had it been accepted； would have corrected the evils that were shutting them
away from Him。 Had they received the message from heaven； humbling their
hearts before the Lord and seeking in sincerity a preparation to stand in
His presence； the Spirit and power of God would have been manifested among
them。 The church would again have reached that blessed state of unity；
faith； and love which existed in apostolic days； when the believers 〃were of
one heart and of one soul；〃 and 〃spake the word of God with boldness；〃 when
〃the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved。〃 Acts 4：32； 31；
2：47。
If God's professed people would receive the light as it shines upon them
from His word； they would reach that unity for which Christ prayed； that
which the apostle describes； 〃the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace。〃
〃There is；〃 he says； 〃one body； and one Spirit； even as ye are called in one
hope of your calling； one Lord； one faith； one baptism。〃 Ephesians 4：3…5。
Such were the blessed results experienced by those who accepted the advent
message。 They came from different denominations； and their denominational
barriers were hurled to the ground； conflicting creeds were shivered to
atoms； the unscriptural hope of a temporal millennium was abandoned； false
views of the second advent were corrected； pride and conformity to the world
were swept away； wrongs were made right； hearts were united in the sweetest
fellowship； and love and joy reigned supreme。 If this doctrine did this
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for the few who did receive it； it would have done the same for all if all
had received it。
But the churches generally did not accept the warning。 Their ministers； who；
as watchmen 〃unto the house of Israel；〃 should have been the first to
discern the tokens of Jesus' coming； had failed to learn the truth either
from the testimony of the prophets or from the signs of the times。 As
worldly hopes and ambitions filled the heart； love for God and faith in His
word had grown cold； and when the advent doctrine was presented； it only
aroused their prejudice and unbelief。 The fact that the message was； to a
great extent； preached by laymen； was urged as an instrument against it。 As
of old； the plain testimony of God's word was met with the inquiry： 〃Have
any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed？〃 And finding how difficult a
task it was to refute the arguments drawn from the prophetic periods； many
discouraged the study of the prophecies； teaching that the prophetic books
were sealed and were not to be understood。 Multitudes； trusting implicitly
to their pastors； refused to listen to the warning； and others； though
convinced of the truth； dared not confess it； lest they should be 〃put out
of the synagogue。〃 The message which God had sent for the testing and
purification of the church revealed all too surely how great was the number
who had set their affections on this world rather than upon Christ。 The ties
which bound them to earth were stronger than the attractions heavenward。
They chose to listen to the voice of worldly wisdom and turned away from the
heart…searching message of truth。
In refusing the warning of the first angel； they rejected the means which
Heaven had provided for their restoration。 They spurned the gracious
messenger that would have corrected the evils which separated them from God；
and with greater eagerness they turned to seek the friendship of the world。
Here was the cause of that fearful condition of worldliness； backsliding；
and spiritual death which existed in the churches in 1844。
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In Revelation 14 the first angel is followed by a second proclaiming：
〃Babylon is fallen； is fallen； that great city； because she made all nations
drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication。〃 Revelation 14：8。 The
term 〃Babylon〃 is derived from 〃Babel；〃 and signifies confusion。 It is
employed in Scripture to designate the various forms of false or apostate
religion。 In Revelation 17 Babylon is represented as a woman a figure
which is used in the Bible as the symbol of a church； a virtuous woman
representing a pure church； a vile woman an apostate church。
In the Bible the sacred and enduring character of the relation that exists
between Christ and His church is represented by the union of marriage。 The
Lord has joined His people to Himself by a solemn covenant； He promising to
be their God； and they pledging themselves to be His and His alone。 He
declares： 〃I will betroth thee unto Me forever； yea； I will betroth thee
unto Me in righteousness； and in judgment； and in loving…kindness； and in
mercies。〃 Hosea 2：19。 And； again： 〃I am married unto you。〃 Jeremiah 3：14。
And Paul employs the same figure in the New Testament when he says： 〃I have
espoused you to one husband； that I may present you as a chaste virgin to
Christ。〃 2 Corinthians 11：2。
The unfaithfulness of the church to Christ in permitting her confidence and
affection to be turned from Him； and allowing the love of worldly things to
occupy the soul； is likened to the violation of the marriage vow。 The sin of
Israel in departing from the Lord is presented under this figure； and the
wonderful love of God which they thus despised is touchingly portrayed： 〃I
sware unto thee； and entered into a covenant with thee； saith the Lord God；
and thou becamest Mine。〃 〃And thou wast exceeding beautiful and thou didst
prosper into a kingdom。 And thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy
beauty： for it was perfect through My comeliness； which I had put upon thee。
。 。 。 But thou didst trust in thine own beauty； and playedst the harlot
because of thy renown。〃 〃As a wife treacherously departeth from her
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husband； so have ye dealt treacherously with Me； O house of Israel； saith
the Lord；〃 〃as a wife that committeth adultery； which taketh strangers
instead of her husband！〃 Ezekiel 16：8； 13…15； 32； Jeremiah 3：20。
In the New Testament； language very similar is addressed to professed
Christians who seek the friendship of the world above the favor of God。 Says
the apostle James： 〃Ye adulterers and adulteresses； know ye not that the
friendship of the world is enmity with God？ whosoever therefore will be a
friend of the world is the enemy of God。〃
The woman （Babylon） of Revelation 17 is described as 〃arrayed in purple and
scarlet color； and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls； having a
golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness：。。。and upon her
forehead was a name written； Mystery； Babylon the Great； the mother of
harlots。〃 Says the prophet： 〃I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the
saints； and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus。〃 Babylon is further
declared to be 〃that great city； which reigneth over the kings of the
earth。〃 Revelation 17：4…6； 18。 The power that for so many centuries
maintained despotic sway over the monarchs of Christendom is Rome。 The
purple and scarlet color； the gold and precious stones and pearls； vividly
picture the magnificence and more than kingly pomp affected by the haughty
see of Rome。 And no other power could be so truly declared 〃drunken with the
blood of the saints〃 as that church which has so cruelly persecuted the
followers of Christ。 Babylon is also charged with the sin of unlawful
connection with 〃the kings of the earth。〃 It was by departure from the Lord；
and alliance with the heathen； that the Jewish church became a harlot； and
Rome； corrupting herself in like manner by seeking the support of worldly
powers； receives a like condemnation。
Babylon is said to be 〃the mother of harlots。〃 By her daughters must be
symbolized churches that cling to her doctrines and traditions； and follow
her example of sacrificing
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the truth and the approval of God； in order to form an unlawful alliance
with the world。 The message of Revelation
14； announcing the fall of Babylon must apply to religious
bodies that were once pure and have become corrupt。 Since this message
follows the warning of the judgment； it must be given in the last days；
therefore it cannot refer to the Roman Church alone； for that church has
been in a fallen condition for many centuries。 Furthermore； in the
eighteenth chapter of the Revelation the people of God are called upon to
come out of Babylon。 According to this scripture； many of God's people must
still be in Babylon。 And in what religious bodies are the greater part of
the followers of Christ now to be found？ Without doubt； in the various
churches professing the Protestant faith。 At the time of their rise these
churches took a noble stand for God and the truth； and His blessing was with
them。 Even the unbelieving world was constrained to acknowledge the
beneficent results that followed an acceptance of the principles of the
gospel。 In the words of the prophet to Israel： 〃Thy renown went forth among
the heathen for thy beauty： for it was perfect through My comeliness； which
I had put upon thee； saith the Lord God。〃 But they fell by the same desire
which was the curse and ruin of Israelthe desire of imitating the
practices and courting t