1889 Watch Tower - A2Z.org

the assumptions of the Papacy on this subject, although hehimself had been one of the favored "clergy" class.True, Papacy does not now attempt a despotic sway of theworld, nor does she loudly and publicly assert her claim todivine authority as God's Kingdom among men. This, she iscrafty enough to see, would not be wise policy in this nineteenthcentury and under present circumstances. Hence, Romanists donot now make these doctrines prominent; but their theologicalworks do present such views, unblushingly, and Papacy's boastis, that she never changes. The same claims to divine authorityto rule the world and to punish and torture in the present life andto damn to all eternity, as heretics, all who will not accept herclaims and obey her "royal priesthood," would soon be heardagain, were ignorance and superstition to again thoroughlyenslave the masses.Now, while cunningly avoiding the question of civil power overthe world, she retains her grip upon the minds and consciencesof her people, by proclaiming her chief cleric, the pope,infallible; and by having him loudly assert his spiritual power(?) and influence, to compensate for his loss of earthly power.Thus, to display his spiritual authority and power, Pope LeoXIII. recently announced the liberation of millions of souls fromtheR1135 : page 4pains of purgatory, with as much apparent candor as PresidentLincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation which set freemillions of slaves in the South. And strange to say, the massesof Romanists, even to-day, believe this monstrous, wholesalefraud.THE PROTESTANT CLERGY.Protestants generally, except Episcopalians, admit the fallacy ofthese claims of Papacy. And yet the habit of centuries, of regardfor certain forms and ceremonies and for a certain class of selfexaltedfellow-mortals, called the clergy, still clings to thepeople, and the Protestant clergy consequently receives much ofthe same homage and reverence against which the reformers ofthe sixteenth century protested.Nor can we wonder much that even some very earnest, honestministers accept this customary submission and reverence of thepeople, and the title of Reverend, and that superstitious respectwhich looks up to them as possessed of almost superhumanauthority as religious leaders. It is a general weakness of thefallen human nature to take all the respect, honor and authorityothers are willing to accord. And then, too, many ministers havebecome possessed of the same ideas, and really believethemselves to be worthy of homage and reverence. Many get theold papal idea that the ruling and teaching of the church belongs