The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1872-11-30
A Remarkable. Discourse.


teresting discourses to which we have
listened for many years, was delivered
by Rev. John Wilkinson, on Sabbath
morning last, at the Methodist Church.
His subject was, "This earth the cter-
nal dWelling-place of the righteous"
founded on the following passage of
Scripture We look for a new heaven
and a new earth wherein dwelleth
righte0usness.' I'd Peter, 3D. chapter
and 18th verse.
This sermon was remarkable first,
because of the novelty of the theory
presented, at least, to Il large portion of
his congregation, and second, for the
mastery manner i'll which it was treat
ed, and the grandeur of the speakers
conceptions, and the sublimity of Ian
guage III winch those conceptions found
utter9nce. The first position nun
GATED, viz: that this earth which we in
habit is not to be destroyed, but is to
righteous from the days OF Adam to the
final Judgment, fell upon the earof the
listener with startling effect, and led
many to suppose that the gifted minis
ter had gone beyond the Sacred Record
for a theory that could not stand the
test of rational investigation, cOnse-
quently, could not be consistently
reasoned or logically demonstrated.
The prevailing belief with all but Bibli-
cal students is, that this earth is finally
to be destroyed by a deluge of fire, with
every living thing upon it, and that the
new earth mentioned in the Scriptures
is to be an entirely distinct creation,
spoken into being by the Omnitic word
OF Jehovah, and for snch purposes as His
infinite wisdom might direct. This we
say, has been, and still is, the generally
received opinion among men, and no
wonder that the announcement of a
new and strange doctrine should have
produced the affect alluded to, and
which was visible on the cOmtcnances
OF many who heard it then for the first
time.
This discourse has given rise to much
comment among thinking minds, and
has elected no small amount of specu-
latiOn as to the correctness of the the
Dry advocated. Many have expressed a
desire to see the views presented by
MIR. Wilkinson in print, and in obe-
dlcncc to a request that w do not feel
at liberty to ignore, we shall endeaVOr
to reproduce such portions of the dis
course as referred directly to the theory
advanced, feeling confident that they
will prove peculiarly interesting to Il
large numberOf our readers, and ofcvery
creed and confession of faith. In the
performance Of this task, we shall let
the gifted speaker maintain his theory
in his own eloquent and impressive Ian
guage. In support of his theory, MI.
Wilkinson argued,
First, That the myriad worlds which
populate the realms of space, are the
principalities, and dOminiOnS, and
Kingdoms constituting the divine en-
pire of Jehovah, and that the celestial
intelligences-as angels, arch-angels,
cherubim and seraphim-are the seve-
raj orders of beings inhabiting said
worlds.
Second, That the Almighty had as
signed to every order of intelligent
beings a distinct world, o principality,
for habitatiOn and dominion. The an
gels are spoken Of as having "their own
llabitatiOns." To therace of mankind is
given this earth for a similar purpose.
"The earth hath He given to the chill
dren of men, AS such it is to continue
forever, for God hath laid the fOunda-
lions of the earth that it shall not be
removed forever" 1t is to be the eter-
nal inheritance Of the righteous from
the day of Judgment thenCefOrth "In-
lIC11U tlII h1ISNOI1 pLCUblNU IOl yOI
from the foundation of the world"
Third, That there is as great variety
i'll the orders of celestial intelligenccs,
and in the general phenomena of the
worlds they inhabit, as obtains through
out the works of God visible to OBJ
servatiOn. Each world has, doubtless,
peculiar phenomena adapting it to the
peculiar nature Of its own inhabitants.
Because of this adaptation between per-
son and place, this planet is, unques-
tiOnably, mans own fatherland. The
departed saints are represented in the
| Scriptures as awaiting, with strong de-
sire, their return to it as the promised
possession which Christ is redeeming
for them from the powers of darkness
" How long, 0 Lord, holy and true, dOst
thou not judge and avenge our blood
on them that dwell on the earth ?" For
only when the Judgment takes place
can they realize the hope of which they
sing: We shall reign on the EARTH"
Thus argued Mr.. Wilkinson in sup
port of his theory, and the passages of
Scripture quoted seem to sustain it.
We, of course, have only given his
skeleton arguments-Slmple statement
of his propositions. Each of these
points was most fOrcibly, ~elOquently,
and, we think, conclusively established.
The further illustration and establish
ment of his theory by astronomical
science, was, perhaps, the finest part OF
the discourse, and was listened to with
rapt attention. Indeed, the large con-
gregatiOn present was held spell-bOund
and entranced from the commencement
to the ending of this remarkable effort.
IN bringing astronomical science to the
aid of his theory, Mr.. Wilkinson said
Astronomers tell us that beyond the
| stars visible to the naked eye-beyOnd
the visible cluster of solar systems
far into themystic depths of the "milky-
Way"-in the vicinity, III doubt, of the
great central orb of the universe, is a
region Of the heavens a thousand times
more densely gemmed with sparkling
worlds than is any of the outer regions
of space and that by reason OF then
comparative nearness to each other, and
to the greatcentral orb, those worlds en-
Joy perpetual sunshine-"nO night
there !" and that the essence OF sub
stance of those most beautiful members
of the heavenly host is far simpler and
more refined than any Of the outer
worlds, and that they reVOlve on ahigh-
er principle of harmony than do those
composed of cruder matter-that there
star moves with sisterly harmony with
star-that there hosts Of bright worlds
are EMBODIED in the tnterlaeings of q
fellowship superior even to the sweet
influence of Pleiades and the bands OF
Orion. n~AsI read these observations
of the astronomer, and call to mind that
many well known stars have DISAPPEARED
from the visible heavens from time to
time, during the past centuries, the
thought comes upon me like an inspi-
ration, that when this earth shall be
dissolved by fire in the great day, and
shall come forth from the ~refiner's fur