CONTENTS

CHAPTER   I
 CHAPTER   II
 CHAPTER  III
 CHAPTER IV
 CHAPTER  V
 CHAPTER VI
 CHAPTER VII
 CHAPTER VIII
 CHAPTER IX
 
OUR POSITION
 APPENDIX
 SUPPLEMENT
 A SINGULAR ASSUMPTION
 UNION WITH CHRIST ESSENTIAL; OBJECTORS LAST RESORT
 THE TRUTH TO BE MADE KNOWN
 'IT LEADS TO UNIVERSALISM'
 IS OUR VIEW HURTFUL?

SUPPLEMENT

'The Ages To Come'

HERE are legitimate subjects of inquiry by every student of the Bible. To say otherwise, is to call in question a God-given right to man, as man, and an infringement of the privilege given to responsible beings. The command to "Search the Scriptures," by our Lord, justifies us in an earnest and diligent search after all the information contained therein in regard to the present state and the future of ourselves and of our race. To contend that there is but one future age, and that an eternal one, is a palpable contradiction of Bible testimony. To contend that probation ends to all the race of Adam at death, or with the present age, has been proclaimed with a positiveness which might be becoming in professing Christians if they had a "Thus saith the LORD" for it; but they have no such foundation on which to build; and it is only a tradition of men, which has been so long proclaimed that it has come to be accepted for truth, the same as the doctrine of inherent immortality; while the Bible never speaks of either; and both are unknown in the language of that Book. Like most popular errors, professed Christians "take them for granted" without proof and against evidence. 

We are among those who believe it is a Christian's privilege and duty to "Grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ," and all that pertains to His government and work over and for the human race, whether in this age or "the ages to come." But knowing only "in part," now, error will be more or less mixed with all our advance in knowledge, and require correcting, modifying, or improving, if we are to make any progress. Those who think otherwise, may boast of their stability, but give sad evidence of self-conceit and an imaginary infallibility, such as is claimed at Rome. Such persons are in no condition to increase knowledge, and may be said to be stereotyped, or petrified. 

Thirty years ago we thought and taught, with many others, that this age was to wind up everything with respect to the human family, except the saints, to be swept away by the fires of the day of the second advent of Christ. Difficulties we found in the way of the theory, but we were swept on, for a time, by the current that surrounded us, till finally, in 1844, we were so arrested as to bring us to a review of the whole question; and after careful and prayerful study we became settled, that this age did not end God's work in the salvation of the race of Adam, though it would end it with many. 

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With this change of views, we gave a lengthy article in the Bible Examiner, of which we were the sole Editor and Publisher, in the month of August, 1844. We have not advanced backward on this topic since; but have "followed on to know the LORD," and have found "His going forth is prepared as the morning." -  Ho 6:3. 

Our present views are, as briefly as possible, set fourth in this pamphlet, "A Vindication of the Government and Oath of God to Abraham," Which all of our friends are requested to read. We have placed the subject before you in the pamphlet so distinctly that all can understand what the question at issue is, viz.:

1. Did God mean what the words express in the promise and oath to Abraham?" 
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2. Has the promise and oath had a fulfillment in the past?"
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