Postmillennialists believe in the progress of the gospel. We also believe in the long-term societal effects of the gospel. Thus, it is not uncommon for certain Postmillennial institutions to make long-term plans. In reading through Mansfield’s excellent work on Arthur Guinness, he mentions that Guinnes’ managed to lease the property in 1759–where the Guinness brewery still stands–for 9,000 years. According to Mansfield, this was “one of the most unusual rental arrangements in history and it stands today as a symbol of Arthur’s exceptional business acumen (56).” Arthur’s wife, Olivia Whitmore, was pregnant 21 times, but miscarried eleven times. Guinness believed in the continual and generational influence of his business and beer; but, more importantly, he believed in the enduring gospel legacy and its effect, even 9,000 years later.
Good post! My wife visited that brewery last year. It has quite a story!