the great controversy-第53章

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have　opened　the　way　for　the　entrance　of　the　word　of　God。　For　some　years　the
Bible　has　been　sold　without　restraint　in　the　streets　of　Rome；　and　it　has　now
been　carried　to　every　part　of　the　habitable　globe。

The　infidel　Voltaire　once　boastingly　said：　〃I　am　weary　of　hearing　people
repeat　that　twelve　men　established　the　Christian　religion。　I　will　prove　that
one　man　may　suffice　to　overthrow　it。〃　Generations　have　passed　since　his
death。　Millions　have　joined　in　the　war　upon　the　Bible。　But　it　is　so　far　from
being　destroyed；　that　where　there　were　a　hundred　in　Voltaire's　time；　there
are　now　ten　thousand；　yes；　a　hundred　thousand　copies　of　the　book　of　God。　In
the　words　of　an　early　Reformer　concerning　the　Christian　church；　〃The　Bible
is　an　anvil　that　has　worn　out　many　hammers。〃　Saith　the　Lord：　〃No　weapon　that
is　formed　against　thee　shall　prosper；　and　every　tongue　that　shall　rise
against　thee　in　judgment　thou　shalt　condemn。〃　Isaiah　54：17。

〃The　word　of　our　God　shall　stand　forever。〃　〃All　His　commandments　are　sure。
They　stand　fast　for　ever　and　ever；　and　are　done　in　truth　and　uprightness。〃
Isaiah　40：8；　Psalm　111：7；　8。　Whatever　is　built　upon　the　authority　of　man
will　be　overthrown；　but　that　which　is　founded　upon　the　rock　of　God's
immutable　word　shall　stand　forever。




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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　16

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Pilgrim　Fathers


The　English　Reformers；　while　renouncing　the　doctrines　of　Romanism；　had
retained　many　of　its　forms。　Thus　though　the　authority　and　the　creed　of　Rome
were　rejected；　not　a　few　of　her　customs　and　ceremonies　were　incorporated
into　the　worship　of　the　Church　of　England。　It　was　claimed　that　these　things
were　not　matters　of　conscience；　that　though　they　were　not　commanded　in
Scripture；　and　hence　were　nonessential；　yet　not　being　forbidden；　they　were
not　intrinsically　evil。　Their　observance　tended　to　narrow　the　gulf　which
separated　the　reformed　churches　from　Rome；　and　it　was　urged　that　they　would
promote　the　acceptance　of　the　Protestant　faith　by　Romanists。

To　the　conservative　and　compromising；　these　arguments　seemed　conclusive。　But
there　was　another　class　that　did　not　so　judge。　The　fact　that　these　customs
〃tended　to　bridge　over　the　chasm　between　Rome　and　the　Reformation〃　（Martyn；
volume　5；　page　22）；　was　in　their　view　a　conclusive　argument　against
retaining　them。　They　looked　upon　them　as　badges　of　the　slavery　from　which
they　had　been　delivered　and　to　which　they　had　no　disposition　to　return。　They
reasoned　that　God　has　in　His　word　established　the　regulations　governing　His
worship；　and　that　men　are　not　at　liberty　to　add　to　these　or　to　detract　from
them。　The　very　beginning　of　the　great　apostasy　was　in　seeking　to　supplement
the　authority　of　God　by

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that　of　the　church。　Rome　began　by　enjoining　what　God　had　not　forbidden；　and
she　ended　by　forbidding　what　He　had　explicitly　enjoined。

Many　earnestly　desired　to　return　to　the　purity　and　simplicity　which
characterized　the　primitive　church。　They　regarded　many　of　the　established
customs　of　the　English　Church　as　monuments　of　idolatry；　and　they　could　not
in　conscience　unite　in　her　worship。　But　the　church；　being　supported　by　the
civil　authority；　would　permit　no　dissent　from　her　forms。　Attendance　upon　her
service　was　required　by　law；　and　unauthorized　assemblies　for　religious
worship　were　prohibited；　under　penalty　of　imprisonment；　exile；　and　death。

