THIS GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM.
By Editor
THE blessed Saviour gave as a sign of the near approach of the end the following: "This gospel of the kingdom must be preached in all the world for a witness to all nations; then shall the end come." Is this the gospel in its common acceptation? Or is it a particular part of the glad tidings? It seems to be a reference to the question of the disciples.—"What shall be the sign of thy coming and of the end of the world?" The first sign given, then, is "this gospel of the kingdom," &c. Does not "this gospel," refer to the glad tidings of Christ's coming to set up his everlasting kingdom? Did not the Saviour mean to say, that just previous to his coming, there would be a general proclamation of his coming? That it is not the ordinary proclamation of gospel truth, is clear from the fact that in that sense it was preached to the world in the apostolic age. First, on the day of Pentecost, it was published to devout men out of every nation under heaven. Of course, they would carry it abroad. Then Paul affirmed in his day, that "the gospel" was "preached to every creature which is under heaven." Col. i, 23. That glad tidings was, "To you is born in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." Luke ii, 10, 11. But "this gospel of the kingdom," proclaims "the hour of his judgment is come." Rev. xiv, 7. This last, is the everlasting glad tidings of the kingdom or reign of Christ. It is to be proclaimed by the flight of the messenger or angel who bears it, to every kindred, nation, tongue and people. When this is accomplished, "then shall the end come." Is this everlasting glad tidings now preached in all the world for a witness to all nations? So far as we have the means of knowing, it is. Within the last few years, there has been a continuous effort by the believers in the speedy coming of the Lord, to send light on this subject to the whole world. And so far as the opportunity has offered, publications have been sent to every English and American Mission in the world. These publications have gone to the various parts of the four quarters of the earth, and various islands of the sea. The English Adventists have, also, for the last twenty odd years, been engaged in the same work, and their efforts have sounded through the world. Joseph Wolfe, some ten years since, went through the interior and southern parts of Asia, proclaiming the coming kingdom of the Lord. Something like 20 years ago, an English Missionary wrote, that it was believed that about this time (about 1844) Christ would come. The recent account of the emigrants from Norway, of the spread of the doctrine in that country, is but a sample of its spread over the world. A young man in this city, who has recently returned from a whaling voyage around Cape Horn, relates the spread of the doctrine in the Pacific, and on the western coast of South America. It will show at the same time how our enemies have assisted in spreading the cry. "We can do nothing against the truth but for the truth." The Whale ship, William C. Neyl, of New London, Ct., fell in with a New Bedford ship, sometime in the month of February off Cocas Island. The crew of the New London ship received from the New Bedford vessel, the news from the United States. Among many other things they were told that "Miller predicted the end of the world on the 23d of April." They were on their homeward voyage, and the latter part of March, they put into the port of Talcahuano, on the coast of Chili. It was a Spanish Catholic settlement. But when they arrived, they learned the same story had been circulated there, which had met them on the ocean. They were in port on the 23d of April. When the day arrived the whole community were in a state of consternation, and during a dreadful thunder-storm, which occurred that day, they were in momentary expectation of the coming of Christ. Mr. Wardell our informant, says that the thing was understood far back in the interior; and that persons from a hundred miles back in the country had been brought together at the town for the occasion. It is thus the New York SUN has given light to the world, and sent it to the regions and places we could not have reached. But it will be asked, "If the news that such a truth is preached, is a sufficient proclamation to fulfill the prophecy. The answer is: If it was sufficient in the days of the apostles, it is now. That it was then, is clear from Acts xix, 8-10. Where Paul preached as taught in EPHESUS two years so that all they in Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of Jesus.—They could not all have heard a sermon, but they heard the sound of the gospel. In this sense I have no doubt but the gospel of the kingdom is preached in all the world.—Signs of the Times, Vol. VI. No. 13, 1843.