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"...The church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth."
I Timothy 3:15
The Trail of Blood
Dr. J. M. Carroll
1931
SECOND LECTURE: 600-1300 A.D.
1. We closed the first Lecture with the close of the fifth century. And yet a number
of things had their beginnings back in those early centuries, which were not even
mentioned in the first Lecture.We had just entered the awful period known in the
world's history as "The Dark Ages." Dark and bloody and awful in the extreme they
were. The persecutions by the established Roman Catholic Church are hard, cruel and
perpetual. The war of intended extermination follows persistently and relentlessly
into many lands, the fleeing Christians. A "Trail of Blood" is very nearly all that
is left anywhere. Especially throughout England, Wales, Africa, Armenia, and Bulgaria.
And anywhere else Christians could be found who were trying earnestly to remain strictly
loyal to New Testament teaching.
2. We now call attention to these Councils called
"Ecumenical," or Empire wide. It is well to remember that all these Councils were
professedly based upon, or patterned after the Council held by the Apostles and others
at Jerusalem (see Acts 15:1), but probably nothing bearing the same name could have
been more unlike. We here and now call attention to only eight, and these were all
called by different Emperors, none of them by the Popes. And all these held among
the Eastern or Greek churches. Attended, however, somewhat by representatives from
the Western Branch or Roman Churches.
3. The first of these Councils was held at Nice
or Nicea, in A.D. 325. It was called by Constantine the Great, and was attended by
318 bishops.
The second met at Constantinople, A.D. 381, and was called by Theodosius
the Great. There were present 150 bishops. (In the early centuries, bishops simply
meant pastors of the individual churches.)
The third was called by Theodosius II,
and by Valentian III. This had 250 bishops present. It met at Ephesus, A.D. 431.
The
fourth met at Calcedon, A.D. 451, and was called by Emperor Marian; 500 or 600 bishops
or Metropolitans (Metropolitans were City pastors or First Church pastors) were present.
During this Council the doctrine of what is now known as Mariolatry was promulgated.
This means the worship of Mary, the mother of Christ. This new doctrine at first
created quite a stir, many seriously objecting. But it finally won out as a permanent
doctrine of the Catholic Church.
The fifth of these eight councils was held at Constantinople
(which was the second to be held there).This was called by Justinian, A.D. 553, and
was attended by 165 bishops. This, seemingly, was called mainly to condemn certain
writings.
In the year A.D. 680 the Sixth Council was called. This was also held at
Constantinople and was called by Constantine Pegonator, to condemn heresy. During
this meeting Pope Honorius by name was deposed and excommunicated. However, at this
time infallibility had not yet been declared.
The Seventh Council was called to meet
at Nicea A.D. 787. This was the second held at this place. The Empress Irene called
this one. Here in this meeting seems to have been the definite starting place, of
both "Image Worship" and "Saints Worship." You can thus see that these people were
getting more markedly paganized than Christianized.
The last of what were called the
"Eastern Councils," those, called by the Emperors, was held in Constantinople, in
A.D. 869. This was called by Basilius Maredo. The Catholic Church had gotten into
serious trouble. There had arisen a controversy of a very serious nature between
the heads of the two branches of Catholicism--the Eastern and Western, Greek and
Roman--Pontius the Greek at Constantinople and Nicholas the 1st at Rome. So serious
was their trouble, that they had gone so far as to excommunicate each other. So for
a short time Catholicism was entirely without a head.
The council was called mainly to settle, if possible, this difficulty. This break
in the ranks of Catholicism has never, even to this day, been satisfactorily settled.
Since that far away day, all attempts at healing that breach have failed. The Lateran-power
since then has been in the ascendancy. Not the Emperors, but the Roman Pontiffs calling
all Councils. The later Councils will be referred to later in these lectures.
4. There
is one new doctrine to which we have failed to call attention. There are doubtless
others but one especially -- and that "Infant Communion." Infants were not only baptized,
but received into the church, and being church members, they were supposed to be
entitled to the Lord's Supper. How to administer it to them was a problem, but it
was solved by soaking the bread in the wine. Thus it was practiced for years. And
after awhile another new doctrine was added to this -- it was taught that this was
another means of Salvation. As still another new doctrine was later added to these,
we will again refer to this a little later in the lectures.
5. During the 5th Century,
at the fourth Ecumenical Council, held at Chalcedon, 451, another entirely new doctrine
was added to the rapidly growing list -- the doctrine called "Mariolatry," or the
worship of Mary, the Mother of Jesus. A new mediator seems to have been felt to be
needed. The distance from God to man was too great for just one mediator, even though
that was Christ, God's Son, the real God-Man. Mary was thought to be needed as another
mediator, and prayers were to be made to Mary. She was to make them to Christ.
6.
Two other new doctrines were added to the Catholic faith in the 8th Century. These
were promulgated at the Second Council held at Nicea (Nice), the Second Council held
there (787). The first of these was called "Image Worship, a direct violation of
one of the commands of God.
"Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image," (Ex.
20:3, 4, 5). Another addition from Paganism. Then followed the "worship of Saints."
This doctrine has no encouragement in the Bible. Only one instance of Saint worship
is given in the Bible and that is given to show its utter folly -- the dead rich
man praying to Abraham, (Luke 16:24-3l). These are some, not all of the many revolutionary
changes from New Testament teachings, that came about during this period of Church
history.
7. During the period that we are now passing through the persecuted were
called by many and varied names. Among them were Donatists, Paterines, Cathari, Paulicians,
and Ana-Baptists; and a little later, Petro-Brussians, Arnoldists, Henricians, Albigenses,
and Waldenses. Sometimes one group of these was the most prominent and sometimes
another. But some of them were almost always prominent because of the persistency
and terribleness of their persecution.
8. Let it not be thought that all these persecuted
ones were always loyal in all respects to New Testament teachings. In the main they
were. And some of them, considering their surroundings, were marvelously so. Remember
that many of them at that far away, time, had only parts of the New Testament or
the Old Testament as to that. The book was not printed. It was written in manuscript
on parchment or skins or something of that kind, and was necessarily large and bulky.
Few, if any, families or even simple churches had complete copies of the whole Bible.
Before the formal close of the Canon (end of fourth century) there were probably
very few simple manuscripts of the entire New Testament. Of the one thousand known
manuscripts only about 30 copies included all the books.
9. Furthermore, during all
the period of the "Dark Ages," and the period of the persecution, strenuous efforts
were made to destroy even what Scripture manuscripts the persecuted did possess.
Hence in many instances these people had only small parts of the Bible.
10. It is
well to note also that in order to prevent the spread of any view of any sort, contrary
to those of the Catholics very extreme plans and measures were adopted. First, all
writings of any sort, other than those of the Catholics, were gathered and burned.
Especially was this true of books. For several centuries these plans and measures
were strictly and persistently followed. That is, according to history, the main
reason why it is so difficult to secure accurate history. About all persistent writers
and preachers also died martyr deaths. This was a desperately bloody period.
All of the groups of persistent heretics (So-called) by whatever name distinguished,
and wherever they had lived, were cruelly persecuted. The Donatists and Paulicians,
were prominent among the earlier groups. The Catholics, strange as it may seem, accused
all who refused to depart from the faith with them, believe with them--accused them
of being heretics, and then condemned them as being heretics. Those called Catholics
became more thoroughly paganized and Judaized than they were Christianized, and were
swayed far more by civil power, than they were by religious power. They made far
more new laws, than they observed old ones.
11. The following are a few of the many
new variations that came about in New Testament teachings during these centuries.
They are probably not always given in the order of their promulgation. In fact it
would sometimes be next to impossible to get the exact date of the origin of some
of these changes. They have been somewhat like the whole Catholic system. They are
growths of development. In the earlier years especially, their doctrines or teachings
were subject to constant change -- by addition or subtraction, or substitution or
abrogation. The Catholic Church was now no longer, even if it had ever been, a real
New Testament Church. It no longer was a purely executive body, to carry out the
already made laws of God, but had become actively legislative, making new ones, changing
or abrogating old ones at will.
12. One of their new doctrines or declarations about
this time was "There is no salvation outside of the Church" -- the Catholic Church,
of course, as they declared there was no other -- be a Catholic or be lost. There
was no other alternative.
