The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-12-10
THE CHRIST AND
 THE ANTICHRIST
MARKS BY WHICH WE MAY
 KNOW THE ANTICHRISTS.

The Antichristian in Existing Systems
 and Tendencies - The Tremendous
 Conflict Now Going on Between the
 Ire.
 The IunUwlng is an abstract of Dr. Smyth's sermon delivered yesterday forenoon at Center church his text being I. John ii, IS; Little children, it is the last hour, and as ye heard that antichrist cometh, even now there are many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last hour.
 The text reflects the first great dis appointment of Christianity. The early believers generally thought that Christ would come to reign in their day. Their hour was but one hour in the last day. They knew not, nor did we know, how long this last day before the final coming of the Lord shall be-. But from this first disappointment there rose a larger hope The early Christians learned from it that Christ is to come not for Judea only, but for the whole world. From all disap- pointments of the church larger con- captions and higher hopes of Christ's coming have grown. With this great CT expectation there grew also pro founder knowledge of the absolute op- position and the world-age conflict be- tween the Christian and the antichris- tian.
 This is a great theme for the advent season. What at this present hour is the mark of the antchrist? What are the signs of the true Christ among men? To one realizing this tremen- dous opposition sermons will not be mere pious conventions, or brief &C., compartments of worship; but rather as in that once such read books Ecce Homo they are called, addresses by a soldier to soldiers in the presence of an enemy whose character is under stood. and in the war with whom they have given and received telling blows.
 First: There are many antichrists and one antichrist. The antichrist of tradition was usually identified with some person or fearful power embod- jed in some ruling person-like that of Rome in a cruel Nero, who was sup posed to have reappeared, The clear est Scriptures, however, point rather to a plurality of antichrists, who are to appear in different ages; to princi- ples, policies, systems, tendencies among men in which the spirit of the antichrist is embodies. The anti christs of any age are the dominant forces in it which are unchristian.
 Secondly: The Bible gives us some plain signs and tests by which we may recognize the antichrbst under many forms among us In the Lords dis courses concerning His coming, mis- taken deliverers, perhaps deceived. who deceive the people with false hcpes, are described as false Chrishs. In Johns epistles two marks of the antichrists are given. They are of the world. It is not merely a natural worldliness, to which he refers, like are sunny, pleasure seeking life of the Grecian cities. It is rather the world illness that has grown up luxuriantly on the very soil of Christianity, the MOIlullH6SS II1t illlAN CNS4A III 'AAS light of the Christi that is the worst worldliness. The other sign is the de- nial of the reality of the life of Jesus Christ In the flesh To say that such a life could not have been lived on earth, to disDelieve that such a life as His is to be lived among men, that is the very spirit of the antichrhst I The apostle Paul knows the anti christ by one broad moral mark "he is the man of sin" This may be the designation of dominant system { of things; it may be some unright- eous policy or power to which the con- science of the people is aroused. It is known further by these signs Tt \ exalteth itself against all that is called God" The greed and pride of power, denying the higher law in business or in politics, is to be branded as the man of sin. It is described also as the lawless one; and by this is meant not merely larceny, like that of the man who steals loaf of bread it is law 1essness in high places of power. HThe man higher up" the man who in any position of power uses even the laws themselves as means of his ambi- tion and greed, has upon him this mark of the man of sin. Another sign by which we may judge what is antichristian in our democracy is giv-