p. 119 | WHY IT IS TRUE

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Feb 25, 1889

WHY IT IS TRUE.

MR. MOODY is credited with the following utterance, in a recent discourse delivered in San Francisco, upon the coming of the Lord:—

“The world is no better now than it was before Christ was crucified. A person who has had light, and sins, is a great deal worse than one who has had no light. Dupont Street is a great deal worse than Chinatown, and the men who hire the girls in the saloons, are infinitely worse than the women in Chinatown. I want to impress upon you four great facts, three of which have been fulfilled: First, it was prophesied that Christ would come, and he did; second, he said he would save sinners, and he did; third, he said he would send the Holy Ghost to carry on his work, and the Holy Ghost came. The fourth fact is that he will come back according to his promise. The first three have been fulfilled, and so will the fourth.”

This is true, not because Mr. Moody said so, but because the Bible says so. The popular opinion is that the world is growing better, and that erelong everybody will be converted; but the word of God says that “in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof; from such turn away.” 2 Tim. 3:1-5.

It is safe to say that considering the enlightenment of the world, there never has been a period since the flood when all classes were more completely steeped in sin than at the present time. Civilization gives a gild and a gloss to modern society, which was unknown among more primitive peoples, but wickedness is none the less great. Men may flatter themselves, as many do, that they are as good as their neighbors, and very much better than some who lived in the Dark Ages, and that altogether the world is growing better; but God, who looks at the heart, knows that it is not so, and soon the command will go forth, “Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe; come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow, for their wickedness is great.” Surely we should sound an alarm, and say, “The day of the Lord cometh;” “it is nigh at hand.”