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~~~~~ ~~~~ {~~} top ~~~~~ ADVENTIST LAYMEN'S FOUNDATION OF CANADA (ALF) Publisher
of the All the Specials and Commentaries are in the last file of the year. There are 4 files for each year: jm=Jan-Mar; aj=Apr-Jun; js-=Jul-Sep; od=Oct-Dec WWN is a thought paper that was published monthly continuously from Jan, 1968 to the end of Dec. 2006 . by the Adventist Laymen's Foundation of Mississippi, Inc.(ALF), with William H. Grotheer as the Editor of Research & Publication. The Nov. 1977 issue discusses "What is the "Watchman, What of the Night?"
SHORT STUDIES - William H. Grotheer - top Interpretative
History of the Doctrine of the Incarnation as Taught by the Seventh-day
Adventist Church, An Bible
Study Guides End Time Line Re-Surveyed Parts 1 & 2 - Adventist Layman's Foundation Excerpts
- Legal Documents Holy Flesh Movement 1899-1901, The - William H. Grotheer Hour and the End is Striking at You, The - William H. Grotheer In
the Form of a Slave Jerusalem
In Bible Prophecy Key
Doctrinal Comparisons - Statements of Belief 1872-1980 Pope
Paul VI Given Gold Medallion by Adventist Church Leader Sacred Trust BETRAYED!, The - William H. Grotheer
Seal of God Seventh-day
Adventist Evangelical Conferences of 1955-1956 SIGN of the END of TIME, The - William H. Grotheer STEPS
to ROME Times
of the Gentiles Fulfilled, The - A Study in Depth of Luke 21:24 Remembering ~~~~~ OTHER BOOKS, MANUSCRIPTS & ARTICLES: Additional
Various Studies -- Bible As History - Werner Keller Place of the Bible In Education, The - Alonzo T. Jones Facts of Faith - Christian Edwardson Individuality in Religion - Alonzo T. Jones Letters to the Churches - M. L. Andreasen "Is the Bible Inspired or Expired?" - J. J. Williamson Sabbath, The - M. L. Andreasen Sanctuary
Service, The So Much In Common - WCC/SDA Daniel and the Revelation - Uriah Smith Spiritual Gifts. The Great Controversy, between Christ and His Angels, and Satan and his Angels - Ellen G. White Canons of the Bible, The - Raymond A. Cutts Under
Which Banner? - Jon A. Vannoy TOP
Due to his failing health, Elder Grotheer requested that ALF of Canada continue publishing thoughts through its website www.AdventistAlet.com which developed into frequent Blog Thought articles plus all of the Foundation's historical published works written and audio. As of 2010, with the official closing of the ALF of USA , The Adventist Laymen's Foundation of Canada with its website www.Adventist Alert.com is the only officially operating ALF branch established by Elder Grotheer worldwide. We are thankful for the historical legacy that is now available through The Adventist Laymen's Foundation of Canada, info@AdventistAlert.com The MISSION of this site -- is to make available the articles from the thought paper "Watchman, What of the Night?" It is not our purpose to copy WWN in whole. Any portion of the thought paper may be reproduced without further permission by adding the credit line - "Reprinted from WWN, Adventist Laymen's Foundation of Canada." top {~~~} |
INDIVIDUALITY
IN RELIGION THE
DIVINE RIGHT OF THE
INDIVIDUALITY IN RELIGION ALONZO
TREVIER JONES c.1895 "Vindicating
the right of Individuality Individuality In Religion. INTRODUCTION. p
5 -- Religion
is "the duty which we owe to our Creator, and the manner of discharging
it." Liberty
is "the state of being exempt from the domination of others, or
from restricting circumstances. In ethics and philosophy, the power
in any rational agent to make his choices and decide his conduct for
himself, spontaneously and voluntarily, in accordance with reasons or
motives." Religious
liberty, therefore, is man's exemption from the domination of others,
or from restricting circumstances: man's freedom to make his choices
and decide his conduct for himself, spontaneously and voluntarily:
in his duty to his Creator, and in the manner of discharging
that duty. Since
God has created man, in the nature of things the first of all relationships p
6 -- is that to God; and the first of all duties could be nothing
but duty to God. Suppose
a time when there was only one intelligent creature in the universe.
He was created: and his relationship to his Creator, his duty to his
Creator, is the only one that could possibly be. That is the first of
all relationships that can possibly be. Therefore it is written that
"the first of all the commandments is, Hear, 0 Israel, the Lord
our God is one Lord: and Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy
heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy
strength." All
there is of any soul is first due to God; because it all came from God.
This, therefore, is the first of all commandments, not because
it is the first one that was ever given by spoken word, or that was
ever written out; but because it is the first that could possibly be.
And this because it is the expression of the first principle of the
existence of any intelligent creature. The principle p
7 -- was there, inherent in the existence of the first intelligent
creature, in the first moment of his existence;and there the principle
abides eternally, unmodified and unfading. Now,
though that is the first of all possible relationships, and the first
of all duties; though that relationship and duty are inherent in the
very existence of intelligent creatures; yet even in that inherent obligation,
God has created every intelligent creature free -- free to recognize
that obligation or not, free to discharge that duty or not, just as
he chooses. Accordingly
it is written: "Choose you this day whom ye will serve." "Whosoever
will, let him take the water of life freely." Thus it is absolutely
true that in religion -- in the duty which we owe to our Creator and
the manner of discharging it -- God has created man entirely "exempt
from the domination of others and from restricting circumstances;"
has made him free p
8 -- "to make his choice, and decide his conduct for himself,
spontaneously and voluntarily." Thus religious liberty is the gift
of God, inherent in the gift of rational existence itself. Any
service as to God that is not freely chosen by him who renders it is
not service to God. There can be no virtue in it; there can be
none of God in it. Any service rendered as to God that is not freely
chosen on the part of him who renders it cannot be of God; because "God
is love": and love and compulsion, love and force, love and oppression,
never can go together. Therefore any duty, any obligation, anything,
offered or rendered as to God that is not of the individual's own freely
chosen choice, can neither be of God nor to God. Accordingly when the
Lord created whatever creature -- angel or man -- in order that that
creature should be happy in the service of God, and in order that there
should be virtue in rendering service or worship to God, He p
9 -- created him free to
choose to do so. And this is individuality, and the divine
right of it. God
created man free. When man by sin was separated and lost from that freedom,
Christ came to restore him fully to it. The way of God and of Christ,
therefore, is the way of liberty. And the work of God through Christ
with mankind in the whole history of the world has been to make plain
this way and to give to man the absolute assurance of this "soul
liberty" which is the only true liberty. Whom the Son makes free
is free indeed. In
the Scriptures there are given distinctly and clearly six specific lessons
on this subject of religious liberty -- the liberty of the individual
soul against the domination of man and combinations of men in the powers
of the world. Each of these lessons deals with the subject upon
a distinct and specific principle. And the six lessons, taken together, p
10 -- cover completely the whole ground upon every principle. We
now purpose to take up for special study these six lessons separately
and in succession as given in the Scriptures. The contest for religious
liberty is not yet finished. Religious liberty complete is not yet recognized,
even in principle, and much less in practice, even by the mass of Christians,
as it is made perfectly plain in the Scriptures. -
Come, then, let us study and let us have, and let us study that we may
have, religious liberty complete, in principle and in experience, as
it is in the Scriptures of truth. TOP In
Religion. I AS
RELATED TO AUTOCRACY. p
11 --In the nature of things there is no rightful room for the domination
of others in the life and affairs of the soul of the individual person.
This is peculiarly and supremely the realm of God alone, who created
man in His own image and for His own glory; and who created each person
individually and personally responsible and answerable to Him alone. Yet
man, sinful and unruly man, has never been willing to allow God to have
His place in and with the soul of the individual man; but has always
been ambitious and ready to claim that place for himself, and by every
means and contrivance possible to make this claim effective. p
12 -- History itself, as it relates to general principles and not
to details, is hardly anything else than a succession of attempts upon
the grandest possible scale to make successful this arrogant claim of
sinful and unruly man in the place of God to dominate the souls of men.
And no grander demonstration that there is a divinity striving hard
to shape the destiny of mankind could ever be asked or given than from
the day of Abel until now is given in the perpetual heroic assertion
and maintenance of this perfect liberty of the individual soul by the
individual person against the subtlest pretensions and mightiest combinations
of force and power that this world could possibly contrive. From Nimrod
to Nebuchadnezzar and from Nebuchadnezzar until now the course and energy
of empire have been bent and exerted to this one thing. And through
all that time such splendid individuals as Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Daniel
and his three brethren, Paul, Wyckliff, Huss, p
13 -- Militz, Matthias, Conrad, Jerome, Luther, Roger Williams,
and multitudes unnamed, and over all Christ Jesus, by divine faith have
sublimely stood alone with God, absolutely alone so far as man
is concerned, for the individuality, and in that the liberty, of the
soul of man; and for the sovereignty of God alone in and over the realm
of the soul. The
Empire of Babylon embraced the civilized world, as the world then was.
Nebuchadnezzar was monarch and absolute ruler of the empire. "Thou,
0 king, art a king of kings; for the God of Heaven hath given thee a
kingdom, and power, and strength, and glory. And wheresoever the children
of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath
he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all."
Dan. 2: 37, 38. In
His own providential purpose God had made all nations subject to the
sway of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Jer. 27: 1-13. In the form and
system p
14 --of government of Babylon the authority of the king was absolute.
His word was the law. In this absolutism of sovereignty King Nebuchadnezzar
assumed that he was sovereign of the souls,
as well as the bodies, of the religious
life as well as the civil conduct, of those who were subject
to his power. And since he was ruler of the nations he would be ruler
in the religion,
and of the religion,
of the nations. Accordingly
he made a great image, all of gold, about ninety feet tall and nine
feet broad, and "set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province
of Babylon." Then he summoned from the provinces all the officials
of the empire to the dedication and the worship of the great golden
image. All the officials came, and were assembled and stood before the
image. "Then
an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, 0 people, nations, and
languages, that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute,
harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music, p
15 -- ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar
the king hath set up; and whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, shall
the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace."
And as the instruments of music sounded forth the grand signal for the
worship "all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down
and worshipped the golden image." Dan. 3: 4-6. But
in the assembly there were three young Hebrews who had been carried
captive from Jerusalem to Babylon, but who had been appointed by the
king, officials "over the affairs of the province of Babylon."
These neither bowed nor worshipped, nor otherwise paid any particular
attention to the proceedings. This
was noticed, and excited accusation before the king. "There are
certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of
Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, 0 king, have not
regarded p
16 -- thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image
which thou hast set up." Verse 12. Then
the king "in his rage and fury" commanded that the three young
men should be brought before him. This was done, The king himself now
spoke to them personally and direct: "'Is it of purpose, 0 Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden
image which I have set up?" The king himself then repeated the
command that at the sound of the instruments of all kinds of music they
fall down and worship, and if not, they were to be cast "the same
hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace." But
the young men quietly answered: "0 Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful
to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is
able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and be will deliver
us out of thine hand, 0 king. But if not, be it known unto thee, 0 king,
that we will not serve thy p
17 -- gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up."
Verses 14 - 18. The
issue was now clearly drawn. The sovereign of the world's power had
personally issued his command direct to the three individuals; and from
them he had received answer as direct, that they would not conform.
