THE MESSENGER OF THE CHURCHES: A MAGAZINE OF SCRIPTURE EXPOSITION, AND MEDIUM OF INTERCOMMUNICATION ON ALL SOCIAL AND PRACTICAL TOPICS OF IMPORTANCE TO THE BROTHERHOOD J WITH T1IK CONGREGATIONAL INTELLIGENCE OF THE YEAR 1862. VOL. III. EDINBURGH: PRINTED BY A. & W. R. WILSON, HIGH STREET. JtfDCCCLXII. Church of God General Conference: McDonough, GA; Digital Archives Library; https://coggc.org/ CONTENTS. Introduction ..... Page i Tbe Service of Hope ..... I Galilee of the Gentiles .... 4 Our Saviour as the “second man—the Lord from Heaven’’ 6 Scriptural Importance of the Lord's coming It The Land of Sodom ..... 13 The Day-for-a-Year Theory .... 17 Latter Days—Last Days .... 21 To be with Christ ..... 22 The Lord and the Woman of Samaria 25 Observations on the Prophecies .... 27 Prayer ...... 31, 4G The Apostles and the Immortality Question . 33 The Righteousness of Faith .... 34 A Contribution to the Geography of the Apocalypse . 37 Our Heirship with Abraham .... 40 The Dignity and Lowliness of Human Nature 45 Notes on Words .... 48, 88, 135 Observations on tbe Rook of the Revelations . 49, 92 The Kingdom and Throne of David .... 52 The Heavens and the Earth . 53 The Resurrection of Paul .... 58 Anathema Maranatha .... 58 A Growing Kingdom .... 61 The Family of ;Betbany .... 64, 77 Evangelism .... • 66, 116 Eternal, Everlasting, &c. 71 The Sceptic’s Wisdom .... 72 The Salvation of Israel . 73 Jesus of Nazareth ..•••• 79 History of the Doctrine of Peace .... 79 Observations, &c., or the Gospel of the Kingdom of God subverted 83,114 Remarks on the above ..... 84 The Church Meeting ..... 85 “ He shall be called a Nazarene ” 89 One Body 90 An Exhortation to Unity .... 94 Church of God General Conference: McDonough, GA; Digital Archives Library; https://coggc.org/ ii CONTENTS. PAGE An Admonition followed .... 95 The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand .... 97 An Interesting Book ..... 101 The Word of God and the Word of Man . 103 The Kingdom of God is at hand ... 109, 126 The Effect of Righteousness ..... 117, 136 Whose Name is the “Name of the Father, aud of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost ?”.... 124 The Euphrates ..... 130 Readings with a Sceptic .... 133 Typical and Allegorical Interpretations 141 “ 0 Lord thou knoifett 16 llrotkfrhj Litre 36 (Jo<ni>iejit of the Heart 40 The Preacher 59 Our Great High Prie*t 141 Intelligence, Note#, Jkc. iii, vii, xi, xv, xix, xxiii, xxvii, xxxv, xxxix, xliv, xlv The Inquirer . iv, vii, xi, xv, xviii, xxiii The Church Koi! . v, ix, xiii, xxi, xxu, xxxiii, xxxvii ¥ Our Psalmody . • • • ■ xv, xlii The July Meeting xxvi Report of Annual Aggregate Meeting, 1862 xxix Help xlii Practical Remarks .... xliii Conclusion of Vol. III. xlvi Church of God General Conference: McDonough, GA; Digital Archives Library; https://coggc.org/ THE . MESSENGER OF THE CHURCHES. “» SPEAK AS TO WISE MEN; JUDGE YB WHAT I BAY." INTRODUCTION. IN beginning a third year of this Magazine, we feel ourselves impelled to offer these few observations regarding it. The brethren require a medium of intercourse. This is manifest from the uniform appreciation of that portion of the MessengeR in which the doings of the churches, and the fortunes of the brethren are narrated. And it were a pity that anything should occur to render the continuance of this impracticable. This is the portion on which we have hitherto required to bestow most attention—gathering, begging, or receiving, and afterwards shaping, and arranging those few incidents which vary the life of our little community, but which being peculiar to it are full of interest to the members. If for nothing else then, at least for this, we must maintain the Messenger as the necessary vehicle of our interest and intercommunion. To render this efficient, it must be apparent that the attention and exertion of many of the brethren are absolutely necessary. If those who feel such pleasure in learning what others are doing, would task themselves with the agreeable duty of re­ cording what they do, this would be secured without fail. But we have other matters that we are fain to speak about—the great truths of our faith, which lie at the foundation of our brotherhood; those vital principles of duty which spring out of our associate life, and our relation to God; those circumstances of curious interest in the world around us which touch our common life; and those profounder matters of yet future action and development, which are the burden of the great prophets of God—all demand our attention, our exposition, or interpretation. The privilege of criticism of these and the power