the great controversy-第52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！
triumphed today was suspected； condemned； tomorrow。 Violence and lust held
undisputed sway。
283
King； clergy； and nobles were compelled to submit to the atrocities of an
excited and maddened people。 Their thirst for vengeance was only stimulated
by the execution of the king； and those who had decreed his death soon
followed him to the scaffold。 A general slaughter of all suspected of
hostility to the Revolution was determined。 The prisons were crowded； at one
time containing more than two hundred thousand captives。 The cities of the
kingdom were filled with scenes of horror。 One party of revolutionists was
against another party； and France became a vast field for contending masses；
swayed by the fury of their passions。 〃In Paris one tumult succeeded
another； and the citizens were divided into a medley of factions； that
seemed intent on nothing but mutual extermination。〃 And to add to the
general misery； the nation became involved in a prolonged and devastating
war with the great powers of Europe。 〃The country was nearly bankrupt； the
armies were clamoring for arrears of pay； the Parisians were starving； the
provinces were laid waste by brigands； and civilization was almost
extinguished in anarchy and license。〃
All too well the people had learned the lessons of cruelty and torture which
Rome had so diligently taught。 A day of retribution at last had come。 It was
not now the disciples of Jesus that were thrust into dungeons and dragged to
the stake。 Long ago these had perished or been driven into exile。 Unsparing
Rome now felt the deadly power of those whom she had trained to delight in
deeds of blood。 〃The example of persecution which the clergy of France had
exhibited for so many ages； was now retorted upon them with signal vigor。
The scaffolds ran red with the blood of the priests。 The galleys and the
prisons； once crowded with Huguenots； were now filled with their
persecutors。 Chained to the bench and toiling at the oar； the Roman Catholic
clergy experienced all those woes which their church had so freely inflicted
on the gentle heretics。〃 （See Appendix。）
284
〃Then came those days when the most barbarous of all codes was administered
by the most barbarous of all tribunals； when no man could greet his
neighbors or say his prayers 。 。 。 without danger of committing a capital
crime； when spies lurked in every corner； when the guillotine was long and
hard at work every morning； when the jails were filled as close as the holds
of a slave ship； when the gutters ran foaming with blood into the Seine。 。 。
。 While the daily wagonloads of victims were carried to their doom through
the streets of Paris； the proconsuls； whom the sovereign committee had sent
forth to the departments； reveled in an extravagance of cruelty unknown even
in the capital。 The knife of the deadly machine rose and fell too slow for
their work of slaughter。 Long rows of captives were mowed down with
grapeshot。 Holes were made in the bottom of crowded barges。 Lyons was turned
into a desert。 At Arras even the cruel mercy of a speedy death was denied to
the prisoners。 All down the Loire； from Saumur to the sea； great flocks of
crows and kites feasted on naked corpses； twined together in hideous
embraces。 No mercy was shown to sex or age。 The number of young lads and of
girls of seventeen who were murdered by that execrable government； is to be
reckoned by hundreds。 Babies torn from the breast were tossed from pike to
pike along the Jacobin ranks。〃 （See Appendix。） In the short space of ten
years； multitudes of human beings perished。
All this was as Satan would have it。 This was what for ages he had been
working to secure。 His policy is deception from first to last； and his
steadfast purpose is to bring woe and wretchedness upon men； to deface and
defile the workmanship of God； to mar the divine purposes of benevolence and
love； and thus cause grief in heaven。 Then by his deceptive arts he blinds
the minds of men； and leads them to throw back the blame of his work upon
God； as if all this misery were the result of the Creator's plan。 In like
manner； when
285
those who have been degraded and brutalized through his cruel power achieve
their freedom； he urges them on to excesses and atrocities。 Then this
picture of unbridled license is pointed out by tyrants and oppressors as an
illustration of the results of liberty。
When error in one garb has been detected； Satan only masks it in a different
disguise； and multitudes receive it as eagerly as at the first。 When the
people found Romanism to be a deception； and he could not through this
agency lead them to transgression of God's law； he urged them to regard all
religion as a cheat； and the Bible as a fable； and； casting aside the divine
statutes； they gave themselves up to unbridled iniquity。
The fatal error which wrought such woe for the inhabitants of France was the
ignoring of this one great truth： that true freedom lies within the
proscriptions of the law of God。 〃O that thou hadst hearkened to My
commandments！ then had thy peace been as a river； and thy righteousness as
the waves of the sea。〃 〃There is no peace； saith the Lord； unto the wicked。〃
〃But whoso hearkeneth unto Me shall dwell safely； and shall be quiet from
fear of evil。〃 Isaiah 48：18； 22； Proverbs 1：33。
Atheists； infidels； and apostates oppose and denounce God's law； but the
results of their influence prove that the well…being of man is bound up with
