THE NATURE AND TENDENCY OF MODERN SPIRITUALISM.
By J. H. W.
Accounts of the greatest acts and events are given in the Bible in plain, simple language. Take the record of creation for an example: [Gen. i, 1–5:] “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light; and there was light. And God saw the light that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night, and the evening and the morning were the first day.” Here are facts, the greatness of which the minds of the wisest can never comprehend, expressed in language that a child can understand. The whole history is a model of simplicity. With these verses contrast the first verses of a record of creation professedly given by an exalted spirit, under the imposing head of “Disclosures from the Interior.” (By request we give the entire chapter.) “In the beginning God the Life in God the Lord in God the Holy Procedure inhabited the dome, which, burning in magnificence primeval and revolving in prismatic and undulatory spiral, appeared, and was the pavilion of the Spirit: in glory inexhaustible and inconceivable, in movement spherical, unfolded in harmonious procedure disclosive. 2. “And God said, Let good be manifest! and good unfolded and moral-mental germs, ovariums of heavens, descended from the Procedure. And the dome of disclosive magnificence was heaven, and the expanded glory beneath was the germ of creation. And the Divine Procedure inbreathed upon the disclosure, and the disclosure became the universe. 3. “And God called the Disclosing Firmament heaven, and the disclosed creation he called earth. 4. “And God said, Let Mechanical Procedure be! and movement, rhythmical, harmonical, melodial, unfolded from the firmament. And the movement thereof in the moving creation was time. 5. “And God said, Let there be space! and the firmament was separated from the emanation, and the firmament, unmoved, appeared, and the emanation unfolded within the procedure. And the firmament is manifest Infinitude, and the emanation separated, is encompassed space.” 6. “These are the generations of creation in the day that Jehovah God created the heaven and the earth; and behold the creation was one earth and the dome of disclosure one heaven. 7. “And God said, Let there be light! and the Divine Procedure unfolded a luminary unto the ethereal which divided the emanation from the firmament. And the Intelligence was light. 8. “And God said, Let there be heat! and the breathing life thereof descended. 9. “And God said, Let there be movement of moving Energy! and life descended, interanimate, comprehending Creation, and there was movement spherical from the heaven of disclosure. 10. “And God said, Let there be center given! and from the Divine Procedure descended the arm of strength unto the right and the arm of strength unto the left; and from the arm of strength at the right proceeded vital-electro motion and communicated polarity; and from the arm of strength at the left proceeded re-attractive electro-magnetic force and created the horizontal; and the horizontal became the axis and the points thereof the poles. 11. “And God made two great lights to rule the Zodiac, and to be for creative disclosure, disclosive manifestation, manifest glory, glorious radiation, interpenetrative aggregation; and thence vortices, vortical suns, suns of vortices, solariums, vortical planetariums, planets, floral universes, universal paradises, paradisical heavens, heavens of spiritual universes, celestial heavens, seraphic habitations, seraphinal universes, cities of heavenly seraphima, and final commutative universal intelligence in unity of immeasurable individuality, in trinity of unfolding universes, adorning and ascending in beatification unto eternal life. 12. “This is the Genesis of Nature;—not uncreated or self-originated, but created;—not the progressive, upgrowing, upheaving, upmentalizing, upspiritualizing, upreaching struggle of a germ;—but condescension infinite, erection voluntary, and bestowment merciful, of the Divine Creator; to whom be given adoration immeasurable and eternal! world without end!” Such a piece of nonsense—such a stringing together of words without meaning, we venture to say, cannot be found beyond the limits of Spiritualism. And it is truly strange that any one that has capacity to pronounce these meaningless phrases should think it an improvement of the Holy Scriptures! A correspondent of the Spiritual Telegraph calls special attention to the book entitled, “The Healing of the Nations,” and says: “It is not only the ‘Book for the millions,’ as our worthy friend Talmadge says; but in my estimation it is the ‘Book of books,’ transcending in merit, in the beauty, purity, loveliness, truthfulness, and grandeur of its philosophy, the Bible, by more than two thousand years in the time of progress.” What has now been adduced is sufficient to show that Spiritualism is destroying the faith of the Bible, setting it aside for teachings more pleasing to the carnal mind. We have stated that they teach doctrines contrary to the Bible, some of which we will notice. Their doctrine is a denial of Christ. Says the scripture, “Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father.” 