Sunset: A Day to Remember

Hist

orica

l Seri

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Lest We Forget

No

God’s Law written in stone as an everlasting law

Mp u b l i s h i n g

c o m p a n y

MARANATHA

Further brochures in this series will be available. Please contactMaranatha Publishing Company for information and availability.

Text for this magazine has been taken from the book Great Controversy, Unabridged.

“God’s Law Immutable”Photography by Tony Campbell, David Currie and Jim Arrabito.

Cover photograph courtesy Dennis Harding.

Words of Care and ConcernIn this brochure “Lest We Forget”, the unchanging nature

of God’s Law is presented as a testimony of His love and the Sabbath is a memorial of Creation. Please remember that we are consideringprinciples and systems, not individuals. We should be thankful thatGod’s love is such that He would speak with impartial honesty on

every subject.

Maranatha Publishing Co.P.O. Box 630

Healesville VIC 3777Australia

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sanctuary. Therefore the announcementthat the temple of God was opened in

Heaven, and the arkof his testament wasseen, points to theopening of the mostholy place of theheavenly sanctuary,in 1844, as Christentered there to per-form the closingwork of the atone-ment. Those who byfaith followed theirgreat High Priest, ashe entered upon hisministry in the mostholy place, beheldthe ark of his testa-ment. As they had

“The temple of God was opened inHeaven, and there was seen in his tem-ple the ark of histestament.”REV.11:19. The ark ofGod’s testament isin the holy of holies,the second apart-ment of the sanctu-ary. In the ministra-tion of the earthlytabernacle, whichserved “unto theexample and shad-ow of heavenlythings,” this apart-ment was openedonly upon the greatday of atonement, forthe cleansing of the

God’s LawImmutable

Introduction

The Christian’s Bible, his only absolute authority for what he believes, also teachesthat it is the privilege of all men to know God. He is manifested not only inRevelation, but in creation. There is no true wisdom apart from the Lord. To eachwho will hear, God say’s, “If you receive My words and treasure up My command-ments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom, and inclining your heart tounderstand; then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledgeof God.” Proverbs 2:1-6

The Ark of the Covenant in which was placedthe Ten Commandments, after Moses hadreceived them on Mt. Sinai.

sacredly enshrined,—the law that wasspoken by God himself amid the thun-ders of Sinai, and written with his ownfinger on the tables of stone.

The law of God in the sanctuary inHeaven is the great original, of whichthe precepts inscribed upon the tables ofstone, and recorded by Moses in thePentateuch, were an unerring transcript.Those who arrived at an understandingof this important point, were thus led tosee the sacred, unchanging character ofthe divine law. They saw, as neverbefore, the force of the Saviour’s words,“Till heaven and earth pass, one jot orone tittle shall in nowise pass from thelaw.” MATT. 5:18. The law of God, beinga revelation of his will, a transcript ofhis character, must forever endure, “as afaithful witness in Heaven.” Not onecommand has been annulled; not a jotor tittle has been changed. Says thepsalmist: “Forever, O Lord, thy word issettled in Heaven.” “All his command-ments are sure. They stand fast foreverand ever.” PS. 119:89; 111:7, 8.

In the very bosom of the decalogue isthe fourth commandment, as it was firststudied the subject of the sanctuary,

they had come to understandthe Saviour’s change of minis-tration, and they saw that hewas now officiating before theark of God, pleading his bloodin behalf of sinners.

The ark in the tabernacle onearth contained the two tablesof stone, upon which wereinscribed the precepts of thelaw of God. The ark was merelya receptacle for the tables ofthe law, and the presence ofthese divine precepts gave to itits value and sacredness. Whenthe temple of God was openedin Heaven, the ark of his testament wasseen. Within the holy of holies, in thesanctuary in Heaven, the divine law is

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An artists impression of Moses receiving theTen Commandments from God on Mt. Sinai.On these two tables of stone were writtenthe Law of God, the Divine Constitution forthe Nation of Israel and for all Christians infuture generations.

The Original Sanctuary built by Moses. Theservices and style of worship symbolisedthe plan of salvation.

The Final

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proclaimed:“Rememberthe Sabbathday, to keepit holy. Sixdays shaltthou labor,and do allthy work; butthe seventhday is theSabbath ofthe Lord thyGod; in itthou shaltnot do anywork, thou,nor thy son,nor thydaughter, thyman-servant,nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, northy stranger that is within thy gates: forin six days the Lord made heaven andearth, the sea, and all that in them is,and rested the seventh day; whereforethe Lord blessed the Sabbath day, andhallowed it.” EX. 20:8-11

The Spirit of God impressed the heartsof those students of his Word. The con-viction was urged upon them, that theyhad ignorantly transgressed this preceptby disregarding the Creator’s rest-day.They began to examine the reasons forobserving the first day of the weekinstead of the day which God had sanc-tified. They could find no evidence in theScriptures that the fourth command-ment had been abolished, or that theSabbath had been changed; the blessingwhich first hallowed the seventh dayhad never been removed. They had beenhonestly seeking to know and to doGod’s will; now, as they saw themselvestransgressors of his law, sorrow filledtheir hearts, and they manifested theirloyalty to God by keeping his Sabbathholy.

