THE INTERNATIONAL PROPHETIC CONFERENCE.
By F. C. Gilbert
Boston, Mass., Dec. 10-15. Wednesday forenoon, Dec. 11, the session opened in full swing on lines of prophecy. W. J. Erdman, of Germantown, Pa., gave a discourse on the last part of Isaiah 6. He called attention to the fact that we not only need power for success, but also for apparent failure, as the world regards failure; for the closing texts of the chapter indicated that not much would be accomplished by the messenger at that time; neither was much accomplished by the Saviour on earth, as is shown in Matt. 13:14, 15; neither by the apostle Paul, as is evidenced by Acts 28:26, 27. Then the doctor took a turn, and tried to show from the last three verses that while Israel did not receive her Lord in the days of either the Messiah or the apostles, she would still be favored of God, and finally, at the coming of the Lord, would be restored. His view of the question was that only converted Jews will go to Jerusalem, and these not till the Lord comes to earth. It is then that they will be restored as a nation, and it will be the nation converted. However, many differed with him in his view of the question, judging from the questions following his talk, as well as from the papers of others read later in the conference. In the afternoon an interesting paper was read from Sir Robert Anderson, K.C.B., LL.D., on “The Principal Aim of a Prophetic Conference.” The thought was presented that the church of the present time has no answer to give skeptics, because of the unbelief which exists, as well as of the divisions which are found in the religious bodies of the present day. The thought was also emphasized that we have made scarcely any progress in religious truth for nearly three hundred years. The Lutherans to-day believe what in essence was believed by Luther centuries ago; and other classes and sects believe at the present time what their founders advocated. He intimated that truth is progressive; and that the church should be constantly progressing in the Word of God. But he showed that the church does not believe in progress, as she simply clings to the traditions of the past. He exposed many of the so-called religious teachers and their teaching; and concluded by saying that the “ground-plan of the work of God is to restore prophecy to its original position.” His paper was followed by an address from Henry Varley, international evangelist. He took for his text Luke 19:11. To sum up this address in few words would be to say that it was strongly flavored with National Reformism, modified only by the thought that Christ will not leave the saints here alone during the thousand years. He will come to earth occasionally, to see that everything is all right, that matters run smoothly. He pictured the world as bad and wicked at the present view; and it will constantly grow worse, till, by some means, the Lord shall come. Then “the rapture of the saints,” so-called, will take place. Christ will go off somewhere, just where was not given. Then the thousand years’ rule will begin on this earth. The Jews, having been renationalized in a measure, will be preaching the Gospel to the world, and to the Jews who do not believe in the Messiah; and the “saints,” some of them at least, will be running the machinery of government on this earth. Some of the saints will be rulers over ten cities, some over five, and the work will be carried on after their own ideal. Of course it is designed that Christ shall be the ruler; but the saints can then be trusted with power. At this time righteousness will be predominant. If a man should attempt to do wrong, before the wrong was performed in the overt act the individual would be suppressed, and his fate evidently would be settled; just how, Mr. Varley did not say. He sought to impress upon the minds of the people that it is a KINGDOM that Christ is expected to establish, and the people are to be ruled,—yes, and the saints are to administer the rules. Well, history has furnished us a vast amount of material for such people to ponder over before they enter the business. The “Dark Ages” furnished us with abundant proofs as to how “saints” ruled over their fellow-men when they had the government in their hands to administer. Peter attempted it; James and John wanted to try it; but Jesus rebuked their spirit and intentions. Christians should desire Christ to come, not that commerce, trade, and sinful ways should be continued for a thousand years longer, even if the righteous did predominate; but that sin, in all its forms, should be forever destroyed and blotted out, that the universe may be clean once more. This is what will happen when the Lord shall come. May it hasten greatly. In the evening Dr. Sholto Douglass, of Scotland, delivered an address on “The Prophecies of Jesus, Fulfilled and Unfulfilled.” He called attention to the fact that all the prophecies concerning Christ’s first advent are literal, and were literally fulfilled. He then raised the question, “Why should not the prophecies concerning His second coming be literally fulfilled?” Many scriptures were read to show that the Lord