LONDON: PRINTED BY ROBERT BANKS, RACQUET COURT, FLEET STREET, E. C. 

 [Picture: Book cover]

 THE LOST TEN TRIBES, AND 1882. 

 BY REV. JOSEPH WILD, D. D. , PASTOR OF UNION CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, BROOKLYN, N. Y. 

 LONDON: ROBERT BANKS, RACQUET COURT, FLEET STREET. E. C. 1880. 

 [Picture: Great seal of the United States]

This device of the great Seal was adopted by act of the ContinentalCongress, on June 20th, 1782, and re-adopted by the New Congress, September 15th, 1789. The act provided for an _obverse_ and a _reverse_, as set forth in this plate; the _reverse_ is not used. This is a plateof the first and original Seal, which, by use, has been worn out. Theone now in use is the second; it differs from the first that, by anaccident, seven arrows were left out of the eagle’s talon. 

 _BY THE SAME AUTHOR_. 

 Price 2s. , post free 2s. 3d. , THE FUTURE OF ISRAEL AND JUDAH. WITH A PORTRAIT OF DR. WILD. 

 PHILO-ISRAEL says:—“We recommend most strongly that all our friends should obtain the book. Once in their hands, we know they will read it to the end. ”

 LONDON: ROBERT BANKS, RACQUET COURT, FLEET STREET. 

PREFACE. 

The following Discourses are presented to the public in book form, agreeable to the request of numerous friends. I have selected twentyfrom one hundred and thirty which I have given to my own congregationduring the past three years. I have tried to have them lean one againstanother, to the end that the argument might be continuous and somewhatcomplete. The reader will remember, however, that the vast subject ofwhich they treat, cannot be fairly and completely presented in such avolume as this. Also, it should be borne in mind that the language, style, and structure, are sermonic. Pulpit literature, in these things, is peculiar and distinctively characteristic. 

When I first entered the ministry, I made up my mind that I would try andthoroughly understand the Scriptures. I soon found that a large portionwas of a prophetic nature. I set to work according to the usual method, but to my sorrow I soon discovered that the method and rules in generaluse for Scripture exegesis, among what they called orthodox authors, werevery defective and unsatisfactory. The fact was forced upon me that thetrue method, or key of interpretation, was not in use. I was alwayspersuaded that the Bible was a unit, and that the principles contained insuch a unit were beautifully related; and because of such a faith, Iwondered more and more as I grew older why we had not a better key ofinterpretation. Men spiritualised at random, without any kind of rule, except their own fancy. In this manner they expounded the materialhistory of the Old Testament. The whole arrangement was a Babel. 

I had faintly discerned that the Scriptures made a distinction betweenthe House of Israel and the House of Judah, and that the propheciesbelonging to one could not, in fairness, be applied to the other; andthat some prophecies applied to both. It always seemed strange to me, that the people which God said He had chosen for Himself, should not beknown. The Jews were always known, but where was “Israel, Hisinheritance?” Again, I could see no point in the Lord swearing sopositively about David’s seed and throne lasting to the end of time. Taking them in a typical sense, they were about the poorest types thatcould have been selected, because of the shortness of their existence, according to the general mode of interpretation. Just at this point ofmy experience I came across a book, entitled “Our Israelitish Origin, ” bythe late John Wilson, the reading of which confirmed me in myconvictions, and aided me to a better knowledge of the good Book ofProvidence. 

After some twenty years of experience, I began to teach the principles ofinterpretation embodied in these discourses. Some three years ago Ibegan to give a series of sermons on the Ten Lost Tribes. I soon foundmy own congregation, as well as the public, were interested and profitedwith the same, as was manifest from the large and constant attendancethereon. By personal interviews and letters, I have been gratified tolearn that many have been savingly and truly converted to God throughthese Discourses. Especially has this been the case with those who wereinfidel in faith and action towards God and His Word. I have receivedhundreds of letters thanking me that the key of interpretation presentedhad made the Bible an interesting and easily understood book. Theinterest created gave rise to numerous requests for copies of my sermons. The notice by the public press now and again intensified the interest andincreased the demand. To meet this desire I made arrangements with theeditor and proprietor of a weekly paper called the _Champion_ to publishmy evening Discourses. At once the arrangement was found to beprofitable to him, agreeable to me and admirably suited to the public. So for more than a year the _Champion_ has been my faithful messenger onthis line, and will continue to be. It is a weekly paper, published at132, Nassau Street, New York; price one dollar per year. I am notpersonally interested more than this. With its politics and other matterI have nothing to do; but for the sermonic matter I hold myselfresponsible. I feel free to express my pleasure in the wonderfulincrease of its circulation. I am glad it goes all over the States, theDominion of Canada, and is in goodly demand in Great Britain. 

After I had been preaching on this subject for some time, I made, fortunately, the acquaintance of a name-sake of mine, Mr. Joseph Wild, ofBay Ridge, near Brooklyn. On this subject I found him remarkably wellposted. He had lots of books, pamphlets, papers, and maps on the matter, any or all of which he gave me liberty to use. Through him my attentionwas called to the valuable writings of our English brethren on thispoint, Edward Hine, Rev. Mr. Glover, M. A. , Rev. Mr. Grimaldi, M. A. , Philo-Israel, and a host of others, whose writings have helped me verymuch. Our English friends have now a vast store of this kind ofliterature; while, so far as I know, we have no home production. This isone reason I feel satisfied in sending forth this volume. 

For years I have been greatly interested in Pyramidology, in theteachings of the Great Pyramid at Gizeh in Egypt. Twenty years ago I hadconfidence to lecture frequently on the subject, and a few years since itwas in my mind to publish a small work on it. The necessity of such workwas wisely and competently taken out of my hands, however, by theappearance of a book entitled, “The Stone Miracle, ” by Rev. Dr. Seiss, ofPhiladelphia. This is a book admirably suited to beginners on this lineof study. And if one wants to go further and be specially informed onPyramidology, why let them get “Our Inheritance in the Great Pyramid, ” awork by Professor Piazzi Smyth, Astronomer-Royal of Scotland. To thisman God has given a fine mind and a large heart for a special place andwork. But what pleases me above all, is that this Pyramid, being the_Lord’s Pillar_, and _His Witness_, should so finely tally with theScriptures and Providence; that the teachings of this monument are inharmony with the principles of interpretation, as applied to theprophecies in these Discourses. 

By several small engravings I have sought to aid the mind of the readerthrough the eye. In the Royal Arms of England there is considerable ofhistory; the position of the lions, unicorn, crown, and indeed allconnected with it is significantly expressive. In these things, theaccidental grouping, so far as man was concerned, were as much underDivine supervision as the blundering of the Jews in the crucifying ofJesus. So, Divinely considered, they Divinely reveal. We know not themind of our fathers in the matter of selecting and composing the itemsthat make up the great seal, but we know the mind of Providence. 

The plate of the ragged old stone, called Jacob’s pillow, is not verydistinct, but it is the best we could do. As it is, it will aid thereader in forming a better idea. The stone in shape is an oblong square, about 32 inches long, 13 broad, and 11 inches deep. At each end is aniron ring, much worn and rusted. It is a bluish steel-like colour, mixedwith some veins of red. It has been in its present resting place 583years. 

