SIGSS OF 
OF THE SECOND 
MfBSSS&k 
* 
THE TIMES 
COMING OF CHRIST. 
JOSHUA 
V. 
HIMES, 
EDITOR 
] 
"THE 
TIME IS AT HAND." 
[DOW 
& 
JACKSON, 
PUBLISHERS-
VOL. I. 
BOSTON, DECEMBER 
1, 1840. 
N©. 37. 
Illustration of Prophecy. 
BIBLE 
READER'S 
REPLY 
TO 
MR. 
MILLER. 
71 ... EDITOR,—It was with pleasure I noticed 
in your 15th No. the review 
of my article 
on 
Biblical interpretation. 
1. Because Mr. 
Miller 
had long studied the Bible, and 
I wished 
my 
principle thoroughly tested. 
2. I presumed that 
whatever he wrote would be sure to be 
noticed 
by your readers, and thus the principle I advo-
cate would become more extensively noticed by 
the readers of your paper, and thereby subjected 
to more rigid scrutiny, and, as I firmly believe it 
the only true mode of interpreting 
the Bible, I 
hope 
that 
thus 
the 
truth 
will 
be 
magnified. 
Permit me now to test Mr. M's interpretation by 
the same great first principle set forth in my for-
mer 
article. 
Mr. 
M. professing 
to apply 
my 
rules interprets the " dead bodies" in Rev. xi. 8, 
to he the Scriptures, 
I interpreted 
them 
to be 
" the dead bodies" of tivo persons. 
It is a good rule at all times to use what is 
plain to throw light upon what 
is obscure, 
and 
then to hold fast what is plain, even if we do not 
readily understand what is dark. 
And, 
1. I interpret them to be " the dead bodies" 
of two persons, because the Holy Ghost first 
in-
troduced them to our notice in 
this chapter 
as 
" mi/ tm witnesses." 
Now it is plain that 
they 
had not yet appeared & exhibited their testimony 
when John 
wrote, for it is said " I will give pow-
er unto my two witnesses, and they shall," &c. 
and they were to bear witness or prophecy 
only 
1260 
days, 
and then finish their testimony 
by 
a violent death. - But the Scriptures, except 
the 
book John was then writing, had appeared, and 
some of these (more than two) had been uttering 
their testimony for thousands of years, 
and 
are 
yet doing so now nearly 1800 years 
since 
John 
wrote. 
21. It is worthy 
of notice, that the 
original 
word (martus) here 
used for witnesses, 
occurs 
but eleven times in the New Testament. 
Three 
times it is applied to God, twice to Jesus Christ, 
and six times to men, 
and always to 
persons. 
There is another word almost speft like it (mar-
tuz) and also translated witnesses. 
It is used 26 
times, is applied once to God and 25 times to 
men. 
So that both these words are only, and 
always 
applied, in the New Testament, to 
persons. 
3. The Holy Spirit also says these " tivo wit-
nesses shall prophecy but " 1260 days," and they 
are called " two 
prophets," 
verse 10. 
Has 
the 
spirit ever revealed to us that the Scriptures shall 
prophecy but 1260 days, or even 
years'? 
4. "And in sackcloth." 
This was the com-
mon or rather 
the.official clothing of the proph-
ets. 
Can this as well apply to the 
Scriptures, 
as to two persons'? 
5. The Holy Spirit reveals to us that 
these 
two witnesses may 
be hurt, 
verse 5. 
Nay more, 
that "they shall be overcome 
and killed," verse 
7. 
Has the spirit any where as plainly revealed 
that 
such events can and 
will happen 
to the 
Scriptures ? 
Were those Scriptures hurt, 
when 
they were cut to pieces with a penknife and cast 
into the fire by Jehoiakim ? 
Jer. 
xxxvi. 
6. The Holy Spirit plainly reveals to us, that 
" the dead bodies" of these 
two witnesses 
shall 
lie three days and a half in Me street of the great 
city where our Lord was crucified, and if our 
Lord were a prophet, 
he was crucified in 
that 
great city, here called by the spirit Sodom 
and 
Egypt, and by our Lord himself, in Luke xiii. 33, 
Jerusalem. 
Has the Spirit as plainly 
revealed 
that the Scriptures have dead bodies, and 
that 
their dead bodies shall lie three and a half days 
in Jerusalem,France or Rome ? 
7. It was the prayer of the good man of 
Uz, 
'' O that thou wouldst hide 
me in the grave." 
It was promised to k'.ng Josiah that " he 
should 
be gathered to his grave, 
in peace, 
and 
even 
the Lord Jesus Christ, though he endured 
the 
shame of the cross as a malefactor, was permit-
ted to be decently interred : 
And yet the spirit 
reveals in the plainest manner, that the rights of 
sepulture should be denied the dead 
bodies 
of 
those two witnesses. 
"And the people, &c. shall 
not suffer their dead bodies to be put into 
graves." 
Aside from 
the 
difficulty 
of perceiving 
under 
what possible circumstances a grave could be & 
desirable or a decent place 
for 
the 
Scriptures, 
where has the Holy 
Ghost 
so plainly 
revealed 
that the nations would not suffer the 
Scriptures 
to be put 
into 
their 
graves? 
He 
knows 
well 
what private 
interpretation has 
said about the 
fulfillment of this prophecy in the treatment the 
Bible has received in France and elsewhere, but 
this is no authority 
that should bind the 
con-
science of a Bible reader. 
8. The Holy 
Spirit has as clearly 
revealed, 
that " after three and a half days the spirit of 
life from God entered into them, and they 
stood 
upon their feet; all this is plain, if applied to " two 
witnesses," " two prophets," two sons of Oil, who 
could " stand before the God ofthe earth." 
But 
where has the spirit so clearly revealed that the 
Scriptures when killed, should come to life after 
three days and an half, and stand upon their feet ? 
Is it not easier, as it is 
safer to adhere to the 
words and interpretation 
ofthe Holy Ghost, than 
to the words, inferences and accommodations of 
any man, however shrewd, learned or pious. 
9. " Thsv heard a great voice 
from 
heaven 
saying unto tbem, come up hither: and they as-
cended up to heaven in a cloud, and their ene-
mies beheld them." 
This applied to " two wit-
nesses," " two prophets," is all plain to the Bible 
reader: but where has the spirit so plainly 
re-
vealed that the Scriptures have heard and 
as-
cended, or can or will hear and 
ascend 
up to 
heaven, 
in the sight of their enemies? 
This 
he professes he cannot find revealed, though 
he 
is not ignorant of how men have in vain, as he 
thinks, attempted to find a fulfillment of all this 
in Bible translations, societies, &c. 
He is free to 
confess, that he aims to receive the words of the 
Holy Ghost as a little child, and therefore 
can-
not but believe this to be future 
prophecy, un* 
fulfilled. 
If wrong, he would 
cheerfully be set 
right. 
10. " And the same hour was there 
a 
great 
earthquake and the tenth part of the city fell," &c 
What city ? 
Undoubtedly the same city 
where 
these two witnesses were killed, none other is al-
luded to in the chapter, the city which the 
holy 
spirit reveals to us as " where our Lord was cru-
cified." 
To be continued. 
EXTRACT 
FROM 
THE 
'GLAD 
TIDINGS.' 
BY H. D. 
WARD. 
THIS WORLD AND THE WORLD TO COME, OR KINGDOM 
OF HEAVEN. 
" Glorious things of thee are spoken, 
" Zion, city of our God ! 
" He, whose word cannot be broken, 
" Formed thee for his own abode." 
In bringing to your notice this apostolic doc-
trine, I am called to use terms and texts of scrip-
ture, familiar perhaps to you, in senses th;it I do 
not 
understand 
them : therefore, I need 
your 
patience, until we can arrive at a common 
mean-
ing of doubtful passages. 
But 
that you 
may 
have a guide to my meaning always before you, 
observe 
that I regard the 
kingdom 
of heaven 
which 
Christ 
preached, 
not as the church 
or 
gospel dispensation ; but as the eternal stale of 
the righteous after the end of this world, in the 
resurrection and judgment day, and in 
the new 
heavens and earth, 
which 
flesh 
and blood can-
not inherit, which time cannot limit, and which 
sin, nor pain, 
nor death can 
enter; of 
which 
eternal state 
all the prophets foretell, and 
the 
gospel 
publishes 
the 
glad tidings, that it is at 
hand. 
In this world, all the promises do travail 
with faith, and they come to the birth 
together, 
in the world to come, at the coming ofthe 
Lord 
Jesus, according to these lines of the poet: 
" O'er these gloomy bills of darkness, 
Look, my soul! be still, and gaze : 
All the promises do travail 
With a glorious day of grace ; 
Blessed jubilee ! 
Let thy glorious morning dawn !" 
We know that this world is in 
darkness, and 
that the morning of the resurrection is the bless-
ed jubilee ofthe world to come. 
" The world to come :" what means this word 
of promise ? 
Every where in the scriptures, the future king-
dom of heaven is set before the believer in con-
trast with the present dominion ofthe prince 
of 
this world ; and this world is set in contrast with 
the world to come. 
To 
see this 
in the light of 
Revelation, I copy the connection of 
the 
words, 
as they occur a few times in the 
Evangelists. 
"Neither 
in this world, nor in the world 
to 
come :" (Matt, xii, 32,) in relation to blasphemy 
against the Holy Ghost. 
" But he shall receive a hundred fold, now in 
this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, 
and 
mothers, and children, and lands, with 
persecu-
> 
V'V < . J ^ ;.; 
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ISA 
• 
S
I
G
N
S 
O
F 
T
H
E 
T
I
M
E
S
. 
tions; and in the world to covie, eternal life." 
(Mark x. 30.) 
" Receive manifold more 
in this 
present time, and in the world to come, life ever-
lasting." 
(Luke xviii, 
30.) 
" For the children of this world 
are wiser in 
their generation, 
than the 
children 
of 
light." 
(Luke xvi. 8.) 
" 
The 
children 
of this world marry and are 
given in marriage : but they which shall be ac-
counted worthy to obtain that toorld and the res-
urrection from the dead, neither 
marry nor are 
given in marriage: 
neither 
can 
they 
die 
any 
more ; for they are equal 
unto the 
angels, and 
are the children of God, being the children of the 
resurrection." (Luke xx. 34, 35, 36.) 
The context does not discover what is 
meant 
by "that world," only 
as the above 
quotation 
shows it: and the preaching of it in the name of 
the kingdom of heaven, was the Lord's 
univer-
sal custom. 
It belongs with the resurrection of 
the dead ; and its 
inhabitants are identified, as 
" the children of God," by their "being the chil-
dren of the resurrection." 
So 
that there is 
a 
world to come, into which they who are accoun-
ted wothy 
will obtain entrance in the 
resurrec-
tion ofthe dead, and live on an equality with the 
angels; and " that world" is 
the 
kingdom 
of 
heaven. 
