In the Cult Kingdom: Mormonism, Eddyism, and Russellism (1918)
Download: PDF — In the Cult Kingdom: Mormonism, Eddyism, and Russellism (1918)
LVM·
FORNIENSIS
EX LIBRIS
BANCROFT LIBRARY "In the Cult Kingdom"
BY
JOHN ELWARD BROWN
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2007 with funding from Microsoft Corporation "In the Cult Kingdom"
MORMONISM, EDDYISM AND RUSSELLISM
BY JOHN ELWARD BROWN President
International Federation of Christian Workers
Author of "THINKING WHITE""THE HOLY SPIRIT" "CHRISTIAN SCIENCE, ETC."
Printed by INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION PUBLISHING CO. Siloam Springs, Arkansas
Single Copies post paid 30c Four Copies post paid $1.00
— Order of —
International Federation Publishing Company SILOAM SPRINGS, ARKANSAS " In the Cult .
373 .
Kingdom"
ИОБЕТЛИЯМ
МОРНИЦИМ' БОДАЦИМ' УДО
JOHN ELWARD BROWN
F10800W nozzled To nozzled V2001100204
THE WHITE HOLY SHEET
CELSIAN REINER ETC
INTERNATIONAL GENERATION PUBLISHING
Bilton Beringer Arkansas
Ellen Ogrin died in 2009.12.10. Long time ago.
— b a n b 1 0 —
BASMAJRA 80M1498 MAOJIB INTRODUCTORY
A certian rather prominent business man of a western state walked out of the tabernacle, after hearing one of these talks on the "Isms," and to a man who chanced to walk by his side, he said, "I am disappointed in that preacher. I thought he was too big a man—too broad minded, to turn from the great work which he is doing to make an attack on the religion of other people."
Now, this man voices the unspoken sentiment of thousands of good men and women in the churches. This attitude would be the correct one, and the Christian one, provided these men and women of the Cult Kingdom were apostles of God's truth, and were turning men and women into God's paths.
Certainly, no man could be commended in turning from the greatest of great tasks—that of winning souls to Jesus Christ—to take issue with others engaged in a like work.
But, there are religious many, and if a man is helping to promulgate a religious theory that is all out of harmony with the fundamentals of God's Holy Word, then we do him the greatest possible injury by assisting him, even in silence, in his destructive work.
A man's safety does not depend on whether he is, or is not religious, but his safety repends on the sort of a religion he has.
It is a lie from the pit of perdition, fathered by the father of lies, and circulated with all possible satanic cunning, that it doesn't matter what a fellow believes, so long as he believes something.
Fact is, a fellow may be very religious, all his days, even giving all his goods to further his ideas, and finally giving his body to be burned, and then die a Christless death, lie in a Christless graye, and live in a Christless eternity.
There can be no neutral ground—there can be, no temporizing, or compromising with error, let it come in whatever garb it will.
We are warned that in the last days these false prophets will come, and, if possible, deceive the very elect.
We are warned that the devil will come as an angel of light, to do many wonderful things.
What attitude are we to take toward these movements?
"For many deceivers are entered into the world," warns St. John, "who confess not that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an anti-christ. If there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed, for he that biddeth him, God speed is partaker of his evil deeds."
There is no ground here on which to plead ignorance no ground for a compromise!
To stand indifferently by, or to welcome those who are spreading broadcast false theories, is to become a silent, responsible part of this disastrous propaganda an unconscious enemy of the truth.
But, the question arises, do these movements, namely, Mormonism, Eddyism, and Russellism, make a direct, or indirect attack on the fundamentals of the Holy book? They say "no," and we say "yes;" and it is because of this hopeless disagreement, between those who father these movements, and the organized, accepted church of Christ, that we lay before our readers the dangers of these movements—dangers, as we see them: TALK NUMBER ONE
In our introductory, we undertook to outline something of what we sought to do in publishing this series.
To be true, the Adventist may think so.
While we are yet dealing with matters in general, a further word of explanation may not be amiss:
All church movements could be classed under the general head of "Isms," should one seek to so class them.
Certainly, it would be very proper to speak of Methodism, Congregationalism; Presbyterianism, etc.
In a certain city, a very Godly man came to me with the request that I include "Seventh-Day Adventism" in this series announced for review, and seemed incredulous when I told him the Church of Jesus Christ had no fight to make on "Seventh-Day Adventism."
There are no fundamental grounds of disagreement between the organized church of Christ and the "Seventh-Day Adventist."
The Adventist believes that all other conditions being met our salvation, or damnation hinges on the day we observe as the "holy" day.
According to the Adventist schedule, the train must stop on Saturday, instead of Sunday; and fearlessly, and indefatigably, he works to save the human family from the eternal catastrophe toward which it sweeps through a failure to keep Saturday as the Holy Day.
On all the cardinal doctrines of the Bible—the Miraculous Conception, and the Virgin Birth, the Crucifixon, Resurrection and Ascension, the Deity of Christ, the Atonement of Christ, and the Second Coming, the Personality of the Holy Spirit, and the Infallible Bible, the Seventh-Day Adventist rings as true as steel.
He may disagree, profoundly so, on a great many different angles of these different lines of teaching, but in the essential parts, he stands with the organized Church of Jesus Christ.
Now, what is true of Seventh-Day Adventism is true of many other religious movements, that some folks would consider deserving a place in such a series as this.
There should be no conflict between religious movements, organized, or unorganized, that seek to be outright and downright loyal to the great overshadowing facts of our holy religion.
When you walk up in the presence of Mormonism, Eddyism and Russellism, you walk up into the presence of that which has strange theories to present—strange doctrines to promulgate, all but literally, a "new" God to worship.
So radical is the teaching of these movements, that whichever one you become identified with, you must turn from the church of your saintly or sainted father and mother, to renounce and denounce it, and to enter it no more.
Between such movements as these and the organized church of Christ there can be no neutral grounds.
If these movements are right—any one of them—the church is wrong, God-forsaken and headed for hell, and the fight these "isms" are making on the organized church should be kept up, with ever increasing power, until the whole organized church is a hopeless bankrupt, loaded, bag and baggage, and tagged for the eternal scrap heap.
On the other hand, if the church of Christ, with all her weaknesses, inconsistencies and sins, remains true to the commission of Christ, and is God's channel of truth to this and all ages, then the church must lift her banners and declare war against every movement that seeks to hinder, or destroy her.
THE LAST DAYS
These movements, namely: Mormonism, Eddyism and Russellism, are the outcroppings of the 19th century.
What this 20th century will bring forth, none are far sighted enough to definitely predict, but it is a pretty safe venture, that unless Jesus Christ shall come, the 20th century will hardly surpass the all but incomparable record of the 19th.
The 19th century is gone, soon to become a speck in God's great urn of history, but its fruits abide--some to bless, and some to curse.
Side by side with deeper revelations of truth, there always run the most subtle combinations of falsehood.
With whatever of blessing the 19th century radiates out to the fartherest reaches of human existence, and these blessings cannot be overestimated—the 19th century also produced more than its share of fads and fakes, that linger, to harm and to hurt.
In the world of religions, the 19th century surpassed all records, passing over to the 20th century certain movements that, in a few years, have all but become world known, and all but world recognized.
Multitudes of devout souls believe we are living in the last days.
Europe is bathed in blood, with millions dead and other millions dying.
The other nations of the world are calling, "To arms! To arms!"
We have had volcanic eruptions, floods, earthquakes, fires, railroad, mine, and steamship disasters, until the mind reels and the heart is sick.
There has come a great falling away in the church.
Men, who, a few years ago, were preaching an "infallible Bible," a "topless heaven," and a bottomless hell," a day of final accounting, and "one way" of escape, and that through the "cleansing blood"'—preaching with soul afire and with judgment-day certainty and earnestness—are now apologetically and tragically preaching an "uncertain God," a "fallible Bible," and a "human Christ."
A far-reaching apostasy is on through the church world, and every possible effort is being made to pad the church records to keep them from showing an appalling loss in membership.
These conditions have offered the most attractive fields imaginable for every conceivable religious fake.
The foundations are being shaken, and amidst this great upheaval, and this world-wide unrest, men and women are turning to whatever religion offers the largest bonus, or the most beautiful prize.
These last cataclysmic days were to be ushered in with the coming of "false prophets," and confusion was to be added to greater confusion, through the fact that light would be denounced as darkness and darkness be accepted as light, and everywhere good would be evil spoken of, and evil would be eventually crowned and robed.
Are the last days upon us?
Some profess to be able to see the veil that swings between the seen and unseen, already beginning to sway with the coming of Christ!
Satan is here, in every conceivable religious form, to blind and deceive—clothed in the livery of heaven and using the language of the church, he parades as an angel of light.
Never since the world began its long swing through space has there been as many "Isms" and with such power as today.
Organized, capitalized and supernaturally energized supernaturally energized from below, we believe—these religions sweep the land.
Multitudes are renouncing the faith of their fathers to take up with these disastrous extremes, in religions, just as multitudes of women are renouncing modesty and decency, to take up with every conceivable extreme in immodest and immoral-dress.
SOME GENERAL FACTS
In reviewing these cults we have purposely placed them in the order of their ages.
The Christian Scientist probably thinks this is placing age before beauty, but age must be reverenced, where reverence can be given, and where reverence cannot be given, then deference must be shown.
Because of the worlds of material—facts and figures, that naturally seek a place in such a review as this—we must condense to the minimum, or eliminate entirely, any extensive, or extended review of the origination of the movements, or any interesting episodes having to do with the early days of their founders. These general facts seem necessary.
Mormonism.
In 1830 the Book of Mormon was published, and in April of that same year the Mormon church was organized, with six members.
This organization saw the light of day in Fayette, Seneca county, New York.
Whether this should be held against Seneca county, we will not here undertake to say.
This movement was given the euphonious and rather exclusive title of, "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints."
In 1835 twelve apostles were selected and a system inaugurated that included the "priesthood."
In the center of this apostleship, or priesthood, and towering high over all, stood the domineering, driving, Mormon head, Joseph Smith.
Friend Joseph claimed for himself nothing more nor nothing less than that of being God's mouthpiece—occupying the place "of an endless priesthood" and standing "as God, to give laws to the people."
The Mormon movement centralizes and focalizes about its "special revelation"'—the "Book of Mormon'"—and, as a movement, it claims to be God's truth to this day day and age.
Eddyism.
Eddyism is the next oldest of theseisms.
Eddyism was launched in 1875, and Mrs. Eddy, like the self-elected head of Mormonism, by special revelation, had herself appointed the ruling head of "Eddyism."
While Eddyism, like Mormonism, was given a form of organization, with boards, officers, and offices, yet, in the actual management of the affairs of this newer religious movement, Mrs. Eddy sat with authority unquestioned.
There has never been a movement launched in the religious world, with all the outward forms of an organization, where every law, and rule, and work, and worshiper, became the submissive servant of one dictatorial, jealous, suspecious, domineering head, as in that which the "Scientist" so-called, lived, moved and had his being, during the days of Mrs..
Eddy!
Like Joseph Smith, Mrs. Eddy assumed the modest (???) position of becoming God's mouthpiece, speaking God's special truth to this age.
Eddyism, like Mormonism, has its book.
The first copy of "Science and Health, With a Key to the Scriptures," appeared in 1875, and around this special revelation, was an ordinary mortal, engaged in cluster. This book becomes the Christian Scientist's text book—here is to be found the condensed, Simon-pure truth of these last days—"Simon pure, or Simon Simple!'"
Russellism.
Russellism is the youngest of this trio, and in some respects, the most decent.
This movement was launched in 1886, and Mr. Charles Taz Russell became the proud founder owner and manager of this, to some, very popular religion.
Charles Taz, like Josephus and Sister Mary, before stepping into the world's limelight, as a bearer of a special revelation, was an ordinary mortal. engaged in the ordinary tasks of life.
In turning from ordinary pursuits, to make his debut into the religious world, he took upon himself the honored title of "pastor," though it was claimed that at that time he had neither church, church bell, or song-book.
Like Mormonism and Eddyism, Russellism centers back into "its" special revelation—its key to the scriptures.
