Book of life

Front matter

BOOK OF LIFE

A GLIMPSE OF THE

Twentieth Century

Chapter I

I have read a great deal in periodicals and in newspapers concerning what the twentieth century will bring forth. Science or scheming has done a great deal in the last hundred years, but the twentieth century will bring forth more than the last hundred years, and far more brighter to the world. What has science done for the people of the world the last hundred years? On the one side it has brought forth many great inventions to increase the wealth of a few. On the other side, it has made slaves of human souls and brought pain, sorrow and hunger to the laborer. But I tell you, dear reader, there will be a grand change this century.

It seems to me at this age of the world, with so much enlightenment, that there should not be so much sorrow, pain and hunger. There is more bloodshed than there ever was before. Why is it? Just think of all of the people that have actually starved to death in India in the last eighteen months. India, as we all know, belongs to one of the most enlightened nations of the world. What can we think of such Christianity as that ? When the missionaries made a call for help, America was going to send corn and wheat, but no, they said, ^'We want money, we have plenty of grain stored away." What do you think of people starving to death in the midst of plenty? Don't you think it is time for a change? Why are we having so much bloodshed at this age of the world, with so many Christian nations in this great world? It is worse than it was two thousand years ago. People did not know any better then, and they know less now. It looks that way. It is because there are more heathen today than there were two thousand years ago. Why is it so? Does not the Bible say, ^^They shall wax worse and worse until the last days?'' Did not God promise the fruits to the man that labored? Are we getting it? No, and never will get it until we make a change. There will be a grand change in this century. We have to let the god of riches alone. We all are like sheep that have gone astray. We all come into this world equal, we leave it equal, and God wants us to be equal here. Are we equal? No, some have houses and land, some have none. Some have plenty to eat, some have none. Some live in plenty, and some are starving to death. What does it all mean? It is because we are all serving the god of riches, not the God of love. Love our neighbor as ourselves. We all want something for nothing, and most get nothing.

What is science ? Science is nothing but scheming to get something for nothing. Did not God say we should earn our living by the sweat of our brow? Who is the honest man? The one that toils or the one that lies awake at night thinking and planning to beat some one, or make something on a trade without labor, or forming trusts and making big profits out of the ones that toil? Why have all these great inventions been brought about? They tell you for the good of the people. It is only for the good of a few. Now, the time is coming this century when the people will have the good of all these inventions. What brought out these inventions? Nothing but the greed of gain. It was not science; it was just scheming, — getting something for nothing. We have to stop all this if we expect the God of heaven and earth to bless us. We have made images out of our work. We bow down to them daily. This is why the God of heaven and earth has forsaken us. We toil and another reapeth. The twentieth century will bring forth to the laborer the well earned fruits of his labor, and drink to the man that is athirst; rest, joy and peace and happiness to mankind.

It seems to me the world has gone astray. Why has God forsaken us? Because we have forsaken Him. We must return to Him. Who is to lead us back? We are to turn back ourselves. Let the god of riches alone. Does not the Bible tell us, ''Give to no man who is not worthy of his hire?" Who are they? Any man who is able to earn his living by the sweat of his brow. The preacher, doctor, lawyer, merchant, mechanic and all speculators — the ones who are trying to make money by their smartness. Their images have made them better than anybody else. Their time is worth no more than anybody else's. "We have to get rid of this image before God will help us. The time is coming in the twentieth century when we will receive the same pay for labor. We are bowing down to some one's image every time we patronize them. Does not God forbid us to bow down to any other image than the God of heaven and earth? The time is coming in the twentieth century when we will not bow down to the preacher, doctor, lawyer, merchant or the speculator. My God, hasten it on soon ! The time is coming in the twentieth century that everybody will acknowledge the great God of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things. The twentieth century will create all things anew. The old way will pass away and the people will have new ways. The time is coming in this century when mankind will not hunger or thirst any more. AVill not this be a perfect heaven on earth? Do we not read in Revelations that there is to be a new heaven and a new earth ?

