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！
Charles Beecher； in a sermon in the year 1846； declared that the ministry of
〃the evangelical Protestant denominations〃 is 〃not only formed all the way
up under a tremendous pressure of merely human fear； but they live； and
move； and breathe in a state of things radically corrupt； and appealing
every hour to every baser element of their nature to hush up
445
the truth； and bow the knee to the power of apostasy。 Was not this the way
things went with Rome？ Are we not living her life over again？ And what do we
see just ahead？ Another general council！ A world's convention！ Evangelical
alliance； and universal creed！〃Sermon on 〃The Bible a Sufficient Creed；〃
delivered at Fort Wayne； Indiana； Feb。 22；
1846。 When this shall be gained； then； in the effort to secure
complete uniformity； it will be only a step to the resort to force。
When the leading churches of the United States； uniting upon such points of
doctrine as are held by them in common； shall influence the state to enforce
their decrees and to sustain their institutions； then Protestant America
will have formed an image of the Roman hierarchy； and the infliction of
civil penalties upon dissenters will inevitably result。
The beast with two horns 〃causeth ＇commands＇ all； both small and great； rich
and poor； free and bond； to receive a mark in their right hand； or in their
foreheads： and that no man might buy or sell； save he that had the mark； or
the name of the beast； or the number of his name。〃 Revelation 13：16； 17。 The
third angel's warning is： 〃If any man worship the beast and his image； and
receive his mark in his forehead； or in his hand； the same shall drink of
the wine of the wrath of God。〃 〃The beast〃 mentioned in this message； whose
worship is enforced by the two…horned beast； is the first； or leopardlike
beast of Revelation 13the papacy。 The 〃image to the beast〃 represents that
form of apostate Protestantism which will be developed when the Protestant
churches shall seek the aid of the civil power for the enforcement of their
dogmas。 The 〃mark of the beast〃 still remains to be defined。
After the warning against the worship of the beast and his image the
prophecy declares： 〃Here are they that keep the commandments of God； and the
faith of Jesus。〃 Since those who keep God's commandments are thus placed in
contrast with those that worship the beast and his image and receive his
mark； it follows that the keeping of God's law； on the
446
one hand； and its violation； on the other； will make the distinction between
the worshipers of God and the worshipers of the beast。
The special characteristic of the beast； and therefore of his image； is the
breaking of God's commandments。 Says Daniel； of the little horn； the papacy：
〃He shall think to change times and the law。〃 Daniel 7：25； R。V。 And Paul
styled the same power the 〃man of sin；〃 who was to exalt himself above God。
One prophecy is a complement of the other。 Only by changing God's law could
the papacy exalt itself above God； whoever should understandingly keep the
law as thus changed would be giving supreme honor to that power by which the
change was made。 Such an act of obedience to papal laws would be a mark of
allegiance to the pope in the place of God。
The papacy has attempted to change the law of God。 The second commandment；
forbidding image worship； has been dropped from the law； and the fourth
commandment has been so changed as to authorize the observance of the first
instead of the seventh day as the Sabbath。 But papists urge； as a reason for
omitting the second commandment； that it is unnecessary； being included in
the first； and that they are giving the law exactly as God designed it to be
understood。 This cannot be the change foretold by the prophet。 An
intentional； deliberate change is presented： 〃He shall think to change the
times and the law。〃 The change in the fourth commandment exactly fulfills
the prophecy。 For this the only authority claimed is that of the church。
Here the papal power openly sets itself above God。
While the worshipers of God will be especially distinguished by their regard
for the fourth commandments；since this is the sign of His creative power
and the witness to His claim upon man's reverence and homage；the
worshipers of the beast will be distinguished by their efforts to tear down
the Creator's memorial； to exalt the institution of Rome。 It was in behalf
of the Sunday that popery first asserted its
447
arrogant claims （see Appendix）； and its first resort to the power of the
state was to compel the observance of Sunday as 〃the Lord's day。〃 But the
Bible points to the seventh day； and not to the first； as the Lord's day。
Said Christ： 〃The Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath。〃 The fourth
commandment declares： 〃The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord。〃 And by
the prophet Isaiah the Lord designates it： 〃My holy day。〃 Mark 2：28； Isaiah
58：13。
The claim so often put forth that Christ changed the Sabbath is disproved by
His own words。 In His Sermon on the Mount He said： 〃Think not that I am come
to destroy the law； or the prophets： I am not come to destroy； but to
fulfill。 For verily I say unto you； Till heaven and earth pass； one jot or
one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law； till all be fulfilled。
Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments； and shall
teach men so； he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven： but
whosoever shall do and teach them； the same shall be called great in the
kingdom of heaven；〃 Matthew 5：17…19。
It is a fact generally admitted by Protestants that the Scriptures give no
authority for the change of the Sabbath。 This is plainly stated in
publications issued by the American Tract Society and the American Sunday
School Union。 One of these works acknowledges 〃the complete silence of the
New Testament so far as any explicit command for the Sabbath ＇Sunday； the
first day of the week＇ or definite rules for its observance are
concerned。〃George Elliott； The Abiding Sabbath； page 184。
Another says： 〃Up to the time of Christ's death； no change had been made in
the day；〃 and； 〃so far as the record shows； they ＇the apostles＇ did not 。 。
。 give any explicit command enjoining the abandonment of the seventh…day
Sabbath； and its observance on the first day of the week。〃A。 E。 Waffle；
The Lord's Day； pages 186…188。
Roman Catholics acknowledge that the change of the Sabbath was made by their
church； and declare that Protestants
448
by observing the Sunday are recognizing her power。 In the Catholic Catechism
of Christian Religion； in answer to a question as to the day to be observed
in obedience to the fourth commandment； this statement is made： 〃During the
old law； Saturday was the day sanctified； but the church； instructed by
Jesus Christ； and directed by the Spirit of God； has substituted Sunday for
Saturday； so now we sanctify the first； not the seventh day。 Sunday means；
and now is； the day of the Lord。〃
As the sign of the authority of the Catholic Church； papist writers cite
〃the very act of changing the Sabbath into Sunday； which Protestants allow
of； 。 。 。 because by keeping Sunday； they acknowledge the church's power to
ordain feasts； and to command them under sin。〃Henry Tuberville； An
Abridgment of the Christian Doctrine； page 58。 What then is the change of
the Sabbath； but the sign； or mark； of the authority of the Roman
Church〃the mark of the beast〃？
The Roman Church has not relinquished her claim to supremacy； and when the
world and the Protestant churches accept a sabbath of her creating； while
they reject the Bible Sabbath； they virtually admit this assumption。 They
may claim the authority of tradition and of the Fathers for the change； but
in so doing they ignore the very principle which separates them from
Romethat 〃the Bible； and the Bible only； is the religion of Protestants。〃
The papist can see that they are deceiving themselves； willingly closing
their eyes to the facts in the case。 As the movement for Sunday enforcement
gains favor； he rejoic