At　the　opening　of　the　seventeenth　century　the　monarch　who　had　just　ascended
the　throne　of　England　declared　his　determination　to　make　the　Puritans
〃conform；　or　。　。　。　harry　them　out　of　the　land；　or　else　worse。〃George
Bancroft；　History　of　the　United　States　of　America；　pt。　1；　ch。　12；　par。　6。
Hunted；　persecuted；　and　imprisoned；　they　could　discern　in　the　future　no
promise　of　better　days；　and　many　yielded　to　the　conviction　that　for　such　as
would　serve　God　according　to　the　dictates　of　their　conscience；　〃England　was
ceasing　forever　to　be　a　habitable　place。〃J。　G。　Palfrey；　History　of　New
England；　ch。　3；　par。　43。　Some　at　last　determined　to　seek　refuge　in　Holland。
Difficulties；　losses；　and　imprisonment　were　encountered。　Their　purposes　were
thwarted；　and　they　were　betrayed　into　the　hands　of　their　enemies。　But
steadfast　perseverance　finally　conquered；　and　they　found　shelter　on　the
friendly　shores　of　the　Dutch　Republic。

In　their　flight　they　had　left　their　houses；　their　goods；　and　their　means　of
livelihood。　They　were　strangers　in　a　strange　land；　among　a　people　of
different　language　and　customs。　They　were　forced　to　resort　to　new　and
untried　occupations　to　earn　their　bread。　Middle…aged　men；　who　had　spent
their　lives　in　tilling　the　soil；　had　now　to　learn　mechanical　trades。　But
they　cheerfully　accepted　the　situation　and　lost　no　time　in　idleness　or
repining。　Though　often　pinched　with　poverty；

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they　thanked　God　for　the　blessings　which　were　still　granted　them　and　found
their　joy　in　unmolested　spiritual　communion。　〃They　knew　they　were　pilgrims；
and　looked　not　much　on　those　things；　but　lifted　up　their　eyes　to　heaven；
their　dearest　country；　and　quieted　their　spirits。〃Bancroft；　pt。　1；　ch。　12；
par。　15。

In　the　midst　of　exile　and　hardship　their　love　and　faith　waxed　strong。　They
trusted　the　Lord's　promises；　and　He　did　not　fail　them　in　time　of　need。　His
angels　were　by　their　side；　to　encourage　and　support　them。　And　when　God's
hand　seemed　pointing　them　across　the　sea；　to　a　land　where　they　might　found
for　themselves　a　state；　and　leave　to　their　children　the　precious　heritage　of
religious　liberty；　they　went　forward；　without　shrinking；　in　the　path　of
providence。

God　had　permitted　trials　to　come　upon　His　people　to　prepare　them　for　the
accomplishment　of　His　gracious　purpose　toward　them。　The　church　had　been
brought　low；　that　she　might　be　exalted。　God　was　about　to　display　His　power
in　her　behalf；　to　give　to　the　world　another　evidence　that　He　will　not
forsake　those　who　trust　in　Him。　He　had　overruled　events　to　cause　the　wrath
of　Satan　and　the　plots　of　evil　men　to　advance　His　glory　and　to　bring　His
people　to　a　place　of　security。　Persecution　and　exile　were　opening　the　way　to
freedom。

When　first　constrained　to　separate　from　the　English　Church；　the　Puritans　had
joined　themselves　together　by　a　solemn　covenant；　as　the　Lord's　free　people；
〃to　walk　together　in　all　His　ways　made　known　or　to　be　made　known　to　them。〃
J。　Brown；　The　Pilgrim　Fathers；　page　74。　Here　was　the　true　spirit　of
reform；　the　vital　principle　of　Protestantism。　It　was　with　this　purpose　that
the　Pilgrims　departed　from　Holland　to　find　a　home　in　the　New　World。　John
Robinson；　their　pastor；　who　was　providentially　prevented　from　accompanying
them；　in　his　farewell　address　to　the　exiles　said：

〃Brethren；　we　are　now　erelong　to　part　asunder；　and　the　Lord　knoweth　whether
I　shall　live　ever　to　see　your　faces　more。　But　whether　the　Lord　hath
appointed　it　or　not；　I

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charge　you　before　God　and　His　blessed　angels　to　follow　me　no　farther　than　I
have　followed　Christ。　If　God　should　reveal　anything　to　you　by　any　other
instrument　of　His；　be　as　ready　to　receive　it　as　ever　you　were　to　receive　any
truth　of　my　ministry；　for　I　am　very　confident　the　Lord　hath　more　truth　and
light　yet　to　break　forth　out　of　His　holy　word。〃Martyn；　vol。　5；　p。　70。

