The Proper Setting for Protests Against Romanism and the Infringement of Religious Liberty
By F. M. W.
IN considering the setting for the protests which we may make against Romanism and the infringement of religious liberty, it is proper that we first consider our work as a denomination, and the position which Providence has assigned us in this thrilling and eventful period of earth's history. Our work is the giving of the great threefold message of Revelation 14. This message embraces the everlasting gospel, with particular reference to the climax of its long conflict with Antichrist and the powers of evil, the development of a people who take their stand on the broad platform of truth, as represented in the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, and the final judgment of character as determined by the last great tribunal. The message with which we are entrusted is both positive and negative in its character. It is positive in that it proclaims and carries in the forefront the great positive upbuilding principles of eternal truth. It calls upon men to fear God and to give him glory, to worship the Creator instead of the creature, and gives as a reason for doing this the fact that the hour of God's judgment has been reached. The message is negative in that it sounds a solemn warning against the worship of the beast, against his image, and against the reception of his mark. When we consider the character of this great threefold message, and the fact that we have been made its conservators, the special messengers to give it to the world, the proper setting for protests which may be made against Romanism and the infringement of religious liberty is not difficult to determine. The setting of our protest against the beast, his image, and his mark must be that of the third angel's message, and other prophecies of the Bible which foretell the very conditions now existing, and the events which are soon to take place. It is not enough that we look at the efforts of Romanism with the eye of the statesman. He may recognize her steady advance, her crafty designs, her efforts to shape and mold legislation to suit her own interests. Seeing this, he may take alarm for the liberties of his country, and raise a note of warning. This, so far as it goes, constitutes a deterrent force against Roman ascendency. But this falls far short of the warning committed to us. This man, though used of God to stay the oncoming flood, is not giving the third angel's message. The same is true of many religious teachers, ministers, and editors to be found in the so-called Protestant church. These men, judging Rome to-day from the Rome of the past, realize that the same causes operating in the twentieth century will produce the same results as they did in the fourth century. They see Protestantism slowly but surely succumbing to this monster evil, and they cry out against Roman aggression. But they know but little, if anything, of the declarations of Scripture regarding the conflict before us. Their protest must be weak at best, and fall far short of the stirring testimony to be borne in God's order against this evil system. The standard of these Protestants can not be our standard. For us to oppose Roman principles and aggression from their standpoint would be much the same as to consider the great industrial conflict or the conditions obtaining in the social world from the standpoint of economics or social ethics rather than in their relation to the prophecies of the Bible, which clearly point them out as signs of the times in which we live. Those connected with this movement occupy a unique position; they belong in a class by themselves. They have a message to proclaim of divine origin, the warning of God, and not merely their own deductions drawn from the history of the past or from present-day observations. In pointing out sin, we should also point out the remedy. This is the principle of the gospel. The only remedy for the malefic influences of Rome is found in the positive truths of the third angel's message. Those men in the great Christian church who recognize the evils of the Roman system, not knowing the message of God for this day, or the prophetic setting of the true protest to be made against papal principles, are powerless to point out the remedy. The principles of true Protestantism, even in their experience, have been corrupted. They lack a knowledge of the truth for this time to give point and power to their protest. This emphasizes the necessity of our giving our protest with such a setting as shall make it vibrant with power in giving the message of God for this day and generation. Many who listen to our protests against Romanism and the infringement of religious liberty, or who read some copy of our journals dealing with this question, perhaps may never have another opportunity to hear or read the truth. How necessary, then, that in what they learn, whether it be in a sermon or an article, there shall be presented not merely the negative side of the message, the warning against the beast and his image, but as well the setting of that warning in the prophecy of which it is a part. And how desirable also that the world should clearly recognize the difference between our viewpoint and reasons of attack against Romanism and those leading to the unwise attacks of others. Otherwise, if it be not clearly recognized that our protest springs from other than personal considerations, we shall be counted in the same class as the violent religious demagogue. Our effort may be more dignified, our arguments more logical, but our opposition will be considered as springing from class hatred or religious prejudice. "What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the Lord." "He that hath9my word, let him speak my word faithfully." This, we believe, has been well done by our excellent journals which particularly deal with these questions. It is necessary in the proclamation of the truth to unmask error and warn men of the specious deceptions of sin. Sometimes the cloud of superstition and error must be broken through in order for the rays of truth to penetrate. But it must always be a question for careful study as to how much time should be spent directly in combating evil teaching. This is a matter that concerns every missionary dealing with the subtle philosophies of heathen religions. They might expend all their energy in disputation, and in many instances, from the standpoint