Questions in the Workroom
Table of Contents
Questions in the Workroom: No. 1 - The Church
THE CHURCH.
'Being surrounded with Roman Catholics, and High Church fellow work-people, I often have such texts as these brought before me. Thou art Peter! or it should be, ' and I say unto thee, that thou art Peter; and upon this rock, I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.' And ' whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.' (Matt, xvi. 18; John 20:23.) I feel at a loss sometimes, how to answer."
Your letter calls our attention to the immense importance of Paul's counsel to Timothy, as to the value of a knowledge of the holy scriptures. (2 Tim. 3:14, 17.) We trust, whoever brings scripture before us, we shall only desire to bow with all our hearts, to its authority. Jesus, then, here said, " Thou art Peter " (Petros), which means a stone; " and on this rock (Petra) I will build my church." The question then, is, what is that rock, on which Christ builds His church? If He had meant that Peter was the rock, He would have said, Thou art Petra—-the rock; but He said just the opposite, Thou art a stone.
Let us go a little further back to inquire what our Lord means by the rock, the foundation on which He would build His church. You will find when the Pharisees had rejected Him, Simon Peter confessed Him: " Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus then said, " Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona [son of Jona]: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven."
Thus we learn that it was the Person of the Christ, the Son of the living God, as revealed by the Father, that was the foundation of Peter's blessing—the foundation, fit for this blessed stone to be built upon. And on this foundation—this rock—Christ declared He would build His church. Mark, this is far more than the Messiah, made known as son of David. He was that, but He was about to be cut off, rejected as Son of man, the Messiah of Israel. But now He names for the first time, His church. This He would build on the rock, what He was as Son of the living God. The gates of hell, the powers of darkness, might seem to prevail, as to the kingdom of Messiah long foretold; but He would build something which had been quite unknown, His Church: and the powers of darkness should not prevail against it.
You will also notice that Jesus immediately tells His disciples that He must be killed, and be raised again the third day. Peter was now in a sad way, as he only looked for the kingdom, and as yet, knew nothing of Christ's present work in building the church. He had no idea that Jesus must die and rise again, before He could begin that building.
There was another thing that does not seem to have been made known, or at least, was not understood, that there would be a new kind of kingdom on earth, that is, the kingdom of God on earth, but the king in heaven. You may read the parables about this in Matt. 13 Peter was to have the privilege of opening the doors of this kingdom. Mark, He did not give him the keys of the church, or say that Peter should build the church.
Turn to the Acts: after Jesus had been crucified, and was risen from the dead, and having gone up into heaven, He, the ascended Christ, sent down the Holy Ghost, and you will find it is He, by the Spirit, who builds His church. And to Peter is given the honor, as promised, of unlocking the doors into the new kingdom, first to the Jews (Acts 2), then to the Gentiles. (Acts 10)
Suppose we ask Peter what he has to say. Whether he regards himself as the rock, or the foundation: or whether he regards Christ as the alone foundation stone or rock—the foundation of salvation, and of the church?
Full of the Holy Ghost he says: " This is the stone which was set at naught of you builders, which is become the head of the comer. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Could Peter possibly mean himself? No, he is speaking of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, " whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead." (Acts 4:10-12.)
Not a word did he preach about himself, on the day of Pentecost; but, " God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ." And were they to repent, and be baptized in the name of Peter? No, but " in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins."
And when he turned the key to open the door to the Gentiles, did he present himself as the foundation? No, it is again Jesus, whom God has raised from the dead. " To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name, whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins." And to this truth God gave witness, by the gift of the Holy Ghost. (Acts 10:43.)
Did Peter, after this, invite men to come to him or to Christ? Read his own words: thus he speaks, " To whom coming as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God and precious, ye also as lively stones are built up a spiritual house.....Behold I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.” &c. (1 Pet. 2:4-8.) Clearly, Peter never dreamed that he was the rock or that chief corner stone.
Did Paul ever say that Peter was the rock, the foundation on which Christ built His church?' Ask him, and hear his reply: " For other foundation can no man lay, than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ." (1 Cor. 3:11.) And, speaking of believers, he says, " And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner. In. whom all the building fitly framed together, groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord," &c. (Eph. 2:20, 21.)
Let us not then dishonor the Son of the living God, whom Peter confessed, by putting Peter in His place, as the rock on which Christ builds His church. But let us hear what all your companions can say in the workroom.
Questions in the Workroom: No. 2 - The Church, Continued
the Church Built on Peter and the Church Built by Christ. II
If the church built on Peter is not the only true church, then where do you find it for hundreds of years?
