the great controversy-第76部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


constituting　the　church　of　Christ；　〃the　pillar　and　ground　of　the　truth。〃
Hence　they　felt　themselves　justified　in　separating　from　their　former
connection。　In　the　summer　of　1844　about　fifty　thousand　withdrew　from　the
churches。

About　this　time　a　marked　change　was　apparent　in　most　of　the　churches
throughout　the　United　States。　There　had　been　for　many　years　a　gradual　but
steadily　increasing　conformity　to　worldly　practices　and　customs；　and　a
corresponding　decline　in　real　spiritual　life；　but　in　that　year　there　were
evidences　of　a　sudden　and　marked　declension　in　nearly　all　the　churches　of
the　land。　While　none　seemed　able　to　suggest　the　cause；　the　fact　itself　was
widely　noted　and　commented　upon　by　both　the　press　and　the　pulpit。

At　a　meeting　of　the　presbytery　of　Philadelphia；　Mr。　Barnes；　author　of　a
commentary　widely　used　and　pastor　of　one　of　the　leading　churches　in　that
city；　〃stated　that　he　had　been　in　the　ministry　for　twenty　years；　and　never；
till　the　last　Communion；　had　he　administered　the　ordinance　without　receiving
more　or　less　into　the　church。　But　now　there　are　no　awakenings；　no
conversions；　not　much　apparent　growth　in　grace　in　professors；　and　none　come
to　his　study　to　converse　about　the　salvation　of　their　souls。　With　the
increase　of

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　377

business；　and　the　brightening　prospects　of　commerce　and　manufacture；　there
is　an　increase　of　worldly…mindedness。　Thus　it　is　with　all　the
denominations。〃Congregational　Journal；　May　23；　1844。

In　the　month　of　February　of　the　same　year；　Professor　Finney　of　Oberlin
College　said：　〃We　have　had　the　fact　before　our　minds；　that；　in　general；　the
Protestant　churches　of　our　country；　as　such；　were　either　apathetic　or
hostile　to　nearly　all　the　moral　reforms　of　the　age。　There　are　partial
exceptions；　yet　not　enough　to　render　the　fact　otherwise　than　general。　We
have　also　another　corroborated　fact：　the　almost　universal　absence　of　revival
influence　in　the　churches。　The　spiritual　apathy　is　almost　all…pervading；　and
is　fearfully　deep；　so　the　religious　press　of　the　whole　land　testifies。　。　。　。
Very　extensively；　church　members　are　becoming　devotees　of　fashion；　join
hands　with　the　ungodly　in　parties　of　pleasure；　in　dancing；　in　festivities；
etc。　。　。　。　But　we　need　not　expand　this　painful　subject。　Suffice　it　that　the
evidence　thickens　and　rolls　heavily　upon　us；　to　show　that　the　churches
generally　are　becoming　sadly　degenerate。　They　have　gone　very　far　from　the
Lord；　and　He　has　withdrawn　Himself　from　them。〃

And　a　writer　in　the　Religious　Telescope　testified：　〃We　have　never　witnessed
such　a　general　declension　of　religion　as　at　the　present。　Truly；　the　church
should　awake；　and　search　into　the　cause　of　this　affliction；　for　as　an
affliction　everyone　that　loves　Zion　must　view　it。　When　we　call　to　mind　how
'few　and　far　between'　cases　of　true　conversion　are；　and　the　almost
unparalleled　impertinence　and　hardness　of　sinners；　we　almost　involuntarily
exclaim；　'Has　God　forgotten　to　be　gracious？　or；　Is　the　door　of　mercy
closed？'〃

Such　a　condition　never　exists　without　cause　in　the　church　itself。　The
spiritual　darkness　which　falls　upon　nations；　upon　churches　and　individuals；
is　due；　not　to　an　arbitrary　withdrawal　of　the　succors　of　divine　grace　on　the
part　of　God；　but　to　neglect　or　rejection　of　divine　light　on　the　part　of　men。
A

