Page images
PDF
EPUB

swearers, perverters of the law, unclean in body and soul, persecuters of the poor, enemies of the orphans and widows; and they are those wretched shepherds of Israel, upon whom the prophets of old, and even Jesus Christ himself pronounced woes: and authorised by the Lord Jesus Christ, I pronounce over them, WO! Wo! Wo! But I still foresee, that this very call, which will give offence to both Jew and Gentile, will be, by the blessing of God, the instrument of rousing several to their duty.

JOSEPH WOLFF.

Mortal man, woman, or child! whose hand of feeble clay dost hold this book, whose eyes have rested on the Tidings, and the warning, that came from the city of Jerusalem, without whose gates Our Lord was crucified, be careful how you treat them! Suffer me to point you to a text of Scripture, recorded from the pen of an inspired apostle, and entreat you to obey the command; Despise not prophesyings."* See Paul to the saints at Thessalonica, I Epistle, 5. 20.-Read the Chapter, it refers to "the great and terrible day of the Lord."-In the 21st verse, the apostle exhorts us to "prove all things, and hold fast that

66

* Prophesying has three main divisions, or heads. 1st, Foretelling future events. 2d, Portraying the judgments of God. 3rd, Teaching the truths of the Gospel.

N. B. I believe I borrow this from Adam Clarke,-but I cannot say exactly.

which is good."-In the 17th, to "pray without ceasing;" and in the 19th, writes, "quench not the Spirit."-By another apostle we are admonished and taught, that we must try the spirits, to know whether they be of God. "To the law, and to the testimony, if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." With regard to the coming of our Lord, in 1847, I have this to say, that Daniel the prophet received the tidings from Christ himself, in answer to the prayer, "O, my Lord, when shall be the end of these things." The record is preserved to us, and handed in the English tongue, as follows, and he said, "go thy way Daniel, for the words are closed up, and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand." And from the time that the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days."

Now see verse 11.-This designates the season called the Gentile dispensation, which commenced on the Jews wilfully and deliberately rejecting Jesus of Nazareth; and must continue till "the fulness of the Gentiles be come,"-till the Gospel is published (for a witness,) mark that (for a witness) among all nations-and the Spirit of Christ has been rejected by the Gentiles, as his person was

rejected by the Jews. The Spirit of Christ is always a witness to the Word, as the Word of Christ is a witness to the Spirit; and they always agree. Christ, the anointed preacher of righteousness, declared that all things which were written in the prophets, &c. &c. concerning him should be fulfilled. His personal reign then is established by his own mouth, in referring to the Old Testament prophets and the time of his coming also, by the same rule. It will be disputed however, that Jesus declared " no man knew the day nor the hour."-I am aware of this; and am prepared to say, 1st, that our Lord omitted the term year, in his declaration. It must be recollected also, that at the time Jesus made it, he was in humiliation, and chose to stand in his doctrine, as the Son of Man, and in that character chose to say, "my Father is greater than I," that is, divinity greater than humanity, which we certainly know.--2d, It could only refer to the time in which he spake, that is, in humiliation,--for after he was glorified, it is declared of him, that all things are in his power. 3d, He did not declare that the era of his second appearing should never be designated, on the scale of a year. I apprehend that Jesus Christ included this great revelation among the all things, that the spirit of truth should teach his apostles, that holy Comforter, whom the Father would send in the name of the Son, [mark that,]" in my name."-See John 14,

26, who should bring all things to their remembrance. Certainly all the gospel writers fully believed in the personal coming of Christ the second time, to reign as a king; and that a time was set or fixed for his appearing" in the clouds of heaven,” they also believed. But to their ministry it did not appertain, to declare any thing more than their Master taught, concerning the time. It was fit that this work should be reserved till it became absolutely necessary for it to be done; and when it is done, the prophecy of olden times is revived, and we hear the great Angel of the Covenant announcing the data of his declaration to Daniel, through Joseph Wolff. Here I shall remark, that the proviso of the Savior's, concerning the necessity of shortening the days, is not set aside in naming the year 1847, as the era of his "coming in the clouds." By no means. 1847 is the very period declared by Joseph Wolff. His shortening the days is an act of sovereignty, which is his own right, and is another testimony of the great love wherewith he loves the Jews, who are certainly his elect. It is proper, and it is necessary for the churches of the Gentiles to know this one truth, viz: that Jesus Christ's second appearing is especially pointed to, as the rallying point for Judah and Israel, that he cometh to assemble" her that halteth, and to gather her that was driven out;"* and that the King of kings

* Micah 4. 7.

owns them, *first in his Millennial Church, as it is written, "the last shall be first." The Jews are his witnesses. From them we must receive the word of the Lord; and Jerusalem is the place where they must stand to declare it. The testimony must be issued from that city, and travel to the ends of the earth. It has come to America, and is now published at Philadelphia, the city most highly favored in her foundation, and in her name, of all the American cities.-Ancient Jerusalem is to be "the vision of peace at her restoration," and Philos Delphos signifies "brotherly love." It is a precious name; and may the inhabitants prove themselves (in these last days,) worthy the title, and love the elder brother of our Lord; and begin the grand work of sending the "swift messengers" to comfort "the afflicted" on our western borders. Ye stewards of the Lord's † gold and silver, give wings to the tidings of his coming, as published in this tract, and let "the wilderness and the solitary place be glad for them," and rejoice with joy and singing. O that this little book may reach the Aborigines of the land called Columbia, who have long been a spoil and a prey.—They will receive the message, I am assured they will, though the Gentiles reject it.

Concerning the Gentiles rejecting it, I do not think they all will do so; for among them Christ † See Haggai 2. 8.

* Micah 4. 8.

« PreviousContinue »