CLAIMING THAT CHRIST HAS COME AGAIN
By L. A. R.
Bewitching, Delusive Story—Will Christ Appear in Secret?—Manner of His Appearing at His Second Advent
JESUS warned the generation living in the time when His coming was imminent that there would be false christs and false prophets, who would deceive the people; and He gave as a reason why they would deceive, that the people would not rely implicitly upon God's word. For example, we are told just how Jesus will come,—in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory, and all the holy angels with Him, as distinctly and clearly as the lightning flashes across the heavens from east to west, as bodily as when He rose from the earth and was taken up and a cloud received Him out of their sight. In like manner He will come again. In the Christian Herald, one of the most popular religious papers of to-day, is a serial story by Mr. Sheldon, entitled, "Jesus Is Here." From the synopsis of preceding chapters we quote the following: A group of friends "are all commenting upon a marvelous light which has been appearing in the sky, when Martha, Mrs. Maxwell's maid, enters the room with the exclamation, 'Jesus is here!' She declares that He came to the service of the Rectangle Church, a mission founded by First Church, and had gone home with Mr. Grey, the pastor. Mr. Maxwell calls up Mr. Grey by telephone and is informed that the strange guest is now asleep in his home. Mr. Grey himself comes to the Maxwell home, and relates the details of Jesus' visit to his church. All discuss the probable attitude of the press toward Jesus. Jasper Carter, editor and proprietor of the Evening Gazette, is intent upon a sensational story, and sends his best reporter, Barnes, and a 'cub,' Logan, to get the facts and photographs. Both men expose plates, but can get no results. Barnes is almost convinced, while writing his story, that this is Jesus. That night Virginia Page and Rachel Page, her sister-in-law, are in Virginia's home. The conversation turns upon Mr. Stanton, and it becomes evident that Virginia is unusually interested. Mr. Stanton comes in a few moments later, and secures Mrs. Page's consent to sing at the remarkable service which takes place in Mr. Maxwell's church the following morning and at which Jesus addresses the people. Barnes, the reporter, announces his conviction that 'this remarkable person is Jesus.' Several more attempts are made to secure photographs, but without result. Jesus calls upon Jasper Carter, talks with him for an hour, and leaves him a manuscript to read. A conference between Mr. Maxwell and Mr. Grey is interrupted by a telephone message from Rachel Page, announcing that her daughter is very ill. Mr. Maxwell and Mr. Grey reach the Page home just in time to learn that the little girl has died. Jesus is sent for." IS ASKED TO RAISE THE DEAD
Three days later, all stand at the grave, and the minister finishes reading the service. Rachel recalls the coming of Jesus into her room previously, how she fell at his feet and besought him to give her back her darling, and what followed. This one whom Mr. Sheldon calls Jesus is purported to teach, in the face of death, something like the following. He asks the woman: "Would she and Rollin lose all their faith in a heavenly Father unless Eloise were brought to life? Did their faith in him rest upon his answer to this one petition, or did it rest upon something more vital and fundamental? If he were to say he did not use his power to bring the child to life on account of reasons they could not now understand, would their faith be shattered? Or would they accept even death as a part of the human life, and go on to live their lives even more strongly and beautifully on account of it? One thing he could promise—that no cloud of doubt would ever obscure their vision of Eloise alive and happy in a world far above this one in joy and beauty. Of that they would always be assured." In commenting upon these false teachings, the words crowd for utterance. Which shall we mention first? Perhaps we will take the minor heresies, and then, in order, the greater ones. SHOULD HARMONIZE WITH LIFE AND TEACHING OF JESUS
A man writing a life of Christ, even though it is to be an imaginary one of Jesus' coming again, ought to write it in accordance with that life that was lived on earth about two thousand years ago. Where, in all the records of that life, did Jesus ever stand before the grave and suggest that He would not raise the dead, because the dead are already in bliss, consciously enjoying themselves, "alive and happy in a world far above this one in joy and beauty"? There is not one whisper of such a thing as this from the lips of Christ. It is nothing more nor less than Mr. Sheldon's idea of immortality, which came into the Christian church direct from heathenism, and has not one iota of foundation from the word of God. "The living know that they shall die: but the dead know not anything." So says the Word. Their love, their envy, their hatred, perish. They have no more any "portion forever in anything that is done under the sun." Of the dead father it is recorded in the Word, "His sons come to honor, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them." This, along with many other texts just as plain and clear, shows that in accordance with the Bible, Mr. Sheldon is teaching a doctrine that is spiritistic, and it is furthermore Scripturally false. WILL COUNTERFEIT CHRIST'S SECOND COMING
