A World Enjoying Its Millennium.
What expansive views of creation were afforded me in my universal
journey! I saw all conceivable types of human life, many of which I
alone could never have conceived.
With a happy soul I alighted on another world in the solar system of
Dubhe where sin had been banished, and the believers, or children of
God, were passing through a period of time which we would call the
Millennium.
A wide contrast was now presented to my view. I had seen world after
world in the tribulation of sin. Now I had come to one under the sway of
righteousness, and I wish that I had power to describe what I saw and
experienced.
I suddenly thought of the Queen of Sheba, who, upon seeing the greatness
of Solomon's wisdom, exclaimed, "Behold, the half was not told me." I
had often imagined what the condition of our world would be when it
smiles under the light of the Millennium, but I minimized the glory that
is yet to come to us, judging by what I saw on this delightfully
charming planet. I have no assurance, however, that the coming
Millennium of our world will be altogether similar to the one I saw.
This glorious Millennium was ushered in about six hundred years ago, and
I readily learned the general particulars of its commencement. The world
had been very wicked prior to the dawn of this new age. The majority of
the people disregarded all spiritual truths, causing the darkness of sin
to hang like a heavy pall over the nations of this planet.
There were earnest devotees who lived in the light and love of God, and
who preached and pleaded with the thoughtless and the indifferent.
Notwithstanding all the efforts put forth on the part of the righteous,
the generations of this distant world became more and more wicked until
the Millennial dawn.
In the fullness of time the Millennium was ushered in by the appearance
of the chief angel who came with several hundred thousand attending
spirits. At the approach of these celestial regiments the atmosphere far
above the planet was darkened by ominous clouds through which the
approaching legions shone with unearthly brightness. All this occurred
in the twinkling of an eye, even before the busy millions could look
upward. Then the chief angel and his magnificent host circled in the
air, singing the resurrection song, which was augmented by ten thousand
trumpeters, while the forked and sheet lightnings flashed in unison with
the imposing waves of music, and heavy thunders contributed the bass
intonations.
The celestial choir continued during one revolution of the planet. The
vast throng sang in the air as the planet revolved on its axis. As each
section of the globe came beneath the long extended line of melodious
angels, the marvelous change took place for that section. The sleeping
saints came forth from their graves and, with the living saints, were
caught up into the air. This continued until this most eventful day was
finished.
The scenes that occurred with the ungodly during this awful day beggar
all description, so much so that I shall not attempt to describe the
remorseful wails of horror that rent the air, only to be drowned by the
ever-singing choir. It was the day of triumph for the saints, and their
ears were not disturbed by the cries of terror, nor were their hearts
distracted by the opening of the earth to receive the wicked.
As the saints were caught up, the wicked fell into pits and have not
been seen since. The flames that issued from the rending globe set
everything on fire. Who can select language sufficiently graphic to
portray such a lurid dissolution of a planet, and the gathering of the
faithful, quick and dead?
Thus was this large world purified by fire while the saints were
gloriously enraptured. After the fury of this burning was passed, the
great Creator of the universe made a new world whereon righteousness
dwelled.
The saints became the possessors and rulers of this whole sphere, living
in joy and peace unprecedented. It has been the happiest six hundred
years since the beginning of this planet. How long this period will
continue no one seems to know, and but few are conjecturing, for each
soul is completely happy and congenially employed.
The time will come, however, when this blissful period will be at an
end, only to give way to a state of existence infinitely greater and
more glorious, which in our language would be called Heaven.
[Illustration: Beginning of the Millennium.]
I will briefly describe a few characteristics of this Millennial life as
I saw it and as it is now existing.
1. The saints are living in spiritual bodies. They are not cumbered with
a fleshy body, and are capable of traveling through the air at a speed
far beyond that attained by the swiftest winged creature of any world in
the whole universe.
Their spiritual bodies are highly organized and sensitive to a fine
degree. At will they are capable of rendering themselves visible or
invisible, as we comprehend these terms.
As the perfectly formed flower, blushing in its wealth of color, is
called beautiful, so we would designate these symmetrical
spirit-creatures, moving in the glory of their higher endowment and
shaded with the living tints of Heaven.
2. These inhabitants know nothing of fatigue. Their strength of body and
vitality of mind are unabating. What a contrast between the creatures of
our Earth and those of the Millennial world on whom the passing of
centuries has no ill effect.