God has had His own hidden ones preserved in Christ Jesus. We propose to give as brief an account as we can of one company of Christians deeply interesting in itself. A fuller account will be found in Dr. Buchanan's Christian Researches in Asia. He tells us what he found of " the Syrian Christians who inhabit the interior of Travancore and Malabar, in the south of India, and have been settled there from the early ages of Christianity."
They were first noticed in recent times in the Portuguese histories. When Vasco de Gama arrived at Cochin, on the coast of Malabar, they were a nation to themselves, and had a king. " When the Portuguese arrived, they were agreeably surprised to find upwards of a hundred christian churches on the coast of Malabar. But when they became acquainted with the purity and simplicity of their worship, they were offended. ' These churches,' said the Portuguese, ‘belong to the pope.'
Ø ' Who is the pope?' said the natives, ‘we never heard of him.’ 'We,’ said they, 'are of the true faith, whatever you from the west may be; for we come from the place where the followers of Christ were first called Christians.' " (That is Antioch.)
And now as soon as the Portuguese had power, days and years of sorrow fell upon these followers of Christ. For the first time they heard there was such a thing as the Inquisition. Fires were lighted at Go A. These unoffending Christians were committed to its dungeons, its tortures, and its fires.
" They were accused of following practices and opinions. They had married wives; they owned but two sacraments—baptism and the Lord's supper; that they neither invoked saints, nor worshipped images, nor believed in purgatory; and that they had no other orders or names of dignity in the church than bishop, priest, and deacon. These tenets they were called on to abjure.
" It was also declared that all Syrian books on ecclesiastical subjects that could be found should be burned, in order, said the Inquisitors, that no pretended apostolic monuments may be formed. The churches on the seacoast were thus compelled to acknowledge the supremacy of the pope.
" The churches in the interior would not yield to Rome. After a show of submission for a little while they proclaimed eternal war against the Inquisition; they hid their books, fled to the mountains, and sought the protection of the native princes."
And how long had these Christians been there when the Portuguese found them? " For 1,300 years past, they had enjoyed a succession of bishops appointed by the patriarch of Antioch. For two centuries nothing had been heard of these Syrian Christians, and it was doubted by many whether they existed at all."
In 1805 every facility was afforded by the Marquis of Wellesley for Dr. Buchanan to visit the interior. The Rajah of Travancore gave permission for him to pass into the country. From the palace of Travancore he proceeded to Mavely-car, and thence to the hills at the bottom of the high Ghauts which divide the Carnatic from the Malay-a-la. Deeply interesting are the letters he wrote relating his interviews with these intelligent Christians. They had heard of the English, but strangely supposed they belonged to the church of the pope. And at first, from sad experience, they were afraid Dr. Buchanan was an enemy in disguise. From all their intercourse with Rome and its Inquisitors, when had they seen a friend?
In some points Dr. Buchanan scarcely understood the remains of primitive Christianity amongst them. When he reached the church at Chinganoor, he was received at the door by three presbyters. There were also two deacons, and there was an elder, an older presbyter. They were aware that they were in " a degenerate state compared with our forefathers." And there were two special causes of their degeneracy. They said, " About 300 years ago, an enemy came from the west, bearing the name of Christ, but armed with the Inquisition, and compelled us to seek the protection of the native princes. And the native princes kept us in a state of depression ever since.... We have preserved the Bible. The Hindu princes never touched our liberty of conscience."
What a testimony is this! The church of Rome a greater enemy by far to Christianity than the heathen princes! Yet who can deny this? They had never seen a printed copy of the New Testament, and indeed but few written ones. The enemy of Christianity had destroyed all their Syrian books. How they languished for the word of God. How great was their joy at the prospect of having printed copies of the scriptures in Syriac and Malayalim.
As a whole, it might be said they had become formal and dead. Where has this not been the case? But there were individuals alive to righteousness, distinguished from the rest by their purity of life, and were sometimes censured for too rigid a piety. " The following are the chief: doctrines of this ancient church:
" 1. They hold the doctrine of the vicarious atonement for the sins of men, by the blood and merits of Christ, and of the justification of the soul before God, by faith alone, in the atonement.
" 2. They maintain the regeneration, or new birth of the soul to righteousness, by the influence of the Spirit of God, which change is called in their books, from the Greek, Meta-Νοια, or change of mind.
" 3. In regard to the Trinity, the creed of the Syrian Christians accords with that of Athanasius, but without the damnatory clauses."
Thus God preserved these ancient Christians. And if Rome were to take possession of India, scriptural Christianity must be destroyed: for this purpose the Inquisition was established at God. How often have its dungeons, of ten feet square, immured these true members of the body of Christ! What shrieks of agony under cruel torture! How many have walked barefoot to the fire to be burnt to death, as heretics, because they loved and believed the word of God.
