HE SPEAKS TRULY | AdventAI

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jul 31, 1893

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 19, No. 38.

HE SPEAKS TRULY.

SAID Archbishop Riordan at the dedication of the Church of St. Francis de Sales in this city, July 9:—

"To-day you are worshiping according to the rites of a creed that existed when nothing else existed."

This is true so far as Rome's purpose was concerned, and came very near being true in absolute fact. The time when this was, was during the Dark Ages. The reason of it was that Rome destroyed every doctrine which she deemed heresy, and if she could not destroy the doctrine, she destroyed by sword and famine, by rack and dungeon, by fire and fagot, the devotee of the doctrine, till she well-nigh destroyed all, and would have done so had not God in his mercy shortened the persecution of the days of her triumph (Matt. 24:22), and opened an asylum for the oppressed in the savage wilds of America. And from a human standpoint, as the archbishop says again:—

"It is wonderful that after so many hundred years this church, that is always about to perish, as our enemies tell us, flourishes and lives."

Yes, it is wonderful that the world has not risen up and blotted the great system of iniquity from the earth. And yet when it is

regarded from another view point it is not wonderful. All men want some kind of religion, and Rome has the very religion which is most satisfactory to the selfish heart of the great mass of men who can persuade themselves to believe her sophistries. The religion of Rome is essentially selfish, based deep in the various forms of selfishness of the natural human heart. Making men slaves in thought and will, so far as essential dogma is concerned, she tolerates the freest license in deeds and morals. She is an anomaly, or, as expressed in the Scriptures of truth, "the mystery of iniquity," the great opposing system of the mystery of God.

It is not the devotees of that church who are so much at fault. Their condemnation or approval we leave with God. It is the system, the essential doctrines of the church, the foundation principles of her structure, which are condemned by the word of God, and against which we warn and entreat all, even her devotees. Principles are greater than men, for they make men what they are. It is impossible for a body of men to adopt the principles of Rome, and follow their insincerity, and not do just what Rome has done, if they have the power. What Rome was during the Dark Ages she confessedly is to-day. Then she was a persecutor, for she had control of the civil power. Now she does not persecute, because she cannot; she would if she could. It is an essential of her very existence. She cannot be otherwise than a persecutor. That power which assumes and usurps the place of God as regards matters of conscience, will, if it cannot persuade conscience, endeavor to coerce or compel it. It takes all opposition to itself as affronts to God, which must be summarily punished. The saddest thing of to-day is that those who were once enlightened are now doing homage to Rome, and following in her footsteps. But in this we are not disappointed, for thus saith the prophet: "And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." That day draweth on apace.