February 1927
87
T h e
K i n g ’ s " B u s i n e s s
However, the emperors of Rome failed to stamp out the true faith; but what imperial Rome failed to do by cruelty, she accomplished by blandishments and smiles, so that the people of God succumbed to the allurements of worldly pomp and power. Christianity must be crystallized into a religious organization which shall be the Kingdom of God on earth, and the bait held out was readily received as an escape from persecution, and “the offence of the Cross.” Instead of a spiritual building, built up of “living stones,” these leaders conceived a system which was really a cor rupted form of Judaism, with its temple and outward forms of worship, together with an exclusive order of priesthood, having a High Priest as head of the order. T he E cclesiastical H ierarchy There was added to this some part of the teaching of our Lord regarding Israel, and the setting up of Messiah’s Kingdom, all of which developed into an ecclesiastical hierarchy under Constantine, and prepared the way for the bolder claims of Romanism. It was apparently forgotten that “the King” had been rejected, and that He had departed for a season, leaving instructions to His servants as to how they were to be occupied during His absence, and commanding them to watch and wait for Him, as He, would certainly return. There could be no Kingdom set up, whilst the King was absent, but there were certain plans to be completed meanwhile. The King’s rule was to be acknowledged in the heart and life, worldly honors to be refused, because of the greater honors to be bestowed on the King’s return. The ecclesiastical hierarchy which culminated in the Romish system, with its Pope and Cardinals, was a motley admixture of Christianity, and Judaism, and Paganism. Take the following testimonies as to its Pagan forms: “The names of things only are changed. These are the same prostrations; the same incense; the same holy water; the same lamps and candles; the same votive offer ings and tablets; the same temples, with the names of the heathen deities slightly altered to suit the names of pre tended saints; the same adoration of images; the same adoration of the supposed guardians of roads and high ways ; the same pomps and processions; the same flagella tions at certain periods; the same pretended miracles. The
Italian antiquaries delight in tracing, in all simplicity, the resemblance, whilst the theologians defend it, on the ground of the necessity in the conversion of the Gentiles, of dissembling and winking at many things, and yielding to the times” (Middleton, writing from Rome in 1729). “There is the same mixture of the ceremonies of Pag anism with the rites of the Roman Catholic religion in Sicily. The Feast de la Vara at Messina is obviously founded on that of the Panathenaeum, celebrated at Athens, in all the abundant details of folly and impiety. The festivals of Saturn and Rhea are also continued there under names slightly changed; and more than one ancient Pagan deity is now a Christian saint. The Sucilians show you the chapel of St Venus, the well of St. Juno, the chapel of St. Mercury” (Les Souvenirs de la Sicile). R ipen ing F or J udgment How the fine gold of Christianity had become dim can be seen as the history of its corruption is traced. It is no wonder that the necessity of abolishing this corruption was felt by those earnest, deep-souled, and energetic Re formers, whom God was preparing for the work of the Reformation. Man’s attempt‘to set up the Kingdom of Heaven on earth, while the King Himself is absent, has become an utter failure. The present difficulties and perplexities in ecclesias tical, social and political circles, should cause the people of God deep exercise of heart. The world is fast ripen ing for judgment. We must be faithful in our witness, so that men may be urged “to flee from the wrath to come.” We must live as those who really believe that “the Coming of the Lord draweth nigh.” All the promises made to Israel, yet to be fulfilled, are now suspended, until the “new thing” mentioned in Rom. 11:25 is accomplished, namely, the “Fulness of the Gen tiles (nations) be come in.” God is not thwarted. Every fresh failure on the part of man is followed by a wider and fuller revelation of God’s purposes (Rom. 11:7-11). Let us hold high the Torch of Truth which brave and noble men have passed on to us. The victory is before us. The terminus- may now soon be reached, The “Build ing” may soon be finished, The “Body” may soon be com pleted. The “Bride” may soon behold the “Bridgroom.”
The Pilgrim Way
A pilgrim through this lonely world, The blessed Saviour passed; A mourner all His life was He, A dying Lamb at last. That tender heart, that felt for all, For us its life-blood gave; It found on earth' no resting-place, Save only in the grave.
Such was our Lord—and shall we fear The Cross with all its scorn, Or love a faithless, evil world, That wreathed His brow with thorn? N o! facing all its frowns or smiles, Like. Him obedient still, Let us press on, through storm or calm, To Heaven’s holy hill.
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker