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4AP
Index
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Chapter 21
A Warning Rejected |
IN PREACHING THE DOCTRINE of the second advent, William
Miller and his associates had labored with the sole purpose of
arousing men to a preparation for the judgment. They had sought
to awaken professors of religion to the true hope of the church,
and to their need of a deeper Christian experience; and they
labored also to awaken the unconverted to the duty of immediate
repentance and conversion to God. "They made no attempt
to convert men to a sect or party in religion. Hence they labored
among all parties and sects, without interfering with their organization
or discipline."
"In all my labors," said Miller, "I never had
the desire or thought to establish any separate interest from
that of existing denominations, or to benefit one at the expense
of another. I thought to benefit all. Supposing that all Christians
would rejoice in the prospect of Christ's coming, and that those
who could not see as I did would not love any the less those
who should embrace this doctrine, I did not conceive there would
ever be any necessity for separate meetings. My whole object
was a desire to convert souls to God, to notify the world of
a coming judgment, and to induce my fellow men to make that preparation
of heart which will enable them to meet their God in peace. The
great majority of those who were converted under my labors united
with the various existing churches." -Bliss, page 328.
As his work tended to build up the churches, it was for a time
regarded with favor. But as ministers and religious leaders decided
against the advent doctrine, and desired to suppress all agitation
of the subject, they not only opposed it from the pulpit, but
denied their members the privilege of attending preaching upon
the second advent, or even of speaking of their hope in the social
meetings of the church. Thus the believers found themselves in
a position of great trial and perplexity. They loved their churches,
and were loath to separate from them; but as they saw the testimony
of God's word suppressed, and their right to investigate the
prophecies denied, they felt that loyalty to God forbade them
to submit. Those who sought to shut out the testimony of God's
word they could not regard as 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, both by the press and the pulpit.
At a meeting of the presbytery of Philadelphia, Mr. Barnes, author
of the commentary so 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 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 facts 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
corroborative 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, joining 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 as at present.
Truly, the church should awake, and search into the cause of
this affliction; for 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 impenitence
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 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 for eighteen hundred years 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, and estrangement and dissension enter. Church members
center their interest 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 had 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 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 argument 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 worldiness, backsliding, and spiritual death
which existed in the churches in 1844.
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 church, a vile woman an apostate church.
In the Bible the sacred and enduring character of the relation
that exists between Christ and His church is represented by the
union of marriage. The Lord has joined His people to Himself
by a solemn convenant, He promising to be their God, and they
pledging themselves to be His, and His alone. He declares, "I
will betroth thee unto Me forever; yea, I will betroth thee unto
Me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in loving-kindness
and in mercies." Hosea 2:19. And again, "I am married
unto you." Jeremiah 3:14. And Paul employs the same figure
in the New Testament, when he says, "I have espoused you
to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to
Christ." 2 Corinthians 11:2.
The unfaithfulness of the church to Christ in permitting her
confidence and affection to be turned from Him, and allowing
the love of worldly things to occupy the soul, is likened to
the violation of the marriage vow. The sin of Israel in departing
from the Lord is presented under this figure; and the wonderful
love of God which they thus despised is touchingly portrayed.
"I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee,
saith the Lord God, and thou becamest Mine." "And thou
wast exceeding beautiful, and thou didst prosper into a kingdom.
And thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty; for
it was perfect through My comeliness, which I had put upon thee.
But thou didst trust in thine own beauty, and playedst
the harlot because of thy renown." "As a wife treacherously
departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with
Me, O house of Israel, saith the Lord;" "as a wife
that committeth adultery, which taketh strangers instead of her
husband." Ezekiel 16:8, 13-15, 32; Jeremiah 3:20.
In the New Testament, language very similar is addressed to professed
Christians who seek the friendship of the world above the favor
of God. Says the apostle James: "Ye adulterers and adulteresses,
know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God?
whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy
of God."
The woman, Babylon, of Revelation 17, is described as "arrayed
in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious
stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations
and filthiness
. And upon her forehead was a name written,
Mystery, Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots." Says
the prophet, "I saw the woman drunken with the blood of
the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus."
Revelation 17:4-6. Babylon is further declared to be "that
great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth."
Revelation 17:18. The power that for so many centuries maintained
despotic sway over the monarchs of Christendom, is Rome. The
purple and scarlet color, the gold and precious stones and pearls,
vividly picture the magnificence and more than kingly pomp affected
by the haughty see of Rome. And no other power could be so truly
declared "drunken with the blood of the saints" as
that church which has so cruelly persecuted the followers of
Christ. Babylon is also charged with the sin of unlawful connection
with "the kings of the earth." It was by departure
from the Lord, and alliance with the heathen, that the Jewish
church became a harlot; and Rome, corrupting herself in like
manner by seeking the support of worldly powers, receives a like
condemnation.