his obedience of the divine statutes。 Those who will not read the lesson
from the book of God are bidden to read it in the history of nations。
When Satan wrought through the Roman Church to lead men away from obedience；
his agency was concealed； and his work was so disguised that the degradation
and misery which resulted were not seen to be the fruit of transgression。
And his power was so far counteracted by the working of the Spirit of God
that his purposes were prevented from reaching their full fruition。 The
people did not trace the effect to its cause and discover the source of
their miseries。 But in the
286
Revolution the law of God was openly set aside by the National Council。 And
in the Reign of Terror which followed； the working of cause and effect could
be seen by all。
When France publicly rejected God and set aside the Bible； wicked men and
spirits of darkness exulted in their attainment of the object so long
desireda kingdom free from the restraints of the law of God。 Because
sentence against an evil work was not speedily executed； therefore the heart
of the sons of men was 〃fully set in them to do evil。〃 Ecclesiastes 8：11。
But the transgression of a just and righteous law must inevitably result in
misery and ruin。 Though not visited at once with judgments； the wickedness
of men was nevertheless surely working out their doom。 Centuries of apostasy
and crime had been treasuring up wrath against the day of retribution； and
when their iniquity was full； the despisers of God learned too late that it
is a fearful thing to have worn out the divine patience。 The restraining
Spirit of God； which imposes a check upon the cruel power of Satan； was in a
great measure removed； and he whose only delight is the wretchedness of men
was permitted to work his will。 Those who had chosen the service of
rebellion were left to reap its fruits until the land was filled with crimes
too horrible for pen to trace。 From devastated provinces and ruined cities a
terrible cry was hearda cry of bitterest anguish。 France was shaken as if
by an earthquake。 Religion； law； social order； the family； the state； and
the churchall were smitten down by the impious hand that had been lifted
against the law of God。 Truly spoke the wise man： 〃The wicked shall fall by
his own wickedness。〃 〃Though a sinner do evil a hundred times； and his days
be prolonged； yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear
God； which fear before Him： but it shall not be well with the wicked。〃
Proverbs 11：5； Ecclesiastes 8：12； 13。 〃They hated knowledge； and did not
choose the fear of the Lord；〃 〃therefore shall they eat of the fruit of
their own way； and be filled with their own devices。〃 Proverbs 1：29； 31。
287
God's faithful witnesses； slain by the blasphemous power that 〃ascendeth out
of the bottomless pit；〃 were not long to remain silent。 〃After three days
and a half the Spirit of life from God entered into them； and they stood
upon their feet； and great fear fell upon them which saw them。〃 Revelation
11：11。 It was in 1793 that the decrees which abolished the Christian
religion and set aside the Bible passed the French Assembly。 Three years and
a half later a resolution rescinding these decrees； thus granting toleration
to the Scriptures； was adopted by the same body。 The world stood aghast at
the enormity of guilt which had resulted from a rejection of the Sacred
Oracles； and men recognized the necessity of faith in God and His word as
the foundation of virtue and morality。 Saith the Lord： 〃Whom hast thou
reproached and blasphemed？ and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice； and
lifted up thine eyes on high？ even against the Holy One of Israel；〃 Isaiah
37：23。 〃Therefore； behold； I will cause them to know； this once will I cause
them to know My hand and My might； and they shall know that My name is
Jehovah。〃 Jeremiah 16：21； A。R。V。
Concerning the two witnesses the prophet declares further： 〃And they heard a
great voice from heaven saying unto them； Come up hither。 And they ascended
up to heaven in a cloud； and their enemies beheld them。〃 Revelation 11：12。
Since France made war upon God's two witnesses； they have been honored as
never before。 In 1804 the British and Foreign Bible Society was organized。
This was followed by similar organizations； with numerous branches； upon the
continent of Europe。 In 1816 the American Bible Society was founded。 When
the British Society was formed； the Bible had been printed and circulated in
fifty tongues。 It has since been translated into many hundreds of languages
and dialects。 （See Appendix。）
For the fifty years preceding 1792； little attention was given to the work
of foreign missions。 No new societies were formed； and there were but few
churches that made any
288
effort for the spread of Christianity in heathen lands。 But toward the close
of the eighteenth century a great change took place。 Men became dissatisfied
with the results of rationalism and realized the necessity of divine
revelation and experimental religion。 From this time the work of foreign
missions attained an unprecedented growth。 （See Appendix。）
The improvements in printing have given an impetus to the work of
circulating the Bible。 The increased facilities for communication between
different countries； the breaking down of ancient barriers of prejudice and
national exclusiveness； and the loss of secular power by the pontiff of Rome
have opened the way for the entrance of the word of God。 For some years the
Bible has been sold without restraint in th
