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<©ur Corospnknts,
For the Index and Baptist.
BRUNSWICK.
An Important Field of Labor— Br®. Atklasoo—
The Crops—Baptist Snoday-sehool—A Kind
Deed, £3®*;
Valdosta, Ga., June 7,187 -
Dear Index —Since my last, I have
visited the city of Brunswick, at the
request of the good pastor, and found
a meeting of interest in progress. I
remained a week and preached the best
I could. There was considerable inter
est on the subject of religion in the
community ; the church was much re
vived, other denominations to some
extent sharing in this blessing, and
several were added to the number of
the saved,
I am now, more than ever, persuaded
that Brunswick is a most important
field of labor, and that brother Atkin
son is the man for the field. A harder
working, more earnest, faithful pastor,
Ido not know; ho has labored under
many disadvantages and has had much
to discourage his pious heart, but I
trust “ the clouds are now breaking
away,” and he will rejoice yet more at
seeing the work of the Lord prosper
ing in his hands. There has been very
great improvement in the church since
he became pastor, and ho has now some
as good, working members as can be
found anywhere. May God bless brother
Atkinson in his self-denying labor, and
put it into the hearts of his people to
sustain him.
The good Lord has blessed us in this
portion of the Slate with refreshing
rains ; the oat crop has been harvested
and the yield is very gratifying indeed ;
corn and cotton look well, and, on the
whole, the outlook to farmers is very
encouraging. Will not theso tokens of
Divine favor awakon gratitude in the
hearts of His people and lead sinners to
repentance? What an evil and bitter
thing to requite the favor and forbear
ance of a gracious God with ingrati
tude and rebellion.
I would that I might report cheering
news from this part of the moral vine
yard, but I hear of no revival —of none
turning to the Lord. But the cry of
some now is, “Wilt thou not revive us
again, that thy people may rejoice in
Thee ? ” Tho past favors and mercies
of our God encourage us to trust Him
in the time to come. Ho has never dis
appointed us in “ the by-gone,” why
should wo not hope still in His mercy ?
Our Sundav-school work is prosperous;
we do confidently hope that ere long,
we shall report a Sunday-school in every
church in Mercer Association. The
Baptist Sunday-schools in this placo
have been steadily improving over since
I came here. We now number consider
ably over one hundred. To brother
Irwin, I would say, our church and Sun
day-school both contribute systemati
cally and statedly to the cause of mis
sions.
The pastor’s heart, (and more hearts
than his,) was made glad by one of those
episoc.es in the experience of not too
many of God’s toiling servants, which
speak the love and appreciation of his
dear flock. Very unexpectedly, his
storeroom was replenished with flour
and hams, and coffee and butter and
honey, etc. O, how these acts of kind
ness on tho part of the church and con
gregation endear them to the pastoi.
Assured of their interest in his tempo
ral welfare, be can labor and pray more
earnestly for their spiritual good. Pray
for me, that I may bo worthy of the
confidence and affection of this dear
people, and that may labors may be
abundantly blessed. Fraternally,
J. Mcß.
For the Index and Baptist.]
A FKW MACON ITKMS.
The Second Baptist church has for
mally disbanded, and about a dozen of
its more prominent members have join
ed the First church. I believe this
step was taken after mature delibera
tion. It leaves brother Wood, tho se
curity of the church's debt, and the
person responsible for the balance of
several hundred dollars due, in posses
sion of the house, which he can sell if
he sees fit. The Sunday school car
ried on in that building mostly by
memb.rs of the First church will be
transferred again to the Mission
Chapel, in South Macon.
The Sunday-school of the First
church continues to flourish; and the
congregations in our services of wor
ship continue large. Dr. Skinner has
introduced an innovation which, so far,
meets with favor. Instead of holding
night services, as formerly, he now be
gins the second Lord’s day services at
six o’clock in the afternoon, aud con
cludes before dark.
The weekly prayer-meeting is held
on Wednesdays at the same hour, and
the large attendance warrants the
change, many members preferring that
hour to a service after supper, during
these short evenings.
