The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1878-05-01
For THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST.

fully adopt the following sentiments Of
David Brown, q decided POst-millennialist,
found 10 his book on the second advent "It
is frequently urged, for example that be-
cause souls were seen in this vision, and no
mention is made of bodies, it cannot be c
bodily resurrection that is meant But this
is to mistake what the apostle saw in the
vision. He did not see resurrection OF
souls. lie saw the souls of them that were
slain ; that is, he had vision of the martyrs
themselves in the state of the dead-dtter
they we're slain, and just before their resur-
rection. Then he saw them rise They
lived their souls, but themselves" |
ought to state however that Brown regards
this literal resurrection as merely symbol
of the martyr spirit which will prevail during
Millennium before Christ. Post-millennial
expositors hold that the phrase ''they lived
does not denote literal resurrection either
of the martyrs, or of persons having the mar
tyr spirit But as they must find some kind
of resurrection, they suppose it to be the re-
surrectiOn of the martyr spirit And belieV-
ing that the souls seen by John we're the
souls of the martyrs only, they say nothing
about the spirit or disposition of those who
did not worship the beast, and yet were not
slain. But the question must be distinctly
answered. Who are those of sOhom at IS SAID
"thsy Kued ?" And why is their living called
the first resurrection Is it the martyrs
themselves that lived, and is this the first re
surrection ? Post millennsrisns say not
Then, is it the souls of the martyrs that
s. lived" and is this the first resurrection
Surely not. Their souls never were literally
dead and buried; and the spiritual resurrec-
ton of their souls, that is, their regeneration,
was experienced before the death of their
bodies. Then is it the martyr spirit that
" lived" and "reigned with CHRISTI" But
is the martyr spirit dead? or is 1t to de be
fore the Millennium !? The Word of Goo
teaches US that in every age of the Ghurct
militant, the martyr spirit viii be needed
and must often be exercised in the Christian
struggles against the world, the fash and the
Devil. And the professor of religion who
has not the martyr spirit when it is required
Is not true disciple of Christ. (Luke xiv
26, 27.) Ole of the insupersble difficulties
of the Post-millennisl theory is that it de
mands the death of the martyr spirit when j
is needed before their Millennium and it
resurrection when it is not needed, (duriDl
the Millenuium.) But these "sOulS' seel
by the apostle are described after their re
surrectiOn as persons He speaks of then
as reiqniRg with Christ. Principles are no
said to reign with Christ. Whatever JOhl
saw was resurrected, and whatever was re
surreCted, reigned with Christ. He did no
see the martyr spirit. He did not see pei
sons who will live in unglOrifed bodies, an
possessed of the martyr spirit He saw tn
plori6ed spirits of the redeemed on thei
thrones. Then he saw them in their resul
, reeted and glori6ed bodies, reigniug wit
Christ. But these persons, whoever the
: are, or principles, whatever they are, th'
have part in the first resurrection, are faythC
= described as "ble8sed and holy" and &
: those on whom " the second death hath I
D power" The natural inference from tn
: language is that those who do not have pa