The Last Reformation

By F. G. Smith

BY THE SAME AUTHOR

WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHESTHE REVELATION EXPLAINEDPROPHETIC LECTURESON DANIEL ANDREVELATION

PREFACE

God's true people everywhere are looking for light on the churchquestion. A deep undercurrent of dissatisfaction with the presentorder of things exists in the ecclesiastical world. The historiccreeds are stationary and conservative, but religious thought cannot always be bound nor its progress permanently hindered. HonestChristian men and women will think, and they are now thinking in theterms of a universal Christianity. If I am able to discern the signsof the times, the rising tide of Christian love and fellowship isabout to overflow the lines of sect and bring together in one commonhope and in one common brotherhood all those who love our Lord JesusChrist in sincerity. 

What will constitute the leading characteristics of the church ofthe future? This is the burning question. Spiritual-minded men areconscious that things can not long continue as they now are, but whatand where is the remedy?

After this book was completed and in the hands of the printers, I received a copy of "The Church and its Organization, " by WalterLowrie, and was surprized to find in it much truth that I hadalready received through independent investigation and embodied in mymanuscript. I refer particularly to the charismatic organization andgovernment of the church. It is gratifying to know that other mindsare being led to the same conclusions regarding a subject of suchvital importance to the future of Christianity. 

In writing the present work I have endeavored to present theScriptural solution of this great problem, a solution which takesinto account, and gives due respect to, historic Christianity, theprophecies respecting the church and its destiny, and the fundamentalcharacteristics of our holy religion as it emanated from the divineFounder. 

If this work can be of service in pointing out Christ's plan andpurpose to "gather together in one the children of God which arescattered abroad, " and also be instrumental in helping to accomplishthis grand Christian ideal, I shall feel abundantly repaid. F. G. SMITH. 

Anderson, Indiana, May 6, 1919. 

CONTENTS

 PAGEIntroduction--"The Time of Reformation" 9

Part I--The Church in Apostolic Days

CHAPTER I The Church Defined 19 II The Universal Church 21 III The Local Church 33 IV The Organization and Government of the Church 41

Part II--The Church in History

 V Corruption of Evangelical Faith 73 VI Rise of Ecclesiasticism 87 VII The Reformation 101 VIII Modern Sects 111 IX The Church of the Future 125

Part III--The Church in Prophecy

 X Interpretation of Prophetic Symbols 141 XI The Apostolic Period 149 XII The Medieval Period 169 XIII Era of Modern Sects 209 XIV The Last Reformation 223

INTRODUCTION

"THE TIME OF REFORMATION"

In ecclesiastical history the term Reformation has been appliedspecifically to the important religious movement of the sixteenthcentury which resulted in the formation of the various Protestantchurches of that period. Since the sixteenth century there have beenother religious reformations, some of considerable importance andinfluence. 

[Sidenote: A present reformation]

There is a present reformation specially distinguished from all thosethat have gone before. It is resulting from the particular operationof the Spirit of God as predicted in the Word of God, and itsinfluences are being felt in varying degrees throughout allChristendom. Many Christians are already stirred to action by theconscious knowledge of Christ's message for these times, whilemultiplied thousands of others who love the Lord Jesus areexperiencing within their own hearts the awakening of new aspirationsand impulses, the real meaning of which they do not as yetunderstand, but which are, through the leadership of the HolySpirit, unconsciously fitting them for their true place in this greatworld-wide movement which is destined to exceed in importance andinfluence all other religious reformations since the days of primitiveChristianity. 

Since, as we shall show, the present reformation is the work of theSpirit affecting all true Christians, drawing them together forthe realization of a grand Scriptural ideal, it is evident that noparticular band of people enjoy its exclusive monopoly. May the sameHoly Spirit illuminate our hearts and minds in the contemplation ofthe truths of the divine Word. 

The term _reformation_ signifies "the act of reforming or the state ofbeing reformed; change from worse to better; correction or amendmentof life, manners, or of anything vicious or corrupt. " In itsapplication to the religion of Christ, reformation means thecorrection of abuses and corrupt practises that have become associatedwith the Christian system; the elimination of all unworthy, foreignelements. In other words, it implies _restoration_, a return to thepractises and ideals of primitive Christianity. 

[Sidenote: What the final reformation must include]

If we inquire concerning the limits of true reformatory work, we seeat once that, if there is to be a final reformation, such a movementmust restore in its fundamental aspects _apostolic Christianity_--itsdoctrines, its ordinances, its personal regenerating and sanctifyingexperiences, its spiritual life, its holiness, its power, its purity, its gifts of the Spirit, its unity of believers, and its fruits. This assumes, of course, that during the centuries there has been adeparture from this standard. 

[Sidenote: The church itself the real object of reformation]

No reformation since apostolic times has covered all this ground. Allthe reformations taken together fall far short of this standard. Theyhave been reformations only in part, each movement simply placingspecial emphasis on particular doctrines, or ordinances, or personalexperiences. Hence the need of further reformation. The presentmovement embraces all the truth contained in all the previousreformations of Protestantism. But it does not stop there. It standscommitted to all the truth of the Word of God. It goes straight tothe heart of the reformation subject and reveals the pure, holy, _universal_ church of the apostolic times as made up of all those whowere regenerated, uniting them all IN CHRIST; in the "church of theliving God, " which church was "the pillar and ground of the truth" (1Tim. 3:15); the church that was graced with the gifts of the Spiritand filled with holy power. 

The true apostolic church has been largely lost to view since theearly Christian centuries, when a general apostasy dimmed the lightof truth and plunged the world into the darkness of papal night. In modern times the term "church" as applied to a general body ofreligious worshipers is usually employed in a restricted sense, specifying some particular organization, as the hierarchy of Rome orthe aggregation of local congregations constituting a Protestant sect. By a natural reaction from the Romish extreme, wherein the church andchurch relationship are exalted above the personal relationship ofthe individual with his God, many teachers now incline to anopposite extreme, which makes little of the church as an institution, substituting therefor a sort of "loyalty to Christ, " _individualism_, subversive of true New Testament standards. 

[Sidenote: The true church Scripturally important]

The church is not to be exalted above the Christ, nor is it asubstitute for the Christ; but in the light of New Testament teachingwe must regard the true church as _the_ instrument--the divinelyappointed instrument used by the Holy Spirit in carrying forward thework of Christ on earth. Jesus himself said, "Upon this rock I willbuild my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it"(Matt. 16:18). At a later time we read, "And the Lord added to thechurch daily such as should be saved" (Acts 2:47). 

If Paul were living today, he also might despise the "church" idea inits narrow sectarian sense. But from the apostle's words, it is veryevident that he regarded the church as it existed in his day as aninstitution crowned with glory and honor, the concrete expressionof Christ and his truth. "_God hath set some_ IN THE CHURCH, firstapostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues"(1 Cor. 12:28). "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; andsome, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfectingof the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the _edifying of thebody of Christ_; till we all come in the unity of the faith ... Thatwe ... May _grow up into him in all things_, which is the head, [ofthe body, _the church_, Col. 1:18] even Christ" (Eph. 4:11-15). 

[Sidenote: The church as a divine institution]

Inasmuch as God set in the church apostles, prophets, evangelists, gifts of miracles, of healings, etc. , we must regard the churchas originally instituted as being more than a mere aggregate ofindividuals associating themselves together for particular purposes. We must recognize the divine element. This company was the host ofredeemed ones whom Christ had saved, in whom he dwelt, and throughwhom he revealed God and accomplished his work on earth. It was hisbody--the organism to which he gave spiritual life and through whichhe manifested the fulness of his power and glory. 

[Sidenote: Church relationship vs. Individualism]

Any reformation that has not for its object the full restoration ofthe New Testament church, can not be a complete reformation, butmust be succeeded by another. In this respect the church subjectis fundamental and all-inclusive. To emphasize a mere"personal-union-with-Christ" theory to the disparagement of the divine_ekklesia_, is to evade the real issue. Jesus declared, "I will buildmy church, " and that church was an objective reality, which was notintended to be concealed under high-sounding theological verbiage nordissipated in glittering generalities. It is true that Christ himselfmust be presented as the ground of our hope and salvation and as theobject of our personal faith, love, and devotion; as "the way, thetruth, and the life"; but we must not forget that there is alsoa revelation of the way, the truth, and the life in the church ofChrist. The apostles preached Christ as the divine "way"; but when menbelieved on him, he straightway "set the members every one of them_in the body_"--the church (1 Cor. 12:18). "And the Lord added _tothe church_ daily such as should be saved" (Acts 2:47). They preachedChrist as the personification of "truth. " But they also taught thatthe gospel was a special "treasure" committed to the church fordispensing to the nations. Paul said that God hath "committed _untous_ the word of reconciliation" (2 Cor. 5:19). Therefore he couldrepresent the church of God "as the pillar and ground of thetruth. " They preached him as "life, " but he was also the life of thecollective body of believers as well as of individuals. He dwelt inhis church. He was its life, and through it he manifested himselfin the only form in which, since the incarnation, he can be fullyexhibited to men. 

[Sidenote: Avoiding extremes]

The fact that Romanism has stressed the "church" idea, parading beforethe world as the church an organic body devoid of true spiritual life, a mere corpse, is no reason justifying a view which, ignoring thepractical church relationship taught in the New Testament, talksglibly of an ethereal, intangible, ghostly something which, without abody, lacks all practical contact with men. The Bible standard is theproper union of soul and body. It is certain that, as in apostolicdays, such union is necessary to the proper exhibition of the divinelife and absolutely essential to the full accomplishment of the divinepurposes in Christ's great redemptive plan. 

Christ, the life of his spiritual body, and the life-giver, remainsthe same in all ages. Hence the church _body_ is the part that hasbeen disrupted and corrupted by apostasy and sectarianism, and istherefore the sphere of reformatory effort. And while reformationpertains to historical Christianity, it implies, as we have alreadyshown, a return to the primitive standard. Therefore, beforeproceeding to describe particularly the present reformation, we mustgive attention to the constitution of the apostolic church, the divineoriginal. 

PART I

The Church in Apostolic Days

=The Last Reformation=

CHAPTER I

THE CHURCH DEFINED

[Sidenote: The term "church"]

The word "church" as used in the New Testament is, in most cases, derived from the Greek word _ekklesia_. The component parts of thisword literally mean to summon or call together in public convocation. It was, therefore, used to designate any popular assembly which metfor the transaction of public business. As an example of the secularuse of the term, see Acts 19: 32, 39. This particular application ofthe word, however, does not here concern us. 

Since the word _ekklesia_ conveys the idea of an assembly of "_calledones_, " it expresses beautifully the Christian's call to churchlyassociation. The divine call of believers is frequently expressedin the New Testament: they are "called with an holy calling" (2 Tim. 1:9); "called in one body" (Col. 3:15); "called unto his kingdom andglory" (1 Thess. 2:12); or, as Peter expresses it, "Ye are a chosengeneration, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people;that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you outof darkness into his marvelous light" (1 Pet. 2:9). While these textsand many others describe the exalted rights and privileges accordedthe "called ones, " there is distinctly implied the idea of theirorganic association, and it was this association that constituted themthe Christian church. 

[Sidenote: Its two Christian phases]

"The church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood" (Acts20: 28), is Clearly set forth in the New Testament. And the term"church" in its religious usage is given two significations. In itslargest and primary signification, the church of God is the entirebody of regenerated persons in all times and places, and is in thisrespect identical with the spiritual kingdom of God, the divinefamily. In a secondary sense, church designates an individual assemblyin which the universal church takes local and temporary form and inwhich the idea of the general church is concretely exhibited. Besidesthese two significations of the Christian term "church, " there are, properly speaking, no other in the New Testament. It is true that_ekklesia_ is sometimes used as a collective term to denote the bodyof local churches existing in a given region, but there is no evidencethat these churches were bound together in groups by any outwardorganization which separated or distinguished them from othercongregations of the general church. Therefore this use of the term"church" can not be regarded as adding any new sense to those of thegeneral church and the local church already referred to. 

CHAPTER II

THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH

Matt. 16:18 introduces in the gospel history the subject of thechurch. Jesus said, "I will build my church; and the gates of hellshall not prevail against it. " This text implies that the church asan institution was not yet founded, and it also clearly implies thatChrist himself was to be the founder and builder of his church. 

Jesus had already preached that the kingdom of heaven was at hand, andwhen he sent forth his twelve apostles he commanded them to preachand say, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand. " Jesus himself taughtthe doctrines of the kingdom, but in the words of our text there isimplied deeper ideas of the kingdom of God yet to be revealed in alltheir fulness of meaning. 

[Sidenote: The body of Christ]

We should divest our minds, temporarily at least, of preconceivedideas of formal church organization and earnestly seek to understandthe real signification of that church of which Christ was himselfpersonally the founder. A few texts make this point clear: "And hathput all things under his [Christ's] feet, and given him to be the headover all things to the church, _which is his body_, the fulness of himthat filleth all in all" (Eph. 1: 22, 23). The church, then, is thebody of Christ. Of this body Jesus himself is the head. "And he is thehead of the body, the church ... That in all things he might have thepreeminence" (Col. 1:18). "For his body's sake, which is the church"(verse 24). Christ is head of but one body. "There is _one_body" (Eph. 4:4). In these texts the body and the church are usedinterchangeably, referring to one and the same thing. The body ofwhich Christ is the head is the church that he built, "the church ofGod, which he hath purchased with his own blood" (Acts 20: 28). 

[Sidenote: The atonement its procuring cause]

It is therefore to Calvary that we must look for the specific act byvirtue of which Christ personally became the founder of his church. _There_ it was "purchased with his own blood. " _There_ we find theapplication of those sublime words of the Savior, "And I, if I belifted up from the earth, _will draw all men_ UNTO ME" (John 12: 32). By virtue of that act, God "put all things under his feet, and gavehim to be the head over all things to the church. " Yea, by virtueof that act, "God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a namewhich is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee shouldbow, ... And that every tongue should confess" (Phil. 2:9-11). 

The church, then, proceeds from Calvary: Pentecost was but its initialmanifestation to men and its dedication for service. Of this we shallhave more to say hereafter. 

[Sidenote: Composed of true Christians]

Since through his death Christ proposed to draw all men unto him, itis evident that all the members of Christ are therefore members of hisbody, the church. To this agrees the words of the apostle Paul, "Foras we have many members in one body, and all members have not the sameoffice: so we [true Christians], being many, are _one body in Christ_, and every one members one of another" (Rom. 12: 4, 5). "Now hath Godset the members _every one of them_ in the body, as it hath pleasedhim" (1 Cor. 12:18). 

[Sidenote: Mode of admission]

Becoming a member of the spiritual body of Christ is necessarilya spiritual operation. Men may admit members to a formal churchrelationship, but only the Spirit of God can make us members ofChrist. "For by one Spirit are we all baptized [or inducted] into onebody, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; andhave been all made to drink into one Spirit" (1 Cor. 12:13). Thistext does not refer to literal water-baptism, but to the work of the"Spirit, " by whom we are inducted into Christ. "_God hath set themembers_ every one of them in the body" (verse 18). And since thisis the work of the Spirit, it is evident that none but the saved canpossibly find admittance into the spiritual body of Christ. Under adifferent figure Jesus conveys the same truth. "I am the door: by meif _any man_ enter in, _he shall be saved_" (John 10: 9). "And theLord added to them day by day those that _were being saved_" (Acts2:47, R. V. ). Salvation, then, is the condition of membership. 

[Sidenote: Family relationship]

The members of Christ are members of God's family. How do we becomemembers of the divine family? "Except a man _be born again_, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3). "As many as received him, tothem gave he power to become the sons of God ... Which were _born ... Of God_" (John 1:12, 13). "Beloved, now are we the sons of God" (1John 3:2). Since this family, or church, is composed of the saved, or those who are born again, and excludes all the unsaved, we canunderstand Paul's reference to "a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, " but "_holy and without blemish_" (Eph. 5:27). 

We have spoken of the union of all believers with Christ when he drawsthem unto himself and becomes their spiritual life. But this unity ofall believers _with Christ_ is a spiritual relationship and experiencenot to be confused with external things. The Bible speaks ofChristians as being "in Christ. " What does this mean? It certainlymeans to be "born again, " for without that experience we "can not seethe kingdom of God" (John 3:3). "Therefore if any man be _in Christ_, HE IS A NEW CREATURE: old things are passed away; behold, all thingsare become new" (2 Cor. 5:17). "Whosoever abideth _in him_ sinnethnot: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him" (1 John3:6). 

[Sidenote: Unity of believers]

But our union with Christ, by which we become members of the divinefamily, necessarily fixes our relationship with all those who aremembers of Christ. If, through salvation, we are brought into a sacredunity with Christ, we are by the same act brought into essential unityand fellowship with the members of Christ. This the Word distinctlyaffirms: "We, being many, are one body in Christ, and _every onemembers one of another_" (Rom. 12: 4, 5). "There should be no schismin the body; but the members should have the same care one foranother" (1 Cor. 12:25). While this last text relates literally to thephysical body, the apostle applies it in an illustrative way tothe spiritual body. "Now ye are the body of Christ, and members inparticular" (verse 27). 

[Sidenote: Unity and uniformity]

Harmony in a normal physical body is not effected by external means, but is organic. The members may be many and diverse, but they are allnecessary and have their respective places and work. So also withthe body of Christ. Union with Christ is not dependent upon absoluteuniformity except in the one thing--the fundamental experience bywhich we are made members of Christ. In the apostolic period thechildren of God who loved our Lord and were known of him were not allof one age or size or nationality. They had not all enjoyed the samesocial advantages, nor had they had the same intellectual attainments. The act of receiving Christ and his salvation did not perfect theirknowledge; therefore they had to be patiently taught in order to bringthem into the "unity of the faith. " And for this purpose divinelychosen instructors were appointed, who must themselves "study" andgive careful attention to "doctrine" (Eph. 4:11-14; 1 Tim. 3:13-16). But the gospel penetrates beneath the surface; it goes straight to theheart and reaches fundamental things. "There is neither Jew nor Greek;there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: _forye are all one_ IN CHRIST JESUS" (Gal. 3:28). 

The unity of believers with Christ is, therefore, based on divinerelationship, and _this is the fundamental basis of the truerelationship of believers with each other_. In order to maintainspiritual relationship with Christ and his people, the Christian musthave an obedient heart and "walk in the light of the Lord"; but weshould always be ready to extend our fellowship to those whom Christreally receives and approves. 

How prone men have ever been to ignore this simple, divine standardand set up arbitrary rules of their own by which to measure others!This wrong tendency combined with the carnal ambitions of men wholove to parade their own unscriptural ideas before the world and gainadherents has been the real cause of the disunion of Christians. Butthe Bible standard is what we are now considering. It teaches thatthe saved people were "members one of another" as well as members ofChrist; that they were, in fact, "_all one in Christ Jesus_. "

[Sidenote: Unity a practical reality]

According to the New Testament standard, unity of believers is morethan an invisible, intangible, spiritual fellowship. They are "membersone of another" as well as members of Christ. That unity was designedto be visible and to form a convincing sign to the world of the mightypower of Christ. This stands out prominently in that notable prayerof our Lord recorded in John 17, which was uttered on the mostsolemn night of his earthly life. First he prayed for his immediatedisciples, then for all believers, in these words: "Neither pray Ifor these [twelve] alone, but for them also which shall believe on methrough their word; THAT THEY ALL MAY BE ONE; as thou, Father, art inme, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: THAT THE WORLD MAYBELIEVE _that thou hast sent me_" (verses 20, 21). 

Such unity is a real standard. It will convince the world. Thepractical force of this last scripture can not be lessened byreference to those other words of Jesus, "By this shall all men knowthat ye are my disciples, if ye have love one for another" (John 13:35), for Jesus taught the inseparable nature of love and unity. Love, as an inward affection, produces deeds and results, and is measuredthereby. Jesus said, "If a man love me, he will _keep my words_; andmy Father will love him, and we will _come unto him_, and _make ourabode with him_" (John 14: 23). And just as love to God invariablyproduces union with God, so also true love to man will result inunity. "My little children, let us not love in word, neither intongue; but _in deed and in truth_" (1 John 3:18). Carnal divisionscan not exist where true love reigns. 

[Sidenote: Christ died for unity]

For this visible unity Christ prayed--"That they all may be one, ... _that the world may believe_. " More than this, he died that unitymight be effected. John 11:52 clearly shows that one purpose ofChrist's death was that "he should gather together _in one_ thechildren of God that were scattered abroad. " Therefore unity ofbelievers is a sacred truth resting on the solid basis of theatonement. That this unity is more than that general union resultingfrom the personal attachment of separate individuals to Christ as acommon center, is proved by the fact that it is designed to gathertogether in one the scattered _children of God_. Jesus himself said, "Other sheep I have [Gentiles], which are not of this [Jewish] fold:_them also I must bring_, and they shall hear my voice; and THERESHALL BE ONE FOLD [flock] AND ONE SHEPHERD" (John 10:16). 

[Sidenote: Jew and Gentile united]

Broadly speaking, there were at that time but two classified divisionsof men--Jews and Gentiles. Jesus predicted that his sheep from bothsections should be brought together into one flock. In the secondchapter of Ephesians, Paul tells us how this was accomplished. Although "in times past" the Gentiles were "strangers from thecovenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world, " inChrist they were "made nigh by the blood. " "For he is our peace, who hath made both [Jews and Gentiles] ONE, and hath broken down themiddle wall of partition between us ... That he might reconcileboth unto God _in one body_ by the cross" (verses 12-16). Since thisglorious reunion through Christ, the Gentiles "are no more strangersand foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of thehousehold of God. " They also "are built upon the foundation ofthe apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chiefcorner-stone ... In whom ye also are builded together for anhabitation of God through the Spirit" (verses 19-22). 

On account of the high standard of unity set forth in his epistles, Paul has been branded an idealist. But what shall we say of Christ whoprayed for such visible unity and died for it? An idealist is onewho forms picturesque fancies, one given to romantic expectationsimpossible of accomplishment. The idealist usually has but fewpractical results. But Paul accomplished things. He broke away fromhis Jewish prejudices, which brought down upon his head the wrath ofhis fellows. He went into the synagogs of the Jews and brought outthose who were willing to become disciples of Jesus. To build up thework of the Lord he labored night and day with tears; he laid broadand deep the very foundations of the Christian faith in heathen lands. Within a very few years he established Christian churches in fourprovinces of the Roman Empire--churches in which Jew and Gentile mettogether in common fellowship, _in one body_. If this is idealism, Lord, give us many more such idealists. 

[Sidenote: The burden of Paul's ministry]

But the unity described by Paul in the epistles which he wrote late inlife is not given as a mere ideal standard for the future toward whichmen should strive. It is given as the record of a historic fact, theaccomplishment of which lay at the very foundation of Paul's call tothe ministry. 

In the second chapter of Ephesians, already quoted, Paul declaresthat both Jews and Gentiles were reconciled to God in one body _by thecross_. In the next chapter he shows his part in the accomplishment ofthat end. First, he was called of God as the apostle of the Gentiles;then by revelation was made known unto him "the mystery of Christwhich in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men ... That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and OF THE SAME BODY, andpartakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel" (Eph. 3:4-6). Thepromise referred to was doubtless the "promise of the Father, " thegift of the Holy Ghost. "That the blessing of Abraham might come onthe Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the _promiseof the Spirit through faith_" (Gal. 3:14). "For this cause, " saysPaul, "I was made a minister ... That I should preach among theGentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; and _to make all men see_what is the fellowship of the mystery ... To the intent that now untothe principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known BY THECHURCH the manifold wisdom of God" (Eph. 3: 1-10). 

[Sidenote: Was divinely attested]

Paul was given a tremendous task--"TO MAKE ALL MEN SEE" that mystery. This task required from God "the effectual working of his power"(verse 7). And in another place he also shows that this power was notlacking: "For I will not dare to speak of any of those things whichChrist hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by wordand deed, through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spiritof God" (Rom. 15: 18, 19). 

Paul, then, was divinely commissioned "_to make all men see_" themystery of this union of all classes of men "_in one body_ by thecross" (Eph. 2: 16), all in "the SAME body, and partakers of hispromise in Christ by the gospel" (Eph. 3: 6). And when Paul's careerwas finished, the same mystery was given over to others that it mightbe "known BY THE CHURCH" (verse 10), "the church, which is his body"(Eph. 1: 22, 23). The ministry, then, should have held the groundalready attained, the actual union of all the saved in one body, andhave labored earnestly "to make all men see" that that body only isthe church. 

CHAPTER III

THE LOCAL CHURCH

The words of Christ, "I will build my church; and the gates of hellshall not prevail against it" (Matt. 16: 18), convey a deeper meaningthan the simple preaching of the kingdom. As we have already shown, the one specific personal act by virtue of which Christ became thefounder of the church was his atonement on Calvary, where the churchwas "purchased with his own blood" (Acts 20: 28). The church, then, as an institution, resulted from the atonement. Paul, describing theunion of Jews and Gentiles in one body, the church, declares that itwas effected "by the cross" (Eph. 2: 16). 

There was power in redemption. It brought into the lives of believersforces that could not but unite them in social compact. It threw themtogether in living sympathy and united their hearts firmly in thestrong bonds of brotherly love. Their outward organic union as achurch was the natural and inevitable result of this inward life andlove. 

[Sidenote: Local church defined]

By the impartation of spiritual life to believers and by the agency ofthe Holy Spirit operating in the apostles as special agents appointedto do his work, Christ built his church on earth. There was a buildingof the church, then, which pertained specifically to its _local_and _visible_ development among men. The expression "_I_ will build"indicates the transcendent element, the divine element, in churchorganization. This being true, it follows that the local church wasnot merely an aggregate of individuals accidently gathered together, but was the local, concrete embodiment of the spiritual body ofChrist; the unified company of regenerated persons who, as a body, were dedicated to Christ, acknowledged of Christ, and used by Christthrough the Holy Spirit for the accomplishment of his work. Jerusalemfurnishes the first example, dating from Pentecost (Acts 2). 

[Sidenote: Particular example: Corinth]

That this is, generally speaking, the Scriptural definition of a localchurch of God, is further shown by another particular example. Pauladdressed two of his epistles "to the church of God which is atCorinth" (1 Cor. 1: 2; 2 Cor. 1: 1). As individuals they are called"saints" and "brethren, " but collectively as a church they are called"the church of God" and referred to as "God's building" (1 Cor. 3:9). And the apostle says to them, "Know ye not that ye are a temple ofGod, and that the _Spirit of God dwelleth in you_?" (verse 16, R. V. ). They had been inducted by the Spirit into the "_one body_, " and theywere filled with the gifts of the Spirit--wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment, and tongues (chap. 12). Infact, the apostle said, "Ye come behind in no gift" (chap. 1: 7). Andhe said particularly, "_Ye are the body of Christ_" (chap. 12: 27). 

A true local church, then, was the concrete embodiment of thespiritual body of Christ in a given place. It was the body of Christbecause it was made up of the people of God, manifested the power ofGod, was the repository of the truth of God, was filled with thegifts of the Spirit of God, and was actually used by the Spirit inperforming the works of God. Such characteristics made it "_the churchof God_. "

[Sidenote: Local membership]

Membership in the general body of Christ was conditioned solely onthe new birth, or salvation. Since the individual church was the localembodiment of the general church, none but the saved could properlybecome members thereof, and all who were truly saved (in the samelocality) belonged to it by divine right. At this point, however, thehuman element in the constitution of the local church became manifest. We have pointed out the divine element in the true church--the elementthat particularly distinguished it as the church of God, but thebringing together of many individuals in one assembly involved also asocial element and required the principle of _recognition_. Thereis, however, no evidence that such recognition was given by a formal, official act of the church in its corporate capacity. And sincesalvation is of the heart, it was possible for human recognition totemporarily miss its true purpose. Thus, in the church at Jerusalemwe find recognized as a constituent part of the assembly two falsemembers--Ananias and Sapphira. On the other hand, when the convertedSaul "was come to Jerusalem, he essayed to join himself to thedisciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that hewas a disciple" (Acts 9: 26). The church at Corinth, already referredto, had some false members at the time the Pauline epistles werewritten. The church at Samaria also tolerated for a time one whose"heart was not right in the sight of God" (Acts 8). 

[Sidenote: A holy church]

Since the local church was designed to exhibit concretely thespiritual body of Christ, none but saved persons could _properly_hold membership therein; therefore the local church when in its normalcondition was free from sin and sinners. The physical body, whichPaul uses to illustrate the spiritual body, is normal only when everymember possesses the life of the body and functions properly. So alsowas the body of Christ. It was not God's will that there should be(as recognized members) "sinners in the congregation of the righteous"(Psa. 1: 5). It was his will to purge Jerusalem "by the spirit ofjudgment and by the spirit of burning" until "_he that is left_ inZion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called _holy_, even _every one_ that is written among the living in Jerusalem" (Isa. 4:3, 4). 

[Sidenote: Discernment and judgement necessary]

The local congregation in Jerusalem did not cease to be the churchof God because two unworthy persons obtained recognition in it. Thisincident gave occasion for the church to manifest its inherent _life_by its ability to discern and then cast off the secret offenders justas a healthy physical body casts off effete matter. As a result of thejudgment pronounced on Ananias and Sapphira, "great fear came upon allthe church ... And of the rest _durst no man join himself to them_;but the people magnified them" (Acts 5:11, 13). The fiery judgmentsof God put an end to formal church-joining there, as a result of which"believers were the more _added to the Lord_, multitudes both of menand women" (verse 14). "And the Lord added to them day by day thosethat were being saved" (Acts 2:47, R. V. ). 

A clean, pure local church was the divine standard. It is evident thatsuch could never be obtained and maintained except by the power of theHoly Spirit, who discerned evil and prompted its elimination. Peterdiscerned the condition of the two false members in the church atJerusalem and removed that blemish. He also exposed the hypocrisyof Simon at Samaria, and Paul pointed out the evil affection in thechurch at Corinth and directed its removal. Chief responsibilityfor the maintenance of the normal condition of the church will beconsidered in our discussion of the particular features of churchorganization and government. 

[Sidenote: Apostasy possible]

We have shown the characteristic, spiritual features of a NewTestament congregation in its normal condition; also the possibilityof deviation from that standard. A practical question is, How farcould such a congregation lapse into an abnormal state and still bea church of God? Or, Can a church as a body backslide? The church atEphesus evidently was on the verge of such an apostasy. Therefore inthe special message addressed to it in Revelation the Lord said: "Ihave somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do thefirst works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and _will removethy candlestick_ out of his place" (Rev. 2: 4, 5). So also the churchat Laodicea. "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: Iwould thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art luke warm, andneither cold nor hot, _I will spew thee out of my mouth_" (Rev. 3: 15, 16). 

