A Latter-Day Reformation by George Ide Butler

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 8, 1916

A Latter-Day Reformation

By George Ide Butler

GEO. I. BUTLER

The faith of Seventh-day Adventists, from the first feeble beginning of the third angel's message, was that it was a world-wide message to prepare a people for the coming of Christ. It must therefore be a special movement entirely distinct from all other religious denominations. It must go to the whole world,—to every nation, people, tribe, and tongue. All must have a chance to hear it, as all have souls to be saved or lost. Such a world-wide distinct message must be expected to meet opposition from every quarter. Such claims will seem egotistical and foolish to many, yet the Word of God plainly declares that such a message must be proclaimed in the last days.

It is a grand message of reform, embracing all the truths of the Bible, and discarding all the false doctrines foisted upon the world by the great apostasy. This apostasy, although its development was gradual, claimed to be the only true church. For many centuries its claims were accepted by the great mass of people professing the religion of Jesus Christ. It ruled the so-called Christian world with despotic power, persecuting and putting to death thousands of martyrs.

At length the Reformation interfered with Roman Catholic dominance, and held it in check in a measure. To this day the Catholics are more numerous than all the Protestants combined. The Protestants have been greatly weakened by being divided into many sects differing in belief and doctrine. Though the Reformation has done a vast amount of good, giving the people the Bible, which has wonderfully blessed the world, yet we must conclude that it was a reformation only in part. How could it be otherwise when Protestantism consists of so many different denominations, often warring with one another, and practically all of them retaining papal doctrines utterly contrary to the teachings of the Scripture?

Among these doctrines is that of the Sunday sabbath, instituted by the Catholic Church, and accepted by practically all Protestant churches. Not a word in all the Bible can be found indorsing the first day of the week as the Sabbath. Its observance is a violation of the moral law, which specifically declares, "The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God." The violation of that law is sin. Can we suppose that God will accept a substitute in place of the very day he himself rested on, pronounced holy, and appointed to a holy and religious use, and commanded in his blessed law to be the Sabbath for mankind?

Another hoary doctrine of heathenism indorsed by nearly all Protestant churches is that of the immortality of the soul, which was proclaimed first by Satan himself in the garden of Eden to Eve, the mother of the human family. He said, "Ye shall not surely die," although God himself had said that she should die if she partook of the forbidden fruit. Genesis 3. This doctrine has been held by the heathen world and taught by Protestant churches, and a multitude of errors have sprung from it.

The grand doctrine of the nearness of the second coming of Christ, taught by a multitude of prophecies in the Bible, has been rejected by many Protestant churches. No doctrine is more plainly taught in the Scriptures. Hundreds and thousands of believers in Christ's

soon coming were cast out of the popular churches for their belief in this Bible doctrine. With the multitude of evidences that this great event is near, these churches claim that the world is all going to be converted, and a thousand years of peace and safety prevail before Christ comes.

These great errors embrace many others which are being taught in the popular churches today. Even the Bible itself is being rejected in whole or in part by multitudes who deny the Biblical account of creation. Comparatively few ministers today firmly believe the whole Bible, or consider it the Word of God. Wonderful changes are occurring in the theological world.

We would not be understood as saying that all the people are losing belief in the Bible. There are many of the common people who firmly believe in the dear old Book of books; but large numbers are having their minds unsettled by men who claim to be ministers of Jesus Christ.

Never were men's minds more unsettled as to religious themes. It is high time that a new movement be ushered in, a movement standing for the Bible, and the Bible alone. With this terrible unbelief now flooding our world, it will take a mighty effort to raise up the old standard of loyalty to Bible doctrines. God has a message and a glorious system of truth in these last days; and wherever false doctrines are being taught, and Satan with his terrible delusions is attracting attention, God will send his messengers to give the warning, and these messengers will stand firm for the whole Bible truth as Christ and his apostles taught it.

Bowling Green, Fla.