The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1914-12-17

l(PASI0R RUSSELlU prefaced with
some remarks re
speeding the speakers unpleasant duty
implied IL his text and his preference
for speaking only pleasant things The
Pastor has the happy faculty Of stat
ing pungent truths kindly and sympa
thetically. He speaks from the heart
and carries conviction.
He then demonstrated from Scrip
ture that our Redeemer and His disci
pies knew nothing whatever about the
distinction between clergy and laity
With great humility Jesus declared
that His Message was of the Father.
He taught His disciples to seek only
that honor which cometh from Above.
Zone is your Master. even Christ; and
all We are brethren" was His way of
forewarning us against the error which
afterward divided the Lords people.
Tho Start Of the Error.
The growth of this erroneous doc
trine was then traced from It's begin
ming In the Fourth Century, when the
bishops became dignitaries In the
Church and sought TO impress the rul-
ers with their Importance. Emperor
Constantine. endeayored to strengthen
his political power by granting honor
to all Christians who acknowledged
the Nicene Greed and especially TO the
Bishop of Rome. In the following cen
fury the power of the bishops was
greatly increased by various false doc
trines which gradually crept in.
Amongst these was that of a fiery
Hell OF torture. followed by the theo-
ry that members of the true Church
gatory, where second chance for
Heaven would be furnished them.
The clergy gradually grasped more
power and money for services now and
hereafter. Marriages not performed
by them would not be valid Then
followed the theory of infant damna-
ton. classification of sins. fixing of
penalties, arranging for masses. etc
All these bound the people to the cler-
gy and separated them from the sim
plicity of the Gospel.
AS the Roman Empire went to
pieces. the Bishop of Rome became
more prominent. and assumed the IT.
tie Pontifex Maximus. previously held
by the Caesars. Another doctrine thor
oughly separated clergy and laity-
that the former constitute the Church.
the laity being children of the Church.
This accounts for the Catholic custom
of calling ordained clergy Father.
The year $40 found the Church max
ing higher claims than ever before;
namely, that then the Church became
the Kingdom of God. Catholics still
hold that the Millennium began that
year, and that the Popes are Christ's
cegerent-reigning in His stead. The
clergy. separated from the people by
a great gulf. represented the Elect OF
God. holding the destinies of the laity
in their control: the laity dependent
upon them for baptism. marriage. etc.
Protestants and Christ's Kingdom.
The separation of Christ's followers
into clergy and laity was established |
for centuries before the Reformation
IL was but natural for Protestants to /
copy practises and doctrines with I
which they had been familiar from /
childhood. Consequently we see every
where forms of godliness without its |
powerful reverence without much |
manifestation of Christ's Spirit.
Protestants are much confused re
specting Papacy's claim that Christs
Kingdom has been ser up They. of
course. deny that the Popes are Christs
Vicegerent. Nevertheless. they have
followed Papacys lead in telling earth
ly rulers that their Kingdoms are part
of Christ's kingdom-,'C hristendom.
They send chaplains with the armies
and navies of these Kingdoms. receive
financial support and recognition from
them. and call upon the civil power To
suppress so-called heretics. refusing
them license to preach. etc They thus
closely follow in their mothers foot
steps. Altogether, these false doc
trines are surely responsible. not only
for many past wars, but also for the
present European war
We may assume that some of the
clergy. Catholic and Protestant. are
honestly doing what they believe 10
be Gods win in these matters. But
We are bound to believe that thons
ands are not deceived-that they know
full well that the world is ruled, not
by Christ and His teachings, but bv
kings, princes. mobiles.
financiers. politicians. etc. But what
have the ministers OF "Christendom'
done to open peoples eyes to the truth
on this subject-to tell them that these
kingdoms are not Christs in any ,
sense?
Now. as the hour Of their Judgment
they deserve our sympa-
INV