Studies in the Scriptures, Volume 7: The Finished MysteryRussell, C. T. (Charles Taze)
Religion
Studies in the Scriptures, Volume 7: The Finished Mystery
Russell, C. T. (Charles Taze)
Bible -- Criticism, interpretation, etc.; Jehovah's witnesses -- Controversial literature
“Every true Christian is ashamed to look back upon the pages of history
and see what terrible deeds were done in the name of God and justice, and
in the name of our Lord Jesus. We are not to think for a moment that these
frog spirits, or doctrines, are all bad, but rather that they are
doctrines of bombast and pomposity, representing themselves to be very
wise and great, and having the backing of centuries. Out of the mouth of
the Dragon comes the doctrine of the Divine right of Kings: ‘Do not look
back of the curtain of history to see where the kings got that right.
Accept the doctrine; for if you do not, and if men look into the matter,
there will be a terrible revolution and everything will go down!’
“The Beast and the False Prophet have similar croakings. The Catholic
Church says, ‘Do not look behind! Do not question anything about the
Church!’ Protestantism says, also, ‘We are great, we are wise, we know a
great deal. Keep quiet! No one will then know that you know nothing.’ All
say (croaking), ‘We tell you that if you say anything against present
arrangements, terrible things will come to pass.’
“Political parties are figuring in this. All declare, ‘If any change
should come, it will mean terrible disaster!’ Some have the backbone and
some have the civil power behind them, but unitedly they croak to the
people that if any change is made, it will mean ruin to the present order.
In the language of our day, ‘Stand pat!’ is the order in Church and in
State; but the people are being moved by fear. It is this croaking of the
Beast, the Dragon and the False Prophet that will arouse the kings of
earth and gather them together to the Armageddon Battle.
“The ecclesiastical kings and princes, with their retinue of clergy and
faithful adherents, will be gathered in solid phalanx—Protestant and
Catholic. The political kings and kaisers, princes, and all in high
places, with their henchmen and retainers, will follow in line on the same
side. The financial kings and merchant princes, and all whom they can
influence by the most gigantic power ever yet exercised in the world, will
join the same side, according to this prophecy. They do not realize,
however, that they are coming to Armageddon; yet strange to say, this is a
part of their very cry, ‘Come together to Armageddon!’
“Speaking of our day, our Lord declared, ‘Men’s hearts failing them for
fear and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth; for
the powers of heaven shall be shaken.’ (Luke 21:26.) The kings of Europe
know not what to do. All sectarianism is being shaken.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account