The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1916-10-03
Letter From w. +. Estridge.


l was a party to the simplifying
! If the 18th chapter is not of a
mathematical sense, why is NJ nbers
used? And if solving problems by
analysis is not simplifying, then l
am no mathematician.
| That subject came to my mind and
wrote it. with no intention of ever
mentioning it again, but if my
friend of Tampa, Fla, wants full
newspaper controversy. and the kind
Editor will give space, l am ready.
True, l am crowded almost to the
limit with business matters, but. new
ertheless, l do not know of you, nor
what you represent. Your name is
not in my catalogue of Baptist
preachers. Sorry 1 have no cata-
logue of all the denominations.
am only layman in a Baptist
church.
was speaking of Revelation as
,ture tense.
Listen: Justin Moryr, circ. $50
A ID. says: "A man among us who's
name was John, one of the apostles
of Christ, in a revelation which was
made to him, prophesied that the be-
levers in our Christ shall live a
thousand years in Jerusalem"
In the intervals between the apos-
tolic age and that of Constatine. the
visions of John were chiefly regarded
as representations of general CHRIS
tian truths. Scarcely yet embodied
in actual facts, for the most part to
be exemplified. or fulfilled in the
reign of Antichrist, the coming of
Christ. the Mellenium, and the day
of Judgment.
Immediately after the triumph OF
Constantine, the Christians emanci-
pated from oppression and persecu,
tion, and dominant, and prosperous
in their turn, began to loose their
vivid expectation Of our Lords
speedy advent, and their spiritual
conception of His kingdom and to
look upon the temporal supremacy
of Christianity as fulfillment of the
promised reign OF Christ on earth.
The Roman empire become Chris
tian was regarded no longer as the
object of prophetic denunciation,
but as the scene Millennial develop.
ment.
The view, however, was soon met
by this fgurative Interpretation of
the Millennium as the reign OF
Christ in the hearts of all true be-
levers.
AS the barbarous and t9eretical
invaders of the fallen empire appear
ed. they were regarded by the suffer
ing Christians as fulfilling the woes
denounced in Revelation.
Modern interpreters are generally
placed in three great divisions. ta.)
The historical, or continuous ex-
positors, in whose opinion the Reve-
tiOn is progressive history of the
future of the church from the first
century to the end of time. (b.D
The praeterist eXpositors, who are of
opinion that the Revelation has been
almost, or Altogether fulfilled in the
time which has passed since it was
written; that it refers principally to
the triumph of Christianity, Judaism
and Paganism, signalized in the
downfall of Jerusalem and Rome.
(c) The futurist, expostors, whose
views show strong reaction against
some extravaganza of the two pre-
ceding schools. They believe that
the whole book. excepting the first
three chapters. refers principally, if
yet to come. Two methods have
been proposed by which the reader
of the Revelation may escape the in
congruties and fallacies of the diff
ferent interpretations, whilst he may
derive ediflcation from whatever
truth they contain.
1t has been suggested that the
book may be regarded as a prophetic
poem, dealing in general and inexact
descriptions, much of which may be
set down as poetic imagery. Mere
embellishments. But such view
would be difficult to reconcile with the
belief that the book is an inspired
prophesy.
A better suggestion is made, or