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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 84

New Jerusalem, 'A fourth communication' being also published as a supplement to 'A third communication', A declaration of the age or period

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New Jerusalem,

"A Fourth Communication" being also Published as a Supplement to "A Third Communication," a Declaration of the Age or Period.

J. T. Smith & Co. Christchurch Printers, Bookbinders, &c., Hereford Street.

1886
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New Jerusalem.

"That which is born of the flesh is flesh: and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit."—3rd chap. Gospel of St. John, verso 6.

"Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern."—Ecclesiastes xii., v. 6.

"Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it."—Ecclesiastes xii., v. 7.

The Restoration of Israel.

"And there shall be an highway for the remnant of His people, which shall be left, from Assyria: like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt."—Isaiah, chap. 11, verse 16.

IIn his "Concordance to the Holy Scriptures," Mr Alexander Cruden, under the heading of "Captivity," thus remarks: "Piglath-pileser, king of Assyria, in the year of the world 3264, took several cities belonging to the kingdom of Israel, and carried away a great number of captives. . . . Next to him, Shalmanezer took and destroyed Samaria, after a siege of three years, in 3283, and transplanted the tribes which had been spared by Piglath-pileser to the provinces beyond the Euphrates."—2 Kings, chap. 18, verses 9, 10, 11. And it is generally believed that there-was no return from this captivity, and that the ten tribes never came back again after this dispersion. The subject is taken up in the 13th chapter of the 2nd Book of Esdras, which seems an explanation of the long-sought mystery. St. John also informs us that he was shown "the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God." And Ezekiel says of the city described by him: "And they that serve the city shall serve it out of all the tribes of Israel."—Ezekiel, chap. 48, verse 19.

"All the oblation shall be 25,000 (measures or miles) by 25,000: ye shall offer the holy oblation four square, with the possession of the city."—Ezekiel, chap. 43, verse 20.

"Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that I will perform that good thing which I have promised unto the house of Israel, and to the house of Judah."—Jeremiah, chap. 33, verse 14.

"In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he 6hall execute judgment and righteousness in the land."—Jeremiah, chap. 33, verse 15.

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"In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely; and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, the Lord our Righteousness."—Jeremiah, chap. 33, verse 16.

On the 19th day of October, 1885, I delivered to the printer the manuscript of my "Third Communication," the same being a "Declaration of the Age or Period," and I received the printed copies on the 14th day of November following. While I was writing it, I was very desirous to know the meaning of the Vision of Waters, with a description of which the 47th chapter of the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel commences; but it rested with the Almighty to interpret it in His time.

I think His interpretation is a call to the Jews, in these latter days, to acknowledge the Messiah.

Two days before I received my little book from the printers, an accident happened in Christchurch to a distinguished New Zealand legislator—a Hebrew. "He was on the point of starting for the races with Lady Vogel, when, in walking along the passage of the Commercial Hotel on his crutches, his foot slipped, and he fell, with the result that his leg was broken. One of the small bones near the ankle joint was quite broken, and the large bone fractured just above the joint."—Press, 13th November. And ten days after I had received it, by another accident, which also happened in Christchurch, the pastor of the Hebrew congregation, "the Rev I. Zachariah, while riding in Oxford Terrace, was thrown from his horse, which shied at a hat blown across the road. His arm was dislocated, and the wrist-bone fractured."—Press, 25th Nov.

On Sunday, the 13th day of December, I was standing near to my house, by a good-sized fir tree, which I had often seen climbed by children and youths. I observed that it had been very recently climbed. Incidents recurred to my memory, and I brought to mind the accidents to the two Hebrew gentlemen, simultaneously with the 3rd, 4th, and 5th verses of the 47th chapter of Ezekiel. I then went into my house, read the verses, and praised God.

The "waters to the ankles" represented, to my mind, waters to stand in Law. The "waters to the knees," Worship, whether with uplifted hands and arms or not. The "waters to the loins," Special or general relations. And on the following day, and the next, I wrote in books the interpretation of the vision, and sent or gave them away. In most of the little books I have given away since, I have written (referring to the 3rd paragraph, and to paragraph 3 on page 12, "Third Communication "), or in like words, "The Holy Vision of Waters," with a description of which the 47th chapter of Ezekiel commences, might refer to the relation of the Jew to the Gentile, in concord, or want of concord; the first three soundings, or depths, referring respectively to Law, Worship, and Social and General Intercoures, special or general; and the fourth depth, to man's Redemption, Justification, and Sanctification, the acknowledgment of the Messiah, and general conversion of the Jews; and in its consummation, the supremacy of Christianity and Christian governments, nationally and socially, throughout the world.

