the great controversy-第106章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


points　to　the　downfall　of　the　papacy　in　1798。　After　this；　says　the　prophet；
〃his　deadly　wound　was　healed：　and　all　the　world　wondered　after　the　beast。〃
Paul　states　plainly　that　the　〃man　of　sin〃　will　continue　until　the　second
advent。　2　Thessalonians　2：3…8。　To　the　very　close　of　time　he　will　carry
forward　the　work　of　deception。　And　the　revelator　declares；　also　referring　to
the　papacy：　〃All　that　dwell　upon　the　earth　shall　worship　him；　whose　names
are　not　written　in　the　book　of　life。〃　Revelation　13：8。　In　both　the　Old　and
the　New　World；　the　papacy　will　receive　homage　in　the　honor　paid　to　the
Sunday　institution；　that　rests　solely　upon　the　authority　of　the　Roman
Church。

Since　the　middle　of　the　nineteenth　century；　students　of　prophecy　in　the
United　States　have　presented　this　testimony　to　the　world。　In　the　events　now
taking　place　is　seen　a　rapid　advance　toward　the　fulfillment　of　the
prediction。　With　Protestant　teachers　there　is　the　same　claim　of　divine
authority　for　Sundaykeeping；　and　the　same　lack　of　Scriptural　evidence；　as
with　the　papal　leaders　who　fabricated　miracles　to　supply　the　place　of　a
command　from　God。　The　assertion　that　God's　judgments　are　visited　upon　men
for　their　violation　of　the

580

Sunday…sabbath；　will　be　repeated；　already　it　is　beginning　to　be　urged。　And　a
movement　to　enforce　Sunday　observance　is　fast　gaining　ground。

Marvelous　in　her　shrewdness　and　cunning　is　the　Roman　Church。　She　can　read
what　is　to　be。　She　bides　her　time；　seeing　that　the　Protestant　churches　are
paying　her　homage　in　their　acceptance　of　the　false　sabbath　and　that　they　are
preparing　to　enforce　it　by　the　very　means　which　she　herself　employed　in
bygone　days。　Those　who　reject　the　light　of　truth　will　yet　seek　the　aid　of
this　self…styled　infallible　power　to　exalt　an　institution　that　originated
with　her。　How　readily　she　will　come　to　the　help　of　Protestants　in　this　work
it　is　not　difficult　to　conjecture。　Who　understands　better　than　the　papal
leaders　how　to　deal　with　those　who　are　disobedient　to　the　church？

The　Roman　Catholic　Church；　with　all　its　ramifications　throughout　the　world；
forms　one　vast　organization　under　the　control；　and　designed　to　serve　the
interests；　of　the　papal　see。　Its　millions　of　communicants；　in　every　country
on　the　globe；　are　instructed　to　hold　themselves　as　bound　in　allegiance　to
the　pope。　Whatever　their　nationality　or　their　government；　they　are　to　regard
the　authority　of　the　church　as　above　all　other。　Though　they　may　take　the
oath　pledging　their　loyalty　to　the　state；　yet　back　of　this　lies　the　vow　of
obedience　to　Rome；　absolving　them　from　every　pledge　inimical　to　her
interests。

History　testifies　of　her　artful　and　persistent　efforts　to　insinuate　herself
into　the　affairs　of　nations；　and　having　gained　a　foothold；　to　further　her
own　aims；　even　at　the　ruin　of　princes　and　people。　In　the　year　1204；　Pope
Innocent　III　extracted　from　Peter　II；　king　of　Arragon；　the　following
extraordinary　oath：　〃I；　Peter；　king　of　Arragonians；　profess　and　promise　to
be　ever　faithful　and　obedient　to　my　lord；　Pope　Innocent；　to　his　Catholic
successors；　and　the　Roman　Church；　and　faithfully　to　preserve　my　kingdom　in
his　obedience；　defending　the　Catholic　faith；　and　persecuting　heretical
pravity。〃　John　Dowling；　The　History　of　Romanism；　b。　5；　ch。　6；　sec。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　581

55。　This　is　in　harmony　with　the　claims　regarding　the　power
of　the　Roman　pontiff　〃that　it　is　lawful　for　him　to　depose　emperors〃　and
〃that　he　can　absolve　subjects　from　their　allegiance　to　unrighteous
rulers。〃Mosheim；　b。　3；　cent。　11；　pt。　2；　ch。　2；　sec。　9；　note　17。　（See　also
Appendix。）

