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MILLENARIANISM.
BY KEV. W. T. EVA
[concluded.]
Thus far'in favor of this theory —from which
side of the question we turn to indicate a few
things that press themselves with force against it.
Salomon says: “A man seemeth justlin his own
cause, but his neighbor cometh and searcheth him;”
and it is an old saying, which, in more homely
phrase, embodies some thing of the same senti
ment, that, “ One side of a question is good until
the other is heard.” Here as elsewhere it finds
its exemplification.
And first. I remark, that this theory is no where
in the Scriptures soplainly taught, as tobe clearly,
unmistakably, and indisputably found there.
There is, indeed, quite a number of passages,
as we have shown, which are'quite obscure and
difficult, of interpretation on any other hypothesis.
But there are none—-not even one —to which the
Millenarian can point and say, “ Here is my doc
trine —dispute it if you can ? Here the pre-mil
lennial advent, the two resurrections, and the
,personal reign, are undoubtedly taught—explain;
this Scripture on any other theory, if it be possi
ble.” The plainest single passage in the whole
Bible, perhaps, is that in the twentieth of the;
Revelation; and ail know how’full of type,
and symbol, and even obscure phraseology, that
.passage is;'and what very different interpreta-i
tions are, by oiir best commentators, actually given
to it;, while there are many passages which
seem like great arid impassable mountain barriers,
to throw thcrijselves directly in the way of mil-'
lenarianism; as that in Matthew xxv., where the
judgment/is spoken of arid the rendering of the
final and eternal award to men, as immediately
succeeding the coming of Christ, not the slightest
intimation of a thousand years of his personal feign
on the earth, as intervening between the two
transactions. Tt will not'Ho'to say that that pas
sage •describesjtlie jtidgmentiof the nations; for
though the word nations is . used in the opening
of it, yet it is clear from what follows, that that
word is used, not in: a specific, but in a generic,
sense, as meaning peoples, and. not distinct politi
■ cal or governmental divisions or organizations.
■ {Ethnos is the word—a multitude, people, etc.)
And the,circumstances mentioned, the address of
the Judge, the- doom awarded, etc., absolutely
forbid the passage to be interpreted of nations as
such. / There are also those Scriptures which
speak of tho preaching of the Gospel in all the
earth, and;.the conversion of the world, which
raise difficulties in tb e way of Millenarianism ab
solutely, insurmountable.
Second. I remark that this theory has never
been received as the faith of God’s Church ; never,
as such,'been incorporated into any of its symbols
of doctrine, whether Creeds, Confessions, or Cat
echisms.-
• This is a. fact,, and a most remarkable one, when
it is considered: what was seemingly, as we have
shown, the great hope of the Apostolic Church,
and., that in the age of the early confes ors and
martyrs, Millenarianism was so prevalent. Pro
fessor Shedd, in his History of Christiau Doctrine,
thus brings it out: :
“The oldest symbol of doctrine which we have,
is that called The Apostle’s Greed, which, though
confessedly not of Apostolic origin and authority,
yet is very ancient and can be traced back almost
to the Apostolic Age. Arid in it there is no
trace whatever of any thing that is distinctive in
this theory. There is not there the slightest al
lusion to the two resurrections, and a personal,
corporeal reign of Christ between them, the only
specifications being that Christ shall come from
heaven to judge the quick and the dead, and that
there is a resurrection of the body, and a life
everlasting. Both Irenseus and Tertullian, in
their writings against the heretics, present brief
synoptical statements of the authorized faith of
the Church; but in none of them do we find the
millennarian tenet, even though they wrote in the
very times when that tenet was most prevalent
and popular, and they themselves were believers
in it. The Decrees of none of the great councils
set forth Millenarianism as an Article of the Chris
tian faith. The Augsburg Confession expressly
eondemns it in conjunction with the doctrine of
a limited future punishment. The Confession
of Edward VI., from which the Thirty-nine Ar
ticles of the Church of England were afterwards
condensed, condemns it in nearly the same terms
as the Augsburg. The Ee 7 gic Confession, guards
the statement respecting the second advent of
Christ by teaching that the time of its occurrence
is unknown to all created beings, and that it will
not take place until the number of the elect is
completed. And the Westminster ignores the
hypothesis utterly. Now if Millenarianism is the
doctrine of the Bible, it is strange that it was
never received by the Church as such; or, if it
was so received, it is passing strange, yea, unac
countable, that it was never incorporated into any
of its Creeds, Confessions, or Catechisms.”