378

striking　illustration　of　this　truth　is　presented　in　the　history　of　the
Jewish　people　in　the　time　of　Christ。　By　their　devotion　to　the　world　and
forgetfulness　of　God　and　His　word；　their　understanding　had　become　darkened；
their　hearts　earthly　and　sensual。　Thus　they　were　in　ignorance　concerning
Messiah's　advent；　and　in　their　pride　and　unbelief　they　rejected　the
Redeemer。　God　did　not　even　then　cut　off　the　Jewish　nation　from　a　knowledge
of；　or　a　participation　in；　the　blessings　of　salvation。　But　those　who
rejected　the　truth　lost　all　desire　for　the　gift　of　Heaven。　They　had　〃put
darkness　for　light；　and　light　for　darkness；〃　until　the　light　which　was　in
them　became　darkness；　and　how　great　was　that　darkness！

It　suits　the　policy　of　Satan　that　men　should　retain　the　forms　of　religion　if
but　the　spirit　of　vital　godliness　is　lacking。　After　their　rejection　of　the
gospel；　the　Jews　continued　zealously　to　maintain　their　ancient　rites；　they
rigorously　preserved　their　national　exclusiveness；　while　they　themselves
could　not　but　admit　that　the　presence　of　God　was　no　longer　manifest　among
them。　The　prophecy　of　Daniel　pointed　so　unmistakably　to　the　time　of
Messiah's　coming；　and　so　directly　foretold　His　death；　that　they　discouraged
its　study；　and　finally　the　rabbis　pronounced　a　curse　on　all　who　should
attempt　a　computation　of　the　time。　In　blindness　and　impenitence　the　people
of　Israel　during　succeeding　centuries　have　stood；　indifferent　to　the
gracious　offers　of　salvation；　unmindful　of　the　blessings　of　the　gospel；　a
solemn　and　fearful　warning　of　the　danger　of　rejecting　light　from　heaven。

Wherever　the　cause　exists；　the　same　results　will　follow。　He　who　deliberately
stifles　his　convictions　of　duty　because　it　interferes　with　his　inclinations
will　finally　lose　the　power　to　distinguish　between　truth　and　error。　The
understanding　becomes　darkened；　the　conscience　callous；　the　heart　hardened；
and　the　soul　is　separated　from　God。　Where　the　message　of　divine　truth　is
spurned　or　slighted；　there　the　church　will　be　enshrouded　in　darkness；　faith
and　love　grow　cold；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　379

and　estrangement　and　dissension　enter。　Church　members　center　their　interests
and　energies　in　worldly　pursuits；　and　sinners　become　hardened　in　their
impenitence。

The　first　angel's　message　of　Revelation　14；　announcing　the　hour　of　God's
judgment　and　calling　upon　men　to　fear　and　worship　Him；　was　designed　to
separate　the　professed　people　of　God　from　the　corrupting　influences　of　the
world　and　to　arouse　them　to　see　their　true　condition　of　worldliness　and
backsliding。　In　this　message；　God　has　sent　to　the　church　a　warning；　which；
had　it　been　accepted；　would　have　corrected　the　evils　that　were　shutting　them
away　from　Him。　Had　they　received　the　message　from　heaven；　humbling　their
hearts　before　the　Lord　and　seeking　in　sincerity　a　preparation　to　stand　in
His　presence；　the　Spirit　and　power　of　God　would　have　been　manifested　among
them。　The　church　would　again　have　reached　that　blessed　state　of　unity；
faith；　and　love　which　existed　in　apostolic　days；　when　the　believers　〃were　of
one　heart　and　of　one　soul；〃　and　〃spake　the　word　of　God　with　boldness；〃　when
〃the　Lord　added　to　the　church　daily　such　as　should　be　saved。〃　Acts　4：32；　31；
2：47。

