glad tidings, that, just beyond the gathering storm, is the long desired peaceful kingdom of our Lord.

In the language of Bonar, we say: "Weary of man's rule, we long for God's. Sick at heart with this world's scenes of evil,-man spoiling man; man enslaving man; man wounding man; man defrauding man; man treading upon man; we long for the setting up of the righteous throne. Oh, what a world will this be, when man's will as well as man's rule shall be exchanged for Christ's rule and will; when God's "will shall be done on earth even as it is done in heaven !"

It is our joy to think that this kingdom is near; and that there are no centuries of sin and wrong still in reserve either for the church or for the earth. Its nearness is our consolation. The hope that it will come cheers us; but the thought that it is coming soon cheers us more. For both faith and hope are fed by the thought of nearness. not fret at delay, nor grow faint and disconsolate. Yet in some respects our feelings are not unlike those thus described by one of other days,

We do

Our bridal robes are ready, and we long to put them on. Our priestly-royal raiment is also ready, and we desire to exchange for it these weeds of poverty, and shame, and widowhood. Yet 'in patience we possess our souls.'

We are on the daily out-look for a kingdom, lifting up our heads knowing that our redemption draweth nigh. It will not tarry. The signs of its approach are multiplying. The shadows are still passing and repassing along the grey cliffs, but their increasing rapidity of movement shows a momentous change at hand. Kingdoms are still rising as well as falling, but the deep force of the vibrations-the brevity as well as the abruptness of oscillation-betoken a crisis. At this crisis the world's movements are brought to a stand. Then touched by a Divine hand, they recommence. A better order of rule begins."

Again, in the language of Baxter: "Hasten, O my Saviour, the time of thy return; send forth thine angels,

and let that dreadful, joyful trumpet sound; delay not, lest the living give up their hopes; delay not, lest earth should grow like hell, and lest thy church by division be crumbled all to dust; delay not, lest the grave should boast of victory, and having learned rebellion of its guest, should plead prescription, and refuse to deliver thee up thy due. O hasten that great resurrection-day, when thy command shall go forth and none shall disobey; when the sea and earth shall yield up their hostages, and all that sleep shall awake, and the dead in Christ shall first arise; when the seed that thou sowedst corruptible shall come forth incorruptible; and the graves that received but rottenness, and retained but dust, shall return thee glorious stars and suns. Return, O Lord, how long! O let thy kingdom come. Thy desolate bride saith, Come! For thy Spirit within her saith, Come! The whole creation saith, Come, waiting to be delivered from the bondage of corruption. Thyself hath said, Surely I come. Amen; EVEN SO, COME, LORD JESUS."

Kind reader, our design in compiling this testimony is to call your serious attention to this subject of a coming world's crisis. Some great event is just at hand. Two hundred witnesses hercin proclaim its imminence.

Do you discern the signs of the times? Do you know what this crisis is? And are you prepared for it? This is the question of questions. If it should be a long dark night of loathsome tyranny with bloody persecutions and faggot fires as some fear, are you ready for the martyr's cruel fate for a martyr's crown? If it should be the battle of the great day of God Almighty, are you equipped for your work in the terrible strife? And do you know what will follow that awful battle? If it should be the temporal millennium and the conversion of the world as many fondly hope, are you prepared with a pure heart and clean hands to enter into the work of the Lord? And if it should be the new heavens and new earth-Paradise restored—are you sanctified by the blood of Christ and made by Him meet for a place therein? But if that mysterious crisis should bring from heaven in flaming fire the Son of God to judgment and to his kingdom as Adventist's announce, are you ready to stand

before Christ's solemn tribunal in that great day? Will you think of these things?

Are you a Christian? Do you search the Scriptures concerning these things? Others have and think they can decide correctly on this coming crisis. Have you? And are you sure you are not mistaken about its nature? Think, look again. It may be the judgment. If so are you in the line of your duty? Prove your own self. Have you faith in Christ? Do you love His appearing? Do you watch and pray always? Have you done your duty to your familyto the church-to the world? Are you clear from the blood of all men? Can you not save one more of the unprepared-win one more sinner from everlasting burnings? Try. The master cometh with the crowns. Let no one take yours.

