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The Evening and The Morning Star/2/21
| ←Number 20 | The Evening and The Morning Star Volume 2, Number 21 |
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| Source document in Mormon Publications: 19th and 20th Centuries online archive: The Evening and The Morning Star Vol. 1-2
Note: Some headings and bracketed texts are editorial and not part of the original text. |
| THE EVENING AND THE MORNING STAR | ||
| Vol. 2. | Kirtland, Ohio. June, 1834 | No. 21. |
COMMUNICATIONS.
Millenium. NO. VI.
[Continued from our last.]
What proves that David, in this Psalm, had reference to the second coming of Christ is, that in the 5 verse, he says, "Gather my saints together unto me; those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice." Paul says, in the 2 chapter, of the 2 epistle to the Thessalonians, and the first verse: "Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him." In the 24 chapter of Matthew, when the Savior is speaking of his second coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory, he says, verse 31: "And he shall send his angels with the great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other."
The prophet Habakkuk, in the 3 chapter of his prophecy, & 3 verse, doubtless alluded to the second coming of Christ: "God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. And his brightness was as the light; he had horns coming out of his hand; and there was the hiding of his power. Before him went the pestilence, and burning coals went forth at his feet. He stood, and measured the earth: he beheld, and drove asunder the nations: and the everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills did bow: his ways are everlasting." No such wonders as these have transpired yet, nor is there any thing ever mentioned by the prophets to take place that can admit of such a scene but the second coming of Christ.
Isaiah, in the 64 chapter of his prophecy, and first verse, uses very similar language, at least, sufficiently so, to show that they both had the same thing in view:
"Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence. As when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence! verse 3: When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, thou camest down, the mountains flowed down at they presence." It is necessary to observe, that the prophets speak of things to be accomplished long after their day, as though they had been accomplished at the time they wrote, because they saw them accomplished in the vision of heaven.
The same subject of the second coming of Christ is set forth by the sacred writers in another form.
For instance, Peter, in the 3 chapter of the Acts of the apostles, from the 19 to the 25 verse, had the same subject in view, calling it "the times of the restitution of all things:" he says thus: "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; and he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: whom the heavens must receive, until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets, since the world began. For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you, of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things, whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people."
The prophet Joel, in the second chapter of his prophecy, calls it the great and terrible day of the Lord: see from the 28 verse to the close of the chapter which reads thus.
"And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: and also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my Spirit. -And I will shew [show] wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall pe [be] turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come.-And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call." This same passage is quoted by Peter in the Acts of the apostles, 5 chapter, from the 14 to the 22 verse, with a little variation, such as notable instead of TERRIBLE, and saved instead of DELIVERED, &c.
John, in the 6 chapter of the Revelations, calls it the great day of the wrath of the Lamb. The connection begins at the 12 verse, and continues to the end of the chapter. It reads as follows: "And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood: and the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig-tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll [or parted as a scroll] when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bond-man, and every free-man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; and said to the mountains and rocks, fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: for the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?"
A close reader of the scriptures will see, that the writers, in the preceding quotations, had in view the second coming of Christ, and the things attendant on that advent. In the quotation from the Acts, the apostle says he will send Jesus Christ who was before preached unto you. He also says that Moses had previously spoken of this, that is, that the time was coming when every soul should be cut off from among the people, who would not hear that prophet that was to be raised up like unto himself, which prophet was Christ: but the time that every soul who would not hear that prophet should be cut off has not come yet; but it will when Christ comes: for this is the uniform testimony of all the prophets that have written of these things. Paul says when he comes, he will take vengeance on them that know not God and obey not the gospel. John says, that all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him, and Peter says, that Moses had testified that every soul should be cut off. So great is the sameness among these writers, their need be no mistake that the times of restitution of all things, spoken of by all the holy prophets since the world began, is the time of the second coming of the Savior.