Third.-1 remark that this theory involves—not
so much perhaps in its principal propositions—as
in the carrying out of its details— a vast amount
of fanciful, if not sensuous, interpretation of the
Scriptures. Ido not say that it necessarily in
volves this, but the almost inevitable tendency
seems to be this way; a tendency that developed
itself even among the earliest writers in favor of
Millenarianism.' .
■ “ Iron sens treats tlie metaphors in Isaiah Ixiv.
11, 12, as proper terms. He regarded the New
Jerusalem in Revelations xxi., as a material city
actually let down from - heaven. Tcrtullian puts
the same interpretation upon this text, and for
THE AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN, THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 1867.
confirmation refers to the report, that in the Par
thian war in Judea, a city was observed to be
lowered doWn from the sky every morning, and
to disappear as the day advanced. And in regard
to the felicity .of the earth under the personal
reign of Christ, Papias makes the statement, that
there would be vineshaving ten thousand branches
and each branch ten thousand boughs, and
each bough ten thousand shoots, and each shoot
ten thousand clusters, and each cluster ten thou
sand berries, and each berry would yield ftwepty
five measures of wine.” ' ’ ■
The historian of the Decline and Pall of the'
Roman Empire, says that “so pleasingwas this hope
of the millennium to the minds of believers, that
the New Jerusalem, the seat of this blissful king
dom, was quickly adorned with the gayest colors
of imagination. A felicity consisting only of
pure and spiritual pleasure -would have appeared
too refined for its inhabitants, who were still, sup
posed to possess their human nature and senses,; A
Garden'of Eden with the: ariiuSemerits-. of a pas
toral life was no longer suited to the advanced
state of society which prevailed under the Roman
Empire. A literal city was therefore ereoted of
gold and precious stones; and ;.a supernatural
plenty of.coru arid wine was; bestowed on the ad
jacent country, in the free enjoyment of whose
spontaneous productions,-the happy and benevo
lent petipie were never to be restrained iby any
jealous laws of exclusive property.” So Gibbon
represents tbe tendency to fanciful and sensuous
interpretation of the Scriptures-by the; Millenari
ans of that early age. Neander, especially as the
theory was held by the Montanists of .that day,
abundantly confirms his.representation.
And the history of Millenarianism in modern
times illustrates the same thing. Instance in'
the wild vagaries of the Anabaptists of Munster;
and the mischievous fanaticism of many of the
Millerites of 1843; and the miserable delusion-of
the Mormons, whose faith is something of a fun
gous outgrowth of Millenarianism. Instance, also,
the speculations of Dr. Cumming on the chrono
logical prophecies: “The times arid seasons which
the Father hath put in his own power." And
those also of some other good men and respecta
ble writers in our own country.
I knew a young man, who; at the age of thir
teen, became a member of the Church, and received
the impression that he was called to the work of
the Gospel ministry. In the autumn of'the year
1841, when between fourteen and fifteen years of
age, he was put under the care of a pious divine,
to enter upon a course of preparatory study. Un
fortunately, that divine was a Millenarian, and a
diligent and enthusiastic student of chronological
prophecy, and in common with many others of
like faith at that time, believed that the Lord
Jesus would certainly come in the year 1843;
and so, instead of carrying the young man for
ward in a course of study, he set himat thatearly,-
age to preaching, under the idea, that if he did
not then begin, as the dispensation would end in
little more than a year, he would have no oppor
tunity of engaging in the work of the ministry;—
a piece of consistency on his part, it is true, but
a practical illustration of the mischievous ten
dency of a fanciful interpretation of the prophetic
Scriptures, the effects of which this youth feels
to his sorrow to this day.'
