the great controversy-第104章

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luxury　and　sensual　pleasure。

The　worship　of　images　and　relics；　the　invocation　of　saints；　and　the
exaltation　of　the　pope　are　devices　of　Satan　to　attract　the　minds　of　the
people　from　God　and　from　His　Son。　To　accomplish　their　ruin；　he　endeavors　to
turn　their　attention　from　Him　through　whom　alone　they　can　find　salvation。　He
will　direct　them　to　any　object　that　can　be　substituted　for　the　One　who　has
said：　〃Come　unto　Me；　all　ye　that　labor　and

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are　heavy…laden；　and　I　will　give　you　rest。〃　Matthew　11：28。

It　is　Satan's　constant　effort　to　misrepresent　the　character　of　God；　the
nature　of　sin；　and　the　real　issues　at　stake　in　the　great　controversy。　His
sophistry　lessens　the　obligation　of　the　divine　law　and　gives　men　license　to
sin。　At　the　same　time　he　causes　them　to　cherish　false　conceptions　of　God　so
that　they　regard　Him　with　fear　and　hate　rather　than　with　love。　The　cruelty
inherent　in　his　own　character　is　attributed　to　the　Creator；　it　is　embodied
in　systems　of　religion　and　expressed　in　modes　of　worship。　Thus　the　minds　of
men　are　blinded；　and　Satan　secures　them　as　his　agents　to　war　against　God。　By
perverted　conceptions　of　the　divine　attributes；　heathen　nations　were　led　to
believe　human　sacrifices　necessary　to　secure　the　favor　of　Deity；　and
horrible　cruelties　have　been　perpetrated　under　the　various　forms　of
idolatry。

The　Roman　Catholic　Church；　uniting　the　forms　of　paganism　and　Christianity；
and；　like　paganism；　misrepresenting　the　character　of　God；　had　resorted　to
practices　no　less　cruel　and　revolting。　In　the　days　of　Rome's　supremacy　there
were　instruments　of　torture　to　compel　assent　to　her　doctrines。　There　was　the
stake　for　those　who　would　not　concede　to　her　claims。　There　were　massacres　on
a　scale　that　will　never　be　known　until　revealed　in　the　judgment。　Dignitaries
of　the　church　studied；　under　Satan　their　master；　to　invent　means　to　cause
the　greatest　possible　torture　and　not　end　the　life　of　the　victim。　In　many
cases　the　infernal　process　was　repeated　to　the　utmost　limit　of　human
endurance；　until　nature　gave　up　the　struggle；　and　the　sufferer　hailed　death
as　a　sweet　release。

Such　was　the　fate　of　Rome's　opponents。　For　her　adherents　she　had　the
discipline　of　the　scourge；　of　famishing　hunger；　of　bodily　austerities　in
every　conceivable；　heart…sickening　form。　To　secure　the　favor　of　Heaven；
penitents　violated　the　laws　of　God　by　violating　the　laws　of　nature。　They
were　taught　to　sunder　the　ties　which　He　has　formed　to　bless　and　gladden
man's　earthly　sojourn。　The　churchyard　contains　millions　of

570

victims　who　spent　their　lives　in　vain　endeavors　to　subdue　their　natural
affections；　to　repress；　as　offensive　to　God；　every　thought　and　feeling　of
sympathy　with　their　fellow　creatures。

If　we　desire　to　understand　the　determined　cruelty　of　Satan；　manifested　for
hundreds　of　years；　not　among　those　who　never　heard　of　God；　but　in　the　very
heart　and　throughout　the　extent　of　Christendom；　we　have　only　to　look　at　the
history　of　Romanism。　Through　this　mammoth　system　of　deception　the　prince　of
evil　achieves　his　purpose　of　bringing　dishonor　to　God　and　wretchedness　to
man。　And　as　we　see　how　he　succeeds　in　disguising　himself　and　accomplishing
his　work　through　the　leaders　of　the　church；　we　may　better　understand　why　he
has　so　great　antipathy　to　the　Bible。　If　that　Book　is　read；　the　mercy　and
love　of　God　will　be　revealed；　it　will　be　seen　that　He　lays　upon　men　none　of
these　heavy　burdens。　All　that　He　asks　is　a　broken　and　contrite　heart；　a
humble；　obedient　spirit。

