River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1915-01-14

anu Is SUI III vogue amongst Bf0leet
ants and Catholics; but it is wholly
uDscriptural
A Christian conscripted to the army
or the navy would be subject to the
powers that be-" and obeying the Mas
ters words would go, as in Matthew
5:41: ''Whosoever shall compel thee TO
CO. The Christian compelled to enter
the army or the navy might properly
request service as a non-combatant in
the Quarter-master's Department or in
the Hospital Department; but if re
quired to KILL be is to obey God rather
than man, and not kill He may com
ply with his orders TO the extent of
going into the trenches and being shot
at, but no further.
Is it urged that such view of Chris
tianity would wreck our present civil
cation? We reply that nothing in the
Bible implies that our civilization is
| Christian or that the Lord ever ex
pected it to be Christian Gods time
for saving the world from its sin and
weakness has not yet come. The pres
ent is merely the time for calling, find
ing. testing and delivering the Elect.
The Elect when glorifed. will consti
tute Messiah's Kingdom, and with Him
will be empowered fully with spiritual
control for the government of the en-
tire world.
Then will come the time for the en-
lightenment and uplift and blessing of
the whole world Of mankind-the non
elect Theirs will not be a blessing of
the same kind that the Elect will Sc
: cure. but a blessing which they will
appreciate equally The worlds bless
ing and salvation will not signify a
change of nature from human to spirit
but Restitution to human perfection
Acts 3:1923.
What are today styled "Christian Ma
tons are in the Bible styled king
doms of this world; and their com
plete disintegratiOn is Scripturally out
lined us incidental to the establishment
OF Gods glorious Kingdom under Mes.
siah. for which we pray, Thy King
dom come; Thy will be done on earth.
even as in Heaven"
Some may wonder how it ever came
to pass that all the people of civilized
lands are enumerated as Christians
except Jews and professed infidels.
Statistics tell us that all the inhab-
itants of Italy are Christians; that
more than ninety nine per cent of the
population of Great Britain, France
Germany. Belgium. ETC., are Christians;
and that the total number of Chris
tians thus reckoned is nearly five nun
dred millions Surely it is time that
intelligent people realize that some
great mistake has been made. and that
more than ninety-nine per cent of these
christians" make no pretense OF being
followers of Jesus.
The error arose in the now long ago
When Pope Leo III. recognized a king
as a Christian king and his kingdom
as q Christian kingdom, he recognized
that kings subjects as Christian. There
We have the matter in nutshell The
whole thing was mistake. The king
was not Christian. did not know the
meaning of Christianity a1e was not
taught it. His kingdom was not
Christian kingdom, and his people were
not Christians.
Meantime here and there, ObScured
to the world, there have been true
followers Of the Lord Jesus Christ in
every denomination. They have been
out of accord generally with the great
leaders of the church systems as well
as with the political leaders of the
world. 1t has been true of them as he
Apostle wrote: 1.-The world knOweth
US not. even as it knew Him not
q John 3D. The world does not yet
know, understand or appreciate that
the Church of Christ is not to be found
in any one Of the professed churches
of various names Roman, English.
Lutheran, Presbyterian. Methodist
Baptist. etc. The Church of Christ is
composed exclusively of those who
have made a covenant with the Lord
through faith In the precious blood.
who have been accepted Of the Lord
by the -begetting of the Holy Spirit,
and who are seeking to walk to the
best of their ability in the footsteps
of Jesus.-1 Peter 2:21.
Heaven, He'll and Purgatory.
The theory that CHRISTMAS only are
/ saved lEOu GLCIudl LOI tuI mas hoO
much to do with the error of counting
all civilized people Christians. The
creeds save Christians only-Jews, Mo-
hammedans, heather. all go TO He'll
to roast eternally. Roman Catholics
provide a Second Chance for members
of their church, in Purgatory; and
many Protestants hold to a Second
Chance for the heather who have new
or heard of Christ All the while.
however, the Bible declares for only
one chance. but that full one for eV
cry member of the human family.
The only chance offered during this
Gospei Age is the opportunity Of be
coming a member of the Church-a
true follower of Jesus. Such are to
get the Heavenly Inheritance, but not
until the Resurrection. The remainder