Why have priests at all?...

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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

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Preface

There have been raanv books written on the subject of Catholicism. Opinions differ more as to the date in which it began than on any other.

There is a great unanimitv in each writer's mind, as to the unchristian and ungodh' character of its founders, as well as in its perpetuation.

The great difference between these writers and myselt" is this : They say Catholicism is an apostasy. I say it is even worse :it never had an existence as a christian church ; it began with idolatry and usurpation, its whole life is essentiallv pagan, and it is high time this great insult to the apostles, and to Christianity, be generally and thoroughly understood.

The writer is a true believer in the Bible and its prophecies, and fulfilment, and that book proves the statements Romanists make and continue to make, with such unbecoming eflVonterv as to their connection with christianit\' to be all fable from its verv conception. The writer never believed in the Papacy, and has had an instinct from his youth, that an}- church or system calling itself christian ought to produce something better, than the average lives of those who call themselves good Catholics.

He has seen thousands of them in the large cities of Europe as elsewhere, and has thought the world would be better without religion if that was the best it had. This was before he knew by experience what Christianity meant.

IV. PREFACE.

And this was one of the causes, that led him to search out their history, and it seemed as if providence put in his hands, one by one. just the books best suited tor this information. And after havinjr fuliy satisfied himselt, as to its fearfully degrading and demoralizeing character, then he was made to believe that God inspired him to write this book, and he claims an inspiration in the effort to search and write the truth.

And that is his apology to the public in bringing this book before them, together with a deep sense of the wrong societ\' endures, in having such false teachings offered to their fellow-citizens, the greatest part of vthich falls on the Catholic himself, who is lured to the gulf with false hopes, and then disappears forever, not returning to tell the tale — now to late.

The writer does not claim to be wholly original, he brings foward something new, but the bulk has been told many times before, only in another way. He takes his facts from the bible and secular history, which, thank God, is now open to all — there is not yet any censorship or embargo on either, unless to those branded with superstition. But this freedom will last no longer than we deserve, or as we faithfully and with jealous care look that our enemy does not take us at a mean advantage, putting us off our guard, or by internal or external strife. Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty and will be exemplified with us more in this than in anything else.

And unless great energy is soon put forth, we sliall furnish another chapter to the dreadful history of the past.

We have not taken in all countries in speaking of this great evil. To do this would be to repeat the awful details, but we have said sufficient to prove the danger of this great confederacy.

Rochester, N. Y., July 1891.

Chapter I. Popery Not Christianity

" But though we, or an angel from Heaven, preach any other Gospel unto } ou than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other Gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed." — Galatians I, 8, 9.

Chapter II. Peter No Pope

" And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church ; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

And I will give unto thee, the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven." — Matthew XVI, 18 and part of 19.

Chapter III. Constantine, The Child Of The Apocalypse

•' And there appeared a great wonder in Heaven ; a woman clothed

with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a

crown of twelve stars.

" And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to

be delivered."

And she brought forth a man child who was to rule all nations,

with a rod of iron ; and her child was caught up unto God anti

lo his throne." — Revelation, XII, i, 2, 5.

VI CONTENTS.

Chapter IV. Luther And Times Of The Reformation

•' The beast that thou sawest was, and is not, and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and shall go into perdition ; and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life, from the foundation ot the world when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is." — Revelation XVII, 8.

Chapter V. The Beginning Of The Roman Catholic Church— The Waldenses

" And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and his heads the name of blasphem}'. And it was given unto him, to make war with the saints, and to overcome them ; and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations." — Revelation, XIII, 2, 7.

Chapter VI. America And The Puritans

" Righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people." — i'roverbs, XIV, 34.

Chapter VII. France Refuses Protestantism

" Why do the heathen rage and the people imagine a vain thing. The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his anointed, saying, let

CONTENTS. Vll

US break their bands assunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sittteh in the heavens shall laugh ; the Lord shall have them in derision." — Psalms, II, i to 4.

