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。〃
  388
  The　spirit　of　worldly　conformity　in　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
  389
  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　has　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；
  390
  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　further　and　further　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）。
  （391）
  Chapter　22
  Prophecies　Fulfilled
  When　the　time　passed　at　which　the　Lord's　coming　was　first　expected；in　the
  spring　of　1844；those　who　had　looked　in　faith　for　His　appearing　were　for　a
  season　involved　in　doubt　and　uncertainty。　While　the　world　regarded　them　as
  having　been　utterly　defeated　and　proved　to　have　been　cherishing　a　delusion；
  their　source　of　consolation　was　still　the　word　of　God。　Many　continued　to
  search　the　Scriptures；　examining　anew　the　evidences　of　their　faith　and
  carefully　studying　the　prophecies　to　obtain　further　light。　The　Bible
  testimony　in　support　of　their　position　seemed　clear　and　conclusive。　Signs
  which　could　not　be　mistaken　pointed　to　the　coming　of　Christ　as　near。　The
  special　blessing　of　the　Lord；　both　in　the　conversion　of　sinners　and　the
  revival　of　spiritual　life　among　Christians；　had　testified　that　the　message
  was　of　Heaven。　And　though　the　believers　could　not　explain　their
  disappointment；　they　felt　assured　that　God　had　led　them　in　their　past
  experience。
  Interwoven　with　prophecies　which　they　had　regarded　as　applying　to　the　time
  of　the　second　advent　was　instruction　specially　adapted　to　their　state　of
  uncertainty　and　suspense；　and　encouraging　them　to　wait　patiently　in　the
  faith　that　what　was　now　dark　to　their　understanding　would　in　due　time　be
  made　plain。
  392
  Among　these　prophecies　was　that　of　Habakkuk　2：1…4：　〃I　will　stand　upon　my
  watch；　and　set　me　upon　the　tower；　and　will　watch　to　see　what　He　will　say
  unto　me；　and　what　I　shall　answer　when　I　am　reproved。　And　the　Lord　answered
  me；　and　said；　Write　the　vision；　and　make　it　plain　upon　tables；　that　he　may
  run　that　readeth　it。　For　the　vision　is　yet　for　an　appointed　time；　but　at　the
  end　it　shall　speak；　and　not　lie：　though　it　tarry；　wait　for　it；　because　it
  will　surely　come；　it　will　not　tarry。　Behold；　his　soul　which　is　lifted　up　is
  not　upright　in　him：　but　the　just　shall　live　by　his　faith。〃
  As　early　as　1842　the　direction　given　in　this　prophecy　to　〃write　the　vision；
  and　make　it　plain　upon　tables；　that　he　may　run　that　readeth　it；〃　had
  suggested　to　Charles　Fitch　the　preparation　of　a　prophetic　chart　to
  illustrate　the　visions　of　Daniel　and　the　Revelation。　The　publication　of　this
  chart　was　regarded　as　a　fulfillment　of　the　command　given　by　Habakkuk。　No
  one；　however；　then　noticed　than　an　apparent　delay　in　the　accomplishment　of
  the　visiona　tarrying　timeis　presented　in　the　sam