ALONE WITH GOD     

  Turning again to the thirteenth chapter of Revelation, we find a description of the ruling power in Protestantism: "And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: and that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six." Rev. 13: 11-18.

  This second beast is Protestantism. The symbolic description of this beast directs us to a political and religious power rising at the expiration of the 1,260 years' reign of the first beast. This one looks more natural than the first in that it has but two horns. These are England and Germany—the two political powers that have always stood in defense of Protestantism. By these two powers Protestantism arose. It is reasonable that if the ten horns of the first beast represented ten temporal powers that supported it, the two horns of the second beast represented two temporal powers which have always supported it. England and Germany have done this, and they are two of the original ten. His two horns like a lamb signify the tolerance and mildness of these nations, as well as of Protestantism as a whole. Though this beast was lamb like, yet it spake as a dragon. The dragon power was even traceable down through the Protestant age. This two horned beast was to exercise all the power of the first beast before him. Popery, as we have seen in a previous chapter, exercised a universal influence, swayed universal dominion; therefore to exercise the same power of the first beast, Protestantism must exercise a universal influence. This it has surely done. Protestantism is the universal religion of the so called Christian world, just as popery once was.   It may be a question in the mind of some how Protestantism, divided in so many different bodies, can be represented by one beast. The Protestant sects are all alike in character, from God's standpoint of viewing, just as the multitudinous forms of heathen worship are represented in the twelfth chapter by the single symbol of a dragon.

  This second beast was to cause the people to worship the first beast. This has been accomplished by Protestantism perpetuating doctrines and services of popery. All her creeds are tinged more or less with the doctrines and idolatries of Roman Catholicism. Many things—for example, the rite of sprinkling, which Rome substituted for baptism—have been copied by most of the Protestant sects. Infant baptism, infant damnation unless baptized, baptism for the forgiveness of past sins, confirmation, taking members into an exterior institution—these and many other things have been copied from Rome by Protestants to cause the people to worship as the papists worshiped, thus causing them to worship the first beast.

  This second beast was to do great wonders, even to bring fire down from heaven and by means of this gain the confidence of the people and influence them to make an image to the first beast. Many hundreds of these images have been made in the Protestant age. Such are the Protestant ecclesiastical organizations. Every one of these is but an image of the papal sect, all being modeled after it. We can understand this prophecy better if we understand the ancient image worship of the pagans. They made images of their gods and bowed to these images and worshiped them. The image was supposed to resemble the god. This same image worship was continued among the Roman Catholics, who called their gods saints. Protestantism continues the same worship in essence by making images to the papacy and causing the people to worship them. This is another way in which Protestantism "causeth the people to worship the first beast." These sect images of popery are the only gods that many people of today really worship. Every sect called Protestant, whether great or small, is more or less modeled after the organization known as the Catholic church; therefore they are all properly termed images, or likenesses, of that beast.

  Many of the Protestant denominations started with a spiritual reformation. When the Lutheran reformation started, it was a spiritual e T he heavenly fire fell in some places, and God honored the work. The same was true of Zwingli's work in Switzerland. But when the followers of Luther and of Zwingli saw that God was specially favoring them, they at once organized. The result was two sects, two images of the papal beast. As soon as these people made an image, they lost their spiritual power, and they are today but formal bubbles sailing along on the agitated sea of sect confusion. Just so it was with the Wesleyan reform. For about fifty years the world shook under the labors of Charles and John Wesley. Watchfires es were kindled throughout Europe and America, and torrents of Holy Spirit fire fell from heaven. No other fire comes from heaven. After a great body was thus called out, they became deceived because God was specially favoring them, and organized into a sect, or, in other words, made an image to the old, or papal, beast. As soon as they did this, they lost their spirituality, and so they are a dead, formal body. The very doctrine with which Wesley started his reform is today rejected by a large number of the Methodist divines. A number of years ago B. T. Roberts and several other Methodist ministers began to preach holiness, and the result was an excommunication. These preachers then began to shout, "We are free! We are free!" But not willing to give up the name Methodists, they organized an image that they term Free Methodists. These people are now as dead spiritually as their mother. Their work is accompanied by much noise but little power of God. So it has been throughout the entire Protestant age.

