EMBOLDENED by the indifference of the people, the priests of Rome are to-day denying that “the church” ever persecuted. The Inquisition, it is asserted, was a civil or political tribunal rather than an ecclesiastical court, and that “religion had nothing to do with the massacre” of St. Bartholomew’s day in France, but that “Coligny and his fellow Huguenots were slain not on account of their creed, but exclusively on account of their alleged treasonable designs.”—Faith of Our Fathers, page 298.
BUT be it understood that where Rome rules, “heresy” is treason. Rome’s denials and apologies are alike disingenuous. She charges treason and means by it dissent from the dogmas of popery. She talks patronizingly of religious liberty when she means only freedom to believe and practice as “the church” teaches. Cardinal Gibbons says: “A man enjoys religious liberty when he possesses the free right of worshiping God according to the dictates of a right conscience, and of practicing a form of religion most in accordance with his duties to God.” “This religious liberty,” the cardinal says, “is the true right of every man.” This sounds well; but Rome claims for herself a divine commission to say what is a “right conscience,” and consequently, authority to determine when any man is entitled to freedom of faith and practice. Rome is, and always has been, the foe of genuine liberty, both civil and religious; for “Rome never changes.” The Roman Catholic Church of Dominic and Innocent III. is the Roman Catholic Church of the silver-tongued Gibbons and of the crafty Leo XIII.
W. T. GIBSON, a Seventh-day Adventist, of Everett, Mass., was recently arrested at the instigation of the mayor, for selling merchandise in his store on Sunday. He appeared in his own defense and pleaded not guilty to the charge of violating the Lord’s day. We will favor our readers next week with his plea which is good, because the Lord, according to his promise, spoke through him words which his adversaries could neither gainsay nor resist. He was, however, convicted and sentenced to pay fine and costs or go to jail. He appealed his case, and we hope to give our readers the results of the appeal in our next issue.