Babylon is said to be "the mother of harlots."
By her daughters must be symbolized churches that cling
to her doctrines and traditions, and follow her example of sacrificing
the truth and the approval of God, in order to form an unlawful
alliance with the world. The message of Revelation 14 announcing
the fall of Babylon, must apply to religious bodies that
were once pure and have become corrupt. Since this message follows
the warning of the judgment, it must be given in the last days,
therefore it cannot refer to the Romish Church, for that church
has been in a fallen condition for many centuries. Furthermore,
in the eighteenth chapter of the Revelation, in a message which
is yet future, the people of God are called upon to come out
of Babylon. According to this scripture, many of God's people
must still be in Babylon. And in what religious bodies are the
greater part of the followers of Christ now to be found? Without
doubt, in the various churches professing the Protestant faith.
At the time of their rise, these churches took a noble stand
for God and the truth, and His blessing was with them. Even the
unbelieving world was constrained to acknowledge the beneficent
results that followed an acceptance of the principles of the
gospel. In the words of the prophet to Israel, "Thy renown
went forth among the heathen for thy beauty; for it was perfect
through My comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord
God." But they fell by the same desire which was the curse
and ruin of Israelthe desire of imitating the practices
and courting the friendship of the ungodly. "Thou didst
trust in thine own beauty, and playedst the harlot because of
thy renown." Ezekiel 16:14, 15.
Many of the Protestant churches are following Rome's example
of iniquitous connection with "the kings of the earth;"
the state churches, by their relation to secular governments,
and other denominations by seeking the favor of the world. And
the term Babylonconfusionmay be appropriately applied
to these bodies, all professing to derive their doctrines from
the Bible, yet divided into almost innumerable sects, with widely
conflicting creeds and theories.
Besides a sinful union with the world, the churches that separated
from Rome, present other of her characteristics.
A Roman Catholic work argues that "if the Church of Rome
was ever guilty of idolatry in relation to the saints, her daughter,
the Church of England, stands guilty of the same, which has ten
churches dedicated to Mary for one dedicated to Christ."
-Richard Challoner, The Catholic Christian Instructed,
Preface, pages 21, 22.
And Dr. Hopkins, in "A Treatise on the Millennium,"
declares: "There is no reason to consider the antichristian
spirit and practices to be confined to that which is now called
the Church of Rome. The Protestant churches have much of antichrist
in them, and are far from being wholly reformed from
corruptions
and wickedness." -Samuel Hopkins, Works, vol. 2,
p. 328.
Concerning the separation of the Presbyterian Church from Rome,
Dr. Guthrie writes: "Three hundred years ago, our church,
with an open Bible on her banner, and this motto, 'Search the
Scriptures,' on her scroll, marched out from the gates of Rome."
Then he asks the significant question, "Did they come clean
out of Babylon?" -Thomas Guthrie, The Gospel in Ezekiel,
page 237.
"The Church of England," says Spurgeon, "seems
to be eaten through and through with sacramentarianism; but non-conformity
appears to be almost as badly riddled with philosophical infidelity.
Those of whom we thought better things are turning aside one
by one from the fundamentals of the faith. Through and through,
I believe, the very heart of England is honeycombed with a damnable
infidelity which dares still go into the pulpit and call itself
Christian."
What was the origin of the great apostasy? How did the church
first depart from the simplicity of the gospel? By conforming
to the practices of paganism, to facilitate the acceptance of
Christianity by the heathen. The apostle Paul declared, even
in his day, "The mystery of iniquity doth already work."
2 Thessalonians 2:7. During the lives of the apostles the church
remained comparatively pure. But "toward the latter end
of the second century most of the churches assumed a new form;
the first simplicity disappeared, and insensibly, as the old
disciples retired to their graves, their children, along with
new converts,
came forward and new-modeled the cause."
-Robert Robinson, Ecclesiastical Researches, ch. 6, par.
17, p. 51. To secure converts, the exalted standard of the Christian
faith was lowered, and as the result "a pagan flood, flowing
into the church, carried with it its customs, practices, and
idols."- Gavazzi, Lectures, p. 278. As the Christian
religion secured the favor and support of secular rulers, it
was nominally accepted by multitudes; but while in appearance
Christians, many "remained in substance pagans, especially
worshiping in secret their idols." -Ibid., page 278.
Has not the same process been repeated in nearly every church
calling itself Protestant? As its founders, those who possessed
the true spirit of reform, pass away, their descendants come
forward and "new-model the cause." While blindly clinging
to the creed of their fathers and refusing to accept any truth
in advance of what they saw, the children of the reformers depart
widely from their example of humility, self-denial, and renunciation
of the world. Thus "the first simplicity disappears."