And　let　it　be　remembered；　it　is　the　boast　of　Rome　that　she　never　changes。
The　principles　of　Gregory　VII　and　Innocent　III　are　still　the　principles　of
the　Roman　Catholic　Church。　And　had　she　but　the　power；　she　would　put　them　in
practice　with　as　much　vigor　now　as　in　past　centuries。　Protestants　little
know　what　they　are　doing　when　they　propose　to　accept　the　aid　of　Rome　in　the
work　of　Sunday　exaltation。　While　they　are　bent　upon　the　accomplishment　of
their　purpose；　Rome　is　aiming　to　re…establish　her　power；　to　recover　her　lost
supremacy。　Let　the　principle　once　be　established　in　the　United　States　that
the　church　may　employ　or　control　the　power　of　the　state；　that　religious
observances　may　be　enforced　by　secular　laws；　in　short；　that　the　authority　of
church　and　state　is　to　dominate　the　conscience；　and　the　triumph　of　Rome　in
this　country　is　assured。

God's　word　has　given　warning　of　the　impending　danger；　let　this　be　unheeded；
and　the　Protestant　world　will　learn　what　the　purposes　of　Rome　really　are；
only　when　it　is　too　late　to　escape　the　snare。　She　is　silently　growing　into
power。　Her　doctrines　are　exerting　their　influence　in　legislative　halls；　in
the　churches；　and　in　the　hearts　of　men。　She　is　piling　up　her　lofty　and
massive　structures　in　the　secret　recesses　of　which　her　former　persecutions
will　be　repeated。　Stealthily　and　unsuspectedly　she　is　strengthening　her
forces　to　further　her　own　ends　when　the　time　shall　come　for　her　to　strike。
All　that　she　desires　is　vantage　ground；　and　this　is　already　being　given　her。
We　shall　soon　see　and　shall　feel　what　the　purpose　of　the　Roman　element　is。
Whoever　shall　believe　and　obey　the　word　of　God　will　thereby　incur　reproach
and　persecution。





（582）

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　36

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Impending　Conflict


From　the　very　beginning　of　the　great　controversy　in　heaven　it　has　been
Satan's　purpose　to　overthrow　the　law　of　God。　It　was　to　accomplish　this　that
he　entered　upon　his　rebellion　against　the　Creator；　and　though　he　was　cast
out　of　heaven　he　has　continued　the　same　warfare　upon　the　earth。　To　deceive
men；　and　thus　lead　them　to　transgress　God's　law；　is　the　object　which　he　has
steadfastly　pursued。　Whether　this　be　accomplished　by　casting　aside　the　law
altogether；　or　by　rejecting　one　of　its　precepts；　the　result　will　be
ultimately　the　same。　He　that　offends　〃in　one　point；〃　manifests　contempt　for
the　whole　law；　his　influence　and　example　are　on　the　side　of　transgression；
he　becomes　〃guilty　of　all。〃　James　2：10。

In　seeking　to　cast　contempt　upon　the　divine　statutes；　Satan　has　perverted
the　doctrines　of　the　Bible；　and　errors　have　thus　become　incorporated　into
the　faith　of　thousands　who　profess　to　believe　the　Scriptures。　The　last　great
conflict　between　truth　and　error　is　but　the　final　struggle　of　the
long…standing　controversy　concerning　the　law　of　God。　Upon　this　battle　we　are
now　enteringa　battle　between　the　laws　of　men　and　the　precepts　of　Jehovah；
between　the　religion　of　the　Bible　and　the　religion　of　fable　and　tradition。

The　agencies　which　will　unite　against　truth　and　righteousness　in　this
contest　are　now　actively　at　work。　God's　holy　word；　which　has　been　handed
down　to　us　at　such　a　cost　of

