Below the Standard by F. R. Richmond

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 21, 1875

Below the Standard.

By F. R. Richmond

A VERY close observation is not required to notice the departure of the modern churches from the “old paths,” and that they are far below the standard erected by the word of God. Watch them through their yearly routine. Commencing the year with the excitement of great revivals, which usually result in the so-called conversion of large numbers, they appear to have some devotion, and to be accomplishing some good.

These converts consist largely of the young who, unless thoroughly converted, continually desire a change; and as the excitement wears away, the meetings become uninteresting to them. They are held less frequently, and as spring approaches, sugar parties, and still later, strawberry-festivals, take their place. These, with the picnics which follow, are means of retaining the young converts in the church; and while they do not tend, as they are conducted, to increase a love for sacred things in the hearts of the converts, they create in the older members a relish for worldly pleasure. As the year comes around, it finds a large portion of the converts apostatized, and the church in as great need of a revival as before—perhaps greater. If the order were reversed and the conversion of the church, to the world was requisite for the introduction of the millennium, we might have some ground for faith in its near approach.

A gentleman not professing religion brought his wife who is a Sabbath-keeper to the N. E. camp-meeting. The Methodists were holding a camp-meeting at the time but a few miles from the S. D. Adventists’; and as this gentleman had lived among the Methodists in his younger years, and was, perhaps, somewhat prejudiced in their favor, he attended their meeting one afternoon. They and their meeting came far short of his expectations formed from former acquaintance with them.

The ground was well arranged with all the conveniences for ease and pleasure. More pains seemed to have been taken to supply the demands of nature than were taken by the multitude who followed the Saviour into the desert; for at the boarding-house there was provided to feast the appetite a great variety of rich dishes, such as chicken, roast beef, spare-rib, cakes, pies, &c.

Just outside the ground our friend saw a swing made similar to a clothes-reel, to the arms of which were attached wooden horses, upon which persons were allowed to ride by paying the fare, the apparatus being operated by horse power. He supposed that this was an outside affair, and patronized only by the rabble; but what was his surprise as he entered the crowd gathered around it to hear one lady say to another, “Bro. A. preaches this afternoon.” “Yes,” was the reply, “he had commenced when I came away;” thus showing that, although a professor of religion, she was more interested in swinging than in the sermon.

Upon a small lake near the ground there were quite a number of pleasure boats to let to those who desired such amusement as they afforded; and the banks of the lake were covered by a crowd who seemed to enjoy this sport more than they would listening to a plain, cutting, practical discourse. Preaching that shows what sin is and the corruptness of the human heart is not the kind that takes well at such places. Our friend judged from the conversation he heard around the lake that nearly one-half of the company were church members. These had consented to lose a sermon for the sake of amusement. Our friend left the place convinced that the Methodists are not now what they once were, and feeling satisfied that, if they were right, and sure of Heaven, the path he was treading would take him there too. Is not this the class spoken of by Paul in his second epistle to Timothy as “lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying [by their actions] the power thereof”?

There may be no sin in a little simple recreation at the proper time and place; but when professing Christians are more interested in boating and swinging than in hearing the word of God, at a meeting, too, where every member ought to be interested in getting his heart right before God and laboring for his unconverted friends, it shows plainly that either the members, or the preachers, or both, are not up to the true standard of piety. They are in a fallen condition.

Expounders of the prophecies differ very much as to what is symbolized by Babylon, but the modern churches are very plainly fulfilling the eighteenth chapter of Revelation.

F. R. RICHMOND.

Brightwood, Mass.