Fifty-Four years ago an unknown writer was quoted as saying:
“The Pope is the dark shadow which indicates the true substance that is coming. Christ is the true ‘Holy Father’. . . . He will really be in Jerusalem what the Pope only pretends to be in Rome—King and Priest over all the earth.”
Reports about the visit of the Pope to Jerusalem during the first week of this year will confirm that point of view amongst a small minority-group of people who constitute the present day “Witnesses” to the Truths revealed in the God-inspired writings of the prophets and apostles. Broadcast to the world as “The Pilgrimage of Peace”, the Papal words and gestures were intended to stimulate and advance the proposed Union amongst the “Christian” people with the predominance of the Roman Catholic Church among the nations of the world.
These events are fulfilling the long cherished expectations and confirm the convictions held by the scripturally enlightened “Witnesses”. They will not be deceived by the designed and church-directed publicity in the press, radio, and television by which the people are being deluded. For over 100 years it has been on record, “It is revealed in the book of Revelation that Rome ( Babylon the Great’), just before her final and irretrievable fall, exults in a return to her old regal estate, saying `in her heart, I sit a queen and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow’, consequently the enlightened believers have always anticipated some revival of the temporal power in ‘the time of the end’. ” Then, about 20 years after the foregoing was published, another writer in comment on the statement said, “. . . The Church has been hated of the governments. . . . But a reaction in her favour may be looked for as the end approaches. When Christ appears on the scene, the Powers rally round her; for the false prophet is found in their camp, as their inspirer and ecclesiastical leader”.
That the same views were held and a watchful interest shown in the activities of the Papal Power by others outside the ranks of Christadelphians is seen in the reports of papers given in 1923 by certain leaders of Protestant belief in England; when it was said in reference to the “Great Apostacy”,
… There are indications of late (1923) that behind the Arabs of Palestine, in their solid opposition to Zionism, there is a power which for generations past has persecuted the Jewish people . . . Jerusalem means more to Roman Catholics than to Arabs, and it is the conviction of many that the Papal Curia is pulling the wires, with well known projects in view. When we see Mohammedans plotting against Israel, we witness a situation that is not difficult to understand; the sons of the bond-woman are challenging the right of the sons of the free-woman. But behind the Arab is Rome, which it would appear does not know that God’s time has come for the seed of Abraham to inherit their land, under a covenant ‘ordered in all things and sure’ . . .”
That was forty years ago and clearly shows that the secret and sinister influence was at work under the surface and was apparent to some informed people. “The English Churchman” at that time expressed regret that the first British High Commissioner in Palestine, Sir Herbert Samuel, had visited the Pope, who received him in private audience. The suggestion was made that Sir Herbert “was acting under instructions with the hope of allaying Papal hostility to the Jewish restoration” and adds: “Nothing that he could say or do would be capable of altering the real attitude of the Vatican.
The persistent and quite unwarranted assaults made upon Zionism by the agents of Romanism manifest their set purpose and desire. If they can prevent it, prophecy will not be fulfilled. But if the time for its fulfilment be really come, they will only display their folly in attempting to fight against God.”
Events of the past forty year period prove that the time for fulfilment of the prophecies had assuredly come and continue to be witnessed in our present days. The Jews are re-established as the nation of Israel in their homeland; and are being threatened by their surrounding enemies, while the Papal Power will not give them their official recognition. No change in the church law or policy has yet been made by the Vatican, nor can they wipe out the stains in their history of assisting in the violent persecution of the Jews, or of their offer to aid Hitler, the infamous destroyer of Jewish people.
It is against this forbidding, blood-spattered background that present Papal activities should be seen; and to realize also that, since the Pope was deprived of temporal power in 1870, the Holy See has never relinquished the claim for recognition of the Head of the Church as a temporal sovereign through universal acceptance by all governments.
Other contributors will, we hope, enlarge on the political and prophetical aspects of this important topic.
There is, however, one particular incident of the Pope’s “pilgrimage”, reported briefly by the press, that grows more significant as it is studied. Given probably but little if any attention by most readers, there is for such as can see below the surface something to stir the wondering thoughts. We note the facts—and make our own inferences:
The President of Israel meets the Head of “Babylon” on the Jordanian frontier with a handshake and ancient Hebrew greeting—
“Baruch Haba” (Blessed be he who cometh). The words are in Psalm 118. 26, “Blessed be he who cometh (enters, R.S.V.) in the name of the Lord”; and are also used to greet Christ when entering Jerusalem. The Pope heard the first part only! Why?
At this historic moment the Pope heard a Jew speak in the more ancient and now revived national Hebrew language of Israel. This significantly out-classed the dead Latin used by the priests of Rome, and can be seen as a portent with volumes of meaning.
The President, “We have heard that the Pope has come to pray for humanity (A most non-committal phrase, that neither accepts, rejects, believes or disagrees), . . that he is thirsty for peace, brotherhood and justice”. (An excellent phrase! that could mean the Papal power had no source of supply, or the Pope was in need himself.) “Our belief is strong (a vigorous assertion) that the vision of world peace, towards which good men everywhere are striving, will come true.” (An affirmation of Jewish belief in the certainty of a world peace, but you, our persecutors, are not essentially included as instruments in its development.)
The final “Shalom—Peace–is strangely out of keeping for a Pope to utter when the Papal background and non-recognition of Israel is existing.
So truly said, “. . . the dark shadow which indicates the true substance”.
The Kingdom of God has been a cornerstone of the gospel from the earliest church