Centennial Talk by Roswell F. Cottrell

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 3, 1876

Centennial Talk.

By Roswell F. Cottrell

Our nation has become of age. The hundredth anniversary of the birth of our republic has been celebrated. The corner-stone of our free institutions was laid in the statement of equal human rights set forth in the Declaration of Independence, in harmony with which our national Constitution was afterward framed. Never had human wisdom devised a better foundation upon which to establish government, and hence has arisen the unparalleled success and progress of these United States. Freedom from oppression, civil and religious, has invited from all lands those who have sought an asylum from proscription and persecution, from the time of the pilgrim fathers to the present. Equal civil rights, and the impossibility of religious persecution under our free Constitution, have caused the unprecedented growth of the nation.

Let us survey the past. Since the days of the apostles, the great apostasy in the church came as they had foretold. Acts 20:29, 30; 1 Tim. 4:1; 2 Thess. 2:3; 2 Pet. 2:1, 2. The “man of sin,” the Roman popedom, was the early result of this apostasy, but not the last; for it will finally result in the extreme wickedness, the strong delusion, the open denial of the Lord, and scoffing at the doctrine of his second coming, which were predicted of the last days. Matt. 24:12; 2 Thess. 2:11; 2 Pet. 2:1; and 3:3, 4. As the days of the bloody reign of the popedom were drawing to a close, the Reformation of the sixteenth century arose to hasten its doom and take away its dominion.

But the Reformation had inward foes to pervert it. Kings and queens professedly espoused the cause and lent their aid; but it was to set themselves up as the head of the church in their own dominion. The several national churches was the result, and dissenters—those who would reform and seek the truth more perfectly—were everywhere oppressed and persecuted. If they were not put to death, an established church would not let them pursue the cause of reformation, worship God according to the demands of their own conscience, and walk in the increasing light which was continuing to shine from the Scriptures. But the new world had been discovered, to which they might flee to enjoy their God-given rights. And, to make the United States emphatically a land of religious liberty, it was laid down, as a fundamental principle, that “Congress shall make no laws in regard to an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”

This principle is good. It has built up and increased the nation. But is it not possible that this very principle, adhered to, may work the ultimate overthrow of our free institutions? Heathenism and infidelity have equal rights here with Christianity. And the “mother church,” the sworn and ever-persistent enemy of Protestantism and religious toleration, can come in for its share of religious rights, till by its power and influence it may take matters in its own hands, revolutionize our free government, and establish itself on the ruins of our once free republic.

May not this be the possible result of the religious freedom of our national Constitution? And since our religious freedom exposes us to the wicked assaults of infidelity and Catholicism, foes that would take away the Bible from our schools, is it anything strange that there should arise a demand for religion in the Constitution—in other words, that a party should arise demanding a “religious amendment of the Constitution,” as is the case at the present time? Is it not natural that a “Christian party in politics” should now arise to rescue the religion of the pilgrim fathers, especially to save “our American Christian Sabbath?” How else can our free Protestantism be saved from the foreign, aggressive elements that threaten to overthrow that freedom for which our fathers bled? Well, the “American Association” is organized; the ball is in motion. That church which has ever sought to control the civil law, and so secure its creed, is to be met with civil law here, to repel its odious and aggressive aims.

But will not the measure sought result in the union of church and State in our own country, the very thing which we hate and would avoid, the very thing we condemn in the Catholic church? Would not our government, thus modified, be a perfect image of the Roman popedom? The advocates of the measure say they do not seek a union of church and State, that is, they do not wish any one of the Christian sects established by law. “These amendments,” say they, “agree with the faith, the feelings, and the forms of every Christian church or sect; the Catholic and Protestant, the Unitarian and the Trinitarian, profess and approve of what is here proposed. Why should their wishes not become law?”

But let us look into the “sure word of prophecy.” Some five hundred years before the full establishment of the Roman popedom, it was described in prophecy as a terrible beast, opening his mouth in blasphemy against God, making war with the saints and overcoming them, and this power was to be in his hand for forty-two months, or 1260 year-days. Rev. 13:1–10. This is a description of the Roman papacy; and it has been fulfilled. But another government was to arise, subsequent to the “first beast,” the prophetic description of which can apply to no other power that has arisen in the history of the world, but the United States. Verses 11–18. It is described as having two horns like a lamb, a symbol of mildness and youthful innocence, yet he is to speak as a dragon, a thing contradictory of its lamb-like appearance.

For one hundred years our government has been the mildest, the freest and best, that the earth ever saw; but, according to the prophecy, it will yet speak out—its dragon voice will be heard. And now that it has become of age, and is elated with the idea of its manhood or majority, is it not time to expect it will soon speak? And while the great Centennial Exposition is in progress to celebrate the one-hundredth anniversary of our national birth, the religious-amendment party hold a convention at Philadelphia to forward the interest of their cause and press their claim for a virtual union of church and State, in fulfillment of prophecy, “Saying to them that dwell upon the earth that they should make an image to the beast,” before described, the popedom.

Is it not time to awake to the fact that the last scene in the drama of the great controversy of earth is about to be enacted? The actors have conned their several parts and are on the stage. The curtain will soon be raised, and the closing scene displayed. For more than a quarter of a century has the warning voice of the final message been sounding to prepare the people of God to stand in the hour of temptation that is just before them. On the other hand, the demand for the image is being pressed; and this centennial year will doubtless mark the progress of the movement. Our safety is in obeying the message, in keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. Is it not time to make a business of proclaiming the warning to save our fellow-men? R. F. Cottrell.