of the primitive Christian church, they would have remained
emphatically the same, with _apostles, prophets, healings, gifts,
tongues, etc._, to the present day.
Paul, by the Spirit of the Holy Ghost, wrote to the Saints, prophesying
of the future. "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" (_I. Tim., iv_,1).
"And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as
with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with
her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the
lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury, with
the giver of usury to him. * * * The earth also is defiled under
the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws,
changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant (_Isaiah,
xxiv._, 2-5).
"And he shall speak great words against the Most High, and shall
wear out the Saints of the Most High, and think to change times and
laws: and they shall be given into his hands until a time and times
and the dividing of them" (_Dan. vii._, 25).
"And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the {291}
beast. * * * And it was given unto him to make war with the Saints,
and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds,
and tongues, and nations" (_Rev. xiii._, 4-7).
"Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ. * * * Let no man deceive you by any means: FOR THAT DAY
SHALL NOT COME, except there come a FALLING AWAY FIRST" (_II.
Thess. ii._, 1-3).
"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters,
proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers,
incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors,
heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof; from
such turn away" (_II. Tim. iii._, 1-5).
"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine;
but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers,
having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the
truth, and shall be turned unto fables" (_II. Tim. iv._, 3, 4).
"The priests thereof teach for hire." (_Micah iii._, 11).
From the foregoing the reader can readily see that the prophets and
apostles of God were looking forward to the time when the Saints would
be overcome, their church broken up, their officers killed, and no one
left upon the earth with authority to administer in the ordinances
of the Gospel. No prophets, no apostles, no gift of the Holy Ghost,
no one to act as a mouthpiece to the children of men. Only darkness
and unbelief, war and bloodshed, strife and contention, division and
discord, lo here and lo there.
Through all the long ages, from the day when the power of a corrupt
and licentious church overcame the Saints of the Most High, drove them
into dens and caves of the mountains; caused them to wander, clothed in
sheep skins and the skins of wild animals; killed the prophets of God,
and drove the priesthood from the face of the earth, men, left to their
own devices, went into such excesses that angels must have wept over
their condition.
The laws of God were ignored, the ordinances were changed, and the
everlasting covenant was broken. The "woman" (church) arrayed in purple
and scarlet, drunken with the blood of the Saints, mystery, Babylon the
great, the mother of harlots, rose up and bore universal sway; and, as
time passed by, gave birth to a legion of Children--churches (_Rev.
xvii._, 4-6).
"The mystery of iniquity doth already work; only he who now letteth
will let, until he be taken out of the away. 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"
(_II. Thess. ii._, 7 8).
{292} These were the words of the great Apostle; and, reader, by
examining the balance of the chapter, you can form some idea of the
great power that was to grow up and deceive the nations of the earth,
perverting the Gospel, teaching men and women that prophets and
apostles were not necessary, that the gifts of the Holy Ghost were no
longer required; until to-day warring, jarring Christianity has become
a spectacle to the whole world.
Confusion confounded reigns supreme--wars and rumors of wars on every
hand--until the heart sickens and the soul faints in contemplation of
the terrible condition to which poor, suffering, deceived and misguided
humanity has been brought.
The power of the evil one would seem to have obtained universal sway
over the hearts of men, leading them on the broad road to destruction,
with no power sufficient to stem the nightly current of sin.