A GOOD MESSAGE

Dear young friends.

The Roman Catholic religion has come into prominence lately in the public Press, owing to the illness and death of the Pope, with all the Popish ceremony attending the obsequies. Advantage seems to be taken of such occasions as this to bring the claims of the Papacy before the public eye, and to use the Press, as well as the radio and television, for propaganda purposes. No greater homage than that shown to the Popes could be accorded the most notable of earthly monarchs. Yet this is the very reason that would be given by Cathalies why such honors should be shown. They regard the Pope, not only as the head of their world-wide church, but also as he claims to be. a temporal sovereign having authority, as the assumed vicar of Christ on earth, over all earthly powers. and potentates. What a claim! And where is the authority for it? Certainly not in the Scriptures of truth. But this brings us to the very foundation error of Popery, namely that its claims, and doctrines and practices are based, not alone upon the infallible Word of Cod, but upon the traditions of men that have been built up in the Church of Rome.

Let us try to examine the point a little, and we shall see what a false and fallible foundation the Romish religion is built upon. We do need in the things of God, and in the vast concerns of eternity, to have a solid foundation upon which to rest our hopes and beliefs. This we claim has been given us by God in His infallible Word, a basis which can never change nor fail. To add to this is to bring ourselves under that solemn woe pronounced at the close of the sacred Canon: “If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this Book” (Rev. 22:18). Under this dreadful threatening we assert, without hesitation, the apostate Church of Rome lies, as having added to the Word of God her own tradition.

The woe pronounced against the Jewish scribes and Pharisees by the Lord Jesus when here on earth, also rests upon the Church of Rome: “In vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men” (Mark 7:7). Against this use of tradition as the foundation of belief and practice, the Apostle Paul warns the Colossians: “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ” (Col. 2:8). Peter also speaks clearly of the need of being “redeemed from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers” (I Peter 1:18).

This view of Popery explains why they are so wary of allowing their adherents to read the Word of God for themselves. They tell their poor duped followers that they need to have the Scriptures explained to them by the priests, who of course gloss all over with their own traditions, and use the Word only so far as they think they can uphold what they believe and do. They go back to the Early Fathers of the church, who had already begun to decline from the simplicity that is in Christ” (2 Cor. 11:3). and also to later pronouncements of the Popes and other leaders of the Church of Rome, and bolster up their idolatrous system upon these pretexts. What a vain and false foundation must that be which consists of the utterances of fallible men!

In this way have all the errors, and superstitions, and blasphemies of Popery been built up — the real Presence in the Communion bread and wine, adoration and reservation of the consecrated wafer, worshipping of images and so-called saints, mariolatry, confession to and absolution by the priests, purgatory, convents and monastic institutions, and the setting-up of the Pope as the vicar of Christ. All these, we affirm, have no countenance in the inspired Word of God, but are rather condemned thereby. Yet, as though to give a semblance of solidity to the rotten foundation and superstructure, it is asserted that the Pope is infallible in the utterances he makes from the chair of Peter, to whom he is supposed to be the lawful successor.

Away with such a religion as is based upon the foibles of fallible men! Give us that which had its foundation alone in the Word of the living God, which is broad and firm enough to take weight of our immortal souls.

“His Word shall stand, His truth prevail,

And not one jot or tittle fail.”

May you be brought to rest upon it, and be delivered from all the subtle errors which Satan has foisted upon the children of men.

Yours affectionately,

The Editor,

The Friendly Companion.

God’s unchangeable Word.

For feelings come and feelings go,
And feelings are deceiving:
My warrant is the Word of God,
Naught else is worth believing.

Though all my heart should feel condemned
For want of some sweet token,
There is One greater than my heart,
Whose Word cannot be broken.

I’ll trust in God’s unchanging Word,
Till soul and body sever;
For though all things shall pass away,
His Word shall stand for ever.

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