The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-07-22

HaStOr RuSSell declared tnat Tor cen
turtles Christians have been overlook
ing the real doctrine of the Trinity, set
forth in the Bible, and have been per-
picking their minds in an endeayor to
believe and understand the mysteri-
GUS theory of the creeds on the subject,
which so persistently ignores the laws
Of mathematics, by declaring that
three ones are one: or at times varying
the declaration and asserting that one
is three.
Any one questioning this fabulous
statement. even to the extent of asking
an explanation. was branded a hereto
and assured that the matter is mys-
terry which cannot be understood. but
that if denied the penalty would be
eternal torture: and In numerous In
stances Jealous persons had anticipat-
ed the torture by burning the inquirer
at the stake. as. for instance. was done
by our good brother John Calvin to
Servetus
Doctrine Of Trinity Traced.
There is no unreasonable mystery
connected with the doctrine of the
Trinity as presented In the Bible, said
Pastor Russell. On the contrary. 1t is
very simple, very reasonable, and very
honoring to God the Father. Jesus the
Son. and to the Holy Spirit.
The Pastor traced the doctrine of the
Trinity. as presented in the creeds. to
It's source. 1t was not the teachings of
Jesus and the inspired Apostles. and
surely not the belief of the Israelites.
and those who for more than four
thousand years had been Gods people
before Jesus day. After the death Of
the Apostles. the Bishops enormously
claimed to be their successors vested
with Apostolic authority. and these
formulated the creeds with their va
rious Inconsistencies and Bible contra
dictionS.
The Trinity OF the creeds was intro
duced to offset the agnostic influences
Of the Greeks. who became interested
in Christianity MS philosophy. but
who denied its teachings respecting the
prehuman existence of Jesus. the ne
cessity for His death as sin-atone-
ment, and the doctrine of the resurrec-
ton.
In proportion as the Grecians denied
many Christians would combat their
theory. and they advanced claim after
claim until they reached the climax
represented in our creeds of declaring
that Jesus was His own Father and
His own Son at the same time. that
one God. equal in power and glory,
prayed to the other part of Himself
with strong cryings and tears to be
delivered from the power of the tomb,
was heard and was raised from the
dead by the power of the other part of
Himself.
Indeed. said the Pastor. some have
carried the matter so far as to claim
that when Jesus died the world was
for three days without God. that He
then raised Himself from the dead.
Others. considering this an unreason-
able view. claimed that Jesus never
really died, but merely pretended to
die-that all Of the experiences of the
cross were mere farce. pantomime,
performed for the effect upon the peo-
ple--that merely the body of Jesus died
after crying. My God. My God. why
hast Thou forsaken Me2" and that the
real Jesus. the real God stepped out
and watched the proceedings and con-
nived at the deception. including the
further deception respecting the resur-
rection from the dead
All OF this must be abomlnable to
the Father. All Christians are per
picked with this man-made mystery
Now. as Bible students are waking
and are studying the Bible. they find
that its teachings are very different
from that of the creeds, that it is very
real. very logical. very beautiful, very
harmonious
Trinity Supported by Forgery.
Before we come to the examination
of the Bibles testimony respecting the
Trinity. | remind you that the word
trinity does not occur 10 the Eng
lish Bible from Genesis to Revelation
and that no passage approximate.
such teaching is found there. except
one. and that one is an Interpolation
as all scholars. including Trinitarlans
admit. The Revised Version eSpnnges
the additions evidently added about
the seventh century,. because they are
not found In any manuscripts of ear
Tier date.
The spurious passage is found in ST
Johns first EpistIe. 90 Those stuff
GENTLY interested will read the pas
sage in its proper form In the Revised
Version. and we ask them 10 note that
the additional words of the forgery
really make nonsense. in TINT the.
tell MS tha. the Gnthor a.a the So.