“6 he shall not honor his father. And ye have made void the word of God because of your tradition. 7 Ye hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, 8 This people honoreth me with their lips; But their heart is far from me. 9 But in vain do they worship me, Teaching as their doctrines the precepts of men.” (Mt 15:6-9 ASV)

“6 For the mind of the flesh is death; but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace: 7 because the mind of the flesh is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be:” (Ro 8:6-7 ASV)

“15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what portion hath a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement hath a temple of God with idols? for we are a temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore Come ye out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, And touch no unclean thing; And I will receive you, 18 And will be to you a Father, And ye shall be to me sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” (2Co 6:15-18 ASV)

“1 Would that ye could bear with me in a little foolishness: but indeed ye do bear with me. 2 For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy: for I espoused you to one husband, that I might present you as a pure virgin to Christ. 3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve in his craftiness, your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity and the purity that is toward Christ. 4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we did not preach, or if ye receive a different spirit, which ye did not receive, or a different gospel, which ye did not accept, ye do well to bear with him.” (2Co 11:1-4 ASV)

“ let no man beguile you in any wise: for it will not be, except the falling away come first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition,” (2Th 2:3 ASV)

“ and upon her forehead a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” (Re 17:5 ASV)

The word "clergy", as the title of an order, is assumed by men who have no right to it. It is a word which comes from the Greek — kleros-^a lot or portion; and is applied by the Apostle in 1 Peter v. 2, 3 to a single congregation of disciples; so that when he speaks of all the congregations of the flock, he styles them "the heritages" — ton klerons (verse 3). But in after years, the ministers of the heritages, or clergies, disregarded the commandment, and set themselves up as lords of the heritages, which they fleeced and oppressed for lucre's sake. They even made the clergies of God believe that they were nothing more than mere commoners; while they themselves, the usurpers of the believers' rights, were God's peculiar lot or portion, as the tribe of Levi was among the Israelites.

This usurpation came at length to be regarded as legitimate;and the distinction was then set up of "clergy" and "laity", from the multitude! But the distinction belongs to the Apostasy, and not to God's oppressed and scattered sheep. When u clergy "get in among them, it is" as grievous wolves, not sparing the flock, but speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them "for their own worldly gain (Acts xx. 29, 30). They have nothing to do with the word of reconciliation except to pervert it, and to bring it into disrepute.

Dr. J. Thomas.

Who, for two hundred years after the Resurrection of Christ, ever heard of Vicars of Christ, Papists, Catholics, Episcopalians, High, Low, or Evangelical, Presbyterians of any School, Calvinists, Methodists, Trinitarians, Unitarians, Universalists, Mormons, and so forth, with the special teachers heaped up to teach for hire the traditions lusted after by professors glorying in these names? They were like the next crop of mos-quitoes in the future unknown.The term

Catholic, as the name of a party, was not known till about A.D. 250. Yet during that two hundred years men and women, both Jews and Gentiles, turned from Judaism and idolatry by thousands, obtained the forgiveness of all their past sins, and a right to life eternal without the intervention of Popish Priests or Protestant Parsons, and were Apostolically recognised as "the Brethren of Jesus Christ", and the sons and daughters of the Lord God Almighty.

Dr. J. Thomas.

The word "Reverend" only occurs once in the English Bible, and is there (Psalm cxi. 9) applied to God —

"He sent redemption unto His people:
He hath commanded His covenant for ever:
holy and reverend is His name".

The word in the Hebrew has also been rendered by several other English words, such as dreadful, fearful, terrible, and used in reference to the Deity.

It appears that the blasphemous assumption of the title by the clergy of the Apostasy was not until the middle of the 17th Century. The first record of its usage appears to be in the Parish Register of Tamworth in 1657.

F. G. J.

Need we wonder at the Clergy and other "Reverends" being the enemies of God, and of Christ, and of the Truth generally?

These religious hirelings, whose "living" it is to preach and teach a certain system of religion — "things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake!"

We repeat: Need we wonder at such men being the enemies of the Truth?

