with my dead body shall they arise40 8,he will swallow up death in victory2 and the ,lord ,god will wipe away tears from off all faces2 and the rebuke of ,his people shall ,he take away from off all the earth3 for the ,lord hath spoken it4 ,and it shall be said in that day1 ,lo1 this is our ,god2 we have waited for ,him1 and ,he will save us3 this is the ,lord2 we have waited for ,him1 we will be glad and rejoice in ,his salvation407#ded7 ,and ,habakkuk1 rapt in holy vision1 beheld ,his appearing4 8,god came from ,teman1 and the ,holy ,one from ,mount ,paran4 ,his glory covered the heavens1 and the earth was full of ,his praise4 ,and ,his brightness was as the light40 8,he stood1 and measured the earth3 ,he beheld1 and drove asunder the nations2 and the everlasting mountains were scattered1 the perpetual hills did bow3 ,his ways are everlasting40 8,thou didst ride upon ,thine horses and ,thy chariots of salvation40 8,the mountains saw ,thee1 and they trembled3 444 the deep uttered his voice1 and lifted up his hands on high4 ,the sun and moon stood still in their habitation3 at the light of ,thine arrows they went1 and at the shining of ,thy glittering spear40 8,thou wentest forth for the salvation of ,thy people1 even for salvation with ,thine anointed407#dee7 ,when the ,saviour was about to be separated from ,his disciples1 ,he comforted them in their sorrow with the assurance that ,he would come again3 8,let not your heart be troubled4444 ,in ,my ,father's house are many mansions4444 ,i go to prepare a place for you4 ,and if ,i go and prepare a place for you1 ,i will come again1 and receive you unto ,myself407#def7 8,the ,son of man shall come in ,his glory1 and all the holy angels with ,him4 ,then shall ,he sit upon the throne of ,his glory3 and before ,him shall be gathered all nations407#deg7 ,the angels who lingered upon ,olivet after ,christ's ascension1 repeated to the disciples the promise of ,his return3 8,this same ,jesus1 which is taken up from you into heaven1 shall so come in like manner as ye have seen ,him go into heaven407#deh7 ,and the apostle ,paul1 speaking by the ,spirit of inspiration1 testified3 8,the ,lord ,himself shall descend from heaven with a shout1 with the voice of the ,archangel1 and with the trump of ,god407#dei7 ,says the prophet of ,patmos1 8,behold1 ,he cometh with clouds2 and every eye shall see ,him407#dfj7 ,about ,his coming cluster the glories of that 8restitution of all things1 which ,god hath spoken by the mouth of all ,his holy prophets since the world began407#dfa7 ,then the long-continued rule of evil shall be broken2 8the kingdoms of this world0 will become 8the kingdoms of our ,lord1 and of ,his ,christ2 and ,he shall reign forever and ever407#dfb7 8,the glory of the ,lord shall be revealed1 and all flesh shall see it together40 8,the ,lord ,god will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations40 ,he shall be 8for a crown of glory1 and for a diadem of beauty1 unto the residue of ,his people407#dfc7 ,it is then that the peaceful and long-desired kingdom of the ,messiah shall be established under the whole heaven4 8,the ,lord shall comfort ,zion3 ,he will comfort all her waste places2 and ,he will make her wilderness like ,eden1 and her desert like the garden of the ,lord40 8,the glory of ,lebanon shall be given unto it1 the excellency of ,carmel and ,sharon40 8,thou shalt no more be termed ,forsaken2 neither shall thy land any more be termed ,desolate3 but thou shalt be called ,my ,delight1 and thy land ,beulah40 8,as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride1 so shall thy ,god rejoice over thee407#dfd7 ,the coming of the ,lord has been in all ages the hope of ,his true followers4 ,the ,saviour's parting promise upon ,olivet1 that ,he would come again1 lighted up the future for ,his disciples1 filling their hearts with joy and hope that sorrow could not quench nor trials dim4 ,amid suffering and persecution1 8the appearing of the great ,god and our ,saviour ,jesus ,christ0 was the 8blessed hope40 ,when the ,thessalonian ,christians were filled with grief as they buried their loved ones1 who had hoped to live to witness the coming of the ,lord1 ,paul1 their teacher1 pointed them to the resurrection1 to take place at the ,saviour's advent4 ,then the dead in ,christ should rise1 and together with the living be caught up to meet the ,lord in the air4 8,and so10 he said1 8shall we ever be with the ,lord4 ,wherefore comfort one another with these words407#dfe7 ,on rocky ,patmos the beloved disciple hears the promise1 8,surely ,i come quickly10 and his longing response voices the prayer of the church in all her pilgrimage1 8,even so1 come1 ,lord ,jesus407#dff7 ,from the dungeon1 the stake1 the scaffold1 where saints and martyrs witnessed for the truth1 comes down the centuries the utterance of their faith and hope4 ,being 8assured of ,his personal resurrection1 and consequently of their own at ,his coming1 for this cause10 says one of these ,christians1 8they despised death1 and were found to be above it407#dfg7 ,they were willing to go down to the grave1 that they might 8rise free407#dfh7 ,they looked for the 8,lord to come from heaven in the clouds with the glory of ,his ,father10 8bringing to the just the times of the kingdom40 ,the ,waldenses cherished the same faith47#dfi7 ,wycliffe looked forward to the ,redeemer's appearing as the hope of the church47#dgj7 ,luther declared3 8,i persuade myself verily1 that the day of judgment will not be absent full three hundred years4 ,god will not1 can not1 suffer this wicked world much longer40 8,the great day is drawing near in which the kingdom of abominations shall be overthrown407#dga7 8,this aged world is not far from its end10 said ,melanchthon4 ,calvin bids ,christians 8not to hesitate1 ardently desiring the day of ,christ's coming as of all events most auspicious20 and declares that 8the whole family of the faithful will keep in view that day40 8,we must hunger after ,christ1 we must seek1 contemplate10 he says1 8till the dawning of that great day1 when our ,lord will fully manifest the glory of ,his kingdom407#dgb7 8,has not our ,lord ,jesus carried up our flesh into heaven80 said ,knox1 the ,scotch ,reformer1 8and shall ,he not return8 ,we know that ,he shall return1 and that with expedition40 ,ridley and ,latimer1 who laid down their lives for the truth1 looked in faith for the ,lord's coming4 ,ridley wrote3 8,the world without doubt--this ,i do believe1 and therefore ,i say it--draws to an end4 ,let us with ,john1 the servant of ,god1 cry in our hearts unto our ,saviour ,christ1 ,come1 ,lord ,jesus1 come407#dgc7 8,the thoughts of the coming of the ,lord10 said ,baxter1 8are most sweet and joyful to me407#dgd7 8,it is the work of faith and the character of ,his saints to love ,his appearing and to look for that blessed hope40 8,if death be the last enemy to be destroyed at the resurrection1 we may learn how earnestly believers should long and pray for the second coming of ,christ1 when this full and final conquest shall be made407#dge7 8,this is the day that all believers should long1 and hope1 and wait for1 as being the accomplishment of all the work of their redemption1 and all the desires and endeavors of their souls40 8,hasten1 ,o ,lord1 this blessed day607#dgf7 ,such was the hope of the apostolic church1 of the 8church in the wilderness10 and of the ,reformers4 ,prophecy not only foretells the manner and object of ,christ's coming1 but presents tokens by which men are to know when it is near4 ,said ,jesus3 8,there shall be signs in the sun1 and in the moon1 and in the stars407#dgg7 8,the sun shall be darkened1 and the moon shall not give her light1 and the stars of heaven shall fall1 and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken4 ,and then shall they see the ,son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory407#dgh7 ,the revelator thus describes the first of the signs to precede the second advent3 8,there was a great earthquake2 and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair1 and the moon became as blood407#dgi7 ,these signs were witnessed before the opening of the nineteenth century4 ,in fulfilment of this prophecy there occurred1 in the year #agee1 the most terrible earthquake that has ever been recorded4 ,though commonly known as the earthquake of ,lisbon1 it extended to the greater part of ,europe1 ,africa1 and ,america4 ,it was felt in ,greenland1 in the ,west ,indies1 in the island of ,madeira1 in ,norway and ,sweden1 ,great ,britain and ,ireland4 ,it pervaded an extent of not less than four million square miles4 ,in ,africa the shock was almost as severe as in ,europe4 ,a great part of ,algiers was destroyed2 and a short distance from ,morocco1 a village containing eight or ten thousand inhabitants was swallowed up4 ,a vast wave swept over the coast of ,spain and ,africa1 engulfing cities1 and causing great destruction4 ,it was in ,spain and ,portugal that the shock manifested its extreme violence4 ,at ,cadiz the inflowing wave was said to be sixty feet high4 ,mountains1 8some of the largest in ,portugal1 were impetuously shaken1 as it were1 from their very foundations2 and some of them opened at their summits1 which were split and rent in a wonderful manner1 huge masses of them being thrown down into the adjacent valleys4 ,flames are related to have issued from these mountains407#dhj7 ,at ,lisbon 8a sound of thunder was heard underground1 and immediately afterward a violent shock threw down the greater part of that city4 ,in the course of about six minutes1 sixty thousand persons perished4 ,the sea first retired1 and laid the bar dry2 it then rolled in1 rising fifty feet or more above its ordinary level40 8,among other extraordinary events related to have occurred at ,lisbon during the catastrophe1 was the subsidence of a new quay1 built entirely of marble1 at an immense expense4 ,a great concourse of people had collected there for safety1 as a spot where they might be beyond the reach of falling ruins2 but suddenly the quay sank down with all the people on it1 and not one of the dead bodies ever floated to the surface407#dha7 8,the shock0 of the earthquake 8was instantly followed by the fall of every church and convent1 almost all the large public buildings1 and more than one fourth of the houses4 ,in about two hours after the shock1 fires broke out in different quarters1 and raged with such violence for the space of nearly three days1 that the city was completely desolated4 ,the earthquake happened on a holy-day1 when the churches and convents were full of people1 very few of whom escaped407#dhb7 8,the terror of the people was beyond description4 ,nobody wept2 it was beyond tears4 ,they ran hither and thither1 delirious with horror and astonishment1 beating their faces and breasts1 crying1 #8,misericordia6 the world's at an end6' ,mothers forgot their children1 and ran about loaded with crucifixed images4 ,unfortunately1 many ran to the churches for protection2 but in vain was the sacrament exposed2 in vain did the poor creatures embrace the altars2 images1 priests1 and people were buried in one common ruin40 ,it has been estimated that ninety thousand persons lost their lives on that fatal day4 ,twenty-five years later appeared the next sign mentioned in the prophecy1--the darkening of the sun and moon4 ,what rendered this more striking was the fact that the time of its fulfilment had been definitely pointed out4 ,in the ,saviour's conversation with ,his disciples upon ,olivet1 after describing the long period of trial for the church1--the #abfj years of papal persecution1 concerning which ,he had promised that the tribulation should be shortened1--,he thus mentioned certain events to precede ,his coming1 and fixed the time when the first of these should be witnessed3 8,in those days1 after that tribulation1 the sun shall be darkened1 and the moon shall not give her light407#dhc7 ,the #abfj days1 or years1 terminated in #agih4 ,a quarter of a century earlier1 persecution had almost wholly ceased4 ,following this persecution1 according to the words of ,christ1 the sun was to be darkened4 ,on the #aith of ,may1 #aghj1 this prophecy was fulfilled4 8,almost if not altogether alone1 as the most mysterious and as yet unexplained phenomenon of its kind1 444 stands the dark day of ,may #ai1 #aghj1--;a most unaccountable darkening of the whole visible heavens and atmosphere in ,new ,england407#dhd7 ,an eye-witness living in ,massachusetts describes the event as follows3 8,in the morning the sun rose clear1 but was soon overcast4 ,the clouds became lowery1 and from them1 black and ominous1 as they soon appeared1 lightning flashed1 thunder rolled1 and a little rain fell4 ,toward nine o'clock1 the clouds became thinner1 and assumed a brassy or coppery appearance1 and earth1 rocks1 trees1 buildings1 water1 and persons were changed by this strange1 unearthly light4 ,a few minutes later1 a heavy black cloud spread over the entire sky except a narrow rim at the horizon1 and it was as dark as it usually is at nine o'clock on a summer evening4444 8,fear1 anxiety1 and awe gradually filled the minds of the people4 ,women stood at the door1 looking out upon the dark landscape2 men returned from their labor in the fields2 the carpenter left his tools1 the blacksmith his forge1 the tradesman his counter4 ,schools were dismissed1 and tremblingly the children fled homeward4 ,travelers put up at the nearest farmhouse4 #8,what is coming8' queried every lip and heart4 ,it seemed as if a hurricane was about to dash across the land1 or as if it was the day of the consummation of all things4 8,candles were used2 and hearth-fires shone as brightly as on a moonless evening in autumn4444 ,fowls retired to their roosts and went to sleep1 cattle gathered at the pasture-bars and lowed1 frogs peeped1 birds sang their evening songs1 and bats flew about4 ,but the human knew that night had not come4444 8,dr4 ,nathanael ,whittaker1 pastor of the ,tabernacle church in ,salem1 held religious services in the meeting-house1 and preached a sermon in which he maintained that the darkness was supernatural4 ,congregations came together in many other places4 ,the texts for the extemporaneous sermons were invariably those that seemed to indicate that the darkness was consonant with scriptural prophecy4444 ,the darkness was most dense shortly after eleven o'clock407#dhe7 8,in most parts of the country it was so great in the daytime1 that the people could not tell the hour by either watch or clock1 nor dine1 nor manage their domestic business1 without the light of candles4444 8,the extent of this darkness was extraordinary4 ,it was observed as far east as ,falmouth4 ,to the westward it reached to the farthest part of ,connecticut1 and to ,albany4 ,to the southward1 it was observed along the seacoasts2 and to the north as far as the ,american settlements extend407#dhf7 ,the intense darkness of the day was succeeded1 an hour or two before evening1 by a partially clear sky1 and the sun appeared1 though it was still obscured by the black1 heavy mist4 8,after sundown1 the clouds came again overhead1 and it grew dark very fast40 8,nor was the darkness of the night less uncommon and terrifying than that of the day2 notwithstanding there was almost a full moon1 no object was discernible but by the help of some artificial light1 which1 when seen from the neighboring houses and other places at a distance1 appeared through a kind of ,egyptian darkness which seemed almost impervious to the rays407#dhg7 ,said an eye-witness of the scene3 8,i could not help conceiving at the time1 that if every luminous body in the universe had been shrouded in impenetrable shades1 or struck out of existence1 the darkness could not have been more complete407#dhh7 ,though at nine o'clock that night the moon rose to the full1 8it had not the least effect to dispel the deathlike shadows40 ,after midnight the darkness disappeared1 and the moon1 when first visible1 had the appearance of blood4 ,may #ai1 #aghj1 stands in history as 8,the ,dark ,day40 ,since the time of ,moses1 no period of darkness of equal density1 extent1 and duration1 has ever been recorded4 ,the description of this event1 as given by eye-witnesses1 is but an echo of the words of the ,lord1 recorded by the prophet ,joel1 twenty-five hundred years previous to their fulfilment3 8,the sun shall be turned into darkness1 and the moon into blood1 before the great and the terrible day of the ,lord come407#dhi7 ,christ had bidden ,his people watch for the signs of ,his advent1 and rejoice as they should behold the tokens of their coming ,king4 8,when these things begin to come to pass10 ,he said1 8then look up1 and lift up your heads2 for your redemption draweth nigh40 ,he pointed ,his followers to the budding trees of spring1 and said3 8,when they now shoot forth1 ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand4 ,so likewise ye1 when ye see these things come to pass1 know ye that the kingdom of ,god is nigh at hand407#dij7 ,but as the spirit of humility and devotion in the church had given place to pride and formalism1 love for ,christ and faith in ,his coming had grown cold4 ,absorbed in worldliness and pleasure-seeking1 the professed people of ,god were blinded to the ,saviour's instructions concerning the signs of ,his appearing4 ,the doctrine of the second advent had been neglected2 the scriptures relating to it were obscured by misinterpretation1 until it was1 to a great extent1 ignored and forgotten4 ,especially was this the case in the churches of ,america4 ,the freedom and comfort enjoyed by all classes of society1 the ambitious desire for wealth and luxury1 begetting an absorbing devotion to money-making1 the eager rush for popularity and power1 which seemed to be within the reach of all1 led men to center their interests and hopes on the things of this life1 and to put far in the future that solemn day when the present order of things should pass away4 ,when the ,saviour pointed out to ,his followers the signs of ,his return1 ,he foretold the state of backsliding that would exist just prior to ,his second advent4 ,there would be1 as in the days of ,noah1 the activity and stir of worldly business and pleasure-seeking--buying1 selling1 planting1 building1 marrying1 and giving in marriage--with forgetfulness of ,god and the future life4 ,for those living at this time1 ,christ's admonition is3 8,take heed to yourselves1 lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting1 and drunkenness1 and cares of this life1 and so that day come upon you unawares40 8,watch ye therefore1 and pray always1 that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass1 and to stand before the ,son of man407#dia7 ,the condition of the church at this time is pointed out in the ,saviour's words in the ,revelation1 8,thou hast a name that thou livest1 and art dead407#dib7 ,and to those who refuse to arouse from their careless security1 the solemn warning is addressed1 8,if therefore thou shalt not watch1 ,i will come on thee as a thief1 and thou shalt not know what hour ,i will come upon thee407#dic7 ,it was needful that men should be awakened to their danger2 that they should be roused to prepare for the solemn events connected with the close of probation4 ,the prophet of ,god declares3 8,the day of the ,lord is great and very terrible2 and who can abide it80 ,who shall stand when ,he appeareth who is 8of purer eyes than to behold evil10 and cannot 8look on iniquity087#did7 ,to them that cry1 8,my ,god1 we know ,thee10 yet have transgressed ,his covenant1 and hastened after another god17#die7 hiding iniquity in their hearts1 and loving the paths of unrighteousness1--to these the day of the ,lord is 8darkness1 and not light1 even very dark1 and no brightness in it407#dif7 8,it shall come to pass at that time10 saith the ,lord1 8that ,i will search ,jerusalem with candles1 and punish the men that are settled on their lees3 that say in their heart1 ,the ,lord will not do good1 neither will ,he do evil407#dig7 8,i will punish the world for their evil1 and the wicked for their iniquity2 and ,i will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease1 and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible407#dih7 8,neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them20 8their goods shall become a booty1 and their houses a desolation407#dii7 ,the prophet ,jeremiah1 looking forward to this fearful time1 exclaimed3 8,i am pained at my very heart40 8,i cannot hold my peace1 because thou hast heard1 ,o my soul1 the sound of the trumpet1 the alarm of war4 ,destruction upon destruction is cried407#ejj7 8,that day is a day of wrath1 a day of trouble and distress1 a day of wasteness and desolation1 a day of darkness and gloominess1 a day of clouds and thick darkness1 a day of the trumpet and alarm407#eja7 8,behold1 the day of the ,lord cometh1 444 to lay the land desolate3 and ,he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it407#ejb7 ,in view of that great day the word of ,god1 in the most solemn and impressive language1 calls upon ,his people to arouse from their spiritual lethargy1 and to seek ,his face with repentance and humiliation3 8,blow ye the trumpet in ,zion1 and sound an alarm in ,my holy mountain3 let all the inhabitants of the land tremble3 for the day of the ,lord cometh1 for it is nigh at hand40 8,sanctify a fast1 call a solemn assembly3 gather the people1 sanctify the congregation1 assemble the elders1 gather the children3 444 let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber1 and the bride out of her closet4 ,let the priests1 the ministers of the ,lord1 weep between the porch and the altar40 8,turn ye even to ,me with all your heart1 and with fasting1 and with weeping1 and with mourning3 and rend your heart1 and not your garments1 and turn unto the ,lord your ,god3 for ,he is gracious and merciful1 slow to anger1 and of great kindness407#ejc7 ,to prepare a people to stand in the day of ,god1 a great work of reform was to be accomplished4 ,god saw that many of ,his professed people were not building for eternity1 and in ,his mercy ,he was about to send a message of warning to arouse them from their stupor1 and lead them to make ready for the coming of the ,lord4 ,this warning is brought to view in ,revelation #ad4 ,here is a threefold message represented as proclaimed by heavenly beings1 and immediately followed by the coming of the ,son of man 8to reap the harvest of the earth40 ,the first of these warnings announces the approaching judgment4 ,the prophet beheld an angel flying 8in the midst of heaven1 having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth1 and to every nation1 and kindred1 and tongue1 and people1 saying with a loud voice1 ,fear ,god1 and give glory to ,him2 for the hour of ,his judgment is come3 and worship ,him that made heaven1 and earth1 and the sea1 and the fountains of waters407#ejd7 ,this message is declared to be a part of the 8everlasting gospel40 ,the work of preaching the gospel has not been committed to angels1 but has been intrusted to men4 ,holy angels have been employed in directing this work1 they have in charge the great movements for the salvation of men2 but the actual proclamation of the gospel is performed by the servants of ,christ upon the earth4 ,faithful men1 who were obedient to the promptings of ,god's ,spirit and the teachings of ,his word1 were to proclaim this warning to the world4 ,they were those who had taken heed to the 8sure word of prophecy10 the 8light that shineth in a dark place1 until the day dawn1 and the day-star arise407#eje7 ,they had been seeking the knowledge of ,god more than all hid treasures1 counting it 8better than the merchandise of silver1 and the gain thereof than fine gold407#ejf7 ,and the ,lord revealed to them the great things of the kingdom4 8,the secret of the ,lord is with them that fear ,him2 and ,he will show them ,his covenant407#ejg7 ,it was not the scholarly theologians who had an understanding of this truth1 and engaged in its proclamation4 ,had these been faithful watchmen1 diligently and prayerfully searching the ,scriptures1 they would have known the time of night2 the prophecies would have opened to them the events about to take place4 ,but they did not occupy this position1 and the message was given by humbler men4 ,said ,jesus1 8,walk while ye have the light1 lest darkness come upon you407#ejh7 ,those who turn away from the light which ,god has given1 or who neglect to seek it when it is within their reach1 are left in darkness4 ,but the ,saviour declares1 8,he that followeth ,me shall not walk in darkness1 but shall have the light of life407#eji7 ,whoever is with singleness of purpose seeking to do ,god's will1 earnestly heeding the light already given1 will receive greater light2 to that soul some star of heavenly radiance will be sent1 to guide him into all truth4 ,at the time of ,christ's first advent1 the priests and scribes of the holy city1 to whom were intrusted the oracles of ,god1 might have discerned the signs of the times1 and proclaimed the coming of the ,promised ,one4 ,the prophecy of ,micah designated ,his birthplace27#eaj7 ,daniel specified the time of ,his advent47#eaa7 ,god committed these prophecies to the ,jewish leaders2 they were without excuse if they did not know and declare to the people that the ,messiah's coming was at hand4 ,their ignorance was the result of sinful neglect4 ,the ,jews were building monuments for the slain prophets of ,god1 while by their deference to the great men of earth they were paying homage to the servants of ,satan4 ,absorbed in their ambitious strife for place and power among men1 they lost sight of the divine honors proffered them by the ,king of heaven4 ,with profound and reverent interest the elders of ,israel should have been studying the place1 the time1 the circumstances1 of the greatest event in the world's history1--the coming of the ,son of ,god to accomplish the redemption of man4 ,all the people should have been watching and waiting that they might be among the first to welcome the world's ,redeemer4 ,but lo1 at ,bethlehem two weary travelers from the hills of ,nazareth traverse the whole length of the narrow street to the eastern extremity of the town1 vainly seeking a place of rest and shelter for the night4 ,no doors are open to receive them4 ,in a wretched hovel prepared for cattle1 they at last find refuge1 and there the ,saviour of the world is born4 ,heavenly angels had seen the glory which the ,son of ,god shared with the ,father before the world was1 and they had looked forward with intense interest to ,his appearing on earth1 as an event fraught with the greatest joy to all people4 ,angels were appointed to carry the glad tidings to those who were prepared to receive it1 and who would joyfully make it known to the inhabitants of the earth4 ,christ had stooped to take upon ,himself man's nature2 ,he was to bear an infinite weight of woe as ,he should make ,his soul an offering for sin2 yet angels desired that even in ,his humiliation1 the ,son of the ,highest might appear before men with a dignity and glory befitting ,his character4 ,would the great men of earth assemble at ,israel's capital to greet ,his coming8 ,would legions of angels present ,him to the expectant company8 ,an angel visits the earth to see who are prepared to welcome ,jesus4 ,but he can discern no tokens of expectancy4 ,he hears no voice of praise and triumph1 that the period of ,messiah's coming is at hand4 ,the angel hovers for a time over the chosen city and the temple where the divine presence has been manifested for ages2 but even here is the same indifference4 ,the priests1 in their pomp and pride1 are offering polluted sacrifices in the temple4 ,the ,pharisees are with loud voices addressing the people1 or making boastful prayers at the corners of the streets4 ,in the palaces of kings1 in the assemblies of philosophers1 in the schools of the rabbis1 all are alike unmindful of the wondrous fact which has filled all heaven with joy and praise1--that the ,redeemer of men is about to appear upon the earth4 ,there is no evidence that ,christ is expected1 and no preparation for the ,prince of life4 ,in amazement the celestial messenger is about to return to heaven with the shameful tidings1 when he discovers a group of shepherds who are watching their flocks by night1 and as they gaze into the starry heavens1 are contemplating the prophecy of a ,messiah to come to earth1 and longing for the advent of the world's ,redeemer4 ,here is a company that is prepared to receive the heavenly message4 ,and suddenly the angel of the ,lord appears1 declaring the good tidings of great joy4 ,celestial glory floods all the plain1 an innumerable company of angels is revealed1 and as if the joy were too great for one messenger to bring from heaven1 a multitude of voices break forth in the anthem which all the nations of the saved shall one day sing1 8,glory to ,god in the highest1 and on earth peace1 good will toward men407#eab7 ,o1 what a lesson is this wonderful story of ,bethlehem6 ,how it rebukes our unbelief1 our pride and self-sufficiency4 ,how it warns us to beware1 lest by our criminal indifference we also fail to discern the signs of the times1 and therefore know not the day of our visitation4 ,it was not alone upon the hills of ,judea1 not among the lowly shepherds only1 that angels found the watchers for ,messiah's coming4 ,in the land of the heathen also were those that looked for ,him2 they were wise men1 rich and noble1 the philosophers of the ,east4 ,students of nature1 the magi had seen ,god in ,his handiwork4 ,from the ,hebrew ,scriptures they had learned of the ,star to arise out of ,jacob1 and with eager desire they awaited ,his coming1 who should be not only the 8,consolation of ,israel10 but a 8,light to lighten the ,gentiles10 and 8for salvation unto the ends of the earth407#eac7 ,they were seekers for light1 and light from the throne of ,god illumined the path for their feet4 ,while the priests and rabbis of ,jerusalem1 the appointed guardians and expounders of the truth1 were shrouded in darkness1 the ,heaven-sent star guided these ,gentile strangers to the birthplace of the new-born ,king4 ,it is 8unto them that look for ,him0 that ,christ is to 8appear the second time without sin unto salvation407#ead7 ,like the tidings of the ,saviour's birth1 the message of the second advent was not committed to the religious leaders of the people4 ,they had failed to preserve their connection with ,god1 and had refused light from heaven2 therefore they were not of the number described by the apostle ,paul3 8,but ye1 brethren1 are not in darkness1 that that day should overtake you as a thief4 ,ye are all the children of light1 and the children of the day3 we are not of the night1 nor of darkness407#eae7 ,the watchmen upon the walls of ,zion should have been the first to catch the tidings of the ,saviour's advent1 the first to lift their voices to proclaim ,him near1 the first to warn the people to prepare for ,his coming4 ,but they were at ease1 dreaming of peace and safety1 while the people were asleep in their sins4 ,jesus saw ,his church1 like the barren fig-tree1 covered with pretentious leaves1 yet destitute of precious fruit4 ,there was a boastful observance of the forms of religion1 while the spirit of true humility1 penitence1 and faith--which alone could render the service acceptable to ,god--was lacking4 ,instead of the graces of the ,spirit1 there were manifested pride1 formalism1 vainglory1 selfishness1 oppression4 ,a backsliding church closed their eyes to the signs of the times4 ,god did not forsake them1 or suffer ,his faithfulness to fail2 but they departed from ,him1 and separated themselves from ,his love4 ,as they refused to comply with the conditions1 ,his promises were not fulfilled to them4 ,such is the sure result of neglect to appreciate and improve the light and privileges which ,god bestows4 ,unless the church will follow on in ,his opening providence1 accepting every ray of light1 performing every duty which may be revealed1 religion will inevitably degenerate into the observance of forms1 and the spirit of vital godliness will disappear4 ,this truth has been repeatedly illustrated in the history of the church4 ,god requires of ,his people works of faith and obedience corresponding to the blessings and privileges bestowed4 ,obedience requires a sacrifice and involves a cross2 and this is why so many of the professed followers of ,christ refused to receive the light from heaven1 and1 like the ,jews of old1 knew not the time of their visitation47#eaf7 ,because of their pride and unbelief1 the ,lord passed them by1 and revealed ,his truth to those who1 like the shepherds of ,bethlehem and the ,eastern magi1 had given heed to all the light they had received4 #ah4 ,,an ,,american ,,reformer4 ,illustration3 ,chapter header4 ,an upright1 honest-hearted farmer1 who had been led to doubt the divine authority of the ,scriptures1 yet who sincerely desired to know the truth1 was the man specially chosen of ,god to lead out in the proclamation of ,christ's second coming4 ,like many other reformers1 ,william ,miller had in early life battled with poverty1 and had thus learned the great lessons of energy and self-denial4 ,the members of the family from which he sprung were characterized by an independent1 liberty-loving spirit1 by capability of endurance1 and ardent patriotism1--traits which were also prominent in his character4 ,his father was a captain in the army of the ,revolution1 and to the sacrifices which he made in the struggles and sufferings of that stormy period1 may be traced the straitened circumstances of ,miller's early life4 ,he had a sound physical constitution1 and even in childhood gave evidence of more than ordinary intellectual strength4 ,as he grew older1 this became more marked4 ,his mind was active and well developed1 and he had a keen thirst for knowledge4 ,though he did not enjoy the advantages of a collegiate education1 his love of study and a habit of careful thought and close criticism rendered him a man of sound judgment and comprehensive views4 ,he possessed an irreproachable moral character and an enviable reputation1 being generally esteemed for integrity1 thrift1 and benevolence4 ,by dint of energy and application he early acquired a competence1 though his habits of study were still maintained4 ,he filled various civil and military offices with credit1 and the avenues to wealth and honor seemed wide open to him4 ,his mother was a woman of sterling piety1 and in childhood he had been subject to religious impressions4 ,in early manhood1 however1 he was thrown into the society of deists1 whose influence was the stronger from the fact that they were mostly good citizens1 and men of humane and benevolent disposition4 ,living1 as they did1 in the midst of ,christian institutions1 their characters had been to some extent moulded by their surroundings4 ,for the excellencies which won them respect and confidence they were indebted to the ,bible2 and yet these good gifts were so perverted as to exert an influence against the word of ,god4 ,by association with these men1 ,miller was led to adopt their sentiments4 ,the current interpretations of ,scripture presented difficulties which seemed to him insurmountable2 yet his new belief1 while setting aside the ,bible1 offered nothing better to take its place1 and he remained far from satisfied4 ,he continued to hold these views1 however1 for about twelve years4 ,but at the age of thirty-four1 the ,holy ,spirit impressed his heart with a sense of his condition as a sinner4 ,he found in his former belief no assurance of happiness beyond the grave4 ,the future was dark and gloomy4 ,referring afterward to his feelings at this time1 he said3 8,annihilation was a cold and chilling thought1 and accountability was sure destruction to all4 ,the heavens were as brass over my head1 and the earth as iron under my feet4 ,eternity--what was it8 ,and death--why was it8 ,the more ,i reasoned1 the further ,i was from demonstration4 ,the more ,i thought1 the more scattered were my conclusions4 ,i tried to stop thinking1 but my thoughts would not be controlled4 ,i was truly wretched1 but did not understand the cause4 ,i murmured and complained1 but knew not of whom4 ,i knew that there was a wrong1 but knew not how or where to find the right4 ,i mourned1 but without hope40 ,in this state he continued for some months4 8,suddenly10 he says1 8the character of a ,saviour was vividly impressed upon my mind4 ,it seemed that there might be a being so good and compassionate as to himself atone for our transgressions1 and thereby save us from suffering the penalty of sin4 ,i immediately felt how lovely such a being must be1 and imagined that ,i could cast myself into the arms of1 and trust in the mercy of1 such a one4 ,but the question arose1 ,how can it be proved that such a being does exist8 ,aside from the ,bible1 ,i found that ,i could get no evidence of the existence of such a ,saviour1 or even of a future state4444 8,i saw that the ,bible did bring to view just such a ,saviour as ,i needed2 and ,i was perplexed to find how an uninspired book should develop principles so perfectly adapted to the wants of a fallen world4 ,i was constrained to admit that the ,scriptures must be a revelation from ,god4 ,they became my delight2 and in ,jesus ,i found a friend4 ,the ,saviour became to me the chiefest among ten thousand2 and the ,scriptures1 which before were dark and contradictory1 now became the lamp to my feet and light to my path4 ,my mind became settled and satisfied4 ,i found the ,lord ,god to be a ,rock in the midst of the ocean of life4 ,the ,bible now became my chief study1 and ,i can truly say1 ,i searched it with great delight4 ,i found the half was never told me4 ,i wondered why ,i had not seen its beauty and glory before1 and marveled that ,i could have ever rejected it4 ,i found everything revealed that my heart could desire1 and a remedy for every disease of the soul4 ,i lost all taste for other reading1 and applied my heart to get wisdom from ,god407#eag7 ,miller publicly professed his faith in the religion which he had despised4 ,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 ,scriptures4 ,he was not then prepared to answer them2 but he reasoned that if the ,bible is a revelation from ,god1 it must be consistent with itself2 and that as it was given for man's instruction1 it must be adapted to his understanding4 ,he determined to study the ,scriptures for himself1 and ascertain if every apparent contradiction could not be harmonized4 ,endeavoring to lay aside all preconceived opinions1 and dispensing with commentaries1 he compared scripture with scripture by the aid of the marginal references and the concordance4 ,he pursued his study in a regular and methodical manner2 beginning with ,genesis1 and reading verse by verse1 he proceeded no faster than the meaning of the several passages so unfolded as to leave him free from all embarrassment4 ,when he found anything obscure1 it was his custom to compare it with every other text which seemed to have any reference to the matter under consideration4 ,every word was permitted to have its proper bearing upon the subject of the text1 and if his view of it harmonized with every collateral passage1 it ceased to be a difficulty4 ,thus whenever he met with a passage hard to be understood1 he found an explanation in some other portion of the ,scriptures4 ,as he studied with earnest prayer for divine enlightenment1 that which had before appeared dark to his understanding was made clear4 ,he experienced the truth of the psalmist's words1 8,the entrance of ,thy words giveth light2 it giveth understanding unto the simple407#eah7 ,with intense interest he studied the books of ,daniel and the ,revelation1 employing the same principles of interpretation as in the other scriptures1 and found1 to his great joy1 that the prophetic symbols could be understood4 ,he saw that the prophecies1 so far as they had been fulfilled1 had been fulfilled literally2 that all the various figures1 metaphors1 parables1 similitudes1 etc41 were either explained in their immediate connection1 or the terms in which they were expressed were defined in other scriptures1 and when thus explained1 were to be literally understood4 8,i was thus satisfied10 he says1 8that the ,bible is a system of revealed truths1 so clearly and simply given that the wayfaring man1 though a fool1 need not err therein407#eai7 ,link after link of the chain of truth rewarded his efforts1 as step by step he traced down the great lines of prophecy4 ,angels of heaven were guiding his mind and opening the ,scriptures to his understanding4 ,taking the manner in which the prophecies had been fulfilled in the past1 as a criterion by which to judge of the fulfilment of those which were still future1 he became 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 ,god4 ,this doctrine1 pointing to a thousand years of righteousness and peace before the personal coming of the ,lord1 put far off the terrors of the day of ,god4 ,but1 pleasing though it may be1 it is contrary to the teachings of ,christ and ,his apostles1 who declared that the wheat and the tares are to grow together until the harvest1 the end of the world27#ebj7 that 8evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse20 that 8in the last days perilous times shall come207#eba7 and that the kingdom of darkness shall continue until the advent of the ,lord1 and shall be consumed with the spirit of ,his mouth1 and be destroyed with the brightness of ,his coming47#ebb7 ,the doctrine of the world's conversion and the spiritual reign of ,christ was not held by the apostolic church4 ,it was not generally accepted by ,christians until about the beginning of the eighteenth century4 ,like every other error1 its results were evil4 ,it taught men to look far in the future for the coming of the ,lord1 and prevented them from giving heed to the signs heralding ,his approach4 ,it induced a feeling of confidence and security that was not well founded1 and led many to neglect the preparation necessary in order to meet their ,lord4 ,miller found the literal1 personal coming of ,christ to be plainly taught in the ,scriptures4 ,says ,paul1 8,the ,lord ,himself shall descend from heaven with a shout1 with the voice of the ,archangel1 and with the trump of ,god407#ebc7 ,and the ,saviour declares3 8,they shall see the ,son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory40 8,for as the lightning cometh out of the east1 and shineth even unto the west2 so shall also the coming of the ,son of man be407#ebd7 ,he is to be accompanied by all the hosts of heaven4 8,the ,son of man shall come in ,his glory1 and all the holy angels with ,him407#ebe7 8,and ,he shall send ,his angels with a great sound of a trumpet1 and they shall gather together ,his elect407#ebf7 ,at ,his coming the righteous dead will be raised1 and the righteous living will be changed4 8,we shall not all sleep10 says ,paul1 8but we shall all be changed1 in a moment1 in the twinkling of an eye1 at the last trump3 for the trumpet shall sound1 and the dead shall be raised incorruptible1 and we shall be changed4 ,for this corruptible must put on incorruption1 and this mortal must put on immortality407#ebg7 ,and in his letter to the ,thessalonians1 after describing the coming of the ,lord1 he says3 8,the dead in ,christ shall rise first3 then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds1 to meet the ,lord in the air3 and so shall we ever be with the ,lord40 ,not until the personal advent of ,christ can ,his people receive the kingdom4 ,the ,saviour said3 8,when the ,son of man shall come in ,his glory1 and all the holy angels with ,him1 then shall ,he sit upon the throne of ,his glory3 and before ,him shall be gathered all nations3 and ,he shall separate them one from another1 as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats3 and ,he shall set the sheep on ,his right hand1 but the goats on the left4 ,then shall the ,king say unto them on ,his right hand1 ,come1 ye blessed of ,my ,father1 inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world40 ,we have seen by the scriptures just given that when the ,son of man comes1 the dead are raised incorruptible1 and the living are changed4 ,by this great change they are prepared to receive the kingdom2 for ,paul says1 8,flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of ,god2 neither doth corruption inherit incorruption407#ebh7 ,man in his present state is mortal1 corruptible2 but the kingdom of ,god will be incorruptible1 enduring forever4 ,therefore man in his present state cannot enter into the kingdom of ,god4 ,but when ,jesus comes1 ,he confers immortality upon ,his people2 and then ,he calls them to inherit the kingdom of which they have hitherto been only heirs4 ,these and other scriptures clearly proved to ,miller's mind that the events which were generally expected to take place before the coming of ,christ1 such as the universal reign of peace and the setting up of the kingdom of ,god upon the earth1 were to be subsequent to the second advent4 ,furthermore1 all the signs of the times and the condition of the world corresponded to the prophetic description of the last days4 ,he was forced to the conclusion1 from the study of ,scripture alone1 that the period allotted for the continuance of the earth in its present state was about to close4 8,another kind of evidence that vitally affected my mind10 he says1 8was the chronology of the ,scriptures4444 ,i found that predicted events1 which had been fulfilled in the past1 often occurred within a given time4 ,the one hundred and twenty years to the flood 7,gen4 #f3c72 the seven days that were to precede it1 with forty days of predicted rain 7,gen4 #g3d72 the four hundred years of the sojourn of ,abraham's seed 7,gen4 #ae3ac72 the three days of the butler's and baker's dreams 7,gen4 #dj3ab-bj72 the seven years of ,pharaoh's 7,gen4 #da3bh-ed72 the forty years in the wilderness 7,num4 #ad3cd72 the three and a half years of famine 7#a ,kings #ag3a727ebi7 444 the seventy years' captivity 7,jer4 #be3aa72 ,nebuchadnezzar's seven times 7,dan4 #d3ac-af72 and the seven weeks1 threescore and two weeks1 and the one week1 making seventy weeks1 determined upon the ,jews 7,dan4 #i3bd-bg71--the events limited by these times were all once only a matter of prophecy1 and were fulfilled in accordance with the predictions407#ecj7 ,when1 therefore1 he found1 in his study of the ,bible1 various chronological periods that1 according to his understanding of them1 extended to the second coming of ,christ1 he could not but regard them as the 8times before appointed10 which ,god had revealed unto ,his servants4 8,the secret things10 says ,moses1 8belong unto the ,lord our ,god3 but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children forever207#eca7 and the ,lord declares by the prophet ,amos1 that ,he 8will do nothing1 but ,he revealeth ,his secret unto ,his servants the prophets407#ecb7 ,the students of ,god's word may1 then1 confidently expect to find the most stupendous event to take place in human history clearly pointed out in the ,scriptures of truth4 8,as ,i was fully convinced10 says ,miller1 8that #8all ,scripture given by inspiration of ,god is profitable2'7#ecc7 that it came not at any time by the will of man1 but was written as holy men were moved by the ,holy ,ghost17#ecd7 and was written #8for our learning1 that we through patience and comfort of the ,scriptures might have hope1'7#ece7 ,i could but regard the chronological portions of the ,bible as being as much a portion of the word of ,god1 and as much entitled to our serious consideration1 as any other portion of the ,scriptures4 ,i therefore felt that in endeavoring to comprehend what ,god had in ,his mercy seen fit to reveal to us1 ,i had no right to pass over the prophetic periods407#ecf7 ,the prophecy which seemed most clearly to reveal the time of the second advent was that of ,dan4 #h3ad3 8,unto two thousand and three hundred days2 then shall the sanctuary be cleansed40 ,following his rule of making ,scripture its own interpreter1 ,miller learned that a day in symbolic prophecy represents a year27#ecg7 he saw that the period of #bcjj prophetic days1 or literal years1 would extend far beyond the close of the ,jewish dispensation1 hence it could not refer to the sanctuary of that dispensation4 ,miller accepted the generally received view1 that in the ,christian age the earth is the sanctuary1 and he therefore understood that the cleansing of the sanctuary foretold in ,dan4 #h3ad represented the purification of the earth by fire at the second coming of ,christ4 ,if1 then1 the correct starting-point could be found for the #bcjj days1 he concluded that the time of the second advent could be readily ascertained4 ,thus would be revealed the time of that great consummation1 the time when the present state1 with 8all its pride and power1 pomp and vanity1 wickedness and oppression1 would come to an end20 when the curse would be 8removed from off the earth1 death be destroyed1 reward be given to the servants of ,god1 the prophets and saints1 and them who fear ,his name1 and those be destroyed that destroy the earth407#ech7 ,with a new and deeper earnestness1 ,miller continued the examination of the prophecies1 whole nights as well as days being devoted to the study of what now appeared of such stupendous importance and all-absorbing interest4 ,in the eighth chapter of ,daniel he could find no clue to the starting-point of the #bcjj days2 the angel ,gabriel1 though commanded to make ,daniel understand the vision1 gave him only a partial explanation4 ,as the terrible persecution to befall the church was unfolded to the prophet's vision1 physical strength gave way4 ,he could endure no more1 and the angel left him for a time4 ,daniel 8fainted1 and was sick certain days40 8,and ,i was astonished at the vision10 he says1 8but none understood it40 ,yet ,god had bidden ,his messenger1 8,make this man to understand the vision40 ,that commission must be fulfilled4 ,in obedience to it1 the angel1 some time afterward1 returned to ,daniel1 saying1 8,i am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding20 8therefore understand the matter1 and consider the vision407#eci7 ,there was one important point in the vision of chapter eight which had been left unexplained1 namely1 that relating to time1--the period of the #bcjj days2 therefore the angel1 in resuming his explanation1 dwells chiefly upon the subject of time3 8,seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city4444 ,know therefore and understand1 that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build ,jerusalem unto the ,messiah the ,prince shall be seven weeks1 and threescore and two weeks3 the street shall be built again1 and the wall1 even in troublous times4 ,and after threescore and two weeks shall ,messiah be cut off1 but not for ,himself4444 ,and ,he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week3 and in the midst of the week ,he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease40 ,the angel had been sent to ,daniel for the express purpose of explaining to him the point which he had failed to understand in the vision of the eighth chapter1 the statement relative to time1--8,unto two thousand and three hundred days2 then shall the sanctuary be cleansed40 ,after bidding ,daniel 8understand the matter1 and consider the vision10 the very first words of the angel are1 8,seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city40 ,the word here translated 8determined10 literally signifies 8cut off40 ,seventy weeks1 representing #dij years1 are declared by the angel to be cut off1 as specially pertaining to the ,jews4 ,but from what were they cut off8 ,as the #bcjj days was the only period of time mentioned in chapter eight1 it must be the period from which the seventy weeks were cut off2 the seventy weeks must therefore be a part of the #bcjj days1 and the two periods must begin together4 ,the seventy weeks were declared by the angel to date from the going forth of the commandment to restore and build ,jerusalem4 ,if the date of this commandment could be found1 then the starting-point for the great period of the #bcjj days would be ascertained4 ,in the seventh chapter of ,ezra the decree is found47#edj7 ,in its completest form it was issued by ,artaxerxes1 king of ,persia1 ,b4,c4 #deg4 ,but in ,ezra #f3ad the house of the ,lord at ,jerusalem is said to have been built 8according to the commandment margin1 decree of ,cyrus1 and ,darius1 and ,artaxerxes king of ,persia40 ,these three kings1 in originating1 re-affirming1 and completing the decree1 brought it to the perfection required by the prophecy to mark the beginning of the #bcjj years4 ,taking ,b4,c4 #deg1 the time when the decree was completed1 as the date of the commandment1 every specification of the prophecy concerning the seventy weeks was seen to have been fulfilled4 8,from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build ,jerusalem unto the ,messiah the ,prince shall be seven weeks1 and threescore and two weeks10--namely1 sixty-nine weeks1 or #dhc years4 ,the decree of ,artaxerxes went into effect in the autumn of ,b4,c4 #deg4 ,from this date1 #dhc years extend to the autumn of ,a4,d4 #bg47eda7 ,at that time this prophecy was fulfilled4 ,the word 8,messiah0 signifies 8the ,anointed ,one40 ,in the autumn of ,a4,d4 #bg1 ,christ was baptized by ,john1 and received the anointing of the ,spirit4 ,the apostle ,peter testifies that 8,god anointed ,jesus of ,nazareth with the ,holy ,ghost and with power407#edb7 ,and the ,saviour ,himself declared1 8,the ,spirit of the ,lord is upon ,me1 because ,he hath anointed ,me to preach the gospel to the poor407#edc7 ,after ,his baptism ,he went into ,galilee1 8preaching the gospel of the kingdom of ,god1 and saying1 ,the time is fulfilled407#edd7 8,and ,he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week40 ,the 8week0 here brought to view is the last one of the seventy2 it is the last seven years of the period allotted especially to the ,jews4 ,during this time1 extending from ,a4,d4 #bg to ,a4,d4 #cd1 ,christ1 at first in person and afterward by ,his disciples1 extended the gospel invitation especially to the ,jews4 ,as the apostles went forth with the good tidings of the kingdom1 the ,saviour's direction was1 8,go not into the way of the ,gentiles1 and into any city of the ,samaritans enter ye not3 but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of ,israel407#ede7 8,in the midst of the week ,he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease40 ,in ,a4,d4 #ca1 three and a half years after ,his baptism1 our ,lord was crucified4 ,with the great sacrifice offered upon ,calvary1 ended that system of offerings which for four thousand years had pointed forward to the ,lamb of ,god4 ,type had met antitype1 and all the sacrifices and oblations of the ceremonial system were there to cease4 ,the seventy weeks1 or #dij years1 especially allotted to the ,jews1 ended1 as we have seen1 in ,a4,d4 #cd4 ,at that time1 through the action of the ,jewish ,sanhedrim1 the nation sealed its rejection of the gospel by the martyrdom of ,stephen and the persecution of the followers of ,christ4 ,then the message of salvation1 no longer restricted to the chosen people1 was given to the world4 ,the disciples1 forced by persecution to flee from ,jerusalem1 8went everywhere preaching the ,word40 8,philip went down to the city of ,samaria1 and preached ,christ unto them40 ,peter1 divinely guided1 opened the gospel to the centurion of ,csarea1 the ,god-fearing ,cornelius2 and the ardent ,paul1 won to the faith of ,christ1 was commissioned to carry the glad tidings 8far hence unto the ,gentiles407#edf7 ,thus far every specification of the prophecies is strikingly fulfilled1 and the beginning of the seventy weeks is fixed beyond question at ,b4,c4 #deg1 and their expiration in ,a4,d4 #cd4 ,from this data there is no difficulty in finding the termination of the #bcjj days4 ,the seventy weeks--#dij days--having been cut off from the #bcjj1 there were #ahaj days remaining4 ,after the end of #dij days1 the #ahaj days were still to be fulfilled4 ,from ,a4,d4 #cd1 #ahaj years extend to #ahdd4 ,consequently the #bcjj days of ,dan4 #h3ad terminate in #ahdd4 ,at the expiration of this great prophetic period1 upon the testimony of the angel of ,god1 8the sanctuary shall be cleansed40 ,thus the time of the cleansing of the sanctuary--which was almost universally believed to take place at the second advent--was definitely pointed out4 ,miller and his associates at first believed that the #bcjj days would terminate in the spring of #ahdd1 whereas the prophecy points to the autumn of that year47#edg7 ,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 coming4 ,but this did not in the least affect the strength of the argument showing that the #bcjj days terminated in the year #ahdd1 and that the great event represented by the cleansing of the sanctuary must then take place4 ,entering upon the study of the ,scriptures as he had done1 in order to prove that they were a revelation from ,god1 ,miller had not1 at the outset1 the slightest expectation of reaching the conclusion at which he had now arrived4 ,he himself could hardly credit the results of his investigation4 ,but the ,scripture evidence was too clear and forcible to be set aside4 ,he had devoted two years to the study of the ,bible1 when1 in #ahah1 he reached the solemn conviction that in about twenty-five years ,christ would appear for the redemption of ,his people4 8,i need not speak10 says ,miller1 8of the joy that filled my heart in view of the delightful prospect1 nor of the ardent longings of my soul for a participation in the joys of the redeemed4 ,the ,bible was now to me a new book4 ,it was indeed a feast of reason2 all that was dark1 mystical1 or obscure to me in its teachings1 had been dissipated from my mind before the clear light that now dawned from its sacred pages2 and oh1 how bright and glorious the truth appeared6 ,all the contradictions and inconsistencies ,i had before found in the ,word were gone2 and although there were many portions of which ,i was not satisfied ,i had a full understanding1 yet so much light had emanated from it to the illumination of my before darkened mind1 that ,i felt a delight in studying the ,scripture which ,i had not before supposed could be derived from its teachings407#edh7 8,with the solemn conviction that such momentous events were predicted in the ,scriptures to be fulfilled in so short a space of time1 the question came home to me with mighty power regarding my duty to the world1 in view of the evidence that had affected my own mind407#edi7 ,he could not but feel that it was his duty to impart to others the light which he had received4 ,he expected to encounter opposition from the ungodly1 but was confident that all ,christians would rejoice in the hope of meeting the ,saviour whom they professed to love4 ,his only fear was1 that in their great joy at the prospect of glorious deliverance1 so soon to be consummated1 many would receive the doctrine without sufficiently examining the ,scriptures in demonstration of its truth4 ,he therefore hesitated to present it1 lest he should be in error1 and be the means of misleading others4 ,he was thus led to review the evidences in support of the conclusions at which he had arrived1 and to consider carefully every difficulty which presented itself to his mind4 ,he found that objections vanished before the light of ,god's word1 as mist before the rays of the sun4 ,five years spent thus1 left him fully convinced of the correctness of his position4 ,and now the duty of making known to others what he believed to be so clearly taught in the ,scriptures1 urged itself with new force upon him4 8,when ,i was about my business10 he said1 8it was continually ringing in my ears1 #8,go and tell the world of their danger4' ,this text was constantly occurring to me3 #8,when ,i say unto the wicked1 ,o wicked man1 thou shalt surely die2 if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way1 that wicked man shall die in his iniquity2 but his blood will ,i require at thine hand4 ,nevertheless1 if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it2 if he do not turn from his way1 he shall die in his iniquity2 but thou hast delivered thy soul4'7#eej7 ,i felt that if the wicked could be effectually warned1 multitudes of them would repent2 and that if they were not warned1 their blood might be required at my hand407#eea7 ,he began to present his views in private as he had opportunity1 praying that some minister might feel their force and devote himself to their promulgation4 ,but he could not banish the conviction that he had a personal duty to perform in giving the warning4 ,the words were ever recurring to his mind1 8,go and tell it to the world2 their blood will ,i require at thy hand40 ,for nine years he waited1 the burden still pressing upon his soul1 until in #ahca he for the first time publicly gave the reasons of his faith4 ,as ,elisha was called from following his oxen in the field1 to receive the mantle of consecration to the prophetic office1 so was ,william ,miller called to leave his plow1 and open to the people the mysteries of the kingdom of ,god4 ,with trembling he entered upon his work1 leading his hearers down1 step by step1 through the prophetic periods to the second appearing of ,christ4 ,with every effort he gained strength and courage as he saw the wide-spread interest excited by his words4 ,it was only at the solicitation of his brethren1 in whose words he heard the call of ,god1 that ,miller consented to present his views in public4 ,he was now fifty years of age1 unaccustomed to public speaking1 and burdened with a sense of unfitness for the work before him4 ,but from the first his labors were blessed in a remarkable manner to the salvation of souls4 ,his first lecture was followed by a religious awakening in which thirteen entire families1 with the exception of two persons1 were converted4 ,he was immediately urged to speak in other places1 and in nearly every place his labor resulted in a revival of the work of ,god4 ,sinners were converted1 ,christians were roused to greater consecration1 and deists and infidels were led to acknowledge the truth of the ,bible and the ,christian religion4 ,the testimony of those among whom he labored was1 8,a class of minds are reached by him not within the influence of other men407#eeb7 ,his preaching was calculated to arouse the public mind to the great things of religion1 and to check the growing worldliness and sensuality of the age4 ,in nearly every town there were scores1 in some1 hundreds1 converted as the result of his preaching4 ,in many places ,protestant churches of nearly all denominations were thrown open to him2 and the invitations to labor usually came from the ministers of the several congregations4 ,it was his invariable rule not to labor in any place to which he had not been invited1 yet he soon found himself unable to comply with half the requests that poured in upon him4 ,many who did not accept his views as to the exact time of the second advent1 were convinced of the certainty and nearness of ,christ's coming and their need of preparation4 ,in some of the large cities his work produced a marked impression4 ,liquor-dealers abandoned the traffic1 and turned their shops into meeting-rooms2 gambling dens were broken up2 infidels1 deists1 ,universalists1 and even the most abandoned profligates were reformed1 some of whom had not entered a house of worship for years4 ,prayer-meetings were established by the various denominations1 in different quarters1 at almost every hour1 business men assembling at midday for prayer and praise4 ,there was no extravagant excitement1 but an almost universal solemnity on the minds of the people4 ,his work1 like that of the early ,reformers1 tended rather to convince the understanding and arouse the conscience than merely to excite the emotions4 ,in #ahcc ,miller received a license to preach1 from the ,baptist ,church1 of which he was a member4 ,a large number of the ministers of his denomination also approved his work1 and it was with their formal sanction that he continued his labors4 ,he traveled and preached unceasingly1 though his personal labors were confined principally to the ,new ,england and ,middle ,states4 ,for several years his expenses were met wholly from his own private purse1 and he never afterward received enough to meet the expense of travel to the places where he was invited4 ,thus his public labors1 so far from being a pecuniary benefit1 were a heavy tax upon his property1 which gradually diminished during this period of his life4 ,he was the father of a large family1 but as they were all frugal and industrious1 his farm sufficed for their maintenance as well as his own4 ,in #ahcc1 two years after ,miller began to present in public the evidences of ,christ's soon coming1 the last of the signs appeared which were promised by the ,saviour as tokens of ,his second advent4 ,said ,jesus1 8,the stars shall fall from heaven07#eec7 ,and ,john in the ,revelation declared1 as he beheld in vision the scenes that should herald the day of ,god1 8,the stars of heaven fell unto the earth1 even as a fig-tree casteth her untimely figs1 when she is shaken of a mighty wind407#eed7 ,this prophecy received a striking and impressive fulfilment in the great meteoric shower of ,november #ac1 #ahcc4 ,that was the most extensive and wonderful display of falling stars which has ever been recorded2 8the whole firmament1 over all the ,united ,states1 being then1 for hours1 in fiery commotion6 ,no celestial phenomenon has ever occurred in this country1 since its first settlement1 which was viewed with such intense admiration by one class in the community1 or with so much dread and alarm by another40 8,its sublimity and awful beauty still linger in many minds4444 ,never did rain fall much thicker than the meteors fell toward the earth2 east1 west1 north1 and south1 it was the same4 ,in a word1 the whole heavens seemed in motion4444 ,the display1 as described in ,professor ,silliman's ,journal1 was seen all over ,north ,america4444 ,from two o'clock until broad daylight1 the sky being perfectly serene and cloudless1 an incessant play of dazzlingly brilliant luminosities was kept up in the whole heavens407#eee7 8,no language1 indeed1 can come up to the splendor of that magnificent display2 444 no one who did not witness it can form an adequate conception of its glory4 ,it seemed as if the whole starry heavens had congregated at one point near the zenith1 and were simultaneously shooting forth1 with the velocity of lightning1 to every part of the horizon2 and yet they were not exhausted--thousands swiftly followed in the tracks of thousands1 as if created for the occasion407#eef7 8,a more correct picture of a fig-tree casting its figs when blown by a mighty wind1 it was not possible to behold407#eeg7 ,in the ,new ,york ,journal of ,commerce of ,nov4 #ad1 #ahcc1 appeared a long article regarding this wonderful phenomenon1 containing this statement3 8,no philosopher or scholar has told or recorded an event1 ,i suppose1 like that of yesterday morning4 ,a prophet eighteen hundred years ago foretold it exactly1 if we will be at the trouble of understanding stars falling to mean falling stars1 444 in the only sense in which it is possible to be literally true40 ,thus was displayed the last of those signs of ,his coming1 concerning which ,jesus bade ,his disciples1 8,when ye shall see all these things1 know that it is near1 even at the doors407#eeh7 ,after these signs1 ,john beheld1 as the great event next impending1 the heavens departing as a scroll1 while the earth quaked1 mountains and islands removed out of their places1 and the wicked in terror sought to flee from the presence of the ,son of man47#eei7 ,many who witnessed the falling of the stars1 looked upon it as a herald of the coming judgment1--8an awful type1 a sure forerunner1 a merciful sign1 of that great and dreadful day40 ,thus the attention of the people was directed to the fulfilment of prophecy1 and many were led to give heed to the warning of the second advent4 ,in the year #ahdj1 another remarkable fulfilment of prophecy excited wide-spread interest4 ,two years before1 ,josiah ,litch1 one of the leading ministers preaching the second advent1 published an exposition of ,revelation #i1 predicting the fall of the ,ottoman empire4 ,according to his calculations1 this power was to be overthrown 8in ,a4,d4 #ahdj1 sometime in the month of ,august20 and only a few days previous to its accomplishment he wrote3 8,allowing the first period1 #aej years1 to have been exactly fulfilled before ,deacozes ascended the throne by permission of the ,turks1 and that the #cia years1 fifteen days1 commenced at the close of the first period1 it will end on the #aath of ,august1 #ahdj1 when the ,ottoman power in ,constantinople may be expected to be broken4 ,and this1 ,i believe1 will be found to be the case407#efj7 ,at the very time specified1 ,turkey1 through her ambassadors1 accepted the protection of the allied powers of ,europe1 and thus placed herself under the control of ,christian nations4 ,the event exactly fulfilled the prediction47#efa7 ,when it became known1 multitudes were convinced of the correctness of the principles of prophetic interpretation adopted by ,miller and his associates1 and a wonderful impetus was given to the ,advent ,movement4 ,men of learning and position united with ,miller1 both in preaching and publishing his views1 and from #ahdj to #ahdd the work rapidly extended4 ,william ,miller possessed strong mental powers1 disciplined by thought and study2 and he added to these the wisdom of heaven1 by connecting himself with the ,source of wisdom4 ,he was a man of sterling worth1 who could not but command respect and esteem wherever integrity of character and moral excellence were valued4 ,uniting true kindness of heart with ,christian humility and the power of self-control1 he was attentive and affable to all1 ready to listen to the opinions of others1 and to weigh their arguments4 ,without passion or excitement1 he tested all theories and doctrines by the word of ,god2 and his sound reasoning1 and thorough knowledge of the ,scriptures1 enabled him to refute error and expose falsehood4 ,yet he did not prosecute his work without bitter opposition4 ,as with earlier ,reformers1 the truths which he presented were not received with favor by popular religious teachers4 ,as these could not maintain their position by the ,scriptures1 they were driven to resort to the sayings and doctrines of men1 to the traditions of the ,fathers4 ,but the word of ,god was the only testimony accepted by the preachers of the advent truth4 8,the ,bible1 and the ,bible only10 was their watchword4 ,the lack of ,scripture argument on the part of their opponents was supplied by ridicule and scoffing4 ,time1 means1 and talents were employed in maligning those whose only offense was that they looked with joy for the return of their ,lord1 and were striving to live holy lives1 and to exhort others to prepare for ,his appearing4 ,earnest were the efforts put forth to draw away the minds of the people from the subject of the second advent4 ,it was made to appear a sin1 something of which men should be ashamed1 to study the prophecies which relate to the coming of ,christ and the end of the world4 ,thus the popular ministry undermined faith in the word of ,god4 ,their teaching made men infidels1 and many took license to walk after their own ungodly lusts4 ,then the authors of the evil charged it all upon ,adventists4 ,while drawing crowded houses of intelligent and attentive hearers1 ,miller's name was seldom mentioned by the religious press except by way of ridicule or denunciation4 ,the careless and ungodly1 emboldened by the position of religious teachers1 resorted to opprobrious epithets1 to base and blasphemous witticisms1 in their efforts to heap contumely upon him and his work4 ,the gray-headed man who had left a comfortable home to travel at his own expense from city to city1 from town to town1 toiling unceasingly to bear to the world the solemn warning of the judgment near1 was sneeringly denounced as a fanatic1 a liar1 a speculating knave4 ,the ridicule1 falsehood1 and abuse heaped upon him called forth indignant remonstrance1 even from the secular press4 8,to treat a subject of such overwhelming majesty and fearful consequences10 with lightness and ribaldry1 was declared by worldly men to be 8not merely to sport with the feelings of its propagators and advocates10 but 8to make a jest of the day of judgment1 to scoff at the ,deity ,himself1 and contemn the terrors of ,his judgment-bar407#efb7 ,the instigator of all evil sought not only to counteract the effect of the advent message1 but to destroy the messenger himself4 ,miller made a practical application of ,scripture truth to the hearts of his hearers1 reproving their sins and disturbing their self-satisfaction1 and his plain and cutting words aroused their enmity4 ,the opposition manifested by church-members toward his message1 emboldened the baser classes to go to greater lengths2 and enemies plotted to take his life as he should leave the place of meeting4 ,but holy angels were in the throng1 and one of these1 in the form of a man1 took the arm of this servant of the ,lord1 and led him in safety from the angry mob4 ,his work was not yet done1 and ,satan and his emissaries were disappointed in their purpose4 ,despite all opposition1 the interest in the ,advent ,movement had continued to increase4 ,from scores and hundreds1 the congregations had grown to as many thousands4 ,large accessions had been made to the various churches1 but after a time the spirit of opposition was manifested even against these converts1 and the churches began to take disciplinary steps with those who had embraced ,miller's views4 ,this action called forth a response from his pen1 in an address to ,christians of all denominations1 urging that if his doctrines were false1 he should be shown his error from the ,scriptures4 8,what have we believed10 he said1 8that we have not been commanded to believe by the word of ,god1 which you yourselves allow is the rule1 and only rule1 of our faith and practice8 ,what have we done that should call down such virulent denunciations against us from pulpit and press1 and give you just cause to exclude us ,adventists from your churches and fellowship80 8,if we are wrong1 pray show us wherein consists our wrong4 ,show us from the word of ,god that we are in error2 we have had ridicule enough2 that can never convince us that we are in the wrong2 the word of ,god alone can change our views4 ,our conclusions have been formed deliberately and prayerfully1 as we have seen the evidence in the ,scriptures407#efc7 ,from age to age the warnings which ,god has sent to the world by ,his servants have been received with like incredulity and unbelief4 ,when the iniquity of the antediluvians moved ,him to bring a flood of waters upon the earth1 ,he first made known to them ,his purpose1 that they might have opportunity to turn from their evil ways4 ,for a hundred and twenty years was sounded in their ears the warning to repent1 lest the wrath of ,god be manifested in their destruction4 ,but the message seemed to them an idle tale1 and they believed it not4 ,emboldened in their wickedness1 they mocked the messenger of ,god1 made light of his entreaties1 and even accused him of presumption4 ,how dare one man stand up against all the great men of the earth8 ,if ,noah's message were true1 why did not all the world see it and believe it8 ,one man's assertion against the wisdom of thousands6 ,they would not credit the warning1 nor would they seek shelter in the ark4 ,scoffers pointed to the things of nature1--to the unvarying succession of the seasons1 to the blue skies that had never poured out rain1 to the green fields refreshed by the soft dews of night1--and they cried out1 8,doth he not speak parables80 ,in contempt they declared the preacher of righteousness to be a wild enthusiast2 and they went on1 more eager in their pursuit of pleasure1 more intent upon their evil ways1 than ever before4 ,but their unbelief did not hinder the predicted event4 ,god bore long with their wickedness1 giving them ample opportunity for repentance2 but at the appointed time ,his judgments were visited upon the rejecters of ,his mercy4 ,christ declares that there will exist similar unbelief concerning ,his second coming4 ,as the people of ,noah's day 8knew not until the flood came1 and took them all away2 so10 in the words of our ,saviour1 8shall also the coming of the ,son of man be407#efd7 ,when the professed people of ,god are uniting with the world1 living as they live1 and joining with them in forbidden pleasure2 when the luxury of the world becomes the luxury of the church2 when the marriage bells are chiming1 and all are looking forward to many years of worldly prosperity1--then1 suddenly as the lightning flashes from the heavens1 will come the end of their bright visions and delusive hopes4 ,as ,god sent ,his servant to warn the world of the coming flood1 so ,he sent chosen messengers to make known the nearness of the final judgment4 ,and as ,noah's contemporaries laughed to scorn the predictions of the preacher of righteousness1 so in ,miller's day many1 even of the professed people of ,god1 scoffed at the words of warning4 ,and why were the doctrine and preaching of ,christ's second coming so unwelcome to the churches8 ,while to the wicked the advent of the ,lord brings woe and desolation1 to the righteous it is fraught with joy and hope4 ,this great truth had been the consolation of ,god's faithful ones through all the ages2 why had it become1 like its ,author1 8a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense0 to ,his professed people8 ,it was our ,lord ,himself who promised ,his disciples1 8,if ,i go and prepare a place for you1 ,i will come again1 and receive you unto ,myself407#efe7 ,it was the compassionate ,saviour1 who1 anticipating the loneliness and sorrow of ,his followers1 commissioned angels to comfort them with the assurance that ,he would come again in person1 even as ,he went into heaven4 ,as the disciples stood gazing intently upward to catch the last glimpse of ,him whom they loved1 their attention was arrested by the words1 8,ye men of ,galilee1 why stand ye gazing up into heaven8 this same ,jesus1 which is taken up from you into heaven1 shall so come in like manner as ye have seen ,him go into heaven407#eff7 ,hope was kindled afresh by the angel's message4 ,the disciples 8returned to ,jerusalem with great joy1 and were continually in the temple1 praising and blessing ,god407#efg7 ,they were not rejoicing because ,jesus had been separated from them1 and they were left to struggle with the trials and temptations of the world1 but because of the angel's assurance that ,he would come again4 ,the proclamation of ,christ's coming should now be1 as when made by the angels to the shepherds of ,bethlehem1 good tidings of great joy4 ,those who really love the ,saviour cannot but hail with gladness the announcement founded upon the word of ,god1 that ,he in whom their hopes of eternal life are centered1 is coming again1 not to be insulted1 despised1 and rejected1 as at ,his first advent1 but in power and glory1 to redeem ,his people4 ,it is those who do not love the ,saviour1 that desire ,him to remain away2 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 message4 ,those who accepted the advent doctrine were roused to the necessity of repentance and humiliation before ,god4 ,many had long been halting between ,christ and the world2 now they felt that it was time to take a stand4 8,the things of eternity assumed to them an unwonted reality4 ,heaven was brought near1 and they felt themselves guilty before ,god407#efh7 ,christians were quickened to new spiritual life4 ,they were made to feel that time was short1 that what they had to do for their fellow-men must be done quickly4 ,earth receded1 eternity seemed to open before them1 and the soul1 with all that pertains to its immortal weal or woe1 was felt to eclipse every temporal object4 ,the ,spirit of ,god rested upon them1 and gave power to their earnest appeals to their brethren1 as well as to sinners1 to prepare for the day of ,god4 ,the silent testimony of their daily life was a constant rebuke to formal and unconsecrated church-members4 ,these did not wish to be disturbed in their pursuit of pleasure1 their devotion to money-making1 and their ambition for worldly honor4 ,hence the enmity and opposition excited against the advent faith and those who proclaimed it4 ,as the arguments from the prophetic periods were found to be impregnable1 opposers endeavored to discourage investigation of the subject1 by teaching that the prophecies were sealed4 ,thus ,protestants followed in the steps of ,romanists4 ,while the papal church withholds the ,bible7#efi7 from the people1 ,protestant churches claimed that an important part of the sacred word--and that the part which brings to view truths specially applicable to our time--could not be understood4 ,ministers and people declared that the prophecies of ,daniel and the ,revelation were incomprehensible mysteries4 ,but ,christ directed ,his disciples to the words of the prophet ,daniel concerning events to take place in their time1 and said1 8,whoso readeth1 let him understand407#egj7 ,and the assertion that the ,revelation is a mystery1 not to be understood1 is contradicted by the very title of the book3 8,the ,revelation of ,jesus ,christ1 which ,god gave unto ,him1 to show unto ,his servants things which must shortly come to pass4444 ,blessed is he that readeth1 and they that hear the words of this prophecy1 and keep those things which are written therein3 for the time is at hand407#ega7 ,says the prophet3 8,blessed is he that readeth0--there are those who will not read2 the blessing is not for them4 8,and they that hear0--there are some1 also1 who refuse to hear anything concerning the prophecies2 the blessing is not for this class4 8,and keep those things which are written therein0--many refuse to heed the warnings and instructions contained in the ,revelation2 none of these can claim the blessing promised4 ,all who ridicule the subjects of the prophecy1 and mock at the symbols here solemnly given1 all who refuse to reform their lives1 and prepare for the coming of the ,son of man1 will be unblessed4 ,in view of the testimony of ,inspiration1 how dare men teach that the ,revelation is a mystery1 beyond the reach of human understanding8 ,it is a mystery revealed1 a book opened4 ,the study of the ,revelation directs the mind to the prophecies of ,daniel1 and both present most important instruction1 given of ,god to men1 concerning events to take place at the close of this world's history4 ,to ,john were opened scenes of deep and thrilling interest in the experience of the church4 ,he saw the position1 dangers1 conflicts1 and final deliverance of the people of ,god4 ,he records the closing messages which are to ripen the harvest of the earth1 either as sheaves for the heavenly garner or as fagots for the fires of destruction4 ,subjects of vast importance were revealed to him1 especially for the last church1 that those who should turn from error to truth might be instructed concerning the perils and conflicts before them4 ,none need be in darkness in regard to what is coming upon the earth4 ,why1 then1 this wide-spread ignorance concerning an important part of ,holy ,writ8 ,why this general reluctance to investigate its teachings8 ,it is the result of a studied effort of the prince of darkness to conceal from men that which reveals his deceptions4 ,for this reason1 ,christ the ,revelator1 foreseeing the warfare that would be waged against the study of the ,revelation1 pronounced a blessing upon all who should read1 hear1 and observe the words of the prophecy4 #ai4 ,,light ,,through ,,darkness4 ,illustration3 ,chapter header4 ,the work of ,god in the earth presents1 from age to age1 a striking similarity in every great reformation or religious movement4 ,the principles of ,god's dealing with men are ever the same4 ,the important movements of the present have their parallel in those of the past1 and the experience of the church in former ages has lessons of great value for our own time4 ,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 salvation4 ,men are instruments in the hand of ,god1 employed by ,him to accomplish ,his purposes of grace and mercy4 ,each has his part to act2 to each is granted a measure of light1 adapted to the necessities of his time1 and sufficient to enable him to perform the work which ,god has given him to do4 ,but no man1 however honored of ,heaven1 has ever attained to a full understanding of the great plan of redemption1 or even to a perfect appreciation of the divine purpose in the work for his own time4 ,men do not fully understand what ,god would accomplish by the work which ,he gives them to do2 they do not comprehend1 in all its bearings1 the message which they utter in ,his name4 8,canst thou by searching find out ,god8 canst thou find out the ,almighty unto perfection80 8,my thoughts are not your thoughts1 neither are your ways ,my ways1 saith the ,lord4 ,for as the heavens are higher than the earth1 so are ,my ways higher than your ways1 and ,my thoughts than your thoughts40 8,i am ,god1 and there is none like ,me1 declaring the end from the beginning1 and from ancient times the things that are not yet done407#egb7 ,even the prophets who were favored with the special illumination of the ,spirit1 did not fully comprehend the import of the revelations committed to them4 ,the meaning was to be unfolded from age to age1 as the people of ,god should need the instruction therein contained4 ,peter1 writing of the salvation brought to light through the gospel1 says3 ,of this salvation 8the prophets have inquired and searched diligently1 who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you3 searching what1 or what manner of time the ,spirit of ,christ which was in them did signify1 when it testified beforehand the sufferings of ,christ1 and the glory that should follow4 ,unto whom it was revealed1 that not unto themselves1 but unto us they did minister407#egc7 ,yet while it was not given to the prophets to understand fully the things revealed to them1 they earnestly sought to obtain all the light which ,god had been pleased to make manifest4 ,they 8inquired and searched diligently10 8searching what1 or what manner of time the ,spirit of ,christ which was in them did signify40 ,what a lesson to the people of ,god in the ,christian age1 for whose benefit these prophecies were given to ,his servants6 8,unto whom it was revealed that not unto themselves1 but unto us they did minister40 ,witness those holy men of ,god as they 8inquired and searched diligently0 concerning revelations given them for generations that were yet unborn4 ,contrast their holy zeal with the listless unconcern with which the favored ones of later ages treat this gift of heaven4 ,what a rebuke to the ease-loving1 world-loving indifference which is content to declare that the prophecies cannot be understood4 ,though the finite minds of men are inadequate to enter into the counsels of the ,infinite ,one1 or to understand fully the working out of ,his purposes1 yet often it is because of some error or neglect on their own part1 that they so dimly comprehend the messages of ,heaven4 ,not infrequently the minds of the people1 and even of ,god's servants1 are so blinded by human opinions1 the traditions and false teaching of men1 that they are able only partially to grasp the great things which ,he has revealed in ,his word4 ,thus it was with the disciples of ,christ1 even when the ,saviour was with them in person4 ,their minds had become imbued with the popular conception of the ,messiah as a temporal prince1 who was to exalt ,israel to the throne of universal empire1 and they could not understand the meaning of ,his words foretelling ,his sufferings and death4 ,christ ,himself had sent them forth with the message1 8,the time is fulfilled1 and the kingdom of ,god is at hand3 repent ye1 and believe the gospel407#egd7 ,that message was based on the prophecy of ,daniel #i4 ,the sixty-nine weeks were declared by the angel to extend to 8the ,messiah the ,prince10 and with high hopes and joyful anticipations the disciples looked forward to the establishment of ,messiah's kingdom at ,jerusalem1 to rule over the whole earth4 ,they preached the message which ,christ had committed to them1 though they themselves misapprehended its meaning4 ,while their announcement was founded on ,dan4 #i3be1 they did not see1 in the next verse of the same chapter1 that ,messiah was to be cut off4 ,from their very birth their hearts had been set upon the anticipated glory of an earthly empire1 and this blinded their understanding alike to the specifications of the prophecy and to the words of ,christ4 ,they performed their duty in presenting to the ,jewish nation the invitation of mercy1 and then1 at the very time when they expected to see their ,lord ascend the throne of ,david1 they beheld ,him seized as a malefactor1 scourged1 derided1 and condemned1 and lifted up on the cross of ,calvary4 ,what despair and anguish wrung the hearts of those disciples during the days while their ,lord was sleeping in the tomb6 ,christ had come at the exact time and in the manner foretold by prophecy4 ,the testimony of ,scripture had been fulfilled in every detail of ,his ministry4 ,he had preached the message of salvation1 and 8,his word was with power40 ,the hearts of ,his hearers had witnessed that it was of ,heaven4 ,the word and the ,spirit of ,god attested the divine commission of ,his ,son4 ,the disciples still clung with undying affection to their beloved ,master4 ,and yet their minds were shrouded in uncertainty and doubt4 ,in their anguish they did not then recall the words of ,christ pointing forward to ,his suffering and death4 ,if ,jesus of ,nazareth had been the true ,messiah1 would they have been thus plunged in grief and disappointment8 ,this was the question that tortured their souls while the ,saviour lay in ,his sepulcher during the hopeless hours of that ,sabbath which intervened between ,his death and ,his resurrection4 ,though the night of sorrow gathered dark about these followers of ,jesus1 yet were they not forsaken4 ,saith the prophet3 8,when ,i sit in darkness1 the ,lord shall be a light unto me4444 ,he will bring me forth to the light1 and ,i shall behold ,his righteousness40 8,yea1 the darkness hideth not from ,thee2 but the night shineth as the day3 the darkness and the light are both alike to ,thee40 ,god hath spoken3 8,unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness40 8,i will bring the blind by a way that they knew not2 ,i will lead them in paths that they have not known3 ,i will make darkness light before them1 and crooked things straight4 ,these things will ,i do unto them1 and not forsake them407#ege7 ,the announcement which had been made by the disciples in the name of the ,lord was in every particular correct1 and the events to which it pointed were even then taking place4 8,the time is fulfilled1 the kingdom of ,god is at hand10 had been their message4 ,at the expiration of 8the time0--the sixty-nine weeks of ,daniel #i1 which were to extend to the ,messiah1 8the ,anointed ,one0--,christ had received the anointing of the ,spirit1 after ,his baptism by ,john in ,jordan4 ,and the 8kingdom of ,god0 which they had declared to be at hand1 was established by the death of ,christ4 ,this kingdom was not1 as they had been taught to believe1 an earthly empire4 ,nor was it that future1 immortal kingdom which shall be set up when 8the kingdom and dominion1 and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven1 shall be given to the people of the saints of the ,most ,high20 that everlasting kingdom1 in which 8all dominions shall serve and obey ,him407#egf7 ,as used in the ,bible1 the expression 8kingdom of ,god0 is employed to designate both the kingdom of grace and the kingdom of glory4 ,the kingdom of grace is brought to view by ,paul in the ,epistle to the ,hebrews4 ,after pointing to ,christ1 the compassionate intercessor who is 8touched with the feeling of our infirmities10 the apostle says1 8,let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace1 that we may obtain mercy1 and find grace407#egg7 ,the throne of grace represents the kingdom of grace2 for the existence of a throne implies the existence of a kingdom4 ,in many of ,his parables1 ,christ uses the expression1 8the kingdom of heaven10 to designate the work of divine grace upon the hearts of men4 ,so the throne of glory represents the kingdom of glory2 and this kingdom is referred to in the ,saviour's words1 8,when the ,son of man shall come in ,his glory1 and all the holy angels with ,him1 then shall ,he sit upon the throne of ,his glory3 and before ,him shall be gathered all nations407#egh7 ,this kingdom is yet future4 ,it is not to be set up until the second advent of ,christ4 ,the kingdom of grace was instituted immediately after the fall of man1 when a plan was devised for the redemption of the guilty race4 ,it then existed in the purpose and by the promise of ,god2 and through faith1 men could become its subjects4 ,yet it was not actually established until the death of ,christ4 ,even after entering upon ,his earthly mission1 the ,saviour1 wearied with the stubbornness and ingratitude of men1 might have drawn back from the sacrifice of ,calvary4 ,in ,gethsemane the cup of woe trembled in ,his hand4 ,he might even then have wiped the blood-sweat from ,his brow1 and have left the guilty race to perish in their iniquity4 ,had ,he done this1 there could have been no redemption for fallen men4 ,but when the ,saviour yielded up ,his life1 and with ,his expiring breath cried out1 8,it is finished10 then the fulfilment of the plan of redemption was assured4 ,the promise of salvation made to the sinful pair in ,eden was ratified4 ,the kingdom of grace1 which had before existed by the promise of ,god1 was then established4 ,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 sure4 ,while it had brought them a cruel disappointment1 it was the climax of proof that their belief had been correct4 ,the event that had filled them with mourning and despair1 was that which opened the door of hope to every child of ,adam1 and in which centered the future life and eternal happiness of all ,god's faithful ones in all the ages4 ,purposes of infinite mercy were reaching their fulfilment1 even through the disappointment of the disciples4 ,while their hearts had been won by the divine grace and power of ,his teaching1 who 8spake as never man spake10 yet intermingled with the pure gold of their love for ,jesus1 was the base alloy of worldly pride and selfish ambitions4 ,even in the ,passover chamber1 at that solemn hour when their ,master was already entering the shadow of ,gethsemane1 there was 8a strife among them1 which of them should be accounted the greatest407#egi7 ,their vision was filled with the throne1 the crown1 and the glory1 while just before them lay the shame and agony of the garden1 the judgment-hall1 the cross of ,calvary4 ,it was their pride of heart1 their thirst for worldly glory1 that had led them to cling so tenaciously to the false teaching of their time1 and to pass unheeded the ,saviour's words showing the true nature of ,his kingdom1 and pointing forward to ,his agony and death4 ,and these errors resulted in the trial--sharp but needful--which was permitted for their correction4 ,though the disciples had mistaken the meaning of their message1 and had failed to realize their expectations1 yet they had preached the warning given them of ,god1 and the ,lord would reward their faith and honor their obedience4 ,to them was to be intrusted the work of heralding to all nations the glorious gospel of their risen ,lord4 ,it was to prepare them for this work1 that the experience which seemed to them so bitter had been permitted4 ,after ,his resurrection1 ,jesus appeared to ,his disciples on the way to ,emmaus1 and 8beginning at ,moses and all the prophets1 ,he expounded unto them in all the ,scriptures the things concerning ,himself407#ehj7 ,the hearts of the disciples were stirred4 ,faith was kindled4 ,they were 8begotten again unto a lively hope10 even before ,jesus revealed ,himself to them4 ,it was ,his purpose to enlighten their understanding1 and to fasten their faith upon the 8sure word of prophecy40 ,he wished the truth to take firm root in their minds1 not merely because it was supported by ,his personal testimony1 but because of the unquestionable evidence presented by the symbols and shadows of the typical law1 and by the prophecies of the ,old ,testament4 ,it was needful for the followers of ,christ to have an intelligent faith1 not only in their own behalf1 but that they might carry the knowledge of ,christ to the world4 ,and as the very first step in imparting this knowledge1 ,jesus directed the disciples to 8,moses and the prophets40 ,such was the testimony given by the risen ,saviour to the value and importance of the ,old ,testament ,scriptures4 ,what a change was wrought in the hearts of the disciples1 as they looked once more on the loved countenance of their ,master67#eha7 ,in a more complete and perfect sense than ever before1 they had 8found ,him1 of whom ,moses in the law1 and the prophets1 did write40 ,the uncertainty1 the anguish1 the despair1 gave place to perfect assurance1 to unclouded faith4 ,what marvel that after ,his ascension they 8were continually in the temple1 praising and blessing ,god40 ,the people1 knowing only of the ,saviour's ignominious death1 looked to see in their faces the expression of sorrow1 confusion1 and defeat2 but they saw there gladness and triumph4 ,what a preparation these disciples had received for the work before them6 ,they had passed through the deepest trial which it was possible for them to experience1 and had seen how1 when to human vision all was lost1 the word of ,god had been triumphantly accomplished4 ,henceforward what could daunt their faith1 or chill the ardor of their love8 ,in the keenest sorrow they had 8strong consolation10 a hope which was as 8an anchor of the soul1 both sure and steadfast407#ehb7 ,they had been witness to the wisdom and power of ,god1 and they were 8persuaded1 that neither death1 nor life1 nor angels1 nor principalities1 nor powers1 nor things present1 nor things to come1 nor height1 nor depth1 nor any other creature10 would be able to separate them from 8the love of ,god1 which is in ,christ ,jesus our ,lord40 8,in all these things10 they said1 8we are more than conquerors through ,him that loved us407#ehc7 8,the word of the ,lord endureth forever407#ehd7 ,and 8who is he that condemneth8 ,it is ,christ that died1 yea rather1 that is risen again1 who is even at the right hand of ,god1 who also maketh intercession for us407#ehe7 ,saith the ,lord3 8,my people shall never be ashamed407#ehf7 8,weeping may endure for a night1 but joy cometh in the morning407#ehg7 ,when on ,his resurrection day these disciples met the ,saviour1 and their hearts burned within them as they listened to ,his words2 when they looked upon the head and hands and feet that had been bruised for them2 when1 before ,his ascension1 ,jesus led them out as far as ,bethany1 and lifting up ,his hands in blessing1 bade them1 8,go ye into all the world1 and preach the gospel10 adding1 8,lo1 ,i am with you alway207#ehh7 when on the day of ,pentecost the promised ,comforter descended1 and the power from on high was given1 and the souls of the believers thrilled with the conscious presence of their ascended ,lord1--then1 even though1 like ,his1 their pathway led through sacrifice and martyrdom1 would they have exchanged the ministry of the gospel of ,his grace1 with the 8crown of righteousness0 to be received at ,his coming1 for the glory of an earthly throne1 which had been the hope of their earlier discipleship8 ,he who is 8able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think10 had granted them1 with the fellowship of ,his sufferings1 the communion of ,his joy1--the joy of 8bringing many sons unto glory10 joy unspeakable1 8an eternal weight of glory10 to which1 says ,paul1 8our light affliction1 which is but for a moment10 is 8not worthy to be compared40 ,the experience of the disciples who preached the 8gospel of the kingdom0 at the first advent of ,christ1 had its counterpart in the experience of those who proclaimed the message of ,his second advent4 ,as the disciples went out preaching1 8,the time is fulfilled1 the kingdom of ,god is at hand10 so ,miller and his associates proclaimed that the longest and last prophetic period brought to view in the ,bible was about to expire1 that the judgment was at hand1 and the everlasting kingdom was to be ushered in4 ,the preaching of the disciples in regard to time was based on the seventy weeks of ,daniel #i4 ,the message given by ,miller and his associates announced the termination of the #bcjj days of ,dan4 #h3ad1 of which the seventy weeks form a part4 ,the preaching of each was based upon the fulfilment of a different portion of the same great prophetic period4 ,like the first disciples1 ,william ,miller and his associates did not1 themselves1 fully comprehend the import of the message which they bore4 ,errors that had been long established in the church prevented them from arriving at a correct interpretation of an important point in the prophecy4 ,therefore1 though they proclaimed the message which ,god had committed to them to be given to the world1 yet through a misapprehension of its meaning1 they suffered disappointment4 ,in explaining ,dan4 #h3ad1 8,unto two thousand and three hundred days1 then shall the sanctuary be cleansed10 ,miller1 as has been stated1 adopted the generally received view that the earth is the sanctuary1 and he believed that the cleansing of the sanctuary represented the purification of the earth by fire at the coming of the ,lord4 ,when1 therefore1 he found that the close of the #bcjj days was definitely foretold1 he concluded that this revealed the time of the second advent4 ,his error resulted from accepting the popular view as to what constitutes the sanctuary4 ,in the typical system1 which was a shadow of the sacrifice and priesthood of ,christ1 the cleansing of the sanctuary was the last service performed by the high priest in the yearly round of ministration4 ,it was the closing work of the atonement1--a removal or putting away of sin from ,israel4 ,it prefigured the closing work in the ministration of our ,high ,priest in heaven1 in the removal or blotting out of the sins of ,his people1 which are registered in the heavenly records4 ,this service involves a work of investigation1 a work of judgment2 and it immediately precedes the coming of ,christ in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory2 for when ,he comes1 every case has been decided4 ,says ,jesus1 8,my reward is with ,me1 to give every man according as his work shall be407#ehi7 ,it is this work of judgment1 immediately preceding the second advent1 that is announced in the first angel's message of ,rev4 #ad3g1 8,fear ,god1 and give glory to ,him2 for the hour of ,his judgment is come40 ,those who proclaimed this warning gave the right message at the right time4 ,but as the early disciples declared1 8,the time is fulfilled1 and the kingdom of ,god is at hand10 based on the prophecy of ,daniel #i1 while they failed to perceive that the death of the ,messiah was foretold in the same scripture2 so ,miller and his associates preached the message based on ,dan4 #h3ad and ,rev4 #ad3g1 and failed to see that there were still other messages brought to view in ,revelation #ad1 which were also to be given before the advent of the ,lord4 ,as the disciples were mistaken in regard to the kingdom to be set up at the end of the seventy weeks1 so ,adventists were mistaken in regard to the event to take place at the expiration of the #bcjj days4 ,in both cases there was an acceptance of1 or rather an adherence to1 popular errors that blinded the mind to the truth4 ,both classes fulfilled the will of ,god in delivering the message which ,he desired to be given1 and both1 through their own misapprehension of their message1 suffered disappointment4 ,yet ,god accomplished ,his own beneficent purpose in permitting the warning of the judgment to be given just as it was4 ,the great day was at hand1 and in ,his providence the people were brought to the test of a definite time1 in order to reveal to them what was in their hearts4 ,the message was designed for the testing and purification of the church4 ,they were to be led to see whether their affections were set upon this world or upon ,christ and heaven4 ,they professed to love the ,saviour2 now they were to prove their love4 ,were they ready to renounce their worldly hopes and ambitions1 and welcome with joy the advent of their ,lord8 ,the message was designed to enable them to discern their true spiritual state2 it was sent in mercy to arouse them to seek the ,lord with repentance and humiliation4 ,the disappointment also1 though the result of their own misapprehension of the message which they gave1 was to be overruled for good4 ,it would test the hearts of those who had professed to receive the warning4 ,in the face of their disappointment1 would they rashly give up their experience1 and cast away their confidence in ,god's word8 or would they1 in prayer and humility1 seek to discern where they had failed to comprehend the significance of the prophecy8 ,how many had moved from fear1 or from impulse and excitement8 ,how many were half-hearted and unbelieving8 ,multitudes professed to love the appearing of the ,lord4 ,when called to endure the scoffs and reproach of the world1 and the test of delay and disappointment1 would they renounce the faith8 ,because they did not immediately understand the dealings of ,god with them1 would they cast aside truths sustained by the clearest testimony of ,his word8 ,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 ,god4 ,it would teach them1 as only such an experience could1 the danger of accepting the theories and interpretations of men1 instead of making the ,bible its own interpreter4 ,to the children of faith the perplexity and sorrow resulting from their error1 would work the needed correction4 ,they would be led to a closer study of the prophetic word4 ,they would be taught to examine more carefully the foundation of their faith1 and to reject everything1 however widely accepted by the ,christian world1 that was not founded upon the ,scriptures of truth4 ,with these believers1 as with the first disciples1 that which in the hour of trial seemed dark to their understanding1 would afterward be made plain4 ,when they should see the 8end of the ,lord10 they would know that notwithstanding the trial resulting from their errors1 ,his purposes of love toward them had been steadily fulfilling4 ,they would learn by a blessed experience that ,he is 8very pitiful1 and of tender mercy20 that all ,his paths 8are mercy and truth unto such as keep ,his covenant and ,his testimonies40 #bj4 ,a ,,great ,,religious ,,awakening4 ,illustration3 ,chapter header4 ,a great religious awakening under the proclamation of ,christ's soon coming1 is foretold in the prophecy of the first angel's message of ,revelation #ad4 ,an angel is seen flying 8in the midst of heaven1 having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth1 and to every nation1 and kindred1 and tongue1 and people40 8,with a loud voice0 he proclaims the message1 8,fear ,god1 and give glory to ,him2 for the hour of ,his judgment is come3 and worship ,him that made heaven1 and earth1 and the sea1 and the fountains of waters407#eij7 ,the fact that an angel is said to be the herald of this warning1 is significant4 ,by the purity1 the glory1 and the power of the heavenly messenger1 divine wisdom has been pleased to represent the exalted character of the work to be accomplished by the message1 and the power and glory that were to attend it4 ,and the angel's flight 8in the midst of heaven10 the 8loud voice0 with which the warning is uttered1 and its promulgation to all 8that dwell on the earth10--8to every nation1 and kindred1 and tongue1 and people10--give evidence of the rapidity and world-wide extent of the movement4 ,the message itself sheds light as to the time when this movement is to take place4 ,it is declared to be a part of the 8everlasting gospel20 and it announces the opening of the judgment4 ,the message of salvation has been preached in all ages2 but this message is a part of the gospel which could be proclaimed only in the last days1 for only then would it be true that the hour of judgment had come4 ,the prophecies present a succession of events leading down to the opening of the judgment4 ,this is especially true of the book of ,daniel4 ,but that part of his prophecy which related to the last days1 ,daniel was bidden to close up and seal 8to the time of the end40 ,not till we reach this time could a message concerning the judgment be proclaimed1 based on a fulfilment of these prophecies4 ,but at the time of the end1 says the prophet1 8many shall run to and fro1 and knowledge shall be increased407#eia7 ,the apostle ,paul warned the church not to look for the coming of ,christ in his day4 8,that day shall not come10 he says1 8except there come a falling away first1 and that man of sin be revealed407#eib7 ,not till after the great apostasy1 and the long period of the reign of the 8man of sin10 can we look for the advent of our ,lord4 ,the 8man of sin10 which is also styled the 8mystery of iniquity10 the 8son of perdition10 and 8that wicked10 represents the papacy1 which1 as foretold in prophecy1 was to maintain its supremacy for #abfj years4 ,this period ended in #agih4 ,the coming of ,christ could not take place before that time4 ,paul covers with his caution the whole of the ,christian dispensation down to the year #agih4 ,it is this side of that time that the message of ,christ's second coming is to be proclaimed4 ,no such message has ever been given in past ages4 ,paul1 as we have seen1 did not preach it2 he pointed his brethren into the then far-distant future for the coming of the ,lord4 ,the ,reformers did not proclaim it4 ,martin ,luther placed the judgment about three hundred years in the future from his day4 ,but since #agih the book of ,daniel has been unsealed1 knowledge of the prophecies has increased1 and many have proclaimed the solemn message of the judgment near4 ,like the great ,reformation of the sixteenth century1 the ,advent ,movement appeared in different countries of ,christendom at the same time4 ,in both ,europe and ,america1 men of faith and prayer were led to the study of the prophecies1 and tracing down the inspired record1 they saw convincing evidence that the end of all things was at hand4 ,in different lands there were isolated bodies of ,christians who1 solely by the study of the ,scriptures1 arrived at the belief that the ,saviour's advent was near4 ,in #ahba1 three years after ,miller had arrived at his exposition of the prophecies pointing to the time of the judgment1 ,dr4 ,joseph ,wolff1 8the missionary to the world10 began to proclaim the ,lord's soon coming4 ,wolff was born in ,germany1 of ,hebrew parentage1 his father being a ,jewish rabbi4 ,while very young1 he was convinced of the truth of the ,christian religion4 ,of an active1 inquiring mind1 he had been an eager listener to the conversations that took place in his father's house1 as devout ,hebrews daily assembled to recount the hopes and anticipations of their people1 the glory of the coming ,messiah1 and the restoration of ,israel4 ,one day hearing ,jesus of ,nazareth mentioned1 the boy inquired who ,he was4 8,a ,jew of the greatest talent10 was the answer2 8but as ,he pretended to be the ,messiah1 the ,jewish tribunal sentenced ,him to death40 8,why10 rejoined the questioner1 8is ,jerusalem destroyed1 and why are we in captivity80 8,alas1 alas60 answered his father1 8because the ,jews murdered the prophets40 ,the thought was at once suggested to the child1 8,perhaps ,jesus was also a prophet1 and the ,jews killed ,him when ,he was innocent407#eic7 ,so strong was this feeling1 that though forbidden to enter a ,christian church1 he would often linger outside to listen to the preaching4 ,when only seven years old1 he was boasting to an aged ,christian neighbor of the future triumph of ,israel at the advent of the ,messiah1 when the old man said kindly1 8,dear boy1 ,i will tell you who the real ,messiah was3 ,he was ,jesus of ,nazareth1 444 whom your ancestors have crucified1 as they did the prophets of old4 ,go home and read the fifty-third chapter of ,isaiah1 and you will be convinced that ,jesus ,christ is the ,son of ,god407#eid7 ,conviction at once fastened upon him4 ,he went home and read the scripture1 wondering to see how perfectly it had been fulfilled in ,jesus of ,nazareth4 ,were the words of the ,christian true8 ,the boy asked of his father an explanation of the prophecy1 but was met with a silence so stern that he never again dared to refer to the subject4 ,this1 however1 only increased his desire to know more of the ,christian religion4 ,the knowledge he sought was studiously kept from him in his ,jewish home2 but when only eleven years old1 he left his father's house1 and went out into the world to gain for himself an education1 to choose his religion and his life-work4 ,he found a home for a time with kinsmen1 but was soon driven from them as an apostate1 and alone and penniless he had to make his own way among strangers4 ,he went from place to place1 studying diligently1 and maintaining himself by teaching ,hebrew4 ,through the influence of a ,catholic instructor1 he was led to accept the ,romish faith1 and formed the purpose of becoming a missionary to his own people4 ,with this object he went1 a few years later1 to pursue his studies in the ,college of the ,propaganda at ,rome4 ,here his habit of independent thought and candid speech brought upon him the imputation of heresy4 ,he openly attacked the abuses of the church1 and urged the necessity of reform4 ,though at first treated with special favor by the papal dignitaries1 he was after a time removed from ,rome4 ,under the surveillance of the church he went from place to place1 until it became evident that he could never be brought to submit to the bondage of ,romanism4 ,he was declared to be incorrigible1 and was left at liberty to go where he pleased4 ,he now made his way to ,england1 and professing the ,protestant faith1 united with the ,english ,church4 ,after two years' study he set out1 in #ahba1 upon his mission4 ,while ,wolff accepted the great truth of ,christ's first advent as 8a man of sorrows1 and acquainted with grief10 he saw that the prophecies bring to view with equal clearness ,his second advent with power and glory4 ,and while he sought to lead his people to ,jesus of ,nazareth as the ,promised ,one1 and to point them to ,his first coming in humiliation as a sacrifice for the sins of men1 he taught them also of ,his second coming as a king and deliverer4 8,jesus of ,nazareth1 the true ,messiah10 he said1 8whose hands and feet were pierced1 who was brought like a lamb to the slaughter1 who was the ,man of sorrows and acquainted with grief1 who after the scepter was taken from ,judah1 and the legislative power from between his feet1 came the first time2 shall come the second time in the clouds of heaven1 and with the trump of the ,archangel107#eie7 8and shall stand upon the ,mount of ,olives2 and that dominion1 once consigned to ,adam over the creation1 and forfeited by him 7,gen4 #a3bf2 #c3ag71 shall be given to ,jesus4 ,he shall be king over all the earth4 ,the groanings and lamentations of the creation shall cease1 but songs of praises and thanksgivings shall be heard4444 ,when ,jesus comes in the glory of ,his ,father1 with the holy angels1 444 the dead believers shall rise first4 #a ,thess4 #d3af2 #a ,cor4 #ae3 #bc4 ,this is what we ,christians call the first resurrection4 ,then the animal kingdom shall change its nature 7,isa4 #aa3f-i71 and be subdued unto ,jesus4 ,psalm #h4 ,universal peace shall prevail407#eif7 8,the ,lord again shall look down upon the earth1 and say1 #8,behold1 it is very good4' 07#eig7 ,wolff believed the coming of the ,lord to be at hand1 his interpretation of the prophetic periods placing the great consummation within a very few years of the time pointed out by ,miller4 ,to those who urged from the scripture1 8,of that day and hour knoweth no man10 that men are to know nothing concerning the nearness of the advent1 ,wolff replied3 8,did our ,lord say that that day and hour should never be known8 ,did ,he not give us signs of the times1 in order that we may know at least the approach of ,his coming1 as one knows the approach of the summer by the fig-tree putting forth its leaves8 ,matt4 #bd3cb4 ,are we never to know that period1 whilst ,he ,himself exhorteth us not only to read ,daniel the prophet1 but to understand it8 and in that very ,daniel1 where it is said that the words were shut up to the time of the end 7which was the case in his time71 and that #8many shall run to and fro' 7a ,hebrew expression for observing and thinking upon the time71 #8and knowledge' 7regarding that time7 #8shall be increased4' ,dan4 #ab3d4 ,besides this1 our ,lord does not intend to say by this1 that the approach of the time shall not be known1 but that the exact #8day and hour knoweth no man4' ,enough1 ,he does say1 shall be known by the signs of the times1 to induce us to prepare for ,his coming1 as ,noah prepared the ark407#eih7 ,concerning the popular system of interpreting1 or misinterpreting1 the ,scriptures1 ,wolff wrote3 8,the greater part of the ,christian church have swerved from the plain sense of ,scripture1 and have turned to the phantomizing system of the ,buddhists1 who believe that the future happiness of mankind will consist in moving about in the air1 and suppose that when they are reading ,jews1 they must understand ,gentiles2 and when they read ,jerusalem1 they must understand the church2 and if it is said earth1 it means sky2 and for the coming of the ,lord they must understand the progress of the missionary societies2 and going up to the mountain of the ,lord's house1 signifies a grand class-meeting of ,methodists407#eii7 ,during the twenty-four years from #ahba to #ahde1 ,wolff traveled extensively3 in ,africa1 visiting ,egypt and ,abyssinia2 in ,asia1 traversing ,palestine1 ,syria1 ,persia1 ,bokhara1 and ,india4 ,he also visited the ,united ,states1 on the journey thither preaching on the island of ,st4 ,helena4 ,he arrived in ,new ,york in ,august1 #ahcg2 and after speaking in that city1 he preached in ,philadelphia and ,baltimore1 and finally proceeded to ,washington4 ,here1 he says1 8on a motion brought forward by the ex-president1 ,john ,quincy ,adams1 in one of the houses of ,congress1 the ,house unanimously granted to me the use of the ,congress ,hall for a lecture1 which ,i delivered on a ,saturday1 honored with the presence of all the members of ,congress1 and also of the bishop of ,virginia1 and of the clergy and citizens of ,washington4 ,the same honor was granted to me by the members of the government of ,new ,jersey and ,pennsylvania1 in whose presence ,i delivered lectures on my researches in ,asia1 and also on the personal reign of ,jesus ,christ407#fjj7 ,dr4 ,wolff traveled in the most barbarous countries1 without the protection of any ,european authority1 enduring many hardships1 and surrounded with countless perils4 ,he was bastinadoed and starved1 sold as a slave1 and three times condemned to death4 ,he was beset by robbers1 and sometimes nearly perished from thirst4 ,once he was stripped of all that he possessed1 and left to travel hundreds of miles on foot through the mountains1 the snow beating in his face1 and his naked feet benumbed by contact with the frozen ground4 ,when warned against going unarmed among savage and hostile tribes1 he declared himself 8provided with arms10--8prayer1 zeal for ,christ1 and confidence in ,his help40 8,i am also10 he said1 8provided with the love of ,god and my neighbor in my heart1 and the ,bible is in my hand407#fja7 ,the ,bible in ,hebrew and ,english he carried with him wherever he went4 ,of one of his later journeys he says1 8,i 444 kept the ,bible open in my hand4 ,i felt my power was in the book1 and that its might would sustain me407#fjb7 ,thus he persevered in his labors until the message of the judgment had been carried to a large part of the habitable globe4 ,among ,jews1 ,turks1 ,parsees1 ,hindoos1 and many other nationalities and races1 he distributed the word of ,god in these various tongues1 and everywhere heralded the approaching reign of the ,messiah4 ,in his travels in ,bokhara he found the doctrine of the ,lord's soon coming held by a remote and isolated people4 ,the ,arabs of ,yemen1 he says1 8are in possession of a book called #8,seera1' which gives notice of the second coming of ,christ and ,his reign in glory2 and they expect great events to take place in the year #ahdj407fjc7 8,in ,yemen 444 ,i spent six days with the children of ,rechab4 ,they drink no wine1 plant no vineyard1 sow no seed1 and live in tents1 and remember good old ,jonadab1 the son of ,rechab2 and ,i found in their company children of ,israel1 of the tribe of ,dan1 444 who expect1 with the children of ,rechab1 the speedy arrival of the ,messiah in the clouds of heaven407#fjd7 ,a similar belief was found by another missionary to exist in ,tartary4 ,a ,tartar priest put the question to the missionary1 as to when ,christ would come the second time4 ,when the missionary answered that he knew nothing about it1 the priest seemed greatly surprised at such ignorance in one who professed to be a ,bible teacher1 and stated his own belief1 founded on prophecy1 that ,christ would come about #ahdd4 ,as early as #ahbf the advent message began to be preached in ,england4 ,the movement here did not take so definite a form as in ,america2 the exact time of the advent was not so generally taught1 but the great truth of ,christ's soon coming in power and glory was extensively proclaimed4 ,and this not among the dissenters and non-conformists only4 ,mourant ,brock1 an ,english writer1 states that about seven hundred ministers of the ,church of ,england were engaged in preaching this 8gospel of the kingdom40 ,the message pointing to #ahdd as the time of the ,lord's coming was also given in ,great ,britain4 ,advent publications from the ,united ,states were widely circulated4 ,books and journals were republished in ,england4 ,and in #ahdb1 ,robert ,winter1 an ,englishman by birth1 who had received the advent faith in ,america1 returned to his native country to herald the coming of the ,lord4 ,many united with him in the work1 and the message of the judgment was proclaimed in various parts of ,england4 ,in ,south ,america1 in the midst of barbarism and priestcraft1 ,lacunza1 a ,spaniard and a ,jesuit1 found his way to the ,scriptures1 and thus received the truth of ,christ's speedy return4 ,impelled to give the warning1 yet desiring to escape the censures of ,rome1 he published his views under the assumed name of 8,rabbi ,ben-,israel10 representing himself as a converted ,jew4 ,lacunza lived in the eighteenth century1 but it was about #ahbe that his book1 having found its way to ,london1 was translated into the ,english language4 ,its publication served to deepen the interest already awakening in ,england in the subject of the second advent4 ,in ,germany the doctrine had been taught in the eighteenth century by ,bengel1 a minister in the ,lutheran ,church1 and a celebrated biblical scholar and critic4 ,upon completing his education1 ,bengel had 8devoted himself to the study of theology1 to which the grave and religious tone of his mind1 deepened and strengthened by his early training and discipline1 naturally inclined him4 ,like other young men of thoughtful character1 before and since1 he had to struggle with doubts and difficulties of a religious nature1 and he alludes1 with much feeling1 to the #8many arrows which pierced his poor heart1 and made his youth hard to bear4' 07#fje7 ,becoming a member of the consistory of ,wrtemberg1 he advocated the cause of religious liberty4 8,while maintaining the rights and privileges of the church1 he was an advocate for all reasonable freedom being accorded to those who felt themselves bound1 on grounds of conscience1 to withdraw from her communion407#fjf7 ,the good effects of this policy are still felt in his native province4 ,it was while preparing a sermon from ,revelation #ba for 8,advent ,sunday0 that the light of ,christ's second coming broke in upon ,bengel's mind4 ,the prophecies of the ,revelation unfolded to his understanding as never before4 ,overwhelmed with a sense of the stupendous importance and surpassing glory of the scenes presented by the prophet1 he was forced to turn for a time from the contemplation of the subject4 ,in the pulpit it again presented itself to him with all its vividness and power4 ,from that time he devoted himself to the study of the prophecies1 especially those of the ,apocalypse1 and soon arrived at the belief that they pointed to the coming of ,christ as near4 ,the date which he fixed upon as the time of the second advent was within a very few years of that afterward held by ,miller4 ,bengel's writings have been spread throughout ,christendom4 ,his views of prophecy were quite generally received in his own state of ,wrtemberg1 and to some extent in other parts of ,germany4 ,the movement continued after his death1 and the advent message was heard in ,germany at the same time that it was attracting attention in other lands4 ,at an early date some of the believers went to ,russia1 and there formed colonies1 and the faith of ,christ's soon coming is still held by the ,german churches of that country4 ,the light shone also in ,france and ,switzerland4 ,at ,geneva1 where ,farel and ,calvin had spread the truths of the ,reformation1 ,gaussen preached the message of the second advent4 ,while a student at school1 ,gaussen had encountered that spirit of rationalism which pervaded all ,europe during the latter part of the eighteenth and the opening of the nineteenth century2 and when he entered the ministry he was not only ignorant of true faith1 but inclined to skepticism4 ,in his youth he had become interested in the study of prophecy4 ,after reading ,rollin's 8,ancient ,history10 his attention was called to the second chapter of ,daniel1 and he was struck with the wonderful exactness with which the prophecy had been fulfilled1 as seen in the historian's record4 ,here was a testimony to the inspiration of the ,scriptures1 which served as an anchor to him amid the perils of later years4 ,he could not rest satisfied with the teachings of rationalism1 and in studying the ,bible and searching for clearer light he was1 after a time1 led to a positive faith4 ,as he pursued his investigation of the prophecies1 he arrived at the belief that the coming of the ,lord was at hand4 ,impressed with the solemnity and importance of this great truth1 he desired to bring it before the people2 but the popular belief that the prophecies of ,daniel are mysteries and cannot be understood1 was a serious obstacle in his way4 ,he finally determined--as ,farel had done before him in evangelizing ,geneva--to begin with the children1 through whom he hoped to interest the parents4 8,i desire this to be understood10 he afterward said1 speaking of his object in this undertaking1 8it is not because of its small importance1 but on the contrary because of its great value1 that ,i wished to present it in this familiar form1 and that ,i addressed it to the children4 ,i desired to be heard1 and ,i feared that ,i would not be if ,i addressed myself to the grown people first40 8,i determined therefore to go to the youngest4 ,i gather an audience of children2 if the group enlarges1 if it is seen that they listen1 are pleased1 interested1 that they understand and explain the subject1 ,i am sure to have a second circle soon1 and in their turn1 grown people will see that it is worth their while to sit down and study4 ,when this is done1 the cause is gained407#fjg7 ,the effort was successful4 ,as he addressed the children1 older persons came to listen4 ,the galleries of his church were filled with attentive hearers4 ,among them were men of rank and learning1 and strangers and foreigners visiting ,geneva2 and thus the message was carried to other parts4 ,encouraged by this success1 ,gaussen published his lessons1 with the hope of promoting the study of the prophetic books in the churches of the ,french-speaking people4 8,to publish instruction given to the children10 says ,gaussen1 8is to say to adults1 who too often neglect such books under the false pretense that they are obscure1 #8,how can they be obscure1 since your children understand them8' 0 8,i had a great desire10 he adds1 8to render a knowledge of the prophecies popular in our flocks1 if possible40 8,there is no study1 indeed1 which it seems to me answers the needs of the time better40 8,it is by this that we are to prepare for the tribulation near at hand1 and watch and wait for ,jesus ,christ40 ,though one of the most distinguished and beloved of preachers in the ,french language1 ,gaussen was after a time suspended from the ministry1 his principal offense being that instead of the church's catechism1 a tame and rationalistic manual1 almost destitute of positive faith1 he had used the ,bible in giving instruction to the youth4 ,he afterward became teacher in a theological school1 while on ,sunday he continued his work as catechist1 addressing the children1 and instructing them in the ,scriptures4 ,his works on prophecy also excited much interest4 ,from the professor's chair1 through the press1 and in his favorite occupation as teacher of children1 he continued for many years to exert an extensive influence1 and was instrumental in calling the attention of many to the study of the prophecies which showed that the coming of the ,lord was near4 ,in ,scandinavia also the advent message was proclaimed1 and a wide-spread interest was kindled4 ,many were roused from their careless security1 to confess and forsake their sins1 and seek pardon in the name of ,christ4 ,but the clergy of the state church opposed the movement1 and through their influence some who preached the message were thrown into prison4 ,in many places where the preachers of the ,lord's soon coming were thus silenced1 ,god was pleased to send the message1 in a miraculous manner1 through little children4 ,as they were under age1 the law of the state could not restrain them1 and they were permitted to speak unmolested4 ,the movement was chiefly among the lower class1 and it was in the humble dwellings of the laborers that the people assembled to hear the warning4 ,the child-preachers themselves were mostly poor cottagers4 ,some of them were not more than six or eight years of age2 and while their lives testified that they loved the ,saviour1 and were trying to live in obedience to ,god's holy requirements1 they ordinarily manifested only the intelligence and ability usually seen in children of that age4 ,when standing before the people1 however1 it was evident that they were moved by an influence beyond their own natural gifts4 ,tone and manner changed1 and with solemn power they gave the warning of the judgment1 employing the very words of ,scripture1 8,fear ,god1 and give glory to ,him2 for the hour of ,his judgment is come40 ,they reproved the sins of the people1 not only condemning immorality and vice1 but rebuking worldliness and backsliding1 and warning their hearers to make haste to flee from the wrath to come4 ,the people heard with trembling4 ,the convicting ,spirit of ,god spoke to their hearts4 ,many were led to search the ,scriptures with new and deeper interest1 the intemperate and immoral were reformed1 others abandoned their dishonest practices1 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 movement4 ,it was ,god's will that the tidings of the ,saviour's coming should be given in the ,scandinavian countries2 and when the voices of ,his servants were silenced1 ,he put ,his ,spirit upon the children1 that the work might be accomplished4 ,when ,jesus drew near to ,jerusalem attended by the rejoicing multitudes that1 with shouts of triumph and the waving of palm branches1 heralded ,him as the ,son of ,david1 the jealous ,pharisees called upon ,him to silence them2 but ,jesus answered that all this was in fulfilment of prophecy1 and if these should hold their peace1 the very stones would cry out4 ,the people1 intimidated by the threats of the priests and rulers1 ceased their joyful proclamation as they entered the gates of ,jerusalem2 but the children in the temple courts afterward took up the refrain1 and waving their branches of palm1 they cried1 8,hosanna to the ,son of ,david607#fjh7 ,when the ,pharisees1 sorely displeased1 said unto ,him1 8,hearest ,thou what these say80 ,jesus answered1 8,yea2 have ye never read1 ,out of the mouth of babes and sucklings ,thou hast perfected praise80 ,as ,god wrought through children at the time of ,christ's first advent1 so ,he wrought through them in giving the message of ,his second advent4 ,god's word must be fulfilled1 that the proclamation of the ,saviour's coming should be given to all peoples1 tongues1 and nations4 ,to ,william ,miller and his co-laborers it was given to preach the warning in ,america4 ,this country became the center of the great ,advent ,movement4 ,it was here that the prophecy of the first angel's message had its most direct fulfilment4 ,the writings of ,miller and his associates were carried to distant lands4 ,wherever missionaries had penetrated in all the world1 were sent the glad tidings of ,christ's speedy return4 ,far and wide spread the message of the everlasting gospel1 8,fear ,god1 and give glory to ,him2 for the hour of ,his judgment is come40 ,the testimony of the prophecies which seemed to point to the coming of ,christ in the spring of #ahdd1 took deep hold of the minds of the people4 ,as the message went from ,state to ,state1 there was everywhere awakened wide-spread interest4 ,many were convinced that the arguments from the prophetic periods were correct1 and sacrificing their pride of opinion1 they joyfully received the truth4 ,some ministers laid aside their sectarian views and feelings1 left their salaries and their churches1 and united in proclaiming the coming of ,jesus4 ,there were comparatively few ministers1 however1 who would accept this message2 therefore it was largely committed to humble laymen4 ,farmers left their fields1 mechanics their tools1 traders their merchandise1 professional men their positions2 and yet the number of workers was small in comparison with the work to be accomplished4 ,the condition of an ungodly church and a world lying in wickedness1 burdened the souls of the true watchmen1 and they willingly endured toil1 privation1 and suffering1 that they might call men to repentance unto salvation4 ,though opposed by ,satan1 the work went steadily forward1 and the advent truth was accepted by many thousands4 ,everywhere the searching testimony was heard1 warning sinners1 both worldlings and church-members1 to flee from the wrath to come4 ,like ,john the ,baptist1 the forerunner of ,christ1 the preachers laid the axe at the root of the tree1 and urged all to bring forth fruit meet for repentance4 ,their stirring appeals were in marked contrast to the assurances of peace and safety that were heard from popular pulpits2 and wherever the message was given1 it moved the people4 ,the simple1 direct testimony of the ,scriptures1 set home by the power of the ,holy ,spirit1 brought a weight of conviction which few were able wholly to resist4 ,professors of religion were roused from their false security4 ,they saw their backslidings1 their worldliness and unbelief1 their pride and selfishness4 ,many sought the ,lord with repentance and humiliation4 ,the affections that had so long clung to earthly things they now fixed upon heaven4 ,the ,spirit of ,god rested upon them1 and with hearts softened and subdued they joined to sound the cry1 8,fear ,god1 and give glory to ,him2 for the hour of ,his judgment is come40 ,sinners inquired with weeping1 8,what must ,i do to be saved80 ,those whose lives had been marked with dishonesty were anxious to make restitution4 ,all who found peace in ,christ longed to see others share the blessing4 ,the hearts of parents were turned to their children1 and the hearts of children to their parents4 ,the barriers of pride and reserve were swept away4 ,heartfelt confessions were made1 and the members of the household labored for the salvation of those who were nearest and dearest4 ,often was heard the sound of earnest intercession4 ,everywhere were souls in deep anguish1 pleading with ,god4 ,many wrestled all night in prayer for the assurance that their own sins were pardoned1 or for the conversion of their relatives or neighbors4 ,all classes flocked to the ,adventist meetings4 ,rich and poor1 high and low1 were1 from various causes1 anxious to hear for themselves the doctrine of the second advent4 ,the ,lord held the spirit of opposition in check while ,his servants explained the reasons of their faith4 ,sometimes the instrument was feeble2 but the ,spirit of ,god gave power to ,his truth4 ,the presence of holy angels was felt in these assemblies1 and many were daily added to the believers4 ,as the evidences of ,christ's soon coming were repeated1 vast crowds listened in breathless silence to the solemn words4 ,heaven and earth seemed to approach each other4 ,the power of ,god was felt upon old and young and middle-aged4 ,men sought their homes with praises upon their lips1 and the glad sound rang out upon the still night air4 ,none who attended those meetings can ever forget those scenes of deepest interest4 ,the proclamation of a definite time for ,christ's coming called forth great opposition from many of all classes1 from the minister in the pulpit down to the most reckless1 ,heaven-daring sinner4 ,the words of prophecy were fulfilled3 8,there shall come in the last days scoffers1 walking after their own lusts1 and saying1 #8,where is the promise of ,his coming8' for since the fathers fell asleep1 all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation407#fji7 ,many who professed to love the ,saviour1 declared that they had no opposition to the doctrine of the second advent2 they merely objected to the definite time4 ,but ,god's all-seeing eye read their hearts4 ,they did not wish to hear of ,christ's coming to judge the world in righteousness4 ,they had been unfaithful servants1 their works would not bear the inspection of the heart-searching ,god1 and they feared to meet their ,lord4 ,like the ,jews at the time of ,christ's first advent1 they were not prepared to welcome ,jesus4 ,they not only refused to listen to the plain arguments from the ,bible1 but ridiculed those who were looking for the ,lord4 ,satan and his angels exulted1 and flung the taunt in the face of ,christ and holy angels1 that ,his professed people had so little love for ,him that they did not desire ,his appearing4 8,no man knoweth the day nor the hour10 was the argument most often brought forward by rejecters of the advent faith4 ,the scripture is1 8,of that day and hour knoweth no man1 no1 not the angels of heaven1 but ,my ,father only407#faj7 ,a clear and harmonious explanation of this text was given by those who were looking for the ,lord1 and the wrong use made of it by their opponents was clearly shown4 ,the words were spoken by ,christ in that memorable conversation with ,his disciples upon ,olivet1 after ,he had for the last time departed from the temple4 ,the disciples had asked the question1 8,what shall be the sign of ,thy coming1 and of the end of the world80 ,jesus gave them signs1 and said1 8,when ye shall see all these things1 know that it is near1 even at the doors407#faa7 ,one saying of the ,saviour must not be made to destroy another4 ,though no man knoweth the day nor the hour of ,his coming1 we are instructed and required to know when it is near4 ,we are further taught that to disregard ,his warning1 and refuse or neglect to know when ,his advent is near1 will be as fatal for us as it was for those who lived in the days of ,noah not to know when the flood was coming4 ,and the parable in the same chapter1 contrasting the faithful and the unfaithful servant1 and giving the doom of him who said in his heart1 8,my ,lord delayeth ,his coming10 shows in what light ,christ will regard and reward those whom ,he finds watching1 and teaching ,his coming1 and those denying it4 8,watch therefore10 ,he says2 8blessed is that servant1 whom his ,lord when ,he cometh shall find so doing407#fab7 8,if therefore thou shalt not watch1 ,i will come on thee as a thief1 and thou shalt not know what hour ,i will come upon thee407#fac7 ,paul speaks of a class to whom the ,lord's appearing will come unawares4 8,the day of the ,lord so cometh as a thief in the night4 ,for when they shall say1 ,peace and safety2 then sudden destruction cometh upon them1 444 and they shall not escape40 ,but ,he adds1 to those who have given heed to the ,saviour's warning1 8,ye1 brethren1 are not in darkness1 that that day should overtake you as a thief4 ,ye are all the children of light1 and the children of the day3 we are not of the night1 nor of darkness407#fad7 ,thus it was shown that ,scripture gives no warrant for men to remain in ignorance concerning the nearness of ,christ's coming4 ,but those who desired only an excuse to reject the truth closed their ears to this explanation2 and the words1 8,no man knoweth the day nor the hour10 continued to be echoed by the bold scoffer1 and even by the professed minister of ,christ4 ,as the people were roused1 and began to inquire the way of salvation1 religious teachers stepped in between them and the truth1 seeking to quiet their fears by falsely interpreting the word of ,god4 ,unfaithful watchmen united in the work of the great deceiver1 crying1 ,peace1 peace1 when ,god had not spoken peace4 ,like the ,pharisees in ,christ's day1 many refused to enter the kingdom of heaven themselves1 and those who were entering in1 they hindered4 ,the blood of these souls will be required at their hand4 ,the most humble and devoted in the churches were usually the first to receive the message4 ,those who studied the ,bible for themselves could not but see the unscriptural character of the popular views of prophecy2 and wherever the people were not controlled by the influence of the clergy1 wherever they would search the word of ,god for themselves1 the advent doctrine needed only to be compared with the ,scriptures to establish its divine authority4 ,many were persecuted by their unbelieving brethren4 ,in order to retain their position in the church1 some consented to be silent in regard to their hope2 but others felt that loyalty to ,god forbade them thus to hide the truths which ,he had committed to their trust4 ,not a few were cut off from the fellowship of the church for no other reason than expressing their belief in the coming of ,christ4 ,very precious to those who bore this trial of their faith were the words of the prophet1 8,your brethren that hated you1 that cast you out for ,my name's sake1 said1 ,let the ,lord be glorified3 but ,he shall appear to your joy1 and they shall be ashamed407#fae7 ,angels of ,god were watching with the deepest interest the result of the warning4 ,when there was a general rejection of the message by the churches1 angels turned away in sadness4 ,but there were many who had not yet been tested in regard to the advent truth4 ,many were misled by husbands1 wives1 parents1 or children1 and were made to believe it a sin even to listen to such heresies as were taught by the ,adventists4 ,angels were bidden to keep faithful watch over these souls2 for another light was yet to shine upon them from the throne of ,god4 ,with unspeakable desire those who had received the message watched for the coming of their ,saviour4 ,the time when they expected to meet ,him was at hand4 ,they approached this hour with a calm solemnity4 ,they rested in sweet communion with ,god1 an earnest of the peace that was to be theirs in the bright hereafter4 ,none who experienced this hope and trust can forget those precious hours of waiting4 ,for some weeks preceding the time1 worldly business was for the most part laid aside4 ,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 scenes4 ,there was no making of 8ascension robes207#faf7 but all felt the need of internal evidence that they were prepared to meet the ,saviour2 their white robes were purity of soul1--characters cleansed from sin by the atoning blood of ,christ4 ,would that there was still with the professed people of ,god the same spirit of heart-searching1 the same earnest1 determined faith4 ,had they continued thus to humble themselves before the ,lord1 and press their petitions at the mercy-seat1 they would be in possession of a far richer experience than they now have4 ,there is too little prayer1 too little real conviction of sin1 and the lack of living faith leaves many destitute of the grace so richly provided by our ,redeemer4 ,god designed to prove ,his people4 ,his hand covered a mistake in the reckoning of the prophetic periods4 ,adventists did not discover the error1 nor was it discovered by the most learned of their opponents4 ,the latter said3 8,your reckoning of the prophetic periods is correct4 ,some great event is about to take place2 but it is not what ,mr4 ,miller predicts2 it is the conversion of the world1 and not the second advent of ,christ407#fag7 ,the time of expectation passed1 and ,christ did not appear for the deliverance of ,his people4 ,those who with sincere faith and love had looked for their ,saviour1 experienced a bitter disappointment4 ,yet the purposes of ,god were being accomplished3 ,he was testing the hearts of those who professed to be waiting for ,his appearing4 ,there were among them many who had been actuated by no higher motive than fear4 ,their profession of faith had not affected their hearts or their lives4 ,when the expected event failed to take place1 these persons declared that they were not disappointed2 they had never believed that ,christ would come4 ,they were among the first to ridicule the sorrow of the true believers4 ,but ,jesus and all the heavenly host looked with love and sympathy upon the tried and faithful yet disappointed ones4 ,could the veil separating the visible from the invisible world have been swept back1 angels would have been seen drawing near to these steadfast souls1 and shielding them from the shafts of ,satan4 #ba4 ,a ,,warning ,,rejected4 ,illustration3 ,chapter header4 ,in preaching the doctrine of the second advent1 ,william ,miller and his associates had labored with the sole purpose of arousing men to a preparation for the judgment4 ,they had sought to awaken professors of religion to the true hope of the church1 and to their need of a deeper ,christian experience2 and they labored also to awaken the unconverted to the duty of immediate repentance and conversion to ,god4 8,they made no attempt to convert men to a sect or party in religion4 ,hence they labored among all parties and sects1 without interfering with their organization or discipline407#fah7 8,in all my labors10 said ,miller1 8,i never had the desire or thought to establish any separate interest from that of existing denominations1 or to benefit one at the expense of another4 ,i thought to benefit all4 ,supposing that all ,christians would rejoice in the prospect of ,christ's coming1 and that those who could not see as ,i did would not love any the less those who should embrace this doctrine1 ,i did not conceive there would ever be any necessity for separate meetings4 ,my whole object was a desire to convert souls to ,god1 to notify the world of a coming judgment1 and to induce my fellow-men to make that preparation of heart which will enable them to meet their ,god in peace4 ,the great majority of those who were converted under my labors united with the various existing churches407#fai7 ,as his work tended to build up the churches1 it was for a time regarded with favor4 ,but as ministers and religious leaders decided against the advent doctrine1 and desired to suppress all agitation of the subject1 they not only opposed it from the pulpit1 but denied their members the privilege of attending preaching upon the second advent1 or even of speaking of their hope in the social meetings of the church4 ,thus the believers found themselves in a position of great trial and perplexity4 ,they loved their churches1 and were loath to separate from them2 but as they saw the testimony of ,god's word suppressed1 and their right to investigate the prophecies denied1 they felt that loyalty to ,god forbade them to submit4 ,those who sought to shut out the testimony of ,god's word1 they could not regard as constituting the church of ,christ1 8the pillar and ground of the truth40 ,hence they felt themselves justified in separating from their former connection4 ,in the summer of #ahdd about fifty thousand withdrew from the churches4 ,about this time a marked change was apparent in most of the churches throughout the ,united ,states4 ,there had been for many years a gradual but steadily increasing conformity to worldly practices and customs1 and a corresponding decline in real spiritual life2 but in that year there were evidences of a sudden and marked declension in nearly all the churches of the land4 ,while none seemed able to suggest the cause1 the fact itself was widely noted and commented upon1 by both the press and the pulpit4 ,at a meeting of the presbytery of ,philadelphia1 ,mr4 ,barnes1 author of a commentary widely used1 and pastor of one of the leading churches in that city1 8stated that he had been in the ministry for twenty years1 and never1 till the last communion1 had he administered the ordinance without receiving more or less into the church4 ,but now there are no awakenings1 no conversions1 not much apparent growth in grace in professors1 and none come to his study to converse about the salvation of their souls4 ,with the increase of business1 and the brightening prospects of commerce and manufacture1 there is an increase of worldly-mindedness4 ,thus it is with all the denominations407#fbj7 ,in the month of ,february of the same year1 ,professor ,finney1 of ,oberlin ,college1 said3 8,we have had the fact before our minds1 that1 in general1 the ,protestant churches of our country1 as such1 were either apathetic or hostile to nearly all the moral reforms of the age4 ,there are partial exceptions1 yet not enough to render the fact otherwise than general4 ,we have also another corroborated fact3 the almost universal absence of revival influence in the churches4 ,the spiritual apathy is almost all-pervading1 and is fearfully deep2 so the religious press of the whole land testifies4444 ,very extensively1 church-members are becoming devotees of fashion1--join hands with the ungodly in parties of pleasure1 in dancing1 in festivities1 etc4444 ,but we need not expand this painful subject4 ,suffice it that the evidence thickens and rolls heavily upon us1 to show that the churches generally are becoming sadly degenerate4 ,they have gone very far from the ,lord1 and ,he has withdrawn ,himself from them40 ,and a writer in the ,religious ,telescope testified3 8,we have never witnessed such a general declension of religion as at the present4 ,truly1 the church should awake1 and search into the cause of this affliction2 for as an affliction every one that loves ,zion must view it4 ,when we call to mind how #8few and far between' cases of true conversion are1 and the almost unparalleled impertinence and hardness of sinners1 we almost involuntarily exclaim1 #8,has ,god forgotten to be gracious8 or1 ,is the door of mercy closed8' 0 ,such a condition never exists without cause in the church itself4 ,the spiritual darkness which falls upon nations1 upon churches and individuals1 is due1 not to an arbitrary withdrawal of the succors of divine grace on the part of ,god1 but to neglect or rejection of divine light on the part of men4 ,a striking illustration of this truth is presented in the history of the ,jewish people in the time of ,christ4 ,by their devotion to the world and forgetfulness of ,god and ,his word1 their understanding had become darkened1 their hearts earthly and sensual4 ,thus they were in ignorance concerning ,messiah's advent1 and in their pride and unbelief they rejected the ,redeemer4 ,god did not even then cut off the ,jewish nation from a knowledge of1 or a participation in1 the blessings of salvation4 ,but those who rejected the truth lost all desire for the gift of ,heaven4 ,they had 8put darkness for light1 and light for darkness10 until the light which was in them became darkness2 and how great was that darkness6 ,it suits the policy of ,satan1 that men should retain the forms of religion1 if but the spirit of vital godliness is lacking4 ,after their rejection of the gospel1 the ,jews continued zealously to maintain their ancient rites1 they rigorously preserved their national exclusiveness1 while they themselves could not but admit that the presence of ,god was no longer manifest among them4 ,the prophecy of ,daniel pointed so unmistakably to the time of ,messiah's coming1 and so directly foretold ,his death1 that they discouraged its study1 and finally the rabbis pronounced a curse on all who should attempt a computation of the time4 ,in blindness and impenitence1 the people of ,israel for eighteen hundred years have stood1 indifferent to the gracious offers of salvation1 unmindful of the blessings of the gospel1 a solemn and fearful warning of the danger of rejecting light from heaven4 ,wherever the cause exists1 the same results will follow4 ,he who deliberately stifles his convictions of duty because it interferes with his inclinations1 will finally lose the power to distinguish between truth and error4 ,the understanding becomes darkened1 the conscience callous1 the heart hardened1 and the soul is separated from ,god4 ,where the message of divine truth is spurned or slighted1 there the church will be enshrouded in darkness2 faith and love grow cold1 and estrangement and dissension enter4 ,church-members center their interests and energies in worldly pursuits1 and sinners become hardened in their impenitence4 ,the first angel's message of ,revelation #ad1 announcing the hour of ,god's judgment1 and calling upon men to fear and worship ,him1 was designed to separate the professed people of ,god from the corrupting influences of the world1 and to arouse them to see their true condition of worldliness and backsliding4 ,in this message1 ,god had sent to the church a warning1 which1 had it been accepted1 would have corrected the evils that were shutting them away from ,him4 ,had they received the message from heaven1 humbling their hearts before the ,lord1 and seeking in sincerity a preparation to stand in ,his presence1 the ,spirit and power of ,god would have been manifested among them4 ,the church would again have reached that blessed state of unity1 faith1 and love1 which existed in apostolic days1 when the believers 8were of one heart and of one soul10 and 8spake the word of ,god with boldness10 when 8the ,lord added to the church daily such as should be saved407#fba7 ,if ,god's professed people would receive the light as it shines upon them from ,his word1 they would reach that unity for which ,christ prayed1 that which the apostle describes1 8the unity of the ,spirit in the bond of peace40 8,there is10 he says1 8one body1 and one ,spirit1 even as ye are called in one hope of your calling2 one ,lord1 one faith1 one baptism407#fbb7 ,such were the blessed results experienced by those who accepted the advent message4 ,they came from different denominations1 and their denominational barriers were hurled to the ground2 conflicting creeds were shivered to atoms2 the unscriptural hope of a temporal millennium was abandoned1 false views of the second advent were corrected1 pride and conformity to the world were swept away2 wrongs were made right2 hearts were united in the sweetest fellowship1 and love and joy reigned supreme4 ,if this doctrine did this for the few who did receive it1 it would have done the same for all1 if all had received it4 ,but the churches generally did not accept the warning4 ,their ministers1 who1 as 8watchmen unto the house of ,israel10 should have been the first to discern the tokens of ,jesus' coming1 had failed to learn the truth1 either from the testimony of the prophets or from the signs of the times4 ,as worldly hopes and ambitions filled the heart1 love for ,god and faith in ,his word had grown cold2 and when the advent doctrine was presented1 it only aroused their prejudice and unbelief4 ,the fact that the message was1 to a great extent1 preached by laymen1 was urged as an argument against it4 ,as of old1 the plain testimony of ,god's word was met with the inquiry1 8,have any of the rulers or of the ,pharisees believed80 ,and finding how difficult a task it was to refute the arguments drawn from the prophetic periods1 many discouraged the study of the prophecies1 teaching that the prophetic books were sealed1 and were not to be understood4 ,multitudes1 trusting implicitly to their pastors1 refused to listen to the warning2 and others1 though convinced of the truth1 dared not confess it1 lest they should be 8put out of the synagogue40 ,the message which ,god had sent for the testing and purification of the church1 revealed all too surely how great was the number who had set their affections on this world rather than upon ,christ4 ,the ties which bound them to earth were stronger than the attractions heavenward4 ,they chose to listen to the voice of worldly wisdom1 and turned away from the heart-searching message of truth4 ,in refusing the warning of the first angel1 they rejected the means which ,heaven had provided for their restoration4 ,they spurned the gracious messenger that would have corrected the evils which separated them from ,god1 and with greater eagerness they turned to seek the friendship of the world4 ,here was the cause of that fearful condition of worldliness1 backsliding1 and spiritual death which existed in the churches in #ahdd4 ,in ,revelation #ad1 the first angel is followed by a second1 proclaiming1 8,babylon is fallen1 is fallen1 that great city1 because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication407#fbc7 ,the term 8,babylon0 is derived from 8,babel10 and signifies confusion4 ,it is employed in ,scripture to designate the various forms of false or apostate religion4 ,in ,revelation #ag1 ,babylon is represented as a woman1--a figure which is used in the ,bible as the symbol of a church1 a virtuous woman representing a pure church1 a vile woman an apostate church4 ,in the ,bible the sacred and enduring character of the relation that exists between ,christ and ,his church is represented by the union of marriage4 ,the ,lord has joined ,his people to ,himself by a solemn covenant1 ,he promising to be their ,god1 and they pledging themselves to be ,his1 and ,his alone4 ,he declares1 8,i will betroth thee unto ,me forever2 yea1 ,i will betroth thee unto ,me in righteousness1 and in judgment1 and in loving-kindness1 and in mercies407#fbd7 ,and again1 8,i am married unto you407#fbe7 ,and ,paul employs the same figure in the ,new ,testament when he says1 8,i have espoused you to one husband1 that ,i may present you as a chaste virgin to ,christ407#fbf7 ,the unfaithfulness of the church to ,christ in permitting her confidence and affection to be turned from ,him1 and allowing the love of worldly things to occupy the soul1 is likened to the violation of the marriage vow4 ,the sin of ,israel in departing from the ,lord is presented under this figure2 and the wonderful love of ,god which they thus despised is touchingly portrayed3 8,i sware unto thee1 and entered into a covenant with thee1 saith the ,lord ,god1 and thou becamest ,mine40 8,and thou wast exceeding beautiful1 and thou didst prosper into a kingdom4 ,and thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty3 for it was perfect through ,my comeliness1 which ,i had put upon thee4444 ,but thou didst trust in thine own beauty1 and playedst the harlot because of thy renown40 8,as a wife treacherously departeth from her husband1 so have ye dealt treacherously with ,me1 ,o house of ,israel1 saith the ,lord20 8as a wife that committeth adultery1 which taketh strangers instead of her husband407#fbg7 ,in the ,new ,testament1 language very similar is addressed to professed ,christians who seek the friendship of the world above the favor of ,god4 ,says the apostle ,james3 8,ye adulterers and adulteresses1 know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with ,god8 whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of ,god40 ,the woman 7,babylon7 of ,revelation #ag1 is described as 8arrayed in purple and scarlet color1 and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls1 having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness3 444 and upon her forehead was a name written1 ,mystery1 ,babylon the ,great1 the mother of harlots40 ,says the prophet1 8,i saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints1 and with the blood of the martyrs of ,jesus40 ,babylon is further declared to be 8that great city1 which reigneth over the kings of the earth407#fbh7 ,the power that for so many centuries maintained despotic sway over the monarchs of ,christendom1 is ,rome4 ,the purple and scarlet color1 the gold and precious stones and pearls1 vividly picture the magnificence and more than kingly pomp affected by the haughty see of ,rome4 ,and no other power could be so truly declared 8drunken with the blood of the saints0 as that church which has so cruelly persecuted the followers of ,christ4 ,babylon is also charged with the sin of unlawful connection with 8the kings of the earth40 ,it was by departure from the ,lord1 and alliance with the heathen1 that the ,jewish church became a harlot2 and ,rome1 corrupting herself in like manner by seeking the support of worldly powers1 receives a like condemnation4 ,babylon is said to be 8the mother of harlots40 ,by her daughters must be symbolized churches that cling to her doctrines and traditions1 and follow her example of sacrificing the truth and the approval of ,god1 in order to form an unlawful alliance with the world4 ,the message of ,revelation #ad1 announcing the fall of ,babylon1 must apply to religious bodies that were once pure and have become corrupt4 ,since this message follows the warning of the judgment1 it must be given in the last days2 therefore it cannot refer to the ,roman ,church alone1 for that church has been in a fallen condition for many centuries4 ,furthermore1 in the eighteenth chapter of the ,revelation1 the people of ,god are called upon to come out of ,babylon4 ,according to this scripture1 many of ,god's people must still be in ,babylon4 ,and in what religious bodies are the greater part of the followers of ,christ now to be found8 ,without doubt1 in the various churches professing the ,protestant faith4 ,at the time of their rise1 these churches took a noble stand for ,god and the truth1 and ,his blessing was with them4 ,even the unbelieving world was constrained to acknowledge the beneficent results that followed an acceptance of the principles of the gospel4 ,in the words of the prophet to ,israel1 8,thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty3 for it was perfect through ,my comeliness1 which ,i had put upon thee1 saith the ,lord ,god407#fbi7 ,but they fell by the same desire which was the curse and ruin of ,israel1--the desire of imitating the practices and courting the friendship of the ungodly4 8,thou didst trust in thine own beauty1 and playedst the harlot because of thy renown407#fcj7 ,many of the ,protestant churches are following ,rome's example of iniquitous connection with 8the kings of the earth0--the state churches1 by their relation to secular governments2 and other denominations1 by seeking the favor of the world4 ,and the term 8,babylon0--confusion--may be appropriately applied to these bodies1 all professing to derive their doctrines from the ,bible1 yet divided into almost innumerable sects1 with widely conflicting creeds and theories4 ,besides a sinful union with the world1 the churches that separated from ,rome present other of her characteristics4 ,a ,roman ,catholic work argues that 8if the ,church of ,rome were ever guilty of idolatry in relation to the saints1 her daughter1 the ,church of ,england1 stands guilty of the same1 which has ten churches dedicated to ,mary for one dedicated to ,christ407#fca7 ,and ,dr4 ,hopkins1 in 8,a ,treatise on the ,millennium10 declares3 8,there is no reason to consider the antichristian spirit and practices to be confined to that which is now called the ,church of ,rome4 ,the ,protestant churches have much of antichrist in them1 and are far from being wholly reformed from 444 corruptions and wickedness407#fcb7 ,concerning the separation of the ,presbyterian ,church from ,rome1 ,dr4 ,guthrie writes3 8,three hundred years ago1 our church1 with an open ,bible on her banner1 and this motto1 #8,search the ,scriptures1' on her scroll1 marched out from the gates of ,rome40 ,then he asks the significant question1 8,did they come clean out of ,babylon807#fcc7 8,the ,church of ,england10 says ,spurgeon1 8seems to be eaten through and through with sacramentarianism2 but non-conformity appears to be almost as badly riddled with philosophical infidelity4 ,those of whom we thought better things are turning aside one by one from the fundamentals of the faith4 ,through and through1 ,i believe1 the very heart of ,england is honeycombed with a damnable infidelity which dares still go into the pulpit and call itself ,christian40 ,what was the origin of the great apostasy8 ,how did the church first depart from the simplicity of the gospel8 ,by conforming to the practices of paganism1 to facilitate the acceptance of ,christianity by the heathen4 ,the apostle ,paul declared1 even in his day1 8,the mystery of iniquity doth already work407#fcd7 ,during the lives of the apostles the church remained comparatively pure4 ,but 8toward the latter end of the second century most of the churches assumed a new form2 the first simplicity disappeared1 and insensibly1 as the old disciples retired to their graves1 their children1 along with new converts1 444 came forward and new-modeled the cause407#fce7 ,to secure converts1 the exalted standard of the ,christian faith was lowered1 and as the result 8a pagan flood1 flowing into the church1 carried with it its customs1 practices1 and idols407#fcf7 ,as the ,christian religion secured the favor and support of secular rulers1 it was nominally accepted by multitudes2 but while in appearance ,christians1 many 8remained in substance pagans1 especially worshiping in secret their idols407#fcg7 ,has not the same process been repeated in nearly every church calling itself ,protestant8 ,as its founders1 those who possessed the true spirit of reform1 pass away1 their descendants come forward and 8new-model the cause40 ,while blindly clinging to the creed of their fathers and refusing to accept any truth in advance of what they saw1 the children of the reformers depart widely from their example of humility1 self-denial1 and renunciation of the world4 ,thus 8the first simplicity disappears40 ,a worldly flood1 flowing into the church1 8carries with it its customs1 practices1 and idols40 ,alas1 to what a fearful extent is that friendship of the world which is 8enmity with ,god10 now cherished among the professed followers of ,christ6 ,how widely have the popular churches throughout ,christendom departed from the ,bible standard of humility1 self-denial1 simplicity1 and godliness6 ,said ,john ,wesley1 in speaking of the right use of money3 8,do not waste any part of so precious a talent1 merely in gratifying the desire of the eye1 by superfluous or expensive apparel1 or by needless ornaments4 ,waste no part of it in curiously adorning your houses2 in superfluous or expensive furniture2 in costly pictures1 painting1 gilding4444 ,lay out nothing to gratify the pride of life1 to gain the admiration or praise of men4444 #8,so long as thou doest well unto thyself1 men will speak good of thee4' ,so long as thou art #8clothed in purple and fine linen1 and farest sumptuously every day1' no doubt many will applaud thy elegance of taste1 thy generosity and hospitality4 ,but do not buy their applause so dear4 ,rather be content with the honor that cometh from ,god407#fch7 ,but in many churches of our time1 such teaching is disregarded4 ,a profession of religion has become popular with the world4 ,rulers1 politicians1 lawyers1 doctors1 merchants1 join the church as a means of securing the respect and confidence of society1 and advancing their own worldly interests4 ,thus they seek to cover all their unrighteous transactions under a profession of ,christianity4 ,the various religious bodies1 re-enforced by the wealth and influence of these baptized worldlings1 make a still higher bid for popularity and patronage4 ,splendid churches1 embellished in the most extravagant manner1 are erected on popular avenues4 ,the worshipers array themselves in costly and fashionable attire4 ,a high salary is paid for a talented minister to entertain and attract the people4 ,his sermons must not touch popular sins1 but be made smooth and pleasing for fashionable ears4 ,thus fashionable sinners are enrolled on the church-records1 and fashionable sins are concealed under a pretense of godliness4 ,commenting on the present attitude of professed ,christians toward the world1 a leading secular journal says3 8,insensibly the church has yielded to the spirit of the age1 and adapted its forms of worship to modern wants40 8,all things1 indeed1 that help to make religion attractive1 the church now employs as its instruments40 ,and a writer in the ,new ,york ,independent speaks thus concerning ,methodism as it is3 8,the line of separation between the godly and the irreligious fades out into a kind of penumbra1 and zealous men on both sides are toiling to obliterate all difference between their modes of action and enjoyment40 8,the popularity of religion tends vastly to increase the number of those who would secure its benefits without squarely meeting its duties40 ,says ,howard ,crosby3 8,it is a matter of deep concern that we find ,christ's church so little fulfilling the designs of its ,lord4 ,just as the ancient ,jews let a familiar intercourse with the idolatrous nations steal away their hearts from ,god1 444 so the church of ,jesus now is1 by its false partnerships with an unbelieving world1 giving up the divine methods of its true life1 and yielding itself to the pernicious1 though often plausible1 habits of a ,christless society1 using the arguments and reaching the conclusions which are foreign to the revelation of ,god1 and directly antagonistic to all growth in grace407#fci7 ,in this tide of worldliness and pleasure-seeking1 self-denial and self-sacrifice for ,christ's sake are almost wholly lost4 8,some of the men and women now in active life in our churches were educated1 when children1 to make sacrifices in order to be able to give or do something for ,christ40 ,but 8if funds are wanted now1 444 nobody must be called on to give4 ,oh1 no6 have a fair1 tableaux1 mock trial1 antiquarian supper1 or something to eat--anything to amuse the people40 ,governor ,washburn1 of ,wisconsin1 in his annual message1 ,jan4 #i1 #ahgc1 declared3 8,some law seems to be required to break up the schools where gamblers are made4 ,these are everywhere4 ,even the church 7unwittingly1 no doubt7 is sometimes found doing the work of the devil4 ,gift concerts1 gift enterprises and raffles1 sometimes in aid of religious or charitable objects1 but often for less worthy purposes1 lotteries1 prize packages1 etc41 are all devices to obtain money without value received4 ,nothing is so demoralizing or intoxicating1 particularly to the young1 as the acquisition of money or property without labor4 ,respectable people engaging in these chance enterprises1 and easing their consciences with the reflection that the money is to go to a good object1 it is not strange that the youth of the ,state should so often fall into the habits which the excitement of games of hazard is almost certain to engender40 ,the spirit of worldly conformity is invading the churches throughout ,christendom4 ,robert ,atkins1 in a sermon preached in ,london1 draws a dark picture of the spiritual declension that prevails in ,england3 8,the truly righteous are diminished from the earth1 and no man layeth it to heart4 ,the professors of religion of the present day1 in every church1 are lovers of the world1 conformers to the world1 lovers of creature comfort1 and aspirers after respectability4 ,they are called to suffer with ,christ1 but they shrink from even reproach4444 apostasy1 apostasy1 apostasy1 is engraven on the very front of every church2 and did they know it1 and did they feel it1 there might be hope2 but1 alas6 they cry1 #8,we are rich1 and increased in goods1 and stand in need of nothing4' 07#fdj7 ,the great sin charged against ,babylon is1 that she 8made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication40 ,this cup of intoxication which she presents to the world1 represents the false doctrines that she has accepted as the result of her unlawful connection with the great ones of the earth4 ,friendship with the world corrupts her faith1 and in her turn she exerts a corrupting influence upon the world by teaching doctrines which are opposed to the plainest statements of ,holy ,writ4 ,rome withheld the ,bible from the people1 and required all men to accept her teachings in its place4 ,it was the work of the ,reformation to restore to men the word of ,god2 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 teachings of their church rather than on the ,scriptures8 ,said ,charles ,beecher1 speaking of the ,protestant churches3 8,they shrink from any rude word against creeds with the same sensitiveness with which those holy fathers would have shrunk from a rude word against the rising veneration of saints and martyrs which they were fostering4444 ,the ,protestant evangelical denominations have so tied up one another's hands1 and their own1 that1 between them all1 a man cannot become a preacher at all1 anywhere1 without accepting some book besides the ,bible4444 ,there is nothing imaginary in the statement that the creed power is now beginning to prohibit the ,bible as really as ,rome did1 though in a subtler way407#fda7 ,when faithful teachers expound the word of ,god1 there arise men of learning1 ministers professing to understand the ,scriptures1 who denounce sound doctrine as heresy1 and thus turn away inquirers after truth4 ,were it not that the world is hopelessly intoxicated with the wine of ,babylon1 multitudes would be convicted and converted by the plain1 cutting truths of the word of ,god4 ,but religious faith appears so confused and discordant1 that the people know not what to believe as truth4 ,the sin of the world's impenitence lies at the door of the church4 ,the second angel's message of ,revelation #ad was first preached in the summer of #ahdd1 and it then had a more direct application to the churches of the ,united ,states1 where the warning of the judgment had been most widely proclaimed and most generally rejected1 and where the declension in the churches had been most rapid4 ,but the message of the second angel did not reach its complete fulfilment in #ahdd4 ,the churches then experienced a moral fall1 in consequence of their refusal of the light of the advent message2 but that fall was not complete4 ,as they have continued to reject the special truths for this time1 they have fallen lower and lower4 ,not yet1 however1 can it be said that 8,babylon is fallen1 444 because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication40 ,she has not yet made all nations do this4 ,the spirit of world-conforming and indifference to the testing truths for our time1 exists and has been gaining ground in churches of the ,protestant faith in all the countries of ,christendom2 and these churches are included in the solemn and terrible denunciation of the second angel4 ,but the work of apostasy has not yet reached its culmination4 ,the ,bible declares that before the coming of the ,lord1 ,satan will work 8with all power and signs and lying wonders1 and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness20 and they that 8received not the love of the truth1 that they might be saved10 will be left to receive 8strong delusion1 that they should believe a lie407#fdb7 ,not until this condition shall be reached1 and the union of the church with the world shall be fully accomplished throughout ,christendom1 will the fall of ,babylon be complete4 ,the change is a progressive one1 and the perfect fulfilment of ,rev4 #ad3h is yet future4 ,notwithstanding the spiritual darkness and alienation from ,god that exist in the churches which constitute ,babylon1 the great body of ,christ's true followers are still to be found in their communion4 ,there are many of these who have never seen the special truths for this time4 ,not a few are dissatisfied with their present condition1 and are longing for clearer light4 ,they look in vain for the image of ,christ in the churches with which they are connected4 ,as these bodies depart farther and farther from the truth1 and ally themselves more closely with the world1 the difference between the two classes will widen1 and it will finally result in separation4 ,the time will come when those who love ,god supremely can no longer remain in connection with such as are 8lovers of pleasures more than lovers of ,god2 having a form of godliness1 but denying the power thereof40 ,revelation #ah points to the time when1 as the result of rejecting the threefold warning of ,rev4 #ad3f-ab1 the church will have fully reached the condition foretold by the second angel1 and the people of ,god still in ,babylon will be called upon to separate from her communion4 ,this message is the last that will ever be given to the world2 and it will accomplish its work4 ,when those that 8believed not the truth1 but had pleasure in unrighteousness107#fdc7 shall be left to receive strong delusion and to believe a lie1 then the light of truth will shine upon all whose hearts are open to receive it1 and all the children of the ,lord that remain in ,babylon will heed the call1 8,come out of her1 ,my people407#fdd7 #bb4 ,,prophecies ,,fulfilled4 ,illustration3 ,chapter header4 ,when the time passed at which the ,lord's coming was first expected1--in the spring of #ahdd1--those who had looked in faith for ,his appearing were for a season involved in doubt and uncertainty4 ,while the world regarded them as having been utterly defeated1 and proved to have been cherishing a delusion1 their source of consolation was still the word of ,god4 ,many continued to search the ,scriptures1 examining anew the evidences of their faith1 and carefully studying the prophecies to obtain further light4 ,the ,bible testimony in support of their position seemed clear and conclusive4 ,signs which could not be mistaken pointed to the coming of ,christ as near4 ,the special blessing of the ,lord1 both in the conversion of sinners and the revival of spiritual life among ,christians1 had testified that the message was of ,heaven4 ,and though the believers could not explain their disappointment1 they felt assured that ,god had led them in their past experience4 ,interwoven with prophecies which they had regarded as applying to the time of the second advent1 was instruction specially adapted to their state of uncertainty and suspense1 and encouraging them to wait patiently in the faith that what was now dark to their understanding would in due time be made plain4 ,among these prophecies was that of ,hab4 #b3a-d3 8,i will stand upon my watch1 and set me upon the tower1 and will watch to see what ,he will say unto me1 and what ,i shall answer when ,i am reproved4 ,and the ,lord answered me1 and said1 ,write the vision1 and make it plain upon tables1 that he may run that readeth it4 ,for the vision is yet for an appointed time1 but at the end it shall speak1 and not lie3 though it tarry1 wait for it2 because it will surely come1 it will not tarry4 ,behold1 his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him3 but the just shall live by his faith40 ,as early as #ahdb1 the direction given in this prophecy1 to 8write the vision1 and make it plain upon tables1 that he may run that readeth it10 had suggested to ,charles ,fitch the preparation of a prophetic chart to illustrate the visions of ,daniel and the ,revelation4 ,the publication of this chart was regarded as a fulfilment of the command given by ,habakkuk4 ,no one1 however1 then noticed that an apparent delay in the accomplishment of the vision--a tarrying time--is presented in the same prophecy4 ,after the disappointment1 this scripture appeared very significant3 8,the vision is yet for an appointed time1 but at the end it shall speak1 and not lie3 though it tarry1 wait for it2 because it will surely come1 it will not tarry4444 ,the just shall live by his faith40 ,a portion of ,ezekiel's prophecy also was a source of strength and comfort to believers3 8,the word of the ,lord came unto me1 saying1 ,son of man1 what is that proverb that ye have in the land of ,israel1 saying1 ,the days are prolonged1 and every vision faileth8 ,tell them therefore1 ,thus saith the ,lord ,god1 444 ,the days are at hand1 and the effect of every vision4444 ,i will speak1 and the word that ,i shall speak shall come to pass2 it shall be no more prolonged40 8,they of the house of ,israel say1 ,the vision that he seeth is for many days to come1 and he prophesieth of the times that are far off4 ,therefore say unto them1 ,thus saith the ,lord ,god3 ,there shall none of ,my words be prolonged any more1 but the word which ,i have spoken shall be done407#fde7 ,the waiting ones rejoiced1 believing that ,he who knows the end from the beginning had looked down through the ages1 and foreseeing their disappointment1 had given them words of courage and hope4 ,had it not been for such portions of ,scripture1 admonishing them to wait with patience1 and to hold fast their confidence in ,god's word1 their faith would have failed in that trying hour4 ,the parable of the ten virgins of ,matthew #be also illustrates the experience of the ,adventist people4 ,in ,matthew #bd1 in answer to the question of ,his disciples concerning the sign of ,his coming and of the end of the world1 ,christ had pointed out some of the most important events in the history of the world and of the church from ,his first to ,his second advent2 namely1 the destruction of ,jerusalem1 the great tribulation of the church under the pagan and papal persecutions1 the darkening of the sun and moon1 and the falling of the stars4 ,after this ,he spoke of ,his coming in ,his kingdom1 and related the parable describing the two classes of servants who look for ,his appearing4 ,chapter #be opens with the words1 8,then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins40 ,here is brought to view the church living in the last days1 the same that is pointed out in the close of chapter #bd4 ,in this parable their experience is illustrated by the incidents of an ,eastern marriage4 8,then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins1 which took their lamps1 and went forth to meet the bridegroom4 ,and five of them were wise1 and five were foolish4 ,they that were foolish took their lamps1 and took no oil with them3 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps4 ,while the bridegroom tarried1 they all slumbered and slept4 ,and at midnight there was a cry made1 ,behold1 the bridegroom cometh2 go ye out to meet him40 ,the coming of ,christ1 as announced by the first angel's message1 was understood to be represented by the coming of the bridegroom4 ,the wide-spread reformation under the proclamation of ,his soon coming1 answered to the going forth of the virgins4 ,in this parable1 as in that of ,matthew #bd1 two classes are represented4 ,all had taken their lamps1 the ,bible1 and by its light had gone forth to meet the ,bridegroom4 ,but while 8they that were foolish took their lamps1 and took no oil with them10 8the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps40 ,the latter class had received the grace of ,god1 the regenerating1 enlightening power of the ,holy ,spirit1 which renders ,his word a lamp to the feet and a light to the path4 ,in the fear of ,god they had studied the ,scriptures to learn the truth1 and had earnestly sought for purity of heart and life4 ,these had a personal experience1 a faith in ,god and in ,his word1 which could not be overthrown by disappointment and delay4 ,others 8took their lamps1 and took no oil with them40 ,they had moved from impulse4 ,their fears had been excited by the solemn message1 but they had depended upon the faith of their brethren1 satisfied with the flickering light of good emotions1 without a thorough understanding of the truth1 or a genuine work of grace in the heart4 ,these had gone forth to meet the ,lord1 full of hope in the prospect of immediate reward2 but they were not prepared for delay and disappointment4 ,when trials came1 their faith failed1 and their lights burned dim4 8,while the bridegroom tarried1 they all slumbered and slept40 ,by the tarrying of the bridegroom is represented the passing of the time when the ,lord was expected1 the disappointment1 and the seeming delay4 ,in this time of uncertainty1 the interest of the superficial and half-hearted soon began to waver1 and their efforts to relax2 but those whose faith was based on a personal knowledge of the ,bible1 had a rock beneath their feet1 which the waves of disappointment could not wash away4 8,they all slumbered and slept20 one class in unconcern and abandonment of their faith1 the other class patiently waiting till clearer light should be given4 ,yet in the night of trial the latter seemed to lose1 to some extent1 their zeal and devotion4 ,the half-hearted and superficial could no longer lean upon the faith of their brethren4 ,each must stand or fall for himself4 ,about this time1 fanaticism began to appear4 ,some who had professed to be zealous believers in the message1 rejected the word of ,god as the one infallible guide1 and claiming to be led by the ,spirit1 gave themselves up to the control of their own feelings1 impressions1 and imaginations4 ,there were some who manifested a blind and bigoted zeal1 denouncing all who would not sanction their course4 ,their fanatical ideas and exercises met with no sympathy from the great body of ,adventists2 yet they served to bring reproach upon the cause of truth4 ,satan was seeking by this means to oppose and destroy the work of ,god4 ,the people had been greatly stirred by the ,advent ,movement1 thousands of sinners had been converted1 and faithful men were giving themselves to the work of proclaiming the truth1 even in the tarrying time4 ,the prince of evil was losing his subjects2 and in order to bring reproach upon the cause of ,god1 he sought to deceive some who professed the faith1 and to drive them to extremes4 ,then his agents stood ready to seize upon every error1 every failure1 every unbecoming act1 and hold it up before the people in the most exaggerated light1 to render ,adventists and their faith odious4 ,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 hearts1 the greater advantage would he gain by calling attention to them as representatives of the whole body of believers4 ,satan is 8the accuser of the brethren10 and it is his spirit that inspires men to watch for the errors and defects of the ,lord's people1 and to hold them up to notice1 while their good deeds are passed by without a mention4 ,he is always active when ,god is at work for the salvation of souls4 ,when the sons of ,god come to present themselves before the ,lord1 ,satan comes also among them4 ,in every revival he is ready to bring in those who are unsanctified in heart and unbalanced in mind4 ,when these have accepted some points of truth1 and gained a place with believers1 he works through them to introduce theories that will deceive the unwary4 ,no man is proved to be a true ,christian because he is found in company with the children of ,god1 even in the house of worship and around the table of the ,lord4 ,satan is frequently there upon the most solemn occasions1 in the form of those whom he can use as his agents4 ,the prince of evil contests every inch of ground over which ,god's people advance in their journey toward the heavenly city4 ,in all the history of the church1 no reformation has been carried forward without encountering serious obstacles4 ,thus it was in ,paul's day4 ,wherever the apostle raised up a church1 there were some who professed to receive the faith1 but who brought in heresies1 that1 if received1 would eventually crowd out the love of the truth4 ,luther also suffered great perplexity and distress from the course of fanatical persons who claimed that ,god had spoken directly through them1 and who therefore set their own ideas and opinions above the testimony of the ,scriptures4 ,many who were lacking in faith and experience1 but who had considerable self-sufficiency1 and who loved to hear and tell some new thing1 were beguiled by the pretensions of the new teachers1 and they joined the agents of ,satan in their work of tearing down what ,god had moved ,luther to build up4 ,and the ,wesleys1 and others who blessed the world by their influence and their faith1 encountered at every step the wiles of ,satan in pushing overzealous1 unbalanced1 and unsanctified ones into fanaticism of every grade4 ,william ,miller had no sympathy with those influences that led to fanaticism4 ,he declared1 with ,luther1 that every spirit should be tested by the word of ,god4 8,the devil10 said ,miller1 8has great power over the minds of some at the present day4 ,and how shall we know what manner of spirit they are of8 ,the ,bible answers3 #8,by their fruits ye shall know them4'444 ,there are many spirits gone out into the world2 and we are commanded to try the spirits4 ,the spirit that does not cause us to live soberly1 righteously1 and godly1 in this present world1 is not the ,spirit of ,christ4 ,i am more and more convinced that ,satan has much to do in these wild movements4444 ,many among us1 who pretend to be wholly sanctified1 are following the traditions of men1 and apparently are as ignorant of truth as others who make no such pretensions407#fdf7 8,the spirit of error will lead us from the truth2 and the ,spirit of ,god will lead us into truth4 ,but1 say you1 a man may be in an error1 and think he has the truth4 ,what then8 ,we answer1 ,the ,spirit and word agree4 ,if a man judges himself by the word of ,god1 and finds a perfect harmony through the whole word1 then he must believe he has the truth2 but if he finds the spirit by which he is led does not harmonize with the whole tenor of ,god's law or book1 then let him walk carefully1 lest he be caught in the snare of the devil407#fdg7 8,i have often obtained more evidence of inward piety from a kindling eye1 a wet cheek1 and a choked utterance1 than from all the noise in ,christendom407#fdh7 ,in the days of the ,reformation its enemies charged all the evils of fanaticism upon the very ones who were laboring most earnestly against it4 ,a similar course was pursued by the opposers of the ,advent ,movement4 ,and not content with misrepresenting and exaggerating the errors of extremists and fanatics1 they circulated unfavorable reports that had not the slightest semblance of truth4 ,these persons were actuated by prejudice and hatred4 ,their peace was disturbed by the proclamation of ,christ at the door4 ,they feared it might be true1 yet hoped it was not1 and this was the secret of their warfare against ,adventists and their faith4 ,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 ,god1 than was the presence of fanatics and deceivers in the church in ,paul's or ,luther's day a sufficient excuse for condemning their work4 ,let the people of ,god arouse out of sleep1 and begin in earnest the work of repentance and reformation2 let them search the ,scriptures to learn the truth as it is in ,jesus2 let them make an entire consecration to ,god1 and evidence will not be wanting that ,satan is still active and vigilant4 ,with all possible deception he will manifest his power1 calling to his aid all the fallen angels of his realm4 ,it was not the proclamation of the second advent that created fanaticism and division4 ,these appeared in the summer of #ahdd1 when ,adventists were in a state of doubt and perplexity concerning their real position4 ,the preaching of the first angel's message and of the 8midnight cry0 tended directly to repress fanaticism and dissension4 ,those who participated in these solemn movements were in harmony2 their hearts were filled with love for one another1 and for ,jesus1 whom they expected soon to see4 ,the one faith1 the one blessed hope1 lifted them above the control of any human influence1 and proved a shield against the assaults of ,satan4 8,while the bridegroom tarried1 they all slumbered and slept4 ,and at midnight there was a cry made1 ,behold1 the bridegroom cometh2 go ye out to meet him4 ,then all those virgins arose1 and trimmed their lamps407#fdi7 ,in the summer of #ahdd1 midway between the time when it had been first thought that the #bcjj days would end1 and the autumn of the same year1 to which it was afterward found that they extended1 the message was proclaimed in the very words of ,scripture1 8,behold1 the ,bridegroom cometh60 ,that which led to this movement was the discovery that the decree of ,artaxerxes for the restoration of ,jerusalem1 which formed the starting-point for the period of the #bcjj days1 went into effect in the autumn of the year ,b4,c4 #deg1 and not at the beginning of the year1 as had been formerly believed4 ,reckoning from the autumn of #deg1 the #bcjj years terminate in the autumn of #ahdd47fej7 ,arguments drawn from the ,old ,testament types also pointed to the autumn as the time when the event represented by the 8cleansing of the sanctuary0 must take place4 ,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 fulfilled4 ,the slaying of the ,passover lamb was a shadow of the death of ,christ4 ,says ,paul1 8,christ our passover is sacrificed for us407#fea7 ,the sheaf of first-fruits1 which at the time of the ,passover was waved before the ,lord1 was typical of the resurrection of ,christ4 ,paul says1 in speaking of the resurrection of the ,lord1 and of all ,his people1 8,christ the first-fruits2 afterward they that are ,christ's at ,his coming407#feb7 ,like the wave-sheaf1 which was the first ripe grain gathered before the harvest1 ,christ is the first-fruits of that immortal harvest of redeemed ones that at the future resurrection shall be gathered into the garner of ,god4 ,these types were fulfilled1 not only as to the event1 but as to the time4 ,on the fourteenth day of the first ,jewish month1 the very day and month on which1 for fifteen long centuries1 the ,passover lamb had been slain1 ,christ1 having eaten the ,passover with ,his disciples1 instituted that feast which was to commemorate ,his own death as 8the ,lamb of ,god1 which taketh away the sin of the world40 ,that same night ,he was taken by wicked hands1 to be crucified and slain4 ,and as the antitype of the wave-sheaf1 our ,lord was raised from the dead on the third day1 8the first-fruits of them that slept107#fec7 a sample of all the resurrected just1 whose 8vile body0 shall be changed1 and 8fashioned like unto ,his glorious body407#fed7 ,in like manner1 the types which relate to the second advent must be fulfilled at the time pointed out in the symbolic service4 ,under the ,mosaic system1 the cleansing of the sanctuary1 or the great day of atonement1 occurred on the tenth day of the seventh ,jewish month17#fee7 when the high priest1 having made an atonement for all ,israel1 and thus removed their sins from the sanctuary1 came forth and blessed the people4 ,so it was believed that ,christ1 our great ,high ,priest1 would appear to purify the earth by the destruction of sin and sinners1 and to bless ,his waiting people with immortality4 ,the tenth day of the seventh month1 the great day of atonement1 the time of the cleansing of the sanctuary1 which in the year #ahdd fell upon the twenty-second of ,october1 was regarded as the time of the ,lord's coming4 ,this was in harmony with the proofs already presented1 that the #bcjj days would terminate in the autumn1 and the conclusion seemed irresistible4 ,in the parable of ,matthew #be the time of waiting and slumber is followed by the coming of the bridegroom4 ,this was in accordance with the arguments just presented1 both from prophecy and from the types4 ,they carried strong conviction of their truthfulness2 and the 8midnight cry0 was heralded by thousands of believers4 ,like a tidal wave the movement swept over the land4 ,from city to city1 from village to village1 and into remote country places it went1 until the waiting people of ,god were fully aroused4 ,fanaticism disappeared before this proclamation1 like early frost before the rising sun4 ,believers saw their doubt and perplexity removed1 and hope and courage animated their hearts4 ,the work was free from those extremes which are ever manifested when there is human excitement without the controlling influence of the word and ,spirit of ,god4 ,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 servants4 ,it bore the characteristics that mark the work of ,god in every age4 ,there was little ecstatic joy1 but rather deep searching of heart1 confession of sin1 and forsaking of the world4 ,a preparation to meet the ,lord was the burden of agonizing spirits4 ,there was persevering prayer1 and unreserved consecration to ,god4 ,said ,miller1 in describing that work3 8,there is no great expression of joy3 that is1 as it were1 suppressed for a future occasion1 when all heaven and earth will rejoice together with joy unspeakable and full of glory4 ,there is no shouting3 that1 too1 is reserved for the shout from heaven4 ,the singers are silent3 they are waiting to join the angelic hosts1 the choir from heaven4444 ,there is no clashing of sentiments3 all are of one heart and of one mind407#fef7 ,another who participated in the movement testified3 8,it produced everywhere the most deep searching of heart and humiliation of soul before the ,god of high heaven4 ,it caused a weaning of affections from the things of this world1 a healing of controversies and animosities1 a confession of wrongs1 a breaking down before ,god1 and penitent1 broken-hearted supplications to ,him for pardon and acceptance4 ,it caused self-abasement and prostration of soul1 such as we never before witnessed4 ,as ,god by ,joel commanded1 when the great day of ,god should be at hand1 it produced a rending of hearts and not of garments1 and a turning unto the ,lord with fasting1 and weeping1 and mourning4 ,as ,god said by ,zechariah1 a spirit of grace and supplication was poured out upon ,his children2 they looked to ,him whom they had pierced1 there was a great mourning in the land1 444 and those who were looking for the ,lord afflicted their souls before ,him407#feg7 ,of all the great religious movements since the days of the apostles1 none have been more free from human imperfection and the wiles of ,satan than was that of the autumn of #ahdd4 ,even now1 after the lapse of many years1 all who shared in that movement and who have stood firm upon the platform of truth1 still feel the holy influence of that blessed work1 and bear witness that it was of ,god4 ,at the call1 8,the ,bridegroom cometh2 go ye out to meet ,him10 the waiting ones 8arose and trimmed their lamps20 they studied the word of ,god with an intensity of interest before unknown4 ,angels were sent from heaven to arouse those who had become discouraged1 and prepare them to receive the message4 ,the work did not stand in the wisdom and learning of men1 but in the power of ,god4 ,it was not the most talented1 but the most humble and devoted1 who were the first to hear and obey the call4 ,farmers left their crops standing in the fields1 mechanics laid down their tools1 and with tears and rejoicing went out to give the warning4 ,those who had formerly led in the cause were among the last to join in this movement4 ,the churches in general closed their doors against this message1 and a large company of those who received it withdrew from their connection4 ,in the providence of ,god1 this proclamation united with the second angel's message1 and gave power to that work4 ,the message1 8,behold1 the ,bridegroom cometh60 was not so much a matter of argument1 though the ,scripture proof was clear and conclusive4 ,there went with it an impelling power that moved the soul4 ,there was no doubt1 no questioning4 ,upon the occasion of ,christ's triumphal entry into ,jerusalem1 the people who were assembled from all parts of the land to keep the feast1 flocked to the ,mount of ,olives1 and as they joined the throng that were escorting ,jesus1 they caught the inspiration of the hour1 and helped to swell the shout1 8,blessed is ,he that cometh in the name of the ,lord607#feh7 ,in like manner did unbelievers who flocked to the ,adventist meetings--some from curiosity1 some merely to ridicule--feel the convincing power attending the message1 8,behold1 the ,bridegroom cometh60 ,at that time there was faith that brought answers to prayer1--faith that had respect to the recompense of reward4 ,like showers of rain upon the thirsty earth1 the ,spirit of grace descended upon the earnest seekers4 ,those who expected soon to stand face to face with their ,redeemer1 felt a solemn joy that was unutterable4 ,the softening1 subduing power of the ,holy ,spirit melted the heart1 as ,his blessing was bestowed in rich measure upon the faithful1 believing ones4 ,carefully and solemnly those who received the message came up to the time when they hoped to meet their ,lord4 ,every morning they felt that it was their first duty to secure the evidence of their acceptance with ,god4 ,their hearts were closely united1 and they prayed much with and for one another4 ,they often met together in secluded places to commune with ,god1 and the voice of intercession ascended to heaven from the fields and groves4 ,the assurance of the ,saviour's approval was more necessary to them than their daily food2 and if a cloud darkened their minds1 they did not rest until it was swept away4 ,as they felt the witness of pardoning grace1 they longed to behold ,him whom their souls loved4 ,but again they were destined to disappointment4 ,the time of expectation passed1 and their ,saviour did not appear4 ,with unwavering confidence they had looked forward to ,his coming1 and now they felt as did ,mary1 when1 coming to the ,saviour's tomb and finding it empty1 she exclaimed with weeping1 8,they have taken away my ,lord1 and ,i know not where they have laid ,him407#fei7 ,a feeling of awe1 a fear that the message might be true1 had for a time served as a restraint upon the unbelieving world4 ,after the passing of the time1 this did not at once disappear2 at first they dared not triumph over the disappointed ones2 but as no tokens of ,god's wrath were seen1 they recovered from their fears1 and resumed their reproach and ridicule4 ,a large class who had professed to believe in the ,lord's soon coming1 renounced their faith4 ,some who had been very confident were so deeply wounded in their pride that they felt like fleeing from the world4 ,like ,jonah1 they complained of ,god1 and chose death rather than life4 ,those who had based their faith upon the opinions of others1 and not upon the word of ,god1 were now as ready again to change their views4 ,the scoffers won the weak and cowardly to their ranks1 and all these united in declaring that there could be no more fears or expectations now4 ,the time had passed1 the ,lord had not come1 and the world might remain the same for thousands of years4 ,the earnest1 sincere believers had given up all for ,christ1 and had shared ,his presence as never before4 ,they had1 as they believed1 given their last warning to the world2 and expecting soon to be received into the society of their divine ,master and the heavenly angels1 they had1 to a great extent1 withdrawn from the society of those who did not receive the message4 ,with intense desire they had prayed1 8,come1 ,lord ,jesus1 and come quickly40 ,but ,he had not come4 ,and now to take up again the heavy burden of life's cares and perplexities1 and to endure the taunts and sneers of a scoffing world1 was a terrible trial of faith and patience4 ,yet this disappointment was not so great as was that experienced by the disciples at the time of ,christ's first advent4 ,when ,jesus rode triumphantly into ,jerusalem1 ,his followers believed that ,he was about to ascend the throne of ,david1 and deliver ,israel from her oppressors4 ,with high hopes and joyful anticipations they vied with one another in showing honor to their ,king4 ,many spread their outer garments as a carpet in ,his path1 or strewed before ,him the leafy branches of the palm4 ,in their enthusiastic joy they united in the glad acclaim1 8,hosanna to the ,son of ,david60 ,when the ,pharisees1 disturbed and angered by this outburst of rejoicing1 wished ,jesus to rebuke ,his disciples1 ,he replied1 8,if these should hold their peace1 the stones would immediately cry out407#ffj7 ,prophecy must be fulfilled4 ,the disciples were accomplishing the purpose of ,god2 yet they were doomed to a bitter disappointment4 ,but a few days had passed ere they witnessed the ,saviour's agonizing death1 and laid ,him in the tomb4 ,their expectations had not been realized in a single particular1 and their hopes died with ,jesus4 ,not till their ,lord had come forth triumphant from the grave could they perceive that all had been foretold by prophecy1 and 8that ,christ must needs have suffered1 and risen again from the dead407#ffa7 ,five hundred years before1 the ,lord had declared by the prophet ,zechariah1 8,rejoice greatly1 ,o daughter of ,zion2 shout1 ,o daughter of ,jerusalem3 behold1 thy ,king cometh unto thee3 ,he is just1 and having salvation2 lowly1 and riding upon an ass1 and upon a colt the foal of an ass407#ffb7 ,had the disciples realized that ,christ was going to judgment and to death1 they could not have fulfilled this prophecy4 ,in like manner1 ,miller and his associates fulfilled prophecy1 and gave a message which ,inspiration had foretold should be given to the world1 but which they could not have given had they fully understood the prophecies pointing out their disappointment1 and presenting another message to be preached to all nations before the ,lord should come4 ,the first and second angels' messages were given at the right time1 and accomplished the work which ,god designed to accomplish by them4 ,the world had been looking on1 expecting that if the time passed and ,christ did not appear1 the whole system of ,adventism would be given up4 ,but while many1 under strong temptation1 yielded their faith1 there were some who stood firm4 ,the fruits of the ,advent ,movement1 the spirit of humility and heart-searching1 of renouncing of the world and reformation of life1 which had attended the work1 testified that it was of ,god4 ,they dared not deny that the power of the ,holy ,spirit had witnessed to the preaching of the second advent1 and they could detect no error in their reckoning of the prophetic periods4 ,the ablest of their opponents had not succeeded in overthrowing their system of prophetic interpretation4 ,they could not consent1 without ,bible evidence1 to renounce positions which had been reached through earnest1 prayerful study of the ,scriptures1 by minds enlightened by the ,spirit of ,god1 and hearts burning with its living power2 positions which had withstood the most searching criticisms and the most bitter opposition of popular religious teachers and worldly-wise men1 and which had stood firm against the combined forces of learning and eloquence1 and the taunts and revilings alike of the honorable and the base4 ,true1 there had been a failure as to the expected event1 but even this could not shake their faith in the word of ,god4 ,when ,jonah proclaimed in the streets of ,nineveh that within forty days the city would be overthrown1 the ,lord accepted the humiliation of the ,ninevites1 and extended their period of probation2 yet the message of ,jonah was sent of ,god1 and ,nineveh was tested according to ,his will4 ,adventists believed that in like manner ,god had led them to give the warning of the judgment4 8,it has10 they declared1 8tested the hearts of all who heard it1 and awakened a love for the ,lord's appearing2 or it has called forth a hatred1 more or less perceivable1 but known to ,god1 of ,his coming4 ,it has drawn a line1 444 so that those who will examine their own hearts1 may know on which side of it they would have been found1 had the ,lord then come--whether they would have exclaimed1 #8,lo6 this is our ,god1 we have waited for ,him1 and ,he will save us2' 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 throne1 and from the wrath of the ,lamb4 ,god thus1 as we believe1 has tested ,his people1 has tried their faith1 has proved them1 and seen whether they would shrink1 in the hour of trial1 from the position in which ,he might see fit to place them2 and whether they would relinquish this world and rely with implicit confidence in the word of ,god407#ffc7 ,the feelings of those who still believed that ,god had led them in their past experience1 are expressed in the words of ,william ,miller3 8,were ,i to live my life over again1 with the same evidence that ,i then had1 to be honest with ,god and man ,i should have to do as ,i have done40 8,i hope that ,i have cleansed my garments from the blood of souls4 ,i feel that1 as far as it was in my power1 ,i have freed myself from all guilt in their condemnation40 8,although ,i have been twice disappointed10 wrote this man of ,god1 8,i am not yet cast down or discouraged4444 ,my hope in the coming of ,christ is as strong as ever4 ,i have done only what1 after years of solemn consideration1 ,i felt it my solemn duty to do4 ,if ,i have erred1 it has been on the side of charity1 love to my fellow-men1 and conviction of duty to ,god40 8,one thing ,i do know1 ,i have preached nothing but what ,i believed2 and ,god has been with me2 ,his power has been manifested in the work1 and much good has been effected40 8,many thousands1 to all human appearance1 have been made to study the ,scriptures by the preaching of the time2 and by that means1 through faith and the sprinkling of the blood of ,christ1 have been reconciled to ,god407#ffd7 8,i have never courted the smiles of the proud1 nor quailed when the world frowned4 ,i shall not now purchase their favor1 nor shall ,i go beyond duty to tempt their hate4 ,i shall never seek my life at their hands1 nor shrink1 ,i hope1 from losing it1 if ,god in ,his good providence so orders407#ffe7 ,god did not forsake ,his people2 ,his ,spirit still abode with those who did not rashly deny the light which they had received1 and denounce the ,advent ,movement4 ,in the ,epistle to the ,hebrews are words of encouragement and warning for the tried1 waiting ones at this crisis3 8,cast not away therefore your confidence1 which hath great recompense of reward4 ,for ye have need of patience1 that1 after ye have done the will of ,god1 ye might receive the promise4 ,for yet a little while1 and ,he that shall come will come1 and will not tarry4 ,now the just shall live by faith3 but if any man draw back1 ,my soul shall have no pleasure in him4 ,but we are not of them who draw back unto perdition2 but of them that believe to the saving of the soul407#fff7 ,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 coming3 8,for yet a little while1 and ,he that shall come will come1 and will not tarry40 ,and it is plainly implied that there would be a seeming delay1 and that the ,lord would appear to tarry4 ,the instruction here given is especially adapted to the experience of ,adventists at this time4 ,the people here addressed were in danger of making shipwreck of faith4 ,they had done the will of ,god in following the guidance of ,his ,spirit and ,his word2 yet they could not understand ,his purpose in their past experience1 nor could they discern the pathway before them1 and they were tempted to doubt whether ,god had indeed been leading them4 ,at this time the words were applicable1 8,now the just shall live by faith40 ,as the bright light of the 8midnight cry0 had shone upon their pathway1 and they had seen the prophecies unsealed1 and the rapidly fulfilling signs telling that the coming of ,christ was near1 they had walked1 as it were1 by sight4 ,but now1 bowed down by disappointed hopes1 they could stand only by faith in ,god and in ,his word4 ,the scoffing world were saying3 8,you have been deceived4 ,give up your faith1 and say that the ,advent ,movement was of ,satan40 ,but ,god's word declared1 8,if any man draw back1 ,my soul shall have no pleasure in him40 ,to renounce their faith now1 and deny the power of the ,holy ,spirit which had attended the message1 would be drawing back toward perdition4 ,they were encouraged to steadfastness by the words of ,paul1 8,cast not away therefore your confidence20 8ye have need of patience10 8for yet a little while1 and ,he that shall come will come1 and will not tarry40 ,their only safe course was to cherish the light which they had already received of ,god1 hold fast to ,his promises1 and continue to search the ,scriptures1 and patiently wait and watch to receive further light4 #bc4 ,,what ,,is ,,the ,,sanctuary8 ,illustration3 ,chapter header4 ,the scripture which above all others had been both the foundation and the central pillar of the advent faith1 was the declaration1 8,unto two thousand and three hundred days2 then shall the sanctuary be cleansed407#ffg7 ,these had been familiar words to all believers in the ,lord's soon coming4 ,by the lips of thousands was this prophecy repeated as the watchword of their faith4 ,all felt that upon the events therein foretold depended their brightest expectations and most cherished hopes4 ,these prophetic days had been shown to terminate in the autumn of #ahdd4 ,in common with the rest of the ,christian world1 ,adventists then held that the earth1 or some portion of it1 was the sanctuary4 ,they understood that the cleansing of the sanctuary was the purification of the earth by the fires of the last great day1 and that this would take place at the second advent4 ,hence the conclusion that ,christ would return to the earth in #ahdd4 ,but the appointed time had passed1 and the ,lord had not appeared4 ,the believers knew that ,god's word could not fail2 their interpretation of the prophecy must be at fault2 but where was the mistake8 ,many rashly cut the knot of difficulty by denying that the #bcjj days ended in #ahdd4 ,no reason could be given for this1 except that ,christ had not come at the time they expected ,him4 ,they argued that if the prophetic days had ended in #ahdd1 ,christ would then have returned to cleanse the sanctuary by the purification of the earth by fire2 and that since ,he had not come1 the days could not have ended4 ,to accept this conclusion was to renounce the former reckoning of the prophetic periods4 ,the #bcjj days had been found to begin when the commandment of ,artaxerxes for the restoration and building of ,jerusalem1 went into effect1 in the autumn of ,b4,c4 #deg4 ,taking this as the starting-point1 there was perfect harmony in the application of all the events foretold in the explanation of that period in ,dan4 #i3be-bg4 ,sixty-nine weeks1 the first #dhc of the #bcjj years1 were to reach to the ,messiah1 the ,anointed ,one2 and ,christ's baptism and anointing by the ,holy ,spirit1 ,a4,d4 #bg1 exactly fulfilled the specification4 ,in the midst of the seventieth week1 ,messiah was to be cut off4 ,three and a half years after ,his baptism1 ,christ was crucified1 in the spring of ,a4,d4 #ca4 ,the seventy weeks1 or #dij years1 were to pertain especially to the ,jews4 ,at the expiration of this period1 the nation sealed its rejection of ,christ by the persecution of ,his disciples1 and the apostles turned to the ,gentiles1 ,a4,d4 #cd4 ,the first #dij years of the #bcjj having then ended1 #ahaj years would remain4 ,from ,a4,d4 #cd1 #ahaj years extend to #ahdd4 8,then10 said the angel1 8shall the sanctuary be cleansed40 ,all the preceding specifications of the prophecy had been unquestionably fulfilled at the time appointed4 ,with this reckoning1 all was clear and harmonious1 except that it was not seen that any event answering to the cleansing of the sanctuary had taken place in #ahdd4 ,to deny that the days ended at that time was to involve the whole question in confusion1 and to renounce positions which had been established by unmistakable fulfilments of prophecy4 ,but ,god had led ,his people in the great ,advent ,movement2 ,his power and glory had attended the work1 and ,he would not permit it to end in darkness and disappointment1 to be reproached as a false and fanatical excitement4 ,he would not leave ,his word involved in doubt and uncertainty4 ,though many abandoned their former reckoning of the prophetic periods1 and denied the correctness of the movement based thereon1 others were unwilling to renounce points of faith and experience that were sustained by the ,scriptures and by the witness of the ,spirit of ,god4 ,they believed that they had adopted sound principles of interpretation in their study of the prophecies1 and that it was their duty to hold fast the truths already gained1 and to continue the same course of biblical research4 ,with earnest prayer they reviewed their position1 and studied the ,scriptures to discover their mistake4 ,as they could see no error in their reckoning of the prophetic periods1 they were led to examine more closely the subject of the sanctuary4 ,in their investigation they learned that there is no ,scripture evidence sustaining the popular view that the earth is the sanctuary2 but they found in the ,bible a full explanation of the subject of the sanctuary1 its nature1 location1 and services2 the testimony of the sacred writers being so clear and ample as to place the matter beyond all question4 ,the apostle ,paul1 in the ,epistle to the ,hebrews1 says3 8,then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service1 and a worldly sanctuary4 ,for there was a tabernacle made2 the first1 wherein was the candlestick1 and the table1 and the showbread2 which is called the sanctuary4 ,and after the second veil1 the tabernacle which is called the holiest of all2 which had the golden censer1 and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold1 wherein was the golden pot that had manna1 and ,aaron's rod that budded1 and the tables of the covenant2 and over it the cherubim of glory shadowing the mercy-seat407#ffh7 ,the sanctuary to which ,paul here refers was the tabernacle built by ,moses at the command of ,god1 as the earthly dwelling-place of the ,most ,high4 8,let them make ,me a sanctuary2 that ,i may dwell among them107#ffi7 was the direction given to ,moses while in the mount with ,god4 ,the ,israelites were journeying through the wilderness1 and the tabernacle was so constructed that it could be removed from place to place2 yet it was a structure of great magnificence4 ,its walls consisted of upright boards heavily plated with gold1 and set in sockets of silver1 while the roof was formed of a series of curtains1 or coverings1 the outer of skins1 the innermost of fine linen beautifully wrought with figures of cherubim4 ,besides the outer court1 which contained the altar of burnt-offering1 the tabernacle itself consisted of two apartments called the holy and the most holy place1 separated by a rich and beautiful curtain1 or veil2 a similar veil closed the entrance to the first apartment4 ,in the holy place was the candlestick1 on the south1 with its seven lamps giving light to the sanctuary both by day and by night2 on the north stood the table of showbread2 and before the veil separating the holy from the most holy was the golden altar of incense1 from which the cloud of fragrance1 with the prayers of ,israel1 was daily ascending before ,god4 ,in the most holy place stood the ark1 a chest of precious wood overlaid with gold1 the depository of the two tables of stone upon which ,god had inscribed the law of ten commandments4 ,above the ark1 and forming the cover to the sacred chest1 was the mercy-seat1 a magnificent piece of workmanship1 surmounted by two cherubim1 one at each end1 and all wrought of solid gold4 ,in this apartment the divine presence was manifested in the cloud of glory between the cherubim4 ,after the settlement of the ,hebrews in ,canaan1 the tabernacle was replaced by the temple of ,solomon1 which1 though a permanent structure and upon a larger scale1 observed the same proportions1 and was similarly furnished4 ,in this form the sanctuary existed--except while it lay in ruins in ,daniel's time--until its destruction by the ,romans1 in ,a4,d4 #gj4 ,this is the only sanctuary that ever existed on the earth1 of which the ,bible gives any information4 ,this was declared by ,paul to be the sanctuary of the first covenant4 ,but has the new covenant no sanctuary8 ,turning again to the book of ,hebrews1 the seekers for truth found that the existence of a second1 or new-covenant sanctuary1 was implied in the words of ,paul already quoted3 8,then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service1 and a worldly sanctuary40 ,and the use of the word 8also0 intimates that ,paul has before made mention of this sanctuary4 ,turning back to the beginning of the previous chapter1 they read3 8,now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum3 ,we have such an high priest1 who is set on the right hand of the throne of the ,majesty in the heavens2 a minister of the sanctuary1 and of the true tabernacle1 which the ,lord pitched1 and not man407#fgj7 ,here is revealed the sanctuary of the new covenant4 ,the sanctuary of the first covenant was pitched by man1 built by ,moses2 this is pitched by the ,lord1 not by man4 ,in that sanctuary the earthly priests performed their service2 in this1 ,christ1 our great high priest1 ministers at ,god's right hand4 ,one sanctuary was on earth1 the other is in heaven4 ,further1 the tabernacle built by ,moses was made after a pattern4 ,the ,lord directed him1 8,according to all that ,i show thee1 after the pattern of the tabernacle1 and the pattern of all the instruments thereof1 even so shall ye make it40 ,and again the charge was given1 8,look that thou make them after their pattern1 which was showed thee in the mount407#fga7 ,and ,paul says that the first tabernacle 8was a figure for the time then present1 in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices20 that its holy places were 8patterns of things in the heavens20 that the priests who offered gifts according to the law1 served 8unto the example and shadow of heavenly things10 and that 8,christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands1 which are