,the ,last ,reformation ,by ,f4,g4 ,smith ,,by ,,the ,,same ,,author ,,what ,,the ,,bible ,,teaches ,,the ,,revelation ,,explained ,,prophetic ,,lectures ,,on ,,daniel ,,and ,,revelation ,,preface ,god's true people everywhere are looking for light on the church question4 ,a deep undercurrent of dissatisfaction with the present order of things exists in the ecclesiastical world4 ,the historic creeds are stationary and conservative1 but religious thought can not always be bound nor its progress permanently hindered4 ,honest ,christian men and women will think1 and they are now thinking in the terms of a universal ,christianity4 ,if ,i am able to discern the signs of the times1 the rising tide of ,christian love and fellowship is about to overflow the lines of sect and bring together in one common hope and in one common brotherhood all those who love our ,lord ,jesus ,christ in sincerity4 ,what will constitute the leading characteristics of the church of the future8 ,this is the burning question4 ,spiritual-minded men are conscious that things can not long continue as they now are1 but what and where is the remedy8 ,after this book was completed and in the hands of the printers1 ,i received a copy of ,the ,church and its ,organization1 by ,walter ,lowrie1 and was surprized to find in it much truth that ,i had already received through independent investigation and embodied in my manuscript4 ,i refer particularly to the charismatic organization and government of the church4 ,it is gratifying to know that other minds are being led to the same conclusions regarding a subject of such vital importance to the future of ,christianity4 ,in writing the present work ,i have endeavored to present the ,scriptural solution of this great problem1 a solution which takes into account1 and gives due respect to1 historic ,christianity1 the prophecies respecting the church and its destiny1 and the fundamental characteristics of our holy religion as it emanated from the divine ,founder4 ,if this work can be of service in pointing out ,christ's plan and purpose to gather together in one the children of ,god which are scattered abroad1 and also be instrumental in helping to accomplish this grand ,christian ideal1 ,i shall feel abundantly repaid4 ,f4,g4 ,,smith4 ,anderson1 ,indiana1 ,may #f1 #aiai4 ,,contents ,,page ,introduction--,the ,time of ,reformation #i ,part ,i--,the ,church in ,apostolic ,days ,,chapter ,i ,the ,church ,defined #ai ,,ii ,the ,universal ,church #ba ,,iii ,the ,local ,church #cc ,,iv ,the ,organization and ,government of the ,church #da ,part ,,ii--,the ,church in ,history ,v ,corruption of ,evangelical ,faith #gc ,,vi ,rise of ,ecclesiasticism #hg ,,vii ,the ,reformation #aja ,,viii ,modern ,sects #aaa ,,ix ,the ,church of the ,future #abe ,part ,,iii--,the ,church in ,prophecy ,x ,interpretation of ,prophetic ,symbols #ada ,,xi ,the ,apostolic ,period #adi ,,xii ,the ,medieval ,period #afi ,,xiii ,era of ,modern ,sects #bji ,,xiv ,the ,last ,reformation #bbc ,,introduction ,,the ,,time ,,of ,,reformation ,in ecclesiastical history the term ,reformation has been applied specifically to the important religious movement of the sixteenth century which resulted in the formation of the various ,protestant churches of that period4 ,since the sixteenth century there have been other religious reformations1 some of considerable importance and influence4 ,sidenote3 ,a present reformation ,there is a present reformation specially distinguished from all those that have gone before4 ,it is resulting from the particular operation of the ,spirit of ,god as predicted in the ,word of ,god1 and its influences are being felt in varying degrees throughout all ,christendom4 ,many ,christians are already stirred to action by the conscious knowledge of ,christ's message for these times1 while multiplied thousands of others who love the ,lord ,jesus are experiencing within their own hearts the awakening of new aspirations and impulses1 the real meaning of which they do not as yet understand1 but which are1 through the leadership of the ,holy ,spirit1 unconsciously fitting them for their true place in this great world-wide movement which is destined to exceed in importance and influence all other religious reformations since the days of primitive ,christianity4 ,since1 as we shall show1 the present reformation is the work of the ,spirit affecting all true ,christians1 drawing them together for the realization of a grand ,scriptural ideal1 it is evident that no particular band of people enjoy its exclusive monopoly4 ,may the same ,holy ,spirit illuminate our hearts and minds in the contemplation of the truths of the divine ,word4 ,the term reformation signifies the act of reforming or the state of being reformed2 change from worse to better2 correction or amendment of life1 manners1 or of anything vicious or corrupt4 ,in its application to the religion of ,christ1 reformation means the correction of abuses and corrupt practises that have become associated with the ,christian system2 the elimination of all unworthy1 foreign elements4 ,in other words1 it implies restoration1 a return to the practises and ideals of primitive ,christianity4 ,sidenote3 ,what the final reformation must include ,if we inquire concerning the limits of true reformatory work1 we see at once that1 if there is to be a final reformation1 such a movement must restore in its fundamental aspects apostolic ,christianity--its doctrines1 its ordinances1 its personal regenerating and sanctifying experiences1 its spiritual life1 its holiness1 its power1 its purity1 its gifts of the ,spirit1 its unity of believers1 and its fruits4 ,this assumes1 of course1 that during the centuries there has been a departure from this standard4 ,sidenote3 ,the church itself the real object of reformation ,no reformation since apostolic times has covered all this ground4 ,all the reformations taken together fall far short of this standard4 ,they have been reformations only in part1 each movement simply placing special emphasis on particular doctrines1 or ordinances1 or personal experiences4 ,hence the need of further reformation4 ,the present movement embraces all the truth contained in all the previous reformations of ,protestantism4 ,but it does not stop there4 ,it stands committed to all the truth of the ,word of ,god4 ,it goes straight to the heart of the reformation subject and reveals the pure1 holy1 universal church of the apostolic times as made up of all those who were regenerated1 uniting them all ,,in ,,christ2 in the church of the living ,god1 which church was the pillar and ground of the truth 7#a ,tim4 #c3ae72 the church that was graced with the gifts of the ,spirit and filled with holy power4 ,the true apostolic church has been largely lost to view since the early ,christian centuries1 when a general apostasy dimmed the light of truth and plunged the world into the darkness of papal night4 ,in modern times the term church as applied to a general body of religious worshipers is usually employed in a restricted sense1 specifying some particular organization1 as the hierarchy of ,rome or the aggregation of local congregations constituting a ,protestant sect4 ,by a natural reaction from the ,romish extreme1 wherein the church and church relationship are exalted above the personal relationship of the individual with his ,god1 many teachers now incline to an opposite extreme1 which makes little of the church as an institution1 substituting therefor a sort of loyalty to ,christ1 individualism1 subversive of true ,new ,testament standards4 ,sidenote3 ,the true church ,scripturally important ,the church is not to be exalted above the ,christ1 nor is it a substitute for the ,christ2 but in the light of ,new ,testament teaching we must regard the true church as the instrument--the divinely appointed instrument used by the ,holy ,spirit in carrying forward the work of ,christ on earth4 ,jesus himself said1 ,upon this rock ,i will build my church2 and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it 7,matt4 #af3ah74 ,at a later time we read1 ,and the ,lord added to the church daily such as should be saved 7,acts #b3dg74 ,if ,paul were living today1 he also might despise the church idea in its narrow sectarian sense4 ,but from the apostle's words1 it is very evident that he regarded the church as it existed in his day as an institution crowned with glory and honor1 the concrete expression of ,christ and his truth4 ,god hath set some ,,in ,,the ,,church1 first apostles1 secondarily prophets1 thirdly teachers1 after that miracles1 then gifts of healings1 helps1 governments1 diversities of tongues 7#a ,cor4 #ab3bh74 ,and he gave some1 apostles2 and some1 prophets2 and some1 evangelists2 and some1 pastors and teachers2 for the perfecting of the saints1 for the work of the ministry1 for the edifying of the body of ,christ2 till we all come in the unity of the faith 444 that we 444 may grow up into him in all things1 which is the head1 of the body1 the church1 ,col4 #a3ah even ,christ 7,eph4 #d3aa-ae74 ,sidenote3 ,the church as a divine institution ,inasmuch as ,god set in the church apostles1 prophets1 evangelists1 gifts of miracles1 of healings1 etc41 we must regard the church as originally instituted as being more than a mere aggregate of individuals associating themselves together for particular purposes4 ,we must recognize the divine element4 ,this company was the host of redeemed ones whom ,christ had saved1 in whom he dwelt1 and through whom he revealed ,god and accomplished his work on earth4 ,it was his body--the organism to which he gave spiritual life and through which he manifested the fulness of his power and glory4 ,sidenote3 ,church relationship vs4 individualism ,any reformation that has not for its object the full restoration of the ,new ,testament church1 can not be a complete reformation1 but must be succeeded by another4 ,in this respect the church subject is fundamental and all-inclusive4 ,to emphasize a mere personal-union-with-,christ theory to the disparagement of the divine ekklesia1 is to evade the real issue4 ,jesus declared1 ,i will build my church1 and that church was an objective reality1 which was not intended to be concealed under high-sounding theological verbiage nor dissipated in glittering generalities4 ,it is true that ,christ himself must be presented as the ground of our hope and salvation and as the object of our personal faith1 love1 and devotion2 as the way1 the truth1 and the life2 but we must not forget that there is also a revelation of the way1 the truth1 and the life in the church of ,christ4 ,the apostles preached ,christ as the divine way2 but when men believed on him1 he straightway set the members every one of them in the body--the church 7#a ,cor4 #ab3ah74 ,and the ,lord added to the church daily such as should be saved 7,acts #b3dg74 ,they preached ,christ as the personification of truth4 ,but they also taught that the gospel was a special treasure committed to the church for dispensing to the nations4 ,paul said that ,god hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation 7#b ,cor4 #e3ai74 ,therefore he could represent the church of ,god as the pillar and ground of the truth4 ,they preached him as life1 but he was also the life of the collective body of believers as well as of individuals4 ,he dwelt in his church4 ,he was its life1 and through it he manifested himself in the only form in which1 since the incarnation1 he can be fully exhibited to men4 ,sidenote3 ,avoiding extremes ,the fact that ,romanism has stressed the church idea1 parading before the world as the church an organic body devoid of true spiritual life1 a mere corpse1 is no reason justifying a view which1 ignoring the practical church relationship taught in the ,new ,testament1 talks glibly of an ethereal1 intangible1 ghostly something which1 without a body1 lacks all practical contact with men4 ,the ,bible standard is the proper union of soul and body4 ,it is certain that1 as in apostolic days1 such union is necessary to the proper exhibition of the divine life and absolutely essential to the full accomplishment of the divine purposes in ,christ's great redemptive plan4 ,christ1 the life of his spiritual body1 and the life-giver1 remains the same in all ages4 ,hence the church body is the part that has been disrupted and corrupted by apostasy and sectarianism1 and is therefore the sphere of reformatory effort4 ,and while reformation pertains to historical ,christianity1 it implies1 as we have already shown1 a return to the primitive standard4 ,therefore1 before proceeding to describe particularly the present reformation1 we must give attention to the constitution of the apostolic church1 the divine original4 ,,part ,i ,the ,church in ,apostolic ,days ,the ,last ,reformation ,,chapter ,i ,,the ,,church ,,defined ,sidenote3 ,the term church ,the word church as used in the ,new ,testament is1 in most cases1 derived from the ,greek word ekklesia4 ,the component parts of this word literally mean to summon or call together in public convocation4 ,it was1 therefore1 used to designate any popular assembly which met for the transaction of public business4 ,as an example of the secular use of the term1 see ,acts #ai3 #cb1 #ci4 ,this particular application of the word1 however1 does not here concern us4 ,since the word ekklesia conveys the idea of an assembly of called ones1 it expresses beautifully the ,christian's call to churchly association4 ,the divine call of believers is frequently expressed in the ,new ,testament3 they are called with an holy calling 7#b ,tim4 #a3i72 called in one body 7,col4 #c3ae72 called unto his kingdom and glory 7#a ,thess4 #b3ab72 or1 as ,peter expresses it1 ,ye are a chosen generation1 a royal priesthood1 an holy nation1 a peculiar people2 that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light 7#a ,pet4 #b3i74 ,while these texts and many others describe the exalted rights and privileges accorded the called ones1 there is distinctly implied the idea of their organic association1 and it was this association that constituted them the ,christian church4 ,sidenote3 ,its two ,christian phases ,the church of ,god1 which he hath purchased with his own blood 7,acts #bj3 #bh71 is ,clearly set forth in the ,new ,testament4 ,and the term church in its religious usage is given two significations4 ,in its largest and primary signification1 the church of ,god is the entire body of regenerated persons in all times and places1 and is in this respect identical with the spiritual kingdom of ,god1 the divine family4 ,in a secondary sense1 church designates an individual assembly in which the universal church takes local and temporary form and in which the idea of the general church is concretely exhibited4 ,besides these two significations of the ,christian term church1 there are1 properly speaking1 no other in the ,new ,testament4 ,it is true that ekklesia is sometimes used as a collective term to denote the body of local churches existing in a given region1 but there is no evidence that these churches were bound together in groups by any outward organization which separated or distinguished them from other congregations of the general church4 ,therefore this use of the term church can not be regarded as adding any new sense to those of the general church and the local church already referred to4 ,,chapter ,,ii ,,the ,,universal ,,church ,matt4 #af3ah introduces in the gospel history the subject of the church4 ,jesus said1 ,i will build my church2 and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it4 ,this text implies that the church as an institution was not yet founded1 and it also clearly implies that ,christ himself was to be the founder and builder of his church4 ,jesus had already preached that the kingdom of heaven was at hand1 and when he sent forth his twelve apostles he commanded them to preach and say1 ,the kingdom of heaven is at hand4 ,jesus himself taught the doctrines of the kingdom1 but in the words of our text there is implied deeper ideas of the kingdom of ,god yet to be revealed in all their fulness of meaning4 ,sidenote3 ,the body of ,christ ,we should divest our minds1 temporarily at least1 of preconceived ideas of formal church organization and earnestly seek to understand the real signification of that church of which ,christ was himself personally the founder4 ,a few texts make this point clear3 ,and hath put all things under his ,christ's feet1 and given him to be the head over all things to the church1 which is his body1 the fulness of him that filleth all in all 7,eph4 #a3 #bb1 #bc74 ,the church1 then1 is the body of ,christ4 ,of this body ,jesus himself is the head4 ,and he is the head of the body1 the church 444 that in all things he might have the preeminence 7,col4 #a3ah74 ,for his body's sake1 which is the church 7verse #bd74 ,christ is head of but one body4 ,there is one body 7,eph4 #d3d74 ,in these texts the body and the church are used interchangeably1 referring to one and the same thing4 ,the body of which ,christ is the head is the church that he built1 the church of ,god1 which he hath purchased with his own blood 7,acts #bj3 #bh74 ,sidenote3 ,the atonement its procuring cause ,it is therefore to ,calvary that we must look for the specific act by virtue of which ,christ personally became the founder of his church4 ,there it was purchased with his own blood4 ,there we find the application of those sublime words of the ,savior1 ,and ,i1 if ,i be lifted up from the earth1 will draw all men ,,unto ,,me 7,john #ab3 #cb74 ,by virtue of that act1 ,god put all things under his feet1 and gave him to be the head over all things to the church4 ,yea1 by virtue of that act1 ,god also hath highly exalted him1 and given him a name which is above every name3 that at the name of ,jesus every knee should bow1444 and that every tongue should confess 7,phil4 #b3i-aa74 ,the church1 then1 proceeds from ,calvary3 ,pentecost was but its initial manifestation to men and its dedication for service4 ,of this we shall have more to say hereafter4 ,sidenote3 ,composed of true ,christians ,since through his death ,christ proposed to draw all men unto him1 it is evident that all the members of ,christ are therefore members of his body1 the church4 ,to this agrees the words of the apostle ,paul1 ,for as we have many members in one body1 and all members have not the same office3 so we true ,christians1 being many1 are one body in ,christ1 and every one members one of another 7,rom4 #ab3 #d1 #e74 ,now hath ,god set the members every one of them in the body1 as it hath pleased him 7#a ,cor4 #ab3ah74 ,sidenote3 ,mode of admission ,becoming a member of the spiritual body of ,christ is necessarily a spiritual operation4 ,men may admit members to a formal church relationship1 but only the ,spirit of ,god can make us members of ,christ4 ,for by one ,spirit are we all baptized or inducted into one body1 whether we be ,jews or ,gentiles1 whether we be bond or free2 and have been all made to drink into one ,spirit 7#a ,cor4 #ab3ac74 ,this text does not refer to literal water-baptism1 but to the work of the ,spirit1 by whom we are inducted into ,christ4 ,god hath set the members every one of them in the body 7verse #ah74 ,and since this is the work of the ,spirit1 it is evident that none but the saved can possibly find admittance into the spiritual body of ,christ4 ,under a different figure ,jesus conveys the same truth4 ,i am the door3 by me if any man enter in1 he shall be saved 7,john #aj3 #i74 ,and the ,lord added to them day by day those that were being saved 7,acts #b3dg1 ,r4,v474 ,salvation1 then1 is the condition of membership4 ,sidenote3 ,family relationship ,the members of ,christ are members of ,god's family4 ,how do we become members of the divine family8 ,except a man be born again1 he can not see the kingdom of ,god 7,john #c3c74 ,as many as received him1 to them gave he power to become the sons of ,god 444 which were born 444 of ,god 7,john #a3ab1 #ac74 ,beloved1 now are we the sons of ,god 7#a ,john #c3b74 ,since this family1 or church1 is composed of the saved1 or those who are born again1 and excludes all the unsaved1 we can understand ,paul's reference to a glorious church1 not having spot1 or wrinkle1 or any such thing1 but holy and without blemish 7,eph4 #e3bg74 ,we have spoken of the union of all believers with ,christ when he draws them unto himself and becomes their spiritual life4 ,but this unity of all believers with ,christ is a spiritual relationship and experience not to be confused with external things4 ,the ,bible speaks of ,christians as being in ,christ4 ,what does this mean8 ,it certainly means to be born again1 for without that experience we can not see the kingdom of ,god 7,john #c3c74 ,therefore if any man be in ,christ1 ,,he ,,is ,a ,,new ,,creature3 old things are passed away2 behold1 all things are become new 7#b ,cor4 #e3ag74 ,whosoever abideth in him sinneth not3 whosoever sinneth hath not seen him1 neither known him 7#a ,john #c3f74 ,sidenote3 ,unity of believers ,but our union with ,christ1 by which we become members of the divine family1 necessarily fixes our relationship with all those who are members of ,christ4 ,if1 through salvation1 we are brought into a sacred unity with ,christ1 we are by the same act brought into essential unity and fellowship with the members of ,christ4 ,this the ,word distinctly affirms3 ,we1 being many1 are one body in ,christ1 and every one members one of another 7,rom4 #ab3 #d1 #e74 ,there should be no schism in the body2 but the members should have the same care one for another 7#a ,cor4 #ab3be74 ,while this last text relates literally to the physical body1 the apostle applies it in an illustrative way to the spiritual body4 ,now ye are the body of ,christ1 and members in particular 7verse #bg74 ,sidenote3 ,unity and uniformity ,harmony in a normal physical body is not effected by external means1 but is organic4 ,the members may be many and diverse1 but they are all necessary and have their respective places and work4 ,so also with the body of ,christ4 ,union with ,christ is not dependent upon absolute uniformity except in the one thing--the fundamental experience by which we are made members of ,christ4 ,in the apostolic period the children of ,god who loved our ,lord and were known of him were not all of one age or size or nationality4 ,they had not all enjoyed the same social advantages1 nor had they had the same intellectual attainments4 ,the act of receiving ,christ and his salvation did not perfect their knowledge2 therefore they had to be patiently taught in order to bring them into the unity of the faith4 ,and for this purpose divinely chosen instructors were appointed1 who must themselves study and give careful attention to doctrine 7,eph4 #d3aa-ad2 #a ,tim4 #c3ac-af74 ,but the gospel penetrates beneath the surface2 it goes straight to the heart and reaches fundamental things4 ,there is neither ,jew nor ,greek2 there is neither bond nor free1 there is neither male nor female3 for ye are all one ,,in ,,christ ,,jesus 7,gal4 #c3bh74 ,the unity of believers with ,christ is1 therefore1 based on divine relationship1 and this is the fundamental basis of the true relationship of believers with each other4 ,in order to maintain spiritual relationship with ,christ and his people1 the ,christian must have an obedient heart and walk in the light of the ,lord2 but we should always be ready to extend our fellowship to those whom ,christ really receives and approves4 ,how prone men have ever been to ignore this simple1 divine standard and set up arbitrary rules of their own by which to measure others6 ,this wrong tendency combined with the carnal ambitions of men who love to parade their own unscriptural ideas before the world and gain adherents has been the real cause of the disunion of ,christians4 ,but the ,bible standard is what we are now considering4 ,it teaches that the saved people were members one of another as well as members of ,christ2 that they were1 in fact1 all one in ,christ ,jesus4 ,sidenote3 ,unity a practical reality ,according to the ,new ,testament standard1 unity of believers is more than an invisible1 intangible1 spiritual fellowship4 ,they are members one of another as well as members of ,christ4 ,that unity was designed to be visible and to form a convincing sign to the world of the mighty power of ,christ4 ,this stands out prominently in that notable prayer of our ,lord recorded in ,john #ag1 which was uttered on the most solemn night of his earthly life4 ,first he prayed for his immediate disciples1 then for all believers1 in these words3 ,neither pray ,i for these twelve alone1 but for them also which shall believe on me through their word2 ,,that ,,they ,,all ,,may ,,be ,,one2 as thou1 ,father1 art in me1 and ,i in thee1 that they also may be one in us3 ,,that ,,the ,,world ,,may ,,believe that thou hast sent me 7verses #bj1 #ba74 ,such unity is a real standard4 ,it will convince the world4 ,the practical force of this last scripture can not be lessened by reference to those other words of ,jesus1 ,by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples1 if ye have love one for another 7,john #ac3 #ce71 for ,jesus taught the inseparable nature of love and unity4 ,love1 as an inward affection1 produces deeds and results1 and is measured thereby4 ,jesus said1 ,if a man love me1 he will keep my words2 and my ,father will love him1 and we will come unto him1 and make our abode with him 7,john #ad3 #bc74 ,and just as love to ,god invariably produces union with ,god1 so also true love to man will result in unity4 ,my little children1 let us not love in word1 neither in tongue2 but in deed and in truth 7#a ,john #c3ah74 ,carnal divisions can not exist where true love reigns4 ,sidenote3 ,christ died for unity ,for this visible unity ,christ prayed--,that they all may be one1444 that the world may believe4 ,more than this1 he died that unity might be effected4 ,john #aa3eb clearly shows that one purpose of ,christ's death was that he should gather together in one the children of ,god that were scattered abroad4 ,therefore unity of believers is a sacred truth resting on the solid basis of the atonement4 ,that this unity is more than that general union resulting from the personal attachment of separate individuals to ,christ as a common center1 is proved by the fact that it is designed to gather together in one the scattered children of ,god4 ,jesus himself said1 ,other sheep ,i have ,gentiles1 which are not of this ,jewish fold3 them also ,i must bring1 and they shall hear my voice2 and ,,there ,,shall ,,be ,,one ,,fold flock ,,and ,,one ,,shepherd 7,john #aj3af74 ,sidenote3 ,jew and ,gentile united ,broadly speaking1 there were at that time but two classified divisions of men--,jews and ,gentiles4 ,jesus predicted that his sheep from both sections should be brought together into one flock4 ,in the second chapter of ,ephesians1 ,paul tells us how this was accomplished4 ,although in times past the ,gentiles were strangers from the covenants of promise1 having no hope and without ,god in the world1 in ,christ they were made nigh by the blood4 ,for he is our peace1 who hath made both ,jews and ,gentiles ,,one1 and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us 444 that he might reconcile both unto ,god in one body by the cross 7verses #ab-af74 ,since this glorious reunion through ,christ1 the ,gentiles are no more strangers and foreigners1 but fellow citizens with the saints1 and of the household of ,god4 ,they also are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets1 ,jesus ,christ himself being the chief corner-stone 444 in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of ,god through the ,spirit 7verses #ai-bb74 ,on account of the high standard of unity set forth in his epistles1 ,paul has been branded an idealist4 ,but what shall we say of ,christ who prayed for such visible unity and died for it8 ,an idealist is one who forms picturesque fancies1 one given to romantic expectations impossible of accomplishment4 ,the idealist usually has but few practical results4 ,but ,paul accomplished things4 ,he broke away from his ,jewish prejudices1 which brought down upon his head the wrath of his fellows4 ,he went into the synagogs of the ,jews and brought out those who were willing to become disciples of ,jesus4 ,to build up the work of the ,lord he labored night and day with tears2 he laid broad and deep the very foundations of the ,christian faith in heathen lands4 ,within a very few years he established ,christian churches in four provinces of the ,roman ,empire--churches in which ,jew and ,gentile met together in common fellowship1 in one body4 ,if this is idealism1 ,lord1 give us many more such idealists4 ,sidenote3 ,the burden of ,paul's ministry ,but the unity described by ,paul in the epistles which he wrote late in life is not given as a mere ideal standard for the future toward which men should strive4 ,it is given as the record of a historic fact1 the accomplishment of which lay at the very foundation of ,paul's call to the ministry4 ,in the second chapter of ,ephesians1 already quoted1 ,paul declares that both ,jews and ,gentiles were reconciled to ,god in one body by the cross4 ,in the next chapter he shows his part in the accomplishment of that end4 ,first1 he was called of ,god as the apostle of the ,gentiles2 then by revelation was made known unto him the mystery of ,christ which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men 444 that the ,gentiles should be fellow heirs1 and ,,of ,,the ,,same ,,body1 and partakers of his promise in ,christ by the gospel 7,eph4 #c3d-f74 ,the promise referred to was doubtless the promise of the ,father1 the gift of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,that the blessing of ,abraham might come on the ,gentiles through ,jesus ,christ2 that we might receive the promise of the ,spirit through faith 7,gal4 #c3ad74 ,for this cause1 says ,paul1 ,i was made a minister 444 that ,i should preach among the ,gentiles the unsearchable riches of ,christ2 and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery 444 to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known ,,by ,,the ,,church the manifold wisdom of ,god 7,eph4 #c3 #a-aj74 ,sidenote3 ,was divinely attested ,paul was given a tremendous task--,,to ,,make ,,all ,,men ,,see that mystery4 ,this task required from ,god the effectual working of his power 7verse #g74 ,and in another place he also shows that this power was not lacking3 ,for ,i will not dare to speak of any of those things which ,christ hath not wrought by me1 to make the ,gentiles obedient1 by word and deed1 through mighty signs and wonders1 by the power of the ,spirit of ,god 7,rom4 #ae3 #ah1 #ai74 ,paul1 then1 was divinely commissioned to make all men see the mystery of this union of all classes of men in one body by the cross 7,eph4 #b3 #af71 all in the ,,same body1 and partakers of his promise in ,christ by the gospel 7,eph4 #c3 #f74 ,and when ,paul's career was finished1 the same mystery was given over to others that it might be known ,,by ,,the ,,church 7verse #aj71 the church1 which is his body 7,eph4 #a3 #bb1 #bc74 ,the ministry1 then1 should have held the ground already attained1 the actual union of all the saved in one body1 and have labored earnestly to make all men see that that body only is the church4 ,,chapter ,,iii ,,the ,,local ,,church ,the words of ,christ1 ,i will build my church2 and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it 7,matt4 #af3 #ah71 convey a deeper meaning than the simple preaching of the kingdom4 ,as we have already shown1 the one specific personal act by virtue of which ,christ became the founder of the church was his atonement on ,calvary1 where the church was purchased with his own blood 7,acts #bj3 #bh74 ,the church1 then1 as an institution1 resulted from the atonement4 ,paul1 describing the union of ,jews and ,gentiles in one body1 the church1 declares that it was effected by the cross 7,eph4 #b3 #af74 ,there was power in redemption4 ,it brought into the lives of believers forces that could not but unite them in social compact4 ,it threw them together in living sympathy and united their hearts firmly in the strong bonds of brotherly love4 ,their outward organic union as a church was the natural and inevitable result of this inward life and love4 ,sidenote3 ,local church defined ,by the impartation of spiritual life to believers and by the agency of the ,holy ,spirit operating in the apostles as special agents appointed to do his work1 ,christ built his church on earth4 ,there was a building of the church1 then1 which pertained specifically to its local and visible development among men4 ,the expression ,i will build indicates the transcendent element1 the divine element1 in church organization4 ,this being true1 it follows that the local church was not merely an aggregate of individuals accidently gathered together1 but was the local1 concrete embodiment of the spiritual body of ,christ2 the unified company of regenerated persons who1 as a body1 were dedicated to ,christ1 acknowledged of ,christ1 and used by ,christ through the ,holy ,spirit for the accomplishment of his work4 ,jerusalem furnishes the first example1 dating from ,pentecost 7,acts #b74 ,sidenote3 ,particular example3 ,corinth ,that this is1 generally speaking1 the ,scriptural definition of a local church of ,god1 is further shown by another particular example4 ,paul addressed two of his epistles to the church of ,god which is at ,corinth 7#a ,cor4 #a3 #b2 #b ,cor4 #a3 #a74 ,as individuals they are called saints and brethren1 but collectively as a church they are called the church of ,god and referred to as ,god's building 7#a ,cor4 #c3 #i74 ,and the apostle says to them1 ,know ye not that ye are a temple of ,god1 and that the ,spirit of ,god dwelleth in you8 7verse #af1 ,r4,v474 ,they had been inducted by the ,spirit into the one body1 and they were filled with the gifts of the ,spirit--wisdom1 knowledge1 faith1 healing1 miracles1 prophecy1 discernment1 and tongues 7chap4 #ab74 ,in fact1 the apostle said1 ,ye come behind in no gift 7chap4 #a3 #g74 ,and he said particularly1 ,ye are the body of ,christ 7chap4 #ab3 #bg74 ,a true local church1 then1 was the concrete embodiment of the spiritual body of ,christ in a given place4 ,it was the body of ,christ because it was made up of the people of ,god1 manifested the power of ,god1 was the repository of the truth of ,god1 was filled with the gifts of the ,spirit of ,god1 and was actually used by the ,spirit in performing the works of ,god4 ,such characteristics made it the church of ,god4 ,sidenote3 ,local membership ,membership in the general body of ,christ was conditioned solely on the new birth1 or salvation4 ,since the individual church was the local embodiment of the general church1 none but the saved could properly become members thereof1 and all who were truly saved 7in the same locality7 belonged to it by divine right4 ,at this point1 however1 the human element in the constitution of the local church became manifest4 ,we have pointed out the divine element in the true church--the element that particularly distinguished it as the church of ,god1 but the bringing together of many individuals in one assembly involved also a social element and required the principle of recognition4 ,there is1 however1 no evidence that such recognition was given by a formal1 official act of the church in its corporate capacity4 ,and since salvation is of the heart1 it was possible for human recognition to temporarily miss its true purpose4 ,thus1 in the church at ,jerusalem we find recognized as a constituent part of the assembly two false members--,ananias and ,sapphira4 ,on the other hand1 when the converted ,saul was come to ,jerusalem1 he essayed to join himself to the disciples3 but they were all afraid of him1 and believed not that he was a disciple 7,acts #i3 #bf74 ,the church at ,corinth1 already referred to1 had some false members at the time the ,pauline epistles were written4 ,the church at ,samaria also tolerated for a time one whose heart was not right in the sight of ,god 7,acts #h74 ,sidenote3 ,a holy church ,since the local church was designed to exhibit concretely the spiritual body of ,christ1 none but saved persons could properly hold membership therein2 therefore the local church when in its normal condition was free from sin and sinners4 ,the physical body1 which ,paul uses to illustrate the spiritual body1 is normal only when every member possesses the life of the body and functions properly4 ,so also was the body of ,christ4 ,it was not ,god's will that there should be 7as recognized members7 sinners in the congregation of the righteous 7,psa4 #a3 #e74 ,it was his will to purge ,jerusalem by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning until he that is left in ,zion1 and he that remaineth in ,jerusalem1 shall be called holy1 even every one that is written among the living in ,jerusalem 7,isa4 #d3c1d74 ,sidenote3 ,discernment and judgement necessary ,the local congregation in ,jerusalem did not cease to be the church of ,god because two unworthy persons obtained recognition in it4 ,this incident gave occasion for the church to manifest its inherent life by its ability to discern and then cast off the secret offenders just as a healthy physical body casts off effete matter4 ,as a result of the judgment pronounced on ,ananias and ,sapphira1 great fear came upon all the church 444 and of the rest durst no man join himself to them2 but the people magnified them 7,acts #e3aa1 #ac74 ,the fiery judgments of ,god put an end to formal church-joining there1 as a result of which believers were the more added to the ,lord1 multitudes both of men and women 7verse #ad74 ,and the ,lord added to them day by day those that were being saved 7,acts #b3dg1 ,r4,v474 ,a clean1 pure local church was the divine standard4 ,it is evident that such could never be obtained and maintained except by the power of the ,holy ,spirit1 who discerned evil and prompted its elimination4 ,peter discerned the condition of the two false members in the church at ,jerusalem and removed that blemish4 ,he also exposed the hypocrisy of ,simon at ,samaria1 and ,paul pointed out the evil affection in the church at ,corinth and directed its removal4 ,chief responsibility for the maintenance of the normal condition of the church will be considered in our discussion of the particular features of church organization and government4 ,sidenote3 ,apostasy possible ,we have shown the characteristic1 spiritual features of a ,new ,testament congregation in its normal condition2 also the possibility of deviation from that standard4 ,a practical question is1 ,how far could such a congregation lapse into an abnormal state and still be a church of ,god8 ,or1 ,can a church as a body backslide8 ,the church at ,ephesus evidently was on the verge of such an apostasy4 ,therefore in the special message addressed to it in ,revelation the ,lord said3 ,i have somewhat against thee1 because thou hast left thy first love4 ,remember therefore from whence thou art fallen1 and repent1 and do the first works2 or else ,i will come unto thee quickly1 and will remove thy candlestick out of his place 7,rev4 #b3 #d1 #e74 ,so also the church at ,laodicea4 ,i know thy works1 that thou art neither cold nor hot3 ,i would thou wert cold or hot4 ,so then because thou art luke warm1 and neither cold nor hot1 ,i will spew thee out of my mouth 7,rev4 #c3 #ae1 #af74 ,sidenote3 ,the line of distinction ,the physical body may experience the mutilation of some of its members and still survive1 but there is a limit beyond which death will ensue4 ,so also the spiritual body may survive the encumbrance of a few false members4 ,from the general facts and principles already adduced1 however1 we may safely assert that a local church is a church of ,god only so long as it is able to function properly as a body4 ,as long as the ,spirit of ,god is in the ascendency1 so that the people of ,god as a body manifest the power of ,god1 maintain the truth of ,god1 are filled with the ,spirit of ,god1 and are actually used by the ,spirit in performing the works of ,god1 so long they are the church of ,god4 ,whenever another spirit gains the ascendency and the divine1 spiritual characteristics are lost to view1 then is brought to pass the saying that is written1 ,i will spew thee out of my mouth4 ,beyond that time they may