Read what the Old Testament has to say about the ought-to-be-true, but really mere hireling-shepherds (Ezek. xxxiv. 1-11); and the self-seeking pastors (Jer. xxiii. 1, 2); and the false prophets (Jer. xxiii. 25, 26). Read what the New Testament has to say about them — the clergy of Christ's day: the "Rev. Scribe, and the "Rev." Pharisee, and the "Rev." Lawyer (Matt. xv. 3; xxiii. 2-29; Mark ii. 16,17; iii. 22; Luke xi. 42-53; xx. 1, 46, 47).

Does some brother say: You have no right to thus speak evil of rulers (Acts xxiii. 5). Fie, brother! The "Revs." are not the rulers for whom the Scriptures demand respect; rather do they command utter disrespect, contempt and loathing and hatred, as Brother Boulton has so well shown in his article, entitled "Odium Theologicum".

Paul could, and did, address a civil ruler as Most Noble Festus (Actsxxvi. 25), but an ecclesiastical sorcerer, as every true Christadelphian knows a "Rev." to be, Paul addressed as "Thou child of the devil and enemy of all righteousness" (Acts xiii. 10),

F. G. J.

“1 And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying, 2 Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, even to the shepherds, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Woe unto the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the sheep? 3 Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill the fatlings; but ye feed not the sheep. 4 The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought back that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with rigor have ye ruled over them. 5 And they were scattered, because there was no shepherd; and they became food to all the beasts of the field, and were scattered. 6 My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my sheep were scattered upon all the face of the earth; and there was none that did search or seek after them. 7 ¶ Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of Jehovah: 8 As I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, surely forasmuch as my sheep became a prey, and my sheep became food to all the beasts of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my sheep, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my sheep; 9 therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of Jehovah: 10 Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my sheep at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the sheep; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; and I will deliver my sheep from their mouth, that they may not be food for them. 11 For thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I myself, even I, will search for my sheep, and will seek them out.” (Eze 34:1-11 ASV)

“1 Woe unto the shepherds that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith Jehovah. 2 Therefore thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, against the shepherds that feed my people: Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them; behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith Jehovah.” (Jer 23:1-2 ASV)

“25 I have heard what the prophets have said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed. 26 How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies, even the prophets of the deceit of their own heart?” (Jer 23:25-26 ASV)

“ And he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?” (Mt 15:3 ASV)

“2 saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses seat: 3 all things therefore whatsoever they bid you, these do and observe: but do not ye after their works; for they say, and do not. 4 Yea, they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with their finger. 5 But all their works they do to be seen of men: for they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, 6 and love the chief place at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, 7 and the salutations in the marketplaces, and to be called of men, Rabbi. 8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your teacher, and all ye are brethren. 9 And call no man your father on the earth: for one is your Father, even he who is in heaven. 10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your master, even the Christ. 11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled; and whosoever shall humble himself shall be exalted. 13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye shut the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye enter not in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering in to enter. 14 15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he is become so, ye make him twofold more a son of hell than yourselves. 16 Woe unto you, ye blind guides, that say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor. 17 Ye fools and blind: for which is greater, the gold, or the temple that hath sanctified the gold? 18 And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gift that is upon it, he is a debtor. 19 Ye blind: for which is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift? 20 He therefore that sweareth by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon. 21 And he that sweareth by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein. 22 And he that sweareth by the heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon. 23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye tithe mint and anise and cummin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the law, justice, and mercy, and faith: but these ye ought to have done, and not to have left the other undone. 24 Ye blind guides, that strain out the gnat, and swallow the camel! 25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye cleanse the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full from extortion and excess. 26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup and of the platter, that the outside thereof may become clean also. 27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. 28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but inwardly ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. 29 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and garnish the tombs of the righteous,” (Mt 23:2-29 ASV)

“16 And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with the sinners and publicans, said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? 17 And when Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of a physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Mr 2:16-17 ASV)

“ And the scribes that came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and, By the prince of the demons casteth he out the demons.” (Mr 3:22 ASV)

