The American Sentinel 12
April 1, 1897
“Editorial” American Sentinel 12, 13, pp. 193, 194.
“THE kingdom of God cometh not with observation,” that is, “with outward show.” AMS April 1, 1897, page 193.1
These are the plain words of the Lord Jesus, whose the kingdom is, who alone knows truly what the kingdom is, who is the rightful king in that kingdom; and who alone rules in the kingdom. AMS April 1, 1897, page 193.2
Yet the efforts of the Christian Endeavorers and the National Reformers generally are solely to have “the kingdom of God” come in this nation, altogether with outward show, by outward, worldly, political, means and methods. AMS April 1, 1897, page 193.3
They propose to make Christ king and have Him reign on Capitol Hill and in every State and city in the nation. Thus they propose that the kingdom of God shall come in this land, and that the saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom. AMS April 1, 1897, page 193.4
Thus it is perfectly plain to all who read, that those people do propose to have the kingdom of God come first of all with observation, with outward show. That is to say, while the Lord says that the kingdom of God cometh not with observation or outward show, these people insist that it does come and shall come with observation and outward show. In other words, what the Lord says is not so, they say is so and shall be so. AMS April 1, 1897, page 193.5
Isn’t it singular that men will attempt to do a thing as Christian, which the plain word of the Author of Christianity repudiates and shows cannot possibly be done as Christian? The profession of Christianity demands loyalty to the principles announced by the Author of Christianity. Disloyalty here is antichristian. AMS April 1, 1897, page 193.6
No, no: the kingdom of God cometh not with observation or outward show. But “Behold the kingdom of God is WITHIN YOU;” and except a man be born again he cannot see it. For it is written, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” “Except a man be born again, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” AMS April 1, 1897, page 193.7
By this word it is again perfectly plain that the only right thing that anybody can do in behalf of the kingdom of God is to persuade men to be born again. For, it matters not how the kingdom of God may come, or when it may come, no man can ever see it for any good, no man can enter into it, unless he is born again. AMS April 1, 1897, page 193.8
What sheer fallacy it is then, what a perversion of the right way, for men to form organizations, hold monster conventions, and manipulate politics in cities, States and the nation, to get “Christians” into all the offices in order that the kingdom of God may be set up and that “Christ may reign on Capitol Hill”! AMS April 1, 1897, page 193.9
The kingdom of God comes in no such way as that. And any man who looks upon any such thing as that as the kingdom of God will be ruined by it. The kingdom of God, cometh not with observation or outward show. The kingdom of God can never be set up by men. Only He whose right it is to reign can establish his kingdom anywhere. AMS April 1, 1897, page 193.10
“The kingdom of God cometh not with observation. Neither shall they say, Lo here, or Lo there, For behold the kingdom of God is within you.” Unless a man finds the kingdom of God within him, he will never find it outside of him. Any man who does not see the kingdom of God within him will never see the kingdom of God outside of him. And “Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” AMS April 1, 1897, page 193.11
It is therefore conclusive that the only right endeavor that anybody can ever put forth in behalf of the kingdom of God and men’s right relation thereto, is to persuade men to be born again. And by the same token it is also conclusive that the efforts of the Christian Endeavorers and other National Reformers to bring by worldly means and political methods, the kingdom of God in city, State and nation, are altogether earthly, vain, unchristian and antichristian. AMS April 1, 1897, page 193.12
“The kingdom of God is not meat and drink;” it is not worldly honors; it is not political offices; it is not mayoralties, governorships, nor presidencies; it is not eclesiastical [sic.] combinations controlling the civil power or the civil officers: it is none of all these, nor is it anything of any likeness to all these. It is “righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.” And “Except a man be born again he cannot see” it. “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into” it. AMS April 1, 1897, page 193.13
“The kingdom of God cometh not with observation.” “Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” AMS April 1, 1897, page 194.1
“The kingdom of God is within you.” And, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” AMS April 1, 1897, page 194.2
“The kingdom of God is righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.” And, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” AMS April 1, 1897, page 194.3
“The Church as a Light” American Sentinel 12, 13, p. 194.
