p. 6 | Bibles Burned in Madeira

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · May 30, 1907

Bibles Burned in Madeira

IN the United States Rome poses as an advocate of Bible distribution and Bible study. That this is a policy of expediency only is shown by such experiences as the following, told by Rev. W. G. Smart in one of our exchanges:—

Recently the British and Foreign Bible Society of London sent a colporteur from their central depot in Lisbon, Portugal, to sell Portuguese Scriptures in Madeira. He was there two months and a half, and during that time sold one hundred and twenty Bibles, about two hundred Testaments and three hundred and fifty-five portions of the Scriptures. I advised him to go to Sancta Cruce, nine miles from Funchal. He went and sold several Bibles there. A priest followed him to the steamer, and gave him a severe reprimand. The next day was Sunday, and after mass the priest, having gathered together the Bibles which had been sold, burned them in the presence of the people, and many of them applauded the act. The Portuguese Protestants in Funchal are full of indignation at this vandalism, and intend to write about it in the local Portuguese papers.

As “Rome never changes,” her purpose is the same in all parts of the earth. Why does she not, therefore, burn Bibles in the United States? The only possible answer is that it is not yet expedient so to do. There was a time when the Pharisees and rulers dared not lay hands on Jesus “because they feared the people.” The time came when that fear did not restrain them.