To obtain " that world," and the 
resurrection 
unto eternal life, is the exhortation of the preach-
er, and is the effort ofthe believer,, and the com-
mandment of the Lord, in the gospel. 
But, now 
the associated efforts of the church, together with 
the general aim of private Christians, even 
the 
hopes of the church, 
are, to 
gain this 
world, 
for 
the Lord. 
The generous spirits of the world, 
" speak 
of the 
world, and 
the 
world 
heareth 
them." (1 John iv. 5.) 
They 
contemplate the 
improvements now making in the world with a 
high degree of satisfaction, that n either 
leaves 
any doubt of a long season of "peace and safe-
ty" 
in 
this world, before the end 
comes; 
nor 
distrusts the hope of a season of 
extraordinary 
felicity 
on earth, in which'the messengers ofthe 
king shall no more be despised, 
while they in-
vite the people to the 
marriage of his son, 
nor 
be ill treated, while they ask in the Lord's name, 
to render him of the fruits ofhisvineyard. 
"Now, 
behold, 
all 
things are 
ready: 
come 
unto 
the 
marriage." 
However, the people make light of th£ 
invita-
tion yet: and go their way, one to his farm, and 
another to his merchandise ; and the rest 
some-
times spitefully use the 
messengers to this day 
Surely, this is gospel, and during this dispensa-
tion, it will continue 
to be gospel to the 
end 
The tares will 
grow 
with the 
wheat; the bad 
fish will be taken with the good, in the same net; 
the good seed will fall, some in the highway, and 
some in stony places, 
and 
some among thorns ; 
and the husbandman will, as they now do, refuse 
to render the Lord of the 
vineyard his fruits in 
their season, 
until the end comes. 
And 
when 
that comes, observe, all ye 
that love the 
Lord, 
then comes the separation of 
the tares from the 
wheat, the bad 
fish from among the good, 
the 
sheep from the goats ; which is the resurrection 
and judgment, both of the just and ofthe unjust. 
Therefore, as wise men, let us place no 
hope of 
any lasting joy, or permanant felicity, or 
even 
peace, in this world : and expect the coming 
of 
the Lord, and the return ofthe Jews with father 
Abraham from the dead, to the New 
Jerusalem, 
which has 
foundations, whose builder 
and ma-
ker is God. 
For: 
" What is a man profited, if he shall gain the 
whole world, and lose his own soul ? 
And what 
shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 
For 
the Son of Man shall come in the glory of 
his 
Father with his angels." (Matt, xvi, 26, 
27.) 
" Wo unto 
the world, because of offences !" 
(Matt, xviii. 8.) 
The scriptures pronounce no blessing on 
this 
world, but only on the world to come. 
" For all these things do the 
nations of this 
world 
seek after ;—but rather seek ye the 
king-
dom of God 
(Luke xii. 30, 31.) that is, 
the 
world to come. 
" For God so loved the world— 
" For God sent not his Son into the world, to 
condemn the world, but that the world 
through 
himmight be saved.'' (John iii. 16,17.) 
But men love darkness still, rather than light; 
they reject 
the 
coming 
again gf 
the Lord, as 
they once rejected and slew him; and this 
is 
their condemnation, their offence, for which a wo 
is pronounced against this world. 
Yet he 
giv-
eth life unto the world ; he gave his flesh for the 
life of the world : bnt the world hateth him, be 
cause he testifies that its works are evil. 
He 
testifies of its people; 
" Ye are from beneath, I 
am from above; ye are of this world : I am 
not 
of this world." (John viii. 23.) 
"He that hateth his life in this world, shall keep 
it unto life eternal." (John xii 
25.) 
" Now 
is the judgment of this world ; new 
shall the prince of this world be cast out." 
(John 
xii. 31.) 
This 
judgment will 
be exemted 
in 
the end of this world. 
" I came not to judge the world, but to 
save 
the world." (John xii. 47.) Not so will be 
his 
coming again 
in 
the end of the 
world. 
" The Spirit of truth whom the world 
cannot 
receive." 
(John xiii. 
17.) 
And 
yet many are 
expecting 
a millennium, in 
which this 
world 
will receive 
the 
Spirit of truth ; in which 
the 
foolishness of preaching will become the wisdom 
of this world ; yea, when the preaching of Christ 
crucified will be no longer 
a stumbling block to 
the Jews, or to the Gentiles foolishness. 
" For the prince of this world cometh, 
and 
hath nothing in me." v, 39. 
Like prince, like people: neither 
have 
any 
portion in Christ, nor in his kingdom. 
"If the world hate 
you, you 
know it 
hated 
me before it 
hated you. 
If 
ye 
were of 
the 
world, the world would 
love his own ; but be-
ause ye are not of the world, but I have chosen 
you out of the world, therefore the world 
hateth 
you." (John xv. 18, 19.) 
Where is the promise of the gospel, 
that this 
world 
will ever be changed, as in the 
supposed 
millennium, and made to love whom now it hates? 
There is abetter world to wme, which 
has the 
promises. 
But wo 
to this world, for it 
hated 
Jesus, and slew him ; and it rejects the crucified 
to this day. 
" He will reprove the world of sin,—because 
they believe not on me.—Of 
judgment, because 
the prince of this world is judged." (John xvi. 8 
11.) 
While this world stands 
it must be reproved 
for the sin of unbelief. 
Until judgment is exe 
cuted by the Son of Man, when he 
will lift up 
his voice, ("he 
shall 
cry, yea, roar; he 
shall 
prevail against his 
enemies,") satan will contin 
ue to be the prince of this world. 
Till then will 
continue 
the 
gospel 
dispensation, and 
these 
words will be true; 
" Verily, verily, I say unto you, that ye 
shall 
weep and lament; but the world shall rejoice 
and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall 
be turned into joy." 
In the 
end of the 
gospel 
dispensation, the 
Lord's 
people 
shall see 
him 
egain, and their sorrow shall be turned into joy; 
for the triumph of satan will be over, " this pres-
ent evil world," that "lieth in wickedness," will 
come to an end ; and the saints will possess the 
kingdom ofthe eternal world to come, for an ever-
lasting inheritance. 
But 
to 
the 
end 
of 
this 
world, its prince and its people will rejoice 
over 
those 
scenes, 
which make holy men weep and 
lament; while they pray to the Father 
of all: 
" Thy kingdom come ; thy will be done in earth 
as in heaven." 
This " little while" in the last conversation of 
our Lord with his disciples, in John xiii. xiv 
,xv. 
and xvi.- chapters, used to 
trouble me, as it 
did 
his disciples 
when they reasoned 
upon it, and 
said, " A 
little while,—we cannot tell what he 
saith :" and though they obtained satisfaction at 
least, I could never 
find, 
in the 
word recorded, 
that which should make the word 
plain to any 
ordinary reader; until I considered, that the ab-
sence, of which he spake, 
and in view of 
which 
they grieved, and to cheer them in the prospect of 
which, he promised them the comforter, was 
his 
ascension to the 
Father; and not his death. In 
his crucifixion, they 
had no comforter : but in 
the absence of which he spake he sent them the 
Holy Spirit. 
Then the " little while and ye shall not see me" 
was the period of seven weeks, to the assension: 
"and again a little while, and ye shall see me," 
is the period from his ascension 
to his 
coming 
again, in the end of the world. 
So insignificant 
is time, in the view 
of eternity ; so short is the 
period of this world, compared 
with the life of 
the world to come ! 
" I came forth from the Father, and am 
come 
into the world ; again I leave the world and go 
to the 
Father." 
(John xvi. 28.) 
This 
is 
the 
word that seems to have satisfied his disciples ; 
and it may teach 
us, that, if 
we would 
follow 
Christ, we must leave 
the world ; having 
this 
for the last 
word of discourse from 
him, 
that 
" In 
the world, 
ye shall have tribulation ; but be 
of 
good cheer, I have 
overcome 
the 
ivorld.v 
(John xvi. 
33.) 
" He left his starry crown, 
And laid his robes aside ; 
On wings of love came down ; 
And wept and bled and died. 
What he endured, 
O who can tell, 
To save our souls 
From death and hell!" 
And multitudes are expecting his kingdom to 
be extended over 
this 
world, and his gospel to 
continue while the world 
is all 
HOLINESS UNTO 
THE LORD. 
As well may the Ethiop be 
white, 
and the leopard 
change his 
spots ; 
which 
in 
this 
world 
can 
never be. 
When 
the Lord 
comes, he will change not the color of this world 
only ; 
but the 
entire conformation, and 
whole 
nature throughout. 
And when 
he prays, with 
all his disciples around, 
for the last 
time, it is 
without any view of the , supposed 
millennium 
in this world, however remote. 
He takes a con-
trary view. 
" The world 
hath hated 
them because they 
are not of the 
world, even as 
I am not of the 
world. 
I pray not that thou shouldst take them 
out ofthe 
world; but that thou 
shouldst 
keep 
them from the evil, (the wicked One.) 
They 
are not of the world, 
even as I am not of 
the 
world." 
(Johnxvii. 14, 15, 16.) 
" 0 
righteous 
Father, the world hath not known thee." (John 
xvii. 25. 
When 
did it ever ? -or when will 
it ever ? 
This world is recorded in distinction from 
that 
which is to 
come: "this 
present 
evil 
world." 
131 SIGNS 
OF THE 
TIMES. 
(Gal. i. 4.) The beloved John declares that "the 
whole world lieth in 
wickedness." (1 John v. 
19.) 
The Lord Jesus exclaims: 
" 0 
righteous 
father, the world hath not known thee !" And all 
the current of scripture 
testimony is 
decidedly 
toward the condemnation of this world, and of its 
prince, whb is the 
prince of darkness, and this 
world is in his 
darkness; therefore, the 
wise 
need not lay up their treasures here , the 
holy 
need not 
expect 
perfection 
here; the 
zealous 
need 
not expect the conversion 
of the 
world. 
" The true light shines in the darkness ; but the 
darkness comprehendeth it not." 
Whenever the 
world should become what some expect, the en-
tire spirit of this last conversation and prayer 
of 
our Lord, with his disciples, must be changed ; 
all the tenor of the gospel must undergo a new for-
mation ; and the word of God and of his Christ, 
in respect to this world, 
would 
seem 
to 
pass 
away : which heaven and earth shall sooner do. 
There are prophecies of the earth, (which like 
the promises to Abraham, regard the newr earth,) 
that must be fulfilled in glory: and it is by mis-
taking them for persons in this world, as by mis-
taking the preaching of the kingdom of our Lord 
for the kingdom itself, even the church for 
the 
kingdom, that men have been led, and are still 
led, I humbly believe, into an error, palpable as 
that of the worship of images, and invocation of 
the blessed virgin, which were 
universal a few 
centuries ago. 
How easily these views may be 
strengthened 
by an appeal to the Epistles, the inqniring 
mind 
will readily perceive. 
