Chapter XV: Introduction (2)

The true religion contains the true faith. It is the one thing needful. It is the one way of salvation. To know the only living and true God and Jesus Christ, whom He hath sent, is to gain eternal life, (John XVII: 3.) Living faith is the starting point in the path to that knowledge. While it has existed in a small degree, and has been exercised occasionally and in a limited manner during the centuries that have passed since the Apostolic age, the faith "once delivered to the Saints" has faded almost out of active life, even among professing Christians whose minds have been blinded by the traditions of men and the dogmas and theories of human invention. While good men and women have served God and sought after Him to the best of their ability, through the long night of darkness which has intervened from the days of divine revelation down to the present century, they have not been able to find that "closer walk with God" and exercise that mighty faith enjoyed in ancient times and which is essential to the true religion. Thank God! that faith has been restored to earth, and through it divine communication is once more opened up, man may commune again with his Maker, and all the blessings obtained at any time thereby may now be received by the obedient sons and daughters of God. Concerning this all-important matter other tracts of this series will be presented to the public, that truth may prevail and that Divine light may shine up on the world!

_"The reason why the Lord will pour out his judgments upon the
nations is because of the blasphemous spirit of wickedness and
corruption that reigns among men."_

--_Wilford Woodruff_.

{212}

RAYS OF LIVING LIGHT.

No. 3

BY CHARLES W. PENROSE.

In previous tracts of this series it has been shown that there can be but one true religion, because there is but one Supreme God, that it must be revealed from Him instead of being made by man, and that the first principle of that religion is faith, which can be made manifest only by works. Let us now see what those works are which are essential to salvation. The first fruit of faith in God and in Jesus Christ is repentance of sin. Sin against God is the transgression of his law. Conviction of sin comes through faith in God and his law. Conviction leads to humility and repentance and obedience. Sorrow for sin is not of itself true repentance, which comprehends not only regret for the past, but reformation for the future. It includes determination to forsake and refrain from sin. As the Apostle Paul expressed it, "For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of." (2 Cor. VII; 10). When the sinner is sorry because he has been found out, that is not true repentance. Grief is an element of repentance because when a believer perceives that he has broken a law of God, he feels remorse. But unless he resolves to turn away from that transgression, and not repeat it, he does not reach full repentance.

"Cease to do evil, learn to do well," has been the word of God and his inspired servants through all the ages. It is a step forward in practical religion. It is absolutely necessary to salvation. Without it belief in Christ is vain. He said himself, "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." (Luke XIII; 3). "God commandeth all men everywhere to repent." (Acts XVII; 30). Jesus instructed that, "repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations." (Luke XXIV; 47). The idea that people may sin against God and against humanity, and by mere belief in the merits of the Savior be absolved from all the consequences of their guilt, is one of the greatest of the many {213} absurdities which have been grafted by the hand of man upon the tree of religion.

Christ gave Himself a sacrifice to save mankind from their sins, not in their sins. His work is to redeem humanity by lifting it up to Deity. His Gospel teaches purification from sin and exultation into the righteousness of God. The atonement wrought out on Calvary is as much misunderstood by modern divines who preach it, as were the teachings of Moses and the Prophets by the sectaries who rejected the Nazarene. That atonement was for a dual purpose. First, to redeem mankind from the consequences of the original sin committed in the Garden of Eden, and second, to open the way of salvation from the actual sins committed by the posterity of Adam.

As to the first, redemption will come to all the race without effort on their part. Death came into the world in the beginning because the divine law was broken. It passed upon all the descendants of the transgressor. Christ gave himself a sacrifice for that sin. As by one came death, so by one will come life. "As in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive." (I Cor. XV; 22). As the sons and daughters of Adam were not personally engaged in or responsible for the transgression which brought death, so they are not required to do anything in the work which shall restore them to life. The resurrection will be as broad as the death. The raising up will be co-extensive with the effects of the fall. But when through Christ the resurrection is accomplished, the dead, small and great, who are thus brought up and redeemed from the grave will be judged according to their works. (Rev. XX).

