p. 123 | God or Mammon, Which? by Golden Censer

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 30, 1873

God or Mammon, Which?

By Golden Censer

In contrast with the developments of the nineteenth century, stand the men of iron sinew and dauntless hearts of the Reformation period. To be a follower of our blessed Lord in those days of persecution often cost life itself. The earth drank of the blood of the victims, while the saints went up from the inquisition, the prison, the dungeon, and the flames, singing songs of victory over the “world, the flesh, and the devil.” We look back over the years, and wonder if Luther, Whitefield, Wesley, Knox, and a host of others, did not make too much of religion; whether their faith has not become obsolete. It is true they had the Lord and the apostles, and the early church as examples; but then, after all, judging by the way the world looks at those events, it might have done well enough for the past, but this is a progressive age; men have new ideas of things. “Hell fire,” as a man expressed himself in our hearing, “is played out.” There must be some new, broad way—not the broad way that leads to death—leading up to the gates of Heaven, or else how can we reconcile the present with the past?

We were looking over a new religious paper, started only last winter in New York, by three of the most prominent ministers of that city, for the sole purpose of setting forth the glory of the Lord in the churches of the land, and we were surprised, pained, and astonished to find two of its columns given up to advertising a circus! We had to ask ourselves, Is it possible? These three ministers virtually ask all their readers throughout the land—as far as the circulation of their paper goes—to attend the circus. This is their way of “setting forth the glory of the Lord.”

Some years ago, a young man of no ordinary ability and promise of usefulness, edited a Sunday-school periodical in Chicago, and his name was upon the lips of every Sabbath-school worker in the North-west. To-day he is in New York writing novels. This is his method of glorifying God. While reading one of our exchanges, another religious paper, our eyes were attracted by this: “The Mystery of Metropolisville,” in large type, together with the advertisement of four other works of the same novel writer above referred to. Thus ministers of the gospel write novels and the religious papers advertise them, and, what?—why, the Christian people buy and read them! Why not? “Like priest, like people.”

Reading a Saratoga correspondent’s letter to an eastern paper, we noticed the mention of a college president as giving a most able sermon in the Second Presbyterian church to a large and appreciative audience, while at that very time he was advertised in the Saratogian as one of the managers of a “grand fancy ball.” How are the mighty fallen! This learned president is an instructor of the youth—candidates for the ministry it may be. He teaches, preaches, and helps in managing “grand fancy balls.” What kind of ministers will be given to the church as the young men shall graduate from his college?

Again: Upon the recent celebration of the seventy-ninth birthday of a venerable Methodist minister, he gave utterance to the following language. Speaking of entering that day upon his eightieth year, he said, “I feel that time with me is short. This I should not regret if I felt fully prepared for my final change.”

What a humiliating admission! A member of the church, a minister of the gospel for sixty years, feeding the flock of Christ over which the Holy Ghost has made him an overseer, and going in and out before the Israel of God as one of its chosen leaders for a lifetime, and now while upon the very threshold of the grave, living in “bondage unto fear”—not fully prepared to go hence!

But why prolong this list of God and mammon servants? The heart sickens, and one is almost discouraged in trying to roll back the terrible tide of evil which this class of gospel ministers are spreading over the land. No wonder that those who are trying to follow Israel’s God are looked upon with contempt. There is evidently a mistake somewhere. Either Christ and the religion that cost him his life to establish has become obsolete, or the church and her ministers are in a fearful state of apostasy. And what is the result? The people have become proud, having the form of godliness, but denying the power thereof. Instead of going up to the courts of the Lord to worship him in his temple, they go to show their fine clothes and to see what others have to wear. Instead of the plain gospel sermons which prick men to the heart, and make men cry out, “Men and brethren, what shall we do to be saved?” the preacher delivers a very eloquent essay upon the “cosmogony,” the “geological ages,” the “fossiliferous period,” in short, anything but the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thus the few go to the church, not to have their souls fed, but to be entertained, while the world at large is stumbling into hell over this godless profession and mock religion. And, what might have been anticipated, the church has lost its grasp on the souls of men. It is powerless to do them good, and hence the general letting down of all moral restraints, and crime is advancing with terrible strides in every department of life. The papers are filled with intelligence of red-handed villainy in the land. Almost every day some new horror is disclosed. The very foundations of society seem to be loose. The evil in humanity, unrestrained by any efficient check, is dominant in all ranks. Vulgar sin is constantly being complimented by polished villainy. The transgressor, from the haunts of ignorance and the dens of infamy, enters prison doors, and is speedily joined by the out-law fresh from cultured scenes and halls of respectability. We are seeing what is in man, what his nature is capable of producing. When under full headway, society’s laws interpose but small opposition. The thrall of chains and the ignominy of the gibbet are not enough to restrain the human demon. Is there, then, no hope? Yes, in God. The world is slow in making this discovery. O merciful Father! “let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just!”

We are aware that it is exceedingly unpopular to write thus plain. But the times demand plain dealing. Had we the power, we would strip off the kid gloves and superfluities of every minister, and implore them to sound the gospel trumpet loud, clear, and long, until the people were aroused from the terrible sleep which is more fatal than death. Oh! that men would obey the voice of the Almighty, and shout to Israel’s host, “In the name of the Lord, go forward!” “Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” “He that believeth shall be saved, he that believeth not shall be damned.” May God help us to rightly understand our relation to him, our duty to the world, the object of our existence, and the grand possibilities within our grasp, and then will it be possible for us to glorify him upon the earth, and finish the work he has given us to do.—Golden Censer.