“42 But woe unto you Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and every herb, and pass over justice and the love of God: but these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. 43 Woe unto you Pharisees! for ye love the chief seats in the synagogues, and the salutations in the marketplaces. 44 Woe unto you! for ye are as the tombs which appear not, and the men that walk over them know it not. 45 And one of the lawyers answering saith unto him, Teacher, in saying this thou reproachest us also. 46 And he said, Woe unto you lawyers also! for ye load men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers. 47 Woe unto you! for ye build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. 48 So ye are witnesses and consent unto the works of your fathers: for they killed them, and ye build their tombs. 49 Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send unto them prophets and apostles; and some of them they shall kill and persecute; 50 that the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; 51 from the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zachariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary: yea, I say unto you, it shall be required of this generation. 52 Woe unto you lawyers! for ye took away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered. 53 And when he was come out from thence, the scribes and the Pharisees began to press upon him vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of many things;” (Lu 11:42-53 ASV)

“ And it came to pass, on one of the days, as he was teaching the people in the temple, and preaching the gospel, there came upon him the chief priests and the scribes with the elders;” (Lu 20:1 ASV)

“46 Beware of the scribes, who desire to walk in long robes, and love salutations in the marketplaces, and chief seats in the synagogues, and chief places at feasts; 47 who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater condemnation.” (Lu 20:46-47 ASV)

“ And Paul said, I knew not, brethren, that he was high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of a ruler of thy people.” (Ac 23:5 ASV)

“ and said, O full of all guile and all villany, thou son of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?” (Ac 13:10 ASV)

Beware of the teaching of the Clergy!

There is a growing need for the caution. The Clergy are the proprietors and managers of a powerful, influential system, which is as offensive to God, and as inimical to the eternal interests of man, as were the institutions of Baal.

The Clergy are the perpetuators of pagan doctrines, of that deadly apostasy which in the early centuries dethroned the glorious and life-giving religion of Christ.

Let those of us who are disposed to worship these “Spirituals of the wickedness”, who “reign in the court of the Gentiles without the temple”, take more to heart what God has revealed in the Apocalypse on the subject. It is by an understanding of this book that we shall be able to see the leaders of Christendom as God sees them.

A. T. Jannaway

We read the writings of the Prophets, and are quick to realise the dark and evil-mindedness of Israel's religious leaders. We do the same in regard to the New Testament teaching concerning the corrupters of the Truth in Apostolic times. But when we come to the Apocalypse — which is in part God's revelation respecting the true character of the Clergy for the past fifteen or more centuries — many of us are of uncertain mind, and therefore fearful to take God's estimate of the Clergy.

We want more study of the Apocalypse, more deep, earnest reading of “Eureka”. This will safe-guard us against being captivated by the Clergy.

Are there not among us brethren who are competent and willing to write, during 1921, a few robust, bright, pithy articles on Rev. xvii. 5, with particular reference to its bearing on our times?

Yes, the Clergy have to be watched and shunned. They are the saints' enemies, and will remain so till Christ is again in the earth to destroy, once and for ever, their wicked Babylonish system.

A. T. Jannaway.

Too severe!

Dr. Thomas was not a bit too severe in his denunciations against the priestcraft of Christendom, falsely so-called. It is a craft in every sense of the term, as is made manifest by the advertisement columns of the official organ of the Established Church (“The Church Times”). Here we have from one week's advertisements the inducements held out to the “Reverends” seeking vacancies to feed the “Church of God".

"Seaside"—"Fine Church" — "Title offered" — "A man with some brains" — "Healthy and bracing" — "Good Stipend and Rooms" — "Daily Mass (Sisters)" — "Single, Young, and Musical" — "Beautiful River" — "Linen Vestments" — "Centre for Tourists" — "Church just restored" — "Tennis, Golf, Croquet, etc." — "Coals, gas, eggs, and attendance" — "Pony and Trap" — "No children wanted" — "Good Cycling" — "Salmon and Trout Fishing" — "Able to in tone" — "Black Gown preferred" — "Charming Society" — and last, but not least: "Near the High School for Girls"!

F. G. J

As for a college education in divinity qualifying boys for "preaching the word", the absurdity of the conceit is manifest in the fact that the "college-bred divines" are all at variance among themselves upon its meaning.

Call a convention of priests and preachers of all religious sects and parties, and assign to them the work of publishing a Scriptural and unanimous reply to the simple question:

What do the Scriptures teach as themeasure of faith and rule of conduct to him who would inherit the Kingdom ?

Let it be such a reply as would stand the scrutiny of deep and earnest investigation — and what does the reader expect would be the result?