Further, it might be reinarked as against this
theory, that it seems to lie directly in the way of
all earnest, zealous, continuous effort, for the con
version and salvation of the world . Those who
accept this theory, naturally enough believe that
such efforts will never be instrumental in accom
plishing the end intended; that the world is to
be converted at or by the second coming of
Christ, and not before; that up to that time it
will rather grow worse instead of better; that
though the Gospel is to be preached in all na
tions —using the term again not gcnerically as
including all men, but specifically, as embracing
all governments, kingdoms, and tribes:—yet it is
not for their conversion, but only as a witness;
and that we are to obey the command of the Lord
•Jesus, “ Go ye into all the world and preach the
Gospel to every creature,” not at all with any
hope that such preaching will be successful, and
“accomplish that whereunto it is sent,” or “pros
per in the thing which God pleases,” but only
because it is the command of Christ—which, in
deed, ought to be, perhaps, and in some cases is,
a sufficient motive, but which separated from the
hope which generally accompanies it, that such
preaching will be attended with blessed results in
finally saving the world, would hardly be strong
enough very powerfully to influence human na
ture, even that which is really, but partially sanc
tified. The earth is certainly to be “filled with
the knowledge of the Lord,” Isa. xi. 9; the world
is assuredly to be converted to the true and living
God, Luke iii. 6; it would seem to be the case
that the same means by which a single soul, is
saved, are those by which millions of souls are to
be saved; yea, we are expressly told that the
“Gospel is the power of God to salvation”—that
“it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching
to save them that believe.” And a theory which
strikes at the very root of all this, and which
throws itself right in the way of all general, and
persistent-, and hopeful effort, for the regeneration
and salvation of the kindreds and tongues, the
nations and tribes of men, is, to say the least of
it, a doubtful one.
And finally, I would remark that the weight of
learning, opinion, and piety in the Church, both
of the ages past, and of the present day , is
against this theory.
It has been allowed, in a former part of this
essay, that in one period of the past history of the
Church, Millenarianism was generally believed in;
and that during that period the voices of the ablest
preachers, and the pens of the ablest writers,
were on the Bide of that theory. But, with that
exception, the drift of opinion, and the faith of
the great masses of Christians in all ages and in
all parts of the world have been on the other side.
The most eminent of the “Fathers,” ignore the
doctrine,utterly; Augustine, though once, a be
liever 'in it, gave it up, and ; write i it.
The Reformers do not-at all incline to it. Nei
ther Luther, nor Calvin, nor Melanctlion', nor
Cranmer, nor Knox, were Millenarians. Few of
the divines or commentators of the succeeding
age were inclined to the theory—though it found
an able, almost solitary, advocate in Joseph Mede.
Among the great-luminaries of the Christian pul
pit and press ; of : the last and of the present cen
turies, where is there one—if we except Bengel
who shines in the light of Millenarianism ? Pat
rick, Lowtli, Whitby; Doddridge, Henry, Scott,
Clark, Turretin, Dick, -Dwight, Hill, Stier, A 1
ford, Stuart; Barnes—all are against it. While,
of the two hundred millions of nominal Christians
in the .world,, not a twentieth part,, perhaps, are
believers in,the theory. ..... ~ -
We know, indeed, that a question of revealed
truth is not to be settled by human 'authority;
and that it is a false principle to .appeal to the
suffrage of, numbers for the, of any,
Christian doctrine.-; And this is not-theuse.that
i we-make of the. consideration new brought for
ward: indeed, if this consideration stood alone,
we should attach no importance to, it whatever.
But taken in connection with the others now ad
duced, we hold it; to bgof seme weight.and worth;
because, while it must be allowed that, on both
sides, there is learning, .piety,, and an earnest,
sincere desire to understand the, mind, and pur
pose of God in this matter,, it shows.thaAlhe 1 pre
ponderance of evidence — the probabilities of the
case therefore—are with the side where there is the
greatest aggregate of these elements." For if the
millenarian theory be among the “ true sayings of
God,” really made known in the Scriptures,
strange it is, passing strange, that for- ages the
great mass of theologians, and commentators, arid
believers in the Church, have so unanimously arid
decidedly neglected that theory;—strange that
not it, but the very opposite hypothesis; should
have been the almost— Quod semper, Quod
Übique, et Quod ah omnibus of the Church of
Jesus Christ.
