p. 101 | TEMPORAL MILLENNIUM by John Norton Loughborough

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 12, 1858

TEMPORAL MILLENNIUM.

By John Norton Loughborough

PERHAPS the song of peace and safety is no more effectually sung in these times than it has been in the cry of "A thousand years of glory to burst on earth ere long," when all will have been converted by the influence of the gospel. This song is now sung with redoubled energy since the late revivals have been in progress in different parts of the country.

In a late issue of the Morning Star (Freewill Baptist paper) published in Dover, N. H., we have just read several accounts of quarterly meetings. One great theme which came before them, and with which they seemed to encourage themselves, was, that "Prophecy is now receiving a remarkable fulfillment in these revivals, and the glorious time is soon to be ushered in." We do not doubt but a glorious time is soon to be ushered in, not, however, by a world's conversion; but by the glorious advent of our King.

To the faithful the coming of the day of the Lord gives occasion to rejoice, "knowing that their redemption draweth nigh;" but to the wicked, and those unprepared to meet it, the prophet says, "Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord." "The day of the Lord is darkness and not light." We cannot help thinking that the revivalists of this time who express so much earnestness concerning the day of the Lord, while they make light and ridicule of those doctrines which show how that day is to be brought in, will find the day of the Lord will be a day of darkness to them, as dark as the land of darkness and shadow of death. Those who say, My Lord delays his coming, (peace and safety,) are to have their portion with unbelievers.

While reading the claim that prophecy was fulfilling in the late revivals, and that the millennium was now to be ushered in, this question arose in our mind, What prophet ever told of a world's conversion that would bring in the millennium? None. The prophets have told of a time when the "knowledge of the Lord shall fill the earth as the waves fill the sea;" but it is when a King shall rule who will "slay (not convert) the wicked with the breath of his lips." Isaiah shows that such a glorious time is to come on earth; but it is after the Lord has created a new heaven and a new earth. See Isa. lxv. Peter shows that the new earth will be after this earth has been melted by fire. See 2 Pet. iii.

While we have found God's word declaring that "the tares and wheat shall grow together till the harvest," [Matt. xiii,] and that evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, [2 Tim. iii, 13.] that in the last days men should have a form of godliness and deny the power thereof, [2 Tim. iii, 5,] we have had no ears to hear the syren song of "world's conversion, and "good time coming." But in watching the signs of the times, we have seen that

"Now the men of might are waking, Love is growing cold; See the fields already whitening, And scoffers growing bold."

While these revivals may have exerted a restraining influence for a time on a few, crimes of the darkest dye are increasing even where the revival has had its grand center, New York city. Our mind was somewhat struck with this increase of crime by seeing a statement in the New York Times of June 19th, that the previous week there were sixteen deaths in the city resulting from violence. Here are sixteen cases, then, of death from violence, either murder or manslaughter, in one week, while union prayer-meetings are held all over the city. This statement being so near the date of one in the N. Y. Tribune, it may be well to compare them a few moments and note progress. The article appeared in the Tribune about the last of June, 1857, headed, "Our Commercial Metropolis," and was copied into the Advent Review a short time after. It commences as follows:

"Sixteen murders have been perpetrated in this city since the first of April, about which time Mayor Wood began to develop his programme of violent resistance to the laws, and the whole army of grog-sellers bade defiance to any legal interference with their desolating traffic. There have been at least twice sixteen attempts at murder," &c.

Here is a picture of New York city under exciting circumstances for over two months, and during that time sixteen murders and thirty-two attempts at murder. Now contrast this with the statement of the Times of June, 1858, sixteen deaths by murder and violence in one week, not when the city is stirred by mobs, but union prayer-meetings are professedly scattering the seeds of peace.

Ponder this, ye thinking men, and answer the question, Is the world to be converted, or are evil men and seducers to wax worse and worse, as Paul has stated?

J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.