the figures of the true1 but into heaven itself1 now to appear in the presence of ,god for us407#fgb7 ,the sanctuary in heaven1 in which ,jesus ministers in our behalf1 is the great original1 of which the sanctuary built by ,moses was a copy4 ,god placed ,his ,spirit upon the builders of the earthly sanctuary4 ,the artistic skill displayed in its construction was a manifestation of divine wisdom4 ,the walls had the appearance of massive gold1 reflecting in every direction the light of the seven lamps of the golden candlestick4 ,the table of showbread and the altar of incense glittered like burnished gold4 ,the gorgeous curtain which formed the ceiling1 inwrought with figures of angels in blue and purple and scarlet1 added to the beauty of the scene4 ,and beyond the second veil was the holy shekinah1 the visible manifestation of ,god's glory1 before which none but the high priest could enter and live4 ,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 ,god4 ,the abiding-place of the ,king of kings1 where thousand thousands minister unto ,him1 and ten thousand times ten thousand stand before ,him27#fgc7 that temple1 filled with the glory of the eternal throne1 where seraphim1 its shining guardians1 veil their faces in adoration1 could find1 in the most magnificent structure ever reared by human hands1 but a faint reflection of its vastness and glory4 ,yet important truths concerning the heavenly sanctuary and the great work there carried forward for man's redemption1 were taught by the earthly sanctuary and its services4 ,the holy places of the sanctuary in heaven are represented by the two apartments in the sanctuary on earth4 ,as in vision the apostle ,john was granted a view of the temple of ,god in heaven1 he beheld there 8seven lamps of fire burning before the throne407#fgd7 ,he saw an angel 8having a golden censer2 and there was given unto him much incense1 that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne407#fge7 ,here the prophet was permitted to behold the first apartment of the sanctuary in heaven2 and he saw there the 8seven lamps of fire0 and the 8golden altar10 represented by the golden candlestick and the altar of incense in the sanctuary on earth4 ,again1 8the temple of ,god was opened107#fgf7 and he looked within the inner veil1 upon the holy of holies4 ,here he beheld 8the ark of ,his testament10 represented by the sacred chest constructed by ,moses to contain the law of ,god4 ,thus those who were studying the subject found indisputable proof of the existence of a sanctuary in heaven4 ,moses made the earthly sanctuary after a pattern which was shown him4 ,paul teaches that that pattern was the true sanctuary which is in heaven4 ,and ,john testifies that he saw it in heaven4 ,in the temple in heaven1 the dwelling-place of ,god1 ,his throne is established in righteousness and judgment4 ,in the most holy place is ,his law1 the great rule of right by which all mankind are tested4 ,the ark that enshrines the tables of the law is covered with the mercy-seat1 before which ,christ pleads ,his blood in the sinner's behalf4 ,thus is represented the union of justice and mercy in the plan of human redemption4 ,this union infinite wisdom alone could devise1 and infinite power accomplish2 it is a union that fills all heaven with wonder and adoration4 ,the cherubim of the earthly sanctuary1 looking reverently down upon the mercy-seat1 represent the interest with which the heavenly host contemplate the work of redemption4 ,this is the mystery of mercy into which angels desire to look1--that ,god can be just while ,he justifies the repenting sinner1 and renews ,his intercourse with the fallen race2 that ,christ could stoop to raise unnumbered multitudes from the abyss of ruin1 and clothe them with the spotless garments of ,his own righteousness1 to unite with angels who have never fallen1 and to dwell forever in the presence of ,god4 ,the work of ,christ as man's intercessor is presented in that beautiful prophecy of ,zechariah concerning ,him 8whose name is ,the ,branch40 ,says the prophet3 8,he shall build the temple of the ,lord2 and ,he shall bear the glory1 and shall sit and rule upon ,his the ,father's throne2 and ,he shall be a priest upon ,his throne3 and the counsel of peace shall be between ,them both407#fgg7 8,he shall build the temple of the ,lord40 ,by ,his sacrifice and mediation1 ,christ is both the foundation and the builder of the church of ,god4 ,the apostle ,paul points to ,him as 8the chief corner-stone2 in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto a holy temple in the ,lord3 in whom ye also10 he says1 8are builded together for a habitation of ,god through the ,spirit407#fgh7 8,he shall bear the glory40 ,to ,christ belongs the glory of redemption for the fallen race4 ,through the eternal ages1 the song of the ransomed ones will be1 8,unto ,him that loved us1 and washed us from our sins in ,his own blood1 444 to ,him be glory and dominion forever and ever407#fgi7 ,he 8shall sit and rule upon ,his throne2 and ,he shall be a priest upon ,his throne40 ,not now 8upon the throne of ,his glory20 the kingdom of glory has not yet been ushered in4 ,not until ,his work as a mediator shall be ended1 will ,god 8give unto ,him the throne of ,his father ,david10 a kingdom of which 8there shall be no end407#fhj7 ,as a priest1 ,christ is now set down with the ,father in ,his throne47#fha7 ,upon the throne with the eternal1 self-existent ,one1 is ,he who 8hath borne our griefs1 and carried our sorrows10 who 8was in all points tempted like as we are1 yet without sin10 that ,he might be 8able to succor them that are tempted40 8,if any man sin1 we have an ,advocate with the ,father407#fhb7 ,his intercession is that of a pierced and broken body1 of a spotless life4 ,the wounded hands1 the pierced side1 the marred feet1 plead for fallen man1 whose redemption was purchased at such infinite cost4 8,and the counsel of peace shall be between ,them both40 ,the love of the ,father1 no less than of the ,son1 is the fountain of salvation for the lost race4 ,said ,jesus to ,his disciples1 before ,he went away1 8,i say not unto you1 that ,i will pray the ,father for you3 for the ,father ,himself loveth you407#fhc7 ,god was 8in ,christ1 reconciling the world unto ,himself407#fhd7 ,and in the ministration in the sanctuary above1 8the counsel of peace shall be between ,them both40 8,god so loved the world1 that ,he gave ,his only begotten ,son1 that whosoever believeth in ,him should not perish1 but have everlasting life407#fhe7 ,the question1 ,what is the sanctuary8 is clearly answered in the ,scriptures4 ,the term 8sanctuary10 as used in the ,bible1 refers1 first1 to the tabernacle built by ,moses1 as a pattern of heavenly things2 and1 secondly1 to the 8true tabernacle0 in heaven1 to which the earthly sanctuary pointed4 ,at the death of ,christ the typical service ended4 ,the 8true tabernacle0 in heaven is the sanctuary of the new covenant4 ,and as the prophecy of ,dan4 #h3ad is fulfilled in this dispensation1 the sanctuary to which it refers must be the sanctuary of the new covenant4 ,at the termination of the #bcjj days1 in #ahdd1 there had been no sanctuary on earth for many centuries4 ,thus the prophecy1 8,unto two thousand and three hundred days2 then shall the sanctuary be cleansed10 unquestionably points to the sanctuary in heaven4 ,but the most important question remains to be answered3 ,what is the cleansing of the sanctuary8 ,that there was such a service in connection with the earthly sanctuary1 is stated in the ,old ,testament ,scriptures4 ,but can there be anything in heaven to be cleansed8 ,in ,hebrews #i the cleansing of both the earthly and the heavenly sanctuary is plainly taught4 8,almost all things are by the law purged with blood2 and without shedding of blood is no remission4 ,it was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these the blood of animals2 but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these107#fhf7 even the precious blood of ,christ4 ,the cleansing1 both in the typical and in the real service1 must be accomplished with blood3 in the former1 with the blood of animals2 in the latter1 with the blood of ,christ4 ,paul states1 as the reason why this cleansing must be performed with blood1 that without shedding of blood is no remission4 ,remission1 or putting away of sin1 is the work to be accomplished4 ,but how could there be sin connected with the sanctuary1 either in heaven or upon the earth8 ,this may be learned by reference to the symbolic service2 for the priests who officiated on earth1 served 8unto the example and shadow of heavenly things407#fhg7 ,the ministration of the earthly sanctuary consisted of two divisions2 the priests ministered daily in the holy place1 while once a year the high priest performed a special work of atonement in the most holy1 for the cleansing of the sanctuary4 ,day by day the repentant sinner brought his offering to the door of the tabernacle1 and placing his hand upon the victim's head1 confessed his sins1 thus in figure transferring them from himself to the innocent sacrifice4 ,the animal was then slain4 8,without shedding of blood10 says the apostle1 there is no remission of sin4 8,the life of the flesh is in the blood407#fhh7 ,the broken law of ,god demanded the life of the transgressor4 ,the blood1 representing the forfeited life of the sinner1 whose guilt the victim bore1 was carried by the priest into the holy place and sprinkled before the veil1 behind which was the ark containing the law that the sinner had transgressed4 ,by this ceremony the sin was1 through the blood1 transferred in figure to the sanctuary4 ,in some cases the blood was not taken into the holy place2 but the flesh was then to be eaten by the priest1 as ,moses directed the sons of ,aaron1 saying1 8,god hath given it you to bear the iniquity of the congregation407#fhi7 ,both ceremonies alike symbolized the transfer of the sin from the penitent to the sanctuary4 ,such was the work that went on1 day by day1 throughout the year4 ,the sins of ,israel were thus transferred to the sanctuary1 and a special work became necessary for their removal4 ,god commanded that an atonement be made for each of the sacred apartments4 8,he shall make an atonement for the holy place1 because of the uncleanness of the children of ,israel1 and because of their transgressions in all their sins3 and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation1 that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness40 ,an atonement was also to be made for the altar1 to 8cleanse it1 and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of ,israel407#fij7 ,once a year1 on the great day of atonement1 the priest entered the most holy place for the cleansing of the sanctuary4 ,the work there performed completed the yearly round of ministration4 ,on the day of atonement1 two kids of the goats were brought to the door of the tabernacle1 and lots were cast upon them1 8one lot for the ,lord1 and the other lot for the scapegoat407#fia7 ,the goat upon which fell the lot for the ,lord was to be slain as a sin-offering for the people4 ,and the priest was to bring his blood within the veil1 and sprinkle it upon the mercy-seat1 and before the mercy-seat4 ,the blood was also to be sprinkled upon the altar of incense1 that was before the veil4 8,and ,aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat1 and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of ,israel1 and all their transgressions in all their sins1 putting them upon the head of the goat1 and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness3 and the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited407#fib7 ,the scapegoat came no more into the camp of ,israel1 and the man who led him away was required to wash himself and his clothing with water before returning to the camp4 ,the whole ceremony was designed to impress the ,israelites with the holiness of ,god and ,his abhorrence of sin2 and1 further1 to show them that they could not come in contact with sin without becoming polluted4 ,every man was required to afflict his soul while this work of atonement was going forward4 ,all business was to be laid aside1 and the whole congregation of ,israel were to spend the day in solemn humiliation before ,god1 with prayer1 fasting1 and deep searching of heart4 ,important truths concerning the atonement are taught by the typical service4 ,a substitute was accepted in the sinner's stead2 but the sin was not canceled by the blood of the victim4 ,a means was thus provided by which it was transferred to the sanctuary4 ,by the offering of blood1 the sinner acknowledged the authority of the law1 confessed his guilt in transgression1 and expressed his desire for pardon through faith in a ,redeemer to come2 but he was not yet entirely released from the condemnation of the law4 ,on the day of atonement the high priest1 having taken an offering from the congregation1 went into the most holy place with the blood of this offering1 and sprinkled it upon the mercy-seat1 directly over the law1 to make satisfaction for its claims4 ,then1 in his character of mediator1 he took the sins upon himself and bore them from the sanctuary4 ,placing his hands upon the head of the scapegoat1 he confessed over him all these sins1 thus in figure transferring them from himself to the goat4 ,the goat then bore them away1 and they were regarded as forever separated from the people4 ,such was the service performed 8unto the example and shadow of heavenly things40 ,and what was done in type in the ministration of the earthly sanctuary1 is done in reality in the ministration of the heavenly sanctuary4 ,after ,his ascension1 our ,saviour began ,his work as our high priest4 ,says ,paul1 8,christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands1 which are the figures of the true2 but into heaven itself1 now to appear in the presence of ,god for us407#fic7 ,the ministration of the priest throughout the year in the first apartment of the sanctuary1 8within the veil0 which formed the door and separated the holy place from the outer court1 represents the work of ministration upon which ,christ entered at ,his ascension4 ,it was the work of the priest in the daily ministration to present before ,god the blood of the sin-offering1 also the incense which ascended with the prayers of ,israel4 ,so did ,christ plead ,his blood before the ,father in behalf of sinners1 and present before ,him also1 with the precious fragrance of ,his own righteousness1 the prayers of penitent believers4 ,such was the work of ministration in the first apartment of the sanctuary in heaven4 ,thither the faith of ,christ's disciples followed ,him as ,he ascended from their sight4 ,here their hopes centered1 8which hope we have10 said ,paul1 8as an anchor of the soul1 both sure and steadfast1 and which entereth into that within the veil2 whither the forerunner is for us entered1 even ,jesus1 made an high priest forever40 8,neither by the blood of goats and calves1 but by ,his own blood ,he entered in once into the holy place1 having obtained eternal redemption for us407#fid7 ,for eighteen centuries this work of ministration continued in the first apartment of the sanctuary4 ,the blood of ,christ1 pleaded in behalf of penitent believers1 secured their pardon and acceptance with the ,father1 yet their sins still remained upon the books of record4 ,as in the typical service there was a work of atonement at the close of the year1 so before ,christ's work for the redemption of men is completed1 there is a work of atonement for the removal of sin from the sanctuary4 ,this is the service which began when the #bcjj days ended4 ,at that time1 as foretold by ,daniel the prophet1 our ,high ,priest entered the most holy1 to perform the last division of ,his solemn work1--to cleanse the sanctuary4 ,as anciently the sins of the people were by faith placed upon the sin-offering1 and through its blood transferred1 in figure1 to the earthly sanctuary2 so in the new covenant the sins of the repentant are by faith placed upon ,christ1 and transferred1 in fact1 to the heavenly sanctuary4 ,and as the typical cleansing of the earthly was accomplished by the removal of the sins by which it had been polluted1 so the actual cleansing of the heavenly is to be accomplished by the removal1 or blotting out1 of the sins which are there recorded4 ,but before this can be accomplished1 there must be an examination of the books of record to determine who1 through repentance of sin and faith in ,christ1 are entitled to the benefits of ,his atonement4 ,the cleansing of the sanctuary therefore involves a work of investigation1--a work of judgment4 ,this work must be performed prior to the coming of ,christ to redeem ,his people2 for when ,he comes1 ,his reward is with ,him to give to every man according to his works47#fie7 ,thus those who followed in the light of the prophetic word saw that1 instead of coming to the earth at the termination of the #bcjj days in #ahdd1 ,christ then entered the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary1 to perform the closing work of atonement1 preparatory to ,his coming4 ,it was seen1 also1 that while the sin-offering pointed to ,christ as a sacrifice1 and the high priest represented ,christ as a mediator1 the scapegoat typified ,satan1 the author of sin1 upon whom the sins of the truly penitent will finally be placed4 ,when the high priest1 by virtue of the blood of the sin-offering1 removed the sins from the sanctuary1 he placed them upon the scapegoat4 ,when ,christ1 by virtue of ,his own blood1 removes the sins of ,his people from the heavenly sanctuary at the close of ,his ministration1 ,he will place them upon ,satan1 who1 in the execution of the judgment1 must bear the final penalty4 ,the scapegoat was sent away into a land not inhabited1 never to come again into the congregation of ,israel4 ,so will ,satan be forever banished from the presence of ,god and ,his people1 and he will be blotted from existence in the final destruction of sin and sinners4 #bd4 ,,in ,,the ,,holy ,,of ,,holies4 ,illustration3 ,chapter header4 ,the subject of the sanctuary was the key which unlocked the mystery of the disappointment of #ahdd4 ,it opened to view a complete system of truth1 connected and harmonious1 showing that ,god's hand had directed the great ,advent ,movement1 and revealing present duty as it brought to light the position and work of ,his people4 ,as the disciples of ,jesus1 after the terrible night of their anguish and disappointment1 were 8glad when they saw the ,lord10 so did those now rejoice who had looked in faith for ,his second coming4 ,they had expected ,him to appear in glory to give reward to ,his servants4 ,as their hopes were disappointed1 they had lost sight of ,jesus1 and with ,mary at the sepulcher they cried1 8,they have taken away my ,lord1 and ,i know not where they have laid ,him40 ,now in the holy of holies they again beheld ,him1 their compassionate high priest1 soon to appear as their king and deliverer4 ,light from the sanctuary illumed the past1 the present1 and the future4 ,they knew that ,god had led them by ,his unerring providence4 ,though1 like the first disciples1 they themselves had failed to understand the message which they bore1 yet it had been in every respect correct4 ,in proclaiming it they had fulfilled the purpose of ,god1 and their labor had not been in vain in the ,lord4 8,begotten again unto a lively hope10 they rejoiced 8with joy unspeakable and full of glory40 ,both the prophecy of ,dan4 #h3ad1 8,unto two thousand and three hundred days2 then shall the sanctuary be cleansed10 and the first angel's message1 8,fear ,god1 and give glory to ,him2 for the hour of ,his judgment is come10 pointed to ,christ's ministration in the most holy place1 to the investigative judgment1 and not to the coming of ,christ for the redemption of ,his people and the destruction of the wicked4 ,the mistake had not been in the reckoning of the prophetic periods1 but in the event to take place at the end of the #bcjj days4 ,through this error the believers had suffered disappointment1 yet all that was foretold by the prophecy1 and all that they had any ,scripture warrant to expect1 had been accomplished4 ,at the very time when they were lamenting the failure of their hopes1 the event had taken place which was foretold by the message1 and which must be fulfilled before the ,lord could appear to give reward to ,his servants4 ,christ had come1 not to the earth1 as they expected1 but1 as foreshadowed in the type1 to the most holy place of the temple of ,god in heaven4 ,he is represented by the prophet ,daniel as coming at this time to the ,ancient of days3 8,i saw in the night visions1 and1 behold1 one like the ,son of man came with the clouds of heaven1 and came0--not to the earth1 but--8to the ,ancient of days1 and they brought ,him near before ,him407#fif7 ,this coming is foretold also by the prophet ,malachi3 8,the ,lord1 whom ye seek1 shall suddenly come to ,his temple1 even the messenger of the covenant1 whom ye delight in3 behold1 ,he shall come1 saith the ,lord of hosts407#fig7 ,the coming of the ,lord to ,his temple was sudden1 unexpected1 to ,his people4 ,they were not looking for ,him there4 ,they expected ,him to come to earth1 8in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not ,god1 and that obey not the gospel407#fih7 ,but the people were not yet ready to meet their ,lord4 ,there was still a work of preparation to be accomplished for them4 ,light was to be given1 directing their minds to the temple of ,god in heaven2 and as they should by faith follow their ,high ,priest in ,his ministration there1 new duties would be revealed4 ,another message of warning and instruction was to be given to the church4 ,says the prophet3 8,who may abide the day of ,his coming8 and who shall stand when ,he appeareth8 for ,he is like a refiner's fire1 and like fullers' soap3 and ,he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver3 and ,he shall purify the sons of ,levi1 and purge them as gold and silver1 that they may offer unto the ,lord an offering in righteousness407#fii7 ,those who are living upon the earth when the intercession of ,christ shall cease in the sanctuary above1 are to stand in the sight of a holy ,god without a mediator4 ,their robes must be spotless1 their characters must be purified from sin by the blood of sprinkling4 ,through the grace of ,god and their own diligent effort1 they must be conquerors in the battle with evil4 ,while the investigative judgment is going forward in heaven1 while the sins of penitent believers are being removed from the sanctuary1 there is to be a special work of purification1 of putting away of sin1 among ,god's people upon earth4 ,this work is more clearly presented in the messages of ,revelation #ad4 ,when this work shall have been accomplished1 the followers of ,christ will be ready for ,his appearing4 8,then shall the offering of ,judah and ,jerusalem be pleasant unto the ,lord1 as in the days of old1 and as in former years407#gjj7 ,then the church which our ,lord at ,his coming is to receive to ,himself will be 8a glorious church1 not having spot1 or wrinkle1 or any such thing407#gja7 ,then she will look forth 8as the morning1 fair as the moon1 clear as the sun1 and terrible as an army with banners407#gjb7 ,besides the coming of the ,lord to ,his temple1 ,malachi also foretells ,his second advent1 ,his coming for the execution of the judgment1 in these words3 8,and ,i will come near to you to judgment2 and ,i will be a swift witness against the sorcerers1 and against the adulterers1 and against false swearers1 and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages1 the widow1 and the fatherless1 and that turn aside the stranger from his right1 and fear not ,me1 saith the ,lord of hosts407#gjc7 ,jude refers to the same scene when he says1 8,behold1 the ,lord cometh with ten thousands of ,his saints1 to execute judgment upon all1 and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds407#gjd7 ,this coming1 and the coming of the ,lord to ,his temple1 are distinct and separate events4 ,the coming of ,christ as our high priest to the most holy place1 for the cleansing of the sanctuary1 brought to view in ,dan4 #h3ad2 the coming of the ,son of man to the ,ancient of days1 as presented in ,dan4 #g3ac2 and the coming of the ,lord to ,his temple1 foretold by ,malachi1 are descriptions of the same event2 and this is also represented by the coming of the bridegroom to the marriage1 described by ,christ in the parable of the ten virgins1 of ,matthew #be4 ,in the summer and autumn of #ahdd1 the proclamation1 8,behold1 the ,bridegroom cometh10 was given4 ,the two classes represented by the wise and foolish virgins were then developed1--one class who looked with joy to the ,lord's appearing1 and who had been diligently preparing to meet ,him2 another class that1 influenced by fear1 and acting from impulse1 had been satisfied with a theory of the truth1 but were destitute of the grace of ,god4 ,in the parable1 when the bridegroom came1 8they that were ready went in with him to the marriage40 ,the coming of the bridegroom1 here brought to view1 takes place before the marriage4 ,the marriage represents the reception by ,christ of ,his kingdom4 ,the holy city1 the ,new ,jerusalem1 which is the capital and representative of the kingdom1 is called 8the bride1 the ,lamb's wife40 ,said the angel to ,john1 8,come hither1 ,i will show thee the bride1 the ,lamb's wife40 8,he carried me away in the spirit10 says the prophet1 8and showed me that great city1 the holy ,jerusalem1 descending out of heaven from ,god407#gje7 ,clearly1 then1 the bride represents the holy city1 and the virgins that go out to meet the bridegroom are a symbol of the church4 ,in the ,revelation the people of ,god are said to be the guests at the marriage supper47#gjf7 ,if guests1 they cannot be represented also as the bride4 ,christ1 as stated by the prophet ,daniel1 will receive from the ,ancient of days in heaven1 8dominion1 and glory1 and a kingdom20 ,he will receive the ,new ,jerusalem1 the capital of ,his kingdom1 8prepared as a bride adorned for her husband407#gjg7 ,having received the kingdom1 ,he will come in ,his glory1 as ,king of kings and ,lord of lords1 for the redemption of ,his people1 who are to 8sit down with ,abraham1 and ,isaac1 and ,jacob10 at ,his table in ,his kingdom17#gjh7 to partake of the marriage supper of the ,lamb4 ,the proclamation1 8,behold1 the ,bridegroom cometh10 in the summer of #ahdd1 led thousands to expect the immediate advent of the ,lord4 ,at the appointed time the ,bridegroom came1 not to the earth1 as the people expected1 but to the ,ancient of days in heaven1 to the marriage1 the reception of ,his kingdom4 8,they that were ready went in with ,him to the marriage1 and the door was shut40 ,they were not to be present in person at the marriage2 for it takes place in heaven1 while they are upon the earth4 ,the followers of ,christ are to 8wait for their ,lord1 when ,he will return from the wedding407#gji7 ,but they are to understand ,his work1 and to follow ,him by faith as ,he goes in before ,god4 ,it is in this sense that they are said to go in to the marriage4 ,in the parable it was those that had oil in their vessels with their lamps that went in to the marriage4 ,those who1 with a knowledge of the truth from the ,scriptures1 had also the ,spirit and grace of ,god1 and who1 in the night of their bitter trial1 had patiently waited1 searching the ,bible for clearer light1--these saw the truth concerning the sanctuary in heaven and the ,saviour's change of ministration1 and by faith they followed ,him in ,his work in the sanctuary above4 ,and all who through the testimony of the ,scriptures accept the same truths1 following ,christ by faith as ,he enters in before ,god to perform the last work of mediation1 and at its close to receive ,his kingdom1--all these are represented as going in to the marriage4 ,in the parable of ,matthew #bb the same figure of the marriage is introduced1 and the investigative judgment is clearly represented as taking place before the marriage4 ,previous to the wedding the king comes in to see the guests17#gaj7 to see if all are attired in the wedding garment1 the spotless robe of character washed and made white in the blood of the ,lamb47#gaa7 ,he who is found wanting is cast out1 but all who upon examination are seen to have the wedding garment on1 are accepted of ,god1 and accounted worthy of a share in ,his kingdom and a seat upon ,his throne4 ,this work of examination of character1 of determining who are prepared for the kingdom of ,god1 is that of the investigative judgment1 the closing work in the sanctuary above4 ,when the work of investigation shall be ended1 when the cases of those who in all ages have professed to be followers of ,christ have been examined and decided1 then1 and not till then1 probation will close1 and the door of mercy will be shut4 ,thus in the one short sentence1 8,they that were ready went in with ,him to the marriage1 and the door was shut10 we are carried down through the ,saviour's final ministration1 to the time when the great work for man's salvation shall be completed4 ,in the service of the earthly sanctuary1 which1 as we have seen1 is a figure of the service in the heavenly1 when the high priest on the day of atonement entered the most holy place1 the ministration in the first apartment ceased4 ,god commanded1 8,there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place1 until he come out407#gab7 ,so when ,christ entered the holy of holies to perform the closing work of the atonement1 ,he ceased ,his ministration in the first apartment4 ,but when the ministration in the first apartment ended1 the ministration in the second apartment began4 ,when in the typical service the high priest left the holy on the day of atonement1 he went in before ,god to present the blood of the sin-offering in behalf of all ,israel who truly repented of their sins4 ,so ,christ had only completed one part of ,his work as our intercessor1 to enter upon another portion of the work1 and ,he still pleaded ,his blood before the ,father in behalf of sinners4 ,this subject was not understood by ,adventists in #ahdd4 ,after the passing of the time when the ,saviour was expected1 they still believed ,his coming to be near2 they held that they had reached an important crisis1 and that the work of ,christ as man's intercessor before ,god1 had ceased4 ,it appeared to them to be taught in the ,bible1 that man's probation would close a short time before the actual coming of the ,lord in the clouds of heaven4 ,this seemed evident from those scriptures which point to a time when men will seek1 knock1 and cry at the door of mercy1 and it will not be opened4 ,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 coming4 ,having given the warning of the judgment near1 they felt that their work for the world was done1 and they lost their burden of soul for the salvation of sinners1 while the bold and blasphemous scoffing of the ungodly seemed to them another evidence that the ,spirit of ,god had been withdrawn from the rejecters of ,his mercy4 ,all this confirmed them in the belief that probation had ended1 or1 as they then expressed it1 8the door of mercy was shut40 ,but clearer light came with the investigation of the sanctuary question4 ,they now saw that they were correct in believing that the end of the #bcjj days in #ahdd marked an important crisis4 ,but while it was true that that door of hope and mercy by which men had for eighteen hundred years found access to ,god1 was closed1 another door was opened1 and forgiveness of sins was offered to men through the intercession of ,christ in the most holy4 ,one part of ,his ministration had closed1 only to give place to another4 ,there was still an 8open door0 to the heavenly sanctuary1 where ,christ was ministering in the sinner's behalf4 ,now was seen the application of those words of ,christ in the ,revelation1 addressed to the church at this very time3 8,these things saith ,he that is holy1 ,he that is true1 ,he that hath the key of ,david1 ,he that openeth1 and no man shutteth2 and shutteth1 and no man openeth2 ,i know thy works3 behold1 ,i have set before thee an open door1 and no man can shut it407#gac7 ,it is those who by faith follow ,jesus in the great work of the atonement1 who receive the benefits of ,his mediation in their behalf2 while those who reject the light which brings to view this work of ministration1 are not benefited thereby4 ,the ,jews who rejected the light given at ,christ's first advent1 and refused to believe on ,him as the ,saviour of the world1 could not receive pardon through ,him4 ,when ,jesus at ,his ascension entered by ,his own blood into the heavenly sanctuary to shed upon ,his disciples the blessings of ,his mediation1 the ,jews were left in total darkness1 to continue their useless sacrifices and offerings4 ,the ministration of types and shadows had ceased4 ,that door by which men had formerly found access to ,god1 was no longer open4 ,the ,jews had refused to seek ,him in the only way whereby ,he could then be found1 through the ministration in the sanctuary in heaven4 ,therefore they found no communion with ,god4 ,to them the door was shut4 ,they had no knowledge of ,christ as the true sacrifice and the only mediator before ,god2 hence they could not receive the benefits of ,his mediation4 ,the condition of the unbelieving ,jews illustrates the condition of the careless and unbelieving among professed ,christians1 who are willingly ignorant of the work of our merciful ,high ,priest4 ,in the typical service1 when the high priest entered the most holy place1 all ,israel were required to gather about the sanctuary1 and in the most solemn manner humble their souls before ,god1 that they might receive the pardon of their sins1 and not be cut off from the congregation4 ,how much more essential in this antitypical day of atonement that we understand the work of our ,high ,priest1 and know what duties are required of us4 ,men cannot with impunity reject the warnings which ,god in mercy sends them4 ,a message was sent from heaven to the world in ,noah's day1 and their salvation depended upon the manner in which they treated that message4 ,because they rejected the warning1 the ,spirit of ,god was withdrawn from the sinful race1 and they perished in the waters of the flood4 ,in the time of ,abraham1 mercy ceased to plead with the guilty inhabitants of ,sodom1 and all but ,lot with his wife and two daughters1 were consumed by the fire sent down from heaven4 ,so in the days of ,christ4 ,the ,son of ,god declared to the unbelieving ,jews of that generation1 8,your house is left unto you desolate407#gad7 ,looking down to the last days1 the same ,infinite ,power declares1 concerning those who 8received not the love of the truth1 that they might be saved10 8,for this cause ,god shall send them strong delusion1 that they should believe a lie3 that they all might be damned who believed not the truth1 but had pleasure in unrighteousness407#gae7 ,as they reject the teachings of ,his word1 ,god withdraws ,his ,spirit1 and leaves them to the deceptions which they love4 ,but ,christ still intercedes in man's behalf1 and light will be given to those who seek it4 ,though this was not at first understood by ,adventists1 it was afterward made plain1 as the scriptures which define their true position began to open before them4 ,the passing of the time in #ahdd was followed by a period of great trial to those who still held the advent faith4 ,their only relief1 so far as ascertaining their true position was concerned1 was the light which directed their minds to the sanctuary above4 ,some renounced their faith in their former reckoning of the prophetic periods1 and ascribed to human or satanic agencies the powerful influence of the ,holy ,spirit which had attended the ,advent ,movement4 ,another class firmly held that the ,lord had led them in their past experience2 and as they waited and watched and prayed to know the will of ,god1 they saw that their great ,high ,priest had entered upon another work of ministration1 and following ,him by faith1 they were led to see also the closing work of the church4 ,they had a clearer understanding of the first and second angels' messages1 and were prepared to receive and give to the world the solemn warning of the third angel of ,revelation #ad4 #be4 ,,god',s ,,law ,,immutable4 ,illustration3 ,chapter header4 8,the temple of ,god was opened in heaven1 and there was seen in ,his temple the ark of ,his testament407#gaf7 ,the ark of ,god's testament is in the holy of holies1 the second apartment of the sanctuary4 ,in the ministration of the earthly tabernacle1 which served 8unto the example and shadow of heavenly things10 this apartment was opened only upon the great day of atonement1 for the cleansing of the sanctuary4 ,therefore the announcement that the temple of ,god was opened in heaven1 and the ark of ,his testament was seen1 points to the opening of the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary1 in #ahdd1 as ,christ entered there to perform the closing work of the atonement4 ,those who by faith followed their great ,high ,priest1 as ,he entered upon ,his ministry in the most holy place1 beheld the ark of ,his testament4 ,as they had studied the subject of the sanctuary1 they had come to understand the ,saviour's change of ministration1 and they saw that ,he was now officiating before the ark of ,god1 pleading ,his blood in behalf of sinners4 ,the ark in the tabernacle on earth contained the two tables of stone1 upon which were inscribed the precepts of the law of ,god4 ,the ark was merely a receptacle for the tables of the law1 and the presence of these divine precepts gave to it its value and sacredness4 ,when the temple of ,god was opened in heaven1 the ark of ,his testament was seen4 ,within the holy of holies1 in the sanctuary in heaven1 the divine law is sacredly enshrined1--the law that was spoken by ,god ,himself amid the thunders of ,sinai1 and written with ,his own finger on the tables of stone4 ,the law of ,god in the sanctuary in heaven is the great original1 of which the precepts inscribed upon the tables of stone1 and recorded by ,moses in the ,pentateuch1 were an unerring transcript4 ,those who arrived at an understanding of this important point1 were thus led to see the sacred1 unchanging character of the divine law4 ,they saw1 as never before1 the force of the ,saviour's words1 8,till heaven and earth pass1 one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law407#gag7 ,the law of ,god1 being a revelation of ,his will1 a transcript of ,his character1 must forever endure1 8as a faithful witness in heaven40 ,not one command has been annulled2 not a jot or tittle has been changed4 ,says the psalmist3 8,forever1 ,o ,lord1 ,thy word is settled in heaven40 8,all ,his commandments are sure4 ,they stand fast forever and ever407#gah7 ,in the very bosom of the decalogue is the fourth commandment1 as it was first proclaimed3 8,remember the ,sabbath day1 to keep it holy4 ,six days shalt thou labor1 and do all thy work3 but the seventh day is the ,sabbath of the ,lord thy ,god3 in it thou shalt not do any work1 thou1 nor thy son1 nor thy daughter1 thy man-servant1 nor thy maid-servant1 nor thy cattle1 nor thy stranger that is within thy gates3 for in six days the ,lord made heaven and earth1 the sea1 and all that in them is1 and rested the seventh day3 wherefore the ,lord blessed the ,sabbath day1 and hallowed it407#gai7 ,the ,spirit of ,god impressed the hearts of those students of ,his word4 ,the conviction was urged upon them1 that they had ignorantly transgressed this precept by disregarding the ,creator's rest-day4 ,they began to examine the reasons for observing the first day of the week instead of the day which ,god had sanctified4 ,they could find no evidence in the ,scriptures that the fourth commandment had been abolished1 or that the ,sabbath had been changed2 the blessing which first hallowed the seventh day had never been removed4 ,they had been honestly seeking to know and to do ,god's will2 now1 as they saw themselves transgressors of ,his law1 sorrow filled their hearts1 and they manifested their loyalty to ,god by keeping ,his ,sabbath holy4 ,many and earnest were the efforts made to overthrow their faith4 ,none could fail to see that if the earthly sanctuary was a figure or pattern of the heavenly1 the law deposited in the ark on earth was an exact transcript of the law in the ark in heaven2 and that an acceptance of the truth concerning the heavenly sanctuary involved an acknowledgment of the claims of ,god's law1 and the obligation of the ,sabbath of the fourth commandment4 ,here was the secret of the bitter and determined opposition to the harmonious exposition of the ,scriptures that revealed the ministration of ,christ in the heavenly sanctuary4 ,men sought to close the door which ,god had opened1 and to open the door which ,he had closed4 ,but 8,he that openeth1 and no man shutteth2 and shutteth1 and no man openeth10 had declared1 8,behold1 ,i have set before thee an open door1 and no man can shut it407#gbj7 ,christ had opened the door1 or ministration1 of the most holy place1 light was shining from that open door of the sanctuary in heaven1 and the fourth commandment was shown to be included in the law which is there enshrined2 what ,god had established1 no man could overthrow4 ,those who had accepted the light concerning the mediation of ,christ and the perpetuity of the law of ,god1 found that these were the truths presented in ,revelation #ad4 ,the messages of this chapter constitute a threefold warning17#gba7 which is to prepare the inhabitants of the earth for the ,lord's second coming4 ,the announcement1 8,the hour of ,his judgment is come10 points to the closing work of ,christ's ministration for the salvation of men4 ,it heralds a truth which must be proclaimed until the ,saviour's intercession shall cease1 and ,he shall return to the earth to take ,his people to ,himself4 ,the work of judgment which began in #ahdd1 must continue until the cases of all are decided1 both of the living and the dead2 hence it will extend to the close of human probation4 ,that men may be prepared to stand in the judgment1 the message commands them to 8fear ,god1 and give glory to ,him10 8and worship ,him that made heaven1 and earth1 and the sea1 and the fountains of waters40 ,the result of an acceptance of these messages is given in the words1 8,here are they that keep the commandments of ,god1 and the faith of ,jesus40 ,in order to be prepared for the judgment1 it is necessary that men should keep the law of ,god4 ,that law will be the standard of character in the judgment4 ,the apostle ,paul declares1 8,as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law1 444 in the day when ,god shall judge the secrets of men by ,jesus ,christ40 ,and he says that 8the doers of the law shall be justified407#gbb7 ,faith is essential in order to the keeping of the law of ,god2 for 8without faith it is impossible to please ,him40 ,and 8whatsoever is not of faith is sin407#gbc7 ,by the first angel1 men are called upon to 8fear ,god1 and give glory to ,him10 and to worship ,him as the ,creator of the heavens and the earth4 ,in order to do this1 they must obey ,his law4 ,says the wise man1 8,fear ,god1 and keep ,his commandments3 for this is the whole duty of man407#gbd7 ,without obedience to ,his commandments1 no worship can be pleasing to ,god4 8,this is the love of ,god1 that we keep ,his commandments40 8,he that turneth away his ear from hearing the law1 even his prayer shall be abomination407#gbe7 ,the duty to worship ,god is based upon the fact that ,he is the ,creator1 and that to ,him all other beings owe their existence4 ,and wherever1 in the ,bible1 ,his claim to reverence and worship1 above the gods of the heathen1 is presented1 there is cited the evidence of ,his creative power4 8,all the gods of the nations are idols3 but the ,lord made the heavens407#gbf7 8,to whom then will ye liken ,me1 or shall ,i be equal8 saith the ,holy ,one4 ,lift up your eyes on high1 and behold who hath created these things40 8,thus saith the ,lord that created the heavens2 ,god ,himself that formed the earth and made it3444 ,i am ,jehovah2 and there is none else407#gbg7 ,says the psalmist1 8,know ye that ,jehovah1 ,he is ,god3 it is ,he that hath made us1 and not we ourselves40 8,o come1 let us worship and bow down3 let us kneel before the ,lord our ,maker407#gbh7 ,and the holy beings who worship ,god in heaven state1 as the reason why their homage is due to ,him1 8,thou art worthy1 ,o ,lord1 to receive glory and honor and power3 for ,thou hast created all things407#gbi7 ,in ,revelation #ad1 men are called upon to worship the ,creator2 and the prophecy brings to view a class that1 as the result of the threefold message1 are keeping the commandments of ,god4 ,one of these commandments points directly to ,god as the creator4 ,the fourth precept declares3 8,the seventh day is the ,sabbath of the ,lord thy ,god3 444 for in six days the ,lord made heaven and earth1 the sea1 and all that in them is1 and rested the seventh day3 wherefore the ,lord blessed the ,sabbath day1 and hallowed it407#gcj7 ,concerning the ,sabbath1 the ,lord says1 further1 that it is 8a sign1 444 that ye may know that ,i am the ,lord your ,god407#gca7 ,and the reason given is1 8,for in six days the ,lord made heaven and earth1 and on the seventh day ,he rested1 and was refreshed407#gcb7 8,the importance of the ,sabbath as a memorial of creation is that it keeps ever present the true reason why worship is due to ,god10--because ,he is the ,creator1 and we are ,his creatures4 8,the ,sabbath1 therefore1 lies at the very foundation of divine worship2 for it teaches this great truth in the most impressive manner1 and no other institution does this4 ,the true ground of divine worship1 not of that on the seventh day merely1 but of all worship1 is found in the distinction between the ,creator and ,his creatures4 ,this great fact can never become obsolete1 and must never be forgotten407#gcc7 ,it was to keep this truth ever before the minds of men1 that ,god instituted the ,sabbath in ,eden2 and so long as the fact that ,he is our ,creator continues to be a reason why we should worship ,him1 so long the ,sabbath will continue as its sign and memorial4 ,had the ,sabbath been universally kept1 man's thoughts and affections would have been led to the ,creator as the object of reverence and worship1 and there would never have been an idolater1 an atheist1 or an infidel4 ,the keeping of the ,sabbath is a sign of loyalty to the true ,god1 8,him that made heaven1 and earth1 and the sea1 and the fountains of waters40 ,it follows that the message which commands men to worship ,god and keep ,his commandments1 will especially call upon them to keep the fourth commandment4 ,in contrast to those who keep the commandments of ,god and have the faith of ,jesus1 the third angel points to another class1 against whose errors a solemn and fearful warning is uttered3 8,if any man worship the beast and his image1 and receive his mark in his forehead1 or in his hand1 the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of ,god407#gcd7 ,a correct interpretation of the symbols employed is necessary to an understanding of this message4 ,what is represented by the beast1 the image1 the mark8 ,the line of prophecy in which these symbols are found1 begins with ,revelation #ab1 with the dragon that sought to destroy ,christ at ,his birth4 ,the dragon is said to be ,satan27#gce7 he it was that moved upon ,herod to put the ,saviour to death4 ,but the chief agent of ,satan in making war upon ,christ and ,his people during the first centuries of the ,christian era1 was the ,roman empire1 in which paganism was the prevailing religion4 ,thus while the dragon1 primarily1 represents ,satan1 it is1 in a secondary sense1 a symbol of pagan ,rome4 ,in chapter #ac7gcf7 is described another beast1 8like unto a leopard10 to which the dragon gave 8his power1 and his seat1 and great authority40 ,this symbol1 as most ,protestants have believed1 represents the papacy1 which succeeded to the power and seat and authority once held by the ancient ,roman empire4 ,of the leopard-like beast it is declared3 8,there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies4444 ,and he opened his mouth in blasphemy against ,god1 to blaspheme ,his name1 and ,his tabernacle1 and them that dwell in heaven4 ,and it was given unto him to make war with the saints1 and to overcome them3 and power was given him over all kindreds1 and tongues1 and nations40 ,this prophecy1 which is nearly identical with the description of the little horn of ,daniel #g1 unquestionably points to the papacy4 8,power was given unto him to continue forty and two months40 ,and1 says the prophet1 8,i saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death40 ,and again1 8,he that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity3 he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword40 ,the forty and two months are the same as the 8time and times and the dividing of time10 three years and a half1 or #abfj days1 of ,daniel #g1--the time during which the papal power was to oppress ,god's people4 ,this period1 as stated in preceding chapters1 began with the supremacy of the papacy1 ,a4,d4 #ech1 and terminated in #agih4 ,at that time1 the pope was made captive by the ,french army1 the papal power received its deadly wound1 and the prediction was fulfilled1 8,he that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity40 ,at this point another symbol is introduced4 ,says the prophet1 8,i beheld another beast coming up out of the earth2 and he had two horns like a lamb407#gcg7 ,both the appearance of this beast and the manner of its rise indicate that the nation which it represents is unlike those presented under the preceding symbols4 ,the great kingdoms that have ruled the world were presented to the prophet ,daniel as beasts of prey1 rising when the 8four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea407#gch7 ,in ,revelation #ag1 an angel explained that waters represent 8peoples1 and multitudes1 and nations1 and tongues407#gci7 ,winds are a symbol of strife4 ,the four winds of heaven striving upon the great sea1 represent the terrible scenes of conquest and revolution by which kingdoms have attained to power4 ,but the beast with lamb-like horns was seen 8coming up out of the earth40 ,instead of overthrowing other powers to establish itself1 the nation thus represented must arise in territory previously unoccupied1 and grow up gradually and peacefully4 ,it could not1 then1 arise among the crowded and struggling nationalities of the ,old ,world1--that turbulent sea of 8peoples1 and multitudes1 and nations1 and tongues40 ,it must be sought in the ,western ,continent4 ,what nation of the ,new ,world was in #agih rising into power1 giving promise of strength and greatness1 and attracting the attention of the world8 ,the application of the symbol admits of no question4 ,one nation1 and only one1 meets the specifications of this prophecy2 it points unmistakably to the ,united ,states of ,america4 ,again and again the thought1 almost the exact words1 of the sacred writer have been unconsciously employed by the orator and the historian in describing the rise and growth of this nation4 ,the beast was seen 8coming up out of the earth20 and according to the translators1 the word here rendered 8coming up0 literally signifies 8to grow or spring up as a plant40 ,and1 as we have seen1 the nation must arise in territory previously unoccupied4 ,a prominent writer1 describing the rise of the ,united ,states1 speaks of 8the mystery of her coming forth from vacancy107#gdj7 and says1 8,like a silent seed we grew into empire40 ,a ,european journal in #ahej spoke of the ,united ,states as a wonderful empire1 which was 8emerging10 and 8amid the silence of the earth daily adding to its power and pride407#gda7 ,edward ,everett1 in an oration on the ,pilgrim founders of this nation1 said3 8,did they look for a retired spot1 inoffensive for its obscurity1 and safe in its remoteness1 where the little church of ,leyden might enjoy the freedom of conscience8 ,behold the mighty regions over which1 in peaceful conquest1 444 they have borne the banners of the cross607#gdb7 8,and he had two horns like a lamb40 ,the lamb-like horns indicate youth1 innocence1 and gentleness1 fitly representing the character of the ,united ,states when presented to the prophet as 8coming up0 in #agih4 ,among the ,christian exiles who first fled to ,america1 and sought an asylum from royal oppression and priestly intolerance1 were many who determined to establish a government upon the broad foundation of civil and religious liberty4 ,their view found place in the ,declaration of ,independence1 which sets forth the great truth that 8all men are created equal10 and endowed with the inalienable right to 8life1 liberty1 and the pursuit of happiness40 ,and the ,constitution guarantees to the people the right of self-government1 providing that representatives elected by the popular vote shall enact and administer the laws4 ,freedom of religious faith was also granted1 every man being permitted to worship ,god according to the dictates of his conscience4 ,republicanism and ,protestantism became the fundamental principles of the nation4 ,these principles are the secret of its power and prosperity4 ,the oppressed and down-trodden throughout ,christendom have turned to this land with interest and hope4 ,millions have sought its shores1 and the ,united ,states has risen to a place among the most powerful nations of the earth4 ,but the beast with lamb-like horns 8spake as a dragon4 ,and he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him1 and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast1 whose deadly wound was healed2 and 444 saying to them that dwell on the earth1 that they should make an image to the beast1 which had the wound by a sword and did live407#gdc7 ,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 represented4 ,the 8speaking0 of the nation is the action of its legislative and judicial authorities4 ,by such action it will give the lie to those liberal and peaceful principles which it has put forth as the foundation of its policy4 ,the prediction that it will speak 8as a dragon10 and exercise 8all the power of the first beast10 plainly foretells a development of the spirit of intolerance and persecution that was manifested by the nations represented by the dragon and the leopard-like beast4 ,and the statement that the beast with two horns 8causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast10 indicates that the authority of this nation is to be exercised in enforcing some observance which shall be an act of homage to the papacy4 ,such action would be directly contrary to the principles of this government1 to the genius of its free institutions1 to the direct and solemn avowals of the ,declaration of ,independence1 and to the ,constitution4 ,the founders of the nation wisely sought to guard against the employment of secular power on the part of the church1 with its inevitable result--intolerance and persecution4 ,the ,constitution provides that 8,congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion1 or prohibiting the free exercise thereof10 and that 8no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office of public trust under the ,united ,states40 ,only in flagrant violation of these safeguards to the nation's liberty1 can any religious observance be enforced by civil authority4 ,but the inconsistency of such action is no greater than is represented in the symbol4 ,it is the beast with lamb-like horns--in profession pure1 gentle1 and harmless--that speaks as a dragon4 8,saying to them that dwell on the earth1 that they should make an image to the beast40 ,here is clearly presented a form of government in which the legislative power rests with the people2 a most striking evidence that the ,united ,states is the nation denoted in the prophecy4 ,but what is the 8image to the beast08 and how is it to be formed8 ,the image is made by the two-horned beast1 and is an image to the first beast4 ,it is also called an image of the beast4 ,then to learn what the image is like1 and how it is to be formed1 we must study the characteristics of the beast itself1--the papacy4 ,when the early church became corrupted by departing from the simplicity of the gospel and accepting heathen rites and customs1 she lost the ,spirit and power of ,god2 and in order to control the consciences of the people1 she sought the support of the secular power4 ,the result was the papacy1 a church that controlled the power of the state1 and employed it to further her own ends1 especially for the punishment of 8heresy40 ,in order for the ,united ,states to form an image of the beast1 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 ends4 ,whenever the church has obtained secular power1 she has employed it to punish dissent from her doctrines4 ,protestant churches that have followed in the steps of ,rome by forming alliance with worldly powers1 have manifested a similar desire to restrict liberty of conscience4 ,an example of this is given in the long-continued persecution of dissenters by the ,church of ,england4 ,during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries1 thousands of non-conformist ministers were forced to leave their churches1 and many1 both of pastors and people1 were subjected to fine1 imprisonment1 torture1 and martyrdom4 ,it was apostasy that led the early church to seek the aid of the civil government1 and this prepared the way for the development of the papacy1--the beast4 ,said ,paul1 8,there0 shall 8come a falling away1 444 and that man of sin be revealed407#gdd7 ,so apostasy in the church will prepare the way for the image to the beast4 ,the ,bible declares that before the coming of the ,lord there will exist a state of religious declension similar to that in the first centuries4 8,in the last days perilous times shall come4 ,for men shall be lovers of their own selves1 covetous1 boasters1 proud1 blasphemers1 disobedient to parents1 unthankful1 unholy1 without natural affection1 truce-breakers1 false accusers1 incontinent1 fierce1 despisers of those that are good1 traitors1 heady1 high-minded1 lovers of pleasures more than lovers of ,god2 having a form of godliness1 but denying the power thereof407#gde7 8,now the ,spirit speaketh expressly1 that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith1 giving heed to seducing spirits1 and doctrines of devils407#gdf7 ,satan will work 8with all power and signs and lying wonders1 and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness40 ,and all that 8received not the love of the truth1 that they might be saved10 will be left to accept 8strong delusion1 that they should believe a lie407#gdg7 ,when this state of ungodliness shall be reached1 the same results will follow as in the first centuries4 ,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 made4 ,but there has been for years1 in churches of the ,protestant faith1 a strong and growing sentiment in favor of a union based upon common points of doctrine4 ,to secure such a union1 the discussion of subjects upon which all were not agreed--however important they might be from a ,bible standpoint--must necessarily be waived4 ,charles ,beecher1 in a sermon in the year #ahdf1 declared that the ministry of 8the evangelical ,protestant denominations0 is 8not only formed all the way up under a tremendous pressure of merely human fear1 but they live1 and move1 and breathe in a state of things radically corrupt1 and appealing every hour to every baser element of their nature to hush up the truth1 and bow the knee to the power of apostasy4 ,was not this the way things went with ,rome8 ,are we not living her life over again8 ,and what do we see just ahead8 ,another general council6 ,a world's convention6 ,evangelical alliance1 and universal creed607#gdh7 ,when this shall be gained1 then1 in the effort to secure complete uniformity1 it will be only a step to the resort to force4 ,when the leading churches of the ,united ,states1 uniting upon such points of doctrine as are held by them in common1 shall influence the state to enforce their decrees and to sustain their institutions1 then ,protestant ,america will have formed an image of the ,roman hierarchy1 and the infliction of civil penalties upon dissenters will inevitably result4 ,the beast with two horns 8causeth commands all1 both small and great1 rich and poor1 free and bond1 to receive a mark in their right hand1 or in their foreheads3 and that no man might buy or sell1 save he that had the mark1 or the name of the beast1 or the number of his name407#gdi7 ,the third angel's warning is1 8,if any man worship the beast and his image1 and receive his mark in his forehead1 or in his hand1 the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of ,god40 8,the beast0 mentioned in this message1 whose worship is enforced by the two-horned beast1 is the first1 or leopard-like beast of ,revelation #ac1--the papacy4 ,the 8image to the beast0 represents that form of apostate ,protestantism which will be developed when the ,protestant churches shall seek the aid of the civil power for the enforcement of their dogmas4 ,the 8mark of the beast0 still remains to be defined4 ,after the warning against the worship of the beast and his image1 the prophecy declares1 8,here are they that keep the commandments of ,god1 and the faith of ,jesus40 ,since those who keep ,god's commandments are thus placed in contrast with those that worship the beast and his image and receive his mark1 it follows that the keeping of ,god's law1 on the one hand1 and its violation1 on the other1 will make the distinction between the worshipers of ,god and the worshipers of the beast4 ,the special characteristic of the beast1 and therefore of his image1 is the breaking of ,god's commandments4 ,says ,daniel1 of the little horn1 the papacy1 8,he shall think to change the times and the law407#gej7 ,and ,paul styled the same power the 8man of sin10 who was to exalt himself above ,god4 ,one prophecy is a complement of the other4 ,only by changing ,god's law could the papacy exalt itself above ,god2 whoever should understandingly keep the law as thus changed would be giving supreme honor to that power by which the change was made4 ,such an act of obedience to papal laws would be a mark of allegiance to the pope in the place of ,god4 ,the papacy has attempted to change the law of ,god4 ,the second commandment1 forbidding image worship1 has been dropped from the law1 and the fourth commandment has been so changed as to authorize the observance of the first instead of the seventh day as the ,sabbath4 ,but papists urge1 as a reason for omitting the second commandment1 that it is unnecessary1 being included in the first1 and that they are giving the law exactly as ,god designed it to be understood4 ,this cannot be the change foretold by the prophet4 ,an intentional1 deliberate change is presented3 8,he shall think to change the times and the law40 ,the change in the fourth commandment exactly fulfils the prophecy4 ,for this the only authority claimed is that of the church4 ,here the papal power openly sets itself above ,god4 ,while the worshipers of ,god will be especially distinguished by their regard for the fourth commandment1--since this is the sign of ,his creative power1 and the witness to ,his claim upon man's reverence and homage1--the worshipers of the beast will be distinguished by their efforts to tear down the ,creator's memorial1 to exalt the institution of ,rome4 ,it was in behalf of the ,sunday that popery first asserted its arrogant claims27#gea7 and its first resort to the power of the state was to compel the observance of ,sunday as 8the ,lord's day40 ,but the ,bible points to the seventh day1 and not to the first1 as the ,lord's day4 ,said ,christ1 8,the ,son of man is ,lord also of the ,sabbath40 ,the fourth commandment declares1 8,the seventh day is the ,sabbath of the ,lord40 ,and by the prophet ,isaiah the ,lord designates it1 8,my holy day407#geb7 ,the claim so often put forth1 that ,christ changed the ,sabbath1 is disproved by ,his own words4 ,in ,his sermon on the mount ,he said3 8,think not that ,i am come to destroy the law1 or the prophets3 ,i am not come to destroy1 but to fulfil4 ,for verily ,i say unto you1 ,till heaven and earth pass1 one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law1 till all be fulfilled4 ,whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments1 and shall teach men so1 he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven3 but whosoever shall do and teach them1 the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven407#gec7 ,it is a fact generally admitted by ,protestants1 that the ,scriptures give no authority for the change of the ,sabbath4 ,this is plainly stated in publications issued by the ,american ,tract ,society and the ,american ,sunday-school ,union4 ,one of these works acknowledges 8the complete silence of the ,new ,testament so far as any explicit command for the ,sabbath ,sunday1 the first day of the week or definite rules for its observance are concerned407#ged7 ,another says3 8,up to the time of ,christ's death1 no change had been made in the day207#gee7 and1 8so far as the record shows1 they the apostles did not 444 give any explicit command enjoining the abandonment of the seventh-day ,sabbath1 and its observance on the first day of the week407#gef7 ,roman ,catholics acknowledge that the change of the ,sabbath was made by their church1 and declare that ,protestants1 by observing the ,sunday1 are recognizing her power4 ,in the 8,catholic ,catechism of ,christian ,religion10 in answer to a question as to the day to be observed in obedience to the fourth commandment1 this statement is made3 8,during the old law1 ,saturday was the day sanctified2 but the church1 instructed by ,jesus ,christ1 and directed by the ,spirit of ,god1 has substituted ,sunday for ,saturday2 so now we sanctify the first1 not the seventh day4 ,sunday means1 and now is1 the day of the ,lord40 ,as the sign of the authority of the ,catholic ,church1 papist writers cite 8the very act of changing the ,sabbath into ,sunday1 which ,protestants allow of2 444 because by keeping ,sunday1 they acknowledge the church's power to ordain feasts1 and to command them under sin407#geg7 ,what then is the change of the ,sabbath1 but the sign1 or mark1 of the authority of the ,roman ,church--8the mark of the beast08 ,the ,roman ,church has not relinquished her claim to supremacy2 and when the world and the ,protestant churches accept a sabbath of her creating1 while they reject the ,bible ,sabbath1 they virtually admit this assumption4 ,they may claim the authority of tradition and of the ,fathers for the change2 but in so doing they ignore the very principle which separates them from ,rome1--that 8the ,bible1 and the ,bible only1 is the religion of ,protestants40 ,the papist can see that they are deceiving themselves1 willingly closing their eyes to the facts in the case4 ,as the movement for ,sunday enforcement gains favor1 he rejoices1 feeling assured that it will eventually bring the whole ,protestant world under the banner of ,rome4 ,romanists declare that 8the observance of ,sunday by the ,protestants is an homage they pay1 in spite of themselves1 to the authority of the ,catholic ,church407#geh7 ,the enforcement of ,sunday-keeping on the part of ,protestant churches is an enforcement of the worship of the papacy--of the beast4 ,those who1 understanding the claims of the fourth commandment1 choose to observe the false instead of the true ,sabbath1 are thereby paying homage to that power by which alone it is commanded4 ,but in the very act of enforcing a religious duty by secular power1 the churches would themselves form an image to the beast2 hence the enforcement of ,sunday-keeping in the ,united ,states would be an enforcement of the worship of the beast and his image4 ,but ,christians of past generations observed the ,sunday1 supposing that in so doing they were keeping the ,bible ,sabbath2 and there are now true ,christians in every church1 not excepting the ,roman ,catholic communion1 who honestly believe that ,sunday is the ,sabbath of divine appointment4 ,god accepts their sincerity of purpose and their integrity before ,him4 ,but when ,sunday observance shall be enforced by law1 and the world shall be enlightened concerning the obligation of the true ,sabbath1 then whoever shall transgress the command of ,god1 to obey a precept which has no higher authority than that of ,rome1 will thereby honor popery above ,god4 ,he is paying homage to ,rome1 and to the power which enforces the institution ordained by ,rome4 ,he is worshiping the beast and his image4 ,as men then reject the institution which ,god has declared to be the sign of ,his authority1 and honor in its stead that which ,rome has chosen as the token of her supremacy1 they will thereby accept the sign of allegiance to ,rome--8the mark of the beast40 ,and it is not until the issue is thus plainly set before the people1 and they are brought to choose between the commandments of ,god and the commandments of men1 that those who continue in transgression will receive 8the mark of the beast40 ,the most fearful threatening ever addressed to mortals is contained in the third angel's message4 ,that must be a terrible sin which calls down the wrath of ,god unmingled with mercy4 ,men are not to be left in darkness concerning this important matter2 the warning against this sin is to be given to the world before the visitation of ,god's judgments1 that all may know why they are to be inflicted1 and have opportunity to escape them4 ,prophecy declares that the first angel would make his announcement to 8every nation1 and kindred1 and tongue1 and people40 ,the warning of the third angel1 which forms a part of the same threefold message1 is to be no less wide-spread4 ,it is represented in the prophecy as being proclaimed with a loud voice1 by an angel flying in the midst of heaven2 and it will command the attention of the world4 ,in the issue of the contest1 all ,christendom will be divided into two great classes1--those who keep the commandments of ,god and the faith of ,jesus1 and those who worship the beast and his image and receive his mark4 ,although church and state will unite their power to compel 8all1 both small and great1 rich and poor1 free and bond10 to receive 8the mark of the beast107#gei7 yet the people of ,god will not receive it4 ,the prophet of ,patmos beholds 8them that had gotten the victory over the beast1 and over his image1 and over his mark1 and over the number of his name1 stand on the sea of glass1 having the harps of ,god10 and singing the song of ,moses and the ,lamb47#gfj7 #bf4 ,a ,,work ,,of ,,reform4 ,illustration3 ,chapter header4 ,the work of ,sabbath reform to be accomplished in the last days is foretold in the prophecy of ,isaiah3 8,thus saith the ,lord1 ,keep ye judgment1 and do justice3 for ,my salvation is near to come1 and ,my righteousness to be revealed4 ,blessed is the man that doeth this1 and the son of man that layeth hold on it2 that keepeth the ,sabbath from polluting it1 and keepeth his hand from doing any evil40 8,the sons of the stranger1 that join themselves to the ,lord1 to serve ,him1 and to love the name of the ,lord1 to be ,his servants1 every one that keepeth the ,sabbath from polluting it1 and taketh hold of ,my covenant2 even them will ,i bring to ,my holy mountain1 and make them joyful in ,my house of prayer407#gfa7 ,these words apply in the ,christian age1 as shown by the context3 8,the ,lord ,god which gathereth the outcasts of ,israel saith1 ,yet will ,i gather others to him1 beside those that are gathered unto him407#gfb7 ,here is foreshadowed the gathering in of the ,gentiles by the gospel4 ,and upon those who then honor the ,sabbath1 a blessing is pronounced4 ,thus the obligation of the fourth commandment extends past the crucifixion1 resurrection1 and ascension of ,christ1 to the time when ,his servants should preach to all nations the message of glad tidings4 ,the ,lord commands by the same prophet1 8,bind up the testimony1 seal the law among ,my disciples407#gfc7 ,the seal of ,god's law is found in the fourth commandment4 ,this only1 of all the ten1 brings to view both the name and the title of the ,lawgiver4 ,it declares ,him to be the ,creator of the heavens and the earth1 and thus shows ,his claim to reverence and worship above all others4 ,aside from this precept1 there is nothing in the decalogue to show by whose authority the law is given4 ,when the ,sabbath was changed by the papal power1 the seal was taken from the law4 ,the disciples of ,jesus are called upon to restore it1 by exalting the ,sabbath of the fourth commandment to its rightful position as the ,creator's memorial and the sign of ,his authority4 8,to the law and to the testimony40 ,while conflicting doctrines and theories abound1 the law of ,god is the one unerring rule by which all opinions1 doctrines1 and theories are to be tested4 ,says the prophet1 8,if they speak not according to this word1 it is because there is no light in them407#gfd7 ,again1 the command is given1 8,cry aloud1 spare not1 lift up thy voice like a trumpet1 and show ,my people their transgression1 and the house of ,jacob their sins40 ,it is not the wicked world1 but those whom the ,lord designates as 8,my people10 that are to be reproved for their transgressions4 ,he declares further1 8,yet they seek ,me daily1 and delight to know ,my ways1 as a nation that did righteousness1 and forsook not the ordinance of their ,god407#gfe7 ,here is brought to view a class who think themselves righteous1 and appear to manifest great interest in the service of ,god2 but the stern and solemn rebuke of the ,searcher of hearts proves them to be trampling upon the divine precepts4 ,the prophet thus points out the ordinance which has been forsaken3 8,thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations2 and thou shalt be called1 ,the repairer of the breach1 ,the restorer of paths to dwell in4 ,if thou turn away thy foot from the ,sabbath1 from doing thy pleasure on ,my holy day2 and call the ,sabbath a delight1 the holy of the ,lord1 honorable2 and shalt honor ,him1 not doing thine own ways1 nor finding thine own pleasure1 nor speaking thine own words3 then shalt thou delight thyself in the ,lord407#gff7 ,this prophecy also applies in our time4 ,the breach was made in the law of ,god when the ,sabbath was changed by the ,roman power4 ,but the time has come for that divine institution to be restored4 ,the breach is to be repaired1 and the foundation of many generations to be raised up4 ,hallowed by the ,creator's rest and blessing1 the ,sabbath was kept by ,adam in his innocence in holy ,eden2 by ,adam1 fallen yet repentant1 when he was driven from his happy estate4 ,it was kept by all the patriarchs1 from ,abel to righteous ,noah1 to ,abraham1 to ,jacob4 ,when the chosen people were in bondage in ,egypt1 many1 in the midst of prevailing idolatry1 lost their knowledge of ,god's law2 but when the ,lord delivered ,israel1 ,he proclaimed ,his law in awful grandeur to the assembled multitude1 that they might know ,his will1 and fear and obey ,him forever4 ,from that day to the present1 the knowledge of ,god's law has been preserved in the earth1 and the ,sabbath of the fourth commandment has been kept4 ,though the 8man of sin0 succeeded in trampling under foot ,god's holy day1 yet even in the period of his supremacy there were1 hidden in secret places1 faithful souls who paid it honor4 ,since the ,reformation1 there have been some in every generation to maintain its observance4 ,though often in the midst of reproach and persecution1 a constant testimony has been borne to the perpetuity of the law of ,god1 and the sacred obligation of the creation ,sabbath4 ,these truths1 as presented in ,revelation #ad in connection with the 8everlasting gospel10 will distinguish the church of ,christ at the time of ,his appearing4 ,for as the result of the threefold message it is announced1 8,here are they that keep the commandments of ,god1 and the faith of ,jesus40 ,and this message is the last to be given before the coming of the ,lord4 ,immediately following its proclamation1 the ,son of man is seen by the prophet1 coming in glory to reap the harvest of the earth4 ,those who received the light concerning the sanctuary and the immutability of the law of ,god1 were filled with joy and wonder1 as they saw the beauty and harmony of the system of truth that opened to their understanding4 ,they desired that the light which appeared to them so precious might be imparted to all ,christians2 and they could not but believe that it would be joyfully accepted4 ,but truths that would place them at variance with the world were not welcome to many who claimed to be followers of ,christ4 ,obedience to the fourth commandment required a sacrifice from which the majority drew back4 ,as the claims of the ,sabbath were presented1 many reasoned from the worldling's standpoint4 ,said they3 8,we have always kept ,sunday1 our fathers kept it1 and many good and pious men have died happy while keeping it4 ,if they were right1 so are we4 ,the keeping of this new ,sabbath would throw us out of harmony with the world1 and we would have no influence over them4 ,what can a little company keeping the seventh day hope to accomplish against all the world who are keeping ,sunday80 ,it was by similar arguments that the ,jews endeavored to justify their rejection of ,christ4 ,their fathers had been accepted of ,god in presenting the sacrificial offerings1 and why could not the children find salvation in pursuing the same course8 ,so1 in the time of ,luther1 papists reasoned that true ,christians had died in the ,catholic faith1 and therefore that religion was sufficient for salvation4 ,such reasoning would prove an effectual barrier to all advancement in religious faith or practice4 ,many urged that ,sunday-keeping had been an established doctrine and a wide-spread custom of the church for many centuries4 ,against this argument it was shown that the ,sabbath and its observance were more ancient and widespread1 even as old as the world itself1 and bearing the sanction both of angels and of ,god4 ,when the foundations of the earth were laid1 when the morning stars sang together1 and all the sons of ,god shouted for joy1 then was laid the foundation of the ,sabbath47#gfg7 ,well may this institution demand our reverence3 it was ordained by no human authority1 and rests upon no human traditions2 it was established by the ,ancient of days1 and commanded by ,his eternal word4 ,as the attention of the people was called to the subject of ,sabbath reform1 popular ministers perverted the word of ,god1 placing such interpretations upon its testimony as would best quiet inquiring minds4 ,and those who did not search the ,scriptures for themselves were content to accept conclusions that were in accordance with their desires4 ,by argument1 sophistry1 the traditions of the ,fathers1 and the authority of the church1 many endeavored to overthrow the truth4 ,its advocates were driven to their ,bibles to defend the validity of the fourth commandment4 ,humble men1 armed with the ,word of truth alone1 withstood the attacks of men of learning1 who1 with surprise and anger1 found their eloquent sophistry powerless against the simple1 straightforward reasoning of men who were versed in the ,scriptures rather than in the subtleties of the schools4 ,in the absence of ,bible testimony in their favor1 many with unwearying persistence urged1--forgetting how the same reasoning had been employed against ,christ and ,his apostles1--8,why do not our great men understand this ,sabbath question8 ,but few believe as you do4 ,it cannot be that you are right1 and that all the men of learning in the world are wrong40 ,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 ages4 ,god works through those who hear and obey ,his voice1 those who will1 if need be1 speak unpalatable truths1 those who do not fear to reprove popular sins4 ,the reason why ,he does not oftener choose men of learning and high position to lead out in reform movements1 is that they trust to their creeds1 theories1 and theological systems1 and feel no need to be taught of ,god4 ,only those who have a personal connection with the ,source of wisdom are able to understand or explain the ,scriptures4 ,men who have little of the learning of the schools are sometimes called to declare the truth1 not because they are unlearned1 but because they are not too self-sufficient to be taught of ,god4 ,they learn in the school of ,christ1 and their humility and obedience make them great4 ,in committing to them a knowledge of ,his truth1 ,god confers upon them an honor1 in comparison with which earthly honor and human greatness sink into insignificance4 ,the majority of ,adventists rejected the truths concerning the sanctuary and the law of ,god1 and many also renounced their faith in the ,advent ,movement1 and adopted unsound and conflicting views of the prophecies which applied to that work4 ,some were led into the error of repeatedly fixing upon a definite time for the coming of ,christ4 ,the light which was now shining on the subject of the sanctuary would have shown them that no prophetic period extends to the second advent2 that the exact time of this event is not foretold4 ,but1 turning from the light1 they continued to set time after time for the ,lord to come1 and as often they were disappointed4 ,when the ,thessalonian church received erroneous views concerning the coming of ,christ1 the apostle ,paul counseled them to test their hopes and anticipations carefully by the word of ,god4 ,he cited them to prophecies revealing the events to take place before ,christ should come1 and showed that they had no ground to expect ,him in their day4 8,let no man deceive you by any means107#gfh7 are his words of warning4 ,should they indulge expectations that were not sanctioned by the ,scriptures1 they would be led to a mistaken course of action2 disappointment would expose them to the derision of unbelievers1 and they would be in danger of yielding to discouragement1 and would be tempted to doubt the truths essential for their salvation4 ,the apostle's admonition to the ,thessalonians contains an important lesson for those who live in the last days4 ,many ,adventists have felt that unless they could fix their faith upon a definite time for the ,lord's coming1 they could not be zealous and diligent in the work of preparation4 ,but as their hopes are again and again excited1 only to be destroyed1 their faith receives such a shock that it becomes well-nigh impossible for them to be impressed by the great truths of prophecy4 ,the preaching of a definite time for the judgment1 in the giving of the first message1 was ordered of ,god4 ,the computation of the prophetic periods on which that message was based1 placing the close of the #bcjj days in the autumn of #ahdd1 stands without impeachment4 ,the repeated efforts to find new dates for the beginning and close of the prophetic periods1 and the unsound reasoning necessary to sustain these positions1 not only lead minds away from the present truth1 but throw contempt upon all efforts to explain the prophecies4 ,the more frequently a definite time is set for the second advent1 and the more widely it is taught1 the better it suits the purposes of ,satan4 ,after the time has passed1 he excites ridicule and contempt of its advocates1 and thus casts reproach upon the great ,advent ,movement of #ahdc and #ahdd4 ,those who persist in this error will at last fix upon a date too far in the future for the coming of ,christ4 ,thus they will be led to rest in a false security1 and many will not be undeceived until it is too late4 ,the history of ancient ,israel is a striking illustration of the past experience of the ,adventist body4 ,god led ,his people in the ,advent ,movement1 even as ,he led the children of ,israel from ,egypt4 ,in the great disappointment their faith was tested as was that of the ,hebrews at the ,red ,sea4 ,had they still trusted to the guiding hand that had been with them in their past experience1 they would have seen of the salvation of ,god4 ,if all who had labored unitedly in the work in #ahdd1 had received the third angel's message and proclaimed it in the power of the ,holy ,spirit1 the ,lord would have wrought mightily with their efforts4 ,a flood of light would have been shed upon the world4 ,years ago the inhabitants of the earth would have been warned1 the closing work completed1 and ,christ would have come for the redemption of ,his people4 ,it was not the will of ,god that ,israel should wander forty years in the wilderness2 ,he desired to lead them directly to the land of ,canaan1 and establish them there1 a holy1 happy people4 ,but 8they could not enter in because of unbelief407#gfi7 ,because of their backsliding and apostasy1 they perished in the desert1 and others were raised up to enter the promised land4 ,in like manner1 it was not the will of ,god that the coming of ,christ should be so long delayed1 and ,his people should remain so many years in this world of sin and sorrow4 ,but unbelief separated them from ,god4 ,as they refused to do the work which ,he had appointed them1 others were raised up to proclaim the message4 ,in mercy to the world1 ,jesus delays ,his coming1 that sinners may have an opportunity to hear the warning1 and find in ,him a shelter before the wrath of ,god shall be poured out4 ,now1 as in former ages1 the presentation of a truth that reproves the sins and errors of the times1 will excite opposition4 8,every one that doeth evil hateth the light1 neither cometh to the light1 lest his deeds should be reproved407#ggj7 ,as men see that they cannot maintain their position by the ,scriptures1 many determine to maintain it at all hazards1 and with a malicious spirit they assail the character and motives of those who stand in defense of unpopular truth4 ,it is the same policy which has been pursued in all ages4 ,elijah was declared to be a troubler in ,israel1 ,jeremiah a traitor1 ,paul a polluter of the temple4 ,from that day to this1 those who would be loyal to truth have been denounced as seditious1 heretical1 or schismatic4 ,multitudes who are too unbelieving to accept the sure word of prophecy1 will receive with unquestioning credulity an accusation against those who dare to reprove fashionable sins4 ,this spirit will increase more and more4 ,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 punishment as an evil-doer4 ,in view of this1 what is the duty of the messenger of truth8 ,shall he conclude that the truth ought not to be presented1 since often its only effect is to arouse men to evade or resist its claims8 ,no2 he has no more reason for withholding the testimony of ,god's word1 because it excites opposition1 than had earlier reformers4 ,the confession of faith made by saints and martyrs was recorded for the benefit of succeeding generations4 ,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 ,god4 ,they received grace and truth1 not for themselves alone1 but that1 through them1 the knowledge of ,god might enlighten the earth4 ,has ,god given light to ,his servants in this generation8 ,then they should let it shine forth to the world4 ,anciently the ,lord declared to one who spoke in ,his name1 8,the house of ,israel will not hearken unto thee2 for they will not hearken unto ,me40 ,nevertheless ,he said1 8,thou shalt speak ,my words unto them1 whether they will hear1 or whether they will forbear407#gga7 ,to the servant of ,god at this time is the command addressed1 8,lift up thy voice like a trumpet1 and show ,my people their transgression1 and the house of ,jacob their sins40 ,so far as his opportunities extend1 every one who has received the light of truth is under the same solemn and fearful responsibility as was the prophet of ,israel1 to whom the word of the ,lord came1 saying3 8,son of man1 ,i have set thee a watchman unto the house of ,israel2 therefore thou shalt hear the word at ,my mouth1 and warn them from ,me4 ,when ,i say unto the wicked1 ,o wicked man1 thou shalt surely die2 if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way1 that wicked man shall die in his iniquity2 but his blood will ,i require at thine hand4 ,nevertheless1 if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it2 if he do not turn from his way1 he shall die in his iniquity2 but thou hast delivered thy soul407#ggb7 ,the great obstacle both to the acceptance and to the promulgation of truth1 is the fact that it involves inconvenience and reproach4 ,this is the only argument against the truth which its advocates have never been able to refute4 ,but this does not deter the true followers of ,christ4 ,these do not wait for truth to become popular4 ,being convinced of their duty1 they deliberately accept the cross1 with the apostle ,paul counting that 8our light affliction1 which is but for a moment1 worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory207#ggc7 with one of old1 8esteeming the reproach of ,christ greater riches than the treasures in ,egypt407#ggd7 ,whatever may be their profession1 it is only those who are world-servers at heart that act from policy rather than principle in religious things4 ,we should choose the right because it is right1 and leave consequences with ,god4 ,to men of principle1 faith1 and daring1 the world is indebted for its great reforms4 ,by such men the work of reform for this time must be carried forward4 ,thus saith the ,lord3 8,hearken unto ,me1 ye that know righteousness1 the people in whose heart is ,my law2 fear ye not the reproach of men1 neither be ye afraid of their revilings4 ,for the moth shall eat them up like a garment1 and the worm shall eat them like wool3 but ,my righteousness shall be forever1 and ,my salvation from generation to generation407#gge7 #bg4 ,,modern ,,revivals4 ,illustration3 ,chapter header4 ,wherever the word of ,god has been faithfully preached1 results have followed that attested its divine origin4 ,the ,spirit of ,god accompanied the message of ,his servants1 and the word was with power4 ,sinners felt their consciences quickened4 ,the 8light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world10 illumined the secret chambers of their souls1 and the hidden things of darkness were made manifest4 ,deep conviction took hold upon their minds and hearts4 ,they were convinced of sin1 and of righteousness1 and of judgment to come4 ,they had a sense of the righteousness of ,jehovah1 and felt the terror of appearing1 in their guilt and uncleanness1 before the ,searcher of hearts4 ,in anguish they cried out1 8,who shall deliver me from the body of this death80 ,as the cross of ,calvary1 with its infinite sacrifice for the sins of men1 was revealed1 they saw that nothing but the merits of ,christ could suffice to atone for their transgressions2 this alone could reconcile man to ,god4 ,with faith and humility they accepted the ,lamb of ,god1 that taketh away the sin of the world4 ,through the blood of ,jesus they had 8remission of sins that are past40 ,these souls brought forth fruit meet for repentance4 ,they believed and were baptized1 and rose to walk in newness of life1--new creatures in ,christ ,jesus2 not to fashion themselves according to the former lusts1 but by the faith of the ,son of ,god to follow in ,his steps1 to reflect ,his character1 and to purify themselves even as ,he is pure4 ,the things they once hated1 they now loved2 and the things they once loved1 they hated4 ,the proud and self-assertive became meek and lowly of heart4 ,the vain and supercilious became serious and unobtrusive4 ,the profane became reverent1 the drunken sober1 and the profligate pure4 ,the vain fashions of the world were laid aside4 ,christians sought not the 8outward adorning of plaiting the hair1 and of wearing of gold1 or of putting on of apparel2 but 444 the hidden man of the heart1 in that which is not corruptible1 even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit1 which is in the sight of ,god of great price407#ggf7 ,revivals brought deep heart-searching and humility4 ,they were characterized by solemn1 earnest appeals to the sinner1 by yearning compassion for the purchase of the blood of ,christ4 ,men and women prayed and wrestled with ,god for the salvation of souls4 ,the fruits of such revivals were seen in souls who shrank not at self-denial and sacrifice1 but rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer reproach and trial for the sake of ,christ4 ,men beheld a transformation in the lives of those who had professed the name of ,jesus4 ,the community was benefited by their influence4 ,they gathered with ,christ1 and sowed to the ,spirit1 to reap life everlasting4 ,it could be said of them3 8,ye sorrowed to repentance40 8,for godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of3 but the sorrow of the world worketh death4 ,for behold this selfsame thing1 that ye sorrowed after a godly sort1 what carefulness it wrought in you1 yea1 what clearing of yourselves1 yea1 what indignation1 yea1 what fear1 yea1 what vehement desire1 yea1 what zeal1 yea1 what revenge6 ,in all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter407#ggg7 ,this is the result of the work of the ,spirit of ,god4 ,there is no evidence of genuine repentance unless it works reformation4 ,if he restore the pledge1 give again that he had robbed1 confess his sins1 and love ,god and his fellow-men1 the sinner may be sure that he has found peace with ,god4 ,such were the effects that in former years followed seasons of religious awakening4 ,judged by their fruits1 they were known to be blessed of ,god in the salvation of men and the uplifting of humanity4 ,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 servants4 ,it is true that a wide-spread interest is kindled1 many profess conversion1 and there are large accessions to the churches2 nevertheless the results are not such as to warrant the belief that there has been a corresponding increase of real spiritual life4 ,the light which flames up for a time soon dies out1 leaving the darkness more dense than before4 ,popular revivals are too often carried by appeals to the imagination1 by exciting the emotions1 by gratifying the love for what is new and startling4 ,converts thus gained have little desire to listen to ,bible truth1 little interest in the testimony of prophets and apostles4 ,unless a religious service has something of a sensational character1 it has no attractions for them4 ,a message which appeals to unimpassioned reason awakens no response4 ,the plain warnings of ,god's word1 relating directly to their eternal interests1 are unheeded4 ,with every truly converted soul the relation to ,god and to eternal things will be the great topic of life4 ,but where1 in the popular churches of to-day1 is the spirit of consecration to ,god8 ,the converts do not renounce their pride and love of the world4 ,they are no more willing to deny self1 to take up the cross1 and follow the meek and lowly ,jesus1 than before their conversion4 ,religion has become the sport of infidels and skeptics because so many who bear its name are ignorant of its principles4 ,the power of godliness has well-nigh departed from many of the churches4 ,picnics1 church theatricals1 church fairs1 fine houses1 personal display1 have banished thoughts of ,god4 ,lands and goods and worldly occupations engross the mind1 and things of eternal interest receive hardly a passing notice4 ,notwithstanding the wide-spread declension of faith and piety1 there are true followers of ,christ in these churches4 ,before the final visitation of ,god's judgments upon the earth1 there will be1 among the people of the ,lord1 such a revival of primitive godliness as has not been witnessed since apostolic times4 ,the ,spirit and power of ,god will be poured out upon ,his children4 ,at that time many will separate themselves from those churches in which the love of this world has supplanted love for ,god and ,his word4 ,many1 both of ministers and people1 will gladly accept those great truths which ,god has caused to be proclaimed at this time1 to prepare a people for the ,lord's second coming4 ,the enemy of souls desires to hinder this work2 and before the time for such a movement shall come1 he will endeavor to prevent it1 by introducing a counterfeit4 ,in those churches which he can bring under his deceptive power1 he will make it appear that ,god's special blessing is poured out2 there will be manifest what is thought to be great religious interest4 ,multitudes will exult that ,god is working marvelously for them1 when the work is that of another spirit4 ,under a religious guise1 ,satan will seek to extend his influence over the ,christian world4 ,in many of the revivals which have occurred during the last half century1 the same influences have been at work1 to a greater or less degree1 that will be manifest in the more extensive movements of the future4 ,there is an emotional excitement1 a mingling of the true with the false1 that is well adapted to mislead4 ,yet none need be deceived4 ,in the light of ,god's word it is not difficult to determine the nature of these movements4 ,wherever men neglect the testimony of the ,bible1 turning away from those plain1 soul-testing truths which require self-denial and renunciation of the world1 there we may be sure that ,god's blessing is not bestowed4 ,and by the rule which ,christ ,himself has given1 8,ye shall know them by their fruits107#ggh7 it is evident that these movements are not the work of the ,spirit of ,god4 ,in the truths of ,his word1 ,god has given to men a revelation of ,himself2 and to all who accept them they are a shield against the deceptions of ,satan4 ,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 world4 ,the nature and the importance of the law of ,god have been1 to a great extent1 lost sight of4 ,a wrong conception of the character1 the perpetuity1 and the obligation of the divine law1 has led to errors in relation to conversion and sanctification1 and has resulted in lowering the standard of piety in the church4 ,here is to be found the secret of the lack of the ,spirit and power of ,god in the revivals of our time4 ,there are1 in the various denominations1 men eminent for their piety1 by whom this fact is acknowledged and deplored4 ,prof4 ,edwards ,a4 ,park1 in setting forth the current religious perils1 ably says3 8,one source of danger is the neglect of the pulpit to enforce the divine law4 ,in former days the pulpit was an echo of the voice of conscience4444 ,our most illustrious preachers gave a wonderful majesty to their discourses by following the example of the ,master1 and giving prominence to the law1 its precepts1 and its threatenings4 ,they repeated the two great maxims1 that the law is a transcript of the divine perfections1 and that a man who does not love the law does not love the gospel2 for the law1 as well as the gospel1 is a mirror reflecting the true character of ,god4 ,this peril leads to another1 that of underrating the evil of sin1 the extent of it1 the demerit of it4 ,in proportion to the rightfulness of the commandment is the wrongfulness of disobeying it4444 8,affiliated to the dangers already named is the danger of underestimating the justice of ,god4 ,the tendency of the modern pulpit is to strain out the divine justice from the divine benevolence1 to sink benevolence into a sentiment rather than exalt it into a principle4 ,the new theological prism puts asunder what ,god has joined together4 ,is the divine law a good or an evil8 ,it is a good4 ,then justice is good2 for it is a disposition to execute the law4 ,from the habit of underrating the divine law and justice1 the extent and demerit of human disobedience1 men easily slide into the habit of underestimating the grace which has provided an atonement for sin40 ,thus the gospel loses its value and importance in the minds of men1 and soon they are ready practically to cast aside the ,bible itself4 ,many religious teachers assert that ,christ by ,his death abolished the law1 and men are henceforth free from its requirements4 ,there are some who represent it as a grievous yoke2 and in contrast to the bondage of the law1 they present the liberty to be enjoyed under the gospel4 ,but not so did prophets and apostles regard the holy law of ,god4 ,said ,david1 8,i will walk at liberty3 for ,i seek ,thy precepts407#ggi7 ,the apostle ,james1 who wrote after the death of ,christ1 refers to the decalogue as the 8royal law10 and the 8perfect law of liberty407#ghj7 ,and the ,revelator1 half a century after the crucifixion1 pronounces a blessing upon them 8that do ,his commandments1 that they may have right to the tree of life1 and may enter in through the gates into the city407#gha7 ,the claim that ,christ by ,his death abolished ,his ,father's law1 is without foundation4 ,had it been possible for the law to be changed or set aside1 then ,christ need not have died to save man from the penalty of sin4 ,the death of ,christ1 so far from abolishing the law1 proves that it is immutable4 ,the ,son of ,god came to 8magnify the law1 and make it honorable407#ghb7 ,he said1 8,think not that ,i am come to destroy the law20 8till heaven and earth pass1 one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law407#ghc7 ,and concerning ,himself ,he declares1 8,i delight to do ,thy will1 ,o ,my ,god3 yea1 ,thy law is within ,my heart407#ghd7 ,the law of ,god1 from its very nature1 is unchangeable4 ,it is a revelation of the will and the character of its ,author4 ,god is love1 and ,his law is love4 ,its two great principles are love to ,god and love to man4 8,love is the fulfilling of the law407#ghe7 ,the character of ,god is righteousness and truth2 such is the nature of ,his law4 ,says the psalmist1 8,thy law is the truth20 8all ,thy commandments are righteousness407#ghf7 ,and the apostle ,paul declares1 8,the law is holy1 and the commandment holy1 and just1 and good407#ghg7 ,such a law1 being an expression of the mind and will of ,god1 must be as enduring as its ,author4 ,it is the work of conversion and sanctification to reconcile men to ,god1 by bringing them into accord with the principles of ,his law4 ,in the beginning1 man was created in the image of ,god4 ,he was in perfect harmony with the nature and the law of ,god2 the principles of righteousness were written upon his heart4 ,but sin alienated him from his ,maker4 ,he no longer reflected the divine image4 ,his heart was at war with the principles of ,god's law4 8,the carnal mind is enmity against ,god3 for it is not subject to the law of ,god1 neither indeed can be407#ghh7 ,but 8,god so loved the world1 that ,he gave ,his only begotten ,son10 that man might be reconciled to ,god4 ,through the merits of ,christ he can be restored to harmony with his ,maker4 ,his heart must be renewed by divine grace2 he must have a new life from above4 ,this change is the new birth1 without which1 says ,jesus1 8he cannot see the kingdom of ,god40 ,the first step in reconciliation to ,god1 is the conviction of sin4 8,sin is the transgression of the law40 8,by the law is the knowledge of sin407#ghi7 ,in order to see his guilt1 the sinner must test his character by ,god's great standard of righteousness4 ,it is a mirror which shows the perfection of a righteous character1 and enables him to discern the defects in his own4 ,the law reveals to man his sins1 but it provides no remedy4 ,while it promises life to the obedient1 it declares that death is the portion of the transgressor4 ,the gospel of ,christ alone can free him from the condemnation or the defilement of sin4 ,he must exercise repentance toward ,god1 whose law has been transgressed2 and faith in ,christ1 his atoning sacrifice4 ,thus he obtains 8remission of sins that are past10 and becomes a partaker of the divine nature4 ,he is a child of ,god1 having received the spirit of adoption1 whereby he cries1 8,abba1 ,father60 ,is he now free to transgress ,god's law8 ,says ,paul3 8,do we then make void the law through faith8 ,god forbid3 yea1 we establish the law40 8,how shall we1 that are dead to sin1 live any longer therein80 ,and ,john declares1 8,this is the love of ,god1 that we keep ,his commandments3 and ,his commandments are not grievous407#gij7 ,in the new birth the heart is brought into harmony with ,god1 as it is brought into accord with ,his law4 ,when this mighty change has taken place in the sinner1 he has passed from death unto life1 from sin unto holiness1 from transgression and rebellion to obedience and loyalty4 ,the old life of alienation from ,god has ended2 the new life of reconciliation1 of faith and love1 has begun4 ,then 8the righteousness of the law0 will 8be fulfilled in us1 who walk not after the flesh1 but after the ,spirit407#gia7 ,and the language of the soul will be1 8,o how love ,i ,thy law6 it is my meditation all the day407#gib7 8,the law of the ,lord is perfect1 converting the soul407#gic7 ,without the law1 men have no just conception of the purity and holiness of ,god1 or of their own guilt and uncleanness4 ,they have no true conviction of sin1 and feel no need of repentance4 ,not seeing their lost condition as violators of ,god's law1 they do not realize their need of the atoning blood of ,christ4 ,the hope of salvation is accepted without a radical change of heart or reformation of life4 ,thus superficial conversions abound1 and multitudes are joined to the church who have never been united to ,christ4 ,erroneous theories of sanctification1 also1 springing from neglect or rejection of the divine law1 have a prominent place in the religious movements of the day4 ,these theories are both false in doctrine and dangerous in practical results2 and the fact that they are so generally finding favor1 renders it doubly essential that all have a clear understanding of what the ,scriptures teach upon this point4 ,true sanctification is a ,bible doctrine4 ,the apostle ,paul1 in his letter to the ,thessalonian church1 declares1 8,this is the will of ,god1 even your sanctification40 ,and he prays1 8,the very ,god of peace sanctify you wholly407#gid7 ,the ,bible clearly teaches what sanctification is1 and how it is to be attained4 ,the ,saviour prayed for ,his disciples1 8,sanctify them through ,thy truth3 ,thy word is truth407#gie7 ,and ,paul teaches that believers are to be 8sanctified by the ,holy ,ghost407#gif7 ,what is the work of the ,holy ,spirit8 ,jesus told ,his disciples1 8,when ,he1 the ,spirit of truth1 is come1 ,he will guide you into all truth407#gig7 ,and the psalmist says1 8,thy law is the truth40 ,by the word and the ,spirit of ,god are opened to men the great principles of righteousness embodied in ,his law4 ,and since the law of ,god is 8holy1 and just1 and good10 a transcript of the divine perfection1 it follows that a character formed by obedience to that law will be holy4 ,christ is a perfect example of such a character4 ,he says1 8,i have kept ,my ,father's commandments40 8,i do always those things that please ,him407#gih7 ,the followers of ,christ are to become like ,him1--by the grace of ,god to form characters in harmony with the principles of ,his holy law4 ,this is ,bible sanctification4 ,this work can be accomplished only through faith in ,christ1 by the power of the indwelling ,spirit of ,god4 ,paul admonishes believers1 8,work out your own salvation with fear and trembling4 ,for it is ,god which worketh in you both to will and to do of ,his good pleasure407#gii7 ,the ,christian will feel the promptings of sin1 but he will maintain a constant warfare against it4 ,here is where ,christ's help is needed4 ,human weakness becomes united to divine strength1 and faith exclaims1 8,thanks be to ,god1 which giveth us the victory through our ,lord ,jesus ,christ407#hjj7 ,the ,scriptures plainly show that the work of sanctification is progressive4 ,when in conversion the sinner finds peace with ,god through the blood of the atonement1 the ,christian life has but just begun4 ,now he is to 8go on unto perfection20 to grow up 8unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of ,christ40 ,says the apostle ,paul1 8,this one thing ,i do1 forgetting those things which are behind1 and reaching forth unto those things which are before1 ,i press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of ,god in ,christ ,jesus407#hja7 ,and ,peter sets before us the steps by which ,bible sanctification is to be attained3 8,giving all diligence1 add to your faith virtue2 and to virtue knowledge2 and to knowledge temperance2 and to temperance patience2 and to patience godliness2 and to godliness brotherly kindness2 and to brotherly kindness charity4444 ,if ye do these things1 ye shall never fall407#hjb7 ,those who experience the sanctification of the ,bible will manifest a spirit of humility4 ,like ,moses1 they have had a view of the awful majesty of holiness1 and they see their own unworthiness in contrast with the purity and exalted perfection of the ,infinite ,one4 ,the prophet ,daniel was an example of true sanctification4 ,his long life was filled up with noble service for his ,master4 ,he was a man 8greatly beloved07#hjc7 of ,heaven4 ,yet instead of claiming to be pure and holy1 this honored prophet identified himself with the really sinful of ,israel1 as he pleaded before ,god in behalf of his people3 8,we do not present our supplications before ,thee for our righteousnesses1 but for ,thy great mercies40 8,we have sinned1 we have done wickedly40 ,he declares1 8,i was speaking1 and praying1 and confessing my sin and the sin of my people40 ,and when at a later time the ,son of ,god appeared1 to give him instruction1 ,daniel says1 8,my comeliness was turned in me into corruption1 and ,i retained no strength407#hjd7 ,when ,job heard the voice of the ,lord out of the whirlwind1 he exclaimed1 8,i abhor myself1 and repent in dust and ashes407#hje7 ,it was when ,isaiah saw the glory of the ,lord1 and heard the cherubim crying1 8,holy1 holy1 holy1 is the ,lord of hosts10 that he cried out1 8,woe is me6 for ,i am undone407#hjf7 ,paul1 after he was caught up into the third heaven1 and heard things which it was not possible for a man to utter1 speaks of himself as 8less than the least of all saints407#hjg7 ,it was the beloved ,john1 who leaned on ,jesus' breast and beheld ,his glory1 that fell as one dead before the feet of the angel47#hjh7 ,there can be no self-exaltation1 no boastful claim to freedom from sin1 on the part of those who walk in the shadow of ,calvary's cross4 ,they feel that it was their sin which caused the agony that broke the heart of the ,son of ,god1 and this thought will lead them to self-abasement4 ,those who live nearest to ,jesus discern most clearly the frailty and sinfulness of humanity1 and their only hope is in the merit of a crucified and risen ,saviour4 ,the sanctification now gaining prominence in the religious world1 carries with it a spirit of self-exaltation1 and a disregard for the law of ,god1 that mark it as foreign to the religion of the ,bible4 ,its advocates teach that sanctification is an instantaneous work1 by which1 through faith alone1 they attain to perfect holiness4 8,only believe10 say they1 8and the blessing is yours40 ,no further effort on the part of the receiver is supposed to be required4 ,at the same time they deny the authority of the law of ,god1 urging that they are released from obligation to keep the commandments4 ,but is it possible for men to be holy1 in accord with the will and character of ,god1 without coming into harmony with the principles which are an expression of ,his nature and will1 and which show what is well pleasing to ,him8 ,the desire for an easy religion1 that requires no striving1 no self-denial1 no divorce from