River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1914-12-17

IS trans gre s
- sion" NsaiaE
AHA9l2K KOo9LLLJ $751;. He prefac-
ed his address
with some remarks respecting the TN
pleasant duty implied in his text. de
claring that he would far rather speak
only smooth. pleasant things to ev-
erybody and concerning everybody
The Pastor certainly has the happy
faculty >of stating pungent truths in
sympathetic language we'll supported
by kindly tones. He speaks from the
heart and carries conviction as re-
spects his sincerity. He said in part:
Every unbiased student of the Bible
surely will agree that our Redeemer
and His disciples manifested great hui
mility, in contrast with the clergy Of
our day and of centuries past. None
of our Lords disciples were Reverends.
Right Reyerends Most Reverends---
none of them were clergymen. They
knew nothing whatever about the dis
tinction between clergy and laity
which subsequently developed. Jesus
indeed did receive the title of Lord, or
Master. Teacher; but with great hu-
mIity He pointed out that His teach
ing was not His own, that He spoke
the Message of the Father. Similarly
the Apostles glorified God. and de-
clared themselves men of like pas
sions with yourselves" Jesus taught
His disciples that they should not be
self seeking. that they 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 afterward divided the
Lords people into clergy and laity.
ShackIes of Ignorance and Superstition.
1t is but reasonable to assume that
many Christian ministers have nei-
Their studied deeply nor thought care
fully on this subject, but have merely
followed the beaten path of their vari-
Gus denominations without inquirlng
for the Divine authority of their ordi-
nation, titles. and honOrs Of men an
titled ecclesiastics. But our sympathy
should not hinder us from freeing our
minds of the shackles of ignorance and
superstition. nor hinder us 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
from hypocrites, but the prosperity
Al hoo Two (Nf fhn
Fourth Century had bad effect.
Many of the bishops. according to
Church history. neglected to follow the
example of Jesus and the Apostles, and
became lords. dignitaries in the Church.
seeking to impress the worldly, eSpe
ciaIly the rulers. with their Importance
In the year $50 A. D., under the pat
ronage of the Emperor Constantine, all
Christians who acknowledged the Nj
Gene Greed were not only protected
but honored. the Emperor seeking 20
strengthen his political power thereby.
BY him the Bishop of Rome was grant
ed special honor as chief amongst
the Bishops. this also suiting the En-
peror's plans of making Rome the CEN
ter of both political and religious in
fiuence. In the century following. the
power of the Bishops was greatly in
creased by various false doctrines
which gradually crept in. The doctrine
of q fiery He'll of torture was one Of
these. followed later by a theory that
members of the true Church would
never be sent to it, but instead to Pur-
.pfr nf yvh
furnish them second chance for purl-
fication and preparation 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 be valid. Those mar
ried otherwise would be living in sin
The theory of infant damnation made
the ministers additionally necessary to
sprinkle the babes. to preserve them
from eternal torture. Then followed
classification of sins and the fixing of
penalties and arranging for masses for
the sooner deliverance of the culprit
from Purgatory. Rites and ceremonies
connected with the dead were also de-
clared necessary. All of these served
to bind the people to the clergy. and
more and more separated them from
the 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
A Point Not Generally Known.
Favored by conditions prevailing, the
Bishop OF Rome became more and
more prominent. while the Roman En-
pire gradually went TO pieces. The
Bishop of Rome took to himself the