Dr. J. Thomas

WE have examined the claims of the Clergy in the light of the Scriptures of truth; and as the result of our examination we take up our position with the Apostles and the glorified Jesus, and proclaim them to be, in the words of Paul,

“evil men and seducers”; “theSatan's ministers transformed as ministers of righteousness”;

having a zeal of God, even of the

“god of the world, lying under the wicked one”; “false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ”.

They are the teachers heaped up after their own lusts by those who have itching ears, reprobate as to the faith; and through whose influence the way of Truth is evil spoken of; and by whom the people's ears are turned from it to the most contemptible fables.

The Clergy are the deceivers of the people, imposing on the ignorance and credulity of the world. They make the Gospel of none effect by their traditions, which are “another gospel”, whose preachers Paul proclaims “accursed”.

Dr. J. Thomas.

Dr. Thomas is said by some to have been unnecessarily severe in his handling of his opponents — the clergy in particular. It is saddening to hear brethren talking in this strain. It is the result of not perceiving to the same extent as did the Doctor, the terrible mischief wrought by false teachers.

The Doctor was a man of experience, and knew, far better than most of us know, the naughty little ways of religious worldlings, and the sad havoc they cause. He realised, and very keenly so, that men and women were everywhere perishing from lack of Bible truth, and that the great hindrance in the way of their receiving it was the "Reverends" of the Apostasy. In regard to the dissemination of the truth, which has achieved the greatest results, the clear, robust, sledgehammer utterances of the Doctor, or the feeble utterances of his smooth-speaking critics? Whose writings are the most refreshing and upbuilding, the Doctor's, or those whose writers try to be nice with everyone — including the direst enemies of the Truth?

If we take God's view of the leaders and upholders of error, we shall not find fault with the Doctor's trenchant strictures on false teachers. If, in these perilous times, the Truth is to prosper in our hands, we shall have to exhibit the Doctor's qualities — fearlessness, outspokenness, clearness, conjoined with jealousy and love for the Scriptures.

A. T. Jannaway

Lest some may think that the strictures passed in the foregoing paragraphs on the clergy are too severe or prejudiced, it should be remembered that they have been spoken of as a class and upholders of a false religious system.

It will be admitted that among their number there have been individuals to whom we are indebted for much knowledge concerning things pertaining to the Scriptures. Such men as Sir Isaac Newton, Faber, Elliott, Lardner, Keith, and Robinson — men with a reverence for the Scriptures, and a profound historical, linguistic and geographical knowledge; but that knowledge, unfortunately, has been marred by a belief in a Triune God, the immortality of the soul, and heaven going, etc. They have had no understanding of the gospel of the Kingdom of God and the things concerning the name of Jesus Christ, and have not been able to point out the way of life and salvation.

Honour to whom honour is due, but these men are of a different stamp to such as we have today, whose sole aim appears to be to pose as social ornaments and to repeat the latest so-called scientific fad.

Our first and last appeal must be

"to the Law and to the Testimony",

and where men do not conform to that standard they are but "blind leaders of the blind".

C. W. Hopper.

The remarks of Dr. Thomas concerning the short-comings of the Clergy relate to those of a generation ago. For an estimate of the present-day cleric we need only refer to the statements by one of themselves, who wrote in the early part of this year:

" The average cleric of the younger generation",

said he,

"is not a man of wide reading. . . . His education has been narrowly professional. . . . The chief matter of debate among the Fathers of the Church was 'What belief shall we hold?'; among their sons it often is,' What vestment shall we wear?' .... To-day the Clergy do not think, or read, or preach themselves into preferment. . . . The preacher has been succeeded by the business manager".

Of such was not Paul.

C. W. Hopper.

There is a "progress" that is falsely so called, and this worldly contagion must not be allowed to invade the Household of Faith.

Real progress in the understanding and appreciation of the Scriptures should always be our aim, but care must be taken against the natural tendency to drift away from a clear-cut conception of the Truth to a hazy dreaming, in which error is regarded with amiable toleration.

With Brother Thomas and Brother Roberts there was no half-way line between the Truth and "Papal and Protestant Fables"; there can be none today. If we would preserve the Truth in its purity, all our reasonings must be based upon a "Thus saith the Lord",and while some may feel that such a declaration is lacking in academic elegance, Divine Truth is better than Human Philosophy.

Be polite, but beware of compromise — it is the road to ruin.

C. H. Arnold.