# The Worlds Redemption/1

CHAPTER I
The Bible Our Only Safe Guide
DEAR READER: - If our appeal to you is earnest, it is because the subject upon which we address you is an important one. It is a subject upon which hangs our eternal destiny. The perplexities of the present evil world and the greed for gain of the temporalities of life so engross the minds of this generation that the great vital question of the life that is to come is thought but little of, and the masses are recklessly rushing headlong into perdition. You, like many others, will perhaps impatiently answer, "It is no use talking religion to me. Look at the confusion there is in the world. What is the use for me to trouble myself in trying to understand a subject that our wisest men cannot agree upon?" We confess your words have considerable force, in view of the confusion there is in the religious world at the present time. The common people who, by the exigencies of an evil state of things, are kept busy providing for the necessities of life have little time to study the subtle and technical questions which divide and confuse the churches of Christendom; and they are given to understand that these are matters to be left to the "clergy" while the "laity" are to accept the situation, asking no questions, but putting their trust in their leaders that in some way, they are not supposed to know how, all will end well. If you are disposed to think for yourself, you will not be satisfied to blindly follow the dictates of men, but you will want to know that you are upon safe ground, and that the road you are traveling will lead to the haven of rest which many weary travelers are earnestly seeking.
THE GOSPEL FOR COMMONPLACE PEOPLE
Did it ever occur to you that God in providing His beneficent plan of salvation so arranged it that it would be more nearly within the reach of the poor and commonplace people of the world than of the great and the learned and the opulent? Honor belongs to Him who is the Great Creator, in whom we live and move and have our being. Therefore the honor and submission given to the so-called learned leaders of men are misplaced. It would be strange, would it not, if God had revealed a plan of salvation which, by the very mystery of its nature, must necessarily become a monopoly in the hands of a few men who happened to be thrown into circumstances admitting of a technical theological education. This would have made the salvation of the masses dependent upon the few favored ones in a worldly sense. And since these very-few comparatively-seriously and sometimes violently disagree among themselves, what a hopeless plight we should all be in were we dependent solely upon them for guidance in the way of life. What is in our day considered learning is familiarity with the mysteries of the darkness of Egypt, Greece and Rome. A man whose college education enables him to glibly talk of heathen gods and pagan myths is regarded as a "learned man." Is Egypt likely to be a good place to go to for heavenly light? Are the heathen philosophers of Greece to be supposed to be luminaries of divine revelation? Why should any one expect to receive the light of salvation from Rome, which, whether under pagan or papal power has drenched her soil with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus? These are not the sources whence we may expect to derive saving truth, and the fact that preparation for the popular pulpit consist~ Largely, if not principally, in the study of heathen "philosophers" is sufficient reason why you should turn from the highways of popular religion and seek for truth at the fountain head of the stream of life eternal.
SEEK FOR THE OLD PATH
THE BIBLE THE ONLY AUTHORITY
There is only one authority for us all in relation to the problem of life; and, God be thanked, there is free access to that in our land and in our times for all who will avail themselves of the privilege. While the world's wise are disputing and fighting about the "wisdom of the world" let the humble seeker after truth search the old paths that lead to the grand old book of the ages, which has withstood the severe tests of times of darkness, wickedness and cruelty and yet brightly burns as a beacon of light to every way worn and footsore traveller. "Familiar spirits" have multiplied in our times because of the barrenness; of Bible teaching. The prevailing ignorance of God's Word admits of their tricks and turns in deceiving the hearts of the simple. Let me appeal to YOU dear leader, not to allow yourself to be deceived "when" the warning so clearly and loudly cries out, "When they shall Say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep and that mutter; should not a people seek unto their God? Why should you seek unto the dead concerning the living (Septuagint rendering)? To the law and, to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them” (Isa. 8: 19, 20).
EVIL OF POPULAR DISPARAGEMENT
To say that there is barrenness of Bible teaching may astonish you in view of the boasted claims of Progress in the study of Bible lore: but it is a sad fact that the boasted progress is rapidly reducing the Word of God to an object of contempt and ridicule. The very highest leaders of the schools are doing with God's Word what Judas Iscariot did with the Son of God. It is being sold to the enemy – infidelity - while its professed friends are impressing upon its pages the betraying kiss. The more flaws their flaunting “scholarship” can find in the Bible, the more they pretend to like it. What matters it to them if the Son of God himself sealed the divinity of Moses and the prophets with his life's blood, if they can persuade their dupes that through their deep researches (?) in the darkness of superstitious antiquity, and their masterful detection of verbal peculiarities and imaginary distinctions they can pose before their admirers as men and masters of great profundity. The traps and snares that are being set for the young and unwary the theological schools of our times are among the great evils of the century, and if we look not well to ourselves we shall be carried down to oblivion with the great destructive popular wave of skepticism.
