Page:The Last Judgement and Second Coming of the Lord Illustrated.djvu/14

 serious interest in rightly understanding the phenomena which they involve. What those events are, where they are to transpire, and when they are to be accomplished, are points which we propose to consider during the progress of this work. A careful study of the language in which those predictions are given, has suggested to many minds, influenced by the direction of modern thought, the desirableness of re-considering the views which they have been supposed to express. What these views are will subsequently appear: that they are founded on a very literal interpretation of prophetic terms, is evident; yet it is equally plain, and now generally acknowledged, that the narratives are eminently figurative; and, therefore, it is not unreasonably concluded that there may be some inaccuracy in such an interpretation. At the outset, we confess this to be our opinion. It was originally suggested to us by the writings of one who is considered by many to have been raised up by the Divine providence, and to have been peculiarly enlightened to communicate information to the world upon the subject of biblical interpretation; moreover, the idea is intimately connected with doctrines of a new Religious Dispensation, which, it is believed, is now in the process of being established among mankind, and of which the dissentions, prevalent throughout universal Christendom, may be accepted as no unworthy evidence. This opinion has been arrived at in no spirit of haste, from no love of novelty, in no desire for change; but after long, varied, and anxious inquiry into the evidences by which it is sustained, and the consequences to which it led; and this, too, in defiance of an education urging a different result. The long period during which we have held this opinion, has afforded many occasions for reviewing the testimony and arguments which led to its adoption; we have done this with some frequency