Chapter 4—The Waldenses Defend the Faith

During the long period of the popes’ supremacy, there were witnesses for God who cherished faith in Christ as the only mediator between God and man. They took the Bible as the only rule of life, and they kept the true Sabbath. The church branded them as heretics and suppressed, misrepresented, or mutilated their writings. But they still stood firm. 5TC 38.2

There is almost no mention of them in human records, except in the accusations of their persecutors. Rome sought to destroy everything “heretical,” whether persons or writings. The church also tried to destroy every record of its cruelty toward those who disagreed with it. Before the invention of printing, books were few in number, and so there was little to prevent Rome's forces from carrying out their plans. No sooner had the papacy obtained power than it stretched out its arms to crush all who refused to acknowledge its authority. 5TC 38.3

In Great Britain, simple Christianity had taken root early, uncorrupted by the Roman apostasy. Persecution from pagan emperors was the only gift the first churches of Britain received from Rome. Many Christians fleeing persecution in England found safety in Scotland. From there, believers carried truth to Ireland, and people in these countries received it gladly. 5TC 39.1

When the Saxons invaded Britain, heathenism gained control, and the Christians were forced to retreat to the mountains. In Scotland, a century later, the light shone out to far-distant lands. From Ireland came Columba and his co-workers, who made the lonely island of Iona the center of their missionary work. Among these evangelists was one who kept the Bible Sabbath, and he introduced this truth among the people. A school was established at Iona, and missionaries went out from it to Scotland, England, Germany, Switzerland, and even Italy. 5TC 39.2

Rome Meets Bible Religion

But Rome was determined to bring Britain under its rule. In the sixth century, Catholic missionaries worked to convert the heathen Saxons. As the work progressed, the pope's leaders came up against the simple Christians—humble and scriptural in their character, doctrine, and manners. Rome's representatives exhibited the superstition, pomp, and arrogance of the papal system. Rome demanded that these Christian churches acknowledge the pope as their ruler. The Britons replied that the pope was not entitled to supremacy in the church, and they could give him only the submission that is due to every follower of Christ. They knew no other master than Christ. 5TC 39.3

Now the true spirit of the papacy was revealed. The leader from Rome said, “If you will not receive brethren who bring you peace, you will receive enemies who will bring you war.”^{1J. H. Merle D'Aubigné, History of the Reformation of the Sixteenth Century, book 17, chapter 2.} Rome used war and deception against these witnesses for Bible faith, until the churches of Britain were destroyed or forced to submit to the pope. 5TC 39.4

In lands beyond the rule of Rome, Christian groups remained almost entirely free from papal corruption for centuries. They continued to take the Bible as their only rule of faith. These Christians believed in the permanence of the law of God and observed the Sabbath of the fourth commandment. Churches that held to this faith and practice existed in Central Africa and among the Armenians of Asia. 5TC 40.1

Of all who resisted the papal power during that time, the Waldenses are the most significant. In the very land where the papal system had established its headquarters, the churches of Piedmont kept their independence. But the time came when Rome insisted that they submit. Some, however, refused to yield to pope or bishop and were determined to preserve the purity and simplicity of their faith. A separation took place. Those who held to the ancient faith now left their homes. Some, leaving behind their native Alps, raised the banner of truth in foreign lands. Others retreated to the rocky strongholds of the mountains and there preserved their freedom to worship God. 5TC 40.2

Their religious belief was established on the written Word of God. Those humble peasants, shut away from the world, had not arrived at truth all by themselves in opposition to the teachings of the apostate church. They had inherited their religious belief from their ancestors. In conflict, they upheld the faith of the apostolic church. “The church in the wilderness,” and not the proud hierarchy on the throne in the world's great capital, was the true church of Christ, the guardian of the treasures of truth that God committed to His people to give to the world. 5TC 40.3

Among the main reasons leading the true church to separate from Rome was Rome's hatred toward the Bible Sabbath. As prophecy had foretold, the papal power trampled the law of God in the dust. Churches under the papacy were forced to honor Sunday. Surrounded by widespread error, many of the true people of God became so bewildered that while they observed the Sabbath, they also did no work on Sunday. But this did not satisfy the papal leaders. They demanded that the people must trample on the Sabbath, and they denounced those who dared to honor it. 5TC 40.4

Hundreds of years before the Reformation the Waldenses had the Bible in their native language. This made them the special focus of persecution. They declared that Rome was the apostate Babylon of the book of Revelation. At the risk of their lives they stood up to resist her corruptions. Through ages of apostasy there were Waldenses who denied Rome's supremacy, rejected image worship as idolatry, and kept the true Sabbath (see Appendix). 5TC 41.1

Behind the high walls of the mountains the Waldenses found a hiding place. Those faithful exiles pointed their children to the heights towering above them in majesty and spoke of Him whose word endures like the everlasting hills. God had set the mountains securely in place. No arm but God's could move them. In the same way He had established His law. Human power could just as likely uproot the mountains and hurl them into the sea as change one command of God's law. Those pilgrims did not complain because their lives were hard. They were never lonely in the mountains’ isolation. They rejoiced in their freedom to worship. From many a high cliff they chanted praise, and the armies of Rome could not silence their songs of thanksgiving. 5TC 41.2

