We have seen that no monarchical government
has any right to enforce or require any religious observance;
and that when any such power does so, the right of individuality
in religion is supreme, and the monarch's word must change.
We have found also that no government in which
the law is supreme has any right to put into the law of the realm
any statute, decree, or provision touching religion; and that
when such a thing is done, the right of individuality in religion
remains supreme, and innocency before God, and perfect harmlessness
before the government, the law, and society, is found in him
who disregards such law.
We have found that the church has no right
to control the civil power for the execution of her will or the
furtherance of her aims; and that when she does so a connection
of crowning iniquity is formed, only a Satanic gift is in the
possession of such church, and the right of individuality in
religion is still supreme and to be freely exercised.
There is yet another combination by means
of which domination of man in religion has been sought: this
is the church itself, within itself—the church as relates
to the membership of the church. And upon this, whether in principle,
or in facts of remarkable experience, the Scripture is no less
explicit than in any other of the examples given on this subject.
It has been already related how that Israel
when delivered from Egypt was first "the church in the wilderness"
and afterward in the land of Canaan; and that this same Israel
in the days of Christ on earth, though in spirit and substance
far short of God's ideal for them, yet in fact was still the
church in direct descent.
The official organization of this church
was also still in fact the same in direct descent. The priesthood—the
chief priests, and the high priest—in order and in succession,
were the direct continuance in succession of the order established
by the Lord through Moses in the wilderness. The official council
of the church—the Sanhedrim—was also in its idea and
form descended from the seventy elders appointed by the Lord
through Moses in the wilderness. Thus in the days of Christ on
earth, the whole order of Israel,— the priesthood and the
great council,— was in form and in fact directly descended
from the divine order established by the Lord through Moses in
the wilderness; and was just as truly the church in descent from
the church in the wilderness.
And the apostles of the Lord and the original
disciples of Jesus were all, without exception, members of that
church. They took part equally with others in the services and
worship of that church. They went to the temple and into the
temple, with all the others to worship at the regular hours;
and they taught in the temple (Acts 2:46; 3:1; 5:12). And the
people were glad to have it so, and the approval of God in great
power was upon them all.
But those apostles and disciples had learned
something and knew divine truth that the high ones of the church
did not know and would not recognize: and knowing this they would
tell it. Therefore they preached Jesus and the resurrection,
and salvation through Him, and that there is no other way—that
very, Jesus of whom the official order and organization of the
church had "now been the betrayers and murderers."
Therefore this official order and organization of the church
assumed the office and prerogative of deciding that those private
church-members should neither preach nor teach this truth that
they knew to be the truth.
Accordingly the priests and the temple
authorities arrested Peter and John and put them in prison, when
they had gone up to the temple at the hour of prayer, and the
lame man had been healed through faith in the name of Jesus,
and Peter had preached to the assembled wondering people. Then
the next morning all the official order and organization of the
church—the rulers, the seventy elders, the scribes, the
priests, and the high priest—gathered together and had Peter
and John brought and set in the midst, and demanded of them what
authority they had to be preaching: "By what power, and
by what name, have you done this?"
Then Peter "filled with the Holy
Ghost" made answer. The whole assembly "'marvelled"
at the boldness of these two only common and illiterate members
of the church in the presence of that official and august body;
"and they took knowledge of them that they had been with
Jesus." Peter and John were remanded outside the council,
while the council "conferred among themselves."
In their conference they decided, "Let
us straitly threaten them that they speak henceforth to no man
in this name." Then they called in again Peter and John
"and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the
name of Jesus." But Peter and John answered immediately,
"Whether it be right in the sight of God, to hearken unto
you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the
things we have seen and heard." In that answer so promptly
given, it seemed to that assembly that these mere common men
and private and illiterate members of the church would actually
convey the impression that it was possible for such as they to
be taught of God, and to know from God, things that this whole
assembly of the highest officials and most learned ones of the
church did not know and that they would pay no attention whatever
to the command of the council, but would go right ahead regardless
of all that the council might say or do or be. Plainly enough
in the view of the council such a course could mean only every
one for himself, an individual independence that "would
overthrow all order and authority."