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　583

suffering　and　blood；　is　but　little　valued。　The　Bible　is　within　the　reach　of
all；　but　there　are　few　who　really　accept　it　as　the　guide　of　life。　Infidelity
prevails　to　an　alarming　extent；　not　in　the　world　merely；　but　in　the　church。
Many　have　come　to　deny　doctrines　which　are　the　very　pillars　of　the　Christian
faith。　The　great　facts　of　creation　as　presented　by　the　inspired　writers；　the
fall　of　man；　the　atonement；　and　the　perpetuity　of　the　law　of　God；　are
practically　rejected；　either　wholly　or　in　part；　by　a　large　share　of　the
professedly　Christian　world。　Thousands　who　pride　themselves　upon　their
wisdom　and　independence　regard　it　as　an　evidence　of　weakness　to　place
implicit　confidence　in　the　Bible；　they　think　it　a　proof　of　superior　talent
and　learning　to　cavil　at　the　Scriptures　and　to　spiritualize　and　explain　away
their　most　important　truths。　Many　ministers　are　teaching　their　people；　and
many　professors　and　teachers　are　instructing　their　students；　that　the　law　of
God　has　been　changed　or　abrogated；　and　those　who　regard　its　requirements　as
still　valid；　to　be　literally　obeyed；　are　thought　to　be　deserving　only　of
ridicule　or　contempt。

In　rejecting　the　truth；　men　reject　its　Author。　In　trampling　upon　the　law　of
God；　they　deny　the　authority　of　the　Law…giver。　It　is　as　easy　to　make　an　idol
of　false　doctrines　and　theories　as　to　fashion　an　idol　of　wood　or　stone。　By
misrepresenting　the　attributes　of　God；　Satan　leads　men　to　conceive　of　Him　in
a　false　character。　With　many；　a　philosophical　idol　is　enthroned　in　the　place
of　Jehovah；　while　the　living　God；　as　He　is　revealed　in　His　word；　in　Christ；
and　in　the　works　of　creation；　is　worshiped　by　but　few。　Thousands　deify
nature　while　they　deny　the　God　of　nature。　Though　in　a　different　form；
idolatry　exists　in　the　Christian　world　today　as　verily　as　it　existed　among
ancient　Israel　in　the　days　of　Elijah。　The　god　of　many　professedly　wise　men；
of　philosophers；　poets；　politicians；　journaliststhe　god　of　polished
fashionable　circles；　of　many　colleges　and　universities；　even　of　some
theological　institutionsis　little　better　than　Baal；　the　sun…god　of
Phoenicia。

584


No　error　accepted　by　the　Christian　world　strikes　more　boldly　against　the
authority　of　Heaven；　none　is　more　directly　opposed　to　the　dictates　of
reason；　none　is　more　pernicious　in　its　results；　than　the　modern　doctrine；　so
rapidly　gaining　ground；　that　God's　law　is　no　longer　binding　upon　men。　Every
nation　has　its　laws；　which　command　respect　and　obedience；　no　government
could　exist　without　them；　and　can　it　be　conceived　that　the　Creator　of　the
heavens　and　the　earth　has　no　law　to　govern　the　beings　He　has　made？　Suppose
that　prominent　ministers　were　publicly　to　teach　that　the　statutes　which
govern　their　land　and　protect　the　rights　of　its　citizens　were　not
obligatorythat　they　restricted　the　liberties　of　the　people；　and　therefore
ought　not　to　be　obeyed；　how　long　would　such　men　be　tolerated　in　the　pulpit？
But　is　it　a　graver　offense　to　disregard　the　laws　of　states　and　nations　than
to　trample　upon　those　divine　precepts　which　are　the　foundation　of　all
government？

It　would　be　far　more　consistent　for　nations　to　abolish　their　statutes；　and
permit　the　people　to　do　as　they　please；　than　for　the　Ruler　of　the　universe
to　annul　His　law；　and　leave　the　world　without　a　standard　to　condemn　the
guilty　or　justify　the　obedient。　Would　we　know　the　result　of　making　void　the
law　of　God？　The　experiment　has　been　tried。　Terrible　were　the　scenes　enacted
in　France　when　atheism　became　the　controlling　power。　It　was　then
demonstrated　to　the　world　that　to　throw　off　the　restraints　which　God　has
imposed　is　to　accept　the　rule　of　the　cruelest　of　tyrants。　When　the　standard
of　righteousness　is　set　aside；　the　way　is　open　for　the　prince　of　evil　to
establish　his　power　in　the　earth。

Wherever　the　divine　precepts　are　rejected；　sin　ceases　to　appear　sinful　or
righteousness　desirable。　Those　who　refuse　to　submit　to　the　government　of　God
are　wholly　unfitted　to　govern　themselves。　Through　their　pernicious　teachings
the　spirit　of　insubordination　is　implanted　in　the　hearts　of　children　and
youth；　who　are　naturally　impatient　of　control；　and　a　lawless；　licentious
state　of　society　results。　While　scoffing　at　the　credulity　of　those　who　obey
the　requirements　of　God；