terfeit system of
truth, Satan can satisfy all the external religious cravings of the
world, and yet accomplish his own end by withholding that on which man's
only hope depends. It is, therefore, no longer safe to blindly subscribe
to that which promises general good, simply because it is good, and is
garnished with the teachings of Scripture; for good has ceased to be all
on one side and evil all on the other. In fact, that which is evil in
purpose has gradually appropriated the good until but one issue
distinguishes them. Part-truth-ism has come into terrible and final
conflict with whole-truth-ism, and woe to the soul that does not discern
between them. The first, though externally religious, is of Satan, and
leaves its followers in the doom of everlasting banishment from the
presence of God: while the latter is of God, and "has promise for the
life that now is and that which is to come."

It is also noticeable that the term "infidel" has, within a generation,
disappeared from common usage, and that manner of open denial of the
truth has been almost wholly abandoned. Yet the real Church has by no
means lost her foes, for they are now even more numerous, subtle, and
terrible than ever before. These present enemies, however, like the
unclean birds in the mustard tree, have taken shelter under her
branches, and, like the leaven in the pure meal, they are penetrating
and appropriating her most sacred altars and institutions. These
vultures are fed by a multitude, both in the Church and out, who, in
Satanic blindness, are committed to the furtherance of any project or
the acceptance of any theory that promises good to the world or is
apparently based upon Scripture; little realizing that they are often
really supporting the enemy of God.

A counterfeit is Satan's most natural method of resisting the purpose of
God, since by it he can realize to that extent his desire to be _like_
the Most High. Every material is now at hand, as never before, for the
construction of those conditions that are predicted to appear only in
the very end of the age. In II Tim. 3:1-5 one of these predictions may
be found: "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall
come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters,
proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without
natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce,
despisers of them that are good, traitors, heady, high