The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1912-12-27

\v!rHAlGc= rS2SsSzSl.sJ III Tue NhuiNH 10
ing two instrumen
tallties 10 introduce false doctrines
| ~ BY the Second Century the min
listers began to he recognized as sepa
rate from the congregations, and iD
stead of belhg elected their servants
they esta blIShed themselves as a cleri
cal class aNd began to lord 1t 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 tho clergy, having the title OF
| bishops. we're claimed to be the sue
cessOrs Of the Apostles, with the same
right to teach and to he considered in
| fallible messengers Of Christ Tho
doctrine Of Apostolic Succession was
formulated They pointed out that
when Judas lost his place amongst
The Twelve. the eleven met and ch0s"
one to all 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 pnrposed shOnld take the
place Of Jndas--S st. Paul,
Jesus assured these Twelve that they
should sit on twelve thrones, judg
ing the twelve tribes Of Israel" in tho
'"Times of Restitution and "Regenera
ton" (Matthew xix. %: Acts Iii. 10
21) These Twelve were again pictured
symbolicaIly in Revelation as the
crown 0f twelve stars, on the head of
the symboIical Woman. who represent
ed the Church nf 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 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 be thoroughly fur
nished." dI Timothy Ill, 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 IL these teachers
we're Divinely guided their testimony
would be harmonious
Constantine, In A. D 325. convened
the Council of Nice-called an "ApOs
tolic Conncil," because the bishops
were thought to be living apostles
Although Emperor Constantine prof
fered transportation free. only about
one third of the bishops attended 1856
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
Gene Greed was promulgated as the
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 a mass Of supersti
ton, error. false doctrine7
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 1t is no
longer considered Godlike Christllke,
to prosecute others!
But. alas! for the past fifty years the
influence Of the Bible is on the wane!
IRfdellty. styled Higher Criticism. IL
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 to preserve religious faith
the masses must he directed back to the
words Of Jesus. the Twelve Apostles
and the Prophets. as the only inspired
authority on religion. We commend
bis course and rejoice In 1t.