The trial in the garden of Eden ended in man's failure and expulsion. The next period of time culminated in the flood; the age succeeding it, in man's blasphemous ambition, the confusion of tongues, and the dispersion, of Babel. The Mosaic dispensation issued in the captivity of Israel, the punishment of their persistent unfaithfulness; from which captivity only a small portion of the people ever returned, and those never to have a king of their own again, nor any independent government, except for a moment in the days of the Maccabees. The Jewish age closed with that most atrocious of all crimes, the murder of their Messiah.

      The church was set up. Prosperous at the first, it soon began to go the way of the dispensations preceding [18] it. It is a misinformed imagination that pictures to us the apostolic church as perfect, free from the difficulties, offenses, divisions, heresies, enmities, strifes, defections, desertions, that trouble the church of Jesus Christ to-day. Corinth's condition is almost unbelievable, and that, too, after nearly two years of Paul's faithful, unremittent labor. The Galatians were "so quickly removing from him" that called them "into the grace of Christ," "unto a different gospel," which was not another gospel--of course, it could not be. The Hebrews were backsliding. Ephesus lost its "first love." Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, were in many respects in an awful state. Laodicea, the rich, the self-complacent, the self-deceived, was simply rotten, without room for one word of commendation from the Savior, only the assurance that he still loved them and stood at their door knocking for entrance. (Rev. 3.) To Thessalonica, Paul writes that "the mystery of iniquity" was then already working, though as yet under restraint. But the later letters, those to Timothy, abound with allusions to false workers sprung up even at that time, and the falling away of those who once seemed faithful. At Paul's first defense no one took his part, but all forsook him. "All that are in Asia," he writes, "turned away from me." "Demas forsook me, having loved this present world." So, likewise, John's epistles, breathing the mingled sweetness and fierceness of that notable, soul, make it evident that he is set bitterly against the false teachers of that day, in whom he recognizes the spirit of, the coming, Antichrist. Such was the condition of the church at large in the days of the apostles.

      Since then matters have grown no better. Heresy succeeded heresy; falsehood trod upon the heel of falsehood; abomination followed abomination. Long since has dawned the day foretold by Paul in his farewell to [19] the Ephesian elders, when "grievous wolves shall enter in, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them." (Acts 20:29, 30.) Long since has come the time when men "will not endure sound doctrine; but, having itching ears, will heap to themselves teachers after their own lusts." (2 Tim. 4:3.)

      So has it been, so will it be. Our own day bears witness to the same decadence. When a century ago one of God's servants said to the religious world, "Let us lay down denominational names and shibboleths; let us cast away human creeds and preconceived notions and stand together on the simple word of God," and thousands and tens of thousands responded, it looked hopeful. But in this also--how quickly the majority removed from the truth and have let the love of the world and of show, rather than the love of God and the love of their brethren, control their way! How many others are wasting their strength in profitless controversies, and pharisaical puerilities, hobbies, and wranglings, to the neglect of the work, of God, and are being marked by the deathlike indifference that comes of spiritual perversion and starvation! As some one has said about money, "The first generation makes it, the second spends it, the third must begin anew;" so in religion. The fathers fought for the truth; the children, having come by it easily, let it go easily. Or else--and this is just as bad--they try to keep simply what their fathers gave them; and that means stagnation and death. And what will the future bring?

      There is an optimism in the religious world which is cheerful because it is blind. They think to see the victory approaching when the truth shall have dispelled all error and the church shall have swamped the world. Truly, there is a day of triumph coming, but not now; [20] the eye of faith sees it, but not nigh. And the word of God forestalls the false expectations. The Lord's ominous question, "When the Son of man cometh, shall we find faith on the earth?" implies a negative answer. Instead of things getting better, the Spirit of God points to worse things ahead as the coming of the Lord draws near. He says "expressly" that in later times they will give heed "to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons." (It is worthy to note here that the modern spiritualism dates only about sixty years back.) The rest of this passage (1 Tim. 4:1-3) applies to some points in the teaching of "Seventh-Day Adventism," and with fullest force to the waves of theosophy, Buddhism, "Christian Science," occultism, and other isms which have in late years begun to sweep the country. "In the last days," furthermore, "grievous times shall come." (2 Tim. 3:1-5.) Follows a description of a fearful corruption among a professedly religious people, which--alas!--fits most religious bodies to-day only too well. One need go no further even than the so-called "orthodox" churches. In fact, we might find some of it even nearer home. That these things have always been in a measure present among professed Christians detracts nothing. They are so prevalent now as to suggest that we are moving into the shadow of "the last days." This dispensation, as those preceding, will end in a failure, fearful in proportion to the high privileges that were offered. As in the days of Noah, as in the days of, Lot, the few will be delivered--those who are to be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. (1 Thess. 4.)

      Has God failed then? God forbid. And does this seem disheartening? God never disheartens his people. He has told us these things, and they are full of hope and encouragement to him that trusts; for, while they may make him despair of self, they will draw him closer [21] to God, even as the traveler drew his protecting coat closer about him when the rain storms began to play around him. This is the lesson of it all, and God pointed it out himself. "The firm foundation of God standeth, having this seal. The Lord knoweth them that are his: and, Let every one that nameth the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness." (2 Tim. 2:19.) And: "Cease ye from! man, whose breath is in his nostrils; for wherein is he to be accounted of?" (Isa. 2:22.) This story of constant failure is but a call to fly to God for refuge; a call to individual faithfulness, righteousness, purity, and love, let others do as they may, that God may indeed count us among those "that are his." It is an encouragement to stay on God's side, even with a pitiful minority; for God cannot fail, while men always will. It will leave our minds undazzled by the world's, and the religious world's, great numbers and show and pretense. If only we have God; if only I am true to his word; if only I keep faith and love; if only I am unspotted from the world! Let cowards say, "There is no use;" faith says, "We are well able to possess the land;" and it bases its confidence on Him who came to save, not the great or the strong, but the lost who take refuge in him. And the man in such realization of helplessness, driven and cast upon God for his hope, will also have the greatest power to help others.

      "But take heed to yourselves, lest haply your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day come on you suddenly as a snare; for so shall it come upon all them that dwell on the face of all the earth. But watch ye at every season, making supplication, that ye may prevail to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man." (Luke 21:34-36.)--February 25, 1909. [22]

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