upon the shoulders of their sincere friends. But, on the contrary, they should exert themselves to maintain the friendly feelings which have hitherto existed towards this God-granted Government, in order that the relations between the two governments may remain on the same footing as before; and if, in accordance with the custom of allied States, the British Government should desire to send a purely friendly and temporary mission to this country, with a small escort, not exceeding twenty or thirty members, similar to that which attended the Russian Mission, this servant of God will not oppose its progress."

The last news is that the central column of the British forces has started from Thull for the Kurum Pass and valley, and the northern column from Peshawur for the Khyber Pass, both of them to meet at Cabul in due time. The former of these divisions will attack Ghazni in its progress, but probably both may be delayed till spring opens, to allow easier progress through the defiles. As was the case in 1838, there is little doubt that the power, skill, and superior energy and means of the invaders will overawe and overcome all the organized resistance of the native rulers. The Viceroy might have spared himself the solecism of declaring that the Indian Government had no quarrel with the sirdars and people of Afghanistan, only with their ruler; for "the hostility of the Empress of India" will spare no one in their borders who resists. The British tried to set up one puppet in Shah Shuja, and there is no probability that another will fare any better now than he did forty years ago.

The results of this unexpected search after a frontier for India cannot even be anticipated. The two rival Empires will at last be conterminous on the Oxus, when the Afghans have again been taught that the "long forbearance of the British Government is not weakness;" and when their tribes learn "to be content with a master," perhaps the native energy of these mountaineers will be directed into useful channels. In one point of view, firm control will make it possible for meliorating agencies to be introduced, and something higher, purer, altogether better, than the laws and ethics of the Koran, to find entrance into their courts and schools. No Mohammedan rulers can ever rise to understand or observe justice, and respect life or property in their subjects, until those rulers are deprived of their personal, arbitrary power. Personal government has for ages been the affliction of the peoples between the Brahmapootra and the Nile; and until a stronger hand comes and

allows institutions to germinate and grow under an equal, Christian sway, those wide regions will remain degraded and turbulent. We may find hope in this direction, as one beneficial outcome of this movement. It will then be the first return

to the mountain tribes of Afghanistan from the plains and peoples of India, for the sufferings, the carnage, and the misrule which they have suffered during a series of centuries, from the day when the Aryan conquerors in the dawn of history swept down like an avalanche across the Indus, to be followed by Scythian, Persian, Greek, Turkish, Moslem, and Afghan armies, on the same errand of rapine, and with the same unfruitful results. Now the tide has turned, and Christendom awaits its progress and achievements.

In all this movement towards Cabul and Herat, Persia has the liveliest interest. The weakness, tyranny, and distress which have been such marked features of Persian rulers since Nadir Shah's death, have culminated in misery and poverty almost beyond endurance. That country cannot keep out of the way of two nations which find causes of strife so easily as Great Britain and Russia do; and when security comes under either of them, Persian subjects are likely to emigrate out of trouble into quiet, even if they do have to pay high taxes for it. Looking at the map, we can see that the mouth of the Euphrates and the ports on the Persian Gulf, are probably to become objects of desire. England has a protectorate over Turkey, which is as vague and flexible a right in its applications here and there, as Turkish cupidity and wrong-doing are universal; but English trade will not be allowed to suffer. The linear distance from Batum to Busrah, and from Scanderoon to Busrah, does not differ much-say a thousand miles; but the difference in the nature of the two routes is immense. From the latter, via Aleppo to Bir is not far, and then the Euphrates furnishes means for small steamers to reach its. mouth without much danger or delay; while a railroad from Batum must go on all the way over mountains and through valleys till it reaches Mosul, before it will be worth much. We think these things foreshadow a struggle for Busrah which will involve all the old empire of Cyrus and Alexander in its results, and do something to "prepare the way of the kings of the East."

ARTICLE VIII--THE MILLEN ARIAN CONFERENCE.

A "CONFERENCE of believers in the pre-millennial advent of Jesus Christ" was held in the city of New York, Oct. 30, 31, and Nov. 1. The call for this Conference was signed by one hundred and twenty-two clergymen and laymen, belonging to eleven different denominations of Christians. Three long sessions were held each day, and it is reported that the congregations in attendance at nearly all of the sessions were large, and attended to the proceedings with earnest and unabated interest. The religious tone of the meetings was devout and fervent. This Conference is the outgrowth of the recent revival of the belief in the doctrine commonly known as Millenarianism; it is the proclamation on the part of its advocates of their profound conviction that the doctrine is a scriptural truth which has fallen into neglect, and that all the interests of Christianity demand its restoration to what they believe is its legitimate prominence as a doctrinal belief, and as a motive in the Christian life and work. We may, therefore, properly study the Conference as an exponent of this doctrine as now held in this country, of the arguments by which it is supported, and of the practical influence which it exerts.

The Conference at its closing session adopted five resolutions expressly "to bear our united testimony to that which we believe to be the truth of the gospel." That which impresses us most in these resolutions is their vagueness. Millenarianism has always been attended with diversity in the details of its doctrine; often with extravagances of belief and action. In preparing these resolutions it may be presumed that the Conference properly aimed to comprehend differences so far as consistent with the essentials of the doctrine, and to clear itself from responsibility for extravagances. The result is a tantaliz ing and needless indefiniteness. Therefore, in studying Millenarianism as set forth by the Conference it will be necessary to interpret the resolutions by the general drift of thought in the essays and addresses.*

*We use the report in the N. Y. Tribune Extra, No. 46.

