HAVING called attention to the fact that we are to know when the coming of Christ is near at hand, we shall now proceed to notice how, or by what means, we are to know this. Whenever any event of importance to the world is about to take place, God will never leave his people to remain in ignorance, or without some means of knowing something concerning it. He invariably gives them ample signs or forewarnings so that they may know and be prepared for it.
"Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done it? Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets." Amos 3: 6, 7.
This settles that question. In response to the question asked of him by the disciples, "What shall be the sign of thy coming, and the end of the world?" (Matt. 24:3) Jesus directly informed them that
"there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth; for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory." Luke 21: 25-27.
Not only has the Lord told us that there shall be signs, but he has likewise told just what these signs would be; nor is this all, but he has even told us when they shall be.
"And it shall come to pass in the last days [the term "the last days" embraces the very last day], saith God, . . . I will show wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; the sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come." Acts 2: 17-20; Joel 2: 30, 31.437
Not only this, but the Saviour even locates the exact period of time in which the sun and moon should be darkened, namely, in the period of papal persecution, or supremacy,—the 1260 years spoken of by the prophets (Dan. 7:25; Rev. 12:6-14; Matt. 24:15, 21, 22), in the latter part of that period, "immediately after the tribulation of those days." Matt. 24:29. The 1260 years of papal supremacy began in A.D. 538 and ended in 1798. But those days were to be shortened, says Christ, for the elect's sake. This was accomplished by bringing the persecutions to a close. The suppression of the order of the Jesuits by the pope of Rome, the influence of the Reformers, together with the edicts of toleration passed by Austria and Spain about the years 1774 to 1778, virtually brought the persecutions to a close. But the 1260 years did not expire until 1798. So the tribulations, or persecutions, of those days ceased a few years before the "days" ended.
EDICT OF TOLERATION OF THE EMPEROR JOSEPH.—By this edict he granted to all members of the Protestant and Greek churches . . . the free exercise of their religion. He declared all Christians of every denomination equally citizens, and capable of holding charges and offices in every department of State. Cox' House of Austria, vol. 3.
And Maria Theresa, of Austria, "in 1776 abolished the torture in the hereditary States." —White's History, p. 458.
Mark says, "In those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light." Mark 13: 24. Hence, we must look for the fulfillment of this part of the prophecy—the darkening of the sun and moon—somewhere between 1776 and 1778. Any other darkening will not answer the prophecy. Nor would we be justified in looking for its fulfillment in some natural phenomenon. It must be of a supernatural or unaccountable character. There is but one, and only one, such event on record to which we may turn for its fulfillment. It occurred May 19, 1780, just at the proper time called for in the prophecy.
Dark Day, the, May 19, 1780, so called on account of a remarkable darkness on that day, extending over all New England. In some places persons could not see to read common print in the open air for several hours together. . . . The true cause of this remarkable phenomenon is not known.—Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, art. Dark Day.
It was "unnatural" and "unaccountable," of an "uncommon" nature.
In the month of May, 1780, there was a terrific dark day, . . . unnatural darkness.—Life of Edward Lee, by the American Tract Society.
The uncommon darkness . . . on the 19th of May, 1780, was a phenomenon which several gentlemen of considerable literary abilities have endeavored to solve, yet . . . no satisfactory solution has yet appeared.—Dr. Tenny.
Almost if not altogether alone as the most mysterious and as yet unexplained phenomenon of its kind in nature's diversified range of events during the last century, stands the dark day of May 19, 1780, a most unaccountable darkening of the whole visible heavens and atmosphere in New England, which brought intense alarm and distress to multitudes of minds.—Our First Century, p. 88.
Herschal, the great astronomer, gives the following testimony concerning the unaccountableness of the darkness:—
The dark day in Northern America was one of those wonderful phenomena of nature which will always be read with interest, but which philosophy is at a loss to explain.
My father and mother, who were pious, thought the day of judgment was near. They sat up that night, during the latter part of which they said the darkness disappeared, and then the sky seemed as usual, but the moon, which was at its full, had the appearance of blood.—Milo Bostwick.