The main idea I wish to convey in this book, is that God is conductingHis Providence through His ancient chosen people, Israel, whom I believeare found in the Saxon race. And His throne on earth, through which flowthe purposes of Providence, is David’s throne, which I believe to be atpresent the English throne. Queen Victoria (and God bless her) I believeto be of David’s seed. The United States fulfils the _rôle_ of the Tribeof Manasseh. Therefore, to understand the prophecies, Providence, andthe present movement of nations, as well as the future lot and destiny ofeach, we must read the Scriptures in this light. God has made thechildren of Israel and throne of David His executive, in time, on earth. They are His executive for civilisation, evangelisation, order, andconquest. Through them God will conquer the world to an universal peace. As Moses was to God, so is Israel. Moses being a Divine executor, was tothe people a god—so is Israel to all mankind. Spiritual Israel will comethrough literal Israel. 

I have expressed myself freely, and shall cheerfully grant reviewers, critics, and readers, the same privilege. I send forth this book with apure desire that it may do good. Amen, so mote it be. 

 JOSEPH WILD. 

Brooklyn, May 1st, 1879. 

KEY DISTINCTIONS. DISCOURSE I. 

 “We have a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts. Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation. ”—2 Peter i. 19, 20. 

I am about to give you a few Discourses on Prophecy, and in doing so Idesire, in the first place, to point out to you a few very importantdistinctions included in the prophecies. Suppose the Bible to be a greatpalace, with its royalty, royal children, servants, and subjects. Youdesire to go through it and view it intelligently, and to understand allabout its inhabitants and laws of government; now to do so, you must havekeys, and you must learn who is who, their place, authority, and work. If not so qualified, you could not pass from room to room, and you mightconfound the King with some servant, and visitors might be mistaken forthe children of the household. Thus your ideas would be considerablymixed; you would be guilty of talking about the King, when you reallymeant some servant, and of prophesying for the royal children in the nameof the visitors. The years would come and go, but events would nothappen as you had prophesied. Each generation would take your report andfollow in your footsteps, thus confusion and disappointment would keeppace with the passing generations. 

What is here made a matter of supposition, has been a solemn fact on theline of human experience. Men have studied the Bible and Providence inthis ignorant and confused way. Theologians have thrown aside allrestraints, and well-defined limitations and distinctions of the Bible intheir assumed liberty of expounding and spiritualising the same. Nomatter to them that there is a God-revealed distinction between Judah andIsrael, Manasseh and Ephraim, Samaritans and Gentiles, and the throne ofDavid and the throne of the heathen. Writers and speakers are guilty ofusing the words Judah and Israel in a synonymous sense, though the wordsstand for different people, history, and prophecies, soon after thedescendants of Jacob settled in Palestine. To aid you in seeing thishistorical confusion and folly, let me call your attention to themseparately. 

JUDAH. 

What does this word stand for in the Bible? In the _first_ place it isthe name of the fourth son of Jacob. In the _second_ place it was thename of his direct descendants or Tribe. In the _third_ place it becamethe name of the portion of the country occupied by this Tribe in thePromised Land. In the _fourth_ place it became the name of a kingdom andgovernment; this fourth name included the Tribe of Benjamin and theirterritory. In the _fifth_ place it became the name of the whole countryof Palestine, and is now often so used. To-day this word stands forthose we call Jews, who, as they allow among themselves, represent andonly include Judah and Levi. 

On the death of Solomon the country and Tribes finally separated into twoHouses, kingdoms, and governments. Nine Tribes went with Jeroboam, andthree with Rehoboam—namely, Judah, Levi, and Benjamin. The nine-tribedHouse was called Israel, the three-tribed House Judah. This separationwas about 975 B. C. (1 Kings xii. ). From that day to this these twoHouses have never been united; but they are to be, as scores ofstatements to that effect are in the good Book (Hosea i. 11). About 580B. C. The House of Judah was taken captive into Babylon, remaining 70years, then they returned to their own land and remained till the year ofour Lord 70, when Jerusalem was destroyed and they were scattered. 

Prophecies referring to the Jews are numerous and in striking contrast tothose that refer to Israel. 1. The Jews were to be a scattered people. 2. A specially persecuted people. 3. To be without a nationality. 4. Tobe without government. 5. Not to be owners of landed property, thoughthey will have money, until toward the latter days. 6. They were to be aproverb. 7. They were to be few in number. 8. They are to retain aspecial type of features. 9. They were to be repeatedly robbed. 10. They were to reject Christ. 11. To retain the Mosaic service tillreturned to their own land. 12. They are to keep their name, and manysuch distinctions, none of which should be applied to Israel. All thesethings have been and are fulfilled, or fulfilling, and though men arewonderfully given to spiritualising, few, if any, venture to spiritualiseJudah’s curses. Men and ministers calling themselves Gentiles, are rudeenough to spiritualise the blessings of Judah, and stealing them, applythem to themselves. 

ISRAEL. 

1. A name given to Jacob after wrestling with the Angel. 2. A termapplied sometimes to all the descendants of Jacob. 3. In a spiritualsense, those who believe in Christ. 4. A name that covered and includedthe nine Tribes which went with Jeroboam and formed the kingdom ofIsrael. They remained a distinct kingdom, and till now a nationality. From 975 to 725 B. C. They had some 19 kings. They were finally carriedcaptive into Assyria by Shalmanezer (2 Kings xvii. ). From that captivitythey have never returned; as a body they never can, only representatives, as stated in Jer. Iii. 14, “One of a city, and two of a family. ”

Now prophecy points out that it was Israel that was to be lost for awhile, and come to light in the latter day. They are known in theScriptures in contradistinction from others by such terms as thefollowing: “_All Israel_, ” “_All the House of Israel wholly_, ” “_TheHouse of Israel_, ” “_Men of Israel_, ” and God calls them His “_Servants_, _Witnesses_, _Chosen People_, _Inheritance_, and _Seed_. ” The lot, course, and providential portion of this people are very marked from anyother, especially from the Jew, with whom they are so often confounded. The history of the two peoples have been wide apart and as different asthey well could be. 

1. They were to be _lost_. 2. They were to be _divorced_ from theMosaic law. 3. They were to lose their _name_. 4. They were to losetheir _language_. 5. They were to _possess_ the isles of the sea, coastsof the earth, waste and desolate places, to inherit the portion of theGentiles, their seed, land, and cities. 6. They are to be great andsuccessful _colonisers_. 7. Before them other people are to _die out_. 8. They are to be a _head_ nation. 9. To be a _company_ of nations. 10. To be _great_ in war on land or sea. 11. To be _lenders_ of money. 12. To have a _monarchy_. 13. To be _keepers_ of the Sabbath. 14. To haveDavid’s _throne_ and seed ruling over them. 15. They are to _possess_Palestine, and invite their brethren of Judah to return. And thus Imight repeat some sixty positive marks and distinctions setting forthIsrael; and yet men wilfully persist in confounding them with the Jews, or looking for this great and favoured people of the Lord among thelowest of human kind, Indians, Africans, and so on. 

SAMARITANS. 

