GOOD WORDS FOR ROME by Editor

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Dec 22, 1887

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 13, No. 49.

GOOD WORDS FOR ROME.

By Editor

QUITE a sensation was made in one of the meetings of the Christian Conference just held in Washington, D. C., by a reference to the Catholic Church. Mr. Simeon E. Baldwin, of New Haven, Conn., asked what church had best observed and guarded the teachings of the Bible regarding the family and divorce, and replied that no church represented in that conference, but only "the older Christian church with its head at Rome." He said that he was sorry that in this conference he had listened to unkind words respecting this old Christian church. At this a member cried out, "I object to that; I don't believe it is a Christian church at all." After the buzz of excitement that followed this had subsided, Mr. Baldwin rejoined:—

"That is exactly the sentiment that I have heard uttered from this platform, and against which I protest. In my work with Mr. Dike in the divorce-reform league, I have found no truer friend than the Roman Catholic Church. One of the great friends to the cause of social advancement is the Roman Catholic Church. It guards the home, it guards the family, it guards the child. We ought to make friends with the Roman Catholic Church, and unless we do it, we reject one of the great factors in the cause of the advancement of Christ."

When Mr. Baldwin sat down, Mr. Dodge, the President of the Evangelical Alliance, under whose auspices the conference was held, said he was sorry that Mr. Baldwin had so entirely mistaken the sentiment of the Alliance on this question. He said that he knew of no one who had not profound respect for the piety of Roman Catholics, and for the good done by them. The only word that had been uttered was that they did not believe in allegiance to a foreign power, a power that was opposed to our free institutions, especially our public schools, but that for the Catholic Church as a Christian church they had nothing but love and sympathy. Said he: "We will always welcome their assistance, and we will defend with our hearts' blood rights for them that we claim for ourselves." The remarks of Mr. Dodge were interrupted by prolonged applause, and the conference broke out in applause at their close.

THUS we see how the barriers between Catholicism and Protestantism are being taken away, and it is not the Catholic Church that is making the advances. How long will it be before professed Protestants will begin to condemn Luther? The Catholic Church has not changed a particle; and if it is now one of the great factors in the advancement of the cause of Christ and social reforms, it must have been so in Luther's day; and if so, he made a great mistake. The truth is, the great body of professed Protestants have become so intoxicated with the wine of Rome—the desire for "catholicity" and church supremacy—that they are even now scarcely able to distinguish between Christ and antichrist.