COUNTERFEITS by William Penniman

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jan 2, 1893

COUNTERFEITS.

By William Penniman

BY WILLIAM PENNIMAN.

It is not necessary to define the word "counterfeits," as it is generally understood to be something false, or a likeness of something with a view to deceive.

We are living in a wonderful age as regards this kind of work, and almost everything is counterfeited. If a man gets up a good thing in a mechanical, medicalized, scientific, literary, and more especially in a theological or religious line, someone stands ready to make a counterfeit, especially if there is any money to be made out of it. This classification includes newspaper writers, and bookmakers who try their brains at it, and sometimes the would-be poet will try to soar on the ostrich wings of his imagination and in imitation of the eagle flight of some poetic genius, in order to gain notoriety.

It is generally a sign of a good thing when it is counterfeited. Counterfeiters do not get up counterfeit bills on wild-cat banks. How often do we hear men claim that, because there are so many kinds of religion, it is impossible to tell which is the right one, but this class do not neglect their business because counterfeit bills are in circulation, but with great sagacity try to detect them, and discover the sound ones. Just so they should do in religious matters. If ingenious men exert their powers to make false coins and spurious paper money as much like the original as possible, is it any wonder that evil spirits should do the same in a religious point of view? Hence we are exhorted to "try the spirits."

We read (Ex. 7:11) that when Moses and Aaron, through the power of God, performed miracles before Pharaoh, the magicians "did in like manner with their enchantments." But they could not counterfeit all of the miracles, for Aaron's rod swallowed up theirs, and they were finally obliged to acknowledge "the finger of God"—as all of the false miracle workers will have to do some day.

There have ever been in the history of the world the false and the true, or the genuine and the counterfeit. Ever since the fall of man, Satan, the greatest deceiver and counterfeiter, has deceived the world by imitation, by substitution, and by perversion of Scripture. There have been many false Christs. Satan has prompted men to this deceptive work. We know there must be a genuine Christ, a genuine Christianity, and also a true church, as all of these have been counterfeited. The most complete counterfeit church is the Roman Catholic, for it has substituted the buffoonery of the mass for the Lord's Supper, and sprinkling for baptism. We will give only two or three of the many texts of Scripture which it has perverted. Dr. Cumming says:—

The most remarkable specimen of Roman Catholic idolatry is that furnished in a work called the "Psalter of the Blessed Bonaventura," the author being a distinguished saint in the Roman Catholic calendar. It commences thus: "Come unto Mary, all ye that labor, and are heavy laden, and she will give you rest." The 19th psalm reads: "The heavens declare the glory of the virgin, and the firmament showeth forth her handiwork." Even the 110th psalm, which so directly refers to the Son of God, does not escape the corrupting pen of this "sainted divine." In his version it is thus: "The Lord said unto Mary, Stand thou at my right hand, until I have made thine enemies thy footstool."—Romanism in America, p. 64.

And, lastly, in a Romanist work called the "Abridgment of Christian Doctrine," which should be called "Perversion of Christian Doctrine," they not only claim that they have changed the Sabbath, but that the church has power to do it. The counterfeit Sunday has originated from the Catholic Church, and counterfeit reformers are heralding this day through the length and breadth of the land, and have compelled Congress to shut the gates of the World's Fair on Sunday; and so it follows that all of the world is coming to "wonder after the beast."

As a warning to those who do not believe in the existence and power of Satan, or at least do not act as though they do, we quote from "Testimony for the Church," No. 33, p. 226, as follows:—

It was by the display of supernatural powers in making the serpent his medium that Satan caused the fall of Adam and Eve in Eden. Before the close of time he will work still greater wonders. So far as his power extends, he will perform actual miracles. Says the Scripture, "He deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do,"—not merely those which he pretends to do. Something more than mere impostures is brought to view in this scripture. But there is a limit beyond which Satan cannot go; and here he calls deception to his aid, and counterfeits the work which he has not power actually to perform. In the last days he will appear in such a manner as to make men believe him to be Christ come the second time unto the world. He will indeed "transform himself into an angel of light." But while he will have the appearance of Christ in every particular, so far as mere appearance goes, it will deceive none but those who, like Pharaoh, are seeking to resist the truth.