THE LADIES' REPOSITORY. CINCINNATI, JANUARY, 1843. SCENE AMONG THE HIGHLANDS. (SEE ENGRAVING) THE rude aspects of nature in the neighborhood of Lakes George and Champlain, assort with those stormy scenes of warrior life which have become associated with these rough regions. Here Dieskau, the Frenchman, and Johnson, the commander of the provincial forces, aided by the celebrated Sachem, Hendrick, fought a severe battle in 1755. The Revolutionary conflicts which followed, consecrated the soil and the scenery. And even during the last war a tragic interest was added to all the past by the naval skill of M'Donough, and the heroism of the brave American tars, who destroyed the British fleet, and took undisputed possession of these seas. Those times are past. We trust in God that the two Christian nations by whose differences the quiet of these seas was disturbed, will learn war no more, and that, instead of such savage conflicts, they will blend their influence in endeavors to spread the Gospel of peace, and advance its dominion over a wicked and perishing world. Such fraternal efforts for the good of mankind might be hailed as a pledge of the approaching reign of the Messiah. May God unite the nations in this work of Christian benevolence! May he call them from carnal conflicts, and gather them, as a great fraternity of sanctified philanthropists, to the battle of the Lord of hosts, and move them by his grace to labor for so great and glorious an end as the introduction of that blessed period, when "Peace shall visit earth, and truth let in HAIL! glowing orb of dark, descending night! Original. MOSES ON PISGAH. BY JOHN T. BRAME. THE aged patriarch on the mountain stood He bow'd to God and prayed, and in that prayer, And visit not upon their guilty heads, He ceased, and gazed in holy confidence, 2 Original. THE MILLENIUM. BY THE EDITOR. THE MILLENIUM. THE word millenium, signifies a thousand years. In theology it denotes a coming period, of the universal spread and prevalence of holiness. As to its manner, there are two differing opinions. The first is, that Christ will reign personally on the earth, and that the martyrs and eminent Christians will rise from the dead, and share in his terrestrial reign. Others argue that Christ will not appear in person, but will come by the power of the Holy Spirit, and that the resurrection of the martyred saints denotes only the restoration of their holy, self-denying tempers to the hearts of Christians. The former opinion has been embraced by thousands of learned and pious men. Justin Martyr, who wrote in the second century, earnestly supports it. He claims that in his day it was the commonly received opinion. In modern times, Dr. Gill, Bishop Newton, Mr. Kett, and others of equal eminence, adopted this view of the subject. Recently, some of the most respectable divines in Europe and America have become converts to the same faith. It is said that in England, such men as Baptiste Noel and Bickersteth are its firm adherents. The opinion is gaining advocates amongst learned American divines. the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation." Here the judgment and the "second coming" are connected, in a way that precludes the millenial advent. 3. The passage in Revelation xx, 4, speaks not of the bodies, but of the souls of the martyrs. “I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years." How natural to interpret this as denoting the restoration to the Church, in her millenial state, of the purity and zeal which glowed in the hearts of her ancient confessors. As Elijah was restored to the world in the person of John the Baptist, of whom the Savior said, "Elias hath already come;" so the ancient witnesses will return in the persons of many holy ministers, who shall not count their lives dear unto them, if they may but minister as becomes the Gospel, and finish their course with joy. Happy Church, and blessed period, when a martyr's spirit shall glow in every pious bosom! And "the time is at hand." There are signs which none need to mistake, of the near approach of the Savior's universal dominion. He shall soon "take to himself his great power, and reign King of nations, as he is King of saints." As to the commencement of this happy period, we If we are correctly informed, Mr. Wollf, the convert-have little to say concerning it. It is near at hand. ed Jew, now a presbyter of the Church of England, Of this there can be no doubt. How near-whether and a sincere and zealous minister of Christ, has exten- at the door, or one, twenty-five, or one hundred and sively propagated this view of the millenium in the fifty-eight years distant, can be of little consequence. English Church. To him, more than to any other, Too much may have been written already on this point. may its present currency be traced. It is said that he It is important to believe firmly that it is near; but deems this view of the prophecies important in regard what practical benefit could result from knowing the to the conversion of the Jews. day or the year? Some of the ablest living expositors of Scripture in the west agree with this opinion. A few openly advocate it. Whether it gains or loses ground amongst the clergy, we cannot say. Our clerical acquaintances hold for the most part, that the millenium will be a period of unexampled religious prosperity, in which Christ will have spiritual dominion from sea to sea, and from the rivers to the ends of the earth. This is our own opinion, and for the following reasons. It seems to us unadvised to draw the attention of the Church to what may properly be called curious and unlearned questions. And have we not done it in regard to the millenium? Its exact period, its mode of commencing, its implications as it regards the personal coming of Christ, are of no great practical moment, or they would have been revealed so clearly as not to admit of pros and cons. These are unlearned questions-that is, they are unlearnable, not being set forth with certainty in the Scriptures. The fact that they are not, is a hint to man. He should let them alone, or at least touch them lightly and diffidently. Over and above 1. The prophecies which relate to Christ's millenial reign are highly figurative in their style. This is the case with the Book of Revelation. To interpret the fourth verse of the twentieth chapter as simply imply-mere hints, we are admonished to "avoid" them. "It ing a restoration of the spirit of the martyrs to the Church, seems to us a warrantable license, taking into view the genius of the Apocalypse. Should we insist on the literal sense of this text, why not also on the passages which describe the binding of Satan with a great chain, or the flight of the woman into the wilder-, he has given does not cover? Let us explore where ness. 2. The personal reign of Jesus on earth is hardly consistent with some portions of Scripture, especially those texts which speak of his second advent. "And