Philosophy of The Great Compromise
Casson Jenkins
Philosophy 3322, History of the Western Philosophy:
Modern and contemporary

When Christianity began with the ministry of Jesus Christ in the early first century, the faith was one of simplicity. The prophesied messiah spoke often of simplicity, saying that he who believeth in me shall not perish but have ever lasting life. Though his demeanor was pious and gentle, he was seen as a heretic and a threat to the faith of the Jews. His defense, that he had come not to strike down the prophecies, but to fulfill them, was not met warmly by the Pharisees, and for his believed heresy, he was put to death.

After the death of Christ, his disciples remained in Jerusalem to minister his gospel as he instructed, until they were eventually driven out. There were those, such as James, who stayed in the Holy Land, and others ventured with Paul to the lands of the gentiles. Here began the first rift in the newly founded faith. James (the brother of Jesus) led the conservatives of the faith who continued to practice the Jewish laws concerning such issues as circumcision and kosher eating. The liberal movement was led by Paul, who saw no need for such practices, relying on the scripture of 2 Colossians 10:16, where Jesus clearly stated that such laws were nailed to the cross with him and that mankind had been circumcised in his blood.

In this time, four centers of faith were founded, the first being at Jerusalem, the others in Alexandria, Constantinople, and Rome. Soon after, the church of Alexandria was destroyed, followed closely by that of Jerusalem. In Rome, the Christians were heavily persecuted for their beliefs, often crucified, as was the fate met by Peter, or fed to wild beasts. Though it seemed that the farther the persecutions were taken, the deeper the faith of the Christians burned. Many hid from their tormentors in catacombs and others fled to the mountains of Northern Italy, and France. For many years, the persecutions continued until the faith was eventually adopted by Rome.

When Rome gave in to Christ, it was faced with many problems, chiefly that of an overwhelming pagan majority, which had to be overcome. This is the beginning of the Great Compromise. Constantine saw that the Christians took a day out of their week to honor their God. Could the same not be done for the Heathen? The day of Sunday was decided upon for worship of the "venerable Sun" and if the Christian minority could be brought to casually observe reverence for their God on this day, perhaps a small union of ideals could be made.

THE SUNDAY LAW OF CONSTANTINE - The law issued by the emperor Constantine on the seventh of March, A.D. 321, regarding a day of rest from labor, reads thus:

"All judges and city people and the craftsman shall rest upon the venerable Day of the Sun. Country people, however, may freely attend to the cultivation of the fields, because it frequently happens that no other days are better adapted for planting the grain in the furrows or the vines in the trenches. So that the advantages given by heavenly providence may not for the occasion of a short time perish." - Joseph Cullen Ayer, A Source Book for Ancient Church History, ch. 1, sec. 59, pp. 284,285.

It was the emperor's policy to unite the conflicting interests of heathenism and Christianity, and "was urged to do this by the bishops of the church, who, inspired by ambition and thirst for power, perceived that if the same day was observed by both Christian and heathen, it would promote the nominal acceptance of Christianity by pagans, and thus advance the power and glory of the church." - Ellen White THE GREAT CONTROVERSY p. 53. There was, at this time, an ambitious bishop named Eusebius, who sought political power through the princes, and was friend to Constantine, who advanced a claim that Christ himself had transferred the Sabbath to Sunday. "All things," he says, "whatever that it was duty to do on the Sabbath, these we have transferred to the Lord’s day." -Robert Cox, Sabbath Laws and Sabbath Duties, p. 538.

Though, when confronted by Christians, not a single testimony of the scripture was produced to validate such a doctrine, and Eusebis himself was forced to acknowledge its falsity and point to the true authors of the change. Pleased with their victory, though short lived, the Christians continued to observe the seventh day as holy. Even though the arguments for Sunday observance were groundless, men throughout history have been ambitious, and all who desired to be honored by the world accepted the popular festival, thus preserving worship on the "venerable Day of the Sun." Over time, the Sabbath of the Lord was pressed lower bit by bit, and finally the pagan festival came to be honored as a divine institution, while the biblical Sabbath was pronounced a relic of Judaism, and its observers were declared to be accursed.

