The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1912-11-14

k1ltOSlICo O1Cu Nd1
!e-1.. tan got great power
(lEAS!G2k= Kg2Stlly In the Church. U.S.
ing two instrumen.
talities to introduce false doctrines.
~ By the Second Century the min.
listers began to be 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 it over
the household of faith. themselves ap.
pointing the ministers over the congre-
cations. instead of their being chosen
by election. as In the days of the
Apostles.
~ At the same time the chief ones
Of the clergy. having the title Of
bishops. were claimed to be the sue
cessors Of the Apostles. with the same
right to teach and to be 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 I'll 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 purposed 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
''Times of Restitution" and "Regenera-
ton" Matthew xix. %: Acts iii. 49,
Ply These Twelve were again pictured
symbolically in Revelation as the
Crowd Of twelve stars. on the head of
the symbolical Woman. who represent
ed the Church Of Christ. Again The
Twelve are pictured in the symbolic
New Jerusalem. which portrays the
Church beyond the veil In Heavenly
glory. as twelve foundation stones.-
Revelation xxi. Il.
False or Pseudo Apostles.
OF these Twelve alone Jesus said.
whatsoever things ye bind on earth
shall be bound in Heaven, and what
soever things ye shall declare loosed,"
or non-essential. 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 he thoroughly fur.
nished." Oil Timothy iii. 1910 =
The Emperor Constantine. a convert
to Christianity. noted that the teach
ings of the various bishops were quite
contradictory. Although not baptized.
he recognized that If these teachers
were Divinely guided their testimony
would be harmonious.
Constantine. in A. D. 1926. convened
the Council Of Nice-called an "Apos-
tolic Council" because the bishops
were thought to be living apostles.
Although Emperor Constantine prof.
fered transportation frse. only about
ons-t third Of the bishops attended-ssk
For days. weeks and months de.
put6s prevailed; and finally Tie I'm.
Fpoeof EaSe tie decisson respecting ths
wording 03 The Ottsd And that III.
|ee69 s0feed 49, pEumnlgatsd - the
ehfistiah Faith: ,snd tho ,sdict went
eseth that Ill Who would mot accspt e
should b banished Thus uniformity
e Faith WIS oaectod ~ Z worldly
prince. =
For twelve centuries aftsr this, Apos.
tolic Succession continued, operating
through "Apostolic Councils" and
creeds. 10 It any wonder that In all
those fifteen centuries the Truth itself
was buried under a mass Of supersH-
tion, error, false doctrine3
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 day when It is no
longer considered Godlike.. Christlike.
to prosecute others!
But, alas! for the past fifty years the
influence Of the Bible Is on the wanei
In6delity. styled Higher Criticism, Is
rapidly undermining faith in the Bible.
The present Pope. realizing the situa-
don. has banned Higher Criticism In
oil Catholic institutions and has issued
IN 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
%. and that to preserve religious faith
the masses must be directed back to. the
words Of Jesus. the Twelve Apostles
and the Prophets. az the only inspired
authority on religion. We commend
bis course and rejoice In Il.