LET us again briefly enumerate the specifications of the prophecy, so that each successive step in its application may be well taken:—
1. We must look for an ecclesiastical monarchy,—another king, “diverse” from the ten. Dan. 7:24. Where shall we find an ecclesiastical monarchy if not in the papal see of Rome? In fact, the assumption of temporal power by the popes, and the use of that power to enforce the dogmas of the Catholic Church, is what has made that church the very “man of sin,” “the mystery of iniquity.” Christ ordained His church to walk alone with Him instead of to seek alliance with earthly monarchs. He bade her lean upon the everlasting arm of heaven’s King rather than seek her strength from the puny arm of earthly potentates.
2. We must look for a power to arise among the ten. The papal see has its capital in the very heart of the divisions of the Roman Empire.
3. It came up after the ten. The “ten kingdoms” arose A.D. 351–476. The Papacy was not established till “after” this, as will next appear.
4. “Three kings” were to be subdued by it in its rise. The ten kingdoms which arose out of the dismemberment of the Western empire of Rome were the Alemanni, Franks, Burgundians, Suevi, Vandals, Visigoths, Saxons, Ostrogoths, Lombards, and Heruli. Three of these, the Heruli, Lombards, and Ostrogoths, were Arian (non-Catholic) in belief, and consequently stoutly opposed the temporal sovereignty of the popes. Hence, before the Papacy could attain to its final supremacy, these opposing powers must be overthrown. To effect this the pope sent against them the armies of those sovereigns who recognized his supremacy, and one after another the kingdoms were overthrown, the last, the Ostrogoths, being subdued A.D. 538, at which date, therefore, the supremacy of the Papacy must begin. That this is no invention of the imagination, but a clearly recognized fact, the triple crown surmounting the pope’s tiara bears unquestionable evidence.
5. We look for an apparently “little” power, yet speaking “great” words, whose “power shall be mighty, but not by his own power.” During the period of papal supremacy a word from the Vatican was sufficient to fill whole nations with religious frenzy, and equip an army before whose advance the mightiest monarchs paled and trembled for the security of their thrones. The Crusades bear indisputable testimony of the truth of this.
6. Through his policy he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand. In this horn were eyes [symbol of sagacity and foresight] like the eyes of a man. Here surely is no chance for misapplication.
What has given Rome her power for 1,200 years is that superhuman sagacity, that perpetual policy, of which the eye is emblematical, that vigilance which she exercises over every part of the earth by her religious orders, her Jesuits, her apostolic prelates, and especially her confessionals.—L. Gaussen, Lecture before School of Theology at Geneva, Oct. 3, 1843.
7. A “look more stout than his fellows.” He “magnifieth himself.” Dan. 8:11, 25. He “exalteth himself.” 2 Thess. 2:8. The following, from an eye-witness, is to the point:—
Go yet this year to view him in the Vatican, as I myself have done. You will see hanging in the “royal hall,” where all the ambassadors of Europe pass, a picture representing the great emperor Henry IV. uncovered before Gregory VII. You will see in another picture the heroic and mighty emperor, Frederick Barbarossa, upon his knees and elbows before Pope Alexander III., in the public square of Venice, the foot of the pope resting on his shoulder, his scepter cast to the ground, and under the picture these words, “Fredericus supplex adorat, fidem et obedientiam pollicitus” (Frederick, as a suppliant, adores, promising faith and obedience).—L. Gaussen.
8. The little horn “made war with the saints.” It “shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.” In answer to this charge, let the blood of myriads of the martyrs of Jesus bear silent but positive testimony. Let the memory of the Christian Waldenses and Albigenses, together with their fellow-sufferers, whose only offense was that they insisted upon the right to worship God according to the plain requirements of His Word, witness against that cruel and anti-Christian power which “deluged Europe and Asia with blood” (Gibbon) in its efforts to banish God’s truth and worship from the earth, and in their place substitute the corruptions of an apostate church.
9. It should exercise supreme power. He “prevailed against” the saints. They were “given into his hand.” The host was “trodden underfoot.”
“Whom she could not corrupt, them she exterminated.” Ever since that Christmas day, A.D. 800 (when Charlemagne was crowned emperor by the pope Leo III.), Leo and all his successors have spent their lives and exercised their boundless ambition, in making felt to the uttermost, this blasphemous claim; and for ages, nations groaned and peoples perished, under the frightful exercise of this infernal power.—L. Gaussen.