This was conduct, and these were words, such as the king in his absolutism
of power had never met before. There was therefore a personal as well
as an official resentment aroused in him; and be was so "full of
fury" that "the form of his visage was changed against"
the young men, and he commanded that the furnace should be heated seven
times hotter than usual; and that "the most mighty men in his army"
should bind the young men and cast them into the midst of the roaring
furnace. It
was done. And the three men, "in their coats, and their hosen,
and their hats, and their other garments" fell down bound "into
the midst of the burning p
18 -- fiery furnace." But just then the king was more astonished
than ever in his life before. He was fairly petrified "astonied"
-- and "rose up in haste" and to his counsellors cried out,
"Did not we cast three
men bound into
the midst of the fire?" They
assured him that this was true. But he exclaimed, "Lo, I see
four men, loose,
walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and
the form of the fourth is like the Son of God." Then
the king went near to the mouth of the furnace and called to the men
by name and said, "Ye servants of the most high God, come forth
and come hither." And they "came forth of the midst of the
fire. And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellors,
being gathered together, saw these men upon whose bodies the
fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were
their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed upon them. "Then
Nebuchadnezzar spake, and p
19 -- said, blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,
who hath sent his angel and delivered his servants that trusted in him,
and have changed the king's
word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve
nor worship any god except their own God." Here,
then, is the situation: The Lord had brought all nations in subjection
to the king of Babylon. By messages of His own prophet He had commanded
His people, the Jews, and these three young men among them, to "serve
the king of Babylon." Yet these three had explicitly refused to
serve the king of Babylon in this thing which he had personally and
directly commanded them; and in this refusal the Lord himself had most
signally stood by them and delivered them. Therefore
it would be impossible more plainly to show that the Lord, in commanding
the people to be subject to the king of Babylon and to serve him, had
never either commanded or intended p
20 -- that they should be subject to him or serve him in
the realm of religion. By
this unmistakable approval of the course of the three men, and this
signal deliverance of them, the Lord made perfectly plain to the king
that his command in this matter was wrong: that he had demanded a service
that he had no right to require: that in making him king of the nations
the Lord had not made him king in
the religion of the people: that in bringing him to be head
of all the nations, peoples, and languages, God had not given him to
be head of the religion of even a solitary individual: that while the
Lord had brought all nations and peoples under the king's yoke as to
their political and bodily service, this same Lord had unmistakably
shown to the king that he had given no power nor jurisdiction in any
way whatever as to their soul's service: that while in all things between
nation and nation, and between man and man, all peoples, nations, and
languages had been given to p
21 -- him to serve him, and God had made him ruler over them all;
yet with the relations between each man and God the king could have
nothing whatever to do: and that in the presence of the rights of the
individual person, in conscience and in worship "the king's word"
must change, the king's decree is naught: that in this
the king even of the world is only nobody, for here only God is sovereign
and all in all. And
for the instruction of all kings and all people forever, all this was
done that day, and it was written for our admonition upon whom the ends
of the world are come. TOP II AS
RELATED TO THE SUPREMACY OF THE LAW. p
22 --THE world-power and empire of Babylon passed away forever;
and another took its place -- the power and empire of Medo-Persia. Here
was another principle of government, and here there is given to the
world another lesson in religious liberty. In
the Medo-Persian empire the principle of government was different from
that of Babylon. Babylon,
as we have seen, was not only an absolute monarchy, but an autocracy
-- a one-man government, a one-man absolutism. The word of the king
was the law, and the law was changeable as the will and word of the
king might change. The king was the source of the law; his word was
the law for all p
23 -- others; but as for himself there was no restriction of law. The
Medo-Persian government was an absolute monarchy also. There, also,
the word of the king was the law: but with this all-important difference
from Babylon, that when once the word of the king had gone forth as
the law, that law could not be changed nor reversed even by the king
himself. The king himself was bound, even against himself, by his own
word or decree that had once become the law. The government of Medo-Persia,
therefore, was a government of
law; its principle was the
supremacy of THE LAW. At
the head of the administration of the affairs of this empire there were
three presidents, of whom Daniel was first. Because of Daniel's knowledge,
integrity, ability, and general worth in the administration, the king
had it in mind "to set him over the whole realm." This, becoming
known, excited the jealousy of the other two presidents and of p
24 -- the princes; and they conspired to break him down. They
sought, first, "to find occasion against Daniel" concerning
his conduct of the affairs of the empire. But after long and diligent
search, and the closest possible scrutiny, they were obliged to cease
their endeavor and confess that "they could find none occasion
nor fault;" because "he was faithful, neither was there any
error or fault found in him." "Then
said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel,
except we find it against him concerning the law of his God." But
they could not find any occasion against him concerning even the law
of his God, until they themselves had first created a situation that
would render inevitable the desired occasion. Their
long and exacting endeavor to
find some occasion or fault against him in the affairs
of the empire had convinced them of his absolute devotion in loyalty
to God. Through their investigation p
25 -- they knew by experience that he could not by any means be
caused to swerve a hair's-breadth from the straight line of absolute
devotion to God. But this was wholly an individual matter, in which
there was no interference with any man in any way whatever. And in his
conduct in relation to others and to the State, their own consciously
prejudiced investigation had demonstrated that it was actually beneficial. Thus
there being no possible ground upon which they could find occasion against
him even concerning the law of his God, as circumstances and conditions
were; and they, therefore, being put to the necessity of actually creating
such ground, Daniel's unswerving devotion to God became the way over
which they would proceed. They therefore concocted a scheme into which
they drew all the officials of the empire, and went to the king and
said: -- "0 king, live forever. All the presidents of the kingdom,
the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, p
26 -- and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal
statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask any petition
of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, 0 king, he shall be
cast into a den of lions. Now, 0 king, establish the decree, and sign
the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes
and Persians, which altereth not." Dan. 6:6-8. The
king allowed himself to be caught by this very flattering proposal of
so large a number of the highest officials of the empire, and he signed
the decree. Daniel knew that the decree had been framed, and that the
writing had been signed by the king. He knew that such was now the law
of the empire -- a law that could neither be waived nor altered. Nevertheless
he went to his house, and as his regular times of prayer recurred, three
times a day, he "prayed and gave thanks before God, as he did aforetime."
And his windows happening to be open, the Imperial law had not enough
place in his p
27 -- mind or weight upon his attention to induce him to take the
precaution even to close the windows. The
plotters expecting nothing but just this on the part of Daniel, "assembled
and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God."
Then at sight of this open disregard of the imperial law, they hastened
to the king and very deferentially inquired. "Hast thou not signed
a decree?" etc. The king answered, "The thing is true, according
to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not." Then
the plotters reported, "that Daniel which is of the children of
the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, 0 king, nor the decree that
thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day." "Then
the king, when he had heard these words, was sore displeased
with himself," because he had allowed himself to
be so flattered as to be caught in such a trap as that. "And he
set his heart on Daniel to deliver him." But the plotters p
28 -- were ready with their plea of the supremacy and integrity
of "the law"; and to urge arguments that it was "not
a question of religion, but of
the law;" that to countenance disregard and violation
of "the law" was simply to undermine all the government and
make an open bid for a reign of anarchy, and for the very dissolution
of society itself: that they were exceedingly sorry that such an excellent
man as Daniel should be thus involved, yet to allow such open disregard
of "the law" by one of such high standing and reputation would
be only all the worse; because this very fact of the high standing and
wide reputation of the one who so openly disregarded "the law"
would be only the more encouragement to all people to do the same, etc.,
etc. Yet
the king "labored till the going down of the sun to deliver him."
But through all that time and at every turn, the king was met by the
plotters with the plea, "The law; the law." "Know, 0
king, that the law of the Medes and Persians p
29 -- is, that no decree nor statute which the king establisheth
may be changed." The supremacy of the law bound the king himself:
there was no escape: and, though with greatest reluctance, "the
king commanded and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of
lions." The
king passed the night in fasting and in sleeplessness. But very early
in the morning he hurried to the den of lions and "cried with a
lamentable voice unto Daniel . . . 0 Daniel, servant of the living God,
is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from
the lions?" Daniel
answered, "0 king, live forever. My God hath sent His angel, and
hath shut the lions' mouths that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as
before Him,
innocency was found in me; and also
before thee, 0 king, have I done no hurt." And therein
the demonstration is made in perfection forever that the person who
disregards any law that touches p
30 -- service to God is
innocent before God, and also does "no hurt" to
the king, nor to the State, nor to society, nor to any principle of
law or government. All
of which in divine truth demonstrates again that no earthly government
can ever have any right or jurisdiction in matters of religion:
that is, in "the duty which we owe to our Creator, and the manner
of discharging it." And in
this case
there is the additional demonstration that no government can ever of
right incorporate in the
law provisions touching religion,
and then plead the supremacy and integrity of "the law:" that
"it is not primarily a question of
religion but only of
the law:" that "we are not asking for religious
observance, we ask only respect
for law." In the case of Daniel and the "supremacy
of the law of the Medes and Persians," the divine answer to all
such pleas is that, nothing pertaining to religion can ever of right
have any place in the law. The
right of perfect individuality in p
31 -- religion is a divine, and therefore an absolutely inalienable,
right. And to make religious observances or prohibitions a matter of
the law, does not affect the free exercise of this divine right. The
fulness of the right, and the perfect liberty of its exercise, abide
ever the same, even though religion be made a matter, and a part, of
the law. And when religion or religious observance or prohibition is
fixed in the law, even though the law be as supreme and inflexible as
that of the Medes and Persians, the divine right and perfect liberty
of individuality in religion then extends
to the law that incorporates the religion, and such law
is simply no law. The subterfuge of enforcing religious observances
or prohibitions under cover of "the supremacy and integrity of
the law," instead of taking away or in any way limiting the divine
right and perfect liberty of individuality in religion, simply reacts
to the extent of actually sweeping away all ground of claim for "the
supremacy and integrity of the p
32 -- law"-- in actually nullifying the specific law in the
case. The
civil law is rightly supreme in the realm of things civil,
but in the realm of things
religious it simply has no place at all. ,
In the presence of the divine right of individuality in religion as
relates to autocratic government, illustrated in King Nebuchadnezzar,
the king's word must change. In
the presence of the divine right of individuality in religion as relates
to the supremacy and inflexibility of the law, illustrated in the government
of the Medes and Persians, any law that touches or contemplates religion
is simply no law at all. The
realm of religion is the realm of God. In that realm God alone is Sovereign,
and His will is the only law. And in that realm the individual stands
alone with God, and responsible to Him alone. TOP III AS
RELATES TO CHURCH AND STATE. p
33 -- By most remarkable facts and unquestionable experiences, in
the case of King Nebuchadnezzar and the three Hebrew young men, there
was made plain forever the divine truth and principle that with the
religion of the people no monarch can of right have anything to do;
that in the presence of the right of individuality in religion, the
king's word must change. By
corresponding facts and experiences in the case of the Medo-Persian
government against Daniel there was made plain forever the divine will
and truth and principle that with the religion of the people no law,
nor any government by means of law, can of right have anything to do
-- that in the presence of the free exercise of individuality in religion, p
34 -- any law touching religion is nothing; and every individual
in absolutely ignoring and disregarding such law is "innocent"
before God, and also does "no hurt" to government, to law,
or to society. These
two examples and the principles which they illustrate cover every phase
of earthly government as such: and so make plain the great and vital
truth that religion, with its rites, institutions, and observances,
is totally excluded, and is to be totally exempt, from the cognizance
of earthly government of whatever phase or form: that religion, with
all that is incident to it, pertains to the individual alone in his
personal relations to God. But
there is another means by which man has sought to dominate man in the
realm of religion, that is by means of
the Church through
the State. People
called out from the world and separated from the world unto God, are
His church in the world. When God p
35 -- had called His people out of Egypt they were first "the
church in the wilderness;" and afterward in the land of Canaan
they were the church there. Through
their stiffness of neck, hardness of heart, and blindness of mind, they
sadly missed God's great purpose for them as His church. Yet in His
goodness and mercy God "suffered their manners in the wilderness,"
and in the land from age to age. Thus through randy vicissitudes that
people had continued as the church till the time when Christ the Lord
came to dwell on the earth: and through all that time this church was
heir to most glorious promises of a widespread kingdom and dominion. At
the time when Christ came to the earth as man, the dominion and power
of Rome held the people of that church in stern and cruel temporal subjection,
and they longed for the promised Deliverer to appear. This Deliverer
had been abundantly promised, and at last p
36 -- He came. But the high ones of the church had allowed their
worldly ambition to hide their eyes from the spirituality of the kingdom
and dominion that had been promised; and they looked for, and had taught
the people to expect, a political and temporal deliverer who should
strike off the yoke of Rome, break her power, and exalt the church of
the chosen people to a position of power and dominion over the nations,
corresponding to that which for so long had been held by the nations
over them. When
Jesus first appeared in His public ministry, these high ones of the
church went with the crowds that flocked to hear Him, listened with
interest, and hoped that He would fulfill their expectations. But when
they saw the interest and enthusiasm of the multitude reach the point
where "they would come and take Him by force to make Him a king";
and when they saw that Jesus, instead of accepting the honor or encouraging
the project, "withdrew Himself from p
37 -- them"; in this they also saw that all their ambitious
hopes of deliverance from the dominion of Rome, and of exaltation over
the nations, were utterly vain so far as Jesus was concerned. But
by this time the influence of Jesus with the people had become so widespread
and so strong that the church-leaders saw that their power over the
people was very rapidly vanishing. Instead of seeing fulfilled or sanctioned
their ambitious plans and hopes for worldly power and dominion, they
saw with dismay that what power and influence they did have with the
people was most certainly undermined: and this by a man risen from the
greatest obscurity, who came from a town of the meanest reputation,
and who was at most only a private member of the church! Something must
be done, and that very soon, to preserve their own place and dignity.
It was manifestly too late to think of commanding Him not to preach
or teach: by this time p
38 -- they knew full well that not only He but the multitudes themselves
would pay no attention to any such prohibition. But there was a way
out -- a means by which to maintain their place and dignity, and to
assert their power over Him and the people. In their opinion of themselves
and their position it was a very easy thing to make their place and
dignity identical not only with the position but with the very existence
of the church and even the nation itself. Accordingly they concluded,
"If we let Him thus alone all men will believe on Him and the Romans
shall come and take away both our place and nation." And "from
that day forth they took counsel together for to put Him to death."
John 11: 47, 53. But
subject as they were to the Roman authority, it was not lawful for them
to put any man to death. Therefore, to effect their purpose they must
get control of the governmental or civic authority. It mattered not
that this p
39 -- authority, was Roman; and it mattered not that this Roman
authority they hated above all other earthly things, and could not by
any possibility willingly recognize: all this must be forgotten in the
presence of the awful alternative of seeing vanish their place and dignity
and power in the church. In
the church the Pharisees and the Herodians stood at opposite poles.
The Herodians were so called because they were the party and partisans
of Herod. They were the apologists of Herod in his position of king
of Judea. But as Herod was king only by the direct appointment of Rome,
and was seated and maintained as king by the power of Rome, for any
one to be a partisan and an apologist of Herod was to be even more a
partisan and an apologist of Rome. The
Pharisees were the exclusively righteous ones of the church. They were
the extreme church party. As such they were the conservators of the
purity p
40 -- of the church, the representatives of the truest loyalty to
God and the ancient dignity of the chosen people. As such they were
the extreme and most uncompromising dissidents from Rome, and from all
that was of Rome or that was in any way connected with Rome. But
the Pharisees, as the exclusively righteous ones and the chiefest in
dignity, were the most fixedly set against Christ, and took the lead
in the counsels and plans to destroy Him. And to accomplish their purpose
to put Him to death, they must have the cooperation of the secular power,
which was Roman only. Therefore to accomplish their purpose against
Jesus, they would glaze their hatred of Rome, and would use for their
purpose against Jesus that very power of Rome of which they were by
profession the extreme disputers and opposers. The
means by which at one stride they would both cross this gulf to Rome
and make sure of the secular p
41 -- power, was to pool issues with the Herodians. The Herodians,
as being only less opposed to Jesus than were the Pharisees, were ready
for the alliance. By this alliance the political party would be at one
with the Pharisees, and the political influence and power of that party
would be at the command of the church leaders. This would make sure
to them the use of the soldiery, which they must have if they
would be really secure in their open movements against Jesus. The
alliance was entered into, and the conspiracy was formed: "And
the Pharisees went forth and straightway took counsel with the Herodians
against Him, how they might
destroy Him."