The Samaritans were not Jews or Israelites, strictly speaking. They ofcourse became Jewish in their customs and worship. Originally they wereAssyrians. When the nine Tribes were carried captive, they were broughtand put in their place. “And the King of Assyria brought men fromBabylon and from Cuthah, and from Ava, and from Hamath, and fromSepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria, instead of thechildren of Israel” (2 Kings xvii. 24). The Jews and the Samaritansnever wholly mixed; one was always distasteful to the other. They neverwere taken captive, and to this day they live in and about Mount Scychar, numbering between three and four hundreds. 

BENJAMIN. 

The Tribe of Benjamin has a singular and special place in the history ofIsrael and Judah. Neither the Old or New Testament can be wellunderstood unless one understands the place of this Tribe in Providence. They were always counted one of the Ten Tribes, and reckoned with them inthe prophetic visions. They were only loaned to Judah about 800 years. Read 1 Kings xi. They were to be a light for David in Jerusalem. God, foreseeing that the Jews would reject Christ, kept back this one Tribe tobe in readiness to receive Him, and so they did. At the destruction ofJerusalem they escaped, and after centuries of wanderings turn up as theproud and haughty Normans. Finally they unite with the other Tribesunder William the Conqueror. A proper insight into the work and missionof Benjamin will greatly aid one in interpreting the New Testament. Hewas set apart as a missionary Tribe, and at once set to work to spreadthe Gospel of Jesus. Most of the disciples were Benjaminites. Then, after 800 years of fellowship with Judah, they were cut loose and sentafter their brethren of the House of Israel. It was needful that theLion and the Unicorn should unite. 

MANASSEH AND EPHRAIM. 

The history of these two representative characters is worth your carefulstudy. The whole of the circumstances of Jacob blessing them must beaccepted as Divinely directed. Manasseh was to be a great people, and soI believe he is. In the United States I find this promise literallyfulfilled. This is the Key to the settlement of this land; to theagitations of the Pilgrims and Puritans in England. The mission, work, and place of the United States may be found in the prophecies relating tothis Tribe. Let anyone examine the great seal of the United States, andstudy its design, and surprise will fill the mind that facts, Providence, and prophecies do so wonderfully agree. Take the obverse side. Here youhave an eagle with outstretched wings; the bird is perfect, not doubleheaded and deformed, as in other cases where the eagle has been or is thenational bird. The striped escutcheon on its breast, in its beak ascroll, inscribed with a motto, “_E pluribus Unum_”—one out of many, asManasseh was, and as the country is building up a grand nationality andoneness out of all nations nearly. Over the head of the eagle there is a_glory_—the parting of clouds by light; in the opening appear 13 stars, forming a constellation argent, on an azure field. In the dexter orright talon is an olive branch, a symbol of peace; in the sinister orleft talon is a bundle of 13 arrows. But it is on the reverse side ofthe great seal that we have a wonder. Here we have an unfinishedPyramid; a portion of the top is gone, exactly the same as the GreatPyramid in Egypt is at this day—anticipating this very day (Isa. Xix. 19): “In that day shall there be an altar to the Lord. And it shall befor a sign and for a witness unto the Lord of hosts in the land ofEgypt. ” Now it is somewhat singular that the Congress of 1782 shouldhave adopted so remarkable a sign, one that would witness to God and tellof their origin. The reverse side is the under side, and shows fromwhence the nation came, and on what it is built. In the zenith—that is, above the top of the Pyramid—is a triangle surrounded by a glory; and inthe centre is an all-seeing eye. Over the eye we have _Annuit Cœptis_, which means, “_He prospers our beginning_. ” On the base of the Pyramidwe have in letters, 1776, and underneath the following motto—“_Novus ordoseclorum_, ” meaning a “New era in the ages. ” The suggestion of the itemsupon the great seal was from Sir John Prestwich, Bart. , an Englishman. He gave the suggestions to the American Minister, John Adams, and thusthe same were conveyed to Congress and adopted. 

We have in the facts of the great seal a series of coincidents thatconnect this country with the Tribe of Manasseh. When the Tribesmarched, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh went together on the West sideof the ark, for their homes were Westward. On their battalion banner wasthe figure of a youth, denoting activity, with the motto, “The cloud ofJehovah rest on them, even when they go forth out of the camp. ” Here wehave the origin of the cloud on the seal. And when we remember thatManasseh was brought up at the foot of the Pyramid, and could see it fromhis palace home at Memphis, then we get a cue to the figure of thePyramid on the seal. {23}

PYRAMID. 

The Pyramid is a wonderful witness for God and His people. This buildingin Egypt has stood for 4, 000 years; finished and complete, it stood forabout 3, 000 before anybody ventured to find a way into it. Then, at agreat cost of men, money, and time, a way was forced in by an Arab chief. There surely is something remarkable that the only thing found in itshould be a stone trough, and more singular to my mind, that the Ark ofthe Covenant and this stone trough should be of equal capacity; and thelaver in which the priest washed his feet in the temple was exactly ofthe same size. And Solomon’s molten sea contained just as much water aswould fill the King’s Chamber in which this trough was found. Can anyman know these things and believe them to be accidental? Verily not. They do most assuredly pledge a God and Providence. 

EPHRAIM. 

This word is not only the name of Joseph’s son and the Tribe, but it isused quite frequently in a generic sense, and stands for the Ten Tribesand Manasseh. To Reuben by birthright was the lead politically, but itwas taken from him and given to Joseph, and so to Ephraim. From Judahcame the Chief Ruler—that is, Christ; but the birthright was Joseph’s (1Chron. V. 1). 

THRONE OF DAVID. 

To this throne God pledged under oath a perpetuity. Also He pledged thatsome one of David’s seed should always be on it. The throne and seed arepledged an unconditional existence. This being so, it follows that theymust be now in existence, and that finally all thrones will be swallowedup by this one. Queen Victoria is of David, and the English throne isDavid’s. Hence all the promises and prophecies referring to David’sthrone may be found on this line. For prophecy not being of privateinterpretation such facts may be proven. 

GENTILES. 

The word Gentile generally embraces all those nations and people outsideof the Twelve Tribes. Keeping these few distinctions in mind, you willbe enabled to read the Bible interestingly and with the properunderstanding. Prophetic evidence is a strong kind of proof. Study theWord on this line and you will find Providence and history lendingglorious confirmation to the same. 

ISRAEL AND THE GATES. DISCOURSE II. 

ISRAEL—HOW THE GATES OF HIS ENEMIES ARE TO BE GIVEN HIM—BY THIS SIGN LOSTISRAEL MAY BE KNOWN—THE GIVING WILL CORRESPOND TO THE MULTIPLYING—THEPROMISE, IN THIS DAY, IS RAPIDLY FULFILLING—ENGLAND, DISRAELI AND“TANCRED, ” AND RUSSIA. 

 “That in blessing I will bless thee; and in multiplying, I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea-shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies. ”—Gen. Xxii. 17. 

