Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-12-07
Is CHRIST COMING !?
mANy MINISTER'S WHO EXPECT HIM
AGAIN At ANY MOMENT.
p.r,,., Conference NJ Premiilennialists
I'm Brook,yn-views of Drs. Crosby
Cuyier, TsImsge. and Others
r,orr.,pondencs Of the Richmond Dispatch-l
New York, December 9, 1890.
4 ....r, ~ {ha ord ~

Is the eecOnu couiuB VI 'no i-oiu ~
hand !?
This is clearly the opinion of many OF
the men who took part in the proceed
ings of the Baptist conference held in
BROOKLYN recently. Many are men, too,
whose opinions cannot be treated lightly
or with disrespect.
Late agitation OF the subject has
awakened the interest OF all Chrlstendom
in nm item of faith which has found few
open advocates since the death OF
" Father" Miller.
The Baptists are not alone in furnish
ing premIllennialists Their ranks are
strengthened by the joining of large
numbers OF Presbyterians, OF Evange-
lists. and revivslists OF other denomlna-
tons and by the great mass OF Christians
generally.
Christ's speedy advent is something to
inspire the popular heart and to fire the
public imaginations. The Baptist con-
ference seems to be but the beginning
of a great revival destined to extend far
and wide.
It's interesting to note how proml-
nent clcrgymen regard this certainly
significant movement and the views OF
representative preachers OF various de-
nominations in New York and Brooklyn
are herewith given.
TOO NUMEROUS TO MENTION.
I asked a prominent premillennialist
who were the leading men In the move
ment. He replied that they were too
numerous to mention, but that among
them were DR.. Charles G. Hall and DIR.
Dixon, of Brooklyn j. Hudson Taylor,
missionary to the China-lsland Mission,
and most of the 800 missionaries under
him Rev. DR.. Arthur L. Pierson, edi-
tor OF the Missionary ReUie'0j DR..
George L. Pentecost, Rev.; Dr.
James II. Brooks, of St Louis;
Rev. DR.. G. d. Marquis, OF the Meteor
mick theological Seminary in CHI
cazo; Professor L. j. Duhield, Of
Princeton; Bishop Nicholson, of the
Reformed Episcopal Church in Philadel-
phia; Rev. 2. S. Henson, a prominent
Baptist of Chicago Professor f. Godet,
d. D., OF Switzerland; Rev. A. X. faw-
cett, Canon, of York, England Is. i.
Moody, the evangelist. and Charles l..
Robinson, the hymn-book compiler.
Rev. A. Il. Prichard, pastor OF the Cum
berland-Street Presbyterian church,
Brooklyn. is al outspoken and en-
thusiastic believer in Premilennialism.
81 consider" he SAID "that an unbi-
assed study OF the Scriptures can result
only in ones hearty approval OF the pre-
millennial theory of Interpretation.
How one can obey the oft-repeated in
functions of Scripture to look for the
Lords appearance if millennium OF
time at least is to intervene between
this and His advent is to me a contra
diction of terms which L am unable to
reconcile. While at the same time the
fact that the Church of New-Testament
times admittedly lived and labored IN
the anticipation OF Christ's imminent
second coming leads me to the conclu-
sion that this and this only is the true
hope Of Christ's Church until he comes.
ONE INTERPRETATION.
"Interpreting the language OF Scrip
ture by the same rule which would be
applied to the Interpretation of any
other book there can be to my mind but
one meaning to the frequent Scripture
references to Christ's second advent,
and l utterly repudiate the custom of
spiritualizing that which in any other
literary work would be judged by the
common rules of grammar-to be capa-
BILE only of literal Interpretation.
"In regard to the recent conference L
would bear this testimony that it was
characterized by a spirit OF humble wait
ing upon God. The subjects successive
ly treated were the Offices and work OF
the Holy Spirit, the character, purposes,
and power of the Church and the second
coming of the Lord as the Church's one
and sufficient hope and inspiration OF
service.
81 am thoroughly convinced, after
fourteen years earnest study and OBJ
servation, that ignorance and prejudice
are. il not the rule, at least the chief
causes of opposition to the premiilen-
NAL system"
Rev. George G. Needham, the Baptist
evangelist, whose home is at Manchester
by-tbe-Sea, speaks most hopefully of the
outcome OF the conference, IN which he
took an active part.
There are four things we intend to
do" he said, "that have not yet been
made public. First, we are to publish a
book of conference addresses. In the
next place, we shall on January lst issue
an organ to express the real not fictitious
views of the Premillennialists. Then
we will establish a permanent summer
school somewhere ON the coast to teach
our faith. Lastly, we are to continue
our annual conferences. The Rev. DR..
Gordon, of Boston, invited us to meet
there next year. but We have not yet de-
cided whether it shall be Boston or Bal
timora
WE NEVER DO so.
ave are accused of taking scriptural
meanings figuratively and rice Uersd.
The fact is that we never do so except
whom perfectly justified. The first Mil
lennialists are really the ones who are
guilty Of what they charge us. What
we are contending for is o fair, candid,
verbal Interpretation Of the Scriptures.
They talk as If we were mere enthusi
asts. Why, Rev. G. II. Spurgeon, the
noted English preacher, is Oh out-and-
out Premillennialist. SO are nine
tenths Of the best scholars in Germany
and England. Would you believe it, it
is here in America, of all countries, that
the premillennial theory meets with
most opposition?
"This faith We profess has been the
faith of the Baptists ever since the time
Of the Apostles, as We can prove by his
tory. OF the twenty-five Baptist minis
tiers in Baltimore, twenty-one are Pre-
millennialists.
Rev. DR.. Samuel Mcbride, another
strong Premillennialist, said
"lt is strange to note how we are mis-
represented, even by the religious
papers, such as the Christian Examiner.
They accuse us OF expecting Christ's
advent in this generation, that we object
to the belief that He may come within,
say thousand years, and that we insist
He will come in our day. All these