These books were written by Charles Taz and first appeared in three volumes called "Millennial Dawn," but later, we believe, these books were bound into six volumes, and given the very modest and very misleading title of, "Studies in the Scripture."
Unlike Mormonism and Eddyism, Russellism, like the proverbial flea, is inclined to be transitory in operation and difficult of apprehension—in so far as its operations are concerned.
Russellism appears from a great many different sources and under a dozen or more different heads, and it is with difficulty the church keeps alongside of its rapid shifts and changing guises.
THEIR NUMBERS
Considering the number of years these different religious cults have been before the public, it is probable that they have won about an equal number of adherents.
Mormonism has shown a tendency to be clannish, and has swarmed about Salt Lake City, and overflown the cities and states adjacent thereto.
Certain western states are owned, snout and tail, beak and talons, hide, hair, horns and hoofs, by the Mormon church.
The Mormons have their missionaries out across the nations of the world, and are seeking here and there to colonize and organize.
Eddyism, like a bad case of the society itch, has run fast and thick through certain circles of the church and community life.
There is no question, but what, considered from outside appearances, the Christian Scientist has a religion, compared with these other "isms," that becomes a "flower garden" in the center of a vast desolation!
When it comes to the attractiveness of its "prospectus," and the "fluency of speech" characteristic of its agents, Christian Science has these other cults knocked in the head, scalded, scraped, cleaned, cut, and cured.
In this great religious "bazaar," over which his majesty presides, most of the "shoppers" crowd around-the Christian Science booth.
Many men, and some women, take to Christian Sciencee so-called, just like ducks take to water, or just like some children take to freckles and mud.
Eddyism, like Mormonism, has its missionaries farflung, and seeks to win the world to its standard.
Russellism, in so far as churches are concerned, is the less conspicuous of the three.
Mr. Russell does not go so much on building as on publicity.
By paid space in newspapers, magazines, and bill boards—by cards, leaflets, circulars, booklets and books, his theories are covering the earth.
Like the plague of lice, in the land of Egypt, try as you may, you cannot get away from his gush and slush.
Like Mormonism and Eddyism, Russellism, too, has its workers in all lands, or is rushing them there, and the world at large—the civilized reading world—is coming to know something about "Pastor" Russell.
It would be all but impossible to secure anything like an accurate statement of the numbers definitely marching in these three armies.
Considering their ages, occupations and "previous condition of servitude,' it is probable that they are holding each other about neck and neck in their campaign for recruits.
One day, while studying these movements, their origination, manipulation, teachings and tendencies, it came like a flash, that while these religions are the antipodes of the religious world—hopelessly irreconcilable, in that there is not one fundamental doctrine on which they agree-yet these movements are identical in every other essential particular.
It seems, if these movements had been launched by one wise head, and that wise head had made definite effort to launch three movements as wide apart as possible in every other instance, he could not have better done the job.
Mormonism, Eddyism, and Russellism are identical, in that:
1st. Each claims to be God's truth to this age.
2nd. Each has its "special revelation," around which its work and workers cluster.
3rd. Each appeals to a special, distinct class.
4th. Each flows from a very,very questionable source.
5th. Each was founded by men, or women, whose reputations have been questioned.
6th. Each offers a special bonus, or prize.
7th. Each made its founder, or founders. wealthy.
8th. Each makes an attack on the deity of Christ.
TALK NUMBER TWO
THE Mormonite would doubtless object, most strenuously, to any sort of a classification, that would link him up with the Eddyite, or the Russellite.
The Eddyite, we know, takes serious exceptions to any intimation that he belongs to the same breed that the Mormonite and the Russellite belongs to.
The Russellite, likewise, begs to be excused, when we suggest that he take marching position with these other cults. Despite the earnest, and sometimes heated protest, made by these religionists, that they have nothing in common with these other cults, stripped of their doctrinal differences, they stand—in every underlying fact of their existence—enough alike to be triplets.
In origination, manipulation, and doctrinal agglomeration, they are of the same feather—crowing, or "clucking" alike, scratching alike, roosting alike, and eating alike.
One cannot spend much time ambling through the "fowl" yards of these noisy religious broods and breeds, without coming to the conclusion that these three chickens—namely, Mormonism, Eddyism and Russellism, are from the same nest, and hatched by the same old hen.
It might be suggested, however, that a review of some of our church organizations might bring forth this same striking similarity.
This is true, and true in the most wonderful way.
Fact is, whatever of difference there may be between the organized Protestant churches is wholly a surface difference.
On the matter of form and ceremony, rites and symbols, there would be more or less of confusion and debate; but the further you go back in the matter of division amongst the churches, the less conspicuous do those divisions become.
On the surface of things, the churches of Jesus Christ are divided, and in that regard are unlike; but when you go back to the great pillars that hold up the vast structure of the Christian hope and faith, there is no difference there.
On non-essentials, there may be differences of opinion amongst the Presbyterians, Congregationalists, and the Methodists, as well as all other evangelical church bodies, but in the great essentials they stand absolutely agreed.
No one of these churches can claim to be God's special and exclusive channel of blessing to the world.
No one of these churches professes to have the "original key" to the Scriptures, without which we flounder and founder, unsuccored, and unsolved, and unsaved.
The great, organized church of Christ, though under many heads, stands hand in hand about Jesus of Nazareth, singing, "Blest be the Tie That Binds Our Hearts in Christian Love."
With Mormonism, or Eddyism, or Russellism, it is a "new" movement, under a "new" management, announcing a "new" theory—a theory so radical, and so revolutionary, that if this "new" idea is the correct idea God's revealed truth—then it stands as the plainest sort of a fact, that for centuries the organized church has been a cheat, and a swindle, and a lie.
Does any sane man believe that God's truth has been lost to the world, for the ages past, and that humanity has had to stumble its way through unlighted darkness to death, waiting for a Joseph Smith, or a Mary Baker Eddy, or a Chas.
Taz Russell, to come with his, or her badly written "Key? "
Mormonites say, "Yes."
Eddyites say, "Yes."
Russellites say, "Yes."
And yet, if one has the sure-enough "key." the other two have a "brass" imitation, and this brass imitation opens some other door than the one that swings into heaven.
