America in Prophecy by Ellen White [Modern Version]
America’s peculiar origins and hegemonic impact in world affairs stand undisputed. As a superpower birthed from Europe, her eminent history has been celebrated. Foretold since antiquity, a myriad of repressions, revolutions and reforms inspired the first band of pilgrims to settle on a new promised land of liberty. This book enables the reader to understand America’s unique destiny and commanding role while besieged by gross spiritual and political machinations. Clearly, this reading lifts the veil from past events molding America and presaging her cooperation to undermine the very values once cherished. America’s peculiar origins and hegemonic impact in world affairs stand undisputed. As a superpower birthed from Europe, her eminent history has been celebrated. Foretold since antiquity, a myriad of repressions, revolutions and reforms inspired the first band of pilgrims to settle on a new promised land of liberty. This book enables the reader to understand America’s unique destiny and commanding role while besieged by gross spiritual and political machinations. Clearly, this reading lifts the veil from past events molding America and presaging her cooperation to undermine the very values once cherished.
decisive measures to silence the teacher of heresy. (Augustus Neander, General History of the Christian Religion and Church, period 6, sec. 2, pt. 1, par. 8. See also Appendix.) Before the arrival of the bulls, however, the bishops, in their zeal, had summoned Wycliffe before them for trial. But two of the most powerful princes in the kingdom accompanied him to the tribunal; and the people, surrounding the building and rushing in, so intimidated the judges that the proceedings were for the time suspended, and he was allowed to go his way in peace. A little later, Edward III, whom in his old age the prelates were seeking to influence against the Reformer, died, and Wycliffe's former protector became regent of the kingdom. But the arrival of the papal bulls laid upon all England a peremptory command for the arrest and imprisonment of the heretic. These measures pointed directly to the stake. It appeared certain that Wycliffe must soon fall a prey to the vengeance of Rome. But He who declared to one of old, "Fear not: . . . I am thy shield" (Genesis 15:1), again stretched out His hand to protect His servant. Death came, not to the Reformer, but to the pontiff who had decreed his destruction. Gregory XI died, and the ecclesiastics who had assembled for Wycliffe's trial, dispersed. God's providence still further overruled events to give opportunity for the growth of the Reformation. The death of Gregory was followed by the election of two rival popes. Two conflicting powers, each professedly infallible, now claimed obedience. (See Appendix notes for pages 50 and 86.) Each called upon the faithful to assist him in making war upon the other, enforcing his demands by terrible anathemas against his adversaries, and promises of rewards in heaven to his supporters. This occurrence greatly weakened the power of the papacy. The rival factions had all they could do to attack each other, and Wycliffe for a time had rest. Anathemas and recriminations were flying from pope to pope, and torrents of blood were poured out to support their conflicting claims. Crimes and scandals flooded the church. Meanwhile the Reformer, in the quiet retirement of his parish of Lutterworth, was laboring diligently to point men from the contending popes to Jesus, the Prince of Peace. The schism, with all the strife and corruption which it caused, prepared the way for the Reformation by enabling the people to see what the papacy really was. In a tract which he published, On the Schism of the Popes, Wycliffe called upon the people to consider whether these two priests were not speaking the truth in condemning each other as the anti-christ. "God," said he, "would no longer suffer the fiend to reign in only one such priest, but . . . made division among two, so that men, in Christ's 57
name, may the more easily overcome them both."--R. Vaughan, Life and Opinions of John de Wycliffe, vol. 2, p. 6. Wycliffe, like his Master, preached the gospel to the poor. Not content with spreading the light in their humble homes in his own parish of Lutterworth, he determined that it should be carried to every part of England. To accomplish this he organized a body of preachers, simple, devout men, who loved the truth and desired nothing so much as to extend it. These men went everywhere, teaching in the market places, in the streets of the great cities, and in the country lanes. They sought out the aged, the sick, and the poor, and opened to them the glad tidings of the grace of God. As a professor of theology at Oxford, Wycliffe preached the word of God in the halls of the university. So faithfully did he present the truth to the students under his instruction, that he received the title of "the gospel doctor." But the greatest work of his life was to be the translation of the Scriptures into the English language. In a work, On the Truth and Meaning of Scripture, he expressed his intention to translate the Bible, so that every man in England might read, in the language in which he was