the follies of the world1 has made the doctrine of faith1 and faith only1 a popular doctrine2 but what saith the word of ,god8 ,says the apostle ,james3 8,what doth it profit1 my brethren1 though a man say he hath faith1 and have not works8 can faith save him8444 ,wilt thou know1 ,o vain man1 that faith without works is dead8 ,was not ,abraham our father justified by works1 when he had offered ,isaac his son upon the altar8 ,seest thou how faith wrought with his works1 and by works was faith made perfect8444 ,ye see then how that by works a man is justified1 and not by faith only407#hji7 ,the testimony of the word of ,god is against this ensnaring doctrine of faith without works4 ,it is not faith that claims the favor of ,heaven without complying with the conditions upon which mercy is to be granted1 it is presumption2 for genuine faith has its foundation in the promises and provisions of the ,scriptures4 ,let none deceive themselves with the belief that they can become holy while wilfully violating one of ,god's requirements4 ,the commission of a known sin silences the witnessing voice of the ,spirit1 and separates the soul from ,god4 8,sin is the transgression of the law40 ,and 8whosoever sinneth transgresseth the law hath not seen ,him1 neither known ,him407#haj7 ,though ,john in his epistles dwells so fully upon love1 yet he does not hesitate to reveal the true character of that class who claim to be sanctified while living in transgression of the law of ,god4 8,he that saith1 ,i know ,him1 and keepeth not ,his commandments1 is a liar1 and the truth is not in him4 ,but whoso keepeth ,his word1 in him verily is the love of ,god perfected407#haa7 ,here is the test of every man's profession4 ,we cannot accord holiness to any man without bringing him to the measurement of ,god's only standard of holiness in heaven and in earth4 ,if men feel no weight of the moral law1 if they belittle and make light of ,god's precepts1 if they break one of the least of these commandments1 and teach men so1 they shall be of no esteem in the sight of ,heaven1 and we may know that their claims are without foundation4 ,and the claim to be without sin is1 in itself1 evidence that he who makes this claim is far from holy4 ,it is because he has no true conception of the infinite purity and holiness of ,god1 or of what they must become who shall be in harmony with ,his character2 because he has no true conception of the purity and exalted loveliness of ,jesus1 and the malignity and evil of sin1 that man can regard himself as holy4 ,the greater the distance between himself and ,christ1 and the more inadequate his conceptions of the divine character and requirements1 the more righteous he appears in his own eyes4 ,the sanctification set forth in the ,scriptures embraces the entire being1--spirit1 soul1 and body4 ,paul prayed for the ,thessalonians1 that their 8whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ407#hab7 ,again he writes to believers1 8,i beseech you therefore1 brethren1 by the mercies of ,god1 that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice1 holy1 acceptable unto ,god407#hac7 ,in the time of ancient ,israel1 every offering brought as a sacrifice to ,god was carefully examined4 ,if any defect was discovered in the animal presented1 it was refused2 for ,god had commanded that the offering be 8without blemish40 ,so ,christians are bidden to present their bodies1 8a living sacrifice1 holy1 acceptable unto ,god40 ,in order to do this1 all their powers must be preserved in the best possible condition4 ,every practice that weakens physical or mental strength unfits man for the service of his ,creator4 ,and will ,god be pleased with anything less than the best we can offer8 ,said ,christ1 8,thou shalt love the ,lord thy ,god with all thy heart40 ,those who do love ,god with all the heart will desire to give ,him the best service of their life1 and they will be constantly seeking to bring every power of their being into harmony with the laws that will promote their ability to do ,his will4 ,they will not1 by the indulgence of appetite or passion1 enfeeble or defile the offering which they present to their heavenly ,father4 ,peter says1 8,abstain from fleshly lusts1 which war against the soul407#had7 ,every sinful gratification tends to benumb the faculties and deaden the mental and spiritual perceptions1 and the word or the ,spirit of ,god can make but a feeble impression upon the heart4 ,paul writes to the ,corinthians1 8,let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit1 perfecting holiness in the fear of ,god407#hae7 ,and with the fruits of the ,spirit1--8love1 joy1 peace1 long-suffering1 gentleness1 goodness1 faith1 meekness10--he classes 8temperance407#haf7 ,notwithstanding these inspired declarations1 how many professed ,christians are enfeebling their powers in the pursuit of gain or the worship of fashion2 how many are debasing their godlike manhood by gluttony1 by wine-drinking1 by forbidden pleasure4 ,and the church1 instead of rebuking1 too often encourages the evil by appealing to appetite1 to desire for gain or love of pleasure1 to replenish her treasury1 which love for ,christ is too feeble to supply4 ,were ,jesus to enter the churches of to-day1 and behold the feasting and unholy traffic there conducted in the name of religion1 would ,he not drive out those desecrators1 as ,he banished the money-changers from the temple8 ,the apostle ,james declares that the wisdom from above is 8first pure40 ,had he encountered those who take the precious name of ,jesus upon lips defiled by tobacco1 those whose breath and person are contaminated by its foul odor1 and who pollute the air of heaven1 and force all about them to inhale the poison1--had the apostle come in contact with a practice so opposed to the purity of the gospel1 would he not have denounced it as 8earthly1 sensual1 devilish08 ,slaves of tobacco1 claiming the blessing of entire sanctification1 talk of their hope of heaven2 but ,god's word plainly declares that 8there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth407#hag7 8,know ye not that your body is the temple of the ,holy ,ghost which is in you1 which ye have of ,god1 and ye are not your own8 for ye are bought with a price3 therefore glorify ,god in your body1 and in your spirit1 which are ,god's407#hah7 ,he whose body is the temple of the ,holy ,spirit will not be enslaved by a pernicious habit4 ,his powers belong to ,christ1 who has bought him with the price of blood4 ,his property is the ,lord's4 ,how could he be guiltless in squandering this intrusted capital8 ,professed ,christians yearly expend an immense sum upon useless and pernicious indulgences1 while souls are perishing for the word of life4 ,god is robbed in tithes and offerings1 while they consume upon the altar of destroying lust more than they give to relieve the poor or for the support of the gospel4 ,if all who profess to be followers of ,christ were truly sanctified1 their means1 instead of being spent for needless and even hurtful indulgences1 would be turned into the ,lord's treasury1 and ,christians would set an example of temperance1 self-denial1 and self-sacrifice4 ,then they would be the light of the world4 ,the world is given up to self-indulgence4 8,the lust of the flesh1 the lust of the eye1 and the pride of life10 control the masses of the people4 ,but ,christ's followers have a holier calling4 8,come out from among them1 and be ye separate1 saith the ,lord1 and touch not the unclean40 ,in the light of ,god's word we are justified in declaring that sanctification cannot be genuine which does not work this utter renunciation of the sinful pursuits and gratifications of the world4 ,to those who comply with the conditions1 8,come out from among them1 and be ye separate1 444 and touch not the unclean10 ,god's promise is1 8,i will receive you1 and will be a ,father unto you1 and ye shall be ,my sons and daughters1 saith the ,lord ,almighty407#hai7 ,it is the privilege and the duty of every ,christian to have a rich and abundant experience in the things of ,god4 8,i am the light of the world10 said ,jesus4 8,he that followeth ,me shall not walk in darkness1 but shall have the light of life407#hbj7 8,the path of the just is as the shining light1 that shineth more and more unto the perfect day407#hba7 ,every step of faith and obedience brings the soul into closer connection with the ,light of the world1 in whom 8there is no darkness at all40 ,the bright beams of the ,sun of ,righteousness shine upon the servants of ,god1 and they are to reflect ,his rays4 ,as the stars tell us that there is a great light in heaven with whose glory they are made bright1 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 imitation4 ,the graces of ,his ,spirit1 the purity and holiness of ,his character1 will be manifest in ,his witnesses4 ,paul1 in his letter to the ,colossians1 sets forth the rich blessings granted to the children of ,god4 ,he says3 ,we 8do not cease to pray for you1 and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of ,his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding2 that ye might walk worthy of the ,lord unto all pleasing1 being fruitful in every good work1 and increasing in the knowledge of ,god2 strengthened with all might1 according to ,his glorious power1 unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness407#hbb7 ,again he writes of his desire that the brethren at ,ephesus might come to understand the height of the ,christian's privilege4 ,he opens before them1 in the most comprehensive language1 the marvelous power and knowledge that they might possess as sons and daughters of the ,most ,high4 ,it was theirs 8to be strengthened with might by ,his ,spirit in the inner man10 to be 8rooted and grounded in love10 to 8comprehend with all saints what is the breadth1 and length1 and depth1 and height2 and to know the love of ,christ1 which passeth knowledge40 ,but the prayer of the apostle reaches the climax of privilege when he prays that 8ye might be filled with all the fulness of ,god407#hbc7 ,here are revealed the heights of attainment that we may reach through faith in the promises of our heavenly ,father1 when we fulfil ,his requirements4 ,through the merits of ,christ1 we have access to the throne of ,infinite ,power4 8,he that spared not ,his own ,son1 but delivered ,him up for us all1 how shall ,he not with ,him also freely give us all things807#hbd7 ,the ,father gave ,his ,spirit without measure to ,his ,son1 and we also may partake of its fulness4 ,jesus says3 8,if ye then1 being evil1 know how to give good gifts unto your children3 how much more shall your heavenly ,father give the ,holy ,spirit to them that ask ,him807#hbe7 8,if ye shall ask anything in ,my name1 ,i will do it40 8,ask1 and ye shall receive1 that your joy may be full407#hbf7 ,while the ,christian's life will be characterized by humility1 it should not be marked with sadness and self-depreciation4 ,it is the privilege of every one so to live that ,god will approve and bless him4 ,it is not the will of our heavenly ,father that we should be ever under condemnation and darkness4 ,there is no evidence of true humility in going with the head bowed down and the heart filled with thoughts of self4 ,we may go to ,jesus and be cleansed1 and stand before the law without shame and remorse4 8,there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in ,christ ,jesus1 who walk not after the flesh1 but after the ,spirit407#hbg7 ,through ,jesus the fallen sons of ,adam become 8sons of ,god40 8,both ,he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one3 for which cause ,he is not ashamed to call them brethren407#hbh7 ,the ,christian's life should be one of faith1 of victory1 and joy in ,god4 8,whatsoever is born of ,god overcometh the world3 and this is the victory that overcometh the world1 even our faith407#hbi7 ,truly spake ,god's servant ,nehemiah1 8,the joy of the ,lord is your strength407#hcj7 ,and ,paul says3 8,rejoice in the ,lord alway3 and again ,i say1 ,rejoice40 8,rejoice evermore4 ,pray without ceasing4 ,in everything give thanks3 for this is the will of ,god in ,christ ,jesus concerning you407#hca7 ,such are the fruits of ,bible conversion and sanctification2 and it is because the great principles of righteousness set forth in the law of ,god are so indifferently regarded by the ,christian world1 that these fruits are so rarely witnessed4 ,this is why there is manifest so little of that deep1 abiding work of the ,spirit of ,god which marked revivals in former years4 ,it is by beholding that we become changed4 ,and as those sacred precepts in which ,god has opened to men the perfection and holiness of ,his character are neglected1 and the minds of the people are attracted to human teachings and theories1 what marvel that there has followed a decline of living piety in the church4 ,saith the ,lord1 8,they have forsaken ,me the fountain of living waters1 and hewed them out cisterns1 broken cisterns1 that can hold no water407#hcb7 8,blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly4444 ,but his delight is in the law of the ,lord2 and in ,his law doth he meditate day and night4 ,and he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water1 that bringeth forth his fruit in his season2 his leaf also shall not wither2 and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper407#hcc7 ,it is only as the law of ,god is restored to its rightful position that there can be a revival of primitive faith and godliness among ,his professed people4 8,thus saith the ,lord1 ,stand ye in the ways1 and see1 and ask for the old paths1 where is the good way1 and walk therein1 and ye shall find rest for your souls407#hcd7 #bh4 ,,the ,,investigative ,,judgment4 ,illustration3 ,chapter header4 8,i beheld10 says the prophet ,daniel1 8till thrones were placed1 and ,one that was ancient of days did sit3 ,his raiment was white as snow1 and the hair of ,his head like pure wool2 ,his throne was fiery flames1 and the wheels thereof burning fire4 ,a fiery stream issued and came forth from before ,him3 thousand thousands ministered unto ,him1 and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before ,him3 the judgment was set1 and the books were opened407#hce7 ,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 earth1 and to every man should be rendered 8according to his works40 ,the ,ancient of days is ,god the ,father4 ,says the psalmist1 8,before the mountains were brought forth1 or ever ,thou hadst formed the earth and the world1 even from everlasting to everlasting1 ,thou art ,god407#hcf7 ,it is ,he1 the source of all being1 and the fountain of all law1 that is to preside in the judgment4 ,and holy angels1 as ministers and witnesses1 in number 8ten thousand times ten thousand1 and thousands of thousands10 attend this great tribunal4 8,and1 behold1 one like the ,son of man came with the clouds of heaven1 and came to the ,ancient of days1 and they brought ,him near before ,him4 ,and there was given ,him dominion1 and glory1 and a kingdom1 that all people1 nations1 and languages1 should serve ,him3 ,his dominion is an everlasting dominion1 which shall not pass away407#hcg7 ,the coming of ,christ here described is not ,his second coming to the earth4 ,he comes to the ,ancient of days in heaven to receive dominion1 and glory1 and a kingdom1 which will be given ,him at the close of ,his work as a mediator4 ,it is this coming1 and not ,his second advent to the earth1 that was foretold in prophecy to take place at the termination of the #bcjj days in #ahdd4 ,attended by heavenly angels1 our great ,high ,priest enters the holy of holies1 and there appears in the presence of ,god1 to engage in the last acts of ,his ministration in behalf of man1--to perform the work of investigative judgment1 and to make an atonement for all who are shown to be entitled to its benefits4 ,in the typical service1 only those who had come before ,god with confession and repentance1 and whose sins1 through the blood of the sin-offering1 were transferred to the sanctuary1 had a part in the service of the day of atonement4 ,so in the great day of final atonement and investigative judgment1 the only cases considered are those of the professed people of ,god4 ,the judgment of the wicked is a distinct and separate work1 and takes place at a later period4 8,judgment must begin at the house of ,god3 and if it first begin at us1 what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel807#hch7 ,the books of record in heaven1 in which the names and the deeds of men are registered1 are to determine the decisions of the judgment4 ,says the prophet ,daniel1 8,the judgment was set1 and the books were opened40 ,the revelator1 describing the same scene1 adds1 8,another book was opened1 which is the book of life3 and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books1 according to their works407#hci7 ,the book of life contains the names of all who have ever entered the service of ,god4 ,jesus bade ,his disciples1 8,rejoice1 because your names are written in heaven407#hdj7 ,paul speaks of his faithful fellow-workers1 8whose names are in the book of life407#hda7 ,daniel1 looking down to 8a time of trouble1 such as never was10 declares that ,god's people shall be delivered1 8every one that shall be found written in the book40 ,and the revelator says that those only shall enter the city of ,god whose names 8are written in the ,lamb's book of life407#hdb7 8,a book of remembrance0 is written before ,god1 in which are recorded the good deeds of 8them that feared the ,lord1 and that thought upon ,his name407#hdc7 ,their words of faith1 their acts of love1 are registered in heaven4 ,nehemiah refers to this when he says1 8,remember me1 ,o my ,god1 444 and wipe not out my good deeds that ,i have done for the house of my ,god407#hdd7 ,in the book of ,god's remembrance every deed of righteousness is immortalized4 ,there every temptation resisted1 every evil overcome1 every word of tender pity expressed1 is faithfully chronicled4 ,and every act of sacrifice1 every suffering and sorrow endured for ,christ's sake1 is recorded4 ,says the psalmist1 8,thou tellest my wanderings3 put ,thou my tears into ,thy bottle3 are they not in ,thy book807#hde7 ,there is a record also of the sins of men4 8,for ,god shall bring every work into judgment1 with every secret thing1 whether it be good1 or whether it be evil40 8,every idle word that men shall speak1 they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment40 ,said the ,saviour3 8,by thy words thou shalt be justified1 and by thy words thou shalt be condemned407#hdf7 ,the secret purposes and motives appear in the unerring register2 for ,god 8will bring to light the hidden things of darkness1 and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts407#hdg7 8,behold1 it is written before ,me1 444 your iniquities1 and the iniquities of your fathers together1 saith the ,lord407#hdh7 ,every man's work passes in review before ,god1 and is registered for faithfulness or unfaithfulness4 ,opposite each name in the books of heaven is entered1 with terrible exactness1 every wrong word1 every selfish act1 every unfulfilled duty1 and every secret sin1 with every artful dissembling4 ,heaven-sent warnings or reproofs neglected1 wasted moments1 unimproved opportunities1 the influence exerted for good or for evil1 with its far-reaching results1 all are chronicled by the recording angel4 ,the law of ,god is the standard by which the characters and the lives of men will be tested in the judgment4 ,says the wise man3 8,fear ,god1 and keep ,his commandments3 for this is the whole duty of man4 ,for ,god shall bring every work into judgment407#hdi7 ,the apostle ,james admonishes his brethren1 8,so speak ye1 and so do1 as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty407#hej7 ,those who in the judgment are 8accounted worthy10 will have a part in the resurrection of the just4 ,jesus said1 8,they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world1 and the resurrection from the dead1 444 are equal unto the angels2 and are the children of ,god1 being the children of the resurrection407#hea7 ,and again ,he declares that 8they that have done good0 shall come forth 8unto the resurrection of life407#heb7 ,the righteous dead will not be raised until after the judgment at which they are accounted worthy of 8the resurrection of life40 ,hence they will not be present in person at the tribunal when their records are examined and their cases decided4 ,jesus will appear as their advocate1 to plead in their behalf before ,god4 8,if any man sin1 we have an advocate with the ,father1 ,jesus ,christ the righteous407#hec7 8,for ,christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands1 which are the figures of the true2 but into heaven itself1 now to appear in the presence of ,god for us40 8,wherefore ,he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto ,god by ,him1 seeing ,he ever liveth to make intercession for them407#hed7 ,as the books of record are opened in the judgment1 the lives of all who have believed on ,jesus come in review before ,god4 ,beginning with those who first lived upon the earth1 our ,advocate presents the cases of each successive generation1 and closes with the living4 ,every name is mentioned1 every case closely investigated4 ,names are accepted1 names rejected4 ,when any have sins remaining upon the books of record1 unrepented of and unforgiven1 their names will be blotted out of the book of life1 and the record of their good deeds will be erased from the book of ,god's remembrance4 ,the ,lord declared to ,moses1 8,whosoever hath sinned against ,me1 him will ,i blot out of ,my book407#hee7 ,and says the prophet ,ezekiel1 8,when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness1 and committeth iniquity1 444 all his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned407#hef7 ,all who have truly repented of sin1 and by faith claimed the blood of ,christ as their atoning sacrifice1 have had pardon entered against their names in the books of heaven2 as they have become partakers of the righteousness of ,christ1 and their characters are found to be in harmony with the law of ,god1 their sins will be blotted out1 and they themselves will be accounted worthy of eternal life4 ,the ,lord declares1 by the prophet ,isaiah1 8,i1 even ,i1 am ,he that blotteth out thy transgressions for ,mine own sake1 and will not remember thy sins407#heg7 ,said ,jesus3 8,he that overcometh1 the same shall be clothed in white raiment2 and ,i will not blot out his name out of the book of life1 but ,i will confess his name before ,my ,father1 and before ,his angels40 8,whosoever therefore shall confess ,me before men1 him will ,i confess also before ,my ,father which is in heaven4 ,but whosoever shall deny ,me before men1 him will ,i also deny before ,my ,father which is in heaven407#heh7 ,the deepest interest manifested among men in the decisions of earthly tribunals but faintly represents the interest evinced in the heavenly courts when the names entered in the book of life come up in review before the ,judge of all the earth4 ,the divine ,intercessor presents the plea that all who have overcome through faith in ,his blood be forgiven their transgressions1 that they be restored to their ,eden home1 and crowned as joint-heirs with ,himself to the 8first dominion407#hei7 ,satan1 in his efforts to deceive and tempt our race1 had thought to frustrate the divine plan in man's creation2 but ,christ now asks that this plan be carried into effect1 as if man had never fallen4 ,he asks for ,his people not only pardon and justification1 full and complete1 but a share in ,his glory and a seat upon ,his throne4 ,while ,jesus is pleading for the subjects of ,his grace1 ,satan accuses them before ,god as transgressors4 ,the great deceiver has sought to lead them into skepticism1 to cause them to lose confidence in ,god1 to separate themselves from ,his love1 and to break ,his law4 ,now he points to the record of their lives1 to the defects of character1 the unlikeness to ,christ1 which has dishonored their ,redeemer1 to all the sins that he has tempted them to commit1 and because of these he claims them as his subjects4 ,jesus does not excuse their sins1 but shows their penitence and faith1 and1 claiming for them forgiveness1 ,he lifts ,his wounded hands before the ,father and the holy angels1 saying1 8,i know them by name4 ,i have graven them on the palms of ,my hands4 #8,the sacrifices of ,god are a broken spirit3 a broken and a contrite heart1 ,o ,god1 ,thou wilt not despise4' 07#hfj7 ,and to the accuser of ,his people ,he declares1 8,the ,lord rebuke thee1 ,o ,satan2 even the ,lord that hath chosen ,jerusalem rebuke thee3 is not this a brand plucked out of the fire807#hfa7 ,christ will clothe ,his faithful ones with ,his own righteousness1 that ,he may present them to ,his ,father 8a glorious church1 not having spot1 or wrinkle1 or any such thing407#hfb7 ,their names stand enrolled in the book of life1 and concerning them it is written1 8,they shall walk with ,me in white3 for they are worthy407#hfc7 ,thus will be realized the complete fulfilment of the new-covenant promise1 8,i will forgive their iniquity1 and ,i will remember their sin no more40 8,in those days1 and in that time1 saith the ,lord1 the iniquity of ,israel shall be sought for1 and there shall be none2 and the sins of ,judah1 and they shall not be found407#hfd7 8,in that day shall the branch of the ,lord be beautiful and glorious1 and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of ,israel4 ,and it shall come to pass1 that he that is left in ,zion1 and he that remaineth in ,jerusalem1 shall be called holy1 even every one that is written among the living in ,jerusalem407#hfe7 ,the work of the investigative judgment and the blotting out of sins is to be accomplished before the second advent of the ,lord4 ,since the dead are to be judged out of the things written in the books1 it is impossible that the sins of men should be blotted out until after the judgment at which their cases are to be investigated4 ,but the apostle ,peter distinctly states that the sins of believers will be blotted out 8when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the ,lord2 and ,he shall send ,jesus ,christ407#hff7 ,when the investigative judgment closes1 ,christ will come1 and ,his reward will be with ,him to give to every man as his work shall be4 ,in the typical service the high priest1 having made the atonement for ,israel1 came forth and blessed the congregation4 ,so ,christ1 at the close of ,his work as mediator1 will appear1 8without sin unto salvation107#hfg7 to bless ,his waiting people with eternal life4 ,as the priest1 in removing the sins from the sanctuary1 confessed them upon the head of the scapegoat1 so ,christ will place all these sins upon ,satan1 the originator and instigator of sin4 ,the scapegoat1 bearing the sins of ,israel1 was sent away 8unto a land not inhabited207#hfh7 so ,satan1 bearing the guilt of all the sins which he has caused ,god's people to commit1 will be for a thousand years confined to the earth1 which will then be desolate1 without inhabitant1 and he will at last suffer the full penalty of sin in the fires that shall destroy all the wicked4 ,thus the great plan of redemption will reach its accomplishment in the final eradication of sin1 and the deliverance of all who have been willing to renounce evil4 ,at the time appointed for the judgment--the close of the #bcjj days1 in #ahdd--;began the work of investigation and blotting out of sins4 ,all who have ever taken upon themselves the name of ,christ must pass its searching scrutiny4 ,both the living and the dead are to be judged 8out of those things which were written in the books1 according to their works40 ,sins that have not been repented of and forsaken will not be pardoned1 and blotted out of the books of record1 but will stand to witness against the sinner in the day of ,god4 ,he may have committed his evil deeds in the light of day or in the darkness of night2 but they were open and manifest before ,him with whom we have to do4 ,angels of ,god witnessed each sin1 and registered it in the unerring records4 ,sin may be concealed1 denied1 covered up from father1 mother1 wife1 children1 and associates2 no one but the guilty actors may cherish the least suspicion of the wrong2 but it is laid bare before the intelligences of heaven4 ,the darkness of the darkest night1 the secrecy of all deceptive arts1 is not sufficient to veil one thought from the knowledge of the ,eternal4 ,god has an exact record of every unjust account and every unfair dealing4 ,he is not deceived by appearances of piety4 ,he makes no mistakes in ,his estimation of character4 ,men may be deceived by those who are corrupt in heart1 but ,god pierces all disguises1 and reads the inner life4 ,how solemn is the thought6 ,day after day1 passing into eternity1 bears its burden of records for the books of heaven4 ,words once spoken1 deeds once done1 can never be recalled4 ,angels have registered both the good and the evil4 ,the mightiest conqueror upon the earth cannot call back the record of even a single day4 ,our acts1 our words1 even our most secret motives1 all have their weight in deciding our destiny for weal or woe4 ,though they may be forgotten by us1 they will bear their testimony to justify or to condemn4 ,as the features of the countenance are reproduced with unerring accuracy on the polished plate of the artist1 so the character is faithfully delineated in the books above4 ,yet how little solicitude is felt concerning that record which is to meet the gaze of heavenly beings4 ,could the veil which separates the visible from the invisible world be swept back1 and the children of men behold an angel recording every word and deed1 which they must meet again in the judgment1 how many words that are daily uttered would remain unspoken2 how many deeds would remain undone4 ,in the judgment1 the use made of every talent will be scrutinized4 ,how have we employed the capital lent us of ,heaven8 ,will the ,lord at ,his coming receive ,his own with usury8 ,have we improved the powers intrusted us1 in hand and heart and brain1 to the glory of ,god and the blessing of the world8 ,how have we used our time1 our pen1 our voice1 our money1 our influence8 ,what have we done for ,christ1 in the person of the poor1 the afflicted1 the orphan1 or the widow8 ,god has made us the depositaries of ,his holy word2 what have we done with the light and truth given us to make men wise unto salvation8 ,no value is attached to a mere profession of faith in ,christ2 only the love which is shown by works is counted genuine4 ,yet it is love alone which in the sight of ,heaven makes any act of value4 ,whatever is done from love1 however small it may appear in the estimation of men1 is accepted and rewarded of ,god4 ,the hidden selfishness of men stands revealed in the books of heaven4 ,there is the record of unfulfilled duties to their fellow-men1 of forgetfulness of the ,saviour's claims4 ,there they will see how often were given to ,satan the time1 thought1 and strength that belonged to ,christ4 ,sad is the record which angels bear to heaven4 ,intelligent beings1 professed followers of ,christ1 are absorbed in the acquirement of worldly possessions or the enjoyment of earthly pleasures4 ,money1 time1 and strength are sacrificed for display and self-indulgence2 but few are the moments devoted to prayer1 to the searching of the ,scriptures1 to humiliation of soul and confession of sin4 ,satan invents unnumbered schemes to occupy our minds1 that they may not dwell upon the very work with which we ought to be best acquainted4 ,the arch-deceiver hates the great truths that bring to view an atoning sacrifice and an all-powerful ,mediator4 ,he knows that with him everything depends on his diverting minds from ,jesus and ,his truth4 ,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 ,god4 ,the precious hours1 instead of being given to pleasure1 to display1 or to gain-seeking1 should be devoted to an earnest1 prayerful study of the ,word of truth4 ,the subject of the sanctuary and the investigative judgment should be clearly understood by the people of ,god4 ,all need a knowledge for themselves of the position and work of their great ,high ,priest4 ,otherwise1 it will be impossible for them to exercise the faith which is essential at this time1 or to occupy the position which ,god designs them to fill4 ,every individual has a soul to save or to lose4 ,each has a case pending at the bar of ,god4 ,each must meet the great ,judge face to face4 ,how important1 then1 that every mind contemplate often the solemn scene when the judgment shall sit and the books shall be opened1 when1 with ,daniel1 every individual must stand in his lot1 at the end of the days4 ,all who have received the light upon these subjects are to bear testimony of the great truths which ,god has committed to them4 ,the sanctuary in heaven is the very center of ,christ's work in behalf of men4 ,it concerns every soul living upon the earth4 ,it opens to view the plan of redemption1 bringing us down to the very close of time1 and revealing the triumphant issue of the contest between righteousness and sin4 ,it is of the utmost importance that all should thoroughly investigate these subjects1 and be able to give an answer to every one that asketh them a reason of the hope that is in them4 ,the intercession of ,christ in man's behalf in the sanctuary above is as essential to the plan of salvation as was ,his death upon the cross4 ,by ,his death ,he began that work which after ,his resurrection ,he ascended to complete in heaven4 ,we must by faith enter within the veil1 8whither the ,forerunner is for us entered407#hfi7 ,there the light from the cross of ,calvary is reflected4 ,there we may gain a clearer insight into the mysteries of redemption4 ,the salvation of man is accomplished at an infinite expense to heaven2 the sacrifice made is equal to the broadest demands of the broken law of ,god4 ,jesus has opened the way to the ,father's throne1 and through ,his mediation the sincere desire of all who come to ,him in faith may be presented before ,god4 8,he that covereth his sins shall not prosper3 but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy407#hgj7 ,if those who hide and excuse their faults could see how ,satan exults over them1 how he taunts ,christ and holy angels with their course1 they would make haste to confess their sins and to put them away4 ,through defects in the character1 ,satan works to gain control of the whole mind1 and he knows that if these defects are cherished1 he will succeed4 ,therefore he is constantly seeking to deceive the followers of ,christ with his fatal sophistry that it is impossible for them to overcome4 ,but ,jesus pleads in their behalf ,his wounded hands1 ,his bruised body2 and ,he declares to all who would follow ,him1 8,my grace is sufficient for thee407#hga7 8,take ,my yoke upon you1 and learn of ,me2 for ,i am meek and lowly in heart3 and ye shall find rest unto your souls4 ,for ,my yoke is easy1 and ,my burden is light407#hgb7 ,let none1 then1 regard their defects as incurable4 ,god will give faith and grace to overcome them4 ,we are now living in the great day of atonement4 ,in the typical service1 while the high priest was making the atonement for ,israel1 all were required to afflict their souls by repentance of sin and humiliation before the ,lord1 lest they be cut off from among the people4 ,in like manner1 all who would have their names retained in the book of life1 should now1 in the few remaining days of their probation1 afflict their souls before ,god by sorrow for sin and true repentance4 ,there must be deep1 faithful searching of heart4 ,the light1 frivolous spirit indulged by so many professed ,christians must be put away4 ,there is earnest warfare before all who would subdue the evil tendencies that strive for the mastery4 ,the work of preparation is an individual work4 ,we are not saved in groups4 ,the purity and devotion of one will not offset the want of these qualities in another4 ,though all nations are to pass in judgment before ,god1 yet ,he will examine the case of each individual with as close and searching scrutiny as if there were not another being upon the earth4 ,every one must be tested1 and found without spot or wrinkle or any such thing4 ,solemn are the scenes connected with the closing work of the atonement4 ,momentous are the interests involved therein4 ,the judgment is now passing in the sanctuary above4 ,for many years this work has been in progress4 ,soon--none know how soon--it will pass to the cases of the living4 ,in the awful presence of ,god our lives are to come up in review4 ,at this time above all others it behooves every soul to heed the ,saviour's admonition1 8,watch and pray3 for ye know not when the time is407#hgc7 8,if therefore thou shalt not watch1 ,i will come on thee as a thief1 and thou shalt not know what hour ,i will come upon thee407#hgd7 ,when the work of the investigative judgment closes1 the destiny of all will have been decided for life or death4 ,probation is ended a short time before the appearing of the ,lord in the clouds of heaven4 ,christ in the ,revelation looking forward to that time1 declares3 8,he that is unjust1 let him be unjust still3 and he which is filthy1 let him be filthy still3 and he that is righteous1 let him be righteous still3 and he that is holy1 let him be holy still4 ,and1 behold1 ,i come quickly2 and ,my reward is with ,me1 to give every man according as his work shall be407#hge7 ,the righteous and the wicked will still be living upon the earth in their mortal state1--men will be planting and building1 eating and drinking1 all unconscious that the final1 irrevocable decision has been pronounced in the sanctuary above4 ,before the flood1 after ,noah entered the ark1 ,god shut him in1 and shut the ungodly out2 but for seven days the people1 knowing not that their doom was fixed1 continued their careless1 pleasure-loving life1 and mocked the warnings of impending judgment4 8,so10 says the ,saviour1 8shall also the coming of the ,son of man be407#hgf7 ,silently1 unnoticed as the midnight thief1 will come the decisive hour which marks the fixing of every man's destiny1 the final withdrawal of mercy's offer to guilty men4 8,watch ye therefore3 444 lest coming suddenly ,he find you sleeping407#hgg7 ,perilous is the condition of those who1 growing weary of their watch1 turn to the attractions of the world4 ,while the man of business is absorbed in the pursuit of gain1 while the pleasure-lover is seeking indulgence1 while the daughter of fashion is arranging her adornments1--it may be in that hour the ,judge of all the earth will pronounce the sentence1 8,thou art weighed in the balances1 and art found wanting407#hgh7 #bi4 ,,the ,,origin ,,of ,,evil4 ,illustration3 ,chapter header4 ,to many minds1 the origin of sin and the reason for its existence are a source of great perplexity4 ,they see the work of evil1 with its terrible results of woe and desolation1 and they question how all this can exist under the sovereignty of ,one who is infinite in wisdom1 in power1 and in love4 ,here is a mystery1 of which they find no explanation4 ,and in their uncertainty and doubt1 they are blinded to truths plainly revealed in ,god's word1 and essential to salvation4 ,there are those who1 in their inquiries concerning the existence of sin1 endeavor to search into that which ,god has never revealed2 hence they find no solution of their difficulties2 and such as are actuated by a disposition to doubt and cavil1 seize upon this as an excuse for rejecting the words of ,holy ,writ4 ,others1 however1 fail of a satisfactory understanding of the great problem of evil1 from the fact that tradition and misinterpretation have obscured the teaching of the ,bible concerning the character of ,god1 the nature of ,his government1 and the principles of ,his dealing with sin4 ,it is impossible to explain the origin of sin so as to give a reason for its existence4 ,yet enough may be understood concerning both the origin and the final disposition of sin1 to make fully manifest the justice and benevolence of ,god in all ,his dealings with evil4 ,nothing is more plainly taught in ,scripture than that ,god was in no wise responsible for the entrance of sin2 that there was no arbitrary withdrawal of divine grace1 no deficiency in the divine government1 that gave occasion for the uprising of rebellion4 ,sin is an intruder1 for whose presence no reason can be given4 ,it is mysterious1 unaccountable2 to excuse it1 is to defend it4 ,could excuse for it be found1 or cause be shown for its existence1 it would cease to be sin4 ,our only definition of sin is that given in the word of ,god2 it is 8the transgression of the law10 it is the outworking of a principle at war with the great law of love which is the foundation of the divine government4 ,before the entrance of evil1 there was peace and joy throughout the universe4 ,all was in perfect harmony with the ,creator's will4 ,love for ,god was supreme1 love for one another impartial4 ,christ the ,word1 the only begotten of ,god1 was one with the eternal ,father1--one in nature1 in character1 and in purpose1--the only being in all the universe that could enter into all the counsels and purposes of ,god4 ,by ,christ1 the ,father wrought in the creation of all heavenly beings4 8,by ,him were all things created1 that are in heaven1 444 whether they be thrones1 or dominions1 or principalities1 or powers207#hgi7 and to ,christ1 equally with the ,father1 all heaven gave allegiance4 ,the law of love being the foundation of the government of ,god1 the happiness of all created beings depended upon their perfect accord with its great principles of righteousness4 ,god desires from all ,his creatures the service of love1--homage that springs from an intelligent appreciation of ,his character4 ,he takes no pleasure in a forced allegiance1 and to all ,he grants freedom of will1 that they may render ,him voluntary service4 ,but there was one that chose to pervert this freedom4 ,sin originated with him who1 next to ,christ1 had been most honored of ,god1 and who stood highest in power and glory among the inhabitants of heaven4 ,before his fall1 ,lucifer was first of the covering cherubs1 holy and undefiled4 8,thus saith the ,lord ,god3 ,thou sealest up the sum1 full of wisdom1 and perfect in beauty4 ,thou hast been in ,eden the garden of ,god2 every precious stone was thy covering40 8,thou art the anointed cherub that covereth2 and ,i have set thee so3 thou wast upon the holy mountain of ,god2 thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire4 ,thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created1 till iniquity was found in thee407#hhj7 ,lucifer might have remained in favor with ,god1 beloved and honored by all the angelic host1 exercising his noble powers to bless others and to glorify his ,maker4 ,but1 says the prophet1 8,thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty1 thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness407#hha7 ,little by little1 ,lucifer came to indulge a desire for self-exaltation4 8,thou hast set thine heart as the heart of ,god40 8,thou hast said1 444 ,i will exalt my throne above the stars of ,god3 ,i will sit also upon the mount of the congregation4444 ,i will ascend above the heights of the clouds2 ,i will be like the ,most ,high407#hhb7 ,instead of seeking to make ,god supreme in the affections and allegiance of ,his creatures1 it was ,lucifer's endeavor to win their service and homage to himself4 ,and coveting the honor which the infinite ,father had bestowed upon ,his ,son1 this prince of angels aspired to power which it was the prerogative of ,christ alone to wield4 ,all heaven had rejoiced to reflect the ,creator's glory and to show forth ,his praise4 ,and while ,god was thus honored1 all had been peace and gladness4 ,but a note of discord now marred the celestial harmonies4 ,the service and exaltation of self1 contrary to the ,creator's plan1 awakened forebodings of evil in minds to whom ,god's glory was supreme4 ,the heavenly councils pleaded with ,lucifer4 ,the ,son of ,god presented before him the greatness1 the goodness1 and the justice of the ,creator1 and the sacred1 unchanging nature of ,his law4 ,god ,himself had established the order of heaven2 and in departing from it1 ,lucifer would dishonor his ,maker1 and bring ruin upon himself4 ,but the warning1 given in infinite love and mercy1 only aroused a spirit of resistance4 ,lucifer allowed jealousy of ,christ to prevail1 and he became the more determined4 ,pride in his own glory nourished the desire for supremacy4 ,the high honors conferred upon ,lucifer were not appreciated as the gift of ,god1 and called forth no gratitude to the ,creator4 ,he gloried in his brightness and exaltation1 and aspired to be equal with ,god4 ,he was beloved and reverenced by the heavenly host4 ,angels delighted to execute his commands1 and he was clothed with wisdom and glory above them all4 ,yet the ,son of ,god was the acknowledged ,sovereign of heaven1 one in power and authority with the ,father4 ,in all the counsels of ,god1 ,christ was a participant1 while ,lucifer was not permitted thus to enter into the divine purposes4 8,why10 questioned this mighty angel1 8should ,christ have the supremacy8 ,why is ,he thus honored above ,lucifer80 ,leaving his place in the immediate presence of ,god1 ,lucifer went forth to diffuse the spirit of discontent among the angels4 ,working with mysterious secrecy1 and for a time concealing his real purpose under an appearance of reverence for ,god1 he endeavored to excite dissatisfaction concerning the laws that governed heavenly beings1 intimating that they imposed an unnecessary restraint4 ,since their natures were holy1 he urged that the angels should obey the dictates of their own will4 ,he sought to create sympathy for himself1 by representing that ,god had dealt unjustly with him in bestowing supreme honor upon ,christ4 ,he claimed that in aspiring to greater power and honor he was not aiming at self-exaltation1 but was seeking to secure liberty for all the inhabitants of heaven1 that by this means they might attain to a higher state of existence4 ,god1 in ,his great mercy1 bore long with ,lucifer4 ,he was not immediately degraded from his exalted station when he first indulged the spirit of discontent1 nor even when he began to present his false claims before the loyal angels4 ,long was he retained in heaven4 ,again and again he was offered pardon1 on condition of repentance and submission4 ,such efforts as only infinite love and wisdom could devise1 were made to convince him of his error4 ,the spirit of discontent had never before been known in heaven4 ,lucifer himself did not at first see whither he was drifting2 he did not understand the real nature of his feelings4 ,but as his dissatisfaction was proved to be without cause1 ,lucifer was convinced that he was in the wrong1 that the divine claims were just1 and that he ought to acknowledge them as such before all heaven4 ,had he done this1 he might have saved himself and many angels4 ,he had not at this time fully cast off his allegiance to ,god4 ,though he had forsaken his position as covering cherub1 yet if he had been willing to return to ,god1 acknowledging the ,creator's wisdom1 and satisfied to fill the place appointed him in ,god's great plan1 he would have been re-instated in his office4 ,but pride forbade him to submit4 ,he persistently defended his own course1 maintained that he had no need of repentance1 and fully committed himself1 in the great controversy1 against his ,maker4 ,all the powers of his master-mind were now bent to the work of deception1 to secure the sympathy of the angels that had been under his command4 ,even the fact that ,christ had warned and counseled him1 was perverted to serve his traitorous designs4 ,to those whose loving trust bound them most closely to him1 ,satan had represented that he was wrongly judged1 that his position was not respected1 and that his liberty was to be abridged4 ,from misrepresentation of the words of ,christ1 he passed to prevarication and direct falsehood1 accusing the ,son of ,god of a design to humiliate him before the inhabitants of heaven4 ,he sought also to make a false issue between himself and the loyal angels4 ,all whom he could not subvert and bring fully to his side1 he accused of indifference to the interests of heavenly beings4 ,the very work which he himself was doing1 he charged upon those who remained true to ,god4 ,and to sustain his charge of ,god's injustice toward him1 he resorted to misrepresentation of the words and acts of the ,creator4 ,it was his policy to perplex the angels with subtle arguments concerning the purposes of ,god4 ,everything that was simple he shrouded in mystery1 and by artful perversion cast doubt upon the plainest statements of ,jehovah4 ,his high position1 in such close connection with the divine administration1 gave greater force to his representations1 and many were induced to unite with him in rebellion against ,heaven's authority4 ,god in ,his wisdom permitted ,satan to carry forward his work1 until the spirit of disaffection ripened into active revolt4 ,it was necessary for his plans to be fully developed1 that their true nature and tendency might be seen by all4 ,lucifer1 as the anointed cherub1 had been highly exalted2 he was greatly loved by the heavenly beings1 and his influence over them was strong4 ,god's government included not only the inhabitants of heaven1 but of all the worlds that ,he had created2 and ,satan thought that if he could carry the angels of heaven with him in rebellion1 he could carry also the other worlds4 ,he had artfully presented his side of the question1 employing sophistry and fraud to secure his objects4 ,his power to deceive was very great1 and by disguising himself in a cloak of falsehood he had gained an advantage4 ,even the loyal angels could not fully discern his character1 or see to what his work was leading4 ,satan had been so highly honored1 and all his acts were so clothed with mystery1 that it was difficult to disclose to the angels the true nature of his work4 ,until fully developed1 sin would not appear the evil thing it was4 ,heretofore it had had no place in the universe of ,god1 and holy beings had no conception of its nature and malignity4 ,they could not discern the terrible consequences that would result from setting aside the divine law4 ,satan had1 at first1 concealed his work under a specious profession of loyalty to ,god4 ,he claimed to be seeking to promote the honor of ,god1 the stability of ,his government1 and the good of all the inhabitants of heaven4 ,while instilling discontent into the minds of the angels under him1 he had artfully made it appear that he was seeking to remove dissatisfaction4 ,when he urged that changes be made in the order and laws of ,god's government1 it was under the pretense that these were necessary in order to preserve harmony in heaven4 ,in ,his dealing with sin1 ,god could employ only righteousness and truth4 ,satan could use what ,god could not--flattery and deceit4 ,he had sought to falsify the word of ,god1 and had misrepresented ,his plan of government before the angels1 claiming that ,god was not just in laying laws and rules upon the inhabitants of heaven2 that in requiring submission and obedience from ,his creatures1 ,he was seeking merely the exaltation of ,himself4 ,therefore it must be demonstrated before the inhabitants of heaven1 as well as of all the worlds1 that ,god's government was just1 ,his law perfect4 ,satan had made it appear that he himself was seeking to promote the good of the universe4 ,the true character of the usurper1 and his real object1 must be understood by all4 ,he must have time to manifest himself by his wicked works4 ,the discord which his own course had caused in heaven1 ,satan charged upon the law and government of ,god4 ,all evil he declared to be the result of the divine administration4 ,he claimed that it was his own object to improve upon the statutes of ,jehovah4 ,therefore it was necessary that he should demonstrate the nature of his claims1 and show the working out of his proposed changes in the divine law4 ,his own work must condemn him4 ,satan had claimed from the first that he was not in rebellion4 ,the whole universe must see the deceiver unmasked4 ,even when it was decided that he could no longer remain in heaven1 ,infinite ,wisdom did not destroy ,satan4 ,since the service of love can alone be acceptable to ,god1 the allegiance of ,his creatures must rest upon a conviction of ,his justice and benevolence4 ,the inhabitants of heaven and of other worlds1 being unprepared to comprehend the nature or consequences of sin1 could not then have seen the justice and mercy of ,god in the destruction of ,satan4 ,had he been immediately blotted from existence1 they would have served ,god from fear1 rather than from love4 ,the influence of the deceiver would not have been fully destroyed1 nor would the spirit of rebellion have been utterly eradicated4 ,evil must be permitted to come to maturity4 ,for the good of the entire universe through ceaseless ages1 ,satan must more fully develop his principles1 that his charges against the divine government might be seen in their true light by all created beings1 that the justice and mercy of ,god and the immutability of ,his law might forever be placed beyond all question4 ,satan's rebellion was to be a lesson to the universe through all coming ages1 a perpetual testimony to the nature and terrible results of sin4 ,the working out of ,satan's rule1 its effects upon both men and angels1 would show what must be the fruit of setting aside the divine authority4 ,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 made4 ,thus the history of this terrible experiment of rebellion was to be a perpetual safeguard to all holy intelligences1 to prevent them from being deceived as to the nature of transgression1 to save them from committing sin and suffering its punishment4 ,to the very close of the controversy in heaven1 the great usurper continued to justify himself4 ,when it was announced that with all his sympathizers he must be expelled from the abodes of bliss1 then the rebel leader boldly avowed his contempt for the ,creator's law4 ,he reiterated his claim that angels needed no control1 but should be left to follow their own will1 which would ever guide them right4 ,he denounced the divine statutes as a restriction of their liberty1 and declared that it was his purpose to secure the abolition of law2 that1 freed from this restraint1 the hosts of heaven might enter upon a more exalted1 more glorious state of existence4 ,with one accord1 ,satan and his host threw the blame of their rebellion wholly upon ,christ1 declaring that if they had not been reproved1 they would never have rebelled4 ,thus stubborn and defiant in their disloyalty1 seeking vainly to overthrow the government of ,god1 yet blasphemously claiming to be themselves the innocent victims of oppressive power1 the arch-rebel and all his sympathizers were at last banished from heaven4 ,the same spirit that prompted rebellion in heaven1 still inspires rebellion on earth4 ,satan has continued with men the same policy which he pursued with the angels4 ,his spirit now reigns in the children of disobedience4 ,like him they seek to break down the restraints of the law of ,god1 and promise men liberty through transgression of its precepts4 ,reproof of sin still arouses the spirit of hatred and resistance4 ,when ,god's messages of warning are brought home to the conscience1 ,satan leads men to justify themselves1 and to seek the sympathy of others in their course of sin4 ,instead of correcting their errors1 they excite indignation against the reprover1 as if he were the sole cause of difficulty4 ,from the days of righteous ,abel to our own time1 such is the spirit which has been displayed toward those who dare to condemn sin4 ,by the same misrepresentation of the character of ,god as he had practised in heaven1 causing ,him to be regarded as severe and tyrannical1 ,satan induced man to sin4 ,and having succeeded thus far1 he declared that ,god's unjust restrictions had led to man's fall1 as they had led to his own rebellion4 ,but the ,eternal ,one ,himself proclaims ,his character3 8,the ,lord ,god1 merciful and gracious1 long-suffering1 and abundant in goodness and truth1 keeping mercy for thousands1 forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin1 and that will by no means clear the guilty407#hhc7 ,in the banishment of ,satan from heaven1 ,god declared ,his justice1 and maintained the honor of ,his throne4 ,but when man had sinned through yielding to the deceptions of this apostate spirit1 ,god gave an evidence of ,his love by yielding up ,his only begotten ,son to die for the fallen race4 ,in the atonement the character of ,god is revealed4 ,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 ,god4 ,in the contest between ,christ and ,satan1 during the ,saviour's earthly ministry1 the character of the great deceiver was unmasked4 ,nothing could so effectually have uprooted ,satan from the affections of the heavenly angels and the whole loyal universe1 as did his cruel warfare upon the world's ,redeemer4 ,the daring blasphemy of his demand that ,christ should pay him homage1 his presumptuous boldness in bearing ,him to the mountain summit and the pinnacle of the temple1 the malicious intent betrayed in urging ,him to cast ,himself down from the dizzy height1 the unsleeping malice that hunted ,him from place to place1 inspiring the hearts of priests and people to reject ,his love1 and at the last to cry1 8,crucify ,him6 crucify ,him60--all this excited the amazement and indignation of the universe4 ,it was ,satan that prompted the world's rejection of ,christ4 ,the prince of evil exerted all his power and cunning to destroy ,jesus2 for he saw that the ,saviour's mercy and love1 ,his compassion and pitying tenderness1 were representing to the world the character of ,god4 ,satan contested every claim put forth by the ,son of ,god1 and employed men as his agents to fill the ,saviour's life with suffering and sorrow4 ,the sophistry and falsehood by which he had sought to hinder the work of ,jesus1 the hatred manifested through the children of disobedience1 his cruel accusations against ,him whose life was one of unexampled goodness1 all sprung from deep-seated revenge4 ,the pent-up fires of envy and malice1 hatred and revenge1 burst forth on ,calvary against the ,son of ,god1 while all heaven gazed upon the scene in silent horror4 ,when the great sacrifice had been consummated1 ,christ ascended on high1 refusing the adoration of angels until ,he had presented the request1 8,i will that they also1 whom ,thou hast given ,me1 be with ,me where ,i am407#hhd7 ,then with inexpressible love and power came forth the answer from the ,father's throne1 8,let all the angels of ,god worship ,him407#hhe7 ,not a stain rested upon ,jesus4 ,his humiliation ended1 ,his sacrifice completed1 there was given unto ,him a name that is above every name4 ,now the guilt of ,satan stood forth without excuse4 ,he had revealed his true character as a liar and a murderer4 ,it was seen that the very same spirit with which he ruled the children of men1 who were under his power1 he would have manifested had he been permitted to control the inhabitants of heaven4 ,he had claimed that the transgression of ,god's law would bring liberty and exaltation2 but it was seen to result in bondage and degradation4 ,satan's lying charges against the divine character and government appeared in their true light4 ,he had accused ,god of seeking merely the exaltation of ,himself in requiring submission and obedience from ,his creatures1 and had declared that while the ,creator exacted self-denial from all others1 ,he ,himself practised no self-denial and made no sacrifice4 ,now it was seen that for the salvation of a fallen and sinful race1 the ,ruler of the universe had made the greatest sacrifice which love could make2 for 8,god was in ,christ1 reconciling the world unto ,himself407#hhf7 ,it was seen1 also1 that while ,lucifer had opened the door for the entrance of sin1 by his desire for honor and supremacy1 ,christ had1 in order to destroy sin1 humbled ,himself1 and become obedient unto death4 ,god had manifested ,his abhorrence of the principles of rebellion4 ,all heaven saw ,his justice revealed1 both in the condemnation of ,satan and in the redemption of man4 ,lucifer had declared that if the law of ,god was changeless1 and its penalty could not be remitted1 every transgressor must be forever debarred from the ,creator's favor4 ,he had claimed that the sinful race were placed beyond redemption1 and were therefore his rightful prey4 ,but the death of ,christ was an argument in man's behalf that could not be overthrown4 ,the penalty of the law fell upon ,him who was equal with ,god1 and man was free to accept the righteousness of ,christ1 and by a life of penitence and humiliation to triumph1 as the ,son of ,god had triumphed1 over the power of ,satan4 ,thus ,god is just1 and yet the justifier of all who believe in ,jesus4 ,but it was not merely to accomplish the redemption of man that ,christ came to the earth to suffer and to die4 ,he came to 8magnify the law0 and to 8make it honorable40 ,not alone that the inhabitants of this world might regard the law as it should be regarded2 but it was to demonstrate to all the worlds of the universe that ,god's law is unchangeable4 ,could its claims have been set aside1 then the ,son of ,god need not have yielded up ,his life to atone for its transgression4 ,the death of ,christ proves it immutable4 ,and the sacrifice to which infinite love impelled the ,father and the ,son1 that sinners might be redeemed1 demonstrates to all the universe--what nothing less than this plan of atonement could have sufficed to do--that justice and mercy are the foundation of the law and government of ,god4 ,in the final execution of the judgment it will be seen that no cause for sin exists4 ,when the ,judge of all the earth shall demand of ,satan1 8,why hast thou rebelled against ,me1 and robbed ,me of the subjects of ,my kingdom80 the originator of evil can render no excuse4 ,every mouth will be stopped1 and all the hosts of rebellion will be speechless4 ,the cross of ,calvary1 while it declares the law immutable1 proclaims to the universe that the wages of sin is death4 ,in the ,saviour's expiring cry1 8,it is finished10 the death-knell of ,satan was rung4 ,the great controversy which had been so long in progress was then decided1 and the final eradication of evil was made certain4 ,the ,son of ,god passed through the portals of the tomb1 that 8through death ,he might destroy him that had the power of death1 that is1 the devil407#hhg7 ,lucifer's desire for self-exaltation had led him to say1 8,i will exalt my throne above the stars of ,god3 444 ,i will be like the ,most ,high40 ,god declares1 8,i will bring thee to ashes upon the earth1 444 and never shalt thou be any more407#hhh7 ,when 8the day cometh1 that shall burn as an oven1 444 all the proud1 yea1 and all that do wickedly1 shall be stubble3 and the day that cometh shall burn them up1 saith the ,lord of hosts1 that it shall leave them neither root nor branch407#hhi7 ,the whole universe will have become witnesses to the nature and results of sin4 ,and its utter extermination1 which in the beginning would have brought fear to angels and dishonor to ,god1 will now vindicate ,his love and establish ,his honor before the universe of beings who delight to do ,his will1 and in whose heart is ,his law4 ,never will evil again be manifest4 ,says the word of ,god1 8,affliction shall not rise up the second time407#hij7 ,the law of ,god1 which ,satan has reproached as the yoke of bondage1 will be honored as the law of liberty4 ,a tested and proved creation will never again be turned from allegiance to ,him whose character has been fully manifested before them as fathomless love and infinite wisdom4 #cj4 ,,enmity ,,between ,,man ,,and ,,satan4 ,illustration3 ,chapter header4 8,i will put enmity between thee and the woman1 and between thy seed and her seed2 it shall bruise thy head1 and thou shalt bruise his heel407#hia7 ,the divine sentence pronounced against ,satan after the fall of man1 was also a prophecy1 embracing all the ages to the close of time1 and foreshadowing the great conflict to engage all the races of men who should live upon the earth4 ,god declares1 8,i will put enmity40 ,this enmity is not naturally entertained4 ,when man transgressed the divine law1 his nature became evil1 and he was in harmony1 and not at variance1 with ,satan4 ,there exists naturally no enmity between sinful man and the originator of sin4 ,both became evil through apostasy4 ,the apostate is never at rest1 except as he obtains sympathy and support by inducing others to follow his example4 ,for this reason1 fallen angels and wicked men unite in desperate companionship4 ,had not ,god specially interposed1 ,satan and man would have entered into an alliance against ,heaven2 and instead of cherishing enmity against ,satan1 the whole human family would have been united in opposition to ,god4 ,satan tempted man to sin1 as he had caused angels to rebel1 that he might thus secure co-operation in his warfare against ,heaven4 ,there was no dissension between himself and the fallen angels as regards their hatred of ,christ2 while on all other points there was discord1 they were firmly united in opposing the authority of the ,ruler of the universe4 ,but when ,satan heard the declaration that enmity should exist between himself and the woman1 and between his seed and her seed1 he knew that his efforts to deprave human nature would be interrupted2 that by some means man was to be enabled to resist his power4 ,satan's enmity against the human race is kindled1 because1 through ,christ1 they are the objects of ,god's love and mercy4 ,he desires to thwart the divine plan for man's redemption1 to cast dishonor upon ,god1 by defacing and defiling ,his handiwork2 he would cause grief in heaven1 and fill the earth with woe and desolation4 ,and he points to all this evil as the result of ,god's work in creating man4 ,it is the grace that ,christ implants in the soul which creates in man enmity against ,satan4 ,without this converting grace and renewing power1 man would continue the captive of ,satan1 a servant ever ready to do his bidding4 ,but the new principle in the soul creates conflict where hitherto had been peace4 ,the power which ,christ imparts1 enables man to resist the tyrant and usurper4 ,whoever is seen to abhor sin instead of loving it1 whoever resists and conquers those passions that have held sway within1 displays the operation of a principle wholly from above4 ,the antagonism that exists between the spirit of ,christ and the spirit of ,satan was most strikingly displayed in the world's reception of ,jesus4 ,it was not so much because ,he appeared without worldly wealth1 pomp1 or grandeur1 that the ,jews were led to reject ,him4 ,they saw that ,he possessed power which would more than compensate for the lack of these outward advantages4 ,but the purity and holiness of ,christ called forth against ,him the hatred of the ungodly4 ,his life of self-denial and sinless devotion was a perpetual reproof to a proud1 sensual people4 ,it was this that evoked enmity against the ,son of ,god4 ,satan and evil angels joined with evil men4 ,all the energies of apostasy conspired against the ,champion of truth4 ,the same enmity is manifested toward ,christ's followers as was manifested toward their ,master4 ,whoever sees the repulsive character of sin1 and in strength from above resists temptation1 will assuredly arouse the wrath of ,satan and his subjects4 ,hatred of the pure principles of truth1 and reproach and persecution of its advocates1 will exist as long as sin and sinners remain4 ,the followers of ,christ and the servants of ,satan cannot harmonize4 ,the offense of the cross has not ceased4 8,all that will live godly in ,christ ,jesus shall suffer persecution407#hib7 ,satan's agents are constantly working under his direction to establish his authority and build up his kingdom in opposition to the government of ,god4 ,to this end they seek to deceive ,christ's followers1 and allure them from their allegiance4 ,like their leader1 they misconstrue and pervert the ,scriptures to accomplish their object4 ,as ,satan endeavored to cast reproach upon ,god1 so do his agents seek to malign ,god's people4 ,the spirit which put ,christ to death moves the wicked to destroy ,his followers4 ,all this is foreshadowed in that first prophecy1 8,i will put enmity between thee and the woman1 and between thy seed and her seed40 ,and this will continue to the close of time4 ,satan summons all his forces1 and throws his whole power into the combat4 ,why is it that he meets with no greater resistance8 ,why are the soldiers of ,christ so sleepy and indifferent8 ,because they have so little real connection with ,christ2 because they are so destitute of ,his ,spirit4 ,sin is not to them repulsive and abhorrent1 as it was to their ,master4 ,they do not meet it1 as did ,christ1 with decisive and determined resistance4 ,they do not realize the exceeding evil and malignity of sin1 and they are blinded both to the character and the power of the prince of darkness4 ,there is little enmity against ,satan and his works1 because there is so great ignorance concerning his power and malice1 and the vast extent of his warfare against ,christ and ,his church4 ,multitudes are deluded here4 ,they do not know that their enemy is a mighty general1 who controls the minds of evil angels1 and that with well-matured plans and skilful movements he is warring against ,christ to prevent the salvation of souls4 ,among professed ,christians1 and even among ministers of the gospel1 there is heard scarcely a reference to ,satan1 except perhaps an incidental mention in the pulpit4 ,they overlook the evidences of his continual activity and success2 they neglect the many warnings of his subtlety2 they seem to ignore his very existence4 ,while men are ignorant of his devices1 this vigilant foe is upon their track every moment4 ,he is intruding his presence in every department of the household1 in every street of our cities1 in the churches1 in the national councils1 in the courts of justice1 perplexing1 deceiving1 seducing1 everywhere ruining the souls and bodies of men1 women1 and children1 breaking up families1 sowing hatred1 emulation1 strife1 sedition1 murder4 ,and the ,christian world seem to regard these things as though ,god had appointed them1 and they must exist4 ,satan is continually seeking to overcome the people of ,god by breaking down the barriers which separate them from the world4 ,ancient ,israel were enticed into sin when they ventured into forbidden association with the heathen4 ,in a similar manner are modern ,israel led astray4 8,the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not1 lest the light of the glorious gospel of ,christ1 who is the image of ,god1 should shine unto them407#hic7 ,all who are not decided followers of ,christ are servants of ,satan4 ,in the unregenerate heart there is love of sin1 and a disposition to cherish and excuse it4 ,in the renewed heart there is hatred of sin1 and determined resistance against it4 ,when ,christians choose the society of the ungodly and unbelieving1 they expose themselves to temptation4 ,satan conceals himself from view1 and stealthily draws his deceptive covering over their eyes4 ,they cannot see that such company is calculated to do them harm2 and while all the time assimilating to the world in character1 words1 and actions1 they are becoming more and more blinded4 ,conformity to worldly customs converts the church to the world2 it never converts the world to ,christ4 ,familiarity with sin will inevitably cause it to appear less repulsive4 ,he who chooses to associate with the servants of ,satan1 will soon cease to fear their master4 ,when in the way of duty we are brought into trial1 as was ,daniel in the king's court1 we may be sure that ,god will protect us2 but if we place ourselves under temptation1 we shall fall sooner or later4 ,the tempter often works most successfully through those who are least suspected of being under his control4 ,the possessors of talent and education are admired and honored1 as if these qualities could atone for the absence of the fear of ,god1 or entitle men to ,his favor4 ,talent and culture1 considered in themselves1 are gifts of ,god2 but when these are made to supply the place of piety1 when1 instead of bringing the soul nearer to ,god1 they lead away from ,him1 then they become a curse and a snare4 ,the opinion prevails with many that all which appears like courtesy or refinement must1 in some sense1 pertain to ,christ4 ,never was there a greater mistake4 ,these qualities should grace the character of every ,christian1 for they would exert a powerful influence in favor of true religion2 but they must be consecrated to ,god1 or they also are a power for evil4 ,many a man of cultured intellect and pleasant manners1 who would not stoop to what is commonly regarded as an immoral act1 is but a polished instrument in the hands of ,satan4 ,the insidious1 deceptive character of his influence and example renders him a more dangerous enemy to the cause of ,christ than are those who are ignorant and uncultured4 ,by earnest prayer and dependence upon ,god1 ,solomon obtained the wisdom which excited the wonder and admiration of the world4 ,but when he turned from the ,source of his strength1 and went forward relying upon himself1 he fell a prey to temptation4 ,then the marvelous powers bestowed on this wisest of kings1 only rendered him a more effective agent of the adversary of souls4 ,while ,satan is constantly seeking to blind their minds to the fact1 let ,christians never forget that they 8wrestle not against flesh and blood1 but against principalities1 against powers1 against the rulers of the darkness of this world1 against wicked spirits in high places407#hid7 ,the inspired warning is sounding down the centuries to our time3 8,be sober1 be vigilant2 because your adversary the devil1 as a roaring lion1 walketh about1 seeking whom he may devour407#hie7 8,put on the whole armor of ,god1 that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil407#hif7 ,from the days of ,adam to our own time1 our great enemy has been exercising his power to oppress and destroy4 ,he is now preparing for his last campaign against the church4 ,all who seek to follow ,jesus will be brought into conflict with this relentless foe4 ,the more nearly the ,christian imitates the divine ,pattern1 the more surely will he make himself a mark for the attacks of ,satan4 ,all who are actively engaged in the cause of ,god1 seeking to unveil the deceptions of the evil one and to present ,christ before the people1 will be able to join in the testimony of ,paul1 in which he speaks of serving the ,lord with all humility of mind1 with many tears and temptations4 ,satan assailed ,christ with his fiercest and most subtle temptations2 but he was repulsed in every conflict4 ,those battles were fought in our behalf2 those victories make it possible for us to conquer4 ,christ will give strength to all who seek it4 ,no man without his own consent can be overcome by ,satan4 ,the tempter has no power to control the will or to force the soul to sin4 ,he may distress1 but he cannot contaminate4 ,he can cause agony1 but not defilement4 ,the fact that ,christ has conquered should inspire ,his followers with courage to fight manfully the battle against sin and ,satan4 #ca4 ,,agency ,,of ,,evil ,,spirits4 ,illustration3 ,chapter header4 ,the connection of the visible with the invisible world1 the ministration of angels of ,god1 and the agency of evil spirits1 are plainly revealed in the ,scriptures1 and inseparably interwoven with human history4 ,there is a growing tendency to disbelief in the existence of evil spirits1 while the holy angels that 8minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation107#hig7 are regarded by many as the spirits of the dead4 ,but the ,scriptures not only teach the existence of angels1 both good and evil1 but present unquestionable proof that these are not the disembodied spirits of dead men4 ,before the creation of man1 angels were in existence2 for when the foundations of the earth were laid1 8the morning stars sang together1 and all the sons of ,god shouted for joy407#hih7 ,after the fall of man1 angels were sent to guard the tree of life1 and this before a human being had died4 ,angels are in nature superior to men2 for the psalmist says that man was made 8a little lower than the angels407#hii7 ,we are informed in ,scripture as to the number1 and the power and glory1 of the heavenly beings1 of their connection with the government of ,god1 and also of their relation to the work of redemption4 8,the ,lord hath prepared ,his throne in the heavens2 and ,his kingdom ruleth over all40 ,and1 says the prophet1 8,i heard the voice of many angels round about the throne40 ,in the presence-chamber of the ,king of kings they wait--8angels1 that excel in strength10 8ministers of ,his1 that do ,his pleasure10 8hearkening unto the voice of ,his word407#ijj7 ,ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands1 were the heavenly messengers beheld by the prophet ,daniel4 ,the apostle ,paul declared them 8an innumerable company407#ija7 ,as ,god's messengers they go forth1 like 8the appearance of a flash of lightning107#ijb7 so dazzling their glory1 and so swift their flight4 ,the angel that appeared at the ,saviour's tomb1 his countenance 8like lightning1 and his raiment white as snow10 caused the keepers for fear of him to quake1 and they 8became as dead men407#ijc7 ,when ,sennacherib1 the haughty ,assyrian1 reproached and blasphemed ,god1 and threatened ,israel with destruction1 8it came to pass that night1 that the angel of the ,lord went out1 and smote in the camp of the ,assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand40 ,there were 8cut off all the mighty men of valor1 and the leaders and captains10 from the army of ,sennacherib4 8,so he returned with shame of face to his own land407#ijd7 ,angels are sent on missions of mercy to the children of ,god4 ,to ,abraham1 with promises of blessing2 to the gates of ,sodom1 to rescue righteous ,lot from its fiery doom2 to ,elijah1 as he was about to perish from weariness and hunger in the desert2 to ,elisha1 with chariots and horses of fire surrounding the little town where he was shut in by his foes2 to ,daniel1 while seeking divine wisdom in the court of a heathen king1 or abandoned to become the lions' prey2 to ,peter1 doomed to death in ,herod's dungeon2 to the prisoners at ,philippi2 to ,paul and his companions in the night of tempest on the sea2 to open the mind of ,cornelius to receive the gospel2 to dispatch ,peter with the message of salvation to the ,gentile stranger1--thus holy angels have1 in all ages1 ministered to ,god's people4 ,a guardian angel is appointed to every follower of ,christ4 ,these heavenly watchers shield the righteous from the power of the wicked one4 ,this ,satan himself recognized when he said1 8,doth ,job fear ,god for naught8 ,hast not ,thou made a hedge about him1 and about his house1 and about all that he hath on every side807#ije7 ,the agency by which ,god protects ,his people is presented in the words of the psalmist1 8,the angel of the ,lord encampeth round about them that fear ,him1 and delivereth them407#ijf7 ,said the ,saviour1 speaking of those that believe in ,him1 8,take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones2 for ,i say unto you1 ,that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of ,my ,father407#ijg7 ,the angels appointed to minister to the children of ,god have at all times access to ,his presence4 ,thus ,god's people1 exposed to the deceptive power and unsleeping malice of the prince of darkness1 and in conflict with all the forces of evil1 are assured of the unceasing guardianship of heavenly angels4 ,nor is such assurance given without need4 ,if ,god has granted to ,his children promise of grace and protection1 it is because there are mighty agencies of evil to be met1--agencies numerous1 determined1 and untiring1 of whose malignity and power none can safely be ignorant or unheeding4 ,evil spirits1 in the beginning created sinless1 were equal in nature1 power1 and glory with the holy beings that are now ,god's messengers4 ,but fallen through sin1 they are leagued together for the dishonor of ,god and the destruction of men4 ,united with ,satan in his rebellion1 and with him cast out from heaven1 they have1 through all succeeding ages1 co-operated with him in his warfare against the divine authority4 ,we are told in ,scripture of their confederacy and government1 of their various orders1 of their intelligence and subtlety1 and of their malicious designs against the peace and happiness of men4 ,old ,testament history presents occasional mentions of their existence and agency2 but it was during the time when ,christ was upon the earth that evil spirits manifested their power in the most striking manner4 ,christ had come to enter upon the plan devised for man's redemption1 and ,satan determined to assert his right to control the world4 ,he had succeeded in establishing idolatry in every part of the earth except the land of ,palestine4 ,to the only land that had not fully yielded to the tempter's sway1 ,christ came to shed upon the people the light of heaven4 ,here two rival powers claimed supremacy4 ,jesus was stretching out ,his arms of love1 inviting all who would to find pardon and peace in ,him4 ,the hosts of darkness saw that they did not possess unlimited control1 and they understood that if ,christ's mission should be successful1 their rule was soon to end4 ,satan raged like a chained lion1 and defiantly exhibited his power over the bodies as well as the souls of men4 ,the fact that men have been possessed with demons1 is clearly stated in the ,new ,testament4 ,the persons thus afflicted were not merely suffering with disease from natural causes4 ,christ had perfect understanding of that with which ,he was dealing1 and ,he recognized the direct presence and agency of evil spirits4 ,a striking example of their number1 power1 and malignity1 and also of the power and mercy of ,christ1 is given in the ,scripture account of the healing of the demoniacs at ,gadara4 ,those wretched maniacs1 spurning all restraint1 writhing1 foaming1 raging1 were filling the air with their cries1 doing violence to themselves1 and endangering all who should approach them4 ,their bleeding and disfigured bodies and distracted minds presented a spectacle well-pleasing to the prince of darkness4 ,one of the demons controlling the sufferers declared1 8,my name is ,legion3 for we are many407#ijh7 ,in the ,roman army a legion consisted of from three to five thousand men4 ,satan's hosts also are marshaled in companies1 and the single company to which these demons belonged numbered no less than a legion4 ,at the command of ,jesus1 the evil spirits departed from their victims1 leaving them calmly sitting at the ,saviour's feet1 subdued1 intelligent1 and gentle4 ,but the demons were permitted to sweep a herd of swine into the sea2 and to the dwellers of ,gadara the loss of these outweighed the blessings which ,christ had bestowed1 and the divine ,healer was entreated to depart4 ,this was the result which ,satan designed to secure4 ,by casting the blame of their loss upon ,jesus1 he aroused the selfish fears of the people1 and prevented them from listening to ,his words4 ,satan is constantly accusing ,christians as the cause of loss1 misfortune1 and suffering1 instead of allowing the reproach to fall where it belongs1--upon himself and his agents4 ,but the purposes of ,christ were not thwarted4 ,he allowed 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 gain4 ,had not ,christ restrained the demons1 they would have plunged into the sea1 not only the swine1 but also their keepers and owners4 ,the preservation of both the keepers and the owners was due alone to ,his power1 mercifully exercised for their deliverance4 ,furthermore1 this event was permitted to take place that the disciples might witness the cruel power of ,satan upon both man and beast4 ,the ,saviour desired ,his followers to have a knowledge of the foe whom they were to meet1 that they might not be deceived and overcome by his devices4 ,it was also ,his will that the people of that region should behold ,his power to break the bondage of ,satan and release his captives4 ,and though ,jesus ,himself departed1 the men so marvelously delivered1 remained to declare the mercy of their ,benefactor4 ,other instances of a similar nature are recorded in the ,scriptures4 ,the daughter of the ,syro-,phenician woman was grievously vexed with a devil1 whom ,jesus cast out by ,his word47#iji7 ,one 8possessed with a devil1 blind1 and dumb207#iaj7 a youth who had a dumb spirit1 that ofttimes 8cast him into the fire1 and into the waters1 to destroy him207#iaa7 the maniac who1 tormented by 8a spirit of an unclean devil107#iab7 disturbed the ,sabbath quiet of the synagogue at ,capernaum1--all were healed by the compassionate ,saviour4 ,in nearly every instance1 ,christ addressed the demon as an intelligent entity1 commanding him to come out of his victim and to torment him no more4 ,the worshipers at ,capernaum1 beholding ,his mighty power1 8were all amazed1 and spake among themselves1 saying1 #8,what a word is this6 for with authority and power ,he commandeth the unclean spirits1 and they come out4' 07#iac7 ,those possessed with devils are usually represented as being in a condition of great suffering2 yet there were exceptions to this rule4 ,for the sake of obtaining supernatural power1 some welcomed the satanic influence4 ,these of course had no conflict with the demons4 ,of this class were those who possessed the spirit of divination1--,simon ,magus1 ,elymas the sorcerer1 and the damsel who followed ,paul and ,silas at ,philippi4 ,none are in greater danger from the influence of evil spirits than those who1 notwithstanding the direct and ample testimony of the ,scriptures1 deny the existence and agency of the devil and his angels4 ,so long as we are ignorant of their wiles1 they have almost inconceivable advantage2 many give heed to their suggestions while they suppose themselves to be following the dictates of their own wisdom4 ,this is why1 as we approach the close of time1 when ,satan is to work with greatest power to deceive and destroy1 he spreads everywhere the belief that he does not exist4 ,it is his policy to conceal himself and his manner of working4 ,there is nothing that the great deceiver fears so much as that we shall become acquainted with his devices4 ,the better to disguise his real character and purposes1 he has caused himself to be so represented as to excite no stronger emotion than ridicule or contempt4 ,he is well pleased to be painted as a ludicrous or loathsome object1 misshapen1 half animal and half human4 ,he is pleased to hear his name used in sport and mockery by those who think themselves intelligent and well informed4 ,it is because he has masked himself with consummate skill that the question is so widely asked1 8,does such a being really exist80 ,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 world4 ,and it is because ,satan can most readily control the minds of those who are unconscious of his influence1 that the word of ,god gives us so many examples of his malignant work1 unveiling before us his secret forces1 and thus placing us on our guard against his assaults4 ,the power and malice of ,satan and his host might justly alarm us1 were it not that we may find shelter and deliverance in the superior power of our ,redeemer4 ,we carefully secure our houses with bolts and locks to protect our property and our lives from evil men2 but we seldom think of the evil angels who are constantly seeking access to us1 and against whose attacks we have1 in our own strength1 no method of defense4 ,if permitted1 they can distract our minds1 disorder and torment our bodies1 destroy our possessions and our lives4 ,their only delight is in misery and destruction4 ,fearful is the condition of those who resist the divine claims1 and yield to ,satan's temptations1 until ,god gives them up to the control of evil spirits4 ,but those who follow ,christ are ever safe under ,his watchcare4 ,angels that excel in strength are sent from heaven to protect them4 ,the wicked one cannot break through the guard which ,god has stationed about ,his people4 #cb4 ,,snares ,,of ,,satan4 ,illustration3 ,chapter header4 ,the great controversy between ,christ and ,satan1 that has been carried forward for nearly six thousand years1 is soon to close2 and the wicked one redoubles his efforts to defeat the work of ,christ in man's behalf1 and to fasten souls in his snares4 ,to hold the people in darkness and impenitence till the ,saviour's mediation is ended1 and there is no longer a sacrifice for sin1 is the object which he seeks to accomplish4 ,when there is no special effort made to resist his power1 when indifference prevails in the church and the world1 ,satan is not concerned2 for he is in no danger of losing those whom he is leading captive at his will4 ,but when the attention is called to eternal things1 and souls are inquiring1 8,what must ,i do to be saved80 he is on the ground1 seeking to match his power against the power of ,christ1 and to counteract the influence of the ,holy ,spirit4 ,the ,scriptures declare that upon one occasion1 when the angels of ,god came to present themselves before the ,lord1 ,satan came also among them17#iad7 not to bow before the ,eternal ,king1 but to further his own malicious designs against the righteous4 ,with the same object he is in attendance when men assemble for the worship of ,god4 ,though hidden from sight1 he is working with all diligence to control the minds of the worshipers4 ,like a skilful general1 he lays his plans beforehand4 ,as he sees the messenger of ,god searching the ,scriptures1 he takes note of the subject to be presented to the people4 ,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 point4 ,the one who most needs the warning will be urged into some business transaction which requires his presence1 or will by some other means be prevented from hearing the words that might prove to him a savor of life unto life4 ,again1 ,satan sees the ,lord's servants burdened because of the spiritual darkness that enshrouds the people4 ,he hears their earnest prayers for divine grace and power to break the spell of indifference1 carelessness1 and indolence4 ,then with renewed zeal he plies his arts4 ,he tempts men to the indulgence of appetite or to some other form of self-gratification1 and thus benumbs their sensibilities1 so that they fail to hear the very things which they most need to learn4 ,satan well knows that all whom he can lead to neglect prayer and the searching of the ,scriptures1 will be overcome by his attacks4 ,therefore he invents every possible device to engross the mind4 ,there has ever been a class professing godliness1 who1 instead of following on to know the truth1 make it their religion to seek some fault of character or error of faith in those with whom they do not agree4 ,such are ,satan's right-hand helpers4 ,accusers of the brethren are not few2 and they are always active when ,god is at work1 and ,his servants are rendering ,him true homage4 ,they will put a false coloring upon the words and acts of those who love and obey the truth4 ,they will represent the most earnest1 zealous1 self-denying servants of ,christ as deceived or deceivers4 ,it is their work to misrepresent the motives of every true and noble deed1 to circulate insinuations1 and arouse suspicion in the minds of the inexperienced4 ,in every conceivable manner they will seek to cause that which is pure and righteous to be regarded as foul and deceptive4 ,but none need be deceived concerning them4 ,it may be readily seen whose children they are1 whose example they follow1 and whose work they do4 8,ye shall know them by their fruits407#iae7 ,their course resembles that of ,satan1 the envenomed slanderer1 8the accuser of our brethren407#iaf7 ,the great deceiver has many agents ready to present any and every kind of error to ensnare souls1--heresies prepared to suit the varied tastes and capacities of those whom he would ruin4 ,it is his plan to bring into the church insincere1 unregenerate elements that will encourage doubt and unbelief1 and hinder all who desire to see the work of ,god advance1 and to advance with it4 ,many who have no real faith in ,god or in ,his word1 assent to some principles of truth1 and pass as ,christians2 and thus they are enabled to introduce their errors as scriptural doctrines4 ,the position that it is of no consequence what men believe1 is one of ,satan's most successful deceptions4 ,he knows that the truth1 received in the love of it1 sanctifies the soul of the receiver2 therefore he is constantly seeking to substitute false theories1 fables1 another gospel4 ,from the beginning1 the servants of ,god have contended against false teachers1 not merely as vicious men1 but as inculcators of falsehoods that were fatal to the soul4 ,elijah1 ,jeremiah1 ,paul1 firmly and fearlessly opposed those who were turning men from the word of ,god4 ,that liberality which regards a correct religious faith as unimportant1 found no favor with these holy defenders of the truth4 ,the vague and fanciful interpretations of ,scripture1 and the many conflicting theories concerning religious faith1 that are found in the ,christian world1 are the work of our great adversary1 to confuse minds so that they shall not discern the truth4 ,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 support a favorite theory4 ,instead of carefully studying ,god's word with humility of heart to obtain a knowledge of ,his will1 many seek only to discover something odd or original4 ,in order to sustain erroneous doctrines or unchristian practices1 some will seize upon passages of ,scripture separated from the context1 perhaps quoting half of a single verse as proving their point1 when the remaining portion would show the meaning to be quite the opposite4 ,with the cunning of the serpent1 they entrench themselves behind disconnected utterances construed to suit their carnal desires4 ,thus do many wilfully pervert the word of ,god4 ,others1 who have an active imagination1 seize upon the figures and symbols of ,holy ,writ1 interpret them to suit their fancy1 with little regard to the testimony of ,scripture as its own interpreter1 and then they present their vagaries as the teachings of the ,bible4 ,whenever the study of the ,scriptures is entered upon without a prayerful1 humble1 teachable spirit1 the plainest and simplest as well as the most difficult passages will be wrested from their true meaning4 ,the papal leaders select such portions of ,scripture as best serve their purpose1 interpret to suit themselves1 and then present these to the people1 while they deny them the privilege of studying the ,bible and understanding its sacred truths for themselves4 ,the whole ,bible should be given to the people just as it reads4 ,it would be better for them not to have ,bible instruction at all1 than to have the teaching of the ,scriptures thus grossly misrepresented4 ,the ,bible was designed to be a guide to all who wish to become acquainted with the will of their ,maker4 ,god gave to men the sure word of prophecy2 angels and even ,christ ,himself came to make known to ,daniel and ,john the things that must shortly come to pass4 ,those important matters that concern our salvation were not left involved in mystery4 ,they were not revealed in such a way as to perplex and mislead the honest seeker after truth4 ,said the ,lord by the prophet ,habakkuk1 8,write the vision1 and make it plain1 444 that he may run that readeth it407#iag7 ,the word of ,god is plain to all who study it with a prayerful heart4 ,every truly honest soul will come to the light of truth4 8,light is sown for the righteous407#iah7 ,and no church can advance in holiness unless its members are earnestly seeking for truth as for hid treasure4 ,by the cry1 ,liberality1 men are blinded to the devices of their adversary1 while he is all the time working steadily for the accomplishment of his object4 ,as he succeeds in supplanting the ,bible by human speculations1 the law of ,god is set aside1 and the churches are under the bondage of sin while they claim to be free4 ,to many1 scientific research has become a curse4 ,god has permitted a flood of light to be poured upon the world in discoveries in science and art2 but even the greatest minds1 if not guided by the word of ,god in their research1 become bewildered in their attempts to investigate the relations of science and revelation4 ,human knowledge of both material and spiritual things is partial and imperfect2 therefore many are unable to harmonize their views of science with ,scripture statements4 ,many accept mere theories and speculations as scientific facts1 and they think that ,god's word is to be tested by the teachings of 8science falsely so called407#iai7 ,the ,creator and ,his works are beyond their comprehension2 and because they cannot explain these by natural laws1 ,bible history is regarded as unreliable4 ,those who doubt the reliability of the records of the ,old and ,new ,testaments1 too often go a step farther1 and doubt the existence of ,god1 and attribute infinite power to nature4 ,having let go their anchor1 they are left to beat about upon the rocks of infidelity4 ,thus many err from the faith1 and are seduced by the devil4 ,men have endeavored to be wiser than their ,creator2 human philosophy has attempted to search out and explain mysteries which will never be revealed1 through the eternal ages4 ,if men would but search and understand what ,god has made known of ,himself and ,his purposes1 they would obtain such a view of the glory1 majesty1 and power of ,jehovah1 that they would realize their own littleness1 and would be content with that which has been revealed for themselves and their children4 ,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 known1 and which ,he does not intend that we shall understand4 ,it was thus that ,lucifer lost his place in heaven4 ,he became dissatisfied because all the secrets of ,god's purposes were not confided to him1 and he entirely disregarded that which was revealed concerning his own work in the lofty position assigned him4 ,by arousing the same discontent in the angels under his command1 he caused their fall4 ,now he seeks to imbue the minds of men with the same spirit1 and to lead them also to disregard the direct commands of ,god4 ,those who are unwilling to accept the plain1 cutting truths of the ,bible1 are continually seeking for pleasing fables that will quiet the conscience4 ,the less spiritual1 self-denying1 and humiliating the doctrines presented1 the greater the favor with which they are received4 ,these persons degrade the intellectual powers to serve their carnal desires4 ,too wise in their own conceit to search the ,scriptures with contrition of soul and earnest prayer for divine guidance1 they have no shield from delusion4 ,satan is ready to supply the heart's desire1 and he palms off his deceptions in the place of truth4 ,it was thus that the papacy gained its power over the minds of men2 and by rejection of the truth because it involves a cross1 ,protestants are following the same path4 ,all who neglect the word of ,god to study convenience and policy1 that they may not be at variance with the world1 will be left to receive damnable heresy for religious truth4 ,every conceivable form of error will be accepted by those who wilfully reject the truth4 ,he who looks with horror upon one deception will readily receive another4 ,the apostle ,paul1 speaking of a class who 8received not the love of the truth1 that they might be saved10 declares1 8,for this cause ,god shall send them strong delusion1 that they should believe a lie3 that they all might be damned who believed not the truth1 but had pleasure in unrighteousness407#ibj7 ,with such a warning before us1 it behooves us to be on our guard as to what doctrines we receive4 ,among the most successful agencies of the great deceiver are the delusive teachings and lying wonders of ,spiritualism4 ,disguised as an angel of light1 he spreads his nets where least suspected4 ,if men would but study the ,book of ,god with earnest prayer that they might understand it1 they would not be left in darkness to receive false doctrines4 ,but as they reject the truth1 they fall a prey to deception4 ,another dangerous error is the doctrine that denies the deity of ,christ1 claiming that ,he had no existence before ,his advent to this world4 ,this theory is received with favor by a large class who profess to believe the ,bible2 yet it directly contradicts the plainest statements of our ,saviour concerning ,his relationship with the ,father1 ,his divine character1 and ,his pre-existence4 ,it cannot be entertained without the most unwarranted wresting of the ,scriptures4 ,it not only lowers man's conceptions of the work of redemption1 but undermines faith in the ,bible as a revelation from ,god4 ,while this renders it the more dangerous1 it makes it also harder to meet4 ,if men reject the testimony of the inspired ,scriptures concerning the deity of ,christ1 it is in vain to argue the point with them2 for no argument1 however conclusive1 could convince them4 8,the natural man receiveth not the things of the ,spirit of ,god3 for they are foolishness unto him3 neither can he know them1 because they are spiritually discerned407#iba7 ,none who hold this error can have a true conception of the character or the mission of ,christ1 or of the great plan of ,god for man's redemption4 ,still another subtle and mischievous error is the fast-spreading belief that ,satan has no existence as a personal being2 that the name is used in ,scripture merely to represent men's evil thoughts and desires4 ,the teaching so widely echoed from popular pulpits1 that the second advent of ,christ is ,his coming to each individual at death1 is a device to divert the minds of men from ,his personal coming in the clouds of heaven4 ,for years ,satan has thus been saying1 8,behold1 ,he is in the secret chambers107#ibb7 and many souls have been lost by accepting this deception4 ,again1 worldly wisdom teaches that prayer is not essential4 ,men of science claim that there can be no real answer to prayer2 that this would be a violation of law1 a miracle1 and that miracles have no existence4 ,the universe1 say they1 is governed by fixed laws1 and ,god ,himself does nothing contrary to these laws4 ,thus they represent ,god as bound by ,his own laws--as if the operation of divine laws could exclude divine freedom4 ,such teaching is opposed to the testimony of the ,scriptures4 ,were not miracles wrought by ,christ and ,his apostles8 ,the same compassionate ,saviour lives to-day1 and ,he is as willing to listen to the prayer of faith as when ,he walked visibly among men4 ,the natural co-operates with the supernatural4 ,it is a part of ,god's plan to grant us1 in answer to the prayer of faith1 that which ,he would not bestow did we not thus ask4 ,innumerable are the erroneous doctrines and fanciful ideas that are obtaining among the churches of ,christendom4 ,it is impossible to estimate the evil results of removing one of the landmarks fixed by the word of ,god4 ,few who venture to do this stop with the rejection of a single truth4 ,the majority continue to set aside one after another of the principles of truth1 until they become actual infidels4 ,the errors of popular theology have driven many a soul to skepticism1 who might otherwise have been a believer in the ,scriptures4 ,it is impossible for him to accept doctrines which outrage his sense of justice1 mercy1 and benevolence3 and since these are represented as the teaching of the ,bible1 he refuses to receive it as the word of ,god4 ,and this is the object which ,satan seeks to accomplish4 ,there is nothing that he desires more than to destroy confidence in ,god and in ,his word4 ,satan stands at the head of the great army of doubters1 and he works to the utmost of his power to beguile souls into his ranks4 ,it is becoming fashionable to doubt4 ,there is a large class by whom the word of ,god is looked upon with distrust for the same reason as was its ,author1--because it reproves and condemns sin4 ,those who are unwilling to obey its requirements1 endeavor to overthrow its authority4 ,they read the ,bible1 or listen to its teachings as presented from the sacred desk1 merely to find fault with the ,scriptures or with the sermon4 ,not a few become infidels in order to justify or excuse themselves in neglect of duty4 ,others adopt skeptical principles from pride and indolence4 ,too ease-loving to distinguish themselves by accomplishing anything worthy of honor1 which requires effort and self-denial1 they aim to secure a reputation for superior wisdom by criticising the ,bible4 ,there is much which the finite mind1 unenlightened by divine wisdom1 is powerless to comprehend2 and thus they find occasion to criticise4 ,there are many who seem to feel that it is a virtue to stand on the side of unbelief1 skepticism1 and infidelity4 ,but underneath an appearance of candor1 it will be found that such persons are actuated by self-confidence and pride4 ,many delight in finding something in the ,scriptures to puzzle the minds of others4 ,some at first criticise and reason on the wrong side1 from a mere love of controversy4 ,they do not realize that they are thus entangling themselves in the snare of the fowler4 ,but having openly expressed unbelief1 they feel that they must maintain their position4 ,thus they unite with the ungodly1 and close to themselves the gates of ,paradise4 ,god has given in ,his word sufficient evidence of its divine character4 ,the great truths which concern our redemption are clearly presented4 ,by the aid of the ,holy ,spirit1 which is promised to all who seek it in sincerity1 every man may understand these truths for himself4 ,god has granted to men a strong foundation upon which to rest their faith4 ,yet the finite minds of men are inadequate fully to comprehend the plans and purposes of the ,infinite ,one4 ,we can never by searching find out ,god4 ,we must not attempt to lift with presumptuous hand the curtain behind which ,he veils ,his majesty4 ,the apostle exclaims1 8,how unsearchable are ,his judgments1 and ,his ways past finding out607#ibc7 ,we can so far comprehend ,his dealings with us1 and the motives by which ,he is actuated1 that we may discern boundless love and mercy united to infinite power4 ,our ,father in heaven orders everything in wisdom and righteousness1 and we are not to be dissatisfied and distrustful1 but to bow in reverent submission4 ,he will reveal to us as much of ,his purposes as it is for our good to know1 and beyond that we must trust the ,hand that is omnipotent1 the ,heart that is full of love4 ,while ,god has given ample evidence for faith1 ,he will never remove all excuse for unbelief4 ,all who look for hooks to hang their doubts upon1 will find them4 ,and those who refuse to accept and obey ,god's word until every objection has been removed1 and there is no longer an opportunity for doubt1 will never come to the light4 ,distrust of ,god is the natural outgrowth of the unrenewed heart1 which is at enmity with ,him4 ,but faith is inspired by the ,holy ,spirit1 and it will flourish only as it is cherished4 ,no man can become strong in faith without a determined effort4 ,unbelief strengthens as it is encouraged2 and if men1 instead of dwelling upon the evidences which ,god has given to sustain their faith1 permit themselves to question and cavil1 they will find their doubts constantly becoming more confirmed4 ,but those who doubt ,god's promises1 and distrust the assurance of ,his grace1 are dishonoring ,him2 and their influence1 instead of drawing others to ,christ1 tends to repel them from ,him4 ,they are unproductive trees1 that spread their dark branches far and wide1 shutting away the sunlight from other plants1 and causing them to droop and die under the chilling shadow4 ,the life-work of these persons will appear as a never-ceasing witness against them4 ,they are sowing seeds of doubt and skepticism that will yield an unfailing harvest4 ,there is but one course for those to pursue who honestly desire to be freed from doubts4 ,instead of questioning and caviling concerning that which they do not understand1 let them give heed to the light which already shines upon them1 and they will receive greater light4 ,let them do every duty which has been made plain to their understanding1 and they will be enabled to understand and perform those of which they are now in doubt4 ,satan can present a counterfeit so closely resembling the truth that it deceives those who are willing to be deceived1 who desire to shun the self-denial and sacrifice demanded by the truth2 but it is impossible for him to hold under his power one soul who honestly desires1 at whatever cost1 to know the truth4 ,christ is the truth1 and the 8light1 which lighteth every man that cometh into the world407#ibd7 ,the ,spirit of truth has been sent to guide men into all truth4 ,and upon the authority of the ,son of ,god it is declared1 8,seek1 and ye shall find40 8,if any man will do ,his will1 he shall know of the doctrine407#ibe7 ,the followers of ,christ know little of the plots which ,satan and his hosts are forming against them4 ,but ,he who sitteth in the heavens will overrule all these devices for the accomplishment of ,his deep designs4 ,the ,lord permits ,his people to be subjected to the fiery ordeal of temptation1 not because ,he takes pleasure in their distress and affliction1 but because this process is essential to their final victory4 ,he could not1 consistently with ,his own glory1 shield them from temptation2 for the very object of the trial is to prepare them to resist all the allurements of evil4 ,neither wicked men nor devils can hinder the work of ,god1 or shut out ,his presence from ,his people1 if they will1 with subdued1 contrite hearts1 confess and put away their sins1 and in faith claim ,his promises4 ,every temptation1 every opposing influence1 whether open or secret1 may be successfully resisted1 8not by might1 nor by power1 but by ,my ,spirit1 saith the ,lord of hosts407#ibf7 8,the eyes of the ,lord are over the righteous1 and ,his ears are open unto their prayers4444 ,and who is he that will harm you1 if ye be followers of that which is good807#ibg7 ,when ,balaam1 allured by the promise of rich rewards1 practised enchantments against ,israel1 and by sacrifices to the ,lord sought to invoke a curse upon ,his people1 the ,spirit of ,god forbade the evil which he longed to pronounce1 and ,balaam was forced to exclaim3 8,how shall ,i curse1 whom ,god hath not cursed8 or how shall ,i defy1 whom the ,lord hath not defied80 8,let me die the death of the righteous1 and let my last end be like his60 ,when sacrifice had again been offered1 the ungodly prophet declared3 8,behold1 ,i have received commandment to bless3 and ,he hath blessed2 and ,i cannot reverse it4 ,he hath not beheld iniquity in ,jacob1 neither hath ,he seen perverseness in ,israel3 the ,lord his ,god is with him1 and the shout of a ,king is among them40 8,surely there is no enchantment against ,jacob1 neither is there any divination against ,israel3 according to this time it shall be said of ,jacob and of ,israel1 ,what hath ,god wrought607#ibh7 ,yet a third time altars were erected1 and again ,balaam essayed