In the event that one has the truth, and the church is a swindle, then which of the three has the truth?
THEIR DISTINCT FIELDS
However skeptical one may be concerning the Bible, an honest reading will force one to the conclusion that he stands in the presence of a single structure, the completed work of some one master mind—God.
So, too, with these religions—no man, however partial or loyal he may become to either of these movements, can sit down and review these cults,review them honestly, and fearlessly, and fully—without being driven to the conclusion, however reluctant he may be in reaching such a conclusion, that back of Mormonism, and Eddyism, and Russellism, there is one scheming, designing, destructive head—the devil.
Men and women who are not acquainted with any of the facts to which I refer, may feel that this is an unwarranted assumption, or a biased and un-Christian charge.
We have passingly referred to certain striking points of similarity between these movements, and now we wish to take up these points definitely and at length.
We will point out some of the less conspicuous and less damaging first.
These movements are alike, in that each seems specially designed for a certain field and for a certain class.
Mormonism has always flourished best and spread fastest amongst the ignorant millions of the races.
Salt Lake City, in particular, and the whole Mormondom in general, is just now passing through the greatest upheaval of its history,—and all because light is breaking in. The younger generation of Mormons are beginning to examine the foundations of their faith, and they are finding unquestioned evidences of shocking fraud.
Wherever light and knowledge go, there Mormonism cannot go. With its peculiar appeals, Mormonism becomes specially attractive to the religiously inclined, unlettered and unthinking multitudes of the race.
Eddyism swings to the other extreme, and makes its appeal, almost wholly, to those who have a degree of learning and a measure of refinement.
Amongst the idle classes, and especially those who desire a religion that carries with it a great deal of show, but which requires no self denial, Christian Science runs riot.
Los Angeles is the greatest Christian Science city in the world, and largely because Los Angeles has more men and women of wealth and idleness than any city in the world.
Multitudes of men and women in Southern California have nothing to do but look up some new "thing" in the world of religions, and every religious movement that was ever conceived, or launched, can find some adherents in Southern California.
Mormonism does not specially flourish in these sunkissed cities by the great Pacific, but Eddyism and Russellism are adding to their ranks with every passing day.
Russellism seems specially designed to fit in between these other two extremes.
Amongst the Russellites, you will find the folk have been gathered almost wholly from amongst the middle classes.
In either of these movements you will find the exceptions—some wise amongst the Mormons, and some ignorant amongst the Eddyites, and a few of either extreme amongst the Russellites; but these exceptions only prove the general rule.
If the devil had called all his imps in solemn assembly, and days and days had been spent in planning and launching three fake religions, with a view of occupying the whole field, satanic cunning—the united wisdom of hell, centralized and focalized on this one thing, could not have conceived three movements better adapted for the whole field, than Mormonism, Eddyism, and Russellism.
The more one studies them and their adaptation to a definite end, the more one marvels at the completeness with which they cover the field.
EACH GOD'S VOICE
"The prophecy came not in old time by the will of men, but Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."
These holy men of God became the mouthpiece of God, and their message bore the stamp of the infallible and the imperishable truth.
These holy men lived and wrought in the constructive, or creative periods of Old Testament prophecies and New Testament fullfillment.
These men were "holy men of God," St. Peter says, and they all spoke the language of heaven, and their words abide today, and will abide while ceaseless ages roll.
In those days, as now, there were the "other" voices, the voices that claimed divine direction and divine sanction,—imitation prophets, who prophesied lies, and who sought to lead the people from the paths which God had made for their feet.
These other voices are heard in the land, today, in ever increasing numbers and with ever increasing volume, until many a perplexed, doubt-laden and sin-cursed soul, knows not which way to turn, or what voice to heed.
According to the plainly written word of God, God's plans, begun before the foundations of the earth were laid, reached their highest perfection at the cross of Calvary, and God's revelations, in so far as the salvation of the world is concerned, were closed there.
"God who at sundry times and in divers manners, spake, in times past, unto the fathers by the prophets, hath, in these last days, spoken unto us by His Son," and when God spoke, through Jesus Christ at the Cross, and followed the "opening of the Fountain filled with blood," with the opening of heaven for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, everything was done that heaven could do, to save the human family from the far-reaching disasters of the fall.
Mormonism comes along and teaches that God still has revelations to make, and that "it" is the exclusive channel through which God makes these revelations to these last days.
Eddyism comes along and teaches that God still has some revelations to make, and that "it" is the exclusive channel through which God makes these revelations to these last days.
Russellism comes along and teaches that God still has some revelations to make, and that "it" is the exclusive channel through which God makes these revelations to these last days.
Now, while each professes to be the "voice of God" to these last days, and are similar in that regard, yet there is no more similarity in the "songs they sing," or the prophecy they bring than there is similarity in the bray of a mule and the plaintive bleat of a billy goat.
It just so happened, that in a certain western city, at the close of one of these talks on the "isms," a special guide, from each of these vagaries, lingered, to teach me the "ways of the Lord more perfectly."
This would not happen again, possibly, in a life time. One did not know that the others were lingering, to bolster up his or her religious hobby.
I spent an interesting and surprising hour, in going over, to them, controvertible points in discourse.
The Mormon elder, or missionary, was as confident that the Mormon world had the "true key" to the kingdom of heaven, as I was confident that they had not.
The Eddyite—a fine woman—insisted that she had never understood her Bible until she got hold of the Eddyites' key, and then, lo! all was as clear as the noon day sun.
The Russellite, likewise, had stumbled about in a hopeless, despairing way, until at last, "heaven be praised," he chanced onto Chas. Taz Russell's six-volume key, and "hell was gone," and "a second chance was given."
Did each have the truth?
Impossible!
EACH HAS ITS BOOK
The Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, is one book.
While the Bible has its sixty-six books, the whole links into one unbroken chain of sixty-six links.
The Bible opens with the fall and the promise of the Restorer. Down through all the books of the Old Testament there runs the scarlet thread—the blood of Jesus Christ, for sinners shed. When the fullness of time had come, the manger-cradle received the promised King.
At Calvary the fountain was opened, and following the crucifixion and the resurrection, there came the ascension of Christ and the ushering in of the dispensation of the Holy Spirit.
