The Form of Godliness

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 7, 1873

“The Form of Godliness.”

There can be no doubt that “the form of godliness” must be looked for with those who profess godliness, and a denial of “the power thereof” indicates a declension of piety among professors of Christianity. The Scriptures show that this characteristic will be general in “the last days.” But so fast have the churches degenerated of late that in many cases the form of godliness is scarcely seen. On Sunday morning they meet, and prayers are said, and a religious essay is read, but in almost everything else that is called “religious,” there is but little of the “form” of godliness. And yet, when we point to their “fall” as a fulfillment of prophecy, we are charged with a lack of “charity.” But true charity “rejoiceth in the truth,” and “not in iniquity.”

The “religious papers” of the land are falling under the pressure of worldly influence. Most of them have their “serial” stories, or novelettes, which are a half-way between the “Sunday-school library” story and the sensational novel. Advertisements of all kinds find their way into many of these “religious” papers, while Bible truth and pure morality are at a heavy discount.

The following we copy from the correspondence of the Golden Censer, a small paper, of unpretending appearance, but uncompromising in its opposition to formality in religion, printed in Rockford, Ill.:—

“On the fourth of July last, there was in this place a Methodist church festival. The pastor of the church, prior to the event, frequently urged the members of his congregation to participate in the coming festival. Great efforts were made to obtain the necessary provisions for the occasion, and a large committee was chosen to go from house to house, to solicit the desired funds, who scrupled not to call on the poor, some of whom are deprived of the comforts of life. But what seemed the most remarkable was this: One of the brethren afterwards remarked in class-meeting, that ‘he had prayed that it would stop raining on the evening of the festival, and that he had also heard that the minister had prayed for the same thing.’ Their talk amounted to this: ‘that their prayers had been answered.’”

“Now let us observe for a moment the relations, and see the inconsistency. This brother had prayed, according to his own words, many times for a revival of religion, and we all know that his prayers have not been answered, as the revival has not yet come. How strange that the Lord should answer prayers to let the people, professors and sinners, have a good time to gormandize, and indulge in sensualities for the avowed purpose of obtaining money to buy silver cups and other extravagances for the church, and not answer the prayer for the revival of the work of his kingdom, and save precious souls!”

“At this so-called pious feast, they sold indulgences in the shape of cigars, and took in, I think it was said, for peanuts alone, fifty dollars in one half of an hour.”

“The silly stuff which was published in the papers concerning this festival is sickening. I will give a specimen. A young man, Mr. ———, went from house to house to urge the people to prepare provisions and other necessaries for the festival, telling them that in so doing they were giving it to the Lord. Now what makes this an impious jest is, this young man is ungodly, is addicted to profanity, and indulges in the use of cigars. Another expression: In referring to the amount of money they netted for peanuts, the paper says, Mr. ———, whose truth and veracity none will question, said that it was not a good day for peanuts either. This Mr. ——— is also a profane and an ungodly man. Are not the church and the world amalgamated?”

We find in one of our exchanges the following announcement which is copied from the Elmira Advertiser:—