The true beginning of Papist power came in the fourth century, from the legend that Pope Sylvester I performed a miraculous healing upon Emperor Constantine, for which he was given control of the western portion of the empire. Whether the miracle was performed or not is an issue of controversy, but the fact remains that the pope was given power over the western portion of the empire. In this time of the birthing of Christianity, controversy was its twin. There was, in these days, a contemporary and friend to Sylvester, named Peter of Walle, who objected to the acceptance of the King's treasure. He and his followers took their stand, saying, " Has not the Lord given us a precept not to posses temporal and material goods? Indeed, did He not say to his disciples that they should take neither gold, nor silver, nor money in their purse, neither two coats, nor shoes, nor yet staves." - Giorgio Tourn The Waldensians pg. 33-34. They also fell upon the parable of the rich young man, where Jesus said, "Thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me." - Matthew 19:21, and the words of Peter saying "Behold, we have forsaken all, and follow thee." These are the various arguments he and his followers projected, though they fell upon deaf ears.

Those followers of Christ are called the Waldenses (after a future leader of theirs, who was named Waldes), and were the first to suffer under the fiery wrath of the Roman Church. Soon, the words of the Pontiff spoke, "If you do not go along with me, I will cast you in exile." - Giorgio Tourn The Waldensians pg. 33. Punishment for their objection came as no surprise to these men who knew the scriptures, recalling, Timothy 3:12 " Yea, all that will live Godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution," rather they invited this persecution because of the rewards it promised to bring them in Heaven, as they educed the words of the Messiah in Matthew 19:29, "Everyone that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or father, or mother, or wife or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive one hundred fold, and shall inherit eternal life." These were the first to be accused of ‘Heresy,’ which derives from a Greek word meaning ‘a choosing,’ for they chose not to follow Rome but to follow Christ. After their expulsion, they fled to the mountains, marshes, and wooded areas to practice their faith. Their persecution and martyrdom would not cease for more than a thousand years. One might recall, at this point, the prophecy of John: "The woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed there a thousand two hundred and threescore days." Revelation 12:6

The second apostasy of the Roman Church came within a few years of the first. The controversy was over the date on which, 'Easter' should be celebrated. The festival of those times was far different than that which is celebrated today, due to the fact that our 'Easter' is highly incorporated with paganism. The name of 'Easter' came from a pagan holiday in March, where the rising of the sun in the east brought about the season of spring, hence the name, and the image of the rabbit was worshipped as a sign of fertility in the new season. Hence our beloved Easter bunny we cherished as children. Theirs was one of fasting and prayer. The controversy over this day came of great significance, because all the Asian dioceses thought that, in accordance with ancient tradition, they ought to observe the fourteenth day of the lunar month Nisan,* " the day of the Passover full moon," as the beginning of the Paschal festival - the day on which the Jews had been commanded to sacrifice the lamb: on that day, no matter which day of the week it might be, they must without fail bring the fast to an end.

* The Jewish month of Nisan is between March and April, and consists of thirty days. It is the first month of the Sacred year and the seventh of the Civil year.

The problem was that nowhere else in the known world was it customary to arrange the celebration in accordance with that of apostolic tradition. Problems arose when "synods and conferences of bishops were convened, and without a dissenting voice, drew up a decree of the Church, in the form of letters addressed to Christians everywhere, that never on any day, other than 'The Lord’s Day,' should the mystery of the Lord’s resurrection from the dead be celebrated, and that on that day alone we should observe the end of the Paschal fast." - Euseius History of the Church pg. 229.

This decree was met with opposition, however, from an Asian bishop named Polycrates, who plainly stated, "We, for our part, keep the day scrupulously, without additions or subtractions. For in Asia great luminaries sleep who shall rise again in the day of the Lord’s advent, when He is coming with glory from Heaven and shall search out all His saints - such as Philip, one of the twelve apostles, who sleeps in Hierapolis with two of his daughters, while his other daughter rests in Euphesus. Again there is John, who leant back on the Lord’s breast, and who became a sacrificing priest wearing the miter, a martyr, and a teacher; he too sleeps in Euphesus. Then in Smyrna there is Polycarp, bishop and martyr: and Thraseas, the bishop and martyr from Eumenia, who sleeps as well in Smyrna. All of these kept the fourteenth day of the month as the beginning of the Paschal festival, in accordance with the Gospel,* not deviating in the least, but following the rule of the faith. Last of all I too, Polycrates, the least of you all, act according to the traditions of my family. So I, my friends, after spending sixty-five years in the Lord’s service and conversing with Christians from all parts of the world, and going carefully through all Holy scripture, am not scared of threats. Better people than I have said: 'We must obey God rather than men.'"^ - Euseius History of the Church pg. 230.

