Smyrna times., 1890-10-29
WHOLE NO. 1856.

direction. Some people see in Bel
lamy's book a form of realization of st.
Johns vision, which appeals to their
ideal Of an earthly millennium. But
the creation of Bellamys dream is
more in harmony with the views of the
editor of the Christian Jaion, whose
ideas will find sympathetic response in
the minds of many advanced thinkers
in the evangelical world
In discussing the subject the other
day, DR., Lyman Abbott distinctly dis
avowed his authority to represent the
views of the Congregational or any
other denominational views on the SUBJ
Ject. Attempts to seek definite infor-
nation regarding the coming OF the
millennium by the searching of the
Scriptures said the pastor of Ply
mouth Church, "seem to me to be
neither wise nor profitable. | believe
the object of biblical utterances on the
subject was to inspire both hope and
fear in the minds Of men, and not to
supply any definite information. 1t is
of no use to study Daniel and ReveIa-
tions in search Of the date of the good
time coming, because I don't believe
it is there.
The metaphors about big horns and
little horns and years and centuries
do not contain the secret which Chris
tians have sought for nineteen centur-
les to discover We have given us
great and glorious promises Of good
time coming. | believe that is all it
was intended we should know. The
mystery adds to the anticipations of
happiness, just as half the children's
Christmas lie in the secrets which are
concealed until the realization comes.
Half the Zest and pleasure. would be
gone ifthey knew Just what was com
ing. So they may try to find out they
are sorry if they succeed.
The Old Testament and its prophe-
cies were, ! believe, preliminary to bet
ter times in the New, and the New is
preliminary to better times in the fu-
ture. If as the result of the study and
speculation we get fixed in our minds
a definite conception of the millennium
and of the time of its coming, we shall
probably fall into the same error as did
the pious Jews who had rejected Christ
because he did not conform to their
precouceived ideas Of the Messiah. |
think Paul looked for the great change
which Christ fOretold in his own gen
Grafton, and it was we'll be did not
know otherwise, for had he known all
that would intervene he might have
become disheartened. Christ himself
did not know, when lie made the
prophecy. the time of his second COM
ing. and He so declared
| believe Christ is coming again on
earth, but not as a literal king, to
reign in Jerusalem, where all who can
get passage money will 20 and see
Him. That idea is repugnant to my
mind. Believing as much as l do in
evolutionary development, l look for
some such moral and spiritual quick
ening as we have seen in the scientific
and intellectual world during the past
century. We find the type of this mar
velous development in the natural
world. All the stored terminating for
ces Of winter burst into vast accelera-
ted manifestation during two or three
warm spring days. So l believe we
may see in the spiritual world Just
such a glorious and sudden manifesto
ton of the forces of righteousness, and
happiness and peace.
Among thoughtful people, who per-
haps have INDUCED in no speculations
regarding the further evolution of hu-
man nature, DR.. Abbott's views will no
doubt commend themselves quite gem
orally. Only the careful historian APP
preciates how wonderful has been the
cOuntry's accelerated progress in civiI-
zation which DR. Abbott so aptly typi-
fies. Religious leaders will most of
them agree that spiritual growth and
progress have not kept pace with the
tremendous bounds of science and in
dustry. The intellectual development
of the race goes on at top speed. Scarce
more than a decade ago there appeared
in the evangelical religious world the
first signs of a fundamental reorgani-
zatiOn which are yet not recognized
outside one or two denominations. But
it is a fact demanding acceptance that
within ten years there has come a
greater change and modification of
important beliefs in the hearts and
minds of the churchgoers of America
than took place during the preceding
century. That these changes, subtitle,
but in many respects fundamental, sig
nifty further revision and a wonderful
revival of religious activity, many
careful students firmly believe. Many
who give no thought to the advent of
the millennium confidently expect
that the twentieth century will open
upon an era of national, broad, world.
embracing activity and fervOr such
as the history of man has never re-
corded.
Many men believe in the coming of
tuo mtllcuuluu qull6 ulSlluCI lIOLu AL y
religious or Scriptural declaration
They believe it will be the inevitable
consequence of human development.
Such, in fact, is the idea of many of
Edward BelIamy's followers. That
gentle philosopher and optimist,
George w. Childs, while he hasn't fig
ured upon the chances of the milen-
NUNS immediate advent says:
think that every man satities him.
self as to what is right and then does
it, we will be as near the millennium
as we can ever hope to be. am afraid
| will not live to see that condition of
affairs, but am firm believer that
the world is growing better.
The annoyance occasioned by the
continual crying of the baby, at once
ceases when the cause is promptly re-