to look at them from the right point of view are ours, because of our posi- No. T. Voi.. 711. Church of God General Conference: McDonough, GA; Digital Archives Library; https://coggc.org/ ii. Messenger of the Churches. tion as eons of God, and heirs with faithful Abraham. And in the ex­ pression of our judgment our equality of right is only courteously waived in favour of those who are manifestly superior to ourselves. But our family circle is one in which all have a place equally favourable to the enjoyment of the benefits of this free examination, and friendly com­ parison of notes. Now and again we shall find one laying claim to his English birth­ right of the liberty to grumble. We deny the right; because it is against the law of our faith—“ Do all things without murmurings and dispuiings, that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God without rebuke,” Whether or not this advice covers the disposition, we still urge the good policy of refraining from complaint, especially when the means of redress are within reach of, and available to all—the privilege of qualifying anything we object to by setting forth our own ideas on the question at issue. Thus we plead for patience; but we must have courtesy as well. To be mannerly not only in the selection of our words, but in the setting forth of our subjects is a very apparent Christian duty ; yet we are apt to forget it sometimes, especially when we attach too great importance to ourselves, and our own ideas. We trust however, that it is not needful to argue this in our-circle. We lay upon ourselves the burden of preventing all personalities. Happily we have had little occasion for the exercise of this supervision and purgation. And it would never be needed if all our brethren who contribute would remember the maxim which we have set upon our front. “We speak as to wise men,”—wise through the amount of their acquirements in the truth of God; wise be­ cause of their relation to Him ; wise from their good consciences. Those wise men have minds as well as ourselves, and powers of perception and judgment too. Nay, we defer to their judgment: to this end we speak, “ Judge ye what we say.’’ The etiquette of society is rendered necessary in those circumstances where men are brought closely together; it is the manners of the city, the assembly, and the court, where there should be no jostling. So we, if not many, are close together, if our speeches are not long, there is little time for them. Our essays should be short, tor there is little room for them. In these few pages is our arena, and we must perform our evolutions in little space. Brethren, be sententious. We can dilute the matter at our own firesides where the talk is free.—And do not forget our motto,—“ I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say.” Editors. “ He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.”— Solomon. “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another.”—Paul. Church of God General Conference: McDonough, GA; Digital Archives Library; https://coggc.org/ k THE SERVICE OF HOPE. To a believer in the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, living in the exer* •else of his faith, the events that occur in the ordinary course of naturo have peculiar aspects; he views them in a different light from the men of the world. If he hears of the ravages of war abroad, or of disasters and dis­ orders at home, the fall of an empire or the death of a king, his mind is directed to the time when wars shall cease, and when peace and order shall everywhere prevail, under the sceptre of Him, who is first a Man of W.»r, and then the Prince of Peace. Or if within the narrow circle of iiis acquaintances he finds one labouring under severe pain or sick­ ness, for which he feels he can render no relief, but rather a liability to a like fate, then he ardently prays that the Kingdom may soon come, • of which it is said, “The inhabitants thereof are not sick, the people are forgiven their iniquity.” And when he is startled by the announce­ ment that one whom he loved lias been removed from the troubles of this life, and thereby the tenderest ties of affection have been snapt asunder by the unrelenting hand of Death, his thoughts are at once directed to the glorious resurrection morn; not to any undefined, un­ tangible, unpromised interim of blessedness; but to the unchangeable, unswerving purpose and will of God the Father attested by the delaration of iiis Son, when He said “ This is the will of Him that sent me, that every one that seeth the Son and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” (Jobu vi.