ELDER C.B. HASSELL IN THE SIGNS 1835

FOR THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES.

NUMBER 3.

For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.—Paul.

Did not the Apostles believe in the doctrine of the above passage when, after the ascension of their Lord and Master, they traversed the Cities of Judea, the countries of Asia Minor, and the regions around, preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom and dispelling the darkness of Jewish prejudices and heathen mythology, before the light of truth and righteousness? And did not the Saviour preach the same doctrine when he said, “Go ye therefore and teach all the nations &c., and lo I am with you always even unto the end of the world.” Did not the primitive martyrs testify by the sacrifice of their lives to their belief in the above creed, when in defiance of every earthly torment, they steadily adhered to the Faith, died triumphantly in Christ, and through the devouring claws of wild beasts, the cells of prisons, and the fiery flames ascended up to God on high?

What ideas do we suppose had the Waldenses of the above passage of scripture, when they left the pompous parade of that worldly minded throng under the patronage of Constantine the great, and retired to the recesses of the Alps and the Pyrenees, and the adjoining hills and vallies of France, Spain and Italy, where they might worship God according to the dictates of conscience, and in the simplicity of Apostolic order? Or what ideas had John Huss and Jerome of Prague, of the passage, who became their leaders in after times, and burst forth upon the world as bright and shining lights amidst the darkness of Catholic superstition just before the reformation, but who were ultimately destroyed by the Council of Constance, in 1415? Did they not all believe that God was as good as his word, and that all the Bulls, excommunications, and bloodhound Priests of the Pope of Rome, would not “Be able to separate them from the love of God which was in Christ Jesus their Lord?”

Did the application of Paul’s language cease towards the people of God after the Reformation, even when the German reformer and his associates changed the aspect of affairs in Europe, and protested against many of the corruptions and idle ceremonies of the Romish Church? Nay, but under the very nose and through the very instrumentality of one of those associate reformers, a martyr spirit ascended to his God through surrounding flames. And we have many reasons for believing that Michael Servetus rejoiced in the consolations of Paul’s language, when, after having been arrested at Geneva by the rage of persecution, he offered up his body to be burned, a sacrifice to his Faith, and his spirit ascended to the God who gave it. Paul’s persuasion was a great antidote, no doubt to the death by fire, water, and the executioner’s axe, of Doct. Humerius and his wife, one of whom was burnt and the other drowned at Vienna, in 1528; of Felix Mentz, who was about the same time drowned at Zurich; of Hans Kaeffer, Leonard Freek, and Leopold Suyder, who were beheaded in Germany for opposing Infant Baptism; of the 18 persons that were burnt at Saltzbury, and the 25 at Waltzpan; of the 20 that were put to death in the Palatinate; and the 350 at Alzey in Germany, for the same offence and about the same time—together with a host of others whom time would fail us to mention, that have been persecuted unto death in the countries where, and by the men whom, the intolerant and persecuting spirit of the Church of Rome was despised and utterly execrated. A great, a grand and allsufficient antidote must the above passage of Holy Writ have been to such characters, under such circumstances; and a firm conviction is brought home to our minds thereby, that they received the doctrine contained in the quotation in its full extent, or else they could have been induced to recant or give up their faith, in exchange for temporal liberty and life; as this was all that was required of them. But they scorned to shrink from the consequences. With unawering faith and undaunted resolution, they met the dreadful crisis, and died triumphantly the death of the righteous—unwarpt by the current of popular applause, unyielding alike to the wealth of nations, the smiles of princes, or the frowns of kings—inflexible to all the tortures of human ingenuity, and being fully persuaded that neither life nor death, principalities nor powers, water, fire, or steel, demagogue, despots, nor any other creature, could be able to separate them from the love of God, which was given them in Christ Jesus before the world began.

Did the application of Paul’s language cease towards the saints in enlightened and Protestant England, even after she boasted of having emerged from the darkness and superstition of Papal Idolatry? Where is the memory of John Bunyan, Joan of Kent, George Van Pare and Edward Wightman; of Brewer, Jessey, Dell, Bampfield, Gennings, Feivens, Head, Tombs, Daniel, Dyke, Adams, Marsden, Hardcastle, Browne, Skinner, Gronsold, Ewins, Wise, Donne, Hobson, Gibbs, Smith, Ellis, Paxford, Chauncey, and multitudes of others, who have been murdered, or who have died, in prisons, or come to their ends by the various methods of legal persecution and lawless outrage, with which implacable adversaries pursued them?

We ask where is the memory of such characters as these, and what were their notions of the Apostle Paul’s persuasion, and the everlasting salvation of that love of God, which was so eminently calculated to prepare them for every event? What could possibly be their opinion of the efficacy and virtue of this passage of Holy Writ, and what could be the opinion of it by all the thousands, who, in that boasted land of liberty, have suffered by fines, scourges, and imprisonment—who have been driven to exile, starvation, and wretchedness for their religion, by a protestant power which professed to have separated from the mother of harlots, and to have renounced the works of darkness?

Did the application of the Apostle’s language cease towards the disciples of Jesus, with the emigration of the Puritans from England to America? Nay, verily, for even here in this western hemisphere, this freest and best soil that perhaps the light of heaven ever shone upon—yea, even in this last sweet asylum for the persecuted and oppressed of every nation under the sun, have scenes of Religious Intolerance transpired, sufficiently horrible to cause humanity to shudder, and the earth to tremble and quake. Well might the consolations of Paul’s persuasion in connection with the other promises of God be necessary to strengthen and support under their exquisite torments and perils, Painter, Clark, Holmes, Crandle, Roger Williams, and the many others who have felt the sting of Protestant cruelty in New England. Waller, Craig, Childs, Webber, Anthony, Greenwood, Ware, Warford, Shackleford, Lewis, and various others in Virginia; together with the remaining number of bold contenders for the faith of God’s elect, who have in various quarters of these United States of America, suffered hardships, trials, and troubles of almost every cast, under the colour of law, for the unpardonable crime of obeying the dictates of an enlightened conscience in matters of religion.

