Rutherford v. United States — Trial Record (1918)
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Judge Rutherford V.
The United States RUSSELLITES' BOOK ISSUED AFTER WAR
Indictment Returned Against Witness Who Failed-to Re call Signatures.
"The Finished Mystery," the alleged seditious book issued by the International Bible Students Association, of which the late Pastor Russell was founder, was not completed before this country entered the war, as had been contended by Russell's followers who are now on trial for conspiracy before Judge Howe in the Federal Court. Brooklyn, according to testimony offered yesterday afternoon.
During yesterday's session William F. Hudgins, who had previously been held in contempt of court by Judge Howe for refusing to answer questions, was indicted by the Federal Grand Jury.
The admission that the book containing the seditious matter had been completed after war was declared by this country was made by George H. Fisher of Scranton, Pa., one of the editors of the Watch Tower. Fisher testified that he had seen revised proofs of the book out June 25, 1917, eighteen days after war had been declared.
His testimony was offered after the Grand Jury had brought in the indictment against Hudgins, who had earlier in the day been sent to jail by Judge Howe for evading questions put to him when called to identify the signatures of William E. Van Amburgh and A. Hugh McMillan, men he had worked beside for years. Hudgins's wife, who was a stenographer, also had refused to answer questions and was reprimanded by the court.
Following the indictment Hudgins was arraigned before Judge Howe and bail fixed at $5,000. The case will come up on June 17. Fisher declared "The Finished Mystery," written closely from an outline left by Pastor Russell, was based on prophecies in the Book of Revelation.
The witness said that he personally was not opposed to war and would be willing to fight; but that the Lord said in His teachings that a Christian should not take life. "To a man who has not made full consecration of himself I would not lay down such a law," he declared.
"You mean," commented the court. "that it is wrong for you and those with you to engage in warfare, but right for the rest of us?"
Fisher said that one passage in the book, "Conscription will meet with opposition," was not written by him, but had been edited into the copy after he had turned it in.
Rutherford Gets 20-Year Sentence
New York, June 22.—Joseph F. Rutherford, successor of "Pastor" Russell as head of the international Bible students' association, and six of his associates were sentenced Friday to twenty years imprisonment for conspiracy to violate the espionage law.
Sentencing of Giovanni Dececca, another defendant convicted, was deferred for two months pending an investigation into his past career suggested by the court.
The charge against Rutherford and the other defendants was that they preached sedition in "Pastor" Russell's posthumous book, "The Finished Mystery," and advised resistance to the draft.
The sentences will be served at the federal penitentiary at Atlanta.
Russell's Followers Guilty of Violation of U.S. Espionage Act
NEW YORK, June 22. Joseph P. Rutherford and seven other defendants, followers of the late "Pastor" Russell, have been found guilty of conspiring to violate the espionage law, by a jury in federal court.
When the jury filed into the courtroom and the foreman announced the defendants had been found guilty on all four counts in the indictments against them, Judge Howe's comment was that the verdict was "thoroughly right."
Counsel for the defense moved that the verdict be set aside on the grounds that it was against the weight of evidence and that errors had been committed in the admission of evidence. The judge gave him until tomorrow noon to file his objections.
The maximum penalty which can be imposed on each defendant is forty years' imprisonment. The four counts on which they were found guilty were conspiracy, insubordination, disloyalty and resistance of the selective draft act. Each count carried a maximum penalty of ten years.
10-YEAR SENTENCE FOR DE CECCA, RUSSELLITE
Giovanni de Cecca, in charge of Italian translations for the International Bible Students Association and other organizations of the late Pastor Russell, who was found guilty recently on two counts for violation of the espionage law, was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment on each count by Judge Harlan B. Howe in the United States District Court in Brooklyn to-day. The sentences are to run concurrently.
All the usual motions, made by De Cecca's attorney, Jesse Fuller, were denied, with the exception of the privilege of taking an appeal. Judge Howe ordered him confined in the Atlanta prison.
20 ARRESTED FOR VIOLATING SEDITION ACT
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., April 23 Twenty persons, 10 of them women, are under arrest here for violation of the sedition act in distribution of the "Kingdom News," containing an article headed "The Finished Mystery and Why It Was Suppressed."
The paper is printed in New York. A petition addressed to President Wilson appears in the paper with blank lines for signatures. It declares that "Any interference by the clergy with independent Bible study is intolerant, un-American and un-Christian; and that any attempt to combine church and state is radically wrong." It protests against the suppression of "The Finished Mystery" and asks the governor to remove all restriction as to its use.
ARREST LEADER OF RUSSELLITES
'Judge' Rutherford Nabbed in Raid on Bible Students' Quarters
CONSPIRACY AND SEDITION CHARGED
NEW YORK, May 8-Joseph F. Rutherford, who as "Judge Rutherford of the New York bar" assumed leadership of the International Bible Students' Association and other organizations founded by "Pastor" Russell at the time of Russell's death two years ago, was arrested by federal agents here today charged with violating the trading with the enemy act and conspiring to induce insubordination and disorder among United States soldiers.
With five other leaders of the "Russellite" organizations, Rutherford was arrested during a raid on the "Bethel Home" in Brooklyn, the headquarters of the Bible Students' Association; the Watch Tower Tract Society and other associated bodies formed ostensibly for the dissemination of the "New Thought" teachings of "Pastor Russell."
To Stir up Dissension.
Many of these doctrines were incorporated in Russell's posthumous book, "The Finished Mystery," which was one of the mediums through which the Bible Students' Association leaders sought to stir up dissension among the nation's soldiers, according to one of the indictments against Rutherford and his associates.
"The Watch Tower," "The Bible Student" and "The Kingdom News," periodicals issued by the Russell Societies, the indictment alleges, also were employed for the distribution of this trouble-making propaganda. "The Kingdom News" was suppressed by federal authorities last week.
Under the indictment charging violation of the trading with the enemy act Rutherford will be asked to explain why one of his organizations sent a draft for $500 to Zurich, Switzerland, on Nov. 7 last year, which ultimately found its way to a payee in Barmen, Germany. Co-defendants named on this charge are William E. VanAmburgh and Robert M. Martin, who were taken in custody with Rutherford today, and Charles C. Binkle, who has not been apprehended.
20 YEARS FOR 7 "STUDENTS"
The men were admitted to bail to John G. Stevens, to whom the treasures of the association transferred the Bethel home, disqualified in the sum of $60,000.
