“JAPAN SEEKING LIGHT”
“A Parliament of Religions similar to that which met in Chicago during the World’s Fair is now in session in Tokio. The Roman Catholic Church and the various Protestant denominations, as well as the Mohammedans, are well represented in this congress. A committee to travel abroad for the purpose of discovering the true religion, the one which should be embraced by the Japanese people, was appointed by the Mikado of Japan seven years ago. This commission failed to carry out its purpose, but now the work has been resumed, and European governments have been notified to that effect.”WGI 156.4
Japan has begun the search for a new religion; and she will find it. And when she shall have found it the vital points of it will be a political mixture of pagan elements adopted from Catholicism and Catholicized Protestantism, further mixed with pagan elements of her own, and all moulded into a new national, State-religion of Japan.WGI 157.1
Following that the coalition of this new paganism which will be more papal than otherwise, of the papacy itself, and of false Protestantism which is the image of the papacy, will be perfectly easy.WGI 157.2
And when this grand three-fold coalition shall have been accomplished the result will be a truly world-religion, in which the papacy will be predominant, and which will be supported by all the great powers of the world. And all the great world-powers involved in this three-fold coalition of religions, will be united in compelling all the people in the world to conform to that world-religion, with the result that “all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”WGI 157.3
In this culmination of the three great apostasies in one world-religion again, with the papacy predominant and supported by all power of the world, the papacy will be lifted to the height at which she exultantly congratulates herself [sic.], “I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.” But lo! just then, and “Therefore, shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and mine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God that judgeth her.” Revelation 18:7, 8.WGI 158.1
And now how shall the true religion be manifested again, except in the protest of the word of the Lord against this false Protestantism and the whole combination, saying, “Come out of her my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” But when, in the interests of the true religion there must be a protest against professed Protestantism itself, then surely that must be well night the limit.WGI 158.2
There is only one further possible step; that is, that there should arise a movement of protest against this false Protestantism, and then this movement itself espouse false Protestant—that is, papal—principles, and in the interests of the true religion there should have to be a protest against this professed protest, against professed Protestantism! That would indeed, he the utmost limit: every application of the divine remedy would be exhausted, and the end would have to come.WGI 158.3
Therefore, just now as never before, and with such solemnity and power as never before, there is due to be preached “the everlasting gospel unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.... Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. And ... saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image and receive his mark in his forehead or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation.... Here are they which keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”WGI 159.1