If United with Catholics, It Must Be on Papal Grounds—Notes of Warning—A Twentieth Century Apostasy—Masterpiece of Deception—None Need Be Deceived
Last week Elder Porter told of the federation movement that is in progress in the Catholic Church. He told of the overtures on the part of both Protestants and Catholics to unite as a single federal power to promote “civic righteousness,” to enforce the observance of Sunday, and so on.
With this great federal movement in mind, the reader will find much in this article to provide serious meditation. History is repeating itself in the formation of a religious despotism. Protestants, so called, are helping to form it; and when it is completed, Rome will be found standing at the head.
In this thing, prophecy is fulfilling. Our published literature will show that for more than fifty years, we have been teaching that this generation will see a world-wide religious despotism, with the papal power supreme. Prophecies that are incontrovertibly plain have been relied on in advancing this position. People who are not confused by intoxicating delusions, ought to be able to see things that are so plain. Both the prophecy and its fulfilment are now before our eyes.
Editor.
The Catholic federation has thus far manifested its design in some directions. It stands for the exaltation of the sacrifice of the mass rather than the sacrifice of Christ. It seeks supremacy for the pope of Rome over the nations of earth instead of the supremacy of Christ over the hearts of men. It seeks through the eucharist to exalt the man of sin instead of the Man of Calvary. It seeks to exalt the pagan-born, Rome-christened Sunday festival instead of the Sabbath of the Lord. Let every honest soul take warning, and seek refuge at the foot of the cross of Christ instead of at the feet of the papacy.
Has Protestantism Ceased to Protest?
In the face of these plain facts, Protestants, in their councils, have seriously discussed and agreed to dropping the name “Protestant” from their federation name because it interfered with a federation with Catholics in this great federated church movement.
Can not Protestants see, as Catholics and others do, that Protestantism has ceased to protest? Can they not see that the only basis of union with Catholicism in this federation movement is by the sacrifice of Protestantism, and an apostasy that places Protestantism on the level of Catholic dogmas? Can she not see that she must accept the intolerant principle of the papacy before she can adopt the proposed law-enforced conversion?
They Will Unite on Catholic Principles
From the present trend of events on the part of both Protestantism and Catholicism, it is as certain as that night follows day, that these two great federated bodies will unite upon Catholic principles, and swing the world backward into the midnight of the Dark Ages, when the Bible was a forbidden book, chained to the desks or pulpits of priests. In place of these federations proving to have been for national reform, they will prove to have resulted in national ruin. The conflict of the ages will soon culminate with the papacy and all the allies she can summon to her support arrayed against the word of God, as of old.
A Note of Warning
Some Protestants see the danger in the federation movement, and their timely words of warning are worthy of serious consideration. The editor of the Lutheran believes in a church unity that works from the heart out, not from the head into formal federation. In the issue of April 6, 1911, he says:
“There is need of church unity, a wonderful need. But let us talk church unity sensibly. Let us not attempt to make it seem what it is not, the counting of so many heads under one ecclesiastical name, the joining together of a bundle of fellowship sentiments and the rooting up of mighty convictions. Should Methodists talk unity with Unitarians, Universalists, and Jews? Should Baptists, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, and even Lutherans (save the mark) do so? Is it honest? Is it even charitable? How hollow and insincere must be such talk on the part of Christians, when they know they must sacrifice the Godhead of Christ by talking unity! And yet that very thing was done in the city of Philadelphia. Now a Christian can have social fellowship with all men who differ from him; but can he have doctrinal and church fellowship with them?—Never!”
How a Baptist Views It
This logical and very reasonable appeal must meet a response from every consistent and unbiased person. A Baptist in the Western Recorder says:
“The old Baptist cry, ‘Absolute religious liberty for all,’ is the cry of my soul. . . . Instead of the much vaunted ‘federation,’ we need that broadness of mind and religion which will concede that all others have equal honesty and sincerity with ourselves, and almost as much intelligence. With such a spirit we would listen to each other and learn; but as it is with most of us, a kind of self-entertained infallibility, and consequent prejudice against all other views than our own, close our ears to all expositions contrary to our belief. Especially is this true of all who know nothing of the grace of God in regeneration, for all such follow a creed instead of Christ. . . . Better far opposing denominationalism, with religious liberty for all alike, than ‘federation’ with dominating control.”
