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that　his　purposes　were　prevented　from　reaching　their　full　fruition。　The
people　did　not　trace　the　effect　to　its　cause　and　discover　the　source　of
their　miseries。　But　in　the

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Revolution　the　law　of　God　was　openly　set　aside　by　the　National　Council。　And
in　the　Reign　of　Terror　which　followed；　the　working　of　cause　and　effect　could
be　seen　by　all。

When　France　publicly　rejected　God　and　set　aside　the　Bible；　wicked　men　and
spirits　of　darkness　exulted　in　their　attainment　of　the　object　so　long
desireda　kingdom　free　from　the　restraints　of　the　law　of　God。　Because
sentence　against　an　evil　work　was　not　speedily　executed；　therefore　the　heart
of　the　sons　of　men　was　〃fully　set　in　them　to　do　evil。〃　Ecclesiastes　8：11。
But　the　transgression　of　a　just　and　righteous　law　must　inevitably　result　in
misery　and　ruin。　Though　not　visited　at　once　with　judgments；　the　wickedness
of　men　was　nevertheless　surely　working　out　their　doom。　Centuries　of　apostasy
and　crime　had　been　treasuring　up　wrath　against　the　day　of　retribution；　and
when　their　iniquity　was　full；　the　despisers　of　God　learned　too　late　that　it
is　a　fearful　thing　to　have　worn　out　the　divine　patience。　The　restraining
Spirit　of　God；　which　imposes　a　check　upon　the　cruel　power　of　Satan；　was　in　a
great　measure　removed；　and　he　whose　only　delight　is　the　wretchedness　of　men
was　permitted　to　work　his　will。　Those　who　had　chosen　the　service　of
rebellion　were　left　to　reap　its　fruits　until　the　land　was　filled　with　crimes
too　horrible　for　pen　to　trace。　From　devastated　provinces　and　ruined　cities　a
terrible　cry　was　hearda　cry　of　bitterest　anguish。　France　was　shaken　as　if
by　an　earthquake。　Religion；　law；　social　order；　the　family；　the　state；　and
the　churchall　were　smitten　down　by　the　impious　hand　that　had　been　lifted
against　the　law　of　God。　Truly　spoke　the　wise　man：　〃The　wicked　shall　fall　by
his　own　wickedness。〃　〃Though　a　sinner　do　evil　a　hundred　times；　and　his　days
be　prolonged；　yet　surely　I　know　that　it　shall　be　well　with　them　that　fear
God；　which　fear　before　Him：　but　it　shall　not　be　well　with　the　wicked。〃
Proverbs　11：5；　Ecclesiastes　8：12；　13。　〃They　hated　knowledge；　and　did　not
choose　the　fear　of　the　Lord；〃　〃therefore　shall　they　eat　of　the　fruit　of
their　own　way；　and　be　filled　with　their　own　devices。〃　Proverbs　1：29；　31。

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God's　faithful　witnesses；　slain　by　the　blasphemous　power　that　〃ascendeth　out
of　the　bottomless　pit；〃　were　not　long　to　remain　silent。　〃After　three　days
and　a　half　the　Spirit　of　life　from　God　entered　into　them；　and　they　stood
upon　their　feet；　and　great　fear　fell　upon　them　which　saw　them。〃　Revelation
11：11。　It　was　in　1793　that　the　decrees　which　abolished　the　Christian
religion　and　set　aside　the　Bible　passed　the　French　Assembly。　Three　years　and
a　half　later　a　resolution　rescinding　these　decrees；　thus　granting　toleration
to　the　Scriptures；　was　adopted　by　the　same　body。　The　world　stood　aghast　at
the　enormity　of　guilt　which　had　resulted　from　a　rejection　of　the　Sacred
Oracles；　and　men　recognized　the　necessity　of　faith　in　God　and　His　word　as
the　foundation　of　virtue　and　morality。　Saith　the　Lord：　〃Whom　hast　thou
reproached　and　blasphemed？　and　against　whom　hast　thou　exalted　thy　voice；　and
lifted　up　thine　eyes　on　high？　even　against　the　Holy　One　of　Israel；〃　Isaiah
37：23。　〃Therefore；　behold；　I　will　cause　them　to　know；　this　once　will　I　cause
them　to　know　My　hand　and　My　might；　and　they　shall　know　that　My　name　is
Jehovah。〃　Jeremiah　16：21；　A。R。V。

Concerning　the　two　witnesses　the　prophet　declares　further：　〃And　they　heard　a
great　voice　from　heaven　saying　unto　them；　Come　up　hither。　And　they　ascended
up　to　heaven　in　a　cloud；　and　their　enemies　beheld　them。〃　Revelation　11：12。
Since　France　made　war　upon　God's　two　witnesses；　they　have　been　honored　as
never　before。　In　1804　the　British　and　Foreign　Bible　Society　was　organized。
This　was　followed　by　similar　organizations；　with　numerous　branches；　upon　the
continent　of　Europe。　In　1816　the　American　Bible　Society　was　founded。　When
the　British　Society　was　formed；　the　Bible　had　been　printed　and　circulated　in
fifty　tongues。　It　has　since　been　translated　into　many　hundreds　of　languages
and　dialects。　（See　Appendix。）

For　the　fifty　years　preceding　1792；　little　attention　was　given　to　the　work
of　foreign　missions。　No　new　societies　were　formed；　and　there　were　but　few
churches　that　made　any