Is it not wonderful that during the dark ages of Europe, when the so-called church was sunk in superstition, the scriptures were preserved, read, and enjoyed, in these Indian mountains? They had fled from Antioch, in the early persecutions, in or soon after the apostolic age.
Numbers of manuscripts proved by the characters in which they were written, deeds of Indian princes engraved on metal plates in ancient characters also, bore witness to the antiquity of these Christians. And if there was anything in apostolic ordination, there had been an unbroken succession from the day they came from Antioch, of elders, though this had degenerated into officialism, especially since Rome came so near them.
Mark, they were not an offshoot from Rome. They derived nothing from Rome. They existed as a church before there was a church at Rome. And they had found Rome more opposed to Christianity than the heathens amongst whom they lived. They had never heard of the pope until the Portuguese arrived on their shores. " And I saw a woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus." (Rev. 17:6.)
To such as are acquainted with the scriptural order of office and ministry, it would be easy to see how much of that order remained amongst these Syrian Christians. Dr. Buchanan says, " When we arrived, I was received at the door by three kasheeshas, that is presbyters, or priests (called in scripture elders), who were habited in like manner in white vestments. Their names were Jesu, Zacharias, and Urias......There were also present two shumshanas, or deacons.
The elder priest was a very intelligent man, &c The three principal Christians, or lay elders, belonging to the church, were named Abraham, Thoma, and Alexandros." Thus there were the elders and deacons of the Acts, with a sort of president elder, a man of age and experience. As to ordination, they did not seem to think much of what is called apostolic ordination; though probably none on earth had so great a claim to it. They said, " That if there was such a thing in the world as ordination by the laying on of hands, in succession from the apostles, it was probable that they possessed it."
It must not, however, be supposed that all the Roman Catholics in India approved of the Inquisition. Bishop Raymondo, the apostolic vicar at Verapoli, spoke of it with just indignation, and called it " a horrid tribunal." This man desired that the Romanists might have the scriptures in the Malabar language. He said, “But believe me, the Inquisition will endeavor to counteract your purposes by every means in their power." Very few of the natives had ever heard of them, and scarce a man was to be found that had seen a copy of the word of God.
The Syrian church had highly valued the word of God during those dark ages, when in Europe the so-called church had sunk in ignorance, and its priesthood made the reading of the scriptures a capital offense. Yes, during all those centuries God had preserved great numbers of Christians, loving His word, and walking in love according to its holy precepts, in the mountains, and on the coast of Malabar. The doctrines and scriptural discipline were preserved in remarkable purity.
And what did the church, said to be built on St. Peter, give in place of that Christianity it sought with all its power to destroy? What did it give in place of those priceless manuscripts it burnt at Udiamper, when " Archbishop Menezes from God, convened the synod of the Syrian clergy, in 1599, when he burned the Syriac and Chaldaic books"? Let us look at what Rome gave in place of what it destroyed, (To be continued.)
Luke 23:56. "They returned and prepared spices and ointments, and rested the sabbath day, according to the commandment.' The quietness of those who waited and watched is contrasted with those who crucified Him. They could not rest, though it was the sabbath. " Now the next day that followed the day of preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate.... command that the sepulcher be made sure." But these women rested according to the commandment.
Questions in the Workroom: No. 3 - What Rome Gave to India
What Rome Gave to India
We will now look at what the church of Rome gave, in the place of that comparatively pure scriptural Christianity it had destroyed on the coast of Malabar. We cannot do better than give the words of Dr. Buchanan as he wrote them on the spot at the beginning of this century, from " Christian Researches in Asia."
"But in the following pages the author will have occasion to show what Rome is, as having dominion, and possessing it too within the boundaries of the British Empire.
"In passing through the Romish provinces in the east, though the author had before heard much of the papal corruptions, he certainly did not expect to see Christianity in the degraded state in which he found it. Of the priests it may truly be said, that they are, in general, better acquainted with the Veda of Brahma, than with the gospel of Christ. In some places the doctrines of both are blended. At Augpoor, situate between Trichinopoly and Madura, he visited a christian church, and saw near it (in October, 1806) a tower of Juggernaut, which is employed in solemnizing christian festivals ... Thus, by the intervention of the papal power, are the ceremonies of Moloch consecrated in a manner by the sacred Syriac language.
"What a heavy responsibility lies on Rome, for having thus corrupted and degraded that pure and ancient church/'
Dr. Buchanan was always referred to the Inquisition at God, as the fountain head. He visited it, and found it in full operation. He was permitted, under peculiar circumstances, to see a part of this awful place, and narrates the history of what he saw and learned, but was not allowed to visit its dungeons, or speak to its captives pining in darkness, though they might be Christians, and subjects of the British Empire It was a city of churches; let him describe one for us. " I seldom see a single worshipper but the ecclesiastics. Two rows of native priests, kneeling in order before the altar, clothed in coarse black garments, of sickly appearance, and vacant countenance, seemingly unconscious of any other duty or obligation of life."
