| 247 millennial reign of Christ; and for just as confidently stating that though his coming was "imminent," even "at the doors," no one did know, neither was it given any one to know the day and hour of his coming. Now men, denominated clergymen, ecclesiastics, pastors of churches, meet together, and assuming to sit in prophetic conference to pass resolutions by a "unanimous" vote, that as the prophecies of the old book were literally (and we italicized the word) fulfilled, so would the prophecies of both the Old and New be as literally fulfilled.
It will hardly be in order for any of these gentlemen to denounce the elders of the church for declaring their belief in the literal fulfillment of prophecy, now that they have so publicly written the word literal in their creed. Does it not look as if the influence of the latter-day work had been at work in that conference?
We are informed that Mr. Reynolds, the chairman of that conference, was from Peoria, in Illinois; and that he has had opportunity to inform himself in the views of the church touching the second coming of Christ. If this be true, who shall say how far others of those men may not have been acquainted with the same views; and whether the teaching of the church may not have indirectly urged these resolutions.
The Saints have gone wherever the few could go; and by tongue and pen have sounded the tocsin, "The Lord is coming." And is it not clearly within the lines of hope to believe that the "word has not returned void"? Is it not within the region of possibilities that the spirit that has watched over the fortunes of the ancient covenant people, and the work of God, is moving upon men almost everywhere, diffusing the moral light of the morn of Christ's coming, into heart and mind, even to the "putting down of contention"? We think so; and hence, we are prepared to hail this as another evidence of the work we have in hand.
On November 28, 1878, Orson Hyde, one of the first apostles chosen in this dispensation, whose biography is found in this work, volume 1, pages 652 and 653, died at Spring City, Utah.
The year 1878 had been one of more than average activity, and considerable progress had resulted. It closed with fair prospects. A new weapon had been used against it in the form of a book purporting to be the "Life and Confession of John D. Lee;" but like many other such works it carried with it its own refutation, and the effect it produced was very short lived.
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