* John 18:39 and 19:16&30 point to the day of Passover as the day on which Christ was crucified.

^ Acts 5. 29 Peter's answer to the charges of a high priest.

Another day that calls for question is that of December 25, a day celebrated as the day of Christ’s birth. We know today that his birth took place in the month of March, when taxes were to be paid to the Roman empire, yet December is accredited with this day; because, like Easter, the December 25 was a pagan holiday, celebrated as the birthday of the Sun, and was instituted in order to further conversions.

Two hundred and seventeen years later, in the year 538, the papacy became fully established and push for Sunday worship was seen as had never been seen before. For a short time, men engaged in their agricultural pursuits, while not attending church on the Lord’s Day, and the seventh day of the Sabbath remained holy. But, as always, with the church of Rome, a steady change took place. Those in holy office were forbidden to pass judgment in any civil controversy on the Sunday. Soon after, all persons, of whatever rank, were commanded to refrain from common labor on pain of fine for freemen and stripes in the case of servants. Later, it was decreed that rich men should be punished with the loss of half of their estates, and finally, if they remained obstinate, they should be made slaves. The lower classes were to suffer perpetual banishment." - Ellen White, THE GREAT CONTROVERSY p. 574, 575.

With no scripture to reinforce their doctrines, the Papacy resorted to rumors of horrible happenings for those who did not observe The Lord’s Day, it was reported that, "As a husbandman who was about to plow his field on Sunday cleaned his plow with an iron, the iron stuck fast in his hand, and for two years he carried it about with him, to his exceeding great pain and shame." - Francis West, Historical and Practical Discourse on the Lord’s Day, p. 174. Other vengeances of the Lord were said to be more severe:

"Because people had been struck by lightning while laboring on Sunday, it must be the Sabbath. 'It is apparent,' said the prelates, 'How high the displeasure of God was upon their neglect of this day.' An appeal was then made that priests and ministers, Kings and Princes, and all faithful people 'use their utmost endeavors and care that the day be restored to its honor, and, for the credit of Christianity, more devoutly observed for the time to come.'" - Thomas Morer, Discourse in six Dialogues on the Name, Notion, and Observation of the Lord’s Day, p. 271.

To the dismay of Rome, the outer reaches of the empire were less accepting to its doctrines. In England, they were met with great opposition. People doubted the authority of their teachers to change the law of Jehovah, quoting, "The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God" - EXODUS, 20:10. This lack of scriptural authority for Sunday keeping brought about no little embarrassment, and called for a quick remedy. In the twelfth century the lack was supplied. "A scroll, purporting to be from God himself, and containing great threats to terrify the disobedient, proclaimed the needed command for Sunday observance. This precious document - as base a counterfeit as the institution it supported - was said to have fallen from heaven, and to have been found in Jerusalem, upon the altar of St. Simon, in Golgotha. But in fact, the Roman palace was the source whence it proceeded." - Ellen White, THE GREAT CONTROVERSY pg. 542.

In the eighth century, conversions were slowing and the Church had to look to new methods of scriptural butchery to further it’s faith. It is in human nature to desire a physical manifestation of what one believes, as it was then with the pagans. So, to afford converts from heathenism a substitute for the worship of idols, and thus to promote their nominal acceptance of Christianity, the adoration of images and relics was gradually introduced into the Christian worship. By decree (Second Council of Nice, A.D. 787) a system of idolatry was established, where the second commandment was expunged and the tenth divided, in order to preserve the number. This can easily be noticed when one observes the differences in the commandments of God that were put forth in Exodus and that of the Catholic text.

Notice the difference here. The third commandment has been put in the place of the second. As for the tenth, let us observe the law of God.

We see here that there have been omissions, these omissions have been placed in the ninth, so as to continue the tradition of the ten. It is also useful to notice the severe abridgment of the fourth commandment, which calls for Sabbath observance, by the Catholic Catechism. No scriptural evidence was ever produced to justify their claim, and never will be for that matter. All that was produced for its relevance was a proclamation of Rome. Evidence of this can clearly be seen in the Catholic Church of today with the reverence toward Mary. In the last Bull issued by Rome, this "Mary," was deemed co-eternal, and co-redeemer with Christ. This causes a great deal of conflict with the classical Christian view of the "Holy Trinity." By the Trinity of God we mean His tri-personal existence as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - three distinct persons in one.

