, 1875-04-19

sEnMox nY TIE nEv. pn. nrpEn
Tue nsy, Dr. Ryder preached yesterday even-
iug al St. pall's Church on Michigan avenue,
usar Eighteenth, taking as his teat:
10 likewise whon 70 shall acc al thn.o things, know
inst II il lesr, ayen at tho loots. Latt. x1.Y. 3D.
Ihero arc tvo positions in reference 10 tho
eccoud advent Of Christ that seem irsefragable.
The frs. IB, that CIR Lotd during His personal
ministry forcto!d Ills second coming. Tais IIo
did on eoyorat occasions, 10 language worry OK
piiclt, aud Which soems to havo oeon clearly un-
tcrstood by those who heard Him maize theso
Predictions. I quote tho following passages:
John xiv. o.:
And II I go and prepare plscs for you, will como
aeaiu and receive you unto Myself; that where m
tActs }c iHay DO also.
Again, verso Is:
will not leave sou comfoltlosa will como 10 you
See, also. Ver:e 25:
Ye htyr heard how said unto you, 70 away, md
como agatn unto you.
The,e passages aro ull taken from tho convor-
sa!lon of Our Lord with 1Iis Disciples, Just DO.
ioro Ills cruci1xlon, and form q prominent
feature Of the instruction given thom by Hin at
that time.
Tho ether position iu reference 10 tho second
coming of Christ, which considcr irrcfrasanlp,
is this Ills apostles md Immediate followers,
guided by His instructions, hof1eyed that 1le was
10 appear the second time. Thero soomA to hAvo
been Among them but ono opinion on this sub-
icct they looked for the appearance OF Jesus
tho Aocona timo 40 m event certain to be. Paul
tu his First Eulstle to tbs Corinthians, ". s..
says: "Thercioro judge nothing boioro the tiulo
Until tho Lord como, etc.
Assuming that tho second coming Of Christ
has not yet tsausprea, the latgoas portion Of tho
tinued to bellcyo that Jehus would, In soMo
form and at soma tn,e, fulilll tho conditions Of
Ir'u teachings, and 1cappear. upon this Garth. It
has been generally supposed TINT Ha must ap-
rcar literally III the clouds OF heaven, overthrow
tile Governments of this world, and SOL up Ills
KINGDOM Of righteousness md g!acc.
The AdvoptIsts. who arc lifted Into prom
ineneo occasionally, simply fix TUG date Of tho
L.sas appearance. Il Ho i, Is & to come to this
II some time Why not tomorrow And SO
studying the history OF the Church. and the text
OF Scripture and t!udiug "hat they consider
evidence Of tho fultlI!ment Of prophecy, they
1pcate tho oyent, aud wait for thoEoneEal closing
up Of all auhuuary affairs.
What ls the root OF tho difficulty In sl,is caAe
Ia it possible Esr tho Ad,ettlsla TO be correct, or
arc Il! their VI cctliattouh erouhdlesst
Our answer liz thias II tito second oomlnB al
ChrlAt be yet fnture oyont, they may be correct.
Christ may appear to.morrow; but. II tho eyent
haye already tiauspred, thon, Of cousse they aro
altogether iu tho wrong. Wheruupon am Of tho
opiHl0u4 AAak no p0t60u woo acCePIe Tue current
thsory Of thu sac1lhcial churches IN reference to
tho coming OF tho Lord IL .oumpeteut faliy to
answer tho arguments OF tho Adventista. Tho
most that they can hops to do is TO show that
those predictions - to times and seAsons arc
improbable, for the question will continually
rcc,lr why not now II some timer
Hus IL tho second coming Of Chnst an event
still future? We anawor, No. Tho hrss ap-
pearnnce OF Christ was His bodily pseseuce AZ D
teacher aud guide His SECOND appoasanee
was subsequent to IIis crucidxion when the
Jewtsl DspeuHation ended and tho ohtlstIsn
Disponsatlon began.
III tAis position, ~ denomination, 70 stand
largely klone. Unitallana. as tue ,eH Church,
tako substantially thu tame Wow ~ oureslyess,
hut tho great body Of the ChrlBiian Churcl.
teach thai Tho second coming OF Christ Ia still
future.
How 1is thin? ono nAtuA1ly asks. II
tho promised coming OF tho Bun
hss alteldy s1.os!"rea, why does not
] happens that these rec.a arc tho only ones to
| discover tho truth In 10 important = subject
! will hnsxeE u clearly aud concisoly Ra csn.
| Tho second eonlng OF GhrlAs. ~ understood BY
theological eys!enl. When Uar1st thus pYteue,