The Age of Darkness by S. B. Whitney

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 16, 1866

The Age of Darkness.

By S. B. Whitney

We often use, and hear used, the expression, "The dark ages" as referring to the period of the Papal dominion, during which the light of revelation was almost entirely obscured, and the people kept in gross ignorance of the truths of the word of God. And those were dark ages indeed; and we may, and do rejoice that they were superseded by the days of the great reformation, and their darkness still more effectually dispelled by the opening of John's "little book," and by "many running to and fro, and knowledge being increased." Dan. xii, 4.

But notwithstanding the darkness of those times, the present with all its boasted enlightenment and progression, is really the age of darkness; for by refusing to walk in the light as it shines, the light that the world once had, has become obscured, and as a consequence, their darkness is made still more dense, according to the suggestion of the Saviour in his inquiry, "If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness." Matt. vi, 23. This idea may be illustrated by a person stepping out of the clear sunshine into a room partially obscured.

My attention was called afresh to this subject by an incident that occurred a few days since. A Methodist Protestant preacher, in the neighborhood where I was giving lectures, was preaching from the text, "Seek first the kingdom of God," &c., and in speaking upon the kingdom, and endeavoring to sustain the commonly received opinion relative to it, he made the following remark: "The Saviour said to one of the ten lepers that he cleansed, when they shall say unto you, lo here! or lo there! believe it not; for the kingdom of God is within you."

Ah! thought I, so long as "the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests hear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so," Jer. v, 31, so long will it be a fact that "darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people." Isa. lx, 2.

S. B. WHITNEY.

Granby, N. Y. Dec. 26, 1865.