Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1912-10-26


"a By the Second Century the min
listers began to be recognized as sepa-
rate from the congrega tons. 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.
q, 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
fallihle 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 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 Jndas--St. Paul
Jesus assured these Twelve that they
should "sit on twelve thrones. judg
ing the twelve tribes of Israeli In the
| '"11mes of Restitution and "Regenera
ton" CMatthew xix. %; Acts iii. 49,
21) These Twelve were again pictured
symbolically in Revelation as the
crown of twelve stars. on the head of
1
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-ApostIes.
| 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." Oh Timothy fiji, 1919
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 Apps
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 Creed 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 a 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 a mass of supersti-
ton, error. false doctrine7
Bible the Torch Of Progress.
For four centuries the Bible has beer
coming back to the people Proportion
ately liberty has been eHlightening the
world. Ignorance, superstition and
persecution have been yielding to no
bility and Justice We all praise Coz
that we live In a day when It is nc
longer considered Godlike. Christlike
| to persecufe otherst
But alasi for the past fifty years the
influence of the Bible is on the wane
Infidelity. styled Higher Criticism. Il
, rapidly undermining faith in the Bible
The present Pope. realizing the situa
, ton. has banned Higher Criticism il
!, all Catholic institutions and has ISSUED
an order that the faith of all Catholi'
, ecclesiastics and teachers be tested b.
oath he sees too. that faith in Apos
. tolic Succession is gone from the mass
es- and that TO preserve religious faiti
the masses must be directed back to the
. words of Jesus. the Twelve Apostle.
. and the Prophets as the only inspired
: authority on religion We commend
his course and rejoice In It