, 1879-06-29
Third Paper on Scripturai Inspira-
ton and lnfallible Trans
lafions. ..
Gen:ral Notes -- Personals - Sunday
Small Talk-servicss To-Day.

secopd Adyent-oue Of the final issues Of Revela
Hon-it pronounces as one worthy OF the mos
cartful Investigation On the part OF theoloRiaus
The chief positions Of the work under review
sdmIt Of being briefly set before the reader. The
suthor argues with great force that our Lord
declared that His coming Ia His Kingdom would
take place during the lifetime ct the generation
which heard bis words; and that this Parousia ot
Els coincident with the destruction OF Jeruba.
lem, in L., D, -an event which brought the
oid-Testament Dispensation to termination.
Further, that, according to the testimony
Of every writing in the New Testament,
the entire Apostolic Church considered
this Parousta as imminent, that they looked
On it as the realization Of all their hopes, and
that their great fear was lest they should be
excluded By death from participation In it's
blessings Also. according to the authors
views, the Parousia OF the New Testament is a
single, definite event, viz. the presence Of our
Lord ID His human personality: and that, to
speak Of It as a spiritual presence, or coming
ID the events OF history, Ii to assign to 1t q
meaning wholly different from the one
Intended bv the sacred writer's. No less op-
posed is be to the idea, 80 widely adopted by
commentators, that 1t admits OF being viewed
Is realized from time to time In lower or
partial sense In certain great catastrophes Of
history but that it will receive its complete
realization IN personal coming of Christ at
the end OF the present Dispensation. The au-
inspiration, but one OF very decided character
(which We think erroneous) colors the reason-
fgs OF the entire work. In conformity with
It, and we may say in consequence Of it, he
maintains that 1t is impossible that the
Apostolic Church could have been mistaken IN
It's antidpations Of the speedy coming Of our
Lord, and OF its realization within short inter
val OF all blessings which are spoken of in con-
nection with it. and be LAYS down IN very strong
LANGUAGE that the contrary opinion Is subversiye.
authoritative teachers Of thctruths- --of: ghf4s-
tianIty. This brings us to the startling positions
ot the book Assuming the truth of the above
points, the author proceeds to lay down that
Eonality is not future. out past event, and
that 1t was coincident with the destruction Of
Jerusalem: that Mt that period Of time all the
oeau saints we're raised, and all the living ones
ehaueed and caught up to meet the Lord in the
alr, and that the judgment on the wicked actua,-
II took place. Further, SIS all the events which
then occurred constitute the great victory of
Christ oyer His enemies, He has already.
~ conformity with. the assertion OF
St: Paul, resigned his Messianlc Kingdom
{Rhicn he seems to consider to form part OF
the Jewish Dispeasation) to the Father; and
God has - become all in au,''-of which, ii, We
understand him rightly, the present state OF the
Church Is tue realization. The author is fully
aware that to these positions an objection may
be adduced which most people will pronounce
cbDclnsire,-Viz., that these most stupcudous
events have not left single trace in the history
Of the past. To this he has a ready auswer,-
ment, etc, are events which hare taken place IL
the invisible world If be Is asked on what
grounds We tan believe that such e9ents rs these
can have taken place, without one single thing
which has occurred on the visible sphere PROV
Ing that they have his answer is, that our LORD and
His Apostles have distinctly affirmed that they
you'd happen in connection With His Psrousia,
that this. .Parousia was to occur during the life
time Of the existing generation. and that the ex
act fulfllment OF our Lords predictions
the destruction OF Jerusalem, and |
the divine judgments which we're to he poured |
out on the apostate Jewish natdon-eveuts which |
Rare induhitably taken place on the visible /
spnere OF thtngs-are sufficient guarantee OF ]
The fulhl1ment Of the remainder; and 1conse- |
qnen.ly. that these events. respecting which |
history is silent, hate taken place IN the I'm
9een World.n' Such is the authors theory.
We anticipate that our readers will wonder |
bow ne can speak In strong commendation of |
ne u work which contains such incredible posi-
uons~ Nevertheless, our commendation is
e1Ven IN all sincerity: We think many Of its cou
clusions uuanswerable- and that the whole
sork, eyeu where We dissent from It's conclu- !
lions, is argued With great logical power
=. = aoaN uUH% d5 t4E Ms VuI a{1tC6 W1A P6lIH3t; !
notsce few Of its most important positions.
We, consider that the author has Afforded the |
ltrongest proof TINT, according to the nft1rina-
ions OF the synoptic Gospels, our Lord declared
hat q Parorsia,-or manifestation Of his pres
take place during the lifetime OF
I'm IT ~ the opinion that the habitual rendering |
y such expressions as "su,steea fou alouos,"
tc' IN our version, by the tend of the word,''
nstead I, of, What they manifest1y mean the '.end
nf0 Nv - a.
Fhole subject In hopeless confusion. We are
n1lous to see whether those who are engaged |
. the revision Of the New Testament will have
ne courage to make this necessary correction, ,
Or 1ts absence will greatly shake our faith in
he value of the Revisers' lapors. We think {
$50 that be has successfully made cut that e1- ]
such as 1.-THE last ttmes," ssthe eud," !
nd other kindred ones, which so frequently ;
eeaf ,eta IN the New Testament were, for the :.
11cst part, intended to refer not to
1e Jewish Dispensation. It will be impossible | G
or os to put the reader 10 possession Of tic | ,
Ass ot evidence By which these positions are =
exported. We must content ourselves with
,vahg a g few brief Illustrations Of the authors
ne OF reasoning. Both John the Baptist and l
u Lord commenced their respective ministries t
7 the proclamation that s'the Kingdom OF
eagen was At hand" Such declaration must =
ase been intended to convey definite meaning =
taose to whom it Was addressed. As all these d
e1hons were eagerly expecting, the speedy man
estation Of the Kingdom OF the Messiah, to n
ZEN these words could have conveyed only one h
y =: e:sning,-that this Messianic kingdom WAS / -
,lng 70 be immediately set M. This idea runs Il
!e contents Of which may be briefly described G
"a explanation of its nature, An enunciation /.
As iaHs, and correction Of the popular er- -
ts Ha'ch We're entertained respecting it, united %
"a account OF those actions of our Lord which,
tte opinion OF the writer's, established bis q
alt1 10 1t its King. Thfe character he directly II