The practical conclusions of the whole discus
sion, as they lie in my own mind, in a few simple
propositions, may be thus presented:—
First, it is a matter of very little real conse
quence for all the purposes of saving knowledge
and faith, whether-the Lord Jesus shall come
before or after the whether as to,the
order of time, there'shall be two resurrections or
but one; and whether the Saviour shall reign
personally on the earth, or spiritually. Had it
been otherwise, assuredly the truth in relation to
the whole subject would have been more clearly
and definitely revealed. God has not thought
the matter of consequence enough so .to reveal
it; and the'history oft practical, personal Chris
tianity proves, that, in connection with either
theory,or.both, true faith and earnest, devoted
godliriess may exist and flourish. , -
Second, those who hold the millenarian theory
ought to be cautious in their speculations on the
chronological prophecies, and to ; guard against
pushing their literalizing proclivities too far into
the details of interpretation of the prophetic and
symbolic Scriptures. Millenarians have, at times,
greatly erred in these particulars, and in their
zeal for, and devotion to, their favorite theory,
pursued a course that has been calculated to bring
the holy Scriptures into contempt, and 'to make
skeptics and infidels. I myself have seen the
practical working of this thing—especially in the
re-action which took place after the Millerite ex
citement of 1843; and I know men, who, at that
time, were firm believers in millenarianism, and
who, under the guidance of earnest but mistaken
teachers, confidently expected the Lord Jesus
then to come; but who, d sappointed in the ex
pectation, gave Up all faith, not only in their fa
vorite theory, hut also in the Bible itself, and are
to day living in skepticism and infidelity.
And third, those who do not hold the millen
arian theory, but are firmly established in their
faith in the other view, ought nevertheless to
make move of the second coming of the Lord
Jesus, and of the great and glorious doctrine of
the resurrection of the dead, than they are in the
habit of doing, especially in their preaching
and teaching in the pulpit. The great body of
ministers of the Gospel of the present day, are, I
think, in error here; for how seldom do we hear
from our pulpits a discourse distinctively on these
grand themes. Now, if any thing is clear and in
disputable, it is the fact, that on these subjects
the Apostles preached and wrote frequently and
much; and it is very certain that in the whole
range of religious topics, few are better adapted
to interest and impress the hearers than these.
Here, therefore, I am firmly persuaded there has
been a failure; and it would be for the’glory of
God, and the salvation of souls, if more frequently
and prominently, we discoursed on Jesus and the
resurrection. “ Behold, I come quickly and my
reward is with me to give to every man as his
work shall be! Even so, come Lord Jesus, come
quickly!”
FAITH AND THE CABLE.
BY REV. HENftY FOWLER.
The heart of the American Church beats in
sympathy with the sublime undertaking to give,
the Gospel to all the nations of the earth. We
were tempted to drop the enterprise, weighed
down with rebellion at home, but instead we en
larged our sphere of foreign effort. We are so
licited to concentrate our benefactions upon the
freedman and the jiioneer, but we feel that by
doing for the African and the Asiatic, we shall
not do less for the cotton picker of Carolina or
the digger of Colorado. He who sends the Gos
pel to the'heathen is not the one who fails to give
to the needy of America, He who encircles the
world with his Christian sympathies, prayers and
efforts, is the one who does the most for his own
country. The fervor in his soul for foreign mis
sions fires up the love of home missions.' He de
nies himself that he may give to hoth.
This oneness of home and abroad' in' the heart
of the Christian is illustrated by the'‘unity of all
continents through the successful'laying, this last
year, of the Atlantic Calile.
One of the assassins of pur martyr President is
arrested in April by one of our national officers.
The same day is our Government apprised of the'
fact. Out of Egypt starts the messages. With
one throb it crosses the Mediterranean, with
another it slips under the British Channel, with
a third it is in,Heart's Content, and then readily
finds its swift way to Washington, and ramifies
to countless homes throughout our broad Repub
lic. Wonder of wonders! All hail to the energy
of him who has devoted the best part of a life to
the surpassing enterprise. Let us, as Christians,
give God the glory, as we note that Cyrus W.