[Sidenote: The line of distinction]

The physical body may experience the mutilation of some of its membersand still survive, but there is a limit beyond which death will ensue. So also the spiritual body may survive the encumbrance of a fewfalse members. From the general facts and principles already adduced, however, we may safely assert that a local church is a church of Godonly so long as it is able to function properly _as a body_. As longas the Spirit of God is in the ascendency, so that the people of Godas a body manifest the power of God, maintain the truth of God, arefilled with the Spirit of God, and are actually used by the Spiritin performing the works of God, so long they are the church of God. Whenever another spirit gains the ascendency and the divine, spiritualcharacteristics are lost to view, then is brought to pass the sayingthat is written, "_I will spew thee out of my mouth_. " Beyond thattime they may continue their formal services, singing hymns, sayingprayers, and making speeches; but the real message of God describingtheir condition is, as was true of Sardis, "Thou hast a name that thoulivest, _and art dead_" (Rev. 3: 1). Such dead congregations are nolonger a part of the true church and are unworthy of the recognitionof spiritual congregations. 

CHAPTER IV

THE ORGANIZATION AND GOVERNMENT OF THE CHURCH

[Sidenote: The fact of organization]

We have already shown that the words of Christ "I will build mychurch" have a deeper meaning than the simple preaching of thekingdom. They imply the formation of an organized structure againstwhich even the gates of hell should not prevail. They can signifynothing less than the visible establishment of the church among men asthe concrete embodiment of the divine kingdom or family. The church, then, as made up of local congregations, is an institution of divineappointment. This is shown by the words of Christ in Matt. 18: 17, according to which it sometimes becomes necessary in admonishingand disciplining trespassers to "_tell it unto the church_"; and theappellation "church of _God_" is frequently applied to individualcongregations (1 Cor. 1: 2, et al. ). 

Many teachers hold that Christ did not build a church and that the"form of church organization is not definitely prescribed in the NewTestament, but is a matter of expediency, every body of believersbeing permitted to adopt that method of organization which best suitsits circumstances and condition. " Such is the Protestant viewput forth by those who seek an excuse for the modern system ofsect-building. The incorrectness of this theory is easily shown. First, as we shall see, it underestimates the need of divine directionin church relationship and ignores well-established facts in the NewTestament history. Secondly, if it proves anything, it proves toomuch; for to admit such a principle of "church powers" is to admitthat the papacy and every other human system of church control isjustified--systems which can be historically shown to be subversive ofthe church as a spiritual body. 

That the church was actually organized into local assemblies inapostolic days is abundantly shown by the New Testament record. Theyhad regular meetings at stated times (Heb. 10:25; Acts 20:7; I Cor. 16:12); officers (Acts 20:28; 1 Pet. 5:2; Eph. 4:11, 12); recognizedauthority (1 Tim. 5:17; Heb. 13:17); discipline (1 Cor. 5:13; 2 Thess. 3:6, 10-14); a system of contributions (1 Cor. 16:1, 2); ordinances(Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 10:16; 11: 23-29); a common work, etc. On oneoccasion Paul instructed Titus to "_set in order_ the things that arewanting, and ordain elders in every city" (Tit. 1:5). 

[Sidenote: By whom effected]

The words of Jesus "I will build my church" point us to the Christas its real founder. Since the life and genius of the church isthe superhuman element, which element must at all times be givenprecedence over mere outward forms and human characteristics, andsince this life proceeds from Christ as the Redeemer of men, thereforein all fundamental aspects he is the personal founder of the church. But more than this, working by proxy, Jesus gave even external form tohis church, employing for this purpose his chosen apostles, to whomhe gave special instruction and authority. Even during his personalministry Jesus performed some of his work by proxy. It is expresslystated that he baptized many (John 3: 22; 4: 1), and yet explanationis made that "Jesus himself baptized not, _but his disciples_" (John4: 2). 

So also in the organization of the church. The germ of thatorganization existed during Christ's personal ministry. Doctrinewas given, ministers preached, baptism was administered, and peoplebelieved, but this embryonic organization could not be completelyestablished as a church before the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Therefore provision was made for its progressive development under thetutelage of specially inspired apostles. Doctrine was given gradually, yet invariably through the oral and written teaching of these inspiredapostles. Therefore we can not but believe that the same invariableguidance of the Holy Spirit also perfected through them God's own planof church organization and work. The gradual development of churchorganization under the labors of the apostles, therefore, no moreproves the theory of a constant historic development than does thefact of a gradual unfolding of the Christian faith and doctrine bythe apostles prove a constant and unending revelation of the gospelthrough all succeeding ages. One writer has well said, "The samepromise of the Spirit which renders the New Testament an unerring andsufficient rule of faith renders it also an unerring and sufficient_rule of practise_ for the church in all places and times. " Wemust therefore regard the organization of the church, as we do theunfolding of the gospel message, as complete in all its fundamentaland essential aspects before the close of the sacred canon. 

[Sidenote: Apostolic agency]

There is no doubt that the apostles occupied a special place in thedivine establishment of the church and its message. Regarded as atemple, the church is "built upon the foundation of the apostles andprophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone" (Eph. 2:20). The Old Testament Scripture "came not in old time by the will ofman: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost"(2 Pet. 1: 21). But now we read, "God, who at sundry times and indivers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days _spoken unto us_ BY HIS SON" (Heb. 1: 1, 2). Moses, representative of the law, and Elias, representative of theprophets, appeared in glory on the Mount of Transfiguration; butwhen Peter suggested that they be accorded equal honors with Jesus, immediately a cloud overshadowed the company and a voice out of thecloud said, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; HEARYE HIM. " "And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save _Jesus only_" (Matt. 17:1-8). 

[Sidenote: Model for all ages]

The revelation of divine truth, therefore, as the foundation of ourfaith, reached its highest level in the Son. We need not look foranother gospel--_hear him_. He has also said, "I will build mychurch"; hence we need not look for another church--HEAR HIM! Pauldeclares that the gospel with its revelation of the "mystery" of theunion of the saved in one body, the church, was in his day "_mademanifest_, " and, "according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations _for the obedience of faith_" (Rom. 16:25, 26). See Eph. 2; 3:1-10. While therefore Christ was the author ofthe truth in its highest form of revelation, also the founder of hischurch, both reached their fulness of perfection under the inspiredapostles and was by them "made known to all nations _for the obedienceof faith_. " The unity of all believers for which Christ solemnlyprayed was to be accomplished through the direct agency of theapostles, the result of believing on Christ "_through_ THEIR _Word_"(John 17:20). 

In describing how both Jews and Gentiles were reconciled in one bodyby the cross, Paul says that God "hath raised us up together, and madeus sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: _that in the agesto come_ he might show the exceeding riches of his grace" (Eph. 2: 6, 7). The unified church of the apostolic day is therefore the divinemodel for all succeeding ages. 

[Sidenote: Paul's relation thereto]

Since the first apostles were employed as special agents inestablishing the perfected New Testament church, Paul's connectiontherewith is of particular importance. Paul was not one of theoriginal twelve, yet he exerted a tremendous influence in that periodand was undoubtedly one of the chief agents used in establishing thechurch and fixing its external form and character. 

Many believe that Paul belonged among the twelve as the real successorof Judas. According to this view, the election of Matthias to theapostleship was without divine sanction, being proposed by theimpetuous Peter, who, before the descent of the Holy Ghost, oftenproposed inadvised things. Strength is given this view by theoft-repeated assertion of Paul that he was an apostle, "not of men, neither by men, but by Jesus Christ" (Gal. 1: 1). We are not forced tothat conclusion concerning Matthias, however. In writing the Acts ofthe Apostles, Luke the companion of Paul, records the appointment ofMatthias without intimating that it was a mistake. In Scripture usagea certain parallelism is maintained between the twelve apostles of theLamb and the twelve tribes of the children of Israel. When we recallthat there were literally thirteen tribes in Israel, Ephriam andManasseh standing for Joseph, we need not be surprized that thereshould be literally thirteen foundational apostles in the Christianchurch, Matthias and Paul standing, as it were, in the place of Judas. 

There can be no doubt that Paul really ranked with the Twelve. Hewas a "chosen vessel, " the "apostle of the Gentiles. " Although as one"born out of due time, " he himself saw Jesus and from him received theentire gospel by direct revelation. Consequently the other apostlespossessed no advantage over him. He himself says, "The gospel whichwas preached of me was not after man. For I neither received it ofman, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ"(Gal. 1:11, 12). He "was not a whit behind the very chiefestapostles" (2 Cor. 11:5). And it was through Paul particularly thatthe revelation of the "mystery" was made complete--"that both Jews andGentiles should be fellow heirs and of _the_ SAME _body_, " and he wascommissioned "_to make all men see_" it. 

The general church was, therefore, made up of various localcongregations, which were "set in order" by apostolic authority. Theessential nature of this organization is determined by the object forwhich these congregations were formed, the conditions of membershiptherein, and the kind of laws by which they were governed. 

[Sidenote: Nature of its organization]

The primary object for which the local church was formed was theestablishment and extension of the kingdom of God among men. Asecondary object was the encouragement and mutual edification of thebelievers themselves, which was best obtained by united worship inprayer, exhortation, praise, thanksgiving, and religious instruction. 

We have already noted the conditions of membership in the localchurch. None but those who were already members of the body of Christcould properly be recognized as members in a congregation which wasdesigned by Christ to exhibit in local and temporary form thetrue idea of the church universal. According to this standard ofmembership, every individual owed allegiance directly to Christhimself as the great head of the church. Christ was the only lawgiver. The relation of the individual to the local church, then, did notin any sense supersede his personal relations to Christ, but simplystrengthened and further expressed this higher relationship. 

In this standard of church-membership is found the secret of the unionin one body of all apostolic Christians. The standard was _personalrelationship to Christ_, and this relationship could be obtainedonly by an experience of salvation and humble obedience to the lawof Christ. Therefore all the truly saved were members of Christ andmembers of each other. This standard being the same for all, it ledto absolute equality among members. Hence Paul could say, "Thereis neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there isneither male nor female: for ye are all one _in Christ Jesus_" (Gal. 3:28). 

The law of the church, as already stated, was simply "the law ofChrist"; first as delivered orally by specially inspired apostles, andafterwards expressed by them in the Christian Scriptures. 

[Sidenote: Organization and government]

The closest relationship necessarily existed between the organizationof the church and its method of government. It is impossible for usto get a clear conception of either independently of the other; andin order to understand the subject at all, we must bear in mind thefundamental nature of the church itself, what it was and what it wasdesigned to accomplish. The church was not, as we have seen, a mereaggregate of individuals that happened to gather or that assembled forordinary purposes. A social club or a business organization would havepossessed all those features. The church was the body of Christ, thebody to which he gave spiritual life and through which he designedto manifest his power and glory. Hence its visible organization wassecondary, merely incidental as the means for the accomplishmentof those higher ends involved in the transcendental element of thechurch. The relation of the divine and the human characteristics was, therefore, the relation of _soul and body_--Christ, the soul; redeemedhumanity, the body. The establishment of this relationship wasthe manifestation to the world of the "body of Christ. " It wasorganization of the church. 

From the foregoing considerations, we are certain that in theapostolic church the real emphasis was placed on _life_ and that thegovernmental power and authority of the church was derived from itsdivine life in Christ and not from its organization. Apostolic churchgovernment was, therefore, more than the adoption of some particularform of external organization and administration. 

[Sidenote: Divine administration]

The origin of the church was divine. Jesus said, "I will build mychurch. " And though, as we have seen, he employed human agents in itscompletion, these agents were so specially inspired and directed byChrist through the Holy Spirit that it was in reality _his_ work. Jesus was not only the initial founder of the church, but he was itspermanent head and governor. Isaiah, predicting the coming of Christ, declares that "the government _shall be upon_ HIS _shoulder_" (Isa. 9:6). And again, we read that "HE _is the head of the body, the church... That in all things he might have the preeminence_" (Col. 1:18). Heit was who called and commissioned Paul and then personally directedhis ministerial labors (Acts 26:13-19; 16:6-9). He it was whowalked in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, encouraging orreproving the congregations of Asia (Rev. 1:17, et seq. ). He is"alive forever more" (Rev. 1:18); "the same yesterday, and today, andforever" (Heb. 13: 8); "upholding all things by the word of his power"(Heb. 1:3). "To him be glory _in the church_ ... Throughout all ages, world without end. Amen" (Eph. 3:21). 

[Sidenote: Christ the living head]

Thus, the general nature of church government was an absolutemonarchy, or, to use a better term, a theocracy. Christ was king andlawgiver, governor and administrator. Whoever the instruments employedin carrying out his purposes, whatever the scope of their particularactivities, all were governed directly by Christ through the HolySpirit. It was _his_ church. He was its living head. No other churchwas known in those days. It was only when the living, vital union ofChrist with his church was lost to view that men began endeavoringto strengthen the bonds of external union by unscriptural humanorganization, just as when life is departed from the physical body weseek by an embalming process to prevent its speedy dissolution. 

[Sidenote: Delegated authority]

In order to understand church government, therefore, we must beginat the central source of authority and proceed to its variedmanifestations. We have seen that Christ employed human agents inaccomplishing his work; hence, in thus performing the work of Christas commanded by Christ, and as personally directed by the Spirit ofChrist, these men possessed the _authority of Christ_. Any churchgovernmental authority that does not proceed directly from Christthrough his Holy Spirit is but human authority, an usurped authority, and has no place in the real church of Christ. 

[Sidenote: Ministerial oversight]

The apostles were the first to whom Christ delegated authority. Theybecame his special representatives. They established the church andbecame responsible for its general direction and oversight, "the Lordworking with them, and confirming the word with signs following" (Mark16:20). But these twelve did not stand alone in the government ofthe church. Soon a host of ministers were raised up, and these alsopossessed divine authority for their representative lines of work. To the elders of Ephesus, Paul said, "Take heed therefore untoyourselves, and to all the flock, over which _the Holy Ghost hath madeyou overseers_, to feed the church of God" (Acts 20:28). Peter alsowrites: "The elders which are among you I exhort ... Feed the flock ofGod which is among you, _taking the oversight thereof_" (1 Pet. 5:1, 2). "The Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the workwhereunto _I have called them_ ... So they, _being sent forth by theHoly Ghost_, departed" (Acts 13: 2-4). "AND HE GAVE some, apostles;and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors andteachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of theministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ" (Eph. 4:11, 12). Inaccordance with this standard, we read, "Obey them that have the ruleover you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, _asthey that must give account_" to him who is "that great shepherdof the sheep" (Heb. 13:17, 20). The ministers were under-shepherdsappointed to feed the flock of God, for which service they had to giveaccount to the great Shepherd. 

The foregoing scriptures and many others show conclusively that, whilein the apostolic church spiritual oversight was, in general, vested inthe ministry, it did not originate with them; that it did not proceedfrom the general body of believers by a majority vote or by conferenceappointment; but that it came by the Holy Spirit direct from the greathead of the church, who alone determined the general bounds of thatauthority and responsibility. This ministry, or presbytery, consistedof two classes--local ministers and general ministers. Beforeproceeding from this general classification to a discussion of themore specific duties and responsibilities of the individual ministerscomprising this presbytery, I shall call attention briefly to thegeographical distribution of their work as a body. 

[Sidenote: Local and general phase]

We have already shown that the church in its visible phase was made upof various local congregations "set in order" by apostolic authority. So far as their own local affairs were concerned, these congregationswere autonomous. When a matter was purely local, such as the financialoversight and ministration in the church at Jerusalem, the localcongregation itself determined the course of action and (exceptingthat class of officials who were divinely chosen) who should beappointed to oversee it. In the Jerusalem example cited, the apostlessuggested, "_Look ye out among you_ seven men, " etc. , "and the sayingpleased the whole multitude: _and they chose_" the proper persons forthat work (Acts 6:1-5). 

But while these congregations possessed such autonomy and weredistributed over a wide territory, they were not in all respectsindependent, isolated units. As members of Christ sharing in a commonlife and engaged in a common cause, they were bound together in onebrotherhood by ties of fellowship and love. In addition to the unionof separate individuals in one locality under the care of the localpresbytery, the local congregations themselves were brought intoclose, sympathetic relationship with one another through the laborsand influence of those general ministers who were not attached toparticular churches, but whose gifts, callings, and qualificationsfitted them for general service throughout the various congregations. The responsibility and authority of these general ministers varied inaccordance with their own gifts and qualifications and the degree ofdevelopment attained by the churches among which they labored. Inthe case of infant churches, it is evident that oversight was ofthe apostolic kind--direct and immediate. But whenever they becamethoroughly established, the principle of local autonomy was recognizedand the relation of the general ministers to such congregationswas evangelistic rather than apostolic--helpers and advisors, notadministrative directors. 

[Sidenote: Geographical distribution]

That the foregoing analysis is correct is abundantly proved by thehistory of events in the Acts respecting the geographical distributionof the churches and their relation to one another. Jerusalem was theoriginal seat of Christianity. Isaiah prophesied, "Out of Zion shallgo forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem" (Isa. 2:3). Jesus told the apostles "that repentance and remission of sins shouldbe preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem"(Luke 24:47). And again, "Ye shall be witnesses unto me both inJerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermostpart of the earth" (Acts 1:8). Philip went from Jerusalem to Samariaand there preached Christ with great success. "Now when the apostleswhich were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the Word ofGod, _they sent unto them Peter and John_" (Acts 8:14). Later weread that when churches had been established throughout all Judea andGalilee and Samaria, "it came to pass, _as Peter passed throughout allquarters_, he came down also to the saints which dwelt at Lydda" (Acts9: 31, 32). It was while he was on this general tour visiting thechurches that he came to Joppa and there received the vision which ledhim to the household of Cornelius, after which he came to Jerusalemand was there called to account for his action in visiting theuncircumcised Gentiles. 

There is no doubt that there was exerted from Jerusalem a generalcare over the surrounding churches. Some of the disciples who werescattered from Jerusalem at the time of persecution, went as far asCyprus and Antioch, preaching the word, and many believed and turnedto the Lord. "Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of thechurch which was in Jerusalem: _and they sent forth Barnabas_ thathe should go as far as Antioch" (Acts 11: 19-22). Barnabas went toAntioch and there found such a splendid work that he departed at oncefor Tarsus seeking Saul, and together they returned to Antioch andpreached for a whole year. 

[Sidenote: Operative centers]

While this principle of general superintendence of infant churchesoriginated with the apostles themselves, it was extended to others whowere not of the first apostles. Barnabas and Saul were successful atAntioch and there established the first Christian community outsidethe confines of Judaism, as the result of which Antioch became theseat of Gentile Christianity. Shortly afterwards "certain prophets andteachers" in the church at Antioch, men who were not of the originalapostles, were directed by the Holy Ghost to send forth Barnabasand Saul on their first missionary journey, and they went forthestablishing local churches and afterwards setting them in order byordaining elders, after which these ministers returned to Antioch, gathered the church together, and gave them a report of their work. Antioch was, therefore, an operative center. 

At a later time Paul established the truth in Ephesus, the chief cityof Proconsular Asia. As might naturally be expected from the strategicposition and political importance of that city, Ephesus also becamean operative center for Christianity, "so that all they which dweltin Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks" (Acts19:10). Thessalonica in Macedonia and Corinth in Achaia are otherexamples of the kind. 

[Sidenote: Regional units]

The work of the church naturally fell into these geographical units;therefore the word "church" is sometimes used as a collective termdesignating a body of regional congregations. The church "throughoutall Judea and Galilee and Samaria" (Acts 9:31), "the seven churcheswhich are in Asia" (Rev. 1:11), "the churches of Macedonia" (2 Cor. 8:1), "the churches of Galatia" (1 Cor. 16:1). 

We must bear in mind, however, that this regional concept of thechurch was not an integral part of fundamental apostolic churchgovernment, but was merely incidental, the result of geographicallocation. In fundamental analysis distinctions are always drawnbetween things that are _different_, not between things of the samekind. These regional churches were not different kinds of churches;they were not bound together in separate groups by an externalorganization which placed a wall between them and other congregationsof the saints. There was no authority here for the national-churchtheory nor for the sectarian church idea. Geographical separationthere was, but not denominationalism. 

[Sidenote: Common bond of unity]

We have already shown from Paul's writings that under his ministryboth Jews and Gentiles were united in one body, "the _same_ body. "That these regional units to which we have referred were no denial ofthis clear truth, but that collectively they constituted one body, isfurther shown by the indications we have of their _operative unity_. Notwithstanding the poor facilities for communication and travelin those days, which made general cooperation very difficult, andnotwithstanding the fact that the record of historic Christianity inthe Acts is exceedingly brief, we have, nevertheless, clear proof thatthere was cooperation throughout the apostolic church. Two instances, one of a business nature, the other ecclesiastical, establishthis point. The churches of at least three provinces of the RomanEmpire--Galatia, Macedonia, and Achaia--united under Paul's directionin establishing a weekly financial system, the immediate object ofwhich was to assist in accomplishing a particular object in which theywere all interested (2 Cor. 8:9; 1 Cor. 16:1-3). The ecclesiasticalexample is the council of the apostles and elders held in Jerusalemand recorded in Acts 15. A question of doctrine and practise arose inAntioch; the church there was not able to settle it; therefore itwas "determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other with them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about thisquestion" (verse 2). 

This was not a general council of the church. No other sections orprovinces were represented. Nor did it meet as a legislative body, even though there were present specially inspired apostles, to whomhad been given the commission to unfold the gospel as an authoritativerevelation. It is clear that the ministers of this council even soughtto avoid the legislative function. "For it seemed good to the HolyGhost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than thesenecessary things" (verse 28). While this incident does not provean administrative human headship of the whole church centralized atJerusalem, it does prove that the individual congregations were notisolated units, but that they had respect for, and sought the adviceand counsel of, older established congregations, and particularly ofthose general ministers whose gifts, qualifications, and reputationfitted them for general care of all the churches. 

When we consider the divine nature of the church's organization, with the ever-living Christ working mightily in all his ministers andthrough them in particular administering its government, we can seethat the entire church was necessarily one body joined together in acommon fellowship and actually laboring together in the performance ofcommon tasks. 

[Sidenote: Bishop and elder]

The presbytery, to whom was given particular oversight and governmentof the church, was set apart by the Holy Ghost for this special work. Different terms, such as "elder" and "bishop, " were used to designatethis office. The term "bishop, " which literally means _overseer_, implies the duties of the office, while "elder" denotes its rank. Thatthese terms were used interchangeably and applied to the same orderof persons is proved by Acts 20:28 (cf. 17); Phil. 1:1; 1 Tim. 3:1, 8;Tit. 1:5, 7; 1 Pet. 5:1, 2. This was admitted by many early writers, as Jerome, Augustine, Urban II, Petrus Lombardus, Chrysostom, Theodoret, and others. 

From the general classification already given, let us proceed to thespecific. This body was made up of elders or bishops. The fact thatthe terms "elder" and "bishop" were applied to all the presbytersshows equality of rank; that the office was one. We find, however, that these elders as individuals were diversified in their gifts andcallings in accordance with the specific work which the Holy Ghostdesigned them to perform. Under one classification there were, broadlyspeaking, two kinds of elders--local and general; that is, those whosesphere of operation was particularly local and those whose influence, work, and responsibility extended beyond any congregationallimitation. This distinction was not made arbitrarily, however; forit was essential to the performance of the twofold class of work to bedone and was the inevitable result of that operation of the Spiritin individual ministers which fitted them particularly for thesedistinctive lines of activity. 

[Sidenote: Divine gifts]

To be still more specific, we must go a step farther and consider thereason why and the process by which ministers became differentiatedfrom other saints. In this we shall find the inner secret, both ofparticular spiritual organization and of divine church government. Theapostle says, "By one Spirit are we all baptized into one body" and"God hath set the members every one of them in the body, as it hathpleased him" (1 Cor. 12:13, 18). These texts suggest more than a mereattachment to the body: they imply _functional activity in the body_. The functions of the body as described by Paul means the exercise ofspiritual gifts. "Now there are diversities of gifts, but the sameSpirit ... There are diversities of operations, but it is the sameGod _which worketh all in all_. But the manifestation of the Spirit isgiven to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spiritthe word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the sameSpirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts ofhealing by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; toanother prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another diverskinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues; but allthese worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every manseverally as he will" (1 Cor. 12: 4-11). 

[Sidenote: Basis of ministerial authority]

The foregoing scripture is a mere enumeration of the gifts that Godimplanted in the church as a body. The more particular application ofthese gifts and their relation to church organization and governmentare given further on in the same chapter. "Now ye are the body ofChrist, and members in particular. And God hath set some in thechurch, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, afterthat miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversitiesof tongues. Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? areall workers of miracles? have all the gifts of healing? do all speakwith tongues? do all interpret? _But covet earnestly the best gifts_"(verses 27-31). 

Comparison of verses 4 to 11 with verses 27 to 31 of the chapter justquoted shows conclusively that one is the counterpart of the other, the latter merely amplifying and explaining the former. From thisclear teaching it is evident that the work of apostleship, ofteaching, of governing, etc. , were all based upon and grew out ofdivine gifts implanted in the heart by the Holy Spirit. 

The same truth is taught by Paul in another place. Speaking of Christ, the apostle says, "When he ascended up on high, he ... _gave giftsunto men_ ... And he gave some, _apostles_; and some, _prophets_;and some, _evangelists_; and some, _pastors_ and _teachers_; forthe perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for theedifying of the body of Christ" (Eph. 4: 8-12). 

According to these scriptures, the very governmental positions of thechurch with their authority and responsibility were the product ofthose gifts and qualifications bestowed upon certain individuals inparticular. Such gifts could be legitimately coveted with a view tospiritual edification of the body (1 Cor. 12:31; 14:12). "If a mandesire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work" (1 Tim. 3:1). "Helps" doubtless included that class of assistants commonly calleddeacons (1 Tim. 3:8-11). 

Since in the primitive church organization and government weredetermined by the divine gifts and callings possessed by individuals, it is evident that we have in this something totally differentfrom that later conception of church government as a mere humanarrangement. At a subsequent time, as we shall show, church governmentwas patterned after the forms of political government in that it wasvested inherently in men. Four such forms have been developed--theimperial, or papal; the episcopal; the presbyterial; and thecongregational. While these four differ in external form, they are allalike in fundamental character, in that they assume that the governingpower rests inherently in _men_. 

None of these forms of government represent the New Testament church. The organization and government of that church was based upon the_charisma_, or divine gifts and callings, of individuals composing thechurch. The power and authority of an apostle or of an evangelist, forexample, did not rest upon any selection or appointment made bymen. The church did not act in a corporate capacity and conferecclesiastical power and authority upon any one. All such power andauthority came direct from God through the Holy Spirit, and it wasin God's name and by his authority alone that they acted. Theorganization of the church was therefore charismatic. If, for example, the gifts of an apostle were conferred by the Holy Spirit upon anindividual, he possessed apostolic responsibility and authority. Thebrethren recognized such gifts when these were evident, and submittedthemselves voluntarily to such spiritual leadership and oversight; forat this period there had not been developed that ecclesiastical systemby which human election and appointment gave positions and authorityto men. In fact, we shall clearly show later that the true church cannot be _legally_ organized. Every attempt of men to assume the reinsof authority and give governmental form and administrative directionto the church has been denominational and sectarian. 

[Sidenote: Ordination]

The true church was the whole family of God directed by hisHoly Spirit. Ministerial appointment, with its authority andresponsibility, was therefore divine. We have seen that through thespiritual operation called the new birth, one became a member ofChrist, and hence by divine right belonged to whichever congregationof the church he might be able to associate with; but that inpractical experience, such local membership involved recognition onthe part of the other members. So it was with the divine appointmentto the ministry. The only other essential to its practical operationwas simply recognition of that call. Such recognition, in the lastanalysis, belonged to the whole church (1 Tim. 3: 2-7; Tit. 1:6-9), but was given formally by the laying on of the hands of thepresbytery. 

[Sidenote: Plurality of local elders]

The development of ministers in an apostolic church was a divine, natural process, the inevitable result of the emphasis placed on thegifts and callings of the Spirit. This free exercise of the Spirit'sgifts working in the members doubtless accounts for the plurality ofruling elders found in those local churches. See Acts 14:23; 20:17;Phil. 1:1; 1 Tim. 5:16, 17; Tit. 1:5. It could not be otherwise aslong as the churches were Spirit-filled, working congregations andthe Spirit of God had his way. The system that limited local churchgovernment to a one-man rule originated in the apostasy, after thegifts of the Spirit had died out. It is simply one part of that greatsystem of human organization that developed the full-grown papacy. Ofthis we shall learn more hereafter. 

The same principles that developed local ministers produced alsoministers of the general class. While some naturally became "pastors, ""teachers, " and "helpers" in the local church, particular gifts andqualifications fitted others for "apostles" and "evangelists, " whoseparticular sphere was general oversight and work in the churches. Theprophet was not limited to either class. 

[Sidenote: Apostolic oversight]

As it is not germane to my present purpose, I shall not here attemptto define the various phases of ministerial work designated by variousterms but all included under the one generic term "elder. " The workdescribed by the term "apostle, " however, requires brief notice, onaccount of its bearing on the subject of church government. The factthat Paul had particular "care of all the churches" (2 Cor. 11:28)and that he gave special instructions to Timothy and Titus, otherministers (1 Tim. 5: 21; Tit. 1:5), forms the basis for the episcopacyargument--church rule by a superior order of clergy called bishops. 

"Apostle" literally signifies "a planter. " The term belongsspecifically to the first founders of the Christian faith, but isloosely applied in a more general sense to any minister who plantsChristianity in a new territory. It is clear that the first apostleswere especially inspired for a particular work in laying thefoundations of the Christian church and in writing the New TestamentScriptures. Hence the apostolic office in this special sense passedaway with them. But there was, nevertheless, an apostolic work suchas planting and overseeing the infant work in a new field, and in thissense Barnabas also was an apostle (Acts 13:46 with 14:4). 