As to the second--the actual sins of each individual salvation will come through faith in Christ and obedience to his Gospel. Each intelligent person is accountable for his own acts. He must do what is required in order that he may be saved from his sins. The power is inherent in man to do right or to do wrong. In this he is a free agent. He can resist evil and do good, or resist good and do evil, as he elects. No matter how great may be the force of circumstances and environments, and the pressure of hereditary influences, the volition of the creature remains. The doctrine of rewards and punishments is predicated upon individual freedom of the will and personal responsibility for its exercise. Christ has done for mankind that and that alone which they were not able to do for themselves. That which they can perform is required of every one. They can believe, they can repent, and they can receive and obey the commandments of Christ given as conditions to salvation. Unless they do {214} this, although they will be raised from the dead and appear before the Eternal Judge, they cannot be exalted to dwell in His presence.

Thus it will be seen that while Christ died, unconditionally, for the original sin by which death came into the world, he died as a propitiation for the actual sins of the world conditionally. And it was to proclaim these conditions and offer them to every creature, that he sent his Apostles forth as ministers of salvation. There is no other way to eternal life. The plan of salvation is not changed to suit the notions and opinions of man. It does not vary in different ages, nor among different nations. It is the "everlasting Gospel." The law of Moses was a temporary and imperfect law of carnal commandments, given because the Gospel had been rejected by the Israelites. It answered its purpose and passed away when the one eternal Gospel plan was restored by Jesus Christ, through whom alone mankind can be saved, and that salvation cannot be obtained except by faith in him, which comprehends obedience to his requirements.

It has been shown that faith is the first principle of the Gospel, and repentance--the forsaking of sin, is the second, and it is now necessary to present the third principle, which is remission of sins. The popular idea in modern Christendom is that repentance of itself brings remission of sins. That is another serious mistake. Payment of debts is not brought about by simply ceasing to get credit; determination to sin no more does not wipe out sins already committed. God is a being of order and of law. He has instituted the means whereby each sinner may receive a cleansing from the past. His laws are as uniform in the spiritual world as in the natural world; obedience to those laws is as necessary in one sphere as in the other. Remission of sins comes to the repentant believer, through baptism, when it is performed by divine direction and under divine authority.

Baptism for the remission of sins was preached and practiced by John, the forerunner of Jesus. "John did baptize in the wilderness and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins." (Mark I; 4). Jesus Christ honored that baptism in person and by his teachings. He also sent his Apostles to preach it to every creature. (Matt. XXVII; 19-20, also Mark XVI; 15-13). Previous to preaching that baptism, he instructed his Apostles to "tarry at Jerusalem until they were endowed with power from on high." (Luke XXIV; 47, 49). That power was bestowed upon them on the day of Pentecost, when they were assembled in one place with {215} one accord, and the Holy Ghost was manifested to them in visible form. To the people who gathered to hear the Apostles, forming a great multitude, Peter preached the first Gospel sermon after the resurrection of Christ, as is recorded in the 2nd chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. After testifying of the mission and resurrection of Jesus, the Christ, in response to their inquiry, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" "Then Peter said unto them, repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even to as many as the Lord our God shall call." (Acts II; 37, 38). Three thousand people on that day received the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and were baptized for the remission of their sins.

This great blessing is given in baptism to those who believe and repent, but comes through the atonement wrought out by Jesus Christ. "Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins." (Heb. IX; 22). The blood of Christ answers for the blood of the sinner who complies with the conditions required in Christ's Gospel. The benefits of that atonement are offered to all to whom the Gospel is preached, but are obtained only by those who render obedience to it. The scripture is often quoted which says, "The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses us from all sin." But this is only part of the text, and is therefore misleading. Here is the scripture as it stands: "This then is the message which we have heard of Him, and declare unto you, that God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and walk in darkness, we lie and do not the truth; but if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all sin." (1 John I; 5-7).

Baptism was instituted for the remission of sins by divine command. It is therefore essential. It is a sign of cleansing, purification, death to sin, burial from the world and resurrection to a new life in Christ Jesus. For, baptism means immersion. The sprinkling or pouring of water on the body is not baptism. The ordinance of baptism preached by John, the forerunner, by Christ himself, and by the Apostles whom he sent as his messengers, was both a burial and a birth. When Jesus was baptized by John it was in the river Jordan: "Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbade him, saying, I have need {216} to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering, said unto him, suffer it to be so now, for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he suffered him. And Jesus when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water; and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting upon him, and lo, a voice from heaven saying, this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (Matt. III; 13-17). Jesus said to Nicodemus, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God." (John III; 5). Jesus himself set the example, and was born of the water and of the spirit, and though he knew no sin, had to be baptized in order to "fulfill all righteousness." When Philip baptized the great man of Ethiopia, "they went down both into the water and he baptized him and when they were come up out of the water, the spirit of God caught away Philip." (Acts VIII; 35-39). John baptized in Enon, near to Salim, because there was much water there. (John III; 23). Paul likened baptism to a burial and a resurrection. (See Rom. VI; 4, 5; Col. II; 12). Peter cited the flood as a figure of baptism. (I Peter III; 21).