The teacher’s meeting of the Sunday
school is held at 5:30 p. m. on Friday,
and two-thirds or three-fourths of the
forty odd teachers attend, which is a
favorable indication, both as to the
spirit of the teachers and as to the ad
vantageousness of the hour of meeting.
Let other schools take a bint and fol
low our example.
Due preparations are being made for
an interesting Mercer Commencement,
but I hope to see moie visitors here
this year than were present last year.
According to my observation one
would hardly have known last year that
it was the Commencement of a Baptist
College.
The patrons of Mercer cannot but
be gratified with the condition and
progress of the Institution and stu
dents under the care and instruction of
its present faculty.
Dr. Mclntosh is with us on his way
home from the Convention, and from
the General Associations of Kentucky
and Viaginia. He says the prospects
of the Home Mission Board are bright
ening very much, and that he has prom
ises of hearty support from all quar
ters.
The arrangements for publishing
Kind Words in Macon, by which its
continuance is secured for the next
five years, meets with very general fa
vor and is helping the paper, as it
gives permanence to it and secures con
fidence on the part of subscribers. Let
Georgia Baptists rally to its support.
It was a lucky day for the Home
Board when it secured Dr. Mclntosh
for its Secretary, for if any man cau
carry it safely through the breakers, in
the midstjof which it now is, he can —
and I believe he will. S. B.
July 6th, 1876
For the Index aud Baptist.
“ANOTUKR IMPOSTER.”
Concord Church, Madison Cos., Fla., )
June 2, 1876. j
P. S. Lunsford came to this, our
community, from Worth county, Geor
gia, sometime during February of last
year, professing to be a Baptist minis
ter in search of health, and a position.
This church received him with open
arms, and for a time considered him a
shinning light, during which time he
married a very respectable widow of
this neighborhood.
After a certain time, suspicions were
aroused, by some of his transactions
with some of the citizens, upon which
his credentials were called for; but,
for reasons best known to himself,
they were not shown.
He pretended to be an agent for a
certain Bible Company, of Atlauta,
Georgia, and received a certain sum of
money from this church, for the pur
pose of purchasing a church Bible,
which sum of money, we have every
reason to believe, ho appropriated to
himself. He left here for Worth
county, Geoigia, on the 27th of July,
1875, for the purpose of collecting, as
he said, a few accounts that were due
there, leaving his wife, and the com
munity generally, under tho impres
sion that he would return in three
weeks ; since which time we have never
heard from him.
Concord church, in conference, re
spectfully ask that you give space to
the foregoing communication, that no
other community may be imposed up
on. W. H. Bryant, Moderator.
James A. Bently, Church Clerk.
For the Index and Baptist,
ALPHARETTA, GEORGIA.
Atlanta, Ga., June 7,1876.
Editors Indrx —lt was my pleasure
to visit the above named place on Sat
urday and Sunday last, and propose
now to give the readers of Thb Index
what I saw on the trip.
On my arrival at Alpharetta I found
no Baptist church in the place, which
is to be very much regretted, but the
Methodist brethren kindly tendered me
their pulpit, (and this, too, on their
regular meeting) which I occupied on
Saturday night and Sunday. My con
gregations were large and well ordered,
and I trust some good seed was sown.
On Saturday Hon. 0. P. Skelton, Su
perintendent of the Union Sunday
school, called on me and requested me
to meet and address the school at 9 a.m.
Sunday. I agreed to try, and on ar
rival at the church at that early hour,
I found one of the finest Sunday-schools
in the State in session, numbering 174
scholars. Ten regular teachers belong
to the school, aud others temporal ily.
I am forced to say that the singing
was as good as I ever heard. It was
sufficient to stir the feelings of the
most dormant soul. The little girls
performed their part so nobly ! The
songs “Rock of Ages,” and “A "Light in
the Valley,” will long be remembered
by your correspondent. Brother Jas.
Allen is the leader of music, and de
serves much praise for his indefatiga
ble energies in his department.
The Milton county Sabbath-school
Association meets at Alpharetta on the
25th of August, when a good time is
expected. Judge Sessions, Hon. Mr.
Lester, of Marietta, andMr. Bell, of
Cumming, are invited to deliver ad
dresses on the occasion. The Index
staff are invited.
At the close of the services on Sun
day night, some twenty persons pre
sented themselves for prayer, and
many eyes were dampened with tears,
some of penitence and some of joy.
Dr. Skelton kindly proposed to repre
sent The Index among tho Baptist
brethren in his vicinity. I returned on
Monday, via Norcross, while my heart
still lingered with the good people
around Alpharetta. Rev. Mr. Harris
is the preacher in charge, who extend
ed to mo very marked courtesies.
I am proud to say that crops are
looking very fine everywhere, and
farmers all seem cheerful. Harvesting
has already commenced and the pros
pect is good. E. S. V. Briant.
—Men preserve the fire by blowing
it; so, by diligence, we must kindle the
gifts of God bestowed upon us.
THE CHRISTIAN INDEX AND SOUTH-WESTERN BAPTIST.
For the Index and BaptlM.|
CHRISTIANITY VS. INFIDELITY.
BY BEVERLY H. WASHINGTON, A.M. M.D.
" Be ready always to give an answer to every
one that asketh you a reason of the hope that
is in you.”—l Peter iii: 15.
In accordance with the above com
mand, it is proposed in this article to
give an array of evidence in favor of
Christianty, which will not require a
vast amount of learning to comprehend,
but will be simple enough for a way
faring man, and yet strong enough to
defy the strongest efforts of any infidel
in the land. Without saying one word
in regard to the inspiration of the
writers of theßible and the authenticity
of the text, the Bible itself will be taken
as it stands, and it can he shown that
all important things mentioned therein,
have been arranged on a well defined
antithetical plan, extending from the
beginning work of the Creator, de
scribed by Moses, to the closing work
described by John, and including all
things, whether accidental or de
signed.
The inspiration of the Bible not be
ing proven, no statement in it concern
ing any single individual nation, locali
ty or fact, can be justly considered
evidence sufficient to justify belief ; but
when we find that all important state
ments are paired off, exactly opposites,
in accordance with a clear plan of an
tithesis, then the whole will constitute
an array of evidence which cannot, be
touched by any infidel.
For example, no infidel will be so
mad with folly as to affirm that Moses
made his statement that darkness was
on the face of the deep at the begin
ning work of the Creator, well knowing
that John would 1500 years later fur
nish th ■ counter statement in relation
to the eternal light of the New Jeru
salem, the closing work of the Creator.
Now then, without any further waste
of words, let us proceed to develop the
plan, and leave the infidel to manage
tho case as best he may.
Tho Old Testament is devoted to tho
actions of man in the image of God—
the New Testament is devoted to tho
actions of God in the image of man in
person of the Saviour.
We also have made known unto us
Father, Son and Holy Spirit, three
persons in one nature, and on the con
trary, we have body, soul and,spirit,
in man, three natures in one person:
and this antithesis is perhaps as re
markable as any in the whole Bible.
The first book of the Old Testament
speaks of tho darkness that was on the
face of the deep at the beginning work
of tho Creator, and the last book of
the New Testament, speaks of the
eternal light of thiLNew Jerusalem,
closing work of tbej preatf>r. !
Moses announced that darknoss wtys
upon the face of the deep, and at the
command of God, light was. The
course of creation so graphically de
scribed by Moses in antithesis of light
and darkness, day and night, land and
water, waters under the firmament or
waters in a fluid state, and waters
above the firmament in the form of
vapors or clouds in the air; the earth,
a single stationary orb at first, merely
revolving on its own axis, without any
fixed signs, seasons, days aud years,
without any external attraction of
gravitation, without external light,
without external heat, and the perfec
tion of the antithesis on the fourth
day, by the creatoin of the sun, moon
and millions of stars, tho providing of
the earth with fixed signs, seasons,
days and years, with external attrac
tion of gravitation, with external light,
with external heat, and the translation
of the earth from a stationary orb to a
moving one, traveling in its orbit
around the sun. I shall leave for
elaboration at some other time, and will
pass on to what more immediately con
cerns man.
Adam and Eve, male and female,
created He them. Adam and all other
animals sprung directly from the dust
of the earth. Eve did not spring
directly from the dust of the earth, and
she was the only member of the whole
animal kingdom that did not thus
spring directly from the dust of the
earth : yet Moses happened, accidental
ly, as infidels would say, to mention
her case so as to make the antithesis
complete
Eve, the bride of the first Adam,
springing from his wounded side, was a
lively type of the church, the bride of
the second Adam, springing from the
side of the Saviour, but the first Adam
and his bride lost their happy home ic
Eden, the first placo of happiness for
man, while the second Adam and his
bride, the church, will never lose their
happy home in the New Jerusalem, the
last place of happiness for man.
Eve) sprung from Adam without any
human mother, and at the appointed
time, Jesus Christ sprung from the
virgin Mary without any human
father, thus perfecting one of the most
wonderful antitheses created.
Adam and Eve were placed inside
of the garden of Eden, and as long as
they remained obedient, were not sub
ject. to death—were naked and with
out shame—havingsirned, they became
subject to death, were placed outside
of the garden of Eden, were clothed
and with shame.
Eden contained a tree, the eating of
the fruit of which would load to death,
but the New Jerusalem wi.l contain no
tree of death within its blessed walls.
Adam and Eve were expelled from
Eden lest they might partake of the
fruit of the tree of life and live forever,
but in the New Jerusalem, all of its in-
habitants will be allowed to partake of
the fruit of the tree of life, in order
that they may live forever.
All things were made very good at
first, and Adam’s labor was pleasant
and profitable; but after his fall the
earth was cursed, made to produce
briers and thistles; and his labor be
came disagreeeble and unprofitable.
Cain, the eldest son, brought no
blood in his offering and was rejected
by the Lord ; Abel, the younger,
brought blood in his offering and it
was accepted by the Lord.
The ancient patriarchs lived to a
great age, seldom dying under 700 and
900 years ; modern patriarchs seldom
reach the three score and ten alluded
to by the Psalmist.
Noah and his family, that is, eight
souls, were saved at the time of the
flood, while the sinning millions perish
ed.
The tower of Babel arose surrounded
by the descendants of Noah, all work
ing harmoniously and speaking one lan
guage ; soon, however, the tower was
abandoned, and the people scattered in
consequence of the confusion of lan
guage by the Lord.
Pe.rah, the elder, with children, was
rejected by the Lord; and Abraham,
the younger, without any children,
was selected by the Lord to become the
progenitor of an innumerable multi
tude.
I will here, parenthetically, note the
fact that Perah and Abraham first com
menced that grand westward march,
followed by empires and cities which
caused Berkely to write : “ Westward
the star of empire takes its way,” and
call attention to the fact that the Rus
sian empire has made the antithetical
march eastward for it is only a few
hundred miles farther west than Peter’s
capital, and has extended its conquests
eastward thousands of miles.
Ishmael, the elder son, again rejec
ted by the Lord and cast out ; while
Isaac the younger was selected as the
one through whom the world should
be blessed.
The Ishmaelites, the descendants of
the bond-woman, became a fierce and
liberty loving people, literally fulfilling
the prophecy that they should dwell rn
the presence of their brethren : Assy
rians, Babylonians, Medes, Persians,
Macedonians, Romans ; even the most
celebrated generals, Lucullus, Pompey,
the emperors, iEluis Gallus, Trajan,
aud Severus, Turks and Mammalukes,
have in vain essayed their conquest.
The Israelites, the descendants of
the free-women, became slaves in Egypt
without resistance, and were frequent
ly enslaved.
All of the ancient nations of Europe
■'nd Western Asia have, been extermi
* ed ; (but the IJhmaelltes add Isra
elites fill out the antithesis completely,
no one disputing their descent from
Abraham.