That the word "apostle" really signified a planter and was thereforedescriptive of the kind of work done is shown by the words of Paulhimself: "For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleshipof the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles"(Gal. 2:8). And again, he says to the Corinthians, "If I be not anapostle unto others, yet doubtless I am _to you_; for _the seal ofmine apostleship are ye in the Lord_" (1 Cor. 9:2). In another placehe says to the same church, "Though ye have ten thousand instructorsin Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I havebegotten you through the gospel" (1 Cor. 4:15). 

The special, personal relation that the apostle, or planter, sustainedto the work which he had founded and over which he exercised generaljurisdiction, was but temporary, a sort of fatherly care. He wasobliged to oversee the work as a whole, including young ministers, until it became thoroughly established. After others were able for thework and the apostle's special oversight was withdrawn, there might beten thousand other instructors, but _no more fathers_. This disprovesentirely the episcopal idea as an essential feature of churchgovernment. The apostle Peter even classes himself simply as an elderin common with other elders (1 Pet. 5:1). But with the exception ofthe original apostles, who were specially commissioned to reveal thedoctrine and message of the gospel and to establish the Christianfaith, the difference existing between elders in the primitivechurch was not a difference in kind, but in degree only, varying inaccordance with their ability to put forth some portion of that moraland spiritual power by which alone Christ governs his church. 

PART II

The Church in History

CHAPTER V

CORRUPTION OF EVANGELICAL FAITH

It is not my purpose to write an ecclesiastical history, but in orderto make clear the work of final reformation, it will be necessary topresent at least a brief sketch of historic Christianity, outliningparticularly those leading features which show a radical departurefrom the true church as originally constituted by our Lord and hisapostles. 

[Sidenote: "The faith"]

In the days of primitive Christianity there was something called "thegospel, " "the truth, " "the form of sound words, " "_the faith. "_ Tounderstand its fundamental nature is not difficult, for it has beenpreserved and handed down to us in the writings of the New Testament. According to this record, the gospel message, or "the faith, " centeredin the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, who died and rose again thathe might be a "Prince and a Savior, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins" (Acts 5:31). "And that repentance andremission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem" (Luke 24:47). Around this central fact ofsalvation from sin through faith in Christ clustered those othertruths and facts which either necessarily resulted from the newrelationship of redeemed humanity with God or were essential to itsvisible manifestation and propagation. Prominent among these featureswere the entire sanctification of believers, holy life and conduct, the baptism, gifts, and leadership of the Holy Spirit, and the visibleunity and relationship of believers in one body, the church. 

[Sidenote: An apostasy foretold]

I need not take time or space to describe the wonderful successes ofChristianity as long as the primitive purity and power of thegospel message was sustained and its results realized in a living, Spirit-filled church. But facts compel me to record a change from thathappy condition. This transition was foreseen by those who "spake asthey were moved by the Holy Ghost. " Paul declared: "Some shall departfrom the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines ofdevils" (1 Tim. 4:1); "Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them" (Acts20:30). Peter predicted, "There shall be false teachers among you, whoprivily shall bring in damnable heresies" (2 Pet. 2:1). Jesus himselfdeclared, "Many false prophets shall arise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold"(Matt. 24:11, 12). 

Paul gives a more particular description of the coming apostasy inthe second chapter of Second Thessalonians. Asserting that the secondcoming of Christ was not at that time imminent, he says: "Let no mandeceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except therecome a _falling away_ first, and that man of sin be revealed, theson of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all thatis called God, or that is worshiped; so that he as God sitteth in thetemple of God, showing himself that he is God" (verses 3, 4). 

The development of the "man of sin, " which was occasioned by the"falling away, " was to be gradual, but should finally assume greatproportions, "so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God showinghimself that _he_ is God. " The apostle further states: "For themystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth willlet, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that wicked berevealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming" (verses 7, 8). Weshould not seek for the fulfilment of this prediction in those minorsects and heresies which at an early date arose and soon passed away:the description refers to some great power occupying the greatestprominence, making the most pretentious claims, a power that is toendure until the second advent of Christ. We must, therefore, lookfor its fulfilment in what we may term the main line of historicChristianity. 

[Sidenote: First evidences of decline]

The "falling away" from the simple truths and standards of the gospelbegan at a very early date. The mystery of iniquity was alreadyworking in the apostles' day. Before the close of the first centurywe find in the churches of Asia Minor a sad deflection from theirprimitive condition. The church at Ephesus had left its first love(Rev. 2:4); the church at Pergamos was tolerating false teachers andbeing ruined by false doctrines (2:14, 15); Thyatira had lost thespirit of holy judgment against wrong-doing and was therefore affectedby a shocking degree of immorality (2: 20-23); the message to Sardiswas, "Thou hast a name that thou livest, _and art dead_ (3:1);Laodicea had become so lukewarm that the Lord said, "I will spew theeout of my mouth" (3:15, 16). 

[Sidenote: The apostolic fathers]

The transition from the apostles to the age of the early churchfathers is involved in considerable darkness. Not until the middle ofthe second century, when Justin Martyr appears on the scene, does thechurch emerge from its obscurity into the clear light of history. Theapostolic fathers--Clement of Rome, Ignatius, the Pastor of Hermas, Papias, and the unknown author of the Epistle to Diognetus--all theselived and wrote during that transitional period, and they could havetold us much, but they have told us little. We can not but admire thebeautiful spirit in which they wrote, and their style is earnest andvital. Nevertheless, we discern in these works two leading tendencieswhich stand, so to speak, as prophecies of what was to predominate inthe ecclesiastical thought of succeeding centuries. 

In the mind of the author of the Epistle to Diognetus, the grandcentral thought is the incarnation and the spiritual presence ofChrist in redeemed humanity, by which they are led to the "freeimitation of God, " as a result of which they become to the worldwhat the soul is to the body--its life and the means of holding ittogether. This teaching is an epitome of the Greek theology developedlater by Clement of Alexandria, Origen, and Athanasius. But in Papias, who attaches much importance to oral traditions that "came from theliving and abiding voice"; in Ignatius, who exalts the bishopabove other presbyters; and in Clement, who, writing as a Roman, is concerned with matters of administration and subordination toauthority--in these we discern the beginnings of the Latin theologydeveloped later by Tertullian, Irenaeus, Cyprian, and Augustine, which produced the papacy, and which, as we shall show, has in a greatmeasure dominated the ecclesiastical thought of the world until thepresent day. 

[Sidenote: The Ante-Nicene age]

After emerging into the clear field of historic Christianity in thetime of Justin Martyr, we find everywhere evidences of a rapidlydeveloping apostasy. In one respect we approach an examination of theAnte-Nicene church with feelings of admiration. This was a heroic age, an age of Christian martyrs. The struggles of Christianity against thepowers of heathenism enthroned in the Roman Empire and throughoutthe world form a bright chapter in the annals of historic deeds andsupreme loyalty to lofty ideals. When we view the subject fromthis angle, it would almost seem to be an act of irreverence or ofsacrilege to call in question the doctrines and practises of thatperiod when the church was baptized by fire and waded through riversof blood. Reverence for the martyrs and for their noble efforts toextend the cause of Christ is praiseworthy, but in justice to truth, we must remember that even the martyrs were not inspired teacherscommissioned to build a model for all succeeding ages. That theywere heroic does not prove them infallible. We should never hesitate, therefore, to compare their teaching with the pure doctrines of theWord of God, and wherein there is any lack of harmony, we should beguided by the truth as it is in Jesus. 

However much we may admire the early church fathers, we can not helpnoticing the sharp contrast between them and the first apostles;between their writings and the sublime, inspired teaching of thedivine Word. If, after reading Paul, Peter, or John, we turn toTertullian, Irenaeus, or Cyprian, we instinctively realize thatwe have, so to speak, been transferred from sunny Italy to frigidSiberia. We are conscious of a change to another era, and to anothercountry. Notwithstanding the fact that we find numerous familiarobjects, we know that we are moving in another atmosphere amid foreignsurroundings. 

[Sidenote: Growth of ritualism]

The church of the Middle Ages was the natural fruitage of the seedsplanted during the second and third centuries. There we began tonotice particularly foreign elements which stand out in boldcontrast to the simple forms of primitive Christianity. One of theseinnovations was the development of the ritualistic spirit, accordingto which undue importance was attached to particular forms of worship, such as time, place, positions of the body, and ceremonial observancesin general. Take baptism for an example. Apart from erroneous notionsconcerning the efficacy of baptism, which will be referred to underanother head, the writings of the church fathers abound with themost minute and puerile details concerning how the act is to beperformed--details of catechism, of consecration of waters, ofdressing and undressing, exorcism, anointing from head to foot withoil, the laying on of hands, etc. , all of which were to be carried outin the most exacting and solemn manner. 

[Sidenote: Example from Tertullian]

As an example of the ritualistic character of Christian worship at thebeginning of the third century, I will cite a passage from Tertullian. In the third chapter of his work De Corona, this celebrated Latinfather undertakes to defend customs and practises that he confesseswere received "on the ground of tradition alone. " He says: "I shallbegin with baptism. When we are going to enter the water, but a littlebefore, in the presence of the congregation and under the hand of thepresident, we solemnly profess that we disown the devil, and his pomp, and his angels. Whereupon we are thrice immersed, making a somewhatampler pledge than the Lord has appointed in the gospel. [A] Thenwhen we are taken up (as new-born children) we taste, first of all, amixture of milk and honey, and from that day we abstain from the dailybath for a whole week. We take also, in congregations before daybreak, and from the hand of none but the president, the sacrament of theEucharist, which the Lord both commanded to be done at mealtimes andenjoined to be taken by all alike. As often as the anniversary comesround, we make offerings for the dead as birthday honors. We countshouting or kneeling in worship on the Lord's day to be unlawful. Werejoice in the same privilege also from Easter to Whitsunday. We feelpained should any wine or bread, even though our own, be cast upon theground. At every forward step and movement, at every going in and out, when we put on our clothes and shoes, when we bathe, when we sit attable, when we light the lamps, on couch, on seat, in all the ordinaryactions of daily life, we trace upon the forehead the sign of thecross. "

In words immediately following, at the beginning of Chapter 4, Tertullian says: "If for these and other such rules you insist uponhaving positive Scriptural injunction, you will find none. Traditionwill be held forth to you as the originator of them, custom as theirstrengthener, and faith as their observer. "

According to this confession, all the ceremonial observances hereset forth are without Scriptural authority. When we read in theNew Testament concerning the simple act of baptizing believers, andcompare it with the customs and practises that had grown up in theAnte-Nicene church, we do not wonder that evangelical faith was soonafterwards almost entirely lost in ritualistic forms; that, like thePharisees of old, men made the faith of God of none effect by theirtraditions. 

[Sidenote: False doctrines and heresies]

Another evidence of the decline of evangelical faith is found inthe presence of many false doctrines among the leaders of so-calledorthodox Christianity in that period of which I now write. Paul notonly taught that at a later time some should "depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and devils" (1 Tim. 4:1), but hereferred to some who had already "erred concerning the faith" (1 Tim. 6:21), and named two persons, 'who, concerning the truth, had erred, saying that the resurrection was past already, and overthrew the faithof some' (2 Tim. 2:18). After the death of the apostles, error madedeeper inroads, and its baneful influence cast a shadow over thechurch, which rapidly deepened into the darkness of spiritual night. 

[Sidenote: Baptismal regeneration]

One of the earliest corruptions of apostolic truth concerned thedesign and purpose of baptism. It was not long until unscripturalsignificance was attached to the literal rite itself, so that what wasoriginally a mere sign, was substituted for the thing signified, andthus baptism took the place of spiritual regeneration. In severalplaces in the writings of Justin Martyr, who lived about the middle ofthe second century, his language seems to attach undue importance tothe literal rite; but other passages from the same author indicatethat he had not as yet entirely lost sight of the apostolic standard. In his Dialog with Trypho, chapter 14, he says: "We have believed andtestify that that very baptism which he [Isaiah] announced is aloneable to purify those who have repented ... And what is the use of thatbaptism which cleanses the flesh and body alone? Baptize the soul fromwrath and covetousness, from envy and from hatred, and lo, the body ispure. "

In his First Apology, chapter 61, the same writer draws a clearBiblical distinction between spiritual regeneration secured throughrepentance and faith, and ritual regeneration in baptism as a mereoutward sign of the inward work. He says: "I will also relate themanner in which we dedicated ourselves to God when we had been madenew through Christ ... As many as are persuaded and believe thatwhat we teach and say is truth, and undertake to be able to liveaccordingly, are instructed to pray and to entreat God with fastingfor the remission of their sins that are past, we praying and fastingwith them. Then they are brought by us where there is water and areregenerated in the same manner in which we were ourselves regenerated. For, in the name of God, the Father and Lord of the Universe, and ofour Savior Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit, they then receive thewashing with water. "

Other writers of the period under consideration, however, praise thesaving efficacy of baptism in the most exalted terms. According totheir minds, it is the actual means of the redemption of sins, nota mere literal rite expressing ceremonially the work of God's Spiritwithin the heart; it is an illumination; it extinguishes the fireof sin; it removes the unclean spirits from men and seals them forheaven. Tertullian wrote extensively on this subject. In his workOn Baptism, chapters 3 to 8, he maintains the doctrine of baptismalregeneration "by which we are washed from the sins of our formerblindness and set free for eternal life. " He declares that by this actmen are prepared to receive the Holy Ghost; that in the literal act, "the spirit is corporeally washed in the waters, and the flesh is, inthe same, spiritually cleansed. " Cyprian, bishop of Carthage (thirdcentury), in his treatise concerning the Baptism of Heretics, teachesthe same doctrine in no uncertain terms. 

[Sidenote: Other erroneous doctrines and practises]

The limits of this work preclude the historic treatment of the riseand development of the host of false doctrines and practises thatfinally bound the people in the thralldom of superstition and plungedthe world into the darkness of spiritual night. One who is free fromsuch influences can scarcely read without feelings of disgust theelaborate treatises of these church fathers wherein they extol thevirtues of virginity as forming a new order of life, as an evidence ofdivinity, as making virgins while in this world "equal to the angelsof God, " and as a certain surety of special rewards in heaven. Fromthis false standard proceeded at length the celibacy of the clergy andmonkery with all their attendant evils. And the time would fail me totell of the introduction of images and image-worship in the WesternChurch and of that superstitious regard for miserable relics of everydescription and kind. True evangelical faith was at length lost toview, buried beneath the rubbish of men's traditions. The treatmentof such matters, however, belongs to the church historian, and as thegeneral facts are well-known, it is unnecessary here to make more thana brief reference to them so as to prepare the mind for that treatmentof the reformation which is a special object of the present work. 

[Footnote A: Tertullian is the earliest writer that clearly andunmistakably teaches trine immersion, or records its practise. Buthere he honestly confesses that it is a "somewhat ampler pledge thanthe Lord has appointed in the gospel. "]

CHAPTER VI

RISE OF ECCLESIASTICISM

[Sidenote: Two phases of apostacy]

In order to understand the place which the work of reformation has inthe plan and purpose of God respecting his church, we must carefullyobserve the twofold character of the apostasy. Both these phasesare clearly outlined in that remarkable prediction of Paul to whichreference has already been made, recorded in the second chapterof Second Thessalonians. The first phase, described as "_a fallingaway_, " was that decline from true Christianity which we haveconsidered in the preceding chapter as the Corruption of EvangelicalFaith. The second phase was the rise and development of a foreignelement which was from its beginning "the mystery of iniquity" andwhich in certain respects usurped the true place of Jehovah himselfin spiritual worship in the temple of God. This phase now demands ourspecial attention. 

Since the sixteenth century reformation a large part of the Christianworld has renounced the right of the pope to sit as the supremeearthly head of the church, but we shall show later that these samemodern Christians who have sought the restoration of the evangelical_faith_ have not discarded the essential elements of the papalhierarchical system, but have perpetuated them in their ownecclesiastical constitutions, and that this relic of medievalism isthe chief barrier to a reunited Christendom and the restoration ofpure apostolic Christianity. It is highly essential, therefore, thatthis phase of the apostasy be carefully considered. It is not enoughto reject the pope and his college of cardinals. If that tree, asjudged by its fruits, is an "evil" tree, we should seek to know where, when, and by whom the evil seed from which it grew was first planted, and then _reject it from the roots up_. Then, and not until then, canthe work of reformation be made complete. We have, therefore, to tracethe rise and development of what may be forcibly expressed by theapparently pleonastic phrase _human ecclesiasticism_. 

[Sidenote: Divine authority vs. Positional authority]

We have already seen that in the church, as originally constituted, organization, authority, and government proceeded from the divine andnot from the human. The agents whom Christ used in performing hiswork and in overseeing his church were called and endowed by theHoly Spirit, and this divine endowment was the real basis of theirauthority and responsibility. Paul's authority and responsibility asan apostle, for example, was not positional authority, or authorityproceeding from a certain position to which he had been appointed orelected. His authority was divine, and out of that divine authoritygrew his positional responsibility as the "apostle of the Gentiles. "Over and over he affirmed that he was an apostle, "not of men, neitherby man, but by Jesus Christ" (Gal. 1:1). On the same principle theposition, work, and responsibility of all the members of the body ofChrist grew out of the gifts and qualifications possessed by them, andthus the church was divinely organized and divinely governed. 

[Sidenote: Original bond of union]

The bonds which united primitive Christians in one body wereessentially moral and spiritual. Christ was their ever-living andever-acting head. Their life proceeded from him, and they were allone in him. While those living in widely separated districtsconsulted together concerning matters of general concern, or unitedin cooperative efforts to accomplish common tasks, there is not theslightest evidence that there was an external human organizationof the primitive church--either sectionally, nationally, oruniversally--centralized under a human headship of the administrative, legislative, and judicial kind. Christ was the head of the generalchurch, the head of all the local churches, the head of all theindividual members of the church. In him, the source of their commonlife, the primitive Christians were essentially one, and by his Spirithe operated in all hearts, in all the individual churches, and in allthe ministers whose particular gifts and qualifications fitted themfor divinely appointed oversight, both local and general. By thismeans the primitive church was able to perform the work of Christharmoniously and present to the world the grand spectacle of one body. 

[Sidenote: First steps to ecclesiasticism]

Jesus taught the humble equality of the New Testament ministry. "Allye are brethren" (Matt. 23:8). According to the New Testament theywere all of one general order or rank, although greatly diversifiedin gifts and qualifications and the kind of work accomplished by each. The first example we have in Scripture of _positional authority_ inthe ministry as distinguished from the authority of the Holy Spirit, is the case of Diotrephes, of whom the apostle John wrote in histhird epistle. We are also informed as to the nature of the authorityexercised by him and the direction in which it led. It was _humanauthority_, something additional and foreign to the authority andgovernment through the Holy Spirit, and the first example of churchgovernment by a single man. It proceeded from the evil root of prideand ambition, the love of "preeminence" among the brethren; andthis usurped power and authority led to a judicial process by whichinnocent brethren were 'cast out of the church. '

What a contrast this presents to that New Testament picture of thedivine ecclesia, exhibiting the highest form of human society knownto history, a body in which every member had his gift and use for it. Among these many activities, oversight and preaching had their place, but did not constitute the whole sum of Christian service. Pauldescribes Christ as the living head "from whom the whole body fitlyjoined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the _effectual working in the measure of every part_, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love" (Eph. 4:16). The object of the ministerial function was "the perfecting ofthe saints, unto the work of ministering, unto the building up of thebody of Christ" (verse 12, R. V. ). 

In his early epistle to the Philippians, Paul makes reference tothe officers that guided that church. He sends greetings "to all thesaints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops anddeacons" (Phil. 1:1). Polycarp, writing to the same church in thenext century, addresses the "presbyters and deacons, " showing that theapostolic order was still preserved there. 

[Sidenote: Bishops vs. Presbyters]

In the Ignatian epistles, however, written early in the secondcentury, there appears positional authority of a new order. In placeof the New Testament standard of a plurality of elders, or bishops, jointly teaching and guiding the local church, we find recognition ofan office which was superior to that of the presbyters and to whoseincumbents alone the term "bishop" was applied. A few extracts fromhis writings will make clear this recognition of a threefold order ofthe ministry--bishops, elders, and deacons. "Wherefore, it is fittingthat ye should run together in accordance with the will of yourbishop, which thing also ye do. For your justly renowned presbytery, worthy of God, is fitted exactly to the bishop as the strings are tothe harp" (To the Ephesians, chap. 4). "He is subject to the bishopas to the grace of God, and to the presbytery as to the will of JesusChrist" (To the Magnesians, chap. 2). And again, in the same epistlehe says, "I exhort you to study to do all things with a divineharmony, while your bishop presides in the place of God, and yourpresbytery in the place of the assembly of the apostles" (chap. 6). "In like manner, let all reverence the deacons as the appointment ofJesus Christ, and the bishop as Jesus Christ, who is the Son of theFather, and the presbyters as the Sanhedrin of God, and assembly ofthe apostles. Apart from these there is no church" (To the Trallians, chap. 3). To the Smyrnaeans he writes: "See that ye all followthe bishop, even as Jesus Christ does the Father.... Let no man doanything connected with the church without the bishop" (chap. 8). "Itis not lawful without the bishop either to baptize or to celebrate alove-feast; but whatsoever he shall approve of, that is also pleasingto God" (chap. 8). "It is well to reverence both God and the bishop. He who honors the bishop has been honored of God; but he who doesanything without the knowledge of the bishop, does [in reality] servethe devil" (chap. 9). 

That this early recognition of a superior order of ministers was adistinct innovation is also shown from the literature of that period. In the Shepherd of Hermas, dating from the first part of the secondcentury, elders and presbyters are distinctly named but no bishopin contrast therewith. In the so-called "Teaching of the TwelveApostles, " also dating from the first part of the second century, bishops and deacons only are named as teachers and leaders of thechurch, showing that the original signification of the term "bishop"is here retained. Clement of Rome, in his first epistle to theCorinthians, speaks of the ministry as an institution of the apostles, but he mentions, nevertheless, only a twofold order--elders anddeacons, presbyters and deacons, or bishops and deacons. The sameclassification is made in the second epistle of Clement to theCorinthians, a work which is generally ascribed to another author; soalso in the epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians. 

[Sidenote: Innovation becomes general]

The superior office of _the_ bishop as distinguished from the localpresbytery was, therefore, an innovation, but in process of time itsrecognition became general. It is probable that in the localpresbytery of the primitive church some one minister excelled inspecial gifts and qualifications and consequently became a naturalleader of his brethren. _Such_ leadership was of God, comes generalbecause it was based on the authority proceeding from the Spirit ofGod. Such was the leadership which Paul held in a sphere of activitywider than a local congregation. But such was not positional authorityor authority proceeding from a humanly created superior office andappointment thereto. It was of divine order. But this fact ofdistinguished leadership at first, doubtless furnished an excuse forthe creation of a distinct office with carefully defined functions andlimits of authority. The power of the bishop thus constituted advancedsteadily. The churches of the cities where they were located extendedtheir influences over smaller towns in the surrounding territory, andthus the city bishop came to rule over the elders of the lesserchurches of a district. 

[Sidenote: Development of hierarchy]

When the first step toward ecclesiasticism was definitely taken, by the recognition of official position authority, and governmentproceeding from human appointment alone, the way was prepared forrapid progress toward a highly organized system of man-rule. When thebishops met in provincial councils, special deference was given thosebishops from cities of great political importance, and they wereexalted to the presidency of these councils, and this in time led tothe recognition of a new order of church officials--_metropolitans_. Later the metropolitans seemed too numerous for general utility ingovernmental functions; therefore general leadership gradually becamecentralized more and more in the bishops or metropolitans ofcertain of the most important cities, until they were finally givenrecognition as an order superior to that of metropolitans and werestyled _patriarchs_. The first Council of Nice recognized thissuperior authority possessed by the patriarchates of Alexandria, Rome, and Antioch. The General Council of Constantinople placed the bishopof Constantinople in the same rank with the other three patriarchs, and the General Council of Chalcedon exalted the see of Jerusalem toa similar dignity. The race for leadership between the patriarchatesthen began. On account of the Moslem invasion in the seventh century, Jerusalem, Alexandria, and Antioch fell away from their formerpositions of greatness; therefore the rivalry for leadership washenceforth between the see of Rome and the bishop of Constantinople. Rome possessed many natural advantages, and consequently the bishopof Rome gained the greater prestige. The full-fledged papacy was theresult. 

[Sidenote: Fundamental causes]

What produced that transition from the humble apostolic church of thebrethren to the medieval church of the impious Hildebrand, who causedmonarchs to tremble on their thrones? The change resulted from twoparticular causes, and it is highly essential to our purpose thatwe understand them. One was a misconception both of the Fundamentalconstitution of the true church itself as designed by its Founderand of Christ's perpetual relationship to it; and the second wasthe imperialistic tendencies of that age to which the first errornaturally exposed the church. 

It is unnecessary here to recite at length that conception of theprimitive church which we have described in preceding chapters asthe concrete expression of the kingdom of God. Such was the only true_catholic_, or universal, church. Its catholicity, however, was amoral and spiritual dominion exercised over men by the truth andSpirit of God, and was rendered visible only in the society ofredeemed believers who held the truth and bore its appropriate fruitsof righteousness. Being composed of the redeemed, it lovingly embracedwithin its membership the entire brotherhood of Christ. 

[Sidenote: Two theories of catholicity]

It is not too much to say that in the age in which Christianity firstappeared it was difficult for men to appreciate the conception of apurely moral and spiritual authority which was to be universal andperpetual. Another idea of catholicity soon began to take possessionof men's minds--the idea of a temporal and earthly organization of thekingdom of heaven. In this conception of the church the bond of unionwas not moral and spiritual--not the inevitable result of divine lifeand love in the individual members--but its pretended catholicity wasto be secured by official, administrative, legislative, and judicialfunctions under a human headship and a self-perpetuating humanmagistracy. Such was the "mystery of iniquity, " and in its developedform historically it was "the man of sin. " The student of the NewTestament can easily see that the great Founder never intended thatthe boundary of his church should be determined by the administrativefunctions of a self-perpetuating clerical corporation. But, onthe other hand, the real church embraces the entire _spiritualbrotherhood, _ and out of this spiritual membership was developed bythe Spirit of God the capacity and authority to teach, guide, andinstruct. What a contrast these two conceptions present!

[Sidenote: The power of the keys]

Out of that worldly conception of the kingdom of God grew the Romishfigment of the "power of the keys. " According to this idea, Christconstituted his ministers a sort of clerical, close corporationinvested with direct authority over souls so that without theirpriestly mediation the kingdom of heaven is forever shut against men. The words "keys of the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 16:19) are evidentlynothing more than a figurative expression indicating the moralinfluence in the kingdom which Peter in particular should wield withpeculiar energy and efficiency. According to Matt. 18:18 all theapostles and others were to exercise the same functions. In time, thisexpression denoting moral influence and usefulness in the service ofChrist was tortured into an engine of despotism and made the means ofspiritual tyranny over the consciences of millions of men and women. The corporation entrusted with such power durst not be resisted, andthe church was identical with the hierarchy. 

But all of Rome's boasted catholicity, centralized in an official, administrative corporation, is a chimera; for it is a fact thatmultitudes are accepted of God as members of the divine family who arenot identified with the hierarchy. The real catholic church, embracingthe whole spiritual brotherhood, is therefore something else. 

[Sidenote: Main source of ecclesiasticism]

But we have not yet reached in this discussion the tap-root of theevil tree of human ecclesiasticism. The fundamental error underlyingall other errors on this subject, was the idea of an absent Christ. Notwithstanding the definite assertions of our Lord, "I am with youalway, even unto the end of the world" and "Where two or threeare gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst ofthem"--notwithstanding these reassuring promises and the definitestatements of the apostles which represent Christ as the ever-livingand ever-acting head of the church, soon after the apostolic periodmen lost the consciousness of the divine presence and began to thinkand to act as if Christ were indeed absent and would not return againfor thousands of years. The presence of gigantic evils in the worldwith no apparent available means of redressing them, the dead weightof heathenism, and the disturbing influences of speculative Orientalphilosophies impressed upon the conscience of the world a despairingpessimism. In the midst of this trial there was a revival of thePlatonic philosophy. The treatise of Plato that made the most profoundimpression upon the religious thought of the second century was the"Timaeus, " wherein the Deity is pictured as withdrawn from the worldinto a distant heaven separated from all creation because of the evilwith which matter is essentially connected. With God withdrawn fromthe world and Christ absent on a long journey, what was man to do?What was the hope of the world?

Here ecclesiasticism found its real opportunity. Here human authorityand government could be and was substituted for that spiritualdominion of Christ which gave life, form, and character to his churchin primitive days. Here grew up that conception of the church asidentical with the hierarchy whose power and authority was handeddown by direct descent from the apostles and without whose priestlymediation there was no hope of salvation. Here was introduced theidea of world-wide centralization of administrative, legislative, and judicial functions in a self-perpetuating human headship. What acontrast! With Christ absent, the church an ark for the saving of theworld, the truth a mere deposit made to the church for safe keeping tobe handed down like a heirloom from generation to generation, and witha self-perpetuating priestly corporation as master of the destinies ofthe universe, we are prepared to understand the tyrannical rule of thechurch of Hildebrand and Innocent III. Traced to its source, this evilsystem is found to have sprung from that worldly conception of thekingdom of Christ which was substituted for the inconceivably granderconception of its Founder--a kingdom whose dominion is moral andspiritual under the personal supervision of Christ himself in allages, and which embraces in its membership the entire spiritualbrotherhood. 

CHAPTER VII

THE REFORMATION

The age of popery's greatest glory was the world's midnight. I havenot attempted to give an adequate description of that long reign ofsuperstition and error preceding the reformation of the sixteenthcentury. Such is the particular province of ecclesiastical historians. I have simply confined the discussion to certain features essential toour present purpose. 

One point of importance I have endeavored to impress, namely, thatthe papal hierarchy, with all its attendant evils, corruption, superstition, and spiritual despotism, was the logical successor ofthe Ante-Nicene church; that the ripened fruits of papalism were thedirect results of the seeds of error planted in the second and thirdcenturies. In view of this fact, one is led to inquire why trueChristianity was not permanently buried in oblivion beyond thepossibility of resurrection, how any reformation could be possible. 

If Christianity were nothing more than a human religion, itsreformation at such a period of decline and corruption would appearimpossible. But Christianity was of divine origin. No matter howdeeply it was buried under the rubbish of human tradition andsuperstition, no matter how grossly it was perverted and misunderstoodby men, it still retained within itself the vital spark of divinelife, the living principle of reformation. 