The darkness . . . was probably as gross as has ever been since the Almighty first gave birth to light. . . . The darkness could not have been more complete. A sheet of white paper held within a few inches of the eyes was equally invisible with the blackest velvet.—Mr. Tenny.
Thus accurately have we described the fulfillment of this part of the prophecy. The next great sign which should take place, mentioned by the Saviour, was the falling stars. Mark 13: 25.
"And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind." Rev. 6: 13.
The stars here referred to, it is understood, do not mean the fixed stars, but the meteors, or what we call the "shooting stars." There shall be an unnatural or an uncommon display of falling stars. This was literally fulfilled November 13, 1833. There have been other displays of shooting stars both before and since, but none such as is described in the prophecy. A few quotations upon the fulfillment of this prophecy will suffice. There are still a great many living eyewitnesses of this remarkable sign.
The most sublime phenomenon of shooting stars of which the world has ever furnished any record was witnessed throughout the United States on the morning of the 13th of November, 1833. The entire extent of this astonishing exhibition has not been precisely ascertained; but it covered no inconsiderable portion of the earth's surface. . . . The first appearance was that of fireworks of the most imposing grandeur, covering the entire vault of heaven with myriads of fire balls, resembling skyrockets. Their coruscations were bright, gleaming, and incessant, and they fell thick as the flakes in the early snows of December. To the splendors of this celestial exhibition the most brilliant skyrockets and fireworks of art bear less relation than the twinkling of the most tiny star to the broad glare of the sun.—Burritt's Geography of the Heavens, p. 163, ed. 1854.
Those who were so fortunate as to witness the exhibition of shooting stars on the morning of November 13, 1833, probably saw the greatest display of celestial fireworks that has ever been since the foundation of the world, or at least within the annals covered by the pages of history.—Professor Olmstead, of Yale College.
A more correct picture of a fig tree casting its leaves when blown by a mighty wind is not possible to behold.—Connecticut Observer of November 25, 1833.
"The sea and the waves roaring,"—the mighty tidal waves, which are coming to be of such frequent and alarming occurrence in recent years, and which rise up like a mountainous wall, and with fearful roar sweep over whole islands and coast lands, carrying devastation and striking terror to all hearts,—"the stormy winds fulfilling his word" (Ps. 148: 8; Isa. 29: 5, 6),—the tornadoes and cyclones, increasing in numbers and destructiveness every year, sweeping over both land and sea, and leaving in their wake destruction and desolation,—the fear and perplexity, the lack of confidence prevailing in the hearts of men everywhere—all attest to the fact that we are bordering upon the eternal world. The day of God is just upon us. All nature joins to swell the proclamation of that soon-coming day.
"This generation [the generation that should witness these signs fulfilled] shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled," i. e., till they see the coming of the Son of Man in the clouds of heaven, and the consummation of all things. "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away." Matt. 24: 34, 35. But since the generation that witnessed the fulfillment of the Saviour's last great sign,—the falling stars,—is fast passing from the stage of action, it follows, then, that that day cannot be very far off. And are we prepared for its solemn issue? If not, dear reader, we entreat of you, "Prepare to meet thy God."
THE CHURCH AND HEATHENISM.
By I. E. Kimball
Second and Third Centuries.
BY ELDER I. E. KIMBALL.
It is almost an impossibility to accurately describe the church of this period, because, first, the church varied vastly in conditions. In some provinces a considerable degree of purity was maintained; in other places, there was a degree of grossness, sensuality, and prodigality in the adoption of heathen custom of which we moderns can scarcely conceive. Secondly, because the extant writings are few, clipped, mutilated, forged, and so rendered very untrustworthy.
Certain "apostolic fathers" are supposed to have lived and to have written immediately after the close of the Bible canon, that is, before the year 150 A.D., as Clement, Hermes, Polycarp, Papias, Barnabas, Ignatius, and Justin. Then followed Dionysius, Melito, Irenæus, Clement, Tertullian, Origen, and Cyprian, bringing us to the year 250 or later. As far as we are able to glean the truth from the above writers, we see the church involved in heathenism and partaking largely of the spirit and the practices of the Gentiles.
