Page 154 - Jesus is coming - Class version

OBJECTIONS CONSIDERED. 151
While missionary efforts have been greatly blessed
abroad (and praise God that they have), infallibility,
ritualism, skepticism and desecration of the Lord's day
have more than equally triumphed at home. And let it
not be forgotten that the monstrous assumption of infalli-
bility has triumphed in what was once an apostolic church
of Christ.
The past century has had its full share of war and car-
nage. Numerous, dark and fearful have been the fields
In short, Satan
of blood up to this very year. is on the
alert and fully up to the times, multiplying his deceptions
on either hand, as he will continue to do, until chained by
the angel at the beginning of the Millennium. 108
Is the Church Progressing?
Lastly, it is argued that, as Christians are the light of
109
the world and the salt of the earth, the greatly in-
creased number of professed Christians must certainly have
augmented the light and the salt, and consequently have
made the world better.
Jesus was indeed the light of the world, but He shone in
the darkness and the darkness comprehended it not. Men
loving and clinging to the darkness, because their deeds
were evil, would not see the light, and were not made bet-
110 So true Christians, reflecting the light from
ter by it.
(108) Rev. 20:1. And I saw salt have lost his savour, where-
an angel come down from with shall It be salted? it is
heaven, having the key of the thenceforth good for nothing, but
bottomless pit and a great chain to be cast out, and to be trodden
In his hand. under foot of men.
2. And he laid hold on the Phil. 2 :15. That ye may be
dragon, that old serpent, which blameless and harmless, the sons
is the Devil, and Satan, and of God, without rebuke, in the
bound him a thousand years, midst of a crooked and perverse
3. And cast him into the bot- nation, among whom ye shine as
tomless pit, and shut him up, lights in the world.
and set a seal upon him, that (110) John 1:4. In him was
he should deceive the nations no life ; and the life was the light
more, till the thousand years of men.
should be fulfilled and after 5. And the light shineth in
;
that he must be loosed a little darkness ; and the darkness corn-
season, prehended it not.
(109) Mat. 5:13. Ye ane the John 3:19. And this is the
salt of the earth : but if the condemnation, that light is come