“And to the angel of the Church in Philadelphia write” (Revelation 3:7).

It is very generally conceded that of all the seven messages, with the one exception of Smyrna, that addressed to Philadelphia is of the deepest interest and of the most vital importance to the faithful. This is true, we believe, for the reason that it describes a state and circumstances that receive only the sweet benediction of Divine approval. Surely the Lord’s faithful followers cannot conceive of a more important, a more desirable, and a more blessed condition to be in than that which meets the unqualified commendation of the one whom they have learned to love above all others — a condition that gives conscious assurance that they are showing forth his praises, by manifesting a oneness with the Father and the Son that causes the world to believe that the Father hath sent him (John 17:21). There are warning words contained in the message to the angel and Church of Philadelphia, but no words of reproof or rebuke. The sincere, the conscientious believer will therefore desire to study carefully and prayerfully these, the Master’s words, to discover what it is, that receives such unqualified approval, and having discovered it, he will seek Divine aid to practice it in his life and association with other of the Lord’s people.

Viewing it from the prophetic standpoint, it is very evident that the Philadelphian message does not represent a condition existing in the professing church as a whole in any period in history since Pentecostal days. The state of the professed Church at the time the Philadelphian conditions are due to be looked for, is represented by Sardis, and is that of the darkest period of her apostasy. Neither does it represent any religious system or organization. It seems, rather, to describe a movement in the midst of professed, fallen Christianity, having for its object a revival or a restoration to primitive conditions. This movement, as we shall endeavor to show, seems to continue even after the Laodicean period and conditions have come in. Let the reader recall that the derivation of the names of these Churches as we have thus far examined them, have been either descriptive of qualities possessed by faithful believers themselves, or of favorable or unfavorable conditions existing in the professed Church surrounding them; and as the true Church class has met and come in contact with both these favorable and unfavorable conditions, Divine providence has always overruled, to test these, and to give them opportunity to prove themselves overcomers.

The Church of Brotherly Love

The name Philadelphia means “brotherly love,” and we may be sure that an assembly of the Lord’s people that receives such commendation from the Master, could represent only a movement that would possess a large measure of this grace; indeed, a movement that would in a very particular sense be distinguished by it. That the manifestation of this Christian grace on the part of the Lord’s people is considered by him to be the most important thing (except the fundamental doctrines of Christ) connected with their witnessing and association together, is evidenced by the many references to it, in the instructions given to his disciples, as well as in those references commending this grace found in the writings of the Apostles. Indeed, one of the most sacred bonds even in the human relationship, is that which should exist between brothers and sisters. So close and tender is this tie, that any success or honor coming to one, arouses feelings of pleasure and emotions of joy in the hearts of all the others. Any injury, any loss coming to one, causes feelings of sympathy and emotions of pain to the others. Any disgrace brings sorrow and shame. God Himself is the author of this human tie, and so far as we know there is nothing like it in all His other creations. On account of the fall we see today only a faint suggestion of what it would be in its perfection.

God has been gathering out of this world of fallen ones a peculiar treasure. He is pleased to call them a holy brotherhood; His dear Son being the Firstborn of these many brethren, the Elder Brother, and all of them children of the Father’s own begetting (Romans 8:29, Hebrews 2:11,12). He has instituted ways and means whereby all the peculiarities which go to make up the earthly relationship of brothers shall be lifted to a higher plane and be manifested to the world through them. This relationship was so entirely new — being described as a “new creation” — and of such a peculiar character, that a new commandment was given unto them. Concerning this, the Master, who was the beginning of this New Creation, when about to leave his disciples, said: “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another” (John 13:34). He further emphasized the importance of this new commandment by stating that obedience to it was absolutely necessary in order to abide in his love. “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:10-13).

The importance of the Philadelphian spirit is further emphasized in the fact that its possession gives positive assurance — is a sure evidence, that one has passed from under the condemnation that is on the world and has entered upon the new, the heavenly, spiritual life — lifted upon the plane of this holy, heavenly brotherhood — and has become a child of God, a member of the New Creation. The Apostle’s words concerning this are: “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death” (1 John 3:14). The measure or standard of this love is the same as that which Christ exhibited in his love for his disciples, as we read: “By this we have known love, because he laid down his life on our behalf; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” (1 John 3:16, Diaglott). The manifestation of this love is stated by the Savior to be a distinctive mark, and the greatest possible evidence we can give to the world that we are his disciples — indeed, it is the greatest possible evidence to prove, to demonstrate, the Divine authority of the Christian religion. His words to this effect are: “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:35).

The most prominent and striking characteristic of the primitive Church at the time the promise of the Father was fulfilled and the holy Spirit was poured out upon them, was this Philadelphian spirit (brotherly love). This spirit is described in the words: “And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. And with great power gave the Apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses, sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them down at the Apostles’ feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need” (Acts 4:32-35). This same spirit was manifest in connection with the Second Advent movement, which occurred toward the close of the Philadelphian period. Of course, we are not to understand that their undertaking the communistic plan and the distribution of their possessions necessarily represented the Lord’s good pleasure for them at that time, or for his followers since; nor that it was best for the furtherance of his cause; his providential overruling in scattering them would indicate to the contrary. However, we certainly have in this a perfect picture of the spirit of brotherly love, and it is an exhibition of the chief, the most important, the most desirable of all the Christian graces. This would naturally be one of the most prominent characteristics in any true reformation or revival, for every such revival represents simply an effort to restore or bring back normal, primitive conditions from which there has been a most deplorable departure.

