have we any evidence that the long-wished-for termination is drawing
near?
To the consideration of these great themes the following pages are
[ii]
devoted; and we have the clearest assurance that the author possesses
peculiar qualifications for such a work. From her childhood she has
been noted for her reverence and love for the Word of God, and her
piety and devotion to His service. Unbounded faith in the promises
of the Holy Scriptures has been both an inducement and a means to
enable her to live near to the Saviour. The blessing of the Holy Spirit
has been vouchsafed to her in large measure. And as one of the offices
of this Spirit was declared to be to show unto the followers of Christ
“things to Ccome” (
John 16:13
), working through that prescribed
channel which, as one of the endowments of the church, is described
as the gift of prophecy (
1 Corinthians 12:9, 10
;
14:1
), so we believe
she has been empowered by a divine illumination to speak of some
past events which have thus been brought to her attention, with greater
minuteness than is set forth in any existing records, and to read the
future with more than human foresight. Those who know what it is
to hold communion with our Heavenly Father, will, we think, as they
read these pages, feel constrained to believe that the writer has drawn
from the heavenly fountain, and received help from that throne of
grace where Christ sitteth as our merciful High Priest, and whence He
is ever ready to send forth assistance to the many sons whom He is
bringing unto glory.
Hebrews 2:10
.
Aside from the great volume of inspiration—the Bible—no other
book presents a more wonderful and intensely interesting history of
the present dispensation, to the complete restitution of all things, than
the volume here offered to the public. And as the closing scenes of
this world’s history are of the most thrilling and momentous nature,
these are more particularly dwelt upon in this work. The reader, as
he follows the narrative, beginning with a sketch of our Lord’s great
prophecy in Matthew 24, will find himself entering into new sympathy
with the church in her warfare and her sufferings, as she passes on to
her promised redemption; and the soul of every believer will kindle
at the vivid description of the final triumph of the people of God,
the destruction of Satan and all his followers, the total and eternal
extirpation of evil from the universe, and the renovation of the earth as