Revelation　12：6。
  The　accession　of　the　Roman　Church　to　power　marked　the　beginning　of　the　Dark
  Ages。　As　her　power　increased；　the　darkness　deepened。　Faith　was　transferred
  from　Christ；　the　true　foundation；　to　the　pope　of　Rome。　Instead　of　trusting
  in　the　Son　of　God　for　forgiveness　of　sins　and　for　eternal　salvation；　the
  people　looked　to　the　pope；　and　to　the　priests　and　prelates　to　whom　he
  delegated　authority。　They　were　taught　that　the　pope　was　their　earthly
  mediator　and　that　none　could　approach　God　except　through　him；　and；　further；
  that　he　stood　in　the　place　of　God　to　them　and　was　therefore　to　be　implicitly
  obeyed。　A　deviation　from　his　requirements　was　sufficient　cause　for　the
  severest　punishment　to　be　visited　upon　the　bodies　and　souls　of　the
  offenders。　Thus　the　minds　of　the　people　were　turned　away　from　God　to
  fallible；　erring；　and　cruel　men；　nay；　more；　to　the　prince　of　darkness
  himself；　who　exercised　his　power　through　them。　Sin　was　disguised　in　a　garb
  of　sanctity。　When　the　Scriptures　are　suppressed；　and　man　comes　to　regard
  himself　as　supreme；　we　need　look　only　for　fraud；　deception；　and　debasing
  iniquity。　With　the　elevation　of　human　laws　and　traditions　was　manifest　the
  corruption　that　ever　results　from　setting　aside　the　law　of　God。
  Those　were　days　of　peril　for　the　church　of　Christ。　The　faithful
  standard…bearers　were　few　indeed。　Though　the　truth　was　not　left　without
  witnesses；　yet　at　times　it　seemed　that　error　and　superstition　would　wholly
  prevail；　and　true　religion　would　be　banished　from　the　earth。　The　gospel　was
  lost　sight　of；　but　the　forms　of　religion　were　multiplied；　and　the　people
  were　burdened　with　rigorous　exactions。
  They　were　taught　not　only　to　look　to　the　pope　as　their　mediator；　but　to
  trust　to　works　of　their　own　to　atone　for　sin。　Long　pilgrimages；　acts　of
  penance；　the　worship　of　relics；　the
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  erection　of　churches；　shrines；　and　altars；　the　payment　of　large　sums　to　the
  churchthese　and　many　similar　acts　were　enjoined　to　appease　the　wrath　of
  God　or　to　secure　His　favor；　as　if　God　were　like　men；　to　be　angered　at
  trifles；　or　pacified　by　gifts　or　acts　of　penance！
  Notwithstanding　that　vice　prevailed；　even　among　the　leaders　of　the　Roman
  Church；　her　influence　seemed　steadily　to　increase。　About　the　close　of　the
  eighth　century；　papists　put　forth　the　claim　that　in　the　first　ages　of　the
  church　the　bishops　of　Rome　had　possessed　the　same　spiritual　power　which　they
  now　assumed。　To　establish　this　claim；　some　means　must　be　employed　to　give　it
  a　show　of　authority；　and　this　was　readily　suggested　by　the　father　of　lies。
  Ancient　writings　were　forged　by　monks。　Decrees　of　councils　before　unheard　of
  were　discovered；　establishing　the　universal　supremacy　of　the　pope　from　the
  earliest　times。　And　a　church　that　had　rejected　the　truth　greedily　accepted
  these　deceptions。　（See　Appendix。）
  The　few　faithful　builders　upon　the　true　foundation。　（1　Corinthians　3：10；　11）
  were　perplexed　and　hindered　as　the　rubbish　of　false　doctrine　obstructed　the
  work。　Like　the　builders　upon　the　wall　of　Jerusalem　in　Nehemiah's　day；　some
  were　ready　to　say：　〃The　strength　of　the　bearers　of　burdens　is　decayed；　and
  there　is　much　rubbish；　so　that　we　are　not　able　to　build。〃　Nehemiah　4：10。
  Wearied　with　the　constant　struggle　against　persecution；　fraud；　iniquity；　and
  every　other　obstacle　that　Satan　could　devise　to　hinder　their　progress；　some
  who　had　been　faithful　builders　became　disheartened；　and　for　the　sake　of
  peace　and　security　for　their　property　and　their　lives；　they　turned　away　from
  the　true　foundation。　Others；　undaunted　by　the　opposition　of　their　enemies；
  fearlessly　declared：　〃Be　not　ye　afraid　of　them：　remember　the　Lord；　which　is
  great　and　terrible〃　（verse　14）；　and　they　proceeded　with　the　work；　everyone
  with　his　sword　girded　by　his　side。　Ephesians　6：17。
  The　same　spirit　of　hatred　and　opposition　to　the　truth　has　inspired　the
  enemies　of　God　in　every　age；　and　the　same
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  vigilance　and　fidelity　have　been　required　in　His　servants。　The　words　of
  Christ　to　the　first　disciples　are　applicable　to　His　followers　to　the　close
  of　time：　〃What　I　say　unto　you　I　say　unto　all；　Watch。〃　Mark　13：37。
  The　darkness　seemed　to　grow　more　dense。　Image　worship　became　more　general。
  Candles　were　burned　before　images；　and　prayers　were　offered　to　them。　The
  most　absurd　and　superstitious　customs　prevailed。　The　minds　of　men　were　so
  completely　controlled　by　superstition　that　reason　itself　seemed　to　have　lost
  its　sway。　While　priests　and　bishops　were　themselves　pleasure…loving；
  sensual；　and　corrupt；　it　could　only　be　expected　that　the　people　who　looked