1 John ii, 23. To give the name or ascribe the honors and power to others that belong to Christ is surely denying him; for, according to the Bible, it is impossible to find his equal in nature and office. But quotations already given show that others do claim the name and profess to have the power possessed by him, and some claim still greater power. Says the “Healing of the Nations,” p. 74: “Man is his own saviour—his own redeemer. He is his own judge—in his own scales weighed.” Were this last sentence true, it is fair to presume there would be but very few “found wanting.” Not that their characters are made to conform to a perfect balance, but “their own scales” are adjusted to suit their characters. If this teaching is not a parallel to that of the serpent, “Ye shall be as gods,” we know not how its parallel would be recognized. The prospectus of the Truth Seeker says: “It shall be the organ through which the christs of the last dispensation will choose to speak.” Could there be a more perfect and complete fulfillment of prophecy than this? A correspondent of the same paper says they have concluded to “—Analyze the laws of cause and effect, be good philosophers, study our own being, let God and Jesus go, and redeem ourselves and progress in eternal happiness.” The scriptures say that God is the judge of all, and Jesus is the author of salvation; but Spiritualism teaches that man is his own judge, and his own saviour and redeemer, and then in presumptuous blasphemy boast that they will “let God and Jesus go.” We firmly believe that the day is approaching when they would gladly give worlds to have the Lord return in mercy to them. But Oh! it will then be too late. Now is the time—the only time. They know not what they do to thus abuse his mercy, while it is graciously offered: soon it will be withdrawn and unmingled wrath will be their portion. It would seem to be some relief to this dark picture if the utterance of such sentiments was confined to open blasphemers—those who scoffed and mocked at all that is good. But it is not. He who declares the end from the beginning, has described those who have a form of godliness, that they give heed to doctrines of devils. And his words are fulfilled. From lectures on “Spiritual Science” by “Rev. R. P. Wilson,” the well-known medium and lecturer, we extract the following: “Although as a believer in true spiritual philosophy, we cannot receive the orthodox views of salvation, yet we recognize the birth of a Saviour and Redeemer into the universal hearts of humanity50wherein truly the deity is incarnate, dwelling in the interior of man’s spirit. We believe that each soul of man is born with his or her Saviour within them, for as man is an embodiment of the universe in epitome, he contains in his central nature an incarnation of Deity. The germ of immortal unfoldings resides within the spirit of it, which needs only appropriate conditions to call forth the expanding and elevating powers of the soul.” We pass to another point, not because our material is exhausted on this, but the proof offered is sufficient to establish it. They deny the Holy Spirit. Every Spiritualist lies under this charge who quotes the scriptures referring to the gifts and power of the Holy Spirit, and applies them to Spiritualism; for their whole system rests upon the proposition that the spirits communicating are the spirits of the dead; therefore in applying those scriptures to such spirits, they really make the Holy Spirit of God and the spirit of a dead man identical! Some may think we are unfair in this conclusion, thinking they would not endorse anything so monstrous and absurd. But if any think there is anything too monstrous or absurd for Spiritualism to endorse and teach, we refer them to the following, which we think will correct such an impression. It is from Dr. J. B. Dods’ report of a case of healing by spirit power, already quoted from, wherein he called Christ the “Master Medium.” This extract is intended to show by what power the healing was effected. The spirit communicating professed to be that of his own father: “John, there are seven of us now visible to you. All are familiar to your mind except two. These are the mother and brother of Betsy. Her father’s presence you well know. Her parents and brother are very anxious to have her cured; have sought us out, and we are come to visit and instruct you how to proceed to make her whole. It will require seven spirits to effect it, acting through seven human beings. We seven might possibly effect it through you alone, but it would be very difficult, because her diseases are various and complicated, and two of them are incurable by human skill. You will therefore call up from the audience the following persons: Jane Cook, Jonathan Nickerson, William Atkins, Phineas Freeman, Betsy’s husband; and Mr. Hutchins, a medium, must be there; yourself will make the seventh. Form the circle, and you and Hutchins lay your hands upon Betsy’s head. We seven will appear and act upon each of the circle. You will proceed as directed, and she will arise and walk with strength and firmness, a healed woman. No spirit ever goes alone to cure a human being, or to execute a command. They go by sevens—these seven constitute the Holy Spirit. ‘The seven lamps before the throne are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth.’ Remember this, my son, and they have each seven eyes, which only means a perfection of sight. These seven spirits do not always mean the same individuals, but any seven of the myriads before the throne selected and sent as we now are. Mr. Hutchins will see us and describe us before the audience. Declare these glad tidings to Betsy, and announce to your audience this evening what you are instructed to do, and appoint the night when it shall be accomplished.” The spirits of any seven dead men constitute the Holy Spirit! And Dr. Dods is styled a “Christian Spiritualist.” Is not this a doctrine of the devil? Yes; the “father of lies” is manifest in such teachings. And it is astonishing that any one that has either reverence or reason left should endorse such things. It sometimes seems to us as though Satan presumed even on the confidence of his own followers in giving utterance to such statements. It shows also the fulfillment of other scriptures yet to be noticed. They deny the doctrine of punishment for sin. The Bible informs us that when God created man and placed him in Eden, he told him that if he disobeyed him he should die. We find this penalty for transgression confirmed in many scriptures. “The soul that sineth, it shall die.” Eze. xviii, 4. “The wages of sin is death.” Rom. vi, 23. Who would imagine, from reading the works of Spiritualists, or even those of the popular authors of the day, either secular or religious, that death was an enemy, a curse, a fruit of sin? A popular author makes an apostrophe to death as follows: “O death! thou art lovely. O death! thou art grand. Now I see that man was made in the image of God. Life may deface it, but death restores it. The impress of the Divinity is here.” If this were true, Jesus would again deface the image of God when he raised his saints from the dead! The Spiritual Age says: “There is, strictly speaking, no such thing as death, in the popular signification of that term. Death, so-called—the death of the human—is a veritable birth into a higher life. It is a change in the condition, consequent upon outward dissolution. … The REAL man survives the process intact, and still exists in full life and consciousness, upon a plane beyond—far beyond!—the reach of fire and flood.” The scripture, corrected by this standard, should read: The soul that sinneth, it shall be born into a higher life! The wages of sin is a transition to a more elevated plane of being! This is comforting to sinners, no doubt, for the present; but when the penalty of God’s holy, just and good law shall be inflicted, and the sinner dies, even the second death, how miserably foolish and vain will appear the perversions of God’s word on which he has staked eternal life! Truly, “they know not what they do.” The “Healing of the Nations” says: “At the death of the outer body the true life of the inner spirit commences.” Thus, again, we may paraphrase the threat of the Lord to Adam: “In the day thou eatest thereof the true life of thine inner spirit shall commence.” If our professed Christian friends discover the counterpart of their systems of theology in such teachings, we hope they may be led to consider well its opposition to the word of God. The rudiments of Spiritualism have been taught in the pulpits throughout the length and breadth of the land. And it is vain for those ministers to try to pull down the superstructure, and denounce it as evil, who guard and defend the foundation with such a jealous care. If they would successfully oppose it, let them first acknowledge the plain and scriptural facts, that a dead man is dead, and that the living know more than the dead: [Eccl. ix, 5:] that death is an enemy, brought into the world by the deceptions of the devil, and that life is a blessing, and Jesus a friend, by whom we may have it eternally. Eternal life! how rich, how glorious the prospect! Sure to them who seek for it through Christ. Rom. ii, 7. THE BLESSED INTERCESSION.
By R. Coe.
Up in the radiant sky,
Far from all human eye,
Upon the throne on high,
Jesus now stands,
Still pleading night and day:
“Father! forgive, I pray,
Man’s sins are washed away,
See my torn hands! “Did I not sigh for him?
Did I not die for him?
Did I not cry for him,
Father, forgive!
When on the cross I lay,
Man’s sins to wash away?
Still unto Thee I pray,
Father, forgive! “Earth is an evil place,
Man’s is a feeble race,
Aye, lost without Thy grace,
Father, forgive!
Speak to his troubled soul,
Make his sacred conscience whole,
Oh! may he reach the goal!
Father, forgive! “Why take I heed of him?
Am I not seed of him?
Did I not bleed for him?
Father, forgive!
Closed I mine eyes again,
Sought I these skies again,
Here let my sighs attain,
Father, forgive!” Oft doth the blessed One,
Stooping from His holy throne,
Heeding the suppliant tone,
Father, forgive!
Calls man to him on high,
Up in the radiant sky,
Far from all human eye,
Ever to live. Then do the angels sing:
“Glory to God our King!
He, He alone can bring
Man up on high,
Thanks to the Blessed One!
Thanks to His holy Son!”
Echoes the glorious tone,
Far through the sky.—R. Coe. ANIMAL LIFE.
