The sanctuary must be cleansed, (made holy) so must the saints; for St. John says, "nothing unclean or unholy shall enter there." Then before the saints can enter the sanctuary it will be cleansed, not by fire, but by blood, (please follow the pattern.) Now will it still be said that the earth is the sanctuary? Can any proof be adduced that the earth is to be burned even, until after immortality is given to the saints? Just look at Zach. xiv. chapter; here he shows us that the wicked shall be punished after "Jerusalem (the sanctuary) shall be safely inhabited," (11th and 12th verses and onward;) and before this, in the 8th to 11th verse, he has shown us that the land shall be turned into a plain; the 8th and 9th verses shows who does it, and how it is accomplished; and then of the sanctuary, Jerusalem, as though it was understood that this was done for the express purpose of making a foundation for the building. Here I think any one may see, that the border of this heavenly sanctuary will extend to the "mountain of his inheritance," (Exo. xv: 17; Psl. lxxviii: 54) and this plain for the location and walls of the sanctuary will be made clean and pure. This is all the cleansing the earth will receive, until after "the great battle of God Almighty." So then, if the earth is the sanctuary, God's people need have no trouble here about its being cleansed, for they will have that work to do in immortality; but we believe that work is now being accomplished. Again, "how long shall the sanctuary and the host be trodden under foot." Jesus said that old "Jerusalem should be trodden down of the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles should be fulfilled." But how ridiculous to believe that the heavenly sanctuary is "trodden under foot." Is it any more so than to believe what St. Paul tells us, concerning the High Priest of these "heavenly places" in the heavens. See Heb. x: 29. "Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing." So we can see according to Paul's exposition, if they have trodden the master under foot, how much more the building and the household, ("the sanctuary and host.") In the preceding verses it is explained; just read 10th, 11th and 12th verses; the papal power of Rome, the abomination which maketh desolate, casting down some of the host and stars to the ground and stamping upon them; also casting down the sanctuary and the truth to the ground, by satanic influence—this is treading down, connected with which is all other ungodly antichristian influences operating against it, which is to be purged out: even as the high priest here on earth cleansed the pattern once a year, which was never literally trodden down by any one but himself while in the act of cleansing it.
The angel did not answer the question concerning the host in the 13th verse, but Gabriel at his second visit showed Daniel that seventy weeks were determined upon his people, leaving 1810 years more to be explained at his third and last visit to him. See x: 14; "Now I am come (for what?) to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days." Please read on to the end of the twelfth chapter and see how faithfully he has described the host (the holy people) and one clothed in linen, (the Lord Jesus; see x: 21,) from above the waters of the river with his hands upraised to heaven, swearing by him that liveth forever that all these wonders, (including the resurrection in 2d verse) shall be finished when he, (meaning the antichristian powers which are led on and urged forward by the "prince of the power of the air,") shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, by the process of purifying, being made white, and tried, and if they pass through and withstand all this fiery ordeal and come to the 1335 days, they shall be blessed, and then be delivered out of such a time of trouble as never was since there was a nation. Thus, I think, the angel has described the treading down the host, and it appears to me that all this severe discipline is to prepare them to enter the holy city, for an angel crying with a mighty voice has shown them that they have been in company with devils, foul spirits, and every unclean and hateful bird; and another voice says, come out of her my people, for all nations have drank of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. Rev. xviii: 2, 4. And the poison has operated to such an alarming extent that it has baffled the skill of all the Doctors of Divinity in the universe, and in spite of all their preaching, fasting and praying, with the assistance of the principals of the flock, the famine prophecied of by Amos the Prophet, has come upon them. How awfully be describes it: "Wandering from sea to sea, and from the north to the east, running to and fro to seek the word of the Lord and shall not find it." God never called his people out from any other place than the churches; if the whole truth, the meat in due season had been given and received there, and Babylon's poisonous cup rejected, then there would have been no severity in the discipline of its members. The handling of God's word deceitfully, (for it would not be admitted to say of learned men, ignorantly,) has led the professed world into this labyrinth; and men are now being ridiculed and laughed at, not only because they believe and are looking for the Lord himself to descend from heaven because they are now sending forth their epistles to (as they think) enlighten their brethren and friends concerning the coming of Christ in the "clouds of heaven," by subscribing themselves "yours, no longer gazing up into heaven;" "yours, in the clouds of heaven—meeting the Lord in the air;" while another one in the Shaker's camp in N. H., is shouting and rejoicing that he has found the Mount Zion, (meaning, of course, the holy city) and that the Germans from Europe are gathering to it; while