10. This power was to continue 1,260 years. The duration of this persecuting power is variously stated as “a time, times, and a half” (Dan. 12:7; 7:25; Rev. 12:14), “forty and two” (42) months (Rev. 13:5), and “a thousand two hundred and threescore (1,260) days” (Rev. 12:6). A time is synonymous with a year. Dan. 4:16; 11:13, margin. Hence, 1 time + 2 times (the plural) + ½ time = 3½ times, or 3½ years. The year having 12 months, 3½ years would equal 3½ × 12, or 42 months. Rev. 13:5. The month of the Bible being composed of 30 days, 42 months would equal 42 × 30, or 1,260 days. Rev. 12:6. A day in prophecy is symbolic of a year. Num. 14:34; Eze. 4:6. Therefore the “time, times, and a half,” equaling 42 months, or 1,260 days, represents in the prophecy 1,260 years, the duration of the power in question.
The pertinent question to consider at this point is, Did the Papacy continue just that length of time? Let history answer.
We have already seen (paragraph 4 above) that papal supremacy was established in 538 A.D. by the subjugation of the heretical (?) Ostrogoths, the last of the three Arian powers who refused submission to the papal hierarchy. With this date, then, the 1,260 years allotted by the prophecy to this power begin. Beginning thus, the termination would be A.D. 1798. Did anything of significance to the Papacy occur at this time? In February of that year, Berthier, commanding the French army, entered Rome, took possession of the city, and made the pope and the cardinals prisoners. Within a week Pius VI. was deposed. “Ten days after, the pope was sent away under an escort of French cavalry, and was finally carried into France, where he died in captivity.” —Croly on the Apocalypse, pp. 100, 289. In Haydn’s “Dictionary of Dates,” p. 375, occurs the following: “Pius VI., Angelo Braschi, February 15: dethroned by Bonaparte: he was expelled from Rome, and deposed in February, 1798, and died at Valence, Aug. 29, 1799.” Thus ended the temporal sovereignty of the popes.
Thus we see that every specification of the prophecy meets its fulfilment in the Papacy, and in nothing else. We are therefore shut up to the conclusion that by the “little horn” power and the “transgression of desolation” of Daniel, and by “the beast” of John, and “the man of sin” of Paul, is pointed out that system of popery which cursed the world for more than twelve long centuries, flooding humanity with ignorance and superstition, and shutting the avenues of light and knowledge to the world. During this time the car of human progress rolled backward, and for over a thousand years the race was shrouded in the blackness of night, a blackness such as could emanate only from him who is the ruler of the darkness of this world.
It is only necessary to revert to the line of prophecy last noticed (Revelation 13), and observe one additional point, to see that this is but a plain statement of the truth.
H. C. GILES.
[The next article in the series is “A Striking Fulfilment.”]
“WHO ART THOU THAT JUDGEST ANOTHER MAN’S SERVANT?”
By T. E. Bowen
SHOULD the owner of the property adjoining you come over onto your property and begin to direct the men you were employing to do your work, whom you paid regularly for their services, how would you feel about it? Further, suppose you had given out your instructions for their guidance, and this same individual, in your absence, insisted that your servants follow his instruction instead of yours, changing this plan and that. Think you such conduct could be passed by unnoticed? No, indeed. It would justly stir every jot and tittle of human law to bring such a usurper to justice. Every man is supposed to be able to direct his own servants.
Carry the same thought to God and His dealings with His servants. When Jesus ascended on high, He “gave gifts unto men.” Eph. 4:8. He also reserved the right to personally direct His servants. He delegated this power to no human being. Peter was inquisitive as to what John should “do;” but Jesus rebuked him, giving him to understand that he of himself had nothing to do in directing the movements of his fellow-servant. John 21:20–22. This is further shown by the personal appearing of Jesus to Paul, sending him forth as a chosen vessel unto the Gentiles.
The Holy Ghost was left for the believer’s guide. “He shall guide you into all truth.” “Tarry ye [as men] in Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” “Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you.”