The Psalmist of Israel says, "For Thou hast possessed my reins; Thou hast covered me in my mother's womb."—Psalm 139, verse 13.

One of these copies I sent to the Rev W. Morley, late minister of St. Albans, when here attending the Wesleyaa Conference in January last.

The expectations raised in the minds of the Jews by the Old Testa- page 5 ment prophets is shown by the question asked of our Lord by the assembled apostles, immediately before His ascension into heaven: "Lord, wilt Thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel ?" (Acts, chap. 1, verse 6) and is quite consistent in a believer of the evangelical prophecies not yet clearly understood. Our Lord's answer to the question was, like His parables and precepts, made clear to the apprehension of men. The visions seen by the Apostles were figurative, and sometimes required an event and a period of time to explain them.

I pass on to the borders of the land, a reference to which was made in my "Third Communication," and to the inheritance of the twelve tribes of Israel.—Ezekiel, chapters 47 and 48. The "lot" manifestly refers to the law under the Christian dispensation. Now Ezekiel wrote and prophesied nearly 600 years before the advent of Christ. The prophet continues: "And it shall come to pass that ye shall divide it by lot for an inheritance onto you, and to the strangers that sojourn among you, which shall beget children among you: and they shall be unto you as born in the country among the children of Israel; they shall have inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel."—Chap. 47, verse 22.

"And it shall come to pass, that in what tribe the stranger sojourneth, there shall ye give him his inheritance, saith the Lord God."—Chap. 47, verse 23.

Although not expressed in my "Third Communication," a "Declaration of the Age or Period," (see page 11) to which this, my "Fourth Communication," may be considered a supplement, it would be recognised by many that 25,000 geographical miles is the ordinary way of expressing the extent of the circle of the earth, and it is indeed so very nearly, on the equatorial line, which is East and West, as also on any and every meridional line running North and South, crossing both Poles. As, in the original language, no descriptive measures are given, interpreters have, at their own discretion, named either reeds or cubits.

The spirit of the 18th chapter of the Book of the Prophet seems also throughout like an anticipation of the new covenant.

"Cast away from you all your transgressions whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel ? "—Ezekiel, chap. 18, verse 81-

When all the nations of the earth are blessed in the seed of Abraham; when the whole earth has become the temple of the Lord; when Christ and his saints reign; then shall be taught these two commandments, "on which hang all the law and the prophets."

"Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind."—Matthew, chap. 22, verse 38. "This is the first and great commandment.—Matthew, chap. 22, verse 39.

"And the second is like unto it. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself ."—Matthew, chap. 22, verse 39.

Ezekiel, in his description of the representative "living creatures," the cherubims, describes the appearance of the wheels, and their work, "as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel," (chapter 1); and, in other places, some of the symbols or representations must, I think, be similarly understood. Thus Ezekiel, in describing the portions of the twelve tribes, the 6um of the twelve portions seem intended to represent the extent of the whole earth," chapter 48. "And the five thousand that are page 6 left in the breadth over against the five-and-twenty thousand shall be a profane place for the city, for dwelling, and for suburbs."—Chapter 48, verse 15. Here, also, I take it that the representation must be explained after the manner of the wheels of the cherubinis, "as it were a wheel in the midst of a wheel."

When I made my present to the Church Club, (" Third Communication, page 12, paragraph 2,) no "revision of the Authorised Version" had, as far as I am aware, been received in this country. The alteration in chapter 47, verse 15, renders tho reading consistent; but there still remains some little confusion "in other verses in chapter 48, describing the apportionment of the whole holy oblation." Yet, I believe that the division of the land, and possessions of the tribes, was intended to represent, in the offering of "all the holy oblation," the reign of the "King of Kings and Lord of Lords" (Revelation, chap. 19, verse 16) over all the earth.

The Millennium.

"And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit, and a great chain in his hand."—Revelation, chap. 20, verse 1.

"And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years."—Revelation, chap. 20, verse 2.

