Sabbath-Keepers Before the Inquisition by W. A. S.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Mar 19, 1908

Sabbath-Keepers Before the Inquisition

By W. A. S.

IT is well known that traces of Sabbath-keeping appear among the Waldenses and others who refused to follow the Roman apostasy in pre-Reformation times. Some details of the persecution of Sabbath-keepers by the Inquisition are given in a little book published in Philadelphia, in 1851, entitled, “General History of the Sabbatarian Churches.” The writer, Mrs. Tamar Davis, rendered her book almost valueless by failing in nearly every case to give reference to the authorities she had consulted. In the

following extracts, however, the reference is given, which some of our French brethren, having access to the original source, might do well to verify and enlarge upon if further facts are obtainable:—

Philip de Mornay, a French author of some distinction, composed a work purporting to be the memoirs of celebrated Waldensian martyrs, in which detailed and circumstantial narratives of many trials were given, together with the interrogatories and answers of the criminals, and the heresies of which they were accused. According to these statements they were perpetually accused of Judaism, of practising circumcision, and of observing the Jewish Sabbath. . . .

On the fourteenth of September, 1492, about thirty persons were committed to the inquisitorial dungeons of Toulouse, upon a charge of Judaism, which, as every one knows, was considered a mortal sin in Catholic countries. Of these, the most eminent was Anthony Ferrar, who had been a pastor or teacher in the Sabbatarian church in the city. After remaining in prison ten days he received a visit from an Italian monk named Gregory, to whom his examination had been committed. He was accompanied by two other monks who were to act as witnesses. After a long conference touching his age, property, manner of living, associates, relations, and similar subjects, Gregory at last came to the matter in question.

Gregory.—“But, Anthony, you must be a liar and deceiver, for I have been credibly informed that yourself, and all your friends, were of the cursed race of Israel.”

Anthony.—“It is false, we were all honest Frenchmen, and Christians, followers of Jesus.”

Gregory.—“Nay! but you were Jews, for instead of baptizing your infant children, you have all the males circumcised.”

Anthony.—“You do very wrong to accuse us of that practise; for it is something of which we are entirely innocent.”

Gregory.—“Hey! do you then baptize your children?”

Anthony.—“We do not, neither do we circumcise them.”

Gregory.—“Nevertheless, you must be Jews, since you say that the law of Moses is still binding.”

Anthony.—“We say that the ten commandments are still binding.”

Gregory.—“Yes, and instead of observing the festivals of the holy church, and honoring the holy day of the Lord, on which he rose from the dead, you were accustomed to meet for worship upon the old Sabbath, or Saturday.”

Anthony.—“We did, indeed, rest and attend divine worship upon the seventh day, even as God commanded.”

My limits will not permit me to transcribe the remainder of this interesting conversation. Anthony, with his associates in misfortune, were subsequently burned in the market-place in Toulouse, and all died praising God that they were worthy to suffer for his name. Hundreds of others, of whom the names of Jean de Borgen, Matthew Hainer, Auguste Rivière, Philippe Nicola, and Henri Maison, have been preserved, were accused of, and confessed to, the same.—Pages 86-88.

Note the date of the commitment of these Sabbath-keepers to the Toulouse prison. It was a few weeks before the discovery of the New World by Columbus. The Reformation was beginning, though Luther, who was to be used as leader in it, was at this time but a boy of eight or nine. Soon the papacy was to find itself unable to check the protest against papal error. In northern Europe and in the New World the forces of Protestantism were to gather, and again the message of the saving gospel and of Sabbath reform was to be heard in southern France.

As Daniel the prophet in vision saw the papal power casting down the truth of God and tramping upon it, he heard the question asked, “How long?” The answer was, “Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.” The hour of the cleansing of the sanctuary began in 1844, and from that time the advent message has been rising to give again the light of God’s truth to these lands where once Sabbath-keeping witnesses were silenced at the martyr’s stake. The time so long foretold has come, and the definite message is preparing the way swiftly before the coming of the Lord.

W. A. S.