The order of the Gospel as taught by Christ and his Apostles was first faith, second repentance, third baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, with the promise of the Holy Ghost to all who complied therewith. Infant baptism is a palpable heresy. Sin is the transgression of the law. Infants cannot commit sin. Baptism must follow faith and repentance. Infants cannot exercise faith, and they have nothing to repent of even if they were capable of repentance. God never authorized any one to baptize an infant. Jesus blessed little children and said, "Of such is the Kingdom of heaven." Baptism to be acceptable to God must be performed by one having actual divine authority. It must be administered in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. No man has the right to assume that authority. It must come from God or the baptism will be void and of no effect. When properly administered it brings remission of sins, and the baptized believer becomes a new creature, stands clean before God, and is prepared to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Further explanations on this all-important subject will be given in succeeding tracts. Let the reader ponder, investigate, and enter upon the path of eternal life and salvation!

{217}

RAYS OF LIVING LIGHT.

No. 4

BY CHARLES W. PENROSE.

The gift of the Holy Ghost is the greatest boon conferred by God upon man in the flesh. It is "the anointing from above which teacheth all things." It is the "abiding witness" of the Father and son. It is the spirit of revelation. It guides into all truth, brings things past to remembrance, makes manifest present light, and shows things to come. Without it no man can know God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent, nor can he say truly and without doubt that Jesus is the Lord. Its reception is the fourth step or principle in the Gospel of Christ. The preceding principles, namely, faith, repentance, and baptism for the remission of sins, have been explained briefly in the foregoing tracts of this series. After the baptism or birth of water comes the baptism or birth of the spirit.

This gift from God is conferred by the laying on of the hands of men called of God and endowed with authority to perform this sacred ordinance. No man of himself in his own name, however learned, experienced, or wise, can bestow this great gift upon others. He might lay his hands upon them, but they would not receive that spirit. It proceeds from God alone. He will honor that which is performed according to His directions by His authorized servants. The reception of the Holy Ghost as an endowment or gift from God is essential to salvation. The natural light or inspiration given at birth to all humanity is not equal to it. That is the common heritage of humanity, but the gift of the Holy Ghost is a far higher and greater bequest from Deity, and is given only to those who obey the Gospel, and in the way that God Himself has appointed.

That the gift of the Holy Ghost is conferred by the laying on of hands, and that this is the Gospel method, is clearly established by the New Testament. In the 8th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles an account is given of the ministry of {218} Philip, in which the following occurs: "But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women." "Now when the Apostles which were at Jerusalem, heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John, who, when they were come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Ghost. For as yet he was fallen upon none of them, only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then laid they their hands on them and they received the Holy Ghost. And when Simon saw that through laying on of the Apostle's hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, saying, give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands he may receive the Holy Ghost. But Peter said unto him, thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money." (Verse 12-20). In the 19th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles it is related that Paul found some disciples in Ephesus who had not been properly baptized. He gave them necessary instructions, and we read: "When they heard this they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them the Holy Ghost came upon them, and they spake with tongues and prophesied. And all the men were about twelve." The ordinance of the laying on of hands is enumerated among the "first principles of the oracles of God," and one of the foundation "doctrines of Christ," in Hebrews V; 12, and VI; 2. Paul exhorted Timothy, "Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God which is in thee by the putting on of my hands." (2 Tim. I; 6).

These quotations are sufficient to show the order of the Gospel as taught by the Apostles of Jesus Christ, who received their instructions and authority from Him, and who all preached the same doctrines and administered the same ordinances wherever they went. The departures therefrom that are witnessed in modern times are the work of uninspired ministers, unauthorized of God, and should be rejected by the honest seeker after religious truth.