"Pastor" Russell's Successor and Six Convicted
NEW YORK, June 21.—Joseph F. Rutherford, successor of "Pastor" Russelson head of the International Bible Students' Association and six of his associates were sentenced today to 20 years' imprisonment for conspiracy to violate the espionage law.
"Since it is the will of the Lord, we're glad to go," was the sentiment expressed by several of the convicted man to a throng of their friends, who were allowed to visit them in the grand jury room. Soon they all began to sing hymns, including "Nearer, My God, To Thee," and "Onward Christian Soldiers." If a stay is not obtained, it is probable Rutherford and his six associates will be taken to Atlanta Monday.
were arrested here today at the direction of C. L. Reames, assistant United States attorney general, after they had begun the circulation of a paper, said to have been published in Brooklyn, N. Y., and carrying accusations that the protestant and Catholic clergy of the United States had instigated government action against members of the international Bible students' association. This association, according to government agents, sponsored the circulation of a book called, "The Finished Mystery," which recently was suppressed. Thousands of copies of the Brooklyn paper were confiscated by the police. The publication was called "Kingdom News," and the subject matter bore the title: "The Finished Mystery and Why Suppressed."
PORTLAND, Ore., April 21—Lloyd B. Burtch and George H. Simpson, self-declared members of the international Bible students' association, were arrested here today in connection with the distribution of the "Kingdom News," a publication mainly devoted to a defense of Pastor Russell's book, "The Finished Mystery." They were turned over the federal authorities. Copies of the "Kingdom News" were found on door-steps in a large section of the residence district.
8 FOLLOWERS OF RUSSELL GUILTY
Late "Pastor's" Men Are Convicted
NEW YORK, June 30-Joseph F. Rutherford and seven other defendants followers of the late "Pastor" Russell were found guilty of conspiring to violate the esplonage law by a jury in federal court at 10:30 o'clock tonight.
When the jury foreman announced that all the defendants had been found guilty on all four counts in the indictments against them, Judge Howe's comment was that the verdict was "throughly right."
Counsel for the defence moved that the verdict be set aside on the grounds that it was against the weight of evidence and that errors had been committed in the admission of evidence. Asserting that the lawyer must be more specific, the judge gave him until tomorrow noon to file his objections. At that hour, the judge announced, he would sentence the eight men.
The maximum penalty that can be imposed on each defendant is 40 years imprisonment. The four counts on which they were found guilty were conspiracy, insubordination, disloyalty and resistance of the selective draft act. Each count carries a maximum penalty of 10 years. Judge Howe in imposing sentence can rule that they run separately or concurrently.
Besides Rutherford, the defendants were: William E. Van Amburgh, Robert J. Martin, Fred H. Robinson, George H. Fisher, Clayton J. Woodworth, A Hugh McMillan and Giovanni de Cecica
RELIGIOUS BELIEF NOT GOOD DEFENCE
Is No Excuse for Violating Law, Says Judge
NEW YORK, June 17—Religious belief is no excuse for violating the law. according to a statement made in the federal court here today by Judge Howe at the trial of Joseph F. Rutherford, who succeeded "Pastor" Russell as head of the International Bible Students' Association, and his seven associates, charged with opposing the war policies of the government by the circulation of alleged seditious literature.
Rutherford, asked if he believed in the draft, replied that in his youth it was his ambition- to lead an army. "but according to the tenets of our organization, it is against our principles to fight and on that ground alone I am opposed."
ARREST RUSSELLITES ONSEDITIONCHARGES
Rutherford, Who Succeeded Late 'Pastor,' and Five Other Leaders Barely Escape Jail.
INDICTED IN FEDERAL COURT
Inciting Refusal to Do Military Duty and Sending Money to Germany Alleged.
Charged with spreading doctrines calculated to promote unrest and disloyalty among the men of the army and navy, six leaders of the International Bible Students' Association, which was founded by the late "Pastor" Charles T. Russell, were arrested yesterday afternoon in Brooklyn by United States Marshal James M. Power.
The arrests were made at the "Bethel." the headquarters of the society, at 122 Columbia Heights, and among the men taken into custody was ex-Judge Joseph F. Rutherford, who is said to be the successor of "Pastor" Russell as the head of the organization. The sexet were saved from going to the City Prison for the night through a swift real estate transaction, by which one of the members of the association became temporary title holder to property of the society, enabling him to give bonds for the prisoners.
The Federal Grand Jury indictment, under which Rutherford and his associates were arrested, charges them with "unlawfully and willfully conspiring to cause insubordination, disloyalty, and refusal of duty of the military and naval forces of the United States." When arraigned before Judge Garvin in the United States District Court the accused all pleaded not guilty. Besides Rutherford, they were William E. Van Amburgh, A. Hugh McMillan, Robert J. Martin, Frederick H. Robinson, and Giovanni De Cecca. The first four named were held in 5,000 bail each, and the other two in 2,500 each.
When it came to the question of bail, the Russellites, as they are called, with the aid of a lawyer had a long debate with United States District Attorney France. They were told by Mr. France that the property of the association,
being that of a religious corporation, could not be accepted as security for their future appearance in court. The Trustees of the society then put their heads together and decided to transfer the title to the Columbia Heights property, which, they said, was worth $100,000, to one of their number; John F. Stevenson. This was done, and Mr. Stevenson qualifying as bondsman, the prisoners were released pending a hearing next week. Neither of them would make any statement after leaving court.
There are four counts in the indictment, all charging disloyalty. Rutherford, McMillan, Van Amburgh and Martin are also charged with having sent money to a representative of the association in Germany. These funds $500, deposited in the name of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society in the Nassau National Bank, Manhattan—are said to have been withdrawn on Nov. 7 last and sent by draft to Barmen, Germany, through Zurich, Switzerland.
The indictment was based largely upon matter published in the Watch Tower and Kingdom News, publications issued by the society, and " The Finished Mystery," a work by the late " Pastor" Russell. The magazines contain letters written from Italy and having to do with the trial in that country of a member of the International Bible Students' Association for making defamatory remarks about military service.
ARREST MORE RUSSELLITES
Two Bible Student Preachers Charged with Alding Germany.
