Earlier text: PEACE AND WARWHEN you are forgotten, or neglected, or purposely set at naught, and you smile inwardly, glorying in the insult or oversight,—that is victory. When your good is evil spoken of; when your wishes are crossed, your taste offended, your advice is disregarded, your opinions ridiculed, and you take it all in patient, loving silence,—that is victory. When you are content with simple food, plain raiment, any climate, any solitude, any interruption,—that is victory. When you can bear any discord, any annoyance, any irregularity or unpunctuality (of which you are not the cause),—that is victory. When you can stand face to face with folly, extravagance, spiritual insensibility, contradiction of sinners, persecution, and endure it all as Jesus endured it,—that is victory. When you never care to refer to yourself in conversation, nor to seek after commendation, when you can truly “love to be unknown,”—that is victory.—Selected. The Present Blessing and Future Hope of Jesus
The religion of Jesus is a present blessing. It benefits men even now. It does them good in this life. It helps and consoles and enlightens in this present and evil world. It gives peace, real soul rest, to the troubled ones. But it takes hold of the future as well as being a blessing in the present. It is a religion of hope as well as of faith. We are saved by hope. We are looking for the “blessed hope” in the fulness of the great fruition. As another says: “Christianity is essentially a life of hope. It is founded on living hope. The eye of faith looks out for the glorious revelation of Jesus Christ from heaven, . . . for the heavenly city of peace, for the precious inheritance, for the new heaven and the new earth.”—Selected. Not long ago a storm in a mountain region of Scotland laid low a large section of fir trees. An eye-witness says the trees were all laid in one direction. He also states the reason why they all gave way to the fury of the storm. It was in a region where the prevailing winds come from a certain quarter. Even storms, which are not by any means rare, nearly always come in the course of the prevailing winds. But this storm which caused such destruction of trees came in just the opposite course, and the strong denizens of the forest, which had so long withstood the blasts from the usual direction, gave way and were uprooted. Trees that are subjected to much wind grow strong in root, and take firm hold in the ground. If the winds come from different directions, the tree becomes strong all around, rooted and grounded against sudden blasts from any quarter. But the particular trees which we have noted as having been suddenly destroyed were only fortified on the one side. They were not prepared for attack from an unusual source. They had not been subjected to the trials that would have strengthened and braced their stays on all sides. Hence their downfall. There is a lesson in the fate of these trees. We have an enemy who is keen to discern our weak points, and if there is any side of us not thoroly fortified by the Word of God, this enemy will be sure to attack us from that quarter; and he will be sure to take us unawares. Many of the trials and bitter experiences thru which men pass are necessary to test them and to strengthen them in the faith, that they may be “strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.” Satan tempted our Saviour especially on the point of getting through this life easily; and of accomplishing his purpose without trial and hardship. He found the anointed One weak, emaciated, and suffering from hunger in the wilderness. At once comes the suggestion that all this suffering is unnecessary. As tho Jesus had overlooked the easy manner of relief, the tempter says, “If Thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.” What a simple, easy way out of the dilemma—not only for that occasion, but for all time! What harm to make bread for Himself out of any available material, when He, the Provider for the world, was dying of hunger? Had He not, thru Moses, called water from the rock for His people? and had He not miraculously given them bread from heaven forty years in the wilderness? Humanly speaking, the suggestion was opportune. Who of us would starve in the wilderness if we had the power to make bread of the stones that lay about us in abundance? But the Son of God was anchored on that side of the proposition to seek an easy way to success. He had lived a temperate life in the faith of His mission of temptation and suffering in this sinful world; and He knew the consequences of the first Adam’s failure to resist the unlawful demands of appetite at the suggestion of this same tempter. So He withstood the sudden attack by means of the strong stay of the Word of God,—“It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” But the tempter artfully attacked Him from another side. Jesus desired to convince the world that He was the Son of God; why not avoid the hard way He had marked out, and at once convince the one who held the dominion of the world? Would not that be a royal success? So “the devil taketh Him up into the holy city, and seteth Him on a pinnacle of the temple, and saith unto Him, If Thou be the Son of God, cast Thyself down; for it is written, He shall give His angels charge concerning Thee; and in their hands they shall bear Thee up, lest at any time Thou dash Thy foot against a stone.” But the Saviour of sinners was anchored on that side also by another strong root of the infallible Word,—“It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord Thy God.” The Son of God had witnessed the failure of too many acts of