Character and Aims of the Papacy
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prophecy will be fulfilled when the United States shall enforce Sunday
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observance, which Rome claims as the special acknowledgment of her
supremacy. But in this homage to papacy the United States will not be
alone. The influence of Rome in the countries that once acknowledged
her dominion, is still far from being destroyed. And prophecy foretells
a restoration of her power. “I saw one of his heads as it were wounded
to death; and his deadly wound was healed; and all the world wondered
after the beast.” [
Revelation 13:3
.] The infliction of the deadly wound
points to the abolition of the papacy in 1798. After this, says the
prophet, “His deadly wound was healed; and all the world wondered
after the beast.” Paul states plainly that the man of sin will continue
until the second advent. [
2 Thessalonians 2:8
.] To the very close of
time he will carry forward his work of deception. And the Revelator
declares, also referring to the papacy, “All that dwell upon the earth
shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life.”
[
Revelation 13:8
.] In both the Old and the New World, papacy will
receive homage in the honor paid to the Sunday institution, that rests
solely upon the authority of the Romish Church.
For about forty years, students of prophecy in the United States
have presented this testimony to the world. In the events now taking
place is seen a rapid advance toward the fulfillment of the prediction.
With Protestant teachers there is the same claim of divine authority
for Sunday-keeping, and the same lack of scriptural evidence, as with
the papist leaders who fabricated miracles to supply the place of a
command from God. The assertion that God’s judgments are visited
upon men for their violation of the Sunday-sabbath, will be repeated;
already it is beginning to be urged. And a movement to enforce Sunday
observance is fast gaining ground.
Marvelous in her shrewdness and cunning is the Romish Church.
She can read what is to be. She bides her time, seeing that the Protes-
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tant churches are paying her homage in their acceptance of the false
Sabbath, and that they are preparing to enforce it by the very means
which she herself employed in by-gone days. Those who reject the
light of truth will yet seek the aid of this self-styled infallible power to
exalt an institution that originated with her. How readily she will come
to the help of Protestants in this work, it is not difficult to conjecture.
Who understands better than the papal leaders how to deal with those
who are disobedient to the church?