Proof cannot be multi-
plied to weariness on so great a subject; but the 
reader will rejoice more in it, to find some por-
tion of this proof for himself, as he peruses the 
writings of Paul and Peter, and James and John; 
taking this one word only to lead in the search: 
—"Forbid that I should glory save in the 
cross 
of our Lord Jesu3 Christ, by whom the world 
is 
crucified unto me, and I unto the worlds 
(Gal. 
vi. 14.) 
Crucifixion 
is foreign 
to the 
expected 
state of felicity in the world ; but it accords with 
the hope of a believer in the life of the world 
to come ; and with the Lord's final testimony : 
" In this world, ye shall have 
tribulation." 
" But be of good sheer, I have overcome 
the 
world;" and to as many 
as follow 
me, I will 
give the kingdom of the world to come." 
PRINCIPLES 
OF 
INTERPRETATION, 
RULE 
19.—Br 
H. JONES. 
THE words 
everlasting—for ever—for 
ever-
more, &c., are supposed to be but seldom 
used 
in the scriptures, except as referring, at least, to 
an interminable period ; and never there joined 
with the divine 
promises 
or threatenings, 
ex-
cept to denote a 
duration 
which 
is 
absolutely 
endless. 
ILLUSTRATIONS. 
To arrive at a positive knowledge of 
the use 
of these words in all cases as found very 
many 
times in the scriptures, 
or 
to a conclusion, in 
which, all the 
evangelical can harmonize, may 
be difficult, especially 
where such words stand 
apparently disconnected with the general prom-
ises and threatenings of God. 
But 
as standing 
joined 
with 
such promises 
and 
threatenings, 
where it is of the utmost 
importance to deter-
mine their true 
meaning, it 
may seem that the 
- proof is clear to all 
who love this solemn truth, 
that the words can 
only signify a period which 
is literally and 
positively 
endless 
in its 
dura-
tion. 
PROOF. 
1. Contrary interpretations 
of 
those 
solemn 
words 
in connexion 
with 
the promises 
and 
threatenings, if 
no where 
else, would 
exhibit 
the Almighty 
as trifling with them, 
and 
with 
the solemnities 
of 
their connexions, while we 
'all know, that " the sufferings, &c., of this 
pres-
ent time, are 
not 
worthy to 
be compared with 
the glory which shall 
be revealed in us."* 
2. Such a 
figurative 
use 
of these words, to 
signify only a limited time,* if frequently 
prac-
tised in 
the Bible, would naturally throw 
the 
reader into darkness 
and doubt, 
in 
regard 
to 
knowing positively, when they are to be under-
stood figuratively and when 
literally, 
notwith-
standing any selected rule 
of determining 
the 
question. 
3. The frequent 
figurative 
use of such words, 
to express 
a limited period, as sometimes inter-
preted, has always strengthened and always will, 
the unbelieving, in the favorite theory of the car-
nal mind, that the eternal 
curses of God, which 
are the portion of all the ungodly, 
will wholly 
come to an 
end, 
either in the present world, or 
in that which is to come. 
4. 
Such a supposed 
figurative 
use of 
these 
terms, naturally blots out, or secularizes the glo-
rious divine promises, and 
thus 
destroys 
the 
great motives and power of the gospel, to the ru-
in of souls. 
• EXAMPLES. 
(1.) " The 
blessings of thy father have pre-
vailed above the blessings of my progenitors to 
tHe utmost bound of the everlasting 
hills."t 
In-
stead of supposing 
the 
word 
everlasting 
here, 
to prefigure only 
a limited period, of the 
pos-
session by Jacob of mere 
carnal 
blessings, 
or 
good things of the present world, as some have 
done, would it not 
be more consistent with the 
eternity, spirituality, benevolence, 
and omnipo-
tence of God, in 
the bestowment of his richest 
blessings to his peculiar people, to conclude that 
by such blessings, he rather 
means the 
infinite 
and eternal blessedness which, on other occasions 
he has promised all the 
faithful, 
both 
of 
the 
Jewish and Christian dispensation ? 
These in-
finite blessings 
will, 
indeed, as represented in 
the passage of the 
example, extend to 
eternity, 
or " the utmost 
bound 
of the everlasting 
hills." 
Surely, by these hills, we are not to understand 
our mere> earthly 
hills; for if 
so, there 
would 
be seemingly no sense in the expression, while 
.it is well known that hills 
of earth are no more 
durable than 
valleys, 
or 
the 
earth 
itself. 
In 
further 
PROOF that " the everlasting hills," here 
men-
tioned, are literally everlasting 
and 
heavenly, 
other passages of God's word may be examined, 
where the 
connexion 
shows at once that the 
words hills and hill, are used 
to represent the 
high and holy habitations 
of 
the 
Lord, 
where 
his greatest 
blessings 
are 
to be given 
to 
his 
people forever. 
" I will lift up mine eyes to the 
hills 
from whence cometh my 
help,"J " I cried 
to the Lord ; he heard me out of his holy hill."\ 
" Lord, who shall dwell in thy holy hill ?"§ 
(2.) " For all'the 
land 
which thou seest, 
to 
thee will 
I give it, and to thy seed 
forever."IT 
(3.) "The 
Lord 
hath sworn 
in 
truth unto 
David ; he will not turn from it—of the fruit of 
thy body will I set upon thy throne—their child-
ren also will J 
set 
upon 
my 
throne 
forever-
more.'1''** 
(4.) " Turn ye again now, 
every 
one 
from 
his evil way—and dwell 
in 
the 
land the 
Lord 
hath given to your fathers forever and mr."tt 
These, 
and many other parallel passages and 
promises, 
sent forth as enduring for a 
period 
which shall be forever, everlasting, 
forevermore, 
forever and ever, have 
sometimes been 
inter-
preted to signify only 
a momentary duration of 
existence 
in this 
world. 
The 
words '' land," 
and " throne," 
of David, in 
the 
connexion, are 
surely no good reason 
for supposing the whole 
to 
be of 
this world, 
since 
there is so 
much 
proof that earthly things are necessarily borrow-
ed, as types of things 
invisible, as shown in the 
preceding 
Principles. 
And 
is it not more nat-
ural that the 
Lord 
should 
use 
the 
things 
of 
time as figures of eternal things, 
than 
that 
he 
should use eternity 
itself as a mere 
figure 
of 
a 
hand's breadth of time ? 
* 
Rom. 
viii. 18. 
t Gen. 
xlix. 26. 
tPs. 
exxi. 
1. 
II Ps. iii. 4. 
$ Ps. xv.. 
1. 
See Ps. 
xliii. 3. 
lxviii: 15, 16. Isa. ii. 2. ** Gen. xiii. 
15. 
f| Ps. exxxii: 
11, 12. ff Jer. 2txv. 5. 
Bible Chronology 
ENQUIRIES BY ELDER MARK 
FERNALU. 
BR. HIMES,—The motto of your paper is " to 
the law and the testimony." 
1 have so done to 
make out the two new chronologies presented in 
the " Signs of the Times." 
But I get no satis-
faction there concerning your assertions that the 
430 years bondage or affliction of Israel, 
began 
with 
Abram. 
I think 
the 
calculation 
will 
do 
harm unless it can be better proved than it is in 
those tables. 
God said to Abram, " Thy seed shall 
be 
a 
stranger in a land that >is not theirs, and 
shall 
serve them, and they shajl afflict them four hund-
red years, &c."—" and thou shalt go to thy 
fath-
ers in peace, thou shalt be buriedjn a good 
old 
age." 
Gen 
xv. 
13--15^ 
Abram 
did 
go 
to 
Egypt (Gen. xii. 10,) but when the famine was 
past, he returned to Canaan without any children 
to sojourner stay in Egypt. 
I have jfound no ac-
count that Isaac was ever in Egypt. 
The Lord 
tolcLhim to sUty with Abimelech, instead of go-
ing to Egypt in the famine, see Gen. xxvi. 2, 30 
Hence To 
me 
it 
is 
inconsistent 
to say 
that 
Abram's seetkwere afflicted or in bondage 
until 
Jacob, or Israel, went into 
Egypt 
to abide, 
at 
which time ja<it>b was 130 years oTcL 
See Genr 
xlvii. 7—9. 
To count the 430 year's bondage of 
Israel, from Terah's death, 
or 205 
years 
from 
his birth, when Abram went to Egypt alters the 
chronology 135 years thus, 
Terah, was 
70 
years old when Abram 
was 
born. 
Gen. xi. 26 
Abram was 100 
years old when 
Isaac 
was 
born. 
Gen. xxi. 5. 
Isaac was 
40 
years old when he was mar-> 
ried 
to 
Rebecca, 
Jacob's 
mother, who was 
without 
issue for a lime not speci--
fied, Gen. xxv. 20, 21. 
Jacob born, 130 years 
old when 
he 
and his 
children went into 
Egypt 
and he stood 
before Pha-
roah, Gen. xlvii. 7—9. 
340 
By yeur new chronologies, dating the 430 years 
in Egypt with Terah's age, and death 205 years-
or Abram's going to Egypt; 
it makes the 
cap-
tivity begin 135 years before Abram's " seed," 
or 
Jacob 
went 
into 
Egypt 
and 
stood 
before 
Pharaoh. 
134 
SIGNS 
OF 
THE 
TIMES. 
and 
58,1 
Terah was 
70 years old at Abram's birth,Gen. 
xi. 26, 
Abram is 
100 when Isaac is born, Gen. xxi. 5. 
Isaac was 
40 at Jacob's 
mother's marriage, 
Gen. xxv. 20 
21. 
Rebecca 
without issue. 
Jacob 
was 
130 years old at his arrival with the 
children of Israel to Egypt. 
340 
Wilt thou, or some one of thy correspondents cor-
rect this account, or correct your chronologies to 
satisfy me, and thousands of other Bible 
read-
ers, (on this point.) 
P.S. So 
Jacob 
went 
down into 
Egypt 
died, he and our fathers, Acts. vii. 
15 
As to the 
correct reckoning of Usher, 5 
know not. 
^ftswdtl TO THE ABOVE. 
1. Brother F.'s difficulty arises from supposing Abram to 
have been boij^when Terah was 70 years of age; but he was 
not-. 
,c Terah lived 70 years anil begat Abram, Nahor, and 
Haran." 
Terah went forth with his household from Ur of 
the Chaldeans, unto Haram, and dwelt there, and died at the 
age of 2Q5. When his father was dead, God removed Abram 
into CiJ«aan, at the age of75 years. 
Gen.xi, 26.xi. 31, 32. 
Acts vii. 4. Cen. xii. 4. 
Hence, Abram could not have been 
the first-born son of Terah, althoug-h because of his call to the 
peculiar privilege of being the father of the holy Savior, he is 
named first. 
2. The second difficulty arises from the imperfection of the 
text in our version. 
Our Bible reads Exocj. xii. 40, " The 
sojourning of the children of Israel who dwelt in Egypt was 
430 years." 
But according to Dr. Clark, the Samaritan 
Pentateuch, the most correct of all the ancient manuscripts 
of the books of Moses reads it thus ;—"Now the sojourning 
of the children of Israel and of their fathers, which they'so-
journed in the land of Ciuiaan? amj^in the land of Egypt, was 
430 years. 
The Alexamlrian'Septuagint, the most" authentic 
of all the Greek comes of the Old Testament, reads the same. 
And finally, to co|firm the whole, St. Paul gives the same 
period from the giving of (Tie premise to Abram, to the giving 
of the law. 
Gal. iii. 17. 
3. The 400 ygars, during which the seed fef^bram was to 
be a stranger in a land that was not thei 
when lshmael was cast out of Abram's 
mocked Isaac. 
This event took place somew 
ty-five to thirty years afteit Terah'sjleath: pro 
pars. Then 400 years would be left to the exod 
ON CHRO-
of that eminent historian 
and chronologer, 
Jo-
sephus, as to the time of Joshua and the 
Inter-
regnum after his death, than to trust to conjec-
ture. 
One error, however, I wish to correct. 
In my 
former communication I coupled Joshua and the 
elders together, and made it 25 years; but 
find, 
since, 
it is 25 years that Josephus allows for 
Joshua alone; 
and the 18 includes the eiders 
and interregnum, or the whole lime from 
Josh-
ua's death until 
that 
whole 
generation 
were 
dead 
3. I am not aware that Ferguson's astronom-
ical calculations 
go back farther than 
the 
7th 
year of Artaxerxes ; on 
the 
old 
chronological 
plan ; nor do I believe it can be sustained farther 
back than that year. 
SIGNS 
OF 
THE 
TIMES. 
" Can ye not discern the signs of the times.' 
BOSTON, 
DECEMBER 
1, 1840. 
LY 
T 
NOLOG 
1. Br. Miller thinks he is correct in 
allowing 
600 years for Noah's life before the flood, 
and 
one year for the flood ; because when 
any 
par-
ticular year of a person's life is mentioned, it is 
reckoned a full year, 
although 
it is 
the 
first 
month. 
But I think he is mistaken. 
To 
illus-
trate this, 2 
b'amuel 
v. 
45, it 
is 
said 
David 
reigned 40 years ; 7 years 6 months in 
Hebron, 
and 33 years in Jerusalem—40 years 6 months. 
Again, Amaztah, king of Judah, reigned 
29 
years in Jerusalem. 
2 Kings 
xiv. 2. 
In 
the 
fifteenth year of his reign, Jeroboam, 
king 
of 
Judah began to reign. 2 
Kings xiv. 
23. 
°But 
Amaziah lived afterward 15 years. If, therefore, 
the 15th year of his reign had been reckoned 
a 
full year, it would have made 30 instead of 
23 
years. 
Hence Noah was 600 years, 
1 
month, 
27 days old when he came out "of the ark. 
And 
where the days and months are given we should 
reckon them, where they are not, we are 
bound 
to take the round number. 
* 
2. I think it more safe to take the 
testimony 
* 
Page 
103. 
MILLER'S VIEWS. 
This new work is now in progress and will be out in the 
month of January next. 
It will comprise nearly all Mr. 
Miller's unpublished writings, including what has been pub-
lished in the Signs of the Times the last year, of his Letters, 
Reviews, &c. 
The contents will be briefly as follows :—1. A Likeness of 
Mr. Miller. 
2. A brief memoir of his life, and the way he 
was led to embrace his present views. 
3. His principles of 
interpretation. 
4. His religious views. 
5. His chronology 
corrected. 
6. Chronology of prophecy. 
7. Exposition of 
the 37,3S, and 39th chapters of Ezekiel, and the 14th chapter 
of Rev. the last harvest. 
8. His Letters, Reviews, &c. 
This, in all probability will be the last work we shall 
have from this distinguished servant of God. 
In the last let-
ter received from him he speaks discouraging!}-. 
He says : 
—" Since my sickness, and disappointment in relation to the 
Conference, my mind has lost that energy it once possessed 
both |n speaking and writing, 
I feel tlfat my work is about 
done, and I wait for my last exit; or for the momentous 
summons, " Arise ye dead and cume to judgment." 
This 
subjecrwill have its infliime yet. 
O glorioOs dav, Ah 
blessed abode, When 1 shall rise and be'with God." 
I see 
that the-great battle is hastening on; the nations are angry, 
the wrath of God is hanging over our guilty heads. 
We are 
exulting over each other, we are rejoicing in the works of 
darkness, we are abominable hypocrites ! Where are our 
deep and ardent attachments to the cause of Temperance, 
Moral Reform &e., that we once professed] Gone, gone, 
gone. 
There are but a few solitary individuals in the land 
that are honest. 
All these thjjngs teach us " that the end is 
near." 
Let us be ready.—Remember me to all." 
2. If, by " the Holy City " Jerusalem be understood, it is 
not true that the Mahomedan power trod it under footj or 
conquered it, before 637. 
If by the Holy C^ty, the Christian 
church be mean!, there was no considerable portion of it trod-
den under foot until some time after the Hegina. 
2. The Holy City, the true church of Christ was given into 
the hand of the papal power, and continued to be trodden un-
der foot from 530, to 1798, a period of just 1270 years. 
In 
this case the 42 months of Rev. xiii. 
was exactly fulfilled. 
And at the end of that period the papal dominion was taken 
away. 
See Address 
io the Clergy page 43—51. 
L. 
JONES' PRINCIPLES OF 
INTERPRETATION. 
" Principles ofinterpreting the prophecies, briefly illustrated 
and applied with notes, BY HENRY 
JONES." 
150 pages 
12 mo. 
Published by Gould and Newman, New York, and 
for sale by Mo3es A. Dow, of this city, 204 Hanover Street, 
price 50 cents. 
This work contains 24 distinct principles, as " first princi-
ples of the oracles of God,''with scriptural and other proofs 
that they are none other than Scripture principles, and of 
course, safe to be used in the interpretation of the Bible gen-
erally. 
These principles are designed expressly and exclu-
sively for the ready and simple understanding of the now very 
much misunderstood spiritual, 
infinite and everlasting 
things 
of the prophecies and revelation generally; without engross-
ing the mind at all with the mere letter which killeth. 
It 
contains testimonials, of more than fifty clergymen of differ-
ent denominations of high standing. 
We have examined the 
work, and so far as able thus to decide, from a personal ac-
quaintance with the author, his general sentiments, and man-
ner of expounding the prophecies of Christ's second coming, 
by his own adopted jules of interpretation, we can recommend 
the work to Bible students generally, as a valuable auxiliary 
to a right understanding of the sacred oracles of the Old aad 
New Testaments. 
That our readers may form a correct es-
timate of the work, we have given in another page, 
the 
" nineteenth principle" 
with the"illustrations and 
exam-
ples,''-as a specimen. 
CHRONOLOGY OF THE MOIIAMEDAN POWER. 
REPLY TO j. w. CHANNINU, {See No. 10, page 77. 
The suggestion of Mr. C. in reference to the Moharnedan 
Hegina, are certainly worthy of consideration. And the fact 
that the 1260th year of the Hegira happens in A. D. 1843, 
should induce a careful examination of those prophetic peri, 
ods and events which are supposed to predict 1260 years. 
He asks,— 
' Ought not tlie 42 months in the revelation, the time the 
Holy City should be trodden under foot, to be calculated as 
lunar months 1 This would agree with the Mussulmen's 
mode ofteckoning time, and make 42 months, or 12C0 Mo-
harnedan years from 622 to 1843. 
As plausible as this theory at first appears, there are some 
insuperable objections to its adoption. 
1. If the 42 months are calculated as lunar months, 29 
and a half days to a month, there would be only 1239 days in 
the period; consequently the 1260 years of the Hegina would 
exceed the 42 months, by 21 years. 
GLAD TIDINGS.—" For the kingdom of heaven is at hand." 
This gospel is preached, not as is commonly supp*sed, con-
cerning the church, nor concerning the gospel dispensation; 
but concerning the future state, after the resurrection of the 
dead, in the world lo come. 
By Henry Dana Ward, New 
York, A. D. 1838. Daniel Appleton, 
12 mo. pp. 790. 
'For 
sale at 204. Hanover 
Street. 
This treatise sets forth the doctrine of the kingdom of hea-
ven, as the Lord Jesus himself preached it: answers some 
objections which naturally arise (o this doctrine from the 
lapse of time, and the failure of knowing the Scriptures. 
It 
enlarges upon the prophecy of Daniel, and glances at several 
interesting topics connected with the hopes of the church and 
our Lord's glorious appearing. 
We have perused the word with much satisfaction; and 
commend it to all who seek instruction relative to the glorious 
and everlasting kingdorrijpf God. 
We have given an article from this excellent work, in 
another part of this paper: 
" On this world or the world to 
come, or the kingdom of heaven," 
The reader will be rich-
ly paid by a candid perusal of it. 
A REQUEST TO MR. WILLIAM 
MILLER. 
Dear 
Brother,— 
Sometime since I had the pleasure of hearing you deliver a 
number of lectures on the second coming of Christ. 
In your 
lecture on-Daniel viii. 13. 14 I understood you to say, that 
if that was "the only text that went to prove the coming of 
Christ about the year 1843', you should feel some doubt on 
this subject; but that you could prove it seven other differ-
ent ways by the Scriptures.' Although I did not at that time, 
hear you bring any other proof. I afterwards procured your 
lectures, hut was disappointed in not finding the information 
I sought for. 
Now, sir, if you would favor the readers of the 
Signs of the Times with your calculations, and the Scriptural 
data on which they arc made, you would gratify many who 
are anxious to come to the knowledge of the whole truth on 
this deeply interesting subject. 
ABEL W. COPELAND. 
Braintree, Vt. November 11, 1840. 
SIGNS 
OF THE 
TIM.ES. 
135 
ERRATA.—In No. 14, page 110, near the Tottorta of the 
notice of Mr. Jones' Lectures, for " think strange," read 
not think strange, should the event take place in one year. 
CHRIST TO RETURN.—A 
practical 
exposition of the 
prophecy recorded in the 24th and 25th chapters of the gos-
pel according to St. Matthew, with a preface by theRt. Rev. 
L. Silliman Ives, D. D. By G. Emlen Hare, rector of Trini-
ty Church, Princeton. 
This is a work of high literary merit. 
It advocates the 
pre-millenium advent, and rescues the 24th and 25th chapters 
of Matthew ,from the false interpreters who confine it to the 
destruction of Jerusalem. 
It is an excelleut work. 
For sale 
at 204 Hanover Street. 
THE SABBATICAL 
CONVENTION. 
A large and respectable 
Convention of the various de-
nominations of Christians, was holden in this city on the 17th, 
18 and 19th ult. The subject of discussion, was the 
divine 
authority of the Christian Sabbath. 
