garibaldi wrote:
> Persecution in the First Centuries.
>
> When Jesus revealed to his disciples the fate of Jerusalem and the
> scenes of the second advent, he foretold also the experience of his
people
> from the time when he should be taken from them, to his return in power
and
> glory for their deliverance. From Olivet the Saviour beheld the storms
about
> to fall upon the apostolic church, and, penetrating deeper into the
future,
> his eye discerned the fierce, wasting tempests that were to beat upon
his
> followers in the coming ages of darkness and persecution. In a few brief
> utterances, of awful significance, he foretold the ****tion which the
rulers
> of this world would mete out to the church of God. [MATT. 24:9, 21, 22.]
The
> followers of Christ must tread the same path of humiliation, reproach,
and
> suffering which their Master trod. The enmity that burst forth against
the
> world's Redeemer, would be manifested against all who should believe on
his
> name. {GC88 39.1}
>
> The history of the early church testified to the fulfillment of the
> Saviour's words. The powers of earth and hell arrayed themselves against
> Christ in the person of his followers. Paganism foresaw that should the
> gospel triumph, her temples and altars would be swept away; therefore
she
> summoned her forces to destroy Christianity. The fires of persecution
were
> kindled. Christians were stripped of their possessions, and driven from
> their homes. They "endured a great fight of afflictions." [HEB. 10:32.]
They
> "had trial of cruel mockings
>
> 40
> and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment." [HEB. 11:36,
37,
> 38.] Great numbers sealed their testimony with their blood. Noble and
slave,
> rich and poor, learned and ignorant, were alike slain without mercy.
{GC88
> 39.2}
>
> These persecutions, beginning under Nero about the time of the
> martyrdom of Paul, continued with greater or less fury for centuries.
> Christians were falsely accused of the most dreadful crimes, and
declared to
> be the cause of great calamities--famine, pestilence, and earthquake. As
> they became the objects of popular hatred and suspicion, informers stood
> ready, for the sake of gain, to betray the innocent. They were condemned
as
> rebels against the empire, as foes of religion, and pests to society.
Great
> numbers were thrown to wild beasts or burned alive in the amphitheaters.
> Some were crucified; others were covered with the skins of wild animals,
and
> thrust into the arena to be torn by dogs. Their punishment was often
made
> the chief entertainment at public fetes. Vast multitudes assembled to
enjoy
> the sight, and greeted their dying agonies with laughter and applause.
{GC88
> 40.1}
>
> Wherever they sought refuge, the followers of Christ were hunted
like
> beasts of prey. They were forced to seek concealment in desolate and
> solitary places. "Destitute, afflicted, tormented; of whom the world was
not
> worthy; they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and
caves of
> the earth." [HEB. 11:36, 37, 38.] The catacombs afforded shelter for
> thousands. Beneath the hills outside the city of Rome, long galleries
had
> been tunneled through earth and rock; the dark and intricate network of
> passages extended for miles beyond the city walls. In these underground
> retreats, the followers of Christ buried their dead; and here also, when
> suspected and proscribed, they found a home. When the Lifegiver shall
awaken
> those who have fought the good fight, many a martyr for Christ's sake
will
> come forth from those gloomy caverns.
>
> 41
> {GC88 40.2}
>
> Under the fiercest persecution, these witnesses for Jesus kept
their
> faith unsullied. Though deprived of every comfort, shut away from the
light
> of the sun, making their home in the dark but friendly bosom of the
earth,
> they uttered no complaint. With words of faith, patience, and hope, they
> encouraged one another to endure privation and distress. The loss of
every
> earthly blessing could not force them to renounce their belief in
Christ.
> Trials and persecution were but steps bringing them nearer their rest
and
> their reward. {GC88 41.1}
>
> Like God's servants of old, many were "tortured, not accepting
> deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection." [HEB.
11:35.]
> These called to mind the words of their Master, that when persecuted for
> Christ's sake they were to be exceeding glad; for great would be their
> reward in Heaven; for so the prophets had been persecuted before them.
They
> rejoiced that they were accounted worthy to suffer for the truth, and
songs
> of triumph ascended from the midst of crackling flames. Looking upward
by
> faith, they saw Christ and angels leaning over the battlements of
Heaven,
> gazing upon them with the deepest interest, and regarding their
> steadfastness with approval. A voice came down to them from the throne
of
> God, "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of
life."