Field, as a Christian, believes his success to be an
answer to prayer. 1 In a statement made by him
of a history of the Cable, a statement of admira
ble completeness, as well as beautiful simplicity,
occurs this paragraph: ' '
‘‘Such, gentlemen, in brief, is .the story of the
the telegraph, which you wished to hear. It’has
been a long, hard struggle! Nearly thirteen years
.of anxious watching and ceaseless toil. Often my
heart has been ready to sink.' Many times, when
wandering in the forests of Newfoundland in the
pelting rain, or on the deck of ships, on dark,
stormy nights—alone, far from home, I have al
most accused myself of madness and folly to sacri
fice the peace of my family and all the hopes of
life for what might prove, after, all, but a dream.
I have seen my companions, one after another,
falling by my side, and feared that I too might
not live to see the end. And yet one hope has
led me on; and I have prayed that I might not
taste of death till this work was accomplished.
That prayer is answered; and now, beyond all
acknowledgments to men, is the feeling of grati
tude to Almighty God!” ' ‘
Every follower of Christ may learn a lesson
from the example of this heroic faith. Cyrus
Field felt that the principle of the Atlantic Cable
was true, that the work would he accomplished
that it would be a blessing to the world. And
so he toiled oh. So he enforced the convincing
logic of his case to the minds of capitalists. So
he solicited subscriptions from one counting room
to another. So he enlisted the co-operation of
Statesmen and of governments. So he sacrificed
a private fortune: So he visited Newfoundland
twenty times and crossed the ocean forty times.
We may say that he “ hated his father and mother
and wife and children and brethren and sisters,
yea and his own life also,” for the sake of that
great enterprise to which he had consecrated his
being, with trust in God and for the sake of hu
inanity.
Each follower of Christ has before his vis
ion an object yet more grand—the kingdom of
God; a principle true as the Word of Jehovah—
Redemption through Christ; a work gigantic
enough to inspire the utmost effort and call forth
the highest faith—the salvation of the whole
world. Yes, the Christian Church is striving to
encircle the earth with the cable of Christian
love, to bring all nations into the unity of Chris
tian brotherhood, to declare the Gospel in the one
language received by all mankind, to distribute
the messages of salvation to every kindred and
people and tribe, to every town and hamlet and
house, and to every man, woman and child, to
every conscience and to every soul. Sublime
purpose! If the Cable parts, a new one must be
made! Yes, the old one must be fished up from
the depths and be re-united. The Lord is on our
side. It shall be done. “This is the patience
and faith of the saints!”
WHEN JESUS SPEAKS.
O, when Jesus begins to speak to me, my ear
my, heart lB th « willin S captive of his tongue’
When he count s over that heavy load, the sins he
bore upon the tree, I love, I weep. I blush fm
shame when he talks over his Lody
How my heart is enraptured and drowned in
tears when he shows his pierced hands and melt
ed.heart. How it sets my soul on JaT l
recounts his victories. M y God he
heart strings break with love to ° h my
ted T te s r r ?dLXVaSr ay r silyl ? erepresen
laughter; a small measure hf wit
competent malice, impiety and impudence wifi
suffice and such presumptuous jesters whet one
another sungenuity and embolden one alth cr to
the most daring blasphemies. Scott on Mh. iy; 1.
LETTER FROM A COUNTRY PARSONAGE,
Having just returned from a ten day’s tour to
Western Pennsylvania, the occurrence seem of
sufficient interest to communicate. A kind and
urgent request was sent me to visit Newcastle :
Lawrence county, Pa., and assist at a series o
meetings proposed to be held in that place.
Without gainsaying the time was set and the
journey made.
The desired religious services were to take
place under conditions somewhat peculiar and
promised to be of more than ordinary interest.