The quotation from Joel is equally plain; he says that, "I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood before the great and terrible day of the Lord come;" and at that time their is to be deliverance in mount Zion and in Jerusalem. This is the same in substance as others have said about the second coming of Christ. Paul says, as before referred to, that he should be revealed in fire. Malachi says, when he comes suddenly to his temple, he will be as a refiner's fire.
Joel here says, that the sun shall be darkened and the moon turn to blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come. Isaiah says, as before quoted in the 24 chapter of his prophecy and last verse, that the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the Lord of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously. Again, Joel says, that there shall be deliverance in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem; and Isaiah says, that the Lord will reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem. The sameness is so striking that any attentive reader may see that the terrible day of the Lord, spoken of by Joel, and quoted by Peter, is the time of Christ's second coming.
In the quotation from the 6 chapter of Revelations, the similarity is as visible: John mentions the sun becoming as sackcloth of hair, the moon turning to blood, and the stars of heaven falling, as a fig-tree casteth her untimely figs when shaken of a mighty wind. The Savior says in the 24 chapter of Matthew, when speaking of his second coming, 29 verse, "Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon turn to blood, and the stars fall from heaven," &c.
It is farther said, in the preceding quotation, that every mountain and island was moved out of their place. Isaiah, in the 64 chapter, as before quoted, speaking of the Lord rending the heavens and coming down, says, that the mountains flowed down at his presence, &c. One more coincidence is, that John says, "And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and mighty men, and every bond-man, and every free-man, hid themselves in the dens, and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth upon the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of his wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand?" This is the same as others have said. Paul says he will take vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the gospel.
Daniel says he will break in pieces and destroy all the kingdoms of the world.
John says, the kings of the earth sought a covert under the rocks and mountains: and in another part of his Revelations, "All kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him." That is, when he comes in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory, to reign on the earth a thousand years.
It must be plain to every thinking man, that all these writers in the foregoing passages, referred to the second coming of Christ, and the great and marvelous things there spoken of to be accomplished, are to take place in connection with his second advent and that the great and terrible, or notable day of the Lord, mentioned by Joel, and afterward by Peter, and the times of the restitution of all things spoken of by Peter, as well as the great day of the wrath of the Lamb, all refer to the second coming of the Savior, when he comes to reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.
Every candid reader of the bible, who is not so completely bewildered by the prejudice of education, and in the greatest possible darkness, by reason
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of false teaching, must see that the second coming of Christ in order to reign on the earth, is by far the most important period in human existence-all the sacred writers have viewed it to be so-heaven, earth, and hell, are to be effected with it-saints, and sinners are deeply interested in it-all the righteous who are sleeping in their graves, fell a sleep in Christ, in view of that glorious and awful day of wonders and majesty-the disembodied spirits of the saints in the paradise of God, are waiting the arrival of that period to receive their glorified bodies, and commence their never-ceasing age of glory by reigning with Christ a thousand years on earth! The prophets, the apostles, Moses, and Jesus, Abel, Enoch, and Abraham, all beheld it afar off and rejoiced in it-The saints above, and the saints on earth are looking and longing for it,-the time when they shall all be gathered together, both the things on earth and the things in heaven, which are in Christ Jesus. Those in heaven to reign with him a thousand years, and those on earth, or in the flesh, to serve him a thousand years in their successive generations. Not only men, both in the flesh and in the spirit, but beasts, reptiles, and birds, are also to rejoice in it: they will cease to hurt and to destroy. The asp, the cockatrice, the lion, the leopard, and the bear, shall all become harmless, the little child shall play unmolested, the weaned child perform its wanderings undisturbed! the calf, the kid, and the lamb, sport in playful mirth, and nothing to make them afraid: the whole lower creation rejoice, and all the heavens be glad! O glorious day, O happy period! rejoice ye heavens, and be exceeding glad O earth! Ye lofty mountains, prepare yourselves to bow respectfully, and prostrate yourselves at the feet of the King of kings, and the Lord of lords; and ye humble valleys wait his advent, that thou mayest be lifted up on high! O earth, roll on, and cease not; bring in haste this day of wonder and glory. O thou time exert all thy powers, and bring it swiftly to our doors! O saints, let your prayers cease not; call upon God day and night, until this day of rest comes, and the heavens and earth rejoice together!
