West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1904-12-29
WQICnn0R! WRQI Of The NiQhI ?
The Morning aud Night C0meth
lisa. XXI. lille.
tCentiunel,,s~ last ,oeck.)

| Nt'HNNNtd ffc~ last tpffk.l
false teaching that the DEGREES Of councils
of the ehutch, the eeeds aud doctrines
which they established. were to be taken as
the rule of faith aud practice in conjunction
with the writings of the apostles.
This serious error is widely manifest aud
has borne much bad fruit. permitting the
introduction of various forms, ceremonies,
practices and doctrines which the apostles
never authorized aud many Of which are IN
direct opposition To their inspired teachings
The reformation movement under Luther
aud others, was an attempt To- get free from
this error and acknowledge what the Script
ures SO clearly present, namely, that there
were but - apostles of the Lamb-It is
so written on the foundations of the New
jerusalem as shown descending from God,
all resplendcnI like "a BRIDE adoned"-
They had no successors I'm office, but are
with the Lords people in their writing
even more than when living-as the rep
reservations of the Lord and His message
throughout the age, and therefore constitute
the only appointed teachers in conjunction
with the Lord aud all the holy prophets of
ancient times, to whose ulterances they
have furnished the key--To add anything to
their teachings is but TO make their teaching
void, opening the for all "othcr gospels"-
confusion Babylon
Under the lead Of these new teachers who
claimed for themselves apostolic succession
and apostolic inspiration, the hope of the
second coming of Christ as the worlds
dcliverer from the ,hralldom of Satan and
sin and death, gradually faded and n new
teaching took It's place, that new teaching
began the foundation of the papal theory
and practice and descended in a legitimate
manner to the various denominations Of
Christcndom That theory II that God has
commissioned the church To conquer the
world now--not waiting for milleninal
reign of Christ in which lie shall reign until
lie hath put all enemies under Ills feet, as
the apostle state TO be Gods plan; for he
'shunncd not To- declare the whole counsel
of God "
The fascinating theory that the time had
come for the church to cease from suffering
and begin her reign, gradually envcoped it
to such an extent that any who still held to
the old apostolic views, were few and con
sidered behind the times-until finally when
the error was established 10y councils Of the
church, those who held apostolic teachings
on the subject were called "herelics." Every
energy was bert to obtaining power over the
nations and the whole world knows of the
wonderful success of the effort. The Roman
Empire was swallowed up and It's power
and authority passed into the hands of the
Church.
In accord with this erroneous teaching the
Church became the prosecutor, for If it he
the Kingdom Of God il should be expected
to subdue with mighty power all opposition,
for 50 the Scriptures declare that Gods
Kingdom, when established, shall rule with
rod Of iron and put down all insubordIn-
alton.
All the honest-hearted, Of whatever faith,
looking back 10 the gross darkness of the
sixteenth century, are glad Of the reforma
ton movement and realize that a great
change has resulted thefefrom beneficial to
every element Of honesty and righteousness
ia any system. But the reformation move
meni m It's wide influence has restrained
only one Of The open aud violent results of
The false doctrine. The doctrine remains
unchanged, ChHslcndom is infatuated with
the thought Of converting the world, the
public mind is permeaied with the error of
the supposed mission Of the Church and so
committed TO ils support and so blinded TO
the greater beauty of the divine plan, that,
ID a fancied zeal for God aud His cause,
the coming federation Of all the religious
systems Of Christendom will verify think to
be doing Gois service in way a very similar
TO that Of The "dark ages, moderated to
some extent by the changed conditions of
our day.
The glorious day is coming not by the
conversion Of the world under present con
dtliOns, no, by calling The Kingdoms IF this
world thc kingdom of Christ, not by calling
all classes iu civilized countries "Saints of
the Most High God The morning is
dawni * because the Lords time has come
The injunction Of wisdom, the must" that
retained Him in the heavens, is '.loosed
away -ibe time for the establishment Of
the kingdom for which we pray, ''Thy
Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth
as il IS done in Heaven, ''-because the re.li.
tuition Of all things spoken by an the holy
prophets is about to begin The morning
cometh and also the night" The might
which proceeds the day Of promised glory is
everywhere iotimated in connection with
the Second Advent oar Lord mentions il
as "a time Of trouble such as never was
since there was a nation"
This dark scene contrsdicts the thought
Of lhs worlds conversion under present
authority The various descriptions of il
by the prophets indicate The processes by
which ihe Lord intends 90 establish Ills
kingdom in righteousness under the law of
love. The highest attainment IN civilization
ending in anarchy will humble the pride Of
man and prepare the hearts Tor instruction
In wisdom "The fear trevsrencel Of the
Lord" will be- ibs hrst lesson. The
ssi0nishment Of the ecclesiastical heavens is
depicted by one of the prophets along With
the Lords explanation, "Thy way and thy
doings have procured these ihiags unto thee. -"
t"My ways are NOT your waysD "This is
Thy wickedness; for % IS great; for % reach
9Th unto Thy heart THE Just recompsase
for the arbitrary doing, that brought the
terrible revoltl "Ihe priests shall b..
astonishcd and Che prophets shall wonder.
Then said l. Al, Lord God surely Thou