By John Norton Loughborough
The Scriptures state in the most explicit language that “the life of ALL flesh is the blood.” Lev. xvii, 14. In verse 11, we read, “I have given it to you upon the altar, to make an atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.” This latter quotation is good evidence, also, of what is stated in the first quotation, if an atonement is made on the principle of giving an equivalent. If the principle of an atonement is life for life, then we must consent that the above shows conclusively that the soul, or life of the flesh, in this connection, is the blood. The same statement in regard to the life of the flesh, is made in Gen. ix, 4. These plain statements we should suppose would satisfy any Bible student on this point. But we find Metaphysical reasoners rearing their fabric concerning life as though the God of the Bible had left them to form their conclusions on this subject by the aid of Philosophy alone. They have assumed that life must be the function of some entity that is superior to matter. What is their proof? They tell us that one of the essential properties of matter is INERTIA, and that by no combination can matter be made to exhibit more than its essential properties. They have proceeded with their reasoning on this wise: “INERTIA being an essential property of matter, matter never can move, only as it is moved upon by physical force.” But according to their reasoning the power that moves matter, must be something superior to matter; therefore they have attributed the function of life, will, motion, thought, &c., to spirit, and have claimed that the very fact that man manifests locomotive powers, thinks, &c., proves that he is in possession of this spirit, or immaterial nature. If the fact that man moves, proves that he possesses an immaterial spirit, would not the fact that beasts move, prove them in possession of the same spirit? But few are ready to admit that beasts are in possession of such a spirit, and to extricate themselves from the difficulty they get into by following their first argument, they tell us that the fact that beasts manifest the same physical functions that are manifest in man, only proves them to be in possession of ANIMAL LIFE, and thus they virtually dispose of one of their own arguments. We are told by our opponents that “thought, will, &c., which are manifest in man, are not properties of matter. If matter can think, then thought must be a property of matter, and if thought is a property of matter, then every particle of matter must think.” But this all grows out of the wrong assumption, that organized matter manifests no more than its original properties. It is a fact which all will admit, that an effect is sometimes produced by the combination of different substances that are unlike the properties of unorganized matter. By certain combinations of matter the musical instrument is formed, which, under the hand of man is made to speak forth its melodious SOUNDS. And the engine, organized from inanimate matter, manifests its giant-like MOTION. It is not inconsistent to us, to claim that man may be so organized from matter as to manifest all the functions that are peculiar to his body. But the objector is ready to say, None of these results from organized matter can be produced only under the direction of an intelligent mind; and they therefore urge, that, as it requires an intelligent mind to regulate, and set in motion the machinery, so there must be an intelligent spirit to govern the movements of the body. If our opponents were to reason from like to like, then the intelligent Spirit that produced this nice organism of the human system is the one to govern and regulate the functions of the body, either directly, or by natural laws which he has established. “In him we live, and move, and have our being,” is the statement of Paul. Acts xvii, 28. We freely admit, that God has established certain laws to produce life and thought in organized matter. As we have already quoted, the Lord says, “The life of the flesh is the blood;” but, say you, James says, “The body without the spirit is dead.” James ii, 26. Yes, and if you will read the margin of this text, you will see that this spirit without which the body is dead is not an immaterial soul, but simply “the breath.” But, says the objector, If the body is dead without the breath, how can it be said that the blood is the life of the flesh? Physiologists inform us that the blood contains certain minute particles of iron, which when brought in connection with the electricity and oxygen of the air in the lungs, is rendered magnetic, and is then in a positive state. As it is a clearly established fact concerning the action of electricity that a positive will seek a negative, this blood of the lungs being in a positive state immediately passes through the various blood-vessels of the system to deposit its surplus of electricity, and returns again attracted to seek a positive. We read in Gen. vii, 22, “All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land died.” In the margin of the above text, the breath of life is called “the breath of the spirit of life.” The breath contains an animating principle of life which is imparted to the blood at the lungs. For further testimony on this point, read the following SCIENTIFIC FACTS ABOUT ANIMAL LIFE.