Gibbon says: "She (the church) soon found herself overwhelmed by the increased multitudes that from all the various religions of polytheism enlisted under the banner of Christ." The effect of this is described by Hegesippus, the earliest church historian, as quoted, I believe, by Eusebius. Speaking of disturbances and wranglings over the election of the bishop, he said: "Each [was] for himself, and apart from the rest; hence come false christs, false prophets, false apostles, rupturing the unity of the church by deceitful doctrines, against God and against his Christ."
"The church continued until the sacred choir of the apostles became extinct as a pure and uncorrupt virgin. The generation that had been privileged to hear their inspired wisdom passed. Then also the combinations of impious error arose, by the fraud and delusion of false teachers." An eloquent modern historian thus summarizes the facts: "By the promulgation of Christianity during the first hundred years after the death of the apostles, a visible and hopeful impression was made upon the sentiments and practices of perhaps half the community in all the countries around the Mediterranean. Superstition and fanaticism then gained an ascendency, superseding everywhere—a few spots excepted—the doctrine and morality of Christ."
We may get some understanding of the doctrine and morality which exhibited themselves in the church at this time by consulting the "fathers" above named.
The especial manifestations of God's Spirit ceased. There was wrangling and jangling in the churches such that the heathen taunted them with their strifes. So we read from "Clement's Remonstrances with the Corinthians":—
"The base and inglorious have arisen against the honorable and the glorious, the foolish against the wise, the young against the old. Wherefore are these quarrels, passions, and dissensions, amounting to actual wars among you? Wherefore do ye thus tear asunder and divide the body of Christ? . . . Your controversies have perverted many, have thrown many into dejection, many into doubt, and all of us into affliction."
This Clement is said to have been ordained over the Roman Church by the apostle Peter. It is a notable fact, expressed by nearly every historian of these times, that the same implacable, unmerciful spirit which was in the breath of the heathen seems to have characterized the Christians in their contentions with each other. We may mourn that it was so. Doubtless there were exemplary Christians, but certainly those were not Christians who could yield to passions so violent as to cause many to be murdered in the streets, and even the sanctuary itself to be thus defiled, in consequence of the election or installment of a bishop.
But that we may more clearly understand the rapid decline of the church in faith and morals, let us glance at the condition of the Gentile nations. The heathen law, generally speaking, made no pretensions to a divine origin. It was believed, indeed, to have been codified under the favor and guidance of the deities. The Roman emperors were empowered by the Senate and people "to adopt any measure pertaining to the common interest, or to the majesty of private and public, human and divine affairs." The emperor was himself very literally a god. Sacrifices were to be offered monthly upon his altar (Virgil). "To-day I've seen the gods," said the barbarians. The Romans sincerely believed in a deity, actually walking the earth and conversant among men, and it would be difficult to find more sincere homage than that tendered the Roman emperors by the people of the provinces. All men were accustomed to bow in abject obedience to the authority of man in religious matters; we shall see how this affected the church.
But man's religion gave no expression to what we denominate holiness or sin. These ideas could not be expressed in either of the classic languages of antiquity. The majesty of the civil law was indeed something won6derful, but there was no conception of sin or holiness apart from this, and the law rarely trenched upon human vices. Virtue, temperance, continence, were practiced merely for the sake of honor and personal aggrandizement, nothing more. In Sparta the children were taught to lie, to steal, and, more than all, to kill. Murder is the science and the art of all heathenism. Gladiators slain, 10,000 in a day (as under Trajan), gave to Rome her happiest holiday. Any people might lawfully be invaded and enslaved, and in everything that pertained to civil law the slave was not recognized as having an existence. Such was the brutality of the most enlightened nations. The astute Stoic and more flexible epicurean allowed Sodomy and incest as "things indifferent." Revenge was "lawful and commendable." There was sensual gratification to the uttermost. Concubinage, a sort of secondary marriage with a woman of lower caste, was sanctioned and regulated by the law, and continued from the days of Augustus till the tenth century and later. And, moreover, the law against adultery in no way touched upon illicit connections with slaves or prostitutes. Venus, the goddess of lust, was worshiped, and open community life seems to have been largely the custom.