Such an answer as that from such persons
as those, to such an official and dignified body as this: such
an answer from mere common persons to this august assembly: from
mere private members of the church to the regular assemblage
of that which for ages had been the highest official and divinely
appointed order in the organization of the church: could not
be considered by those officials as anything less than arrant
presumption, and the destruction of all order and organization
in the church.
However, the council let them go with
further charge under heavy threat that they should so teach no
more.
Peter and John being let go went to the
company of the other disciples and "reported
all that the chief priests and elders had
said unto them." And all the others, instead of being in
the least awed or made afraid by it, not only decidedly approved
what Peter and John had done, but were so glad of it that "with
one accord" they thanked and praised God, asked Him to "behold
the threatenings of the church officials and grant to all of
the disciples boldness that they may speak thy word." And
God witnessed to their Christian steadfastness, "and the
place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they
were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word
of God with boldness." "And believers were the more
added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women."
This open disobedience to the "authority"
of the church, this bold "disregard for established order
and organizations' could not be allowed to go on. Therefore all
the apostles were next arrested and imprisoned: for "then
the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, and
were filled with indignation, and laid hands on the apostles
and put them in the common prison."
But, lo! "The angel of the Lord by
night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth and said,
Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words
of this life. And when they heard that., they entered into the
temple early in the morning and taught."
That same morning the high priest and
they that were with him "called the council together, and
all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison"
to have the apostles brought before them to answer for all this
"insubordination," "apostasy" and "opposition
to the organized work" of the church. The messengers returned
and reported that they found the prison securely closed and the
keepers on guard, but there were no prisoners. But while those
of the council were wondering what this could mean, there came
one saying that the men were "standing in the temple and
teaching the people."
Officers were sent who arrested them all
anew and brought them before the council. The high priest demanded
of them, "Did not we straitly command you that ye should
not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem
with your doctrine."
The apostles answered as before: "We
ought to obey God rather than man. The God of our fathers raised
up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted
with His right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give
repentance to Israel with forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses
of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath
given to them that obey Him."
At this bold persistence in the forbidden
course the council "took counsel to slay them." From
actually murdering the apostles the council was dissuaded by
Gamaliel. Nevertheless, the council called in the apostles again,
and "had them flogged" and then again "commanded
that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them
go."
The apostles departed from the presence
of the council. But instead of being either awed or subdued by
the council or by what it had done, they were all only glad again
to be counted worthy to suffer stripes and whatever other disgrace
from the official organization of the church for teaching what
they saw and knew to be the truth. And notwithstanding that it
was "all the senate of the children of Israel that is, all
those who composed the official organization of the church that
had so treated them and had repeatedly commanded them not to
preach at all nor teach the things which they were both preaching
and teaching, "never for a single day, either in the temple
or in the private houses, did they discontinue teaching or telling
the good news of Jesus the Christ."
Thus by plain facts of remarkable experiences
under God it is demonstrated that above all officialdom of priesthood,
council and senate of any church, the right of individuality
in religion, in faith, and in teaching, stands supreme. By this
unquestionable Scripture account it is demonstrated that no church
assembly or council or senate has any authority or any right
to command or call in question any man of even the church's own
membership concerning what he shall teach or preach.*
"As relates to conduct, in matters
of 'trespass' or 'fault' of any member, divine instruction and
direction are given to the church precisely how to proceed: and
this is to be faithfully followed in letter and in spirit and
in the spirit of meekness to 'gain' and to 'restore' such an
one, never to judge, to condemn, or to cast off . But as relates
to faith the church has no divine instruction and therefore no
right of procedure—'not for that we would have dominion
over your faith;' 'Hast thou faith? have it to thyself' before
God;' 'Looking unto Jesus. the Author and Finisher of Faith.'"
