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losophers, but that he preached the gospel in demonstration of the Spirit and of power. The apostle is not here condemning true learning, and advocating ignorance, but he condemns a state of things which at that time existed in the Grecian States, and which were arrayed against the spread of the gospel.

We do not, however, suppose that the apostle considered true science, and true eloquence, as the choice armor in which he was to confide, and by which he was to plant the gospel among the nations of the earth. Yet, at the same time, as subordinate instruments, and incidental aids, he not only allowed, but he himself continually and successfully employed them. The Christian pastor, who makes the acquisition of a reputation for eloquence or learning the first and highest object of his labors, or trusts in them as his chief weapons, fearfully sins against God; but the man who, in the fear of God uses them, and sanctifies them to his service and to the service of the church, and to the good of souls, he acts judiciously and wisely. If he confide in them, or glory in them, he does it at his peril. But if God has conferred them upon him, and he prostitutes them to other purposes, or withholds the exercise of them when animated by a spirit of true love to God and man, he does this also at his peril. As the chief instruments in teaching and propagating the Christian religion, they are to be rejected; but as the hand-maidens and helpers of the gospel, they are to be received and employed. To cultivate them for their own sake, were an idolatry which Paul would have sternly rebuked; to use them for the service of God and his church, is the very practice which Paul himself exemplified.

But, how shall such a ministry as we have been describing, be prepared and trained for God? Shall the work of rearing and training such a ministry be left entirely to the operations of Divine Providence? Or is human agency, the agency of the church, to be employed in this great and good work? It must be admitted by all, that God employs human instrumentality in the salvation of men, and in carrying forward the great designs of the gospel in the conversion of the world; otherwise, we shall be compelled to reject all ideas of a ministerial agency in the gospel scheme of salvation. If a ministerial agency is to be employed at all, it should be an agency which, in the providence of God, is the best adapted to accomplish the end in view. If such an instrumentality is to be employed, then means are to be used in training and preparing it, because this is in harmony with the whole system of means included in the gospel plan of salvation. We are accordingly directed, Pray ye, therefore, the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth laborers into his harvest. God alone has the wisdom to select, and energy to inspire and summon forth the ministry that is needed. If the church has a ministry of the proper character, she will receive them from God; and he has promised to supply her wants: I will give you pastors after mine own heart. He gives some evangelists, and some prophets, and some pastors and teachers. The church, then, should re

member, in all her efforts to increase the number and strength of the ministry, that Promotion cometh not from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south:-that except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it. And shall we remain silent while the cry for laborers is coming forth from every quarter-from vacant churches, and dreary wastes in our own land-and from waking millions whelmed in Pagan darkness in foreign countries? Let the church, then, carry the moving appeal at once to the throne of mercy-let her cry day and night go up to heaven. Does the enemy come in like a flood? does the tide of worldliness appear overwhelning? does iniquity send forth its blasphemies, and the man of sin his emmissaries? is the church suffering reproach, shame, and trouble, from foes within and without? let her not despond, but let her be humbled in the dust, and pour forth her cries to God; let her rise up in all the omnipotence of faith ;-such faith as in former days subdued kingdoms, and obtained promises. Let her still trust in the power, wisdom, and faithfulness of God, who, in answer to prayer, will send forth laborers into his harvest, such as the signs of the times demand;-a ministry of wisdom, of strengh, of zeal, kindled from heaven. Let the church keep near her King, obey all his commandments, and trust for success only in the Lord of Hosts, and he will, in the use of appropriate means, raise up for her deliverance and triumph, men of genius, of talent, of elevated character, and of enlarged mind, mighty in the Scriptures, and full of faith and the Holy Ghost.

But to our prayers for such a ministry, we should add our alms to assist in preparing and training it. To obtain eminence in the ministry requires time and effort. The requisite mental discipline and stores of knowledge are not the miraculous gifts of heaven; they are the result of long and close application. He who will not submit to discipline, nor use the means of storing his mind with useful knowledge in his profession, can never acquire eminence; or if he does, he cannot sustain it for any length of time. If young men rush into the gospel field without preparation-without maturity of judgment-without discipline of mind-without knowledge, -without that balance of powers which is the result of well proportioned cultivation-they will, they must labor under great disadvantages; and there will be found only here and there an individual among them, magnifying his office, pouring forth light on his generation, and blessing mankind. Some will become discouraged in not meeting with success--others will become vain from a show of attention-and others again, through ignorance, will be ensnared in the wiles of the devil, and dishonor that holy office into which they have been introduced. It is as necessary for the ministry as the church, that they should be properly trained and instructed before they are introduced in the holy office. How, indeed, can any man be suitably qualified to teach and direct others, before he himself has been properly trained by a course of instruction and disci