presumption to be overthrown by that means; and His experience and example are “written for our learning.” After this victory, however, Jesus was suddenly set upon from another quarter. His mission was to establish His kingdom in the earth, and eventually to redeem the dominion from the hand of the usurper. Now the tempter suggests an easy way to accomplish this object, a way in which all conflict or controversy would be avoided: “Again, the devil taketh Him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showeth Him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; and saith unto Him, all these things will I give Thee, if Thou wilt fall down and worship me.” What an opportunity for Christ to win the world for Himself! Here is the arch-opponent, from whom He expects to wrench the dominion by means of suffering and death, voluntarily proposing to give it up at the very outset of the campaign! But the condition? O, that was merely nominal, just a little formality, only one act of formal worship in return for so great a concession!7 Christian, has the tempter never offered you a glittering advantage for just a trifling compromise of principle on your part? Have you never been tempted to depart just a little from known duty in order to make a large gain for the benefit of the cause? This was the last and the crowning temptation that came to Jesus. But He was anchored on this side also. In short, He was “rooted and grounded” on all sides. No matter from which point the storm came, He stood fast. His last reply to the temptation to seek a flowery path to victory over sin and its results, was of the same character as His former replies: “Get thee hence, Satan; for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.” And herein lay His victory over temptation,—He obeyed that which “is written” in the Scriptures of truth, instead of the flattering promises of an easier way, which so often come to those who start out to serve God. There is but one easy way to success in the race for eternal life, and that is the way which Christ made easy for us by His own great trials and suffering in our behalf. There is naught but failure and death in the proposals of the world. The Master says: “Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” Only by walking in His footsteps—in “the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus”—can we become so “rooted and grounded in love” for the truth that the enemy never can take us unawares. “Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Eph. 6:11. G. A CORRESPONDENT asks us the following questions:— “How may I know that I am a Christian? I read the Bible. I believe in Christianity. I pray. But I do not know that I am saved. How may I know?” Our querist is evidently depending upon that unsafest of all tests—feeling. For the most righteous may be cast down. Even to our divine Lord His “soul was exceeding sorrowful;” and, amidst the darkness that enshrouded the cross, the Father’s presence seemed withdrawn, forcing from His anguished lips the agonizing cry, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” The only sure evidence is God’s Word twice told. That sufficient witness God gives to every one of His children. Consider for a while the following word:— “If any man willeth to do His will, he shall know of the teaching.” John 7:17, R.V. This is an easy test, isn’t it? It does not even ask a man to do God’s will, as our common version indicates; but if any man willeth to do, if any man chooseth with all his heart to do God’s will, “he shall know.” Now God’s will is irresistible and infinite. “He doeth according to His will; . . . and none can stay His hand.” He “worketh all things after the counsel of His own will.” He who possesses this mighty will loves His children with an infinite love. “God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” In His great love God sets His will for the salvation of all who believe. “For God appointed us not unto wrath, but unto the obtaining of salvation thru our Lord Jesus Christ.” “For this is the will of God, even your sanctification.” He proposes to make all who trust in Him “to the praise of the glory of His grace.” What more can He do? God’s will is expressed in His holy Word. It is summarily comprehended in His law. Said Jesus thru the psalmist, “Lo, I come to do Thy will, O My God; yea, Thy law is within My heart.” Thus much for God’s part. Man’s is to choose to do God’s will, to yield all to the great Master, to keep back nothing of himself—his sins, his selfishness, his idols, his pride, his all, which Christ has purchased by His own blood—but to yield all, and let God do with it as He will. And it is His will that the sin shall be destroyed and the man saved. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” That is plain, isn’t it? If we have sins unforgiven, it is our fault, isn’t it? If we are uncleaned, it is our fault, isn’t it? But you say, “I have confessed my sins, but I do not know as I am forgiven.” Now one of two things is true; that is, you must believe, conclude, one of two things: Either you have not confessed all your sins, or else God is not “faithful and just.” Which is true? Do not try to get around it with an “if” or a “but.” Face it squarely. You say that you have confessed every sin you know; you have by that confession put sin on one side, your deadly enemy, and yourself on the other. Then we say, on the authority of the Word, you are forgiven, you are cleansed. Do you believe that? But you say, “I do not feel that I am forgiven.” Then you prefer to trust your “feeling” to God’s promise? You have not then separated from sin and self after