A TEMPORAL MILLENNIUM by H. F. Baker

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 22, 1859

A TEMPORAL MILLENNIUM.

By H. F. Baker

BRO. SMITH: I herewith transmit to you an extract taken from MARY HOWITT's translation of FREDRICA BREMER's Impressions of America, in a letter written to Dr. MARTINSEN, an eminent professor of Theology, in Stockholm, Sweden.

It struck me while perusing it, that those who entertain a belief in a temporal millennium before the coming of our LORD, being unable to shut their eyes to the great and increasing amount of sin, wickedness and iniquity of all kinds, which is abroad in these times must, per force, acknowledge themselves mistaken, or with this learned Professor "conceive it to be a very short period;" and it seems to me, were I to admit such an idea, I could only do so by supposing that GOD himself would of his power interpose and forcibly put away sin—a supposition with which history certainly cannot furnish a parallel, and which cannot be found to be taught in the Scriptures, except by the destruction of those who do wickedly. Thinking the extract might be interesting, I send it. She says:

"Frequently, during my residence in America, was I reminded of your words, in your article on the coming of the LORD and the completion of all things, in which you say:

"'The nearer history approaches to its close, the greater is the impetus attained by the wheels of time; the greater is the speed and the rapidity, the more quick the revolution of dissimilar conditions hurrying onward developement; and he may greatly miscalculate who conceives that in the present condition of the world there still remains as much to do as may require the labor of centuries, and that the end may still be very distant; for, if the LORD so will, it may be done in an eventful day, and without such a one it never will be accomplished. Neither, therefore, is it opposed to the doctrine of the Scripture if we conceive of the millennium as a very short period—as one day which concentrates in itself a fullness and a glory which otherwise would extend over a century.'"

Yours in brotherly love, H. F. BAKER.