From the foregoing quotations we have learned the following particulars.
1. That Christ is coming again to reign on the earth a thousand years, and that he will bring all the saints with him of every nation, tongue, and kindred, and they shall reign with him.
2. And previous to, and at the time of his coming, the saints on earth are to be gathered together to mount Zion, and to Jerusalem, even all of them, from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other; for there the Lord is to reign before his ancients gloriously.
3. That he will at that time take vengeance on the wicked, even all of them of all kindreds of the earth, for they shall all wail because of him.
Under these three general heads, we design to comprise all that we shall write on the subject of the Millennium in this disertation [dissertation].
The first in order, then is, that Christ is coming again to reign on the earth a thousand years, and that he will bring all the saints with him of every nation, tongue, and kindred, and they shall reign with him.
There is no fact in the bible that is set forth more clearly, than that of Christ's coming to reign on the earth with all the raised saints: it has been declared by all the inspired men since the world began; and it has been the expectation of all the saints in every age of the world, that Christ would come, and they should yet reign with him in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem: the ancient prophets prophesied of it, and the ancient poets sang of it.-Not as some have said, a spiritual (which might be more properly called imaginary) reign; but literal, and personal, as much so as David's reign over Israel, or the reign of any king on earth. All the inspired men have said that Christ shall reign over the earth literally; for literally the kingdoms of this world will become the kindoms [kingdoms] of our God and his Christ, and he shall reign on the earth. And he will as literally break in pieces and destroy all the kingdoms of the world, as ever one king destroyed and broke down the kingdom of another. Never did Cyrus the Great, (as he is called,) more literally break down and destroy the kingdom of ancient Babylon, than will Christ, the Great King, break in pieces and destroy all the kingdoms of the world; and so completely will he do it, that there will not, from one end of the earth to the other, be an individual found whose word, or edict will be obeyed but his own: so that he will completely break in pieces and destroy all kingdoms. See Daniel, 2 chapter, and 44 verse.
But before we enter particularly into an examination of Christ's reign, let us see the situation of the world in relation to the government of heaven, at the time Christ was to begin to make preparation for his great and last advent.
That the world, previous to this time, was to wander far from God, and righteousness was so far to depart from the earth and the true principles of the religion of heaven to be so neglected, as to leave the world in a state of apostasy, is pretty generally acknowledged by all who profess much confidence in the bible. This is the testimony of the Savior himself, and I presume, all will agree, that his testimony is sufficient to establish any point: I mean all who believe him to be the Savior of the world. He says, as recorded in the 24 chapter of Matthew, 37, 38, and 39 verses: "but as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away: so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." TO BE CONTINUED.
FAITH OF THE CHURCH OF CHRIST IN THESE LAST DAYS. NO. IV.
[Continued from our last.]
After all the management and the ingenuity of the sectarian religionists, to make themselves appear righteous, it is impossible for them to hide themselves from the view of an honest reader of the bible: the great disparity between them and the primitive church of Christ is so manifest, that a man must load himself with an immense burden of prejudice not to see it. There are, however, none, or very few at least, but do see it, and have to display all their talents and learning to prove that which no creature that God ever made could prove, and that is, that God has a church on earth which he equally acknowledges with the church built up by the ancient apostles, and this modern church never sustain the same character before him the ancient church did.
It might be considered one of the most marvelous things in the world, for men, with the bible in their hands, and who do believe in future rewards and punishments, to deceive themselves and others by using all their talents and learning, to lead the world astray. Well might Paul say, that wicked men and seducers should wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived; [2 epistle to Timothy, 3 chapter and 13 verse;] for scarce had the church of the LATTER DAY SAINTS began to make its appearance, than as it was in days of old so is it in the last days. We are told, in the 4 chapter of the Acts of the apostles, 27 verse, that, "Against the holy child Jesus, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together;" and Paul says to the Thessalonians, 1 epistle, 2 chapter, 14 and 15 verses, "For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews: who both killed the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men."
