The Signs of the Times, vol. 14

September 21, 1888

“That Banished Book. (Concluded.)” The Signs of the Times 14, 37, pp. 583, 584.

(Concluded).

THE other statement in the note is, that, “in process of time they [indulgences] were represented as actual pardons of guilt, and the purchaser of indulgence was said to be delivered from all his sins.” Notice, this does not say that they were actual pardons of guilt, but only that they were represented as such. He does not say that the representation was true. It is but the statement of the fact that does not say that the purchaser of indulgence was delivered from all his sins; nor does it say that the Catholic Church teaches or taught that it was so; it simply states the fact that the purchaser was said to be delivered from all his sins. SITI September 21, 1888, page 583.1

Now is it a fact that they were represented as actual pardons of guilt? Says the “Encyclopedia Britannica:”— SITI September 21, 1888, page 583.2

“The doctrine of indulgences is singularly open to misunderstanding; and in its practical applications it has too often been used to sanction the most flagrant immorality.”—Art. Indulgences. SITI September 21, 1888, page 583.3

If, therefore, that doctrine has been so used, will the Catholic Church say that indulgences were never represented as actual pardons of guilt? or that the purchaser was never said to be delivered from all sin? Will that church say that no person who ever handled or dispensed indulgences ever gave a wrong impression as to the precise effect of them? This of itself would show that in the words used there is no reproach cast upon the Catholic Church. But read the following. A Jesuit historian, quoted by D’Aubigne, speaking of the associates of Tetzel, the chief indulgence peddler, says:— SITI September 21, 1888, page 583.4

“Some of these preachers failed not, as usual, to outrage the subject which they treated, and so to exaggerate the value of indulgences as to make people suppose they were sure of their own salvation, and of the deliverance of souls from purgatory, as soon as the money was paid.”—History of the Reformation, book 3, chap. 1. SITI September 21, 1888, page 583.5

And the Catholic “History of the Church of God,” before quoted, says:— SITI September 21, 1888, page 583.6

“There had been for some time abuses in the form of dispensing and preaching indulgences; pious bishops had pointed them out, and statesmen had protested against them. Tetzel did not altogether avoid the abuses, and later the Papal legate, Miltitz, sharply rebuked him for his indiscretions.”—Id., p. 506. SITI September 21, 1888, page 583.7

Now read the following words of Tetzel himself:— SITI September 21, 1888, page 583.8

“Think, then, that for each mortal sin you must, after confession and contrition, do penance for seven years, neither in this life or in purgatory. Now, how many mortal sins are committed in one day—in one week? How many in a month—a year—a whole life? Ah! these sins are almost innumerable, and innumerable sufferings must be endured for them in purgatory. And now, by means of these letters of indulgence, you can at once, for life—in all cases except four which are reserved to the Apostolic See—and afterwards at the hour of death, obtain a full remission of all your pains, and all your sins.” SITI September 21, 1888, page 583.9

These words make positive the fact stated in Swinton’s note that indulgences were represented to be actual pardons of guilt, and that the purchaser was said to be delivered from all sin. It is not sufficient for Catholics to say that such is not the teaching of the Catholic Church. The banished book does not say that such is or ever was the teaching of the Catholic Church. It simply says that such things “were represented,” and “were said,” and here are the words of Catholics showing that that is the fact. SITI September 21, 1888, page 583.10

So the case of the book and the Boston School Board stands just thus:— SITI September 21, 1888, page 583.11

1. The book says that at the time of Leo X. the papal treasury was exhausted; and that is a historical fact. SITI September 21, 1888, page 583.12

2. The book says that to recruit his exhausted finances, he adopted an extensive sale of indulgences; and that is a historical fact. SITI September 21, 1888, page 583.13

3. The book says that indulgences were remissions of the penances imposed upon persons because of their sins; and that is a doctrinal fact of the Catholic teaching according to the words of a Catholic archbishop. SITI September 21, 1888, page 583.14