Clayton J. Woodward and George H. Fisher, two more members of the organization founded by the late Pastor Russell, were taken into custody yesterday to answer to the Federal authorities for their alleged conspiracy to help Germany win the war by spreading discontent and disloyalty here. They live at Bethel House, 122 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn. Both said they were preachers connected with the International Bible Students' Association. They were in Scranton Wednesday, they said, and did not know of the arrest of their leader, J. F. Rutherford, and five of his followers until they got back.
When the first arrests were made the prisoners were saved from going to jail by a quick transfer of the real estate of the organization to one of the members. This done, the property was accepted as bail for the six prisoners. It was learned yesterday that this proceeding was not regular, and it is probable that in the default of any of the prisoners the Government would be in a legal fight to recover on the security accepted. It is said that arrangements are being made to furnish other bail. The security, however, that was offered for the six
prisoners was accepted as bond for the two taken yesterday.
United States District Attorney France was asked whether the bond offered was irregular. He said that he would not reply to the question. "I am satisfied for the present," was his only answer. Fisher and Woodworth were taken before Federal District Judge Edwin L. Garvin, who fixed ball at $2,500 each. All the prisoners are over draft age.
WOULD LET SINNERS FIGHT.
Russellite Wants All "Consecrated Christians" Exempted.
Clayton J. Woodworth of Scranton, Penn., part author of "The Finished Mystery," was the principal witness yesterday at the trial of himself and eight other Russellites in the United States District Court in Brooklyn. His attention was called to a quotation which he caused to be placed in the book from a sermon by the Rev. John Haynes Holmes which reads:
" There is not a question raised, an issue involved, a course at stake (in the war) which is worth the life of one bluejacket on the sea or one khaki coat in the trenches:"
Mr. Woodworth said it was from Dr. Holmes and he simply quoted from him, but admitted that he believed the quotation or he would not have incorporated it.
Special Prosecutor Isaac R. Oeland asked the witness about a part of the book in which Mr. Woodworth told of a minister dressed in army uniform and likened him to the bull at a slaughter house who led his fellows to death but evaded injury to himself, being trained to use a side door.
"I still believe it is a discredit for a minister to wear the uniform of the army and act as a decoy." Woodworth asserted, "and it is my belief that the ministers of the gospel in the aggregate are the greatest crowd of hypocrites that ever existed."
Woodworth said he was opposed to war and would not care to do military duty on the ground that he was a consecrated Christian. He said that among the Russellites those who did not become consecrated Christians were considered as sinners. He had no objection to sinners being called into service and losing their lives for their country.
"What do you think would become of the country if we all adopted your theories?" asked Judge Howe.
"If this people were wholly consecrated to the Lord the Lord would take care of them." replied Mr. Woodworth.
The trial will be continued this morning.
From left to right: W. E. Van Amburgh, J. F. Rutherford, A. H. Macmillan, R. J. Martin, F. H. Robison, C. J. Woodworth, G. H. Fisher, G. DeCecca
Federal Prison, Atlanta, Georgia 1920 Atlanta Federal Penitentiary, Inmate Case Files, 1902 - 1921 http://www.archives.gov/southeast/finding-aids/atlanta-penitentiary/
LAST NAME
FIRST NAME
INMATE NUMBER
RACE
AGE
COURT
CRIME
SCROLL DOWN HERE
Rutherford
Joseph F
WH
Brooklyn, NY
Conspiracy and Violating Espionage Laws
http://www.archives.gov/southeast/finding-aids/atlanta-penitentiary/inmates-r-s.html
Woodworth
Clayton J
WH
Brooklyn, NY
Conspiracy and Violating Espionage Laws
http://www.archives.gov/southeast/finding-aids/atlanta-penitentiary/inmates-t-z.html#w
DeCecca
Giovanni
WH
Brooklyn, NY
Conspiracy and Violating Espionage Laws
http://www.archives.gov/southeast/finding-aids/atlanta-penitentiary/inmates-c-d.html#d
Van Amburgh
William E
WH
Brooklyn, NY
Conspiracy and Violating Espionage Laws
http://www.archives.gov/southeast/finding-aids/atlanta-penitentiary/inmates-t-z.html#v
McMillan
Hugh A
WH
Brooklyn, NY
Conspiracy and Violating Espionage Laws
http://www.archives.gov/southeast/finding-aids/atlanta-penitentiary/inmates-m-n.html
Martin
Robert J
WH
Brooklyn, NY
Conspiracy and Violating Espionage Laws
http://www.archives.gov/southeast/finding-aids/atlanta-penitentiary/inmates-m-n.html
Robinson
Fred H
WH
Brooklyn, NY
Conspiracy and Violating Espionage Laws
http://www.archives.gov/southeast/finding-aids/atlanta-penitentiary/inmates-r-s.html
Fisher
George H
WH
Brooklyn, NY
Conspiracy and Violating Espionage Laws
http://www.archives.gov/southeast/finding-aids/atlanta-penitentiary/inmates-e-f-g.html#f
A HELPING HAND FOR
BIBLE STUDENTS presented to them as truth—they must 'try the spirits,' whether they be holy or evil, of God or of the Evil One—the Spirit of Truth or the spirit of error.
These both are introduced by prophets, or teachers."—E320, 295.
[Like] AS IT WERE frogs.—Frogs are garrulous, have a very wise look, large mouths, are much puffed up and utter only croakings. In the "distress of nations with perplexity" which has come upon Christendom as a result of her sins, the croakings of the wise now fill the air everywere. Actually all knees are "weak as water."—Ezek. 7:17; 21:7. See especially D i-xvi.
Come out of the mouth of the dragon.—The three fundamental truths of history are man's Fall, Redemption and Restoration. Stated in other language these three truths are the mortal nature of man, the Christ of God and His Millennial Kingdom. Standing opposite to these Satan has placed three great untruths, human immortality, the Antichrist and a certain delusion which is best described by the word Patriotism, but which is in reality murder, the spirit of the very Devil. It is this last and crowning feature of Satan's work that is mentioned first. The other two errors are the direct cause of this one. The wars of the Old Testament were all intended to illustrate the battlings of the New Creature against the weaknesses of the flesh, and are not in any sense of the word justification for the human butchery which has turned the earth into a slaughter-house. Nowhere in the New Testament is Patriotism (a narrow-minded hatred of other peoples) encouraged. Everywhere and always murder in its every form is forbidden; and yet, under the guise of Patriotism the civil governments of earth demand of peace-loving men the sacrifice of themselves and their loved ones and the butchery of their fellows, and hail it as a duty demanded by the laws of heaven.
