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　〃Babylon〃confusionmay　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。
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  A　Roman　Catholic　work　argues　that　〃if　the　Church　of　Rome　were　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　nonconformity　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
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  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；　page　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　the　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　or　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
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  every　day；'　no　doubt　many　will　applaud　thy　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
  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　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。〃
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  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　intercourse　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　do　something　for　Christ。〃
  But　〃if　funds　are　wanted　now；　。　。　。　nobody　must　be　called　on　to　give。　Oh；
  no！　have　a　fair；　tableau；　mock　trial；　antiquarian　supper；　or　something　to
  eatanything　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
  change　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
  st