Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1857-05-22
Correspondence.
For the Standard.
The Kingdom of God.

absent from home, i did not, TIL yesteI-
day, see your paper of the Path ult-, con-
tanning the last article of j. II. b. on
" the end of the world, which viii be
sufficient apology for my apparent de-
Icy in answering his statements. de
takes it for granted that have abandoned
the discussion of the worlds conversion
and Jews return, because my last COM
munication was confined to the question,
viii the people of God know when the
end is near? But if he looks at his first
article he viii see that that is really the
first point on which we differed, hence
the propriety of taking it up first and the
others viii follow in order.
On the time of the advent, reasoned
ID from the uniform dealings of God
with his church in past ages, and ~
from the fact that he has given historical
prophecies extending to the end of the
world-that He designed his people liv-
ing near the close of time should know
when His coming is at hand. These ar
guments, in my opinion, have not been
fully met J. H. B. afirms that all the
past events, which named, "were clear
ly and unequivocally foretold" and the
time fixed with mathematical certainty,
but that "nothing of the kind can be
found touching the second coming Of
Christ" He has, however, TO shew by
comparison of history with prophecy
that all the historical predictions to which
I referred have been fulfilled, and that
none of them extend to the second adj
vent till this is done my argument
holds good, and it is not proved but what
the church to be translated may know
that the day of deliverance is at hand,
! even as the church at the first advent
knew that Messiah was about to appear.
:. Leaving this point, however, for the
present, we come to another-the king
}, dom of God. Here there is wide diff
Il ference between us. ]. H. B. maintains
r " Christ's kingdom has already COM
S menced; it is given to his saints; it wa:
n established when Christ was on earth
st 4" it began before the crucifxion, >" ant
e when Christ comes agasn, he comes no
IS to commence his kingdom but to end it.
d / understand the Bible to teach that th'
10 kingdom of God comes at the second ad
lie vent of Christ, when he appears as Judg
g of quick and dead, and that he will exer
As else personal dominion over the glorife,
r. saints on the regenerated or renewet
= earth, and Of his kingdom there will b
no end. All can see the difference; on
view or the other must be a gross error
n' affecting to some extent the interests c
the cause of God. Where does the trutl
OF lie? What Christians heart can be IN
I'D affected by the question How shall W
a. settle it? " To the law and to the test
ou mony," it will be readily replied, for til
ID, Bible rightly interpreted cannot sustai
r. both views.
But what principle of interpretatio
shall we adopt? for there are two that t
" some extent divide the Christian worl,
viz: the spiritual or mystical, and Ii
AT literal. The spiritual system is, tn;
there is some concealed meaning in II
~ words Of scripture which does not appes
y on the face of The text, and that this il
= ternal or spiritual is the true sense
III the scriptures. In this way the comir
IN of the son of man in the clouds of hea
en- Matt. "a: 30) is explained to mes
''' spiritual or mystical coming at the
struction of Jerusalem his reign {
the throne of his father DAVID spi
H itual reign in the hearts Of believers, &
es- The literal system teaches that " the B
UiC ID " NC uuuCISLOUu anu 1uLETpr6bt
an in the same sense, and by the same Law
an, of language, in and by which all 9th
Ind historical, theological, or scientific boo
ck' are understood and interpreted. Tropt
or metaphors, comparisons-fgures,i in sho
IN of all descriptions-are to be reduced
lie their literal sense, when occurring in t
"a, Bible, by the same rules applied to the
to- in all other writings and understood
me their proper sense" Says Bishop il
the envy Taylor: " In all the interpretatio
VA, of scripture, the literal sense is to be III
ed; sumed and chosen nnless there be evide
- cause to the contrary" / adopt the
this eral system of Interpretation, and cc
9TH slider it the only safe rule by which
ely can explain the Bible.
If we apply this principle to the
lowing texts it viii readily be perceiv
sev. that the kingdom of God was not est:
last lished on earth at the first advent
nit "There shall be weeping and gnashing
nth, teeth when ye shall see Abraham, Is.
L