Foreign Missions and Millenarianism [pp. 185-218]

THE
PRINCETON REVIEW.
APRIL, 1851.
No. II.
ART. I.-Foreign Missions and Millenarianism. An Essay
for the Times.
ONE half of the nineteenth century has now passed away.
It has been a period of advance in almost every department of
human activity. The triumphs of industry, art, and education
are such, that the world is invited to send up its trophies for a
general exhibition in: the metropolis of England. Should this invitation be generally regarded, a grand display may be expected
as the result-a display at once creditable to the age and to the
distinguished author of the scheme. All nations, all classes, all
customs, all inventions will be there represented: and we may
justly anticipate that the effect of such a celebration will be
highly propitious, not only by showing what achievements have
been made, but by affording facilities of comparison and competition, (the most effective stimuli to inventive effort) which
may lead to still more important discoveries hereafter.
While such occasions are very properly observed by men of
the world, the Church also, we apprehend, may well, in part
at least, imitate this example. She too has been advancing,
and at the close of half a century of unusual prosperity, if she
be not called upon to assemble her representatives for a jubilee
VOL. XXIII.-NO. II. 13