The call of the North. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1923-1924, 1923-11-14
By REV. MARK A. MATTHEWS

20
Timothy 3:16 17-All Scripture
is given by inspiration of God, and
lis profitable for doctrine, for re-
proof, for correction, for instruction
in righteousness. That the man of
God may be perfect, thoroughly fur
nished unto all good work.
Timothy 2:5-For there is one
God, and one mediator between God
and man, the man Christ Jesus.
l Peter 2:5-Ye also, as lively
stones, are built up spiritual house,
an holy priesthood.
The present hour is pregnant with
the possibilities Of danger due in
large measure to the neglect of the
fundamental doctrines on which our
faith, our constitution and our liberty
rest. We can render no better serv-
ice than to reaffirm those fundamental
doctrines and call the people to rec
ognize, practice and teach them to
posterity. They are founded in
Scripture, they are written in the
constitution of templarism, and they
have given to US our glorious hertz
age. Gods infallible~ is the
foundation of all doctrine, righteous
ness and revelation. You cannot
build a moral character without it,
nor can you stabilize government if
you neglect it.
The Scriptures reveal to US the
only intermediary that God has ever
permitted to exist between man and
Himself. Jesus Christ, born of the
Virgin, vicariously dying upon the
cross, raised from the dead by AL
mighty God, assembled to the right
hand of the Father, and in glorious
expectation coming again to receive
His own unto Himself, is Gods Me-
diator between man and Himself.
There is no other. No earthly inter-
mediary has ever been sanctioned by
Almighty God or permitted in the re-
gime of Greece.
Through the vicarious work of
Christ for our redemption we are
lifted by the regeneration of the Holy
Ghost into the state of universal
priesthood. The equality, the democ-
racy, and the universal priesthood of
believers is Gods decreed status of
every Christian in this world regard
less of his rank, position, color or sta
ton. =
Let US study for a moment the
march of history according to these
fundamental principles:
The first 100 years of the church's
history were years of sacrificial
Christianity, pure and unadulterated.
Because the gospel was reached and
the brotherhood and priesthood of
saints was universally recognized.
In the second century ambition en-
tered into the hearts of many and the
forces Of evil began to work endeav-
oring to minimize sacrifcial Chris
tianity and the equality of believers.
In the third century organization
began to accumulate power and de-
mand it's Capitalization.
In the fourth century was the as
sumption of power, the dictation of
the ambitious. The Pilgrims felt and
experienced the unhloy assumption of
ambition and tyranny.
In the fifth century piety died,
persecution began, dismemberment of
the Roman empire ensued.
In the sixth century, or in the year
500, Boniface became Pope by that
bloody agent, Phocas.
From the seventh to the eleventh
century was the struggle. No pen
will ever be able to write a descrip-
ton of the struggle and the perse-
cution and the anxiety that were ex-
perienced under the accommodating
tyranny of the combined pagan, po-
litical and unholy powers that were
trying to get hold Of the church and
make of her their agent.
In the eleventh century the
churches of Europe were proclaimed
to be one and under the control of
one dictator. But they did not reck-
on with the forces that had never
bowed the knee to papal ambition on
dictation.
In the twelfth century the WAL
denses were discovered nesting in
the mountain fastness. They refused
to recognize the proclamation that
assumption had issued, and swore
that they would never bow the knee
to papal dictation or to priestly
tyranny.
In the thirteenth century the Pope
tried to suppress them, but it was
impossible to suppress such spirits.
They stand today as Gods beacon
light of liberty on the shores of an in
destructible history.
In the fourteenth and fifteen cen
turtles their work was being felt,
their resistance was making its i'm
press, their championship of liberty,
of righteousness, and of individual
conscience was having its effect upon
the world. And out of the accumu-
lating power of their doctrine, which
was the fundamental doctrine of
Scripture, which was the decree Of
God, and which is the fundamental
doctrine of Professionalism, the Refor-
nation issued. ''" ~'"
The Reformation was not only the
result Of the uncomfortable, unbear-