The Annual Monitor for 1851 | Page 2

in making the golden calf to go before them, and crying "these are thy Gods, O
Israel!" And when they had received the law, written by the finger of God, and were
somewhat humbled under the correction of their sins, how few were there, who carried
out its injunctions in their genuine spirit, and how many were there, who from time to
time, defiled themselves by the idolatrous service of other gods. Even when brought by a
strong hand, and an outstretched arm, attended by many palpable miracles which were
wrought on their behalf, they were seated in the "Land flowing with milk and honey,"
which had been promised to their fathers; how prone were they constantly to desert even
the profession of their faith, and to serve the gods of the nations which they were sent to
destroy; yet in all these times there were a few, and it was probably comparatively but a
few, who had not bowed the knee to Baal.
We have evidence of the same fact in the history of Christianity. The beautiful example
of the Saviour, and the wonderful miracles which he performed--all for the good of
man--failed to attract the high boasted reason of the Greek, or the Roman, or to soften the
obduracy of the blind and hard Pharisaic hearted Jew: it was still the few who had
sympathy with the character He exhibited, and the truths which He spoke, and who found
Him to be to their souls "the power of God unto salvation." And even when these few
were gathered together, and under the extraordinary effusion of the Holy Spirit, many
were added to them, and "the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and one
soul," they were still comparatively but a few.
The further history of the Christian Church may appear to some to exhibit a different
view, but to us it seems not less clearly to illustrate the same melancholy truth.
It is certain, that during the life-time of the Apostles, many by their powerful preaching,
under the influence of the Holy Spirit, were brought to repentance and a living faith in
Christ, and we know that not a few sealed their testimony with their blood, yet the
simplicity and the purity of Christianity were soon more or less spoiled by the still
contracted spirit and notions of many of the Jews, or the false philosophy, not entirely
abandoned, of the pagan converts. We doubt not, however, that notwithstanding these
deteriorating admixtures, there may be said to have been many--aye, a glorious
multitude--who held the truth in its primitive power, and in a large measure of primitive
simplicity. Still, when these are compared with the whole population of the countries
where the Truth was preached, the real converts must be spoken of as a few, and thus was
it evident that there was still an inherent opposition in man to the restraining and
purifying doctrines of the gospel of Christ.
And when in later years, whole nations and peoples were said to become Christians, it
may well be doubted whether in such times there had not been as great a reduction of the
number of true converts of old standing, as there was addition of this class amongst the
new ones. Christianity as professed in those days, had thrown off her simple garb, and
had decorated herself to please the corrupt taste of the people--as the sun and other
heavenly bodies were probably the earliest objects of adoration to mankind, and were
used in the first instance as striking symbols of the light and power of the one Creator and
Father, so did the professors of Christianity, pretty early present to the people, some

intermediate objects of reverence and love, by which those who turned from the simple
affiance to the one Great Redeemer and High Priest, might find a rest suited to their
carnal, or at least imperfectly spiritual conception of Christianity. And when the temporal
church boasted of its universal sway in Europe, and its entire unity, there were probably a
smaller number of true Christians within its pale, than existed in the midst of pagan
persecutions at the close of the apostolic age.
Let us now look at times nearer to our own, when Huss, and Luther, and Zwingle, by a
power not their own, caused many rays of the glorious light of Truth to shine upon
benighted nations, and disturbed the slumbers of the corrupted church. Great were, and
still are the blessings derived from the great struggle. Many of the bonds of Satan were
broken, and many a heavy burdened soul found its long desired rest. Yet how soon was
even the brightness of this morning dimmed, and how little progress did the cause of the
Reformation make after the departure