apostles longed for the establishment of this kingdom, of which I speak, at a very early period of Christ's history upon this earth, is very apparent from the earliest writings of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. They (the apostles) and Jewish believers seemed at all times to be absorbed in the things pertaining to this kingdom, and so they entirely overlooked the fact that Christ, the Redeemer, was to suffer before their expectation could be realised. In Matt. xvi. 21 we find that "Jesus began to show to His disciples how that He must suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and raised again the third day." Peter, at the hearing of these words, "rebuked his Lord and Master," thus showing that he and the other apostles were entirely overlooking the prophecies relating to the sufferings. Is the constitution of the kingdom the Jews looked for not definitely pointed to in Luke xix. 11 ? "Because they (the people) thought that the Kingdom of God should immediately appear, He (Jesus) spake a parable of a nobleman going to a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return." Thus we find Christ telling His apostles that He is about to suffer, that after these sufferings He is to go to a far country, like the nobleman who sojourns throughout the world; but He is to receive for Himself a kingdom, and to return. What are we to infer from this parable? Is not our once crucified Lord the Nobleman ? Has He not gone to the far country-the heavens-there to receive for Himself a kingdom, and to return?

In the last chapter of Luke's gospel, also, we have recorded a remarkable, an eventful journey of two disciples from Jerusalem to Emmaus. As they journeyed thither, Jesus, after He had risen from the dead, drew near and conversed with them. These two disciples, as they "trudged" along the road, were evidently suffering from disappointment, and were naturally sad at heart. One of the two, whose name was Cleopas, in conversing with Jesus, said," Art thou a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? .. the things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet; and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and have crucified Him; but we trusted that it had been He which should have redeemed Israel." Now let us consider well our Lord's answer. He does not say to Cleopas and his companion that the redemption of Israel is a delusion, and that, instead of redeeming Israel, He is to ascend to heaven, and all saints will follow him thither. Nay; His answer was, "O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into His glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself."

Note, that He expounded all the things concerning Himself contained in the prophets; and, seeing He expounded all things, I don't think it will be inferring too much when I state that He would refer to the very same prophecies as I have advanced from the prophets relating to His kingdom, which, as described by Isaiah and by the angel of the Lord, is to be on the throne of David and upon the earth. Here again our Lord points directly to the kingdom as being the glory that was to follow the sufferings.

No sooner had Christ met with His disciples after the crucifixion than they took the first opportunity of putting the question, "Lord, wilt Thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?" Here, again, as in connection with the Emmaus journey, if the kingdom had been a delusion, our Lord would have set His apostles-whom He loved so much-right. He does not say, "This idea of restoring Israel is a delusion; I shall never restore again the kingdom to Israel." On the contrary, His answer was, "It is not for you to know the times or the seasons," which is surely an equivalent to, "Israel shall be restored, but it is not for you to know the time," the Almighty having reserved that to Himself. Some time after Christ is separated from His apostles, and is taken up into heaven. He has gone to that far country; and, shall He not return? Yes, He shall return; for, as He ascends, in case His disciples should again participate in disappointment, as they did when He was crucified, an angel appears on the scene and utters the comforting words, "Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus who is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven."

This is only one of the many authorities I could quote to show that the Nobleman has gone to the far country, and to return; but surely there is enough assurance in these words alone to satisfy even the most exacting; yes, even the most doubtful. Well might we exclaim, "Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord; blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord," for truly this kingdom is the glory that is to follow the sufferings. How significant this word come is. It is frequently used in New Testament Scriptures, until He come. He shall come; and who does not remember the words, "If I go I will come again, that where I am there you may be also." The near approach of this kingdom became the burden of apostolic teaching after Christ ascended into the heavens, and so we are informed "that after the people believed, they were baptized, both men and women." I repeat that our Lord has gone to heaven, and to return, but of the day of His return knoweth no man; no, not even the angels in heaven. "As the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days that were before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage until the day that Noah entered the ark, and knew not until the flood came and took them all away, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be. Watch therefore (is the admonition of the apostle), for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. Therefore, be ye also ready, for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of Man cometh." The coming of Christ is thus compared to the flood; and all surely agree that the earth was really flooded, that the people, with the exception of Noah and his family, all died; and, if the coming of Christ is to be like the flood, will His coming not be to this earth? If not, then the earth never was flooded, and the antediluvians must have survived the deluge.

