The Fatal Gift of a Christian Emperor: Matters in Church government did not mend with time, but grew worse and worse. Pride increased; rivalship between contending prelates grew more imbittered; ambition mounted higher and ever higher in the breasts of the shepherds of the flock of Christ. In His association with His Apostles—to whom He committed the keys of His kingdom—the Master had discouraged ambition and had said that he who would be great among His followers must be their minister; and whosoever would be chief among them, was to be their servant; and the government of His Church was to be distinct in these particulars from the governments of this world.[A] But all in vain were the instructions of Messiah to the worldly; ambitious prelates of an apostate Christianity had gradually supplanted the religion of Jesus Christs; and henceforth we may see in that hierarchy which usurped the place of the Church of Christ from the time of Constantine, all the spirit of pride, envy, jealousy, contention, strife, selfishness, bitterness, and unholy ambition which characterized the princes and rulers of this world; attended, too, with all the evils that wait upon these passions of rulers when once let loose, viz., secret plottings, usurpations of authority, corrupt elections, cruel imprisonments, banishments, secret and public murders, and wars; all undertaken, of course, in the interest of the gentle religion of Christ, and the maintenance of that authority which is based on love, and whose control over men is through the means of persuasion and the teaching of true knowledge. Is it not evident that the kingdom of peace, wherein was to dwell righteousness and truth, had become merely one of the kingdoms of this world? And were not the Fratriceli of the thirteenth century, though denounced as heretics, right when they loudly proclaimed their conviction that "the fatal gift of a Christian emperor had been the doom of the true Christian religion?"
[Footnote A: Matt. xx:26, 27.]
LESSON XXXIX.
(Scripture Reading Exercise.)
THE TESTIMONY OF PROPHECY.
ANALYSIS. | REFERENCES. |
I. Predictions of the New Testament Prophets. | Besides the authorities cited in the notes see "Outlines Ecclesiastical History," Section vii. New Witness for God, chapter vi. |
II. Paul's Great Prophecy to the Thessalonians. | |
III. The Prophecy of Isaiah on Breaking the "Everlasting Covenant." | |
IV. Concluding Reflections on the Whole Subject of the Dispensations. |
NOTES
What is Prophecy but History Reversed: "What is prophecy but history reversed?" Nothing. Prophecy is a record of things before they take place. History is a record of them after they have occurred; and of the two prophecy is more to be trusted for its accuracy than history; for the reason that it has its source the unerring inspiration of God; while history—except in the case of inspired historians—is colored by the favor or prejudice of the writer, depends for its exactness upon the point of view from which he looks upon the events; and is likely to be marred in a thousand ways by the influences surrounding him—party considerations, national interest or prejudice; supposed influence upon present conditions and future prospects—all these things may interfere with history; but prophecy is free from such influences. Historians are self-constituted, or appointed by men; but prophets are chosen of God. Selected by divine wisdom, and illuminated by that spirit which shows things that are to come, prophets have revealed to them so much of the future as God would have men to know, and the inspired writers record it for the enlightenment or warning of mankind, with out the coloring or distortion so liable to mar the work of the historian. Thus Moses recorded what the history of Israel would be on condition of their obedience to God; and what it would be if they were disobedient. Israel was disobedient, and historians have exhausted their art in attempts to tell of their disobedience and suffering; but neither in vividness nor accuracy to the histories compare with the prophecy. So with the prophecy of Daniel in regard to the rise and succession of the great political powers that should dominate the earth, and the final triumph of thhe Kingdom of God. So with well nigh all of the prophecies. With these observations upon the trustworthiness of prophecy it is my purpose to show that prophecy no less than the facts of history, sustains the conclusion arrived at on the apostasy from the Christian religion, and the destruction of the Christian Church." (New Witness for God, pp. 113-4).
Testimony of Prophecy to the Universal Apostasy: Clear as the fact is made in this historical review that there was a complete and universal apostasy from the religion established in the Dispensation of the Meridian of Time; and clear as is the proof from the same review that the Church of Christ then established was destroyed, there is yet another line of evidence pointing to the same solemn fact that I cannot altogether omit, though often used in our literature, viz., the testimony of prophecy to the apostasy from the Christian religion, and the destruction of the Church of Christ.
The Apostles themselves through the inspiration of the Holy Ghost were fully aware that such an apostasy would take place, as the following several predictions bear witness: Paul passing through Ephesus admonished the Elders of that Church to take heed to thhe flock "over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers; * * * * * for I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them."[A]