Influence of the Word. Two men, born within three years of each other (1706, 1709), both naturally gifted, poetic; both educated at Eton and Christ Chirch, Oxford, both occupying offices of state, and intimate friends, were also both violent infidels, and deter- mined to use their own powerful pens in a joint assault on the Christian faith. It was needful that they should carefully study the defenses they were planning to undermine or overthrow; and so they agreed to examine the Bible with thorough- ness to find its weak and assailable points. But, instead of coming together to join in an assault, they both became converted men. Approaching the Word of God in a candid spirit, they were overwhelmed by the proofs that they were studying a more than human book and the pens they had proposed to use as weapons of offense, they now used as weapons of defense. One of them, George Lytt.leton, wrote a dissertation on St. Paul's conversion, while his friend, Gilbert West, prepared a companion treatise known as "Observations on the Resurrec- tion," both being able and powerful arguments for the truth of Christianity. When Saul sent messengers to seize David, the spirit of God came upon them and they became prophets and so it came to pass < when he sent messengers yet a second and a third time; and at last Saul, himself, went to entrap the psalmist, but lo, the spirit was upon him also, and there grew ot be a proverb: Is Saul also among the prophets?—Selected. Among [Methodists, the fact that the founder of Methodism was an ardent premillennialist is mostly kept out of sight. Some in opposing the premillennial belief of Christ's coming are ignorant of the fact that in so doing they are opposing ¡¡John Wesley, with whom they boast being in succession; while, alas, some utterly repudiate Wesley in many things. Certain it is that the great leader's views on jthe question are not pushed to the front, but are carefully kept in the background. Wesley's Notes on the New Testament are standard in most quar- ters. Thiugh sometimes obscure, it is easy to show from them his premillennial faith and that he expected Christ's reign below would long since, in 1836, have begun. Jjn other places Wesley is plain. Tyerman, who wrote the best and most reliable life of this good man, settles the question as to whether he followed Whitby jor the first Christians. Bev. Thomas Hartly, rector of Winwick, had, in 1764, written a book entitled, "Paradis® Restored; or, A Testimony to the Doctrine of the Millennium,"" and had therein advocated its speedy coming. Wesley read the voluem, and wrote the author, sawing, "Your book on the millennium was lately put into my hands. I cannot but thank y.ou for your strong and seasonable confirmation of that com- fortable doctrine, of which I cannot entertain the least doubt, as long as I believe in the Bible." This letter went into the Methodist Magazine, and later into Tyerman 'si volumes. Then Tyerman ma#es the following important observation: ' ' With sueh a statement, in reference t
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