The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-12-17
For the Central Presbyterian.
f'Querist's" Reply to Apollos. "
Doctrine of the Augsburg and Second
Helvetic Confessions.

Helvetic Confessions
An article was published in this journal
of the date of 18th August last, signed
"Querist," on the history of Pre-Millen-
narianism, in which the brethren who
hold that view were challenged a." to pro
-duce single creed, adopted by the
Church in which that doctrine was
taught" A response has come at last
under the signature of " Apollos. II we
are not much mistaken, his readers will
be inclined to think before they have
finished reading our short reply that he
resembles his ancient namesake in at
least one particular,-that of needing
somebody to expound the matter to him
more perfectly" (Acts xviii: 26)
He accepts the challenge, and points
Us to three creeds, in which the doctrine
of Post-MillenniaHsm is condemned, and
by implication, the contrary doctrine
taught
l. The first is the creed Of "the Nicene
Council" We suppose he refers to the
first General Council of that name which
met in the fourth century, He does not,
however, produce the article, and we
must wait until he shall be pleased to
produce it. We have read the creed Of
that famous Council many times, and con-
fess we never thought Of Pre-Millenna-
rianism once.
Keen optics must he have, I ween,
Who sees what is not to be seen"
2. The second is the Augsburg Confess
sion, A. D., 1880, one of the symbols Of
the Lutheran Church. We omit the
Latin, and quote the translation given
by "Apollos, of the 18th article, as fol-
lows :-"They condemn also others who
now scatter judaical opinions, that before
the resurrection of the dead, the right
eous shall possess the kingdom of the
world and the wicked shall be every.
where destroyed" We could scarcely
believe our own eyes when we saw this
passage quoted in proof that the Augs-
burg Confession was Pre- Millennial.-
That Confession knows Of but one resur-
rection Of the dead, the general resurrec-
ton both of the just and the unjust, at
the second advent of Christ.
If "Apollos" had qnoted the whole of
the article, of which he quotes only the
part which, as he thought, served his pur-
pose, this would be evident to all We
shall therefore quote the whole; and the
reader will please bear in mind that all
e-Millennialists hold to tlo0 resurrec-
tons, separated by an interval of "a thou
sand years" We quote the English
translation of the eminent Lutheran di-
vine, DR. Charles Krautte, Vice-Proyost
of the University of PepRa
words brackets are fToI1s 49, Oermaif
text, (See Schaf's Creeds of Christendom
III, p. ID.
" Art. XVII. Also they teach that, in
the consummation of the world at the
last day Christ shall appear to Judge,
and shall raise up all the dead, and shall
give unto the godly and elect eternal life
and everlasting Joys; but ungodly men
and the devils shall he condemn unto
endless torments. They condemn the
Anabaptists who think that to condemned
men ard the devils shall be an end OF
torments. They condemn others also who
now scatter Jewish opinions that before
the resurrection of the dead, the godly
shall occupy the kingdom of the world,
the wicked being everywhere suppressed
1.-THE saints alone, the pious, shall have
worldly kingdom and shall exterminate
all the goddess
1t condemns, therefore, all who hold
that the righteous shall possess the king
dom of the world (what this means, we
shall see presently before th5S, the gen
eral and the last and only, resurrection
of the dead and if the Pre-Millenna-
rians hold what is here condemned, theg
are of course condemned, not we.
Further, it condemns those who "scat
ter jtedaicaJ opinions" Now we put il
to any man of sense,-which opinion i,
the most liable to the charge of being "ju
daical. the Pre- or Post-Millennial?-
the opinion that the kingdom of the Mes
siah is to be visibly set up while men are
still in the flesh, marrying and giving III
marriage; that His throne is to be at Je-
rusalem that the Jews are not only to
be restored to their own land, but are tc
enjoy again the Temple and its ritual
bleeding animal sacrifices, etc. that they
are to rule the nations and that said ma
TONS In the literal sense, are to come up
to Jerusalem, ETC., etc.; or the opinion,
that, until the advent of the Messiah to
Judgment at the last day and at the last
resurrection, His kingdom shall continue
to be, what it is now, the kingdom Of an
invisible King, ruling by His word and
spirit, and Staying His enemies by the
sword of His MOUTH" We repeat, which
of these two opinions sounds most 'judai-
cal?"
Again; the precise set of opinions here
.nnlannnal 90 :. .uIainalm ara thnsn hnld