4. The book says that in process of time indulgences were represented as actual pardons of guilt; and that is a literal historical fact. SITI September 21, 1888, page 584.1

5. The book says the purchaser of indulgence was said to be delivered from all his sins; and that is the literal historical fact as to what was said. SITI September 21, 1888, page 584.2

All of which conclusively demonstrates that the action of the Boston School Board in banishing that book from the public schools, rests not upon the slightest particle of justice or reason, but is wholly an exhibition of that arbitrary and unreasoning despotism which is characteristic of the Papacy everywhere that it secures enough power to make itself felt. It demonstrates the fact that it is not the statements in the book that the Catholics hate, so much as it is that they hate everything that is not subject to the despotic authority of Rome. For if historical facts in regard to which both Catholic and Protestant authorities agree, cannot be taught in the public schools without the interference of Rome, then what can be taught there without her dictation? SITI September 21, 1888, page 584.3

That everyone may see for himself how the matter stood we append a copy of the indulgence that was actually sold by Tetzel. Here it is:— SITI September 21, 1888, page 584.4

“May our Lord Jesus Christ have pity on thee, N——N——, and absolve thee by the merit of his most holy passion. And I, in virtue of the apostolic power intrusted to me, absolve thee from all ecclesiastical censures, judgments, and penalties, which thou mayest have deserved; moreover, from all the excesses, sins, and crimes, which thou mayest have committed, how great and enormous soever they may have been, and for whatever cause, even should they have been reserved to our most holy father the Pope, and to the apostolic See. I efface all the marks of disability, and all the notes of infamy which thou mayest have incurred on this occasion. I remit the pains which thou shouldst have to endure in purgatory. I render thee anew a partaker in the sacraments of the church. I again incorporate thee into the communion of saints, and re-establish thee in the innocence and purity in which thou wert at the hour of thy baptism; so that, at the moment of thy death, the gate of entrance to the place of pains and torments will be shut to thee; and, on the contrary, the gate which leads to the heavenly paradise, will be opened to thee. If thou art not to die soon, this grace will remain unimpaired till thy last hour arrive. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. SITI September 21, 1888, page 584.5

“Friar John Tetzel, commissary, has signed it with his own hand.”—D’Aubigne—History of the Reformation, book 3, chap. 1. J. SITI September 21, 1888, page 584.6

“The Third Angel’s Message. The Wrath of the Dragon” The Signs of the Times 14, 37, pp. 584, 585.

The Commentary

THE THIRD ANGEL’S MESSAGE. THE WRATH OF THE DRAGON

(Lesson 11. Sabbath, October 6, 1888.)

1. JUST after what notable working will the Saviour come? SITI September 21, 1888, page 584.1

“Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” 2 Thessalonians 2:9, 10. SITI September 21, 1888, page 584.2

2. How great will be the signs and wonders? SITI September 21, 1888, page 584.3

“For there shall are rise false christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” Matthew 24:24. SITI September 21, 1888, page 584.4

3. Why is it they deceived them that perish2 2 Thessalonians 2:10, last part. SITI September 21, 1888, page 584.5

4. What special manifestation of the truth have we found that there will be just before the coming of the Lord? SITI September 21, 1888, page 584.6

“And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb.” “And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.” Revelation 14:9, 10, 14. SITI September 21, 1888, page 584.7

5. Are the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus the truth? SITI September 21, 1888, page 584.8

“Thou art near, O Lord; and all thy commandments are truth.” Psalm 119:151. SITI September 21, 1888, page 584.9

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6. SITI September 21, 1888, page 584.10

6. Are the commandments of God in the faith of Jesus righteousness? SITI September 21, 1888, page 584.11

“My tongue shall speak of thy word, for all thy commandments our righteousness.” Psalm 119:172. SITI September 21, 1888, page 584.12

“For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith which worketh by love.” Galatians 5:5, 6. SITI September 21, 1888, page 584.13

