CHRISTIAN (?) UNION

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jun 23, 1881

CHRISTIAN (?) UNION

" 'WHO is antichrist?' asks the Presbyterian. It ought to know. See Westminster 'Confession of Faith,' chapter xxv, sec. vi.: 'The Pope of Rome . . . is that antichrist, that man of sin and son of perdition, that exalteth himself in the church against Christ and all that is called God.' But the Presbyterian, which does not read the Confession so much as it ought, and has forgotten what it contains, says: 'The papal church has never, in our judgment, been the antichrist, the man of sin which is to be revealed.' It declares that, in its opinion, the antichrist is international socialism, and that its first assault will be on the papal church, and that the antagonism 'will yet bring the whole Christian church, Protestant and Catholic, into nearer confidence and affiliation, in resistance to the last and most terrible of foes. Common persecution has often made fast friends of enemies, and joined them in self-defense, and we believe this, as between Catholics and Protestants, is in the future, when that man of sin shall be revealed.' This is not according to the Book; but it may be so. It might be worth an irruption of antichrist to have the church, Protestant and Catholic, brought into a closer sympathy, and we are greatly encouraged in our own labors toward fraternity to see this remarkable utterance of the Presbyterian. We shall feel strengthened to pursue our less startling effort to bring about a fellowship of Protestants who love our Lord Jesus Christ."

The above is from a prominent religious journal, and expresses a common, modern idea of Christian union. No matter if the Presbyterian's definition of the "man of sin" is not according to the "Book," it tickles the fancy with its "liberality," and that is enough. To say nothing of other characteristics which would identify the Papacy with the "man of sin," the fact that it exalts the worship of saints, images, and the virgin Mary, above the worship of Christ, is sufficient proof. Gavazzi stated that in one town in Italy there were 3000 shrines to Mary, and only one to Christ; also that the people were commonly taught by the priests of Rome that those who seek to gain Heaven through Christ very frequently fail, while those who apply to Mary, invariably succeed. Such practice and teaching as this, unmistakably stamp Romanism not only as unchristian, but as anti-Christian. It is a fact well understood in Rome, that the Pope expects to gain in this country the power he has lost in Europe; so that, however friendly Protestants may be, the Pope has no idea of union except such as takes place when the hungry wolf meets the unsuspecting lamb. The desire of the early church for "union" resulted in the great apostasy, and any union that is not the "unity of the faith," must necessarily result in spiritual declension. There can be no union between Christ and Belial.