Earlier text: OUR FAITH AND HOPE;The Order of Events in the Judgment.
When our Lord says to those at his right hand, “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world,” he takes his saints into the presence of his Father (compare John 13:36; 14:1–3; 1 Thess. 4:14–17; Rev. 19:1–9), to the Paradise of God, once here upon earth (Gen. 2:8, 9; 3:22–24), now in the third Heaven (2 Cor. 12:2–4), within the heavenly Jerusalem itself. Compare Rev. 2:7; 22:2, 14. Here they sit down with him at his table and eat the marriage supper. Rev. 19:1–9. These things being accomplished, the work of judgment is committed to the saints, a work so vast that we may well conceive the long period which lies between the two resurrections, to be requisite for its accomplishment. Rev. 20:4–6. The sitting of the saints in judgment upon the wicked, must begin after they have heard the words of Christ approving them in his Father’s name, and before the sentence, “Depart ye cursed,” is pronounced by the Saviour upon those who shall be thus judged. This judgment by the saints is thus presented in the Scriptures: Dan. 7:21, 22: “I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; until the Ancient of Days came, and JUDGMENT WAS GIVEN TO THE SAINTS OF THE MOST HIGH; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.” 1 Cor. 4:5: “Therefore judge nothing BEFORE THE TIME, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.” 1 Cor. 6:1–3: “Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? Do ye not know that THE SAINTS SHALL JUDGE THE WORLD? and if THE WORLD SHALL BE JUDGED BY YOU, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that YE SHALL JUDGE ANGELS? how much more, things that pertain to this life?” Rev. 20:4–6: “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and JUDGMENT WAS GIVEN UNTO THEM: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” According to the first of these texts, the saints of the Most High are to have the judgment work committed to them. But before this is placed in their hands, they are themselves to be judged by God the Father. And this very act of determining who are worthy to be saved, really determines that all the others are unworthy of eternal life. The judgment work of the saints cannot, therefore, relate to the salvation or damnation of those who are judged by them, but solely to the determination of the measure of their guilt. The second of these texts, in forbidding the work of judgment “before the time,” plainly implies that when that time does come, then this work is to be done by those who are at present forbidden to do it. And the time is fixed when this prohibition expires. For it is thus limited: “Until the Lord come.” That they will not err in the judgment which they will then perform, is guaranteed in the further statement that the Lord shall bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest the counsels of the heart. And this will no doubt be accomplished by placing in their hands the books of record which contain an accurate statement of the deeds of those to be judged by them. Barnes, in his notes on this text, makes this remark: “‘And then shall every man have praise of God.’ The word here rendered praise (epainos) denotes in this place reward, or that which is due to him; the just sentence which ought to be pronounced on his character. It does not mean, as our translation would imply, that every man will then receive the divine approbation—which will not be true; but that every man shall receive what is due to his character, whether good or evil. So Bloomfield and Bretschneider explain it.” The third text states, in the most explicit manner, “that the saints shall judge the world.” As it occurs in the same epistle which forbids this judgment “before the time until the Lord come,” it is manifest that this is a work which the saints enter upon immediately after they have been exalted to reign with Christ. The nature of the judgment which the saints are to decide is clearly determined by two facts: 1. It is rendered by the saints after the Lord has brought to light the hidden works of darkness, and made manifest the counsels of the hearts. 