Under a Divine oath was this prophetic promise made to Abraham. At thetime it was given Abraham had, by command, offered his only son Isaac, which offering, to all human appearance, would leave the old patriarchagain childless; but his faith staggered not, for human incompetence doesnot circumscribe the bounds of Divine sufficience. The God who commandedAbraham to offer, recalled the command at a certain stage of thefulfilment, counting the faith of Abraham for righteousness. InAbraham’s faith Isaac was really sacrificed; hence the Divine approval:“By Myself have I sworn, saith the Lord; for because thou hast done thisthing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, that in blessing Iwill bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the starsof the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea-shore; and thy seedshall possess the gate of his enemies. ” An oath with men in this daydoes not mean much in the way of confirmation, but not so with God’soath. An oath ought to be sacred, and should be the end of doubt andstrife. God made a promise to Abraham, and because He could swear by nogreater, He sware by Himself. And Abraham lived to see the promise beginto fulfil, and to-day the heirs of Abraham may look and see the samepromise fulfilling, for, as Paul says in Heb. Vi. 17: “Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise theimmutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath. ”

Who are the heirs of promise? For to them belong many and preciouspromises, both spiritual and temporal. Spiritually, they are to lead andbe responsible for the evangelisation of the world. Temporally, they areto be a numerous seed, a powerful people. They are to occupy the ends ofthe earth, the uttermost parts of the earth, the coasts of the earth, thewaste and the desolate places of the earth, the isles of the sea, theheathen, as an inheritance. They are to inherit the Gentiles, and makethe desolate cities to be inhabited; they are to be the chief of nations;they are to be a company of nations; they are to be a great people; theyare to possess the gates of their enemies. Surely such a people shouldbe found, for all these things make it impossible for them to be hid in acorner. One cannot help saying with the Psalmist: “Blessed is the nationwhose God is the Lord; and the people whom He hath chosen for His owninheritance. ”

In the English Court of Chancery are vast sums of money, large fortuneswaiting for heirs. The court frequently advertises for them, and many inevery land respond and are eager to prove their claims; they are anxiousto be known and accepted as the descendants and lawful heirs of certaintestators. It is oftentimes difficult to establish their claims andprove satisfactorily their identity. The court demands that theevidences of heirship be very definite. In this they are right. But weventure to say that even the English Court of Chancery would not turnaway a claimant who had all the distinct marks and abounding evidence ofidentity that mark and characterise the children of Abraham, especiallyso in the latter day, for then these characteristics are to be clearerand fuller. 

The Jews are known; they have been known all down the centuries; theyhave not been able to hide themselves. In keeping with the Word of Godthey have fulfilled up to the present time the prophecies attaching tothem. In all the world they are estimated to number some nine millions. The Jews include the children of Judah and Levi; these Two Tribes only. The Jews themselves consent to this statement, and allow that thedescendants of Reuben, Simeon, Zebulun, Issachar, Dan, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Joseph, and Benjamin, are lost, but not extinct. They are inthe world, for God has not cast away His people for ever. If the TwoTribes give us nine millions, how many should we expect the Ten Tribes tofurnish? Most certainly not less than forty-five millions. To the TenTribes the special promises of fruitfulness were given. To the TenTribes belong a greater portion of prophecy; and in the history of theworld more is allotted to Israel than to Judah. Indeed, the world’shistory pivots on the Ten Lost Tribes. 

I believe you know the God-revealed distinction between the words Israeland Judah. You know that they have a distinct history. Their place andwork, promises and blessings, chastisements and rebukes, are as distinctand different as silver and gold. 

The spiritual heirs of Abraham are all who are embraced in the saving andatoning covenant of grace in Christ. I do not say all who believe, forthere will be more in heaven without faith than those with—namely, allthose who have died before the years of responsibility, with many of thePagan world who, never having heard of a Saviour, have therefore neverdenied Him. In a spiritual sense, they are children. I believe in thismatter with Paul, who says, when writing to the Romans, chap. Ii. : “Thereis no respect of persons with God; for as many as have sinned without lawshall also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the lawshall be judged by the law. For when the Gentiles, which have not thelaw, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not thelaw, are a law unto themselves; which show the work of the law written intheir hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughtsthe meanwhile accusing, or else excusing one another. ” Thus, under thelaw which governs the Pagan, I presume many will be saved and many lost, just as under the law of the Gospel. In Abraham all nations were to beblessed, spiritually. In this sense Abraham’s seed embraces persons ofevery age, clime, and race. 

But who are the seed of Abraham according to the flesh? We answer, thedescendants of the Twelve Tribes. Now to the natural seed the Bibleassigns a distinct work and place. This natural seed is divided in theBible, the word Israel standing generally for the Ten Tribes, and Judahfor Two Tribes. These divisions have separate paths appointed them towalk in through the centuries. “All the House of Israel wholly, ” “thewhole House of Israel, ” “all the House of Israel, ” have a special work. The Ten Tribes are especially called in the Scriptures the seed ofAbraham. Sometimes “My chosen, ” again “Mine inheritance, ” and “Myservant. ” God, in referring to them in their scattered state, and of Hisgathering them together, says (Isa. Xli. 8): “But thou, Israel, art Myservant, Jacob, whom I have chosen; the seed of Abraham My friend—thouwhom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from thechief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art My servant; I have chosenthee and not cast thee away. ” The Ten Tribes are sometimes designated bythe word Jacob. If we once get a clear idea who the seed are, then wecan search among the people of the earth to find them, because in thelatter day they were to be so different from other people, and distinctlymarked, we will have no great difficulty in finding them. Of the specialmarks, one was they were to possess the gates of their enemies. Themultitudinous seed and other characteristics we will pass by for thepresent. 

This seed were to possess the gates of their enemies; of this we areassured by the oath of God. The word gate here, you will admit, is usedin a generic sense. It means a place of prominence, a position ofstrength, a strategetic point, as the entrance into a city. Rememberingthat in olden times the cities were walled around, the gate was animportant point of defence; or, as the narrow entrance into a bay, likethe entrance into New York Bay or port, the Narrows we call them. Herethe cities of New York and Brooklyn could best and first be defended. Again, a gate in the general vernacular means any stronghold: a tower, anisland, a mountain pass. Now, of this seed it is plainly stated thatthey shall possess the gates of their enemies. 

The text would be very finely illustrated if we supposed that Mexico heldGovernor’s Island, in the middle of our bay, and defiantly dictated to usdoctrines of trade, politics, and religion. As arrogant and as impudentas this would seem, yet such is the case with this seed of Abraham andother nations. Believing that the Saxon race are the Ten Lost Tribes, itthen follows that the English nation is the chief representative of theseTribes, and that they should be in possession of the gates of theirenemies. Are they? We answer, yes. And every year confirms and makesmore clear the answer. This you say is a theory. Grant it. You knowthat in science a theory is formed and then applied. If you form atheory about the tides or formation of the planets, or this world, yourtheory with others is applied to known facts to see if it will fit them, to see if it will account for them, and to see if it is in harmony withthe same. Now science accepts that theory which applies best, that whichaccounts for facts the most reasonably, and harmonises the mostnaturally. Such theory is then the science of the day, and will be soaccepted and so taught until it is supplanted by a better. Try, then, the theory I have advanced by these rules. 