The Holy Ghost is the same in all ages and among all peoples. Its effects are also the same. In the days of the early Christian Church the fruits of that spirit were enjoyed by the members. They are thus described by the Apostle Paul: "But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance; against such there is no law." (Gal. V; 22, 23). "But the manifestation of the spirit is given to every man to profit {219} withal. For to one is given by the spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same spirit; to another faith by the same spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues; But all these worketh that one and the selfsame spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will." (lst Cor. XII; 7-11). Paul exhorted the Saints to "Follow after charity and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy," and after explaining his reasons for this instruction he concluded, "Wherefore brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues." (lst Cor. XIV; 39).

The absence of these gifts and manifestations of the spirit in the various religious sects at the present day is attempted to be accounted for by the airy excuse: "They are all done away and are no longer needed." Yet they were part and parcel of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and incorporated in the Church--the body of Christ--as some of its members. "Every tree is known by its fruits." If the spirit that animated the Church of Christ in the Apostolic age inspired the churches of the 19th century, would not the same fruits be brought forth by it, and be enjoyed today? Has the spirit of God changed? Or have not men changed the ordinances and institutions of heaven, and built up churches and promulgated doctrines of their own? But the advocates and apologists of sectarian theology will quote: "Charity never faileth, but whether there be prophecies they shall fail; whether there be tongues they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away." (lst Cor. XIII; 8). Why do they not continue the quotation, and give the succeeding verses which form an integral part of the scriptural argument? Is it because that would sweep away the crutches of their lame and halting pretence and cast their false theory prone in the dust? This is what follows: "For we know in part, and we prophesy in part, but when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away." Will it be claimed that this promised perfection has come? Do latter-day sectaries know more, understand better, and see clearer in divine things than did the Apostle Paul? Has anything "perfect" come upon modern Christendom except "perfect" confusion? That Paul had reference to a condition yet in the future in making his prediction is evident from his further remark: "For now we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face; now I know in part, but then shall I know even as also I am known." (Verse 12).

{220} The gifts of the spirit enumerated above are the evidences of its possession by the disciples of Jesus Christ. They are the signs of true faith. They accompany the reception of the Gospel and obedience to its requirements. When the resurrected Christ gave the eleven Apostles their great commission, he said unto them: "Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not, shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe: In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover." (Mark XVI; 15-18). These gifts were not merely for those Apostles, but were to "follow them that believe." Christ gave them as the sign of true belief in Him and in His sayings. They belong to his Church. They are to be done away until that which is perfect is come, and the sons and daughters of God behold their Redeemer face to face, and see as they are seen and know as they are known. Whatever necessity existed for their possession and exercise in the first century of the Christian era, exists in the 19th century, not only for the blessing and comfort of the disciples of the Savior, but for the promulgation of His Gospel among nations that yet sit in darkness and are numbered among heathens and idolaters.

One of the potent proofs of the possession of the Holy Ghost in the early Christian Church was the unity it established. No matter what were the conflicting faiths and opposing creeds entertained by the people of that day previous to receiving the spirit of the everlasting Gospel, after baptism and the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, they all became one in Christ Jesus. As Paul wrote to the Ephesians: "There is one body and one spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in you all." (Eph. IV; 4-6). "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." (Gal. III; 27-28). "And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body, and be ye thankful." (Col. III; 15). "For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body so also is Christ. For by one spirit we are all baptized into one body, whether we be {221} Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one spirit." (1 Cor. XII; 12, 13). In His prayer to the Father that all who believed in Him might be one, Jesus spoke of this unity as proof to the world that God had sent Him. (John XVII; 21). The great purpose of the gift of the Holy Ghost was to guide into all truth, and bring its possessors to "the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God." Strife, contention, division, are not the fruits of the Holy Spirit, but come from beneath. "For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work." (James III: 16).

The presence and inspiration of the Holy Ghost, with its gifts, manifestations and divine light are the signs of spiritual life and divine acceptance. Without the Holy Ghost there is no true, living Church of Christ on earth. It can be obtained in no other way than that which God has appointed. Following the birth of water, the birth of the Holy Spirit makes man a new creature, and initiates him into the Church or Kingdom of God. Its various gifts are within his reach according to his faith and diligence in seeking after them. They are as obtainable in this age as at any former period. By the Holy Ghost mankind may come to the knowledge of God. In its light the sayings and writings of inspired men may be clearly understood. The Bible is no longer a sealed book. The heavens are not closed against mortals. Darkness flees before it and mysteries vanish. It brings peace and comfort to the soul. It awakens and thrills the spiritual sense. It unfolds the things of eternity and the glories of immortality. It links earth and heaven. It fills the soul with joy unspeakable, and he who gains and keeps it has boundless wealth and everlasting life!

