Baptist History Three

A.D. 1555

  The Waldenses in Calabria about the same time were suffering severe persecutions.  At one time eighty persons had their throats cut, and afterwards their bodies were divided into four quaters.  Thirty miles were then planted with stakes, and a quarter of a human being was placed upon each of these stakes.  At one time a young man was carried to the top of a tower where he was commanded to confess himself to a priest, who was present.  This he refused to do, replying that he had already confessed himself to God.  He was then cast headlong from the tower.  The next day as the viceroy was walking at the foot of the tower he saw the young man still alive, but suffering from  having nearly all his bones broken.  The viceroy kicked him on the head, exclaiming, "Is the dog yet alive? Give him to the hogs." 

These are but samples of the brutal outrages carried on at this time against the Waldenses in Calabria.  This was done too, in the name of Christianity, and by the authority of "the church."  Was this a church of Christ?

This was all done in the name of catholicism.  May we as Baptist awake out of our sleep and fight the good fight of faith, while we still have light.  May we not get intangled with the things of this world, but serve our Savior with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.  I post these stories, so that we may not forget what our brethren of old have sufered for the faith.  We may again someday face the wrath of Rome, may we be ready to stand for the Lord Jesus Christ!  Below is a quote from a Catholic Bishop that lived in the United States, please read what he wrote:

"We confess that the Roman Catholic church is intolerant, that is to say it uses all the means in its power for the extirpation* (the defination of extirpation is below) of error and sin; but this intolerance is the logical and necessary consequence of its infallibility.  She alone has the right to be intolerant, because she alone has the truth. The church tolerates heretics where she is obliged to do so, but she hates them mortally and employs all her force to secure their annihilation.  When the Catholics shall be here in possession of considerable majority, which will certainly be the case by-and-by, although the time may be long deferred, then religious liberty will have come to an end in the Republic of the United States.  Our enemies say this, and we believe them.  Our enemies know that we do not pretend to be better than our church, and in what concerns this, her history is open to the eyes of all.  They know, then, how the Roman church dealt with the heretics in the Middle Ages, and how she deals with them today everywhere she has the power.  We no more think of denying these historic facts thean we do of blaming the saints of God and the princes of the church for what they have done or approved in these matters." 

Written by the Bishop of St. Louis, MO, in December, 1883, through his official organ, "The Shepherd of the Valley."

*The definition of extirpation is as follows: 
EXTIRPA'TION, n. The act of rooting out; eradication; excision; total destruction; as the extirpation of weeds from land; the extirpation of evil principles from the heart; the extirpation of a race of men; the extirpation of heresy. 

The church of Rome would establich an inquisition in America today, with all its horrible instruments if she had the power. So her officials tell us and we should thank them for their candor.  Who can doubt that this church--this false church--is the woman arrayed in purple and scarlet, which is mentioned in Revelation and called "MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATONS OF THE EARTH."

Everything in Italics is from the book: Compedium of Baptist History, showing the Origin and History of the Baptist, from the days of the Apostles to the present time, with an Original Chart, giving a comparative view of some of the Denominations of Christians with which they have come in contact. 

By J. A. Shackelford.

Louisvillle, Kentucky:

Press Baptist Book Concern

1892