The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-04-04
PROPHETIC CONVENTION.
The Second Coming of Christ the
Theme.

| Theme.
An Interesting Exchange of Views at the
Morning and Afternoon Sessions, and
Address by Rev. DIR. Cameron, in the
Evening.
The session of the prophetic convention
was resumed yesterday morning at the
Pine Street Methodist Episcopal church.
Rev. e. P. Woodward presided at the
morning session.
Tbs convention devoted both morning
and afternoon session to consideration
of the prophecies relating to the second
coming Of Christ, and there was avery in
teresting exchange of views After brief
addresses by Rev. Mr.. Leger, Rev. Mr..
Cayer, Rev. +. l.. Piper and Rev. E.
o. Dinsmore the convention listened to
an explanation Of some of the passages
regarding which there has been some
conflict of opinion, the.speaker being Rev.
Mr.. Call, who answered many questions
put by those present
In answer to question he said that
when Jesus said 81 am the light of the
world" he had reference to spiritual
things. The brightness Of heaven, the
light that shall shine for the glorif1ed in
Christ will far exceed that of the sun.
A faint reflection of that heavenly light
fell upon Saul, and he was blinded. Mr..
Call said that while in the flesh the spir-
itual condition of men depends as much
/ tbai ff wi mn hiI1fy
else. Tha body must be nourished, just
as spiritually we receive the bread OF life.
| Christ is much moro to us than our
means Of co mmunication with the faith
er. He is our resurrection and our life.
We do not know what we shall be at
His appearing. Paul certainly bids US
hope that the change will be physical as
well as spiritual, and that we shall be
like the glorious body of Christ |.
The resurrection of Christ was as tho
roughly new birth, as His physical
birth had been.
Rev. E. P. Woodward said that it might
be because no one present doubted the
literal and physical return of Christ that
there had been no citation of passages
|
coming of Christ in the flesh. The time
of His coming is not important. He
may come and hasten the end, or He may
wait until the end and then come. 1t is
enough to know that He will come.
There has been of late years an earnest
proclamation of the second coming of the
Lord and yet there are many Christians
who doEnotIlook forward to His coming
again. Portland minister said in an
address delivered before the ministers
meeting, "Jesus Christ has come the
second time as much as He ever will
oome." There is a strong opposition in
the world to the idea of His second COM
| ing.
Some of the sayings of Christ depended
upon to prove that His second coming
occurred during the life of some Of His
disciples evidently and plainly referred
to events in His own life on the earth.
When He told His disciples that they
would not pass over the cities of Judea
until 1e would come, He evidently had
reference to the preaching tour on which
He had sent them, and simply meant
that He would follow after them. 1t was
in direct conflict with the greater COM
mission He gave them to preach the Cos
pei to all the world. This explanation Of
the passage was first suggested by the
learned Rev. H. l.. Hastings and is now
commonly received.
| The prediction that some of His dis
ciples should not taste of death until they
had seen the Son of Man in His glory,
was literally fulfilled on the Mount of
TRANSPORTATION. There was Christ him.
self and types of two classes of the re-
deemed, one raised to be glorified with
Him at His final appearing, and one
alive and glorifed with Him at His
coming. Peter himself, who was present
at that scene, witnessed long after to the
glory in which Christ appeared. Three
Of those to whom Christ talked, did wit
ness foreshadowing of His glory.
| And SO His words, Neither shall they
say 10 here. and 10 there for the king
dom of God is within you," was in an
swer to demand to be informed when
He would restore the kingdom.
Impressively He said, "The kingdom of
God cometh not with observation" 1t
was the same thing as saying, cit Is on
the way, but you can not hasten it a
single moment by investigation. To-
day as then the question is asked, when
will the end GOMEZ" II we could tell we
could fill any building but few want to
know how to be ready for His coming.
| But we know this. 1t will come sud-
denly and without warning
| We have still.another thing to guide us.
| We are simply not to believe when we
are told that Christ is $50 here, or 10
there" Men say, "The kingdom of God
has been set up. 1t is here" They say
that in Utah. They say that in the
Roman Catholic church. They say that
in the New Jerusalem church, but still
it is our duty not to believe their mes
sage.
Nor are we to believe if men say. "He
|