THE TRUTH LEAKED OUT by B. F. Snook

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 19, 1861

THE TRUTH LEAKED OUT.

By B. F. Snook

It is, I believe, universally true that the advocates of error never do, and never can, advocate their errors to any extent without contradicting themselves, and testifying unintentionally in favor of the truths they oppose. Such is particularly true of Alexander Campbell, who stands prominent as a reformer and great man. He has written page upon page to prove that the kingdom of God was set up on the day of pentecost. But alas for this chief corner-stone of his traditionary edifice! how fatal a stroke he has given it by the following truthful statement:

'Christians there are in many of the kingdoms of this world. In all the American States, in all the European kingdoms, in some of the Asiatic and African nations, but not one of these States, nations or tribes, as such, is a kingdom of Jesus Christ, for one of the very plainest reasons in the world; not one of them is governed in person by Jesus Christ; not one of them acknowledges him as its King and administers his laws; not one of them became a kingdom by adopting his constitution and vowing allegiance to him as Governor in all things; but a time will come (and that very soon—sooner than many can be persuaded) when the kingdom, and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.' But this is not until one like the Son of man shall come in the clouds of heaven, and come to the Ancient of Days, and be brought near before him, and there be given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages shall serve him.'—Mil. Harb. of 1833, p. 120.

How Mr. Campbell can harmonize the above statement with his theory on the kingdom question, I would like to know. I am certain that neither he nor any other man living can do it. Then it follows that one or the other of these positions must be false. If the former, then the kingdom is future. But if the latter, then the kingdom has been set up. And if so, what is it? The followers of Mr. C. tell us that it is the

church. If so, we ask, What church? Well, they say, the church where Christians live, of course. Well, Mr. Disciple, are there not Christians in the Methodist and Baptist churches? O, yes! Then I suppose they are the kingdom! No, I think not. Why not? Because the kingdom was set up on the day of pentecost, and these churches were not set up until hundreds of years after. Then you concede that there may be Christians outside of Christ's kingdom. Of course, I am compelled to do that. But you have not yet told us what church is the kingdom of Christ. Well, I suppose our church is. You do! Very well. Let us try this and see if your claims are good. You objected that the Baptist and Methodist churches are not the kingdom, because they were not set up soon enough. Now, sir, I urge the same objection against you. Was your church set up on the day of pentecost? No, sir; you know that you as a people are not as old as the Methodists, and they were born as a church only as far back as 1729, or '37. But I thought that the church of Christ and his kingdom are identical. I am aware of that, and your brethren generally so teach; but they are wrong in regard to this, and contradict each other. I will give you a testimony against this general doctrine of your church, from one of your own brethren. H. R. Pritchard says:

'The kingdom in the Bible does not always mean the same thing. Nine times out of ten a part is taken for the whole. The word kingdom is not identical with the word church. Church always means the same thing—a congregation of people; but kingdom sometimes means one thing, and sometimes another. When the prophet said, 'The time came that the saints possessed the kingdom,' he does not mean that the time came that the saints possessed themselves, nor does he mean that the time came that the saints possessed the King, constitution, or laws of the kingdom, for they had them before that time. But he means that the time came that they possessed the territory of the kingdom. Here is a part taken for the whole. When Christ says, 'The kingdom of heaven shall be likened unto ten virgins, part wise and part foolish,' he does not mean the King, constitution, territory, or laws of the kingdom, but the subjects of the kingdom were part wise and part foolish. A part here is also taken for the whole. When Christ said, 'The kingdom of heaven is among you,' he did not mean subjects, or territory, of the kingdom, but the King, constitution, and laws were among them. Here again a part is taken for the whole. Now when Christ says, 'The kingdom shall be taken from this people,' he does not mean that this people, who were the Jewish church, shall be taken from themselves, but he means that the King will forsake this people, and the constitution, and laws shall be taken from this people—this church—and shall be given to another people—another church—bringing forth the fruit thereof.'—Ibid., with Terrell, p. 136.

This shows clearly that the kingdom is one thing and the church another. It also proves that the laws of the so-called Jewish church were taken from them and given to a people who would bring forth the fruit thereof. The law spoken of is of necessity the Decalogue. The people to whom it was given was the true church of Christ, and the desired fruit is obedience to the ten moral precepts. May the Lord help us to bring forth the fruits of this law as the Saviour did.

B. F. SNOOK.