Theocratic Aid To Kingdom Publishers

Lesson 89

PRESENT WESTERN RELIGIONS (Part 2)

The parade of present Western religions continues.

LUTHERAN. The Lutheran churches in the United States and in Europe have their beginning with the Augsburg Confession of 1530, with Martin Luther of Germany as the

founder. Their teachings are based on the Nicene Creed, including "trinity", "eternal torment," "immortality of the soul," and other leading doctrines of standard "Christian" religionists. Their form of church government is a modification of the congregational system in that a group of churches forming a synod confer leadership upon chosen clergymen to guide their religious interests. In the United States alone there are twenty Lutheran bodies or synods, having a total membership of 4,244,990. The majority of Protestant Germany and northern Europe are classified as Lutheran.

MENNONITES (Also AMISH). The Mennonites are a group of evangelical Protestants having their beginning in Holland about 1537, with Menno Simons as their first leader. Later, in 1698, a similar group in Switzerland under the leadership of Jacob Amen became known as Amish, and they associated themselves with the Mennonites. They profess to hold to the Scriptures, but, nevertheless, teach many of the standard false doctrines of the so-called "Christian" religion. They believe in plainness of dress (some of them still use hooks instead of buttons), rejection of oaths, adult baptism, and restriction of marriage to those within the sect. There have been further divisions, so that today in the United States alone there are 17 Mennonite bodies, with a total following of 114,337.

METHODISTS. The numerous Methodist bodies in the United States and Great Britain are the outgrowth of a small religious association or club formed at Oxford University, England, in 1729, by John and Charles Wesley, and others. The name was originally applied derisively by the Oxford students to the members of the club because of their methodical habits of study and religious observance. The movement originally began as a revival within the Church of England, but later separated as an individual body. Methodist churches are governed through conferences rather than by synods or a body of bishops. As for their general teachings they believe in the "trinity", "immortality of the soul," and "eternal torment". There are twenty-one differ-

ent Methodist bodies in the United States today, with over 7,000,000 adherents.

MORMONS. Otherwise known as "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints". It is a religious sect founded by Joseph Smith at Fayette, New York, in 1830. Joseph Smith claimed to have found his inspiration in sets of golden plates which he unearthed. The writing upon them he translated and called "The Book of Mormon" (Mormon was a fourth-century prophet and historian). In 1846 Brigham Young succeeded Smith as leader of the Mormons and led a party of his followers to the valley of the Great Salt Lake to lay plans for the building of a Mormon community, which is now known as Salt Lake City. Later large numbers of the sect migrated there to settle. They believe in immersion, laying on of hands, the gift of tongues, the literal gathering of Israel and the restoration of the ten tribes, and that Zion will be built up on the American continent. Their one-time belief of polygamy has been officially renounced, though some Mormons still believe in it and others sympathize with the practice. Today Mormonism, of one variety or another, has a following of 774,169 in the United States and some additional adherents in Europe.

PENTECOSTAL. The various nine Pentecostal bodies or assemblies have had their beginning since 1908, and today have a following of 114,000 in America. These sects are characterized by meetings where great emotion and excitement is aroused and demoniacal utterances are interpreted as the "gift of tongues". They claim it is the holy spirit operating upon them as it did on the early Christians on the day of Pentecost, A.D. 33.

PRESBYTERIANISM. Presbyterianism covers that large body of Protestant churches that believe that the powers of church government are vested in a body of elected "elders" or "presbyters". The doctrines of the Presbyterians are essentially those as set forth by the Genevan (French) reformer John Calvin, about 1541. They hold

to beliefs in the "trinity", "eternal torment," predestination, and in the "immortality of the soul". The world alliance of the Presbyterian system includes the ten Presbyterian sects of the United Slates with its two and a half million members, the Church of Scotland, the Welsh Calvinistic Methodist, the Presbyterian Church of England, and the Reformed churches of Switzerland, France, Holland, Bohemia, and Germany.

PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH. Adherents to this church arc commonly designated "Episcopalians", of which there are 1,735,335 in the United States. This religious body is the American counterpart of the Church of England. The American body became separately organized in 1789, shortly after the American Revolution. Its doctrine, discipline and worship are almost identical with that of the Church of England.

QUAKERS. Otherwise known as the Society of Friends, of whom there are about 100,000 in America, together with quite a large following in Britain and some parts of Europe. This movement was founded about 1650, by George Fox, of England. The name Quaker was applied in derision by a judge to Fox, who bade the justice to tremble with the word of the Lord. Also, it was applied to them because many of them really did tremble under the stress of religious emotion. As for their special beliefs, they lay stress upon being guided by the holy spirit, reject outward ceremonies, practice simplicity of dress and speech, and oppose war.