Valued Principles of Truth

They valued principles of truth more than houses and lands, friends, family, and even life itself. They taught the youth from earliest childhood to consider the claims of God's law as sacred. Copies of the Bible were rare, so they committed its precious words to memory. Many were able to repeat large portions of both the Old and the New Testament. 5TC 41.3

They were educated from childhood to endure hardship and to think and act for themselves. They were taught to bear responsibilities, to guard their words, and to understand the wisdom of silence. One careless word in the hearing of their enemies might endanger the lives of hundreds of believers, for like wolves hunting prey, the enemies of truth pursued those who dared to claim freedom of religious faith. 5TC 41.4

The Waldenses worked for their living with unwavering patience. Every spot of tillable land among the mountains they carefully improved. They taught their children to practice economy and self-denial. The work was hard but wholesome, just what fallen human beings need. The youth were taught that all their powers belonged to God, to be developed for His service. 5TC 42.1

The Vaudois^{*Vaudois [vo-DWAH] is the French word for the Waldenses and is often used for them.} churches resembled the church in the time of the apostles. Rejecting the supremacy of popes and bishops, they taught that the Bible is the only infallible authority. Their pastors, unlike the lordly priests of Rome, fed the flock of God, leading them to the green pastures and living fountains of His Holy Word. The people gathered, not in magnificent churches or grand cathedrals, but in the Alpine valleys, or, in time of danger, in some rocky stronghold, to listen to the words of truth from the servants of Christ. The pastors not only preached the gospel, they visited the sick and worked to promote harmony and brotherly love. Like Paul the tentmaker, each learned some trade so that he could provide for his own support if necessary. 5TC 42.2

The youth received instruction from their pastors. The Bible was their chief study. They committed the Gospels of Matthew and John to memory, as well as many of the Epistles. 5TC 42.3

With persistent effort, sometimes in the dark caverns of the earth, by the light of torches, they wrote out the Sacred Scriptures, verse by verse. Angels from heaven surrounded these faithful workers. 5TC 42.4

Satan had urged the Roman priests and bishops to bury the Word of truth beneath the rubbish of error and superstition. But in a remarkable way it was preserved uncorrupted through all the ages of darkness. Like the ark on the rolling seas, the Word of God outrides the storms that threaten it with destruction. Like a mine that has rich veins of gold and silver hidden beneath the surface, the Holy Scriptures have treasures of truth that only the humble, prayerful seeker will find. God designed the Bible to be a lessonbook to all mankind as a revelation of Himself. Every truth that we see is a fresh disclosure of its Author's character. 5TC 42.5

Some youth were sent from their schools in the mountains to institutions of learning in France or Italy, where there was a wider field for study and observation than in their native Alps. These youth were exposed to temptation. They encountered Satan's agents who urged subtle heresies and dangerous deceptions on them. But their education from childhood prepared them for this. 5TC 43.1

In the schools where they went they were not to confide in anyone. Their clothes were designed specifically to conceal their greatest treasure—the Scriptures. Whenever they could they cautiously placed some Scripture portion where those who seemed open to receive truth would find it. In this way they won converts to the true faith in these institutions of learning, and frequently its principles spread throughout the entire school. Yet the papal leaders could not trace the so-called corrupting “heresy” to its source. 5TC 43.2

Young People Trained as Missionaries

The Vaudois Christians felt a solemn responsibility to let their light shine. By the power of God's Word they worked to break the bondage that Rome had imposed. The Vaudois ministers had to serve three years in some mission field before taking charge of a church at home—a fitting introduction to the pastor's life in difficult times. The youth saw before them, not earthly wealth and glory, but hard work and danger and possibly a martyr's death. The missionaries went out two by two, as Jesus had sent His disciples. 5TC 43.3

To reveal their mission would have ensured its defeat. Every minister possessed a knowledge of some trade or profession, and the missionaries carried out their work under cover of a secular trade, usually as merchants or peddlers. “They carried silks, jewelry, and other articles, ... and were welcomed as merchants where they would have been spurned as missionaries.”^{2James A. Wylie, History of Protestantism, book 1, chapter 7.} They secretly carried copies of the Bible, either the entire book or parts of it. Often they were able to interest someone in reading God's Word, and they left some part with those who wanted it. 5TC 43.4

With bare feet and clothes that were coarse and travel-stained, these missionaries passed through great cities and even reached distant lands. Churches sprang up in their path, and the blood of martyrs witnessed for the truth. Veiled and silent, the Word of God was meeting a glad welcome in many homes and hearts. 5TC 44.1

The Waldenses believed that the end of all things was not far away. As they studied the Bible they were deeply impressed with their duty to make its saving truths known to others. They found comfort, hope, and peace in believing in Jesus. As the light made their own hearts glad, they longed to spread its beams to those in the darkness of Rome's errors. 5TC 44.2