The old ways will pass away and things will become new. The time is coming in the twentieth century when the people will own everything. The people will enjoy all the great inventions. We will not have to pay tribute to Caesar any more. This will be a happy world to live in then, when every man does his share of work. The time is coming in this twentieth century when the rich man will have to do his own wotk, or die in his own filth. The time is coming in the twentieth century when gold and silver will not buy bread or things to eat, houses nor land. What a terrible time this will be to the rich ! Blessed be the poor ! they shall see peace and happiness on this earth. The rich will hide away in everlasting scorn. They shall see their sins heaped upon them whereby they have got their dishonest gains. They have sold human souls for gain. They have laid snares for little children and have fallen therein themselves. In that day they shall know there is a God of heaven and earth and a creator of all things. May the time hasten on that we may all know that there is a God of heaven and earth! As we read the prophets in the Bible, they tell us we will know the Lord of heaven and earth in that day. What day? In the day of trouble, when that great day of desolation spoken of in Daniel the Prophet (last chapter of Daniel) shall come. Oh, what foolishness to gain the whole world and lose thine own soul! The Bible tells us it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. This is in plain words from Jesus direct, and how the ministry try to get around it ! Why do they try to whip around the stump? Why don't they preach Christ? They are so afraid the rich man would not uphold them. Does not Christ tell us that he who tries to get in by some other way is a thief? The Bible warns the rich man all the way through it in different language.

Are you ready for the second coming of Christ, are you ready? Read James, fifth chapter, first six verses :

Go to now, you rich man, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.

'^Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten.

^'Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.

'^Behold, the hire of the labourers which have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth; and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.

''Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth and been wanton ; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.

''Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you."

In the twentieth century the churches of all denominations will all pass out of existence. What a terrible day that Avill be ! The church that is supposed to have the candlestick or the light of the world. Why is such a calamity to come upon the church? Because they have made merchandise out of God's Holy Word. They do not preach Christ. Read Revelation, second chapter, first six verses:

"Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;

*^I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil; and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars ;

''And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.

''Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

"Remember, therefore, from whence thou art fallen and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

"But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate."

Now, dear readers, I want to state right here that I am not an educated man or writer, or any smarter than any one else, and do not ask you to believe all I say until these things have come to pass. I am not a Bible student, but by some means or other I have taken up this subject. At present I am not able to get around very fast. I just thought why could I not write a book on this question, but I think if you are a Christian and are not trying to make a living out of your Christianity, you will think somewhat as I do. I do not mean to ridicule the church or anybody. I am simply going to write the plain facts of the Bible as I see them. But it does seem to me if I were a great preacher I would preach differently from what our ministers do. I only wish I had an education so I could write a book that was worth reading. Of course if I do get up something in the shape of a book, I do it partly to make an honest living, and I will assure you I will put all into this great work to bring about my ideas.

I have left my subject somewhat, but I hope you will excuse me for taking up a few lines about myself. But you know if you have read novels or any kind of literature, they make it just as long as they possibly can. I know I could tell it all by using just about one-quarter as many words as I have used, but such is life in the far west.

Now, I am going to give you my views on some portions of the Bible. I hope you will pardon me if I think differently from you. Now, as to that part of Revelation which I have written down — chapter two, the first six verses — the first Christian church was the only church in those days. The different denominations sprang from it. There is only one church in my estimation and that is spoken of in Revelation, third chapter, eighth verse. Now, as we read Revelation, it says: ^''It must shortly come to pass." Now, as to this first church spoken of in Revelation, second chapter, first verse, it is supposed to have the light of the world. Christ says : ''Repent, or I will take thy candle stick away from that church. Repent and return unto thy first love.'' What is ''the first love?" You must preach Christ for the love of Christ, not for the love of money. We used to have ministers who would work all the week and preach on Sunday for the love of Christ. The idea that this or that church is right and all the rest are wrong, is all bosh. There is to be no favored church. In that day everybody worships God from his own place. Now, taking the facts — He is going to do away with all churches. The so-called churches have made an image out of the gospel of Christ. They have made merchandise out of God's law. Too many are trying to make a living out of it. That is why God is going to do away with the churches. But I do not ask you to believe me until you see it come to pass; then you will think of these things. I have other reasons for thinking He is going to do away with the churches. We have four other beliefs that are general. There are none of them right. Any one who loves his neighbor as he does himself, whether he belongs to some church or not — if he is an infidel and has charity for those in need, that is the spirit God wants us all to have.

Now, God is going to establish His church in the twentieth century, to which all Christians, infidels, spiritualists, Jews and all others will belong. "Will not that be a glorious day? Now, as to the Bible, I believe all of it. I compare the Bible to a workshop ; everything has its place when needed. Isaiah, the prophet, reads as though at some time or other He will raise up a great servant who is to explain all the dark sayings.

