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made the guests of the commonwealth。〃Martyn； vol。 5； p。 417。 In twenty
years from the first landing at Plymouth； as many thousand Pilgrims were
settled in New England。
To secure the object which they sought； 〃they were content to earn a bare
subsistence by a life of frugality and toil。 They asked nothing from the
soil but the reasonable returns of their own labor。 No golden vision threw a
deceitful halo around their path。 。 。 。 They were content with the slow but
steady progress of their social polity。 They patiently endured the
privations of the wilderness； watering the tree of liberty with their tears；
and with the sweat of their brow； till it took deep root in the land。〃
The Bible was held as the foundation of faith； the source of wisdom； and the
charter of liberty。 Its principles were diligently taught in the home； in
the school； and in the church； and its fruits were manifest in thrift；
intelligence； purity； and temperance。 One might be for years a dweller in
the Puritan settlement； 〃and not see a drunkard； or hear an oath； or meet a
beggar。〃Bancroft； pt。 1； ch。 19； par。 25。 It was demonstrated that the
principles of the Bible are the surest safeguards of national greatness。 The
feeble and isolated colonies grew to a confederation of powerful states； and
the world marked with wonder the peace and prosperity of 〃a church without a
pope； and a state without a king。〃
But continually increasing numbers were attracted to the
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shores of America； actuated by motives widely different from those of the
first Pilgrims。 Though the primitive faith and purity exerted a widespread
and molding power； yet its influence became less and less as the numbers
increased of those who sought only worldly advantage。
The regulation adopted by the early colonists； of permitting only members of
the church to vote or to hold office in the civil government； led to most
pernicious results。 This measure had been accepted as a means of preserving
the purity of the state； but it resulted in the corruption of the church。 A
profession of religion being the condition of suffrage and officeholding；
many； actuated solely by motives of worldly policy； united with the church
without a change of heart。 Thus the churches came to consist； to a
considerable extent； of unconverted persons； and even in the ministry were
those who not only held errors of doctrine； but who were ignorant of the
renewing power of the Holy Spirit。 Thus again was demonstrated the evil
results； so often witnessed in the history of the church from the days of
Constantine to the present； of attempting to build up the church by the aid
of the state； of appealing to the secular power in support of the gospel of
Him who declared： 〃My kingdom is not of this world。〃 John 18：36。 The union
of the church with the state； be the degree never so slight； while it may
appear to bring the world nearer to the church； does in reality but bring
the church nearer to the world。
The great principle so nobly advocated by Robinson and Roger Williams； that
truth is progressive； that Christians should stand ready to accept all the
light which may shine from God's holy word； was lost sight of by their
descendants。 The Protestant churches of America；and those of Europe as
well；so highly favored in receiving the blessings of the Reformation；
failed to press forward in the path of reform。 Though a few faithful men
arose； from time to time； to proclaim new truth and expose long…cherished
error； the majority； like the Jews in Christ's day or the papists in the
time of Luther； were content to believe as their fathers had
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believed and to live as they had lived。 Therefore religion again degenerated
into formalism； and errors and superstitions which would have been cast
aside had the church continued to walk in the light of God's word； were
retained and cherished。 Thus the spirit inspired by the Reformation
gradually died out； until there was almost as great need of reform in the
Protestant churches as in the Roman Church in the time of Luther。 There was
the same worldliness and spiritual stupor； a similar reverence for the
opinions of men； and substitution of human theories for the teachings of
God's word。
The wide circulation of the Bible in the early part of the nineteenth
century； and the great light thus shed upon the world； was not followed by a
corresponding advance in knowledge of revealed truth； or in experimental
religion。 Satan could not； as in former ages； keep God's word from the
people； it had been placed within the reach of all； but in order still to
accomplish his object； he led many to value it but lightly。 Men neglected to
search the Scriptures； and thus they continued to accept false
interpretations； and to cherish doctrines which had no foundation in the
Bible。
Seeing the failure of his efforts to crush out the truth by persecution；
Satan had again resorted to the plan of compromise which led to the great
apostasy and the formation of the Church of Rome。 He had induced Christians
to ally themselves； not now with pagans； but with those who； by their
devotion to the things of this world； had proved themselves to be as truly
idolaters as were the worshipers of graven images。 And the results of this
union were no less pernicious now than in former ages； pride and
extravagance were fostered under the guise of religion； and the churches
became corrupted。 Satan continued to pervert the doctrines of the Bible； and
traditions that were to ruin millions were taking deep root。 The church was
upholding and defending these traditions； instead of contending for 〃the
faith which was once delivered unto the saints。〃 Thus were degraded the
principles for which the Reformers had done and suffered so much。
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Chapter 17
Heralds of the Morning
One of the most solemn and yet most glorious truths revealed in the Bible is
that of Christ's second coming to complete the great work of redemption。 To
God's pilgrim people； so long left to sojourn in 〃the region and shadow of
death；〃 a precious； joy…inspiring hope is given in the promise of His
appearing； who is 〃the resurrection and the life；〃 to 〃bring home again His
banished。〃 The doctrine of the second advent is the very keynote of the
Sacred Scriptures。 From the day when the first pair turned their sorrowing
steps from Eden； the children of faith have waited the coming of the
Promised One to break the destroyer's power and bring them again to the lost
Paradise。 Holy men of old looked forward to the advent of the Messiah in
glory； as the consummation of their hope。 Enoch； only the seventh in descent
from them that dwelt in Eden； he who for three centuries on earth walked
with his God； was permitted to behold from afar the coming of the Deliverer。
〃Behold；〃 he declared； 〃the Lord cometh with ten thousands of His saints； to
execute judgment upon all。〃 Jude 14； 15。 The patriarch Job in the night of
his affliction exclaimed with unshaken trust： 〃