  to　them　for　guidance　would　be　sunken　in　ignorance　and　vice。
  Another　step　in　papal　assumption　was　taken；　when；　in　the　eleventh　century；
  Pope　Gregory　VII　proclaimed　the　perfection　of　the　Roman　Church。　Among　the
  propositions　which　he　put　forth　was　one　declaring　that　the　church　had　never
  erred；　nor　would　it　ever　err；　according　to　the　Scriptures。　But　the　Scripture
  proofs　did　not　accompany　the　assertion。　The　proud　pontiff　also　claimed　the
  power　to　depose　emperors；　and　declared　that　no　sentence　which　he　pronounced
  could　be　reversed　by　anyone；　but　that　it　was　his　prerogative　to　reverse　the
  decisions　of　all　others。　（See　Appendix。）
  A　striking　illustration　of　the　tyrannical　character　of　this　advocate　of
  infallibility　was　given　in　his　treatment　of　the　German　emperor；　Henry　IV。
  For　presuming　to　disregard　the　pope's　authority；　this　monarch　was　declared
  to　be　excommunicated　and　dethroned。　Terrified　by　the　desertion　and　threats
  of　his　own　princes；　who　were　encouraged　in　rebellion　against　him　by　the
  papal　mandate；　Henry　felt　the　necessity　of　making　his　peace　with　Rome。　In
  company　with　his　wife　and　a　faithful　servant　he　crossed　the　Alps　in
  midwinter；　that　he　might　humble　himself　before　the　pope。　Upon　reaching　the
  castle　whither　Gregory　had　withdrawn；　he　was　conducted；　without　his　guards；
  into　an　outer　court；　and　there；　in　the　severe　cold　of　winter；　with　uncovered
  head　and　naked
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  feet；　and　in　a　miserable　dress；　he　awaited　the　pope's　permission　to　come
  into　his　presence。　Not　until　he　had　continued　three　days　fasting　and　making
  confession；　did　the　pontiff　condescend　to　grant　him　pardon。　Even　then　it　was
  only　upon　condition　that　the　emperor　should　await　the　sanction　of　the　pope
  before　resuming　the　insignia　or　exercising　the　power　of　royalty。　And
  Gregory；　elated　with　his　triumph；　boasted　that　it　was　his　duty　to　pull　down
  the　pride　of　kings。
  How　striking　the　contrast　between　the　overbearing　pride　of　this　haughty
  pontiff　and　the　meekness　and　gentleness　of　Christ；　who　represents　Himself　as
  pleading　at　the　door　of　the　heart　for　admittance；　that　He　may　come　in　to
  bring　pardon　and　peace；　and　who　taught　His　disciples：　〃Whosoever　will　be
  chief　among　you；　let　him　be　your　servant。〃　Matthew　20：27。
  The　advancing　centuries　witnessed　a　constant　increase　of　error　in　the
  doctrines　put　forth　from　Rome。　Even　before　the　establishment　of　the　papacy
  the　teachings　of　heathen　philosophers　had　received　attention　and　exerted　an
  influence　in　the　church。　Many　who　professed　conversion　still　clung　to　the
  tenets　of　their　pagan　philosophy；　and　not　only　continued　its　study
  themselves；　but　urged　it　upon　others　as　a　means　of　extending　their　influence
  among　the　heathen。　Serious　errors　were　thus　introduced　into　the　Christian
  faith。　Prominent　among　these　was　the　belief　in　man's　natural　immortality　and
  his　consciousness　in　death。　This　doctrine　laid　the　foundation　upon　which
  Rome　established　the　invocation　of　saints　and　the　adoration　of　the　Virgin
  Mary。　From　this　sprang　also　the　heresy　of　eternal　torment　for　the　finally
  impenitent；　which　was　early　incorporated　into　the　papal　faith。
  Then　the　way　was　prepared　for　the　introduction　of　still　another　invention　of
  paganism；　which　Rome　named　purgatory；　and　employed　to　terrify　the　credulous
  and　superstitious　multitudes。　By　this　heresy　is　affirmed　the　existence　of　a
  place　of　torment；　in　which　the　souls　of　such　as　have　not　merited　eternal
  damnation　are　to　suffer　punishment　for　their　sins；
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  and　from　which；　when　freed　from　impurity；　they　are　admitted　to　heaven。　（See
  Appendix。）
  Still　another　fabrication　was　needed　to　enable　Rome　to　profit　by　the　fears
  and　the　vices　of　her　adherents。　This　was　supplied　by　the　doctrine　of
  indulgences。　Full　remission　of　sins；　past；　present；　and　future；　and　release
  from　all　the　pains　and　penalties　incurred；　were　promised　to　all　who　would
  enlist　in　the　pontiff's　wars　to　extend　his　temporal　dominion；　to　punish　his
  enemies；　or　to　exterminate　those　who　dared　deny　his　spiritual　supremacy。　The
  people　were　also　taught　that　by　the　payment　of　money　to　the　church　they
  might　free　themselves　from　sin；　and　also　release　the　souls　of　their　deceased
  friends　who　were　confined　in　the　tormenting　flames。　By　such　means　did　Rome
  fill　her　coffers　and　sustain　the　magnificence；　luxury；　and　vice　of　the
  pretended　representatives　of　Him　who　had　not　where　to　lay　His　head。　（See
  Appendix。）
  The　Scriptural　ordinance　of　the　Lord's　Supper　had　been　supplanted　by　the
  idolatrous　sacrifice　of　the　mass。　Papal　prie