Mark 3: 6. " Then went the Pharisees and took counsel how they
might entangle Him in His talk. And they sent out unto him their disciples
with the Herodians," "spies, which should feign themselves
just men, that they might take hold of His words, that so
they might deliver Him unto the power and p
42 -- authority of
the governor." Matt. 22:15, 16; Luke 20:20. And that
governor was Pilate the
Roman. And
when finally the time came, at that awful midnight hour when Judas,
"having received" a band of men and a captain and officers,
"with swords," came upon Him in Gethsemane, it was "the
band and the captain, and the officers," who, at the direction
of "the chief priests and Pharisees," took Him and bound Him. And
having so taken Him they led Him to Annas first. Annas sent Him to Caiaphas,
and Caiaphas sent Him to Pilate, the governor, the Roman. Pilate sent
Him to Herod, who "with his men of war" set Him at naught
and mocked Him and arrayed Him in a gorgeous robe and sent Him again
to Pilate. And when Pilate would have let Him go, they rung their final
political note and plea of
loyalty to Caesar and Rome, even above the loyalty of
Pilate the Roman himself, "If thou let this man go thou p
43 -- art not Caesar's friend. Whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh
against Caesar." Pilate
made his last appeal, "Shall I crucify your King?" only to
be answered with the words expressive of their final abandonment of
God, and of their completest unity with Rome, "We have no king
but Caesar. Crucify Him. Crucify Him. And they were instant with loud
voices. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed." Thus
the mightiest crime and the loudest crying sin in all the history of
the universe was committed, and was made possible as it was committed,
only by the union of church and State -- only by the church in control
of the civil power, using that power to make effective her wicked will
and purpose. And
that awful fact alone is all-sufficient to blast with perpetual and
infinite condemnation, and to consign to eternal infamy, all such connection
any- p
44 -- where forever. And with such a record in the very first instance
of the thing, it is not at all strange that this same thing of union
of church and State -- the church in control of the secular power --
should have proved and must ever prove, the chiefest curse to men and
nations wherever found in all after times. So
true it is, and so completely demonstrated, that "secular power
has proved a Satanic gift to the church." TOP IV AS
RELATED TO THE CHURCH ITSELF. p
45 -- We have seen that no monarchical government has any right
to enforce or require any religious observance; and that when any such
power does so, the right of individuality in religion is supreme, and
the monarch's word must change. We
have found also that no government in which the law is supreme has any
right to put into the law of the realm any statute, decree, or provision
touching religion; and that when such a thing is done, the right of
individuality in religion remains supreme, and innocency before God,
and perfect harmlessness before the government, the law, and society,
is found in him who disregards such law. We
have found that the church has no right to control the civil power for
p
46 -- the execution of her will or the furtherance of her aims;
and that when she does so a connection of crowning iniquity is formed,
only a Satanic gift is in the possession of such church, and the right
of individuality in religion is still supreme and to be freely exercised. There
is yet another combination by means of which domination of man in religion
has been sought: this is the church itself, within itself --
the church as relates to the membership of the church. And upon this,
whether in principle, or in facts of remarkable experience, the Scripture
is no less explicit than in any other of the examples given on this
subject. It
has been already related how that Israel when delivered from Egypt was
first "the church in the wilderness" and afterward in the
land of Canaan; and that this same Israel in the days of Christ on earth,
though in spirit and substance far short of God's ideal for them, p
47 -- yet in fact was still the church in direct descent. The
official organization of this church was also still in fact the same
in direct descent. The priesthood -- the chief priests, and the high
priest -- in order and in succession, were the direct continuance in
succession of the order established by the Lord through Moses in the
wilderness. The official council of the church -- the Sanhedrin -- was
also in its idea and form descended from the seventy elders appointed
by the Lord through Moses in the wilderness. Thus in the days of Christ
on earth, the whole order of Israel, -- the priesthood and the great
council, -- was in form and in fact directly descended from the divine
order established by the Lord through Moses in the wilderness; and was
just as truly the church in descent from the church in the wilderness. And
the apostles of the Lord and the original disciples of Jesus were all,
with- p
48 -- out exception, members of that church. They took part equally
with others in the services and worship of that church. They went to
the temple and into the temple, with all the others to worship at the
regular hours; and they taught in the temple (Acts 2:46; 3:1; 5:12).
And the people were glad to have it so, and the approval of God in great
power was upon them all. But
those apostles and disciples had learned something and knew divine truth
that the high ones of the church did not know and would not recognize:
and knowing this they would tell it. Therefore they preached Jesus and
the resurrection, and salvation through Him, and that there is no other
way -- that very Jesus of whom the official order and organization of
the church had "now been the betrayers and murderers." Therefore
this official order and organization of the church assumed the office
and prerogative of deciding that those private p
49 -- church-members should neither preach nor teach this truth
that they knew to be the truth. Accordingly
the priests and the temple authorities arrested Peter and John and put
them in prison, when they had gone up to the temple at the hour of prayer,
and the lame man had been healed through faith in the name of Jesus,
and Peter had preached to the assembled wondering people. Then the next
morning all the official order and organization of the church -- the
rulers, the seventy elders, the scribes, the priests, and the high priest
-- gathered together and had Peter and John brought and set in the midst,
and demanded of them what authority they had to be preaching: "By
what power, and by what name, have you done this?" Then
Peter "filled with the Holy Ghost" made answer. The whole
assembly "marveled" at the boldness of these two only common
and illiterate p
50 -- members of the church in the presence of that official and
august body; "and they took knowledge of them that they had been
with Jesus." Peter and John were remanded outside the council,
while the council "conferred among themselves." In
their conference they decided, "Let us straitly threaten them that
they speak henceforth to no man in this name." Then they called
in again Peter and John "and commanded them not to speak at all
nor teach in the name of Jesus." But Peter and John answered immediately,
"Whether it be right in the sight of God, to hearken unto you more
than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things we have
seen and heard." In that answer so promptly given, it seemed to
that assembly that these mere common men and private and illiterate
members of the church would actually convey the impression that it was
possible for such as they to be taught of God, p
51 -- and to know from God, things that this whole assembly of the
highest officials and most learned ones of the church did not know;
and that they would pay no attention whatever to the command of the
council, but would go right ahead regardless of all that the council
might say or do or be. Plainly enough in the view of the council
such a course could mean only every one for himself, an individual independence
that "would overthrow all order and authority." Such
an answer as that from such persons as those, to such an official and
dignified body as this: such an answer from mere common persons to this
august assembly: from mere private members of the church to the regular
assemblage of that which for ages had been the highest official and
divinely appointed order in the organization of the church: could not
be considered by those officials as anything less than arrant presumption,
and the destruction of all order and organization in the church. p
52 --However, the council let them go with further charge under
heavy threat that they should so teach no more. Peter
and John being let go went to the company of the other disciples and
"reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them."
And all the others, instead of being in the least awed or made afraid
by it, not only decidedly approved what Peter and John had done, but
were so glad of it that "with one accord" they thanked and
praised God, asked Him to "behold the threatenings of the church
officials and grant to all of the disciples boldness that they
may speak thy word." And God witnessed to their Christian steadfastness,
"and the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and
they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word
of God with boldness." "And believers were the more added
to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women." p
53 -- This open disobedience to the "authority" of the
church, this bold "disregard for established order and organization"
could not be allowed to go on. Therefore all the apostles were
next arrested and imprisoned: for "then the high priest rose up,
and all they that were with him, and were filled with indignation, and
laid hands on the apostles and put them in the common prison." But,
lo! "The angel of
the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them
forth and said, Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all
the words of this life. And when they heard that, they entered into
the temple early in the morning and taught." That
same morning the high priest and they that were with him "called
the council together, and all
the senate of the children of Israel,
and sent to the prison" to have the apostles brought before
them to answer for all this "insubordination," "apostasy"
and "opposition to p
54 -- the organized work" of the church. The messengers returned
and reported that they found the prison securely closed and the keepers
on guard, but there were no prisoners. But while those of the council
were wondering what this could mean, there came one saying that the
men were "standing in the temple and teaching the people." Officers
were sent who arrested them all anew and brought them before the council.
The high priest demanded of them, "Did not we straitly command
you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled
Jerusalem with your doctrine." The
apostles answered as before: "We ought to obey God rather than
man. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged
on a tree. Him hath God exalted with His right hand to be a Prince and
a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel with forgiveness of sins.
And we are witnesses p
55 -- of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God
hath given to them that obey Him." At
this bold persistence in the forbidden course the council "took
counsel to slay them." From actually murdering the apostles the
council was dissuaded by Gamaliel. Nevertheless, the council called
in the apostles again, and "had them flogged" and then again
"commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and
let them go." The
apostles departed from the presence of the council. But instead of being
either awed or subdued by the council or by what it had done, they were
all only glad again to be counted worthy to suffer stripes and whatever
other disgrace from the official organization of the church for teaching
what they saw and knew to be the truth. And notwithstanding that it
was "all the senate of the children of Israel," that is, all
those who composed the official organization of the church that had
so treated them p
56 -- and had repeatedly commanded them not to preach at all nor
teach the things which they were both preaching and teaching, "never
for a single day, either in the temple or in the private houses, did
they discontinue teaching or telling the good news of Jesus the Christ." Thus
by plain facts of remarkable experiences under God it is demonstrated
that above all officialdom of priesthood, council and senate of any
church, the right of individuality
in religion, in faith, and in teaching, stands supreme. By
this unquestionable Scripture account it is demonstrated that no church
assembly or council or senate has any authority or any right to command
or call in question any man of even the church's own membership concerning
what he shall teach or preach. * * --
"As relates to conduct, in matters of 'trespass' or 'fault'
of any member, divine instruction and direction are given to the church
precisely how to proceed: and this word is to be faithfully followed
in letter and in spirit and in the spirit of meekness to 'gain' and
to 'restore' such an one, never to judge, to condemn, or to cast off.
But as relates to faith the church has no divine instruction
and therefore no right of procedure -- 'not for that we would have dominion
over your faith:' 'Hast thou faith? have it to thyself' before God:'
'Looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of
Faith.'" p
57 -- By the inspired record in this case, it is demonstrated that
-- 1.
-- Just as certainly as in the case of Nebuchadnezzar and the three
Hebrews it is divinely shown that no monarch can ever of right command
anything pertaining to religion; 2.
-- Just as certainly as in the case of the
law and government of Media and Persia, it is divinely shown
that no government can ever of right make any law touching religion; 3.
-- Just as certainly as in the case of the church of Israel against
Christ it is divinely shown that no church officialdom can ever of right
use the civil power to make effective her will or to further her aims; 4.
-- Just so certainly in this case of the church of Israel against
the apostles and disciples of the Lord, it is also divinely shown that
no church, no council, senate or other collection or association of
officials or others, can ever of right command any member even of her
own communion p
58 -- in anything pertaining to what he shall believe or not believe,
or what he shall teach or not teach. The
four cases presented in the Scriptures are perfectly parallel: in every
case the power that attempted domination in religion was directly opposed
and exposed by the God
of Heaven, and was thus divinely shown to be absolutely in
the wrong; and in each case the right of individuality in religion was
divinely demonstrated to be eternally right. In
each of the four cases a distinct principle is involved and illustrated:
in the fourth no whit less than in each of the preceding three. As certainly
as Nebuchadnezzar was wrong in commanding worship; as certainly as the
law of Media and Persia was wrong in prohibiting worship; as certainly
as the church of Israel was wrong in using the civil power to execute
her will against the Lord Jesus; so certainly that same church was wrong
in prohibiting any member of the church from teaching or p
59 -- preaching the truth which he knew from the the Lord Jesus
and by the Spirit of God. And
as in the case of Nebuchadnezzar the principle is that no monarch may
ever of right do as that monarch did; as in the case of the law of the
Medes and Persians the principle is that no law may ever of right be
similar to that law; as in the case of the church organization using
the civil power against Christ, the principle is that
no church and no church order or organization or officialdom
may ever of right use the civil power in any way whatever; just so in
the case of the church of Israel against the apostles, the principle
is that no church,
and no church order,
or organization or officialdom, may ever of right do in any way similar
to what in its officialdom that church did. No;
Gamaliel's counsel to that church senate that day was right then and
is right forever, and it is divine instruction to every church assembly,
council, and p
60 -- senate, forever: "Let
them alone."
If the preaching or the work be only of man or of human origin it will
come to naught of itself. And if it be of God you cannot overthrow it
whatever you do: and in that case, in whatever you do to overthrow it
you will be found to be only fighting against God. This thing is in
the realm of God. It is subject to His jurisdiction alone. Leave it
there, and trust Him and serve Him for yourselves; and let others alone
to do the same themselves. This
is also plain enough in the plain truth itself. For the Holy Spirit
is given to each individual to guide him "into all truth."
