in
religious circles, what is agreeable to the natural inclinations,
rather than the duties prescribed by the word of God. The tendency
to adopt worldly amusements, by professed Christians, is further
stated in evidence."

This testimony is very explicit. When men "have the name of religion,
but obey none of its injunctions," they certainly may be said to have a
form of godliness, but to deny the power; and when they "practice in
religious circles what is agreeable to the natural inclinations, rather
than the duties prescribed by the word of God," they may be truthfully
said to be "lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God." And Rochester
is not an exception in this respect. It is so all over the land, as the
candid everywhere, by a sad array of facts, are compelled to admit.

That the majority of the Christians in our land are still to be found
in connection with these churches is undoubtedly true. But a change in
this respect is also approaching. For Paul exhorts all true Christians,
in his words to Timothy above referred to, to turn away from those who
have a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof; and those who
desire to live pure and holy lives, who mourn over the desolations of
their Zion, and sigh for the abominations done in the land, will
certainly heed this injunction of the apostle. There is another prophecy
which also shows that when the spirit of worldliness and apostasy has so
far taken possession of the professed churches of Christ as to place
them beyond the reach of reform, God's true children are every one to be
called out, that they become not partakers of their sins, and so receive
not of their plagues. Rev. 18:4.

From the course which church members are everywhere pursuing, it is
plain to be seen in what direction the Protestant churches are drifting;
and from the declarations of God's word it is evident that all whose
hearts are touched by God's grace and molded by his love will soon come
out from a connection in which, while they can do no good to others,
they will receive only evil to themselves.

And now we ask the reader to consider seriously for a moment what the
state of the religious world will be when this change shall have taken
place. We shall then have an array of proud and popular churches from
whose communion all the good have departed, from whom the Holy Spirit is
withdrawn, and who are in a state of hopeless departure from God. God is
no respecter of