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The Impending Conflict

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Apr 29, 1915

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 92, No. 21.

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“The Impending Conflict”

By C. S. Longacre

In Volume V of the “Testimonies for the Church,” under the above heading, we read as follows:—
“A great crisis awaits the people of God. A crisis awaits the world. The most momentous struggle of all the ages is just before us.”
This is most significant language, and commands our undivided interest. Naturally, we are solicitous to know what the movement is which will bring on this great crisis. Fortunately, we are not left in darkness as to what organization is paving the way for this crisis, and what the issue is in the coming conflict between God’s people and their enemies. The writer from whom we have just quoted continues as follows:—
“The National Reform movement, exercising the power of religious legislation, will, when fully developed, manifest the same intolerance and oppression that have prevailed in past ages. . . . The National Reform movement has been regarded by some as of so little importance that they have not thought it necessary to give much attention to it, and have even felt that in so doing they would be giving time to questions distinct from the third angel’s message. May the Lord forgive our brethren for thus interpreting the very message for this time.”
The same writer says, under the chapter of “The Coming Crisis:”—
“In the near future we shall see these words [Rev. 12: 17] fulfilled, as the Protestant churches unite with the world and with the papal power against commandment keepers. The same spirit which actuated papists in ages past, will lead Protestants to pursue a similar course toward those who will maintain their loyalty to God.
“Church and state are now making preparations for the future conflict. Protestants are working in disguise to bring Sunday to the front, as did the Romanists. . . . The Protestant world today see in the little company keeping the Sabbath a Mordecai in the gate. . . . The unwelcome intruder must by some means be put out of the way. . . . To secure popularity and patronage, legislators will yield to the demand for a Sunday law. Those who fear God cannot accept an institution that violates a precept of the decalogue. On this battle field comes the last great conflict of the controversy between truth and error.”
This presents the matter in no unmistakable terms as to what organizations constitute the movement and as to what the final issue is in “the last great conflict.” The aggressive movement which will constitute the great menace to liberty of conscience, is a union of Protestantism with Romanism, with political Protestantism in the front. “Protestantism shall stretch her hand across the gulf to grasp the hand of the Roman power.” It is under this union that “our country shall repudiate every principle of its Constitution as a Protestant and republican government, and shall make provision for the propagation of papal falsehoods and delusions.”
The National Reform movement we are told, when fully developed, will, through the influence of religious legislation, manifest the same intolerance as the Romanists did in past ages.
In the February, 1915, issue of the Christian Statesman, the official organ of the National Reform Association, we find the following editorial:—
“The National Reform Association is the pioneer advocate, not only of the proposed Christian amendment to the Constitution, but also of all practical reforms that may be necessary to make our national life conform to those principles. Moreover, the Christian amendment should be advocated in connection with the advocacy of such practical reforms, to the end that they may be made secure by being placed on an undeniably legal basis in the Constitution.”
The general superintendent in his annual report for 1914 says:—
“The National Reform Association carried on its politico-religious work more extensively and more effectively than in any previous year of its history.”
The Christian Statesman of January, 1915, says:—
“The National Reform Association is ready to cooperate with every movement that stands on the same general platform on which it stands.”
What is the program of the National Reform Association?
It would recommend their opponents to exile. Rev. M. A. Gault, a district secretary of the organization, said:—
“Our remedy for all these malefic influences is to have the government simply set up the moral law, and recognize God’s authority behind it, and lay its hands on any religion that does not conform to it.”
Professor Blanchard, another exponent of National Reform principles, said:—
“Constitutional laws punish for false money, false weights and measures. So Congress must establish a standard of religion, or admit anything called religion.”
In the Christian Statesman of May 21, 1885, we read:—
“If the opponents of the Bible do not like our government and its Christian features [as contemplated by the National Reformers], let them go to some wild, desolate land, and in the name of the devil, subdue it, and set up a government of their own on infidel and atheistic ideas; and then, if they can stand it, stay there till they die.”
“The civil power . . . has the right to command the consciences of men.”
In all candor, we ask, What is the difference between the platform of the National Reform Association and that of the Roman Catholic Church? Their methods to dispose of their opponents and enemies are practically the same. Both are in favor of commanding “the consciences of men,” and of “exiling” those whom they are prone to denominate heretics.
In a crusade which the National Reform Association is now waging against the Mormons, these reformers are asking the federal government to seize Mormon property, to require the government to exact a religious test, to deny the right of public office, to refuse the privilege of the United States mails to this particular religious sect, and all “Christian patriots” are urged to effect a Christian political union in order to boycott and bar from public office not only every Mormon, but any “ally” of the Mormons in politics or any one “who will not pledge himself to this program;” that is, the National Reform program.
We are not Mormons, nor do we have any sympathy for many of their doctrines; but is this program of the National Reformers a Christian way to deal with another sect from whom they differ? That is Rome’s way of treating her enemies.
The National Reform Association holds common ground with Rome, and as early as 1884 the National Reformers made an overture to the Catholic Church for Catholic support, in these words: “Whenever they [the Roman Catholics] are willing to cooperate in resisting the progress of political atheism, we will gladly join hands with them.” By “political atheism” they meant the separation of church and state, and the individual right to worship, or not to worship, according to the dictates of conscience.
The Catholic Church took this proposition of the National Reform Association under advisement, and after “correspondence and conference” the Catholic Lay Congress, held in Baltimore, Nov. 12, 1889, issued the following pronunciamento:—
“There are many Christian issues upon which Catholics could come together with non-Catholics and shape legislation for the public weal. In spite of rebuff and injustice, and overlooking zealotry, we should seek an alliance with non-Catholics for proper Sunday observance. Without going over to the Judaic Sabbath, we can bring the mass over to the moderation of the Christian Sunday.”
The editor of the Catholic Universe, who read a paper at this Catholic Lay Congress upon this proposition of favorable cooperation, said:—
“What we should seek is an en rapport with the Protestant Christians who desire to keep Sunday holy.”
Sunday legislation is the issue upon which this union and cooperation between Protestantism and Catholicism is to be made effective.
The National Reform Association claims that since it started, more than a score of similar Protestant reform organizations have sprung into existence, which have platform principles and purposes akin to the National Reform Association, and that all these organizations are favorable to the proposition of forming a union with the National Reform Association in the front.
Some of these organizations would employ the same methods in subduing their opponents as does Rome, and it would be an easy matter to effect a union with Rome when they have common interests to serve and a common enemy to subdue.
In what we have just presented it would appear that a union of apostate Protestantism with Romanism on common issues would lead them to repudiate every principle of our republican form of government as they unite in their attempts to subjugate God’s remnant people, and this will bring on “the impending conflict.” C. S. LONGACRE.