RESOLUTION I.—We affirm our belief in the supreme and absolute authority of the written Word of God on all questions of doctrine and duty.

This is the common belief of evangelical Protestants. Why it should have been made the first of a series of resolutions declaring the distinctive doctrines of Millenarians it is not easy to see. The inevitable inference is that it insinuates-what it is impossible to suppose the Conference consciously intended to declare that Christians who are not Millenarians do not affirm the belief expressed in the resolution.

Rev. James H. Brookes, D.D., of St. Louis, one of the committee of eight who prepared and issued the call for the meeting of the Conference, says: "It is true that many ignorant Christians have been led to give up a large part, and some the largest part, of the New Testament, on the foolish supposition that it was designed only for the times of the apostles; forgetting that the apostles had nothing more to do in preparing the New Testament than the pen of the writer has to do in giving us the production of the author's brain, and that this Godinspired book is intended for all times."* Here is the assertion that many Christians have forgotten that the New Testament is intended for all times, and foolishly suppose that it was designed only for the times of the apostles. Here is a theory of inspiration which totally excludes human agency from the writing of the New Testament, "forgetting" that the "spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets." Did views like these prompt the committee when they drafted this resolution, as the frst distinctive doctrine of Millenarians?

When Millenarians affirm that those who differ from them do not believe the inspiration of the Scriptures, it will nullify the accusation if they who make it acknowledge only this arid and mechanical conception of inspiration.

Rev. E. P. Goodwin, D.D., of Chicago, addressing the Conference, after attributing his recent conversion to Millenarianism to the prayerful and earnest study of God's Word, said: "My friends will excuse me if I here confess that I have not to this day read through one single volume that has been written on it.

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Two principles have obtained, and the one was this: Supreme loyalty to the Word, cost what it may. Burn all the libraries, break through all the traditions, overturn all the schemes; if it is in the Word of God there I will stand and there

* Maranatha, page 316.

I will fall. God help me, I dare not say anything else. The other conviction born of it was this-the self-sufficiency of the Scriptures to explain themselves. It seemed to me that the Word was the Word of God; that the command to me was to search the Scriptures; that they were able by the help of the same Spirit that wrote them to make me-to make any inquirer-worthy unto the salvation, thoroughly furnished unto every good work. If I do not mistake, the sounds of the theological war are already in the air. They that will be quickest to take the field, who will be the mightest in the warfare against this faith will not be the people in the pews and in the prayer-room, the evangelist preaching the gospel of salvation; they will be the men that teach theology, they will be the pulpits of the land, the great denominational and religious newspapers of the day. I say it fearlessly; the men that to-day-if a word of malignity can be used; if a word of antagonism can be used-stand in such attitudes toward us that represent this truth, toward these brethren who have presented here their views, are the men who ought to strike hands most warmly with us, who ought to be the most rejoiced that while we differ, the same heart of love rules us all, the same spirit of loyalty to Christ and to His truth possesses us all.

I do not know that I ought to say it, but I will venture it-That in these coming days the trouble of the church won't lie in the line of the teaching of this doctrine. There are troubles in the church, there are to be more troubles, there are to be apostasies, mighty apostasies. Alas for us in that respect, that we, some of us can testify what our eyes have seen and our ears have heard. Churches dead, twice dead; plucked up, as it were, by the roots; the ministers of the gospel that preach anything but salvation by the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Our ministers of the gospel raising suspicion, in the pulpit which ought to be consecrated to the living work, of the authority of that work, and I will not go a thousand miles from New York to find it, nor a thousand miles from Chicago to find it. I know men-they are not Pre-Millennialists-who do not believe anything that you and I probably would term the Inspiration of the Word of God. Now I do not know the views of my brethren on this platform on this question, nor the views of others who hold the truth with us, but I venture to affirm this, that when these questions come to the issue you will find that among the circle of those advocating the doctrines which are here set forth, you will not find a man who has any question in his mind that this word, as we hold it, is supremely the inspired and authoritative word of the living God. I don't believe you will find any number in this circle of teachers in theology in pulpits, in bible-classes, that has any question whatever that Jesus Christ was the Divine Son, coëqual with the Father. I don't believe you will find any one that has any doubt, or will teach it with any doubt, that Jesus Christ came to suffer and to die, that through that sacrifice on the cross He might provide salvation for all mankind, and that in no other way but by faith in that shed blood is the remission of sin. I believe you will find that these brethren holding this faith above all things else hold the great truths which are in the Word, and which are vital to the salvation of men Now, is it a fair or honorable thing or a Christian thing in the great newspapers of the land, and in the little ones as well, for they are their echoes, to hold up the idea to ridicule?

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My fear is that in these churches of the land we shall hear so much more 'Peace! Peace!' when there ought to be no peace. What I fear is a Christless gospel preached in a Christless pulpit of a Christless church."