AND THEIR TRADITIONS.
CONTINUED
The anti-republican proposition of the gospel of the kingdom, then, is this—that a divinely established monarchy righteously administered in all its details is the sole panacea for the evils of the world. If it were not, God would have devised some other system of things. He has predetermined the existence of such a kingdom, and therefore we may infer it is the best remedy for the evils which exist. Hear it, ye Websters, Clays, and Hugos, ye Mazzinis, and Kossuths, “the thrones shall be cast down,” and in place thereof, “the God of heaven will set up a Kingdom”—mark ye this, not a republic, but “a kingdom,” “which shall never be destroyed: it shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.” Ye would establish a republic, but “the God of heaven” is against you. The success of your work would prevent the establishment of his. He wills that a kingdom shall exist, and he will set it up as he established the kingdom of Israel in the days of old. Be afraid of his kingdom, all ye oppressors of the earth, for what republicans cannot do, he will certainly accomplish. His kingdom, like yours, is a military power. It will “break in pieces and consume all your kingdoms;” and though you may gather your armies together to make war upon his king, and the army which follows him, ye will be tormented in his presence by fire and sword—Revelation 19: 19; 14: 10, and be utterly and irrevocably defeated. The republicans seek to overthrow your kingdoms, but they will not, they cannot succeed. They may shake your foundations, but the glory of casting down your thrones of wickedness and blood is the work of Jehovah’s servant whom he retains at his right hand until the hour of judgment arrives.
But it may be inquired, if the career of the Model Republic be so brief, so like a meteor in the heavens, what was the purpose of God in permitting it to exist? If not to republicanise the nations what was its destiny? Our answer will be intelligible to the scribe well instructed in the kingdom. The judgments of God are about to break forth with terrible fury upon Europe, when there will be a time of trouble such as there has not been since there was a nation upon earth—Daniel 12: 1. This being the case, it will be worse with that division of the globe than it was with the Western Roman Empire in the time of Attila, Genseric, and Alaric. If therefore no refuge, no asylum for the civilisation of the age had been provided, the night of “the Dark Ages” would return, and the world submerged in barbarism as in feudal times. But this calamity has been provided against by the extension of civilisation and its establishment in the New World. All that is worth preservation in arts and science, and in social life, has become naturalised in these United States; so that if Europe with all its appurtenances were to be blotted out tomorrow, the surviving nations would still advance in their career of social improvement. Hence the mission of the United States is to defend and preserve the civilisation of the age from extinction in the transition of the old world from its present state to the Age of the Kingdom of God. This transition period is a time of sore trouble—the time of God’s judgment upon Europe because of its superstition, blasphemy, and crime. War, long and terrible wars, will intermit the progress of the nations. Indeed they can advance no further in amelioration until their oppressors, lay and clerical, be destroyed. These exist as an alpine barrier between the populations of the old world and the blessedness in store for them in the Age to Come. This barrier must be removed—a removal which nothing but the sword can accomplish. The republicans have proved themselves incompetent to the work. They want unity of purpose, concert of action, and sagacity to outgeneral and destroy their oppressors. They have had fine opportunities, but have not known how to improve them. In 1792, 1830, and 1848, they triumphed; but in the hour of victory they permitted themselves to be cajoled out of its advantages by ambitious and deceitful men. So long as they allow themselves to be counselled by Jesuits and priests, or by men who pander to them for the sake of power, as in the case of Louis Napoleon and his uncle, they never can relieve themselves of the incubus that heels them in the dust. Even here in these United States the Constitution is fostering a power which in its maturity would convert the Model Republic into a despotism, if the God of heaven did not arise and supersede it by the power of his kingdom. A clear stage and no favor for all sects is an equality that in time would prove fatal to liberty. If the sects equalised by the constitution were unambitious of political power there would be nothing to fear. But this is not the case. Papalism is essentially a politico-religious despotism of the most murderous and devilish character. It is Diabolism incorporate, and is at rest never where it is treated as a sect, and devoid of the power of the sword. Its position in the old world, and in much of America, is sovereign, imperial, and regal; and it claims the same position of right in all countries of the earth. The