Publication date
5/1/07
Volume
28
Number
9
The WatchTower
Views from the Watch Tower
The Watchtower Magazines
../literature/watchtower/1907/9/1907-9-1.html
 
 
VOL. 
XXVIII 
ALLEGHENY, 
P 
A., 
MAY 
1, 
1907 
No.9 
VIEWS 
FROM 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
should 
be 
free 
and 
should 
be 
provided 
by 
those 
in 
accord 
with 
the 
promulgated 
tenets. 
This 
is 
the 
program 
followed 
in 
the 
United 
States, 
and 
the 
progress 
of 
this 
country 
in 
every 
way 
has 
been 
a 
wonderful 
lesson 
to 
the 
people 
of 
other 
countries, 
who 
in 
various 
ways 
are 
seeking 
to 
copy 
our 
methods, 
thus 
corroborating 
the 
thought 
set 
forth 
by 
Bartholdi's 
Statue 
of 
Liberty, 
that 
personified 
in 
this 
nation 
Liberty 
is 
enlightening 
the 
world. 
Word 
comes 
from 
various 
quarters 
of 
Europe 
to 
the 
effect 
that 
church 
and 
state 
union 
is 
threatened 
with 
dissolution. 
In 
Great 
Britain, 
in 
Sweden, 
in 
Switzerland, 
in 
Spain, 
the 
matter 
is 
being 
actively 
discussed, 
and 
the 
indication 
is 
that 
the 
accompliShment 
will 
not 
be 
far 
off, 
while 
in 
France 
there 
is 
a 
great 
turmoil 
through 
the 
dissolution 
of 
the 
Roman 
Catho· 
lic 
Concordat 
or 
agreement 
with 
the 
French 
government 
by 
which 
now 
the 
French 
are 
free 
from 
all 
State 
support 
so 
far 
as 
Roman 
Catholic 
and 
all 
other 
religious 
systems 
are 
concerned. 
(131- 
132) 
STATE 
CHURCHES 
IN 
DISRUPTION 
The 
State 
Churches-religious 
institutions 
supported 
by 
the 
general 
government-owed 
their 
beginning 
to 
the 
theories 
of 
antichrist, 
when 
Satan, 
the 
great 
deceiver 
who 
beguiled 
mother 
Eve, 
in 
the 
third 
century 
beguiled 
the 
majority 
of 
those 
who 
believed 
in 
Christ. 
The 
deceptive 
theory 
by 
which 
he 
accomplished 
this 
was 
that 
the 
church 
had 
misunderstood 
the 
teachings 
of 
the 
Lord 
and 
of 
the 
apostles 
respecting 
the 
second 
coming 
of 
Christ 
and 
the 
establishment 
of 
the 
kingdom 
of 
God 
at 
that 
time. 
Satan's 
new 
theory 
was 
that 
God 
had 
laid 
this 
responsible 
work 
upon 
the 
shoulders 
of 
the 
church 
now­ 
not 
waiting 
for 
the 
second 
coming 
of 
Jesus; 
that 
it 
was 
the 
duty 
of 
the 
church 
to 
convert 
the 
world, 
and 
that 
then 
Christ 
would 
come 
and 
approve 
the 
work. 
The 
theory 
further 
was 
that 
this 
conversion 
of 
the 
world 
at 
the 
hands 
of 
the 
church 
was 
to 
be 
accomplished 
by 
a 
vice-gerent 
of 
Christ-that 
is 
to 
say, 
that 
the 
Lord 
would 
select 
from 
amongst 
the 
clergy 
one 
who 
would 
represent 
Jesus 
and 
reign 
in 
his 
stead; 
and 
others 
(cardinals, 
bishops, 
etc.) 
would 
represent 
the 
apostles 
and 
THE 
SITUATION 
IN 
FRANCE 
faithful 
of 
the 
"little 
flock," 
who 
were 
promised 
a 
share 
in 
At 
the 
time 
of 
the 
French 
Revolution 
all 
the 
church 
prop. 
the 
kingdom. 
The 
theory 
gradually 
developed, 
and 
in 
the 
erty 
of 
France 
was 
confiscated, 
but 
in 
1801 
Napoleon 
Bona­ 
fourth 
century 
the 
Bishop 
of 
Rome 
was 
recognized 
as 
the 
head 
parte 
entered 
into 
an 
agreement 
with 
Pope 
Pius 
VII., 
long 
of 
the 
church 
and 
Christ's 
vicegerent 
or 
reig-ning 
representa- 
known 
as 
the 
Concordat. 