We think those who 
hold to the observance of a particular day—the first day of 
the week, as the Christian Sabbath, vvill have much occa-
sion for gratitude that this Convention was holden. 
Much 
instruction was given, and many arguments presented, which 
cannot fail to exert a powerful influence in favor of 
keeping the first day of the week as the true Christian Sab-
bath. 
A report of 
the proceedings will be published, 
which we hope vvill be extensively circulated, and read. 
The Convention adjourned to meet again on the last Tues-
day in March, at 10 o'clock A. M. at Chardon Street Chap-
el. The subject of dtecussion will be, the divine authority 
of 
the 
Ministry. 
NEW 
AGENCY. 
MESSRS, BARTLETT 
& 
WELPOR'D, 
NO. 
2. 
Astor 
House, Broadway New York publishers and booksellers, 
will keep a collection of all our works on the 2d Advent, 
and obtain those they have not, for those who want them 
and will receive subscriptions for the 'Signs of the Times.' 
LETTERS TO A MINISTER 
OFTHE 
GOSPEL, on 
his 
and 
other interpretations 
of our Savior's predictions 
of his 
return, 
recorded Matt. 
23 : 24 : 25 : containing 
a mi-
1 nute examination 
of these prophesies, 
and exhibiting 
the 
evidence they contain that Christ's coming in the clouds 
of heaven is peisonal, 
and near at hand. 
By James 
A. 
B'egg, Glasgow, 
Scotland. 
234 pages 12 mo. 
In these letters, Mr. Begg has thoroughly reviewed a 
course of lectures on the predictions of Christ in MatlhWv by 
a distingujshed clergyman in that country. 
In the preface, 
the author makes the following statement relative to the sub-
ject and design ofthe work. 
These Letters have 
been 
more immediately 
addressed to the reverend 
gentleman by 
whose 
Expositions they were suggested. But although 
that view contained various peculiarities, 
there 
exist such a similarity and 
necessary 
connec-
tion as naturally elicted the 
animadversions of-
fered on those by whom the Coming of the Son 
of man is misapprehended 
in 
its 
nature, even 
when it has not also 
been misplaced in point of 
time. 
In adopting this method, the author feels 
satisfied that ample justice 
has 
been 
done 
to-
wards those from whose Interpretations he is 
compelled to dissent. Although the Discourses to 
which these 
Letters owe 
their 
origin, 
formed 
part of a regular course on the Gospel according 
to Matthew, the particular views therein 
main-
tained have especially been combatted with every 
circumstance in their favor, which 
ability, care, 
and deliberation could afford. 
They 
were 
ad-
vocated by a reverend 
gentleman of 
acknowl-
edged piety and talent—not 
in a few 
casual, 
hasty, or unstudied observations ; but in 
a long 
series of about twenty Lectures on the Prophetic 
part of the Savior's 
Discourse to-his 
diciples, 
with few interruptions 
extending over a 
period 
of several months—in the composition of which 
he could avail himself of the aids of 
all preced-
ing Commentators 
of 
similar 
sentiments—and 
delivered after attention 
had been loudly called 
to the doctrine 
of the 
Speedy 
Advent 
of 
the 
Redeemer, 
by 
numerous 
publications 
advoca-
ting Millenarian 
views; several 
of which 
Ije 
had 
perused, 
and 
some of the, arguments 
of 
which he publicly aimed at ig|uting. 
Of these Discourse! the author of the follow-
ing Letters took 
and 
preserved 
very 
copious 
notes, the principles of his former work 
on this 
subject being thereby 
assailed. 
These 
princi-
ples he 
deemed 
capable of ample vindication, 
and conceiving that an important service might 
be rendered to the 
cause he has espoused, by a 
full and deliberate examination of 
our 
Savior's 
predictions, he 
readily accepted of the call then 
made, that any 
farther evidence in favor of the 
pre-millennial, Personal 
Advent be 
produced. 
Believing that 
much 
has been 
exhibited, 
it is 
now, with gratitude^ committed into 
the 
hand 
of that blessed Spirit who alone can render it of 
any avail for producing conviction. 
We forbear to say more in relation to the work at this 
time, as we intend to give the most important parts of it to 
our readers. 
See" Letter," in another part of this paper. 
Papacy—Or, the Little Horn, 
I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints 
and prevailed against thein ; until the Ancient of days came, 
and judgment was given to the saints ofthe most high, and 
the time came that the saints possessed the Kingdom. 
A SIGN. 
Some of the Watchmen begin to discern " the 
signs of the times." 
We are glad to see it; and hope the 
time is near when the professed servants ofGod will see clearly 
the great events which are at hand, and will arouse the 
church to prepare for the coming of the Ancicnt of days." 
Popery will no doubt make one more effort; but in the midst 
of it, Christ will come. 
Anti-Christ will then be " des-
troyed by the brightness of his coming." 
The Editor'of the 
N. Y. Evangelist makes the following interesting remarks 
on this subject. 
Let them be read and heeded. 
ROMANISM, OR THE 
WOUNDED BEAST. 
The disposal 
which 
the 
Great Head of 
the 
Church is about to 
make 
of the Roman 
Anti-
christ, is hnow -a most important inquiry. 
The 
sure word of Prophecy 
must be 
studied. 
Ro-
manism 
was 
in 
danger 
from the 
Albigenses, 
out she quelled them by blood. 
She was again 
in jeopardy 
from 
Philip 
IV. 
of France, from 
her 
divided 
Popedom, and from 
the voice 
of 
WicklifF. 
She surmounted all these. 
She was 
again shaken to her foundations by 
the 
Luth-
eran Reformation. 
In fifty years from the 
time 
of Luther, she was deserted by 
England, Scot-
land, Denmark, 
Sweden, Livonia, Prussia, Sax-
ony, Hesse, Wurtemburg, the 
Palatinate, 
sev-
en! Cantons of 
Switzerland, and 
the Northern 
Netherlands—the 
countries this side 
the 
Alps 
and 
Pyrenees 
were 
doubtful. 
Here was 
the 
battle for fifty years more. 
Romanism triumph-
ed in France, Belgium, Austria, 
Bohemia, 
and 
over all the debateable ground. 
Two 
hundred 
years have rolled 
away, and 
Protestantism has 
no larger geographical 
extent 
in Europe 
than 
it had fifty years after Luther. 
Popery was as-
saulted by 
Infidelity in 
France. 
The 
Jesuits 
have been humbled—the Inquisition put 
down, 
but Popery reigns now in France £gain. , 
In England, the Wounded 
Beast 
is 
rising. 
Puseyism heralds 
its approach. 
In Ireland, it 
is entrenched 
in the national 
heart. 
Emigra-
tion is pouring 
it upon the 
American 
masses. 
Enough ! 
It is time to 
awake. 
The 
English 
Church was never mare 
than 
half divested 
of 
Romanism. 
Puritanism is the bulwark of 
the 
world. 
Great 
commotions, of a moral nature, 
are coming up" in English society. 
Rumors 
of 
wars hang over Catholic nations. 
Great events 
are at hand. Again, we say, study the Prophe-
cies. 
Banish 
every 
vestige of Romanism from 
the churches. 
Cling fast to 
simplicity in 
wor-
ship. 
Preach—Justification 
by 
Faith 
alone. 
Whether Popery is to have a brief and dreadful 
triumph before hejujownfall, or 
whether she is 
to be crushSPtn tifeWry arrogance of her hopes, 
it is difficult to say. There is no doubt her hopes 
now of regaining 
the 
world 
are strong. 
Let 
England and America fall before her, and there 
is little to withstand her. Her doom, however, is 
near. 
See 
Spain and 
Portugal bleeding 
with 
civil war. 
See 
France and 
Austria in 
danger 
of terrible collision—see 
England 
and 
Russia 
engaged 
in 
Asia—see 
the 
deep 
excitement 
among the lower orders in 
England. 
See 
the 
hand of overruling Wisdom 
stretche'd 
over 
all 
this ! 
Are the twelve hundred 
and sixty years 
about to close ? 
Is it in 1843, or 1856, or later! 
Who can tell? 
Be that as 
it may—the Chris-
tian soldier must not forget his armor for a 
mo-
ment, nor must he sleep on his post at a 
time 
like this—Romanism is well organized—is art-
ful—wealthy, and 
active. 
She 
is 
not to 
be 
considered a weak foe. 
She aims at 
the 
con-
quest of the world. 
"Stand, 
therefore, having 
your loins girt about with truth, and your lamps 
trimmed and burninq-." 
CORRESPONDENCE. 
EXTRACT 
OF 
A 
LETTER, 
FROM E. 
S. HOLLAND, 'LEWISBURG, PA. 
DEAR BROTHER,—I have seen and read a few 
numbers of your paper, and admire the spirit in 
which it is conducted, and the love of truth it 
displays. 
But I cannot agree with the sentiment 
that Jesus will begin a personal 
reign in 
1S43. 
Many ofthe passages applied to this 
millenium, 
I think have had their fulfillment already. 
And 
I fear that it will do Christianity 
no 
good, 
to 
raise an expectation ofthe accomplishment of this 
event, at the time alluded to, when in all 
proba-
bility as many 
will be 
disappointed 
as 
cherish 
this hope. 
Soon indeed 
the time will be 
up. 
And, I sincerely hope 
that they 
who are 
con-
verted under this expectation will not, at the close 
of that year, like the disciples at the crucifixion 
of their Lord, return to their 
former 
practices. 
It is not necessary that they should. 
I think that the past should 
warn us 
against 
great 
positiveness on this subject. 
Good 
men 
have at different times seen and predicted 
the 
end of the world. 
But thus far they have failed. 
In the tenth century, the priests told the people 
that before that century should close, the end ©f 
the world would take place. 
They believed it, 
and sold their 
lands 
for nearly 
nothing: 
and 
much of their property got into the hands of the 
priests. 
Still, the Sun continued to shine, 
and 
the operations of nature were uninterupted, and 
society was visited by no 
Messiah. 
But it is a subject worthy of close examination, 
and surely 
the 
wisdom and goodness of 
God 
which daily attends us, is able to bring about a 
glorious millenium. 
I am very sorry to see any ; 
one treat the subject with ridicule. 
It is a 
sad* 
evidence of their lack of trust in God, and is a 
departure 
from the Christian spirit. 
I believe 
that the prophecies of Daniel, 
the 
writings 
of 
136 
SIGNS 
OF THE 
TIMES. 
Paul, and the Revelation are the principal 
sour-
ces from which you draw. 
That Daniel's vision 
groups together a class of events, which in 
their 
entire fulfillment, will exhaust the course of time, 
I cannot doubt. 
Paul also alludes to what Dan-
iel saw. And the Revelation, (aneglected book,} 
under different symbols, describes the same anti-
Christian power, expressed by the youngest horn 
of Daniel's fourth sea monster, and by the " man 
of sin" described by Paul. 