"Everybody of importance in the early years of the twentieth century was an ardent champion of peace. A crowd of royal peacemakers in a world surcharged with thoughts and threats of war, a band of lovers strolling down an avenue which they themselves had lined with lyddite shells and twelve-inch guns. Prince Bulow, Sir Henry Campbell-Bannermann, Mr. H. H. Asquith, Mr. John Hay, and Mr. Elihu Root, pacific in temper, eloquent in their advocacy of the cause of international good will, were a galaxy of peace-loving statesmen under a sky black with the thunder-clouds of war. English and German papers were discussing invasions, and the need of increased armaments, at the very time that twenty thousand Germans in Berlin were applauding to the echo the friendly greetings of a company of English visitors.
While ten thousand boys and girls in Tokio were singing loving greetings to our naval officers, there were men in the United States rushing from city to city urging the people to prepare for an American-Japanese war. After each new peace conference there was a fresh cry for more guns. While the Palace of Peace at The Hague was building, nations hailed the advent of the airship as a glorious invention, because of the service it could render to the cause of war. The fountains from which there flowed these dark and swollen streams of war rumor were all located within the military and naval encampments. It was the experts of the army and navy who were always shivering at some new peril, and painting sombre pictures of what would happen in case new regiments were not added to the army and additional battleships were not voted for the fleet. It was in this way that legislative bodies came to think that possibly the country was really in danger; and looking round for a ground on which to justify new expenditures for war material, they seized upon an ancient pagan maxim—furnished by the military experts—'If you wish peace, prepare for war.' No guns were asked for to kill men with—guns were mounted as safeguards of the peace. No battle-ships were launched to fight with—they were preservers of the peace. Colossal armies and gigantic navies were exhibited as a nation's ornaments—beautiful tokens of its love of peace. The expenditure crushed the poorest of the nations and crippled the richest of them, but the burden was gladly borne for the cause.
"The most virulent and devastating disease of humanity now raging on the earth is militarism. There are demon suggestions which obtain so firm a grip upon the mind that it is difficult to banish them. The naval experts of Germany are dragging the German Empire ever deeper into debt, unabashed by the ominous mutterings of a coming storm. The naval experts of England go right on launching Dreadnaughts, while the number of British paupers grows larger with the years, and all British problems become increasingly baffling and alarming. The naval experts of Russia plan for a new billion-dollar navy, notwithstanding Russia's national debt is four and one-quarter billion dollars, and to pay her current expenses she is compelled to borrow seventy-five million dollars every year. With millions of her people on the verge of starvation, and beggars swarming through the streets of her cities and round the stations of her railways, the naval experts go on asking new appropriations for guns and military equipment.
"Like many another fever, militarism grows by what it feeds on, and unless checked by heroic measures is certain to burn the patient up. Bereft of reason are the nations by Satan's ingenious and terrible final beclouding of the minds of men.
"The militarist is comic in his seriousness. He says that if you want to keep the peace you must prepare for war, and yet he knows that where men prepare for war by carrying bowie knives, peace is a thing unheard of, and that where every man is armed with a revolver, the list of homicides is longest. Like many other diseases, militarism is contagious. One nation can be infected by another until there is an epidemic round the world. Is it possible, some one asks, for a world to become insane? That a community can become crazy was proven by Salem, in the days of the witchcraft delusion; that a city can lose its head was demonstrated by London, at the time of the Gunpowder Plot; that a continent can become the victim of an hallucination was shown when Europe lost its desire to live, and waited for the end of the world in the year 1000. Why should it be counted incredible that many nations, bound together by steam and electricity, should fall under the spell of a delusion, and should act for a season like a man who has gone mad?
"All the great nations are today facing deficits, caused in every case by the military and naval experts.
"Everything in Germany, Italy, Austria, England and Russia is held back by the confiscation of the proceeds of industry carried on for the support of the army and navy. In the United States the development of our resources is checked by this same fatal policy. We have millions of acres of desert land to be irrigated, millions of acres of swamp land to be drained, thousands of miles of inland waterways to be improved, harbors to be deepened, canals to be dug, and forests to be safeguarded, and yet for all these works of cardinal importance we can afford only a pittance. We have not sufficient money to pay decent salaries to our United States judges, or to the men who represent us abroad. We have pests, implacable and terrible, like the gypsy moth, and plagues like tuberculosis, for whose extermination millions of money are needed at once." C. E. Jefferson, American Association for International Conciliation.—Z.'09-179.
The first expenditure of the United States Government ($7,000,000,000), upon entering the world war, was 27% in excess of value of all the crops harvested in the United States in the banner year of its history. This amount would gridiron the country with macadam roads six miles apart, east and west, north and south.
It is double the capital and surplus of every bank in the country. It is equal to our entire cost for education, from kindergarten to university, for ten years.
"War is in open and utter violation of Christianity. If war is right, then Christianity is wrong, false, a lie. If Christianity is right, then war is wrong, false, a lie. The God revealed by Jesus, and by every spiritual leader of the race, is no God of battles. He lifts no sword—He asks no sacrifice of human blood. His spirit is love. His rule is peace, His method of persuasion is forgiveness. His law, as interpreted and promulgated by the Nazarene, is 'love one another,' 'resist not evil with evil,' 'forgive seventy times seven,' 'overcome evil with good,' 'love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you.' Such a God and such a law, others may reconcile with war, if they can. I cannot; and what I cannot do, I will not profess to do: But I must go farther—I must speak not only of war in general, but of this war in particular. Most persons are quite ready to agree, especially in the piping times of peace, that war is wrong. But let a war cloud no bigger than a man's hand appear on the horizon of the nation's life, and they straightway begin to qualify their judgment; and if the war cloud grows until it covers all the heavens, they finally reverse it.
"This brings about the curious situation of all war being wrong in general, and each war being right in particular. Germans denounce war, with the exception of course of the present conflict with England. Englishmen condemn war, but exclude from their indictment the present fight against the central Empires. If you tell me that this war is fought for the integrity of international law, I must ask you why it is directed only against Germany and not also against England, which is an equal, although far less terrible, violator of covenants between nations? If you say it is fought on behalf of the rights of neutrals, I must ask you where, when and by what belligerent the rights of neutrals have been conserved in this war, and what guarantee you can offer that, after all our expenditure of blood and money for their defense, these rights will not be similarly violated all over again in the next war by any nation which is battling for its life? If you say that it is fought for the security of American property and lives, I must ask you how and to what extent it will be safer for our citizens to cross the seas after the declaration of war than it was before? If you say that it is fought in vindication of our national honor, I must ask you why no harm has come to the honor of others nations, such as Holland and Scandinavia, for example, which have suffered even more than we, but which, for prudential reasons, refuse to take up arms?
