The Revelation of Jesus Christ - The Herald

'people's right,' has become, morally, spiritually, and politically also, the watchword of the
times. On the one hand, there is an immense march of civilization, a predicted running to
and fro, and increase of knowledge; on the other, an uprise of what threatens [so-called
Christian] civilization, and is ominous of an approaching end of the whole state.
"'People's right!' The rights of the masses! and which the masses themselves mean to
define and pronounce upon. . . . Rights! what scale have you of rights? Listen to the voices
from a lower level than you desire, which will interpret for you, and enforce their
interpretation--socialism, communism, nihilism--dread names, not merely for the
monarch, but for the man of property also, and for the law abiding citizen. . . . This
Laodicea of politics is destined to be the rock upon which all governmental reform will
end in anarchy and chaos. He who can read the great typical book of nature may read the
Scriptural presages upon a scroll written with lamentation and mourning and woe: 'And
there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth,
distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing
them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the
powers of the heavens shall be shaken.'--Luke 21:25,26.
"But the removal of the things that can be shaken will only make way for a Kingdom, not
such as they anticipate, absolute [however it will be] beyond all the tyrannies of old, a 'rod
of iron,' which shall break as potsherds all the opposing powers of man, yet be the
Shepherd's rod under which the poor of the flock will lie down at last in peace, and none
shall make them afraid."
How refreshing to turn from the consideration of present conditions to a contemplation of
that coming rule such as the world has never seen! Hear the Prophet concerning that
glorious time:
"He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment. The
mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness. He shall
judge the poor of the people, He shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in
pieces the oppressor. In His days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so
long as the moon endureth. He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the
river unto the ends of the earth. Yea, all kings shall fall down before Him: all nations shall
serve Him."--Psa. 72:2-4,7,8,11.
In considering this Laodicean message, it is impossible to separate political from
ecclesiastical conditions--the world and the Church are so closely allied, so mingled
together. As a matter of fact, "people's right," which is one phase of Laodicea, has become
in ecclesiastical matters as well as political, the watchword of the times. The masses of the
people are rising up and claiming their rights in ecclesiastical matters as never before. It
should be remembered, however, that while the laity may dispossess the clergy, and
dominion pass from one to the other, it will do this without reverting to the hands in
which it belongs. Christ is the one Master, not clergy and not people. Ministers are indeed
servants, but not servants of men, as the Apostle so emphatically asserts. "Ye are bought