The Gospel Day Part 33

This second beast "exercised all the power of the first beast before him."

See ver. 12. Was this not true in England, where the king was head of both church and state? Consequently we see that the second beast or man religion spoken of was authorized by a dragon or state power. In verse thirteen it is said he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth. Throughout the reign of Protestantism there has been frequent spiritual revivals and reformations. G.o.d really sent the Holy Spirit fire upon the honest efforts of men, and wonders were accomplished betimes in the name of Jesus.

In the fourteenth verse it is said that he deceived them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he did. Each reformation in the past three centuries was begun by holy men, upon whom G.o.d sent the holy fire; but others rising up subsequently, who were devoid of spirituality, built upon their foundation, and now deceive the people in making them believe that they and their sect inst.i.tutions are of G.o.d because G.o.d manifested himself to their predecessors. In this verse we also learn that an image was made unto the first beast. Upon the work of each reformer a sect inst.i.tution was organized, which was fashioned after the Roman Catholic sect the mother of all sects.

According to the words of the fifteenth verse these images will in some future day, which the Lord knows, find a consummation in one great image, unto which all bow and pay homage or else suffer martyrdom. To receive the mark of the beast as spoken of in verse sixteen is to receive the ceremonies and customs and doctrines peculiar to each respective sect. Any one acquainted with the customs and doctrines of the different denominations can to-day determine to what denomination a stranger belongs by his dress or manner of speech. The number six hundred sixty-six refers to the number of leading religious denominations.

We will now, briefly as possible, consider the first eight verses of the seventeenth chapter of Revelation. In verse one John speaks of seeing a great wh.o.r.e sitting upon many waters. In verse two he speaks of the kings of the earth becoming drunk on the wine of her fornication. This has all been true in the papacy. There is in this hierarchy an enchanting, delusive spirit that has intoxicated her subjects. This is the real secret of her power.

In Rev. 17:5 the apostasy is termed "Mystery, Babylon the Great, The Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth." Here we see again the apostasy in two forms or generations. The mother is the first, and is identical with the first beast of Rev. 13:1. The harlot daughters are the second, and are identical with the second beast of Rev. 13:11. We consider it needful to enquire what is meant by the term

Babylon.

There is the natural world and the spiritual world. Babylon has existed under both. There are many references made to it in both the Old and New Testaments. In the Old Testament we find the origin and final doom of literal Babylon. In the Apocalypse we find the origin and final doom of spiritual Babylon, the ant.i.type. In the days of Noah the world became very wicked and G.o.d destroyed all save Noah and his family. For a time after the flood the people were righteous and the whole earth was one language and one speech. Gen. 11:1. G.o.d's people in those days all spoke the same language and understood each other, because they understood truth as it was.

"And it came to pa.s.s, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar. And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth." Gen. 11:2-4.

G.o.d's people started on a pilgrimage in the order of G.o.d, but they tarried, they ceased to "go forward." Had G.o.d's people continued on Babylon would never have been built. This has its spiritual import. When G.o.d's spiritual people cease to advance, when they get out of G.o.d's order, they will soon seek some other way to heaven.

This ancient city of Babylon grew until it became a mighty, resistless, universal empire. For a time in its history it held the people of G.o.d in captivity. The day came, however, when this mighty city pa.s.sed away forever. The only dwellers among its lonely ruins are wild beasts and hissing serpents. The Babylon mentioned in Revelation is the spiritual ant.i.type. The great tower of ancient Babel finds its ant.i.type in mystery Babylon, the mother, and the diversified city at its feet finishes its ant.i.type in the multiplicity of sects and creeds, where they speak a different spiritual language, as they cl.u.s.ter around their mother's knee.

In this great apostate Babylon the true children of G.o.d have long been taken captive, but the day comes when G.o.d's own make their escape and return to spiritual Jerusalem, their native home. The Revelator beholds spiritual Babylon in a fallen condition inhabited only by foul, devilish spirits, and unclean and hateful birds. Rev. 18:2.

There are many prophecies in Daniel and other chapters of Revelation relating to the dark apostasy of the noonday, which we reluctantly forbear to consider in this work, but are compelled to do so lest our volume swell to too great proportions.

In the conclusion of this chapter we desire to make a few quotations from other authors concerning mystery Babylon and her harlot daughters.

"This woman (popery) is called the mother of harlots and abominations. Who are the daughters? The Lutheran, the Presbyterian, and the Episcopalian are all branches of the Roman Catholic. Are not these demonstrated harlots and abominations in the above pa.s.sage? I so decide. I could not, with the stake before me decide, otherwise. Presbyterians and Episcopalians compose a part of Babylon. They hold the distinctive principles of papacy in common with papists."-_Tennessee Baptist._

"I think Christ has a true church on earth, but its members are scattered among the various denominations, and are more or less under the influence of mystery Babylon and her daughters."-_Bible Doctrine_ p. 249.

"Is antichrist confined to the church of Rome? The answer is readily returned in the affirmative by Protestants in general, and happy had it been for the world were that the case. But although we are fully warranted to consider that church as the mother of harlots, the truth is that by whatsoever arguments we succeed in fixing that odious charge upon her, we shall by parity of reasoning be obliged to allow other national churches to be her unchaste daughters, and for this plain reason, among others, because in their very const.i.tution and tendency they are hostile to the nature of the kingdom of Christ."-_Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge._

"The writer of the book of Revelation tells us he heard a voice from heaven saying, 'Come out of her, my people.' If such persons are to be found in the mother of harlots, with much less hesitancy it may be inferred that they are connected with her unchaste daughters, these national churches, which are founded upon what are called Protestant principles."-_Encyclopedia of Religion._

"If she be the mother, who are the daughters? It must be the corrupt national established churches that came out of her."-_Lorenzo Dow._

Chapter III. False Teachings Of The Apostasy.

