The Great Controversy The Great Controversy | Page 359

of Nazareth, ... whom your ancestors have crucified, as they did the
prophets of old. Go home and read the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah, and
you will be convinced that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”—Ibid., vol.
1, p. 7. Conviction at once fastened upon him. He went home and read
the scripture, wondering to see how perfectly it had been fulfilled in
Jesus of Nazareth. Were the words of t he Christian true? The boy asked
of his father an explanation of the prophecy, but was met with a silence
so stern that he never again dared to refer to the subject. This, however,
only increased his desire to know more of the Christian religion.
The knowledge he sought was studiously kept from him in his Jewish
home; but, when only eleven years old, he left his father’s house and
went out into the world to gain for himself an education, to choose his
religion and his lifework. He found a home for a time with kinsmen,
but was soon driven from them as an apostate, and alone and penniless
he had to make his own way among strangers. He went from place to
place, studying diligently and maintaining himself by teaching Hebrew.
Through the influence of a Catholic instructor he was led to accept the
Romish faith and formed the purpose of becoming a missionary to his
own people. With this object he went, a few years later, to pursue his
studies in the College of the Propaganda at Rome. Here his habit of
independent thought and candid speech brought upon him the imputation
of heresy. He openly attacked the abuses of the church and urged the
necessity of reform. Though at first treated with special favor by the
papal dignitaries, he was after a time removed from Rome. Under the
surveillance of the church he went from place to place, until it became
evident that he could never be brought to submit to the bondage of
Romanism. He was declared to be incorrigible and was left at liberty to
go where he pleased. He now made his way to England and, professing
the Protestant faith, united with the English Church. After two years’
study he set out, in 1821, upon his mission.
While Wolff accepted the great truth of Christ’s first

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