continue their formal services1 singing hymns1 saying prayers1 and making speeches2 but the real message of ,god describing their condition is1 as was true of ,sardis1 ,thou hast a name that thou livest1 and art dead 7,rev4 #c3 #a74 ,such dead congregations are no longer a part of the true church and are unworthy of the recognition of spiritual congregations4 ,,chapter ,,iv ,,the ,,organization ,,and ,,government ,,of ,,the ,,church ,sidenote3 ,the fact of organization ,we have already shown that the words of ,christ ,i will build my church have a deeper meaning than the simple preaching of the kingdom4 ,they imply the formation of an organized structure against which even the gates of hell should not prevail4 ,they can signify nothing less than the visible establishment of the church among men as the concrete embodiment of the divine kingdom or family4 ,the church1 then1 as made up of local congregations1 is an institution of divine appointment4 ,this is shown by the words of ,christ in ,matt4 #ah3 #ag1 according to which it sometimes becomes necessary in admonishing and disciplining trespassers to tell it unto the church2 and the appellation church of ,god is frequently applied to individual congregations 7#a ,cor4 #a3 #b1 et al474 ,many teachers hold that ,christ did not build a church and that the form of church organization is not definitely prescribed in the ,new ,testament1 but is a matter of expediency1 every body of believers being permitted to adopt that method of organization which best suits its circumstances and condition4 ,such is the ,protestant view put forth by those who seek an excuse for the modern system of sect-building4 ,the incorrectness of this theory is easily shown4 ,first1 as we shall see1 it underestimates the need of divine direction in church relationship and ignores well-established facts in the ,new ,testament history4 ,secondly1 if it proves anything1 it proves too much2 for to admit such a principle of church powers is to admit that the papacy and every other human system of church control is justified--systems which can be historically shown to be subversive of the church as a spiritual body4 ,that the church was actually organized into local assemblies in apostolic days is abundantly shown by the ,new ,testament record4 ,they had regular meetings at stated times 7,heb4 #aj3be2 ,acts #bj3g2 ,i ,cor4 #af3ab72 officers 7,acts #bj3bh2 #a ,pet4 #e3b2 ,eph4 #d3aa1 #ab72 recognized authority 7#a ,tim4 #e3ag2 ,heb4 #ac3ag72 discipline 7#a ,cor4 #e3ac2 #b ,thess4 #c3f1 #aj-ad72 a system of contributions 7#a ,cor4 #af3a1 #b72 ordinances 7,acts #bj3g2 #a ,cor4 #aj3af2 #aa3 #bc-bi72 a common work1 etc4 ,on one occasion ,paul instructed ,titus to set in order the things that are wanting1 and ordain elders in every city 7,tit4 #a3e74 ,sidenote3 ,by whom effected ,the words of ,jesus ,i will build my church point us to the ,christ as its real founder4 ,since the life and genius of the church is the superhuman element1 which element must at all times be given precedence over mere outward forms and human characteristics1 and since this life proceeds from ,christ as the ,redeemer of men1 therefore in all fundamental aspects he is the personal founder of the church4 ,but more than this1 working by proxy1 ,jesus gave even external form to his church1 employing for this purpose his chosen apostles1 to whom he gave special instruction and authority4 ,even during his personal ministry ,jesus performed some of his work by proxy4 ,it is expressly stated that he baptized many 7,john #c3 #bb2 #d3 #a71 and yet explanation is made that ,jesus himself baptized not1 but his disciples 7,john #d3 #b74 ,so also in the organization of the church4 ,the germ of that organization existed during ,christ's personal ministry4 ,doctrine was given1 ministers preached1 baptism was administered1 and people believed1 but this embryonic organization could not be completely established as a church before the outpouring of the ,holy ,spirit4 ,therefore provision was made for its progressive development under the tutelage of specially inspired apostles4 ,doctrine was given gradually1 yet invariably through the oral and written teaching of these inspired apostles4 ,therefore we can not but believe that the same invariable guidance of the ,holy ,spirit also perfected through them ,god's own plan of church organization and work4 ,the gradual development of church organization under the labors of the apostles1 therefore1 no more proves the theory of a constant historic development than does the fact of a gradual unfolding of the ,christian faith and doctrine by the apostles prove a constant and unending revelation of the gospel through all succeeding ages4 ,one writer has well said1 ,the same promise of the ,spirit which renders the ,new ,testament an unerring and sufficient rule of faith renders it also an unerring and sufficient rule of practise for the church in all places and times4 ,we must therefore regard the organization of the church1 as we do the unfolding of the gospel message1 as complete in all its fundamental and essential aspects before the close of the sacred canon4 ,sidenote3 ,apostolic agency ,there is no doubt that the apostles occupied a special place in the divine establishment of the church and its message4 ,regarded as a temple1 the church is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets1 ,jesus ,christ himself being the chief corner-stone 7,eph4 #b3 #bj74 ,the ,old ,testament ,scripture came not in old time by the will of man3 but holy men of ,god spake as they were moved by the ,holy ,ghost 7#b ,pet4 #a3 #ba74 ,but now we read1 ,god1 who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets1 hath in these last days spoken unto us ,,by ,,his ,,son 7,heb4 #a3 #a1 #b74 ,moses1 representative of the law1 and ,elias1 representative of the prophets1 appeared in glory on the ,mount of ,transfiguration2 but when ,peter suggested that they be accorded equal honors with ,jesus1 immediately a cloud overshadowed the company and a voice out of the cloud said1 ,this is my beloved ,son1 in whom ,i am well pleased2 ,,hear ,,ye ,,him4 ,and when they had lifted up their eyes1 they saw no man1 save ,jesus only 7,matt4 #ag3a-h74 ,sidenote3 ,model for all ages ,the revelation of divine truth1 therefore1 as the foundation of our faith1 reached its highest level in the ,son4 ,we need not look for another gospel--hear him4 ,he has also said1 ,i will build my church2 hence we need not look for another church--,,hear ,,him6 ,paul declares that the gospel with its revelation of the mystery of the union of the saved in one body1 the church1 was in his day made manifest1 and1 according to the commandment of the everlasting ,god1 made known to all nations for the obedience of faith 7,rom4 #af3be1 #bf74 ,see ,eph4 #b2 #c3a-aj4 ,while therefore ,christ was the author of the truth in its highest form of revelation1 also the founder of his church1 both reached their fulness of perfection under the inspired apostles and was by them made known to all nations for the obedience of faith4 ,the unity of all believers for which ,christ solemnly prayed was to be accomplished through the direct agency of the apostles1 the result of believing on ,christ through ,,their ,word 7,john #ag3bj74 ,in describing how both ,jews and ,gentiles were reconciled in one body by the cross1 ,paul says that ,god hath raised us up together1 and made us sit together in heavenly places in ,christ ,jesus3 that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace 7,eph4 #b3 #f1 #g74 ,the unified church of the apostolic day is therefore the divine model for all succeeding ages4 ,sidenote3 ,paul's relation thereto ,since the first apostles were employed as special agents in establishing the perfected ,new ,testament church1 ,paul's connection therewith is of particular importance4 ,paul was not one of the original twelve1 yet he exerted a tremendous influence in that period and was undoubtedly one of the chief agents used in establishing the church and fixing its external form and character4 ,many believe that ,paul belonged among the twelve as the real successor of ,judas4 ,according to this view1 the election of ,matthias to the apostleship was without divine sanction1 being proposed by the impetuous ,peter1 who1 before the descent of the ,holy ,ghost1 often proposed inadvised things4 ,strength is given this view by the oft-repeated assertion of ,paul that he was an apostle1 not of men1 neither by men1 but by ,jesus ,christ 7,gal4 #a3 #a74 ,we are not forced to that conclusion concerning ,matthias1 however4 ,in writing the ,acts of the ,apostles1 ,luke the companion of ,paul1 records the appointment of ,matthias without intimating that it was a mistake4 ,in ,scripture usage a certain parallelism is maintained between the twelve apostles of the ,lamb and the twelve tribes of the children of ,israel4 ,when we recall that there were literally thirteen tribes in ,israel1 ,ephriam and ,manasseh standing for ,joseph1 we need not be surprized that there should be literally thirteen foundational apostles in the ,christian church1 ,matthias and ,paul standing1 as it were1 in the place of ,judas4 ,there can be no doubt that ,paul really ranked with the ,twelve4 ,he was a chosen vessel1 the apostle of the ,gentiles4 ,although as one born out of due time1 he himself saw ,jesus and from him received the entire gospel by direct revelation4 ,consequently the other apostles possessed no advantage over him4 ,he himself says1 ,the gospel which was preached of me was not after man4 ,for ,i neither received it of man1 neither was ,i taught it1 but by the revelation of ,jesus ,christ 7,gal4 #a3aa1 #ab74 ,he was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles 7#b ,cor4 #aa3e74 ,and it was through ,paul particularly that the revelation of the mystery was made complete--that both ,jews and ,gentiles should be fellow heirs and of the ,,same body1 and he was commissioned to make all men see it4 ,the general church was1 therefore1 made up of various local congregations1 which were set in order by apostolic authority4 ,the essential nature of this organization is determined by the object for which these congregations were formed1 the conditions of membership therein1 and the kind of laws by which they were governed4 ,sidenote3 ,nature of its organization ,the primary object for which the local church was formed was the establishment and extension of the kingdom of ,god among men4 ,a secondary object was the encouragement and mutual edification of the believers themselves1 which was best obtained by united worship in prayer1 exhortation1 praise1 thanksgiving1 and religious instruction4 ,we have already noted the conditions of membership in the local church4 ,none but those who were already members of the body of ,christ could properly be recognized as members in a congregation which was designed by ,christ to exhibit in local and temporary form the true idea of the church universal4 ,according to this standard of membership1 every individual owed allegiance directly to ,christ himself as the great head of the church4 ,christ was the only lawgiver4 ,the relation of the individual to the local church1 then1 did not in any sense supersede his personal relations to ,christ1 but simply strengthened and further expressed this higher relationship4 ,in this standard of church-membership is found the secret of the union in one body of all apostolic ,christians4 ,the standard was personal relationship to ,christ1 and this relationship could be obtained only by an experience of salvation and humble obedience to the law of ,christ4 ,therefore all the truly saved were members of ,christ and members of each other4 ,this standard being the same for all1 it led to absolute equality among members4 ,hence ,paul could say1 ,there is neither ,jew nor ,greek1 there is neither bond nor free1 there is neither male nor female3 for ye are all one in ,christ ,jesus 7,gal4 #c3bh74 ,the law of the church1 as already stated1 was simply the law of ,christ2 first as delivered orally by specially inspired apostles1 and afterwards expressed by them in the ,christian ,scriptures4 ,sidenote3 ,organization and government ,the closest relationship necessarily existed between the organization of the church and its method of government4 ,it is impossible for us to get a clear conception of either independently of the other2 and in order to understand the subject at all1 we must bear in mind the fundamental nature of the church itself1 what it was and what it was designed to accomplish4 ,the church was not1 as we have seen1 a mere aggregate of individuals that happened to gather or that assembled for ordinary purposes4 ,a social club or a business organization would have possessed all those features4 ,the church was the body of ,christ1 the body to which he gave spiritual life and through which he designed to manifest his power and glory4 ,hence its visible organization was secondary1 merely incidental as the means for the accomplishment of those higher ends involved in the transcendental element of the church4 ,the relation of the divine and the human characteristics was1 therefore1 the relation of soul and body--,christ1 the soul2 redeemed humanity1 the body4 ,the establishment of this relationship was the manifestation to the world of the body of ,christ4 ,it was organization of the church4 ,from the foregoing considerations1 we are certain that in the apostolic church the real emphasis was placed on life and that the governmental power and authority of the church was derived from its divine life in ,christ and not from its organization4 ,apostolic church government was1 therefore1 more than the adoption of some particular form of external organization and administration4 ,sidenote3 ,divine administration ,the origin of the church was divine4 ,jesus said1 ,i will build my church4 ,and though1 as we have seen1 he employed human agents in its completion1 these agents were so specially inspired and directed by ,christ through the ,holy ,spirit that it was in reality his work4 ,jesus was not only the initial founder of the church1 but he was its permanent head and governor4 ,isaiah1 predicting the coming of ,christ1 declares that the government shall be upon ,,his shoulder 7,isa4 #i3f74 ,and again1 we read that ,,he is the head of the body1 the church 444 that in all things he might have the preeminence 7,col4 #a3ah74 ,he it was who called and commissioned ,paul and then personally directed his ministerial labors 7,acts #bf3ac-ai2 #af3f-i74 ,he it was who walked in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks1 encouraging or reproving the congregations of ,asia 7,rev4 #a3ag1 et seq474 ,he is alive forever more 7,rev4 #a3ah72 the same yesterday1 and today1 and forever 7,heb4 #ac3 #h72 upholding all things by the word of his power 7,heb4 #a3c74 ,to him be glory in the church 444 throughout all ages1 world without end4 ,amen 7,eph4 #c3ba74 ,sidenote3 ,christ the living head ,thus1 the general nature of church government was an absolute monarchy1 or1 to use a better term1 a theocracy4 ,christ was king and lawgiver1 governor and administrator4 ,whoever the instruments employed in carrying out his purposes1 whatever the scope of their particular activities1 all were governed directly by ,christ through the ,holy ,spirit4 ,it was his church4 ,he was its living head4 ,no other church was known in those days4 ,it was only when the living1 vital union of ,christ with his church was lost to view that men began endeavoring to strengthen the bonds of external union by unscriptural human organization1 just as when life is departed from the physical body we seek by an embalming process to prevent its speedy dissolution4 ,sidenote3 ,delegated authority ,in order to understand church government1 therefore1 we must begin at the central source of authority and proceed to its varied manifestations4 ,we have seen that ,christ employed human agents in accomplishing his work2 hence1 in thus performing the work of ,christ as commanded by ,christ1 and as personally directed by the ,spirit of ,christ1 these men possessed the authority of ,christ4 ,any church governmental authority that does not proceed directly from ,christ through his ,holy ,spirit is but human authority1 an usurped authority1 and has no place in the real church of ,christ4 ,sidenote3 ,ministerial oversight ,the apostles were the first to whom ,christ delegated authority4 ,they became his special representatives4 ,they established the church and became responsible for its general direction and oversight1 the ,lord working with them1 and confirming the word with signs following 7,mark #af3bj74 ,but these twelve did not stand alone in the government of the church4 ,soon a host of ministers were raised up1 and these also possessed divine authority for their representative lines of work4 ,to the elders of ,ephesus1 ,paul said1 ,take heed therefore unto yourselves1 and to all the flock1 over which the ,holy ,ghost hath made you overseers1 to feed the church of ,god 7,acts #bj3bh74 ,peter also writes3 ,the elders which are among you ,i exhort 444 feed the flock of ,god which is among you1 taking the oversight thereof 7#a ,pet4 #e3a1 #b74 ,the ,holy ,ghost said1 ,separate me ,barnabas and ,saul for the work whereunto ,i have called them 444 so they1 being sent forth by the ,holy ,ghost1 departed 7,acts #ac3 #b-d74 ,,and ,,he ,,gave some1 apostles2 and some1 prophets2 and some1 evangelists2 and some1 pastors and teachers2 for the perfecting of the saints1 for the work of the ministry1 for the edifying of the body of ,christ 7,eph4 #d3aa1 #ab74 ,in accordance with this standard1 we read1 ,obey them that have the rule over you1 and submit yourselves3 for they watch for your souls1 as they that must give account to him who is that great shepherd of the sheep 7,heb4 #ac3ag1 #bj74 ,the ministers were under-shepherds appointed to feed the flock of ,god1 for which service they had to give account to the great ,shepherd4 ,the foregoing scriptures and many others show conclusively that1 while in the apostolic church spiritual oversight was1 in general1 vested in the ministry1 it did not originate with them2 that it did not proceed from the general body of believers by a majority vote or by conference appointment2 but that it came by the ,holy ,spirit direct from the great head of the church1 who alone determined the general bounds of that authority and responsibility4 ,this ministry1 or presbytery1 consisted of two classes--local ministers and general ministers4 ,before proceeding from this general classification to a discussion of the more specific duties and responsibilities of the individual ministers comprising this presbytery1 ,i shall call attention briefly to the geographical distribution of their work as a body4 ,sidenote3 ,local and general phase ,we have already shown that the church in its visible phase was made up of various local congregations set in order by apostolic authority4 ,so far as their own local affairs were concerned1 these congregations were autonomous4 ,when a matter was purely local1 such as the financial oversight and ministration in the church at ,jerusalem1 the local congregation itself determined the course of action and 7excepting that class of officials who were divinely chosen7 who should be appointed to oversee it4 ,in the ,jerusalem example cited1 the apostles suggested1 ,look ye out among you seven men1 etc41 and the saying pleased the whole multitude3 and they chose the proper persons for that work 7,acts #f3a-e74 ,but while these congregations possessed such autonomy and were distributed over a wide territory1 they were not in all respects independent1 isolated units4 ,as members of ,christ sharing in a common life and engaged in a common cause1 they were bound together in one brotherhood by ties of fellowship and love4 ,in addition to the union of separate individuals in one locality under the care of the local presbytery1 the local congregations themselves were brought into close1 sympathetic relationship with one another through the labors and influence of those general ministers who were not attached to particular churches1 but whose gifts1 callings1 and qualifications fitted them for general service throughout the various congregations4 ,the responsibility and authority of these general ministers varied in accordance with their own gifts and qualifications and the degree of development attained by the churches among which they labored4 ,in the case of infant churches1 it is evident that oversight was of the apostolic kind--direct and immediate4 ,but whenever they became thoroughly established1 the principle of local autonomy was recognized and the relation of the general ministers to such congregations was evangelistic rather than apostolic--helpers and advisors1 not administrative directors4 ,sidenote3 ,geographical distribution ,that the foregoing analysis is correct is abundantly proved by the history of events in the ,acts respecting the geographical distribution of the churches and their relation to one another4 ,jerusalem was the original seat of ,christianity4 ,isaiah prophesied1 ,out of ,zion shall go forth the law1 and the word of the ,lord from ,jerusalem 7,isa4 #b3c74 ,jesus told the apostles that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations1 beginning at ,jerusalem 7,luke #bd3dg74 ,and again1 ,ye shall be witnesses unto me both in ,jerusalem1 and in all ,judea1 and in ,samaria1 and unto the uttermost part of the earth 7,acts #a3h74 ,philip went from ,jerusalem to ,samaria and there preached ,christ with great success4 ,now when the apostles which were at ,jerusalem heard that ,samaria had received the ,word of ,god1 they sent unto them ,peter and ,john 7,acts #h3ad74 ,later we read that when churches had been established throughout all ,judea and ,galilee and ,samaria1 it came to pass1 as ,peter passed throughout all quarters1 he came down also to the saints which dwelt at ,lydda 7,acts #i3 #ca1 #cb74 ,it was while he was on this general tour visiting the churches that he came to ,joppa and there received the vision which led him to the household of ,cornelius1 after which he came to ,jerusalem and was there called to account for his action in visiting the uncircumcised ,gentiles4 ,there is no doubt that there was exerted from ,jerusalem a general care over the surrounding churches4 ,some of the disciples who were scattered from ,jerusalem at the time of persecution1 went as far as ,cyprus and ,antioch1 preaching the word1 and many believed and turned to the ,lord4 ,then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in ,jerusalem3 and they sent forth ,barnabas that he should go as far as ,antioch 7,acts #aa3 #ai-bb74 ,barnabas went to ,antioch and there found such a splendid work that he departed at once for ,tarsus seeking ,saul1 and together they returned to ,antioch and preached for a whole year4 ,sidenote3 ,operative centers ,while this principle of general superintendence of infant churches originated with the apostles themselves1 it was extended to others who were not of the first apostles4 ,barnabas and ,saul were successful at ,antioch and there established the first ,christian community outside the confines of ,judaism1 as the result of which ,antioch became the seat of ,gentile ,christianity4 ,shortly afterwards certain prophets and teachers in the church at ,antioch1 men who were not of the original apostles1 were directed by the ,holy ,ghost to send forth ,barnabas and ,saul on their first missionary journey1 and they went forth establishing local churches and afterwards setting them in order by ordaining elders1 after which these ministers returned to ,antioch1 gathered the church together1 and gave them a report of their work4 ,antioch was1 therefore1 an operative center4 ,at a later time ,paul established the truth in ,ephesus1 the chief city of ,proconsular ,asia4 ,as might naturally be expected from the strategic position and political importance of that city1 ,ephesus also became an operative center for ,christianity1 so that all they which dwelt in ,asia heard the word of the ,lord ,jesus1 both ,jews and ,greeks 7,acts #ai3aj74 ,thessalonica in ,macedonia and ,corinth in ,achaia are other examples of the kind4 ,sidenote3 ,regional units ,the work of the church naturally fell into these geographical units2 therefore the word church is sometimes used as a collective term designating a body of regional congregations4 ,the church throughout all ,judea and ,galilee and ,samaria 7,acts #i3ca71 the seven churches which are in ,asia 7,rev4 #a3aa71 the churches of ,macedonia 7#b ,cor4 #h3a71 the churches of ,galatia 7#a ,cor4 #af3a74 ,we must bear in mind1 however1 that this regional concept of the church was not an integral part of fundamental apostolic church government1 but was merely incidental1 the result of geographical location4 ,in fundamental analysis distinctions are always drawn between things that are different1 not between things of the same kind4 ,these regional churches were not different kinds of churches2 they were not bound together in separate groups by an external organization which placed a wall between them and other congregations of the saints4 ,there was no authority here for the national-church theory nor for the sectarian church idea4 ,geographical separation there was1 but not denominationalism4 ,sidenote3 ,common bond of unity ,we have already shown from ,paul's writings that under his ministry both ,jews and ,gentiles were united in one body1 the same body4 ,that these regional units to which we have referred were no denial of this clear truth1 but that collectively they constituted one body1 is further shown by the indications we have of their operative unity4 ,notwithstanding the poor facilities for communication and travel in those days1 which made general cooperation very difficult1 and notwithstanding the fact that the record of historic ,christianity in the ,acts is exceedingly brief1 we have1 nevertheless1 clear proof that there was cooperation throughout the apostolic church4 ,two instances1 one of a business nature1 the other ecclesiastical1 establish this point4 ,the churches of at least three provinces of the ,roman ,empire--,galatia1 ,macedonia1 and ,achaia--united under ,paul's direction in establishing a weekly financial system1 the immediate object of which was to assist in accomplishing a particular object in which they were all interested 7#b ,cor4 #h3i2 #a ,cor4 #af3a-c74 ,the ecclesiastical example is the council of the apostles and elders held in ,jerusalem and recorded in ,acts #ae4 ,a question of doctrine and practise arose in ,antioch2 the church there was not able to settle it2 therefore it was determined that ,paul and ,barnabas1 and certain other with them1 should go up to ,jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question 7verse #b74 ,this was not a general council of the church4 ,no other sections or provinces were represented4 ,nor did it meet as a legislative body1 even though there were present specially inspired apostles1 to whom had been given the commission to unfold the gospel as an authoritative revelation4 ,it is clear that the ministers of this council even sought to avoid the legislative function4 ,for it seemed good to the ,holy ,ghost1 and to us1 to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things 7verse #bh74 ,while this incident does not prove an administrative human headship of the whole church centralized at ,jerusalem1 it does prove that the individual congregations were not isolated units1 but that they had respect for1 and sought the advice and counsel of1 older established congregations1 and particularly of those general ministers whose gifts1 qualifications1 and reputation fitted them for general care of all the churches4 ,when we consider the divine nature of the church's organization1 with the ever-living ,christ working mightily in all his ministers and through them in particular administering its government1 we can see that the entire church was necessarily one body joined together in a common fellowship and actually laboring together in the performance of common tasks4 ,sidenote3 ,bishop and elder ,the presbytery1 to whom was given particular oversight and government of the church1 was set apart by the ,holy ,ghost for this special work4 ,different terms1 such as elder and bishop1 were used to designate this office4 ,the term bishop1 which literally means overseer1 implies the duties of the office1 while elder denotes its rank4 ,that these terms were used interchangeably and applied to the same order of persons is proved by ,acts #bj3bh 7cf4 #ag72 ,phil4 #a3a2 #a ,tim4 #c3a1 #h2 ,tit4 #a3e1 #g2 #a ,pet4 #e3a1 #b4 ,this was admitted by many early writers1 as ,jerome1 ,augustine1 ,urban ,,ii1 ,petrus ,lombardus1 ,chrysostom1 ,theodoret1 and others4 ,from the general classification already given1 let us proceed to the specific4 ,this body was made up of elders or bishops4 ,the fact that the terms elder and bishop were applied to all the presbyters shows equality of rank2 that the office was one4 ,we find1 however1 that these elders as individuals were diversified in their gifts and callings in accordance with the specific work which the ,holy ,ghost designed them to perform4 ,under one classification there were1 broadly speaking1 two kinds of elders--local and general2 that is1 those whose sphere of operation was particularly local and those whose influence1 work1 and responsibility extended beyond any congregational limitation4 ,this distinction was not made arbitrarily1 however2 for it was essential to the performance of the twofold class of work to be done and was the inevitable result of that operation of the ,spirit in individual ministers which fitted them particularly for these distinctive lines of activity4 ,sidenote3 ,divine gifts ,to be still more specific1 we must go a step farther and consider the reason why and the process by which ministers became differentiated from other saints4 ,in this we shall find the inner secret1 both of particular spiritual organization and of divine church government4 ,the apostle says1 ,by one ,spirit are we all baptized into one body and ,god hath set the members every one of them in the body1 as it hath pleased him 7#a ,cor4 #ab3ac1 #ah74 ,these texts suggest more than a mere attachment to the body3 they imply functional activity in the body4 ,the functions of the body as described by ,paul means the exercise of spiritual gifts4 ,now there are diversities of gifts1 but the same ,spirit 444 there are diversities of operations1 but it is the same ,god which worketh all in all4 ,but the manifestation of the ,spirit is given to every man to profit withal4 ,for to one is given by the ,spirit the word of wisdom2 to another the word of knowledge by the same ,spirit2 to another faith by the same ,spirit2 to another the gifts of healing by the same ,spirit2 to another the working of miracles2 to another prophecy2 to another discerning of spirits2 to another divers kinds of tongues2 to another the interpretation of tongues2 but all these worketh that one and the selfsame ,spirit1 dividing to every man severally as he will 7#a ,cor4 #ab3 #d-aa74 ,sidenote3 ,basis of ministerial authority ,the foregoing scripture is a mere enumeration of the gifts that ,god implanted in the church as a body4 ,the more particular application of these gifts and their relation to church organization and government are given further on in the same chapter4 ,now ye are the body of ,christ1 and members in particular4 ,and ,god hath set some in the church1 first apostles1 secondarily prophets1 thirdly teachers1 after that miracles1 then gifts of healings1 helps1 governments1 diversities of tongues4 ,are all apostles8 are all prophets8 are all teachers8 are all workers of miracles8 have all the gifts of healing8 do all speak with tongues8 do all interpret8 ,but covet earnestly the best gifts 7verses #bg-ca74 ,comparison of verses #d to #aa with verses #bg to #ca of the chapter just quoted shows conclusively that one is the counterpart of the other1 the latter merely amplifying and explaining the former4 ,from this clear teaching it is evident that the work of apostleship1 of teaching1 of governing1 etc41 were all based upon and grew out of divine gifts implanted in the heart by the ,holy ,spirit4 ,the same truth is taught by ,paul in another place4 ,speaking of ,christ1 the apostle says1 ,when he ascended up on high1 he 444 gave gifts unto men 444 and he gave some1 apostles2 and some1 prophets2 and some1 evangelists2 and some1 pastors and teachers2 for the perfecting of the saints1 for the work of the ministry1 for the edifying of the body of ,christ 7,eph4 #d3 #h-ab74 ,according to these scriptures1 the very governmental positions of the church with their authority and responsibility were the product of those gifts and qualifications bestowed upon certain individuals in particular4 ,such gifts could be legitimately coveted with a view to spiritual edification of the body 7#a ,cor4 #ab3ca2 #ad3ab74 ,if a man desire the office of a bishop1 he desireth a good work 7#a ,tim4 #c3a74 ,helps doubtless included that class of assistants commonly called deacons 7#a ,tim4 #c3h-aa74 ,since in the primitive church organization and government were determined by the divine gifts and callings possessed by individuals1 it is evident that we have in this something totally different from that later conception of church government as a mere human arrangement4 ,at a subsequent time1 as we shall show1 church government was patterned after the forms of political government in that it was vested inherently in men4 ,four such forms have been developed--the imperial1 or papal2 the episcopal2 the presbyterial2 and the congregational4 ,while these four differ in external form1 they are all alike in fundamental character1 in that they assume that the governing power rests inherently in men4 ,none of these forms of government represent the ,new ,testament church4 ,the organization and government of that church was based upon the charisma1 or divine gifts and callings1 of individuals composing the church4 ,the power and authority of an apostle or of an evangelist1 for example1 did not rest upon any selection or appointment made by men4 ,the church did not act in a corporate capacity and confer ecclesiastical power and authority upon any one4 ,all such power and authority came direct from ,god through the ,holy ,spirit1 and it was in ,god's name and by his authority alone that they acted4 ,the organization of the church was therefore charismatic4 ,if1 for example1 the gifts of an apostle were conferred by the ,holy ,spirit upon an individual1 he possessed apostolic responsibility and authority4 ,the brethren recognized such gifts when these were evident1 and submitted themselves voluntarily to such spiritual leadership and oversight2 for at this period there had not been developed that ecclesiastical system by which human election and appointment gave positions and authority to men4 ,in fact1 we shall clearly show later that the true church can not be legally organized4 ,every attempt of men to assume the reins of authority and give governmental form and administrative direction to the church has been denominational and sectarian4 ,sidenote3 ,ordination ,the true church was the whole family of ,god directed by his ,holy ,spirit4 ,ministerial appointment1 with its authority and responsibility1 was therefore divine4 ,we have seen that through the spiritual operation called the new birth1 one became a member of ,christ1 and hence by divine right belonged to whichever congregation of the church he might be able to associate with2 but that in practical experience1 such local membership involved recognition on the part of the other members4 ,so it was with the divine appointment to the ministry4 ,the only other essential to its practical operation was simply recognition of that call4 ,such recognition1 in the last analysis1 belonged to the whole church 7#a ,tim4 #c3 #b-g2 ,tit4 #a3 #f-i71 but was given formally by the laying on of the hands of the presbytery4 ,sidenote3 ,plurality of local elders ,the development of ministers in an apostolic church was a divine1 natural process1 the inevitable result of the emphasis placed on the gifts and callings of the ,spirit4 ,this free exercise of the ,spirit's gifts working in the members doubtless accounts for the plurality of ruling elders found in those local churches4 ,see ,acts #ad3bc2 #bj3ag2 ,phil4 #a3a2 #a ,tim4 #e3af1 #ag2 ,tit4 #a3e4 ,it could not be otherwise as long as the churches were ,spirit-filled1 working congregations and the ,spirit of ,god had his way4 ,the system that limited local church government to a one-man rule originated in the apostasy1 after the gifts of the ,spirit had died out4 ,it is simply one part of that great system of human organization that developed the full-grown papacy4 ,of this we shall learn more hereafter4 ,the same principles that developed local ministers produced also ministers of the general class4 ,while some naturally became pastors1 teachers1 and helpers in the local church1 particular gifts and qualifications fitted others for apostles and evangelists1 whose particular sphere was general oversight and work in the churches4 ,the prophet was not limited to either class4 ,sidenote3 ,apostolic oversight ,as it is not germane to my present purpose1 ,i shall not here attempt to define the various phases of ministerial work designated by various terms but all included under the one generic term elder4 ,the work described by the term apostle1 however1 requires brief notice1 on account of its bearing on the subject of church government4 ,the fact that ,paul had particular care of all the churches 7#b ,cor4 #aa3bh7 and that he gave special instructions to ,timothy and ,titus1 other ministers 7#a ,tim4 #e3 #ba2 ,tit4 #a3e71 forms the basis for the episcopacy argument--church rule by a superior order of clergy called bishops4 ,apostle literally signifies a planter4 ,the term belongs specifically to the first founders of the ,christian faith1 but is loosely applied in a more general sense to any minister who plants ,christianity in a new territory4 ,it is clear that the first apostles were especially inspired for a particular work in laying the foundations of the ,christian church and in writing the ,new ,testament ,scriptures4 ,hence the apostolic office in this special sense passed away with them4 ,but there was1 nevertheless1 an apostolic work such as planting and overseeing the infant work in a new field1 and in this sense ,barnabas also was an apostle 7,acts #ac3df with #ad3d74 ,that the word apostle really signified a planter and was therefore descriptive of the kind of work done is shown by the words of ,paul himself3 ,for he that wrought effectually in ,peter to the apostleship of the circumcision1 the same was mighty in me toward the ,gentiles 7,gal4 #b3h74 ,and again1 he says to the ,corinthians1 ,if ,i be not an apostle unto others1 yet doubtless ,i am to you2 for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the ,lord 7#a ,cor4 #i3b74 ,in another place he says to the same church1 ,though ye have ten thousand instructors in ,christ1 yet have ye not many fathers3 for in ,christ ,jesus ,i have begotten you through the gospel 7#a ,cor4 #d3ae74 ,the special1 personal relation that the apostle1 or planter1 sustained to the work which he had founded and over which he exercised general jurisdiction1 was but temporary1 a sort of fatherly care4 ,he was obliged to oversee the work as a whole1 including young ministers1 until it became thoroughly established4 ,after others were able for the work and the apostle's special oversight was withdrawn1 there might be ten thousand other instructors1 but no more fathers4 ,this disproves entirely the episcopal idea as an essential feature of church government4 ,the apostle ,peter even classes himself simply as an elder in common with other elders 7#a ,pet4 #e3a74 ,but with the exception of the original apostles1 who were specially commissioned to reveal the doctrine and message of the gospel and to establish the ,christian faith1 the difference existing between elders in the primitive church was not a difference in kind1 but in degree only1 varying in accordance with their ability to put forth some portion of that moral and spiritual power by which alone ,christ governs his church4 ,,part ,,ii ,the ,church in ,history ,,chapter ,v ,,corruption ,,of ,,evangelical ,,faith ,it is not my purpose to write an ecclesiastical history1 but in order to make clear the work of final reformation1 it will be necessary to present at least a brief sketch of historic ,christianity1 outlining particularly those leading features which show a radical departure from the true church as originally constituted by our ,lord and his apostles4 ,sidenote3 ,the faith ,in the days of primitive ,christianity there was something called the gospel1 the truth1 the form of sound words1 the faith4 ,to understand its fundamental nature is not difficult1 for it has been preserved and handed down to us in the writings of the ,new ,testament4 ,according to this record1 the gospel message1 or the faith1 centered in the person of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 who died and rose again that he might be a ,prince and a ,savior1 for to give repentance to ,israel1 and forgiveness of sins 7,acts #e3ca74 ,and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations1 beginning at ,jerusalem 7,luke #bd3dg74 ,around this central fact of salvation from sin through faith in ,christ clustered those other truths and facts which either necessarily resulted from the new relationship of redeemed humanity with ,god or were essential to its visible manifestation and propagation4 ,prominent among these features were the entire sanctification of believers1 holy life and conduct1 the baptism1 gifts1 and leadership of the ,holy ,spirit1 and the visible unity and relationship of believers in one body1 the church4 ,sidenote3 ,an apostasy foretold ,i need not take time or space to describe the wonderful successes of ,christianity as long as the primitive purity and power of the gospel message was sustained and its results realized in a living1 ,spirit-filled church4 ,but facts compel me to record a change from that happy condition4 ,this transition was foreseen by those who spake as they were moved by the ,holy ,ghost4 ,paul declared3 ,some shall depart from the faith1 giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils 7#a ,tim4 #d3a72 ,also of your own selves shall men arise1 speaking perverse things1 to draw away disciples after them 7,acts #bj3cj74 ,peter predicted1 ,there shall be false teachers among you1 who privily shall bring in damnable heresies 7#b ,pet4 #b3a74 ,jesus himself declared1 ,many false prophets shall arise1 and shall deceive many4 ,and because iniquity shall abound1 the love of many shall wax cold 7,matt4 #bd3aa1 #ab74 ,paul gives a more particular description of the coming apostasy in the second chapter of ,second ,thessalonians4 ,asserting that the second coming of ,christ was not at that time imminent1 he says3 ,let no man deceive you by any means3 for that day shall not come1 except there come a falling away first1 and that man of sin be revealed1 the son of perdition2 who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called ,god1 or that is worshiped2 so that he as ,god sitteth in the temple of ,god1 showing himself that he is ,god 7verses #c1 #d74 ,the development of the man of sin1 which was occasioned by the falling away1 was to be gradual1 but should finally assume great proportions1 so that he as ,god sitteth in the temple of ,god showing himself that he is ,god4 ,the apostle further states3 ,for the mystery of iniquity doth already work3 only he who now letteth will let1 until he be taken out of the way4 ,and then shall that wicked be revealed1 whom the ,lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth1 and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming 7verses #g1 #h74 ,we should not seek for the fulfilment of this prediction in those minor sects and heresies which at an early date arose and soon passed away3 the description refers to some great power occupying the greatest prominence1 making the most pretentious claims1 a power that is to endure until the second advent of ,christ4 ,we must1 therefore1 look for its fulfilment in what we may term the main line of historic ,christianity4 ,sidenote3 ,first evidences of decline ,the falling away from the simple truths and standards of the gospel began at a very early date4 ,the mystery of iniquity was already working in the apostles' day4 ,before the close of the first century we find in the churches of ,asia ,minor a sad deflection from their primitive condition4 ,the church at ,ephesus had left its first love 7,rev4 #b3d72 the church at ,pergamos was tolerating false teachers and being ruined by false doctrines 7#b3ad1 #ae72 ,thyatira had lost the spirit of holy judgment against wrong-doing and was therefore affected by a shocking degree of immorality 7#b3 #bj-bc72 the message to ,sardis was1 ,thou hast a name that thou livest1 and art dead 7#c3a72 ,laodicea had become so lukewarm that the ,lord said1 ,i will spew thee out of my mouth 7#c3ae1 #af74 ,sidenote3 ,the apostolic fathers ,the transition from the apostles to the age of the early church fathers is involved in considerable darkness4 ,not until the middle of the second century1 when ,justin ,martyr appears on the scene1 does the church emerge from its obscurity into the clear light of history4 ,the apostolic fathers--,clement of ,rome1 ,ignatius1 the ,pastor of ,hermas1 ,papias1 and the unknown author of the ,epistle to ,diognetus--all these lived and wrote during that transitional period1 and they could have told us much1 but they have told us little4 ,we can not but admire the beautiful spirit in which they wrote1 and their style is earnest and vital4 ,nevertheless1 we discern in these works two leading tendencies which stand1 so to speak1 as prophecies of what was to predominate in the ecclesiastical thought of succeeding centuries4 ,in the mind of the author of the ,epistle to ,diognetus1 the grand central thought is the incarnation and the spiritual presence of ,christ in redeemed humanity1 by which they are led to the free imitation of ,god1 as a result of which they become to the world what the soul is to the body--its life and the means of holding it together4 ,this teaching is an epitome of the ,greek theology developed later by ,clement of ,alexandria1 ,origen1 and ,athanasius4 ,but in ,papias1 who attaches much importance to oral traditions that came from the living and abiding voice2 in ,ignatius1 who exalts the bishop above other presbyters2 and in ,clement1 who1 writing as a ,roman1 is concerned with matters of administration and subordination to authority--in these we discern the beginnings of the ,latin theology developed later by ,tertullian1 ,irenaeus1 ,cyprian1 and ,augustine1 which produced the papacy1 and which1 as we shall show1 has in a great measure dominated the ecclesiastical thought of the world until the present day4 ,sidenote3 ,the ,ante-,nicene age ,after emerging into the clear field of historic ,christianity in the time of ,justin ,martyr1 we find everywhere evidences of a rapidly developing apostasy4 ,in one respect we approach an examination of the ,ante-,nicene church with feelings of admiration4 ,this was a heroic age1 an age of ,christian martyrs4 ,the struggles of ,christianity against the powers of heathenism enthroned in the ,roman ,empire and throughout the world form a bright chapter in the annals of historic deeds and supreme loyalty to lofty ideals4 ,when we view the subject from this angle1 it would almost seem to be an act of irreverence or of sacrilege to call in question the doctrines and practises of that period when the church was baptized by fire and waded through rivers of blood4 ,reverence for the martyrs and for their noble efforts to extend the cause of ,christ is praiseworthy1 but in justice to truth1 we must remember that even the martyrs were not inspired teachers commissioned to build a model for all succeeding ages4 ,that they were heroic does not prove them infallible4 ,we should never hesitate1 therefore1 to compare their teaching with the pure doctrines of the ,word of ,god1 and wherein there is any lack of harmony1 we should be guided by the truth as it is in ,jesus4 ,however much we may admire the early church fathers1 we can not help noticing the sharp contrast between them and the first apostles2 between their writings and the sublime1 inspired teaching of the divine ,word4 ,if1 after reading ,paul1 ,peter1 or ,john1 we turn to ,tertullian1 ,irenaeus1 or ,cyprian1 we instinctively realize that we have1 so to speak1 been transferred from sunny ,italy to frigid ,siberia4 ,we are conscious of a change to another era1 and to another country4 ,notwithstanding the fact that we find numerous familiar objects1 we know that we are moving in another atmosphere amid foreign surroundings4 ,sidenote3 ,growth of ritualism ,the church of the ,middle ,ages was the natural fruitage of the seeds planted during the second and third centuries4 ,there we began to notice particularly foreign elements which stand out in bold contrast to the simple forms of primitive ,christianity4 ,one of these innovations was the development of the ritualistic spirit1 according to which undue importance was attached to particular forms of worship1 such as time1 place1 positions of the body1 and ceremonial observances in general4 ,take baptism for an example4 ,apart from erroneous notions concerning the efficacy of baptism1 which will be referred to under another head1 the writings of the church fathers abound with the most minute and puerile details concerning how the act is to be performed--details of catechism1 of consecration of waters1 of dressing and undressing1 exorcism1 anointing from head to foot with oil1 the laying on of hands1 etc41 all of which were to be carried out in the most exacting and solemn manner4 ,sidenote3 ,example from ,tertullian ,as an example of the ritualistic character of ,christian worship at the beginning of the third century1 ,i will cite a passage from ,tertullian4 ,in the third chapter of his work ,de ,corona1 this celebrated ,latin father undertakes to defend customs and practises that he confesses were received on the ground of tradition alone4 ,he says3 ,i shall begin with baptism4 ,when we are going to enter the water1 but a little before1 in the presence of the congregation and under the hand of the president1 we solemnly profess that we disown the devil1 and his pomp1 and his angels4 ,whereupon we are thrice immersed1 making a somewhat ampler pledge than the ,lord has appointed in the gospel4,a ,then when we are taken up 7as new-born children7 we taste1 first of all1 a mixture of milk and honey1 and from that day we abstain from the daily bath for a whole week4 ,we take also1 in congregations before daybreak1 and from the hand of none but the president1 the sacrament of the ,eucharist1 which the ,lord both commanded to be done at mealtimes and enjoined to be taken by all alike4 ,as often as the anniversary comes round1 we make offerings for the dead as birthday honors4 ,we count shouting or kneeling in worship on the ,lord's day to be unlawful4 ,we rejoice in the same privilege also from ,easter to ,whitsunday4 ,we feel pained should any wine or bread1 even though our own1 be cast upon the ground4 ,at every forward step and movement1 at every going in and out1 when we put on our clothes and shoes1 when we bathe1 when we sit at table1 when we light the lamps1 on couch1 on seat1 in all the ordinary actions of daily life1 we trace upon the forehead the sign of the cross4 ,in words immediately following1 at the beginning of ,chapter #d1 ,tertullian says3 ,if for these and other such rules you insist upon having positive ,scriptural injunction1 you will find none4 ,tradition will be held forth to you as the originator of them1 custom as their strengthener1 and faith as their observer4 ,according to this confession1 all the ceremonial observances here set forth are without ,scriptural authority4 ,when we read in the ,new ,testament concerning the simple act of baptizing believers1 and compare it with the customs and practises that had grown up in the ,ante-,nicene church1 we do not wonder that evangelical faith was soon afterwards almost entirely lost in ritualistic forms2 that1 like the ,pharisees of old1 men made the faith of ,god of none effect by their traditions4 ,sidenote3 ,false doctrines and heresies ,another evidence of the decline of evangelical faith is found in the presence of many false doctrines among the leaders of so-called orthodox ,christianity in that period of which ,i now write4 ,paul not only taught that at a later time some should depart from the faith1 giving heed to seducing spirits and devils 7#a ,tim4 #d3a71 but he referred to some who had already erred concerning the faith 7#a ,tim4 #f3ba71 and named two persons1 'who1 concerning the truth1 had erred1 saying that the resurrection was past already1 and overthrew the faith of some' 7#b ,tim4 #b3ah74 ,after the death of the apostles1 error made deeper inroads1 and its baneful influence cast a shadow over the church1 which rapidly deepened into the darkness of spiritual night4 ,sidenote3 ,baptismal regeneration ,one of the earliest corruptions of apostolic truth concerned the design and purpose of baptism4 ,it was not long until unscriptural significance was attached to the literal rite itself1 so that what was originally a mere sign1 was substituted for the thing signified1 and thus baptism took the place of spiritual regeneration4 ,in several places in the writings of ,justin ,martyr1 who lived about the middle of the second century1 his language seems to attach undue importance to the literal rite2 but other passages from the same author indicate that he had not as yet entirely lost sight of the apostolic standard4 ,in his ,dialog with ,trypho1 chapter #ad1 he says3 ,we have believed and testify that that very baptism which he ,isaiah announced is alone able to purify those who have repented 444 and what is the use of that baptism which cleanses the flesh and body alone8 ,baptize the soul from wrath and covetousness1 from envy and from hatred1 and lo1 the body is pure4 ,in his ,first ,apology1 chapter #fa1 the same writer draws a clear ,biblical distinction between spiritual regeneration secured through repentance and faith1 and ritual regeneration in baptism as a mere outward sign of the inward work4 ,he says3 ,i will also relate the manner in which we dedicated ourselves to ,god when we had been made new through ,christ 444 as many as are persuaded and believe that what we teach and say is truth1 and undertake to be able to live accordingly1 are instructed to pray and to entreat ,god with fasting for the remission of their sins that are past1 we praying and fasting with them4 ,then they are brought by us where there is water and are regenerated in the same manner in which we were ourselves regenerated4 ,for1 in the name of ,god1 the ,father and ,lord of the ,universe1 and of our ,savior ,jesus ,christ1 and of the ,holy ,spirit1 they then receive the washing with water4 ,other writers of the period under consideration1 however1 praise the saving efficacy of baptism in the most exalted terms4 ,according to their minds1 it is the actual means of the redemption of sins1 not a mere literal rite expressing ceremonially the work of ,god's ,spirit within the heart2 it is an illumination2 it extinguishes the fire of sin2 it removes the unclean spirits from men and seals them for heaven4 ,tertullian wrote extensively on this subject4 ,in his work ,on ,baptism1 chapters #c to #h1 he maintains the doctrine of baptismal regeneration by which we are washed from the sins of our former blindness and set free for eternal life4 ,he declares that by this act men are prepared to receive the ,holy ,ghost2 that in the literal act1 the spirit is corporeally washed in the waters1 and the flesh is1 in the same1 spiritually cleansed4 ,cyprian1 bishop of ,carthage 7third century71 in his treatise concerning the ,baptism of ,heretics1 teaches the same doctrine in no uncertain terms4 ,sidenote3 ,other erroneous doctrines and practises ,the limits of this work preclude the historic treatment of the rise and development of the host of false doctrines and practises that finally bound the people in the thralldom of superstition and plunged the world into the darkness of spiritual night4 ,one who is free from such influences can scarcely read without feelings of disgust the elaborate treatises of these church fathers wherein they extol the virtues of virginity as forming a new order of life1 as an evidence of divinity1 as making virgins while in this world equal to the angels of ,god1 and as a certain surety of special rewards in heaven4 ,from this false standard proceeded at length the celibacy of the clergy and monkery with all their attendant evils4 ,and the time would fail me to tell of the introduction of images and image-worship in the ,western ,church and of that superstitious regard for miserable relics of every description and kind4 ,true evangelical faith was at length lost to view1 buried beneath the rubbish of men's traditions4 ,the treatment of such matters1 however1 belongs to the church historian1 and as the general facts are well-known1 it is unnecessary here to make more than a brief reference to them so as to prepare the mind for that treatment of the reformation which is a special object of the present work4 ,footnote ,a3 ,tertullian is the earliest writer that clearly and unmistakably teaches trine immersion1 or records its practise4 ,but here he honestly confesses that it is a somewhat ampler pledge than the ,lord has appointed in the gospel4 ,,chapter ,,vi ,,rise ,,of ,,ecclesiasticism ,sidenote3 ,two phases of apostacy ,in order to understand the place which the work of reformation has in the plan and purpose of ,god respecting his church1 we must carefully observe the twofold character of the apostasy4 ,both these phases are clearly outlined in that remarkable prediction of ,paul to which reference has already been made1 recorded in the second chapter of ,second ,thessalonians4 ,the first phase1 described as a falling away1 was that decline from true ,christianity which we have considered in the preceding chapter as the ,corruption of ,evangelical ,faith4 ,the second phase was the rise and development of a foreign element which was from its beginning the mystery of iniquity and which in certain respects usurped the true place of ,jehovah himself in spiritual worship in the temple of ,god4 ,this phase now demands our special attention4 ,since the sixteenth century reformation a large part of the ,christian world has renounced the right of the pope to sit as the supreme earthly head of the church1 but we shall show later that these same modern ,christians who have sought the restoration of the evangelical faith have not discarded the essential elements of the papal hierarchical system1 but have perpetuated them in their own ecclesiastical constitutions1 and that this relic of medievalism is the chief barrier to a reunited ,christendom and the restoration of pure apostolic ,christianity4 ,it is highly essential1 therefore1 that this phase of the apostasy be carefully considered4 ,it is not enough to reject the pope and his college of cardinals4 ,if that tree1 as judged by its fruits1 is an evil tree1 we should seek to know where1 when1 and by whom the evil seed from which it grew was first planted1 and then reject it from the roots up4 ,then1 and not until then1 can the work of reformation be made complete4 ,we have1 therefore1 to trace the rise and development of what may be forcibly expressed by the apparently pleonastic phrase human ecclesiasticism4 ,sidenote3 ,divine authority vs4 positional authority ,we have already seen that in the church1 as originally constituted1 organization1 authority1 and government proceeded from the divine and not from the human4 ,the agents whom ,christ used in performing his work and in overseeing his church were called and endowed by the ,holy ,spirit1 and this divine endowment was the real basis of their authority and responsibility4 ,paul's authority and responsibility as an apostle1 for example1 was not positional authority1 or authority proceeding from a certain position to which he had been appointed or elected4 ,his authority was divine1 and out of that divine authority grew his positional responsibility as the apostle of the ,gentiles4 ,over and over he affirmed that he was an apostle1 not of men1 neither by man1 but by ,jesus ,christ 7,gal4 #a3a74 ,on the same principle the position1 work1 and responsibility of all the members of the body of ,christ grew out of the gifts and qualifications possessed by them1 and thus the church was divinely organized and divinely governed4 ,sidenote3 ,original bond of union ,the bonds which united primitive ,christians in one body were essentially moral and spiritual4 ,christ was their ever-living and ever-acting head4 ,their life proceeded from him1 and they were all one in him4 ,while those living in widely separated districts consulted together concerning matters of general concern1 or united in cooperative efforts to accomplish common tasks1 there is not the slightest evidence that there was an external human organization of the primitive church--either sectionally1 nationally1 or universally--centralized under a human headship of the administrative1 legislative1 and judicial kind4 ,christ was the head of the general church1 the head of all the local churches1 the head of all the individual members of the church4 ,in him1 the source of their common life1 the primitive ,christians were essentially one1 and by his ,spirit he operated in all hearts1 in all the individual churches1 and in all the ministers whose particular gifts and qualifications fitted them for divinely appointed oversight1 both local and general4 ,by this means the primitive church was able to perform the work of ,christ harmoniously and present to the world the grand spectacle of one body4 ,sidenote3 ,first steps to ecclesiasticism ,jesus taught the humble equality of the ,new ,testament ministry4 ,all ye are brethren 7,matt4 #bc3h74 ,according to the ,new ,testament they were all of one general order or rank1 although greatly diversified in gifts and qualifications and the kind of work accomplished by each4 ,the first example we have in ,scripture of positional authority in the ministry as distinguished from the authority of the ,holy ,spirit1 is the case of ,diotrephes1 of whom the apostle ,john wrote in his third epistle4 ,we are also informed as to the nature of the authority exercised by him and the direction in which it led4 ,it was human authority1 something additional and foreign to the authority and government through the ,holy ,spirit1 and the first example of church government by a single man4 ,it proceeded from the evil root of pride and ambition1 the love of preeminence among the brethren2 and this usurped power and authority led to a judicial process by which innocent brethren were 'cast out of the church4' ,what a contrast this presents to that ,new ,testament picture of the divine ecclesia1 exhibiting the highest form of human society known to history1 a body in which every member had his gift and use for it4 ,among these many activities1 oversight and preaching had their place1 but did not constitute the whole sum of ,christian service4 ,paul describes ,christ as the living head from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth1 according to the effectual working in the measure of every part1 maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love 7,eph4 #d3af74 ,the object of the ministerial function was the perfecting of the saints1 unto the work of ministering1 unto the building up of the body of ,christ 7verse #ab1 ,r4,v474 ,in his early epistle to the ,philippians1 ,paul makes reference to the officers that guided that church4 ,he sends greetings to all the saints in ,christ ,jesus which are at ,philippi1 with the bishops and deacons 7,phil4 #a3a74 ,polycarp1 writing to the same church in the next century1 addresses the presbyters and deacons1 showing that the apostolic order was still preserved there4 ,sidenote3 ,bishops vs4 ,presbyters ,in the ,ignatian epistles1 however1 written early in the second century1 there appears positional authority of a new order4 ,in place of the ,new ,testament standard of a plurality of elders1 or bishops1 jointly teaching and guiding the local church1 we find recognition of an office which was superior to that of the presbyters and to whose incumbents alone the term bishop was applied4 ,a few extracts from his writings will make clear this recognition of a threefold order of the ministry--bishops1 elders1 and deacons4 ,wherefore1 it is fitting that ye should run together in accordance with the will of your bishop1 which thing also ye do4 ,for your justly renowned presbytery1 worthy of ,god1 is fitted exactly to the bishop as the strings are to the harp 7,to the ,ephesians1 chap4 #d74 ,he is subject to the bishop as to the grace of ,god1 and to the presbytery as to the will of ,jesus ,christ 7,to the ,magnesians1 chap4 #b74 ,and again1 in the same epistle he says1 ,i exhort you to study to do all things with a divine harmony1 while your bishop presides in the place of ,god1 and your presbytery in the place of the assembly of the apostles 7chap4 #f74 ,in like manner1 let all reverence the deacons as the appointment of ,jesus ,christ1 and the bishop as ,jesus ,christ1 who is the ,son of the ,father1 and the presbyters as the ,sanhedrin of ,god1 and assembly of the apostles4 ,apart from these there is no church 7,to the ,trallians1 chap4 #c74 ,to the ,smyrnaeans he writes3 ,see that ye all follow the bishop1 even as ,jesus ,christ does the ,father4444 ,let no man do anything connected with the church without the bishop 7chap4 #h74 ,it is not lawful without the bishop either to baptize or to celebrate a love-feast2 but whatsoever he shall approve of1 that is also pleasing to ,god 7chap4 #h74 ,it is well to reverence both ,god and the bishop4 ,he who honors the bishop has been honored of ,god2 but he who does anything without the knowledge of the bishop1 does in reality serve the devil 7chap4 #i74 ,that this early recognition of a superior order of ministers was a distinct innovation is also shown from the literature of that period4 ,in the ,shepherd of ,hermas1 dating from the first part of the second century1 elders and presbyters are distinctly named but no bishop in contrast therewith4 ,in the so-called ,teaching of the ,twelve ,apostles1 also dating from the first part of the second century1 bishops and deacons only are named as teachers and leaders of the church1 showing that the original signification of the term bishop is here retained4 ,clement of ,rome1 in his first epistle to the ,corinthians1 speaks of the ministry as an institution of the apostles1 but he mentions1 nevertheless1 only a twofold order--elders and deacons1 presbyters and deacons1 or bishops and deacons4 ,the same classification is made in the second epistle of ,clement to the ,corinthians1 a work which is generally ascribed to another author2 so also in the epistle of ,polycarp to the ,philippians4 ,sidenote3 ,innovation becomes general ,the superior office of the bishop as distinguished from the local presbytery was1 therefore1 an innovation1 but in process of time its recognition became general4 ,it is probable that in the local presbytery of the primitive church some one minister excelled in special gifts and qualifications and consequently became a natural leader of his brethren4 ,such leadership was of ,god1 comes general because it was based on the authority proceeding from the ,spirit of ,god4 ,such was the leadership which ,paul held in a sphere of activity wider than a local congregation4 ,but such was not positional authority or authority proceeding from a humanly created superior office and appointment thereto4 ,it was of divine order4 ,but this fact of distinguished leadership at first1 doubtless furnished an excuse for the creation of a distinct office with carefully defined functions and limits of authority4 ,the power of the bishop thus constituted advanced steadily4 ,the churches of the cities where they were located extended their influences over smaller towns in the surrounding territory1 and thus the city bishop came to rule over the elders of the lesser churches of a district4 ,sidenote3 ,development of hierarchy ,when the first step toward ecclesiasticism was definitely taken1 by the recognition of official position authority1 and government proceeding from human appointment alone1 the way was prepared for rapid progress toward a highly organized system of man-rule4 ,when the bishops met in provincial councils1 special deference was given those bishops from cities of great political importance1 and they were exalted to the presidency of these councils1 and this in time led to the recognition of a new order of church officials--metropolitans4 ,later the metropolitans seemed too numerous for general utility in governmental functions2 therefore general leadership gradually became centralized more and more in the bishops or metropolitans of certain of the most important cities1 until they were finally given recognition as an order superior to that of metropolitans and were styled patriarchs4 ,the first ,council of ,nice recognized this superior authority possessed by the patriarchates of ,alexandria1 ,rome1 and ,antioch4 ,the ,general ,council of ,constantinople placed the bishop of ,constantinople in the same rank with the other three patriarchs1 and the ,general ,council of ,chalcedon exalted the see of ,jerusalem to a similar dignity4 ,the race for leadership between the patriarchates then began4 ,on account of the ,moslem invasion in the seventh century1 ,jerusalem1 ,alexandria1 and ,antioch fell away from their former positions of greatness2 therefore the rivalry for leadership was henceforth between the see of ,rome and the bishop of ,constantinople4 ,rome possessed many natural advantages1 and consequently the bishop of ,rome gained the greater prestige4 ,the full-fledged papacy was the result4 ,sidenote3 ,fundamental causes ,what produced that transition from the humble apostolic church of the brethren to the medieval church of the impious ,hildebrand1 who caused monarchs to tremble on their thrones8 ,the change resulted from two particular causes1 and it is highly essential to our purpose that we understand them4 ,one was a misconception both of the ,fundamental constitution of the true church itself as designed by its ,founder and of ,christ's perpetual relationship to it2 and the second was the imperialistic tendencies of that age to which the first error naturally exposed the church4 ,it is unnecessary here to recite at length that conception of the primitive church which we have described in preceding chapters as the concrete expression of the kingdom of ,god4 ,such was the only true catholic1 or universal1 church4 ,its catholicity1 however1 was a moral and spiritual dominion exercised over men by the truth and ,spirit of ,god1 and was rendered visible only in the society of redeemed believers who held the truth and bore its appropriate fruits of righteousness4 ,being composed of the redeemed1 it lovingly embraced within its membership the entire brotherhood of ,christ4 ,sidenote3 ,two theories of catholicity ,it is not too much to say that in the age in which ,christianity first appeared it was difficult for men to appreciate the conception of a purely moral and spiritual authority which was to be universal and perpetual4 ,another idea of catholicity soon began to take possession of men's minds--the idea of a temporal and earthly organization of the kingdom of heaven4 ,in this conception of the church the bond of union was not moral and spiritual--not the inevitable result of divine life and love in the individual members--but its pretended catholicity was to be secured by official1 administrative1 legislative1 and judicial functions under a human headship and a self-perpetuating human magistracy4 ,such was the mystery of iniquity1 and in its developed form historically it was the man of sin4 ,the student of the ,new ,testament can easily see that the great ,founder never intended that the boundary of his church should be determined by the administrative functions of a self-perpetuating clerical corporation4 ,but1 on the other hand1 the real church embraces the entire spiritual brotherhood1 and out of this spiritual membership was developed by the ,spirit of ,god the capacity and authority to teach1 guide1 and instruct4 ,what a contrast these two conceptions present6 ,sidenote3 ,the power of the keys ,out of that worldly conception of the kingdom of ,god grew the ,romish figment of the power of the keys4 ,according to this idea1 ,christ constituted his ministers a sort of clerical1 close corporation invested with direct authority over souls so that without their priestly mediation the kingdom of heaven is forever shut against men4 ,the words keys of the kingdom of heaven 7,matt4 #af3ai7 are evidently nothing more than a figurative expression indicating the moral influence in the kingdom which ,peter in particular should wield with peculiar energy and efficiency4 ,according to ,matt4 #ah3ah all the apostles and others were to exercise the same functions4 ,in time1 this expression denoting moral influence and usefulness in the service of ,christ was tortured into an engine of despotism and made the means of spiritual tyranny over the consciences of millions of men and women4 ,the corporation entrusted with such power durst not be resisted1 and the church was identical with the hierarchy4 ,but all of ,rome's boasted catholicity1 centralized in an official1 administrative corporation1 is a chimera2 for it is a fact that multitudes are accepted of ,god as members of the divine family who are not identified with the hierarchy4 ,the real catholic church1 embracing the whole spiritual brotherhood1 is therefore something else4 ,sidenote3 ,main source of ecclesiasticism ,but we have not yet reached in this discussion the tap-root of the evil tree of human ecclesiasticism4 ,the fundamental error underlying all other errors on this subject1 was the idea of an absent ,christ4 ,notwithstanding the definite assertions of our ,lord1 ,i am with you alway1 even unto the end of the world and ,where two or three are gathered together in my name1 there am ,i in the midst of them--notwithstanding these reassuring promises and the definite statements of the apostles which represent ,christ as the ever-living and ever-acting head of the church1 soon after the apostolic period men lost the consciousness of the divine presence and began to think and to act as if ,christ were indeed absent and would not return again for thousands of years4 ,the presence of gigantic evils in the world with no apparent available means of redressing them1 the dead weight of heathenism1 and the disturbing influences of speculative ,oriental philosophies impressed upon the conscience of the world a despairing pessimism4 ,in the midst of this trial there was a revival of the ,platonic philosophy4 ,the treatise of ,plato that made the most profound impression upon the religious thought of the second century was the ,timaeus1 wherein the ,deity is pictured as withdrawn from the world into a distant heaven separated from all creation because of the evil with which matter is essentially connected4 ,with ,god withdrawn from the world and ,christ absent on a long journey1 what was man to do8 ,what was the hope of the world8 ,here ecclesiasticism found its real opportunity4 ,here human authority and government could be and was substituted for that spiritual dominion of ,christ which gave life1 form1 and character to his church in primitive days4 ,here grew up that conception of the church as identical with the hierarchy whose power and authority was handed down by direct descent from the apostles and without whose priestly mediation there was no hope of salvation4 ,here was introduced the idea of world-wide centralization of administrative1 legislative1 and judicial functions in a self-perpetuating human headship4 ,what a contrast6 ,with ,christ absent1 the church an ark for the saving of the world1 the truth a mere deposit made to the church for safe keeping to be handed down like a heirloom from generation to generation1 and with a self-perpetuating priestly corporation as master of the destinies of the universe1 we are prepared to understand the tyrannical rule of the church of ,hildebrand and ,innocent ,,iii4 ,traced to its source1 this evil system is found to have sprung from that worldly conception of the kingdom of ,christ which was substituted for the inconceivably grander conception of its ,founder--a kingdom whose dominion is moral and spiritual under the personal supervision of ,christ himself in all ages1 and which embraces in its membership the entire spiritual brotherhood4 ,,chapter ,,vii ,,the ,,reformation ,the age of popery's greatest glory was the world's midnight4 ,i have not attempted to give an adequate description of that long reign of superstition and error preceding the reformation of the sixteenth century4 ,such is the particular province of ecclesiastical historians4 ,i have simply confined the discussion to certain features essential to our present purpose4 ,one point of importance ,i have endeavored to impress1 namely1 that the papal hierarchy1 with all its attendant evils1 corruption1 superstition1 and spiritual despotism1 was the logical successor of the ,ante-,nicene church2 that the ripened fruits of papalism were the direct results of the seeds of error planted in the second and third centuries4 ,in view of this fact1 one is led to inquire why true ,christianity was not permanently buried in oblivion beyond the possibility of resurrection1 how any reformation could be possible4 ,if ,christianity were nothing more than a human religion1 its reformation at such a period of decline and corruption would appear impossible4 ,but ,christianity was of divine origin4 ,no matter how deeply it was buried under the rubbish of human tradition and superstition1 no matter how grossly it was perverted and misunderstood by men1 it still retained within itself the vital spark of divine life1 the living principle of reformation4 ,sidenote3 ,first cause of reformation ,the secret of this reformatory power was ,jesus ,christ himself1 the great ever-living head of the church4 ,notwithstanding the decline of faith and morals among those professing ,christ1 the wonderful character of ,jesus still stood out with remarkable clearness and power in the records of the ,new ,testament and could not but exert a tremendous influence in spite of prevailing standards2 could not but shed rays of light and warmth in the midst of the surrounding darkness4 ,although men's ideas of the church became perverted1 they could not entirely lose sight of the great ,founder of the church1 and they could not escape the conviction that the record of the founding of that church was given in the writings of the ,new ,testament and that these writings were worthy of peculiar veneration4 ,perhaps this is the main reason why the learning of antiquity was chiefly preserved in monasteries and churches4 ,there were ecclesiastics in all these ages who were acquainted with the ,scriptures in ,latin1 and this acquaintance tended to preserve the knowledge of ,jesus the ,christ as portrayed in the original gospel records4 ,the history of that epoch proves that there were men who loved the ,lord more than priestly forms and ceremonial observances4 ,john ,wyclif1 ,jerome of ,prague1 ,john ,huss1 and others experienced that deeper longing for personal relationship with ,christ1 and they proclaimed the gospel of ,christ in a manner that could not be understood by the hierarchy of their times4 ,sidenote3 ,classical learning ,jesus was indeed the ,christ of ,god4 ,the light which shone forth from his presence could not be totally obscured1 and the moral power and influence of his life and teaching could not be destroyed4 ,the revival of classical learning restored the ,greek ,testament to western ,europe and attracted the attention of students and learned men in all the monasteries and universities4 ,while the hierarchy insisted on the exclusive right to interpret the ,scriptures1 the simple reading of these wonderful records could not but create new conceptions of truth which no clerical prohibition could banish4 ,life was springing up in the midst of death4 ,sidenote3 ,love for truth ,the ,reformation was the sincere effort of honest men to restore the truth of primitive ,christianity1 that the world might again experience the triumph of evangelical faith4 ,to the everlasting credit of the ,continental reformers be it said that their motives were not selfish4 ,they sought not for themselves freedom of thought and speech nor church power4 ,their immediate object was the restoration of the gospel2 all other results were but secondary4 ,nothing is more certain than that at the first ,luther had no idea of assailing the organization of the papal church4 ,most of the reformers at the first still believed most earnestly in the imperial government of the universal church2 and they relinquished this long-cherished ideal only when driven by force of circumstances which were at first unseen and unsuspected4 ,luther did not at first question the doctrine of the supremacy of the pope2 but when he found that the reigning pope could not be reconciled with the principles of truth which he taught1 ,luther proposed to appeal the matters in question to a general council1 notwithstanding the melancholy example1 a century earlier1 of the ,council of ,constance and the fate of ,john ,huss and ,jerome of ,prague4 ,sidenote3 ,indulgences ,the real occasion for the outbreak of the ,reformation was the papal traffic in indulgences4 ,leo ,x had great need of money for the building of ,st4 ,peter's1 and other undertakings1 and in order to fill the coffers of the church he had recourse to the sale of indulgences4 ,the power of dispensing these indulgences in ,saxony in ,germany was committed to a ,dominican friar named ,tetzel1 a fanatical enthusiast who entertained the most extravagant notions concerning their efficacy in forgiving not only the sins already committed but even those which were contemplated4 ,luther's soul burned with righteous indignation4 ,of what use was the doctrine that forgiveness of sin came by the death of ,christ on the cross if any sinner could obtain it from an emissary of the pope for a pecuniary consideration4 ,luther felt that this infamous traffic was making the ,word of ,god of none effect4 ,he therefore drew up ninety-five theses against the doctrine of indulgences and nailed them on the church-door at ,wittenberg4 ,the printing-press scattered copies of these theses everywhere1 and soon the continent of ,europe was in a blaze of controversy4 ,such1 in short1 was the beginning of the ,reformation and some of the causes leading thereto4 ,sidenote3 ,gospel standard sought ,the key-note of the reformers was1 therefore1 the gospel4 ,the views of the reformers with respect to truth were not altogether harmonious1 and it is evident that some of them had much clearer conception of the gospel than had others4 ,nevertheless1 their primary purpose was the same4 ,they were gradually forced to the conviction that ,rome had made the faith of ,god of none effect by her traditions1 errors1 and superstitions1 so much so as to make it practically unknown4 ,it was the purpose of these heroic preachers to bring out these long-obscured truths and thus make them effectual in the saving of men4 ,the main doctrine around which the ,reformation centered was justification by faith independent of human mediation4 ,so far as the ,reformation restored to the world right doctrine1 it tended to correct the evils of that phase of the apostasy which we have characterized as the corruption of evangelical faith4 ,but it did not remove that other evil characteristic of the apostasy1 the parent of nearly all other evils--human ecclesiasticism4 ,viewed from one angle1 that power appears to have been modified2 but from another point of view1 we can see that what was formerly an imperial system of centralized ecclesiastical control simply ended now in nationally centralized systems perpetuating the same principles4 ,thus1 from the centralized dominion of the papal hierarchy there sprang the national1 or state1 churches in ,switzerland1 ,germany1 ,holland1 ,england1 ,sweden1 and ,scotland4 ,sidenote3 ,lingering influence of ,rome ,we have already shown that development of ecclesiasticism which culminated in the papacy4 ,from the primitive autonomy of the local churches1 there came the centralization and consolidation of churches sectionally under a human headship with administrative functions1 then provincial or national centralization1 then finally the primacy of ,rome over them all4 ,the reason for this is evident4 ,when the moral and spiritual dominion of ,christ's kingdom was lost to view or could not be appreciated1 the wrong conception of the church as a world-empire naturally took possession of men's minds2 for in that age vast1 centralized1 imperial power was the ideal government4 ,when1 however1 the political empire fell1 and men witnessed the ruin of their political ideal1 they sought to realize the same universal conception in a world-church possessing imperial powers under the pope of ,rome4 ,sidenote3 ,national churches ,at the period of the ,reformation the ,christian world had been in the grip of this world-church idea for more than a thousand years4 ,as already stated1 the reformers1 whose minds were directed chiefly toward the restoration of evangelical doctrine1 had at first no idea of breaking away from this standard4 ,evidently they had no conception of that moral and spiritual dominion of ,christ by which alone he governs his church--a 'kingdom that is not of this world4' ,they therefore abandoned the world-church idea reluctantly1 and not until the opposition of the hierarchy drove them to separation4 ,when the issue was clearly drawn1 they of course decided to obey ,god rather than man4 ,having no idea of the real spiritual character of the divine ecclesia1 they had to content themselves with that national church unity which was still in their power4 ,the clergy1 who had long been accustomed to the imperial tie1 believed that a national headship was now necessary4 ,the governments of ,europe at that time were for the most part absolute monarchies1 about the only limits to the sovereign power of these kings being the control which the pope exercised over the ecclesiastical affairs of the nations4 ,from this control the ,reformation liberated them4 ,therefore they eagerly took upon themselves the oversight of the national churches1 and thus came into existence the church-and-state system of ,protestant ,europe4 ,to a great extent the power that the imperial head of the church lost was acquired by the national heads4 ,all this seemed perfectly consistent to the reformers4 ,they felt the necessity of lodging somewhere that power of human control which had been formerly exercised by the pope4 ,as one writer has said1 ,they could not understand that ,christianity could prosper without a strongly organized and governed church or without the presence of a strong and vigorous hand ready at all times to repress dissent and enforce uniformity of faith and worship4 ,the time of absolute religious freedom was not yet4 ,sidenote3 ,ecclesiasticism perpetuated ,as might be expected1 numerous modifications of the principles and usages of the papal church occurred in the change from imperial control to the state-church system4 ,this diversity took place in the different countries in accordance either with prevailing conditions and sentiments or with the whims and caprices of the reigning sovereigns4 ,while some retained the episcopate1 others greatly modified it or rejected it altogether4 ,in forms of worship1 ritual1 and other things numerous changes were also made4 ,but notwithstanding the diversity in forms of worship and in church polity1 in two respects there was perfect agreement among all the ,reformed churches--two things brought over from the papacy--namely1 first1 the idea of a self-perpetuating clerical caste possessing in their corporate capacity legislative and judicial authority over the church2 and second1 the centralization under a human headship of administrative functions1 instead of that local autonomy which prevailed in the congregations of apostolic times4 ,the doctrine of the power of the keys1 a power wielded by a clerical corporation with authority to prescribe the very manner and form of worshiping ,god and to require men to comply therewith or else exclude them from gospel privileges4 ,that doctrine was accepted without question4 ,it was the same power in principle as that which was wielded so terribly by ,gregory ,,vii in the papal church of the eleventh century4 ,,chapter ,,viii ,,modern ,,sects ,sidenote3 ,a mental picture ,picture a keen observer living in the middle of the first century of our era4 ,he travels about from place to place studying the development1 nature1 and fruits of the recently established religious phenomenon--,christianity4 ,he observes the purity of its doctrines and the high moral standard exemplified in the lives of its adherents1 and he inquires particularly concerning the secret of that mysterious bond which unites in one body and in one fellowship1 sympathy1 and love the entire society of believers in ,jesus4 ,he departs4 ,after the lapse of long ages he returns near the beginning of the twentieth century1 and lo1 what is it that meets his astonished vision8 ,the mournful spectacle of a divided ,christendom2 of rival sects compassing land and sea to make proselytes2 of the spiritual alienation of those who1 in reality1 belong to the one divine family2 of waste and inefficiency in methods of evangelical effort2 not to mention the error1 pride1 and worldliness inherent in the gigantic ecclesiastical systems known as denominational churches4 ,what a change6 ,it is useless to minimize the evils inherent in the sect system4 ,intelligent men the world over need not the services of an eye-specialist to see clearly that there is something wrong with modern ,christendom2 that the sect system does not represent the standard of primitive ,christianity1 but that in reality the sect principle misrepresents the apostolic ideal as portrayed in the ,new ,testament4 ,we may as well face the facts honestly and seek for a remedy for this disease that has so long marred the beauty and corrupted the nature of the true ,christian system4 ,sidenote3 ,inherent evils ,i cheerfully admit that ,god has worked among his people in all ages in accordance with the degree of light and truth which they possessed4 ,but ,i can not forget that the greatest revivals of evangelical religion have either taken place in spite of the sect system or among those who had just made their escape from the bondage of ecclesiastical despotism and had not as yet become very deeply affected by the sectarian principle4 ,to what source1 then1 are we to trace sects8 ,what is their cause8 ,sidenote3 ,alleged causes of sect-making ,a large proportion of the ,christian world would reply without hesitation that the existence of the modern sects is due to these two things3 the principle of religious liberty and the limitations of human knowledge4 ,such an answer reveals a superficial view of the whole subject4 ,religious liberty among ,christians existed in the primitive church before the rise of ecclesiastical tyranny over the conscience1 and the masses of men in those days were at least as limited in knowledge as are we4 ,still1 the church was one2 it was not divided into rival and hostile sects4 ,there was no need in those days of constructing churches to conform to the limited capacity of men's minds2 for there was already in existence a church sufficiently catholic in its nature and spirit to accommodate all classes of minds1 because there was in operation the power of the ,spirit of ,god which revealed truth to men and thus enlightened their minds and brought them into harmony with the divine standard4 ,concerning the principle of religious liberty1 ,i shall have more to say hereafter4 ,sidenote3 ,human limitations ,the natural limitations of human knowledge may account for difference of opinion1 but more than this is required to account for the entire system of organized sects such as we see it today4 ,millions of evangelical ,christians possessing spiritual affinity and holding opinions no more divergent than often exist between members of the same sect1 are1 nevertheless1 divided into independent1 rival parties4 ,something else originated and now perpetuates that barrier between them4 ,when differences are fundamental and therefore unavoidable1 they will become more pronounced under test than at any other time4 ,if1 during an epidemic1 a physician believes that the method of treatment employed by another doctor is actually killing the patients1 his opposition to such a method will then he stronger than at any other time4 ,as long as that method is simply a theory1 it is harmless4 ,only when put into practise does it become dangerous4 ,it is a matter of common knowledge that evangelical ,christians are not driven further apart but are really driven together whenever ,christianity itself is placed under any special trial1 as1 for example1 in foreign missionary work in heathen lands4 ,and even in our own country1 whenever a great local interest is taken in the work of soul-saving there is a corresponding tendency for ,christians of different sects to ignore their differences of opinion and get together as if they believed in a common ,lord over all and were all members of the same family4 ,thus1 whenever the high tide of evangelism comes in1 the landmarks of sects are scarcely visible2 but whenever the tide goes out1 behold1 the ancient boundaries of sects appear as before4 ,this fact proves that there are no fundamental reasons why sects should exist4 ,it proves that in reality sects are a barrier to the true work of ,christ2 hence are1 in their essential nature1 antichristian4 ,what1 then1 is the real cause of sects'8 ,traced to the original source1 modern sects1 we find1 originated where the papacy originated--in the corruption of ,christianity in the early centuries4 ,all came from the same roots of error4 ,sidenote3 ,true causes of sects ,however modified and diversified in external form and in doctrinal teaching they may now be1 they exhibit in their ecclesiastical constitutions a foreign character derived from the foreign stock from which they sprang4 ,into this system there have been engrafted many noble scions of truth from the good olive-tree1 and these have produced commendable fruits of righteousness4 ,but we are here concerned with pointing out those fundamental characteristics of the system that are foreign to the true church of ,jesus ,christ4 ,sidenote3 ,erroneous ideas of the church ,the first cause to which ,i call attention is an erroneous conception of the church itself4 ,at the cost of some repetition ,i must point out that in the beginning the church was the universal company of the redeemed1 the whole spiritual brotherhood1 whether isolated members of ,christ or those worshiping in local assemblies distributed over the earth4 ,the tie which united these members of ,christ in one body was their common faith in our ,lord ,jesus ,christ and the life of the ,spirit4 ,but as in those times vast centralized imperial power was a divinity that every one worshiped1 it was impossible properly to appreciate the moral and spiritual dominion of ,christ by which alone he designed to rule his church2 therefore men soon proceeded to pattern the church of ,christ after the political government1 first by grouping together under one administrative human headship the congregations of a province or section of the empire1 and then finally uniting these different provinces under one administrative headship at ,rome4 ,from that day until the present time the church-idea that has generally prevailed in ,christendom has been an organization fashioned according to the kingdoms of this world2 a human organization in which the administrative functions of government are centralized under some form of human headship2 a unity that is not moral and spiritual1 but official and administrative1 as well as legislative and judicial4 ,sidenote3 ,wrong standard of church-membership ,coincident with the creation of foreign ideals concerning church societies was the formation of of a foreign idea of church-membership and church-relationship4 ,in the beginning1 as we have shown1 the church was simply the divine family4 ,therefore salvation through ,christ was its sole condition of membership4 ,and the ,lord added to them day by day those that were being saved 7,acts #b3dg1 ,r4,v474 ,and as the local congregation was but the concrete expression of the ideals of the general body or church1 that membership in ,christ which made men members of the general body1 made them1 by a moral and spiritual law1 members of all the other members of ,christ1 and therefore fixed their local relationship3 they belonged by divine right with whichever company of believers they happened to be associated4 ,nothing more than simple recognition of what ,god had done for them and the according to them of the local rights and privileges that naturally belonged to them was necessary on the part of a local congregation to make the actual union complete4 ,the wrong conception of the constitution of the church necessarily required another standard of church-membership4 ,when church came to signify merely a group of congregations consolidated under a centralized human headship possessing administrative1 legislative1 and judicial functions 7so organized as to distinguish it from all other organized groups or congregations71 simple membership in ,christ was insufficient to mark the convert with the stamp of denominational individuality4 ,salvation itself made no one a member of a church fashioned according to the kingdoms of this world4 ,consequently another standard of membership was necessary1 a standard which required acceptance of and conformity to the self-made rules and regulations of that foreign society called a church4 ,and when these earth-born institutions became identified in the public mind with the real church of ,christ and membership in them became confused with membership in the true church of ,god1 the natural result was that millions complied1 in a formal manner at least1 with the conditions of the counterfeit church membership who never knew what it meant to be vitally joined to ,christ4 ,in this we see the evil fruit which grew on that tree of error4 ,the multitudes that have been by this means deceived with the thought that they were ,christians1 only to be lost at last1 will not be known until that awful day of final reckoning4 ,sidenote3 ,divisive nature of the creeds ,the formation of creeds tends to create division and to perpetuate division4 ,csar's maxim illustrates their history3 ,soldiers will raise money1 and money will make soldiers4 ,so creeds will make sects1 and sects will make creeds4 ,a creed or confession of faith is an ecclesiastical document--the mind and will of some synod or council possessing authority--as a term of communion by which persons and opinions are to be tested1 approbated or reprobated4 ,the sect churches are built on their creeds1 although1 of course1 they affirm that their creeds are built on the ,bible4 ,in this case1 however1 it is usually apparent to the careful observer that the ,bible is that part of the foundation which is buried out of sight below the ground4 ,the creed is the real test applied to persons1 the measure by which their opinions are judged4 ,it is the creed upon which the sect is built that gives the denominational character and distinctiveness4 ,it is a fact of history that the primary purpose of the historical creeds was not to unite men but to separate them4 ,the ,nicene ,creed was made to exclude the ,arians4 ,the ,decrees of the ,council of ,trent were framed to exclude ,protestants2 the ,westminster ,confession1 to exclude ,arminians2 and the ,episcopal ,articles1 to exclude ,catholics and ,independents4 ,to rally around a creed framed by human authority and make it the basis of union is but to teach a system--a sect system2 but to rally around the person of ,jesus ,christ and make him the supreme object of our faith1 hope1 and love is to contend for what the ,bible terms the faith1 the truth1 the gospel4 ,this is infinitely better than any document proceeding from ,nicea1 ,trent1 ,dort1 ,augsburg1 or ,westminster4 ,sidenote3 ,power of the keys ,another cause1 both for the origin of the sect system and its perpetuation1 is the assumed power of the keys which has been carried over from the ,church of ,rome4 ,the idea that the administrative rule and government of the church of ,christ has been1 by divine decree1 centralized in a self-perpetuating clerical caste with authority to legislate for the church and then to enforce its decisions by judicial procedure1 is foreign to the primitive church as recorded in the ,new ,testament4 ,it is a product of ,papalism1 and yet it has been1 in its essential characteristics1 transferred directly to the sects of ,protestantism4 ,the ,new ,testament recognizes no such human positional authority4 ,it recognizes only that divine authority which operates through ,god's chosen ministers and helpers by virtue of the ,spirit-bestowed gifts and qualifications4 ,the only governmental authority exercised by the ,new ,testament ministers was in cooperation with ,christ1 the visible head1 by putting forth1 in accordance with the ,spirit's gifts and qualifications1 some portion of that moral power by which alone ,christ governs4 ,the idea that to a clerical order has been committed the exclusive guardianship of the church1 with full power to admit to or exclude from the worship and service of ,god all except those who come by way of their priestly mediation1 is the basest assumption4 ,it is a violation of the rights of individual conscience4 ,yet just such power has been and still is being exerted as a means of enforcing acquiescence in matters of opinion and submission to customs and practises which every unprejudiced man knows1 or can soon see1 is no part of the ,new ,testament teaching and requirements4 ,what a weapon has this ecclesiastical assumption been6 ,one always ready for use4 ,it makes no difference whether it is wielded by a ,methodist conference1 an ,episcopal judicatory1 a ,presbyterian synod1 or a ,catholic pope1 it is all the same in principle--the power of the keys4 ,sidenote3 ,lack of religious freedom ,this assumed corporate power of the clergy has been one of the fundamental causes of sect-making4 ,when a general clerical body assumes the right in its corporate capacity to prescribe rules of either faith or practise1 written or unwritten1 and then to enforce them by judicial action1 it is a direct violation of the ,new ,testament standard1 and of the rights of individual consciences4 ,it was because of this lordly1 unscriptural rule that many sincere men of ,god have been forced to sever their connection with the older sects in order to find a place where a greater degree of light and truth could be experienced and proclaimed4 ,in such cases it was not religious liberty that caused the formation of new movements and new sects1 but the lack of religious liberty4 ,that power of the keys1 making and then enforcing the standards of creeds1 has done violence to the conscience of both the clergy and the laity4 ,conscienceless persons subscribe to the creed without any particular hesitation1 but the truly conscientious suffer the greatest embarrassment ,they must either refuse altogether and withdraw from all connection1 or else subscribe with a mental reservation amounting practically to hypocrisy4 ,sidenote3 ,inflexible character ,this inflexible character of the sect institution has been a most fruitful cause for the production of new sects4 ,no matter how spiritual the movement at its beginning1 when its leaders were not longing for church power but were earnestly preaching the ,word of the ,lord as it came unto them1 as soon as the sect machinery was thoroughly organized and was set in motion the inevitable tendency has been to throw around the movement a wall of creedal and ecclesiastical exclusiveness which shut out other true people of ,god2 and then began a process of crystalization which ever afterwards precluded the unfolding of new truth4 ,it is a well-known fact that the high tide of truth-discovery in every religious movement in ,protestantism has been at the time of its beginning4 ,a fixed law of immobility has ever afterwards prevailed4 ,the reason is clear3 whenever men grasp the reins of government and assume those prerogatives which belong to ,god alone1 the rule of the ,spirit ends4 ,the unfolding of new truths by the operation of the ,spirit is impossible within the limits of the old order where human ecclesiasticism reigns4 ,but truth can not be permanently suppressed4 ,if it can not find room for development within the existing order of things1 ,god will raise up men who will1 independently1 proclaim the ,word of the ,lord4 ,this he has done repeatedly1 only to have the new movements end in the same manner--in a rule of human ecclesiasticism4 ,human ecclesiasticism has always been the greatest barrier to the free spiritual development of the work of ,christ4 ,according to that relic of the papal church1 authority and rule is vested in the clerical corporation and is by them conferred upon other individuals by the act of ordination4 ,how different the standard of the ,word6 ,in the ,old ,testament times the office of prophet did not come in the priestly line1 but on whomsoever the spirit of prophecy descended--whether upon ,amos1 the herdsman1 or ,david1 the king--he spake as he was moved by the ,holy ,ghost4 ,there has never been a time under the divine economy when any man to whom the ,word of the ,lord came was not divinely authorized to proclaim his message wherever he could get a hearing1 whether in synagog or temple1 or out under the broad canopy of heaven4 ,,chapter ,,ix ,,the ,,church ,,of ,,the ,,future ,what about the church of the future8 ,is the modern sect system the ultimate goal of ,christian attainment in this world8 ,while the sects contain much truth and many of the people of ,god1 their ecclesiastical constitutions are foreign to the true church of ,jesus ,christ1 and it is inconceivable that the great ,founder would make no provision either in his ,word or in his plan for the correction of the evils which have grown up around the ,christian system during the dark ages of the world and which have in a great measure perverted the gospel itself and lessened its wholesome efficiency as the universal remedy for human ills4 ,since no sect can make good a claim to being exclusively the church of ,god1 a general feeling of toleration at least 7if not in all cases of sincere respect7 has come to prevail respecting the different denominational churches4 ,men have come to look upon the sects as a mere matter of fact1 not to be seriously questioned1 and we are supposed to cover the whole scene with the mantle of patience and charity and make the best of a bad situation4 ,sidenote3 ,the ,protestant truce ,dr4 ,j4,m4 ,sturtevant has expressed this general attitude so well that ,i shall quote his own words3 ,it has long been true in this country that no ,protestant can freely expose the errors and superstitions of the papal church1 especially from the pulpit1 without incurring the charge of intolerance1 bigotry1 and uncharitableness4 ,religious controversy itself has been placed under the ban1 as in its own nature uncharitable4 ,when once any religious opinion has organized itself into a sect1 it is thought to have acquired a sacredness which1 in the name of ,christian charity and in the interest of the tranquility of the community1 defends it from any open assault4 ,we have come into the condition in which ,rome was when she had extended her conquests from the ,british ,isles to the ,euphrates and had transferred to ,rome the divinities of all the countries conquered4 ,people of every nationality might worship their own divinities1 but must respectfully tolerate the worship of every other4 ,in this way only could religious conflict be avoided4 ,the chief reason why ,christianity was persecuted was that from its very nature it could accept no such truce4 ,it is either a universal religion or no religion at all4 ,it is1 like all other systems which claim to be the true1 in its own nature exclusive4 ,it is because of its universal character that truth can accept no such truce as has been declared by the modern sects4 ,truth is exclusive1 and hence can make no compromises4 ,the church of ,god is universal or it is no church at all4 ,the whole truth concerning the church question must and will come out4 ,the times demand it2 the people of ,god demand it2 the ,spirit of ,god demands it2 and1 as we shall show1 the ,scriptures declare it4 ,sidenote3 ,a new awakening ,it is very evident that the people of ,god are not satisfied with the present sectarian situation4 ,everywhere there is manifested a restlessness and uneasiness respecting the arbitrary lines of sect which separate between those who have a recognized spiritual affinity--recognized except formally by the ecclesiastical powers that be4 ,the ,christian consciousness is becoming awakened4 ,men are coming to see that ,christianity is to be measured1 not by sect lines1 but by that broader1 ,scriptural rule of the divine family embracing all true disciples of ,jesus--those who possess his life and bear the appropriate fruits of righteousness4 ,this awakening1 with its logical consequences1 is what ,i have termed ,,the ,,last ,,reformation4 ,it will give form and character to the ,church of the ,future4 ,sidenote3 ,apologies for sects ,sectarianism still has its defenders1 however4 ,in the midst of the rising tide of spiritual fellowship and love1 there are those who bring forward a few sickly apologies for sects1 apologies which generally impress the earnest student of the ,scriptures with the thought that the apologist has a hard case to make out4 ,the excuse most commonly advanced is that the sect system is a useful arrangement for accommodating the variety of tastes and feelings found among ,christian people4 ,it is assumed that some are natural-born ,episcopalians1 with an innate fondness for formal liturgies and ecclesiastical vestments1 and that others are so constituted by nature as to require certain other particular forms of worship4 ,sidenote3 ,diversity of taste and culture ,if there is any such fundamental demand in human nature for a variety of sects1 as different climates are required to suit different orders of life on our planet1 it is strange indeed that the apostles overlooked such an important point and failed to provide for it4 ,why was not the primitive church constructed so as to bring into existence at once a variety of human sects to accommodate the different classes of people then existing8 ,from the modern point of view they had an excellent excuse for starting with at least two churches--one for the ,jews and another for the ,gentiles2 and if these had not been sufficient1 before the end of their personal ministry they could have brought into existence a whole brood of sects4 ,now1 the student of the ,scriptures knows that the apostles proceeded exactly in the opposite direction4 ,they labored earnestly to bring all classes into love and fellowship in one body4 ,this course was not in accordance with the wisdom of the world1 but the twentieth century is beginning to see that it was the wisdom of ,god4 ,the reason why men have a liking for formal liturgies1 stately ceremonies1 and ecclesiastical vestments is because of environment4 ,they have been trained that way4 ,here again we see the natural tendency of sects to make sectarians and thus reproduce their kind4 ,when particular forms and ceremonies1 which are not required by ,scripture1 are enforced upon men by a self-constituted1 self-perpetuating ecclesiastical authority1 the inevitable result is to stamp the same principles upon succeeding generations and thus perpetuate the sect system exercising such authority4 ,sidenote3 ,the sect spirit ,in a final effort to lessen the odium attaching to what is now widely recognized as an evil1 some assert that the cause of mischief is the sect spirit4 ,this statement contains truth1 but it does not tell the whole truth4 ,one of the worst evils of human slavery was the extreme tyranny which some slave-masters exercised4 ,but the real fact was that the system itself tended to convert good men and women into tyrants4 ,the special manifestation of evil was both effect and cause4 ,it was the natural tendency of the system to make tyrants1 and tyrants perpetuated the system4 ,so also with sectarianism4 ,though all can realize a theoretical difference between the sect spirit and simple denominationalism1 yet the very tendency of the system itself is to create party interests and to introduce party rivalries1 which naturally foster the sect spirit4 ,without that devotion to party and party interests--a devotion almost equal to their devotion to the gospel itself--sects would perish4 ,if sect-members should become so universal in their love and sympathy as to devote themselves to the work of ,christ alone--forgetting party interests--sects would die4 ,the sect spirit is1 therefore1 essential to the maintenance of the life and individuality of the sect body4 ,sidenote3 ,what is the remedy8 ,the remedy for sectarianism is not a return to imperialism4 ,the world-church idea as exemplified in the papal church is not the goal of ,christianity4 ,such might hold dominion over men in the barbaric ages of the world1 but its universal sway has ceased4 ,the ,inquisition will never be reestablished4 ,the unity of the church is not to be found in an imperial hierarchy4 ,nor is ,christian unity to be obtained by adherence to the historic creeds4 ,these documents may express many noble sentiments respecting ,christ and his truth1 and they may express the fullest knowledge of the truth known in the days when they were written4 ,but knowledge of the truth is progressive1 while creeds are stationary4 ,no human document1 therefore1 can serve as a permanent basis upon which to build our faith4 ,and then1 too1 we have seen that creeds are in their very nature divisive4 ,hence they can not be made the basis for the realization of unity4 ,nor is the unity of the church to be found in some particular form of exclusive church polity1 as ,episcopalianism1 ,presbyterianism1 or ,congregationalism4 ,we have conclusively proved that that conception of the church patterned after the forms of political government1 in which government and authority are vested inherently and exclusively in human hands1 is foreign to the original conception of the church as it existed in the minds of its ,founder and his apostles4 ,the government of the ,new ,testament church is a theocracy4 ,christ is head4 ,he rules through his ,holy ,spirit by moral suasion and spiritual influence1 and the ministers and helpers whom he calls and qualifies share in that oversight and responsibility to the same extent that they are able to wield the same moral and spiritual power4 ,this is the only church authority and government recognized in the ,new ,testament4 ,sidenote3 ,the perpetual theocracy ,here ,i shall digress long enough to point out by way of contrast the true form of divine government4 ,every one is familiar with the theocratic government of ,israel under the ,old ,testament dispensation4 ,god ruled4 ,he who carefully reads the ,new ,testament can not fail to discern the same type of government in the church before the rise of human ecclesiasticism4 ,the first preachers of the gospel spoke with an authority not derived from a human source4 ,when ,peter and ,john were threatened before the ,council and commanded not to speak or teach in the name of ,jesus ,christ1 they gave the sublime answer3 ,whether it be right in the sight of ,god to hearken unto you more than unto ,god1 judge ye4 ,for we can not but speak the things which we have seen and heard 7,acts #d3 #ai1 #bj74 ,the same principle stands out in bold relief in the experience of ,paul4 ,although that great apostle was forward to cooperate with other apostles and ministers of ,christ1 one can not fail to see that his whole career exemplified the principle of theocracy4 ,he was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision4 ,sidenote3 ,an important parallelism ,permit me to call attention particularly to an important parallelism between the government of ,israel under the theocracy and the government of the ,new ,testament church before the rise of ecclesiasticism4 ,god led his people out of ,egypt by ,moses and ,joshua4 ,these men are a type of ,christ1 who leads his people4 ,after the ,israelites were settled in ,canaan1 they had no central government1 but each locality or city was autonomous1 having its local judges or elders4 ,in a time of crisis ,god raised up a judge to lead the people in the necessary cooperative efforts to preserve or regain their liberties4 ,their miseries ,were always the result of their own sins1 not a failure of the divine form of government4 ,their appointing a king and thus setting up a centralized human government was called rejecting ,god as ruler4 ,and this is exactly parallel with what ecclesiasticism has done and is doing with the same results4 ,god's government of the church is set aside and rejected4 ,sidenote3 ,not church federation ,nor will an organic union of all the sects solve the problem of unity4 ,in the first place1 the tendency of such a union is toward imperialism1 the creation on the federation plan of another world-church4 ,in the second place1 such a federation would strengthen rather than lessen the authority of human rule1 while the compromises necessary to make such a project possible would lessen in the same degree that freedom of the ,spirit by which alone the full gospel can be given to the world4 ,and in the third place1 such a federation would not be the church of ,god1 for the very framework on which it would rest1 human ecclesiasticism1 is foreign to the original conception of the church4 ,it would be only a human arrangement patterned after the model of a world-empire4 ,and for another reason such would not be the church4 ,the divine ekklesia includes in its membership the whole family of ,god4 ,thousands of men and women who are united to ,christ and in fellowship with all the saved are not members of the formally organized sects4 ,therefore the union of all such churches in one federation would not include the whole family4 ,sidenote3 ,back to the ,bible standard ,thus1 the remedy for sects is not church federation1 nor a return to the historic creeds1 nor the adoption of one of the exclusive forms of church polity2 neither is it an attempt to hide the sin of the obnoxious sect system by covering it with a mantle of charity and patience--as a sort of necessary evil4 ,what1 then1 is the real remedy for sects8 ,it is the absolute rejection of every foreign element that has crept into the ,christian system and the return to that primitive conception of the church as made up of the entire brotherhood of ,christ1 organized and controlled by the ,holy ,spirit4 ,for true unity we must turn from hierarchies and apostolical successions and priestly corporations and church synods and human creeds to ,,the ,,christ who alone is the head of the church4 ,sidenote3 ,true membership ,such a movement requires a moral revolution with respect to the attitude of ,god's people toward membership in sects4 ,it requires the obliteration of sect lines and the recognition of no other bond of union than that of a common brotherhood through union with ,christ4 ,divine life secured through repentance and faith is the sole condition of membership in the church of ,christ1 and this relationship is maintained by obedience to the commands of ,christ and consistent ,christian conduct4 ,if we walk in the light1 as he is in the light1 we have fellowship one with another1 and the blood of ,jesus ,christ his ,son cleanseth us from all sin 7#a ,john #a3g74 ,sidenote3 ,elimination of ecclesiasticism ,such a movement and such a standard of church relationship require the elimination of all ideas of priestly ecclesiasticism4 ,the ,christ of the ,new ,testament church is not an absent ,christ4 ,he has never resigned his position as head of the church and vested the governmental authority in a self-perpetuating clerical caste4 ,his government is theocratic4 ,he administers it himself through his ,holy ,spirit4 ,hence no men or set of men can confer any power or authority whatsoever upon any individual to act for ,christ4 ,christ calls his own assistants1 and any man unto whom the ,word of the ,lord comes is divinely authorized to proclaim ,his message4 ,the only sphere of human operation respecting this administration of divine government is simple recognition of what ,god has done1 and this recognition in the last analysis belongs to the whole body of ,god's people4 ,the basis of every man's authority and responsibility is1 therefore1 not human appointment or official position1 but the divine call1 gifts1 and qualifications1 that he possesses4 ,if1 for example1 he is called to apostolic work and endowed with gifts and qualifications fitting him for such service1 he has apostolic authority and responsibility1 and there is nothing for other ministers or ,christians to do but to recognize what ,god has done4 ,now hath ,god set the members every one of them in the body1 as it hath pleased him 7#a ,cor4 #ab3ah74 ,such1 in short1 is the divine organization and government4 ,sidenote3 ,what of the future8 ,the realization of this grand ideal of the restoration of the ,new ,testament standard of church membership1 government1 and authority1 is impossible within the sect system4 ,for the sects to turn all the people of ,god loose from subjection to every foreign yoke and make them free to associate without restriction with all the saved of ,god1 would be an act of suicide4 ,only by division and by holding the grasp of ecclesiastical rule can sects survive4 ,but he is blind to the signs of the times who can not see that the grip of ecclesiasticism is slipping and the bonds of true catholicity becoming strengthened4 ,the true people of ,god are becoming more and more dissatisfied with present conditions and are beginning to think in terms of a universal ,christianity4 ,the rising tide of evangelism among such is already beginning to overflow the lines of sect4 ,what may we expect in the future8 ,things can not continue as they have been in the ecclesiastical world4 ,a sweeping reformation is imperative and imminent4 ,in fact1 the vanguard of this great movement is already visible4 ,what will the future bring forth8 ,will the sects themselves fade away and gradually become dissolved8 or will the powers that rule in the ecclesiastical world finally set themselves against the spirit of catholicity and thus practically force the true people of ,god to ignore absolutely all sectarian lines and step out on the broad platform of truth and universality1 united in ,christ alone1 knowing no head but ,christ and no creed but ,his truth8 ,who can tell8 ,sidenote3 ,a fundamental difference ,in the present work ,i have given a brief historical sketch of the leading ecclesiastical events1 showing the apostasy as it existed under two phases1 the corruption of evangelical faith and the reign of ecclesiasticism4 ,i have also shown that the reformations of ,protestantism have tended to the correction of that first phase pertaining to doctrine1 but that a complete reformation requires the elimination of ecclesiasticism4 ,hence what ,i have termed the ,last ,reformation1 if it is to be the last1 not only must include the restoration of pure doctrinal truth but must also restore the real church of the ,new ,testament4 ,so far as true doctrine is concerned1 such a reformation will differ from other evangelical movements in degree only--it must ultimately comprehend the whole truth4 ,but the fundamental difference between the reformation herein considered and all other preceding reformations is that it strikes the death-blow to the very root of error that produced the sect system--human ecclesiasticism--and substitutes therefor the administrative authority of the ,holy ,spirit working in varying degrees in all the members of ,christ throughout the world4 ,the last reformation therefore must differ from all others1 not in degree only1 but also in kind4 ,sidenote3 ,the witness of prophecy ,god alone understands the future4 ,during the ages past he has not left his own work without the witness of prophecy4 ,we may rest assured1 therefore1 that in the prophecy of the divine ,word he has given us an outline of the history of his church4 ,so ,i shall ask the reader to patiently follow me through a brief sketch of ecclesiastical events as described in the prophecies of the ,revelation4 ,such an examination will throw a large amount of additional light on the subjects ,i have already treated historically1 and will also give us a divinely drawn picture of the church of the future4 ,such will enable us to understand better the real character and extent of ,,the ,,last ,,reformation4 ,,part ,,iii ,the ,church in ,prophecy ,,chapter ,x ,,interpretation ,,of ,,prophetic ,,symbols ,sidenote3 ,value of prophecy ,the value of prophecy in establishing the religion of the ,bible as the religion1 of ,god has been generally recognized4 ,its value1 however1 is not limited to the proof of the divinity of ,biblical truth which it furnishes3 it serves a definite and most important purpose in the life and work of ,god's believing children in all ages4 ,by it we are better able to understand ,god's own plan and purposes in human history1 and by it we are made conscious of our own whereabouts along the pathway of time4 ,the movements of ,god in the history of the past that were predicted by earlier prophets have received their chief inspiration from the conscious knowledge the leaders had of the prophetic character of their work4 ,it was ,daniel's study of prophecy that stirred his soul for the restoration of ,israel to the favor of ,god and to their own land 7,dan4 #i3b71 and at the same time opened his own heart for the wonderful revelation concerning future events4 ,it was the consciousness of prophetic fulfilment that gave ,john the ,baptist his inspiration for work 7,john #a3bc72 and in establishing the truths of the gospel of ,christ1 the apostles placed leading emphasis on the fact that these things were written in the law and in the prophets4 ,the love and care that ,christ had for his people did not cease in the beginning of the gospel dispensation2 for he gave the promise1 ,i am with you alway1 even unto the end of the world4 ,it is altogether reasonable1 then1 that we should receive the revelation of ,jesus ,christ1 which ,god gave unto him1 to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass 7,rev4 #a3a74 ,through the varying conditions of time1 ,christ leads his people on to certain victory4 ,since the mission of the church was to be world-wide and perpetual1 it is fitting that the church should be described prophetically in order that we might have definite information concerning the operations of the divine hand in working out the great problem of the church's destiny after the close of the sacred canon4 ,sidenote3 ,prophetic symbols ,before proceeding with our discussion of those prophecies which concern the church1 let us pause and consider briefly the character of symbols4 ,the prophecy of the ,scriptures is presented to us in two distinct forms--direct statements in the ordinary language of life and in symbolic representations1 but far the greater part is expressed in symbols1 as in the book of ,daniel and in the ,revelation of ,john4 ,without an understanding of the nature of symbols we can not get a proper understanding of such prophecies4 ,spoken or written language is a very complicated affair1 but it is in reality an arbitrary arrangement4 ,the name that we attach to a particular object could as well be given to a totally different object instead if we only agreed to make the change4 ,for this reason spoken language is variable4 ,changes are constantly taking place4 ,the language of ,bible symbols1 on the other hand1 is not subject to the law of change1 as we shall see2 it is not based on arbitrary arrangement or mere convenience1 but its foundational principles exist in the very nature of things4 ,webster defines symbol as follows3 ,the sign or representation of any moral thing by the images or properties of natural things4 ,thus1 a lion is the symbol of courage2 the lamb is the symbol of meekness or patience4 ,horne1 in his ,introduction to the ,study of the ,bible1 says3 ,by symbols we mean certain representative marks1 rather than express pictures2 or1 if pictures1 such as were at the time characters1 and besides presenting to the eye the resemblance of a particular object1 suggested a general idea to the mind1 as when a horn was made to denote strength1 an eye and scepter1 majesty1 and in numberless such instances1 where the picture was not drawn to express merely the thing itself1 but something else1 which was or was conceived to be1 analogous to it4 ,according to these definitions1 the main idea of a symbol is the representation of an object or quality1 not by exhibition of itself1 but by another object or character analogous to it4 ,nor are we limited in the use of symbols to the exhibition of moral subjects alone4 ,any object may be symbolized1 provided a corresponding object can be found4 ,sidenote3 ,analogy the basic law ,analogy1 then1 is the fundamental law of symbols4 ,this being true1 it is clear that symbols must be definitely applied4 ,they are not arbitrary4 ,there is no reason why we could not call a book a table1 and a table it would be1 provided we agreed universally to adopt that designation2 but we violate nature if we attempt to represent the quiet1 peaceful1 gentle disposition of a child by a lion or a tiger1 or a cruel1 vindictive1 tyrannical disposition by a lamb4 ,a polluted harlot may represent an apostate church1 but not the true church4 ,a proper correspondence of character and quality must be observed4 ,we must follow nature strictly4 ,and this is the law of symbols4 ,symbols are drawn from different departments--from angelic life1 human life1 animal life1 and inanimate creation4 ,but in every case there is in the selection and use of the symbol a proper correspondence of character and quality4 ,sidenote3 ,twofold object of symbols ,the deciding factor in the original selection of a symbolic object is the nature of the thing to be symbolized4 ,in the field of ,bible prophecy the general design is in the main twofold--the representation 7#a7 of the affairs of the church and 7#b7 of the political history of those nations and kingdoms which were to exert an important influence on the life and development of the church4 ,it is evident that in the divine estimation the church and its welfare is of infinitely greater importance than the affairs of nations and kingdoms4 ,therefore we may reasonably expect that1 according to the nature of symbolic language1 symbols designed to represent the church will be found to be of the most exalted type1 whereas those representing political things will be found to be selected from an inferior department4 ,in accordance with this fundamental classification we shall find that symbols drawn from angelic life and human life invariably refer to the department of ecclesiastical affairs1 while those drawn from animal life or inanimate nature represent political things4 ,the only apparent exception to this rule is that certain inanimate objects formerly consecrated to the service of ,god and thus associated with the department of the church are sometimes used to represent spiritual things1 because the analogy is obvious4 ,bearing in mind this fundamental distinction between the representation of things political and things ecclesiastical1 we are prepared to understand other shades of distinction4 ,nations may be peaceful or tyrannical and oppressive1 and churches may be good or apostate2 but the exact character can be analogously represented by the symbolic object4 ,a vicious wild beast stamping and devouring would naturally represent a cruel1 tyrannical government2 and a good woman represents the true church1 while a vile harlot represents the church apostate4 ,but whatever the nature of the symbol1 whether beast1 locust1 lion1 horse1 temple1 angel1 or man1 we may know at once from the nature of the symbol where to look for its fulfilment4 ,this important guide in the study of prophetic truth--a guide overlooked by most of the commentators--relieves us of much of the uncertainty hitherto connected with the subject4 ,since1 as we have seen1 symbolic language is based on analogy1 it is evident that there are some objects whose nature forbids their symbolization1 there being no corresponding object in existence4 ,god can not be symbolized4 ,to whom then will ye liken ,god8 or what likeness will ye compare unto him 7,isa4 #dj3ah74 ,there may be certain symbols connected with his person setting forth the dignity1 majesty1 and eternal splendor of his name1 but he himself appears unrepresented by another4 ,the same is true also of the person of ,jesus1 our ,redeemer1 although in this case we must distinguish between the ,christ incarnate and ,jesus in his essential divinity4 ,considered as incarnate--both ,god and man--the human aspect of his character as manifested in his sacrificial death may be analogously represented as a ,lamb slain4 ,but considered in his essential divinity1 he can not be symbolically represented4 ,therefore1 whenever the glorified ,christ appears on the symbolic stage1 he always appears in his own person proclaiming his own name4 ,i am he that liveth1 and was dead2 and1 behold1 ,i am alive for evermore 7,rev4 #a3ah74 ,he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written1 ,king of kings1 and ,lord of lords4 ,in ,rev4 #f3i the souls of the martyrs are represented as crying unto ,god for the avenging of their blood on them that dwell on the earth4 ,there is no object analogous to a disembodied spirit4 ,it is easy to give them an arbitrary name4 ,therefore they simply appear under their own appropriate titles as the souls of them that were slain4 ,whenever we attach a literal significance to a symbolic object1 we immediately destroy its character as a symbol4 ,this should not be done4 ,with the exception of those instances where the nature of an object forbids its symbolization and where the description must therefore of necessity be literal1 we should always look for the true fulfilment1 not in that department from which the symbol is drawn1 but in another department--that to which the symbol by analogy refers us4 ,sidenote3 ,field of present inquiry ,the limits and object of the present work preclude an exhaustive treatment of prophecy in general4 ,our immediate purpose is to set forth particularly those prophecies of the divine ,word which clearly portray and outline the character of a world-wide religious movement in the last days4 ,to do this effectually1 however1 we must briefly consider those prophecies which describe the principal ecclesiastical events in history which form the basis of1 or lead up to1 the ,last ,reformation4 ,the subject as outlined in the prophecies and as based on the facts of history1 naturally divides into four parts1 or epochs1 as follows3 ,i ,the ,apostolic ,period ,,ii ,the ,medieval ,period ,,iii ,era of ,modern ,sects ,,iv ,the ,last ,reformation ,for the sake of brevity1 we shall1 as far as possible1 exclude from our present inquiry those prophecies pertaining to civil and political affairs1 retaining only such as have an important bearing on the church subject4 ,,chapter ,,xi ,,the ,,apostolic ,,period ,sidenote3 ,the star-crowned woman ,the twelfth chapter of ,revelation introduces an important line of prophetic truth respecting the church1 beginning with these words3 ,and there appeared a great wonder in heaven2 a woman clothed with the sun1 and the moon under her feet1 and upon her head a crown of twelve stars3 and she being with child cried1 travailing in birth1 and pained to be delivered4 ,and she brought forth a man child1 who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron3 and her child was caught up unto ,god1 and to his throne4 ,and the woman fled into the wilderness1 where she hath a place prepared of ,god1 that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days 7verses #a1 #b1 #e1 #f74 ,as we have already stated and as will be made very clear hereafter1 symbols drawn from human life are used to represent ecclesiastical affairs4 ,therefore in the symbol now before us we have a representation of the church1 and from the general description given we infer that it must be the pure church of ,god1 for the brightest luminaries of heaven are gathered around her and no evil thing is said concerning her4 ,that this woman is the special object of ,god's care and concern is further shown by the fact that when she fled into the wilderness1 she had a place prepared of ,god1 that they should feed her there4 ,that this interpretation of the woman is correct is also shown by other texts in ,revelation4 ,in chapter #ba3i an angel talking with ,john said1 ,come hither1 ,i will shew thee the bride1 the ,lamb's wife4 ,and again1 in chapter #ai3g1 where the church is undoubtedly referred to1 a great multitude is represented as saying1 ,let us be glad and rejoice1 and give honor to him3 for the marriage of the ,lamb is come1 and his wife hath made herself ready4 ,in the seventeenth chapter the church apostate is without doubt described by the symbol of a vile1 polluted harlot4 ,the pure woman of chapter #ab1 then1 represents the apostolic church in all its beauty and glory4 ,she is represented as clothed with the sun1 a striking emblem of the light of the glorious gospel of ,christ which shone forth from the early church4 ,the moon under her feet is generally understood to designate the typical worship of the ,jewish age1 which was a shadow of things to come but which now stands eclipsed in the superior light and glory of the new and better dispensation4 ,the moon is the lesser light and derives its illumination from the sun2 so also the ,mosaic period was the moonlight age of the church and reflected a part of the gospel which1 at a later time1 was to be revealed in all its glory with the rise of the ,sun of righteousness4 ,the crown of twelve stars adorning the diadem of the church is a fit representation of the twelve apostles of the ,lamb1 they being in one important sense permanent fixtures in the church4 ,according to chapter #a3bj1 stars are sometimes used to represent ,christian ministers1 the analogy as light-givers being obvious4 ,they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament2 and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever 7,dan4 #ab3c74 ,the prominent position occupied by this woman and the light which shone forth from the sun with which she was clothed stand out in marked contrast with the later description given of her flight into and seclusion in the wilderness4 ,the latter stage of her experience ,i shall describe further on1 but a brief allusion to it will make her first appearance more impressive4 ,the wilderness describes the apostasy which was to envelop the woman and thus obscure her light4 ,therefore her first appearance as in the planetary heavens presents a sublime description of her dignity and excellence in the morning time of the gospel era4 ,her light shone upon all and her glory could be seen by all4 ,she presents that fundamentally distinct characteristic of the true church of ,god--universality2 not a mere isolated star shedding its feeble rays in competition with the other orbs of night2 but a cluster of bright1 shining stars and the very sun itself4 ,the light of the apostolic church was1 therefore1 all-inclusive in the sense of reflecting all the truth4 ,it is essential to our proper understanding of the symbols that follow that we comprehend the true character of the church of ,god--the bride of ,christ4 ,sidenote3 ,the man child ,the next object to claim our attention in the vision under consideration is that of the man child to whom the woman is said to give birth4 ,a variety of interpretations of this man child have been given4 ,some say that it refers to ,jesus ,christ1 but this application is objectionable for different reasons4 ,first1 ,jesus is everywhere represented as the founder of the church1 not as its child4 ,second1 true analogy is lacking3 there is nothing about a mere child to proclaim divinity4 ,others have identified the child with the ,emperor ,constantine2 but here again the consistent use of symbolic language is overlooked2 for if the woman1 the mother1 represents the church1 then the child horn of her can not represent a single1 definite individual1 but rather a collection of individuals or another phase of the church itself4 ,in other words1 if the one single symbol represents a particular individual1 the other must also represent an individual4 ,thus1 if the man child is identified with ,christ1 the mother should signify the ,virgin ,mary2 or if ,constantine is intended1 then ,helena1 mother of ,constantine1 should be represented by the woman4 ,it is clear1 however1 that the woman signifies1 not a single individual1 but the church4 ,therefore the child born of her must simply signify another phase of the church but the same family4 ,by means of this twofold symbol--involving the closest relationship known--is set forth the fruitfulness and perpetuity of the church4 ,there is also another reason why a double symbol should be selected to set forth the true church--to represent two distinct phases of the church's life and history1 which1 in the nature of the case1 could not be represented under a single symbol4 ,according to the description given1 the man child was caught up to ,god and to his throne1 while the woman remained on earth and fled into the wilderness1 where she had a place prepared of ,god for #a1bfj days4 ,the man child1 then1 represents that phase of the church which was caught up from the earth but ascended to heaven and there lived and reigned with ,christ2 while the woman represents that phase of the church which continued on earth and fled into the wilderness during the period of the great apostasy4 ,there is also direct ,scriptural testimony justifying this interpretation of the man child4 ,in ,isaiah #ff we have a sublime description of ,zion1 ,god's church and people1 represented as a woman1 a mother4 ,the context shows that this scripture is a prophetic allusion to the church of the ,new ,testament age4 ,before she travailed1 she brought forth2 before her pain came1 she was delivered of a man child4 ,who hath heard such a thing8 who hath seen such things8 ,shall the earth he made to bring forth in one day8 or shall a nation be born at once8 for as soon as ,zion travailed1 she brought forth her children 7verses #g1 #h74 ,here ,zion is represented as a mother bringing forth a man child1 but this is interpreted to be a nation born at once4 ,according to ,heb4 #ab3bb1 #bc1 this ,zion1 or ,sion1 represents the ,new ,testament church4 ,there is no doubt1 then1 that the man child of ,revelation #ab refers to the great host of new converts with which the early church was blessed4 ,the scripture in ,isaiah just cited met its fulfilment on the day of ,pentecost and shortly afterwards1 when thousands were brought into the church in a day4 ,the apostle ,paul also refers to the great company of ,jews and ,gentiles who were reconciled to ,god as constituting one new man in ,christ 7,eph4 #b3ae74 ,sidenote3 ,the great red dragon ,the next object in the vision to which our attention is directed is introduced in these words3 ,and there appeared another wonder in heaven2 and behold a great red dragon1 having seven heads and ten horns1 and seven crowns upon his heads4 ,and his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven1 and did cast them to the earth3 and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered1 for to devour her child as soon as it was born 7,rev4 #ab3c1 #d74 ,the dragon is the name given by the ancients to a fabulous monster represented as a large winged lizard or serpent4 ,it was regarded as the enemy of mankind1 and its overthrow is made to figure among the greatest exploits of the gods and heroes of heathen mythology4 ,the symbol1 being drawn from the natural world1 directs us by analogy to persecuting1 tyrannical government4 ,we must not suppose that this is a literal description of ,beelzebub2 for there is no proof that the personal devil has any such appearance as this monster with seven heads and ten horns1 and a tail dragging after him a third part of the stars of heaven4 ,in the second verse of the next chapter ,john describes the rise of a beast that also had seven heads and ten horns2 and the dragon gave him his power1 and his seat1 and great authority4 ,the fact that the dragon was succeeded by the beast1 who reigned in his stead1 is proof that the dragon does not signify the personal devil2 for1 as far as we know1 the archfiend has never resigned his position1 but is still doing his infernal business at the same stand4 ,in many respects the beast is similar to the dragon4 ,in the seventeenth chapter the beast appears again1 and the explanation given by the angel will enable us to understand the signification both of the dragon and of the beast4 ,the beast that thou sawest was1 and is not2 and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit1 and go into perdition 444 and here is the mind which hath wisdom4 ,the seven heads are seven mountains1 on which the woman sitteth4 ,and there are seven kings3 five are fallen1 and one is1 and the other is not yet come2 and when he cometh1 he must continue a short space4444 ,and the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings1 which have received no kingdom as yet2 but receive power as kings one hour with the beast 7verses #h-ab74 ,with these facts before us and with our understanding of the nature of symbols1 it is easy to identify the dragon and the beast as the ,roman ,empire1 first under the pagan form and later under the papal form4 ,although the beast was to succeed the dragon1 yet in identifying the heads of the beast1 the angel informed ,john that in his day five had already fallen1 while one then existed and the other was future4 ,this proves1 then1 that the same heads served both for the dragon and for the beast1 thus establishing their essential identity4 ,and it is a fact well known that there is no essential difference between ,rome pagan and ,rome papal4 ,the seven heads of ,rome1 therefore1 signify the distinct forms of government that ruled successively in the empire1 for they are represented1 not as simultaneous powers1 but as consecutive powers4 ,the five that had already fallen when ,john received the vision were the regal power1 the consular1 the decemvirate1 the military tribunes1 and the triumvirate4 ,one is--the imperial4 ,the seventh1 or future one1 was the patriciate4 ,it is natural that the pagan ,roman ,empire should be represented as a dragon4 ,in the prophecy of ,daniel the ,grecian kingdom is represented by a he goat for no other apparent reason than the fact that the goat was the national military standard of the ,grecian monarchy4 ,so also the dragon was the principal military standard of the ,romans next to the eagle4 ,arian1 an early writer1 mentions the fact that dragons were used as military standards by the ,romans4 ,the dragon of ,revelation #ab is also described as a red dragon4 ,the dragon standards of the ,romans were painted red4 ,ammianus ,marcellinus mentions the purple standard of the dragon4 ,by this fabulous beast described as a great red dragon1 then1 is symbolically represented the heathen ,roman ,empire4 ,the ten horns1 or kingdoms1 which had not yet risen when the revelation was given1 were the ten minor kingdoms that grew out of the ,roman ,empire during its decline and fall4 ,these are as follows3 #a4 ,anglo-,saxons2 #b4 ,burgundians2 #c4 ,franks2 #d4 ,huns2 #e4 ,heruli2 #f4 ,lombards2 #g4 ,ostrogoths2 #h4 ,suevi2 #i4 ,vandals2 #aj4 ,visigoths4 ,the dragon is described with the horns1 although they were not yet in existence and did not arise until about the time the dragon became the beast4 ,he is also represented with seven heads1 although he really possessed only one head at a time and five had already fallen and one was yet to come4 ,he is described with all the heads and horns he had ever had or was to have4 ,the reason why the same general power is described under two forms--first as the dragon and later as the beast--will appear more clearly hereafter4 ,the fact that the dragon was called the devil and ,satan has led some to think that the personal devil himself is meant4 ,the foregoing explanation concerning the heads and the horns shows conclusively1 however1 that by the dragon is meant the pagan ,roman ,empire1 and not ,beelzebub4 ,the ,hebrews applied the term ,satan to an adversary1 or opposer1 as can be seen by examining in the original the following and many other texts3 ,num4 #bb3bb2 #a ,sam4 #bi3d2 #b ,sam4 #ai3bb2 #a ,kings #aa3be4 ,the term is also thus used in the ,new ,testament1 signifying merely an opposer4 ,but he turned1 and said unto ,peter1 ,get thee behind me1 ,satan 7,matt4 #af3bc74 ,the things which the ,gentiles sacrifice1 they sacrifice to devils 7#a ,cor4 #aj3bj74 ,paganism was the great opposer of ,christianity2 hence was a ,satan to it1 while the apostle ,paul denominated its religious rites as devil-worship4 ,we must remember that the text does not say that the dragon was the devil and ,satan1 but that he was called the devil and ,satan4 ,he partook of the nature and character of the personal devil1 was the chief instrument through which the devil worked1 and was therefore called by his name4 ,the tail of this dragon drew the third part of the stars of heaven1 and did cast them to the earth4 ,this is not a literal description1 for the fixed or planetary stars never fall to the earth4 ,if they did1 they would destroy it4 ,the stars are doubtless employed as symbols set in the ecclesiastical firmament1 giving light amid the surrounding darkness4 ,light is so often used as the representative of gospel truth that the application of the stars to prominent characters in the church is obvious4 ,jesus is the ,sun of ,righteousness1 and his ministers are bright1 shining stars--light-givers4 ,the ministers of the seven churches of ,asia ,minor are represented as stars 7chap4 #a3bj74 ,they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament2 and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever 7,dan4 #ab3c74 ,the casting down of the third part of the stars1 therefore1 signifies the warfare which the dragon power waged against the early church1 in which conflict the ministers of ,christ became the marked objects of heathen wrath4 ,sidenote3 ,the war in heaven ,and there was war in heaven3 ,michael and his angels fought against the dragon2 and the dragon fought and his angels1 and prevailed not2 neither was their place found any more in heaven4 ,and the great dragon was cast out1 that old serpent called the ,devil and ,satan1 which deceiveth the whole world3 he was cast out into the earth1 and his angels were cast out with him4 ,and ,i heard a loud voice saying in heaven1 ,now is come salvation1 and strength1 and the kingdom of our ,god1 and the power of his ,christ3 for the accuser of our brethren is cast down1 which accused them before our ,god day and night4 ,and they overcame him by the blood of the ,lamb1 and by the word of their testimony2 and they loved not their lives unto the death 7,rev4 #ab3g-aa74 ,the symbolic scene suddenly changes1 and instead of the woman and the man child1 ,michael and his angels appear in conflict with the dragon and his angels4 ,this change of symbols indicates the introduction of a different phase of thought4 ,from the nature of the symbols we can quickly ascertain the reason for this change4 ,the woman represents the true church and is a proper symbol of its unity1 beauty1 purity1 and glory4 ,but there is another phase of the church which can not be represented symbolically by a woman--the militant phase4 ,the church is also an aggressive1 fighting power1 ready to wage warfare against the powers of evil4 ,we would not expect to see the church left helpless like a woman before a great dragon4 ,we would naturally expect to see divine aid extended1 and this is done by the change of symbolic imagery1 ,michael 7,christ7 and his angels appearing to wage war against the dragon4 ,the battle between ,michael and the dragon signifies the great conflict which took place between primitive ,christianity and the powers of paganism enthroned in the ,roman ,empire4 ,it will be observed that this scripture has no reference to the origin of ,satan himself1 as some people have supposed2 for the conflict was fought in the ,christian dispensation1 as is proved by the weapons which the followers of ,michael employed--,and they overcame him by the blood of the ,lamb1 and by the word of their testimony2 and they loved not their lives unto the death4 ,under this figure1 the followers of ,michael are represented as victors1 the dragon being cast down to the earth1 or overthrown4 ,it is a fact of history that primitive ,christianity succeeded in its fight against paganism4 ,in the nineteenth chapter of ,acts we have an account of the effect ,christianity had on heathenism4 ,paul went to ,ephesus1 which at that time was the chief capital of proconsular ,asia1 a leading mart of heathen idolatry1 and in which was situated one of the seven wonders of the ancient world--the temple of ,diana4 ,the preaching of the gospel produced such a mighty effect that the followers of ,diana1 fearing lest their magnificent system of worship should be destroyed1 stirred up the people in a tumult until the city was in an uproar1 a great mob shouting1 ,great is ,diana of the ,ephesians4 ,before the end of the first century1 according to the testimony of the younger ,pliny1 the temples of the gods of ,asia ,minor were almost forsaken4 ,well has ,butler said1 ,the final victory of ,christianity over heathenism and ,judaism1 and the mightiest empire of the ancient world1 a victory gained without physical force1 by the moral power of faith and perseverance1 of faith and love1 is one of the strongest evidences of the divinity and indestructible life of our holy religion4 ,it is a fact worthy of mention that the early ,christians regarded the ,roman ,empire as a great enemy to the truth1 and described it as a dragon1 the victory of ,christianity over heathenism being represented by the overthrow of the dragon4 ,constantine and others of his time describe these events thus4 ,says ,bishop ,newton1 ,moreover1 a picture of ,constantine was set up over the palace gate1 with a cross over his head1 and under his feet the great enemy of mankind 7who persecuted the church by means of impious tyrants71 in the form of a dragon1 transfixed with a dart through the midst of its body1 and falling headlong into the depth of the sea4 ,verse #aa seems to indicate that many of the followers of ,christ lost their lives in this conflict1 and this doubtless is parallel with the statement that the man child was caught up to ,god and to his throne4 ,it may also imply that in the conflict the dragon employed the arm of civil power in his opposition to the truth4 ,but ,christianity increased notwithstanding the violent opposition4 ,during the reign of the ,emperor ,septimus ,severus1 about the close of the second century1 when a violent persecution of the ,christians occurred1 ,tertullian1 the first of the great ,latin ,fathers1 wrote a notable apology for the ,christian faith1 addressed to the ,emperor4 ,in this important document this noble defender of ,christianity sets forth so clearly the nature of the conflict between truth and error that ,i shall make rather a lengthy quotation from his writing4 ,rulers of the ,roman ,empire1 he begins1 you surely can not forbid the truth to reach you by the secret pathway of a noiseless book4 ,she knows that she is but a sojourner on the earth1 and as a stranger finds enemies2 and more1 her origin1 her dwelling-place1 her hope1 her rewards1 her honors1 are above4 ,one thing1 meanwhile1 she anxiously desires of earthly rulers--not to be condemned unknown4 ,what harm can it do to give her a hearing8444 ,the outcry is that the state is filled with ,christians2 that they are in the fields1 in the citadels1 in the islands4 ,the lament is1 as for some calamity1 that both sexes1 every age and condition1 even high rank1 are passing over to the ,christian faith4 ,the outcry is a confession and an argument for our cause2 for we are a people of yesterday1 and yet we have filled every place belonging to you--cities1 islands1 castles1 towns1 assemblies1 your very camp1 your tribes1 companies1 palace1 senate1 forum4 ,we leave to you your temples alone4 ,we can count your armies3 our numbers in a single province will be greater4 ,we have it in our power1 without arms and without rebellion1 to fight against you with the weapon of a simple divorce4 ,we can leave you to wage your wars alone4 ,if such a multitude should withdraw into some remote corner of the world1 you would doubtless tremble at your own solitude1 and ask1 ',of whom are we the governors8' ,it is a human right that every man should worship according to his own convictions 444 a forced religion is no religion at all4444 ,men say that the ,christians are the cause of every public disaster4 ,if the ,tiber rises as high as the city walls1 if the ,nile does not rise over the fields1 if the heavens give no rain1 if there be an earthquake1 if a famine or pestilence1 straightway they cry1 ,away with the ,christians to the lions4444 ,but go zealously on1 ye good governors1 you will stand higher with the people if you kill us1 torture us1 condemn us1 grind us to the dust2 your injustice is the proof that we are innocent4 ,god permits us to suffer4 ,your cruelty avails you nothing4444 ,the oftener you mow us down1 the more in number we grow2 the blood of ,christians is seed4 ,what you call our obstinacy is an instructor4 ,for who that sees it does not inquire for what we suffer6 ,who that inquires does not embrace our doctrines8 ,who that embraces them is not ready to give his blood for the fulness of ,god's grace8 ,sidenote3 ,the woman's flight ,under the figure of ,michael and his angels1 the early church is represented as victorious in casting down the powers of heathenism2 but under the symbol of the woman1 the church is apparently represented as defeated2 for after the casting down of the dragon it is said1 ,to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle1 that she might fly into the wilderness1 into her place1 where she is nourished for a time1 and times1 and half a time1 from the face of the serpent 7verse #ad74 ,this agrees with verse #f1 where it is said that the woman fled into the wilderness1 where she hath a place prepared of ,god1 that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and three score days4 ,the flight of the woman into an obscure place in the wilderness presents a striking contrast with her first appearance in the planetary heavens1 where she was clothed with the sun1 and the moon under her feet1 and upon her head a crown of twelve stars4 ,by this sudden change in the symbolic representation of the woman's position is set forth the ecclesiastical change that took place in the early part of the church's history4 ,first she appears as the glorious bride of ,christ adorned in beauty and splendor and radiating the light of his glorious gospel4 ,she was then the light of the world4 ,later we find a great change taking place4 ,instead of the church representing all the truth to the world1 we find the beginning of a great apostasy1 which in time was to eclipse and well nigh extinguish the light and glory of primitive ,christianity by substituting in its place the darkness of the apostasy born in ages of ignorance and superstition4 ,that such a change in the history of the true church should occur was predicted by ,christ and the apostles4 ,jesus said1 ,and because iniquity shall abound1 the love of many shall wax cold 7,matt4 #bd3ab74 ,peter said1 ,there shall be false teachers among you1 who privily shall bring in damnable heresies 7#b ,pet4 #b3a74 ,paul said1 ,also of your own selves shall men arise1 speaking perverse things1 to draw away disciples after them 7,acts #bj3cj74 ,to the ,thessalonians who had been troubled with the report that the second coming of ,christ was then near at hand1 ,paul said1 ,let no man deceive you by any means3 for that day shall