I will not dwell upon the churches too long. I will give one other reason why God is going to do away with the churches. "We know the Jews were the favored ones at one time, and they think so yet. Now, the Christian churches think they are the favored ones. But not so. No one should believe that he is going to be the favored one. AVhen this good servant comes, he is going to make all things new. He will take some of all beliefs and put them together so we all will have some of our ideas correct. I may give some more ideas why the church is going to be done av/^ay with later on.

I will take up the next church in Asia and give you some ideas about it. But it is not altogether clear just what it is. Revelation, second chapter, eighth verse :

'^And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These things saith the First and the Last, which was dead, and is alive;

^^I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty (but thou art rich), and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.

'^Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days; be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life."

This is the Jewish church. Now, you see, God only asked them to be faithful unto death and He will give them a crown of life. They are partly right ; there are none of them lost, if they did crucify Jesus. Did not Jesus say on the cross, '^They know not what they do?" It had to be so, that the Scriptures might be fulfilled. Now, if God made them so that they had to crucify Jesus, do you suppose God is going to put them into everlasting punishment? Do not think it for a minute. God is an almighty merciful God. He will punish no one who does not know these things. It looks as though the Jews did know. They are not to know until the last days and then they will know all things. Now, the Jews are looking for that great servant who is to establish God's kingdom on this earth. Ah! dear friends, God is going to establish that great kingdom in the twentieth century. This kingdom that He is going to establish is not going to be like the Jews would have it. It will be a kingdom for the poor. Did not Christ do everything He could do for the poor and afflicted? He will receive the poor first this time, or the poor will receive Him first, this time when He comes. I am afraid some of our Christian friends will be sadly disappointed when He comes the second time. They think they will be the only ones who will be saved. Did not Jesus go to prepare a place for us all? He died for all. We were not to know these things until the last days. If there is a veil over the Bible, we are not to blame for our sins. God made us this way. Do you suppose if He made us to sin that He is going to punish us? Christ died for all of our sins. We do not have to bow down to any church to be saved. Now, God is going to take away all these wicked ways of the world in the twentieth century. He is going to open the prison doors and let the world know that He is the God of heaven and earth, in the twentieth century, and every knee shall bow down to Him.

I will take up the third church in Asia. It seems to be the largest church of all — what the Christian churches term the heathen doctrine of Buddhism — that worship idols made with hands, such as the Chinese joss or god; or worldly people, I would call it, who worship money, houses and land and so on. Revelation, second chapter, twelfth verse:

''And to the angel of the church of Pergamos write: These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;

''I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas w^as my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.

''But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.

"So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, w^hich thing I hate.''

I cannot say much about this church. God does not say He will punish them. He only asks them to repent. They do not deny God, but they run after things of this world. They believe in charity.

Now, the fourth church in Asia has spiritualism as a belief. Read it carefully and see if you do not believe as I do about it. Now, spiritualism is handed down to us in the Bible. "What for? It is the only place that teaches us that there is a hereafter. It shows us that we have a life beyond the grave. Now, when we die we all go to the spirit world. The spiritualists drop it there and go no farther. They deny God Almighty. God is not going to punish them. Revelation, second chapter, eighteenth verse :

**And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass ;

*'I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works ; and the last to be more than the first.

''Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a medium, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.

''And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.

"Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.

"I will kill her spirits with death: and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts ; and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.

''But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak ; I will put upon you none other burden.

''But that which ye have already hold fast till 1 come.

"And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations :

"And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers : even as I received of my Father.

"And I will give him the morning star.''

This church, or spiritualistic belief I call it, has great charity. Everybody knows it to be a fact. Some of the great learned men of these times say there is something to it. They have a perfect right to their belief. They get it from the Bible. Now, Jesus wants them to hold fast until He comes. He will put no other burden upon them, and I fairly believe when we all acknowledge God to be the God of heaven and earth, we will be able to see them that have gone on before. Will not it be a heaven on earth?

In reading about this church, we find these words, "He that overcometh, will I give the morning star.'' "What does that mean? He shall rule all nations wdth a rod of iron. It seems as though this great servant spoken of in Isaiah wdll come out of that church. He will tell us all things. He is coming in the twentieth century. Do you think you will get to see him? I wonder if he will think he is any better than anybody else? Eead Isaiah and see what kind of a man he is to be. Commence at the forty-third chapter of Isaiah. See what he shall do. He will open the prison doors and publish the good tidings of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will loose the seals on the Bible (Lamb's Book of Life), spoken of in Eevelation.

