The Gospel Day Part 30

A Sicilian hermit had a revelation from heaven in which was revealed that the prayers of the monks of Clugny would be effectual for the deliverance of the departed spirits from the expiatory flames of a middle state.-_Mosheim's Church History_.

A woman named Julian pretended she had a revelation from G.o.d in which it was disclosed to her to be the will of G.o.d that a peculiar festival should be held annually in honor of the real presence of Christ in the holy sacrament. She said that as often as she addressed herself to G.o.d or to the saints in prayer she saw a full moon with a small defect, and the spirit informed her that this defect was the want of this annual festival.

This festival was established by Clement V in 1311 A.D.

The fables of the removal of the chapel of Loretto, the wandering Jew, the visions of Stockius and Sims, and St. Anthony's obliging an a.s.s to adore the sacrament as related by Mosheim, are astonishing lying wonders and ridiculous inventions. The Protestant daughters of mystic Babylon are not free from lying wonders to this present day. The book of Mormon contains fabulous stories; the spiritualists' work is freighted with many satanic wonders, and frequently we hear of visions and revelations that when tried by the immutable Word of G.o.d are proven to be lying wonders. Our G.o.d is able to perform wonders, and of a truth, wonderful are his doings at this present time, but all that he does is in decency and in order, and contains nothing of the fabulous.

Paul says, "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats." 1 Tim. 4:1-3. You will only have to read the history of the Roman Catholic sect, of its fabulous inventions, of its awful tyranny, its superst.i.tions, its rites, and ceremonies, to find the fulfilment of this prophecy. It is extremely astonishing that men of intelligence would be the supporters of such a dark inst.i.tution. It only shows the seductive power of demon spirits. The doctrines of devils that have been originated both in Romanism and Protestantism are almost without number, some of which we will speak of in our next chapter. The hypocritical lies that have been invented and the persecutions and contentions and quarrelings and fightings against one another can only be carried on by men whose conscience is seared by a hot iron. The Catholics abstain from eating meat on certain days and at certain times. A certain law sect, called the Seventh Day Adventist, teaches abstinence from pork. The papists forbid the marriage of the clergy. Neither is this unscriptural prohibition confined to the papacy alone, but some of her harlot daughters have patterned after her, and even gone beyond her in this respect.

In the time of this apostasy it is said by the apostle that "they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own l.u.s.ts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." 2 Tim. 4:3, 4.

Where shall we look for a fulfilment of this prophecy? Who does not know that we have now come to that time? The sound doctrine which if obeyed will make men a light in the world is not endorsed in the circle of the papacy, neither in the Protestant denominations. To-day the generality of mankind, even in professed Christianity, do not care to hear the practical truths of the gospel as we have recorded in part first of this work.

Theories and speculative opinions have taken the place of sound doctrine in the Protestant pulpit of this present day. The congregations in general have become so proud and vain in their imaginations, and so spoiled through philosophy, that they heap to themselves teachers having the wildest speculative opinions. Their itching ears have an insatiable desire for fine essays, amusing stories, and historic tales. The proud, arrogant pulpit orator of this present day makes it a study how best to calm the fears, gild the sins, and strew with flowers the iniquitous path of his pa.s.sionate congregation.

Protestantism presents a most deplorable picture to those who have escaped her ruinous walls. Many a bishop and lord is bewailing his sad spiritless, powerless state, and crying, "Whither are we drifting?" Where will you have to go to-day but to Protestantism to find a fulfilment of Paul's prophecy in 2 Tim. 3:1-5? "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of G.o.d; having a form of G.o.dliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away."

Paul here speaks of a religious people. They have "a form of G.o.dliness."

While the "last days" and "last time" often include the whole of this gospel day, yet this prophecy particularly relates to the nearing of the end of time. Jesus says, "As the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark." Mat. 24:37, 38. Let us considerately review this prophecy.

"Lovers of their own selves." Such a disposition of heart will manifest itself. Such people have more concern for their own welfare than for their neighbor's. They will look out for their own best interest. In the ministry it would be manifested in seeking places of ease, luxury, honor, and wealth.

"Covetous." A desire for worldly gain, loving money. By their conversation and general manner they manifest a strong desire for wealth, resorting to festivals and fairs to gain money.

"Boasters." Placing a high estimate on their own personal worth and accomplishments. As a man recently remarked of a stained window in a meeting-house: "See that window! Is not that fine? That cost one hundred dollars. That is my window, I put that in. These others only cost seventy-five dollars. See, here are my initials."

"Proud." Studying to make a fine appearance, striving to excel in pulpit oratory, advertising the work they have done-so many have been converted through my labors, etc. All these works are indications of a proud heart.

"Blasphemers." To speak lightly of sacred things, to ridicule any portion of G.o.d's Word. Many professors of Christianity of to-day when asked if they believe in the ordinance of feet-washing will make some such answer as, "If your feet are dirty, you ought to wash them." The doctrines of holiness and divine healing are often impiously spoken of. Jesus Christ is sometimes charged with being a freemason, and recently a man said that the Savior went to school and studied for the ministry.