{222}

RAYS OF LIVING LIGHT.

No. 5.

BY CHARLES W. PENROSE.

The ordinances of the Gospel referred to in previous tracts of this series, cannot be effectually administered without divine authority. That authority does not and cannot originate in man. It may be assumed, it is true, and presumptuous men may claim to be called of God without communication from Him. But their performances will be without avail and will not be recognized in heaven, either in time or in eternity. When there is no revelation from God there can be no divine authority on earth. Baptism, even if solemnized according to the form and pattern followed by the Savior and his appointed servants, will be of no avail and will not bring remission of sins, unless the officiating minister has received authority from Deity to act in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Men may lay their hands on the baptized believer in the form of confirmation, but if they have not been divinely appointed to do so, the Holy Ghost will not flow to the convert, and the performance will be void in the sight of heaven. Those who have the temerity to act in that manner will be counted guilty of taking the name of the Lord in vain. No council, convocation, conference, synod, or presbytery, composed of any number of learned, devout, and venerable persons, without divine communication can confer the smallest amount of divine authority. Their power is only human, their decisions, their commissions and their creeds are equally valueless in the plan of salvation.

Whenever the Almighty desired to communicate with man on earth, he selected His own representatives and endowed them with authority to speak and act in His name. What they uttered by the power of the Holy Ghost, and what they administered as He directed, was recognized by Him as if performed and spoken by Deity in person. When He gave them authority to call and ordain others to the same duties, their administrations were also accepted by the Lord, and were fully efficacious. This divine authority was called the Holy {223} Priesthood. It was bestowed in the earliest ages. It existed among the Patriarchs, was exercised in the Mosaic dispensation, was held by many of the Prophets, and was established in the Christian Church by the Savior himself. There were two orders or branches, of that Priesthood.

The higher, which includes the lower, came to be known as the Melchisedek Priesthood. This was because Melchisedek, the King of Salem, who lived in the time of Abraham and from whom, "the father of the faithful" received his blessing, obtained a great power in that Priesthood. It is referred to in the Epistle to the Hebrews, 7th chapter. Much controversy has arisen over the meaning of the third verse, which says: "Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a Priest continually." The difficulty has arisen through the application of these remarks to the individual instead of to the Priesthood which he held. The higher, or Melchisedek Priesthood was not limited, as the Levitical Order subsequently was, to a special lineage. It did not depend upon parentage or descent, and it was an eternal Priesthood, those who possessed it worthily retaining it through life, and being Kings and priests unto God forever.

The Lesser Priesthood was held notably by Aaron and his sons, in the line of the first born, and has therefore been called by his name. It had authority to administer in the lesser ordinances and in temporal affairs, but not in the higher and more spiritual concerns of the Kingdom of God. But no man could take this honor unto himself. He must be called of God as Aaron was, or he could not hold that Priesthood. (Heb. V; 4.) Aaron was called by revelation through Moses the Prophet, and ordained under his hands.

This being so, as a matter of course, no man can take unto himself the higher, or Melchisedek Priesthood. Unless called of God by revelation and properly ordained, he could not obtain that authority. Even Jesus of Nazareth, though he was the Son of God, did not assume that Priesthood. He was "called of God, a High Priest after the order of Melchisedek." It is written further: "So also Christ glorified not himself to be made a High Priest but He that said unto him thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee." (Heb. V; 3, 10.)

It has been erroneously taught among the Christian sects of the present age that this Priesthood, in both of its branches or orders, was done away in Christ. That it has not been on earth for several centuries may be true, and therefore the {224} authority to administer in the name of the Lord has not been enjoyed among men. But the authority held by Jesus Christ as "a Priest forever after the order of Melchisedek" was conferred by him upon his Apostles, to whom he gave the keys of that power and authority, so that what they sealed on earth should be sealed in heaven, and what they loosed on earth should be loosed in heaven. (Matt. XVIII; 18.) He said to them: "As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you." (John XX; 21.) Again he said: "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you; that ye should go and bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remain." (John XV; 16.) The Apostles thus authorized had power to call others to this Priesthood and ministry, when directed by the Holy Ghost, as Moses called and ordained his brother Aaron.