A Movement to Recover Primitive Purity

Applying this Philadelphian message in the prophetic sense and as naturally following the others in the order of succession, it would be looked for in the period in history immediately subsequent to that of Sardis. This period in its beginning features is well represented by the Protestant Reformation movement. It should be kept in mind, however, that the Sardis conditions continued in the great nominal church system of Romanism, as well as in the Protestant nationalized systems that came into being soon after the Reformation. The Philadelphian candlestick in the prophetic sense, therefore, as we have noted, does not seem to represent a particular organization or system, but rather a movement of the spirit of God, sometimes inside and sometimes outside of the professed Christian systems; the object of which has been to recover the true Church, lost amid the confusion and apostasy of Thyatira and the deadness of Sardis; a movement accomplishing as one of its objects the unifying of the members of Christ together in one, in the bonds of brotherly love. We are not to suppose that this movement is successful in the sense of bringing all the members of Christ’s Body into one human organization. However, every true revival since the Reformation began has been very largely marked in its beginning by new fervency of spirit, fresh zeal, deeper earnestness, and of necessity is always accompanied by the Philadelphian spirit of brotherly love. The Philadelphian message then would seem to represent, not only a movement connected with the Reformation, but also all the movements we call true revivals that have had for their object the restoration of the true Church to primitive conditions — those that have occurred during and since the Reformation. Such movements have in a special, particular sense been continually operating since the Reformation began. Each one, however, has generally ended, so far as organization is concerned, in sectarianism, only to become the occasion for another movement to begin and end likewise. And these continue even after the Laodicean period begins, and will continue until the end, because the Philadelphian spirit is that which all overcomers in every generation have possessed; and it is the possession of this spirit that constitutes the most important characteristic of all overcomers. Such movements always cause the conscience to be purified by the opposition it necessarily has to endure and this invariably discovers and brings together the most spiritual. Consciences are exercised by the preaching of the Word of God; the need of Christ’s presence by his spirit becomes more and more felt, and the real fellowship of saints is more and more valued, sought for, and experienced. In other words, the general character of all these movements manifests itself as Philadelphian. Every true spiritual revival has the tendency to break up the sectarian spirit, and every effort to press the claims of sectarianism causes the free indeed Christian to be compelled to separate himself, that he may continue to enjoy that true freedom found alone in Christ.

Concerning the period in history covered by the Philadelphia message and this separating feature characterizing it, Mr. Russell remarks: “This stage of the Church’s history evidently began at the Reformation; and there are many still living [in the present Laodicean period, 1916] who possess the characteristics described. There is considerable similarity between the work begun on Pentecost and that of Luther and his friends. The Reformation was, in a sense, the beginning of a new era, a dawning of light where all had been darkness, the separation of the true from the false, and a new start in the way of truth. During the Philadelphian period, especially during the first and the last phases of it, the faithful have either been obliged to come out of the nominal temple [Church] or have been cast out for their straight testimony.”

Sardis represents what might properly be termed a Christianized world, yet continuing to be the “world lying in the wicked one,” with here and there a Christian. Philadelphia would seem to represent the operation of God’s spirit in these comparatively few “working in living energy to deliver from that which is threatening to engulf the people of God in a flood of worldliness.” A movement of such a character can but have the effect of bringing the spiritually minded ones together and uniting them in the bonds of love, which is the Philadelphian spirit. It has always been true, however, and is no less true in the present Laodicean period, that many unite themselves to these movements who either do not possess, or after uniting fail to attain to the Philadelphian spirit of brotherly love.

Such, because of being carnal and walking as natural men (1 Corinthians 3:1-4), become ready subjects of the spirit of intolerance and bigotry, which always leads to dissensions and strife over non-essential matters, thus occasioning further testings and siftings in order to make manifest who are exercising the Philadelphian spirit, the spirit of the overcoming class.

Coming now to consider the message itself in its details, the first thing we see as seemingly in itself sufficient to locate the beginning of the Philadelphian period in history is, as observed in the preceding messages, that of the names and titles assumed by Christ in addressing this Church and its messenger. We cannot but notice that these very names and titles are those blasphemously assumed by the Popes, who had been claiming to rule in Christ’s stead. The exercise of these false claims on the part of this great hierarchy, flooding as it did the world with its soul-defiling errors, until the pure Gospel had become entirely hidden from sight, was that which necessitated a new beginning, or what might be termed a second commission to preach the Gospel. This new beginning started by a recovery of the Bible and a diligent and independent study of it by the Reformers, Luther and others. The titles and names assumed by Christ in this epistle to Philadelphia would seem to suggest that one special work of the Reformers of the Sixteenth Century, the beginning of the Philadelphian period, would be that of exposing the false and blasphemous claims of the Papacy. The words of Christ, “These things saith he that is holy, he that is true,” are in the original more an expression of title than of qualities possessed by Christ; indeed, they are expressive of both. A very striking rendering of these words which emphasizes this is: “These are the words of the True Holy One” (Joseph Moffatt’s Translation). When we consider that Christ is the only one except the Father who can rightly assume this title, there is immediately suggested to the mind the similar title assumed by and accorded to the Pope, that of “His Holiness.” Students of history are well aware that one of the features of the Reformation work, and a necessary one at that time, was to show the falsity and blasphemous character of Rome’s claim. While there were a few all through the long period during which Rome’s idolatrous counterfeits of Christianity and blasphemous claims were quite generally believed and acknowledged, who saw in this system the fulfillment of the predictions of Daniel (7:8,20-26) and St. Paul (2 Thessalonians 2:3,4) concerning Antichrist, it was not until Luther’s day that this false claim was so fully exposed as to enable large numbers, even of the world, to see it, and thus cause a most remarkable weakening of its power and influence over the nations, as also the consciences of men. In October, 1520, Luther was first made aware of the Pope’s bull of his excommunication. His words on receiving it, as recorded by the historian, were: “I rejoice in having to bear such ills for the best of causes. Already I feel greater liberty in my heart; for at last I know that the Pope is Antichrist, and that his throne is that of Satan himself” (D’Aubigne, History of the Reformation).

