equal and independent in some respects, but not in all. They are also all equally subordinate to one another in the Lord. There is now no Mother Church, no Metropolitan, no Sanhedrim, no standing Council, no Vicar of Christ, no successors of the Apostles. But the churches in any given district Judea, Macedonia, Achaia, Galatia, Pennsylvania, Virginia, or Ohio, for instance, are always supposed to be in more intimate acquaintance, union, and communion with one another, and to act in a more special co-operation than with the churches in any other kingdom, state, or district on earth.

if, then, any one or more of these churches err from the faith, or from the discipline, or from a just, impartial, and Christian adminis tration, they are amenable to the rest; and will be judged some way or other, and disallowed. The question, then, is, How shall this be done scripturally? for then it will be done right. But in propounding this question we do not expect to find either a broad precept or a stereotyed precedent of a case just as large as life. We expect to find principles and practices alleged that involve and commend this practice.

Some who have never thoroughly examined this point are alarmed and become alarmists on the threshold because of some anticipated troubles that such course might open to the great disturbance of the whole Christian community. Like our friends in North street, they imagine the discontented would forever appeal. A more intimate acquaintance with the subject would have suggested a very different conclusion. We ask time, patience, and candor. We demand for these five propositions a calm and full consideration. We may in our next enter more fully into the illustration and proof of the course we commend.

Meantime, this pamphlet, by whomsoever written, certainly not by the Elders whose names are attached to it, assumes too much for 23 pages the trial of the question of the right of appeal, and the vindication of the brethren in North street, any one of which is too much for such an effort. The confounding these two in a tract so hastily and inconsiderately got up, may have transferred to our remarks a similar confusion. In our next we shall attend to one subject at á time. A. C.

SUMMARY OF NEWS FROM THE CHURCHES AND EVANGELISTS. Tag unusual length of some articles of pressing importance in the present number, has very reluctantly excluded many letters and some articles fully intended for it. In Tieu of some of those letters we publish the following suminary of good news:

The new church in Baltimore has obtained a commodious house in St. Paul's street. Brother G. W. Elly held a meeting there of a few days, which resulted in the addition of 18 persons-13 by immersion.-Brother Hall says, "Our church in Louisville is in peace and prospering. I have lately received the confession of 9 persons in the neigh.

borhood of our city."We have almost weekly accessions: but for removals our church would now at Mount Healthy amount to more than 100 members. D. S. Burnet. To the 120 recent accessions to our church in Lexington, Ky, amongst whom were several Methodists and Presbyterians, were 10 or 12 added by letter. J. J. Chinn.-la our recent tour through some counties in New York 27 confessed the Lord. W. Haden. -In unpropitious circumstances I visited Paris recently. We had but 11 additions. The church is firm and the prospects are promising. J. T. Johnson Some 15 or 20 accessions here, (Perry, O) this season. John Gault.Brother Bartlett, of New York, has recently visited us here, (Canton, Pa.) Eighteen were added by immersion-present number 170 Will some of the brethren from the West visit us? Elias Rockwell.. The good cause triumphs in this region: 14 additions last month, (September.) In Johnson county, in this state, (Arkansas,) at a meeting I attended, my fellow-laborers being prevented, 21 were added: the congregation now numbers between 80 and 100. Brethren R. Harper and W. Harper have greatly contributed to the state of things here. Brethren Hazleton, Haden, snd Potter have assisted at Springfield, Mo. Sectarianism wanes J. Strickland. Twelve or fifteen were lately immersed here, (Luzerne county, Pa. J. J. Harvey. Two were lately immersed and added to the little flock of 25 on Duck creek, Monroe county, Ohio. J. R. Frame. We have now a little church of 26 disciples in Troy, New York. J W. Ager Church organized here 26th April, of 46 members, 33 of whom were immersed the previous week: since, we have received 15present number 61. C. R. Morehead, Richmond, Mo. Brother Bullard is with us. Three were recently immersed in Scottsville, Va.. Nov. 30. R. L. Coleman Brethren Whitacre and Harrison Jones lately visited us at Bethany. We had a good meeting. Thirteen were immersed. At the meetings attended by these brethren since May last some 420* " were immersed! A. C.

