THE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY IN OUR OWN COUNTRY.
By J. O. Corliss
At the very time when the union of the Papacy with the civil power received its deadly wound, through the dethronement of the pope, and by which the persecution of the saints was curtailed, the prophet saw another political body just arising into prominence. This power is also symbolized by a beast, not a ferocious, bloodthirsty one like that which was the very life and stay of the Papacy, but a gentle, lamblike creature, one whose sway promised the greatest mildness and consideration for all. Yet, after describing the outward appearance of this beast, the prophet adds the significant words, "And he spake as a dragon." Rev. 13:11. It is perhaps well to be reminded at this point that this was just what the first beast had done all along his course. In fact, all the power and authority he possessed were given him by the dragon. Having failed fully to complete his intended work through the administration represented by that beast, another is employed, that outwardly appears to be only mildness and tenderness, through which to fill up the measure of his mysterious workings of iniquity. When the wicked power of the first beast was broken through the captivity of the pope in 1798, there was but one power in all the world being lifted into prominence which would meet the specifications of the second, or two-horned, beast. There was one, however, the United States, which had but a few years before gained an independent standing as one of the nations of the world, and was at that time a marvel of growth and prosperity. It was a government of the people, a "State without a king, and a church without a pope." It therefore proclaimed freedom of speech and religious independence to all within its borders, and extended to the oppressed and worried of all the world a cordial invitation to its shores, with the promise of immunity from disturbance on account of religious belief. No government could stand on more liberal principles; no profession could be more lamblike. And yet, before its career is closed, the prophet hears this government speak as a dragon. To do this one of two things must be true: Either the first pretensions of the government were false and hypocritical, or else it failed to guard its principles from the insidious advances of the dragon spirit; for when it comes to speak as the dragon, it is plainly evident that it has so far fallen under his control as to boldly speak his words, which are but the expression of his will. We must believe that those who framed the organic laws of this nation were sincere in the act; for their earlier experience with the powers of the Old World had driven them to the New, to model a government that would insure equal rights to all. The authority of the voice of Satan in the affairs of the government must, therefore, be usurped. This, too, must have been effected in a way not to arouse the fears of those concerned, for with the history before them of every other nation in the world having been managed by his adroitness, to administer galling tyranny over the saints, the first intimation of his design would have been met by the erection of a wall which would have effectually barred him from the counsels of the State. There was indeed but one way by which such a thing could be accomplished, namely, by appearing as an angel of goodness to uplift the people into a higher social and moral state. In other words, he assumes the livery of the mystery of God, in which to bring forward and set in operation his own mystery of iniquity. Let us see if this is not so. The very first thing attempted as the result of the dragon's voice through the government is the formation of an image to the first beast, which had been under the full control of the dragon, and by whose authority the saints were put to death by civil enactment. Verse 14. To make an image of or to an object is to form something to look like that object which was chosen as a model; hence the United States Government must, to carry out the symbol, under the dictation of the dragon voice, make of itself a form of sovereignty like that which bore sway in Europe under the dictation of the papal church. It may be objected that the papal church does not bear sway in this country, but that is not against the proposition; for all that is necessary to the fulfillment of the specifications is to find the same principles carried out as were behind the papal church. Any church, therefore, or combination of churches which shall do as that power did—seek to control civil legislation in behalf of religion—journeys in the same direction, and must reach the same results, as did the church of the Dark Ages. When this government so far forgets its duty that it allows itself to be drawn into playing at courtship with the church, even though her fair and smiling face makes the first advances, it will soon find itself involved in a difficulty from which it fain would extricate itself if it were possible to do so. INFLUENCE OF RELIGIOUS LEGISLATION.
