Page:Complete Works of Count Tolstoy - 13.djvu/344

 Here again the texts are changed in order to bring forward a specious proof. It does not follow from anything that after the words, “Preach the gospel to every creature,” he said “immediately” afterward, “I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” Nor can it in any way be said that one passage follows immediately after the other, since one thing is said by one evangelist, Mark, while the other is said by Matthew. Mark says: “Go into all the world, and preach the gospel,” which has no meaning of any transmission; but the words, “I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world, Amen,” are the concluding words of the Gospel of Matthew, and therefore can by no means signify that hel wanted to transmit the power to them. But even if that meant what the Theology wants it to mean, there is nothing to warrant the assertion that he encouraged with his presence all their future successors. That cannot be argued out of anything.

Here is the second proof of the succession:

“(f) Finally, that, having in this manner clothed his apostles with divine power, he, on the other hand, very clearly and with terrible curses compelled all men and the future Christians to receive the teaching and the sacraments from the future apostles, and to obey their words: He that heareth you, heareth me; and he that despiseth you, despiseth me; and he that despiseth me, despiseth him that sent me (Luke x. 16); 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 (Mark xvi. 15, 16; cf. Matt. x. 14; xviii. 15-19).” (p. 212.)

I do not leave out a single word. And that is given out as a proof not only of the establishment of the hierarchy, but also of the succession, and it says:

“And that is why, even when the Lord ascended to heaven, Matthias was, by his indication, added to the