“UNDER the name of judges, Alavivus and Fritigern were the leaders of the Visigoths in peace and war; and the authority which they derived from their birth was ratified by the free consent of the nation. In a season of tranquillity their power might have been equal as well as their rank; but as soon as their countrymen were exasperated by hunger and oppression, the superior abilities of Fritigern assumed the military command, which he was qualified to exercise for the public welfare. He restrained the impatient spirit of the Visigoths till the injuries and insults of their tyrants should justify their resistance, in the opinion of mankind; but he was not disposed to sacrifice any solid advantages for the empty praise of justice and moderation.
“Sensible of the benefits which would result from the union of the Gothic powers under the same standard, he secretly cultivated the friendship of the Ostrogoths; and while he professed an implicit obedience to the orders of the Roman generals, he proceeded by slow marches towards Marcianopolis, the capital of the lower Mæsia, about seventy miles from the banks of the Danube. On that fatal spot the flames of discord and mutual hatred burst forth into a dreadful conflagration. Lupicinus had invited the Gothic chiefs to a splendid entertainment, and their martial train remained under arms at the entrance of the palace. But the gates of the city were strictly guarded; and the barbarians were sternly excluded from the use of a plentiful market, to which they asserted their equal claim of subjects and allies.
“Their humble prayers were rejected with insolence and derision; and as their patience was now exhausted, the townsmen, the soldiers, and the Goths, were soon involved in a conflict of passionate altercation and angry reproaches.
“A blow was imprudently given, a sword was hastily drawn; and the first blood that was split in this accidental quarrel became the signal of a long and destructive war. In the midst of noise and brutal intemperance, Lupicinus was informed, by a secret messenger, that many of his soldiers were slain and despoiled of their arms; and as he was already inflamed by wine and oppressed by sleep, he issued a rash command that their death should be avenged by the massacre of the guards of Fritigern and Alavivus. The clamorous shouts and dying groans apprised Fritigern of his extreme danger; and as he possessed the calm and intrepid spirit of a hero, he saw that he was lost if he allowed a moment of deliberation to the man who had so deeply injured him. ‘A trifling dispute,’ said the Gothic leader, with a firm but gentle tone of voice, ‘appears to have arisen between the two nations; but it may be productive of the most dangerous consequences, unless the tumult is immediately pacified by the assurance of our safety and the authority of our presence.’
“At these words, Fritigern and his companions drew their swords, opened their passage through the unresisting crowd which filled the palace, the streets, and the gates of Marcianopolis, and, mounting their horses, hastily vanished from the eyes of the astonished Romans. The generals of the Goths were saluted by the fierce and joyful acclamations of the camp; war was instantly resolved, and the resolution was executed without delay; the banners of the nation were displayed according to the custom of their ancestors; and the air resounded with the harsh and mournful music of the barbarian trumpet. The weak and guilty Lupicinus, who had dared to provoke, who had neglected to destroy, and who still presumed to despise, his formidable enemy, marched against the Goths, at the head of such a military force as could be collected on this sudden emergency.
“The barbarians expected his approach about nine miles from Marcianopolis; and on this occasion the talents of the general were found to be of more prevailing efficacy than the weapons and discipline of the troops. The valor of the Goths was so ably directed by the genius of Fritigern, that they broke, by a close and vigorous attack, the ranks of the Roman legions. Lupicinus left his arms and standards, his tribunes and his bravest soldiers, on the field of battle; and their useless courage served only to protect the ignominious flight of their leader.
“That successful day put an end to the distress of the barbarians, and the security of the Romans, from that day, the Goths, renouncing the precarious condition of strangers and exiles, assumed the character of citizens and masters, claimed an absolute dominion over the possessors of land, and held, in their own right, the northern provinces of the empire, which are bounded by the Danube. Such are the words of the Gothic historian, who celebrates, with rude eloquence, the glory of his countrymen.
“But the dominion of the barbarians was exercised only for the purposes of rapine and destruction. As they had been deprived, by the ministers of the emperor, of the common benefits of nature, and the fair intercourse of social life, they retaliated the injustice on the subjects of the empire; and the crimes of Lupicinus were expiated by the ruin of the peaceful husbandmen of Thrace, the conflagration of their villages, and the massacre, or captivity, of their innocent families. The report of the Gothic victory was soon diffused over the adjacent country; and while it filled the minds of the Romans with terror and dismay, their own hasty imprudence contributed to increase the forces of Fritigern, and the calamities of the province.