to secure a curse4 ,but from the unwilling lips of the prophet1 the ,spirit of ,god declared the prosperity of ,his chosen1 and rebuked the folly and malice of their foes3 8,blessed is he that blesseth thee1 and cursed is he that curseth thee407#ibi7 ,the people of ,israel were at this time loyal to ,god2 and so long as they continued in obedience to ,his law1 no power in earth or hell could prevail against them4 ,but the curse which ,balaam had not been permitted to pronounce against ,god's people1 he finally succeeded in bringing upon them by seducing them into sin4 ,when they transgressed ,god's commandments1 then they separated themselves from ,him1 and they were left to feel the power of the destroyer4 ,satan is well aware that the weakest soul who abides in ,christ is more than a match for the hosts of darkness1 and that1 should he reveal himself openly1 he would be met and resisted4 ,therefore he seeks to draw away the soldiers of the cross from their strong fortification1 while he lies in ambush with his forces1 ready to destroy all who venture upon his ground4 ,only in humble reliance upon ,god1 and obedience to all ,his commandments1 can we be secure4 ,no man is safe for a day or an hour without prayer4 ,especially should we entreat the ,lord for wisdom to understand ,his word4 ,here are revealed the wiles of the tempter1 and the means by which he may be successfully resisted4 ,satan is an expert in quoting ,scripture1 placing his own interpretation upon passages1 by which he hopes to cause us to stumble4 ,we should study the ,bible with humility of heart1 never losing sight of our dependence upon ,god4 ,while we must constantly guard against the devices of ,satan1 we should pray in faith continually1 8,lead us not into temptation40 #cc4 ,,the ,,first ,,great ,,deception4 ,illustration3 ,chapter header4 ,with the earliest history of man1 ,satan began his efforts to deceive our race4 ,he who had incited rebellion in heaven1 desired to bring the inhabitants of the earth to unite with him in his warfare against the government of ,god4 ,adam and ,eve had been perfectly happy in obedience to the law of ,god1 and this fact was a constant testimony against the claim which ,satan had urged in heaven1 that ,god's law was oppressive1 and opposed to the good of ,his creatures4 ,and furthermore1 ,satan's envy was excited as he looked upon the beautiful home prepared for the sinless pair4 ,he determined to cause their fall1 that1 having separated them from ,god and brought them under his own power1 he might gain possession of the earth1 and here establish his kingdom1 in opposition to the ,most ,high4 ,had ,satan revealed himself in his real character1 he would have been repulsed at once1 for ,adam and ,eve had been warned against this dangerous foe2 but he worked in the dark1 concealing his purpose1 that he might more effectually accomplish his object4 ,employing as his medium the serpent1 then a creature of fascinating appearance1 he addressed himself to ,eve1 8,hath ,god said1 ,ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden807#icj7 ,had ,eve refrained from entering into argument with the tempter1 she would have been safe2 but she ventured to parley with him1 and fell a victim to his wiles4 ,it is thus that many are still overcome4 ,they doubt and argue concerning the requirements of ,god2 and instead of obeying the divine commands1 they accept human theories1 which but disguise the devices of ,satan4 8,the woman said unto the serpent1 ,we may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden3 but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden1 ,god hath said1 ,ye shall not eat of it1 neither shall ye touch it1 lest ye die4 ,and the serpent said unto the woman1 ,ye shall not surely die3 for ,god doth know that in the day ye eat thereof1 then your eyes shall be opened1 and ye shall be as gods1 knowing good and evil407#ica7 ,he declared that they would become like ,god1 possessing greater wisdom than before1 and being capable of a higher state of existence4 ,eve yielded to temptation2 and through her influence1 ,adam was led into sin4 ,they accepted the words of the serpent1 that ,god did not mean what ,he said2 they distrusted their ,creator1 and imagined that ,he was restricting their liberty1 and that they might obtain great wisdom and exaltation by transgressing ,his law4 ,but what did ,adam1 after his sin1 find to be the meaning of the words1 8,in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die08 ,did he find them to mean1 as ,satan had led him to believe1 that he was to be ushered into a more exalted state of existence8 ,then indeed there was great good to be gained by transgression1 and ,satan was proved to be a benefactor of the race4 ,but ,adam did not find this to be the meaning of the divine sentence4 ,god declared that as a penalty for his sin1 man should return to the ground whence he was taken3 8,dust thou art1 and unto dust shalt thou return407#icb7 ,the words of ,satan1 8,your eyes shall be opened10 proved to be true in this sense only3 ,after ,adam and ,eve had disobeyed ,god1 their eyes were opened to discern their folly2 they did know evil1 and they tasted the bitter fruit of transgression4 ,in the midst of ,eden grew the tree of life1 whose fruit had the power of perpetuating life4 ,had ,adam remained obedient to ,god1 he would have continued to enjoy free access to this tree1 and would have lived forever4 ,but when he sinned1 he was cut off from partaking of the tree of life1 and he became subject to death4 ,the divine sentence1 8,dust thou art1 and unto dust shalt thou return10 points to the utter extinction of life4 ,immortality1 promised to man on condition of obedience1 had been forfeited by transgression4 ,adam could not transmit to his posterity that which he did not possess2 and there could have been no hope for the fallen race had not ,god1 by the sacrifice of ,his ,son1 brought immortality within their reach4 ,while 8death passed upon all men1 for that all have sinned10 ,christ 8hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel407#icc7 ,and only through ,christ can immortality be obtained4 ,said ,jesus1 8,he that believeth on the ,son hath everlasting life3 and he that believeth not the ,son shall not see life407#icd7 ,every man may come into possession of this priceless blessing if he will comply with the conditions4 ,all 8who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honor and immortality10 will receive 8eternal life407#ice7 ,the only one who promised ,adam life in disobedience was the great deceiver4 ,and the declaration of the serpent to ,eve in ,eden1--8,ye shall not surely die10--was the first sermon ever preached upon the immortality of the soul4 ,yet this declaration1 resting solely upon the authority of ,satan1 is echoed from the pulpits of ,christendom1 and is received by the majority of mankind as readily as it was received by our first parents4 ,the divine sentence1 8,the soul that sinneth1 it shall die107#icf7 is made to mean1 ,the soul that sinneth1 it shall not die1 but live eternally4 ,we cannot but wonder at the strange infatuation which renders men so credulous concerning the words of ,satan1 and so unbelieving in regard to the words of ,god4 ,had man1 after his fall1 been allowed free access to the tree of life1 he would have lived forever1 and thus sin would have been immortalized4 ,but cherubim and a flaming sword kept 8the way of the tree of life107#icg7 and not one of the family of ,adam has been permitted to pass that barrier and partake of the life-giving fruit4 ,therefore there is not an immortal sinner4 ,but after the fall1 ,satan bade his angels make a special effort to inculcate the belief in man's natural immortality2 and having induced the people to receive this error1 they were to lead them on to conclude that the sinner would live in eternal misery4 ,now the prince of darkness1 working through his agents1 represents ,god as a revengeful tyrant1 declaring that ,he plunges into hell all those who do not please ,him1 and causes them ever to feel ,his wrath2 and that while they suffer unutterable anguish1 and writhe in the eternal flames1 their ,creator looks down upon them with satisfaction4 ,thus the arch-fiend clothes with his own attributes the ,creator and ,benefactor of mankind4 ,cruelty is satanic4 ,god is love2 and all that ,he created was pure1 holy1 and lovely1 until sin was brought in by the first great rebel4 ,satan himself is the enemy who tempts man to sin1 and then destroys him if he can2 and when he has made sure of his victim1 then he exults in the ruin he has wrought4 ,if permitted1 he would sweep the entire race into his net4 ,were it not for the interposition of divine power1 not one son or daughter of ,adam would escape4 ,satan is seeking to overcome men to-day1 as he overcame our first parents1 by shaking their confidence in their ,creator1 and leading them to doubt the wisdom of ,his government and the justice of ,his laws4 ,satan and his emissaries represent ,god as even worse than themselves1 in order to justify their own malignity and rebellion4 ,the great deceiver endeavors to shift his own horrible cruelty of character upon our heavenly ,father1 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 governor4 ,he presents before the world the liberty which they may enjoy under his mild sway1 in contrast with the bondage imposed by the stern decrees of ,jehovah4 ,thus he succeeds in luring souls away from their allegiance to ,god4 ,how repugnant to every emotion of love and mercy1 and even to our sense of justice1 is the doctrine that the wicked dead are tormented with fire and brimstone in an eternally burning hell2 that for the sins of a brief earthly life they are to suffer torture as long as ,god shall live4 ,yet this doctrine has been widely taught1 and is still embodied in many of the creeds of ,christendom4 ,said a learned doctor of divinity3 8,the sight of hell-torments will exalt the happiness of the saints forever4 ,when they see others who are of the same nature and born under the same circumstances1 plunged in such misery1 and they so distinguished1 it will make them sensible of how happy they are40 ,another used these words3 8,while the decree of reprobation is eternally executing on the vessels of wrath1 the smoke of their torment will be eternally ascending in view of the vessels of mercy1 who1 instead of taking the part of these miserable objects1 will say1 ,amen1 ,alleluia6 praise ye the ,lord60 ,where1 in the pages of ,god's word1 is such teaching to be found8 ,will the redeemed in heaven be lost to all emotions of pity and compassion1 and even to feelings of common humanity8 ,are these to be exchanged for the indifference of the stoic1 or the cruelty of the savage8 ,no1 no2 such is not the teaching of the ,book of ,god4 ,those who present the views expressed in the quotations given above may be learned and even honest men2 but they are deluded by the sophistry of ,satan4 ,he leads them to misconstrue strong expressions of ,scripture1 giving to the language the coloring of bitterness and malignity which pertains to himself1 but not to our ,creator4 8,as ,i live1 saith the ,lord ,god1 ,i have no pleasure in the death of the wicked2 but that the wicked turn from his way and live3 turn ye1 turn ye from your evil ways2 for why will ye die807#ich7 ,what would be gained to ,god should we admit that ,he delights in witnessing unceasing tortures2 that ,he is regaled with the groans and shrieks and imprecations of the suffering creatures whom ,he holds in the flames of hell8 ,can these horrid sounds be music in the ear of ,infinite ,love8 ,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 universe4 ,oh1 dreadful blasphemy6 ,as if ,god's hatred of sin is the reason why it is perpetuated4 ,for1 according to the teachings of these theologians1 continued torture without hope of mercy maddens its wretched victims1 and as they pour out their rage in curses and blasphemy1 they are forever augmenting their load of guilt4 ,god's glory is not enhanced by thus perpetuating continually increasing sin through ceaseless ages4 ,it is beyond the power of the human mind to estimate the evil which has been wrought by the heresy of eternal torment4 ,the religion of the ,bible1 full of love and goodness1 and abounding in compassion1 is darkened by superstition and clothed with terror4 ,when we consider in what false colors ,satan has painted the character of ,god1 can we wonder that our merciful ,creator is feared1 dreaded1 and even hated8 ,the appalling views of ,god which have spread over the world from the teachings of the pulpit have made thousands1 yes1 millions1 of skeptics and infidels4 ,the theory of eternal torment is one of the false doctrines that constitute the wine of the abominations of ,babylon1 of which she makes all nations drink47#ici7 ,that ministers of ,christ should have accepted this heresy and proclaimed it from the sacred desk1 is indeed a mystery4 ,they received it from ,rome1 as they received the false sabbath4 ,true1 it has been taught by great and good men2 but the light on this subject had not come to them as it has come to us4 ,they were responsible only for the light which shone in their time2 we are accountable for that which shines in our day4 ,if we turn from the testimony of ,god's word1 and accept false doctrines because our fathers taught them1 we fall under the condemnation pronounced upon ,babylon2 we are drinking of the wine of her abominations4 ,a large class to whom the doctrine of eternal torment is revolting1 are driven to the opposite error4 ,they see that the ,scriptures represent ,god as a being of love and compassion1 and they cannot believe that ,he will consign ,his creatures to the fires of an eternally burning hell4 ,but holding that the soul is naturally immortal1 they see no alternative but to conclude that all mankind will finally be saved4 ,many regard the threatenings of the ,bible as designed merely to frighten men into obedience1 and not to be literally fulfilled4 ,thus the sinner can live in selfish pleasure1 disregarding the requirements of ,god1 and yet expect to be finally received into ,his favor4 ,such a doctrine1 presuming upon ,god's mercy1 but ignoring ,his justice1 pleases the carnal heart1 and emboldens the wicked in their iniquity4 ,to show how believers in universal salvation wrest the ,scriptures to sustain their soul-destroying dogmas1 it is needful only to cite their own utterances4 ,at the funeral of an irreligious young man1 who had been killed instantly by an accident1 a ,universalist minister selected as his text the ,scripture statement concerning ,david1 8,he was comforted concerning ,amnon1 seeing he was dead407#idj7 8,i am frequently asked10 said the speaker1 8what will be the fate of those who leave the world in sin1 die1 perhaps1 in a state of inebriation1 die with the scarlet stains of crime unwashed from their robes1 or die as this young man died1 having never made a profession or enjoyed an experience of religion4 ,we are content with the ,scriptures2 their answer shall solve the awful problem4 ,amnon was exceedingly sinful2 he was unrepentant1 he was made drunk1 and while drunk was killed4 ,david was a prophet of ,god2 he must have known whether it would be ill or well for ,amnon in the world to come4 ,what were the expressions of his heart8 #8,the soul of ,king ,david longed to go forth unto ,absalom3 for he was comforted concerning ,amnon1 seeing he was dead4' 8,and what is the inference to be deduced from this language8 ,is it not that endless suffering formed no part of his religious belief8 ,so we conceive2 and here we discover a triumphant argument in support of the more pleasing1 more enlightened1 more benevolent hypothesis of ultimate universal purity and peace4 ,he was comforted1 seeing his son was dead4 ,and why so8 ,because by the eye of prophecy he could look forward into the glorious future1 and see that son far removed from all temptations1 released from the bondage and purified from the corruptions of sin1 and after being made sufficiently holy and enlightened1 admitted to the assembly of ascended and rejoicing spirits4 ,his only comfort was1 that in being removed from the present state of sin and suffering1 his beloved son had gone where the loftiest breathings of the ,holy ,spirit would be shed upon his darkened soul2 where his mind would be unfolded to the wisdom of heaven and the sweet raptures of immortal love1 and thus prepared with a sanctified nature to enjoy the rest and society of the heavenly inheritance4 8,in these thoughts we would be understood to believe that the salvation of heaven depends upon nothing which we can do in this life2 neither upon a present change of heart1 nor upon present belief1 or a present profession of religion40 ,thus does the professed minister of ,christ reiterate the falsehood uttered by the serpent in ,eden1 8,ye shall not surely die40 8,in the day ye eat thereof1 then your eyes shall be opened1 and ye shall be as gods40 ,he declares that the vilest of sinners1--the murderer1 the thief1 and the adulterer1--will after death be prepared to enter into immortal bliss4 ,and from what does this perverter of the ,scriptures draw his conclusions8 ,from a single sentence expressing ,david's submission to the dispensation of ,providence4 ,his soul 8longed to go forth unto ,absalom3 for he was comforted concerning ,amnon1 seeing he was dead40 ,the poignancy of his grief having been softened by time1 his thoughts turned from the dead to the living son1 self-banished through fear of the just punishment of his crime4 ,and this is the evidence that the incestuous1 drunken ,amnon was at death immediately transported to the abodes of bliss1 there to be purified and prepared for the companionship of sinless angels6 ,a pleasing fable indeed1 well suited to gratify the carnal heart6 ,this is ,satan's own doctrine1 and it does his work effectually4 ,should we be surprised that1 with such instruction1 wickedness abounds8 ,the course pursued by this one false teacher illustrates that of many others4 ,a few words of ,scripture are separated from the context1 which would1 in many cases1 show their meaning to be exactly opposite to the interpretation put upon them2 and such disjointed passages are perverted and used in proof of doctrines that have no foundation in the word of ,god4 ,the testimony cited as evidence that the drunken ,amnon is in heaven1 is a mere inference1 directly contradicted by the plain and positive statement of the ,scriptures1 that no drunkard shall inherit the kingdom of ,god47#ida7 ,it is thus that doubters1 unbelievers1 and skeptics turn the truth into a lie4 ,and multitudes have been deceived by their sophistry1 and rocked to sleep in the cradle of carnal security4 ,if it were true that the souls of all men passed directly to heaven at the hour of dissolution1 then we might well covet death rather than life4 ,many have been led by this belief to put an end to their existence4 ,when overwhelmed with trouble1 perplexity1 and disappointment1 it seems an easy thing to break the brittle thread of life1 and soar away into the bliss of the eternal world4 ,god has given in ,his word decisive evidence that ,he will punish the transgressors of ,his law4 ,those who flatter themselves that ,he is too merciful to execute justice upon the sinner1 have only to look to the cross of ,calvary4 ,the death of the spotless ,son of ,god testifies that 8the wages of sin is death10 that every violation of ,god's law must receive its just retribution4 ,christ the sinless became sin for man4 ,he bore the guilt of transgression1 and the hiding of ,his ,father's face1 until ,his heart was broken and ,his life crushed out4 ,all this sacrifice was made that sinners might be redeemed4 ,in no other way could man be freed from the penalty of sin4 ,and every soul that refuses to become a partaker of the atonement provided at such a cost1 must bear in his own person the guilt and punishment of transgression4 ,let us consider what the ,bible teaches further concerning the ungodly and unrepentant1 whom the ,universalist places in heaven as holy1 happy angels4 8,i will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely407#idb7 ,this promise is only to those that thirst4 ,none but those who feel their need of the water of life1 and seek it at the loss of all things else1 will be supplied4 8,he that overcometh shall inherit all things2 and ,i will be his ,god1 and he shall be ,my son407#idc7 ,here1 also1 conditions are specified4 ,in order to inherit all things1 we must resist and overcome sin4 ,the ,lord declares by the prophet ,isaiah1 8,say ye to the righteous1 that it shall be well with him40 8,woe unto the wicked6 it shall be ill with him3 for the reward of his hands shall be given him407#idd7 8,though a sinner do evil a hundred times10 says the wise man1 8and his days be prolonged1 yet surely ,i know that it shall be well with them that fear ,god1 which fear before ,him3 but it shall not be well with the wicked407#ide7 ,and ,paul testifies that the sinner is treasuring up unto himself 8wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of ,god1 who will render to every man according to his deeds20 8tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doeth evil407#idf7 8,no fornicator1 nor unclean person1 nor covetous man1 who is an idolater1 hath any inheritance in the kingdom of ,christ and ,god407#idg7 8,follow peace with all men1 and holiness1 without which no man shall see the ,lord407#idh7 8,blessed are they that do ,his commandments1 that they may have right to the tree of life1 and may enter in through the gates into the city4 ,for without are dogs1 and sorcerers1 and whoremongers1 and murderers1 and idolaters1 and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie407#idi7 ,god has given to men a declaration of ,his character1 and of ,his method of dealing with sin4 8,the ,lord ,god1 merciful and gracious1 long-suffering1 and abundant in goodness and truth1 keeping mercy for thousands1 forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin1 and that will by no means clear the guilty407#iej7 8,all the wicked will ,he destroy40 8,the transgressors shall be destroyed together3 the end of the wicked shall be cut off407#iea7 ,the power and authority of the divine government will be employed to put down rebellion2 yet all the manifestations of retributive justice will be perfectly consistent with the character of ,god as a merciful1 long-suffering1 benevolent being4 ,god does not force the will or judgment of any4 ,he takes no pleasure in a slavish obedience4 ,he desires that the creatures of ,his hands shall love ,him because ,he is worthy of love4 ,he would have them obey ,him because they have an intelligent appreciation of ,his wisdom1 justice1 and benevolence4 ,and all who have a just conception of these qualities will love ,him because they are drawn toward ,him in admiration of ,his attributes4 ,the principles of kindness1 mercy1 and love1 taught and exemplified by our ,saviour1 are a transcript of the will and character of ,god4 ,christ declared that ,he taught nothing except that which ,he had received from ,his ,father4 ,the principles of the divine government are in perfect harmony with the ,saviour's precept1 8,love your enemies40 ,god executes justice upon the wicked1 for the good of the universe1 and even for the good of those upon whom ,his judgments are visited4 ,he would make them happy if ,he could do so in accordance with the laws of ,his government and the justice of ,his character4 ,he surrounds them with the tokens of ,his love1 ,he grants them a knowledge of ,his law1 and follows them with the offers of ,his mercy2 but they despise ,his love1 make void ,his law1 and reject ,his mercy4 ,while constantly receiving ,his gifts1 they dishonor the ,giver2 they hate ,god because they know that ,he abhors their sins4 ,the ,lord bears long with their perversity2 but the decisive hour will come at last1 when their destiny is to be decided4 ,will ,he then chain these rebels to ,his side8 ,will ,he force them to do ,his will8 ,those who have chosen ,satan as their leader1 and have been controlled by his power1 are not prepared to enter the presence of ,god4 ,pride1 deception1 licentiousness1 cruelty1 have become fixed in their characters4 ,can they enter heaven1 to dwell forever with those whom they despised and hated on earth8 ,truth will never be agreeable to a liar2 meekness will not satisfy self-esteem and pride2 purity is not acceptable to the corrupt2 disinterested love does not appear attractive to the selfish4 ,what source of enjoyment could heaven offer to those who are wholly absorbed in earthly and selfish interests8 ,could those whose lives have been spent in rebellion against ,god be suddenly transported to heaven1 and witness the high1 the holy state of perfection that ever exists there1--every soul filled with love1 every countenance beaming with joy1 enrapturing music in melodious strains rising in honor of ,god and the ,lamb1 and ceaseless streams of light flowing upon the redeemed from the face of ,him who sitteth upon the throne1--could those whose hearts are filled with hatred of ,god1 of truth and holiness1 mingle with the heavenly throng and join their songs of praise8 ,could they endure the glory of ,god and the ,lamb8 ,no1 no2 years of probation were granted them1 that they might form characters for heaven2 but they have never trained the mind to love purity2 they have never learned the language of heaven1 and now it is too late4 ,a life of rebellion against ,god has unfitted them for heaven4 ,its purity1 holiness1 and peace would be torture to them2 the glory of ,god would be a consuming fire4 ,they would long to flee from that holy place4 ,they would welcome destruction1 that they might be hidden from the face of ,him who died to redeem them4 ,the destiny of the wicked is fixed by their own choice4 ,their exclusion from heaven is voluntary with themselves1 and just and merciful on the part of ,god4 ,like the waters of the flood1 the fires of the great day declare ,god's verdict that the wicked are incurable4 ,they have no disposition to submit to divine authority4 ,their will has been exercised in revolt2 and when life is ended1 it is too late to turn the current of their thoughts in the opposite direction1 too late to turn from transgression to obedience1 from hatred to love4 ,in sparing the life of ,cain the murderer1 ,god gave the world an example of what would be the result of permitting the sinner to live1 to continue a course of unbridled iniquity4 ,through the influence of ,cain's teaching and example1 multitudes of his descendants were led into sin1 until 8the wickedness of man was great in the earth10 and 8every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually40 8,the earth also was corrupt before ,god1 and the earth was filled with violence407#ieb7 ,in mercy to the world1 ,god blotted out its wicked inhabitants in ,noah's time4 ,in mercy1 ,he destroyed the corrupt dwellers in ,sodom4 ,through the deceptive power of ,satan1 the workers of iniquity obtain sympathy and admiration1 and are thus constantly leading others to rebellion4 ,it was so in ,cain's and in ,noah's day1 and in the time of ,abraham and ,lot2 it is so in our time4 ,it is in mercy to the universe that ,god will finally destroy the rejecters of ,his grace4 8,the wages of sin is death2 but the gift of ,god is eternal life through ,jesus ,christ our ,lord407#iec7 ,while life is the inheritance of the righteous1 death is the portion of the wicked4 ,moses declared to ,israel1 8,i have set before thee this day life and good1 and death and evil407#ied7 ,the death referred to in these scriptures is not that pronounced upon ,adam1 for all mankind suffer the penalty of his transgression4 ,it is the 8second death0 that is placed in contrast with everlasting life4 ,in consequence of ,adam's sin1 death passed upon the whole human race4 ,all alike go down into the grave4 ,and through the provisions of the plan of salvation1 all are to be brought forth from their graves4 8,there shall be a resurrection of the dead1 both of the just and unjust207#iee7 8for as in ,adam all die1 even so in ,christ shall all be made alive407#ief7 ,but a distinction is made between the two classes that are brought forth4 8,all that are in the graves shall hear ,his voice1 and shall come forth2 they that have done good1 unto the resurrection of life2 and they that have done evil1 unto the resurrection of damnation407#ieg7 ,they who have been 8accounted worthy0 of the resurrection of life1 are 8blessed and holy40 8,on such the second death hath no power407#ieh7 ,but those who have not1 through repentance and faith1 secured pardon1 must receive the penalty of transgression1--8the wages of sin40 ,they suffer punishment varying in duration and intensity1 8according to their works10 but finally ending in the second death4 ,since it is impossible for ,god1 consistently with ,his justice and mercy1 to save the sinner in his sins1 ,he deprives him of the existence which his transgressions have forfeited1 and of which he has proved himself unworthy4 ,says an inspired writer1 8,yet a little while1 and the wicked shall not be3 yea1 thou shalt diligently consider his place1 and it shall not be40 ,and another declares1 8,they shall be as though they had not been407#iei7 ,covered with infamy1 they sink into hopeless1 eternal oblivion4 ,thus will be made an end of sin1 with all the woe and ruin which have resulted from it4 ,says the psalmist3 8,thou hast destroyed the wicked1 ,thou hast put out their name forever and ever4 ,o thou enemy1 destructions are come to a perpetual end407#ifj7 ,john1 in the ,revelation1 looking forward to the eternal state1 hears a universal anthem of praise1 undisturbed by one note of discord4 ,every creature in heaven and earth was heard ascribing glory to ,god47#ifa7 ,there will then be no lost souls to blaspheme ,god1 as they writhe in never-ending torment2 no wretched beings in hell will mingle their shrieks with the songs of the saved4 ,upon the fundamental error of natural immortality rests the doctrine of consciousness in death1--a doctrine1 like eternal torment1 opposed to the teachings of the ,scriptures1 to the dictates of reason1 and to our feelings of humanity4 ,according to the popular belief1 the redeemed in heaven are acquainted with all that takes place on the earth1 and especially with the lives of the friends whom they have left behind4 ,but how could it be a source of happiness to the dead to know the troubles of the living1 to witness the sins committed by their own loved ones1 and to see them enduring all the sorrows1 disappointments1 and anguish of life8 ,how much of heaven's bliss would be enjoyed by those who were hovering over their friends on earth8 ,and how utterly revolting is the belief that as soon as the breath leaves the body1 the soul of the impenitent is consigned to the flames of hell6 ,to what depths of anguish must those be plunged who see their friends passing to the grave unprepared1 to enter upon an eternity of woe and sin6 ,many have been driven to insanity by this harrowing thought4 ,what say the ,scriptures concerning these things8 ,david declares that man is not conscious in death4 8,his breath goeth forth1 he returneth to his earth2 in that very day his thoughts perish407#ifb7 ,solomon bears the same testimony3 8,the living know that they shall die3 but the dead know not anything40 8,their love1 and their hatred1 and their envy1 is now perished2 neither have they any more a portion forever in anything that is done under the sun40 8,there is no work1 nor device1 nor knowledge1 nor wisdom1 in the grave1 whither thou goest407#ifc7 ,when1 in answer to his prayer1 ,hezekiah's life was prolonged fifteen years1 the grateful king rendered to ,god a tribute of praise for ,his great mercy4 ,in this song he tells the reason why he thus rejoices3 8,the grave cannot praise ,thee1 death cannot celebrate ,thee3 they that go down into the pit cannot hope for ,thy truth4 ,the living1 the living1 he shall praise ,thee1 as ,i do this day407#ifd7 ,popular theology represents the righteous dead as in heaven1 entered into bliss1 and praising ,god with an immortal tongue2 but ,hezekiah could see no such glorious prospect in death4 ,with his words agrees the testimony of the psalmist3 8,in death there is no remembrance of ,thee3 in the grave who shall give ,thee thanks80 8,the dead praise not the ,lord1 neither any that go down into silence407#ife7 ,peter1 on the day of ,pentecost1 declared that the patriarch ,david 8is both dead and buried1 and his sepulcher is with us unto this day40 8,for ,david is not ascended into the heavens407#iff7 ,the fact that ,david remains in the grave until the resurrection1 proves that the righteous do not go to heaven at death4 ,it is only through the resurrection1 and by virtue of the fact that ,christ has risen1 that ,david can at last sit at the right hand of ,god4 ,and said ,paul3 8,if the dead rise not1 then is not ,christ raised3 and if ,christ be not raised1 your faith is vain2 ye are yet in your sins4 ,then they also which are fallen asleep in ,christ are perished407#ifg7 ,if for four thousand years the righteous had gone directly to heaven at death1 how could ,paul have said that if there is no resurrection1 8they which are fallen asleep in ,christ are perished08 ,no resurrection would be necessary4 ,the martyr ,tyndale1 referring to the state of the dead1 declared3 8,i confess openly1 that ,i am not persuaded that they be already in the full glory that ,christ is in1 or the elect angels of ,god are in4 ,neither is it any article of my faith2 for if it were so1 ,i see not but then the preaching of the resurrection of the flesh were a thing in vain407#ifh7 ,it is an undeniable fact that the hope of immortal blessedness at death has led to wide-spread neglect of the ,bible doctrine of the resurrection4 ,this tendency was remarked by ,dr4 ,adam ,clarke1 who said3 8,the doctrine of the resurrection appears to have been thought of much more consequence among the primitive ,christians than it is now6 ,how is this8 ,the apostles were continually insisting on it1 and exciting the followers of ,god to diligence1 obedience1 and cheerfulness through it4 ,and their successors in the present day seldom mention it6 ,so apostles preached1 and so primitive ,christians believed2 so we preach1 and so our hearers believe4 ,there is not a doctrine in the gospel on which more stress is laid2 and there is not a doctrine in the present system of preaching which is treated with more neglect607#ifi7 ,this has continued until the glorious truth of the resurrection has been almost wholly obscured1 and lost sight of by the ,christian world4 ,thus a leading religious writer1 commenting on the words of ,paul in #a ,thess4 #d3ac-ah1 says3 8,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 coming4 ,at our death the ,lord comes for us4 ,that is what we are to wait and watch for4 ,the dead are already passed into glory4 ,they do not wait for the trump for their judgment and blessedness40 ,but when about to leave ,his disciples1 ,jesus did not tell them that they would soon come to ,him4 8,i go to prepare a place for you10 ,he said4 8,and if ,i go and prepare a place for you1 ,i will come again1 and receive you unto ,myself407#igj7 ,and ,paul tells us1 further1 that 8the ,lord ,himself shall descend from heaven with a shout1 with the voice of the ,archangel1 and with the trump of ,god3 and the dead in ,christ shall rise first3 then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds1 to meet the ,lord in the air3 and so shall we ever be with the ,lord40 ,and he adds1 8,comfort one another with these words407#iga7 ,how wide the contrast between these words of comfort and those of the ,universalist minister previously quoted4 ,the latter consoled the bereaved friends with the assurance1 that1 however sinful the dead might have been1 when he breathed out his life here he was to be received among the angels4 ,paul points his brethren to the future coming of the ,lord1 when the fetters of the tomb shall be broken1 and the 8dead in ,christ0 shall be raised to eternal life4 ,before any can enter the mansions of the blest1 their cases must be investigated1 and their characters and their deeds must pass in review before ,god4 ,all are to be judged according to the things written in the books1 and to be rewarded as their works have been4 ,this judgment does not take place at death4 ,mark the words of ,paul3 8,he hath appointed a day1 in the which ,he will judge the world in righteousness by that ,man whom ,he hath ordained2 whereof ,he hath given assurance unto all men1 in that ,he hath raised ,him from the dead407#igb7 ,here the apostle plainly stated that a specified time1 then future1 had been fixed upon for the judgment of the world4 ,jude refers to the same period3 8,the angels which kept not their first estate1 but left their own habitation1 ,he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day40 ,and again he quotes the words of ,enoch3 8,behold1 the ,lord cometh with ten thousands of ,his saints1 to execute judgment upon all407#igc7 ,john declares that he 8saw the dead1 small and great1 stand before ,god2 and the books were opened2 444 and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books407#igd7 ,but if the dead are already enjoying the bliss of heaven or writhing in the flames of hell1 what need of a future judgment8 ,the teachings of ,god's word on these important points are neither obscure nor contradictory2 they may be understood by common minds4 ,but what candid mind can see either wisdom or justice in the current theory8 ,will the righteous1 after the investigation of their cases at the judgment1 receive the commendation1 8,well done1 thou good and faithful servant1 444 enter thou into the joy of thy ,lord107#ige7 when they have been dwelling in ,his presence1 perhaps for long ages8 ,are the wicked summoned from the place of torment to receive the sentence from the ,judge of all the earth1 8,depart from ,me1 ye cursed1 into everlasting fire087#igf7 ,oh1 solemn mockery6 shameful impeachment of the wisdom and justice of ,god6 ,the theory of the immortality of the soul was one of those false doctrines that ,rome1 borrowing from paganism1 incorporated into the religion of ,christendom4 ,martin ,luther classed it with the 8monstrous fables that form part of the ,roman dunghill of decretals407#igg7 ,commenting on the words of ,solomon in ,ecclesiastes1 that the dead know not anything1 the ,reformer says3 8,another place proving that the dead have no 444 feeling4 ,there is1 saith he1 no duty1 no science1 no knowledge1 no wisdom there4 ,solomon judgeth that the dead are asleep1 and feel nothing at all4 ,for the dead lie there1 accounting neither days nor years1 but when they are awaked1 they shall seem to have slept scarce one minute407#igh7 ,nowhere in the ,sacred ,scriptures is found the statement that the righteous go to their reward or the wicked to their punishment at death4 ,the patriarchs and prophets have left no such assurance4 ,christ and ,his apostles have given no hint of it4 ,the ,bible clearly teaches that the dead do not go immediately to heaven4 ,they are represented as sleeping until the resurrection47#igi7 ,in the very day when the silver cord is loosed and the golden bowl broken17#ihj7 man's thoughts perish4 ,they that go down to the grave are in silence4 ,they know no more of anything that is done under the sun47#iha7 ,blessed rest for the weary righteous6 ,time1 be it long or short1 is but a moment to them4 ,they sleep2 they are awakened by the trump of ,god to a glorious immortality4 8,for the trumpet shall sound1 and the dead shall be raised incorruptible4444 ,so when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption1 and this mortal shall have put on immortality1 then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written1 ,death is swallowed up in victory407#ihb7 ,as they are called forth from their deep slumber1 they begin to think just where they ceased4 ,the last sensation was the pang of death1 the last thought that they were falling beneath the power of the grave4 ,when they arise from the tomb1 their first glad thought will be echoed in the triumphal shout1 8,o death1 where is thy sting8 ,o grave1 where is thy victory807#ihc7 #cd4 ,,spiritualism4 ,illustration3 ,chapter header4 ,the ministration of holy angels1 as presented in the ,scriptures1 is a truth most comforting and precious to every follower of ,christ4 ,but the ,bible teaching upon this point has been obscured and perverted by the errors of popular theology4 ,the doctrine of natural immortality1 first borrowed from the pagan philosophy1 and in the darkness of the great apostasy incorporated into the ,christian faith1 has supplanted the truth1 so plainly taught in ,scripture1 that 8the dead know not anything40 ,multitudes have come to believe that it is the spirits of the dead who are the 8ministering spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation40 ,and this notwithstanding the testimony of ,scripture to the existence of heavenly angels1 and their connection with the history of man1 before the death of a human being4 ,the doctrine of man's consciousness in death1 especially the belief that the spirits of the dead return to minister to the living1 has prepared the way for modern ,spiritualism4 ,if the dead are admitted to the presence of ,god and holy angels1 and privileged with knowledge far exceeding what they before possessed1 why should they not return to the earth to enlighten and instruct the living8 ,if1 as taught by popular theologians1 the spirits of the dead are hovering about their friends on earth1 why should they not be permitted to communicate with them1 to warn them against evil1 or to comfort them in sorrow8 ,how can those who believe in man's consciousness in death reject what comes to them as divine light communicated by glorified spirits8 ,here is a channel regarded as sacred1 through which ,satan works for the accomplishment of his purposes4 ,the fallen angels who do his bidding appear as messengers from the spirit world4 ,while professing to bring the living into communication with the dead1 the prince of evil exercises his bewitching influence upon their minds4 ,he has power to bring before men the appearance of their departed friends4 ,the counterfeit is perfect2 the familiar look1 the words1 the tone1 are reproduced with marvelous distinctness4 ,many are comforted with the assurance that their loved ones are enjoying the bliss of heaven2 and without suspicion of danger1 they give ear to 8seducing spirits1 and doctrines of devils40 ,when they have been led to believe that the dead actually return to communicate with them1 ,satan causes those to appear who went into the grave unprepared4 ,they claim to be happy in heaven1 and even to occupy exalted positions there2 and thus the error is widely taught1 that no difference is made between the righteous and the wicked4 ,the pretended visitants from the world of spirits sometimes utter cautions and warnings which prove to be correct4 ,then1 as confidence is gained1 they present doctrines that directly undermine faith in the ,scriptures4 ,with an appearance of deep interest in the well-being of their friends on earth1 they insinuate the most dangerous errors4 ,the fact that they state some truths1 and are able at times to foretell future events1 gives to their statements an appearance of reliability2 and their false teachings are accepted by the multitudes as readily1 and believed as implicitly1 as if they were the most sacred truths of the ,bible4 ,the law of ,god is set aside1 the ,spirit of grace despised1 the blood of the covenant counted an unholy thing4 ,the spirits deny the deity of ,christ1 and place even the ,creator on a level with themselves4 ,thus under a new disguise the great rebel still carries on his warfare against ,god1 begun in heaven1 and for nearly six thousand years continued upon the earth4 ,many endeavor to account for spiritual manifestations by attributing them wholly to fraud and sleight of hand on the part of the medium4 ,but while it is true that the results of trickery have often been palmed off as genuine manifestations1 there have been1 also1 marked exhibitions of supernatural power4 ,the mysterious rapping with which modern ,spiritualism began was not the result of human trickery or cunning1 but was the direct work of evil angels1 who thus introduced one of the most successful of soul-destroying delusions4 ,many will be ensnared through the belief that ,spiritualism is a merely human imposture2 when brought face to face with manifestations which they cannot but regard as supernatural1 they will be deceived1 and will be led to accept them as the great power of ,god4 ,these persons overlook the testimony of the ,scriptures concerning the wonders wrought by ,satan and his agents4 ,it was by satanic aid that ,pharaoh's magicians were enabled to counterfeit the work of ,god4 ,paul testifies that before the second advent of ,christ there will be similar manifestations of satanic power4 ,the coming of the ,lord is to be preceded by 8the working of ,satan with all power and signs and lying wonders1 and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness407#ihd7 ,and the apostle ,john1 describing the miracle-working power that will be manifested in the last days1 declares3 8,he doeth great wonders1 so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men1 and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do407#ihe7 ,no mere impostures are here foretold4 ,men are deceived by the miracles which ,satan's agents have power to do1 not which they pretend to do4 ,the prince of darkness1 who has so long bent the powers of his master-mind to the work of deception1 skilfully adapts his temptations to men of all classes and conditions4 ,to persons of culture and refinement he presents ,spiritualism in its more refined and intellectual aspects1 and thus succeeds in drawing many into his snare4 ,the wisdom which ,spiritualism imparts is that described by the apostle ,james1 which 8descendeth not from above1 but is earthly1 sensual1 devilish407#ihf7 ,this1 however1 the great deceiver conceals1 when concealment will best suit his purpose4 ,he who could appear clothed with the brightness of the heavenly seraphs before ,christ in the wilderness of temptation1 comes to men in the most attractive manner1 as an angel of light4 ,he appeals to the reason by the presentation of elevating themes2 he delights the fancy with enrapturing scenes2 and he enlists the affections by his eloquent portrayals of love and charity4 ,he excites the imagination to lofty flights1 leading men to take so great pride in their own wisdom that in their hearts they despise the ,eternal ,one4 ,that mighty being who could take the world's ,redeemer to an exceedingly high mountain1 and bring before ,him all the kingdoms of the earth and the glory of them1 will present his temptations to men in a manner to pervert the senses of all who are not shielded by divine power4 ,satan beguiles men now as he beguiled ,eve in ,eden1 by flattery1 by kindling a desire to obtain forbidden knowledge1 by exciting ambition for self-exaltation4 ,it was cherishing these evils that caused his fall1 and through them he aims to compass the ruin of men4 8,ye shall be as gods10 he declares1 8knowing good and evil407#ihg7 ,spiritualism teaches 8that man is the creature of progression2 that it is his destiny from his birth to progress1 even to eternity1 toward the ,godhead40 ,and again3 8,each mind will judge itself and not another40 8,the judgment will be right1 because it is the judgment of self4444 ,the throne is within you40 ,said a ,spiritualistic teacher1 as the 8spiritual consciousness0 awoke within him1 8,my fellow-men1 all were unfallen demigods40 ,and another declares1 8,any just and perfect being is ,christ40 ,thus1 in place of the righteousness and perfection of the infinite ,god1 the true object of adoration2 in place of the perfect righteousness of ,his law1 the true standard of human attainment1 ,satan has substituted the sinful1 erring nature of man himself1 as the only object of adoration1 the only rule of judgment1 or standard of character4 ,this is progress1 not upward1 but downward4 ,it is a law both of the intellectual and the spiritual nature1 that by beholding1 we become changed4 ,the mind gradually adapts itself to the subjects upon which it is allowed to dwell4 ,it becomes assimilated to that which it is accustomed to love and reverence4 ,man will never rise higher than his standard of purity or goodness or truth4 ,if self is his loftiest ideal1 he will never attain to anything more exalted4 ,rather1 he will constantly sink lower and lower4 ,the grace of ,god alone has power to exalt man4 ,left to himself1 his course must inevitably be downward4 ,to the self-indulgent1 the pleasure-loving1 the sensual1 ,spiritualism presents itself under a less subtle disguise than to the more refined and intellectual2 in its grosser forms they find that which is in harmony with their inclinations4 ,satan studies every indication of the frailty of human nature1 he marks the sins which each individual is inclined to commit1 and then he takes care that opportunities shall not be wanting to gratify the tendency to evil4 ,he tempts men to excess in that which is in itself lawful1 causing them1 through intemperance1 to weaken physical1 mental1 and moral power4 ,he has destroyed and is destroying thousands through the indulgence of the passions1 thus brutalizing the entire nature of man4 ,and to complete his work1 he declares1 through the spirits1 that 8true knowledge places man above all law20 that 8whatever is1 is right20 that 8,god doth not condemn20 and that 8all sins which are committed are innocent40 ,when the people are thus led to believe that desire is the highest law1 that liberty is license1 and that man is accountable only to himself1 who can wonder that corruption and depravity teem on every hand8 ,multitudes eagerly accept teachings that leave them at liberty to obey the promptings of the carnal heart4 ,the reins of self-control are laid upon the neck of lust1 the powers of mind and soul are made subject to the animal propensities1 and ,satan exultingly sweeps into his net thousands who profess to be followers of ,christ4 ,but none need be deceived by the lying claims of ,spiritualism4 ,god has given the world sufficient light to enable them to discover the snare4 ,as already shown1 the theory which forms the very foundation of ,spiritualism is at war with the plainest statements of ,scripture4 ,the ,bible declares that the dead know not anything1 that their thoughts have perished2 they have no part in anything that is done under the sun2 they know nothing of the joys or sorrows of those who were dearest to them on earth4 ,furthermore1 ,god has expressly forbidden all pretended communication with departed spirits4 ,in the days of the ,hebrews there was a class of people who claimed1 as do the ,spiritualists of to-day1 to hold communication with the dead4 ,but the 8familiar spirits10 as these visitants from other worlds were called1 are declared by the ,bible to be the 8spirits of devils407#ihh7 ,the work of dealing with familiar spirits was pronounced an abomination to the ,lord1 and was solemnly forbidden under penalty of death47#ihi7 ,the very name of witchcraft is now held in contempt4 ,the claim that men can hold intercourse with evil spirits is regarded as a fable of the ,dark ,ages4 ,but ,spiritualism1 which numbers its converts by hundreds of thousands1 yea1 by millions1 which has made its way into scientific circles1 which has invaded churches1 and has found favor in legislative bodies1 and even in the courts of kings1--this mammoth deception is but a revival1 in a new disguise1 of the witchcraft condemned and prohibited of old4 ,if there were no other evidence of the real character of ,spiritualism1 it should be enough for the ,christian that the spirits make no difference between righteousness and sin1 between the noblest and purest of the apostles of ,christ and the most corrupt of the servants of ,satan4 ,by representing the basest of men as in heaven1 and highly exalted there1 ,satan says to the world3 8,no matter how wicked you are2 no matter whether you believe or disbelieve ,god and the ,bible4 ,live as you please2 heaven is your home40 ,the ,spiritualist teachers virtually declare1 8,every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the ,lord1 and ,he delighteth in them2 or1 ,where is the ,god of judgment807#iij7 ,saith the word of ,god1 8,woe unto them that call evil good1 and good evil2 that put darkness for light1 and light for darkness407#iia7 ,the apostles1 as personated by these lying spirits1 are made to contradict what they wrote at the dictation of the ,holy ,spirit when on earth4 ,they deny the divine origin of the ,bible1 and thus tear away the foundation of the ,christian's hope1 and put out the light that reveals the way to heaven4 ,satan is making the world believe that the ,bible is a mere fiction1 or at least a book suited to the infancy of the race1 but now to be lightly regarded1 or cast aside as obsolete4 ,and to take the place of the word of ,god he holds out spiritual manifestations4 ,here is a channel wholly under his control2 by this means he can make the world believe what he will4 ,the ,book that is to judge him and his followers he puts in the shade1 just where he wants it2 the ,saviour of the world he makes to be no more than a common man4 ,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 resurrection1 so do the believers in spiritual manifestations try to make it appear that there is nothing miraculous in the circumstances of our ,saviour's life4 ,after thus seeking to put ,jesus in the background1 they call attention to their own miracles1 declaring that these far exceed the works of ,christ4 ,it is true that ,spiritualism is now changing its form1 and1 veiling some of its more objectionable features1 is assuming a ,christian guise4 ,but its utterances from the platform and the press have been before the public for many years1 and in these its real character stands revealed4 ,these teachings cannot be denied or hidden4 ,even in its present form1 so far from being more worthy of toleration than formerly1 it is really a more dangerous1 because a more subtle deception4 ,while it formerly denounced ,christ and the ,bible1 it now professes to accept both4 ,but the ,bible is interpreted in a manner that is pleasing to the unrenewed heart1 while its solemn and vital truths are made of no effect4 ,love is dwelt upon as the chief attribute of ,god1 but it is degraded to a weak sentimentalism1 making little distinction between good and evil4 ,god's justice1 ,his denunciations of sin1 the requirements of ,his holy law1 are all kept out of sight4 ,the people are taught to regard the decalogue as a dead letter4 ,pleasing1 bewitching fables captivate the senses1 and lead men to reject the ,bible as the foundation of their faith4 ,christ is as verily denied as before2 but ,satan has so blinded the eyes of the people that the deception is not discerned4 ,there are few who have any just conception of the deceptive power of ,spiritualism and the danger of coming under its influence4 ,many tamper with it1 merely to gratify their curiosity4 ,they have no real faith in it1 and would be filled with horror at the thought of yielding themselves to the spirits' control4 ,but they venture upon the forbidden ground1 and the mighty destroyer exercises his power upon them against their will4 ,let them once be induced to submit their minds to his direction1 and he holds them captive4 ,it is impossible1 in their own strength1 to break away from the bewitching1 alluring spell4 ,nothing but the power of ,god1 granted in answer to the earnest prayer of faith1 can deliver these ensnared souls4 ,all who indulge sinful traits of character1 or wilfully cherish a known sin1 are inviting the temptations of ,satan4 ,they separate themselves from ,god and from the watchcare of ,his angels2 as the evil one presents his deceptions1 they are without defense1 and fall an easy prey4 ,those who thus place themselves in his power1 little realize where their course will end4 ,having achieved their overthrow1 the tempter will employ them as his agents to lure others to ruin4 ,says the prophet ,isaiah3 8,when they shall say unto you1 ,seek unto them that have familiar spirits1 and unto wizards that peep1 and that mutter3 should not a people seek unto their ,god8 for the living to the dead8 ,to the law and to the testimony3 if they speak not according to this word1 it is because there is no light in them407#iib7 ,if men had been willing to receive the truth so plainly stated in the ,scriptures1 concerning the nature of man and the state of the dead1 they would see in the claims and manifestations of ,spiritualism the working of ,satan with power and signs and lying wonders4 ,but rather than yield the liberty so agreeable to the carnal heart1 and renounce the sins which they love1 multitudes close their eyes to the light1 and walk straight on1 regardless of warnings1 while ,satan weaves his snares about them1 and they become his prey4 8,because they received not the love of the truth1 that they might be saved10 therefore 8,god shall send them strong delusion1 that they should believe a lie407#iic7 ,those who oppose the teachings of ,spiritualism are assailing1 not men alone1 but ,satan and his angels4 ,they have entered upon a contest against principalities and powers and wicked spirits in high places4 ,satan will not yield one inch of ground except as he is driven back by the power of heavenly messengers4 ,the people of ,god should be able to meet him1 as did our ,saviour1 with the words1 8,it is written40 ,satan can quote ,scripture now as in the days of ,christ1 and he will pervert its teachings to sustain his delusions4 ,those who would stand in this time of peril must understand for themselves the testimony of the ,scriptures4 ,many will be confronted by the spirits of devils personating beloved relatives or friends1 and declaring the most dangerous heresies4 ,these visitants will appeal to our tenderest sympathies1 and will work miracles to sustain their pretensions4 ,we must be prepared to withstand them with the ,bible truth that the dead know not anything1 and that they who thus appear are the spirits of devils4 ,just before us is the 8hour of temptation1 which shall come upon all the world1 to try them that dwell upon the earth407#iid7 ,all whose faith is not firmly established upon the word of ,god will be deceived and overcome4 ,satan 8works with all deceivableness of unrighteousness0 to gain control of the children of men2 and his deceptions will continually increase4 ,but he can gain his object only as men voluntarily yield to his temptations4 ,those who are earnestly seeking a knowledge of the truth1 and are striving to purify their souls through obedience1 thus doing what they can to prepare for the conflict1 will find1 in the ,god of truth1 a sure defense4 8,because thou hast kept the word of ,my patience1 ,i also will keep thee107#iie7 is the ,saviour's promise4 ,he would sooner send every angel out of heaven to protect ,his people1 than leave one soul that trusts in ,him to be overcome by ,satan4 ,the prophet ,isaiah brings to view the fearful deception which will come upon the wicked1 causing them to count themselves secure from the judgments of ,god3 8,we have made a covenant with death1 and with hell are we at agreement2 when the overflowing scourge shall pass through1 it shall not come unto us3 for we have made lies our refuge1 and under falsehood have we hid ourselves407#iif7 ,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 sinner2 that all mankind1 it matters not how corrupt1 are to be exalted to heaven1 to become as the angels of ,god4 ,but still more emphatically are those making a covenant with death and an agreement with hell1 who renounce the truths which ,heaven has provided as a defense for the righteous in the day of trouble1 and accept the refuge of lies offered by ,satan in its stead1--the delusive pretensions of ,spiritualism4 ,marvelous beyond expression is the blindness of the people of this generation4 ,thousands reject the word of ,god as unworthy of belief1 and with eager confidence receive the deceptions of ,satan4 ,skeptics and scoffers denounce the bigotry of those who contend for the faith of prophets and apostles1 and they divert themselves by holding up to ridicule the solemn declarations of the ,scriptures concerning ,christ and the plan of salvation1 and the retribution to be visited upon the rejecters of the truth4 ,they affect great pity for minds so narrow1 weak1 and superstitious as to acknowledge the claims of ,god and obey the requirements of ,his law4 ,they manifest as much assurance as if1 indeed1 they had made a covenant with death and an agreement with hell1--as if they had erected an impassable1 impenetrable barrier between themselves and the vengeance of ,god4 ,nothing can arouse their fears4 ,so fully have they yielded to the tempter1 so closely are they united with him1 and so thoroughly imbued with his spirit1 that they have no power and no inclination to break away from his snare4 ,satan has long been preparing for his final effort to deceive the world4 ,the foundation of his work was laid by the assurance given to ,eve in ,eden1 8,ye shall not surely die40 8,in the day ye eat thereof1 then your eyes shall be opened1 and ye shall be as gods1 knowing good and evil407#iig7 ,little by little he has prepared the way for his masterpiece of deception in the development of ,spiritualism4 ,he has not yet reached the full accomplishment of his designs2 but it will be reached in the last remnant of time4 ,says the prophet3 8,i saw three unclean spirits like frogs2 444 they are the spirits of devils1 working miracles1 which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world1 to gather them to the battle of that great day of ,god ,almighty407#iih7 ,except those who are kept by the power of ,god1 through faith in ,his word1 the whole world will be swept into the ranks of this delusion4 ,the people are fast being lulled to a fatal security1 to be awakened only by the outpouring of the wrath of ,god4 ,saith the ,lord ,god3 8,judgment also will ,i lay to the line1 and righteousness to the plummet3 and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies1 and the waters shall overflow the hiding-place4 ,and your covenant with death shall be disannulled1 and your agreement with hell shall not stand2 when the overflowing scourge shall pass through1 then ye shall be trodden down by it407#iii7 #ce4 ,,aims ,,of ,,the ,,papacy4 ,illustration3 ,chapter header4 ,romanism is now regarded by ,protestants with far greater favor than in former years4 ,in those countries where ,catholicism is not in the ascendency1 and the papists are taking a conciliatory course in order to gain influence1 there is an increasing indifference concerning the doctrines that separate the reformed churches from the papal hierarchy2 the opinion is gaining ground1 that1 after all1 we do not differ so widely upon vital points as has been supposed1 and that a little concession on our part will bring us into a better understanding with ,rome4 ,the time was when ,protestants placed a high value upon the liberty of conscience which had been so dearly purchased4 ,they taught their children to abhor popery1 and held that to seek harmony with ,rome would be disloyalty to ,god4 ,but how widely different are the sentiments now expressed4 ,the defenders of the papacy declare that the church has been maligned2 and the ,protestant world are inclined to accept the statement4 ,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 darkness4 ,they excuse her horrible cruelty as the result of the barbarism of the times1 and plead that the influence of modern civilization has changed her sentiments4 ,have these persons forgotten the claim of infallibility put forth for eight hundred years by this haughty power8 ,so far from being relinquished1 this claim was affirmed in the nineteenth century with greater positiveness than ever before4 ,as ,rome asserts that the church 8never erred2 nor will it1 according to the ,scriptures1 ever err107#ajjj7 how can she renounce the principles which governed her course in past ages8 ,the papal church will never relinquish her claim to infallibility4 ,all that she has done in her persecution of those who reject her dogmas1 she holds to be right2 and would she not repeat the same acts1 should the opportunity be presented8 ,let the restraints now imposed by secular governments be removed1 and ,rome be re-instated in her former power1 and there would speedily be a revival of her tyranny and persecution4 ,a well-known writer speaks thus of the attitude of the papal hierarchy as regards freedom of conscience1 and of the perils which especially threaten the ,united ,states from the success of her policy3 8,there are many who are disposed to attribute any fear of ,roman ,catholicism in the ,united ,states to bigotry or childishness4 ,such see nothing in the character and attitude of ,romanism that is hostile to our free institutions1 or find nothing portentous in its growth4 ,let us1 then1 first compare some of the fundamental principles of our government with those of the ,catholic ,church4 8,the ,constitution of the ,united ,states guarantees liberty of conscience4 ,nothing is dearer or more fundamental4 ,pope ,pius ,,ix41 in his ,encyclical ,letter of ,august #ae1 #ahed1 said3 #8,the absurd and erroneous doctrines or ravings in defense of liberty of conscience1 are a most pestilential error--a pest1 of all others1 most to be dreaded in a ,state4' ,the same pope1 in his ,encyclical ,letter of ,december #h1 #ahfd1 anathematized #8those who assert the liberty of conscience science and of religious worship1' also #8all such as maintain that the church may not employ force4' 8,the pacific tone of ,rome in the ,united ,states does not imply a change of heart4 ,she is tolerant where she is helpless4 ,says ,bishop ,o',connor3 #8,religious liberty is merely endured until the opposite can be carried into effect without peril to the ,catholic world4'444 ,the archbishop of ,st4 ,louis once said3 #8,heresy and unbelief are crimes2 and in ,christian countries1 as in ,italy and ,spain1 for instance1 where all the people are ,catholics1 and where the ,catholic religion is an essential part of the law of the land1 they are punished as other crimes4'444 8,every cardinal1 archbishop1 and bishop in the ,catholic ,church takes an oath of allegiance to the pope1 in which occur the following words3 #8,heretics1 schismatics1 and rebels to our said lord 7the pope71 or his aforesaid successors1 ,i will to my utmost persecute and oppose4' 07#ajja7 ,it is true that there are real ,christians in the ,roman ,catholic communion4 ,thousands in that church are serving ,god according to the best light they have4 ,they are not allowed access to ,his word1 and therefore they do not discern the truth4 ,they have never seen the contrast between a living heart-service and a round of mere forms and ceremonies4 ,god looks with pitying tenderness upon these souls1 educated as they are in a faith that is delusive and unsatisfying4 ,he will cause rays of light to penetrate the dense darkness that surrounds them4 ,he will reveal to them the truth as it is in ,jesus1 and many will yet take their position with ,his people4 ,but ,romanism as a system is no more in harmony with the gospel of ,christ now than at any former period in her history4 ,the ,protestant churches are in great darkness1 or they would discern the signs of the times4 ,the ,roman ,church is far-reaching in her plans and modes of operation4 ,she is employing every device to extend her influence and increase her power in preparation for a fierce and determined conflict to regain control of the world1 to re-establish persecution1 and to undo all that ,protestantism has done4 ,catholicism is gaining ground upon every side4 ,see the increasing number of her churches and chapels in ,protestant countries4 ,look at the popularity of her colleges and seminaries in ,america1 so widely patronized by ,protestants4 ,look at the growth of ritualism in ,england1 and the frequent defections to the ranks of the ,catholics4 ,these things should awaken the anxiety of all who prize the pure principles of the gospel4 ,protestants have tampered with and patronized popery2 they have made compromises and concessions which papists themselves are surprised to see1 and fail to understand4 ,men are closing their eyes to the real character of ,romanism1 and the dangers to be apprehended from her supremacy4 ,the people need to be aroused to resist the advances of this most dangerous foe to civil and religious liberty4 ,many ,protestants suppose that the ,catholic religion is unattractive1 and that its worship is a dull1 meaningless round of ceremony4 ,here they mistake4 ,while ,romanism is based upon deception1 it is not a coarse and clumsy imposture4 ,the religious service of the ,roman ,church is a most impressive ceremonial4 ,its gorgeous display and solemn rites fascinate the senses of the people1 and silence the voice of reason and of conscience4 ,the eye is charmed4 ,magnificent churches1 imposing processions1 golden altars1 jeweled shrines1 choice paintings1 and exquisite sculpture appeal to the love of beauty4 ,the ear also is captivated4 ,the music is unsurpassed4 ,the rich notes of the deep-toned organ1 blending with the melody of many voices as it swells through the lofty domes and pillared aisles of her grand cathedrals1 cannot fail to impress the mind with awe and reverence4 ,interior of a church4 ,this outward splendor1 pomp1 and ceremony1 that only mocks the longings of the sin-sick soul1 is an evidence of inward corruption4 ,the religion of ,christ needs not such attractions to recommend it4 ,in the light shining from the cross1 true ,christianity appears so pure and lovely that no external decorations can enhance its true worth4 ,it is the beauty of holiness1 a meek and quiet spirit1 which is of value with ,god4 ,brilliancy of style is not necessarily an index of pure1 elevated thought4 ,high conceptions of art1 delicate refinement of taste1 often exist in minds that are earthly and sensual4 ,they are often employed by ,satan to lead men to forget the necessities of the soul1 to lose sight of the future1 immortal life1 to turn away from their infinite ,helper1 and to live for this world alone4 ,a religion of externals is attractive to the unrenewed heart4 ,the pomp and ceremony of the ,catholic worship has a seductive1 bewitching power1 by which many are deceived2 and they come to look upon the ,roman ,church as the very gate of heaven4 ,none but those who have planted their feet firmly upon the foundation of truth1 and whose hearts are renewed by the ,spirit of ,god1 are proof against her influence4 ,thousands who have not an experimental knowledge of ,christ will be led to accept the forms of godliness without the power4 ,such a religion is just what the multitudes desire4 ,the church's claim to the right to pardon1 leads the ,romanist to feel at liberty to sin2 and the ordinance of confession1 without which her pardon is not granted1 tends also to give license to evil4 ,he who kneels before fallen man1 and opens in confession the secret thoughts and imaginations of his heart1 is debasing his manhood1 and degrading every noble instinct of his soul4 ,in unfolding the sins of his life to a priest1--an erring1 sinful mortal1 and too often corrupted with wine and licentiousness1--his standard of character is lowered1 and he is defiled in consequence4 ,his thought of ,god is degraded to the likeness of fallen humanity2 for the priest stands as a representative of ,god4 ,this degrading confession of man to man is the secret spring from which has flowed much of the evil that is defiling the world1 and fitting it for the final destruction4 ,yet to him who loves self-indulgence1 it is more pleasing to confess to a fellow-mortal than to open the soul to ,god4 ,it is more palatable to human nature to do penance than to renounce sin2 it is easier to mortify the flesh by sackcloth and nettles and galling chains than to crucify fleshly lusts4 ,heavy is the yoke which the carnal heart is willing to bear rather than bow to the yoke of ,christ4 ,there is a striking similarity between the ,church of ,rome and the ,jewish ,church at the time of ,christ's first advent4 ,while the ,jews secretly trampled upon every principle of the law of ,god1 they were outwardly rigorous in the observance of its precepts1 loading it down with exactions and traditions that made obedience painful and burdensome4 ,as the ,jews professed to revere the law1 so do ,romanists claim to reverence the cross4 ,they exalt the symbol of ,christ's sufferings1 while in their lives they deny ,him whom it represents4 ,papists place crosses upon their churches1 upon their altars1 and upon their garments4 ,everywhere is seen the insignia of the cross4 ,everywhere it is outwardly honored and exalted4 ,but the teachings of ,christ are buried beneath a mass of senseless traditions1 false interpretations1 and rigorous exactions4 ,the ,saviour's words concerning the bigoted ,jews1 apply with still greater force to the leaders of the ,roman ,catholic ,church3 8,they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne1 and lay them on men's shoulders2 but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers407#ajjb7 ,conscientious souls are kept in constant terror1 fearing the wrath of an offended ,god1 while many of the dignitaries of the church are living in luxury and sensual pleasure4 ,the worship of images and relics1 the invocation of saints1 and the exaltation of the pope1 are devices of ,satan to attract the minds of the people from ,god and from ,his ,son4 ,to accomplish their ruin1 he endeavors to turn their attention from ,him through whom alone they can find salvation4 ,he will direct them to any object that can be substituted for the ,one who has said1 8,come unto ,me1 all ye that labor and are heavy laden1 and ,i will give you rest407#ajjc7 ,it is ,satan's constant effort to misrepresent the character of ,god1 the nature of sin1 and the real issues at stake in the great controversy4 ,his sophistry lessens the obligation of the divine law1 and gives men license to sin4 ,at the same time he causes them to cherish false conceptions of ,god1 so that they regard ,him with fear and hate1 rather than with love4 ,the cruelty inherent in his own character is attributed to the ,creator2 it is embodied in systems of religion1 and expressed in modes of worship4 ,thus the minds of men are blinded1 and ,satan secures them as his agents to war against ,god4 ,by perverted conceptions of the divine attributes1 heathen nations were led to believe human sacrifices necessary to secure the favor of ,deity2 and horrible cruelties have been perpetrated under the various forms of idolatry4 ,the ,roman ,catholic ,church1 uniting the forms of paganism and ,christianity1 and1 like paganism1 misrepresenting the character of ,god1 has resorted to practices no less cruel and revolting4 ,in the days of ,rome's supremacy1 there were instruments of torture to compel assent to her doctrines4 ,there was the stake for those who would not concede to her claims4 ,there were massacres on a scale that will never be known until revealed in the judgment4 ,dignitaries of the church studied1 under ,satan their master1 to invent means to cause the greatest possible torture1 and not end the life of their victim4 ,in many cases the infernal process was repeated to the utmost limit of human endurance1 until nature gave up the struggle1 and the sufferer hailed death as a sweet release4 ,such was the fate of ,rome's opponents4 ,for her adherents she had the discipline of the scourge1 of famishing hunger1 of bodily austerities in every conceivable1 heart-sickening form4 ,to secure the favor of ,heaven1 penitents violated the laws of ,god by violating the laws of nature4 ,they were taught to sunder the ties which ,he has formed to bless and gladden man's earthly sojourn4 ,the churchyard contains millions of victims1 who spent their lives in vain endeavors to subdue their natural affections1 to repress1 as offensive to ,god1 every thought and feeling of sympathy with their fellow-creatures4 ,if we desire to understand the determined cruelty of ,satan1 manifested for hundreds of years1 not among those who never heard of ,god1 but in the very heart and throughout the extent of ,christendom1 we have only to look at the history of ,romanism4 ,through this mammoth system of deception the prince of evil achieves his purpose of bringing dishonor to ,god and wretchedness to man4 ,and as we see how he succeeds in disguising himself1 and accomplishing his work through the leaders of the church1 we may better understand why he has so great antipathy to the ,bible4 ,if that book is read1 the mercy and love of ,god will be revealed2 it will be seen that ,he lays upon men none of these heavy burdens4 ,all that ,he asks is a broken and contrite heart1 a humble1 obedient spirit4 ,christ gives no example in ,his life for men and women to shut themselves in monasteries in order to become fitted for heaven4 ,he has never taught that love and sympathy must be repressed4 ,the ,saviour's heart overflowed with love4 ,the nearer man approaches to moral perfection1 the keener are his sensibilities1 the more acute is his perception of sin1 and the deeper his sympathy for the afflicted4 ,the pope claims to be the vicar of ,christ2 but how does his character bear comparison with that of our ,saviour8 ,was ,christ ever known to consign men to the prison or the rack because they did not pay ,him homage as the ,king of heaven8 ,was ,his voice heard condemning to death those who did not accept ,him8 ,when ,he was slighted by the people of a ,samaritan village1 the apostle ,john was filled with indignation1 and inquired1 8,lord1 wilt ,thou that we command fire to come down from heaven1 and consume them1 even as ,elias did80 ,jesus looked with pity upon ,his disciple1 and rebuked his harsh spirit1 saying1 8,the ,son of man is not come to destroy men's lives1 but to save them407#ajjd7 ,how different from the spirit manifested by ,christ is that of ,his professed vicar4 ,the ,roman ,church now presents a fair front to the world1 covering with apologies her record of horrible cruelties4 ,she has clothed herself in ,christlike garments2 but she is unchanged4 ,every principle of the papacy that existed in past ages exists to-day4 ,the doctrines devised in the darkest ages are still held4 ,let none deceive themselves4 ,the papacy that ,protestants are now so ready to honor is the same that ruled the world in the days of the ,reformation1 when men of ,god stood up1 at the peril of their lives1 to expose her iniquity4 ,she possesses the same pride and arrogant assumption that lorded it over kings and princes1 and claimed the prerogatives of ,god4 ,her spirit is no less cruel and despotic now than when she crushed out human liberty1 and slew the saints of the ,most ,high4 ,the papacy is just what prophecy declared that she would be1 the apostasy of the latter times47#ajje7 ,it is a part of her policy to assume the character which will best accomplish her purpose2 but beneath the variable appearance of the chameleon1 she conceals the invariable venom of the serpent4 8,faith ought not to be kept with heretics1 nor persons suspected of heresy107#ajjf7 she declares4 ,shall this power1 whose record for a thousand years is written in the blood of the saints1 be now acknowledged as a part of the church of ,christ8 ,it is not without reason that the claim has been put forth in ,protestant countries1 that ,catholicism differs less widely from ,protestantism than in former times4 ,there has been a change2 but the change is not in the papacy4 ,catholicism indeed resembles much of the ,protestantism that now exists2 because ,protestantism has so greatly degenerated since the days of the ,reformers4 ,as the ,protestant churches have been seeking the favor of the world1 false charity has blinded their eyes4 ,they do not see but that it is right to believe good of all evil2 and as the inevitable result1 they will finally believe evil of all good4 ,instead of standing in defense of the faith once delivered to the saints1 they are now1 as it were1 apologizing to ,rome for their uncharitable opinion of her1 begging pardon for their bigotry4 ,a large class1 even of those who look upon ,romanism with no favor1 apprehend little danger from her power and influence4 ,many urge that the intellectual and moral darkness prevailing during the ,middle ,ages favored the spread of her dogmas1 superstitions1 and oppression1 and that the greater intelligence of modern times1 the general diffusion of knowledge1 and the increasing liberality in matters of religion1 forbid a revival of intolerance and tyranny4 ,the very thought that such a state of things will exist in this enlightened age is ridiculed4 ,it is true that great light1 intellectual1 moral1 and religious1 is shining upon this generation4 ,in the open pages of ,god's holy word1 light from heaven has been shed upon the world4 ,but it should be remembered that the greater the light bestowed1 the greater the darkness of those who pervert or reject it4 ,a prayerful study of the ,bible would show ,protestants the real character of the papacy1 and would cause them to abhor and to shun it2 but many are so wise in their own conceit that they feel no need of humbly seeking ,god that they may be led into the truth4 ,although priding themselves on their enlightenment1 they are ignorant both of the ,scriptures and of the power of ,god4 ,they must have some means of quieting their consciences2 and they seek that which is least spiritual and humiliating4 ,what they desire is a method of forgetting ,god which shall pass as a method of remembering ,him4 ,the papacy is well adapted to meet the wants of all these4 ,it is prepared for two classes of mankind1 embracing nearly the whole world1--those who would be saved by their merits1 and those who would be saved in their sins4 ,here is the secret of its power4 ,a day of great intellectual darkness has been shown to be favorable to the success of the papacy4 ,it will yet be demonstrated that a day of great intellectual light is equally favorable for its success4 ,in past ages1 when men were without ,god's word1 and without the knowledge of the truth1 their eyes were blindfolded1 and thousands were ensnared1 not seeing the net spread for their feet4 ,in this generation there are many whose eyes become dazzled by the glare of human speculations1 8science falsely so called20 they discern not the net1 and walk into it as readily as if blindfolded4 ,god designed that man's intellectual powers should be held as a gift from his ,maker1 and should be employed in the service of truth and righteousness2 but when pride and ambition are cherished1 and men exalt their own theories above the word of ,god1 then intelligence can accomplish greater harm than ignorance4 ,thus the false science of the present day1 which undermines faith in the ,bible1 will prove as successful in preparing the way for the acceptance of the papacy1 with its pleasing forms1 as did the withholding of knowledge in opening the way for its aggrandizement in the ,dark ,ages4 ,in the movements now in progress in the ,united ,states to secure for the institutions and usages of the church the support of the state1 ,protestants are following in the steps of papists4 ,nay1 more1 they are opening the door for the papacy to regain in ,protestant ,america the supremacy which she has lost in the ,old ,world4 ,and that which gives greater significance to this movement is the fact that the principal object contemplated is the enforcement of ,sunday observance1--a custom which originated with ,rome1 and which she claims as the sign of her authority4 ,it is the spirit of the papacy1--the spirit of conformity to worldly customs1 the veneration for human traditions above the commandments of ,god1--that is permeating the ,protestant churches1 and leading them on to do the same work of ,sunday exaltation which the papacy has done before them4 ,if the reader would understand the agencies to be employed in the soon-coming contest1 he has but to trace the record of the means which ,rome employed for the same object in ages past4 ,if he would know how papists and ,protestants united will deal with those who reject their dogmas1 let him see the spirit which ,rome manifested toward the ,sabbath and its defenders4 ,royal edicts1 general councils1 and church ordinances sustained by secular power1 were the steps by which the pagan festival attained its position of honor in the ,christian world4 ,the first public measure enforcing ,sunday observance was the law enacted by ,constantine47#ajjg7 ,this edict required townspeople to rest on 8the venerable day of the sun10 but permitted countrymen to continue their agricultural pursuits4 ,though virtually a heathen statute1 it was enforced by the emperor after his nominal acceptance of ,christianity4 ,the royal mandate not proving a sufficient substitute for divine authority1 ,eusebius1 a bishop who sought the favor of princes1 and who was the special friend and flatterer of ,constantine1 advanced the claim that ,christ had transferred the ,sabbath to ,sunday4 ,not a single testimony of the ,scriptures was produced in proof of the new doctrine4 ,eusebius himself unwittingly acknowledges its falsity1 and points to the real authors of the change4 8,all things10 he says1 8whatever that it was duty to do on the ,sabbath1 these we have transferred to the ,lord's day407#ajjh7 ,but the ,sunday argument1 groundless as it was1 served to embolden men in trampling upon the ,sabbath of the ,lord4 ,all who desired to be honored by the world accepted the popular festival4 ,as the papacy became firmly established1 the work of ,sunday exaltation was continued4 ,for a time the people engaged in agricultural labor when not attending church1 and the seventh day was still regarded as the ,sabbath4 ,but steadily a change was effected4 ,those in holy office were forbidden to pass judgment in any civil controversy on the ,sunday4 ,soon after1 all persons1 of whatever rank1 were commanded to refrain from common labor1 on pain of a fine for freemen1 and stripes in the case of servants4 ,later it was decreed that rich men should be punished with the loss of half of their estates2 and finally1 that if still obstinate they should be made slaves4 ,the lower classes were to suffer perpetual banishment4 ,miracles also were called into requisition4 ,among other wonders it was reported that as a husbandman who was about to plow his field on ,sunday1 cleaned his plow with an iron1 the iron stuck fast in his hand1 and for two years he carried it about with him1 8to his exceeding great pain and shame407#ajji7 ,later1 the pope gave directions that the parish priest should admonish the violators of ,sunday1 and wish them to go to church and say their prayers1 lest they bring some great calamity on themselves and neighbors4 ,an ecclesiastical council brought forward the argument1 since so widely employed1 even by ,protestants1 that because persons had been struck by lightning while laboring on ,sunday1 it must be the ,sabbath4 8,it is apparent10 said the prelates1 8how high the displeasure of ,god was upon their neglect of this day40 ,an appeal was then made that priests and ministers1 kings and princes1 and all faithful people1 8use their utmost endeavors and care that the day be restored to its honor1 and1 for the credit of ,christianity1 more devoutly observed for the time to come407#ajaj7 ,the decrees of councils proving insufficient1 the secular authorities were besought to issue an edict that would strike terror to the hearts of the people1 and force them to refrain from labor on the ,sunday4 ,at a synod held in ,rome1 all previous decisions were reaffirmed with greater force and solemnity4 ,they were also incorporated into the ecclesiastical law1 and enforced by the civil authorities throughout nearly all ,christendom47#ajaa7 ,still the absence of scriptural authority for ,sunday-keeping occasioned no little embarrassment4 ,the people questioned the right of their teachers to set aside the positive declaration of ,jehovah1 8,the seventh day is the ,sabbath of the ,lord thy ,god10 in order to honor the day of the sun4 ,to supply the lack of ,bible testimony1 other expedients were necessary4 ,a zealous advocate of ,sunday1 who about the close of the twelfth century visited the churches of ,england1 was resisted by faithful witnesses for the truth2 and so fruitless were his efforts that he departed from the country for a season1 and cast about him for some means to enforce his teachings4 ,when he returned1 the lack was supplied1 and in his after-labors he met with greater success4 ,he brought with him a roll purporting to be from ,god ,himself1 which contained the needed command for ,sunday observance1 with awful threats to terrify the disobedient4 ,this precious document--as base a counterfeit as the institution it supported--was said to have fallen from heaven1 and to have been found in ,jerusalem1 upon the altar of ,st4 ,simeon1 in ,golgotha4 ,but in fact1 the pontifical palace at ,rome was the source whence it proceeded4 ,frauds and forgeries to advance the power and prosperity of the church have in all ages been esteemed lawful by the papal hierarchy4 ,the roll forbade labor from the ninth hour1 three o'clock1 on ,saturday afternoon1 till sunrise on ,monday2 and its authority was declared to be confirmed by many miracles4 ,it was reported that persons laboring beyond the appointed hour were stricken with paralysis4 ,a miller who attempted to grind his corn1 saw1 instead of flour1 a torrent of blood come forth1 and the mill-wheel stood still1 notwithstanding the strong rush of the water4 ,a woman who placed dough in the oven1 found it raw when taken out1 though the oven was very hot4 ,another who had dough prepared for baking at the ninth hour1 but determined to set it aside till ,monday1 found1 the next day1 that it had been made into loaves and baked by divine power4 ,a man who baked bread after the ninth hour on ,saturday1 found1 when he broke it the next morning1 that blood started therefrom4 ,by such absurd and superstitious fabrications did the advocates of ,sunday endeavor to establish its sacredness47#ajab7 ,in ,scotland1 as in ,england1 a greater regard for ,sunday was secured by uniting with it a portion of the ancient ,sabbath4 ,but the time required to be kept holy varied4 ,an edict from the king of ,scotland declared that 8,saturday from twelve at noon ought to be accounted holy10 and that no man1 from that time till ,monday morning1 should engage in worldly business47#ajac7 ,but notwithstanding all the efforts to establish ,sunday sacredness1 papists themselves publicly confessed the divine authority of the ,sabbath1 and the human origin of the institution by which it had been supplanted4 ,in the sixteenth century a papal council plainly declared3 8,let all ,christians remember that the seventh day was consecrated by ,god1 and hath been received and observed1 not only by the ,jews1 but by all others who pretend to worship ,god2 though we ,christians have changed their ,sabbath into the ,lord's day407#ajad7 ,those who were tampering with the divine law were not ignorant of the character of their work4 ,they were deliberately setting themselves above ,god4 ,a striking illustration of ,rome's policy toward those who disagree with her was given in the long and bloody persecution of the ,waldenses1 some of whom were observers of the ,sabbath4 ,others suffered in a similar manner for their fidelity to the fourth commandment4 ,the history of the churches of ,ethiopia and ,abyssinia is especially significant4 ,amid the gloom of the ,dark ,ages1 the ,christians of ,central ,africa were lost sight of and forgotten by the world1 and for many centuries they enjoyed freedom in the exercise of their faith4 ,but at last ,rome learned of their existence1 and the emperor of ,abyssinia was soon beguiled into an acknowledgment of the pope as the vicar of ,christ4 ,other concessions followed4 ,an edict was issued forbidding the observance of the ,sabbath under the severest penalties47#ajae7 ,but papal tyranny soon became a yoke so galling that the ,abyssinians determined to break it from their necks4 ,after a terrible struggle1 the ,romanists were banished from their dominions1 and the ancient faith was restored4 ,the churches rejoiced in their freedom1 and they never forgot the lesson they had learned concerning the deception1 the fanaticism1 and the despotic power of ,rome4 ,within their solitary realm they were content to remain1 unknown to the rest of ,christendom4 ,the churches of ,africa held the ,sabbath as it was held by the papal church before her complete apostasy4 ,while they kept the seventh day in obedience to the commandment of ,god1 they abstained from labor on the ,sunday in conformity to the custom of the church4 ,upon obtaining supreme power1 ,rome had trampled upon the ,sabbath of ,god to exalt her own2 but the churches of ,africa1 hidden for nearly a thousand years1 did not share in this apostasy4 ,when brought under the sway of ,rome1 they were forced to set aside the true and exalt the false sabbath2 but no sooner had they regained their independence than they returned to obedience to the fourth commandment47#ajaf7 ,these records of the past clearly reveal the enmity of ,rome toward the true ,sabbath and its defenders1 and the means which she employs to honor the institution of her creating4 ,the word of ,god teaches that these scenes are to be repeated as ,roman ,catholics and ,protestants shall unite for the exaltation of the ,sunday4 ,the prophecy of ,revelation #ac declares that the power represented by the beast with lamb-like horns shall cause 8the earth and them which dwell therein0 to worship the papacy--there symbolized by the beast 8like unto a leopard40 ,the beast with two horns is also to say 8to them that dwell on the earth1 that they should make an image to the beast20 and1 furthermore1 it is to command all1 8both small and great1 rich and poor1 free and bond10 to receive 8the mark of the beast407#ajag7 ,it has been shown that the ,united ,states is the power represented by the beast with lamb-like horns1 and that this prophecy will be fulfilled when the ,united ,states shall enforce ,sunday observance1 which ,rome claims as the special acknowledgment of her supremacy4 ,but in this homage to papacy the ,united ,states will not be alone4 ,the influence of ,rome in the countries that once acknowledged her dominion1 is still far from being destroyed4 ,and prophecy foretells a restoration of her power4 8,i saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death2 and his deadly wound was healed3 and all the world wondered after the beast407#ajah7 ,the infliction of the deadly wound points to the downfall of the papacy in #agih4 ,after this1 says the prophet1 8,his deadly wound was healed3 and all the world wondered after the beast40 ,paul states plainly that the man of sin will continue until the second advent47#ajai7 ,to the very close of time he will carry forward his work of deception4 ,and the revelator declares1 also referring to the papacy1 8,all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him1 whose names are not written in the book of life407#ajbj7 ,in both the ,old and the ,new ,world1 the papacy will receive homage in the honor paid to the ,sunday institution1 that rests solely upon the authority of the ,roman ,church4 ,for more than half a century1 students of prophecy in the ,united ,states have presented this testimony to the world4 ,in the events now taking place is seen a rapid advance toward the fulfilment of the prediction4 ,with ,protestant teachers there is the same claim of divine authority for ,sunday-keeping1 and the same lack of scriptural evidence1 as with the papal leaders who fabricated miracles to supply the place of a command from ,god4 ,the assertion that ,god's judgments are visited upon men for their violation of the ,sunday-sabbath1 will be repeated2 already it is beginning to be urged4 ,and a movement to enforce ,sunday observance is fast gaining ground4 ,marvelous in her shrewdness and cunning is the ,roman ,church4 ,she can read what is to be4 ,she bides her time1 seeing that the ,protestant churches are paying her homage in their acceptance of the false sabbath1 and that they are preparing to enforce it by the very means which she herself employed in bygone days4 ,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 her4 ,how readily she will come to the help of ,protestants in this work1 it is not difficult to conjecture4 ,who understands better than the papal leaders how to deal with those who are disobedient to the church8 ,the ,roman ,catholic ,church1 with all its ramifications throughout the world1 forms one vast organization1 under the control1 and designed to serve the interests1 of the papal see4 ,its millions of communicants1 in every country on the globe1 are instructed to hold themselves as bound in allegiance to the pope4 ,whatever their nationality or their government1 they are to regard the authority of the church as above all other4 ,though they may take the oath pledging their loyalty to the state1 yet back of this lies the vow of obedience to ,rome1 absolving them from every pledge inimical to her interests4 ,history testifies of her artful and persistent efforts to insinuate herself into the affairs of nations2 and having gained a foothold1 to further her own aims1 even at the ruin of princes and people4 ,in the year #abjd1 ,pope ,innocent ,,iii4 extracted from ,peter ,,ii41 king of ,arragon1 the following extraordinary oath3 8,i1 ,peter1 king of ,arragonians1 profess and promise to be ever faithful and obedient to my lord1 ,pope ,innocent1 to his ,catholic successors1 and the ,roman ,church1 and faithfully to preserve my kingdom in his obedience1 defending the ,catholic faith1 and persecuting heretical pravity407#ajba7 ,this is in harmony with the claims regarding the power of the ,roman pontiff1 that 8it is lawful for him to depose emperors10 and that 8he can absolve subjects from their allegiance to unrighteous rulers407#ajbb7 ,and let it be remembered1 it is the boast of ,rome that she never changes4 ,the principles of ,gregory ,,vii4 and ,innocent ,,iii4 are still the principles of the ,roman ,catholic ,church4 ,and had she but the power1 she would put them in practice with as much vigor now as in past centuries4 ,protestants little know what they are doing when they propose to accept the aid of ,rome in the work of ,sunday exaltation4 ,while they are bent upon the accomplishment of their purpose1 ,rome is aiming to re-establish her power1 to recover her lost supremacy4 ,let the principle once be established in the ,united ,states1 that the church may employ or control the power of the state2 that religious observances may be enforced by secular laws2 in short1 that the authority of church and state is to dominate the conscience1 and the triumph of ,rome in this country is assured4 ,god's word has given warning of the impending danger2 let this be unheeded1 and the ,protestant world will learn what the purposes of ,rome really are1 only when it is too late to escape the snare4 ,she is silently growing into power4 ,her doctrines are exerting their influence in legislative halls1 in the churches1 and in the hearts of men4 ,she is piling up her lofty and massive structures1 in the secret recesses of which her former persecutions will be repeated4 ,stealthily and unsuspectedly she is strengthening her forces to further her own ends when the time shall come for her to strike4 ,all that she desires is vantage-ground1 and this is already being given her4 ,we shall soon see and shall feel what the purpose of the ,roman element is4 ,whoever shall believe and obey the word of ,god1 will thereby incur reproach and persecution4 #cf4 ,,the ,,impending ,,conflict4 ,illustration3 ,chapter header4 ,from the very beginning of the great controversy in heaven1 it has been ,satan's purpose to overthrow the law of ,god4 ,it was to accomplish this that he entered upon his rebellion against the ,creator2 and though he was cast out of heaven1 he has continued the same warfare upon the earth4 ,to deceive men1 and thus lead them to transgress ,god's law1 is the object which he has steadfastly pursued4 ,whether this be accomplished by casting aside the law altogether1 or by rejecting one of its precepts1 the result will be ultimately the same4 ,he that offends 8in one point10 manifests contempt for the whole law2 his influence and example are on the side of transgression2 he becomes 8guilty of all407#ajbc7 ,in seeking to cast contempt upon the divine statutes1 ,satan has perverted the doctrines of the ,bible1 and errors have thus become incorporated into the faith of thousands who profess to believe the ,scriptures4 ,the last great conflict between truth and error is but the final struggle of the long-standing controversy concerning the law of ,god4 ,upon this battle we are now entering1--a battle between the laws of men and the precepts of ,jehovah1 between the religion of the ,bible and the religion of fable and tradition4 ,the agencies which will unite against truth and righteousness in this contest are now actively at work4 ,god's holy word1 which has been handed down to us at such a cost of suffering and blood1 is but little valued4 ,the ,bible is within the reach of all1 but there are few who really accept it as the guide of life4 ,infidelity prevails to an alarming extent1 not in the world merely1 but in the church4 ,many have come to deny doctrines which are the very pillars of the ,christian faith4 ,the great facts of creation as presented by the inspired writers1 the fall of man1 the atonement1 and the perpetuity of the law of ,god1 are practically rejected1 either wholly or in part1 by a large share of the professedly ,christian world4 ,thousands who pride themselves upon their wisdom and independence1 regard it an evidence of weakness to place implicit confidence in the ,bible2 they think it a proof of superior talent and learning to cavil at the ,scriptures1 and to spiritualize and explain away their most important truths4 ,many ministers are teaching their people1 and many professors and teachers are instructing their students1 that the law of ,god has been changed or abrogated2 and those who regard its requirements as still valid1 to be literally obeyed1 are thought to be deserving only of ridicule or contempt4 ,in rejecting the truth1 men reject its ,author4 ,in trampling upon the law of ,god1 they deny the authority of the ,lawgiver4 ,it is as easy to make an idol of false doctrines and theories as to fashion an idol of wood or stone4 ,by misrepresenting the attributes of ,god1 ,satan leads men to conceive of ,him in a false character4 ,with many1 a philosophical idol is enthroned in the place of ,jehovah2 while the living ,god1 as ,he is revealed in ,his word1 in ,christ1 and in the works of creation1 is worshiped by but few4 ,thousands deify nature1 while they deny the ,god of nature4 ,though in a different form1 idolatry exists in the ,christian world to-day as verily as it existed among ancient ,israel in the days of ,elijah4 ,the god of many professedly wise men1 of philosophers1 poets1 politicians1 journalists1--the god of polished fashionable circles1 of many colleges and universities1 even of some theological institutions1--is little better than ,baal1 the sun-god of ,phenicia4 ,no error accepted by the ,christian world strikes more boldly against the authority of ,heaven1 none is more directly opposed to the dictates of reason1 none is more pernicious in its results1 than the modern doctrine1 so rapidly gaining ground1 that ,god's law is no longer binding upon men4 ,every nation has its laws1 which command respect and obedience2 no government could exist without them2 and can it be conceived that the ,creator of the heavens and the earth has no law to govern the beings ,he has made8 ,suppose that prominent ministers were publicly to teach that the statutes which govern their land and protect the rights of its citizens were not obligatory1--that they restricted the liberties of the people1 and therefore ought not to be obeyed2 how long would such men be tolerated in the pulpit8 ,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 government8 ,it would be far more consistent for nations to abolish their statutes1 and permit the people to do as they please1 than for the ,ruler of the universe to annul ,his law1 and leave the world without a standard to condemn the guilty or justify the obedient4 ,would we know the result of making void the law of ,god8 ,the experiment has been tried4 ,terrible were the scenes enacted in ,france when atheism became the controlling power4 ,it was then demonstrated to the world that to throw off the restraints which ,god has imposed is to accept the rule of the cruelest of tyrants4 ,when the standard of righteousness is set aside1 the way is open for the prince of evil to establish his power in the earth4 ,wherever the divine precepts are rejected1 sin ceases to appear sinful1 or righteousness desirable4 ,those who refuse to submit to the government of ,god are wholly unfitted to govern themselves4 ,through their pernicious teachings1 the spirit of insubordination is implanted in the hearts of children and youth1 who are naturally impatient of control2 and a lawless1 licentious state of society results4 ,while scoffing at the credulity of those who obey the requirements of ,god1 the multitudes eagerly accept the delusions of ,satan4 ,they give the rein to lust1 and practise the sins which have called down judgments upon the heathen4 ,those who teach the people to regard lightly the commandments of ,god1 sow disobedience1 to reap disobedience4 ,let the restraint imposed by the divine law be wholly cast aside1 and human laws would soon be disregarded4 ,because ,god forbids dishonest practices1 coveting1 lying1 and defrauding1 men are ready to trample upon ,his statutes as a hindrance to their worldly prosperity2 but the results of banishing these precepts would be such as they do not anticipate4 ,if the law were not binding1 why should any fear to transgress8 ,property would no longer be safe4 ,men would obtain their neighbors' possessions by violence2 and the strongest would become richest4 ,life itself would not be respected4 ,the marriage vow would no longer stand as a sacred bulwark to protect the family4 ,he who had the power1 would1 if he desired1 take his neighbor's wife by violence4 ,the fifth commandment would be set aside with the fourth4 ,children would not shrink from taking the life of their parents1 if by so doing they could obtain the desire of their corrupt hearts4 ,the civilized world would become a horde of robbers and assassins2 and peace1 rest1 and happiness would be banished from the earth4 ,already the doctrine that men are released from obedience to ,god's requirements has weakened the force of moral obligation1 and opened the flood-gates of iniquity upon the world4 ,lawlessness1 dissipation1 and corruption are sweeping in upon us like an overwhelming tide4 ,in the family1 ,satan is at work4 ,his banner waves1 even in professedly ,christian households4 ,there is envy1 evil surmising1 hypocrisy1 estrangement1 emulation1 strife1 betrayal of sacred trusts1 indulgence of lust4 ,the whole system of religious principles and doctrines1 which should form the foundation and framework of social life1 seems to be a tottering mass1 ready to fall to ruin4 ,the vilest of criminals1 when thrown into prison for their offenses1 are often made the recipients of gifts and attentions1 as if they had attained an enviable distinction4 ,great publicity is given to their character and crimes4 ,the press publishes the revolting details of vice1 thus initiating others into the practice of fraud1 robbery1 and murder2 and ,satan exults in the success of his hellish schemes4 ,the infatuation of vice1 the wanton taking of life1 the terrible increase of intemperance and iniquity of every order and degree1 should arouse all who fear ,god1 to inquire what can be done to stay the tide of evil4 ,courts of justice are corrupt4 ,rulers are actuated by desire for gain1 and love of sensual pleasure4 ,intemperance has beclouded the faculties of many1 so that ,satan has almost complete control of them4 ,jurists are perverted1 bribed1 deluded4 ,drunkenness and revelry1 passion1 envy1 dishonesty of every sort1 are represented among those who administer the laws4 8,justice standeth afar off3 for truth is fallen in the street1 and equity cannot enter407#ajbd7 ,the iniquity and spiritual darkness that prevailed under the supremacy of ,rome were the inevitable result of her suppression of the ,scriptures2 but where is to be found the cause of the wide-spread infidelity1 the rejection of the law of ,god1 and the consequent corruption1 under the full blaze of gospel light in an age of religious freedom8 ,now that ,satan can no longer keep the world under his control by withholding the ,scriptures1 he resorts to other means to accomplish the same object4 ,to destroy faith in the ,bible serves his purpose as well as to destroy the ,bible itself4 ,by introducing the belief that ,god's law is not binding1 he as effectually leads men to transgress as if they were wholly ignorant of its precepts4 ,and now1 as in former ages1 he has worked through the church to further his designs4 ,the religious organizations of the day have refused to listen to unpopular truths plainly brought to view in the ,scriptures1 and in combating them they have adopted interpretations and taken positions which have sown broadcast the seeds of skepticism4 ,clinging to the papal error of natural immortality and man's consciousness in death1 they have rejected the only defense against the delusions of ,spiritualism4 ,the doctrine of eternal torment has led many to disbelieve the ,bible4 ,and as the claims of the fourth commandment are urged upon the people1 it is found that the observance of the seventh-day ,sabbath is enjoined2 and as the only way to free themselves from a duty which they are unwilling to perform1 many popular teachers declare that the law of ,god is no longer binding4 ,thus they cast away the law and the ,sabbath together4 ,as the work of ,sabbath reform extends1 this rejection of the divine law to avoid the claims of the fourth commandment will become well-nigh universal4 ,the teachings of religious leaders have opened the door to infidelity1 to ,spiritualism1 and to contempt for ,god's holy law2 and upon these leaders rests a fearful responsibility for the iniquity that exists in the ,christian world4 ,yet this very class put forth the claim that the fast-spreading corruption is largely attributable to the desecration of the so-called 8,christian sabbath10 and that the enforcement of ,sunday observance would greatly improve the morals of society4 ,this claim is especially urged in ,america1 where the doctrine of the true ,sabbath has been most widely preached4 ,here the temperance work1 one of the most prominent and important of moral reforms1 is often combined with the ,sunday movement1 and the advocates of the latter represent themselves as laboring to promote the highest interest of society2 and those who refuse to unite with them are denounced as the enemies of temperance and reform4 ,but the fact that a movement to establish error is connected with a work which is in itself good1 is not an argument in favor of the error4 ,we may disguise poison by mingling it with wholesome food1 but we do not change its nature4 ,on the contrary1 it is rendered more dangerous1 as it is more likely to be taken unawares4 ,it is one of ,satan's devices to combine with falsehood just enough truth to give it plausibility4 ,the leaders of the ,sunday movement may advocate reforms which the people need1 principles which are in harmony with the ,bible2 yet while there is with these a requirement which is contrary to ,god's law1 ,his servants cannot unite with them4 ,nothing can justify them in setting aside the commandments of ,god for the precepts of men4 ,through the two great errors1 the immortality of the soul and ,sunday sacredness1 ,satan will bring the people under his deceptions4 ,while the former lays the foundation of ,spiritualism1 the latter creates a bond of sympathy with ,rome4 ,the ,protestants of the ,united ,states will be foremost in stretching their hands across the gulf to grasp the hand of ,spiritualism2 they will reach over the abyss to clasp hands with the ,roman power2 and under the influence of this threefold union1 this country will follow in the steps of ,rome in trampling on the rights of conscience4 ,as ,spiritualism more closely imitates the nominal ,christianity of the day1 it has greater power to deceive and ensnare4 ,satan himself is converted1 after the modern order of things4 ,he will appear in the character of an angel of light4 ,through the agency of ,spiritualism1 miracles will be wrought1 the sick will be healed1 and many undeniable wonders will be performed4 ,and as the spirits will profess faith in the ,bible1 and manifest respect for the institutions of the church1 their work will be accepted as a manifestation of divine power4 ,the line of distinction between professed ,christians and the ungodly is now hardly distinguishable4 ,church-members love what the world loves1 and are ready to join with them2 and ,satan determines to unite them in one body1 and thus strengthen his cause by sweeping all into the ranks of ,spiritualism4 ,papists1 who boast of miracles as a certain sign of the true church1 will be readily deceived by this wonder-working power2 and ,protestants1 having cast away the shield of truth1 will also be deluded4 ,papists1 ,protestants1 and worldlings will alike accept the form of godliness without the power1 and they will see in this union a grand movement for the conversion of the world1 and the ushering in of the long-expected millennium4 ,through ,spiritualism1 ,satan appears as a benefactor of the race1 healing the diseases of the people1 and professing to present a new and more exalted system of religious faith2 but at the same time he works as a destroyer4 ,his temptations are leading multitudes to ruin4 ,intemperance dethrones reason2 sensual indulgence1 strife1 and bloodshed follow4 ,satan delights in war2 for it excites the worst passions of the soul1 and then sweeps into eternity its victims steeped in vice and blood4 ,it is his object to incite the nations to war against one another2 for he can thus divert the minds of the people from the work of preparation to stand in the day of ,god4 ,satan works through the elements also to garner his harvest of unprepared souls4 ,he has studied the secrets of the laboratories of nature1 and he uses all his power to control the elements as far as ,god allows4 ,when he was suffered to afflict ,job1 how quickly flocks and herds1 servants1 houses1 children1 were swept away1 one trouble succeeding another as in a moment4 ,it is ,god that shields ,his creatures1 and hedges them in from the power of the destroyer4 ,but the ,christian world have shown contempt for the law of ,jehovah2 and the ,lord will do just what ,he has declared that ,he would1--,he will withdraw ,his blessings from the earth1 and remove ,his protecting care from those who are rebelling against ,his law1 and teaching and forcing others to do the same4 ,satan has control of all whom ,god does not especially guard4 ,he will favor and prosper some1 in order to further his own designs2 and he will bring trouble upon others1 and lead men to believe that it is ,god who is afflicting them4 ,while appearing to the children of men as a great physician who can heal all their maladies1 he will bring disease and disaster1 until populous cities are reduced to ruin and desolation4 ,even now he is at work4 ,in accidents and calamities by sea and by land1 in great conflagrations1 in fierce tornadoes and terrific hail-storms1 in tempests1 floods1 cyclones1 tidal waves1 and earthquakes1 in every place and in a thousand forms1 ,satan is exercising his power4 ,he sweeps away the ripening harvest1 and famine and distress follow4 ,he imparts to the air a deadly taint1 and thousands perish by the pestilence4 ,these visitations are to become more and more frequent and disastrous4 ,destruction will be upon both man and beast4 8,the earth mourneth and fadeth away10 8the haughty people 444 do languish4 ,the earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof2 because they have transgressed the laws1 changed the ordinance1 broken the everlasting covenant407#ajbe7 ,and then the great deceiver will persuade men that those who serve ,god are causing these evils4 ,the class that have provoked the displeasure of ,heaven will charge all their troubles upon those whose obedience to ,god's commandments is a perpetual reproof to transgressors4 ,it will be declared that men are offending ,god by the violation of the ,sunday-sabbath2 that this sin has brought calamities which will not cease until ,sunday observance shall be strictly enforced2 and that those who present the claims of the fourth commandment1 thus destroying reverence for ,sunday1 are troublers of the people1 preventing their restoration to divine favor and temporal prosperity4 ,thus the accusation urged of old against the servant of ,god will be repeated1 and upon grounds equally well established3 8,and it came to pass1 when ,ahab saw ,elijah1 that ,ahab said unto him1 ,art thou he that troubleth ,israel8 ,and he answered1 ,i have not troubled ,israel2 but thou1 and thy father's house1 in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the ,lord1 and thou hast followed ,baalim407#ajbf7 ,as the wrath of the people shall be excited by false charges1 they will pursue a course toward ,god's ambassadors very similar to that which apostate ,israel pursued toward ,elijah4 ,the miracle-working power manifested through ,spiritualism will exert its influence against those who choose to obey ,god rather than men4 ,communications from the spirits will declare that ,god has sent them to convince the rejecters of ,sunday of their error1 affirming that the laws of the land should be obeyed as the law of ,god4 ,they will lament the great wickedness in the world1 and second the testimony of religious teachers1 that the degraded state of morals is caused by the desecration of ,sunday4 ,great will be the indignation excited against all who refuse to accept their testimony4 ,satan's policy in this final conflict with ,god's people is the same that he employed in the opening of the great controversy in heaven4 ,he professed to be seeking to promote the stability of the divine government1 while secretly bending every effort to secure its overthrow4 ,and the very work which he was thus endeavoring to accomplish1 he charged upon the loyal angels4 ,the same policy of deception has marked the history of the ,roman ,church4 ,it has professed to act as the vicegerent of ,heaven1 while seeking to exalt itself above ,god1 and to change ,his law4 ,under the rule of ,rome1 those who suffered death for their fidelity to the gospel were denounced as evil-doers2 they were declared to be in league with ,satan2 and every possible means was employed to cover them with reproach1 to cause them to appear1 in the eyes of the people1 and even to themselves1 as the vilest of criminals4 ,so it will be now4 ,while ,satan seeks to destroy those who honor ,god's law1 he will cause them to be accused as lawbreakers1 as men who are dishonoring ,god1 and bringing judgments upon the world4 ,god never forces the will or the conscience2 but ,satan's constant resort--to gain control of those whom he cannot otherwise seduce--is compulsion by cruelty4 ,through fear or force he endeavors to rule the conscience1 and to secure homage to himself4 ,to accomplish this1 he works through both religious and secular authorities1 moving them to the enforcement of human laws in defiance of the law of ,god4 ,those who honor the ,bible ,sabbath will be denounced as enemies of law and order1 as breaking down the moral restraints of society1 causing anarchy and corruption1 and calling down the judgments of ,god upon the earth4 ,their conscientious scruples will be pronounced obstinacy1 stubbornness1 and contempt of authority4 ,they will be accused of disaffection toward the government4 ,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 ,god4 ,in legislative halls and courts of justice1 commandment-keepers will be misrepresented and condemned4 ,a false coloring will be given to their words2 the worst construction will be put upon their motives4 ,as the ,protestant churches reject the clear1 scriptural arguments in defense of ,god's law1 they will long to silence those whose faith they cannot overthrow by the ,bible4 ,though they blind their own eyes to the fact1 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 doing1 and acknowledge the claims of the papal sabbath4 ,the dignitaries of church and state will unite to bribe1 persuade1 or compel all classes to honor the ,sunday4 ,the lack of divine authority will be supplied by oppressive enactments4 ,political corruption is destroying love of justice and regard for truth2 and even in free ,america1 rulers and legislators1 in order to secure public favor1 will yield to the popular demand for a law enforcing ,sunday observance4 ,liberty of conscience1 which has cost so great a sacrifice1 will no longer be respected4 ,in the soon-coming conflict we shall see exemplified the prophet's words1 8,the dragon was wroth with the woman1 and went to make war with the remnant of her seed1 which keep the commandments of ,god1 and have the testimony of ,jesus ,christ407#ajbg7 #cg4 ,,the ,,scriptures ,a ,,safeguard4 ,illustration3 ,chapter header4 8,to the law and to the testimony3 if they speak not according to this word1 it is because there is no light in them407#ajbh7 ,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 darkness4 ,satan employs every possible device to prevent men from obtaining a knowledge of the ,bible2 for its plain utterances reveal his deceptions4 ,at every revival of ,god's work1 the prince of evil is aroused to more intense activity2 he is now putting forth his utmost efforts for a final struggle against ,christ and ,his followers4 ,the last great delusion is soon to open before us4 ,antichrist is to perform his marvelous works in our sight4 ,so closely will the counterfeit resemble the true1 that it will be impossible to distinguish between them except by the ,holy ,scriptures4 ,by their testimony every statement and every miracle must be tested4 ,those who endeavor to obey all the commandments of ,god will be opposed and derided4 ,they can stand only in ,god4 ,in order to endure the trial before them1 they must understand the will of ,god as revealed in ,his word2 they can honor ,him only as they have a right conception of ,his character1 government1 and purposes1 and act in accordance with them4 ,none but those who have fortified the mind with the truths of the ,bible will stand through the last great conflict4 ,to every soul will come the searching test1 ,shall ,i obey ,god rather than men8 ,the decisive hour is even now at hand4 ,are our feet planted on the rock of ,god's immutable word8 ,are we prepared to stand firm in defense of the commandments of ,god and the faith of ,jesus8 ,before ,his crucifixion1 the ,saviour explained to ,his disciples that ,he was to be put to death1 and to rise again from the tomb2 and angels were present to impress ,his words on minds and hearts4 ,but the disciples were looking for temporal deliverance from the ,roman yoke1 and they could not tolerate the thought that ,he in whom all their hopes centered should suffer an ignominious death4 ,the words which they needed to remember were banished from their minds2 and when the time of trial came1 it found them unprepared4 ,the death of ,jesus as fully destroyed their hopes as if ,he had not forewarned them4 ,so in the prophecies the future is opened before us as plainly as it was opened to the disciples by the words of ,christ4 ,the events connected with the close of probation and the work of preparation for the time of trouble1 are clearly presented4 ,but multitudes have no more understanding of these important truths than if they had never been revealed4 ,satan watches to catch away every impression that would make them wise unto salvation1 and the time of trouble will find them unready4 ,when ,god sends to men warnings so important that they are represented as proclaimed by holy angels flying in the midst of heaven1 ,he requires every person endowed with reasoning powers to heed the message4 ,the fearful judgments denounced against the worship of the beast and his image17#ajbi7 should lead all to a diligent study of the prophecies to learn what the mark of the beast is1 and how they are to avoid receiving it4 ,but the masses of the people turn away their ears from hearing the truth1 and are turned unto fables4 ,the apostle ,paul declared1 looking down to the last days1 8,the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine407#ajcj7 ,that time has fully come4 ,the multitudes do not want ,bible truth1 because it interferes with the desires of the sinful1 world-loving heart2 and ,satan supplies the deceptions which they love4 ,but ,god will have a people upon the earth to maintain the ,bible1 and the ,bible only1 as the standard of all doctrines1 and the basis of all reforms4 ,the opinions of learned men1 the deductions of science1 the creeds or decisions of ecclesiastical councils1 as numerous and discordant as are the churches which they represent1 the voice of the majority1--not one nor all of these should be regarded as evidence for or against any point of religious faith4 ,before accepting any doctrine or precept1 we should demand a plain 8,thus saith the ,lord0 in its support4 ,satan is constantly endeavoring to attract attention to man in the place of ,god4 ,he leads the people to look to bishops1 to pastors1 to professors of theology1 as their guides1 instead of searching the ,scriptures to learn their duty for themselves4 ,then1 by controlling the minds of these leaders1 he can influence the multitudes according to his will4 ,when ,christ came to speak the words of life1 the common people heard ,him gladly2 and many1 even of the priests and rulers1 believed on ,him4 ,but the chief of the priesthood and the leading men of the nation were determined to condemn and repudiate ,his teachings4 ,though they were baffled in all their efforts to find accusations against ,him1 though they could not but feel the influence of the divine power and wisdom attending ,his words1 yet they encased themselves in prejudice2 they rejected the clearest evidence of ,his ,messiahship1 lest they should be forced to become ,his disciples4 ,these opponents of ,jesus were men whom the people had been taught from infancy to reverence1 to whose authority they had been accustomed implicitly to bow4 8,how is it10 they asked1 8that our rulers and learned scribes do not believe on ,jesus8 ,would not these pious men receive ,him if ,he were the ,christ80 ,it was the influence of such teachers that led the ,jewish nation to reject their ,redeemer4 ,the spirit which actuated those priests and rulers is still manifested by many who make a high profession of piety4 ,they refuse to examine the testimony of the ,scriptures concerning the special truths for this time4 ,they point to their own numbers1 wealth1 and popularity1 and look with contempt upon the advocates of truth as few1 poor1 and unpopular1 having a faith that separates them from the world4 ,christ foresaw that the undue assumption of authority indulged by the scribes and ,pharisees would not cease with the dispersion of the ,jews4 ,he had a prophetic view of the work of exalting human authority to rule the conscience1 which has been so terrible a curse to the church in all ages4 ,and ,his fearful denunciations of the scribes and ,pharisees1 and ,his warnings to the people not to follow these blind leaders1 were placed on record as an admonition to future generations4 ,the ,roman ,church reserves to the clergy the right to interpret the ,scriptures4 ,on the ground that ecclesiastics alone are competent to explain ,god's word1 it is withheld from the common people4 ,though the ,reformation gave the ,scriptures to all1 yet the selfsame principle which was maintained by ,rome prevents multitudes in ,protestant churches from searching the ,bible for themselves4 ,they are taught to accept its teachings as interpreted by the church2 and there are thousands who dare receive nothing1 however plainly revealed in ,scripture1 that is contrary to their creed1 or the established teaching of their church4 ,notwithstanding the ,bible is full of warnings against false teachers1 many are ready thus to commit the keeping of their souls to the clergy4 ,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 leaders4 ,they pass by the ,saviour's teachings almost unnoticed1 and place implicit confidence in the words of the ministers4 ,but are ministers infallible8 ,how can we trust our souls to their guidance unless we know from ,god's word that they are light-bearers8 ,a lack of moral courage to step aside from the beaten track of the world1 leads many to follow in the steps of learned men2 and by their reluctance to investigate for themselves1 they are becoming hopelessly fastened in the chains of error4 ,they see that the truth for this time is plainly brought to view in the ,bible1 and they feel the power of the ,holy ,spirit attending its proclamation2 yet they allow the opposition of the clergy to turn them from the light4 ,though reason and conscience are convinced1 these deluded souls dare not think differently from the minister2 and their individual judgment1 their eternal interests1 are sacrificed to the unbelief1 the pride and prejudice1 of another4 ,many are the ways by which ,satan works through human influence to bind his captives4 ,he secures multitudes to himself by attaching them by the silken cords of affection to those who are enemies of the cross of ,christ4 ,whatever this attachment may be1 parental1 filial1 conjugal1 or social1 the effect is the same2 the opposers of truth exert their power to control the conscience1 and the souls held under their sway have not sufficient courage or independence to obey their own convictions of duty4 ,the truth and the glory of ,god are inseparable2 it is impossible for us1 with the ,bible within our reach1 to honor ,god by erroneous opinions4 ,many claim that it matters not what one believes1 if his life is only right4 ,but the life is moulded by the faith4 ,if light and truth is within our reach1 and we neglect to improve the privilege of hearing and seeing it1 we virtually reject it2 we are choosing darkness rather than light4 8,there is a way that seemeth right unto a man1 but the end thereof are the ways of death407#ajca7 ,ignorance is no excuse for error or sin1 when there is every opportunity to know the will of ,god4 ,a man is traveling1 and comes to a place where there are several roads1 and a guide-board indicating where each one leads4 ,if he disregards the guide-board1 and takes whichever road seems to him to be right1 he may be ever so sincere1 but will in all probability find himself on the wrong road4 ,god has given us ,his word that we may become acquainted with its teachings1 and know for ourselves what ,he requires of us4 ,when the lawyer came to ,jesus with the inquiry1 8,what shall ,i do to inherit eternal life80 the ,saviour referred him to the ,scriptures1 saying1 8,what is written in the law8 how readest thou80 ,ignorance will not excuse young or old1 nor release them from the punishment due for the transgression of ,god's law2 because there is in their hands a faithful presentation of that law and of its principles and its claims4 ,it is not enough to have good intentions2 it is not enough to do what a man thinks is right1 or what the minister tells him is right4 ,his soul's salvation is at stake1 and he should search the ,scriptures for himself4 ,however strong may be his convictions1 however confident he may be that the minister knows what is truth1 this is not his foundation4 ,he has a chart pointing out every way mark on the heavenward journey1 and he ought not to guess at anything4 ,it is the first and highest duty of every rational being to learn from the ,scriptures what is truth1 and then to walk in the light1 and encourage others to follow his example4 ,we should day by day study the ,bible diligently1 weighing every thought1 and comparing scripture with scripture4 ,with divine help1 we are to form our opinions for ourselves1 as we are to answer for ourselves before ,god4 ,the truths most plainly revealed in the ,bible have been involved in doubt and darkness by learned men1 who1 with a pretense of great wisdom1 teach that the ,scriptures have a mystical1 a secret1 spiritual meaning not apparent in the language employed4 ,these men are false teachers4 ,it was to such a class that ,jesus declared1 8,ye know not the ,scriptures1 neither the power of ,god407#ajcb7 ,the language of the ,bible should be explained according to its obvious meaning1 unless a symbol or figure is employed4 ,christ has given the promise1 8,if any man will do ,his will1 he shall know of the doctrine407#ajcc7 ,if men would but take the ,bible as it reads1 if there were no false teachers to mislead and confuse their minds1 a work would be accomplished that would make angels glad1 and that would bring into the fold of ,christ thousands upon thousands who are now wandering in error4 ,we should exert all the powers of the mind in the study of the ,scriptures1 and should task the understanding to comprehend1 as far as mortals can1 the deep things of ,god2 yet we must not forget that the docility and submission of a child is the true spirit of the learner4 ,scriptural difficulties can never be mastered by the same methods that are employed in grappling with philosophical problems4 ,we should not engage in the study of the ,bible with that self-reliance with which so many enter the domains of science1 but with a prayerful dependence upon ,god1 and a sincere desire to learn ,his will4 ,we must come with a humble and teachable spirit to obtain knowledge from the great ,i ,,am4 ,otherwise1 evil angels will so blind our minds and harden our hearts that we shall not be impressed by the truth4 ,many a portion of ,scripture which learned men pronounce a mystery1 or pass over as unimportant1 is full of comfort and instruction to him who has been taught in the school of ,christ4 ,one reason why many theologians have no clearer understanding of ,god's word is1 they close their eyes to truths which they do not wish to practise4 ,an understanding of ,bible truth depends not so much on the power of intellect brought to the search as on the singleness of purpose1 the earnest longing after righteousness4 ,the ,bible should never be studied without prayer4 ,the ,holy ,spirit alone can cause us to feel the importance of those things easy to be understood1 or prevent us from wresting truths difficult of comprehension4 ,it is the office of heavenly angels to prepare the heart so to comprehend ,god's word that we shall be charmed with its beauty1 admonished by its warnings1 or animated and strengthened by its promises4 ,we should make the psalmist's petition our own1 8,open ,thou mine eyes1 that ,i may behold wondrous things out of ,thy law407#ajcd7 ,temptations often appear irresistible because1 through neglect of prayer and the study of the ,bible1 the tempted one cannot readily remember ,god's promises and meet ,satan with the ,scripture weapons4 ,but angels are round about those who are willing to be taught in divine things2 and in the time of great necessity1 they will bring to their remembrance the very truths which are needed4 ,thus 8when the enemy shall come in like a flood1 the ,spirit of the ,lord shall lift up a standard against him407#ajce7 ,jesus promised ,his disciples1 8,the ,comforter1 which is the ,holy ,ghost1 whom the ,father will send in ,my name1 ,he shall teach you all things1 and bring all things to your remembrance1 whatsoever ,i have said unto you407#ajcf7 ,but the teachings of ,christ must previously have been stored in the mind1 in order for the ,spirit of ,god to bring them to our remembrance in the time of peril4 8,thy word have ,i hid in mine heart10 said ,david1 8that ,i might not sin against ,thee407#ajcg7 ,all who value their eternal interests should be on their guard against the inroads of skepticism4 ,the very pillars of truth will be assailed4 ,it is impossible to keep beyond the reach of the sarcasms and sophisms1 the insidious and pestilent teachings1 of modern infidelity4 ,satan adapts his temptations to all classes4 ,he assails the illiterate with a jest or sneer1 while he meets the educated with scientific objections and philosophical reasoning1 alike calculated to excite distrust or contempt of the ,scriptures4 ,even youth of little experience presume to insinuate doubts concerning the fundamental principles of ,christianity4 ,and this youthful infidelity1 shallow as it is1 has its influence4 ,many are thus led to jest at the faith of their fathers1 and to do despite to the ,spirit of grace47#ajch7 ,many a life that promised to be an honor to ,god and a blessing to the world1 has been blighted by the foul breath of infidelity4 ,all who trust to the boastful decisions of human reason1 and imagine that they can explain divine mysteries1 and arrive at truth unaided by the wisdom of ,god1 are entangled in the snare of ,satan4 ,we are living in the most solemn period of this world's history4 ,the destiny of earth's teeming multitudes is about to be decided4 ,our own future well-being1 and also the salvation of other souls1 depend upon the course which we now pursue4 ,we need to be guided by the ,spirit of truth4 ,every follower of ,christ should earnestly inquire1 8,lord1 what wilt ,thou have me to do80 ,we need to humble ourselves before the ,lord1 with fasting and prayer1 and to meditate much upon ,his word1 especially upon the scenes of the judgment4 ,we should now seek a deep and living experience in the things of ,god4 ,we have not a moment to lose4 ,events of vital importance are taking place around us2 we are on ,satan's enchanted ground4 ,sleep not1 sentinels of ,god2 the foe is lurking near1 ready at any moment1 should you become lax and drowsy1 to spring upon you and make you his prey4 ,many are deceived as to their true condition before ,god4 ,they congratulate themselves upon the wrong acts which they do not commit1 and forget to enumerate the good and noble deeds which ,god requires of them1 but which they have neglected to perform4 ,it is not enough that they are trees in the garden of ,god4 ,they are to answer ,his expectation by bearing fruit4 ,he holds them accountable for their failure to accomplish all the good which they could have done1 through ,his grace strengthening them4 ,in the books of heaven they are registered as cumberers of the ground4 ,yet the case of even this class is not utterly hopeless4 ,with those who have slighted ,god's mercy and abused ,his grace1 the heart of long-suffering ,love yet pleads4 8,wherefore ,he saith1 ,awake1 thou that sleepest1 and arise from the dead1 and ,christ shall give thee light4 ,see then that ye walk circumspectly1 444 redeeming the time1 because the days are evil407#ajci7 ,when the testing time shall come1 those who have made ,god's word their rule of life will be revealed4 ,in summer there is no noticeable difference between evergreens and other trees2 but when the blasts of winter come1 the evergreens remain unchanged1 while other trees are stripped of their foliage4 ,so the false-hearted professor may not now be distinguished from the real ,christian1 but the time is just upon us when the difference will be apparent4 ,let opposition arise1 let bigotry and intolerance again bear sway1 let persecution be kindled1 and the half-hearted and hypocritical will waver and yield the faith2 but the true ,christian will stand firm as a rock1 his faith stronger1 his hope brighter1 than in days of prosperity4 ,says the psalmist3 8,thy testimonies are my meditation40 8,through ,thy precepts ,i get understanding3 therefore ,i hate every false way407#ajdj7 8,happy is the man that findeth wisdom40 8,he shall be as a tree planted by the waters1 and that spreadeth out her roots by the river1 and shall not see when heat cometh1 but her leaf shall be green2 and shall not be careful in the year of drought1 neither shall cease from yielding fruit407#ajda7 #ch4 ,,the ,,final ,,warning4 ,illustration3 ,chapter header4 8,i saw another angel come down from heaven1 having great power2 and the earth was lightened with his glory4 ,and he cried mightily with a strong voice1 saying1 ,babylon the great is fallen1 is fallen1 and is become the habitation of devils1 and the hold of every foul spirit1 and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird40 8,and ,i heard another voice from heaven1 saying1 ,come out of her1 ,my people1 that ye be not partakers of her sins1 and that ye receive not of her plagues407#ajdb7 ,this scripture points forward to a time when the announcement of the fall of ,babylon1 as made by the second angel7#ajdc7 of ,revelation #ad1 is to be repeated1 with the additional mention of the corruptions which have been entering the various organizations that constitute ,babylon1 since that message was first given1 in the summer of #ahdd4 ,a terrible condition of the religious world is here described4 ,with every rejection of truth1 the minds of the people will become darker1 their hearts more stubborn1 until they are entrenched in an infidel hardihood4 ,in defiance of the warnings which ,god has given1 they will continue to trample upon one of the precepts of the decalogue1 until they are led to persecute those who hold it sacred4 ,christ is set at naught in the contempt placed upon ,his word and ,his people4 ,as the teachings of ,spiritualism are accepted by the churches1 the restraint imposed upon the carnal heart is removed1 and the profession of religion will become a cloak to conceal the basest iniquity4 ,a belief in spiritual manifestations opens the door to seducing spirits1 and doctrines of devils1 and thus the influence of evil angels will be felt in the churches4 ,of ,babylon1 at the time brought to view in this prophecy1 it is declared1 8,her sins have reached unto heaven1 and ,god hath remembered her iniquities407#ajdd7 ,she has filled up the measure of her guilt1 and destruction is about to fall upon her4 ,but ,god still has a people in ,babylon2 and before the visitation of ,his judgments1 these faithful ones must be called out1 that they 8partake not of her sins1 and receive not of her plagues40 ,hence the movement symbolized by the angel coming down from heaven1 lightening the earth with his glory1 and crying mightily with a strong voice1 announcing the sins of ,babylon4 ,in connection with his message the call is heard1 8,come out of her1 ,my people40 ,these announcements1 uniting with the third angel's message1 constitute the final warning to be given to the inhabitants of the earth4 ,fearful is the issue to which the world is to be brought4 ,the powers of earth1 uniting to war against the commandments of ,god1 will decree that all1 8both small and great1 rich and poor1 free and bond107#ajde7 shall conform to the customs of the church by the observance of the false sabbath4 ,all who refuse compliance will be visited with civil penalties1 and it will finally be declared that they are deserving of death4 ,on the other hand1 the law of ,god enjoining the ,creator's rest-day demands obedience1 and threatens wrath against all who transgress its precepts4 ,with the issue thus clearly brought before him1 whoever shall trample upon ,god's law to obey a human enactment1 receives the mark of the beast2 he accepts the sign of allegiance to the power which he chooses to obey instead of ,god4 ,the warning from heaven is1 8,if any man worship the beast and his image1 and receive his mark in his forehead1 or in his hand1 the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of ,god1 which is poured out without mixture into the cup of ,his indignation407#ajdf7 ,but not one is made to suffer the wrath of ,god until the truth has been brought home to his mind and conscience1 and has been rejected4 ,there are many who have never had an opportunity to hear the special truths for this time4 ,the obligation of the fourth commandment has never been set before them in its true light4 ,he who reads every heart1 and tries every motive1 will leave none who desire a knowledge of the truth1 to be deceived as to the issues of the controversy4 ,the decree is not to be urged upon the people blindly4 ,every one is to have sufficient light to make his decision intelligently4 ,the ,sabbath will be the great test of loyalty2 for it is the point of truth especially controverted4 ,when the final test shall be brought to bear upon men1 then the line of distinction will be drawn between those who serve ,god and those who serve ,him not4 ,while the observance of the false sabbath in compliance with the law of the state1 contrary to the fourth commandment1 will be an avowal of allegiance to a power that is in opposition to ,god1 the keeping of the true ,sabbath1 in obedience to ,god's law1 is an evidence of loyalty to the ,creator4 ,while one class1 by accepting the sign of submission to earthly powers1 receive the mark of the beast1 the other1 choosing the token of allegiance to divine authority1 receive the seal of ,god4 ,heretofore those who presented the truths of the third angel's message have often been regarded as mere alarmists4 ,their predictions that religious intolerance would gain control in the ,united ,states1 that church and state would unite to persecute those who keep the commandments of ,god1 have been pronounced groundless and absurd4 ,it has been confidently declared that this land could never become other than what it has been1--the defender of religious freedom4 ,but as the question of enforcing ,sunday observance is widely agitated1 the event so long doubted and disbelieved is seen to be approaching1 and the third message will produce an effect which it could not have had before4 ,in every generation ,god has sent ,his servants to rebuke sin1 both in the world and in the church4 ,but the people desire smooth things spoken to them1 and the pure1 unvarnished truth is not acceptable4 ,many reformers1 in entering upon their work1 determined to exercise great prudence in attacking the sins of the church and the nation4 ,they hoped1 by the example of a pure ,christian life1 to lead the people back to the doctrines of the ,bible4 ,but the ,spirit of ,god came upon them as it came upon ,elijah1 moving him to rebuke the sins of a wicked king and an apostate people2 they could not refrain from preaching the plain utterances of the ,bible1--doctrines which they had been reluctant to present4 ,they were impelled to zealously declare the truth1 and the danger which threatened souls4 ,the words which the ,lord gave them they uttered1 fearless of consequences1 and the people were compelled to hear the warning4 ,thus the message of the third angel will be proclaimed4 ,as the time comes for it to be given with greatest power1 the ,lord will work through humble instruments1 leading the minds of those who consecrate themselves to ,his service4 ,the laborers will be qualified rather by the unction of ,his ,spirit than by the training of literary institutions4 ,men of faith and prayer will be constrained to go forth with holy zeal1 declaring the words which ,god gives them4 ,the sins of ,babylon will be laid open4 ,the fearful results of enforcing the observances of the church by civil authority1 the inroads of ,spiritualism1 the stealthy but rapid progress of the papal power1--all will be unmasked4 ,by these solemn warnings the people will be stirred4 ,thousands upon thousands will listen who have never heard words like these4 ,in amazement they hear the testimony that ,babylon is the church1 fallen because of her errors and sins1 because of her rejection of the truth sent to her from heaven4 ,as the people go to their former teachers with the eager inquiry1 ,are these things so8 the ministers present fables1 prophesy smooth things1 to soothe their fears1 and quiet the awakened conscience4 ,but since many refuse to be satisfied with the mere authority of men1 and demand a plain 8,thus saith the ,lord10 the popular ministry1 like the ,pharisees of old1 filled with anger as their authority is questioned1 will denounce the message as of ,satan1 and stir up the sin-loving multitudes to revile and persecute those who proclaim it4 ,as the controversy extends into new fields1 and the minds of the people are called to ,god's down-trodden law1 ,satan is astir4 ,the power attending the message will only madden those who oppose it4 ,the clergy will put forth almost superhuman efforts to shut away the light1 lest it should shine upon their flocks4 ,by every means at their command they will endeavor to suppress the discussion of these vital questions4 ,the church appeals to the strong arm of civil power1 and in this work1 papists and ,protestants unite4 ,as the movement for ,sunday enforcement becomes more bold and decided1 the law will be invoked against commandment-keepers4 ,they will be threatened with fines and imprisonment1 and some will be offered positions of influence1 and other rewards and advantages1 as inducements to renounce their faith4 ,but their steadfast answer is1 8,show us from the word of ,god our error10--the same plea that was made by ,luther under similar circumstances4 ,those who are arraigned before the courts1 make a strong vindication of the truth1 and some who hear them are led to take their stand to keep all the commandments of ,god4 ,thus light will be brought before thousands who otherwise would know nothing of these truths4 ,conscientious obedience to the word of ,god will be treated as rebellion4 ,blinded by ,satan1 the parent will exercise harshness and severity toward the believing child2 the master or mistress will oppress the commandment-keeping servant4 ,affection will be alienated2 children will be disinherited1 and driven from home4 ,the words of ,paul will be literally fulfilled1 8,all that will live godly in ,christ ,jesus shall suffer persecution407#ajdg7 ,as the defenders of truth refuse to honor the ,sunday-sabbath1 some of them will be thrust into prison1 some will be exiled1 some will be treated as slaves4 ,to human wisdom1 all this now seems impossible2 but as the restraining ,spirit of ,god shall be withdrawn from men1 and they shall be under the control of ,satan1 who hates the divine precepts1 there will be strange developments4 ,the heart can be very cruel when ,god's fear and love are removed4 ,as the storm approaches1 a large class who have professed faith in the third angel's message1 but have not been sanctified through obedience to the truth1 abandon their position1 and join the ranks of the opposition4 ,by uniting with the world and partaking of its spirit1 they have come to view matters in nearly the same light2 and when the test is brought1 they are prepared to choose the easy1 popular side4 ,men of talent and pleasing address1 who once rejoiced in the truth1 employ their powers to deceive and mislead souls4 ,they become the most bitter enemies of their former brethren4 ,when ,sabbath-keepers are brought before the courts to answer for their faith1 these apostates are the most efficient agents of ,satan to misrepresent and accuse them1 and by false reports and insinuations to stir up the rulers against them4 ,in this time of persecution the faith of the ,lord's servants will be tried4 ,they have faithfully given the warning1 looking to ,god and to ,his word alone4 ,god's ,spirit1 moving upon their hearts1 has constrained them to speak4 ,stimulated with holy zeal1 and with the divine impulse strong upon them1 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 them4 ,they have not consulted their temporal interests1 nor sought to preserve their reputation or their lives4 ,yet when the storm of opposition and reproach bursts upon them1 some1 overwhelmed with consternation1 will be ready to exclaim1 8,had we foreseen the consequences of our words1 we would have held our peace40 ,they are hedged in with difficulties4 ,satan assails them with fierce temptations4 ,the work which they have undertaken seems far beyond their ability to accomplish4 ,they are threatened with destruction4 ,the enthusiasm which animated them is gone2 yet they cannot turn back4 ,then1 feeling their utter helplessness1 they flee to the ,mighty ,one for strength4 ,they remember that the words which they have spoken were not theirs1 but ,his who bade them give the warning4 ,god put the truth into their hearts1 and they could not forbear to proclaim it4 ,the same trials have been experienced by men of ,god in ages past4 ,wycliffe1 ,huss1 ,luther1 ,tyndale1 ,baxter1 ,wesley1 urged that all doctrines be brought to the test of the ,bible1 and declared that they would renounce everything which it condemned4 ,against these men1 persecution raged with relentless fury2 yet they ceased not to declare the truth4 ,different periods in the history of the church have each been marked by the development of some special truth1 adapted to the necessities of ,god's people at that time4 ,every new truth has made its way against hatred and opposition2 those who were blessed with its light were tempted and tried4 ,the ,lord gives a special truth for the people in an emergency4 ,who dare refuse to publish it8 ,he commands ,his servants to present the last invitation of mercy to the world4 ,they cannot remain silent1 except at the peril of their souls4 ,christ's ambassadors have nothing to do with consequences4 ,they must perform their duty1 and leave results with ,god4 ,as the opposition rises to a fiercer height1 the servants of ,god are again perplexed2 for it seems to them that they have brought the crisis4 ,but conscience and the word of ,god assure them that their course is right2 and although the trials continue1 they are strengthened to bear them4 ,the contest grows closer and sharper1 but their faith and courage rise with the emergency4 ,their testimony is3 8,we dare not tamper with ,god's word1 dividing ,his holy law2 calling one portion essential and another non-essential1 to gain the favor of the world4 ,the ,lord whom we serve is able to deliver us4 ,christ has conquered the powers of earth2 and shall we be afraid of a world already conquered80 ,persecution in its varied forms is the development of a principle which will exist as long as ,satan exists and ,christianity has vital power4 ,no man can serve ,god without enlisting against himself the opposition of the hosts of darkness4 ,evil angels will assail him1 alarmed that his influence is taking the prey from their hands4 ,evil men1 rebuked by his example1 will unite with them in seeking to separate him from ,god by alluring temptations4 ,when these do not succeed1 then a compelling power is employed to force the conscience4 ,but so long as ,jesus remains man's intercessor in the sanctuary above1 the restraining influence of the ,holy ,spirit is felt by rulers and people4 ,it still controls1 to some extent1 the laws of the land4 ,were it not for these laws1 the condition of the world would be much worse than it now is4 ,while many of our rulers are active agents of ,satan1 ,god also has ,his agents among the leading men of the nation4 ,the enemy moves upon his servants to propose measures that would greatly impede the work of ,god2 but statesmen who fear the ,lord are influenced by holy angels to oppose such propositions with unanswerable arguments4 ,thus a few men will hold in check a powerful current of evil4 ,the opposition of the enemies of truth will be restrained that the third angel's message may do its work4 ,when the final warning shall be given1 it will arrest the attention of these leading men through whom the ,lord is now working1 and some of them will accept it1 and will stand with the people of ,god through the time of trouble4 ,the angel who unites in the proclamation of the third angel's message1 is to lighten the whole earth with his glory4 ,a work of world-wide extent and unwonted power is here foretold4 ,the ,advent ,movement of #ahdj-dd was a glorious manifestation of the power of ,god2 the first angel's message was carried to every missionary station in the world1 and in some countries there was the greatest religious interest which has been witnessed in any land since the ,reformation of the sixteenth century2 but these are to be exceeded by the mighty movement under the last warning of the third angel4 ,the work will be similar to that of the day of ,pentecost4 ,as the 8former rain0 was given1 in the outpouring of the ,holy ,spirit at the opening of the gospel1 to cause the upspringing of the precious seed1 so the 8latter rain0 will be given at its close1 for the ripening of the harvest4 8,then shall we know1 if we follow on to know the ,lord3 ,his going forth is prepared as the morning2 and ,he shall come unto us as the rain1 as the latter and former rain unto the earth407#ajdh7 8,be glad then1 ye children of ,zion1 and rejoice in the ,lord your ,god3 for ,he hath given you the former rain moderately1 and ,he will cause to come down for you the rain1 the former rain1 and the latter rain407#ajdi7 8,in the last days1 saith ,god1 ,i will pour out of ,my ,spirit upon all flesh40 8,and it shall come to pass1 that whosoever shall call on the name of the ,lord shall be saved407#ajej7 ,the great work of the gospel is not to close with less manifestation of the power of ,god than marked its opening4 ,the prophecies which were fulfilled in the outpouring of the former rain at the opening of the gospel1 are again to be fulfilled in the latter rain at its close4 ,here are 8the times of refreshing0 to which the apostle ,peter looked forward when he said1 8,repent ye therefore1 and be converted1 that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the ,lord2 and ,he shall send ,jesus407#ajea7 ,servants of ,god1 with their faces lighted up and shining with holy consecration1 will hasten from place to place to proclaim the message from heaven4 ,by thousands of voices1 all over the earth1 the warning will be given4 ,miracles will be wrought1 the sick will be healed1 and signs and wonders will follow the believers4 ,satan also works with lying wonders1 even bringing down fire from heaven in the sight of men47#ajeb7 ,thus the inhabitants of the earth will be brought to take their stand4 ,the message will be carried not so much by argument as by the deep conviction of the ,spirit of ,god4 ,the arguments have been presented4 ,the seed has been sown1 and now it will spring up and bear fruit4 ,the publications distributed by missionary workers have exerted their influence1 yet many whose minds were impressed have been prevented from fully comprehending the truth or from yielding obedience4 ,now the rays of light penetrate everywhere1 the truth is seen in its clearness1 and the honest children of ,god sever the bands which have held them4 ,family connections1 church relations1 are powerless to stay them now4 ,truth is more precious than all besides4 ,notwithstanding the agencies combined against the truth1 a large number take their stand upon the ,lord's side4 #ci4 8,,the ,,time ,,of ,,trouble40 ,illustration3 ,chapter header4 8,at that time shall ,michael stand up1 the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people3 and there shall be a time of trouble1 such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time3 and at that time thy people shall be delivered1 every one that shall be found written in the book407#ajec7 ,when the third angel's message closes1 mercy no longer pleads for the guilty inhabitants of the earth4 ,the people of ,god have accomplished their work4 ,they have received 8the latter rain10 8the refreshing from the presence of the ,lord10 and they are prepared for the trying hour before them4 ,angels are hastening to and fro in heaven4 ,an angel returning from the earth announces that his work is done2 the final test has been brought upon the world1 and all who have proved themselves loyal to the divine precepts have received 8the seal of the living ,god40 ,then ,jesus ceases ,his intercession in the sanctuary above4 ,he lifts ,his hands1 and with a loud voice says1 8,it is done20 and all the angelic host lay off their crowns as ,he makes the solemn announcement3 8,he that is unjust1 let him be unjust still3 and he which is filthy1 let him be filthy still3 and he that is righteous1 let him be righteous still3 and he that is holy1 let him be holy still407#ajed7 ,every case has been decided for life or death4 ,christ has made the atonement for ,his people1 and blotted out their sins4 ,the number of ,his subjects is made up2 8the kingdom and dominion1 and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven10 is about to be given to the heirs of salvation1 and ,jesus is to reign as ,king of kings1 and ,lord of lords4 ,when ,he leaves the sanctuary1 darkness covers the inhabitants of the earth4 ,in that fearful time the righteous must live in the sight of a holy ,god without an intercessor4 ,the restraint which has been upon the wicked is removed1 and ,satan has entire control of the finally impenitent4 ,god's long-suffering has ended4 ,the world has rejected ,his mercy1 despised ,his love1 and trampled upon ,his law4 ,the wicked have passed the boundary of their probation2 the ,spirit of ,god1 persistently resisted1 has been at last withdrawn4 ,unsheltered by divine grace1 they have no protection from the wicked one4 ,satan will then plunge the inhabitants of the earth into one great1 final trouble4 ,as the angels of ,god cease to hold in check the fierce winds of human passion1 all the elements of strife will be let loose4 ,the whole world will be involved in ruin more terrible than that which came upon ,jerusalem of old4 ,a single angel destroyed all the first-born of the ,egyptians1 and filled the land with mourning4 ,when ,david offended against ,god by numbering the people1 one angel caused that terrible destruction by which his sin was punished4 ,the same destructive power exercised by holy angels when ,god commands1 will be exercised by evil angels when ,he permits4 ,there are forces now ready1 and only waiting the divine permission1 to spread desolation everywhere4 ,those who honor the law of ,god have been accused of bringing judgments upon the world1 and they will be regarded as the cause of the fearful convulsions of nature and the strife and bloodshed among men that are filling the earth with woe4 ,the power attending the last warning has enraged the wicked2 their anger is kindled against all who have received the message1 and ,satan will excite to still greater intensity the spirit of hatred and persecution4 ,when ,god's presence was finally withdrawn from the ,jewish nation1 priests and people knew it not4 ,though under the control of ,satan1 and swayed by the most horrible and malignant passions1 they still regarded themselves as the chosen of ,god4 ,the ministration in the temple continued2 sacrifices were offered upon its polluted altars1 and daily the divine blessing was invoked upon a people guilty of the blood of ,god's dear ,son1 and seeking to slay ,his ministers and apostles4 ,so when the irrevocable decision of the sanctuary has been pronounced1 and the destiny of the world has been forever fixed1 the inhabitants of the earth will know it not4 ,the forms of religion will be continued by a people from whom the ,spirit of ,god has been finally withdrawn2 and the satanic zeal with which the prince of evil will inspire them for the accomplishment of his malignant designs1 will bear the semblance of zeal for ,god4 ,as the ,sabbath has become the special point of controversy throughout ,christendom1 and religious and secular authorities have combined to enforce the observance of the ,sunday1 the persistent refusal of a small minority to yield to the popular demand1 will make them objects of universal execration4 ,it will be urged that the few who stand in opposition to an institution of the church and a law of the state1 ought not to be tolerated2 that it is better for them to suffer than for whole nations to be thrown into confusion and lawlessness4 ,the same argument eighteen hundred years ago was brought against ,christ by the 8rulers of the people40 8,it is expedient for us10 said the wily ,caiaphas1 8that one man should die for the people1 and that the whole nation perish not407#ajee7 ,this argument will appear conclusive2 and a decree will finally be issued against those who hallow the ,sabbath of the fourth commandment1 denouncing them as deserving of the severest punishment1 and giving the people liberty1 after a certain time1 to put them to death4 ,romanism in the ,old ,world1 and apostate ,protestantism in the ,new1 will pursue a similar course toward those who honor all the divine precepts4 ,the people of ,god will then be plunged into those scenes of affliction and distress described by the prophet as the time of ,jacob's trouble4 8,thus saith the ,lord3 ,we have heard a voice of trembling1 of fear1 and not of peace4444 ,all faces are turned into paleness4 ,alas6 for that day is great1 so that none is like it3 it is even the time of ,jacob's trouble2 but he shall be saved out of it407#ajef7 ,jacob's night of anguish1 when he wrestled in prayer for deliverance from the hand of ,esau17#ajeg7 represents the experience of ,god's people in the time of trouble4 ,because of the deception practised to secure his father's blessing1 intended for ,esau1 ,jacob had fled for his life1 alarmed by his brother's deadly threats4 ,after remaining for many years an exile1 he had set out1 at ,god's command1 to return with his wives and children1 his flocks and herds1 to his native country4 ,on reaching the borders of the land1 he was filled with terror by the tidings of ,esau's approach at the head of a band of warriors1 doubtless bent upon revenge4 ,jacob's company1 unarmed and defenseless1 seemed about to fall helpless victims of violence and slaughter4 ,and to the burden of anxiety and fear was added the crushing weight of self-reproach2 for it was his own sin that had brought this danger4 ,his only hope was in the mercy of ,god2 his only defense must be prayer4 ,yet he leaves nothing undone on his own part to atone for the wrong to his brother1 and to avert the threatened danger4 ,so should the followers of ,christ1 as they approach the time of trouble1 make every exertion to place themselves in a proper light before the people1 to disarm prejudice1 and to avert the danger which threatens liberty of conscience4 ,having sent his family away1 that they may not witness his distress1 ,jacob remains alone to intercede with ,god4 ,he confesses his sin1 and gratefully acknowledges the mercy of ,god toward him1 while with deep humiliation he pleads the covenant made with his fathers1 and the promises to himself in the night vision at ,bethel and in the land of his exile4 ,the crisis in his life has come2 everything is at stake4 ,in the darkness and solitude he continues praying and humbling himself before ,god4 ,suddenly a hand is laid upon his shoulder4 ,he thinks that an enemy is seeking his life1 and with all the energy of despair he wrestles with his assailant4 ,as the day begins to break1 the stranger puts forth his superhuman power3 at his touch the strong man seems paralyzed1 and he falls1 a helpless1 weeping suppliant1 upon the neck of his mysterious antagonist4 ,jacob knows now that it is the ,angel of the ,covenant with whom he has been in conflict4 ,though disabled1 and suffering the keenest pain1 he does not relinquish his purpose4 ,long has he endured perplexity1 remorse1 and trouble for his sin2 now he must have the assurance that it is pardoned4 ,the divine visitant seems about to depart2 but ,jacob clings to ,him1 pleading for a blessing4 ,the ,angel urges1 8,let ,me go2 for the day breaketh20 but the patriarch exclaims1 8,i will not let ,thee go1 except ,thou bless me40 ,what confidence1 what firmness and perseverance1 are here displayed6 ,had this been a boastful1 presumptuous claim1 ,jacob would have been instantly destroyed2 but his was the assurance of one who confesses his weakness and unworthiness1 yet trusts the mercy of a covenant-keeping ,god4 8,he had power over the ,angel1 and prevailed407#ajeh7 ,through humiliation1 repentance1 and self-surrender1 this sinful1 erring mortal prevailed with the ,majesty of heaven4 ,he had fastened his trembling grasp upon the promises of ,god1 and the heart of ,infinite ,love could not turn away the sinner's plea4 ,as an evidence of his triumph1 and an encouragement to others to imitate his example1 his name was changed from one which was a reminder of his sin1 to one that commemorated his victory4 ,and the fact that ,jacob had prevailed with ,god was an assurance that he would prevail with men4 ,he no longer feared to encounter his brother's anger2 for the ,lord was his defense4 ,satan had accused ,jacob before the angels of ,god1 claiming the right to destroy him because of his sin2 he had moved upon ,esau to march against him2 and during the patriarch's long night of wrestling1 ,satan endeavored to force upon him a sense of his guilt1 in order to discourage him1 and break his hold upon ,god4 ,jacob was driven almost to despair2 but he knew that without help from heaven he must perish4 ,he had sincerely repented of his great sin1 and he appealed to the mercy of ,god4 ,he would not be turned from his purpose1 but held fast the ,angel1 and urged his petition with earnest1 agonizing cries1 until he prevailed4 ,as ,satan influenced ,esau to march against ,jacob1 so he will stir up the wicked to destroy ,god's people in the time of trouble4 ,and as he accused ,jacob1 he will urge his accusations against the people of ,god4 ,he numbers the world as his subjects2 but the little company who keep the commandments of ,god are resisting his supremacy4 ,if he could blot them from the earth1 his triumph would be complete4 ,he sees that holy angels are guarding them1 and he infers that their sins have been pardoned2 but he does not know that their cases have been decided in the sanctuary above4 ,he has an accurate knowledge of the sins which he has tempted them to commit1 and he presents these before ,god in the most exaggerated light1 representing this people to be just as deserving as himself of exclusion from the favor of ,god4 ,he declares that the ,lord cannot in justice forgive their sins1 and yet destroy him and his angels4 ,he claims them as his prey1 and demands that they be given into his hands to destroy4 ,as ,satan accuses the people of ,god on account of their sins1 the ,lord permits him to try them to the uttermost4 ,their confidence in ,god1 their faith and firmness1 will be severely tested4 ,as they review the past1 their hopes sink2 for in their whole lives they can see little good4 ,they are fully conscious of their weakness and unworthiness4 ,satan endeavors to terrify them with the thought that their cases are hopeless1 that the stain of their defilement will never be washed away4 ,he hopes so to destroy their faith that they will yield to his temptations1 and turn from their allegiance to ,god4 ,though ,god's people will be surrounded by enemies who are bent upon their destruction1 yet the anguish which they suffer is not a dread of persecution for the truth's sake2 they fear that every sin has not been repented of1 and that through some fault in themselves they will fail to realize the fulfilment of the ,saviour's promise1 8,i will keep thee from the hour of temptation1 which shall come upon all the world407#ajei7 ,if they could have the assurance of pardon1 they would not shrink from torture or death2 but should they prove unworthy1 and lose their lives because of their own defects of character1 then ,god's holy name would be reproached4 ,on every hand they hear the plottings of treason1 and see the active working of rebellion2 and there is aroused within them an intense desire1 an earnest yearning of soul1 that this great apostasy may be terminated1 and the wickedness of the wicked may come to an end4 ,but while they plead with ,god to stay the work of rebellion1 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 evil4 ,they feel that had they always employed all their ability in the service of ,christ1 going forward from strength to strength1 ,satan's forces would have less power to prevail against them4 ,they afflict their souls before ,god1 pointing to their past repentance of their many sins1 and pleading the ,saviour's promise1 8,let him take hold of ,my strength1 that he may make peace with ,me2 and he shall make peace with ,me407#ajfj7 ,their faith does not fail because their prayers are not immediately answered4 ,though suffering the keenest anxiety1 terror1 and distress1 they do not cease their intercessions4 ,they lay hold of the strength of ,god as ,jacob laid hold of the ,angel2 and the language of their souls is1 8,i will not let ,thee go1 except ,thou bless me40 ,had not ,jacob previously repented of his sin in obtaining the birthright by fraud1 ,god would not have heard his prayer and mercifully preserved his life4 ,so1 in the time of trouble1 if the people of ,god had unconfessed sins to appear before them while tortured with fear and anguish1 they would be overwhelmed2 despair would cut off their faith1 and they could not have confidence to plead with ,god for deliverance4 ,but while they have a deep sense of their unworthiness1 they have no concealed wrongs to reveal4 ,their sins have gone beforehand to judgment1 and have been blotted out2 and they cannot bring them to remembrance4 ,satan leads many to believe that ,god will overlook their unfaithfulness in the minor affairs of life2 but the ,lord shows in ,his dealings with ,jacob that ,he will in no wise sanction or tolerate evil4 ,all who endeavor to excuse or conceal their sins1 and permit them to remain upon the books of heaven1 unconfessed and unforgiven1 will be overcome by ,satan4 ,the more exalted their profession1 and the more honorable the position which they hold1 the more grievous is their course in the sight of ,god1 and the more sure the triumph of their great adversary4 ,those who delay a preparation for the day of ,god cannot obtain it in the time of trouble1 or at any subsequent time4 ,the case of all such is hopeless4 ,those professed ,christians who come up to that last fearful conflict unprepared1 will1 in their despair1 confess their sins in words of burning anguish1 while the wicked exult over their distress4 ,these confessions are of the same character as was that of ,esau or of ,judas4 ,those who make them1 lament the result of transgression1 but not its guilt4 ,they feel no true contrition1 no abhorrence of evil4 ,they acknowledge their sin1 through fear of punishment2 but1 like ,pharaoh of old1 they would return to their defiance of ,heaven1 should the judgments be removed4 ,jacob's history is also an assurance that ,god will not cast off those who have been deceived1 and tempted1 and betrayed into sin1 but who have returned unto ,him with true repentance4 ,while ,satan seeks to destroy this class1 ,god will send ,his angels to comfort and protect them in the time of peril4 ,the assaults of ,satan are fierce and determined1 his delusions are terrible2 but the ,lord's eye is upon ,his people1 and ,his ear listens to their cries4 ,their affliction is great1 the flames of the furnace seem about to consume them2 but the ,refiner will bring them forth as gold tried in the fire4 ,god's love for ,his children during the period of their severest trial1 is as strong and tender as in the days of their sunniest prosperity2 but it is needful for them to be placed in the furnace of fire2 their earthliness must be consumed1 that the image of ,christ may be perfectly reflected4 ,the season of distress and anguish before us will require a faith that can endure weariness1 delay1 and hunger1--a faith that will not faint1 though severely tried4 ,the period of probation is granted to all to prepare for that time4 ,jacob prevailed because he was persevering and determined4 ,his victory is an evidence of the power of importunate prayer4 ,all who will lay hold of ,god's promises1 as he did1 and be as earnest and persevering as he was1 will succeed as he succeeded4 ,those who are unwilling to deny self1 to agonize before ,god1 to pray long and earnestly for ,his blessing1 will not obtain it4 ,wrestling with ,god--how few know what it is6 ,how few have ever had their souls drawn out after ,god with intensity of desire until every power is on the stretch4 ,when waves of despair which no language can express sweep over the suppliant1 how few cling with unyielding faith to the promises of ,god4 ,those who exercise but little faith now1 are in the greatest danger of falling under the power of satanic delusions and the decree to compel the conscience4 ,and even if they endure the test1 they will be plunged into deeper distress and anguish in the time of trouble1 because they have never made it a habit to trust in ,god4 ,the lessons of faith which they have neglected1 they will be forced to learn under a terrible pressure of discouragement4 ,we should now acquaint ourselves with ,god by proving ,his promises4 ,angels record every prayer that is earnest and sincere4 ,we should rather dispense with selfish gratifications than neglect communion with ,god4 ,the deepest poverty1 the greatest self-denial1 with ,his approval1 is better than riches1 honors1 ease1 and friendship without it4 ,we must take time to pray4 ,if we allow our minds to be absorbed by worldly interests1 the ,lord may give us time by removing from us our idols of gold1 of houses1 or of fertile lands4 ,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 blessing4 ,if the messengers who bear the last solemn warning to the world would pray for the blessing of ,god1 not in a cold1 listless1 lazy manner1 but fervently and in faith1 as did ,jacob1 they would find many places where they could say1 8,i have seen ,god face to face1 and my life is preserved407#ajfa7 ,they would be accounted of heaven as princes1 having power to prevail with ,god and with men4 ,the 8time of trouble such as never was10 is soon to open upon us2 and we shall need an experience which we do not now possess1 and which many are too indolent to obtain4 ,it is often the case that trouble is greater in anticipation that in reality2 but this is not true of the crisis before us4 ,the most vivid presentation cannot reach the magnitude of the ordeal4 ,in that time of trial1 every soul must stand for himself before ,god4 8,though ,noah1 ,daniel1 and ,job0 were in the land1 8as ,i live1 saith the ,lord ,god1 they shall deliver neither son nor daughter2 they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness407#ajfb7 ,now1 while our great ,high ,priest is making the atonement for us1 we should seek to become perfect in ,christ4 ,not even by a thought could our ,saviour be brought to yield to the power of temptation4 ,satan finds in human hearts some point where he can gain a foothold2 some sinful desire is cherished1 by means of which his temptations assert their power4 ,but ,christ declared of ,himself1 8,the prince of this world cometh1 and hath nothing in ,me407#ajfc7 ,satan could find nothing in the ,son of ,god that would enable him to gain the victory4 ,he had kept ,his ,father's commandments1 and there was no sin in ,him that ,satan could use to his advantage4 ,this is the condition in which those must be found who shall stand in the time of trouble4 ,it is in this life that we are to separate sin from us1 through faith in the atoning blood of ,christ4 ,our precious ,saviour invites us to join ourselves to ,him1 to unite our weakness to ,his strength1 our ignorance to ,his wisdom1 our unworthiness to ,his merits4 ,god's providence is the school in which we are to learn the meekness and lowliness of ,jesus4 ,the ,lord is ever setting before us1 not the way we would choose1 which seems easier and pleasanter to us1 but the true aims of life4 ,it rests with us to co-operate with the agencies which ,heaven employs in the work of conforming our characters to the divine model4 ,none can neglect or defer this work but at the most fearful peril to their souls4 ,the apostle ,john in vision heard a loud voice in heaven exclaiming1 8,woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea6 for the devil is come down unto you1 having great wrath1 because he knoweth that he hath but a short time407#ajfd7 ,fearful are the scenes which call forth this exclamation from the heavenly voice4 ,the wrath of ,satan increases as his time grows short1 and his work of deceit and destruction will reach its culmination in the time of trouble4 ,fearful sights of a supernatural character will soon be revealed in the heavens1 in token of the power of miracle-working demons4 ,the spirits of devils will go forth to the kings of the earth and to the whole world1 to fasten them in deception1 and urge them on to unite with ,satan in his last struggle against the government of heaven4 ,by these agencies1 rulers and subjects will be alike deceived4 ,persons will arise pretending to be ,christ ,himself1 and claiming the title and worship which belong to the world's ,redeemer4 ,they will perform wonderful miracles of healing1 and will profess to have revelations from heaven contradicting the testimony of the ,scriptures4 ,as the crowning act in the great drama of deception1 ,satan himself will personate ,christ4 ,the church has long professed to look to the ,saviour's advent as the consummation of her hopes4 ,now the great deceiver will make it appear that ,christ has come4 ,in different parts of the earth1 ,satan will manifest himself among men as a majestic being of dazzling brightness1 resembling the description of the ,son of ,god given by ,john in the ,revelation47#ajfe7 ,the glory that surrounds him is unsurpassed by anything that mortal eyes have yet beheld4 ,the shout of triumph rings out upon the air1 8,christ has come6 ,christ has come60 ,the people prostrate themselves in adoration before him1 while he lifts up his hands1 and pronounces a blessing upon them1 as ,christ blessed ,his disciples when ,he was upon the earth4 ,his voice is soft and subdued1 yet full of melody4 ,in gentle1 compassionate tones he presents some of the same gracious1 heavenly truths which the ,saviour uttered2 he heals the diseases of the people1 and then1 in his assumed character of ,christ1 he claims to have changed the ,sabbath to ,sunday1 and commands all to hallow the day which he has blessed4 ,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 truth4 ,this is the strong1 almost overmastering delusion4 ,like the ,samaritans who were deceived by ,simon ,magus1 the multitudes1 from the least to the greatest1 give heed to these sorceries1 saying1 ,this is 8the great power of ,god407#ajff7 ,but the people of ,god will not be misled4 ,the teachings of this false christ are not in accordance with the ,scriptures4 ,his blessing is pronounced upon the worshipers of the beast and his image1 the very class upon whom the ,bible declares that ,god's unmingled wrath shall be poured out4 ,and1 furthermore1 ,satan is not permitted to counterfeit the manner of ,christ's advent4 ,the ,saviour has warned ,his people against deception upon this point1 and has clearly foretold the manner of ,his second coming4 8,there shall arise false christs1 and false prophets1 and shall show great signs and wonders2 insomuch that1 if it were possible1 they shall deceive the very elect4444 ,wherefore if they shall say unto you1 ,behold1 ,he is in the desert2 go not forth3 behold1 ,he is in the secret chambers2 believe it not4 ,for as the lightning cometh out of the east1 and shineth even unto the west2 so shall also the coming of the ,son of man be407#ajfg7 ,this coming1 there is no possibility of counterfeiting4 ,it will be universally known--witnessed by the whole world4 ,only those who have been diligent students of the ,scriptures1 and who have received the love of the truth1 will be shielded from the powerful delusion that takes the world captive4 ,by the ,bible testimony these will detect the deceiver in his disguise4 ,to all1 the testing time will come4 ,by the sifting of temptation1 the genuine ,christian will be revealed4 ,are the people of ,god now so firmly established upon ,his word that they would not yield to the evidence of their senses8 ,would they1 in such a crisis1 cling to the ,bible1 and the ,bible only8 ,satan will1 if possible1 prevent them from obtaining a preparation to stand in that day4 ,he will so arrange affairs as to hedge up their way1 entangle them with earthly treasures1 cause them to carry a heavy1 wearisome burden1 that their hearts may be overcharged with the cares of this life1 and the day of trial may come upon them as a thief4 ,as the decree issued by the various rulers of ,christendom against commandment-keepers shall withdraw the protection of government1 and abandon them to those who desire their destruction1 the people of ,god will flee from the cities and villages and associate together in companies1 dwelling in the most desolate and solitary places4 ,many will find refuge in the strongholds of the mountains4 ,like the ,christians of the ,piedmont valleys1 they will make the high places of the earth their sanctuaries1 and will thank ,god for the 8munitions of rocks407#ajfh7 ,but many of all nations1 and of all classes1 high and low1 rich and poor1 black and white1 will be cast into the most unjust and cruel bondage4 ,the beloved of ,god pass weary days1 bound in chains1 shut in by prison bars1 sentenced to be slain1 some apparently left to die of starvation in dark and loathsome dungeons4 ,no human ear is open to hear their moans2 no human hand is ready to lend them help4 ,will the ,lord forget ,his people in this trying hour8 ,did ,he forget faithful ,noah when judgments were visited upon the antediluvian world8 ,did ,he forget ,lot when the fire came down from heaven to consume the cities of the plain8 ,did ,he forget ,joseph surrounded by idolaters in ,egypt8 ,did ,he forget ,elijah when the oath of ,jezebel threatened him with the fate of the prophets of ,baal8 ,did ,he forget ,jeremiah in the dark and dismal pit of his prison-house8 ,did ,he forget the three worthies in the fiery furnace8 or ,daniel in the den of lions8 8,zion said1 ,jehovah hath forsaken me1 and my ,lord hath forgotten me4 ,can a woman forget her sucking child1 that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb8 yea1 they may forget1 yet will ,i not forget thee4 ,behold1 ,i have graven thee upon the palms of ,my hands407#ajfi7 ,the ,lord of hosts has said1 8,he that toucheth you1 toucheth the apple of ,his eye407#ajgj7 ,though enemies may thrust them into prison1 yet dungeon walls cannot cut off the communication between their souls and ,christ4 ,one who sees their every weakness1 who is acquainted with every trial1 is above all earthly powers2 and angels will come to them in lonely cells1 bringing light and peace from heaven4 ,the prison will be as a palace2 for the rich in faith dwell there1 and the gloomy walls will be lighted up with heavenly light1 as when ,paul and ,silas prayed and sung praises at midnight in the ,philippian dungeon4 ,god's judgments will be visited upon those who are seeking to oppress and destroy ,his people4 ,his long forbearance with the wicked emboldens men in transgression1 but their punishment is none the less certain and terrible because it is long delayed4 8,the ,lord shall rise up as in ,mount ,perazim1 ,he shall be wroth as in the valley of ,gibeon1 that ,he may do ,his work1 ,his strange work2 and bring to pass ,his act1 ,his strange act407#ajga7 ,to our merciful ,god the act of punishment is a strange act4 8,as ,i live1 saith the ,lord ,god1 ,i have no pleasure in the death of the wicked407#ajgb7 ,the ,lord is 8merciful and gracious1 long-suffering1 and abundant in goodness and truth1 444 forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin40 ,yet ,he will 8by no means clear the guilty40 8,the ,lord is slow to anger1 and great in power1 and will not at all acquit the wicked407#ajgc7 ,by terrible things in righteousness ,he will vindicate the authority of ,his downtrodden law4 ,the severity of the retribution awaiting the transgressor may be judged by the ,lord's reluctance to execute justice4 ,the nation with which ,he bears long1 and which ,he will not smite until it has filled up the measure of its iniquity in ,god's account1 will finally drink the cup of wrath unmixed with mercy4 ,when ,christ ceases ,his intercession in the sanctuary1 the unmingled wrath threatened against those who worship the beast and his image and receive his mark17#ajgd7 will be poured out4 ,the plagues upon ,egypt when ,god was about to deliver ,israel1 were similar in character to those more terrible and extensive judgments which are to fall upon the world just before the final deliverance of ,god's people4 ,says the revelator1 in describing those terrific scourges3 8,there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast1 and upon them which worshiped his image40 ,the sea 8became as the blood of a dead man3 and every living soul died in the sea40 ,and 8the rivers and fountains of waters 444 became blood40 ,terrible as these inflictions are1 ,god's justice stands fully vindicated4 ,the angel of ,god declares3 8,thou are righteous1 ,o ,lord1 444 because ,thou hast judged thus4 ,for they have shed the blood of saints and prophets1 and ,thou hast given them blood to drink2 for they are worthy407#ajge7 ,by condemning the people of ,god to death1 they have as truly incurred the guilt of their blood as if it had been shed by their hands4 ,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 ,abel2 for they possessed the same spirit1 and were seeking to do the same work1 with these murderers of the prophets4 ,in the plague that follows1 power is given to the sun 8to scorch men with fire4 ,and men were scorched with great heat407#ajgf7 ,the prophets thus describe the condition of the earth at this fearful time3 8,the land mourneth2 444 because the harvest of the field is perished40 8,all the trees of the field are withered3 because joy is withered away from the sons of men40 8,the seed is rotten under their clods1 the garners are laid desolate40 8,how do the beasts groan6 the herds of cattle are perplexed1 because they have no pasture4444 ,the rivers of waters are dried up1 and the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness40 8,the songs of the temple shall be howlings in that day1 saith the ,lord ,god3 there shall be many dead bodies in every place2 they shall cast them forth with silence407#ajgg7 ,these plagues are not universal1 or the inhabitants of the earth would be wholly cut off4 ,yet they will be the most awful scourges that have ever been known to mortals4 ,all the judgments upon men1 prior to the close of probation1 have been mingled with mercy4 ,the pleading blood of ,christ has shielded the sinner from receiving the full measure of his guilt2 but in the final judgment1 wrath is poured out unmixed with mercy4 ,in that day1 multitudes will desire the shelter of ,god's mercy which they have so long despised4 8,behold1 the days come1 saith the ,lord ,god1 that ,i will send a famine in the land1 not a famine of bread1 nor a thirst for water1 but of hearing the words of the ,lord3 and they shall wander from sea to sea1 and from the north even to the east1 they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the ,lord1 and shall not find it407#ajgh7 ,the people of ,god will not be free from suffering2 but while persecuted and distressed1 while they endure privation1 and suffer for want of food1 they will not be left to perish4 ,that ,god who cared for ,elijah1 will not pass by one of ,his self-sacrificing children4 ,he who numbers the hairs of their head1 will care for them2 and in time of famine they shall be satisfied4 ,while the wicked are dying from hunger and pestilence1 angels will shield the righteous1 and supply their wants4 ,to him that 8walketh righteously0 is the promise1 8,bread shall be given him2 his waters shall be sure40 8,when the poor and needy seek water1 and there is none1 and their tongue faileth for thirst1 ,i the ,lord will hear them1 ,i the ,god of ,israel will not forsake them407#ajgi7 8,although the fig-tree shall not blossom1 neither shall fruit be in the vines2 the labor of the olive shall fail1 and the fields shall yield no meat2 the flock shall be cut off from the fold1 and there shall be no herd in the stalls30 yet shall they that fear ,him 8rejoice in the ,lord10 and joy in the ,god of their salvation47#ajhj7 8,the ,lord is thy keeper3 the ,lord is thy shade upon thy right hand4 ,the sun shall not smite thee by day1 nor the moon by night4 ,the ,lord shall preserve thee from all evil3 ,he shall preserve thy soul40 8,he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler1 and from the noisome pestilence4 ,he shall cover thee with ,his feathers1 and under ,his wings shalt thou trust3 ,his truth shall be thy shield and buckler4 ,thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night2 nor for the arrow that flieth by day2 nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness2 nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday4 ,a thousand shall fall at thy side1 and ten thousand at thy right hand2 but it shall not come nigh thee4 ,only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked4 ,because thou hast made the ,lord1 which is my refuge1 even the ,most ,high1 thy habitation2 there shall no evil befall thee1 neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling407#ajha7 ,yet to human sight it will appear that the people of ,god must soon seal their testimony with their blood1 as did the martyrs before them4 ,they themselves begin to fear that the ,lord has left them to fall by the hand of their enemies4 ,it is a time of fearful agony4 ,day and night they cry unto ,god for deliverance4 ,the wicked exult1 and the jeering cry is heard1 8,where now is your faith8 ,why does not ,god deliver you out of our hands if you are indeed ,his people80 ,but the waiting ones remember ,jesus dying upon ,calvary's cross1 and the chief priests and rulers shouting in mockery1 8,he saved others2 ,himself ,he cannot save4 ,if ,he be the ,king of ,israel1 let ,him now come down from the cross1 and we will believe ,him407#ajhb7 ,like ,jacob1 all are wrestling with ,god4 ,their countenances express their internal struggle4 ,paleness sits upon every face4 ,yet they cease not their earnest intercession4 ,could men see with heavenly vision1 they would behold companies of angels that excel in strength stationed about those who have kept the word of ,christ's patience4 ,with sympathizing tenderness1 angels have witnessed their distress1 and have heard their prayers4 ,they are waiting the word of their ,commander to snatch them from their peril4 ,but they must wait yet a little longer4 ,the people of ,god must drink of the cup1 and be baptized with the baptism4 ,the very delay1 so painful to them1 is the best answer to their petitions4 ,as they endeavor to wait trustingly for the ,lord to work1 they are led to exercise faith1 hope1 and patience1 which have been too little exercised during their religious experience4 ,yet for the elect's sake1 the time of trouble will be shortened4 8,shall not ,god avenge ,his own elect1 which cry day and night unto ,him8444 ,i tell you that ,he will avenge them speedily407#ajhc7 ,the end will come more quickly than men expect4 ,the wheat will be gathered and bound in sheaves for the garner of ,god2 the tares will be bound as fagots for the fires of destruction4 ,the heavenly sentinels1 faithful to their trust1 continue their watch4 ,though a general decree has fixed the time when commandment-keepers may be put to death1 their enemies will in some cases anticipate the decree1 and before the time specified1 will endeavor to take their lives4 ,but none can pass the mighty guardians stationed about every faithful soul4 ,some are assailed in their flight from the cities and villages2 but the swords raised against them break and fall as powerless as a straw4 ,others are defended by angels in the form of men of war4 ,in all ages1 ,god has wrought through holy angels for the succor and deliverance of ,his people4 ,celestial beings have taken an active part in the affairs of men4 ,they have appeared clothed in garments that shone as the lightning2 they have come as men1 in the garb of wayfarers4 ,angels have appeared in human form to men of ,god4 ,they have rested1 as if weary1 under the oaks at noon4 ,they have accepted the hospitalities of human homes4 ,they have acted as guides to benighted travelers4 ,they have1 with their own hands1 kindled the fires of the altar4 ,they have opened prison doors1 and set free the servants of the ,lord4 ,clothed with the panoply of heaven1 they came to roll away the stone from the ,saviour's tomb4 ,in the form of men1 angels are often in the assemblies of the righteous1 and they visit the assemblies of the wicked1 as they went to ,sodom1 to make a record of their deeds1 to determine whether they have passed the boundary of ,god's forbearance4 ,the ,lord delights in mercy2 and for the sake of a few who really serve ,him1 ,he restrains calamities1 and prolongs the tranquillity of multitudes4 ,little do sinners against ,god realize that they are indebted for their own lives to the faithful few whom they delight to ridicule and oppress4 ,though the rulers of this world know it not1 yet often in their councils angels have been spokesmen4 ,human eyes have looked upon them2 human ears have listened to their appeals2 human lips have opposed their suggestions and ridiculed their counsels2 human hands have met them with insult and abuse4 ,in the council hall and the court of justice1 these heavenly messengers have shown an intimate acquaintance with human history2 they have proved themselves better able to plead the cause of the oppressed than were their ablest and most eloquent defenders4 ,they have defeated purposes and arrested evils that would have greatly retarded the work of ,god1 and would have caused great suffering to ,his people4 ,in the hour of peril and distress1 8the angel of the ,lord encampeth round about them that fear ,him1 and delivereth them407#ajhd7 ,with earnest longing1 ,god's people await the tokens of their coming ,king4 ,as the watchmen are accosted1 8,what of the night80 the answer is given unfalteringly1 8 #8,the morning cometh1 and also the night4'7#ajhe7 ,light is gleaming upon the clouds above the mountain tops4 ,soon there will be a revealing of ,his glory4 ,the ,sun of ,righteousness is about to shine forth4 ,the morning and the night are both at hand1--the opening of endless day to the righteous1 the settling down of eternal night to the wicked40 ,as the wrestling ones urge their petitions before ,god1 the veil separating them from the unseen seems almost withdrawn4 ,the heavens glow with the dawning of eternal day1 and like the melody of angel songs1 the words fall upon the ear1 8,stand fast to your allegiance4 ,help is coming40 ,christ1 the almighty victor1 holds out to ,his weary soldiers a crown of immortal glory2 and ,his voice comes from the gates ajar3 8,lo1 ,i am with you4 ,be not afraid4 ,i am acquainted with all your sorrows2 ,i have borne your griefs4 ,you are not warring against untried enemies4 ,i have fought the battle in your behalf1 and in ,my name you are more than conquerors40 ,the precious ,saviour will send help just when we need it4 ,the way to heaven is consecrated by ,his footprints4 ,every thorn that wounds our feet has wounded ,his4 ,every cross that we are called to bear1 ,he has borne before us4 ,the ,lord permits conflicts1 to prepare the soul for peace4 ,the time of trouble is a fearful ordeal for ,god's people2 but it is the time for every true believer to look up1 and by faith he may see the bow of promise encircling him4 8,the redeemed of the ,lord shall return1 and come with singing unto ,zion2 and everlasting joy shall be upon their head3 they shall obtain gladness and joy2 and sorrow and mourning shall flee away4 ,i1 even ,i1 am ,he that comforteth you3 who art thou1 that thou shouldst be afraid of a man that shall die1 and of the son of man which shall be made as grass2 and forgettest the ,lord thy ,maker2 444 and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor1 as if he were ready to destroy8 and where is the fury of the oppressor8 ,the captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed1 and that he should not die in the pit1 nor that his bread should fail4 ,but ,i am the ,lord thy ,god1 that divided the sea1 whose waves roared3 the ,lord of hosts is ,his name4 ,and ,i have put ,my words in thy mouth1 and ,i have covered thee in the shadow of ,mine hand407#ajhf7 8,therefore hear now this1 thou afflicted1 and drunken1 but not with wine3 ,thus saith thy ,lord ,jehovah1 and thy ,god that pleadeth the cause of ,his people1 ,behold1 ,i have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling1 even the dregs of the cup of ,my fury2 thou shalt no more drink it again3 but ,i will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee2 which have said to thy soul1 ,bow down1 that we may go over3 and thou hast laid thy body as the ground1 and as the street1 to them that went over407#ajhg7 ,the eye of ,god1 looking down the ages1 was fixed upon the crisis which ,his people are to meet1 when earthly powers shall be arrayed against them4 ,like the captive exile1 they will be in fear of death by starvation or by violence4 ,but the ,holy ,one who divided the ,red ,sea before ,israel1 will manifest ,his mighty power and turn their captivity4 8,they shall be ,mine1 saith the ,lord of hosts1 in that day when ,i make up ,my jewels2 and ,i will spare them1 as a man spareth his own son that serveth him407#ajhh7 ,if the blood of ,christ's faithful witnesses were shed at this time1 it would not1 like the blood of the martyrs1 be as seed sown to yield a harvest for ,god4 ,their fidelity would not be a testimony to convince others of the truth2 for the obdurate heart has beaten back the waves of mercy until they return no more4 ,if the righteous were now left to fall a prey to their enemies1 it would be a triumph for the prince of darkness4 ,says the psalmist1 8,in the time of trouble ,he shall hide me in ,his pavilion3 in the secret of ,his tabernacle shall ,he hide me407#ajhi7 ,christ has spoken3 8,come1 ,my people1 enter thou into thy chambers1 and shut thy doors about thee3 hide thyself as it were for a little moment1 until the indignation be overpast4 ,for1 behold1 the ,lord cometh out of ,his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity407#ajij7 ,glorious will be the deliverance of those who have patiently waited for ,his coming1 and whose names are written in the book of life4 #dj4 ,,god',s ,,people ,,delivered4 ,illustration3 ,chapter header4 ,when the protection of human laws shall be withdrawn from those who honor the law of ,god1 there will be1 in different lands1 a simultaneous movement for their destruction4 ,as the time appointed in the decree draws near1 the people will conspire to root out the hated sect4 ,it will be determined to strike in one night a decisive blow1 which shall utterly silence the voice of dissent and reproof4 ,the people of ,god--some in prison cells1 some hidden in solitary retreats in the forests and the mountains--still plead for divine protection1 while in every quarter companies of armed men1 urged on by hosts of evil angels1 are preparing for the work of death4 ,it is now1 in the hour of utmost extremity1 that the ,god of ,israel will interpose for the deliverance of ,his chosen4 ,saith the ,lord3 8,ye shall have a song1 as in the night when a holy solemnity is kept2 and gladness of heart1 as when one goeth 444 to come into the mountain of ,jehovah1 to the ,mighty ,one of ,israel4 ,and the ,lord shall cause ,his glorious voice to be heard1 and shall show the lighting down of ,his arm1 with the indignation of ,his anger1 and with the flame of a devouring fire1 with scattering1 and tempest1 and hailstones407#ajia7 ,with shouts of triumph1 jeering1 and imprecation1 throngs of evil men are about to rush upon their prey1 when1 lo1 a dense blackness1 deeper than the darkness of the night1 falls upon the earth4 ,then a rainbow1 shining with the glory from the throne of ,god1 spans the heavens1 and seems to encircle each praying company4 ,the angry multitudes are suddenly arrested4 ,their mocking cries die away4 ,the objects of their murderous rage are forgotten4 ,with fearful forebodings they gaze upon the symbol of ,god's covenant1 and long to be shielded from its overpowering brightness4 ,by the people of ,god a voice1 clear and melodious1 is heard1 saying1 8,look up10 and lifting their eyes to the heavens1 they behold the bow of promise4 ,the black1 angry clouds that covered the firmament are parted1 and like ,stephen they look up steadfastly into heaven1 and see the glory of ,god1 and the ,son of man seated upon ,his throne4 ,in ,his divine form they discern the marks of ,his humiliation2 and from ,his lips they hear the request1 presented before ,his ,father and the holy angels1 8,i will that they also1 whom ,thou hast given ,me1 be with ,me where ,i am407#ajib7 ,again a voice1 musical and triumphant1 is heard1 saying3 8,they come6 they come6 holy1 harmless1 and undefiled4 ,they have kept the word of ,my patience2 they shall walk among the angels20 and the pale1 quivering lips of those who have held fast their faith1 utter a shout of victory4 ,it is at midnight that ,god manifests ,his power for the deliverance of ,his people4 ,the sun appears1 shining in its strength4 ,signs and wonders follow in quick succession4 ,the wicked look with terror and amazement upon the scene1 while the righteous behold with solemn joy the tokens of their deliverance4 ,everything in nature seems turned out of its course4 ,the streams cease to flow4 ,dark1 heavy clouds come up1 and clash against each other4 ,in the midst of the angry heavens is one clear space of indescribable glory1 whence comes the voice of ,god like the sound of many waters1 saying1 8,it is done407#ajic7 ,that voice shakes the heavens and the earth4 ,there is a mighty earthquake1 8such as was not since men were upon the earth1 so mighty an earthquake1 and so great407#ajid7 ,the firmament appears to open and shut4 ,the glory from the throne of ,god seems flashing through4 ,the mountains shake like a reed in the wind1 and ragged rocks are scattered on every side4 ,there is a roar as of a coming tempest4 ,the sea is lashed into fury4 ,there is heard the shriek of the hurricane1 like the voice of demons upon a mission of destruction4 ,the whole earth heaves and swells like the waves of the sea4 ,its surface is breaking up4 ,its very foundations seem to be giving way4 ,mountain chains are sinking4 ,inhabited islands disappear4 ,the seaports that have become like ,sodom for wickedness1 are swallowed up by the angry waters4 ,babylon the ,great has come in remembrance before ,god1 8to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of ,his wrath407#ajie7 ,great hailstones1 every one 8about the weight of a talent10 are doing their work of destruction4 ,the proudest cities of the earth are laid low4 ,the lordly palaces1 upon which the world's great men have lavished their wealth in order to glorify themselves1 are crumbling to ruin before their eyes4 ,prison walls are rent asunder1 and ,god's people1 who have been held in bondage for their faith1 are set free4 ,graves are opened1 and 8many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth 444 awake1 some to everlasting life1 and some to shame and everlasting contempt407#ajif7 ,all who have died in the faith of the third angel's message come forth from the tomb glorified1 to hear ,god's covenant of peace with those who have kept ,his law4 8,they also which pierced ,him107#ajig7 those that mocked and derided ,christ's dying agonies1 and the most violent opposers of ,his truth and ,his people1 are raised to behold ,him in ,his glory1 and to see the honor placed upon the loyal and obedient4 ,thick clouds still cover the sky2 yet the sun now and then breaks through1 appearing like the avenging eye of ,jehovah4 ,fierce lightnings leap from the heavens1 enveloping the earth in a sheet of flame4 ,above the terrific roar of thunder1 voices1 mysterious and awful1 declare the doom of the wicked4 ,the words spoken are not comprehended by all2 but they are distinctly understood by the false teachers4 ,those who a little before were so reckless1 so boastful and defiant1 so exultant in their cruelty to ,god's commandment-keeping people1 are now overwhelmed with consternation1 and shuddering in fear4 ,their wails are heard above the sound of the elements4 ,demons acknowledge the deity of ,christ1 and tremble before ,his power1 while men are supplicating for mercy1 and groveling in abject terror4 ,said the prophets of old1 as they beheld in holy vision the day of ,god3 8,howl ye2 for the day of the ,lord is at hand2 it shall come as a destruction from the ,almighty407#ajih7 8,enter into the rock1 and hide thee in the dust1 for fear of the ,lord1 and for the glory of ,his majesty4 ,the lofty looks of man shall be humbled1 and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down1 and the ,lord alone shall be exalted in that day4 ,for the day of the ,lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty1 and upon every one that is lifted up2 and he shall be brought low40 8,in that day a man shall cast the idols of his silver1 and the idols of his gold1 which they made each one for himself to worship1 to the moles and to the bats2 to go into the clefts of the rocks1 and into the tops of the ragged rocks1 for fear of the ,lord1 and for the glory of ,his majesty1 when ,he ariseth to shake terribly the earth407#ajii7 ,through a rift in the clouds1 there beams a star whose brilliancy is increased fourfold in contrast with the darkness4 ,it speaks hope and joy to the faithful1 but severity and wrath to the transgressors of ,god's law4 ,those who have sacrificed all for ,christ are now secure1 hidden as in the secret of the ,lord's pavilion4 ,they have been tested1 and before the world and the despisers of truth they have evinced their fidelity to ,him who died for them4 ,a marvelous change has come over those who have held fast their integrity in the very face of death4 ,they have been suddenly delivered from the dark and terrible tyranny of men transformed to demons4 ,their faces1 so lately pale1 anxious1 and haggard1 are now aglow with wonder1 faith1 and love4 ,their voices rise in triumphant song3 8,god is our refuge and strength1 a very present help in trouble4 ,therefore will not we fear1 though the earth be removed1 and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea2 though the waters thereof roar and be troubled1 though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof407#aajj7 ,while these words of holy trust ascend to ,god1 the clouds sweep back1 and the starry heavens are seen1 unspeakably glorious in contrast with the black and angry firmament on either side4 ,the glory of the celestial city streams from the gates ajar4 ,then there appears against the sky a hand holding two tables of stone folded together4 ,says the prophet1 8,the heavens shall declare ,his righteousness3 for ,god is judge ,himself407#aaja7 ,that holy law1 ,god's righteousness1 that amid thunder and flame was proclaimed from ,sinai as the guide of life1 is now revealed to men as the rule of judgment4 ,the hand opens the tables1 and there are seen the precepts of the decalogue1 traced as with a pen of fire4 ,the words are so plain that all can read them4 ,memory is aroused1 the darkness of superstition and heresy is swept from every mind1 and ,god's ten words1 brief1 comprehensive1 and authoritative1 are presented to the view of all the inhabitants of the earth4 ,it is impossible to describe the horror and despair of those who have trampled upon ,god's holy requirements4 ,the ,lord gave them ,his law2 they might have compared their characters with it1 and learned their defects while there was yet opportunity for repentance and reform2 but in order to secure the favor of the world1 they set aside its precepts and taught others to transgress4 ,they have endeavored to compel ,god's people to profane ,his ,sabbath4 ,now they are condemned by that law which they have despised4 ,with awful distinctness they see that they are without excuse4 ,they chose whom they would serve and worship4 8,then shall ye return1 and discern between the righteous and the wicked1 between him that serveth ,god and him that serveth ,him not407#aajb7 ,the enemies of ,god's law1 from the ministers down to the least among them1 have a new conception of truth and duty4 ,too late they see that the ,sabbath of the fourth commandment is the seal of the living ,god4 ,too late they see the true nature of their spurious sabbath1 and the sandy foundation upon which they have been building4 ,they find that they have been fighting against ,god4 ,religious teachers have led souls to perdition while professing to guide them to the gates of ,paradise4 ,not until the day of final accounts will it be known how great is the responsibility of men in holy office1 and how terrible are the results of their unfaithfulness4 ,only in eternity can we rightly estimate the loss of a single soul4 ,fearful will be the doom of him to whom ,god shall say1 ,depart1 thou wicked servant4 ,the voice of ,god is heard from heaven1 declaring the day and hour of ,jesus' coming1 and delivering the everlasting covenant to ,his people4 ,like peals of loudest thunder1 ,his words roll through the earth4 ,the ,israel of ,god stand listening1 with their eyes fixed upward4 ,their countenances are lighted up with ,his glory1 and shine as did the face of ,moses when he came down from ,sinai4 ,the wicked cannot look upon them4 ,and when the blessing is pronounced on those who have honored ,god by keeping ,his ,sabbath holy1 there is a mighty shout of victory4 ,soon there appears in the east a small black cloud1 about half the size of a man's hand4 ,it is the cloud which surrounds the ,saviour1 and which seems in the distance to be shrouded in darkness4 ,the people of ,god know this to be the sign of the ,son of man4 ,in solemn silence they gaze upon it as it draws nearer the earth1 becoming lighter and more glorious1 until it is a great white cloud1 its base a glory like consuming fire1 and above it the rainbow of the covenant4 ,jesus rides forth as a mighty conqueror4 ,not now a 8man of sorrows10 to drink the bitter cup of shame and woe1 ,he comes1 victor in heaven and earth1 to judge the living and the dead4 8,faithful and true10 8in righteousness ,he doth judge and make war40 ,and 8the armies which were in heaven follow ,him407#aajc7 ,with anthems of celestial melody the holy angels1 a vast1 unnumbered throng1 attend ,him on ,his way4 ,the firmament seems filled with radiant forms1--8ten thousand times ten thousand1 and thousands of thousands40 ,no human pen can portray the scene2 no mortal mind is adequate to conceive its splendor4 8,his glory covered the heavens1 and the earth was full of ,his praise4 ,and ,his brightness was as the light407#aajd7 ,as the living cloud comes still nearer1 every eye beholds the ,prince of life4 ,no crown of thorns now mars that sacred head1 but a diadem of glory rests on ,his holy brow4 ,his countenance outshines the dazzling brightness of the noonday sun4 8,and ,he hath on ,his vesture and on ,his thigh a name written1 ,king of kings1 and ,lord of lords407#aaje7 ,before ,his presence1 8all faces are turned into paleness20 upon the rejecters of ,god's mercy falls the terror of eternal despair4 8,the heart melteth1 and the knees smite together10 8and the faces of them all gather blackness407#aajf7 ,the righteous cry with trembling1 8,who shall be able to stand80 ,the angels' song is hushed1 and there is a period of awful silence4 ,then the voice of ,jesus is heard1 saying1 8,my grace is sufficient for you40 ,the faces of the righteous are lighted up1 and joy fills every heart4 ,and the angels strike a note higher1 and sing again1 as they draw still nearer to the earth4 ,the ,king of kings descends upon the cloud1 wrapped in flaming fire4 ,the heavens are rolled together as a scroll1 the earth trembles before ,him1 and every mountain and island is moved out of its place4 8,our ,god shall come1 and shall not keep silence3 a fire shall devour before ,him1 and it shall be very tempestuous round about ,him4 ,he shall call to the heavens from above1 and to the earth1 that ,he may judge ,his people407#aajg7 8,and the kings of the earth1 and the great men1 and the rich men1 and the chief captains1 and the mighty men1 and every bondman1 and every freeman1 hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains2 and said to the mountains and rocks1 ,fall on us1 and hide us from the face of ,him that sitteth on the throne1 and from the wrath of the ,lamb3 for the great day of ,his wrath is come2 and who shall be able to stand807#aajh7 ,the derisive jests have ceased4 ,lying lips are hushed into silence4 ,the clash of arms1 the tumult of battle1 8with confused noise1 and garments rolled in blood107#aaji7 is stilled4 ,naught now is heard but the voice of prayer and the sound of weeping and lamentation4 ,the cry bursts forth from lips so lately scoffing1 8,the great day of ,his wrath is come2 and who shall be able to stand80 ,the wicked pray to be buried beneath the rocks of the mountains1 rather than meet the face of ,him whom they have despised and rejected4 ,that voice which penetrates the ear of the dead1 they know4 ,how often have its plaintive1 tender tones called them to repentance4 ,how often has it been heard in the touching entreaties of a friend1 a brother1 a ,redeemer4 ,to the rejecters of ,his grace1 no other could be so full of condemnation1 so burdened with denunciation1 as that voice which has so long pleaded1 8,turn ye1 turn ye from your evil ways2 for why will ye die807#aaaj7 ,o that it were to them the voice of a stranger6 ,says ,jesus3 8,i have called1 and ye refused2 ,i have stretched out ,my hand1 and no man regarded2 but ye have set at naught all ,my counsel1 and would none of ,my reproof407#aaaa7 ,that voice awakens memories which they would fain blot out1--warnings despised1 invitations refused1 privileges slighted4 ,there are those who mocked ,christ in ,his humiliation4 ,with thrilling power come to their minds the ,sufferer's words1 when1 adjured by the high priest1 ,he solemnly declared1 8,hereafter shall ye see the ,son of man sitting on the right hand of power1 and coming in the clouds of heaven407#aaab7 ,now they behold ,him in ,his glory1 and they are yet to see ,him sitting on the right hand of power4 ,those who derided ,his claim to be the ,son of ,god are speechless now4 ,there is the haughty ,herod who jeered at ,his royal title1 and bade the mocking soldiers crown ,him king4 ,there are the very men who with impious hands placed upon ,his form the purple robe1 upon ,his sacred brow the thorny crown1 and in ,his unresisting hand the mimic scepter1 and bowed before ,him in blasphemous mockery4 ,the men who smote and spit upon the ,prince of life1 now turn from ,his piercing gaze1 and seek to flee from the overpowering glory of ,his presence4 ,those who drove the nails through ,his hands and feet1 the soldier who pierced ,his side1 behold these marks with terror and remorse4 ,with awful distinctness do priests and rulers recall the events of ,calvary4 ,with shuddering horror they remember how1 wagging their heads in satanic exultation1 they exclaimed3 8,he saved others2 ,himself ,he cannot save4 ,if ,he be the ,king of ,israel1 let ,him now come down from the cross1 and we will believe ,him4 ,he trusted in ,god2 let ,him deliver ,him now1 if ,he will have ,him407#aaac7 ,vividly they recall the ,saviour's parable of the husbandmen who refused to render to their lord the fruit of the vineyard1 who abused his servants and slew his son4 ,they remember1 too1 the sentence which they themselves pronounced3 ,the lord of the vineyard 8will miserably destroy those wicked men40 ,in the sin and punishment of those unfaithful men1 the priests and elders see their own course and their own just doom4 ,and now there rises a cry of mortal agony4 ,louder than the shout1 8,crucify ,him6 crucify ,him60 which rang through the streets of ,jerusalem1 swells the awful1 despairing wail1 8,he is the ,son of ,god6 ,he is the true ,messiah60 ,they seek to flee from the presence of the ,king of kings4 ,in the deep caverns of the earth1 rent asunder by the warring of the elements1 they vainly attempt to hide4 ,in the lives of all who reject truth1 there are moments when conscience awakens1 when memory presents the torturing recollection of a life of hypocrisy1 and the soul is harassed with vain regrets4 ,but what are these compared with the remorse of that day when 8fear cometh as desolation10 when 8destruction cometh as a whirlwind067#aaad7 ,those who would have destroyed ,christ and ,his faithful people1 now witness the glory which rests upon them4 ,in the midst of their terror they hear the voices of the saints in joyful strains exclaiming1 8,lo1 this is our ,god2 we have waited for ,him1 and ,he will save us407#aaae7 ,amid the reeling of the earth1 the flash of lightning1 and the roar of thunder1 the voice of the ,son of ,god calls forth the sleeping saints4 ,he looks upon the graves of the righteous1 then raising ,his hands to heaven ,he cries1 8,awake1 awake1 awake1 ye that sleep in the dust1 and arise60 ,throughout the length and breadth of the earth1 the dead shall hear that voice2 and they that hear shall live4 ,and the whole earth shall ring with the tread of the exceeding great army of every nation1 kindred1 tongue1 and people4 ,from the prison-house of death they come1 clothed with immortal glory1 crying1 8,o death1 where is thy sting8 ,o grave1 where is thy victory807#aaaf7 ,and the living righteous and the risen saints unite their voices in a long1 glad shout of victory4 ,all come forth from their graves the same in stature as when they entered the tomb4 ,adam1 who stands among the risen throng1 is of lofty height and majestic form1 in stature but little below the ,son of ,god4 ,he presents a marked contrast to the people of later generations2 in this one respect is shown the great degeneracy of the race4 ,but all arise with the freshness and vigor of eternal youth4 ,in the beginning1 man was created in the likeness of ,god1 not only in character1 but in form and feature4 ,sin defaced and almost obliterated the divine image2 but ,christ came to restore that which had been lost4 ,he will change our vile bodies1 and fashion them like unto ,his glorious body4 ,the mortal1 corruptible form1 devoid of comeliness1 once polluted with sin1 becomes perfect1 beautiful1 and immortal4 ,all blemishes and deformities are left in the grave4 ,restored to the tree of life in the long-lost ,eden1 the redeemed will 8grow up07#aaag7 to the full stature of the race in its primeval glory4 ,the last lingering traces of the curse of sin