The law of carnal commandments in which the lesser or Levitical Priesthood administered was fulfilled in Jesus Christ, but the Priesthood or authority to administer in the name of the Lord was not then abolished, the higher, or Melchisedek Priesthood was restored. That was the change in the Priesthood referred to in Heb. VII; 12: "For the Priesthood being changed there is made of necessity a change also of the law." From this it is evident that the Priesthood was not abolished, but the law of the Gospel being introduced by Christ in place of the Mosaic Code, the higher Priesthood was also introduced, for the Gospel is a higher law than that of Moses. The sacrifice of animals in which the lesser Priesthood administered was no longer required, after the great sacrifice of the Son of God of which they were typical, so that function of the lesser, or Aaronic Priesthood was discontinued. But the administration of the ordinances of the Gospel was necessary, and could not be rightfully performed without divine authority. Therefore, the Priesthood of God held by Jesus Christ, and by his Apostles and by others called of God through them, was a part of and essential to the Christian dispensation.

The term "called of God" appears to be as much misunderstood as is the subject of the Priesthood of God. Men assume to act in the name of Jesus Christ, either because they feel or imagine they have a call in their hearts to this ministry, or because they have been called by some person or conclave having no more divine communication and authority than they had themselves. In contrast to their assumption let us view the case of Saul of Tarsus, afterwards called Paul the Apostle. In the narration of his case as given in Acts XXII {225} he says that on his way to Damascus the Lord Jesus Christ appeared to him in glory, and he was stricken blind thereby. He received his sight by miracle and was informed: "The God of our Fathers hath chosen thee that thou shouldst know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldst hear the voice of His mouth. For thou shalt be His witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard. And now why tarriest thou? Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord." Paul subsequently received another divine communication, informing him that the Lord would send him unto the Gentiles. (Verses 12-21.) After all this he was not authorized to act as a minister of the Gospel, because he had not yet been properly called and ordained.

It was ten years after this, according to the chronology of the New Testament, that Paul was ordained to the Priesthood or authority to act in the name of the Lord. It is stated that certain Prophets and Teachers were in the Church at Antioch, and "As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, 'Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.' And when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands upon them they sent them away." (Acts XIII; 2, 3; see also Acts IX; 15-18.) Paul in his epistles invariably declared that he was not called by the will of man; and he taught that no man of himself could rightfully assume the authority to administer in the name of the Lord. To the Galatians he wrote: "Paul an Apostle (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead)." (Gal. I; 1.) Writing to Titus, Paul said: "For this cause left I thee in Crete. That thou shouldst set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain Elders in every city as I had appointed thee." (Titus I; 5.) Writing to Timothy, Paul says: "Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery." (I Tim. IV; 14.) It was thus that the seven Deacons were ordained, as recorded in Acts VI; 6.

That there was a divinely appointed ministry in the Church established by our Savior, must be evident to every mind open to the truth, on reading the New Testament; also that these were essential to the Church, and that without them there can be no true Church of Christ on earth. Explaining this subject and stating the order of the Christian ministry given by Christ, Paul says: "And he gave some Apostles, and some Prophets, and some Evangelists, and some Pastors and Teachers." (Eph. IV; 11.) These inspired men were, {226} as we have seen, called of God, not of men, and were appointed and ordained to their respective callings by divine authority. It is claimed that these were necessary only in the first days of the Church of Christ on earth, and that they are no longer needed. But the succeeding verses of the scripture we have quoted show most positively to the contrary. They were given Paul says, "For the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ; till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ; that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive." (Verses 12-14.) Without these divinely ordained and inspired men, holding this Holy Priesthood, the work of the ministry cannot be performed acceptable to God, neither can the Church be perfected. They are absolutely necessary until all shall come to the unity of the faith and a knowledge of the Son of God. The absence of that divine authority, and of the gift of the Holy Ghost, has caused the division and dissension that now exist among professing Christians, who are, "tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine," led hither and thither by unauthorized and uninspired men, and by the "cunning craftiness" whereby hirelings who preach for money, "lie in wait to deceive" and "make merchandise of the souls of men."