not come1 except there come a falling away first1 and that man of sin be revealed1 the son of perdition2 who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called ,god1 or that is worshiped2 so that he as ,god sitteth in the temple of ,god1 and showing himself that he is ,god4444 ,for the mystery of iniquity doth already work3 only he who now letteth will let1 until he be taken out of the way4 ,and then shall that ,wicked be revealed1 whom the ,lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth1 and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming 7#b ,thess4 #b3c-h74 ,the reader can scarcely consider these texts without perceiving clearly that change which came over the primitive church resulting in a transition from her glorious state of innocent beauty to the full-grown papacy--the mystery of iniquity4 ,,chapter ,,xii ,,the ,,medieval ,,period ,the fact of history pertaining to the true church which ,paul described as a falling away is represented by the ,revelator by the symbol of the woman fleeing into the wilderness4 ,the other fact mentioned by ,paul pertaining to the rise and development of the man of sin is represented in the visions of the ,revelation as follows3 ,sidenote3 ,the ten-horned leopard-beast ,and ,i stood upon the sand of the sea1 and saw a beast rise up out of the sea1 having seven heads and ten horns1 and upon his horns ten crowns1 and upon his heads the name of blasphemy4 ,and the beast which ,i saw was like unto a leopard1 and his feet were as the feet of a bear1 and his mouth as the mouth of a lion3 and the dragon gave him his power1 and his seat1 and great authority4 ,and ,i saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death2 and his deadly wound was healed3 and all the world wondered after the beast4 ,and they worshiped the dragon which gave power unto the beast3 and they worshiped the beast1 saying1 ,who is like unto the beast8 who is able to make war with him8 and there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies2 and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months4 ,and he opened his mouth in blasphemy against ,god1 to blaspheme his name1 and his tabernacle1 and them that dwell in heaven4 ,and it was given unto him to make war with the saints1 and to overcome them3 and power was given him over all kindreds1 and tongues1 and nations4 ,and all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him1 whose names are not written in the book of life of the ,lamb slain from the foundation of the world4 ,if any man have an ear1 let him hear4 ,he that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity3 he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword4 ,here is the patience and the faith of the saints 7,rev4 #ac3 #a-aj74 ,from the nature of the symbol employed1 we should naturally infer that a persecuting1 tyrannical kingdom or empire is meant4 ,that such an application of the term beast1 when used in connection with prophetic symbols1 is correct1 is shown by a reference to the interpretation given concerning the fourth beast of ,daniel's vision4 ,the fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon the earth 7,dan4 #g3bc74 ,we have already shown conclusively that by the dragon was meant the pagan ,roman ,empire1 and the same heads and horns are apparently ascribed to this leopard-beast1 the only difference being that the crowns--a symbol of sovereignty--have been transferred from the heads to the horns4 ,this substantial agreement with the facts of history makes certain the identification of this beast with the revised western ,roman ,empire under the papal form1 the sovereignty being vested in the ten minor kingdoms until they chose to give their power and strength unto the beast 7,rev4 #ag3ac74 ,the symbol of a beast considered merely as a beast1 could not1 in the nature of the case1 signify anything more than a temporal kingdom or political empire4 ,it will be noticed1 however1 that this particular prophetic symbol is more than a beast2 for1 combined with his beastly nature1 there are certain characteristics which unmistakably belong to the department of human life--a mouth speaking great things2 power to magnify himself against the ,god of heaven1 to set himself up as an object of worship1 to single out the saints of ,god and kill them1 etc4 ,this combination of symbols from the two departments--animal life and human life--points us with absolute certainty to the political-religious system of ,rome4 ,every historian knows that pagan ,rome was succeeded by papal ,rome4 ,the transfer is expressed thus3 ,and the dragon gave him his power1 and his seat1 and great authority 7verse #b74 ,the rising papacy succeeded to the power and authority formerly exercised by pagan ,rome2 and when the political capital was removed to ,constantinople1 the pope was left in possession of the ancient seat of empire and government4 ,the beast therefore refers to ,rome either as a political power or as an ecclesiastical power1 the context determining whether the political or the ecclesiastical phase is meant in a given instance4 ,it will be observed1 however1 that the leading actions ascribed to this beast are derived from its human characteristics1 pointing unerringly to the papacy for its fulfilment4 ,this beast the world admired4 ,and they worshiped the dragon which gave power unto the beast2 and they worshiped the beast1 saying1 ,who is like unto the beast8 who is able to make war with him8 ,the expression worshiped the dragon shows that reference is made to the dragon1 not as a political power1 but as a religious power4 ,this worship of the dragon by those who worshiped the beast which succeeded the dragon was fulfilled by the perpetuation under the papacy of the rites and ceremonies of paganism4 ,roman ,catholicism is a strange amalgamation of ,judaism1 ,christianity1 and heathenism4 ,the part derived from paganism occupies such a prominent place in ,roman ,catholic practise and worship that we can not fail to observe its close resemblance to1 if not absolute identity with1 heathenism4 ,just to mention a few points3 #a4 ,the high priest of the pagan religion was called ,pontifex ,maximus1 and he claimed spiritual and temporal authority over men4 ,the pope of ,rome borrowed the title and made the same claims1 even being clad in the same attire4 #b4 ,the heathen wore scapulars1 medals1 and images for personal protection4 ,romanists wear the same things for the same purpose4 #c4 ,pagans1 by an official process called deification1 raised men1 after their death1 to a dignified position and accorded them special honors and worship4 ,papists1 by a similar process called canonization1 exalt men after their death to the dignity of saints and then offer up prayers to them4 #d4 ,papists' adoration of idols and images was also borrowed direct from the heathen2 for all such practises were absolutely forbidden by the ,mosaic law and had no place in primitive ,christianity4 #e4 ,their religious orders of monks and nuns were also in imitation of the vestal virgins of antiquity4 ,the beast is described as a blasphemous power4 ,adam ,clarke has stated that blasphemy1 in ,scripture1 signifies impious speaking1 when applied to ,god2 and injurious speaking1 when directed against our neighbor4 ,a name of blasphemy would therefore properly signify the prostitution of a sacred name to an unholy purpose4 ,an example of this kind is given in ,rev4 #b3i1 where we read1 ,i know the blasphemy of them which say they are ,jews1 and are not1 but are the synagog of ,satan4 ,in this case certain wicked men blasphemed the name by calling themselves ,jews1 since according to ,scripture 'he only is a ,jew who is one inwardly4' ,but to prostitute a sacred name to an unworthy use would be no more impious or blasphemous than would the assumption by man of those rights and prerogatives which belong to ,god alone4 ,this the pope has done for ages4 ,among the blasphemous titles which he has assumed are these3 ,lord ,god the ,pope1 ,king of the ,world1 ,holy ,father1 ,king of kings and ,lord of lords1 ,vicegerent of the ,son of ,god4 ,for ages he has claimed infallibility1 and this claim became a dogma of the church when adopted by the ,general ,council of #ahgj4 ,further1 he claims power to dispense with ,god's laws1 to forgive sins1 to release from purgatory1 to damn and to save4 ,to call the ,roman ,catholic ,church the holy church of the ,bible is to prostitute a sacred name to an unworthy institution4 ,and to elevate a man to the place where he as ,god sitteth in the temple of ,god1 showing himself that he is ,god1 by claiming those prerogatives which belong to ,god only1 is most flagrant blasphemy4 ,sidenote3 ,a persecuting power ,and it was given unto him to make war with the saints1 and to overcome them3 and power was given him over all kindreds1 and tongues1 and nations 7chap4 #ac3 #g74 ,here we have a direct prediction of that reign of tyranny in the ,dark ,ages in which millions of people suffered martyrdom at the hands of papal ,rome4 ,i am aware that many ,catholics affirm that their church never persecuted1 that it was the civil power that did this dread work of slaughter4 ,we must remember1 however1 that the beast of ,revelation #ac signifies the imperial and the ecclesiastical power in the closest union possible2 for the beast appears as one1 the two phases being represented by the combination of symbols from the two distinct departments of life--human and animal4 ,in the seventeenth chapter we have the same distinct characteristics again set forth1 but in a different combination1 the beast appearing simply as a beast1 thus representing the political power of ,rome2 while the ecclesiastical power is represented by a corrupt woman sitting on the beast and directing its course4 ,in that description it is stated1 ,and ,i saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints1 and with the blood of the martyrs of ,jesus 7verse #f74 ,the ,romish church itself is1 therefore1 represented as participating in the work of martyrdom4 ,does this divine prediction agree with the facts of history8 ,it is altogether impossible to compute correctly the number of those who were in different ways put to death for opposing the corruption of the ,church of ,rome4 ,a million ,waldenses perished in ,france4 ,nine hundred thousand ,christians were slain within thirty years after the institution of the ,jesuits4 ,the ,duke of ,alva boasted that he had put to death #cf1jjj in the ,netherlands by the hands of the common executioner4 ,the ,inquisition destroyed #aej1jjj within thirty years4 ,if it be asserted that this was accomplished by the secular arm1 ,i reply that sentence of death was pronounced upon so-called heretics by the church and that the secular power was simply a tool for carrying the barbarous sentence into execution4 ,we can not forget that the pope applauded ,charles ,,ix of ,france and his infamous mother1 ,catherine de ,medici1 for their part in the massacre of ,st4 ,bartholomew1 and ordered a medal struck in honor of the event2 that following the revocation of the ,edict of ,nantes1 when #cjj1jjj were cruelly butchered during the reign of ,louis ,,xiv1 ,pope ,innocent ,,xi extolled the king by special letter1 as follows3 ,the ,catholic ,church shall most assuredly record in her sacred annals a work of such devotion toward her and ,,celebrate ,,your ,,name ,,with ,,never-,,dying ,,praises 444 for this most excellent undertaking4 ,popery has for ages claimed the right to exterminate by death those who were heretics4 ,numerous provincial and national councils have issued cruel and bloody laws for the extermination of the ,waldenses and other so-called heretics4 ,besides these1 at least six of their ,general ,councils1 the highest judicial assemblies of the ,roman ,church1 with the popes themselves sometimes present in person1 have by their decrees pronounced the punishment of death for heresy3 #a4 ,the ,second ,general ,council of ,lateran 7#aaci7 in its twenty-third canon4 #b4 ,the ,third ,general ,council of ,lateran 7#aagi71 under ,pope ,alexander ,,iii4 #c4 ,the ,fourth ,general ,council of ,lateran 7#abae71 under ,pope ,innocent ,,iii4 #d4 ,the ,sixteenth ,general ,council1 held at ,constance in #adad4 ,this council1 with ,pope ,martin present in person1 condemned the reformers ,huss and ,jerome to be burned at the stake1 and then prevailed on the ,emperor ,sigismund to violate the safe conduct which he had given ,huss and signed by his own hand and in which he had guaranteed the reformer a safe return to ,bohemia2 and this inhuman sentence against ,huss was then carried out4 #e4 ,the ,council of ,sienna 7#adbc71 which was afterwards continued at ,basil4 #f4 ,the ,fifth ,general ,council of ,lateran 7#aead74 ,that such teachings and practises were an integral part of ,romanism is easily shown4 ,st4 ,aquinas1 the angelic doctor1 argued that heretics might justly be killed4 ,cardinal ,bellarmine1 in a ,latin work1 ,de ,laicis1 still extant1 entered into a regular argument to prove that the church has the right of punishing heretics with death and should exercise that right4 ,bellarmine was a nephew of one pope and a close friend and associate of others1 a champion of ,romanism1 and a defender of its doctrines4 ,in the work above referred to be declares that heretics were often burned ,,by ,,the ,,church4 ,the ,donatists1 ,manicheans1 and ,albigenses were routed and annihilated by arms4 ,many timid-hearted ,christians in the present age of religious toleration think that it is almost unchristianlike for us to bring up and lay to the charge of ,rome such a sweeping indictment for those massacres of ,christians in a barbarous age4 ,such it would be had ,rome ever disavowed these acts or shown any signs of true repentance4 ,the fact is that it is the boast of ,catholics that ,rome never changes4 ,well has ,charles ,butler said1 ,it is most true that the ,roman ,catholics believe the doctrines of their church to be unchangeable2 and that it is a tenet of their creed1 that what their faith ever has been1 such it was from the beginning1 such it is now1 and such it ever will be4 ,in a copy of the eleventh edition of ,the ,faith of ,our ,fathers1 by ,cardinal ,gibbons1 page #ie1 ,i read3 ,it is a marvelous fact1 worthy of record1 that in the whole history of the church1 from the nineteenth century to the first1 no solitary example can be adduced to show that any pope or general council ever revoked a decree of faith or morals enacted by any preceding pontiff or council4 ,her record in the past ought to be a sufficient warrant that she will tolerate no doctrinal variations in the future4 ,so the doctrine of her inherent right to persecute and slay every one who disagrees with her1 which has been enacted by popes and general councils and carried out in the past1 is still in vogue4 ,and ,i saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints1 and with the blood of the martyrs of ,jesus4 ,in our study of ,revelation #ab and #ac we have observed that ,rome in its twofold form--pagan and papal--is represented by the dragon and the beast respectively4 ,this has been established so clearly as to remove well nigh all doubt concerning the identification4 ,it will be profitable1 however1 to give brief consideration to certain parallel prophecies in ,daniel2 for in addition to covering the same ground and describing under other symbols the same general facts of history1 they furnish us an infallible starting-stake1 thus establishing definitely the truth of the interpretation concerning the ,roman power1 and giving us a solid basis from which we can proceed with logical certainty to the interpretation of other symbols in the ,revelation4 ,sidenote3 ,the image of ,nebuchadnezzar's dream ,in the second chapter of ,daniel we have the narrative of a dream which ,nebuchadnezzar1 king of ,babylon1 had during the time of the ,jewish captivity in that city4 ,after the king awoke1 he was so confused that notwithstanding the deep impression made by his nocturnal experience1 he could not recall to mind the dream itself4 ,he therefore had recourse to the ,chaldeans and wise men of his realm4 ,they failed to make known his dream1 whereupon he became furious and decreed their death4 ,at this juncture ,daniel came forward and announced that if given time he would fulfil the king's desire1 and shortly afterward he appeared before the king and addressed him as follows3 ,thou1 ,o king1 sawest1 and behold a great image4 ,this great image1 whose brightness was excellent1 stood before thee3 and the form thereof was terrible4 ,this image's head was of fine gold1 his breast and his arms of silver1 his belly and his thighs of brass1 his legs of iron1 his feet part of iron and part of clay4 ,thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands1 which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay1 and brake them to pieces4 ,then was the iron1 the clay1 the brass1 the silver1 and the gold1 broken to pieces together1 and became like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors2 and the wind carried them away1 that no place was found for them3 and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain1 and filled the whole earth 7,dan4 #b3ca-ce74 ,the interpretation of this dream1 as given by the prophet1 particularly concerns and interests us4 ,said ,daniel3 ,this is the dream2 and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king4 ,thou1 ,o king1 art a king of kings3 for the ,god of heaven hath given thee a kingdom1 power1 and strength1 and glory4 ,and wheresoever the children of men dwell1 the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand1 and hath made thee ruler over them all4 ,thou art this head of gold 7verses #cf-ch74 ,at the time of this vision the ,chaldean monarchy was in the height of her power and glory4 ,babylon1 the capital city1 was the chief pride of the ,chaldees' excellency1 containing those magnificent hanging gardens1 one of the ,seven ,wonders of the ancient world4 ,nebuchadnezzar was pointed out particularly as the head of gold in the image1 but we should bear in mind that in the general language of prophecy1 kings signify not merely individual monarchs but monarchies under a succession of princes of the same nation4 ,that the real significance of the head of gold is the ,babylonian ,kingdom or ,monarchy is shown by the fact that in the description of the other three divisions of the same image they are referred to directly as kingdoms4 ,the ,babylonian ,kingdom came to an end with the death of ,belshazzar1 and the overthrow of his father ,nabonadius in #ech ,b4,c4 ,and after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee 7verse #ci74 ,this is the explanation given of that part of the image represented by the breast and arms of silver4 ,this refers to the ,medo-,persian empire1 which1 under ,cyrus the ,great1 captured ,babylon #ech ,b4,c4 and terminated the ,chaldean empire4 ,the ,persian kingdom was in certain respects inferior to the ,chaldean1 just as silver is inferior to gold4 ,it was neither as wealthy nor as prosperous1 and was particularly inferior in the character of its kings1 for from the death of ,cyrus they are said to have been as vile a set of men as ever disgraced human nature4 ,and another third kingdom of brass1 which shall bear rule over all the earth4 ,this refers to the ,macedonian1 or ,greek1 empire founded by ,alexander the ,great4 ,after subduing ,greece and reducing ,egypt1 ,alexander penetrated into ,asia1 took ,tyre1 met and overthrew ,darius the ,persian at ,arbela1 in #cca ,b4,c41 thus terminating the ,persian ,empire4 ,the ,grecian ,kingdom had less external magnificence than those which preceded it and was founded and maintained by force of arms2 but it was more extensive than the others1 including many dominions in ,europe1 ,africa1 and regions farther to the east in ,asia than had before been penetrated4 ,it was foretold that this kingdom should bear rule over all the earth2 it was the main boast of ,alexander that he had subdued the whole world4 ,and the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron3 forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things3 and as iron that breaketh all these1 shall it break in pieces and bruise 7verse #dj74 ,this corresponds to the legs of iron1 his feet part of iron and part of clay1 in the dream itself4 ,the reference is to the ,roman ,empire1 which succeeded the ,grecian4 ,whether or not the two legs had any special significance is not stated1 but commentators frequently refer us to the two divisions into which the empire of ,rome was afterwards divided--,east and ,west4 ,so also the ten toes of the image are often explained as signifying the ten minor kingdoms which grew out of the empire4 ,but we should bear in mind that this is not stated either in the vision itself or in its inspired interpretation4 ,only four kingdoms are referred to as such4 ,the fourth division1 representing ,rome 7in both its strong and its weak condition71 is described simply as the kingdom1 the fourth kingdom4 ,the ,roman ,kingdom was at first as strong as iron4 ,no other people have ever made such extensive conquests through a long period of time as did the ,romans4 ,if ,nebuchadnezzar's dream brought a man into prominence as a symbolic object1 we should think that1 in accordance with the nature of symbols1 a religious power or powers only were intended2 but the symbol is not a man1 but only the image of a man1 and that image is composed of inanimate materials1 which1 drawn from the department of nature1 refer to something political4 ,we therefore have political kingdoms set forth4 ,the very fact that they are represented as appearing in the form of a man1 however1 may at least allude to their being political powers combined with religious systems4 ,but the combination is not such a one as would naturally lead us to conclude that reference is made to ,god's church4 ,the description of ,nebuchadnezzar's dream represented a stone cut out without hands1 which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay1 and brake them to pieces 7verse #cd74 ,the interpretation of this event is given as follows3 ,and in the days of these kings shall the ,god of heaven set up a kingdom1 which shall never be destroyed3 and the kingdom shall not be left to other people1 but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms1 and it shall stand forever 7verse #dd74 ,the kingdom of ,god appears as the fifth universal kingdom1 destined to survive and surpass all others4 ,it is of divine origin1 cut out without hands4 ,the other kingdoms are similar in their nature and closely connected1 in the single image of a man2 but the kingdom of ,god is altogether different and antagonistic4 ,the prophecy refers to the establishment of the kingdom of ,god in the early days of ,christianity2 for1 be it observed1 this stone struck the image when all its four divisions were yet standing4 ,not1 only was the iron and the clay broken by the impact1 but the iron1 the clay1 the brass1 the silver1 and the gold were broken to pieces ,,together1 and became like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors 7verse #ce74 ,here is a most important fact wholly unnoticed by those millennialists who look to the future of our day for the establishment of the kingdom of ,christ4 ,if the stone has not yet struck the image1 then the chief part of the prophetic description never can be fulfilled2 for there is no sense in which the advent of the divine kingdom in this late age of the world can break in pieces the entire image of ,nebuchadnezzar's dream1 there being no way in which it can truthfully be said that its four divisions are yet standing4 ,all these facts were true in the days of ,rome1 however1 when ,christ appeared4 ,the ,roman ,kingdom possessed all the distinguishing marks and characteristics of the preceding empires4 ,this is true not only of their territorial possession but of their distinctive characteristics4 ,the opulence of the ,babylonians1 the splendor of the ,persians1 the strength and discipline of the ,greeks1 were all merged into the ,roman ,empire4 ,and more than this1 these kingdoms were all idolatrous1 and the religion of the ,babylonians was merely absorbed in the ,persian ,kingdom 7not destroyed72 that of the ,persian was perpetuated under the ,greek reign2 and all these found recognition in the divers forms of paganism existing under ,rome4 ,in this sense the image1 as opposed to the divine kingdom of ,christ1 was all standing at the time of the first advent of the ,messiah1 and the overthrow of paganism by early ,christianity corresponds with the stroke given by the little stone of ,daniel #b4 ,notice how this fulfilment is parallel with the prophecies of the ,revelation4 ,in chapter #ab the ,roman ,empire under its pagan form is represented by the dragon4 ,christianity waged warfare with this huge system of false religion and overthrew it4 ,and ,i heard a loud voice saying in heaven1 ,now is come salvation1 and strength1 and the kingdom of our ,god1 and the power of his ,christ 7chap4 #ab3aj74 ,the kingdom represented in ,nebuchadnezzar's dream came in the day of incarnation and soon smote the kingdoms of heathen darkness as existing in the embrace of ,rome1 and broke them in pieces4 ,it was then in the stage represented by a stone4 ,at a later time we shall observe the kingdom in its mountain epoch1 when it becomes a great mountain and fills the whole earth4 ,sidenote3 ,vision of four beasts ,the four constituent parts of ,nebuchadnezzar's visionary image were interpreted to signify four successive monarchies1 the ,babylonian being the first4 ,in the seventh chapter ,daniel records his own vision of four great beasts that arose out of the violently agitated sea1 and these represent the same four kingdoms described in ,nebuchadnezzar's dream4 ,these great beasts1 which are four1 are four kings1 which shall arise out of the earth 7verse #ag74 ,to the worldly1 carnal mind of ,nebuchadnezzar1 empires possessed a show of grandeur and glory1 and they were therefore represented accordingly in his vision2 but to the spiritual-minded ,daniel they would appear odious and terrible1 and they were therefore represented to him under the symbol of devouring beasts4 ,the kingdoms symbolized by the first three beasts of this vision have no particular bearing on our subject1 aside from assisting us in fixing the chronology of certain events4 ,the first beast signifies the ,babylonian ,empire1 corresponding to the head of the image in ,nebuchadnezzar's vision2 the second1 the ,medo-,persian1 corresponding to the breast and arms of silver2 the third1 the ,grecian1 corresponding to the belly and thighs of brass4 ,the description of these beasts shows that in one sense they are successive and in another sense simultaneous4 ,i have already shown that the entire image of ,nebuchadnezzar's dream was standing in the days of ,roman ascendency1 when the kingdom of ,god came4 ,the same fact is brought out in the chapter now under consideration4 ,after mentioning particularly the fourth beast1 ,daniel says1 ,as concerning the rest of the beasts1 they had their dominion taken away3 yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time 7verse #ab74 ,when these kingdoms lost their independent sovereignty1 they still continued as provinces1 ruled by another similar power4 ,sidenote3 ,the fourth beast ,the description of the fourth beast directly concerns our subject3 ,after this ,i saw in the night visions1 and behold a fourth beast1 dreadful and terrible1 and strong exceedingly2 and it had great iron teeth3 it devoured and brake in pieces1 and stamped the residue with the feet of it3 and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it2 and it had ten horns4 ,i considered the horns1 and1 behold1 there came up among them another little horn1 before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots3 and1 behold1 in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man1 and a mouth speaking great things 7verses #g1 #h74 ,the interpretation of this beast given by the angel possesses unusual interest4 ,thus he said1 ,the fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth1 which shall be diverse from all kingdoms1 and shall devour the whole earth1 and shall tread it down1 and break it in pieces4 ,and the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise 7verses #bc1 #bd74 ,since the interpretation given by ,daniel identifies the first kingdom with the ,babylonian ,empire1 we have an infallible starting-stake4 ,therefore the fourth kingdom represented by the terrible nondescript beast of chapter #g is none other than the ,roman4 ,the ten horns of this beast are interpreted to signify ten kings1 or kingdoms1 thus representing the ten minor kingdoms into which the ,roman ,empire was finally subdivided4 ,the description given of the tyrannical reign of this fourth beast aptly portrays the history of ,rome4 ,by wars and conquests the ,roman power broke down all opposition and reduced almost every kingdom in the then-known world to a state of dependence4 ,she drew the spoils of their capitals to enlarge her own proud metropolis and thus tyrannized over all who did not quietly yield to her unquestioned obedience4 ,the beast considered as a beast1 could signify nothing more than a political power1 and the ten horns temporal kingdoms4 ,but in this connection ,i wish to call attention to a singular fact2 namely1 that1 associated with the animal propensities1 there are certain characteristics drawn from human life4 ,i considered the horns1 and1 behold1 there came up among them another little horn1 before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots3 and1 behold1 in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man1 and a mouth speaking great things 7verse #h74 ,sidenote3 ,the marvelous horn ,a horn with the eyes and mouth of a man is a most unusual thing1 and yet it is just such a combination as we might expect when we possess a correct understanding of the nature of symbols4 ,these closely united symbols drawn from two departments--human and animal life--point us with absolute certainty to a temporal power combined with an ecclesiastical power4 ,the chronology of the event is fixed by the fact that this eleventh horn came up among the ten horns1 three of the original ten being removed in order to give it room4 ,the ten kingdoms all arose within two centuries after #cef ,a4,d42 therefore the facts brought out in the symbol direct us to the period of the downfall of ,western ,rome for the rise into prominence of the little horn4 ,in giving ,daniel the interpretation of the fourth beast1 the angel also described more particularly this little horn and the nature of its work4 ,first ,daniel said3 ,i would know the truth of the fourth beast 444 and of the ten horns that were in his head1 and of the other which came up1 and before whom three fell2 even of that horn that had eyes1 and a mouth that spake very great things1 whose look was more stout than his fellows4 ,i beheld1 and the same horn made war with the saints1 and prevailed against them 7verses #ai-ba74 ,and the angel explained3 ,the fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth 444 and the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise3 another shall rise after them2 and he shall be diverse from the first1 and he shall subdue three kings4 ,and he shall speak great words against the most ,high1 and think to change times and laws3 and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time4 ,but the judgment shall sit1 and they shall take away his dominion1 to consume and to destroy it unto the end 7verses #bc-bf74 ,with the explanation that the fourth beast signified the fourth kingdom1 it is impossible to evade the conclusion that the politico-religious power symbolized by the little horn that came up among the ten horns refers directly to the papacy4 ,there is no other object that can fulfil the prophecy4 ,the papacy was just beginning to make itself strongly felt among the divisions of the ,western ,roman ,empire1 and it is a fact of history that three of the original ten divisions in the territory of ,italy were actually plucked up successively before the rising papacy as if to give it room for development4 ,when the ,western ,empire was overthrown in ,a4,d4 #dgf1 the kingdom of the ,heruli was established in ,italy4 ,in #dic this was succeeded by the ,ostrogoths1 which continued for sixty years and was afterwards succeeded by the ,lombards4 ,the ,lombard ,kingdom was overthrown by ,pepin and ,charlemagne1 who gave a large part of the conquered territory to the pope1 thus favoring the papacy with her first temporal power4 ,this grant completed the symbol of ,daniel's vision by constituting the papacy a temporal as well as an ecclesiastical power4 ,the description of the great things spoken by the mouth of the little horn and of the persecution of the true saints of ,god by this power corresponds so minutely with the characteristics of the first beast of ,revelation #ac that no further description is here necessary4 ,it is said that he would also think to change times and laws4 ,the language is spoken as if this were a most extraordinary thing to do4 ,surely it is no extraordinary thing for a king to alter secular laws in his own dominion2 and so far as heathen kingdoms are concerned1 it would be no sacrilegious act for them to alter their religious laws and customs4 ,but the little horn was to set himself up against the ,most ,high and think to change ,his times and laws--an act of unparalleled audacity1 impiety1 and blasphemy4 ,this description the papacy has consistently and constantly fulfilled4 ,the pope has assumed the power to make time holy or unholy as he sees fit2 to command men to abstain from meat and to cease work1 contrary to the demands of ,god4 ,he has claimed the power to dispense with ,god's laws or obedience to them1 forbidding to marry1 and through his indulgences to remit the penalty due to sin4 ,the student of prophecy can not fail to see the striking similarity between the description of the little horn in ,daniel #g and that of the ten-horned leopard-beast of ,revelation #ac4 ,the following parallels prove their identity3 #a4 ,both are blasphemous powers 7,dan4 #g3be2 ,rev4 #ac3f74 #b4 ,they speak great things and blasphemies 7,dan4 #g3h1 #bj2 ,rev4 #ac3e74 #c4 ,both are persecuting powers making war on the saints 7,dan4 #g3ba2 ,rev4 #ac3g74 #d4 ,the chronology of each shows that the power rose to prominence about the time of the cessation of the pagan ,roman ,empire4 #e4 ,the length of time during which they were to continue is the same--forty-two months1 or twelve hundred and sixty days4 #f4 ,both are to be gradually but finally destroyed 7,dan4 #g3bf2 ,rev4 #ac3aj74 ,these powers1 then1 appear at the same time1 in the same territory1 have the same character1 do the same work1 continue the same length of time1 and meet the same fate4 ,these facts prove identity4 ,we have1 therefore1 positive proof drawn from the parallel prophecies in ,daniel that the first beast of ,revelation #ac signifies the politico-religious system of ,rome4 ,sidenote3 ,length of papal reign ,the identification of the little horn of ,daniel #g with the leopard-beast of ,revelation #ac is now complete4 ,that both apply to the papacy has been conclusively shown4 ,we shall now turn our attention to the length of time that this power was to reign4 ,daniel limits the triumph of the little horn to a time and times and the dividing of time 7,dan4 #g3be74 ,time1 in the singular1 of course1 signifies one time4 ,times1 plural1 without a designating number1 signifies two times4 ,the dividing of time is rendered in chapter #ab3g1 also in both texts in the ,revised ,version1 a half4 ,so the entire period is three and a half times4 ,the seven-year period of ,nebuchadnezzar's insanity is described as seven times 7chap4 #d3be74 ,we therefore conclude that the period of three and a half times signifies three and a half years4 ,this agrees with the reign of the leopard beast of ,revelation #ac1 namely1 forty and two months 7verse #e71 or according to the ,jewish method of computing time--thirty days to the month--twelve hundred and sixty days4 ,notice that this also agrees both in the manner of statement and in point of duration with the flight of the woman into the wilderness1 as described in ,revelation #ab4 ,she was to be nourished for a time1 and times1 and half a time 7verse #ad71 which period is spoken of in verse #f of the same chapter as a thousand two hundred and threescore days4 ,the terms ordinarily used to measure the duration of time may be and often are used in a symbolic sense2 for time1 as well as anything else1 can be symbolized4 ,thus days may properly symbolize years2 for they are analogous periods of time1 the diurnal revolution of the earth being taken to represent the earth's annual movement4 ,other standards of reckoning may also be employed symbolically1 but the one here referred to is doubtless most frequently employed4 ,such a system of reckoning time was known anciently4 ,the ,mosaic law recognized two kinds of weeks1 the first of seven days' duration1 the last day of which was a ,sabbath2 another week of seven years' duration1 the last year being a ,sabbath of rest for the land4 ,this fact explains such expressions as forty days1 each day for a year 7,num4 #ad3cd71 and ,i have appointed thee each day for a year 7,ezek4 #d3f74 ,there is no doubt that the year-day method of computing time is used in the prophecy of ,daniel #i1 the sixty-nine weeks reaching from the time of the decree of ,artaxerxes in #deg ,b4,c4 until ,a4,d4 #bf1 the year when ,christ was baptized and entered on his personal ministry4 ,sidenote3 ,the correct starting-point ,applying the year-day standard to the period of twelve hundred and sixty days1 we have twelve hundred and sixty years4 ,the next question to arise is1 ,what date shall we select as the proper time from which to measure this #a1bfj-year period8 ,it is important that we correctly solve this question4 ,expositors have selected different dates4 ,they usually point out some particular historical date having an important bearing on ,rome's development2 as1 for example1 ,a4,d4 #fjf1 when ,phocas1 ,emperor of the ,east1 accorded the ,church of ,rome special recognition4 ,but the papacy grew up in the ,west4 ,if we are to regard as of unusual importance political recognition of the claims of the papacy1 why not give preference to imperial recognition in the very section that constituted the home of the papacy8 ,before considering further the relation of the growing papacy to the imperial power in the ,western ,empire1 ,i must call attention to an important fact generally overlooked or disregarded by expositors4 ,the #a1bfj-year period not only marks the time of triumph by the beast-power1 but also measures the period during which the woman1 or true church1 was to be secluded in the wilderness4 ,two parallel lines of prophetic truth--respecting the true church and a false church--are therefore set forth as coexistent and in contrast with each other4 ,the correct starting-stake can not1 therefore1 be when the papacy had obtained complete ascendency1 for this would be too late to consistently begin to measure the decayed state of the true church4 ,the date selected must be consistent with both lines of prophecy4 ,the apostasy did not take place suddenly1 however1 but was a gradual decline1 a falling away2 and the papacy1 on the other hand1 did not rise to great power suddenly1 but grew up by degrees4 ,it was at first a little horn1 but finally his look was more stout than his fellows4 ,paul says that the mystery of iniquity--the seed of apostasy--was already working in his day and that later that ,wicked should be revealed in all its terrible features 7see #b ,thess4 #b3c-h74 ,we therefore have to deal with a sliding-scale1 a gradual decline on the part of the true church1 and a constant increase of that false1 apostate power which finally culminated in the full-grown papacy4 ,bearing in mind that the #a1bfj-year period measures both phases1 we are obliged to select for our beginning a time about half way between both extremes1 a time when1 we might say1 the falling away from the pure apostolic truth and standard was about half completed and when the papacy was about half developed4 ,while the woman was secluded in the wilderness1 the beast-power occupied the public view2 and this was