[Sidenote: First cause of reformation]

The secret of this reformatory power was Jesus Christ himself, thegreat ever-living head of the church. Notwithstanding the declineof faith and morals among those professing Christ, the wonderfulcharacter of Jesus still stood out with remarkable clearness andpower in the records of the New Testament and could not but exert atremendous influence in spite of prevailing standards; could notbut shed rays of light and warmth in the midst of the surroundingdarkness. Although men's ideas of the church became perverted, theycould not entirely lose sight of the great Founder of the church, andthey could not escape the conviction that the record of the foundingof that church was given in the writings of the New Testament and thatthese writings were worthy of peculiar veneration. Perhaps this isthe main reason why the learning of antiquity was chiefly preserved inmonasteries and churches. There were ecclesiastics in all theseages who were acquainted with the Scriptures in Latin, and thisacquaintance tended to preserve the knowledge of Jesus the Christ asportrayed in the original gospel records. The history of that epochproves that there were men who loved the Lord more than priestly formsand ceremonial observances. John Wyclif, Jerome of Prague, John Huss, and others experienced that deeper longing for personal relationshipwith Christ, and they proclaimed the gospel of Christ in a manner thatcould not be understood by the hierarchy of their times. 

[Sidenote: Classical learning]

Jesus was indeed the Christ of God. The light which shone forth fromhis presence could not be totally obscured, and the moral power andinfluence of his life and teaching could not be destroyed. The revivalof classical learning restored the Greek Testament to western Europeand attracted the attention of students and learned men in all themonasteries and universities. While the hierarchy insisted on theexclusive right to interpret the Scriptures, the simple reading ofthese wonderful records could not but create new conceptions of truthwhich no clerical prohibition could banish. Life was springing up inthe midst of death. 

[Sidenote: Love for truth]

The Reformation was the sincere effort of honest men to restore thetruth of primitive Christianity, that the world might again experiencethe triumph of evangelical faith. To the everlasting credit of theContinental reformers be it said that their motives were not selfish. They sought not for themselves freedom of thought and speech norchurch power. Their immediate object was the restoration of thegospel; all other results were but secondary. Nothing is morecertain than that at the first Luther had no idea of assailing theorganization of the papal church. Most of the reformers at the firststill believed most earnestly in the imperial government of theuniversal church; and they relinquished this long-cherished ideal onlywhen driven by force of circumstances which were at first unseen andunsuspected. Luther did not at first question the doctrine of thesupremacy of the pope; but when he found that the reigning pope couldnot be reconciled with the principles of truth which he taught, Lutherproposed to appeal the matters in question to a general council, notwithstanding the melancholy example, a century earlier, of theCouncil of Constance and the fate of John Huss and Jerome of Prague. 

[Sidenote: Indulgences]

The real occasion for the outbreak of the Reformation was the papaltraffic in indulgences. Leo X had great need of money for the buildingof St. Peter's, and other undertakings, and in order to fill thecoffers of the church he had recourse to the sale of indulgences. The power of dispensing these indulgences in Saxony in Germany wascommitted to a Dominican friar named Tetzel, a fanatical enthusiastwho entertained the most extravagant notions concerning their efficacyin forgiving not only the sins already committed but even those whichwere contemplated. Luther's soul burned with righteous indignation. Ofwhat use was the doctrine that forgiveness of sin came by the death ofChrist on the cross if any sinner could obtain it from an emissary ofthe pope for a pecuniary consideration. Luther felt that this infamoustraffic was making the Word of God of none effect. He therefore drewup ninety-five theses against the doctrine of indulgences and nailedthem on the church-door at Wittenberg. The printing-press scatteredcopies of these theses everywhere, and soon the continent of Europewas in a blaze of controversy. Such, in short, was the beginning ofthe Reformation and some of the causes leading thereto. 

[Sidenote: Gospel standard sought]

The key-note of the reformers was, therefore, the gospel. The viewsof the reformers with respect to truth were not altogether harmonious, and it is evident that some of them had much clearer conception of thegospel than had others. Nevertheless, their primary purpose was thesame. They were gradually forced to the conviction that Rome hadmade the faith of God of none effect by her traditions, errors, andsuperstitions, so much so as to make it practically unknown. It wasthe purpose of these heroic preachers to bring out these long-obscuredtruths and thus make them effectual in the saving of men. The maindoctrine around which the Reformation centered was justification byfaith independent of human mediation. 

So far as the Reformation restored to the world right doctrine, ittended to correct the evils of that phase of the apostasy which wehave characterized as the corruption of evangelical faith. But it didnot remove that other evil characteristic of the apostasy, the parentof nearly all other evils--_human ecclesiasticism_. Viewed from oneangle, that power appears to have been modified; but from anotherpoint of view, we can see that what was formerly an imperial systemof centralized ecclesiastical control simply ended now in nationallycentralized systems perpetuating the same principles. Thus, from thecentralized dominion of the papal hierarchy there sprang the national, or state, churches in Switzerland, Germany, Holland, England, Sweden, and Scotland. 

[Sidenote: Lingering influence of Rome]

We have already shown that development of ecclesiasticism whichculminated in the papacy. From the primitive autonomy of the localchurches, there came the centralization and consolidation of churchessectionally under a human headship with administrative functions, thenprovincial or national centralization, then finally the primacy ofRome over them all. The reason for this is evident. When the moral andspiritual dominion of Christ's kingdom was lost to view or could notbe appreciated, the wrong conception of the church as a world-empirenaturally took possession of men's minds; for in that age vast, centralized, imperial power was the ideal government. When, however, the political empire fell, and men witnessed the ruin of theirpolitical ideal, they sought to realize the same universal conceptionin a world-church possessing imperial powers under the pope of Rome. 

[Sidenote: National churches]

At the period of the Reformation the Christian world had been in thegrip of this world-church idea for more than a thousand years. Asalready stated, the reformers, whose minds were directed chieflytoward the restoration of evangelical doctrine, had at first no ideaof breaking away from this standard. Evidently they had no conceptionof that moral and spiritual dominion of Christ by which alone hegoverns his church--a 'kingdom that is not of this world. ' Theytherefore abandoned the world-church idea reluctantly, and not untilthe opposition of the hierarchy drove them to separation. When theissue was clearly drawn, they of course decided to obey God ratherthan man. Having no idea of the real spiritual character of the divineecclesia, they had to content themselves with that _national_ churchunity which was still in their power. 

The clergy, who had long been accustomed to the imperial tie, believedthat a national headship was now necessary. The governments of Europeat that time were for the most part absolute monarchies, about theonly limits to the sovereign power of these kings being the controlwhich the pope exercised over the ecclesiastical affairs of thenations. From this control the Reformation liberated them. Thereforethey eagerly took upon themselves the oversight of the nationalchurches, and thus came into existence the church-and-state system ofProtestant Europe. To a great extent the power that the imperial headof the church lost was acquired by the national heads. 

All this seemed perfectly consistent to the reformers. They felt thenecessity of lodging somewhere that power of human control which hadbeen formerly exercised by the pope. As one writer has said, "Theycould not understand that Christianity could prosper without astrongly organized and governed church or without the presence of astrong and vigorous hand ready at all times to repress dissentand enforce uniformity of faith and worship. " The time of absolutereligious freedom was not yet. 

[Sidenote: Ecclesiasticism perpetuated]

As might be expected, numerous modifications of the principles andusages of the papal church occurred in the change from imperialcontrol to the state-church system. This diversity took place in thedifferent countries in accordance either with prevailing conditionsand sentiments or with the whims and caprices of the reigningsovereigns. While some retained the episcopate, others greatlymodified it or rejected it altogether. In forms of worship, ritual, and other things numerous changes were also made. But notwithstandingthe diversity in forms of worship and in church polity, in tworespects there was perfect agreement among all the Reformedchurches--two things brought over from the papacy--namely, first, the idea of a self-perpetuating clerical caste possessing in theircorporate capacity legislative and judicial authority over thechurch; and second, the centralization under a human headship ofadministrative functions, instead of that local autonomy whichprevailed in the congregations of apostolic times. The doctrine of the"power of the keys, " a power wielded by a clerical corporation withauthority to prescribe the very manner and form of worshiping God andto require men to comply therewith or else exclude them from gospelprivileges. That doctrine was accepted without question. It was thesame power in principle as that which was wielded so terribly byGregory VII in the papal church of the eleventh century. 

CHAPTER VIII

MODERN SECTS

[Sidenote: A mental picture]

Picture a keen observer living in the middle of the first centuryof our era. He travels about from place to place studying thedevelopment, nature, and fruits of the recently established religiousphenomenon--Christianity. He observes the purity of its doctrines andthe high moral standard exemplified in the lives of its adherents, andhe inquires particularly concerning the secret of that mysterious bondwhich unites in one body and in one fellowship, sympathy, and love theentire society of believers in Jesus. He departs. After the lapse oflong ages he returns near the beginning of the twentieth century, and lo, what is it that meets his astonished vision? The mournfulspectacle of a divided Christendom; of rival sects compassing land andsea to make proselytes; of the spiritual alienation of those who, inreality, belong to the one divine family; of waste and inefficiencyin methods of evangelical effort; not to mention the error, pride, andworldliness inherent in the gigantic ecclesiastical systems known asdenominational churches. What a change!

It is useless to minimize the evils inherent in the sect system. Intelligent men the world over need not the services of aneye-specialist to see clearly that there is something wrong withmodern Christendom; that the sect system does not represent thestandard of primitive Christianity, but that in reality the sectprinciple misrepresents the apostolic ideal as portrayed in the NewTestament. We may as well face the facts honestly and seek fora remedy for this disease that has so long marred the beauty andcorrupted the nature of the true Christian system. 

[Sidenote: Inherent evils]

I cheerfully admit that God has worked among his people in all agesin accordance with the degree of light and truth which they possessed. But I can not forget that the greatest revivals of evangelicalreligion have either taken place in spite of the sect system oramong those who had just made their escape from the bondage ofecclesiastical despotism and had not as yet become very deeplyaffected by the sectarian principle. To what source, then, are we totrace sects? What is their cause?

[Sidenote: Alleged causes of sect-making]

A large proportion of the Christian world would reply withouthesitation that the existence of the modern sects is due to thesetwo things: the principle of religious liberty and the limitationsof human knowledge. Such an answer reveals a superficial view ofthe whole subject. Religious liberty among Christians existed in theprimitive church before the rise of ecclesiastical tyranny over theconscience, and the masses of men in those days were at least aslimited in knowledge as are we. Still, the church was one; it was notdivided into rival and hostile sects. There was no need in those daysof constructing churches to conform to the limited capacity of men'sminds; for there was already in existence a church sufficiently_catholic_ in its nature and spirit to accommodate all classes ofminds, because there was in operation the power of the Spirit ofGod which revealed truth to men and thus enlightened their minds andbrought them into harmony with the divine standard. Concerning theprinciple of religious liberty, I shall have more to say hereafter. 

[Sidenote: Human limitations]

The natural limitations of human knowledge may account for differenceof opinion, but more than this is required to account for the entiresystem of organized sects such as we see it today. Millions ofevangelical Christians possessing spiritual affinity and holdingopinions no more divergent than often exist between members of thesame sect, are, nevertheless, divided into independent, rival parties. Something else originated and now perpetuates that barrier betweenthem. 

When differences are fundamental and therefore unavoidable, they willbecome more pronounced under test than at any other time. If, duringan epidemic, a physician believes that the method of treatmentemployed by another doctor is actually killing the patients, hisopposition to such a method will then he stronger than at any othertime. As long as that method is simply a theory, it is harmless. Onlywhen put into practise does it become dangerous. 

It is a matter of common knowledge that evangelical Christians arenot driven further apart but are really driven together wheneverChristianity itself is placed under any special trial, as, forexample, in foreign missionary work in heathen lands. And even in ourown country, whenever a great local interest is taken in the workof soul-saving there is a corresponding tendency for Christiansof different sects to ignore their differences of opinion and gettogether as if they believed in a common Lord over all and were allmembers of the same family. Thus, whenever the high tide of evangelismcomes in, the landmarks of sects are scarcely visible; but wheneverthe tide goes out, behold, _the ancient boundaries of sects appear asbefore_. This fact proves that there are no fundamental reasons whysects should exist. It proves that in reality sects are a barrierto the true work of Christ; hence are, in their essential nature, antichristian. What, then, is the real cause of sects'?

Traced to the original source, modern sects, we find, originated wherethe papacy originated--in the corruption of Christianity in the earlycenturies. All came from the same roots of error. 

[Sidenote: True causes of sects]

However modified and diversified in external form and in doctrinalteaching they may now be, they exhibit in their ecclesiasticalconstitutions a foreign character derived from the foreign stock fromwhich they sprang. Into this system there have been engrafted manynoble scions of truth from the "good olive-tree, " and these haveproduced commendable fruits of righteousness. But we are hereconcerned with pointing out those fundamental characteristics of thesystem that are foreign to the true church of Jesus Christ. 

[Sidenote: Erroneous ideas of the church]

The first cause to which I call attention is an erroneous conceptionof the church itself. At the cost of some repetition I must pointout that in the beginning the church was the universal company of theredeemed, the whole _spiritual brotherhood_, whether isolated membersof Christ or those worshiping in local assemblies distributed over theearth. The tie which united these members of Christ in one bodywas their common faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and the life of theSpirit. But as in those times vast centralized imperial power wasa divinity that every one worshiped, it was impossible properly toappreciate _the moral and spiritual dominion_ of Christ by whichalone he designed to rule his church; therefore men soon proceeded topattern the church of Christ after the political government, firstby grouping together under one administrative human headship thecongregations of a province or section of the empire, and then finallyuniting these different provinces under one administrative headshipat Rome. From that day until the present time the church-idea that hasgenerally prevailed in Christendom has been an organization fashionedaccording to the kingdoms of this world; a human organization in whichthe administrative functions of government are centralized under someform of human headship; a unity that is not moral and spiritual, butofficial and administrative, as well as legislative and judicial. 

[Sidenote: Wrong standard of church-membership]

Coincident with the creation of foreign ideals concerning churchsocieties was the formation of of a foreign idea of church-membershipand church-relationship. In the beginning, as we have shown, thechurch was simply the divine family. Therefore salvation throughChrist was its sole condition of membership. "And the Lord added tothem day by day those that were being saved" (Acts 2:47, R. V. ). And asthe local congregation was but the concrete expression of the idealsof the general body or church, that membership in Christ which mademen members of the general body, made them, by a moral and spirituallaw, members of all the other members of Christ, and therefore fixedtheir local relationship: they belonged by divine right with whichevercompany of believers they happened to be associated. Nothing more thansimple recognition of what God had done for them and the accordingto them of the local rights and privileges that naturally belongedto them was necessary on the part of a local congregation to make theactual union complete. 

The wrong conception of the constitution of the church necessarilyrequired another standard of church-membership. When _church_ cameto signify merely a group of congregations consolidated under acentralized human headship possessing administrative, legislative, andjudicial functions (so organized as to distinguish it from all otherorganized groups or congregations), simple membership in Christ wasinsufficient to mark the convert with the stamp of denominationalindividuality. Salvation itself made no one a member of a churchfashioned according to the kingdoms of this world. Consequentlyanother standard of membership was necessary, a standard whichrequired acceptance of and conformity to the self-made rules andregulations of that foreign society called a church. And when theseearth-born institutions became identified in the public mind withthe real church of Christ and membership in them became confused withmembership in the true church of God, the natural result was thatmillions complied, in a formal manner at least, with the conditions ofthe counterfeit church membership who never knew what it meant to bevitally joined to Christ. In this we see the "evil" fruit which grewon that tree of error. The multitudes that have been by this meansdeceived with the thought that they were Christians, only to be lostat last, will not be known until that awful day of final reckoning. 

[Sidenote: Divisive nature of the creeds]

The formation of creeds tends to create division and to perpetuatedivision. Cæsar's maxim illustrates their history: "Soldiers willraise money, and money will make soldiers. " So creeds will make sects, and sects will make creeds. "A creed or confession of faith is anecclesiastical document--the mind and will of some synod or councilpossessing authority--as a term of communion by which persons andopinions are to be tested, approbated or reprobated. " The sectchurches are built on their creeds, although, of course, they affirmthat their creeds are built on the Bible. In this case, however, it isusually apparent to the careful observer that the Bible is that partof the foundation which is buried out of sight below the ground. Thecreed is the real test applied to persons, the measure by which theiropinions are judged. It is the creed upon which the sect is built thatgives the denominational character and distinctiveness. 

It is a fact of history that the primary purpose of the historicalcreeds was not to unite men but to separate them. The Nicene Creed wasmade to exclude the Arians. The Decrees of the Council of Trent wereframed to exclude Protestants; the Westminster Confession, to excludeArminians; and the Episcopal Articles, to exclude Catholics andIndependents. To rally around a creed framed by human authority andmake it the basis of union is but to teach a system--a sect system;but to rally around the person of Jesus Christ and make him thesupreme object of our faith, hope, and love is to contend for whatthe Bible terms the faith, the truth, the gospel. This is infinitelybetter than any document proceeding from Nicea, Trent, Dort, Augsburg, or Westminster. 

[Sidenote: Power of the keys]

Another cause, both for the origin of the sect system and itsperpetuation, is the assumed "power of the keys" which has beencarried over from the Church of Rome. The idea that the administrativerule and government of the church of Christ has been, by divinedecree, centralized in a self-perpetuating clerical caste withauthority to legislate for the church and then to enforce itsdecisions by judicial procedure, is foreign to the primitive church asrecorded in the New Testament. It is a product of Papalism, and yetit has been, in its essential characteristics, transferred directly tothe sects of Protestantism. The New Testament recognizes no such humanpositional authority. It recognizes only that divine authority whichoperates through God's chosen ministers and helpers by virtue ofthe Spirit-bestowed gifts and qualifications. The only governmentalauthority exercised by the New Testament ministers was in cooperationwith Christ, the visible head, by putting forth, in accordance withthe Spirit's gifts and qualifications, some portion of that moralpower by which alone Christ governs. 

The idea that to a clerical order has been committed the exclusiveguardianship of the church, with full power to admit to or excludefrom the worship and service of God all except those who come byway of their priestly mediation, is the basest assumption. It is aviolation of the rights of individual conscience. Yet just suchpower has been and still is being exerted as a means of enforcingacquiescence in matters of opinion and submission to customs andpractises which every unprejudiced man knows, or can soon see, is nopart of the New Testament teaching and requirements. What a weaponhas this ecclesiastical assumption been! One always ready for use. Itmakes no difference whether it is wielded by a Methodist conference, an Episcopal judicatory, a Presbyterian synod, or a Catholic pope, itis all the same in principle--"the power of the keys. "

[Sidenote: Lack of religious freedom]

This assumed corporate power of the clergy has been one of thefundamental causes of sect-making. When a general clerical bodyassumes the right in its corporate capacity to prescribe rules ofeither faith or practise, written or unwritten, and then to enforcethem by judicial action, it is a direct violation of the New Testamentstandard, and of the rights of individual consciences. It was becauseof this lordly, unscriptural rule that many sincere men of God havebeen forced to sever their connection with the older sects in orderto find a place where a greater degree of light and truth could beexperienced and proclaimed. In such cases it was not religious libertythat caused the formation of new movements and new sects, but _thelack of religious liberty_. 

That "power of the keys, " making and then enforcing the standards ofcreeds, has done violence to the conscience of both the clergy andthe laity. Conscienceless persons subscribe to the creed without anyparticular hesitation, but the truly conscientious suffer the greatestembarrassment They must either refuse altogether and withdraw fromall connection, or else subscribe with a mental reservation amountingpractically to hypocrisy. 

[Sidenote: Inflexible character]

This inflexible character of the sect institution has been a mostfruitful cause for the production of new sects. No matter howspiritual the movement at its beginning, when its leaders were notlonging for church power but were earnestly preaching the Word ofthe Lord as it came unto them, as soon as the sect machinery wasthoroughly organized and was set in motion the inevitable tendency hasbeen to throw around the movement a wall of creedal and ecclesiasticalexclusiveness which shut out other true people of God; and thenbegan a process of crystalization which ever afterwards precluded theunfolding of new truth. It is a well-known fact that the high tide oftruth-discovery in every religious movement in Protestantism hasbeen at the time of its beginning. A fixed law of immobility has everafterwards prevailed. The reason is clear: whenever men grasp thereins of government and assume those prerogatives which belong to Godalone, the rule of the Spirit ends. The unfolding of new truths bythe operation of the Spirit is impossible within the limits of theold order where human ecclesiasticism reigns. But truth can not bepermanently suppressed. If it can not find room for developmentwithin the existing order of things, God will raise up men whowill, independently, proclaim the Word of the Lord. This he has donerepeatedly, only to have the new movements end in the same manner--ina rule of human ecclesiasticism. 

Human ecclesiasticism has always been the greatest barrier to the freespiritual development of the work of Christ. According to that relicof the papal church, authority and rule is vested in the clericalcorporation and is by them conferred upon other individuals by theact of ordination. How different the standard of the Word! In the OldTestament times the office of prophet did not come in the priestlyline, but on whomsoever the spirit of prophecy descended--whether uponAmos, the herdsman, or David, the king--he spake as he was moved bythe Holy Ghost. There has never been a time under the divine economywhen any man to whom the Word of the Lord came was not divinelyauthorized to proclaim his message wherever he could get a hearing, whether in synagog or temple, or out under the broad canopy of heaven. 

CHAPTER IX

THE CHURCH OF THE FUTURE

What about the church of the future? Is the modern sect system theultimate goal of Christian attainment in this world? While the sectscontain much truth and many of the people of God, their ecclesiasticalconstitutions are foreign to the true church of Jesus Christ, and itis inconceivable that the great Founder would make no provision eitherin his Word or in his plan for the correction of the evils which havegrown up around the Christian system during the dark ages of the worldand which have in a great measure perverted the gospel itself andlessened its wholesome efficiency as the universal remedy for humanills. 

Since no sect can make good a claim to being exclusively the church ofGod, a general feeling of toleration at least (if not in all casesof sincere respect) has come to prevail respecting the differentdenominational churches. Men have come to look upon the sects asa mere matter of fact, not to be seriously questioned, and we aresupposed to cover the whole scene with the mantle of patience andcharity and make the best of a bad situation. 

[Sidenote: The Protestant truce]

Dr. J. M. Sturtevant has expressed this general attitude so well that Ishall quote his own words: "It has long been true in this country thatno Protestant can freely expose the errors and superstitions of thepapal church, especially from the pulpit, without incurring the chargeof intolerance, bigotry, and uncharitableness. Religious controversyitself has been placed under the ban, as in its own natureuncharitable. When once any religious opinion has organized itselfinto a sect, it is thought to have acquired a sacredness which, in thename of Christian charity and in the interest of the tranquility ofthe community, defends it from any open assault. We have come into thecondition in which Rome was when she had extended her conquests fromthe British Isles to the Euphrates and had transferred to Rome thedivinities of all the countries conquered. People of every nationalitymight worship their own divinities, but must respectfully tolerate theworship of every other. In this way only could religious conflict beavoided. The chief reason why Christianity was persecuted was thatfrom its very nature it could accept no such truce. It is eithera universal religion or no religion at all. It is, like all othersystems which claim to be the true, in its own nature exclusive. "

It is because of its universal character that truth can accept no suchtruce as has been declared by the modern sects. Truth is exclusive, and hence can make no compromises. The church of God is universal orit is no church at all. The whole truth concerning the church questionmust and will come out. The times demand it; the people of Goddemand it; the Spirit of God demands it; and, as we shall show, theScriptures declare it. 

[Sidenote: A new awakening]

It is very evident that the people of God are not satisfied withthe present sectarian situation. Everywhere there is manifested arestlessness and uneasiness respecting the arbitrary lines ofsect which separate between those who have a recognized spiritualaffinity--recognized except formally by the ecclesiastical powers thatbe. _The Christian consciousness is becoming awakened. _ Men are comingto see that Christianity is to be measured, not by sect lines, but bythat broader, Scriptural rule of the divine family embracing alltrue disciples of Jesus--those who possess his life and bear theappropriate fruits of righteousness. This awakening, with its logicalconsequences, is what I have termed THE LAST REFORMATION. It will giveform and character to the Church of the Future. 

[Sidenote: Apologies for sects]

Sectarianism still has its defenders, however. In the midst of therising tide of spiritual fellowship and love, there are those whobring forward a few sickly apologies for sects, apologies whichgenerally impress the earnest student of the Scriptures with thethought that the apologist has a hard case to make out. The excusemost commonly advanced is that the sect system is a useful arrangementfor accommodating the variety of tastes and feelings foundamong Christian people. It is assumed that some are natural-bornEpiscopalians, with an innate fondness for formal liturgies andecclesiastical vestments, and that others are so constituted by natureas to require certain other particular forms of worship. 

[Sidenote: Diversity of taste and culture]

If there is any such fundamental demand in human nature for a varietyof sects, as different climates are required to suit differentorders of life on our planet, it is strange indeed that the apostlesoverlooked such an important point and failed to provide for it. Whywas not the primitive church constructed so as to bring into existenceat once a variety of human sects to accommodate the different classesof people then existing? From the modern point of view they had anexcellent excuse for starting with at least two churches--one forthe Jews and another for the Gentiles; and if these had not beensufficient, before the end of their personal ministry they could havebrought into existence a whole brood of sects. 

Now, the student of the Scriptures knows that the apostles proceededexactly in the opposite direction. They labored earnestly to bring allclasses into love and fellowship _in one body_. This course was not inaccordance with the wisdom of the world, but the twentieth century isbeginning to see that it was "the wisdom of God. "

The reason why men have a liking for formal liturgies, statelyceremonies, and ecclesiastical vestments is because of environment. They have been trained that way. Here again we see the naturaltendency of sects to make sectarians and thus reproduce their kind. When particular forms and ceremonies, which are not requiredby Scripture, are enforced upon men by a self-constituted, self-perpetuating ecclesiastical authority, the inevitable resultis to stamp the same principles upon succeeding generations and thusperpetuate the sect system exercising such authority. 

[Sidenote: The sect spirit]

In a final effort to lessen the odium attaching to what is now widelyrecognized as an evil, some assert that the cause of mischief is thesect spirit. This statement contains truth, but it does not tell thewhole truth. One of the worst evils of human slavery was the extremetyranny which some slave-masters exercised. But the real fact was thatthe system itself tended to convert good men and women into tyrants. The special manifestation of evil was both effect and cause. Itwas the natural tendency of the system to make tyrants, and tyrantsperpetuated the system. So also with sectarianism. Though all canrealize a theoretical difference between the sect spirit and simpledenominationalism, yet the very tendency of the system itself isto create party interests and to introduce party rivalries, whichnaturally foster the sect spirit. Without that devotion to party andparty interests--a devotion almost equal to their devotion to thegospel itself--sects would perish. _If sect-members should become souniversal in their love and sympathy as to devote themselves to thework of Christ alone--forgetting party interests--sects would die. Thesect spirit is, therefore, essential to the maintenance of the lifeand individuality of the sect body. _

[Sidenote: What is the remedy?]

The remedy for sectarianism is not a return to imperialism. Theworld-church idea as exemplified in the papal church is not the goalof Christianity. Such might hold dominion over men in the barbaricages of the world, but its universal sway has ceased. The Inquisitionwill never be reestablished. The unity of the church is not to befound in an imperial hierarchy. 

Nor is Christian unity to be obtained by adherence to the historiccreeds. These documents may express many noble sentiments respectingChrist and his truth, and they may express the fullest knowledge ofthe truth known in the days when they were written. But knowledgeof the truth is progressive, while creeds are stationary. No humandocument, therefore, can serve as a permanent basis upon which tobuild our faith. And then, too, we have seen that creeds are in theirvery nature divisive. Hence they can not be made the basis for therealization of unity. 

Nor is the unity of the church to be found in some particular formof exclusive church polity, as Episcopalianism, Presbyterianism, orCongregationalism. We have conclusively proved that that conception ofthe church patterned after the forms of political government, in whichgovernment and authority are vested inherently and exclusively inhuman hands, is foreign to the original conception of the church as itexisted in the minds of its Founder and his apostles. The governmentof the New Testament church is a theocracy. Christ is head. He rulesthrough his Holy Spirit by moral suasion and spiritual influence, andthe ministers and helpers whom he calls and qualifies share in thatoversight and responsibility to the same extent that they are ableto wield the same moral and spiritual power. _This is the only churchauthority and government recognized in the New Testament_. 

[Sidenote: The perpetual theocracy]

Here I shall digress long enough to point out by way of contrastthe true form of divine government. Every one is familiar with thetheocratic government of Israel under the Old Testament dispensation. God ruled. He who carefully reads the New Testament can not fail todiscern the same type of government in the church before the rise ofhuman ecclesiasticism. The first preachers of the gospel spoke withan authority not derived from a human source. When Peter and John werethreatened before the Council and commanded not to speak or teach inthe name of Jesus Christ, they gave the sublime answer: "Whether itbe right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we can not but speak the things which we have seen andheard" (Acts 4: 19, 20). The same principle stands out in bold reliefin the experience of Paul. Although that great apostle was forwardto cooperate with other apostles and ministers of Christ, one cannot fail to see that his whole career exemplified the principle oftheocracy. He "was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision. "

[Sidenote: An important parallelism]

Permit me to call attention particularly to an important parallelismbetween the government of Israel under the theocracy and thegovernment of the New Testament church before the rise ofecclesiasticism. God led his people out of Egypt by Moses and Joshua. These men are a type of Christ, who leads his people. After theIsraelites were settled in Canaan, they had no central government, but each locality or city was autonomous, having its local judges orelders. In a time of crisis God raised up a judge to lead the peoplein the necessary cooperative efforts to preserve or regain theirliberties. Their miseries Were always the result of their own sins, not a failure of the divine form of government. Their appointing aking and thus setting up a centralized human government was called_rejecting God as ruler_. And this is exactly parallel with whatecclesiasticism has done and is doing with the same results. God'sgovernment of the church is set aside and rejected. 