This is subject enough for volumes. There is scarcely a text in the Bible but what has been perverted by some one confused by the fogs of Babylon.

Perhaps you can not find two individuals in the whole of sectism that see "eye to eye" upon the whole truth. To mention all the erroneous teachings of apostates would be almost impossible. However we believe it to be compatible with this work and to the glory of G.o.d to mention and refute a few of the false doctrines that have been most effectual in obscuring the light of the sun and moon.

We will quote from an unknown author the following unscriptural dogmas of the Romish sect, and the date of their origin:

Prayers for the dead A.D. 200.

Worship of saints, angels and martyrs 350.

Worship of Virgin Mary developed 431.

Worship in unknown tongue 600.

Papal supremacy 606.

Worship of images and relics imposed 788.

Baptism of bells 965.

Obligatory celibacy of priests 1000.

Infallibility of church 1076.

Sale of indulgences 1190.

Transubstantiation officially decreed 1215.

Auricular confession officially imposed 1215.

Cup kept from laity officially sanctioned 1415.

Purgatory officially recognized 1430.

Romish tradition put on level with Scripture 1540.

Immaculate conception proclaimed 1864.

Papal infallibility proclaimed 1870.

These dogmas are without Scriptural authority. They are only the traditions of men, and is it any wonder that the pure light of the gospel of the Son of G.o.d was dimmed when such blasphemous doctrines were subst.i.tuted? Besides these, in the papacy originated many other erroneous superst.i.tious doctrines that have been handed down and perpetuated through Protestantism. One of the most general is that of

Infant Baptism.

This ceremony is wholly without Scriptural foundation. We have previously shown the true object and mode of baptism, and who are proper candidates.

We asked a mother recently, whose babe had just been "christened," as she termed it, by a Methodist preacher, "What benefit has your child derived from this ceremony?" Her answer was like this: "None at all, but I had it done because others do it." And so it is with many other traditions and customs of men. Many a parent has their babe "christened" merely because it is a custom, or the preacher has said so, never searching the Word of G.o.d to know the reason why. Had she searched the Word of the Lord to know something of this doctrine she never would have found the object of her search. As we look upon the "christening" of an infant we are reminded more of heathendom than of the kingdom of grace.

The word "christen" we have not been able to find in the Bible. Nowhere since the ordinance of baptism was inst.i.tuted have we a commandment to baptize infants, and nowhere in all the evangelistic work of the apostles is there an instance of infant baptism recorded. If it is as important as some teach, even the child's eternal destiny depending upon it, do you not think there would have been some plain commandment in the teaching of Jesus and his apostles to that end? One command would be sufficient, but we have none. Infant baptism originated in the confusions of the apostasy.

John refused to baptize some because they bore no fruit of repentance.

Repentance, therefore, must precede baptism. This was plainly taught by Peter. "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus." Acts 2:38. A little child can not repent, and needs no repentance.

Does baptizing an infant prepare it for heaven? If so, give one text as proof. If an unbaptized infant dies, will it be d.a.m.ned? If so, give one text as proof. Does baptism make the child any more religiously inclined, and will it not go into sin the same as unbaptized children? Give one text showing what is effected by infant baptism. Thousands are having their children baptized, and they do not know the reason why any more than that it is a custom. Thus we behold the meaninglessness, looseness, and carelessness of professed Christians. Just doing things because others do them. They have no conviction from G.o.d nor the Bible. G.o.d wants us to be able to give a Scriptural reason for all we do in our form of worship.

Some have taught that circ.u.mcision of the Old Testament typifies infant baptism. This is a gross error. The circ.u.mcision of the Mosaic law is typical of a broken, penitent heart. "For he is not a Jew, that is one outwardly; neither is that circ.u.mcision, which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew, which is one inwardly, and circ.u.mcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of G.o.d." Rom. 2:28, 29. A man was made a Jew under the old law by circ.u.mcision. He is made a spiritual Jew by the circ.u.mcision of the heart under the New Testament. It was only the male children that were circ.u.mcised according to the law of Moses. If circ.u.mcision be typical of infant baptism, it is only the boy infant that would be Scripturally baptized. You may ask, "What harm can result from such ceremony, even if it accomplishes no good?" It leads the child into error, and blinds his understanding to the true mode and object of baptism. To be a light in the world is to be and do just as Jesus did. To be in error concerning any doctrine of the Bible is to be to that extent in darkness.

The baptism of infants is wholly without Scriptural foundation, and is one of the erroneous teachings of the apostasy, a doctrine that aided in darkening the pure light of the gospel.

Sprinkling And Pouring.

These forms of baptism originated among the heretics of the second century. "_Ego men baptizo humas en hudati._" Mat. 3:11. To give this a true literal translation, we have: "I indeed immerse you in water."

Immersion is a mode of baptism, and the only Scriptural one. We have no account of sprinkling and pouring until the third century. The Novatians practised it in the third century. When we understand the true object of baptism, and what it represents, we find that sprinkling and pouring would be altogether inappropriate.

Trine Immersion.