The church at Antioch were fasting and praying (the true attitude of any church), and6“the Holy Ghost [not the church] said, Separate Me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.”
In all this testimony we are shown that God, through His earthly representative, the Holy Ghost, is able to guide every soul. Each individual is alone accountable to God for his work, and must either stand or fall upon the merits of that work, whatever it may be. The whole church is under the control of God’s Spirit. But the Holy Ghost never varies from the unerring Word of God. If a voice speaks not according to the Word, it is because the counterfeit spirit is at work, called the “spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.” Eph. 2:2.
Has a power arisen not bearing the fruits of the Spirit of God, claiming the power on earth in Christ’s place to rule, direct, and judge—yes, even punish—God’s servants?—Just such a power as this has arisen. Does not God justly call all this a system of “iniquity,” “the working of Satan”? God’s own lips have sealed the destiny of this wicked power: “Whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming.” See 2 Thess. 2:3–12.
This power has changed the explicit commands of Christ. It has accused His servants, and put millions of them to death, consigning them to eternal damnation. But a reckoning day hastens. These slain ones, who went down into death trusting in Jesus, shall come forth glorified; while this whole system of usurpation shall be destroyed. Rev. 19:19, 20.
Reader, God’s call to you is, “Come out of her, My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” Rev. 18:4. God, through His Spirit, is pleading for your life. He desires to save you from the calamities coming upon the Babylon of apostate churches, translating you out of all this darkness into His marvelous light. If you hear His “voice” to-day, “harden not your heart.”
Rome, N. Y. T. E. BOWEN.
AN OPEN LETTER.
By Samuel D. Heady
TO CHRISTIANS OF ALL DENOMINATIONS, THE CHURCH OF ROME EXCEPTED: I, the undersigned non-professing Christian, would like some of your honorable members to answer a few questions that one of your fellow-men, and a sinner, would like to know, and also in order to enable you to see more clearly how the world at large regards you. I except the Church of Rome, for they do not believe that the Scriptures contain all things that a Christian is bound to believe. (See "Faith of Our Fathers," page 111, Cardinal Gibbons.) But all Protestant churches, so far as I know or ever heard, believe in the Bible and the Bible alone. And if you do believe in the Bible only, why do you not teach only the Bible. (See 2 Tim. 3:16, 17; also Gal. 1:8, 9.) With these scriptures before you, how can you teach those unscriptural doctrines that can be heard every Sunday from most of the popular pulpits all over our fair land? And how can you expect sinners like myself to believe that you are sincere, and believe what you teach, when any one who has made a study of the Scriptures can see you are weighed in the balances, and found most woefully wanting?
Please tell me, any of you, Where do the Scriptures tell you to keep Sunday for the Sabbath, or Lord's day? and where was Sunday ever made holy? When Paul did not teach such doctrine, and tells you, that any one who teaches anything different from what he taught shall be accursed, what will be the fate of those teachers who lay aside the plain testimony of the Bible, and substitute for the same the doctrine of men? Let Christ bear testimony in this case. Matt. 15:9, 13, 14.
Do you say you do not know these things are in the Bible? I know that you do know it. Many of you teach this error knowingly. A minister of my acquaintance told me that he knew there was no scripture for Sunday-keeping; and I have several books in my library, on first-day sacredness, that acknowledge that there is no divine command for first-day sacredness. And then those same ministers wonder why we sinners do not join their churches. It makes one believe one of two things, namely, that the popular ministers are themselves disbelievers in what they teach, or else they preach just as I run my train—for dollars and cents.
Now I know from personal study of the subject that Sunday is not the Sabbath; and I know that all the ministers I have talked with know it also. And what other conclusion can I, a worldling, come to? Now remember that I am not a professed Christian, and never have been; but if I ever should join any church, it would have to be one that keeps the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. Rev. 14:12.
There is one other conclusion that I am sometimes compelled to contemplate when pondering over the fables taught from the popular pulpits,—perhaps those teachers are the ones of whom we are told in 2 Thess. 2:11, 12. They certainly are not the ones spoken of in Phil. 4:8, 9. Sunday sacredness is not true, is not honest toward God; for it robs Him of His own chosen, holy time. It is not pure worship; for many of the keepers of the day know better.
Now I would not have you think that I do not believe there is any good in the churches. I most certainly think there are many good people in all churches. But I can not think those teachers who weekly preach error, and know it, are any better than I am, and I know that I am not good; for I am a sinner, and not living up to the light that it has pleased an all-wise God to give me.
The true Christian will say to me, Why don't you live up to the light? I answer: The god of this world—riches—has me in the boat with our popular ministers; and I can not see how men who preach error, and know it, are any better than I am.
Again, they teach that heathen doctrine of the immortality of the soul; and the teacher of that doctrine in the Bible has not much of a reputation for truth. Gen. 3:4. He—Satan—is called a liar from the beginning. God told the man he should surely die. The serpent told the woman, "Ye shall not surely die." Now there is but one conclusion to come to,—one told the truth, and the other a falsehood. And most of the professed Christians of the world to-day give Satan the credit for telling the truth in this instance.
Is it reasonable to suppose that God has given man an entity that can not die, and has not told him about it? For certainly nowhere in the Bible is the immortal soul spoken of. If the soul is immortal, what use is there for a resurrection of the dead? And if the real man is in heaven or hell as soon as he appears to die, what need can there be of a resurrection? But the Scriptures tells us, if a man has not Christ he shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides upon him. A life in torment is life, and the person would as keenly realize that he was alive as tho he was living a life of pleasure. He might wish a thousand times he was dead and out of his misery, but he can not die, according to popular theology. Immortal-soulism makes God the most horrible tyrant that it is possible for the human mind to conjecture; and it does away with several great Bible truths, such as the resurrection, the judgment, etc. The mission of Christ is to restore man to life; but if all men have life independently of Christ, what does man need of Christ? Christ says He is the way and the life. The ministers of our day preach that all men have life independently of Christ. The Scripture says, "He that hath not the Son of God hath not life." 1 John 5:12.
Again, the Scripture tells us, in John 14:3, "I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." Why will Christ come again, if all His chosen ones are already in heaven? Such doctrine makes vain the second coming of Christ. And if there is no second coming of Christ, there will be no resurrection of the dead, and, consequently, no future life for believers, since the second coming of Christ is to accomplish the resurrection of His saints. 1 Thess. 4:16.
Again, there can be no judgment day if all are judged when they die, unless all are to be judged twice; and that is to charge God with folly. As I am writing to Bible students, I consider it unnecessary to give Bible references.
Again, let me ask, When is coming the time that is spoken of in Rev. 5:13, if millions of our fellow-creatures are to suffer throughout all eternity in a burning, seething hell?
And now to notice one other doctrine held by some of the popular churches, namely, baptism. The Scriptures tell us there is "one Lord, one faith, one baptism." Now if I read the Scriptures aright, repentance and belief come before baptism; and I would ask the advocates of infant baptism why they baptize any one who has neither repented nor believed, and simply can not either repent or believe.
There is another plainly-taught doctrine in the Bible that is ignored by all the churches, as far as I know, with but three exceptions, namely, the ordinance of the humility of Christ, or feet washing. "But," says one, "you make me blush by speaking of such things." Perhaps you may blush now; but what do you imagine you will tell Christ when He asks you if you knew these things? John 13:4-17. The question with me is, Did Christ know what He was talking about, or not? I think He knew what He wanted His followers to do; at least He says, "If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet." Now, man, whoever you are that professes to be Christ's, do you do as Christ tells you that you "ought"? Do you wash your brother's feet? And now, woman, do you wash your sister's feet? If not, are you Christ's from a Bible standpoint?
Remember, God is not mocked; and if you will not do these things, and will disregard His Word, when plainly understood, then you are not, and of necessity can not be, any better than I am; and I know that I am a sinner. Now if Christ knew what He wanted to say, and did say it, then I should obey, were I a professor of Christianity.
I could write for a week on these and kindred subjects, and not exhaust them, and I like to talk on the same subjects when I meet a minister. And, as I do not wish in any way to hide my identity, and am responsible for these lines, I will tell you who I am. My name is Samuel D. Heady. For more than twenty years I have been a railroad conductor. At the present time, and for about fourteen years, I have been in the employ of the Santa Fe system. I was born in South New Berlin, New York.
If I am wrong in any of the foregoing matters, I would thank any one on earth to show me my error.
Albuquerque, N. M. S. D. HEADY.
Theosophy and Spiritism
By J. O. Corliss
THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THEOSOPHY AND SPIRITISM.
[This is article thirteen of the series.]
TO those who are not familiar with the word "theosophy," it may appear quite formidable. The literal meaning of the word is "God wisdom," and has been adopted by a class of people who propose to gain intercourse with God through psychical processes, rather than by the means provided in the Bible. By some extraordinary illumination, direct insight into the processes of the divine mind is claimed, so that one is able to reveal how to connect these with humanity, and when having thus gained the essential element of divinity, to claim to be divinity itself.
Without going further into the detail of theosophical tenets, we might justly express doubt as to the correctness of its positions; for at the very outset is presented that ill-starred doctrine of God's enemy in Eden, "Ye shall be as God," which, by the course then recommended to attain to the desired position, innocent victims were robbed of primeval virtue, and so separated from Jehovah. There also appears that defect in the doctrine which is fatal to every religious theory possessing it,—a studied disregard of the already revealed Christ, by whom alone an atonement for sin is possible.
In these two counts Theosophy runs on parallel lines with Spiritism, which is one evidence of their common origin and family descent. Only in their later history do they reveal separate interests. As shown in former papers, Spiritism had its origin in Satan's first falsehood, by which man was turned to be God's enemy, and continued with the race for many centuries as a characteristic feature of heathenism. Its first appearance among civilized people in a way to court investigation was a mysterious power, making itself understood through a code of peculiar noises, which was afterward superseded by written and oral messages, purporting to come from the spirit land.
Theosophy, under other names, has for many hundreds of years been the chief religion of India and the East, with a late computed following of nearly 500,000,000 devotees. Under the new name of Theosophy, an attempt was made to adapt these Oriental speculations to the demands of modern agnosticism, and so gather in a class not specially drawn toward other phases of religious thought. Its introduction into Christian communities was largely through a Russian woman, Helena Petrovna Blavatsky. Coming to America from the East in 1874, she fell in with two men in New York, who were willing to aid in founding her society in this country. One of these was a journalist, known as Col. H. S. Olcott, who was made president of the society. The other was William Q. Judge, who was made vice-president.
For certain reasons the society moved its headquarters to India in 1878, where the atmosphere was more congenial to the mystic performances of Madam Blavatsky. There, after the style of early Spiritistic manifestations, the madam displayed her occult powers before interested drawing-room audiences.
Showers of roses fluttered from the ceiling; invisible bells tinkled from unknown quarters; and bewildering sentences were precipitated upon blank paper. Many were drawn into the new society through these and other doubtful proceedings, and the notoriety of them, through English residents in India, soon reached the home land. The time seeming auspicious, Madam Blavatsky, accompanied by Colonel Olcott and a Brahman graduate of the university of Calcutta, named Mohini L. Chatterji, appeared in London, in 1884.
Suddenly Theosophy became fashionable in the great metropolis of England. Society people called themselves "Esoteric Buddhists," that is, specially initiated Buddhists, or those holding positions and views not intelligible to the common follower. Some were soon enrolled as chelæ, or claws of the society, to aid in its propagation. Enthusiasm ran high, and even reached to some extent the circle of Trinity students.
Among others who became enamored with the revelations of Theosophy was Mrs. Annie Besant, formerly an atheistic lecturer, who rose to such prominence as a speaker and writer, in behalf of the oriental religion, that upon the death of Madam Blavatsky, in the early part of 1891, she claimed the first place in the society as the successor of Madam Blavatsky. This claim precipitated a furious quarrel between her and Colonel Olcott, who had been with the society nearly from the first. In the charges and counter-charges made by the two factions, many very interesting things were revealed, which tended to show much of the Satanic-human side of the system, the rehearsal of which would not fill the design of these papers.
Its Objects.
The avowed objects of Theosophy are three in number: (1) "To form the nucleus of a universal brotherhood of humanity, without distinction of race, creed, sex, caste, or color; (2) to promote the study of Aryan and other Eastern literatures, religions, philosophies, and sciences, and demonstrate the importance of that study; (3) To investigate unexplained laws of nature, and the psychical powers latent in man."
