Page:The Last Judgement and Second Coming of the Lord Illustrated.djvu/269

 were soon perverted by the controversies which arose; darkness was created by the subtleties which prevailed, charity was set aside, and creeds were exalted. Councils were called to interpret and decide what was true; they declared that the things of faith were not the subjects of reason, and that belief is sufficient for salvation. In all the creeds which they framed for the acceptance of the Church, there is not a word about charity; in all "the Thirty-nine Articles" there is not one upon the subject; among the Twenty-one Homilies it is only once recognised, and then as a thing of almsgiving. Thus the authoritative documents of the Church have ignored charity as a saving principle; and how, under such a circumstance, could faith exist? Charity is the life of faith; when the fire is extinguished the light goes out. The Lord foretold this condition and end of the Church, when He said, "Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold;" and again, "When the Son of man cometh shall He find faith in the earth?" Those desolating principles which had so long reigned in and bewildered the Church, gradually brought on a condition in the spiritual affairs of Christianity, beyond which it was not permitted them to go. This crisis we believe to have occurred about the middle of the last century. Every one who knows anything concerning the history of that period is aware how utterly destitute the Church was of all spiritual life and heavenly character. The improvements which have since taken place within its pale we believe to have been the results of the new influences which were then provided for. That was the period in which we consider the last judgment to have taken place, and consequently it was then that the second coming of the Lord began.