MORE ABOUT SECRET AGENTS-2

Vance Ferrell

Since preparing and mailing out "Trained to be a Secret Agent", we have received the following materials.

The first one comes from the East Coast. It is from a faithful Adventist and is included in a personal letter from him. His father was a Seventh-day Adventist minister, many years ago:

Father was pastor of the Oakland, California, Church when the Pacific Press was located there. [The Pacific Press was located in Oakland from 1875 to 1904: following that date it has been in Mountain View.] Father was a very friendly person and if possible made friends with all the clergy including the Catholic priests.

One Catholic priest was also very friendly, and he had many talks with father. "One day he came to father and said, 'Rev. Gardner, I've got something interesting to tell you!

"Father replied, 'Tell me about it!

"So he said, 'You know, we had rather a big meeting this week, and we discussed your church.'

"And then he continued: 'We discussed other denominations also. We discussed how we could infiltrate each of the denominations with the Jesuits -our priests.' And then he said: 'One of our priests arose and said, There is no problem in infiltrating all the denominations except one. That's the Seventh-day Adventists. The reason we cannot do it, is that as long as their prophetess is alive -she will put her finger on our men, as soon as we make the first step in that direction."

Then he said, 'So we made no plans farther in that direction.' "I thought you would be interested in this true story."

Northeastern United States.

The second communication is a paper prepared very recently by David Lin. Here it is:

ON JESUIT INFILTRATION: One 'rumor' causing concern among Adventists is that there are Jesuit agents among our church officials and educators.

 It is reported that a Jesuit priest converted to the Baptist faith divulged this information.

 "To assert that this is untrue and unfounded does not satisfy most lay people, simply because it is just as hard to disprove as it is to verify such a story.

"However, the problem can be studied from another angle. I propose to ask: (1) Is it possible for Jesuit agents to enter our ranks as church officials or educators? And then, (2) Js it probable?

"I venture to say that it is entirely possible for secret agents to infiltrate the Seventh-day Adventist organization. The following episode during my tenure in office of secretary of the China Division shows how easily a special agent of any kind can enter one of our institutions:

"In 1950, our Chiaotouzhen Training School was struggling to keep going with a reduced teaching staff, when word was received that a recent convert baptized in an effort in Hong Kong offered to connect with the school as a teacher of Social Science. The evangelist, who recommended him, reported that he had a Ph.D. degree and would be a real asset to the cause. So the school board voted to employ the learned professor. I visited with him after he came. In his photo album I saw pictures of this man dressed in military attire, taken in Italy. But I did not suspect that he was anything but a learned scholar.

"However, the young people who attended his classes soon nick-named him 'Dr. Punk,' because they had sized him up, and knew that he was just an empty-headed dumbbell. But the head of our school prized him as the only Ph.D. on his staff, even though no one ventured to examine his diploma. We just believe what the preacher in Hong Kong told us. After about a year, the true identity of this 'scholar' came to light. He was a Kuomingtang agent engaged in counter-revolutionary activities. He had even brought a bodyguard disguised as a student.

Before his arrest, if anyone had said that there were undercover political agents in our ranks, I would have denied it. But now I've learned to be wiser, because the fact is: In the face of secret infiltration, the Seventh-day Adventist organization is wholly defenseless. We have no counter-espionage system, and, of course, we don't want one; simply because we are organized to spread the gospel.

"But if and when a secret set-up such as the Society of Jesus [the Roman Catholic Jesuits] makes up its mind to infiltrate us, we make an easy victim -the easiest in the world.

"IF I WERE A JESUIT AGENT: 

Now to the next question: Is it probable? Considering that the third angel's message is most effective in exposing the papal man of sin, and remembering what the Society of Jesus was founded for, we may safely say that it is highly probable that the Jesuits have picked the Seventh-day Adventist Church as one of their chief targets, and even now their secret agents occupy important posts in our organization.

"If I were a modern Jesuit chief, I would certainly regard the Seventh-day Adventists as one of the greatest obstacles to papal ambitions for Worldly supremacy. So I would concentrate a strong task force to alter the teachings, cripple the finances, and control the leadership of this organization.

In different parts of the world, I would enlist, say, 10,000 Catholic youth to attend Seventh-day Adventist evangelistic efforts, be baptized, and then enroll in Seventh-day Adventist colleges and seminaries. I would instruct them to study hard, graduate with honors and then apply for work as preachers and teachers. They would be taught how to undermine the Adventist doctrines, destroy the influence of Ellen White, convert the Adventist educational system, and sever Adventist hospitals [from the organization].

My long-term global program would have as its goal the complete subversion of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in one generation. In all this, I would have the blessing of the pope and almost limitless funds.

"Impossible? Preposterous? Not at all. It is highly probable.

"In fact, the present state of things among us seems to indicate that just such a program was initiated as early as 1950. I dare say that if the Jesuits are engaged in a less ambitious scheme, they would be unworthy of the Jesuit name, for the Oath of the Knights of Columbus binds every Jesuit to destroy all 'heretics' by every means possible.

