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Three Striking Movements

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Aug 23, 1906

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 83, No. 34.

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Three Striking Movements

By C. M. S.

THREE most notable movements are attracting the attention of Christendom at the present time. Combined, they are broad as the world in their scope, and in their ultimate purpose they will bring the world under one ruling influence.
These movements are:—
  1. The Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America.
  2. The American Federation of Catholic Societies.
  3. The great international Peace Congresses.
It is the purpose of the peace advocates that the two peace congresses shall unite in one, and it is confidently predicted that The Hague will be the capital of the world, from which place will go forth laws which will rule the nations, cause wars to cease, usher in universal peace, and turn the implements of war into the tools of peaceful toil.
The other two movements, while carried on now by different bodies of people, have a very similar object in view, and each has signified its willingness to work with the other along certain lines. Just how and when the two bodies will take common hold upon certain undertakings we can not foretell. That they will yet do so is evident both from the language used by their leaders and from the very nature and aims of the two organizations.
The purpose of these three movements is entirely outside the jurisdiction of true Christian endeavor. While Jesus Christ brings peace into the hearts of those who accept him, he has foretold no reign of peace in this world till after he himself shall have come in all the glory of the Father, with his holy angels, breaking the nations of earth in pieces as with “a rod of iron,” “taking vengeance on them that know not God,” destroying the wicked “with the brightness of his coming,” and establishing his own kingdom in his own way upon an earth cleansed by fire from all the defilements of sin.
The peace congresses of the two hemispheres are leading the multitude to believe that a time is fast approaching when “the nations shall learn war no more,” when peace will be universal, utterly ignoring the fact that that statement is not a prophecy of God, but a declaration of the people only. These developments show that when the time arrives that the real “peace-and-safety” cry is given, it will seem a very tangible thing to those who give it. Christendom will be united for avowed Christian purposes, and will be bringing about civic and moral reforms; for it is the purpose of the organizers of these American religious federations to bring about the federation of their people throughout the world. The nations will agree to submit their differences to the permanent court of arbitration.
When the great confederation of the nations for peace purposes has been brought about; when that great confederacy of Catholics and Protestants for moral reform and civic righteousness has been brought about; when they have, by the decree of Rev. 13:15, disposed of that troublesome company which refuses to worship that power and receive its mark—then, with all their troubles apparently at an end, the real cry of “peace and safety” will be given. But “when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, . . . and they shall not escape.”
Looking upon these confederating influences, working zealously toward a definite end, we hear the Word of God pronouncing the final dissolution of that work, and admonishing the people, in these words:—
“Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces. Take counsel together, and it shall come to naught; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us.
“For the Lord spake thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying, Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid.” Isa. 8:9-12.
The first verse of this scripture brings to view a confederating work that was not to be confined to two or three nations, but would spread to the “far countries.” That is what is being done to-day by the two confederacies already referred to. The Federal Council of Churches is reaching out to other lands; the Federation of Catholic Societies is also reaching across the seas. At the same time the great focusing peace-congress movement is growing in power and influence among the nations. But no matter how strongly they may “associate” themselves together, God declares that these associations, or confederacies, shall be broken in pieces. They will take counsel together, but it shall finally “come to naught;” and his positive counsel to his own people is that they “should not walk in the way of this people.”
In the same connection the prophet warns the child of God to “sanctify the Lord of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.” It is not a strange thing that there should come in this immediate connection these words: “Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples” (verse 16), nor that this other admonition should be recorded for that time: “And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God?” Spiritualism is one of the three designated powers that will form the great triad of apostasy, and all are to be linked together against the law of God, especially the seal of that law, the Sabbath commandment.
One feature of this federation movement that marks it as essentially unchristian is seen in what those bodies propose to do. The published purpose of the Federation of Catholic Societies is this: “To promote and defend Catholic interests and Catholic citizenship.” They have secured the repeal of laws which did not favor them, and have secured the passage of others that do. To further their purposes, they have secured the appointment of Catholics to official positions at home and abroad. They propose to enter as a religious organization into the civic struggles of the country. They declare it to be their purpose to promote a “Catholic public opinion in this country,” because “public opinion in America is the power behind the throne.” That means that it is their purpose to be that power.
One of the published purposes of the Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America is “to secure a larger combined influence for the churches of Christ in all matters affecting the moral and social conditions of the people, so as to promote the application of the law of Christ in every relation of human life.” In other words, men are to be compelled by law to conform to the principles of Christianity as interpreted by the combined churches of the country. Doing that was what kept Rome busy during the Dark Ages, and made the Inquisition a necessity.
Jesus Christ repudiated emphatically any such purpose as that expressed in the documents of those two organizations. He did not tamper with earthly thrones. He made no attempt to have oppressive laws abolished. He submitted to them even to the death, without retaliation or complaint of rights denied or infringed. He did not encourage his followers to constitute themselves a “power behind the throne.” Before his death, Jesus Christ was denied every natural right of man; but in spite of it all, neverdo we see him seeking any sort of combination to bring influence to bear upon rulers to conserve his rights, nor has he ever given such commission to his followers of any age. To teach, to baptize, to heal the sick, to encourage the disheartened, and to strengthen the weak — these are the legitimate occupations of the ambassador of Jesus Christ.
To enter into confederacies to “reform society” and bring about “civic righteousness;” to seek “to secure larger combined influence for the churches of Christ” in the temporal affairs of men; to seek so to mold public sentiment as to make the church a “power behind the throne;” to seek “to promote and defend Catholic interests and Catholic citizenship,” or Protestant interests and Protestant citizenship — these and all similar movements are out of harmony with, and diametrically opposed to, the fundamental principles of the religion of Jesus Christ. And what shall we say when such purposes are accomplished by “religious” laws that trample upon the rights of conscience, and make the most sincere religious belief and practise a crime?
Again and again would the disciples of Jesus have put him forward in the politics of this world, but he as often rebuked the attempt by word or act. One of his last declarations before his crucifixion was: “My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight.”
These combinations for political purposes have developed what is known as the “Christian lobby” at the capital for the purpose of securing just such ends as these confederacies are organized to accomplish. The mother of two of Jesus’ followers came to him at one time “lobbying” for official positions for her sons in his kingdom. He declared to her, “Ye know not what ye ask.” Matt. 20: 21, 22. The young men even declared themselves able to drink the cup he was to drink of, in their selfish eagerness for the position. The other ten “were moved with indignation” against the two, for they all had political aspirations. Jesus then set before them the political methods of the world, and declared, “It shall not be so among you.”
Surely God is not in such movements, nor is the cause of vital Christianity in any sense advanced thereby. These movements were pointed out years ago. Now they are fairly launched, and they are moving toward that long-predicted culmination with a rapidity and a precision that are cause for wonderment. The revelator, in foreshowing the work of that power which should afflict the remnant people of God till the end, says of it: “And there was given to him authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation. And all that dwell on the earth shall worship him, every one whose name hath not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb that hath been slain.” Rev. 13: 7, 8. That means a universal spiritual dominion. It can be brought about only by such a combination of forces as these to which we have herein made reference. Do we not see in these things the fulfilment of this scripture? —
“And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.”
“The Lord . . . instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people.”
C. M. S.