it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment; so Christ was once offered to bear is not for us to know the times and seasons which God hath put in his own power." Creatures cannot tell us the when of these things, nor the how in any precise detail. Why should we, launching on the sea of God's providence, attempt to navigate regions which the chart he offers pilotage and anchorage. Let us bear away from courses uninvited and unwarranted, and betake ourselves to the voyage on which he sends us. He commissions us to sail in the regions of repentance, and afterwards in the regions of faith and love. When we have circumnavigated these fields, and have no more THE MILLENIUM. discoveries to make or depths to sound, let us strive | how many we can take in convoy over the regions we have so thoroughly explored. When we have the world in our wake, and not a craft on its surface is heading towards perdition, then-no, not even then may we launch beyond the limits of our commission! Then we will cast anchor, and wait for farther orders. Some think these things are revealed. If revealed, why so much labored argument? why so many and differing opinions? If revealed, they are facts, and should be presented as clearly as the facts of history. What orthodox couplet of high or low Churchmen ever debated whether there shall be a resurrection and a judgment—whether there is a heaven or a hell? These are Gospel postulates with all but infidels. So is the millenium; but not its period, nor the manner of Christ's coming to dwell among his saints; whether in person, or by the presence of the Comforter. Let us hold on to the postulate then, and make good use of it, but leave all else where God is pleased to leave it. Let us hold on to the postulates, that courage and zeal may not be wanting in the warfare whose issues involve this holy, blessed millenium. 3 One thing is certain. Ours will be a day of conflict. The Scriptures which admonish us of perilous times, are so near being fulfilled, that the event begins to interpret the prophecy. The millenium, as is generally supposed, may be near-that is, within two centuries of us. But in the meantime, there are waiting for sudden development the elements of fiercer persecutions than ever yet raged on earth. These the Church must endure, and she should be making ready for the travail. Is this unwelcome intelligence? It ought to be most welcome. Persecutions are precursory of the millenium. "In the last days, perilous times shall come." And if perils are to herald the reign of the Messiah, shall we dread their approach? They are graves which lie between us and the augured triumphs of the cross. They are shadows which we are assured must gather around us, that out of their deepest gloom may spring, to our transport, the intense, abiding light. Shall we lament the trials, which however they involve us, are harbingers of Zion's universal conquests? No. We hail the era of persecution. If we must pass through this strait gate to the millenium, thank God that we begin to feel its pressure. Let the enemy exult upon like rivers. These violences are the throes of a new birth, and shall result in the regeneration of a world. But in the meantime, what should be the attitude of the Church? It should be boldly offensive. No effort should be relaxed, no emprise of charity abandoned. Otherwise, her zeal and toil should be increased a thousand-fold. She should be above past example a praying, laboring, suffering witness for Jesus and his truth. First, she should be a praying witness. We continually forget the power of prayer; or if not, we are indolent and worldly, and do not apply this power to help on the conquests of Zion. If you were now called upon to select the most efficient of Christ's militant followers, to whom more than to any others, Zion is indebted for her advances and her victories, where would you look for them? In the pulpit? You might mistake. Would you fix your eye on a public-spirited professor, who gives ten thousand dollars to a college, ten thousand to a theological seminary, ten thousand to the missions, and ten thousand to the Bible society? You might greatly err. I would not go to the pulpit, or the lists of charities to make this selection; but I would go to the closet. Give me access to the devo Some other things are revealed which it deeply con-us-let the kindling fires burst forth-let blood flow cerns us to ponder. We should know that perilous times are at hand. Dread darkness will go before the sunrise of the millenium. This is told us for a warning. Shall we stir curious questions, and pass admonitions by? He would be a reckless officer, who should disregard the reports of faithful spies. "An ambush," say they, "is in your van. A fearful foe lurks in the fastnesses of yonder heights, at the base of which you are leading your thronging legions." The commander hears, calls a halt, draws up his troops, and when they wait to hear a spirit-stirring appeal to their courage and ambition, and warnings to beware, their General entertains them with lively and graphic descriptions of the cities they shall conquer, and the booty they shall win. Is this the way to triumph? It is the way to disaster and defeat. Is it not our way? What, sing and shout in millenial tones, while ambuscades are thickening all around us, and shutting Zion in on every side! An army of formalists presses her on one side, and hosts of errorists on the other side. These mix and sweeten poisons to destroy her-those waft upon her the spirit of slumber. Under both, she nods and sickens. And shall we fall to and entertain her drowsy, enfeebled senses, with things sweet and savory to her palate?tions of the closet, and power to ascertain who spends She wants music. Give it to her; but let it be none of your soft, cozening symphonies about a "millenium at hand." Sound an alarm in God's holy mountain. The foe! the foe! should be exclaimed by all her watchmen along the extended walls of Jerusalem. Yet she is putting off her armor, as though her enemy were finally and for ever repulsed. Repulsed! There never was an hour in fifteen centuries so full of brooding mischief to the Church, as is this very hour. Her own zeal has inspirited her foes, and her own providence has taught them. Would to God that she could profit by her own experience, as they do by her example! most time in secret prayer, and wrestles with most faith and fervor for God's blessing on a perishing world, and I will, with bold assurance, point out the most efficient of Christ's militant followers. The humblest subaltern in Zion's armies may be the bravest of her warring bands-her champion in God's sight who seeth not as man seeth-who judges not from the outward or formal organization of the Church, but looketh on the heart. Probably such a champion might be found in some undistinguished mother in Israel, who for fifty years has been drawing nearer and nearer to God, and now with almost open vision, a faith clear as sight, wrestles day |