OR LECTURES ON THE BOOK OF REVELATION. DELIVERED IN THE LARGE ROOM, EXETER HALL, IN 1847-48. BY THE REV. JOHN CUMMING, D. D. MINISTER OF THE SCOTTISH NATIONAL CHURCH, CROWN COURT, "Surely I come quickly: Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus." REV. xxii. 20. LONDON: PUBLISHED BY HALL AND CO. 25, PATERNOSTER ROW. TO MISS CLARA BURDETT. DEAR MADAM, I FEEL it no ordinary gratification to be allowed to dedicate these Apocalyptic Sketches to you. I do so not merely because you have expressed a deep interest in the subject, or liberally contributed, in common with others dear to you, to every appeal I have made in the course of their delivery, alike for the object to which the proceeds of the sale are devoted, and others no less important, but primarily because you belong to a family associated for nearly a century, more or less directly, with the Church in Crown Court, in which you have so long worshipped. Your maternal ancestors were members of it long before my day. Your dear mother and her sisters, the Countess of Guildford and the Marchioness of Bute, were baptized within its walls. Above all, the large, benevolent, and open heart of him whom the world itself pronounced to be the noblest specimen of "the old English gentleman," expressed itself in frequent and liberal contributions to its poor-contributions not blazoned before the world, but detected by the Minister of the Gospel in his errands of love. In Sir Francis Burdett the multitude saw the politician, the patriot, the popular representative; but the Minister of Christ saw iv "the ear that heard him bless him, and the eye that saw him gave witness to him, because he delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him, and the blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon him, and he caused the widow's heart to sing for joy." Living stones form the noblest monument, and "I was an hungred and ye gave me meat, thirsty and ye gave me drink, naked and ye clothed me," the most eloquent epitaph, and the recollections of full hearts the justest panegyric. I have reason to believe that great good was done during the six months we met in Exeter Hall. Five thousand, it is believed, listened each Sunday evening to these Lectures, very many of whom were connected with no place of worship at all. The enlarged Church is now capable of receiving a congregation of sixteen hundred and upwards. May He who is Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last-the Lamb upon the throne, be in the midst of us. I remain, With much respect and esteem, Faithfully yours, JOHN CUMMING. May 1, 1848. PREFACE. WHEN these Lectures were begun in Exeter Hall, during the period occupied in the enlargement of the Church of which the Lecturer is the minister, not a few were afraid lest the author should be led into rash and questionable theories in investigating a subject confessedly beset with difficulties. But by the blessing of God, and the exercise of caution and prayerful study, all has ended more than satisfactorily. The unprecedentedly large masses of persons of every denomination, and of no denomination at all, who overflowed the spacious Hall in which they were delivered, and the growing attention excited, in the minds of these audiences, and the saving, and he may be allowed to add, very striking impressions, made on unconverted minds by the means of the solemn truths they heard, are all signs and tokens that call for humble gratitude to God. Numerous requests were made for their publication. A short-hand writer was therefore engaged, who took down a verbatim report of every lecture. These reports, often very imperfect, the B |
