The Great Controversy The Great Controversy | Page 239

Others arose from century to century to echo this protest. And those
early teachers who, traversing different lands and known by various
names, bore the character of the Vaudois missionaries, and spread
everywhere the knowledge of the gospel, penetrated to the Netherlands.
Their doctrines spread rapidly. The Waldensian Bible they translated
in verse into the Dutch language. They declared “that there was great
advantage in it; no jests, no fables, no trifles, no deceits, but the words
of truth; that indeed there was here and there a hard crust, but that
the marrow and sweetness of what was good and holy might be easily
discovered in it.”—Ibid., b. 1, p. 14. Thus wrote the friends of the
ancient faith, in the twelfth century.
Now began the Romish persecutions; but in the midst of fagots and
torture the believers continued to multiply, steadfastly declaring that the
Bible is the only infallible authority in religion, and that “no man should
be coerced to believe, but should be won by preaching.”—Martyn, vol.
2, p. 87.
The teachings of Luther found a congenial soil in the Netherlands,
and earnest and faithful men arose to preach the gospel. From one of the
provinces of Holland came Menno Simons. Educated a Roman Catholic
and ordained to the priesthood, he was wholly ignorant of the Bible, and
he would not read it for fear of being beguiled into heresy. When a doubt
concerning the doctrine of transubstantiation forced itself upon him, he
regarded it as a temptation from Satan, and by prayer and confession
sought to free himself from it; but in vain. By mingling in scenes of
dissipation he endeavored to silence the accusing voice of conscience;
but without avail. After a time he was led to the study of the New
Testament, and this, with Luther’s writings, caused him to accept the
reformed faith. He soon after witnessed in a neighboring village the
beheading of a man who was put to death for having been rebaptized.
This led him to study the Bible in regard to infant baptism. He could
find no evidence for it in the Scriptures, but saw that repentance and
faith are

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