another, from another quarter, (as I understand standing on the "broad platform") has attempted to prove that the powers of the heavens have been shaken, and the sign of the Son of man in heaven has been seen; and another one saying that "God is as much in one place as another!" while another is shouting Hallelujah, because he believes it to be so clear that the "saints are the holy city;" and yet another subscribes himself "yours, in the kingdom." O, says one, how alarming these things are! they look just like the "perilous times" St. Paul described to Timothy for the "last days." 2 Tim. iii: 4, 5. Jesus also, in Matt, xxiv: 24. I wish the good ministers would teach them sound doctrine; the great trouble would be to ascertain in what denomination to find them, for I have lying before me the creed of a professed Orthodox church o£ 1844, (right opinion, true belief) of this enlightened place, signed by its two ministers and one hundred and forty-seven members, (one of them a minister in New-Bedford with a similar flock) who say in their fifth article, "I believe that Christ came to establish the kingdom of heaven on earth, which is the visible church." Now all the proof they offer from, the Scriptures is what follows: "And I say unto thee that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." "And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and, of his, kingdom there shall be no end." Matt. xvi: 18; Luke i: 33. Now if there is one particle of proof from these two passages, that Christ has established his kingdom here, and that kingdom is the church, then I confess I do not understand English. In the second article the only proof adduced for "and Almighty Saviour" is Hebrews xvii: 25. Their doors are wide open for members, but they must assent to this creed. Why continue to pray "THY KINGDOM COME?" I wish to be distinctly understood, that I do not mean anything invidious. I am only stating the truth in behalf of "God's word;" for I believe that all the nominal churches in this place, (and they all profess to be right) are holding the same or similar unscriptural errors that has led the world around them astray, not because they are more ignorant than in other places, for I believe for general intelligence they will compare with any place of its numbers on the habitable globe. The ministers too, with one exception, I believe, are all college bred. And this creed, be it remembered, is the most modern and modest of any in the place, for I believe it is the fashion now when the church is remoddled to remoddle the creed also, no matter how orthodox it was before, there are various ways to understand the scriptures, but when once the creed is published, all the members, old and young, must assent to the truth of it as their standard, until some one, more skilled in this business, proposes an alteration. What a burlesque on the never changing truth of the great eternal! Why follow in the footsteps of Popery to trammel the mind? Why not as well require a rule to get money? Then if we are destitute of the true light from the word of God in this enlightened place, where in the name of the Lord, in any other village or city, can it be found? God has said that "light is sown for the righteous," and "unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness." Psalms. But I must pass on—I have dwelt much longer on this lamentable picture than I intended, and yet I have hardly begun.
I wish here to ask a few questions on one of the greatest errors that the world ever embraced, first established by Pope Gregory, A. D. 603. I mean the changing of God's seventh day, Sabbath, (for it is sheer sophistry to call it the Jews Sabbath, as Jesus our divine Lord says "it was made for man,") to the first day of the week.
Paul says, "there therefore remaineth a keeping of the Sabbath to the people of God." Isaiah shows us that in the New Heavens and Earth all flesh shall keep the "Sabbath." Does any bible reader believe that this will be on any other day than what God has ordained. Let us look at the patterns and shadows of the true. Heb. viii: 5; ix. and x: 1. Is not the true in the eternal state? Think you that God will ever change the true to answer the pattern of Popery, that has been foremost in desolating the world? Every candid mind says no! What should we do then? God will tell us. "Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work, but the SEVENTH IS THE SABBATH of the Lord thy God; (perhaps the minister will tell you he meant the Jewish Sabbath—don't you believe him nor any one else; they can't prove it by the Bible) in it thou shalt not do any work;" "wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it." Exod. xx. Why all this costly array in "building the Tabernacle and afterwards the Temple?" Answer, it was to put the Ark in. 2 Sam. 2-7. Hear David 1 Chron. xvii: 2, 12. What was the Ark? A small chest in which was a precious relic; the commandments of God; his testimony to man; (see Exod. xxv: 10, 12) how it is guarded night and day by Cherubims. What are these commandments to us? They that keep them shall "enter in through the gates into the city." Rev. xxii: 14. Will you say then that the fourth commandment is abolished? If so, please cite us to the chapter and verse. I say it cannot be found within the lids of the bible. Will you reply by saying that the first day is the Sabbath, or that it was ever kept by Jesus or his apostles as a day set apart for religious worship; if so, where is the text? I challenge the world to produce it! If it cannot be found, why violate still this sacred command of God and reject all the light that is thrown in your pathway? God will have some to keep his commandments, if it be but "one of a city and two of a family." Jer. Some endeavor to clear their conscience by saying there is no Sabbath to be kept. This, to me, looks like infidelity.