The next series of horrifying sins by the Papacy came in the eleventh century. At this time, the practice of scourging and flogging of one’s own body was a common practice, used to purge the self from sin. This practice soon came to the point of literally beating the faith to death, and did not go unnoticed by local priests. A solution had to be made in order to preserve the masochistic Christians. The answer was discovered by Regino, Abbot of Prum, who replied: "You cannot accomplish the task imposed on you. Well! We, the priests of God and your Pastors, will take this heavy burden upon ourselves. For a seven weeks fast," said the priest ",You shall pay twenty pence, if you are rich; ten if less wealthy; and three pence if you are poor; and so on for other matters." - D’ Aubignč’s History of the reformation ch.2 pg.15. These offerings of redemption were titled "Indulgences" and were met with great success, quickly catching the eye of the Roman Hierarchy. It wasn’t long before further action was taken to elevate the purse of Rome. A Bull of Pope Clement VII declared it an article of faith, publicly announcing that, "Jesus Christ had done much more than was necessary to reconcile God to Man, one single drop of his blood would have been sufficient. But he shed it copiously, in order to form a treasure for His Church that eternity can never exhaust." - D’ Aubignč’s History of the Reformation ch.2 pg.16. The price of incest was set at five goats, if undetected, and six if it had been known. Prices were put on all sins, such as murder, adultery, burglary, and so on. Rome became the epitome of human nature, reveling in greed, lust, and gluttony.

One of the greatest crimes committed by the Catholic Church was that of Purgatory. Purgatory had its roots in Alexandria, by the two Philosophers, Clement (Died prior to 215) and Origin ( Died 253/254). There Philosophy was that of, "A fire in which men could be purified." This theory was, at that time, a popular issue for philosophical discourse, and naturally was written upon. Though, in the dark ages few were able to read these manuscripts, the clergy was, in many cases, educated. Thus, the ancient thoughts were discovered by one of the priests of the thirteenth century, named Thomas Aquinas, who brought them to attention in his famous Summa Theologioe, and on hearing this the interest of Rome, grew with thoughts of deepening her pockets. The Pope declared this philosophical opinion a tenet of the church, and in a Bull, annexed Purgatory to his domain. In that place, he declared, "Men would have to expedite the sins that could not be expiated here on earth; but that indulgences would liberate their souls from that intimidate state in which their sins would detain them," few could resist the price of alleviating the suffering of loved ones and redeeming their souls from this place of torment. Soon, due heavily to Pope John XXII, the original version of purgatory would go through more than forty revisions. Yet another compromise was made! By further mingling the blood of the lamb with paganism, the Pontifical pocketbook swelled to new heights. Further measures were also taken by Pope Boniface VIII to fill the Roman treasury. In the year 1300, when he published a Bull, in which he declared to the Church: every one hundred years, all who made a pilgrimage to Rome should receive a plenary indulgence. In the time of one month, close to two hunderd thousand made the journey. All, whether rich or poor, brought with them offerings. Quickly the papal see was swimming in wealth. The Jubilee was then fixed on fifty years, then thirty three years, and finally at twenty five years.

With no ramifications for her actions, Rome had to stand unopposed, for opposition would only lead to the opening of the eyes of men and the downfall of the Papacy. This became the time of persecution. Many Christians found sanctuary in the British isles, where they thrived for hundreds of years, dispensing missionaries to all parts of Europe, including Italy. This came to an end in the sixth century, when Rome undertook the conversion of the Saxons. As the work progressed, the papal leaders and their converts encountered the primitive Christians. A striking contrast was presented. The latter were simple, humble, and scriptural in character, doctrine, and manners, while the former manifested the superstition, pomp, and arrogance of popery.

The emissary of Rome demanded that these Christian churches acknowledge the supremacy of the sovereign pontiff. The Britons meekly replied that they desired to love all men, but that the pope was not entitled to supremacy in the church, and they could render to him only that submission which was due to every follower of Christ. Steadfastly, they replied that they knew no other master than Christ. After their rejection, the Church showed its true colors, declaring, "If you will not receive brethren who bring you peace, you receive enemies who bring you war. If you will not unite with us in showing the Saxons the way of life, you shall receive from them the stroke of death." - D’Aubigne’s History of the Reformation ch. 2. These men of piety were slaughtered for their faith, and those who feared the sword paid homage to Rome and accepted its faith. Unfortunately, there remain few records of these people, and the records that do exist were written by their murderers, for it was the policy of Rome to obliterate every trace of dissent from her doctrines or decrees. Everything heretical, whether persons or writings were destroyed.