Many and earnest were the efforts madeto overthrow their faith. None could failto see that if the earthly sanctuary wasa figure or pattern of the heavenly, thelaw deposited in the ark on earth wasan exact transcript of the law in the arkin Heaven; and that an acceptance ofthe truth concerning the heavenly sanc-tuary involved an acknowledgment ofthe claims of God’s law, and the obliga-tion of the Sabbath of the fourth com-mandment. Here was the secret of thebitter and determined opposition to theharmonious exposition of the Scripturesthat revealed the ministration of Christin the heavenly sanctuary. Men soughtto close the door which God hadopened, and to open the door which hehad closed. But “He that openeth, andno man shutteth; and shutteth, and noman openeth,” had declared, “Behold, Ihave set before thee an open door, andno man can shut it.” REV. 3: 7, 8.Christ had opened the door, or ministra-tion, of the most holy place, light was

Warning: Symbolised by Angelic messen-gers from heaven. The last threefold mes-sage of warning is given to the world.

Warning

shining from that opendoor of the sanctuary inHeaven, and the fourthcommandment wasshown to be included inthe law which is thereenshrined; what Godhad established, no mancould overthrow.

Those who had acceptedthe light concerning themediation of Christ andthe perpetuity of the lawof God, found that thesewere the truths present-ed in Revelation 14. Themessages of this chapterconstitute a threefoldwarning, which is toprepare the inhabitantsof the earth for theLord’s second coming.The announcement,“The hour of hisJudgment is come,”points to the closingwork of Christ’s minis-tration for the salvationof men. It heralds atruth which must beproclaimed until the

Saviour’s intercession shall cease,and he shall return to the earth totake his people to himself. The workof judgment which began in 1844,must continue until the cases of allare decided, both of the living andthe dead; hence it will extend to theclose of human probation. That menmay be prepared to stand in theJudgment, the message commandsthem to “fear God, and give glory tohim,” “and worship him that madeheaven, and earth, and the sea, and

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The first of the three foldmessage of warning isdesigned to bring thewhole world to judgement

Another concept of this warning is a call to Worship. It proclaims thatit was God that made the Heavens and the Earth and Mankind is toworship him as the Creator. In the works of nature they beheld anexpression of His love and a revelation of His character.

Creation and

the fountains of waters.”The result of an accep-tance of these messagesis given in the words,“Here are they that keepthe commandments ofGod, and the faith ofJesus.” In order to beprepared for theJudgment, it is necessarythat men should keepthe law of God. That lawwill be the standard ofcharacter in theJudgment. The apostlePaul declares, “As manyas have sinned in the lawshall be judged by thelaw; . . . in the day when God shalljudge the secrets of men by JesusChrist.” And he says that “the doers ofthe law shall be justified.”ROM. 2:12-16Faith is essential in order to the keepingof the law of God; for “without faith it isimpossible to please him.” And “whatso-ever is not of faith is sin.” HEB. 11:6;ROM. 14:23

By the first angel, men are called uponto “fear God, and give glory to him,” andto worship him as the Creator of theheavens and the earth. In order to dothis, they must obey his law. Says thewise man, “Fear God, and keep his com-mandments; for this is the whole duty ofman.” ECCL. 12:13. Without obedienceto his commandments, no worship canbe pleasing to God. “This is the love ofGod, that we keep his commandments.”“He that turneth away his ear fromhearing the law, even his prayer shall beabomination.” 1 JOHN 5:3; PROV. 28:9

The duty to worship God is based uponthe fact that he is the Creator, and thatto him all other beings owe their exis-tence. And wherever, in the Bible, hisclaim to reverence and worship, abovethe gods of the heathen, is presented,there is cited the evidence of his creative

power. “All the gods of the nations areidols; but the Lord made the heavens.”PS. 96:5 “To whom then will ye likenme, or shall I be equal? saith the HolyOne. Lift up your eyes on high, andbehold who hath created these things.”“Thus saith the Lord that created theheavens; God himself that formed theearth and made it; . . . I am Jehovah;and there is none else.” ISA. 40:25, 26;45:18 Says the psalmist, “Know ye thatJehovah, he is God; it is he that hathmade us, and not we ourselves.” “Ocome, let us worship and bow down, letus kneel before the Lord our Maker.”PS. 100:3; 95:6 And the holy beingswho worship God in Heaven state, asthe reason why their homage is due tohim, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, toreceive glory and honor and power; forthou hast created all things.” REV. 4: 11

In Revelation 14, men are called upon toworship the Creator, and the prophecybrings to view a class that, as the resultof the threefold message, are keepingthe commandments of God. One ofthese commandments points directly to

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The centre of all worship is Jesus Christ ourCreator and Redeemer. If this call to worshipwas honoured there would never be anatheist or an infidel.

