All hail the glad gospel day,
Peace and good will to men;
The darkness has flown away,
And grace has conquered sin.
By many a prophetic Old Testament text that day of wonderful light and glory was spoken of as a day when God's salvation should appear. In the second chapter of Luke it is recorded that there lived in Jerusalem a just and devout man, who knowing those prophetic sayings concerning that great day of consolation, waited for its dawning. It was revealed unto him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ. He came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, “Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: for mine eyes have seen thy salvation.” Simeon, as he looked upon this young child, saw the salvation the [pg 028] ancient prophets saw only by faith. The day of which they prophesied the Holy Spirit witnessed to his heart he should live to see, and he saw it. It was the dawning of the day of Christian power and purity, in which we shall find came to pass all the prophetic wonders of salvation. You need not look forward to some marvelous coming age in which to find a fulfilment of these prophecies, but “to-day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.” “How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?”
For convenience and clearness we have thought best to divide this work into three parts. Part first to consist of the revealing of Christianity as seen in the life and teaching of Christ and the teaching and lives of his followers during the first few centuries of this Christian era, which is termed the morning of the gospel day. Part second will consist of the apostolic prophecies with possibly a few Old Testament prophecies concerning an apostasy during the middle centuries, or, the noontide of the gospel day; also showing that these prophecies find an exact fulfilment in the customs and doings of the popular religious denominations of this present time. Part third will consist of the prophecies relating to the restoration of the glorious truths of Christianity, or a return of God's people to the apostolic plane of Christian faith and power and teaching in the evening of this day of salvation. With this introduction we feel confident the reader understands the plan of this work and will readily comprehend its teachings. “Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding,” is my prayer.