> [REV. 2:10.] {GC88 41.2}
>
> In vain were Satan's efforts to destroy the church of Christ by
> violence. The great controversy in which the disciples of Jesus yielded
up
> their lives, did not cease when these faithful standard-bearers fell at
> their post. By defeat they conquered. God's workmen were slain, but his
work
> went steadily forward. The gospel continued to spread, and the number of
its
> adherents to increase. It penetrated into regions that were
inaccessible,
> even to the eagles of Rome. Said a Christian, expostulating with the
heathen
> rulers who were urging forward the persecution: "You may torment,
afflict,
> and vex us. Your wickedness puts our weakness to
>
> 42
> the test, but your cruelty is of no avail. It is but a stronger
invitation
> to bring others to our persuasion. The more we are mowed down, the more
we
> spring up again. The blood of the Christians is seed." {GC88 41.3}
>
> Thousands were imprisoned and slain; but others sprung up to fill
their
> places. And those who were martyred for their faith were secured to
Christ,
> and accounted of him as conquerors. They had fought the good fight, and
they
> were to receive the crown of glory when Christ should come. The
sufferings
> which they endured brought Christians nearer to one another and to their
> Redeemer. Their living example and dying testimony were a constant
witness
> for the truth; and, where least expected, the subjects of Satan were
leaving
> his service, and enlisting under the banner of Christ. {GC88 42.1}
>
> Satan therefore laid his plans to war more successfully against the
> government of God, by planting his banner in the Christian church. If
the
> followers of Christ could be deceived, and led to displease God, then
their
> strength, fortitude, and firmness would fail, and they would fall an
easy
> prey. {GC88 42.2}
>
> The great adversary now endeavored to gain by artifice what he had
> failed to secure by force. Persecution ceased, and in its stead were
> substituted the dangerous allurements of tem****al prosperity and worldly
> honor. Idolaters were led to receive a part of the Christian faith,
while
> they rejected other essential truths. They professed to accept Jesus as
the
> Son of God, and to believe in his death and resurrection; but they had
no
> conviction of sin, and felt no need of repentance or of a change of
heart.
> With some concessions on their part, they proposed that Christians
should
> make concessions, that all might unite on the platform of belief in
Christ.
> {GC88 42.3}
>
> Now the church was in fearful peril. Prison, torture, fire, and
sword
> were blessings in comparison with this. Some of the Christians stood
firm,
> declaring that they could make no compromise. Others were in favor of
> yielding or modifying
>
> 43
> some features of their faith, and uniting with those who had accepted a
part
> of Christianity, urging that this might be the means of their full
> conversion. That was a time of deep anguish to the faithful followers of
> Christ. Under a cloak of pretended Christianity, Satan was insinuating
> himself into the church, to corrupt their faith, and turn their minds
from
> the Word of truth. {GC88 42.4}
>
> Most of the Christians at last consented to lower their standard,
and a
> union was formed between Christianity and paganism. Although the
wor****pers
> of idols professed to be converted, and united with the church, they
still
> clung to their idolatry, only changing the objects of their wor****p to
> images of Jesus, and even of Mary and the saints. The foul leaven of
> idolatry, thus brought into the church, continued its baleful work.
Unsound
> doctrines, superstitious rites, and idolatrous ceremonies were
incor****ated
> into her faith, and wor****p. As the followers of Christ united with
> idolaters, the Christian religion became corrupted, and the church lost
her
> purity and power. There were some, however, who were not misled by these
> delusions. They still maintained their fidelity to the Author of truth,
and
> wor****ped God alone. {GC88 43.1}
>
> There have ever been two cl***** among those who profess to be
> followers of Christ. While one class study the Saviour's life, and
earnestly
> seek to correct their defects and to conform to the Pattern, the other
class
> shun the plain, practical truths which expose their errors. Even in her
best
> estate, and church was not composed wholly of the true, pure, and
sincere.
> Our Saviour taught that those who willfully indulge in sin are not to be
> received into the church; yet he connected with himself men who are
faulty
> in character, and granted them the benefits of his teachings and
example,
> that they might have an op****tunity to see their errors and correct
them.
