THE IMMEDIATE COMING OF CHRIST.
By Editor
TEN years since there were thousands in this country looking for the immediate coming of Christ, believing beyond all doubt that his coming was "near even at the doors," who have lost their faith and their interest in his immediate coming. They once rejoiced in the doctrine of his soon coming, and the thought of beholding the dear Saviour, descending to this earth, attended by all the holy angels, filled them with joy unspeakable and full of glory. But, alas! they have ceased to look for, and love the appearing of Jesus, have lost sight of the "blessed hope," and have turned to the pleasures and treasures of earth. We should inquire into the cause of this sad change. WHAT HAS FAILED? If the evidences on which their faith rested have failed, then there are good reasons why they should give up their faith in Christ's immediate coming; but if they have not failed, their faith should now be as strong, and they be as joyous in hope, as eight or ten years ago. In reviewing the subject, we are bound to say, in answer to the above question, that nothing has failed. The believers in Christ's immediate coming have not, it is true, realized all their expectations. But we are confident that it is not a hard task to show the inquiring mind, that their disappointments have not proved the doctrine false, and do not effect the evidences on which their faith then rested that the event was at the doors. Wm. Miller presented to the world his views of the prophecies of Daniel and John in particular, which aroused men, and called their minds to the evidences of the Advent near. Those evidences were conclusive and overwhelming, and hundreds of Ministers of the gospel left their charges, and went out into the wide field before them, giving themselves exclusively to the proclamation of "Behold he cometh." Hundreds of men of moral worth, who had never preached, then felt called out to publish the glad tidings. And through the free-will offerings of those who had the means, and were satisfied that the period of their stewardship was short, publications on the subject of the Advent were scattered far and wide, and in many portions of our country like the leaves of Autumn. We will now briefly notice some of the evidences on which the Advent faith rested, and see if we can discover a failure, or find one evidence on which our faith rested with such confidence, that has been affected by the passing of the time. The Metallic Image of Dan. ii. In this chapter four universal, Gentile kingdoms are brought to view.—Babylon, represented by the head of gold. The Medo-Persian kingdom, represented by the breast and arms of silver. Grecia, represented by the belly and sides of brass. The Roman kingdom, represented by the legs of iron. The ten toes of the image represent the divided state of this fourth kingdom. The next is God's everlasting kingdom. Where are we in this prophecy? Babylon, the head of gold, long since passed away. The Medo-Persian kingdom, the breast and arms of silver, long since was numbered with things past.—Grecia, represented by the brass, is in the past. Rome in its undivided state, represented by the legs of iron, is also in the past. And for almost fourteen hundred years has the divided state of the fourth kingdom been represented by the feet and toes of the image. What next? Answer: The destruction of the kingdoms of this world, represented by the stone smiting the image on the feet, when the "iron, the clay, the brass, the silver and the gold, [were] broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors, and the wind carried them away that no place was found for them." And then will God's everlasting kingdom be set up. We now ask, Has the passing of the time to which the minds of the Advent body were directed for the coming of the Lord, prove that there is no evidence in this chapter for the speedy establishment of God's everlasting kingdom? We answer, that our disappointment does not in the least effect the evidence in this prophecy. The next event is the destruction of earthly kingdoms, and the establishment of God's everlasting kingdom. The prophecy of the seventh chapter of Daniel is still more definite. Here four beasts are presented, representing the same as the four parts of the metallic image. The lion represents Babylon, the same as the head of gold. The bear represents the Medo-Persian kingdom, the same as the breast and arms of silver. The leopard represents Grecia, the same as the belly and sides of brass. And the fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, &c., represents the Roman kingdom, the same as the legs of iron; and his ten horns represent the ten divisions of the Western empire, the same as the ten toes of the image. But among the ten horns of this beast there came up another little horn, before whom three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots. It is said of this horn, that "he shall speak great words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and think to change times and laws; and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time." All agree that this represents the Papal power, which had its 1260 years of cruel triumph, from about 538, to 1798. But "they shall take away his dominion, says the prophecy. This was fulfilled in 1798, when Berthier, a French general entered the city of Rome and took it. The Pope was taken prisoner, and shut up in the Vatican. The Papal government, which had continued from the time of Justinian, was abolished, and a Republican form of government given to Rome. The Pope was carried captive to France, where he died 1799. Thus his dominion was taken away. He that led others "into captivity," went into captivity, and he who killed with the sword, those whom he pleased to call heretics, was himself killed [subdued] with the sword." We are brought down in the prophecy to within fifty-four years of the present time.—What is the next event before us? Answer. The awful scenes connected with the judgment of the great day, followed by the everlasting kingdom of God. We need not say that the passing of a few years beyond the point of time when so many expected to see the Lord, does not affect the evidence that the judgment is the next event, and should now be expected, for none will fail to see this. Thousands may close their eyes from the light of this prophecy, and fall to sleep in this hour when we are especially commanded to watch, yet this will not affect the prophecy. Time rolls on, and we are being borne on to the judgment, which is the next event in the prophecy, and just before us. We will now leave the book of Daniel for the present, to look at another class of evidences, called the signs. The special signs of the Advent, mentioned by Christ, are those in the sun, moon and stars. And we would first remark, that it is impossible for man to conceive of any other object that our Lord could have in pointing out signs of his Advent, only that something, at least, should be known of the time of his coming. Whether these signs have, or have not yet been seen, it is infidelity to teach that the church was to be wholly ignorant of the Second Advent, when the Son of God has foretold signs of this event. But our Saviour has said, "when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." Luke xxi, 28. "Now learn a parable of the fig-tree; when his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh; so likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, KNOW that it is near, even at the doors." Matt. xxiv, 33, 34. The evidence has been presented that the darkening of the sun and the moon occurred May 19th, 1780, and the falling of the stars in 1833. And the Advent body was once agreed in the belief that these signs were then fulfilled. A few, who have since doubted almost everything, have also doubted in relation to the fulfillment of the predicted signs. But what has failed? Our object is at this time to see if any of the evidences on which the Advent faith rested, have failed by the continuation of time beyond our expectations. The evidence that has been presented to show the fulfillment of these signs was fully satisfactory to those who embraced the Advent faith about ten years since, that Christ's coming was near, even at the doors. And, certainly, the passing of a few years does not affect these evidences in the least. If it was our privilege and duty then to KNOW that Christ's coming was near, even at the doors, it is certainly dangerous to doubt now. If we "learn" the parable of the fig-tree as we should, it will banish all our doubts. When we see the trees of the field putting forth their leaves, and the ground beginning to be covered with its green velvet carpet, we know that summer is near. Not the shadow of a doubt remains in the mind relative to the approach of summer. "So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, KNOW ye that it is near, even at the doors." Let those who dare to, doubt, we say to all, in the fullness of our soul, believe, and "know" what it is your privilege and duty to know, and watch and be ready. The Lord is coming, and coming speedily. We now wish to notice another class of signs of the last days. The condition of the mass of professed christians, having a form of godliness without the power, is set forth as a sign. Says the Apostle, "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, false-accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof; from such turn away." 2 Tim. iii, 1—5. Here let it be understood that these thus described are all professors of godliness, although they deny its power. It may be true that such have ever been in the professed church of Christ to some extent, and yet this state of things in the last days constitutes a sign. But in order for this sign to be sufficiently plain, it seems necessary that the mass of professed christians should be in the condition described by the Apostle. Ten years since this portion of scripture was applied to the nominal churches by those who taught the Second Advent, with great effect. The application then seemed very proper, and was convincing. But when we come down to the present time and view the condition of the mass of professors, and compare their present condition with what it was ten years since, when the land seemed to be lit up with the blaze of reformation and the glory of God, and behold the sad change in their condition, we see that the language of Paul applies with ten fold more force than it did then. Then we inquire, if any thing has failed here? Has the nominal church reformed, so as to put out the light of this sign of the last days? Certainly it has not. Instead of reforming, and having more of the power of Godliness, nearly the whole mass of professed christians have lost, to all appearance at least, the last spark of vital godliness. And more than this, very many, who once shared largely in the power of the Holy Spirit, have so far sunk in the darkness of the present time that, although they have a form of godliness, "deny the power thereof." "From such," says Paul, "turn away." But there is another feature in this sad picture drawn by the Apostle to which we wish to call attention. He says, "Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth; men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith." Verse 8. The Apostle here refers to the time when God was about to deliver his people from Egypt, and sent his servants, Moses and Aaron, to Pharaoh to show a sign before him, that he might know that he should let the people go. The sign was given; but Pharaoh called for his magicians, who "did in like manner with141their enchantments." Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, with a counterfeit of the power of Almighty God, which Pharaoh, who knew not God, was not able to detect. Then, in the last days, the truth is to be resisted by that which is a counterfeit of the operations of the Spirit of God. And do any ask what this counterfeit is? We answer, that it is being seen in the spiritual wonders of the present day, in Mesmerism, and Spirit Rappings, in the revival of Necromancy, Witchcraft, &c., &c. And it is a fact that the bewitching excitement relative to these things has arisen since the great Advent movements, eight or ten years since. And it is also a fact that if the plain truths of the word of God be proclaimed at this day, attended by the Spirit of truth, the Holy Ghost, the cry of Mesmerism is raised to fill the hearts of the people with doubts. If the speaker becomes earnest in presenting all-important truths, and feels the perishing condition of his hearers, and if the Spirit of God is poured out, and the unprepared weep, and saints shout aloud for joy, the lukewarm, deceived, hardened Laodicean is ready to call it all Mesmerism, and is joined by the multitude who have a "form of godliness, but deny the power thereof." In this way the truth is resisted. It was the object no doubt, of Jannes and Jambres to make Pharaoh believe that Moses and Aaron were only magicians like themselves. It is stated in the book of Jasher, that Jannes and Jambres were the sons of Baalam the magician, who said to Pharaoh, referring to Moses and Aaron, "These are none other than magicians like ourselves." And in like manner will Mesmerizers now say, when they witness the effects of truth on the people, especially if they see any display of the power of the Holy Spirit, "These are only Mesmerizers like ourselves." In this way the minds of the people are filled with doubts; their hearts hardened, and the truth of God resisted. Here, then, is a sign of the last days, of the most startling character. This sign had not appeared to any extent ten years since; but now is seen all around us. Now we may with propriety talk of the perils of the last days being upon us, which was not really the case ten years since. Again, "when they shall say peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them." 1 Thess. v, 3. It was not so much a time of peace and safety, ten years since, as at the present time. Then men were troubled with fears that the Lord might come; but now fears of the Judgment are gone, a spirit of deep slumber has come over them, the land is filled with peace and plenty, and peace and safety is on every tongue. What may we look for? Answer: "Sudden destruction," after the short work of the third angel is completed. "But ye, brethren," says Paul, "are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief." "Therefore let us not sleep, as do others." O God! In infinite mercy arouse thy drowsy people, and save them from the slumbers of this hour! The love of this world, its cares, and its pleasures, will sink thousands in perdition. Dear brethren, may God help you to tear away from these things, consecrate yourselves, and all you possess to God, and lay up a treasure in heaven.