The words, “He that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth,” are also a reminder of the false claims of Papacy. A reference seems to be made in this statement by the True Holy One to the claim that Papacy was making of fulfilling the prophecies concerning Christ’s Millennial reign. David’s throne, it is well known by students of the Bible, was a type of Christ’s throne. Christ was born the heir to this throne. He is represented in this passage as possessing the key, the authority, to occupy that throne. In a due time appointed he will take to himself this authority and reign. The supporters of Papacy apply to the Popes and the power they exercised during the Dark Ages, the prophecies which speak of that reign: “On thee, most blessed Leo, we have fixed our hopes as the Savior that was to come.” These were the words of an adoring bishop to the Pope at the fifth Lateran Council, as quoted by A. J. Gordon (Ecce Venit). He continues: “In his sovereign vicar, Christ has already appeared, and is already ruling, says Rome. ‘In the person of Pius IX, Jesus reigns on earth,’ exclaims Cardinal Manning [in 1871] ‘and he must reign until he hath put all enemies under his feet.’ ”

It is well known that the Papacy claims to have the power to consign to what they erroneously call the torments of hell, as well as to open the door of heaven; in other words, that the salvation and damnation of the human race are in its power. The noted English expositor, Mr. Guinness, who visited America in 1860, said:

“It is difficult in this Nineteenth Century to credit the records which reveal the unbounded power of the Pope during the Dark Ages, and the nature and extent of the claims he asserted to the reverence and subjection of mankind. If kings and emperors yielded him abject homage, the common people regarded him as a deity. His dogmas were received as oracles, his bulls and sentences were to them the voice of God. The Sicilian ambassadors prostrated themselves before Pope Martin, with the thrice-repeated cry, ‘Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world.’ ‘The people think of the Pope as the one God that has power over all things, in earth and in heaven,’ said Gerston. The fifth Lateran Council subscribed, just before the Reformation, a decree which declared that ‘as there was but one body of the church, so there was but one head, viz., Christ’s vicar, and that it was essential to the salvation of every human being to be subject to the Roman Pontiff.’ ‘Every spiritual, as well as every ecclesiastical office of Christ, was arrogated to himself by the “man of sin.” ’

“ ‘If Christ was the universal Shepherd of souls, was not he, the Pope, the same? If Christ was the door of the sheep, was not he the door? If Christ was the truth, was not he the depositary, source, and oracular expounder of the truth, authoritative, infallible, independent of Scripture, and even against it? If Christ was the Holy One, was not he the same, and did not the title, His Holiness, distinctively and alone belong to him? If Christ was the husband of the Church, was not he the same? With the marriage ring in the ceremonial of his inauguration, he signified it; and with his great voice in his Canon law and Papal bulls he proclaimed it to the world. The power of the keys of Christ’s Church and Kingdom, given him, extended into the invisible world. He opened with them, and who might shut? He shut, and who might open? The souls in purgatory and the angels in heaven were subject to him; and it was even his prerogative to add to the celestial choir; by his canonizing edicts he elevated whom he pleased of the dead to form part of heaven’s hierarchy, and become objects of adoration to men.’ ”

Considering the blasphemous character of the Papacy’s claims to these titles and powers, and the wide extent to which they were received in Christendom, it can hardly seem otherwise than that the reference to and application of them by Christ to himself in this epistle can be but for the one purpose of severely rebuking those who made these preposterous claims, as well as calling the attention of his own people to the same.

“Behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it; for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my Word, and hast not denied my name” (Revelation 3:8).

We do well to bear in mind the fact that this language is addressed primarily to both the faithful minister (star) and the Church of Philadelphia. Applying the words to the period of the great Reformation and up to very recent times, we would understand that the reformers of that period, Luther, and the many associated with him (indeed, in a sense, all who since their day have possessed the Philadelphian spirit, and have engaged in the divinely predicted work of cleansing the antitypical Sanctuary, the Church), are the ones addressed and represented in the Church of Philadelphia and its messenger.

The Open Door

The expression, “I have set before thee an open door,” is evidently employed to denote that an opportunity to bear witness to the Truth, with an assurance of special Divine protection, would at this time be given by Christ to his faithful ministers. Keeping before our mind the fact that in the preceding centuries (those before the Reformation), faithfulness in bearing witness to the Truth meant the exposing of Rome’s false claims, and that doing this brought persecution, torture by the Inquisition, imprisonment, or death, will enable us to better appreciate the deep significance of this expression, “Behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it.”

The history of the Church reveals that the time had now come when, in the Divine providence, the Truth, which seemed to have been crushed to earth, should be proclaimed; when a clear testimony should be given, not to the Lord’s people only, but to the ruling powers also; indeed, to the whole world, which had been deceived, blinded and enslaved by Papacy’s erroneous teachings and oppressive domination. In the Lord’s providence the Reformers were protected in their witnessing by some of the world’s princes. It indeed seems very clear that the Reformers of those times would have met the same fate as their predecessors, Wycliffe, Huss, and others, had not Christ in some way caused the restraint of the powerful arm of the Papacy. Leo X, the pope then reigning, possessed almost absolute dominion over all the kings of Europe; and so great was the fear of his power that none dared to interfere with his decrees. Under these conditions, nothing short of an exercise of Divine power would enable these men to give their testimony. The historian expresses the fears and convictions of Luther’s friends for his safety when he was about to start on his journey to appear before the council of the Pope’s prelates, convened at the city of Worms, to answer to the charge of heresy: “His dejected friends believed that unless God should interpose by a miracle, he was going to meet his death” (D’Aubigne, History of the Reformation). Luther’s own feelings are thus expressed: “ ‘The Papists,’ said he, observing the distress of his friends, ‘have little desire to see me at Worms; but they long for my condemnation and death! No matter! Pray not for me but for the Word of God. My blood will scarcely be cold before thousands and tens of thousands in every land will be made to answer for the shedding of my blood. The most holy adversary of Christ, the father and master and chief of manslayers, is resolved that it shall be spilt. Amen! The will of God be done!’ Turning to Melancthon, he said with deep emotion: ‘If I never return, and my enemies should take my life, cease not, dear brother, to teach and stand fast in the truth. Labor in my stead, since I can no longer work. If thy life be spared, my death will matter little.’ ”