The truth of God is infinite and eternal. Therefore it will always be
true that there is still an infinity and eternity of truth into which
the Christian is to be guided. In the nature of things it is impossible
for any other than the infinite and eternal Spirit to guide any one
into or in the truth of God. Therefore every soul must be in- p
61 -- finitely and eternally free to be guided by the infinite and
eternal Spirit into this infinity and eternity of truth. To
say anything else than this is only to limit the truth of God, and limit
the mind's advancement in the knowledge of truth and of God; and is
to put an effectual estoppel upon all possibility of progress. Imagine
the condition of mankind and the world today, if the principle espoused
by that church of Israel had been recognized and her commands obeyed
by the apostles and disciples of the Lord! But the crowning iniquity
of saying anything else than this, is that it recognizes, sanctions,
and establishes a mere human tribunal in the place of the eternal Spirit,
and clothes a clique of sinful men with the prerogative of that infinite
and eternal Spirit, as the guide into and in all truth. Yet
as plain as all this is in the simple manifestness of the truth of it,
it is deplorably true that from the close of the apostolic period unto
this hour, there has p
62 -- not been, and there is not now, a single church "organization"
or denomination in the world that has not espoused the identical principle,
taken the same position, and done the like thing, as did that Jewish
church in the case of the apostles. And today there is not a denomination
in the world, even to the very latest one that has risen, in which there
is in any way recognized the right and the freedom of each individual
member of the denomination to be led of the Spirit of God into truth
and to the teaching and preaching of truth that the
denominational officialdom does not know or chooses not
to countenance. And when any member is so led and does teach and preach
the truth that he knows by the Spirit and Word of God, immediately the
denominational officialdom is awake, and its machinery in motion, and
in the very spirit, and in the very way, of the officialdom and machinery
of the Jewish church, he is forbidden to teach or preach any more in p
63 -- that name. And if, as did the apostles, he disregards such
action and command, and ceases not to teach and to preach Jesus in the
truth and the way that he knows, then he, as were the apostles, is persecuted
and driven out. And
this is, precisely and alone the cause of there being three hundred
and sixty-five or more denominations in the world. But
is there never to be any end to this wicked thing? Will the time ever
come, or must it never come, when there will be among Christians
the recognition of the fundamental Christian principle of the right
of individuality and liberty in faith and in guidance into divine truth?
Will the time ever come, or must it never come, when there will be a
company of Christians in the world who will recognize that the Holy
Spirit is the Guide into all truth, that will recognize the right and
the liberty of that Spirit to guide, that will recognize the right and
the liberty of each Christian to be p
64 -- guided into all truth by that Spirit of truth, and that will
recognize the liberty of each Christian to hold, to teach, and to preach
any and all truth into which by the Spirit of truth he may be guided? Isn't
it time that such a thing should be? Isn't it time that the Christian
principle should be recognized, that such a condition should prevail
among Christians? Even the
world has learned the principle that the monarch and the
autocrat must recognize the full and perfect right of individuality
and liberty in religion. Even the world
has learned that the law
must recognize the full and perfect right of individuality and liberty
in religion. Even the world has learned that the church must
not control the civil power
to cause her will to prevail, but must recognize the full and perfect
right in the field of persuasion, and therefore must recognize the free
and perfect right of individuality and liberty. And now must it be that
the Church herself will never
learn that she must recognize p
65 -- the free and perfect right of individuality and liberty in
faith, in the Spirit, and in the truth? Isn't it high time that the
Christian church should be learning to recognize in its perfect genuineness
the fundamental principle of her
own origin and very existence? And if it must be so that
no denomination will ever learn or recognize this fundamental principle
of her own origin and existence, then is it not doubly high time that
individual Christians
shall everywhere recognize and practice constantly this fundamental
principle of their
own origin and existence as Christians, as well as the fundamental
principle of the origin and existence of the Christian church? And
so it shall be and will be. The God of individuality and of liberty
will not allow that the divine principle and right of individuality
and liberty in faith and in truth which He has wrought so wonderfully
and so constantly through all these ages to make plain and to maintain
shall be forever beaten back and p
66 -- pressed down, unrecognized and misrepresented by the Christian
church and by Christian people. No; this truth, this splendid truth,
that is the fundamental and the crowning truth in and to the very existence
of the Christian church and of Christianity itself -- this divine truth
will yet win and hold forever its own divine place before the world
and in the church. For those who espouse this divine and
fundamental truth of the Christian religion and church will themselves
be now and forever, as in the beginning they were, the true Christian
church in the world, and will compose that "glorious Church"
which Christ, who gave Himself for the Church, will "sanctify and
cleanse with the washing of water by the word," in order that at
His glorious appearing "He might present it to Himself a glorious
Church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but holy and without
blemish." For
upon this whole story of the church of Israel against the apostles, p
67 -- there stands out with transcendent meaning a truth that is
worthy of the most solemn consideration by every Christian: this truth
is, -- That
which until that time had been the true church, called and preserved
by the Lord, then and there ceased to be the true church at all;
and that which this church despised, and forbade, and persecuted, and
cast out, became itself
the true church. And
so it is forever. John 9:34-38. TOP V AS
BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS. p
68 -- From the Scriptures it is plain that the divine right of individuality
in religion stands supreme in the presence of autocratic monarchy; in
the presence of any decree, statute, or law, of any government; in the
presence of the church in control of the civil power; and in the presence
of the church itself, even within the membership of the church. There
is just one other possible relationship -- that of the
individual to the individual. But when it is plain and positive
by the word of God that no autocracy, no government of law, no church
in control of civil power, and no church within the circle of its own
membership, has any authority, jurisdiction, or right, in matters religious
in the presence of the supreme and absolute right of the individual,
then it is certain that p
69 -- no individual
can ever have any authority, jurisdiction, or right over another individual
in things religious. Though
this is plain in itself it is well to study at least some of the Scriptures
on this, as well as on each of the other phases of this subject. Faith
is the gift of God, and to the individual. Jesus Christ is both the
Author and the Finisher of faith. This being so, it lies in the nature
of things that never by any possibility in righteousness can anybody
but Christ have any authority, jurisdiction, or right, respecting the
exercise of faith which is the vital element of religion. Christ being
both the Author and the Finisher of faith, to Him alone belongs the
sole sovereignty and jurisdiction in all things relating to faith and
to the exercise of faith, which is religion. Accordingly
the Scriptures say, "Hast thou faith? Have it to thyself before
`God." Rom. 14: 22. Faith being the gift of God, and Christ being
the Author p
70 -- and the Finisher of it, it is impossible for any one to owe
to any but God in Christ any responsibility in matters of faith or the
exercise thereof, which is religion. And this is the ground and surety
of complete individuality in religion. Therefore,
the word of God stands written to individual believers forever, "Him
that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations":
not to judge his doubtful thoughts; not for decisions of doubts; not
to "judge him"; not to "despise him"; "for
God hath received him." ROM 14: 1-3. Please
let there be noted forever, and forever regarded, that the reason, divinely
given, as to why no Christian can ever "dispute" with or "decide"
for or "judge," or "despise" another, is that "God
hath received him." "God
hath received him" therefore, "receive ye"
him. "God
hath received him" upon
his p
71 --
faith, therefore, "receive ye" him upon
his faith. Even
though he be "weak in the faith," yet "God hath
received him"; therefore, even though he be still "weak in
the faith," "receive ye him." Even
though he be "weak in the faith," it is "the faith"
in which he is weak. And in that faith and by that faith he is saved.
That faith is the gift of God, given to save the soul; and whosoever
is in that faith, even though he be weak, has the salvation of God which
is by faith. Of that faith, Jesus Christ is the Author and the Finisher;
and whosoever is in that faith has Christ working in him to finish the
blessed work of that faith unto the eternal salvation of the soul. That
faith, the individual is to hold unto
God the giver of it, and in Christ, the Author and Finisher
of it. The faith being the gift of God through Christ, he who has it,
has it only unto God in Christ; and in that faith his responsibility
is solely to God in Christ. p
72 -- Therefore, "him that is weak in the faith receive YE,
. . . for God hath received HIM." God being the giver of "the
faith" through Christ, the Author and Finisher of faith, the responsibility
of every one "in the faith" is to God in Christ. Therefore,
"him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful
disputations, not for decisions of doubts," not to "despise
him," not to "judge him"; for, since "God hath received
him" "in the faith," and since "in the faith"
he is responsible to God only, "Who art thou that judgest another
man's servant?" Verse 4. This is impossible in righteousness even
though he be a man's
servant; how much more, when he is God's servant, received and accepted
of God "in the faith?" Who
then, art thou that judgest God's servant, received of Him "in
the faith?" "To his own Master he standeth or falleth. Yea,
he shall be holden up, for God is able to make him stand." And
when "God hath received" "in the p
73 -- faith" one whom you and I will not receive "in
the faith," then, where shall we appear? The question is
not then between us and him, but between God and us. Our difference
is then with God, and we have entered into judgment with God. But when
we enter into judgment with God over His having received "in the
faith," one whom we will not receive "in the faith,"
then it is certain that we cannot stand in that judgment; because we
ourselves are not "in the faith." And
when God will hold up, and will make to stand "in the faith,"
him whom you and I will not receive him, whom you and I will not hold
up nor try to make to stand, then that one is altogether safe with God
"in the faith." And even though he be "weak in the faith,"
yet God is able to hold him up and to make him stand, and "he shall
be holden up" and made to stand by God who has received him "in
the faith" of which God is the giver, and Christ the Author and
Finisher. And as for you p
74 -- and me, in all this matter, "let him that thinketh he
standeth, take heed lest he fall." Another
item that demonstrates the perfect individuality of man in things religious,
follows immediately the words already quoted, thus: "One man esteemeth
one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every
man be fully persuaded in his own mind." Verse 5. This
Scripture does not say that all days are alike; but only that
some "esteemeth
every day alike." The Scriptures are perfectly plain upon
the truth that all days are not alike: that there is a day that
God has made peculiarly his own, and for man's eternal good has set
it apart from all other days. That day is "the Sabbath of the Lord
thy God." And
though this is true by the word of God, yet as to the observance or
non-observance of that day the word of the Lord explicitly declares,
"Let every man be p
75 -- fully persuaded
in his own mind." And in this declaration he has
again confirmed the perfect supremacy and absolute right of individuality
in religion. And,
by the way, this item touches a matter that is everywhere rife today:
the matter of the compulsory observance of a sabbath or day of rest.
But in all things pertaining to the observance or regarding of a day,
the word of God to all people is, "Let every man be fully persuaded
in his own mind. He that regardeth the day regardeth it unto the Lord:
and he that regardeth not the day to the Lord, he doth not regard it."
Verse 6. Any
day regarded or observed
not to the Lord is not truly regarded or observed at all;
for then there is nothing in it truly to regard. It is God who has selected,
distinguished, and set apart, the day. The observance of the day pertains,
therefore, to God; and lies only between God and the individual in faith
and conscience. Therefore any observance p
76 -- of a sabbath or rest day enforced by law, by statute, by police,
by court, by prosecution, or by persecution, is, in the first instance,
a direct invasion of the province of God and of the realm of faith and
conscience in the individual; and in the second instance is not even
the observance of the day, and never can be, because it is not of persuasion
in the mind. God
has appointed his own chosen and sanctified day to be observed; that
is true, He calls upon all people to observe it, that is true. But in
the observance or regarding of this day, the word of God thus explicitly
declares that it is wholly an individual matter: "Let every man
be fully persuaded in his own mind." And when any man is not
fully persuaded in his own mind , and therefore does not observe the
day to the Lord, his responsibility for this is to God alone, and not
to any man, nor to any set of men, nor to any law, or government, or
power, on earth. p
77 -- Following this item there is made an appeal in behalf of the
recognition of perfect individuality in religion -- this in view of
the awful fact of the judgment of Christ and of God. This appeal runs
thus: "But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set
at naught thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment-seat
of Christ. For it is written, "As I live, saith the Lord, every
knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God." Verses
10, 11. Every
one of us must stand before the judgment seat of Christ and of God,
there to be each judged by Him.
How then can it be possible ever in righteousness, that one of us can
be called to be judged by another, or by any or all others, in the things
of religion? that is, in the things in which we are to answer at the
judgment seat of Christ. No,
no. "One is your Master, even Christ, and all ye are brethren."
And, "He that speaketh evil of his brother, p
78 -- and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth
the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law,
but a judge. There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to
destroy: who art thou that judgest another?" James 4 :11. Thus,
that there is to be a judgment-seat of Christ and of God where all must
appear, each to answer for "the deeds done in the body" --
this is one of the mightiest guarantees of perfect individuality in
religion, and one of the strongest possible pleas for the recognition
of it by every soul always. Finally,
the whole thought and truth of perfect individuality in religion is
splendidly summed up, and powerfully emphasized as well as clearly expressed,
in the inspired conclusion, "So
then every one of us shall give account of HIMSELF to GOD." Verse
12. TOP VI GOD
AND CAESAR. p
79 -- IN the case of the church of Israel against the members of
that church who chose to believe in Christ and to teach the truth concerning
Him, the principle is made perfectly plain that no church has any authority,
jurisdiction, or right, in, over, or concerning, the faith or the teaching,
of any individual member of that very church itself. Acts 4 and 5; 2
Cor. 1:24. There
is another remarkable scripture that not only illustrates this total
absence of authority, jurisdiction, or right, of any church, but also
makes plain some additional principles of the great truth of religious
liberty. This
notable scripture is the one that, contains the words of Jesus when
the spying Pharisees and Herodians came to Him with their crafty question,
"Is it p
80 -- lawful to give tribute to Caesar or not?" With the tribute
money in His hand, Jesus said: "Whose is this image and superscription?
they say unto Him, Caesar's. Then saith He unto them, Render, therefore,
unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and unto God the things that
are God's." Here
are revealed two persons -- God and Caesar: two powers -- the religious
and the civil: two authorities -- the divine and the human: two jurisdictions
-- the heavenly and the earthly: and only two, to whom, by the
divine instruction, is anything due or to be rendered by men. There
is a jurisdiction and an authority a power and a right, that belong
to God. There is also a jurisdiction and an authority, a power and a
right, that belong to Caesar. And
these are totally distinct realms. There is that which is Caesar's;
this is to be rendered to Caesar, not to God. There is that which is
God's; and this is to be p
81 -- rendered to God, not to Caesar. It is to be rendered to God
alone and direct. ]It is not to be rendered to Caesar, nor to God
by Caesar. Originally
there was, and ultimately there will be, only one realm, only one jurisdiction,
only one authority, only one power, only one right -- that of God alone.