7. What is the object of Satan is deceiving, line miracles and wonders? SITI September 21, 1888, page 584.14

“And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.” Revelation 13:14. SITI September 21, 1888, page 584.15

8. What is the object of the Third Angel’s Message?—To save men from the worship of the beast and his image. SITI September 21, 1888, page 584.16

9. Then with what will be Satan’s last conflict before the coming of the Lord.”—With the Third Angel’s Message and with those who receive the love of it. SITI September 21, 1888, page 585.1

10. What does this message lead men to do? SITI September 21, 1888, page 585.2

“Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” Revelation 14:12. SITI September 21, 1888, page 585.3

11. In what manner does the second beast of Revelation 13 speak? SITI September 21, 1888, page 585.4

“And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.” Verse 11. SITI September 21, 1888, page 585.5

12. What power, and seat, and authority as the first beast? SITI September 21, 1888, page 585.6

“And the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.” Verse 2, last part. SITI September 21, 1888, page 585.7

13. What is the great dragon? SITI September 21, 1888, page 585.8

“And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world; he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” Revelation 12:9. SITI September 21, 1888, page 585.9

14. What then is the source of the dragon spirit? SITI September 21, 1888, page 585.10

15. Through what power did he manifest his wrath when the Saviour was on the earth?—Pagan Rome. Verses 4, 5; Matthew 2:1, 2, 8, 16; John 18:31; 19:12, 15, 16. SITI September 21, 1888, page 585.11

16. Through what power did he manifest the wrath in the Dark Ages?—The beast. Revelation 13:2, 5-7; 12:14-16; Daniel 7:23, 24; Matthew 21:21, 22. SITI September 21, 1888, page 585.12

17. Through what power will his wrath be poured out against the last of the church?—The image of the beast in association with the beast. Revelation 13:12, 14. SITI September 21, 1888, page 585.13

18. What will specially excite his wrath against the poor remnant in this last effort? SITI September 21, 1888, page 585.14

“And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Revelation 12:17. SITI September 21, 1888, page 585.15

19. What will the Third Angel’s Message do just at this time?—It will go to every nation, and people, urging them to keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. SITI September 21, 1888, page 585.16

20. What is it then that will cause the devil to be a particularly wrathful, and to put forth all of his power?—The Third Angel’s Message. SITI September 21, 1888, page 585.17

21. Which side will get the victory? SITI September 21, 1888, page 585.18

“And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire; and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.” Revelation 15:2. SITI September 21, 1888, page 585.19

“The Third Angel’s Message. The Working of Satan” The Signs of the Times 14, 37, p. 585.

THE THIRD ANGEL’S MESSAGE. THE WORKING OF SATAN

(Lesson 15. Sabbath, October 13, 1888.)

1. WHAT will be said to the people just before the Lord comes? Compare Isaiah 8:19 with verse 17. SITI September 21, 1888, page 585.1

2. What is the object of their seeking unto them that have familiar spirits?—To obtain communication with the dead. Verse 19 , last part. SITI September 21, 1888, page 585.2

3. What is that doctrine called?—Spiritualism. SITI September 21, 1888, page 585.3

4. Do the dead know anything? SITI September 21, 1888, page 585.4

“For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 9:5, 6. SITI September 21, 1888, page 585.5

5. What are the familiar spirits which these persons have, and with which men are invited to communicate? SITI September 21, 1888, page 585.6

“For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.” Revelation 16:14. SITI September 21, 1888, page 585.7

6. What have we found to be one great object of these miracles and lying wonders? SITI September 21, 1888, page 585.8

7. What does this prove?—That Spiritualism will act a most important part in making the image to the beast, and enforcing the worship of the beast and his image. SITI September 21, 1888, page 585.10

8.When the National Reformers secure their National Constitutional acknowledgment, what do they expect? SITI September 21, 1888, page 585.11