Esau was described as a hairy man aud
a skilled hunter, while Jacob was de
scribed as a smooth man and a plain
one. Esau, the elder, was rejected) by
the Lord aud Jacob, the younger, se
lected as the one through whom his
promise should be fulfilled.
It was prophesied that the elder
should serve the younger, and the Ed
omites were conquered by the Israel
ites under David.
So then we have two elder brothers
rejected, and the descendants of one,
the Ishmaelites, never conquered, while
the descendants of the'other were con
quered ; furthermore, it should be noted
that the Ishmaelites retained their
knowledge of the true God, while the
Edomites went off into idolatry.
All human beings have been con
sidered mortal; yet we read that Enoch
and Elijah were allowed to enter the
unseen world without dying; further
more, it should be noted that Enoch
and Elijah filled out an antithesis with
the Saviour ; they were translated
without dying—he was also translated
but compelled to die first.
The light of the Shekinah, or Divine
presence, was hidden for 1,500 years
within the holy of holies, wherein not
a ray of external light was allowed to
enter ; at the crucifixion thejveil of the
temple was rent, and, as the external
light entered, the Shekinah departed,
never more to be seen by any Jewish
High Priest.
The light of the Shekinah was kept
concealed for 1,500 years within the
holy of holies, and only one individual
allowed to see it—the High Priest, who
entered once a year—at the day of
Pentecost, the manifestation of the Di
vine presence was made before the won
dering thousands in Jerusalem.
The Jewish High Priest entered a
holy of holies, wherein not a ray of ex
ternal light could enter, bearing blood
not his own, and which could not take
away sins ; Jesus, our High Priest, en
tered a holy of holies in the Heavens,
wherein all is light, bearing his own
blood, which could take away sins.
This antithetical plan of creation aud
of Revelation gives a complete solution
of the enigmas of titles, types, and
prophecies, and enables us to appre
bend and comprehend them better than
we can possibly do, when we do not
recognize the plan.
For example, the Saviour is styled
the Son of God—the everlasting Father;
the Son of God —the Son of man ; the
Alpha— tire Omega ; the First—the
Last; the Beginning—the End ; the
Lamb <>f God —the Lion of the tribe of
Judah; the Lamb of God—the Good
Saepherd; the True Vine—the
Brauch ; He that liveth—and was
dead; our Master—a Servant obedient
until death ; the King of Kings—then
shall the Son, Himself, be subject; the
Desire of all nations —despised and re
jected of men.
Now let us take up a few of the most
remarkable types of the Saviour, and
we shall find that in the grand leading
thought they were antithetical to the
Saviour—fully justifying Paul’s decla
ration in the tenth chapter of Hebrews
that the law contained a shadow of good
things to come, not the very image of
the things.
Melchisedek was a remarkable type
of the Saviour ; he was a crowned
priest—Jesus has been crowned also;
he was without priestly father—Jesus
was without priestly father; he was
without priestly mother —Jesus was
without priestly mother; he was with
out priestly genealogy—Jesus was
without priestly genealogy—He had
no beginning of priestly days (at 30
years of age)—Jesus had no beginning
of priestly days (at 30 years of age ;)
he had no end of priestly life (at 50
years of age)—Jesus had no end of
priestly life (at 50 years of age;) he was
a priest continually—Jesus ever liveth
to make intercessions for us ; he was a
universal priest, not restricted as were
the Jewish priests—Jesus is a univer
priest; he ministered bread and wine
to Abraham—Jesus ministered and yet
ministers bread and wine to his follow
ers. These points make him a clearly
defined “shadow” of the Saviour, but
he was “not the very image” of Him,
for m thebnelgrani point —the salvation
of man —all has rvices were perfectly
worthless—while Jesus is able to save
to the uttermost, all who come to God
by Him.
Jonah was a type of the Saviour, he
was buried and rose again the third
day, as did the Saviour, but he was
antithetical in other points. Jonah was
buried alive—Jesus was buried when
dead; Jonah was buried in the sea —
Jesus was buried on land. The Nine
vites repented at the preaching of
Jonah—the Jewish nation did not
repent at the preaching of Jesus.
