the earth during the Millennium, the existence, during the post-millennial era of the world, of inhabitants of such character, could possibly be accounted for, without assuming a second "Fall of Man?"

THE CHRISTIAN ECONOMY, THE ONLY

MEANS ANNOUNCED IN THE SCRIPTURES, FOR THE MORAL RENOVATION OF THE WORLD.

SIXTH CONFERENCE.

"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations."

"The Kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened."

Our INQUIRER began the present Conference by observing, that if his Millennarian Friend were to return to his former simple and consistent views relative to the spread of the Gospel, his benevolence in behalf of missions would again have its former full and unobstructed flow. He moreover said, that he, himself, felt it impossible to conceive how any person, on whose mind the Millennarian system exerts its proper influence, could experience the full bound and glow of benevolence in regard to that transcendently important object. Whenever this influence operates obstructedly, he thought it would necessarily tend, in some degree, to damp zeal and check effort,

if not also to repress the fervour of prayer ; in furtherance of this great enterprise. It is not (said he) consistent with the nature of the human mind, that it should be otherwise. Other causes may, in many instances, counteract in a considerable degree, the injurious tendency, and in some, may entirely neutralize it; but such individual instances would not disprove that tendency. His MILLENNARIAN FRIEND said, he was acquainted with several persons whose missionary zeal did not appear to diminish after they had embraced Millennarianism. Our INQUIRER, in reply, asked whether those persons were not characterized by eminent piety, considerable personal activity, and great tenderness of heart. His friend answered in the affirmative. On which our INQUIRER observed, that he was of opinion, such instances could not fairly be exhibited as evidence of the injurious tendency to which he had adverted; and he felt persuaded, that Millennarianism was indebted for its prevalence, not only in our own country, but also on the Continent, and in the United States, far less to argument than to authority.

Our INQUIRER now put the case of a Millennarian who believes that the Gospel will be preached merely "as a witness" for God, to all

nations; which nations, notwithstanding numerous individual conversions to Christ, will, generally speaking, be still left under the dominion of sin, and of various forms of error, superstition, and idolatry, until the eve of the Millennium ; when, as he believes, Christ himself will make his personal appearance on the earth. He then put another case, viz. that of an anti-millennarian who believes that the knowledge and influence of the Gospel will be progressively extended, until all the nations of the world shall be brought into willing subjection to the authority of Christ; and that this glorious consummation will precede, not follow, the commencement of the Millennary era. Now our Inquirer thought it would be unreasonable, generally speaking, to expect that two persons, cherishing, respectively, these contrary views, should feel the same ardour, and make equal exertions, in the furtherance of the missionary cause.

His MILLENNARIAN FRIEND did not deny the reasonableness of this conclusion; but said, as it appeared from the Scriptures, that previously to the pre-millennial advent, there would be only comparatively, a very partial conversion of mankind to Christ, there could be no help in the case; and that there cannot, properly speaking, be any

thing to deplore in that reduction of ardour and activity, even in a good cause, which necessarily results from the unalterable plans and arrangements of Omnipotence. Our INQUIRER here suggested, whether, in relation to the highest proof of the divine benevolence, and to the universally-applicable character of the blessed religion which constitutes that proof, such a result ought not to excite a suspicion that the views which led to it were unscriptural. Do such ideas (asked our Inquirer) coincide with the parting injunctions of our Lord, or with the general tenor of Scripture, as to the publication and extension of the Gospel?

His MILLENNARIAN FRIEND said, he thought the words of St. Peter, as stated by the Apostle James, at the meeting of these and the other Apostles, and Elders, at Jerusalem, viz. "Simeon, (i. e. Peter) hath declared how God, at the first, did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name," evidently coincides with, if they do not justify, the expectation of Millennarians, that the world at large will not be converted to Christ by the ministry of the Gospel. Our INQUIREr, in reply, said, considering that the Gentiles (which name comprehends, of course, all the inhabitants of the world, the Jews excepted), had been sitting