SALVATION ARMY. This is a religious organization built along military lines which claims to have as its purpose the conversion and social betterment of the poor and degraded not reached by the churches. The movement was started in 1865, by William Booth, an English Methodist minister who organized a mission in the east end of London. The movement spread thereafter to 96 countries of the world. It now claims to have 17,567 posts in these countries, under the charge of 26,877 officers. The number of adherents

in the United States alone is over 100,000. A distinctive feature of this sect is its holding of open-air meetings in the streets, using band instruments to lead in their hymns. As for their teachings, they are the same as for the so-called "evangelical" churches, namely, the "trinity", "eternal torment," and the "immortality of the soul". The organization leans heavily upon women as teachers. The wife of William Booth took a leading role in the Army's activities and did much in opening the way for women to hold positions in religious organizations. Absolute equality of women as leaders and preachers and officeholders is an outstanding feature of this religion. It is a temperance movement, total abstinence being a condition of membership.

SPIRITUALISM. There are several spiritualist bodies who believe that it is possible for man to hold communication with the "spirits of the dead", and who, undoubtedly, do communicate with the demon spirits. There are four bodies organized in the United States, the oldest one having been established in 1848, founded by J. D. Fox, of Hydesville, New York. One body claims a following of 1,500,000 throughout the world. For the United States this one organization claims they maintain 1,500 public mediums and a much larger number of private mediums, all specially trained. During wartime Spiritualism usually enjoys a war boom.

UNITARIANISM. This religious movement had its beginning in Hungary in the year 1568, spread to England in 1773, and to the United States about 1794. Unitarians do not believe in the "trinity", nor in creeds. Their faith is given as: "The Fatherhood of God; the Brotherhood of man; the Leadership of Jesus; salvation by character; the progress of mankind onward and upward forever." But this is in no sense a complete picture of their beliefs. They shy away from set creeds because they think of mankind as ever progressing and insist that the last word in "religious truth" has not been uttered. Nevertheless, beliefs held common by Unitarians go farther than the general state-

ment of faith just given. In rightly rejecting the "trinity" fable, they go to an unscriptural extreme in the other direction. They believe that not only was Jesus just a man but he was born naturally to Joseph and Mary. They do not recognize Jesus' miraculous birth nor his death as sacrificial. They believe salvation comes through human endeavors along character-developing lines. Their ideas as to future life are, on the whole, vague, and not of much immediate concern to them. The Bible is held in high esteem, but is not considered as God's inspired and infallible Word. There are some 60,000 Unitarians in the United States, and larger numbers in Europe.

UNIVERSALIST CHURCH. In 1770 John Murray, former Presbyterian minister, founded this sect at Gloucester, Massachusetts. Its principal doctrine is that of universal salvation. This belief or doctrine is known by the term Universalism, and holds that the good in the universe will finally triumph over the evil, and that God is pledged to save the whole human family. About 50,000 adherents are claimed for the movement in the United States.

This lesson and the three preceding ones have given general information on the religions now practiced in the earth. On the next page a chart is reproduced showing the division of earth's population according to religious beliefs. The following summary will aid in an understanding of its significance: So-called "Christians"; In these are included not only the Roman Catholics, Greek Catholics, and Protestants who are considered regular communicants, but also Old Catholics (who do not believe the pope infallible and many of whom reject the ecclesiastical authority of the Hierarchy), Uniats (Catholics who accept the pope as their head but do not accept the Latin rule), Monophysites (such as Copts, Armenians, etc.), and Nestorians. Many Catholics are such in name only. Jews: This includes all Jews (racially), whether they subscribe to Judaism or not. Moslems: Many of these are such in name only. Hindus: The majority of these live in India. Shintoists, Buddhists, Confucians,

and Taoists: All Shintoists and all Chinese and Japanese Buddhists are also Confucians, but there are Buddhists (all those outside Japan and China proper) who are not Confucians. Others: This includes all who do not profess any religion (which would take in Jehovah's witnesses), all who profess minor heathen religions, and all Protestants who are not considered regular communicants.

In spite of the babel and confusion of the multitude of religious voices, politicians still clamor for "more religion".

Nevertheless, the day will soon come that calls not for less religion; but for no religion! (1 Cor. 14: 33) Though there now be many religions, there is but one Christianity. Religionists tolerant of religion say all the different sects and cults are traveling different roads but are going to the same place. This is true, but the destination is not heaven, as they claim. Religion is in the broad way to destruction; Christianity is a straight and narrow way, followed by few, and leads to life. —Matt. 7:13,14; Eph. 4:5.