The Washington herald., 1914-12-12

lRASl0R KQSSElllj tar rather SPEAK onIy
things to everybody and concerning
everybody. The Pastor certainly has the
happy faculty Of stating pungent truths
in sympathetic language well supported
by kindly tones. He speaks from the
heart and carries conviction as respects
his sincerity. He said in part:
Every unbiased student of the Bible
surely will agree that our Redeemer and
His disciples manifested great humility.
in contrast with the clergy Of our day
and OF centuries past. None were Rev
crends. Right Reverends. They knew
nothing whatever about the distinction
between clergy and laity which subse-
Quently developed. Jesus indeed received
the title of Lord, or Master, Teacher;
but with great humility He pointed out
that His teaching was the Message Of
the Father. Similarly the Apostles glori-
fed God, and declared themselves men
Of like passions with yourselves Jesus
taught His disciples that they should
not be self-seeking. should not seek the
honor which cometh from men, but only
that which cometh down from Above.
'One is your Master. even Christ; and
all We are brethren was His way of
fOrewarning US against the error which
subsequently divided the Lords people
into clergy and laity.
ShackIes of Ignorance and super
stItiOn.
1t is but reasonable to assume that
many Christian ministers have neither
studied deeply nor thought carefully on
this subject. but have merely followed
the beaten path of their various denomi-
nations without inquiring for the Divine
authority of their ordination titles and
hOnOIs Of men as titled ecclesiastics. But
our sympathy should not hinder US from
freeing our minds of the shaCkles of ig-
norance and superstitions, nor from help
ing others TO the liberty wherewith Christ
makes free.
The prosecutions of the Second and
Third Centuries undoubtedly tended TO
keep the Church humble and free front
hypOcrites, but the prosperity dating
from the beginning Of the Fourth Cen
tury had a bad effect. Many Of the
bishops. according to Church history. neg
Iected TO follow the example of the Lord
and the Apostles. and became lords,
dignitaries. in III" Church. seeking 90
impress the worldly. and especially the
rulers. with their importance.
In the year 800 \ D.. under the pa
trcnaGc Of the Emperor Constantine. all
Christians who acknowledged the Nicene
Greed were not only projected. but hon
cred, the Emperor seeking to strengthen
his political power thereby. BY him the
Bishop Of Rome was granted special
honor as a chief amongst the Bishops. In
the century following. the power of the
Bishops was greatly increased by Vari-
Gus false doctrines which gradually Crept
in. The doctrine OF p fiery Hell of tor
ture was one of these. followed later by
4 theory that members of the true Church
would never be sent to il. but would
irS ha 70 h..
lures of which would furnish them a
second chance for publication and prepa-
ration for Heaven.
The clergy gradually grasped more and
more of power and money for services in
this world and beyond. Every marriage
not performed by them would not he
valid Those married otherwise would he
living in sin. The theory Of infant
damnatiOn made the ministers additiOnaI- =
" necessary to sprinkle the babies. to
preserve them from eternal torture tn n
followed classification OF sins and the
fixing Of penalties and arranging for
masses for the sooner deIiverance OF the
culprit from Purgatory. Rites and cere-
monies connected with the dead were
also declared necessary. All of these
served to bind the people 10 the clergy.
and more and more separated them from
tn simplicity of the Gospel and the
example Of Jesus and the Apostles. to
which we are seeking TO return. but are
fought at every step by ignorance and
superstition within and without.
4 Point Not Generally Known.
Favored bv conditions prevailing. ii
Bishop OF Rome became more and mo~..
prominent. while the Roman Emf"
Sradualiy vent to pieces The Bishop OF
Rome took TO himself the title POutiI"N
MaNimus, a title previously hold by th
Caesars. Another step in the wrong d-
reCtion. which thoroughly separated IN .
clergy from the laity. was the dOCtrin
still held by the Church of Rome: nam, iy.
that the clergy alone constitute the
Church. and that the common peOpl" s.Tr
the children of the Church. Many Cath
OiiCs are not aware of this fact, but
think that they are members of the Cath
oiic Churcn. They forget that while thy
are privileged TO call th,. unOrdainCd stu
Grrts by the title Brother. all the or
dained number must be rcCOcHiZed Is
Father.
The year SO found Pope Leo Ill in
great honor. and the Church t'Durishing
and making higher claims than ever be-
fore: namely, that the Church became at
that time the Kingdom OF God. Catholics
still hold that the Millennium. or ChriSt's
They claim that the POpcS. each in turn.
r.rrrscnt Christ on His Throne: hence
lh.' declaration that the FCpes are
Cml.t's iC,"crcnt-Ir-g1ing instead of
Him.
When the Pope represented Christ, the
Cardinals represented the highest order
OF the Church in glory: then ArchbishOps.
Bishops and the lower clergy. all sepa-
rated from the people by a great gulf
the clergy the Elect Of God. holding the
power and the deStinics of the laity in
their control: the laity dependent upon
the clergy for baptism. marriages,
funerals. holy candles. holy water. con-
Sc Grated burying ground. and. finally. an
entrance into PurGatory instead of into
eternal torment. with the ultimate hope
OF rescue to glory and with assistance by
the way ObtaiEable through the office Of
the Mass.
| am discussing the church Of Rome
only because for a time there was no
other. Indeed. for a time il was danger
Gus to even suggest another. The Pope
and the College of Cardinals. representing
the Almighty. instructed the people who
should be their kings and princes; and,
as a matter Of course, they were Instruct