Redemption

God as the Creator. The fourth preceptdeclares: “The seventh day is theSabbath of the Lord thyGod. . . . For in six daysthe Lord made heaven andearth, the sea, and all thatin them is, and rested theseventh day; wherefore theLord blessed the Sabbathday, and hallowed it.” EX. 20:10, 11

Concerning the Sabbath,the Lord says, further, thatit is “a sign, . . . that yemay know that I am theLord your God.”EZE. 20:20 And the rea-son given is, “For in sixdays the Lord made heav-en and earth, and on the seventh day herested, and was refreshed.” EX. 31:17

“The importance of the Sabbath as thememorial of creation is that it keeps

ever presentthe true rea-son why wor-ship is due toGod,” becausehe is theCreator, andwe his crea-tures. “TheSabbaththerefore liesat the veryfoundation ofdivine wor-ship; for itteaches thisgreat truth inthe mostimpressivemanner, and

no other institution does this. The trueground of divine worship, not of that onthe seventh day merely, but of all wor-ship, is found in the distinction betweenthe Creator and his creatures. Thisgreat fact can never become obsolete,and must never be forgotten.” It was to

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Leopard like Beast: This Beast symbolisesseven consecutive world empires culminatingin the papacy, exercising ecclesiastical as wellas civil authority. History reveals that all werepersecuting powers.

Garden of Eden: The home created formankind. Here surrounded by the beauties ofNature man was to give homage to his Creatorand learned that God was the creator of allthings.

Creation vs

to put the Saviour to death. But thechief agent of Satan in making warupon Christ and his people during thefirst centuries of the Christian era, wasthe Roman Empire, in which paganismwas the prevailing religion. Thus whilethe dragon, primarily, represents Satan,it is, in a secondary sense, a symbol of

pagan Rome.

In chapter 13 VERSES 1-10 is describedanother beast, “like unto a leopard,” towhich the dragon gave “his power, andhis seat, and great authority.” This sym-bol, as most Protestants have believed,represents the papacy, which succeededto the power and seat and authorityonce possessed by the ancient RomanEmpire. Of the leopard-like beast it isdeclared: “There was given unto him amouth speaking great things and blas-phemies. . . . And he opened his mouthin blasphemy against God, to blasphemehis name, and his tabernacle, and themthat dwell in Heaven. And it was givenunto him to make war with the saints,and to overcome them; and power wasgiven him over all kindreds, and

keep this truth ever before the minds ofmen, that God instituted the Sabbath inEden; and so long as the fact that he isour Creator continues to be a reasonwhy we should worship him, so long theSabbath will continue as its sign andmemorial. Had the Sabbath been uni-versally kept, man’s thoughts and affec-tions would have beenled to the Creator asthe object of reverenceand worship, and therewould never have beenan idolater, an atheist,or an infidel. The keep-ing of the Sabbath is asign of loyalty to thetrue God, “him thatmade heaven andearth, and the sea, andthe fountains ofwaters.” It follows thatthe message whichcommands men to wor-ship God and keep hiscommandments, will especially callupon them to keep the fourth com-mandment.

In contrast to those who keep the com-mandments of God and have the faith ofJesus, the third angel points to anotherclass, against whose errors a solemnand fearful warning is uttered: “If anyman worship the beast and his image,and receive his mark in his forehead, orin his hand, the same shall drink of thewine of the wrath of God.” REV. 14:9, 10A correct interpretation of the symbolsemployed is necessary to an under-standing of this message. What is repre-sented by the beast, the image, themark?

The line of prophecy in which thesesymbols are found, begins withRevelation 12, with the dragon thatsought to destroy Christ at his birth.The dragon is said to be Satan;[2 REV.12:9.] he it was that moved upon Herod

Destruction

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Worship: Liberty of conscience enshrined intrue worship acknowledges the God of heavenas Creator and Redeemer.

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the papal power received its deadlywound, and the prediction was fulfilled,“He that leadeth into captivity shall gointo captivity.”

