Of the Deplorable State of the Worship of God in the Tenth Century

"In the tenth century the rule of the Roman pope had greatly darkened, and taken possession of, nearly all the churches in Europe, so that everything had to be done according to his pleasure, in both spiritual and secular governments; and so great darkness prevailed at this time, in which only very few learned, virtuous, and celebrated men lived. For fear of the great tyranny, scarcely anyone dared speak the least word about the adulteration of the doctrine, or the abuses in the false worship, and the increase of the abominable blasphemies; for as soon as those who knew better, and feared God, spoke the least word of opposition, the pope instantly thundered excommunications from the Roman chair, as if with hail and lightning, so that everyone was terrified, since the secular lords also were bewitched and controlled by him. Was it any wonder, then, that the corruptions with reference to baptism increased more and more as time went on?" Bapt. Hist., page 556, from Magd. Cent. 10, chapter 1. [n357-1]

As to the abuses in and about baptism which were then introduced by the decree of the pope and the councils, they are noticed by various writers, as may be seen in Cent. Magd., century 10, chapters 6, 10, 11.

In short, whereas formerly the catechumens had not been baptized until, after proper instruction, they had given an account of their faith, either on Easter or Whitsuntide, it was now ordained that, when death or peril of life was feared, they should be baptized immediately. Metaphr., book 2, chapter 5.

Whereas baptism had formerly been administered with unblessed or unconsecrated water, it was now blessed and consecrated; indeed, the chrism was used, the sign of the cross on the forehead, the oil of chrism. Bapt. Hist., page 576, number 13.

But the most ridiculous of all was that, whereas formerly only human beings had been baptized, Pope John the Fourteenth now commanded that the great bell in the Lateran church should be baptized and named after him. Bapt. Hist., page 577, ex Balaeo, century 2. P. J. Twisck, Chron., 10th book, for the year 965, page 341, column 1.

These exceedingly great errors of the Roman church, and the dreadful darkness in which all nations, with the exception of a few pious people, sat during those dreary times, are described in P. J. Twisck's Chronijk, in the conclusion of the thousandth year, with the following words (after the title)