The Progress of the Papacy and Enlightenment
THE American Federation of Patriotic Societies and Voters which held its first annual meeting in Chicago in the month of June, has recently published a pamphlet giving the address of the national president of the society, together with the constitution and by-laws of that organization. The aim of the organization, in the main, is to combat the political activities and ambitions of the papal church in the United States. They have a list of vice-presidents in the various states of the Union, and seem to be organized for quite thorough work. The} they are working on the plan that enlightenment in regard to the work of the papacy will counteract her influence. A sentence from the president's speech says: "The Roman Catholic hierarchy, creation of the Dark Ages, can not stand before the light. In this country, in particular, it finds it hard to hold its own immovably, because the very air of our loved America breathes freedom, liberty, democracy, while the Roman Church, the greatest promoter of ignorance and superstition, is the very antithesis of these." Those who are seeking to combat the activities of the papacy without having a knowledge of the prophecies of God's word which pertain to the restoration of that power, do not realize what they are doing. There is nothing so misleading as to think that the Roman Catholic hierarchy can not stand before the light. That organization has a hold upon this world that will yet dominate not merely the politics of America but the political organizations of every country on earth. The prophecy definitely says that all the world shall "wonder after the beast" whose "deadly wound" is to be "healed." The papacy is meeting the education and the enlightenment of this country by building colleges and universities; and her priests, bishops, archbishops, and cardinals are among the most highly educated, and are the most astute politicians in the world. To borrow the language of one who has had great insight into this question through the light of prophecy: "A day of great intellectual darkness has been shown to be favorable to the success of popery. It will yet be demonstrated that a day of great intellectual light is equally favorable for its success." The papal church will wield the greatest power, just before the close of time, that it has ever held in all its history. This fact should be made prominent, and constantly kept before the world.