The Revelation of Jesus Christ - The Herald

its creatures (however glaringly deficient in those heavenly gifts which really make the
minister), as Christ's only authorized heralds, before whom every one else must be mute
and passive and whose words and administrations every one must receive, on pain of
exclusion from the hope of salvation [or of losing their crown].
"We also know that this system of priestly clericalism and prelatical hierarchism claims to
have come down from the earliest periods of the Church, and traces for itself a regular
succession through the Christian centuries, and appeals to patristic practice as its chief
basis, vindication, and boast. We know that it first came into effective sway in the period
immediately succeeding the Pagan persecutions, reaching its fullest embodiment in
Popery, and has perpetuated itself in the same, and in Laudism, Tractarianism, and Highchurchism,
even to our day, and to our very doors. And if we would know what the Lord
Jesus thinks of it, we have only to recur to these epistles, in which He lays His hand right
on it, and says: 'This Thing I Hate.'"
Mr. Russell's views were in full accordance with the foregoing presentation; his clear
statement was:
"The 'doctrine of the Nicolaitans' seems to be the theory of lordship or headship in the
Church. The strife as to who should be greatest existed amongst many of the patriarchs-fathers--of
the prominent churches. At their councils there was a bitter fight for
supremacy. The tendency was toward an earthly head, and of course many coveted the
honor. The patriarchs of Jerusalem, Antioch, Constantinople, and Rome were the most
prominent. The first two dropped out of the conflict, but the strife continued for several
hundred years between Constantinople and Rome. It was settled only by a division of the
Church: the Eastern, or Greek Church, accepting the Patriarch of Constantinople for its
head; and the Western, or Papal Church, acknowledging the Bishop--Pope or Father--of
Rome.
"Many of the true followers of the Master in the churches denounced this attempt to
disobey the direct command of Jesus, 'Call no man father.' (Matt. 23:9.) Of course, they
received the promised persecution. (2 Tim. 1:12.) This class in Pergamos is commended by
our Lord under the symbol of 'Anti-pas, My faithful martyr.' In the Greek, anti means
against, and papas signifies father. In this stage of the development of the Church those
who sought to be popular received the emoluments of the Church; but the promise to the
overcomers is that of pleasure and honor that shall be eternal."
Nicolaitanism was only in its incipiency when mentioned in the message to Ephesus. It, as
we have seen, became a doctrine in Pergamos. The evil of "Nicolaitanism" has always
existed in the Church since shortly after its establishment. Every reform movement in the
Church since the Apostles' day--every effort to get back to primitive simplicity of doctrine,
of church order, and of methods of service, has, in the course of time, resulted again in
sectarianism, and has left the faithful few (Protestants) in the "wilderness." Lording it over
God's heritage, idolizing messengers and human organizations, symbolized by
"Nicolaitanism," is responsible for these sad results. This evil has been repeated again and