At Calvary God provided the way.
At Calvary Jesus Christ opened the way.
At Calvary the Holy Spirit shows men the way.
The last books of the Book of Books, have to do, mainly, with Christ's return; and the whole ends with a magnificent picture of the new heavens and the new earth.
The Bible is a complete book—the revelation is a closed revelation.
All that is needed to save the nations of the world is found there; any added line, or verse, or chapter, would be a superfluity.
Lest designing men and women would dare lay their unholy hands on that which God has rounded out and completed, the flaming sword of warning is found at the closing chapter:
"If any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the tree of life."
Then there comes the solemn words, first given, and the words that men need to heed. today, "If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues written in this book."
Along comes Mormonism with its books, "The Book of Mormon," and "The Book of the Covenants," and these books are placed alongside the Bible, and for these spurious, cheap imitations, equal authority is claimed, and where there is conflict of teaching, the world is asked to believe that this Mormon word is God's final utterance to the race.
Mormonism substitutes for the Bible.
(In a later study we will take up, at length, the revelation that is just now stirring Mormonism to its foundations, the revelation that one of the sacred books of the Mormon hierarchy has recently been proven a swindle of the most brazen and damnable sort.)
Along comes Eddyism and lays alongside the Bible its substitute. "Science and Health With a Key to the Scriptures," contains God's latest truth to the age, and where there is any conflict between these newest revelations and the Holy Book, we are to believe that the newest revelation contains God's "corrected" ideas and plans. Go into a Christian Science service and you will find that the "First Reader" reads from Science and Health, and the "Second Reader" reads from the Bible.
The "First Reader" has his name published in the Crhistian Science literature of the nation, but the "Second Reader" is not mentioned.
Go into the Mother church, Boston, and you will find the words of "Ma" Eddy just a little more conspicuously chiseled on brick, or stone, than the words of Jesus Christ.
This conglomerate, ludicrous mess of disjointed gibberings, in the Christian Science Temple and the Christian Science scheme, takes the chief place.
Christian Science substitutes for the Bible.
Along comes Russellism, with its books, which like Mormonism and Eddyism, are placed alongside the Holy Book.
For "Millennial Dawn," or the "Divine Plan of the Ages," or "Studies in The Scriptures,"—these being some of the titles under which the Russell works are known. Mr. Russell's official organ says: "If the six volumes of Scripture Studies are practically the Bible, topically arranged, with Bible proof texts given, we might not improperly name the volumes 'The Bible in an Arranged Form.' That is to say, they are not mere comments on the Bible, but they are practically the Bible, itself. Furthermore, not only do we find that people cannot see the divine plan by studying the Bible by itself, but we see also, that if anyone lays the "Scripture Studies" aside, even after he has used them, after he has become familiar with them, after he has read them for ten years—if he then lays them aside and ignores them and goes to the Bible alone, though he has understood his Bible for ten years, our experience shows that within two years he goes into darkness. On the other hand, if he had merely read the "Scripture Studies" with their references, and had not read a page of the Bible, as such, he would be in the light at the end of two years, because he would have the light of the Scriptures."
Jesus Christ says the revelation is a closed revelation, and warns meddlers, and schemers, and sceptics, and fools, that any attempt to add to or take from, means that the most fearful judgments shall be visited upon such tamperers or such knaves.
Mormonism says Christ is a liar, and "it," not Christ, has the final word for the human family.
Eddyism says Christ is a liar, and "it," not Christ, has the final word for the human family.
Russellism makes Christ a liar, for he taught that the way was so plain that fools need not err, and if there was a lack of understanding, the Holy Spirit was to guide into all truth, but Russellism has the effrontery, the brazen audacity, to announce to the world that without this certain Russell exposition, the truth cannot be known, and that only by its continued companionship can one have fellowship with God and life in His dear Son.
Our readers will see again, how strikingly and damnably similar these movements are, in that each tries to lead the human family off after its cheap imitation, or cheaper complication, and so-called exposition, of the Book of Books.
But we have only begun a review of the striking similarities of these three cults!
shall be made to pay the sum of £10,000 per annum for the years 1825 and 1826.
Should any person be found guilty of any offence against the said person, the sum of £10,000 per annum shall be paid to the said person.
TALK NUMBER THREE
THE DEITY OF CHRIST
IN an ancient legend, St. Martin is described as sitting, one day, in his monastery cell, studying, when, on a sudden, he heard a knock at the door.
"Enter," was the response of the monk.
The door opened and a stranger, attired as a prince, entered.
"Who art thou?" inquired St. Martin.
"I am Christ," was the stranger's reply.
The sage old monk sat for some seconds in deep meditation, undisturbed and unawed by this bold declaration.
At last, St. Martin arose, and approaching the stranger, he asked, "Where are the prints of the nails?"
The infallible sign of the true Christ was lacking, and St. Martin knew the man was an imposter and a fraud.
This is a day of many Christs!
We have the Christ of Christian Science, and the Christ of Mormonism, and the Christ of Russellism, and the Christ of Theosophy, and the Christ of the New Theology, and the Christ of Sociology, and the Christ of New Thought, with a score—more or less—of other Christs who stand knocking at our doors.
Nothing will expose the sham, and the cheat, and the swindle, of the imposters quite so surely and quite so effectively, as to demand of these pretenders the "marks of the nails""-"the wounded side""-"the open fountain."
There is no fact that has to do with man's destiny that the devil and his cohorts hate as the fact of the Deity of Christ and the fountain filled with blood.
Each of these religions, in turn, will parade before you its Christ, but a Christ that lacks the necessary credentials.
The religious cults of America, so far as we have been able to investigate, either directly, or indirectly, make an attack on the deity of Christ, or on the meaning of His Cross.
One of two things the devil has ever sought to do, and that is, either to rob Christ of His deity, and thus cheapen the sacrifice of Calvary, or else to make the Atonement cover all people, everywhere, without exception, or without qualification on the part of men.
How successful he has been in these attempts one can easily guess, when one looks about at the multitudes of men and women who are turning from the Protestant churches to these religious fads and fakes—fads and fakes that thus cheapen the work of the cross, or that preach and teach a universal redemption.
When you drive the pick of your investigation into the heart of Mormonism, or into the heart of Eddyism, or into the heart of Russellism, seeking to know their attitude toward this one fundamental doctrine of our holy religion, you will find that you have uncovered the most damnably dangerous fact of these fake religions.
Each, in turn, presents a Christ that Christendom does not know and a Christ that Christendom can never, never, never, receive.
These religions are alike, in that each appeals to a distinct class.
These religions are alike, in that each claims to be God's voice to this age.
These religions are alike, in that each substitutes for the Bible.
These religions are alike, in that each makes a direct, or indirect, attack on the deity of Christ, and each seeks to either cheapen the work of the cross, making it a human sacrifice, and only that, or else seeks to make the work of the cross cover the whole of the race, without conditions or qualification.
When you rob Christ of His deity, or rob the cross of its power, you pull from under the Christian religion its central props--you take from the nut its kernel, and there is nothing left but the empty, meaningless hull.
Several years ago, Holman Hunt painted a wonderful picture of the Christ in the carpenter shop.
About Him were the saws, axes, hammers, and near by was the carpenter's bench.
The picture represents Christ as rising from His work, to wearily stretch His arms, as one does when rising from a cramped position. The light is so arranged that as Christ thus stands with outstretched arms, His body and His arms throw a picture of the cross on the wall. Apart from the cross there is no redemption, for "without the shedding of blood ther is no remission of sins."
If ever there was a time when men and women need to ask for the "print of the nails," it is now, for the world is overrun with imitation Christs, used by designing men and women to exploit the race. Over all must hang the picture of the cross.
Over all must hang the picture of the cross.
MORMONISM VERSUS CHRIST AND THE BIBLE
In giving to the reading public some of the striking similarities of these three religions, Mormonism, Eddyism, and Russellism, we would lay special emphasis on the fact that each, in turn, does violence to the New Testament teachings concerning the Christ. Mormonism, like Eddyism. and Russellism, appropriates to itself Christian phraseology and church forms, but practically denies every fundamental doctrine of the Holy Word.
To give our readers some idea of Mormon teaching, as we shall seek to give some idea of Eddyism, and Russellism, let us ponder these facts:
Mormonism would teach the world that there are gods many.
Mormonism teaches that Adam is the god of this world.
Mormonism teaches that Adam had many wives—Eve was but one of the many.
Mormonism teaches that these many gods were once men, as we are now.
Mormonism teaches that, as men, we may become what these gods are now.
Mormonism teaches that these gods have been exalted to their high estate through faithfulness and "fruitfulness" here, and that faithfulness and "fruitfulness" are the sure steps toward a throne for us.
Mormonism teaches that these many wives, plural wives, with their progeny, are to constitute the "kingdom" over which these "faithful" men are to reign.
Woman's welfare depends on her being united to one of the "faithful."
Mormonism teaches that on the other side we are to retain our human form and functions, and that the relationships entered into here between these husbands and their many wives, are to be continued through eternity.
The Mormon heaven is a heaven in which carnality and sensuality are sanctified and glorified.
Mormonism teaches that in the other world there are different realms, or spheres, or states and conditions.
Mormonism divides these different realms into the terrestrial, celestial and telestial.
Mormonism teaches that to die unbaptized by Mormondom is to be lost, unless your loved ones are thoughtful enough to have the job done for you. Should they become your proxy and pass through certain forms and ceremonies, there is a possibility that you will manage, somehow, to pull through.
Mormondom teaches that there are certain sins that God, Himself, cannot forgive, and that when these sins are committed there is only one avenue of escape, and that is by human sacrifice.
Mormonism teaches, or has taught, that you are loving your friends as Christ taught you to love them, if you take these friends who have thus sinned, and shed their blood: that "the smoke thereof might ascend to God," as an offering to appease the wrath that is kindled against them.
Students of history, of course, recognize in this human sacrifice teaching of Mormondom, the identical teaching of ancient Moloch, when men were sacrificed to appease the wrath of their god.
Mormonism has its own absurd ideas concerning the return of our Lord.
According to Mormonism, Christ will come and gather together Israel, including the ten tribes of the Latter Day Saints of Mormondom, and when He thus comes the enemies of the "Saints" are to be destroyed.
Mormonism teaches that Christ was the son of polygamous parents.
Mormonism teaches that Christ was not conceived by the Holy Ghost.
Mormonism teaches that Christ, himself, was a polygamist, that Martha and Mary were His wives, and from these and other wives he had children.
Mormonism teaches that Christ's death on the Cross had nothing, whatever, to do with our sins, but had to do with the sins of Adam.
Mormonism teaches that to get rid of sins, you must work out your salvation through the teachings, and forms, and ordinances, of the Mormon church.
Such a religious system, with such astounding, silly theories, it seems, would need no refutation and no denunciation, but this crude and lewd humbug is gathering in dupes by the multiplied thousands.
Mormonism denies the deity of Christ and robs the Cross of its meaning and power.
The Mormon Christ lacks the "nail prints."
EDDYISM VERSUS CHRIST AND THE BIBLE
In all the wide world of literature there is not to be found such a conglomerate mess of irreconcilable, inconsistent, incomprehensive, inconsequential twaddle as that which is bound up between the covers of that much discussed book called "Science and Health."
Mrs. Eddy's claims to inspiration are disproved, beyond cavil, by her own teachings!
She teaches that God is mind and yet without personality.
Mind, apart from personality, is an absurdity.
She teaches that God has no knowledge of evil, and then teaches that God inspired her to teach the "moral mind" theory as an explanation of the existence of evil.
It stands without argument, that God could not have inspired her to teach a theory about something that He had no knowledge.
Christian Science teaches that God is not a person, but a principle, and we are the reflection of that principle.
Christian Science teaches that the Bible is no more inspired than the History of England, or of the United States.
Christian Science teaches that heaven is not a place.
Christian Science teaches that Jesus Christ did not come in the flesh.
Christian Science teaches that the devil is not a person.
Christian Science teaches that sin and sinner, alike, are nothingness.
Christian Science teaches that sin is not forgiven.
Christian Science teaches us that there is no day of final accounting, and no topless heaven, and no bottomless hell.
