New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-10-31

VINO deny our hope The probability In favor
OF those who affirm It, Is equal TO the seeu-
muaied OF the argument that the men 90 marVe
iousy raised up and qualified for the planting ana the
reformation the church. could not have been mistaken
An the tradition OF the snge century that had eaed
since the death Of St John. misled in their dhgen
deIving study OF the Bible compared with the com
ent. of ancient authors II the assertion ana reJecuoh
OF doctrine stand equal ground before scriptures
which do not undoubtedly determine the question al
Issue YET Is the prcpJnderance OF prooaDihty ueehS
factor In the discussion.
Waving this preliminary presumption, we pass TO the
consderat on three propositions which are the com
mon ground on which this Conference meets and VIII
be assumed the discussion OF all succeeding topics.
Both for our present purpose and for intelligent re-
ceptlon all instruction, 1t Is Of the first import
snce that these principles should be plainly stated and
sustained.
l. The authority OF Holy Scripture is the basis OF all
knowledge that the Lord Jesus will in any wise return
TO this earth To His life in the flesh there are few a.
usIons in classic authors History iDdorses sufficiently
the story Of the Gospels The philosophy Of history de-
mands as the solution Of the problem presented by
,rgaBzed and social Christianity the fact OF His human
existence. But no other voice than that OF
God can absolutely foreten. His hand alone
can draw the veil which hides the things to come.
speculat.oR has no place in this discussion.
Philosophy mas permission TO deal with the uhre-
. the Language Of Scripture the Of all nfor
nation concerning both the matter and the manner OF
Words when the Holy Ghost teacheth." 1t contains
an te authentic and credible account OF events
which have their place IN tho worlds history.
g. The laws OF language and the Instruments; by
which 10 constiue these words OF Cod But ioI
the mystical, spruauzlng school OF eXpOsItOrs, We
should nave NJ need 70 GS more sa IN S thS ron5 Sr
of Bible. Not IL CIPHER hierogyphe or caDa
men, with which grammar, rhetoric and logic can
closely deal. has God made known His purposes 10 us.
the letter Spiritual di-cenmcut Is KNOWLEDGE by e1-
perience. and does not nupy superior nteIec %
and palmer scripture simies' metaphors ana rara,
of lnierpreat pn which control in secular literature
We AFFIRM then. the law OF Bishop Newton that literal
rendering Il always be given the reading OF Scrip
turc unless the context makes IL absurd To yndlcate
this law all cavil and establish the proposition
mon sense any casual stranger to scholastic theology
lie ~ honyst 10 arSee VII in'iS on o 3 n, Tors
literal fulhment OF propheelcs reiath4 10 our
first coming. and allegorize The predictions connected
they refer to His second appearing What have
for holding. in opposition TO tho jew, that
should begin preach how He should enter Jerusalem
what varied sufferuss He should endure hat lie should
be broken, that His garments should he parted and HIS
transferred by lot that with he
should die. and yet with the rich make HIS grdye-what
possible have we for asserting me historical lul1
of all these prophecies which the Jews spilpa ze
five, turn sir uaze the PLAN ana closely joined
predictions OF the glorious Messiah which they 1nterpr
lock the scrlptura interpret ations OF fulfilled
serious student TO open thugs God But
this sideTation may be added in appeal TO the
that in every controversy with protested Christians
whose creed hold 10 be defective, We insist upon
Of our I,rds supremacy and sovereignty
Tbe Whole controversy with UniYersalism pyots
this principle. Unless the Word God means what it
tays, denltr Of future punishment may have the
right. Aud on what conception OF eandor do men
stand WHO strenuous for the principle OF literal IN
terpretaton when II su Is their Theological system AUG
sever in ITS deuunclatlOn wnen they cannot sGborn
the testimony In favor OF their own dogma. Indeed
let TINS spirtualzing method DC enforced Gnd all posi-
tive lines of division between truth aud error are IN
SwedenDUrgian, and every otHcr school OF theOiog'
cal Thought win spiritlrlize in opposite WAYS to
suit their several this principle any book
may be made bible. recent reviewer has wei writ
ten: Truly quite enough o. tins sort OF exegeeai Eio
that IL snUuld and that little more or the re-
spect usually paid to authors called profane should be
rendered 10 books which the mass OF the Christian
world is well agreed 10 accept as sacred or as Inc
t6ay tse language M Of these ancient books should
be used In its own sense-the sense which II
modern expositors should their well neant efforts
60 compel into agreement with the ecelesasea sys
aud theological creeds which flourish varously
around u.s. the so-eailed maliDity of Rome down.