At this point another symbol is intro-duced. Says the prophet, “I beheldanother beast coming up out of theearth; and he had two horns like alamb.” REV. 13:11 Both the appearance

of this beast and themanner of its riseindicate that thenation which it repre-sents is unlike thosepresented under thepreceding symbols.The great kingdomsthat have ruled theworld were presentedto the prophet Danielas beasts of prey, ris-ing when the “fourwinds of the heavenstrove upon the greatsea.” DAN. 7:2 InRevelation 17, anangel explained thatwaters represent “peo-ples, and multitudes,

and nations, and tongues.” REV. 17:15Winds are a symbol of strife. The fourwinds of heaven striving upon the greatsea, represent the terrible scenes of con-quest and revolution by which kingdomshave attained to power.

But the beast with lamb-like horns wasseen “coming up out of the earth.”Instead of overthrowing other powers toestablish itself, the nation thus repre-sented must arise in territory previouslyunoccupied, and grow up gradually andpeacefully. It could not, then, ariseamong the crowded and strugglingnationalities of the Old World,—that tur-bulent sea of “peoples, and multitudes,and nations, and tongues.” It must besought in the Western Continent.

tongues, and nations.” This prophecy,which is nearly identical with thedescription of the little horn of Daniel 7,unquestionably points to the papacy.

“Power was given unto him to continueforty and two months.” And, says theprophet, “I saw one of his heads as itwere wounded to death.” And again, “Hethat leadeth into captivity shall go into

captivity; he that killeth with the swordmust be killed with the sword.” Theforty and two months are the same asthe “time and times and the dividing oftime,” three years and a half, or 1260days, of Daniel 7,—the time duringwhich the papal power was to oppressGod’s people. This period, as stated inpreceding chapters, began with theestablishment of the papacy, A. D. 538,and terminated in 1798. At that time,when the papacy was abolished and thepope made captive by the French army,

Unity of Chur

Protestant America: A nation founded onliberty, the two Lamblike horns represent itsprinciples of government. Republicanism andProtestantism. A Nation without a King and aChurch without a Pope. These principles havebeen the secret of her prosperity.

What nation of the New World was in1798 rising into power, giving promise ofstrength and greatness, and attractingthe attention of the world? The applica-tion of the symbol admits of no ques-tion. One nation, and only one, meetsthe specifications of this prophecy; itpoints unmistakably to the UnitedStates of America. Again and again thethought, almost the exact words, of thesacred writer have been unconsciouslyemployed by the orator and the histori-

an in describing the rise and growth ofthis nation. The beast was seen “comingup out of the earth;” and, according tothe translators, the word here rendered“coming up” literally signifies to “grow or

spring up as a plant.” And, as we haveseen, the nation must arise in territorypreviously unoccupied. A prominentwriter, describing the rise of the UnitedStates, speaks of < “the mystery of hercoming forth from vacancy,” > and says,“Like a < silent seed > we grew intoempire.” TOWNSEND, IN “THE NEWWORLD COMPARED WITH THE OLD,”P. 462 A European journal in 1850spoke of the United States as a wonder-ful empire, which was “emerging,” and <“amid the silence of the earth > dailyadding to its power and pride.” THEDUBLIN NATION Edward Everett, in anoration on the Pilgrim founders of thisnation, said: “Did they look for a retiredspot, inoffensive from its obscurity, safein its remoteness from the haunts ofdespots, where the little church ofLeyden might enjoy freedom of con-science? Behold the ‘mighty regions‘over which, in ‘ peaceful conquest, ‘ . . .they have borne the banners of thecross.”

“And he had two horns like a lamb.” Thelamb-like horns indicate youth, inno-cence, and gentleness, fitly representingthe character of the United States whenpresented to the prophet as “coming up”in 1798. The Christian exiles who firstfled to America, sought an asylum fromroyal oppression and priestly intoler-ance, and they determined to establisha government upon the broad founda-tion of civil and religious liberty. TheDeclaration of Independence sets forththe great truth that “all men are createdequal,” and endowed with the inalien-able right to “life, liberty, and the pur-suit of happiness.” And the Constitutionguarantees to the people the right ofself-government, providing that repre-sentatives elected by the popular voteshall enact and administer the laws.Freedom of religious faith was alsogranted, every man being permitted toworship God according to the dictates ofhis conscience. Republicanism and

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Church and State: The Church employs thepower of the State to enforce her dogmas!National apostasy will bring national ruin.

ch and State

Protestantism became the fundamentalprinciples of the nation. These principlesare the secret of its power and prosperi-ty. The oppressed and down-troddenthroughout Christendom have turned tothis land with interest and hope.Millions have sought its shores, and theUnited States has risen to a placeamong the most powerful nations of theearth.

But the beast with lamb-like horns“spake as a dragon. And he exercisethall the power of the first beast beforehim, and causeth the earth and themwhich dwell therein to worship the firstbeast, whose deadly wound was healed,

. . . saying to them that dwell on theearth, that they should make an imageto the beast, which had the wound by asword, and did live.” REV. 13:11-14.