According to these testimonies, it made no difference where the gospel had effect, whether in Jerusalem, or in Macedonia, Asia, or Europe, or who proclaimed it, either an apostle, or a prophet, or the Savior. Nor did it matter who received it, nor where it was received; for let the world differ in other things as they might, in this they all agreed, to persecute the messengers of heaven, and to seek the destruction of the church of Christ. The Pharisees, the Sadducees, the Herodians, and the Nazarites, in other things disagreed, but in persecuting the saints of God they agreed perfectly, together with all the heathen of every tribe, and tongue; for let them worship at the shrine of what god they would; with one consent they would persecute the church of Christ. Here you would find all classes of characters agreeing, moral and immoral, temperate and intemperate, learned and unlearned, vulgar and refined, old and young, priests and infidels; for they all felt a common interest. Neither were they wanting in persons to prove any thing they desired-there was no falsehood to great to tell, or to swear to.
William Jones, in his history of the Waldenses, (which were doubtless the remains of the apostolic church,) shows by records which are still extant, that as long as there could be found a vestige of the church of Christ, though their enemies had to seek after them in the mountains, and often in dens and caves of the earth, they were unceasing in their persecutions: they followed them from cave to cave, and from mountain to mountain, burning, butchering, and in taking every means in their power to provoke one another to acts of violence: inventing and publishing the most outlandish falsehoods, which neither themselves nor others believed; but it served as a pretext for them to practice their iniquities under. Such as their eating their children, living in common, which Mr. Jones shows from the clearest evidence, had no foundation, only in heads and hearts of the foulest characters. But such were the sufferings that innocent people had to suffer for righteousness' sake, and for no other reason, than that their faith differed from others.
The Roman Emperors put hundreds of the saints of God to death, because they believed that God would deliver them out of the hands of their enemies. The Romans were therefore determined to put their faith to the test, as they did the faith of the Savior-"let him come down from the cross, and then we will believe on him."
In every age of the world, when the Lord, after an apostasy, began to restore pure religion, the existing religionists, it mattered not whether they worshiped [worshipped] one imaginary god or fifty, they were all alike in their hostility to the messengers of heaven, and to the people of God. There is one thing common to the god, or gods of all apostate religionists, whether they are visible or invisible, wood, stone, marble, copper, brass, silver gold, or iron, they are all dumb-they never speak. Or, if the worshiper supposes his god to be spirit, still he is as silent as the material gods, and his tongue is as still as if he were wood or stone. It has been peculiar to the people of God in every age, to worship a God that would speak; for though some apostate religionists say they worship a God that is spirit, and one that in the younger part of his life, was in the habit of speaking and communicating to and with his saints, but now for many years he has been silent, and never calculates to speak any more, either because of his age, or
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because he does not know the language of the people. This peculiarity in the God of the saints, has exposed them to the severest reproaches from those whose god had got the other side of speaking. Probably, because age may have impaired his senses, or weakened his nerves, or for some other reason or cause which he has not made known. If the saints' God would be as silent as theirs, their religion might be borne with; but to worship a God that will communicate with his saints, is to great an imposition to be endured in the estimation of dumb-god worshipers.
Since the God of heaven has began to bring his church out of the wilderness, and to gether [gather] together his saints as he promised the fathers of Israel he would do in the last days, they [the saints] have had to feel the truth of Paul's declaration, that they who will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 2 Epistle to Timothy, 3 chapter, 12 verse. As it was in former days, so it is now, all the dumb-god worshipers in the land have found one thing on which they can unite: every tongue is let loose, every pen is employed in fabricating and publishing the most incredible falsehoods that the foulest of the foul can invent, though neither the inventor, the reporter, nor yet the printer believes a word of them; but they serve for a pretext to practice iniquity under, as done in the ancient persecuters [persecutors] of the Waldenses. One circumstance I think worthy of remark. Let any man read Jones' history of the Waldenses, and he will find that the very same lies are put in circulation now about the LATTER DAY SAINTS, that were formerly circulated about that people. But what else could we expect, since the God of the saints is the same, the devil the same, dumb-god worshipers the same, and the saints the same?