Religion abounded, but it was a mere ceremonial which in no way restrained public or private immoralities. The priests were not interested in those things, but they rather led on, the foremost of all, in the profane orgies and libidinous gratifications. The women were quite commonly but slaves. Even Plato taught that lying was preferable to truth at times. Prayers were offered for the death of a rich relative or for some licentious gratification, but there was no such thing as seeking for holiness of heart. Then, too, there were doctrinal conceptions of course altogether opposed to Bible truth, of which we will hereafter speak. Such was the heathenism into which the church by gradual stages blended.
With such abounding iniquity, of which we even yet have but a small conception, we cannot wonder that a vicious intermixture of heathenism and Christianity should have come about.
Here is Hadrian's picture of the Egyptian people, sketched about A.D. 125:—
"They are volatile, changing with every moment's rumor. They who worship Serapis are Christians, and they who call themselves the bishops of Christ are the votaries of Serapis. They have one and the same God, and that is none at all, though worshiped by Christian, Jew, and all men."
Themistius, of a later date at the accession of Jovian, spoke in the same way, as quoted by Gibbon:—
"Both religions have been alternately disgraced by the seeming acquisition of worthless proselytes of those votaries of the reigning purple who could pass without a reason and without a blush from the church to the temple, and from the altar of Jupiter to the sacred table of the Christians."
I BELIEVE IN THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD.
By Joel Swartz
BY REV. JOEL SWARTZ.
We hold as a priceless possession,
Bequesthed us from Jesus our Head,
This ancient and glorious confession,
"The dead shall arise from the dead."
We hold it in protest of reason,
In protest of "prudent and wise,"
That the dead will awake in their season,
The sleepers in Jesus shall rise.
They shall rise not worn in the morning,
As they sank to their slumbers opprest,
But bright in the Bridegroom's adorning
They shall come refreshed by their rest.
They shall come with a song and a story,
The ransomed of Zion shall come;
Their theme shall be Christ and his glory,
When the pilgrims are gathering home.
—Lutheran Observer.
JOTTINGS FROM EUROPE.
By H. P. Holser
TURKEY.
[From our own correspondent.]
WHEN traveling in Turkey one is impressed not only with the desirableness and beauty of much of the country, but with the limited trade and prosperity enjoyed by the people. From the earliest times known to history, this has been a favored land. Along the shores of the Euxine, from Colchis on the east to the Bosphorus on the west, and about the Bosphorus, Propondis, Hellespont, and Ægaen Sea lie the scenes which became the favorite themes of the Grecian poets, while Asia Minor, just across the straits, was once the richest section of the world. It has always been a favorite land of the Greeks, who are still found here in large numbers.
In bold contrast with the golden days of the past stand the present barrenness and poverty of the land. Long-continued wars have laid it waste, and under a bad system of government it has not recovered, but rather grown worse, until some of the once fertile districts are now almost desert. Places once well watered are now arid, doubtless in part due to the removal of trees. Fruit trees are taxed, and as the tax frequently exceeds the total product, the owners cut their trees down to save loss.
The government is such as to discourage husbandry in the fairest land. First, a tithe of the product is demanded; then a second tax of as much or still more is asked. Again, everything in trade is the reverse of what leads to prosperity. For example, raw material taken from Constantinople is allowed to pass free, while all manufactured goods are subject to duty. What better arrangement could be devised to discourage home manufacture and encourage industry in foreign lands?
In addition to the home discouragements, foreign trade is greatly limited by the exasperating way of doing business by the government. In Turkey, time does not figure as a factor in a man's calculations. If one has something to get through the customhouse, he must go and watch his chances. No regular hours are kept by the officials. They come and go at caprice. Sometimes one may wait from morning till 4 P.M. before the necessary officer comes, only to be told that he has not time to attend to his business today. He may come again on the morrow with the same prospects of success. Sometimes several days are thus consumed. For even the smallest article, one must lose from one to two days.
What has been said of the customhouse is characteristic of everything else. The Turk is hopelessly wedded to the doctrine of fatalism, which leads him to total indifference in many things where the European is wide-awake to his best interests. The result is the ruin of trade and prosperity, and the present poverty-stricken condition of the country. As one evil leads to another, so this state of things has led to universal corruption of government officials.