of the logician, they would find foemen worthy of their steel. As the darkness of night is dissipated by the penetrating rays of the sun, so we believe that as a rule error is best met by the preaching of the plain, straightforward truth, "The burden of our message should be the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus." The conflict in which we are engaged will become so complex and complicated in the days before us that many phases of religious and political questions will be involved. It will be necessary many times to give consideration to these religio-political questions, but let us realize that in doing so we are treading on dangerous ground. The times before us are full of peril, and it is only by heavenly wisdom that we shall be kept from serious mistakes that would mar and retard rather than advance the cause of truth. We shall be tempted to discuss these complicated questions from the standpoint of the logician or would-be reformer, holding in abeyance the message of God. Satan will seek to switch us off from the great main track, the giving of the message, to the discussion of technicalities and subsidiary questions, which, while connected in a way with the great issue, are brought in only to confuse and divert our effort. He sought to divert the early Christian teachers by controversies over genealogies, strivings about the law, and oppositions of science falsely so-called. He will seek to side-track us by the same methods. Only the guiding of the divine Spirit, with careful consideration of the question involved, and the time, place, and circumstances, can determine our proper course. We believe, however, that if we make our chief burden the proclamation of the positive truths of the message, and show the prophetic setting of our protest, these subsidiary questions will largely fall into their natural place in the discussion. We believe that it is in God's order that changing methods in political procedure shall enable us to bring more directly before the people the issues involved in religious legislation. Perhaps we shall not be confined so closely as in the past to the discussion of constitutional technicalities, but can more freely explain to the public the basis of our opposition as contained in the Scriptures. We would not suggest in this that every effort put forth against Romanism, or in opposition to religious legislation, should be tagged the third angel's message. There is an eternal fitness in all things, particularly in the presentation of religious truth. The time, the place, the circumstances, and the subjects of labor involved must all enter into a determination of the extent to which the principles of the message shall be given, and the manner of their presentation. We do mean, however, that we should never forget why Providence has called into existence this movement with its multiplied agencies, and that the spirit of the message should give point and direction to all our labor. Our business in the world to-day is to give the third angel's message. This principle of labor actuated our Lord and his apostles. They saw in every occasion, in personal converse, in the home, in the market place, in the synagogue, in the palace of Caesar, and before judicial assemblies, an opportunity to preach the truths of a saving gospel. These opportunities they eagerly embraced for this purpose. We can not improve on their methods. The situation confronting us to-day is greatly intensified over the conditions that existed ten, five, or even one year ago. The Roman peril, which heretofore we have thought was still future, is now here. We face it. It meets us in the open. It stands, not alone in our thought but in the minds of thousands of our fellows, as the great, burning question of this time. But by many, even among our own membership and with some of our laborers, the seriousness of the situation is not appreciated. We must arouse our people to the great importance of the question. We must study the problem more deeply, and thus become better informed as to the principles involved. Already others are looking to us for ammunition to use in the conflict. We should be in a position where we can afford them help, and show them as far as possible the true basis of opposition found in the message of warning which God commissions us to give. But it is not enough that we merely warn men. Our message is to save men, to give the warning in such a way and with such a spirit that while they see the terribleness of sin, they will be won to the beauty of the gospel truth and to the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. Hence our protest against Romanism should be Christlike and dignified. No harshness should mar our effort. No words of gall should embitter our message. While we must speak the truth plainly, and unmask error boldly, let us seek to do so kindly and in the spirit of the Master. Says the spirit of prophecy:— It is true that we are commanded to “cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.” Isa. 58:1. This message must be given, but while it must be given, we should be careful not to thrust and crowd and condemn those who have not the light that we have. We should not go out of our way to make hard thrusts at the Catholics. Among the Catholics there are many who are most conscientious Christians, and who walk in all the light that shines upon them, and God will work in their behalf. . . . Let every one bear in mind that we are in no case to invite persecution. We are not to use harsh and cutting words. Keep them out of every article written, drop them out of every address given. Let the Word of God do the cutting, the rebuking; let finite men hide and abide in Jesus Christ. Let the spirit of Christ appear. Let all be guarded in their words, lest they place those not of our faith in deadly opposition against us, and give Satan an opportunity to use the unadvised words to hedge up our way.—“Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. IX, pages 243, 244. We are not carrying on an anti-Catholic campaign as such. We have no controversy with individuals. We represent not ourselves, but a cause, a great movement, eternal principles, even the principles of the government of heaven. Let the consciousness of this exalted ministry dignify our lives, eliminate cheapness from our methods of labor, and make us humble, meek, and gentle, but faithful and fearless representatives of true present-day Protestantism.