In central Europe, there dwelled still the Waldenses. They were a peaceful people who practiced their faith in the secluded mountains of Piedmont, as well as the French Alps. The problem that was seen by Rome with these people, was that they were preachers of the bible, and though they gained approval by the Pope in 1179 for piousness and devotion to poverty, nevertheless denied them the right to preach any doctrine conflicting with the teachings of Rome. By living in the mountains, hidden from the world, they were afforded the luxury of time. This time was used for the scribing of scripture for dispersal on their travels. They possessed a few copies of the bible, some in full, but for the most part they committed the books to memory, or carried about portions of the manuscripts. The Waldenses would travel cloaked as merchants to peddle their goods, in order as not to draw suspicion. Due to their extensive travel, they were able to obtain fine goods, such as silk and spices from the East. When news of such goods was heard, they were welcomed into the town as peddlers, a fate far different than if they had been sent as ministers. They would always travel in pairs, one an elder, and the other an apprentice minister. In the light of the moon, or in a secluded place, they would produce the treasures that they hid under their garments. Remember that, at those times, books were rare, especially works of scripture, and too expensive for most. They would dispense these writings to inconspicuous persons who showed an interest, then in the darkness they would travel to another town as not to draw attention to themselves for too long. The reason for the masking of their identities, and the concealment of their bibles is that, in the year 1229, the bible was placed on the "Index of Forbidden Books" by the Council of Valencia, and was forbidden to be read or possessed by any laymen. They paid no heed to the Roman power and continued their ministry; for this, though, many would give up their lives. In the year 1209, over one thousand Waldenses were burned along with others in the crusade against the Albingenses. Later, one famous trial which was held in Ltetten, Germany, consisted of some four hundred Waldenses, who met the fate of execution by the stake, under the charges of heresy. A Bull was issued by Pope Innocent VIII, A.D. 1487, condemning them as heretics, and delivering them to slaughter, The original document can be found today in the library of the University of Cambridge. They were not accused as idlers, or dishonest, or disorderly; but it was declared that "they had an appearance of piety and sanctity that seduced the sheep of the true fold. Therefore, the pope ordered that the malicious and abominable sect of malignants, if they refuse to abjure, be crushed like venomous snakes." - Wylie, b. 16. ch. 1.

Many more would render their lives for their beliefs (sixty million is the round figure that has been decided upon by modern historians, though only fifty million of them are claimed by Rome), until the destruction of the Papal power by the armies of France in the year 1798. Withstanding the trials of time, the Waldension church still exists to this day with 25,000 official members, 5,000 of which are in Latin America, and 20,000 in northern Italy, 13,000 of which still reside in the valleys of Piedmont. As far the United states is concerned, the Waldenses influence can be seen in the Methodist church, into which they incorporated.

Not all traitors to Rome came from outside the grasp of the clergy. In fact, the most hated of heretics came from their own ranks. One of the first recorded heretics from within the church was Anselm of Canterbury, in his - Cur Deus homo, he proclaimed, "Look only to the merits of Jesus Christ," a bold statement at that time.

One of the more famous of these men was John Wycliffe, who was an English man of the cloth. Wycliffe, through his study of the bible, began to question the authority of his superiors, and to preach openly against the Pope. The greatest feat accomplished by him was a translation of the bible from the ancient languages to that of his native people, in order that they may read it themselves. There was, at this time, no law in England that prohibited the bible, for it had never before been published in the language of the people. Such laws were afterward enacted and rigorously enforced. First, a synod of bishops declared the writings heretical, and winning the young king, Richard II, to their side, they obtained a royal decree consigning to prison all who should hold the condemned doctrines. Wycliffe was soon summoned to trial where he rebutted his captors with scripture, and could only be met with threats and shouts. He appealed his case to Parliament, which roused by the stirring appeals of Wycliffe, repealed the persecuting edict, and the reformer was again at liberty. He continued to preach, and was then again summoned to appear in court on charges of heresy. Once again he appeared and once again he was delivered, this time by the death of his prosecutor Pope Gregory XI. Upon the death of Gregory, the trial was dismissed. A few years later he was summoned a third time, and again escaped the stake. Before he could be convicted, he fell dead from an attack of palsy, but thirsty for blood and a prime example, The Church, over forty years later, had his bones exhumed and publicly burned.

