R. F. COTTERILL by R. F. COTTERILL

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 26, 1869

R. F. COTTERILL

By R. F. COTTERILL

THE CLOSING MESSAGES—No. 11.

It is evident, as we have seen, that Babylon comprises more than the church of Rome. The same indicates division and discord, rather than unity. And if that church that ruled and guided the ten kingdoms of the divided Roman Empire, is the mother of harlots, it is certain that she has daughters, such as the term describes. We cannot, in candor, escape the conclusion if we would. Then it is our best course to admit the prophecy to be correct—let God be true—and be prepared for the consequences. Who are the daughters? is a question of deep interest at the present time. To show that we are not alone in our views, we will give the sayings of others of different denominations on this point:

The Tennessee Baptist says: “This woman [Popery] is called the mother of harlots and abominations. Who are the daughters? The Lutheran, the Presbyterian and Episcopalian churches are all branches of the [Roman] Catholic. Are not these demonstrated ‘harlots and abominations’ in the above passage? I so decide. I could not with the stake before me decide otherwise. Presbyterians and Episcopalians compose a part of Babylon. They hold the distinctive principles of Papacy, in common with Papists.”

Alexander Campbell says: “The worshiping establishments now in operation throughout Christendom, increased and cemented by their respective voluminous confessions of faith, and their ecclesiastical constitutions, are not churches of Jesus Christ, but the legitimate daughters of that mother of harlots—the church of Rome.”

A. Campbell says: “A reformation of popery was attempted in Europe full three centuries ago. It ended in a Protestant hierarchy, and swarms of dissenters. Protestantism has been reformed into Presbyterianism—that into Congregationalism—that into Baptistism, &c., &c. Methodism has attempted to reform all, but has reformed itself into many forms of Wesleyanism. All of them retain in their bosom, in their ecclesiastical organizations, worship, doctrines, and observances, various relics of popery. They are at best a reformation of popery, and only reformations in part. The doctrines and traditions of men yet impair the power and progress of the gospel in their hands.” On Baptism, p. 15.

These writers have named some particular denominations, which they deem to be daughters of the great harlot, and it is to be expected that each would think his own church exempt. We will not particularize. We wish to give offense to none, either by naming, or slighting them. But, we say again, that it is our decided conviction that all our modern churches which bear the features and follow in the footsteps of the mother, evincing especially an ardent desire for union with the State, asking for civil enactments to enforce those human ordinances and observances which they have preferred to revealed truth, belong to this great anti-Christian family. Momentous times are before us. Let every Christian be awake and on the watch.