constitution of the United States regards this hateful manifestation of Satanism with equal favor as peace-loving and non-resisting Quakerism. It puts them both upon an equality by which Papalism, which sticks at nothing, whose hellish principle is “no faith with heretics,” “the end sanctifies the means,” all things are lawful in the service of the church, lying, flattery, hypocrisy, adultery, theft, and murder, (as proved by history)—this Papalism, so worthily detested by European liberals, so cordially and deservedly abominated by democratic and social republicans in France, where in past times it has soaked the soil with the blood of men of whom the world was not worthy—this horrid and debasing superstition is protected in the exercise of all its Satanic working with all deceivableness of unrighteousness—2 Thessalonians 2: 9-10 in the propagation of its anti-republican, protestant-hating, treacherous, and treasonable faith, by the Constitutions, the political Bibles, of Anglo Saxon and Gallic republicanism! A faith that appeals to the evil of human nature that flatters its vanity, fosters its pride, tolerates its lusts, and indulges it in crime, has all the sympathy, and all the predilection of sin in its favor. It is a superstition congenial to the heart of the natural and unenlightened man; and because of this congeniality it is that Papalism is so extensively diffused, and so high in favor among “the earthly, sensual, and devilish” rulers of the darkness of the world. Mankind trouble themselves but little about its dogmas. They leave these to its wretched priests, who use them for the mystification of the inquisitive. They believe what the church believes, and concern themselves but little whether “the church” believes the truth. If the authority of the church be superseded by a denial of its faith, men cease to be papists, but they are still “earthly, sensual, and devilish,” as were “the apostles of infidelity” whose republicanism poured out such terrible fury upon kings, aristocrats, and priests at the close of the last century. Instead, therefore, of the Model Republic converting the world to liberty, fraternity, and equality, though aided in the work by “the mountain,” and the democracy of Europe, it has a worm in its own vitals, which if not crushed and time should be afforded, would destroy it, and supplant the star-spangled banner by the Cross and Keys. But, thanks be to God, there is no time for this. Consumption and destruction are decreed against the Papacy. Its 1335 years are almost expired; and though republicanism be too feeble to exterminate the evil by which the nations are cursed, and withheld from the blessedness of the Age to Come, the Model Republic will endure until its mission be accomplished in behalf of civilisation; and the God of heaven by his heroic king shall deliver the world from the power of them who spoil the earth—Revelation 11: 18.
Republicanism being remedially inert, a divine monarchy, or theocracy, is the only remedy for the world’s evils. But how will it operate the cure? By supplying that which republican-gospellers cannot—a religion without sect or faction; a legislation proscriptive of all evil; and just and infallible rulers. The first would abolish Papalism, Protestantism, Sectarianism, Mohammedanism, and Paganism; the second cause righteousness to flourish as wickedness does now; and the third, obviate all injustice from whatever cause. Would not the nations be blessed then? No sensible man would deny it. An evil-minded man would say “No!” The present race of Popes, Emperors, Kings, Priests, nobles, and officials, would protest against them. They would sooner see republicanism triumphant than such blessedness throughout the earth; for republicanism affords scope for the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, the pride of life, superstition, injustice, and oppression; but a theocracy administered by infallible and righteous men does not. Such blessedness they hate, because it implies that they, being only evil, will have no part in it. The Pope and the Emperors must give place to Christ; and the kings and priests, or ministers and clergy, of every superstition, must surrender their power and authority to the Saints, who with Jesus shall possess the kingdom and dominion under the whole heaven for ever. Satan must be bound and cast out of the heaven, that the aerial regions of the old and new worlds may be purified from the unrighteousness and iniquity with which they are defiled.
But at these things, one may say, “I marvel greatly! Is it indeed true that all mankind are to be of one religion, and to be subject to rulers that cannot err? Such a consummation is assuredly beyond the compass of republicanism, or of all ‘the powers that be’ to accomplish!” It is not pretended that mere human power and authority can bring it to pass. The work of bringing all men to unity of faith and practice has been experimented and signally failed. But the work is to be done, and will be perfected. Hear what Jehovah saith by his prophet—
“At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the Lord, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart”—Jeremiah 3: 17.
