HOPES FAILING | AdventAI

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 23, 1879

HOPES FAILING.

The hopes which have been aroused by the excitements in the Christian world, the revivals, religious conventions, etc., for the few years last past, have not been realized; and the thoughtful are regarding the situation with feelings of alarm.

Ministers of different denominations, in conference with D. L. Moody, in Baltimore, propose to extend the week of prayer through the entire month of January, and to pray for a revival of religion throughout the land. Speaking of past observances of the week of prayer, they say:—

“The observance of this week has been attended with great blessings in the past; but, as is well-known, in many cases the cheering expectations excited have failed to be realized. Though all seemed ripe for large spiritual results, the work having come to an end, the interest has subsided.

“It is proposed to follow up the approaching week of prayer by continuous effort in all the churches through that month.”

They then proceed to state the alarming features of our times which suggest the necessity of a great awakening, as follows:—

“The signs of the times point to the need of a great quickening of religious life. The forces of evil concentrated in our great cities, the financial and political corruption, the alarming encroachments on the Sabbath, the thickening snares for the young, the growing skepticism, as well as the intensely secular spirit of the age, are enough to awaken apprehension for our institutions, and for the social fabric itself. Can anything short of a great quickened religious life arrest this tide of evil?”

That observing persons should see these things is natural. How can any one help seeing them? That they should feel alarm, and cast about for some way to avert the direful results so visibly threatened, is well. But in their present efforts they are like men who beat the air. They leave out from the list of the implements of their warfare those weapons which would be mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.

A great sin lies at the door of Christendom. The law of God is ignored—in too many cases despised. God’s Sabbath is trodden down by professedly Christian feet. Of this sin they must repent by turning from it. The time has come for a reform right here. It is laid down in prophecy and must be fulfilled. The Judgment hastens on apace. A people must be prepared; and they who are prepared will be found not only loving and trusting Christ, but also loving and obeying God, keeping his law because, like Paul, they delight in it after the inward man.

Vain will be the hopes of those who in this age and land of gospel light, and under the sound of the warning message which is going forth, meet their returning King as commandment-breakers. Though they may say, “Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name,” he will say, “Depart from me, ye that work iniquity,” ἀνομία, “violation of law.”

Neither can God bless to any lasting good, efforts at religious reform put forth outside of the agencies which he is now employing to fit a people for that crowning event, the coming of his Son.