2. It is said in this same passage, and in the same manner, that the saints “shall judge angels,” meaning of course those angels that have sinned whose cases are thus stated: 2 Pet. 2:4: “For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be RESERVED UNTO JUDGMENT.” Jude 6: “And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the JUDGMENT OF THE GREAT DAY.” These two facts are decisive as to the nature of the judgment which the saints are to engage in when exalted at Christ’s right hand. They are not to be judges over men in a state of probation, something as the ancient judges of Israel were raised up to rule over God’s ancient people; but their judgment is to be rendered in the case of wicked men, when the Lord brings “to light the hidden things of darkness,” and it is to be exercised alike in the case of sinful men and fallen angels. It is not a judgment to determine the guilt or innocence of the parties to be judged; for the guilt of the angels was virtually pronounced to be unpardonable when they were cast out of Heaven, and delivered to chains of darkness, i. e., to utter despair, and to the hopeless bondage of their own sins. And the last condition of wicked men has, before their judgment by the saints, already been determined by the resurrection and translation of the just, leaving all others as unworthy of eternal life. This judgment of the saints is, therefore, simply designed to determine the measure of the guilt of wicked men and fallen angels. As their rejection from the kingdom of God is determined by God the Father before they are thus judged by the saints, this judgment by them for the determination of the measure of each man’s guilt, is a most convincing proof that God designs, in rendering to every man according to his deeds, to inflict tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doeth evil. Rom. 2:5–9. Dr. Bloomfield says of 1 Cor. 6:2: “Upon the whole, there is, after all, no interpretation that involves less of difficulty than the common one, supported by some Latin Fathers, and, of modern divines, by Luther, Calvin Erasmus, Beza, Casaubon, Crellius, Wolf, Jeremy Taylor, Doddridge, Pearce, Newcome, Scott, and others, by which it is supposed that the faithful servants of God, after being accepted in Christ, shall be in a certain sense, assessores judicii, by concurrence, with Christ, and being partakers of the judgment to be held by him over wicked men and apostate angels; who are, as we learn from 2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6, reserved unto the judgment of the last day.” And Dr. Barnes speaks thus: “Grotius supposes it means that they shall be first judged by Christ, and then act as assessors to him in the judgment, or join with him in condemning the wicked.” But the fourth text relative to this judgment by the saints is very remarkable. It shows that the resurrection of the just precedes the work of judgment by them. It elevates them to thrones of judgment, where they live and reign with Christ, during the period between their own resurrection and that of “the rest of the dead.” It assigns the space of time occupied in this vast work; viz., a thousand years, a period none too long for this examination of the books containing the deeds of all wicked men and fallen angels, even though all the saints engage in it, as we have learned that they do. There is in this statement respecting the thrones, an evident allusion to Dan. 7:9, which speaks of thrones being “cast down,” or more correctly rendered “were placed,” as many able critics inform us. These thrones were placed for the judgment work, when entered upon, as we have seen, in the second apartment of the heavenly temple by God the Father. And when the judgment is given to the immortal saints, and they are able to enter the temple after the outpouring of the plagues (Rev. 16:8), it appears that they sit upon the thrones thus placed for them, and with the Saviour at their head finish the work of the judgment as indicated in the text examined. They are in this exalted state, priests to God and Christ, not as mediators with them in behalf of wicked men, but as worshipers of God and the Lamb, even as Christians in their mortal state are a royal priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God, by Jesus Christ. 1 Pet. 2:5, 9. How We Shall Be with Christ.