Generally, the officers are not paid regularly, and are left to get their salary as best they can. This has led to an unscrupulous system of "grab." With bribes, one can do almost anything; without them, he can do almost nothing. In consequence, it is very difficult for an honest man to live in Turkey, for he would soon be bled to death.
The principle of "like priest like people" may be applied to "like officers like people;" and when this system of bribery and stealing is once started, it seems to move forward like an avalanche in the ratio of geometrical progression. While in a village almost in sight of Constantinople on clear days, I visited a silk factory. The manager related how he had been seized by robbers, while returning to the village with his wife, and carried away to the mountains, where he was kept till his father paid $5,000 for his release. They have not been able to secure any sort of redress from the government.
Another illustration: one of our missionaries went to visit a village, also in sight of Constantinople in clear weather. As the law does not require one to carry a passport in a certain district about Constantinople, being in this district, our missionary carried none, yet, when he landed, it was demanded, and because he could not produce it, he was marched off to prison, in spite of his protests that they had no right to take him. As he did not take the hint to offer a bribe, he was plainly told that if he would pay a certain sum, they would release him. When he declared that the government gave him the right to travel thus, they coolly responded that they lived in the mountains and did not care what the government said. This shows the existing degree of respect for the laws and ruling powers.
Besides the difficulties resulting from poverty, the government has much trouble with foreign elements. At present the Armenian question is the most serious. Like the Swiss, the Armenians have always been very patriotic. They still sing songs of victory in battle with the Persians, and still celebrate a national festival to commemorate a great victory of 300 Armenians over 10,000 Persians.
Cilicia, their beloved country, their land flowing with milk and honey, has been taken from them, and their liberties greatly curtailed. The more they resist, the tighter the cords of oppression are drawn, until at present a crisis is greatly feared. It is now very difficult for an Armenian to travel, or to do anything of a public nature. An enemy of an Armenian desiring revenge has but to report him to the authorities as a dangerous person or a secret conniver against the government, and he is promptly arrested, and may have endless difficulties.
The censorship of the press is growing more severe. Every article printed must first be submitted to the government. About the only way for a journal to exist is to say absolutely nothing about the government. At present, it is next to impossible to secure the permission for a new journal, while as many as possible of those already existing are suppressed. About the only way to start a new journal is to buy out one already existing, which is an expensive step. All tourists' guidebooks for Turkey are forbidden, likewise every other book speaking unfavorably of the government.
These are but a few hints at the existing state of things. At a glance, one can see that all who have acquaintance with this country by contact in business or otherwise soon lose all respect for it; nevertheless, the beauty and desirableness of its natural advantages still remain, and are still more coveted than if they were under a good government. Under existing circumstances, it is no439wonder that men are constantly expecting a general scramble for this favorable territory.
But the Lord has a work to be done here, and the winds of strife will be held till this work is accomplished. Men who know not what God says in his prophetic word cannot understand the situation; but those that are made wise by his word shall understand. Let us give heed to what he says about the Eastern question in the books of Daniel and Revelation.
H. P. HOLSER.
Isle of Cypress, March 27, 1894.
Apothegms
By Erasmus
Apothegms are in history the same as pearls in the sand or gold in the mine.—Erasmus.
Known in Heaven
It often happens that those of whom we speak least on earth are the best known in heaven.—N. Cousin.
Women and Their Ten Fingers
WITH all due respect for brains, I think women cannot be too early taught to respect their own ten fingers.—Dinah Muloch Craik.
THE DOCTRINES OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND.
By Percy T. Magan
Is It Protestant and Christian?
[This article is No. 22 in the series entitled "A Review of Sunday Legislation in Century Nineteen," but it will be of equal interest to those who have not read preceding numbers.—ED. S. of T.]
IN our last article it was clearly set forth that the Church of England was not at the time of its birth a Protestant church. "The principles contained in the celebrated Protest of Spires, held 19 April, 1529, constituted"—it is D'Aubigne who is speaking—"the very essence of Protestantism." What are these principles? Let the same author tell:—
This protest opposes two abuses of man in matters of faith. The first is the intrusion of the civil magistrate; and the second, the arbitrary authority of the church. Instead of these abuses, Protestantism sets the power of conscience above the magistrate, and the authority of the word of God above the visible church. In the first place, it rejects the civil power in divine things, and says with the apostles and prophets, We must obey God rather than man.