“Some time before the great emigration, a numerous body of Goths, under the command of Suard and Colias, had been received into the protection and service of the empire. They were encamped under the walls of Hadrianople; but the ministers of Valens were anxious to remove them beyond the Hellespont, at a distance from the dangerous temptation which might so easily be communicated by the neighborhood, and the success of their countrymen. The respectful submission with which they yielded to the order of their march, might be considered as a proof of their fidelity; and their moderate request of a sufficient allowance of provisions, and of a delay of only two days, was expressed in the most dutiful terms. But the first magistrate of Hadrianople, incensed by some disorders which had been committed at his country-house, refused this indulgence; and arming against them the inhabitants and manufacturers of a populous city, he urged, with hostile threats, their instant departure.
“The barbarians stood silent and amazed, till they were exasperated by the insulting clamors and missile weapons of the populace; but when patience or contempt was fatigued, they crushed the undisciplined multitude, inflicted many a shameful wound on the backs of their flying enemies, and despoiled them of the splendid armor which they were unworthy to bear. The resemblance of their sufferings and their action soon united this victorious detachment to the nation of the Visigoths; the troops of Colias and Suard expected the approach of the great Fritigern, ranged themselves under his standard, and signalized their ardor in the siege of Hadrianople. But the resistance of the garrison informed the barbarians, that, in the attack of regular fortifications, the efforts of unskillful courage are seldom effectual. Their general acknowledged his error, raised the siege, declared that he was at peace with stone walls, and revenged his disappointment on the adjacent country.
“He accepted with pleasure the useful reinforcement of hardy workmen, who labored in the gold mines of Thrace, for the emolument, and under the lash, of an unfeeling master; and these new associates conducted the barbarians, through the secret paths, to the most sequestered places, which had been chosen to secure the inhabitants, the cattle, and the magazines of corn. With the assistance of such guides, nothing could remain impervious, or inaccessible; resistance was fatal; flight was impracticable; and the patient submission of helpless innocence seldom found mercy from the barbarian conqueror.
“In the course of these depredations, a great number of the children of the Goths, who had been sold into captivity, were restored to the embraces of their afflicted parents; but these tender interviews, which might have revived and cherished in their minds some sentiments of humanity, tended only to stimulate their native fierceness by the desire of revenge. They listened, with eager attention, to the complaints of their captive children, who had suffered the most cruel indignities from the lustful or angry passions of their masters; and the same cruelties, the same indignities, were severely retaliated on the sons and daughters of the Romans.”
“The imprudence of Valens and his ministers had introduced into the heart of the empire a nation of enemies; but the Visigoths might even yet have been reconciled, by the manly confession of past errors, and the sincere performance of former engagements. These healing and temperate measures seemed to concur with the timorous disposition of the sovereign of the East; but, on this occasion alone, Valens was brave, and his unreasonable bravery was fatal to himself and to his subjects. He declared [A. D. 377] his intention of marching from Antioch to Constantinople, to subdue this dangerous rebellion; and, as he was not ignorant of the difficulties of the enterprise, he solicited the assistance of his nephew, the Emperor Gratian, who commanded all the forces of the West. The veteran troops were hastily recalled from the defense of Armenia; that important frontier was abandoned to the discretion of Sapor; and the immediate conduct of the Gothic war was intrusted, during the absence of Valens, to his lieutenants, Trajan and Profuturus, two generals who indulged themselves in a very false and favorable opinion of their own abilities.
“On their arrival in Thrace, they were joined by Richomer, count of the domestics; and the auxiliaries of the West, that marched under his banner, were composed of the Gallic legions, reduced indeed by a spirit of desertion to the vain appearances of strength and numbers. In a council of war, which was influenced by pride rather than by reason, it was resolved to seek, and to encounter the barbarians, who lay encamped in the spacious and fertile meadows near the most southern of the six mouths of the Danube. Their camp was surrounded by the usual fortification of wagons; and the barbarians, secure within the vast circle of the inclosure, enjoyed the fruits of their valor and the spoils of the province. In the midst of riotous intemperance, the watchful Fritigern observed the motions, and penetrated the designs, of the Romans. He perceived that the numbers of the enemy were continually increasing; and, as he understood their intention of attacking his rear as soon as the scarcity of forage should oblige him to remove his camp, he recalled to their standard his predatory detachments, which covered the adjacent country.
