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EZRA W. REID
This new Science, as we might call it, was so diametrically opposed to the prevailing religious views, that from the very first they began to clash. And he was so unsparing in his denunciation of their practices, and, as it seemed to his hearers, considered himself of so much greater authority than their old-time leaders, that they rejected him and his teachings. For instance, he would say, "Ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time . . . but I say unto you," etc. The Sermon on the Mount is an epitome of his doctrine. In it he sets forth with great clearness the Principle of his teachings. So far-reaching and exacting are the requirements that theologians have said, "The Sermon on the Mount was only an indication of the degree of perfection to which man should aspire; that man, weighed down by sin, could not reach such an ideal" (Tolstoi). But Jesus practised these precepts in his daily life, and obedience to them was demanded of all who would follow him. He taught his followers to pray "Thy Kingdom come;" that is, the rule of Love and Truth must be established in the hearts of men, that all thereby may be perfect as the Father in Heaven, loving their neighbor as themselves, and, forsaking all dependence upon the material, rely upon the Spiritual for all things. It was near the close of his earthly career that Jesus began to speak of the "second coming." It is obvious that the disciples but feebly comprehended the momentous events which their Master was relating, his death and resurrection, the destruction of Jerusalem, and the end of the world . . . and it was not until after the day of Pentecost that they grasped the import of the great truths he had taught them. Thenceforth they boldly and fearlessly preached “Jesus and the resurrection," and taught the people all the words of this life," "rejoicing in tribulation," and "waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians, 1: 7). We find such references in the New Testament as lead us to infer that this doctrine of the second coming was a source of great comfort to the Apostles, and the thought that they, being "in the light," might be privileged to remain "till he come," was one which buoyed them up amid all the vicissitudes of their lives. It has been said that one in every forty-two verses of the New Testament relates to this subject of the Coming, and its correlative, the Millennium, so that it is evidently one which cannot be lightly put aside as unimportant, or ignored in one's study of the Scriptures; indeed, we find in the early writings of the Christians, much that bears upon this subject; but gradually the belief regarding the reign of Christ became so colored with Judaic and other legends, that it can hardly be recognized as having any relation to the doctrine taught by Jesus and the apostles. The fading away of the doctrine of the millennium was slightly checked by the expectation regarding the last day of the year 1000 A. D., and the hopes entertained concerning the success of the Crusades. Then, again, during the Reformation; again among the Fifth Monarchy men of Cromwell's time; and again among the Protestants during the Thirty Years' War, did the doctrine experience a partial revival. It was not until the first half of the present century that the subject began to receive the serious attention and study it demanded. William Miller, a devout, God-fearing man, after an intense application to the study of the prophecies, began, in 1833, to preach the Coming of Christ and the end of the world in 1848. The older ones among us are familiar with the story of the failure of the movement, and the disappointment, ridicule, and contempt arising therefrom. Still the undaunted champion continued preaching, having discovered, as he thought other arguments to substantiate his claims, and finally he died in the firm conviction that he was right in looking for the Saviour to come at about that time. In 1827 a sect arose in Ireland which acquired some prominence in England in 1830; and in Germany some of the greatest of recent theologians were Millenarians. Today there is quite a large number of people in this country, of various sects, who are identified with this doctrine, and are looking for and expecting the Christ and the end of the world; a few believe that he has come. We cannot, within the limits of this article, enter into the discussion of the various beliefs of these people, their differences, and the mathematical, chronological, and historical arguments which prove the time of the second advent; suffice it to say, that from 1843 to 1873 there was quite a widespread expectation that it would occur within that period. In fact, many eminent English standard writers and commentators fixed upon the year 1866 as the year which would bring the Lord and his Kingdom. This date is one which especially interests Christian Scientists. The great desideratum in the study of the Scriptures, is the ability to rightly divide the word of Truth (2 Timothy, 2 :15). For example: Jesus, in his first public preaching, as recorded Luke (4: 18), quoting from Isaiah, says, " by The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me ... to preach the acceptable year of the Lord." By turning to Isaiah (61: 2), we see that Jesus stopped in the middle of the sentence, and for some reason omitted the clause "and the day of vengeance of our God." He also said, "This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears." From this we can infer that that which was omitted was not fulfilled, and belonged to another period, forming thereby a parenthesis, which we might call the Gospel age. The Scriptures are like a mine which hides within its depths untold riches. One needs to search, dig, and labor in order that he may become possessed of its wealth. The devoted, thorough student of the Bible, cannot but notice that, between the lines, underneath the letter, there is a wonderful arrangement of the workings of Truth, God, in the affairs of men. There are stated periods of history, superhuman and irresistible leaders, and predestined results; and the Divine power is so prominent, and their understanding of the Divine intentions so manifestly that which moves these leaders, that one is forced to exclaim with Amos: "Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret to his servants the prophets" (3: 7). There is a thread of continuity running through the whole warp and woof of human history. Carlyle said, "All history is the Bible" (Miscellaneous Writings, 253). Peter, in his second epistle, divides human history into certain periods, which he designates "The world that was;" "The heavens and the earth which are now;" and the "New heavens and new earth." Here are three distinct divisions: That which was, was destroyed by water; that which is now, is to be destroyed by fire; that