(J.C. Ryle, 1816-1900)

There is an undeniable zeal in some of the teachers of error--and their 'earnestness' makes many think they must be right.

There is a great appearance of learning and theological knowledge--and many imagine that such clever and intellectual men must surely be safe guides.

There is a general tendency to free thoughtin these latter days--many like to prove their independence of judgment, by believing novelties.

There is a wide-spread desire to appear tolerant and liberal-minded--many seem half ashamed of saying that anybody can be in the wrong.

There is a quantity of half-truth taught by the modern false teachers--they are incessantly using Scriptural terms and phrases in an unscriptural sense.

There is a morbid craving in the public mind for the more sensational and showy--men are impatient of inward, invisible heart-work.

There is a silly readiness in every direction to believe everybody who talks cleverly and earnestly--and a determination to forget that Satan is often "transformed into an angel of light." 2 Corinthians 2:14

There is a wide-spread 'gullibility' among professing Christians--every heretic who tells his story plausibly, is sure to be believed. Anyone who questions him, is called a bigot and a narrow-minded man.

All these things are peculiar symptoms of our times. I defy any observing man to deny them. They tend to make the assaults of false doctrine in our day peculiarly dangerous. They make it more than ever needful to cry aloud, "Do not be led astray by all kinds of strange teachings!"

An ignorant laity will always be the bane of a Church! A Bible-reading laity may save a Church from ruin.

Let us receive nothing, believe nothing, follow nothing--which is not in the Bible, nor can be proved by the Bible.

Let our rule of faith, our touchstone of all teaching--be the written Word of God!