Chapter VIII. England

" And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the Lord, thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish." — Deuteronomy, VIII, 19.

Chapter IX. Spain

" And the King shall answer and say unto them, verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my bretheren, ye have done it unto me." — Matthew, XXV, 40.

Chapter X. Scotland

" Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded. For the eyes ot the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them, whose heart is perfect toward him." — II Chronicles, XV, 7, XVI, part of 9.

Chapter XIV. The Inqijisition

" And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead that they should be judged, and that thou shouldst give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great, and shouldst destroy them which destroy the earth." — Revelation, XI, 18.

Chapter XV. Convents And Monasteries

"And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil — For everyone that doeth evil hateth the light neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved." — ^John, III, 19, 20.

CONTENTS. IX

Chapter XVI. The Virgin Mary And Saints

" Thou shalt not make unto thee, any graven immage, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, or tliat is in the water under the earth.

Thou shalt not bow down th^'self to them, nor serve them, for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity' of the lathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me.

And shewing mercy unto thousancs of them that love me and keep my commandments." — Exodus, XX, 4, 5,. 6.

Chapter I. Popery Not Christianity

"But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other Gosi)el unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, to-day I now again, if any man preach any Gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed." — Galatians i, 8, 9.

THE writer of this book promises to give nothing but truth, or as he believes, collected Irom historians of approved ability and honor, also from biblical history.

He expects in this day of Bible criticism, to have some differ from him in his interpretation of the scriptures, still his opinion, or theirs, does not change God's word. It has always been the same, and will so remain.

He also expects to hear the followers ot Popery say some unkind things, they may call this book a tirade of abuse against their institution, but who, with history before them can speak ot such facts as we find there with a spirit ot approval. To speak well of such acts, would be virtually to encourage, and we in this age of protestant enlightened civilization can only shudder at things done and forced on helpless people, through the medium of superstition, and as that weapon is still in use, and as we fear being now brought to bear on our form of government, which so far, has certainly proved itself to give the greatest liberty to the greatest number, and as we think that hberty is in chinger, it is time for some one to cry out and warn the careless and inditlerent of the rocks that are being so placed as to wreck our civil and religious liberty.

The bulk of what we shall say, has been said over and over again, but perhaps not in the same way, and we should not have undertaken this duty alone.

Every word written has been the subject of pra}er, and as we believe encouragement from our Heavenly Father, who we think first inspired us to the task.

The thoughts given in this book are not born of a moment, but are the convictions of almost a life time, strengthened by what we daily see and read. And on reading that work entitled "Why Priests Should Wed," with its startling revelations, the question came strangely to my mind, and in such a singular way, and not once only, but many times "Why Have Priests at All," and as this will be the title of the book, the writer believes it to be born ot inspiration.

And would not the world be better without them? The writer has witnessed so much spiritual degradation so much wretchedness and crime, caused by the followers of priest craft here and in Europe, that his heart has actually groaned, to see the world relieved from it.

And then as the pages of history, are opened, with its dreadful and sickening details of crime, murder and cruelty, and in the spirit of fiends, rather than men.

Priests appear to act as if men and women were only made to find means for them to live in extravagance and pomp, and to trample them under their feet.

And when we see the energy displayed, the talent employed, the cunning craftiness used, to perpetuate the system, the imitative piety, the sensational services, and all for effect, to steal away the senses, but nothing to satisfy the soul, we at once see this religion is got up by man, and made to suit the carnal aflections. We feel many

POPERY NOT CHRISTIANITY. I3

would join it, because it pretends to throw a shield over the evil passions. Men can join this so-called church without a change of heart, blind their conscience, under the name of religion. And go on pursuing the same life, because the terms of supposed pardon are so easy.

A man's goodness is not in obeying God, it consists in obeying the outward and visible forms of this so-called church.

And as we stud}- its utter failure to the individual, and the nation, its blighting influence on every countr}' it has ruled, we look around for help, and find human aid a failure, and so we go to the giver of all good.

