ADDITIONAL by G. W. A.

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 18, 1864

ADDITIONAL.

By G. W. A.

The above selected article, in proof sheet, happened to pass under my eye while preparing to make up the Review. As it is much in harmony with my own view, and also strikes directly against a late theory adopted somewhat by Adventists, and as I have a thought or two further on the same point, they are presented in this connection.

The idea is not entirely original with the author of the above criticism that the gathering referred to in Rev. xvi, 16, is the work of the spirits, and not of Christ. As it stands in king James’ version this verse reads thus: “And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.” But several other translations of the New Testament give it a rendering in harmony with the above criticism in the Times. As they are all creditable versions they are here given as valuable additional testimony. The emphasis in each case is ours.

Mr. Wakefield in his translation of the New Testament renders this verse thus: “And THE SPIRITS gathered the kings together at a place called in Hebrew, Armageddon.”

The Syriac Testament reads: “And THEY collected them together in a place called in Hebrew, Armageddon.”

Sawyer’s Translation renders it: “And THEY assembled them in the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon.”

Mr. Wesley’s version of the New Testament reads: “And THEY gathered them together to the place which is called in the Hebrew, Armageddon.”

Whiting’s Translation gives it: “And THEY gathered them into a place called in Hebrew, Armageddon.”

Prof. Stuart of Andover college, a distinguished critic, though not a translator of the Scriptures, renders it: “And THEY gathered them together,” &c. De Wette, a German translator of the Bible, gives it the same turn as Stuart and the others.

Mr. Albert Barnes, whose Notes on the New Testament are so extensively used, refers to the same grammatical law as suggested by the writer in the Times, and says, “The authority of De Wette and Prof. Stuart is sufficient to show that the construction which they adopt is authorized by the Greek, as indeed no one can doubt, and perhaps this construction accords better with the context than any other construction proposed.” Thus it will be seen that there are no mean reasons for reading the text, “THEY gathered them together,” &c., instead of “HE gathered.”

The error referred to, which we said some Adventists were receiving, is a position put forth in the Advent Herald not long since, which makes Armageddon to mean the “Illustrious City,” or New Jerusalem. But the little criticism of the Times’ correspondent, and the different translations which we have presented, together with the opinions of Stuart, De Wette, and Barnes, all show that the persons gathered are the minions of Satan, not saints; that it is the work of the spirits, not of Christ; and that the place of assemblage is not in the New Jerusalem at the marriage supper of the Lamb, but at Armageddon (or Mount Megiddo,) “at the battle of that great day of God Almighty.” G. W. A.