Christ　gives　no　example　in　His　life　for　men　and　women　to　shut　themselves　in
monasteries　in　order　to　become　fitted　for　heaven。　He　has　never　taught　that
love　and　sympathy　must　be　repressed。　The　Saviour's　heart　overflowed　with
love。　The　nearer　man　approaches　to　moral　perfection；　the　keener　are　his
sensibilities；　the　more　acute　is　his　perception　of　sin；　and　the　deeper　his
sympathy　for　the　afflicted。　The　pope　claims　to　be　the　vicar　of　Christ；　but
how　does　his　character　bear　comparison　with　that　of　our　Saviour？　Was　Christ
ever　known　to　consign　men　to　the　prison　or　the　rack　because　they　did　not　pay
Him　homage　as　the　King　of　heaven？　Was　His　voice　heard　condemning　to　death
those　who　did　not　accept　Him？　When　He　was　slighted　by　the　people　of　a
Samaritan　village；　the　apostle　John　was　filled　with　indignation；　and
inquired：　〃Lord；　wilt　Thou　that　we　command　fire　to　come　down　from　heaven；
and　consume　them；　even　as　Elias　did？〃　Jesus　looked　with　pity　upon　His
disciple；　and　rebuked　his　harsh　spirit；　saying：　〃The　Son　of　man　is　not　come
to　destroy　men's　lives；　but　to　save　them。〃　Luke　9：54；　56。　How　different　from

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the　spirit　manifested　by　Christ　is　that　of　His　professed　vicar。

The　Roman　Church　now　presents　a　fair　front　to　the　world；　covering　with
apologies　her　record　of　horrible　cruelties。　She　has　clothed　herself　in
Christlike　garments；　but　she　is　unchanged。　Every　principle　of　the　papacy
that　existed　in　past　ages　exists　today。　The　doctrines　devised　in　the　darkest
ages　are　still　held。　Let　none　deceive　themselves。　The　papacy　that
Protestants　are　now　so　ready　to　honor　is　the　same　that　ruled　the　world　in
the　days　of　the　Reformation；　when　men　of　God　stood　up；　at　the　peril　of　their
lives；　to　expose　her　iniquity。　She　possesses　the　same　pride　and　arrogant
assumption　that　lorded　it　over　kings　and　princes；　and　claimed　the
prerogatives　of　God。　Her　spirit　is　no　less　cruel　and　despotic　now　than　when
she　crushed　out　human　liberty　and　slew　the　saints　of　the　Most　High。

The　papacy　is　just　what　prophecy　declared　that　she　would　be；　the　apostasy　of
the　latter　times。　2　Thessalonians　2：3；　4。　It　is　a　part　of　her　policy　to
assume　the　character　which　will　best　accomplish　her　purpose；　but　beneath　the
variable　appearance　of　the　chameleon　she　conceals　the　invariable　venom　of
the　serpent。　〃Faith　ought　not　to　be　kept　with　heretics；　nor　persons
suspected　of　heresy〃　（Lenfant；　volume　1；　page　516）；　she　declares。　Shall　this
power；　whose　record　for　a　thousand　years　is　written　in　the　blood　of　the
saints；　be　now　acknowledged　as　a　part　of　the　church　of　Christ？

It　is　not　without　reason　that　the　claim　has　been　put　forth　in　Protestant
countries　that　Catholicism　differs　less　widely　from　Protestantism　than　in
former　times。　There　has　been　a　change；　but　the　change　is　not　in　the　papacy。
Catholicism　indeed　resembles　much　of　the　Protestantism　that　now　exists；
because　Protestantism　has　so　greatly　degenerated　since　the　days　of　the
Reformers。

As　the　Protestants　churches　have　been　seeking　the　favor　of　the　world；　false
charity　has　blinded　their　eyes。　They　do　not　see　but　that　it　is　right　to
believe　good　of　all　evil；　and　as　the　inevitable　result　they　will　finally
believe　evil　of　all　good。

572

Instead　of　standing　in　defense　of　the　faith　once　delivered　to　the　saints；
they　are　now；　as　it　were；　apologizing　to　Rome　for　their　uncharitable　opinion
of　her；　begging　pardon　for　their　bigotry。

