"THE EARTH SHALL BE FULL OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE LORD AS THE WATERS COVER THE

SEA."-- Is. xi. 9.

"AS THE DAYS OF NOAH WERE, SO SHALL ALSO THE COMING OF THE SON OF MAN BE." -- Matt.

xxiv. 37.

It is a fundamental article of the Christian Faith, that Jesus who was conceived of a Virgin, born in

Bethlehem, Suffered and died for the sins of His people, Rose again from the dead, and Ascended up into

Heaven, shall in due time come again with power and great glory. Whatever views individuals may hold

concerning this event, all creeds, and confessions of faith, Roman Catholic, Protestant, Western, and

Oriental, bear their witness to it; and all the Churches of the world can unite in the words of the Te Deum,

"We believe that Thou shalt come to be our Judge."

Again, all are agreed that the Scriptures reveal a time of universal blessedness as being in store for this

world, and the world itself looks forward to "a good time coming." All are agreed that it will be characterized

by a universal knowledge of Divine Truth; universal subjection to Divine Rule; universal peace amongst all

nations, and blessing for "all Israel." This happy period of the world is commonly spoken of by the word

"Millenium" (two Latin words which together mean a thousand years), because five times in six v erses (Rev.

xx. 1-6), when St. John speaks of that age, he calls it "a thousand years."

Now while all Christians are agreed as to these two great facts, viz.:-- (1) That Christ is coming, and (2) That

this time of universal blessedness is also coming, yet all are not agreed as to the relation of these two

events, the one to the other. The simple question is this, which of these two events will take place first.

The question is not whether Christ is coming: and it is not whether a millenium of peace is comi ng, but

which of these events precedes the other.

All other questions in connection with the Second Advent are subordinate to this, because if Christ is to

come first, then there can be no hope of improvement in, or blessing for the world till Christ comes; and it is

both foolish and vain to look and labour for it. And, if the Millenium is to come first, then it is equally vain to

be constantly "looking for the blessed hope," and waiting and watching for Christ.

In the early ages of the Church, Christians looked for Christ to come first, and the word "Millenarian" was

sufficient to describe them; but when some began to look for the Millenium to come first, it became

necessary to make an addition to this word, and hence those who looked for Christ to come first were called

pre-millenarians, and those who looked for the Millenium to come first, were called post-millenarians; but the

Primitive Church knew nothing of these terms, for post-millenial views were unknown and unheard of.

The early Christians looked for Christ. They "waited for God's Son from Heaven." They looked for a person,

and not for a Millenium without Him. It has been reserved for a later generation to place the Millenium

before the Church, as its hope.

Now to make the point still more clear let me repeat that pre -millenialists look for Christ to come before the

thousand years; post-millenialists believe that Christ will not come till the thousand years have ended. Pre -

millenialists believe that the world will grow worse and worse; post-millenialists believe that it will grow

better and better. Between these two views there is no room for compromise, there can be no concession.

One must be right and the other must be wrong. And let me again remind you, that this is in no sense a

question of reason. It is not a question of what may seem to accord with our ideas or desires; it is not what

may accord with our views; not what may seem reasonable, or appear likely. It is entirely, and only, and