The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1912-07-10

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things. and we by
Him. Corinthians viii. g.
Pastor Russell declared that for 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 endeavor to
believe and understand the mysterl
GUS theory of the creeds on the subject
which so persistently ignores the laws
of mathematics. by declaring that
three oues 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 hereto
and assured that the matter is lnys
tery which cannot be understood. but
that if denied the penalty would be
eternal torture: and 10 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. it Is
very simple. very reasonable, and very
i1onoring 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
its source. 1t was not the teachings OF
Jesus and the inspired Apostles. anc
surely not the belief Of the lsraelites.
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 as philosophy. but
who denied it's teachings respecting the
prehuman existence Of Jesus. the ne,
cessity for His death as sin-atone.
ment. and the doctrine of the resurrec-
ton.
ID proportion as tile 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 tc
die-that all Of the experiences of the
cross were a mere farce. a 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 Me?" 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 abominable tt
the Father. All Christians are per
picked with this man-made mystery
Now, az Bible students are waking
and are studying the Bible. they fine
that it's teachings are very different
from that of the creeds. that 1t Is very
real, very logical. very beautiful. very
harmonious.
Trinity Supported by Forgery.
Before we come to the examination
of the Bibles testimony respecting thu
Trinity, l remind you that the wore
"trinity" does not occur IN the Eng
fish Bible from Genesis to Revelation
and that no passage approximatini
such teaching Is found there. except
one. and that one Is an Interpolation
as all scholars. including Trinitarinns
admit. The Revised Version expunges
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 6rst Epistle. 81. Those stiff
cIentiy interested will read the pas
sage in its proper form In the Revised
Version, and we ask them to note that
the additional words of the forgery
really make nonsense. In that they
tell US that the Father and the 300