Spiritual Blindness by Merritt E. Cornell

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 26, 1867

Spiritual Blindness.

By Merritt E. Cornell

It is affirmed in the scriptures of truth that men will call evil good and good evil, and put darkness for light and light for darkness. Isa. v. 20. How true this is if applied to the present day. How wonderfully hath Satan blinded the minds of many well-meaning people! In how many ways the truth is perverted and changed into a lie! This principle was first introduced into the world by Satan, when he said to our first parents, “Ye shall not surely die,” “shall be as gods,” &c. Disobedience will not abase as punishment, but exalt as a blessing—the penalty will be a change to your advantage—saith Satan, “Ye shall be as gods.”

It was from the beginning of sin in this world, and by the author of sin, it was first hinted that immortality was in man's nature, so that he could not really die. It was the father of lies who first taught that man was in possession of a part of God, or that in a state of transgression he would become as God. Thus the way was prepared to rob the resurrection of its importance, and the second advent of Christ of its glory, by promising all the change necessary, at, and through, death.

Thus blinded by Satan, men are led to stigmatize the only Bible Sabbath as an “old Jewish Sabbath,” “yoke of bondage,” &c., and exalt a counterfeit Sabbath as “holy,” “Christian,” Lord’s day,” &c. The only day of divine appointment, or that was ever sanctified for man, they refuse to keep, because forsooth it was not commanded over again, in so many words, in the New Testament; but the day first set apart by heathen nations for the worship of the sun, they willingly honor without its ever being commanded. So darkness is put for light.

In like manner scriptural baptism is pronounced “immodest,” “dangerous,” &c., and the Catholic sprinkling is confidently declared to be baptism proper.

Having instituted a morality of convenience, they have substituted sprinkling in the place of being “buried with Christ.” Sunday keeping and sprinkling appear to be twin substitutes introduced or fostered by that Pagan Emperor. But those who advocate these errors, make Constantine a Christian, and almost a patron saint. The historian is well aware that Constantine prepared the way for the Catholic church; that he was still a Pagan idolater after his pretended conversion to Christianity. Constantine professed to favor Christianity, from policy. No genuine conversion can possibly be proved in his case. The following testimony found in Wesley’s Sermons, vol. ii, p. 97, is to the point:

“A wonderful instance of this spiritual blindness is given us in the very celebrated work of a late eminent writer, who supposes that the New Jerusalem came down from Heaven when Constantine called himself a Christian! I say called himself a Christian, for I dare not affirm that he was one any more than Peter the Great. I cannot but believe he would have come nearer the mark if he had said that it was the time when a huge cloud of infernal brimstone and smoke came up from the bottomless pit; for surely there never was a time wherein Satan gained so fatal an advantage over the church of Christ, as when such a flood of riches, and honor, and power, broke in upon it, particularly on the clergy.”

Men, under the influence of this blindness, are led to persecute the true and build up the false. In this way Satan led the wife of Ahab to kill the true prophets of God, and feed the prophets of Baal at her own table; and it was the same influence that led the woman Jezebel, of the Apocalypse, to “frame mischief by a law,” and put to death so many millions of the saints of God.

The Mother of Harlots has done her work of causing the nations to drink of this mystical wine, and now the daughters have come on to the stage, and are acting out the same spirit, differing only as a grain of arsenic differs from an ounce. Professedly religious men still “turn away from the truth, and are turned to fables,” and, “many follow their pernicious ways, by reason of whom the way of truth is evil spoken of.” The Dragon is still making war on the truth and its advocates, and the remnant, who keep the commandments, will not escape his ire.

How strange that men, otherwise intelligent, are so ignorant in regard to Bible truth. Is it not because Satan hath blinded their minds? “They are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink.” They are intoxicated with the wine of Babylon. All nations have partaken of the cup, so that there can be no hope of the masses. A few that have not known the depths of Satan will receive light, when the earth shall be lighted with the glory of that mighty angel, Rev. xviii, 1, 2, and this will manifest the blindness of those who exalt tradition above God’s law. Then, as always in the past, the fiercest hate and persecution will come from formal professors. The lovers of pure truth must now gird on the armor and be ready; for the battle is coming, fierce and strong. The irrepressible conflict is before us, but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. Blessed promise. The great controversy will close, and there will follow a mighty shout of victory over the beast, image, mark, and the number of his name. Praise God for the glory which awaits the overcomer!

M. E. CORNELL.