Your ShelfYour Projects

BABYLON IS FALLEN

8%

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 2, 1869

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 33, No. 6.

Read the full edition

BABYLON IS FALLEN.

By GEO. WHITE.

It is a noticeable fact that the professed church who rejects the commandments of God, and the soon coming of his Son from Heaven, is fast becoming more and more united with, and conformed to, the world. Scenes of mirth, frivolity, and festivity, is a chief feature in the present course of these popular churches. My attention was recently called to this subject by the following notice in a County Journal, from an adjoining State, which speaks for itself:
“FAIR AND FESTIVAL.
“The ladies of the —— church and society, will hold a Fair and Festival at —— hotel, on Wednesday evening, Oct. 28. Fancy articles, ice cream, confectionery, oysters, a most luxurious supper, fortune-telling, music, and tableaux, will be the order of the evening. All are invited to come and enjoy the good time.”
And so a good time is promised by the ladies of the church, and all are invited to come. The proceeds, as we shall see in the sequel, were for the benefit of the church. This must be kept before the mind in order to quell the conscientious scruples any might have in attending such places. Indeed, the pastor, yes, and all of his flock that can possibly go, must be there to enjoy the luxurious supper, and get their fortunes told, as the proceeds are for the benefit of the church. The village editor of course must be especially invited to attend, so as to give a puff in his journal. In the next issue he pronounces the festival a “grand success.” “The net proceeds, for the benefit of the church, were a hundred and thirty-five dollars—a much larger sum than the society expected.” He complimented the ladies for “the manner in which everything was arranged, the excellence of the supper, the taste displayed in the fancy articles, the richness and profusion of the dainties;” for having seen so many “pretty faces,” met so many “pleasant friends,” and chatted with so many “agreeable associates,” &c., and closes his eulogy by saying, “There is one thing certain, that if the congregation at the festival was a fair sample of the —— church, that’s the one we want to join.”
Only a few years ago, I was a member of this church; but oh! how fallen! At the time of its organization, I trust that most of her members were God-fearing Christians, and would have shrunk from the idea of such instrumentalities for the benefit of the church. Our prayer-meetings then were spiritual, and were well attended, and I trust sinners were truly converted.
Soon a railroad town was built up, and a church building erected, and fashionably furnished. Many of the church members gradually became more and more worldly and pleasure-seeking, patronizing horse-racing, circuses, and the ball-room. How true it is said,
“Her private members walk no more As Jesus Christ has taught them; Riches and fashions they adore— With these the world has bought them,”
Tried, discouraged, and grieved, to see such a want of consistent church government and discipline, I was glad when the Lord interposed, and sent us an Advent messenger, who preached the “commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” A few of us received the truth, and heeded this last call, “Come out of her my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto Heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.
“Well may thy servants mourn, my God, The church’s desolation; The state of Zion calls aloud For grief and lamentation. Once she was alive to thee, And thousands were converted; But now a sad reverse we see, Her glory is departed.”
Oh! that others would heed this call from Heaven, and identify themselves with God’s remnant people, who “keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”
GEO. WHITE. Hamilton Co., Iowa.