March 28, 1895
AT the annual banquet of the Carroll Institute in Washington City, February 26, 1895, Archbishop Satolli, Rome’s “apostolic delegate” to the United States, spoke “on behalf of Pope Leo XIII.,” and in his speech he said that—
The opinion was certainly growing, that we were nearing a most critical point in history; and that, in this country, especially, great problems would soon demand positive solution. All the horrors of a social revolution were predicted by men as renowned for accurate and calm thinking, as Prof. Goldwin Smith and Prof. Von Holst. The apostolic delegate held, with a recent magazine writer, that the Catholic Church alone held the true solution of the terrible problem which leis at the threshold of the twentieth century; and that it belongs to the pope alone to pronounce a social pax vobiscum.—New York Sun, Feb. 27, 1895.
The papacy “can see what is to be.” She sees approaching, the time of commotion and upheaval and revolution which careful thinkers also see; which cause statesmen to be uneasy, and which are making rulers to fear: and she proposes to take advantage of it all to exalt herself once more to the place of supremacy among the nations and over their peoples. This is her own definitely laid-out plan, and to know it, is important. She likewise knows that the United States is leading the world, and that this country will therefore necessarily have a leading influence in shaping the solution of “the terrible problem;” consequently, she proposes to control the United States, and through this solve the problem to her satisfaction. Therefore the word from Rome is that—
The United States of America, it can be said without exaggeration, are the chief thought of Leo XII. in the government of the Roman and universal Catholic Church…. A few days ago, on receiving an eminent American, Leo XII. said to him: “The United States are the future; we think on them incessantly.” … This ever-ready sympathy has its base in the fundamental interests of the holy see; in a peculiar conception of the part to be played, and the position to be held, by the church and the papacy in the times to come. The interest is the necessity in which Rome finds she is, to direct her general course according to the signs of the times and the transformations on the agitated surface of the world…. What we do know is, that a world is in its death-agony, and that we are entering upon the night which must inevitably precede the dawn in this evolution. The church, in the eyes of the pope, has a mission to fill.—Letter from Rome, in Catholic Standard, Philadelphia, Pa., Nov. 3, 1894.
Has not the papacy had experience in just this course of things? Has not the papacy seen, practically, the world once in its death agony? The Roman Empire, in its greatest day, was practically the world as the world then was—all civilization was within its limits, and was under its control. She saw that mighty empire, “the sublimest fabric of human greatness ever built by man,“—she saw it go to pieces, and universal anarchy reigning amid the ruins.
Thus as the world then stood, and as it then was, she saw the world in its death agony. And out of that death agony of the world she exalted herself to the supremacy over kingdoms and peoples that she held in the Dark Ages, and by which she cursed the world so long.
She sees the same elements again permeating society and States, the same movements again agitating the nations, and she congratulates herself and exclaims: “Out of the death agony of the world before, I drew life and vigor to myself; upon the ruins of society once, I rose to supremacy over all—I will do it again. Thus it was demonstrated to all the world in that day that I was superior to all earthly things; and so will I again and in this day demonstrate to all the world—large as it is—that ‘I am, and none else besides me.’ ‘I shall be a lady for ever.’ ‘I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.’”
This is her scheme, and this is her tone in view of the bright prospects on every hand that her scheme will succeed. And her scheme will certainly succeed. For not only is it true that the papacy is described as “A king of impudent face, and understanding deep schemes” (Daniel 8:23, Jewish Translation): that “It is impossible to deny that the polity of the church of Rome is the very masterpiece of human wisdom;” and that “The experience of twelve hundred eventful years, the ingenuity and patient care of forty generations of statesmen, have improved that polity to such perfection that, among the contrivances which have been devised for deceiving and oppressing mankind, it occupies the highest place” (Macaulay’s Essay, Von Ranke); not only is all this true, which of itself would strongly presage the success of her openly announced scheme, but the “sure word of prophecy” has plain foretold that her scheme will succeed. For thus it stands written: “All that dwell upon the earth shall worship him [the beast, the papacy], whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Revelation 13:8. And “she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously,” saying “in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.” Revelation 18:7.
And just then, and “Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine: and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her. And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.” Verses 9, 10. All this shows as plainly as need be, that Rome’s scheme, as mapped out and published by herself, is certain to succeed, so far as the world and worldly power is concerned; and that her certain triumph that far, is to bring her certain ruin for evermore. For it stands written: “A mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.” Verse 21.
Such is the course, the success, and the end, of this scheme pertaining to the papal “social pax vobiscum” for America and the world. And at this time, and in view of these things, there is heard “another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.” Revelation 18:4, 5. “My people, go ye out of the midst of her, and deliver ye every man his soul from the fierce anger of the Lord.” Jeremiah 51:45.
“Come out of her, my people,” saith the Lord. Reader, are you completely out of Babylon? Is your name in the book of life [98] of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world? Have you thus a sure shelter from the terrible storm, and salvation from the utter ruin, that hasteth greatly? “For the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand;” “even the voice of the day of the Lord.” “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him.” “Behold, I come quickly: and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” [98]