Blue-grass blade. [volume] (Lexington, Ky.) 188?-19??, 1908-06-14
The Destruction Of the HereticaI sects.

me Destruction OF the Heretical Sects.
During the regns of Constantine Valintin-
Janus Theodosius and Justinian. the main bus
mess of the church was the killing of COMPETE
ton. The assumption that we have the "only
true way to heaven" gave the church the sanc-
ton of the bible God in this inhuman business
and soon the different heretical sects began to
disappear. Theodosius sent the Roman le-
gions through Thrace and Macedonia and laid
waste the Arian cities of those counties, kill
ing all the men, women and children. 1t Is
said that when st. Ambrose bishop of Milan,
heard of the massacre of Arians at Thessa-
onica he wept, This statement is doubtful for
we know there was a general rejoicing in
popedom after the st. Bartholomew massacre.
The same relentless cruelty was apparent in
the church organization even thus early, that
was seen later, in the massacres of the Al
bigenses, Waldenses and on st. Bartholomew .
day. Fifteen edicts in fifteen years, was JUS
tinian's method of doing away with all here
tics. Some of these edicts were cruelties Of
the most inhuman description. They were OF
such construction as to exterminate the here
tice in one way or another They must 60,
change faith or die. was the church ultimatum.
Many died martyrs to belief that could
not have been worse than the belief of their
adversaries Under these edicts the heretical
sects were nearly all annihilated. 1t never met
with but two competitors it did not conquer
The 'Mohommedan whom they fought for 500
years, and the Reformation which they, In
thirty year war, tried their best to suppress
This bloody war killed nearly all the able bod
led men Of central Europe. Massacres Of
the most horrible description were perpetuated
This great church or trust must control the
whole people, for all the emoluments. Of all
kinds, must be gathered into its Golfers. This
trust. the greatest and richest the world has
ever known, commercialized the creduty Of
the people. and forced them to buy their 'only
true way to heaven This was as much a
trust as the Rockefeller oil trust The one sold
Through tickets to heaven" the other OIL
and both forced to buy Of their trust
as competition was dead. 1t dictated and con-
trolled all laws for the governing Of the people,
yet Ignorance, wretchedness and misery In
creased. The people We're slaves physically
and mentally and there could beno improve.
ments in conditions, only in opposition to the
church, and that would necessitates an auto
defa in the near future. This earth, was
only to prepare for the other life, and the
greater the suffering here the more the hap
piness in the world to come. Now If this
religion is a good thing for the people. as
its advocates today claim, why were not the
people, In the dark ages on the top wave of
prosperity and happiness, when this church
had supreme power! The reason Is not hard to
find
This Christian religion which teaches
that faith alone is SUFFICIENT unto salvation"
is not conducive to the happiness or best In
terests Of any people. Character which is an
exponent of true men, and desirable people
has not Of necessity. any part. as a saving
grace in such potpourri religion. Chris.
tianity. That is why 1t grew SO rapidly among
the half civilized nations Of Europe. Those
savage tribes under Charlemagne accepted