all, have you? O, let the feeling forever go! Come to God, and confess your sin of unbelief, your idolatry of self, and praise Him, praise Him, praise Him, feeling or no feeling, that His Word is true, that “He is faithful and just,” that your sins are all forgiven. And then keep yielded. Ask for more of His grace. Yield day by day, moment by moment, to His service, and pray for His Spirit. He will give it as freely as He does His forgiveness if you ask for His glory. Ask in His way; believe in His way; submit to His will; and receive of His fulness. His Word of life will witness with His Word in you. You may know. THESE terms have various meanings, to be determined by their use. The former, “soul,” oftentimes refers to the whole man, either living or dead. We therefore have in the original both “living soul” and “dead soul.” Generally the word means the life, animal life, which man has in common with all animate creatures. Sometimes it pertains to the emotions and affections. “Spirit” is used to designate (1) a spiritual being, such as angels; (2) the Holy Spirit; (3) the life received from God. The reader need have little trouble in ascertaining the various uses of either word if he will forget tradition and consider what the Word says. The two terms occur in the Bible in the aggregate about 1,700 times; but in no instance do we find either term qualified by such adjectives as “immortal,” “deathless,” “never dying.” These terms are applied to no part of man, neither are they predicated of any part of man, in his mortal, sinful state. Is not this a striking fact? If man in whole or in part is immortal, would not his Maker know it? And would He not reveal this to man, as He has all other things pertaining to man’s nature and destiny? Neither can it be said with one writer that the immortality of the soul is taken for granted rather than expressly revealed in the Scriptures. The Bible does not so deal with such important and essential truths. For instance, if any truth could be taken for granted, concerning which no special revelation would be needed, it would be the immortality of God. Yet the Bible expressly calls Him “the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God.” 1 Tim. 1:17. Nay, more, we are expressly told that He “only hath immortality.” 1 Tim. 6:16. On the other hand, man is by the Word expressly called “mortal,” “corruptible,” and everywhere subject to death. (See Job 4:17; 2 Chron. 14:11, margin; Rom. 5:12; Heb. 9:28, and many others.) “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” Eze. 18:14. The simple fact is this, that, while man is possessed of body, soul, and spirit, each and all of these are essential to the living, thinking man. He possesses no conscious, immortal entity which can be separated from the body and live on and on indefinitely. The Bible knows no such theory. It reveals to us no such being. The Bible man is organized of God, made a living, thinking, acting, responsible being by the life of God. The Bible man is possessed of a physical, a mental, and a spiritual nature; but these natures are not separate men. Man may live in subjection to his flesh, and be carnal. He may obey the law of his life in Christ Jesus, and be spiritual. He may prostitute his mental nature to minister to the flesh, or he may use it to glorify God. The choice is his. So also is the inevitable result. The conclusion of this study, as that of all Biblical studies on this subject must be, is that man is a dying mortal, with no hope of immortality in himself. This is not flattery to poor humanity. It is not in harmony with heathen tradition. It will not be approved by “Modern Spiritualism” or “Christian Science;” but it is Biblical. More than this, it is infinitely better than the traditional belief in man’s inherent immortality; for, while it shows the truth of man’s nothingness, it shows the all-sufficiency of the riches of God’s grace, and His infinite love. The traditional view makes man his own saviour, with hopeless future, but the Biblical truth reveals the only Redeemer, who is also Creator. He could create an entirely new race, but in His love He recreates every soul unto life and immortality who will believe Him, and binds them to Him and each other with the bonds of eternal love. There are many evils in the world. Great intemperance, licentiousness, brutality, are manifest in the most horrible of crimes. These vices roll in like overwhelming floods. They threaten soon to overwhelm the earth. Good men’s souls are stirred to their very depths because of it. But the remedy nearly always proposed is law, prohibitory law, regulating this, that, and the other thing; divorce laws, labor laws, laws against every sort of evil, are clamored for and passed; but the evil rolls on in still huger waves. Law is not the remedy. It may protect the weak, the innocent, the defenseless; that is its purpose; but law can not effect reform. For the seat of all this evil is in the low, lustful, fleshly heart of man. “For from within, out of the heart,” says the wisdom of God, “proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: all these evil things come from within.” It therefore follows that the only way to reform the man, and hence society, is to change the heart, to regenerate it, to make it new. Only the creative power of God can do this. Only the salvation of the Gospel can accomplish it. All the ink and paper in the world, if converted into laws, will not change a single heart. But that heart yielded to Jesus Christ may be changed “immediately,” even as the leper was cleansed, by His word. Soul, that is your remedy. DID HE ASSURE US IN VAIN?