1 Cor. 15: 24-28. If
sin had never entered there would been any other realm, nor any other
jurisdiction, authority, power, or right, than that of God alone. And
even when sin had entered, if the Gospel had been received by each and
every individual ever coming into the world,
then there would never have been any realm or jurisdiction,
authority, power, or right, other than that of God alone. Eph. 1: 7-10;
Col. 1: 20-23. But
not all will receive the Gospel; and so not all will recognize the sovereignty,
the jurisdiction, the authority, the power, and the right, of God. Not
recognizing God's kingdom, will, purpose, p
82 --and power, which is moral and spiritual, and which makes moral
and spiritual all who do recognize it, these then, being sinful, fail
to be even civil. Therefore there must be in the world a jurisdiction
and a power that will cause those to be civil who will not be moral.
And this is the State, the civil power, Caesar; and this its reason
of existence. In
the nature of things there are only the two realms and the two jurisdictions:
the moral and the civil, the spiritual and the physical, the eternal
and the temporal; the one of God, the other of Caesar. There are these
two realms and jurisdictions, and NO MORE. And there simply cannot of
right be any
more. One of these is God's realm and jurisdiction. The other is Caesar's. And
since by the divine word these are the two, and these two are
the only two
that there can possibly be, then it follows absolutely and exclusively
that to the church
there is neither kingdom nor dominion, realm nor jurisdiction, p
83 -- nor is there
any place for any. It
is therefore perfectly plain that ,without assumption and usurpation
no church can ever have any kingdom or dominion, any realm or jurisdiction.
The church is not Caesar's; and without assumption and usurpation it
is impossible for the church to exercise any of the jurisdiction of
Caesar. The realm and jurisdiction of Caesar -- the State, the civil
power -- is wholly of this world. The church with all that is of it,
is "not of this world." It is therefore impossible for the
church without assumption and usurpation ever to occupy the realm of
Caesar, or to exercise any jurisdiction in the things of Caesar, which
things are wholly of this world. This
being so of the church as relates to Caesar, how much more is it true
of the church as relates to God! The church is not Caesar and
cannot be Caesar. Much more the church is not God and cannot be God.
And has not Inspiration set forth in such unsparing terms p
84 -- as "the man of sin," "the son of perdition,"
"the mystery of iniquity," "sitting in the temple of
God, showing himself that
he is God," THAT CHURCH that has thought to be the
kingdom and hold the dominion, to occupy the realm and exercise the
jurisdiction, of God.
Is anything other than that
needed to make perfectly plain the truth that for any church to assume
that to her
it belongs to be the kingdom and hold the dominion, to occupy the realm
and exercise the jurisdiction,
of God, is the very ultimate of arrogancy, assumption,
and usurpation. But,
it is asked, is not the church the kingdom of God? -- Yes, it is --
provided that by the term "the church" is meant
only the divine conception of the church as expressed in the divine
word -- "the fulness of Him that filleth all in all." When
only that is
meant in the use of the words "the church," then it is indeed
the kingdom of God. But when by the "church" is meant some
human
p 85 -- conception, some religious sect or denomination, some earthly
"organization," then it is not true of any church ever
in this world that it is the kingdom God. But
suppose that such a thing as that were really the church, and therefore
the kingdom of God; even so, it would still be true that in order for
such to be in deed the kingdom of God, it could be so only by God's
being king there. And where God is king, he is king and Lord of all
in all. God is never, and can never be, king in a divided kingdom. He
never does, and never can, share His dominion with another. Will any
one claim or imply that there can in truth and in fact be a kingdom
of God without God's being in truth and in fact king, there; and king
in all that is there? No, God must be king there or else it is not in
truth the kingdom of God. He must be king and Lord of all and in all
that is there, or else it is not in truth and in fact the kingdom of
God. The realm p
86 -- must be occupied by Him, the jurisdiction must be exercised
by Him, the principles must be His, the government must be of Him, the
image and superscription must be His, and all this exclusively, or else
it is not in truth and in fact the kingdom of God. The
soul and spirit of man, as man is in the world, as the world is, is
in intent and by right the kingdom of God. And so to wicked
and unbelieving Pharisees, Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is within
you." But in lost mankind that kingdom is usurped and that realm
is occupied by another. The usurper is on the throne, exercising jurisdiction
that enslaves, debases, and destroys. Thus, while in intent and by right
the kingdom is God's, yet in truth and in fact it is not God's but another's.
Yet let the lost and enslaved soul only welcome God into that alienated
realm to occupy His own place on that usurped throne, and to exercise
true jurisdiction there, THEN will that soul and spirit p
87 -- and life in truth and in fact, as well as in intent and of
right, be the kingdom of God. And even then it is the kingdom of God
in truth only as God is king in all and over all to that soul. And so
it is with the church. The
Church OF GOD is indeed the kingdom of God: it is "the fulness
of him that filleth all in all:" it is composed only of those who
are His. And He is king and sole ruler in this His kingdom. The jurisdiction
in this realm is His alone; the principles of the government, and the
authority and the power of the government are His alone. And every citizen
of the kingdom owes allegiance to Him alone: and this direct, in Christ,
by the Holy Spirit. Every inhabitant of that realm is subject to His
jurisdiction alone: and this direct, in Christ, by the Holy Spirit.
Every member of this church, which is His kingdom, is inspired and actuated
by the principles which are His alone and from Him alone; and is governed
by the authority and p
88 -- power of Him alone; and this all direct from Him, through
Christ, by the Holy Spirit. Thus all who are of the Church of God in
truth, which is the kingdom of God, render to
God all that is of the heart, of the soul, of the mind, and
of the strength. These also render to
Caesar the things that are Caesar's -- tribute, custom, honor,
in his place. Rom. 13:5-7. Thus
again it is perfectly plain and certain that neither between God and
Caesar, not yet along with them, is there any third
person, party, power, realm, or jurisdiction, to whom any man is
to render anything. There is no command nor obligation from God to render
anything to any kingdom or dominion, to any power or jurisdiction, but
that of God and that of Caesar, --
these two only. There is no image and superscription of the
church,
neither is there place for any. And
this is only to say that without God, and without God in His place as
all in all, any church is simply nothing. p
89 -- And when such church attempts to be something, she is only
worse than nothing. And in either case nobody can ever owe anything
to any such church. On
the other hand, when the church is truly with God; and when He is truly
to her all in all; she is truly of the kingdom of God. And yet even
then the the kingdom, the dominion, the realm, the jurisdiction, the
authority, and the power, are all
God's NOT HERS: so that all that is owed or rendered is
to God, not to the church. Thus it is strictly and literally
true that never in any case is anything owed or to be rendered by anybody
to the church, as such. And
thus again it is emphasized that there are just two persons, two realms,
two jurisdictions, two authorities, two powers to whom anybody can really
owe or render anything -- God and Caesar: these two and no more, and
no other. This
requires, therefore, that the church to be true to her calling and her
p
90 -- place in the world, shall be so absolutely devoted to God,
so completely swallowed up and lost in God, that only God shall be known
or manifested, wherever and in whatsoever she is or is to do. In
the very spirit of Christianity this is certainly true. For this is
exactly the calling and attitude of individual Christians in the world
-- to be so absolutely devoted to God, so completely swallowed up and
lost in Him, that only God shall be seen in all that they are : "God
manifest in the flesh." And the church is composed only of individual
Christians. Also the church is "the body of Christ;" and Christ
is God manifest, to the complete emptying, yea, the very annihilation,
of self. And
this is the mystery of God. And
just here is where the church, both before Christ and after Christ,
missed her calling,and her place: she aspired to be something
herself, It was not enough for her that God should be
all p
91 -- in all. It was not enough for her that the kingdom and the
dominion, the realm and the jurisdiction, the authority and the power,
the word and the faith, should all be God's and only God's. She aspired
to kingdom herself; to realm and jurisdiction of her own; to authority
that she could assert; to power that she could wield;
to a word that she
could speak; and to a "faith" that she could dictate. To
satisfy this ambition and to make tangible this aspiration, she rejected
God and assumed and usurped the kingdom and the dominion, the realm
and the jurisdiction, the authority and the power, that belonged to
both God and Caesar. And so being herself neither God nor Caesar, but
only a self-constituted and self-exalted interloper, her blundering
confusion of things only multiplied iniquity and deepened the curse
upon the world. And
such precisely is the charge that God lays against her in each age and
in p
92 -- both testaments. The glory and the beauty, the honor and the
dignity, the authority and the power, the sweet influence and divine
attractiveness, that all were hers and that were grandly becoming to
her, because of His dwelling
with her and being in her -- these all she arrogated TO HERSELF
and assumed to be OF HERSELF. Read Eze. 16: 11-19. ROM 1: 7-9; 2 Thess.
2: 2-3; Rev. 17: 1-6. When
God gave to her the true and divine
faith that could be "spoken of throughout
the whole world," upon this she assumed that HER faith was to be
the faith of the whole world, and so took it upon herself
to assign and to dictate "the faith" for the whole
world, and to maintain that "the faith" which she dictated
was the true and divine. When
God gave to her His word
in such perfect purity to speak, that when she should speak it would
be as the voice of God, upon this she exalted herself to the claim that
HER voice was the p
93 -- voice of God, and that the word which she
chose to speak was the word of God because
she spoke
it. When
God gave to her such perfection of
truth that her very speaking of that truth was to speak
with all authority, upon this she assumed for herself that SHE had authority
to speak; and therefore that when she should speak, all must obey because
it was she who spoke. 'When
God bestowed upon her such measure of his power that even the
devils were subject to that power and must obey God, upon this she assumed
that to HER belonged the power; and even the power to compel all men
and nations in all the world to be subject to
her and
to obey her. Thus
in all things she actually thought it a thing to be grasped and held
fast, "a usurpation to be meditated, to be equal with God."
But the time has come when every person and everything that would be
the church or of the church, must never more think it a p
94 -- thing to be seized upon, a usurpation to be meditated, to
be equal with God; but must think only of how the church shall empty
herself, and make herself of no reputation, and take upon herself the
form of a servant, and humble herself, and become obedient unto death,
even the death of the cross; and all this in order that GOD may be made
manifest in His own person and Spirit in her: and through her
to the world. The
time has come when no church should any more call men to herself but
to Christ only.
The time has come when the church herself must be most of all interested
in making it manifest that there is no third kingdom, realm, jurisdiction,
or power; but only the two -- God and Caesar; and when she must ever
urge upon all people the divine instruction, "Render therefore
unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that
are God's." The
time has fully come when the church in all things must let only this
p
95 -- mind be in her that "was also in Christ Jesus, "
that will not think it "a thing to be grasped, to be equal
with God;" but that will completely empty herself
in order that God may be revealed: the living and true God, and
He all in all. He, only King and Lord of all in the church and to the
church, and that church "the fulness of Him that filleth all in
all." Long
enough have both states and churches usurped the authority of God, and
have assumed to reign in the place God. Now
the time has fully come when there should be, yea when there will
be heard on earth
the grand words of the glorious voices in heaven: "We give thee
thanks, 0 Lord God Almighty, which art, and was, and is to come; because
Thou hast taken to Thee
thy great power, and hast
reigned."
Rev. 11:17. TOP VII RECAPITULATION. p
96 -- WE have now traced in the Word of God the principle of the
divine right of individuality in religion, as that principle is applied
and illustrated as relates to autocracy, to government of the supremacy
and inflexibility of law, to the union of Church and State, to the church
itself, and to individuals. Please
let no one think that all this is only a series of studies in ancient
history, nor yet that it is a study of principles and Scriptures only
as such: though on either ground the study would be amply justified.
However, it is nothing of the kind. It is a study of principles which
in one phase or another are fully as alive and active today as ever.