A　large　class；　even　of　those　who　look　upon　Romanism　with　no　favor；　apprehend
little　danger　from　her　power　and　influence。　Many　urge　that　the　intellectual
and　moral　darkness　prevailing　during　the　Middle　Ages　favored　the　spread　of
her　dogmas；　superstitions；　and　oppression；　and　that　the　greater　intelligence
of　modern　times；　the　general　diffusion　of　knowledge；　and　the　increasing
liberality　in　matters　of　religion　forbid　a　revival　of　intolerance　and
tyranny。　The　very　thought　that　such　a　state　of　things　will　exist　in　this
enlightened　age　is　ridiculed。　It　is　true　that　great　light；　intellectual；
moral；　and　religious；　is　shining　upon　this　generation。　In　the　open　pages　of
God's　Holy　Word；　light　from　heaven　has　been　shed　upon　the　world。　But　it
should　be　remembered　that　the　greater　the　light　bestowed；　the　greater　the
darkness　of　those　who　pervert　and　reject　it。

A　prayerful　study　of　the　Bible　would　show　Protestants　the　real　character　of
the　papacy　and　would　cause　them　to　abhor　and　to　shun　it；　but　many　are　so
wise　in　their　own　conceit　that　they　feel　no　need　of　humbly　seeking　God　that
they　may　be　led　into　the　truth。　Although　priding　themselves　on　their
enlightenment；　they　are　ignorant　both　of　the　Scriptures　and　of　the　power　of
God。　They　must　have　some　means　of　quieting　their　consciences；　and　they　seek
that　which　is　least　spiritual　and　humiliating。　What　they　desire　is　a　method
of　forgetting　God　which　shall　pass　as　a　method　of　remembering　Him。　The
papacy　is　well　adapted　to　meet　the　wants　of　all　these。　It　is　prepared　for
two　classes　of　mankind；　embracing　nearly　the　whole　worldthose　who　would　be
saved　by　their　merits；　and　those　who　would　be　saved　in　their　sins。　Here　is
the　secret　of　its　power。

A　day　of　great　intellectual　darkness　has　been　shown　to　be　favorable　to　the
success　of　the　papacy。　It　will　yet　be

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demonstrated　that　a　day　of　great　intellectual　light　is　equally　favorable　for
its　success。　In　past　ages；　when　men　were　without　God's　word　and　without　the
knowledge　of　the　truth；　their　eyes　were　blindfolded；　and　thousands　were
ensnared；　not　seeing　the　net　spread　for　their　feet。　In　this　generation　there
are　many　whose　eyes　become　dazzled　by　the　glare　of　human　speculations；
〃science　falsely　so　called；〃　they　discern　not　the　net；　and　walk　into　it　as
readily　as　if　blindfolded。　God　designed　that　man's　intellectual　powers
should　be　held　as　a　gift　from　his　Maker　and　should　be　employed　in　the
service　of　truth　and　righteousness；　but　when　pride　and　ambition　are
cherished；　and　men　exalt　their　own　theories　above　the　word　of　God；　then
intelligence　can　accomplish　greater　harm　than　ignorance。　Thus　the　false
science　of　the　present　day；　which　undermines　faith　in　the　Bible；　will　prove
as　successful　in　preparing　the　way　for　the　acceptance　of　the　papacy；　with
its　pleasing　forms；　as　did　the　withholding　of　knowledge　in　opening　the　way
for　its　aggrandizement　in　the　Dark　Ages。

In　the　movements　now　in　progress　in　the　United　States　to　secure　for　the
institutions　and　usages　of　the　church　the　support　of　the　state；　Protestants
are　following　in　the　steps　of　papists。　Nay；　more；　they　are　opening　the　door
for　the　papacy　to　regain　in　Protestant　America　the　supremacy　which　she　has
lost　in　the　Old　World。　And　that　which　gives　greater　significance　to　this
movement　is　the　fact　that　the　principal　object　contemplated　is　the
enforcement　of　Sunday　observancea　custom　which　originated　with　Rome；　and
which　she　claims　as　the　sign　of　her　authority。　It　is　the　spirit　of　the
papacythe　spirit　of　conformity　to　worldly　customs；　the　veneration　for
human　traditions　above　the　commandments　of　Godthat　is　permeating　the
Protestant　churches　and　leading　them　on　to　do　the　same　work　of　Sunday
exaltation　which　the　papacy　has　done　before　them。

If　the　reader　would　understand　the　agencies　to　be　employed　in　the
soon…coming　contest；　he　has　but　to　trace　the　record　of　the　means　which　Rome
employed　for　the　same

574

object　in　ages　past。　If　he　would　know　how　papists　and　Protestants　united
will　deal　with　those　who　reject　their　dogmas；　let　him　see　the　spirit　which
Rome　manifested　toward　the　Sabbath　and　its　defe