PAGE 28

the multitude who choose the broad way that leadeth to destruction. But glorious things are spoken of the city of God. The interests of religion shall not always be thus depressed. The Church of Christ will emerge from obscurity, and the number of his followers not be small. Nothing is more certain than that God has promised a great enlargement of the kingdom of the Redeemer in this world, with abundant communications of his spirit and presence. In the most unequivocal language it is foretold, that all people and nations throughout the whole earth shall be instructed in the true religion, and brought into the Church of God. All dominions shall serve and obey him. All nations shall serve him. All nations shall call him blessed. In him shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. He will destroy the covering cast over all people, and the veil that is spread over all nations. All flesh shall see the salvation of the Lord. Unto him shall all flesh come. The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the seas. In this the promises of the Old as well as of the New Testament clearly harmonize. They all establish the desirable fact, that a period will most assuredly arrive, when there shall not be one nation in the world which shall not embrace the Christian religion. The nation and kingdom, which shall not serve thee shall perish, yea, these nations shall be utterly wasted.

A time will therefore come when the knowledge of the truth shall universally prevail, and holiness shall characterize the world; a time when the Church shall be known and acknowledged to be but one, a dignified and excellent society, connected in the most perfect order, and shining in the light of the Sun of Righteousness; a time when the world shall be delivered from the Evils and calamities under which it has so long groaned, and the blessings of God the Redeemer be upon all the families of the earth. - Then the wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad, and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose. Then let the wilderness and the cities lift up their voices; let the villages, the inhabitants of the rock sing; let them shout

PAGE 29

from the top of the mountains, let them give glory unto the Lord, and declare his praise in the islands.

These promises have not yet been fulfilled. There has never been any propagation of true religion that corresponds to the universality indicated in the promises. Where the word and ordinances have been hitherto known and enjoyed, their blessed influence upon the hearts and conduct of men has not been thus powerfully experienced. And countless millions throughout the earth, have never heard that there is a Savior.

To the fulfilment of these promises, it is necessary that the Gospel be sent to every nation in the world. The preached word is the established mean for converting sinners, and without the mean the end will not be obtained. The preaching of the cross is unto them which are saved the power of God. It hath pleased him, by the foolishness of preaching, to save them that believe. If, therefore, the blessings promised, are to be conferred, there will also come a time when God will send his everlasting Gospel to every people, tongue and kindred in the earth. This time, we believe, is arrived. The present exertions in the Churches, we are persuaded, are the first stirrings, the gradual beginnings for accomplishing that great end.

Eventful period! A time replete with occurrences of the highest importance to the world! Long lives for many generations have passed in uniform succession, and men have grown old without witnessing any remarkable deviation from the ordinary course of Providence. But now a new era is commencing. The close of the last, and the opening of the present century, exhibit strange and astonishing things. Principles and achievements, revolutions and designs, events uncommon and portentous, in rapid succession, arrest our attention. Each year, each day is pregnant with something great, and all human calculations are set at defiance. The infidel, with his impious philosophy, stands aghast, and destitute of resources, with trembling forebodings, wonders how and where the