An Interview from 1879

 

Taken from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for 11 August 1879.

THE FINAL DAY

The Millerites Say the World Will be Destroyed by Fire To-day – A Comforting Interview With an Alleged Second Adventist,

     

The first part of this article reviewed the history of Second Adventism and William Miller, not very sympathetically. One strand of Adventism had reportedly predicted the end of the world by fire for the day of the article, August 11, so a reporter was sent out to interview a Second Adventist for comments. He settled on CTR.

     This is the transcript of that interview from the second part of the article.

 

     A reporter of this journal started out last evening to look up a Millerite or Second Adventist, for the purpose of obtaining more definite information concerning the big conflagration. Among the persons sought out and interviewed was Mr. C. T. Russell, of Cedar avenue, Allegheny. That gentleman was informed as to the reporter’s mission, when he said:

“In the first place, I am not a Second Adventist; secondly, I don't believe the world will be burned to-morrow; and, thirdly, I don’t believe the world will ever be literally burned with fire. My expectation is that the present, or Gospel age, will end much the same as the Patriarchal and the Jewish age. The Jewish age, you know, ended with the death of Christ, when the Gospel age commenced, and this will be succeeded by the millennium, when Christ will reign on earth. The change will not be manifested by any such demonstration as the burning of the earth.”

     “That is certainly a comforting assurance,” said the reporter; “but where do you find anything in the scriptures to sustain your assertion?”

 “In Ecclesiastes, 1–4: ‘One generation passeth away and another generation cometh; but the earth abideth forever.’”

     “Is it not stated somewhere in the Bible that the earth shall be devoured by fire?”

“It is, but I understand the word ‘fire’ to be used symbolically. We find in Zephaniah iii.—‘Wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey, for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger; for the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy. For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may call upon the name of the Lord, to serve Him with one consent.’ This describes the fire that is going to burn the earth; it is the fire of jealousy—symbolic fire—and while it destroys the kingdoms the masses of the people will be left alive, and they are to be blessed after their time of national trouble.”

     “How are they to be blessed?”

“In the book of Daniel it is written that ‘the kingdom of God will take the place of earthly kingdoms.’ In Revelation, also, is this text: ‘The kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord, and He shall reign forever and ever.’ I hold that the survivors of the Gospel dispensation will be associated with Christ in the heavenly kingdom which is to take the place of the earthly kingdoms.”

     “Will that kingdom be on this earth?”

“Yes. This passage from Daniel, vii.–27, shows it: ‘The kingdom and dominion under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.’”

     “Will the ruler of this kingdom be visible on the earth?”

“No. ‘The kingdom of God cometh not with observation.’”

     “How could the king rule and yet be invisible?”

“The same as Queen Victoria rules India. She is not in India, but she rules it.”

     “You say you are not a Second Adventist, Mr. Russell. What do you call yourself?”

“People of my faith have no denominational name. We are simply Christians, and are opposed to denominational names.”

     Thanking Mr. Russell for his cheering information that the world would not be burned to-day, the reporter hurried back to send out the gratifying intelligence to the people.