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Untitled Article
( Mundus Jovialis , to misunderstand the title of a treatise on astronomy , ) the high world , and the learned world , are all curious medleys ; but the religious world surpasses them all in incongruities . There ate found features of the rarest loveliness , infantine innocence and simplicity , moral energies ,
such as an angel might not blush to acknowledge , and mental power , which a Bacon and a Milton might without dishonour call their own ; and there also are found the low , the grotesque , the sordid , the selfish , the drivelling . It contains subjects for the pencil both of Martin and of Cruickshank , and misrht furnish out to another Dante both a heaven and a hell . At the same
time we believe , and firmly , that the gTeat and lovely prevail beyond all comparison over the offensive and the low : and often when an offensive feature is beheld , the discerning finds a diamond , though in the rough . Certainly it surpasses the power of human calculation to sum up the happiness which religion , even with all the actual drawbacks , confers upon the inhabitants of this kingdom ; upon fathers , and mothers , and children , and houses ; upon the under current of society , which , as often the under currents of the
ocean , has the greatest force ; upon myriads , whose happiness is seen by none , and chronicled no where except in heaven . While , however , the bad is mingled with the good—while the exterior is repulsive to the welldisciplined mind—and while , therefore , there exist serious obstructions to the efficacy of pure religion , the remedial power of the press must be had recourse to . When the sun of righteousness has arisen with healing in his rays , and not till then , is the Watchman at liberty to retire from his beat .
Amidst the anticipations in which we indulged respecting the coming year , we did not include the end of the world . And yet , according to some authorities , this is at hand . The personal reign of Christ is , we are assured , about to commence . A Milleuiutn at hand !•—I'm delighted to hear it , As matters both public aud private now go ; With multitudes round us all starring or near it , A good rich Millenium will come & propos .
And come it will and shortly , says one , who has the happy faculty , by a twist of his vision , of casting at the same time a glance into two opposite worlds , seeing , and hence declaring in strains of rhapsody and proud defiance , what hell is receiving and what heaven is preparing . Nor can the prophet complain as one of old— " I ooly am left . " Mr . Irving is surrounded by a small but intrepid band , who already see Milleniai glories , and are preparing to commence their princely functions . A few clergymen ,
we are informed by the Rev . G . C . Smith , of the English and Scotch National churches , and some few Dissenting ministers , ( their organ is the JMorning Watch , ) entertain strong opinions concerning the personal reign of Christ on earth , and that it will shortly take place , and that England will be destroyed with tremendous judgments ; these views are connected with a profession and demand for the most extraordinary and even apostolic
faiththat is , assurance of supernatural enlightenment and assistance . Captain Gambier , son of Lord Gambier , seems to have imbibed more than an equal share of this intoxicating draught . In discourse with Mr . Smith his general tenour was , while they were friends , " My dear Smith , the Lord is corning —dreadful things will take place ; " and then he would pursue a strain of terrible denunciation against this kingdom for its hypocrisy and wickedness . Poor Smith , naturally alarmed for himself , sought of the prophet what was
Untitled Article
32 Character of the Religious World , — The Millenium at hana .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Jan. 2, 1830, page 32, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2580/page/32/
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