The New York herald., 1878-11-10
THE ADVENT CONFERENCE.

MATERIAL OR SPIRITUAL!
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:-
This is q question of philosophy rather than Of rev.
eaton any careful student Of the papers read lately
at DR.. Tyng's Church. compared with discussions
Of past ages. at must decide. Its postuates
laid down by DR.. Tyng Jr. its applications were
made by Drs. Kellogg. Gordon and Imbrie and its
popular appeal was made by DR.. MacKay on the first
day Of the session. The point of DR.. Tyng's argu-
ment was that the New Testament meaning Of the
words "apocalypss." revelation; "epiphancia" ap-
pearing; "paronsia." presence coming, imply q
literal and bodily manifestation of Christ. DR.. Kel-
ogg referring to the fact which all admit that at the
end Of human life earth Christ and all who have
died will together appear in bodily FORM conended
that the manifestation" of Chrsts presence before
that final event will be not simply spiritual for the
last 1900 years. but bodily for period of 200 years
previous 70 the final close of human existence This
argument indirect based on the fact that all
kind to be to Christ before the final appear
ing and arguing that by Scripture teaching this is not
TO be accomplished by the Scrptura agencies
now employed. Dr. Gordon at great length presented
tho direct argument in proof that there bodily
appearances of Christ--one thousand years before
the anal appearing and then the Anal coming. Az
10 the first appearance. in which all agree. he
mented Corinthians. fifteenth chapter. Az
TO the pre-millennial appearance he dwelt on the
two rcsurrcctions "drst' and second Revela-
tions Xxx. 40. insisting that II the second"
be bodily the first must bod Dr. Imbric dis
cusscd the word "palingennesia, twice used (Afat-
thew XIX. 2s Titus. Ill. 5, and rendered '.rcgen-
Grafton, urging that IL refers to material recon-
structon Of the earth to be adapted to the new bodily
life of man during Christ's bodily reign. DR. Mackey
in q hours address, In many respects practical,
insisted on the remark of John in the Revelation.
blessed is he that readcth and understandeth" the
ly pdir tle prt-r mi
lennial view was the understanding of the book.
glance at the points at issue here will make clear why
been that in all ages of tho Church. while few
imaginative minds have superzided to general Chris
tan belief this materalisc theory the great Of
practical earnest thinkers and workers for Gospel
dcmption of mankind have rejected the theory
FfrS-Thc principle OF Interpretation is opposed 70
the Of language in all ages aud nations All spir-
iuai ideas in the hundreds II cultured well rude
languages into which the New Testament has been
translated necessarily drawn from material OBJ
iects Thus God though spirit must be pictured az
seeing with eyes and working with hand. Spiritual
renovation in man must be- pictured as birth or
resurrction. and the spiritual world must be pic
question is. when the spiritual ideas of the New Tes-
lament find words in the ruest tongues of mankind,
which prepare the most barbarous people for its pir
tual conceptions. they In who, Christian
scholars in all have insisted that Christ Himself
understood and designed this very law OF interprcta
ton aud that through material images His spiritual
truth is presented
.Second-Thc objections 70 the theory are manifold
The nature of Chrsts bodily appearance. suggested
in this theory, is unlike that uf His first coming,
when. as an humble representative Of the human
race, He became its redcemer. He s TO appear
earthly monarch. the very error of the Jews and
early followers of Jesus; idea that the world has
outgrown. especially in America Second the object
of this appearing Is that men may be impressed by
His bodily appearance; that they may be nearer to
Him, know Him better, reverence Him truly
aud be like him. All this overlooks the fact that in
His bodily coming few Of the worlds people
saw Him. since being In human form cannot be on
but spot of the earth at the same tirnc near
enough 10 be recognized; that His dcsh yelled His