If you say it is a war of defense against wanton and intolerable aggression, I must reply that every blow which we have endured has been primarily a blow directed not against ourselves but against England, and that it has yet to be proved that Germany has any intention or desire of attacking us. If you say that this war is a life-and-death struggle for the preservation of civilization against barbarism, I must ask you why we remained neutral when Belgium was raped, and were at last aroused to action, not by the cries of the stricken abroad, but by our own losses in men and money? If you say that this war is a last resort in a situation which every other method, patiently tried, has failed to meet, I must answer that this is not true—that other ways and means of action, tried by experience and justified by success, have been laid before the administration and wilfully rejected.
"In its ultimate causes, this war is the natural product of our unchristian civilization. Its armed men are grown from the dragon's teeth of secret diplomacy, imperialistic ambition, dynastic pride, greedy commercialism, economic exploitation at home and abroad. In the sowing of these teeth, America has had her part; and it is therefore only proper, perhaps, that she should have her part also in the reaping of the dreadful harvest. In its more immediate causes, this war is the direct result of unwarrantable, cruel, but none the less inevitable interferences with our commercial relations with one group of the belligerents. Our participation in the war, therefore, like the war itself, is political and economic, not ethical, in its character. Any honor, dignity, or beauty which there may be in our impending action, is to be found in the impulses, pure and undefiled, which are actuating many patriotic hearts today, and not at all in the real facts of the situation. The war itself is wrong. Its prosecution will be a crime. There is not a question raised, an issue involved, a cause at stake, which is worth the life of one blue-jacket on the sea or one khaki-coat in the trenches."—Rev. John Hayes Holmes, Church of the Messiah, Park Ave. and 34th St., New York City.
And out of the mouth of the beast.—The Antichrist doctrine of the Divine right of the clergy was the direct cause of the great war. This frog has been coming out of the mouth of the Papal beast for sixteen centuries. "The German Kaiser's reported proclamation to his army in Poland reads: 'Remember you (my army) are God's elect.
God's spirit has descended on me because I am Emperor of Germany. I am Jehovah's sword, His representative, the instrument of the Most High. Woe and death be to those who resist my will! and to all who do not believe my mission, and to cowards in my army! The enemies of the German people shall perish. God demands their destruction. He it is who through me commands you to fulfill His will!' These false doctrines of the Dark Ages are bearing a terrible fruitage in the present war. Similarly the teaching of eternal torment, misrepresenting and blaspheming God's character, is bearing an evil fruitage. Millions of people are being turned away from faith in a God of Love and from faith in the Bible as His Message by the most monstrous blasphemies of the Dark Ages. I charge the responsibility of all this against the sects and creeds of Christendom. I charge that the ministers, whose eyes are now open to a saner comprehension, have neglected the Bible, have neglected the people, and instead of helping them out of the darkness, are now leading them into darkness in an opposite direction—into Evolution and Higher Criticism and everything contrary to the Word of God. God is still misrepresented in the world. The creeds of the Dark Ages are still hugged to the bosom in outward pretense, while inwardly they are loathed. A great fraud, a great hypocrisy, you say? I answer, Yes; the most astounding the world has ever known. Two hundred thousand professed ministers of God and of Christ are standing before the world today telling the legends of the Dark Ages and seeking to hinder the people from coming to a knowledge of the Truth, meanwhile receiving the people's money and reverence. Does not such hypocrisy, such blasphemy against God, such deception of the people, such keeping of them in darkness, deserve a great punishment, and is it not nigh?"—B. S. M.
"In all the warring countries the professed ministers of Christ are acting as recruiting agents. All kinds of arguments are used to persuade the young men of the country, contrary to the teachings of the Master. The same men who are accustomed to laugh at the declaration that the Turkish soldiers in former wars were promised, in the event of death, a sure passport to Heavenly Paradise—these same ministers are now urging all the eligible with whom they have influence to prepare to go to battle to lay down their lives. While the Germans have on every battle flag and upon their soldiers' belts, 'God with us,' the British ministers are quoting Bible texts to encourage enlistment of their young men and to throw a halo of glory upon their soldier dead."
(Z.'15-267.) "The clergy are finding themselves in a tight place. They are expected to be faithful to their country, right or wrong. They are expected to preach the War as the will of God and the going to war as a meritorious matter that will have Divine reward and blessing. They must encourage recruiting, in obedience to the commands of their earthly king, and in violation of the commands of the Heavenly King, who has directed them to be peacemakers, and to follow peace with all men and do no murder, either under legal sanction or otherwise." (Z.'15-276.) "Recently in Canada the Editor was astounded by the activity of the preachers there—especially those of the Church of England. One was out in khaki uniform marching through the streets with the volunteers. Asked by a college friend, 'Did I see you in the ranks?' he answered, 'Yes, I wanted to encourage the boys.' 'And did you think of going to the front, to the trenches?' 'Not a bit of it!' He was merely acting as a decoy to get others to the front; just as a bull which they have at one of the Chicago stockyards, meets the animals about to be slaughtered and, tossing his head in the air, becomes their leader up the gangway leading to the slaughter. There he knows his little niche, into which he glides and is sheltered; while the others drive and press one another forward to the slaughter."—Z.'15-259.
And out of the mouth of the false prophet.—The one cardinal error upon which all protestant (false prophet) sects agree is the doctrine of human immortality, the original lie told in Eden (Gen. 2:17; 3:4). In speaking of it our Lord says, "When he speaketh the lie, he speaketh of his own." (John 8:44, Diaglott.) Speaking of it again, the Apostle Paul says, of the worshipers of the beast and his image, "They admitted not the love of the Truth that they might be saved. And on this account God will send to them an energy of delusion, to their believing the falsehood." (2 Thes. 2:10, 11.) In each case the Greek gives the definite article. The frog issuing from the false prophet (the image of the beast) is the doctrine of human immortality. These deluded souls actually believe this error, and will be able to prove it to the satisfaction of the dragon, without a doubt. This error lies at the bottom of the doctrines of eternal torment and of the trinity. There is a hint in 1 John 4:1-3 that the cardinal error on which the false prophet will insist is that when Jesus came from the Father He was more than flesh, i.e., had at least an immortal soul.—Rev. 13:11, 13, 14, 15; 14:9, 11; 15:2; 16:2; 19:20; 20:10; Matt. 24:24.