vast The Germ an Rationaiists in their efforts to ma
turaze the history are not 50 true to as those
In the church. who sprudze the prophecy OF the BpIe
THREE PROPOSITIONS OF THE CONFERENCE.
Thee three propositions affirm and assume as
conference the authority OF Holy Scripture Is the basis
OF all knowledge that the Lord Jesus will in anywise
tnis earth the language OF Holy scripture the
source Of all information concerning the OF the
return OF our LOfu VI
ments by which TO cOnsrue the words Of Cod to
ascertain the character anu circumstances Of His APP
iioctIins must fan into Doubt But WHENEVER il is in
question: admission Of these principles VIII instantly
fake II out Oi all question. 49,
Is evident TO The superficial student OF the Bible
that frequent reference u made by all the sacred
writers the coming OF the LORD" careful com
putaton has shown that one verse IN every wentynye
about 800 Of the New Testament SPEAK OF TINS
future SO constant is the ausiOn to That, which
Is to De, at the coming " tue appearing tne teve
a0u of the Lord. that all expOsitors must needs have
sOme theory Interpretation, which will harinOnize
and explain these passages The topic Of this paper
gives the key-uote OF the creed OF our Con
reference transis ion OF Tue church the resur
OF the dead In Christ the coming OF the Lord
with his saints and the establishment OF the mcnnia
KINGDOM this assertion Of the personal and visible man.
heE OF HIS rstgrn IL iaadamentI TO all ,,,..,..,.
group them IN hve classes, ana seek 10 SHOW that
noitber one nor al satisfy or exhaust ne testohies
The coming of the Holy Ghost on the day Of Pentecost
In tne sufficient fulaBcnt Loids promise. len
DAYS after the Of Jesus the Holy GhOst
~ tLe church. The manner OF Ills appearing the mode
OF His operation, the ministry Of Hs presence all com
bine to mark Him as another Comforter The cOldi
toL OF His gft by the Father the departure of the
Christ Ho VIA to be the Vicar Clrist the earth
aud In the church. A. such lie has controlled IN Tins
dlspensatlun of grace. His oice-work, donuel by
Jesus has been ever fulfilled IL promised: when
He Is come. He will rcprove tho world OF
sin, aud OF righteousness, aud OF Judgment"
q Again, there are expositOrs who held that the
oasrOphe OF the fall OF Jerusalem In the year 20 A. d.
and the entrance OF Titus hc Roman are the facts to
which certain predictions OF the coming Of the Lord
fcrred. This can only be Affirmed IN connection with
tho twenty-fourth chapter Of ST. Matthew aud the
parallel passages In 81. Marks st. Luke's gospels
Epistes written TO GENTLE churches and the Rove
posed 10 take cognizance Of this local event
chronology Of the books, written at least twenty
years after ntus c0ung ud hIt determine Their refer
ence 10 some subsequent 20 tho fall OF the Hoy
cIiy. surely their scope of argument would negative
such u narrow construction We are limited, therefore
10 the examination OF solitary passage the locus
eGsseWs OF this second view Our Lord was seated on
the Mount Olives with fOnr OF His disciples He had
pronounced the prOpaecy OF Jcrusalem's overthrow