om heaven. After which, the great _serpent_ would be chained, and
the religion of Odin would reign supreme.[239:2]

The disciples of _Quetzalcoatle_, the Mexican Saviour, expected his
second advent. Before he departed this life, he told the inhabitants of
Cholula that he would return again to govern them.[239:3] This
remarkable tradition was so deeply cherished in their hearts, says Mr.
Prescott in his "Conquest of Mexico," that "the Mexicans looked
confidently to the return of their benevolent deity."[239:4]

So implicitly was this believed by the subjects, that when the Spaniards
appeared on the coast, they were joyfully hailed as the returning god
and his companions. Montezuma's messengers reported to the Inca that "it
was Quetzalcoatle who was coming, bringing his temples (ships) with
him." All throughout New Spain they expected the reappearance of this
"Son of the Great God" into the world, who would renew all
things.[239:5]

Acosta alludes to this, in his "History of the Indies," as follows:

"In the beginning of the year 1518, they (the Mexicans),
discovered a fleet at sea, in the which was the Marques del
Valle, Don Fernando Cortez, with his companions, a news which
much troubled Montezuma, and conferring with his council, they
all said, that without doubt, their great and ancient lord
Quetzalcoatle was come, who had said that he would return from
the East, whither he had gone."[239:6]

The doctrine of the millennium and the second advent of Christ Jesus,
has been a very important one in the Christian church. The ancient
Christians were animated by a contempt for their present existence, and
by a just confidence of immortality, of which the doubtful and imperfect
faith of modern ages cannot give us any adequate notion. In the
primitive church, the influence of truth was powerfully strengthened by
an opinion, which, however much it may deserve respect for its
usefulness and antiquity, has not been found agreeable to experience.
_It was universally believed, that the end of the world and the kingdom
of heaven were at hand._[240:1] The near approach of this wonderful
event had been predicted, as we have seen, by the Apostles; the
tradition of it was preserved by their earliest disciples, and those who
believed that the discourses _attributed_ to Jesus were really uttered
by him, were _obliged_ to expect the second and glorious coming of the
"Son of Man" in the clouds, _before