  The work of Alexander Campbell in preaching against the evils of sectarianism and division, and in maintaining the necessity of unity among all true believers, was a spiritual work, and no doubt God blessed in that reformation. But soon they organized on the same plane with every other sect, and now they are a spiritually dead body. Time and again men have received some new light and truth, and have started a spiritual work. Fire from heaven would fall, and God would bless their labors. But not being able to discern the body of Christ, which only is the church. these people would organize a human system, call it a church, and these systems are but images.

  It may be asked how people become deceived as a result of this fire which came from heaven, or spiritual reformation. I answer as follows: Speak to any of the various sects today whose work starter! in a spiritual reformation, and invariably they will point to such reformation as an excuse for the existence of their sect. In this they are deceived. The various branches of Methodism today, which number nearly one hundred, will, when interrogated on this subject, point back to the work of Wesley and the spiritual reformation of his time as an excuse for the existence of their sects. In this they are deceived. While the work of Wesley was spiritual and fire from heaven fell under his labors, yet Wesley and his work gave no excuse whatever for the modern sects called after his name. The same is true of the Lutherans. With all their dead formality and lack of spiritual godliness and vital salvation, if you speak to them about coming out of and forsaking the formal institution in which they live and hold membership, they will point you back to the work and reformation by Martin Luther as an excuse for the existence of their sect. In this they, like the Methodists, are deceived; for the work and reformation effected by Luther is no foundation nor cause for the existence of the Lutheran sect.

  Not all the sects of Protestantism, however, started with a spiritual reformation. Many of their founders claimed to be effecting real reformation in the earth, whereas these were only pretensions. Fire from heaven upon Elijah's sacrifice was the attestation of his divine mission; the falling of the fire confirmed the fact that Elijah was God's prophet. Many of the sects of today will point to some fanatical movement stimulated more by excitement than by real Holy Spirit fire, as an excuse for the existence of their institution. Such is true of nearly all the modern holiness sects, tongues movements, etc. As Bro. F. G. Smith, in his work, "The Revelation Explained," says:

  "The pretentious miracles and mighty works done in the various movements of our slay have resulted in the deception of multitudes of people and the creation of new sects. Only a few of the Protestant sects of today were preceded by a reformation that was truly spiritual and of God, and the salvation work done among them before their lapse into sectarianism, I can not attribute to this false prophet. For lack of sufficient light, however, they also submitted to human organizations just as did those who were deceived in movements wholly deceptive and false from the beginning. But in that case they did not thereby become false worshipers, and those of that class who retain their spirituality are the ones whom the Lord denominates his people. When the voice is heard calling them out of Babylon, the numerous communicants of Protestantism, its great revivals so called, its financial enterprises, its missionary efforts, its civilizing effects on barbarous nations, its social, moral, and intellectual influences upon the race—all these mighty works are brought forward to prove that the system is of God. But in this they deceive themselves, for this is not sufficient to show that this beast is a true prophet, when on account of the deceptions practiced God has denominated him a false prophet. "

  True, the term "false prophet" with reference to the beast includes both the religion and the institution of Protestantism; but, in reality, the beast in Revelation 13, which is said to have brought fire from heaven, refers more to Protestantism as a religion titan to the sectarian institution, for this is clearly referred to as an image made to the first beast. So while the sects of Protestantism that have been the outgrowth of spiritual reformations have brought real fire down from heaven, those that have been the outgrowth of man have never done this, but have been wild fire, fanatical movements filled with more excitement than spirituality, and, as Brother Smith says in his work, have "only pretended to bring fire from heaven. " In both cases, people have been deceived, and so they point to such spiritual reformations or such seasons of excitement and false enthusiasm as an excuse for the existence of their various institutions. All these systems are but images to popery.