Q. What is meant when it is said that oxygen (one of the component parts of the atmosphere) “sustains life?”
A. It means this: If a person could not inhale oxygen, he would die.51 Q. What good does this inspiration of oxygen do? A. First, it gives vitality to the blood; and, secondly, it is the cause of animal heat. Q. How does the oxygen we inhale mingle with the blood? A. The oxygen of the air mingles with the blood in the lungs, and converts it into a bright red color. Q. How does the combination of oxygen with the blood produce animal heat? A. The principal element of the blood is carbon; and this carbon, combined with the oxygen of the air inhaled, produces carbonic acid gas, in the same way as burning fuel. Q. Does the heat of the human body arise from the same cause as the heat of the fire? A. Yes, precisely. The carbon of the blood combines with the oxygen of the air inhaled, and produces carbonic acid gas, which is attended with combustion. Q. If animal heat is produced by combustion, why does not the human body burn up like a coal or candle? A. It actually does so. Every muscle, nerve, and organ of the body actually wastes away like a burning candle; and, being reduced to air and ashes, is rejected from the system as useless. Q. If every bone, muscle, nerve, and organ is consumed by combustion, why is not the body consumed? A. It would be so, unless the parts destroyed were perpetually renewed; but as a lamp will not go out so long as it is supplied with fresh oil, so neither will the body be consumed so long as it is supplied with sufficient food. Q. What is the principal difference between the combustion of the fire, or lamp, and that of the human body? A. In the human body the combustion is effected at a much lower temperature, and is carried on more slowly than it is in a lamp, or fire. Q. How is it that carbon can be made to burn at so low a temperature in the human body? A. Because the carbon of the blood is reduced to very minute particles, and these particles are ready to undergo a rapid change immediately when oxygen is supplied. Q. When a man is starved, what parts of the body go first? A. First, the fat, because it is the most combustible; then the muscles; last of all the brain; and then the man dies, like a candle which is burnt out. [Brewer’s Guide to Scientific Knowledge.] “O Lord, Revive thy Work!”
SHALL this be the cry of the people of God? shall it come from the depths of the soul, earnest, importunate and agonizing? Will they plead as did Habakkuk in the times of calamity? “O Lord, I have heard thy speech and was afraid: O Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years; in the midst of the years make known, in wrath remember mercy?” It is a sad thought that as we have been tending to the condition of public crime which now exists, we have boasted before the world of our virtue, and in this increasing deflection and iniquity, even the teachers of religion have united in the glorification of the nation, and have too generally overlooked, or apologized for, some of the greatest crimes of the land. The records of public crimes occurring from day to day are truly appalling. Intemperance, checked for a time, is rapidly increasing, as also are Sabbath-breaking and licentiousness. Robbery, violence and murder abound, and “blood toucheth blood.” Public and private integrity are fearfully shaken, and the greatest enormities are committed in the name of law, and under the sanction of government. It is melancholy to trace the influence of slavery, and the satanic doctrines of its advocates. It is sad to see how churches, ecclesiastical bodies, missionary and other societies have given to it comfort and power; while rulers and judges have scoffed at the higher Law, and prostituted our national charter in support of the conspiracy against humanity and religion, and have in turn been sustained by the popular vote. As iniquities have increased, the love of many has waxed cold, and luxury and pride have abounded in the church. Although the means of grace have generally been upheld, comparatively few instances of revivals of pure religion have existed, and holiness of life, and consecration of time, and talent, and substance, to God have not prevailed. In the possession of riches, or the haste to obtain them, professors of religion have not discovered that they were “poor, and miserable, and blind, and naked.” God has met us in the midst of our folly. In the midst of riches and abundant harvest, he has brought us into financial confusion and distress. In our cities thousands are thrown out of employment, and, in circumstances of pressing want, are demanding employment, and crying for bread. Credit and confidence are gone, and “all the foundations are out of course.” If now there is help, it must come from God. Temporal relief will not suffice. Our greatest need is spiritual. No calamity is so much to be dreaded as being forsaken of God. It may be that his chastisements will lead to reformation, and we may then obtain deliverance from both temporal and spiritual calamity, for He is a God that delighteth in mercy, and in the return of his backslidden people, and desireth the salvation of all. When we shall return unto him, and the cry, “O Lord, revive thy work,” shall go up from the hearts of his people, when the ministers of the sanctuary shall weep between the porch and the altar, and all shall put away the evil of their doings, and break off their sins by righteousness, then will he have mercy, and appear in glory to build up Zion. Incense and a pure offering will then be paid to him, and the liberal offerings of his people, both from their necessity and their abundance, will indicate that God is enthroned in their hearts, and they are prepared by his grace to labor for the conversion of their children and their neighbors. Then indeed will effectual prayer be offered, and intelligence shall come to us from the West and the South of the mighty workings of the Holy Spirit, and the conversion of many souls. O that the whole Church may join in the prayer, “O Lord revive thy work, in wrath remember mercy.”