exactly the reverse of apostolic times1 when the woman was exalted above all and before all1 clothed with the sun and with the moon under her feet1 and upon her head a crown of twelve stars4 ,in other words1 the extreme of darkest night succeeded the light of glorious day4 ,the period of the first apostles was the period of the church's purity and triumph4 ,in their hands the cause was safe and the pure truth shown forth in beauty and power4 ,but with the close of the apostolic era1 the apostasy came on at a rapid rate1 as the extant writings of the early church fathers show4 ,by the middle of the fifth century the light of the gospel was eclipsed in the darkness of ,romanism4 ,during this century the papacy secured political recognition of its claims to direct jurisdiction over all churches4 ,this occurred during the pontificate of ,leo ,i1 who1 because of his success in furthering the interests of the popedom1 shares alone with ,pope ,gregory the title of the ,great4 ,to quote from the ,new ,schaff-,herzog ,encyclopedia1 ,leo entered upon a pontificate which was to be epoch-making for the centralization of the government of the church4 ,political causes combined to advance the claims of the papacy to universal recognition4 ,attila1 with his fierce barbarians1 invaded ,italy and laid waste many of her fairest provinces and then advanced boldly on ,rome1 whereupon ,pope ,leo went out to the camp of the invaders and secured the evacuation of ,italy4 ,the pope obtained the full support of ,valentinian ,,iii4 ,in #dde ,leo enforced authority in the distant patriarchate of ,alexandria4 ,in #ddd-ddf he was in conflict with the ,illyrian bishops4 ,during this time in a letter addressed to them he laid down the principle that ,st4 ,peter had received the primacy and oversight of the whole church and that hence all important matters must be referred to and decided by ,rome4 ,he also proceeded to extend his authority over ,gaul4 ,in this effort he obtained from ,valentinian ,,iii the famous decree of ,june #f1 #dde1 which recognized the primacy of the ,pope of ,rome based on the merits of ,peter1 the dignity of the city1 and the decrees of ,nice 7in their interpolated form72 ordained that any opposition to this rulings1 which were to have the force of law1 should be treated as treason2 and provided for the forcible extradition by provincial governors of any one who refused to answer a summons to ,rome4 ,the apostle ,john was banished to the ,isle of ,patmos in #ie4 ,regarding that date as the close of the pure apostolic era1 and #dde1 when the pope received from the emperor of the ,west official recognition of his claims to universal supremacy in the church1 as representing one other extreme1 we have but to calculate the time half way between these extremes to find the consistent starting-stake for the beginning of that time prophecy which is to measure both lines of prophetic truth4 ,from #ie to #dde is a period of #cej years4 ,half of this period is #age years4 ,therefore #age years after #ie1 or #bgj1 is the correct starting-point4 ,protestant church historians recognize the decline that came in the early church4 ,many of them1 as ,d',aubigne1 ,marsh1 ,rutter1 ,waddington1 and others1 point to the third century1 or the latter half of the third century1 as marking an unusual epoch in this declension4 ,others1 however1 who view things almost wholly from the external point of view1 regard the accession of ,constantine in the early part of the following century as marking the important epoch4 ,with reference to this subject1 ,i quote ,joseph ,milner1 the ,english ecclesiastical historian3 ,i know it is common for authors to represent the declension of ,christianity to have taken place only after its external establishment under ,constantine4 ,but the events of history have compelled me to dissent from this view of things4--,ch4 ,hist41 ,cent4 ,,iv1 ,chap4 ,i4 ,it is also evident from the facts of history that1 in addition to the corruption of evangelical faith1 that other phase of the apostasy--human ecclesiasticism--was also highly developed before the end of the third century4 ,george ,p4 ,fisher says1 ,the accession of ,constantine ,a4,d4 #cab found the church so firmly organized under the hierarchy that it could not lose its identity by being absolutely merged in the state4--,history of the ,christian ,church1 p4 #ii4 ,in the year ,a4,d4 #bgj ,anthony1 an ,egyptian1 the father of monasticism1 fixed his abode in the deserts of ,egypt and formed monks into organized bodies4 ,dowling1 describing the extravagance of monkery and the false standard of piety and holiness it created1 declares that monkery actually affected the church universal4 ,see ,history of ,romanism1 pp4 #hh1 #hi4 ,very few marks of genuine piety remained4 ,with the decline of evangelical knowledge came a reign of superstition and ignorance4 ,milner1 adverting to the institution of monkery in the third century1 expresses his regret that the faith and love of the gospel received toward the close of it a dreadful blow from the encouragement of this unchristian practise4--,century ,,iii1 ,chap4 ,,xx4 ,in another place the same historian1 speaking of the absence of truth and the prevalence of error in the third century1 says3 ,it is vain to expect ,christian faith to abound without ,christian doctrine4 ,moral and philosophical and monastical instructions will not effect for men what is to be expected from evangelical doctrine4 ,and if the faith of ,christ was so much declined 7and its decayed state ought to be dated from about the year #bgj17 we need not wonder that such scenes as ,eusebius hints at without any circumstantial details1 took place in the ,christian world4--,century ,,iv1 ,chap4 ,i4 7,parenthetical clause is ,milner's2 italicizing1 mine47 ,in addition to this quotation1 and as if to give emphasis1 the historian places prominently in a side-head the words1 ,decay of pure ,christianity1 ,a4,d4 #bgj4 ,measuring forward from ,a4,d4 #bgj the alloted period of twelve hundred and sixty years brings us to ,a4,d4 #aecj1 a year which marked the beginning of ,protestantism in its organized form4 ,the first ,protestant creed1 the ,confession of ,augsburg1 was made that year4 ,the description of the papal power under the symbol of the ten-horned beast of ,revelation #ac and the little horn of ,daniel #g presents a melancholy picture of world-events during the long period of twelve hundred and sixty years ending with the sixteenth century reformation4 ,sidenote3 ,principle of parallelism ,before proceeding to give in chronological order a description of events following the reign of the beast1 ,i wish to call attention to an important plan followed in the ,biblical presentation of prophetic truth2 namely1 that the events are taken up by parallel series covering the same period of time4 ,but in addition to this point1 we observe the principle of contrast4 ,when the history of political events is described1 we have in contrast therewith a description of ecclesiastical events2 and with the representation of a false church or an apostate state of ,christianity1 we have in immediate contrast the history of ,god's chosen people4 ,or perhaps the order is reversed1 but the principle remains the same4 ,while1 in the nature of things1 these distinct lines can not always be well represented symbolically as occurring at the same time1 they are presented in parallel series1 thus proving that they were to be fulfilled simultaneously4 ,in direct contrast with the power of apostate ,christendom represented by the papacy1 which for certain reasons ,i have presented first1 we have in chapter #aa of the ,revelation a brief history of ,god's true people that existed during the papal reign4 ,in this case1 however1 a description of the apostasy and of the true church are presented in the same series and in such a way as to give special emphasis to the point of contrast as well as to prove their simultaneous fulfilment4 ,thus we read3 ,and there was given me a reed like unto a rod3 and the angel stood1 saying1 ,rise1 and measure the temple of ,god1 and the altar1 and them that worship therein4 ,but the court which is without the temple leave out1 and measure it not2 for it is given unto the ,gentiles3 and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months4 ,and ,i will give power unto my two witnesses1 and they shall prophecy a thousand two hundred and three score days1 clothed in sackcloth 7chap4 #aa3a-c74 ,it is clear that two powers in the ,christian era are here represented1 the one continuing forty and two months and the other twelve hundred and sixty days1 or years1 heretofore explained as measuring the length of the beast's reign1 also of the woman's seclusion in the wilderness4 ,this similarity naturally suggests that we have here the same general facts set forth under other symbols4 ,jerusalem1 the holy city1 the temple1 and the two witnesses therefore correspond to the woman of chapter #ab4 ,the crowd of uncircumcised ,gentiles and their profanation of the city of ,god for twelve hundred and sixty years correspond to the beast-power of chapter #ac4 ,wonderful truth is represented in the vision of this chapter4 ,the symbols are drawn from ,old ,testament history1 from the religious life of the ,jews--,god's chosen people in contrast with the uncircumcised ,gentiles4 ,it is evident1 therefore1 that the true church and the false church of the gospel era are represented4 ,notice carefully the symbols3 holy city1 temple1 altar1 worshipers1 and living witnesses1 or prophets4 ,these represent the sum and substance of all divine revelation in the ,mosaic age3 holy city1 ,jerusalem--the place where ,god set his name2 the temple--divinely authorised1 holy1 acceptable worship based on careful adherence to ,god's commandments formerly given2 the altar--the great symbol of atonement1 the reconciliation of humanity with the divinity2 the worshipers in one temple--all of ,god's people in unity2 the prophets--the divinely commissioned representatives of ,god bearing a living message for the people of their time4 ,these conditions represent the ,judaic ideal4 ,whether they were ever able to reach their ideal or not1 it is evident that the ,jews had the conception of a unified1 holy1 acceptable service 7see ,isa4 #d3c2 #eb3a2 #fb3a-g74 ,the two witnesses referred to are clearly represented as prophets2 for the work ascribed to them as attesting their divine commission is a repetition of the miraculous works of ,moses and ,elijah by which they established their claims to be prophetic leaders authorized by ,jehovah4 ,the witnesses seem to be distinguished from the worshipers simply on account of their power and message4 ,sidenote3 ,the two witnesses ,these symbols represent the true apostolic church4 ,it is the holy city1 ,jerusalem1 his temple1 whose holy1 united worshipers obey the commands of ,god4 ,the application of the witnesses particularly specified as they are in the description1 requires further explanation4 ,it is said1 ,these are the two olive trees and the two candlesticks standing before the ,god of the earth 7,rev4 #aa3d74 ,whatever these two witnesses signify in particular1 they are the same as the olive trees and candlesticks spoken of4 ,it appears that allusion is made to ,zechariah #d1 where two olive trees are represented as standing1 one on each side of a golden candlestick1 distilling into it their oil for light4 ,when the angel was asked for an explanation of these two olive trees and the candlestick1 he answered1 ,this is the ,word of the ,lord 444 by my ,spirit saith the ,lord 7verse #f74 ,we are to understand1 therefore1 that ,god's ,word and ,spirit are the two witnesses in his church2 that is1 they signify the divine element operating in his church4 ,just as the mediation of the prophets was necessary in the olden times to maintain constant contact with ,god1 without which the religious exercises degenerated to mere formalism1 so the living ,word and ,spirit of ,god were present in the apostolic church to elevate its service above mere human systems and forms of worship4 ,that the ,word of ,god and the ,spirit of ,god are special witnesses is proved by many texts4 ,jesus said1 ,search the scriptures 444 they are they which testify of me 7,john #e3ci74 ,this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations 7,matt4 #bd3ad74 ,the ,holy ,ghost also is a witness 7,heb4 #aj3ae74 ,the ,spirit itself beareth witness 7,rom4 #h3af74 ,it is the ,spirit that beareth witness 7#a ,john #e3f74 ,of the uncircumcised ,gentiles it is said1 ,the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months4 ,this signifies the great apostasy that overspread the earth1 defiling and perverting the true worship of ,god4 ,the burden of this series1 however1 is not to describe the foreign element thus introduced1 but to set forth in greater fulness the fact that during the same time that the idolatrous multitude of ,gentiles trod down the holy city ,god preserved his own people4 ,the temple still remained1 and it had devout worshipers2 the two witnesses still prophesied1 although clothed in sackcloth1 an emblem of melancholy and mourning4 ,while the visions of the ,revelator describe particularly the power of apostasy and iniquity reigning during the ,dark ,ages1 they do not fail to give us the assurance that at the same time ,god had a people whose names were written in the book of life 7chap4 #ac3h7--saints 7chap4 #ac2aj74 ,and these were made the object of the most violent persecution 7chap4 #ac3ag2 #ag3f74 ,it is rather difficult to trace the true work of ,god during those times2 for his saints were either ignored by the professed multitude or else regarded as heretics4 ,but there existed in different countries bands of people who opposed the doctrines and ecclesiastical tyranny of ,rome and who claimed adherence to the simple1 primitive faith of ,christ as expressed in the gospel4 ,among these were the ,cathari1 ,lombards1 ,albigenses1 ,waldenses1 and ,vaudois4 ,i will not say that all these so-called heretics are to be regarded as the true people of ,god1 but from the few records that we have of them1 derived chiefly from their enemies1 it seems clear that there were among them many who were truly saints and who clung tenaciously to the true faith of ,christ4 ,god's ,word and ,spirit were therefore prophesying1 although in an unnatural condition1 symbolized by the sackcloth state of the witnesses4 ,we must also remember that even among the ,catholic party were to be found noble persons whose hearts were true to whatever truth they had and whose emotions and aspirations at times broke over the bounds of traditional theology and gave expression to sentiments ,scriptural and sublime4 ,the time period first specified in this special scene is the same twelve hundred and sixty years that marks the reign of the beast and therefore closes with the reformation of the sixteenth century4 ,we shall have occasion to return to this series later and trace its predictions down to our own times4 ,,chapter ,,xiii ,,era ,,of ,,modern ,,sects ,sidenote3 ,another epoch predicted ,we have seen that the #a1bfj-year universal reign of the first beast of ,revelation #ac ends with the period of the ,reformation4 ,the exact manner in which this should be accomplished is not definitely given in the prophecy1 aside from the statement1 ,he that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity3 he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword 7verse #aj74 ,this description would seem to indicate a period of captivity in which the papacy would be deprived of its great power1 after which it would be finally destroyed2 and this agrees with ,paul's description of the papacy in #b ,thessalonians #b1 where he speaks of that ,wicked whom the ,lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth1 and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming 7verse #h74 ,and ,daniel1 speaking of the end of the #a1bfj-year reign of the same papal beast1 points out a reformation time when they shall take away his dominion1 to consume and to destroy it unto the end 7,dan4 #g3bf74 ,there is no doubt that these references point out the work of the ,reformation which broke the power of ,rome's universal supremacy and her long reign of tyranny over the earth4 ,humanism1 discovery of the art of printing1 the revival of learning1 and other causes contributed to this result4 ,but the real revolt came in #aeag1 when ,luther in ,saxony nailed to the church door in ,wittenberg his ninety five theses against the papal traffic in indulgences4 ,the ,reformers made their appeal from the decisions of ,councils to the inspired ,word of ,god1 and this was the secret of their success4 ,with wonderful power and boldness they proclaimed truth that had been neglected or discredited for ages4 ,the holy fire spread over ,western ,europe4 ,men became agitated as if moved by a mighty unseen power1 until the papacy was shaken from end to end4 ,sidenote3 ,protestantism in prophecy ,we regret that the true work of reformation did not long continue4 ,a4,d4 #aecj marks a new epoch--the rise of organized ,protestantism2 marks the end of the #a1bfj-year period1 and the introduction of another ecclesiastical power4 ,the historian ,d',aubigne recognizes the distinction between the ,reformation as such and organized ,protestantism4 ,in his well-known work1 ,history of the ,reformation1 he says3 ,the first two books of this volume contained the most important epochs of the ,reformation--the ,protest of ,spires and the ,confession of ,augsburg4444 ,i determined on bringing the reformation of ,germany and ,german-,switzerland to the decisive epochs of #aecj and #aeca4 ,the ,history of the ,reformation1 properly so-called1 is then in my opinion almost complete in those countries4 ,the work of faith has there attained its apogee3 that of conferences1 of interims1 of diplomacy begins4444 ,the movement of the sixteenth century has there made its effort4 ,i said from the very first1 ,it is the ,history of the ,reformation1 and not of ,protestantism1 that ,i am relating4--,preface to ,volume ,,iv4 ,protestantism1 then1 is to be distinguished from the ,reformation4 ,considering its prominence in the ecclesiastical world1 we should naturally expect to find it represented in the symbols of the ,revelation4 ,strangely enough1 few commentators ever make the least effort to identify ,protestantism with any of the symbols of this book4 ,mohammedanism is there2 ,paganism is there2 the true church is there1 and1 it is universally admitted1 the false church is there4 ,therefore1 whether ,protestantism be true or false1 it must be there1 but where8 ,the application of the first beast of ,revelation #ac to the papacy has been so clearly established that the point is well-nigh indisputable4 ,the period of its universal supremacy is clearly limited to the #a1bfj years4 ,and everyone knows that it was the sixteenth century reformation that ended that period of tyranny4 ,we have shown that that period ends with ,a4,d4 #aecj4 ,the prophecy immediately following describes ,protestantism in these words3 ,sidenote3 ,the two-horned beast ,and ,i beheld another beast coming up out of the earth2 and he had two horns like a lamb1 and he spake as a dragon4 ,and he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him1 and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast1 whose deadly wound was healed4 ,and he doeth great wonders1 so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men1 and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast2 saying to them that dwell on the earth1 that they should make an image to the beast1 which had the wound by a sword1 and did live4 ,and he had power to give life unto the image of the beast1 that the image of the beast should both speak1 and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed4 ,and he causeth all1 both small and great1 rich and poor1 free and bond1 to receive a mark in their right hand1 or in their foreheads3 and that no man might buy or sell1 save he that had the mark1 or the name of the beast1 or the number of his name4 ,here is wisdom4 ,let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast3 for it is the number of a man2 and his number is ,six hundred threescore and six 7,rev4 #ac3 #aa-ah74 ,protestant commentators generally apply both the ten-horned beast and the two-horned beast to ,rome1 the first representing the political power1 and the second the ecclesiastical power4 ,but this position1 while clearing ,protestantism of any moral stigma1 is such a manifest violation of the laws of symbolic language and the general principles of ,scriptural interpretation that ,i marvel that any critical thinker could decide to adopt it4 ,the two beasts are especially distinguished1 and in each case the symbol is complete4 ,the first beast combines with its beastly characteristics the qualities of the human1 as did the little horn of ,daniel #g1 thus clearly and positively representing both the political and the ecclesiastical dominion of ,rome4 ,it is the human characteristics that constitute the leading feature of the terrible work ascribed to the first beast2 therefore1 the papacy as a religious power is particularly intended4 ,hence the second beast can not be intended to represent the ecclesiastical phase of ,rome4 ,notice1 also1 that the symbol of the second beast is likewise complete in itself--animal and human--thus embracing both the political and the ecclesiastical4 ,another system totally distinct from the first is therefore represented4 ,i call attention to certain distinct points proving that these two beasts are not identical or simultaneous3 #a4 ,the first is spoken of as a beast2 the second is called another beast4 #b4 ,the first came up from the sea2 the second came out of the earth4 #c4 ,the first was like a leopard2 the second was like a lamb4 #d4 ,the first had ten horns signifying ten temporal kingdoms2 the second had two horns1 referring to but two temporal powers that supported it4 #e4 ,the first blasphemed ,god and his tabernacle1 and was therefore antichrist2 the second claimed to be the true prophet of ,god and brought down fire from heaven to attest his claim1 but he was in reality a false prophet 7chap4 #af3ac2 #ai3bj74 #f4 ,the first obtained his power and authority from the dragon which preceded him2 while the second derived his power from the ten-horned beast before him4 #g4 ,the first caused people to worship the preceding power styled the dragon2 while the second caused people to worship the first beast4 #h4 ,the first was to continue #a1bfj years2 while the reign of the second is not here stated1 but is covered in a parallel prophecy to which we shall refer later4 ,the first beast came up out of the sea1 which signifies the empire in an agitated state2 and it is a fact of history that the ten kingdoms came up through great political convulsions4 ,the empire was in a state of comparative quiet1 however1 when the second beast came up out of the earth4 ,this beast stands as the symbol of ,protestantism in ,europe1 although his power and influence was afterwards to extend to the whole world 7chap4 #af3ad74 ,but this beast existed first on the same territory occupied by the papacy2 therefore the two horns doubtless signify temporal kingdoms also1 and two of the original ten4 ,the two nations first to turn violently against the papacy and to become the chief supporters and defenders of ,protestantism were ,germany and ,england4 ,it is evident that the second beast of ,revelation #ac was not to be such a terrible power politically as was the first beast1 for it is described merely as having two horns like a lamb4 ,but as soon as we enter the department to which speaking by analogy refers us1 we find him to be a great religious power1 and it is in this character alone that he is delineated in the remainder of the chapter4 ,that his religious power is his leading characteristic is further proved by the fact that in every subsequent reference he is styled the false prophet 7chap4 #af3ac2 #ai3bj2 #bj3aj74 ,every reference which ,i give to the second beast must therefore be understood as signifying the religious system known as ,protestantism4 ,this beast was to exercise great power--all the power of the first beast before him4 ,by this expression we are to understand that ,protestantism was to exert a universal influence2 that it was to become a leading factor in the world's history1 as was ,romanism before it4 ,this has already been fulfilled4 ,the leading nations of the world today1 the nations that have contributed most to the development of modern civilization and to the light and progress of the age1 are ,protestant nations4 ,those countries that have retained the yoke of ,romanism are still withering under its blighting influence4 ,it is said that this beast causes people to worship the first beast4 ,this is parallel to the statement that during the reign of the first beast the people worshiped the dragon1 which in reality preceded it4 ,i have shown that the devotees of ,romanism worshiped the dragon by perpetuating in their religious ceremonies and worship the practises of paganism4 ,likewise ,protestants have brought over and incorporated in their religious system doctrines1 rites1 and ceremonies that originated in ,romanism2 and in this respect they worship the first beast1 even in the very act of rendering service to their own system4 ,such doctrines as infantile damnation1 sprinkling for baptism1 the eternal destruction of all those who are outside the pales of the church1 infant baptism1 and other things are all children of the apostasy originating in ,rome4 ,the ,romish ,church possesses a human ecclesiastical headship and an earthly government ruling in the place of ,christ1 and ,protestants make an image to this beast by building their sects in imitation--sects made and ruled by men4 ,to these they attach their own names and the distinctive creeds and doctrines of men1 and thus their devotees receive the mark and name of the beast4 ,at this point we must make a distinction which1 being true in the facts of history1 must necessarily be intended in the symbolic representation4 ,this beast was to bring down fire from heaven4 ,according to the symbols of chapter #ab1 the woman1 or true church1 fled into the wilderness1 where she hath a place prepared of ,god1 that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days4 ,the time prophecy is the same1 and covers the same period1 as the reign of the papal beast4 ,therefore1 just as an important change in the papacy occurred at the expiration of that prophetic period1 so also a radical change must be expected with reference to the true church3 it must be no longer completely obscured in the wilderness4 ,now1 as the ,reformation and ,protestantism as a religion were the means of ending ,rome's universal spiritual supremacy1 so also they must be regarded as possessing sufficient light and truth to bring into prominence once more the work of the ,spirit and the true people of ,god4 ,fire from heaven may therefore be regarded as describing the divine work of reformation1 the unfolding of truth accompanied by the saving power of ,god4 ,such spiritual work has accompanied the origin of various religious movements during the ,protestant era4 ,the general description of the two-horned beast1 however1 makes prominent an evil characteristic--the disposition to lead the people into deception by making an image to the beast and then worshiping it4 ,the evil is not located in the ability to bring down fire from heaven1 but in the deceptive work of image-making and image-worship1 for which the spiritual work simply furnished an occasion4 ,the spiritual work of reformation is1 therefore1 to be distinguished from the later work of creed-and sect-making2 and since the beast takes advantage of the manifestation of spiritual power and deceives men1 he becomes a sort of apostate and is denominated the false prophet 7see chap4 #af3ac2 #ai3bj74 ,the beast1 ecclesiastically considered1 stands as the symbol of the religious system and practise of ,protestantism as a whole--a peculiar combination of truth and error1 of good and bad1 of fire from heaven and false miracle-working power 7chap4 #af3ad72 while the image to the beast signifies the sectarian institution--the man-made and man-controlled unscriptural sect machinery constructed in imitation of the papal original4 ,to construct such earth-born churches and lead people to adore and worship them is but a species of idolatry and the rankest deception4 ,it is a sad fact1 in ,protestantism as well as in ,catholicism1 that vast multitudes of people are more devoted to their respective churches than to the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,they can witness the open rejection of ,god's precious ,word and the vilest profanation of his holy name without uttering a word of protest2 but let any one say a word against their church1 and instantly they are aroused to the highest pitch of indignation4 ,beast-worshipers6 ,the ,protestant era has witnessed many wonderful reformations in which the true fire of ,god fell upon waiting souls1 but this initial work of the ,spirit has in each instance been employed as an excuse for taking the next step--making an image2 and thousands of honest souls1 lacking better light1 have been induced to submit to such human organization4 ,those of this number who were truly saved1 however1 always loved and adored their ,lord more than the human church to which they were attached1 and consequently they should not be regarded as beast-worshipers4 ,they are the ones whom the ,lord denominates his people when the voice calls them out of ,babylon 7chap4 #ah3d74 ,the second beast also exhibits the characteristics of a persecuting power1 and in this respect it is similar to the ten-horned beast4 ,the early history of ,protestantism shows that at that time the principle of religious intolerance brought over from ,romanism manifested itself in the actual putting to death of numerous dissenters4 ,thus1 we find ,calvin1 at ,geneva1 consenting to the burning of ,servetus because of a difference in religious views4 ,at a convention in ,torgau1 in #aegd1 the ,lutherans established the real presence of ,christ in the eucharist and then instigated the ,elector of ,saxony to seize1 imprison1 and banish those who differed from them in sentiment1 as a result of which ,peucer suffered ten years of the severest imprisonment and ,crellius was put to death4 ,the ,protestant ,council of ,zurich condemned ,felix ,mantz to be drowned because he insisted that infant sprinkling was not baptism4 ,in ,england the ,bloody ,six ,articles of ,henry ,,viii are a silent testimony to the intolerant spirit of that age1 when the royal reformer dragged dissenters forth to execution4 ,witness also the twelve years' imprisonment of ,john ,bunyan and hundreds of others confined in jails throughout the country2 the persecution of the ,quakers2 the relentless opposition to the ,covenanters of ,scotland1 who were hunted and destroyed like beasts because they insisted on their right to worship ,god in their own way4 ,it was this intolerant spirit that drove the ,puritans to the inhospitable shores of ,america1 where they might have the free privilege of worshiping ,god according to the dictates of their own conscience4 ,it is possible that the persecuting principle ascribed to the two-horned beast may include both the literal and the ecclesiastical cutting off1 reference being made directly to the spirit of intolerance which manifested itself first in literal slaughter and later in an unwarranted ecclesiastical exclusiveness4 ,the number of the beast alludes to his pretentious claims and is probably a symbol of division4 ,the definite number #fff is said to be also the number of a man1 and since the pope is the most important man connected with the papal system1 it is natural to identify him with the individual referred to4 ,paul doubtless pointed out the pope particularly as the man of sin1 the son of perdition 7#b ,thess4 #b3c74 ,in former ages1 before the modern system of notation was introduced1 the only method of denoting numbers was by employing the letters of the alphabet1 certain letters having the power of number as well as of sound4 ,we still employ the same system for certain purposes4 ,the number of a name was simply the number denoted by the several letters of that name4 ,the pope has a special title4 ,he wears in jeweled letters upon his mitre the inscription1 ,vicarius ,filii ,dei--,vicar of the ,son of ,god4 ,taking from his name all the letters that the ,latins used for numerals1 we have just #fff4 ,the era of modern sects is also covered in other places in ,revelation1 for the ecclesiastical history of the ,christian dispensation is described under different parallel series of symbolism4 ,in the other series1 however1 the symbols representing ,protestantism stand so closely connected with predictions of the last reformation that ,i shall not attempt to enumerate them in this chapter1 but shall consider them briefly in connection with those symbols describing the great final religious movement toward which all the prophetic lines of truth converge and which forms the special subject of the present work4 ,,chapter ,,xiv ,,the ,,last ,,reformation ,the scene changes1 and again we have the picture of ,god's chosen people set in bright relief against the dark background of ,protestantism and the still darker shades of papal apostasy4 ,sidenote3 ,the #add1jjj on ,mount ,zion ,and ,i looked1 and1 lo1 a ,lamb stood on ,mount ,sion1 and with him an hundred forty and four thousand1 having his ,father's name written in their foreheads4 ,and ,i heard a voice from heaven1 as the voice of many waters1 and as the voice of a great thunder3 and ,i heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps3 and they sung as it were a new song before the throne1 and before the four beasts1 and the elders3 and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand1 which were redeemed from the earth4 ,these are they which were not defiled with women2 for they are virgins4 ,these are they which follow the ,lamb whithersoever he goeth4 ,these were redeemed from among men1 being the first-fruits unto ,god and to the ,lamb4 ,and in their mouth was found no guile3 for they are without fault before the throne of ,god 7,rev4 #ad3a-e74 ,what a contrast with the beast powers described in the preceding chapter of the ,revelation6 ,this redeemed company is on ,mount ,zion1 not hidden in the darkness of the wilderness4 ,they are with the ,lamb1 not wandering after the beast4 ,instead of being oppressed and overcome by opposers1 they are singing the joyful song of redemption and harping with their harps2 and instead of having the mark of the beast1 they have their ,father's name written in their foreheads4 ,the manner in which this joyful1 redeemed company is distinguished from the host of beast-worshipers brought to light under the preceding symbols1 proclaims unmistakably the fact that we have here a description of the true people of ,god who have obtained victory over the apostasy4 ,in other words1 a distinct reformation is predicted4 ,this sublime scene is not a description of heaven1 for the context shows its direct contact with the forms of apostate ,christianity with which it is placed in contrast on earth4 ,certain leading figures in the scene1 as ,christ the ,lamb and a number of angels1 are heavenly beings2 but their presence simply shows the divine character of the work in contrast with those other religious powers1 one of which came up out of the sea and the other out of the earth4 ,besides1 we have already shown that whenever angels figure in the symbolic scene on earth1 they represent distinguished agencies among men1 and the message of good angels1 being obviously from heaven1 is therefore the message of ,god4 ,when different angels1 bearing different messages1 appear in the same general symbolic scene1 they represent not isolated or independent movements1 but different phases of the same work4 ,the ,revelator introduces another phase of the religious movement under consideration with these words3 ,and ,i saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven1 having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth1 and to every nation1 and kindred1 and tongue1 and people1 saying with a loud voice1 ,fear ,god1 and give glory to him2 for the hour of his judgment is come3 and worship him that made heaven1 and earth1 and the sea1 and the fountains of waters 7verses #f1 #g74 ,in the message of the angel there are set forth a number of distinct truths4 ,prominence is given to the call to worship the one true ,god4 ,this stands in contrast with the apostasy preceding2 for under the papacy its adherents worshiped the dragon and they worshiped the beast1 while the second beast caused people to worship the first beast and to worship the image of the beast4 ,the message of this angel is universal and indicates a world-wide missionary effort in which the true ,god and his holy worship alone will be exalted1 and that before the end of time1 for the judgment is set forth as an impending event for which men must speedily prepare4 ,but the description does not end here4 ,an awful revelation1 falling like hail-stones or coals of fire upon the heads of the devotees of modern churchianity1 is proclaimed by divine authority3 ,and there followed another angel1 saying1 ,babylon is fallen1 is fallen1 that great city1 because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication4 ,and the third angel followed them1 saying with a loud voice1 ,if any man worship the beast and his image1 and receive his mark in his forehead1 or in his hand1 the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of ,god1 which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation 7verses #h-aj74 ,here we are brought face to face with some of the most solemn truths contained in the ,book of ,god4 ,the very powers of apostate ,christianity just described under the symbols of two beasts are now represented by the angel as ,babylon2 for1 be it observed1 the divine message is against those who worship the beast and his image4 ,the image was made by the second beast4 ,therefore ,babylon includes both ,romanism and ,protestantism--the whole realm of formal churchianity2 and beast-worship is here condemned in one of the most terrible denunciations found in all the ,word of ,god4 ,all the evils inherent in the false1 unscriptural systems of so-called ,christianity are here summed up under the one word ,babylon1 of which we shall have more to say later4 ,two things prominently brought out in these symbols should be remembered1 however--first1 that even during the reign of the beast and his image1 ,god had true people who were carefully distinguished in the prophecy as those whose names were written in the book of life and who would not worship the image of the beast2 and second1 that the symbolic scene now being considered represents these saved individuals as gathered out into one company with the ,lamb on ,mount ,zion1 before the end of time4 ,the illustration is that of the joyful ,israelites who made their return to ,zion after the fall of literal ,babylon1 where they were long held in captivity4 ,this is the illustration and the prophetic description2 therefore we may rest assured that just as truly as time revealed the rise of the papal and ,protestant systems1 as set forth in the symbols of the ,revelation1 just so surely will there come before the end of time a revival of pure1 apostolic ,christianity1 a reformation in which the true people of ,god will take their stand outside of all forms of the apostasy and carry the full gospel of the ,son of ,god to every nation1 and kindred1 and tongue1 and people4 ,we have traced in prophetic symbolism the four epochs of the ,christian dispensation represented respectively by the star-crowned woman1 the leopard-beast1 the two-horned beast1 and the redeemed company gathered together with the ,lamb on ,mount ,zion4 ,the papal period1 represented by the leopard-beast1 continued for #a1bfj years1 its universal sway terminating with the sixteenth century reformation4 ,the length of the ,protestant reign following is not stated in this series4 ,sidenote3 ,the two witnesses ,let us now return to the description of the two witnesses given in ,revelation #aa4 ,we have already considered the first part of that