Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-05-14

dominion begins, certainly not Ia
ter than 476 A. D., the fall of Rome.
Then this fifth era has lasted four or
five centuries longer than all the rest
put togetherl 1t has been a favorite
saying with the advocates of that
theory that "we are now living in the
very toes of that image" But the
world must have beon living in the
"'toes" for more than a thousand
yearsl
Second-The history of this doctrine
Is sufficient to mako thoughtful people
stop and consider before accepting.
Since the view is that the world is to
grow worse and worse until Christ shall
come and end all the wrong and misery
every season of calamity has been look.
ed upon as an indication of the end, and
in every age many good people have
thought their sufferings a sure sign OF
the coming of Christ. SO we find Paul
writing to the Thessolonians, the first
books of the 'fNewn testament to be
written, warning them not to look for
Christ's coming too soon, and implying
g Thess. 3:11-12) that some hao al
ready ceased working, thinking the end
was at hand. In the mkt century tho
Montanists led off large numbers OF
Christians by their preaching OF this
doctrine. Probably the year 1000 saw
the greatest single instance Of this de-
fusion, for the notion spread over Eu'
N A .--.
rope like a prairie fire that the end was
coming in that year. The obsesslon has
broken out repeatedly since then. Some
still living can remember tho Miller
ite'' excitement in 1874. Men sold and
gave away their possessions, and in New
England especially whole communities
went fairly wild over this deluslori.
When they found themselves mistaken,
many lost Their faith i'll rsligion. About
ten years ago in a little church in Mas
sachusetts, known to the writer, a group
Of people locked themselves into the
church, BELIEVING Christ was to come i'm
mediately. They purposed to spend tins
time in song and prayer until has ad'
vent. 1t was several days before they
gave up hope and some Of them went
insane before this ordeal was over. The
Russellites assert that tho events mark
inp the end Of the world have actually
begun, 1t will be singular indeed II
from their fanaticism many serious
things do not result. Does it seem rea,
sonable that a correct understanding OF
the Bible and a rational Interpretation
of prophecy should produce such result
as we have mentionedf
Third-The pessimistie outlook OF the
pre.millcnarian theory is contrary tt
the optimistic attitude OF tho Bible
Christianity is a victorious religion
Christ is a conqueror, and his church
is a conquering church. This faith ner
YES the missionary for his sacrifices, ant
the reformer for his battles.
"Thy saints in all this glorious wal
Shall conquer tho they die;
Thov see the triumph from afar,
BY faith they bring 1t nigh"
But If pre.millenialism is correct, the!
are fighting a losing battle. The churcl
is no a conquering church. This vieV
| takes the heart out of missionary en-
deavor, and makes the reformer's tasl
homeless for the world is growing con
stantly worse, and even Chiist's pre-
sence with his people does not chang
the downward drift Of things. We mus
admit that many pre-millenarians hav
been devoted missionaries and success
] FIJI reformers. But this Is in spite o
their theory rather than becouse OF !
Men are often better than theif erAsds
If. for example, Christ is coming i'm
mediately to settle this world embrogii
far better than Foch and Pershing ca
lpossibly 10 it, why should We buy hbef
,lty bonds, or enlistf No wonder the Rus
%sellites arc held disloyal by the govern
ment. If they are disloyal, they ar
/, merely consistent with their theory
t Doubtless many of them are entirel
.-lloyal, and by no means all premilleI
~ialists are Russellites; but we insis
-that the logical outcome Of the theor
1 would make US al disloyal.
In conclusion we have an adinissio
( or two to make. First, we do not profei
ability to interpret all the prophets
r as some Of our opponents do. OF coarf
this gives US a distinct disadvantae
with many people, for the unthinkin
e are captivated by the man who So,
Z he absolutely knows. To be sure u
I predecessors of these men were equal
( sure they knew, and history has show
them to have been grievously mistake
Time will show who is right.
We have another admission to max
g We have not proved the truth OF OF
d position, nor have VIZ proved the ineo
reetpass Of the pre- millenial opinio
We have simply sought to show wi
n we can not accept that view. Logic
o always secondary to life and a theol
may sound logical, and be backed !
by good evidence apparently, but
I'VE cant live with it, we passit by. v