The lamb-like horns and dragon voice ofthe symbol point to a striking contradic-tion between the professions and thepractice of the nation thus represented.The “speaking” of the nation is theaction of its legislative and judicialauthorities. By such action it will givethe lie to those liberal and peaceful prin-ciples which it has put forth as thefoundation of its policy. The predictionthat it will speak “as a dragon,” andexercise “all the power of the first beast,”plainly foretells a development of the

spirit of intolerance and persecutionthat was manifested by the nations rep-resented by the dragon and the leopard-like beast. And the statement that thebeast with two horns “causeth the earthand them which dwell therein to wor-ship the first beast,” indicates that theauthority of this nation is to be exer-cised in enforcing some observancewhich shall be an act of homage to thepapacy.

Such action would be directly contraryto the principles of this government, tothe genius of its free institutions, to thedirect and solemn avowals of theDeclaration of Independence, and to theConstitution. The founders of the nation

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1st Messenger: Gives a call to worship theCreator who made heaven and earth, and thesea, and the fountains of water. He announcesthat the hour of God’s judgement is come.

UN 50 yrs: Bringing unity among the Nations- in so doing the nations will relinquish theirideological differences.

America - Superp

wisely sought to guard against theemployment of secular power on thepart of the church, with its inevitableresult—intolerance and persecution. TheConstitution provides that “Congressshall make no law respecting an estab-lishment of religion, or prohibiting thefree exercise thereof,” and that “no reli-gious test shall ever be required as aqualification to any office of public trustunder the United States.” Only in fla-grant violation of these safeguards tothe nation’s liberty, can any religiousobservance be enforced by civil authori-ty. But the inconsistency of such actionis no greater than is represented in thesymbol. It is the beast with lamb-likehorns—in profession pure, gentle, andharmless— that speaks as a dragon.

“Saying to them that dwell on the earth,that they should make an image to thebeast.” Here is clearly presented a formof government in which the legislativepower rests with the people; a moststriking evidence that the United Statesis the nation denoted in the prophecy.

But what is the “image to the beast”?and how is it to be formed? The image ismade by the two-horned beast, and isan image to the first beast. It is also

called an image of the beast. Then tolearn what the image is like, and how itis to be formed, we must study thecharacteristics of the beast itself, —thepapacy. When the early church becamecorrupted by departing from the simplic-ity of the gospel, and accepting heathenrites and customs, she lost the Spiritand power of God; and in order to con-trol the consciences of the people shesought the support of the secular power.

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Globalism: America will make an image to theBeast and exercises the Power of Rome causingher to surrender her God given heritage

ower of Prophecy

Newport, Rhode Island: Site of the firstSabbath-keeping church in America, founded in1664 by Stephen Mumford. Worship is the issuein the crisis that is soon to engulf the world.

The result was the papacy, a churchthat controlled the power of the State,and employed it to further her ownends, especially for the punishment of

“heresy.” In order for the United Statesto form an image of the beast, the reli-gious power must so control the civilgovernment that the authority of theState will also be employed by thechurch to accomplish her own ends.

Whenever the church has obtained sec-ular power, she has employed it to pun-ish dissent from her doctrines.Protestant churches that have followedin the steps of Rome by forming alliancewith worldly powers, have manifested asimilar desire to restrict liberty of con-science. An example of this is given inthe long-continued persecution of dis-senters by the Church of England.During the sixteenth and seventeenthcenturies, thousands of non-conformistministers were forced to leave theirchurches, and many, both of pastorsand people, were subjected to fine,imprisonment, torture, and martyrdom.

It was apostasy that led the earlychurch to seek the aid of the civil gov-ernment, and this prepared the way forthe development of the papacy,—thebeast. Said Paul, There shall “come afalling away, . . . and that man of sin berevealed.” 2 THESS. 2:3 So apostasy inthe church will prepare the way for theimage to the beast. And the Bibledeclares that before the coming of theLord there will exist a state of religiousdeclension similar to that in the firstcenturies. “In the last days periloustimes shall come. For men shall belovers of their own selves, covetous,boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedi-ent to parents, unthankful, unholy,without natural affection, trucebreakers,false accusers, incontinent, fierce,despisers of those that are good, trai-tors, heady, highminded, lovers of plea-sures more than lovers of God; having aform of godliness, but denying the

power thereof.” 2 TIM. 3:1-5 “Now theSpirit speaketh expressly, that in thelatter times some shall depart from thefaith, giving heed to seducing spirits,

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Traditional site of St Thomas landing atCranganore in 52AD, Kerala, India. “TheNestorians eat no pork and keep theSeventh-day Sabbath.” Schaff-Herzog. The encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge — ART Nestorians

Columbanus: Columbanus’ tomb in Bobbio:He died in 615AD. Every branch of knowledgeknown in his day was represented in hislibrary. The school at Bobbio became theintellectual centre of Northern Italy.

