Former Times vs. Modern.
By Uriah Smith
STRANGE as it may seem to those who have eyes to discern the present moral condition of society, there are multitudes who claim, and perhaps really believe, that the world is daily growing better; and in support of their claim they will refer to some particular defects of past times, which modern enlightenment has remedied, and consider that a triumphant settlement of the question in their favor. This is illustrated by a letter we have received from a friend in New Hampshire. He says:— “You seem to delight in trying to believe the world never was so corrupt and wicked before. Have you read history? Look at England two centuries ago. Think of the hanging of Quakers, witches, &c. A century and a half ago, you would not have been tolerated; and if you had lived in those ‘good old times,’ your life would have been short or your doctrines changed.” And we imagine if our friend had his way, we should not long be tolerated now, unless we changed our doctrines; and so the present would be no improvement in this respect over the past. But does he not perceive that he is speaking about one thing, and we about another? Why were Quakers hanged, and Baptists whipped and banished, a century and a half ago? Was it because the morals of men were then so corrupt? because there was so much adultery, and murder, and defalcation, and cheating, and covetousness, and thieving, and robbery, and lawlessness, in the land? No; but quite the reverse. It was because the conscientiousness of the people was raised to that pitch that the devil could pervert it to his own use, and lead men into the bigotry and sin of persecution for opinion’s sake. But society has now put on another phase. And we utter no mere opinion of our own, but simply echo the general sentiment expressed in almost every newspaper in the country when we say that violence fills the land, blood touches blood, equity is fallen in the streets, bribery turns away justice, and fraud, adultery, and murder, are rampant in all parts of the country. Even in the small inland cities like our own, we find those standing apparently at the head of society in wealth and position, in their private life false to every principle of chastity and honor. The degree of corruption which is in our days general, pervading all classes of society, the high and low, the rich and poor, is almost equal to the worst local manifestations of ancient times. And how does the civil and religious liberty we now enjoy help this state of things in the sight of Heaven? This liberty itself is by thousands upon thousands perverted to the most unbridled license. This liberty does not transmute vice into virtue, nor the filth of corruption into the white robes of innocence. It does not make men’s characters better in the sight of God, nor will it restrain the judgments which he has threatened against such practices. As the word of God has said it should be in the last days, iniquity abounds, the love of many waxes cold, evil men and seducers wax worse and worse, the form of godliness supersedes the power, Satan works with lying wonders, and foul spirits and hateful birds invade even the precincts of the professed church. It requires the exercise of the graces of the Spirit to discern clearly the present age of the world; 2 Pet. 1: 9; but worldly men, philanthropists, statesmen, see enough to startle and alarm them. Christ said to the men of his time, “He that hath ears to hear let him hear.” We may say, He that hath eyes to see let him see! U. S.