p. 16 | The Two Witnesses by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Nov 1, 1910

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 37, No. 43.

The Two Witnesses

By Editor

The Two Witnesses.—Dr. R. C. Wylie in the Christian Statesman takes the ground that the two witnesses of Rev. 11:3, 4 are the Christian church and the Christian state. Think of the latter, the professed Christian state of Italy, of France, of Austria, of Spain during the centuries when union of church and state flourished! Did the Inquisition in Spain witness for Christ? Did the St. Bartholomew massacre? Did the martyr fires of Smithfield? Did the burning of John Huss? Did the death of Servetus? Yet all these deeds were wrought under the authority of a "Christian state." A witness for Christ! Think of it. In our studies in the Revelation we will learn what those witnesses are. The Christian Statesman for October, 1910, is forced to admit editorially, in a discussion of the common law of the United States and Christianity, that "we must not expect to find any decision by any Federal Court declaring formally that the Christian principles of civil government enter into the vital constitution of this Government. Nor must we expect to find these principles swaying the politics of the country to the extent we might desire." The conclusion is, however, that "the common law has certain Christian characteristics." It has, but it will not have them under the National Reform régime. Absolute separation of church and state is a Christian principle. This the Statesman would not admit.