Reform always Up-hill Work.
By Roswell F. Cottrell
The tendency of fallen humanity is downward. It is hard to bring it up. If a work of reform is commenced, unless the most constant and untiring efforts are put forth, and the strictest watch maintained, there will be a relapse, and the work will soon be found going backward, the car rolling with increasing celerity down to the low level whence it started. And this very fact constitutes what is supposed to be a good reason for not engaging in a work of reform. “If this is necessary,” say they, “why don’t everybody see it, and act accordingly?” The proper reply to this question is, Seeing it, why do not you act upon it? But here the claim is put forth that they cannot see it; and the reason they cannot see it is because nobody else has seen it. It is thought that it cannot be necessary, because others have not, and do not, engage in it. It is easy for humanity, having known and embraced truth, to depart from it; but it is very difficult to induce it to return. This may be illustrated by the case of the falling away of Israel from the true God to the worship of Baal, in the days of Ahab and Jezebel, and the consequent work of reform which Elijah the prophet was called to proclaim. We will present the case in the form of a supposed dialogue. Baalite. “Art thou he that troubleth Israel?” Elijah. “I have not troubled Israel, but thou and thy father’s house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord; and thou hast followed Baalim.” B. Are you so bigoted as to think that none are true worshipers but yourself? If God is worshiped, what difference does it make whether we call him Jehovah or Baal? E. There is but one living and true God. He brought us out of Egypt, and commanded us to worship no other gods. So to worship the gods called Baalim is a violation of the commandment of Jehovah our God. B. What are names? The main thing is to have the spirit of worship. This constitutes the true worshiper. And our fathers from time immemorial have worshiped Baal. And they have been very pious and sincere worshipers. And if they have all been wrong in this, why has nobody ever found it out? E. In time past, they have, doubtless, for a long time, had less information on the subject than you now have. Light rejected brings condemnation. I have referred you to the commandment of Jehovah, and shown you what he requires. If you can tell me why you are not ready to obey, that may cast some light upon the reason why your fathers have not discovered and handed down to you the true light. If you reject truth which has been so clearly set before you, will not your children reiterate your argument, and say, “If this is the only right way, why have not our fathers, among whom were many learned men, discovered it? They were indeed religious, and devoted worshipers of Baal; hence we must conclude that he is the true God.” Now if you follow this course of falling back on the fathers, reform is impossible. I call upon you to reform. I present you the commandments of Jehovah. How long halt ye between two opinions? If Jehovah be God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him. The application is easy. Each reader can make it. The word of God has no weight with those who hold to the traditions of their fathers. When they fail to find anything in the Bible to favor their position and course, they fall back on the fathers as a sure foundation. They may admire the conduct and fortitude of a Luther and other reformers, who boldly protested against the corruptions of the Roman popedom; but had they lived in those days, they would have clung to the “mother church,” and opposed the Reformation. And had they lived in the days when it was fashionable to worship Baal, the voice of Elijah would have been unheeded by them. Reform is up-hill work. Dead fish will float down stream; none but live ones will make head against the current. R. F. COTTRELL.