Now, I think, I have so far shown that the Old Testament prophecies in regard to the birth and sufferings of Christ were literally fulfilled, and at this point I would ask the question, Why should the prophecies relating to His occupying "the throne of His father David " be tossed aside as being figurative, as being metaphorical? Why should these

prophecies be annulled and made of no effect? Let us not be deceived, for "He shall sit upon the throne of David, and upon His kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this." Such is the assurance that this kingdom of which I speak shall have a real existence as given in Isaiah, while in Jeremiah are Jehovah's own words, which as recorded are, "Behold, the days come (or they shall 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. In those days and at that time will I cause the Branch of Righteousness to grow up unto David, and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land. David shall never want a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel." We have surely found that our Lord died, and that He rose again according to Scripture prophecy. We have also found that He has gone to the heavens "to receive a kingdom and to return "-the Scriptures say this. These are not my words, but, on the contrary, the words of men who only wrote as the God of heaven gave them utterance. Are not these words confirmed by the all-assuring promise, "If I go I will come again, and receive you unto myself, that where I am there ye may be also."

I venture to affirm that it is the immortality-of-the-soul theory that has given rise to the heaven-at-death doctrine. And so the Scripture teaching of a resurrection and a second appearing of Christ on this earth is annulled, is made nil, alas! shall I say, by the traditions of men. Christ's resurrection was a real one. He told His disciples He would be killed, and the third day "raised again." Paul says, "Christ being raised from the dead, dieth no more, death hath no more dominion over Him." In another place he says, If the spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies." Thus we have it demonstrated that Christ was really raised from the dead, and if it be true that righteous men go to heaven at death, surely Christ would have gone. He did not go to heaven, however, for on the authority of Isaiah, "He made his soul an offering for sin, He poured out His soul unto death." I say, What is the use of a resurrection and a great day of judgment-a day of recompense, Luke xiv. 14-if people wing their flight to heaven or hell, as the case may be, immediately after death? In John v. 25, we read, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live," while Paul asserts, "If there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen. If Christ be not raised, your faith is vain, ye are yet in your sins; and they also who are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. What advantageth me if the dead rise not? But (he says) now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept." "He is the resurrection and the life. He (says Christ Himself) that believeth on Me, though he were dead yet shall he live, and I will raise him up at the last day." This last day is the day of recompense, the resurrection day, the day when all that hear His voice shall live. Paul in his letter to the Hebrews says, "Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many, and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salva

tion," while in Philippians iii. 20, we read, "Our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ." So let us take the advice of Peter, "Gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end, for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ." How great is the necessity for all men girding up their loins, for "we have been redeemed, not with corruptible things, such as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” No man knoweth when our Lord may come, but we are admonished by the Apostle James "to be patient unto the coming of the Lord. Stablish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh." Again, we are taught, we are exhorted, by our Lord to pray, " Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." If this kingdom be already come, why should we pray, "Thy kingdom come?" And at present, in these days of Nihilism, Socialism, and the other isms prevalent in the various countries of the world, is there anything approaching to the time referred to in the words, "Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven ?"

Is it possible that so long as the curse pronounced upon the earth, in consequence of man's disobedience, remains, God's will can be done? Is the present time not the time" when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, when nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom?" Are we not daily in the midst of turmoil and wars, and is man's incapacity to govern man not demonstrated to us every day we live? That vexed" Eastern Question" and other matters, keep the governors of this and other countries in a continual broil, but in the coming kingdom of Christ-the glory to follow the sufferings-all shall be harmony, and

No strife shall rage, nor hostile feuds
Disturb those peaceful years;

To ploughshares men shall beat their swords,
To pruning hooks their spears.

Happy time! May it speedily dawn!

"Thy kingdom come!"

A. C.

CORRESPONDENCE.

THE CLOUD OF WITNESSES. SIR,-Allow me to suggest another reply to the question asked and answered in the article, "The Cloud of Witnesses," in the January number of the RAINBOW.

I fully assent to the conclusion there arrived at, that "the notion of souls in heaven witnessing the career of saints on earth must be given up as destitute of foundation, either in fact or Scripture;" and the

practical exhortation to a holy walk with which the article concludes, is good for us all. But what objection is there to the following reply?

The eleventh chapter of Hebrews tells us what faith is; it tells us that by faith "the elders obtained a good report;" it gives many instances of the faith and trust that they had in God, and of the trials through which, and in which, they manifested that faith. But they