The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-12-07
IS HE COMING AGAIN 4!
MINISTER'S WHO EXPECT CHRIST
AT ANY MOMENT.

MillennialStS in Brooklyn ArouSes
widespread Interest-Views Of Drs
Crosby, Cuyler. Talmage, and Other
Famous Divines.
(Copyriq1tj
NEW YORK, Dec. 6.-Is the second com-
ing of the Lord at hanii
This is clearly the opinion of many of the
men who took part in the proceedings of the
Baptist conference held in Brooklyn re-
Gently. Many are men, too, whose opin-
ions cannot Be- treated lightly or with dis
respect.
Late agitation Of the subject has awak-
ened the interest Of all christendOn in an
item OF faith which has found few open
advocates since the death Of Father
Miller.
The Baptists are not alone in furnishing
pre- uillennialists Their ranks are
strengthened by the joining of large num-
bers Of PresbyUerians, Of evangelists and re-
vivalists Of other denominations, and By
the great mass Of christians generally.
Christ's speedy advent is something to
inspire the popular heart and 70 fire the
public Imagination. The Baptist confer
ence seems TO be but the beginning Of
great revival destined to extend far and
wide.
1t is interesting 10 noe how prominent
clergymen regard this certainly significant
movement, and the views OF representative
preachers of various denominations IN New
York aud BROOKLYN are herewith given.
asked pr minent pre-Iuiilennislist VINO
were the leading men in the movement lie
replied that they we're too numerous TO men
ton. but among them were Dr. Charles G.
Han and Dr. Dixon Of brooklyn, }. Hudson
TAYLOR, missionary to the China Island mis-
8 - lfaNr -Fs.e dor
him. Rev. Dr. Arthur T. Pierson, editor Of
the Missionary ReUietC, DR.. George F. Pen
tecost. Rev. DR.. James II. Brooks Of
St. Louis, Rev. DR.. c. d. Marquis Of the
Mccormick theological Seminary in
Chicago. Prof. I. ). Dufiield Of Princeton,
Bishop Nicholson Of the Reformed Episco-
pal church Ia Philadelphia Rev. 2. S. Han
sou. a prominent Baptist Of Chicago, Prof.
T. Godet. ID. D., Of Switzerland, Rev. A.
r. Fawcett, Canon Of York England, d.
L. Moody. the evangelist, and Charles l..
Robinson. the hymn book compiler. Rev.
A 3. Prichard, pastor Of the Cumberland
Street Presbyterian church, Brooklyn, is an
outspoken and enthusiastic believer in Pre-
mlllennla.lsm.
4 consider" be said, that an unbiased
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 injunctions of scrip
ture to look for the Lords appearance il a
millennium of time at least is TO intervene
between this and his advent, is TO me con-
tradiction of terms. which 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
Christs imminent second coming, leads me
10 the conclusion that this, and this only,
is the true hope Of Cbrist's church until he
come.
interpreting the language Of scripture
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 CnrisJ's
second advent, and | utterly repudiate the
custom of spiritualizing that, which in any
other literary work would be judged by the
common rules of grammar-t0 be capable
only of literal Interpretation.
TN regard TO the recent conference, !
would bear this testimony, tn at it was char
acterized by a spirit Of humble waiting
upon God. The subjects successfully 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.
~ am thoroughly convinced, after four
teen years earnest study and observation,
that Ignorance and prejudice are. if not the
rule, at least the chief causes Of opposition
to the pre-millennial system
Rev. George c. Needham, the Baptist
evangelist, whose home is at Manchester by
the-Sea, speaks most hopefully Of the out
come 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 pub
lie. First, we are to publish a book of con-
ference addresses. In the next place, we
shall, on Jan. l, issue an organ to express
the real, not fictitious views of the Pre-
millennialists. Then we will establish per-
manent summer school somewhere on the
coast to teach our faith. Lastly, we are to
continue our annual conferences. The Rev.
DIR. Gordon of Boston invited us to meet
there next year, but we have not yet
decided whether it shall be Boston or Balti-
more.
1--WE are accused of taking scriptural
meanings figuratively and vice versa. The
fact is that we never do 80 except when
perfectly justified. The first millennialists
are really the ones who are guilty of what
they charge us. What we are contendinp
for is fair, candid, verbal Interpretation
of the scriptures. They talk as if they we're
mere enthusiasts. Why, Rev. C. H. Spur
geon, the noted English preacher, is an out
and out Pre-millennialist 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 pre-
mlllennial theory meets with most opposi-
tlons
This faith we profess has been the faitt
of the Baptists ever since the time of tn,
Apostles as we can prove by history. o.
the twenty-five Baptist ministers in Balti
more, twenty-one are Pre-millennialists."
Rev. DIR. Samuel Mcbride, another strong
Pre-mlllennialist, said:
at is strange to note how we are misrep
resented, even by the religious papers, suci
as the Christian Examiner They accus,
US of expecting Christ's advent in this gen
Grafton, that we object to the belief chat ht
may come within, say, a thousand years
and that we insist he will come in our day
All these are misstatements. We maintain
no such ground. We claim he will com,
before, not after the millennium"
No pastor has worked harder with tongue
and pen in the service of the Divine master
than the venerable DIR. Theodore F. Cuyler
late of the Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian
church in Brooklyn. who less than year ago
after some half a century of earnest toll il
his parish. retired from the pastorate, and i
now engaged in preaching the word of Got
throughout the country.
"Pre-millennialisn, he said to me. s.
have always fought shy Of Not that
myself have ever had any serious doubts Oh
the subject. but there has been many mem
bers of my flock whose faith in it wa
strong and did not want to trouble thei
minds with disturbing doubts by any word