It must be plain to every mind that when this government does allow the church to influence its legislation in behalf of religious doctrines or institutions, laws will inevitably follow which reflect the religious sentiment alone of that part of the people from whose influence the laws had their origin. Such could not fail to conflict with the consciences of some others—and those perchance of the best citizen—who happen to hold a different756religious sentiment on some vital point covered by the legislation. It would indeed be next to impossible to avoid such a calamity, from the fact that any religious legislation asked for, must be on the ground that it is essential to the peace and quiet of the commonwealth. But this implies that some are not in harmony with the sentiment of such legislation; otherwise legislative restraint would not be necessary. But why restrain one by civil law in matters of religion? Religion is a child of conscience alone, hence when laws are established regulating religion in any form, it is so much an interference with the conscience, by the civil law. Then when one law has been enacted requiring conformity on one point in religion, it is easy to make other laws looking in the same direction, until the State becomes the guardian of every conscience, controlling all religious thought under pains and penalties. Cruel oppression follows such assumptions, as surely as rivers course toward the sea, because a State-enforced religion is the parent of all tyranny. Many have religious convictions so profound that they will not yield them to the judgment of any earthly power, however much authority it may assume. The only remedy for such evil, therefore, is to let it alone before it is meddled with; for in the first step in this direction lies concealed the great danger. The invisible power which is behind all such movements purposely draws a veil over the future to prevent a sight of the results sure to follow, while it is made to appear absolutely necessary to the welfare of the nation that just a certain amount of moral legislation should be established. Thus the church presses its claims until the fatal step is taken, and the State commits itself to the guidance of the church, the influence of which she uses to advance her authority in the suppression of those who dissent from her dogmas of faith. This is the invariable result of the church and State uniting their interests in any degree. It is therefore Satan's sure method of bringing the religion of Christ into disrepute. By not stopping to weigh the infinite difference between a State religion and that taught in the Bible, some see only the depravity of the former, and denounce all religion as a bundle of wicked inconsistencies. It was this same thing of the church permitting herself to serve the mystery of iniquity, while professing to be controlled by the mystery of God, that drove the whole French nation into the mire of infidelity, near the close of the last century. This is Satan's triumph over the church, and that, too, through its own instrumentality. It may be thought that the United States Government, with its finely worded Constitution, could not possibly be led to persecute as papal countries have done. To such it may be said, Do not deceive yourselves. Religious bigotry is the same at all times, simply because Satan is the author and promoter of it always. The men of the Dark Ages did not persecute others because they were Catholics, but because they were human, and had the power to do so. It is not the name which men assume that makes demons of them, but the spirit they cherish. Let Protestants drink in the same spirit of narrow bigotry, and give them the same influence those men had, and they would without doubt go just as far as they did to secure the co-operation of the government in putting down those who choose to differ with them in religious belief. So far as the wording of the United States Constitution goes, nothing could give stronger guarantee for liberty of conscience to every shade of religious belief. Yet the prophet has not only assured us beforehand that the nation would speak as a dragon, which is the voice of vindictive persecution, but has also said that it would exercise "all the power of the first beast before him," to compel men to pay homage to the first beast. Verse 12. This beast, as already learned, symbolized, not simply the papal church, but the form of government produced by the union of that church with the civil power. To worship that beast is therefore to venerate the form of government which that beast symbolized. By making an image to that, and compelling its recognition in a religious way, the United States forces those under its jurisdiction to worship the beast which stands for such a government. It is not necessary, therefore, to compel people to outwardly acknowledge the papal church or its ceremonies, but only the form of government by which that church was built up in the mystery of iniquity. This may be done through the forms of Protestantism, pushed by the narrow bigotry of its adherents, just as successfully as it was accomplished then through the forms of the Roman Church. It is not necessary to scan the horizon of the distant future, either, to see the operation of such force in the United States. Already more than a beginning has been made in that direction, in this vaunted home of liberty. For many years there was in the country a vein of religious thought, expressing the desire to have the church and its teachings upheld by the laws of the government. This culminated, in 1863, in the formation of an organic body known as the National Reform Association, the object of which, as set forth in its constitution, is to secure such a change in the Constitution of this government as to "declare the nation's allegiance to Jesus Christ," and "so indicate that this is a Christian nation, and place all the Christian laws, institutions, and usages of our government on an undeniable legal basis in the fundamental law of the land." This of course would place the dictation of the will of God to man in the power of the civil government, and would be the same force that, under the Papacy, put millions of helpless people to death, simply because they chose to train their consciences by the Bible rather than by the religious dictates of the civil power. The same dire results would also follow, for while to some the advancement of Christianity may seem a plausible pretext for uniting the efforts of the State with the church, the end has always been evil and only evil. Both the church and the State were thereby corrupted. It could not be otherwise, because God, being jealous of his honor and power, will by no means suffer them to be debased by secular interference. When, therefore, the church seeks the alliance of earthly authority for the enforcement of her decrees, that is the severing of her communion with God and heavenly efficacy, her withdrawal from the spouse of her youth, to engage in illicit intercourse with the world, and so to receive the support of civil rule for the advancement of her design to command the consciences of men under pains and penalties. But notwithstanding the hard facts of history and logic, the majority of religious people encourage such work. Already various organizations have appeared as church auxiliaries, with one declared object in view, namely, to bring in the reign of Christ and everlasting righteousness among men "through the gateway of politics." In other words, they desire to establish the supremacy of the church by the support of the civil power. One of the best known of these organizations is the American Sabbath Union, which was formed in November, 1888. Its whole energy has been given toward creating a sentiment favorable to the nation's legislating for the church. The particular point chosen upon which to establish a precedent is, as might be expected from its organic name, the better observance