The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1914-12-12


implied In his text and his preference
for speaking only pleasant things. The
Pastor has the happy faculty Of stat
ins pungent truths kindly and sympa-
thetically He speaks from the heart
aud 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.
NTith great humility Jesus declared
that His Message was of the Father.
He taught His disciples to seek only
that honor which cometh from Above.
"One 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
The Start of the Error.
The growth Of this erroneous doc
trtne was then traced from its begin
Atnx IN the Fourth Century, when the
bashsps became dignitaries in the
CAusph and sought to impress the rul-
CTS with their Importance. Emperor
Constantine eadeavored to strengthen
his political power by granting honor
to al 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
He'll OF torture. followed by the theo-
ry that members Of the true Church
wssld never be sent there. but to Pur-
gatory. where a second chance for
HEAVEN wonid he furnished them
The clergy gradually gr1isped more
power and money for services now and
hereafter. Marriages not performed
by them wonld not be valid. Then
followed the theory Of infant damna-
tion. classification of SINS. fixing of.
penalties. arranging for masses. etc
All these bound the people to the cler-
Ky 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 d.
: tie Pontifex Maximus, previously held
by the Cacsars. Another doctrine thor
oughly separated clergy and laity-
that the former constitute the Church.
the Iaity being children of the Church
This accounts for the Catholic custom
of calling ordained clergy Father.
The year $40 found the Church max
h.g 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
reigning in His stead. The
clergy. separated from the people by
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.
Protcstants and Christ's Kingdom.
The separation of Christ's followers
into clergy and laity WAS established
for centuries before the Reformation
Ir was but natural for Protestants to
copy practises and doctrines with
which they had beer familiar from
childhood. Consequently we see every
where forms OF godliness without Its
powsr-lip reverence without much
manifestation of Christ's Spirit
Protestunts are much confused re
speeding Papacy's claim that Christ's
Kingdom has been set up They. OF
course. deny that the Popes are Chr1sts
yicegerent Nevertheless. they have
followed Papacy's lead in telling earth
IL rulers that their kingdoms are par
OF Christs Observation-Disclosures
They send chaplains with the armies
ana pavtes of these kingdoms, receive
aaanciaI support and recognition from
them. and call upon the civil power t
suppress so-called heretics. refusing
them license to preach. etc. They thu
oaescly follow In their mothers foot
rttsps. Altogether. these false doc
trines are surely responsible. not onl,
fpr many past wars. but also for tn
present European war.
We may assume that some OF tn
clergy. Catholic and Protestant ar
honestly doing what they believe Z
bc Gods will In these matters Blu
We are bound to believe that thous
aDis are not deceived-that they know
full wen that the world Is ruled. no
Inv Christ and His teachings. but D.
relf-secking kings. princes. mobiles
financiers. politicians. etc. But wha
have the ministers Of "Christendom'
done to open peoples eyes to the trutl
on this subject--to tell them that Ties
Kingdoms are not Christs In an.
rensey
Now. az the hour of their judgmen
approaches. they deserve our symps
Ahy.