Intro

A.T. Jones

Gaththered from a series of articles that first appeared in The Review and Herald in 1884, and then were later reprinted in The Signs of the Times in 1888, this book covers some of the history of the Reformation up until the 1800’s with the aim of showing that the Reformation has been side-tracked by scholastic doctrinal disputes, and dividing over strained religious theories, and that the remedy for this is a message of moral renovation.

It was a moral renovation (through the forgiveness and cleansing of sin) that Luther sought and found, and which empowered the Reformation of the 16th century. But that was just a beginning.

The end of that Reformation, can only be a perfecting of that original work. 

And the perfection of moral renovation is credited to the work of the Third Angel’s Message:

Revelation 14
12 …here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

And so the Third Angel’s Message finishes the work of the Reformation, not by introducing yet more strained ideas, but by bringing back moral renovation, and completing it in men and women. 

ContentsThe Reformation BeginsBeginning of the Reformation
Justification by Faith
The Lord’s Supper
Fanaticism
A Difference of Opinion
Attempts at UnityMelancthon Proposes Unity
Calvin Proposes Unity
The Interim: More Division
The Rise of Scholasticism
Controversy Over Good Works
Synergistical Controversy
Controversy Over the Human Mind
More DisputesReconciliation at Altenburg Fails
“Form of Concord” Brings Discord
Calvinism Brings in New Disputes
More FactionsAll United Against the Anabaptists
England: Conformists and Non-Conformists
Controversy Over Bishops
Controversy Over Sabbath
Thomas Cartwright’s Extreme Views Divide
The Rise of Independents
ControversiesPhilosophical Controversies
Liberty for Calvinists Troubles the Lutherans
Attempts to Bring Harmony
The Pietistical Controversy
Calvinist Controversy Over the “Divine Decrees”
Controversies and RevivalsArminian Controversy
Controversy Between Episcopalians and Puritans
Tumult Over the Quakers
The Rise of Atheism
Trinitarian Controversy
The Wesleyan Revival
Second Advent Revival
A System of Morality Needed
A Moral ReformationA Reformation Based on Morality
The Third Angel’s Message