"WHAT IS THE THIRD ANGEL'S MESSAGE?"
By C. P. B.
OUR last article on this subject closed with a reference to the deadly wound which the Papacy received from the French in 1798. But just as that power was temporarily overthrown the prophet saw another power coming up. He says: "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." Rev. 13:11, 12. It will be observed that the prophet expressly states that this is "another beast." And we learn that it comes up out of the earth, whereas the others were seen coming up out of the sea. By referring to Revelation 17:15 we learn that the sea is a symbol of peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues; we also learn from Jer. 25:31-33 that winds mean war and strife among the people, therefore when we read in Dan. 7:2 that the four winds of heaven strove upon the great sea, and that as a result, four beasts symbolizing four kingdoms came up, we understand that it means that these kingdoms were the result of war. And certain it is that these nations arose in countries already thickly peopled, and that they were the result of war. But in Rev. 13:11 we have another and quite different symbol introduced; it is a beast, or nation, coming up out of the earth, or growing up as a plant. It is not formed all at once of people already existing, but like a sturdy plant it grows up and occupies territory not previously occupied; it is not the result of strife, but of growth.536 This leads us to inquire what part of the world was at this time in a condition to meet the specifications of this prophecy? We find that in 1798 Europe, Asia, and Africa were occupied by peoples, and multitudes, and organized nations, and that they had been so occupied from time immemorial, therefore as the symbols which are directly connected with the beast representing the Roman power embraced the principal parts of all these countries, and as all the rest of the known parts of the Eastern Hemisphere were occupied by established nations, we must of necessity look for the other beast in the Western Hemisphere. But not only was the Eastern Hemisphere occupied by the power symbolized by the beast having the ten horns, but France, Spain, Portugal, and Great Britain, parts of what was once the Roman Empire, held by far the greater part of the Western Continent, so that at this time the United States was the only independent government occupying territory not previously occupied by other and older governments, therefore we are shut up to the conclusion that the United States is the power indicated in Revelation 13:11-17. But of course such a conclusion will not be readily accepted unless we can point to events showing that the work indicated in the prophecy, namely, the making of the image to the Papacy, is being done in this country. This makes it necessary that we understand the characteristics of the Papacy, for an image to that power must resemble it. The Papacy is, as all Protestants agree, referred to in 2 Thess. 2:1 and onward. Dowling refers this scripture to the Papacy, and says:— "There is a remarkable passage in Tertullian's Apology, that may serve to justify the sense which Protestants put upon these verses; and since it was written long before the accomplishment of the predictions it deserves the more attention. 'Christians,' says he, 'are under a particular necessity of praying for the emperors, and for the continued state of the empire; because we know that dreadful power which hangs over the world, and the conclusion of the age, which threatens the most horrible evils, is restrained by the continuance of the time appointed for the Roman Empire. This is what we would not experience; and while we pray that it may be deferred, we hereby show our goodwill to the perpetuity of the Roman State.'"—History of Romanism, chap. 1, sec. 5. It is manifest from this extract that the Christians even one hundred and twenty years before the pagan government of Rome came to its end looked forward to that period as pregnant with calamity to the cause of Christ. "For while," says Dowling, "the long and harassing persecutions, which were carried on by the pagan Roman emperors, continued, and all secular advantages were on the side of paganism, there was little encouragement for anyone to embrace Christianity, who did not discern somewhat of its truth and excellence." Continuing, the same historian says:— "Many of the errors, indeed, of several centuries, the fruit of vain philosophy, paved the way for the events which followed; but the hindrance was not effectually removed, until Constantine the emperor, on professing himself a Christian, undertook to convert the kingdom of Christ into a kingdom of this world, by exalting the teachers of Christianity to the same state of affluence, and grandeur, and influence in the empire, as had been enjoyed by pagan priests and secular officers in the State. The professed ministers of Jesus having now a wide field opened to them for gratifying their lust of power, wealth, and dignity, the connection between the Christian faith and the cross was at an end. What followed was the kingdom of the clergy, supplanting the kingdom of Jesus Christ." "Every feature in the inspired description corresponds to that of a religious power, in the assumption of divine authority, divine honors, and divine worship; a power which should arrogate the prerogatives of the Most High, having its seat in the temple or house of God, and which should be carried on by Satan's influence, with all deceit, hypocrisy, and tyranny; and with this corresponds the figurative representation given of the same power, in the thirteenth chapter of Revelation."