“As soon as they discried the flaming beacons, they obeyed, with incredible speed, the signal of their leader; the camp was filled with the martial crowd of barbarians; their impatient clamors demanded the battle, and their tumultuous zeal was approved and animated by the spirit of their chiefs. The evening was already far advanced; and the two armies prepared themselves for the approaching combat, which was deferred only till the dawn of day. While the trumpets sounded to arms, the undaunted courage of the Goths was confirmed by the mutual obligation of a solemn oath; and as53they advanced to meet the enemy, the rude songs, which celebrated the glory of their forefathers, were mingled with their fierce and dissonant outcries; and opposed to the artificial harmony of the Roman shout. Some military skill was displayed by Fritigern to gain the advantage of a commanding eminence; but the bloody conflict, which began and ended with the light, was maintained on either side by the personal and obstinate efforts of strength, valor, and agility.
“The legions of Armenia supported their fame in arms; but they were oppressed by the irresistible weight of the hostile multitude; the left wing of the Romans was thrown into disorder, and the field was strewn with their mangled carcasses. This partial defeat was balanced, however, by partial success; and when the two armies, at a late hour of the evening, retreated to their respective camps, neither of them could claim the honors, or the effects, of a decisive victory. The real loss was more severely felt by the Romans in proportion to the smallness of their numbers; but the Goths were so deeply confounded and dismayed by this vigorous, and perhaps unexpected resistance, that they remained seven days within the circle of their fortifications. Such funeral rites as the circumstances of the time and place would admit, were piously discharged to some officers of distinguished rank; but the indiscriminate vulgar was left unburied on the plain. Their flesh was greedily devoured by the birds of prey, which, in that age, enjoyed very frequent and delicious feasts; and several years afterwards the white and naked bones which covered the wide extent of the fields, presented to the eyes of Ammianus a dreadful monument of the battle of Salices.”—Dec. and Fall, chap. 26, par. 16, 17. A. T. J.
(To be continued.)
Alms at the Temple Gate.
By Christian Intelligencer
ROBERT INGERSOLL asked his hearers the other evening, whether a poor wretch, arriving in town without a dollar in his pocket, would inquire the way to a Presbyterian deacon's house; and they greeted the sally with immense applause. He was trying to get off a smart satire on the meanness of orthodox Christians as contrasted with the generosity of infidels; but he missed his aim. Everybody knows that ministers, and other well-known Christian people, are the first to be besieged by beggars. I have frequently said to these persons, "Why do you come here? Why do you always go to ministers' houses?" The invariable answer is, that they think they will be more likely to receive sympathy and help there than elsewhere.
We might retort the question of the jolly lecturer, and ask whether a poor stranger was ever known to inquire where the infidels of the town lived, or whether a person in any sorrow was ever known to seek out an infidel to afford him comfort. Will the man who goes about ridiculing Christianity tell his audience the next time he lectures, where they can find an infidel hospital, or refuge of any kind for poverty and distress, or any society composed of infidels which seeks out and relieves the suffering, in this country or in any other on the face of the earth?
Religion in Politics.
"WE need more religion in our politics," says a writer in a new religious paper. If he had said, We need less of politics in our religion, the statement would have been clearly on the side of truth. While we may not say that true religion is antagonistic to earthly laws and governments, we do say that the politics of the present day are detrimental to the cause of Christ, destroying largely the interest in spiritual things.
The political world is most corrupt, and whoever, having the spirit of Christ, enters upon the arena of political life, must lose that spirit, and possess one that is selfish and worldly. No politician of to-day can be in possession of the spirit and religion of Christ. We do not say that no Christian can hold an office under the governments of the present time; for it is possible that somewhere a true Christian may be persuaded by the people to accept an office which he would not politically seek. Such cases, however, it must be acknowledged, are not easily found. The multitude of office-seekers makes it necessary for all who obtain offices to do those things which the Holy Spirit and the gospel of Christ will not sanction.
What we need is so much of the religion of Christ that there will be no desire in our hearts to enter upon a political life, or hold offices in the Government that are politically obtained.—Sel.