“And so shall we ever be with the Lord.” 1 Thess. iv, 17. The manner is indicated with most vivid distinctness. The Lord comes after his saints himself. He takes them to be with him with such a display of his divine majesty as no heart can conceive. This is the revealed method of taking the saints to the Father’s house. See John xiv, 1–3. But there is another and much more popular manner of going to Heaven now taught almost every where. The religious world now virtually say to the Saviour that he need not trouble himself ever to come back to this earth with his triumphal chariot. The typhoid fever, the small pox, or the consumption will answer equally well as the means of their entrance to the city of God. But what a contrast between that method of entering Heaven which God has revealed, and that one which men have devised to take its place! Sickness, death, the burial train, the grave, are these the agents of our salvation? How unlike is the funeral procession to that descent of Jesus in his Father’s infinite glory, with the sound of the last trumpet, and with the presence of all the heavenly host! Who knows of the dead whether they are accepted of God or not? They are seen in dishonor, in weakness, and in corruption. This is not the way that the saints shall leave the earth. When they go, it shall be with exceeding glory; our Lord himself shall come after them. When Paul and Silas had been imprisoned at Philippi, the magistrates in the morning sent the sergeants to release them. But Paul said, “Let them come themselves and fetch us out.” Acts xvi, 37. Paul wanted no deliverance of a doubtful character. The coming of the magistrate, and their public deliverance would attest their innocence. The sergeants were fit to conduct them to prison, but quite incompetent to give them the proper deliverance therefrom. Others may accept of death as their deliverer. He is only a sergeant to shut men up in prison. We look for Him to come who has the keys of death and hades. His coming shall attest our innocency. His mighty power shall bring us deliverance. His own hand shall unlock our prison. His own voice shall address us in words of heavenly tenderness. His own body-guard shall bear us in their arms to his presence. He shall bid us sit in the chariots which he has taken for the purpose of conveying us to the holy city. We shall go up with a shout and with the sound of a trumpet. At length, the city of God shall heave in view. Its gates shall be open to this vast company, the whole family of Heaven and earth. Heaven that had been93 emptied of all its angels, now receives again the angelic host, and with them the entire company of the redeemed. They behold the face of the Father. They enter his presence where there are pleasures forevermore. Every one finds a mansion prepared expressly for himself by the dear Saviour, before he set out on his descent to earth to gather his people to himself. Death can only consign us to hades. Our Lord has been in hades, indeed, but he is not there now. It is the land of the enemy. Our Lord has most precious jewels there. He is coming after them. He shall awaken them with his own voice. They shall be satisfied when they awake in his likeness. They shall be caught up to meet him in the air, and so shall they ever be with the Lord. The Closing Messages
By Roswell F. Cottrell
The Closing Messages.—No. 27.
We showed that the United States is filling out the prophetic description of the two-horned beast of Rev. 13:11–18; and that a demand is now being made of the people of this government that they should make an image of the Papal beast, i. e., that there should be a union of church and state, so that the most generally-received religious teachings shall gain the support of civil law—a thing which human ordinances always need, to supply the lack of the divine sanction. We proved that this was now being urged; and we promised to show that legislation is now being called for upon the very point of religious doctrine that will constitute the mark of the beast. Having shown that God expressly claims the Sabbath as his sign, and that the beast presents its act of “changing the Sabbath into Sunday,” as the sign of his power and authority, we proceed to the proof that legislation is now being urgently demanded in favor of this particular institution. Dr. Durbin, in the Christian Advocate and Journal, speaks of a time coming when the civil power will enforce the sentiments of the church by law. He says: “I infer, therefore, that the civil magistrate may not be called upon to enforce the observance of the Sabbath (Sunday), as required in the spiritual kingdom of Christ; but, when Christianity becomes the moral and spiritual life of the state, the state is bound through her magistrates to prevent the open violation of the holy Sabbath, as a measure of self-preservation. She cannot, without injuring her own vitality, and incurring the Divine displeasure, be recreant to her duty in this matter.” The American Presbyterian gives the following hint of what may be looked for: “Gentlemen, managers of the Republican party, we do not ask you to put the Sabbath or Prohibition on your banners, however much these