—Am. Missionary. There is many a good mother who plans the ruin of the child she clearly loves—teaches it the first lesson in wrongdoing, by simply saying, "Now don't you tell father." Surely mothers do it thoughtlessly, ignorantly, not considering that it is a first lesson in deception. Not at all strange that gamblers and liars and thieves and hypocrites, and distrustful, evil minded people so abound, when weak, loving mothers, with honeyed words, and caresses, sweeten the little teachings that so soon ripen into all kinds of meanness and unprincipled rascality. I heard a kind, well-meaning mother say to the puny baby in her arms, "well, birdie shall have its good candy every day; bad papa shan't know it; see how it loves it!" and the little thing whose reach of life had not a whole winter in it yet, snatched at the bright red and blue colored poison, and made as many glad motions, as though it took its whole body to suck it with. The poor little thing had been fed on candy, almost, and fretted for more who—never its mouth wasn't filled. Even the nourishment nature provided, didn't wholly satisfy it, for it wasn't as sweet as candy. I thought it was no wonder, if children were taught even in babyhood that papa was bad and ugly and unkind, that in youth they should call him a “snob” and the “old man,” and the mother, whom they had learned by experience had no stability of character, and was capable of deception, not strange they should so little respect her as to call her the “old woman.” I shudder when I hear the frequent words drop from young lips, "Oh, I must not let father know that!" The father may be a stern man, rigid in his way of bringing up his children, but he has a heart somewhere, and surely truthful, honest, loving words from his own child, will find that warm place. So it is best never to deceive him in any thing, but keep his confidence whole and unshaken, and the whiteness of the soul unstained by that loathsome sin, deception. "Father don't allow me to read novels," said a young lady to me lately, but "mother does, and so we two read all we can get, and he never knows it;" and she giggled as though they were very cunning and worthy of praise, for so completely deceiving poor, good father. My soul sickened at the idea of a wife daring to teach her children to disobey their father; of the daughter, vain and unprincipled, with such a mother to teach and guide her. Better for the world she had never been born.—Ohio Cultivator. Going to a “Better Country.”
By Ceil.
A CHRISTIAN does not turn his back upon the fine things of this world, because he has no natural capacity to enjoy them, no taste for them; but because the Holy Spirit has shown him greater and better things. He wants flowers that will never fade; he wants something that a man can take with him to another world. He is like a man who has had notice to quit his house, and having secured a new one, he is no more anxious to repair, much less to embellish and beautify the old one; his thoughts are upon the removal. If you hear him converse, it is upon the house to which he is going. Thither he sends his goods; and thus he declares plainly what he is seeking.—Ceil. “A distinguished Geologist announced lately to a crowded and admiring audience, that the world would or might last thirty-six thousand years. What were his data, it is not my affair to scan. But the intelligence was hailed by bursts of rapture and exultation by delighted multitudes. . . . Will it however await their pleasure and their leisure? Then it will not come at all! They love not the appearing of the Son of man in the clouds of heaven. They love not himself nor his coming. And yet he will come, at such an hour, too, as they think not. The prayers of the martyrs, in their white robes, will be heard sooner than they are aware of: the Patriarchs and Prophets, the Apostles and Martyrs, 150 generations of the redeemed, a great multitude which no man can number, unite their prayers with the church throughout all the world, that “it might please him shortly to accomplish the number of his elect and to hasten his Kingdom.” All saying Amen, come Lord Jesus! To postpone that coming, ad infinitum, is to deny it altogether! To make God a liar: for “the Lord is at hand” is his word. And whose prayers will be heard?—Those of his friends and servants to hasten it on; or those of his enemies and persecutors to delay and prevent it! If the end of all things is at hand, and the Judge is at the door, who is wisest, surest, safest?—they that expect him and prepare for him; or they that neither expect nor wish for him at all? Neither the deluge, nor the destruction of the cities of the plain, was a natural event, a cyclical revolution for the Geologist to trace, or the Astronomer to calculate: So, likewise, the Second Advent, or the judgment of the great day. He will come as a thief in the night. When they shall say peace, peace, then sudden destruction cometh upon them. . . . Does not the above mentioned Geologist lay the snare and favor the thief?”—The Life Everlasting. By John Whiting, D. D., Rector of Ballymackey, and Chancellor of Killoe, London, 1856, p. 29. “Christ coming in his glory, to judge the world, and to make all things new: Here is the pith and kernel of evangelical truth, the pillar of the Catholic church, the weight and the strength of the Christian faith.”—Ib. 79.