FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:
THE ARIAN AFRICAN VANDAL ‘HORN’ PLUCKED UP BY THE ROOTS
“Treachery, which with Rome and her allies has always been a JUSTIFIABLE WEAPON, was here used IN THE service of the [Roman Catholic] Church by her dutiful son. Justinian [the Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire] sent an army of 200,000 trained men under the leadership [of command] of Belisarius to conquer the Vandals WITHOUT declaring war, and UNBEKNOWN to Gelimer, king of the Vandals. The historian Villari says:
‘Belisarius landed on the African coast at nine days march from Carthage (the Vandal capital]. He did not ASSUME the attitude as a conqueror, but came, he said, as the DELIVERER of the Catholics and Romans, the clergy and proprietors, who were all equally oppressed by those foreign barbarians, the heretic Vandals.’ – ‘The Barbarian Invasion of Italy,’ Vol. I, p. 198.
“Thus Belisarius [commander of Justinian’s army] won the enthusiastic support of a large part of the population [beware of the popular majority]. To UNDERMINE the zeal of the Vandal leaders FOR THEIR KING, he [Belisarius] sent the ‘leading men of the Vandals’ a letter from Justinian, stating that he intended only to dethrone the usurping king, who was tyrannizing over them, and to give them back their LIBERTY. The letter reads:
‘It is not our purpose to go to war with the Vandals nor are we breaking our treaty with Gaiseric [a bare-faced lie]. We are only attempting to overthrow your tyrant,who making light of Gaiseric’s testament keeps your king a prisoner….Therefore join us in FREEING YOURSELVES from a tyranny so wicked, that you may enjoy PEACE AND LIBERTY. We give you pledge IN THE.NAME OF GOD that we will give these BLESSINGS.’…..The overseer of the public post DESERTED and delivered all the horses to Belisarius.’ – ‘History of the Later Roman Empire,’ J. B. Bury, Vol. II, p. 130. London. The Macmillian Co., 1925.
“But Justinian never intended to keep his SOLEMN OATH to grant them liberty, and the people soon found Rome the SEVEREST of tyrants.
“In 533 A. D. the Byzantine general Belisarius landed in Africa. The Vandals were several times defeated, and Carthage was entered on Sept. 15, 533…..In the next year Africa, Sardinia, and Corsica were restored to the Roman Empire. As a NATION, THE VANDALS SOON CEASED TO EXIST.’ – ‘Nelson’s Encyclopedia, Vol. XII, art. ‘Vandals,’ pp. 380, 381. New York. 1907.
“Religious INTOLERANCE accompanied the imperial restoration in the West [Roman Empire]. In Africa, as in Italy, Arians were spoiled [destroyed] for the BENEFIT of the Catholics, their churches were destroyed or ruined, and their lands confiscated.’ – ‘Cambridge Medieval History,’ Bury, Gwatkin, and Whitney, Vol. II, p. 44. NY: 1913.” (Facts of Faith, pp. 42, 43.
Bless all as we familiarize ourselves with details of church history in the light of prophecy. This is part of the comprehensive Third Angel’s message for the last days. NMF