mon, June 26th, 1881.

[232:2] Greg: The Creed of Christendom, p. 284.

[232:3] See Jameson's Hist. of Our Lord in Art, vol. ii., and Lundy's
Monumental Christianity.

CHAPTER XXIV.

THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST JESUS, AND THE MILLENNIUM.

The second coming of Christ Jesus is clearly taught in the canonical, as
well as in the apocryphal, books of the New Testament. Paul teaches, or
_is made to teach it_,[233:1] in the following words:

"If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them
also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we
say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive
_and remain unto the coming of the Lord_, shall not prevent
them which are asleep. _For the Lord himself shall descend
from heaven_ with a shout, with the voice of the archangel,
and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise
first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be _caught up_
together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord _in the
air_: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."[233:2]

He further tells the Thessalonians to "abstain from all appearance of
evil," and to "be preserved blameless _unto the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ_."[233:3]

James,[233:4] in his epistle to the brethren, tells them not to be in
too great a hurry for the coming of their Lord, but to "be patient" and
wait for the "coming of the Lord," as the "husbandman waiteth for the
precious fruit of the earth." But still he assures them that "the coming
of the Lord draweth nigh."[233:5]

Peter, in his first epistle, tells his brethren that "the end of all
things is at hand,"[233:6] and that when the "chief shepherd" does
appear, they "shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not
away."[233:7]

John, in his first epistle, tells the Christian community to "abide in
him" (Christ), so that, "when he shall appear, we may have confidence,
and not be ashamed before him."[234:1]

He further says:

"Behold, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet
appear what we shall be, but we know that, _when he shall
appear_, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he
is."[234:2]

According to the writer of the book of "The Acts," when Jesus ascended
into heaven, the Apostles stood looking _up_ towards heaven, where he
had gone, and while thus engaged: "behold, two men stood by them
(dressed) in white apparel," who said unto