ton, Andover, New Haven, and other such schools of the prophets, for the very place where they have the oil of faith to sell without money and without price, very likely while they are gone the bridegroom will come, go in, and shut the door. Reader, take care that this case be not yours. Go direct to Christ, and you may be sure you will obtain it in good time.

The question is frequently asked, "Do you think a belief in this doctrine essential to salvation?" I answer, I believe a love for the glorious appearing of the Saviour is essential to salvation. I do not believe that those who dislike the idea of his appearing, and are unwilling he should come, are in a state of readiness for his coming. But to come more to the point; the Scriptures do distinctly teach that Christians are all of the light and of the day, and that they are not in darkness, that that day should overtake them as a thief. God has promised, by Daniel, (xii. 10,) that "the wise SHALL understand." The parable before us teaches that all the wise virgins had oil and went in.

But none of those whose lamps were gone out, so that they had no light, went in. They came, but too late. They believed when they saw; they would not before. I must believe, if I believe God's promise, that every true Christian, at the time of Christ's coming, will be in expectation, looking out for his appearing every moment. Nor do I believe one soul will go in who is not found thus watching. There are, undoubtedly, a great many of the wise virgins who are yet asleep to this subject, who are to be awakened, and will be, before that day comes. Faith in the doctrine is not now a test of Christian character,

but the time is coming when it will be. Reader, on which side of the line are you? Are you awake or asleep? Are you wise or foolish in this business? Time is short for you to awake, trim your lamp, and get oil. Begin without delay, and prepare for the coming of the Lord.

This sign has been most strikingly fulfilled. And I cannot but regard the midnight cry, which is now being uttered long and loud, as one of the most striking of the foretold signs of the Redeemer's speedy appearing.

ANOTHER SIGN-ISAIAH XL. 1-5.

"Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins. The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it."

The chronology of the fulfilment of this prediction, is, when Jerusalem's warfare is accomplished, and her iniquity pardoned; and when she has received her full measure of ruin and desolation. But she is yet trodden down of the Gentiles, therefore she is not yet pardoned. The sign

which is to precede the pardon of Jerusalem, and the end of her warfare, is a voice crying in the wilderness, speaking comfort to God's people, and also declaring to the world the termination of that warfare. Does any such sign as this appear at the present time? Look at the ten thousands who congregate in the wilderness, and have been doing so for some four months past, to listen to this very theme. The Second Advent Campmeetings have excited the deepest interest in the community.

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But the facilities for congregating the people in the wilderness, and for transporting with rapidity the bearers of this message, are to be noticed :Prepare ye THE WAY of the Lord." But how is the way of the Lord to be prepared, for giving speedily the midnight cry? The answer is. Make straight in THE DESERT A HIGHWAY for our God." The highway is to be made in or through the desert. Through pastures, swamps, morasses, and woods; through waste and by-places. Is such a thing as this done? But how is this peculiar highway to be prepared?

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Every valley," through its length, not every valley in the world, "shall be exalted;" each valley shall be filled up:- Every mountain and hill" in its course "shall be made low," so that it shall be a level highway :-" The crooked" places "shall be made straight," in order to have a straight way" And the rough" cragged places "plain." And when this sign appears, the next thing which will happen, is, "The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together." Have we such highways now prepared? and do they facilitate the gathering of

immense multitudes in the wilderness, for the very purpose of hearing words of comfort to the saints and the peace of Jerusalem? Some may think this view fanciful-but it is in the book of God, and has a meaning. What is that meaning? all have a right to ask. It is clear, that whatever partial reference it had to John the Baptist, it was not all fulfilled in him; for the warfare and desolation of Jerusalem yet continue; nor have all flesh yet seen the glory of the Lord together. John was the forerunner of the Lord at his first advent-he came as the friend of the bridegroom, and rejoiced because of the bridegroom's voice: so also the bridegroom still has friends to proclaim in the desert, “Behold, he cometh."

Look also at this description. Nahum i. 15, and ii. 3, 4: Behold, upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace! O Judah, keep thy solemn feasts, perform thy vows: the wicked shall no more pass through thee, he is utterly cut off."

The idea that this prophecy relates to the destruction of old Nineveh, is the opinion which generally prevails. But a few moments' reflection will set this matter right. Nineveh was the capital of the Assyrian empire, as was Babylon of the Chaldean. Both capitals have long been laid in ruins. The Assyrians were God's instruments* of vengeance, and first carried the house of Judah captive to Babylon, while the Assyrian king had dominion of that city. God has a cup of indignation both for Babylon and Nineveh, which they have not yet drunk at the Lord's hand. The burdens of different lands, as proclaimed by the

* Isa. x. 5; xii. 14.

prophets, have not yet been fulfilled; nor will they be until the seventh vial of God's wrath is poured out, and Great Babylon comes into remembrance before him, to give her the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. The chronology of Nahum's prophecy is, when "the mountains quake at him, and the hills melt; and the earth is burned at HIS PRESENCE, the world and all that dwell therein." Verse 5. Has this taken place? Was it fulfilled at the destruction of Jerusalem? Again, in the 15th verse, the wicked is no more to pass through Judah, when the prophecy is realized, but is to be utterly cut off. Is this done? The feet of him that publisheth these good tidings, is to be seen upon the mountains before it is fulfilled. Rev. Mr. Nicolayison, a missionary at Jerusalem, is a firm believer in the speedy appearing of Christ at hand. A friend of the cause was at Jerusalem last spring, and had several most interesting conversations with him on the subject, and supplied him with our books and publications. So that upon the mountains of Jerusalem, stand the feet of him that bringeth glad tidings, that publisheth peace.

Chap. ii. 3, 4: The CHARIOTS shall be with FLAMING TORCHES IN THE DAY OF HIS PREPARATION; and the fir-trees shall be terribly shaken. The CHARIOTS shall rage in the streets, they shall justle one against another in the broad ways; they shall seem like torches and run like the lightnings." Do we Do we have any chariots, wheeled carriages, at this day, propelled with fire, or a flaming torch? Do those chariots seem, when at full speed, in the night, like torches? Do they rage in the streets and justle one against an