The Pope’s Lament by Uriah Smith

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 24, 1874

The Pope’s Lament.

By Uriah Smith

In the pope’s encyclical of November last, he, as usual, deplores the melancholy condition of the church; calls Bishop Reinkens “a pseudo bishop, a certain notorious apostate from the Catholic faith,” and excommunicates him and all who took part “in his election and sacrilegious consecration.” The pope adds:

“From the facts, to which we have referred in brief rather than at large, you are well assured, venerable brethren, how grave and full of danger is the condition of Catholics in those countries of Europe which we have mentioned. Neither are matters more favorable or the times more peaceful in America, where some countries are so hostile to Catholics that their governments seem rather to deny in deeds than to profess the Catholic faith. Some of you may perhaps be surprised, venerable brethren, that the war which is carried on at this time against the Catholic Church extends so far and wide. But whoever is acquainted with the character, the aims and the purposes of the sects—be they Freemasons or by whatever name they are known—and compares them with the character and extent of the strife, which throughout nearly the whole world is waged against the church, cannot hesitate to assign the cause of our present calamities to the craft and conspiracy of the same sects. From them is made up the Synagogue of Satan, which is marshalling its forces and preparing to engage hand to hand against the church of Christ.”

Who can read these utterances, and not almost hear the voice of the prophet Daniel, saying; “They shall take away his dominion to consume and destroy it unto the end?” U. S.