p. 5 | Rome’s Methods by B. E. TEFFT

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 19, 1911

Rome’s Methods

By B. E. TEFFT

B. E. TEFFT

“ROMANISM IS NOW REGARDED BY PROTESTANTS WITH FAR GREATER FAVOR THAN IN FORMER YEARS. . . . It is true that there are real Christians in the Roman Catholic communion. Thousands in that church are serving God according to the best light they have. They are not allowed to read the Word, and therefore they do not discern the truth.” But God will yet “cause rays of light” to shine upon those in darkness, and will “reveal to them the truth as it is in Jesus.”

“But Romanism as a system is no more in harmony with the gospel of Christ now than at any former period in her history.” “She is employing every device to extend her influence and increase her power in preparation for a fierce and determined conflict to regain control of the world, to reestablish persecution and to undo all that Protestantism has done. Catholicism is gaining ground in our country on every side. . . . Protestants have tampered with and patronized popery; they have made compromises and concessions which papists themselves are surprised to see, and fail to understand.”

San Diego is to have a Panama-California exposition in 1915. The ground-breaking ceremonies occurred July 19. President Taft, in the presence of a distinguished company at the White House, pressed the button that sent his greetings. He also sent a special envoy to represent himself. In this initial celebration the first place was given the Catholics because of their pioneer mission work in this place.

It is estimated that between twenty and thirty thousand people were present. San Diego is not a Catholic city, those of that faith being largely in the minority. But the first white settlers were Catholic missionaries. That fact has always been used here by the Catholics to bring into favorable prominence the papal church, and in this way great advantage was gained by them at the opening ceremonies referred to. They had the first place, and were in the majority in the church parade to the park where the first military mass in San Diego was celebrated. The leading city papers gave great prominence to this. From the San Diego Union I quote:—

“A priest at the altar raised a tiny wafer high to the view of thousands who bent their knees in the dust, and with bare heads bowed, struck their breasts. A hush fell over thousands more who filled the sloping sides of the cañon, and stood along the ridge above, as a trumpet’s martial blast announced the elevation of the host.”

The “thousands more” were the Protestants, among whom were thousands of children. The Catholic bishop occupied a seat under a gorgeously decorated canopy, and at his right was the presidential envoy. The music was fine, and the decorations such as to please the most fastidious. The audience then listened to a most elegant portrayal of the sacrifice and suffering, the heroism and faith, of the early fathers who planted the mission in San Diego.

The impression left on the people was such that a discordant note, or even an adverse suggestion, would have seemed unkind and unfair to such a church. Protestant children who never before had seen a Catholic service were favorably impressed with what they saw and heard. Rome knows when she has vantage-ground, and is not slow to improve it.

Bishop Conaty in his sermon spoke of the work of Junipero Serra in establishing a mission for the Indians. The monk was represented as a saint and hero for his self-sacrificing achievement. The faith of this man, it was argued, had determined the course of history and the advance of civilization.

There have been heroes and martyrs in all causes, good and bad. Earnest and zealous men have suffered and sacrificed to establish false religions. Their motives may have been good, and they may have believed they were doing God’s will. But to clothe a system of religion antagonistic to the pure principles of the gospel with angel robes because it can boast of some who have suffered in mission fields, at the same time ignoring the great army of martyrs made by that church, is grossly misleading.

San Diego, Cal.