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History of the Sabbath and First Day of the Week - John N. Andrews

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also informs us that <strong>the</strong> dem<strong>and</strong> that <strong>the</strong> Waldenses<br />

should "separate entirely from Rome" "caused<br />

divisions among <strong>the</strong>m."[37]<br />

This is a very remarkable statement. The light<br />

<strong>of</strong> many <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se ancient witnesses was almost<br />

ready to go out in darkness when God raised up <strong>the</strong><br />

reformers. They had suffered that woman Jezebel<br />

to teach among <strong>the</strong>m, <strong>and</strong> to seduce <strong>the</strong> servants <strong>of</strong><br />

God. They had even come to practice infant<br />

baptism, <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> priests <strong>of</strong> Rome administered <strong>the</strong><br />

rite! And in addition to all this, <strong>the</strong>y sometimes<br />

joined with <strong>the</strong>m in <strong>the</strong> service <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> mass! If a<br />

portion <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Waldenses in sou<strong>the</strong>rn Europe at <strong>the</strong><br />

time <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Reformation had exchanged believers'<br />

baptism for <strong>the</strong> baptism <strong>of</strong> children by Romish<br />

priests, it is not difficult to see how <strong>the</strong>y could also<br />

accept <strong>the</strong> Sunday-Lord's day from <strong>the</strong> same source<br />

in place <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> hallowed rest-day <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Lord. All<br />

had not done this, but some certainly had.<br />

D'Aubigne makes a very interesting statement<br />

respecting <strong>the</strong> French Waldenses in <strong>the</strong> fifteenth<br />

century. His language implies that <strong>the</strong>y had a<br />

716

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