Page:Studies in the Scriptures - Series I - The Plan of the Ages (1909).djvu/276

 of the United States, that thercty this *nay become a Christian nation. The Reformed Presbyterians have for years refused to vote or hold office under this government, because it is not Christ's Kingdom, Thus they recognize the impropriety of Christians sharing in any other. We have great sympathy with this sentiment, but not with the conclusion, that if God's name-were mentioned in the Con- stitution, that fa<ft would transform this government from a kingdom of this world to a kingdom of Christ, and give them liberty to vote and to hold office under it. 0, how foolish I How great the deception by which the Mother of harlots" has made all nations drunk (Rev. 17:2); for in a similar manner it is claimed that the kingdoms of Europe were transferred from Satan to Christ, and became " Christian nations."

Let it be seen that the best and the worst of earth's na- tions are but "kingdoms of this world," whose lease of power from God is now about expired, that they may give place to their ordained successor, the Kingdom of Messiah, the Fifth Universal Empire of earth (Dan. 2 : 44; 7: 14, I7> 27 ) an d it will do much to establish truth and to over- throw error.

But as it is, the adions of Papacy in this regard, sanc- tioned by the Protestant Reformers, go unquestioned among Christian people. And since they should uphold the King- dom of Christ, they feel themselves bound to champion the present falling kingdoms of so-called Christendom, whose time is fast expiring ; and thus their sympathies are often forced to the side of oppression, rather than to the side 3f right and freedom to the side of the kingdoms of this world, and the prince of this world, rather than to the side of the coming true Kingdom of Christ. Rev. 17: 14; 19: 11-19.

The world is fast coming to realize that the "kingdoms of this world" are not Christlike, and that their claim to

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