[Sidenote: Not church federation]

Nor will an organic union of all the sects solve the problem ofunity. In the first place, the tendency of such a union is towardimperialism, the creation on the federation plan of anotherworld-church. In the second place, such a federation would strengthenrather than lessen the authority of human rule, while the compromisesnecessary to make such a project possible would lessen in the samedegree that freedom of the Spirit by which alone the full gospel canbe given to the world. And in the third place, such a federation wouldnot be the church of God, for the very framework on which it wouldrest, human ecclesiasticism, is foreign to the original conception ofthe church. It would be only a human arrangement patterned after themodel of a world-empire. And for another reason such would not be thechurch. The divine _ekklesia_ includes in its membership the wholefamily of God. Thousands of men and women who are united to Christand in fellowship with all the saved are not members of the formallyorganized sects. Therefore the union of all such churches in onefederation would not include the whole family. 

[Sidenote: Back to the Bible standard]

Thus, the remedy for sects is not church federation, nor a return tothe historic creeds, nor the adoption of one of the exclusive formsof church polity; neither is it an attempt to hide the sin of theobnoxious sect system by covering it with a mantle of charity andpatience--as a sort of necessary evil. What, then, is the real remedyfor sects? It is the absolute rejection of every foreign element thathas crept into the Christian system and the return to that primitiveconception of the church as made up of the entire brotherhood ofChrist, organized and controlled by the Holy Spirit. For true unitywe must turn from hierarchies and apostolical successions and priestlycorporations and church synods and human creeds to THE CHRIST whoalone is the head of the church. 

[Sidenote: True membership]

Such a movement requires a moral revolution with respect to theattitude of God's people toward membership in sects. It requires theobliteration of sect lines and the recognition of no other bond ofunion than that of a common brotherhood through union with Christ. Divine life secured through repentance and faith is the sole conditionof membership in the church of Christ, and this relationship ismaintained by obedience to the commands of Christ and consistentChristian conduct. "If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ hisSon cleanseth us from all sin" (1 John 1:7). 

[Sidenote: Elimination of ecclesiasticism]

Such a movement and such a standard of church relationship require theelimination of all ideas of priestly ecclesiasticism. The Christof the New Testament church is not an absent Christ. He hasnever resigned his position as head of the church and vested thegovernmental authority in a self-perpetuating clerical caste. Hisgovernment is theocratic. He administers it himself through his HolySpirit. Hence no men or set of men can confer any power or authoritywhatsoever upon any individual to act for Christ. Christ calls hisown assistants, and any man unto whom the Word of the Lord comes isdivinely authorized to proclaim His message. The only sphere of humanoperation respecting this administration of divine government issimple recognition of what God has done, and this recognition in thelast analysis belongs to the whole body of God's people. The basisof every man's authority and responsibility is, therefore, not humanappointment or official position, but the divine call, gifts, andqualifications, that he possesses. If, for example, he is called toapostolic work and endowed with gifts and qualifications fitting himfor such service, he has apostolic authority and responsibility, and there is nothing for other ministers or Christians to do but to_recognize what God has done_. "Now hath God set the members every oneof them in the body, as it hath pleased him" (1 Cor. 12:18). Such, inshort, is the divine organization and government. 

[Sidenote: What of the future?]

The realization of this grand ideal of the restoration of the NewTestament standard of church membership, government, and authority, is impossible within the sect system. For the sects to turn all thepeople of God loose from subjection to every foreign yoke and makethem free to associate without restriction with all the saved of God, would be an act of suicide. _Only by division and by holding the graspof ecclesiastical rule can sects survive. _ But he is blind to thesigns of the times who can not see that the grip of ecclesiasticism isslipping and the bonds of true catholicity becoming strengthened. The true people of God are becoming more and more dissatisfied withpresent conditions and are beginning to think in terms of a universalChristianity. The rising tide of evangelism among such is alreadybeginning to overflow the lines of sect. What may we expect in thefuture?

Things can not continue as they have been in the ecclesiasticalworld. A sweeping reformation is imperative and imminent. In fact, the vanguard of this great movement is already visible. What will thefuture bring forth? Will the sects themselves fade away and graduallybecome dissolved? or will the powers that rule in the ecclesiasticalworld finally set themselves against the spirit of catholicity andthus practically force the true people of God to ignore absolutelyall sectarian lines and step out on the broad platform of truth anduniversality, united in Christ alone, knowing no head but Christ andno creed but His truth? Who can tell?

[Sidenote: A fundamental difference]

In the present work I have given a brief historical sketch of theleading ecclesiastical events, showing the apostasy as it existedunder two phases, the corruption of evangelical faith and the reignof ecclesiasticism. I have also shown that the reformations ofProtestantism have tended to the correction of that first phasepertaining to doctrine, but that a complete reformation requires theelimination of ecclesiasticism. Hence what I have termed the LastReformation, if it is to be the _last_, not only must include therestoration of pure doctrinal truth but must also restore the realchurch of the New Testament. So far as true doctrine is concerned, such a reformation will differ from other evangelical movements indegree only--it must ultimately comprehend the whole truth. But thefundamental difference between the reformation herein considered andall other preceding reformations is that it strikes the death-blowto the very root of error that produced the sect system--_humanecclesiasticism_--and substitutes therefor the administrativeauthority of the Holy Spirit working in varying degrees in all themembers of Christ throughout the world. The last reformation thereforemust differ from all others, not in degree only, but _also in kind_. 

[Sidenote: The witness of prophecy]

God alone understands the future. During the ages past he has not lefthis own work without the witness of prophecy. We may rest assured, therefore, that in the prophecy of the divine Word he has given usan outline of the history of his church. So I shall ask the reader topatiently follow me through a brief sketch of ecclesiastical eventsas described in the prophecies of the Revelation. Such an examinationwill throw a large amount of additional light on the subjects I havealready treated historically, and will also give us a divinely drawnpicture of the church of the future. Such will enable us to understandbetter the real character and extent of THE LAST REFORMATION. 

PART III

The Church in Prophecy

CHAPTER X

INTERPRETATION OF PROPHETIC SYMBOLS

[Sidenote: Value of prophecy]

The value of prophecy in establishing the religion of the Bible as thereligion, of God has been generally recognized. Its value, however, is not limited to the proof of the divinity of Biblical truth which itfurnishes: it serves a definite and most important purpose in the lifeand work of God's believing children in all ages. By it we are betterable to understand God's own plan and purposes in human history, andby it we are made conscious of our own whereabouts along the pathwayof time. The movements of God in the history of the past that werepredicted by earlier prophets have received their chief inspirationfrom the conscious knowledge the leaders had of the propheticcharacter of their work. It was Daniel's study of prophecy thatstirred his soul for the restoration of Israel to the favor of Godand to their own land (Dan. 9:2), and at the same time opened his ownheart for the wonderful revelation concerning future events. It wasthe consciousness of prophetic fulfilment that gave John the Baptisthis inspiration for work (John 1:23); and in establishing the truthsof the gospel of Christ, the apostles placed leading emphasis on thefact that these things were written in the law and in the prophets. 

The love and care that Christ had for his people did not cease in thebeginning of the gospel dispensation; for he gave the promise, "Iam with you alway, even unto the end of the world. " It is altogetherreasonable, then, that we should receive "the revelation of JesusChrist, which God gave unto him, to _show unto his servants_ thingswhich must shortly come to pass" (Rev. 1:1). Through the varyingconditions of time, Christ leads his people on to certain victory. 

Since the mission of the church was to be world-wide and perpetual, itis fitting that the church should be described prophetically in orderthat we might have definite information concerning the operationsof the divine hand in working out the great problem of the church'sdestiny after the close of the sacred canon. 

[Sidenote: Prophetic symbols]

Before proceeding with our discussion of those prophecies whichconcern the church, let us pause and consider briefly the characterof symbols. The prophecy of the Scriptures is presented to us in twodistinct forms--direct statements in the ordinary language of life andin symbolic representations, but far the greater part is expressedin symbols, as in the book of Daniel and in the Revelation of John. Without an understanding of the nature of symbols we can not get aproper understanding of such prophecies. 

Spoken or written language is a very complicated affair, but it isin reality an arbitrary arrangement. The name that we attach to aparticular object could as well be given to a totally different objectinstead if we only agreed to make the change. For this reason spokenlanguage is variable. Changes are constantly taking place. Thelanguage of Bible symbols, on the other hand, is not subject tothe law of change, as we shall see; it is not based on arbitraryarrangement or mere convenience, but its foundational principles existin the very nature of things. 

Webster defines _symbol_ as follows: "The sign or representation ofany moral thing by the images or properties of natural things. Thus, a lion is the symbol of courage; the lamb is the symbol of meekness orpatience. " Horne, in his Introduction to the Study of the Bible, says:"By symbols we mean certain representative marks, rather than expresspictures; or, if pictures, such as were at the time _characters_, andbesides presenting to the eye the resemblance of a particular object, suggested a general idea to the mind, as when a _horn_ was madeto denote _strength_, an _eye_ and _scepter_, _majesty_, and innumberless such instances, where the picture was not drawn toexpress merely the thing itself, but something else, which was or wasconceived to be, analogous to it. "

According to these definitions, the main idea of a symbol is therepresentation of an object or quality, not by exhibition of itself, but by another object or character analogous to it. Nor are we limitedin the use of symbols to the exhibition of moral subjects alone. Any object may be symbolized, provided a corresponding object can befound. 

[Sidenote: Analogy the basic law]

Analogy, then, is the fundamental law of symbols. This being true, it is clear that symbols must be definitely applied. They are notarbitrary. There is no reason why we could not call a book a table, and a table it would be, provided we agreed universally to adopt thatdesignation; but we violate nature if we attempt to represent thequiet, peaceful, gentle disposition of a child by a lion or a tiger, or a cruel, vindictive, tyrannical disposition by a lamb. A pollutedharlot may represent an apostate church, but not the true church. Aproper correspondence of character and quality must be observed. Wemust follow nature strictly. And this is the law of symbols. 

Symbols are drawn from different departments--from angelic life, humanlife, animal life, and inanimate creation. But in every case thereis in the selection and use of the symbol a proper correspondence ofcharacter and quality. 

[Sidenote: Twofold object of symbols]

The deciding factor in the original selection of a symbolic objectis the nature of the thing to be symbolized. In the field of Bibleprophecy the general design is in the main twofold--the representation(1) of the affairs of the church and (2) of the political history ofthose nations and kingdoms which were to exert an important influenceon the life and development of the church. It is evident that in thedivine estimation the church and its welfare is of infinitely greaterimportance than the affairs of nations and kingdoms. Therefore we mayreasonably expect that, according to the nature of symbolic language, symbols designed to represent the church will be found to be of themost exalted type, whereas those representing political things will befound to be selected from an inferior department. In accordance withthis fundamental classification we shall find that symbols drawn fromangelic life and human life invariably refer to the departmentof ecclesiastical affairs, while those drawn from animal life orinanimate nature represent political things. The only apparentexception to this rule is that certain inanimate objects formerlyconsecrated to the service of God and thus associated with thedepartment of the church are sometimes used to represent spiritualthings, because the analogy is obvious. Bearing in mind thisfundamental distinction between the representation of things politicaland things ecclesiastical, we are prepared to understand other shadesof distinction. 

Nations may be peaceful or tyrannical and oppressive, and churchesmay be good or apostate; but the exact character can be analogouslyrepresented by the symbolic object. A vicious wild beast stamping anddevouring would naturally represent a cruel, tyrannical government;and a good woman represents the true church, while a vile harlotrepresents the church apostate. But whatever the nature of the symbol, whether beast, locust, lion, horse, temple, angel, or man, we mayknow at once from the nature of the symbol where to look for itsfulfilment. This important guide in the study of prophetic truth--aguide overlooked by most of the commentators--relieves us of much ofthe uncertainty hitherto connected with the subject. 

Since, as we have seen, symbolic language is based on analogy, itis evident that there are some objects whose nature forbids theirsymbolization, there being no corresponding object in existence. God can not be symbolized. "To whom then will ye liken God? or whatlikeness will ye compare unto him" (Isa. 40:18). There may be certainsymbols connected with his person setting forth the dignity, majesty, and eternal splendor of his name, but he himself appears unrepresentedby another. The same is true also of the person of Jesus, ourRedeemer, although in this case we must distinguish between theChrist incarnate and Jesus in his essential divinity. Considered asincarnate--both God and man--the human aspect of his character asmanifested in his sacrificial death may be analogously represented asa Lamb slain. But considered in his essential divinity, he can notbe symbolically represented. Therefore, whenever the glorified Christappears on the symbolic stage, he always appears in his own personproclaiming his own name. "I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore" (Rev. 1:18). "He hath on his vestureand on his thigh a name written, King of kings, and Lord of lords. "

In Rev. 6:9 the souls of the martyrs are represented as crying untoGod for the avenging of their blood on them that dwell on the earth. There is no object analogous to a disembodied spirit. It is easy togive them an arbitrary name. Therefore they simply appear under theirown appropriate titles as "the _souls_ of them that were slain. "

Whenever we attach a literal significance to a symbolic object, weimmediately destroy its character as a symbol. This should not bedone. With the exception of those instances where the nature ofan object forbids its symbolization and where the description musttherefore of necessity be literal, we should always look for the truefulfilment, not in that department from which the symbol is drawn, butin another department--that to which the symbol by analogy refers us. 

[Sidenote: Field of present inquiry]

The limits and object of the present work preclude an exhaustivetreatment of prophecy in general. Our immediate purpose is to setforth particularly those prophecies of the divine Word which clearlyportray and outline the character of a world-wide religious movementin the last days. To do this effectually, however, we must brieflyconsider those prophecies which describe the principal ecclesiasticalevents in history which form the basis of, or lead up to, the LastReformation. The subject as outlined in the prophecies and as based onthe facts of history, naturally divides into four parts, or epochs, asfollows:

 I The Apostolic Period II The Medieval Period III Era of Modern Sects IV The Last Reformation

For the sake of brevity, we shall, as far as possible, exclude fromour present inquiry those prophecies pertaining to civil and politicalaffairs, retaining only such as have an important bearing on thechurch subject. 

CHAPTER XI

THE APOSTOLIC PERIOD

[Sidenote: The star-crowned woman]

The twelfth chapter of Revelation introduces an important line ofprophetic truth respecting the church, beginning with these words:"And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with thesun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelvestars: and she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and painedto be delivered. " "And she brought forth a man child, who was to ruleall nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne. And the woman fled into the wilderness, whereshe hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there athousand two hundred and threescore days" (verses 1, 2, 5, 6). 

As we have already stated and as will be made very clear hereafter, symbols drawn from human life are used to represent ecclesiasticalaffairs. Therefore in the symbol now before us we have arepresentation of the church, and from the general description givenwe infer that it must be the pure church of God, for the brightestluminaries of heaven are gathered around her and no evil thing is saidconcerning her. That this woman is the special object of God's careand concern is further shown by the fact that when she fled into thewilderness, she had "a place prepared of God, that they should feedher there. " That this interpretation of the woman is correct is alsoshown by other texts in Revelation. 

In chapter 21:9 an angel talking with John said, "Come hither, I willshew thee the _bride_, the Lamb's wife. " And again, in chapter 19:7, where the church is undoubtedly referred to, a great multitude isrepresented as saying, "Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor tohim: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his _wife_ hath madeherself ready. " In the seventeenth chapter the church apostate iswithout doubt described by the symbol of a vile, polluted harlot. 

The pure woman of chapter 12, then, represents the apostolic church inall its beauty and glory. She is represented as clothed with the sun, a striking emblem of the light of the glorious gospel of Christwhich shone forth from the early church. The moon under her feet isgenerally understood to designate the typical worship of the Jewishage, which was a shadow of things to come but which now standseclipsed in the superior light and glory of the new and betterdispensation. The moon is the lesser light and derives itsillumination from the sun; so also the Mosaic period was the moonlightage of the church and reflected a part of the gospel which, at a latertime, was to be revealed in all its glory with the rise of the "Sun ofrighteousness. "

The crown of twelve stars adorning the diadem of the church is a fitrepresentation of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, they being in oneimportant sense permanent fixtures in the church. According to chapter1:20, stars are sometimes used to represent Christian ministers, theanalogy as light-givers being obvious. "They that be wise shallshine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many torighteousness as the stars forever and ever" (Dan. 12:3). 

The prominent position occupied by this woman and the light whichshone forth from the sun with which she was clothed stand out inmarked contrast with the later description given of her flight intoand seclusion in the wilderness. The latter stage of her experienceI shall describe further on, but a brief allusion to it will makeher first appearance more impressive. The wilderness describes theapostasy which was to envelop the woman and thus obscure her light. Therefore her first appearance as in the planetary heavens presents asublime description of her dignity and excellence in the morning timeof the gospel era. Her light shone upon all and her glory could beseen by all. She presents that fundamentally distinct characteristicof the true church of God--universality; not a mere isolated starshedding its feeble rays in competition with the other orbs of night;but a cluster of bright, shining stars and _the very sun itself_. Thelight of the apostolic church was, therefore, all-inclusive in thesense of reflecting all the truth. It is essential to our properunderstanding of the symbols that follow that we comprehend the truecharacter of the church of God--the bride of Christ. 

[Sidenote: The man child]

The next object to claim our attention in the vision underconsideration is that of the man child to whom the woman is said togive birth. A variety of interpretations of this man child have beengiven. Some say that it refers to Jesus Christ, but this applicationis objectionable for different reasons. First, Jesus is everywhererepresented as the founder of the church, not as its child. Second, true analogy is lacking: there is nothing about a mere child toproclaim divinity. Others have identified the child with the EmperorConstantine; but here again the consistent use of symbolic language isoverlooked; for if the woman, the mother, represents the church, thenthe child horn of her can not represent a single, definite individual, but rather a collection of individuals or another phase of thechurch itself. In other words, if the one single symbol represents aparticular individual, the other must also represent an individual. Thus, if the man child is identified with Christ, the mother shouldsignify the Virgin Mary; or if Constantine is intended, then Helena, mother of Constantine, should be represented by the woman. 

It is clear, however, that the woman signifies, not a singleindividual, but the church. Therefore the child born of her mustsimply signify another phase of the church but the same family. Bymeans of this twofold symbol--involving the closest relationshipknown--is set forth the fruitfulness and perpetuity of the church. There is also another reason why a double symbol should be selectedto set forth the true church--to represent two distinct phases of thechurch's life and history, which, in the nature of the case, couldnot be represented under a single symbol. According to the descriptiongiven, the man child was caught up to God and to his throne, while thewoman remained on earth and fled into the wilderness, where she had aplace prepared of God for 1, 260 days. The man child, then, representsthat phase of the church which was caught up from the earth butascended to heaven and there lived and reigned with Christ; while thewoman represents that phase of the church which continued on earth andfled into the wilderness during the period of the great apostasy. 

There is also direct Scriptural testimony justifying thisinterpretation of the man child. In Isaiah 66 we have a sublimedescription of Zion, God's church and people, represented as awoman, a mother. The context shows that this scripture is a propheticallusion to the church of the New Testament age. "Before shetravailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was deliveredof a _man child_. Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen suchthings? Shall the earth he made to bring forth in one day? or shalla nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she broughtforth her children" (verses 7, 8). Here Zion is represented as amother bringing forth a man child, but this is interpreted to be _anation born at once_. According to Heb. 12:22, 23, this Zion, or Sion, represents the New Testament church. There is no doubt, then, that theman child of Revelation 12 refers to the great host of new convertswith which the early church was blessed. The scripture in Isaiahjust cited met its fulfilment on the day of Pentecost and shortlyafterwards, when thousands were brought into the church in a day. Theapostle Paul also refers to the great company of Jews and Gentiles whowere reconciled to God as constituting _"one new man" in Christ_ (Eph. 2:15). 

[Sidenote: The great red dragon]

The next object in the vision to which our attention is directedis introduced in these words: "And there appeared another wonder inheaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and tenhorns, and seven crowns upon his heads. And his tail drew the thirdpart of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and thedragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for todevour her child as soon as it was born" (Rev. 12:3, 4). 

The dragon is the name given by the ancients to a fabulous monsterrepresented as a large winged lizard or serpent. It was regarded asthe enemy of mankind, and its overthrow is made to figure among thegreatest exploits of the gods and heroes of heathen mythology. Thesymbol, being drawn from the natural world, directs us by analogy topersecuting, tyrannical government. We must not suppose that this isa literal description of Beelzebub; for there is no proof that thepersonal devil has any such appearance as this monster with sevenheads and ten horns, and a tail dragging after him a third part of thestars of heaven. 

In the second verse of the next chapter John describes the rise of abeast that also had seven heads and ten horns; "and the dragon gavehim his power, and his seat, and great authority. " The fact that thedragon was succeeded by the beast, who reigned in his stead, is proofthat the dragon does not signify the personal devil; for, as far aswe know, the archfiend has never resigned his position, but is stilldoing his infernal business at the same stand. 

In many respects the beast is similar to the dragon. In theseventeenth chapter the beast appears again, and the explanation givenby the angel will enable us to understand the signification both ofthe dragon and of the beast. "The beast that thou sawest was, and isnot; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition... And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are sevenmountains, on which the woman sitteth. And there are seven kings: fiveare fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when hecometh, he must continue a short space.... And the ten horns whichthou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; butreceive power as kings one hour with the beast" (verses 8-12). 

With these facts before us and with our understanding of the nature ofsymbols, it is easy to identify the dragon and the beast as the RomanEmpire, first under the pagan form and later under the papal form. Although the beast was to succeed the dragon, yet in identifying theheads of the beast, the angel informed John that in his day five hadalready fallen, while one then existed and the other was future. Thisproves, then, that the same heads served both for the dragon and forthe beast, thus establishing their essential identity. And it is afact well known that there is no essential difference between Romepagan and Rome papal. The seven heads of Rome, therefore, signify thedistinct forms of government that ruled successively in the empire, for they are represented, not as simultaneous powers, but asconsecutive powers. The five that had already fallen when Johnreceived the vision were the regal power, the consular, thedecemvirate, the military tribunes, and the triumvirate. "One is"--theimperial. The seventh, or future one, was the patriciate. 

It is natural that the pagan Roman Empire should be represented as adragon. In the prophecy of Daniel the Grecian kingdom is representedby a he goat for no other apparent reason than the fact that the goatwas the national military standard of the Grecian monarchy. So alsothe dragon was the principal military standard of the Romans next tothe eagle. Arian, an early writer, mentions the fact that dragons wereused as military standards by the Romans. The dragon of Revelation12 is also described as a _red_ dragon. The dragon standards of theRomans were painted red. Ammianus Marcellinus mentions "the purplestandard of the dragon. " By this fabulous beast described as a greatred dragon, then, is symbolically represented the heathen RomanEmpire. 

The ten horns, or kingdoms, which had not yet risen when therevelation was given, were the ten minor kingdoms that grew out ofthe Roman Empire during its decline and fall. These are as follows:1. Anglo-Saxons; 2. Burgundians; 3. Franks; 4. Huns; 5. Heruli; 6. Lombards; 7. Ostrogoths; 8. Suevi; 9. Vandals; 10. Visigoths. 

The dragon is described with the horns, although they were not yet inexistence and did not arise until about the time the dragon becamethe beast. He is also represented with seven heads, although he reallypossessed only one head at a time and five had already fallen and onewas yet to come. He is described with all the heads and horns he hadever had or was to have. The reason why the same general power isdescribed under two forms--first as the dragon and later as thebeast--will appear more clearly hereafter. 

The fact that the dragon was called the devil and Satan has led someto think that the personal devil himself is meant. The foregoingexplanation concerning the heads and the horns shows conclusively, however, that by the dragon is meant the pagan Roman Empire, and notBeelzebub. The Hebrews applied the term "Satan" to an adversary, oropposer, as can be seen by examining in the original the followingand many other texts: Num. 22:22; 1 Sam. 29:4; 2 Sam. 19:22; 1 Kings11:25. The term is also thus used in the New Testament, signifyingmerely an opposer. "But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get theebehind me, _Satan_" (Matt. 16:23). "The things which the Gentilessacrifice, they sacrifice to _devils_" (1 Cor. 10:20). Paganism wasthe great opposer of Christianity; hence was a Satan to it, while theapostle Paul denominated its religious rites as devil-worship. We mustremember that the text does not say that the dragon was the devil andSatan, but that he was _called_ the devil and Satan. He partook of thenature and character of the personal devil, was the chief instrumentthrough which the devil worked, and was therefore called by his name. 

The tail of this dragon "drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth. " This is not a literal description, for the fixed or planetary stars never fall to the earth. If they did, they would destroy it. The stars are doubtless employed as symbolsset in the ecclesiastical firmament, giving light amid the surroundingdarkness. Light is so often used as the representative of gospeltruth that the application of the stars to prominent characters inthe church is obvious. Jesus is the Sun of Righteousness, and hisministers are bright, shining stars--light-givers. The ministersof the seven churches of Asia Minor are represented as stars (chap. 1:20). "They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of thefirmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the starsforever and ever" (Dan. 12:3). The casting down of the third part ofthe stars, therefore, signifies the warfare which the dragon powerwaged against the early church, in which conflict the ministers ofChrist became the marked objects of heathen wrath. 

[Sidenote: The war in heaven]

"And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought againstthe dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not;neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragonwas cast out, that old serpent called the Devil and Satan, whichdeceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and hisangels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying inheaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of ourGod, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren iscast down, which accused them before our God day and night. Andthey overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of theirtestimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death" (Rev. 12:7-11). 

The symbolic scene suddenly changes, and instead of the woman and theman child, Michael and his angels appear in conflict with the dragonand his angels. This change of symbols indicates the introduction ofa different phase of thought. From the nature of the symbols we canquickly ascertain the reason for this change. The woman represents thetrue church and is a proper symbol of its unity, beauty, purity, and glory. But there is another phase of the church which can not berepresented symbolically by a woman--the militant phase. The church isalso an aggressive, fighting power, ready to wage warfare against thepowers of evil. We would not expect to see the church left helplesslike a woman before a great dragon. We would naturally expect tosee divine aid extended, and this is done by the change of symbolicimagery, Michael (Christ) and his angels appearing to wage war againstthe dragon. 

The battle between Michael and the dragon signifies the great conflictwhich took place between primitive Christianity and the powers ofpaganism enthroned in the Roman Empire. It will be observed that thisscripture has no reference to the origin of Satan himself, as somepeople have supposed; for the conflict was fought in the Christiandispensation, as is proved by the weapons which the followers ofMichael employed--"And they _overcame him by the blood of the Lamb_, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their livesunto the death. " Under this figure, the followers of Michael arerepresented as victors, the dragon being cast down to the earth, or overthrown. It is a fact of history that primitive Christianitysucceeded in its fight against paganism. 

In the nineteenth chapter of Acts we have an account of the effectChristianity had on heathenism. Paul went to Ephesus, which at thattime was the chief capital of proconsular Asia, a leading mart ofheathen idolatry, and in which was situated one of the seven wondersof the ancient world--the temple of Diana. The preaching of the gospelproduced such a mighty effect that the followers of Diana, fearinglest their magnificent system of worship should be destroyed, stirredup the people in a tumult until the city was in an uproar, a great mobshouting, "Great is Diana of the Ephesians. "

Before the end of the first century, according to the testimony ofthe younger Pliny, the temples of the gods of Asia Minor were almostforsaken. Well has Butler said, "The final victory of Christianityover heathenism and Judaism, and the mightiest empire of the ancientworld, a victory gained without physical force, by the moral powerof faith and perseverance, of faith and love, is one of the strongestevidences of the divinity and indestructible life of our holyreligion. "

It is a fact worthy of mention that the early Christians regardedthe Roman Empire as a great enemy to the truth, and described it as adragon, the victory of Christianity over heathenism being representedby the overthrow of the dragon. Constantine and others of his timedescribe these events thus. Says Bishop Newton, "Moreover, a pictureof Constantine was set up over the palace gate, with a cross over hishead, and under his feet the great enemy of mankind (who persecutedthe church by means of impious tyrants), in the form of a dragon, transfixed with a dart through the midst of its body, and fallingheadlong into the depth of the sea. "

Verse 11 seems to indicate that many of the followers of Christ losttheir lives in this conflict, and this doubtless is parallel with thestatement that the man child was caught up to God and to his throne. It may also imply that in the conflict the dragon employed the arm ofcivil power in his opposition to the truth. But Christianity increasednotwithstanding the violent opposition. During the reign of theEmperor Septimus Severus, about the close of the second century, whena violent persecution of the Christians occurred, Tertullian, thefirst of the great Latin Fathers, wrote a notable apology for theChristian faith, addressed to the Emperor. In this important documentthis noble defender of Christianity sets forth so clearly the natureof the conflict between truth and error that I shall make rather alengthy quotation from his writing. 

"Rulers of the Roman Empire, " he begins, "you surely can not forbidthe truth to reach you by the secret pathway of a noiseless book. She knows that she is but a sojourner on the earth, and as a strangerfinds enemies; and more, her origin, her dwelling-place, her hope, herrewards, her honors, are above. One thing, meanwhile, she anxiouslydesires of earthly rulers--not to be condemned unknown. What harm canit do to give her a hearing?... The outcry is that the state is filledwith Christians; that they are in the fields, in the citadels, in theislands. The lament is, as for some calamity, that both sexes, everyage and condition, even high rank, are passing over to the Christianfaith. 

"The outcry is a confession and an argument for our cause; for we area people of yesterday, and yet we have filled every place belonging toyou--cities, islands, castles, towns, assemblies, your very camp, yourtribes, companies, palace, senate, forum. We leave to you your templesalone. We can count your armies: our numbers in a single provincewill be greater. We have it in our power, without arms and withoutrebellion, to fight against you with the weapon of a simple divorce. We can leave you to wage your wars alone. If such a multitude shouldwithdraw into some remote corner of the world, you would doubtlesstremble at your own solitude, and ask, 'Of whom are we the governors?'

"It is a human right that every man should worship according to hisown convictions ... A forced religion is no religion at all.... Mensay that the Christians are the cause of every public disaster. If theTiber rises as high as the city walls, if the Nile does not rise overthe fields, if the heavens give no rain, if there be an earthquake, ifa famine or pestilence, straightway they cry, Away with the Christiansto the lions.... But go zealously on, ye good governors, you willstand higher with the people if you kill us, torture us, condemnus, grind us to the dust; your injustice is the proof that weare innocent. God permits us to suffer. Your cruelty avails younothing.... The oftener you mow us down, the more in number we grow;the blood of Christians is seed. What you call our obstinacy is aninstructor. For who that sees it does not inquire for what we suffer!Who that inquires does not embrace our doctrines? Who that embracesthem is not ready to give his blood for the fulness of God's grace?"