CHURCH FEDERATION
"If the Wesleyans and the Church of England should reunite in the land of Wesley, what effect would it have on the Methodist body in this land?" asks The Literary Digest.
"The Churchman" (New York) hopes that the present discussion of the projected union in England will result in the drawing together of two separated religious communions.
"The Guardian" (London) publishes a letter from a Methodist clergyman, in which he says:
"We are asking whether the Church of England will allow Wesleyan ministers either to receive conditional ordination or, alternatively, to be ordained in a formula which would substitute the words 'Church of England' for the words 'Church of God' in the Prayer-Book formula. We are asking whether confirmation might, during a period of transition, be regarded as a domestic institution, not to be too rigidly enforced upon adult outsiders. We can see that some concessions must be made for the sake of healing our unhappy divisions, and many of us are prepared, with that end in view, to accept reordination, even sans phrase if that should be absolutely necessary."
METHODISM IN HOLY WRIT
As might have been expected, all the prominent Protestant systems are brought to our attention in the Revalator's depiction of the Papacy and the Reformation. To whatever extent the "daughters" have followed the course of the Mother Church in hiding the increasing light of Truth which discredits their time-worn creeds, to that extent the Lord has held them in derision. The following is the exposition of Revelation 9:1-12, in "THE FINISHED MYSTERY," announced on page 4 of this paper:
9:1. And the fifth angel sounded. The Reformation trumpets are referred to, four of which had sounded previous to the one here mentioned. The Lutheran, Anglican, Presbyterian and Baptist movements preceded the Wesleyan, which is now represented in fifteen kinds of Methodist organizations.—1 Cor. 3:3.
And I saw a star.—John Wesley became a star in the Anglican heavens in 1728, at which time he was ordained a priest by Bishop Potter.
Fall from heaven unto the earth. Brother Wesley tore a large-sized hole in the ecclesiastical heavens when he began the manufacture of a firmament of his own. His work grew rapidly, particularly in America. Says the Encyclopedia Britannica, "The preachers in the South determined upon administration of the sacraments, and a committee was chosen who ordained themselves and others. John Wesley, aided by two presbyters of the Church of England, early in 1784, ordained Thomas Coke, a presbyter of that Church, as Superintendent."
In 1787 the American Conference changed Mr. Coke's title to "Bishop."
It must have been a strange sight to see a bright man like Wesley engaging those two preabyters of the Church of England to help him ordain somebody to a higher office than any of them had ever held. But the plan worked. All Methodists believe that Bishop Coke, the first Bishop of the Methodist Church, received some "apostolic succession." Those brethren have been relieved that Pastor Russell did not get his ordination from the same source.
And to him was given the key of the *[bottomless] pit OF THE ADY88.—Wesley was given the key to nothing
(Continued on Page 2, Column 1.)
9:2. [And he opened the bottom less pit.]—Wesley opened nothing. He
THE FALL OF BABYLON
Ancient Babylon a Type-Mystic Babylon the Antitype
WHY CHRISTENDOM MUST NOW SUFFER-THE FINAL OUTCOME
The following article is extracted mainly from Pastor Russell's posthumous volume entitled "THE FINISHED MYSTERY," the 7th in the series of his STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES and published subsequent to his death. Pastor Russell held the distinction of being the most fearless and powerful writer of modern times on ecclesiastical subjects. In this posthumous volume, which is called "his last legacy to the Christians of earth," is found a thorough exposition of every verse in the entire book of Revelation and also an elucidation of the obscure prophecy of Ezekiel. The book contains 608 pages, is handsomely bound in embossed cloth, 60c postpaid. Orders may be sent through us, if preferred.—Editorial Note.
THE various prophecies of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel and the Apocalypse concerning Babylon are all in full accord, and manifestly refer to the same great city. And since these prophecies had but a very limited fulfilment upon the ancient literal city, and those of the Apocalypse were written centuries after the literal Babylon was laid in ruins, it is clear that the special reference of all the Prophets is to something of which the ancient literal Babylon was an illustration. It is clear also that, in so far as the prophecies of Isaiah and Jeremiah concerning its downfall were accomplished upon the literal city, it became in its downfall, as well as in its character, an illustration of the great city to which the Rewelator points in the symbolic language of the Apocalypse (Chapters
9:8); and likewise there is a nominal Spiritual Zion, and a nominal bleeshy Zion. (See Isa. 33:14; Amos 6:1.) But let us examine some of the wonderful correspondencies of Christendom to Babylon, its type, including the direct testimony of the Word of God on the subject. Then we will note the present attitude of Christendom, and the present indications of her foretold doom.
The Revelator intimated that it would not be difficult to discover this great mystical city, because her name is in her forehead; that is, she is prominently marked, so that we cannot fail to see her unless we shut our eyes and refuse to look." And upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots and abominations of the earth." (Rev. 17(5.) But before looking for this Mystical Babylon, let us first observe the typical Babylon, and then, with its prominent features in mind, look for the anti type.
THE HANDWRITING ON THE WALL
17 and 18), and to which chiefly the other Prophets refer.
As already intimated, what to-day is known as Christendom is the antitype of ancient Babylon; and therefore the solemn warnings and predictions of the Prophets against Babylon—Christendom—are matters of deepest concern to the present generation. Would that men were also enough to consider them! Though various other symbolic rames, such as Edom, Ephraim, Ariel, etc., are in the Scriptures applied to Christendom, this term, "Babylon," is the one most frequently used, and its significance, confusion, is remarkably appropriate. The Apostle Paul also points out a nominal Spiritual Israel in contradistinction to nominal Flashly Israel (1 Cor. 10:13; Gal. 6:16; Rom.
The name Babylon was applied, not only to the capital city of the Babylonian empire, but also to the empire itself. Babylon, the capital, was the most magnificent, and probably the largest, city of the ancient world. It was built in the form of a square on both sides of the Euphrates river; and, for protection against invaders, it was surrounded by a deep most filled with water and inclosed within a vast system of double walls, from thirty-two to eighty-five feet thick, and from seventy-five to three hundred feet high. On the summit were low towers, said to have been two
hundred and fifty in number, placed along the outer and inner edges of the wall, tower facing tower; and in these walls were a hundred brazen gates, twenty-five on each side, corresponding to the number of streets which intersected each other at right angles. The city was adorned with splendid palaces and temples and the spoils of conquest.