It 
is 
this 
Concordat 
or 
agreement 
tive 
in 
the 
world, 
and 
to 
himself 
about 
that 
time 
he 
gathered 
that 
has 
just 
been 
dissolved 
in 
France, 
and 
which 
returns 
to 
the 
"Sacred 
College," 
or 
"little 
flock," 
composed 
of 
car- 
the 
care 
of 
the 
people 
all 
of 
the 
church 
property, 
which 
is 
dinals. 
presumed 
to 
be 
theirs 
because 
it 
was 
built 
at 
their 
expense. 
From 
that 
time 
on, 
quietly, 
the 
people 
were 
instructed 
to 
Under 
the 
terms 
of 
the 
Concordat 
the 
French 
government 
regard 
the 
Pope 
as 
the 
king 
of 
the 
world, 
God's 
representa- 
became 
responsible 
for 
the 
maintenance 
of 
the 
clergy 
and 
the 
tive, 
Christ's 
vicegerent, 
and 
the 
head 
over 
all 
kings 
and 
churches, 
and 
the 
clergy 
were 
recognized 
as 
civil 
servants 
of 
princes. 
As 
this 
idea 
prevailed 
amongst 
the 
people 
they 
were 
the 
French 
nation. 
French 
bishops 
and 
others 
of 
the 
Roman 
taught 
to 
look 
to 
the 
popes 
for 
their 
approval 
of 
kings 
and 
Catholic 
clergy 
could 
be 
appointed 
only 
by 
the 
approval 
of 
princes 
and 
laws, 
until 
finally 
a 
wonderful 
power 
was 
built 
the 
government. 
Thus 
the 
Catholic 
Church 
was 
completely 
up, 
and 
any 
king 
or 
prince 
out 
of 
accord 
with 
the 
Papacy 
under 
state 
control. 
The 
Papacy, 
naturally 
enough, 
did 
not 
could 
very 
easily 
be 
dispossessed 
of 
all 
authority. 
Another, 
very 
highly 
appreciate 
this 
arrangement, 
which 
placed 
her 
having 
the 
papal 
sanction, 
would 
make 
war 
upon 
him; 
and 
the 
interests 
so 
much 
in 
the 
hands 
of 
the 
French 
government, 
and 
people, 
believing 
that 
the 
papal 
sanction 
meant 
the 
divine 
consequently 
there 
was 
continual 
friction, 
the 
clergy 
striving 
sanction, 
would 
support 
the 
papal 
decree. 
It 
was 
under 
these 
in 
various 
ways 
to 
ignore 
their 
responsibility 
to 
the 
govern­ 
conditions 
that 
the 
public 
government 
was 
required 
to 
set 
aside 
ment, 
and 
the 
Papacy 
seeking 
more 
and 
more 
to 
maintain 
the 
from 
the 
public 
revenues 
money 
for 
the 
support 
of 
Roman 
control 
of 
the 
clergy 
and 
to 
oppose 
any 
and 
every 
interest 
Catholic 
churches 
and 
ministers 
throughout 
their 
domains. 
and 
matter 
in 
the 
French 
government 
that 
seemed 
to 
be 
in- 
This 
custom, 
once 
universal 
throughout 
Europe, 
received 
imical 
to 
Roman 
Catholic 
interests. 
The 
light 
of 
our 
day 
a 
severe 
shock, 
a 
set-back, 
in 
Reformation 
times. 
But 
the 
upon 
every 
subject 
strained 
this 
relationship 
more 
and 
more, 
kings 
and 
princes 
supporting 
the 
Reformation 
movement, 
wish- 
and 
the 
intriguing 
on 
the 
part 
of 
the 
Jesuits 
against 
the 
Re­ 
ing 
to 
have 
some 
religious 
or 
spiritual 
approval 
to 
sanction 
public 
and 
in 
favor 
of 
a 
monarchy-esteemed 
to 
be 
more 
de­ 
their 
authority 
in 
the 
minds 
of 
the 
people, 
voluntarily 
ac- 
sirable 
for 
the 
Papacy's 
interests-had 
the 
effect 
of 
leading 
cepted 
the 
Reformers 
and 
their 
approval 
as 
instead 
of 
the 
the 
government 
in 
1881 
to 
endeavor 
to 
expel 
the 
Jesuits 
and 
papal 
sanction. 
