Smyrna times., 1890-12-03
TOT Ule oNlVTTIU IlNl
The Millennium Again.
STATE ROAD, DEL, Nov, 1890

Mr.. EDITOR:
l saw an article in the TIMES a few
days ago copied from the New York /.
Sun in regard to what is generally cal
led the Millennium. The Sun, as the
principal source of light, might reason
ably be expected to enlighten every
body, unless like the sun in the heav-
ems it should be enveloped in clouds at
times. The Sun sees all denominations
differing in regard to this expected
millennium as to when it will come,
and what it will be when it does come,
&c. Net only 50, but he sees members
of the same denomination differing one
from another, scarcely any two agree
ing as to any of the important points.
The Sun in his criticisms of the de-
nominations has probably not included
US, and perhaps there was not much
reason to expect that he would. Still
it is the province of the sun to shine for
all. If he had taken us into account
however, we might have differed from
Others we certainly would not have
differed among ourselves. You have
no doubt awakened some interest in
the subject by the publication of his
observations, and in hope of aiding fur
ther investigation, and answering pro-
per inquiries, will offer your readers
such light as l have at command
touching the main points involved
The word Millennium is a Latin
word. simply meaning a thousand 1t
may be applied to years, or with as
much prOpriety it could be applied to
anything else, the members of which
counted one thousand. We have had
several millenniums of years since Gre
alton and are going on filling up one
now. The stress that has been laid
upon this term seems plainly to indi-
cate that some particular one of these
Millenniums will be greatly distin
guished by some important features
from all the others. Allowing this to
be so, while I look up those distin-
gushing features, will pause to re-
mark that the trouble is with scribes
and doctors of the law that they fail to
recognize the things they are looking
for when they do come. The Jews are
still looking for their Messiah, who
was to suddenly come to his temple.
after that temple had been destroyed,
more than eighteen centuries.
The Disciples inquired, How say
the scribes that Elias must Gomez"
! Jesus answered that Elias had already
come, but that they knew him not.
The Jewish people drew on their i'm
agination in regard to the Messiah, in
stead Of examining the Scriptures and
so, people in this day indulge in wild
fancies about an imaginary Millennium
that will never come. l once listened
to a conversation on the cars on this
subject, the party being strangers to
me; but evidently some at least of
them clergymen. We were informed
that when the Millennium came, the
bees would have no sting, serpents
would be harmless, having no venom,
&c. OF course this was all interesting
news, but we were not told just when
the happy time would come.
What is said by Isaiah, Daniel and
other prophets OF that coming day
which was the burden and theme of all
their prophecies was the gospel day,
and was fulfilled in the coming and
ministry of Christ. 1t was then that
the eyes of the blind We're opened, and
the ears of the deaf unstopped, the
lame man should leap as an hart and
the tongue of the dumb sing. The des-
ert should rejoice and blossom as the
rose. The base passions of men
should be subdued under the power oil
reigning grace, though they had been
as wild beasts before, and of them it is
then said that they should not hurt
nor destroy in all the Lords Holy
Mountain.
Those who have studied prophecy
know that the prophetic periods are
very indefinite. A day often stands
for year A thousand years we are
told with the Lord is as one day and
one day as a thousand years. Some
things that are spoken of as coming
suddenly seem to develop and grow W
gradually. Once, in regard to the res
! trcting of Satan's power in the earth
we have the time set thousand years
Most of the queries that have arisen OF
the subject most likely have reference
to their date, and the events recorded
in connection with it. The great fea
ture of this display of divine power
was the binding of Satan and shutting
him up. Satan does not work among
4, the animals and reptiles, but in the
hearts and minds of the children o
, men. So the disciples said, Even the
: DEVILS are subject to us through thy
name. Jesus answered, | saw satal
fall as lightning from heaven. Thi
heaven from which he fell was of cours
/. the place of power and rule over tn
; children of men, deceiving and mis-
leading the nations. Satan was incar
: nate in the national governments. De
mon worship and all the forms of Idol
airy were enforced by civil powers.
= Pagan Rome, as a great bloody dra
gOn was invested with unlimited pOwe
over all the inhabitants of the world
:, Satan must be attacked in his citadal
where his seat is. There was never i
,, heaven: That heaven where he ha,
:, seated himself, claiming the prerOga
: tives of Deity. The Dragon fights bu
he is cast out, and cast down to tn
2 earth, and there is no more place i
: that heaven for him.
= Pagan Rome continued increasing il
. fendish cruelty and oppression fO
! dUOub luAOO uuuulOA yCdlo NAIOA VI
:, commencement of the Christian era
- when it was OveTthrOwn so far as t.
y give place to Papal Rome, which wa
: little else than a change in name. Th
dragon gave to the beast his power an
!. his seat. Rome has ceased to be tn
- I. seat of universal empire. Europe
= divided into ten Kingdoms. But tn
!, papacy still wears the crown, reignin
=" with despotic sway ever all the KIM
80 dOms of the world.
20 The continuance of this reign is linn
ted to one thousand two hundred an
three score prophetic days by whiC
30 we understand years, which expire 8
y the time of the reformers The king
~ dom of the beast was at the time fu
" of darkness. Luther and Calvin an
% a host of other refOrmers with angeli
os power and spiritual light denounced IL
" Prince of darkness and all his minion
- Rome is fallen, is fallen; She Is hal
~ m itation of devils, hold of every fOl
10 spirit, and the very mother of abOmi
L ations. The spirit of superstition, il
- tolerance and prosecution has lor
- reigned but now Is it to be cast ou
The Prince of this world is thrust dow
G,o,. bfa gaak ohoiu NJ /