—Id., sec. 6. "In all these transactions, the substitution of human for divine authority, contentions about words instead of the faith once delivered to the saints, pomp and splendor of worship, for the primitive simplicity, and worldly power and dignity instead of self-denied labors of love and bearing the cross. This baneful change operated in darkening the human mind as to the real nature of true Christianity, until, in process of time, it was lost sight of."—Id. sec. 6. As appears from this testimony, the distinguishing feature of the Papacy is a union of civil and ecclesiastical power. Writing directly on this point, Dowling says:— "It was owing to forgetfulness or disregard of the important principle that Christ's kingdom is not of this world, that the Emperor Constantine, soon after his remarkable, and as some suppose, miraculous conversion to Christianity in the year 312, took the religion of Christ to the unhallowed embraces of the State, assumed to unite in his own person the civil and ecclesiastical dominion, and claimed the power of convening councils and presiding in them, and of regulating the external affairs of the church."—Id. sec. 5. The emperor's first mistake was in taking the religion of Christ into "the unhallowed embrace of the State;" and the second, that of assuming to rule the church, naturally followed; indeed, this assumption on the part of the emperor was inevitable; having united Church and State, he, as emperor, must of necessity either rule the church, or allow the church to rule both him and his empire. Where both Church and State keep within their proper spheres, each may be supreme within its sphere, but when the two form a partnership the one must rule and the other be ruled. Prior to the time of Constantine the bishops of the Christian church had gained such influence in the Roman Empire that the emperor desired to use them to advance his own interests. In fact, he found it necessary to do so, for if their influence were not exerted in his behalf it would be against him, and as he could not destroy it, he had to turn it to his own advantage. In regard to this, Killen gives the following testimony:— "As early as the middle of the second century the bishop, at least in some places, was entrusted with the chief management of the funds of the church; and, probably about fifty years afterwards, a large share of its revenues was appropriated to his personal maintenance. His superior wealth soon added immensely to his influence. He was thus enabled to maintain a higher position in society than any of his brethren; and he was at length regarded as the great fountain of patronage and preferment." "In the third century the chief pastor of the Western metropolis must have been known to the great officers of government, and perhaps to the emperor himself. Decius must have regarded the Roman bishop as a somewhat formidable personage when he declared that he would sooner tolerate a rival candidate for the throne, and when he proclaimed his determination to annihilate the very office."—The Ancient Church, pp. 590, 591. It is even so in our own country at the present time. The churches have become numerically and financially strong, and those who stand high in them exercise a powerful influence in political affairs. This would perhaps not be dangerous were this influence exerted by each church separately, for the influence of one would neutralize that of another; nor is it so hurtful when exercised in the proper direction; but when the influence of several is united and used for the accomplishment of political objects it becomes dangerous. This fact was recognized in 1829 by the Committee of the United States Senate on post-offices and post-roads, to whom was referred a petition asking that the carrying of mails on Sunday be suspended. On that occasion Hon. Richard M. Johnson, chairman of that committee, submitted a report in which the following language occurs:— "Extensive religious combinations to effect a political object are, in the opinion of the committee, always dangerous. This first effort of this kind calls for the establishment of a principle which, in the opinion of the committee, would lay the foundation for dangerous innovations upon the spirit of the Constitution, and upon the religious rights of the citizens. If admitted, it may be justly apprehended that the future measures of the government will be strongly marked, if not eventually controlled, by the same influence. All religious despotisms commence by combination, and, when that influence begins to operate upon the political institutions of a country, the civil power soon bends under it; and the catastrophe of other nations furnishes an awful warning of the consequences." It was even so in Rome, and will likewise prove true in this country even as it has in every country and in every age. But notwithstanding the danger and the fact that this danger is recognized, there are extensive religious combinations in this country for the express purpose of effecting political objects. Prominent among these are the National Reform Association, and the American Sabbath Union. The latter, though the younger organization is probably even now the most powerful. Both of these organizations are demanding legislation which involves the principle of the union of Church and State, because it demands official recognition of Christianity as such, and it follows of necessity that if Christianity is to be recognized by the government, the government must define and tell what Christianity is. It must, in fact, as was stated by Professor Blanchard in the National Reform convention held in Pittsburg in 1874, either "establish a standard of religion or admit anything called religion, as it has already the Oneida Community in New York, the Mormons in Utah, and the Joss House in California." But a definite analysis of the work and aims of these associations must be left for another paper.