symbolic description pertaining to the #a1bfj years during which the holy city was to be trodden under foot and the two witnesses were to prophesy in sackcloth2 and we have shown that this description is exactly parallel with the prophecy that set forth the period of the papal supremacy4 ,but the description continues1 covering the era of modern sects and leading up to the work of a final reformation4 ,after describing the #a1bfj-year prophecy of the two witnesses1 the narrative continues3 ,and when they shall have finished their testimony1 the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them1 and shall overcome them1 and kill them4 ,and their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city1 which spiritually is called ,sodom and ,egypt1 where also our ,lord was crucified4 ,and they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half1 and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves4 ,and they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them1 and make merry1 and shall send gifts one to another2 because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth 7,rev4 #aa3g-aj74 ,sidenote3 ,the witnesses slain ,this intricate picture of symbolical imagery is placed chronologically just after the #a1bfj-year reign of ,romanism and hence it was to meet its fulfilment during the ,protestant era4 ,it describes in the most graphic and realistic manner the evil characteristics and tendencies of the sect-system4 ,i have already shown that in the primitive church the two witnesses--the ,word and the ,spirit of ,god--were the real vicars of ,christ1 giving both character and government to the universal church of ,god on earth4 ,we have also seen that with the rise of human ecclesiasticism the reign of the ,word and ,spirit ended in so far as the ,church of ,rome was concerned4 ,the same is true also of ,protestantism4 ,the establishment of man-made creeds and the concentration and centralization of church power and governmental authority in human hands--a church-rule patterned after the kingdoms of this world--is a rejection of the divine government of ,god just as the appointment of a king in the ,old ,testament times was a rejection of ,god's plan of governing ,israel4 ,in this sense ,god's two witnesses have been openly ignored and rejected in ,protestantism as well as in ,romanism and the ancient churches of the ,east1 and man-made creeds and systems of government substituted in their stead4 ,they are1 therefore1 represented as slain1 although of course a certain amount of respect is still shown them in that they are not suffered to be wholly put out of sight4 ,sidenote3 ,the witnesses resurrected ,and after three days and an half the spirit of life from ,god entered into them1 and they stood upon their feet2 and great fear fell upon them which saw them4 ,and they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them1 ,come up hither4 ,and they ascended up to heaven in a cloud2 and their enemies beheld them4 ,and the same hour was there a great earthquake1 and the tenth part of the city fell1 and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand3 and the remnant were affrighted1 and gave glory to the ,god of heaven4 ,the second woe is past2 and1 behold1 the third woe cometh quickly 7verses #aa-ad74 ,the resurrection of the witnesses doubtless signifies a time of reformation and implies its true character4 ,if the death of the witnesses was the result of ecclesiasticism and false teaching1 their resurrection must signify a final triumph over ecclesiasticism and the restoration of primitive ,christianity under the direct authority and government of ,god4 ,even omitting all details in this complex description1 we can scarcely avoid the conclusion that if the general description given in this chapter means anything1 it means the restoration of ,christianity before the end of time to the condition in which it existed before the apostasy4 ,sidenote3 ,the time prophecy ,the time prophecy three days and a half is difficult to explain except in the light of clearly ascertained historical facts4 ,the term day is of itself very indefinite1 being used in the ,scriptures to designate periods of different length4 ,in the description under consideration it evidently can not signify the ordinary #bd-;hour day nor yet the year-day2 for it covers the ,protestant period following the #a1bfj-year reign of ,romanism and preceding the ,last ,reformation--the same period of time covered by the second beast of ,revelation #ac4 ,the events of the ,protestant period naturally divide it into shorter epochs of about a century each in length4 ,the historian ,d',aubigne1 who wrote about #ahce1 noticed this distinction and referred to it in his famous ,history of the ,reformation4 ,these are his words3 ,it has been said that the three last centuries1 the sixteenth1 the seventeenth1 and the eighteenth may be conceived as an immense battle of three days' duration4 ,we willingly adopt this beautiful comparison 444 the first day was the battle of ,god1 the second the battle of the priest1 the third the battle of ,reason4 ,what will be the fourth8 ,in our opinion the confused strife1 the deadly contest of all these powers together ,,to ,,end ,,in ,,the ,,victory ,,of ,,him ,,to ,,whom ,,triumph ,,belongs4--,book ,,xi1 ,chap4 #i4 ,three days and a half1 or three hundred and fifty years1 after the formation of the first ,protestant creed1 in #aecj1 ,god began to reveal special light and truth on his ,word and to cause a great awakening1 which is gradually resulting in the rejection of human ecclesiastical rule1 the recognition of the primitive government of ,god1 and the restoration of all the pure truths of the ,word of ,god4 ,another point in the prophecy under consideration assists us in fixing the chronology of the reformation predicted4 ,the great earthquake stands closely associated with the time of the resurrection and exaltation of the witnesses4 ,the principles of interpreting symbols would lead us to identify this earthquake as a mighty political convulsion destructive in its nature1 and yet one that would be overruled for the furtherance of ,christ's kingdom--a convulsion that would also terminate the destructive reign of the second woe4 ,i can not here digress to give proofs1 but there is no doubt that the second woe of ,revelation 7see chap4 #i3ac-bj7 signifies the political dominancy of the ,ottoman ,empire4 ,this power1 constituting the political backbone of ,mohammedanism1 has indeed been a most serious woe upon the inhabitants of the earth and an obstacle in the path of true missionary progress4 ,with these facts before us1 we can clearly see that the earthquake was the great ,european ,war and that we are now living in the time when a special reformation is due4 ,sidenote3 ,another important series ,another parallel series of prophecies covering the same ground and terminating at the same point will bring the subject of the ,last ,reformation to a grand climax4 ,i have shown that the religious powers described in ,revelation #ac as two beasts were also termed ,babylon4 ,we shall now give a more particular description of this antitype of the ,old ,testament ,babylon4 ,the ,euphratean city--,babylon--the proud metropolis of the ,chaldean monarchy1 combined in itself the corruptions and wickedness of the world and then filled up the measure of its sins by destroying the temple in ,jerusalem and leading into captivity the chosen people of ,god4 ,when ,john wrote1 however1 this ancient city was no more4 ,it had long since been destroyed1 and it has never been rebuilt to this day4 ,even the ,arab refuses to pitch his tent among its lonely1 serpent-infested ruins4 ,the city to which the apostle alludes in these prophecies must therefore refer1 not to ancient ,babylon1 but to some other analogous power which was yet to arise and of which the old ,babylon was a type4 ,,outline ,,of ,,parallel ,,prophecies ,,showing ,,four ,,ecclesiastical ,,epochs ---------------------------------------- ----------------------------------- ,the ,apostolic ,the ,medieval ,period ,era of ,modern ,the ,last ,period ,sects ,reformation ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,dragon ,,leopard-,,beast ,,two-,,horned ,,fall ,,of ,rev4 #ab3c1 #d1 ,rev4 #ac3a-aj ,,beast ,,babylon #g-ag ,rev4 #ac3aa-ah ,rev4 #ad3a-i ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,pure ,,woman ,,woman ,,secluded ,,in #add1jjj ,,on ,,mount ,rev4 #ab ,,the ,,wilderness ,,zion ,rev4 #ab3f ,rev4 #ad3a-f ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,temple ,,and ,,holy ,,city ,,trodden ,,two ,,witnesses ,,witnesses ,,true ,,worship ,,down ,,slain ,,resurrected ,rev4 #aa3a ,rev4 #aa3b ,rev4 #aa3g-aj ,rev4 #aa3aa-ad ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,great ,,babylon ,,harlot ,,god',s ,,people ,rev4 #ag3a-f ,,daughters ,,called ,,out ,rev4 #ag3e ,rev4 #ah3a-d ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,fourth ,,reign ,,of ,,the ,,christ',s ,,kingdom ,,beast ,,little ,,horn ,,triumphant ,dan4 #i3g1 #bc1 ,dan4 #g3h1 #bj-be ,dan4 #g3bf1 #bg2 #bd #b3cd1 #ce ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,sidenote3 ,great ,babylon ,a more particular description of the antitypical ,babylon is given by the ,revelator in the seventeenth chapter1 as follows3 ,and there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials1 and talked with me1 saying unto me1 ,come hither2 ,i will show unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters3 with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication1 and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication4 ,so he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness3 and ,i saw a woman sit upon a scarlet-colored beast1 full of names of blasphemy1 having seven heads and ten horns4 ,and the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color1 and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls1 having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication3 and upon her forehead was a name written1 ,,mystery1 ,,babylon ,,the ,,great1 ,,the ,,mother ,,of ,,harlots ,,and ,,abominations ,,of ,,the ,,earth4 ,and ,i saw a woman drunken with the blood of the saints1 and with the blood of the martyrs of ,jesus3 and when ,i saw her1 ,i wondered with great admiration 7verses #a-f74 ,the careful student will immediately perceive that we have here another representation of the same apostate powers already described under other symbols4 ,the leading figures--a woman and a beast--combine symbols from human life and animal life1 thus representing clearly the union of civil and ecclesiastical power4 ,the combination is exactly the same in its essential characteristics as that presented by the first beast of ,revelation #ac4 ,and since it is the same seven-headed and ten-horned beast1 representing the same political power1 we conclude that the human characteristics exhibited in this connection symbolize the same religious power--the ,church of ,rome4 ,in the present vision1 however1 the ecclesiastical phase is singled out and particularly distinguished and described1 thus placing special emphasis on the papal church itself in contradistinction to the temporal power of the empire4 ,the political phase of ,rome's history has already been sufficiently described for our present purpose4 ,we shall1 therefore1 devote our attention to the ecclesiastical phase as developed under this particular symbol of the woman4 ,the nature of the symbol itself fixes the interpretation4 ,a woman must of necessity symbolize a church1 but we must determine by the character of the woman whether or not the true church or a false church is represented4 ,the woman of the vision was splendidly attired and evidently occupied a prominent place2 for she is represented as riding on the beast1 the political empire1 thus directing its course2 and she is also represented as sitting upon many waters1 interpreted as peoples1 and multitudes1 and nations1 and tongues 7verse #ae71 denoting her wide influence over distant nations4 ,she is not simply represented as a prominent person1 however1 but as a vile character4 ,she is a great whore1 with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication4 ,it is clear that in ,scripture false1 idolatrous worship is represented as whoredom 7see #a ,chron4 #e3 #be2 ,ezekiel #af and #bc74 ,hence a false church is represented4 ,sidenote3 ,mother and daughters ,there is only one church that can fulfil the description1 and that is the ,church of ,rome4 ,long has she delighted in calling herself the mother church1 but centuries before she made this claim1 the pen of inspiration affixed to her indelibly the title of mother--,,mother ,,of ,,harlots ,,and ,,abominations ,,of ,,the ,,earth4 ,she bore upon her forehead this inscription1 together with the title ,mystery1 ,babylon the ,great4 ,other false apostate churches there are1 but she heads the list and is the mother of them all4 ,no wonder the apostle marveled when he saw this professed church of ,jesus ,christ defiled by the most abominable wickedness1 in league with all the evil powers of earth1 and1 above all1 drunken with the blood of the saints1 and with the blood of the martyrs of ,jesus4 ,that ,rome from the date she became firmly established in power has ever been a constant persecutor of the saints1 the pages of all history abundantly attest4 ,even ,rome's ecclesiastical writers and historians themselves admit her use of force in destroying those whom she denominated heretics4 ,revelation #ag covers the same period chronologically and ends at the same point of time as did chapter #ac4 ,hence we should naturally suppose that it would also describe in some manner the power symbolized by the two-horned beast--,protestantism--as well as duplicate the description of the ten-horned beast--,catholicism4 ,that the papacy is symbolized in chapter #ag by the corrupt whore sitting on the ten-horned beast1 is too plain to need any particular demonstration4 ,the other division of the apostasy is included under the term harlots1 the daughters of the mother church4 ,in our interpretation of chapter #ad we showed that the angel clearly applied the term ,babylon to the worshipers of the second beast--,protestantism--as well as to those of the first beast4 ,therefore we must regard ,babylon as a general term denoting the whole city of religious confusion1 the mother and her harlot daughters being simply specific divisions4 ,sidenote3 ,testimony of commentators ,many commentators1 even ,protestant commentators1 have been frank enough to admit the real application and force of these symbols of ,revelation as applying to both ,catholicism and ,protestantism4 ,auberlen asserts that 'harlot' means1 in the ,old and ,new ,testaments1 the apostate church of ,god4--,prophecies of ,daniel and the ,revelation1 p4 #bgh4 ,again1 he says1 ,not simply ,rome1 but ,christendom as a whole1 even as ,israel as a whole1 has become a harlot4 ,the true believers are hidden and dispersed4--,ibid41 p4 #bij4 ,while it may not be exactly in accordance with the ,scriptures to speak of the true church of ,god as being apostate1 yet in a sense it is true1 for a large part of those who originally constituted the church of ,god actually did apostatize1 until a false church assumed almost universal sway and divers forms of error prevailed1 practically eclipsing1 for a long period1 the true church of ,god on earth4 ,auberlen stated his conclusion in these words3 ,notwithstanding the universal character of the harlot1 it remains true that the ,roman and ,greek churches are in a more peculiar sense the harlot than the ,evangelical ,protestant4--,p4 #bid4 ,in the well-known ,commentary by ,jamieson1 ,fausset1 and ,brown1 the ,rev4 ,a4,r4 ,fausset1 writing on ,rev4 #ag3b1 says of the harlot3 ,it can not be ,pagan ,rome but ,papal ,rome1 if a particular seat of error be meant1 but ,i am inclined to think that the judgment 7chap4 #ah3b7 and the spiritual fornication 7chap4 #ah3c71 though finding their culmination in ,rome1 are not restricted to it1 but comprise the whole apostate church--,roman1 ,greek1 and even ,protestant1 so far as it has been seduced from its 'first love' to ,christ1 the heavenly ,bridegroom1 and given its affections to worldly pomps and idols4 ,william ,kincaid1 in ,bible ,doctrine1 p4 #bdi1 says3 ,i think ,christ has a true church on earth1 but its members are scattered among the various denominations1 and are more or less under the influence of mystery ,babylon and her daughters4 ,alexander ,campbell said3 ,the worshiping establishments now in operation throughout ,christendom1 increased and cemented by their respective voluminous confessions of faith1 and their ecclesiastical constitutions1 are not churches of ,jesus ,christ1 but the legitimate daughters of that mother of harlots1 the ,church of ,rome4 ,lorenzo ,dow says of the ,romish ,church3 ,if she be the mother1 who are the daughters8 ,it must be the corrupt1 national1 established churches that came out of her4--,dow's ,life1 p4 #edb4 ,again1 ,hahn in ,auberlen says3 ,the harlot is not ,rome alone 7though she is preeminently so71 but every church that has not ,christ's mind and spirit4 ,false ,christendom1 divided into very many sects1 is truly ,babylon1 i4e41 confusion4 ,the description of the two forms of the apostasy1 ,papal and ,protestant1 given in the thirteenth chapter of ,revelation1 was conveyed under the symbols of two beasts1 differing in external appearance1 but in certain respects similar in character4 ,immediately following that representation there is1 as we have already shown1 a description of a distinct reformatory work set forth by the #add1jjj with the ,lamb on ,mount ,zion1 the fall of ,babylon1 and the promulgation of the everlasting gospel in all the world4 ,the term ,babylon as used in that scripture is applied to both the worshipers of the beast and the worshipers of the image of the beast 7made by the second beast72 therefore it embraces both forms of the apostasy4 ,we have just seen that the description of ,babylon1 given in ,revelation #ag under the symbols of a corrupt woman and her harlot daughters1 represent the papal church and the divisions of ,protestantism4 ,we shall now proceed to show that the two lines of prophecy 7chaps4 #ac and #ag7 are parallel chronologically1 for they both end at the same time and in the same manner4 ,sidenote3 ,the last reformation ,as the first of these two series of prophecy ended with the fall of ,babylon and the deliverance therefrom of a people who were with the ,lamb1 not wandering after the beast1 and who had the ,father's name written in their foreheads1 not the name or the mark of the beast1 so also the second series ends in the same manner4 ,after describing ,babylon under its twofold form1 mother and daughters1 the ,revelator says3 ,after these things ,i saw another angel come down from heaven1 having great power2 and the earth was lightened with his glory4 ,and he cried mightily with a strong voice1 saying1 ,babylon the great is fallen1 is fallen1 and is become the habitation of devils1 and the hold of every foul spirit1 and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird4 ,for all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication1 and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her1 and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies4 ,and ,i heard another voice from heaven1 saying1 ,come out of her1 my people1 that ye be not partakers of her sins1 and that ye receive not of her plagues 7chap4 #ah3a-d74 ,a movement of mighty power is symbolized in these verses4 ,the language is based on the experience of the ancient ,israelites in literal ,babylon1 who1 when the fall of the city occurred1 obtained release from their enforced captivity1 and were permitted to return to their own land4 ,the real meaning in this case is clear3 that apostate ,christianity has been a veritable ,babylon in which the true people of ,god have been held as in captivity1 and that the time of their deliverance would come1 when they would1 by divine authority1 be called out4 ,notice the parallelism in the two descriptions of the fall of ,babylon4 ,in chapter #ad an angel declares ,babylon is fallen1 is fallen 7verse #h71 and the next angel with a loud voice warns that those who worship the beast and his image 444 shall drink of the wine of the wrath of ,god 7verses #i1 #aj72 while in chapter #ah the first angel cries mightily with a strong voice1 saying1 ,babylon the great is fallen1 is fallen 7verse #b71 and another voice from heaven says1 ,,come ,,out ,,of ,,her1 ,,my ,,people1 that ye be not partakers of her sins1 and that ye receive not of her plagues 7verse #d74 ,that this symbolic picture represents a wonderful religious reformation is almost too clear to need proof1 for it succeeded chronologically1 and is placed in direct contrast with1 the apostasy2 hence there can be but one logical conclusion1 namely1 that neither ,catholicism nor ,protestantism is the last work and that ,god has authorized a work that shall gather his true people out of the entire babel of sect confusion4 ,and that this movement is to be effected before the end of time is also clearly shown4 ,in the following chapter1 after describing ,god's judgment on ,babylon1 and the call of his people out of her1 a voice came out of the throne1 saying1 ,praise our ,god1 all ye his servants1 and ye that fear him1 both small and great 7verse #e74 ,god's servants are called upon to rejoice on account of their deliverance4 ,those who are at heart image-makers and beast-worshipers will oppose this truth1 and when they witness the departure of the faithful followers of the ,lord1 leaving to ,babylon nothing but the godless1 graceless professors1 they will weep and mourn over her 7chap4 #ah3af7 and cry1 ,alas1 alas that great city 7verse #af74 ,but the voice of heaven calls on the saints for a song of thanksgiving1 saying1 ,rejoice over her1 thou heaven1 and ye holy apostles and prophets 7verse #bj74 ,yea1 praise our ,god1 all ye his servants1 and ye that fear him1 both small and great 7chap4 #ai3e74 ,are we to expect such a response8 ,yes4 ,it is true in the prophecy and will therefore be true in fact before time ends4 ,and ,i heard as it were the voice of a great multitude1 and as the voice of many waters1 and as the voice of mighty thunderings1 saying1 ,alleluia3 for the ,lord ,god omnipotent reigneth4 ,let us be glad and rejoice1 and give honor to him3 for the marriage of the ,lamb is come1 and his wife hath made herself ready4 ,and to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen1 clean and white3 for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints 7chap4 #ai3f-h74 ,the scriptures just cited complete another line of symbolic truth4 ,the primitive church was represented as a pure woman1 the bride 7chap4 #ab3a74 ,during the reign of the papacy a false1 immoral woman reigned over the kings of the earth1 while the true woman1 or church1 was hidden 'in the wilderness' 7chap4 #ab3 #f74 ,under the reign of ,protestantism her members were scattered in all parts of the city of ,babylon4 ,but1 thank ,god1 they are to be called out of their scattered condition1 and as a company are represented in two forms--first1 as a redeemed host with the ,lamb on ,mount ,zion1 bearing the ,father's name only 7chap4 #ad3a-e71 and second1 as the bride of ,christ preparing herself for the soon coming of the ,lord4 ,this is proof positive that the true church is to be brought out and placed on exhibition before the end of time4 ,others of the sacred writers describe this same prophetic movement4 ,zechariah predicts it thus3 ,and it shall come to pass in that day1 that the light shall not be clear1 nor dark3 but it shall be one day which shall be known to the ,lord1 not day1 nor night3 but it shall come to pass1 that at evening time it shall be light 7,zech4 #ad3f1 #g74 ,these verses stand a little clearer in the ,septuagint ,version3 ,and it shall come to pass in that day the papal day that there shall be no light3 and there shall be for one day the ,protestant day cold and frost3 and that day shall be known to the ,lord2 it shall not be day or night a mixture of light and darkness3 but towards evening it shall be light4 ,we have seen that ,daniel predicted the long reign of darkness and apostasy in the ,christian dispensation4 ,desiring to understand the matter1 he made inquiry1 and although the same thoughts are beautifully expressed in the ,authorized ,version1 ,i shall1 nevertheless1 quote from the ,septuagint1 which makes the thought still clearer3 ,when will be the end of the wonders which thou hast mentioned8 ,and ,i heard the man clothed in linen 444 swear by ,him that lives forever1 that it should be for a time of times and half a time3 when the dispersion is ended they shall know all these things 7,dan4 #ab3f1 #g74 ,a time1 and times1 and the dividing of time is the same prophetic period of #a1bfj years1 the reign of the papacy4 ,this was to be followed by a period of dispersion1 and such ,protestantism has been1 for the people of ,god have been scattered in hundreds of bodies4 ,but this dispersion was to be ended some time1 and then the people of ,god would know all these things4 ,and ,i heard1 but ,i understood not3 and said ,i1 ,o ,lord1 what will be the end of these things8 ,and he said1 ,go1 ,daniel3 for the words are closed and sealed up to the time of the end 7verse #i74 ,at the time of the end the dispersal of ,god's saints was to cease4 ,this predicts the evening-time reformation1 and the nature of its work is shown in the following verse3 ,many must be ,,chosen ,,out1 and thoroughly whitened1 and tried with fire1 and sanctified 7verse #aj74 ,the same spiritual movement is also predicted by ,ezekiel4 ,in chapter #cd he describes the people of ,god as sheep 7see verse #ca74 ,these sheep are represented as abused1 oppressed1 and scattered by false shepherds4 ,their gathering in this ,last ,reformation is predicted in verses #aa and #ab3 ,for thus saith the ,lord ,god2 ,behold ,i1 even ,i1 will both search my sheep1 and seek them out4 ,as a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered2 so will ,i seek out my sheep1 and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day4 ,reader1 this is the work of reformation that ,god is now accomplishing in the world4 ,babylon is spiritually fallen1 and ,god is calling his people out4 ,in the well-known ,jamieson1 ,fausset1 and ,brown ,commentary1 ,rev4 ,a4,r4 ,fausset1 commenting on ,rev4 #ah3d1 has well said3 ,even in the ,romish ,church1 ,god has a people2 but they are in great danger2 their only safety is in coming out of her at once4 ,so also in every apostate or world-conforming church1 there are some of ,god's visible and true church1 who1 if they would be safe1 must come out4 ,when literal ,babylon was overthrown1 the ,jews escaped to their own land4 ,likewise ,god's people in spiritual ,babylon are commanded to come out1 and with songs of rejoicing they are to make their way to ,mount ,zion1 and then lend all their efforts to the one work of restoring primitive truth1 thus making ,jerusalem the joy of the whole earth4 ,like the ,jews of old1 the ransomed of the ,lord shall return and ,,come ,,to ,,zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads3 they shall obtain joy and gladness1 and sorrow and sighing shall flee away 7,isa4 #ce3aj74 ,the ,psalmist informs us that in ,babylon the ,jews hung their harps on the willows and wept when they remembered ,zion4 ,when their captors demanded of them the songs of ,zion1 they answered despairingly1 ,how shall we sing the ,lord's song in a strange land8 7,psa4 #acg3a-d74 ,zion's songs were songs of deliverance2 hence the ,jews could not sing them in captivity4 ,so also has it been in spiritual ,babylon4 ,but when the ransomed of the ,lord return and come to ,zion1 songs and everlasting joy break forth again4 ,the ,revelator describes this glorious result after the period of the apostasy in these words3 ,and ,i saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire3 and them that had gotten the victory over the beast1 and over his image1 and over his mark1 and over the number of his name1 stand on the sea of glass1 having the harps of ,god4 ,and they sing the song of ,moses a song of deliverance the servant of ,god1 and the song of the ,lamb a song of redemption 7,rev4 #ae3b1 #c74 ,those who have returned from ,babylon have heavenly harps and can sing the songs of ,zion4 ,praise ,god6 ,from ,babel confusion most gladly ,i fled1 ,and came to the heights of fair ,zion instead2 ,i'm feasting this moment on heavenly bread2 ,i'll never go back1 ,i'll never go back4 ,the beast and his image1 his mark1 and his name1 ,my love or allegiance no longer can claim1 ,though men may exalt them to honor and fame2 ,i'll never go back again4 ,the prophecies already cited make clear a mighty religious movement before the end of time1 a movement designed to triumph over the apostasy4 ,since the apostasy was twofold in its nature1 comprehending a corruption of evangelical faith and the development of ecclesiasticism1 it is evident that the ,last ,reformation must both restore primitive truth and eliminate ecclesiasticism1 thus bringing back to the world the original conception of the church as embracing the whole divine family under the direct moral and spiritual dominion of ,christ4 ,it is also evident from the prophecies that this is to be accomplished by literally forsaking the systems of man-rule just as ancient ,israel was restored after the captivity by ,god's people leaving ,babylon and coming home to ,zion4 ,zion represents the church in its primitive1 unified condition under the government and law of ,christ alone4 ,babylon represents a foreign rule and another law4 ,the two systems are fundamentally different4 ,this difference was true in the type and must therefore be true in the antitype4 ,in the old days of ,israel's glory foreigners visited ,jerusalem1 but their presence in the city of ,god did not make them ,israelites4 ,and at one time the people of ,god were carried into captivity in ,babylon1 but their presence in that foreign1 heathen city did not make them ,babylonians4 ,this distinction is also clear in the antitypical relation4 ,we do not have to go to prophetic symbols to find in the ,new ,testament clear predictions of the rise of a false ,christianity in opposition to the true4 ,they stand out in marked contrast in the prophecy4 ,on the one side there is a false religious system described as a beast power reigning4 ,on the other side is placed in contrast a company that have gotten the victory over the beast and over his image and over his mark1 and they stand on the sea of glass1 having the harps of ,god4 ,the mother of harlots appears1 but in contrast therewith is seen a pure woman1 the bride of ,christ4 ,in contrast with ,babylon we have ,zion4 ,the sect system1 wherein ecclesiasticism reigns and where the full truth in all its purity can not be taught and practised1 does not represent the true church1 but ,babylon4 ,the system is foreign4 ,it contains1 however1 many who are not ,babylonians but children of the divine family--,israelites indeed4 ,the awful judgments of ,god pronounced against ,babylon are directed against the false system itself and the real beast-worshipers it contains1 not against the true people of ,god1 who love their ,lord and are willing to walk in the light of his ,word as fast as they are able to understand it4 ,when we consider that this sect system has been the means of deceiving millions--millions who will come up in that last day and plead their religious profession1 only to hear the awful words1 ,depart from me1 ,i never knew you--when we consider1 ,i say1 these evil results1 we can not but repeat the words of the prophecy concerning the overthrow of ,babylon1 ,true and righteous are ,his judgments4 ,the commandment of ,god is1 ,come out of her1 ,,my ,,people1 that ye be not partakers of her sins1 and ,,that ,,ye ,,receive ,,not ,,of ,,her ,,plagues4 ,the movement to ignore sect lines and bring the true people of ,god into unity is not based upon a mere interpretation of prophecy1 however4 ,the necessity of such a work is being felt by the true people of ,god everywhere1 even those who make no particular claims to knowledge of prophetic interpretation4 ,knowledge that the ecclesiastical systems of the present day do not represent the real church outlined in the ,new ,testament is all that is absolutely necessary in order to stir the heart for reformatory action4 ,departure from the truth of ,god carries with it responsibility on the part of all those who become awakened to that departure--responsibility to return to the ,bible standard4 ,a final reformation there must and would be even if it had never been predicted by the prophets of old2 for ,christ1 the great ever-living head of the church1 would at the proper time pour out upon his servants the spirit of judgment against all unscriptural systems and forms of worship and demand the restoration of the pure church of the morning time of our era4 ,sidenote3 ,the future prospect ,the work of ,god in the latter days is to be more extensive1 however1 than simply calling ,god's people together from their scattered condition in sect ,babylon4 ,there are indications in the prophecy already cited that the everlasting gospel is to be carried to the ends of the earth4 ,the movement is to be world-wide4 ,in our consideration of parallel prophecies in ,daniel1 we saw that the kingdom is represented in two phases--first as a stone1 under which symbol it broke down the kingdoms of heathen darkness2 and then as a mountain1 when it is to fill the whole earth4 ,and again1 after describing the #a1bfj-year reign of the papacy1 ,daniel said3 ,but the judgment shall sit1 and they shall take away his dominion1 to consume and to destroy it unto the end4 ,and the kingdom and dominion1 and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven1 shall be given to the people of the saints of the most ,high1 whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom1 and all dominions shall serve and obey ,,him 7,dan4 #g3 #bf1 #bg74 ,there is abundant evidence to be seen by the careful observer that there are now at work in the ,christian world forces that are preparing for great changes4 ,christian charity is refusing to be confined by sectarian barriers4 ,the ,christian consciousness is becoming aroused to the evils of sectarianism and sectarian systems as it has never been aroused in any past age4 ,there is a longing among spiritual people everywhere to escape from the blighting effect of a divided ,christianity4 ,evangelism is becoming more and more detached from organized denominations1 and the denominational lines are being ignored in a way that would have astonished the people of a century ago4 ,numerous attempts are being made to unite the various denominations on the mission fields and in the homeland4 ,while many of these efforts are mere blind groping for a way out of the fogs of sectarianism1 they show unmistakably that back of and underlying all these efforts is a mighty force slowly but surely gathering power that 7so far as ,god's true people are concerned7 shall in time rise to break once for all the rigorous reign of human ecclesiasticism and reestablish in power and glory the simple1 primitive theocracy1 where ,christ shall be exalted as the true and only ruler of his people4 ,ecclesiasticism1 however1 dies hard4 ,in fact1 it is scarcely correct to say that it will die at all4 ,the churches of men are largely made up of worldly-minded professors who know not the birth and life of the ,spirit4 ,to such the church will never appear as anything different from an institution organized and governed after the pattern of the kingdoms of this world4 ,according to the prophecy1 ,god's true saints will die to ecclesiasticism by forsaking the sect system1 but the rule of human churchly power will go right on until the end of time4 ,furthermore1 we may expect the contrast and the conflict between these two forces to become more pronounced as the years go by4 ,while the ,revelation represents the call of ,god's people out of ,babylon as the movement that again brings into prominence the bride1 the true church 7chap4 #ai3a-i71 it also reveals the fact that there will be another great movement in opposition to the truth4 ,and ,i saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon1 and out of the mouth of the beast1 and out of the mouth of the false prophet4 ,for they are the spirits of devils1 working miracles1 which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world1 to gather them to the battle of that great day of ,god ,almighty 7chap4 #af3ac1 #ad74 ,the nature and purpose of this gathering is described in another place4 ,satan 444 shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth1 ,gog and ,magog1 to gather them together to battle3 the number of whom is as the sand of the sea4 ,and they went up on the breadth of the earth1 and compassed the camp of the saints about1 and the beloved city3 and fire came down from ,god out of heaven1 and devoured them 7chap4 #bj3g-i74 ,let this be a solemn warning to all1 that ,god's people may discern between the false and the true4 ,the movement that brings together in one the real saints of the ,lord is effected by the ,spirit of ,god1 while unclean spirits operating in the apostate powers of the ecclesiastical world will effect a totally different union4 ,the distinction is clear in the prophecy and must therefore become true in fact4 ,the final reformation is on4 ,final1 ,i say1 because it leaves nothing to be restored as regards either doctrine1 practise1 or spirit4 ,it stands committed to the restoration of the whole truth and the harmonious unity of all true ,christians in one ,christ-ruled1 ,spirit-filled body4 ,in short1 it stands committed to the restoration of apostolic ,christianity in its entirety--its doctrines1 its ordinances1 its personal regenerating and sanctifying experiences1 its spiritual life1 its holiness1 its power1 its purity1 its gifts of the ,spirit1 its unity of believers1 and its fruits4 ,this reformation will continue until it becomes a great mountain and fills the whole earth1 until the kingdom and dominion1 and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven1 shall be given to the people of the saints of the ,most ,high4 ,nor is this picture of events a mere dream of fanciful idealists2 for it is already true in part1 and the more sure word of prophecy to which we have appealed sustains our hope4 ,the actual fulfilment of so many predicted events assures us that there shall not fail one word of all his good promises4 ,already multiplied thousands of the ,lord's redeemed people have discerned ,god's plan of effecting unity and have completely ignored all the lines of sect and human ecclesiasticism1 recognizing as the church nothing else than the entire brotherhood in ,christ1 and recognizing as ecclesiastical authority nothing else than that moral and spiritual dominion of ,christ by which alone he governed his people in primitive times4 ,this reformation is the movement of ,god4 ,it is not a humanly organized movement depending for its success on the ability of men to persuade people to leave other churches and join them4 ,god himself is breaking down the barriers that divide1 and in response to his call the redeemed are forsaking human sects and creeds1 and their hearts are flowing together4 ,the center of this movement is not a particular geographical location1 nor is its nucleus a particular set of fallible men3 the center and nucleus of this world-wide movement is ,,our ,,lord ,,jesus ,,christ1 and its operative force is the ,,spirit ,,of ,,the ,,living ,,god1 which draws the faithful together in bonds of holy love and fellowship4 ,multitudes already recognize no other bonds of union than that moral and spiritual affinity which is the common heritage of all the disciples of ,jesus that know the blessed experience of the heavenly birth4 ,multitudes more are beginning to see the light of this glorious truth1 and in due time ,christ1 the ,light1 will illuminate the hearts of all the saved ones4 ,all hail the day that lies just ahead6 ,back to the one foundation1 from sects and creeds made free1 ,come saints of every nation to blessed unity4 ,once more the ancient glory shines as in days of old1 ,and tells the wondrous story--one ,god1 one faith1 one fold4