"IS IT I?: 

Another 'rumor' is that our administrative officials are 'tainted with papalism.' Unlike the first 'rumor,' which is a question of fact, this one is a matter of opinion. But it is neither untrue nor unfounded, because of certain incidents which would have been unthinkable 40 years ago;- but have now become church history: Such as 'our' audience with the pope and the gold medallion we presented to him. It is said that when our official representative called on the Roman pontiff, he addressed him as 'holy father.' This detail may be hard to verify, but I dare say it too is highly probable, because many Adventists are already accustomed to address Catholic priests as 'father' so-and-so. So why all the fuss about adding a 'holy' or 'most holy' to it? We are just following accepted social practice. And anyway, 'pope' and 'papacy' are derived from 'papa.' Perhaps ten years from now it won't be necessary to deny that we are 'tainted with papalism,' as then it will be quite natural for us all to admire the pope and call him 'holy father.'

"Because there are concerned lay members who would, by God's help, arrest such a dangerous trend, this 'rumor' is being kept alive. But it should be pointed out that the responsibility for it does not rest with our lay members, but with those who arranged for that audience with the pope. To say that the men who conceived such a move are 'tainted with papalism,' is no exaggeration, and if our leaders have any sense of responsibility toward God and His people, they should not attempt to deny or excuse this shameful 'taint,' but should humble themselves before God and publicly confess that they have offended Him by befriending the power which has spoken blasphemy against the Most High and is drunken with the blood of His saints. Every true Seventh-day Adventist will refuse to follow the leadership of any man who claims to be a son of God, but in fact honors the man of sin by calling him 'father.'

"It is understandable that if the two 'rumors' mentioned above continue to be circulated, an air of mutual suspicion will prevail, and the 'morale of leadership' will suffer. But again, we insist that the source of trouble is not the lay people, but the men whose words and actions furnish ground for such rumors. If they continue to make friendly overtures to Babylon and her daughters on the one hand and make 'categorical' denials of any such leanings on the other, the lay people certainly will not be deceived. A sorry state of affairs may develop in which our watchmen must be watched, lest they fail to detect the approach of danger and open the city gates to let the enemy in.

"What I present is not fantasy, but reality. We face serious problems. Unfounded rumors need not worry us, -but a single 'rumor' arising from historical facts is something which cannot be silenced by a thousand denials.

"We must ponder the question, 'When the Son of man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?' Instead of pointing the finger at the supposed source of rumors, let each of us rather ask, 'Lord, is it I?' Am I in word and deed an unwitting ally of the enemy of souls? Am I among the 'wheat' or the 'chaff'? After all, there were false brethren in the days of the apostles, and 'men of Belial' among the braves who sided with David when he fled from Saul. So it is not strange to discover some traitors among us. Only let every soul determine to be among the 'called, chosen and faithful.'

"For in every crisis, God has His Calebs and Joshuas. "Be it Jesuit infiltration or internal apostasy, what should we do about it? Sigh and cry? Yes, but the crying should not be confined to weeping, for the Lord says, Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like trumpet, and shew My people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins." Isaiah 58: 1. 'Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.' Will He take care of His Church-and thoroughly purge His floor.' "

-David Lin, China January 27, 1984

We are not acquainted with the report of a Jesuit priest who, following a genuine conversion, revealed his former complicity as a Jesuit agent. But we have heard a number of other stories. Some have been told us by faithful Adventists, who encountered them first-hand, generally in local denominational medical or educational institutions. And this is understandable, for on such campuses, our people come in closer proximity than elsewhere and learn things they would not otherwise know.

It is important to note that the incident at the Chiaotouzhen Training School did not involve Jesuits. They would never be guilty of such a clumsy imposture. The Kuomintang (the Nationalist Party of China) was started in 1912, a year after the Revolution took place.

The Jesuits operate differently: They select very young people who are fanatically zealous for the papacy, and then carefully train them for their future work. After completing espionage-training school, they are sent out to be "converted" and begin schooling for positions of employment in the denomination they have been assigned to.

There are those who simply cannot believe that the loathsome duplicity of the Dark Ages is being practiced today. "Surely," say many, "the evil ways of Rome in past centuries have been buried. The objectives and practices of the Vatican and its leaders have changed in recent times. The treachery and barbarism of earlier ages are no more to be found at its council tables and in its secret missions."

But the truth is that the Church of the Dark Ages continues to be as dark as ever. "Romanism is now regarded by Protestants with far greater favor than in former years. . The opinion is gaining ground, that, after all, we do not differ so widely upon vital points as has been supposed, and that a little concession on our part will bring us into a better understanding with Rome.

The defenders of the papacy declare that the church has been maligned; and the Protestant world are inclined to accept the statement. Many urge that it is unjust to judge the church of today by the abominations and absurdities that marked her reign during the centuries of ignorance and darkness. They excuse her horrible cruelty as the result of the barbarism of the times, and plead that the influence of modern civilization has changed her sentiments. The Great Controversy -PG- 563

"The Roman Church is far-reaching in her plans and modes of operation. She is employing every device to extend her influence and increase her power in preparation for a fiercer and determined conflict to regain control of the world, to re-establish persecution, and to undo all that Protestantism has done. Catholicism is gaining ground on every side. . The Roman Church now presents a fair front to the world, covering with apologies her record of horrible cruelties. She has clothed herself in Christ-like garments; but she is unchanged. Every principle of the papacy that existed in past ages exists today. . Her spirit is no less cruel and despotic now than when she crushed out human liberty, and slew the saints of the Most High. The Great Controversy -PG- 565