p. 77 | BABYLON FALLEN by Eld. M. E. Cornell

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Michigan · Aug 2, 1864

BABYLON FALLEN

By Eld. M. E. Cornell

Interesting Extracts. No. 6.

BY ELD. M. E. CORNELL.

BABYLON FALLEN.

Mr. Hopkins, in a Treatise on the Millennium, says, "There is no reason to consider the anti-Christian spirit and practices, confined to that which is now called the church of Rome. The Protestant churches have much of anti-Christ in them, and are far from being wholly reformed from the corruptions and wickedness. There is great reason to conclude that the world, particularly that part of it called Christian and Protestant, will yet make greater and more rapid advances in all kinds of moral corruption, and open wickedness, till it will come to that state in which it will be fully ripe."

Mr. Simpson, in his Plea for Religion, says, "We Protestants, too, read the declaration of the third angel, against the worshipers of the beast and his image, and make ourselves easy under the awful denunciation, by applying it exclusively to the church of Rome, never dreaming that they are equally applicable not only to the English, but to every church establishment in Christendom which retains any of the marks of the beast. For though the Pope and church of Rome is at the head of the grand 1,260 years' delusion, yet all other churches, of whatever denomination, whether established or tolerated, which partake of the same spirit, or have instituted doctrines or ceremonies inimical to the pure and unadulterated gospel of Christ, shall sooner or later share the fate of that immense fabric of human ordinances; and that Protestant churches should imitate the church of Rome, in this worst part of its conduct, can never be sufficiently bewailed."

Mr. Harthy, a learned and sensible churchman, has remarked as follows: "There are many prophecies which declare the fall of the ecclesiastical powers of the Christian world; and though each church seems to flatter itself with the hopes of being exempted, yet it is very plain that the propheciated characters belong to all. They all have left the true, pure, simple religion, and teach for doctrines the commandments of men."

ALLEGORIES AND PARABLES.

"To this language of actions and types, the Orientals added another, that of allegories and parables. They brought them into discourse, and as travelers inform us, still bring them in, in such a manner, that if one was not apprised of this custom, it would be easy to make mistakes, and to take figures for facts, and parables for real actions."—Jews' Letters to Voltaire, p. 293.

On the above the learned editor remarks, "Thus, it is a doubt among Christians whether the beggar Lazarus and the Samaritan are parables or true histories."

AN OBJECTION ANSWERED.

" 'No public prayer appointed.' Perhaps the hours were not fixed, nor the forms settled, as they were since; but certainly the Israelites did not remain forty years in the wilderness without public prayer. And do we not frequently see, in the Pentateuch, the people assembled before the Lord to worship him, implore his assistance, or mitigate his wrath? Was not this public prayer? Those critics think they have a right to deny the appointment of it in general, because it is not formally expressed in the books of Moses; but neither is it to be found in Joshua nor Judges. Do they imagine that, during this long space of time, the Jews had no public prayer?"—Jews' Letters to Voltaire, p. 211.

NOTE.—The above objection by the infidel Voltaire is precisely the same as is now brought by professed Christians against the Sabbath. It was not binding before Sinai because there is no positive record of its being kept.