“Let us acknowledge God as our Father and Sovereign, and Source of all good, and his blessing will be upon us. Crime and corruption will come to an end, and the benign reign of Jesus, our rightful Lord, will be established.” “Either like them [the Jews] we will reject him and perish, or, become a kingdom of our Lord and his Christ, we shall fill the earth and endure for ever.” “And when we reached the summit... the train will move out into the mild yet glorious light of millennial days, and the cry will be raised, ‘The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ.’”—New York National Reform Convention, 1888, pp. 49, 75, 47. SITI September 21, 1888, page 585.12

9. When they shall have set up what they call his kingdom, what then do they expect? SITI September 21, 1888, page 585.13

“When we finish our testimony, then Christ will come and finish his work.”—Secretary J. M. Foster, in Reformed Presbyterian and committee, December, 1887, p. 403. SITI September 21, 1888, page 585.14

10. By whom will there be great signs and wonders wrought to deceived? SITI September 21, 1888, page 585.15

“For there shall are rise false christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” Matthew 24:24. SITI September 21, 1888, page 585.16

11. Who will finally manifest, and work with, all power? SITI September 21, 1888, page 585.17

“Then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit is mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of is coming.” 2 Thessalonians 2:8. SITI September 21, 1888, page 585.18

12. As these great wonders are to be wrought by false christs, and as Satan is to work the greatest of them, then in what form will Satan present himself in this?—In the form of a false christ. SITI September 21, 1888, page 585.19

13. When the National Reform kingdom shall have been formed, and Satan, by this great wonder-working power, shall be transformed into an angel of light, and thus shall come impersonating Christ, then what will be the universal shout?—“Christ is come;” “the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ.” SITI September 21, 1888, page 585.20

14. Then who will be the king of the National Reform government? SITI September 21, 1888, page 585.21

15. Is Spiritualism expecting such a new messiah? SITI September 21, 1888, page 585.22

Spiritualism promises a new messiah, and announces his coming “to this very generation.” The World’s Advance Thought is the avant-courier of the new spiritual dispensation, and in its issue of April 5, 1886, says:— SITI September 21, 1888, page 585.23

“Another sun of righteousness is called for on earth, and the messenger cannot be far off whose life mission it shall be to practically illustrate the new truths that will be vouchsafed. He will not be a mere racial messiah, nor a half-world messiah, as was the great Nazarene; but steam locomotion and lightning communication, and the harmonizing influences of commercial intercourse, have made a whole world messiah possible, and such the next one shall be. Though themselves ignorant of the fact, as the body, the great and multiplying army of mediums are his avant couriers.” “The unanimity of the answers may thrill the world with the promise of a new messiah.” SITI September 21, 1888, page 585.24

16. What says infidelity? SITI September 21, 1888, page 585.25

“Now I think I can safely say that if the National Reform movement succeeds, and God will sign and send his edicts, so that there can be no doubt about their authority, the disbelievers will cheerfully obey them, and if Jesus will come and sit visibly on the throne, where we can see and talk to him, there will be no unbelievers, and all will obey.”—P. F. Shumber, First Creek, La., in a letter to the editor of the American Sentinel, September 1, 1887. SITI September 21, 1888, page 585.26

17. What says the National W.C.T.U.? SITI September 21, 1888, page 585.27

“The Woman’s Christian Temperance Union, local, State, National, and world-wide, has one vital, organic thought, one all-absorbing purpose, one undying enthusiasm, and it is that Christ shall be this world’s king. Yes, verily, this world’s king in its realm of cause and effect; king of its courts, its camps, its commerce; king of its colleges and cloisters; king of its customs and its constitutions.”—Union Signal, December 1, 1887, p. 2. SITI September 21, 1888, page 585.28

18. Taking all these with the other different bodies that now favor the National Reform movement, and how general will be the acceptance of the king of the National Reform government? SITI September 21, 1888, page 585.29

19. What have we found is given to save men from this terrible deception? SITI September 21, 1888, page 585.30

20. Then who alone will refuse to acknowledge the National Reform king?—Those who receive the love of the truth of the Third Angel’s Message. SITI September 21, 1888, page 585.31