THE CHURCH AND THE WORLD

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 3, 1867

THE CHURCH AND THE WORLD.

The low spiritual condition of the popular churches of the land, is a fact plain to all careful observers. Church members themselves see it, and not a few are frank to own it. They know that the world speak well of them; but they, perhaps, do not think of the words of Christ: “Woe unto you when all men shall speak well of you.” And this language is applicable to them; for the reason why men speak well of them is because they do nothing to disturb their carnal security, or mar their visions of coming peace and prosperity, though they should still pursue a course of wickedness and sin. And the woe is pronounced upon those thus spoken well of, because so in olden times the false prophets were spoken well of, from the fact that they spoke smooth things and prophesied deceit to the people.

Church members know that “the world caresses the church;” but they do not stop to think what a condition this shows them to be in, as tested by the declaration of the apostle, that they who will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

They know that the line of demarkation between the church and the world is almost wholly obliterated; but perhaps they do not often think of the sentence which Inspiration has pronounced upon such a state of things, that, whoso will be the friend of the world is the enemy of God; and how the Lord has said that his people are not of the world.

With these remarks we commend to the reader the following frank statements from Prof. S. C. Bartlett, of Chicago, as we find them in the N. Y. Independent:

“The men that are shy of showing their religion have not died out. Religion now is in a different position from Methodism then. To a certain extent it is a very reputable thing. Christianity is, in our day, something of a success. Men “speak well of it.” Ex-presidents and statesmen have been willing to round off their career with a recognition of its claims. And the popularity of religion tends vastly to increase the number of those who would secure its benefits without squarely meeting its duties. The church courts the world, and the world caresses the church. The line of separation between the godly and the irreligious fades out into a kind of penumbra, and zealous men on both sides are toiling to obliterate all difference between their modes of action and enjoyment. Half-converted men ally themselves to the church as a place of safety; and complacent ministers invite the men “of no church at all” to the table of the Lord. In our recoil from Ritualism there is no small disposition to disparage Christ’s own solemn ordinances; and in this mixing of the church and the world there is the strongest tendency to a general watering of religion.”