All the ministrations, ordinances, baptisms, confirmations, performances and ceremonies that have been instituted by men and conducted under merely human authority, whether devoutly, sincerely, and piously, or with wilful intent to impose upon the ignorance and credulity of mankind, are void in the sight of heaven, are not recognized of God, and have no virtue or effect as aids to salvation. God's house is a house of order, and He will accept only that which He has authorized and ordained. However startling this may appear, it is the eternal truth, which will stand the test of both reason and revelation. Truth is mighty and will prevail. The remedy for these tremendous evils will be pointed out in succeeding pamphlets.

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RAYS OF LIVING LIGHT.

No. 6.

BY CHARLES W. PENROSE.

That there has been a great departure from the doctrines, ordinances and discipline of the Church as it existed in the days of Christ and His Apostles, must be evident to every unbiased enquirer into religious truth. This has been demonstrated to some extent in tracts already presented to the reader. But the full measure of the apostasy that has taken place would take volumes to represent in detail. The proofs are ample that it has been universal

When Jesus Christ commenced His ministry on earth He found the people who claimed to be the special subjects of divine blessing and approbation, with all their Priests and ministers and learned divines, entirely out of the way of life and salvation. None were acceptable unto God. He denounced the most pious, respectable, devout and educated among them as hypocrites and "whited sepulchres." Their foreign missionary enterprises he declared obnoxious to the Almighty, and informed them that when they compassed sea and land to make one proselyte they made him "two fold more the child of hell." (Matt. XXIII; 15). He pronounced them blind guides who made clean the outside, but within were full of extortion and excess. The spirit of the Lord had departed from those who honored His name with their lips, but who had departed from His ways, and who, in place of the word of God, "taught for doctrine the commandments of men." They were without authority from God, although they claimed to have it by descent and ordination through a long line of predecessors and prophets. It should not be deemed impossible that a similar universal apostasy could take place after the establishment of the Church of Christ by Him and His Apostles. But whether so considered or not, the facts are too patent to be denied when they confront the honest and enlightened mind.

It has been shown that the Gospel as taught and administered by Christ and His Apostles required first, faith in {228} God and Jesus Christ; second, repentance, which included reform of conduct; third, baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, the reception of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of the hands of divinely authorized men; and that obedience to these brought the gifts of the spirit, including love, joy, peace, patience, brotherly kindness, charity, healings, tongues, interpretations, discerning of spirits, miracles, prophecy, revelation, and the unity in one body of all who were baptized into the Church, no matter what had been their previous beliefs. Also that the ordinances of the Gospel were administered by men inspired of God, who were in communion with Him, and who were ordained to act for and in behalf of Deity, so that what they performed by that authority on earth was acknowledged and sealed in heaven. And that in the Church of Christ there were Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, Teachers, Elders, and other officers, who were constituent parts of the body of Christ. This may be further seen by a careful reading of 1st Cor. XII, from which it clearly appears that God placed these in the Church, that they were all essential to its existence, and that one of them could not say to any of the others, "I have no need of thee."

Look at the condition of so-called Christendom today! There are no inspired Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers, administering by divine authority and in the power and demonstration of the Holy Ghost. In their place there are contending Priests and Teachers guided by the wisdom of men, the learning of the schools and the traditions of the Fathers, not even claiming that there is any direct communication between them and God, but persuading mankind that revelation has ceased, and the voice of prophecy is hushed forever. Not one of the clashing, jarring and discordant sects of the day proclaim the Gospel as it was preached by Peter on the day of Pentecost, and as taught by all the duly authorized servants of God in the primitive Christian Church. The gifts and signs which Christ promised to true believers, and which were enjoyed by the members of His Church according to their needs and their faith, are not only absent from the churches of these degenerate times, but are pronounced needless and "done away." There is no "unity of the faith," no actual "knowledge of the Son of God," no manifestations of His divine acceptance nor of the power and glory of the Holy Ghost.

What is the reason of this transformation? Has God changed? Is Christ divided? Is the Holy Spirit dead? Or, have not men changed the order, ordinances, discipline, doctrines, {229} and spirit of the Church of Christ? Is not the prediction of Isaiah the Prophet concerning these times literally fulfilled? "The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof, because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant." He said it should 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, so with the giver of usury to him." (Isaiah XXIV; 2-5).