[Sidenote: The woman's flight]

Under the figure of Michael and his angels, the early church isrepresented as victorious in casting down the powers of heathenism;but under the symbol of the woman, the church is apparentlyrepresented as defeated; for after the casting down of the dragon itis said, "To the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that shemight fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourishedfor a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent"(verse 14). This agrees with verse 6, where it is said that "the womanfled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and three scoredays. "

The flight of the woman into an obscure place in the wildernesspresents a striking contrast with her first appearance in theplanetary heavens, where she was "clothed with the sun, and the moonunder her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars. " By thissudden change in the symbolic representation of the woman's positionis set forth the ecclesiastical change that took place in the earlypart of the church's history. First she appears as the glorious brideof Christ adorned in beauty and splendor and radiating the light ofhis glorious gospel. She was then "the light of the world. " Later wefind a great change taking place. Instead of the church representingall the truth to the world, we find the beginning of a great apostasy, which in time was to eclipse and well nigh extinguish the light andglory of primitive Christianity by substituting in its place thedarkness of the apostasy born in ages of ignorance and superstition. 

That such a change in the history of the true church should occurwas predicted by Christ and the apostles. Jesus said, "And becauseiniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold" (Matt. 24:12). Peter said, "There shall be false teachers among you, who privilyshall bring in damnable heresies" (2 Pet. 2:1). Paul said, "Also ofyour own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to drawaway disciples after them" (Acts 20:30). To the Thessalonians who hadbeen troubled with the report that the second coming of Christ wasthen near at hand, Paul said, "Let no man deceive you by any means:for that day shall not come, except there come _a falling away first_, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposethand exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that isworshiped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, and showinghimself that he is God.... For the mystery of iniquity doth alreadywork: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out ofthe way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shallconsume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with thebrightness of his coming" (2 Thess. 2:3-8). 

The reader can scarcely consider these texts without perceivingclearly that change which came over the primitive church resultingin a transition from her glorious state of innocent beauty to thefull-grown papacy--the "mystery of iniquity. "

CHAPTER XII

THE MEDIEVAL PERIOD

The fact of history pertaining to the true church which Paul describedas a "falling away" is represented by the Revelator by the symbol ofthe woman fleeing into the wilderness. The other fact mentioned byPaul pertaining to the rise and development of the man of sin isrepresented in the visions of the Revelation as follows:

[Sidenote: The ten-horned leopard-beast]

"And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up outof the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns tencrowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. And the beast whichI saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of abear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave himhis power, and his seat, and great authority. And I saw one of hisheads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed:and all the world wondered after the beast. And they worshiped thedragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshiped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war withhim? and there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things andblasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and twomonths. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blasphemehis name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And itwas given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them:and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names arenot written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundationof the world. If any man have an ear, let him hear. He that leadethinto captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the swordmust be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith ofthe saints" (Rev. 13: 1-10). 

From the nature of the symbol employed, we should naturally infer thata persecuting, tyrannical kingdom or empire is meant. That suchan application of the term "beast, " when used in connection withprophetic symbols, is correct, is shown by a reference to theinterpretation given concerning the fourth beast of Daniel's vision. "The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon the earth" (Dan. 7:23). We have already shown conclusively that by the dragon was meantthe pagan Roman Empire, and the same heads and horns are apparentlyascribed to this leopard-beast, the only difference being that thecrowns--a symbol of sovereignty--have been transferred from the headsto the horns. This substantial agreement with the facts of historymakes certain the identification of this beast with the revisedwestern Roman Empire under the papal form, the sovereignty beingvested in the ten minor kingdoms until they chose to "give their powerand strength unto the beast" (Rev. 17:13). 

The symbol of a beast considered merely _as a beast_, could not, inthe nature of the case, signify anything more than a temporal kingdomor political empire. It will be noticed, however, that this particularprophetic symbol is _more than a beast_; for, combined with hisbeastly nature, there are certain characteristics which unmistakablybelong to the department of human life--a mouth _speaking_ greatthings; power to magnify himself against the God of heaven, to sethimself up as an object of worship, to single out the saints ofGod and kill them, etc. This combination of symbols from the twodepartments--animal life and human life--points us with absolutecertainty to the political-religious system of Rome. 

Every historian knows that _pagan_ Rome was succeeded by _papal_ Rome. The transfer is expressed thus: "And the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority" (verse 2). The rising papacysucceeded to the power and authority formerly exercised by pagan Rome;and when the political capital was removed to Constantinople, the popewas left in possession of the ancient seat of empire and government. "The beast" therefore refers to Rome either as a political power or asan ecclesiastical power, the context determining whether the politicalor the ecclesiastical phase is meant in a given instance. It will beobserved, however, that the leading actions ascribed to this beastare derived from its human characteristics, pointing unerringly to thepapacy for its fulfilment. 

This beast the world admired. "And they worshiped the dragon whichgave power unto the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?" Theexpression "_worshiped_ the dragon" shows that reference is made tothe dragon, not as a political power, but as a religious power. Thisworship of the dragon by those who worshiped the beast which succeededthe dragon was fulfilled by the perpetuation under the papacy ofthe rites and ceremonies of paganism. Roman Catholicism is a strangeamalgamation of Judaism, Christianity, and heathenism. The partderived from paganism occupies such a prominent place in RomanCatholic practise and worship that we can not fail to observe itsclose resemblance to, if not absolute identity with, heathenism. Justto mention a few points:

1. The high priest of the pagan religion was called Pontifex Maximus, and he claimed spiritual and temporal authority over men. The pope ofRome borrowed the title and made the same claims, even being clad inthe same attire. 

2. The heathen wore scapulars, medals, and images for personalprotection. Romanists wear the same things for the same purpose. 

3. Pagans, by an official process called _deification_, raised men, after their death, to a dignified position and accorded themspecial honors and worship. Papists, by a similar process called_canonization_, exalt men after their death to the dignity of saintsand then offer up prayers to them. 

4. Papists' adoration of idols and images was also borrowed directfrom the heathen; for all such practises were absolutely forbidden bythe Mosaic law and had no place in primitive Christianity. 

5. Their religious orders of monks and nuns were also in imitation ofthe vestal virgins of antiquity. 

The beast is described as a blasphemous power. Adam Clarke has statedthat "blasphemy, in Scripture, signifies _impious speaking_, whenapplied to God; and _injurious speaking_, when directed against our_neighbor_. " A name of blasphemy would therefore properly signify theprostitution of a sacred name to an unholy purpose. An example of thiskind is given in Rev. 2:9, where we read, "I know the blasphemy ofthem which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagog ofSatan. " In this case certain wicked men blasphemed the name by callingthemselves Jews, since according to Scripture 'he _only_ is a Jew whois one inwardly. ' But to prostitute a sacred name to an unworthy usewould be no more impious or blasphemous than would the assumption byman of those rights and prerogatives which belong to God alone. Thisthe pope has done for ages. Among the blasphemous titles which he hasassumed are these: "Lord God the Pope, " "King of the World, " "HolyFather, " "King of kings and Lord of lords, " "Vicegerent of the Son ofGod. " For ages he has claimed infallibility, and this claim becamea dogma of the church when adopted by the General Council of 1870. Further, he claims power to dispense with God's laws, to forgive sins, to release from purgatory, to damn and to save. To call the RomanCatholic Church the _holy_ church of the Bible is to prostitute asacred name to an unworthy institution. And to elevate a man to theplace where "he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himselfthat _he_ is God, " by claiming those prerogatives which belong to Godonly, is most flagrant blasphemy. 

[Sidenote: A persecuting power]

"And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and toovercome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations" (chap. 13: 7). Here we have a direct prediction of thatreign of tyranny in the Dark Ages in which millions of people sufferedmartyrdom at the hands of papal Rome. 

I am aware that many Catholics affirm that their church neverpersecuted, that it was the civil power that did this dread work ofslaughter. We must remember, however, that the beast of Revelation13 signifies the imperial and the ecclesiastical power in the closestunion possible; for the beast appears _as one_, the two phases beingrepresented by the combination of symbols from the two distinctdepartments of life--human and animal. In the seventeenth chapterwe have the same distinct characteristics again set forth, but in adifferent combination, the beast appearing simply as a beast, thusrepresenting the political power of Rome; while the ecclesiasticalpower is represented by a corrupt woman sitting on the beast anddirecting its course. In that description it is stated, "And I saw_the woman_ drunken _with the blood of the saints, and with the bloodof the martyrs of Jesus_" (verse 6). The Romish church itself is, therefore, represented as participating in the work of martyrdom. 

Does this divine prediction agree with the facts of history? It isaltogether impossible to compute correctly the number of those whowere in different ways put to death for opposing the corruption of theChurch of Rome. A million Waldenses perished in France. Ninehundred thousand Christians were slain within thirty years after theinstitution of the Jesuits. The Duke of Alva boasted that he hadput to death 36, 000 in the Netherlands by the hands of the commonexecutioner. The Inquisition destroyed 150, 000 within thirty years. Ifit be asserted that this was accomplished by the secular arm, I replythat sentence of death was pronounced upon so-called heretics by thechurch and that the secular power was simply a tool for carrying thebarbarous sentence into execution. We can not forget that the popeapplauded Charles IX of France and his infamous mother, Catherine deMedici, for their part in the massacre of St. Bartholomew, and ordereda medal struck in honor of the event; that following the revocationof the Edict of Nantes, when 300, 000 were cruelly butchered duringthe reign of Louis XIV, Pope Innocent XI extolled the king by specialletter, as follows: "The Catholic Church shall most assuredlyrecord in her sacred annals _a work of such devotion toward her_and CELEBRATE YOUR NAME WITH NEVER-DYING PRAISES ... _for this mostexcellent undertaking_. "

Popery has for ages claimed the right to exterminate by death thosewho were heretics. Numerous provincial and national councils haveissued cruel and bloody laws for the extermination of the Waldensesand other so-called heretics. Besides these, at least six of their_General_ Councils, the highest judicial assemblies of the RomanChurch, with the popes themselves sometimes present in person, haveby their decrees pronounced the punishment of death for heresy: 1. TheSecond General Council of Lateran (1139) in its twenty-third canon. 2. The Third General Council of Lateran (1179), under Pope Alexander III. 3. The Fourth General Council of Lateran (1215), under Pope InnocentIII. 4. The Sixteenth General Council, held at Constance in 1414. Thiscouncil, with Pope Martin present in person, condemned the reformersHuss and Jerome to be burned at the stake, and then prevailed on theEmperor Sigismund to violate the safe conduct which he had given Hussand signed by his own hand and in which he had guaranteed the reformera safe return to Bohemia; and this inhuman sentence against Husswas then carried out. 5. The Council of Sienna (1423), which wasafterwards continued at Basil. 6. The Fifth General Council of Lateran(1514). 

That such teachings and practises were an integral part of Romanism iseasily shown. St. Aquinas, the "angelic doctor, " argued that hereticsmight justly be killed. Cardinal Bellarmine, in a Latin work, _DeLaicis_, still extant, entered into a regular argument to prove thatthe church has the right of punishing heretics with death and shouldexercise that right. Bellarmine was a nephew of one pope and a closefriend and associate of others, a champion of Romanism, and a defenderof its doctrines. In the work above referred to be declares that"_heretics were often_ _burned_ BY THE CHURCH. " "The Donatists, Manicheans, and Albigenses were routed and annihilated by arms. "

Many timid-hearted Christians in the present age of religioustoleration think that it is almost unchristianlike for us to bringup and lay to the charge of Rome such a sweeping indictment for thosemassacres of Christians in a barbarous age. Such it would be had Romeever disavowed these acts or shown any signs of true repentance. Thefact is that it is the boast of Catholics that "Rome never changes. "Well has Charles Butler said, "It is most true that the RomanCatholics believe the doctrines of their church to be unchangeable;and that it is a tenet of their creed, that what their faith ever hasbeen, such it was from the beginning, _such it is now, and such itever will be_. "

In a copy of the eleventh edition of "The Faith of Our Fathers, " byCardinal Gibbons, page 95, I read: "It is a marvelous fact, worthy ofrecord, that in the whole history of the church, from the nineteenthcentury to the first, no solitary example can be adduced to show thatany pope or general council ever revoked a decree of faith or moralsenacted by any preceding pontiff or council. Her record in the pastought to be a sufficient warrant that she will _tolerate no doctrinalvariations in the future_. " So the doctrine of her inherent right topersecute and slay every one who disagrees with her, which has beenenacted by popes and general councils and carried out in the past, isstill in vogue. 

"And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with theblood of the martyrs of Jesus. "

In our study of Revelation 12 and 13 we have observed that Rome in itstwofold form--pagan and papal--is represented by the dragon and thebeast respectively. This has been established so clearly as toremove well nigh all doubt concerning the identification. It will beprofitable, however, to give brief consideration to certain parallelprophecies in Daniel; for in addition to covering the same ground anddescribing under other symbols the same general facts of history, theyfurnish us an infallible starting-stake, thus establishing definitelythe truth of the interpretation concerning the Roman power, and givingus a solid basis from which we can proceed with logical certainty tothe interpretation of other symbols in the Revelation. 

[Sidenote: The image of Nebuchadnezzar's dream]

In the second chapter of Daniel we have the narrative of a dream whichNebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had during the time of the Jewishcaptivity in that city. After the king awoke, he was so confused thatnotwithstanding the deep impression made by his nocturnal experience, he could not recall to mind the dream itself. He therefore hadrecourse to the Chaldeans and wise men of his realm. They failed tomake known his dream, whereupon he became furious and decreed theirdeath. At this juncture Daniel came forward and announced that ifgiven time he would fulfil the king's desire, and shortly afterward heappeared before the king and addressed him as follows:

"Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee: and the formthereof was terrible. This image's head was of fine gold, his breastand his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, his legs ofiron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. Thou sawest till that astone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feetthat were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. Then was theiron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to piecestogether, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors;and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: andthe stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled thewhole earth" (Dan. 2:31-35). 

The interpretation of this dream, as given by the prophet, particularly concerns and interests us. Said Daniel: "This is thedream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king. ""Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath giventhee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. And wheresoever thechildren of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of theheaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler overthem all. Thou art this head of gold" (verses 36-38). 

At the time of this vision the Chaldean monarchy was in the height ofher power and glory. Babylon, the capital city, was the chief "prideof the Chaldees' excellency, " containing those magnificent hanginggardens, one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. Nebuchadnezzarwas pointed out particularly as the head of gold in the image, but weshould bear in mind that in the general language of prophecy, "kings" signify not merely individual monarchs but monarchies under asuccession of princes of the same nation. That the real significanceof the head of gold is the Babylonian Kingdom or Monarchy is shown bythe fact that in the description of the other three divisions of thesame image they are referred to directly as _kingdoms_. The BabylonianKingdom came to an end with the death of Belshazzar, and the overthrowof his father Nabonadius in 538 B. C. 

"And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee"(verse 39). This is the explanation given of that part of the imagerepresented by the breast and arms of silver. This refers to theMedo-Persian empire, which, under Cyrus the Great, captured Babylon538 B. C. And terminated the Chaldean empire. The Persian kingdomwas in certain respects inferior to the Chaldean, just as silver isinferior to gold. It was neither as wealthy nor as prosperous, andwas particularly inferior in the character of its kings, for from thedeath of Cyrus they are said to have been "as vile a set of men asever disgraced human nature. "

"And another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over allthe earth. " This refers to the Macedonian, or Greek, empire foundedby Alexander the Great. After subduing Greece and reducing Egypt, Alexander penetrated into Asia, took Tyre, met and overthrew Dariusthe Persian at Arbela, in 331 B. C. , thus terminating the PersianEmpire. The Grecian Kingdom had less external magnificence than thosewhich preceded it and was founded and maintained by force of arms;but it was more extensive than the others, including many dominionsin Europe, Africa, and regions farther to the east in Asia than hadbefore been penetrated. It was foretold that this kingdom should "bearrule over all the earth"; it was the main boast of Alexander that hehad subdued the whole world. 

"And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as ironbreaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breakethall these, shall it break in pieces and bruise" (verse 40). Thiscorresponds to the "legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part ofclay, " in the dream itself. The reference is to the Roman Empire, which succeeded the Grecian. Whether or not the two legs had anyspecial significance is not stated, but commentators frequently referus to the two divisions into which the empire of Rome was afterwardsdivided--East and West. So also the ten toes of the image are oftenexplained as signifying the ten minor kingdoms which grew out of theempire. But we should bear in mind that this is not stated eitherin the vision itself or in its inspired interpretation. Only fourkingdoms are referred to as such. The fourth division, representingRome (in both its strong and its weak condition), is described simplyas "the kingdom, " "the fourth kingdom. " The Roman Kingdom was at first"as strong as iron. " No other people have ever made such extensiveconquests through a long period of time as did the Romans. 

If Nebuchadnezzar's dream brought a man into prominence as a symbolicobject, we should think that, in accordance with the nature ofsymbols, a religious power or powers only were intended; but thesymbol is not a man, but only the _image_ of a man, and that image iscomposed of inanimate materials, which, drawn from the departmentof nature, refer to something political. We therefore have politicalkingdoms set forth. The very fact that they are represented asappearing in the form of a man, however, may at least allude totheir being political powers combined with religious systems. But thecombination is not such a one as would naturally lead us to concludethat reference is made to God's church. 

The description of Nebuchadnezzar's dream represented "a stone cut outwithout hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of ironand clay, and brake them to pieces" (verse 34). The interpretation ofthis event is given as follows: "And in the days of these kings shallthe God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed:and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall breakin pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever"(verse 44). 

The kingdom of God appears as the fifth universal kingdom, destinedto survive and surpass all others. It is of divine origin, cut out"without hands. " The other kingdoms are similar in their nature andclosely connected, in the single image of a man; but the kingdom ofGod is altogether different and antagonistic. The prophecy refersto the establishment of the kingdom of God in the early days ofChristianity; for, _be it observed_, this stone struck the image _whenall its four divisions were yet standing_. Not, only was the iron andthe clay broken by the impact, but "the iron, the clay, _the brass, the silver, and the gold_" were "_broken to pieces_ TOGETHER, andbecame like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors" (verse 35). 

Here is a most important fact wholly unnoticed by those millennialistswho look to the future of our day for the establishment of the kingdomof Christ. If the stone has not yet struck the image, then the chiefpart of the prophetic description _never can be fulfilled_; for thereis no sense in which the advent of the divine kingdom in this late ageof the world can break in pieces the entire image of Nebuchadnezzar'sdream, there being no way in which it can truthfully be said that itsfour divisions are yet standing. All these facts were true in the daysof Rome, however, when Christ appeared. The Roman Kingdom possessedall the distinguishing marks and characteristics of the precedingempires. This is true not only of their territorial possession but oftheir distinctive characteristics. The opulence of the Babylonians, the splendor of the Persians, the strength and discipline of theGreeks, were all merged into the Roman Empire. And more thanthis, these kingdoms were all idolatrous, and the religion ofthe Babylonians was merely absorbed in the Persian Kingdom (notdestroyed); that of the Persian was perpetuated under the Greekreign; and all these found recognition in the divers forms of paganismexisting under Rome. _In this sense_ the image, as opposed to thedivine kingdom of Christ, was all standing at the time of thefirst advent of the Messiah, and the overthrow of paganism by earlyChristianity corresponds with the stroke given by the little stone ofDaniel 2. 

Notice how this fulfilment is parallel with the prophecies of theRevelation. In chapter 12 the Roman Empire under its pagan form isrepresented by the dragon. Christianity waged warfare with this hugesystem of false religion and overthrew it. "And I heard a loud voicesaying in heaven, _Now_ is come salvation, and strength, _and thekingdom of our God_, and the power of his Christ" (chap. 12:10). 

The kingdom represented in Nebuchadnezzar's dream came in the dayof incarnation and soon smote the kingdoms of heathen darkness asexisting in the embrace of Rome, and broke them in pieces. It wasthen in the stage represented by a _stone_. At a later time we shallobserve the kingdom in its _mountain_ epoch, when it becomes a greatmountain and fills the whole earth. 

[Sidenote: Vision of four beasts]

The four constituent parts of Nebuchadnezzar's visionary image wereinterpreted to signify four successive monarchies, the Babylonianbeing the first. In the seventh chapter Daniel records his own visionof four great beasts that arose out of the violently agitated sea, andthese represent the same four kingdoms described in Nebuchadnezzar'sdream. "These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, whichshall arise out of the earth" (verse 17). To the worldly, carnal mindof Nebuchadnezzar, empires possessed a show of grandeur and glory, andthey were therefore represented accordingly in his vision; but to thespiritual-minded Daniel they would appear odious and terrible, andthey were therefore represented to him under the symbol of devouring_beasts_. 

The kingdoms symbolized by the first three beasts of this visionhave no particular bearing on our subject, aside from assisting us infixing the chronology of certain events. The first beast signifiesthe Babylonian Empire, corresponding to the head of the image inNebuchadnezzar's vision; the second, the Medo-Persian, correspondingto the breast and arms of silver; the third, the Grecian, corresponding to the belly and thighs of brass. The descriptionof these beasts shows that in one sense they are successive and inanother sense simultaneous. 

I have already shown that the entire image of Nebuchadnezzar's dreamwas standing in the days of Roman ascendency, when the kingdom ofGod came. The same fact is brought out in the chapter now underconsideration. After mentioning particularly the fourth beast, Danielsays, "As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominiontaken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time"(verse 12). When these kingdoms lost their independent sovereignty, they still continued as provinces, ruled by another similar power. 

[Sidenote: The fourth beast]

The description of the fourth beast directly concerns our subject:"After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great ironteeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue withthe feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that werebefore it; and it had ten horns. I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there werethree of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, inthis horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking greatthings" (verses 7, 8). 

The interpretation of this beast given by the angel possesses unusualinterest. "Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdomupon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devourthe whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise"(verses 23, 24). Since the interpretation given by Daniel identifiesthe first kingdom with the Babylonian Empire, we have an infalliblestarting-stake. Therefore the "fourth" kingdom represented by theterrible nondescript beast of chapter 7 is none other than the Roman. The ten horns of this beast are interpreted to signify ten kings, or kingdoms, thus representing the ten minor kingdoms into which theRoman Empire was finally subdivided. 

The description given of the tyrannical reign of this fourth beastaptly portrays the history of Rome. By wars and conquests the Romanpower broke down all opposition and reduced almost every kingdom inthe then-known world to a state of dependence. She drew the spoils oftheir capitals to enlarge her own proud metropolis and thus tyrannizedover all who did not quietly yield to her unquestioned obedience. 

The beast considered as a beast, could signify nothing more than apolitical power, and the ten horns temporal kingdoms. But in thisconnection I wish to call attention to a singular fact; namely, that, associated with the animal propensities, there are certaincharacteristics drawn from human life. "I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whomthere were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouthspeaking great things" (verse 8). 

[Sidenote: The marvelous horn]

A horn with the eyes and mouth of a man is a most unusual thing, andyet it is just such a combination as we might expect when we possessa correct understanding of the nature of symbols. These closely unitedsymbols drawn from two departments--human and animal life--pointus with absolute certainty to a temporal power combined with anecclesiastical power. The chronology of the event is fixed by thefact that this eleventh horn came up among the ten horns, three of theoriginal ten being removed in order to give it room. The ten kingdomsall arose within two centuries after 356 A. D. ; therefore the factsbrought out in the symbol direct us to the period of the downfall ofWestern Rome for the rise into prominence of the little horn. 

In giving Daniel the interpretation of the fourth beast, the angelalso described more particularly this little horn and the nature ofits work. First Daniel said: "I would know the truth of the fourthbeast ... And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the otherwhich came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that hadeyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was morestout than his fellows. I beheld, and the same horn made war withthe saints, and prevailed against them" (verses 19-21). And the angelexplained: "The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth... And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shallarise: another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from thefirst, and he shall subdue three kings. And he shall speak great wordsagainst the most High, and think to change times and laws: and theyshall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividingof time. But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away hisdominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end" (verses 23-26). 

With the explanation that the fourth beast signified the fourthkingdom, it is impossible to evade the conclusion that thepolitico-religious power symbolized by the little horn that came upamong the ten horns refers directly to the papacy. There is no otherobject that can fulfil the prophecy. The papacy was just beginningto make itself strongly felt among the divisions of the Western RomanEmpire, and it is a fact of history that three of the originalten divisions _in the territory of Italy_ were actually pluckedup successively before the rising papacy as if to give it room fordevelopment. 

When the Western Empire was overthrown in A. D. 476, the kingdom ofthe Heruli was established in Italy. In 493 this was succeeded bythe Ostrogoths, which continued for sixty years and was afterwardssucceeded by the Lombards. The Lombard Kingdom was overthrown by Pepinand Charlemagne, who gave a large part of the conquered territory tothe pope, thus favoring the papacy with her _first temporal power_. This grant completed the symbol of Daniel's vision by constituting thepapacy a temporal as well as an ecclesiastical power. 

The description of the great things spoken by the mouth of the littlehorn and of the persecution of the true saints of God by this powercorresponds so minutely with the characteristics of the first beastof Revelation 13 that no further description is here necessary. It issaid that he would also "think to change times and laws. " The languageis spoken as if this were a most extraordinary thing to do. Surely itis no extraordinary thing for a king to alter _secular_ laws in hisown dominion; and so far as heathen kingdoms are concerned, it wouldbe no sacrilegious act for them to alter their _religious_ laws andcustoms. But the little horn was to set himself up against the MostHigh and think to change _His_ times and laws--an act of unparalleledaudacity, impiety, and blasphemy. This description the papacy hasconsistently and constantly fulfilled. The pope has assumed the powerto make time holy or unholy as he sees fit; to command men to abstainfrom meat and to cease work, contrary to the demands of God. He hasclaimed the power to dispense with God's laws or obedience to them, "forbidding to marry, " and through his indulgences to remit thepenalty due to sin. 

The student of prophecy can not fail to see the striking similaritybetween the description of the little horn in Daniel 7 and that ofthe ten-horned leopard-beast of Revelation 13. The following parallelsprove their identity:

1. Both are blasphemous powers (Dan. 7:25; Rev. 13:6). 

2. They speak great things and blasphemies (Dan. 7:8, 20; Rev. 13:5). 

3. Both are persecuting powers making war on the saints (Dan. 7:21;Rev. 13:7). 

4. The chronology of each shows that the power rose to prominenceabout the time of the cessation of the pagan Roman Empire. 

5. The length of time during which they were to continue is thesame--forty-two months, or twelve hundred and sixty days. 

6. Both are to be gradually but finally destroyed (Dan. 7:26; Rev. 13:10). 

These powers, then, appear at the same time, in the same territory, have the same character, do the same work, continue the same length oftime, and meet the same fate. _These facts prove identity. _ We have, therefore, positive proof drawn from the parallel prophecies in Danielthat the first beast of Revelation 13 signifies the politico-religioussystem of Rome. 

[Sidenote: Length of papal reign]

The identification of the little horn of Daniel 7 with theleopard-beast of Revelation 13 is now complete. That both apply to thepapacy has been conclusively shown. We shall now turn our attentionto the length of time that this power was to reign. Daniel limits thetriumph of the little horn to "a time and times and the dividing oftime" (Dan. 7:25). "Time, " in the singular, of course, signifies onetime. "Times, " plural, without a designating number, signifies twotimes. "The dividing of time" is rendered in chapter 12:7, also inboth texts in the Revised Version, "a half. " So the entire period isthree and a half times. 

The seven-year period of Nebuchadnezzar's insanity is described asseven _times_ (chap. 4:25). We therefore conclude that the period ofthree and a half times signifies three and a half years. This agreeswith the reign of the leopard beast of Revelation 13, namely, "fortyand two months" (verse 5), or according to the Jewish method ofcomputing time--thirty days to the month--twelve hundred and sixtydays. Notice that this also agrees both in the manner of statement andin point of duration with the flight of the woman into the wilderness, as described in Revelation 12. She was to be nourished for "a time, and times, and half a time" (verse 14), which period is spoken of inverse 6 of the same chapter as "a thousand two hundred and threescoredays. "

The terms ordinarily used to measure the duration of time may be andoften are used in a symbolic sense; for time, as well as anythingelse, can be symbolized. Thus days may properly symbolize years; forthey are analogous periods of time, the diurnal revolution of theearth being taken to represent the earth's annual movement. Otherstandards of reckoning may also be employed symbolically, but the onehere referred to is doubtless most frequently employed. Such a systemof reckoning time was known anciently. The Mosaic law recognized twokinds of weeks, the first of seven days' duration, the last day ofwhich was a Sabbath; another week of seven years' duration, the lastyear being a Sabbath of rest for the land. This fact explains suchexpressions as "forty days, _each day for a year_" (Num. 14:34), and"I have appointed thee each day for a year" (Ezek. 4:6). 

There is no doubt that the year-day method of computing time is usedin the prophecy of Daniel 9, the sixty-nine _weeks_ reaching from thetime of the decree of Artaxerxes in 457 B. C. Until A. D. 26, the yearwhen Christ was baptized and entered on his personal ministry. 

[Sidenote: The correct starting-point]

Applying the year-day standard to the period of twelve hundred andsixty days, we have twelve hundred and sixty years. The next questionto arise is, What date shall we select as the proper time from whichto measure this 1, 260-year period? It is important that we correctlysolve this question. Expositors have selected different dates. Theyusually point out some particular historical date having an importantbearing on Rome's development; as, for example, A. D. 606, when Phocas, Emperor of the East, accorded the Church of Rome special recognition. But the papacy grew up in the _West_. If we are to regard as ofunusual importance political recognition of the claims of the papacy, why not give preference to imperial recognition in the very sectionthat constituted the home of the papacy?

Before considering further the relation of the growing papacy to theimperial power in the Western Empire, I must call attention to animportant fact generally overlooked or disregarded by expositors. The 1, 260-year period not only marks the time of triumph by thebeast-power, but also _measures the period during which the woman, ortrue church, was to be secluded in the wilderness_. Two parallel linesof prophetic truth--respecting the true church and a false church--aretherefore set forth as coexistent and in contrast with each other. The correct starting-stake can not, therefore, be when the papacyhad obtained complete ascendency, for this would be too late toconsistently begin to measure the decayed state of the true church. The date selected must be consistent with both lines of prophecy. The apostasy did not take place suddenly, however, but was a gradualdecline, a "falling away"; and the papacy, on the other hand, did notrise to great power suddenly, but grew up by degrees. It was atfirst "a little horn, " but finally his "look was more stout thanhis fellows. " Paul says that the "mystery of iniquity"--the seed ofapostasy--was already working in his day and that later "that Wicked"should be revealed in all its terrible features (see 2 Thess. 2:3-8). We therefore have to deal with a sliding-scale, a gradual decline onthe part of the true church, and a constant increase of that false, apostate power which finally culminated in the full-grown papacy. 