Nebuchadnezzar was the great monarch of the Babylonian empire, whose long reign covered nearly half the period of its existence, and to him its grandeur and military glory were chiefly due. The city was noted for its wealth and magnificence, which brought a corresponding moral degradation, the sure prescursor of its decline and full. It was wholly given to idolatry, and was full of iniquity. The people were worshippers of Man, to whom they offered human sacrifices. The deep degradation of their idolatry may be understood from God's reproof of the Israelites when they became corrupted by contact with them.—See Jer. 7:9; 19:5.
Nebuchadnezzar was succeeded in the dominion by his grandson Belshazzar, under whose reign came the collapse which pride, fulness of bread and abundance of idleness always insure and hasten. While the people, all unconscious of impending danger, following the example of their king, were abandoning themselves to demoralizing excesses, the Persian army, under Cyrus, stealthily crept in through the channel of the Euphrates (from which they had turned aside the water), massacred the revelers, and captured the city. Thus was fulfilled the prophecy of that strange handwriting on the wall—"Mone, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin"—which Daniel had interpreted only a few hours before to mean, "God hath numbered thy kingdom and finished it. Thou art weighed in the balance and art found wanting. Thy kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians." So complete was the destruction of that great city that even its site was forgotten and was for a long time uncertain.
Such was the typical city; and, like a great millstone cast into the sea, it was sunken centuries ago, never again to rise: even the memory of it has become a reproach and a byword. Now let us look for its antltype, first observing that the Scriptures clearly point it out, and then noting the aptness of the symbolism.
Mystic Babylon—"Christendom"
In symbolic prophecy a "city" signifies a religious government backed by power and influence. Thus, for instance, the "Holy City, the New Jerusalem" is the symbol used to represent the established Kingdom of God, the overcomers of the Gospel Church exalted and reigning in glory. The Church is also, and in the same connection, represented as a woman, "the Bride, the Lamb's Wife," in power and glory, and backed by the power and authority of Christ, her Husband. "And there came unto me one of the seven angels ... saying, Come hither, I will show thee the Bride, the Lamb's Wife. And he ... showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem."—Roy. 21:9. 10.
This same method of interpretation applies to Mystic=1 Babylon, the great
(Continued on Page 2. Column X.) THE BIBLE STUDENTS MONTHLY REFORMERS VS.
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did Interpret Rom. 8:21 as meaning that the lower animals would go to Heaven, but that was an error. he was honest enough, however, to object to using the word 'trinity because he did not find it in the Bible." Christian Advocates" please no.e.
METHODISM IN HOLY WRIT (Continued from Page 1, Column 1.)
And there arose a smoke. Confusion-a binuing haze.
[Out of] OVLR the pit.—In the "air," the ecclesiastical heavens.
As the smoke of a great furnace. Methodism was no ordinary smudge.
And the sun.—the true Gospel.
Were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. Metropolitan damaged the Anglican communion as much as it did the Truth.
And unto them was given power. To attend an old-time Methodist meeting and witness the "going the power" was to see the sight of a life time.
9:3. And there came out of the smoke locusta.An immense number of followers.Juices 7:14.
Upon the earth-Among order-loving people.
As the scorpions of the earth have power.—"A well-known injurious insect of hot climates. 'An ashing, which is situated at the extremity of the tail, has at its base a gland that secretes poisonous fluid, which is discharged into the wound by two minute orifices at its extremity. The scorpion makes a painful wound in men and beasts which produces fatal results unless speedy remedies be provided such as scarifying the wound or sucking out the poison."—McClintock and Strong.
8:4. And It was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth. men of independent thought. her. 8:7.
But [only] those man. The uncon- veried.
[Neither any green thing.] Neither any tree.—Saint.—Nov. 811.
Which have not the seal of God in their foreneads.—Methodists understand that to be converted from being a sinner means to have the seal of God in one's forenead. All the energies of that church are devoted to gathering in goats to the sheepfold.
9:5. And to them it was given that they should not kill them.—No such eane and merciful sentence as "The wages of sin is death" has any place in Methodist theology. Wesley was born at a time when the original meaning of the word "hell" had become hidden, and was saturated with the later teachings that it signifies a place of torment. He threw his whole heart into the work of spreading this error throughout the earth.
But that they should be tormented five months.—In symbolic time, 150 years-5x30=150. (Ezek. 4:6.) Wesley became the first Methodist in 1728. (Rev. 9:1.) When the Methodist denomination, with all the others, was cast off from favor in 1878 (Rev. 3:14) its powers to torment men by preaching what Presbyterians describe as "Conscious misery, eternal in duration" came to an end legally, and to a large extent actually.-Rev. 9:10.
And their torment. The torment of those tormented by the tormenting doctrine of torment.
9:6. And in those days. Throughout the 150 years of widely prevalent "Methodist hell-fire."
Was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.—See Rev. 9:10.
Shall men seek death.—Would be glad to know that "The wages of sin is death."—Rom. 6:23.
And shall not find it—Because all the texts which plainly teach that "All the wicked will God destroy," were perverted to mean "All the wicked will God immortalize in hell."
And shall desire to die.Real men would prefer to die and stay dead rather than forever companion and worship the greatest devil of the Universe.
And death shall flee from them. They were told that men only seem to die, although touch, hearing, sight and smell all bear eloquent testimony to the contrary.—Rom. 6:23; Ezek. 18:4; Gen. 3:19; Psa. 115:17; Ecc. 9:5; Psa. 37:10, 20; Ecc. 3:19-21; 1 Cor. 15:13, 18; Dan. 12:2.
THE FALL OF BABYLON
ANTICHRIST
(Continued from Page 1, Column 4.)
Through the press and through leaflets the story is being widely circulated that Kaiser Wilhelm is the Antichrist. This is not the Bible view, however. There Antichrist is set forth as a system, not as an individual. According to the Reformers the real Antichrist is the Papacy. The effort to make the people believe that the Kaiser is Antichrist is doubtless a deception — dust-throwing — Papal camouflage, to divert attention from the real Antichrist—Papacy.