Take the Islands of Jersey and Guernsey in the English Channel, betweenEngland and France, nearer to the French shore than England; theinhabitants, being a majority of them French, speaking French. Yet whenFrance was England’s greatest and most dangerous enemy, England heldthen, as now, the gates of her enemies. Properly speaking, and adjudgedby any human rule, they belong to France—as naturally as the island ofHeligoland, at the month of the Elbe, belongs to Germany. Gibraltar, Malta, Cyprus, Suez Canal, Island of Perim in the Straits of Babelmandebin the Red Sea, and Socotra, in the same sea; also Aden in the Red Sea, covering Arabia; Peshawur, the very entrance of or from India intoAfghanistan. In and around the vast empire of India you have Bombay, Calcutta, Madras, with many similar strongholds; Rangoon, on the Irawadyriver, commanding and even menacing Burmah. The vast empire of China iscarefully guarded and held in check by such gates as Singapore, Malacca, Penang, Hong Kong and Cowloon. Sarawak in Borneo, and Labuan off thecoasts, are such gates. Africa is being gradually gobbled up; herstrongholds and vast areas of country are falling into the hands ofEngland; the coasts are fast coming under British rule. Recently Englandhas come into possession of three gates—namely, the island of Socotra, near the Red Sea, the island of Cyprus in the Mediterranean, and theSublime Porte, the lofty gateway, Constantinople. And it is now rumouredthat England is negotiating with Portugal for Delogoa Bay inSouth-eastern Africa; price, three million dollars. But this people arenot satisfied with all these gates. They want—and they will get whatthey want in a very short time, thank Heaven; not what they deserve!—theywant the famous Khyber Pass. This pass is a narrow road between mountainrocks that rise over two thousand feet at the lowest point. It is sometwenty-eight miles long, while for twenty-two miles the average width isonly 150 feet. The Eastern end the English already hold, called thePeshawur Pass. 

Afghanistan is a country in Asia. It is about the size of England, 460miles from North to South, and 430 from East to West. On the North it isbounded by Turkestan, East by India, South by Beloochistan, and West byPersia. The population numbers about 7, 000, 000. They are as wild as thecountry is broken and irregular. They are chiefly agriculturists. Thecountry is rich in minerals and timber. In time past they have seldombeen at peace, being very generally at war among themselves. Afghan is aPersian word, and means that which is wrapped around—no doubt havingreference to the mountain chain that hems in the whole land. The peoplethemselves, however, name their country Vilayet, which means the land ofour ancestors. They claim that in their country lived Adam and hischildren, also Noah and his. They say they had in their possession oncethe ark of the covenant, but they have lost it. While it was with them, if they took it into battle, victory was sure to be theirs. At thepresent time they have Noah’s ark. It is embedded in the ground, with aportion protruding out, which pilgrims to the top of Dera IsmaelKhan—that is, the sacred mountain of Israel—are permitted to see andtouch. Many have supposed the Afghans to be the Ten Lost Tribes. It hasbeen the folly of many of the learned, in time past, to hunt for, andactually expect to find, the chosen of God in some out-of-the-way place;to find them few, poor, and deluded—the poorer, the fewer, and the morewretched, the better. Hence, the wild Indians of the continent, thebushmen of Africa, the aborigines of Australia, the Laplanders of theNorth, and many such have been chosen of men—though not of God. 

The Afghan country, no doubt, once had intercourse with Palestine. During Solomon’s reign many Jews left the land as merchants. Solomonbuilt store cities in Hamath, Tadmor in the wilderness, and many others. These store cities were on the great highway which he made through thedesert, so as to bring the trade of Dedan and Sheba to Jerusalem. ThatHebrew names are given to the mountains, places, rivers, and persons, noone can deny; but such does not prove them to be the Lost Tribes—it showsaway back Jewish influence and intercourse. They do not speak theHebrew, but two languages called the Pukhtu and Pushtu. In eitherlanguage there are few, if any, traces of the Hebrew. No doubt the LostTribes, after being scattered into Central Asia, when taken captive about725 B. C. , wandered, some of them into Afghan, and probably for a timesettled there, and gave names to the country. The Afghans themselveswent into the country from India, and as the Tribes moved Westward theyleft the Afghans in possession. 

The Afghan country comes now into great importance because it is on thehighway of the march of Israelitish civilisation and progress. Englandwants it; and I predict she shall get it. Russia wants it, and atpresent seems to have the upper hand; but Russia or England, or theworld, can avail nothing against the purposes of Jehovah. The gates arepromised to Israel, therefore she will get them. The English havealready an army of 35, 000 men in the Peshawur Valley. Russia isgathering a force, and ere long the two countries will be brought face toface. The end of the whole muddle will be that England will take chargeof Afghan. Thirty-three years ago Disraeli wrote his novel called“Tancred. ” In this novel he makes the Queen of England the Empress ofIndia, and one of her favourite officers is made Earl Beaconsfield; sofar fancy has become fact. But in that same novel the future of thepresent strife has been set forth. It has been very finely put by theLondon _Spectator_:—

“There is a story going about, founded, we believe, on good authority, that when some one quoted ‘Tancred, ’ two or three months ago, in LordBeaconsfield’s presence, the Prime Minister remarked: ‘Ah! I perceiveyou have been reading “Tancred. ” That is a work to which I refer moreand more every year—not for amusement, but for instruction. ’ And ifanyone will take the trouble just now to refresh his memory of ‘Tancred, ’he will see how much Lord Beaconsfield has borrowed from it in relationto his policy. Turn, for instance, to this passage: ‘If I were an Arabin race as well as in religion, ’ said Tancred, ‘I would not pass my lifein schemes to govern mere mountain tribes. ’ ‘I’ll tell you, ’ said theEmir, springing from his divan, and flinging the tube of his nargileh tothe other end of the tent, ‘the game is in our own hands if we haveenergy. There is a combination which would entirely change the wholeface of the world and bring back empire to the East. Though you are notthe brother to the Queen of the English, you are, nevertheless, a greatEnglish prince, and the Queen will listen to what you say, especially ifyou talk to her as you talk to me, and say such fine things in such abeautiful voice. Nobody ever opened my mind like you. You willmagnetise the Queen as you have magnetised me. Go back to England andarrange this. You see, gloss over it as they may, one thing is clear, itis finished with England . . . Let the Queen of the English collect agreat fleet, let her stow away all her treasure, bullion, plate, andprecious arms; be accompanied by all her court and chief people, andtransfer the seat of her empire from London to Delhi. There she willfind an immense empire ready-made, a first-rate army, and a largerevenue. In the meantime I will arrange with Mehemet Ali. He shall haveBagdad and Mesopotamia, and pour the Bedouin cavalry into Persia. I willtake care of Syria and Asia Minor. The only way to manage the Afghans isby Persia and by the Arabs. We will acknowledge the Empress of India asour suzerain, and secure for her the Levantine coast. If she like, sheshall have Alexandria, as she now has Malta. It could be arranged. YourQueen is young. She has an _avenir_. Aberdeen and Sir Robert Peel willnever give her this advice; their habits are formed. They are too old, two _ruses_. But you see! the greatest empire that ever existed; besideswhich she gets rid of the embarrassment of her chambers! and quitepracticable! For the only difficult part, the conquest of India, whichbaffled Alexander, is all done. ’ Who can avoid seeing that LordBeaconsfield has been quite recently referring to this passage—‘not, ’ ashe said, ‘for amusement, but for instruction?’ These are all the ideasof his recent policy in germ—especially the treatment of the BritishEmpire as having its centre of gravity in the far East—the use of theIndian Army for conquest to be made in Western Asia—the acquisition ofthe Levantine coast for Great Britain—the active alliance between theBritish power and the Mohammedan power—and last, not least, the gettingrid, to a great extent at least, by the help of Indian leverage, of ‘theembarrassment of the chambers. ’ For the last eight months, at least, English policy has evidently been borrowed from ‘Tancred. ’ The monarch, for anything we know, has been ‘magnetised. ’ The Cabinet assuredly have. Lord Derby and Lord Carnarvon have been treated much as the Emir in‘Tancred’ would have treated ‘Aberdeen and Sir Robert Peel’—thrown asideas two ‘ruses. ’”