We will not pursue the horrors of the so-called holy office. There it was in this century, and in some respects worse than when such vast numbers of Christians were burnt at the stake in public. Those executions were no longer public; but if a man or woman spoke a word against the Roman church, they were taken and thrown into these dungeons, and the friends of such had no possible means of getting to know whether they were dead or still under torture. Do not say these things are in the far past. We are speaking of this century; and we firmly believe if God were to permit, it would be set up in England with all its horrors. Poor deceived England, what art thou doing, seeking to restore Rome rule? How blessed to be not of this world, though we may have to endure its hatred and persecution, but waiting for Him who said, "On this rock will I build MY church."
Space forbids us to give further description of the Inquisition. There is no doubt many of the Inquisitors were very learned men; and they sincerely thought they were doing God's service in destroying these unoffending Christians; just as vast numbers would think to-day. And what were the charges against these Syrian Christians who had existed there through so many centuries, as we have seen? " They were accused of the following practices and opinions: ' That they married wives; that they owned but two sacraments, baptism and the Lord's supper; that they neither invoked saints, nor worshipped images, nor believed in purgatory; that they had no other orders or names of dignity in the church than bishop (or) priest (really elder), and deacon.' " In other words, they were Christians who desired to walk according to the word of God. Rome, what hast thou done on the coast of Malabar? How didst thou use thine unlimited power over so many Syrian Christians, who were the true members of the one body of Christ, the only true church or assembly?
We have thus very briefly looked at two things. That which had been preserved for so many centuries; and if we compare what they held and practiced with what Papacy held and practiced, we must perceive that the church, or assembly, was found to be composed of every true Christian wherever found: for we do not for a moment doubt that such may be found even in the church of Rome.
There were, among others, truly converted persons, many such, in the Syrian church, and by their books there evidently had been such from the days of the apostles without a single break. But it would be a great mistake to say that the Syrian church was the church of God. Only true saints or holy ones compose the church of God—that which is built by Christ. This is seen in the address to each assembly in the New Testament. To the saints at Rome, Corinth, &c.
Now why did the church of Rome seek to destroy the very remembrance of this Syrian church? Why did they burn their literature, than which there was no greater evidence of the truth of Christianity? These Christians held the very truth received from the apostles at Antioch. They could not be justly charged with a single false doctrine. No doubt they had lost much truth, such as the heavenly calling of the church; the coming of the Lord for the church; the presence of the Holy Ghost—as seen in the church from which they came (read carefully Acts 13:1-4); at least, Dr. Buchanan does not name these truths, he himself perhaps being ignorant of them.
But they were well acquainted with the history of the church in the early centuries, and distinctly rejected the errors of Arius, Sabellius, Macedonius, Manes, Marcianus, Julianus, Nestorius, and the Chalcedonians. Thus they held the truth, and could ably defend it against all the errors of Rome, whilst Rome had sunk in idolatry, and was full of error which she could not defend, except by falsehood and murder. Can we then question that in this case, so far from Rome being the true church, she has done her utmost to destroy Christianity?
It may be said, This may be true of India, but surely it has never been the case in this country? In another paper we may see as to that.
We will now turn back to Matt. 16:18. Have you noticed one little word, " my?" I will build my church." If you carefully examine the Acts, you will find when Christ had died on the cross, and risen again, and ascended up on high, He sent the Holy Ghost. And He then by the Spirit began to build His church. This was not begun at Rome, but first at Jerusalem, and then at the very place from whence these Syrian Christians came. You will also find that high priests, and priests of the Jews, hated and persecuted the church of Christ, everywhere. Which do you think Christ would own as His church, the persecuting priests and Pharisees, or the poor downtrodden persecuted Christians whom they called heretics? The priests sent out the chief Inquisitor on a murderous mission to Damascus. You will find the account in Acts 9; 22; 26 And you will find some remarks on this matter in this magazine. The heavenly vision leaves no uncertainty as to which company the Lord Jesus owns as His church. He uses a still more wonderful word than u my church." He says to the Familiar of the Jewish Inquisition, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" Whatever those priests did to the least of Christ's little ones, they did to Him. tie said,, as it were, I must let you know this mystery, that every true Christian is part of My very self. Yet that Inquisitor, who fetched the poor victims, thought he was showing zeal for God!
Can any one deny the striking resemblance of the church of Rome to the persecuting priests of. Judaism, except that the Jews were never guilty of the barbarous cruelty of Rome's Inquisition? indeed the whole world never inflicted such prolonged agony on human beings as that which calls itself the only true church.