This definition of the "essence of Protestantism" is preeminently correct. But the essence of the Church of England polity is diametrically opposed to the "essence of Protestantism." The Church of England did not oppose "the intrusion of the civil magistrate," nor did she "reject the civil power in divine things." On the contrary, the Church of England was formed by the hand of the first "civil magistrate" of the realm of Great Britain. Moreover, the Church of England has not set "the power of conscience above the magistrate;" on the other hand, she did set the power of the magistrate above "the power of conscience." It therefore logically follows from the reasonings that the Church of England is not Protestant.
Nevertheless, as we said in the last number of this serial, we are fully convinced that the Church of England is in many ways an improvement over the Church of Rome—a very considerable improvement. We will endeavor to state our reasons for holding this opinion clearly and concisely.
The principal founders of the Church of England were mere politicians. Henry VIII., his son and successor, Edward VI., and his daughter, Queen Elizabeth, and the Duke of Somerset, the protector and adviser of the youthful Edward VI., all belonged to the laity. They were none of them ecclesiastics. They were politicians working to accomplish political ends.
We do not believe in any State system of religion. No State system of religion can be Protestant or Biblical and Christian. Therefore personally and for ourselves we regard all State systems as not only valueless but iniquitous.
While for ourselves we tenaciously hold to this doctrine, we readily admit that some State systems of religion are less iniquitous than others. Now in what points of the two State systems does the Church of England possess superiority over the Church of Rome?
As has been stated, the Church of England was founded by politicians. Cranmer and Ridley were the only ecclesiastics who had much to do with the birth of this institution. And that she was founded and her early course molded in great degree by politicians, has in our mind been a blessing to the people of England, and is a point of superiority in the Church of England over the Church of Rome.
And why?—There is no love deeper, purer, better than religious love—the love of Jesus Christ in the human heart. On the other hand, there is no hate so bitter, so vindictive, so thoroughly rancorous in all its bearings, as religious hate. For this reason we would hold that the nation is better off whose statesmen make religion a branch of politics, than the nation whose ministers, clothed with civil power, make politics a branch of religion. In England the State religion is a branch of the civil power. To place the ministers of the church in the place of the ministers of the State always degrades them. The gentleness of Jesus Christ is incompatible with the duties of the civil office. Then they try to serve two masters; they must do this or give up one or the other of their professions. Consequently they grow meaner and spiritually weaker day by day. This greater degree of baseness in ministers holding civil office is well exemplified in the case of the assassination of Mayor Carter Harrison, assassinated in Chicago last year. Mr. Harrison was a Democrat. According to many in his own party, he was anything but a Democrat "of the best sort." He was said to be leagued with the "whisky element." During his life his political foes both in and out of his party spared no pains in trying to cast opprobrium upon his reputation. But when he was brutally murdered, his friends political and foes political all joined in speaking of his good qualities, in paying tribute to whatever part of his memory they consistently could, while his wrongs were forgotten. This is how his political foes treated him when dead. But how different the actions of the Protestant theological fraternity of the city of Chicago. The next Sunday but one after the sad event, almost to a man, they chose for a text—to use the language of the Chicago Herald—"Carter H. Harrison and Him Assassinated," instead of "Christ Jesus and Him Crucified." Mr. Harrison had been unfortunate enough to be mayor of Chicago during the time when the gates of the World's Fair were open on Sunday. He did not take steps to have them closed. And his course in this at least was proper and right. But, nevertheless, by taking this position he called down the wrath of these ministers upon his head. They accordingly preached that his assassination was a visitation of the Divine displeasure and wrath. And they blackmailed his memory all they could. In the majority of the sermons the speakers appeared anxious to hurry the unfortunate man off to hell as fast as possible.
They were not in civil power; had they been, what would they have done? We leave the reader to judge.