Bearing in mind that the 1, 260-year period measures both phases, weare obliged to select for our beginning a time about half way betweenboth extremes, a time when, we might say, the "falling away" from thepure apostolic truth and standard was about half completed and whenthe papacy was about half developed. While the woman was secluded inthe wilderness, the beast-power occupied the public view; and thiswas exactly the reverse of apostolic times, when the woman was exaltedabove all and before all, "clothed with the sun and with the moonunder her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars. " In otherwords, the extreme of darkest night succeeded the light of gloriousday. 

The period of the first apostles was the period of the church's purityand triumph. In their hands the cause was safe and the pure truthshown forth in beauty and power. But with the close of the apostolicera, the apostasy came on at a rapid rate, as the extant writings ofthe early church fathers show. 

By the middle of the fifth century the light of the gospel waseclipsed in the darkness of Romanism. During this century the papacysecured political recognition of its claims to direct jurisdictionover all churches. This occurred during the pontificate of Leo I, who, because of his success in furthering the interests of the popedom, shares alone with Pope Gregory the title of "the Great. " To quote fromthe New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia, Leo "entered upon a pontificatewhich was to be epoch-making for the centralization of the governmentof the church. " Political causes combined to advance the claims of thepapacy to universal recognition. Attila, with his fierce barbarians, invaded Italy and laid waste many of her fairest provinces and thenadvanced boldly on Rome, whereupon Pope Leo went out to the camp ofthe invaders and secured the evacuation of Italy. The pope obtainedthe full support of Valentinian III. In 445 Leo enforced authority inthe distant patriarchate of Alexandria. In 444-446 he was in conflictwith the Illyrian bishops. During this time in a letter addressedto them he laid down the principle that St. Peter had received theprimacy and oversight of the whole church and that hence all importantmatters must be referred to and decided by Rome. He also proceededto extend his authority over Gaul. In this effort he obtained fromValentinian III the famous decree of June 6, 445, which "recognizedthe primacy of the Pope of Rome based on the merits of Peter, thedignity of the city, and the decrees of Nice (in their interpolatedform); ordained that any opposition to this rulings, which were to_have the force of law_, should be treated as treason; and providedfor the forcible extradition by provincial governors of any one whorefused to answer a summons to Rome. "

The apostle John was banished to the Isle of Patmos in 95. Regardingthat date as the close of the pure apostolic era, and 445, when thepope received from the emperor of the West official recognition of hisclaims to universal supremacy in the church, as representing one otherextreme, we have but to calculate the time half way between theseextremes to find the consistent starting-stake for the beginning ofthat time prophecy which is to measure both lines of prophetic truth. From 95 to 445 is a period of 350 years. Half of this period is175 years. Therefore 175 years after 95, or 270, is the correctstarting-point. 

Protestant church historians recognize the decline that came in theearly church. Many of them, as D'Aubigne, Marsh, Rutter, Waddington, and others, point to the third century, or the latter half of thethird century, as marking an unusual epoch in this declension. Others, however, who view things almost wholly from the external point ofview, regard the accession of Constantine in the early part of thefollowing century as marking the important epoch. With referenceto this subject, I quote Joseph Milner, the English ecclesiasticalhistorian: "I know it is common for authors to represent thedeclension of Christianity to have taken place only after its externalestablishment under Constantine. But the events of history havecompelled me to dissent from this view of things. "--Ch. Hist. , Cent. IV, Chap. I. 

It is also evident from the facts of history that, in addition tothe corruption of evangelical faith, that other phase of theapostasy--human ecclesiasticism--was also highly developed before theend of the third century. George P. Fisher says, "The accession ofConstantine [A. D. 312] found the church so firmly organized underthe hierarchy that it could not lose its identity by being absolutelymerged in the state. "--History of the Christian Church, p. 99. 

In the year A. D. 270 Anthony, an Egyptian, the father of monasticism, fixed his abode in the deserts of Egypt and formed monks intoorganized bodies. Dowling, describing the extravagance of monkery andthe false standard of piety and holiness it created, declares thatmonkery "_actually affected the church universal_. " See History ofRomanism, pp. 88, 89. Very few marks of genuine piety remained. Withthe decline of evangelical knowledge came a reign of superstitionand ignorance. Milner, adverting to the institution of monkery in the_third century_, expresses his "regret that the faith and love ofthe gospel received toward the close of it a dreadful blow from theencouragement of this unchristian practise. "--Century III, Chap. XX. 

In another place the same historian, speaking of the absence of truthand the prevalence of error in the third century, says: "It is vain toexpect Christian faith to abound without Christian doctrine. Moral andphilosophical and monastical instructions will not effect for menwhat is to be expected from evangelical doctrine. And if the faith ofChrist was so much declined (and its decayed state _ought to be datedfrom about the year 270_, ) we need not wonder that such scenes asEusebius hints at without any circumstantial details, took place inthe Christian world. "--Century IV, Chap. I. (Parenthetical clause isMilner's; italicizing, mine. ) In addition to this quotation, and as ifto give emphasis, the historian places prominently in a side-head thewords, "_Decay of pure Christianity, A. D. 270_. "

Measuring forward from A. D. 270 the alloted period of twelve hundredand sixty years brings us to A. D. 1530, a year which marked thebeginning of Protestantism in its organized form. The first Protestantcreed, the Confession of Augsburg, was made that year. 

The description of the papal power under the symbol of the ten-hornedbeast of Revelation 13 and the little horn of Daniel 7 presents amelancholy picture of world-events during the long period of twelvehundred and sixty years ending with the sixteenth century reformation. 

[Sidenote: Principle of parallelism]

Before proceeding to give in chronological order a description ofevents following the reign of the beast, I wish to call attention toan important plan followed in the Biblical presentation of prophetictruth; namely, that the events are taken up by parallel seriescovering the same period of time. But in addition to this point, weobserve the principle of _contrast_. When the history of politicalevents is described, we have in contrast therewith a description ofecclesiastical events; and with the representation of a false churchor an apostate state of Christianity, we have in immediate contrastthe history of God's chosen people. Or perhaps the order is reversed, but the principle remains the same. While, in the nature of things, these distinct lines can not always be well represented symbolicallyas occurring at the same time, they are presented in parallel series, thus proving that they were to be fulfilled simultaneously. 

In direct contrast with the power of apostate Christendom representedby the papacy, which for certain reasons I have presented first, wehave in chapter 11 of the Revelation a brief history of God's truepeople that existed during the papal reign. In this case, however, adescription of the apostasy and of the true church are presented inthe same series and in such a way as to give special emphasis to thepoint of contrast as well as to prove their simultaneous fulfilment. Thus we read: "And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: andthe angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and thealtar, and them that worship therein. But the court which is withoutthe temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto theGentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and twomonths. And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shallprophecy a thousand two hundred and three score days, clothed insackcloth" (chap. 11:1-3). 

It is clear that two powers in the Christian era are here represented, the one continuing "forty and two months" and the other twelve hundredand sixty days, or years, heretofore explained as measuring the lengthof the beast's reign, also of the woman's seclusion in the wilderness. This similarity naturally suggests that we have here the same generalfacts set forth under other symbols. Jerusalem, the holy city, thetemple, and the two witnesses therefore correspond to the woman ofchapter 12. The crowd of uncircumcised Gentiles and their profanationof the city of God for twelve hundred and sixty years correspond tothe beast-power of chapter 13. 

Wonderful truth is represented in the vision of this chapter. Thesymbols are drawn from Old Testament history, from the religious lifeof the Jews--God's chosen people in contrast with the uncircumcisedGentiles. It is evident, therefore, that the true church and the falsechurch of the gospel era are represented. 

Notice carefully the symbols: holy city, temple, altar, worshipers, and living witnesses, or prophets. These represent the sum andsubstance of all divine revelation in the Mosaic age: holy city, Jerusalem--_the place where God set his name_; the temple--_divinelyauthorised, holy, acceptable worship_ based on careful adherence toGod's commandments formerly given; the altar--_the great symbol ofatonement, the reconciliation of humanity with the divinity_;the worshipers in one temple--_all of God's people in unity_; theprophets--_the divinely commissioned representatives of God bearinga living message for the people of their time_. These conditionsrepresent the Judaic ideal. Whether they were ever able to reach theirideal or not, it is evident that the Jews had the conception of aunified, holy, acceptable service (see Isa. 4:3; 52:1; 62:1-7). Thetwo witnesses referred to are clearly represented as prophets; forthe work ascribed to them as attesting their divine commission is arepetition of the miraculous works of Moses and Elijah by whichthey established their claims to be prophetic leaders authorized byJehovah. The witnesses seem to be distinguished from the worshiperssimply on account of their power and message. 

[Sidenote: The two witnesses]

These symbols represent the true apostolic church. It is the holycity, Jerusalem, his temple, whose holy, united worshipers obey thecommands of God. The application of the "witnesses" particularlyspecified as they are in the description, requires furtherexplanation. It is said, "These are the two olive trees and thetwo candlesticks standing before the God of the earth" (Rev. 11:4). Whatever these two witnesses signify in particular, they are thesame as the olive trees and candlesticks spoken of. It appears thatallusion is made to Zechariah 4, where two olive trees are representedas standing, one on each side of a golden candlestick, distilling intoit their oil for light. When the angel was asked for an explanation ofthese two olive trees and the candlestick, he answered, "This is the_Word_ of the Lord ... By my _Spirit_ saith the Lord" (verse 6). Weare to understand, therefore, that God's Word and Spirit are the "twowitnesses" in his church; that is, they signify the divine elementoperating in his church. Just as the mediation of the prophets wasnecessary in the olden times to maintain constant contact with God, without which the religious exercises degenerated to mere formalism, so the living _Word_ and _Spirit_ of God were present in the apostolicchurch to elevate its service above mere human systems and formsof worship. That the Word of God and the Spirit of God are specialwitnesses is proved by many texts. Jesus said, "Search the scriptures... They are they which _testify_ of me" (John 5:39). "This gospel ofthe kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a _witness_ untoall nations" (Matt. 24:14). "The Holy Ghost also is a _witness_" (Heb. 10:15). "The Spirit itself beareth _witness_" (Rom. 8:16). "It is theSpirit that beareth _witness_" (1 John 5:6). 

Of the uncircumcised Gentiles it is said, "The holy city shall theytread under foot forty and two months. " This signifies the greatapostasy that overspread the earth, defiling and perverting the trueworship of God. The burden of this series, however, is not to describethe foreign element thus introduced, but to set forth in greaterfulness the fact that during the same time that the idolatrousmultitude of Gentiles trod down the holy city God preserved his ownpeople. _The temple still remained_, and it had devout worshipers;_the two witnesses still prophesied_, although clothed in sackcloth, an emblem of melancholy and mourning. While the visions of theRevelator describe particularly the power of apostasy and iniquityreigning during the Dark Ages, they do not fail to give us theassurance that at the same time God had a people whose names werewritten in the book of life (chap. 13:8)--"saints" (chap. 13;10). And these were made the object of the most violent persecution (chap. 13:17; 17:6). 

It is rather difficult to trace the true work of God during thosetimes; for his "saints" were either ignored by the professed multitudeor else regarded as heretics. But there existed in different countriesbands of people who opposed the doctrines and ecclesiastical tyrannyof Rome and who claimed adherence to the simple, primitive faithof Christ as expressed in the gospel. Among these were the Cathari, Lombards, Albigenses, Waldenses, and Vaudois. I will not say that allthese so-called heretics are to be regarded as the true people of God, but from the few records that we have of them, derived chiefly fromtheir enemies, it seems clear that there were among them many who weretruly "saints" and who clung tenaciously to the true faith of Christ. God's Word and Spirit were therefore prophesying, although inan unnatural condition, symbolized by the sackcloth state of thewitnesses. We must also remember that even among the Catholic partywere to be found noble persons whose hearts were true to whatevertruth they had and whose emotions and aspirations at times broke overthe bounds of traditional theology and gave expression to sentimentsScriptural and sublime. 

The time period first specified in this special scene is the sametwelve hundred and sixty years that marks the reign of the beast andtherefore closes with the reformation of the sixteenth century. Weshall have occasion to return to this series later and trace itspredictions down to our own times. 

CHAPTER XIII

ERA OF MODERN SECTS

[Sidenote: Another epoch predicted]

We have seen that the 1, 260-year universal reign of the first beastof Revelation 13 ends with the period of the Reformation. The exactmanner in which this should be accomplished is not definitely givenin the prophecy, aside from the statement, "He that leadeth intocaptivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword mustbe killed with the sword" (verse 10). This description would seem toindicate a period of captivity in which the papacy would be deprivedof its great power, after which it would be finally destroyed; andthis agrees with Paul's description of the papacy in 2 Thessalonians2, where he speaks of that Wicked "whom the Lord shall consume withthe spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of hiscoming" (verse 8). And Daniel, speaking of the end of the 1, 260-yearreign of the same papal beast, points out a reformation time when"they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it untothe end" (Dan. 7:26). 

There is no doubt that these references point out the work of theReformation which broke the power of Rome's universal supremacy andher long reign of tyranny over the earth. Humanism, discovery of theart of printing, the revival of learning, and other causes contributedto this result. But the real revolt came in 1517, when Luther inSaxony nailed to the church door in Wittenberg his ninety five thesesagainst the papal traffic in indulgences. The Reformers made theirappeal from the decisions of Councils to the inspired Word of God, and this was the secret of their success. With wonderful power andboldness they proclaimed truth that had been neglected or discreditedfor ages. The holy fire spread over Western Europe. Men becameagitated as if moved by a mighty unseen power, until the papacy wasshaken from end to end. 

[Sidenote: Protestantism in prophecy]

We regret that the true work of reformation did not long continue. A. D. 1530 marks a new epoch--the rise of organized Protestantism;marks the end of the 1, 260-year period, and the introduction ofanother ecclesiastical power. The historian D'Aubigne recognizesthe distinction between the Reformation as such and organizedProtestantism. In his well-known work, History of the Reformation, hesays: "The first two books of this volume contained the most importantepochs of the Reformation--the Protest of Spires and the Confession ofAugsburg.... I determined on bringing the reformation of Germany andGerman-Switzerland to the _decisive epochs_ of 1530 and 1531. TheHistory of the Reformation, properly so-called, is then in my opinionalmost complete in those countries. The work of faith has thereattained its apogee: that of conferences, of interims, of diplomacybegins.... The movement of the sixteenth century has there madeits effort. I said from the very first, It is the History of theReformation, and not of Protestantism, that I am relating. "--Prefaceto Volume IV. 

Protestantism, then, is to be distinguished from the Reformation. Considering its prominence in the ecclesiastical world, we shouldnaturally expect to find it represented in the symbols of theRevelation. Strangely enough, few commentators ever make the leasteffort to identify Protestantism with any of the symbols of this book. Mohammedanism is there; Paganism is there; _the true church_ isthere, and, it is universally admitted, _the false church_ is there. Therefore, whether Protestantism be true or false, _it_ must be there, but where?

The application of the first beast of Revelation 13 to the papacy hasbeen so clearly established that the point is well-nigh indisputable. The period of its universal supremacy is clearly limited to the1, 260 years. And everyone knows that it was the sixteenth centuryreformation that ended that period of tyranny. We have shown thatthat period ends with A. D. 1530. The prophecy immediately followingdescribes Protestantism in these words:

[Sidenote: The two-horned beast]

"And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had twohorns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. And he exerciseth all thepower of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and themwhich dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound washealed. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come downfrom heaven on the earth in the sight of men, and deceiveth them thatdwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had powerto do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on theearth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had thewound by a sword, and did live. And he had power to give life unto theimage of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, andcause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast shouldbe killed. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in theirforeheads: and that no man might buy or sell, save he that had themark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here iswisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of thebeast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundredthreescore and six" (Rev. 13: 11-18). 

Protestant commentators generally apply both the ten-horned beast andthe two-horned beast to Rome, the first representing the politicalpower, and the second the ecclesiastical power. But this position, while clearing Protestantism of any moral stigma, is such a manifestviolation of the laws of symbolic language and the general principlesof Scriptural interpretation that I marvel that any critical thinkercould decide to adopt it. The two beasts are especially distinguished, and in each case the symbol is complete. The first beast combines withits beastly characteristics the qualities of the human, as did thelittle horn of Daniel 7, thus clearly and positively representing_both the political and the ecclesiastical dominion_ of Rome. It isthe human characteristics that constitute the leading feature of theterrible work ascribed to the first beast; therefore, the papacy _as areligious power_ is particularly intended. Hence the second beast cannot be intended to represent the ecclesiastical phase of Rome. Notice, also, that the symbol of the second beast is likewise complete initself--animal and human--thus embracing both the political and theecclesiastical. _Another system totally distinct from the first istherefore represented. _

I call attention to certain distinct points proving that these twobeasts are not identical or simultaneous:

1. The first is spoken of as "a beast"; the second is called "anotherbeast. "

2. The first came up from the sea; the second came out of the earth. 

3. The first was like a leopard; the second was like a lamb. 

4. The first had ten horns signifying ten temporal kingdoms; thesecond had two horns, referring to but two temporal powers thatsupported it. 

5. The first blasphemed God and his tabernacle, and was thereforeantichrist; the second claimed to be the true prophet of God andbrought down "fire from heaven" to attest his claim, but he was inreality a "false prophet" (chap. 16:13; 19:20). 

6. The first obtained his power and authority from the dragon whichpreceded him; while the second derived his power from the ten-hornedbeast "before him. "

7. The first caused people to worship the preceding power styled "thedragon"; while the second caused people to "worship the first beast. "

8. The first was to continue 1, 260 years; while the reign of thesecond is not here stated, but is covered in a parallel prophecy towhich we shall refer later. 

The first beast came up out of the sea, which signifies the empire inan agitated state; and it is a fact of history that the ten kingdomscame up through great political convulsions. The empire was in a stateof comparative quiet, however, when the second beast "_came up outof the earth_. " This beast stands as the symbol of Protestantism inEurope, although his power and influence was afterwards to extend to"the whole world" (chap. 16:14). But this beast existed first onthe same territory occupied by the papacy; therefore the two hornsdoubtless signify temporal kingdoms also, and two of the originalten. The two nations first to turn violently against the papacy andto become the chief supporters and defenders of Protestantism wereGermany and England. 

It is evident that the second beast of Revelation 13 was not to besuch a terrible power politically as was the first beast, for it isdescribed merely as having "two horns _like a lamb_. " But as soon aswe enter the department to which _speaking_ by analogy refers us, wefind him to be a great religious power, and it is in this characteralone that he is delineated in the remainder of the chapter. That hisreligious power is his leading characteristic is further proved bythe fact that in every subsequent reference he is styled the "falseprophet" (chap. 16:13; 19:20; 20:10). Every reference which I giveto the second beast must therefore be understood as signifying thereligious system known as Protestantism. 

This beast was to exercise great power--"all the power of the firstbeast before him. " By this expression we are to understand thatProtestantism was to exert a universal influence; that it was tobecome a leading factor in the world's history, as was Romanism beforeit. This has already been fulfilled. The leading nations of the worldtoday, the nations that have contributed most to the development ofmodern civilization and to the light and progress of the age, areProtestant nations. Those countries that have retained the yoke ofRomanism are still withering under its blighting influence. 

It is said that this beast causes people to "worship the first beast. "This is parallel to the statement that during the reign of the firstbeast the people "worshiped the dragon, " which in reality precededit. I have shown that the devotees of Romanism worshiped the dragon byperpetuating in their religious ceremonies and worship the practisesof paganism. Likewise Protestants have brought over and incorporatedin their religious system doctrines, rites, and ceremonies thatoriginated in Romanism; and in this respect they worship the firstbeast, even in the very act of rendering service to their own system. Such doctrines as infantile damnation, sprinkling for baptism, theeternal destruction of all those who are outside the pales of thechurch, infant baptism, and other things are all children of theapostasy originating in Rome. The Romish Church possesses a humanecclesiastical headship and an earthly government ruling in the placeof Christ, and Protestants make an "image" to this beast by buildingtheir sects in imitation--sects made and ruled by men. To these theyattach their own names and the distinctive creeds and doctrines ofmen, and thus their devotees receive the "mark" and "name" of thebeast. 

At this point we must make a distinction which, being true in thefacts of history, must necessarily be intended in the symbolicrepresentation. This beast was to bring down "fire from heaven. "According to the symbols of chapter 12, the woman, or true church, "fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescoredays. " The time prophecy is the same, and covers the same period, asthe reign of the papal beast. Therefore, just as an important changein the papacy occurred at the expiration of that prophetic period, so also a radical change must be expected with reference to the truechurch: it must be no longer completely obscured in the wilderness. Now, as the Reformation and Protestantism as a religion were the meansof ending Rome's universal spiritual supremacy, so also they mustbe regarded as possessing sufficient light and truth to bring intoprominence once more the work of the Spirit and the true people ofGod. "Fire from heaven" may therefore be regarded as describing thedivine work of reformation, the unfolding of truth accompanied by thesaving power of God. Such spiritual work has accompanied the origin ofvarious religious movements during the Protestant era. 

The general description of the two-horned beast, however, makesprominent an evil characteristic--the disposition to lead the peopleinto deception by making an image to the beast and then worshiping it. The evil is not located in the ability to bring down fire from heaven, but in the deceptive work of image-making and image-worship, for whichthe spiritual work simply furnished an occasion. The spiritual work ofreformation is, therefore, to be distinguished from the later workof creed-and sect-making; and since the beast takes advantage of themanifestation of spiritual power and deceives men, he becomes a sortof apostate and is denominated "the false prophet" (see chap. 16:13;19:20). 

The beast, ecclesiastically considered, stands as the symbol of thereligious system and practise of Protestantism as a whole--a peculiarcombination of truth and error, of good and bad, of "fire from heaven"and false miracle-working power (chap. 16:14); while the "image tothe beast" signifies the sectarian institution--the man-made andman-controlled unscriptural sect machinery constructed in imitationof the papal original. To construct such earth-born churches and leadpeople to adore and worship them is but a species of idolatry and therankest deception. It is a sad fact, in Protestantism as well as inCatholicism, that vast multitudes of people are more devoted to theirrespective churches than to the Lord Jesus Christ. They can witnessthe open rejection of God's precious Word and the vilest profanationof his holy name without uttering a word of protest; but let any onesay a word against _their church_, and instantly they are aroused tothe highest pitch of indignation. _Beast-worshipers!_

The Protestant era has witnessed many wonderful reformations in whichthe true fire of God fell upon waiting souls, but this initial work ofthe Spirit has in each instance been employed as an excuse for takingthe next step--making an image; and thousands of honest souls, lackingbetter light, have been induced to submit to such human organization. Those of this number who were truly saved, however, always lovedand adored their Lord more than the human church to which theywere attached, and consequently they should not be regarded asbeast-worshipers. They are the ones whom the Lord denominates _hispeople_ when the voice calls them out of Babylon (chap. 18:4). 

The second beast also exhibits the characteristics of a persecutingpower, and in this respect it is similar to the ten-horned beast. Theearly history of Protestantism shows that at that time the principleof religious intolerance brought over from Romanism manifested itselfin the actual putting to death of numerous dissenters. Thus, we findCalvin, at Geneva, consenting to the burning of Servetus because of adifference in religious views. At a convention in Torgau, in 1574, theLutherans established the real presence of Christ in the eucharist andthen instigated the Elector of Saxony to seize, imprison, and banishthose who differed from them in sentiment, as a result of which Peucersuffered ten years of the severest imprisonment and Crellius was putto death. The Protestant Council of Zurich condemned Felix Mantz to bedrowned because he insisted that infant sprinkling was not baptism. InEngland the "Bloody Six Articles" of Henry VIII are a silent testimonyto the intolerant spirit of that age, when the royal reformerdragged dissenters forth to execution. Witness also the twelve years'imprisonment of John Bunyan and hundreds of others confined in jailsthroughout the country; the persecution of the Quakers; the relentlessopposition to the Covenanters of Scotland, who were hunted anddestroyed like beasts because they insisted on their right to worshipGod in their own way. It was this intolerant spirit that drove thePuritans to the inhospitable shores of America, where they might havethe free privilege of worshiping God according to the dictates oftheir own conscience. 

It is possible that the persecuting principle ascribed to thetwo-horned beast may include both the literal and the ecclesiasticalcutting off, reference being made directly to the spirit ofintolerance which manifested itself first in literal slaughter andlater in an unwarranted ecclesiastical exclusiveness. 

The "number of the beast" alludes to his pretentious claims and isprobably a symbol of division. The definite number 666 is said to bealso the number of a man, and since the pope is the most important manconnected with the papal system, it is natural to identify him withthe individual referred to. Paul doubtless pointed out the popeparticularly as the "_man of sin_, " "the son of perdition" (2 Thess. 2:3). In former ages, before the modern system of notation wasintroduced, the only method of denoting numbers was by employing theletters of the alphabet, certain letters having the power of numberas well as of sound. We still employ the same system for certainpurposes. The number of a name was simply the number denoted by theseveral letters of that name. 

The pope has a special title. He wears in jeweled letters upon hismitre the inscription, _Vicarius Filii Dei_--Vicar of the Son ofGod. Taking from his name all the letters that the Latins used fornumerals, we have just 666. 

The era of modern sects is also covered in other places in Revelation, for the ecclesiastical history of the Christian dispensation isdescribed under different parallel series of symbolism. In the otherseries, however, the symbols representing Protestantism stand soclosely connected with predictions of the last reformation thatI shall not attempt to enumerate them in this chapter, but shallconsider them briefly in connection with those symbols describing thegreat final religious movement toward which all the prophetic linesof truth converge and which forms the special subject of the presentwork. 

CHAPTER XIV

THE LAST REFORMATION

The scene changes, and again we have the picture of God's chosenpeople set in bright relief against the dark background ofProtestantism and the still darker shades of papal apostasy. 

[Sidenote: The 144, 000 on Mount Zion]

"And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on Mount Sion, and with him anhundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written intheir foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of manywaters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice ofharpers harping with their harps: and they sung as it were a new songbefore the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and noman could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. These are they which were notdefiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which followthe Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the first-fruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouthwas found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne ofGod" (Rev. 14:1-5). 

What a contrast with the beast powers described in the precedingchapter of the Revelation! This redeemed company is on Mount Zion, nothidden in the darkness of the wilderness. They are with the Lamb, notwandering after the beast. Instead of being oppressed and overcome byopposers, they are singing the joyful song of redemption and harpingwith their harps; and instead of having the "mark of the beast, " theyhave their "_Father's name written in their foreheads_. " The manner inwhich this joyful, redeemed company is distinguished from the hostof beast-worshipers brought to light under the preceding symbols, proclaims unmistakably the fact that we have here a description ofthe true people of God who have obtained victory over the apostasy. Inother words, a distinct reformation is predicted. 

This sublime scene is not a description of heaven, for the contextshows its direct contact with the forms of apostate Christianity withwhich it is placed in contrast on earth. Certain leading figures inthe scene, as Christ the Lamb and a number of angels, are heavenlybeings; but their presence simply shows the divine character of thework in contrast with those other religious powers, one of which cameup out of the sea and the other out of the earth. Besides, we havealready shown that whenever angels figure in the symbolic scene _onearth_, they represent distinguished agencies among men, and themessage of good angels, being obviously from heaven, is therefore themessage of God. When different angels, bearing different messages, appear in the same general symbolic scene, they represent not isolatedor independent movements, but different phases of the same work. 

The Revelator introduces another phase of the religious movement underconsideration with these words: "And I saw another angel fly in themidst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto themthat dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory tohim; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that madeheaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters" (verses6, 7). 

In the message of the angel there are set forth a number of distincttruths. Prominence is given to the call to worship the one true God. This stands in contrast with the apostasy preceding; for under thepapacy its adherents "worshiped the dragon" and "they worshiped thebeast, " while the second beast caused people to "worship the firstbeast" and to "worship the image of the beast. " The message of thisangel is universal and indicates a world-wide missionary effort inwhich the true God and his holy worship alone will be exalted, andthat before the end of time, for the judgment is set forth as animpending event for which men must speedily prepare. 

But the description does not end here. An awful revelation, fallinglike hail-stones or coals of fire upon the heads of the devotees ofmodern churchianity, is proclaimed by divine authority: "And therefollowed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, thatgreat city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of thewrath of her fornication. And the third angel followed them, sayingwith a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, andreceive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drinkof the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixtureinto the cup of his indignation" (verses 8-10). 

Here we are brought face to face with some of the most solemn truthscontained in the Book of God. The very powers of apostate Christianityjust described under the symbols of two beasts are now represented_by the angel_ as Babylon; for, be it observed, the divine messageis against those who worship the beast _and his image_. The image wasmade by the second beast. Therefore Babylon includes both Romanismand Protestantism--the whole realm of formal churchianity; andbeast-worship is here condemned in one of the most terribledenunciations found in all the Word of God. All the evils inherentin the false, unscriptural systems of so-called Christianity are heresummed up under the one word _Babylon_, of which we shall have more tosay later. 

Two things prominently brought out in these symbols should beremembered, however--first, that even during the reign of the beastand his image, God had true people who were carefully distinguished inthe prophecy as those whose names were written in the book of life andwho would not "worship the image of the beast"; and second, that thesymbolic scene now being considered represents these saved individualsas gathered out into one company with the Lamb on Mount Zion, beforethe end of time. The illustration is that of the joyful Israeliteswho made their return to Zion after the fall of literal Babylon, wherethey were long held in captivity. This is the illustration and theprophetic description; therefore we may rest assured that just astruly as time revealed the rise of the papal and Protestant systems, as set forth in the symbols of the Revelation, just so surely willthere come _before the end of time_ a revival of pure, apostolicChristianity, a reformation in which the true people of God will taketheir stand outside of all forms of the apostasy and carry the fullgospel of the Son of God to "every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people. "

We have traced in prophetic symbolism the four epochs of the Christiandispensation represented respectively by the star-crowned woman, theleopard-beast, the two-horned beast, and the redeemed company gatheredtogether with the Lamb on Mount Zion. The papal period, representedby the leopard-beast, continued for 1, 260 years, its universal swayterminating with the sixteenth century reformation. The length of theProtestant reign following is not stated in this series. 