And the day is yet to be, and that not far distant, when the whole series
of illustrations covered in these studies will p
97 -- again be alive and active, and all at once, as truly and to
the like purpose as each was in its place and day. The
day is coming, and is not far distant, when autocracies, governments
of the supremacy and the inflexibility of the law, unions of church
and State, and churches as such, will all be standing unitedly, and
bent as from one mind, to compel submission and uniformity in religion;
and to crush out every suggestion of individuality in religion and every
kind of right of it. It
is particularly in view of what is soon to come that these studies have
been published. All these things written in the Scriptures were set
down there by the Spirit of inspiration, not only for the instruction
of all people always, but,
particularly "for our admonition upon whom the ends
of the world are come." The mightiest contest, and this upon the
grandest scale, between the forces of evil and the reign of righteousness
that this world's experience p
98 -- shall ever know, is yet to be. This mightiest conflict is
to be in the time when the ends of the world are come. That time is
even now at hand. For this reason these lessons from the inspired record
are all-important just now. In
view of the mighty pressure from all these sources and by all these
forces, that is soon to be put on every individual, it is of the greatest
importance that each individual shall know for himself, and know by
the surest possible evidence -- to know by very certitude itself --
just what is his place, his responsibility, and his right, individually,
in the presence of principalities and powers, and before God and with
God. While
in these studies of the Scriptures we have discussed each case from
the point of view that these powers have no right to assert or exercise
any authority or jurisdiction in religion, but that the right of individuality
in religion is supreme in the presence of all, the other side is equally
true and no less p
99 -- important, even if it be not even more important -- that it
is incumbent on the individual never to allow any other than God to
assert authority or jurisdiction in religion without being openly challenged
and absolutely ignored: that in true allegiance to God and perfect loyalty
to the right, the divine right of individuality in religion, shall be
maintained. This every individual owes absolutely to God, to the right,
and to himself in God and for the right. This principle each individual
must maintain or else prove disloyal to God, to himself as a man before
God, and to consent that the wrong shall prevail instead of the right:
in other words, to consent that the wrong shall be the right. It
is true, as the inspired record shows, that autocracy, as illustrated
in King Nebuchadnezzar; that government of the supremacy of law, as
illustrated in the Medo-Persian power; that the union of church and
State, as illustrated in the Jewish church and the Roman p
100 -- power united against Christ; that the church as such, as
illustrated in the church of Israel against the disciples of Christ;
has no right to assert authority or jurisdiction in religion. It is
equally, and even more emphatically, true, that, to be at all loyal
to God and the right, or true to themselves and to their fellow men,
the three Hebrew young men, the man Daniel, the Lord Jesus, and the
apostles of the Lord, must absolutely disregard every such assertion.
In each case God's dominion was usurped. In each case the right was
being completely thrown over, and the wrong established in its place.
In such a case and at such a time could any who knew God or cared for
the right, sit still and do nothing? Is allegiance to God, nothing?
Is loyalty to the right, never to be known? Shall the wrong be recognized
as having only the right to prevail? Shall man never be true -- neither
true to God nor to the right, neither true to himself nor to his fellowmen. p
101 -- It is true that Nebuchadnezzar was entirely out of his place
and did wholly wrong when he attempted to exercise authority in religion;
and the story is written to show to all people forever that every autocracy
is just as much of place, and just as far wrong, when it presumes to
assert authority in religion. At the same time it is true, and equally
important to remember, that the three Hebrew individuals openly and
uncompromisingly disregarded that autocratic assertion of authority
in religion. And the story is written to teach that all other individuals
forever must do as did those three individuals, if these too will be
true to God, to the right, to themselves, and to their kind. It
is true that, notwithstanding its principles of supremacy and inflexibility
of the law, the Medo-Persian government did wrong when it by its law
entered the field of religion; and the story is written to show to all
governments and people forever that every government p 102 --
is equally wrong in entering by law the field of religion. It is equally
true, and equally important to remember, that the individual, -- Daniel,
-- did absolutely and uncompromisingly disregard that law; and that
the story is written to teach all individuals forever that in all
like circumstances they must do as did that individual, if they will
honor God and the right and be true to themselves and to their fellowmen.
It
is true that the Church of Israel did an enormously wicked thing when
she allied herself with the civil power in order to make her will effective;
and the story of it is written to show to all the world forever that
every church commits the like enormity whenever, under any pretext whatever,
she seeks to control the civil power to make her will effective. It
is equally true, and equally important to recognize and remember, that
the One lone Individual Who was the object of this wicked alliance of
the church and State, would die p
103 -- under it rather than to yield to it or to recognize it in
the slightest degree. And this is all written, that every other individual
to the world's end shall be ready under like circumstances to do as
did the Lord Jesus, in order to be true to God, to the truth, true to
himself, and true to the human race. It
is true that the church of Israel went out of the right way, and did
entirely wrong, when she assumed the authority to decide what the members
of that church should or should not believe and teach; and the story
of it is written to make plain to all churches and people forever, that
every church is just as far from the right way, and equally wrong, when
she assumes any authority to decide what any member of the church shall
or shall not believe and teach. It is equally true, and just as important
to remember, that the individual church-members there openly and uncompromisingly
refused to recognize any such authority to any extent or in any degree
p
104 -- whatever. And this is written to teach to all church-members
forever that they must individually do the like, if they will be true
to God, true to Christ, true to the right, true to themselves, and true
to mankind. The
three Hebrew young men did right when they refused to recognize any
right of autocracy in religion. Daniel did right when he refused to
recognize any right of civil government of law in religion. The Lord
Jesus did right when he refused to recognize any right of the church
through the civil power to make effective her will. The apostles and
disciples of the Lord Jesus did right when they refused to recognize
any right of the church to decide or to dictate what they should or
should not believe and teach. In each of these cases God openly and
in mighty miraculous power made perfectly plain to all that these individuals
were right. By this it is openly demonstrated not only that they were
right, but that they were
divinely p
105 --right. And in each case the story has been written out that
all powers and people forever may know that such course is divinely
right. And whosoever will stand with God as did each of these in his
place, can know it. It
is these individuals and such as these, who, in their day and from age
to age, kept alive in the world the honor of God, who have kept alive
the right in the world, who have kept alive integrity and true manliness
in mankind; yea, it is just these and such as these blessed individuals
who have kept the world itself alive. It
is not autocracies, nor governments of law, nor unions of church and
state, nor yet is it even churches as such that have maintained the
honor of God, that have held true to the right, and that have preserved
the integrity of man. For all history with one voice testifies that
all these have done all that they could to undermine and break down
all individuality and integrity of man, p
106 -- to obliterate the right, and to shut out God from his own
place in men and in the world. No,
it is not these, but the blessed INDIVIDUAL with God and in God; it
is those who have known and maintained the divine right of individuality
in religion; it is the Daniels, the Christ, the Pauls, the Wyckliffes,
the Luthers, who have stood alone in the world and in the church, and
against both the church and the world -- it is THESE, who have maintained
the honor of God, who have kept alive the knowledge of God, of the right
and of the true, and so have kept alive the world. And
now, and for the time to come when there is being pushed forward among
the churches and urged upon the world, denominational, national, international,
and world FEDERATION in religion and of religion; when all this is aimed
expressly to the one end of asserting by autocracies, by governments
of the supremacy and inflexibility of p
107 -- law by churches allied with and in control of civil power,
and by churches of themselves; when all these shall work at once and
together to the assertion and exercise of absolute authority in religion
-- in view of all this, just now, as never before, it is essential to
know, to proclaim, and to maintain, The
Divine Right of Individuality in Religion, VIII INDIVIDUALITY
THE SUPREME GIFT. p
108 -- GOVERNMENT exists in the very nature of the existence of
intelligent creatures. For the very term "creature" implies
the Creator; and as certainly as any intelligent creature is, he owes
to the Creator all that he is. And, in recognition of this fact, he
owes to the Creator honor and devotion supreme. This, in turn, and in
the nature of things, implies subjection and obedience on the part of
the creature; and this is the principle of government. Each
intelligent creature owes to the Creator all that he is. Accordingly,
the first principle of government is, "Thou shalt love the Lord
thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy
mind, and with all thy strength. p
109 -- This is pronounced by the Lord to be the first of all the
commandments. It of all the commandments because it was the first one
that was ever given; but simply because it exists in the very nature
and existence of every intelligent creature, and so inheres in the nature
of things as soon as a single intelligent creature exists. It
is, therefore, the first of all the commandments, simply because it
is but the expression of the inherent obligation in the first relationship
which can possibly exist between creature and Creator. It is the first
in the nature, the circumstances, and the existence of created intelligences. It
is the first of all the commandments in the supreme and most absolute
sense. It inheres in the nature and the relationship of the first intelligent
creature, and stands as complete in the case of that one alone as though
there were millions; and stands as complete in the case of each one
in the succession of future p
110 -- millions as in the case of the first intelligent creature,
as he stood absolutely alone in the universe. No expansion, no multiplication
of the number of the creatures beyond the original one, can ever
in any sense limit the scope or meaning of that first of all commandments.
It stands absolutely alone and eternally complete, as the first obligation
of every intelligent creature that can ever be. And this eternal truth
distinguishes individuality
as an eternal principle. However,
just as soon as a second intelligent creature is given existence, an
additional relationship exists. There is now not only the primary and
original relationship of each to the Creator, for both owe equally their
existence to the Creator, but also an additional and secondary relationship
of each to the other. This
secondary relationship is one of absolute equality. And in the subjection
and devotion of each to the Creator, in the first of all possible relationships, p
111 -- each of these honors the other. Therefore, in the nature
of things, in the existence of two intelligent creatures, there inheres
the second governmental principle, mutuality of all the subjects as
equals. And
this principle is expressed in the second of all the commandments, "Thou
shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." This is the second
of all the commandments, for the like reason that the first is the
first of
all the commandments: it exists and inheres in the nature of things
and of intelligences just as soon as a second intelligent creature exists.
And also, like the first, this is complete and absolute the moment that
two intelligent creatures exist, and it never can be expanded nor can
it be modified by the existence of the universe full of other intelligent
creatures. Each,
himself, alone, in his own individuality, is completely subject and
devoted first of all to the Creator; because to Him he owes all. And
in this p
112 -- subjection and devotion to the Creator first of all, each
honors every other intelligent creature as his equal: as equally with
himself occupying his place in the design of the Creator, and responsible
individually and only to the Creator for the fulfillment of that design.
Therefore out of respect to the Creator, to his neighbor, and to himself,
he loves his neighbor as himself. And this second eternal truth, equally
with the first distinguishes individuality
as an eternal principle. This
is original government. It is also ultimate government; because these
are first principles complete and absolute; and because they eternally
inhere in the nature and relationships of intelligent creatures. And
this government, which is at once original and ultimate, is simply
self-government -- self-government in rationality and
in God. For it is only the plainest, simplest dictate of rationality
that the intelligent creature should recognize that to the Creator he p
113 -- owes all; and that, therefore, subjection and honor are the
reasonable dues from him to the Creator. It is likewise a dictate of
reason that, since his neighbor equally with himself owes all to the
Creator, his neighbor must be respected and honored in all this as he
himself would desire to be respected and honored in it. It
is also the simple dictate of rationality that, since these have all
been created, and in their existence owe all to the Creator, this existence
with all its accompaniments in the exercise of abilities and powers
should be ever held strictly in accordance with the will and design
of the Creator. Because it is still further the simple dictate of reason
that the Creator could never have designed that the existence, the faculties,
or the powers of any creature should be exercised contrary to His will
or outside of His design. Therefore it is the simplest, plainest dictate
of rationality that this original and ultimate government, which p
114 -- is self-government,
is self-government under God,
with God, and
in God.
And this is truly the only true self-government. God
has created all intelligences absolutely free. He made man, equally
with other intelligences, to be moral. Freedom of choice is essential
to morals. To have made an intelligence unable to choose would have
been to make it incapable of freedom, Therefore, He made man, equally
with other intelligences, free
to choose;
and He ever respects that of which He is the Author the freedom of choice. When,
in the exercise of this freedom of choice, an intelligence chooses that
his existence, with its consequent faculties and powers, shall be spent
strictly subject to the will and within the design of the Creator, and
so, indeed, with the Creator and in the Creator, this is in the truest
sense strictly and truly self- p
115 -- and the allegiance, of each intelligence is to rendered entirely
upon his own free choice, this reveals on the part of God, the Supreme
and true Governor, the principle of
government with the consent of the governed. Thus
the divine government as it relates to both the Governor and the governed,
the Creator and the creature, is demonstrated as well as revealed to
be government of perfect freedom; and of perfect freedom because
of perfect individuality. Through
sin man lost his freedom and therefore his individuality. But in the
gift of Christ all was restored. "He hath sent me to proclaim liberty
to the captives." "Christ suffered for sins, the just for
the unjust, that He might bring us to God." Christ
Jesus, therefore, came from Heaven unto the world to bring back to man,
and to bring man back to, what man had lost. Individuality was the Creator's
supreme gift. In the fall, this p
116 -- was lost. In the gift of Christ the
day that man sinned, the gift of individuality was restored
to man. In
the long ages of sinful and imperial despotism from Cain to Tiberius
Caesar, men had been so continually and systematically oppressed that
they had been robbed of every vestige of individuality. Then Christ
came into the world in human flesh as man, and through every phase of
human experience established the individuality of man upon its own original
and eternal basis. Matt. 25 : 15. Therefore, without Christianity in
its original and native purity there cannot be true individuality. But
in the interests of despotism the very name of Christianity was perverted.
And through long ages of ecclesiastical imperialistic tyranny men were
again systematically robbed of every vestige of individuality. In the
Reformation, God again restored men to Christianity and individuality.
But Protestantism p
117 -- hardened in forms and creeds; and every form and denomination
of Protestants has denied, and done all that it could to destroy, Christian
liberty and individuality. And now, through denominational, national,
international, and federation and confederation in religion and of religions,
again ecclesiastical imperialistic despotism will work with all worldly
power, deceiving signs, and lying wonders, systematically to rob man
finally of every vestige of individuality. But
Christianity in its supreme gift of individuality, as always before,
will now and finally triumph over all. Rev. 15 : 2, 3. And Christianity
triumphing through individuality, in the nature of the case, does it
now as always before only in and through the blessed individual: the
individual under God and with God, the individual maintaining in perfect
sincerity the Divine Right of Individuality in Religion, and Religious
Liberty Complete. p
118 -- Individuality,
bear in mind always not individualism:
for it is distinctly and eternally an "ity";
never an "ism."