They shall be gathered unto it as the capital of the kingdom and dominion which the God of heaven shall set up—as the seat of government of the undivided empire which is to “fill the whole earth.” “At that time” shall this come to pass. At what time? The prophet informs us that it shall be when Israel is restored, and the Lord gives them pastors after his own heart, who shall feed them with knowledge and with understanding. This has never happened in the sense of the text; for the event is to be accompanied by the remarkable and hitherto unseen phenomenon of the nations ceasing to walk after the imagination of their evil heart. They have walked in their own evil ways ever since their existence; and do now as pre-eminently as ever. But mark the testimony—a time is coming when they shall do so no more—when they shall be enlightened in consequence of the knowledge of the glory of the Lord covering the earth as the waters cover the sea. At that time Jerusalem shall be the throne of the Lord when “he shall govern the nations upon earth.”
When these things come to pass, what will the nations then say of you, ye Republican gospellers, ye crazy and infatuated politicians of the hour, who boast yourselves of your wisdom, penetration, and enlightenment? Hear the confession of your posterity, and confess your folly with shame and confusion of face!
“The Gentiles,” saith the prophet, “shall come unto thee, O Lord, from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit”—Jeremiah 16: 19.
They have. These lies, vanities, and unprofitable things, are the things which are seen, and which make up the civil and religious system called “the present evil world.” Putting this estimate upon them, they will abandon them. They will cast away their superstitions with indignation and contempt. They will no more say, “I am of Luther,” “I am of Calvin,” “I am of Wesley,” “I am of Campbell,” “I am of the Pope,” and “I of Mohammed!”—but “I am the Lord’s” and they shall rejoice in Jacob, and surname themselves by the name of Israel—Isaiah 44: 5. Their republicanism will vanish with republics, and their admiration of its gospellers be changed into commiseration for their well intentioned foolishness. The strife of faction will be hushed into peace and good will; sect will no more war upon sect; and religious controversies, so necessary in the present state, will no more disturb their equanimity, and embitter the hearts of men; for “the Lord will turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon his name to serve him with one consent”—Zephaniah 3: 9. Is it inquired, how this is to be brought about? Read the eighth verse of this testimony, and in Isaiah 2: 3-4. By this we are taught that it will be the result of conquest and subsequent instruction. The existing governments and hierarchies of the nations must be overthrown. Their armies must be cut up and dispersed, and the nations liberated from their thrall. It is the three millions of disciplined soldiers in the old world that keep down the people and sustain their rulers. If these troops were annihilated the people would rise, and by one fell swoop exterminate from the fair fields of earth the serpent-race that binds them in its coils. The armies in the main have proved themselves faithful to their masters, and will remain so until the hour of their destruction by the Lord of Hosts arrives. The people must succumb till the Deliverer appears. If they be successful for the moment, reaction is sure to follow, and to add new rivets to their chains. But, O when their armies are every where defeated by the Lord from heaven, and the hopelessness of the conflict becomes apparent to their tyrants, will not the groans of the nations be turned into joy and exultation, when the Conqueror proclaims “peace and good will” to all the dwellers upon earth!
O then “make a joyful noise unto God all ye lands: sing forth the honor of his name: make his praise glorious. Say unto God, how terrible art thou in thy works! Through the greatness of thy power thine enemies submit themselves unto thee”—Psalm 66: 1-3.
“All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name”—Psalm 86: 9.
“O let the nations be glad and sing for joy; for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth”—Psalm 67: 4.
The governments of the nations both monarchical and republican being happily abolished; their kings bound with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron—Psalm 149: 8—prisoners of war and all armies disbanded, and the emancipated people waiting for the New Law—the civil and ecclesiastical code of the Age to Come—
“Many shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth THE LAW, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem.”
