The Devil's Amusement

I recently visited a church where they were having a week of what they called "Rodeo Revival" where everyone dressed up as a cowboy/cowgirl and the church was decorated in a western motif, at the beginning of the show a cowboy came down the isle cracking his whip and hooting and a hollering praises to God and then preceded some silly dialogue with a fellow cowboy when the one cowboy branded him on the rear end with a cross they used some kind of powder so the cross would show on his jeans. What in the world was that all about, what's sad is that there were over a 120 souls there that never even blinked and most thought it was amusing, so sad. I leave you with a quote from Archibald G. Brown who was one of C. H. Spurgeons contemporaries.

"Different days demand their own special testimony. The watchman who would be faithful to his Lord and the city of his God has need to carefully note the signs of the times and emphasize his witness accordingly. Concerning the testimony needed now, there can be little, if any, doubt. An evil is in the professed camp of the Lord, so gross, so brazen in its impudence, that the most shortsighted of spiritual men can hardly fail to notice it.

During the past few years it has developed at an abnormal rate, ever for evil. It has worked like leaven, until now the whole lump ferments. Look which way you may, its presence makes itself manifest. There is little, if anything, to choose between Church, Chapel, or Mission Hall. However these may differ in some respects, they bear a striking likeness in the posters that figure upon and disfigure their notice boards. Amusement for the people is the leading article advertised by each. If my readers doubt my statement, or think my utterance too sweeping, let them take a tour of inspection and study 'the announcements for the week' at the doors of the sanctuaries of their neighbourhood; or let them read the religious advertisements in their local papers. I have done this again and again, until the hideous fact has been proved up to the hilt, that 'amusement' is ousting 'the preaching of the gospel' as the great attraction. Concerts, Entertainments, Fancy Fairs, Smoking Conferences, Dramatic Performances are the words honoured with biggest type and most startling colours. The Concert is fast becoming as much a recognised part of church life as the Prayer Meeting, and is already, in most places, far better attended.

'Providing recreation for the people' will soon be looked upon as a necessary part of Christian work and as binding upon the Church of God, as though it were a Divine command, unless some strong voices be raised which will make themselves heard." —Archibald G. Brown (1844-1922)

Excerpt taken from an article titled The Devil's Mission of Amusement by Archibald G. Brown