p. 304 | Worldliness

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Oct 10, 1878

Worldliness.

The following extract from an article in Zion's Herald portrays the present worldly condition of the popular churches :—

A noticeable wave of worldliness has broken over the church. Many in the church have become just as eager as others for accumulation. They prize the opportunities bestowed by wealth for show and for the gratification of appetite. They are willing to give money to the church, if they can have their own choice as to her ministers, and the ordering of her worship ; they feel no personal obligation to sustain her devotional services, and their voices are never heard in her meetings for prayer and praise ; they are known as sharp and daring operators upon the streets ; they are quite sure to fall into the snares of the devil ; they lose their hold upon God ; their delicate sense of the wrongfulness of sin is blunted, their gracious power of overcoming the tempter is dissipated, and suddenly they stand disclosed before the community, discovered, exposed, traitors to God and man, dishonored and wretched, if not ruined for time and eternity.

It must be confessed, also, that many of the ministers have a very elastic interpretation of their solemn and sublime charge at the hands of God. Their responsibilities set very easily upon their shoulders. They are willing to meet their regular public services ; but as to the financial interests of the church, the discharge of her duty in reference to the great Christian charities, her aggressive power in the community, the character of her members, the condition of her poor and sick, and especially of her children, they do not permit themselves to be burdened heavily with any anxiety in these respects ; they are as eager for vacation as a school-boy. The Sunday and week-day public services being rendered, their labors are ended.

The postoffice address of Elder A. O. Burrill, is Battle Creek, Michigan, until further notice.