The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1912-10-25

/ il
! :-.-. tan got great power
VRASI0R RUSSELL in the Church. US
| ing two instrument
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 a cleri-
cal class and began to lord it over
the household of faith. themselves APP
pointing the ministers over the congre
cations, instead of their being chosen
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 fill 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 it 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,
21.) These Twelve were again pictured
symbolically in Revelation as the
crown 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. IA.
False or Pseudo Apostles.
OF these Twelve alone Jesus said.
whatsoever things We bind on earth
shall be bound in Heaven. and what
soever things We 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 be thoroughly fur
nished." I'll Timothy iii 1910
The Emperor Constantine. 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 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 Greed. And that Nj
Gene Greed was promulgated as the
Christian Faith; and the edict went
forth that all who would not accept it
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 1t any wonder that in all
those fifteen centuries the Truth itself
was buried under mass Of supersd-
ton, error, false doctrine?
Bible the Torch Of Progress.
For four centuries the Bible has been
coming back to the people. Proportion
/ tely 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 wane.
Inddelity. styled Higher Criticism. Is
rapidly undermining faith In the Bible
The present Pope. realizing the sltua-
Hon. has banned Higher Criticism h
i xs<>~~ - q {ccfTod