〃For　my　part；　I　cannot　sufficiently　bewail　the　condition　of　the　reformed
churches；　who　are　come　to　a　period　in　religion；　and　will　go　at　present　no
farther　than　the　instruments　of　their　reformation。　The　Lutherans　cannot　be
drawn　to　go　beyond　what　Luther　saw；　。　。　。　and　the　Calvinists；　you　see；　stick
fast　where　they　were　left　by　that　great　man　of　God；　who　yet　saw　not　all
things。　This　is　a　misery　much　to　be　lamented；　for　though　they　were　burning
and　shining　lights　in　their　time；　yet　they　penetrated　not　into　the　whole
counsel　of　God；　but　were　they　now　living；　would　be　as　willing　to　embrace
further　light　as　that　which　they　first　received。〃D。　Neal；　History　of　the
Puritans；　vol。　1；　p。　269。

〃Remember　your　church　covenant；　in　which　you　have　agreed　to　walk　in　all　the
ways　of　the　Lord；　made　or　to　be　made　known　unto　you。　Remember　your　promise
and　covenant　with　God　and　with　one　another；　to　receive　whatever　light　and
truth　shall　be　made　known　to　you　from　His　written　word；　but　withal；　take
heed；　I　beseech　you；　what　you　receive　for　truth；　and　compare　it　and　weigh　it
with　other　scriptures　of　truth　before　you　accept　it；　for　it　is　not　possible
the　Christian　world　should　come　so　lately　out　of　such　thick　antichristian
darkness；　and　that　full　perfection　of　knowledge　should　break　forth　at
once。〃Martyn；　vol。　5；　pp。　70；　71。

It　was　the　desire　for　liberty　of　conscience　that　inspired　the　Pilgrims　to
brave　the　perils　of　the　long　journey　across　the　sea；　to　endure　the　hardships
and　dangers　of　the　wilderness；　and　with　God's　blessing　to　lay；　on　the　shores
of　America；　the　foundation　of　a　mighty　nation。　Yet　honest　and　God…fearing

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as　they　were；　the　Pilgrims　did　not　yet　comprehend　the　great　principle　of
religious　liberty。　The　freedom　which　they　sacrificed　so　much　to　secure　for
themselves；　they　were　not　equally　ready　to　grant　to　others。　〃Very　few；　even
of　the　foremost　thinkers　and　moralists　of　the　seventeenth　century；　had　any
just　conception　of　that　grand　principle；　the　outgrowth　of　the　New　Testament；
which　acknowledges　God　as　the　sole　judge　of　human　faith。〃Ibid。；　vol。　5；　p。
297。　The　doctrine　that　God　has　committed　to　the　church　the　right　to　control
the　conscience；　and　to　define　and　punish　heresy；　is　one　of　the　most　deeply
rooted　of　papal　errors。　While　the　Reformers　rejected　the　creed　of　Rome；　they
were　not　entirely　free　from　her　spirit　of　intolerance。　The　dense　darkness　in
which；　through　the　long　ages　of　her　rule；　popery　had　enveloped　all
Christendom；　had　not　even　yet　been　wholly　dissipated。　Said　one　of　the
leading　ministers　in　the　colony　of　Massachusetts　Bay：　〃It　was　toleration
that　made　the　world　antichristian；　and　the　church　never　took　harm　by　the
punishment　of　heretics。〃Ibid。；　vol。
5；　p。　335。　The　regulation　was　adopted　by　the　colonists　that
only　church　members　should　have　a　voice　in　the　civil　government。　A　kind　of
state　church　was　formed；　all　the　people　being　required　to　contribute　to　the
support　of　the　clergy；　and　the　magistrates　being　authorized　to　suppress
heresy。　Thus　the　secular　power　was　in　the　hands　of　the　church。　It　was　not
long　before　these　measures　led　to　the　inevitable　result　persecution。

Eleven　years　after　the　planting　of　the　first　colony；　Roger　Williams　came　to
the　New　World。　Like　the　early　Pilgrims　he　came　to　enjoy　religious　freedom；
but；　unlike　them；　he　saw　what　so　few　in　his　time　had　yet　seenthat　this
freedom　was　the　inalienable　right　of　all；　whatever　might　be　their　creed。　He
was　an　earnest　seeker　for　truth；　with　Robinson　holding　it　impossible　that
all　the　light　from　God's　word　had　yet　been　received。　Williams　〃was　the　first
person　in　modern　Christendom　to　establish　civil　government　on　the　doctrine
of　the　liberty　of　conscience；　the　equality　of　opinions　before

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the　law。〃Bancroft；　pt。　1；　ch。　15；　par。　16。　He　d