THERE can be no more important question for the Church than that of her proper attitude towards the world. This is, of course, a question that must be answered by the Word of God. AMS April 1, 1897, page 194.1
From the example of the Church to-day however, it might be concluded that the inspired Word gives no instructions upon this question which apply to the present time. For it is certain that the Church’s attitude to-day, as indicated by her efforts to acquire political power and authority, and her hopes for the future in this respect, is not sanctioned by a wisdom higher than her own. AMS April 1, 1897, page 194.2
But the Scriptures of divine truth are not silent concerning the duties of the Church and of individual Christians in the midst of their worldly environment to-day. When Christian speakers and writers lament the awful depravity which civilization is unable to hide, and exhort the civil authorities to adopt measures for grappling with the moral emergencies of the times, it is not because all this iniquity was not foreseen and foretold by the Author of holy writ, and instructions given by Him for the guidance of the Church in the most critical hours of moral darkness. AMS April 1, 1897, page 194.3
The Scripture likens this period of the reign of sin and evil, to a night. Such indeed it is, with the light of righteousness so nearly obscured as it is by the black shadows of sin. But the Scriptures are full of predictions of a coming day: and even here a light shines upon the pathway of the Christian, in which he is exhorted to walk. “Thy word,” says the psalmist, “is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” Psalm 119:105. AMS April 1, 1897, page 194.4
The night is not passed by the Church of God in slumber. Watchmen are upon the walls of Zion, to warn of lurking dangers and to herald the long-looked for dawn. In the prophecy of Isaiah an occasion comes when the inquiry is made from Zion, “Wachman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?” And the answer is returned, “The morning cometh, and also the night,“—the morning of an eternal day for the righteous and of eternal night for the finally impenitent. AMS April 1, 1897, page 194.5
The Apostle Paul exhorts Christians to act as becomes those who have the light of divine revelation. The Church is to know the approach of the coming day. “Ye, brethren,” he writes, “are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.” AMS April 1, 1897, page 194.6
It is the night of sin, and the drunkenness and revelings of those who are of the night, that we see around us to-day. The terrible depravity that is seen in society at the present time is natural enough to those who are “drunken in the night.” It is only such a feature as the reign of carnality may be expected to develop before the night is ended. That night seems now to have reached it [sic.] darkest hour; but the darkest hour comes just before the dawn. AMS April 1, 1897, page 194.7
The Church cannot help the fact that it is night. She cannot turn the night into day. She cannot take possession of the world, and eliminate the sin and evil which have brought night upon it. The divine Word which is her guide, nowhere instructs her to attempt such a thing. But she herself has light—the light of the Word, “that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn” (1 Peter 1:19),—and she is to reflect the light upon the pathway of those in darkness. The divine message now comes to her, “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people, but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.” Isaiah 60:1-3. AMS April 1, 1897, page 194.8
This is a glorious privilege. It is one which the Church should eagerly embrace. But what is the Church doing? Is she appalled at the “gross darkness” which to-day covers the people? Then let her not appeal to the arm of flesh in the vain fancy that this darkness can be dispelled by civil enactments; but let her arise and flash forth the divine glory from the throne of God. That, and that alone, can dispel the darkness from the way of those who will turn and heed it. AMS April 1, 1897, page 194.9
“The Coming State Church” American Sentinel 12, 13, p. 195.
IN recent issues of the Christian Statesman, an organ of the Church party calling for religious legislation, the editor has been discussing the question of Church union in the United States. He deems such union entirely feasible on lines which he points out, and is hopeful that it may be consummated in the near future. In designating the Church as it will then be he uses the phrase, “united Church of Christ of the United States.” This is the first suggestion we have noticed for a name for the coming American State Church. AMS April 1, 1897, page 195.1
In pointing out the principles upon which Church unity is to be secured, the Statesman observes that the church must have “one uniform standard of practical morals,” and adds that “even conceding that it may be a lower standard for the organically united Church than some portions of the divided Church would have maintained for themselves, the general gain will be incalculable.” As no part of the divided Church maintains or even has maintained any higher standard of morality than the law of God, it will, in this view, be an “incalculable” gain for the Church to adopt a lower standard than this, if thereby her divided elements can become united. AMS April 1, 1897, page 195.2
This scheme of Church union also includes “an oath binding to the acceptance of the supreme authority of the Scriptures in matters of discipline as well as doctrine, a high standard of practical godly living linked with a full and faithful formulation of scriptural truth, and the consequent faithful proclamation of the latter together with the faithful enforcement of the former.” All of which is in the Statesman’s view, quite susceptible of realization. AMS April 1, 1897, page 195.3
As regards “heresy” in the Church, we learn that “She has no physical force to meet it, as the nation may meet secession and rebellion against its rightful authority. But she is endowed by her divine Head with government and discipline adequate to such an exigency in her life.” It is laid down that “all who rebel against her rightful authority cut themselves off from her communion as schismatics, and are not therefore to be recognized as any part of the visible Church of Christ. The question is not here whether those who thus resist the rightful authority of the Church may be true Christians or not. In the circumstances of this particular case it is a question of authority and insubordination.” AMS April 1, 1897, page 195.4
And thus “true Christians” may be cut off as heretics and schismatics because of refusal to submit to the “rightful authority” of the Church. And such individuals may when they become numerous enough, form churches of their own, but they will still be heretics, and no part of the “true Church.” It was precisely thus that the “schismatic” Protestant churches, as Rome views them, came into existence. They refused to recognize the “rightful authority” of the Church, as expressed in the decrees of church councils and of popes, and are still counted as heretics, and without the pale of the “true Church.” AMS April 1, 1897, page 195.5
The Statesman says that “with the development of the Romish system this rightful authority of the church through anathemas and intolerance and persecution was dethroned to make way for the despotism of the ‘mystery of iniquity’ and ‘the man of sin.’. But in the united Church of Christ of the United States, with principles as different from those of Romanism as light from darkness, rightful authority ought certainly to be able to maintain itself against all schism and ecclesiastical rebellion without any sacrifice of either civil or religious liberty.” But it was not “through anathemas and intolerance and persecution” that the Church became what it was before the days of the Reformers, and what, as the papacy, it has since continued to be. The intolerance and persecution were but the manifestation of the change that had already taken place in the Church’s character: they were the evil fruit being borne by the evil tree. The tree becomes evil before the evil fruit appears; the Church became corrupt in character before she became intolerant. And this change in her character was nothing else than a change in her principles. It was a change by which human authority was put in the place of the authority of God’s Word. AMS April 1, 1897, page 195.6
And these principles laid down by the Statesman for the “united Church of Christ of the United States” do not differ at all from the principles of the papacy. The papacy professes to act in perfect harmony with the Word of God; and all she asks of Protestants is submission to the “rightful authority” of the “true Church.” And as the “rightful authority” of the Church must prevail, it is more satisfactory to believe that in the exercise of this authority she is infallible. Hence the doctrine of papal infallibility,—a doctrine which is certainly a necessity to any system which makes the separation of “heretics” from the Church a question not of their real Christianity as determined by the written Word, but of their submission to Church “authority.” AMS April 1, 1897, page 195.7