of Sunday. One prominent reason assigned for asking the government to enforce the teachings of the church on this question is that "the interests of the Church and State are united. They must stand or fall together." It is therefore concluded that "when the church of God awakes, and does its duty on one side, and the State on the other, we shall have no further trouble in this matter." It is plain from these quotations what these people desire. They have concluded that Sunday ought to be sacredly regarded, but as the word of God does not enjoin it, and they have therefore no appeal in that direction, the State is called upon to enforce their church ordinance upon all, regardless of their moral attitude toward the church. But while these pseudo reformers are obliged to acknowledge that the Bible nowhere demands the observance of Sunday, the first day of the week, in the place of the ancient Sabbath, which is the seventh day, yet they insist that "the observance of the Sabbath [Sunday] is an acknowledgment of the sovereign right of God over us." But how can this be, when God nowhere asks us to observe that day? But suppose he had, and that the observance of that day were an acknowledgment of God's sovereignty over us, why should the civil government undertake to make one of its peaceable, law-abiding citizens pay unwilling homage to God? Does God ask more than willing submission to him? But if one is by civil law required to render outward recognition of God's sovereignty against his own will, is not that person compelled to appear to be what he really is not in heart? And is not that what the world properly calls hypocrisy? Is such an act any more acceptable to God than open rebellion against him? Who does not know that a hypocrite is odious to the sight of both God and man? Then what is gained by such laws?—Nothing but a state of public turmoil and a nation of hypocrites. But it is contended in behalf of Sunday laws that "the man who does not subscribe to the doctrine of Sabbath observance is a traitor to his country, and should be treated as such." Think of that. A traitor's punishment is usually banishment or death. Do these upholders of a religio-political power mean that they desire to banish or put to death all who differ with them in the matter of Sunday keeping? That is the logical import of their language. What is this but to link religion so closely with the State that a man's citizenship must depend wholly on his observance of certain religious ceremonies? What could more nearly approach the757domineering spirit of the Roman Church when at the zenith of its persecuting power? But the objection is urged that this cannot be persecution, because it is Protestantism—true Christianity—and that never persecutes, being a religion of liberty. True enough; Christianity cannot persecute, because it is the mystery of God alone, working in each individual heart, giving that heart an inner power and consciousness for a guide, instead of civil enactments and human power. Everyone, too, who knows the working of that mystery in his own heart is satisfied to let the same power operate in the hearts of others without any of his intermeddling. But when the mystery of iniquity assumes to work in the church, in the name of the mystery of God, the result is altogether different; then the church at large assumes the keeping of the consciences of all, and demands their regulation by outward force. And this proves a failure every time, because it being only outward force, operates alone in outward form, without affecting the heart, which is the only spring of spiritual worship. Any form of religion, therefore, which is regulated by law, from without, is an injury to all who are forced to submit, for the reason that conformity to such a law prevents them from following the requirements of conscience, which may be in direct conflict to the demands of the human enactment. To yield to the outward demand is to deny the inward call, and so stifle conscience. This is a hardship of no small degree. But when men suffer in consequence, especially in the matter of the Sabbath, the affair is passed with the cool statement that "it is better that a few suffer than that the whole nation should lose its Sabbath." THE SUPREME COURT DECISION.
Thus the sentiment has been advancing until the Supreme Court of the United States handed down a decision, Feb. 29, 1892, in which it decreed this to be a religious, even a Christian nation, and that it should protect the Christian religion as against all others. This was just what the Sunday reformers needed, in their estimation, to make Sunday laws constitutional, and so they began their first effort with Congress, which gave much hope of success. The World’s Columbian Exposition was to be opened in Chicago, and Congress was besieged with petitions and lobbyists, asking, yes, demanding, that the gates of the Exposition be closed on Sunday. Congress truckled to the churches, and tacked a Sunday-closing rider on the general appropriation bill for the running expenses of the government. By taking this extreme measure, the thing was pushed through. Great rejoicing followed among the supporters of the action. In the exuberance of his feelings one of the leaders of the movement said in a public meeting in Paterson, N. J.: "I have learned that we hold the United States Senate in our hands." In this boast of the church is seen the fulfillment of the prophecy regarding this country, and the image to the beast is made. The voice of the dragon already sounds through the combined power of the church and the State, and it will not cease until it has stifled every religious conviction except that which the church dictates. When successful in its movement for Sunday laws, as it ultimately will be, other encroachments upon men’s consciences will be attempted, through the civil arm, until the scenes of the Dark Ages are re-enacted. But no one who loves the Lord above all else need fear the consequences; for the stronger this element presses upon them, the nearer they may see deliverance through their soon-coming King. We are told that his coming will be “after the working of Satan, with all power and signs and lying wonders.” Deliverance cannot be far off; for already men are being imprisoned in various parts of the country for conscientiously obeying the Sabbath of the fourth commandment, and then quietly going about their business the remainder of the week. In some cases the magistrates declare that they will pursue these men with the law until they either stop doing so or leave the country. It may be suggested that this severity is for working on Sunday rather than for religiously observing the day before. True, Sunday work is the pretext for the punishment; but if it were the reason, why not also punish, for working on Sunday, those who do not observe the Sabbath? It has been expressly stated by these persecutors that nothing would be thought of Sunday work if those doing it did not rest on Saturday. It is well known, too, that in this they tell the truth; for they themselves, though members of churches, do on that day any kind of work and as much as they please. But this shows how men, under assumed piety and sanctity, can deliberately demand and enforce religious laws under the pretense of regard for God’s honor, when the whole thing, from beginning to end, shows only the fruit of the mystery of iniquity, working through the professed people of God. It is the same spirit that crucified the Master, and works in the same way upon his true followers now, notwithstanding the lapse of nearly two thousand years. But the struggle is nearly to its end. Let it come then, even more fiercely than before; it is better to obey God than man, and when the conflict is over, it will be most precious to know that the Lord’s grace sustained every day, and that a sure passport into the city of God was bestowed, through abiding faith in the promises of the Lord Jesus Christ.