"Will God Bring with Him."
By E. R. Jones
Not a few have been confirmed in their faith that the righteous dead go to Heaven when they die, by this expression. They point to 1 Thess. 4:14, and say, That proves it. The text reads: "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him." The subject in this and the following verses is the coming of the Lord and the resurrection of the dead. Overlooking the last part of the subject, and seeing only the coming of Christ, it is said, How can the saints come with him when he comes, unless they are now in Heaven? This inquiry arises from a misapprehension of the meaning of the word with in the text. That it does not mean in company, will appear from another text. "Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him." Col. 2:12. Here the word with occurs twice, and it clearly appears that it cannot mean in connection, but simply in like manner or resemblance. Even so it is in the text first quoted. There the death and resurrection of Christ are plainly mentioned; and if we but give the word with the same meaning, the true sense of the text will be clearly seen. Christ died; his saints have died; for that is the meaning of the word sleep, here used. God raised Christ from the dead, and when he (Christ) comes again, God will raise his people from the dead in like manner as Christ was raised. E. R. Jones.
Preparation for Prayer-Meeting.
It is a real pity that so many prayer-meetings are spoiled which by a very little thought and effort could be made intensely interesting and helpful. Many times it is the fault of the leader. He seems to have made no preparation whatever for conducting the meeting. He does not know what chapter he wants to read, and he turns over half the Bible before he finds one with which he is satisfied. He has selected no hymns, and, when the time for singing comes, he inflicts long pauses upon the meeting while he searches nervously through the hymn-book for something that will do to announce. Or perhaps it is over-preparation which the leader brings to the meeting,—too much Scripture-reading, too long a prayer, quite too much talking.
Which of these blemishes is the most hurtful, it is hard to decide. To conduct a prayer-meeting well, there should always be preparation, and each portion should be brief. The leader should know just what he will read, and should never read many verses; just what he will sing, and should never sing many stanzas; just what he will say, and should never speak many minutes. Preparation, promptness, brevity, vivacity, life, and true devotion, are some of the essential elements needed to make a good prayer-meeting.—Sel.
"Every Sabbath."
By R. F. Cottrell
"And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks." Acts 18:4.
THE no-Sabbath man can find his theory abundantly refuted by reading the Acts of the Apostles. The inspired writer repeatedly declares that certain things were done upon the Sabbath. This could not be true if no Sabbath existed at the time. Hence the Sabbath had not ceased at the cross, but still existed when the labors and travels of Paul were recorded.
Paul was in the habit of preaching on the Sabbath day. But it is objected by no-Sabbath and first-day-Sabbath men, that Paul did not himself observe the "Jewish Sabbath," but only preached to the Jews that day, because he could then find them assembled.
Very well. What day of the week was that? "All admit that the Jewish Sabbath was the seventh day of the week, or Saturday."
But look at this, friend. Paul abode at Corinth a considerable length of time, laboring at the trade of tent-making on other days, while he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, persuading both the Jews and the Greeks. Mark, the inspired record says "every Sabbath." Now if these meetings were held on the seventh day, that was the only Sabbath existing at that time; for they were held every Sabbath. But if the first day was the Sabbath at that time, then Paul reasoned in the synagogue every first-day, or Sunday. Hence the Jews must have changed their day of meeting in the synagogue to the (so-called) "Christian Sabbath." No one will pretend that this was the case. Hence the first day was not the Sabbath at this time. R. F. COTTRELL.
Blessedness in Mourning.
A STATE of happiness is not always the state of highest blessedness. Our really best days, when we learn the most and grow the most, are not always nor usually our gladdest days. It was our Lord himself who said, "Blessed are they that mourn; for they shall be comforted." The beatitude is not for those who laugh, but for those who weep. The meaning must be that God has blessings which he can give only when the heart is in sorrow or pain; and that God's comfort, which makes the beatitude, is such a precious and enriching experience that it is quite worth while to mourn that we may gain that beatitude. The comfort far more than compensates for the grief, and we cannot get the comfort unless we have the grief. One might dread the coming of night; but he would never know of the glory of the heavens, with their starry splendors, if night did not come. And we should never see the glorious divine promises, nor realize the precious joys and hopes of Christian faith, if the shadow of sorrow never deepened about us. The child never fully understands the sweetness and gentleness of the mother's love, until it is sick or suffering; and we can never experience the blessedness of being drawn close to God's heart, and comforted by him "as one whom his mother comforteth," if we do not have pain or grief. So it is a blessed thing to mourn, just to have God comfort us.—S. S. Times.