PREVAILING IGNORANCE OF THE BIBLE PREDICTED
Familiarity with the unerring Predictions of the Word of God will remove any cause for surprise that there is such prevailing and widespread ignorance of the real teachings of the Bible. If it were otherwise prophecy bearing upon our times would be a failure. Let me quote here a few testimonies which you will readily see foretell the present state of things in relation to the subject in hand
A WIDE-SPREAD APOSTASY FORETOLD
Now, dear reader, not only do these testimonies foretell a departure from the truth, but they show clearly that the apostasy would be wide-spread, and be the prevailing character of the latter times. The question asked by the Saviour, "Shall he find faith on earth?" referring to His second coming, warns us that the true faith would scarcely be found; and this agrees with what He says upon another occasion in the awful words, "Enter ye in at the strait gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat; because strait is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it" (Malt. 7: 13, 14) - And, again, "But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be" (Matt. 24·: 37).
THE WORLD NOT GETTING BETTER
My object in dwelling upon this unhappy state of things is to remove the delusion which has largely led the people to believe that the world is getting better and is being "converted" through the agencies now at work. This claim is in direct opposition to the testimony of God's Word and to the real facts in the case. The testimonies speak for themselves and cannot be ignored nor gain said. If so-called Christendom is what it claims to be God's word in declaring a great apostasy has failed, and all the predictions and warnings have proven false. These testimonies of Holy Writ cannot be harmonized with popular claims. Which will you believe? If you believe the latter you must deny the former, and then you will surely be in the "broad way;· that leadeth to destruction. If you believe the testimonies, then you must turn from the highways of popular so-called Christianity in order that you might enter the "strait gate": and the "narrow way which leadeth unto life." Are you still inclined to give credence to the popular claims of present world conversion, then look at a few facts that some of the religious periodicals are frank enough to publish.
INCREASE, OF CRIME
On the increase Of Crime we quote the following from THE TRUTH:
1886............... ..........................................................................1,449
1887......................................................................................... 2,335
1888......................................................................................... 2,184
1889..........................................................................................3,567
1890............... ..........................................................................4,090
1891....... ..................................................................................5,906
1892..........................................................................................6,791
1893..........................................................................................6,615
1894............... ..........................................................................9,800
1895............... ..........................................................................10,500
[Even though over 100 years have passed since the writing of this book the United States still is one of the world leaders as it relates to violent crime.]
WORLD CONVERSION A FAILURE
WORLD CONVERSION IS IN THE AGE TO COME
THE GOSPEL IS NOW TAKING OUT A PEOPLE
THE GOSPEL MUST BE BELIEVED AND OBEYED
ONLY ONE SAVING GOSPEL
This does not allow us to believe what we please or be indifferent as to whether we have any particular belief. When some in Galatia became "foolish" and "bewitched" in departing somewhat from the true gospel the Apostle PauI wrote them in the strongest terms of warning saying, "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel; which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed" (Gal. 1: 6-9). The absolute necessity of believing the one true gospel and rejecting all others is thus made clear, and our duty to stand firm and earnestly to contend for the truth is further sustained by the following testimonies:
THE SCRIPTURES NOT READ AND STUDIED
ISRAEL COMMANDED TO READ THE SCRIPTURES
THE WORD WILL ILLUMINATE
THE WORD IS PURE
THE WORD IS PERFECT AND TRUE
THE WORD IS POWERFUL AND EVERLAS'I'ING
THE WORD DIVINELY INSPIRED
II Tim 3:16 - All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.
II Pet 1:21 - For prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
1 John 5:9 -If we receive the witness of men, the witness of god is greater, for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.
Now, dear reader, we have given these selections of testimonies from God's Word to offset the disparaging assertions of those who profess to be the friends of the Bible, but who, like the rulers of the Jews in the days of our Lord and his Apostles, are making it of none effect by their traditions and vain philosophy. Ponder over these words of Holy Scripture, and, we beseech of you, make up your mind to thoroughly examine your faith in the light of Divine truth; and if you already are in possession of the one saving faith, you will be strengthened; and if not, God grant that the eyes of your understanding may be opened and your heart prepared to receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your soul. It is with this hope that we ask you to follow us in what we shall, the Lord willing, set forth in chapters to follow, carrying with us that unshaken confidence in God and in his word, which finds such forceful expression in the words, "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom. 8: 38, 39).