Nelson Chronicle, Colne Observer, and Clitheroe Division News. — 1900-11-09 (Nelson, Lancashire, England)

OPEN BIBLE. The friends of the Vatican did not welcome., and do not welcome the word of God in the common tongue. They are afraid lest the light which flashes from its sacred pages should make their darkness visible. The Council of Trent, by which Romanists are still bound, refuses absolution of sins to all such as read, or hold in possesion the Bible. To Us who are enlightened out of the Word it is well known that popes and priests have as much power to absolve from sin as they have power to fly. But that is what they claim, and that is the penalty which they suspend over the ,head of the man who dares disobey his priestly dictator in reading the Scriptures without his permission, and as if that were not enough for the poor man, he is to be further punished at the pleasure of the bishop according to the degree of the offence. But where Romanists live among heretics greater indulgence is allowed. The Bible was practically unknown at the time of the Reformation, and it was the discovery of the Bible in the monastery of Erfurth, that made the Reformation possible. At the Diet of Worms this was Luther's memorable answer to the question " Dost thou retract" "I will never submit to popes or councils who are manifestly wrong, hut I will submit to Scripture an (Ito God. Hereon I stand. I cannot do otherwise, so help me Lord." Luther took his stand, therefore, on an open Bible. Popery can only stand on a closed one. At the time of the Reformation, Popery had turned the world wrong side up with its doctrines of merit, and Luther dedared that salvation was by faith in Jesus Christ, and that helped to turn he world upside down—right, side up. Luther imagined that salvation was a matter of merit when lie entered the monastery but Paul's epi•tle to the Galatians brought him to see that no amount. of formalism, or bead rolls, or mass mongering could save men. It. is a new creation that counts. The men of Luther's age had lost their conception of man's moral accountability. Tetzel's paper pardons erased completely the boundary lines of sin and holiness. It was that which made Luther the avowed enemy of Popery. Outside the town  THE OLD VILLAIN OF A FIIIAIt was extolling his wares. "Come and buy my indulgencies. There is no sin so great that an inulgence cannot remit. Sin fel- sixpence.. lies for a shilling, theft and murder cheap." These indulgeneies were a sort of papal banknote issued from the central office in Rome that had to be cashed by the priest where-,cever they were presented. But Luther refused to cash the note:. and when cue was presented he asked " WI-ere did you get that?" From Tetzel out Vlore drumming his pardons" said the holder of the indulgence. . _ .. •lge „e._  " Drumming his pardons" svid Luther, "God hid ning me I'll knock a bole in his drum," and the same blow that nailed his Thesis on the church door kneeked a hole in old Tot 'l's drum—amid loud shootings from the popish mob.—" These that has-p turned the world onside down have come h;ther alse." At the time of the Reformation Popery had urimd the world upside down with its priestly intolerane. and Luther declared the right of individual judgment, and that helped to torn the world upside down—right side up. Why not forget these centuries of fierce prosecutions through  -7 7 PURE  117)." 100 9 ri, ;itt-L. , ii.i. ~ SOLUBLE  is to-day The Standard Cocoa of the World. Exquisite in flavor, highly nourishing and refreshing, experience proves it to be  The Best of all Cocoas.  which our faith has come? Reeama sueh is Christ at all, he mold appeal to sae]) an audinot the Bible rule. The sufferings of God's elle, 00 behalf of foreign missionary work bepeople at the hands of anti-Chri,t are clearly eaase of the civilisation which always followed foretold, and minutely recorded. We have the Gospel me:sage. If they,. believed in proour roll of national heroes. Why should we guess, in advancement, if They believed in not have our roll of international inartyl,.. making the hest out of tha peop. of the land, The history of Romani-.m is they nuct be awaie that foreign niiions were