Newcastle is the seat of ,justice of Lawrence
county, Pa., forty mile 3 north-west from Pitts
burg. A town, or embryo city, having various
railroad facilities; at the* junction of two beauti
ful little rivers—Neshanic and Shenango. Large
manufactories for smelting and falling iron, and
also glass making have been established here,
with considerable "trade. - A fine farming and
fruit growing region? surrounds the place. A
population of some eight thousand of all nation
alities, of all creeds, and confessions—Jew and
Gentile, Christian and infidel::
Here is a congregation owning a commodious
house of worship, and lately coming into connec
tion with the New School General Assembly.
During those dark days when slavery ruled
church courts with such an iron hand, this con
gregation was organized in connection with the
Free Presbyterian church; a small body, radi
cally anti-slavery: Wthen the New School
Assembly toother present high and’ consistent
position on this subject, this congregation in
Newcastle, feeling, that its -special mission in the
direction of itsorganizationiwasfairly completed;
asked and was received; into connection with the
New. School Assembly. ..Its able pastor Rev. A.
B. Bradford is now compelled, through failing
health, to terminate his labors with the people.
There is also in, Newcastle a congregation in
connection with the Reformed Presbyterian church,
(N. S.) —its pastor Rev. W., T. Wylie.
Both of these congregations are respectable in
numbers and efficiency; yet neither of them able
alone to afford a-.pastor on adequate support, or
to take an effective part in the various efforts of
Church extension. ,
’. A; Union; meeting ,pf these two congregations
was arranged to be held in the large New School
Church: To this united meeting I went, and
preached for eight successive, evenings—preached
twice on the intervening „ Sabbath ; joining also
3P. M.,, of each day in ; a Union meeting for
prayer, conference and converse with inquirers.
God’s blessing was evidently there from the be
ginning. Christians long separated by ecclesias
tical forms, soon felt, as they drank together into
Christ, they were really one;. . The community
became impressed with the truth ; “Behold, how
good and how pleasant it is for, brethren to dwell
together in unity.” The meetings grew in num
bers and Interest. Those Without, seeing this
ne.w and unwonted demonstration, of Christian
unity and brotherhood, were strongly attracted.
It was court week in Newcastle. Lawyers, j uror*
and witnesses came to the meetings, evening after
evening, and will have carried the unction home
with them to various localities in the country.
An increasing spirit of earnestness, inquiry
and prayer was manifest. Christians were re
vived, backsliders reclaimed .and sinners brought
earnestly to inquire. A time to be remembered.
The meeting is still continued and may the Holy
Spirit be poured out as at Pentecost.
Our hope is, that the brethren'of these two
congregations, having had such happy and prac
tical evidence of what union in sympathy and
effort means, will be loath, after these meetings
have ended, to go hack to the weaker efforts of
separate organizations. It would seem their
wisdom to unite and form one congregation, re
taining the efficient services of brother Wylie,
and thus constitute a, church strong for work at
hqme and efficient for good abroad. Such h
peaceful, cordial, and happy re-union of numbers,
strength and efforts would do more to draw to
gether Christians now separated, than volumes of
theoretic platforms.
The New School Presbyterian church is not
numerous but efficient in Western Pennsylvania
Ihis region comprises perhaps the strongest ele
ments of efficiency and strength in the United
States of the Old School, United and Reformed
Presbyterians. From such elements of society
certain results may be expected and in none of
them will the inquirer be disappointed—industry,
rugality with abounding physical comforts; the
Sabbath kept holy, wide-spread religious intelli
gence, social order, absence of crime; and in the
e stru OD le of our country, the people, as aina-'
enthusiastic for the Union.
It is a matter of interest and gratulation that
in the midst of this grand array of Presbyterian
ism one, if not the most, efficient congregation is
m the New School connection—that of brother
Johnson in Pittsburg. Should the Union in
Newcastle be consummated, a new strength wiil
be given the church in that interesting section
_ A. M. Stewart
Frazer Pa., Feb. 26,1867.
PROFITLESS DISPUTES.
snetd men S , h ° uld waste their talents,
i e ’, a \ d troUble the Church with SO
? T tlCh appear dry and
tes ekss in the hour of death; that they should
to W . J SIOUS dlSpUtesas mea in passion or
hi Lr d a. aPP6a / intend for victory more
rt l h i and * Seek to dishonor
tiieir brother than to honor their God.