will return to this earth, and that that coming will be a literal one. However, many erroneous ideas in connection with that coming were presented, particularly concerning the literal return of the Jews, and the appearing of Antichrist. His view of the situation differed materially from others who spoke before him, as well as of those who followed; so that more space and time need not be occupied. However, it was blessed to hear read those scriptures which refer to the personal coming of Christ to receive His saints. The Lord has said that His Word never shall pass away; and what He told the Word to do, it will surely perform, even if men do not always present it in its true aspect. A very interesting paper was also read from Prof. D. S. Margoliouth, M.A., Oxford, England, on “The Integrity of the Scriptures.” The paper was a very able one, and presented many helpful utterances concerning the infallibility of the Word of God. The prophetic utterances of the Bible were great proofs of its inspiration and integrity; and the recent discoveries made have conclusively proved that the Word of God is able to demonstrate its own authenticity and genuineness. Many interesting points were brought out upon the subject of inspiration, and it was good to see the Word of God exalted. While some views in the paper might be questioned, still the author brought out much which was very helpful and suggestive along the lines of Scriptural integrity. On Thursday afternoon two addresses were delivered, one by Dr. James M. Gray, D.D., and the other by Dr. Scofield, of Moody’s Seminary at Northfield. The topic of the former was, “The Harmony of the Old Testament Prophecies with Respect to the Coming Crisis.” He said in part: “The crisis that awaits this world is the central feature in connection with the coming of the Lord.” Then, by at least six points, he sought to give a program of the events which center in this great crisis. The popular idea of the millennium and the restoration of the Jews figures quite prominently, tho his view is that the Jews will confederate with the Gentile nations about the time the Lord will come. He expressed the thought that the church will be taken up before the Lord comes, and that many of the prophecies and promises can only be understood in the light of the millennium and the restoration. There was not very much in the paper that was helpful in the line of truth and light on the prophecies. It differed quite materially from many of its predecessors, and also its successors. Dr. Scofield’s address was entitled: “The Eschatology of the Epistles and the Book of Revelation.” He differed materially with Dr. Gray, as he claimed the Lord will come immediately after the tribulation. He had a program all prepared as to how the events will transpire. Matthew 24 is nearly all in the future; the second chapter of 2 Thessalonians is yet future; and most all of the prophecies which have been fulfilled in the past during “the Dark Ages,” were said to be yet future. Just when, where, or how the program is to be carried out was not determined. We were glad for the blessedness of the light of the truth of prophecy, so that we could appreciate the words of the apostle: “But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.” Thursday evening, however, there was one address delivered which was like an oasis in the desert. Dr. Elmore Harris, of Toronto, spoke on “The Resurrections and the Judgment.” A more clear, lucid, yet simple explanation of the two resurrections could not be asked for; and he showed conclusively and convincingly from those scriptures, as well as from other parts of the Word of God, that there are to be two resurrections a thousand years apart. At the first the righteous only will be raised and redeemed, and the wicked dead will be raised at the end of the thousand years. We could thank God for the beauty of the truth as it is shown in such clear rays. He was followed by a paper from Dr. Sholto Douglass entitled, “Antichrist.” After expressing some beautiful thoughts on the second advent and the incentives to holy living in view of that blessed fact, he tried to show what he considered was the Antichrist. The reader will not be wearied with much that was said, as it would be almost impossible to reproduce it. It was a jumbled-up mass of ideas, mixing up events which have been fulfilled thousands of years, with events which have been fulfilled for centuries, and bringing them together with separate, distinct events yet to be fulfilled; and somehow, by some means, he sought to make them fit an Antichrist. Dr. A. J. Gordon well said one time at a conference where some one was laboring under great difficulty to prove an Antichrist yet future, “If you want to know who and where the Antichrist is, go to the Vatican.” In this paper, as in nearly all the others, the restoration played a very prominent part. The writer can only pray that the blessed Lord, by His own divine Spirit, may illumine the minds of these people to see Jesus and His truth as they are; then many of these mere theories will vanish away, even as the cloud vanishes before the morning sun.