This " Babylon" of 
John I consider a good syn^J,, for ^ the 
proud, 
swollen, pampered 
orthodoJ^of t!^ 
Christian 
world. 
For the 
word denotes, confusion. 
In-
deed 
the corrupted woman is called " MYSTERY 
BABYLON." 
Had John even lived at this 
hour, 
he 
could 
not 
have 
found 
a more 
appropriate 
name. 
But I am in great haste and cannot now 
go into any argument on these 
topics." 
MR. JAMES A. BEGG'S 
LETTERS. 
It wa-i our intention to have given his letter on the precise 
signification of the word " Generation," 
in this number; 
but on consideration have thought best first to give the whole 
prophesy as contained in his second letter, in its connected 
farm, with his remarks thereon, and to give the other in our 
next. 
ED. 
LETTER 
II. 
A FULL AND COMBINED VIEW OF THE SAVIOR'S 
PREDICTION Of 
HIS 
COMING 
WITH 
THE 
CLOUDS OF HEAVEN, AS RECORDED BY THE 
DIFFERENT 
EVANGELISTS, WITH 
THE VARI 
OUS INTERPRETATIONS OF EXPOSITORS. 
REVEREND 
SIR,—HAVING 
in the 
preceding 
Letter endeavored to show the importance to the 
Christian of the Doctrine of Christ's Return 
in 
Glory, and having urged the Duty of 
Investiga-
tion, I proceed to consider one of our Lord's own 
predictions concerning that 
event. 
Frequently 
as the Savior discoursed of his Coming, there is 
only one Prophecy recorded at length in 
which 
the time and circumstances 
are minutely speci 
fied. 
On the occasion alluded to, however, these 
are particularly narrated; and, with a care pro 
portioned to the importance 
of the subject, has 
the Spirit employed three of the evangelists to 
embody it with considerable fulness in their re-
spective Gospels. 
The 
account 
furnished 
by 
Matthew, which lately formed the subject 
of a 
series of Lectures by yourself, is the most 
par-
ticular; but, in the inquiry into its full meaning 
we will be greatly aided by having before us at 
one view all the circumstances 
related bv 
the 
evangelists severally, as 
each of them 
supplies 
information not furnished by the others. 
In consequence, however, of 
the 
diversified 
rapresentations of 
the 
inspired penmen, 
there 
will be, in the order of arrangement in any such 
- attempted harmony, variations in the 
allocation 
of certain particulars, 
suggested by the general 
views 
entertained 
of 
the 
whole 
prediction 
Your ideas of the time and nature of the Coming 
of the Son of man with 
the clouds of 
heaven 
will therefore lead you to object to any harmony 
which I can form ; but as the following has not 
been adopted without a careful comparison, my 
grounds of 
preference, and its accordance 
with 
the Sacred narratives, will 
more obviously ap-
I pear in course ofthe argument, in cases where 
you would at present propose adifferent arrange 
ment. 
Although wholly 
in 
the words of our 
authorized version, which have been adhered to 
even in cases where 
the connecting of the state-
ments of the different 
Evangelists 
might 
have 
required slight modification, to 
avoid very 
fre-
quent citation it has been formed into paragraphs, 
with the combined references appended to each. 
On various occasions our Lord had 
intimated 
to his disciples 
that He 
should not only be put 
to death and rise again, buUhat he should leave 
them altogether for a time. 
Nor were these in-
timations wholly confined to his disciples, 
but 
were even made to the 
Jews 
in 
general. 
A 
prediction delivered 
in 
the temple, and 
which 
contained the latter important circumstance,ap-
pears to have occasioned those inquiries by the 
apostles, in answer to which our Lord delivered 
that enlarged prophecy which is now 
to be the 
subject of 
investigation. 
In order therefore 
to 
the right understanding 
of its 
meaning, it will 
be necessary to have in view 
not only the 
pre-
diction itself, but also the 
circumstances out of 
which it arose. 
In denunciations of wrath upon the hypocrisy 
of the Scribes and Pharisees, our blessed 
Lord 
said unto them, 
" Behold I send unto you prophets, aud 
wise men, and 
cribes; and some of them ye shall kill, and crucify; and some 
of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues and persecute them 
from city to city : that upon you m».y come all the righteous 
blood slied upon the earth, from tlm blood of righteous Abel 
unto the blood of Zacharias, son of Barachias, whom ye slew 
between the temple and the altar. 
Verily I say unte you, All 
these things shall come upon this generation. 
O Jerusalem, 
Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them 
which-are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered 
thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens 
under her wings, and ye would not. 
Behold your House is 
left unto you desolate; for I say unto you, ye shall not see me 
henceforth, 
TILL ye shall say, Blessed is he that Cometh in 
the name ofthe X.ord."Matt. xxiii. 34—39. 
" And Jesus went out, and departed from the Temple; and 
His disciples came to him, to show him the buildings of the 
Temple. 
And as he went out one of his disciples saith unto 
him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings 
are here; how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts. 
And Jesus answering said unto him, See ye not all these 
things! 
Verily I say unto you, the days will come in the 
which there shall not be left here one stone upon another that 
shall not be thrown down." Matt. xxiv. 1,2, Mark xiii. 1, 2. 
Luke xxi. 5, 6, 
" And as lie eat upon the mount of Olives, over against the 
Temple, the disciples came unto him; -and Peter, and James, 
and John, and Andrew asked Hiin privately, saying, Tell us 
when shall these things be ! and what shall be the Eign of thy 
coming ami of the end of the world 1" Matt. xxiv. 3. Mark 
xiii 3, 4. Luke xxi. 7. 
" And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed lliat 
no man deceive you; for many shall come in my name, say-
ing, I am Christ, and the time draweth near-; and shall de-
ceive many: go ye not therefore after them; but when ye 
shall hear of wars, and rumors of wars, and commotions, be 
not terrified or troubled ; for all these things must first come 
to pass, but the end shall not be yet. 
For nation shall rise 
against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and thare 
shall be famines, and pestilences, and great earthquakes in di-
vers places; all these are the beginning of sorrows. 
Then 
shall they deliver you up to be afflicted; and thcy^ shall lay 
their hands on you, and persecute you, and kill you, deliver-
ing you up to the synagogues, and to councils, and into pris-
ons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake, 
for a testimony against them; and ye shall be hated of all na-
tions for my name's sake, and it shall turn te you for a testi-
mony. 
But when they shall lead you and deliver you up, 
take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye 
premeditate what ye shall answer; but whatsoever shall be 
given you in that hour, speak ye, for it is not you that speak 
but the Holy Ghost; for I will give you a mouth and wisdom 
which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay ner 
resist." Matt, xxir.4—9. Mark xiii. 5—11. Luke xxi. 8— 
15. 
" And then shall many be offended and betray one another, 
and hate one another ; and ye shall be betrayed both by pa-
rents, and brethren, and kinsfolk, and friends ; and some of 
you shall they cause to be put to death; the brother shall be-
tray the brother to death, and the father the son; and chil-
dren shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them 
to be put to death. 
And many false prophets shall arise, and 
shall deceive many. 
And because iniquity shall abound, the 
love,of many shall wax cold. 
And ye shall be hated of all 
men for my uame's sake; but there shall not a hair of your 
head.perish; in your patience possess your souls; he that 
shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. 
And this 
gospel ofthe kingdom shall be preached iu all the world, for 
a witness unto all nations, and then SHALL THE END COME."" 
Matt. xxiv. 10-14. Mark xiii. 12, 13, Luke xxi. 16—19. 
When ye, therefore, shall see the Abomination of Desola-
tion, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place 
where it ought not, (whoso readeth let him understand,) when 
ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know 
that the desolation therefcf is nigh. 
Then let them which are 
in Judea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in 
the midst of it depart out; let him which is on the house-top 
not come down to take any thing out of his house; neither 
lei him which is in the field return back to take his clothes; 
and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto; 
(or these be the days of vengeance that all things which are 
written may be fulfilled. But woe unto them that are with 
child, and to them who give suck in those days, for there shall 
be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people, 
and they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led 
away captive into all nations; and Jerusalem shall be trod-
den down ofthe Gentiles until the limes of the Gentiles be 
fulfilled." Matt. xxiv. 15—19. Mark xiii. 14—17. Luke xxi. 
29—20. 
But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither 
on the Sabbath day, for then shall be great tribulation, such 
as was not since the beginning of the creation whichGod cre-
ated unto this time, no, nor ever shall be. 
And except the 
Lord had shortened those days, there should no flesh be saved: 
bit, for the elect's sake- whom he hath chosen, he hath shor-
tened those days. 
Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo 
here is Christ, or lo he is there, believe it not ; for there shall 
arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall show great 
signs and wonders, insomuch that, if it were possible, they 
shall deceive the very elect. But take ye heed, behold I 
have foretold you all things. 
Wherefore, if they shall say 
unto you, Behold He is in the desert j go not forth ; behold 
He is in the secret chambers; believe it not. 
For a* the 
lightning coineih out of the east, and shineth even unto the 
west, so shall also the Coming ofthe 
Son of man be. 
For 
wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered 
together." 
Matt. xxiv. 20—28. 
Mark xiii. 18—23. 
But in those days, immediately 
after that tribulation, there 
shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; 
the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her 
light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, the sea and the 
waves roaring ; men's hearts failing them for fear, and for 
looking after those things which are coming on the earth: 
for the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken. 
And then 
shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven ; and then 
shall ail the tribes of the earth mourn ; and they shall see 
the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven, with pow-
er and great glory; 
ancKHe shall send his angels 
with a 
great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his 
elect, from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the 
earth to the uttermost part of heaven, from one end of heav-
en to the other. 
And when these things begin "to, come to 
pass, then look up and lift up your heads, for yoUt 
redemp-
tion drawethnigh. 
Now learn the parable of the fig-tree, 
and all the trees ; whgnthe branch is tender and pulteth forth 
leaves, ye see and knS^v <if your ownselves that summer is 
now nigh at hand. So ye, injike manner, when ye see all these 
things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is 
nigh at hand. 
Verily I say unto you, this generation 
shall 
not pass till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth 
shall pass away, but iny word shall not pass away. 
But of 
that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of 
heaven ; neither the Son, but the Father only. Take yo 
heed, watch and pray, for ye know not when the tira6 is; 
and take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be 
overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and cares ef 
this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. 
For, ««' 
a snare shall it come upon all them that dwell on the face of 
the whole earth. 
Watch ye, therefore, and pray always, 
that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things 
that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Sen of man." 
Mat. xxiv. 29—36. 
Mark xiii. 24—32. Luke xxi, 25-3<J, 
StRh is a view of this 
extensive and magni-
ficent prophecy, derived, by a combination of the 
circumstances, from the several narratives of the 
three evangelists. 