In former days, Pharisees, Sadducees, Herodians, Nazarites, and all classes and casts of heathen, mutually agreed to persecute the church of God. So in these last days, Presbyterians, Methodists, Baptists, Episcopalians, Quakers, Shakers, Tunkers, Jumpers, Universalians, Restorationers, and to put the nub on, the LEARNED, the WISE, the PIOUS reformer, Mr. Campbell, with his whole train of Campbellite reformers, have entered the list, in connection with thousands of those who hate religion in all its forms!-The cry of "false prophets," and "false Christ," is heard through all their ranks, as though their heads and hearts were all alike. And as we are to know them by their works, we must draw the conclusion, that as their works are alike, their hearts cannot differ much.
In examining carefully, and honestly, all the sentiments of the different religious parties of the present day, their articles of faith, creeds, confessions, leagues, covenants, &c. it would be found, that there is scarcely one item even the smallest item of the doctrine of Christ preached in its purity; nor is there an item of it received in the same point of light as the ancients received it: neither is the practice, which grows out of their sentiments in any respect like the practice of the ancient churches.
With all the reformations the nineteenth century produces, or can produce, the sectarians will leave the world in no better condition than they found it-divided, distracted, confused; with parties, strifes, contentions, tumults, envyings, persecutions, evil speakings, and the whole list of abominations, related by the apostles, will be in full practice among them. And in despite of all their exertions, though they were ten times as vigilant and zealous as they are, and their reformations ten to one, and their converts to multiply as the sand by the sea shore, still, when the Savior comes the people will be as they were in the days of Noah, and know nothing until the Savior is revealed in fire and they are destroyed by the brightness of his coming; for this is the testimony of Moses, and the prophets, of Jesus and the apostles. Nor has there ever been an inspired man on earth, who did not bear the same testimony.
The ignorance of the religious teachers of the day, never appeared more glaring in any thing, than in an attempt to create a Millennium by converting this generation. I ask, when was a generation of apostate religionists ever converted to God? at no time since the world began: we read of their being cut off; and God, but of their conversions we have no account-the antediluvians, who were doubtless apostate religilnests, were cut: the Jews were cut ; and God, by the mouth of all the holy prophets, has said, that in the last days the Gentiles, because they received not the truth in the love of it, should be destroyed. But notwithstanding all this testimony the priests of the day are determined to make all the prophets liars; for they have decreed to convert the whole generation before the Son of man comes, and make a Millennium out of them. But let them know, that all the Millennium the bible knows any thing about, is, the thousand years that Christ shall reign personally on the earth, after he has gathered all the saints together from one end of heaven to the other, and cut all the wicked off that there shall not one be left.
We have been a little amused to see the inconsistencies which will appear in the writings and sayings of those who profess to be engaged in the same cause-Take for instance Mr. Campbell with his Harbinger, and Mr. Scott with his Evangelist; both professedly of the same faith, and devoted to the same cause. Mr. Campbell has published a long series of articles from the pen of a Mr. M'Corcle, in which Mr. M'Corcle, has endeavored to prove, that this whole religious generation is in a state of apostasy, [which is easily done by any one acquainted with the bible.] and that no apostate generation has ever been converted to God, and he warns this generation to beware, for the judgements of God will be upon them. [This he can do with the greatest propriety.]