Queries and correspondence from brother Elley, of Pennsylvania; brethren Turner and Jackson, of Virginia; Kendrick, of Kentucky; and Winans, of Ohio, in our

next.

It is proposed by brethren Coleman and Goss to change the Christian Publisher from a monthly to a two-weekly. These brethren certainly deserve the patronage of the whole brotherhood of Virginia in the undertaking. We wish them success in the enterprize.

PROPOSAL.

The subscriber, by the request of various friends and advocatas of primitive Christianity, proposes to publish in this city. (Salem, Mass) a semi-monthly religious newspaper, to be called THE GENIUS OF CHRISTIANITY; to be devoted to the Christian reiigion in its primitive order, purity, and unity, without respect or deference to the will of existing religious parties or sects,

The Genius of Christianity will maintain that in the authority of the teachings of Jesus and his Apostles, and by their example, is laid the true and only foundation of Christian union, church order, or Christian assurance: that the existence of party strife among religionists is proof that the elements of the striving parties are not of Christ: that the spirit of free but humble investigation is indispensable to the knowledge of Christianity, distinct from the customs and traditions of men, which have made the word of God of no effect; and that the Christian religion in its primitive order, unity, and purity, is indispensably necessary to make men what God designed they should be. It will be open to all respectable persons for the free discussion of religious differences. It will pay particular attention to the evidences of the divine authenticity of the Christian religion-contend for the supremacy of the Word of God over all traditions, speculations, or customs of men, as a rule of faith and practice-plead for 'the perfecting of the saints, and endeavor to show that every plan or theory of union, perfection, sanctification non-resistance, anti-sectarianism, universal reformation, religious liberality &c. other than Christianity as it came from its founder and was demonstrated in the lives, practices. and precepts of Jesus and his Apostles, is a spirit of enmity to God and worthy of perpetual opposition.

TERMS. Twenty four numbers to constitute a volume, at one dollar in advance. If not paid within three months, one dollar and twenty-five cents per volume.

Any person who will forward five dollars in advance, shall be entitled to six copies to subscribers; and in the same ratio for $10, 15, 20, &c.

No money to be sent till the first number is issued. To commence ds soon as sufficient encouragement is received.

All letters, communications, &c. relative to The Genius of Christianity, to be ad dressed (post paid) to A. G. CoMINGS, Salem, Massachusetts.

October 22, 1340.

Brother Comings is a gifted brother, and deserves patronage. The cause in New England will be much benefited, I jndge, by the success of the project.

A. C.

MILLENNIAL HARBINGER.

NEW SERIES.

VOL. V. BETHANY, VA. FEBRUARY, 1841.

No. II

THE COMING OF THE LORD.-No. II.

Of all future events that of the coming of the Lord in power and glory, is the most soul-subduing, enrapturing, and transcendant. In one sentence, it is "the blessed hope." The church has been praying for it, and the whole creation groaning and travailing in pain for it for almost two thousand years. "Behold he cometh in the clouds of heaven, and every eye shall see him. They also that pierced him, and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him." Then will "heaven's eternal arches ring" with shoutings of glory, and honor, and blessing, and praise, while his enemies will be confounded with terror and clothed with shame.

But when shall this most joyful hope be consummated in vision! When shall the Lord come! Whether shall it be before the triumphs of Christianity over Paganism, Mahometanism, Papalism, and Atheism, usually called the Millennium, or after this moral victory? This is the great question now in debate. My method of deciding it embraces in its philosophy as a primary evidence the events that are clearly and incontrovertibly declared to be concomitant with, or attendent upon his coming. These decided, and the question is, in my opinion, settled on the clearest and safest foundation. To discover and substantiate these, is the burthen of the present essay. Of necessity, therefore, this essay must consist mainly of testimony from which we may argue again.

The points to which I solicit attention are four:

earth.

1st. The probability of the personal return of the Lord to this

2d. The certainty of it.

3d. The manner of it.

4th. The events then to be expected.

