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The Revelation of Jesus Christ
adherents. When Constantine came to the throne, with the eye of a politician, he saw that it was to his advantage to favor rather than fight these multitudes. But alas, from that time on, the poor deluded leaders of the church ceased to look for the coming of the Lord. They concluded that Con stantine's kingdom must be the "kingdom of God" that was to be upon earth, and the union of church and state became an accomplished fact. So we see the church at Pergamos dwelling "even where Satan's throne is." Yet, strange to say, even though they dwelt "where Satan's seat is," the Lord could say of them: "Thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you." During that period-the third and fourth centuries-the doctrine of Arius came into the church, the doctrine which we know today as Unitarianism. Thus you see, my friend, that the cults and heresy in professing Christendom represent no new thing. Even in these early centuries of the Christian era there arose a man by the name of Arius, who preached that Christ was not the eternal Son of God, nor of the same substance as the Father. He declared that the Son of God was merely a created being. In other words, the Arian creed is what Pastor Russell and others like him teach. So hundreds of the church dignitaries came together. Arius on the one hand declared that his doctrine was correct, while Athanasius on the other hand held to the great orthodox belief, that Jesus Christ was God. The controversy was settled in favor of Athanasius. What an inspiring thing it is to read of men like Polycarp and Athanasius! When one of the Arians said to Athanasius, "The whole world is against you," he an swered, "Well, I am against the world!" The Son of God commended the church at Pergamos, as v.re have seen; but again His eyes "as a flame of fire" detected the things which were wrong. "I have a few things against thee," He said. First of all, they had in the church those who held "the doctrine of Balaam," but that was not all. "So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, '-Vhich thing I hate." We found the first mention of the Nicolaitanes in the
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