THE Christian Advocate has the following editorial in a recent issue:— Dark Enough, but Not Midnight.
The nineteenth century goes out in war all around the world. The Hague Conference led some to sing “Hosanna!” and to cry, “The age of peace dawns!” We sat among the doubters, for human nature unregenerated is the same all over the world. The Christians are still cutting each other’s throats in South Africa. The Christians are not done cutting each other’s throats in the Philippine Islands. The Christians and the pagans are but pausing for breath in China. Clouds are rising over various parts of Northern Africa, and the shadow of revolution is upon a score of nations in South and Central America, and on the continent of Europe. An epidemic of lynching pervades this country. Prize-fighting is a great, popular amusement. New York loves it, and also can breed a race riot. Society at Newport defies conventionalities, social and religious. One of the worst phases of the situation is the development of shamelessness. “First families” rush into the courts with their matrimonial troubles, and appear not able to blush when scenes which would disgrace those born in and to vulgarity, are portrayed by the sensational papers. Those premillenarians who think that the world must get worse before Christ can come, are solemnly pointing to these things as portents; but they forget that their predecessors, who forgot that “of that day and hour knoweth no man,” ever since Christ ascended, have been declaring that it was just at hand. It is all true, all except the inference in the last sentence. We do remember that Christ told us that “of that day and hour knoweth no man,” and we believe it with all our heart. But we also remember that Christ also gave us signs of His second coming, and told us, “When ye shall see all these things, know that it [“He,” margin] is near, even at the doors.” Are His words meaningless? Is His assurance that His coming is near when certain events take place, of no worth? Do the more than twelve lines of prophecy, and the multitude of signs, which assure us of the same thing, amount to nothing? It is not from the premillenarians that the idea comes that the world must grow worse? It is the Word that declares, “Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.” And testimony of the same import may be greatly multiplied. Men have made mistakes in setting the time of Christ’s coming, because they did not remember His words; is there not as great danger if we ignore them altogether? THE MYSTERIOUS POWER.
By T.
A PERIODICAL that comes to our desk occasionally has for the front cover of its last issue a full-page advertisement of the “mysterious power.” The “mysterious power” that is advertised is hypnotism. The advertisement claims to represent a “world-famous hypnotic institute” that will teach you the science of hypnotism for so much, and it offers as inducements that its knowledge will give you success in “business,” “love making,” “healing,” etc. The only interpretation that can be placed upon an advertisement of this kind is that this school of hypnotists offers to put you in possession of a power that will enable you to win the affections of a lady who otherwise might repulse you, and to induce men to do business with you when they otherwise would not consider your propositions. Getting money under false pretenses is considered a crime, and men are promptly punished for it when caught at it. A man who meets you on the highway and orders you to throw up your hands while he takes your money and other valuables, is hunted out by the officers of the law and lodged in the penitentiary, when apprehended for his crime. Every one will say that this is no more than justice. Now what is the difference between a man that meets you alone on the public road and overpowers you, and the one who meets you in the business office and thru some subtle influence gains a power over your mind and leads you to make a business transaction that you would not make if left to your natural self? Certainly the one who uses hypnotic power in making business transactions or in love-making or anything of the kind is far worse than the highwayman and far more to be dreaded. What right has any one to exercise any such power? The principal of it is evil and only evil. Some will say, however, that hypnotism can be used as an anesthetic in surgery and otherwise as an agent in healing disease. But can a power of this kind that can be worked in such awfully evil ways by evil men be really a good thing? The evil that may be done with hypnotism makes the good that is claimed for it seem so small that it is not worth taking into account. Indeed, the very fact that there can be found some things that hypnotism can do that seem to be good, makes it all the more subtle and perniciously evil. A power that an evil-minded man can be exercising upon you while you are wholly unconscious of what he is trying to do, is more dangerous than the revolver or the dagger. And the evil effects that are produced by it are worse than the dark deeds of the assassin and highwayman. Every day we read of some wife who has been induced to leave her husband by some one that has acquired a hypnotic influence over her, and thus a happy home is wrecked, and not only the husband but also all his friends and relatives, as well as the friends and relatives of his wife, are made to suffer a far keener pain than if she had been murdered outright. And not only do we read of the homes that are being broken up in this way by the hypnotist, but we read continually of the girls whose hopes and prospects for life have been wholly destroyed by the wily arts of hypnotism. Then how is it possible for any one to say that a power is good when it can be used, and is being used far more, to do evil than it is used in that which seems to be good? Several times in this article we have spoken in regard to hypnotism “seeming” to do some good. We made use of the word “seem” advisedly; for hypnotism works harm and only harm. That which appears to be good in it is not good in reality at all. What the apostle James says in regard to the unruly tongue applies very forcibly here. He says: “Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.” James 3:11, 12. The individual who is not on his guard and who once yields himself to the influence of hypnotism makes himself the sporting toy of others. And the medical value that this “mysterious power” claims, makes it all the more dangerous. No one will seek to apologize for the highwayman and say that he ought to be advertised favorably because there is some good about him. But they will tell of hypnotic good, and thereby make it popular, and thus allow individuals to perpetrate their frauds and evil deeds of darkness by means of it. It is high time that all good men and women everywhere did all they could to expose the evil of this craze that is sweeping the country in favor of hypnotism. And every one ought to be made fully aware of the fact that it is impossible for them to be put under the influence of it if they are on their guard and their trust is in Him who is the Author of our minds as well as of our bodies. T. NEW YORK'S DIFFICULTY WITH CRIMINALS.
In the early seventies New York City was having the beginnings of her experience with the Tweed “ring.” Several million dollars were stolen from the public treasury by Tweed and his associates in crime. Citizens revolted against this bold robbery by an official of the city, and Tweed was sentenced to prison, where he finally died. But the seeds of corruption sown by Tweed among the municipal officers of New York City did not die with him. The evil went on and increased until the New York Senate thought it expedient in 1894 to appoint a committee, with Mr. Lexow at its head, to investigate this corruption, and if possible to suggest means to suppress it. This Lexow Committee did its work, and the world stood aghast for awhile at the revelations of the evils and corruptions that were proven to exist among high officials there. But this exposure thru the Lexow Committee did not stop the evil, and so about two years ago another committee was appointed by the New York Legislature, with Mr. Mazet at its head, to try if possible to uproot this corrupting criminality that was being practised by the New York City officials. When Mr. Lexow was in the midst of his work, a new election came on, and he was defeated in his candidacy for re-election by the men that he was seeking to expose. A few months ago Bishop Potter addressed a ringing communication to the mayor of New York in regard to the evils that were covered up and fostered by the officials. This letter was taken up by the papers, and a big stir is being made over the facts that the bishop brought out. A citizens' committee of fifteen has been appointed, and they say that they are going into things in good lively fashion to try to cleanse the city of its moral pollution. Whenever New York gets stirred up in anything of this kind, it sets some of the other big cities to work, and they try to cleanse themselves from the evils that are in them. This is notably the case at the present time in Chicago. They find there that there is quite as much corruption to contend against as in New York. The facts warrant us in saying that each one of these investigations that are made of the municipal corruptions of the great cities shows that things are worse than they were when the former investigation was made. These evils are not only deep-rooted, but they are growing worse and worse. What will the end of it all be? The Lord destroyed the old world because of its gross wickedness. For the same reason, He overthrew the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Nineveh would have been destroyed for the same reason had not the people of that city repented at the preaching of Jonah. Now will the Lord do any differently in this time from what He did then? Will it not be necessary for Him to destroy all the cities of the world because of the gross corruptions that are in them? We do not ask you to jump at conclusions in as serious a matter as this, but just think about it. You have more or less knowledge of city life, and are compelled to a greater or less extent to come in contact with it. What do you think of it? Do you think that a just and merciful God can allow such things to continue, especially as they are growing worse and worse? When thinking upon this subject, consider the following words of the prophet:— “Destruction upon destruction is cried; for the whole land is spoiled; suddenly are My tents spoiled; and My curtains in a moment. How long shall I see the standard, and hear the sound of the trumpet? For My people is foolish, they have not known Me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding; they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge. I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light. I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly. I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled. I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the Lord, and by his fierce anger. For thus hath the Lord said, The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end. For this shall the earth mourn, and the heavens above be black; because I have spoken it, I have purposed it, and will not repent, neither will I turn back from it. The whole city shall flee for the noise of the horsemen and bowmen; they shall go into thickets, and climb up upon the rocks; every city shall be forsaken, and not a man dwell therein.” Jer. 4: 20-29. Every word in the foregoing scripture needs to be studied carefully. The prophet is describing a time when the people are “wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.” As you read of what is being done in the cities of the land, or when you think of what comes under your own observation, does it not impress you that the wisdom that is manifested is that of doing evil, and that good is banished from the thoughts of men? Serious reflection should convince any one that this wild career of evil will soon have to be stricken with the hand of divine justice and power. And in view of this fact, how earnest should every true Christian be in trying to turn men from this evil way before it is too late! CHURCH FEDERATION.