Christian Science teaches that "it" is the "gift" of the Holy Ghost.
Christian Science teaches that "it" is the second coming of Christ.
Christian Science teaches us that Christ did not die for the sins of the people, but He died as an example of perfect love.
According to Christian Science, there is no sin to be atoned for, and no need for a ransom to be paid; therefore, we are told that the Atonement is the "exemplification of man's unity with God."
"Science and Health" is shot through and through with the most shocking blasphemy, a sample of which is found in such declarationsas this: "The true Logos is demonstrably Christian Science."
If this were true, then the first verse of the gospel by St. John would read: "In the beginning was Christian Science, and Christian Science was with God, and Christian Science, and without Christian Science was not anything made that was made."
This blasphemy is not matched by the claims that Christian Science is the gift of the Holy Spirit and the second coming of Christ.
If Christian Science is the return of our Lord, then He has sadly changed since He went away.
When he was amongst the Judean hills, in the long, long ago, he opened blinded eyes, unstopped deaf ears, cleansed the leper, healed the lame, and raised the dead, and with a word, and always without money and without price.
If this hodge-podge and hocus-pocus is Christ returned to earth, then He has returned as a manipulator and a money-changer, and the saddest and most tragic of failures.
Mormonism, Eddyism, and Russellism stand side by by side as the three most shocking and most brazenly audacious blasphemers of the religious world.
If Christian Science would be honest with the world, and tell it plainly just what it did believe concerning Christ's death on the Cross, it would express itself after this fashion:
"Mortal mind (that never existed) thought thoughts of evil that were never thought, and did deeds of evil that were never done, and an impersonal mind, called God, sent to this material world (that never existed) a living manifestation of Himself, in a material body (that never existed), that He might be the way-shower, directing the minds of men (which never had any existence apart from the one mind, God) how to overcome evil (which never had any existence and of which God had no knowledge). This living manifestation of God was known as Jesus Christ. After He had lived in a material Christian Science was God. All things were made by body (which never existed) for more than thirty three years, He was arrested, tried and crowned with thorns (that never existed), and whipped with a scourge (that never existed), and was nailed to a Cross (that never existed), where He died a death which He did not die.
He was buried in a tomb (that never existed), and there in the tomb He practiced Christian Science and healed Himself of unreal wounds in his unreal body, which he had received in His unreal death. He arose, passed through some sort of an ascension, and was rejoined to the one impersonal mind from which He had never been separated.
Such is a good analysis of Christian Science, so-called concerning Christ and His Cross.
If matter is non-existent, and sin and the sinner nothingness, then certainly Christ did not die for the sins of the people.
Christian Science denies the deity of Christ and the power of His Cross.
RUSSELLISM VERSUS CHRIST AND THE BIBLE
Russellism, unlike Mormonism and Eddyism, teaches that Christ did die for the sins of the people.
To those who are untaught in the deeper truths of the Holy Book, the conclusion is easily reached, that of all teachers before the world today. "Pastor" Russell is the most loyal to Jesus Christ.
Fact is, there is not a religious fake in the wide world that does greater dishonor to Jesus Christ.
Overlooking the general facts of His teachings, which as has been often said, are a combination of Universalism, Unitarianism, Restoration, Second Probationism, Swedenborgism, and Annihilationism, and approaching the one particular truth just now up for serious consideration, let us see what Russellism teaches us concerning our Lord.
To begin with, Russellism teaches us that Christ was not God, nor was He divine, before the crucifixion and resurrection.
It teaches us that Christ was a created Spirit, and that there was a time when He was not.
It teaches that at the incarnation the "spirit Christ" became a man. and only a man.
It teaches us that when the man Christ Jesus walked this earth He was not divine.
It teaches us that at the crucifixion the man Christ Jesus was annihilated.
It teaches us that His atonement was the atonement of man—nothing more than a human sacrifice.
He did not arise in the body in which He died—that body did not rise at all, but was possibly dissolved into gas.
The "Man Christ Jesus" no longer exists.
Jesus Christ is only a spirit being now, but of an order higher than the angels.
This is the Christ of Russellism.
Mormonism teaches that Christ's death on the Cross had nothing, whatever, to do with the sins of the people, but only had to do with Adam's sin.
Eddyism teaches that Christ's death on the Cross had nothing, whatever, to do with the sins of the people, but He died as an example of perfect love.
Russellism teaches that the Christ who died on the Cross was only a spirit being, and that the man Christ Jesus was annihilated, which constituted a human sacrifice, and only that, and the body of Christ did not rise, but probably dissolved into gas.
Mr. Russell teaches that Christ returned to earth as a spirit in 1874.
He teaches that the saints were raised up in 1878.
He teaches that both Christ and the saints are now on earth, and have been since these dates named above.
He teaches that the Christian church, in all her branches, was rejected of God in 1878.
He teaches, or did teach, that the final culmination would come in October 1914.
When this time drew near, the "Pastor" announced that the end would come as he predicted. but that there might be no visible changes for the immediate present.
Russellism, like Mormonism, and Eddyism, is silent of the personality and work of the Holy Spirit.
Russellism, like Mormonism teaches that there are different levels of existence in the world to come, and that none will be eternally lost.—on the last named point, Eddyism, also, concurs.
Mormonism, Eddyism and Russellism, then, are alike in that.
Each appeals to its distinct field!
Each claims to be God's voice to this age!
Each substitutes its book or books for the Bible!
Each makes a direct, or indirect attack, on the deity of Christ!
Mormonism claims it got its "key" from an angel.
Eddyism claims it got its "key" from the "Supreme Mind."
Russellism claims it got its "key" from the Bible.
St. Paul says: "Though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed."
And what gospel was that?
"For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures."
When the only Begotten Son of God, with nail pierced hands, walks up into the presence of Mormonism, and Eddyism, and Russellism, each in turn will cry for the rocks and the mountains to fall upon them, to hide them from His Holy Presence forever.
TALK NUMBER FOUR
THE "ISMS" AND THE DOLLAR
WHEN money is the principal object of life," says John Ruskin, "with either man or a nation, it is both got ill and spent ill; and does harm both in the getting and the spending. But when it is not the principal object of life, it and all other things, will be well got and well spent."