Oh, that Rome could hear that voice from heaven. "Why persecutest thou me?" Yes, every Christian she has burnt at the stake, every child of God she has racked in her dark dungeons, was a part of the Christ. What she has done to them, she has done to Him, as part of Himself.
Now if Christ could not surely have owned the persecuting Jews as "my assembly," or as "my church," can He possibly own that which for centuries has persecuted Him in His members who have refused the idolatry and gross errors of Rome? But enough; let us have a little personal talk in the workroom. You may belong to the churches of this world: of such there are many. But, are you quite sure you belong to that which Christ calls "my church "? How am I to know? do you say. Turn to the description given of its members in the word of God. They were born of God, partakers of the divine nature (John 1:12-13); they had eternal life (John 5:24; 10:27-28.) Are you born of God? Have you the divine nature? have you eternal life? If not, you do not believe God, and you have no part in what Christ calls to my church."
They believed on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; "who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification." Therefore they were justified by faith; they had peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Rom. 4:24; 5:1.) Are you justified by faith? Have you peace with God? If not, my friend, do not be deceived any longer. You may belong to the church of the pope, but you certainly do not belong to that which Jesus calls "my church."
They were written to, as those whose sins were forgiven them for Christ's sake. (1 John 2:12.) Is that true of you? They knew that they were the sons of God, and that when Christ shall appear they will be like Him. (1 John 3:2.) They knew and believed the love that God had to them. Not a shadow of a doubt. (1 John 4:16.) They believed the record that God had given them eternal life. (1 John 5:10-12.) They could give thanks that the Father had made them meet for the inheritance of the saints in light, and all in Christ (Col. 1:12-13; Eph. 1:4). They needed no purgatory. The one sacrifice of Christ had perfected them forever as to all conscience of sins. They needed no more masses, or sacrifices. (Heb. 10:1-23.) These are undeniable marks in scripture of those who are living stones in the church of which Christ is the builder. Can you in the presence of God, say, “These marks are true of me"? Is there anything on earth that answers to Christ's assembly or church? Indeed there is, and will be, until He comes. He says, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matt, 28: 20.)
Questions in the Workroom: No. 4 - The Introduction of Christianity into Britain
THE INTRODUCTION OF CHRISTIANITY INTO BRITAIN.
There is no doubt Christianity existed in Britain in the third and fourth centuries, but by whom it was introduced there is no reliable account in history.
It may have been by Christians in the Roman army, as there would have doubtless been such. And God is pleased to work by obscure and unknown means.
The irruptions of the Picts, and savage pagan Saxons, seem to have swept away every vestige of it, in very large districts. It was however preserved among the remains of the Britons in the west, as well as some parts of Ireland, and also in Scotland.
It was in A.D. 596 that Augustine, with a number of monks, arrived in Kent; and being favorably received by Ethelbert and his queen, had great success in their labors. Paulinus, one of them, had still greater success in the north. Edwin, king of Northumbria, was convinced of the excellence of Christianity. Before embracing it, he held an assembly of his nobles and counselors, in the hope that he would prevail with them to concur in his resolution. " As soon as the assembly had been convened, and the subject had been proposed by the king for discussion, Coifi, his high priest, who was no doubt acquainted with the sentiments of his royal master, rose and addressed him to the following effect, ' It becomes you, Ο king, to inquire into the nature of that religion which is now proposed to us. In regard to that which we have hitherto had, I solemnly declare, that I have found it altogether worthless and unprofitable: none of your people has been more devoted to the service of our gods than I; yet many receive from you more ample favors, and greater honors, and prosper more in all their undertakings. If the gods had any influence, they would surely give the greatest share of their favors to their most zealous servant. Therefore, if the new doctrines which are preached to us, appear to you, upon examination, to be better, and more certain, let us hasten to embrace them without delay.’"
It will be noticed, there was far more of policy in this speech than conviction of sin, and felt need of a Savior. Another of Edwin's grandees is reported to have made the following remarkable speech.
" So short, Ο king, is the present life of man on earth, compared with that extent of time which is hidden from our view, that it seems to me like the sudden flight of a sparrow through your house, when you are at supper with your generals and ministers, in a winter evening, and the hall is heated by a fire in the midst,- It comes in at one door, but presently goes out at another; and though it feels not the wintry tempest when within, yet it enjoys only a momentary calm, while it passes from winter on the one side, to winter on the other, and then disappears from our eyes. Such is the life of man; it appears for a little space, but what follows it, or what has preceded it, we cannot tell. If, therefore, this new doctrine presents us with something more certain, it ought by all means to be adopted."
