ts historical variations and its logical
windings would require a large volume, and is not requisite for
our present purpose.

Almost all the early Fathers believingly looked for a millennium,
a reign of Christ on earth with his saints for a thousand years.
Daille has shown that this belief was generally held, though with
great diversities of conception as to the form and features of the
doctrine.21 It was a Jewish notion which crept among the
Christians of the first century and has been transmitted even to
the present day. Some supposed the millennium would precede the
destruction of the world, others that it would follow that
terrible event, after a general renovation. None but the faithful
would have part in it; and at its close they would pass up to
heaven. Irenaus quotes a tradition, delivered by Papias, that "in
the millennium each vine will bear ten thousand branches, each
branch ten thousand twigs, each twig ten thousand clusters, each
cluster ten thousand grapes, each grape yielding a hogshead of
wine; and if any one plucks a grape its neighbors will cry, Take
me: I am better!" This, of course, was a metaphor to show what the
plenty and the joy of those times would be. According to the
heretics Cerinthus and Marcion, the millennium was to consist in
an abundance of all sorts of sensual riches and delights. Many of
the orthodox Fathers held the same view, but less grossly; while
others made its splendors and its pleasures mental and moral.22
Origen attacked the whole doctrine with vehemence and cogency. His
admirers continued the warfare after him, and the belief in this
celestial Cocaigne suffered much damage and sank into comparative
neglect. The subject rose into importance again at the approaching
close of the first chiliad of Christianity, but soon died away as
the excitement of that ominous epoch passed with equal
disappointment to the hopes and the fears of the believers. A
galvanized controversy has been carried on about it again in the
present century, chiefly excited by the modern sect of Second
Adventists. Large volumes have recently appeared, principally
aiming to decide whether the millennium is to precede or to follow
the second coming of Christ! 23 The doctrine itself is a Jewish
Christian figment supported only by a shadowy basis of fancy. The
truth contained in it, though mutilated and disguised, is that
when the religion of Christ is truly enthroned over the earth,
when his real teachings an