Before the Vulgar Æra, 6. Julian Period, 4708. Temple at * Exod. xxx. 7. Levit. xvi. 17. † Mal. iv. 6. VISION OF ZACHARIAS. LUKE i. 5-25. 5 There was in the days of Herod, the king Paternity of Judæa, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. 7 And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years. 8 And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course, 9 According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense. 11 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. 14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. 15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. 16 † And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. 17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. 18 And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years. 19 And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to show thee these glad tidings. 20 And, behold thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season. Before the Vulgar Era, 6. Julian Period, 4708. Temple at 21 And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple. 22 And when he came out, he could not speak unto them and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them and remained speechless. 23 And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house. 24 And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying, 25 Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men. He then asked them to tell, what thoughts had entered their minds while he was reading. Vision of Paternity. JOSEPH. I couldn't see how Zacharias could tell whether an angel had come or not for an angel is invisible — and is not to he seen outside, but within. MR. ALCOTT. Do you think Zacharias made a mistake? JOSEPH. No, but I don't see how he knew. (See Note 47.) CHARLES. I thought he saw the angel. But I could not understand how it came. GEORGE B. I thought Zacharias ought to have believed the angel's words. Consequences ALEXANDER. I don't see why the angel of Unbelief. made him dumb, except he did not wish Zacharias to tell the people he was going to have a child. (See Note 48.) ANDREW. I thought that man wanted to have a child, so he prayed for it, but he did not believe the angel, because he could not see how the angel could know God was going to give him one. (See Note 49.) FRANKLIN. I thought he dreamed it. MR. ALCOTT. Is a dream a reality? FRANKLIN. Sometimes. It was in this case. (See Note 50.) EDWARD B. I did not see why the angel made him dumb. I don't wonder he did not believe ; he could not tell but it was an evil spirit come to tempt him. MR. ALCOTT. Do you believe in evil spirits? EDWARD B. I don't see why evil spirits should not come as well as good ones. (See Note 51.) EDWARD J. I don't see how it was right for God to make Zacharias dumb, for God must have made him disbelieve. EMMA. I should not think the disbelief came from God. God certainly gave Zacharias power to believe. GEORGE K. Now, Mr Alcott! do you think it was right for God to make Zacharias dumb ? MR. ALCOTT. Why do you think it was wrong ? GEORGE K. I don't think Zacharias was wrong in not believing in the angel on the angel's own word. God ought to have convinced Zacharias that it was a good angel. It is not always wrong to doubt. Zacharias, perhaps, could not believe such good news, because he might have thought he was not good enough to have the child. Very good people often think they are worse than they are. I think the angel ought to have explained to Zacharias. EMMA. Zacharias did not entirely doubt. He asked for a sign, and a sign was given. EDWARD B. Gabriel made him dumb, not to punish him, but to give him a sign of God's power, and convince him that God could make old people have children, or do any thing. (See Note 52.) MR. ALCOTT. But why should not old people have children? ONE. Because they would not live long enough to bring them up. LUCIA. Zacharias asked for a sign. His being dumb was a sign. Obedience. MR. ALCOTT read the verse, "walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless." What is blameless? CHARLES. "Blameless" is obedient to conscience. MR. ALCOTT. How do commandments and ordinances differ? EDWARD B. A commandment is express, and one will be punished who does not obey. An ordinance is more free; baptism, and Jesus's feasts are ordinances, that may be followed or not. Emblem of MR. ALCOTT read. "His lot was to burn incense." For what? CHARLES. To carry up the prayers. SOME added. MR. ALCOTT. WILLIAM B. As an emblem. What are prayers? Asking God not only with your mouth, but with your heart and spirit, to take care of you, and give you what you need. MR. ALCOTT. What goes up? WILLIAM B. Your spirit in faith; your heart in love. (See Note 53.) FRANKLIN. I have seen one in my soul, but not with my outward eyes. SEVERAL. So have I. (See Note 54.) WILLIAM B. I never saw one in my soul, till I saw Greenough's group. (See Note 55.) MR. ALCOTT. Have all of you seen angels like Franklin? Those may rise who never have seen one even so. (See Note 56.) (Joseph, Andrew, and others rose.) EDWARD B. I think there can be spirits without bodies, but they can only be seen by miracle, as Zacharias saw this one; and such miracles do not happen in these times. (See Note 57.) MR. ALCOTT. sends a message, Can you conceive that when God a thought into the soul, the mind of the person may give a shape to the message? (Some thought they could, others, not.) Might not the Angel, or God's message, be real though invisible, and the mind of Zacharias give it shape? (There was a difference of opinion.) (See Note 58.) "Thy prayer is heard." What prayer? SEVERAL. For a child. (Some conversation ensued on the reasons for joy at the birth of a child. Mr. Alcott described a festival to be held on the birth of a child, emblematic of the Birth. causes of our joy in its birth, and suggestFestival at ed thoughts appropriate for that occasion. They all expressed great pleasure in his picture. He then returned to the subject, How did the angel say the child should asked, and SEVERAL. He should be temperate, abstemious. (See Note 59.) MR. ALCOTT. What does it mean by his Idea of Holy being "filled with the Holy Ghost?" GEORGE K. That he should be full of Ghost. goodness, love, faith, truth. MR. ALCOTT.. What does Holy Ghost mean? |