[Sidenote: The two witnesses]

Let us now return to the description of the two witnesses given inRevelation 11. We have already considered the first part of thatsymbolic description pertaining to the 1, 260 years during which theholy city was to be trodden under foot and the two witnesses wereto prophesy in sackcloth; and we have shown that this description isexactly parallel with the prophecy that set forth the period of thepapal supremacy. But the description continues, covering the era ofmodern sects and leading up to the work of a final reformation. 

After describing the 1, 260-year prophecy of the two witnesses, the narrative continues: "And when they shall have finished theirtestimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shallmake war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. Andtheir dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, whichspiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord wascrucified. And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nationsshall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall notsuffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. And they that dwellupon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall sendgifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them thatdwelt on the earth" (Rev. 11:7-10). 

[Sidenote: The witnesses slain]

This intricate picture of symbolical imagery is placed chronologicallyjust after the 1, 260-year reign of Romanism and hence it was to meetits fulfilment during the Protestant era. It describes in the mostgraphic and realistic manner the evil characteristics and tendenciesof the sect-system. I have already shown that in the primitive churchthe two witnesses--the Word and the Spirit of God--were the realvicars of Christ, giving both character and government to theuniversal church of God on earth. We have also seen that with the riseof human ecclesiasticism the reign of the Word and Spirit ended inso far as the Church of Rome was concerned. The same is true alsoof Protestantism. The establishment of man-made creeds and theconcentration and centralization of church power and governmentalauthority in human hands--a church-rule patterned after the kingdomsof this world--is a _rejection of the divine government of God_just as the appointment of a king in the Old Testament times was arejection of God's plan of governing Israel. In this sense God's twowitnesses have been openly ignored and rejected in Protestantism aswell as in Romanism and the ancient churches of the East, and man-madecreeds and systems of government substituted in their stead. They are, therefore, represented as slain, although of course a certain amountof respect is still shown them in that they are not suffered to bewholly put out of sight. 

[Sidenote: The witnesses resurrected]

"And after three days and an half the spirit of life from God enteredinto them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell uponthem which saw them. And they heard a great voice from heaven sayingunto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud;and their enemies beheld them. And the same hour was there a greatearthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquakewere slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, andgave glory to the God of heaven. The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly" (verses 11-14). 

The resurrection of the witnesses doubtless signifies a time ofreformation and implies its true character. If the death of thewitnesses was the result of ecclesiasticism and false teaching, theirresurrection must signify a final triumph over ecclesiasticism and therestoration of primitive Christianity under the direct authorityand government of God. Even omitting all details in this complexdescription, we can scarcely avoid the conclusion that if the generaldescription given in this chapter means anything, it means therestoration of Christianity before the end of time to the condition inwhich it existed before the apostasy. 

[Sidenote: The time prophecy]

The time prophecy "three days and a half" is difficult to explainexcept in the light of clearly ascertained historical facts. The term"day" is of itself very indefinite, being used in the Scripturesto designate periods of different length. In the description underconsideration it evidently can not signify the ordinary 24-hour daynor yet the year-day; for it covers the Protestant periodfollowing the 1, 260-year reign of Romanism and preceding the LastReformation--the same period of time covered by the second beast ofRevelation 13. 

The events of the Protestant period naturally divide it into shorterepochs of about a century each in length. The historian D'Aubigne, whowrote about 1835, noticed this distinction and referred to it in hisfamous History of the Reformation. These are his words: "It has beensaid that the three last centuries, the sixteenth, the seventeenth, and the eighteenth may be conceived as an immense battle of _threedays_' duration. We willingly adopt this beautiful comparison ... Thefirst day was the battle of God, the second the battle of the priest, the third the battle of Reason. What will be the fourth? In ouropinion the confused strife, the deadly contest of all these powerstogether TO END IN THE VICTORY OF HIM TO WHOM TRIUMPH BELONGS. "--BookXI, Chap. 9. 

"Three days and a half, " or three hundred and fifty years, after theformation of the first Protestant creed, in 1530, God began to revealspecial light and truth on his Word and to cause a great awakening, which is gradually resulting in the rejection of human ecclesiasticalrule, the recognition of the primitive government of God, and therestoration of all the pure truths of the Word of God. 

Another point in the prophecy under consideration assists us in fixingthe chronology of the reformation predicted. The "great earthquake"stands closely associated with the time of the resurrection andexaltation of the witnesses. The principles of interpreting symbolswould lead us to identify this earthquake as a mighty politicalconvulsion destructive in its nature, and yet one that would beoverruled for the furtherance of Christ's kingdom--a convulsion thatwould also terminate the destructive reign of the "second woe. " I cannot here digress to give proofs, but there is no doubt that thesecond woe of Revelation (see chap. 9:13-20) signifies the politicaldominancy of the Ottoman Empire. This power, constituting thepolitical backbone of Mohammedanism, has indeed been a most seriouswoe upon the inhabitants of the earth and an obstacle in the path oftrue missionary progress. With these facts before us, we can clearlysee that the earthquake was the great European War and that we are nowliving in the time when a special reformation is due. 

[Sidenote: Another important series]

Another parallel series of prophecies covering the same ground andterminating at the same point will bring the subject of the LastReformation to a grand climax. I have shown that the religious powersdescribed in Revelation 13 as two beasts were also termed Babylon. Weshall now give a more particular description of this antitype ofthe Old Testament Babylon. The Euphratean city--Babylon--theproud metropolis of the Chaldean monarchy, combined in itself thecorruptions and wickedness of the world and then filled up the measureof its sins by destroying the temple in Jerusalem and leading intocaptivity the chosen people of God. When John wrote, however, thisancient city was no more. It had long since been destroyed, and ithas never been rebuilt to this day. Even the Arab refuses to pitch histent among its lonely, serpent-infested ruins. The city to whichthe apostle alludes in these prophecies must therefore refer, not toancient Babylon, but to some other analogous power which was yet toarise and of which the old Babylon was a type. 

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 Rev. 12:3, 4, | Rev. 13:1-10 | BEAST | BABYLON 7-17 | | Rev. 13:11-18 | Rev. 14:1-9----------------+---------------------+----------------+------------------- PURE WOMAN | WOMAN SECLUDED IN | | 144, 000 ON MOUNT Rev. 12 | THE WILDERNESS | | ZION | Rev. 12:6 | | Rev. 14:1-6----------------+---------------------+----------------+------------------- TEMPLE AND | HOLY CITY TRODDEN | TWO WITNESSES | WITNESSES TRUE WORSHIP | DOWN | SLAIN | RESURRECTED Rev. 11:1 | Rev. 11:2 | Rev. 11:7-10 | Rev. 11:11-14----------------+---------------------+----------------+------------------- | GREAT BABYLON | HARLOT | GOD'S PEOPLE | Rev. 17:1-6 | DAUGHTERS | CALLED OUT | | Rev. 17:5 | Rev. 18:1-4----------------+---------------------+----------------+------------------- FOURTH | REIGN OF THE | | CHRIST'S KINGDOM BEAST | "LITTLE HORN" | | TRIUMPHANT Dan. 9:7, 23, | Dan. 7:8, 20-25 | | Dan. 7:26, 27; 24 | | | 2:34, 35----------------+---------------------+----------------+-------------------

[Sidenote: Great Babylon]

A more particular description of the antitypical Babylon is given bythe Revelator in the seventeenth chapter, as follows: "And there cameone of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will show unto thee the judgment of thegreat whore that sitteth upon many waters: with whom the kings of theearth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earthhave been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. So he carriedme away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upona scarlet-colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having sevenheads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarletcolor, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, havinga golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness ofher fornication: and upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THEEARTH. And I saw a woman drunken with the blood of the saints, andwith the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wonderedwith great admiration" (verses 1-6). 

The careful student will immediately perceive that we have hereanother representation of the same apostate powers already describedunder other symbols. The leading figures--a woman and a beast--combinesymbols from human life and animal life, thus representing clearly theunion of civil and ecclesiastical power. The combination is exactlythe same in its essential characteristics as that presented by thefirst beast of Revelation 13. And since it is the same seven-headedand ten-horned beast, representing the same political power, weconclude that the human characteristics exhibited in this connectionsymbolize the same religious power--the Church of Rome. In thepresent vision, however, the ecclesiastical phase is singled outand particularly distinguished and described, thus placing specialemphasis on the papal church itself in contradistinction to thetemporal power of the empire. The political phase of Rome's historyhas already been sufficiently described for our present purpose. Weshall, therefore, devote our attention to the ecclesiastical phase asdeveloped under this particular symbol of the woman. 

The nature of the symbol itself fixes the interpretation. A womanmust of necessity symbolize a church, but we must determine by thecharacter of the woman whether or not the true church or a falsechurch is represented. The woman of the vision was splendidly attiredand evidently occupied a prominent place; for she is represented asriding on the beast, the political empire, thus directing its course;and she is also represented as sitting upon many waters, interpretedas "peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues" (verse 15), denoting her wide influence over distant nations. She is notsimply represented as a prominent person, however, but _as a vilecharacter_. She is "a great whore, " "with whom the kings of theearth have committed fornication. " It is clear that in Scripturefalse, idolatrous worship is represented as _whoredom_ (see 1 Chron. 5: 25; Ezekiel 16 and 23). Hence a false church is represented. 

[Sidenote: Mother and daughters]

There is only one church that can fulfil the description, and thatis the Church of Rome. Long has she delighted in calling herself the"mother church, " but centuries before she made this claim, the penof inspiration affixed to her indelibly the title of"_mother_"--"MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. "She bore upon her forehead this inscription, together with the title"Mystery, Babylon the Great. " Other false apostate churches there are, but she heads the list and is the mother of them all. No wonder theapostle marveled when he saw this professed church of Jesus Christdefiled by the most abominable wickedness, in league with all theevil powers of earth, and, above all, "drunken with the blood of thesaints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. " That Rome fromthe date she became firmly established in power has ever been aconstant persecutor of the saints, the pages of all history abundantlyattest. Even Rome's ecclesiastical writers and historians themselvesadmit her use of force in destroying those whom she denominatedheretics. 

Revelation 17 covers the same period chronologically and ends atthe same point of time as did chapter 13. Hence we should naturallysuppose that it would also describe in some manner the powersymbolized by the two-horned beast--Protestantism--as well asduplicate the description of the ten-horned beast--Catholicism. Thatthe papacy is symbolized in chapter 17 by the corrupt whore sittingon the ten-horned beast, is too plain to need any particulardemonstration. The other division of the apostasy is included underthe term "harlots, " the daughters of the "mother" church. In ourinterpretation of chapter 14 we showed that the angel clearlyapplied the term Babylon to the worshipers of the secondbeast--Protestantism--as well as to those of the first beast. Therefore we must regard Babylon as a general term denoting the wholecity of religious confusion, the mother and her harlot daughters beingsimply specific divisions. 

[Sidenote: Testimony of commentators]

Many commentators, even Protestant commentators, have been frankenough to admit the real application and force of these symbols ofRevelation as applying to both Catholicism and Protestantism. Auberlenasserts that "'harlot' means, in the Old and New Testaments, theapostate church of God. "--Prophecies of Daniel and the Revelation, p. 278. Again, he says, "Not simply Rome, but Christendom as a whole, even as Israel as a whole, has become a harlot. The true believers arehidden and dispersed. "--Ibid. , p. 290. While it may not be exactly inaccordance with the Scriptures to speak of the true church of God asbeing apostate, yet in a sense it is true, for a large part of thosewho originally constituted the church of God actually did apostatize, until a false church assumed almost universal sway and divers formsof error prevailed, practically eclipsing, for a long period, the truechurch of God on earth. Auberlen stated his conclusion in these words:"Notwithstanding the universal character of the harlot, it remainstrue that the Roman and Greek churches are in a more peculiar sensethe harlot than the Evangelical Protestant. "--P. 294. 

In the well-known Commentary by Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown, the Rev. A. R. Fausset, writing on Rev. 17:2, says of the harlot: "It can not bePagan Rome but Papal Rome, if a particular seat of error be meant, but I am inclined to think that the judgment (chap. 18:2) and thespiritual fornication (chap. 18:3), though finding their culminationin Rome, are not restricted to it, but comprise the whole apostatechurch--Roman, Greek, and even Protestant, so far as it has beenseduced from its 'first love' to Christ, the heavenly Bridegroom, andgiven its affections to worldly pomps and idols. "

William Kincaid, in Bible Doctrine, p. 249, says: "I think Christhas a true church on earth, but its members are scattered among thevarious denominations, and are more or less under the influence ofmystery Babylon and her daughters. "

Alexander Campbell said: "The worshiping establishments now inoperation throughout Christendom, increased and cemented by theirrespective voluminous confessions of faith, and their ecclesiasticalconstitutions, are not churches of Jesus Christ, but the legitimatedaughters of that mother of harlots, the Church of Rome. "

Lorenzo Dow says of the Romish Church: "If she be the mother, who arethe daughters? It must be the corrupt, national, established churchesthat came out of her. "--Dow's Life, p. 542. 

Again, Hahn in Auberlen says: "The harlot is not Rome alone (thoughshe is preeminently so), but every church that has not Christ's mindand spirit. False Christendom, divided into very many sects, is trulyBabylon, i. E. , confusion. "

The description of the two forms of the apostasy, Papal andProtestant, given in the thirteenth chapter of Revelation, wasconveyed under the symbols of two beasts, differing in externalappearance, but in certain respects similar in character. Immediatelyfollowing that representation there is, as we have already shown, adescription of a distinct reformatory work set forth by the 144, 000with the Lamb on Mount Zion, the fall of Babylon, and the promulgationof the everlasting gospel in all the world. The term "Babylon" as usedin that scripture is applied to both the worshipers of the beast andthe worshipers of the image of the beast (made by the second beast);therefore it embraces both forms of the apostasy. 

We have just seen that the description of Babylon, given in Revelation17 under the symbols of a corrupt woman and her harlot daughters, represent the papal church and the divisions of Protestantism. Weshall now proceed to show that the two lines of prophecy (chaps. 13and 17) are parallel chronologically, for they both end at the sametime and in the same manner. 

[Sidenote: The last reformation]

As the first of these two series of prophecy ended with the fall ofBabylon and the deliverance therefrom of a people who were with theLamb, not wandering after the beast, and who had "the Father's namewritten in their foreheads, " not the name or the mark of the beast, so also the second series ends in the same manner. After describingBabylon under its twofold form, mother and daughters, the Revelatorsays: "After these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. Andhe cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great isfallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and thehold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hatefulbird. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of herfornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornicationwith her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through theabundance of her delicacies. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of hersins, and that ye receive not of her plagues" (chap. 18:1-4). 

A movement of mighty power is symbolized in these verses. The languageis based on the experience of the ancient Israelites in literalBabylon, who, when the fall of the city occurred, obtained releasefrom their enforced captivity, and were permitted to return to theirown land. The real meaning in this case is clear: that apostateChristianity has been a veritable Babylon in which the true peopleof God have been held as in captivity, and that the time of theirdeliverance would come, when they would, by divine authority, becalled out. Notice the parallelism in the two descriptions of the fallof Babylon. In chapter 14 an angel declares "Babylon is fallen, isfallen" (verse 8), and the next angel _with a loud voice_ warns thatthose who "worship the beast and his _image_ ... Shall drink of thewine of the wrath of God" (verses 9, 10); while in chapter 18 thefirst angel cries "mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylonthe great is fallen, is fallen" (verse 2), and "_another voice_ fromheaven" says, "COME OUT OF HER, MY PEOPLE, that ye be not partakers ofher sins, and that ye _receive not of her plagues_" (verse 4). 

That this symbolic picture represents a wonderful religiousreformation is almost too clear to need proof, for it succeededchronologically, and is placed in direct contrast with, the apostasy;hence there can be but one logical conclusion, namely, that neitherCatholicism nor Protestantism is the last work and that God hasauthorized a work that shall gather his true people out of the entirebabel of sect confusion. And that this movement is to be effectedbefore the end of time is also clearly shown. In the followingchapter, after describing God's judgment on Babylon, and the call ofhis people out of her, "a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praiseour God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small andgreat" (verse 5). God's servants are called upon to rejoice onaccount of their deliverance. Those who are at heart image-makers andbeast-worshipers will oppose this truth, and when they witness thedeparture of the faithful followers of the Lord, leaving to Babylonnothing but the godless, graceless professors, they will "weep andmourn over her" (chap. 18:16) and cry, "Alas, alas that great city"(verse 16). But the voice of heaven calls on the saints for a songof thanksgiving, saying, "Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holyapostles and prophets" (verse 20). Yea, "praise our God, _all ye hisservants_, and ye that fear him, both small and great" (chap. 19:5). 

Are we to expect such a response? Yes. It is true in the prophecy andwill therefore be true in fact before time ends. "And I heard as itwere the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the LordGod omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honorto him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath madeherself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed infine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousnessof saints" (chap. 19:6-8). 

The scriptures just cited complete another line of symbolic truth. The primitive church was represented as a pure woman, the bride (chap. 12:1). During the reign of the papacy a false, immoral woman reignedover the kings of the earth, while the true woman, or church, was hidden 'in the wilderness' (chap. 12: 6). Under the reign ofProtestantism her members were scattered in all parts of the city ofBabylon. But, thank God, they are to be called out of their scatteredcondition, and as a company are represented in two forms--first, as aredeemed host with the Lamb on Mount Zion, bearing the Father's nameonly (chap. 14:1-5), and second, _as the bride of Christ_ preparingherself for the soon coming of the Lord. This is proof positive thatthe true church is to be brought out and placed on exhibition _beforethe end of time_. 

Others of the sacred writers describe this same prophetic movement. Zechariah predicts it thus: "And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark: but it shall be one daywhich shall be known to the Lord, not day, nor night: but it shallcome to pass, that _at evening_ _time it shall be light_" (Zech. 14:6, 7). These verses stand a little clearer in the Septuagint Version:"And it shall come to pass in that day [the papal day] that thereshall be _no light_: and there shall be for one day [the Protestantday] _cold and frost_: and that day shall be known to the Lord; itshall not be day or night [a mixture of light and darkness]: but_towards evening it shall be light_. "

We have seen that Daniel predicted the long reign of darkness andapostasy in the Christian dispensation. Desiring to understandthe matter, he made inquiry, and although the same thoughtsare beautifully expressed in the Authorized Version, I shall, nevertheless, quote from the Septuagint, which makes the thoughtstill clearer: "_When will be the end_ of the wonders which thou hastmentioned? And I heard the man clothed in linen ... Swear by Him thatlives forever, that it should be for a time of times and half a time:when the dispersion is ended they shall know all these things" (Dan. 12:6, 7). 

"A time, and times, and the dividing of time" is the same propheticperiod of 1, 260 years, the reign of the papacy. This was to befollowed by a period of "dispersion, " and such Protestantism has been, for the people of God have been scattered in hundreds of bodies. Butthis dispersion was to be "_ended_" some time, and then the people ofGod would "know all these things. " "And I heard, but I understood not:and said I, O Lord, _what will be the end_ of these things? And hesaid, Go, Daniel: for the words are closed and sealed up _to the timeof the end_" (verse 9). At the "time of the end" the dispersal of God'ssaints was to cease. This predicts the evening-time reformation, andthe nature of its work is shown in the following verse: "Many mustbe CHOSEN OUT, _and thoroughly whitened, and tried with fire, andsanctified_" (verse 10). 

The same spiritual movement is also predicted by Ezekiel. In chapter34 he describes the people of God as sheep (see verse 31). Thesesheep are represented as abused, oppressed, and scattered by falseshepherds. Their gathering in this Last Reformation is predicted inverses 11 and 12: "For thus saith the Lord God; Behold I, even I, willboth search my sheep, and seek them out. As a shepherd seeketh out hisflock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; _sowill I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all placeswhere they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day_. "

Reader, this is the work of reformation that God is now accomplishingin the world. Babylon is spiritually fallen, and God is calling hispeople out. In the well-known Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary, Rev. A. R. Fausset, commenting on Rev. 18:4, has well said: "Even inthe Romish Church, God has a people; but they are in great danger;their only safety is in coming out of her at once. So also in everyapostate or world-conforming church, there are some of God's visibleand true church, who, if they would be safe, _must come out_. "

When literal Babylon was overthrown, the Jews escaped to their ownland. Likewise God's people in spiritual Babylon are commanded to comeout, and with songs of rejoicing they are to make their way to MountZion, and then lend all their efforts to the one work of restoringprimitive truth, thus making Jerusalem "the joy of the whole earth. "Like the Jews of old, "the ransomed of the Lord _shall return_ andCOME TO ZION with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: theyshall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away"(Isa. 35:10). 

The Psalmist informs us that in Babylon the Jews hung their harps onthe willows and wept when they remembered Zion. When their captorsdemanded of them the songs of Zion, they answered despairingly, "Howshall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?" (Psa. 137:1-4). Zion's songs were _songs of deliverance_; hence the Jews could notsing them in captivity. So also has it been in spiritual Babylon. Butwhen the ransomed of the Lord "return and come to Zion, " "songs andeverlasting joy" break forth again. 

The Revelator describes this glorious result after the period of theapostasy in these words: "And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingledwith fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, andover his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, _having the harps of God_. And they _singthe song of Moses_ [a song of deliverance] the servant of God, andthe song of the Lamb [a song of redemption]" (Rev. 15:2, 3). Those whohave returned from Babylon have heavenly harps and can sing the songsof Zion. Praise God!

 "From Babel confusion most gladly I fled, And came to the heights of fair Zion instead; I'm feasting this moment on heavenly bread; I'll never go back, I'll never go back. 

 "The beast and his image, his mark, and his name, My love or allegiance no longer can claim, Though men may exalt them to honor and fame; I'll never go back again. "

The prophecies already cited make clear a mighty religious movementbefore the end of time, a movement designed to triumph over theapostasy. Since the apostasy was twofold in its nature, comprehendinga corruption of evangelical faith and the development ofecclesiasticism, it is evident that the Last Reformation must bothrestore primitive truth and eliminate ecclesiasticism, thus bringingback to the world the original conception of the church as embracingthe whole divine family under the direct moral and spiritual dominionof Christ. It is also evident from the prophecies that this is to beaccomplished by literally forsaking the systems of man-rule justas ancient Israel was restored after the captivity by God's peopleleaving Babylon and coming home to Zion. 

Zion represents the church in its primitive, unified condition underthe government and law of Christ alone. Babylon represents a foreignrule and another law. The two systems are fundamentally different. This difference was true in the type and must therefore be true inthe antitype. In the old days of Israel's glory foreigners visitedJerusalem, but their presence in the city of God did not make themIsraelites. And at one time the people of God were carried intocaptivity in Babylon, but their presence in that foreign, heathen city_did not make them Babylonians_. 

This distinction is also clear in the antitypical relation. We do nothave to go to prophetic symbols to find in the New Testament clearpredictions of the rise of a false Christianity in opposition to thetrue. They stand out in marked contrast in the prophecy. On the oneside there is a false religious system described as a beast powerreigning. On the other side is placed in contrast a company that havegotten the victory over the beast and over his image and over hismark, and they stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. Themother of harlots appears, but in contrast therewith is seen a purewoman, the bride of Christ. In contrast with Babylon we have Zion. 

The sect system, wherein ecclesiasticism reigns and where the fulltruth in all its purity can not be taught and practised, does notrepresent the true church, but Babylon. The system is foreign. Itcontains, however, many _who are not Babylonians_ but children ofthe divine family--Israelites indeed. The awful judgments of Godpronounced against Babylon are directed against the false systemitself and the real beast-worshipers it contains, not against thetrue people of God, who love their Lord and are willing to walk in thelight of his Word as fast as they are able to understand it. Whenwe consider that this sect system has been the means of deceivingmillions--millions who will come up in that last day and plead theirreligious profession, only to hear the awful words, "Depart from me, I never knew you"--when we consider, I say, these evil results, we cannot but repeat the words of the prophecy concerning the overthrow ofBabylon, "True and righteous are His judgments. " The commandment ofGod is, "_Come out of her_, MY PEOPLE, that ye be not partakers of hersins, and THAT YE RECEIVE NOT OF HER PLAGUES. "

The movement to ignore sect lines and bring the true people of Godinto unity is not based upon a mere interpretation of prophecy, however. The necessity of such a work is being felt by the truepeople of God everywhere, even those who make no particular claimsto knowledge of prophetic interpretation. Knowledge that theecclesiastical systems of the present day do not represent thereal church outlined in the New Testament is all that is absolutelynecessary in order to stir the heart for reformatory action. Departurefrom the truth of God carries with it responsibility on the part ofall those who become awakened to that departure--_responsibility toreturn to the Bible standard_. A final reformation there must andwould be even if it had never been predicted by the prophets of old;for Christ, the great ever-living head of the church, would at theproper time pour out upon his servants the spirit of judgmentagainst all unscriptural systems and forms of worship and demand therestoration of the pure church of the morning time of our era. 

[Sidenote: The future prospect]

The work of God in the latter days is to be more extensive, however, than simply calling God's people together from their scatteredcondition in sect Babylon. There are indications in the prophecyalready cited that the "everlasting gospel" is to be carried tothe ends of the earth. The movement is to be world-wide. In ourconsideration of parallel prophecies in Daniel, we saw that thekingdom is represented in two phases--first as a _stone_, under whichsymbol it broke down the kingdoms of heathen darkness; and then asa _mountain_, when it _is to fill the whole earth_. And again, afterdescribing the 1, 260-year reign of the papacy, Daniel said: "But thejudgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consumeand to destroy it unto the end. And the kingdom and dominion, and thegreatness of the kingdom _under the whole heaven_, shall be givento the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is aneverlasting kingdom, and _all dominions shall serve and obey_ HIM"(Dan. 7: 26, 27). 

There is abundant evidence to be seen by the careful observer thatthere are now at work in the Christian world forces that are preparingfor great changes. Christian charity is refusing to be confined bysectarian barriers. The Christian consciousness is becoming aroused tothe evils of sectarianism and sectarian systems as it has never beenaroused in any past age. There is a longing among spiritualpeople everywhere to escape from the blighting effect of a dividedChristianity. Evangelism is becoming more and more detached fromorganized denominations, and the denominational lines are beingignored in a way that would have astonished the people of acentury ago. Numerous attempts are being made to unite the variousdenominations on the mission fields and in the homeland. While manyof these efforts are mere blind groping for a way out of the fogs ofsectarianism, they show unmistakably that back of and underlying allthese efforts is a mighty force slowly but surely gathering powerthat (so far as God's true people are concerned) shall in time riseto break once for all the rigorous reign of human ecclesiasticism andreestablish in power and glory the simple, primitive theocracy, whereChrist shall be exalted as the true and only ruler of his people. 

Ecclesiasticism, however, dies hard. In fact, it is scarcely correctto say that it will die at all. The churches of men are largely madeup of worldly-minded professors who know not the birth and life ofthe Spirit. To such the church will never appear as anything differentfrom an institution organized and governed after the pattern of thekingdoms of this world. According to the prophecy, God's true saintswill die to ecclesiasticism by forsaking the sect system, but therule of human churchly power will go right on until the end of time. Furthermore, we may expect the contrast and the conflict between thesetwo forces to become more pronounced as the years go by. While theRevelation represents the call of God's people out of Babylon asthe movement that again brings into prominence the "bride, " the truechurch (chap. 19:1-9), it also reveals the fact that there will beanother great movement in opposition to the truth. 

"And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth ofthe dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouthof the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, workingmiracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the wholeworld, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty"(chap. 16:13, 14). The nature and purpose of this gathering isdescribed in another place. "Satan ... Shall go out to deceive thenations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, togather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand ofthe sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and _compassedthe camp of the saints about, and the beloved city_: and fire camedown from God out of heaven, and devoured them" (chap. 20:7-9). 

Let this be a solemn warning to all, that God's people may discernbetween the false and the true. The movement that brings togetherin one the real saints of the Lord is effected by the Spirit ofGod, while "unclean spirits" operating in the apostate powers ofthe ecclesiastical world will effect a totally different union. Thedistinction is clear in the prophecy and must therefore become true infact. 

The final reformation is on. "Final, " I say, because it leaves nothingto be restored as regards either doctrine, practise, or spirit. It stands committed to the restoration of the whole truth andthe harmonious unity of all true Christians in one Christ-ruled, Spirit-filled body. In short, it stands committed to the restorationof apostolic Christianity in its entirety--its doctrines, itsordinances, its personal regenerating and sanctifying experiences, itsspiritual life, its holiness, its power, its purity, its gifts of theSpirit, its unity of believers, and its fruits. This reformation willcontinue until it becomes a great mountain and fills the whole earth, until "the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdomunder the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints ofthe Most High. "

Nor is this picture of events a mere dream of fanciful idealists; forit is already true in part, and the "more sure word of prophecy" towhich we have appealed sustains our hope. The actual fulfilment of somany predicted events assures us that there shall not fail one wordof all his good promises. Already multiplied thousands of the Lord'sredeemed people have discerned God's plan of effecting unity and havecompletely ignored all the lines of sect and human ecclesiasticism, recognizing as the church nothing else than the entire brotherhood inChrist, and recognizing as ecclesiastical authority nothing else thanthat moral and spiritual dominion of Christ by which alone he governedhis people in primitive times. 

This reformation is the movement of God. It is not a humanly organizedmovement depending for its success on the ability of men to persuadepeople to leave other churches and join them. God himself is breakingdown the barriers that divide, and in response to his call theredeemed are forsaking human sects and creeds, and their hearts areflowing together. The center of this movement is not a particulargeographical location, nor is its nucleus a particular set of falliblemen: the center and nucleus of this world-wide movement is OUR LORDJESUS CHRIST, and its operative force is the SPIRIT OF THE LIVINGGOD, which draws the faithful together in bonds of holy love andfellowship. Multitudes already recognize no other bonds of union thanthat moral and spiritual affinity which is the common heritage ofall the disciples of Jesus that know the blessed experience of theheavenly birth. Multitudes more are beginning to see the light of thisglorious truth, and in due time Christ, the Light, will illuminate thehearts of all the saved ones. All hail the day that lies just ahead!

 "Back to the one foundation, from sects and creeds made free, Come saints of every nation to blessed unity. Once more the ancient glory shines as in days of old, And tells the wondrous story--one God, one faith, one fold. "