Cathedral Ceiling

Cathedral in Worms

Our travels to Germany took us to the birthplace of the Reformation: Worms. Our tour guide, Samuel Stalder, gave us a comprehensive look at the history of the reformation as we visited the Gutenborg museum in addition to the entire area surrounding Worms. Cathedrals, museums and history tell the tale of a good start that was overcome by the spirit of the world and compromise. Dan. 11:34

Without exception, the original Reformers recognized the great apostate system as the antichrist spoken of by Jesus and the Apostles. The name Protestant carried real significance in those days when to protest against the status quo meant to risk one's life.

The great truth which started the Reformation is absent in churchianity today. To make mention of it is to bring down upon one's head the wrath of those "daughter" systems which now embrace the spirit they once protested against.

Samuel Stalder between Jerry and Sharon Leslie

Staircase inside the Museum at Worms

Please note the following pertinent quotation from "The Battle of Armageddon" — fourth in the Studies in the Scriptures series:

"The 'Reformation' movement discarded some of the false doctrines of Papacy and led many out of that iniquitous system. The reformers called attention to the Word of God and affirmed the right of private judgment in its study, and also necessarily recognized the right of every child of God to preach the truth without the authority of popes and bishops, who falsely claimed a succession in authority from the original twelve apostles. But ere long that good work of protest against the iniquitous, antichristian, counterfeit church of Rome was overcome by the spirit of the world; and soon the protestants, as they were called, formed new organizations, which, together with the truths they had found, perpetuated many of the old errors and added some new ones; and yet each continued to hold a little truth. The result was a medley of conflicting creeds, at war with reason, with the Word of God and with one another. And as the investigating energy of the Reformation period soon died out, these quickly became fossilized, and have so remained to the present day.

"To build up and perpetuate these erroneous doctrinal systems of what they are pleased to call 'Systematic Theology,' time and talent have been freely given. Their learned men have written massive volumes for other men to study instead of the Word of God; for this purpose theological seminaries have been established and generously endowed; and from these, young men, instructed in their errors, have gone out to teach and to confirm the people in them. And the people, taught to regard these men as God's appointed ministers, successors of the apostles, have accepted their dictum without searching the Scriptures as did the noble Bereans in Paul's day (Acts 17:11), to see if the things taught them were so.

"But now the harvest of all this sowing has come, the day of reckoning is here, and great is the confusion and perplexity of the whole nominal church of every denomination, and particularly of the clergy, upon whom devolves the responsibility of conducting the defense in this day of judgment in the presence of many accusers and witnesses, and, if possible, of devising some remedy to save from complete destruction what they regard as the true church. Yet in their present confusion, and in the desire of all the sects from reasons of policy to fellowship one another, they have each almost ceased to regard their own particular sect as the only true church, and now speak of each other as various 'branches' of the one church, notwithstanding their contradictory creeds, which of necessity cannot all be true.

"In this critical hour it is, alas! a lamentable fact that the wholesome spirit of 'The Great Reformation' is dead. Protestantism is no longer a protest against the spirit of antichrist, nor against the world, the flesh or the devil. Its creeds, at war with the Word of God, with reason, and with each other, and inconsistent with themselves, they seek to hide from public scrutiny. Its massive theological works are but fuel for the fire of this day of Christendom's judgment. Its chief theological seminaries are hotbeds of infidelity, spreading the contagion everywhere. Its great men--its Bishops, Doctors of Divinity, Theological Professors, and its most prominent and influential clergymen in the large cities--are becoming the leaders into disguised infidelity. They seek to undermine and destroy the authority and inspiration of the sacred Scriptures, to supplant the plan of salvation therein revealed with the human theory of evolution. They seek a closer affiliation with, and imitation of, the Church of Rome, court her favor, praise her methods, conceal her crimes, and in so doing become confederate with her in spirit. They are also in close and increasing conformity to the spirit of the world in everything, imitating the vain pomp and glory of the world which they claim to have renounced. Mark the extravagant display in church architecture, decorations and furnishments, the heavy indebtedness thereby incurred, and the constant begging and scheming for money thus necessitated."

For an exhaustive study of this subject, click on the following link to:
The Battle of Armageddon.