Are you unconverted to Christ? What shall I say to you? Will it avail to say anything? Shall I succeed where others have so often failed? One more appeal sinner. Wrath is coming. Jehovah says it. We who have watched every sign, think that wrath is nigh-very nigh. Do you know it is not nigh? O dare you trust yourself to meet your slighted Lord unsaved, and in your sins? What will He say to thee poor soul? But perhaps you answer. He may not come yet, and I will wait and see what this crisis is? Alas, do not peril thy soul in such a risk! Do not thus insult thy Saviour? Better be ready fifty years too soon than be one minute too late. Come to life's waters. Come now, for thou hast no promise of a morrow. The last lingering notes of the silver trumpet of the Gospel are falling on thy ears. The woe-trumpet's dreadful blast, trembles on the lips of the Angel! Hasten to Christ, repent, believe, be saved. Be quick for that day hasteth greatly! Haste, sinner, haste! Hasten to thy only refuge! Tarry not lest thou be consumed. PREPARE TO ME THY GOD

THE NEW HEAVENS

AND

NEW EARTH.

BY D. T. TAYLOR.

"Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness."2 Peter 3: 13.

"What is to become of this vast globe? Is it literally to be dissolved, and

'Like the baseless fabric of a vision,
Leave not a wreck behind?'

Is it to be the victim of some future explosion which shall send its mighty masses hurling through space to fall upon other planets, like the aerolites upon our own? Or is it to be made over and become as the Garden of the Lord,' a fit abode for man to pass an immortality of blessedness ?" Such is the question propounded by F. D. W. WARD, late missionary to India, a question indeed demanding the candid and prayerful investigation and solution of the Church of God as involving the doctrine of her future inheritance.

That the new earth of Peter and John is the revealed eternal home of the righteous, seems evident from the sacred scriptures, but in the language of DR. EDWARD D. GRIFFEN, late of Williams College, "A question here arises,

* Hill's Saint's Inkeritance, 4th ed., Appendix, p. 2.

whether the new heavens and new earth will be created out of the ruins of the old; that is, whether the old will be renovated and restored in a more glorious form, or whether the old will be annihilated, and the new made out of nothing. The idea of the annihilation of so many immense and glorious bodies, organized with inimitable skill, and declarative of infinite wisdom, is gloomy and forbidding. Indeed, it is scarcely credible that God should annihilate any of his works, much less so many and so glorious works. It ought not to be believed without the most decisive proof. On the other hand, it is a most animating thought that this visible creation, which sin has marred, which the polluted breath of men and devils has defiled, and which by sin will be reduced to utter ruin, will be restored by our Jesus, will arise from its ruins in tenfold splendor, and shine with more illustrious glory than before it was defaced by sin.

"After a laborious and anxious search on this interesting subject, I must pronounce the latter to be my decided opinion. And the same, I find, has been the more common opinion of the Christian fathers, of the divines of the reformation, and of the critics and annotators who have since flourished. I could produce on this side a catalogue of names which would convince you that this has certainly been the common opinion of the Christian church in every age, as it was also of the Jewish."*

Is this opinion scriptural? Is it orthodox? Is it the old faith, we enquire? Or is it a novelty unknown to the fathers, and untaught in God's Word? Let the unbroken testimony of these pages answer.

BARNABAS, A.D. 71, the supposed companion of Paul, taught the change of the terrestrial world, "when," he says, "iniquity shall be no more, all things being renewed by the Lord," who making "all things new, then shall be the beginning of another world." †

POLYCARP, A.D. 108, says "if we please the Lord in this present world, he will raise us from the dead, and we

* Sermons, Vol. ii. p. 450.

† Epist. chap. 15.