The Lord will teach them of his ways, thereby implying that the occupation of the clerical Othellos of our day will have been wrested from them. Happy event for the world! The pulpits and theological chairs will no longer contain reverend pretenders to sanctity, and wisdom; for “the prophets shall be ashamed every one of his vision, when he hath prophesied: neither shall they wear a hair-cloth garment (black) to deceive.” It will be dangerous for them to grind old Calvin and Wesley’s divinity, and try to palm it on the people for the way of the Lord; for “it shall come to pass when any shall yet prophesy, then his father and his mother that begat him shall say unto him, Thou shalt not live; for thou speakest lies in the name of the Lord: and his father and his mother that begat him shall thrust him through when he prophesieth”—Zechariah 13: 3-4. Men, divinely appointed men, will then prophesy, or speak the truth, to edification, exhortation, and comfort; for “wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of the times,” and theological imposition will be unknown. The Lord will teach the people; for he is “the Light to enlighten the Gentiles” when he is “the glory of his people Israel;” and the result of his teaching will be, the purification of their religious speech, consentaneousness of service, the removal of the vail that is spread over all nations—Isaiah 25: 7, and their walking in his paths for a thousand years.
But from what part of the universe are infallible and righteous men to be obtained who in the Age to Come shall rule the nations justly in the fear of God? They are to be taken out from Judah and the nations of the Roman world. The gospel of the kingdom was preached to the Jew first and afterwards to the Greeks and Barbarians for this purpose. Whosoever believed the good news of the kingdom of the Age to Come, was baptised, and patiently continued in well-doing, was promised eternal glory, honor, incorruptibility and life in the kingdom of God. Belief of the truth and baptism constitutes the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ. Men becoming the subjects of God’s righteousness, and bringing forth the fruit of righteousness in their lives, are the “blessed of the Father,” who with Jesus shall “inherit the kingdom.” But before they can possess it they must be clothed with immortality; for “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God.” When thus clothed upon with their body from heaven they will be “equal to the angels”—Luke 20: 36, and infallible. Such are the governors being provided for the nations. The Chief Magistrate is Jesus the Lord of life and glory. He is the model king to whose image and likeness all the kings of the Age to Come will be conformed. They will be like him and see him as he is—1 John 3: 2—immortal and glorious because of righteousness.
To separate from the nations such a royal community as this was the divine purpose in causing the gospel of the kingdom to be preached. How great, how glorious, the hope exhibited in this gospel as compared with the hope preached by republican-gospellers! All the latter can present to this generation is a republicanised world in which their posterity will be ruled by governors appointed by themselves. Our contemporaries believe and rejoice in it as though they themselves would be the favourites of the people! But hereditary bondsmen of sin and Satan, know ye not that ye will be rotting in your graves like sheep, having no interest in any thing transacting above the sod that covers you! What is there of glory in such a hope to you supposing that it should come to pass, which is impossible. But turn ye now from this miserable picture and behold the glory to be revealed in the Age to Come! A glory which is personally interesting not to posterity only, but to the righteous of all ages and generations from Abel till the coming of the Ancient of Days. All nations to be blessed in the Age to Come. Think of that! In an age when “the righteous shall flourish; and there shall be abundance of peace as long as the moon endureth”—when the life of the poor and needy shall be redeemed from deceit and violence; and their blood shall be precious in the sight of the king and governor of the world. Think too that when this blessedness rests upon the obedient nations, were it deferred for a thousand years to come, you may still inherit it by a resurrection from the dead. But how increasingly interesting is the reflection that this blessedness is at hand to come; that before this generation have passed away republicanism will have vanished, the thrones have been cast down, the kingdom of God have come, and his will be doing upon the earth as it is in heaven. Our planet will then be worth living in which can hardly be affirmed at present while evil and wicked men have the sole administration of its affairs.
In conclusion, there is one thing, and one only, in which the gospel of the kingdom, and the gospel of the republic, are agreed—they both predict a great revolution in human affairs in which all the kingdoms and autocratic imperialities of the world will be finally destroyed. The republican gospel says, they will all become republics; but that of the kingdom protests that they shall become Jehovah’s kingdoms which he will bestow upon Jesus, and his brethren when they shall have risen from the dead. Instead of republics being multiplied by the fall of thrones, they which exist will be transformed into kingdoms for the saints. This is the destiny of this confederacy, and of all the states of the New World; for—
“The kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him”—Daniel 7: 27.
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