But has the application of the text ceased with the abolition of State laws for the benefit of any favored sect? Was that abrogation even the beacon to denote the entire cessation forever of religious persecution? Nay, verily, the hydra-headed monster intolerance, has in these last days presented itself again in a different form. The substance is the same. Popular Public Opinion, the offspring of a unity of views and action between the great portion of professors and non-professors, has by the fanatical workmongers of the present day, been created into an engine to destroy the liberty of conscience, and the free course of God’s omnipotent grace in the soul; if not as fatal to the body, yet surely as galling to the reputation of God’s people, as were those systems of corporeal punishment practised towards them in the primitive ages of the Church. The followers of the Lamb in one generation, whatever since His advent are, or have been, exempt from persecution. The opposition of Satan to the Kingdom of Christ has ever been, and still continues the same; and the only reason it appears different is that it assumes a new shape or dress. And as astonishing as it might appear to the inhabitants of another world, or another order of beings, yet the wonderful story is not less true, that during this very time, yea, in this very day and hour while we write, or when we read, does this opposition, now clothed with the mantle of Christianity, rage with intolerate rancour and ravage the splendid cities, fair towns, delightful villages, and beautiful country places of America, for objects of its spleen and bitter execration.

Do we suppose there are none now to be found upon the stage of action, who in recurring to the many promises in God’s word, drink in the sweet consolation that the Apostle Paul did from his persuasion as an antidote against the poison of Asps, that issues from under the tongues of the pharasaical professors, false prophets and hypocritical teachers of this day and generation—who desire to awe into their measures the children of the most High, or slander their reputation into eternal infamy and disgrace? Amongst the worthy number who place their confidence solely in God at the present day, and believe with the Apostle, that neither life nor death, principalities nor powers, can separate them from the love of God, while in discharging the duties of their high vocation; they boldly demonstrate the evils too to be dreaded from this giant of Popular Opinion, that bestrides our Land like a mighty Colossus, may be mentioned a Lawrence, an Osburn, a Trott, a Beebe, a Temple, a Dupree, a Buck, a Pettit, a West, a Crocker, a Hartwell, an Ashbrooke, a Reese, a Louthan, an Allen, a Salmon, a Roberson, a Dudley, a Goldsmith, a Thompson, and a Hargrove, who together with a faithful little band of others, equally valiant and worthy, stand up in this wicked and perverse generation, with as much boldness as did Paul in the midst of Mars Hill; perfectly indifferent to the well known truth that every possible means will be resorted to by a majority of the professors, as well as non-professors of the present day, to destroy their usefulness and cast a withering blight over their reputation. But if God is for them, who can be against them?

The introduction of Christianity into the world was, in one sense, apparently to human reason, under the most unpropitious circumstances; but God effected its establishment without the aid of man, and in defiance of the long-standing and most inveterate prejudices of the Jews and the combined hostility of the heathen world. And He will continue to carry it on till the day of Jesus Christ crowning the second time unto salvation, when all the building fitly framed together, shall ultimately be carried up and the capstone placed upon it once and forever with shouts of grace, grace, unto it!

And from the origin of Christianity until the present time, in every kingdom and country under heaven, where they have been found, have the spiritual seed of Abraham suffered persecution, either in body or mind, not only in base or the most despotic character, but also under the milder forms of civil government, (not excepting our own) persecution sharp and cruel they will still have to undergo until the great millenial day, which according to present appearances, and the signs of the times, dwells far in the distant future.

But we would say for the encouragement of the objects of this persecution in the present day, endure suffering as good soldiers of Jesus Christ, remember the waves of trouble and persecution that have rolled over the heads of your predecessor, and withal remember Paul’s persuasion in the language of the text, also remember what he says in another place, Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us; looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our Faith—who for the joy that was set before him, endured the Cross, despised the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be weary and faint in your minds. Go on, ye old soldiers of the cross, and faint not in all the war, but continue to press forward toward the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. As faithful sentinels on the watch-towers of Zion, never betray your trust, but give the alarm at every approach of danger. Lead along into the way of truth and righteousness, the young church ministers and members of the rising generation, (in order that in after times they may rise up and call you blessed,) and as much as is committed unto you for that purpose, build them up in the most Holy Faith. Cease not to bear testimony against the devices of this gain-saying and self-righteous generation of vipers, and in favour of the everlasting doctrine of the Gospel of the Son of God—more immutable than the pillars of heaven and earth, and more glorious than all the gaudy trappings of visionary mortals, or the awful splendours of the planetary worlds on high. Yea, go forth to the field of battle, in the strength and fear of the Lord, surrounded with the mantle of the righteousness of Christ, defended by the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, and the shield of Faith. Tarry not in all the plain, but face the foe with a holy boldness. Never give up the contest, but resolutely determine to come off more than conquerors through our Lord Jesus Christ. For be ye well assured, that known unto God are all his works from the beginning, and His tender mercies are over all his works. Then if ye are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works, rest assured of the truth of this one article of your faith, called the final perseverance of the saints; and be ye henceforth as well as heretofore, fully prepared to believe with all your mind and strength, that neither thrones, kingdoms or dominions! principalities or powers! Nor all the combined legions of the bottomless pit! “That neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate you and all such, “from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” And that being in HIS LOVE, we are saved from our sins—shall be delivered from our enemies, and finally attain to the habitation of the just made perfect—be seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, and feast on all the inexhaustible and Godlike glories of the upper world, forever and ever, Amen.

C. B. HASSELL.