The prevailing spirit of our time is one of infidelity and apostasy,--a spirit of avowed illumination because of a knowledge of truth, but in reality of the blindest presumption. Human theories are exalted, and placed where God and his law should be. Satan tempts men and women to disobey, with the promise that in disobedience they will find liberty and freedom that will make them as gods. There is seen a spirit of opposition to the plain word of God, of idolatrous exaltation of human wisdom above divine revelation. Men have allowed their minds to become so darkened and confused by conformity to worldly customs and worldly influences that they seem to have lost all power to discriminate between light and darkness, truth and error. So far have they departed from the right way that they hold the opinions of a few philosophers, so called, to be more trustworthy than the truths of the Bible. The entreaties and promises of God's Word, its threatenings against disobedience and idolatry,--all are powerless to melt their hearts. A faith such as actuated Paul, Peter, and John, they regard as old-fashioned, mystical, and unworthy of the intelligence of modern thinkers.

Den fremherskende ånd for vor tid er vantro og frafald, - en ånd med en erklæret oplysning på grund sandhedskundskaben, men i virkeligheden er den blindeste formastelighed. Menneskelige teorier ophøjes, og sætte hvor Gud og hans lov burde være. Satan frister mænd og kvinder til ulydighed, med løfte om at de finder frihed i ulydigheden, som vil gøre dem til guder. Der ses en modstandsånd imod Guds klare ord, mod afguderisk ophøjelse af menneskelig visdom over guddommeligåbenbaring. Mennesker har ladet deres sind blive så formørkede og forvirrede mellem lys og mørke, sandhed og vildfarelse. Så langt er de veget fra den rigtige vej at de fremholder nogle få såkaldte filosoffers meninger, til at være troværdige frem for bibelens sandheder. Bønnerne og løfterne i Guds ord, er trusler imod ulydighed og afguderi, - alle er kraftesløse for at smelte deres hjerter. En tro som Paulus, Peter og Johannes udøvede, betragtede dem som gamle, mystiske og uværdige for moderne tænkende mennesker.