Remembering that according to the prophecies, Satan is gradually transforming himself into an angel of light, materializing more and more everywhere, assuming the name and the garments of Christ, while misrepresenting His character and His teachings, and that some day he will appear as Christ Himself, working miracles, and misleading the people, we realize that Mr. Sheldon's articles are but an avant-courier, a herald proclaiming in advance the coming of the miracle worker, him who is to deceive with all power and signs and lying wonders, representing that he is indeed the Christ. "As the crowning act in the great drama of deception, Satan himself will personate Christ. The church has long professed to look to the Saviour's advent as the consummation of her hopes. Now the great deceiver will make it appear that Christ has come. In different parts of the earth, Satan will manifest himself among men as a majestic being of dazzling brightness, resembling the description of the Son of God given by John in the Revelation. The glory that surrounds him is unsurpassed by anything that mortal eyes have yet beheld. The shout of triumph rings out upon the air, 'Christ has come! Christ has come!' The people prostrate themselves in adoration before him, while he lifts up his hands, and pronounces a blessing upon them, as Christ blessed His disciples when He was upon the earth. His voice is soft and subdued, yet full of melody. In gentle, compassionate tones he presents some of the same gracious, heavenly truths which the Saviour uttered; he heals the diseases of the people, and then, in his assumed character of Christ, he claims to have changed the Sabbath to Sunday, and commands all to hallow the day which he has blessed. He declares that those who persist in keeping holy the seventh day are blaspheming his name by refusing to listen to his angels sent to them with light and truth. This is the strong, almost overmastering delusion. Like the Samaritans who were deceived by Simon Magus, the multitudes, from the least to the greatest, give heed to these sorceries, saying, This is 'the great power of God.'"—"The Great Controversy Between Christ and Satan," pages 624, 625. These articles by Mr. Sheldon are only one of the means of bringing in that awful day of temptation and deception. Jesus will not live among men as Mr. Sheldon pictures Him. He will not come and tabernacle in the flesh, and live in the churches of to-day, and condone their practises nor their lives. Babylon is fallen, and60thousands of churches to-day are, in both teaching and life, antagonistic to the spirit of the Master. WHEN HE REALLY COMES, THERE CAN BE NO GUESSING AT THE EVENT
When Jesus comes again, there will be no speculation as to whether it is Jesus or not, as in this story by Mr. Sheldon. We read that all the tribes of the earth shall mourn because of Him. The wicked shall cry for rocks and mountains to fall upon them, and hide them "from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: for the great day of His wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?" They behold the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory, all the holy angels with Him; and as the Saviour draws near to the earth, His presence destroys the wicked, while with a loud voice He raises the righteous dead and changes the righteous living. They are caught up to meet the Lord in the air, forever after to be with Him where He is. PERVERTING THE TEACHING OF THE BIBLE
Thus without any apology or compunctions of conscience whatever, Mr. Sheldon is writing a story for the religious young people of the country, and with every word is perverting the doctrine of the soon coming of Christ. By this setting, Mr. Sheldon would place, as it were, the authority of Jesus upon such doctrines as church federation, and a partial union of church and state—things that, if really consummated, will produce a train of evil and persecution. Thus we see in this a sign of the times, a token of the day in which we live. Jesus has told us to study the Word, and follow it, for the deceptions of the enemy will be so great that they would deceive, if possible, the very elect. L. A. R.