Does the law ot God sanction such an institution, or does it not wholly condemn the system from the beginning.

Is not Popery one of the most diabolical deceptions ever forced on human senses?

Is it not the outcome ot satanical influences? Is it not the antichrist spoken of in the Bible. Does not the church of Rome carr}' on her infamous trafic in the ruin of soul and body and under such pretended sanctity, that she has well earned the name and title, God has given her in the 17th Chapter of Revelation, as the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth?

Many writers agree that to give her true history, would be to fill a book with such filth, that it would be impossible 10 place it in an}' respectable family, without causing the blush of shame to tingle through the blood, and to contaminate, instead of benefitting the reader.

That part is not my purpose, mine shall be to give history, secular and biblical, and lay before you enough to show her real ciiaracter, and after that if you follow in her footsteps, or give her money, or countenance her in any way, the consequences are yours, my task will be done.

I do not think there is a writer of any consequence living, who would soil his pen by giving if it a were possible, the whole history of popery, with its lies, breaches of faith, its diabolical cruelty, its pretensions, blasphemy, murders, adultery and every crime that the wickedness of man can conceive, a^'^e and devils to.

It would be difficult for any book to contain a 20th part of its history, which we can now trace for about 1260 years, beginning its career, as a so-called christian church, about the 7th century, and not as their fables run from the Apostle Peter, who is as innocent of Catholicism, as a babe in arms, and who would, if he were to appear on earth again, repudiate the whole connection with popery from the very starting point, and in fact he, and Paul, have already done so in their writings and speaking of it as a great evil in the future, to be avoided and condemned. One of the objects of this book is to ask the American people or any other nation, this question. Would it be desirable to have popery the religion of the country with its known history? It so, all you have to do is to sit down and let them rivet the chains of superstition around your necks.

For they are determined whether you are or not, to make you submit to it.

They are at work while you sleep, there is not a thing omitted in their calculations, they are already filling the offices with what they call good catholics, from the highest to the lowest, they are trying to fill every post with slaves to the church, so that all power passes from your hands to theirs, leaving protestants entirely helpless in case of a church revolution.

What do they want these military associations for, these parades that people encourage, and line the sidewalk in viewing, those handkerchiefs waved from the houses? Is this all for peace and done for no object but for the love of God ?

If this was a church of God's planting would it require an army as of old to awe people into submission.

Witness the narrow escape we have just had in the exchange of president. Had the late president been re-elected what power it would have put in their hands. For the almost last official act was to countenance the centennial meeting of the Jesuits College in Washington by his presence and also making a speech in their favor. Are we as a country posted as to what Jesuits are? Do we know that they are a body of men too bad for even popery?

They have been discarded even by the scarlet woman of Rome, they are now brought back into popish favor because a great scheme is on foot. Do we as a nation know these people have been banished from most all countries, and now they are taking advantage of the free and mild government of this country, also England and her colonies? They are sowing all over these their pernicious doctrines and doing it with such a craftiness that ordinary people do not notice the cloven foot, or know the principles of those to whom they are in daily communion.

We should ask ourselves the question do we as a nation want to have our libeity taker, away ? That liberty we so much boast of — and there is no liberty so dear as spiritual liberty.

If we loose that we become the slaves of a foreign power who would not scruple to break any law human or divine. If they can get once their feet on our necks they would throw all laws to the wind and imprison us soul and body.

There is no doubt trouble ahead, and the best thincf is to know your enemy before going to war with him, to know his strength, to judge him by his past history and then you will know what to expect, what mercy he will show you in case of a defeat. And this is what I propose to do with the help of the Lord — to lay before vou some of the characteristics of this so called church, and in doing this I do not write against all members of this confederacy, for there are some in it born with such a desire to please God and who seek tor every means to reach him, as far as the light is in them — and that proves their natures too good even for popery to entirely spoil. I am writing against the system and cannot, as many do, call it only an apostacy ; it is more ; it is a resurrection of most of the idolatrous relijiions of the world.

