CHAPTER XV.

FALSE RELIGION.

Thus far in the present work we have had the pleasant task of describing the religion of the Bible its origin, nature, and adaptation to, and general effects upon, mankind-but in order to view true Christianity in its proper historical setting, it is necessary for us to digress. from the general subject long enough to pass under brief review the rise and development of that gigantic antichristian system which for ages largely usurped the place of the pure, spiritual religion instituted by our Lord and proclaimed by his holy apostles.

That such a power should arise was plainly predicted by Christ and his apostles. Jesus said: "Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many." "And many false prophets shall arise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold." Matt. 24:4, 5, 11, 12. According to these sayings, the powers of wickedness and of deception would be marshaled under the name of Christianity. Peter also refers to the same fact

in these words: "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false 'eachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of." 2 Pet. 2:1, 2.

The apostle Paul gives us a graphic description of Antichrist and his system in the following Scriptures, partially quoted heretofore: "Now we beseech you, brethren, . . . that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled as that the day of Christ is at hand. . . . For that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. . . . For the mystery of iniquity doth already work; only he who now letteth will let until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming; even him whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying won

ders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." 2 Thess. 2:1-12. "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving." 1 Tim. 4:1-3.

With such a description before us, it is hardly necessary to name the subject of this chapter; for only one professedly Christian power answering this delineation has arisen in the world since the apostolic days, and that is the great system commonly styled Roman Catholicism. A Catholic made this remark one time: "The Bible can not be true without Holy Mother of Rome." He wished to convey the idea that its authority proceeded from the pope. But a Protestant replied, "Very true; for as the Holy Bible has predicted the rise, power, and calamities of popery-if these

predictions had not been fully manifested in the actual existence and tremendous evils of popery, the Bible would have wanted the fulfilment of its prophecies, and therefore would not have been true!"1 Dowling credits Professor Gaussen, of Geneva, with this terse statement: "In pointing to the pope, we point to a miracle which calls upon us to believe the Bible." The fact that popery has survived all the changes of time establishes the truth of the above declaration of Paul's, which not only gives its description, but also foretells its continuance until the second coming of Christ.

The rise and development of this system was gradual. The apostle stated that the "mystery of iniquity" was already working in his day, but there was a hindrance that retarded is progress. The seeds of apostasy from the primitive simplicity of Christianity were already sown, but the circumstances were not favorable for their germination and rapid growth. Heathen Rome stood ready to crush everything that passed under the name of Christianity, and therefore nothing but the genuine experience of salvation could fit people for the trying ordeal of persecution. So there was little opportunity for the development of a false Christianity; for the next persecution would

1 Dowling, History of Romanism, p. 27.

drive out the godless professors and bring the true into greater prominence, like gold tried in the fire. But as Christianity became more widespread and persecutions less severe, there was gradual decline in the general religious experience of its professors, occasioned largely by the acquisition of numerous rites and ceremonies. We have already shown the natural tendency of human nature to incorporate into its religious creed ob jects of an extraneous character. This very disposition soon burdened the early church with a multitude of useless and senseless ceremonies and forms, and these deprived its members of that true spiritual relation and heart-communion which constitutes the essential element in the pure religion of Jesus. Thus, by degrees the primitive condition was changed, and the power of apostasy continued to gain ground rapidly. This transition is described as follows by the historian D'Aubigne:

"The doctrine of the church and the necessity of its visible unity, which began to gain ground in the third century, favored the pretensions of Rome. The church is, above all things, the assembly of 'them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus' (1 Cor. 1:2), 'the assembly of the first-born which are written in heaven' (Heb. 12:23) . . . The strong bond which originally united the members of the