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The Angel

nor whitened with the bones, of men. Peace, will wave her olive branch over the nations; the tempest of six thousand years be hushed to silence; and the creation sigh, and groan, and travail in pain,

no more.

Then Religion will resume her proper station; and no longer be subordinated to pleasure, gain, and glory; to frantic scrambles about place and power, and the aggrandizement of wretches, who steal into office by flattery and falsehood, in order to riot on peculation. From Heaven will she descend, clothed with a cloud, and a rainbow upon her head: her face, as it were, the sun; and her feet, pillars of fire. In her hand she will hold a little book: and that book will be opened to the eyes of all the nations of men. On its pages they will read, in lines of light, "Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ. GOD himself will dwell among the great family of Adam, and be their GOD; and they shall be his people. The joy, which is kindled in heaven over repenting sinners, will be renewed, not over one solitary convert, but over nations, born in a day. The path to Heaven will become the great highway of mankind; not wandered over by now and then a lonely traveller, but crowded with hosts: while the broad road to perdition will be untrodden and desolate. The skies will pour down righteousness; and the earth open, and bring forth salvation. Above, all will be sunshine, and smiles: below, all will be a paradise. The Church will be clothed with the sun; the moon will be under her feet; and upon her head a crown of twelve stars will beam with immortal splendour.

To the second question; "In what manner are these things to be done?" I answer. They are to be

accomplished, not by miracles, but by means. St. Paul has in the most express and decisive terms given us the law of procedure, by which the kingdom of GOD is to be established in every part of the habitable world. "How," says that Apostle, "shall they call on him, in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him, of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? So, then, faith cometh by hearing; and hearing, by the Word of GOD." The Gospel, my brethren, is the power of GOD unto salvation, to all them that believe. Our course, therefore, is pointed out by the finger of Heaven. To the numerous votaries of idolatry, and superstition, are to be sent the Word of God, and the Ministers, by whom it is preached. To these are to be added, also, other books, less expensive and more numerous, into which the Word of God is transfused; together with Schoolmasters, and Catechists, to teach the children, while Ministers are instructing the Parents. In a word, the very ineans, by which men have become Christians here, are to spread Christianity through the world.

Permit me to add, that those, by whom these mighty things are to be done, are themselves to exhibit the spirit of the Gospel, as the great, controuling principle of their conduct. Common sense has proverbially declared, and all experience uniformly proved, that precept without example is vain. To the intended objects of this beneficence it would be worse than in vain. From men, who do not practise what they teach, instructions would be received, as the Mexicans received them from the Spaniards, only with contempt and indignation.

The process of this mighty work is, in this respect also, exactly marked out by St. Paul. Salvation has come unto the Gentiles, to provoke the Jews to jealousy; or, as in the Greek, to excite them to emulation. In other words, the Evangelical spirit of the Gentiles, as it will exist, and exhibit itself, at a period, which is still future, will convince the Jews, that the Gentiles are the chosen people of God; and awaken in them an emulous desire to obtain the same character, and the same blessings. This spirit, turning with abhorrence from all the hatred, scorn, and persecution, with which the Jews have been hunted down by the nations of Christendom, will hereafter treat them kindly, justly, and truly. In their exile, it will make their residence peaceful and pleasant; and, in their attempts to reestablish themselves in their own land, will furnish them every aid, which piety can prompt, or benevolence provide. Under this happy influence, enlightening, warming, and quickening, like the Sun, the Jews will feel a new conviction of the excellence of Christianity, and of the favor, with which it is regarded by God; and new desires to possess the honourable character of their benefactors. The valley of death, the great receptacle of the House of Israel, will then begin to be reanimated with life from Heaven. The bones, with which it is covered, and whitened, will with a noise, and a shaking, come together, bone to his bone. Sineres and flesh will come up upon them: and the skin will cover them above. A voice will sound from Heaven; "Thus saith the Lord GOD, "Come from the four winds, O Breath; and breathe upon these slain that they may live."" At this command, the breath of life will enter these innumerable corpses; and they will live, and stand upon their feet, an excceding great army for multitude.

The casting away of the Jews is the reconciling of the world: the receiving of them will be, to that same world, life from the dead. When the voice of joy and gladness shall again be heard in the streets of Jerusalem; the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride; the voice of them that shall say, "Praise the LORD of hosts, for the LORD is good, and his mercy endureth for ever:" the world will look on, and listen, with astonishment and rapture. This stupendous event, this wonder of wonders, will awaken in all nations a full conviction of the reality, and excellence, of Christianity; and force them to acknowl. edge, that the truth of God, is as the great mountains, steadfast and immovable. Life will every where spring up from the dead: and the world, a vast cemetery, in which souls are entombed, will be peopled with beings. spiritual and immortal.

It is hardly necessary to observe, that the measures, which will produce these mighty effects upon the Jews, will have a similar efficacy, wherever they are employed.

The third question; "By whom are these things to be done?" admits but of one answer. They are to be done by Protestant nations; and, extensively, by Us. In other words, they are to be done by those, to whom God has given the means, and the disposition.

On this subject there can be no debate. The time for doubt is past. The work is begun. Missionaries already in great numbers run to and fro: and knowledge is, even now, greatly increased. The Gospel of the kingdom is already preached in Greenland; in Labrador; in Tartary; in Hindostan; in China; in New Holland; in the Isles of the Pacific Ocean, and the Carribbean Sea; in Southern America; and in the African deserts. The voice of salvation, the song of praise to JEHOVAH, echoes already from the sides of Taurus, and trembles over the waves of the Ganges. The Bible has travelled round the Globe. The Es. quimaux now turns over the pages of the Gospel, written in his own tongue: the wild inhabitant of the Cuban has dropped the Koran; and reads with wonder, hope, and joy, the tidings of the Saviour: and the poor wanderer of Caffraria listens to the hymn, sung from heaven to the Shepherds of Bethlehem. From land to land, and from sea to sea, the Word of JENOVAII runs, and is glorified; and throughout its divine career sheds, like its Author, light, and life, and happiness, on this benighted world.

In such an enterprise all, who engage in it, must be united. Consider how vast the work is; over what an extent of the earth it is to spread; what countless millions it is to reach; what a multitude of hands must be employed; what a multitude of hearts; what a multitude of prayers; what extensive contributions are necessary to supply the expense; and how many heralds of salvation must proclaim the glad tidings of great joy. In such a work, should all Protestant nations unite; and all the individuals, which those nations contain; how imperfectly sufficient would their labours appear, to the human eye, for the successful accomplishment of an enterprise so vast, a consummation so divine?

I Christians do not unite their hearts, and their hanus, they will effectuate nothing. Solitary efforts will, here, be fruitless. Divided efforts will be equally fruitless. Clashing efforts will destroy each other.

It is a shame for those, who wear the name of Christians, not to unite with other Christians in such a purpose, as this. It is not the purpose of a sect, a party, or a name. It is not a purpose of superstition, bigotry.

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