The Great Controversy - Righteousness is Love

229circulation of the Bible in the early part of the nineteenth century, and thegreat light thus shed upon the world, was not followed by a correspondingadvance in knowledge of revealed truth, or in experimental religion. Satancould not, as in former ages, keep God's word from the people; it had beenplaced within the reach of all; but in order still to accomplish his object, heled many to value it but lightly. Men neglected to search the Scriptures, andthus they continued to accept false interpretations, and to cherish doctrineswhich had no foundation in the Bible.Seeing the failure of his efforts to crush out the truth by persecution, Satanhad again resorted to the plan of compromise which led to the greatapostasy and the formation of the Church of Rome. He had inducedChristians to ally themselves, not now with pagans, but with those who, bytheir devotion to the things of this world, had proved themselves to be astruly idolaters as were the worshipers of graven images. And the results ofthis union were no less pernicious now than in former ages; pride andextravagance were fostered under the guise of religion, and the churchesbecame corrupted. Satan continued to pervert the doctrines of the Bible, andtraditions that were to ruin millions were taking deep root. The church wasupholding and defending these traditions, instead of contending for "thefaith which was once delivered unto the saints." Thus were degraded theprinciples for which the Reformers had done and suffered so much.