Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1890-09-26
THE DAY OF JUDGMENT.

approaching the Day of Judgment
extends to many of the religious
minds of this period, and 1t will be
interesting to examine their views.
Brother Moody, the evangelist,
and Gen. Booth, the commander of
, the Salvation Army, look for the
second coming of Christ within a
comparatively short time, believing
that it will precede, aud not follow,
the millennium. They think that
already the hosts are gathering for
the final battle of ArmageddOn.
Bishop Cleveland Coke OF western
New York, likewise dIscerns signs
that the awful day is near at hand,
and the Rev. Mr.. Vaughan of Ire-
land, glyes us what he regards as
the true elements for fixing the
date of its occurrence. The Day OF
Judgment will come, according to-
his Interpretation of Scripture and
of science, when the mass of matter
which went to the making up of
the bodies of the dead is equal to
the mass of the matter OF the globe.
When that equality is reached, be
argues, there Will be nothing left
for the "kneadlng together of the
earthly tabernacles of souls" AS
the matter in the universe is ever
a constant quantity, never increas-
iug and never diminishing, and the
doctrine that the resurrection OF
the body requires that every human
soul shall have such a tabernacle
as Mr.. Vaughan speaks of, it fol.
lows that when this equality is
reached the general resurrection
must be upon US, for there will be
no matter except what IS in the
resurrected bodies.
If we accept the premises of Mr..
Vaughan, bis conclusion. of course,
is irresistible. His logic is without
fault.
The date of the creation of Adam
is fixed by religious chronology at
B. g. 4172. If, then, argues Mr
Vaughan, we can get the number
of human beings who since have
lived and died, and the bulk of the
matter used up for their bodies,
we can tell how much remains for
additional souls. By estimating
the growth of population according
to established ratios, we can deter
mine further the tine of the Day
of Judgment and the end of all
things. 1t is simple mathematI-
cal problem when once we have
obtained the elements.
This method of calculation is
new to us, but wo see no flaw in it,
provided the doctrine Of the reSur-
rectlon of the body 50 generally
nut. forth IN orthodox creeds is
sincerely accepted. 1t Is scientific
as compared With the Interpretation
OF the Scriptnrdl prophecies, usual
" fanciful only, to which we are
accustomed, and therefore is wor'
thy of the consideration of all the
riIeologians who are looking for the
date of the Day Of Judgment. Of
course, people who do not believe
in the resurrection of The body
will give it no heed. They reject
| Mr.. Vanghau's maj'r premise, ana
he cannot argue with them. Bnt
as Bishop Coke, Gen. Booth, and
Brother Mood, agree with him In
that belief, we do not see how they
can escape from his conclusion, so
impregnable in its logic.
The great difficulty in determin'
, ing the late, even if the resurrec-
Iion of the body be accepted, arises,
: of course, from the difficulty, nay
the impossibility, of detern lulng
, exactly how much matter Is con
sumed in the making of a human
; body. Besides, there is the lesser
difficulty of estimating correctly
. the number of bodies so made
i, from the beginning OF time under
a the Scriptural chronology. Is the
measure OF the amount simply The
= weight of tie body at death OF the
!, quantity of matter which has gone
a into it's composition throughout Its
= lifef The difference is enormous
q aud any mistake here would sent
the calculator far out of his way
It would make him wrong as to hl'
date of the Judgment Day Ol
thousands OF years, ard we do no
find that Mr.. Vaughan layl
down any rule for settling th'
!, question.
Neither does he GO into any par
: tlculars as to the proceedings 0
n