By A. O. Burrill
The New York State Executive Board of Federation of Churches was in session in the First Presbyterian Church in this city (Syracuse, N. Y.) all day Tuesday, December 11. The Monday papers had a notice that in the evening the public was invited. I therefore went, but to my surprise I found the meeting in the chapel, and the public congregation composed of ministers, with two exceptions. Dr. J. W. Hegeman, of New York City, was the principal speaker, the other ministers catechising him. Thus, many important points in regard to the nature and character of the work were brought out. Among the questions and answers the following points were developed:— In a federation of churches there must be— 1. As a permanent basis of unity a common life, in which every unit would inhere. 2. A common purpose, which would be of interest to each member. 3. A common consent of each member to constitute an organized headship, or union, to serve the common interests of all the members. The unit in the federation is the individual church. It may be desirable to have State and national federation organized, with the local federation as the unit. On this basis a composite unity is possible. We raise no question of doctrine, dogma, creed, polity, or anything peculiar to any church. The one aim common to all churches is to save men. The government of the local federation is vested in a council composed of representatives from each denomination. Such an organization could become the servant of the churches in all things pertaining to the kingdom. It could be a clearing-house for all churches interested; a medium of exchange of facts, problems, and remedies; an organ of expression of the will of members of the kingdom; a tower of observation to give a bird’s-eye view of tendencies, situations, and changes affecting American Christianity; a board of strategy to find out the strength and resources of the common enemy, and map out a plan of campaign.9This would give to Protestantism that which it so much needs for efficient service, and which would realize the representative headship of the apostolic republic, and thus secure the advantages which the Church of Rome possesses in her magnificent organization. So Much for the Plan and Purpose.
The great object seems to be to perfect an organization which will be to the Protestants what the papal organization is to Catholics. This sounds like making “an image to the beast.” Wherein will be the difference in principle in the above federation of churches from the papal principle of federation of churches? When the Protestants have fully accomplished this federation of churches, they say that they will “possess” a “magnificent organization,” for it will be like the papal. The speaker further said:— “Existing conditions favor it. A growing perception of its need, desirability, and practicability prepares the mind to accept of it. The rallying centers of common attraction are nuclei for integration into federation.” “The knell of denominational individualism, churchism and competition is sounding.” “The wide-awake Christians feel the desirability of securing legislation in behalf of righteousness of life and of enforcing it, of systematical and simultaneous agitation all along the line, in awakening interest in the vital concerns of the people, and of embodying the ideals of the Master, in our national life.” Since “righteousness” comes only “by faith of Jesus Christ,” the kind which this organization promises by “enforcing it,” is the spurious, and, therefore, not righteousness at all, but religious persecution. The whole drift was to reform society legally. Arrangements were made to formulate a city federation of churches, and delegates were appointed to the national federation of churches, to convene in Philadelphia February 5 and 6. I could but think that “Church and State are now making preparations for the future conflict. Protestants are working in disguise to bring Sunday to the front, as did the Romanists.” “A great crisis awaits the people of God. A crisis awaits the world. The most momentous struggle of all the ages is just before us.” We need to be men that have understanding of the times in which we live, to know what ought to be done, and to do it.