It will not, I think, be ques-
tioned by any one, that 
it appears, 
at least, to 
have two great prominent objects, the Destruc-
tion 
of Jerusalem, 
with 
the 
consequences 
which flowed directly from it, and the 
Coming 
ofthe Son of man in glory. The former is clear-
ly, and at considerable length referred to, but it 
seems no less evident, that the 
evangelists also 
foretell, and that with still greater 
minuteness, 
the Second coming 
of Christ, for 
which all 
of 
them proceed 
farther to inculcate, 
the 
duty of 
watchfulness, by a 
variety of parables descrip-
tive of the state of 
the chruch and of the world, 
at the time of His Return. 
By 
these 
we shall 
afterwards have 
occasion to advert, 
with 
the 
view of more fully demonstrating, that our Lord, 
by the coming ofthe 
Son of man in the clouds 
of heaven, means His Personal Appearance. 
At 
present, however, we proceed to notice a few of 
the 
interpretatisns 
which 
have been 
given 
of 
this portion of Scripture. 
Whatever may be the difficulties which 
the 
prediction itself involves, these, instead of being 
diminished, have been prodigiously increased by. 
learned 
and pious expositors. 
It may 
indeed 
with truth be affirmed, that more 
contradictory, 
confused, and 
inconsistent opinions have 
never 
SIGNS 
OF 
THE 
TIMES. 
S^of. J, 
been presented of any portion of the divine word, 
than have been given of this sublime prediction, 
even by friends of the Redeemer. 
Its meaning 
begins now indeed to be more clearly perceived, 
and more correct expositions are offered, and its 
circumstances 
are 
more 
generally 
understood 
than perhaps at any former period. 
A few em-
inent men 
there 
have been, in,different 
ages, 
whose views of the time and nature of the com-
ing of the Son of man we deem correct—under-
standing it not only to intimate the overthrow of 
the Jewish polity, but also the personal return of 
the Lord Jesus Christ, at the restoration of Israel, 
at the close of 
the times of the Gentiles. 
But, 
by a misconception of the Savior's meaning in 
the 34th verse, it has most .usually been suppos-
ed, that our Lord affirmed, that the whole proph-
ecy should have received its accomplishment be-
fore the generation of men then living had ceas-
ed to exist. 
This is your own idea of the words 
referred to, as it has been that of many 
eminent 
men who have gone before you. 
This 
opinion 
has however, given much ground to the enemies 
of'the Savior to triumph in His supposed failure 
as a prophet, 
ar.d has 
perplexed 
and 
afflicted 
others, whose 
views of the endowments of the 
Savior for the prophetic office would not admit 
of the 
ready 
reception 
of 
any 
interpretation 
which seemed 
inconsistent with matter of fact. 
" The near approach' of this wonderful event," 
says the infidel Gibbon, " had been predicted by 
the 
Apostles ; the tradition of it was preserved 
by 
their earliest disciples; and those 
who 
un-
derstood in their literal sense the discourses of 
Christ himself were obliged to expect the second 
and 
glorious coming of the Son of man in the 
clouds, before that generation was totally extin-
guished which had beheld Ms humble 
condition 
upon earth. 
Yet," he adds, 
"the revolution of 
seventeen 
centuries 
has instructed 
us 
not 
to 
press too closely the language of 
Prophecy and 
Revelation." 
Decline and Fall of the Roman 
Empire, Vol. 1. pp. 470. 471. 
That the coming of the Son of man in glory 
was 
continually 
urged 
upon 
the 
attention of 
Christians by the apostles, my former Letter de-
monstrates ; and that it was constantly expected 
by primitive 
believers, history 
fully 
testifies. 
But that our Lord affirmed, that it would take 
place before those alive had departed, is an idea 
which I utterly reject. 
It appears to have arisen 
from attaching a'wrong sense to a word used by 
the. Savior, and 
woeful 
have 
been the 
conse-
quences which have resulted from it. 
On 
the 
above 
passage 
from 
Gibbon, 
Dr. 
Thomas Edwards, the author of a series of Ser-
mons preached 
before 
the University of 
Cam-
bridge, in 1790, says, " The various and opposite 
methods which Theologians have adopted to re-
move an objection which is too 
obvious to be 
overlooked, form, it must 
be confessed, a very 
considerable presumption, that an adequate solu-
tion of the difficulty has not hitherto been 
dis-
• covered, and that the objection [of 
the infidel] 
. is founded on the' basis of truth." 
In confirma-
tion of this opinion,he farther adds, that 
"some 
interpreters imagine 
that the 
prophecy 
relates 
entirely to the ruin of the Jewish nation : others 
by 
the convenient 
introduction 
of 
types 
and 
double senses, perceive in it a reference through-
out to the consignation of all things. 
Some 
have contended that it partly belongs to the for 
mer, and partly to the latter; but what portions 
of it are applicable 
to the one, and what to the 
other, they cannot 
ascertain ; while a few have 
ventured to assert, that it represents the 
final 
judgment as immediately subsequent to the Jew-
ish Calamities." pp. 18. 19. 
And 
inconsistent 
as these 
views appear, they embrace all the in-
terpretations offered by Anti-millenarian exposi-
tors 
of the present day; whatever 
modification 
there 
may 
be of parts of inferior 
moment, 
of 
which there is indeed no inconsiderable variety. 
But, after such an exhibition of inconsistent 
and conflicting 
expositions, it is not a little re-
markable to find this learned preacher assert, that 
our Lord really 
did predict the advent of " the 
Son of man descending visibly from heaven,before 
the generation then existing was totally extin-
guished." ! p. 23. 
And 
again, 
he says, " our 
Lord, in the 24th of Matthew, decisively foretells, 
that the generation then existing should not be 
totally extinguished 
till 
it had* witnessed 
his 
Second and glorious appearance in the clouds 
of heaven"!! p. 19. 
He thence concludes, that 
"the records^of history 
do not authorize us to 
believe that this prediction was accomplished at 
the destruction of Jerusalem." pp. 19, 20. 
And 
he further states, that 
" that this awful predic-
tion is not recorded among the stupendous prodi-
gies 
of the Jewish 
war." p. 23. 
Who 
could 
hesitate for a moment in placing his own 
inter-
pretation among the number which have present-
ed no adequate solution of the difficulty? 
And 
who does not perceive that the great 
stumbling-
block has been the idea attached to "this genera-
tion." 
Mr. Faber, an eminently learned living author, 
who has devoted much attention to the study of 
prophecy, while 
he places the coming of the Son 
of man at the close of the times of the 
Gentiles, 
and not only regards it as an 
event yet future 
but as near at hand, denies it to be the personal 
return of Christ. 
While he rejects as a "vulgar 
error" that interpretation which makes this event 
a Figurative Advent at the destruction of Jeru-
salem, 
he not much less inconsistently with the 
whole object and scope of the 
prediction, 
still 
understands it to be a figurative advent at 
the 
restoration of Israel! 
But a still more remarkable view of this im 
portant prediction is that given by Mr. Houghton, 
the author of two sermons on the subject. 
Hav-
ing, as he conceives, discovered discrepancies in 
the sacred 
narratives, he 
says, 
" From 
these 
differences among the Evangelists, it is evident 
that they spoke of the destruction of Jerusalem, 
and of the end of the world PROMISCUOUSLY, and 
consequently that they considered these two ad-
vents as one and the same ! !! " p. 225. 
Again 
he says, " Mark and Luke, while evidently dis-
coursing of the calamities of the Jews, 
seem to 
rise by a sudden 
transition 
from the period of 
the Jewish state to that of the world itself, and 
describe the coming of our Savior in terms near 
ly similar and equally sublime with those of Mat 
thevj, yet all with one consent refer the whole to 
that present generation." p. 226. 
When such views are put forth by 
Christian 
authors, who can wonder 
at the 
charges of the 
Infidel Historian, or condemn as uncalled for the 
sneer they elicit? It is not at all surprising, that 
the enemy of our religion should continue dissat-
isfied, although he as says, " Erasmus removes 
the difficult by the help 
of allegory and 
meta-
phor, and the learned Grotius ventures to 
in-
sinuate, that for wise purposes the pious decep-
tion was permitted to take place." 
On the same ground, namely, 
the 
supposed 
necessity of finding the fulfilment of the 
whole 
prophecy during thej lifetime of at least some of 
those alive when 
it was 
delivered, many 
have 
conceived the coming of the Son of man 
in 
the 
clouds of heaven to have taken place 
after 
the 
destruction of Jerusalem, by the preachingof 
the 
gospel, or otherwise. 
This was the view 
which 
you 
yourself 
sometimes 
avowedly took ; but 
it was so mixed up, in a manner not very 
easily 
understood, or rather at different times you took 
such different views of the 
words, that any 
at-
tempt at reply 
must embrace 
the 
whole. 
At 
one time you represent the coming 
of the 
Son 
of Man in the clouds of heaven to 
be the 
des-
truction of Jerusalem itself by the Romans ; at 
another time it became 
the 
overthrow of 
the 
Jewish polity, which followed 
that event; 
and 
at a third time it was represented as 
the 
suc-
cessful propagation of the gospel by the apostles ; 
and again all of these were 
introduced as if all 
equally the one event of the Coming of Christ ;— 
and, finally, there was occasionally the opinion 
given, that it still had a a leaning and looking 
forward 
to the Personal Return of the 
Savior ; 
while there was, nevertheless, a 
constant 
and 
undeviating assertion, that all had been fulfilled 
during the life-time of 
some of those who were 
the contemporaries of our Lord.* 
Such a variety of interpretations of one glori-^ 
ous 
event, given in language 
perfectly precise, 
and having a definite time appointed for 
its ac-
complishment, seems 
not very unlike the solu-
tions sometimes presented by the pupils to whom 
has been assigned the task of 
proving 
certain 
problems by every 
variety 
of computation, for 
the purpose of exercising them 
to ingenuity : 
the comparison would indeed appear in favor of 
the latter. 
For, while it must be confessed that 
probably nine-tenths of the ingenious calculations 
are neither designed to be repeated, nor perhaps 
ever will be in actual business, yet they have all 
had the merit of at least leading to the right con- 
•, 
elusion ; but it is obvious that in every case 
tin 
which predictions referring to one event are 
ap-
plied to a number 
of very different events,—amf 
events of an 
opposite 
nature,—not 
more than 
one can be correct. 
And, 
in the 
enumeration 
above referred to, the 
interpretations 
are 
evi-
dently altogether wrong, 
having excluded 
the 
only event to which the prophecy can j;efer—the 
personal Coming of the Son of man 
at the close 
of the limes of the Gentiles. 
The following remarks of Dr. Benson appear 
to me to state accurately 
the duty of 
a 
Com-
mentator, to which it is 
much to 
be 
regretted 
that more attention is not given, rather than 
u 
discover by 
ingenuity in how 
many ways 
the 
text may lie confused and a reader perplexed, by 
having his attention forced 
from 
the 
obvious 
meaning of the divine anunciatien made : " It is 
the business of the Commentator to find out 
the 
one true sense of Holy Scripture, 
and to set 
it 
before his reader in as clear a 
light as he can." 