The probability of his return is argued from two facts:-1st. It is

the place of his nativity. "And thou Bethlehem of Judah art not the least of the cantons of Israel; for out of thee shall he come-or in thee shall he be born, who shall become Governor of my people Israel." "The Word that was in the beginning with God, that was God," "by whom all things were made," became human flesh in the city of David, and was born of a daughter of Eve, in Asia, 1836 years ago. It is human to love the place of one's nativity. And especially is it pleasant for one who has been raised to great honor and authority, and who has been long unknown to the place where first he saw the light of heaven, to revisit the scenes of his childhood, and re-survey the humble horizon which once bounded his views of the universe, and in which he first learned to know himself. No wonder, then, should our Lord delight to stand at "the latter day upon this earth," not far from the Mount of Olives, whence to heaven his earthly friends ar relatives saw him triumphantly ascend.

But there is a second fact that adds much to the probability of his return: He has much property in this earth. All things in it, on it, and connected with it, are his. The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof"—"All things were made by him and for him, and he is before all things;" and by him all things are preserved, for he upholds all things by his all-powerful word. "The Lord has created all things for himself"For thy pleasure they are and were created." Where the treasure is the heart is. Where one has much property he has much thought and much attachment. Our Lord has much property here. The earth, the sea, the air-the kingdoms, animal, vegetable, mineral, are his. The Devil will not for ever usurp the territory of Christ's present kingdom; nor retain the field, the theatre of war, on which he and our Messiah in single combat fought the first battle, when first Satan felt the sharp two-edged sword that proceeded out of his mouth. He will take the field and drive the usurper down to eternal ruin. The earth is, moreover, dear to the Lord; because the ashes of all his saints, a few only excepted, are in it. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, David, &c. have their sepulchres with us to this day. From such considerations and facts we infer the probability of his return. But to the 2d point, the certainty of his return:

1st. The types under the law indicate his return. The Jewish High Priest entered the most holy place once a year. He presented his sacrifice there before Him that dwells between the cherubim. Meantime, the people anxiously expected his return after he had for them made an offering and prepared a place. He ultimately returned to the door of the tabernacle and blessed them that looked for his return. So says Paul; Christ was once offered to bear the sin of

many, and to them that look for him (as the Jews looked for the return of the High Priest) shall he appear the second time, without a sinoffering, to salvation, having made his offering within the vail.

2d. He promised to return. Matth. xvi. 27. "The Son of Man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he shall reward every man according to his works." So also speaks the parable of the Sheep and the Goats, Matth. xxv. 31.; so also the parable of the Nobleman going into a far country to receive a kingdom and return, Luke xix. 11-23, And, without a figure, in his valedietory he says, "I go to prepare a place for you, and will come again and receive you to myself, that where I am there you may also be." John xiv. 3. This is excelled only by Acts i. 11. "Men of Galilee, why stand you gazing up to heaven? This same Jesus who is taken up from you into heaven, shall come in like manner as you have seen him go into heaven." The certainty of his return being now as definite and plain as our language can make it, we shall now hear something of

3d. The manner of his returning. In one word, we are informed, Luke ix. 26., that he will come in his own glory, his father's glory, and in that of the holy angels. Well did Paul say, "Looking for that blessed hope, the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ." In awful majesty God as lawgiver descended on Mount Sinai. Ex. xix. "On the morning of the third day there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of a trumpet exceeding loud, so that all the people that was in the camp trembled." "And all the people saw the thunders and lightnings and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking, and the fire blazing up into the midst of heaven; and they removed and stood afar off." Such was the glory of the Lawgiver. But when he appears as a Judge, "a fiery stream issues and goes before him, thousand thousands of angels minister to him, ten thousand times ten thousand stand before him, and the books are opened. Earth and heaven shall flee away, and there is found no place for them. Our God shall come, and shall no more be silent, but speak out. A fire shall go before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him. He shall summon earth and heaven. The Lord shall descend with a shout, the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God. His voice shall be heard by every ear, dead and alive, in the whole universe-all that are in their graves shall hear it and come forth." But we hasten to the four great events attendant on his coming:1. He will raise all the saints.

Some Millennarians say only some of the saints, and quote Daniel