It is satan standing in the place of God. Mine is a difficuk task, and I must speak plain without fear or affection.

And will prove all I say before laying down m}' pen. Speakers and writers are so apt to call it the church ; ministers in their pulpits, who are preaching and lecturing against it, as well as those who know it together-, with apostolic succession, to be onl}'^ a deception, still call it the church and great evil has arisen from this circumstance, for inhdels speaking against Christianity, publish the deeds of this so-called church, in the name of the true disciples of Christ, and make their comparisons accordingly to the detriment of the latter. Charging all the evils of the dark ages, to them of which they are entirely innocent.

The object of this book is to prove by biblical and secular history, that this never was the church of Christ.

Then that the actions of this so-called church, is at variance with Christ's teachings as well as the apostles.

Then again their bloodthirsty spirit as well as other actions prove them to be antichrist.

And to compare their pompous lives their grasping, greed}- domineering actions with the gentle and mild life of Jesus of Nazareth, who commanded us if we were assaulted on one cheek to turn the other also.

And as apostolic succession is disputed, let us ask here, what it is to be an apostle?

To be one is to be an eye witness, and in that case, how are they to have successors.

They all preached the Gospel, the Bible and those that are successors in that sense are disciples. They witnessed what they saw and did it faithfully, even unto death, and there the apostleship ended. See Acts X — 39.

"And we are witnesses, of all things, that he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem, whom they slew and hanged on a tree." And these are the words of Peter, their falsely so-called Pope.

In quoting the above passages in the new testament, some may dispute its existence, at this early date, but the new testament was known, read, and acted upon as soon as written, it only in manuscript form, but come in what form it may, it has always had more or less enemies.

Why did Paul write the verses at the head of this chapter?

He is sounding the alarm.

The mystery of iniquity is already working.

He tells the Galations that some are already perverting the Gospel of Christ by the introduction of another Gospel, but then, he adds, it is not another Gospel.

It was some counterfeit, paving the way for the coming great counterfeit, probably the traditions of the Jewish church or the Gentiles or both combined.

Christ's plan is so simple, and yet so stupendeous, the just for the unjust, that human nature, even to day finds it hard to catch the thought, the just must live b}' faith, and so they kept on introducing sacrifices. The Roman Church is and always has been a sacrificing priesthood, the very opposite of Christ's plan.

'Tis true they do not ofler the blood of bulls and goats, but are trusting to their own works, in the shape of penances, and a host of other things, so we can hardly wonder at the people of that early day having been used to so many sacrifices, still wanting to cling to the old plan. It causes Paul a great deal of uneasiness.

And then tells them religion is not so much doing as having. He adds, see iith and 12th verses. "The religion I preach is not from man ; man cannot give it to me ; it comes by revelation of Jesus Christ, by the Holy Ghost/' This is exactly the same as Jesus told Peter when he said, "blessed art thou, Simon Barjona." This and Paul's advice to the Galations explodes the whole system of popery.

Both Peter and Paul seemed to have an intuition, as to future events ; a fear of a coming power that would be the enemy of the Gospel they preach.

Peter little thought that in six or seven centuries this coming power would tack his name to their misdeeds, and happil}^ for him he was ignorant of this fact.

Still Peter and Paul warned the people in their speech and writings, that such a power would come.

Paul says in the II. of Thessalonians, II, 3, 4. " Let no man deceive you by any means, for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin (the pope) be revealed — the son of perdition, who opposeth and exalteth himself, above all that is called God, or that is worshipped, so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himselt that he is God."

And then he tells them that that wicked shall be revealed. Many see him to-day as he is, a rank impostor, and to them lie has been revealed. And has he not all these centuries been occupying the temple of God? I do not mean his Vatican, that is not God's temple. Our bodies are the temple of the living God, and if we allow him to take possession, he will dwell there in our hearts. But has not this man of sin driven him forth? Has lie not caused God to withdraw from the hearts of his people by filling them with his idolatries and abominations?

