Apostasy
45
of men as the source of being and the object of reverence and worship.
Satan strives to turn men from their allegiance to God, and from ren-
dering obedience to his law; therefore he directs his efforts especially
against that commandment which points to God as the Creator.
Protestants now urge that the resurrection of Christ on Sunday
made it the Christian Sabbath. But Scripture evidence is lacking.
No such honor was given to the day by Christ or his apostles. The
observance of Sunday as a Christian institution had its origin in that
“mystery of lawlessness” [
2 Thessalonians 2:7
, Revised Version.]
which, even in Paul’s day, had begun its work. Where and when did
the Lord adopt this child of the papacy? What valid reason can be
given for a change which the Scriptures do not sanction?
In the sixth century the papacy had become firmly established.
Its seat of power was fixed in the imperial city, and the bishop of
Rome was declared to be the head over the entire church. Paganism
had given place to the papacy. The dragon had given to the beast
“his power, and his seat, and great authority.” [
Revelation 13:2
; See
appendix, note 2.] And now began the 1260 years of papal oppression
foretold in the prophecies of Daniel and the Revelation. [
Daniel 7:25
;
Revelation 13:5-7
.] Christians were forced to choose, either to yield
their integrity and accept the papal ceremonies and worship, or to wear
away their lives in dungeons or suffer death by the rack, the fagot, or
the headsman’s ax. Now were fulfilled the words of Jesus, “Ye shall
be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends;
and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. And ye shall be
hated of all men for my name’s sake.” [
Luke 21:16, 17
.] Persecution
[55]
opened upon the faithful with greater fury than ever before, and the
world became a vast battle-field. For hundreds of years the church of
Christ found refuge in seclusion and obscurity. Thus says the prophet:
“The woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared
of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and
threescore days.” [
Revelation 12:6
.]
The accession of the Roman Church to power marked the beginning
of the Dark Ages. As her power increased, the darkness deepened.
Faith was transferred from Christ, the true foundation, to the pope
of Rome. Instead of trusting in the Son of God for forgiveness of
sins and for eternal salvation, the people looked to the pope, and to
the priests and prelates to whom he delegated authority. They were