The Church's Weakness

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 10, 1908

The Church's Weakness

Many are asking why it is that great evils are so rampant, and why so few are reached and converted by the gospel. One of our exchanges deals thus with this subject:—

Well, what is the answer? There are scores of answers given, all of which probably have some measure of truth in them. “Church-members are too worldly;” “there is too little prayer;” “too many divisions among religious bodies;” “too much unbelief;” “too little pastoral work;” “ministry is weak and uninteresting.” All these reasons, and many more equally good, are offered to explain the lack of scope and power in the church of to-day. The cause of weakness is almost always found in the faults or failures or mistakes of somebody else than our own selves. The desired change and improvement will not come until we all turn about, and discover that the real trouble lies in our own selves—and not with the other fellow. The seat of the whole difficulty is a lack of the spirit of self-sacrifice in the individual men and women who make up the church.

This diagnosis of the case is not so flattering to professed Christians, but who can deny the truthfulness of the charge? The remedy is in a renewed personal consecration to service.