TOP IX SUNDAY
LEGISLATION. p
119 --Whence came Sunday Legislation? What
is its origin? What is its character? What
does it mean to the people of the States, of the United States, and
of the world? These
questions are pre-eminently pertinent everywhere in the United States
today; for in the States and in the Nation, Sunday legislation is universally
demanded; before Congress and State legislatures Sunday legislation
is constantly urged. Also
for another reason these questions are not only pertinent, but all important.
That reason is that it is
through Sunday legislation that all the autocracies,
all the governments of law, all the unions of Church and State, and
all the churches as such, are to be p
120 -- enlisted and combined under the pressure of denominational,
national, international, and world Federation of religion, for the domination
of the whole world in religion. The whole movement for the federation
of the world in religion, culminates pre-eminently in the one thing
of Sunday observance, and this by law. ITS
ORIGIN AND CHARACTER. -- The first legislation in behalf of Sunday
was that by Constantine; and it originated in
the church and was enacted solely upon the initiative
and the demand of the bishops.
This is certain, not only from the provisions of the legislation
itself, but also from all the facts and circumstances of the legislation,
and from the whole history of the
time, as well as of the legislation. The
first legislation on the subject was about the year A. D. 314, and included
Friday as well as Sunday. And the intent of the legislation was specifically p
121 -- religious, for it provided and ordered that on Friday and
on Sunday "there should be a suspension of business at the courts
and in other civil offices, so
that the day might be
devoted with less interruption to
the purposes of ,devotion." Such
is Neander's paraphrase of the statement of Sozomen respecting this
first of all legislation in behalf of Sunday observance; and it shows
that the only intent of the legislation was religious. But Sozomen's
words themselves, as we have them in English in Professor Walford's
translation, really intensify the religious character of the legislation.
Here they are: -- He
[Constantine] also enjoined the observance of the day termed the Lord's
day, which the Jews call the first day of the week, and which the Greeks
dedicate to the sun, as likewise the day before the seventh, and commanded
that no judicial or other business should be transacted on p
122 -- these
days, but THAT GOD SHOULD BE SERVED
WITH PRAYERS AND SUPPLICATIONS." -- Sozomen's "Ecclesiastical
History," Book 1, Chap. VIII. This
puts it beyond all question or contrivance that the intent of the first
legislation ever in the world in behalf of Sunday as a day of cessation
from certain business and other common occupations was religious wholly
and solely. In
the second step in Sunday legislation, in the law of Constantine issued
A. D. 321, Friday was dropped and Sunday stood alone. The scope of the
law was now extended to include not only courts and other State offices,
but also the "people residing in cities" and "such as
work at trades." And still the intent of it was unqualifiedly the
same; for Eusebius, one of the bishops who had most to do with the legislation,
says of it: -- "He
[Constantine] commanded too, that one day should be regarded as a special
occasion FOR RELIGIOUS WORSHIP." p
123 -- -- Oration in
Praise of Constantine, - Chap. I And
when in A. D. 386 the scope of the legislation was made universal and
" civil transactions of every kind
on Sunday were strictly
forbidden," the same exclusively religious character
still attached to it; for "whosoever transgressed was to be considered
in fact, as guilty of sacrilege."
--Neander. "Sacrilege"
is not in any sense a civil,
but in every sense only a
religious, offense. Thus
on the face of the legislation itself it is perfectly plain that there
was neither in it, nor about it, in any way, any other than an exclusively
religious intent. Yet we are not left with only this evidence, all-sufficient
as it would be in itself. By the very ones who initiated and promoted
and secured the legislation, there is given the positive assurance that
the intent of the legislation was exclusively religious, and specifically
so. Again, Bishop Eusebius p
124 -- is the one who assures us of this, as follows, referring
to Constantine in this connection: "Who
else has commanded the nations inhabiting the continents and islands
of this mighty globe to assemble weekly on the Lord's day and to observe
it as a festival, NOT indeed for the PAMPERING OF THE BODY, BUT
for the comfort and invigoration of THE SOUL by instruction
in divine truth."-Ibid. Chap. XVII. All
this is confirmed by the course of Constantine himself in connection
with the law. As the interpreter of his own law, showing what he
intended that its meaning should be,
he drew up the following prayer
which he had his soldiers repeat in concert at a given signal every
Sunday morning: "We
acknowledge Thee the only God; we own Thee as our king and implore Thy
succor. By Thy favor have we gotten the victory; through Thee are we
mightier than our enemies p
125-- We render thanks
for Thy past benefits and trust Thee for future blessings. Together
we pray to Thee and beseech Thee long to preserve to us, safe and triumphant,
our Emperor Constantine and his pious sons." - Life of Constantine,"
Book IV, Chap. XX If,
however, there should yet be in the mind of any reasonable person any
lingering doubt as to whether the original Sunday legislation was religious
only, with no thought, much less any intent, of its having any other
than an exclusively religious character, even such lingering doubt must
be effectually removed by the indisputable fact that it was by virtue
of his office and authority as pontifex maximus, and not
as Emperor, that the day was set apart to the uses signified; because
it was the sole prerogative of the pontifex maximus to appoint
holy days. In proof of this there is the excellent authority of the
historian Duruy in the following words: p
126 -- "IN
DETERMINING WHAT DAYS SHOULD BE REGARDED AS HOLY, and in the composition
of a prayer for national use, CONSTANTINE EXERCISED ONE OF THE RIGHTS
BELONGING TO HIM AS PONTIFEX MAXIMUS, and it caused no surprise that
he should do this." History of Rome," Chap. CII, Part
I, par. 4, from end. So
much for the exclusively religious origin and character of Sunday legislation
as it is in itself. Now what for ITS INSPIRATION AND INITIATION. This
original Sunday legislation was but a part of the grand ambition and
scheme of the popular church of the time through politico-ecclesiastical
connivance and intrigue with Constantine to establish a "kingdom
of God" on earth; and this in the very thought and purpose of an
earthly theocracy. For there had in fact arisen in the church "a
false theocratical theory . . . which might easily result in the formation
of a sacerdotal
State, subordinating p
127 -- the secular
to itself in a false and outward way." "This theocratical
theory was already the prevailing one in the time of Constantine; and
"the bishops voluntarily made themselves dependent on him by their
disputes and by their determination
to make use of the power of the State for the furtherance
of their aims." - Neander. Accordingly
the whole scheme of a human theocracy in imitation of the original and
divine one in the Scriptures, was definitely worked out by the bishops;
and through Sunday legislation
was made effective. This is absolutely unmistakable and undeniable
in the history of the time. It is the plain thread-thought of the whole
ecclesiastical literature of the time; and stands crystallized in Bishop
Eusebius's "Life of Constantine." The church was Israel
in Egypt oppressed by the Pharaoh Maxentius, and Constantine was the
new Moses who delivered this new oppressed Israel. The defeat of Maxentius
p
128 -- by Constantine in the battle of the Milvian Bridge, and his
drowning in the Tiber, was the overthrow of Pharaoh in the sea, and
his "sinking to the bottom like a stone." After this deliverance
of the new Israel by this new Moses, the new Moses with the new Israel
went on to the conquest of the heathen in the wilderness, to the full
establishment of the new theocracy, to the entering of the promised
land, and to the saints of the Most High taking the kingdom. Accordingly,
by the new Moses a tabernacle was set up, and a priesthood in imitation
of the divine original in the Scriptures was established. And still
in imitation of that divine original in the Scriptures, Sunday was
by law made the sign of this new and false theocracy, as the Sabbath
was and is the sign of the original, the true, and the divine Theocracy.
And this was done with
this direct intent;
for we have it so stated in the words of Bishop Eusebius him- p
129 -- self who was one of the chief ones in the doing of it. Here
are his words: -- "All
things whatsoever it was duty to do on the Sabbath, these WE have transferred
to the Sunday." That
the scheme and system of things thus established was in their thought
the very kingdom of God on earth, is also plainly and positively stated
by Bishop Eusebius thus: -- "Invested
as he is with a semblance of
heavenly sovereignty,
he [Constantine] directs his gaze above and FRAMES HIS EARTHLY GOVERNMENT
according to THE PATTERN of that DIVINE ORIGINAL, feeling
strength in ITS CONFORMITY TO THE MONARCHY OF GOD." "And
by the appointment of the Caesars fulfills the predictions of the
prophets,
according to what they uttered ages before: 'And the saints of the
most High SHALL TAKE THE KINGDOM.' " "Oration,"
Chap. III. And
Sunday observance established and enforced by imperial law, as the p
130 -- sign of the new and false theocracy, in the place and in
imitation of the Sabbath as the sign of the original and true Theocracy,
was the means of making all the people "fit subjects" of this
new and false "kingdom of God." Here are the words, still
by Bishop Eusebius: "Our
Emperor, ever beloved by Him, derives the source of imperial authority
from above." "That preserver of the universe orders these
heavens and earth and the celestial kingdom, consistently with
His Father's will. Even so, our emperor, whom He loves, by bringing
those whom he rules on earth to the only begotten Word and SAVIOUR,
RENDERS THEM FIT SUBJECTS OF HIS KINGDOM." Ibid. Chap. II. These
evidences demonstrate that the inspiration and initiation of the original
Sunday legislation was exclusively and specifically ecclesiastical;
and this all to the promotion of a grand and subtle scheme of the bishops
for the erection p
131 -- of "a
sacerdotal state" that should "subordinate the
secular to itself in a false and outward way"; and to make effective
"their determination to make use of the power of the State for
the furtherance of their aims." Therefore
by the evidence on these two counts -- 1. -- "The Origin
and Character:" 2. -- "The Inspiration and Initiation,"
of the original Sunday legislation -- that the said Sunday legislation
is specifically religious and ecclesiastical, with every other thought
and intent specifically excluded, stands proven to a demonstration:
to a demonstration,
because it is the unanimous testimony of all the evidence that can be
brought in the case. HOW
STANDS THE CASE NOW? -- The exclusively and specifically religious
and ecclesiastical character of the original Sunday legislation being
a positive fixture, the question next arises, Has Sunday legislation
ever lost that p
132 -- exclusive and specific religious and ecclesiastical character? First
of all, how could that character possibly be lost? That being its native
and inherent character; that being absolutely the only character that
it ever had; it is perfectly plain that this character simply never
could be lost. As certainly as the thing survives at all, its native
and inherent character is there. Therefore, wherever, to the world's
end, Sunday legislation shall be found, its native and inherent religious
and ecclesiastical character inevitably attaches to it. That
is true in the very principle and nature of the case. But let us trace
the thing historically and see how completely the principle is manifested.
The "sacerdotal State," in the erection of which the original
Sunday legislation was such a potent factor, did, all over Europe and
for more than a thousand years, "subordinate the secular to itself,"
and did thus most despotically p
133 -- "make use of the power of the State -- every State --
for the furtherance of her aims." In all this dismal time Sunday
legislation was continued, and with no pretense of any other than its
original, native, and inherent, religious and ecclesiastical character. In
1533 Henry VIII divorced himself and England from the Pope of Rome.
But that was all: for, to what then and thus became "The Church
of England" Henry immediately stood as pope in the place
of the pope. By statute it was ordered that the king "shall be
taken, accepted and reputed the only supreme head on earth of the church
of England." And in 1535 Henry assumed officially the title "On
earth supreme head of the Church of England." That which was now
the Church of England
was only that which before had been the Catholic Church
in England. "In form nothing had been changed. The
outer constitution of the Church remained unaltered. "- Green. p
134 -- And in this same unchanged system the original papal Sunday
legislation was continued, and has been continued to the present day:
and still with no pretense or suggestion of anything else than as in
its original, native, and inherent, religious and ecclesiastical character. From
England there spread colonies to America. In America these colonies
were established by English charters, and so were but the extension
here of the English Government. And in strict accord with the English
system, and in plain extension of it, every colony established in America,
except only Rhode Island, had an established
religion: either in the form of "the Christian religion"
in general, or else, as in most, in the form of some particular church. And
in every one of these colonial religious establishments in America,
there was extended, and in some there was even intensified, the Sunday
legislation of the English system, which was only the extension of the
Sunday legislation p
135 -- of the original Roman and papal system. And
still here, as always before in England and in Rome, the Sunday legislation
of the colonies in America was never with any thought or purpose, or
pretense, other than as in its original, native, and inherent, religious
and ecclesiastical character. Presently
these colonies cut loose from the government of Britain and became free
and independent States."
But still each of them was the same as before in its system of established
religion and Sunday legislation. Virginia, however, immediately disestablished
there the Church of England and her religion; and as regards established
religion as such swept it all away by "An Act for Establishing
Religious Freedom." Yet on the statute books of the now
State of Virginia there stood and remained unmodified
the identical Sunday legislation of the Colony
of Virginia, which was only the unmodified Sunday p
136 -- legislation of the English Church - and State - system,
which was only the unmodified Sunday legislation of the Roman and papal
system in its old, original, native, and inherent, religious and ecclesiastical
character. And
the story of Virginia in this is substantially the story of every other
of the original Thirteen States; excepting always Rhode Island. And
the Sunday legislation of all the States of the Union, after the original
Thirteen, has been only the extension, and practically the copying,
of the Sunday legislation of the original Thirteen States that had it.
And in this bad progress even Rhode Island has been perverted and disgraced.