"Disobedient to parents." Is there not many a young lady and young man in apostate Protestantism, trampling under their feet the commands and wishes of their parents? The "old man," or the "old woman" (as they often speak of their parents), they say, "is not going to rule me."

"Unthankful." Murmuring when reverses come; complaining if their financial undertakings are unsuccessful; dissatisfied and discontented. These are evidences of an unthankful and ungrateful heart.

"Unholy." Those who dispute the doctrine of holiness, of purity or sinless perfection. They confess that they commit sin, and their life bears evidence that their confession is true. Or should they profess holiness and yet not live a true holy life they are cla.s.sed with the great dark apostasy.

"Without natural affection." Many times the love of self, the love of pleasure, the love of the world, and sin in general destroys the natural affection. Mothers in their heart regret their children were born, because it prevents their entering society as they would like. They bewail the state of pregnancy for the same reason, and resort to murderous means for the privilege of enjoying more of the pleasures of sin and the world.

Children also often betray a great lack of natural affection by their treatment of parents and one another.

"Truce-breakers." Having but little regard for a promise or obligation; violating obligations and promises to G.o.d and to man.

"False accusers." Slandering those who do live and obey the whole Word of G.o.d.

"Incontinent." Those who are living in the l.u.s.t of the flesh; controlled by a depraved appet.i.te.

"Fierce." Getting angry and becoming quarrelsome; all that is the opposite of gentleness and kindness.

"Despisers of those that are good." Because a man lives a good, pure, consistent Christian life it puts a rebuke upon the hypocrite, and for this reason he despises the good man.

"Traitors." Actually denying and renouncing portions of the Holy Bible, which they profess to believe. They are traitors to G.o.d and to Christianity.

"Heady." They are unteachable. No matter what the Bible says, they know they are all right if they do indulge in things that are wrong.

"High-minded." So lifted up in themselves that the humble doctrines of the Savior are beneath their observance. These humble truths of the Bible are considered as nonessentials by the heady and high-minded.

"Lovers of pleasure more than lovers of G.o.d." Take more real comfort and delight in the party or festival than they do in worship. A sermon of thirty minutes is about as long as they can endure. Reading the Bible is an unpleasant task, therefore the good old book lies unused; but they can spend hours in the place of revelry.

Where do we have to look for such doings and characters as we have described? They abound in great numbers in the various denominations of to-day. Adam Clarke in his commentary in speaking of this prophecy, says: "This description the papists apply to the Protestants. The Protestants in their turn apply it to the papists. There have been both teachers and people in every age of the church and world to whom these words may be most legitimately applied. Both Catholics and Protestants have been lovers of their own selves," etc., "having a form of G.o.dliness, but denying the power thereof." How often the sectish lords lament the deadness of their congregations, and also grow weary of their own spiritless, formal prayers and sermons.

Bishop Weaver of the United Brethren denomination uses the following language, as quoted by a holiness periodical:

"_Power Versus Form._

"The pulpit ought to be a center of power. But is it? G.o.d said to Jonah, 'Preach the preaching I bid thee.' Jesus said, 'Preach the gospel.' Paul said, 'Preach the Word.' Again he said, 'We preach Christ.' Philip 'preached Jesus.' All this means the selfsame thing. Christ is the soul of the gospel as well as the substance of all doctrine. Much of the preaching, reading or talking-whatever you please to call it-is Christless and powerless. Of course, this is a refined age, and the people are away up, but the devil can appear as refined as a saint. Nothing suits him better than to get the preacher away from the gospel on to some fine topic and then get some one to tell him (the preacher) that he made a fine effort. The pulpit should proclaim the great, fundamental doctrines of the Bible. But does it? The people are often treated to a well-written essay or dissertation on some abstract question that does not contain an ounce of pure gospel. There is neither lightning nor thunder in it. One reason why Paul was not ashamed of the gospel of Christ was because it was the power of G.o.d unto salvation. But it was no more the power of G.o.d unto salvation then than it is now. It is the same eternal truth, yesterday, to-day, and forever.

"In Hosea we read, 'Like people, like priest.' In Isaiah we read, 'As with the people, so with the priest.' There is a great deal of harmony between the pulpit and the pew. Everything goes along in an orderly manner. All services must be short or the people can not stand them-short prayers, short sermons, short everything. Oftentimes the service is gone through with, and nothing in it but an out-and-out performance; no life, no spirit, no power. Protestants often speak disparagingly of the ritualistic services gone through with by the Roman Catholic church, but if you come right down to it you will find about as much spirit and power in the one as the other. The result is that scores and hundreds of men, and women, and children are being gathered into the Protestant church who have not an ounce of Christian experience. If reformation was necessary in the times of Luther and Wesley in Europe, and Otterbein and Asbury in America, it is scarcely less necessary now. But some one may say this is putting it too strong. What are the facts? Is it not a fact that the church is drifting away from the more spiritual to the social and intellectual? If the religion of Jesus Christ is what the Bible represents it to be, then the church in general is far below the standard. Where is the spiritual power that was breathed into the apostolic church? Peter's sermon on the day of Pentecost was not what the people of to-day would call brilliant, but the people were p.r.i.c.ked, not in the head, but in the heart.

