There is a flow to history and lessons to learn from it.

I. The Roman Age-ancestor to our age.

Deficiencies

1. NON INFINITE GODS --

Their gods were mere projections of themselves. Did not believe in an infinite personal God.

2. LACK OF ABSOLUTES --

The Christians were persecuted because the had an absolute (the BIBLE) by which to judge the state and could not worship Caesar. Rome was cruel, turned to violence. Defied the emperor and finally APATHY prevailed (Note Rev. 2:1-7)

II. Middle Ages.

Conversion? of Constantine 312 A.D.

Won battle at Milvian Bridge outside of Rome against the tyrant Maxentius, said he saw a sign in the sky INTLO SIGNO VINCES (in this sign conquer). He won the battle and became emperor.

313 AD exempted Christians and clergy from military service and property taxes

324 AD gave every convert to Christianity 20 pieces of gold. In one year, 12,000 men and women and children were baptized into the Church.

Constantine presided over the NICENE Council and wedded church and state.  The church became the great tree of Matt. 13:31 — every "BIRD" could call himself a Christian.

Rev. 2:14— Teaching of Balaam (Disobedience of II Cor. 6:14 and Eph. 4:11)

Rev. 2:15 — Nicolatians (Nike-Conquer Setting up priesthood Laos-LAIETY)

Rev. 2:20 — JEZEBEL — Rise of Papacy

With The Traditions of Men (Matt. 15:1-9)

313 Prayers for the dead and the sign of the Cross (Both of these began 300 years after Christ.)

394 The Mass as a daily celebration was adopted. The Worship of Mary

431 the mother of Jesus and the use of the term "Mother of God" as applied to her originated in the Council of Ephesus.

500 Priests began to dress differently from the laity.

598 The doctrine of Purgatory was first established by Gregory the Great.

600 The Bible teaches that we pray to God alone. In the primitive church never were prayers directed to Mary or to dead saints. This practice began in the Roman Church. (Read Matt. 11:28, Luke 1:46, Acts 10:25-26: 14:14-18.

610 The papacy is of pagan origin. The title of Pope or universal Bishop was first given to the Bishop of Rome by the wicked emperor of Phocas.

709 The Kissing of the Pope’s feet began. It had been a pagan custom to kiss the feet of emperors. The Word of God forbids such practices.

788 Worship of the cross, of images and relics was authorized.

850 Holy Water, mixed with a pinch of salt and blessed by the priest was authorized in this year.

                    955 Canonization of dead saints, first by pope John XV. Every believer and                       follower of Christ is called, "saint" in the Bible (Rom. 1:7, I Cor. 1:2)

998 Fasting on Fridays and during Lent were imposed by popes said to be interested in the commerce of fish. Bull (or permit to eat meat), some authorities say, began in the year 700. This is against the plain teaching of the Bible (Matt. 15:10, I Cor. 10:25:1 Tim. 4:1-3)

11^th Century

The Mass was developed gradually as a sacrifice and attendance made obligatory. The Gospel teaches that the sacrifice of Christ was offered once and for all, and is not to be repeated-but only commemorated in the Lord’s Supper. (Heb. 7:27, 9:26-28; 10:10-14)

1079 The celibacy of the priesthood was decreed by pope Hildebrand Boniface VII.   [Jesus imposed no such rule nor did any of the Apostles, on the contrary, St. Peter was a married man, an St. Paul says that bishops were to have a wife and children (I Tim. 3:2-5, and 12. Matt. 8:14-15)]

1090 The Rosary, or prayer beads was introduced by Peter the Hermit. This was copied from Hindus and Hohammedans . . . The counting of prayers is a pagan practice and is expressly condemned by Christ. (Read Matt. 6:5-13)

1184 The Inquisition of heretics was instituted by the Council of Verona. Jesus never taught the use of force to spread his religion.

1190 The sale of Indulgences, commonly regarded as a purchase of forgiveness and a permit to indulge in sin began in this year.

1215 The dogma of Transubstatiation was decreed by pope Innocent III.

1215 Confession of sins to the priest at least once a year was instituted by pope Innocent III in the Lateran Council.

1229 The Bible forbidden to laymen and placed in the Index of forbidden books by the Council of Valencia. Jesus commanded that the Scriptures should be read by all. (John 5:39; I Tim. 3:15-17)

1287 The scapular was invented by Simon Stock, and English monk. It is a piece of brown cloth, with the picture of the Virgin and supposed to contain supernatural virtue to protect from all dangers, those who wear it on their naked skin. This is fetishism.

1414 The Roman Church forbade the cup to the laity, by instituting the communion of one kind in the Council of Costance. The Gospel commands us to celebrate Holy Communion with bread and wine.

1439 The doctrine of Purgatory was proclaimed as a dogma of faith by the Council of Florence. There is not one word in the Bible that would teach the purgatory of priest. The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sins. (I John 1:7-9; 2:1-2; John 5:24; Rom. 8:1)

The Decree By The Council of Trent: 1545-1563

"There is a Purgatory and the souls detained there are assisted by the suffrages of the faithful, but especially by the acceptable sacrifice of the Mass. This holy council commands all bishops diligently to endeavor that the wholesome doctrine concerning Purgatory, delivered unto us by the venerable fathers and sacred councils, be believed, held, taught, and everywhere preached by Christ’s faithful . . . In the fire of purgatory the souls of just men are cleansed by a temporary punishment, in order to be admitted into their eternal country, into which nothing that defileth entereth . . . The sacrifice of the Mass is offered for those that are decreased in Christ, not entirely purged."

1439 The doctrine of Seven Sacraments was affirmed. The Gospel says that Christ instituted only two ordinances, Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

1508 The Ave Marie, addition of art of the last half. It was completed two years afterward and finally approved by pope Sixtus at the end of the 16^th century.

1545  The Council of Trent, held in the year 1545 declared that tradition is of equal authority with the Bible. By tradition is meant human teachings.

1563 The Pharisees believed the same way, and Jesus bitterly condemned them, for by human tradition they nullified the commandments of God.

                    1546 The apocryphal books were added to the Bible also by the Council of                       Trent. These books were not recognized as canonical by the Jewish Church.                       (See Rev. 22:809)

1854 The Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary was proclaimed by pope Pius IX. (The Gospel states that all men, with the sole exception of Christ, are sinners.  Mary herself had need of a Savior. Read Rom. 3:23; 5:12; Psalm 51:5; Luke 1:30. 46-47.)

1870 In the year 1870 after Christ, pope Pius IX proclaimed the dogma of Papal Infallibility. This is a blasphemy and the sign of the apostasy and of the anti-christ predicted by St. Paul. Rad II Thess. 2:2-12 Rev. 17:1-9; 13:5-8, 18)

1907 Pope Pius X, in the year 1907 condemned together with "Modernism" all the discoveries of modern science which are not approved by the Church. Pius IX had done the same thing in the Syllabus of 1864.

1930 Pius XI condemned the Public Schools.

1931 The same pope Pius XI reaffirmed the doctrine that Mary is "The Mother of God".

1950 The dogma of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary was proclaimed by pope Pius XII. (That is, that she ascended bodily into heaven.)

III. The Renaissance — "To Be Born Again," "New Birth of Revival"

1453 With the over throw of Constantinople by the Turks. The politicians went to Russia — founded the Holy Roman Empire — called their rulers Czars. Scholars fled with their Greek culture to Europe and laid the foundation for the RENAISSANCE.

A. Aristotelian philosophy with its emphasis on particulars at the expense of meaning — fell to a revival:

B. Plato’s philosophy which emphasised UNIVERSALS — but again with out Absolutes.

C. Humanism — man as the master of his fate and the captain of his soul dominated this period — and pessimism was humanisms natural conclusions. Remember a few of the great saints of these times who gave their lives for Christ:

Peter Waldo — Converted in 1170.

John Wycliffe — 1320 gave the Bible to the people in the language of the day and began the Reformation.

John Huss — 1367 burned at the stake for his faith.

Savonarola of Florence — Born 1452, hanged and burned.

Balthazer Hebmeir — Burned at the state.

Felix Mantz — Of Zurich, drowned for his faith.

William Tyndale — 1484-1536 Published his English version of the Bible 1516. He would "cause the boy who drives the plow, to know more of the scriptures," than the pope. Burned at the stake as he prayed, "Lord open the King of England’s eyes."

Martin Luther — Nailed his 95 theses (Protests) to the door of All Saints Church in Wittenberg, Germany. It was the thrust of the Reformation.