The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1876-11-11
What Will the End Of These
Things Be2

MEssRs. EDIToRs Will you allow me
q little space in the REdisTEa for few
lines2 AT these times it seems to mo
that there never was time when Satan
had such full control Of the human
heart and conscience as at the present
period There is not vice ct any kind
imaginable but is fracticed moro or
less by human agency. Now, consider.
ing our time of civilization and enlight.
eminent, and the advancement Of the
knowledge Of good and evil, and that Of
the ages Of barbarism and ignorance land
the latter come far behind in the works
of iniquity), the means which God has
provided for the benefit and comfort OF
man and to tho honor Of Himself are ap.
propriated to the use Of Satan and the
accomplishment Of his purposes. So, ss
knowledge increases, sin multiplies. Why
is it3 Is sin becoming more popular than
righteousness. or man so much more u
demon than before or is 1t because Satan
secs what he does must DO done quickly,
for the shortness of time, 80 he goes to
work stronger and with moro energy than
ever beforef Does this account for the
increase Of wickedneEs that is so prevalent
in our land at the present timer The Lord
said that because iniquity should abound
the love Of money should wax cold. Paul
said that evil men and seducers should
wax worse and worse. Is it possible that
We have now arrived at the time spoken
Of BY our Saviour and the apostle7
defy oil the history Of the past to present
such time of immortality and ungodli.
ness throughout the world as the present,
which must be clearly manifest to every
one who reads the daily news. Grimes
OF all sorts and Of the worst degree are
being perpetrated everywhere. Murders,
adulteries, debauchery, rapes, seduction,
thefts and every other crime imaginable,
and Of the deepest dye, are becoming SO
common that people hardly give them o
second thought. You cannot take up o
public paper, scarcely, but you will find
list Of some of the above mentioned
crimes, and surely il leads me to ask
what shall the end Of these things be
We must leave the question for God alone
to answer. 1t seems to me as though the
consciences of some people are becoming
80 depressed and hardened that the feel.
ing of mercy and sympathy had entirely
forsaken them and Satan had taken full
possession Of them, directing all things to
suit himself. The time has now come
when the financial affairs of the leading
governments Of the world are Just now
in that peculiar condition, which may
we'll be termed dangerous. The most able
hnanoiers are puzzled to know what is
the matter; and the great silver problem,
the solution of which is just now occupy.
ing their minds to the exclusion of nearly
everything else, produces on uneasi.
ness which they are unable to conceal
And all seem to stand amazed at its mag
nitude, and the seeming impossibility O
escape which looms up in the near future
as universal bankruptcy The capitals
gathers his gold and bonds around him
looks up his treasures in an iron safe and
sits down and awaits with uneasiness the
coming Of the crash with the hope thai
he may pass through unhurt. The work.
ing man looks upon his thinly clad and
poorly fed little ones as they gather with
hungry looks around the scant home
board,and with anxious looks and despair
log eyes gazes into the gloomy future
thick with clouds of coming distress, as i
to lind some ray of light to build hi!
hopes upon. Hard times is the ry,that il
going up from every hamlet. village. towI
and city of our broad and productive
land, while its echo comes, borne bacl
upon every breeze that floats from til,
shores of the world. Great armies o
men are sitting down in idleness in al
the states of America and Europe, snt
the great manufactures and busines
shops, where once were heard the cheer,
sound Of the hammer, pick and saws an,
busy hum Of machinery, now stand viii
closed doors and darkened windows an,
the stiffness Of death within. 1dlenes
breeds crime, and just now are to be seei
large numbers of these men driven to des
peration by the distress of the times tramp
ing throughout the land and up and dow
the streets OF the country, crying in lou,
tones, "bread or blood" A bitter enmi
ty has sprung up between capital an,
labor which is becoming malignant in it
) character, and the time of separation i
; more clearly defined as each turn is give
to the scrow Of selfshness, and the rio
are becoming richer and the poor poorer
> On all sides can be seen men gatherin
themselves into secret societies eyidentl
! for the purpose of self.proteotisn. N
one can tell what the future will brin
forth, and | am inclined to ask agail
"what will the end Of these things be
AS man looks around and sees the uncel
: tainty OF terrestrial things and the SUI
don changes that como IN tho midst {
of seeming prosperity, blasting earthl
hopes and running earthly prospects Q
= they behold the downfall Of kings an
,, men Of high standing. tho sudden an
q unforeseen breaking up of social compac
. and the rending of societies and the ru
OF many who were trusted to the utmo
. = by their friends because OF their faithful
:, ness, as men see and feel these things
y their observation and experience they a
u led to exclaim in wonder and perplexit
:. "what will the end of these things be
;. And while they mako tho inquiry wi
y an earnest desire 10 know the truth, thu
II are told that these things are but an i
s. dication Of the general corruption th
y exists. Ard the uncertainty in the o.
ments, and the roitenness of society
IT only an Indication of the coming jud
" ment, q general demand. as it were,
.. o. the coming Of One who alone can sa
o. the good from the general ruin that
:. . inevitably impending, aud destroy 1
y unrighteous and the corrupt by the pul
y ing fires Of judgment. We are told th
81 society is becoming too corrupt to ex
q much longer 10 its present state.