THE SECOND COMING.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 May 1920, Page 9

THE SECOND COMING.

SCRIPTURAL PREDICTIONS. The return of Christ to earth was the subject of a sermon delivered by the Rev. Morris Morris, M.Sc., of Melbourne, in the Auckland Baptist Tabernacle the other evening. Taking as his text, "And when thesa things begin to come to pass, then look tip and lift up your heads for your redemption draweth nigh." Mr. Morris said that many people had confused ideas about the return of the Lord. They spoke of the "end of the world as a kind of general smash-up. They ought more correctly to speak of the end of the age, which meant the institution of Christ's ; coming kingdom. In the best sense it was the beginning of the world, the , setting up of the Kingdom of God. When , the organisation which was the Church ' <Jf God " rew to its mature Btature, then i Christ s great Empire would hold sway. To-day there was a great cry for good . government, said the preacher. There was so much disorder everywhere that v the great statesmen of the world were having a very tempestuous time indeed. [ He'believed that the Prime Ministers of , Great Britain, Australia and New Zea- > 'and, and also President Wilson, would , welcome the return of Christ, because f 't would mean perfect and good govern- | metit. People were prejudiced against quoting dates, but the dates in Scripture t especially in the Book of Daniel, were > given with great precision, and were , sllr ely meant for use. Although Christ ; did not, give dates, He gave specific _ signs by which people should recognise , " le progress of events leading up to the _ establishment of His Kingdom. t According to the longest computation , of datos, Mr. Morris said he believed. without dogmatising, that the period of j the sway of the Gentiles over the .Tews , must end about the year 1034. He did , not prescribe any date for the return of " Christ, The text, said, "Look up, lift up your heads. Other men were hanging thpir heads down because they were so r depressed by the dreadful happenings t ™ kln S P la(,e - Tl; f Scripture had predictt ? d t,l<?se things, and had said that men's _ hearts would fail them through fear. It . was really a hopeful sign, because Christ r said that when these things took place, j redemption W as drawing nigh. That t was the hope of the Church and of the world. It would be. heart-breaking unj less there was that great hope. Christ f would come when lie was not. expected , Therefore it was a matter that enjoined everyone to watchfulness.