The fifth church in Asia is the wicked man in sight of the people. See Revelation, third chapter, first verse:

''And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write: These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name, that thou livest, and art dead.

''Be w^atchful and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die ; for I have not found thy works perfect before God.

"Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard; and hold fast and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.

"Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments ; and they shall walk with me in white; for they are worthy.

"He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in w^hite raiment; and I Avill not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels/'

The Christian churches say the wicked man will be punished and will have no part in heaven. Now, let us look at what Moses said on Mt. Horeb, Deuteronomy, twenty-ninth chapter, fourth verse:

^^Yet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day. ' ' • j

Now, if God made us not to understand, is He going to punish the wicked? If He does He is not a merciful God. Now, Ephraim represents the mcked man in the sight of man. Read Hosea. This book represents the Avicked in sight of man. What does he say about them? See Hosea, seventh chapter, last part of the thirteenth verse: ^^I have redeemed them.'' What do you think now? Jesus died for the sins of the world. Jesus said, ^^I will ransom them from the power of the grave," and again, ^^I will redeem them from death," and ^^I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely for mine anger is turned away from them." Have you ever considered what made men wicked, — what is the cause of it all? We call them criminals. Now, we will take a boy, for instance — he is an orphan; he goes to the orphans' home; he gets to the age of about twelve years; then they try to make him earn his living ; they probably thrash him ; he runs away ; he gets to town ; he gets hungry ; he begs for something to eat ; maybe they will give him a crust of bread and maybe not; he strikes a rich man's place; they call the police; away he goes to jail; then they send him to the reform school; then he begins to hate everybody; he runs away again; he does not beg this time — he steals to get something to eat; away he goes to the penitentiary; he tries to get away and kills an officer ; then he is hanged. Is he then a wicked man? He is not a wicked man in sight of God. Who is the wicked one? I think it is the one that called the police.

What caused the boy to be an orphan? Suppose it was whiskey; his father drank himself to death or caused disease of some kind; crazy maybe. Who is the cause of the orphan? It is the business man that upholds the liquor traffic, or rich man who is in the wholesale business of liquor. He is the wicked man. They are the wicked in the sight of God. They shall utterly be consumed off the face of the earth. What does Amos say? He is writing about the rich or business man. See sixth chapter of Amos, seventh verse: ^^ Therefore now shall they go captive with the first that go captive.^' Now, read Amos carefully and see what the judgment of the rich is to be. It is to the rich all the way through. Nahum compares them to lions, — second chapter, eleventh verse. What does Micah say about the rich — chapter six, verse twelve ? Eead it. What does Zechariah say about the rich? He compares them to the heathen — Zechariah first chapter, fifteenth verse. What does Isaiah say about the rich? He compares them to great men — Isaiah, second chapter, ninth verse. Judgment of the rich — Isaiah, fifth chapter, fourteenth and fifteenth verses ; Isaiah, fifth chapter, eighth and ninth verses. The rich man made poor — Isaiah, tenth chapter, fourteenth and fifteenth verses. The men who buy and sell are rich — Isaiah, sixty-sixth chapter, twenty-fourth verse. Noav, to convince you who are the wicked men, just read what Jeremiah says, — Jeremiah, fifth chapter, twenty-six and twenty-seventh verses. Read Isaiah, seventeenth chapter, eleventh verse.

Now, dear reader, I think I have shown enough in the Scripture to convince you who are the wicked ones in the sight of God.

Chapter II

You must not think the rich are the only wicked ones, but every one that sets a snare for his brother, or fellowman, to make something out of him without work. That hits everybody. The Lord said He could not find one, no, not one. We are all gone seeking after the things of this world. We are like sheep — all have gone astray. We are all for the dollar (or devil). We have made idols out of gold and silver. We have made images. We fall down and worship them. The minister has made an image out of his work. He is too good to do anything else. The doctor has made an image out of his profession ; the smith has made an image out of his trade and bows down to it; the professor has made an image out of education ; the workman has made an image, that is, the union ; and in all business and whatever craftsmen they may be, they are all trying to beat one another and call it an honest deal. I will just refer you to what Isaiah says about the smith and the carpenter, — Isaiah, chapter forty-four, commencing at the ninth verse and extending to the twenty-first verse. They all think they are too good to work for small wages. These ideas must all come to nanght. One man's time is w^orth no more than another's, — king, president, lawyer, governor, judge, doctor, professor, preacher or mechanic. The time will come in the twentieth century when they will have to work for a living, and then they will only