Increasing Worldliness by Frederick M. Wilcox

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Aug 7, 1913

Increasing Worldliness

By Frederick M. Wilcox

A GREAT flood of worldliness is sweeping over the professed church of Christ. This is so apparent to every observer that a citation of facts and figures is not necessary. The sorrowful admission is wrung from many devoted Christians in the various churches that the flood-tide of evil has set in strongly toward worldly pleasures and dissipation, commercialism, display, etc.

The Seventh-day Adventist Church is not without its dangers with respect to these matters. Unconsciously this spirit will enter the church and will affect the lives of its members unless there is maintained continually a spirit of prayer and of watchfulness. Already in some of our churches there are members succumbing to these evils. How may these careless ones be helped? Criticism will not do it. That will serve only to add recklessness, and perhaps bitterness, to indifference and carelessness. Our ministers and church officers should conscientiously and kindly, without personal reference, set the principles relating to these questions before our churches. Those who have entered upon paths of danger should be kindly and considerately labored with. They should be awakened to the demands of this work upon their time and talents.

If those who now find pleasure in worldly pursuits could come to know the joy of Christian service, the satisfaction that comes into the life surrendered to God, this peace and joy would leave no room and permit no longing for the pleasure which comes through selfish enjoyment. We need today to enlist the lives and energies of the members of our church in service for God. Our church today does not need preachers so much as it needs teachers. The need of our members is not sermonizing, but the placing before them of definite plans for missionary service, and their enlistment in that service. It is not enough as preachers that we present before our churches abstract theories or the great principles of the truth. This is well and good, but having done that, we need to sit down with our brethren and sisters, plan with them and for them, suggesting to them different ways and means by which the principles we have taught can be put into practical operation.

A working church will be a live church; it will never become a backslidden church. During the camp-meetings many will receive a revival of Christian experience. Their great danger will be after returning to their homes. Removed from the immediate influence of the meeting, many will be in danger of falling back into the old ruts. This evil will be averted if our ministers and the officers of our churches will see to it that every member has a part in definite Christian service for others. Christian labor is the great panacea for spiritual ills. Let us seek to revive in all our churches the old-time personal missionary spirit. This, above all else, will save our people from the natural drift to worldliness and indifference.

F. M. W.