all history not found in the word of God, must be left entirely out of the question. I have nothing to expect from the sympathies of any sect of religionists now in existence, for I know well that all their strength will be arrayed against me. But from candid and sober argument, I have nothing to fear. If my sentiments are unscriptural, it is a pity if it cannot be shown in a spirit of fairness and good feeling.

THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST, AND THE RESURRECTION.

The coming of Christ in the clouds of Heaven, attended by his Holy Angels, to gather together his chosen people out of all countries, whither they had been scattered, is an event which holds the most conspicuous place in the Scriptures, both of the old and new Testaments. As said the inspired writer, "This is the day which the Lord hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in it." The time of the second coming of Christ, is spoken of in Scripture by various terms-such as the great and dreadful day of the Lord, day of God, coming of the Lord, resurrection at the last day, &c. All the passages in the Bible, where these and other like terms are used, are understood to mean one and the same thing, by all denominations of Christians, who hold to the doctrine of endless misery. But they believe that this event is yet future, and at the second advent of the Mesiah, all the dead of all nations and people, from Adam up to that time, shall be raised, and that all who shall then be alive on the earth, shall be changed to immortality,-and that mortals shall no longer inhabit the world. This hypothesis, although it has been so long believed by the learned and the great, I believe is not what the scriptures teach concerning this all important subject. The Universalists, and perhaps the Unitarians, dissent in part from the limitarians upon the subject of the second coming. They hold that he came in one sense,-that is, that he came to overthrow the Jewish nation, to put an end to their civil polity, &c. But they deny that the scriptures concerning the resurrection of the house of Israel, was fulfilled

at the same time. Now this view of the subject may agree better with the words of Christ, that his coming should be before that generation should pass away, but all things considered, it is more consistent than the views of the Orthodox. For wherever we read in the epistles about the resurrection, it was to be at the coming of Christ. It was also to be, while some who were then living should remain. Much is said at the present day by the Universalists, about the third or final coming of Christ. That is, his coming to raise the dead. And this coming, they say, is yet future. But they do not inform us when this time is to be. Among the passages which they say speak of the third or final coming, is I Corinthians xv. and I Thessalonians, iv. But if we carefully compare these two chapters with Mathew xxiv, Mark xiii, and Luke xxi, we shall see that the apostle Paul derived his authority from the words of Christ to his disciples on the Mount of Olives, a short time before his crucifiction.-. But more of this hereafter. Paul in his epistle to the Hebrews ix, 28, says, "Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time, without sin unto salvation." No one would contend that the coming of Christ in this passage, is not the same as in the passages which the Universalists term the third or final coming. And yet the apostle calls it his second appearing. We read in numerous places in the old Testament prophecies concerning the house of Israel being gathered together in the latter days. That the house of Israel and the house of Judah should be united, and brought into their own land, or land of Israel. This time, I understand to be at the time of the coming of Christ at the end of the world, as it is called in scripture; or in other words, at the destruction of Jerusalem. Many admit, and earnestly contend, that the end of the world, as understood by the Jews, has

long been past. But when they speak or write of the last day, they speak of it as yet future. Now who does not know that the end of the world must be the last day.Ask any child three years old, of common understanding, if the last day means the end of the world, and you will have a direct and true answer. But it is contended that the end of the world, means the end of the Jewish age. Very well-so does the last day mean the end of the Jewish age. One is no more future than the other. With respect to the common belief, that the Jews are to be gathered together in this world, the following brief extract will give the views of all, the learned and unlearned, as far as I have been able to learn their opinions. "Moses having foreseen, by the inspiration of God, the destruction that should come upon the people, gave them seasonable warning," Deut. iv, 28. In this admonition, the sins which caused this calamity, together with their dispersion, are clearly pointed out; and as the same chapter also promises their restoration in the latter days, great search has been made for them throughout the habitable globe, but no traces of them have yet been found. The world may continue to search for them until time shall be no longer, but they are not to be found. Christ, their great shepherd and king, gathered them together at his second coming, nearly eighteen hundred years ago, into the land of Israel, the heavenly Jerusalem, and there and nowhere else are they to be found. I wish the reader to follow me while I examine a few passages that speak of the last days. It will be seen that the last days, at least as far as the house of Israel is concerned, was at, and near the time of the close of their dispensation. I shall begin with the 49th chapter of Genesis, verse 1. "And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days." The aged patriarch then goes on to

inform them what shall befall each of them. And respecting Judah, he says, verse 10, "The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a law-giver from between his feet, until Shilah come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be." This was a very plain prophecy of the coming of Christ at the last day, to gather the Jews into the heavenly Jerusalem. And we have the solemn words of Christ to his disciples, that this should come to pass before the generation in which he lived should pass away. At the day of Pentecost, when the apostles were filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues; some mocked, and accused them with being filled with new wine. But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lift up his voice and said unto them, "Ye men of Judea, and all that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and harken to my words: For these are not drunken as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; and it shall come to pass in the last days, (saith God,) I will pour out of my spirit upon all flesh and your sons and your daughters shall prophecy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days, of my spirit, and they shall prophecy. And I will shew wonders in the Heavens above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood before that great and notable day of the Lord come." Acts, xi, 14-20. This shows that the day of Pentecost was in the last days.— Hebrews 1, 1, 2. God, who at sundry times, and in divin time past unto the fathers by the these last days, spoken to us by his son, James v, 3. "Ye have heaped treasures together for the last days." No one, certainly, who reads this 5th

ers manner, spake prophets, hath in