Jouah was very angry and much grieved
because those to whom he preached re
pented and were saved—Jesus grieved
that those to whom he preached would
not repent. “O, Jerusalem ! Jerusa
lem ! thou that killest the prophets and
stonest those that are sent unto thee,
how often would I have gathered thy
children together, even as a hen doth
gather her chickens under her wings,
but ye would not.”
Joseph was a type of the Saviour.
1. Joseph was a well beloved son—
Jesus was a well beloved son ; 2. Joseph
was hated by his brethren —Jesus was
hated by His brethren; 3. Joseph was
sold for money —Jesus was for
motiiy ; 4. He became a servant in a
strange land—Jesus was a servant obedi
ent unto death; 5. He was condemned
though innocent—Jesus was condemned
thougU innocent; 6. Two malefactors
were condemned with Joseph, one of
whom w<is saved and the other slain—
two malefactors were condemned with
Jesus, one of whom was saved and the
other lost; 7. Joseph’s garment was
taken from him—the garments of Jesus
were taken from Him.
These certainly delineate a very plain
shadow of the Saviour, but, neverthe
less, Joseph was “ not the very image”
of the Saviour, for in the one grand
point, he was antithetical. Joseph
saved his brethren, but he lived to
save his brethren—Jesus saved His
brethren, but He died to save His
brethren.
Moses was also a very remarkable
type of the Saviour. Moses was saved
when an infant, from the cruel order of
Pharaoh—Jesus was saved from the
cruel order of Herod. Moses was re
jected at first by his brethren and then
accepted as a leader—Jesus was rejected
by His brethren at first and then ac
cepted by many. Moses left the royal
court of Pharaoh voluntarily, in order
to become the savior and deliverer of
his people—Jesus left the royal court of
Heaven voluntarily, to become the
leader of His people. Moses was ab
sent from his brethren at Mount Sinai
forty days without food—Jesus was in
the wilderness forty days without food.
Moses was a prophet and teacher sent
from God—Jesus was a prophet and
teach, r sent from God. Moses was
the founder and mediator of the Mosa
ic dispensation—Jesus was the founder
and mediator of the Christian dispen
sation. Moses was the sole mediator
between God and the Israelites—Jesus
is the sole mediator between God and
man. Moses was veiled in a cloud—a
cloud received Jesus from the sight of
His followers. The face of Moses
shone—Jesus was also transfigured.
Moses was absent from his people, and
when he returned he inflicted judg
ment, with wrath upon the wicked—
J-sus is absent now, but when He re
turns He will inflict judgment, with
wrath upon the wicked.
These certainly are remarkable points
of similarity between the type and the
antitype, but the points of dissimilarity
are still more remarkable.
Moses as mediator ascended Mount
Sinai, to pi id for Israel—Jesus Christ
ascended to Heaven, where He makes
intercession for us. Moses was a tem
poral liw-giver—Jesus was an eternal
law-giver. Moses was the minister of
the letter “ which kiileth,” and enjoyed
a glory which should be dene away—
Jesus was the minister of the covenant
of the Spirit which giveth life, and
enjoyed a glory which shall never be
done away.
The law of Moses made nothing per
fect, but the bringing in of a better
hope by Jesus Christ, did. Moses left
Egypt at 80 years of age, accompanied
by several millions of people, only two
of whom reached the promised rest,
and, as a leader, he utterly failed from
his own imperfection, to lead his follow
ers into the promised rest—Jesus
Christ left Egypt while an infant, ac
companied by only two persons, but He
will, as a leader, triumphantly lead all
His followers into the promised rest.
Moses delivered his people from a tem
poral bondage-- Jesus delivered His peo
ple from a spiritual bondage. When
the brazen serpent was lifted up in the
wilderness, the bite of the animate ser
pents produced death—the sight of the
inanimate serpent healed the sufferers
and prevented death—thelifting up of
the serpent on high, the Saviour him
self says, foreshadowed His being lifted
up himself, yet the serpent was the
most repulsive of all the animals of
earth, while the Saviour, in like manner
lifted up, is the attractive being in all
the universe of God. The prophecies
are too extensive to be touched upon at
present, so let us hasten on uo a few
antitheses in the New Testament.
