River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1915-03-25


Messiah in His great Millennial King
dom, which Will bring knowledge and
opportunity TO all the families of the
earth-the living and the dead.
The Twelve Foundation Stones.
st. Paul declared that the saints of
| God, the true catholic Church, "are
| built upon the foundation of the Apos-
ties and Prophets, Jesus Christ Him
self being the Chief Corner Stone"
| (Ephesians 2:201 The Twelve Apos-
ties are here referred to in their dou-
bic office-Apostles especially commits
stoned by the Lord as His representa-
tives, and Prophets, mouthpieces, for
the pr0cla nation of the Message to
the Church. Jesus. referring to these
same foundation stones, pictures the
lem, and its twelve foundations as
twelve precious stones, in which are
the names OF the ttCelCe Apostles of the
Lamb-no more, no less-St Paul be-
ing Gods choice to take the place Of
Judas, the betrayer.
foundation for the Church would be to
deny Christ's teaching and st. Peters
own statement-that the entire Church
is symbolically represented as living
stones built together by the Lord
through the Holy Spirit. q Peter 2:4-60
1t was a costly mistake when our fore
fathers, overlooking this well-estab-
- 81
the bishops of the Church as Apostolic
Bishops, and took their decisions in
councils assembled as the voice of God
to and through the Church. The voice
Of God to and through the Church came
only through ''the twelve Apostles Of
the Lamb All others so claiming are
denounced by Jesus Himself as pseudo
Apostles-false Apostles.-Rev. %.
Gods true saints Of all denOmina-
lions should ignore all human creeds
and return to the Bible and it's dec
laration of lone Lord, one faith, one
baptism, one God and Father of ALL"
(Ephesians 40. g. Are we more loyal
to human organizations than to God,
His Truth, His Church-all saints and
one people, imbued with one spirit, the
world arOund-the catholic Church?
Power In Heaven and In Earth.
twelve foundation stones of the
Church, so, likewise, he was only one
of The Twelve to whom the Lord de-
clared, "WhatsOever We shall bind on
earth shall be bound in Heaven; and
whatsoever We shall loose on earth
shall be loosed in Heaven" (Matthew
18:18)-the same statement exactly
that on another occasion He made to
ST. Peter only. But He gave the keys
to st. Peter alone.
Would it seem reasonable that Jesus
should tell the twelve Apostles that
God would do anything that they babe
Him do-taking to Heaven whom they
pleased and excluding whom they
chose? Would 1t be wise or safe to
entrust to poor humanity such dicta-
tOrial powers respecting the eternal In
terest Of even one individually AS
Suredly not! When we remember that
these Apostles declared that they were
men Of like passions with others, that
st. Peter himself dissembled on one
occasion and on another denied his
Master, we are the more convinced
that Jesus did not mean that God
would abdicate His authority and wis
dom In favor of any twelve men.
What, then, does the passage mean?
We answer, 1t implies that the Lord
nd
writings Of His twelve Apostles as to
make them safe guides for His Church.
To these Apostles would be given
through the Holy Spirit at Pentecost
wisdom enabling them to understand
which things Of the Jewish Law were
binding upon the Church and which
not binding. Their decision would be
absolutely right, and the entire Church
might have confidence that what the
Apostles bound or loOsed on earth was
equally bound or loosed in Heaven.
AS an illustration of this binding and
loosing. see Acts 1928, 20.
To get back into proper relationship
with each other and rid of all secta-
rian systems, Gods people must recog-
nize that only the words of the New
Testament Apostles and Prophets are
authoritative. properly representing the
Divine mind. Other things men have
bound and loosed on earth, without
recognition in Heaven. The things
necessary to the Church are found only
in the Bible, as st. Paul declares.-2
Timothy 3:16, IL.
The Church Upon the Rock.
"Other Foundation can no man lay
than that which is laid, Jesus Christ"
q Corinthians Bill In the Divine ar
rangement Jesus Christ Is the Founda-
ton, the Rock, upon which is built the
entire superstructure of His Church
the one Catholic, worldwide Church.
On this Rock, Christ Jesus, as st. Pc
ter declares, all the Church is being
built as a Temple of Cod. q Peter
2:41O) The New Jerusalem, the
Church in glory, had twelve founda-