Jasper Adams originally delivered this short work as a sermon to a convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Charleston. The message was inspired by the end of the last established church in America. Even though Adams was an Episcopal priest, and Massachusetts had just disestablished the Congregational Church, he used the occasion to decry the ingreasing status of irreligion in the U.S.

His concerns included the ongoing removal of religion from colleges and lower schools, and what he percieved as a growing 'war against Christianity' which seemed to follow earlier trends in Europe.

Although the specific events referred to are dated, as is some of his language, the war he spoke of is still going on, while we are suffering from many of his predicted consequences. His report is important to anyone who wants to understand that war. ( )