Page:Studies in the Scriptures - Series I - The Plan of the Ages (1909).djvu/21

 The Watchman the " Y. M. C. A." journal of Chicago published this same diagram, and commenting on it said:

" The ideas of some are very misty and indefinite in re- gard to the world's spiritual condition. We hear of glorious revival work at home and abroad, of fresh missionary efforts in various directions, of one country after another opening to the gospel, and of large sums being devoted to its spread: and we get the idea that adequate efforts are being made for the evangelization of the nations of the earth. It is es- timated to-day that the world's population is 1,424,000,000, and by studying the diagram we will see that considerably more than one-half nearly two-thirds are still totally heathen, and the remainder are mostly either followers of Mohammed or members of those great apostate churches whose religion is practically a Christianized idolatry, and who can scarcely be said to hold or teach the gospel of Christ. Even as to the 116 millions of nominal Protest- ants, we must remember how large a proportion in Ger- many, England and this country have lapsed into infi- delity & darkness deeper, if possible, than even that of heathenism and how many are blinded by superstition, or buried in extreme ignorance ; so that while eight millions of Jews still reject Jesus of Nazareth, and while more than 300 millions who bear his name have apostatized from his faith, 170 millions more bow before Mohammed, and the vast remainder of mankind are to this day worshipers of stocks and stones, of their own ancestors, of dead herpes or of the devil himself; all in one way or other worshiping and serving the creature instead of the Creator, who is God over all, blessed forever. Is there not enough here to sad- den the heart of thoughtful Christians?"

Truly this is a sad picture. And though the diagram represents shades of difference between Heathens, Moham- medans and Jews, all are alike* in total ignorance of Christ. Some might at first suppose that this view with reference to the proportion of Christians is too dark and rather over- drawn, but we think the reverse of this. It shows nominal Christianity in the brightest colors possible. For instance,

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