Babylon is Fallen by J. O. Corliss

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 9, 1875

Babylon is Fallen.

By J. O. Corliss

Much has been said and written concerning the apocalyptic Babylon, and different applications have been made of that symbol. Some have been untiring in their efforts to show that it is a figure of the city of Rome merely; others have been just as zealous in appropriating it to the papal hierarchy; while a third class, more vigorous in their applications, have bestowed the appellation of “Babylon” upon all the popular churches of the day, and have been loud in denunciation of those who would not heed the injunction, “Come out of her, my people,” until many have turned away with dislike, declaring they would hear no more.

We would not particularly object to an application of the above symbol to every form of corrupt Christianity in which tumult and confusion exist, as the word Babylon signifies confusion, and comes from Babel, the place where God confounded the language of those who attempted to build a tower that should reach to heaven, but are firm in our convictions that it has reference to professed worshipers of God who have, because of spiritual fornication with the world, been rejected of him; and that there is a moral fall is testified by the withdrawal of his Holy Spirit, leaving them to be guided by a counter influence which causes them to inscribe on their banners creeds as various as the inclinations which prompted them.

No class of people have been more assiduous in inveighing against the “Babel” of opinions held by the religious world than first-day Adventists; yet if we carefully read their journals from week to week, we are astonished at the contradictions found in them. While one writer attempts by a labored argument to prove a set time

for the Lord to come, another maintains that we can know nothing of definite time, and he therefore repudiates it. One writes an article setting forth Christian baptism in a beautiful manner as contrasted with other modes, while another favors trine immersion. One will persistently affirm that the first day of the week is the Christian Sabbath, while another stubbornly denies the existence of any such institution. Before me lies a late number of the Bible Banner, containing an article showing that “the grand pageant of the coming kingdom will be led by the ‘Prince of Life,’” and all who follow him will have been clothed with eternal life, and will enter into the city of God; while directly following it is an item in which the writer labors to prove that probation will exist after the Lord comes.

We might show other discrepancies which have tended to bewilder and dishearten honest seekers after truth. The above confusion of opinions is not confined to a few writers; for oral discussions of important subjects are attended with the same manifestation, no two giving the same version. They thus subject the truths of the Advent doctrine to unjust reproach from those who are able to detect these incongruities, and cut off many opportunities for doing good.

Consistency in teaching the Bible is just as necessary as in any other calling in life, and in those callings uniformity of sentiment and action is demanded to insure success. The prophet Isaiah, speaking of the consummation says: “Thy watchman shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing; for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord shall bring again Zion.” Isa. 52:8. Unity will be found to be a distinguishing characteristic of the true people of God in the last days. J. O. CORLISS.