England has indeed adopted an Oriental policy, and forward she must go toexecute Jehovah’s purpose. Russia is preparing on a gigantic scale. InPrussia the most flourishing branch of trade among the Germans at presentis the manufacturing of arms for Russia. Though the late war be over, still Russia is buying ships, and fitting them out in this country. Shefeels bitterly her defeat through English diplomacy: England takingCyprus, assuming protection over Asiatic Turkey, and making Russia yieldback to Turkey 30, 700 geographical miles which was contained in theoriginal Treaty of San Stefano. The following from the Government organof Russia will give you some idea of her chagrin. 

The St. Petersburg _Golos_ says that the Treaty of Berlin has produced analmost crushing impression on the Russian public. “It is felt thatRussia has not attained her object; that she has been deceived by herfriends, and that she has foolishly helped her enemies with her victories. . . What is the reason of our failure? One-half per cent. Of ourpopulation have perished in the war, hundreds of millions have beenexpended, and yet the Eastern Question is not solved and the Treaty ofBerlin is merely a truce. The last war has clearly shown all ournational peculiarities as well as our moral and material strength . . . All the military requirements which depended on the inbred qualities ofthe Russian soldier were brilliantly carried out; but where knowledge andpreparation were demanded we were not equal to the task. It was probablyfor this reason that we felt so much hurt on reading of the boldness ofLord Beaconsfield, who doubtless reckoned on the superior culture ofEnglishmen to that of Russians. All classes of Russian society areresponsible for this. We do not estimate culture and knowledge at theirtrue value. Most of us say that mental work does not bring money, andthat culture is a means of corruption . . . In Western Europe, on theother hand, people have arrived by hard experience at the conviction thatintelligence, capacity, culture, and energy, bring men to the front, andgive them peace at home and power abroad. It is the knowledge of how tomake the best possible use of their energy and abilities that has enabledthe English to derive success from our victories and sacrifices. Maythis be a lesson to us. ”

But enough; one knows the end ere they begin, for the Word of God istrue. We do not argue that the English are so much smarter than otherpeople; no, but we account for their success because they are theexecutive nation of Divine Providence. It falls to the lot of those whodo not believe this theory to account for their success without allowingthem to be smarter. 

ISRAEL AND TERRITORY. DISCOURSE III. 

PROMISES TO ISRAEL—MATERIAL NATURE—LOCATION OF THE TRIBES IN CHRIST’SDAY—GOD’S PROVIDENCE—BRITISH AND AMERICAN RULE—LIFE FROM THEDEAD—TEACHING THE NATIONS PEACEFUL ARBITRATION—ENGLAND ANDRUSSIA—AFGHANISTAN FALLS TO ANGLO-ISRAEL—GOD’S POLITICALGEOGRAPHY—ANGLO-SAXON EVANGELISATION—RUSSIA OPPOSING IT—BRITISH ANDRUSSIAN OUTPOSTS IN CONTACT—WAIL OF JUDAH—EARTH’S GIRDLE. 

 “Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations; spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes; for thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited. ”—Isa. Liv. 2, 3. 

In the writings of the prophets the feminine gender is often used whenspeaking of the House of Israel, and the masculine when denoting theHouse of Judah. Quite frequently Israel is spoken of as a divorcedwoman, as being cast off, and as being barren. Judah remaining faithfulto the throne of David and the temple service, and abiding in the landmuch longer than Israel, is presented as one married. So you willunderstand Jeremiah iii. 8, when he says: “And I saw, when for all thecauses whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce. ” Again, Isaiah l. 1: “Thus saith theLord, Where is the bill of your mother’s divorcement whom I have putaway?” Yet, though Israel was divorced, forsaken, cast off, anddesolate, she was to have more children than married Judah. So the versepreceding the text says: “Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; breakforth into singing, and cry aloud thou that didst not travail with child;for more are the children of the desolate than the children of themarried wife, saith the Lord. ” Then come the words of the text biddingher enlarge the place of her tent, or dwelling-place, to stretch forthher curtains, so as to cover over the new-gotten habitations. To sparenot—that is, to be not tardy, or slow—in lengthening out her cords—thatis, her influence—and strengthen her stakes—that is, her authority; butto break forth on every hand where there is an opening, and inherit theseed of the Gentiles, and make the languishing and poverty-strickencities of the nations to be inhabited; in this conquest to go on and fearnot. 

These exhortations are given, and promises are made to Israel after shehad left Palestine. No one can say truthfully that they have yet beenfulfilled in no degree or sense, unless they find such fulfilment in theconquests of the Saxon race. These predictions cannot apply to the Jews, for they are few, nationless, and without a government. Touching thepast history of both Judah and Israel in Palestine, we shall find it tobe barren of victories, territory, acquisition, and number, in comparisonto other nations. They have never occupied the land given to Abraham infulness. In Solomon’s time they bare rule only over a part of it. TheGentiles and heathens have occupied it more and longer than the sons ofAbraham. But what failed to be accomplished in the past, is held grandlyin reserve for this day, the next few years. God will remember Hispromise to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David. He will remember it tofulfil it, in spite of hell or earth. 

We have been blind and guilty in the past, unconscious of our origin, andas a natural consequence, ignorant of our place and special work. Ininterpreting the Word of God we have been lavish in spiritualising, andgreedy in materialising, overlooking the fact that nine-tenths of the OldTestament is a material history about one people, and that through themGod’s special providence was to flow to all other nations; and the NewTestament plants the life and prosperity of the Gentile world upon thecourse and progress of Israel. God said to Abraham, “In thee shall allthe families of the earth be blessed:” and more, “and in thy seed shallall the nations of the earth be blessed. ” Israel, being scattered andcast off, became a blessing to the world. They gave to the surroundingnations the only true idea of God, for in their lowest condition andidolatry they preserved the name and knowledge of Jehovah, and Christsent His disciples after them through one of their own Tribe—namely, Benjamin—telling them not to go into the way of the Gentiles, nor intothe cities of the Samaritans, “but go rather to the lost sheep of theHouse of Israel. ” To these sheep Christ declares He was sent. Wherewere these sheep? They were scattered about in Central Asia—inScriptural language in Cappadocia, Galatia, Pamphylia, Lydia, Bithynia, and round about Illyricum. From these very regions came the Saxons: fromhere they spread abroad North and West, being the most Christian of anypeople on the face of the earth then, as well as now. Their reception ofthe Gospel gave them power over the surrounding nations, to whom theywere, as it had been foretold, witnesses for Jesus and providence in avery special manner. What then, we say with Paul, will be the blessingof Israel—recognized and fully restored to God’s favour? If so much goodwas carried and bestowed upon the Gentile nations because Israel wasscattered, how much, and what are the blessings in store for thosenations when Israel and Judah be restored? Paul compares it to aresurrection—like as when the barrenness and desolation of a Winter issupplanted by the fruits and beauties of Summer. “If the casting away ofthem be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of thembe, but life from the dead?” (Rom. Xi. 15). 