  As soon as these images were formed, the next step was to mark their subjects. The poor blind Adventists suppose that this mark is keeping Sunday, but this is folly and ignorance. This mark signifies the instilling of the doctrines of the various sects into the minds of their adherents. The members of every sect organization are indelibly marked. You can not become one of them without solemnly agreeing to believe the doctrines taught in their disciplines, accepting the government of their man made institutions, subscribing to the rules of faith that originate with the sect. This shows how its members worship the beast. The mark in the right hand may signify the right hand of fellowship, which takes them into these institutions. It is further said "that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. " Jesus said to his ministers, "Freely ye have received, freely give. " Paul says that he made the gospel of Christ without charge. God's ministers received the everlasting gospel which they preach, from the Lord. They receive it free. The anointing teaches them; they are taught of God. Hence they give the gospel out free. But in sect Babylon the ministers make merchandise of the gospel and of the people. They traffic; that is, buy and sell. What they preach costs them considerable. They must take a certain course in order to get the theology they are to preach to the people. So after they obtain it, they hire out and sell it for so much a year. "They can never have enough . . . all look to their own way, every one for his gain from his quarter." Isa. 56: 9, 11. Every sect has its peculiar mark or doctrine with which to mark its adherents Sectarians have erected " preacher factories " for the express purpose of marking their ministers with their particular marks. For example, a Methodist seminary will never send out Lutheran preachers. A Presbyterian seminary never sends out Baptist preachers who preach Baptist doctrine. Ah, they receive another mark.

  A man must have the doctrines of Babylon and belong to one of the various Protestant sects or he will not be allowed to preach in their houses of worship. A few years ago a brother in the ministry went into a certain town to find a place to conduct a series of holiness meetings. He was directed by a Presbyterian lady to their pastor, whom she said was a believer in the doctrine of holiness. When the brother called on the minister and made known his errand, the first question asked him was this: " Are you a member of the Presbyterian church?" The brother answered in the negative. He did not have the name of the beast. The next question that greeted him was this:

  "Do you believe the Westminster confession of faith to be orthodox ? " He answered, " No, sir. " He did not have the mark of the beast. The last question asked was: "Do you belong to any of the various orthodox Protestant denominations?" The brother said, "No." He did not have the number of his name. The answer was, "You can not have our house." This explains what is meant by not allowing any one to buy and sell—preach the gospel—except those who have the name, mark, and number of the name of the beast. This has a real fulfillment in Protestantism today.

  There is one more point I will explain here. The second beast represents Protestantism as a whole, or the religion of Protestantism, while the image represents the sectarian institution— the sect organizations. The number 666, which was to make up the second beast, signifies the great multiplicity of sects that make up Protestantism. Without any reflection whatever upon the spiritual reformations during the age of Protestantism, and the many revivals that were held there in years past, the sect institutions themselves were never used of God. God simply worked through the humble instrumentality of his people who had been led honestly, into these denominations. The oldest of the Protestant sects is the Lutheran. As before observed, its creed was formed in 1530. Since that time all the other sects of Protestantism, numbering nearly one thousand, have arisen. At different times men have come out of the older institutions and have preached some truth that had died out in those older organizations; but, not discerning the body of Christ, which only is the church, they have formed their followers into sects—humanly organized bodies with human government, human creeds, human disciplines. These organizations they have called churches. The very foundation of Protestantism is sectish strife and division. When weighed in the balance of God's Word, it is found sadly wanting.

  The New Testament teaches one faith, one baptism, one body—the church—one fold, one heart and soul, one mind, no division. "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. " 1 Cor. 1: 10. In the light of this text either the Bible is wrong or sectism is wrong. We are forced to one conclusion or the other. It is a fact that in denorninationalism today the members do not all speak the same thing. They are not perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. I ask, In what are the various denominations united? They claim to be one in the essentials, but somewhat divided on the non-essentials. But what are the essentials? Is baptism one of them? Is it not an essential, since Jesus said, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved"? Do these men all speak the same thing on baptism? Nay verily. As to mode, one preacher teaches that sprinkling is the only true mode, another that pouring is the Scriptural mode, another that triune immersion is the Biblical action in baptism. while still others teach that single immersion only is baptism. Many sects teach against baptism in any mode or form; and there are those who teach that either sprinkling, pouring, or immersion is baptism. With respect to the design of baptism, one minister teaches that in this ordinance sins are washed away, another that it is the door into the church another that through baptism the new birth is effected and our names written in heaven, and still others that baptism is only for justified believers. Some teach infant sprinkling, others do not. Thus on this essential truth, the ministers of sectism and their devotees do not fulfill the scripture, "All speak the same thing." This is true not only of the ordinances, but of all other essential New Testament doctrines. Protestants are divided on the divinity of Jesus Christ. They are divided on the work of the Holy Spirit. They have various ideas regarding God himself. Therefore I repeat that either this text of Scripture is wrong or sectism is wrong.

  " Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity." Psa. 133: l. "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place." Acts 2: 1. "And when they had prayed, 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 the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that aught of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. " Acts 4: 31-33. "And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch. And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them. And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.) insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one." Acts 5: 12-16.

  This blessed power and unity of apostolic days is a complete stranger to Protestants. They are scattered in hundreds of sects, adhere to so many different faiths, and belong to as many separate bodies. In a small town in our land a dozen or more steeples will be seen, and on Lord's day morning the people will congregate in a dozen different places and profess to worship God. Oh, what a picture modern so called Christianity presents to the poor sinner! In the early church the children of God in a town were found all of one accord in one place. They dwelt together in unity. The result was, the world believed and the Lord added to the church daily such as were being saved. But Protestantism presents a divided religion, and the result is skepticism and infidelity. The following scriptures describe the condition of Protestantism.

  " Now I beseech you brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple." Rom. 16:17-18. The Lord gathers his people into one fold, into one body. "Ye are called in one body." He reconciles "all in one body by the cross." That one body is his church. And to all such he delivers the one faith of the gospel to observe. When the honest people thus saved and gathered into one fold are persuaded and led by ministers, so called preachers of the gospel, into other folds and other bodies than the body of Christ, and are required to subscribe to faiths and creeds written by men, instead of the faith of the gospel, this is making or causing division contrary to the doctrine of Christ, and we are told to avoid such persons. Let me give an illustration.

  Suppose that in a town the pure gospel of salvation is presented and one hundred people are converted to God. Through conversion those one hundred souls are joined to the Lord, and the same love and spirit that in salvation join them to the Lord join them to each other. Thus they are made members of the church of God and constitute a local assembly of the true church. They belong to nothing but Christ. They have no faith but the gospel, no creed but the Word of God. Their names are written in heaven. Their bond of union is the love of God. They love each other, and love binds their hearts together. The Spirit of God draws them together in meeting, and therefore they "forsake not the assembling of themselves together." The Lord calls some to the work of elders, others to the work of deacons. After such have proved themselves, they are ordained by the imposition of hands to the work to which the Lord has called them. This is the church of God in its local sense.

  Now suppose that, for want of better light, a Methodist minister approaches this congregation of believers and persuades twenty to join his sect, and that a Dunkard, a Quaker, a Baptist, and a Wesleyan minister do likewise. Now instead of meeting in one place, the hundred assemble in five different places of worship. Before, one minister could preach to them all; now, it requires five. Before, they had one faith, the simple faith of the gospel; now, they have five different faiths. They are divided on baptism, its designs and its mode; they are divided on the Lord's Supper, on feet washing, on the manner of obtaining salvation, and on many other things too numerous to mention. Woe be to the pastors that thus destroy and scatter the sheep of God's pasture! These are the very men that make division contrary to the doctrine of the Bible. Some of them have been traditionized to believe that they are doing God's service, but we hope and pray that God will enable them to comprehend his truth and that they may renounce all such deception and abide in the one and only true church of the living God.

  "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not." 2 Pet. 2: 1-3. "And makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them? They take up all of them with the angle, they catch them in their net, and gather them in their drag: therefore they rejoice and are glad. Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag; because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous. Shall they therefore empty their net, and not spare continually to slay the nations?" Hab. 1:14-17. False prophets scatter and divide the people of God by leading them into their sects. With good words and fair speeches they deceive the people and make merchandise of them.