which is to come, is that wherein dwelleth righteousness. The discussion as to whether or not the water and fire are to be understood literally, can properly be omitted from this article. Jesus gives us to understand that there is a similarity between the two (Matthew, 24: 36-40): "As in the days that were before the flood . . . they knew not until the flood came and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be." As has been already stated, Jesus coupled the coming with the end of the world. We are thus confronted with the fact that there is to be something sudden and unexpected. The word coming, in nearly every case, is the translation of the Greek word parousia, which means presence (see marginal references in the Revised Version). Paul uses the word in Philippians, 2: 12, when he says, "not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence." The question then which the disciples asked was: "What shall be the sign of thy presence and the end of the age" (R. V.), just as though they understood that there would be a necessity for some sign or manifestation, whereby it might be known that the great event had occurred. Jesus in his answer said there would be false claims, signs, and wonders, to such an extent that they would deceive the very elect, if it were possible. He further said, the presence would be "as the lightning [light] that cometh out of the east and shineth even unto the west." In the economy of God there is no chance; nothing occurs accidentally. As at the first coming, "when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son" (Galatians, 4: 4), so now, there is a "set time" (Psalm 102: 13). All events occur as do the rhythmic movements of the universe. As in the olden time God revealed his doings to his servants, the prophets, so at the second coming there is to be a class called "the elect," whom Paul addressed as "ye brethren," when he said, "Ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief" (1 Thessalonians, 5: 4; notice the difference in the pronouns). "As the eagles [vultures] are gathered where the carcase is, so shall my people be gathered where I am" (Matthew 24: 28, Luther's trans.). In every effort that has been attempted, with possibly one or two exceptions to investigate the subject of the second coming of Christ, there have been the false reasoning and conclusions, resulting from the erroneous ideas of who Christ was, why the coming, and what salvation is. Christ was and is one with God. John thus speaks of the Logos (Word): "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God ... All things were made by him; and without Him was not anything made that was made ... And the Word was made flesh." The Jews could not grasp this idea, and when Jesus said, "I and my Father are one;" "Before Abraham was, I am;" "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it and was glad," they took up stones to stone him. The patriarchs and prophets, "caught glorious glimpses of the Messiah, or Christ" (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, 229), and especially did Isaiah, who, in the "Gospel of the Old Testament," as it has been called, prophesied of him who should be called "Immanuel—God with us," and it was this understanding which enabled those worthies whom Paul mentions in Hebrews 12, to undergo what they did (S.&H. 166-16, 26). This Gospel (Greek, glad-tidings, good or joyful news) was the precursor of the Kingdom. Jesus' followers were commanded to go into all the world and preach the glad-tidings, the good news, and they were expressly told that "these good tidings of the Kingdom, shall be preached in the whole world [margin, inhabited earth] for a testimony unto all the nations, and then shall the end come" (Matthew, 24: 14, R. V.). And now, after this Gospel has thus been promulgated, "we, according to his promise, look for a new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness;" and what is this new heavens and new earth, but that which Saint John saw (Revelation, 21) in prophetic vision as the outcome of the Sermon on the Mount? It was the Christ, of whom Jesus was the "highest human corporeal concept" (S. & H. 228, 229, 580), who was to come again after the Gospel parenthesis; but when Jesus ascended from the Mount of Olives, he laid aside forever the flesh-body—and "henceforth know we him no more after the flesh." The year 1866 has been referred to as the year in which a number of English theologians looked for the end of the "present dispensation;" but as that time drew near without any Millennial symptoms, Dr. John Cummings, the chief exponent thereof, was understood to have modified his original views considerably, and now conjectures that "the beginning of the Millennium will not differ so much, after all, from the years immediately preceding it, as people commonly suppose" (International Cyclopaedia). Was it coincidental that Christian Science should have been discovered in the year 1866? As indicated in the above quotation, there is no reason for expecting that the beginning of the new dispensation should be so very different from the years preceding it, that is, from the standpoint of mortal man. Are not all of God's works performed through the still, small voice? It was in this manner, and in this year of 1866, that Rev. Mary Baker Eddy discovered Christian Science, which, from the testimony of Jesus and the apostles, we feel sure is the Second Coming of Christ. Jesus said that the Comforter, the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of Truth, would come, and lead into all Truth. "He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you" (John 14: 26). Christian Science lays hold of the principles contained in the Sermon on the Mount, and otherwise taught by Jesus, and thereby casts out devils, speaks with new tongues, heals the sick, gives sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf. Christian Science teaches that God is the only Mind, all-present, all-wise, all-powerful, absolutely the only Life, Intelligence, and Substance in the universe. It teaches that Man, made in God's image, is perfect, and, reflecting God, is deathless, spiritual. It fulfils all the requirements of the teachings of Jesus, expounds the principles by which he healed the sick and performed his miracles, and destroys sin "by the manifestation of his presence" (2 Thessalonians, 2: 8, R. V.). In short, it inculcates that knowledge of God which is eternal Life, knowledge, which here and now enables one to triumph over sickness and sin. With an irresistible power it has advanced, until within the short space of thirty years its adherents are numbered by hundreds of thousands, and over a million of people attest its beneficence. The Kingdom has come, and, as the light which is all diffused, is the presence of the Christ.
The Christian Science Journal, October, 1897 |
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