CHRIST'S RIGHT TO REIGN.
By G.
THE field secretary of the National Reform Association tells the organ of the association about his preaching in a certain place on the theme of Christ's right to reign because He died to redeem. From the assurances he received after the service closed, the speaker says, "That congregation would, by standing vote, have endorsed the Christian Amendment to the Constitution." Now that theme was an excellent one, a good basis for a discourse that should have produced far better results. The so-called Christian Amendment to the Constitution, which the "Reformers" have been agitating for about forty years, is a scheme for placing the entire population of the country in the attitude of professed Christians. By a little verbal change in the Preamble of the fundamental law of the nation, of which two-thirds of the population would be in practical ignorance, the whole mass would be unwittingly put in a position of acknowledging God as king of the Republic. The present Constitution is that of a republic in which the state has no organic connection with the church. The proposed amendment would make of the republic a church-and-state government. The National Reform Association's idea is, as has been expressed by leading representatives, to eventually rule out all non-professors of Christianity from the privilege of holding office, or even of voting; and, as an entering wedge or basis of action, they want a formal recognition of God's rulership in the Preamble of the Constitution. They seem to imagine that this profession of faith on the part of the country at large would make the people much better at heart, and prove a kind of cure-all for the increasing evils—in public and private circles—that now infest the land. They profess to seek moral reform, what they really want is political control. Just here it might be pertinent to revert to the fact that, in spite of the Constitution's secular intent, judges of the Supreme Court have officially expressed the opinion that "this is a Christian nation." This occurred about thirteen years ago, and in no period of the nation's history has there been so much complaint, yea, proof, of official corruption as since that declaration. And the fact that politicians—office-holders and office-seekers—are finding it expedient to become church-members does not mend the matter. In fact, among those who are reputed to be eminently corrupt in their official methods, we have had ardent advocates of religious legislation. But, reverting to the theme of the field secretary's discourse, we would emphasize the right of Christ to reign because He died to redeem. Because "He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross," "God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name; that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." But we have no evidence that any government is authorized to compel them to confess, or to formally count them as having confessed when they have not. Christ will have a kingdom in the earth. But His kingdom "is not of this world." He has a spiritual kingdom in this world. "The kingdom of heaven is among you," He said to the Jews. Again He says: "The world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world." But He is destined to have a glorious material kingdom that will fill not merely the United States, but "the whole earth." And when it is set up it will destroy all other kingdoms of the earth—including our great United States—and all the religious amendments to the Constitution that apostate Protestantism can conceive will not save their "Christian nation." "When the Son of Man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory. . . . Then shall the King say unto them on His right hand, Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." Matt. 25: 31-34. Yes, Christ has a right to reign because He died to redeem. And He is the only One who has a right to wear the diadem of the kingdom of God. He is the rightful heir to the throne of Israel. "He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David; and He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end." Luke 1: 32, 33. This was in harmony with the prophecy of Ezekiel against Zedekiah, the last king of Judah: "And thou, profane wicked prince of Israel, whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end, thus saith the Lord God: Remove the diadem, and take off the crown; this shall not be the same; exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high. I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it; and it shall be no more, until He come whose right it is; and I will give it Him." Eze. 21: 25-27. Christ did not take the throne of David at His first advent, but, just as sure as the Scriptures are true, He will take it when He comes the second time, "unto salvation." G.