Written by John Thomas M.D.

Brethren Of Christ Articles - Doctrinal Matters

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ADDRESS TO THE CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES

Herald of the Future Age Vol.1 No. 1, pp.3-6, 1844

FELLOW CITIZENS: - The time is short, and the days are few and evil. A voice has resounded through the world, calling your attention to the fact, that the Dispensation of the Times under which we Gentiles live, is fulfilled. Whether it be consummated immediately, or within the life-time, at most, of the generation now existing, is a question, which, at present, we intend neither to discuss, nor determine; but, from the events, which we see transpiring in relation to the ecclesiastical and secular affairs of men, collated with the things noted in the scriptures of truth, we are satisfied that the time which remains is brief, and that our eternal well-being demands that we not only believe that He will come, but that we PREPARE to meet the Lord.

FELLOW CITIZENS: — Eighteen centuries have rolled away like a vapor since the banks of the Jordan resounded with the proclamation, "Prepare ye the way of the Lord make his paths, straight!" This was "the voice” of the Elijah, whose appearance was predicted by Malachi, "crying in the wilderness” of Judea; whose mission was of God, who sent him to revive the fathers' dispositions in their descendants, (epistrepsai kardias pateroon epi tekaa; Luke 1:17) and to bring back the disobedient to the wisdom of just persons; and thus, "to MAKE READY a people PREPARED for the Lord." To carry this into effect, John, the son of Zacharias, commonly called the Baptist, and by the Prophets "Elijah,” because he came "in the spirit and power of Elias” made his appearance in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar. The grand purpose of his mission was to make ready a “people prepared" for the reception of the Lord Messiah at his first coming. This he accomplished by traversing “all the country about Jordan, announcing the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins," in consequence of which, multitudes flocked to him from Jerusalem and other cities, "and were all baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins,” Mark 1:5.

FELLOW CITIZENS: - This is the manner in which that "Burning and Shining Light" prepared Messiah's way; and "made ready a people" to receive him, giving them "the KNOWLEDGE of salvation, by the remission of their sins." Now, ponder well, we pray you, this question; if such a preparation were necessary "to make ready a people prepared "to receive Messiah at his first coming; is not a preparation now equally demanded, by which “to make ready a people prepared" to receive Him at his second appearing? This is our firm conviction, and, believing assuredly that the day of Christ is at hand, we address you all, without discretion of name, party or denomination, in the words of the sacred text:

• “Come out of Babylon my people,
• That ye be not partakers of her sins,
• And that ye receive not of her plagues.
• For her sins have reached unto heaven,
• And God hath remembered her iniquities."

Say not to yourselves, we are Protestants, and therefore not in Babylon. Fellow Citizens! Babylon is a system of things, made up of every departure from the positive institutions and practices of the New Testament. Original Christianity, which, is as pure in the sacred writings as when first delivered to the Jewish nation by the Apostles recognizes only "one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, one Body, one Spirit, one Hope, one God and Father of all," but, if you lift up your eyes, and contemplate the aspect of the Ecclesiastical World, you will behold, Lords many; Faiths, or Gospels, without number; Baptisms seven; as many Bodies as there are sects; Spirits of all kinds, but the Spirit of Christ; and more Fears than Hopes. The present religious system of "Christendom," in whole or in part, can nowhere be found in the Scriptures, except as “THE APOSTACY," which they declare would arise, and cover the face of the nations as with a veil of “strong delusion." The morality of the social system is vicious, giving countenance to all unrighteousness, viciousness, and malice; and judging from what comes out of their mouths, the hearts of all kinds of religionists are full of envy, deceit and malignity; being whisperers, backbiters, slanderers, haters of truly good men, despiteful, proud, boasters, volatile, and so forth; being lovers of trifling more than lovers of God. Upon such, his law pronounces the sentence of Eternal Death.

This being the obvious condition of the world, is it prepared to receive Messiah? The Scriptures say, "the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God." Now, when He appears, it is to introduce that kingdom in all its glory; therefore, "the unwashed, unsanctified, and unjustified" will have no share in his dominion, for it is such only, whose characters are defined in the Book of Eternal Life, who will partake in the honors of the Future Age.

FELLOW CITIZENS: — Do you inquire what you must do, that you may inherit Eternal Life? That you may be prepared for Him at his coming? We answer, that the Scriptures teach, that we must return to first principles: to those Institutions, which are sanctioned by the Apostolic writings. We must obtain "the knowledge of salvation by the remission of sins. This is the first step; for having before proved, that by practice, as well as nature, all are under sentence of death; it behoves us first, to be released from sin, that, in the act of release, we may pass from the sentence of death to that of life. The instant therefore, that a man obtains the remission of his sins, he acquires, in that act, a right and title to Eternal Life.