And always this Sunday legislation of the later States has been of the
same original native and inherent religious and ecclesiastical character
of that of the Colonies, of England, and of Rome. Thus,
from the original Sunday legislation of Constantine to the latest Sun- p
137 -- day legislation in the United States, it the same thing,
to the same purpose, and of the same character precisely. SUNDAY
LEGISLATION UNCONSTITUTIONAL -- Then came the formation of the National
Government of the United States with its total separation of religion
and the State, and its constitutional provision that "Congress
shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting
the free exercise thereof." This principle of the national Constitution
with the preceding "Act for Establishing Religious Freedom,"
in Virginia, has been the guide in the formation of the Constitutions
of all the States of the American Union, after the original Thirteen:
and even the Constitutions, though not the legislation, of the original
Thirteen States have been materially shaped by it. And so faithfully
has this guidance been followed, and so generally has the principle
been p
138 -- recognized throughout the whole American Union, that, as
summarized, the case stands thus: -- "Those
things which are not lawful under any of the American Constitutions
may be stated thus: "
1. -- Any law respecting an establishment of religion. "
2. -- Compulsory support, by taxation or otherwise, of religious
instruction. "
3. -- Compulsory attendance upon religious worship. "
4. -- Restraints upon the free exercise of religion according
to the dictates of conscience. "
5. -- Restraints upon the expression of religious belief. "These
are the prohibitions which in some form of words are to be found in
the American Constitutions, and which secure freedom of conscience and
of religious worship. No man in religious matters is to be p 139 -- subjected
to the censorship of the State
or of any public authority." "The legislators
have not been left at liberty to effect a union of Church and State,
or to establish preferences by law in favor of any religious persuasion
or mode of worship. There is not complete religious liberty where
any one sect is favored by the State and given advantage by law over
other sects. "Whatever
establishes a distinction against one class or sect is, to the extent
to which the distinction operates unfavorably, a persecution; and if
based on religious grounds, a religious persecution. The extent of the
discrimination is not material to the principle; it is enough that it
creates an inequality of right or privilege." -- Cooley's "Constitutional
Limitations," Chap. XIII, par. 1-9. Now,
in view of these facts, provisions. And principles, taking Sunday legislation
for just what it unquestionably p
140 -- is, -- exclusively and specifically religious -- it is perfectly
plain upon every principle that anywhere and everywhere in the United
States, and under all the Constitutions, Sunday legislation is "a
religious persecution," and is absolutely unconstitutional and
void of itself. That
it is unconstitutional has been admitted by both State and United States
Courts. The Supreme Court of Ohio said plainly that "if religion
were the sole ground of Sunday legislation, it could not stand for a
moment" under the Constitution. And a United States District Court
has remarked upon the "somewhat humiliating spectacle of the Sunday
Advocates trying to justify the continuance of Sunday legislation .
. . upon the argument that it is not in conflict with the civic
dogma of religious freedom," when "It
surely is"; and says that "the potentiality of
the fact that it is in
aid of religion might be frankly confessed and not denied." p
141 -- And the latter court distinctly recognized it, in the very
word, as "persecution." TOP JUDICIAL
INVENTION AND FIAT. -- And yet all over the United States Sunday
legislation is held by courts to be constitutional! How can this be?
The answer is that it is
solely by judicial invention and fiat. Note:
-- It is not by judicial construction or interpretation of the Constitutions,
but wholly by judicial invention and fiat as to the
character of the legislation. That is to say: By judicial
invention and fiat an utterly new and foreign character is given to
Sunday legislation: and then upon this new and foreign ground the legislation
is held to be constitutional. If this new and foreign ground were in
truth the original and native ground, even then the constitutionality
of such legislation would be open to question. But not in any sense
is the new and foreign ground true. It is a sheer invention, and false
both as to principle and to the facts. p
142 -- This judicial invention and fiat of new and foreign ground
for Sunday legislation is the proposition that it is for the physical
benefit, for the promotion of the health and for the restoration
of the wasted energies, of the people; that "it is for the
protection of labor," and so is constitutional "as a police
regulation" and a "purely civil rule"! Now,
everybody who knows but the A B C of Sunday legislation, knows full
well that no Sunday law in the world was ever enacted with any such
intent, or for any such purpose, or upon any such ground, as that; but
that every Sunday law ever in the world was enacted solely because of
its religious and ecclesiastical character, with every physical and
civic element specifically excluded. The
State of Idaho is an illustration in point, and being the very latest,
is strictly pertinent. In the very spirit, and with the very aim, of
the bishops in the time of Constantine, an ecclesiastical clique,
not of the State of Idaho, framed p
143 -- for Idaho
a Sunday Bill and carried it to the legislature of Idaho and got it
enacted into the law of Idaho. And then under a Constitution declaring
that: "The
exercise and enjoyment of religious faith and worship shall forever
be guaranteed; . . . no person shall be denied any civil or political
right, privilege, or capacity on account of his religious opinions;
. . . nor shall any preference be given by law to any religious denomination
or mode of worship," the
Supreme Court of Idaho held that religious and ecclesiastical statute
to be "constitutional." The
State of Washington is another illustration. The Constitution of that
State declares that "Absolute
freedom of conscience in all matters of religious sentiment, belief,
and worship shall be guaranteed to every individual, and no one shall
be molested or disturbed in person or property on account of religion." p
144 -- When in 1889 this constitutional provision was framed, it
was the unanimous intent of its framers that it should exclude Sunday
legislation equally with every other form of religion in law. The writer
of this book was present with the committee of the Constitutional Convention
when that provision was framed. And I personally know that such was
the intent of the framers of it, because this very subject of Sunday
legislation was particularly considered by the committee and it was
held by the committee unanimously that this constitutional provision
as framed would,
as intended,
exclude Sunday legislation. And yet under that Constitution the Supreme
Court of the State of Washington has held Sunday legislation to be "constitutional." Thus
with Sunday legislation actually framed by ecclesiastics with no other
than religious and ecclesiastical intent, and with constitutional provisions
framed with direct intent to prohibit it, p
145 -- the courts by sheer judicial invention and fiat make it "constitutional." But
every such decision is plainly in open disregard of one of the very
first principles,
and of "the universally admitted rule,"
of judicial action -- the
principle and
the rule, that
"the intention of the lawmaker is the law"; that "the
law must be construed according to the intention of the lawmaker";
and that "a law can have no meaning beyond the intent of those
who made it." This
principle, that must ever,
in justice, guide in the construction of statutes
as well as constitutions,
is authoritatively stated as follows: -- "A
court which should allow a change of public sentiment to influence it
in giving to a written constitution a construction not warranted by
the intention of its founders, would be justly chargeable with reckless
disregard of official oath and public duty." -- Cooley, "Constitutional
Limitations," p. 67. p
146-- The principle applies with equal force to the construction
of a statute, as to the construction of a Constitution.
And whether the change of sentiment which a court should allow thus
to influence it, be public and general or only the private and personal
sentiment and bias of the court itself, the principle is the same and
such court is equally "chargeable with reckless disregard of official
oath and public duty." Yet this is precisely what has been done
by the courts when, by setting up an utterly new and foreign meaning,
they give to Sunday legislation a construction not in any sense warranted
by the intention of its founders or its framers, anywhere in human history
or experience. A
PALPABLE SUBTERFUGE. -- Yet even this invention and fiat of new
and foreign ground for Sunday legislation, is not allowed to exclude
the original and native religious
ground of it. This invention, in fact, is only the stalking-horse p
147 -- by which Sunday legislation as
religious can be brought in and made to stand as "constitutional"
under constitutional provisions that absolutely prohibit it. For no
sooner has it in each instance been made "constitutional"
as "purely a civil rule" than it is immediately given standing
as religious
by the declaration that "the
fact that the legislation is founded in religion" and
is "the peculiar feature of Christianity," "is nothing
against it, but rather is strongly in its favor." Thus, under Constitutions
prohibiting religious legislation, by a sheer sleight of judicial legerdemain
the feat is accomplished of making "constitutional" legislation
that is wholly religious and ecclesiastical. STILL
IT IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL. -- But against it all there still stands
the abiding truth that Sunday legislation is unconstitutional everywhere
in the United States, because of its religious character. The inventing
of a p
148 -- "civil
basis" for it in order to render it constitutional, only leaves
it still unconstitutional because of its original, native, and inherent
religious and ecclesiastical character. In other words, when
the Constitution guarantees absolute freedom from all religious observances,
restrictions, or provisions,
by law required,
then any religious character
whatever attaching to any law renders it unconstitutional
for that reason. The
Constitution is the supreme expression of the will of the people in
the government. And when that supreme will excludes from legislation
all things religious, then this supreme will can not be evaded by the
mere trick of inventing a "civil
basis" for a religious
thing. By such trick every religious thing ever heard of
could be made constitutional and enforced upon all: and the constitutional
guaranty of religious freedom would thus be turned into a tantalizing
figment. p
149 -- Therefore, instead of the "religious
ground of Sunday observance being nothing against, but rather in favor
of, Sunday legislation as a civil rule," the truth is that this
is the strongest possible objection against it; so strong indeed that
this alone nullifies it, whatever might be its "civil" nature
or necessity. The
Supreme Court of California has well stated this principle, as follows:
-- p
150 --
the provision of the Constitution securing religious freedom to all,
we should have been compelled to declare it unconstitutional for that
reason. " - Ex-parte Newman. The
principle is that it would be impossible for as much damage to accrue
to the State, to society, or to the individual, through being deprived
of a desired "civil
benefit, as must certainly accrue to the State, to society,
and to every individual, through the infringement of religious
freedom, the invasion of the rights of conscience, and the clothing
of religionists with civil power. TOP EVEN
IF CONSTITUTIONAL IT WOULD YET BE
WRONG. -- It is
undeniable then, that Sunday legislation is religious and ecclesiastical,
and, as such, and under whatever plea, is unconstitutional and "a
persecution" everywhere in the United States. But even if it were
constitutional here, as it is in England and France and Spain and p
151 -- Russia, it would still be wrong. As religious and ecclesiastical,
Sunday legislation is wrong of itself and never can by any possibility
be right. King
Nebuchadnezzar, as against the three Hebrew young men, made a law having
a religious basis and character, But God taught him and all kings and
people forever, that it was wrong. The
Medo-Persian government, as against Daniel, enacted a statute of inflexible
law having a religious basis and character. But God taught that government
and all governments and people forever that it was wrong. And
as for the church "making use of the power of the State for the
furtherance of her aims," which could not possibly be with any
other than religious intent -- that by this slimy, serpentine, trick
there was accomplished by the church her "aim" at the crucifixion
of the Lord of Glory, this
is sufficient demonstration to the wide universe and for eternity
that such combination and the p
152 -- procedure under it is supremely and satanically wrong. Thus
there is a higher law and a mightier Authority than any of earth; that
is the will and authority of God.
Religion is the duty which intelligences owe to their
Creator, and the manner of discharging that duty. The religion therefore,
of every soul stands only between him and the Sovereign of the soul.
Therefore, though Sunday legislation were constitutional in every State
or government on earth, still, as being
religious, it would be altogether wrong; because it is an
invasion of the realm, and a usurpation of the authority and jurisdiction,
of God. NO
POSSIBLE GROUND FOR IT. -- There are just two authorities to whom,
as respects law or government, anybody in the world is under any obligation
to render anything. These two are God and Caesar. Accordingly the Lord
Jesus declared this truth thus: p
153 -- "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's,
and unto God the things that are God's." Sunday
legislation and Sunday observance come from neither God nor Caesar. It
is not of God; for, as the evidence shows, in the very beginning of
it, it was set up as the sign of the false and human theocracy of the
man of sin in the
place of God,
showing himself that he
is God, to supplant the Sabbath of the Lord as the sign of the true
and divine Theocracy in which God Himself is God alone. It
is not of Caesar: for, as the evidence shows, it was not as Caesar
-- the head of the
State, but solely as
pontifex maximus -- the head of religion,
that Constantine decreed Sunday to be a sacred day and established its
observance: and this under the inspiration and demand of
"the Church" which is neither God nor Caesar. Therefore,
since it is from neither God nor Caesar, but only from "the church" p
154 -- through a heathen "head of religion," there is
no obligation, no ground, and no room, for anybody in the universe ever
to render to anybody any observance of it in any way whatever. ITS
ULTERIOR PURPOSE. -- By every count in the indictment then, it is
demonstrated that the original, native, and inherent character of Sunday
legislation abides ever the same -- exclusively and specifically religious
and ecclesiastical. And
the ulterior purpose in Sunday legislation is likewise ever the same.
We have seen that in the original Sunday legislation the ulterior purpose
was "the formation of a sacerdotal State, subordinating the secular
to itself in a false and outward way"; and the making effective
of "the determination" of the ecclesiastics "to make
use of the power of the State for the furtherance of their aims."
And
that is precisely the ulterior purpose p
155- of it now. Congress and legislatures are constantly besieged;
legislators are persistently pestered, and even threatened, by ecclesiastics
now, as the imperial office was then, always for Sunday legislation,
and more Sunday legislation. It matters not how much of such legislation
there may be already on the statute books, still the persistent demand
is that there shall be more, and more, and yet more; and it is all dictated,
when it is not actually framed, by the interested ecclesiastics themselves,
and in terms more and more approaching the Inquisition, precisely as
by those other ecclesiastics at the first. We
need not follow the subject further here. The evidences here presented
show conclusively that the character of Sunday legislation is ever only
exclusively and specifically religious and ecclesiastical; that, therefore,
in the United States it is unconstitutional and un-American;
and that everywhere
it is un-Godly and anti-Christian. End of Book.
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