‘The Weak
Shall Confound the Mighty’
The Jewish mob had
seized Paul in the temple and were "about to kill him." But
hearing the uproar, the Roman chief captain "immediately
took soldiers and centurions, and ran down unto them." Acts
21: 31, 32. Again, when Paul was allowed to speak before the
council, and uproar followed, "the chief captain, fearing
lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them,
commanded the soldiers to go down, and take him by force
from among them, and to bring' him into the castle." Acts
23: 10. The Roman soldiers, who had the apostle under
surveillance and arrest, were his protectors.
During the World War ,
when feeling ran high, in one of the Countries of Eastern
Europe a bishop and his priests summoned all the Seventh-day
Adventists in one city to appear in the central church. The
incident was related at the Autumn Council of 1920 by L. H.
Christian. The bishop denounced the Adventists, and called
them to line up in front of the church. "Get down on your
knees," he commanded.
Simple peasant people,
accustomed to obeying, they knelt-all except one woman,
small of stature, but high of faith and Courage. She
remained standing. "Now, confess !" thundered the bishop. It
looked as if they might do it. But the little woman was
moved to stand up for truth : "She ran to her husband, and
seizing him by the shoulders, shouted, 'Is that man God ?
Are we going to pray to a bishop? Have we been taught the
truth to no effect? Then she said, 'In the name of the Lord,
I command you, my brethren, every one to stand up.' They all
got up and went back and took their seats.
"The bishop did not
know what to do. The mob shouted that they would kill that
little woman, and they were ready to tear her in pieces.
Just then an officer came forward and said to the soldiers,
'Take your swords, and every one take a Seventh-day
Adventist by the hand, and I will take that little woman.'
All expected the Adventists to be killed, but they were
surprised. Turning to the mayor, the officer said, 'You have
a commission to protect the weak,' and to the bishop, 'You,
bishop, were sent to preach the gospel.' Then he swung his
sword and said, 'Clear the way and lead the Adventists home.
If you ever molest the Seventh-day Adventists again, you
will hear from me.'
"This meant much to
that woman, and to the Adventists, and to the cause of God
in that city. The church there is of good cheer and very
active."
Again and again
soldiers sent to arrest our brethren or report upon our
meetings have turned into guards to repress attacks by
enemies.
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