watchwords would honor them; the time may come when that, too, must and will be done; but we warn you, in the name of the six million members of evangelical churches in this country, representing a population three times as great, that the moment you dare, for the sake of conciliating a body of infidel foreigners, not one tenth as numerous, to write an antichristian sentiment on your banners, you will betray a fatuity, &c.” The N. Y. Evangelist, in 1854, said: “The principle that Christianity is recognized by the state as something which essentially belongs to it, gives us, we think, the true and simple basis, upon which the laws relating to the observance of the Sabbath, are to be enforced. The law throws its protection round the sacredness and quiet of the first day of the week, not because it recognizes it as a sacred day in itself considered, but for other reasons.” The N. Y. Observer, of Aug. 23, 1860, gives an account of a large and enthusiastic meeting held at Saratoga Springs, the object of which was to consider the subject of effecting measures to secure laws for the observance of Sunday. Hon. Millard Fillmore, Ex-President of the U. S., was president of the meeting: “On his right sat Gov. Buckingham, of Connecticut, and Hon. J. W. Beekman, of New York, and on his left, Gov. Morgan, of New York, and the Hon. W. C. Alexander, of New Jersey, representatives (with the honored chairman of the meeting) of the three great political parties.” It seems that the only point on which they could all unite, was the demand for a universal Sunday law. Of this large concourse of people, the reporter says:— “Probably no two men thought exactly alike on any other subject. Doubtless, all did not agree as to the grounds on which public action should be taken, or as to the extent to which that action should be pushed. But I have no question from the tone of the meeting, and from casual remarks I overheard, that, if it had been put to vote, it would have been resolved by acclamation that our American Christian Sabbath—the precious birthright of our national independence—must and shall be preserved.” At a five-days’ session of the Washtenaw Christian Convention called by the pastors of all evangelical churches in the county, in January, 1868, the necessity of Sunday laws was taken up and ably discussed. Rev. J. W. Erdman remarked: “The United States is founded on the principle of the sanctity of the Sabbath, and, if its observances are disregarded, the nation is doomed to early destruction. It [Sunday] should be observed, even if it be necessary to make and enforce strict Sunday laws.*” Rev. Mr. Hickey said: “Unless the sacredness of the day is respected, the liberties of the American people will not endure.” Rev. J. Dwellie, of Ypsilanti, remarked that “political papers which will not sustain prohibition and the Christian Sabbath should not be patronized by Christian men.” “Rev. J. S. Smart declared that the Republican party had lost the late elections by their abandonment of the sacredness of the Sabbath and of the temperance cause. Unless it stood up for both, he urged all Christian men to abandon the party. He asserted that the Sabbath was as dear to the American citizens as any institution which they possessed, and that if necessary, they would shed blood in its defense as freely as they had during the war.” An association has just been formed for the purpose of securing the adoption of certain measures for the amending of the National Constitution so that it shall speak out the religious views of the majority, and especially, to enforce Sunday-keeping under the popular name of “Christian Sabbath.” It is called the “National Association,” and its officers are a long array of Reverends, D. D.’s, Honorables, Esquires, &c. In their address, they say, “Men of high standing, in every walk of life, of every section of the country, and of every shade of political sentiment and religious belief, have concurred in the measure.” In their appeal, they most earnestly request every lover of his country to join in forming auxiliary associations, circulate documents, attend conventions, sign the memorial to Congress, &c., &c. In their plea for an amended Constitution, they ask the people to “consider that God is not once named in our National Constitution. There is nothing in it which requires an ‘oath of God,’ as the Bible styles it (which, after all, is the great bond both of loyalty in the citizen and of fidelity in the magistrate); nothing which requires the observance of the day of rest and of worship, or which requests its sanctity. If we do not have the mails carried and the post offices open on Sunday, it is because we happen to have a Postmaster-General who respects the day. If our Supreme Courts are not held, and if Congress does not sit on that day, it is custom, and not law, that makes it so. Nothing in the Constitution gives Sunday quiet to the Custom house, the Navy Yard, the Barracks, or any of the Departments of Government.” “Consider that they fairly express the mind of the great body of the American people. This is a Christian people. These amendments agree with the faith, the feelings, and the forms of every Christian church