Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1844-11-12
SOUTHPORT WISCONSIN, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 70, 1874

are continually about the doors of the Mil
ierlte meetings, that it is almost dangerous
10 HE and limb TO effect an entrance
Stones and brick5ats are thrown in. and
crackers and torpedoes exploded under their
teef. The other night, while Mrs. Hig
gins was exhorting and propLesying, with
lemPestuous zeal, some boys fired pile OF
shaylngs outside the window near which
she was standing, and at the same time
kInd!ed several Roman Candles. The blue.
unearthly light Of these fire works, llumi-
mated the whole interior of the building
With intense briliancy, for moment.
The effect on the highly excited congre.
CATION was terrible. Some tainted, and
some screamed. Several serious accidents
happened amid the general rush /; and one
man, il is said, was so deranged with ner-
vous terror, that he went homo and al
tempted 10 cut his throat The Mayor, and
a strong array Of consables, now attend
The meetings, TO prevent repetition of
these dangerous tricks. But the preachers
say that no protect on is needed for four
angels are stationed at the four corners of
the earth, and they have sealed the FORE
heads Of all the saints, so that no harm can
come TO them.
often hear this called singular delu-
sion !; but to me it seems by no means sim
gular. II is the legitimate result Of the OK
ternal theological teaching which has pre-
vailed, to great extent, in oar churches,
ever since the country was colonzed by
Christians. The people have been told
nj Il 81
be destroyed by material fire, and that the
Messiah would come visibly in the heavens,
to reign as king on the earth. 1t is bu,
one step more 20 decide when these events
will occur. The Jews, who. in the frs,
advent of Messilh, expected a powerful
prince, 10 conquer the Romans and restors
the national glory Of Judea were not more
grossly external in their application Of the
prophecies, than are most Of the theologi,
cal commentators on the second advent.
Yet, unconscious Of the limitation OF their
own vision, they speak with patronzing
compassion Of the blindness Of The Jews
If men applied half as much common sense
to their theological Investigations, as they
do TO every other subject, they could mol
worship God, who, having filled this
world with millions Of his children, would
finally consign them all to eternal destruc.
ton, except few who could be induced to
believe in very difficult and doubtful ex.
plantations of prophecies handed down &c
US through The long laIse Of ages.
There is. however, a deeper cause for
this excitement, than blind theological
teaching. The old heaven and the old
earth are passing away. In other words,
the religious sentiment Of Christendom is
changing; and Of course old theological
opinions, which are merely the garb oil
sentiments, are every where falling off
like ta,tered and ill-fitting garments. A.
the church changes, the state inevitably
changes, too f; and the civil and social con
diion Of man is slowly ascending to high
er plane.
This is felt, even by those who deprecats
it, and would avert, if they could aho
thus pressing on the universal conscious
ness, its ul innate and most external form il
( Mllerism. The coming Of new HEAVIER
and new earth cannot reveal itself IL
their apprehension through any other me
dunn. than the one ia which they announce
IL -