will be removed1 and ,christ's faithful ones will appear 8in the beauty of the ,lord our ,god10 in mind and soul and body reflecting the perfect image of their ,lord4 ,oh1 wonderful redemption6 long talked of1 long hoped for1 contemplated with eager anticipation1 but never fully understood4 ,the living righteous are changed 8in a moment1 in the twinkling of an eye40 ,at the voice of ,god they were glorified2 now they are made immortal1 and with the risen saints are caught up to meet their ,lord in the air4 ,angels 8gather together the elect from the four winds1 from one end of heaven to the other40 ,little children are borne by holy angels to their mothers' arms4 ,friends long separated by death are united1 nevermore to part1 and with songs of gladness ascend together to the city of ,god4 ,on each side of the cloudy chariot are wings1 and beneath it are living wheels2 and as the chariot rolls upward1 the wheels cry1 8,holy10 and the wings1 as they move1 cry1 8,holy10 and the retinue of angels cry1 8,holy1 holy1 holy1 ,lord ,god ,almighty40 ,and the redeemed shout 8,alleluia60 as the chariot moves onward toward the ,new ,jerusalem4 ,before entering the city of ,god1 the ,saviour bestows upon ,his followers the emblems of victory1 and invests them with the insignia of their royal state4 ,the glittering ranks are drawn up1 in the form of a hollow square1 about their ,king1 whose form rises in majesty high above saint and angel1 whose countenance beams upon them full of benignant love4 ,throughout the unnumbered host of the redeemed1 every glance is fixed upon ,him1 every eye beholds ,his glory whose 8visage was so marred more than any man1 and ,his form more than the sons of men40 ,upon the heads of the overcomers1 ,jesus with ,his own right hand places the crown of glory4 ,for each there is a crown1 bearing his own 8new name107#aaah7 and the inscription1 8,holiness to the ,lord40 ,in every hand are placed the victor's palm and the shining harp4 ,then1 as the commanding angels strike the note1 every hand sweeps the harp strings with skilful touch1 awaking sweet music in rich1 melodious strains4 ,rapture unutterable thrills every heart1 and each voice is raised in grateful praise3 8,unto ,him that loved us1 and washed us from our sins in ,his own blood1 and hath made us kings and priests unto ,god and ,his ,father2 to ,him be glory and dominion forever and ever407#aaai7 ,before the ransomed throng is the holy city4 ,jesus opens wide the pearly gates1 and the nations that have kept the truth enter in4 ,there they behold the ,paradise of ,god1 the home of ,adam in his innocency4 ,then that voice1 richer than any music that ever fell on mortal ear1 is heard1 saying1 8,your conflict is ended40 8,come1 ye blessed of ,my ,father1 inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world40 ,now is fulfilled the ,saviour's prayer for ,his disciples1 8,i will that they also whom ,thou hast given ,me be with ,me where ,i am40 8,faultless before the presence of ,his glory with exceeding joy107#aabj7 ,christ presents to the ,father the purchase of ,his blood1 declaring1 8,here am ,i1 and the children whom ,thou hast given ,me40 8,those that ,thou gavest ,me ,i have kept40 ,oh1 the wonders of redeeming love6 the rapture of that hour when the infinite ,father1 looking upon the ransomed1 shall behold ,his image1 sin's discord banished1 its blight removed1 and the human once more in harmony with the divine6 ,with unutterable love1 ,jesus welcomes ,his faithful ones to the 8joy of their ,lord40 ,the ,saviour's joy is in seeing1 in the kingdom of glory1 the souls that have been saved by ,his agony and humiliation4 ,and the redeemed will be sharers in ,his joy1 as they behold1 among the blessed1 those who have been won to ,christ through their prayers1 their labors1 and their loving sacrifice4 ,as they gather about the great white throne1 gladness unspeakable will fill their hearts1 when they behold those whom they have won for ,christ1 and see that one has gained others1 and these still others1 all brought into the haven of rest1 there to lay their crowns at ,jesus' feet1 and praise ,him through the endless cycles of eternity4 ,as the ransomed ones are welcomed to the city of ,god1 there rings out upon the air an exultant cry of adoration4 ,the two ,adams are about to meet4 ,the ,son of ,god is standing with outstretched arms to receive the father of our race1--the being whom ,he created1 who sinned against his ,maker1 and for whose sin the marks of the crucifixion are borne upon the ,saviour's form4 ,as ,adam discerns the prints of the cruel nails1 he does not fall upon the bosom of his ,lord1 but in humiliation casts himself at ,his feet1 crying1 8,worthy1 worthy is the ,lamb that was slain60 ,tenderly the ,saviour lifts him up1 and bids him look once more upon the ,eden home from which he has so long been exiled4 ,after his expulsion from ,eden1 ,adam's life on earth was filled with sorrow4 ,every dying leaf1 every victim of sacrifice1 every blight upon the fair face of nature1 every stain upon man's purity1 was a fresh reminder of his sin4 ,terrible was the agony of remorse as he beheld iniquity abounding1 and1 in answer to his warnings1 met the reproaches cast upon himself as the cause of sin4 ,with patient humility he bore1 for nearly a thousand years1 the penalty of transgression4 ,faithfully did he repent of his sin1 and trust in the merits of the promised ,saviour1 and he died in the hope of a resurrection4 ,the ,son of ,god redeemed man's failure and fall2 and now1 through the work of the atonement1 ,adam is re-instated in his first dominion4 ,transported with joy1 he beholds the trees that were once his delight1--the very trees whose fruit he himself had gathered in the days of his innocence and joy4 ,he sees the vines that his own hands have trained1 the very flowers that he once loved to care for4 ,his mind grasps the reality of the scene2 he comprehends that this is indeed ,eden restored1 more lovely now than when he was banished from it4 ,the ,saviour leads him to the tree of life1 and plucks the glorious fruit1 and bids him eat4 ,he looks about him1 and beholds a multitude of his family redeemed1 standing in the ,paradise of ,god4 ,then he casts his glittering crown at the feet of ,jesus1 and falling upon ,his breast1 embraces the ,redeemer4 ,he touches the golden harp1 and the vaults of heaven echo the triumphant song1 8,worthy1 worthy1 worthy is the ,lamb that was slain1 and lives again60 ,the family of ,adam take up the strain1 and cast their crowns at the ,saviour's feet as they bow before ,him in adoration4 ,this reunion is witnessed by the angels who wept at the fall of ,adam1 and rejoiced when ,jesus1 after ,his resurrection1 ascended to heaven1 having opened the grave for all who should believe on ,his name4 ,now they behold the work of redemption accomplished1 and they unite their voices in the song of praise4 ,upon the crystal sea before the throne1 that sea of glass as it were mingled with fire1--so resplendent is it with the glory of ,god1--are gathered the company that have 8gotten the victory over the beast1 and over his image1 and over his mark1 and over the number of his name407#aaba7 ,with the ,lamb upon ,mount ,zion1 8having the harps of ,god10 they stand1 the hundred and forty and four thousand that were redeemed from among men2 and there is heard1 as the sound of many waters1 and as the sound of a great thunder1 8the voice of harpers harping with their harps407#aabb7 ,and they sing 8a new song0 before the throne1 a song which no man can learn save the hundred and forty and four thousand4 ,it is the song of ,moses and the ,lamb1--a song of deliverance4 ,none but the hundred and forty-four thousand can learn that song2 for it is the song of their experience1--an experience such as no other company have ever had4 8,these are they which follow the ,lamb whithersoever ,he goeth40 ,these1 having been translated from the earth1 from among the living1 are counted as 8the first-fruits unto ,god and to the ,lamb407#aabc7 8,these are they which came out of great tribulation207#aabd7 they have passed through the time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation2 they have endured the anguish of the time of ,jacob's trouble2 they have stood without an intercessor through the final outpouring of ,god's judgments4 ,but they have been delivered1 for they have 8washed their robes1 and made them white in the blood of the ,lamb40 8,in their mouth was found no guile3 for they are without fault0 before ,god4 8,therefore are they before the throne of ,god1 and serve ,him day and night in ,his temple3 and ,he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them407#aabe7 ,they have seen the earth wasted with famine and pestilence1 the sun having power to scorch men with great heat1 and they themselves have endured suffering1 hunger1 and thirst4 ,but 8they shall hunger no more1 neither thirst any more2 neither shall the sun light on them1 nor any heat4 ,for the ,lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them1 and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters3 and ,god shall wipe away all tears from their eyes407#aabf7 ,in all ages the ,saviour's chosen have been educated and disciplined in the school of trial4 ,they walked in narrow paths on earth2 they were purified in the furnace of affliction4 ,for ,jesus' sake they endured opposition1 hatred1 calumny4 ,they followed ,him through conflicts sore2 they endured self-denial and experienced bitter disappointments4 ,by their own painful experience they learned the evil of sin1 its power1 its guilt1 its woe2 and they look upon it with abhorrence4 ,a sense of the infinite sacrifice made for its cure1 humbles them in their own sight1 and fills their hearts with gratitude and praise which those who have never fallen cannot appreciate4 ,they love much1 because they have been forgiven much4 ,having been partakers of ,christ's sufferings1 they are fitted to be partakers with ,him of ,his glory4 ,the heirs of ,god have come from garrets1 from hovels1 from dungeons1 from scaffolds1 from mountains1 from deserts1 from the caves of the earth1 from the caverns of the sea4 ,on earth they were 8destitute1 afflicted1 tormented40 ,millions went down to the grave loaded with infamy1 because they steadfastly refused to yield to the deceptive claims of ,satan4 ,by human tribunals they were adjudged the vilest of criminals4 ,but now 8,god is judge ,himself407#aabg7 ,now the decisions of earth are reversed4 8,the rebuke of ,his people shall ,he take away407#aabh7 8,they shall call them1 ,the holy people1 ,the redeemed of the ,lord40 ,he hath appointed 8to give unto them beauty for ashes1 the oil of joy for mourning1 the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness407#aabi7 ,they are no longer feeble1 afflicted1 scattered1 and oppressed4 ,henceforth they are to be ever with the ,lord4 ,they stand before the throne clad in richer robes than the most honored of the earth have ever worn4 ,they are crowned with diadems more glorious than were ever placed upon the brow of earthly monarchs4 ,the days of pain and weeping are forever ended4 ,the ,king of glory has wiped the tears from all faces2 every cause of grief has been removed4 ,amid the waving of palm-branches they pour forth a song of praise1 clear1 sweet1 and harmonious2 every voice takes up the strain1 until the anthem swells through the vaults of heaven1 8,salvation to our ,god which sitteth upon the throne1 and unto the ,lamb40 ,and all the inhabitants of heaven respond in the ascription1 8,amen3 ,blessing1 and glory1 and wisdom1 and thanksgiving1 and honor1 and power1 and might1 be unto our ,god forever and ever407#aacj7 ,in this life we can only begin to understand the wonderful theme of redemption4 ,with our finite comprehension we may consider most earnestly the shame and the glory1 the life and the death1 the justice and the mercy1 that meet in the cross2 yet with the utmost stretch of our mental powers we fail to grasp its full significance4 ,the length and the breadth1 the depth and the height1 of redeeming love are but dimly comprehended4 ,the plan of redemption will not be fully understood1 even when the ransomed see as they are seen and know as they are known2 but through the eternal ages1 new truth will continually unfold to the wondering and delighted mind4 ,though the griefs and pains and temptations of earth are ended1 and the cause removed1 the people of ,god will ever have a distinct1 intelligent knowledge of what their salvation has cost4 ,the cross of ,christ will be the science and the song of the redeemed through all eternity4 ,in ,christ glorified they will behold ,christ crucified4 ,never will it be forgotten that ,he whose power created and upheld the unnumbered worlds through the vast realms of space1 the ,beloved of ,god1 the ,majesty of heaven1 ,he whom cherub and shining seraph delighted to adore1--humbled ,himself to uplift fallen man2 that ,he bore the guilt and shame of sin1 and the hiding of ,his ,father's face1 till the woes of a lost world broke ,his heart1 and crushed out ,his life on ,calvary's cross4 ,that the ,maker of all worlds1 the ,arbiter of all destinies1 should lay aside ,his glory1 and humiliate ,himself from love to man1 will ever excite the wonder and adoration of the universe4 ,as the nations of the saved look upon their ,redeemer1 and behold the eternal glory of the ,father shining in ,his countenance2 as they behold ,his throne1 which is from everlasting to everlasting1 and know that ,his kingdom is to have no end1 they break forth in rapturous song1 8,worthy1 worthy is the ,lamb that was slain1 and hath redeemed us to ,god by ,his own most precious blood60 ,the mystery of the cross explains all other mysteries4 ,in the light that streams from ,calvary1 the attributes of ,god which had filled us with fear and awe appear beautiful and attractive4 ,mercy1 tenderness1 and parental love are seen to blend with holiness1 justice1 and power4 ,while we behold the majesty of ,his throne1 high and lifted up1 we see ,his character in its gracious manifestations1 and comprehend1 as never before1 the significance of that endearing title1 8,our ,father40 ,it will be seen that ,he who is infinite in wisdom could devise no plan for our salvation except the sacrifice of ,his ,son4 ,the compensation for this sacrifice is the joy of peopling the earth with ransomed beings1 holy1 happy1 and immortal4 ,the result of the ,saviour's conflict with the powers of darkness is joy to the redeemed1 redounding to the glory of ,god throughout eternity4 ,and such is the value of the soul that the ,father is satisfied with the price paid2 and ,christ ,himself1 beholding the fruits of ,his great sacrifice1 is satisfied4 #da4 ,,desolation ,,of ,,the ,,earth4 ,illustration3 ,chapter header4 8,her sins have reached unto heaven1 and ,god hath remembered her iniquities40 8,in the cup which she hath filled1 fill to her double4 ,how much she hath glorified herself1 and lived deliciously1 so much torment and sorrow give her3 for she saith in her heart1 ,i sit a queen1 and am no widow1 and shall see no sorrow4 ,therefore shall her plagues come in one day1 death1 and mourning1 and famine2 and she shall be utterly burned with fire3 for strong is the ,lord ,god who judgeth her4 ,and the kings of the earth1 who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her1 shall bewail her1 and lament for her1 444 saying1 ,alas1 alas that great city ,babylon1 that mighty city6 for in one hour is thy judgment come407#aaca7 8,the merchants of the earth10 that have 8waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies10 8shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment1 weeping and wailing1 and saying1 ,alas1 alas that great city1 that was clothed in fine linen1 and purple1 and scarlet1 and decked with gold1 and precious stones1 and pearls6 ,for in one hour so great riches is come to naught407#aacb7 ,such are the judgments that fall upon ,babylon in the day of the visitation of ,god's wrath4 ,she has filled up the measure of her iniquity2 her time has come2 she is ripe for destruction4 ,when the voice of ,god turns the captivity of ,his people1 there is a terrible awakening of those who have lost all in the great conflict of life4 ,while probation continued they were blinded by ,satan's deceptions1 and they justified their course of sin4 ,the rich prided themselves upon their superiority to those who were less favored2 but they had obtained their riches by violation of the law of ,god4 ,they had neglected to feed the hungry1 to clothe the naked1 to deal justly1 and to love mercy4 ,they had sought to exalt themselves1 and to obtain the homage of their fellow-creatures4 ,now they are stripped of all that made them great1 and are left destitute and defenseless4 ,they look with terror upon the destruction of the idols which they preferred before their ,maker4 ,they have sold their souls for earthly riches and enjoyments1 and have not sought to become rich toward ,god4 ,the result is1 their lives are a failure2 their pleasures are now turned to gall1 their treasures to corruption4 ,the gain of a lifetime is swept away in a moment4 ,the rich bemoan the destruction of their grand houses1 the scattering of their gold and silver4 ,but their lamentations are silenced by the fear that they themselves are to perish with their idols4 ,the wicked are filled with regret1 not because of their sinful neglect of ,god and their fellow-men1 but because ,god has conquered4 ,they lament that the result is what it is2 but they do not repent of their wickedness4 ,they would leave no means untried to conquer if they could4 ,the world see the very class whom they have mocked and derided1 and desired to exterminate1 pass unharmed through pestilence1 tempest1 and earthquake4 ,he who is to the transgressors of ,his law a devouring fire1 is to ,his people a safe pavilion4 ,the minister who has sacrificed truth to gain the favor of men1 now discerns the character and influence of his teachings4 ,it is apparent that the omniscient eye was following him as he stood in the desk1 as he walked the streets1 as he mingled with men in the various scenes of life4 ,every emotion of the soul1 every line written1 every word uttered1 every act that led men to rest in a refuge of falsehood1 has been scattering seed2 and now1 in the wretched1 lost souls around him1 he beholds the harvest4 ,saith the ,lord3 8,they have healed the hurt of the daughter of ,my people slightly1 saying1 ,peace1 peace2 when there is no peace40 8,with lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad1 whom ,i have not made sad2 and strengthened the hands of the wicked1 that he should not return from his wicked way1 by promising him life407#aacc7 8,woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of ,my pasture6444 ,behold1 ,i will visit upon you the evil of your doings40 8,howl1 ye shepherds1 and cry2 and wallow yourselves in the ashes1 ye principal of the flock3 for your days for slaughter and your dispersions are accomplished2 444 and the shepherds shall have no way to flee1 nor the principal of the flock to escape407#aacd7 ,ministers and people see that they have not sustained the right relation to ,god4 ,they see that they have rebelled against the ,author of all just and righteous law4 ,the setting aside of the divine precepts gave rise to thousands of springs of evil1 discord1 hatred1 iniquity1 until the earth became one vast field of strife1 one sink of corruption4 ,this is the view that now appears to those who rejected truth and chose to cherish error4 ,no language can express the longing which the disobedient and disloyal feel for that which they have lost forever1--eternal life4 ,men whom the world has worshiped for their talents and eloquence now see these things in their true light4 ,they realize what they have forfeited by transgression1 and they fall at the feet of those whose fidelity they have despised and derided1 and confess that ,god has loved them4 ,the people see that they have been deluded4 ,they accuse one another of having led them to destruction2 but all unite in heaping their bitterest condemnation upon the ministers4 ,unfaithful pastors have prophesied smooth things2 they have led their hearers to make void the law of ,god and to persecute those who would keep it holy4 ,now1 in their despair1 these teachers confess before the world their work of deception4 ,the multitudes are filled with fury4 8,we are lost60 they cry1 8and you are the cause of our ruin20 and they turn upon the false shepherds4 ,the very ones that once admired them most1 will pronounce the most dreadful curses upon them4 ,the very hands that once crowned them with laurels1 will be raised for their destruction4 ,the swords which were to slay ,god's people1 are now employed to destroy their enemies4 ,everywhere there is strife and bloodshed4 8,a noise shall come even to the ends of the earth2 for the ,lord hath a controversy with the nations1 ,he will plead with all flesh2 ,he will give them that are wicked to the sword407#aace7 ,for six thousand years the great controversy has been in progress2 the ,son of ,god and ,his heavenly messengers have been in conflict with the power of the evil one1 to warn1 enlighten1 and save the children of men4 ,now all have made their decision2 the wicked have fully united with ,satan in his warfare against ,god4 ,the time has come for ,god to vindicate the authority of ,his downtrodden law4 ,now the controversy is not alone with ,satan1 but with men4 8,the ,lord hath a controversy with the nations20 8,he will give them that are wicked to the sword40 ,the mark of deliverance has been set upon those 8that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done40 ,now the angel of death goes forth1 represented in ,ezekiel's vision by the men with the slaughtering weapons1 to whom the command is given3 8,slay utterly old and young1 both maids1 and little children1 and women3 but come not near any man upon whom is the mark2 and begin at ,my sanctuary407#aacf7 ,says the prophet1 8,they began at the ancient men which were before the house407#aacg7 ,the work of destruction begins among those who have professed to be the spiritual guardians of the people4 ,the false watchmen are the first to fall4 ,there are none to pity or to spare4 ,men1 women1 maidens1 and little children perish together4 8,the ,lord cometh out of ,his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity3 the earth also shall disclose her blood1 and shall no more cover her slain407#aach7 8,and this shall be the plague wherewith the ,lord will smite all the people that have fought against ,jerusalem3 ,their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet1 and their eyes shall consume away in their holes1 and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth4 ,and it shall come to pass in that day1 that a great tumult from the ,lord shall be among them2 and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbor1 and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbor407#aaci7 ,in the mad strife of their own fierce passions1 and by the awful outpouring of ,god's unmingled wrath1 fall the wicked inhabitants of the earth1--priests1 rulers1 and people1 rich and poor1 high and low4 8,and the slain of the ,lord shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth3 they shall not be lamented1 neither gathered1 nor buried407#aadj7 ,at the coming of ,christ the wicked are blotted from the face of the whole earth1--consumed with the spirit of ,his mouth1 and destroyed by the brightness of ,his glory4 ,christ takes ,his people to the city of ,god1 and the earth is emptied of its inhabitants4 8,behold1 the ,lord maketh the earth empty1 and maketh it waste1 and turneth it upside down1 and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof40 8,the land shall be utterly emptied1 and utterly spoiled3 for the ,lord hath spoken this word40 8,because they have transgressed the laws1 changed the ordinance1 broken the everlasting covenant4 ,therefore hath the curse devoured the earth1 and they that dwell therein are desolate3 therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned407#aada7 ,the whole earth appears like a desolate wilderness4 ,the ruins of cities and villages destroyed by the earthquake1 uprooted trees1 ragged rocks thrown out by the sea or torn out of the earth itself1 are scattered over its surface1 while vast caverns mark the spot where the mountains have been rent from their foundations4 ,now the event takes place1 foreshadowed in the last solemn service of the day of atonement4 ,when the ministration in the holy of holies had been completed1 and the sins of ,israel had been removed from the sanctuary by virtue of the blood of the sin-offering1 then the scapegoat was presented alive before the ,lord2 and in presence of the congregation the high priest confessed over him 8all the iniquities of the children of ,israel1 and all their transgressions in all their sins1 putting them upon the head of the goat407#aadb7 ,in like manner1 when the work of atonement in the heavenly sanctuary has been completed1 then in the presence of ,god and heavenly angels1 and the host of the redeemed1 the sins of ,god's people will be placed upon ,satan2 he will be declared guilty of all the evil which he has caused them to commit4 ,and as the scapegoat was sent away into a land not inhabited1 so ,satan will be banished to the desolate earth1 an uninhabited and dreary wilderness4 ,the revelator foretells the banishment of ,satan1 and the condition of chaos and desolation to which the earth is to be reduced2 and he declares that this condition will exist for a thousand years4 ,after presenting the scenes of the ,lord's second coming and the destruction of the wicked1 the prophecy continues3 8,i saw an angel come down from heaven1 having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand4 ,and he laid hold on the dragon1 that old serpent1 which is the devil1 and ,satan1 and bound him a thousand years1 and cast him into the bottomless pit1 and shut him up1 and set a seal upon him1 that he should deceive the nations no more1 till the thousand years should be fulfilled3 and after that he must be loosed a little season407#aadc7 ,that the expression 8bottomless pit0 represents the earth in a state of confusion and darkness1 is evident from other scriptures4 ,concerning the condition of the earth 8in the beginning10 the ,bible record says that it 8was without form1 and void2 and darkness was upon the face of the deep407#aadd7 ,prophecy teaches that it will be brought back1 partially at least1 to this condition4 ,looking forward to the great day of ,god1 the prophet ,jeremiah declares3 8,i beheld the earth1 and1 lo1 it was without form1 and void2 and the heavens1 and they had no light4 ,i beheld the mountains1 and1 lo1 they trembled1 and all the hills moved lightly4 ,i beheld1 and1 lo1 there was no man1 and all the birds of the heavens were fled4 ,i beheld1 and1 lo1 the fruitful place was a wilderness1 and all the cities thereof were broken down407#aade7 ,here is to be the home of ,satan with his evil angels for a thousand years4 ,limited to the earth1 he will not have access to other worlds1 to tempt and annoy those who have never fallen4 ,it is in this sense that he is bound3 there are none remaining1 upon whom he can exercise his power4 ,he is wholly cut off from the work of deception and ruin which for so many centuries has been his sole delight4 ,the prophet ,isaiah1 looking forward to the time of ,satan's overthrow1 exclaims3 8,how art thou fallen from heaven1 ,o ,lucifer1 son of the morning6 how art thou cut down to the ground1 which didst weaken the nations6444 ,thou hast said in thine heart1 ,i will ascend into heaven1 ,i will exalt my throne above the stars of ,god40 8,i will be like the ,most ,high4 ,yet thou shalt be brought down to hell1 to the sides of the pit4 ,they that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee1 and consider thee1 saying1 ,is this the man that made the earth to tremble1 that did shake kingdoms2 that made the world as a wilderness1 and destroyed the cities thereof2 that opened not the house of his prisoners807#aadf7 ,for six thousand years1 ,satan's work of rebellion has 8made the earth to tremble40 ,he has 8made the world as a wilderness1 and destroyed the cities thereof40 ,and 8he opened not the house of his prisoners40 ,for six thousand years his prison-house has received ,god's people1 and he would have held them captive forever1 but ,christ has broken his bonds1 and set the prisoners free4 ,even the wicked are now placed beyond the power of ,satan2 and alone with his evil angels he remains to realize the effect of the curse which sin has brought4 8,the kings of the nations1 even all of them1 lie in glory1 every one in his own house the grave4 ,but thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch4444 ,thou shalt not be joined with them in burial1 because thou hast destroyed thy land1 and slain thy people407#aadg7 ,for a thousand years1 ,satan will wander to and fro in the desolate earth1 to behold the results of his rebellion against the law of ,god4 ,during this time his sufferings are intense4 ,since his fall1 his life of unceasing activity has banished reflection2 but he is now deprived of his power1 and left to contemplate the part which he has acted since first he rebelled against the government of heaven1 and to look forward with trembling and terror to the dreadful future1 when he must suffer for all the evil that he has done1 and be punished for the sins that he has caused to be committed4 ,to ,god's people1 the captivity of ,satan will bring gladness and rejoicing4 ,says the prophet3 8,it shall come to pass in the day that the ,lord shall give thee rest from thy sorrow1 and from thy trouble1 and from the hard service wherein thou wast made to serve1 that thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of ,babylon here representing ,satan1 and say1 ,how hath the oppressor ceased6444 ,the ,lord hath broken the staff of the wicked1 the scepter of the rulers2 that smote the peoples in wrath with a continual stroke1 that ruled the nations in anger1 with a persecution that none restrained407#aadh7 ,during the thousand years between the first and the second resurrection1 the judgment of the wicked takes place4 ,the apostle ,paul points to this judgment as an event that follows the second advent4 8,judge nothing before the time1 until the ,lord come1 who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness1 and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts407#aadi7 ,daniel declares that when the ,ancient of days came1 8judgment was given to the saints of the ,most ,high407#aaej7 ,at this time the righteous reign as kings and priests unto ,god4 ,john in the ,revelation says3 8,i saw thrones1 and they sat upon them1 and judgment was given unto them40 8,they shall be priests of ,god and of ,christ1 and shall reign with ,him a thousand years407#aaea7 ,it is at this time that1 as foretold by ,paul1 8the saints shall judge the world407#aaeb7 ,in union with ,christ they judge the wicked1 comparing their acts with the statute-book1 the ,bible1 and deciding every case according to the deeds done in the body4 ,then the portion which the wicked must suffer is meted out1 according to their works2 and it is recorded against their names in the book of death4 ,satan also and evil angels are judged by ,christ and ,his people4 ,says ,paul1 8,know ye not that we shall judge angel807#aaec7 ,and ,jude declares that 8the angels which kept not their first estate1 but left their own habitation1 ,he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day407#aaed7 ,at the close of the thousand years the second resurrection will take place4 ,then the wicked will be raised from the dead1 and appear before ,god for the execution of 8the judgment written40 ,thus the revelator1 after describing the resurrection of the righteous1 says1 8,the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished407#aaee7 ,and ,isaiah declares1 concerning the wicked1 8,they shall be gathered together1 as prisoners are gathered in the pit1 and shall be shut up in the prison1 and after many days shall they be visited407#aaef7 #db4 ,,the ,,controversy ,,ended4 ,illustration3 ,chapter header4 ,at the close of the thousand years1 ,christ again returns to the earth4 ,he is accompanied by the host of the redeemed1 and attended by a retinue of angels4 ,as ,he descends in terrific majesty1 ,he bids the wicked dead arise to receive their doom4 ,they come forth1 a mighty host1 numberless as the sands of the sea4 ,what a contrast to those who were raised at the first resurrection6 ,the righteous were clothed with immortal youth and beauty4 ,the wicked bear the traces of disease and death4 ,every eye in that vast multitude is turned to behold the glory of the ,son of ,god4 ,with one voice the wicked hosts exclaim1 8,blessed is ,he that cometh in the name of the ,lord60 ,it is not love to ,jesus that inspires this utterance4 ,the force of truth urges the words from unwilling lips4 ,as the wicked went into their graves1 so they come forth1 with the same enmity to ,christ1 and the same spirit of rebellion4 ,they are to have no new probation1 in which to remedy the defects of their past lives4 ,nothing would be gained by this4 ,a lifetime of transgression has not softened their hearts4 ,a second probation1 were it given them1 would be occupied as was the first1 in evading the requirements of ,god and exciting rebellion against ,him4 ,christ descends upon the ,mount of ,olives1 whence1 after ,his resurrection1 ,he ascended1 and where angels repeated the promise of ,his return4 ,says the prophet3 8,the ,lord my ,god shall come1 and all the saints with ,thee40 8,and ,his feet shall stand in that day upon the ,mount of ,olives1 which is before ,jerusalem on the east1 and the ,mount of ,olives shall cleave in the midst thereof1 444 and there shall be a very great valley40 8,and the ,lord shall be king over all the earth3 in that day shall there be one ,lord1 and ,his name one407#aaeg7 ,as the ,new ,jerusalem1 in its dazzling splendor1 comes down out of heaven1 it rests upon the place purified and made ready to receive it1 and ,christ1 with ,his people and the angels1 enters the holy city4 ,now ,satan prepares for a last mighty struggle for the supremacy4 ,while deprived of his power1 and cut off from his work of deception1 the prince of evil was miserable and dejected3 but as the wicked dead are raised1 and he sees the vast multitudes upon his side1 his hopes revive1 and he determines not to yield the great controversy4 ,he will marshal all the armies of the lost under his banner1 and through them endeavor to execute his plans4 ,the wicked are ,satan's captives4 ,in rejecting ,christ they have accepted the rule of the rebel leader4 ,they are ready to receive his suggestions and to do his bidding4 ,yet1 true to his early cunning1 he does not acknowledge himself to be ,satan4 ,he claims to be the prince who is the rightful owner of the world1 and whose inheritance has been unlawfully wrested from him4 ,he represents himself to his deluded subjects as a redeemer1 assuring them that his power has brought them forth from their graves1 and that he is about to rescue them from the most cruel tyranny4 ,the presence of ,christ having been removed1 ,satan works wonders to support his claims4 ,he makes the weak strong1 and inspires all with his own spirit and energy4 ,he proposes to lead them against the camp of the saints1 and to take possession of the city of ,god4 ,with fiendish exultation he points to the unnumbered millions who have been raised from the dead1 and declares that as their leader he is well able to overthrow the city1 and regain his throne and his kingdom4 ,in that vast throng are multitudes of the long-lived race that existed before the flood2 men of lofty stature and giant intellect1 who1 yielding to the control of fallen angels1 devoted all their skill and knowledge to the exaltation of themselves2 men whose wonderful works of art led the world to idolize their genius1 but whose cruelty and evil inventions1 defiling the earth and defacing the image of ,god1 caused ,him to blot them from the face of ,his creation4 ,there are kings and generals who conquered nations1 valiant men who never lost a battle1 proud1 ambitious warriors whose approach made kingdoms tremble4 ,in death these experienced no change4 ,as they come up from the grave1 they resume the current of their thoughts just where it ceased4 ,they are actuated by the same desire to conquer that ruled them when they fell4 ,satan consults with his angels1 and then with these kings and conquerors and mighty men4 ,they look upon the strength and numbers on their side1 and declare that the army within the city is small in comparison with theirs1 and that it can be overcome4 ,they lay their plans to take possession of the riches and glory of the ,new ,jerusalem4 ,all immediately begin to prepare for battle4 ,skilful artisans construct implements of war4 ,military leaders1 famed for their success1 marshal the throngs of warlike men into companies and divisions4 ,at last the order to advance is given1 and the countless host moves on1--an army such as was never summoned by earthly conquerors1 such as the combined forces of all ages since war began on earth could never equal4 ,satan1 the mightiest of warriors1 leads the van1 and his angels unite their forces for this final struggle4 ,kings and warriors are in his train1 and the multitudes follow in vast companies1 each under its appointed leader4 ,with military precision1 the serried ranks advance over the earth's broken and uneven surface to the city of ,god4 ,by command of ,jesus1 the gates of the ,new ,jerusalem are closed1 and the armies of ,satan surround the city1 and make ready for the onset4 ,now ,christ again appears to the view of ,his enemies4 ,far above the city1 upon a foundation of burnished gold1 is a throne1 high and lifted up4 ,upon this throne sits the ,son of ,god1 and around ,him are the subjects of ,his kingdom4 ,the power and majesty of ,christ no language can describe1 no pen portray4 ,the glory of the ,eternal ,father is enshrouding ,his ,son4 ,the brightness of ,his presence fills the city of ,god1 and flows out beyond the gates1 flooding the whole earth with its radiance4 ,nearest the throne are those who were once zealous in the cause of ,satan1 but who1 plucked as brands from the burning1 have followed their ,saviour with deep1 intense devotion4 ,next are those who perfected ,christian characters in the midst of falsehood and infidelity1 those who honored the law of ,god when the ,christian world declared it void1 and the millions1 of all ages1 who were martyred for their faith4 ,and beyond is the 8great multitude1 which no man could number1 of all nations1 and kindreds1 and people1 and tongues1 444 before the throne1 and before the ,lamb1 clothed with white robes1 and palms in their hands407#aaeh7 ,their warfare is ended1 their victory won4 ,they have run the race and reached the prize4 ,the palm branch in their hands is a symbol of their triumph1 the white robe an emblem of the spotless righteousness of ,christ which now is theirs4 ,the redeemed raise a song of praise that echoes and re-echoes through the vaults of heaven1 8,salvation to our ,god which sitteth upon the throne1 and unto the ,lamb40 ,and angel and seraph unite their voices in adoration4 ,as the redeemed have beheld the power and malignity of ,satan1 they have seen1 as never before1 that no power but that of ,christ could have made them conquerors4 ,in all that shining throng there are none to ascribe salvation to themselves1 as if they had prevailed by their own power and goodness4 ,nothing is said of what they have done or suffered2 but the burden of every song1 the keynote of every anthem1 is1 ,salvation to our ,god1 and unto the ,lamb4 ,in the presence of the assembled inhabitants of earth and heaven the final coronation of the ,son of ,god takes place4 ,and now1 invested with supreme majesty and power1 the ,king of kings pronounces sentence upon the rebels against ,his government1 and executes justice upon those who have transgressed ,his law and oppressed ,his people4 ,says the prophet of ,god3 8,i saw a great white throne1 and ,him that sat on it1 from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away2 and there was found no place for them4 ,and ,i saw the dead1 small and great1 stand before ,god2 and the books were opened3 and another book was opened1 which is the book of life3 and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books1 according to their works407#aaei7 ,as soon as the books of record are opened1 and the eye of ,jesus looks upon the wicked1 they are conscious of every sin which they have ever committed4 ,they see just where their feet diverged from the path of purity and holiness1 just how far pride and rebellion have carried them in the violation of the law of ,god4 ,the seductive temptations which they encouraged by indulgence in sin1 the blessings perverted1 the messengers of ,god despised1 the warnings rejected1 the waves of mercy beaten back by the stubborn1 unrepentant heart1--all appear as if written in letters of fire4 ,above the throne is revealed the cross2 and like a panoramic view appear the scenes of ,adam's temptation and fall1 and the successive steps in the great plan of redemption4 ,the ,saviour's lowly birth2 ,his early life of simplicity and obedience2 ,his baptism in ,jordan2 the fast and temptation in the wilderness2 ,his public ministry1 unfolding to men heaven's most precious blessings2 the days crowded with deeds of love and mercy1 the nights of prayer and watching in the solitude of the mountains2 the plottings of envy1 hate1 and malice which repaid ,his benefits2 the awful1 mysterious agony in ,gethsemane1 beneath the crushing weight of the sins of the whole world2 ,his betrayal into the hands of the murderous mob2 the fearful events of that night of horror1--the unresisting prisoner1 forsaken by ,his best-loved disciples1 rudely hurried through the streets of ,jerusalem2 the ,son of ,god exultingly displayed before ,annas1 arraigned in the high priest's palace1 in the judgment-hall of ,pilate1 before the cowardly and cruel ,herod1 mocked1 insulted1 tortured1 and condemned to die1--all are vividly portrayed4 ,and now before the swaying multitude are revealed the final scenes1--the patient ,sufferer treading the path to ,calvary2 the ,prince of heaven hanging upon the cross2 the haughty priests and the jeering rabble deriding ,his expiring agony2 the supernatural darkness2 the heaving earth1 the rent rocks1 the open graves1 marking the moment when the world's ,redeemer yielded up ,his life4 ,the awful spectacle appears just as it was4 ,satan1 his angels1 and his subjects have no power to turn from the picture of their own work4 ,each actor recalls the part which he performed4 ,herod1 who slew the innocent children of ,bethlehem that he might destroy the ,king of ,israel2 the base ,herodias1 upon whose guilty soul rests the blood of ,john the ,baptist2 the weak1 time-serving ,pilate2 the mocking soldiers2 the priests and rulers and the maddened throng who cried1 8,his blood be on us1 and on our children60--all behold the enormity of their guilt4 ,they vainly seek to hide from the divine majesty of ,his countenance1 outshining the glory of the sun1 while the redeemed cast their crowns at the ,saviour's feet1 exclaiming1 8,he died for me60 ,amid the ransomed throng are the apostles of ,christ1 the heroic ,paul1 the ardent ,peter1 the loved and loving ,john1 and their true-hearted brethren1 and with them the vast host of martyrs2 while outside the walls1 with every vile and abominable thing1 are those by whom they were persecuted1 imprisoned1 and slain4 ,there is ,nero1 that monster of cruelty and vice1 beholding the joy and exaltation of those whom he once tortured1 and in whose extremest anguish he found satanic delight4 ,his mother is there to witness the result of her own work2 to see how the evil stamp of character transmitted to her son1 the passions encouraged and developed by her influence and example1 have borne fruit in crimes that caused the world to shudder4 ,there are papist priests and prelates1 who claimed to be ,christ's ambassadors1 yet employed the rack1 the dungeon1 and the stake to control the consciences of ,his people4 ,there are the proud pontiffs who exalted themselves above ,god1 and presumed to change the law of the ,most ,high4 ,those pretended fathers of the church have an account to render to ,god from which they would fain be excused4 ,too late they are made to see that the ,omniscient ,one is jealous of ,his law1 and that ,he will in no wise clear the guilty4 ,they learn now that ,christ identifies ,his interest with that of ,his suffering people2 and they feel the force of ,his own words1 8,inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these ,my brethren1 ye have done it unto ,me407#aafj7 ,the whole wicked world stand arraigned at the bar of ,god1 on the charge of high treason against the government of heaven4 ,they have none to plead their cause2 they are without excuse2 and the sentence of eternal death is pronounced against them4 ,it is now evident to all that the wages of sin is not noble independence and eternal life1 but slavery1 ruin1 and death4 ,the wicked see what they have forfeited by their life of rebellion4 ,the far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory was despised when offered them2 but how desirable it now appears4 8,all this10 cries the lost soul1 8,i might have had2 but ,i chose to put these things far from me4 ,oh1 strange infatuation6 ,i have exchanged peace1 happiness1 and honor1 for wretchedness1 infamy1 and despair40 ,all see that their exclusion from heaven is just4 ,by their lives they have declared1 8,we will not have this ,jesus to reign over us40 ,as if entranced1 the wicked have looked upon the coronation of the ,son of ,god4 ,they see in ,his hands the tables of the divine law1 the statutes which they have despised and transgressed4 ,they witness the outburst of wonder1 rapture1 and adoration from the saved2 and as the wave of melody sweeps over the multitudes without the city1 all with one voice exclaim1 8,great and marvelous are ,thy works1 ,lord ,god ,almighty2 just and true are ,thy ways1 ,thou ,king of saints207#aafa7 and falling prostrate1 they worship the ,prince of life4 ,satan seems paralyzed as he beholds the glory and majesty of ,christ4 ,he who was once a covering cherub remembers whence he has fallen4 ,a shining seraph1 8son of the morning20 how changed1 how degraded6 ,from the council where once he was honored1 he is forever excluded4 ,he sees another now standing near to the ,father1 veiling ,his glory4 ,he has seen the crown placed upon the head of ,christ by an angel of lofty stature and majestic presence1 and he knows that the exalted position of this angel might have been his4 ,memory recalls the home of his innocence and purity1 the peace and content that were his until he indulged in murmuring against ,god1 and envy of ,christ4 ,his accusations1 his rebellion1 his deceptions to gain the sympathy and support of the angels1 his stubborn persistence in making no effort for self-recovery when ,god would have granted him forgiveness1--all come vividly before him4 ,he reviews his work among men and its results1--the enmity of man toward his fellow-man1 the terrible destruction of life1 the rise and fall of kingdoms1 the overturning of thrones1 the long succession of tumults1 conflicts1 and revolutions4 ,he recalls his constant efforts to oppose the work of ,christ and to sink man lower and lower4 ,he sees that his hellish plots have been powerless to destroy those who have put their trust in ,jesus4 ,as ,satan looks upon his kingdom1 the fruit of his toil1 he sees only failure and ruin4 ,he has led the multitudes to believe that the city of ,god would be an easy prey2 but he knows that this is false4 ,again and again1 in the progress of the great controversy1 he has been defeated1 and compelled to yield4 ,he knows too well the power and majesty of the ,eternal4 ,the aim of the great rebel has ever been to justify himself1 and to prove the divine government responsible for the rebellion4 ,to this end he has bent all the power of his giant intellect4 ,he has worked deliberately and systematically1 and with marvelous success1 leading vast multitudes to accept his version of the great controversy which has been so long in progress4 ,for thousands of years this chief of conspiracy has palmed off falsehood for truth4 ,but the time has now come when the rebellion is to be finally defeated1 and the history and character of ,satan disclosed4 ,in his last great effort to dethrone ,christ1 destroy ,his people1 and take possession of the city of ,god1 the arch-deceiver has been fully unmasked4 ,those who have united with him see the total failure of his cause4 ,christ's followers and the loyal angels behold the full extent of his machinations against the government of ,god4 ,he is the object of universal abhorrence4 ,satan sees that his voluntary rebellion has unfitted him for heaven4 ,he has trained his powers to war against ,god3 the purity1 peace1 and harmony of heaven would be to him supreme torture4 ,his accusations against the mercy and justice of ,god are now silenced4 ,the reproach which he has endeavored to cast upon ,jehovah rests wholly upon himself4 ,and now ,satan bows down1 and confesses the justice of his sentence4 8,who shall not fear ,thee1 ,o ,lord1 and glorify ,thy name8 for ,thou only art holy3 for all nations shall come and worship before ,thee2 for ,thy judgments are made manifest407#aafb7 ,every question of truth and error in the long-standing controversy has now been made plain4 ,the results of rebellion1 the fruits of setting aside the divine statutes1 have been laid open to the view of all created intelligences4 ,the working out of ,satan's rule in contrast with the government of ,god1 has been presented to the whole universe4 ,satan's own works have condemned him4 ,god's wisdom1 ,his justice1 and ,his goodness stand fully vindicated4 ,it is seen that all ,his dealings in the great controversy have been conducted with respect to the eternal good of ,his people1 and the good of all the worlds that ,he has created4 8,all ,thy works shall praise ,thee1 ,o ,lord2 and ,thy saints shall bless ,thee407#aafc7 ,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 created4 ,with all the facts of the great controversy in view1 the whole universe1 both loyal and rebellious1 with one accord declare1 8,just and true are ,thy ways1 ,thou ,king of saints40 ,before the universe has been clearly presented the great sacrifice made by the ,father and the ,son in man's behalf4 ,the hour has come when ,christ occupies ,his rightful position1 and is glorified above principalities and powers and every name that is named4 ,it was for the joy that was set before ,him1--that ,he might bring many sons unto glory1--that ,he endured the cross and despised the shame4 ,and inconceivably great as was the sorrow and the shame1 yet greater is the joy and the glory4 ,he looks upon the redeemed1 renewed in ,his own image1 every heart bearing the perfect impress of the divine1 every face reflecting the likeness of their ,king4 ,he beholds in them the result of the travail of ,his soul1 and ,he is satisfied4 ,then1 in a voice that reaches the assembled multitudes of the righteous and the wicked1 ,he declares1 8,behold the purchase of ,my blood6 ,for these ,i suffered1 for these ,i died1 that they might dwell in ,my presence throughout eternal ages40 ,and the song of praise ascends from the white-robed ones about the throne1 8,worthy is the ,lamb that was slain to receive power1 and riches1 and wisdom1 and strength1 and honor1 and glory1 and blessing407#aafd7 ,notwithstanding that ,satan has been constrained to acknowledge ,god's justice1 and to bow to the supremacy of ,christ1 his character remains unchanged4 ,the spirit of rebellion1 like a mighty torrent1 again bursts forth4 ,filled with frenzy1 he determines not to yield the great controversy4 ,the time has come for a last desperate struggle against the ,king of heaven4 ,he rushes into the midst of his subjects1 and endeavors to inspire them with his own fury1 and arouse them to instant battle4 ,but of all the countless millions whom he has allured into rebellion1 there are none now to acknowledge his supremacy4 ,his power is at an end4 ,the wicked are filled with the same hatred of ,god that inspires ,satan2 but they see that their case is hopeless1 that they cannot prevail against ,jehovah4 ,their rage is kindled against ,satan and those who have been his agents in deception1 and with the fury of demons they turn upon them4 ,saith the ,lord3 8,because thou hast set thine heart as the heart of ,god2 behold1 therefore ,i will bring strangers upon thee1 the terrible of the nations3 and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of thy wisdom1 and they shall defile thy brightness4 ,they shall bring thee down to the pit40 8,i will destroy thee1 ,o covering cherub1 from the midst of the stones of fire4444 ,i will cast thee to the ground1 ,i will lay thee before kings1 that they may behold thee4444 ,i will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee4444 ,thou shalt be a terror1 and never shalt thou be any more407#aafe7 8,every battle of the warrior is with confused noise1 and garments rolled in blood2 but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire40 8,the indignation of the ,lord is upon all nations1 and ,his fury upon all their armies3 ,he hath utterly destroyed them1 ,he hath delivered them to the slaughter40 8,upon the wicked ,he shall rain quick burning coals1 fire and brimstone1 and a horrible tempest3 this shall be the portion of their cup407#aaff7 ,fire comes down from ,god out of heaven4 ,the earth is broken up4 ,the weapons concealed in its depths are drawn forth4 ,devouring flames burst from every yawning chasm4 ,the very rocks are on fire4 ,the day has come that shall burn as an oven4 ,the elements melt with fervent heat1 the earth also1 and the works that are therein are burned up47#aafg7 ,the earth's surface seems one molten mass1--a vast1 seething lake of fire4 ,it is the time of the judgment and perdition of ungodly men1--8the day of the ,lord's vengeance1 and the year of recompenses for the controversy of ,zion407#aafh7 ,the wicked receive their recompense in the earth47#aafi7 ,they 8shall be stubble3 and the day that cometh shall burn them up1 saith the ,lord of hosts407#aagj7 ,some are destroyed as in a moment1 while others suffer many days4 ,all are punished 8according to their deeds40 ,the sins of the righteous having been transferred to ,satan1 he is made to suffer not only for his own rebellion1 but for all the sins which he has caused ,god's people to commit4 ,his punishment is to be far greater than that of those whom he has deceived4 ,after all have perished who fell by his deceptions1 he is still to live and suffer on4 ,in the cleansing flames the wicked are at last destroyed1 root and branch1--,satan the root1 his followers the branches4 ,the full penalty of the law has been visited2 the demands of justice have been met2 and heaven and earth1 beholding1 declare the righteousness of ,jehovah4 ,satan's work of ruin is forever ended4 ,for six thousand years he has wrought his will1 filling the earth with woe1 and causing grief throughout the universe4 ,the whole creation has groaned and travailed together in pain4 ,now ,god's creatures are forever delivered from his presence and temptations4 8,the whole earth is at rest1 and is quiet3 they the righteous break forth into singing407#aaga7 ,and a shout of praise and triumph ascends from the whole loyal universe4 8,the voice of a great multitude10 8as the voice of many waters1 and as the voice of mighty thunderings10 is heard1 saying1 8,alleluia2 for the ,lord ,god omnipotent reigneth40 ,while the earth was wrapped in the fire of destruction1 the righteous abode safely in the holy city4 ,upon those that had part in the first resurrection1 the second death has no power4 ,while ,god is to the wicked a consuming fire1 ,he is to ,his people both a sun and a shield47#aagb7 8,i saw a new heaven and a new earth3 for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away407#aagc7 ,the fire that consumes the wicked purifies the earth4 ,every trace of the curse is swept away4 ,no eternally burning hell will keep before the ransomed the fearful consequences of sin4 ,one reminder alone remains3 our ,redeemer will ever bear the marks of ,his crucifixion4 ,upon ,his wounded head1 upon ,his side1 ,his hands and feet1 are the only traces of the cruel work that sin has wrought4 ,says the prophet1 beholding ,christ in ,his glory1 8,he had bright beams coming out of ,his side3 and there was the hiding of ,his power407#aagd7 ,that pierced side whence flowed the crimson stream that reconciled man to ,god1--there is the ,saviour's glory1 there 8the hiding of ,his power40 8,mighty to save10 through the sacrifice of redemption1 ,he was therefore strong to execute justice upon them that despised ,god's mercy4 ,and the tokens of ,his humiliation are ,his highest honor2 through the eternal ages the wounds of ,calvary will show forth ,his praise1 and declare ,his power4 8,o tower of the flock1 the stronghold of the daughter of ,zion1 unto thee shall it come1 even the first dominion407#aage7 ,the time has come1 to which holy men have looked with longing since the flaming sword barred the first pair from ,eden1--the time for 8the redemption of the purchased possession407#aagf7 ,the earth originally given to man as his kingdom1 betrayed by him into the hands of ,satan1 and so long held by the mighty foe1 has been brought back by the great plan of redemption4 ,all that was lost by sin has been restored4 8,thus saith the ,lord 444 that formed the earth and made it2 ,he hath established it1 ,he created it not in vain1 ,he formed it to be inhabited407#aagg7 ,god's original purpose in the creation of the earth is fulfilled as it is made the eternal abode of the redeemed4 8,the righteous shall inherit the land1 and dwell therein forever407#aagh7 ,a fear of making the future inheritance seem too material has led many to spiritualize away the very truths which lead us to look upon it as our home4 ,christ assured ,his disciples that ,he went to prepare mansions for them in the ,father's house4 ,those who accept the teachings of ,god's word will not be wholly ignorant concerning the heavenly abode4 ,and yet1 8eye hath not seen1 nor ear heard1 neither have entered into the heart of man1 the things which ,god hath prepared for them that love ,him407#aagi7 ,human language is inadequate to describe the reward of the righteous4 ,it will be known only to those who behold it4 ,no finite mind can comprehend the glory of the ,paradise of ,god4 ,in the ,bible the inheritance of the saved is called a country47#aahj7 ,there the heavenly ,shepherd leads ,his flock to fountains of living waters4 ,the tree of life yields its fruit every month1 and the leaves of the tree are for the service of the nations4 ,there are ever-flowing streams1 clear as crystal1 and beside them waving trees cast their shadows upon the paths prepared for the ransomed of the ,lord4 ,there the wide-spreading plains swell into hills of beauty1 and the mountains of ,god rear their lofty summits4 ,on those peaceful plains1 beside those living streams1 ,god's people1 so long pilgrims and wanderers1 shall find a home4 8,my people shall dwell in a peaceful habitation1 and in sure dwellings1 and in quiet resting-places40 8,violence shall no more be heard in thy land1 wasting nor destruction within thy borders2 but thou shalt call thy walls ,salvation1 and thy gates ,praise40 8,they shall build houses1 and inhabit them2 and they shall plant vineyards1 and eat the fruit of them1 ,they shall not build1 and another inhabit2 they shalt not plant1 and another eat3444 ,mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands407#aaha7 ,there1 8the wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them2 and the desert shall rejoice1 and blossom as the rose40 8,instead of the thorn shall come up the fir-tree1 and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle-tree407#aahb7 8,the wolf also shall dwell with the lamb1 and the leopard shall lie down with the kid2 444 and a little child shall lead them40 8,they shall not hurt nor destroy in all ,my holy mountain107#aahc7 saith the ,lord4 ,pain cannot exist in the atmosphere of heaven4 ,there will be no more tears1 no funeral trains1 no badges of mourning4 8,there shall be no more death1 neither sorrow1 nor crying1 444 for the former things are passed away407#aahd7 8,the inhabitant shall not say1 ,i am sick3 the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity407#aahe7 ,there is the ,new ,jerusalem1 the metropolis of the glorified new earth1 8a crown of glory in the hand of the ,lord1 and a royal diadem in the hand of thy ,god407#aahf7 8,her light was like unto a stone most precious1 even like a jasper stone1 clear as crystal40 8,the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it3 and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it407#aahg7 ,saith the ,lord1 8,i will rejoice in ,jerusalem1 and joy in ,my people407#aahh7 8,the tabernacle of ,god is with men1 and ,he will dwell with them1 and they shall be ,his people1 and ,god ,himself shall be with them1 and be their ,god407#aahi7 ,in the city of ,god 8there shall be no night40 ,none will need or desire repose4 ,there will be no weariness in doing the will of ,god and offering praise to ,his name4 ,we shall ever feel the freshness of the morning1 and shall ever be far from its close4 8,and they need no candle1 neither light of the sun2 for the ,lord ,god giveth them light407#aaij7 ,the light of the sun will be superseded by a radiance which is not painfully dazzling1 yet which immeasurably surpasses the brightness of our noontide4 ,the glory of ,god and the ,lamb floods the holy city with unfading light4 ,the redeemed walk in the sunless glory of perpetual day4 8,i saw no temple therein3 for the ,lord ,god ,almighty and the ,lamb are the temple of it407#aaia7 ,the people of ,god are privileged to hold open communion with the ,father and the ,son4 8,now we see through a glass1 darkly407#aaib7 ,we behold the image of ,god reflected1 as in a mirror1 in the works of nature and in ,his dealings with men2 but then we shall see ,him face to face1 without a dimming veil between4 ,we shall stand in ,his presence1 and behold the glory of ,his countenance4 ,there the redeemed shall 8know1 even as also they are known40 ,the loves and sympathies which ,god ,himself has planted in the soul1 shall there find truest and sweetest exercise4 ,the pure communion with holy beings1 the harmonious social life with the blessed angels and with the faithful ones of all ages1 who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the ,lamb1 the sacred ties that bind together 8the whole family in heaven and earth107#aaic7--these help to constitute the happiness of the redeemed4 ,there1 immortal minds will contemplate with never-failing delight the wonders of creative power1 the mysteries of redeeming love4 ,there will be no cruel1 deceiving foe to tempt to forgetfulness of ,god4 ,every faculty will be developed1 every capacity increased4 ,the acquirement of knowledge will not weary the mind or exhaust the energies4 ,there the grandest enterprises may be carried forward1 the loftiest aspirations reached1 the highest ambitions realized2 and still there will arise new heights to surmount1 new wonders to admire1 new truths to comprehend1 fresh objects to call forth the powers of mind and soul and body4 ,all the treasures of the universe will be open to the study of ,god's redeemed4 ,unfettered by mortality1 they wing their tireless flight to worlds afar1--worlds that thrilled with sorrow at the spectacle of human woe1 and rang with songs of gladness at the tidings of a ransomed soul4 ,with unutterable delight the children of earth enter into the joy and the wisdom of unfallen beings4 ,they share the treasures of knowledge and understanding gained through ages upon ages in contemplation of ,god's handiwork4 ,with undimmed vision they gaze upon the glory of creation1--suns and stars and systems1 all in their appointed order circling the throne of ,deity4 ,upon all things1 from the least to the greatest1 the ,creator's name is written1 and in all are the riches of ,his power displayed4 ,and the years of eternity1 as they roll1 will bring richer and still more glorious revelations of ,god and of ,christ4 ,as knowledge is progressive1 so will love1 reverence1 and happiness increase4 ,the more men learn of ,god1 the greater will be their admiration of ,his character4 ,as ,jesus opens before them the riches of redemption1 and the amazing achievements in the great controversy with ,satan1 the hearts of the ransomed thrill with more fervent devotion1 and with more rapturous joy they sweep the harps of gold2 and ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands of voices unite to swell the mighty chorus of praise4 8,and every creature which is in heaven1 and on the earth1 and under the earth1 and such as are in the sea1 and all that are in them1 heard ,i saying1 ,blessing1 and honor1 and glory1 and power1 be unto ,him that sitteth upon the throne1 and unto the ,lamb forever and ever407#aaid7 ,the great controversy is ended4 ,sin and sinners are no more4 ,the entire universe is clean4 ,one pulse of harmony and gladness beats through the vast creation4 ,from ,him who created all1 flow life and light and gladness1 throughout the realms of illimitable space4 ,from the minutest atom to the greatest world1 all things1 animate and inanimate1 in their unshadowed beauty and perfect joy1 declare that ,god is love4 ,,appendix4 ,general ,notes4 ,page #ej4 ,,titles4--,in a passage which forms a part of the ,roman canon law1 ,pope ,innocent ,,iii4 declares that the ,roman pontiff is 8the vicegerent upon earth1 not of a mere man1 but of very ,god20 and in a gloss on the passage it is explained that this is because he is the vicegerent of ,christ1 who is 8very ,god and very man40 7,see ,decretal4 ,d4 ,gregor4 ,pap4 ,,ix4 lib4 #a4 de translat4 ,episc4 tit4 #g4 c4 #c4 ,corp4 ,jur4 ,canon4 ed4 ,paris1 #afab2 tom4 ,,ii4 ,decretal4 col4 #bje47 ,for the title1 8,lord ,god the ,pope10 see a gloss on the ,extravagantes of ,pope ,john ,,xxii41 title #ad1 ch4 #d1 8,declaramus40 ,in an ,antwerp edition of the ,extravagantes1 dated #aehd1 the words 8,dominum ,deum nostrum ,papam0 7,our ,lord ,god the ,pope7 occur in column #aec4 ,in a ,paris edition1 dated #afab1 they occur in column #adj4 ,in several editions published since #afab1 the word 8,deum0 7,god7 has been omitted4 ,page #eb4 ,,image ,,worship4--8,the worship of images 444 was one of those corruptions of ,christianity which crept into the church stealthily and almost without notice or observation4 ,this corruption did not1 like other heresies1 develop itself at once1 for in that case it would have met with decided censure and rebuke3 but1 making its commencement under a fair disguise1 so gradually was one practice after another introduced in connection with it1 that the church had become deeply steeped in practical idolatry1 not only without any efficient opposition1 but almost without any decided remonstrance2 and when at length an endeavor was made to root it out1 the evil was found too deeply fixed to admit of removal4444 ,it must be traced to the idolatrous tendency of the human heart1 and its propensity to serve the creature more than the ,creator4444 8,images and pictures were first introduced into churches1 not to be worshiped1 but either in the place of books to give instruction to those who could not read1 or to excite devotion in the minds of others4 ,how far they ever answered such a purpose is doubtful2 but1 even granting that this was the case for a time1 it soon ceased to be so1 and it was found that pictures and images brought into churches darkened rather than enlightened the minds of the ignorant--degraded rather than exalted the devotion of the worshiper4 ,so that1 however they might have been intended to direct men's minds to ,god1 they ended in turning them from ,him to the worship of created things40--,j4 ,mendham1 8,the ,seventh ,general ,council1 the ,second of ,nica10 ,introduction1 pp4 iii-vi4 ,for a record of the proceedings and decisions of the ,second ,council of ,nice1 ,a4,d4 #ghg1 called to establish the worship of images1 see ,baronius1 8,ecclesiastical ,annals10 ,vol4 ,,ix1 pp4 #cia-djg 7#afab ,antwerp ed472 ,j4 ,mendham1 8,the ,seventh ,general ,council1 the ,second of ,nica20 ,ed4 ,stillingfleet1 8,defence of the ,discourse ,concerning the ,idolatry ,practiced in the ,church of ,rome0 7,london1 #afhf72 8,a ,select ,library of ,nicene and ,post-,nicene ,fathers10 second series1 ,vol4 ,,xiv1 pp4 #eba-ehg 7,n4 ,y41 #aijj72 ,c4 ,j4 ,hefele1 8,history of the ,councils of the ,church1 from the ,original ,documents10 bk4 #ah1 ch4 #a1 sec4 #ccb1 #ccc2 ch4 #b1 sec4 #cde-ceb 7,t4 ,t4 ,clark ed41 #ahif1 ,vol4 ,v1 pp4 #bfj-cjd1 #cdb-cgb74 ,page #ec4 ,,edict ,,of ,,constantine4--,the law issued by ,constantine on the seventh of ,march1 ,a4,d4 #cba1 regarding a day of rest1 reads thus3 8,let all judges1 and all city people1 and all tradesmen1 rest upon the venerable day of the sun4 ,but let those dwelling in the country freely and with full liberty attend to the culture of their fields2 since it frequently happens1 that no other day is so fit for the sowing of grain1 or the planting of vines2 hence the favorable time should not be allowed to pass1 lest the provisions of heaven be lost40--,a4 ,h4 ,lewis1 8,history of the ,sabbath and the ,sunday10 pp4 #abc1 #abd 7#b;d ed41 rev41 #aijc74 ,the original 7in the 8,codex of ,justinian10 lib4 #c1 tit4 #ab1 leg4 #c7 is quoted by ,dr4 ,j4 ,a4 ,hessey in his ,bampton ,lectures on 8,sunday10 lecture #c1 par4 #a1 and by ,dr4 ,philip ,schaff in his 8,history of the ,christian ,church10 ,vol4 ,,iii1 sec4 #ge1 par4 #e1 note #a4 ,see also ,mosheim1 8,ecclesiastical ,history10 cent4 #d1 part #b1 ch4 #d1 sec4 #e2 ,chambers' ,encyclopdia1 art4 ,sabbath2 ,encyclopdia ,britannica1 ninth ed41 art4 ,sunday2 ,peter ,heylyn1 8,history of the ,sabbath10 part #b1 ch4 #c 7#b;d ed41 rev41 ,london1 #afcf1 pp4 #ff1 #fg74 ,page #ed4 ,,prophetic ,,dates4--,see note for page #cbi4 ,page #ef4 ,,forged ,,writings4--,among the documents that at the present time are generally admitted to be forgeries1 the ,donation of ,constantine and the ,pseudo-,isidorian ,decretals are of primary importance4 ,in citing facts concerning the question1 8,when and by whom was ,constantine's ,donation forged80 ,m4 ,gosselin1 ,director of the ,seminary of ,st4 ,sulpice 7,paris71 says3 8,though this document is unquestionably spurious1 it would be difficult to determine with precision the date of its fabrication4 ,m4 de ,marca1 ,muratori1 and other learned critics1 are of the opinion that it was composed in the eighth century1 before the reign of ,charlemagne4 ,muratori1 moreover1 thinks it probable that it may have induced that monarch and ,pepin to be so generous to the ,holy ,see40--,gosselin1 8,the ,power of the ,pope during the ,middle ,ages10 ,vol4 ,i1 p4 #cba 7translated by the ,rev4 ,matthew ,kelly1 ,st4 ,patrick's ,college1 ,maynooth2 ,baltimore1 ,j4 ,murphy ,co41 #ahec74 ,on the date of the ,pseudo-,isidorian ,decretals1 see ,mosheim1 8,ecclesiastical ,history10 bk4 #c1 cent4 #i1 part #b1 ch4 #b1 sec4 #h4 ,as ,dr4 ,murdock1 the translator1 points out in a foot-note1 the learned ,catholic historian1 ,m4 ,l',abb ,fleury1 in his 8,ecclesiastical ,history0 7diss4 #d1 sec4 #a71 says of these decretals1 that 8they crept to light near the close of the eighth century40 ,fleury1 writing near the close of the seventeenth century1 says further that these 8false decretals were looked upon as authentic for the space of eight hundred years2 and it was with much difficulty that they were given up in the last century4 ,it is true that at present there are hardly any1 though meanly instructed in these matters1 who do not acknowledge that these decretals are false40--,fleury1 8,ecclesiastical ,history10 bk4 #dd1 par4 #ed 7,g4 ,adam's translation1 ,london1 #agcb1 ,vol4 ,v1 p4 #aif74 ,see also ,gibbon1 8,decline and ,fall of the ,roman ,empire10 ch4 #di1 par4 #af4 ,page #eg4 ,,dictates ,,of ,,hildebrand 7,,gregory ,,vii474--,see ,baronius4 8,ecclesiastical ,annals10 ,an4 #ajgf 7,antwerp ed41 #afjh1 ,vol4 ,,xi1 page #dgi74 ,a copy of the 8,dictates10 in the original1 may also be found in ,gieseler1 8,ecclesiastical ,history10 period #c1 sec4 #dg1 note #d 7ed4 #ahcf1 tr4 by ,f4 ,cunningham74 ,an ,english translation is given in ,mosheim1 8,ecclesiastical ,history10 bk4 #c1 cent4 #aa1 part #b1 ch4 #b1 sec4 #i1 note #h 7,soames' ed41 tr4 by ,murdock74 ,page #ei4 ,,purgatory4--,dr4 ,joseph ,faa ,di ,bruno thus defines purgatory3 8,purgatory is a state of suffering after this life1 in which those souls are for a time detained1 who depart this life after their deadly sins have been remitted as to the stain and guilt1 and as to the everlasting pain that was due to them2 but who have on account of those sins still some debt of temporal punishment to pay2 as also those souls which leave this world guilty only of venial sins40--8,catholic ,belief10 page #aif 7ed4 #ahhd2 imprimateur ,archbishop of ,new ,york74 ,see also ,k4 ,r4 ,hagenbach1 8,compendium of the ,history of ,doctrines10 ,vol4 ,i1 pp4 #bcd-bcg1 #dje1 #djh2 ,vol4 ,,ii1 pp4 #ace-aej1 #cjh1 #cji 7,t4 ,t4 ,clark ed472 ,chas4 ,elliott1 8,delineation of ,roman ,catholicism10 bk4 #b1 ch4 #ab2 ,catholic ,encyclopdia1 art4 ,purgatory4 ,page #ei4 ,,indulgences4--,for a detailed history of the doctrine of indulgences1 see the ,catholic ,encyclopdia1 art4 ,indulgences 7contributed by ,w4 ,h4 ,kent1 ,o4 ,s4 ,c41 of ,bayswater1 ,london72 ,carl ,ullmann1 8,reformers before the ,reformation10 ,vol4 ,i1 bk4 #b1 part #a1 ch4 #b2 ,m4 ,creighton1 8,history of the ,papacy10 ,vol4 ,v1 pp4 #ef-fd1 #ga2 ,l4 von ,ranke1 8,history of the ,reformation in ,germany10 bk4 #b1 ch4 #a1 par4 #aca1 #acb1 #aci-adb1 #aec-aee 7#b;d ,london ed41 #ahde1 tr4 by ,s4 ,austin1 ,vol4 ,i1 pp4 #cca1 #cce-ccg1 #cdc-cdf72 ,chas4 ,elliott1 8,delineation of ,roman ,catholicism10 bk4 #b1 ch4 #ac2 ,h4 ,c4 ,lea1 8,a ,history of ,auricular ,confession and ,indulgences20 ,g4 ,p4 ,fisher1 8,the ,reformation10 ch4 #d1 par4 #g4 ,on the practical outworkings of the doctrine of indulgences during the period of the ,reformation1 see a paper by ,dr4 ,h4 ,c4 ,lea1 entitled1 8,indulgences in ,spain10 published in 8,papers of the ,american ,society of ,church ,history10 ,vol4 ,i1 pp4 #abi-aga4 ,of the value of this historical sidelight1 ,dr4 ,lea says1 in his opening paragraph3 8,unvexed by the controversy which raged between ,luther and ,dr4 ,eck and ,silvester ,prierias1 ,spain continued tranquilly to follow in the old and beaten path1 and furnishes us with the incontestable official documents which enable us to examine the matter in the pure light of history40 ,page #ei4 ,,the ,,mass4--,on the doctrine of the mass1 see ,cardinal ,wiseman's work1 8,the ,real ,presence of the ,body and ,blood of ,our ,lord ,jesus ,christ in the ,blessed ,eucharist20 also ,catholic ,encyclopdia1 art4 ,eucharist 7contributed by ,j4 ,pohle1 ,s4 ,t4 ,d41 ,breslau72 8,canons and ,decrees of the ,council of ,trent10 sess4 #ac1 ch4 #a-h 7,london ed41 #ahea1 tr4 by ,t4 ,a4 ,buckley1 pp4 #gj-gi72 ,k4 ,r4 ,hagenbach1 8,compendium of the ,history of ,doctrines10 ,vol4 ,i1 pp4 #bad-bbc1 #cic-cih1 and ,vol4 ,,ii1 pp4 #hh-aad2 ,j4 ,calvin1 8,institutes10 bk4 #d1 ch4 #ag1 #ah2 ,r4 ,hooker1 8,ecclesiastical ,polity10 bk4 #e1 ch4 #fg2 ,chas4 ,elliott1 8,delineation of ,roman ,catholicism10 bk4 #b1 ch4 #d1 #e4 ,page #fe4 ,,waldensian ,,versions ,,of ,,the ,,bible4--,on early ,waldensian translations of portions of the ,bible into the language of the common people1 see ,townley1 8,illustrations of ,biblical ,literature10 ,vol4 ,i1 ch4 #aj1 par4 #a-ac2 ,e4 ,petavel1 8,the ,bible in ,france10 ch4 #b1 par4 #c1 #d1 #h-aj1 #ac1 #ba 7,paris ed41 #ahfd72 ,g4 ,h4 ,putnam1 8,the ,censorship of the ,church of ,rome10 ,vol4 ,,ii1 ch4 #b4 ,page #gg4 ,,edict ,,against ,,the ,,waldenses4--,a considerable portion of the text of the papal bull issued by ,innocent ,,viii4 in #adhg against the ,waldenses 7the original of which is in the library of the ,university of ,cambridge7 is given1 in an ,english translation1 in ,dowling's 8,history of ,romanism10 bk4 #f1 ch4 #e1 sec4 #fb 7ed4 #ahga74 ,page #hd4 ,,indulgences4--,see note for page #ei4 ,page #he4 ,,wycliffe4--,for the original text of the papal bulls issued against ,wycliffe1 with an ,english translation1 see ,j4 ,foxe1 8,acts and ,monuments10 ,vol4 ,,iii1 pp4 #d-ac 7,pratt-,townsend ed41 ,london1 #ahgj74 ,see also ,j4 ,lewis1 8,life of ,wiclif10 pp4 #di-ea1 #cje-cad 7ed4 #ahbj72 ,lechler1 8,john ,wycliffe and ,his ,english ,precursors10 ch4 #e1 sec4 #b 7pp4 #afb-afd1 ,london ed41 #ahhd1 tr4 by ,lorimer72 ,a4 ,neander1 8,general ,history of the ,christian ,church10 period #f1 sec4 #b1 part #a1 par4 #h4 ,page #hf4 ,,infallibility4--,on the doctrine of ,infallibility1 see ,catholic ,encyclopdia1 art4 ,infallibility 7contributed by ,p4 ,j4 ,turner1 ,s4 ,t4 ,d472 ,geo4 ,salmon1 8,the ,infallibility of the ,church20 ,chas4 ,elliott1 8,delineation of ,roman ,catholicism10 bk4 #a1 ch4 #d2 ,cardinal ,gibbons1 8,the ,faith of ,our ,fathers10 ch4 #g 7#dith ed41 #ahig74 ,page #ajc4 ,,indulgences4--,see note for page #ei4 ,page #ajd4 ,,council ,,of ,,constance4--,on the calling of the ,council of ,constance by ,pope ,john ,,xxiii41 at the instance of the emperor ,sigismund1 see ,mosheim1 8,ecclesiastical ,history10 bk4 #c1 cent4 #ae1 part #b1 ch4 #b1 sec4 #c2 ,j4 ,dowling1 8,history of ,romanism10 bk4 #f1 ch4 #b1 par4 #ac2 ,a4 ,bower1 8,history of the ,popes10 ,vol4 ,,vii1 pp4 #ada-adc 7,london ed41 #agff72 ,neander1 8,history of the ,christian ,religion and ,church10 period #f1 sec4 #a 7#ahed1 #e-vol4 ed41 tr4 by ,torrey1 ,vol4 ,v1 pp4 #id-aja74 ,page #abh4 ,,indulgences4--,see note for page #ei4 ,page #bcd4 ,,jesuitism4--,for a statement concerning the origin1 the principles1 and the purposes of the 8,society of ,jesus10 as outlined by members of this ,order1 see a work entitled 8,concerning ,jesuits10 edited by the ,rev4 ,john ,gerard1 ,s4 ,j41 and published in ,london1 #aijb1 by the ,catholic ,truth ,society4 ,in this work it is said that 8the mainspring of the whole organization of the ,society is a spirit of entire obedience3 #8,let each one1' writes ,st4 ,ignatius1 #8persuade himself that those who live under obedience ought to allow themselves to be moved and directed by divine ,providence through their superiors1 just as though they were a dead body1 which allows itself to be carried anywhere and to be treated in any manner whatever1 or as an old man's staff1 which serves him who holds it in his hand in whatsoever way he will4' 8,this absolute submission is ennobled by its motive1 and should be1 continues the 444 founder1 #8prompt1 joyous1 and persevering2 444 the obedient religious accomplishes joyfully that which his superiors have confided to him for the general good1 assured that thereby he corresponds truly with the divine will4' 0--,the ,comtesse ,r4 de ,courson1 in 8,concerning ,jesuits10 p4 #f4 ,see also ,l4 ,e4 ,dupin1 8,a ,compendious ,history of the ,church10 cent4 #af1 ch4 #cc 7,london ed41 #agac1 ,vol4 ,,iv1 pp4 #acb-ace72 ,mosheim1 8,ecclesiastical ,history10 cent4 #af1 sec4 #c1 part #a1 ch4 #a1 par4 #aj 7including notes #e1 #f72 ,encyclopdia ,britannica 7ninth ed471 art4 ,jesuits2 ,c4 ,paroissien1 8,the ,principles of the ,jesuits1 ,developed in a ,collection of ,extracts from ,their ,own ,authors0 7,london1 #ahfj--;an earlier edition appeared in #ahci72 ,w4 ,c4 ,cartwright1 8,the ,jesuits1 ,their ,constitution and ,teaching0 7,london1 #ahgf72 ,e4 ,l4 ,taunton1 8,the ,history of the ,jesuits in ,england1 #aehj-aggc0 7,london1 #aija74 ,page #bce4 ,,the ,,inquisition4--,see ,catholic ,encyclopdia1 art4 ,inquisition 7contributed by ,j4 ,bltzer1 ,s4 ,j41 ,munich72 ,h4 ,c4 ,lea1 8,history of the ,inquisition in the ,middle ,ages20 ,limborch1 8,history of the ,inquisition10 ,vol4 ,i1 bk4 #a1 ch4 #be1 #bg-ca 7,london ed41 #agca1 tr4 by ,s4 ,chandler1 ,vol4 ,i1 pp4 #aca-adb1 #add-afa72 ,l4 von ,ranke1 8,history of the ,popes10 bk4 #b1 ch4 #f4 ,page #bfe4 ,,causes ,,of ,,the ,,french ,,revolution4--,on the far-reaching consequences of the rejection of the ,bible1 and of ,bible religion1 by the people of ,france1 see ,h4 von ,sybel1 8,history of the ,french ,revolution10 bk4 #e1 ch4 #a1 par4 #c-g2 ,h4 ,t4 ,buckle1 8,history of ,civilization in ,england10 ch4 #h1 #ab 7,n4 ,y4 ed41 #ahie1 ,vol4 ,i1 pp4 #cfd-cff1 #cfi-cga1 #dcg1 #eej1 #edj1 #eda72 ,blackwood's ,magazine1 ,vol4 ,,xxxiv1 ,no4 #bae 7,november1 #ahcc1 p4 #gci72 ,j4 ,g4 ,lorimer1 8,an ,historical ,sketch of the ,protestant ,church in ,france10 ch4 #h1 par4 #f1 #g4 ,page #bff4 ,,prophetic ,,dates4--,see note for page #cbi4 ,page #bfg4 ,,efforts ,,to ,,suppress ,,and ,,destroy ,,the ,,bible4--,referring to the long-continued efforts in ,france to suppress the ,bible--particularly versions in the language of the common people1 ,gaussen says3 8,the decree of ,toulouse1 #abbi10 which established the 8tribunal of the ,inquisition against all the readers of the ,bible in the vulgar tongue1 444 was an edict of fire1 bloodshed1 and devastation4 ,in its #c;d1 #dth1 #eth1 and #fth chapters1 it ordained the entire destruction of the houses1 the humblest places of concealment1 and even the subterranean retreats of men convicted of possessing the ,scriptures2 that they should be pursued to the forests and caves of the earth2 and that even those who harbored them should be severely punished40 ,as a result1 the ,bible 8was everywhere prohibited2 it vanished1 as it were1 underground2 it descended into the tomb40 ,these decrees were 8followed for five hundred years by innumerable punishments1 in which the blood of the saints flowed like water40--,l4 ,gaussen1 8,the ,canon of the ,holy ,scriptures10 part #b1 bk4 #b1 ch4 #g1 sec4 #e1 prop4 #efa2 and ch4 #ac1 sec4 #b1 prop4 #fda1 par4 #b4 ,on the special efforts made to destroy ,bibles during the ,reign of ,terror1 late in #agic1 ,dr4 ,lorimer says3 8,wherever a ,bible could be found it might be said to be persecuted to death2 so much so1 that several respectable commentators interpret the slaying of the two witnesses in the eleventh chapter of the ,apocalypse1 of the general suppression1 nay1 destruction1 of the ,old and ,new ,testaments in ,france at this period40--,j4 ,g4 ,lorimer1 8,an ,historical ,sketch of the ,protestant ,church in ,france10 ch4 #h1 par4 #d1 #e4 ,see also ,g4 ,p4 ,fisher1 8,the ,reformation10 ch4 #ae1 par4 #af2 ,e4 ,petavel1 8,the ,bible in ,france10 ch4 #b1 par4 #c1 #h-aj1 #ac1 #ba 7,paris ed41 #ahfd72 ,g4 ,h4 ,putnam1 8,the ,censorship of the ,church of ,rome10 ,vol4 ,i1 ch4 #d 7#aijf ed41 pp4 #ig1 #ii1 #aja1 #ajb72 ,vol4 ,,ii1 ch4 #b 7pp4 #ae-ai72 ,s4 ,smiles1 8,the ,huguenots3 ,their ,settlements1 ,churches1 and ,industries10 etc41 ch4 #a1 par4 #cb1 #cd2 ch4 #b1 par4 #f2 ch4 #c1 par4 #ad2 ch4 #ah1 par4 #e 7with note72 ,s4 ,smiles1 8,the ,huguenots in ,france after the ,revocation10 ch4 #b1 par4 #h2 ch4 #aj1 par4 #cj2 ch4 #ab1 par4 #b-d2 ,j4 ,a4 ,wylie1 8,history of ,protestantism10 bk4 #bb1 ch4 #f1 par4 #c4 ,page #bgf4 ,,the ,,reign ,,of ,,terror4--,on the responsibility of misguided leaders1 in both church and state1 and particularly in the church1 for the scenes of the ,french ,revolution1 see ,w4 ,m4 ,sloane1 8,the ,french ,revolution and ,religious ,reform10 ,preface1 and ch4 #b1 par4 #a1 #b1 #aj-ad 7#aija ed41 pp4 vii-ix1 #ai1 #bj1 #bf-ca1 #dj72 ,p4 ,schaff1 in 8,papers of the ,american ,society of ,church ,history10 ,vol4 ,i1 pp4 #ch1 #dd2 ,s4 ,smiles1 8,the ,huguenots after the ,revocation10 ch4 #ah1 par4 #d1 #f1 #i1 #aj1 #ab-af1 #bg2 ,j4 ,g4 ,lorimer1 8,an ,historical ,sketch of the ,protestant ,church of ,france10 ch4 #h1 par4 #f1 #g2 ,a4 ,galton1 8,church and ,state in ,france1 #acjj-aijg10 ch4 #c1 sec4 #b 7,london ed41 #aijg72 ,sir ,j4 ,stephen1 8,lectures on the ,history of ,france10 lecture #af1 par4 #fj4 ,page #bhj4 ,,the ,,masses ,,and ,,the ,,privileged ,,classes4--,on social conditions prevailing in ,france prior to the period of the ,revolution1 see ,h4 von ,holst1 8,lowell ,lectures on the ,french ,revolution10 lecture #a2 also ,taine1 8,ancient ,rgime10 and ,a4 ,young1 8,travels in ,france40 ,page #bhc4 ,,retribution4--,for further details concerning the retributive character of the ,french ,revolution1 see ,thos4 ,h4 ,gill1 8,the ,papal ,drama10 bk4 #aj2 ,e4 de ,pressens1 8,the ,church and the ,french ,revolution10 bk4 #c1 ch4 #a4 ,page #bhd4 ,,the ,,atrocities ,,of ,,the ,,reign ,,of ,,terror4--,see ,m4 ,a4 ,thiers1 8,history of the ,french ,revolution10 ,vol4 ,,iii1 pp4 #db-dd1 #fb-gd1 #ajf 7,n4 ,y4 ed41 #ahij1 tr4 by ,f4 ,shoberl72 ,f4 ,a4 ,mignet1 8,history of the ,french ,revolution10 ch4 #i1 par4 #a 7,bohn ed41 #ahid72 ,a4 ,alison1 8,history of ,europe10 #aghi-ahae1 ,vol4 ,i1 ch4 #ad 7,n4 ,y4 ed41 #ahgb1 ,vol4 #a1 pp4 #bic-cab74 ,page #bhg4 ,,the ,,circulation ,,of ,,the ,,scriptures4--,in #ahjd1 according to ,mr4 ,william ,canton1 of the ,british and ,foreign ,bible ,society1 8all the ,bibles extant in the world1 in manuscript or in print1 counting every version in every land1 were computed at not many more than four millions4444 ,the various languages in which those four millions were written1 including such bygone speech as the ,mso-,gothic of ,ulfilas and the ,anglo-,saxon of ,bede1 are set down as numbering about fifty40--8,what ,is the ,bible ,society80 p4 #bc 7rev4 ed41 #aijd74 ,a hundred years later1 at the close of its first centenary1 the ,british and ,foreign ,bible ,society was able to report a total distribution of ,bibles1 ,testaments1 or portions thereof1 by that society alone1 to the number of #ahf1fhj1aja--;a total that1 in #aiaj1 had grown to upwards of #bbj1jjj1jjj copies1 in nearly four hundred distinct tongues4 ,to these totals must be added the millions of copies of the ,scriptures or portions thereof1 in many languages1 distributed by other ,bible societies and by various commercial agencies4 ,the ,american ,bible ,society1--the greatest of the daughters of the ,british parent society1--during the first ninety-four years of its work1 reported a total distribution of #hg1bif1ahb copies4 7,see ,bible ,society ,record1 ,june1 #aiaj47 ,according to conservative estimates1 about six million copies of the ,bible are printed annually by commercial houses1 which1 added to the combined output of the ,bible societies1 gives a total yearly circulation of more than fifteen million copies4 ,the ,scriptures1 in whole or in part1 have been printed in more than five hundred distinct tongues2 and the work of translation into new languages and dialects is still carried forward with unflagging zeal4 ,page #bhh4 ,,foreign ,,missions4--,dr4 ,g4 ,p4 ,fisher1 in a chapter on 8,christian ,missions0 in his 8,history of the ,christian ,church10 outlines the beginnings of the missionary movement1 which1 in 8the later years of the eighteenth century1 ushered in a brilliant era of missionary activity1 an era which1 in the history of missions1 is only less remarkable than the first of the ,christian ages40 ,in #agib1 8the ,baptist society was founded1 with ,carey as one of its first missionaries4 ,carey sailed for ,india1 and there1 with the help of other members of the same society1 founded the mission of ,serampore40 ,in #agie1 the ,london ,missionary ,society was founded2 in #agii1 there was formed 8the organization which in #ahab became the ,church ,missionary ,society40 ,soon afterward1 the ,wesleyan ,missionary ,society was founded4 8,while the missionary activity was growing up in ,great ,britain1 the ,christians of ,america were becoming animated with a like zeal40 ,in #ahab1 they founded the ,american ,board of ,commissioners for ,foreign ,missions2 and in #ahad1 the ,american ,baptist ,missionary ,union4 ,adoniram ,judson1 one of the first missionaries to go out from ,america1 sailed for ,calcutta in #ahab1 and reached ,burmah in ,july1 #ahac4 ,in #ahcg1 the ,presbyterian ,board was formed4 7,see ,fisher1 8,history of the ,christian ,church10 period #i1 ch4 #g1 par4 #c-be47 ,dr4 ,a4 ,t4 ,pierson1 in an article published in the ,missionary ,review of the ,world for ,january1 #aiaj1 declares3 8,a half-century ago1 ,china and ,manchuria1 ,japan and ,korea1 ,turkey and ,arabia1 and even the vast continent of ,africa1 were sleeping--hermit nations1 locked in the cell of long seclusion and exclusion4 ,central ,asia was comparatively unexplored1 as was ,central ,africa4 ,in many lands1 ,satan's long occupation was undisputed and his empire unmolested4 ,papal countries were as intolerant as pagan2 ,italy and ,spain imprisoned a man for daring to sell a ,bible1 or preach the gospel4 ,france was practically infidel1 and ,germany permeated with rationalism2 and over a large part of the mission field1 the doors were shut and locked by a more or less rigid exclusion and caste system4 ,now the changes1 on every side1 are so remarkable and so radical that1 to one who should suddenly come out of this middle period of the last century1 444 the world would be unrecognizable4 ,he who holds the keys of the two-leaved gates has been unlocking them1 opening up all lands to the ,messenger of the ,cross4 ,even in the ,eternal ,city1 where1 a half-century ago1 a visitor had to leave his ,bible outside the walls1 there are ,protestant chapels by the score1 and a free circulation of the ,scriptures40 ,page #cbg4 ,,prophetic ,,dates4--,see note for page #cbi4 ,page #cbi4 ,,prophetic ,,dates4--,the historical and chronological facts connected with the prophetic periods of ,daniel #h and #i1 including many evidences pointing unmistakably to the year #deg ,b4,c4 as the proper time from which to begin reckoning these periods1 have been clearly outlined by many students of prophecy4 ,see ,stanley ,leathes1 8,old ,testament ,prophecy10 lectures #aj1 #aa 7,warburton ,lectures for #ahgf-ahhj72 ,w4 ,goode1 8,fulfilled ,prophecy10 sermon #aj1 including ,note ,a 7,warburton ,lectures for #ahed-aheh72 ,a4 ,thom1 8,chronology of ,prophecy10 pp4 #bf-ajf 7,london ed41 #ahdh72 ,sir ,isaac ,newton1 8,observations upon the ,prophecies of ,daniel1 and the ,apocalypse of ,st4 ,john10 ch4 #aj 7,london ed41 #agcc1 pp4 #abh-adc72 ,uriah ,smith1 8,thoughts on ,daniel and the ,revelation10 part #a1 ch4 #h1 #i4 ,on the date of the crucifixion1 see ,wm4 ,hales1 8,analysis of ,chronology10 ,vol4 ,i1 pp4 #id-aja2 ,vol4 ,,iii4 pp4 #afd-beh 7#b;d ,london ed41 #ahcj74 ,page #cce4 ,,fall ,,of ,,the ,,ottoman ,,empire4--,for further details as to the predicted fall of the ,ottoman empire during the month of ,august1 #ahdj1 see ,j4 ,litch1 8,the ,probability of the ,second ,coming of ,christ about ,a4,d4 #ahdc0 7published in ,june1 #ahch72 ,j4 ,litch1 8,an ,address to the ,clergy0 7published in the spring of #ahdj2 a second edition1 with historical data in support of the accuracy of former calculations of the prophetic period extending to the fall of the ,ottoman empire1 was published in #ahda72 the ,advent ,shield and ,review1 ,vol4 ,i 7#ahdd71 ,no4 #a1 article #b1 pp4 #ef1 #eg1 #ei-fa2 ,j4 ,n4 ,loughborough1 8,the ,great ,advent ,movement10 pp4 #abi-acb 7#aije ed472 ,j4 ,litch1 article in ,signs of the ,times1 and ,expositor of ,prophecy1 ,aug4 #a1 #ahdj4 ,see also article in ,signs of the ,times1 and ,expositor of ,prophecy1 ,feb4 #a1 #ahda4 ,page #cdj4 ,,withholding ,,the ,,bible ,,from ,,the ,,people4--,on the attitude of the ,roman ,catholic ,church toward the circulation of the ,holy ,scriptures1 in vernacular versions1 among the laity1 see ,catholic ,encyclopdia1 art4 ,bible2 also ,g4 ,p4 ,fisher1 8,the ,reformation10 ch4 #ae1 par4 #af 7#ahgc ed41 pp4 #ecj-ecb72 ,j4 ,cardinal ,gibbons1 8,the ,faith of ,our ,fathers10 ch4 #h 7#dith ed41 #ahig1 pp4 #ih-aag72 ,j4 ,dowling1 8,history of ,romanism10 b4 #g1 ch4 #b1 sec4 #ad1 and b4 #i1 ch4 #c1 sec4 #bd-bg 7#ahga ed41 pp4 #dia-dif1 #fba-fbe72 ,l4 ,f4 ,bungener1 8,history of the ,council of ,trent10 pp4 #aja-aaj 7#b;d ,edinburgh ed41 #ahec1 tr4 by ,d4 ,d4 ,scott72 ,g4 ,h4 ,putnam1 8,books and ,their ,makers during the ,middle ,ages10 ,vol4 ,i1 part #b1 ch4 #b1 par4 #di1 #ed-ef4 ,page #cgc4 ,,ascension ,,robes4--,the story that the ,adventists made robes with which to ascend 8to meet the ,lord in the air10 was invented by those who wished to reproach the cause4 ,it was circulated so industriously that many believed it2 but careful inquiry proved its falsity4 ,for many years a large reward has been offered for proof that one such instance ever occurred1 but the proof has not been produced4 ,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 occasion4 ,the only robe which the saints will need to meet the ,lord is the righteousness of ,christ4 ,see ,rev4 #ai3h4 ,page #cgd4 ,,the ,,chronology ,,of ,,prophecy4--,dr4 ,geo4 ,bush1 ,professor of ,hebrew and ,oriental ,literature in the ,new ,york ,city ,university1 in a letter addressed to ,mr4 ,miller1 and published in the ,advent ,herald1 and ,signs of the ,times ,reporter1 ,boston1 ,march #f and #ac1 #ahdd1 made some important admissions relative to his calculation of the prophetic times4 ,mr4 ,bush wrote3 8,neither is it to be objected1 as ,i conceive1 to yourself or your friends1 that you have devoted much time and attention to the study of the chronology of prophecy1 and have labored much to determine the commencing and closing dates of its great periods4 ,if these periods are actually given by the ,holy ,ghost in the prophetic books1 it was doubtless with the design that they should be studied1 and probably1 in the end1 fully understood2 and no man is to be charged with presumptuous folly who reverently makes the attempt to do this4444 ,in taking a day as the prophetical term for a year1 ,i believe you are sustained by the soundest exegesis1 as well as fortified by the high names of ,mede1 ,sir ,isaac ,newton1 ,kirby1 ,scott1 ,keith1 and a host of others1 who have long since come to substantially your conclusions on this head4 ,they all agree that the leading periods mentioned by ,daniel and ,john do actually expire about this age of the world1 and it would be a strange logic that would convict you of heresy for holding in effect the same views which stand forth so prominently in the notices of these eminent divines40 8,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 duty40 8,your error1 as ,i apprehend1 lies in another direction than your chronology40 8,you have entirely mistaken the nature of the events which are to occur when those periods have expired4 ,this is the head and front of your expository offending40 ,page #cii4 ,,prophetic ,,dates4--,see note for page #cbi4 ,page #dce4 ,a ,,threefold ,,message4--,rev4 #ad3f1 #g1 foretells the proclamation of the first angel's message4 ,then the prophet continues3 8,there followed another angel1 saying1 ,babylon is fallen1 is fallen1 444 and the third angel followed them40 ,the word here rendered 8followed10 means1 in constructions like that in this text1 8to go with40 ,liddell and ,scott render the word thus3 8,to follow one1 go after or with him40 ,robinson says3 8,to follow1 to go with1 to accompany any one40 ,it is the same word that is used in ,mark #e3bd3 8,jesus went with him2 and much people followed ,him1 and thronged ,him40 ,it is also used of the redeemed one hundred and forty-four thousand1 where it is said1 8,these are they which follow the ,lamb whithersoever ,he goeth40 ,rev4 #ad3d4 ,in both these places it is evident that the idea intended to be conveyed is that of going together1 in company with4 ,so in #a ,cor4 #aj3d1 where we read of the children of ,israel that 8they drank of that spiritual ,rock that followed them10 the word 8followed0 is translated from the same ,greek word1 and the margin has it1 8went with them40 ,from this we learn that the idea in ,rev4 #ad3h1 #i1 is not simply that the second and third angels followed the first in point of time1 but that they went with him4 ,the three messages are but one threefold message4 ,they are three only in the order of their rise4 ,but having risen1 they go on together1 and are inseparable4 ,page #ddg4 ,,supremacy ,,of ,,the ,,bishops ,,of ,,rome4--,some of the leading circumstances connected with the assumption of supremacy by the bishops of ,rome1 are outlined in ,mosheim's 8,ecclesiastical ,history10 cent4 #b1 part #b1 ch4 #d1 sec4 #i-aa4 ,see also ,g4,p4 ,fisher1 8,history of the ,christian ,church10 period #b1 ch4 #b1 par4 #aa-ag 7#ahij ed41 pp4 #ef-eh72 ,gieseler1 8,ecclesiastical ,history10 period #a1 div4 #c1 ch4 #d1 sec4 #ff1 par4 #c1 including note #h 7,n4,y4 ed41 #ahcf1 tr4 by ,f4 ,cunningham72 ,j4,n4 ,andrews1 8,history of the ,sabbath10 pp4 #bgf-bgi 7#c;d ed41 rev474 ,page #egd4 ,,edict ,,of ,,constantine4--,see note for page #ec4 ,page #egh4 ,,the ,,abyssinian ,,church4--,on the observance of the ,bible ,sabbath in ,abyssinia1 see ,dean ,a4,p4 ,stanley1 8,lectures on the ,history of the ,eastern ,church10 lecture #a1 par4 #ae 7,n4 ,y4 ed41 #ahfb1 pp4 #if1 #ig72 ,michael ,geddes1 8,church ,history of ,ethiopia10 pp4 #hg1 #hh1 #caa1 #cab2 ,gibbon1 8,decline and ,fall of the ,roman ,empire10 ch4 #dg1 par4 #cg-ci2 ,samuel ,gobat1 8,journal of ,three ,years' ,residence in ,abyssinia10 pp4 #ee-eh1 #hc1 #ic1 #ig1 #ih 7,n4 ,y4 ed41 #ahej72 ,a4 ,h4 ,lewis1 8,a ,critical ,history of the ,sabbath and the ,sunday in the ,christian ,church10 pp4 #bjh-bae 7#b;d ed41 rev474 ,page #eha4 ,,dictates ,,of ,,hildebrand4--,see note for page #eg4 ,,index ,,of ,,scripture ,,references4 ,,genesis #a3b2 #feh #b3a-c2 #dee #b3b1 #c2 #eb #c3a2 #eca #c3b-e2 #ecb #c3d1 #e2 #efa #c3e2 #eed #c3ae2 #eje #c3ai2 #ecb #c3bd2 #ecd #f3e1 #aa2 #edc #ae3a2 #hf #bb3i1 #af-ah2 #ah #bh3ab2 #ai #cb3bd-cj2 #faf #cb3cj2 #fbb ,,exodus #e3b2 #bfi #bj3h-aa2 #dcd #bj3aj1 #aa2 #dcg #be3h2 #daa #be3i1 #dj2 #dac #ca3ag2 #dcg #cb3cc2 #dhc #cd3f2 #ai #cd3f1 #g2 #ejj1 #eda1 #fbg ,,leviticus #aj3ag2 #dah #af3h1 #ba1 #bb2 #dai #af3af1 #ai2 #dai #af3ag2 #dbh #af3ba2 #feh #af3bb2 #dhe #af3bi-cd2 #djj #ag3aa2 #dah #ai3ca2 #eef #bj3bg2 #eef ,,numbers #ad3cd2 #cbd #bc3h1 #aj1 #bj1 #ba1 #bc2 #ebi #bd3i2 #ebi #be3a-c2 #eef ,,deuteronomy #d3f2 #bcj #bh3ef1 #eg2 #cb #bi3bi2 #cbd #cj3ae2 #edd ,,ii ,,samuel #ac3ci2 #ecg ,i ,,kings #ah3ag2 #ajd #ah3ag1 #ah2 #eij ,,ii ,,kings #f3ag2 #bjh #ai3ce2 #eab ,i ,,chronicles #bh3ab1 #ai2 #bc ,,ii ,,chronicles #cb3ba2 #eab #cf3af1 #ae2 #ai ,,ezra #c3ab2 #bd #g3ab-bf2 #cbf ,,nehemiah #d3aj1 #ad2 #ef #h3aj2 #dgg #ac3ad2 #dha ,,job #a3f2 #eah #a3i1 #aj2 #eac #i3b2 #bed #aa3g2 #cdd #ad3aj-ab2 #eej #ad3ba2 #eej #ai3be-bg2 #bii #ch3f1 #g2 #dee #ch3g2 #eaa #db3f2 #dga ,,psalms #a3a-c2 #dgh #f3e2 #edf #h3e2 #eaa #i3e1 #f2 #ede #aa3f2 #fgb #ad3a2 #bge #af3d2 #caj #ai3g2 #dfh #be3ad2 #cab #bg3e2 #fcd #cj3e2 #cej #cd3g2 #eac1 #fcb #cg3aj2 #ede #cg3bi2 #fgd #cg3ch2 #eda #dj3h2 #dff #df3a-c2 #fci #dh3c2 #ag #ej3b-d2 #cjj #ej3c1 #d2 #fdb #ej3f2 #fci1 #fej #ea3ag2 #dhd #ec3e2 #aag #ef3h2 #dha #gc3aa2 #bgd #gf3b2 #bc #gh3fh1 #fi2 #bc #hj3h2 #ai #hd3aa2 #fgc #ij3b2 #dgi #ia3c-aj2 #fcj #ie3f2 #dcg #if3e2 #dcg #if3aa1 #ac2 #cjj #ig3aa2 #ebb #ajj3c2 #dcg #ajc3ai-ba2 #eab #ajf3bh2 #eef #aji3e2 #bj #aaa3g1 #h2 #bhh1 #dcd #aab3d2 #cdf #aae3ag2 #edf #aai3aa2 #fjj #aai3ah2 #fjj #aai3de2 #dff #aai3df2 #bjg #aai3hi2 #dcd #aai3ig2 #dfh #aai3ii1 #ajd2 #fjb #aai3aje2 #bfg #aai3acj2 #id1 #aie1 #cbj #aai3adb1 #agb2 #dfg #aba3e-g2 #fcj #acb3ac2 #ai #aci3ab2 #cdf #ade3aj2 #fga #ade3bj2 #eda #adf3d2 #ede ,,proverbs #a3bd1 #be2 #fdb #a3bg2 #fdd #a3bi1 #ca2 #bhf #a3cc2 #bhe #c3ac2 #fjb #c3ad2 #cab #d3ah2 #dgf #aa3ca2 #fgc #ad3cd2 #bgg #af3ab2 #bgg #af3be2 #eig #bh3i2 #dcf #bh3ac2 #dhi ,,ecclesiastes #h3aa-ac2 #bhf #h3ab1 #ac2 #edj #i3e1 #f1 #aj2 #edf #aj3af2 #afe #ab3f2 #eej #ab3ac2 #dcf #ab3ac1 #ad2 #dhb #ab3ad2 #dha ,,canticles #f3aj2 #dbe ,,isaiah #b3aj-ab1 #bj1 #ba2 #fch #c3aj1 #aa2 #edj #d3b1 #c2 #dhe #e3a-d2 #bj #e3bj2 #eeg #f3c1 #e2 #dga #h3af1 #bj2 #deb #h3ai1 #bj2 #eei #h3bj2 #eic #i3e2 #cg1 #fdb1 #fgb #aa3f1 #i2 #fgf #ac3f2 #fch #ac3i2 #caa #ac3aa2 #caj #ad3c-f2 #ffj #ad3g2 #fgc #ad3ab-ag2 #fei #ad3ac1 #ad2 #did1 #ejd #ad3ah-bj2 #ffj #ba3aa1 #ab2 #fcb #bd3a1 #c1 #e1 #f2 #feg #bd3d1 #e2 #eij #bd3bb2 #ffa #be3h2 #fej #be3h1 #i2 #cjj #be3i2 #fdd #bf3ai2 #cjj #bf3bj1 #ba2 #fcd #bf3ba2 #feg #bg3e2 #fai #bh3e2 #cja #bh3ae2 #efj #bh3ag1 #ah2 #efb #bh3ba2 #fbg #cj3aa2 #bh #cj3bi1 #cj2 #fce #cb3ag2 #bgg #cb3ah2 #fge #cc3af2 #fbf1 #fbi #cc3bd2 #fgf #cd3b2 #fgb #cd3h2 #fgc #ce3a2 #fge #ce3b2 #cjb #cg3bc2 #bhg #ch3ah1 #ai2 #edf #dj3e2 #cja #dj3h2 #bhh #dj3be1 #bf2 #dcg #da3ag2 #fbi #db3af2 #cdf #db3ba2 #dff #dc3be2 #dhc #de3ah2 #dcg1 #fgd #df3i1 #aj2 #cdd #dh3ah1 #bb2 #bhe #di3ad-af2 #fbf #di3ae2 #cb #ea3c2 #cjb #ea3g1 #h2 #dfj #ea3aa-af2 #fcc #ea3ba-bc2 #fcd #ec3d2 #daf #ec3g2 #ah #ed3ag2 #bhh #ee3h1 #i2 #cdd #ee3ac2 #fge #ef3a1 #b1 #f1 #g2 #dea #ef3h2 #dea #eh3a1 #b2 #deb #eh3ab1 #ac2 #dec #eh3ac2 #ddg #ei3ad2 #ehf #ei3ai2 #fjj #fj3ah2 #fge #fa3c2 #fej #fa3aa2 #cja #fb3c2 #fgf #fb3d1 #e2 #cjb #fb3ab2 #fej #fe3f1 #g2 #dha #fe3ai2 #fgf #fe3ba1 #bb2 #fge #ff3e2 #cgb ,,jeremiah #b3ac2 #dgh #c3ad2 #cha #c3bj2 #chb #d3ai1 #bj2 #caj #d3bc-bg2 #fei #f3af2 #dgh #h3aa2 #fee #i3a2 #ba #ac3ag2 #ba #af3ba2 #bhg #ag3h2 #fjb #ag3ba-be2 #ai #bc3a1 #b2 #fee #be3ca2 #fef #be3cc2 #feg #be3cd1 #ce2 #fee #bf3ah2 #ce #cj3e-g2 #faf #cj3f2 #fda #ca3cd2 #dhe #ej3bj2 #dhe ,,lamentations #d3aj2 #cb ,,ezekiel #a3ad2 #eab #b3g2 #dei #c3g2 #dei #d3f2 #cbd #i3a-f2 #fef #ab3ba-be1 #bg1 #bh2 #cic #ac3bb2 #fee #ad3bj2 #fbc #af3h1 #ac-ae1 #cb2 #chb #af3ad1 #ae2 #ehc #ah3bj2 #ecc #ah3bd2 #dhc #bj3bj2 #dcg #bh3f2 #did #bh3f-h1 #af-ai2 #fgb #bh3ab-ae1 #ag2 #did #bh3ah1 #ai2 #ejd #cc3g-i2 #dfj #cc3h1 #i2 #ccj #cc3aa2 #ece1 #fbg1 #fdb ,,daniel #e3bg2 #dia #g3b2 #ddj #g3i1 #aj2 #dgi #g3aj2 #dad1 #eab #g3ac2 #dbd #g3ac1 #ad2 #dhj #g3ad2 #dbg #g3bb2 #ffa #g3be2 #ea1 #ed1 #ddf #g3bg2 #cdg #h3ad2 #dji #i3ah1 #ae1 #bj2 #dga #i3bb1 #bc1 #be-bg2 #cbe #i3be2 #cac #aj3h2 #dga #aj3aa2 #dgj #ab3a2 #dha1 #fac #ab3b2 #fcg #ab3d2 #cef ,,hosea #b3ai2 #cha #d3f1 #a1 #b2 #fj #f3c2 #faa #h3b1 #a2 #caj #ab3d2 #fag #ac3i2 #ce #ad3a2 #ce ,,joel #a3aj-ab1 #ag-bj2 #fbh #b3a1 #ae-ah1 #ab1 #ac2 #caa #b3aa2 #caj #b3bc2 #faa #b3bf2 #cej #b3ca2 #cjh ,,amos #c3g2 #cbd #e3bj2 #caj #h3c2 #fbh #h3aa1 #ab2 #fbi ,,obadiah #af2 #ede ,,micah #c3i-aa2 #bf #c3ab2 #bg #d3h2 #dhd1 #fgd #e3b2 #cac #g3h1 #i2 #cdf ,,nahum #a3c2 #fbg #a3i2 #ejd #b3aj2 #fda ,,habakkuk #a3ac2 #caj #b3b2 #eba #c3c1 #d2 #fda #c3c-ac2 #cja #c3d2 #fgd #c3ag1 #ah2 #fbi ,,zephaniah #a3ab2 #caj #a3ae1 #af2 #caj #a3ah1 #ac2 #caj ,,haggai #b3c2 #bd #b3i1 #g2 #bc ,,zechariah #b3h2 #fbf #c3b2 #dhd #d3f2 #bcb1 #ebi #f3ac2 #daf #i3i2 #dje #ad3e1 #d1 #i2 #ffc #ad3ab1 #ac2 #feg ,,malachi #b3ag2 #eeg #c3a2 #dbd #c3b1 #c2 #dbe #c3d2 #dbe #c3e2 #dbf #c3af2 #dha #c3ag2 #fcd #c3ah2 #fdj #d3a2 #ejd1 #fgb1 #fgc #d3b2 #fde ,,matthew #d3ai2 #aga #e3ag1 #ah2 #dff #e3ag-ai2 #ddg #e3ah2 #dcd #g3b2 #bi #g3g2 #ebh #g3af2 #dfe1 #ebj #h3aa2 #dbg #aj3e1 #f2 #cbg #aj3ah-bj2 #aab #aj3bc2 #aif #aj3cb1 #cc2 #dhc #aj3cc2 #aef #aj3cd2 #df1 #abf #aa3e2 #bj #aa3bh2 #bj1 #ge1 #efi #aa3bi1 #cj2 #dhi #ab3bb2 #eae #ab3cf1 #cg2 #dha #ac3cj1 #ch-da2 #cba #ah3aj2 #eac #bj3bg2 #eh #ba3e2 #ajj #ba3h-af2 #cfg #ba3i2 #djb #ba3ab2 #abg #bb3aa2 #dbh #bc3d2 #efh #bc3cg2 #bb #bc3ch2 #bd1 #dca #bd3b1 #c2 #be #bd3i1 #ba1 #bb2 #ci #bd3ae2 #cda #bd3ae1 #af2 #bf #bd3bb2 #bfg #bd3bc-bf2 #ebe #bd3bd-bg1 #ca2 #fbe #bd3bi2 #cg1 #ccc #bd3cj1 #bg1 #ca2 #cbb #bd3cj1 #ca2 #cg #bd3cc2 #ch1 #ccd #bd3ce2 #bf #bd3cf1 #c1 #cc1 #db-ea2 #cga #bd3ci2 #cch1 #dia #be3e-g2 #cih #be3ba1 #da2 #edi #be3ca2 #fbe #be3ca1 #cb2 #cja1 #cdg #be3ca-cd2 #cbb #be3dj2 #gg1 #ffh #bf3fd2 #fdc #bg3be2 #cb #bg3db2 #fcj #bg3db1 #dc2 #fdc #bh3c1 #d2 #eab #bh3bj2 #cea ,,mark #a3ad1 #ae2 #cbg #a3ae2 #cde #b3bh2 #ddg #e3i2 #ead #g3bf-cj2 #eae #i3ag-bg2 #eae #ab3bd2 #eii #ac3a2 #be #ac3bd2 #cjf #ac3bd-bf2 #cg1 #cjd #ac3cc2 #dij #ac3ce2 #ch #ac3ce1 #cf2 #dia #ac3cg2 #eg #af3ae2 #cea ,,luke #a3cb1 #cc2 #daf #b3ad2 #df1 #cad #b3be1 #cb2 #cae #d3h2 #ea #d3ah2 #bj1 #cbg #d3be2 #cbc #d3cc-cf2 #eae #d3cf2 #eaf #f3bf2 #add #i3ed1 #ef2 #egj #aj3bj2 #dha #aa3ac2 #dgg #ab3cf2 #dbg #ac3g2 #bg #ah3g1 #h2 #fca #ai3dj2 #djd #ai3da2 #ah #ai3db-dd2 #ag #ai3dd2 #caf #bj3ce1 #cf2 #dhb #ba3af1 #ag2 #ed #ba3bj2 #bf #ba3bj1 #ba2 #cj #ba3be2 #cg1 #cjd #ba3bh1 #cj1 #ca2 #cji #ba3cd1 #cf2 #cji #bb3bd2 #cdh #bb3cj2 #dbg #bd3bg2 #cdi #bd3cb2 #cej #bd3eb1 #ec2 #cci ,,john #a3i2 #bfb1 #ebh #a3ea2 #ai #c3ad1 #ae2 #gd #c3af2 #dag #c3ai2 #bfe #c3bj2 #deh #c3cf2 #ecc #e3bh1 #bi2 #edd #e3bi2 #dhb #e3dj2 #bb #g3af2 #bdc #g3ag2 #ebh1 #eii #h3ab2 #cab1 #dgf #h3bi2 #dfi #aa3dh2 #bg #aa3ej2 #fae #ab3ce2 #cab #ad3a-c2 #cja #ad3b1 #c2 #edh #ad3c2 #cci #ad3ad2 #dgg #ad3bf2 #fjj #ad3cj2 #fbc #ae3aj2 #dfi #ae3ai1 #bj2 #add #ae3bj2 #dg #ae3bb2 #afd #af3ac2 #dfi #af3bd2 #dgg #af3bf1 #bg2 #dag #ag3ag1 #ai2 #dfi #ag3bd2 #eja1 #fcf #ah3cf2 #big #bj3ac2 #djc ,,acts #a3aa2 #cja1 #cci #b3ag1 #ba2 #faa #b3bi1 #cd2 #edf #b3dg2 #cgi #c3ai1 #bj2 #dhe1 #fab #c3ba2 #cja #d3ab2 #gd #d3cb1 #ca2 #cgi #h3d2 #bai #h3d1 #e2 #cbh #h3aj2 #fbe #h3bj2 #abh #aj3ch2 #bj1 #cbg #ac3dg2 #cae #ag3c2 #dje #ag3ca2 #edh #bb3ba2 #cbh #bd3ae2 #edd #bd3be2 #afd #bf3e2 #bac #bf3bh2 #afd ,,romans #a3ag2 #abe #b3e1 #f1 #i2 #edj #b3g2 #ecc #b3ab-af2 #dcf #c3bj2 #dfg #c3ca2 #dfh #e3ab2 #ecc #f3b2 #dfh #f3bc2 #edd #g3ab2 #dfg #h3a2 #dgg #h3d2 #dfh #h3g2 #dfg #h3cb2 #dgg #h3cd2 #cej #h3ch1 #ci1 #cg2 #cej #aa3cc2 #ebg #ab3a2 #dgc #ac3aj2 #dfg #ad3bc2 #dcf #ae3d2 #cbd #ae3af2 #dfi ,i ,,corinthians #a3bg1 #be2 #bcb #b3i2 #fge #b3ad2 #ebd #c3aj1 #aa2 #ef #d3e2 #dha1 #ffa #e3g2 #cii #f3b1 #c2 #ffa #f3aj2 #eci #f3ai1 #bj2 #dge #aj3bj2 #eef #ac3ab2 #fgf #ae3af-ah2 #edf #ae3bb2 #edd #ae3bc1 #bj2 #cii #ae3ej2 #cbc #ae3ea-ec2 #cbb #ae3eb-ee2 #eej #ae3ee2 #fdd #ae3eg2 #dgj ,,ii ,,corinthians #d3d2 #ejh #d3ag2 #dfj #e3ai2 #dag1 #ejb #f3ag1 #ah2 #dge #g3a2 #dgd #g3i-aa2 #dfb #aa3b2 #cha #ab3b-d2 #dga #ab3i2 #dhi #ac3h2 #aja ,,galatians #a3h2 #bdc #e3bb1 #bc2 #dgd ,,ephesians #a3ad2 #fgd #b3bj-bb2 #daf #c3h2 #dga #c3ae2 #fgg #c3af-ai2 #dgf #d3c-e2 #cgi #e3e2 #eda #e3ad-af2 #fjb #e3bg2 #dbe1 #dhd #f3aa2 #eaj #f3ab2 #eaj #f3ag2 #ef ,,philippians #a3ab2 #bai #b3ab1 #ac2 #dfi #c3ac1 #ad2 #dgj #c3ba2 #cii #d3c2 #dha #d3d2 #dgh ,,colossians #a3i-aa2 #dgf #a3af2 #dic ,i ,,thessalonians #d3c2 #dfi #d3ad2 #eej #d3af2 #cja #d3af1 #ag2 #cbb1 #fbe #d3af-ah2 #cjb1 #edh #e3b-e2 #ch1 #cga #e3d1 #e2 #cae #e3af-ah2 #dgh #e3bc2 #dfi1 #dgc ,,ii ,,thessalonians #a3h2 #dbd #b3c2 #cef1 #ddd1 #def #b3c1 #d2 #ega #b3c1 #d1 #g2 #di #b3d2 #ec #b3g2 #ed1 #chd #b3h2 #cg1 #cba1 #egi #b3i1 #aj2 #eec #b3i-aa2 #cij1 #ddd #b3aj1 #aa2 #eei #b3aj-ab2 #dca1 #ebd #b3ab2 #cij ,i ,,timothy #b3c-f2 #bfb #d3a2 #ddd #f3bj2 #ebb ,,ii ,,timothy #a3aj2 #ecc #c3a-e2 #ddd #c3i2 #bge #c3ab2 #dh1 #ejg1 #fjh #c3ac2 #cba #c3af2 #cbd #d3c2 #eie ,,titus #b3aa2 #bfb ,,hebrews #a3f2 #ejb #a3ad2 #eaa #b3aa2 #dgg #b3ad2 #ejc #b3ah2 #daf #c3ai2 #deh #d3ae2 #daf #d3af2 #cdg #f3ah1 #ai2 #cej #f3ai1 #bj2 #dba #f3bj2 #dhi #g3be2 #dhb #h3a1 #b2 #dac #h3e2 #dac1 #dah #i3a-e2 #daa #i3i1 #bc2 #dac #i3ab2 #dba #i3bb1 #bc2 #dag #i3bd2 #dac1 #dbj1 #dhb #i3bh2 #cae1 #dhe #aj3bi2 #fjj #aj3cb2 #ci #aj3ce-ci2 #djh #aa3f2 #gd1 #dcf #aa3ad-af2 #fge #aa3bf2 #dfj #aa3ce2 #da #aa3cf-ch2 #dj #ab3ad2 #eda #ab3bb2 #eab ,,james #a3be2 #dff #b3h2 #dff #b3aj2 #ehb #b3ab2 #dhb #b3ad-bd2 #dgb #c3ae2 #eed ,i ,,peter #a3aj-ab2 #cdd #a3be2 #cej #b3f2 #baj #b3aa2 #dgd #c3c1 #d2 #dfb #c3ab1 #ac2 #ebi #d3ag2 #dhj #e3h2 #eaj ,,ii ,,peter #a3e-aj2 #dgj #a3ai2 #cab #a3ba2 #cbd #c3c1 #d2 #cgj #c3i2 #dh #c3aj2 #fgb ,i ,,john #a3g2 #gd #b3a2 #daf1 #dhb #b3d1 #e2 #dgb #c3d2 #dfg #c3f2 #dgb #e3c2 #dcf1 #dfh #e3d2 #dgg ,,jude #c2 #ea1 #fd #f2 #ffa #f1 #ad1 #ae2 #edi #ad1 #ae2 #bii1 #dbf #bd2 #fdf ,,revelation #a3a-c2 #cda #a3e1 #f2 #daf1 #fdf #a3g2 #cja1 #fbe1 #fcg #a3i2 #gh #a3ac-ae2 #fbd #a3ag2 #dga #b3aj2 #da #b3ag2 #fdf #c3a1 #c2 #caj #c3c2 #cga1 #dij #c3d2 #dhd #c3e2 #dhc #c3g1 #h2 #dcj1 #dce #c3aj2 #efj1 #fai #c3ba2 #daf #d3e2 #dad #d3aa2 #dcg #e3aa2 #eab #e3ab2 #fga #e3ac2 #ede1 #fgh #f3ab2 #cjd #f3ab-ag2 #cg1 #ccd #f3ac2 #ccc #f3ae-ag2 #fdb #g3i2 #ffe #g3aj1 #ab2 #fea #g3ad2 #dbh #g3ad-ag2 #fdi #h3c2 #dad #aa3b-aa2 #bff #aa3d2 #bfg #aa3e2 #bfh #aa3aa2 #bhf #aa3ab2 #bhg #aa3ae2 #cja #aa3ai2 #dae1 #dcc #ab3f2 #ee #ab3i2 #dch #ab3aj2 #ebj #ab3ab2 #fbc #ab3ag2 #eib #ac3a-aj2 #dci #ac3b2 #ed #ac3c2 #egi #ac3e-g2 #ed #ac3h2 #egi #ac3aa2 #dci #ac3aa-ad2 #ddb #ac3aa-af2 #egi #ac3ac2 #fab #ac3ac1 #ad2 #eec #ac3af2 #dej1 #fjd #ac3af1 #ag2 #dde #ad3a-e2 #fdi #ad3f1 #g2 #caa1 #cee #ad3h2 #cha1 #ecf1 #fjc #ad3i1 #aj2 #dch1 #fje1 #fbg #ad3i-aa2 #eid #ae3b2 #fdh #ae3b1 #c2 #dej #ae3c2 #fdi1 #ffi #ae3d2 #fgj #af3b-f1 #h1 #i2 #fbh #af3ac1 #ad2 #efb #af3ad2 #eef #af3ag1 #ah2 #fcf1 #fcg #af3ai1 #ba2 #fcg #ag3b2 #ecf #ag3d-f1 #ah2 #chb #ag3ae2 #ddj #ah3a1 #b1 #d2 #fjc #ah3c1 #ae-ag2 #fec #ah3d2 #cij #ah3e2 #fjd #ah3e-aj2 #fec #ai3i2 #dbg #ai3aa1 #ad2 #fda #ai3af2 #fda #bj3a-c2 #feh #bj3d1 #f2 #ffa #bj3e2 #ffa #bj3f2 #edd1 #fgc #bj3aa1 #ab2 #fff #bj3ab2 #dhj1 #edi #ba3a2 #fgd #ba3b2 #dbg #ba3d1 #aa1 #bd1 #c2 #fgf #ba3f1 #g2 #edj #ba3i1 #aj2 #dbg #ba3bb2 #fgf #ba3bg2 #dgd1 #dha #bb3e2 #fgf #bb3aa2 #fac #bb3aa1 #ab2 #dia #bb3ab2 #ceb1 #dbb #bb3ad2 #dff #bb3ad1 #ae2 #eda #bb3ah1 #ai2 #bfh #bb3bj2 #cjb ,,general ,,index4 ,abel1 hated by ,cain1 #df4 ,sabbath kept by1 #dec4 ,abraham1 ,messianic promise to1 #ah4 pleads for ,sodom1 #dca4 ,sabbath observed by1 #dec4 angels' mission to1 #eab4 ,abyssinia1 ,wolff's travels in1 #cfj4 ,christian churches in1 #egh4 ,accuser1 ,satan the1 #cie1 #dhd4 ,accusers of the brethren1 ,satan's helpers1 #eai1 #ebj4 ,adam1 promise of redemption to1 #cde4 ,sabbath kept by1 #dec4 temptation and fall of1 #eca-ecd1 #fff4 stature of1 #fdd4 repentance of1 #fdg1 #fdh4 redeemed1 #fdd4 meeting of first and second ,adams1 #fdg4 joy of1 in ,new ,jerusalem1 #fdh4 ,adams1 ,john ,quincy1 #cfj4 ,advent of ,christ1 types of1 #cii1 #djj4 see also ,first advent2 ,second advent4 ,advent faith1 scriptural basis of1 #dji4 ,advent message1 proclamation of1 timely1 #cea-ced4 general proclamation of1 #cee-cgd4 result of receiving1 #cgi4 rejection of1 by churches generally1 #chj4 see also ,advent ,movement2 ,prophecies2 ,signs4 ,advent ,movement1 beginning of1 #ccj4 impetus given to1 by fulfilment of ,litch's prediction1 #ccd1 #cce4 opposition to1 #ccf-cch1 #djc4 defense of1 by ,miller1 #ccg4 growth and progress of1 #ccg1 #ceg1 #cfh-cgj1 #cie-cih1 #dja4 experiences during1 #cea-ced4 extent of proclamation of1 #ceg4 character of1 #djj-djd4 results of1 #cdj1 #dje4 a test1 #djf4 no regrets for experiences in1 #djf1 #djg4 ,god's power manifested in1 #cih-djh1 #faa4 ,god the leader in1 #daj1 #daa1 #dbc1 #dbd1 #dcb1 #deg4 see also ,first angel's message2 ,second angel's message2 ,third angel's message2 ,miller2 ,prophecy2 ,prophecies2 ,signs4 ,adventists1 rise of1 #cca1 #ccb1 #cce4 opposition to1 by churches1 #ccg4 disappointment of1 in #ahdd1 #cbi1 #cea1 #cgd1 #cia-cid1 #djc-djh4 infidelity charged to1 #ccf4 mistake of1 #cec4 persecution of1 #cgb4 polity of1 in days of ,miller1 #cge4 unity among1 #cgi1 #cih4 withdraw from churches1 #cge1 #cgf1 #cij4 trial and faith of1 #cia1 #cib1 #djc-djh4 parable of ten virgins applied to1 #cic1 #cid1 #cih-djb4 searching ,scriptures after passing of time1 #cia4 fanaticism among1 #cie-cih4 midnight cry given by1 #djj-djc1 #dbc4 sanctuary question studied by1 #daa-dae1 #dbi1 #ded4 law of ,god studied by1 #dcd1 #dce4 attitude of1 toward further light1 #def-dfj4 see also ,first angel's message2 ,prophecy2 ,prophecies2 ,seventh-day ,adventists2 ,signs4 ,advocate1 see ,christ4 ,affection1 natural1 destroyed by monastic system1 #hb4 one of ,satan's agencies to hold men in his snares1 #eig4 ,africa1 ,christians in1 #fc1 #egg1 #egh4 ,wolff's travels in1 #cfj4 ,agrippa1 #afe4 ,albigenses1 as refugees in ,bohemia1 #ig1 #bga4 see also ,waldenses4 ,aleander1 papal legate1 at ,diet of ,worms1 #acc1 #adf-aej1 #afb1 #afh4 ,alleine1 work of1 in ,england1 #beb4 ,america1 an asylum for the persecuted1 #beb4 ,whitefield and the ,wesleys as missionaries to1 #bec1 #bed4 religious liberty in1 #bie1 #bif4 advent message proclaimed in1 #cfh4 prediction of supremacy of ,roman ,catholic ,church in1 #egc1 #egi4 see also ,united ,states2 ,miller4 ,american ,bible ,society1 organization of1 #bhg4 ,american ,sabbath-school ,union on the change of the ,sabbath1 #ddg4 ,american ,tract ,society1 on the change of the ,sabbath1 #ddg4 ,amnon1 ,universalist minister on fate of1 #ecg-eci4 ,ananias and ,sapphira1 #dd4 ,angel1 seeking for watchers for first advent of ,christ1 #cad1 #cae4 ,angels1 good1 announce the birth of ,christ1 #df4 records of persecution kept by2 #ei1 #fa4 give tidings of ,christ's birth1 #cac1 #cad4 watch effect of warning of second advent1 #cgc4 protect advent believers after disappointment1 #cgd4 work of1 under midnight cry1 #djb4 not spirits of departed1 #eaa4 work of1 as recorders1 #dhb1 #dhf1 #dhg4 number1 power1 and work of1 #eaa-ead1 #fcj-fcb4 guardianship of1 #eab1 #eac4 will bring truths to remembrance when needed1 #fjj4 protect people of ,god in time of trouble1 #fcj-fcb4 attend ,christ at second advent1 #fda4 as speakers in national councils1 #fcb4 ,angels1 evil1 agency of1 #cih1 #eaa-eag4 power of1 #fad4 when to be judged1 #ffa4 see also ,spirits2 ,spiritualism4 ,annihilation1 #cah4 ,antediluvians1 warnings unheeded by1 #ccg1 #cch4 ,antichrist1 recognized by ,wycliffe1 #hf2 by ,luther1 #aci1 #ada1 #bje4 spirit of1 in ,protestant churches1 #chd4 see also ,papacy4 ,antinomians1 warnings unheeded by1 #ccg1 #cch4 ,antinomianism1 errors of1 #bfj1 #bfa4 ,apostasy1 of ancient ,israel1 #bj1 #ba4 of early church1 #di-fj4 the great1 #db-de1 #bhf1 #bhi1 #bih1 #chd1 #chi1 #ddc1 #ega1 #fai4 of ,protestant churches1 #chc-cij1 #ddc-dde4 prepared way for papacy1 #ddc4 in last days1 #ddd4 see also ,babylon4 ,arabs1 belief of1 in second coming of ,christ1 #cfb4 ,wolff's travels among1 #cfa1 #cfb4 ,ark of ,god's testament1 seen in heavenly sanctuary1 #dcc4 tables of stone in1 #dcc4 ,armageddon1 battle of1 #ffc1 #ffd1 #fga1 #fgb4 ,armenia1 ,christians in1 #fc4 ,artaxerxes1 decree of1 to restore and rebuild ,jerusalem1 #cbf1 #cbg1 #daj4 ,ascension of ,christ1 #cej1 #cea4 ,asia1 ,wolff's travels in1 #cfj-cfb4 ,associations1 influence of1 #ejh1 #eji4 ,atheism1 definition of1 #bfi4 in ,france1 #bfi1 #bgj1 #bgd-bgf1 #bhe1 #ehd4 ,atkins1 ,robert1 on spiritual declension in ,england1 #chg1 #chh4 ,atonement1 in earthly sanctuary4 #dah-dbj4 important truths taught by1 #dbj4 in heavenly sanctuary1 #cii-djb1 #dbj-dbb1 #dbh-dcj4 great time of1 #dhi1 #dij1 #fbc4 ,augsburg1 trial of ,luther at1 #acd-acg4 ,diet of1 #bjf1 #bjg4 ,confession of ,protestant princes at1 #bjf-baa4 ,baal1 #ehc4 ,babylon1 symbol of apostate religion1 #fe1 #cha-chd1 #cij4 fall of1 #chc-cij4 many of ,god's people in1 #chc1 #cij4 the great sin of1 #chh4 false doctrines of1 #chh-cij1 #ecf1 #ecg4 message to ,god's people in1 #fjc1 #fjd4 sins of1 revealed by preaching of third angel's message1 #fje1 #fjf4 judgments to fall upon1 #fec4 see also ,apostasy2 ,church2 ,papacy2 ,roman ,catholic ,church4 ,backsliding1 of ,israelites1 #ai4 among professed ,christians1 a sign of ,christ's coming1 #cji1 #caf4 ,baden1 conference at1 #ahb-ahd4 results in strong impetus to ,protestant cause1 #ahd4 ,balaam1 #ebi1 #ecj4 ,baptism1 prohibited in ,france1 #bgd4 of ,christ1 #cbg4 ,barnes1 ,english ,reformer1 #bdh4 ,basel1 ,switzerland1 #agc1 #agh4 ,battle1 the last great1 #ffc1 #ffd4 ,baxter1 work of1 #beb1 #bec4 belief of1 in second advent1 #cjc4 ,beasts of prophecy1 interpretation of3 the dragon 7,satan and pagan ,rome71 #dch4 the leopard 7papacy71 #dh1 #dci1 #ddc-dde4 the two-horned beast 7,united ,states71 #dci-ddb1 #dde4 beast from bottomless pit1 #bfi1 #bhf4 see also ,prophecy2 ,prophecies4 ,beda1 #baf4 ,beecher1 ,charles1 on creeds1 #chh4 on condition of ,protestant ministry in ,america1 #ddd1 #dde4 ,belgium1 ,luther's writings circulated in1 #aci4 ,bengel1 second advent message given by1 in ,germany1 #cfc1 #cfd4 ,bern1 ,zwingle in convent at1 #agb1 #agc4 ,berquin1 ,louis de1 life1 work1 and martyrdom of1 #bae-bah4 ,bethlehem1 story of1 #cac-cae4 ,bible1 a system of revealed truth1 #cbj1 #cba4 the charter of liberty1 #bif1 #cce4 preservation of1 through ages of darkness1 #fi1 #gi4 our guide1 #fc1 #bjh1 #bje1 #eba4 immutability of1 #ff4 power of1 to protect in danger1 #cfa4 chart of truth1 #eih4 its own interpreter1 #ic1 #agc1 #cbd1 #eih1 #eii4 harmony in1 #cbi4 reliability of history in1 #ebb4 how to study1 #acb1 #agc1 #agd1 #cbj1 #cba1 #eba1 #eih1 #eii4 results from study of1 #gb1 #gi1 #id1 #aie1 #aif1 #bjd1 #bab1 #bad1 #bae1 #bbb1 #bgg1 #ecj1 #efj1 #egb1 #eic-fjb4 memorizing of1 #fg1 #aid4 study of1 by ,miller1 #cai-ccj2 by ,adventists1 #dje-djh4 can be understood by common people1 #fj1 #hi1 #aie1 #bdf1 #cai1 #cbj1 #cda4 ignorance of1 among people1 #fj1 #ii1 #aie1 #cdb2 among ,roman ,catholic clergy1 #aie4 efforts of ,satan against1 #bjd1 #ebf1 #eic-eie4 little valued1 #ehb1 #ehc4 suppression of1 by papacy1 #ea1 #fi1 #aid1 #cdj1 #chh2 by ,protestants1 #cgf4 results of suppression of1 #ee1 #fj1 #ehf4 results of rejection of1 #dfe1 #ebf1 #ebg1 #ehf1 #ehg1 #eih4 war against1 in ,france1 #bfe-bhh4 ,god's two witnesses1 interpretation of1 #bff-bfi1 #bhj1 #bhg2 honor shown to1 #bhg1 #bhh4 false theories regarding1 #ebb1 #ebc1 #ecf1 #ecg4 denied by evil spirits1 #eeg4 supplanted by spirit manifestations1 #eeg4 ridiculed1 #efa4 authority of1 contended for by ,wycliffe1 #ha2 acknowledged by ,vaudois1 #fh2 ,huss1 #ajb2 ,luther1 #abf1 #acb1 #aff2 ,zwingle1 #agc1 #agg2 colampadius1 #ahc2 ,german princes1 #bjd2 ,calvin1 #bba2 ,dutch1 #bch2 ,tyndale1 #bde2 by all leading ,reformers1 #bjc1 #bdi2 by ,miller1 #cai2 by ,protestants1 #ddh4 as a rule of faith and practice1 rejected1 #de2 accepted by ,waldenses1 #fc1 #bdi2 ,wycliffe1 #bdi2 ,huss1 #bdi2 ,luther1 #abj1 #bdi2 ,zwingle1 #agc1 #bdi2 ,german princes1 #bje2 ,pilgrim ,fathers1 #bif2 by all ,protestants1 #bjd1 #bje2 by ,miller1 #cif2 by people of ,god at the end of the world1 #eie4 translations of1 by ,waldenses 7,french71 #fe2 by ,wycliffe 7,english71 #hj1 #ha1 #hg-hi1 #bde2 by ,luther 7,german71 #aic1 #aid2 by ,lefevre 7,french71 #bad2 into ,dutch1 #bch2 ,danish1 #bdb2 ,swedish1 #bdd2 by ,tyndale 7,english71 #bde-bdg4 circulation of1 #gb1 #hi1 #ii1 #aid1 #aie1 #bca1 #bcc1 #bdg1 #bhg1 #bhh1 #bih1 #cfa4 copying by hand1 #fh1 #fi1 #hh1 #hi4 see also ,prophecy2 ,two witnesses4 ,bishops of ,rome1 power claimed by1 #ej1 #ef1 #bfa1 #ehj1 #eha4 see also ,pope2 ,papacy2 ,roman ,catholic ,church4 ,blindness of ,jews1 regarding first advent1 #cgh4 of people of this generation1 #efa1 #efb4 ,blood of ,christians is seed1 #db1 #bdj1 #bdi1 #fcd4 ,bohemia1 gospel planted in1 #ig4 an asylum for ,waldenses and ,albigenses1 #ig4 papal bull prohibiting public worship in ,bohemian tongue1 #ig1 #ada1 #aig4 the ,bible in1 #ii4 cartoon of ,christ and the pope1 by two artists1 #ii1 #ajj4 advance of gospel in1 after death of ,huss1 #aae4 crusades against1 miraculous defeat of1 #aaf1 #aag4 persecution of ,hussites in1 #aah1 #aai1 #bed4 see also 2 ,jerome4 ,bokhara1 travels of ,wolff in1 #cfj1 #cfa4 ,books1 on second advent1 in ,spanish lands1 #cfc4 in ,germany1 #cfc1 #cfd4 in ,america1 #cfh4 of record in heaven1 blotting out of sins from1 #dba1 #dbb1 #fad2 to determine decisions in final judgment1 #dhj-dhc2 wicked to be judged from1 #fff4 ,book of ,life3 contains names of all who have entered service of ,god1 #dhj1 #dhd2 names of finally impenitent blotted out of1 #dhc4 ,book of ,remembrance3 contains record of good deeds1 #dha2 good deeds of wicked erased from1 #dhc2 interest of heaven in1 #dhd4 ,book of ,death3 contains record of evil deeds1 #dha2 sins of righteous erased from1 #dhc2 judgment passed on wicked1 recorded in1 #ffa4 see also ,literature2 ,writings4 ,bottomless pit1 represents desolated earth1 #feh1 #fei4 beast from1 represents atheistical power displayed in ,france1 #bfi1 #bhf4 ,british and ,foreign ,bible ,society1 founding of1 #bhg4 ,britons1 primitive ,christianity among1 #fb4 ,rome attempts to subjugate1 #fc4 see also ,england2 ,great ,britain4 ,brock1 ,mourant1 #cfb4 ,bulls1 papal1 to exterminate ,vaudois1 #gf1 #gg4 against ,wycliffe1 #he1 #hf4 against ,luther1 #ada2 burned by ,luther1 #adb2 published1 #adg4 to establish the ,inquisition1 #bce4 ,bunyan1 ,john1 #beb4 ,cain1 hatred of1 for ,abel1 #df4 life of1 why spared1 #edc4 ,calvary1 wages of sin proclaimed by1 #cdh1 #ejd1 #edj4 ,satan's character revealed by1 #eja1 #ejb4 ,calvin1 educated for priesthood1 #bba4 conversion of1 to ,protestantism1 #bai-bba4 labors of1 in ,geneva1 #bcc-bcf4 not free from errors1 #bcf1 #bib4 belief of1 in second coming of ,christ1 #cjc4 ,cartoon1 of ,christ and the pope1 #ii1 #ajj4 ,catacombs1 a shelter for ,christians from persecution1 #dj4 ,catholicism1 see ,roman ,catholic ,church2 ,papacy2 ,pope2 ,jesuits4 ,cestius1 retreat of1 from ,jerusalem1 #cj1 #ca4 ,character1 examination of1 in final judgment1 #dbh1 #dgi4 of ,god1 misrepresented by ,satan1 #efi2 by papacy1 #efi4 ,charity1 monks claimed that ,jesus was supported by1 #hd4 false1 #ega4 ,charles ,v41 #ade1 #bcc1 #bci4 refusal of1 to receive light1 #afc-afe4 at ,diet of ,spires1 #aig1 #aih1 #bjb4 at ,diet of ,augsburg1 #bjf1 #bjg4 abdication of1 #baa4 ,charles ,,ix41 #bgb4 ,chart1 prophetic1 #cib4 ,child-preachers1 in ,sweden1 #cff1 #cfg4 ,children1 of ,geneva1 ,gaussen began his ministry with1 #cfe1 #cff4 ,christ heralded by1 at triumphal entry into ,jerusalem1 #cfg4 ,christ1 birth of1 #df1 #cac4 sorrow of1 over ,jerusalem1 #ah-bb4 care of1 for ,israel1 #ai1 #bj4 work of1 on this earth1 #bj1 #dae-dag1 #ejc4 rejected by ,israelites1 #bj1 #bc4 beholds downfall of ,israel1 #ba1 #bb4 peace on earth due to ,his restraining power1 #cf4 sacrifice of1 #cde1 #cdh4 coming of1 to most holy place in heavenly temple1 #dbd-dbg4 ministration of1 #dbg-dcb2 ,christians generally ignorant of1 #dcj1 #dca2 not understood by ,adventists in #ahdd1 #dbi1 #dca4 our advocate1 #dgd1 #dhb-dhd4 work of1 in investigative judgment1 #dhb1 #dhc4 contest of1 with ,satan1 #eja4 death of1 revealed ,satan's true character1 #eja1 #ejb4 victory of1 over temptation1 #eaj4 deity of1 #ebd4 tenderness of1 #egj4 rejection of1 by ,jewish leaders1 #eie1 #eif4 views exaltation of human authority1 #eif4 close of work of1 in heavenly sanctuary1 #dbe1 #dbg1 #dbh1 #fac1 #fad4 second coming of1 #bii-caf1 #fdj-fdd4 appearance of1 at second coming1 #fda4 how regarded by redeemed1 #feb4 satisfied with fruits of sacrifice1 #feb1 #fga4 returns to earth at close of thousand years1 #ffb4 coronation of1 #fff4 see also ,first advent2 ,messiah2 ,second advent4 ,christian church1 danger of1 in seeking support of secular rulers1 #chd1 #che4 ,christian world1 great sin of1 is rejection of law of ,god1 #bb4 ,christianity1 assailed by paganism1 #ci4 union of1 with paganism1 #dc4 see also ,religion4 ,christians1 escape of1 from ,jerusalem1 #cj1 #ca4 persecution of1 in first centuries1 #ci-dh4 gospel advanced by persecution of1 #db4 spiritual declension of1 #cji-caa1 #dfc4 to reject the message of ,christ's second coming1 #cch1 #cci4 true1 in every church1 #ddi1 #efe4 to be divided into two classes1 #dej4 satisfied with religion of their fathers1 #ded4 reject ,sabbath truth1 #ded4 self-indulgence of1 #dgd1 #dge4 blessings on true1 #dgf4 heights to be gained by1 as sons of ,god1 #dgf1 #dgg4 character and work of ,satan not comprehended by1 #ejg1 #ejh4 to watch and pray1 #eaj4 under care of guardian angels1 #eab1 #eac1 #eag4 ,christian experience needed by1 #fja1 #fjb4 see also ,people of ,god2 ,persecution2 ,redeemed2 ,religion2 ,books of record4 ,chronology1 scriptural1 #cbc-cbi1 #cih-djj1 #dji1 #daj1 #dbd1 #dch-ddj4 see also ,prophecy2 ,prophecies4 ,church1 the true1 #fd4 perils of1 in ,dark ,ages1 #ee-fj4 represented in prophecy by virtuous woman1 #cha4 seeking favor of world1 #chc4 use of secular power by1 always oppressive1 #ddb1 #ddc4 ,satan preparing last campaign against1 #eaj4 see also ,people of ,god2 ,redeemed2 ,israel2 ,christians2 ,reformation4 ,churches1 spiritual apathy in1 #cjh1 #cji1 #cgf-cgh1 #dfc1 #dfd4 apostasy of1 #chd1 #ddd4 rejection of advent message by1 #cgc1 #chj4 ,adventists forced to withdraw from1 #cge1 #cgf1 #cij4 worldliness in1 #cgf1 #chj1 #chb-chh4 fall of1 #chi2 true ,christians in1 #cij1 #dfd4 seeking aid of civil power1 #dde4 unholy traffic in1 #dgd4 cause of lack of power in1 #dfc4 see also ,babylon2 ,protestants2 ,roman ,catholic ,church4 ,church and state1 #bja4 in ,europe1 #bfh1 #bfi4 in the ,united ,states1 #bic1 #bif1 #big1 #ddb-dde4 in all the world1 #dej1 #fjf1 #fjg4 ,church of ,england1 #bhi1 #chd1 #ddc4 see also ,england4 ,church of ,rome1 see ,roman ,catholic ,church2 ,babylon4 ,civil rulers1 see ,church and state4 ,clarke1 ,dr4 ,adam1 on sleep of the dead1 #edg4 ,cleansing of sanctuary1 see ,sanctuary4 ,clergy1 see ,ministers4 ,cloud1 sign of ,christ's coming1 #fdj1 #fda4 ,college of the ,propaganda1 ,rome1 #ceh4 ,colporteurs in time of ,wycliffe1 #hg4 in time of ,reformation1 #agh1 #aid1 #bca4 see also ,bible1 circulation of2 ,literature2 ,writings4 ,columba1 #fb1 #bdi4 ,comforter1 work of1 #fjj4 ,coming of ,christ1 second1 see ,second advent4 ,commandments1 see ,law of ,god2 ,sabbath2 ,fourth commandment4 ,compromise of principle1 urged upon early ,christians1 #db1 #dc4 between ,christianity and paganism1 #di1 #ej1 #bih4 of ,bohemians with ,rome1 #aah4 urged upon ,luther1 #afe1 #aff4 at ,spires1 rejected1 #aii4 between ,protestants and ,roman ,catholics1 #aii1 #eff4 ,compulsion1 ,satan's resort1 #eia4 ,confessional1 evils of the1 #gd1 #hc1 #ih1 #efg4 ,confession of faith1 by ,wycliffe1 #ia1 #ib4 by ,luther1 #aeh1 #afj4 by ,german princes1 at ,augsburg1 #bjb-baj4 ,conflict1 the impending1 causes of1 #ehb-eib4 ,conscience1 ,rome no right to coerce1 #bjj4 freedom of1 #eia4 see also ,freedom2 ,religious ,liberty4 ,consciousness in death1 theory of1 #eh1 #ede4 see also ,spiritualism4 ,constance1 martyrdom of ,huss and ,jerome at1 #aji1 #aae4 see also ,council of ,constance4 ,constantine1 nominal conversion of1 #ej4 first ,sunday law issued by1 #egd4 ,constitution of the ,united ,states1 #bie1 #bif1 #dda1 #ddb4 ,controversy1 between truth and error1 #add4 between ,christ and ,satan1 beginning of1 #dic-ejj1 #ehb2 close of1 #eah1 #ehb-eib1 #ffb-fgh4 ,conversion1 fruits of true1 #dfc1 #dgh4 work of1 #dfe1 #dfg4 ,convictions of duty1 result of stifling1 #cgh4 ,coronation of ,christ1 #fff4 ,councils1 ecclesiastical1 #ec4 forged decrees of1 #ef1 #aih1 #bjf4 of ,constance1 #ie1 #if1 #ajd-aae4 of ,nice1 #eb4 of ,zurich1 #ahj-ahb4 ,counterfeits in religion1 #ahf1 #aic1 #dfd1 #ebh4 ,courts1 of heaven1 angels interested in decisions of1 #dhc1 #dhd4 of justice1 corruption in1 #ehf4 angels of heaven attend earthly1 #fcb4 ,covenants1 old and new1 sanctuaries of1 #dac4 ,cranmer1 #bdh4 ,creation1 ,sabbath the memorial of1 #dcg1 #dch1 #ddf1 #deb4 ,creeds1 resting faith on1 #chh4 ,criminals1 false sympathy for1 #ehe1 #ehf4 ,crosby1 ,howard1 on condition of churches in #ahga1 #chg4 ,cross1 insignia of1 displayed by ,rome1 #efh4 to be science and song of redeemed1 #fea4 ,crusades1 against ,waldensee1 #gf4 against ,hussites1 #aae-aag4 ,culture1 use made of1 by ,satan1 #eji4 ,cyrus1 decree of1 to restore and rebuild ,jerusalem1 #cbf4 ,daniel1 first advent foretold by1 #cab4 an example of true sanctification1 #dgj4 protected by angels in heathen court and in lions' den1 #eab4 overcome by vision of persecution1 #cbe4 book of1 studied by ,miller1 #cbj2 unsealed in #agih1 #cef2 relation of1 to the ,revelation1 #cda4 ,darius1 decree of1 to restore and rebuild ,jerusalem1 #cbf4 ,dark ,ages1 #ed1 #ee1 #fj1 #ic1 #eef4 see also ,middle ,ages4 ,dark ,day1 #cje-cjh4 ,daughters of ,rome1 #chb-chd4 see also ,churches2 ,protestants4 ,day of the ,lord1 #ch1 #dh1 #caj1 #caa1 #dgi4 see also ,end4 ,day for year1 in prophetic exposition1 #cbd4 ,dead1 condition of1 #edd-eeb4 ,death1 theory of consciousness in1 #eh1 #ede1 #eea1 #eeb4 declared by ,france to be an eternal sleep1 #bgd4 the penalty of transgression1 #ecc1 #edj1 #eda1 #edd4 contrast between first and second1 #edd4 a sleep1 #edf-eej1 #eef4 see also ,resurrection4 ,decalogue1 see ,law of ,god4 ,deceptions1 of ,satan1 #aib1 #aic1 #chi1 #cij1 #eaf-ecj1 #eef4 the first great1 #eca-eej4 why so successful1 #ejg1 #ejh4 ,declaration of ,independence1 #bie1 #bif1 #dda1 #ddb4 ,decree1 to restore and rebuild ,jerusalem1 #cbf-cbi1 #cih4 against ,wycliffe's followers1 #hi4 against ,reformation1 #aih1 #aii4 against the ,lutherans1 #aii1 #bjj4 against ,sabbath-keepers1 #fae1 #fbf1 #fca4 see also ,edict4 ,decretals1 forged1 in support of papal claims1 #ef4 ,deists1 ,miller's association with1 #cah1 #cai4 effect of his preaching on1 #ccb4 ,deliverance of ,god's people1 #fce-feb4 terror of wicked at beholding1 #fcf1 #fci1 #fdj1 #fdb-fdd4 ,demons1 possession by1 in time of ,christ1 #eac-eaf4 see also ,evil spirits4 ,denmark1 ,reformation in1 #bda1 #bdb4 ,denominations1 effect on1 of ,miller's message1 #ccb4 ,miller at first no thought of separating from1 #cge4 ,adventists forced to leave1 #cgf1 #cgi4 true ,christians in all1 #ddi4 ,dependence on ,god1 our need of1 #ecj4 on man1 danger in1 #chh1 #eif1 #eig4 ,destruction1 of ,jerusalem1 #ag-ch4 compared to destruction of world1 #cg1 #ch1 #fec-ffa4 in time of trouble1 #fcg4 ,diet1 of ,augsburg1 #bjf1 #bjg2 8greatest day of the ,reformation10 #bjg4 of ,spires1 first1 #aig2 second1 #aih2 decree of1 against ,reformation1 #aih1 #aii2 protest of princes against decree of1 #bja-bjd4 of ,worms1 #ade-afh2 ,luther before1 #aej-afg4 see also ,council4 ,disappointment1 of disciples1 #cdf1 #cdh4 of advent believers1 #cec1 #ced1 #cgd1 #cia1 #cic1 #djc-djh1 #dbc1 #dca1 #dcb4 of disciples and advent believers compared1 #cea1 #djd4 will of ,god fulfilled in1 #cec1 #ced1 #cia1 #dje4 ,disciples1 humble men1 #aga4 in siege of ,jerusalem1 #cbh4 failure of1 to understand ,christ's prediction of the destruction of ,jerusalem1 #d1 #be4 failure of1 to understand ,christ's mission1 #cde1 #cdi4 disappointment of1 #cdf1 #cdh1 #djd4 courage of1 after resurrection1 #cdi1 #cej4 commission to1 #cea4 ,disobedience1 result of1 #ecb1 #ecc4 penalty of1 #ecc1 #ecd4 ,doctrine1 ,bible the foundation of all true1 #abf4 of election1 #bfa4 perverted by ,satan1 #bih4 false1 in churches1 #chh1 #chi4 pleasing fables of1 #ebc4 see also ,indulgences2 ,infallibility2 ,mass2 ,purgatory4 ,door1 the open and shut1 #dbi1 #dcj1 #dce4 see also ,mercy4 ,doubt1 cause of1 #ebb4 becoming fashionable1 #ebf1 #ebg4 how to be freed from1 #ebf-ebh4 youth assailed by1 #fjj4 see also ,infidelity4 ,dragon1 of ,revelation twelve1 #dch1 #dci1 #feh4 voice of1 heard in early persecutions1 #gg4 two-horned beast speaks like1 #dda1 #ddb4 ,earth1 as home of ,adam and ,eve1 #eca-ecc4 how sin entered1 #eca4 final desolation of1 #fec-ffa4 condition of1 during thousand years1 #feh-ffj4 purification of1 by fire1 #fgb-fgd1 #fgh4 ,earthquake1 the great1 at ,lisbon1 #cjd1 #cje4 at end of world1 #fcg4 see also ,signs4 ,eck1 ,doctor1 champion of ,rome1 #ahb4 at discussion in ,baden1 #ahc1 #ahd4 on refutation of ,augsburg ,confession1 #bjh4 ,eden1 loss of1 by ,adam and ,eve1 #cdh1 #eca-ecc1 #fdf4 restoration of1 #bii1 #dhd1 #fdh4 ,edict1 of ,spires1 #aig2 repeal of1 #aih4 of ,worms1 against ,lutherans1 #afg1 #afh1 #aig1 #bja1 #bjb1 #bjh4 ,edward ,,iii41 ,wycliffe chaplain for1 #ha1 #hd1 #he4 ,egypt1 boldest of nations in resisting ,god1 #bfi4 spiritual1 #bfi4 labors of ,joseph ,wolff in1 #cfj4 plagues of1 #fad1 #fbg1 #fbh4 ,einsiedeln1 ,zwingle at1 #agd-agf4 ,election1 doctrine of1 #bfa4 ,elector of ,saxony1 see ,frederick2 ,john4 ,elijah1 visited by angels1 #eab1 #fbi4 accusations against1 #deh1 #ebj1 #eij4 idolatry in time of1 #ehc4 as a reprover1 #fjf4 ,elisha1 protected by angels1 #bjh1 #eab4 ,miller compared to1 #cca4 ,end of world1 #cg1 #ch1 #ffb-fgh4 see also ,day of the ,lord4 8,end of the ,lord10 meaning of1 #ced4 ,england1 primitive ,christianity in1 #fb4 attempt of ,rome to conquer1 #fb1 #fc4 ,sabbath observed in1 #fc4 ,wycliffe's influence on political affairs in1 #hb1 #hd1 #he4 progress of ,reformation in1 #bde-bfd4 persecution of believers in1 #id1 #ie1 #beb4 ,protestantism established in1 #bea4 departure of ,puritans from1 #bij1 #bia4 advent message proclaimed in1 #cfb4 see also ,church of ,england4 ,enmity1 between man and ,satan1 #eje-eaj4 of man against ,satan1 implanted by ,god1 #ejf4 of ,jews against ,christ1 #ejf4 ,enoch1 #bii4 ,erasmus1 ,greek and ,latin editions of ,new ,testament by1 #bde4 letter of1 to ,berquin1 #baf4 ,erfurt1 preaching of ,luther at1 #aeb4 ,errors1 accepted by rejecters of truth1 #ebc4 enumeration of some great1 #ebd-ebf1 #ehh4 see also ,truth2 ,deceptions2 ,snares4 ,esau1 ,jacob's deliverance from1 #faf-fah4 ,eternal torment1 theory of1 #eh4 contrary to ,god's character1 #ecd-ecg4 received from ,rome1 #ecf4 ,ethiopia1 ,christians in1 during ,dark ,ages1 #egg4 ,eucharist1 see ,mass4 ,eusebius1 on the ,sabbath1 #egd4 ,eve1 temptation of1 #eca-ecd4 ,satan's lie to1 #efa4 ,everett1 ,edward1 #dda4 ,evil1 origin of1 #dib-ejd4 ,god not responsible for1 #dib1 #dic4 ,satan the author of1 #dic-ejd4 final extermination of1 #ejd1 #ede1 #fgc1 #fgh4 see also ,satan2 ,sin4 ,evil spirits1 agency of1 #eaa-eag4 work of1 #eac4 efforts of1 against ,christ1 #eac1 #ead4 danger of those who deny existence of1 #eaf4 cast out by ,christ1 #ead-eaf4 see also ,angels1 evil2 ,satan2 ,spiritualism4 ,excommunication1 of ,huss1 #ajj4 of ,luther1 #acc1 #ada1 #adc1 #adg4 ,faith1 awakening of1 by ,luther's preaching1 #acc4 lack of1 in our day1 #cgc4 essential to keeping of the law1 #dcf4 nature of1 #dfi-dgb4 faith only1 without works1 a popular doctrine1 #dgb4 ample evidence for1 #ebg4 need of cherishing1 #fba4 see also ,justification2 ,works4 ,false decretals1 #ef4 ,false doctrines1 of ,rome1 in ,protestant churches1 #chh1 #chi4 ,false prophets1 #ahf1 #ahg4 ,familiar spirits1 #eef4 see also ,spiritualism4 ,fanaticism1 in time of ,luther1 #ahf-aic1 #cif1 #cig4 in ,paul's day1 #cif4 in ,wesley's time1 #cif4 in ,netherlands1 #bci4 after disappointment of #ahdd1 #cie-cih4 disappeared before proclamation of midnight cry1 #djj4 met by all reformers1 #cif4 ,farel1 #bac1 #bad4 ,new ,testament translated by1 #bad4 work of1 in ,france1 #bai4 in ,switzerland1 #bcj-bcb4 in ,geneva1 #bcb1 #bcc1 #bfe4 ,fashion1 worship of1 #dgd4 ,fathers1 clinging to customs and traditions of1 #afd1 #ded4 ,fathers of the church1 traditions of1 used for support of ,sunday as ,sabbath1 #ddh1 #dee4 ,ferdinand1 ,king1 #bja1 #bjb1 #bje4 ,finney1 ,prof4 ,c4 ,g41 on spiritual apathy in the churches1 #cgg4 ,first advent of ,christ1 failure of ,jews to understand prophecies of1 #cab-cad1 #cgh4 a curse pronounced by ,jews on all who should compute time of1 #cgh4 see also ,jews2 ,pharisees4 ,first angel's message1 #caa4 giving of1 #cea1 #cee-cgd1 #cgi1 #chj1 #cih4 purpose of1 #cgi4 represented by coming of bridegroom1 #cic1 #cid1 #cih1 #djj-djc4 points to ,christ's ministration in most holy place1 and to investigative judgment1 #dbd1 #dcd-dcf4 see also ,advent ,movement2 ,adventists4 ,fitch1 ,charles1 prophetic chart of1 #cib4 ,flavel1 work of1 in ,england1 #beb1 #bec4 ,forbearance of ,god1 limits to1 #cf4 see also ,god4 ,force1 not employed by ,god1 #dic1 #eda-edc1 #eia4 ,foreign missions1 rise and growth of1 #bhg1 #bhh4 ,forged documents1 used by papacy1 #ef4 ,formalism in ,christian churches1 #cgh4 ,fourth commandment1 importance of1 #dcd1 #dce4 change of1 by papacy1 #eb1 #ddf-ddi4 contains the seal of ,god1 #fdj4 see also ,sabbath2 ,law of ,god2 ,seal4 ,france1 ,luther's writings circulated in1 #aci4 ,reformation in1 #baa-bcf4 rejection of gospel by1 #bcj4 compared to ,sodom1 #bgj4 atheism and licentiousness in1 #bgj-bgd1 #ehd4 ,st4 ,bartholomew massacre in1 #bgb1 #bgc4 persecution of believers in1 #ig1 #bga4 conditions in1 during the ,revolution1 #bgi-bhg4 proclamation of advent message in1 #cfd4 ,francis ,i41 attitude of1 toward gospel1 #bad1 #bbb1 #bbc4 admiration of1 for ,berquin1 #baf1 #bag4 decides against the ,reformation1 #bbg-bcj4 ,frederick1 elector of ,saxony1 friendship of1 for ,luther1 #ach1 #ade1 #afe4 at ,diet of ,worms1 #afb4 plans ,luther's escape to ,wartburg castle1 #afh4 ,luther's letter to1 on leaving ,wartburg1 #ahh1 #ahi4 death of1 #aih1 #aii4 ,freedom1 of conscience1 crushing of1 #fb4 of will1 granted by ,god1 #dic1 #eda1 #edb1 #eia4 see also ,conscience4 ,french ,revolution1 #bcj1 #bfe-bhh4 scenes of1 #bgc-bgg1 #bhb-bhg4 ,friars1 mendicant1 influence of1 #hb-he4 opposed by ,wycliffe1 #hb-hd1 #hg1 #hh4 sale of indulgences by1 #abg-abi4 in time of ,luther1 #aie4 ,frith1 #bdh4 ,froment1 work of1 in ,geneva1 #bcb1 #bcc4 ,gamblers1 influence of ,miller's message on1 #ccb4 ,gambling1 ,governor ,washburn on1 #chg4 ,gaussen1 work of1 in ,geneva1 #cfd-cff4 teaching children1 #cfe4 ,geneva1 establishment of ,reformation in1 #bcb-bcd4 an asylum for ,protestants1 #bcf4 ,gentiles1 ,paul an apostle to1 #cbh4 ,george1 duke of ,saxony1 denunciation of papacy by1 #adi1 #aej4 ,germany1 early missionaries to1 #fb4 progress of ,reformation in1 #abj-agj1 #ahe-baj4 proclamation of advent message in1 #cfc4 ,gethsemane1 #cdh4 ,gifts1 mental1 use of1 #eji4 ,god1 long-suffering toward ,israel1 #bg1 #bh4 forbearance of1 #ced1 #die4 as ,creator1 #dcg1 #dch1 #deb4 wisdom of1 in dealing with rebellion of ,satan1 #dig1 #dih4 character of1 #ejj1 #eda1 #edb4 care of1 for ,his people1 #ebh-ecj1 #efj1 #fba1 #fbf1 #fbg1 #fcc1 #fcd4 love of1 contrasted with cruelty of ,satan1 #egj4 ,goddess of ,reason1 #bge1 #bgf4 ,godliness1 revival of1 before end1 #dfd4 ,gospel1 opposed to worldly maxims1 #dg4 advanced by death of ,huss1 #aai4 establishment of1 in ,zurich1 #agi-aha4 acceptance of1 in ,france1 #bad1 #bae4 preaching of1 committed to men1 #cab4 first dissemination of1 by disciples1 #cbh4 man freed from condemnation by1 #dfh4 ,government1 of ,god1 founded on love1 #dic4 ,satan's efforts against1 #ecd1 #eia4 laws necessary to1 #ehd4 see also ,united ,states4 ,great ,britain1 progress of ,reformation in1 #gi-if4 see also ,england2 ,church of ,england4 ,gregory ,,vii41 pope1 perfection of ,roman ,church proclaimed by1 #eg1 #ig1 #eha4 ,gregory ,,xi41 death of1 #hf4 ,gregory ,,xiii41 attitude of1 toward ,st4 ,bartholomew massacre1 #bgc4 ,grynus1 rescue of1 by ,melanchthon1 #bje4 ,guardian angel1 detailed to every follower of ,christ1 #egb4 ,guillotine in ,france1 #bhb4 ,guthrie1 ,dr4 ,thomas1 on separation of ,presbyterian ,church from ,rome1 #chd4 ,haller1 #ahb-ahd4 ,hamilton1 #bej4 ,heaven1 purity and holiness of1 #edb4 rebels could not be happy in1 #edb1 #edc4 sanctuary in1 see ,sanctuary4 ,hell1 false theories regarding1 #ece-ecg4 ,henry ,,iv41 humiliation of1 #eg1 #eh4 ,heresy1 #dd1 #de1 #eh4 the council of ,constance designed to root out1 #ajd4 in ,roman ,catholic ,church1 #eh1 #ei4 in ,america1 #bic1 #ddc4 sound doctrine denounced as1 #chi4 in ,paul's day1 #cif4 accusations of1 against ,protestants1 #ea2 ,waldenses1 #fa1 #gf-gh2 ,wycliffe1 #hi1 #ij2 ,huss1 #ajj1 #ajg2 ,jerome1 #aad2 ,luther1 #acb1 #acc1 #aif2 ,berquin1 #baf4 see also ,error4 ,heretics1 attitude of ,roman ,catholic ,church toward1 #gf-gh1 #ajd-aae1 #aec1 #aed1 #bae-bai1 #egg1 #egh4 see also ,persecution2 ,religious liberty4 ,herod1 #fdc4 ,hezekiah1 #edf4 ,holiness1 cannot be acquired without obedience1 #dgb1 #dgc4 perfecting1 #dhh4 see also ,justification2 ,sanctification4 ,holland1 ,luther's writings circulated in1 #aci4 ,puritans in1 #bij1 #bia4 ,holy of holies1 #dbc-dcb4 coming of ,christ to1 #dbd-dbg1 #dhj4 work of ,christ in1 #dbg-dcj1 #dcc4 see also ,sanctuary4 ,holy ,spirit1 work of1 #cdc1 #dfb4 aid of1 promised to sincere seekers1 #ebf4 see also ,pentecost2 ,spirit of ,god4 ,hopkins1 ,dr4 ,samuel1 on corruption in ,protestant churches1 #chd4 ,huguenots1 persecution of1 #bbg1 #bga-bgc4 effect of flight of1 on ,france1 #bgi4 ,humility1 #dgg4 ,huss1 ,john1 #ig-aai4 early years and education of1 #ih4 conversion of1 #ajj4 writings of ,wycliffe read by1 #if1 #ii4 condemnation of1 by the pope1 #ajj4 joined by ,jerome in work of reform1 #ajb1 #ajc4 character of1 #ajc4 used as ,god's instrument1 #ajc4 summoned to council of ,constance1 #ajd4 letter of1 to friends in ,prague1 #aje4 letter of1 to converted priest1 #aje1 #ajf4 imprisonment of1 #ajf4 courage of1 #ajg1 #aaj4 refusal of1 to recant1 #ajh4 martyrdom of1 #aji1 #aaj4 ,hypocrites in the church1 #cif4 ,idolatry1 in the church1 #db1 #dc4 prevalence of1 #dc1 #ead1 #ehc4 in ,france1 #bgf4 in ,roman ,catholic ,church1 #efh4 see also ,image worship4 ,ignorance1 of ,bible1 #ii1 #aie1 #cdb4 no excuse for sin1 #eig1 #eih4 ,image to the beast1 #dch1 #ddb-dde1 #ddi4 see also ,mark of the beast2 ,united ,states2 ,protestants4 ,image worship1 #eb1 #fe1 #ddf4 ,immortality of the soul1 natural1 taught by the ,roman ,church1 #eh1 #edi2 ,satan's first deception1 #eca-eej2 origin and falsity of1 #ede1 #edi1 #ehh2 not taught in ,scriptures1 #eej4 true1 when to be conferred1 #bbc1 #cbb1 #cbc2 to be received through obedience1 #ecc4 ,india1 ,wolff's travels in1 #cfj4 ,indulgences1 a profitable fabrication1 #ei1 #efg4 sale of1 in ,germany1 by ,tetzel1 #abg-abi2 in ,switzerland1 by ,samson1 #agh1 #agi4 ,luther's famous theses against1 #abh1 #abi4 ,infallibility1 of ,scriptures1 #hi1 #agc1 #agd4 of pope1 doctrine of1 #ej1 #eg1 #bcg1 #efd4 see also ,gregory ,,vii4 ,infidelity1 attacked by ,luther1 #abf4 prevalence of1 #bha1 #bhh1 #dfa1 #ebf1 #ehc1 #ehf4 in ,france1 #bgj1 #bgd-bgg1 #bha1 #bhe1 #bhh1 #ehf1 #ehg4 ,wm4 ,miller converted from1 #cah1 #cai4 cause of1 #ebb4 danger from1 #dfc1 #fjj4 see also ,atheism2 ,deism4 ,innocent ,,iii41 #eha4 ,inquisition1 establishment of1 #ei4 in ,france1 #bce4 instruments of1 a means of 8conversion10 #efi4 ,intemperance1 result of1 #ehf1 #ehi4 ,intercession of ,christ1 #dhb-dhd1 #dhi4 ,interdict1 papal1 against ,prague1 #ajj1 #aja4 ,intolerance1 of ,pilgrims1 #bic4 ,iona1 center of missionary effort1 #fb4 ,sabbath observed on1 #fb4 ,ireland1 ,christianity in1 #fb4 ,isaiah1 an example of true sanctification1 #dga4 ,israelites1 long-suffering of ,god toward1 #ai1 #bh4 compared to a goodly vine1 #bj4 apostasy of1 #ba4 great sin of1 rejection of ,christ1 #bb4 in bondage1 lost knowledge of ,god's law1 #dec4 advent believers in #ahdd compared to1 #deg-dfj4 cause of forty years' wandering of1 #deh4 enticed into sin by association with heathen1 #ejh1 #ebi1 #ecj4 see also ,jews4 ,italy1 missionaries sent to1 #fb4 persecution in1 #ig4 ,luther's writings in1 #aci4 ,jacob1 ,sabbath kept by1 #dec4 experience of1 at brook ,jabbok 7,jacob's trouble71 #faf-fbb4 ,jeremiah1 distress of1 over ,jerusalem1 #ba4 denounced as a traitor1 #deh4 fearlessly opposed wrong1 #ebj4 ,jerome1 #ii-aai4 character of1 #ajc4 imprisonment of1 in ,constance1 #aaj1 #aaa4 sufferings of1 #aaa4 recantation and repentance of1 #aaa-aad4 defense of ,huss by1 #aac4 martyrdom of1 #aae4 ,jerusalem1 destruction of1 #ag-ch4 sorrow of ,christ over1 #ah-bb4 privileges bestowed upon1 #ai4 symbol of rebellious world1 #bb4 strategic location of1 #bf4 prophecies against1 #bg4 self-righteousness of1 #bg4 condition of society in1 after rejection of ,christ1 #bh4 besieged by ,cestius1 #cj1 #ca2 by ,titus1 #ca4 sufferings of people in1 during siege1 #ca-cc4 not one ,christian perished in1 #cj4 destruction of1 foreshadows destruction of world1 #cf-ch4 see also ,new ,jerusalem4 ,jesus1 see ,christ2 ,messiah4 ,jesuits1 organization1 aims1 and work of1 #bcd1 #bce4 in ,france1 #bgi4 ,jewish church1 alliance of1 with heathen1 #chb4 leaders1 failure of1 to understand prophecies of first advent1 #cab1 #cac1 #cgh4 ,jews1 woe upon1 #cj4 sufferings of1 during siege of ,jerusalem1 #ca-cc1 #ce4 ,sabbath laws of1 #eb4 sinful ignorance of1 regarding first advent1 #cac4 fate of1 sealed by rejection of gospel1 #cbh4 seventy weeks allotted to1 in prophecy1 #cbh1 #cde4 proclamation of second advent to1 by ,joseph ,wolff1 #cei-cfb4 spiritual darkness of1 #cgg1 #cgh4 worldliness of1 in time of ,christ1 #cgh4 formalism of1 #cgh4 rejection of prophetic truths by1 #cgh4 refusal of1 to receive light1 #dcj4 rejection of1 by ,god1 #dca4 satisfied with religion of their fathers1 #ded4 spirit of1 revealed in rejection of ,christ1 #ejf4 ceremonies of1 #efh4 ,god's presence withdrawn from1 #fae4 guilt of1 #fbh4 see also ,israelites2 ,jerusalem4 ,job1 affliction of1 #ehi4 an example of true sanctification1 #dga4 ,john the ,baptist1 ,wycliffe compared to1 #ic4 ,john1 duke and elector of ,saxony1 #aii4 signs ,confession at ,augsburg1 #bjg4 ,luther's letter to1 #bji1 #baj4 ,john ,,xxiii41 pope1 summoned to council of ,constance1 #ajd4 character of1 #ajd1 #ajf4 ,huss imprisoned by order of1 #ajf4 committed to same prison1 #ajf4 ,jonah1 #djf4 ,joseph1 #fbf4 ,judas1 failure of1 to learn lessons of ,christ1 #dc1 #dd4 ,judgment1 warning of1 #cec4 message1 extent of1 #cfa4 preparation for1 #dcf4 law of ,god the standard in1 #dhb4 time of1 #edh4 the investigative3 #ceb1 #cec1 #dbb-dbi1 #dcf1 #dgi-dia2 opening of1 announced by message of first angel1 #cee1 #cef1 #dhf2 ,daniel's vision of1 #dgi2 only cases of professing ,christians considered in1 #dhj2 righteous dead not raised till after1 #dhb2 work of ,christ in1 #dhc-dhe2 work of ,satan in1 #dhd2 work of1 finished before second advent1 #dhe2 close scrutiny of1 #dbh1 #dhf-dhh2 should be clearly understood by people of ,god1 #dhh1 #dhi2 progress of1 #dhi-dia4 ,see also ,first angel's message4 the executive3 #dbe1 #dbf1 #ejc2 scenes of1 #ffe-fgc4 of wicked1 going on in heaven during thousand years1 #dhj1 #ffj1 #ffa4 ,judgments of ,god1 #edc1 #fbg1 #fbh4 ,justice1 courts of1 corruption in1 #ehf4 ,justice of ,god1 shown in punishment of wicked1 #eda-edd4 acknowledged by the lost1 #ffh2 by ,satan1 #ffi1 #fgj4 ,justification by faith1 revealed to ,luther1 #abe4 held by ,huss1 #adj4 learned by ,wesley1 #bec-bef4 see also ,faith4 ,justification by works1 #ee1 #ef1 #gc1 #hc1 #abc1 #bec1 #bee1 #bef4 ,kingdom1 when the saints will inherit1 #cbb4 reception of1 by ,christ1 #dbg1 #dgi1 #dhj4 of ,god1 when set up1 #cbc4 of glory1 #cdg4 of grace1 #cdg1 #cdh4 ,knox1 ,john1 work of1 in ,scotland1 #bej1 #bea4 conflict of1 with ,queen ,mary1 #bej1 #bea4 belief of1 in second coming of ,christ1 #cjc4 ,laborers1 to be qualified by ,holy ,spirit1 in latter rain1 #fjf4 ,lacunza1 work of1 in ,south ,america1 #cfc4 ,latimer1 supremacy of ,bible upheld by1 #bdh1 #bdi4 martyrdom of1 #bdi4 ,latter rain1 power attending1 #faa-fac4 ,law1 ceremonial1 abrogation of1 by death of ,christ1 #cbh4 ,law1 moral1 the foundation of ,god's government1 #ff4 immutability of1 #ff1 #dcc-dej1 #ded1 #dff1 #dfg1 #ejc4 not abrogated by ,christ1 #bfj1 #dff-dfh4 sacredness of1 #dcc1 #dcd4 perpetuity of1 #dcd1 #dec4 unerring rule of life1 #deb4 knowledge of1 preserved in earth1 #dec4 nature of1 #dfg4 defended by ,wesley1 #bfb-bfd4 in ark in heavenly sanctuary1 #dcc1 #dcd4 reveals sin1 #dfg1 #dfh4 blessings in obedience to1 #dgh4 standard of character in judgment1 #dhb4 how regarded by religious leaders1 #dfe1 #dff2 by prophets and apostles1 #dff4 to be rejected by ,christian world1 #bb4 changes made in1 by ,roman ,catholic ,church1 #eb1 #fe1 #ddf4 result of believing it abolished1 #bfj-bfb4 trampled underfoot by ,rome1 #fe1 #dec2 by ,france1 #bgd1 #bhe1 #bhf4 result of disobeying1 #dgh4 result of setting aside1 #ehd-ehh4 ,satan's object1 to lead into transgression of1 #ehb4 wide-spread belief in abrogation of1 #ehd1 #ehe4 light on1 to be given to all1 #fje4 wicked see in hand of ,christ at second advent1 #fci1 #ffh4 see also ,fourth commandment2 ,sabbath2 ,sanctuary2 ,temple in heaven4 ,laws1 oppressive1 to be enacted in the ,united ,states1 #ddb4 ,laymen1 advent message largely proclaimed by1 #chj4 ,lefevre1 first in ,france to receive ,reformation1 #bab4 teachings of1 #bac4 translation of ,new ,testament by1 #bad4 ,leopard beast of ,revelation thirteen1 interpretation of1 #dci1 #egh4 characteristics of1 #ddf4 see also ,beast4 ,lessons in ,god's dealings with men1 #cdc1 #cdd4 ,liberality in religious belief1 sometimes danger in1 #ebj-ebb4 ,liberty1 civil and religious1 ,wycliffe's struggle for1 #hj4 end of religious1 in ,bohemia1 #aah4 secured by edict of ,spires1 #aig1 #aih4 in ,germany1 #bjj1 #bja4 goes with ,bible1 #bfe1 #bgf1 #bgg1 #bha1 #bhe4 not license1 #bha1 #bhd4 rejection of principles of1 by ,france1 #bfe1 #bgf1 #bgg1 #bha1 #bhe4 false ideas of1 #ebb1 #ece4 in ,god's law1 #bhe1 #dff-dfh4 carnal1 #eei4 of conscience once valued by ,protestants1 #efc4 see also ,persecution2 ,puritans2 ,religious liberty2 ,united ,states4 ,light of truth1 result of rejecting1 #afd1 #afe1 #cgh1 #dca1 #def1 #deh-dfj1 #ehc1 #eig4 importance of receiving1 #cdd1 #djh4 to be faithfully disseminated1 #dei1 #dfj4 ,liquor-dealers1 influence of ,miller's preaching on1 #ccb4 ,lisbon earthquake1 #cjd1 #cje4 ,litch1 ,josiah1 prediction of1 regarding fall of ,ottoman empire1 #ccd1 #cce4 ,literature1 circulation of1 by ,waldenses1 #gj1 #ga4 in time of ,wycliffe1 #hd1 #he1 #hg-hi1 #id4 in ,bohemia1 #if1 #ig1 #ii1 #ajj1 #aai4 in time of ,luther1 #aci1 #adj1 #afj1 #afi1 #aid4 in ,switzerland1 #agh4 in ,france1 #bad1 #bae1 #bca4 in ,geneva1 #bcf4 in ,scotland1 #bdi4 see also ,books2 ,writings4 ,little horn of ,daniel seven1 #ddf4 see also ,leopard beast4 ,lollards1 persecution of1 #id1 #ie4 ,lollard towers1 #ie4 ,lord's day1 see ,sabbath2 ,fourth commandment2 ,sunday2 ,roman ,catholic ,church4 ,lord's supper1 supplanted by the mass1 #ei4 ,lot1 escape of1 #dca1 #eab4 ,lotteries1 #chg4 ,louis ,,xv41 selfishness of1 #bhj4 ,louis ,,xvi41 execution of1 #bcj4 ,lucian1 #agh4 ,lucifer1 the originator of evil1 #dic-dii4 desire of1 to penetrate secret purposes of ,god1 #ebc4 see also ,satan4 ,luther1 ,martin1 #abj-agj1 #ahe-baj4 early years1 parentage1 and training of1 #abj-abb4 study of ,scriptures by1 #abb1 #abc4 work of1 in ,university of ,wittenberg1 #abd-abf1 #abh1 #aci4 visit of1 to ,rome1 #abd1 #abe4 accepts doctrine of righteousness by faith1 #abe4 theses of1 against indulgences1 #abi1 #acj4 efforts of ,rome against1 #aca1 #acg1 #adj-add4 trial of1 at ,augsburg1 #ace-acg4 refusal of1 to recant1 #acf4 escape of1 from ,augsburg1 #acg4 wide influence of writings of1 #aci1 #adj1 #aid4 crisis in work of1 #ada-adc4 courage of1 #ada1 #adb1 #aea-aec4 final separation of1 from ,rome1 #adc4 journey of1 to ,worms1 #aea-aec4 before the ,diet1 #aee-afa4 prayer of1 #aeg4 refusal of1 to compromise with ,rome1 #afe1 #aff4 edict of ,rome against1 #afg4 seclusion of1 in ,wartburg castle1 #afh1 #afi4 saved from self-exaltation1 #afi1 #agj4 efforts of1 against fanaticism at ,wittenberg1 #ahh-aic4 translation of ,new ,testament by1 #aic4 resort to secular power for protection1 opposed by1 #bji4 belief of1 in second coming of ,christ1 #cjc4 on time of the judgment1 #cef4 on state of the dead1 #edi4 ,lutterworth1 see ,wycliffe4 ,magi1 rank1 learning1 and wealth of1 #cae4 ,hebrew ,scriptures understood by1 #cae4 watching for the ,messiah1 #cae4 light heeded by1 #caf4 ,man1 nature of1 at creation1 #dfg4 ,satan plots ruin of1 #eca4 looking to1 in place of ,god1 #eie4 8,man of sin10 developed by compromise between paganism and ,christianity1 #ej1 #bff4 ,see ,papacy4 ,margaret1 sister of ,francis ,i41 a ,protestant1 #bad4 protector of ,protestants1 #bba-bbd4 ,mark of the beast1 sign of allegiance to ,rome1 #dde-dej1 #egi1 #fbg4 how received1 #fjd1 #fje4 see also ,image2 ,protestants2 ,united ,states4 ,marks of the crucifixion1 ,christ always to bear1 #fgd4 ,marriage as a symbol1 #cha1 #chb4 supper of the ,lamb1 #dbg1 #dbh4 ,martyrs1 early ,christian1 #dj1 #dg4 in the sixth century1 #ed1 #ee4 by the ,inquisition1 in the thirteenth century1 #ei4 no fear of death in1 #gd4 in ,england1 #id1 #ie1 #bdg1 #bdi1 #beb4 in ,bohemia1 #ih1 #aji1 #aaj1 #aad1 #aae1 #bed4 in ,switzerland1 #ahj4 in ,germany1 #baa4 in ,france1 #bag1 #bah1 #bbj1 #bbe-bcj1 #bga1 #bhb4 in ,meaux1 #bae4 in the ,netherlands1 #bch1 #bdj4 in ,scotland1 #bdi1 #bej4 ,mary1 ,queen of ,scots1 and ,john ,knox1 #bej1 #bea4 ,mass 7or ,eucharist71 #ei1 #ahi1 #aij4 ,meaux1 ,reformation in1 #bad1 #bae1 #bai4 ,mediator1 ,christ as1 #gd1 #ge1 #abf1 #acc1 #dhh4 when man will be without a1 #dbe4 ,melanchthon1 the friend of ,luther1 #acd1 #aea1 #baj4 perplexed by fanaticism1 #ahg4 rescues ,grynus1 #bje4 ,augsburg ,confession drawn up by1 #aif-bjf4 on second advent1 #cjc4 ,mendicants1 see ,friars4 ,menno ,simons1 work of1 #bch1 #bci4 ,mercy of ,god1 to first disciples1 #cdh4 door of1 open1 #dbi1 #dcj1 #dce4 shown in destruction by flood1 #edc4 ,message of ,revelation eighteen1 when given1 #cij1 #fjc4 condition of world under1 #fjc1 #fjd4 see also ,first angel's message2 ,second angel's message2 ,third angel's message2 ,advent ,movement4 ,messiah1 prophecies of1 #cbf1 #cbg1 #cde1 #cdf1 #daj4 first advent of1 explained to ,joseph ,wolff1 #ceg-cei4 ,jews ignorant of coming of1 #cgh4 see also ,christ2 ,first advent4 ,meteoric shower1 see ,stars4 ,methodists1 origin of1 #beg4 character of1 in days of ,wesley1 #bei4 persecution of1 #bei4 see also ,wesley4 ,middle ,ages1 #ff1 #egb4 see also ,dark ,ages4 ,midnight1 ,god's people delivered at1 #fcf4 of the world 7figurative71 #fj4 ,midnight cry1 #cih-djh1 #dbf1 #dbg4 impelling power of1 #djb4 ,millennium1 temporal1 not taught in ,bible1 #cba4 effect of belief in1 #cba4 condition of earth during1 #fec-ffj4 see also ,thousand years4 ,miller1 ,william1 #cag-cdb4 early years and character of1 #cag1 #cah1 #cce4 conversion of1 from infidelity1 #cai4 study of ,bible by1 #cai-ccj4 called to preach1 #ccj1 #cca4 work of1 #cca1 #ccb1 #cfh-cge4 associates of1 in labors1 #cce4 opposition to1 by religious teachers1 #cce-ccg4 protected by angels1 #ccg4 wrong conclusion of1 regarding end of #bcjj days1 #cea-cec4 proclamation of second advent message committed to1 #cfh4 attitude of1 toward fanaticism1 #cif1 #cig4 see also ,advent ,movement2 ,first angel's message4 ,mind1 when under control of ,satan1 #ei4 a law of the1 #eee4 ,ministers1 training of1 by ,vaudois1 #gj1 #ga4 influence of popular1 in undermining faith in ,bible1 #ccf4 errors taught by1 #ecf4 not infallible1 #eif1 #eig4 leaning on1 for religious belief1 #eif4 harvest from false teachings of1 #fed1 #fee4 see also ,preaching4 ,ministration1 of earthly priests1 #dac1 #dah-dbb4 of ,christ1 #dac1 #dae-dag1 #dbj-dbb1 #dhj1 #dhb-dhe1 #dhh-dia4 of angels1 #dhj1 #dhb1 #dhf1 #dhg1 #eaa4 ,miracles1 of ,christ2 casting out of devils1 at ,gadara1 #ead1 #eae2 man possessed1 blind and dumb1 #eae2 youth who had dumb spirit1 #eae2 demoniac at ,capernaum1 #eaf4 of healing1 to be performed in time of trouble1 #fab1 #fbd4 so-called1 in support of ,sunday observance1 #ege-egg2 through agency of ,spiritualism1 #ehh2 counterfeit1 #eic2 of ,satan1 #fab1 #fbd4 ,missionary spirit1 the spirit of ,christ1 #gj4 ,missionaries1 ,waldensian1 #gj-gf4 in ,england1 #hg1 #id4 ,whitefield and the ,wesleys in ,america1 #bed4 see also ,colporteurs2 ,writings2 ,wolff4 ,missions1 foreign1 growth of1 #bhg4 ,monasteries1 #hb-hd4 ,money1 ,wesley on right use of1 #che4 how squandered by professed ,christians1 #dge4 used in self-indulgence1 #dhh4 ,monks1 #hb-he4 see also ,friars2 ,monasteries4 ,moon1 darkening of1 #cje-cjh4 see also ,signs4 ,moravians1 churches of1 #aai4 in storm at sea1 #bed1 #bee4 ,wesley's stay among1 #bee1 #bef4 ,morin1 #bbe1 #bbf ,moses1 writer of ,pentateuch1 #dcd4 ,munsterites1 #bci4 ,mnzer1 #aia-aic4 ,myconius1 #ahc4 ,mysteries1 revealed1 #cda1 #eii4 unrevealed1 #ebb4 ,mystery in ,god's providences1 #dg1 #dh4 ,mystery of iniquity1 work of1 in early church1 #di1 #chd1 #che4 ,national prosperity1 foundation of1 #bgg-bgi1 #bhe1 #bhf4 ,national reform movement1 #ehg4 ,nature1 worship of1 #ebb1 #ehc4 ,nehemiah1 #ef4 ,nero1 character of1 #gh4 among ,satan's host1 at end of world1 #ffg4 mother of1 #ffg4 ,netherlands1 progress of ,reformation in1 #bcg-bdj4 ,new birth1 results of1 #dfh4 ,new earth1 description of1 #fge-fgh4 ,new ,england1 as an asylum for the oppressed1 #bie1 #bif4 advent message in1 #ccb4 ,new ,jerusalem1 as the bride1 #dbf1 #dbg4 righteous welcomed to1 #fdf1 #fdg1 #ffe4 descends from heaven1 #ffc4 effort of ,satan to conquer1 #ffc1 #ffd4 metropolis of new earth1 #fgf4 ,new ,testament1 see ,bible1 translations of4 ,nineveh1 ,jonah's message to1 #djf4 ,noah1 message of1 #ccg-cci1 #cga1 #dca1 #dia4 ,sabbath kept by1 #dec4 ,nobles1 of ,france1 #bgi1 #bhj4 ,obedience1 blessings of1 #dgf4 colampadius1 character and work of1 #ahb-ahd4 death of1 #bab4 ,offerings1 see ,sanctuary4 ,olivetan1 cousin of ,calvin1 #bbj4 ,one hundred and forty-four thousand1 song of1 #fdh4 ,open door1 see ,door of mercy4 ,oppression1 see ,dark ,ages2 ,papacy2 ,persecution4 ,ottoman empire1 fall of1 predicted by ,litch1 #ccd1 #cce4 ,paganism1 union of1 with ,christianity1 #dc1 #ej1 #eb4 persecutions under1 #ci-dh4 errors of1 in ,christian church1 #eh4 ,pagan ,rome1 in prophecy1 #dch4 authority of1 transferred to papacy1 #ed1 #dci4 see also ,dragon4 ,palestine1 travels of ,wolff in1 #cfj4 ,papacy1 establishment of1 #ej1 #ed4 supremacy of1 #ej1 #ea1 #fj1 #hb1 #abf1 #bea1 #dec1 #egc1 #eha4 condition of world under1 #fj4 arrogance of1 #ej1 #fj4 attitude of1 toward ,waldenses1 #gf-gh4 efforts of1 to silence ,wycliffe1 #he1 #hf4 the great schism in1 #hf1 #hg1 #ajc4 how represented in prophecy1 #dch1 #dci1 #dde1 #ddf1 #egh4 special characteristic of1 #ddf4 how ,protestants pay homage to1 #ddb1 #ddg1 #ddh4 attempt of1 to change law of ,god1 #eb1 #ddf4 character and aims of1 #efb-eha4 infallibility claimed by1 #ej1 #eg1 #efd4 in the ,united ,states1 #efd1 #egc4 future success of1 #eff1 #egb4 an attractive religion1 #eff4 right to pardon sin1 claimed by1 #hc1 #efg4 compared to ,jewish church1 #efh4 cruelty of1 #efi-ega4 false science to prepare way for1 #egc4 to regain power1 #egh-eha4 see also ,pope2 ,popes2 ,roman ,catholic ,church2 ,traditions4 ,parable1 of ten virgins1 #cic-cie1 #cih1 #djj1 #djb1 #dbf-dbh4 of marriage supper1 #dbh4 ,pardon for sin1 claimed by ,rome1 #hc1 #efg4 obtained only through ,christ1 #abf4 ,paris1 the ,reformation in1 #bab-bcj4 conditions in1 at ,revolution1 #bgi1 #bhc4 ,park1 ,edwards ,a41 on law of ,god1 #dfe1 #dff4 ,passover lamb1 ,christ represented by1 #cii4 ,pastors1 trusting to1 for religious belief1 #chj1 #fee4 see also ,ministers4 ,paul1 conversion of1 #cbh4 commission of1 to ,gentiles1 #cbh4 heresy in days of1 #cif4 warning of1 to ,thessalonians1 #def4 accusation against1 #deh4 an example of true sanctification1 #dga4 protected by angels1 #eab4 courageous opposer of wrong1 #ebj4 in the ,new ,jerusalem1 #ffg4 ,penalty1 civil1 to be inflicted for keeping law of ,god1 #dei4 ,penance1 #ef4 ,pentecost1 #cea2 experience of last days similar to1 #faa4 see also ,holy ,spirit4 ,people of ,god1 suppression of history of1 during ,dark ,ages1 #fa4 contrasted with worshipers of beast and image1 #dde1 #ddf4 distinguished by regard for fourth commandment1 #ddf4 during great day of atonement1 #dij1 #dia1 #fja1 #fjb4 protected by angels1 #eac1 #eag1 #fcj-fcb4 care of ,god for1 #ebh-ecj1 #efj1 #fba1 #fbf1 #fbg1 #fca-fcd4 denounced as cause of disasters1 #eij-eib1 #fad1 #fae4 trial of1 to the utmost1 #fah4 persecution of1 #fai4 faith of1 #fai1 #fba1 #fbb4 anxiety of1 over past sins1 #fai-fba4 seek for perfection in ,christ1 #fbb1 #fbc4 deliverance of1 #fce-feb4 rainbow about companies of1 #fcf4 translation of1 #fde1 #fdf4 see also ,christians2 ,persecution2 ,redeemed2 8,time of trouble40 ,persecution1 ,christ's followers to suffer1 #ci1 #adc1 #add1 #ejg1 #faj4 in first centuries1 #ci-dh4 a means of keeping church pure1 #dd1 #dh4 reasons for1 to be left with ,god1 #dg1 #dh1 #fji4 why not seen to-day1 #dh4 during #abfj years1 #ee1 #bff1 #dci2 cut short1 #bff1 #bfg4 truth extended by1 #if1 #aif1 #bai1 #bdj1 #bej1 #beb4 of ,waldenses1 #fe1 #gh1 #ig4 of ,wycliffe1 #hi1 #ij1 #fji4 of ,lollards1 #id1 #ie4 of ,huss1 #ajj-aji1 #fji4 of ,luther1 #acg-adc1 #ade-afg1 #fji4 in ,germany1 #aif4 of ,french ,protestants1 #bbc-bbf1 #bga-bgc1 #bgh4 of believers in ,netherlands1 #bci1 #bdj4 of ,wesley and his followers1 #beh1 #bei1 #fji4 of ,puritans1 #bij4 of advent believers1 #cgb4 of ,sabbath-keepers1 #fjg-fji4 see also ,heretics4 ,persia1 ,wolff's travels in1 #cfj4 ,peter1 protected by angels1 #eab4 ,petri1 ,olaf and ,laurentius1 #bdb-bdd4 ,pharaoh1 #bea1 #bfi1 #bge4 ,pharisees1 ignorance of1 regarding ,messiah1 #cad4 ,philosophy1 pagan1 in the church1 #eh4 human1 #abf1 #ebb4 ,physical righteousness1 #dgc-dge4 ,piedmont1 see ,waldenses4 ,pilate1 #afd4 ,pilate's staircase1 #abe4 ,pilgrim ,fathers1 see ,puritans4 8,pilgrim's ,progress10 #beb4 ,pius ,,ix41 pope1 #efd4 ,plagues1 of ,egypt1 #fbg1 #fbh4 of last days1 #fbh1 #fbi4 ,plan of salvation1 revealed in ,bible1 #ha4 under the guidance of ,god1 #cdc4 culmination of1 #dhf4 to be study of redeemed1 #fea4 ,pleasure-seeking1 #chg4 ,policy in religious matters1 #dfj4 ,political corruption1 #ehf1 #eib4 ,pope1 arrogant claims of1 #ej1 #ea1 #ef4 authority claimed by1 #ej1 #eg1 #bfa1 #ehj4 acknowledged as ,god's vicegerent1 #ea1 #ec1 #ajb1 #adj4 faith transferred from ,christ to1 #ee4 impeachment of1 #bcg4 led into captivity1 #dci4 see also ,papacy2 ,roman ,catholic ,church4 ,popes1 great schism of1 #hf1 #hg1 #ajc1 #ajd4 ,prague1 ,reformation in1 #ii1 #ajj1 #ajd4 placed under interdict1 #ajj1 #aja1 #ajd4 ,prayer1 necessity of1 in ,bible study1 #acb1 #eii1 #fjj4 ,luther's belief in1 #aef1 #aeg1 #bji1 #baj4 power of1 #baj4 lack of1 #cgc1 #dhh4 necessity for1 #ebe1 #ecj1 #fja4 in time of trouble1 #fba1 #fbb4 ,preaching1 of ,luther1 #aeb4 of ,zwingle1 #agd-agg1 #ahj4 of ,farel and ,froment1 #bcb4 of ,joseph ,wolff1 #cei-cfb4 of children in ,scandinavia1 #cff1 #cfg4 of advent truths1 in #ahdd1 #djj-djh4 of unpopular truths1 #deh-dfj4 see also ,ministers4 ,predestination1 #bfa4 ,present truth1 in days of ,luther1 #adc4 in our day1 #adc1 #add4 ,presumption1 #ei4 ,priests1 at bar of ,god1 #ffh4 see also ,friars2 ,monks4 ,priests and rulers1 rejection of ,christ by1 #eie4 ministers of to-day compared with1 #eif4 ,printing1 art of1 #fa1 #hh1 #bhh4 of ,tyndale's ,bible1 #bdg4 see also ,books4 ,prison-house of ,satan1 #fei4 ,prizes1 offering of1 a species of gambling1 #chg4 ,probation1 close of1 #dbh1 #dbi4 no future1 #ffb4 ,procopius1 #aaf-aah4 ,prophecy1 importance of study of1 #cda1 #cdb1 #cdd1 #cde4 consolation in1 #cia-cid4 study of1 by ,william ,miller1 #cbj-cbi2 by prophets1 #cdd2 by ,gaussen1 #cfe2 by ,adventists1 #cia1 #dbc4 fulfilled by ,miller and his associates1 #dje4 of #abfj years1 #ed1 #bff1 #dci4 of #bcjj years1 #cbd-cbi1 #cea-cec1 #cih1 #dji1 #daj1 #dag1 #dbi1 #deg1 #dhf4 of the 8two witnesses10 #bff-bhg4 to be understood1 #cdj1 #cda1 #eba4 of first advent1 not understood by disciples1 #cdf1 #cdg4 see also ,beasts2 ,chronology2 ,prophecies2 ,signs4 ,prophecies1 of destruction of ,jerusalem1 #ba1 #bb1 #be-bg1 #cj4 of second advent1 #bii-cjb1 #caj1 #caa1 #cbj-cbi4 failure of ,jews to understand1 #cac-caf1 #cdd-cdf4 concerning first advent1 fulfilment of1 #cdd-cdh1 #dje1 #dbd-dbi4 of ,daniel and the ,revelation1 not mysteries1 #cdj-cdb1 #cfe1 #chj1 #eid4 fulfilled1 #cia-djh4 on ,sabbath reform1 #dea-dec4 see also ,chronology2 ,papacy2 ,prophecy2 8,time of trouble20 ,united ,states4 ,protest1 of early ,christians1 #ie4 of the ,princes1 #aig-bjd2 text of1 #bjb-bjd2 effect of1 #bjc1 #bjd4 ,protestantism1 vital principles of1 #aig1 #bjb1 #bjc1 #bia1 #dda4 dangers of1 #baa1 #bcd1 #bce4 strength of1 #bcf4 apostasy of1 #big1 #bih1 #chd-cij1 #ddd1 #ega4 to clasp hands with ,spiritualism and ,catholicism1 #ehh4 ,protestants1 rise of1 #bjd1 #bje4 persecution of1 in ,france1 #bbe1 #bcj4 menaced by powerful foes1 #bcd4 increasing favor shown to ,rome by1 #efc1 #eff4 homage paid to ,rome by1 in ,sunday-keeping1 #ddg1 #ddh4 following in steps of ,rome1 #chc1 #chd1 #ddc1 #ebc1 #egc4 ,protestant churches1 rise of1 #chc4 daughters of ,rome1 #chb4 fall of1 #chc1 #chi4 many true ,christians in1 #chc1 #cij4 seeking aid of secular power1 #chc4 union of1 upon common points of doctrine1 #ddd1 #dde4 seeking favor of world1 #ega4 ,punishment1 of rich1 #fec1 #fed4 of unfaithful pastors and people1 #fed-feg4 of ,satan1 #feh-ffj4 of wicked1 #fff1 #fgc4 ,purgatory1 doctrine of1 #eh1 #ei4 an invention of paganism1 #eh4 ,puritans1 #bhj-bih4 persecution of1 in ,england1 #bij4 flight of1 from ,england1 #bij4 departure of1 from ,holland1 #bia-bic4 intolerance of1 #bic4 character of early1 #bif4 regard of1 for ,bible1 #bif4 ,rainbow1 seen in time of trouble1 #fcf4 ,reason1 worship of1 #aic4 in ,france1 #bge1 #bgf4 ,rebellion1 of ,lucifer1 #dic-ejj1 #ejc4 spirit of1 #ejj1 #ejb4 ,rechabites1 ,wolff visits1 #cfb4 ,reconciliation1 #dfg1 #dfh4 ,records1 of ,inquisition1 #ei1 #fa1 #fb4 in books of heaven1 #ei1 #fa1 #dhf1 #dhg4 see also ,books4 ,redeemed1 entrance of1 into ,new ,jerusalem1 #fdf1 #fdg4 song of1 #fdi-fea1 #ffe4 triumph of1 #fej4 home of1 #fgd-fgh4 hold open communion with ,god1 #fgf1 #fgg4 education of1 #fgg1 #fgh4 ,reformation1 foundation of1 laid by ,wycliffe1 #ib-id4 advancement of1 #adh1 #ahf1 #aig4 efforts of ,satan to counterfeit1 #ahf-aib4 friends of1 protected by angels1 #bje-bjh4 threatened by grave dangers1 #bjf1 #bji4 brought to notice of great men1 #bjh4 progress of1 in ,great ,britain1 #gi-if1 #bde-bec2 in ,germany1 #abj-agj1 #ahe-baj2 in ,switzerland1 #aga-ahd1 #bcb-bcd2 in ,france1 #bad-bbd2 in ,netherlands and ,scandinavia1 #bcg-bdd4 ,france warned against1 by pope1 #bgg4 extent of1 #bfe4 work of1 to restore ,bible to people1 #chh4 obstacles met by1 #cif4 see also ,calvin2 ,huss2 ,luther2 ,protestantism2 ,protestants2 ,tyndale2 ,wycliffe2 ,zwingle4 ,reformers1 ,wycliffe one of the greatest1 #id4 character of1 #id1 #aga1 #bdc1 #bdd4 work of1 #fjf4 belief of1 in second coming of ,christ1 #cjb1 #cjc4 see also ,calvin2 ,huss2 ,jerome2 ,knox2 ,latimer2 ,luther2 ,melanchthon2 ,wycliffe2 ,zwingle2 etc4 ,reign of ,terror1 #bgc1 #bhb4 ,religion1 profession of1 has become popular1 #chf4 formality in1 #ee4 the sport of infidels1 #dfc4 ,satan's counterfeit of1 #dfd4 pure1 defined1 #dgd4 ,religious liberty1 termed heresy1 #de4 in ,germany1 #aig-bje4 in ,holland1 #bdj4 in ,reformed countries1 #bdd4 believed in by ,puritans1 #bia-bih4 upheld by ,roger ,williams1 #bic-bie4 in ,united ,states1 #dda1 #ddc4 merely endured by ,rome1 #efe4 ,god's way of working1 #eia4 see also ,conscience2 ,heretics2 ,persecution2 ,puritans2 ,toleration2 ,united ,states4 ,religious worship prohibited in ,france1 #bgd4 ,remission of sin1 in sanctuary services1 #dag1 #dah4 ,repentance1 #dfh4 ,republicanism1 a fundamental principle of the ,united ,states1 #dda4 ,resurrection of the dead1 #cbb4 of ,christ1 wave-sheaf a type of1 #cii4 the first1 #dhb1 #edd4 the first and second1 distinction between1 #edd4 doctrine of1 why neglected1 #edg4 special1 of ,sabbath-keepers1 #fcg2 of those who crucified ,christ1 #fcg4 of righteous1 #fdd4 of wicked1 #ffa1 #ffb4 ,revelation1 book of1 studied by ,miller1 #cbj4 to be understood1 #cda1 #cdb4 relation of1 to book of ,daniel1 #cda4 ,revivals1 modern1 #dfa-dgh4 results of genuine1 #dfa1 #dfb4 popular1 #dfc1 #dfd4 secret of lack of power in1 #dfe4 ,revolution1 see ,french ,revolution4 ,rich1 punishment of1 #fed4 ,richard ,,ii41 #hi4 ,ridley1 #bdh1 #cjc4 ,righteousness by faith1 see ,justification by faith4 ,robbing ,god1 #dge4 ,robinson1 ,pastor ,john1 address of1 to ,puritans1 #bia1 #bib4 ,roman ,catholic ,church1 development of1 #ej-fj1 #ehj4 claims of1 #bfa1 #efd1 #efg1 #ehj1 #eif4 customs in1 #di4 attitude of1 toward ,bible1 #ea1 #ha1 #hi1 #ig1 #aie1 #bce1 #bcf1 #bfe1 #bfi1 #cdj1 #chh4 errors introduced by1 #eh1 #ei1 #hb-hd1 #ecf4 records of persecution1 #fa1 #fb1 #efc1 #egj1 #ega4 condition of1 in time of ,wycliffe1 #hf2 ,huss1 #ajc2 ,luther1 #adi4 ,luther's separation from1 #abj-adc4 defended by ,aleander1 #adg-adi4 efforts of1 against ,luther1 #acg-ada1 #ade-afg4 description of1 as ,babylon1 #chb1 #chc2 as leopard beast1 #agi1 #dci1 #egh4 result of revolt against1 in ,france1 #bhc-bhe4 sign of authority of1 #ddf-ddh1 #egc4 true ,christians in1 #ddi1 #efe4 ,protestants following in steps of1 #chc1 #chd1 #ddc1 #ebc1 #egc4 gaining in favor with ,protestants1 #efc1 #egb-egd1 #ehj1 #eha4 popularity of1 #eff1 #ega4 schools of1 patronized by ,protestants1 #eff4 worship of1 attractive1 #eff1 #efg4 in comparison with ,jewish church1 #efh4 idolatry in1 #efh4 means used by1 to compel obedience1 #efi4 reserves right to interpret ,scriptures1 #eif4 see also ,papacy2 ,pope4 ,rome1 the seat of papal power1 #ed4 visit of ,luther to1 #abd1 #abe4 visit of bishops to1 #bcg4 ,rulers1 corruption among1 #ehf4 ,russia1 proclamation of advent message in1 #cfd4 ,sabbath1 memorial of creation1 #ed1 #dee4 authority of1 #dee4 observed throughout the ages1 #eb1 #fa-fe1 #dec4 set aside for ,sunday1 #ec4 hatred of ,rome for1 #fd1 #fe4 abolished in ,france1 #bgd4 study of1 by advent believers1 #dcd1 #dce4 importance of1 #dcg1 #dch4 a sign of creative power of ,god1 #ed1 #dcf-dch4 change of1 #ddg1 #ddh1 #deb4 not changed by ,christ1 #ddg4 no authority in ,bible for change of1 #ddg4 promises to observers of1 #dea-dec4 arguments against1 #ded1 #dee1 #ehg4 divine authority of1 acknowledged by ,romanists1 #ddg1 #egg4 disasters attributed to observance of1 #eij4 test of loyalty to ,god1 #fje4 see also ,fourth commandment2 ,law of ,god2 ,sabbath-keepers2 ,sunday4 ,sabbath-keepers1 in all ages1 #eb1 #dec4 in #ahdd1 #dcd1 #dce4 work of1 #ded1 #fjc-fjf1 #fji1 #faa1 #fab4 among ,waldenses1 #egg4 persecution of1 by enemies1 #eib1 #fjg-faj1 #fbf1 #fbg2 by former brethren1 #fjh4 denounced as cause of disasters1 #eij1 #eib1 #fad1 #fae4 decree to be issued against1 #fae1 #faf1 #fbf1 #fca1 #fce4 experience of1 in time of trouble1 #faf-fcd4 the mountains afford refuge for1 #fbf4 special resurrection of1 #fcg4 triumph of1 #fch-fdj4 see also ,christians2 ,people of ,god2 ,redeemed2 ,sabbath4 ,sabbath reform1 #dea-def1 #ehg4 ,sacrifice of the mass1 #ei1 #ahi1 #aij4 ,sacrifices1 see ,sanctuary4 ,sacrificing for ,christ1 #chg4 ,safe-conduct1 of ,huss1 #aje-ajg1 #afc4 of ,luther1 #aej1 #aed1 #afc4 ,saloons1 closed as effect of ,miller's preaching1 #ccb4 ,samson1 indulgence-monger in ,switzerland1 #agh1 #agi4 ,sanctification1 true1 work of1 #dfe1 #dfg1 #dfi1 #dgj1 #dgc2 how attained1 #dfi1 #dgj2 nature of1 #dgj2 as set forth in the ,scriptures1 #dgc1 #dgd2 fruits of1 #dgg1 #dgh2 examples of1 #dgj1 #dga4 false1 in ,luther's day1 #aic2 in last days1 #dfi1 #dga-dgc1 #dge4 ,sanctuary1 in type and antitype1 #dji-dcb4 not the earth1 #daa4 study of1 by ,adventists1 #daa-dae4 key to meaning of disappointment in #ahdd1 #dbc1 #dca1 #dcb4 should be clearly understood1 #dhh-dij4 earthly1 description of1 #daa-dae2 a pattern of heavenly1 #dad1 #dae2 services in1 a type1 #dag-dbj1 #dbh1 #dcc1 #dce2 cleansing of1 #cbh1 #ceb1 #daj1 #dag1 #dah1 #dbf2 services in1 continued after crucifixion1 #fae4 heavenly1 services in1 #dac-dae1 #dbj-dbb1 #dbh-dca1 #dcc1 #dce2 advent believers directed to1 #dbd1 #dbe2 ministration in first apartment of1 #dba1 #dbb2 work of ,christ in1 #dba1 #dbb1 #dcc-dce1 #dhj1 #dhb-dia4 see also ,advent ,movement2 ,law2 ,tabernacle2 ,temple4 ,satan1 efforts of1 to induce ,christians to compromise with world1 #di1 #ej1 #bih4 arts of1 #aib1 #aic1 #eah1 #eai4 satisfaction of1 in horrors of ,reign of ,terror1 #bhd4 policy of1 #cgh4 the accuser1 #cie1 #dhd4 position and beauty of1 before fall1 #dic-die4 disaffection and rebellion of1 #did-ejj4 long-suffering of ,god with1 #dif4 rebellion of1 a lesson to universe1 #dii4 character of ,god misrepresented by1 #bha1 #dih1 #ejj1 #ejb4 character of1 #eja1 #ejb4 self-exaltation of1 #ejd1 #eed4 enmity of1 toward man1 #eje1 #eaj4 danger in denying existence of1 #eaf1 #ebd4 importance of having right estimate of1 #eaf1 #eag4 power and malice of1 #eag4 present at worship of ,god1 #eah4 power of1 to show appearance of departed friends1 #eeb1 #efj2 to appear as angel of light1 #ehh4 ability of1 to quote ,scripture1 #eei4 work of1 through elements1 #ehi1 #eij4 compulsion the resort of1 #eia4 to personate ,christ1 #fbd4 binding of1 #feh-ffj4 sins of ,god's people to be placed upon1 #feh1 #fgc4 judgment of1 #ffa4 last struggle of1 for supremacy1 #ffc1 #ffd1 #fga1 #fgb4 acknowledges justice of his sentence1 #ffi1 #fgj4 see also ,evil spirits2 ,lucifer2 ,snares of ,satan4 ,saxons in ,great ,britain1 #fb1 #fc4 ,saxony1 ,bohemians flee to1 #bed4 ,scandinavia1 progress of the ,reformation in1 #bda-bdd4 proclamation of advent message in1 #cff4 child-preachers in1 #cff1 #cfg4 ,scapegoat1 in sanctuary service1 #dai1 #dbj4 ,satan typified by1 #dbb1 #dhe1 #feh4 ,schism1 the ,great1 see ,popes4 ,science1 research into1 sometimes a snare of ,satan1 #ebb4 false1 to prepare way for papacy1 #egc4 not a true foundation for religious belief1 #eie4 ,scoffers1 in ,noah's time1 #cch4 in ,miller's time1 #cci1 #cdj1 #djd1 #djh1 #dbi4 in last days1 #efa1 #fce1 #fdb4 ,scotland1 a refuge for persecuted ,christians1 #fb4 persecutions in1 #bdi1 #bej4 work of ,knox in1 #bej1 #bea4 ,scriptures1 the detector of error1 #ea4 study of1 #hj1 #ha1 #eih1 #eii1 #fjj4 ,wycliffe demands restoration of1 to people1 #ha4 infallibility of1 #hi1 #bdi4 ,wolff on popular system of interpretation of1 #cfj4 study of1 danger of neglecting1 #eai1 #eba4 fanciful interpretations of1 #ebj1 #eba4 a safeguard1 #eei1 #eic-fjc4 see also ,bible2 ,word of ,god4 ,seal of ,god1 #fac1 #fdj4 ,second advent of ,christ1 foretold1 #ci1 #ded4 hope of believers in all ages1 #bii-cjc4 signs of1 #cjd-caf1 #ccc1 #ccd4 warning of1 why not committed to religious leaders1 #cae4 manner of1 #cba4 taught in ,scriptures1 #cba-cbc4 time of1 #cbd2 not known by men1 #deg2 error in regard to1 #cbh1 #cfh1 #dhb4 warning of1 rejected1 #cch1 #cci1 #cff4 proclamation of1 #ceb-ced4 preached by ,joseph ,wolff1 #cei1 #cfj2 ,william ,miller1 #cbi-ccc1 #ceb-ced1 #cfh-cgd4 belief in1 found in ,bokhara1 ,yemen1 and ,tartary1 #cfa1 #cfb4 taught in ,england1 ,south ,america1 ,germany1 ,france1 ,switzerland1 ,scandinavia1 #cfb-cfg4 preparation for1 in #ahdd1 #dja-djc4 false theory of1 #ebe4 manner of1 cannot be counterfeited by ,satan1 #fbe4 scenes of1 #fcf-fdd4 see also ,advent ,movement2 ,christ2 ,prophecy2 ,prophecies4 ,second angel's message1 #cha-cij4 ,second commandment1 expunged from law by papacy1 #eb4 ,secrets of ,god1 men not to search into1 #ebc4 ,self-depreciation1 #dgg4 ,self-exaltation1 ,luther removed from danger of1 #agj4 danger from1 #dga1 #did-dii1 #ejc4 ,self-indulgence1 #dgc-dge1 #dhh4 ,self-justification1 of ,satan1 #dii4 of sinners to-day1 #ejj4 ,self-sufficiency1 #eji4 ,sennacherib1 #eab4 ,seventh-day ,adventists1 #dji-dbb1 #dbi-dcb4 proclamation of final warning by1 #fjc-fab4 see also ,law2 ,people of ,god2 ,sabbath2 ,sanctuary2 ,third angel's message4 ,seventy weeks1 prophecy of1 #cbd1 #cbh1 #cde-cdg1 #daj4 ,sigismund1 #ajd-ajh1 #aae-aah1 #afc4 ,signs of second advent1 #cjd-caf1 #cia1 #def4 ,lisbon earthquake1 #cjd1 #cje4 darkening of sun and moon1 #cjf-cjh4 condition of churches1 #cji1 #caj4 falling of the stars1 #ccc1 #ccd4 see also ,prophecies4 ,simon ,magus1 #abh4 ,sin1 definition of1 #dgb4 origin of1 #dib-ejb4 love of1 #ejh4 end of1 #ejd1 #ede4 remission of1 in sanctuary service1 #dag1 #dah1 #dba1 #dbe4 see also ,evil2 ,satan4 ,sins1 secret1 revealed in judgment1 #dhf4 blotting out of1 from books in heaven1 #dba1 #dbb1 #dhd-dhf1 #fad4 ,skepticism1 see ,infidelity4 ,snares of ,satan1 #eah-ecj4 in worldly business1 #eai4 self-gratification1 #eai4 in appeals to appetite1 #dgd4 neglect of prayer and ,bible study1 #eai1 #ebe4 accusing of brethren1 #eai4 unconverted church-members1 #ebj4 false theories1 #ebj1 #ebc4 wresting and perverting of ,scripture1 #ebj1 #eba4 liberality of religious belief1 #ebb4 scientific research1 #ebb4 unwise speculations1 #ebb1 #ebc4 ,spiritualism1 #ebd4 denial of pre-existence of ,christ1 #ebd4 false teaching regarding second advent1 #ebe4 ,society1 condition of1 in last days1 #ehc-ehf4 corruption in1 attributed to ,sunday desecration1 #ehg4 ,sodom1 warning rejected by1 #dca1 #eab4 spiritual1 #bfi4 ,solomon1 #eji4 ,sophie ,arnoult1 #bgj4 ,south ,america1 proclamation of advent message in1 #cfc4 ,spain1 ,luther's writings in1 #aci4 earthquake felt in1 #cjd4 ,spalatin1 #afe4 ,speculation1 human1 #abf1 #ebb4 ,spires1 ,diet of1 #aig-baj4 protest of1 #aig-bjd4 ,spirit of ,god1 when to be withdrawn from earth1 #fae4 see also ,holy ,spirit2 ,pentecost4 ,spirit manifestations1 #eeb1 #efj4 the rapping delusion1 #eec4 made to take place of ,bible1 #eeg4 see also ,evil spirits2 ,spiritualism4 ,spirits1 to be tried by ,bible1 #cig4 agency of evil1 #eaa-eag4 communion with1 forbidden1 #eef4 uphold ,sunday observance1 #eia4 ,spiritualism1 #eea-efb4 one of ,satan's most successful agencies1 #ebd1 #eeb1 #efa1 #efb4 converts to1 where found1 #eef4 erroneous teaching of1 #eee-eeh4 leads to self-indulgence and excess1 #eee1 #fjc1 #fjd4 assuming ,christian guise1 #eeh4 deceptive power of1 #eeh1 #eei1 #ehh4 ,scriptures a safeguard against1 #eei4 miracles to be wrought through1 #ehh1 #ehi4 see also ,angels2 ,evil ,spirits2 ,satan2 ,spirit manifestations4 ,spurgeon1 on sacramentarianism in the ,church of ,england1 #chd4 ,standard-bearers1 #ee4 ,star1 seen at deliverance of ,god's people1 #fch4 ,stars1 falling of1 #ccc1 #ccd4 see also ,signs4 ,state1 duty of1 #bja4 see also ,church and state2 ,united ,states4 ,staupitz1 #abc4 ,st4 ,bartholomew massacre1 #bgb1 #bgc4 ,stephen1 #cbh4 ,suffrage in the ,united ,states1 #big4 ,sun1 darkening of1 #cje-cjh4 see also ,signs4 ,sunday1 made a public festival1 #ec4 given place of ,sabbath by ,rome1 #ec1 #ddg1 #ddh4 origin of observance of1 #ed1 #dgd-dgg4 no scriptural evidence for1 #dcd1 #dce4 observance of1 an act of homage to ,rome1 #ddb1 #ddh1 #ddi1 #egi1 #ehj4 not the ,lord's day1 #ddg4 enforcement of1 in ,united ,states1 #egc4 first law for observance of1 #egd4 so-called miracles in support of1 #ege1 #egf4 observance of1 in future1 to be enforced by law1 #ddi1 #egc1 #egi1 #eib4 movement in ,united ,states1 #ehg4 accusations against non-observers of1 #ehg1 #eij4 spirit manifestations in support of1 #eia4 to be declared sacred by ,satan when personating ,christ1 #fbd4 see also ,mark2 ,sabbath4 ,supremacy of ,rome1 see ,papacy4 ,sweden1 gospel welcomed to1 #bdc4 work of the ,petri brothers in1 #bdb1 #bdc4 work of1 in ,thirty ,years' ,war1 #bdd4 ,reformation in1 #bdc1 #bdd4 second advent message in1 #cff1 #cfg4 ,switzerland1 missionaries to1 #fb4 ,luther's writings in1 #aci4 advent message proclaimed in1 #cfd4 ,symbols of prophecy1 interpretation of1 #dch-dde1 #egh4 ,syria1 travels of ,wolff in1 #cfj4 ,tabernacle1 of ,moses1 #daa-dae4 replaced by temple of ,solomon1 #dab4 destruction of1 by ,romans1 #ag-ch1 #dab4 the sanctuary of first covenant1 #dac4 services in1 a shadow of heavenly1 #dcc4 see also ,sanctuary4 ,talent1 proper use of1 #dhg4 use of1 by ,satan1 #eji4 ,tarrying time1 #cih-djh4 a trial of patience1 #cib1 #cic4 a fulfilment of prophecy1 #djg1 #djh4 ,tausen1 8,reformer of ,denmark10 character and work of1 #bda1 #bdb4 imprisonment of1 #bdb4 ,temperance work and the ,sunday movement1 #ehg4 ,temple of ,solomon1 beauty of1 #ag1 #ah1 #bc4 history of1 #bd 7note71 #dab4 destruction of1 beheld by ,christ1 #ba4 second1 made more glorious by presence of ,christ1 #bd4 overthrow of1 predicted1 #bd1 #be4 destroyed by ,titus1 #ca-ce1 #dab4 scenes at destruction of1 #cj-ce4 see also ,sanctuary4 ,temple in heaven1 ,god's dwelling-place1 #dad1 #dae4 sanctuary of new covenant1 #dac4 opened1 #dcc4 see also ,law1 moral4 ,temptation1 of ,christ1 #ej1 #ea1 #eaj4 of ,waldensian youth1 #gj4 how to resist1 #eaj1 #fjj4 why permitted1 #ebh-ecj4 of ,adam and ,eve in ,eden1 #eca1 #ecb4 ,ten virgins1 parable of1 #cic1 #cid1 #djj-djb4 ,terror of wicked at advent of ,christ1 #fcf-fdd4 ,test1 of world1 in giving of advent message1 #cec1 #ced4 of ,adventists1 in disappointment of #ahdd1 #cgc1 #cgd4 of loyalty to ,god1 ,sabbath the great1 #fje4 ,tetzel1 sale of indulgences by1 #abg-abi1 #agh4 ,theology1 popular1 opposed by ,luther1 #abf4 result of1 #ebe4 ,theories1 false1 a snare of ,satan1 #ebj-ebe4 ,theses of ,luther against indulgences1 #abi1 #acj4 discussion aroused by1 #acj4 ,thessalonian church1 ,paul's advice to1 #def1 #deg4 ,third angel's message1 #dcb1 #dce1 #dcg-dej4 the last to go to the world1 #cij4 fearful threatening of1 #ddi4 extent of1 #dej4 to be proclaimed with power1 #fje1 #fjf4 close of1 marks beginning of 8time of trouble10 #fac4 see also ,people of ,god2 ,prophecy2 ,prophecies2 ,signs4 ,thirty ,years' ,war1 part of ,sweden in1 #bdd4 ,thousand years1 see ,millennium4 work of redeemed during1 #ffj1 #ffa4 ,threefold message1 #dej1 #dec4 8,time of trouble10 #fac-fcd4 warning regarding1 #caj1 #caa4 beginning of1 #fac4 soon to open1 #fbb4 scenes of1 #fbc1 #fbd4 experience of people of ,god in1 #fae-fcd4 ,time-setting1 #deg4 ,tithing1 #dge4 ,titus1 in siege of ,jerusalem1 #ba1 #ca-ce4 humanity of1 #cb-cd4 ,tobacco1 #dgd1 #dge4 ,toleration1 not a precept of ,roman ,church1 #efd4 see also ,religious liberty4 ,traditions acknowledged as authority by ,rome1 #ahc1 #ddh4 ,translation1 of ,bible1 see ,bible4 of righteous at second advent1 #fde1 #fdf4 ,transubstantiation1 #bch4 ,trial1 object of1 #bia1 #fba4 see also ,test4 ,tree of life1 #ecb4 ,trust in ,god1 need for1 #ebg4 ,truth1 spread of1 in time of persecution1 #db1 #ie1 #if1 #aja1 #aif1 #bdj1 #bdi1 #fcd4 opposition to1 #deh-dfj4 men moved to search ,bible for1 #gi1 #ha4 ,rome contending against1 #ij4 progressive nature of1 #bia1 #bib1 #big4 why not revealed to great men1 #caf4 proper attitude toward1 #cgh-chj4 need of searching for1 #ebb1 #eih4 counterfeits of1 #ebc1 #ebh4 see also ,sabbath2 ,sanctuary2 ,third angel's message4 ,truths1 development of new1 #fji4 ,turkish empire1 see ,ottoman empire4 ,twelve hundred and sixty years1 beginning of1 #ed1 #bff1 #dci4 ,twenty-three hundred years1 exposition of1 #cbd-cbi1 #cea-cec1 #cih1 #dji1 #daj1 #dag1 #dbi1 #deg4 end of1 marks opening of investigative judgment1 #dbc1 #dbd1 #dhf4 see also ,miller2 ,prophecy2 ,sanctuary4 ,two-horned beast1 ,united ,states represented by1 #dci-ddc4 see also ,united ,states4 ,two witnesses1 prophecy concerning1 #bff-bhg4 see also ,bible2 ,scriptures4 ,tyndale1 work of1 #bde-bdg4 martyrdom of1 #bdg4 on sleep of the dead1 #edg4 ,types1 see ,sanctuary4 ,unbelief1 result of cherishing1 #ebg1 #ebh4 ,union1 of ,christians and pagans1 #de4 of church and state1 #big1 #ddb1 #dde1 #dej1 #fjg4 of church and world1 #cij4 of all ,protestant churches1 #ddd1 #dde4 of ,protestantism1 ,spiritualism1 and ,roman ,catholicism1 #ehh4 ,united ,brethren1 #aai4 ,united ,states1 religious liberty in1 #bie4 growth of1 #bie1 #bif4 government of1 #big4 dark day seen in1 #cjf-cjh4 falling stars seen in1 #ccc1 #ccd4 ,joseph ,wolff's visit to1 #cfj4 represented in prophecy by two-horned beast1 #dci1 #ddj4 rise of1 #ddj1 #dda4 characteristics of1 #dda4 once an asylum for the oppressed1 #dda1 #ddb4 ,constitution of1 #ddb4 to enact oppressive laws1 #ddb1 #egi4 prediction of supremacy of ,rome in1 #egh1 #egi4 ,sunday movement in1 #ehg4 see also ,mark of the beast2 ,protestants2 ,puritans2 ,religious liberty2 ,two-horned beast4 ,unity among advent believers1 #cgi4 ,universalism1 fallacy of1 #ecg-eci4 a ,universalist minister on state of the dead1 #ecg-eci4 ,university of ,erfurt1 ,luther a student at1 #aba1 #abb4 of ,paris1 ,lefevre in1 #bab1 #bag4 of ,prague1 ,huss in1 #ih-ajj4 of ,wittenberg1 ,luther and ,melanchthon as professors in1 #abd-abf1 #acd4 ,vaudois1 see ,waldenses4 ,virgin ,mary1 #dc1 #eh1 #agd1 #age1 #bag4 ,voice1 from heaven1 heard by ,god's people1 #fcf4 of ,god declares hour of ,jesus' coming1 #fdj4 ,voltaire1 infidelity of1 #bha4 boast of1 against ,christianity1 #bhh4 ,waldenses1 #fa-gh4 among the first to obtain translation of ,bible1 #fe4 training of youth of1 #ff-fh4 authority of ,bible recognized by1 #fh1 #gb4 diligence of1 in copying ,bible1 #fi4 youth of1 sent to institutions of learning1 #gj4 belief of1 in second advent1 #gb1 #cjc4 self-sacrificing missionary labors of1 #gj-gf1 #bcg4 results of work of1 #ga-gf4 persecution of1 #gf-gh1 #ig4 ,sabbath-keepers among1 #egg4 see also ,albigenses2 ,heretics4 ,war1 delight of ,satan in1 #ehi4 ,warning1 last message of1 #caa1 #cab1 #cij1 #dcb1 #dce1 #fjd-fab4 to be given to all1 #ch1 #fje4 of judgment to come1 #ceb1 #cec4 rejection of1 #cge-cij1 #dca4 against worship of beast1 #dde4 most fearful ever given to men1 #ddi4 will be heeded by leading men1 #faa4 see also ,third angel's message4 ,warnings1 importance of1 #eid4 ,wartburg1 ,luther concealed in1 #afh-agj1 #ahe-aic4 ,washburn1 ,governor1 on church gambling1 #chg4 ,watchman1 false1 first to suffer at the end1 #fef4 ,waters or sea1 as a symbol1 #ddj4 ,wedding garment1 #dbh4 ,week1 length of1 changed by ,france1 #bgc4 ,wesley1 ,charles1 missionary to ,america1 #bed4 trusting to good works for salvation1 #bec1 #bed4 ,wesley1 ,john1 missionary to ,america1 #bed4 acceptance of righteousness by faith1 #bee1 #bef4 work of1 #bef-beh4 guarded by an angel1 #beh4 law of ,god upheld by1 #bfb-bfd4 results of work of1 #bfd4 wiles of ,satan encountered by1 #cif4 on right use of money1 #che4 see also ,methodists4 ,whitefield1 a missionary to ,america1 #bec1 #bef1 #beg4 ,wicked1 how restrained1 #cf4 why permitted to prosper1 #dh4 end of1 #edd1 #ede4 terror and remorse of1 at second advent1 #cg1 #fce1 #fdd4 resurrection of1 #ffa4 sentence pronounced upon1 #fff4 destruction of1 #fgc4 see also ,judgments2 ,evil4 ,wiles of ,satan1 see ,satan2 ,snares of ,satan4 ,will1 freedom of1 see ,freedom4 ,williams1 ,roger1 apostle of religious liberty1 #bic4 work and banishment of1 #bid4 ,winds1 prophetic1 symbol of war1 #ddj4 ,wine of ,babylon1 meaning of1 #chh4 application of1 #chi1 #ecf4 ,winter1 ,robert1 advent message proclaimed by1 in ,england1 #cfb4 ,wise men1 see ,magi4 ,wishart1 #bej4 ,witchcraft1 ,spiritualism a form of1 #eef4 ,wittenbach1 a teacher at ,basel1 #agc4 ,wittenberg1 students of1 carried ,reformation to ,scandinavia1 #bda4 see also ,luther2 ,university of ,wittenberg4 ,wolff1 ,dr4 ,joseph1 parentage and early years of1 #ceg4 education of1 #ceg1 #ceh4 message of second advent given by1 #cei1 #cfj4 work and travels of1 #cfj-cfb4 ,woman as a symbol1 #ee1 #cha1 #chb4 ,word of ,god1 weapon of ,christ against ,satan1 #ea4 medium of communication between ,god and man1 #fi1 #gi4 results following the preaching of1 #dfa4 our only safety in time of trouble1 #fbe4 attitude of ,roman ,catholic ,church toward1 #ha4 see also ,bible2 ,scriptures4 ,works1 righteousness by1 #ee1 #ef4 salvation by1 #bec4 see also ,faith2 ,wesley4 ,world1 condition of1 under papal rule1 #fj4 religious1 condition of1 #cij1 #ehf1 #fjc1 #fjd4 following in steps of ,jews1 #cf-ch4 end of1 #fec-fgh4 ,worldliness in nominal churches1 #cgf-cij1 #ejh4 ,worms1 see ,diet2 ,luther4 ,worship1 of beast1 see ,leopard beast4 of ,reason1 #aic1 #bge1 #bgf4 of ,god prohibited in ,france1 #bgd4 freedom of1 see ,religious liberty4 ,writings1 of ,christians1 suppression of1 in ,dark ,ages1 #fa4 of ,wycliffe1 #hi1 #if1 #bdi4 of ,luther1 circulation of1 #acc1 #aci1 #agh1 #aid1 #bcc2 condemnation of1 at ,worms1 #aee1 #aef2 he refuses to retract them1 #aeh-afj2 read eagerly1 #ahe1 #ahf1 #aid1 #aie2 translated into ,french1 #bca2 in ,netherlands1 #bch2 read by ,tausen1 #bda2 in ,england1 #bdi4 of ,bunyan1 #beb4 of ,flavel1 #bec4 of ,baxter1 #bec4 of ,miller1 #cce1 #cfh4 of ,lacunza1 #cfc4 of ,bengel1 #cfd4 of ,gaussen1 #cfe4 on second advent1 #cfb4 see also ,books2 ,literature4 ,wycliffe1 ,john1 #gi-if4 herald of reform1 #hj4 scholarship of1 #hj4 study of ,scriptures by1 #hj1 #ha4 fearlessness of1 in exposing claims of papacy1 #ha4 battle of1 against friars1 #hb-he4 as ambassador to ,netherlands1 #hd1 #he4 influence of1 on court and nation1 #hd1 #he4 protected by ,god1 #hf1 #ib4 teacher at ,oxford1 8the ,gospel ,doctor10 #hg4 illness of1 #hg1 #hh4 translation of ,bible into ,english by1 #hh4 doctrines taught by1 #hi4 persecution of1 by papacy1 #hi4 trials of1 by papacy1 #he1 #hi1 #ij4 refusal of1 to retract1 #ij4 arraignment of his persecutors by1 #ij4 summoned to ,rome1 #ia4 letter of1 to pope1 #ia1 #ib4 work of1 #ic4 character of1 #ic1 #id4 death of1 #ib4 writings of1 in ,bohemia1 #ii4 belief of1 in second coming of ,christ1 #cjc4 ,wycliffites1 see ,lollards4 ,yemen1 ,wolff's travels in1 #cfb4 ,youth1 ,waldensian1 training of1 #fg1 #fh1 #gj1 #ga4 influence of monastic life on1 #hb1 #hc4 infidelity of1 #fjj1 #fja4 as princes of heaven1 #fbb4 ,ziska1 defends ,bohemia against army of ,sigismund1 #aaf4 death of1 #aaf4 ,zurich1 ,zwingle's labors at1 #agf-aha4 peace in1 a result of the gospel1 #aha4 council of1 refuse to take action against ,zwingle1 #ahj1 #aha4 disputation at1 between ,eck and colampadius1 #ahb-ahd4 ,zwingle1 ,ulric1 #aga-ahd4 early surroundings of1 #aga1 #agb4 designs of friars upon1 #agb4 acceptance of ,bible as rule of conduct by1 #agc1 #agd4 work of1 at ,einsiedeln1 #agd-agf4 work of1 at ,zurich1 #agf-ahb4 efforts of ,rome against1 #ahj-ahd4 death of1 #bab4 ,,footnotes #a ,luke #ai3db-dd4 #b ,ps4 #dh3b4 #c ,luke #ai3da4 #d ,isa4 #ec3g4 #e ,gen4 #bb3i1 #af-ah4 #f #a ,chronicles #ba4 #g ,ps4 #acb3ac4 #h ,gen4 #bh3ab2 ,john #a3ea4 #i ,jer4 #ag3ba-be4 #aj #b ,chron4 #cf3af1 #ae4 #aa ,ex4 #cd3f4 #ab ,ibid4 #ac ,ps4 #hj3h4 #ad ,isa4 #e3a-d4 #ae ,ibid4 #af ,ibid4 #ag ,acts #aj3ch2 ,luke #d3ah2 ,matt4 #aa3e4 #ah ,matt4 #aa3bh4 #ai ,ps4 #aji3e4 #bj ,jer4 #i3a2 #ac3ag4 #ba ,matt4 #bc3cg4 #bb ,john #e3dj4 #bc ,ps4 #gf3b2 #gh3fh1 #fi4 #bd ,ibid4 #be #a ,chron4 #bh3ab1 #ai4 #bf ,haggai #b3i1 #g4 #bg ,haggai #b3c2 ,ezra #c3ab4 #bh ,matt4 #bc3ch4 #bi ,mark #ac3a4 #cj ,matt4 #bd3b1 #c4 #ca ,ibid4 #cb ,matt4 #bd3ae1 #af2 ,luke #ba3bj4 #cc ,matt4 #bd3ce4 #cd ,micah #c3i-aa4 #ce ,john #aa3dh4 #cf ,micah #c3ab4 #cg ,luke #ac3g4 #ch ,isa4 #cj3aa4 #ci ,matt4 #g3b4 #dj ,milman1 8,history of the ,jews10 book #ac4 #da ,luke #ba3bj1 #ba4 #db ,isa4 #di3ae4 #dc ,lam4 #d3aj4 #dd ,deut4 #bh3ef1 #eg4 #de ,matt4 #bg3be4 #df ,milman1 8,history of the ,jews10 book #af4 #dg ,jer4 #bf3ah4 #dh ,hosea #ac3i2 #ad3a4 #di ,isa4 #i3e4 #ej ,matt4 #bd3cj1 #ca4 #ea #b ,thess4 #b3h4 #eb ,luke #ba3be2 ,matt4 #bd3bi2 ,mark #ac3bd-bf2 ,rev4 #f3ab-ag4 #ec ,matt4 #bd3cc4 #ed ,mark #ac3ce4 #ee #a ,thess4 #e3b-e4 #ef ,ibid4 #eg ,matt4 #bd3i1 #ba1 #bb4 #eh ,heb4 #aj3cb4 #ei ,heb4 #aa3cf-ch4 #fj ,ibid4 #fa ,heb4 #aa3ce4 #fb ,rev4 #b3aj4 #fc ,tertullian's 8,apology10 par4 #ej 7ed4 ,t4 and ,t4 ,clark1 #ahfi74 #fd ,luke #b3ad4 #fe ,matt #aj3cd4 #ff ,john #ae3bj4 #fg #b ,peter #c3i4 #fh #b ,tim4 #c3ab4 #fi #b ,thess4 #b3c1 #d1 #g4 #gj ,ibid4 #ga ,see ,appendix4 #gb ,luke #d3h4 #gc ,jude #c4 #gd ,dan4 #g3be4 #ge ,see ,appendix4 #gf ,gen4 #b3b1 #c4 #gg ,see ,appendix4 #gh #b ,thess4 #b3d4 #gi #b ,thess4 #b3g1 ,r4,v4 #hj ,rev4 #ac3b2 see ,appendix4 #ha ,dan4 #g3be2 ,rev4 #ac3e-g4 #hb ,luke #ba3af1 #ag4 #hc ,rev4 #ab3f4 #hd ,see ,appendix4 #he #a ,cor4 #c3aj1 #aa4 #hf ,neh4 #d3aj1 #ad4 #hg ,ibid4 #hh ,eph4 #f3ag4 #hi ,mark #ac3cg4 #ij ,see ,appendix4 #ia ,matt4 #bj3bg4 #ib ,see ,appendix4 #ic ,see ,appendix4 #id ,cardinal ,wiseman's ,lectures on 8,the ,real ,presence10 ,lecture #h1 sec4 #c1 par4 #bf4 #ie ,see ,appendix4 #if ,wylie1 8,history of ,protestantism10 book #a1 chap4 #d4 #ig ,hosea #d3f1 #a1 #b4 #ih ,d',aubign1 ,history of the ,reformation of the ,sixteenth ,century1 b4 #ag1 ch4 #b4 #ii ,jude #c4 #ajj ,see ,appendix4 #aja ,wylie1 b4 #a1 ch4 #g4 #ajb #a ,john #a3g4 #ajc ,john #c3ad1 #ae4 #ajd ,heb4 #aa3f4 #aje ,acts #d3ab4 #ajf ,matt4 #aa3bh4 #ajg ,see ,appendix4 #ajh ,wylie1 b4 #af1 ch4 #a4 #aji ,matt4 #be3dj4 #aaj ,rev4 #a3i4 #aaa ,sears1 ,barnas1 8,life of ,luther10 pp4 #gj1 #fi4 #aab ,see ,appendix4 #aac ,d',aubign1 b4 #ag1 ch4 #g4 #aad ,lewis1 ,rev4 ,john1 8,history of the ,life and ,sufferings of ,j4 ,wiclif10 p4 #cg 7ed4 #ahbj74 #aae ,see ,appendix4 ,neander1 8,history of the ,christian ,religion and ,church10 period #f1 sec4 #b1 part #a1 par4 #h4 #aaf ,gen4 #ae3a4 #aag ,see ,appendix4 #aah ,vaughan1 ,r41 8,life and ,opinions of ,john de ,wycliffe40 ,vol4 ,,ii1 p4 #f 7ed4 #ahca74 #aai ,d',aubign1 b4 #ag1 ch4 #g4 #abj ,wylie1 b4 #b1 ch4 #ac4 #aba ,foxe1 8,acts and ,monuments0 7edited by ,rev4 ,j4 ,pratt71 ,vol4 ,,iii1 pp4 #di1 #ej4 #abb ,d',aubign1 b4 #ag1 ch4 #h4 #abc ,ps4 #aai3acj4 #abd ,fuller1 ,t41 8,church ,history of ,britain10 b4 #d1 sec4 #b1 par4 #ed4 #abe ,wylie1 b4 #c1 ch4 #a4 #abf ,wylie1 b4 #c1 ch4 #a4 #abg ,matt4 #ba3e4 #abh ,bonnechose1 8,the ,reformers before the ,reformation40 ,vol4 ,i1 p4 #hg 7ed4 #ahdd74 #abi #b ,cor4 #ac3h4 #acj ,wylie1 b4 #c1 ch4 #b4 #aca ,see ,appendix4 #acb #a ,kings #ah3ag4 #acc ,see ,appendix4 #acd ,bonnechose1 ,vol4 ,i1 pp4 #adg1 #adh4 #ace ,bonnechose1 ,vol4 ,i1 pp4 #adh1 #adi4 #acf ,see ,idem1 p4 #bdg4 #acg ,lenfant1 8,history of the ,council of ,constance10 ,vol4 ,i1 p4 #eaf4 #ach ,bonnechose1 ,vol4 ,,ii1 p4 #fg4 #aci ,d',aubign1 b4 #a1 ch4 #f4 #adj ,bonnechose1 ,vol4 ,,ii1 p4 #hd4 #ada ,bonnechose1 ,vol4 ,,ii1 p4 #hf4 #adb ,wylie1 b4 #c1 ch4 #g4 #adc ,ibid4 #add ,wylie1 b4 #c1 ch4 #g4 #ade ,bonnechose1 ,vol4 ,i1 p4 #bcd4 #adf ,see ,bonnechose1 ,vol4 ,,ii1 p4 #ada4 #adg ,bonnechose1 ,vol4 ,,ii1 pp4 #adf1 #adg4 #adh ,matt4 #aj3ah-bj4 #adi ,bonnechose1 ,vol4 ,,ii1 p4 #aea4 #aej ,bonnechose1 ,vol4 ,,ii1 pp4 #aea-aec4 #aea ,wylie1 b4 #c1 ch4 #aj4 #aeb ,bonnechose1 ,vol4 ,,ii1 p4 #afh4 #aec ,wylie1 b4 #c1 ch4 #ag4 #aed ,ps4 #ec3e4 #aee ,wylie1 b4 #c1 ch4 #ah4 #aef ,wylie1 b4 #c1 ch4 #ai4 #aeg ,ibid4 #aeh ,gillett1 8,life and ,times of ,john ,huss0 7#c;d ed471 ,vol4 ,,ii1 p4 #egj4 #aei ,d',aubign1 8,history of the ,reformation of the ,sixteenth ,century10 b4 #b1 ch4 #b4 #afj ,ibid4 #afa ,d',aubign1 b4 #b1 ch4 #c4 #afb ,d',aubign1 b4 #b1 ch4 #d4 #afc ,d',aubign1 b4 #b1 ch4 #f4 #afd ,ibid4 #afe ,rom4 #a3ag4 #aff ,matt4 #aj3cd4 #afg ,d',aubign1 b4 #e1 ch4 #b4 #afh ,matt4 #ba3ab4 #afi ,see ,gieseler1 8,ecclesiastical ,history10 ,period ,,iv1 sec4 #a1 par4 #e4 #agj ,d',aubign1 b4 #c1 ch4 #a4 #aga ,d',aubign1 b4 #c1 ch4 #a4 #agb ,see ,hagenbach1 8,history of the ,reformation10 ,vol4 ,i1 p4 #if4 #agc ,acts #h3bj4 #agd ,see ,appendix4 #age ,d',aubign1 b4 #c1 ch4 #d4 #agf ,d',aubign1 b4 #c1 ch4 #f4 #agg ,d',aubign1 b4 #c1 ch4 #f4 #agh ,d',aubign1 b4 #c1 ch4 #g4 #agi ,d',aubign1 b4 #c1 ch4 #i4 #ahj ,d',aubign1 b4 #d1 ch4 #b4 #aha ,d',aubign1 b4 #d1 ch4 #d4 #ahb ,martyn1 8,the ,life and ,times of ,luther10 pp4 #bga1 #bgb4 #ahc ,d',aubign1 b4 #d2 ch1 #h 7,london ed474 #ahd ,d',aubign1 b4 #d1 ch4 #aj4 #ahe ,d',aubign1 b4 #d1 ch4 #aj4 #ahf ,idem1 b4 #e1 ch4 #a4 #ahg ,d',aubign1 b4 #f1 ch4 #b4 #ahh ,wylie1 b4 #f1 ch1 #a4 #ahi ,d',aubign1 b4 #f1 ch4 #c4 #aij ,d',aubign4 b4 #f1 ch4 #c4 #aia ,d',aubign1 b4 #f1 ch4 #i 7#c;d ,london ed41 ,walther1 #ahdj74 #aib ,d',aubign1 b4 #f1 ch4 #i4 #aic ,d',aubign1 b4 #f1 ch4 #aj4 #aid ,d',aubign1 b4 #f1 ch4 #aj4 #aie ,martyn1 8,life and ,times of ,luther10 pp4 #cgb1 #cgc4 #aif ,john #ae3ai1 #bj4 #aig ,luke #f3bf4 #aih ,d',aubign1 b4 #f1 ch4 #aa4 #aii ,d',aubign1 b4 #g1 ch4 #a4 #bjj ,d',aubign1 b4 #g1 ch4 #a4 #bja ,wylie1 b4 #f1 ch4 #d4 #bjb ,d',aubign1 b4 #g1 ch #c4 #bjc ,d',aubign1 b4 #g1 ch4 #d4 #bjd ,d',aubign1 b4 #g1 ch4 #d4 #bje ,d',aubign1 b4 #g1 ch4 #f4 #bjf ,idem1 ch4 #g4 #bjg ,idem1 ch4 #g4 #bjh ,d',aubign1 b4 #g1 ch4 #g4 #bji ,d',aubign1 b4 #g1 ch4 #g4 #baj ,ibid4 #baa ,d',aubign1 b4 #g1 ch4 #h4 #bab ,martyn1 8,life and ,times of ,luther10 p4 #cic4 #bac ,d',aubign1 b4 #g1 ch4 #h4 #bad ,ibid4 #bae ,matt4 #aj3cc4 #baf ,d',aubign1 b4 #g1 ch4 #h4 #bag ,d',aubign1 b4 #g1 ch4 #h4 #bah ,d',aubign1 b4 #g1 ch4 #h4 #bai ,ibid4 #bbj ,d',aubign1 b4 #g1 ch4 #h4 #bba ,d',aubign1 b4 #g1 ch4 #h4 #bbb ,d',aubign1 b4 #g1 ch4 #h4 #bbc ,d',aubign1 b4 #g1 ch4 #i4 #bbd ,ibid4 #bbe ,ibid4 #bbf ,see ,lenfant1 8,history of the ,council of ,constance40 ,vol4 ,i4 p4 #dbb4 #bbg ,ibid4 #bbh ,john #ae3bb4 #bbi ,acts #bd3be2 #bf3bh4 #bcj ,eccl4 #aj3af4 #bca ,martyn1 ,vol4 ,i1 p4 #djd4 #bcb ,d',aubign1 b4 #g1 ch4 #aj4 #bcc ,ibid4 #bcd ,ibid4 #bce ,martyn1 ,vol4 ,i1 p4 #daj4 #bcf ,d',aubign1 b4 #g1 ch4 #aa4 #bcg ,ibid4 #bch ,martyn1 ,vol4 ,i1 p4 #dbj4 #bci ,ibid4 #bdj ,d',aubign1 b4 #i1 ch4 #b4 #bda ,matt4 #d3ai4 #bdb ,wylie1 b4 #h1 ch4 #e4 #bdc ,wylie1 b4 #h1 ch4 #f4 #bdd ,ibid4 #bde ,d',aubign1 b4 #h1 ch4 #i4 #bdf ,d',aubign1 b4 #h1 ch4 #e4 #bdg ,ibid4 #bdh ,d',aubign1 b4 #h1 ch4 #f4 #bdi ,d',aubign1 b4 #h1 ch4 #f4 #bej ,ibid4 #bea ,ibid4 #beb ,d',aubign1 b4 #h1 ch4 #f4 #bec ,ibid4 #bed ,wylie1 b4 #h1 ch4 #i4 #bee ,d',aubign1 b4 #h1 ch4 #i4 #bef ,wylie1 b4 #h1 ch4 #aa4 #beg ,d',aubign1 b4 #h1 ch4 #aa 7,london ed474 #beh ,ibid4 #bei ,wylie1 b4 #h1 ch4 #ae4 #bfj ,d',aubign1 b4 #aa1 ch4 #ac4 #bfa ,ibid4 #bfb ,ibid4 #bfc ,ibid4 #bfd ,d',aubign1 b4 #i1 ch4 #a4 #bfe ,d',aubign1 b4 #i1 ch4 #g4 #bff ,ibid4 #bfg ,ibid4 #bfh ,ibid4 #bfi ,d',aubign1 b4 #i1 ch4 #g4 #bgj ,ibid4 #bga ,d',aubign1 b4 #i1 ch4 #h4 #bgb ,ibid4 #bgc ,ibid4 #bgd ,d',aubign1 b4 #i1 ch4 #h4 #bge ,d',aubign1 b4 #aj1 ch4 #aj4 #bgf ,ibid4 #bgg ,ibid4 #bgh ,d',aubign1 b4 #i1 ch1 #aa4 #bgi ,ps4 #aai3acj4 #bhj ,d',aubign1 b4 #i1 ch4 #aa4 #bha ,d',aubign1 b4 #i1 ch4 #aa4 #bhb ,matt4 #aj3bc4 #bhc ,d',aubign1 b4 #ac1 ch4 #f4 #bhd ,d',aubign1 b4 #ac1 ch4 #e4 #bhe ,ibid4 #bhf ,d',aubign1 b4 #ac1 ch4 #e4 #bhg ,ibid4 #bhh ,ibid4 #bhi ,wylie1 b4 #i1 ch4 #ae4 #bij ,d',aubign1 b4 #ac1 ch4 #e4 #bia ,ibid4 #bib ,ibid4 #bic ,d',aubign1 b4 #ac1 ch4 #e4 #bid ,ibid4 #bie ,idem1 b4 #ac1 ch4 #f4 #bif ,d',aubign1 b4 #ac1 ch4 #f4 #big ,d',aubign1 b4 #ac1 ch4 #f4 #bih ,ibid4 #bii ,d',aubign1 b4 #ac1 ch4 #f4 #cjj ,d',aubign1 b4 #ad1 ch4 #b4 #cja ,d',aubign1 b4 #ad1 ch4 #f4 #cjb ,idem1 b4 #ad1 ch4 #g4 #cjc ,ibid4 #cjd ,ps4 #aai3df4 #cje ,d',aubign1 b4 #ad1 ch4 #g4 #cjf ,idem1 b4 #ad1 ch4 #h4 #cjg #b ,kings #f3ag4 #cjh ,d',aubign1 b4 #aj1 ch4 #ad 7,london ed474 #cji ,d',aubign1 b4 #aj1 ch4 #ad4 #caj ,idem1 b4 #ad1 ch4 #a4 #caa ,d',aubign1 b4 #ad1 ch4 #f4 #cab ,ibid4 #cac #a ,peter #b3f4 #cad ,wylie1 b4 #ac1 ch4 #a4 #cae ,d',aubign1 b4 #ab1 ch4 #b 7,london ed474 #caf ,ibid4 #cag ,acts #bf3e4 #cah ,wylie1 b4 #ac1 ch4 #b4 #cai ,wylie1 b4 #ac1 ch4 #b4 #cbj ,d',aubign1 b4 #ab1 ch4 #c4 #cba ,wylie1 b4 #ac1 ch4 #i4 #cbb ,ibid4 #cbc ,ibid4 #cbd ,wylie1 b4 #ac1 ch4 #i4 #cbe ,d',aubign1 8,history of the ,reformation in the ,time of ,calvin10 b4 #b1 ch4 #af4 #cbf ,wylie1 b4 #ac1 ch4 #i4 #cbg ,ibid4 #cbh ,d',aubign1 8,history of the ,reformation in the ,time of ,calvin10 b4 #b1 ch4 #af4 #cbi ,d',aubign1 b4 #ab1 ch4 #i4 #ccj ,phil4 #a3ab4 #cca ,acts #h3d4 #ccb ,wylie4 b4 #ac4 ch4 #g4 #ccc ,martyn1 ,vol4 ,,iii1 ch4 #ac4 #ccd ,wylie1 b4 #ac1 ch4 #i4 #cce ,see ,d',aubign1 8,history of the ,reformation in the ,time of ,calvin10 b4 #b1 ch4 #cj4 #ccf ,d',aubign1 8,history of the ,reformation in the ,time of ,calvin10 b4 #d1 ch1 #aj4 #ccg ,d',aubign1 8,history of the ,reformation in the ,time of ,calvin10 b4 #d1 ch4 #aj4 #cch ,wylie1 b4 #ac1 ch4 #bj4 #cci ,wylie1 b4 #ac1 ch4 #ba4 #cdj ,d',aubign1 8,history of the ,reformation in the ,time of ,calvin10 b4 #d4 ch4 #ab4 #cda ,wylie1 b4 #ac4 ch4 #ba4 #cdb ,d',aubign1 8,history of the ,reformation in the ,time of ,calvin40 b4 #d4 ch4 #ab #cdc ,wylie1 b4 #ac1 ch4 #ba4 #cdd ,deut4 #d3f4 #cde ,wylie4 b4 #ad4 ch4 #c4 #cdf ,zech4 #d3f4 #cdg #a ,cor4 #a3bg1 #be4 #cdh ,d',aubign1 8,history of the ,reformation in the ,time of ,calvin10 b4 #i1 ch4 #ag4 #cdi ,see ,appendix4 #cej ,see ,appendix4 #cea ,brandt1 8,history of the ,reformation in and about the ,low ,countries10 b4 #a1 p4 #f4 #ceb ,brandt1 b4 #a1 p4 #ad4 #cec ,martyn1 ,vol4 ,,ii1 p4 #hg4 #ced ,wylie1 b4 #ah1 ch4 #f4 #cee ,ibid4 #cef ,see ,tertullian's 8,apology10 par4 #ej4 #ceg ,john #g3af4 #ceh ,gal4 #a3h4 #cei ,wylie1 b4 #aj1 ch4 #d4 #cfj ,wylie1 b4 #aj1 ch4 #d4 #cfa ,d',aubign1 b4 #ah1 ch4 #d4 #cfb ,ibid4 #cfc ,ibid4 #cfd ,anderson1 8,annals of the ,english ,bible10 p4 #ai 7rev4 ed4 #ahfb74 #cfe ,latimer1 8,first ,sermon ,preached before ,king ,edward ,,vi40 7ed4 ,parker ,society74 #cff ,latimer1 8,sermon of the ,plough40 #cfg 8,works of ,hugh ,latimer10 ,vol4 ,i1 p4 xiii 7ed4 ,parker ,society74 #cfh ,laing1 8,works of ,john ,knox10 ,vol4 ,,ii4 pp4 #bha1 #bhd 7ed4 #ahie74 #cfi ,whitehead1 ,john1 8,life of the ,rev4 ,charles ,wesley10 p4 #ajb 7#b;d ,am4 ed4 #ahde74 #cgj ,job #i3b 7margin74 #cga ,whitehead1 8,life of the ,rev4 ,john ,wesley10 p4 #aj 7,am4 ed4 #ahde74 #cgb ,idem1 pp4 #aa1 #ab4 #cgc ,whitehead1 8,life of ,john ,wesley10 p4 #eb4 #cgd ,idem1 p4 #gd4 #cge ,wesley's ,works1 ,vol4 ,,iii1 pp4 #big1 #bih 7ed4 #ahca74 #cgf ,wesley's ,works1 ,vol4 ,,iii1 pp4 #aeb1 #aec4 #cgg ,mc,clintock and ,strong's ,cyclopdia1 art4 ,antinomians 7ed4 #ahga74 #cgh ,titus #b3aa2 #a ,tim4 #b3c-f4 #cgi ,john #a3i4 #chj ,wesley's ,works1 ,sermon #be4 #cha ,ibid4 #chb ,wesley's ,works1 ,sermon #ce4 #chc ,john #c3ai4 #chd ,see ,appendix4 #che ,rev4 #aa3b-aa4 #chf ,see ,appendix4 #chg ,matt4 #bd3bb4 #chh ,rev4 #aa3d2 ,ps4 #aai3aje4 #chi ,see ,appendix4 #cij ,rev4 #aa3e4 #cia ,rev4 #bb3ah1 #ai4 #cib ,ex4 #e3b4 #cic ,scott1 ,sir ,walter1 8,life of ,napoleon ,buonaparte10 ,vol4 ,i1 ch4 #ag 7ed4 #ahed74 #cid ,blackwood's ,magazine1 ,november1 #ahgj4 #cie ,scott1 ,vol4 ,i1 ch4 #ag4 #cif ,see ,wylie1 b4 #bb1 ch4 #f4 #cig ,wylie1 b4 #bb1 ch4 #g4 #cih ,white1 ,henry1 8,the ,massacre of ,st4 ,bartholomew10 ch4 #ad1 par4 #cd 7ed4 #ahga74 #cii ,scott1 ,vol4 ,i1 ch4 #ag4 #djj ,ps4 #gc3aa4 #dja ,lacretelle's 8,history10 ,vol4 ,,xi1 p4 #cji2 in ,alison's 8,history of ,europe10 ,vol4 ,i1 ch4 #aj4 #djb ,ps4 #ad3a4 #djc #b ,tim4 #c3i4 #djd ,scott1 ,vol4 ,i1 ch4 #ag4 #dje ,thiers1 ,m4 ,a41 8,history of the ,french ,revolution10 ,vol4 ,,ii1 pp4 #cgj1 #cga4 #djf ,alison1 ,vol4 ,i1 ch4 #aj4 #djg ,journal of ,paris1 #agic1 ,no4 #cah4 ,quoted in ,buchez-,roux's collection of ,parliamentary ,history1 ,vol4 ,,xxx1 pp4 #bjj1 #bja4 #djh ,see ,appendix4 #dji ,flice1 ,g4 de1 8,history of the ,protestants of ,france10 b4 #a1 ch4 #b1 par4 #h4 #daj ,d',aubign1 8,history of the ,reformation in the ,time of ,calvin10 b4 #b1 ch4 #cf4 #daa ,wylie1 b4 #ac1 ch4 #d4 #dab ,prov4 #ad3cd2 #af3ab4 #dac ,isa4 #cb3ag4 #dad ,wylie1 b4 #ac1 ch4 #bj4 #dae ,see ,appendix4 #daf ,see ,appendix4 #dag ,see ,appendix4 #dah ,isa4 #dh3ah1 #bb2 ,prov4 #a3cc4 #dai ,eccl4 #h3aa-ac4 #dbj ,ibid4 #dba ,prov4 #a3bi1 #ca4 #dbb ,rev4 #aa3aa4 #dbc ,isa4 #cg3bc4 #dbd ,jer4 #af3ba4 #dbe ,rev4 #aa3ab4 #dbf ,see ,appendix4 #dbg ,see ,appendix4 #dbh ,isa4 #ed3ag4 #dbi ,isa4 #dj3h2 ,ps4 #aaa3g1 #h4 #dcj ,martyn1 ,vol4 ,v1 p4 #bb4 #dca ,bancroft1 ,george1 8,history of the ,united ,states of ,america10 ,part ,i1 ch4 #ab1 par4 #f4 #dcb ,palfrey1 ,j4 ,g41 8,history of ,new ,england10 ch4 #c1 par4 #dc4 #dcc ,bancroft1 ,part ,i1 ch4 #ab1 par4 #ae4 #dcd ,brown1 ,j41 8,the ,pilgrim ,fathers10 p4 #gd4 #dce ,martyn1 ,vol4 ,v1 p4 #gj4 #dcf ,neal1 ,d41 8,history of the ,puritans10 ,vol4 ,i1 p4 #bfi 7two-vol4 ed4 #ahdh74 #dcg ,martyn1 ,vol4 ,v1 pp4 #gj1 #ga4 #dch ,martyn1 ,vol4 ,v1 p4 #big4 #dci ,idem1 p4 #cce4 #ddj ,bancroft1 ,part ,i1 ch4 #ae1 par4 #af4 #dda ,martyn1 ,vol4 ,v1 p4 #cdj4 #ddb ,bancroft1 ,part ,i1 ch4 #ae1 par4 #b4 #ddc ,idem1 par4 #aj4 #ddd ,martyn1 ,vol4 ,v1 pp4 #cdi1 #cej4 #dde ,idem1 p4 #ced4 #ddf ,congressional ,documents 7,u4 ,s4 ,a471 ,serial ,no4 #bjj1 ,document ,no4 #bga4 #ddg ,martyn1 ,vol4 ,v1 p4 #dag4 #ddh ,bancroft1 ,part ,i1 ch4 #ai1 par4 #be4 #ddi ,john #ah3cf4 #dej ,jude #ad1 #ae4 #dea ,job #ai3be-bg4 #deb ,ps4 #ej3b-d4 #dec ,ps4 #if3aa1 #ac4 #ded ,isa4 #bf3ai2 #be3h1 #i4 #dee ,hab4 #c3c-ac4 #def ,john #ad3a-c4 #deg ,matt4 #be3ca1 #cb4 #deh ,acts #a3aa4 #dei #a ,thess4 #d3af4 #dfj ,rev4 #a3g4 #dfa ,acts #c3ba4 #dfb ,rev4 #aa3ae4 #dfc ,isa4 #dj3e2 #fa3aa2 #bh3e4 #dfd ,isa4 #ea3c2 #ce3b2 #fb3d1 #e 7margin74 #dfe #a ,thess4 #d3af-ah4 #dff ,rev4 #bb3bj4 #dfg ,taylor1 ,daniel ,t41 8,the ,reign of ,christ on ,earth2 or1 ,the ,voice of the ,church in ,all ,ages10 p4 #cc4 #dfh ,taylor1 8,the ,voice of the ,church10 p4 #ed4 #dfi ,idem1 pp4 #abi-acb4 #dgj ,idem1 pp4 #acb-acd4 #dga ,idem1 pp4 #aeh1 #acd4 #dgb ,ibid4 #dgc ,idem1 pp4 #aea1 #ade4 #dgd ,baxter1 ,richard1 8,works10 ,vol4 ,,xvii1 p4 #eee4 #dge ,idem1 p4 #ejj4 #dgf ,baxter1 8,works10 ,vol4 ,,xvii1 pp4 #ahb1 #ahc4 #dgg ,luke #ba3be4 #dgh ,mark #ac3bd-bf4 #dgi ,rev4 #f3ab4 #dhj ,lyell1 ,sir ,charles1 8,principles of ,geology10 p4 #die 7ed4 #aheh1 ,n4,y474 #dha ,encyclopdia ,americana1 art4 ,lisbon1 note 7ed4 #ahca74 #dhb ,ibid4 #dhc ,mark #ac3bd4 #dhd ,devens1 ,r4 ,m41 8,our ,first ,century10 p4 #hi4 #dhe 8,the ,essex ,antiquarian10 ,salem1 ,mass41 ,april1 #ahii 7,vol4 ,,iii1 ,no4 #d1 pp4 #ec1 #ed74 #dhf ,gordon1 ,dr4 ,wm41 8,history of the ,rise1 ,progress1 and ,establishment of the ,independence of the ,u4 ,s4 ,a410 ,vol4 ,,iii1 p4 #eg 7,n4 ,y41 #aghi74 #dhg ,thomas1 8,massachusetts ,spy2 or1 ,american ,oracle of ,liberty10 ,vol4 ,x1 ,no4 #dgb 7,may #be1 #aghj74 #dhh ,letter by ,dr4 ,samuel ,tenney1 of ,exeter1 ,n4 ,h41 ,december1 #aghe 7in 8,massachusetts ,historical ,society ,collections10 #agib1 #ast series1 ,vol4 ,i1 p4 #ig74 #dhi ,joel #b3ca4 #dij ,luke #ba3bh1 #cj1 #ca4 #dia ,luke #ba3cd1 #cf4 #dib ,rev4 #c3a1 #c4 #dic ,ibid4 #did ,joel #b3aa2 ,hab4 #a3ac2 ,hosea #h3b1 #a2 ,ps4 #af3d4 #die ,ibid4 #dif ,amos #e3bj4 #dig ,zeph4 #a3ab4 #dih ,isa4 #ac3aa4 #dii ,zeph4 #a3ah1 #ac4 #ejj ,jer4 #d3ai1 #bj4 #eja ,zeph4 #a3ae1 #af4 #ejb ,isa4 #ac3i4 #ejc ,joel #b3a1 #ae-ah1 #ab1 #ac4 #ejd ,rev4 #ad3f1 #g4 #eje #b ,peter #a3ai4 #ejf ,prov4 #c3ad4 #ejg ,ps4 #be3ad4 #ejh ,john #ab3ce4 #eji ,john #h3ab4 #eaj ,micah #e3b4 #eaa ,dan4 #i3be4 #eab ,luke #b3ad4 #eac ,luke #b3be1 #cb2 ,acts #ac3dg4 #ead ,heb4 #i3bh4 #eae #a ,thess4 #e3d1 #e4 #eaf ,luke #ai3dd4 #eag ,bliss1 ,s41 8,memoirs of ,wm4 ,miller10 pp4 #fe-fg4 #eah ,ps4 #aai3acj4 #eai ,bliss1 8,memoirs of ,wm4 ,miller10 p4 #gj4 #ebj ,matt4 #ac3cj1 #ch-da4 #eba #b ,tim4 #c3ac1 #a4 #ebb #b ,thess4 #b3h4 #ebc #a ,thess4 #d3af1 #ag4 #ebd ,matt4 #bd3cj1 #bg1 #ca4 #ebe ,matt4 #be3ca-cd4 #ebf ,ibid4 #ebg #a ,cor4 #ae3ea-ec4 #ebh #a ,cor4 #ae3ej4 #ebi ,see ,luke #d3be4 #ecj ,bliss1 8,memoirs of ,wm4 ,miller10 pp4 #gd1 #ge4 #eca ,deut4 #bi3bi4 #ecb ,amos #c3g4 #ecc ,see #b ,tim4 #c3af4 #ecd #b ,peter #a3ba4 #ece ,rom4 #ae3d4 #ecf ,bliss1 8,memoirs of ,wm4 ,miller10 p4 #ge4 #ecg ,num4 #ad3cd2 ,eze4 #d3f4 #ech ,bliss1 8,memoirs of ,wm4 ,miller10 p4 #gf4 #eci ,dan4 #i3bb1 #bc1 #be-bg4 #edj ,ezra #g3ab-bf4 #eda ,see ,appendix4 #edb ,acts #aj3ch4 #edc ,luke #d3ah4 #edd ,mark #a3ad1 #ae4 #ede ,matt4 #aj3e1 #f4 #edf ,acts #h3d1 #e2 #bb3ba4 #edg ,see ,appendix4 #edh ,bliss1 8,memoirs of ,wm4 ,miller10 pp4 #gf1 #gg4 #edi ,bliss1 8,memoirs of ,wm4 ,miller10 p4 #ha4 #eej ,eze4 #cc3h1 #i4 #eea ,bliss1 p4 #ib4 #eeb ,bliss1 8,memoirs of ,wm4 ,miller10 p4 #ach4 #eec ,matt4 #bd3bi4 #eed ,rev4 #f3ac4 #eee ,devens1 ,r4 ,m41 8,american ,progress2 or1 ,the ,great ,events of the ,greatest ,century10 ch4 #bh1 pars4 #a-e4 #eef ,reed1 ,f41 in the ,christian ,advocate and ,journal1 ,dec4 #ac1 #ahcc4 #eeg 8,the ,old ,countryman10 in ,portland evening ,advertiser1 ,nov4 #bf1 #ahcc4 #eeh ,matt4 #bd3cc4 #eei ,rev4 #f3ab-ag4 #efj ,litch1 ,josiah1 article in ,signs of the ,times1 and ,expositor of ,prophecy1 ,aug4 #a1 #ahdj4 #efa ,see ,appendix4 #efb ,bliss1 8,memoirs of ,wm4 ,miller10 p4 #ahc4 #efc ,bliss1 8,memoirs of ,wm4 ,miller10 pp4 #bej1 #beb4 #efd ,matt4 #bd3ci4 #efe ,john #ad3c4 #eff ,acts #a3aa4 #efg ,luke #bd3eb1 #ec4 #efh ,bliss1 8,memoirs of ,wm4 ,miller10 p4 #adf4 #efi ,see ,appendix4 #egj ,matt4 #bd3ae4 #ega ,rev4 #a3a-c4 #egb ,job #aa3g2 ,isa4 #ee3h1 #i2 #df3i1 #aj4 #egc #a ,peter #a3aj-ab4 #egd ,mark #a3ae4 #ege ,micah #g3h1 #i2 ,ps4 #aci3ab2 #aab3d2 ,isa4 #db3af4 #egf ,dan4 #g3bg4 #egg ,heb4 #d3af4 #egh ,matt4 #be3ca1 #cb4 #egi ,luke #bb3bd4 #ehj ,luke #bd3bg4 #eha ,luke #bd3cb4 #ehb ,heb4 #f3ah1 #ai4 #ehc ,rom4 #h3ch1 #ci1 #hg4 #ehd #a ,peter #a3be4 #ehe ,rom4 #h3cd4 #ehf ,joel #b3bf4 #ehg ,ps4 #cj3e4 #ehh ,mark #af3ae2 ,matt4 #bh3bj4 #ehi ,rev4 #bb3ab4 #eij ,rev4 #ad3f1 #g4 #eia ,dan4 #ab3d4 #eib #b ,thess4 #b3c4 #eic 8,travels and ,adventures of the ,rev4 ,joseph ,wolff40 ,vol4 ,i1 p4 #f 7ed4 #ahfj74 #eid 8,travels and ,adventures of the ,rev4 ,joseph ,wolff10 ,vol4 ,i1 p4 #g4 #eie ,wolff1 8,researches and ,missionary ,labors10 p4 #fb 7ed4 #ahce74 #eif 8,journal of the ,rev4 ,joseph ,wolff10 pp4 #cgh1 #cgi 7ed4 #ahci74 #eig ,idem1 p4 #bid4 #eih ,wolff1 8,researches and ,missionary ,labors10 pp4 #djd1 #dje4 #eii 8,journal of the ,rev4 ,joseph ,wolff10 p4 #if4 #fjj 8,journal of the ,rev4 ,joseph ,wolff10 pp4 #cih1 #cii4 #fja ,adams1 ,w4 ,h4 ,d41 8,in ,perils ,oft10 p4 #aib4 #fjb ,idem1 p4 #bja4 #fjc 8,journal of the ,rev4 ,joseph ,wolff10 p4 #cgg4 #fjd ,idem1 p4 #chi4 #fje ,encyclopdia ,britannica1 art4 ,bengel 7ninth edition74 #fjf ,ibid4 #fjg ,gaussen1 ,l41 8,daniel the ,prophet10 ,vol4 ,,ii1 ,preface4 #fjh ,matt4 #ba3h-af4 #fji #b ,peter #c3c1 #d4 #faj ,matt4 #bd3cf1 #c1 #cc1 #db-ea4 #faa ,ibid4 #fab ,ibid4 #fac ,rev4 #c3c4 #fad #a ,thess4 #e3b-e4 #fae ,isa4 #ff3e4 #faf ,see ,appendix4 #fag ,see ,appendix4 #fah ,bliss1 8,memoirs of ,wm4 ,miller10 p4 #cbh4 #fai ,ibid4 #fbj ,congregational ,journal1 ,may #bc1 #ahdd4 #fba ,acts #d3cb1 #ca2 #b3dg4 #fbb ,eph4 #d3c-e4 #fbc ,rev4 #ad3h4 #fbd ,hosea #b3ai4 #fbe ,jer4 #c3ad4 #fbf #b ,cor4 #aa3b4 #fbg ,eze4 #af3h1 #ac-ae1 #cb2 ,jer4 #c3bj4 #fbh ,rev4 #ag3d-f1 #ah4 #fbi ,eze4 #af3ad1 #ae4 #fcj ,ibid4 #fca ,dr4 ,challoner1 8,the ,catholic ,christian ,instructed10 ,preface1 pp4 #ba1 #bb 7ed4 #ahig74 #fcb ,hopkins1 ,samuel1 8,works10 ,vol4 ,,ii1 p4 #cbh 7ed4 #ahed74 #fcc ,guthrie1 ,john1 8,the ,gospel in ,ezekiel10 p4 #bcg 7,edinburgh ed4 #aheg74 #fcd #b ,thess4 #b3g4 #fce ,robinson1 ,robert1 8,ecclesiastical ,researches10 ch4 #f1 par4 #ag 7ed4 #agib1 p4 #ea74 #fcf ,gavezzi's ,lectures1 p4 #bgh 7ed4 #ahed74 #fcg ,ibid4 #fch ,wesley's ,works1 ,sermon #ej1 8,the ,use of ,money40 #fci 8,the ,healthy ,christian3 ,an ,appeal to the ,church10 pp4 #ada1 #adb 7ed4 #ahga74 #fdj ,second ,advent ,library1 ,tract ,no4 #ci4 #fda ,sermon on 8,the ,bible a ,sufficient ,creed10 delivered at ,fort ,wayne1 ,ind41 ,feb4 #bb1 #ahdf4 #fdb #b ,thess4 #b3i-aa4 #fdc #b ,thess4 #b3ab4 #fdd ,rev4 #ah3d4 #fde ,eze4 #ab3ba-be1 #bg1 #bh4 #fdf ,bliss1 8,memoirs of ,wm4 ,miller10 pp4 #bcf1 #bcg1 #bhb4 #fdg ,the ,advent ,herald and ,signs of the ,times ,reporter1 ,vol4 ,,viii1 ,no4 #bc 7,jan4 #ae1 #ahde74 #fdh ,ibid4 #fdi ,matt4 #be3e-g4 #fej ,see ,appendix4 #fea #a ,cor4 #e3g4 #feb #a ,cor4 #ae3bc1 #bj4 #fec ,ibid4 #fed ,phil4 #c3ba4 #fee ,lev4 #af3bi-cd4 #fef ,bliss1 8,memoirs of ,wm4 ,miller10 pp4 #bgj1 #bga4 #feg ,bliss1 in the ,advent ,shield and ,review1 ,vol4 ,i1 p4 #bga 7,jan41 #ahde74 #feh ,matt4 #ba3i4 #fei ,john #bj3ac4 #ffj ,luke #ai3dj4 #ffa ,acts #ag3c4 #ffb ,zech4 #i3i4 #ffc ,the ,advent ,herald and ,signs of the ,times ,reporter1 ,vol4 ,,viii1 ,no4 #ad 7,nov4 #ac1 #ahdd74 #ffd ,bliss1 8,memoirs of ,wm4 ,miller10 pp4 #bef1 #bee1 #bgg1 #bhj1 #bha4 #ffe ,white1 ,j41 8,life of ,wm4 ,miller10 p4 #cae4 #fff ,heb4 #aj3ce-ci4 #ffg ,dan4 #h3ad4 #ffh ,heb4 #i3a-e4 #ffi ,ex4 #be3h4 #fgj ,heb4 #h3a1 #b4 #fga ,ex4 #be3i1 #dj4 #fgb ,heb4 #i3i1 #bc2 #h3e2 #i3bd4 #fgc ,dan4 #g3aj4 #fgd ,rev4 #d3e4 #fge ,rev4 #h3c4 #fgf ,rev4 #aa3ai4 #fgg ,zech4 #f3ac4 #fgh ,eph4 #b3bj-bb4 #fgi ,rev4 #a3e1 #f4 #fhj ,luke #a3cb1 #cc4 #fha ,rev4 #c3ba4 #fhb ,isa4 #ec3d2 ,heb4 #d3ae2 #b3ah2 #a ,john #b3a4 #fhc ,john #af3bf1 #bg4 #fhd #b ,cor4 #e3ai4 #fhe ,john #c3af4 #fhf ,heb4 #i3bb1 #bc4 #fhg ,heb4 #h3e4 #fhh ,lev4 #ag3aa4 #fhi ,lev4 #aj3ag4 #fij ,lev4 #af3af1 #ai4 #fia ,lev4 #af3h1 #ba1 #bb4 #fib ,ibid4 #fic ,heb4 #i3bd4 #fid ,heb4 #f3ai1 #bj2 #i3ab4 #fie ,rev4 #bb3ab4 #fif ,dan4 #g3ac4 #fig ,mal4 #c3a4 #fih #b ,thess4 #a3h4 #fii ,mal4 #c3b1 #c4 #gjj ,mal4 #c3d4 #gja ,eph4 #e3bg4 #gjb ,cant4 #f3aj4 #gjc ,mal4 #c3e4 #gjd ,jude #ad1 #ae4 #gje ,rev4 #ba3i1 #aj4 #gjf ,rev4 #ai3i4 #gjg ,dan4 #g3ad2 ,rev4 #ba3b4 #gjh ,matt4 #h3aa2 ,luke #bb3cj4 #gji ,luke #ab3cf4 #gaj ,matt4 #bb3aa4 #gaa ,rev4 #g3ad4 #gab ,lev4 #af3ag4 #gac ,rev4 #c3g1 #h4 #gad ,matt4 #bc3ch4 #gae #b ,thess4 #b3aj-ab4 #gaf ,rev4 #aa3ai4 #gag ,matt4 #e3ah4 #gah ,ps4 #aai3hi2 #aaa3g1 #h4 #gai ,ex4 #bj3h-aa4 #gbj ,rev4 #c3g1 #h4 #gba ,see ,appendix4 #gbb ,rom4 #b3ab-af4 #gbc ,heb4 #aa3f2 ,rom4 #ad3bc4 #gbd ,eccl4 #ab3ac4 #gbe #a ,john #e3c2 ,prov4 #bh3i4 #gbf ,ps4 #if3e4 #gbg ,isa4 #dj3be1 #bf2 #de3ah4 #gbh ,ps4 #ajj3c2 #ie3f4 #gbi ,rev4 #d3aa4 #gcj ,ex4 #bj3aj1 #aa4 #gca ,eze4 #bj3bj4 #gcb ,ex4 #ca3ag4 #gcc ,andrews1 ,j4,n41 8,history of the ,sabbath10 ch4 #bg4 #gcd ,rev4 #ad3i1 #aj4 #gce ,rev4 #ab3i4 #gcf ,verses #a-aj4 #gcg ,rev4 #ac3aa4 #gch ,dan4 #g3b4 #gci ,rev4 #ag3ae4 #gdj ,townsend1 ,g4,a41 8,the ,new ,world ,compared with the ,old10 p4 #dfb 7ed4 #ahfi74 #gda ,the ,dublin ,nation4 #gdb ,speech delivered at ,plymouth1 ,mass41 ,dec4 #bb1 #ahbd1 p4 #aa4 #gdc ,rev4 #ac3aa-ad4 #gdd #b ,thess4 #b3c4 #gde #b ,tim4 #c3a-e4 #gdf #a ,tim4 #d3a4 #gdg #b ,thess4 #b3i-aa4 #gdh ,sermon on 8,the ,bible a ,sufficient ,creed10 delivered at ,fort ,wayne1 ,ind41 ,feb4 #bb1 #ahdf4 #gdi ,rev4 #ac3af1 #ag4 #gej ,dan4 #g3be1 ,r4 ,v4 #gea ,see ,appendix4 #geb ,mark #b3bh2 ,isa4 #eh3ac4 #gec ,matt4 #e3ag-ai4 #ged ,elliott1 ,george1 8,the ,abiding ,sabbath10 p4 #ahd4 #gee ,waffle1 ,a4 ,e41 8,the ,lord's ,day10 p4 #ahf4 #gef ,idem1 pp4 #ahg1 #ahh4 #geg ,tuberville1 ,h41 8,an ,abridgement of the ,christian ,doctrine10 p4 #eh4 #geh 8,plain ,talk about ,protestantism10 p4 #bac4 #gei ,rev4 #ac3af4 #gfj ,rev4 #ae3b1 #c4 #gfa ,isa4 #ef3a1 #b1 #f1 #g4 #gfb ,isa4 #ef3h4 #gfc ,isa4 #h3af1 #bj4 #gfd ,ibid4 #gfe ,isa4 #eh3a1 #b4 #gff ,isa4 #eh3ab1 #ac4 #gfg ,job #ch3f1 #g2 ,gen4 #b3a-c4 #gfh #b ,thess4 #b3c4 #gfi ,heb4 #c3ai4 #ggj ,john #c3bj4 #gga ,eze4 #c3g2 #b3g4 #ggb ,eze4 #cc3g-i4 #ggc #b ,cor4 #d3ag4 #ggd ,heb4 #aa3bf4 #gge ,isa4 #ea3g1 #h4 #ggf #a ,peter #c3c1 #d4 #ggg #b ,cor4 #g3i-aa4 #ggh ,matt4 #g3af4 #ggi ,ps4 #aai3de4 #ghj ,james #b3h2 #a3be4 #gha ,rev4 #bb3ad4 #ghb ,isa4 #db3ba4 #ghc ,matt4 #e3ag1 #ah4 #ghd ,ps4 #dj3h4 #ghe ,rom4 #ac3aj4 #ghf ,ps4 #aai3adb1 #agb4 #ghg ,rom4 #g3ab4 #ghh ,rom4 #h3g4 #ghi #a ,john #c3d2 ,rom4 #c3bj4 #gij #c3ca2 #f3b2 #a ,john #e3c4 #gia ,rom4 #h3d4 #gib ,ps4 #aai3ig4 #gic ,ps4 #ai3g4 #gid #a ,thess4 #d3c2 #e3bc4 #gie ,john #ag3ag1 #ai4 #gif ,rom4 #ae3af4 #gig ,john #af3ac4 #gih ,john #ae3aj2 #h3bi4 #gii ,phil4 #b3ab1 #ac4 #hjj #a ,cor4 #ae3eg4 #hja ,phil4 #c3ac1 #ad4 #hjb #b ,peter #a3e-aj4 #hjc ,dan4 #aj3aa4 #hjd ,dan4 #i3ah1 #ae1 #bj2 #aj3h4 #hje ,job #db3f4 #hjf ,isa4 #f3c1 #e4 #hjg ,cor4 #ab3b-d 7margin72 ,eph4 #c3h4 #hjh ,rev4 #a3ag4 #hji ,james #b3ad-bd4 #haj #a ,john #c3f4 #haa #a ,john #b3d1 #e4 #hab #a ,thess4 #e3bc4 #hac ,rom4 #ab3a4 #had #a ,peter #b3aa4 #hae #b ,cor4 #g3a4 #haf ,gal4 #e3bb1 #bc4 #hag ,rev4 #ba3bg4 #hah #a ,cor4 #f3ai1 #bj4 #hai #b ,cor4 #f3ag1 #ah4 #hbj ,john #h3ab4 #hba ,prov4 #d3ah4 #hbb ,col4 #a3i-aa4 #hbc ,eph4 #c3af-ai4 #hbd ,rom4 #h3cb4 #hbe ,luke #aa3ac4 #hbf ,john #ad3ad2 #af3bd4 #hbg ,rom4 #h3a4 #hbh ,heb4 #b3aa4 #hbi #a ,john #e3d4 #hcj ,neh4 #h3aj4 #hca ,phil4 #d3d2 #a ,thess4 #e3af-ah4 #hcb ,jer4 #b3ac4 #hcc ,ps4 #a3a-c4 #hcd ,jer4 #f3af4 #hce ,dan4 #g3i1 #aj1 ,r4,v4 #hcf ,ps4 #ij3b4 #hcg ,dan4 #g3ac1 #ad4 #hch #a ,peter #d3ag4 #hci ,rev4 #bj3ab4 #hdj ,luke #aj3bj4 #hda ,phil4 #d3c4 #hdb ,dan4 #ab3a2 ,rev4 #ba3bg4 #hdc ,mal4 #c3af4 #hdd ,neh4 #ac3ad4 #hde ,ps4 #ef3h4 #hdf ,eccl4 #ab3ad2 ,matt4 #ab3cf1 #cg4 #hdg #a ,cor4 #d3e4 #hdh ,isa4 #fe3f1 #g4 #hdi ,eccl4 #ab3ac1 #ad4 #hej ,james #b3ab4 #hea ,luke #bj3ce1 #cf4 #heb ,john #e3bi4 #hec #a ,john #b3a4 #hed ,heb4 #i3bd2 #g3be4 #hee ,ex4 #cb3cc4 #hef ,eze4 #ah3bd4 #heg ,isa4 #dc3be4 #heh ,rev4 #c3e2 ,matt4 #aj3cb1 #cc4 #hei ,micah #d3h4 #hfj ,ps4 #ea3ag4 #hfa ,zech4 #c3b4 #hfb ,eph4 #e3bg4 #hfc ,rev4 #c3d4 #hfd ,jer4 #ca3cd2 #ej3bj4 #hfe ,isa4 #d3b1 #c4 #hff ,acts #c3ai1 #bj4 #hfg ,heb4 #i3bh4 #hfh ,lev4 #af3bb4 #hfi ,heb4 #f3bj4 #hgj ,prov4 #bh3ac4 #hga #b ,cor4 #ab3i4 #hgb ,matt4 #aa3bi1 #cj4 #hgc ,mark #ac3cc4 #hgd ,rev4 #c3c4 #hge ,rev4 #bb3aa1 #ab4 #hgf ,matt4 #bd3ci4 #hgg ,mark #ac3ce1 #cf4 #hgh ,dan4 #e3bg4 #hgi ,col4 #a3af4 #hhj ,eze4 #bh3ab-ae1 #ag4 #hha ,ibid4 #hhb ,eze4 #bh3f2 ,isa4 #ad3ac1 #ad4 #hhc ,ex4 #cd3f1 #g4 #hhd ,john #ag3bd4 #hhe ,heb4 #a3f4 #hhf #b ,cor4 #e3ai4 #hhg ,heb4 #b3ad4 #hhh ,isa4 #ad3ac1 #ad2 ,eze4 #bh3ah1 #ai4 #hhi ,mal4 #d3a4 #hij ,nahum #a3i4 #hia ,gen4 #c3ae4 #hib #b ,tim4 #c3ab4 #hic #b ,cor4 #d3d4 #hid ,eph4 #f3ab 7margin74 #hie #a ,peter #e3h4 #hif ,eph4 #f3aa4 #hig ,heb #a3ad4 #hih ,job #ch3g4 #hii ,ps4 #h3e4 #ijj ,ps4 #ajc3ai-ba2 ,rev4 #e3aa4 #ija ,dan4 #g3aj2 ,heb4 #ab3bb4 #ijb ,eze4 #a3ad4 #ijc ,matt4 #bh3c1 #d4 #ijd #b ,kings #ai3ce2 #b ,chron4 #cb3ba4 #ije ,job #a3i1 #aj4 #ijf ,ps4 #cd3g4 #ijg ,matt4 #ah3aj4 #ijh ,mark #e3i4 #iji ,mark #g3bf-cj4 #iaj ,matt4 #ab3bb4 #iaa ,mark #i3ag-bg4 #iab ,luke #d3cc-cf4 #iac ,luke #d3cf4 #iad ,job #a3f4 #iae ,matt4 #g3af4 #iaf ,rev4 #ab3aj4 #iag ,hab4 #b3b4 #iah ,ps4 #ig3aa4 #iai #a ,tim4 #f3bj4 #ibj #b ,thess4 #b3aj-ab4 #iba #a ,cor4 #b3ad4 #ibb ,matt4 #bd3bc-bf4 #ibc ,rom4 #aa3cc4 #ibd ,john #a3i4 #ibe ,matt4 #g3g2 ,john #g3ag4 #ibf ,zech4 #d3f4 #ibg #a ,peter #c3ab1 #ac4 #ibh ,num4 #bc3h1 #aj1 #bj1 #ba1 #bc2 #bd3i4 #ibi ,ibid4 #icj ,gen4 #c3a4 #ica ,gen4 #c3b4 #icb ,gen4 #c3ai4 #icc ,rom4 #e3ab2 #b ,tim4 #a3aj4 #icd ,john #c3cf4 #ice ,rom4 #b3g4 #icf ,eze4 #ah3bj4 #icg ,gen4 #c3bd4 #ich ,eze4 #cc3aa4 #ici ,rev4 #ad3h2 #ag3b4 #idj #b ,sam4 #ac3ci4 #ida #a ,cor4 #f3aj4 #idb ,rev4 #ba3f1 #g4 #idc ,ibid4 #idd ,isa4 #c3aj1 #aa4 #ide ,eccl4 #h3ab1 #ac4 #idf ,rom4 #b3e1 #f1 #i4 #idg ,eph4 #e3e1 ,a4,r4,v4 #idh ,heb4 #ab3ad4 #idi ,rev4 #bb3ad1 #ae4 #iej ,ex4 #cd3f1 #g4 #iea ,ps4 #ade3bj2 #cg3ch4 #ieb ,gen4 #f3e1 #aa4 #iec ,rom4 #f3bc4 #ied ,deut4 #cj3ae4 #iee ,acts #bd3ae4 #ief #a ,cor4 #ae3bb4 #ieg ,john #e3bh1 #bi4 #ieh ,rev4 #bj3f4 #iei ,ps4 #cg3aj2 ,obadiah #af4 #ifj ,ps4 #i3e1 #f4 #ifa ,rev4 #e3ac4 #ifb ,ps4 #adf3d4 #ifc ,eccl4 #i3e1 #f1 #aj4 #ifd ,isa4 #ch3ah1 #ai4 #ife ,ps4 #f3e2 #aae3ag4 #iff ,acts #b3bi1 #cd4 #ifg #a ,cor4 #ae3af-ah4 #ifh ,tyndale1 ,wm41 ,preface to 8,new ,testament0 7ed4 #aecd74 ,reprinted in 8,british ,reformers--,tindal1 ,frith1 ,barnes10 p4 #cdi 7ed4 #ahcj74 #ifi ,commentary on the ,new ,testament1 ,vol4 ,,ii1 general comments on #a ,corinthians #ae1 par4 #c4 #igj ,john #ad3b1 #c4 #iga #a ,thess4 #d3af-ah4 #igb ,acts #ag3ca4 #igc ,jude #f1 #ad1 #ae4 #igd ,rev4 #bj3ab4 #ige ,matt4 #be3ba1 #da4 #igf ,ibid4 #igg ,petavel1 ,e41 8,the ,problem of ,immortality10 p4 #bee 7ed4 #ahib74 #igh ,luther's 8,exposition of ,solomon's ,booke ,called ,ecclesiastes10 p4 #aeb 7ed4 #aegc1 ,london74 #igi #a ,thess4 #d3ad2 ,job #ad3aj-ab4 #ihj ,eccl4 #ab3f4 #iha ,job #ad3ba4 #ihb #a ,cor4 #ae3eb-ee4 #ihc ,ibid4 #ihd #b ,thess4 #b3i1 #aj4 #ihe ,rev4 #ac3ac1 #ad4 #ihf ,james #c3ae4 #ihg ,gen4 #c3e4 #ihh ,compare ,num4 #be3a-c2 ,ps4 #ajf3bh2 #a ,cor4 #aj3bj2 ,rev4 #af3ad4 #ihi ,lev4 #ai3ca2 #bj3bg4 #iij ,mal4 #b3ag4 #iia ,isa4 #e3bj4 #iib ,isa4 #h3ai1 #bj4 #iic #b ,thess4 #b3aj1 #aa4 #iid ,rev4 #c3aj4 #iie ,ibid4 #iif ,isa4 #bh3ae4 #iig ,gen4 #c3d1 #e4 #iih ,rev4 #af3ac1 #ad4 #iii ,isa4 #bh3ag1 #ah4 #ajjj ,mosheim1 8,eccl4 ,hist410 b4 #c1 cent4 #aa1 part #b1 ch4 #b1 par4 #i1 note #a4 #ajja ,strong1 ,dr4 ,josiah1 8,our ,country10 ch4 #e1 pars4 #a-c4 #ajjb ,matt4 #bc3d4 #ajjc ,matt4 #aa3bh4 #ajjd ,luke #i3ed1 #ef4 #ajje #b ,thess4 #b3c1 #d4 #ajjf ,lenfant1 8,history of the ,council of ,constance10 ,vol4 ,i1 p4 #eaf 7ed4 #agbh74 #ajjg ,a4,d4 #cba2 see ,appendix4 #ajjh ,cox1 ,r41 8,sabbath ,laws and ,sabbath ,duties10 p4 #ech 7ed4 #ahec74 #ajji ,west1 ,francis1 8,historical and ,practical ,discourse on the ,lord's ,day10 p4 #agd4 #ajaj ,morer1 ,tho41 8,discourse in ,six ,dialogues on the ,name1 ,notion1 and ,observation of the ,lord's ,day10 p4 #bga 7ed4 #agja74 #ajaa ,see ,heylyn1 8,history of the ,sabbath10 ,part ,,ii1 ch4 #e1 sec4 #g4 #ajab ,see ,roger de ,hoveden1 8,annals10 ,vol4 ,,ii1 pp4 #ebh-ecj 7,bohn ed474 #ajac ,morer1 8,dialogues on the ,lord's ,day10 pp4 #bij1 #bia4 #ajad ,idem1 pp4 #bha1 #bhb4 #ajae ,see 8,church ,history of ,ethiopia10 pp4 #caa1 #cab4 #ajaf ,see ,appendix4 #ajag ,rev4 #ac3aa-af4 #ajah ,rev4 #ac3c4 #ajai #b ,thess4 #b3h4 #ajbj ,rev4 #ac3h4 #ajba ,dowling1 ,j41 8,history of ,romanism10 b4 #e1 ch4 #f1 sec4 #ee4 #ajbb ,mosheim1 8,ecclesiastical ,history10 b4 #c1 cent4 #aa1 part #b1 ch4 #b1 sec4 #i1 note #h 7tr4 by ,murdock74 ,see also ,appendix4 #ajbc ,james #b3aj4 #ajbd ,isa4 #ei3ad4 #ajbe ,isa4 #bd3d1 #e4 #ajbf #a ,kings #ah3ag1 #ah4 #ajbg ,rev4 #ab3ag4 #ajbh ,isa4 #h3bj4 #ajbi ,rev4 #ad3i-aa4 #ajcj #b ,tim4 #d3c4 #ajca ,prov4 #af3be4 #ajcb ,mark #ab3bd4 #ajcc ,john #g3ag4 #ajcd ,ps4 #aai3ah4 #ajce ,isa4 #ei3ai4 #ajcf ,john #ad3bf4 #ajcg ,ps4 #aai3aa4 #ajch ,heb4 #aj3bi4 #ajci ,eph4 #e3ad-af4 #ajdj ,ps4 #aai3ii1 #ajd4 #ajda ,prov4 #c3ac2 ,jer4 #ag3h4 #ajdb ,rev4 #ah3a1 #b1 #d4 #ajdc ,rev4 #ad3h4 #ajdd ,rev4 #ah3e4 #ajde ,rev4 #ac3af4 #ajdf ,rev4 #ad3i1 #aj4 #ajdg #b ,tim4 #c3ab4 #ajdh ,hosea #f3c4 #ajdi ,joel #b3bc4 #ajej ,acts #b3ag1 #ba4 #ajea ,acts #c3ai1 #bj4 #ajeb ,rev4 #ac3ac4 #ajec ,dan #ab3a4 #ajed ,rev4 #bb3aa4 #ajee ,john #aa3ej4 #ajef ,jer4 #cj3e-g4 #ajeg ,gen4 #cb3bd-cj4 #ajeh ,hosea #ab3d4 #ajei ,rev4 #c3aj4 #ajfj ,isa4 #bg3e4 #ajfa ,gen4 #cb3cj4 #ajfb ,eze4 #ad3bj4 #ajfc ,john #ad3cj4 #ajfd ,rev4 #ab3ab4 #ajfe ,rev4 #a3ac-ae4 #ajff ,acts #h3aj4 #ajfg ,matt4 #bd3bd-bg1 #ca2 #be3ca2 ,rev4 #a3g2 #a ,thess4 #d3af1 #ag4 #ajfh ,isa4 #cc3af4 #ajfi ,isa4 #di3ad-af4 #ajgj ,zech4 #b3h4 #ajga ,isa4 #bh3ba4 #ajgb ,eze4 #cc3aa4 #ajgc ,ex4 #cd3f1 #g2 ,nahum #a3c4 #ajgd ,rev4 #ad3i1 #aj4 #ajge ,rev4 #af3b-f1 #h1 #i4 #ajgf ,ibid4 #ajgg ,joel #a3aj-ab1 #ag-bj2 ,amos #h3c4 #ajgh ,amos #h3aa1 #ab4 #ajgi ,isa4 #cc3af2 #da3ag4 #ajhj ,hab4 #c3ag1 #ah4 #ajha ,ps4 #aba3e-g2 #ia3c-aj4 #ajhb ,matt4 #bg3db4 #ajhc ,luke #ah3g1 #h4 #ajhd ,ps4 #cd3g4 #ajhe ,isa4 #ba3aa1 #ab4 #ajhf ,isa4 #ea4aa-af4 #ajhg ,isa4 #ea3ba-bc4 #ajhh ,mal4 #c3ag4 #ajhi ,ps4 #bg3e4 #ajij ,isa4 #bf3bj1 #ba4 #ajia ,isa4 #cj3bi1 #cj4 #ajib ,john #ag3bd4 #ajic ,rev4 #af3ag1 #ah4 #ajid ,rev4 #af3ag1 #ah4 #ajie ,rev4 #af3ai1 #ba4 #ajif ,dan4 #ab3b4 #ajig ,rev4 #a3g4 #ajih ,isa4 #ac3f4 #ajii ,isa4 #b3aj-ab1 #bj1 #ba 7margin74 #aajj ,ps4 #df3a-c4 #aaja ,ps4 #ej3f4 #aajb ,mal4 #c3ah4 #aajc ,rev4 #ai3aa1 #ad4 #aajd ,hab4 #c3c1 #d4 #aaje ,rev4 #ai3af4 #aajf ,jer4 #cj3f2 ,nahum #b3aj4 #aajg ,ps4 #ej3c1 #d4 #aajh ,rev4 #f3ae-ag4 #aaji ,isa4 #i4e4 #aaaj ,eze4 #cc3aa4 #aaaa ,prov4 #a3bd1 #be4 #aaab ,matt4 #bf3fd4 #aaac ,matt4 #bg3db1 #dc4 #aaad ,prov4 #a3bg4 #aaae ,isa4 #be3i4 #aaaf #a ,cor4 #ae3ee4 #aaag ,mal4 #d3b4 #aaah ,rev4 #b3ag4 #aaai ,rev4 #a3e1 #f4 #aabj ,jude #bd4 #aaba ,rev4 #ae3b4 #aabb ,rev4 #ad3a-e2 #ae3c4 #aabc ,ibid4 #aabd ,rev4 #g3ad-ag4 #aabe ,ibid4 #aabf ,ibid4 #aabg ,ps4 #ej3f4 #aabh ,isa4 #be3h4 #aabi ,isa4 #fb3ab2 #fa3c4 #aacj ,rev4 #g3aj1 #ab4 #aaca ,rev4 #ah3e-aj4 #aacb ,rev4 #ah3c1 #ae-ag4 #aacc ,jer4 #h3aa2 ,eze4 #ac3bb4 #aacd ,jer4 #bc3a1 #b2 #be3cd1 #ce 7margin74 #aace ,jer4 #be3ca4 #aacf ,eze4 #i3a-f4 #aacg ,ibid4 #aach ,isa4 #bf3ba4 #aaci ,zech4 #ad3ab1 #ac4 #aadj ,jer4 #be3cc4 #aada ,isa4 #bd3a1 #c1 #e1 #f4 #aadb ,lev4 #af3ba4 #aadc ,rev4 #bj3a-c4 #aadd ,gen4 #a3b4 ,the word here translated 8deep0 is the same that in ,rev4 #bj3a-c is rendered 8bottomless pit40 #aade ,jer4 #d3bc-bg4 #aadf ,isa4 #ad3ab-ag4 #aadg ,isa4 #ad3ah-bj4 #aadh ,isa4 #ad3c-f1 ,r4 ,v4 #aadi #a ,cor4 #d3e4 #aaej ,dan4 #g3bb4 #aaea ,rev4 #bj3d1 #f2 #a ,cor4 #f3b1 #c4 #aaeb ,ibid4 #aaec ,ibid4 #aaed ,jude #f4 #aaee ,rev4 #bj3e2 ,isa4 #bd3bb4 #aaef ,ibid4 #aaeg ,zech4 #ad3e1 #d1 #i4 #aaeh ,rev4 #g3i4 #aaei ,rev4 #bj3aa1 #ab4 #aafj ,matt4 #be3dj4 #aafa ,rev4 #ae3c4 #aafb ,rev4 #ae3d4 #aafc ,ps4 #ade3aj4 #aafd ,rev4 #e3ab4 #aafe ,eze4 #bh3f-h1 #af-ai4 #aaff ,isa4 #i3e2 #cd3b2 ,ps4 #aa3f 7margin74 #aafg ,mal4 #d3a2 #b ,peter #c3aj4 #aafh ,isa4 #cd3h2 ,prov4 #aa3ca4 #aafi ,ibid4 #aagj ,mal4 #d3a4 #aaga ,isa4 #ad3g4 #aagb ,rev4 #bj3f2 ,ps4 #hd3aa4 #aagc ,rev4 #ba3a4 #aagd ,hab4 #c3d 7margin74 #aage ,micah #d3h2 ,eph4 #a3ad4 #aagf ,ibid4 #aagg ,isa4 #de3ah4 #aagh ,ps4 #cg3bi4 #aagi #a ,cor4 #b3i4 #aahj ,heb4 #aa3ad-af4 #aaha ,isa4 #cb3ah2 #fj3ah2 #fe3ba1 #bb4 #aahb ,isa4 #ce3a2 #ee3ac4 #aahc ,isa4 #aa3f1 #i2 #cc3bd2 #fb3c2 #fe3ai4 #aahd ,rev4 #ba3d1 #aa1 #bd1 #c4 #aahe ,ibid4 #aahf ,ibid4 #aahg ,ibid4 #aahh ,ibid4 #aahi ,ibid4 #aaij ,rev4 #bb3e2 #ba3bb4 #aaia ,ibid4 #aaib #a ,cor4 #ac3ab4 #aaic ,eph4 #c3ae4 #aaid ,rev4 #e3ac4