Mr. Scott, of the Evangelist, in one of his late Editorial addresses to his patrons and brethren, informs them, that it was required of the saints always to convert the world, and as his brethren are the saints, he therefore notifies them that God requires at their hands the conversion of the world. Mr. Campbell's paper goes abroad alarming this generation, from the pen of Mr. M'Corcle, that they are in a state of apostasy, and therefore must be cut off, and cannot be converted; [and this is the testimony of all the prophets since the world began.] So one of their reforming papers denounces the judgments of God on this generation without remedy; the other has got a sovereign remedy-He and his brethren have got to convert them by the absolute requirement of heaven. If Mr. Scott was really in earnest when he penned the sentence alluded to, and is honest when he says that he believes the coming of the Son of man draws near, he must feel himself and his brethren to be in a very peculiar situation; for just as sure as the Lord lives, when the Son of man comes, instead of the generation who lives at that time on the earth being converted, they will be like the people of Noah, and like them will be cut off. Now, if Mr. Scott and his brethren have got, by the requirement of heaven to convert them, they will as certainly be found transgressors as ever the Lord comes; for they will never get them converted, for if they do, the prophets, yea, every one of them has lied; for they have said, that they should be a wicked generation, and be cut off. While it is written that the way of transgressors is hard, [see Proverbs, 13 chapter, and 15 verse,] Mr. Scott must feel himself and brethren in trying circumstances; for the Lord never required at the hand of any person more than they can do; and if the Lord has really required this at their hand, they will have to be like Abraham, against hope they will have to believe with hope; for the testimony of all the prophets is, that it will not be done. So Mr. Scott and the prophets stand in opposition to each other.
I think that it is probable, notwithstanding the immense labor which Mr. Scott has laid off for his disciples, and the vast importance he attaches to it, that it will pass off for a little Editorial puff, with which some Editors try to make the most of a thing.
There is not a fact more certain than this, that if the heavens have to retain the Savior till Mr. Scott and his saints convert the world, he will have a long residence there yet, and the generations of five thousand years will have nothing to fear from his coming. So Mr. M'Corcle may stay his hand, and cease to pronounce the judgments of God on this generation, and calmly employ himself about other matters, and leave this business to Mr. Scott, who has certainly chosen the better part, (whether it will be taken from him or not,) that of converting the whole of them.
I would recommend, however, to these gentlemen, as it is not so pleasing for reformers to disagree as it would be for them to see eye to eye, that they hold a council as the apostles did at Jerusalem about the question of circumcision, to settle this question; and as Mr. Campbell has a great interest at stake let him be moderator, and let the question be fairly settled, whether Mr. M'Corcle is to succeed in getting this generation destroyed, or whether Mr. Scott will get them converted; and let the result of the confab be published, both in the Harbinger and Evangelist so that the public mind, as far as they have been effected with the plans of Messrs. M'Corcle, and Scott, may be at rest. I can see no reason why this matter could not be settled thus amicably, be sure, if there were to be any very severe "conflicting of the winds," as that is an element which Mr. Campbell is rather afraid of, he might have the liberty of calling on as much help as the case might require.
Among all false religionists, and worshipers of dumb gods, there is a great likeness, whether they be heathen, christian, Jewish, or Mahometan, as their god or gods are all alike, as far as speaking is concerned. They are therefore under the necessity of obtaining the knowledge of their duty to them, without getting any direct communication from them, (I mean to themselves,) and they come to a knowledge of it by conjecture, or by means of what they have said to others, or what they have been supposed to say. So one god requires one thing, and another requires another. Some require their worshipers to wash in the Ganges, others require their's to burn their children: some find it necessary to demand of their subjects to be crushed to death under the wheels of their car; but Mr. Scott's god is worse than all of them, for his god requires of him that he, and those associated with him, should convert the world-this the God of heaven never required at the hand of any man, or set of men: he has required of his saints to proclaim the gospel to every creature in all the world, but no where commanded them to convert the world. A man can burn his children; he can wash in the Ganges; he can lay down and let the wheel of the car of his god crush him to pieces; and the saints of God can proclaim the gospel to every creature; but to convert the world to any particular religion, neither Mr. Scott nor any other has done it, nor can do it. So that his god is more unreasonable than Juggarnaut [Juggernaut]; for Juggarnaut [Juggernaut] requires nothing of his worshipers [worshippers] but what they can do: but Mr. Scott's god requires of him what neither himself nor no other man or set of men have done, or ever can do. TO BE CONTINUED.
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THE EVENING AND THE MORNING STAR.
KIRTLAND, OHIO, JUNE, 1834.