The Revelation of Jesus Christ - The Herald

history is identified in these dark times, just before the Reformation? This period in history
is the subject matter of one of the most startling and striking visions that passed before the
eyes of St. John and is recorded farther on in the Revelation. Thank God for the "few
names left in Sardis"! To these under the leadership of the Divine Master, are we indebted
for the preservation of the faith. While as witnesses, their testimony was silenced for a
time, the spirit of truth was soon again worked into the lives of their successors, Luther,
Melancthon, Zwingli, Reuchlin, and others, and empowered by Christ, a new, a second
prophesying began.
"I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. Be watchful, and
strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die; for I have not found thy works
perfect before God."--Rev. 3:1,2.
"I know thy works," said the Savior, addressing this Church of Sardis and its star or
messenger. No particular evil is mentioned as existing in her midst, but if we are correct in
applying the message prophetically to the period just prior to the great Reformation
epoch, we may be sure that there was existing in this Church a combination of all those
evils that we have found recorded in the other messages. The unequal yoking up with the
world, the purely worldly spirit, so prevalent in the age represented by the Church of
Pergamos, controlling in her councils; the wicked, corrupt teaching of that "woman
Jezebel," together with her persecuting spirit, pictured by Thyatira, had reached the
condition called by the Savior "the depths of Satan." The professing Church on earth had
become wholly corrupt--indeed, "dead"; and this was the state of the visible Church in the
period just prior to the great Reformation.
The fact that the Savior mentions the seven stars held in His right hand, seems to teach
that He had entire control of the ministers in His Church and could keep and remove them
at His pleasure.
The words, "Be watchful and strengthen the things which remain," seem to be addressed
to the exceptionally few disheartened ministers and secret disciples of those times; "the
things which remain," having reference to the true piety that still lived and lingered in this
period.
"Whatever there was of true religion among them, it was of importance to strengthen it,
that the love of the Savior might not become wholly extinct. An important duty in a low
and languishing state of religion, indeed, is to strengthen the things that still survive. It is
to cultivate all the graces which do exist--to nourish all the love of truth which may linger
in the Church; and to confirm by warm exhortation, and by a reference to the gracious
promises of God's Word, the few who may be endeavoring to do their duty, and who
amidst many discouragements, are aiming to be faithful to the Savior. In the lowest state
of religion in a church, there may be a few, perhaps quite obscure and of humble rank,
who are mourning over the desolations of Zion, and who are sighing for better times. All
such, it is the duty of the ministers of religion to comfort and encourage; for it is in their
hearts that piety may be kept alive in the Church--it is through them that it may be hoped