the great controversy-第14节

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Waldenses　stood　foremost。　In　the　very　land　where　popery　had　fixed　its　seat；
there　its　falsehood　and　corruption　were　most　steadfastly　resisted。　For
centuries　the　churches　of　Piedmont　maintained　their　independence；　but　the
time　came　at　last　when　Rome　insisted　upon　their　submission。　After
ineffectual　struggles　against　her　tyranny；　the　leaders　of　these　churches
reluctantly　acknowledged　the　supremacy　of　the　power　to　which　the　whole　world
seemed　to　pay　homage。　There　were　some；　however；　who　refused　to　yield　to　the
authority　of　pope　or　prelate。　They　were　determined　to　maintain　their
allegiance　to　God　and　to　preserve　the　purity　and　simplicity　of　their　faith。
A　separation　took　place。　Those　who　adhered　to　the　ancient　faith　now
withdrew；　some；　forsaking　their　native　Alps；　raised　the　banner　of　truth　in
foreign　lands；　others　retreated　to　the　secluded　glens　and　rocky　fastnesses
of　the　mountains；　and　there　preserved　their　freedom　to　worship　God。

The　faith　which　for　centuries　was　held　and　taught　by　the　Waldensian
Christians　was　in　marked　contrast　to　the　false　doctrines　put　forth　from
Rome。　Their　religious　belief　was　founded　upon　the　written　word　of　God；　the
true　system　of　Christianity。　But　those　humble　peasants；　in　their　obscure
retreats；　shut　away　from　the　world；　and　bound　to　daily　toil　among　their
flocks　and　their　vineyards；　had　not　by　themselves　arrived　at　the　truth　in
opposition　to　the　dogmas　and　heresies　of　the　apostate　church。　Theirs　was　not
a　faith　newly　received。　Their　religious　belief　was　their　inheritance　from
their　fathers。　They　contended　for　the　faith　of　the　apostolic　church；〃the
faith　which　was　once　delivered　unto　the　saints。〃　Jude　3。　〃The　church　in　the
wilderness；〃　and　not　the　proud　hierarchy　enthroned　in　the　world's　great
capital；　was　the　true　church　of　Christ；　the　guardian　of　the　treasures　of
truth　which　God　has　committed　to　His　people　to　be　given　to　the　world。

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Among　the　leading　causes　that　had　led　to　the　separation　of　the　true　church
from　Rome　was　the　hatred　of　the　latter　toward　the　Bible　Sabbath。　As　foretold
by　prophecy；　the　papal　power　cast　down　the　truth　to　the　ground。　The　law　of
God　was　trampled　in　the　dust；　while　the　traditions　and　customs　of　men　were
exalted。　The　churches　that　were　under　the　rule　of　the　papacy　were　early
compelled　to　honor　the　Sunday　as　a　holy　day。　Amid　the　prevailing　error　and
superstition；　many；　even　of　the　true　people　of　God；　became　so　bewildered
that　while　they　observed　the　Sabbath；　they　refrained　from　labor　also　on　the
Sunday。　But　this　did　not　satisfy　the　papal　leaders。　They　demanded　not　only
that　Sunday　be　hallowed；　but　that　the　Sabbath　be　profaned；　and　they
denounced　in　the　strongest　language　those　who　dared　to　show　it　honor。　It　was
only　by　fleeing　from　the　power　of　Rome　that　any　could　obey　God's　law　in
peace。　（See　Appendix。）

The　Waldenses　were　among　the　first　of　the　peoples　of　Europe　to　obtain　a
translation　of　the　Holy　Scriptures。　（See　Appendix。）　Hundreds　of　years　before
the　Reformation　they　possessed　the　Bible　in　manuscript　in　their　native
tongue。　They　had　the　truth　unadulterated；　and　this　rendered　them　the　special
objects　of　hatred　and　persecution。　They　declared　the　Church　of　Rome　to　be
the　apostate　Babylon　of　the　Apocalypse；　and　at　the　peril　of　their　lives　they
stood　up　to　resist　her　corruptions。　While；　under　the　pressure　of
long…continued　persecution；　some　compromised　their　faith；　little　by　little
yielding　its　distinctive　principles；　others　held　fast　the　truth。　Through
ages　of　darkness　and　apostasy　there　were　Waldenses　who　denied　the　supremacy
of　Rome；　who　rejected　image　worship　as　idolatry；　and　who　kept　the　true
Sabbath。　Under　the　fiercest　tempests　of　opposition　they　maintained　their
faith。　Though　gashed　by　the　Savoyard　spear；　and　scorched　by　the　Romish
fagot；　they　stood　unflinchingly　for　God's　word　and　His　honor。

Behind　the　lofty　bulwarks　of　the　mountainsin　all　ages　the　refuge　of　the
persecuted　and　oppressedthe　Waldenses

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found　a　hiding　place。　Here　the　light　of　truth　was　kept　burning　amid　the
darkness　of　the　Middle　Ages。　Here；　for　a　thousand　years；　witnesses　for　the
truth　maintained　the　ancient　faith。

