author of a work entitled "Modern Fanaticism Unveiled," and Mr. Faber, both affirm, in common with the great body of spiritualists in our own day and country, that the second advent of Christ is not to occur till AFTER the Millenium. Of course it is of essential consequence, if possible, to enlist this text in favor of this view. This is attempted by a twofold method: FIRST, the import of the adverb (axg) until, is changed; and SECOND, that of the word restitution. As this is done by criticism, we must for a few moments refer to it. The word UNTIL (azo), as commonly used, denotes the continuance of time, from the period just referred to or spoken of, up to a second, or some other designated period. Thus, when I say, I shall be from home to-morrow until four o'clock, the idea is, I will be absent the whole preceding portion of the day, but at four o'clock will be at home. This is the correct meaning of the original Greek adverb (az). Its import in the text is obvious. Christ will be absent, and concealed from us in the Heavens, during the whole period elapsing from that in which the apostle spoke, to that "of the restitution of all things;" but then He will return, and no longer be hidden from our view. The criticism designed to obviate the force of this, adduced by the anti-fanatical author, is that the adverb (αx91) UNTIL, denotes simply duration, and does not imply the idea of termination; and therefore, should have been translated during, thus making the text mean, "that Christ is to continue in Heaven during,* and to the end of the time of the restitution of all things." We quote a few passages to show the fallacy of * Modern Fanaticism Unveiled, p. 207. this criticism. "The former history have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and to teach; DURING (azo) the day in which he was taken up."* The absurdity is apparent. According to this criticism the dumbness of Zechariah must have been confined to the day on which his son John was born ;† -the wicked revelry of the antediluvians, must have been only during the day on which Noah entered the ark ;-David's sepulchre must have been with them only during that day of Pentecost on which Peter spoke ;§-and the long time, during which Paul preached, the night that Eutychus fell from the window, must have been only during the break of day. The truth is, this criticism renders the use of this adverb, in many places,¶ perfectly absurd and not to be translated. It is true, the duration does sometimes comprehend the period referred to, in which case the proposition involves the idea of duration; but whether it stops at the commencement, or extends to the close of the period referred to, depends always on the manner in which it is used; as for example, when Paul says that they sailed from Philippi and came to Troas in (ɑzęt, until) five days,** his meaning plainly is, that they did not arrive at Troas till the close of five days, i. e. their voyage lasted five days. If I should say I will not eat or drink, until I have pursued the thief, my meaning would be different from what it would be, were I to say, I will not eat or drink till I am pursuing the thief; the word until, in the first instance, expressing duration, till the pursuit was over, and in the second case only till it had commenced. But in the * Acts, 1. 1. † Luke, 1. 20. ‡ Luke, 17. 27. * Acts, 13. 6, ἄχρι Πάφου. Acts, 20. 4, ἄχρι της Ασίας, ** Acts, 20. 6. passage under consideration, the word until (axçı) cannot be construed to imply duration, throughout the times of the restitution of all things. * Mr. Faber does not found his explanation, however, on this criticism; but on another which he adopts in common with the author referred to. The word restitution (αποκαταστασεως) he contends does not denote the act of resettling, or restoring all things, but the completed result, the actual settlement or restoration of all things. If this be the meaning of the word, the text furnishes a powerful argument against the pre-millenial advent of Christ. But this is not the meaning, and is disproved by the grammatical rules applicable to the case. Verbal nouns among the Greeks are derived from the first, second and third persons of the perfect passive. Those derived from the first person, denote the thing done, from the second the act of doing, and from the third the doer, as the purification, the act of purifying, and the purifier.* Thus, in the text, the word restitution denotes the act of resettling, and the meaning is until the times of resettling, that is, when that great decisive act or series of acts is to be performed, which is to restore or resettle all things. The appearance of Christ therefore occurs at the commencement, and not the completion, of the act, or process, or series of restoring acts. The common explanation of the spiritualists is, that Christ shall not reappear while, or as long as, the times of the New Testament continue, i. e. till Christianity, which they say, is the means of restoring and resettling all things, shall have completely secured this result. This is the explanation of Schleusner.* But this is in opposition to the established grammatical import of the words.† The act of resettling is not to take place till Christ appears; and he does not appear during the times of the New Testament. Beside, it assumes what is not asserted by the text, and cannot be proved, viz. that Christianity, or the New Testament dispensation, is the means of restoring all things. The New Testament dispensation is but "THE GOSPEL" of the kingdom of Heaven to come—the glad tidings of its approach. The restitution is to be effected by the reappearance of Christ, and the physical, providential and retributive agents, and glorious power he will employ. The world, and the church. too, have been in an unsettled condition, from the very days of Christ's ascension to this hour; and there is no more prospect now of Christianity's going to settle all things, by its enlightening and suasive influence, than there was eighteen hundred years ago. Not a solitary kingdom of this world has been recovered as yet from the dominion of the god of this world. For a season, after the religion of Jesus Christ has been introduced among a people, there may have been proofs of the new influence; and in some countries, as in Scotland and Geneva, and for a while in some of the early colonies that settled on these shores, the fear of God and a love of righteousness prevailed to a very great extent. But still it could not be said that Christ and his saints reigned. The legislative, executive, and judiciary powers were not exercised under "Quamdiu tempora N. T. durant, quibus per religionem Christianam omnia in meliorem statum sunt redigenda;" ad loc. †'ATOKATασTáσIS-the restoration of anything to its former state: hence, a change from worse to better, melioration, introduction of a new and better era. Acts 3. 21; Polyb. 4. 23. 1; Diod. Sic. 20. 34; Robinson's Wahl. the direction and control of religion. The kingdom was not placed at the feet of Jesus Christ. And even where religion was established by law, and the church was superior to the state, the ecclesiastical became as corrupt as the civil government. The union of church and state has wrought infinite evil; and few events, perhaps, have contributed to greater corruption in the church and world, than the establishment of religion by law under Constantine, and among the nations of Europe. The history of the Reformation discloses melancholy facts on this subject. Our Missionaries in the Sandwich Islands have had to meet serious difficulties, incident to the relations between the civil and ecclesiastical powers. The thrones of earth have not been occupied by the righteous; and even where the monarch and rulers may have been Christians according to the judgment of charity, there has been much wanting to prove that the kingdom belonged to Jesus Christ. Christianity has indeed been the means of saving multitudes of individuals, of meliorating often the condition of society, of restraining the corruptions of men, of checking the wicked legislation of rulers, and of promoting public morals, general virtue, social order, refinements in civilisation, advancement in science, and the general intercourse of nations. No sooner however has a nation changed its religion, and substituted Christianity for paganism, than some new forms of corruption or instruments of oppression, or efforts of persecution, have shown, that the kingdom, THE GOVERNMENT, had not yet been restored to God, and was not yet given to "the people of the saints of the most High," but was under the influence and control of the secular princes, the selfish politicians, |