THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES.
By Ethan Lanphear
WHAT are the signs of the times at the present day? The world, church, and infidels are all combined in the fashions and customs of the world. Paul says to Timothy (2 Tim. 3:2-5): "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, highminded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof; from such turn away." Was there ever a time when this scripture was more perfectly fulfilled than now? Are not men lovers of themselves, and covetous, and boasters, proud, blasphemers? and are not children, young men and women too, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy? and are they not without natural affection, truth-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, and despisers of those that are good? Was there ever a time as now when men made so much derision of the truly religious, calling them cranks and weak-minded? Was there ever so much form in churches kept up for outward show as at the present time? and was there ever so little godliness manifested? Does not the world and the church mix up without distinction? and men's money rather than the men of God rule the church? Are not men of the church proud and haughty, and the poor shut out, or placed back in the corner? Does the ordinary preacher preach to show men their transgressions and sins; or to tickle itching ears of those that pay the most to support him? Can you tell by dress, actions, and appearance who are church-members? Does not the church in every way commingle with the world in picnics, festivals, go-to-beach parties, dances, and join all manner of secret societies, and attend their club meetings, and lodges, and patronize beastly fights to the neglect of the church prayer and conference meetings, and thus disgrace true godliness? Do not professed Christians by action deny God and say that there is no virtue in their profession nor in the religion they profess? Are not church-members engaged in ball playing, rowing matches, bicycle racing, and in going where gambling is carried on continually? And do we not see ministers and deacons as well as laymen participating in these follies till we are forcibly reminded of the words of the preacher, "Vanity of vanities." Children are petted and allowed to have their own way, go to church or not, or go hunting, fishing, berrying, nutting, or visiting, or they may stay at home and read novels, and play cards, to use up the day. Is this an idle tale that I am telling? Travel over our country from ocean to ocean and you will find that there is not over one-seventh part of the masses that enter a church once a year, while the larger portion of those that do are women. Church-members and ministers, too, attend circuses, theaters, etc., and take their children to places where they learn no good thing, but rather the contrary. Church men are free with other men's wives, and the marriage relation is disregarded; divorce is common in the church and out of it for any little cause; and often it happens among ministers and deacons as of old when people and nations worshiped idols. Men talk and pray for temperance reform but vote for high license for the sake of party policy and worldly gain, as did Judas Iscariot in betraying the Saviour of the world. Men teach for doctrine the commandments of men. They would overthrow God's law by human legislation, and would persecute the saints of God, and imprison men that strive to obey God and keep his commandments. But Paul continues in the thirteenth verse: "But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived." Is it not time that God-fearing men begin to watch for the coming of the Lord? "For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." Matt. 24:38, 39. "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." Luke 13:3. ETHAN LANPHEAR.
Plainfield, N. J.