God　had　provided　for　His　people　a　sanctuary　of　awful　grandeur；　befitting　the
mighty　truths　committed　to　their　trust。　To　those　faithful　exiles　the
mountains　were　an　emblem　of　the　immutable　righteousness　of　Jehovah。　They
pointed　their　children　to　the　heights　towering　above　them　in　unchanging
majesty；　and　spoke　to　them　of　Him　with　whom　there　is　no　variableness　nor
shadow　of　turning；　whose　word　is　as　enduring　as　the　everlasting　hills。　God
had　set　fast　the　mountains　and　girded　them　with　strength；　no　arm　but　that　of
Infinite　Power　could　move　them　out　of　their　place。　In　like　manner　He　had
established　His　law；　the　foundation　of　His　government　in　heaven　and　upon
earth。　The　arm　of　man　might　reach　his　fellow　men　and　destroy　their　lives；
but　that　arm　could　as　readily　uproot　the　mountains　from　their　foundations；
and　hurl　them　into　the　sea；　as　it　could　change　one　precept　of　the　law　of
Jehovah；　or　blot　out　one　of　His　promises　to　those　who　do　His　will。　In　their
fidelity　to　His　law；　God's　servants　should　be　as　firm　as　the　unchanging
hills。

The　mountains　that　girded　their　lowly　valleys　were　a　constant　witness　to
God's　creative　power；　and　a　never…failing　assurance　of　His　protecting　care。
Those　pilgrims　learned　to　love　the　silent　symbols　of　Jehovah's　presence。
They　indulged　no　repining　because　of　the　hardships　of　their　lot；　they　were
never　lonely　amid　the　mountain　solitudes。　They　thanked　God　that　He　had
provided　for　them　an　asylum　from　the　wrath　and　cruelty　of　men。　They　rejoiced
in　their　freedom　to　worship　before　Him。　Often　when　pursued　by　their　enemies；
the　strength　of　the　hills　proved　a　sure　defense。　From　many　a　lofty　cliff
they　chanted　the　praise　of　God；　and　the　armies　of　Rome　could　not　silence
their　songs　of　thanksgiving。

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Pure；　simple；　and　fervent　was　the　piety　of　these　followers　of　Christ。　The
principles　of　truth　they　valued　above　houses　and　lands；　friends；　kindred；
even　life　itself。　These　principles　they　earnestly　sought　to　impress　upon　the
hearts　of　the　young。　From　earliest　childhood　the　youth　were　instructed　in
the　Scriptures　and　taught　to　regard　sacredly　the　claims　of　the　law　of　God。
Copies　of　the　Bible　were　rare；　therefore　its　precious　words　were　committed
to　memory。　Many　were　able　to　repeat　large　portions　of　both　the　Old　and　the
New　Testament。　Thoughts　of　God　were　associated　alike　with　the　sublime
scenery　of　nature　and　with　the　humble　blessings　of　daily　life。　Little
children　learned　to　look　with　gratitude　to　God　as　the　giver　of　every　favor
and　every　comfort。

Parents；　tender　and　affectionate　as　they　were；　loved　their　children　too
wisely　to　accustom　them　to　self…indulgence。　Before　them　was　a　life　of　trial
and　hardship；　perhaps　a　martyr's　death。　They　were　educated　from　childhood　to
endure　hardness；　to　submit　to　control；　and　yet　to　think　and　act　for
themselves。　Very　early　they　were　taught　to　bear　responsibilities；　to　be
guarded　in　speech；　and　to　understand　the　wisdom　of　silence。　One　indiscreet
word　let　fall　in　the　hearing　of　their　enemies　might　imperil　not　only　the
life　of　the　speaker；　but　the　lives　of　hundreds　of　his　brethren；　for　as
wolves　hunting　their　prey　did　the　enemies　of　truth　pursue　those　who　dared　to
claim　freedom　of　religious　faith。

The　Waldenses　had　sacrificed　their　worldly　prosperity　for　the　truth's　sake；
and　with　persevering　patience　they　toiled　for　their　bread。　Every　spot　of
tillable　land　among　the　mountains　was　carefully　improved；　the　valleys　and
the　less　fertile　hillsides　were　made　to　yield　their　increase。　Economy　and
severe　self…denial　formed　a　part　of　the　education　which　the　children
received　as　their　only　legacy。　They　were　taught　that　God　designs　life　to　be
a　discipline；　and　that　their　wants　could　be　supplied　only　by　personal　labor；
by　forethought；　care；　and　faith。　The　process　was　laborious　and　wearisome；
but　it　was

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wholesome；　just　what　man　needs　in　his　fallen　state；　the　school　which　God　has
provided　for　his　training　and　development。　While　the　youth　were　inured　to
toil　and　hardship；　the　culture　of　the　intellect　was　not　neglected。　They　were
taught　that　all　their　powers　belonged　to　God；　and　that　all　were　to　be
improved　and　developed　for　His　service。

The　Vaudois　churches；　in　their　purity　and　simplicity；　resembled　the　church
of　apostolic　times。　Rejecting　the　supremacy　of　the　pope　and　prelate；　they
held　the　Bible　as　the　only　supreme；　infallible　authority。　Their　pastors；
unlike　the　lordly　priests　of　Rome；　followed　the　example　of　their　Master；　who
〃came　not　to　be　ministered　unto；　but　to　minister。〃　They　fed　the　flock　of
God；　leading　them　to　the　green　pastures　and　living　fountains　of　His　holy
word。　Far　from　the　monuments　of　human　pomp　and　pride　the　people　assembled；
not　in　magnificent　churches　or　grand　cathedrals；　but　beneath　the　shadow　of
the　mountains；　in　the　Alpine　valleys；　or；　in　time　of　danger；　in　some　rocky
stronghold；　to　listen　to　the　words　of　truth　from　the　servants　of　Christ。　The
pasto