pline? To instruct, to train, to discipline the young, the ignorant, and the inexperienced for the ministry, requires time and means. Many pious and godly young men are ready to devote themselves to the Lord, and to the service of his church, but they are destitute of the means of sustaining themselves in a preparatory course of study and discipline, to render themselves competent and useful teachers. Could they be encouraged and brought forward, could they be educated, instructed, disciplined, and properly prepared for the great and good work, they doubtless would become devoted and eminent ministers of the gospel, and some of them shine as stars of the first magnitude in the spiritual heavens. And is it not as much the duty of the church to encourage and assist such young men, as it is to pray the Lord of the harvest to send them forth into his harvest? Ought not the alms, as well as the prayers of the church, to go up to heaven in their behalf? Indeed, will her prayers ever reach heaven, unless they are perfumed with the sacrifice of worldly substance? Has not God commanded her to bring her tythes and offerings into this store-house, and declared if she refuse to do this he will shut the windows of heaven against her? How, then, can she expect, while she cherishes a spirit of avarice, while she continues to withhold from God what he so justly demands, that he will hear her prayers, and give to her a faithful, devoted, and enlightened ministry? Let the church do her whole duty, let her send up her prayers and her alms together as a memorial before God, then will the windows of heaven be opened, then will the rich blessings of God descend upon her as the dew of heaven, then will she be as trees planted by the river courses, whose leaf is always green, and whatsover she doeth will prosper. In enriching others, she herself will be enriched; and in blessing others, she herself will be blessed. Thus shall ministers and people rise up and call each other blessed. A new and vivifying life will inspire the church, and she will rise up in all her beauty, and go forth in the greatness of her strength. Then shall his people go out with joy, and be led forth in peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before her into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands for joy. Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir-tree, and instead of the briar shall come up the myrtle-tree, it shall be to the Lord a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off. Then shall her sons be as plants grown up in their youth, and her daughters will be as corner-stones, polished after the similitude of a palace. Then the Lord will create in Zion a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flame of fire by night; indeed, he will be a wall of fire round about her, and the glory in the midst of her.

ARTICLE II.

Predictions Relating to Jerusalem's Tribulation, and the Coming of the Son of Man.-By Elder Jasper Hazen.

THESE predictions are recorded by three of the four evangelists. Mat. xxiv., Mark xiii., Luke xxi. In the exposition of these predictions, two systems very different from each other, have been adopted. The one regards the language relating to the coming of the Son of man, as highly figurative, and treating of events immediately connected with, and involving the destruction of Jerusalem. That those predictions received their fulfilment during the life of some of the persons living at the time the predictions were uttered. Another exposition regards them as predictions of events, which are to receive a literal accomplishment: that they have never been fulfilled, but are to be in time yet future. An investigation of this subject, and a fair comparison of those systems of exposition with the predictions, and with other scripture, is designed by the writer of this article. In order to a fair investigation of the subject, I will just present the predictions relating to the principal events, as recorded by the three; transcribing such portions as may be necessary to our object, and referring to others.

Sec. 1. Signs of the approaching tribulation of the Jews. It is unnecessary, in this quotation, to go back further than the sign at which the disciples were to leave Jerusalem.

Mat. 15-18. "When ye, therefore, shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand,) then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take anything out of his house; neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes."

Mark 14-16. “But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judea flee to the mountains; and let him that is on the house-top not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take anything out of his house. And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment."

Luke 20-22. "And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. Then let them which are in Judea flee to the mountains: and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled."

Sec. 2. This division embraces the predictions of the tribulation of the Jews. It includes the death of those who perished by the war, the captivity of the survivors, and the destruction of their city, expressed by the treading it down for an indefinite time.

Mat. 19-22. "And wo unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time; no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened."

Mark 17-20. "But wo to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter. For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be. And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days."

Luke 23, 24. "But wo unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! For there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations; and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled."

Mat. 23-28, and Mark 21-23, give cautions against false Christs, with such a description of the manner of Christ's coming, "As the lightning," as to prevent danger of deception to those that believe his word.

Sec. 3. The signs of the coming of the Son of man. Mat. 29. "Immediately after the tribulation of those days, shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken." Mark 24, 25. "But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken." Luke 25, 26. "And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after the things which are coming on the earth; for the powers of heaven shall be shaken." Sec. 4. The coming of the Son of man. Mat. 30. "And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven; and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." Mark 26. "And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory." Luke 27. "And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud, with power and great glory."

Sec. 5. Events following the coming of the Son of man. Mat. 31. "And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." Mark 27. "And then shall

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