The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 4

VII. Mason-Christianity to Be Established by “Spiritual Revolution”

Many were the sermons preached, about this time, in churches and before the widely upspringing local missionary societies, proclaiming the soon-coming reign of righteousness on the earth, with the winning of the heathen for Christ and the speedy overthrow of infidelity. The rising of “kingdom against kingdom” on every hand and the contemporary scenes of bloodshed and desolation will give way to the coming kingdom, it was frequently avowed, and righteousness and peace will then fill the earth. PFF4 69.2

For example, JOHN M. MASON, ³² pastor of the Scots Presbyterian Church of New York City, speaking before the newly formed New York Missionary Society at its annual meeting, November 7, 1797, said that this glorious prospect was soon to be realized. The kingdoms of this world, he believed, would soon become the kingdoms of our Lord by a “spiritual revolution.” Thus will the “mountain of the Lord’s house” be “established in the top of the mountains.” And this prophetic depiction is to become a glorious reality by means of the diffusion of the “doctrines of the gospel of peace.” He contended that the world cannot be regenerated by “reason without conscience,” or “philosophy without religion,” or infidelity. “As far as man, with the lights of prophecy, can judge, the time is not very distant when God shall arise, and have mercy upon Zion. What mean these dire convulsions? this crash of kingdoms? these torrents of blood?” In this time of “distress of nations” and “men’s hearts failing them for fear,” the time of our redemption draweth nigh. “Now is the time for the armies of Israel” to gird themselves for conquest and victory. ³³ Such was the tenor of this sermon, and of many others of that period. PFF4 70.1