A Forlorn Hope | AdventAI

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 26, 1865

A Forlorn Hope.

THOSE who profess to be looking for the conversion of the world, point to what are called the enlightened and Christian nations of the earth, especially England and America, as their hope for the accomplishment of this great work. How often do we hear them indulging in grandiloquent harangues about this Christian nation, and the great things to be done by it, in the moral regeneration of the world, as though we were a nation of unqualified saints, and sin and sinners were here unknown. But if all the nations of the earth were raised to the same standard with our own nation, should we then have a converted world? would it all be Christian? would the temporal millennium be here? What proportion of the inhabitants of this country are real Christians? What proportion are professors, even? How many attend regularly upon public worship, who have no saving interest in the things of religion? And what proportion do not attend public worship at all? An acquaintance in our native place, not long since told us, that in an adjoining town forty years ago, every family regularly attended public worship, but now not more than one in ten. On inquiring the reason, the answer was, The morals of the people are growing worse. And this is the very state of things that the word of God sets forth as one of the prominent characteristics of the last days. The following statistics show that three-fourths of the people of this country, or twenty-five millions are habitual neglecters of public worship. And this proportion is continually increasing. And yet this is the nation from which most is hoped, for the conversion of the world. This is the best that now exists. Heaven pity the infatuation of those who in view of these things, and the plain prophecies of God's word, can yet look for generations to come, and for righteousness to cover the earth before a new dispensation is ushered in. The following statements are worthy the careful attention of all:

"The religious and moral condition of our country is such as should alarm the fears and excite to vigorous action every lover of God and humanity. Vice reigns to an unparalleled extent. Every secular paper contains accounts of crimes of the most revolting character. The Churches are doing but little for the benefit of the masses. Formality and fashion hold almost undisputed sway in the place where the voice of the Son of God should be heard in its resurrection power. The prevailing custom of selling or renting the pews, almost as effectually excludes the common people as if their attendance were strictly forbidden. One can hardly credit the fact that so small a proportion of our people are under religious influence. The Boston Traveller says, Committees of State Conferences report as follows:

"MAINE—In 1854, a little more than one-fourth of the people attend public worship: and in 1857, but little more than one-seventh."

"NEW HAMPSHIRE—1857, 'A fraction less than two-thirds habitually neglect public worship.'"

"VERMONT—1857, 'Less than one-fifth attend public worship.'"

"MASSACHUSETTS—1859, 'One-half do not attend at all; and not more than one-fourth attend regularly.'"

"RHODE ISLAND—In some parts of the State there is no Sabbath observance for religious worship! Shore Parties,' of hundreds, may be seen on the Sabbath, of persons who scarcely ever enter the house of God, except on the occasion of funerals; while three-fourths at least of all the people habitually neglect religion.

"New York City, with a population of over 1,000,000—more than two-thirds of the people never attend public worship."

"In Brooklyn, and twelve other large cities, the proportion of habitual neglecters of the house of God is nearly the same. This is true of cities generally, while the neglect in the country towns is still greater.

"Not more than one-sixth of the people of the United States attend public worship. Allowing one-fourth of the whole to be detained by age, sickness, and infirmity, three-fourths of the remainder habitually neglect all religion!

"These neglecters are not the poor foreigners alone, but they are found in all classes in society. The Scriptures classify those who neglect the worship of God among the heathen; and, according to this classification, three-fourths of our people, or 25,000,000, are home heathen! and now, by the events of war, the whole South becomes missionary ground.'"