Coifi, the pagan priest, then requested Paulinus should discourse to them more fully about God. When he had finished, the high-priest then exclaimed, " Long have I been convinced that our worship is vanity, since the more I sought for the truth in it, the less I found it: but now I openly profess, that by the preaching, we clearly discover that truth which can give us life, salvation, and eternal felicity. I therefore propose to your majesty, that we should hasten to profane those temples and altars which we have foolishly venerated." The king then openly renounced idolatry. He was baptized A.D. 627, in a small wooden chapel. His niece was the celebrated Lady Hilda, whose life had much to do with the propagation of evangelical truth. The people followed their king. Great numbers of all ranks were baptized in the river Swale, some authors say ten thousand in one day. It is however, probable that this is exaggeration, as Bede intimates that Paulinus catechized the people before he baptized them.
There is no doubt God used this man, in preaching chiefly in the open air, by river sides, and other places; but the national or worldly element greatly predominated over the christian. On the death of Edwin, by the sword of the pagan Penda, " many of the converts to Christianity were slain by the barbarous invaders, and the greater part of the rest relapsed into idolatries, from which they had been but imperfectly reclaimed."
" Osric and Eanfrid, the immediate successors of king Edwin, both apostatized from Christianity, with most of their subjects." Thus terminated for a time the influence of the church of Rome, such as it was at that time.
Before we come to the conflict between Rome, and Christianity in the abbey at Whitby, we will notice how God was pleased to introduce Christianity from a totally new quarter.
The Scots from Ireland had a school, or a so-called monastery in the island of Iona. The monks were not like monks of Rome, but a band of devoted missionaries, preachers of the gospel. King Oswald had been educated amongst these God-fearing men, and by them baptized. On coming to the throne of Northumbria his first care was to have his people instructed in the truth of the gospel. He sent for these preachers. "His request was readily complied with; but it seems, the first missionary who arrived was a man of an austere disposition? who finding his ministry unsuccessful, returned to his fraternity in disgust, and told them the Northumbrians were too untractable and barbarous to be taught. When the brethren of lona held a council to receive his report, and to consider what was to be done, one of their number named Aidan, thus addressed the disappointed missionary, " It seems to me, brother, that you have been too severe on your unlearned hearers, and have not studied, according to the apostle's plan, to feed them with milk, before giving them strong meat." Aidan, by this remark, was pointed out to the assembly as the most suitable person to undertake the mission. And their expectations were not disappointed.
The king, who evidently was a true Christian, was himself a zealous missionary, and interpreted for Aidan, having been educated amongst the Scots. He invited a number of his brethren to assist him in the work. It would seem that some of them came from Ireland, which was then the proper region of the Scots; and was at that time, an enlightened country, much resorted to by lovers of learning. (See Bede 1., iii., c. 3, &c.)
As Columba chose Iona, so Aidan chose the island of Lindisfarne, now Holy Island, as the center of his labors. There they met for prayer, and the study of the scriptures, and then went forth to preach the word of truth, baptizing such as believed.
Aidan is represented by Bede as a man of extraordinary piety. No doubt there was much of the true apostolic spirit, and work of the earliest day of the church. " He disregarded the things of the world: what he received from the rich, he gave to the poor. The king gave him a present of one of his best horses, richly harnessed; but meeting with a poor man asking alms not long after, he dismounted, and gave him his horse. When Oswin blamed him for this seemingly indiscreet generosity, he replied, What? my king! Is the offspring of a mare dearer to you than that Son of God?" Greatness and luxury had no charms for him! The fellow-laborers of Aidan possessed the same spirit of devotedness and humility. " Their whole care was to serve God, not the world. At home their time was chiefly spent in study and devotion; abroad they were engaged in preaching, and baptizing, visiting the sick, and in short, doing everything in their power to save the souls of men.”
Oh, Ireland,, such were thy missionaries sent out to the world; what a contrast to thy present priests! All their meeting-rooms, or what are called churches now, were built of wood. Stone buildings were not as yet erected. In short, there was much of true Christianity-the evident work of the Spirit of God, through these devoted servants of Christ. They valued no titles or worldly honor, but followed in the steps of Christ.
Such a Christian was Lady Hilda. And such were the preachers who met and settled at Streonshall, known for centuries after as the Abbey of Whitby. She was born in the year 614, and, when a child 13 years of age, was baptized at York by Paulinus in the first little chapel. Whether at that early age she merely followed the example of the court, or was truly converted, cannot be determined. It is hopeful the latter was the case, as she did not apostatize. She is found in Northumbria during the ministry of Aidan. At the age of 33 she became a nun, and ultimately the Abbess of Streonshall, now called Whitby.