A cursory glance at these stated objects shows them to be but graded degrees of the same order, namely, that of uniting the world to believe in the theory that in the soul of man dwells the latent power to become God, through various physical organisms, which it may be permitted to inhabit. In other words, the object of the society is to teach that heathen doctrine of the soul's growth in righteousness through its transmigration from one body to another.
It needs no argument to show this. If a universal brotherhood is to be established to study Eastern or heathen literature, which is but the unfolding of its religions and philosophies, it follows that, according to the law of constant association, the continual beholding will change the observer into the image of what he sees. This would be to adopt the heathen idea of man's nature, and to receive its teaching regarding the change of the soul's residence, at the death of the body.
These doctrines have been persistently propagated on the strength of what has been said to be revealed by the mahatmas, or masters, through Madam Blavatsky, and afterwards through Mrs. Besant. As to how these mahatmas, the secret spirit agents of Buddhism, reveal their communications to humans, must be told by an avowed believer in the system. In an interview printed in the Pall Mall Gazette of September 1, 1891, the question was asked Mrs. Besant:—
"These letters are from mahatmas whose pupil you are?"
Mrs. Besant nodded assent.
"Did they just come through the post?" was asked.
"No, I did not receive them through the post," the lady replied. "They came in what some would call a miraculous fashion, tho to us Theosophists it is perfectly natural. The letters I receive from mahatmas are precipitated."
"How are they precipitated?"
"Well," she said, "you can hear voices by means of the telephone, and receive a telegram which is actually written by the needle, not merely indicated by its ticks. The mahatmas go a step further. With their great knowledge of natural laws, they are able to communicate with us without using any apparatus at all."
"But can you give me any details of the precipitation?"
"No, the mahatmas only communicate with pupils who will not unwisely divulge anything. You can easily imagine the reason why this knowledge should be kept secret. Were it possessed by a criminal, it might be put to dreadful purposes."
Here is the whole thing in a few words: This modern phase of Buddhism is controlled by master spirits, who reveal things to a favored few, that might be used by bad people with which to do "dreadful" things! This at least shows the origin of the communications; for were they from a righteous source, nothing but righteous things would be communicated to any one, and none of these would be withheld from any because of any wrong use that could be made of them. The fact is, it is a system gotten up by the arch-enemy of God by which the Bible and its plan of salvation may be ignored, and men may be led, in blind prejudice, to believe that they themselves are God. Some of the detail of theory by which this is made to appear plausible, will be presented in a following paper.
J. O. CORLISS.
[The next and last article of this series is "The Fundamental Principles of Theosophy."]
QUESTION CORNER
By Editor
1051. A. B. M. John the Baptist—Was He Elijah?—Jesus said that he, John, was "Elijah, which was for to come," the Elijah prophesied. Matt. 11:14; Mal. 4:5. Elijah was a type of later reformers, of those preceding Christ's first and second advent. You will understand what is referred to by Matt. 11:14 and John 1:21 by reading Luke 1:17: "He [John] shall go before Him [Jesus] in the spirit and power of Elijah." The plenary fulfilment will be met by the servants of God in the last days.
1052. H. E. 1 Cor. 3:15.—Men sometimes work honestly, sincerely, Christianly, for an unworthy cause. Good Christians are to-day seeking earnestly to establish Sunday sacredness. Their work will prove vain. Good ministers sometimes seem to gather out unworthy souls, who will be lost. The wood, the hay, the stubble, all that is not brought from the rock quarry of God, will be burned. Yet the workman, laboring according to his best light, may be saved.
1053. E. A. H. 1 Tim. 4:4.—The passage means what it says. Creature means things created. Connect with it the verse following. Is it sanctified, or set apart by the Word of God? Is it that over which one may offer true prayer, which is always according to God's will? See Bible Students' Library No. 158, "The Natural Food of Man," for general principles.
1054. J. E. A. Rev. 5:8-14.—We have not space in this department for the exposition of so extended a scripture. The term "four beasts" should be read "four living ones," or "four living creatures." The term "beasts" is an exceedingly bad translation. These four living ones represent God's creation on the earth. Read the last part of verse 9 as in the Revised Version,—"and didst purchase unto God with Thy blood men of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation."
THE LIQUOR AND OPIUM TRAFFIC AND FOREIGN MISSIONS.
