the great controversy-第115部分

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！


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

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　573

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　defenders。

Royal　edicts；　general　councils；　and　church　ordinances　sustained　by　secular
power　were　the　steps　by　which　the　pagan　festival　attained　its　position　of
honor　in　the　Christian　world。　The　first　public　measure　enforcing　Sunday
observance　was　the　law　enacted　by　Constantine。　（A。D。　321；　see　Appendix。）
This　edict　required　townspeople　to　rest　on　〃the　venerable　day　of　the　sun；〃
but　permitted　countrymen　to　continue　their　agricultural　pursuits。　Though
virtually　a　heathen　statute；　it　was　enforced　by　the　emperor　after　his
nominal　acceptance　of　Christianity。

The　royal　mandate　not　proving　a　sufficient　substitute　for　divine　authority；
Eusebius；　a　bishop　who　sought　the　favor　of　princes；　and　who　was　the　special
friend　and　flatterer　of　Constantine；　advanced　the　claim　that　Christ　had
transferred　the　Sabbath　to　Sunday。　Not　a　single　testimony　of　the　Scriptures
was　produced　in　proof　of　the　new　doctrine。　Eusebius　himself　unwittingly
acknowledges　its　falsity　and　points　to　the　real　authors　of　the　change。　〃All
things；〃　he　says；　〃whatever　that　it　was　duty　to　do　on　the　Sabbath；　these　we
have　transferred　to　the　Lord's　Day。〃Robert　Cox；　Sabbath　Laws　and　Sabbath
Duties；　page　538。　But　the　Sunday　argument；　groundless　as　it　was；　served　to
embolden　men　in　trampling　upon　the　Sabbath　of　the　Lord。　All　who　desired　to
be　honored　by　the　world　accepted　the　popular　festival。

As　the　papacy　became　firmly　established；　the　work　of　Sunday　exaltation　was
continued。　For　a　time　the　people　engaged　in　agricultural　labor　when　not
attending　church；　and　the　seventh　day　was　still　regarded　as　the　Sabbath。　But
steadily　a　change　was　effected。　Those　in　holy　office　were　forbidden　to　pass
judgment　in　any　civil　controversy　on　the　Sunday。　Soon　after；　all　persons；　of
whatever　rank；　were　commanded　to　refrain　from　common　labor　on　pain　of　a　fine
for　freemen　and

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　575

stripes　in　the　case　of　servants。　Later　it　was　decreed　that　rich　men　should
be　punished　with　the　loss　of　half　of　their　estates；　and　finally；　that　if
still　obstinate　they　should　be　made　slaves。　The　lower　classes　were　to　suffer
perpetual　banishment。

Miracles　also　were　called　into　requisition。　Among　other　wonders　it　was
reported　that　as　a　husbandman　who　was　about　to　plow　his　field　on　Sunday
cleaned　his　plow　with　an　iron；　the　iron　stuck　fast　in　his　hand；　and　for　two
years　he　carried　it　about　with　him；　〃to　his　exceeding　great　pain　and
shame。〃Francis　West；　Historical　and　Practical　Discourse　on　the　Lord's　Day；
page　174。

Later　the　pope　gave　directions　that　the　parish　priest　should　admonish　the
violators　of　Sunday　and　wish　them　to　go　to　church　and　say　their　prayers；
lest　they　bring　some　great　calamity　on　themselves　and　neighbors。　An
ecclesiastical　council　brought　forward　the　argument；　since　so　widely
employed；　even　by　Protestants；　that　because　persons　had　been　struck　by
lightning　while　laboring　on　Sunday；　it　must　be　the　Sabbath。　〃It　is
apparent；〃　said　the　prelates；　〃how　high　the　displeasure　of　God　was　upon
their　neglect　of　this　day。〃　An　appeal　was　then　made　that　priests　and
ministers；　kings　and　princes；　and　all　faithful　people　〃use　their　utmost
endeavors　and　care　that　the　day　be　restored　to　its　honor；　and；　for　the
credit　of　Christianity；　more　devoutly　observed　for　the　time　to
come。〃Thomas　Morer；　Discourse　in　Six　Dialogues　on　the　Name；　Notion；　and
Observation　of　the　Lord's　Day；　page　271。

The　decrees　of　councils　proving　insufficient；　the　secular　authorities　were
besought　to　issue　an　edict　that　would　strike　terror　to　the　hearts　of　the
people　and　force　them　to　refrain　from　labor　on　the　Sunday。　At　a　synod　held
in　Rome；　all　previous　decisions　were　reaffirmed　with　greater　force　and
solemnity。　They　were　also　incorporated　into　the　ecclesiastical　law　and
enforced　by　the　civil　authorities　throughout　nearly　all　Christendom。　（See
Heylyn；　History　of　the　Sabbath；　pt。　2；　ch。　5；　sec。　7。）

576


Still　the　absence　of　Scriptural　authority　for　Sundaykeeping　occasioned　no
little　embarrassment。　The　people　questioned　the　right　of　their　teachers　to
set　aside　the　positive　declaration　of　Jehovah；　〃The　seventh　day　is　the
Sabbath　of　the　Lord　thy　God；〃　in　order　to　honor　the　day　of　the　sun。　To
supply　the　lack　of　Bible　testimony；　other　expedients　were　necessary。　A
zealous　advocate　of　Sunday；　who　about　the　close　of　the　twelfth　century
visited　the　churches　of　England；　was　resisted　by　faithful　witnesses　for　the
truth；　and　so　fruitless　were　his　efforts　that　he　departed　from　the　country
for　a　season　and　cast　about　him　for　some　means　to　enforce　his　teachings。
When　he　returned；　the　lack　was　supplied；　and　in　his　after　labors　he　met　with
greater　success。　He　brought　with　him　a　roll　purporting　to　be　from　God
Himself；　which　contained　the　needed　command　for　Sunday　observance；　with
awful　threats　to　terrify　the　disobedient。　This　precious　document　as　base　a
counterfeit　as　the　institution　it　supportedwas　said　to　have　fallen　from
heaven　and　to　have　been　found　in　Jerusalem；　upon　the　altar　of　St。　Simeon；　in
Golgotha。　But；　in　fact；　the　pontifical　palace　at　Rome　was　the　source　whence
it　proceeded。　Frauds　and　forgeries　to　advance　the　power　and　prosperity　of
the　church　have　in　all　ages　been　esteemed　lawful　by　the　papal　hierarchy。

The　roll　forbade　labor　from　the　ninth　hour；　three　o'clock；　on　Saturday
afternoon；　till　sunrise　on　Monday；　and　its　authority　was　declared　to　be
confirmed　by　many　miracles。　It　was　reported　that　persons　laboring　beyond　the
appointed　hour　were　stricken　with　paralysis。　A　miller　who　attempted　to　grind
his　corn；　saw；　instead　of　flour；　a　torrent　of　blood　come　forth；　and　the　mill
wheel　stood　still；　notwithstanding　the　strong　rush　of　water。　A　woman　who
placed　dough　in　the　oven　found　it　raw　when　taken　out；　though　the　oven　was
very　hot。　Another　who　had　dough　prepared　for　baking　at　the　ninth　hour；　but
determined　to　set　it　aside　till　Monday；　found；　the　next　day；　that　it　had
been　made　into　loaves　and　baked　by　divine　power。　A　man　who　baked　bread　after
the　ninth　hour

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　577

on　Sa