13. The doctrine of Indulgences and the Sale of Indulgences
was another absolutely new and serious departure from New Testament teachings. But
in order to make that new teaching really effective, still another new teaching was
imperatively necessary: A very large Credit Account must somehow be established --
a credit account in heaven, but accessible to earth. So the merit of "good works"
as a means of Salvation must be taught, and as a means of filling up, putting something
in the credit account, from which something could be drawn. The first large sum to
go into the account in heaven was of course the work of the Lord Jesus. As He did
no evil, none of His good works were needed for Himself, so all His good works could
and would of course, go into the credit account.
And then in addition to that, all the surplus good works (in addition to what each might need for himself) by the Apostles, and by all good people living thereafter, would be added to that credit account, making it enormously large. And then all this immense sum placed to the credit of the church -- the only church(?)! and permission given to the church to use as needed for some poor sinning mortal, and charging for that credit as much as might be thought wise, for each one needed the heavenly credit.
Hence came the Sale of Indulgences. Persons could buy for themselves or their friends,
or even dead friends. The prices varied in proportion to the offense committed --
or to be committed. This was sometimes carried to a desperate extreme, as admitted
by Catholics themselves. Some histories or Encyclopedias give a list of prices charged
on different sins for which Indulgences were sold.
14. Yet another new doctrine was
necessary, yea imperative, to make thoroughly effective the last two. That new doctrine
is called Purgatory, a place of intermediate state between heaven and hell, at which
all must stop to be cleansed from all sins less than damning sins. Even the "Saints"
must go through purgatory and must remain there until cleansed by fire -- unless
they can get help through that credit account, and that they can get only through
the prayers or the paying for Indulgences, by those living. Hence the Sale of Indulgences.
One departure from New Testament teachings lead inevitably to others.
15. It may be
well just here to take time to show the differences between the Roman and Greek Catholics:
i.
In the Nationalities: The Greeks mainly are Slavs, embracing Greece, Russia, Bulgaria,
Serbia, etc., speaking Greek. The Romans are mainly Latins, embracing Italy, France,
Spain, South and Central America, Mexico etc.
ii. The Greek Catholics reject sprinkling or pouring for baptism. The Romans use
sprinkling entirely, claiming the right to change from the original Bible plan of
immersion.
iii. The Greek Catholics continue the practice of Infant Communion. The Romans have
abandoned it though once taught it as another means of Salvation.
iv. The Greeks in administering the Lord's Supper give the wine as well as the bread
to the laity. The Romans give the bread only to the laity -- the priests drink the
wine.
v. The Greeks have their priests to marry. The Roman priests are forbidden to marry.
vi. The Greeks reject the doctrine of Papal "Infallibility," the Romans accept and
insist upon that doctrine. The above are at least the main points on which they differ
-- otherwise the Greek and Roman Catholic churches, it seems, would stand together.
16.
In our lectures we have just about gotten through with the ninth century. We begin
now with the tenth. Please note the chart. Just here where the separation has taken
place between the Roman and Greek Catholics. You will soon see as the centuries advance,
other new laws and doctrines – and other desperately bitter persecution. (Schaff-Herzogg,
En., Vol. 11, page 901.)
"THE TRAIL OF BLOOD"
17. I again call your attention to those
upon whom the hard hand of persecution fell. If fifty million died of persecution
during the 1,200 years of what are called the "Dark Ages," as history seems positively
to teach -- then they died faster than an average of four million every one hundred
years. That seems almost beyond the limit of, human conception. As before mentioned,
this iron hand, dripping with martyr blood, fell upon Paulicians, Arnoldists, Henricians,
Petro Brussians, Albigenses, Waldenses and Ana-Baptists -- of course much harder
upon some than others. But this horrid part of our story we will pass over hurriedly.
18.
There came now another rather long period of Ecumenical Councils, of course not continuously
or consecutively. There were all through the years many councils that were not Ecumenical,
not "Empire Wide." These Councils were largely legislative bodies for the enactment
or amendment of some civil or religious (?) laws, all of which, both the legislation
and the laws, were directly contrary to the New Testament. Remember these were the
acts of an established church – a church married to a Pagan government. And this
church has become far more nearly paganized than the government has become Christianized.
19.