I have stated that one writer had asserted that the powers of Heaven had been shaken and the sign of the Son of man been seen. His argument on the twenty-fourth of Matthew, I like much, until he begins to prove what none of us have yet seen or heard. If so, why continue to say that "men's hearts fail them for fear and for looking after the things that are coming on the earth." Jesus does not say that they will be looking for him, but then they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven, when they have seen the preceding signs. What arguments are there yet to be presented that will so alarm the Laodicean church, and scoffer, to fulfil. Isa. lx: 14, and Rev. iii: 9. It appears to me that nothing short of the voice of God will do this. Then, I think, the wise will understand, and get their blessing, as in Dan. xii: 12; then will they return and discern between the righteous and the wicked; then will they be found with the world, in the time of Daniel's trouble; they will then have passed through the "fiery trial" and the Sealing Angel have done his last work. This, as it looks to me will be the time when God will roar out of Zion and utter his voice from Jerusalem—and the heavens and the earth will shake; then shall Jerusalem be holy. Joel iii: 16, 17. It will then be cleansed from every impurity. This, I think, will be the shaking of the powers of heaven, for then will God's people know that he dwells in Zion, (17th verse) not in the Shaker's camp, but in his Heavenly Sanctuary, and then shall appear the "Sign of the Son of Man in Heaven," the "Holy Jerusalem descending out of Heaven from God, having the glory of God; And her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jaspar stone clear as chrystal." I have not the least particle of doubt but that it will be seen just as he has described it. The glory and effulgence of that sight will so light up the heavens in its majestic course down from the parted skies, that we shall have no further need of the telescope; but in the language of our adorable coming Lord, exclaim "I see heaven open and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man"! This, I think, will be the Sign of the Son of Man in Heaven. A telescopic view of the burning bright star Sirius, on the southeast of the belt of Orion, in the southwestern heavens, early in the evening, will give a faint view of the above description.
St. John saw this City suspended in the air, he therefore had a clear view of its twelve foundations and the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb, and the twelve gates, and the names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel. "And he measured the wall a hundred and forty and four cubits," two hundred and sixty-two and a half feet, and they were studded with all kinds of precious stones, and diamonds from the bowels of the earth, while the gates are adorned with the treasures of the ocean. Now this beautiful description of the City is given in the twenty-first chapter, from 16 to 18 and 21st verses. We must keep it distinct from the walls. He says, it lieth four square, and measures twelve thousand furlongs. This sum, divided by eight furlongs, which make a mile, would stand thus: 8/12000—fifteen hundred miles square or seven millions nine hundred and twenty thousand feet on six sides (it being a cubical form.) When we look at the size of this City of Gold, we are at once almost overwhelmed with the view of its dimensions. Fifteen hundred miles high, long and wide! In the seventeenth verse, he gives but one way to measure the wall, and that is its height. If he had undertaken to have given the contents of the City by the same rule, he would have measured the wall.
Then we have nothing more to do in making an arithmetical calculation, but follow the Apostle's description. Jesus said, in my Father's house are many mansions. Now, allowing twelve feet between joints for a story, this seven millions nine hundred and twenty thousand feet square would give six hundred and sixty thousand stories, twelve feet high, (Ezekiel xl: 7,) and fifteen hundred miles square, four hundred and forty stories to a mile: which would amount to 990,000,000, nine hundred and ninety millions of square miles on a level surface, twelve feet high—equal to the square miles contained in five worlds like this, (which is only one hundred and ninety-nine millions five hundred and twelve thousand square miles,) and seventy times more extensive than the Continent of America. Now six hundred and sixty thousand twelve foot rooms in each story, would make in all 435,600,000,000—four hundred and thirty-five thousand and six hundred millions of twelve feet square "rooms,"—Ezekiel; "places,"—John; or "mansions,"—Jesus. It is computed that there are 900,000,000—nine hundred millions of inhabitants now on the Earth. The Bible informs us that there was but one, six thousand years ago. Admit that there was nine hundred millions at the commencement of creation, and this number had passed away every thirty years for two hundred generations, their whole number would only amount to 180,000,000,000—one hundred and eighty thousand millions, a little more than one-third of the mansions in this building; four hundred and eighty-four to every human being now on the earth. Surely, this looks like an "abundant entrance" into the everlasting kingdom. O yes, say many, I see there is abundance of room for every body! The apostle tells us who they are. He says, "There shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lie; but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life." This then is the capacious and glorious "golden City;" the "New Jerusalem;" the "heavenly Sanctuary;" the "Bride the Lamb's Wife;" the "Mother of us all;" the "Paradise of God;" the capital of our coming Lord's EVERLASTING kingdom, which is now about to descend from the "third heaven" by the way of the open door, down by the "flaming sword" of Orion. O let us see to it, that we are all ready to enter into this celestial City.
Transcriber's Notes:
Missing or obscured punctuation was corrected.
Typographical errors were silently corrected.