to understand that many of the sensual indulgences now practiced in eating, drinking, luxurious and indolent ease, and other gratifications of the lusts of mind and body, are injurious to both corporeal and mental health, and destructive to the graces of the Holy Spirit in the human soul. They will be pure, "keeping themselves unspotted of the world." In an eminent degree will they be "spiritually minded." Though having their bodily abode on this earth, yet the region of probation and sin, they will be, in the "spirit of their minds," above the world, "having their conversation in heaven." They will possess the spirit of pilgrims, travelling through this world unto the heavenly, wherein they have invested all their treasure, and whereunto their hearts will ardently aspire. And with a holy longing tempered with meekness and patient resignation will they await the call to depart and be with Christ, or for his own glorious coming, to call them up to the "meeting with him in the air," above the burning world, refining for its re-creation as their eternal inheritance and abode with him. That day will be drawing nigh, and the sense of it will be a vivid reality, joyfully anticipated by a faith laying hold upon it, ere yet it actually arrive. And when it does come, it will not be with surprise to those of them who shall "yet remain," (nay, nor to those who shall awake from their sleep in Christ.) It will not "overtake them as a thief in the night," (Luke 21: 34. I. Thes. 5: 4,) but when it shall break suddenly upon the world, they will be ready to meet it and

hail it with joy, as the long awaited time for the coming of their Lord, whom they are then to meet, to be with him henceforth forever. So eminently pure and heavenly will be the Christians of that period, they will rather resemble a colony of angels descended from above and settled upon the earth, than the professed Christians of the present day. Soon may the Church arise and shine to the fulfilment of the prediction: "Then shall ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked; between him that serveth God, and him that serveth him not." 3: 18.

Mal.

Not only will the people of God, in those times, be cleansed and separated from sin, but they will abhor and loathe it, wherever they see it. They will testify unceasingly and faithfully against it, as beheld in the impenitent world around. Then, more than has ever been done before, perhaps, will they rebuke and reprove the wickedness of the wicked, not regarding the danger to their own lives, that they may bear the testimony of the Lord Jesus against all corrupt practices. "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony." Rev. 12: 11.

E

CHAPTER VI.

THE WICKED BECOMING MORE WICKED, AND THE WORLD RIPENING TO ITS DESTRUCTION.

WHILE the spirit of reform shall progress on the earth, and some portion of its inhabitants become eminently righteous and godly, others will become yet more exceedingly corrupt and impious. Of this, the Scriptures plainly assure us. In the sixtieth chapter of Isaiah, the same in which the Church is called upon to arise and shine, it is said: "For behold darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people." The twelfth chapter of Daniel's prophecy, which we regard as referring to the last days, declares, "Many shall be purified and made white-but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand." The Apostle Paul speaks of the wickedness of after times in connection with the great apostacy, the departure from pure Christianity, in 2 Thes. 2: 8-12; 1 Tim. 4: 1, 2. This has doubtless been already fulfilled in part, while more yet remains to be witnessed. What a picture of corruption and wickedness is presented in 2 Peter, second chapter, and in Jude. Much of this is to be expected in the very evening of time, as it is described as in immediate connection with the judgment day. The great combination, foretold, as to be formed

against the Lord and his cause, and the blasphemous spirit which will then be manifested, when men shall make open war with the Lamb, (Rev. 19: 19,) show, beyond a question, that the depravity and impiety of that day will be without a parallel.

If, hitherto, agencies have been at work, causing corruption and iniquity, they will continue to do so. If the great mass of mankind have employed the means and opportunities for evil, in doing evil, and perverted their abilities and the gifts of Providence to purposes and acts of iniquity, why will they not continue to do so, while the present world continues? Will they still have the disposition to luxury and dissipation to "clothe themselves in fine linen and fare sumptuously every day?" to amass to themselves resources by which they shall promise themselves that they may say to themselves, "we have much goods laid up for many years; we will eat, drink and be merry ?"—the means and opportunities are not now wanting, nor are they likely to be. As we have seen in a previous chapter, the condition of things is becoming such as to afford unprecedented resources and facilities for sensual indulgence, for luxuries, amusements, and all forms of carnal gratifications. Unsanctified human nature will swim in seas of sensual delights and excesses. There are the theatre, the circus, horse-racing, hunting, bull-baiting, and the pugilistic strife. There are, too, the splendid assembly, the elegant party, the cotillon, the card and billiard table, th

bowling alley, shows, public gatherings and festivities, and the resorts to watering places and other scenes of customary and fashionable congregations. There is also the passing to and fro between most distant, as well as the nearer, localities, which progressive art is rendering more and more general and easy. These, and numerous other things that we might specify, are in the advance of knowledge and improvement for which this age is so distinguished, and which will undoubtedly proceed with accelerated and multiplying increase, extending and multiplying the resources of worldly enjoyments and dissipations.

The Press, that mighty engine for good or for evil, is rapidly extending itself, and sending forth its influences through all the world. Too much evidence have we already, that its influence to evil is to be vast beyond conception. See how extensively it is already employed in spreading irreligious sentiments, and in exciting and nurturing vicious feeling and practices. What mountain masses and pouring floods of romances, and other light and corrupting reading, are issued and sent forth over the land and world. Already the observation has been made, "that the United States mail is made a great circulating library, by which at a small part of the cost for transmitting a letter to a friend, enough of the confection of literature to derange healthy moral digestion for a month, can be conveyed to any village in the land." Should the work and influence of the Press increase as they have for a few years past, how overwhelming to