"What did it? Two things. First, he preached the gospel straight. Second, the Holy Spirit quickened the Word spoken and made it powerful. What would the people do if there should be such an uproar in some of our congregations to-day? It would scare some of them half to death, and many would run for dear life. But we have the same gospel Peter had, and the same Holy Spirit to accompany the Word. What is the matter? The people do not want it that way, neither does the devil. Thousands of church people instead of praying for the baptism of the Holy Spirit, are asking such questions as these: Is it wrong for a Christian to dance? to go to the theater? to visit places of amus.e.m.e.nt? to play progressive euchre? etc.

Why don't they ask such questions as these: Is it wrong to pray? to go to church? to take the sacrament? etc. The fact is, a man or woman filled with the Spirit of Christ knows without asking any questions whether a thing is right or wrong.

"But some may say that the writer is getting old and feeble, and has fallen far behind in the race, all of which is readily granted; but the fact remains that we have the same gospel, which is as changeless as the throne of G.o.d. If in the days of the Son of man and his inspired apostles it was necessary that a man should be 'born again,' 'born of the Spirit,'

'made a new creature,' and be 'cleansed from all sin,' it is necessary now. If there ever was a time when men were born into the kingdom of grace by the power of the Holy Ghost, it remains the same to-day. What under the heavens is the use for preachers and people to go whining around, and winking at this and that when they know it is out of harmony with the plain teaching of G.o.d's Word? It is all well enough to be nice and orderly in the house of G.o.d, but there is no subst.i.tute for the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ is the advocate between G.o.d and man, and the Holy Spirit is the executive officer in the holy trinity. If the church with its splendid machinery were endued with power as it might and ought to be, there is no telling what might be done in the next ten years. But what good is all this machinery, with no power to run it? What good is an engine without steam? I saw Engine 999. It was beautiful to look at.

Everything was as near perfect as it could well be. But it was standing stock-still. Why? There was no steam; no power to move a wheel. That represents a good many congregations. The machinery is there, but no power to run it. In Ezekiel's vision he saw a marvelous vehicle, which moved with great rapidity. But it did not move itself. The spirit of the living creature was in the wheels; but for that it would not have moved at all.

So it is with the church. If the Spirit of the living G.o.d is not in it, it will not and can not move forward. Oh, this spiritless, powerless performance called worship. How it detracts from the usefulness of the church!"

Such a description as given by Paul in the above prophecy, and by this bishop, is true of sect Babylon of to-day. Such graceless, spiritless, Christless inst.i.tutions are dark enough to obscure the beautiful light of the gospel.

The _Christian Advocate_, the organ of Methodism, a few years ago said: "We are approaching a crisis in church life. Gradually, but surely, disregard for the Bible, for the Sabbath, for the church, and for G.o.d, is taking possession of Christians. Teachers whose reputation for scholarship gives them wide influence, give it as their opinion that the Bible is not inspired at all, except as other great books are inspired. This poison has penetrated all our churches. The virus of skepticism has entered the pulpits in our own denomination."

Who can take issue with this editor? We very heartily agree with him. If any one is disposed to doubt that the virus of skepticism has entered the Methodist pulpits, he will only have to read the account of the meeting of four hundred of the leading ministers of New York and vicinity, including Bishop Edward G. Andrews. Below we give an account of the meeting as published in the _Atlanta Journal_.

_Methodist Ministers Question The Bible._

At a meeting of Methodist ministers last Monday morning in New York City, the validity of many of the stories of the Bible was questioned. Rev. S. P Cadman urged at that meeting that the Bible could not be accepted as the sole rule of faith any longer. He pointed out alleged discrepancies in it, and said people could find truth only at its fountain head, Christ. The other ministers applauded him.

"That the inerrancy and infallibility of the Bible are no longer possible of belief among reasonable men."

This proposition, the acceptance of which will tear away the fundamental pillar of Methodist theology, was urged in all force, sincerity, and enthusiasm by the Rev. Cadman, pastor of the Metropolitan Temple, before the regular weekly meeting of the Methodist ministers of New York.

Four hundred of the leading ministers of New York and its vicinity, including Bishop Edward G. Andrews, were present when Mr. Cadman's paper was read. He was applauded when he arose to read it, and applauded again when he got through.

Mr. Cadman's paper was one of a series on Bible criticism. A paper taking practically the same ground was read before the ministers on the Monday evening before last, another paper on the subject will be read next Monday.

This bold portentous utterance, involving the most radical departure from accepted tenets of the Methodist church since its very foundation, was made before the most representative body of Methodist clergy in America.

It included the vast majority of the preachers of Greater New York. It is the first announcement of an impending controversy, which may shake the Methodist church to its very foundation stones.

The acceptance of Dr. Cadman's proposition, heard with respect and applause by the New York ministers, is comparable to the adoption of a new const.i.tution for the United States. It places the Bible on the basis of historical works on other than divine subjects; it rejects the authenticity of all parts of Holy Scripture which are repugnant to human reason.

Some of the details of the Bible that these ministers find fault with are: