p. 149 | Brave Words by G. W. A.

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 23, 1872

Brave Words.

By G. W. A.

The truth makes free, while error demands a cringing obedience. The one enfranchises and elevates, while the other disfranchises and degrades. This idea was forcibly illustrated in the experience of the Holland Christians in the dark period of the ninth century. At that time, when popes were making extravagant demands, it was no uncommon thing for the Holland Christians to shout a “veto” at their despotic usurpations. An incident quite illustrative of this, is found in Martin’s “Dutch Reformation,” pp. 79, 80. It was occasioned by the scandalous treatment which some of the Holland bishops received at the hands of Pope Nicholas I., about 860, while at Rome, where they had been cited by that pontiff to answer for daring to differ from his notions of duty. On their return, these brave ecclesiastics addressed a letter to Nicholas, which closes thus:—

“God has made his queen and spouse, the church, a noble and everlasting provision for her family, with a dowry that is neither fading nor corruptible, and given her an eternal crown and scepter; all which benefits, you, like a thief, intercept. You set up yourself in the temple of God; instead of a shepherd, you have become as a wolf to the sheep. You would have us believe you supreme bishop; you are rather a tyrant; under the mask of a pastor you hide your horns. Whereas you ought to be a servant of servants—as you call yourself, you intrigue to become lord of lords. Whatever you desire, you think lawful; thus you have become a deceiver of Christians. For all these reasons, neither we, nor our brethren and friends, regard or submit to your commands—know not your voice, and fear not your bulls. You condemn all as irreligious and impious that do not obey your despotic precepts, forbidding them the use of the sacraments. We smite you with your own sword, because you bring the commands of God into contempt, dissolving the unity of spiritual assemblies, and violating peace, the badge of the Prince of Heaven.”

“The Holy Ghost is the builder of all churches as far as the earth extends. The city of our God, of which we are citizens, reaches to all parts of the heavens; and it is greater than the city by the holy prophets named Babylon, which pretends to be divine, equals herself to Heaven, and brags that her wisdom is immortal, and finally, though without reason, that she never did err, nor ever can.”

Such was the courageous impeachment of a pontiff in the ninth century, and in it is discerned the rudiments of the Great Reformation some eight hundred years later, brought about by Luther and his coadjutors. But with the commencement of the twelfth century these brave speakers, there reproving Nathans among the clergy, began to die off, and the pope and the devil for a time ruled in everything that carried the name of religion. G. W. A.