Thus 
it 
was 
that 
Reformed 
churches 
in 
Great 
to 
control 
other 
Roman 
Catholic 
orders, 
with 
a 
view 
to 
the 
BrItain, 
Sweden, 
Norway, 
Denmark, 
Germany 
and 
Switzerland 
protection 
of 
the 
interests 
of 
the 
Republic, 
the 
foes 
of 
which 
were 
organized 
and 
became 
Protestant 
state 
churches 
as 
thor- 
they 
were 
realized 
to 
be. 
The 
movement 
was 
only 
partly 
suc­ 
oughly 
as 
they 
had 
previously 
been 
Roman 
Catholic 
state 
cessful 
because 
of 
the 
blindness 
of 
the 
people 
to 
the 
real 
sit­ 
churches. 
The 
principle 
was 
the 
same-it 
was 
merely 
a 
dif· 
uation. 
Not 
until 
the 
beginning 
of 
the 
present 
century 
did 
ferent 
church 
which 
was 
now 
supported. 
Roman 
Catholic 
the 
government 
have 
a 
sufficient 
support 
from 
the 
people 
to 
dominion 
still 
prevails 
in 
Italy, 
Hungary, 
Spain, 
Portugal 
and, 
take 
its 
stand-to 
resent 
papal 
influence 
in 
its 
affairs. 
until 
very 
recently, 
in 
France. 
These 
governments, 
author- 
On 
December 
11, 
1905, 
the 
French 
Congress 
passed 
a 
bill 
ized 
by 
the 
Papacy, 
supporting 
the 
Papacy 
financially, 
have 
which 
provided 
for 
the 
separation 
of 
church 
and 
statE', 
but 
been 
known 
as 
Christian 
governments, 
and 
they 
in 
turn 
have 
giving 
one 
year 
during 
which 
the 
churches 
could 
make 
their 
inscribed 
upon 
their 
coins 
and 
in 
their 
official 
documents 
that 
arrangements 
for 
conforming 
to 
the 
law. 
Meantime 
inven­ 
they 
reign 
over 
the 
people 
by 
the 
grace 
of 
God 
(indicated 
to 
tories 
of 
all 
the 
church 
paraphernalia 
were 
made, 
and 
every­ 
them 
through 
the 
Papacy). 
Similarly 
the 
Protestant 
coun· 
thing 
was 
prepared 
for 
the 
proper 
taking 
over 
of 
the 
property 
tries 
above 
named, 
carrying 
the 
state 
church 
idea 
with 
them, 
for 
the 
state 
on 
December 
11, 
1906. 
The 
essence 
of 
this 
law 
are 
known 
as 
kingdoms 
of 
God, 
and 
they 
also 
on 
their 
coins 
set 
forth 
that 
the 
state 
should 
no 
longer 
provide 
for 
the 
sal­ 
and 
in 
their 
official 
documents 
declare 
that 
their 
kings 
and 
aries 
of 
the 
clergy 
nor 
for 
the 
expenses 
of 
religious 
services, 
princes 
reign 
by 
the 
grace 
of 
God. 
as 
indicated 
through 
their 
and 
that 
thenceforth 
the 
use 
of 
the 
church 
edifices 
and 
equip­ 
recognition 
by 
the 
Reformers 
and 
by 
their 
support 
of 
the 
ments 
would 
be 
for 
the 
people-that 
no 
foreign 
religious 
power 
church. 
such 
as 
the 
Papacy 
would 
be 
recognized. 
On 
these 
terms 
all 
In 
some 
conntries, 
particularly 
in 
Germany, 
all 
religions 
who 
desired 
to 
use 
the 
church 
buildings 
were 
invited 
to 
or­ 
are 
rerog-nized 
by 
the 
State, 
and 
a 
provision 
made 
for 
salariE'S 
ganize 
congregations, 
whose 
representatives 
or 
trustees 
would 
to 
pastors 
and 
teachers, 
whether 
Lutheran, 
Roman 
Catholic, 
be 
dealt 
with 
by 
the 
government, 
and 
receive 
the 
right 
or 
Presbyterian, 
Methodist, 
Jews, 
or 
what 
not-so 
long 
as 
a 
con- 
permission 
to 
use 
the 
buildings 
for 
religious 
purposes. 
These 
gregation 
of 
German 
people, 
recognized 
by 
the 
government 
as 
trustees 
would 
be 
answerable 
to 
the 
government 
for 
the 
proper 
a 
denomination, 
desire 
such 
ministers. 
use 
of 
the 
buildings. 
Thus 
the 
churches 
of 
France 
would 
have 
Now, 
however, 
we 
are 
coming 
to 
a 
time 
of 
general 
disrup- 
been 
put 
practically 
on 
the 
same 
basis 
or 
footing 
as 
the 
tion 
along 
these 
lines. 