Everyone knows that the Kaiser is an instrument of the Devil. To accomplish his purpose, Satan appears as an angel of light. (2 Cor. 11:14.) To prevent people from seeing the real Antichrist, he directs attention to a lesser instrument of his.
The Apostles prophecled that Antichrist would arise in the Church. Afterwards many recognized the Papacy as Antichrist. Below we give the united testimony of the seven greatest reformers since Christ's day.
(2) ST. JOHN.—"Ye have heard that Antichrist [Papacy and Protestantism together] shall come. It is Antichrist that denieth [disowns in word or deed] the Father and the Son; ... even already now it [the Papal-Protestant aggregation] is in the world." A man child [Papacy] was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. A [wild] beast [a wicked, ungovernable church ruling like a fierce, evil government] out of the sea [people], having seven heads and ten horns [nations], upon his horns ten crowns and upon his heads the names of blasphemy. A woman [mother of apostate churches, her daughters] sat upon a scarlet colored beast [so-called Christendom], holding a golden cup full of abominations and filthiness of her [church-state] fornication, and upon her forehead [in her mind, teachings] a name written, Mystery, Babylon the Great, Mother of Harlots [the apostate Protestant churches, her daughters]; etc.—Seel 1 John 2:18, 22; 4:3; Rev. 12:5; 13:1; 17:3-5, 6, 11, 16.
(1) ST. PAUL said: "That Day shall not come except there come a falling away [Romanith apostasy] first, and that Man of Sin [Papacy] be revealed, the son of perdition [destruction]; who opposeh and exaltoth himself above all that is called God or is worshiped; so that he as God [vicegerent] sitteth in the Temple of God."—2 Thurs. 2:2, 2.
(4) PETER WALDO: The Waldenian "Treatise on Antichrist." written in 1170 A. D., brands the Roman Church as "the Harlot, Hahvlon, and Panncy as the Man of S.n and Antichrist."
(3) AFIUS believed in the coming of Antiochist in the Church. It was banished by the Papacy and his writings destroyed.
(5) JOHN WYCLIFFE: "As touch ing the Pope, I owe him neither suit nor service, forsamuch as I know him by the Scriptures to be Anticrist, the son of perdition, the open Adversary of God, and an abomination standing in the Holy Place."
(6) MARTIN LUTHER: "I am assured that the popedom is anti christian and the seat of Satan—Anti christ of the Scriptures. Antichrist, as the Scripture witnesseth, sittoth not in a stable of flends, nor in a wine-sty, nor in a company of infidels, but in the highest and heost place of all—the Temple of God."
(7) PASTOR RUSSELL, the great twentieth century Reformer, writes about the Papal-Protestant combination in Vols. 2, 3 and 7 of his STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES. Read them; and you will see through the Papal-Protestant scheme to get control again, as in the clergy-ruled Dark Ages, throttle free speech, destroy liberty and rule Christendom through priests and preachers.
Just as J. P. Morgan, one of the prime movers for church federation, "financiered" the New Haven Railway and drained its very life-blood, so the Papacy and the Federal Council of Churches, are now preparing to grab everything in sight. Proliminary to this, and to close the people's eyes to the recognition of Papacy as the Antichrist of the Scriptures. an ingenious attempt is being made to show that Kaiser Wilhelm is Antichrist, and that he will end his reign in February, 1918. That the war will end in February by the Papacy's accomplishing the Kaiser's overthrow. we think, is quite reasonable; but this will put the real Antichrist (Papacy) in power.
Antichrist and Image of the Beast.
Then baware!—for the Pope can never exert temporal power, either directly or indirectly in this country without real trouble for the whole Papal-Protestant-Episcopal aggregation! See Volume VII of SCRIPTURE STUDIES for particulars.
ecclesiastical kingdom, "that great city" (Kev. 17:1-6), which is described as a hariot, a fallen woman in apostate church;—for the true Church is a virgin), exalted to power and dominion, and backed, to a considerable degree, by the kings of the earth, the civil powers, which are all more or less intoxicated with her spirit and doctrine. The apostate church lost her virgin purity. Instead of waiting, as an espoused and chaste virgin, for exaltation with the Heavenly Bridegroom, she associated herself with the kings of the earth and prostituted her virgin purity—of both doctrine and character—to suit the world's ideas; and in return she received, and now to some extent exercises, a present dominion, in large measure by their support, direct and indirect. This unfaithfulness to the Lord, whose name she claims, and to her high privilege to be the "chaste virgin" espoused to Christ, is the occasion of the symbolic appellation "hariot," while her influence as a sacerdotal empire, full of inconsistency and confusion, is symbolically represented under the name Babylon, which, in its widest sense, as symbolized by the Babylonian empire, we promptly recognize to be Christendom; while in its more restricted sense, as symbolized by the ancient city Babylon, we recognize to be the nominal Christian church.
It has been very generally and very properly claimed by Protestants that the name "Babylon" and the prophetic description are applicable to Papacy, though recently a more compromising disposition is less inclined so to apply it. On the contrary, every effort is now made on the part of the sects of Protestantism to conciliate and initiate the Church of Rome, and to affiliate and co-operate with her. In so doing they become part and parcel with her, while they justify her course and fill up the measure of her iniquities, just as surely as did the scribes and Pharisees fill up the measure of their fathers who killed the Prophets. (Matt. 23:31, 32.) All this, of course, neither Protestants nor Pupists are ready to admit, because in so doing they would be condemning themselves. And this fact is recognized by the Revelator, who shows that all who would get a true view of Babylon must, in spirit, take their position with the true people of God "in the wilderness"—in the condition of separation from the world and worldly lions and mere forms of godliness, and in the condition of entire consacration and faithfulness to and dependence upon God alone. "So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness, and I saw a woman, Babylon."--Rev. 17:1-5.
And since the kingdoms of the civilized world have submitted to he largely dominated by the influence of
EMPEROR LOUIS BEFORE THE ROPE
the great ecclesiastical systems, especially Papacy, accepting from them the appellations "Christian nations" and "Christendom," and accepting on their authority the doctrine of the "Divine right of kings," etc., they also link themselves in with great Babylon, and become part of it, so that, as in the type, the name Babylon applied, not only to the city, but also to the whole empire, here also the symbolic term "Babylon" applies, not only to the great religious organizations, Papal and Protestant, but also, in its widest sense, to all Christendom.
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