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effort　for　the　spread　of　Christianity　in　heathen　lands。　But　toward　the　close
of　the　eighteenth　century　a　great　change　took　place。　Men　became　dissatisfied
with　the　results　of　rationalism　and　realized　the　necessity　of　divine
revelation　and　experimental　religion。　From　this　time　the　work　of　foreign
missions　attained　an　unprecedented　growth。　（See　Appendix。）

The　improvements　in　printing　have　given　an　impetus　to　the　work　of
circulating　the　Bible。　The　increased　facilities　for　communication　between
different　countries；　the　breaking　down　of　ancient　barriers　of　prejudice　and
national　exclusiveness；　and　the　loss　of　secular　power　by　the　pontiff　of　Rome
have　opened　the　way　for　the　entrance　of　the　word　of　God。　For　some　years　the
Bible　has　been　sold　without　restraint　in　the　streets　of　Rome；　and　it　has　now
been　carried　to　every　part　of　the　habitable　globe。

The　infidel　Voltaire　once　boastingly　said：　〃I　am　weary　of　hearing　people
repeat　that　twelve　men　established　the　Christian　religion。　I　will　prove　that
one　man　may　suffice　to　overthrow　it。〃　Generations　have　passed　since　his
death。　Millions　have　joined　in　the　war　upon　the　Bible。　But　it　is　so　far　from
being　destroyed；　that　where　there　were　a　hundred　in　Voltaire's　time；　there
are　now　ten　thousand；　yes；　a　hundred　thousand　copies　of　the　book　of　God。　In
the　words　of　an　early　Reformer　concerning　the　Christian　church；　〃The　Bible
is　an　anvil　that　has　worn　out　many　hammers。〃　Saith　the　Lord：　〃No　weapon　that
is　formed　against　thee　shall　prosper；　and　every　tongue　that　shall　rise
against　thee　in　judgment　thou　shalt　condemn。〃　Isaiah　54：17。

〃The　word　of　our　God　shall　stand　forever。〃　〃All　His　commandments　are　sure。
They　stand　fast　for　ever　and　ever；　and　are　done　in　truth　and　uprightness。〃
Isaiah　40：8；　Psalm　111：7；　8。　Whatever　is　built　upon　the　authority　of　man
will　be　overthrown；　but　that　which　is　founded　upon　the　rock　of　God's
immutable　word　shall　stand　forever。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（289）

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　16

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Pilgrim　Fathers


The　English　Reformers；　while　renouncing　the　doctrines　of　Romanism；　had
retained　many　of　its　forms。　Thus　though　the　authority　and　the　creed　of　Rome
were　rejected；　not　a　few　of　her　customs　and　ceremonies　were　incorporated
into　the　worship　of　the　Church　of　England。　It　was　claimed　that　these　things
were　not　matters　of　conscience；　that　though　they　were　not　commanded　in
Scripture；　and　hence　were　nonessential；　yet　not　being　forbidden；　they　were
not　intrinsically　evil。　Their　observance　tended　to　narrow　the　gulf　which
separated　the　reformed　churches　from　Rome；　and　it　was　urged　that　they　would
promote　the　acceptance　of　the　Protestant　faith　by　Romanists。

To　the　conservative　and　compromising；　these　arguments　seemed　conclusive。　But
there　was　another　class　that　did　not　so　judge。　The　fact　that　these　customs
〃tended　to　bridge　over　the　chasm　between　Rome　and　the　Reformation〃　（Martyn；
volume　5；　page　22）；　was　in　their　view　a　conclusive　argument　against
retaining　them。　They　looked　upon　them　as　badges　of　the　slavery　from　which
they　had　been　delivered　and　to　which　they　had　no　disposition　to　return。　They
reasoned　that　God　has　in　His　word　established　the　regulations　governing　His
worship；　and　that　men　are　not　at　liberty　to　add　to　these　or　to　detract　from
them。　The　very　beginning　of　the　great　apostasy　was　in　seeking　to　supplement
the　authority　of　God　by

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that　of　the　church。　Rome　began　by　enjoining　what　God　had　not　forbidden；　and
she　ended　by　forbidding　what　He　had　explicitly　enjoined。

Many　earnestly　desired　to　return　to　the　purity　and　simplicity　which
characterized　the　primitive　church。　They　regarded　many　of　the　established
customs　of　the　English　Church　as　monuments　of　idolatry；　and　they　could　not
in　conscience　unite　in　her　worship。　But　the　church；　being　supported　by　the
civil　authority；　would　permit　no　dissent　from　her　forms。　Attendance　upon　her
service　was　required　by　law；　and　unauthorized　assemblies　for　religious
worship　were　prohibited；　under　penalty　of　imprisonment；　exile；　and　death。

At　the　opening　of　the　seventeenth　century　the　monarch　who　had　just　ascended
the　throne　of　England　declared　his　determination　to　make　the　Puritans
〃conform；　or　。　。　。　harry　them　out　of　the　land；　or　else　worse。〃George
Bancroft；　History　of　the　United　States　of　America；　pt。　1；　ch。　12；　par。　6。
Hunted；　persecuted；　and　imprisoned；　they　could　discern　in　the　future　no
promise　of　better　days；　and　many　yielded　to　the　conviction　that　for　such　as
would　serve　God　according　to　the　dictates　of　their　conscience；　〃England　was
ceasing　forever　to　be　a　habitable　place。〃J。　G。　Palfrey；　History　of　New
England；　ch。　3；　par。　43。　Some　at　last　determined　to　seek　refuge　in　Holland。
Difficultie