FOR over forty years the National Reform Association has been carrying on a work designed to establish religious domination in the government of the United States. It had its rise in one denomination—one of rather limited influence, too; but to-day its influence and its support may be styled interdenominational. One of its constitutional purposes is "to promote needed reforms in the action of the government touching the Sabbath," etc. Another expression of purpose is, "The association constantly presents God as the source of authority in civil affairs, Jesus Christ as King of nations, and the Bible as the supreme law-book in the civil-moral sphere."
To the casual reader these expressions of purpose might, and evidently do, appear to be the utterances of an "angel of light." Not so, however, when given a little closer consideration.
1. The Sabbath reform which the movement advocates is the establishment, in the "law-book" of the nation, of a Sabbath entirely unknown to the Law-book of God. It would stamp out the Sabbath which the Creator hallowed in the beginning, and which the Saviour honored even when resting in death—the only weekly Sabbath recognized in all the Bible—and would set up in its place, with human pains and penalties attached, a man-made counterfeit, the Sunday institution. To promote such a "reform" is to squarely stultify all claim to regarding the Bible as the "supreme Law-book."
2. To present "God as the source of authority in civil affairs," and then to set up an association of men having political ambition to control the action of government, and to urge their authority because they profess to be religious, is another gross stultification of principle. God's manner of influencing men to do right is by His Spirit impressing their minds. Over and over heathen rulers have been moved in this manner to do God's will; while, on the other hand, the centuries of Dark Ages, the darkest in this world's history, were the result of that species of "national reform" that nominally recognized God's "authority in civil affairs" by putting the church in charge of the government. And the men who brought about that consummation were just as pious and just as sure that they were reforming the nation as are the most ardent National Reformers of to-day. Nor were those ancient "reformers" any more mistaken than are those of to-day. The same means will produce the same effect to-day, just as surely as that human nature is the same.
3. To advocate Jesus Christ as King of nations has two very illogical features: (a) It is a position He utterly ignored when on earth. When the people essayed to take Him and make Him a king, He took Himself out of their way and sought solitude in the mountains, to escape the results of such a foolish action. Again, when questioned by Governor Pilate concerning His kingdom, He plainly declared that it was "not of this world." His Word ought to settle that question with people who claim to take the Bible as the "supreme Law-book." (b) When Christ comes to establish His kingdom, it will not be as King of any nation then existing. True, these will be given to Him, but for what purpose? For answer, read the prophetic declaration recorded in the second psalm:
"I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto Me, Thou art My Son; this day have I begotten Thee. Ask of Me, and I shall give Thee the heathen for Thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth [not the United States] for Thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. Be wise now therefore, O ye kings; be instructed, ye judges of the earth."
This is what will become of the nations of earth when the Lord sets up His kingdom. This is plainly indicated by Nebuchadnezzar's dream of a great image, recorded and explained in Daniel 2. The image represented the kingdoms of earth until the end of time, when a "stone," representing the kingdom of Christ, fell upon them and broke them to pieces. So complete was the demolition, that all parts of the image "became like the summer thrashing-floors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them; and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth." So it is said of Christ's kingdom: "The kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever." And we are emphatically assured that "the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof is sure."
Christ has a spiritual kingdom in this earth, of which He is the Priest-King, reigning in heaven (Eph. 1:19-21; Heb. 1:1-4; 12:1, 2; Rev. 3:21); and His subjects are in every nation and kindred and tongue and people, in the world but not of the world, even as He is not of the world. And when He shall fully establish His glorious kingdom it will not be in this sin-cursed earth, which is to be destroyed by fire; but it will be upon the "new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." See 2 Peter 3. Then will be brought to pass the saying, "The meek shall inherit the earth." Ps. 37:9-11, 28, 29.
The present National Reform movement is a delusion and a snare of ever-increasing dimensions and influence.