By the inspired record in this case, it
is demonstrated that—
1. Just as certainly as in the case of
Nebuchadnezzar and the three Hebrews it is divinely shown that
no monarch can ever of right command anything pertaining to religion;
2. Just as certainly as in the case of the
law and government of Media and Persia, it is divinely shown
that no government can ever of right make any law touching religion;
3. Just as certainly as in the case of the
church of Israel against Christ it is divinely shown that no
church officialdom can ever of right use the civil power to make
effective her will or to further her aims;
4. Just so certainly in this case of the church
of Israel against the apostles and disciples of the Lord, it
is also divinely shown that no church, no council, senate or
other collection or association of officials or others, can ever
of right command any member even of her own communion in anything
pertaining to what he shall believe or not believe, or what he
shall teach or not teach.
The four cases presented in the Scriptures
are perfectly parallel: in every case the power that attempted
domination in religion was directly opposed and exposed by the
God of Heaven, and was thus divinely shown to be absolutely in
the wrong; and in each case the right of individuality in religion
was divinely demonstrated to be eternally right.
In each of the four cases a distinct principle
is involved and illustrated: in the fourth no whit less than
in each of the preceding three. As certainly as Nebuchadnezzar
was wrong in commanding worship; as certainly as the law of Media
and Persia was wrong in prohibiting worship; as certainly as
the church of Israel was wrong in using the civil power to execute
her will against the Lord Jesus; so certainly that same church
was wrong in prohibiting any member of the church from teaching
or preaching the truth which he knew from the Lord Jesus and
by the Spirit of God.
Arid as in the case of Nebuchadnezzar
the principle is that no monarch may ever of right do as that
monarch did; as in the case of the law of the Medes and Persians
the principle is that no law may ever of right be similar to
that law; as, in the case of the church organization using the
civil power against Christ, the principle is that no church and
no church order or organization or officialdom may ever of right
use the civil power in any way whatever; just so in the case
of the church of Israel against the apostles, the principle is
that no church, and no church order, or organization or officialdom,
may ever of right do in any way similar to what in its officialdom
that church did.
No; Gamaliel's counsel to that church
senate that day was right then and is right forever, and it is
divine instruction to every church assembly, council, and senate,
forever: "Let them alone." If the preaching or the
work be only of man or of human origin it will come to naught
of itself. And if it be of God you cannot overthrow it whatever
you do: and in that case, in whatever you do to overthrow it
you will be found to be only fighting against God. This thing
is in the realm of God. It is subject to His jurisdiction alone.
Leave it there, and trust Him and serve Him for yourselves; and
let others alone to do the same themselves.
This is also plain enough in the plain
truth itself. For the Holy Spirit is given to each individual
to guide him "into all truth." The truth of God is
infinite and eternal. Therefore it will always be true that there
is still an infinity and eternity of truth into which the Christian
is to be guided. In the nature of things it is impossible for
any other than the infinite and eternal Spirit to guide any one
into or in the truth of God. Therefore every soul must be in
finitely and eternally free to be guided by the infinite and
eternal Spirit into this infinity and eternity of truth.
To say anything else than this is only
to limit the truth of God, and limit the mind's advancement in
the knowledge of truth and of God; and is to put an effectual
estoppel upon all possibility of progress. Imagine the condition
of mankind and the world today, if the principle espoused by
that church of Israel had been recognized and her commands obeyed
by the apostles and disciples of the Lord! But the crowning iniquity
of saying anything else than this, is that it recognizes, sanctions,
and establishes a mere human tribunal in the place of the eternal
Spirit, and clothes a clique of sinful men with the prerogative
of that infinite and eternal Spirit, as the guide into and in
all truth.