History.

and doctrines of devils.” 1 TIM. 4:1Satan will work “with all power andsigns and lying wonders, and with alldeceivableness of unrighteousness.” Andall that “received not the love of thetruth, that they might be saved,” will beleft to accept”strong delusion, that theyshould believe a lie.” 2 THESS. 2:9-11When this state of ungodliness shall bereached, the same results will follow asin the first centuries.

The wide diversity of belief in theProtestant churches is regarded bymany as decisive proof that no effort tosecure a forced uniformity can ever bemade. But there has been for years, inchurches of the Protestant faith, astrong and growing sentiment in favourof a union based upon common pointsof doctrine. To secure such a union, thediscussion of subjects upon which allwere not agreed—however importantthey might be from a Bible standpoint—must necessarily be waived.

Charles Beecher, in a sermon inthe year 1846, declared that theministry of “the evangelicalProtestant denominations” is “notonly formed all the way up undera tremendous pressure of merelyhuman fear, but they live, andmove, and breathe in a state ofthings radically corrupt, andappealing every hour to everybaser element of their nature tohush up the truth, and bow theknee to the power of apostasy.Was not this the way things wentwith Rome? Are we not living herlife over again? And what do wesee just ahead?—Another general

council! A world’s convention! evangeli-cal alliance, and universal creed!” Whenthis shall be gained, then, in the effort

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History: Statue of Columbanus in Bobbio,Italy. The Protestant Reformation was builtupon the foundations laid by the Celtic andLatin Bible believing Christians. Today theirsacrifice and history are almost forgotten.

Statue of Lombard Warrior: Among theChristian Lombards and Goths of Central andNorthern Europe, were many who sanctifiedSaturday as the Sabbath. “Traces of Sabbathkeepers are found in the times of Gregory Iand VII, and in the 12th century in Lomardy”Strongs Encyclopedia Vol. 1, p660

. . Forgotten

to secure complete uniformity, it will beonly a step to the resort to force.

When the leading churches of theUnited States, uniting upon such pointsof doctrine as are held by them in com-mon, shall influence the State to enforcetheir decrees and to sustain their insti-tutions, then Protestant America willhave formed an image of the Romanhierarchy, and the infliction of civil

penalties upon dissenters will inevitablyresult.

The beast with two horns “causeth[commands] all, both small and great,rich and poor, free and bond, to receivea mark in their right hand, or in their

foreheads; and that no man might buyor sell, save he that had the mark, orthe name of the beast, or the number ofhis name.” REV. 13:16, 17 The thirdangel’s warning is, “If any man worshipthe beast and his image, and receive hismark in his forehead, or in his hand,the same shall drink of the wine of thewrath of God.” “The beast” mentioned inthis message, whose worship is enforcedby the two-horned beast, is the first, or

leopard-likebeast ofRevelation13,—thepapacy. The“image tothe beast”representsthat form ofapostate

Protestantism which will be developedwhen the Protestant churches shall seekthe aid of the civil power for the enforce-ment of their dogmas. The “mark of thebeast” still remains to be defined.

After the warning against the worship ofthe beast and his image, the prophecydeclares, “Here are they that keep thecommandments of God, and the faith ofJesus.” Since those who keep God’scommandments are thus placed in con-trast with those that worship the beastand his image and receive his mark, itfollows that the keeping of God’s law, on

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St Sophias: St Sophia, Kiev, Russia: TheMuscovite Russian Church was first evange-lized by missionaries from Asia Minor. Of thischurch it is said, “they solemnise Saturday(the old sabbath)” Samuel Purchas, HisPilgrims Vol. 1, p350

Changing

the one hand, and its violation, on theother, will make the distinction betweenthe worshippers of God and the wor-shippers of the beast.

The special characteristic of the beast,and therefore of his image, is the break-ing of God’s commandments. SaysDaniel, of the little horn, the papacy,“He shall think to change the times and

the law.” DAN. 7:25, REVISED VERSIONAnd Paul styled the same power the“man of sin,” who was to exalt himselfabove God. One prophecy is a comple-ment of the other. Only by changing

God’s law could the papacyexalt itself above God; who-ever should understandinglykeep the law as thuschanged would be givingsupreme honor to thatpower by which the changewas made. Such an act ofobedience to papal lawswould be a mark of alle-giance to the pope in theplace of God.