or sect. The Catholic and the Protestant, the Unitarian and the Trinitarian, profess and approve all that is here proposed. Why should their wishes not become law? Why should not the Constitution be made to suit and to represent a constituency so overwhelmingly in the majority? This great majority is becoming daily more conscious, not only of their rights, but of THEIR POWER. Their number grows, and their column becomes more solid. They have quietly, steadily opposed infidelity until it has, at least, become politically unpopular. They have asserted the rights of man and the rights of the Government until the nation’s faith has become measurably fixed and declared on these points. And now that the close of the war gives us occasion to amend our Constitution, that it may clearly and fully represent the mind of the people on these points, they feel that it should also be so amended as to recognize the rights of God in man and in government. Is it anything but due to their long patience that they be at length allowed to STRIKE OUT the great facts and principles which give to all government its dignity, stability, and beneficence?” Sunday is called the Christian Sabbath. If it be a Christian institution, an ordinance of the Christian church, why enforce it by law rather than baptism or the Lord’s supper? Again, it is generally said that the divine law of the Sabbath does not bind men to any particular day; that any one day in seven fully answers the requirement of the fourth commandment. Then why not allow all to rest when they choose and labor when they please? But the peace and order of community make it necessary that all should observe the same day. Sunday legislation, then, is to supply a defect in the divine law! Had God foreseen and appreciated the wants of community, he certainly would have specified a particular day. But, seriously, has he not appointed the day?—and is not this legislation subversive of his requirement? But it will carry. God has forewarned us that the image of the beast will be made, and that the mark of the Papal authority will be enforced. Then persecution will rage against those who, in obedience to the heavenly message, keep the commandments of God. My friend, on which side will you be found? R. F. COTTRELL. Meetings in Northern Michigan.
By John H. Waggoner
According to appointment, Bro. Littlejohn and myself left Battle Creek at 3:30, A. M., Feb. 3, and the same day went to Greenbush. Found Sr. Richmond very sick, and suffering greatly, yet patient and resigned. I regretted that we had so short a time to visit with this afflicted family, but we had to go further to the place of meeting of that evening. Bro. Sevy’s room was crowded with hearers, who listened attentively to a discourse on Heb. 10:38. Next day we went to Ithaca, where the friends have erected a very convenient and good-sized house. Their first house was, fortunately, insured; had it not been, they would hardly have been able to build the second. At Ithaca our meetings were good and pleasant; several were there from Jay. No distracting influences to hinder, and no trials to disturb. The churches in this county have had some trying experiences in the past, and events have fully proved the judiciousness of recalling the license of one given at the last State Conference. And I think our former impressions as stated in regard to this person some years since, are also proved to be correct: that a person who has once developed a licentious disposition cannot be trusted with this sacred work. We must deal plainly and faithfully in such matters. The perils of the last days are pressing too closely to admit of any compromise with such conduct. Somewhat against our convictions of duty, we were persuaded to let an appointment be given for us for Monday evening, the 7th, in the Academy Hall, in St. Louis. But when we arrived there and found that it was required of us to preach somebody else’s faith, which we considered both arbitrary and indefinite, and only calculated to open the door for contention, we felt free to refuse to speak. We should think it very injudicious to attack anybody’s peculiar faith, or open a special argument in favor of our own, under the circumstances, having but a single appointment in a strange place. But I cannot preach under dictation. If indiscreet or inexperienced persons think they can advance the cause by laboring in that manner, they may yet rest assured that such efforts will never be seconded by any who have had years of experience in this work. This work is often greatly hindered by injudicious labor in new places, by those who think their object is gained, if they but speak their views in others’ congregations, when they have not the time, perhaps not the ability, to fortify their arguments or meet objections. Feb. 8, we took stage for Midland, and at the pleasant home of Bro. Baily I found opportunity to write, a couple of days. Our meetings commenced at Jay, Thursday, the 10th, where I continued to speak without intermission till the 17th, during which time were presented the main points of our faith, the object being to show the harmony of the whole as a system, and so free the cause here from