The gates of the unseen world have
been closed on all who have entered
them, and will remain closed on all who
yet wid enter that world by death ; not
a single one of all the innumerable
millions who have entered that world,
has ever been able to cast open the gates
of Hades—Jesus Christ, however, cast
them open, and came forth a triumph
ant conqueror.
Human beings have been seen enter
ing the unseen world through thousands
of years, but Paul assures us, that in a
moment, in the twinkling of an eye, we
shall all come forth from that world.
When the gates of Hades shall be cast
open so that we can all come forth, then
our bodies, which have been sown in
corruption, will be raised in ineorrup
tion; sown in dishonor, will be raised
in glory; sown in weakness, will be
raised in power; sown a natural body,
will be raised a spiritual body. The
righteous will be raised with glorified
bodies, or, as the Saviour expressed it,
having on wedding garments, which
will entitle them to stay at the mar
riage supper of the great King; the
unrighteous will be raised with bodies
not fe lorifieU,or, as the Saviour expresses
it, not having on wedding garments.
When the Lord Himself shall de
scend from Heaven with a shout, with
the voice of an archangel, and with the
trump of God, then will be filled out
one of the most wonderful of antithesis :
till that time, human beings will have
been found on the earth, and “then we
which are alive and remain, shall be
caqght qp together with them in the
clohds toi meet the Lord in the airso
then we shall have human beings on
the earth, and off the earth up in the
air. As we know that when the optic
nerve is paralyzed, we see not; when
the auditory nerve is paralyzed, we
near not; when the nerves of motion or
sensation are paralyzed, we move or
feel not, and as such changes of the
nerves frequently occur without our
being able to perceive any structural
change, we can very readily perceive
that our animal desires may be para
lyzed by death, and yet our personal
identity not in the least affecteji.
Now, we view death as a grim mon
stor, then when we shall arise with our
spiritual bodies, with their varied facul
ties in full, intense activity, we shall
view death as merely a dose of chloro
form which had lulled to an eternal
sleep our animal desires, so that we
shall be no more tormented by their
oft repeated calls for gratification.
Thus prepared, the righteous will be
granted a happy extrance into the New
Jerusalem the grand and glorious clos
ing work of the Lord, the fit counter
part to the beginning work of the Lord
when the earth was without form and
void or unfurnished. Most commenta
tors think the New Jerusalem entirely
too fanciful ever to be supposed to exist
in the future, nevertheless, the Lord’s
plan required just such a counterpart
to His first work, and, most assuredly,
|will He work up to His plan and make
"t just as described.
Just as certain as Moses, as a leader,
reached Mount Sinai with his 600,000
soldiers, and camped his millions at
the foot of it, and then ascended it with
the most extraordinary manifestations
of divine favor, there to learn of the
beginning work of creation ; and just
so certain as John, instead of being a
leader, was led a prisoner, by order of
the Roman Emperor to the lowly isle
of Patmos, poor, friendless, deserted
and without any manifestation of di
vine favor, and to make the antithesis
perfectly complete, was made to de
scend into the copper mines in the
island, just so certainly will the Lord
work strictly to His plan, and make the
New Jerusalem a fitting counterpart to
His first work. It behooves us all,
therefore, to earnestly press forward to
enjoy a happy home in the New Jeru
salem, when the God of Heaven who
had previously dwelt in all the immen
sity of space, (David says “whither shall
I go from thy Spirit? or wlrther shall
I flee from thy presence ? If I ascend
up into Heaven, thou art there; if I
make my bed in hell, behold thou art
there ; if I take the wiugs of the morn
ing and dwell in the uttermost parts of
the sea, evert'ieie shall thy hand lead
me,”) will have a local habitation.
“ Behold the Tabernacle of God is with
men, and He will dwell with them and
they shall be His people, and God
Himself shall be with them and be