, 1875-04-19

iudge the world. and divide lnaniind into tue
two closses OF righteous 1nd w,ekoa. son-
Nov, t'os's.no to saT tint nj cbrst Iss .,soaIy ~:
roa.cd tho second time. Is virtually 10 eel aside
tho whole sron,' of doctrines Mhleh cis'ster
1 l,pto employed III oNnnsott0n with tho second
anucnra,,cc IT Onr Lor! IL N cortain canos yorv
lI:uratIyc nnt II taken literally, doacribes a1l
osent qf we nstsry If =, ha' A. ae no 1seos
aatl, am. 18th clsartcFs OF atatthcv; and .!io is
ruo ia practically this Inv much and whnt
pats Of Tics" tno chapters are to 10
lner.lv interpreted. aud what fgnratyels ?
1T rasang to MI Interpretation OF lhote two
chapters, tho sooakcr madc ttloao ponta. All
npreo tint tho 24th chauter OF Matthew opcns
with reference to tho destruction of tic literal
tomple Of tho Jews. 1}ut WHOM we como 10 tho
iho nov subject Of tl,o cnd Of this l!tora giobs.
j." "Wnon ehali those things b. aud what ahAl.
DO tho sign of Ti'y ootnluR and Of Tho onl Of
tho w.rd M ~ thus, tney understand tha.
nae.s. m " 1fJsS whdn GaS s ss. irs as.- iass ssse
tho destruction Of tic tom,!e, ko.l be? q J
What ahall DO The sign Of Thy cou,lug flo bs,ng
this slertrttctior12 a. Wha. slnil 10 the sign
Of the ond OF &lo world .selF (which last is Of
Two. but Ii, POINT Of fact there ARC in tlAls
but two lllestiops-the first rotating to tho
t.!nc, and the eocond to tic signs OF Ills coming
Tl!oso who ilavc glvoh any attention to thls Aub-
tcct knom rory wolt that sho Greek word render
NOS, tbs MaeeTtul globe.
Verses 20 to 81 caunot bc literally interpreted.
but ti,iH prophetic description IL Introduced bv
tho phrase. :" Immediately after tho trtbu'ation
So kotisc, when Sc shall sse all these things, know
that Il is near, oven at tho doori. yn!y, say usa
you shls generation shall not pass until al, these
things he fultncd.
Or sasc thia from Matt. xvi, 1928.
For the snM ot Man shall in tho glory Of Hls
Father with lts angels; mud sscn lie .ha!i reward
every man according 10 tia works. Verify ahy unto
death iii they .hc sou Of .lao coming In nis Klug
don
Matthew hero. aasoris thcso particulars
that Christ would come. again that lie
would appear iu tina glory Of lii Father pttend-
cd by His angels thas 10 would render to every
man nccotdiEg to Hlo works. aua thas no would
do oil tho+o iulngo III tho lifetime of That gen.
citation.
bit has Christ TINS appeared in tho clouds Of
would thus appear In the lifetime NJ those then
LIVING. Shall VIC. then. tbrow 1lscrclt upon the
wolds Of our Lotd7 Tuctc Is 10 uccd Of this.
Whcn VIC read in Isaiah, chap. xx1lr., iu refor-
encc to tho lanG Of 1dnmca:
Aud tho lost Of Heaven slall 10 dissolved and tho
heavcuR shall 10 rolled together ~ scroll: an1 lu
their hosts shall full down, n Tic Leaf tacth OF from
ths riut-
~ tA'o ~ aAA1'oult! III "seepslat AAE ihuboaEn
~ nguratiyo and Why not apply tuo Batue stand
a,d Of criticism to nathan, XIV. 20-3I?
Tho samo difficulty occurs in tnc case Of the
Book OF Revelation. That Grand religious ap,c
chTltaihs much Imagery OF great beauty regarded
as metaphor, but II wo interpret its statements
~ litera! history there is no limit to tao false
iUcltincs that niay he drawn from tho book.
And yet many in.ia< l., rendering tho book In
that way, aud that Notwithstanding tho Fory
1rst verso OF 1t states explicitly that tho Rovrla
tton Is Of thinGa - which must shortly como to
pass;" and the last vcsHc hut cuo OF tho anna
book rcatt!,tas the samo stA,omont, LII thesc
woras: ''Sutely como quickly"
II clear, therefore, thn. Tho only way to
seiyes and With tho expectations Of tho Apostles,
aud witt, tho facts Of history, Is to accspt tho
words Of Christ In Matt, xiv, o. aa literally
truo, aud so actually fulfilled. Ills Kingdom IL
sc. up. It w1B so SGT up when the Christian DlB-
ponsatton began. The Book Of Revelation was
written befoie the overthrow OF the Jovlah
polity, md 80 relates to the sa,no great event.
Thus Interpreted, tue Judgment seat OF Christ
is now In the enrth--aud by tho principles Of His
Kingdom n.l tho nntions arc Judged nod separated
onn from smother, according to tia law Of virtuo.
~ shepherd dlvdotl bis Hacen from tho goats
"a Judgment that ia az perpetual as rigatoouB-
noss aud . kingd I'M that knows 10 end.
Whilo thus We bclleYo ana teach that tho
tho fact that in practical life His coming to tu-
dlviduaIs is progressive md perpetual. He may
mover, rs yet, have Come to homo Of you whom I
low address; or He may hayo come In tho
power OF His glory many times and III many
tu1es and IN many fotms. Happy Is he to whom
tho Lord hns CONC. and with whom He constantly
abides.