Again, the Doctor says, 
" It appears to me that 
a Critical Interpreter of Holy 
Scripture 
should 
set out with this as a first principle 
, viz. that 
no text of Scripture has more than one meaning, 
that one true sense he should 
endeavor to 
find 
out, as he would find out the sense of Homer or 
* Among tlio multitude of astonishing interpretations which 
have been offered of Mat. xxiv. there is yet one worthy of 
being put upon record. 
It was delivered in your own pulpit, 
since the publication of the first edition of my " Connected 
View," by a person then a probationer, but who now has the 
spiritual oversight of a Christian congregation. 
Evidently 
regarding his affirmation as of more consequence than the 
multiplicity of evidence produced for the premillennial re-
turn of the Redeemer, he at once set aside both your interpre-
tation and mine, by an emphatic " I say it contains a Proph-
ecy concerning the church, from the time that she came 
out of 
THE GARDEN OF EDEN, till the end 
of 
time"!!! 
Any remark on this felicitous discovery is not more un-
necessary than it would be unappreciated 
by its author. 
Scriptural 
argument were useless, unless, "J say," 
is 
preferred to " thus saith the Lord.,' 
138 
SIGNS 
OF 
THE 
TIMES. 
^
^
^
^
^ 
any other ancient writer. 
When- he has 
found 
out that sense, he ought to acquiesce in 
it, and 
*o ought his readers too, unless by the just rules 
of interpretation, they can show that he has mis-
taken the passage ; and that another is the one, 
just, true, and critical sense of the place." 
This unity 
of sense it will be my 
object both 
to exhibit and vindicate, 
satisfied that thus only 
is the true meaning of the prediction to 
be 
ob-
tained, and convinced 
that God 
is more to 
be 
glorified by it than by any 
scheme, 
however 
wtll designed, which is destitute 
of 
his 
sacred 
sanction. 
Before, however, proceeding farther, 
it will be proper 
to endeavor to 
remove the ob-
stacle which has been supposed to lie in the way 
of consistent interpretation, 
and which has 
oc-
casioned such absurdity, confusion, and contra-
diction. 
This will, therefore, 
form the subject 
of the following Letter. 
THE 
NATIONS. 
PROGRESS 
OF 
THE 
BATTLE. 
IMPORTANT NEWS FROM SYRIA. 
The 
following 
important 
intelligence 
from 
the East is published in the 
Moniteur Parisien 
of Sunday night:— 
" TOULON, OCT. 31, 6 o'clock, p. 
M. 
" Alexandria, Oct. 
17. 
" THE CONSUL' GENERAL, 
TO THE 
MINISTER 
FOR 
FOREIGN AFFAIRS. 
" The events 
in Syria 
have 
become 
more 
grave for Mehemet Ali. 
Beyrout 
has been oc-
cupied by the Anglo-Turks 
who were fortifying 
Seyde. 
The Emir 
Bechir 
had 
surrendered. 
He has abandoned the cause 
of Mehemet Ali. 
The 
insurrection 
is 
making 
progress in 
the 
mountains. 
" Ibrahim 
(Pacha) is about to concentrate his 
forces." 
" TOULON, OCT. 31,1-2 7 p. M. 
" Malta, Oct. 
27. 
" THE CONSUL OF FRANCE TO THE 
PRESIDENT OF 
THE COUNCIL. 
*' The 
British 
war-steamer 
Cyclops 
arrived 
here this morning from Seyde, whence 
she 
de-
parted on the 21st. 
She has on board the Emir 
Bechir, with 15 members of his family and 
115 
persons of his suits, on their way to England. 
" The captain of 
the 
Cyclops has 
confirmed 
the rising of nearly the whole of the inhabitants 
of the 
mountains." 
It would thus appear 
that the 
Eastern ques-
tion, so far as Syria is concerned, is pretty well 
settled, and that the only point which 
now 
re-
mains for discussion, is, whether 
the decheance 
of Mehemet 
Ali from 
the Pachalic of Egypt 
shall or shall not be enforced. 
The resignation of Theirs and his associates 
took place on the 21st of October, after a sharp 
discussion in Council, 
on the Kings Speech 
to 
the Chambers, which 
Thiers 
wished to 
make 
warlike, and Louis Philippe refused to submit to, 
desiring 
peace. 
What will be the effect of this political 
revo-
lution in France, in the peace 
of 
Europe, 
re-
mains to be seen. 
The 
London Morning 
Her-
ald says : 
" It is idle to 
speculate at present on French 
ministerial 
combinations 
and 
their 
results. 
Whether a Soult-Guizot or a Guizot-Soult Min-
istry be formed or not, the fate 
of France 
and 
the decision of the question of peace or war can-
not be ascertained before the assembling 
of the 
Chambers. 
The 
comparative calm 
in which 
French affairs appear to be at present lulled, 
i* 
no proof that warlike intentions are suppressed, 
or that angry passions have subsided. 
It 
may 
be but the sullen calm prelusive of a fiercer tem-
pest." 
OBITUARY. 
Another 
saint has fallen! 
Another 
choice 
spirit has left th is scene of toil and suffering, to 
dwell 
in a 
purer, 
holier, 
and 
happier 
clime! 
Another pilgrim has consummated 
her journey 1 
Mrs. SUSAN M. 
HALL, the 
wife 
of 
BENJAMIN 
HALL, of Groton, departed this life, after a sick-
ness of three weeks at her mother's late residence 
in 
this 
city, on Monday, Oct. 5th.—The death 
of this dear sister was 
preceded by a 
train 
of 
most 
unusual 
and 
remarkable 
providences. 
About the first of August last, her mother, broth-
er, and a sister, then residing in 
the city, 
went 
to Groton to spend a few weeks on a visit. 
The 
brother, when he left the city, was slightly indis-
posed, but his disease was thought to be nothing-
more than a common cold. 
But soon after their 
arrival at Groton, he was severely attacked with 
the fever, which terminated his existence in the 
space of a few weeks. 
During 
the sickness of 
the brother, Mrs. Hall's mother was 
taken with 
the same fever, and died sometime 
previous to 
the young man. 
Having 
sustained such 
an af-
flictive stroke, and 
having become fatigued 
by 
the labor and care consequent upon such protract-
ed sickness, MRS. HALL, with her family, come 
to the city for rest, and 
for a change of scenes. 
But alas ! rest was not hers, until 
she 
found it 
in another world. In a few days after her 
arri-
val in the city, sha, and her little son, and sister, 
were seized by the same disease that 
had 
car-
ried two of the family to the grave. 
But 
MRS. 
HALL was not thought 
dangerous, until a 
short 
time before her death. 
But she is no more ! Her 
days of sorrow, and suffering, and toil are ended! 
She is an inhabitant of a better clime. 
But 
her 
loss 
is 
great—irreparable. 
The 
breach 
her 
death has made in the family, in the little church 
at Groton, and in society at large, is great, 
and 
deeply deplored. 
She was a sincere 
Christian, 
and an assiduous and 
untiring promoter of the 
reforms of the age. 
She was a most ardent and 
devoted friend of the 
cause 
of christian 
union. 
Her sacrifices and efforts were freely made for 
the promotion of this 
cause. 
It was owing 
in 
no small 
degree 
to her 
solicitations 
and 
un-
bounded kindness, that 
the effort in this cause, 
commenced 
at Groton. 
We can never 
forget, 
while memory 
lasts, her great kindness to 
us, 
and her 
ardent devotion to the cause we 
love, 
and to which we have committed 
our all. 
But 
it is a cheering 
thought,' that our 
much 
loved 
sister has gone where there is perfect union. 
In 
heaven there is no sectarian 
strife, 
bigotry, or 
selfishness. 
It is a state 
of perfect peace, and 
the most 
endearing 
union. 
Let us, 
then, by 
cultivating the spirit of heaven, prepare to follow 
our dear, departed sister. 
She has not 
left the 
cause. 
She has only been removed to a higher 
and 
more 
enlarged 
sphere of the same 
great 
work. 
She has, unquestionably, become a min-
istering 
spirit, 
and we 
may still be 
comforted 
and aided by her kind ministrations, though in-
visible to us, 
not again to come 
to us; but if 
faithful we shall soon go to her. 
She has 
only 
anticipated us a little in entering the 
final 
rest 
of the saints. 
She has ouly joined 
the 
happy 
union above a little before us. 
By grace assist-
ing us, we shall soon be numbered with the same 
holy and blissful fraternity. 
S. 
HAWLEY. 
Postscript, 
THREE DAYS LATER FROM EUROPE. 
BY THE GREAT WESTERN. 
It seems by the following sumary of the accounts from the 
East, that, the Alied Powers are victorious in Syria. There 
is no longer a hope for Mehemet Ali to retain his Syrian do-
minions. 
FROM SYRIA—-OVERTHROW or THE EGYPTIANS. 
Regular despatches have been received from Syria to the 
12th, and Alexandria to the 10th, which fully confirm the 
news of the capture of Beyrout and the defeat of the Egyp-
tians by the Turks and their allies. 
Beyrout was evacuated 
on the 10th, and next day about 2000 Egyptians returned to 
the town, then in possession of the Allies, and made them-
selves prisoners. 
The camp at 
Djuni bay has since been 
broken up. 
Ibrahim Pacha has been completely beaten in a 
pitched battle ; the Emir Beschir has capitulated, and is at 
Malta ; the Libanns is in a complete state of insurrection : 
Ibrahim is straitened in every direction, and, it is thought, 
will speedily beobligad to evacuate the whole of Syria; St. 
Jeand'Acre is besieged. 
Indeed, the greater part of Syria 
may be said to have past from the hands of Mehemet All, at 
jeast all the north of Lebanon, with the exception of Tripo-
The Sultan is making great preparations to prosecute the 
war with rigor. 
He has sent 5000 more troops, and as many 
muskets to Syria ; and the English frigate, the Talbot, and 
the Austrian brig Montecuculi have been placed at his dispo-
sition for that purpose. 
A postcript to one of these letters 
mention the report of St. Jean d'Acre having been taken by 
the Allies, but this report the editors of the Herald believe 
to be premature. 
France stands nutrel as yet. But the question will 
soon 
come up in a form that will draw her into the conflict. 
We 
refer to the question of dispossessing Mehemet Ali of his 
Egyptian dominions. 
We think the Sultan will demand this, 
in which case France will object, and take up in defence of 
the Vice Roy of Egypt. 
While the journals of the day are 
" crying peace," our fear is, that the Sultan, through Lord 
Ponsonby's influence will demand the entire subjugation of 
Mehemet Ali, which cannot be done, without a serious con-
flict between the Allies, tlie^gyptians and French. 
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