How wonderful was the Divine providence exhibited in the life of Luther from childhood till he came to manhood’s estate. He was a miner’s son, one of the last from the world’s standpoint to be chosen for such a work. But God’s ways of selecting and preparing His servants are not usually man’s ways. The great truths that he was to proclaim had to be first worked out in his own individual life. Indeed, he needed to feel to the utmost the evil effects of Rome’s teaching, and the bondage of the same, before the truth of God’s way of salvation could be seen and appreciated by him. He was caused to feel this bondage to its greatest extent; he was made to see experimentally how the truth had been perverted by Rome; he saw, not all at once, to be sure, how complete was Rome’s apostasy. His first efforts were exerted wholly in the direction of a reform of the Church. After a few years he became convinced of the hopelessness of such efforts, largely through coming to understand the Divine predictions of Daniel (chapter 7), St. Paul (2 Thessalonians 2), and St. John in the Revelation, which he interpreted and proclaimed as portraying the various phases or aspects of Romish apostasy.

The message of the Savior continues: “for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my Word, and hast not denied my name.” “Compared with the mighty hosts of their enemies, the little band of Reformers had but ‘a little strength’; but they knew that they had the truth, and they fully trusted the Giver. Thus the Master could say, ‘Thou hast kept my Word, and hast not denied my name.’ ” This was not only true of those in Luther’s day who sought to recover true Christianity — the true doctrine of Christ — and give it again to the world, but it was true all through the Philadelphian period of those who instituted real and genuine revivals. The very richest truths of the Gospel, the clearest testimony concerning the headship of Christ, have nearly always come from those who have broken the fetters of sectarian restraints. How many there have been, however, who, having been used of God to hold up successfully the simpler, or even the deeper truths of the Gospel of Christ through trusting in the power of God alone, have, after a time, sought the aid of human strength and worldly-wise methods, and thus have had the “door” of opportunity closed to their efforts. As soon as this occurs, as soon as there comes a claim that we are somebody or something, or as soon as there is an attempt to add to our strength — to hold our organization, our system, together, by the use of carnal methods, the door of true testimony soon ceases to be held open for us. “Little strength” is evidently one of the essential elements, and is another characteristic of the Philadelphian spirit. “God hath chosen the weak things to confound the mighty, and base things of the world, and things that are not, to bring to nought things that are; that no flesh should glory in His presence” (1 Corinthians 1:27-29).

All true attempts to recover the primitive faith and piety (and such were the efforts which characterized one important phase of the Philadelphian spirit) if they have been in any measure successful from the Divine standpoint, have been by the exercise of that lowly, humble spirit shown by Saul when he was about to be chosen king over Israel. This spirit was expressed by Samuel when rebuking Saul for his departure from God in this respect, in the words: “When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the Lord anointed thee king over Israel?” (1 Samuel 15:17). The “little strength” must be held on to — the place of separation unto, and entire dependence upon God must be maintained. These are the chief qualities that ensure true success in God’s cause and do always receive the approval of the Divine Master.

We inquire, To what end was this Divine strength given to these weak ones? The reply is, in the effects produced, as expressed in the words of Christ: “Thou hast kept my Word, and hast not denied my name.” How important it is, then, that we know what is meant by keeping God’s Word! Surely it does not mean, as some have seemed to think, the fencing up of any portion of God’s people by the formulation of a creed and the requiring of subscription to it. Who that has a true conception of Christ’s Body, the Church, would ever think that he had the ability to frame a constitution and a confession, a creed, for it? It has always resulted in fencing off a greater or less number of the Lord’s people from the rest; as has been truthfully expressed: “If you cannot agree, you are at best dismissed to go elsewhere, and find or make a party for yourself.

But he who will keep Christ’s Word can bind himself to none — must preserve his individuality of conscience, subject to one Master only; as much so as if there were no other Christians but himself on earth: and in a true walk with God, the knowledge of Himself, acquaintance with His Word, increases with each step of the way. The light brightens to the perfect day, and in this brightening light we are called to walk, true to it, and to Him whose light it is. An immense thing it is, in a day like this, to be keeping, with an exercised heart, the Word of Christ! Not a word here and there; not following it until the cost may be too much; but through honor and dishonor, through evil report and good report. For is there right obedience anywhere, when there is not in our purpose obedience everywhere?”

The significance of the expression that they had not denied Christ’s name, as it applied to the primitive Church of Philadelphia in St. John’s day, may have referred to some particular persecution at that time in connection with which the believers of the Philadelphian Church had been summoned before the magistrates and required to renounce the name of Christ — to disown any relationship or attachment to him, in a public manner. As applied to the Philadelphian period of church history, it would indicate that those addressed were comparatively a small, exceptional people in the midst of a large profession of Christ; these last not being recognized by Christ at all as members of his Body, the Church. The “name” of Christ may also signify the different offices that he fills in the great work of salvation, as, “Thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins”; “They shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us”; “And this is his name whereby he shall be called, the righteousness of Jehovah”; “His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Matthew 1:21, 23, Jeremiah 23:5, 6, Isaiah 9:6, 7). The meaning applied in this sense would be that they recognized Christ as the only one worthy of such titles, and the only one who could fill the requirements called for or demanded in such names.

“Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee” (verse 9). Concerning who and what are meant by those who called themselves Jews, but were of the synagogue of Satan, has already been considered in the message to Smyrna. It will be sufficient to note here that the expression, “synagogue of Satan,” refers to the same class which Satan had used in the early centuries to work the downfall of the already declining Church. Judaism with its forms and ceremonies and ritual observances accomplished the Divine purpose in foreshadowing the various features of true Christianity and was set aside by God when it had accomplished its mission. The system known as “Babylon the Great” is merely a counterpart or prototype on a large scale of Judaism, and has taken the place of the equal or common priesthood of believers, and has substituted for the completed sacrifice of Christ and the salvation to be found only in Christ, its own perversion, such as the sacrifice of the Mass through which forgiveness of sins is offered. The many daughter systems that were born in connection with Rome’s travail in the early years of the Reformation have taken on, to a greater or less extent, the ritualism, the sacerdotalism of Rome, the Mother system. It is principally with this great but divided sectarian Protestantism that the true Philadelphians have had to contend in bearing witness to the true Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. The thought seems to be fully warranted that the Philadelphian caste of believers continues to describe the overcomers to the very end of the age; and these are easily distinguished from the Laodiceans of these closing days, of which more will be said later.

If we look back over history, from the great Reformation onward, we will discover that every revival of a study of God’s Word, every earnest effort at evangelizing, every effort put forth to draw and unite true Christians in the bonds of “brotherly love,” has, when persevered in, had the effect of breaking down the barriers of sectarianism and of liberating the people of God; but, alas, history and experience show that the imitation class, the tare element, is always found wherever there are true wheat, and out of such bold moves for Christian liberty and freedom, there almost invariably develops a new sect, which becomes dominated by the same partisan spirit of bondage, resulting again in the taking away of personal liberties in Christ. These movements have originated generally outside of denominationalism. The most important movement of this kind since the great Reformation, has occurred in this present, the Laodicean period, but, like all the other movements of the past, it has ended in sectarianism; and, having accomplished its purpose, the usual testings and siftings have come. These tests are designed of the Lord, at least in one particular, to make manifest those who possess the Philadelphian spirit of brotherly love and loyalty to Christ and his Word.

The words, “I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee,” carry us forward to the time when the Philadelphians who are really the overcomers in all ages of the Church’s history, will enter upon their reward of joint-heirship in the heavenly Kingdom. The nominal and apostate believers, who have in past centuries despised, treated disdainfully, maligned, and persecuted the true believers, will then be constrained to give homage to these and to learn that they were the beloved of God. The Apostle Peter’s words seem to have reference to the same thought, when he says: “Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evil doers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation” (1 Peter 2:12).

“So far as the word [worship] is concerned, it may refer either to spiritual homage, that is, the worship of God; or it may mean respect as shown to superiors … The latter is the probable meaning, that is, that they would be constrained to acknowledge that they were the children of God, or that God regarded them with His favor. It does not mean necessarily that they would themselves be converted to Christ, but that, as they had been accustomed to revile and oppose those who were true Christians, they would be constrained to come and render them the respect due to those who were sincerely endeavoring to serve their Maker. The truth taught here is, that it is in the power of the Lord Jesus so to turn the hearts of all the enemies of religion that they shall be brought to show respect to it; so to incline the minds of all people that they shall honor the Church, or be at least outwardly its friends. Such homage the world shall yet be constrained to pay to it.” This, however, will never be until this present evil world order has passed away and the corrupt religious systems have ceased to be, and the Church is glorified with her Lord.

“Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth” (verse 10). The “hour of trial” that was to come upon the whole world, as it had to do with the primitive Church of Philadelphia, is interpreted by commentators who fail to see the prophetic sense of these epistles as applying to different periods of the Church’s history, to be some widespread persecution adapted to test the fidelity of those who lived to see it. The trial pointed out, however, seems evidently to be the one spoken of by the holy Prophets and Apostles, as well as the Lord himself — the great time of trouble which will close the Gospel Age. Some of the scenes of this great time of trouble the Church has already entered upon. It is described as a time of trouble in which men’s hearts fail them for fear of what is coming on the earth, in connection with which the whole present order of things will be terribly shaken, indeed, overthrown. Some Christians possessing the spirit of brotherly love, who find themselves in these times, will be severely tested, but will come off more than conquerors; others will fail to do so, and will lose the reward. The facts have been clearly expressed by another:

“Our Lord’s words addressed ‘to the angel of the Church in Philadelphia’ had their fulfillment, we understand, during the period which closed somewhere about the time when the Harvest of this age began. We are not to think of the different epochs represented in the messages to the various Churches as being exact periods, as though there was a particular instant of beginning and a particular instant of closing. Rather we are to understand each to be a general period which laps over the one on the other. So this period of faithfulness to the Lord’s Word of which our text treats seems to have been one of some length, just as this Laodicean period in which we live has covered a considerable time, but is nearly ended now, we think.

“For a long time God’s Word was lightly esteemed. The transition from a poor understanding to a better understanding of it came on gradually. The two witnesses of God, the Old and New Testaments, long clothed in the sackcloth of the dead languages, gradually ascended to heaven, the place of honor and power, as the Scriptures symbolically represent the matter (Revelation 11:3-12). Then came the general announcement that the time of the Second Advent of Christ had come [was near]. This was sometimes called the Wolff movement and sometimes the Miller movement; for one was the leader [a light-bearer] in one part of the world, and the other [a star — light-bearer], in the other part. This proclamation of the Kingdom of Christ was a remarkable movement, which we believe is referred to by our Lord in the parable of the Ten Virgins who awoke and trimmed their lamps. But it was a false alarm. The Bridegroom did not come.