And then he says the Lord shall consume him with the spirit of his mouth and shall destro}' him with the brightness of his coming. The spirit of his mouth is the bible, and the rest will be done, by the preaching and spreading ol the Gospel, and then these people that will follow him in his antichrist spirit shall have strong delusions and shall believe a lie, and will also become sons of perdition.

How God's word always agrees. John, prophesying on this same wicked man in the Revelation XVIII, 4, says : ''Come out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues."

So it matters not, what pretensions the pope may make about his being the vice-gerent of God. Paul says : "should it be an angel from heaven that leads you away from this Bible let him be accursed."

Peter sa3's in II Peter II, i, "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and brings upon themselves swift destruction."

Peter could not tell in what form these teachers would come ; it was only revealed to him, that they would come and they have come in the form of popes and priests.

There were no priests or popes in Peter's day, excepting the Jewish and pagan priests and these Christ's teachings ended.

The Jewish priests had been in a former day introduced and appointed by God, to attend the daily sacrifices.

Christ offering himself as the one great sacrifice, put an end to all such future offerings, and on the day of Christ's crucifixion when the temple was rent asunder, there ended the necessity for any future priests. The pagan priests were then as now an abomination in the sight of God.

The only knowledge Peter had about priests outside of the before mentioned ones, is when he speaks of his new born babes in Christ telling them to desire the milk of the word, (the Bible) see I Peter II, 2, 9, "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light," a different kind of priests to the man of sin.

The object of quoting these passages of scripture is to shew first the fallacy oi having a bible-hating priesthood, and next that Peter and Paul from whom these priests, so called, pretend to be the successors were strictly Bible christians.

Then if these men that call themselves priests are of God, why should they refuse the word of God. Wh}^ have they in all their history tried to destroy the Bible, if they could have had their way we should have had no Bible at this date.

This book is acknowledged by God, man, angels and devils to be the truth. Did not Christ quote scripture when the devil tempted him, proving what was written? Does he not quote the prophets, Moses, etc., in all his teachings? Does not the devil also say in the temptation? it is written quoting a passage of scripture. Do we not find in Revelation XXII, 9, when John was speaking to the angel that came down from heaven having the key ol the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand to bind satan a thousand years, did «ot John fall down to worship at his feet? Then he told him to do it not, for said he, "I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethen the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book, worship God." So here was an angel who acknowledged the Book, but who refused to be worshiped by man, but pointed to where all worship was due.

How unlike these earthly minded popes, he had not even a toe to give him to kiss.

Men and women have testified to its truth from the begining, through the ages made dark by the absence of this very book. Does it not open the way for all improvement in morals and science? But the enemies of God are still trying to hide it. And oh, fearful to own the actions of protestants to allow it to be banished from tlie public schools, and also to allow seperate schools where dear little innocent cliildren are brought up under the system of degrading idolatary instead ot the knowledge of the true God.

Now let us compare Paul's system of education with that of these so-called'priests. •

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Paul mentions one in particuhir, of whom he is interested in educating.

See II. Timothy, III, i6, 17. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, lor reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

This is the word of God as given by the Apostle Paul to Timoth)^, his well beloved son, his adopted son, and begins his letter to him in I, 2. "Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith." This Timothy, is a young man, and is studying for the ministry. And Paul is doing all he can to perfect him, as an evangelist for the conversion of souls and the building up of Christ's kingdom. -

As we see above, Paul is very anxious to impress on his pupils' mind, the importance of the Bible. He tells him it is good under all circumstances ; it is profitable for doctrine.

So that he can lead men and build them up in God's way.

If you have to reprove a person, you will find an argument to suit the case, and they will be always at your tongue's end, if you are thoroughly furnished. Even for correction you will find sufficient to accomplish the end sought as far as you are concerned.