by John Thomas

“ Elpis Israel’s subject-matter is national, not sectarian. It treats of a nation, and of its civil and ecclesiastical institutions in a past and future age. It is designed to enlighten both Jews and Gentiles in Israel’s Hope, that by conforming to the proclamation of their King, they may be prepared for the administration of its affairs in concert with him, when all nations shall be as politically subject to his dominion, as Hindostan and Britain are to Queen Victoria’s. ”

“ Those who opened the way for him were neither the rich nor the noble, but intelligent men of industrious and steady habits, who desired to know and disseminate the truth according to their means. As the author’s labours were gratuitous, they were the better able to afford him facilities; and he would add here the testimony of his experience, that not only is the gospel, when preached, “preached to the poor”, and received by them, but it is the poor also who devote themselves to its proclamation, and who do most for its support. ”

“ It is not the “infidel” their influence hath to fear; but the Word of the Living God understood by the people. The author has some of them among his subscribers. He trusts that for their own sakes they will read this work with candour, impartiality, and tranquillity of mind. As individuals. he has no controversy with them. His opposition is to their systems, which he trusts they will abandon for the gospel of the kingdom. If Elpis Israel convinces them of error, then, like the apostle, may they esteem their worldly honours and profits as mere dross for the excellency of the truth. ”

“ Let them leave the fat things of the apostasy to those who mind “earthly things”; and let them put on the whole armour of God, and go forth among the people with the two-edged sword of the Spirit, and do battle for the truth. ”

“ If it had not been for the poor and humble during the last 1,849 years, the gospel would have perished from the earth; for the rich have not been the persons to leave the comforts of their homes, and to go forth, without fee or reward, to enlighten their fellow men, for the truth’s sake.
It is a gratification to the author to be able to say that he has left his home, 4,000 miles in the south-west; that he has travelled twice through Britain ”

“ It is designed to show men how they may attain to eternal life in this theocracy, and obtain a crown which shall never fade away. To accomplish this, the reader must, in justice to himself and the truth, study it with the Bible at his right hand, for he will find but few pages in which frequent reference is not made to its authority, and without which nothing can or ought to be determined. ”

“ He will, doubtless, receive all that speaks of the extension of his empire over Europe and Turkey, because his ambition will be flattered by it; but being impressed with the idea of his being God’s Vicegerent upon earth, he will probably disregard what relates to the breaking of his power on the Mountains of Israel by the Lord from heaven; arguing, as a natural man, that it is not likely that God will destroy His Grand Vizier among the nations. ”

“ He was the more induced to take this step by a desire to be nearer the scene of action, that he might avail himself of the more frequent and copious details furnished by the British than the American Press, to the end that he might as speedily as possible obtain a comprehensive view of the crisis; which is the most important that has yet happened to the world, because it is pregnant of consequences for good and evil, which will leave their mark upon society for a thousand years. ”

“ The time had therefore overtaken us in which the author found it necessary, in Eureka, to expound more in detail so important a consequence of the speedy and thief-like advent of Christ. Some, who have no objection to resurrection in general, are very much dissatisfied with it in its particulars. The resurrection ordained of the Deity does not suit them; and, therefore, they loudly disapprove it! They contend,
1. That the judgment of the righteous, in which they are giving account of themselves to God, is in the present life, after which they will have no account to give. ”

“ Rich men have not yet learned to “make themselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that when they fail, they may receive them into everlasting habitations”. All the opposition the author has had to contend against since his arrival in Britain has proceeded from them: but he is gratified in being able to state, that they have failed to obstruct him, and their waywardness has recoiled on their own pates. ”

“ The perils to which he is exposed are only to be despised by those whose houses are founded upon the rock. The author is free to admit his weakness and inferiority in every respect that can be imagined. In one thing, however, he feels strong, and armed at all points for a conflict with the giants – he knows what is written in “the law and the testimony”, and he understands the meaning of it. ”

“ That resurrection of an imperfect body is not taught directly or indirectly in the word. 3. That the righteous are not brought to judgment. 4. That the Scriptures teach positively and without reservation, that the righteous are raised incorruptible.
With such theorists it is judgment first, and resurrection afterwards! This is an inversion of the divine order, by which the whole subject is confused. The author believes that the divine order is the best; and he believes, too, that the righteous are raised incorruptible ”

“ This might be very good policy if Elpis Israel were born from the press only to gasp and die. But editors must remember that, before a single copy reaches them, it will be in the hands of upwards of a thousand people. This is a fact not to be despised. Such a number of intelligent persons is calculated to make a troublesome impression upon the public mind ”

“ If they undertake to review this work, they must put it through the evolutions of the Spirit; and if they enter into combat with it, he would advise them to throw away their wooden swords, and encounter it with “the two-edged sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God”; for no other weapon can do more than raise the Author’s mirth. ”

“ A copy of this work has been ordered for presentation to the Autocrat of all the Russias. He will find in it much concerning his dominions. The high priest of the Jews showed Alexander the Great the prophecy in Daniel concerning himself; and although it spoke of his power being broken, the knowledge of it did not deter him from endeavouring to found a universal dominion. So it will be with the Autocrat. ”