Under the guidance of pope and priest, most people were taught to trust in their good works to save them. They were always looking to themselves, their minds dwelling on their sinful condition, afflicting soul and body, yet finding no relief. Thousands spent their lives in convent cells. By frequent fasts and whippings, by midnight vigils, by lying on cold, damp stones, by long pilgrimages—haunted with the fear of God's avenging wrath—many suffered on, until exhausted nature gave way. Without one ray of hope they sank into the grave. 5TC 44.3

Sinners Pointed to Christ

The Waldenses longed to bring these starving souls messages of peace in the promises of God and to point them to Christ as their only hope of salvation. They knew that the doctrine that good works can atone for sin was based on falsehood. The merits of a crucified and risen Savior are the foundation of the Christian faith. We must depend on Christ as closely as an arm is attached to the body or a branch to the vine. 5TC 44.4

The teachings of popes and priests had led people to consider God and even Christ as stern and frightful, with so little sympathy that sinners must have the mediation of priests and saints. Those whose minds had received the light longed to clear away the obstructions that Satan had piled up, so that people could come directly to God, confess their sins, and find pardon and peace. 5TC 44.5

Invading the Kingdom of Satan

The Vaudois missionaries cautiously produced the carefully written portions of the Holy Scriptures. The light of truth penetrated many a darkened mind, until the Sun of Righteousness shone healing beams into the heart. Often the hearer asked for some portion of Scripture to be repeated, as if to be sure that he had heard it correctly. 5TC 45.1

Many saw how useless it is for human beings to mediate in behalf of the sinner. With joy they exclaimed, “Christ is my priest; His blood is my sacrifice; His altar is my confessional.” The flood of light shining on them was so great that they seemed to be in heaven. All fear of death was gone. They could now even look forward to prison if that would honor their Redeemer. 5TC 45.2

In secret places the Waldenses brought out the Word of God and read it, sometimes to a single soul, sometimes to a little company longing for light. Often they spent the entire night in reading God's Word to others. People often asked questions like, “Will God accept my offering? Will He smile upon me? Will He pardon me?” They heard the answer read from Scripture, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). 5TC 45.3

Those happy people returned to their homes to spread the light, to repeat to others, as well as they could, their new experience. They had found the true and living way! Scripture spoke to the hearts of those who were longing for truth. 5TC 45.4

The Waldensian messenger of truth went on his way. In many instances his hearers had not asked where he came from or where he was going. They had been so overwhelmed that they had not thought to question him. Now they asked each other, Could he have been an angel from heaven? 5TC 45.5

In many cases the messenger of truth had made his way to other lands or was slowly dying in some dungeon, or perhaps his bones were whitening where he had witnessed for the truth. But the words he had left behind were doing their work. 5TC 46.1

The papal leaders saw danger from the work of these humble travelers. The light of truth would sweep away the heavy clouds of error that enveloped the people; it would direct minds to God alone and eventually destroy the supremacy of Rome. 5TC 46.2

These people, holding the faith of the ancient church, were a constant testimony to Rome's apostasy and therefore were hated and persecuted. Their refusal to give up the Scriptures was an offense that Rome could not tolerate. 5TC 46.3

Rome Determines to Destroy the Waldenses

Now began the most terrible crusades against God's people in their mountain homes. Harsh investigators were put upon their track. Again and again Rome's forces ruined their fertile lands and swept away their homes and chapels. No charge could be brought against the moral character of these outlawed people. Their biggest offense was that they would not worship God according to the will of the pope. Because they were seen as guilty of this “crime,” every insult and torture that men or devils could invent was heaped on them. 5TC 46.4

When Rome determined to exterminate the hated group, the pope issued a bull [edict] condemning them as heretics and ordering their slaughter (see Appendix). They were not accused as lazy, or dishonest, or disorderly, but it was declared that they had an appearance of piety and sanctity that seduced “the sheep of the true fold.” This edict called all members of the church to join the crusade against the heretics. As an incentive it “released all who joined the crusade from any oaths they might have taken; it legitimated their title to any property they might have illegally acquired, and promised forgiveness of all their sins to those who would kill any heretic. It cancelled all contracts made in favor of Vaudois, forbade all persons to give them any aid whatever, and empowered all persons to take possession of their property.”^{3James A. Wylie, History of Protestantism, book 16, chapter 1.} This document clearly reveals the roar of the dragon and not the voice of Christ. The same spirit that crucified Christ and killed the apostles, that moved the bloodthirsty Nero against the faithful Christians in his day, was at work to rid the earth of those who were beloved by God. 5TC 46.5

In spite of the crusades against them and the inhuman butchery they suffered, this God-fearing people continued to send out missionaries to scatter the precious truth. They were hunted to the death, yet their blood watered the seed they sowed, and it yielded fruit. 5TC 47.1

In this way the Waldenses witnessed for God centuries before Luther. They planted the seeds of the Reformation that began in the time of Wycliffe, grew broad and deep in the days of Luther, and is to be carried forward to the close of time. 5TC 47.2