Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-12-07

brooks, for instance. of st. Louis, their
BIGGEST man. / well remember his
ninety nine reasons for his belief. WHY,
the majority OF them had no more to do
with the subject than they had with the
Mckinley bill.
THE cHrALPHA CLUB.
81 was then member Of the Chialpha
Club. In its membership were many OF
the leading ministers OF the country.
stars and Beccher had belonged to il,
but had dropped out. Schaaf was O
member So was Hill and number OF
Others equally well known. There were
tbirty.fve OF us. and after each days ses-
sion OF the Premillennislists we would
90 over the same ground. Nothing that
thew brought forward had any weight
with Ms. Now il that was the case with
SO Large abody of theological thinkers
il showed that the arguments OF the Pre-
millennislists we're not so convincing as
they themselves imagined.
"Yet, / again admit there have been
and are many sincere men in their ranks.
Horatio Bonnar, the celebrated hymnist
of Great Britain, was one. He sang it,
he hymned it, he talked it, he enthusi-
astically believed in it. Still, outside of
his hymns he was thorough polemic.
Moody is another who believes in it. tie
does not, of course, rank with Bonnar.
DR.. Tyne never went to bed without ex-
pecting to see the Lord the next day.
NV friend Penticost is another enthusi-
astic believer.
"They certainly are earnest / look
upon them as imbued with mysticism.
Bonnar was as great mystic as one ever
met. They are positive, too, no doubt
OF that. / might say OF them as Smith
said of Macaulay | wish was as sure
OF anything as you are OF everything
"Ghrist it appears to me. when He
was on earth com pleted His work. There
il no reason why de should come again.
II is a reflection on His mission here TO
say that diabolism cannot be put down.
Wasn't His plan for the worlds regene-
ration perfect /? Why should he be ex-
pected to alter it ?"
DIR. TALMAGE's VIEWS.
1t is rare religious idea on which DR.
De Witt Talmage has not something
timely and readable to say. The subject
of premillennialism be admits, however,
is rather out of his line.
al have not given it as much thought"
he said, "as perhaps other clergymen
have, and they may be right and l
wrong. Still, my own belief is, and has
always been, that Christ will not reap
pear on earth until the Judgment-Day.
/ do not speak authoritatively. You see
there are Christian men who make special
study OF certain branches, and are most
competent therefore to discuss them.
Then there are those who study the Ian
guages. others the archaeological con-
firmation, and others again the geographi-
cal confrmation-any one Of which Is
the pursuit of whole lifetime. The
Premillenialists, many OF whom | know
and entertain the friendliest and highest
opinion Of, have made the Scriptures
the subject OF the most thorough thought
and investigation. 1t would not become
us. therefore. TO denounce their belief as
false, when for all know to the contrary
they may have arrived at the truth. L
have read the proceedings OF the confer
ence with the greatest interest, but yet
not so thoroughly IS to feel like ex-
pressing any decided opinion on the
views presented.
81 don't concede that the world is so
given up to the devil as the Premilien-
nialists believe. | think that Christ has
given us all that is necessary to carry on
the fight against sin. He says that the
Holy Ghost is to be the comforter.
RELIGIOUS SPECIALISTS"
al may say that certain religionists
are specialists. There are the holiness
people for example. They believe that
they have reached state where they are
sinless. May be they are. l know L
have not reached that stage and L don't
know any one who has"
Yet the Christian Herald. OF which
DR.. Talmage is editor, has premillen-
mum tendencies.
DR.. Howard Crosby is quito emphatic
in declaring that he does not believe IN
premillennialism.
{" The trouble with the followers of
this faith" he said to me, ais that they
read the Scriptures TO suit themselves.
They take as figurative what is literal.
and as literal what is figuratiye in the
Bible. L cannot see any reason for
thinking as they do"
[ asked the well-known DR.. A. j. T.
Behrinds what he thought Of it all.
"Not much" he replied. "It viii
not amount to anything great. 1t is one
of the episodes in the history of Chris
tianity. 1t is like a strong current that
dashes up against a rock and is beaten
back again. Why, sir, in short, it is
simply one of the eccentricities OF the
times"