born, the wonderful works of God. But suddenly his labors were stopped. Though not yet sixty years of age, unceasing toil, study, and the assaults of his enemies had told upon his strength and made him prematurely old. He was attacked by a dangerous illness. The tidings brought great joy to the friars. Now they thought he would bitterly repent the evil he had done the church, and they hurried to his chamber to listen to his confession. Representatives from the four religious orders, with four civil officers, gathered about the supposed dying man. "You have death on your lips," they said; "be touched by your faults, and retract in our presence all that you have said to our injury." The Reformer listened in silence; then he bade his attendant raise him in his bed, and, gazing steadily upon them as they stood waiting for his recantation, he said, in the firm, strong voice which had so often caused them to tremble: "I shall not die, but live; and again declare the evil deeds of the friars."--D'Aubigne, b. 17, ch. 7. Astonished and abashed, the monks hurried from the room. Wycliffe's words were fulfilled. He lived to place in the hands of his countrymen the most powerful of all weapons against Rome--to give them the Bible, the Heaven-appointed agent to liberate, enlighten, and evangelize the people. There were many and great obstacles to surmount in the accomplishment of this work. Wycliffe was weighed down with infirmities; 58
- Page 7 and 8: must fall the horror of great darkn
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decisive measures to silence the teacher of heresy. (Augustus Neander, General History of the<br />
Christian Religion and Church, period 6, sec. 2, pt. 1, par. 8. See also Appendix.) Before the<br />
arrival of the bulls, however, the bishops, <strong>in</strong> their zeal, had summoned Wycliffe before them<br />
for trial. But two of the most powerful pr<strong>in</strong>ces <strong>in</strong> the k<strong>in</strong>gdom accompanied him to the<br />
tribunal; and the people, surround<strong>in</strong>g the build<strong>in</strong>g and rush<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>, so <strong>in</strong>timidated the judges<br />
that the proceed<strong>in</strong>gs were for the time suspended, and he was allowed to go his way <strong>in</strong> peace.<br />
A little later, Edward III, whom <strong>in</strong> his old age the prelates were seek<strong>in</strong>g to <strong>in</strong>fluence aga<strong>in</strong>st<br />
the Reformer, died, and Wycliffe's former protector became regent of the k<strong>in</strong>gdom.<br />
But the arrival of the papal bulls laid upon all England a peremptory command for the<br />
arrest and imprisonment of the heretic. These measures po<strong>in</strong>ted directly to the stake. It<br />
appeared certa<strong>in</strong> that Wycliffe must soon fall a prey to the vengeance of Rome. But He who<br />
declared to one of old, "Fear not: . . . I am thy shield" (Genesis 15:1), aga<strong>in</strong> stretched out His<br />
hand to protect His servant. Death came, not to the Reformer, but to the pontiff who had<br />
decreed his destruction. Gregory XI died, and the ecclesiastics who had assembled for<br />
Wycliffe's trial, dispersed. God's providence still further overruled events to give opportunity<br />
for the growth of the Reformation. The death of Gregory was followed <strong>by</strong> the election of two<br />
rival popes. Two conflict<strong>in</strong>g powers, each professedly <strong>in</strong>fallible, now claimed obedience. (See<br />
Appendix notes for pages 50 and 86.) Each called upon the faithful to assist him <strong>in</strong> mak<strong>in</strong>g war<br />
upon the other, enforc<strong>in</strong>g his demands <strong>by</strong> terrible anathemas aga<strong>in</strong>st his adversaries, and<br />
promises of rewards <strong>in</strong> heaven to his supporters.<br />
This occurrence greatly weakened the power of the papacy. The rival factions had all<br />
they could do to attack each other, and Wycliffe for a time had rest. Anathemas and<br />
recrim<strong>in</strong>ations were fly<strong>in</strong>g from pope to pope, and torrents of blood were poured out to<br />
support their conflict<strong>in</strong>g claims. Crimes and scandals flooded the church. Meanwhile the<br />
Reformer, <strong>in</strong> the quiet retirement of his parish of Lutterworth, was labor<strong>in</strong>g diligently to po<strong>in</strong>t<br />
men from the contend<strong>in</strong>g popes to Jesus, the Pr<strong>in</strong>ce of Peace. The schism, with all the strife<br />
and corruption which it caused, prepared the way for the Reformation <strong>by</strong> enabl<strong>in</strong>g the people<br />
to see what the papacy really was. In a tract which he published, On the Schism of the Popes,<br />
Wycliffe called upon the people to consider whether these two priests were not speak<strong>in</strong>g the<br />
truth <strong>in</strong> condemn<strong>in</strong>g each other as the anti-christ. "God," said he, "would no longer suffer the<br />
fiend to reign <strong>in</strong> only one such priest, but . . . made division among two, so that men, <strong>in</strong> Christ's<br />
57