When any people discard the New Testament as embracing all necessary laws for a Christian
life, whether for the individual Christian or the whole church, that people has launched
upon a limitless ocean. Any erroneous law, (and any law added to the Bible is erroneous)
will inevitably and soon demand another, and others will demand yet others, without
ever an end. That is why Christ gave His churches and to preachers no legislative
powers. And again, and more particularly, that is why the New Testament closes with
these significant words,
"For I certify unto every man that heareth the words of
this book, if any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues
that are written in this book. And if any man shall take away from the words of the
book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and
out of the Holy City, and from the things which are written in the book." (Rev. 22:18,
19)
NOTE: We insert here this parenthetical clause, as a warning. Let Baptist Churches
beware of even disciplinary and other varieties of resolutions, which they sometimes
pass in their conferences, which resolutions might be construed as laws or rules
of Church government, The New Testament has all necessary laws and rules.
20. The
extreme limit of this little book precludes the possibility of saying much concerning
these councils or law-making assemblies, but it is necessary to say some things.
21.
The first of these Lateran or Western Councils, those called by the popes, was called
by Calixtus II, A.D. 1123. There were present about 300 bishops. At this meeting
it was decreed that Roman priests were never to marry. This was called the Celibacy
of the priests. We of course do not attempt to give all things done at these meetings.
22.
Years later, 1139 A.D., Pope Innocent II, called another of these Councils especially
to condemn two groups of very devout Christians, known as Petro-Brussians and Arnoldists.
23.
Alexander III called yet another, A.D. 1179, just forty years after the last. In
that was condemned what they called the "Errors and Impieties" of the Waldenses and
Albigenses.
24. Just 36 years after this last one, another was called by Pope Innocent
III. This was held A.D. 1215, and seems to have been the most largely attended of
possibly any of these great councils. According to the historical account of this
meeting, "there were present 412 bishops, 800 Abbots and priors, Ambassadors from
the Byzantine court, and a great number of Princes and Nobles." From the very make-up
of this assembly you may know that spiritual matters were at least not alone to be
considered.
At that time was promulgated the new doctrine of "Transubstantiation,"
the intended turning of the bread and wine of the Lord's Supper into the actual and
real body and blood of Christ, after a prayer by the priest. This doctrine among
others, had much to do with stirring up the leaders of the Reformation a few centuries
later. This doctrine of course taught that all those who participated in the supper
actually ate of the body and drank of the blood of Christ. Auricular confession –
confessing one's sins into the ear of a priest -- was another new doctrine seemingly
having its beginning at this meeting. But probably the most cruel and bloody thing
ever brought upon any people in all the world's history was what is known as the
"Inquisition," and other similar courts, designed for trying what was called "heresy."
The whole world is seemingly filled with books written in condemnation of that extreme
cruelty, and yet it was originated and perpetuated by a people claiming to be led
and directed by the Lord. For real barbarity there seems to be nothing, absolutely
nothing in all history that will surpass it. I would not even attempt to describe
it. I will simply refer my readers to some of the many books written on the "Inquisition"
and let them read and study for themselves. And yet another thing was done at this
same meeting, as if enough had not been done. It was expressly decreed to extirpate
all "heresy." What a black page -- yea -- many black pages were written into the
world's history by these terrible decrees.
25. In A.D. 1229, just 14 years after the
last awful meeting, still another meeting was held. (This seems not to have been
ecumenical.) It was called the council at Toulouse. Probably one of the most vital
matters in all Catholic history was declared at this meeting. At this it was decreed,
the Bible, God's book, should be denied to all laymen, all members of Catholic churches
other than priests or higher officials. How strange a law in the face of the plain
teaching of the Word, "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal
life: and they are they which testify of me." (John 5:39)
26. Yet another Council
was called to meet at Lyons. This was called by Pope Innocent IV, in 1245 A.D. This
seems to have been mainly for the purpose of excommunicating and deposing Emperor
Frederick I of Germany. The Church, the adulterous bride at the marriage with the
State in 313 in the days of CONSTANTINE THE Great, has now become the head of the
house, and is now dictating politics of State government, and kings and queens are
made or unmade at her
pleasure.
27. In 1274 A.D. another Council was called to bring
about the reuniting of the Roman and Greek branches of the great Catholic Church.
This great assembly utterly failed to accomplish its purpose.
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