A second among these reformers was Jan Huss. Huss was a Bohemian, who had read the works of Wycliffe, and had also felt the influence of the Waldenses. He was also greatly inspired by the work of two English artists who ventured to Prague and worked their skill in a place visible to the public, by painting two pictures. The first represented the entrance of Christ into Jerusalem, "meek and sitting upon an ass" - Matthew 21:5, and followed by his disciples in tattered clothing and bare feet. The second was a portrayal of a pontifical procession - the Pope arrayed in his rich robes and triple crown, mounted upon a horse that was adorned magnificently, preceded by trumpeters and followed by cardinals and prelates clothed in expensive robes sparkling with jewels. His movement was not met peaceably when confronted by Roman officials. Huss had won the favor of the queen, as well as vast numbers of his countrymen. When the people were forced to follow the doctrines of the Roman faith, they resisted heavily. Crusades were made against them that were met with little success, due to the brilliance of their blind Bohemian general Ziska, who met the first of the invaders, and after his death, Procopius, who mastered the art of the feigned withdrawal. Never did they fall victim to the armies of Rome, but rather to the trickery of treaty, and the erection of a king who fell back upon the Pope and reinstated the Church. Huss was not as lucky as Wycliffe, and was brought to the stake soon after a bloody civil war that claimed the life of Procopius, Huss is said to have been singing hymns to Jesus as the flames were lit around him, and did not cease until death silenced him.

Perhaps the most renown of these reformers was Martin Luther, who spoke avidly against indulgences. For example, the song of Tetzel, the man appointed to conduct the sale of indulgences in Germany, "When a coin in the cup rings a soul from purgatory springs," was held in no high regard by him. He gained fame also for his 95 points, which he nailed to the Church door. Luther meant to use these in a peaceful debate, but no peace ensued from them. Like Huss, Luther gained favor with the royal courts, namely the princes of the realm. Time and again he was summoned on charges of heresy, and was pardoned by the princes. His most zealous protector was Frederick of Saxony, who offered him protection in his own castle. It was not safe for Luther to venture outside the wall, because of a proclamation by Rome that stated, "All persons were forbidden to harbor him, to give him food or drink, or by word or act, in public or private, to aid or abet him. He was to be seized wherever he might be, and delivered to the authorities." - Ellen White THE GREAT CONTROVERSY pg.150.

Luther, like Wycliffe, was further scorned for his translation of the Bible to the language of the people. In one trial of Luther, it was said by the papists that, "All that the Lutherans have said is true; we cannot deny it," declared the bishop. Doctor Eck, one of the prosecutors, was asked, "Can you refute by sound reasons the confessions made by the elector and his allies?" The reply was: "With the writings of the apostles and the prophets-no! But with those of the Fathers and of the councils-yes!" the questioner responded, "I understand, The Lutherans, according to you, are in Scripture and we are outside." - Ibid., b. 14, ch. 8.

Soon, the Emperor himself declared that the Protestant articles were the truth, and a bloody civil war ensued that would liberate the northern portion of Germany from Papal control. This, today, can be seen in the northern portion of Germany being Protestant and the southern portion remaining predominately Catholic.

At the same time as Luther, the Swiss found their reformer in Ulric Zwingli. Zwingli stated that "The life of Christ has been too long hidden from the people. I shall preach upon the whole of the Gospel of St. Matthew .... drawing solely from the foundations of the Scripture, sounding its depths, comparing one passage with another, and seeking for understanding by constant and earnest prayer. It is to God’s glory, to the praise of His only Son, to the real salvation of souls, and to their edification in the true faith, that I shall consecrate my ministry." - Ibid., B. 8, ch. 6. Zwingli used a different method of ministry, by, at first, preaching to the children instead of the parents.