3. There is nothing on this purified world to generate disease; hence
these favored people never suffer any pain of body or of mind. The long
line of sin-shadows has all vanished from this redeemed planet, and the
atmosphere is all aglow with the mellowed light of peace and love.
4. Jealousy and all kindred feelings are unknown. These roots were all
destroyed by the fire at the beginning of the Millennium. No one can
imagine how enrapturing life is in the absence of stings of malice and
thorns of envy.
5. The social and spiritual relationships are all harmoniously blended.
No one feels himself beneath or above another, and no one feels
embarrassed in the presence of a superior human intelligence.
6. Thus it follows that the fellowship is inexpressibly sweet. You can
only imagine the dignity and glory one must feel as he mingles with the
righteous dead of all ages, and gathers from them a glimpse of the
trials and triumphs of ten thousand years under the old reign.
7. Some of the spirits are employed in dressing and keeping the gardens
in which grow the luxurious food on which redeemed creatures subsist:
not cereals, fruits, or nuts, but the kind that creates the most
heavenly sensations as it wastes away in perfume at the will of the
user. The nearest imitation of this food ever known on earth was eaten
by Christ's spirit when Mary broke the alabaster box of ointment on his
head.
8. Some spirits of this Millennial life seemed to be more rapturously
happy than the others. I learned that they had passed through the
darkness of continual disappointments or suffered under the mis-mating
of matrimonial union. Others fought through the fires of persecution and
torture, and still others passed through martyrdom for their Master's
sake. All of these patiently endured all hardships leading down to the
end of their mortal days.
9. The affinity between sexes is clearly marked. No love but pure love
burns on the altar of any soul, and any one who wishes may stop to
kindle the fires or warm himself thereat. There is no bodily contact, no
decay, no weakening. This love is enrapturing, uplifting, ever drawing
the lover and the loved nearer to the fountain.
In language most intelligible to us, I would say that the intercourse
between sexes is one of refined telepathy, soul-connection by thought
transmission, a thousand-fold more charming than the low plane of
intercourse in the flesh life, with none of its attendant weakening
results. This strange felicity is as indescribable as it is glorious.
Each nature seeks its real complement, and enjoys the most absolute
liberty, for there is not a single barrier to prevent it, as no one
desires to do wrong.
This most inviting life had its charms for me, but I well knew that I
could not tarry. I lingered at a thousand fountains to catch the
life-giving spray and studied, as far as I possibly could, the faces of
these favored creatures.
The whole vegetable world is a long extended floral garden. Where
formerly deserts lay waste and wild, now the blooming roses and
expansive lawns can be seen. Is it possible to picture to your mind's
eye a line of lofty mountains whose sides are dressed in living colors
and trimmed with rare flowers? If you cannot paint this picture, then
you must not endeavor to form the faintest conception of the natural
features of this Millennial world.
Being still filled with the lingering memories of this happy sphere, and
looking forward to the coming golden age of our own world, I read with
pleasure a few stanzas contemplating Christ's second coming.
"A SONG OF HIS COMING."
See the virgins at midnight yearning,
To behold the face of the Groom.
Their lamps are all trimmed and burning,
As they peer through the misty gloom.
"He will come," is the shout of voices,
Which have sung in a thousand ways;
For the heart of the saint rejoices,
At the thought of the coming days.
When the war of creeds will be over,
And our King descends from above,
Only they shall witness His crowning,
Who have lived in the light of love.
Then the Christ shall reign in his glory
On the throne of his sovereign might:
And the theme of Redemption's story
Will be sung with perfect delight.
And our minds will dazzle with brightness,
As our thoughts forever aspire,
For a mantle of perfect whiteness,
Shall cover the youth and the sire;
Then we know that none will be jealous,
And no one will envy our lot.
For against the one who is zealous,
Not a soul will contrive or plot.
And our actions will chime in pleasure,
All refined from malice and sting.
We shall all reach the perfect measure,
In the reign of this conquering King.
We will have everything we can use,
In those beautiful realms of light;
There the people will do as they choose,
For each one will choose to do right.
We will sail through the seas of beauty,
And return to the shores we please;
Far away from the callings of duty,
In the shade of undying trees.
All the riches of Christ will be ours,
'Tis a wealth without guilt or pain.
There will be no 'Contention of Powers',
Nor the marks of official stain.
As I look from this earthly station,
I exclaim again and again--
O what an eternal vacation!
Come quickly, Lord Jesus, Amen.