King's Business - 1921-06

T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S

555

gelicalism , and is heading us on to th e consummation of Revived Romanism as portrayed in Revelation, Chapter 17. We believe th a t the name of Ratten- bury is known the world over as con­ nected, w ith the g reat center of Method­ ism in Kingsway Hall, West London, England. But surely it will be hardly credited when it is stated th a t th e ac­ tions of the Rev. J. E. R attenbu ry are suspiciously approximating to th e well known ceremonial and customs of the Romish Church. He has called him ­ self “ anti-Roman in belief and a STRONG PROTESTANT,” bu t evidently his candid estimation of himself is not to be relied upon for upon exam ination into the streng th of his “ P ro testan tism ,” (which surely must be of another brand from th a t of the R eform ers), we find th e following:-— F irst: A little apartm en t has been screened off and arranged to look like an “O ratory” or a side-chapel in a Roman Catholic Church. A stru ctu re closely resembling an “ALTAR” has been erected, around which are hung cu rtain s which are known in th e Rom­ ish Church as fron tal curtains. Upon th is stru ctu re rests a shelf or ledge, called a retable, usually used in churches of Rome for th e flowers and candles of th e “A ltar.” While con­ ducting the Communion service a t this stru ctu re Mr. R atten b u ry tu rn s his BACK TOWARDS THE PEOPLE, the accustomed position o f the Popish priest. F u rth e r, (for th e P rotestantism (?) of Mr. R attenbu ry is so very colored it is hard to recognize), hanging in this little side-chapel are certain pictures and representations, which would shock any Methodist of a generation ago. One sets fo rth the “Agnus Dei” showing Popish bishops and monks in adoration around an a lta r upon which is the con­ secrated wafer-god. Another shows the Virgin Mary kneeling before a cru­ cifix. And ano ther still- sets forth C h rist supposedly greeting two monks,

w ith regu lar outfit of hood and tonsure. This is all explained when we find what doctrinal standing Mr. R attenbu ry adopts respecting th e service of Com­ munion. One verse of a hymn used in his church reads as follows: “Now, on the Sacred Table laid, Thy Flesh becomes our food; Thy life is to our souls conveyed Through Sacramental Blood.” F u rth e r, according to a booklet w rit­ ten by Mr. R attenbury, he makes the ensuing claims: “The adm inistration of the Sacra­ ment is the PRIESTLY ACT OF THE CHURCH.” “ PRIESTLY FUNCTIONS are con­ veyed to the m inister.” “ HOLY COMMUNION is the CEN­ TRAL SYMBOLIC SERVICE of th e Christian Church.” “ It is a COMMEMORATIVE SACRI­ F ICE .” So much then, for th e “P ro te sta n t­ ism” (?) of the Rev. J. E. R attenbu ry of the Wesleyan Mission, Kingsway Hall, London, Eng. But tim e would fail us to tell of other atrocities per­ p etrated in th e name of P ro te sta n tism ; th a t which we have set before the read er will do more, we surm ise, than convince him th a t th e “N ight is FAR SPENT, the DAY is a t hand," and th a t th e re is trem endous need th a t every tru e Bible-loving Christian should heed th e words of th e same Apostle and “ therefore cast off the WORKS OF DARKNESS, and let us PUT ON THE ARMOR OF LIGHT.” (Romans 13 :12 ). Can any doubt now afte r this terrib le revelation of crumbling and apostate P ro testan tism th a t we are indeed in “ th e last days,” and th a t sometime in th e near fu tu re, maybe, th ere will be a movement tow ards Rome, to which all these extreme and radical leaders are mere tribu taries? ROME stands to­ day w h ere she stood in the day of Stake,

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