1889 Watch Tower - A2Z.org
1889 Watch Tower - A2Z.org 1889 Watch Tower - A2Z.org
various superstitions and errors of the dark ages, back to the oldlandmarks of primitive simplicity and purity whichcharacterized the apostolic church, both in life and doctrines.Luther, Knox, Melanchthon, Zwingli, Calvin, and others of theirtime, though still befogged by the errors of Antichrist, which forso many centuries held the world as under a mesmeric power,made remarkable progress out of the darkness toward the full,clear light. When all the circumstances of their time are realized,it cannot be denied that they were remarkable men, and that theynot only took a courageous step, but a long one in the rightdirection. The trouble is that those who since have followedthese leaders, have taken their names as sects, without havingtheir spirit of reform. So far from continuing the reformmovement, each party or sect set itself against all light, truth,and reformation in advance of what its leader had seen andadvocated. Hence reform almost ceased with the reformers ofthe sixteenth century. What progress has since been made, hasbeen in opposition, not only to Papacy, but to professedProtestants as well.But the course of the reformers was not a whollyuncompromising one. They soon saw that the masses of thepeople were so steeped in ignorance that they could notappreciate the Scriptural teaching that God is no respecter ofpersons; and that in his sight all men are free, and that king,peasant and slave are on a common footing before God. So longhad people been taught that the pope and church dignitariesrepresented God, and must be obeyed as God; so long had theybeen taught that kings and princes, when crowned andcommissioned by the pope, were God's appointed rulers,reigning by God's authority in matters civil, as the "clergy" bythe same authority reigned as princes in matters religious; solong had they been taught that to deny or oppose such popesanctionedauthority, was to deny and oppose God and hiskingdom, that (under this ignorance and superstition) to havedeclared the whole truth, would have involved all Europe inanarchy and lawlessness. Stepping out of such deep slavery ofmind and body, into full liberty, the masses were far fromprepared to use it wisely.This, indeed, was the basis of the conflict between the earlyreformers. Zwingli in Switzerland, was a representative of somewho took their stand for full liberty; he not only denied theauthority of the pope to rule the church, but denied also hisauthority to appoint civil rulers in the name of God. He claimedfor the people the right to elect their rulers, as we do in this greatRepublic. Here, Luther wavered for a time as to what course topursue, when he saw that the reform, fully carried out, wouldnot only take away the authority of the pope, but also theauthority of all the princes and kings of earth appointed by him.While retired for ten months in Wartburg Castle under the
hiding and protection of Elector Frederick, Luther reflected onthe situation carefully; then he came forth to oppose Zwingli,Carlstadt and others under whose preaching the images in thechurches were being dashed to pieces and the Mass abolished.His plea was moderation. He cooled the rising ardor of theGermans, and with Melanchthon turned the GermanReformation into the channel which it finally took. The Germanprinces on the one hand glad to be freed from their abjectbondage to Papacy, and on the other hand glad to escape thegrowing tendency of teachings such as Zwingli's, recognized inthe teaching of Luther and Melanchthon a way of escape fromboth, which would still preserve their powers, and even increasethem. From policy, therefore, many ofR1094 : page 5the German princes embraced the Lutheran cause, whichprospered, while the yet more thorough reformers and theirworks went down.Why did not God forward the greater and purer views? it may beasked. Because it was not then due time, we answer. But slowly,after three centuries, thinking people will admit that Zwingli andCarlstadt were much nearer the truth, much more thoroughteachers of reform than Luther. D'Aubigne (Hist. vol. 3. p. 243.)upon this subject, cautiously but forcibly remarks:"Notwithstanding his opposition to Papacy, Luther had a strongconservative instinct. Zwingli, on the contrary, was predisposedto radical reforms. Both these divergent tendencies were needed.If Luther and his followers had been alone in the work, it wouldhave stopped short in its progress; and the principle ofreformation would not have wrought its destined effect."Luther, though he had denounced the Papacy as Antichrist, anddeclared that the popes had no right or authority whatever to rulethe world in the name of Christ, was led by his course ofmoderation into doing the very thing he had condemned inPapacy. The princes who remained in harmony with Papacy,were forward to claim its sanction as the true basis of authorityover the people; and, those who espoused Luther's side, ofcourse looked to him who claimed to represent the true reformedChurch, to pronounce in their favor--as the choice of the truechurch, and hence the divine choice. Having taken the stand hedid, escape from the dilemma was impossible; and there wasconsiderable truth in Luther's joke, when, later on, he calledhimself"THE GERMAN POPE."Thus it came that Protestantism continued the very error whichlay at the foundation of the great apostasy--the very error itstarted out to remedy. Instead of advocating freedom--government of and by the people--it arrayed itself on the side of
- Page 3 and 4: eight and ten times, with increasin
- Page 5 and 6: fulfillment of God's plans, but the
- Page 7 and 8: A meeting was held in the Baptist c
- Page 9 and 10: Jordan in the far West, there came
- Page 11 and 12: ====================R1091 : page 3A
- Page 13 and 14: ignorance and squalor, to comfort a
- Page 15 and 16: of Christ and joint-heir with him o
- Page 17 and 18: yet sit with him in his throne. But
- Page 19: as Papacy, her ambition, sustained
- Page 23 and 24: Mark the oppression, and injustice,
- Page 25 and 26: ejoicing in tribulations, and that
- Page 27 and 28: POLITICS OF THE SAINTS.A Brother wh
- Page 29 and 30: significant!], when the Son of man
- Page 31 and 32: evening's diversion, a picnic, etc.
