ROME'S ADVANCES | AdventAI

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Mar 27, 1893

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 19, No. 21.

ROME'S ADVANCES.

IN the Lutheran Observer not long ago Prof. J. W. Richards presents some startling facts from the Deutsche Evangelische Zeitung, of Dr. Stoecher, relative to the progress of Roman Catholicism in Germany. It says that the purposes of the Roman Catholic Church "have now become unmistakably manifest," through public utterances of the Mayence Convention, and private declaration of its leaders, such as, "Appeal to the arbitrament of battle on the Brandenburg sands;" "Back to the bosom of the church;" "The Jesuits must be restored." After intimating that Protestantism had lost its prestige, he says:—

We can oppose Rome only with a better faith; which faith, according to our conception, is not the liberal Protestantism, nor a mish-mash of the liberal and positive, but the biblical confessional faith of our church.

And we may add further that such confession must not be empty sound, but a living confession of faith in Christ with all that is implied. That means giving to the world now the truth of God for this time. Dr. Stoecher continues:—

Whence arises the superior influence of Rome on German life to-day? Rome is free; we are bound. Rome is fondled and respected; we are not respected, not loved. Rome seeks to bring Christianity into political and social affairs; we—with a few exceptions—hold it far away, and see in the non-mixing of religion in politics the salvation of the church, whilst the introduction of politics into the affairs of the church is the custom. We have the advantage of Rome in biblical truth, but we do not guard it. Professors and pastors, synods and church elders, renounce the Bible, and deny the foundation of Christianity, the essential divinity of Christ; but the church authorities keep silent. How and by what shall the evangelical church gain influence? Merely by fighting Rome? This certainly has no promise, when we have a better banner under which and for which to fight.

On this the Lutheran Witness remarks:—

From beginning to end both the appeal and Stoecher's comments confirm almost item for item what we had written. But most significant of all is the fact that Stoecher finds the chief cause of the weakness and inefficiency of Protestantism in the abnormal and unscriptural relation of Church and State, "where the Protestant church is often governed by Catholic or even by non-Christian princes."

And yet this is the very condition in which Protestants (so called) of America are placing themselves. It is not Protestantism; it is popery. In this Rome is consistent and powerful. Protestantism is inconsistent and weak. She has let go of Christ, the Source of her former strength; and in endeavoring to gain worldly power, she has a rival in the "harlot mother," so crafty, so formidable, so well versed in such unholy alliances as to be much more than her equal in the struggle. Well may it be said, as it was said of Israel of old: "For My people have committed two evils; they have forsaken Me, the Fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water."

Jesus Christ, and him alone, is the great Source of light and knowledge and wisdom and power to his church. Worldly wisdom, or numbers, or power, or wealth, will never compensate for the loss of faith in God and his word, which is loss of connection with Christ.