It is reasonable to suppose that this world is subject to the providenceof God. Such a supposition is grandly sustained by the laws andoperations of nature without, and the experience and intuitions of themind within; and I believe this providence to be all-comprehensive, bounding, and cognising all things, past, present, and future, both smalland great; claiming the ages for its measure, the universe for the fieldof its operations, and the Infinite as the source of power. “The LordJehovah reigns, let the earth rejoice. ” Let me persuade you tothoroughly believe in the precision, the intimacy, and the completenessof this providence. This doctrine we need to fully learn and accept. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth, ” and it is He“who hath measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, and meted outheaven with a span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance. ” Aye, and more, yet closer still does this providence approach us in ouraffairs. “By Him kings reign and princes decree judgment. He bringeththe princes to nothing; He maketh the judges of the earth as vanity. ”Even closer yet, for without His permission a sparrow cannot fall to theground; and so intimate is He with us, that He knoweth the number of thehairs of the head. Now all this kind of Bible instruction is intended toteach the nearness of God to us, and His interest and intimacy withnations and nature. Let us not think for a moment that nations can rushto war and be outside this circle of providence. Let us study to knowGod’s mind, His plans and purposes with the nations; for rest satisfiedthat His plan will finally be accepted by men and nations, and Hispurposes will prevail. Kings may plan, diplomatists may diplomatise, scientists may analyse, theologians may teach and preach their isms, andpoliticians may make platforms and construct rings, yet none, nor allcombined, can stay the hand of God. “He doeth according to His will inthe armies of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. ” He caninitiate, permit, modify, and destroy. Once we truly recognise thesovereignty of God over us, conceit will lie dead at the feet ofhumility. 

The Church at large has but a slender hold upon this great doctrine. They look upon the great movement of wars and strife, rising and fallingof nations, as looks the country stranger upon a railway engine the firsttime, the whirling wheels, the steam and smoke and burnished boiler rivethis attention so completely, that he sees not the driver in his car. Somen are dazed with the show of pomp of courts and councils, with theharangues of legislators and march of regiments, that they discern notthe master hand behind that directs all. “Verily, Thou art a God thathidest Thyself. ” No, no, friends; English bravery, nor Americaningenuity will not account for all that England has done on the line ofvictories, and the marvellous and rapid growth of these United States. As God said long ago through Moses, so He could say to-day—for heavenlycounsel was given to the children of Israel on entering the PromisedLand, with a design of suppressing their pride and enabling them to forma correct idea of their success in driving the strong and greater nationsof Canaanites and Philistines—“Speak not thou in thine heart, after thatthe Lord thy God hath cast them out from before thee saying: For myrighteousness the Lord hath brought me in to possess this land; but forthe wickedness of these nations the Lord doth drive them out from beforethee. Not for thy righteousness, or the uprightness of thine heart, dostthou go to possess the land, but for the wickedness of those nations theLord thy God doth drive them out from before thee, that He may performthe word which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac, andJacob. Understand, therefore, that the Lord thy God giveth thee not thisgood land to possess it for thy righteousness, for thou art astiff-necked people” (Deut. Ix. 4). 

By the same rule and for the very same reason that Israel conqueredPalestine, does England go on from conquest to conquest. And because Godremembered to perform His promises made to the patriarchs upon theirseed, America was opened for the Puritans, who are without doubt thedescendants and representatives of Manasseh, of whom God said “he shouldbe a people, a great people. ”

The rule of England and America over other people, is to be as life fromthe dead—that is, whatsoever country England conquers and rules, it isbetter for the people, and the country, and the world. They give to thepeople a liberty that they would not have given to themselves; theydevelop the resources of the country as never before, and by trade andcommerce bless the people and cause them to be a blessing unto others. And better still, they make known to the conquered ones, in due time, theriches of faith in Christ. So we have no hesitation in saying, a thingpatent to every unprejudiced observer, that the aborigines of theconquered colonies of Great Britain are treated better by theirconquerors than they ever treated themselves. The Africans, in theconquered colonies of Africa, are better off under British rule thanthose colonies or portions unconquered are. The hosts of India enjoymore, fare better in every grace and virtue in all that goes to adorn anddevelop mankind, under the British government and protection than theyever did or would under self-government. So the French, Germans, Italians, Russians, Spaniards, and the numerous progeny of emigrants tothis country, fare better in every way with Manasseh, than they did intheir own lands. Of course, both in England’s rule and America’s, thereare many defects; but taking all in all, the good will out-weigh the bad;and more so as the years roll on. 

True, an arbitrary purpose and an individualism is seen on the surface, yet under it all there is the hand of God. The farmer is free as to whathe sows, but the Divine, without interfering with his freedom, regulatesthe harvest to plenty or famine. The Saxon people, England and America, stand in a new light to the world by the teachings of the Bible. BeingIsrael or the Ten Lost Tribes, they become at once the chosen agents ofGod for the glorious purpose of evangelising the whole world, andfinally, by reducing the whole earth to the plane of universal libertyand peace. 

It was necessary that these two nations should first be taught the art ofmediation, for the ends of peace; that they should learn and show to theworld that national disputes and grievances can be settled without anappeal to the sword. Hence we have, and what is much better, the worldhas, Geneva and Alabama and the fish bounty treaty of Canada and theUnited States. Not all the press did on either side, nor all the carpingand blustering of individuals, could prevent the happy consummation ofboth these treaties. To God be praise, for they are prophetic harbingersof a better day coming. 

No hand nor power, nor combination of powers, can stop the onward marchof Israel to her God-ordained goal. Her future is to spread on the righthand and on the left. Island after island, colony after colony, willfall into her hands for mutual benefit. Russia may contest this march, and will, for she is as much the appointed agent of contest from Heavenas England is to advance. In a few years she will try to take the placeof England among the nations, as she has just done in Afghan. Russiapromised, no doubt, that she would and could protect the Ameer againstEngland, but the bargain was outside of the aims of Providence, hence itcould not be sustained. It is ordained of Heaven that Afghan fall intothe hands of England, if England be Israel. 