> Among the twelve apostles was a traitor. Judas was accepted not because
of
> his defects of character, but notwithstanding them. He was connected
with
> the disciples,
>
> 44
> that, through the instruction and example of Christ, he might learn what
> constitutes Christian character, and thus be led to see his errors, to
> repent, and, by the aid of divine grace, to purify his soul "in obeying
the
> truth." But Judas did not walk in the light so graciously permitted to
****ne
> upon him. By indulgence in sin, he invited the temptations of Satan. His
> evil traits of character became predominant. He yielded his mind to the
> control of the powers of darkness, he became angry when his faults were
> reproved, and thus he was led to commit the fearful crime of betraying
his
> Master. So do all who cherish evil under a profession of godliness hate
> those who disturb their peace by condemning their course of sin. When a
> favorable op****tunity is presented, they will, like Judas, betray those
who
> for their good have sought to reprove them. {GC88 43.2}
>
> The apostles encountered those in the church who professed
godliness
> while they were secretly cheri****ng iniquity Ananias and Sapphira acted
the
> part of deceivers, pretending to make an entire sacrifice for God, when
they
> were covetously withholding a ****tion for themselves. The Spirit of
truth
> revealed to the apostles the real character of these pretenders, and the
> judgments of God rid the church of this foul blot upon its purity. This
> signal evidence of the discerning Spirit of Christ in the church was a
> terror to hypocrites and evil-doers. They could not long remain in
> connection with those who were, in habit and disposition, constant
> representatives of Christ; and as trials and persecution came upon his
> followers, those only who were willing to forsake all for the truth's
sake
> desired to become his disciples. Thus, as long as persecution continued,
the
> church remained comparatively pure. But as it ceased, converts were
added
> who were less sincere and devoted, and the way was opened for Satan to
> obtain a foot-hold. {GC88 44.1}
>
> But there is no union between the Prince of light and the prince of
> darkness, and there can be no union between their followers. When
Christians
> consented to unite with those
>
> 45
> who were but half converted from paganism, they entered upon a path
which
> led farther and farther from the truth. Satan exulted that he had
succeeded
> in deceiving so large a number of the followers of Christ. He then
brought
> his power to bear more fully upon these, and inspired them to persecute
> those who remained true to God. None understood so well how to oppose
the
> true Christian faith as did those who had once been its defenders; and
these
> apostate Christians, uniting with their half-pagan companions, directed
> their warfare against the most essential features of the doctrines of
> Christ. {GC88 44.2}
>
> It required a desperate struggle for those who would be faithful to
> stand firm against the deceptions and abominations which were disguised
in
> sacerdotal garments and introduced into the church. The Bible was not
> accepted as the standard of faith. The doctrine of religious freedom was
> termed heresy, and its upholders were hated and proscribed. {GC88 45.1}
>
> After a long and severe conflict, the faithful few decided to
dissolve
> all union with the apostate church if she still refused to free herself
from
> falsehood and idolatry. They saw that separation was an absolute
necessity
> if they would obey the Word of God. They dared not tolerate errors fatal
to
> their own souls, and set an example which would imperil the faith of
their
> children and children's children. To secure peace and unity they were
ready
> to make any concession consistent with fidelity to God; but they felt
that
> even peace would be too dearly purchased at the sacrifice of principle.
