“IS CHRISTIANITY A FAILURE?”
The following article, written for the New York Herald, James Gordon Bennett’s paper, was called out in response to articles which had previously appeared in the Herald discussing the subject, “Is Christianity a Failure?” A correspondent sends it, and asks if it was written by an Adventist. We leave the reader to judge. Before complaining that Christianity has failed, should we not examine fairly what Christianity was meant to accomplish so far as the only authority we have on the subject (the Bible) tells us? All through the New Testament we have Christ’s own words that he came not to rule this world, but to warn it—to make it perceive that it is a fallen world in need of redemption. He says, “The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.” “Father, glorify thy Son, as thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.” “I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world.” “I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me.” He never once urged his followers to seek influence in worldly affairs, to look after politics or fame, or even intellectual influence. He said: “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things [for daily living] shall be added unto you.” There is no word that the mission of the church was to reform the world. He came to redeem sinners out of a condemned world. The Bible tells us that this world is for a length of time in Satan’s power; that it will grow worse and worse until the time of Christ’s coming again, when he will conquer Satan and become the real ruler. Until that time he only wants his followers to remain patient in suffering, steadfast in faith, and to keep unspotted from the world. We are never told to rule it or guide it. St. Paul says, “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not without help.” “Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” “We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places;” and “beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit,” etc. “In every direction,” says one of your correspondents, “we find a yearning after something new in religion.” Alas! what he wants is simply the true faith, the love of Christ. Then his own soul will be renewed, and that is the only thing new any one can find about any religion. Because he has the yearning, let this anxious soul pray earnestly, giving up all intellectual speculations for a while, allowing the still, small voice of spiritual life to enter his mind, and he will find the new light, which is new to every one of us in a certain moment, although old as eternity in itself. He complains over the “extraordinary disturbance that prevails in the religious elements”—well! and in all other elements? In social, political, commercial elements as well? Was there ever so much trouble, and stagnation, and breaking down, and disaster? Is that the Christian’s fault? Can the true believers possibly help that among them, in all congregations and denominations, hypocrites and shallow, formal shams of people intermingle, calling themselves Christians and drawing blame and shame over the few faithful ones? In the parables the Lord foresaw all this, and told us how the good seed must grow with the tares until the harvest time should come. Your correspondent speaks of “the pain and anxiety of those who believe that in a pure and undefiled Christianity lies the permanency of governments, and the happiness and prosperity of peoples.” Let him wait for the harvest time, and not expect the fruit before the time. Who runs this world, after all? The Bible tells us that this dispensation shall come to an end, with all those signs of distress of nations, famines, plagues, wars, that we now all see. A conflict is raging between good and evil far beyond our little interferences. We are told that before the day of Christ shall be at hand, much tribulation and disorders will appear; “for that day shall not come except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin [anti-Christ] be revealed, the son of perdition, who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped, so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” 2 Thess. 2. “Remember ye not that when I was yet with you, I told you these things?” And instead of watching and noticing the fulfillments of all these warnings, instead of cheering one another in faith and hope, remembering his words, shall we put forth our criticisms, saying, “Why does God do this, or allow that, or neglect this?” Can we dare to accuse him and his gospel of failure? If everything seems to go wrong, shall we not comprehend that he may have his reasons; that he knows what we know not, and so learn to stoop down to our daily task, and wait, and say, “His will be done.” The fruit of the Lord’s personal ministry when on earth was only about one hundred and twenty souls. The population of the world, as reckoned now, is about one billion four hundred millions. Of these, only three hundred and thirty-five millions are Christians, even in name. This does not prove that Christianity has failed. It proves that Christianity never was meant to conquer and rule during this dispensation, but to stand as a witness until the prince of this world should have done with his experiment to rule it without God, should be cast out, and bound. We must not forget that Satan has power yet, and that he works even in the world’s religions. Does not the Bible speak of an apostate church, and how God remembers her iniquities and will utterly destroy her? Rev. 18. Forms of churches will crumble, are crumbling. The faithful are secretly marked, Rev. 7: 3, and will be gathered to the true church of God. Remember how “two men shall be working in the field, and one shall be taken and the other left;” how only half of the virgins going out to meet the bridegroom will be ready and acceptable; and when the foolish other half of them shall knock, and call, “Lord, Lord, open to us!” he shall answer them, “I never knew you.” “Many are called, but few chosen.” No, no! let not your hearts be troubled, but believe in God, and let him manage it all. As John says, “Little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth.”