once more upon this earth; not by bringing back the Caesars, but by declaring a new theocracy, by making myself the vicegerent of Christ, by virtue of the promise made to Peter, whose successor I am, in order to restore law, punish crime, head off heresy, encourage genius, conserve peace, heal dissensions, protect learning; appealing to love, but ruling by fear. Who but the Church can do this? A theocracy will create a new civilization. Not a diadem, but a tiara will I wear, a symbol of universal sovereignty, before which barbarism shall flee away.”—Beacon Lights of History, Vol. III, pages 244, 245.

That some even in Paul’s day had an ambition similar to that of Leo I is apparent from Paul’s words to the Corinthians: “You men already have your fill, do you? You are rich already, are you? You have begun ruling as kings without us, have you? And I wish indeed that you had begun ruling as kings, that we also might rule with you as kings.” (1 Cor. 4:8, NW) The ambition of Leo I was fully realized by Leo III, when, on December 25, A.D. 800, he crowned Charlemagne emperor of the Holy Roman Empire of the Germanic nations. Here, then, we have the gradual development of the Roman Catholic Church.

Regarding the early Christian congregation Paul expressed this concern: “I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy, for I personally promised you in marriage to one husband that I might present you as a chaste virgin to the Christ. But I am afraid that somehow, as the serpent seduced Eve by its craftiness, your minds might be corrupted away from the sincerity and the chastity that are due the Christ. For, as it is, if someone comes and preaches a Jesus other than the one we preached, or you receive a spirit other than what you received, or good news other than what you accepted, you easily put up with him.”—2 Cor. 11:2-4, NW.

Here we have it. Just as the “covering cherub” allowed his ambition to change him from an obedient spirit creature to Satan the Devil; just as the choice and pure vine of Israel allowed herself to deteriorate into a degenerate and wild vine; so, too, many of the Christian congregation, which began as a pure and chaste virgin, allowed themselves to be overreached by Satan the Devil and his world, to become unfaithful to their Lord Jesus Christ and to bring forth all manner of bad fruit, at which time they became known as the Catholic Church. So, instead of Christ, it really is Satan the Devil that is the one who established the Catholic Church.—Jer. 2:21; Ezek. 28:14-16.

“But We Can’t Do That!”

In a small town in the Eastern zone of Germany two witnesses of Jehovah came to the home of an elderly clergyman. He invited the two witnesses in. A lively discussion was had on Bible teachings. Toward the end of the discussion the record of Jehovah’s witnesses in the face of persecution was called to his attention and he was asked, ‘In the face of these facts, would it not pay to investigate conscientiously and without prejudice?’

The clergyman admitted this and then explained that he had been giving the matter some thought because only a few days ago a man visited him who had just been released from a Communist prison, and who had told him: “Believe me or not, Mr. ———, but if we hadn’t had those Jehovah’s witnesses with us in prison we would have become desperate, we wouldn’t have been able to hold out!” To which the clergyman added: “I know that God has actually raised up a people in the witnesses of Jehovah, who stand for his Name.” Then in a resigned tone he added, “But we can’t do that.” Why can Jehovah’s witnesses and why cannot such clergymen? Why?