The 
people 
are 
getting 
awake 
to 
the 
churches 
in 
the 
United 
States, 
except 
that 
here 
the 
title-deeds 
fact 
that 
the 
kings 
and 
princes 
are 
reigning 
under 
a 
law 
of 
may 
be 
in 
the 
name 
of 
the 
Pope, 
while 
a 
congregation 
not 
in 
selfishness 
instead 
of 
under 
a 
divine 
code 
and 
authorization. 
harmony 
with 
the 
Pope 
or 
head 
or 
the 
holder 
of 
the 
title 
could 
They 
are 
learning, 
too, 
gradually, 
that 
a 
majority 
of 
min- 
be 
legally 
expelled; 
whereas 
under 
the 
new 
laws 
of 
France 
isfers 
are 
preaching 
and 
teaching 
as 
a 
matter 
of 
business, 
each 
congregation 
is 
independent 
and 
cannot 
be 
expelled 
from 
and 
with 
a 
view 
to 
getting 
as 
much 
as 
possible 
of 
the 
butter 
the 
church 
edifice 
or 
by 
order 
of 
presbyteries 
or 
synods 
or 
of 
honor 
of 
men 
and 
salary 
along 
with 
their 
daily 
bread. 
Pop- 
bishops 
or 
the 
Pope, 
since 
the 
title 
deed 
is 
in 
the 
government, 
ular 
government 
is 
consequently 
tending 
more 
to 
the 
thought 
by 
which 
the 
possession 
is 
guaranteed 
to 
the 
congregation. 
that 
those 
who 
believe 
certain 
doctrines 
should 
pay 
for 
them, 
This 
feature 
of 
the 
law 
really 
places 
religion 
in 
France 
upon 
and 
that 
the 
public 
should 
not 
be 
taxed 
for 
its 
religion, 
which 
the 
most 
independent 
plane 
imaginable, 
permitting 
the 
con- 
[3984] 
Vou. XXVIII ALLEGHENY, PA., MAY 1, 1907 No. 9 VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER STATE CHURCHES IN DISRUPTION The State Churches—religious institutions supported by the general government—owed their beginning to the theories of antichrist, when Satan, the great deceiver who beguiled mother Eve, in the third century beguiled the majority of those who believed in Christ. The deceptive theory by which he accomplished this was that the church had misunderstood the teachings of the Lord and of the apostles respecting the second coming of Christ and the establishment of the kingdom of God at that time. Satan’s new theory was that God had laid this responsible work upon the shoulders of the church now— not waiting for the second coming of Jesus; that it was the duty of the church to convert the world, and that then Christ would come and approve the work. The theory further was that this conversion of the world at the hands of the church was to be accomplished by a vice-gerent of Christ—that is to say, that the Lord would select from amongst the clergy one who would represent Jesus and reign in his stead; and others (eardinals, bishops, ete.) would represent the apostles and faithful of the ‘‘little flock,’’ who were promised a share in the kingdom. The theory gradually developed, and in the fourth century the Bishop of Rome was recognized as the head of the church and Christ’s vicegerent or reigning representative in the world, and to himself about that time he gathered the ‘‘Saered College,’’ or ‘‘little flock,’’? composed of cardinals. From that time on, quietly, the people were instructed to regard the Pope as the king of the world, God’s representative, Christ’s vicegerent, and the head over all kings and princes. As this idea prevailed amongst the people they were taught to look to the popes for their approval of kings and princes and laws, until finally a wonderful power was built up, and any king or prince out of accord with the Papacy could very easily be dispossessed of all authority. Another, having the papal sanction, would make war upon him; and the people, believing that the papal sanction meant the divine sanction, would support the papal decree. It was under these conditions that the public government was required to set aside from the public revenues money for the support of Roman Catholic churches and ministers throughout their domains. This custom, once universal throughout Europe, received a severe shock, a set-back, in Reformation times. But the kings and princes supporting the Reformation movement, wishing to have some religious or spiritual approval to sanction their authority in the minds of the people, voluntarily accepted the Reformers and their approval as instead of the papal sanction. Thus it was that Reformed churches in Great Britain, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland were organized and became Protestant state churches as thoroughly as they had previously been Roman Catholic state churches. The principle was the same—it was merely a different church which was now supported. Roman Catholic dominion still prevails in Italy, Hungary, Spain, Portugal and, until very recently, in France. These governments, authorized by the Papacy, supporting the Papacy financially, have been known as Christian governments, and they in turn have inscribed upon their coins and in their official documents that they reign over the people by the grace of God (indicated to them through the Papacy). Similarly the Protestant countries above named, carrying the state church idea with them, are known as kingdoms of God, and they also on their coins and in their official documents declare that their kings and princes reign by the grace of God, as indicated through their recognition by the Reformers and by their support of the church. In some countries, particularly in Germany, all religions are recognized by the State, and a provision made for salaries to pastors and teachers, whether Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist, Jews, or what not—so long as a congregation of German people, recognized by the