The papacy has attemptedto change the law of God.The second commandment,forbidding image worship,has been dropped from thelaw, and the fourth com-mandment has been sochanged as to authorize theobservance of the firstinstead of the seventh dayas the Sabbath. But papistsurge, as a reason for omit-ting the second command-ment, that it is unnecessary,being included in the first,and that they are giving thelaw exactly as God designedit to be understood. This

cannot be the change foretold by theprophet. An intentional, deliberatechange is presented: “He shall think tochange the times and the law.” Thechange in the fourth commandmentexactly fulfills the prophecy. For this theonly authority claimed is that of thechurch. Here the papal power openlysets itself above God.

While the worshippers of God will beespecially distinguished by their regardfor the fourth commandment,— sincethis is the sign of his creative power,

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Ziska: General of the Bohemian armies,never lost a battle, He died in 1427AD“Erasmus testifies that even as late as1500AD, the Bohemians not only kept theseventh-day sabbath scrupulously, but alsowere called Sabbatarians.” Cox, the literatureof the Sabbath Questions Vol. 12 pp 201-202

the Times

and the witness to his claim upon man’sreverence and homage,—the worship-pers of the beast will be distinguishedby their efforts to tear down theCreator’s memorial, to exalt the institu-tion of Rome. It was in behalf of theSunday, that popery first asserted itsarrogant claims; and its first resort tothe power of the State was to compel theobservance of Sunday as “the Lord’sday.” But the Bible points to the seventhday, and not to the first, as the Lord’sday. Said Christ, “The Son of man isLord also of the Sabbath.” The fourthcommandment declares, “The seventhday is the Sabbath of the Lord.” And bythe prophet Isaiah the Lord designates

it, “My holyday.”MARK 2:28;ISA. 58:13

The claimso oftenput forth,that ChristchangedtheSabbath, isdisprovedby his ownwords. Inhis sermonon themount hesaid:“Think notthat I amcome todestroy thelaw, or theprophets; I

am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.For verily I say unto you, Till heavenand earth pass, one jot or one tittle shallin no wise pass from the law, till all befulfilled. Whosoever therefore shallbreak one of these least command-ments, and shall teach men so, he shallbe called the least in the kingdom ofHeaven; but whosoever shall do andteach them, the same shall be calledgreat in the kingdom of Heaven.”MATT. 5:17-19

It is a fact generally admitted byProtestants, that the Scriptures give noauthority for the change of the Sabbath.This is plainly stated in publicationsissued by the American Tract Societyand the American Sunday-school Union.One of these works acknowledges “thecomplete silence of the New Testamentso far as any explicit command for theSabbath [Sunday, the first day of theweek] or definite rules for its observanceare concerned.” “THE ABIDING

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Waldensian Church: In the mountains ofItaly, the Waldenses enjoyed a simple style ofworship “among the documents we have bythe same people is an explanation of the TenCommandments dated by Bayer —1120.Observance of the Sabbath by ceasing fromworldly labours is enjoined. Blair history ofthe Waldenses. Vol. 1. p220

Truth . . .

SABBATH,” p. 184, A $500 PRIZEESSAY

Another says: “Up to the time of Christ’sdeath, no change had been made in theday;” and, “so far as the record shows,they [the apostles] did not give anyexplicit command enjoining the aban-donment of the seventh-day Sabbath,and its observance on the first day ofthe week. “THE LORD’S DAY” PP. 185,186, A $1,000 PRIZE ESSAY

Roman Catholics acknowledge that thechange of the Sabbath was made by

their church, and declare thatProtestants, by observing the Sunday,are recognizing her power. In the“Catholic Catechism of ChristianReligion,” in answer to a question as tothe day to be observed in obedience to

the fourth commandment, this state-ment is made: “During the old law,Saturday was the day sanctified; but thechurch, instructed by Jesus Christ,and directed by the Spirit of God, hassubstituted Sunday for Saturday; sonow we sanctify the first, not the sev-enth day. Sunday means, and now is,the day of the Lord.”

As the sign of the authority of theCatholic Church, papist writers cite,“the very act of changing the Sabbathinto Sunday, which Protestants allow of. . . because by keeping Sunday strictly

they acknowledgethe church’s powerto ordain feasts, andto command themunder sin.”“ABRIDGMENT OFCHRISTIAN DOC-TRINE.” What thenis the change of theSabbath, but thesign or mark of theauthority of theRomish Church—”the mark of thebeast”?

