When Christ Comes Again (1917)

WHEN CHRIST COMES AGAIN BY GEORGE P. ECKMAN THE ABINGDON PRESS NEW YORK CINCINNATI CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. APPROACH TO THE DOCTRINE 7 II. TRUE PLACE OP THE THEME 23 III. CHRISTS GREAT PROPHECY OF His SECOND COMING 50 IV. How AND WHY Is CHRIST COMING AGAIN 77 V. WHEN Is CHRIST COMING AGAIN 98 VI. WHAT Is CHRIST DOING Now 118 VII. WHAT SHALL WE Do TILL CHRISTS RETURN 136 VIIL Is THE WORLD GROWING BETTER 158 IX. WHAT ABOUT THE MILLENNIUM 204 X. MILLENNIAL FANCIES AND FALLACIES. . 233 XL PROPHBCY AND THE SECOND ADVENT. . . 261 CHAPTER I APPROACH TO THE DOCTRINE THIS is a plain book for plain people. It was conceived in prayer and born of a desire to be helpful to the souls of men. Many devout persons are troubled about the second coming of our Lord. They are eager to know what they ought to believe, rather than to be told what they ought not to believe. The author of this little book has spent many years in the pastorate, and has been near to the people. He has written what he believes they need, and he asks God to bless his message to their spiritual profit. He has no selfish purpose to serve. He does not care for reputation. His only concern is truth. He writes from a deep conviction. He feels himself goaded to his task by the Holy Spirit. One of the greatest thinkers among men admitted that he regarded as his best friend the man who robbed him of his dearest error and put despised truth in its place. The surest way to bestow this favor is to set the truth openly before the face of error. Jesus 7 S WHEN CHRIST COMES AGAIN said, Ye shall know tlie truth, and the truth shall make you free. 751 This is a principle which applies not only to the truth which saves from sin, but also to thetruth which liberates the mind from falsehood. Therefore this little book is built upon the Scriptures, and not upon the imagination of man. It also takes into account the facts of human experience, which never contradict the Scriptures, if both are accurately understood. For we did not follow cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Men may be very brilliant, and at the same time very misleading. Every writer on Reli gious themes should regard the warning of Saint Paul Take heed lest there shall be any one that maketh . spoil of you through his phi losophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 3 Right Use of the Bible The Bible must be used frankly, nothing being taken away from it which belongs to it, and nothing added to it which does not belong 1 John 8. 32. 2 Peter 1. 16. 3 Colossians 2. 8. APPEOAOH TO THE DOCTRINE 9 to it. Teachers of the Scriptures must be able to say with Saint Paul ra We have renounced the hidden things of feftme, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God de ceitfully. 7 4 The Bible is the most abused book in the world. It receives its worst treatment from certain persons who call themselves its friends. It has nothing to fear from its open enemies. For All flesh is as grass, And all the glory thereof as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flow r er f alleth But the word of the Lord abideth forever. And this is the word of good tidings which was preached unto you. 5 The word of God is not bound 6 by those who willfully seek to hem it in. The infidel cannot harm the Bible. No science can upset it. The vainphilosophy of men cannot disturb it. For seeing that in the wisdom of God the world through its wis dom knew not God, it was Gods good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save them that believe. Because the foolish ness of God is wiser than men and the weak ness of God is stronger than men. 7 But the influence of the Bible can be injured 2 Corinthians 4. 2. 6 2 Timothy 2. 9. 1 Peter 1. 24, 25. 7 1 Corinthians 1. 21, 25. LO WHEN CHRIST COMES AGAIN by those of its alleged friends who either pur posely or unwittingly pervert its teachings...