MARK OF THE BEAST by R. F. C.

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 6, 1857

MARK OF THE BEAST.

By R. F. C.

THE mark of the beast is, in the Third Message, called the mark of his name. And the 144,000 who get the victory over the beast, are said to have the Father's name written in their foreheads. Name is often used in the sense of authority; as, in the name of the king, signifies by the authority of the king; in the name of the people, by the authority of the people. So in the Scriptures, in the name of Jesus Christ, means by the authority of Jesus Christ.

The seal of the living God is a sign or mark of his authority as a law-giver; and the mark of the beast stands in direct opposition to it, and is a mark of the beast's authority or power as a law-giver, or, rather as the changer of God's law. He thinks himself able to change times and laws. Dan. vii, 25. The Third Message will develop two classes; one class will acknowledge the authority of the original Law-giver, by obedience to an institution which is a sign or mark of his authority or right to rule; the other will yield to a rival institution of the beast, which is the sign of his authority, or, "the mark of his name."

Should the president of the United States issue laws or commands to the army and simply sign his name James Buchanan, his commands would not be regarded as having any authority. It would be as powerless as any other name till he added, "President of the United States." These added words would be the sign of his authority—the mark of his name, showing that he had a right to require the obedience of the army.

The Supreme Ruler of the universe has given man a law, the ten commandments. Connected with that law is a sign of his authority, which shows the extent of his dominion, and proves his right to rule. This sign is given in connection with the fourth commandment, in which his authority is set forth as the Maker of all things. Of course he has a right to rule the creatures which he has made. Take away the Sabbath commandment, and there would remain nothing to prove the authority of him who gave the law; for there are lords many and gods many. But by keeping the Sabbath, we acknowledge our Creator as our law-giver. The Sabbath is the sign of his authority—the mark of his name. In confirmation of this, read Ex. xxxi, 13, 17; Eze. xx, 12, 20, where the Sabbath is expressly said to be a sign between God and his people, a perpetual covenant by which they may know the true God, and that they are his people.

The mark of the beast is a rival sabbath. It is a mark by which the Papal church maintains her authority, and claims the right to make or change laws. Catholic writers claim that there is no "scriptural authority" for the change of the Sabbath from the seventh to the first day of the week, and say it is "only authorized by our tradition." The Catholic church sets forth this change of the Sabbath as a mark of her authority to make laws and demand obedience. In proof of this read the following from the "abridgment of Christian Doctrine," an approved Catholic work.

"Q. How prove you that the church hath power to command feasts and holy days?"

"A. By the very act of changing the Sabbath into Sunday, which Protestants allow of; and therefore they fondly contradict themselves, by keeping Sunday strictly, and breaking most other feasts commanded by the same church."

This is the claim of the beast; this change is the mark of his authority; and if we, having the light, voluntarily submit to this change, we receive "the mark of his name," and shall drink the wine of Jehovah's wrath. R. F. C.