This method proved most effective, as parents of the children would come to Zwingli to learn what their children had been taught. They rejoiced in their new-found freedom and said, "This man is a preacher of the truth. He will be our Moses, to lead us from this Egyptian darkness." - Ibid., b. 8, ch. 6. This way was far less confrontational, and went unnoticed until the year of 1516, with the sharp decline of pilgrimages, and of offerings to the shrines. At one of the trials of Zwingli, an ambassador by the name of Samson, was sent from the church to plead with the monarchy. The case he presented was that, if the authority of the church were to be set aside, universal anarchy would result. The reply from Zwingli was that for four years he had been teaching the gospel in Zurich, "which was more quiet and peaceful than any other town in the confederacy. Is not, then, Christianity the best safeguard of the general security?". - Wylie, b. 8, ch. 11. When Rome saw the troubles that persecution brought her in Germany they bothered only to expel Zwingli from the Church, and he was able to live the duration of his days in peace.

In France, there was also a great reformer, found in the nobility. He was Louis de Berquin, and a courtly Knight. He was among the most learned of France. Through his genius, eloquence, heretic zeal, and influence at court, he found favor with the King. No favor was found with the Papists however, who declared that he was worse than Luther. Three times he was put in prison and three times he was released by the king. Though on the date of his final trial, his execution took place on the very day of the sentencing, in order to allot the King no time in which to pardon him. Even upon his execution, Berquin was not given the courtesy of last words. When he was tied to the stake, he began to speak and was then strangled before a last prayer could be muttered.

After the wars, nations of Protestantism were erected and the downfall of Catholicism began. The official power of Rome ended in the year 1798, when the Armies of France marched into Italy and banished the pope from his own realm. Another pope was put in his place, but he was never again to posses the same power.

Another issue of controversy, is that of the Apocrypha, which are the additional books found in the Catholic Bible. The word Apocrypha signifies that which is hidden, obscure, without authority, and was first used by Milto, Bishop of Sardis, in the second century. They include Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus, Baruch, and two books of Maccabes, as well as an additional chapter to the book of Esther, additions to Daniel were - The History of Susannah, The Song of the Three Jews, and The History of Bel and the Dragon. The first argument that can be presented to their falsity is that, these books are not found in the Hebrew Bible, nor were they written in the Hebrew tongue - but in Greek or Chaldaic. This can be found in the testimony of Jerome, a competent witness, who translated several of them into Latin. Knowing that these books were originally written in Greek makes them hard to justify, since the Greek language was unknown to the Jews until after the Canon of the Old Testament was closed. It is also apparent that both Christians and Jews agree that Malachi was the last of the Old Testament writers. Also, unlike the other books, the dates of those in question cannot be fixed, though they are thought to have been written long after the time of Ezra and Malachi. A second argument is, "that by the Jews they are said not to be of divine authority, nor have they by them been admitted into the cannon; and would they not be the best judges of what books properly belonged to their sacred Scriptures." If these books had been divine they would most definitely have been known to the Jewish Church, to which "the oracles of God were Committed" - Romans 3:2. Rabbi Azariah also says, "They are received by Christians, not by us." Josephus, a Jewish historian of the first century, stated, "We have only two and twenty books which are to be believed to be of divine authority. Of which five are the books of Moses. The prophets, who were the successors of Moses, have written in 13 books. The remaining four books contain hymns to God and the instructions of life for the use of men." - Reverend Archibald Alexander, Religion America pg. 260. These are the same books that are consistent with the Protestant view. It may seem, at first glance, that this number is far greater than 22, but one must consider that, by the Jews, the 12 minor prophets are seen to be one book, the book of Ruth is considered an appendage of Judges, and the Lamentations of Jeremiah an appendage of his prophecy, this would bring our number to 22. Therefore, the fact that the Jews never did receive the Apocrypha as part of their canon, cannot be denied. The third argument against their Canonical authority is that they are never cited or referred to as a part of sacred Scripture, in the whole of the New Testament. The fourth is that there is also a sufficient amount of difference, contextually speaking, between these, and the books of the Jews. While reading the book of Tobit I noticed several absurdities; one being found in Tobit 5:13, where an angel of God is made to tell an outright lie by saying that "I am Azariah, the son of the great Hanoniah," when in the entirety of the book he is referred to as Raphael, who is one of the seven holy angels. The second problem with Tobit is this character's haughty and braggadocios nature toward the number of charitable acts he has committed. This is done twice in the first book alone, Tobit 1:13, and 1:16. Thirdly, while Tobias and Raphael were at a stream, Tobit 6:7-8, the angel instructs his companion to take the liver and heart from a certain kind of fish, that it may be burnt, in order "to make a smoke in the presence of a man or woman afflicted by a demon or evil spirit, and every affliction will flee away and never remain with that person any longer." This act is later performed, Tobit 6:17-18, where a demon was driven out of Tobias’s bridal chamber by these means. The pomp and pride exuded by Tobit, without consequences, the bearing of false witness by Raphael, and instruction to burn fish liver to repel demons could not have come from divine inspiration. Fifth, is the question over the additions to the book of Esther. This, I found inconsistent, since, in the true book of Esther, Esther 3:1, Hamon is declared to be an Agagite. In the addition, Esther 12:6, Hamon is said to be a Bougean; would it then not be logical to raise suspicions as to the authenticity of the additions. In the addition, there is the entertaining by Hamon of a design to transfer the power of the empire of Persia to that of the Macedonians. This is quite an interesting statement since, at the time when the book of Esther was written, Macedonia must have been an obscure nation of little power, and most likely not known to the Persian court.