A worldly flood, flowing into the church, "carries with
it its customs, practices, and idols."
Alas, to what a fearful extent is that friendship of the world
which is "enmity with God," now cherished among the
professed followers of Christ! How widely have the popular churches
throughout Christendom departed from the Bible standard of humility,
self-denial, simplicity, and godliness! Said John Wesley, in
speaking of the right use of money: "Do not waste any part
of so precious a talent, merely in gratifying the desire of the
eye, by superfluous and expensive apparel, or by needless ornaments.
Waste no part of it in curiously adorning your houses; in superfluous
or expensive furniture; in costly pictures, painting, gilding.
Lay out nothing to gratify the pride of life, to gain the admiration
or praise of men
. 'So long as thou doest well unto thyself,
men will speak good of thee.' So long as thou art 'clothed in
purple and fine linen,' and farest 'sumptuously every day,' no
doubt many will applaud thine elegance of taste, thy generosity
and hospitality. But do not buy their applause so dear. Rather
be content with the honor that cometh from God." -Wesley,
Works, Sermon 50, "The Use of Money." But in
many churches of our time, such teaching is disregarded.
A profession of religion has become popular with the world. Rulers,
politicians, lawyers, doctors, merchants, join the church as
a means of securing the respect and confidence of society, and
advancing their own worldly interests. Thus they seek to cover
all their unrighteous transactions under a profession of Christianity.
The various religious bodies, re-enforced by the wealth and influence
of these baptized worldings, make a still higher bid for popularity
and patronage. Splendid churches, embellished in the most extravagant
manner, are erected on popular avenues. The worshipers array
themselves in costly and fashionable attire. A high salary is
paid for a talented minister to entertain and attract the people.
His sermons must not touch popular sins, but be made smooth and
pleasing for fashionable ears. Thus fashionable sinners are enrolled
on the church records, and fashionable sins are concealed under
a pretense of godliness.
Commenting on the present attitude of professed Christians toward
the world, a leading secular journal says: "Insensibly the
church has yielded to the spirit of the age, and adapted its
forms of worship to modern wants. All things, indeed, that help
to make religion attractive, the church now employs as its instruments."
And a writer in the New York Independent speaks thus concerning
Methodism as it is: "The line of separation between the
godly and the irreligious fades out into a kind of penumbra,
and zealous men on both sides are toiling to obliterate all difference
between their modes of action and enjoyment." "The
popularity of religion tends vastly to increase the number of
those who would secure its benefits without squarely meeting
its duties."
Says Howard Crosby: "It is a matter of deep concern that
we find Christ's church so little fulfilling the designs of its
Lord. Just as the ancient Jews let a familiar communion with
the idolatrous nations steal away their hearts from God,
so the church of Jesus now is, by its false partnerships with
an unbelieving world, giving up the divine methods of its true
life, and yielding itself to the pernicious, though often plausible,
habits of a Christless society, using the arguments and reaching
the conclusions which are foreign to the revelation of God, and
directly antagonistic to all growth in grace." -The Healthy
Christian: An Appeal to the Church, pages 141, 142.
In this tide of worldliness and pleasure-seeking, self-denial
and self-sacrifice for Christ's sake are almost wholly lost.
"Some of the men and women now in active life in our churches
were educated, when children, to make sacrifices in order to
be able to give or to do something for Christ." But "if
funds are wanted now,
nobody must be called on to give.
Oh, no! have a fair, tableau, a mock trial, an antiquarian supper,
or something to eat, anything to amuse the people."
Governor Washburn of Wisconsin in his annual message, January
9, 1873, declared: "Some law seems to be required to break
up the schools where gamblers are made. These are everywhere.
Even the church (unwittingly, no doubt) is sometimes found doing
the work of the devil. Gift concerts, gift enterprises and raffles,
sometimes in aid of religious or charitable objects, but often
for less worthy purposes, lotteries, prize packages, etc., are
all devices to obtain money without value received. Nothing is
so demoralizing or intoxicating, particularly to the young, as
the acquisition of money or property without labor. Respectable
people engaging in these chance enterprises, and easing their
consciences with the reflection that the money is to go to a
good object, it is not strange that the youth of the state should
so often fall into the habits which the excitement of games of
hazard is almost certain to engender."