If　God's　professed　people　would　receive　the　light　as　it　shines　upon　them
from　His　word；　they　would　reach　that　unity　for　which　Christ　prayed；　that
which　the　apostle　describes；　〃the　unity　of　the　Spirit　in　the　bond　of　peace。〃
〃There　is；〃　he　says；　〃one　body；　and　one　Spirit；　even　as　ye　are　called　in　one
hope　of　your　calling；　one　Lord；　one　faith；　one　baptism。〃　Ephesians　4：3…5。

Such　were　the　blessed　results　experienced　by　those　who　accepted　the　advent
message。　They　came　from　different　denominations；　and　their　denominational
barriers　were　hurled　to　the　ground；　conflicting　creeds　were　shivered　to
atoms；　the　unscriptural　hope　of　a　temporal　millennium　was　abandoned；　false
views　of　the　second　advent　were　corrected；　pride　and　conformity　to　the　world
were　swept　away；　wrongs　were　made　right；　hearts　were　united　in　the　sweetest
fellowship；　and　love　and　joy　reigned　supreme。　If　this　doctrine　did　this

380

for　the　few　who　did　receive　it；　it　would　have　done　the　same　for　all　if　all
had　received　it。

But　the　churches　generally　did　not　accept　the　warning。　Their　ministers；　who；
as　watchmen　〃unto　the　house　of　Israel；〃　should　have　been　the　first　to
discern　the　tokens　of　Jesus'　coming；　had　failed　to　learn　the　truth　either
from　the　testimony　of　the　prophets　or　from　the　signs　of　the　times。　As
worldly　hopes　and　ambitions　filled　the　heart；　love　for　God　and　faith　in　His
word　had　grown　cold；　and　when　the　advent　doctrine　was　presented；　it　only
aroused　their　prejudice　and　unbelief。　The　fact　that　the　message　was；　to　a
great　extent；　preached　by　laymen；　was　urged　as　an　instrument　against　it。　As
of　old；　the　plain　testimony　of　God's　word　was　met　with　the　inquiry：　〃Have
any　of　the　rulers　or　of　the　Pharisees　believed？〃　And　finding　how　difficult　a
task　it　was　to　refute　the　arguments　drawn　from　the　prophetic　periods；　many
discouraged　the　study　of　the　prophecies；　teaching　that　the　prophetic　books
were　sealed　and　were　not　to　be　understood。　Multitudes；　trusting　implicitly
to　their　pastors；　refused　to　listen　to　the　warning；　and　others；　though
convinced　of　the　truth；　dared　not　confess　it；　lest　they　should　be　〃put　out
of　the　synagogue。〃　The　message　which　God　had　sent　for　the　testing　and
purification　of　the　church　revealed　all　too　surely　how　great　was　the　number
who　had　set　their　affections　on　this　world　rather　than　upon　Christ。　The　ties
which　bound　them　to　earth　were　stronger　than　the　attractions　heavenward。
They　chose　to　listen　to　the　voice　of　worldly　wisdom　and　turned　away　from　the
heart…searching　message　of　truth。

In　refusing　the　warning　of　the　first　angel；　they　rejected　the　means　which
Heaven　had　provided　for　their　restoration。　They　spurned　the　gracious
messenger　that　would　have　corrected　the　evils　which　separated　them　from　God；
and　with　greater　eagerness　they　turned　to　seek　the　friendship　of　the　world。
Here　was　the　cause　of　that　fearful　condition　of　worldliness；　backsliding；
and　spiritual　death　which　existed　in　the　churches　in　1844。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　381


In　Revelation　14　the　first　angel　is　followed　by　a　second　proclaiming：
〃Babylon　is　fallen；　is　fallen；　that　great　city；　because　she　made　all　nations
drink　of　the　wine　of　the　wrath　of　her　fornication。〃　Revelation　14：8。　The
term　〃Babylon〃　is　derived　from　〃Babel；〃　and　signifies　confusion。　It　is
employed　in　Scripture　to　designate　the　various　forms　of　false　or　apostate
religion。　In　Revelation　17　Babylon　is　represented　as　a　woman　a　figure
which　is　used　in　the　Bible　as　the　symbol　of　a　church；　a　virtuous　woman
representing　a　pure　c