Remember that the story must have been written in the early part of the fifth century B.C., because of the detailed mention of the furnishings of the palace of Sushan, which was destroyed by fire in the year 435 B.C. Seventh, we have the books of Maccabees, and of Wisdom. The first book of Maccabees is said, by both Jerome and Eusebis, to have been written by Josephus, though there are many others that say it had to have come much later than that. The second book is professed to be a work by Jason of Cycene, in which five volumes are reduced to one. If the original work was not inspired, then why would it be so with the abridgment? As far as the book of Wisdom, it is widely thought that it was written after the death of Solomon, its professed author. Though, even if the book had been written by Solomon, it would have been in Hebrew, and always inserted into the canon of the Jews. The eighth and final argument is that of Ecclesiasticus, not to be confused with the book of Ecclesiastes from the genuine canon. This book was said to have been written by a modest man, who is far from pretending to be inspired. He says that he merely reduced to order the works of his grandfather, and apologized for his sketchy translation. Evidently the writer was conscious of no divine inspiration.

In discourse with a local priest, Father Paul of the Church of St. Gertrude, I was told that the justification for indulgences was found in the second book of Maccabees, Macc.12:43, & 12:45 to be exact. I found means for its refutiation, however, by the words of Peter in the book of Acts, where Simon, a Sumarian, attempted to purchase the ability to give the Holy Ghost by the touch of his hand, and was told, "Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money," Acts 8:20, and was dishonored by saying, "For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity." Acts 8:23. The means to the madness behind placing these false works in the canon of God is, they provide justification for the apostasy of the Roman Catholic Church. This is the sophistry of Rome, justifying its actions by that of its own actions.

Today, many different branches of Christianity exist. These are different levels of compromise, in which Christians slowly broke the bonds of Catholicism. There were the Anabaptists, better known as the Amish, who broke the bonds of child baptism, the Pentecostals, who revived the presence of the Holy Spirit, the Seventh Day Adventists (Mormons), Seventh Day Baptists, and Messianic Jews (Jews who have accepted Jesus as their Savior) who have brought back the sanctity of the Sabbath, and an endless list of denominations, who broke at least some of the bonds of Rome. These denominations can best be described as different stages in the evolution of Christianity from the apostasy of popery. The great compromise can be plainly seen in our age by the reverence toward Sunday as the Sabbath of the Lord. By keeping this institution, in a way, the Protestants still pay homage to the Bishop of Rome.

"Protestants .... accept Sunday rather than Saturday as the day for public worship, after the Catholic Church made the charge .... But the Protestant mind does not seem to realize that .... in observing the Sunday, they are accepting the authority of the spokesman for the church, the Pope." - Our Sunday Visitor, "February 5, 1950."The Church changed the observance of the Sabbath to Sunday by the right of the divine, infallible authority given to her by the founder, Jesus Christ. The Protestant, claiming the Bible to be the only guide of faith, has no warrant for observing Sunday. In this matter, the Seventh-day Adventist is the only consistent Protestant." - The Catholic Universe Bulletin, August 14, 1942, p.4.

It is a shame that whoever is reading this will, most likely, pronounce Me as a Heretic, or a religious lunatic. I say to you: listen to what I have said, and find the truth for yourself. If the truth is not yet conclusive, I apologize, for the fault must be mine, I will simply say, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept my faith," 2 Timothy 4:7.

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