AN ECCLESIASTICAL FEDERATION
History Repeating Itself—The Church Not to Use the Power of Numbers, but the Power of His Grace—Divine Words of Warning Against a Great Apostasy Framed for the Last Days For the past eight or ten years, there has been a continued and persistent effort, on the part of churchmen, to get an action through Congress that will increase the number of chaplains. The House, some weeks ago, on a point of order, ruled out from one of its bills the paragraphs providing for the creation of the grade of acting chaplain, and for an increase of naval chaplains from twenty-four to fifty-two. But the Senate recently, in committee of the whole, restored those paragraphs as an amendment. The “grade of acting chaplain” is to be created so that men can be taken in as sort of apprentices, and tested for some three years, to see whether or not they are suitable for appointment as permanent chaplains. The Federal Council of Churches sends out information that “the united appeal of the churches represented by the Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America, the Commission of the Protestant Episcopal Church, and the Roman Catholic Church, through Father O’Hern, together with the active support of the secretary of the navy, Naval Chaplain Bayard, and others, has convinced both houses that simple justice required an advance in this arm of the service. The action of the General Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church, of the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, of the General Synod of the Reformed Church in the United States, of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, undoubtedly had a cumulative effect upon senators and representatives.” And right here lies one of the most significant things in American life at the present time. Leaders in all the great churches are combining to bring to bear the force of their numbers upon lawmakers. The church is not in the world for any such political purpose. Christ was never found in any way acting as a politician. Neither were any of His apostles. But after Christ was crucified, and His apostles came upon the stage of action, they predicted a “falling away.” And this “falling away” was brought about, as all history attests, through the Christian church becoming popular, and through its increasing numbers entering the field of politics. It formed a partnership with the state, to become an ecclesiastical-political power rather than a great spiritual power for the purpose of regenerating the souls of men. History is about to repeat itself in the formation of an ecclesiastical persecuting power. True men, who study their Bibles, are going to see this, and avoid it. But political leaders in the church in this day, the same as in the fourth century, will go blindly forward in the creation of this great despotism. It will be the climax of apostasy, to be met by the great climax of the second coming of Christ, whose coming will bring joy to every true believer. One of the prophecies concerning this ecclesiastical power is presented under the symbol of the beast, and reads as follows: “And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: and that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” Rev. 13: 11-17. By referring to the twentieth verse of the nineteenth chapter, it will be seen that this same power is spoken of, and that it is alive and active when it goes to its doom in the lake of fire. This is conclusive evidence that this great persecuting power presented in the prophecy performs its fearful work right at the close of time. But still further evidence that this power operates in the last days, is shown in the great message of warning that God sends against it, which is expressed in these words: “And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of His indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God,441and the faith of Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth; Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them. And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.” Rev. 14:9-14. The Climax of the Message
It will be seen, from these verses, that the climax of this warning message is to prepare the world for the second coming of Christ. Thus are presented two great rival powers: on the one hand, an ecclesiastical apostasy demanding worship under the penalty of death; on the other hand, the warning message from God that the man who bows to this apostate power must suffer the divine penalty. It is clear that these prophecies refer to the very last days. They are strong in their presentation of the mighty truth. It is well to study them closely and to know that we are standing with God.