A REVIVAL OF ANCIENT SUPERSTITION
By G.
An Ominous Sign of the Times.
We have received, with a request to publish, the circular of a new Church-and-State movement. The predominant peculiarity of this movement is that it makes the Gospel of Christ dependent upon every government in the world for its dissemination. It proposes to carry the Gospel of salvation victoriously to all nations by simply attaching an outward symbol to the flag of each nation. The opening statement of the circular is as follows:— The “World-League for Christian Patriotism” has just been organized in Chicago. Its object is “to stimulate, aid, and unify movements for Christian patriotism, to hallow the flag, and to point to Christianity as the basis of human order and progress.” It seeks the world-wide use of an emblem, two crossed flags, one to stand for patriotism, the other for Christianity. The design of the latter is a crimson Latin cross on the small field of white, and on the larger field of blue the words, “By this Sign Conquer.” The use of this flag the world around in conjunction with the flag of each country, will, it is believed, be a most emphatic protest against anarchy, and a positive aid in fostering patriotism on a sure basis. History attests that the more importance men attach to forms and ceremonies and symbols, the further they depart from true principles. Display takes the place of real worth only in the estimation of superficial or credulous minds. The farther the Pharisees departed from the Word of God, the broader they made their phylacteries, and the more conspicuous their garments and their ceremonies. Only a misguided or ambitious mind will set up a fetish, and only a superstitious people will follow it. Making a standard of the crucifix, or outward sign, instead of the cross (spiritual) is equivalent to trusting in the blood of “bulls and of goats” instead of the blood of Christ. The proposition of this “world-league” is a revival of an ancient superstition in connection with the Emperor Constantine of Rome. Gibbon tells us that Constantine is reported (by Eusebius) “to have seen with his own eyes the luminous trophy of the cross, placed above the meridian sun, and inscribed with the words, ‘By this conquer.’ This amazing object in the sky astonished the whole army, as well as the emperor himself, who was yet undetermined in the choice of a religion; but his astonishment was converted into faith by the vision of the ensuing night. Christ appeared before his eyes; and displaying the same celestial sign of the cross, He directed Constantine to frame a similar standard, and to march, with an assurance of victory, against Maxentius, and against all his enemies.”—History of Christianity, p. 311. Gibbon deems the story a “fable,” and associates it with another romance by Nazarius, a pagan. The historian says: “Nazarius and Eusebius are the two most celebrated orators, who, in studied panegyrics, have labored to exalt the glory of Constantine. Nine years after the Roman victory, Nazarius describes an army of divine warriors, who seemed to fall from the sky. He marks their beauty, their spirit, their gigantic forms, the stream of light which beamed from their celestial armor, their patience in suffering themselves to be heard as well as seen, by mortals; and their declaration that they were sent, that they flew, to the assistance of the great Constantine. For the truth of this prodigy, the pagan orator appeals to the whole Gallic nation, in whose presence he was then speaking, and seems to hope that the ancient apparitions would now obtain credit from this recent and public event.”—Id. As to the statement of this world-league’s object, it seems a strange infatuation that this fallible human power is to have the wonderful endowment to “hallow” (make holy) the flag to which its emblem shall be attached. This proposition is of itself astounding; but when we consider the further assumption to vouchsafe victory to every country in the world that will set up this emblem in connection with its flag, the assurance is preposterous. For instance, Mohammedan Turkey would attach this league’s emblem of the cross to its crescent and star, and say to its armies; “By this conquer,” and the sultan’s subjects would be fired with such a degree of “Christian patriotism” that no foe could stand before them. All they would need would be the sign. All that Constantine had was the sign, according to the legend, to give victory to the Roman arms. Then the king of ancestor-worshiping Siam would attach the league’s emblem of the cross to his white-elephant flag, and his armies would be invincible. So, too, the heathen Chinese would connect the sign of the cross with the dragon flag of the empire, and what combination of foreigners could stand against the hordes of newly-fledged “Christian patriots”? That is the logic of the theory; but we must not forget that all the other nations are supposed to carry the same invincible sign in connection with their flags. Many people will say, Surely such an absurd proposition can not receive serious consideration. But this is an age of delusions, and the masses are easily attracted by glittering signs and promising schemes. The circular of this sanguine league says:— The striking emblem is used in various forms. As a button badge it was used last October by the one thousand delegates at the annual meeting of [O, the pity of it!] the American Missionary Association at Oak Park, Ill. Its fitness as an emblem of the home mission work of the churches is manifest. As a witness for God and government it is now being worn by many thousands in almost every State of the Union, and in Alaska, Cuba, Porto Rico, Hawaii, and the Philippine Islands. The emblem is also in use as a color print on stationery, church leaflets, etc. Publishers, aware of the spread of the movement, are asking permission to use the imprint on books, and a new song book now being issued in Chicago bears the imprint on its cover. The Cook County Sunday-school Association (Chicago) uses it on its purity and temperance pledge cards, and the Nebraska State Christian Endeavor Union has adopted the emblem for its civic clubs and work of Christian Citizenship. In addition the emblem is being used in the shape of banner flags, church decorations, etc., and is to be used as a design for stained-glass windows. This movement bids fair to leave its mark on history. Already it has started the observance of a Sunday each year in the Sunday-school as “Citizenship Sunday,” and given an emblem to the civic clubs on a Christian basis, now being organized everywhere. It is hallowing the flag and securing a larger use of it in the churches. It has enlisted the co-operation of Methodist, Baptist, Congregational, Lutheran, Christian, Episcopal, Presbyterian, and Roman Catholic pastors on the Executive Board. Constantine was the first monarch actually to effect a union of the State with the Christian Church. The principle was brought over from paganism, and was originally a perversion of the true theocracy, afterward attempted in Israel. But the prophecy of Revelation 13 indicates that in the closing years of time the one-time deadly wound of this Church-and-State power will be healed, and all the world will wonder after the beast, and will say, “Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him?” Then it is not surprising to see a revival of the ancient superstition connected with its introduction. It is not surprising to see such schemes adopted by those who imagine they see victory in the outward sign of the cross attached to the flags of the world. The power of the true Gospel of Christ is the Word of God; but “the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith.” It also says that “in the last days perilous times shall come,” because of the selfish worldliness of those who hold to “the form of godliness;” who put their trust in outward signs, and deny the power of true godliness—the Word of God—and lean upon the power of earthly governments. See 1 Tim. 4: 1; 2 Tim. 3: 1-5. It is the part of wisdom to beware of world-leagues for so-called “Christian patriotism.” They are world leagues indeed and in truth.