Every principle set forth in this warning and appeal is a fundamental gospel principle. To undertake such a federation movement as has been inaugurated, requires an assumed infallibility. Not only so, but such a federation is an advertisement that Protestantism has lost from its experience righteousness by faith, and is seeking to compensate for the loss by enforcing a religion of works.
Twentieth Century Repetition of Apostasy
It is the sad story of Israel’s apostasy repeated in the twentieth century of professedly Christian faith. No regenerated man ever sought to enforce conversion upon others. A religion of works alone undertakes to compel religious observances.
Federation or Christ
In the days of Elijah a great religious movement sought to undermine and dethrone true religious experience. The prophet then brought the people face to face with the true issue, that they might choose the side they would take. At that time it was a choice between following Baal and following God. In the days of Christ’s first advent the Jews were brought to the choice between Christ and Barabbas. Now the world must choose between Christ and this great federation movement, which will as certainly exclude Christ, in its enforced religion of works, before the second advent of Christ, as did Israel of old before the first advent.
It can not be too often repeated that from the beginning, in his work of deception, Satan posed as a reformer.
In the last days of human history, “this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” These are the words of Christ. Do they warrant gospel enforcement?—No. The gospel of the kingdom is to be preached with divine power in all the world as a witness. No one is to be forced to obey it.
Why Is Satan Doing Thus?
Why is Satan deceiving the professed Christian church of our time into establishing a counter-kingdom on earth before Christ’s second advent? Let Christ answer:442
“Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, He is in the desert; go not forth: behold, He is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” Matt. 24: 23-27.
A Masterpiece of Deception
This federation movement is Satan’s masterpiece of deception. It is a false view of the establishment of the kingdom of Christ. The miracle-working power of Spiritualism will join the federation. Isa. 8: 19. Satan himself, transformed into an angel of light, will eventually take control as king. “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.” 2 Cor. 11: 13-15.
Through this federation movement, his ministers are on hand as ministers of “civic righteousness.” But it will be impossible to deceive the elect. They know that Christ’s kingdom is not established through federation. It will be established when He comes again in the same manner in which He ascended. They also know that the closing message of the gospel of the kingdom is a message of faith and voluntary obedience to the commandments of God, not a gospel of federation and force. “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. . . . 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. . . . And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.” Rev. 14: 12, 14, 16.
Opposition and No Overlapping
The intelligent Bible student knows that Satan will oppose this message; and as he parceled out the parishes of the world before the great Protestant Reformation movement through the Papacy, and declared that there should be “no overlapping,” he will parcel out the parishes of the world in the last generation, and declare that there shall be no overlapping, in order to hedge up the way for the proclamation of the last gospel message before Christ’s second advent. “And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Rev. 12: 17.
The remnant of the seed of the woman is the last Christian church. The Christian church of to-day has no more to fear from the present-day federation movement than did the Christian church in the days of the apostles or in Protestant Reformation times. God has declared that, regardless of the wrath of the dragon, “this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world” just before the end, and He will see that it is done. The battle is not ours, but His.
No Excuse for Being Deceived
God has left the world absolutely without excuse if it is deceived by this last-day church federation movement. He has given definite warning against this very federation at this very time, when the last call of the gospel of the kingdom is sounding.
“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. Sanctify the Lord of hosts Himself; and let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread. And He shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offense to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken. Bind up the testimony, seal the law among My disciples. And I will wait upon the Lord, that hideth His face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for Him.” Isa. 8: 9-17.
Trust Him, and Not a Confederacy
At the very time when men are looking for Christ to return in power and great glory to establish His kingdom upon the ruins of this false federation, which at His coming shall be swept from His presence like the chaff of the summer threshing-floor, He instructs His disciples to put their trust in Him, and not in a human confederacy, even though it is supported by miracle-working power.
He places in their hands the test of every reform movement: “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Verse 20.
All confederacies to establish the kingdom of Christ shall fail. They shall speak the word of terror, but “it shall not stand: for God is with us,” says the prophet on behalf of the waiting, loyal church of Christ.
While we sadly review the apostasy that is federating to establish a false kingdom of God just before Christ’s return, let us thank God and take courage because the true is very soon to be established; and as the mighty God is its support, there can be no defeat to the child of faith. There is no failure with God.
He might have destroyed Satan in the beginning, but He chose to conduct His work to a successful termination in the face of Satan’s opposition. God has succeeded during the conflicts of the past; and with Paul we may say for the brief but thrilling conflict of the future, “If God be for us, who can be against us?”