the influence of cavillers and fault-finders. As Bro. Littlejohn was to remain94 while I went to Tuscola Co., he chose not to take any part in the preaching while I was in Jay. My trip to Tuscola Co. was very laborious, yet pleasant, as my visits always have been with that people; though the weather was stormy and severely cold most of the time. In Watrousville they have a neat, commodious house of worship. By an unfortunate calculation, it was built too low. Otherwise it is well designed and executed. Proper ventilation cannot possibly be obtained in a low room where many people are congregated. As our people are perhaps the poorest denomination in the place, and have been the first to erect a house of worship, it speaks well for their interest in the cause. The church at Vassar very much need a house, and are taking steps to obtain one. The meetings were well attended in Watrousville, where the house was dedicated on Sunday, the 20th. The house, with all extra seats, was filled; and had not the storm been unusually tedious, there would not have been room for the people. On Monday, I went to Tuscola, where I preached in the Methodist house, to a very attentive congregation. This closed my labor in that county. So far as I can judge, and from all that I heard, there is a more favorable opening in Tuscola county to present the truth now than there has ever been before. The 22d, I returned to Jay, almost prostrated by continuous labor. Here we remained another week. The Tittabawassee church (Jay) has long labored under great discouragements on account of a reckless, disorganizing spirit in its midst. Some of the heavy burdens were thrown off during these meetings, and as their past unhappy experience has proved to them the necessity of order and discipline, we trust they may now go forward, and raise the standard of piety much higher than it has hitherto been among them. We confidently look for happier days—days of peace and love, and freedom from the spirit of contention—for that church. But they must press together, watching unto prayer, striving to learn more and drink deeper of the spirit of the third angel’s message. If, indeed, it is present truth, as we firmly believe, we cannot get our hearts too deeply imbued with its sacred influence, to prepare us to stand amid the terrors of the great day. Monday, 28, we returned to Battle Creek, thankful for the evident tokens of God’s blessing with us in our meetings, and most happy to find all things favorable in the Office and the church. For myself I greatly need more rest than I can expect to get at present. The following preamble and resolutions are published by request of the Tittabawassee church: Whereas, By an oversight in letting the job for building the meeting-house, no reserve was made for resting on it upon the Sabbath, and, although it was let to one who did so work on it upon the Sabbath, it passed into the hands of another, by reason whereof labor was done on our house of worship, even while we were worshipping near by, the church taking no steps to prevent such Sabbath labor; and Whereas, We believe that it was a reproach in the sight of the world, and an offense against God, and that, by so grieving the Spirit of God, the growth and prosperity of the church has been hindered, and darkness has been over us; therefore, Resolved, That we hereby publicly confess our error in this thing; and would humble ourselves before God, and unitedly and earnestly pray him to forgive us the wrong we have done against his law, and the example we have set before the world, and to restore unto us the joy of his salvation, and to accept our humiliation and our renewed consecration of this house to his worship and glory. (Carried unanimously.) Resolved, That the above be published in the ADVENT REVIEW. Meetings in Iowa.
By J. H. Morrison
IN Bro. Neal’s neighborhood, near Osceola, Iowa, I commenced meetings Jan. 13, in compliance with an earnest request from the few scattered ones there, who had been brought out on the truth about eight or nine years ago. The ground had been burnt over some two or three times before, which was a very discouraging feature to begin with. Bro. Butler held a few meetings here last spring, and gave them a promise, under the impression received at that time, to come himself, or send some one as soon as convenient. In company with Bro. B., I came to this place. I stopped here, while he went farther west and was gone about ten days, after which he returned and stopped with us two days, Sabbath and Sunday, gave four discourses, and baptized five who had been keeping the Sabbath about a year. I remained till Feb. 21; in all giving about forty discourses. During our stay, thirteen decided to obey the Lord by keeping his commandments, and some of the old ones have taken new hold of the work, and seem to be very much encouraged and revived. They express a determination to go on and keep pace with God’s advancing people. There seems to be some little interest yet manifested. May the leaven still work until the honest are brought to a saving knowledge of the truth. I send in this four new subscribers for the REVIEW and four for the Reformer. J. H. MORRISON.