| 206 the field, than his place was supplied in the person of Elder Maginn. Before proceeding, let me give you a description of this man. He is 24 years of age, though his appearance is that of a man farther advanced in years, caused probably by the many hardships, privations, persecutions and mobbings, which he has passed through for the gospel's sake. He is six feet in height, and of rather a commanding appearance; and honest, happy smile plays over countenance, which, (if I am any judge of the "human face divine") indicates that all is right within; and if a thorough knowledge of the scriptures, talent, tact, sound reasoning, and powerful argument, are qualifications, then Elder Maginn is fully qualified for the duties of his office, and must pass as truly a master workman. He seems perfectly intimate with all the old apostles and prophets, and it is truly astonishing with what facility he quotes the scriptures from memory, giving chapter and verse, with the greatest ease, and correctness. On Sunday last, he delivered a most able discourse on the subject of prophesies already fulfilled, from 2d Peter, 1st chapter, 20th and 21st verses: "Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation, for the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but by holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost:" And went on to prove that from the days of the first prediction to the present time, every prophesy has had a literal fulfilment [fulfillment]. He commenced with the days of Noah, Genesis vi: 17, and showed that had Noah understood this spiritualizing system, and supposed the flood of water was to have been a spiritual one, the ark a spirual [spiritual] ark, &c. &c., Noah and his family must have perished with the rest of the inhabitants of the world. But no-he believed-when God said "And behold I, even I do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh wherein is the breath of life from under Heaven, and every thing that is in the earth shall die." He meant to do just what he said he would do, and nothing else; and the sequel proved that Noah was right in thus believing. He next referred to Genesis, xv: 13 to 16th verses-and also to Lot's leaving Sodom, Genesis xix: 12th verse. He next quoted the prophecy of Joseph, Genesis 41st chapter , 29th verse, and showed that misery, sorrow, suffering, death and mourning, would have followed had they believed there was to have been seven years of spiritual plenty and seven years of spiritual famine, only. He then carried us forward to the history of the principal nations, vide Jeremiah 25th chapter, 2th [20th] verse. It is out of my power to follow him through, or give even a faint outline of this most noble address. Passage after passage, plain and positive, from Holy writ, were brought forward in rapid succession to prove that all prophecies that have been fulfilled were fulfilled literally, and that those yet in the future must also have a literal fulfilment [fulfillment]. His reasoning was plain, logical and conclusive to the mind of every candid hearer; and I much regret that I am not better able to portray his most convincing and able lecture. He remarked that the days of those prophets, are by the sectarian world called the "Dark Age;" whereas men were in fact far more enlightened than even the great divines of the present day, with all their boasted wisdom, knowledge, and pretended piety. Those men were as familiar with the designs of God, and the future destiny of nations, as we are with the history of past events. Instead of darkness, God revealed himself to man, conversed with him, told him what should come to pass in future ages-where, we are now told that God has ceased to give revelation to man-that prophecying [prophesying] is done away-that the only guide necessary is a brief history of certain events which transpired centuries ago, and certain prophecies which they contend mean any thing but what they profess. Enlightened indeed! when the church is cut up into some hundreds of sects and parties, each differing from the other; the blind leading the blind, and all under the dominion of bigotry, superstition and priestcraft; the mind of man shrouded in worse than Egyptian darkness. Could we look down through the dark vista of time and foresee future events as did the prophets of old, then could we boast of living in an enlightened age; but whilst we deny revelation, we are, and must continue to remain in darkness and error.
In the evening, he took up the subject of God's promise to Abraham, that he would give to him and his seed the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession-see Genesis, 13th chap, 15th v.; 15th. 18th v.; 17th chap. 8th v.-Exodus, 6th chap. 4th v. He then showed that Abraham had long since died, and that God's promise to him had never been fulfilled, as he proved by Acts, 7th chap. 5th v.; as well as by an abundance of other testimony. He then showed that according to most of the doctrines of the present day God's promise never could be fulfilled, inasmuch as they denied a literal resurrection of the body, and a reign of rest during the millenium [millennium], but professed to believe that when the spirit left the body, it soared away to some fairy region "beyond the bounds of time and space," or, (as he ingeniously transposed it) beyond the bounds of common sense; and could never return to possess the earth;-
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