“This disappointment caused a sifting among the professed people of God. Some became all the more interested in the Bible as the Word of God, and did not doubt, while others became haughty and skeptical. So these did not keep to the Word of God, but discarded its declarations. The promises and prophecies of the Bible relating to the Master’s Second Coming, though positive and numerous, were abandoned by most of the great teachers.”

Among these teachers who did not abandon the Bible and its prophecies, but reverently studied them, were some who were not connected with the Miller movement. The significant developments connected with the Miller movement would of necessity imply the special study of “time” prophecies; this study resulted in the preaching of a set time (1844) for the Lord to make his Second Advent. The failure of these expectations proved the incorrectness of the interpretation; disappointment and consequent sifting came as a result. These events covered a period of about forty years, beginning near 1829. (Mr. Miller’s death occurred in 1849.) During this whole period of forty years or more, it should be borne in mind that the Lord had other faithful servants who studied the Bible beside Mr. Miller and his associates, who were not Adventists; and we have the results of their studies in their writings. Not a few of these, as their writings show, had very much more correct views of the Second Advent and its effects upon humanity than did Mr. Miller and those who labored with him. These were not expecting, as Mr. Miller was, a literal burning of the earth and its inhabitants, and the complete end of probationary ages. They saw from the Scriptures that another age of probation would follow the present one. However, while they had much clearer views of the Lord’s Plan, including the time features, even their knowledge was deficient when contrasted with the much clearer light possessed by the watchers of the present Laodicean time. These, whom we may truthfully say were faithful Philadelphians, also studied the time prophecies associated with the Second Advent era, and their writings show that they did not agree with Mr. Miller in regard to 1844 being the time — the general expectation among them being that the Second Advent might take place some half a century later than Mr. Miller predicted, although differing among themselves as to the exact date. This serves to show that the light kept increasing, and that each generation of faithful students in turn was assisted in the light of truth, and profited by the knowledge of those of the preceding one as well as by the mistakes. We thus have emphasized the truth of progressive interpretation, which has always been God’s method, particularly so since the Reformation. Those of the watchers living in the beginning of the Laodicean period are no exception to this general rule, even though the due time has come for a clear understanding of all the general features of the Divine Plan. Of this, more will be said when we come to consider the Laodicean message.

In the Midst of the Hour of Trial

Considering the Miller movement as one occurring during the closing years of the Philadelphian period, Mr. Russell observed and described its effects and noted that as a consequence of the great Church leaders’ discarding the Bible, particularly the prophecies, “the people know very little about the Bible. Of course, their faith could not be much greater than their knowledge.

“As a result, the work of the Miller movement was a sort of separation, as between those who kept the Word of God with patience and those who lost their faith in His Word. This persistent, patient faith of the true saints of God is what we think is referred to here by keeping ‘the word of my patience.’ The general hour of temptation [referred to in the Philadelphia message], therefore, would not come upon them, but upon those who came after them — the Laodicean Church. The Philadelphia Church, which had patiently passed through so severe a trial of their faith, would not be subjected to the later test.

“‘The hour of temptation’ has come upon us now. This hour of temptation has been the Harvest time. In many respects it has tested the Lord’s people, and has proved who are faithful to the Word of God and who are not faithful to it. Hence the majority of the professing Christians of the world — probably more than three-fourths — have lost all faith in the Bible, and have fallen into the various false and delusive theories of our day — Evolution, Higher Criticism, Christian Science, Theosophy, Spiritism, New Thought, etc. They have fallen from faith, from loyalty to the Lord’s Word. They are not able to stand in this ‘evil day.’”

Since the above words were penned in 1915 and this remarkable writer ceased from his labors, other, and more severe tests have come; indeed, the test that finally comes to all is now on. It is that of holding fast, not only to the Truth, but, above all, that of “holding the head,” and permitting no human teacher or system to come into the heart and take the place of the Great Teacher of the Church. Loyalty to Christ and his message is indeed the test; and faithfulness to him will just as surely mean that a large measure of his spirit will be exemplified in the life of every true disciple — the Philadelphian spirit of brotherly love.

“Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown” (Revelation 3:11).

It is of peculiar and solemn significance that the Savior in his message to Philadelphia announces the imminence of his Second Coming, that it is near at hand. The language, therefore, seems to say that when this period of the Church’s history has been reached, she will have approached closely unto the end of the age, and it will then be a comparatively short time until the official Second Presence of Christ will be revealed on the earth, when he will gather all the faithful unto himself and establish his Kingdom in fulfillment of the many Divine promises.

Only one message will then remain to be delivered — that to Laodicea. In that message the Savior announces not that he will come soon, but that he has come: “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock.” This clearly implies that his Second Advent will then be an accomplished fact. It is the steadfast conviction of many of the faithful watchers who have given the subject of time prophecy and of our Lord’s Second Coming the most sober and careful consideration, that the Church has already emerged from the Philadelphian period into that of Laodicea.

