1877_Object and Manner Our Lord's Return.pdf

THE

OBJECT AND MANNER

OUR LORD’S RETURN

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by C. T. RUSSELL

PITTSBURG, PA.

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“Take heed to yourselves least at any time your hearts be overcharged

with....the cares of this life; and so that day come upon you unawares.”—

Luke 21:34.

ROCHESTER, N.Y.

OFFICE OF HERALD OF THE MORNING

1877

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OUR LORD’S RETURN

CHAPTER I

THE OBJECT OF THE SECOND ADVENT

That our Lord intended us as His disciples tounderstand, that for some

purpose , in some manner, and at some, time, He would come again, is, we

presume, admitted and believed by all familiarwith the scriptures. But the

object of that coming is viewed from widely differentstandpoints, and seen

in as various colors as there are glasses; each observer honestly and

sincerely desirous of seeing and understanding the subject correctly. We

shall not attempt in these few pages to give all thatcan be presented upon

this subject, but simply offer a sketch of what we understand the events and

their order to be;—giving as far as space will permit, the scriptural

evidence favoring it. In doing so, we shall endeavor to exercise christian

courtesy, when referring to the views of brethren who differ with us.

The writer believes that in order to an understanding of this subject, it is

necessary for us to have some clear conception of God’s plan for the

salvation of the world of mankind. If we can obtain this, it will

unquestionably give us information very valuable, inthe consideration of

our subject; for, in that plan,

not only the first but also the second advent has an important place. Here a

vital question arises, viz:

HAS GOD A PLAN?

Or, did He in an idle moment frame thisworld, and bring us, His creatures,

into existence simply to exerciseHis creative power; entirely unmindful, or

uncaring, what should be the result to us of that existence? Many who love

the Lord with all their hearts speak of Him and His work as though this

were the case. They think of the fall of Adam, by which “Sinentered the

world and death by [or, as a result of] sin,” (Romans 5:12) as an

emergency entirely unexpected and unprovided for by the Creator.

Such naturally regard the salvation provided through our Lord Jesus Christ

as an after-thought. God, having been thwarted by an agent of His own

creation, —the Devil,—now sought to repair the mischief byproviding a

way by which a few ofthese creatures could be saved. They regard the

present and past contest between good and evil, as a race between God and

the Devil, in which, so far,the Devil has been the most successful. They

hope and trust, however, that before the winding up of all things, the

numbers of the saved will be greater than those of the lost: and so God,

even without any plan, come off conqueror.

But, christian friends, He who would rebuke a man for building a tower

without first counting the cost, shall He buildand people a world without

counting the cost? Nay, verily; God has, and always has had, a plan—a

purpose; and all His purposes shall be

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