A Worm at the Root by Jos. Clarke

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 13, 1865

A Worm at the Root.

By Jos. Clarke

Taking up a religious periodical this morning, I was greatly interested in perusing it. Its religious matter was mostly of a profitable character, its selections in good taste, I was charmed with it. In fact, I said to myself, How can a person who has not a knowledge of the present truth, and of the times in which we live, avoid being carried along with the popular current? How can such an one discover the worm at the root, which is and has been, eating out for many long years the vitality of the church.

But how can this be? says one, Did not you just say that you were charmed with it? Yes, I was charmed, as I would be with a beautiful tree, which had once borne excellent fruit but having undergone some change, had ceased to bear good fruit, although its shape and foliage were still beautiful.

What have you seen in this religious periodical which you call evil fruit? I have seen articles, which had a bearing directly opposed to the great work of religious reform as it is advocated by the S. D. A. churches; articles directly opposed to God's holy law, and the testimony of the Old and New testaments, relative to the fulfillment of prophecy, and these articles warned all to avoid such as were spreading these truths, calling them heresy and fanaticism.

This is the worm at the root which is ruining the Protestant churches everywhere. A greater light is now being rejected by these churches, than was rejected by the chief priests and elders at the trial of Jesus Christ.

These churches by their various means and agencies, are doing much to enlighten mankind in the circulation of vast numbers of religious books and periodicals; and by means of missionaries and the ministry they are doing much; but, alas! the grand sublime truths applicable to the last perilous days of the church of God on earth, which the word of God expressly makes known, for the especial benefit of the people of God in these times are by them ignored. More than this, they cover these truths in error and confusion. This their crime, is similar to those who misled the people in the time of Christ's sojourn upon the earth.

This is the worm which is eating out the vitality of the popular Christianity of our times. This is the crime of Christendom in 1865. So perfect is the counterfeit Christianity of our day, and so current is it with mankind, that all who are willing to be deceived, have a very fair opportunity of being victims of the "deceivableness" of which the Bible warns us.

Jos. CLARKE.