This editor must have been groping about in outer darkness with the word of God in his hand, but hid from his eyes, not to have found “the least evidence” upon what he ignorantly styles “a figment of the imagination.” Unhappy man, to be afflicted with such inveterate blindness! Surely there is one here to be turned from darkness to light, and therefore from the power of Satan unto God. Being always ready to open the eyes of the blind, if possible, or at least to try, I will then just present him with a little evidence in the case. It is one of “the plans of the Divine Being” to bless the nations with good government after he has subdued them. This government is to be administered by Jesus and his brethren, who are to conquer them. If this can be shown, even Mr. Wallis will hardly object to style it, cooperation in carrying forward the plans of the Divine Being. Well, the Lord Jesus says, “That which ye have hold fast till I come. And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations; and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: as the vessels of a potter, they shall be broken to shivers.” This testimony teaches that Jesus will come again; for these words were uttered after he had gone away to the far country, where he now is. He is an immortal king; and therefore when he returns he will be an immortal in the midst of a mortal race, or of nations, whose political organizations he will shatter to pieces. To him that overcomes he promises life in paradise, exemption from the second death, and to sit with him upon his throne, as well as to rule over the nations. It is evident, therefore, from these promises, that the overcomers are, like himself, immortal kings. It is also evident that the nations are political communities of mortal men, or they would not be ruled with a rod of iron. The scripture saith that where He is, they that overcome the world by their faith shall be also. It is shown he is to be “head of the nations upon earth;” therefore they that overcome will be here also; consequently the population of our planet will then be partly mortal and partly immortal, the former being subject to the latter, as the kings and priests of God administering for him the government of the world, then blessed in Abraham and his Seed. This is the commingling of mortals and immortals—the nations walking in the light of the New Jerusalem—taught in the word of God; cooperating to do the will of God upon the earth as it is in heaven. But so blind is Mr. Wallis that he can find not the least evidence of such a thing in the Bible! What a man for the editor of a paper professedly advocating primitive Christianity, and the ancient apostolic gospel! Surely Nottingham, “the Jerusalem of Britain,” has no reason to rejoice in his light!

Has Mr. Wallis ever read the “new song” the redeemed of Adam’s race sing in view of their possessing the kingdom upon earth? Does he find no evidence at all of their earthly residence and reign over nations of mortal men in the words, “Thou, O Lamb of God, hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, and hast made us for him kings and priests; and we shall reign on earth?” What need of priests reigning on earth if there are no mortals under their reign? “Priests are ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that they may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.” The saints reigning as priests with Jesus, the High Priest, shows that under their reign there are sin and death; if there were not, there would be no priesthood. The priesthood of the saints is only millennial. At the end of that dispensation it will be abolished; for then death, the last enemy, will be destroyed; a fact which presupposes the taking away of the sin of the world, because death is the wages or punishment of sin, and being no more sin, there will be of necessity no more death. The priestly element of the kingdom will therefore be removed, gifts and sacrifices for sin being no more needed. The mixed state will then have terminated. Mortals and immortals will cease to be the division of earth’s inhabitants. All will be immortal, and “God all things in all”—when the kingdom is delivered up to him. But Mr. Wallis is in outer darkness concerning the priesthood of Jesus and the saints. His theory sends them all to sky kingdoms, and detains them there forever! Will he tell us what gifts and sacrifices for sins their spirits offer there; and for whose sins they present them? For on earth in the days of their flesh they officiate for none. Remember the saints are priests in their immortal state. This cannot be got over; for when they sing that new song they speak of themselves as redeemed persons—“thou hast redeemed us.” They must, therefore, be resurrected persons; for none but such are redeemed in the past tense. Being resurrected, they then finish their song by saying, “We shall reign upon the earth;” and when they thus reign, they officiate as offerers of gifts and sacrifices to God for the sins of those peoples over whom they rule.

But this is not all. We have yet another contribution of testimony for the opening of the blind eyes of Mr. James Wallis, Britain’s Harbinger of the Millennium! “Blessed and holy he,” saith the Lord’s angel, “that hath part in the first resurrection; on such the second death hath no power; but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and they shall reign with him a thousand years;” that is, in the same region where the binding of Satan is effected, and where he is loosed again. When Christ’s priestly household springs forth from the dust, they will be prepared for action. “They are the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb,” whom they follow “whithersoever he goeth.” He goes, then, to war against “the kings of the earth and their armies;” and against the dominion symbolised by “the Beast and the False Prophet;” and the redeemed go with Him as His heavenly body guards. At this crisis, “the judgment is set;” and “the saints of the Most High” prepare to “take the kingdom.” “Judgment is given to them,” that they may “take away the dominion” of the Little Horn, “to consume and to destroy it to the end.” In this work they will be gloriously successful; for they are wheels burning with fire, and going forth from the Ancient of Days as a fiery stream. “They shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of their feet;” and in doing this, “the Beast and the False Prophet” will be burned alive; and the remnant cut up by the sword of Israel’s Commander; for “the Lamb shall overcome the kings.” But in all this Mr. Wallis finds not the least evidence of immortals mingling in the affairs of mortals, or of cooperation in carrying out the plans of the Divine Being! It is to be hoped that God has not blinded him in judgment for wilfully contending against the truth in times by-gone. Not the least evidence! Surely none are so blind as those who will not see. This, I fear, is Mr. Wallis’ unhappy case.

EDITOR.

* * *