The Roman Churchhas not relinquishedher claim tosupremacy; andwhen the world andthe Protestant

churches accept a sabbath of her creat-ing, while they reject the Bible Sabbath,they virtually admit this assumption.They may claim the authority of tradi-tion and of the Fathers for the change;but in so doing they ignore the veryprinciple which separates them fromRome,—that “the Bible, and the Bibleonly, is the religion of Protestants.” Thepapist can see that they are deceivingthemselves, willingly closing their eyesto the facts in the case. As the move-ment for Sunday enforcement gains

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Statue of Enrico Arnaud: Under the Duke ofSavoy the Waldenses were exiled to Genevain 1686. Unfortunately, the knowledge anddoctrines of the primitive church and theirSabbath were lost in the years of persecution.

. Preserved

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favour, he rejoices, feeling assured that itwill eventually bring the wholeProtestant world under the banner ofRome.

Romanists declare that “the observanceof Sunday by the Protestants is anhomage they pay, in spite of themselves,to the authority of the [Catholic]Church.” “PLAIN TALK ABOUTPROTESTANTISM,” P. 213 Theenforcement of Sunday-keeping on thepart of Protestant churches is anenforcement of the worship of the papa-cy—of the beast. Those who, under-standing the claims of the fourth com-mandment, choose to observe the falseinstead of the true Sabbath; are therebypaying homage to that power by whichalone it is commanded. But in the veryact of enforcing a religious duty by secu-lar power, the churcheswould themselves form animage to the beast; hencethe enforcement ofSunday-keeping in theUnited States would be anenforcement of the wor-ship of the beast and hisimage.

But Christians of pastgenerations observed theSunday, supposing that inso doing they were keep-ing the Bible Sabbath,and there are now trueChristians in everychurch, not excepting theRoman Catholic commu-nion, who honestly believe that Sundayis the Sabbath of divine appointment.God accepts their sincerity of purposeand their integrity before him. But whenSunday observance shall be enforced bylaw, and the world shall be enlightenedconcerning the obligation of the trueSabbath, then whoever shall transgress

the command of God, to obey a preceptwhich has no higher authority than thatof Rome, will thereby honor poperyabove God. He is paying homage toRome, and to the power which enforcesthe institution ordained by Rome. He isworshipping the beast and his image. Asmen then reject the institution whichGod has declared to be the sign of hisauthority, and honor in its stead thatwhich Rome has chosen as the token ofher supremacy, they will thereby acceptthe sign of allegiance to Rome—”themark of the beast.” And it is not untilthe issue is thus plainly set before thepeople, and they are brought to choosebetween the commandments of God andthe commandments of men, that thosewho continue in transgression willreceive “the mark of the beast.”

The college of the Barbs (pastors); High inthe mountains of Angrogna in northern Italy,here the Waldensian people faithfully preservedthe scriptures for future Generations. Theinquisitors . . . declare that the sign of a Vaudois(Waldense) deemed worthy of death, was thathe followed Christ and sought to obey theCommandments of God. H.C. Lee, History of theInquisition of the Middle Ages, Vol. 1.

The most fearful threatening everaddressed to mortal is contained in thethird angel’s message. That must be aterrible sin which calls down the wrath ofGod unmingled with mercy. Men are notto be left in darkness concerning thisimportant matter; the warning againstthis sin is to be given to the world beforethe visitation of God’s judgments, that allmay know why they are to be inflicted,and have opportunity to escape them.Prophecy declares that the first angelwould make his announcement to “everynation, and kindred, and tongue, andpeople.” The warning of the third angel,which forms a part of the same threefoldmessage, is to be no less widespread. It isrepresented in the prophecy as pro-claimed with a loud voice, by an angelflying in the midst of heaven; and it willcommand the attention of the world.

In the issue of the contest, allChristendom will be divided into twogreat classes,—those who keep the com-mandments of God and the faith ofJesus, and those who worship the beastand his image and receive his mark.Although church and State will unitetheir power to compel “all, both smalland great, rich and poor, free andbond,” to receive “the mark of thebeast.” REV. 13:16 yet the people ofGod will not receive it. The prophet ofPatmos beholds “them that had gottenthe victory over the beast, and over hisimage, and over his mark, and over thenumber of his name, stand on the sea ofglass, having the harps of God,” andsinging the song of Moses and theLamb. REV. 15: 2, 3

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CONCLUSION

The stronger the church of Rome became, the greater was the emphasis placed onSunday. On the other hand, the churches which continued in Apostolic Christianityclung as long as possible to the day which Jesus Christ and the Apostles sanctified.However, it was to be expected that persecutions, isolation and desperate circum-stances would tear away many of the people from these churches, until the light fromthese Apostolic Churches was almost extinguished. Not until the great reformationdid a change in these circumstances occur. Today the history of these events—thelong and protracted struggle for liberty and freedom from papal persecutions—soreadily taken for granted, has indeed almost faded from our memories, until there isdanger of that history being repeated. Yes, there is hope; light at the end of thetunnel, so keep reading, a new day is at hand.

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