" When Britain was separated from the Roman empire, the churches in the British Isles were detached from those on the continent, and had scarcely any communication with them for the space of about 200 years." During that time, great changes had taken place in the church of Rome. In the meantime, the British churches remained much as they were when the communication with the continent ceased. When Augustine with his helpers arrived among the Saxons, the difference between them was found to be so great that they could not coalesce. The British Christians had a great dread of being brought under that spiritual dominion, to which the churches on the continent were already subjected. The church of Northumberland planted by the Scottish missionaries, adhered to the communion of the British churches, having no dependence on the see of Rome. By degrees however, some ministers of the Romish persuasion found their way into the churches established by the Scottish missionaries, where they labored to introduce the forms of Romanism.
It is remarkable that so early as these times, the Romanists claimed to be the true and catholic church, and pronounced their opponents to be heretics and schismatic. Again was that word of Paul's fulfilled, "Of your own selves shall men arise." Wilfrid, abbot of Ripon, became the champion of the Romanist party. This remarkable man spent some of his younger years in the monastery of Lindisfarne amongst the devoted Scottish missionaries. He traveled into France and Italy to complete his education, by the assistance of the royal family. His learning and talents recommended him to the prince, Alchfred. That prince was gained over, chiefly by Wilfred, to the Romanist party, who soon gave him the monastery of Ripon. The Scottish monks, or really the true missionaries, were expelled. The Romish party grew stronger every day, exactly as it is repeating itself in this our day. This brings us to the final contest between lingering Christianity in Britain, and Romanism. Some superstition had mingled itself with the ancient Christianity, still they no doubt had much of the true gospel and its fruits.
Questions in the Workroom: No. 5 - Britain, Continued
The expulsion of the preachers from the monastery at Ripon, together with the advancement of Wilfrid, the pervert to Romanism, naturally tended to inflame the controversy, and to raise the hopes of the Romanists. " To terminate the disputes which now agitated the church in Northumberland, it was at last resolved that a synod should be held, in which the subjects in question might be publicly discussed. This memorable synod was held in the monastery of Streoneshalh (Whitby) in the year 664, and the heads of both parties having been summoned to attend, there was a general muster of their respective forces. On the part of the Romish church appeared Alchfrid, Agilbert, Agatho, Wilfrid, James, Romanus, and others; and on the part of the Scottish church were Oswy, the abbess Hilda, Colman, and others....."
It is scarcely credible that the great point discussed at this synod was as to the time of observing Easter! And this shows how, in many things, the whole professing church had utterly departed from scripture. The reader of the word of God will be aware that there is not only no instruction for Christians to observe Easter, but that the observance of days is contrary to the true spirit of Christianity. (Gal. 4:10, 11.) The discussion then turned on tradition, and how Easter was observed in other countries. The account would not be worth our reading were it not for the fearful results of this synod for centuries of degrading superstition.. " At the opening of the assembly, Oswy made a short speech, setting forth the importance of unity in the church. ‘They who serve one God,’ said he, ' should hold one rule of life; and they who expect the same heavenly kingdom, ought not to differ in observing the heavenly sacraments. Let us inquire, then, which is the true tradition, and let us all agree to follow it.'" There was no appeal to the word of God, for indeed there could not be. It was a great mistake for Oswy to allow himself to be drawn into a question that could not be defended by scripture.
" Colman, the (so-called) bishop of the province, was then desired by the king to state what he had to say on behalf of the rites which he followed; and he proceeded to address the meeting as follows: ' The Easter which I am wont to keep, is what I received from those who sent me hither as bishop, and which all our fathers, men beloved of God, are known to have observed in the same way. Nor is it to be despised or rejected; for it is the same which the evangelist John, the beloved disciple of the Lord, is said to have observed, with all the churches under his inspection.'... Wilfred replied, ‘That Easter which we keep, we have seen observed by all that be at Rome, where the blessed apostle Peter lived, taught, suffered, and was buried,' fee. His manner and language were insulting and overbearing." It would weary the reader to no profit to give the details of this foolish discussion as to the right day and the true way of observing Easter, when it was no part of Christianity to observe it at alb Wilfrid pretended that Rome was following the rule of " Peter, the most blessed prince of the apostles, to whom the Lord said, “Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven.'"
" Upon hearing these words of Wilfrid, the king thus addressed the bishop of Northumbria: ' Is it true, Colman, that these things were spoken by our Lord to Peter?' The bishop answered, ' True, Ο king.' e And can you prove,' said he, “that any such power was given to your Columba?' To this Colman replied in the negative. ' Are you both agreed, then/ adds the king, ' that these things were principally spoken to Peter, and the keys of the kingdom of heaven were given him by the Lord?' They answered, ' Yes, certainly.' ' Well, then.’ says Oswy, ' I tell you that he is a porter whom I will not contradict, but, to the utmost of my knowledge and ability, I will obey all his statutes; lest perhaps when I come to the gates of heaven, there be none to open to me, being at variance with him who is acknowledged to hold the keys.'