Heart Religion and Activity
It must ever be remembered that efficient activity can spring only from deep heart-religion. We must first sit at Jesus's feet, and then ministry will follow as naturally as the harvest follows the sowing.—Presbyterian.
Respecting Ourselves and Others
If we desire the respect of others, we must first learn to respect ourselves, which we cannot do properly so long as we continue to do what we know to be wrong.
No Shortcut to Excellence
THERE is no short cut to excellence. In every department of human achievement superiority and success are based upon toil.—Sel.
The Coming of a Literal Christ.
THE necessity for taking the interpretation of figures, symbols, and parables literally, is shown in the fact that they who take them "figuratively," or "spiritually," have never been able to decide among themselves how, or to what, they shall be applied. This spiritualizing system, which denies the literal interpretation of the Scriptures, unsettles every principle of true faith, and makes the Bible a mere play-thing for every man's fancy. This is illustrated in their treatment of this very subject we are now discussing. We cannot enumerate all the views of the spiritual advent, but we will name a few of them.
1. When Christ said he would come again, he meant that he would come in judgment upon the Jewish nation, which was fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans. This view used to be the refuge of Universalism, but for nearly half a century past it has been largely advocated by those who do not openly indorse Universalism.
2. He came on the day of pentecost, by the power of the Spirit, to set up his spiritual kingdom.
3. His second coming is in the hearts of his people, as our correspondent says. But this is again resolved into several theories, as (1) It occurs at conversion; (2) It is in the perfection of Christian graces; (3) It refers to a more complete manifestation of power in the gospel.
4. His coming is at the death of his saints, when he comes to take their spirits to glory.
It must be evident to every one that the tendency of this spiritualizing system is to befog the Scriptures. By it the word of God is made to mean everything and nothing. According to it, the plainest declarations of the Bible are robbed of their tangibility, and are made the private property of every dreamer. Before examining the direct Scripture proofs, we will briefly notice these positions.
1. His second coming was not at Jerusalem's destruction; for the prophecies speak of that coming after Jerusalem was destroyed. 1 John 3:2; Rev. 1:7; 14:14; 22:12; etc. The "great tribulation" spoken of in Matt. 24, which some claim was fulfilled at the destruction of Jerusalem, was not connected with the coming of Christ; for the signs of his coming were to occur after that tribulation. See verses 29, 30.
2. On that day of pentecost, his work as priest in Heaven just commenced; but his second coming is at the close, not at the beginning of his priesthood. And there are a great many prophecies or promises of his coming which were written after that day.
3. The assertion that his second coming is in the hearts of the people, does not really mean anything. It is an accepted law of language that that which may be applied to many things, specifies nothing. They who put forth this theory, do not, and cannot, agree upon its application.
4. The theory that his second coming is at the death of each individual saint, is too absurd to deserve a moment's notice. Can a second coming occur a million of times? When such vagaries are advanced by professed Christian teachers, it is no wonder that infidelity prevails; for people will consider themselves justified in rejecting a book which, according to its own expounders, is responsible for such contradictory and absurd theories.
The direct proof that the coming of Christ is literal and yet future, will be seen to be positive, clear, and to effectually overthrow all opposing theories.
John 21:21-23 contains sufficient evidence that the death of a saint is not the coming of Christ. In answer to a question concerning the apostle John, Jesus replied: "If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?" From this the disciples got the idea that he would tarry till the Saviour should come, and accordingly we read: "Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die; yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, if I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?"
Here there is a contrast presented between death and the coming of Christ, not only in the belief of the disciples, but in the words of the record which was written many years after the words were spoken. We will number a few evidences that are unmistakable in their meaning.
1. "I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world; again, I leave the world, and go to the Father." John 16:28. He did literally come forth from the Father and come into the world; and he did leave the world and return unto the Father. We have no difficulty in understanding his words. But again he said: "In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you, I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." Admitting, as all do, that he came into the world from the Father, and that he returned to his Father, by what rule can we deny his declaration that he will come again? We insist that it is simply a question of faith, whether we will or will not believe his word of promise that he will come again. In such a connection, with his own word before us, that he came from the Father and returned unto the Father, which we know he actually did, to attempt to replain, or to interpret, his promise that he will come again, is an insult to the speaker.