Yet as plain as all this is in the simple
manifestness of the truth of it, it is deplorably true that from
the close of the apostolic period unto this hour, there has not
been, and there is not now, a single church "organization"
or denomination in the world that has not espoused the identical
principle, taken the same position, and done the like thing,
as did that Jewish church in the case of the apostles. And to-day
there is not a denomination in the world, even to the very latest
one that has risen, in which there is in any way recognized the
right and the freedom of each individual member of the denomination
to be led of the Spirit of God into truth and to the teaching
and preaching of truth that the denominational officialdom does
not know or chooses not to countenance. And when any member is
so led and does teach and preach the truth that he knows by the
Spirit and Word of God, immediately the denominational officialdom
is awake, and its machinery in motion, and in the very spirit,
and in the very way, of the officialdom and machinery of the
Jewish church, he is forbidden to teach or preach any more in
that name. And if, as did the apostles, he disregards such action
and command, and ceases not to teach and to preach Jesus in the
truth and the way that he knows, then he, as were the apostles,
is persecuted and driven out.
And this is precisely and alone the cause
of there being three hundred and sixty-five or more denominations
in the world.
But is there never to be any end to this
wicked thing? Will the time ever come, or must it never come,
when there will be among Christians the recognition of the fundamental
Christian principle of the right of individuality and liberty
in faith and in guidance into divine truth? Will the time ever
come, or must it never come, when there will be a company of
Christians in the world who will recognize that the Holy Spirit
is the Guide into all truth, that will recognize the right and
the liberty of that Spirit to guide, that will recognize the
right and the liberty of each Christian to be guided into all
truth by that Spirit of truth, and that will recognize the liberty
of each Christian to hold, to teach, and to preach any and all
truth into which by the Spirit of truth he may be guided?
Isn't it time that such a thing should
be? Isn't it time that the Christian principle should be recognized,
that such a condition should prevail among Christians? Even the
world has learned the principle that the monarch and the autocrat
must recognize the full and perfect right of individuality and
liberty in religion. Even the world has learned that the law
must recognize the full and perfect right of individuality and
liberty in religion. Even the world has learned that the church
must not control the civil power to cause her will to prevail,
but must recognize the full and perfect right in the field of
persuasion, and therefore must recognize the free and perfect
right of individuality and liberty. And now must it be that the
Church herself will never learn that she must recognize the free
and perfect right of individuality and liberty in faith, in the
Spirit, and in the truth? Isn't it high time that the Christian
church should be learning to recognize in its perfect genuineness
the fundamental principle of her own origin and very existence?
And if it must be so that no denomination will ever learn or
recognize this fundamental principle of her own origin and existence,
then is it not doubly high time that individual Christians shall
everywhere recognize and practice constantly this fundamental
principle of their own origin and existence as Christians, as
well as the fundamental principle of the origin and existence
of the Christian church?
And so it shall be and will be. The God
of individuality and of liberty will not allow that the divine
principle and right of individuality and liberty in faith and
in truth which He has wrought so wonderfully and so constantly
through all these ages to make plain and to maintain shall be
forever beaten back and pressed down, unrecognized and misrepresented
by the Christian church and by Christian people. No; this truth,
this splendid truth, that is the fundamental and the crowning
truth in and to the very existence of the Christian church and
of Christianity itself—this divine truth will yet win and
hold forever its own divine place before the world and in the
church. For those who espouse this divine and fundamental truth
of the Christian religion and church will themselves be now and
forever, as in the beginning they were, the true Christian church
in the world, and will compose that "glorious Church"
which Christ, who gave Himself for the Church, will "sanctify
and cleanse with the washing of water by the word," in order
that at His glorious appearing "He might present it to Himself
a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing,
but holy and without blemish."
For upon this whole story of the church
of Israel against the apostles, there stands out with transcendent
meaning a truth that is worthy of the most solemn consideration
by every Christian: this truth is,—
That which until that time had been the
true church, called and preserved by the Lord, then and there
ceased to be the true church at all; and that which this church
despised, and forbade, and persecuted, and cast out, became itself
the true church. And so it is forever. John 9:34-38.
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