CHAPTER V.

REFORMS.- -THE CHURCH TO BE REFORMED.

In this day we witness an awakened spirit of reform. Many things are viewed with a different eye, from that with which they have been regarded for ages before. Things that have been practiced without a thought of their being wrong, without a thought of their being forbidden by the language or spirit of the Gospel, are now inquired into, and found and felt to be contrary to that pure, strict, self-denying institution. Extensively is there manifested a disposition to abandon those things.

The Lord's people are not content to slide along, leaving these obvious evils, and usages of doubtful character, to remain as they have been. They are bestirring themselves to the work of reform. This is what we might reasonably look for, as a characteristic of the times, when the "day of the Lord" is approaching near. Then we should suppose they would look with a scrutinizing eye, about them, and, seeing the iniquity, would put on the armor and go forth to action. Contemplate the present aspect of things: see what is doing: witness the testimony which is beginning to be borne against whatever is viewed as sinful and wrong.

War is coming to be regarded as entirely repugnant to the letter and spirit of Christ's kingdom. The wickedness of its practice is felt. The

strong sense of its Anti-Christian nature and in fluence, is impelling those who feel it, to testify against it faithfully and perseveringly. And will they not continue to do so, until all the servants of Jesus are freed from both the spirit and practice of it? from all participation in it?

The enslaving of man by his fellow man, so contrary to all reason, benevolent principle, and the laws of heaven, and which involves so much cruelty, sin and crime, and yet so extensively practiced in all countries and ages, and in latter days even by those who wear the Christian name; is beginning to be viewed in its true character. And a strong and increasing testimony is enforcing the charge against slavery, as one of the "greatest crimes against man, and one of the highest offences against God.

Intemperance, drunkenness, in all its degrees, is engaging the attention of many, insomuch that the most vigorous and efficient efforts are aroused and enlisted against it.

Impurity, "the lust of uncleanness," which has been so prevalent in the world, almost universal, is no longer to be left to its brutalizing, demoralizing reign, unrebuked, unmolested and unopposed. Still, undoubtedly, will it exist and prevail the rich, the high, the low will continue in the course of debaucheries, yet no longer without rebuke of their iniquity. They will be admonished of their sin. By the virtuous, the true friends of God and of mankind, their criminality will be held forth to the light of the sun. Their characters will be exhibited in their true colors

to the view of all. If they will still persist, their guilt and shame must be exposed in the light of open day, before their faces. Moral Reform Societies are rising up and doing their excellent work. May God speed them in it, to the strengthening of the pure, the recovery of the betrayed and wandering, and the confusion of face in all the incorrigibly guilty.

Not only these, but a host of other vices are attracting attention, and calling forth efforts for their resistance and suppression. No longer are they suffered to take their course unreproved, but are treated as evil things; mankind are warned against them, and their extermination is attempted. Many a one, with devotedness and zeal for truth and righteousness, is taking strongly hold on the work of reformation, waging earnest, uncompromising warfare against the corruptions that are in the earth. They seem no longer disposed to halve the matter, or compromise with sin, to smoothe it over, as much as to say of this and that custom or practice, "Though they be not quite right, we will not be severe against them-it is not best to make a disturbance-they are popular sins, and have obtained undisputable currency, -men have become so habituated to them; and it will be vain to remonstrate, it would only excite displeasure, and we must not expose ourselves to the rage of the world, but may occasionally drop a word against these evils, and get along the best way we can." This, the language of time-serving, has been the language of most in former periods, and is that of many still;

but is not the language of the Gospel, nor of those true-hearted ones who possess the spirit of Reform. They are ready, at the risk of all personal consequences, faithfully to testify against what is sinful, let it be found wherever it may, whether in high or in low places, in church or in state; whether popular or unpopular, an habitual or a temporary wrong, and whether practiced by few or many. This is becoming a prominent feature of the times; and such a spirit must gain strength and advance, until all who can be wrought upon, are brought to a separation from all that is immoral and polluting, and to a united, fearless and unceasing testimony and opposition. against the corruptions of the remaining portion of mankind. This spirit of Reform now awakened, is to survive until the coming of our Lord.

The reform of the Church, by which we mean in this connection, true believers, subjects of the Redeemer's spiritual kingdom, will constitute a prominent feature of the latter days of this world's existence. The household of the Lord is to be thoroughly purified before his glorious appearance at the close of Time.

Once the Church, as openly beheld, was measurably pure and fair. The genuine features of Christianity shone out in the life and practice of the professed followers of the Lamb. But this was only for a little while. Only for a century or two they held on in the true course, and shone a brilliant light to the world. Soon the glory became obscured. They lost the fullness of the Gospel spirit, and received in its place the spirit

of the world. The peculiarities of the Christian institution were, one after another, relinquished, and the maxims and usages of the world, which had been forsaken for those, were resumed. The distinguishing traits of the New Testament Religion were lost, and professed Christians, for the most part, became incapable of appreciating them. The Church went into a wilderness state, and has long continued enveloped in thick mists of moral darkness. By continuance in that shade its power of perception and discrimination became impaired, so that it but imperfectly could distinguish darkness from light. Thus when it came out (as supposed to have done in the Reformation,) from its long night of apostacy, its vision still remained so imperfect that it mistook many of its Anti-Christian errors and practices for true Christianity. Certainly, the Church of the Reformation, commencing more than three centuries ago, has never recovered some of the striking peculiarities of the Gospel Kingdom, and persists in practices directly opposed to the Christian Scriptures. Consequently it is unholy. Confessedly there is but little light in it, and consequently but little reflected from it upon the benighted world.

The Church is to become reformed. Emanuel's Bride is to become pure once more, before he shall come to end the present dispensation, and take her home to himself. This glorious change, so devoutly hoped for by all who weep over her desolations, will be witnessed. The Church here on earth, ere probationary space shall close, will show to the ungodly, (as well as to all the rest of