A sinner may repent; but the dissembling, double-minded heathen should not be seen ministering in the house of the Lord. It is not so very long ago that, at the funeral of a professed Wesleyan (a Free Mason) at tho town of Rangiora, the Church services were performed by two Wesleyan clergymen, and the Masonic service was performed by a Church of England clergyman.

"Nevertheless, the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are His. And let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity."—2 Timothy, chap. 2, verse 19.

"And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the Word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years."—Revelation, chap. 20, verse 4.

"But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection."—Revelation, chap. 20, verse 5-

"Blessed and holy is he 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 shall reign with Him a thousand years."—Revelation, chap. 20, verse 6.

This is doctrine; and thus are the saints honoured. They are associated with Christ in subduing the world by His Gospel, and made confession of their faith only according to the teaching of Christ, and His righteousness (not their own sins) is imputed to them. But when the heathen exhibits openly in the places where Christ is worshipped, it cannot be said the Dragon is bound.

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The Second Death, I believe, is intended to represent sin after baptism (which is regarded as a death unto sin), and the virtue of the sacrament is not lost upon those who have afterwards sinned, and been restored by the mercy and grace of God.

Until the event determines otherwise, it may be considered that the prophecy of the thousand years is intended to represent an exact period of time, from the exactness in the periods of those prophecies which are fulfilled; but the fullest application of the prophecy of the millennial period may not be either at the beginning or end of the period, and yet both beginning and end may be signalised by noticeable succession of events.

Neither was the height of the power of the beast either at the beginning or end of the 1960 years. The strong points of the symbols of prophecy being interpreted or explained, the minor ones may, I think, be given also.

As in chapter 9 of the Book of Revelation, St. John, in his description of the locusts, represents the heathen in the visible church, or its subterfuge, verse 8.

"And they had hair as the hair of women,"—they whisper to one another, and peep: "and their teeth were as the teeth of lions,"—they hold their victims when they have fallen before them.

Verse 10—"And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails,"—the lowest members, morally, of every institution, are those that project, or do the dirtiest work.

"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God" (2 Timothy, chap. 3, verse 16), and the interpretation of prophecy also; and by His providence in His works and in His manifestations; and serve as a key to, and confirmation of, the oracles of God.

It is written in Deuteronomy, chap. 8, verse 3, and in Matthew, chap. 4, verse 4, as also in Luke, chap. 4, verse 4, that "man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live." A knowledge of the Sacred Writings would be as a staff in the hand of every man in Jerusalem, and the practice of the precepts taught in them as old age.

Christian nations who hold dominion, having ceased to contend with one another, the heathen nations subjugated, and the coasts of the earth held by those who acknowledge the "King of Kings and Lord of Lords" (Revelation, chap. 19, verse 16), may it not be said that the prophecy of Isaiah, chap, 2, and of Micah, chap. 4, is fulfilled ? "And it shall come to pass in the last days that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it."—Isaiah, chap. 2, verse 2.

"And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths; for out of Zion will go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem."—Ieaiah, chap. 2, verse 3.

"And He shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people; and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."—Isaiah, chap. 2, verse 4.

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"O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the Light of the Lobd."—Isaiah, chap. 2, verse 5.

"Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name."—Revelation, chap. 3, verse 12.

"In His days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is His name whereby He shall be called, The Lord our Righteousness."—Jeremiah, chap. 23, verse 6.

"In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The Lord our Righteousness."—Jeremiah, chap. 33, verse 16.

"Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand: but the wise shall understand."—Daniel, chap. 12, verse 10.

The victory over the heathen, the infidel, the sceptic, the unbeliever, having been obtained by Him who sat on the white horse, and "went forth conquering and to conquer" (Revelation, chap. 6), in the 20th chapter the saints are represented, in symbol, as having been restored to life, and become the spiritual teachers of the Church and of the world.

"But the rest of the dead" (in a similar symbol) "lived not again until the thousand years were finished."—Revelation, chap. 20, verse 5.

I will not now pursue this subject further, as it relates, in part, to what is to follow after the thousand years are expired; but I look upon the Book of Revelation as containing symbols unto the end.

Now listen to the admonition of the beloved disciple, apostle, and prophet, John.

"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him."—1st Epistle of John, chap. 2, verse 15.

And our blessed Lord, as related by St. Matthew, chap. 6, verse 34, on the mount, taught His disciples thus: "Take therefore no thought for the morrow; for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."

Upper Merivale, St. Albans,

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