If
> unity could be secured only by the compromise of truth and
righteousness,
> then let there be difference, and even war. {GC88 45.2}
>
> Well would it be for the church and the world if the principles
that
> actuated those steadfast souls were revived in the hearts of God's
professed
> people. There is an alarming indifference in regard to the doctrines
which
> are the pillars of the Christian faith. The opinion is gaining ground,
that,
>
> 46
> after all, these are not of vital im****tance. This degeneracy is
> strengthening the hands of the agents of Satan, so that false theories
and
> fatal delusions which the faithful in ages past imperiled their lives to
> resist and expose, are now regarded with favor by thousands who claim to
be
> followers of Christ. {GC88 45.3}
>
> The early Christians were indeed a peculiar people. Their blameless
> de****tment and unswerving faith were a continual reproof that disturbed
the
> sinner's peace. Though few in numbers, without wealth, position, or
honorary
> titles, they were a terror to evil-doers wherever their character and
> doctrines were known. Therefore they were hated by the wicked, even as
Abel
> was hated by the ungodly Cain. For the same reason that Cain slew Abel
did
> those who sought to throw off the restraint of the Holy Spirit, put to
death
> God's people. It was for the same reason that the Jews rejected and
> crucified the Saviour,--because the purity and holiness of this
character
> was a constant rebuke to their selfishness and corruption. From the days
of
> Christ until now, his faithful disciples have excited the hatred and
> opposition of those who love and follow the ways of sin. {GC88 46.1}
>
> How, then, can the gospel be called a message of peace? When Isaiah
> foretold the birth of the Messiah, he ascribed to him the title, "Prince
of
> peace." When angels announced to the shepherds that Christ was born,
they
> sung above the plains of Bethlehem, "Glory to God in the highest, and on
> earth peace, good will toward men." [LUKE 2:14.] There is a seeming
> contradiction between these prophetic declarations and the words of
Christ,
> "I came not to send peace, but a sword." [MATT. 10:34.] But rightly
> understood, the two are in perfect harmony. The gospel is a message of
> peace. Christianity is a system, which, received and obeyed, would
spread
> peace, harmony, and happiness throughout the earth. The religion of
Christ
> will unite in close brotherhood all who accept its teachings. It was the
> mission of Jesus to reconcile men to God, and
>
> 47
> thus to one another. But the world at large are under the control of
Satan,
> Christ's bitterest foe. The gospel presents to them principles of life
which
> are wholly at variance with their habits and desires, and they rise in
> rebellion against it. They hate the purity which reveals and condemns
their
> sins, and they persecute and destroy those who would urge upon them its
just
> and holy claims. It is in this sense-- because the exalted truths it
brings,
> occasion hatred and strife--that the gospel is called a sword. {GC88
46.2}
>
> The mysterious providence which permits the righteous to suffer
> persecution at the hand of the wicked, has been a cause of great
perplexity
> to many who are weak in faith. Some are even ready to cast away their
> confidence in God, because he suffers the basest of men to prosper,
while
> the best and purest are afflicted and tormented by their cruel power.
How,
> it is asked, can One who is just and merciful, and who is also infinite
in
> power, tolerate such injustice and oppression? This is a question with
which
> we have nothing to do. God has given us sufficient evidence of his love,
and
> we are not to doubt his goodness because we cannot understand the
workings
> of his providence. Said the Saviour to his disciples, foreseeing the
doubts
> that would press upon their souls in days of trial and darkness,
"Remember
> the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord.
If
> they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you." [JOHN 15:20.]
Jesus
> suffered for us more than any of his followers can be made to suffer
through
> the cruelty of wicked men. Those who are called to endure torture and
> martyrdom, are but following in the steps of God's dear Son. {GC88 47.1}
>
> "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise." [PETER 3:9.] He
does
> not forget or neglect his children; but he permits the wicked to reveal
> their true character, that none who desire to do his will may be
deceived
> concerning them. Again, the righteous are placed in the furnace of
> affliction, that they themselves may be purified; that their example may
> convince
>
> 48
> others of the reality of faith and godliness; and also that their
consistent
> course may condemn the ungodly and unbelieving. {GC88 47.2}
>
> God permits the wicked to prosper, and to reveal their enmity
against
> him, that when they shall have filled up the measure of their iniquity,
all
> may see his justice and mercy in their utter destruction. The day of his
> vengeance hastens, when all who have transgressed his law and oppressed
his
> people will meet the just recompense of their deeds; when every act of
> cruelty or injustice toward God's faithful ones will be punished as
though
> done to Christ himself. {GC88 48.1}
>
> There is another and more im****tant question that should engage the
> attention of the churches of today. The apostle Paul declares that "all
that
> will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." [2 TIM.
3:12.]
> Why is it, then, that persecution seems in a great degree to
slumber?--The
> only reason is, that the church has conformed to the world's standard,
and
> therefore awakens no opposition. The religion which is current in our
day is
> not of the pure and holy character that marked the Christian faith in
the
> days of Christ and his apostles. It is only because of the spirit of
> compromise with sin, because the great truths of the Word of God are so
> indifferently regarded, because there is so little vital godliness in
the
> church, that Christianity is apparently so popular with the world. Let
there
> be a revival of the faith and power of the early church, and the spirit
of
> persecution will be revived, and the fires of persecution will be
rekindled.
> {GC88 48.2}
>
>
>
>
Did you read every word of this ****, Skippy?
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