The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1912-10-25

llkASlIlk kU226llg in the Church. us
ing two instrument
talities to introduce false doctrines.
O) by the Second Century the min
listers began to bc recognized as sepa.
rate from the congregations. and in
stead of being elected their servants,
they established themselves as cleri
cal class and began to lord II over
the household of faith. themselves ap.
pointing the ministers over the cOngre-
cations. instead OF their being chosen
by election. ~ in the days Of the
Apostles.
u, At the same time the chief ones
Of the clergy. having the title OF
| bishops. were claimed to he the sue
ccssOrs of the Apostles. with the same
! right to teach and to bc considered in
fallible messengers Of Christ. The
doctrine Of Apostolic Succession was
formulated. They pointed out that
when Judas lost his place amongst
The Twelve. the eleven met and chose
one to ill his place
The speaker called attention to the
fact that the eleven Apostles. in elect
ing Matthias to their number in the
place of Judas, did 1t without Divine
authority and sanction. The one they
chose the Lord ignored. and we hear
nothing further of him. In His own
due time the Lord brought forward
the one He pnrposed should take the
place Of Judas-St. Paul.
Jesus assured these Twelve that they
should "sit on twelve thrones. judg-
Ing the twelve tribes of Israel" In the
"rfmes of Restitution" and "Regenera-
ton" Matthew xix. %: Acts iii. 10
21) These Twelve were again pictured
symbOlically In Revelation as the
crown Of twelve stars. on the head of
the symbOlical Woman. who represent
cd the Church Of Christ. Again The
Twelve are pictured in the symbolic
New Jerusalem. which portrays the
Church beyond the veil in Hea venly
glory. as twelve foundation stOnes.-
Revelation xxi. II.
False or Pseudo APOSTLES.
or these Twelve alone Jesus said.
whatsoever things We bind on earth
shall be bound In Heaven. and what
sOever things ye shall declare lOOsed."
or non-cssential. on earth shall be de-
clared ''lOOsed in Heaven"-sO carefully
would the Great Head supervise the
words of those who were His mouth.
pieces to the Church.
With St. Paul we can then agree that
1.-THE Word of God Is sufficient. that
the man Of God may be thoroughly fur
nished." I'll Timothy Ill. 1917
The Emperor Constantine. a convert
to Christianity. noted that the teacl,-
ings Of the various bishops were quite
contradictory. Although not baptized.
he recognized that IL these teachers
were Divinely guided their testimony
would be harmonious.
Constantine. I'm A. ID. 1926. convened
the Council Of Nice-called an "ApOs'
tOlic Council" because the bishops
We're thought to be living apostles.
Although Emperor Constantine prof
fered transportation free, only about
one third of the bishops attended-3S5
For days. weeks and months dis
putes prevailed; and finally the En-
peror gave the decision respecting the
wording of the Creed. And that Nj
Christian Faith: and the edict went
forth that all who would not accept 1t
should be banished. Thus uniformity
of Faith was effected by worldly
prince.
For twelve centuries after this. Apos.
tOlic Succession continued. operating
through Apostolic Councils" and
creeds. Is it any wonder that In all
those fifteen centuries the Truth itself
was buried under mass Of supersti.
ton. error. false doctrine?
Bible the Torch Of Progress.
For four centuries the Bible has been
coming back to the people. Proportion
ately liberty has been enlightening the
world. Ignorance. superstition and
persecution have been yielding to no
bility and justice. We all praise God
that we live In a day when 1t IL no
longer considered GOdlike. Christlike.
to prosecute others!
But. alas! for the past fifty years the
influence Of the Bible Is on the wane.
In6delity. styled Higher Criticism. Is
rapidly undermining faith in the Bible.
The present Pope. realizing the situa'
ton. has banned Higher Criticism In !
all Catholic institutions and has issued
an order that the faith Of all Catholic
ecclesiastics and teachers be tested by |
oath. He sees. too. that faith In ApOs- |
tolic Succession Is gone from the mass |
es. and that 10 preserve religious faith
the masses must be directed back to the
words Of Jesus. the Twelve Apostles
and the Prophets. a. the only inspired
authority on religion. We commend
his course and rejoice In II.