The spirit of worldly conformity is invading the churches throughout
Christendom. Robert Atkins, in a sermon preached in London, draws
a dark picture of the spiritual declension that prevails in England:
"The truly righteous are diminished from the earth, and
no man layeth it to heart. The professors of religion of the
present day, in every church, are lovers of the world, conformers
to the world, lovers of creature comfort, and aspirers after
respectability. They are called to suffer with Christ, but they
shrink from even reproach
. Apostasy, apostasy, apostasy,
is engraven on the very front of every church; and did they know
it, and did they feel it, there might be hope; but, alas! they
cry, 'We are rich, and increased in goods, and stand in need
of nothing.'" -Second Advent Library, tract No. 39.
The great sin charged against Babylon is, that she "made
all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication."
This cup of intoxication which she presents to the world, represents
the false doctrines that she has accepted as the result of her
unlawful connection with the great ones of the earth. Friendship
with the world corrupts her faith, and in her turn she exerts
a corrupting influence upon the world by teaching doctrines which
are opposed to the plainest statements of Holy Writ.
Rome withheld the Bible from the people, and required all men
to accept her teachings in its place. It was the work of the
Reformation to restore to men the word of God; but is it not
too true that in the churches of our time men are taught to rest
their faith upon their creed and the teachings of their church
rather than on the Scriptures? Said Charles Beecher, speaking
of the Protestant churches: "They shrink from any rude word
against creeds with the same sensitiveness with which those holy
fathers would have shrunk from a rude word against the rising
veneration of saints and martyrs which they were fostering
.
The Protestant evangelical denominations have so tied up one
another's hands, and their own, that, between them all, a man
cannot become a preacher at all, anywhere, without accepting
some book besides the Bible
. There is nothing imaginary
in the statement that the creed power is now beginning to prohibit
the Bible as really as Rome did, though in a subtler way."
-Sermon on "The Bible a Sufficient Creed," delivered
at Fort Wayne, Indiana, Feb. 22, 1846.
When faithful teachers expound the word of God, there arise men
of learning, ministers professing to understand the Scriptures,
who denounce sound doctrine as heresy, and thus turn away inquirers
after truth. Were it not that the world is hopelessly intoxicated
with the wine of Babylon, multitudes would be convicted and converted
by the plain, cutting truths of the word of God. But religious
faith appears so confused and discordant, that the people know
not what to believe as truth. The sin of the world's impenitence
lies at the door of the church.
The second angel's message of Revelation 14, was first preached
in the summer of 1844, and it then had a more direct application
to the churches of the United States, where the warning of the
judgment had been most widely proclaimed and most generally rejected,
and where the declension in the churches had been most rapid.
But the message of the second angel did not reach its complete
fulfillment in 1844. The churches then experienced a moral fall,
in consequence of their refusal of the light of the advent message;
but that fall was not complete. As they have continued to reject
the special truths for this time, they have fallen lower and
lower. Not yet, however, can it be said that "Babylon is
fallen,
because she made all nations drink of the wine
of the wrath of her fornication." She had not yet made all
nations do this. The spirit of world-conforming and indifference
to the testing truths for our time exists and has been gaining
ground in churches of the Protestant faith in all the countries
of Christendom; and these churches are included in the solemn
and terrible denunciation of the second angel. But the work of
apostasy has not yet reached its culmination.
The Bible declares that before the coming of the Lord, Satan
will work "with all power and signs and lying wonders,
and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness;" and they
that "received not the love of the truth, that they might
be saved," will be left to receive "strong delusion,
that they should believe a lie." 2 Thessalonians 2:9-11.
Not until this condition shall be reached, and the union of the
church with the world shall be fully accomplished, throughout
Christendom, will the fall of Babylon be complete. The change
is a progressive one, and the perfect fulfillment of Revelation
14:8 is yet future.
Notwithstanding the spiritual darkness, and alienation from God,
that exist in the churches which constitute Babylon, the great
body of Christ's true followers are still to be found in their
communion. There are many of these who have never seen the special
truths for this time. Not a few are dissatisfied with their present
condition, and are longing for clearer light. They look in vain
for the image of Christ in the churches with which they are connected.
As these bodies depart farther and farther from the truth, and
ally themselves more closely with the world, the difference between
the two classes will widen, and it will finally result in separation.
The time will come when those who love God supremely can no longer
remain in connection with such as are "lovers of pleasures
more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying
the power thereof."
Revelation 18 points to the time when, as the result of rejecting
the threefold warning of Revelation 14:6-12, the church will
have fully reached the condition foretold by the second angel,
and the people of God, still in Babylon, will be called upon
to separate from her communion. This message is the last that
will ever be given to the world; and it will accomplish its work.
When those that "believed not the truth, but had pleasure
in unrighteousness" (2 Thessalonians 2:12), shall be left
to receive strong delusion, and to believe a lie, then the light
of truth will shine upon all whose hearts are open to receive
it, and all the children of the Lord, that remain in Babylon,
will heed the call, "Come out of her, My people." Revelation
18:4.
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