government as a denomination, desire such ministers. Now, however, we are coming to a time of general disruption along these lines. The people are getting awake to the fact that the kings and prinees are reigning under a law of selfishness instead of under a divine code and authorization. They are learning, too, gradually, that a majority of minisfers are preaching and teaching as a matter of business, and with a view to getting as much as possible of the butter of honor of men and salary along with their daily bread. Popular government is consequently tending more to the thought that those who believe certain doctrines should pay for them, and that the public should not be taxed for its religion, which (131-132) should be free and should be provided by those in accord with the promulgated tenets. This is the program followed in the United States, and the progress of this country in every way has been a wonderful lesson to the people of other countries, who in various ways are seeking to copy our methods, thus corroborating the thought set forth by Bartholdi’s Statue of Liberty, that personified in this nation Liberty is enlightening the world. Word comes from various quarters of Europe to the effect that church and state union is threatened with dissolution. In Great Britain, in Sweden, in Switzerland, in Spain, the matter is being actively discussed, and the indication is that the accomplishment will not be far off, while in France there is a great turmoil through the dissolution of the Roman Catholie Concordat or agreement with the French government by which now the French are free from all State support so far as Roman Catholic and all other religious systems are concerned. THE SITUATION IN FRANCE At the time of the French Revolution all the church property of France was confiscated, but in 1801 Napoleon Bonaparte entered into an agreement with Pope Pius VII., long known as the Concordat. It is this Concordat or agreement that has just been dissolved in France, and which returns to the care of the people all of the church property, which is presumed to be theirs because it was built at their expense. Under the terms of the Concordat the French government became responsible for the maintenance of the clergy and the churches, and the clergy were recognized as civil servants of the French nation. French bishops and others of the Roman Catholic clergy could be appointed only by the approval of the government. Thus the Catholic Church was completely under state control. The Papacy, naturally enough, did not very highly appreciate this arrangement, which placed her interests so much in the hands of the French government, and consequently there was continual friction, the clergy striving in various ways to ignore their responsibility to the government, and the Papacy seeking more and more to maintain the control of the clergy and to oppose any and every interest and matter in the French government that seemed to be inimical to Roman Catholic interests. The light of our day upon every subject strained this relationship more and more, and the intriguing on the part of the Jesuits against the Republic and in favor of a monarchy—esteemed to be more desirable for the Papacy’s interests—had the effect of leading the government in 1881 to endeavor to expel the Jesuits and to control other Roman Catholic orders, with a view to the protection of the interests of the Republic, the foes of which they were realized to be. The movement was only partly successful because of the blindness of the people to the real situation. Not until the beginning of the present century did the government have a sufficient support from the people to take its stand—to resent papal influence in its affairs. On December 11, 1905, the French Congress passed a bill which provided for the separation of church and state, but giving one year during which the churches could make their arrangements for conforming to the law. Meantime inventories of all the church paraphernalia were made, and everything was prepared for the proper taking over of the property for the state on December 11, 1906. The essence of this law set forth that the state should no longer provide for the salaries of the clergy nor for the expenses of religious services, and that thenceforth the use of the church edifices and equipments would be for the people—that no foreign religious power such as the Papacy would be recognized. On these terms all who desired to use the church buildings were invited to organize congregations, whose representatives or trustees would be dealt with by the government, and receive the right or permission to use the buildings for religious purposes. These trustees would be answerable to the government for the proper use of the buildings. Thus the churches of France would have been put practically on the same basis or footing as the churches in the United States, except that here the title-deeds may be in the name of the Pope, while a congregation not in harmony with the Pope or head or the holder of the title could be legally expelled; whereas under the new laws of France each congregation is independent and cannot be expelled from the church edifice or by order of presbyteries or synods or bishops or the Pope, since the title deed is in the government, by which the possession is guaranteed to the congregation. This feature of the law really places religion in France upon the most independent plane imaginable, permitting the con [3984]

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