Philadelphia, located as it is in the successive order of the seven epistles between Sardis and Laodicea, both of which represent conditions existing in the rejected church systems of Romanism and Protestantism, seems to stand, with its blessed principles of brotherly love, in marked contrast with these two Churches, as picturing that movement in which the brotherhood of God’s saints is being more clearly made manifest. As already noted, Philadelphia does not seem to represent any system or organization, but rather that movement of the Spirit, the object of which is to emphasize the oneness of all true believers as children of the one Father, having one Lord and Master, one faith, one baptism, members of the one Body, united together by the one Spirit in the bond of peace. As there is not one single thing in Laodicea to commend, Philadelphian conditions in Laodicea must not be looked for in an organized state, but rather as a condition manifested by individual believers both inside and outside of the organized professions. It is very apparent from the teaching of other Scriptures that all the true and overcoming believers in the Laodicean period will not be found in one organization of their own. This seems apparent from the fact that every religious organization, as such, will at last be “found wanting” and will go down in the closing scenes of the “hour of trial that is to try those who dwell on the earth.” Therefore, all attempts to accomplish such a binding together will of necessity fail. The true overcomers will be lovers and defenders of God’s Word, confessors of everything that is comprehended in “His name,” and free from human bondage. Beyond all this, they will recognize and fellowship and cooperate in service, so far as they are permitted, with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ. Thus they will be manifesting in its fullness the Philadelphian spirit of brotherly love. This latter state or condition has always described the “more than overcomers” of all ages, and will continue to describe them in the rejected Laodicean period, even until the end.

Though the Savior in his message to Philadelphia expresses hearty commendation, we must not gather from this that there were no unfavorable conditions with which this Church had to contend and which they were required to overcome. However we find in the message special emphasis is given to the need for overcoming in one particular direction. It is contained in the solemn and Divine warning of the Savior: “Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.” The overcoming, then, is represented in holding fast the Philadelphian character of love — brotherly love. This is that which even now in Laodicea is trying, testing, proving, the hearts of those who claim to possess so much of Truth. Let the followers of Christ now living take heed, then, that they are found to be true Philadelphians, though they do not belong in the prophetic sense to that period, which is in the past. Whatever other tests there may be — and there are other tests — whatever more is required, the Philadelphian character, the spirit of brotherly love is the great test, the final test. This test is not that of loyalty to a system, to an organization, to a human agent, to a messenger, but loyalty to Christ, which will mean holding fast to the Word, to the name, and to the patience of Christ. It will be “not the word of even the leaders of God’s raising up. The truth must ever commend the man, never the man the truth. One great danger is, lest, having begun with the former principle, we slip into the latter. Even the truth they [the divinely called leaders] teach is not truth received till it has been gotten at the Master’s feet and in communion with himself — till you can hold it, not with the eyes shut, but with eyes open — till you can maintain it for truth against the very instrument used of God to give it you, if need be. ‘If we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other Gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.’

“Then, Hold Fast! When it is no longer a question if it be the truth, but only of its consequences. Hold fast: though those who have held it with you, or before you, give it up; though it separate you from all else whomsoever; though it be worse dishonored by the evil of those who profess it; though it seem utterly useless to hope of any good from it: in the face of the world, in the face of the devil, in the face of the saints — ‘hold fast that which thou hast, that no man take thy crown’!

“For many a crown has been lost, and many a crown will be lost, if the Lord should tarry. Yet he who will hold fast shall find Christ’s arms underneath him, Christ’s hands upon his hands. He shall not only keep, he shall be kept; in the might of Christ’s victory he shall stand, and the crown given he shall cast before the Giver of it as a trophy of his own conquest, and the fruit of his grace.”

The proper holding fast to the Word, the name, and the patience of Christ, will always be in the Philadelphian spirit, the spirit of love — love for those whom Christ specially loves, love for those for whom He laid down his life. “[Though] no one has seen God at any time, [yet] if we love each other God dwells in us; and His love has been perfected in us.” (1 John 4:12). Therefore, “Let brotherly love continue.”

Next we have the cheering promise to the overcomer: “Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out.”

The “Temple” in this passage refers to the antitypical Temple, the glorified Christ, Head and Body. The use of the pillar as a figure here seems to have reference to the purpose for which the two great pillars for the porch of Solomon’s temple of old were used: the one was called Jachin, meaning “establisher”; the other Boaz, meaning “in which is strength.” The Philadelphian, who has in the present time, “little strength,” becomes in that great antitypical Temple a pillar of strength. The true Philadelphian describes, in fact, the final overcomers; Philadelphia itself, the company of such. Pillars are simply expressions of strength. The word is used in 1 Timothy 3:15 as descriptive of “the Church [house] of God, the pillar and ground of the truth.”

“And I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God; and I will write upon him my new name.”

Reference is doubtless made here to the custom prevalent in all ages of writing records and histories upon pillars or obelisks. During the long centuries of the past, great Babylon had been claiming to be this antitypical Temple, the New Jerusalem, the Kingdom of God; and thus the true significance of the name of the New Jerusalem, the name of my God, the temple of God, and its pillars, was hidden, except to a few, during these same long, dreary centuries; while a counterfeit, of Satan’s manufacture, is so called, having no resemblance whatever to God’s Temple and its pillars, or to the Holy City. His faithful ones then will be pillars of strength in that Temple. They have, all down the centuries, been despised and looked upon as merely negativing everything in the midst of the multitude of names claimed by the false church in this world. But at last, all the names worthy of being known are permanently engraved upon the true Philadelphian overcomers. They have gone forth to him without the camp, in this life, but then, no more to go out, but fixed, established as pillars in God’s great temple, through which the whole testimony and character of God, written as it were on these pillars, will be made known to the world.

