Continue with: A Star Falls From Heaven

This fall from the spiritual heavens became apparent in the year 1919 when, rather than Christendom's clergy, the small remnant of anointed Christians was appointed over the Kingdom interests. (Matthew 24:45-47) And from 1922 that fall was dramatized when this group of Christians renewed their campaign frankly exposing the failings of the clergy of Christendom.

Outstanding in this connection was the proclamation made at what The Golden Age magazine described as "the greatest convention of Bible Students held during the ages." This convention assembled in Columbus,Ohio, July 20-27, 1924. No doubt at the direction of the angel that sounded the third trumpet, a forceful resolution was there adopted and later 50 million copies were distributed as a tract. It was published under the title Ecclesiastics Indicted. A subheading presented the issue: "The Seed Of The Serpent." The indictment itself roundly exposed Christendom's clergy on matters such as their taking of high-sounding religious titles, their making commercial giants and professional politicians the principal ones of their flocks, their desiring to shine before men, and their refusing to preach to the people the message of Messiah's Kingdom. It emphasized that every dedicated Christian is commissioned by God to proclaim "the day of vengeance of our God: to comfort all that mourn." - Isaiah 61:2, KJ.

Since the third angel started to blow his trumpet, the clergy's position of dominance among mankind has been slipping until, in this day and age, very few of them retain the godlike powers they enjoyed in former centuries. Because of the preaching of Jehovah's Witnesses, great numbers of people have come to realize that many doctrines taught by the clergy are spiritual poison-"wormwood." Furthermore, the clergy's power in northern Europe is almost spent, while in most Eastern European lands, as well as in China, the government strictly curtails their influence. In Catholic parts of Europe and in the Americas, the clergy's scandalous behavior in financial, political and moral affairs has sullied their reputation. From now on, their position can only get worse, since soon they will suffer the same fate as all other false religionists. -Revelation 18:21; 19:2.

Jehovah's plaguing of Christendom is not yet finished. Consider what happens after the fourth trumpet blast.

Next time: Darkness!