Warning Rejected
319
honor that cometh from God.” 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 unrigh-
teous transactions under a profession of Christianity. The various
religious bodies, re-enforced by the wealth and influence of these bap-
tized worldlings, 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 fash-
ionable 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: “The church of God is today courting the
world. Its members are trying to bring it down to the level of the
[387]
ungodly. The ball, the theater, nude and lewd art, social luxuries with
all their loose moralities, are making inroads into the sacred inclosure
of the church; and as a satisfaction for all this worldliness, Christians
are making a great deal of Lent and Easter and church ornamentation.
It is the old trick of Satan. The Jewish church struck on that rock; the
Romish church was wrecked on the same; and the Protestant is fast
reaching the same doom.”
In this tide of worldliness and pleasure-seeking, self-denial and
self-sacrifice for Christ’s sake are almost wholly lost. “Some of the