The deplorable condition of affairs in modern Christendom was foreseen and predicted by the Apostles of Jesus Christ, whose forebodings have come down to us in the New Testament. Paul, writing to Timothy, spoke in this wise: "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, trucebreakers, 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." (2nd Tim. III; 1-5). Also: "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 rod." (lst Tim. IV; 1, 2). Paul further said: "I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom; preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine. 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." (lst Tim. IV; 1-4). Paul also said they should be "ever learning and never able to come to a knowledge of the truth." Writing to the Thessalonians he said: "Now we beseech you brethren by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto Him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means, for that day shall not come except there come a falling away first." (2nd Thess. II; 1-3).

The Apostle Peter also foresaw this great apostasy, and {230} spoke of it in this wise: "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that brought 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. And through covetousness they shall with feigned words make merchandise of you, whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not and their damnation slumbereth not." (II Peter; 1-3.)

The "falling away" commenced in the time of the Apostles, and hence their numerous warnings and exhortations to the Saints, rebuking schisms and divisions, and counseling unity, showing that the Spirit of the Lord promoted union and led people to the knowledge of the truth, while dissension and strife came from that Evil One, and led to darkness and death. That the great apostasy commenced at a very early period is shown by the words of Paul, "for the mystery of iniquity doth already work. Only He that now letteth will let until he be taken out of the way." (II Thess. II; 7.) By the time the Apostles were taken out of the way, most of them slain by the hands of wicked men, the apostacy had assumed such proportions that only seven of the Churches were deemed worthy of a divine communication through the Apostle John, who had been banished to the island of Patmos. And in that revelation most of them were denounced by the Lord because they had "left their first love," and were commanded to repent or he would remove them out of their place. Some of them were "neither cold or hot," others had given away to seducing spirits, and had committed abominations and imbibed false doctrines. (See Rev., chapters I, II, and III.) In that same vision John the beloved saw the Church in the form of a woman, clothed with the sun, the moon under her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head taken away into the wilderness, to remain for a lengthened period, and in her place he saw "a woman sitting upon a scarlet colored beast, full of names of blasphemy," and though decked with gold and precious stones, she held in her hand a golden cup full of abominations, and the name upon her head was Mystery. He saw further that all nations were made to drink out of that golden cup, by which they were made drunken. (See Rev. XII; 1-6; XVII; 1-5; XVIII; 2, 3.)

It is clear from these predictions in the New Testament, and others that might be cited, that the departure from the purity, simplicity and unity of the Gospel of Christ was to be {231} universal; and that these prophecies were fulfilled we have the testimony of the Church of England. In her Homily on the Perils of Idolatry she declares: "Clergy and laity, learned and unlearned, men, women and children, of all ages, sects and degrees, of whole Christendom, a most horrible and dreadful thing to think, have been at once buried in the most abominable idolatry, and that for eight hundred years or more." That being true, how is it possible to believe that the Church of Christ had any existence on earth after that long continued darkness and apostacy? How could there be any remnant left of the divine authority held by the Apostles and Priesthood of the original Christian Church? If the Romish Church, from which the Church of England seceded, had no divine authority, then the Church of England could have none, for all she had she obtained from that Church. If the Romish Church possessed that authority, still the Church of England could have none, for Rome excommunicated her with all her priests and ministers. The Church of England being without divine authority, all the various contending sects that have sprung from her are of necessity in a similar condition, for none of them even claim to have received any revelation from God restoring that authority and re-establishing the Church of Christ.

From the Pope of Rome down to the latest minister presuming to act in the name of the Lord, there is not and cannot be one who holds the Holy Apostleship or any portion of that sacred Priesthood which God placed in the Church, and which Paul declared essential to its existence. Good men, learned men, devout men, there have been by millions; noble, pious, and blessed women also, with them, have done the best they could according to their light and opportunities; but darkness "has covered the earth and gross darkness the people," and the apostacy from primitive Christianity, as foretold by its founders, has been awful and universal!

But thank God, the restoration was also predicted, and it will be a pleasing task in further tracts to set this forth, as revealed and brought about by revelation from God the Eternal Father, through Jesus Christ His Son and the Holy Angels sent from their presence, to usher in the last and greatest of all dispensations.

{232}

RAYS OF LIVING LIGHT.

No 7.

BY CHARLES W. PENROSE.