To undertake to judge any man or movement by the dollar standard, is an exceedingly dangerous thing to do, for the possession of money is not the thing that contaminates, but the motives and methods through which and by which money was gathered.
Men may have large holdings that have been accumulated through wise and careful investments, and these holdings may be consecrated to God and the world of men, and thus bless the man who built the fortune, honor God and carry attendant blessings to the world.
Men may die in the poor house and be buried in the potter's field, and yet, literally, die in want, and be damned through an all-consuming greed for gain.
It is not the possession of money that becomes the evil, but the "love" of it—the love that drives men to dishonest methods and hypocritical pretensions.
The One who is Omniscient, and He only, can look into the innermost recesses of the heart, and there read the motives that send men forth to seek gold and save it, and He and He only can pass judgment that is infallibly correct.
In the doings of men the dollar cuts an astoundingly wide swath.
No man can be said to re thoroughly tested until he has been tested on the question of the dollar, and the man who stands that test stands one of the supremest tests of our mundane existence.
When men step out into the realm of the spiritual and stand face to face with eternal verities, it seems there, if nowhere else, the dollar should be compelled to occupy one of the lowest seats amongst the agencies that have been created for the services of men.
This must be true and doubly so, in the actual experiences of those who stand before the world as God's specially anointed." bearing to the world of sinning, suffering men some new revelation, some revelation so momentous that its ushering in is to be marked in God's great calendar as a distinct and revolutionary dispensation.
While none of the founders of the many great Protestant churches of the world presumed to teach, or preach, that they had been chosen of God to usher in some new dispensation, and none of them ever even intimated that they were God's "exclusive" channel of truth, to this age, yet under God, they flung into existence organizations, world wide, that have literally placed their arms about the nations of the earth, and the holy deeds of these holy men have been written in indelible ink in the hearts and homes of the people. through all generations, since they lived and wrought.
When these Godly men, founders of these religious movements—men in whose presence Joseph Smith, Mary Baker Eddy and Chas. Taz Russell would stand as intellectual pigmies and moral runts—came to the end of their earthly pilgrimage, they turned toward their graves as men who had given their all to the work they loved and labored for.
Not alone did they die in moderate circumstances, but their business dealings, in every regard, were always on the highest level of the most conscientious, consecrated Christians.
When we drop back to the three nation-wide "ISMS" that have been under the dissecting knife in these pages, we find that, added to the fact that each has its distinct field and each claims to be God's exclusive voice to this age, and each claims to have a substitute for the Bible, and each makes a direct, or indirect, attack on the Deity of Christ, each also, has a questionable record, when it comes to the matter of money.
While the founders of Mormonism, and Eddyism, and Russellism, professed to bring to the world a new revelation from God, each in turn had sought by every means, it seems, fair and foul, to make these professed revelations pour millions into their coffers!
Never, in the history—written history—of the world. have there been three religions launched, in which the dollar became the paramount issue, as in these three religions, and never has the dollar end been worked with such consummate cunning and such brazen audacity.
These religions, in turn, have poured millions of dollars into the hands of their founders—making them rich beyond their wildest dreams of avarice.
MORMONISM AND THE DOLLAR
Several years ago the famous journalist and novelist, Alfred Henry Lewis, made a tour of Mormondom, and his investigations covered several numbers in one of our leading magazines.
According to this writer (and he was of the world, worldly), Mormonism was growing so rapidly and so enormously rich, that it was, in his opinion, only a question of time until Mormondom would stand as a menace to the life and liberty of the nation.
This octopus had already wound its tentacles around capital after capital of western states, and, even then, it was reaching out to seats high and low in both branches of the United States congress.
Since Mr. Lewis wrote (and since he has passed away), the Mormon influence has grown, and the Mormon power has spread, until with every passing election the wily, designing tools of Mormondom, in city, state and national government, are being added to in every increasing numbers.
Mormonism stands as the sworn enemy of all existing forms of government, and teaches the faithful that the time will come when the Mormon church, under the Mormon god, or gods, will overthrow every existing form of manmade government, and their gods, by the Mormon prophet and through the Mormon people, will rule the nation and eventually the world.
Back of the Mormon church stands the Mormon Hierarchy, and back of the Mormon Hierarchy stands the Mormon Prophet, Joseph Smith, the God-man, who stands as God's infallible voice, to give laws to the people. All property interest in Mormondom, like in Eddyism and Russellism, when brought back to its final analysis is vested in the Mormon head. Joseph Smith controls banks, mines, railroads, newspapers, hotels, stores, and manufacturing industries of all sizes and kinds, and added to this, the faithful Mormon world pours into his coffers the Mormon tithe, an ever growing stream of gold, and for these tithes no accounting is ever asked or given.
The Mormon church, under the direction of its infallible head, owns, in a political way, many of the western states, bag and baggage, while in other states it carries the balance of power, and these facts, added to the tremendous prestige and leverage which its financial power gives in the nation, makes it possible for the Mormon Prophet to handle the politicians of the nations as the player at chess handles his figures on the chess board.
For the power that Mormonism can bestow, or the favors it can grant, multitudes of politicians stand ready to deliver the nation, roped, tied and branded, to whatever location the Mormon Hierarchy may designate.
Mormonism stands, today, the brazen confessor of a broken faith, having broken sacred vows made to the nation, and having placed itself outside the pale of decency and respect, through countenancing and sanctioning polygamous practices throughout the church, and yet so intrenched in the life of the nation, today is Mormonism, through its wily congressional and senatorial tools, and its millions in gold, that there is no shadow of doubt or fear, in the heart of Mormondom, that is not absolutely safe from attack, let that attack come from whatever source it may.
What Alfred Henry Lewis, in the series of magazine articles referred to, tried to tell us concerning Mormonism, several years ago, one of its own men is better telling us today.
Ex-Senator Cannon, ex-Mormon and the son of a deceased apostle in Mormondom, has recently sent out to the reading world a startling message, appearing in book form, under the title of "Under the Prophet in Utah, and in this well written book, bearing irrefutable facts, concerning the whole nauseating history of Mormon treachery and Mormon indecency!
…