The Religious Declension of these Days.
By Uriah Smith
EVIDENCE has been presented in preceding numbers to show that the Reformation is not yet complete; that the great body of Protestant churches retain in their midst many relics of popery; and that a reform is still needed, as is especially evinced by the multitudinous divisions that exist in the Protestant world. This state of division and religious confusion is rightly denominated, Babylon—a term that is used not to express reproach, but to state a fact. The fact cannot be denied; and while that exists, none should object to the use of a term which properly describes it. Instead of objecting to the term, the objection should rather be to that state of things which demands its use. People do not seem to feel sensitive at all over the sad fact that there is such opposition and contradiction of creeds and sentiments in the religious world; but they are very sensitive over the use of that term which inspiration has seen fit to employ to describe it. In due time God instituted a work which was designed to bring order out of all this chaotic confusion, and substitute harmony for discord. This was the grand announcement that the second coming of his Son was drawing near—the message of Rev. 14: 6. By a work symbolized by an angel flying through heaven, and announcing his mission with a loud voice to the people of the land, all the churches of God were called upon to forget their minor differences in the light of this glorious truth, and, leaping over all men-erected division walls, to take their stand together on this new platform. And it would have accomplished the desired end, if it had been heeded. On this point we speak with confidence; for we have a demonstration before us. The church which has been brought out by this, and the associated messages, is able to show that which no other church can present: it shows a body of people harmoniously united on all points of Bible faith, yet composed of persons from almost every civilized nationality on the globe, and from nearly every denomination of believers and unbelievers in the land, not excepting spiritualists, Catholics, and infidels. Here they stand, their faith fused, but not confused, by a Heaven-sent message which overtops in sublimity and importance every other truth for this time. National prejudice and denominational bias are forgotten; and they are fast drawing on to that “unity of the faith,” which is set forth as the highest attainment of the Christian church. What it has done for a few, it would have done for more, on like conditions. No truth can benefit, unless received. The whole aspect of the religious world would have been changed had the announcement of the second coming of Christ in glory been accepted by the churches, and the sound and harmonious principles of interpretation which were discovered by the rising of its light, been adopted by them. But alas! they rejected the message. Pulpit and pew were shut against it. The channel through which God designed that his truth should shine forth to the world, they closed up; so that all that has been done for outside sinners on this question, has been done over their heads, and in the face of their indifference, or, worse still, their open opposition. Those who embraced the doctrine were discountenanced; and though none at first took hold of the work, with any intention of forming a new denomination, or of withdrawing from the churches of which they were members, many soon found themselves in circumstances which made Isa. 66: 5 applicable to their cases. It is estimated that fifty thousand were separated from the churches, either voluntarily, because they could not freely speak forth the joys of their new faith, while retaining their connection, or involuntarily, because they were not allowed to remain, as the result of the Advent movement of 1844. Will the reader now pause and consider what effect follows the rejection of truth, in the case of either individuals or churches. When the fullness of time comes for some good purpose of God to be fulfilled, and he, in his providence, sends forth a proclamation of it, calling upon the people to hear and obey, if they reject the message and disbelieve the truth, in what relation do they thereby place themselves to God? They cut themselves off from his favor; they bar the way to the entrance of his Spirit. It is utterly impossible that it should be otherwise, unless it is a fact that there is no importance to be attached to the truth of God, that we may believe it or not, as may suit our inclination or convenience, and that God looks with the same favor upon its rejection as upon its acceptance. But such a conclusion cannot be entertained a single instant. The rejection of the message of Rev. 14: 6, 7, on the part of the churches, therefore, prepared the way for the second message of verse 8, which announced the declension that must inevitably result from the rejection of the truth. The fall here announced is a moral fall; for (1) it is the result of a certain course of action, and not its penalty. (2) After the fall, Babylon becomes the hold of foul spirits. Rev. 18: 2. (3) The people of God are then called out. (4) After this, the judgments of God, which involve her complete destruction, are visited upon her. Verses 4, 8. This fall, located by the prophecy in the last days, cannot pertain to the Romish mother; for it would be difficult for that apostate organization to present a lower degree of moral degradation, than it has already presented. It must, therefore, pertain to those bodies which have broken away from the papal church, and which, though retaining, as shown last week, the features of the mother church to a sufficient degree to establish the family relation, have, nevertheless, advanced in light and truth, so far as to reach a position from which moral declension is possible. In the message of Rev. 14: 8, we therefore find an explanation of the great religious declension of the present day; and it is the only explanation that can be given. Our Lord brings it to view in Matt. 24: 12, 13, where, speaking of events to transpire just before the end, he said that iniquity should abound, and the love of many should wax cold. Paul said to Timothy that in the last days evil men and seducers should wax worse and worse, 2 Tim. 3: 12; and that eighteen glaring sins should be the chief characteristics of even the professed church of Christ. Verses 4–5. The message under consideration, and 2 Thess. 2: 10, show that all this comes from not receiving into the heart the truth, and cherishing a love therefor. When the doctrine of the soon coming of Christ, as proclaimed especially in 1844, was rejected by the churches, a change in their religious condition at once became apparent. Well-defined and alarming symptoms of a sudden and widespread declension immediately appeared. This was seen and deplored throughout the length and breadth of the land. And the tendency from that day to this has been downward; for, notwithstanding great religious efforts since that time, and in many instances much apparent success, it has not been sufficient to stay the tide of evil rising in the land, which is now admitted to be higher than ever before. Next week we will present the testimony of men who cannot be accused of being either alarmists or croakers, who have borne witness to these lamentable facts. U. S.