" The king's speech was received with applause by all ranks in the assembly: which resolved accordingly that the practice of the British church should be discontinued, and that of the church of Borne adopted in its stead."
Colman might easily have replied that Wilfrid had given no proof that Peter observed Easter in any way; but he made no further reply, and thus Rome gained their point. " Yet, though he was silenced, he was not convinced; and being no doubt disgusted at the insolence of Wilfrid,.... he resolved to retire into his own country with such as chose to follow him. He and many of the devoted missionaries returned to Ireland" The historian Bede unintentionally pays them a high compliment, when he states that they were ignorant of the decrees of councils, and diligently observed no other works of piety and purity than what they could learn in the prophets, the Gospels, and apostolic Epistles. (L. iii. c. 4.)
They had, indeed, some superstitions; but they were strangers to that immense mass of ceremonies with which the church of Rome was encumbered. They, like many Protestants in our days, unscripturally kept Christmas and Lent and Easter and Whitsuntide. And this then, as now, gave Rome a handle, and, as we have seen, was the means of their overthrow in this synod, which so fearfully blighted the future history of England.
They were, however, true Christians, who loved and revered the word of God. " Their prayers appear to have been chiefly extemporary, and in the public reading of the scriptures they do not seem to have been confined by any fixed rule, but might read more or less as they had opportunity. They set apart their churches (wooden meeting-rooms) to the service of God; but they never dedicated them to any of the saints." All such superstition took place after this synod. Bede does not " ascribe any one dedication of this sort to the brethren from Iona: on the contrary, he informs us that it was not until some years after their departure that the church of Lindisfarne, their principal church, was dedicated to the apostle Peter by archbishop Theodore." And long after this, the church of Listingham was dedicated to "The mother of God "! And some think it probable that the consecration of Streoneshalh was deferred till after the death of that devoted christian, Lady Hilda.
Let us further examine what was the true character of these brethren who were driven from England by the proud church of Rome. " The missionaries from Iona, and their disciples, appear to have surpassed the Romanists in piety and diligence, as much as they fell short of them in superstition. Our historian takes pleasure in recording their zeal, their humility, and their unwearied labors; he recurs to this topic again and again, and sets forth their activity and self-denial, to reprove the indolence and selfishness of some of their successors. These pious servants of Christ were far from seeking to make a gain of godliness; they had not learned to set a price on every act of devotion, and to limit their services by the extent of their emoluments; but with disinterested zeal they labored,' in season and out of season,' and thought no exertions too great by which they could profit the souls of men. They had not learned to confine their ministrations to consecrated walls, on pretense of conducting them with greater decorum—a pretense which serves well as a cloak for indolence; but, like the primitive apostles, they preached and exhorted from village to village and from house to house."
When many of the brethren retired to Ireland, still some remained, as did Lady Hilda, and these greatly cheeked the progress of superstition and corruption; but before the death of Bede, seventy years after this disastrous synod at Whitby, x: the indolence and avarice of the clergy, and the consequent immorality of the people, had grown to an enormous height." The description he gives in his last writings are truly lamentable. The king himself was greatly distressed at the change. But Rome sent its archbishop Theodore to reduce all to subjection to her superstition.
It would be perhaps impossible to find another incident in history so terribly disastrous to England as the synod at Whitby. Centuries of dark superstition followed. And even the Reformation came far short of the scriptural simplicity, devotedness, and earnest piety of the brethren from Ireland. These were the true missionary servants of Christ, who traveled far and wide. Their record is on high.
In a word, Rome drove Christianity from these shores, and established the mystery of iniquity. God had His own suffering children. Their history is little known to us; but they will soon be manifested before the judgment-seat of Christ. There they shall receive their reward, when the wicked shall be silent in darkness.
God works in His own way. After some twelve centuries, Ireland was again the favored place where, about sixty years ago, God began again to awaken a few to seek a return, not to the British church of the sixth century: but to Christ, as revealed in the holy scriptures. Again these became, and not a few still are, the missionaries of Christ to England. Yes; God has restored long-lost truth, in giving Christ His true place, and believers their true place in Him.
And further, as then so now, Satan is marshaling his forces to lead England into the dark superstition of Rome—the very same gross perversion of scripture as to Peter and the keys of heaven. Yea, Peter is again put in the place of the true foundation, and Rome is fast taking the place of, and is supposed by many to be, Christianity. The brethren of that day may have had less light than the brethren of this day, but do they not utterly put us to shame by their life and works of devotedness to Christ?
The truth is, however, that so far from the church of Rome introducing and sustaining Christianity in this country, she became the sad and determined enemy of all true, simple scriptural devotedness to Christ, as seen in the missionary servants of Christ from Ireland.