IN our examination of the subject last week, it was shown that notwithstanding the inspired declaration that in Christ only is there salvation, because “there is none other name under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved,” [150] notwithstanding this fact, we say, it was shown that Roman Catholics all over the world are praying for temporal help and eternal salvation to myriads of dead men and dead women, whom the Scriptures declare are dead, but whom the Roman Catholic Church teaches it votaries to believe are in heaven making intercession for those who invoke them.
So true is this that in the face of the inspired testimony by the Apostle Peter, Joachim Pecci, as Pope Leo XIII., claiming to be the successor of Peter, has pronounced the apostolic benediction, the blessing of Peter, upon the shrine of St. Anne in Canada, where thousands of deluded peasants ask for healing in the name of “St. Anne;” and upon Lourdes, France, where so many more thousands ask for perfect soundness in the name of “Our Lady of Lourdes,” and where hundreds of letters are received daily addressed to “Our Lady of Lourdes,” asking her to make the writers whole. And we are certain that should the Apostle Peter come forth from his grave and enter the church of St. Anne at Beaupré, or the grotto of Lourdes, France, and while the people, encouraged by the priests, were imploring “St. Anne” and “Our Lady” to heal them, should he repeat the sermon he preached in the temple he would be arrested again, not by captains sent by Jewish priests, but by captains solicited by the priests of the pretended Peter, Pope Leo XIII.
But, says the Roman Catholic, there are miracles wrought; if they are not performed by the saints in whose name they are implored, by what power are the performed?
Miracles in themselves are to-day the infallible evidence of but one thing, and that one thing is power. The next question is, what power? Bringing down fire from heaven was once the sign of the true God. It is not the sign to-day for “the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to him to show unto his servants,” declares, in Revelation 13:12, that the time would come when a power would arise of which it is said, “He doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men.” Again, miracles in the time of the Saviour were an evidence of his Messiahship, for when the messengers came from John asking, “Art thou he that should come, or look we for another?” Jesus answered, “Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached.” [151] Again Christ is referred to in the Scriptures of truth as “a man approved of God … by miracles, and wonders, and signs.” [152]
But that miracles, and wonders, and signs are not to-day in themselves an infallible evidence of the truth of the cause in whose interests they are performed is shown from the following warning given by the Lord Jesus himself: “There shall arise false christs, and false [354] prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” [153] Again he says in that revelation which God gave to him (Revelation 1:1), speaking of a certain power that would arise,—he “deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do.” [154] Thus it is seen that the three things, “miracles, wonders, and signs,” which were a proof that Jesus was “approved of God,” are by the same God and the same Jesus pointed out as signs of last-day antichristian powers.
But who perform these miracles, and signs, and wonders? Let the same revelation answer: “They are spirits of devils working miracles.” [155] Again the Lord by Paul warns of a falling away before the coming of the Lord, and in consequence, “the working of Satan with all power, and signs, and lying wonders.” [156]
If, then, miracles, and signs, and wonders are wrought when people invoke dead men,—instead of him whom God raised from the dead, and “who ever liveth to make intercession for us,“—they are miracles wrought by the spirit of “devils working miracles.” It is the beginning of the working of Satan with all power, and signs, and lying wonders. And this invoking dead men, instead of the living God, is itself one of the evidences of the second coming of Christ. At the time when some are waiting for the Lord, there is so remarkable a seeking unto the dead that the inspired prophet exclaims: “Should not a people seek unto their God? On behalf of the living should they seek unto the dead?” [157]
Thus it is seen that the Roman Catholic Church is honeycombed with the soul-destroying doctrines of Spiritualism, while at the same time claiming to be opposed to it. From all this it is seen that while claiming to be the true church of Christ, she is the habitation of devils. The miracles, and signs, and wonders to which she points as an evidence that she is the true church, instead of being wrought by her hundreds of thousands of dead “saints,” are wrought by devils, and are the evidences of her apostasy.
Thus it is seen how well prepared the papacy is for the fulfillment of the part which Jesus Christ declared it would act in the closing scenes of earth’s history. Here is the prophecy: “And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon [paganism], out of the mouth of the beast [Roman Catholicism], and out of the mouth of the false prophet [fallen Protestantism]. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.” [158] [354]