The Fundamental Principles of Christianity in the Light of Modem Thinking * By JOHN M. MACINNIS, B. D. IX. THE CONFLICT AND THE CONSUMMATION
T HERE was a time, and it is not so very long ago, when it was not considered a sign of scholarship or of goorl taste to talk very much about the last things. This is all changed to-day, and the man who can intelligently talk about “ The Christ of Eschatology” is considered fully abreast of the times in his thinking. This change is quite encouraging be cause it is of fundamental importance that the Church should give closer attention to this subject than has ever been given to it up to this time. This, for at least two reasons. First, it is absolutely essential to intelligent constructive work that we should clearly understand what is the im mediate purpose and ultimate goal of the work and mission of the Church. We can not have this apart from a careful study of the teachings o f the New Testament regarding the last things. In the second place, it is un questionably true that the Kingdom held a central place in the teachings of Christ, and therefore His message cannot be understood only as we can come to intelligently appreciate His hope for the immediate and far fu ture. These two reasons alone are sufficient to demand for the subject our closest attention. On the very threshold of our study let us recognize that when we come to study the last things in the very nature of the case we are largely de- 1 An address by Rev. John Maclnnis, B.D., at the Montrose Bible Conference. This- ad dress was delivered before the outbreak ot the war, and is all the m ore significant from that fact. Copyright by John M. Maclnnis, 1913.
pendent on revelation. In that case Jesus becomes our Supreme witness. What He had to say concerning the course of events in the near future and concerning the ultimate goal is of superlative importance. The new Eschatological School of thought has given considerable atten tion to this subject in recent years and they have forced the Church to reconsider the whole subject. These men tell us frankly that Jesus and His disciples taught a second return of the Lord in majesty, power and triumph in which the great program of redemption was to be consummated. They contend that they taught that this return was to take place in their own generation. If they taught that, of course they were mistaken, be cause as a matter of fact Jesus did not return in that generation, and in the sense that they expected Him. He has not returned yet. These men do not hesitate to say that Jesus and the disciples were mistaken. They expected the speedy return and were disappointed. There are two good reasons why we cannot entertain this thought. In the first place, it is untrue to the per son of Christ. If we admit that Jesus was mistaken in the immediate issue o f His own work and mission, what can we trust Him in? How can we be sure that He was right on any of the great questions with which He deals? No question is more spiritual and important than the question of the immediate issue of the work of redemption. These men try to evade
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