Purity of the Church

I've been read an old book called, "The Pilgram Church". The author has been following the rise and fall of faithful little wings of the church through out the history of the church. Here's a quote from the book that got me thinking:

The privileges given by the (Russian) Government quickly changed the character of the Mennonite churches, for in order to share these privileges the children had to become Mennonites, and so they were received into the church, not, as before, on the ground of their confession of faith in Christ and of giving evidence of the new birth, but were baptized and became members when they reached a certain age, or married. Thus the church became a National Church, having both converted and unconverted members. Speedily the moral tone degenerated. Families which, when they came, had been distinguished by their sobriety and piety, sank into open sin of all kinds, so that drunkenness, immorality and covetousness soon prevailed. There was always a godly remnant which protested against these evils and for themselves and their people deeply repented the failure of their testimony.

I realised that this is why it seems that every revival in modern, western history dies after a generation or two. If a church is not persecuted then the children of faithful are likely to join the church without the strong test of faith that persecution grants. Joining the church is easy. It simply means a confession of faith and baptism. The fathers of the particular congregation may have started with sweat and tears but the children don't have this challenge; they simply glide in and become full accepted members, less faithful and committed than their forefathers. Each subsequent generation loses more of the vision that it's founding members worked so hard to establish. Religious liberty is a much more dangerous tool of the devil than persecution ever has been.