2. In fulfillment of his word, that he would return unto the Father, he went with them to Mount Olivet, and instructed them concerning things future. And thus it is written: "And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight." Thus his words were fulfilled so far. Now, in regard to the promise that he made: "And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; who also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." Acts 1:9-11.
Again we say it is only an insult to the speakers to ask what these words mean. "This same Jesus," not the Roman army; not a representative; not the Spirit in man's heart at conversion; not a blessing in the hour of death; but this same Jesus whom they saw visibly and literally ascend up to heaven, "shall so come, in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." They did not see Titus coming or going; they did not see any one converted; they did not see any one die. They saw Jesus himself literally ascend up to heaven. And Jesus himself—the same person—shall in like manner come, visibly and literally. Nothing less than this will fulfill the words of Jesus and his angels.
3. Some members of the church in Thessalonica had fallen asleep in death, and Paul wrote to instruct and comfort the church. 1 Thess. 4:13-18. Said he: "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope."
This is a weighty scripture on a most important subject. We are all sorrowing, all mourners; we all have dear ones who are asleep. The sympathy of Paul was stirred in their behalf, and he left his testimony on record for all bereaved ones. If he would not have them ignorant, he will give them information suitable to remove their ignorance. If he would not that they should sorrow hopelessly, he will lay before them the true ground of hope concerning their sleeping ones. Let us mark well how he accomplishes his purpose.
"For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also that sleep in Jesus will God bring with him." It was "the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus." Heb. 13:20. Our Lord slept in the grave, as our loved ones are now sleeping; he was brought from the dead, and if they sleep in him, they will be brought with him from the dead. The word "with" does not relate to time in this text, but manner. As Paul said in Rom. 6:4, 5: "We are buried with him by baptism." Not buried at the same time that he was, but, "planted together in the likeness of his death." A person may be buried in baptism a score of times; yet if the Scripture conditions are not met, if he is not planted in the likeness of the Saviour's death, he is not buried with him. The subject introduced by Paul to his brethren in the Thessalonian church is that of hope (not yet seen) concerning sleeping ones. He continues: "For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord,"—this is no fancy, no speculation, no pleasing fable, but something sure as Heaven's throne,—"that we who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent [precede, have any preference or advantage over] them who are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, and with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God." Let the reader note carefully every statement made by the apostle, and see if this can be fulfilled except by the descent or coming of "the Lord himself." "And the dead in Christ shall rise first." Not first, that is, before the other dead arise; they will indeed rise first in that sense, but that is not the subject of this scripture. But, we shall not precede them in being glorified with our Saviour; they will rise first, "then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so [in this manner] shall we ever be with the Lord."
Is this all the instruction he has to offer to assuage the grief of those who sorrow for their dead friends? Has he not a word to say about their present bliss in "the home of the soul"? Are they not even now bright angels before the throne of God? Not a word on these points; but having given them what "the word of the Lord" teaches, he closes with the admonition: "Wherefore comfort one another with these words."
He proposed to give them instruction to remove their ignorance concerning the dead in Christ, and to assuage their grief by giving them the true ground of hope. And what did his instruction embrace? Just these three points: (1) The Lord will come; (2) The dead will rise; (3) The living (saints) will be caught up together with them, and thus they will be forever together and—better than all else—with the Lord. We will not tire the patience of the reader by trying to read into this text any of the theories of spiritualizers of the second advent. If the Lord himself does not come, and if the dead do not arise, and if they who live at that time are not caught up in the clouds with the risen saints, then Paul neither removed their ignorance, nor gave them the ground of hope. Then the sorrowing ones have nothing with which to comfort one another. Then they, too, are without hope. And this is but the beginning of the difficulties which environ these spiritualistic theories; this is but one of many texts which are perverted by those theories,55and turned from a plain revelation into fanciful words. But Paul spoke by “the word of the Lord,” and we should be very careful lest we pervert His words to our own confusion; for the word of God cannot be trifled with by us and we be held guiltless.