The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-04-23

have gone 30 far as even to read out of th
Presbyterian Church all ministers who wer
Pre- milleunarians. DR.. West compels sue
now themselves to take the laboring oar.
| We give few more statements gathere
by DR.. Vests marvellous research.
"But more remarkable than the return o
modern missionaries to the primitive con
ception of the relation of the gospel to th
coming of the visible Kingdom and Appear
ing of Christ, is the fact that pre- millenariar
voices, deep and sublime, have come sound
ing, in the present century, from the very
bosom of the Papacy itself. Pere Lambert
French Dominican and scholar of greai
learning, renounced the Papal theory, while
yet in the Papal Church, and published an
eloquent defense of Chiliasm. Lacunza, a
Spanish Jesuit, abandoning the defences Of
Bellarmine and Bossuet, gave the world his
celebrated work on The Coming of the
Messiah in Glory and Majesty which so
fred the soul of Edward Irving (erratic in
some things, but still noble souD that he
translated it into English for the benefit of
Protestant England and Scotland"
This from Chalmers "Of this 1 am sat,
isfed, that the next coming of Christ will be
a coming, not to final judgment, but COM
ing to usher in the Millennium. l utterly
despair of the universal prevalence of Chris.
tianity as the result of missionary process.
| look for it's conclusive establishment through
widening passage of desolations and judg-
ments, with the demolition of our civil and
ecclesiastical structures" 81 desire to
cherish more habitual and practical faith
than heretofore in that coming which even
the first Christians were called to hope for
with all earnestness, even though many GEN.
turies were to elapse ere the hope could be
realized; and how much more we who are
so much nearer this great fulfllment than at
the time when they believed"
SIN the same hope stood Drs. Candlish
and Guthrie and many others gone to meet
the Bridegroom already, and accompany him
at His return" Robert Hall in his last
days lanented that "he had not preached
the pre- millenarisn views he entertained"
DR.. John Gill, the distinguished Baptist
Commentator, and Theologian, wrote -
" Christ will have a special, glorious, pecu-
liar, and visible Kingdom, in which He will
reign personally on earth. This kingdom
will be bounded by two reSurrections- first,
by toe resurrection of the just, at which it
will begin; and second, by the resurrection
Of the wicked, at which it will end" Top
lady, author Of Crock of Ages, cleft for
me, says: 81 am one of those DID, fashioned
people who believe the doctrine of the Mil.
Iennium, and that there will be two distinct
of the dead-frst of the just
and second, of the unjust, which will not
commence till 1000 years after the resur-
.ection of the elect. In this glorious inter-
val of 1000 years, Christ, apprehend, will
reign in person over the Kingdom of the
ust." Wesley, author of Jesus, lover of
ny soul" was premillennarian. Your
book" said he to Heartley, ''is in my hands.
[ cannot but thank you for your strong and
reasonable confirmation of that comfortable
doctrine of which l cannot entertain the
east doubt, as long as l believe the Bible"
"NeVer, in any age, in the long line of
Christian history, has the doctrine Of the
Pre- millennal Advent Of Christ been pro-
lounced 'heresy' except by Popery."
Nothing is more remarkable in this book
han the concurrence of so many writers and
peakerS, from points so widely separated, in
Ill the great lines Of the Interpretation of
he many and intricate subjects connected
With Pre-. millennial doctrine.
To conclude, this book makes it inexcusa.
Die in any minister or Christian, after this,
20 misrepreSent the doctrine of the Lords
Second Coming; or to say that he has not
lime to form an opinion on the subject.
Every great point connected with the doc
;rine ia here clearly presented, with the
Scripture to support it, in the compass of
single volume. May all Gods children
earn the truth, awake out of their sleep,
and 60 forth as was done at the first with
their lamps to meet che Bridegroom!
WILLIAM DINWIDDIE.