One of the clearest, most edifying and soul-refreshing interpretations of this wonderful promise to the overcomer is that given by Mr. Barnes, who wrote in 1851. It is strengthening to the faith of the devout believer as he discovers how God, from time to time, has unfolded His Word to various servants (who lived and wrote in the Philadelphian period, particularly in its closing years), for the encouragement and upbuilding of his people. While we do not find that they had the full, clear light of the “morning,” they had on some matters as clear a vision as those faithful ones who have testified and are testifying outside of the various systems of the Laodicean period. This was eminently true of this Philadelphian writer. We quote from his comment on these words of Christ addressed to the Philadelphian overcomers:

“The promised reward of faithfulness here is, that he who was victorious would be honored as if he were a pillar or column in the temple of God. Such a pillar or column was partly for ornament and partly for support, and the idea here is, that in that temple he would contribute to its beauty and the justness of its proportions, and would at the same time be honored as if he were a pillar which was necessary for the support of the temple. It is not uncommon in the New Testament to represent the Church as a temple, and Christians as a part of it. (See 1 Corinthians 3:16,17, 6:19, 2 Corinthians 6:16, 1 Peter 2:5.)

“And he shall go no more out. He shall be permanent as a part of that spiritual temple. The idea of ‘going out’ does not properly belong to a pillar, but the Speaker [Christ] here has in his mind the man, though represented as a column. The description of some parts would be applicable more directly to a pillar; in others more properly to a man. Compare John 6:37, 10:28,29, 1 John 2:19, for an illustration of the sentiment here. The main truth here is, that if we reach heaven, our happiness will be secure forever. We shall have the most absolute certainty that the welfare of the soul will no more be periled; that we shall never be in danger of falling into temptation; that no artful foe shall ever have power to alienate our affections from God; that we shall never die. Though we may change our place, and may roam from world to world, till we shall have surveyed all the wonders of creation, yet we shall never ‘go out of the temple of God.’ When we reach the heavenly world, our conflicts will be over; our doubts at an end. As soon as we cross the threshold, we shall be greeted with the assurance, ‘he shall go no more out forever.’ That is to be our eternal abode, and whatever of joy or felicity or glory that bright world can furnish, is to be ours. Happy moment when, emerging from a world of danger and of doubt, the soul shall settle down into the calmness and peace of that state where there is the assurance of God Himself that that world of bliss is to be its eternal abode.

“And I will write upon him the name of my God. Considered as a pillar or column in the temple. The name of God would be conspicuously recorded on it to show that he belonged to God. The allusion is to a public edifice on the columns of which the names of distinguished and honored persons were recorded; that is, where there was a public testimonial of the respect in which one whose name was thus recorded was held. The honor thus conferred on him ‘who should overcome,’ would be as great as if the name of that God whom he served, and whose favor and friendship he enjoyed, were inscribed on him in some conspicuous manner. The meaning is that he would be known and recognized as belonging to God; the God of the Redeemer himself — indicated by the phrase, ‘the name of my God.’

“And the name of the city of my God. That is, indicating that he belongs to that city, or that the New Jerusalem is the city of his habitation. The idea would seem to be, that in this world, and in all worlds wherever he goes and wherever he abides, he will be recognized as belonging to that holy city; as enjoying the rights and immunities of such a citizen.

“Which is New Jerusalem. Jerusalem was the place where the temple was reared, and where the worship of God was celebrated. It thus came to be synonymous with the Church — the dwelling place of God on earth.

“Which cometh down out of heaven from my God. Of course, this must be a figurative representation, but the idea is plain. It is (1) that the [glorified] Church is, in accordance with settled Scripture language, represented as a city [a government] — the abode of God on earth. (2) That this, instead of being built here, or having an earthly origin, has its origin in heaven. It is as if it had been constructed there, and then sent down to earth ready formed. The type, the form, the whole structure is heavenly. It is a departure from all proper laws of interpretation to explain this literally, as if a city should be actually let down from heaven; and equally so to infer from this passage and the others of similar import in this book, that a city will be literally reared for the residence of the saints. If the passage proves anything on either of these points, it is, that a great and splendid city, such as that described in chapter 21, will literally come down from heaven. But who can believe that? Such an interpretation, however, is by no means necessary. The comparison of the Church with a beautiful city, and the fact that it has its origin in heaven, is all that is fairly implied in the passage.

“And I will write upon him my new name. The reward, therefore, promised here is, that he who by persevering fidelity showed that he was a real friend of the Savior, would be honored with a permanent abode in the holy city of his habitation. In the Church redeemed and triumphant [symbolized by the New Jerusalem] he would have a perpetual dwelling, and wherever he should be, there would be given him sure pledges that he belonged to him, and was recognized as a citizen of the heavenly world. [We would say, sharers in the heavenly government itself.]”

We should hardly expect that this man of God, who may well be regarded as one of the light-bearers of the Philadelphian period, would understand the full nature of the reward of joint-heirship with the Redeemer in his Kingdom. There were those, however, who lived in the latter part of the Philadelphian period who did have clear views of the reigning with Christ. From the writings of some of these faithful ones we have already quoted, and will, in the interpretation of some of the visions farther on in the book, have occasion to refer to more of them.

The Philadelphian message closes with the seven-times-repeated individual application contained in the words: “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches.” There seems to be some special significance in the fact that while Christ utters these words, the hearer is to give heed to what the “Spirit” saith. It would seem to be that only those who possess a large measure of the holy Spirit would be able either to understand or to heed Christ’s words. That spirit will cause all to feel a dependence upon the Father; it is a submissive spirit to the Father’s will — a prayerful spirit, a holy spirit, a meek and humble spirit, an uncompromising spirit, a loyal spirit, a self-sacrificing, cross-bearing spirit. In the very many tests that will be applied to the overcomer, many of them will have to be met and decided by the kind of spirit manifested by those who bring the tests or cause them to come. For in some of the siftings and separations that come along doctrinal lines, there will be among the Lord’s true children some possessing scarcely sufficient analytical ability to decide for themselves the correctness of some of the doctrinal teaching advanced by professed teachers, who will be enabled to detect error and to decide where they stand only by the spirit manifested.