According to the papal theory, however, the civil government should be subject to the ecclesiastical. If the combination must exist, we much prefer to see the political element in the ascendant.
To this circumstance, therefore, that her founders were "mere politicians," we firmly believe that the Church of England owes whatever of moderation and tolerance of other creeds there is to be found in her famous "Thirty-nine Articles of Belief." To these circumstances she owes her decent ceremonies, her elevated and "pathetic liturgy." Says Macaulay:—
Her worship is not disfigured by mummery. Yet she has preserved, in a far greater degree than any of her Protestant sisters, that art of striking the senses and filling the imagination in which the Catholic Church so eminently excels.
The British statesman has been content to exercise jurisdiction over the souls of men on earth and has disclaimed all belief in, and all governmental power over, "purgatory, that unknown land which the hierarchy [of Rome] swayed with so absolute a rule" when once the Pope "by a bull had annexed it to his domain," and to which the earth had been rendered a tributary province. In this respect also we consider the Church of England creed in advance of the doctrines, on the same point, of the Church of Rome, and the theology of the British statesman superior to that of the Romish priest.
Again the services of the Church of England are written in English. In their native tongue the people hear them. The services of the Church of Rome are in Latin, which to nine hundred and ninety-nine one-thousandths of the Roman Catholic laity is as unintelligible as mere gibberish. In this also the good sense of the English politicians has predominated over the superstition of the priests of Rome.
Furthermore, auricular confession, that is, the specific confession of individual sin in secret to a priest, is an imperative duty in the Church of Rome. But the love of liberty and the hatred of slavishness so strong in the Anglo-Saxon have brought about the non-appearance of this disgusting dogma in the ritual and liturgy of the Church of England.
The adoration of images is a fundamental doctrine of Romanism. This is one of the most abominable, degrading phases of the filthiest type of heathenism. It, also, the more ingenuous English statesman has relegated to the infernal limbos.
The doctrines of the Church of England were originally set forth in forty-two articles. It is generally believed that these were drawn up by Cranmer and Ridley. The three last of these, condemning some novel opinions, were not renewed under Elizabeth, and a few other variations were made; but upon the whole there is little difference, and none perhaps in those tenets which have been most the objects of discussion. They were never440confirmed by a convocation or by Parliament but imposed by the king's supremacy on all the clergy, and on the universities. These "articles" contain some most excellent principles, and considerable rubbish. Concerning the latter we will say nothing; about the former we will mention a point or two:—
ARTICLE VI. Of the sufficiency of Holy Scriptures for salvation.
Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation; so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it should be believed as an article of faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation.
ARTICLE XI. Of the justification of man.
We are accounted righteous before God, only, for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by faith, and not for our own works or deservings; wherefore that we are justified by faith only is a most wholesome doctrine, and very full of comfort.
ARTICLE XII. Of good works.
Albeit that good works, which are the fruits of faith, and follow after justification, cannot put away our sins, and endure the severity of God's judgment; yet are they pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ, and do spring out necessarily of a true and lively faith.
ARTICLE XIII. Of works before justification.
Works done before the grace of Christ and the inspiration of his Spirit are not pleasant to God, forasmuch as they spring not of faith in Jesus Christ, neither do they make men meet to receive grace, or (as the school authors say) deserve grace of congruity; yea, rather, for that they are not done as God hath willed and commanded them to be done, we doubt not but they have the nature of sin.
ARTICLE XIV. Of works of supererogation.
Voluntary works besides, over, and above God's commandments, which they call works of supererogation, cannot be taught without arrogance and impiety; for by them men do declare that they do not only render unto God as much as they are bound to do, but that they do more for his sake than of bounden duty is required: whereas Christ said plainly, When ye have done all that are commanded to you, say, We are unprofitable servants.
Such are a few of the "Thirty-nine Articles" of the Church of England. The truths herein expressed are good. Cranmer, as above cited, probably wrote them, but not of himself. As we have said, Cranmer was not a Christian, and knew nothing of the power of FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST. He copied these sentiments almost literally from the Confession of Augsburg, which was a Protestant document. This is historic fact. With him it was a mere matter of policy; but nevertheless the Church of England was benefited thereby.