- Page 33 and 34: Never speak slightingly of one to a
- Page 35 and 36: Work, dear Christian mothers, with
- Page 37 and 38: more truth, for she saw and deplore
- Page 39 and 40: But they did not exclude me until I
- Page 41 and 42: of interest among the readers upon
- Page 43 and 44: SIN AND SICKNESS, "FAITH CURES," "P
- Page 45 and 46: page 1DO NOT send us Foreign or Can
- Page 47 and 48: indifferent to whatever testimony o
- Page 49 and 50: the lunar time exactly, as the earl
- Page 51 and 52: The bread used by the Lord was unle
- Page 53 and 54: Those who may arrive on Sunday morn
- Page 55 and 56: There is a very general misundersta
- Page 57 and 58: called churches are not so recogniz
- Page 59 and 60: (except in the beginning of the age
- Page 61 and 62: NO. 4.AS BECOMETH WOMENPROFESSING G
- Page 63 and 64: simple a way as you can. Inspire th
- Page 65 and 66: neighbors are generally well again,
- Page 67 and 68: period of Christ's Millennial reign
- Page 69 and 70: worthy of this trial and to the wor
hiding and protection of Elector Frederick, Luther reflected onthe situation carefully; then he came forth to oppose Zwingli,Carlstadt and others under whose preaching the images in thechurches were being dashed to pieces and the Mass abolished.His plea was moderation. He cooled the rising ardor of theGermans, and with Melanchthon turned the GermanReformation into the channel which it finally took. The Germanprinces on the one hand glad to be freed from their abjectbondage to Papacy, and on the other hand glad to escape thegrowing tendency of teachings such as Zwingli's, recognized inthe teaching of Luther and Melanchthon a way of escape fromboth, which would still preserve their powers, and even increasethem. From policy, therefore, many ofR1094 : page 5the German princes embraced the Lutheran cause, whichprospered, while the yet more thorough reformers and theirworks went down.Why did not God forward the greater and purer views? it may beasked. Because it was not then due time, we answer. But slowly,after three centuries, thinking people will admit that Zwingli andCarlstadt were much nearer the truth, much more thoroughteachers of reform than Luther. D'Aubigne (Hist. vol. 3. p. 243.)upon this subject, cautiously but forcibly remarks:"Notwithstanding his opposition to Papacy, Luther had a strongconservative instinct. Zwingli, on the contrary, was predisposedto radical reforms. Both these divergent tendencies were needed.If Luther and his followers had been alone in the work, it wouldhave stopped short in its progress; and the principle ofreformation would not have wrought its destined effect."Luther, though he had denounced the Papacy as Antichrist, anddeclared that the popes had no right or authority whatever to rulethe world in the name of Christ, was led by his course ofmoderation into doing the very thing he had condemned inPapacy. The princes who remained in harmony with Papacy,were forward to claim its sanction as the true basis of authorityover the people; and, those who espoused Luther's side, ofcourse looked to him who claimed to represent the true reformedChurch, to pronounce in their favor--as the choice of the truechurch, and hence the divine choice. Having taken the stand hedid, escape from the dilemma was impossible; and there wasconsiderable truth in Luther's joke, when, later on, he calledhimself"THE GERMAN POPE."Thus it came that Protestantism continued the very error whichlay at the foundation of the great apostasy--the very error itstarted out to remedy. Instead of advocating freedom--government of and by the people--it arrayed itself on the side of
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