Baptist History, Heritage & Distinctives – The Waldenses – Baptist Peculiarity SEVEN – Part 17 in the Series

Thomas E Kresal Admin · 43 mins March 5, 2020

Baptist History, Heritage & Distinctives – The Waldenses – Baptist Peculiarity SEVEN – Part 17 in the Series

Seventh: The Baptists have never persecuted others; but have themselves always been peculiarly persecuted and everywhere spoken against. Both friends and foes are agreed that the Waldenses possessed this peculiarity in the superlative degree; for, of all others, they have been the most bitterly persecuted, and slaughtered by millions on account of their fidelity to Jesus Christ.

It would occupy volumes to enter into a detailed history of the persecutions and sufferings of the ancient Waldenses. It was the wrath of the papal dragon which made it necessary for the church to flee into the wilderness to find an asylum from the fearful storms of persecutions raised against it; and though the church was saved from destruction, yet “the remnant of her seed” endured the wrath of the dragon for twelve hundred and sixty years. In them has been fulfilled the prophecy where it is said, “The same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the Most High, and the time came the saints possessed the kingdom.” (Daniel 7:21-22, 25) “And they shall be given into his hands until a time, and times, and the dividing of time.”

At the commencement of this chapter it was seen that the decree of the emperors Theodosius and Honorious made death the penalty for re-baptizing. This decree was made against the Novatians, who fled to the valleys of the Alps, and were afterward known as Waldenses. The Paulicians, who are known to have been the Waldenses of the East, suffered the most terrible persecutions under Theodora.

Mr. Orchard says: “The severest persecutions experienced by them was encouraged by Empress Theodora, A.D. 845, Her decrees were severe, but the cruelty with which they were put in execution by her officers was horrible beyond expression. Mountains and hills were covered with inhabitants. Her sanguinary inquisitors explored cities and mountains in lesser Asia. After confiscating the goods and property of an hundred thousand of these people, the owners to that number were put to death in the most barbarous manner, and made to expire slowly under a variety of the most exquisite tortures. The flatterers of the empress boast of having extirpated in nine years that number of Paulicians.” (Orchard Baptist History, Vol. 1, p.137)

NEXT – Peculiarity Seven continues tomorrow

Presented by Thomas E. Kresal from: “Baptist Succession” by D.B. Ray, 1871 Edition, pg. 369-70