The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-01-04
THE SECOND COW ling.
GREAT PRE-M|LLENARAN MOVEMENT IN THE LAND
WRITTEN FOR THE SUNDAY 1NDEpENrl sNr.

NEW YORK. Jan. las the last decade of
the nineteerth century opens. an activity
such as has not been witnessed since the
days of the great Millerite excitement pre-
walls among certain Christian denomina-
lions all over the civilized world. 1t is
significant, too, that many of the greatest
pulpiteers in Europe and America are in ex-
pectation of startling events at the close of
the century, which they believe will mark
the end of an epoch in the worlds spiritual
history. While they do not share the views
of the Second Adyentists or the Millerites,
h set the time of Christ's second coming
by charts and dates, they still believe that
great changes, foreshadowed by prophecy,
are close at hand.
Even as l write arrangements are under
way for three great conferences of pre-mil-
lenialists in this country next summer on a
scale broader than that of the prophetic
conference in Chicago in 1886, when minis
tiers from many denominations in the
United States and Cadada attended. This
new activity is largely the outcome of the
recent pre-millenial gathering IN Brooklyn,
when twenty-six states were represented and
a national organization was effected with
an enrolled membership of over 200 clergy
men, including men of such prominence as
Rev. DIR. A.. j. Gordon, of the Clarendon
street Baptist church, Boston: Prof. j. M.
Sitter, of Grocer university, Philadelphia:
Prof. Gilmore, Of Rochester uniyersit =
Rev. A.. G. Dixon. of BROOKLYN; DIR. Ellis,
of Baltimore: Rev. DIR. Stone, of Hartford:
Rev. John l.. Atwater, of Chicago: DIR. J. d.
Herr, of Chicago: Rev. Dir. Mcbride, of
Brooklyn, and many others equally we'll
known for pulpit influence and progressive
theology. The first OF the coming confer
ences will assemble IN July next, and will
last ten days, being IN the nature of a sum
mer school of prophecy, to which Chris
flans of all denominations will be invited.
There Will be a host of speakers, q large
majority of them being Baptists, TO. it is to
that energetic denomination that the credit
for the new spiritual agitation rightly be-
longs, although all are now seriously en-
gagged i'll the work. A general conference
Will be held at Minneapolis III July. But
these are both to be dwarfed hy the great
gathering in New York at "A later date.
when all pre-miilenlalists, whether Presby-
t%erians, Episcopaiians, Methodists or Bap-
fists, will meet and form the strouoest
array of literal believers in scriptnrai pronh"
ecy ever witnessed in this country or in
Great Britain in modern tinev.
Yesterday ! talked with DIR. Mcbride. the
chairman of the executive committee of Tho
new movement, and with Evangelist Geo
G. Needham, the secretary. 1t was in DIR
McBride's Centennial Baptist church il
brooklyn that the late conference was held
the influence of which Is extending over tht
entire country. 1t is noticeable. that witt
few exceptions, all the men foremost in tn,
pre-millennial agitation are in the prime
OF life and the besiest sort of church work
ers.
II have only lately returned from tn,
northwest said DIR. Mcbride. Hand tn
whole country there is full of it. Besides
all the leading eyangelists are pre-millen
arians, including Moody. | can oniy re
member a single exception among then
here or abroad. It's astonishingly wide
spread and reminds me Of the remar
Beecher once made to Moody on this yer
subject. Moody said the great preacher
Moody, if | could see the coming of tn
Lord as 0 do, l would be red hot, an
would watch with aching eyes for the mi
Dent Of His advent Spurgeon, too. is on