By L. A. P.
ONE tremendous obstacle in the way of the progress of Christianity in nearly all foreign mission fields is the traffic in liquor and tobacco—in India and China, opium. The sad feature of the condition is that these evils have been introduced to the natives by the white races, and are the accompaniments of the outreachings of our boasted civilization. In some instances, and notoriously so in the case of Great Britain and the opium trade in China, these soul-and-body-destroying drugs and poisons have been forced upon the weaker races against their desires, and all for the worldly lust for financial gain.
The situation is made tenfold worse by the fact that the nations manifesting such activities in colonizing and in revolutionizing centuries-old customs and methods, are so-called Christian nations. With the missionary has gone the trader, and afterward the government, and to the native the whole foreign element is representative of Christianity. As contact with the "Christian nations" grows, he sees manifested avarice, selfishness of many names, greed, treachery, dishonesty, hatred, wars, and vices, and when he is asked to consider the saving Gospel of Christ, he points to what are to him its fruits, and declares that if such are results of its saving powers, he is contented with what he has. Of course he ought not to judge as he does, but who would not judge thus whose only habit of thought and only knowledge of religion is one with his country and its government?
In an address upon the evil of the liquor traffic before the Ecumenical Conference on Foreign Missions, Dr. Theodore L. Cuyler spoke in plain terms of this great blot on the record of so-called "Christian nations." He said:—
"Altho it is not allowed to present resolutions to this conference, if I were to do so I would phrase one something like this: 'WHEREAS, One of the most serious obstacles to the spread of the Gospel among many native races is the importation of alcoholic liquors by Christian nations, Resolved, That our Christianity needs a little more Christianizing at the core.' . . For how many years have ships from Christian ports carried missionaries in the cabin, and rum and firearms and opium in the hold? Even Britain and America have held out to the heathen races the Bible in one hand and the bottle in the other; and the bottle has sent ten to perdition where the Bible has brought one to Jesus Christ.
"Four years ago the Christian chief of Bechuanaland went to London on an extraordinary mission. He went there to tell that he had made a prohibitive law for his tempted subjects, who are negroes, and he said that the principal difficulty he had concerning it was the smuggling in of liquor by British subjects. And he implored her majesty to second his efforts to make prohibition successful. Think of it! A converted African savage on his knees before a Christian queen imploring her people not to poison his own nation!"
A few years ago John G. Paton, missionary to the New Hebrides, visited this country to petition the government of the United States to forbid American traders importing whisky and firearms into those islands, but without effect. Eight years ago sixteen nations enacted a treaty forbidding the introduction of alcoholic drinks into the Kongo country of Africa. The United States was the last signer to this treaty. A remarkable and fearful example of governmental non-interference with the liquor traffic is before us in the Philippine Islands, where, in Manila, more than 400 saloons have sprung up since American occupation, where but few existed before, with no drunkenness to speak of.
But it is not that "Christianity needs more Christianizing at the core." Even among Christians themselves there is too much generalizing of the terms Christian and Christianity. Christianity is ever the same—the principles and life of the humble Nazarene. It needs no more "Christianizing." But sadly true it is that professed Christians need the transformation of the heart. Individuals need Christianizing, but let no body of Christians, nor nation of professed Christians, nor aggregation of nations of professed Christians, arrogate to themselves the appellation of Christianity, and let none make the mistake of referring to them as such, or to any nation as a Christian nation. The mistake is only repeated and accepted in earnest by those that know not Christ.
What is needed is Christianity in the heart. That is its home and its throne and its country. There may prohibition of sin and all of its concomitants be enacted. That will mean prohibition of greed, love of money, and love of power—selfishness all—and consequent prohibition of the liquor and tobacco and opium traffics in that soul kingdom, and in every nation of individuals wherever the man has a capacity to act. But that is ideal. It will never be in this present world; but to that end we may hope and work and pray that hearts of men and rulers may be touched with regenerating power, and the great evil of the drink traffic be ameliorated.
The power of Christ is greater than the power of nations in this matter. And so the missionary must work as Christ's representative only. He must be Christ in example to the heathen, and fearlessly denounce as not of Christ every individual or nation, whatever their profession, that represents or protects the traffic in the devil's agents of degradation and destruction.