New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-08-26
THE END or TIE ToRLD.

We notice that those who believe in the
speedy Second Coming and an approaching
Millennium, are holding camp-meetings IN dif-
| fcrcnt parts of the country. IL is now quar-
ter of a century since the Rev Mr.Miller aided
immensely by large and unexpected comet,
created considerable excitement and some
alarm by predicting final terrestrial contia-
grafton the same having been tiguratiycly
foretold by the prophet Daniel and st. John
the Divine. The idea of the abolition from
the solar system of this great globe is an old
one. IL was entertained in the earliest days of
Christianity, aud frequently revived during
the Middle Ages. Its origin, we sup
pose, is partly religious, partly scien-
tifc, and partly intellectual. In the
first place, the world is too wicked TO wag
much longer, and while it does last should, by
every rule Of right reason belong TO the saints.
In the second place, other heavenly bodies
have come TO grief, and why should not ouisf
Thirdly, we naturally attach the idea of end
to all matcriality for it logically follows be-
ginning.
We have no wish TO throw any discrcdit
upon anybody's religious belief, and are ready
to admit that many learned men have had full
faith in mundane destruction. Although we
are forced ourselves to 20 on from day to day
precisely as if there never would be an end of
publishing we know in our secret soul-much,
we admit, to our mOrttcatiOn-that the
morning will come when no TRIBUNE will be pub
lished. Nor are we singular in our perseverance.
Believers in an approXimating millennium never
cease to attend TO the vital economies. They
sow in the sced-tmc; they take and give notes
mt six and nine months; they purchase land,
and they make provision for the heirs of their
bodies 1t is next to impossible for any man
to discover himself from his earthly
relations; it is only death which can unmesh
us from the tolls in which we are struggling.
From this point of view, the wreck of matter
and the crush of worlds is of very little present
interest. 1t has not the importance Of one indi-
yidual demise, for that is certain while the
other is only probable. So we are obliged to
take the future upon trust 1t is enough to I'M
derstand the aim and reason of yesterday, and
to work well to-day for worthy objects. They
only are to be commiserated whose world
comes TO an end while they are still living,
and who lnger here after they have ceased to
be useful like the immortal mOrtas of Swifts
horrible satire-the wretches who l0nged ID die,
while death was still denied them.
If it be any comfort to our readers, we
would remind them of the slowness with
which most mortal things decay. We say
nothing of the pyramids; we lay no stress
upon the spiced, and swathed, and skilfully
beaummed mummies; we make no reference
to flies in amber; but we would point to the
Democratic party as wonderful instance OF
vivacious persistence. To mark how it fingers
must be an encouragement to those VINO
are advancing toward senility, and who are
still 10th to depart. 1t stays to give KIND
of sophistical contradiction to the notion that
all things must have an end. III Is as
II you should amputate mans legs ana
arms, take out his brains remove Ills gen
eral interior apparatus, and theh hhu
him running about rs lively rs ever DOT
rowing your money and calling upon you
every day at dinner-time. Except upon the
ground of the innate depravity oil human ma
ture. there is no reason why there should be
any Democratic party at TINS moment yet
there it is, full of vigor which coniounds all
our knowledge of lenses, and puzzles us to
Ge;ol..ine whether 70 sA..!I DO put into a pres
ent, prctcr-imperfect. OF preterit category.