Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1864-02-25

Gallipokis, at the funeral Of ENos
FRosT, late a member Of The 18th 0hio
Battery. rl
"And one Of the elders answered and said
unto me, What are these which are krTayed
in white robes and whence came they7
And said unto him, Sir, those knowest.-
And he said unto me, These are they which
came out great tribulation, and have washed
their robes, and made them white in the
blood Of the Lamb. ."-Rev. 4: Is: IA.
"To everything there is reason, and |.
time to every purpose under Heaven" Such
is the utterance of the ''wise man." and it is
followed By no less than twenty eight illus
trations of its tuthfulness as seen in the Is-
ture, the practice, and the purposes Of hun
JIfe And sLo last vf TueSe ILLUSTRATIONS are
ga time of war, and time Of peace"
Many additions might be made to these,
yes, the number might be increased "ad in
.fnitum;" aud we might be allowed to give ex-
preston to some of these yet unnamed in the
Sxhaustless list,-and observe-there is q
time to utter mysterious prophecies, and
time when they shall be unraveled and ex-
planned.
It is for this reason we have selected our
text for this occasion, out of the book of Reve-
lation.; that book of symbols and mysteries,
which has been found to be so difficult Of ex-
Splanation, which no one has yet found the
key that will open it, and which no one has
built a theory upon that will harmonic all its
apparent discordancies, and which remains
the most impenetrable enigma of the New
Testament age.
The only justification we urge for over
stepping the bounds of custom and usage in
this matter, is the theme of our discourse
The Volunteer Soldier of the Union Army
which gives to our meditations character
and position SO new and SO special, that they
could not lie found in any place, or at any
period in the worlds history, but in the
United States of America, and toward the
close of the nineteenth century of the Chris
tan Era; in the midst of transpiring events
the world never saw until now-and in which
no nation ever participated but this-whil'
all the world is looking on with anxiety, con
sternation and fear.
The strange visions which were furnished
to the prosecuted and banished Apostle on
the Island of Patmos, were represented to
him as revealing or making known. things
that must shortly come to pass.
The following is the title of the book, and
the way in which 1t was introduced to the
world.
"The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which
God gave unto him to show his servants
things that must shortly come to pass; and
he sent and signifed it by his angel unto hiE
servant John: who bare record Of the world
of God, and the testimony of Jesus, and of al
things that he saw.''
These visions of John were similar in their
character to those of Ezekiel and Daniel, and
had reference to things which were near at
hand, and to things which were remote
Some of the events were to transpire imme-
diately; that is, within the limits Of the gen.
Grafton then living; others were to be the
characteristics of coming dispensations which
would not take place until many generations
and ages had passed away.
Some of these visions bore directly upon
the old d1spensation which was worn out and
ready to die, and was about to close amid un-
heard of connections ecclesiastical and politi-
cal, involving the destruction of Jewish
church and nation, as they existed in distinct
organized forms. In all these things there is
to be found perfect harmony Of sentiment
and phraseOlogy with the prophecies of the
Old Testament.
But the prophecies contained in this vision
refer to seasons, and times, and peoples, and
dispensations, extending far into the future O.
the worlds career, characterizing the strug
giles and conflicts which should be maintained
in all ages, between truth, and energy, knowl
edge, and ignorance, liberty and despotism
represented on the one side by "Michael anC
his Angels" and on the other side by th'
dragon and his agents, or emisaries."
In the prophecies of the Old Testament, ,
new Israel is foreshadowed; new Zion; a new
Jerusalem; implying as the thoughtful stu
dent of prophecy is taught to understand If
that God had then particular locality Of tn
globe, selected and set apart for the home of
new people chosen to occupy it, who shoult
be the recipients of privileges more vsluabl
and glorious than any that ancient Israel pos
sessed; within the limits of which, natiol
should be formed-not from the descendent
of one family--but ell kindreds, tongues, anC
nations, should be gathered there; inquirer
for God, seekers after truth, pilgrims from ty
ranny, oppression, and persecution, in ques
of q home under the protecting Egis of iber
ty and religion.
In this promised land of the future, ns
ton was to be born in q day.
The new Jerusalem was to come down on
of Heaven into it, like bride arrayed for he
husband, complete and perfect.
q This land of promise was to be the site o
which new Government should be institu
ted, which should swallow up all the othe
Kingdoms and Governments of earth, dispen
sing 10 all people, the blessings of peace an
knowledge, truth and righteousness, justic
and liberty.
Every intimstion is given thatall the Al
fangements respecting the matter were theI
conpleted. rei f
oi The Temple and City were measured; the
boundaries North and South, East aud Yves
duly set; the inhabitants were numbered. th
strength of the City estimated, and the found
atoms Of the Kingdom established for ev,