The Holy Scripture - english version B.indd - Sabbat

234Official Statements of the Clergy.“Notwithstanding all the efforts to establish Sunday sacredness, papiststhemselves publicly confessed the divine authority of the Sabbath andthe human origin of the institution by which it had been supplanted. Inthe sixteenth century a papal council plainly declared: „Let all Christiansremember that the seventh day was consecrated by God, and hath beenreceived and observed, not only by the Jews, but by all others who pretendto worship God; though we Christians have changed their Sabbath into theLord‘s Day.“ Those who were tampering with the divine law were not ignorantof the character of their work. They were deliberately setting themselvesabove God.“The Great Controversy, p. 578“The assertion that God‘s judgments are visited upon men for their violationof the Sunday-sabbath (the first day of the week), will be repeated; already itis beginning to be urged. And a movement to enforce Sunday observance isfast gaining ground.“The Great Controversy, pp. 580, 581„To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, itis because there is no light in them.“ Isaiah 8:20.Satan employs every possible device to prevent men from obtaining a knowledgeof the Bible; for its plain utterances reveal his deceptions. ...In order to endure the trial before them, they must understand the will of God asrevealed in His word; they can honor Him only as they have a right conceptionof His character, government, and purposes, and act in accordance withthem. ...The events connected with the close of probation and the work of preparationfor the time of trouble, are clearly presented. But multitudes have no moreunderstanding of these important truths than if they had never been revealed.Satan watches to catch away every impression that would make them wiseunto salvation, and the time of trouble will find them unready.“The Great Controversy, pp. 594, 595“God will have a people upon the earth to maintain the Bible, and the Bibleonly, as the standard of all doctrines and the basis of all reforms. The opinionsof learned men, the deductions of science, the creeds or decisions of ecclesiasticalcouncils, as numerous and discordant as are the churches which they represent,the voice of the majority--not one nor all of these should be regarded as evidencefor or against any point of religious faith. Before accepting any doctrineor precept, we should demand a plain „Thus saYS YAHWEH“ in itssupport.Satan is constantly endeavoring to attract attention to man in the place of God.He leads the people to look to bishops, to pastors, to professors of theology,as their guides, instead of searching the Scriptures to learn their duty forthemselves. Then, by controlling the minds of these leaders, he can influencethe multitudes according to his will....The Roman Church reserves to the clergy the right to interpret the Scriptures.On the ground that ecclesiastics alone are competent to explain God‘s word, it iswithheld from the common people.[*See Note.] Though the Reformation gave