Against this fate-like division of the world Russia is going to contendand fight whenever she gets a chance. It would pay Russia and many othercountries to read that “When the Most High divided to the nations theirinheritance, when He separated the sons of Adam, He set the bounds of thepeople according to the children of Israel” (Deut. Xxxii. 8). Thesebounds God will maintain wherever they run; whatever country they cut intwo, no matter, the earth must finally conform to this Divine geography. This purpose is strongly set forth by Isaiah xliv. 7: “And who, as I, shall call and shall declare it, and set it in order for Me, since Iappointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming and shallcome. ” This same sturdy fact is taught by Paul when speaking to theAthenians, telling them that God “hath made of one blood all nations ofmen to dwell on the face of the earth, _and hath determined the timesbefore appointed_, _and the bounds of their habitations_. ” Nationaldestinies are not so much things of chance, or prizes for the sword, asmany think. God promised to David, when both Israel and Judah wereprosperously settled in Palestine under David’s reign, that He wouldappoint a place for His people Israel, and plant them there, and theyshould not be moved, neither should the wicked afflict them, as aforetime(2 Sam. Vii. 10. ) This promise God has kept. He has given them theBritish Isles, where none can afflict them, as they were wont to do whenIsrael was scattered in Asia and Europe. God has found Manasseh a homein this land of blessings and rich acres. 

England, by a necessity, was forced to find new countries to provide forher multiplying population. Then she is forced to enter other nations asa missionary. She, with Manasseh, is chiefly responsible for theevangelisation of the world, and of course they are at work all over theworld, for England and the United States send out more missionaries thanall the world beside. Russia needs no land for colonisation, for now herinhabitants number only thirty-four to the square mile, while Englandnumbers 889. If we take in all the territory under Russia and England, even then England has more to the square mile than Russia. Russiacomprises about 8, 000, 000 square miles, and England, with her lateadditions, leaving out the United States, numbers about 9, 000, 000. Joining Ephraim and Manasseh together, they own one-fourth of the wholeworld—namely, about 13, 000, 000 square miles; the whole earth numbers51, 340, 800 square miles. Besides, Russia is not a missionary country. She neither sends any, nor accepts any, being at present the only nationclosed to missionary operation and toleration. The past few years Russiahas gained rapidly in territorial power. With the conquest of Bokharaand portions of Turkestan, or Independent Tartary, she has added some800, 000 square miles. 

At the beginning of the last century the Russian advance forts were 2, 500miles distant from those of England. At the close of the century thedistance was 2, 000. Then in 1810 it was reduced to 1, 000. And since1855 it has been reduced to 400. And now, of course, they want itreduced to nothing by getting control of Afghan. 

How wonderfully clear are the fulfilling events of the prophecy. Thisking of the North is to become a strong king, who, when Israel and Judahare settled in Palestine, will have spirit and power to attack them. Sohe is ripening, growing, and gathering power ready. Russia now comprisesnine crowns, eight of which are crowns of conquest. Russia’s one granddesire is to possess Palestine, especially Jerusalem. The Crimean warwas waged for rights and extended privileges in this holy city. To-dayRussian pilgrims swarm thither by the thousands every year. A few yearsago she built outside the Jaffa gate what she called an hospice, whichwas designed to be nothing more nor less than a fort. It is in aposition commanding the whole city, and is a place of great strength. Often she has tried to possess the city and land. By-and-bye she will bepermitted by Providence to pour her troops into this “land of unwalledvillages, ” and when having nearly achieved the ambitious plan of ages, and nearly realised her one great national idea, she will perish, to riseno more, “on the mountains of Israel. ” Her history is set forth byEzekiel xxxviii. And xxxix. Chapters. 

Palestine and Jerusalem have borne undeniable evidence for prophecy andProvidence. The whole land and the Book have been wonderfully agreedduring the past eighteen centuries. How significant and telling thewailings and lamentations of the devout Jews, who crowd under the wallsof the mosque of Omar, the site of the ancient temple. Here, eachreturning Sabbath, groups of Jews may be heard dolefully crying: “_Alibene_, _Ali bene_; _bene bethka_; _bekarob_, _bimheira_, _bimheira_;_beyamenue_, _bekarob_, ” which, being interpreted, means, “Lord build, Lord build; build Thy house speedily, in haste, in haste; even in our daybuild Thy house speedily. ” Yes, mourning brethren of Judah, the time iscoming when the house shall be built and the voice of wailing no moreheard in the streets. 

Can any student or inquirer after the truth fail to see that in our day aprophecy is being fulfilled? Can any one shut their eyes to thewonderful fact that Israel is breaking forth on the left and on theright? God has long ago said that Israel were the people of Hisinheritance, and that Jacob was the lot of His inheritance, or Hisgirdle, or cord, as the word lot means. Then, if you turn your attentionto Great Britain and her colonies, including Manasseh, you will see thisgirdle or measuring line around the earth. Let me aid you by pointingthe same out for you. Look at the Eastern hemisphere circle, enclosingthe Gentile nations. Begin with Great Britain; pass on to the ChannelIslands, Gibraltar, Malta, Cyprus, West Coast African Colonies, St. Helena, Cape Colonies, Mauritius, Seychelles, Perim, Aden, Ceylon, India, Burmah, Straits Settlements, Labuan, Australian Colonies, Hong Kong, andthe Dominion of Canada. In the Western hemisphere commence the circlewith Canada and United States, Fiji Islands, New Zealand, FalklandIslands, British Guiana, British Honduras, West India Islands, andNewfoundland. Do we not plainly see that Israel is possessing “the islesof the sea, ” “coasts of the earth, ” “waste and desolate places?” Thesethings are not hid in a corner; they proclaim the intentions of God, anover-ruling Providence; and who and where the Lost Tribes are. A miracleand prophecy are fulfilling before our eyes. 

ISRAEL AND POPULATION. DISCOURSE IV. 

PROPHETIC LATTER DAYS—OUR BEARINGS IN THE AGES—UNWISE IMPATIENCE—ISRAELTO BE ALWAYS A NATION—HER EMPIRE—HISTORIC CAREER OF AND FUTURE OFENGLAND, AMERICA, AND JUDAH—RELATIVE INCREASE OF POPULATION—THE INFIDELSAXON—JEWISH, BRITISH, AND AMERICAN INTERESTS ONE—A FULL END OF ALLNATIONS BUT ISRAEL—FAMINE HENCEFORTH ONLY FOR THE HEATHEN—ARBITRATION TOBE ENFORCED BY ISRAEL—AMERICAN ABSORBTION—STARTLING FIGURES OF FUTUREPOPULATION—THE BALANCE OF POWER. 

 “Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered; and it shall come to pass that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not My people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God. ”—Hosea i. 10. 

A period of time is frequently referred to in the Scriptures as being the“latter days. ” It is, therefore, very important for the propheticstudent, and the Church of Christ at large, that the time of days spokenof should be known. For connected with these days are a number ofprophecies waiting fulfilment, and they are of such a nature that theirfulfilment may easily be discerned. In breadth and scope they cover muchterritory and include many people. They cannot be hid in a corner, forthe parts are so numerous and the interests so great. The fulfilment ofthese prophecies will make a radical and fundamental change in Church andState. 

I take it for granted we are now entering into the time of the latterdays—a time that precedes by a natural consequence the millennium. Itis, therefore, unwise on the part of any person to claim that Christ maycome any day, and that His millennial reign may be begun at any moment. It is but fair that we should carefully consider our bearings in thecircle of Providence and our position in the ages. The story and work ofredemption are grand, full of interest and thrilling incidents; still wemust take things in their order. Some stories we read are veryfascinating. The plot culminates, the characters and incidents convergetoward and centre in the hero. At such a point we are often carried awaywith our sympathy for the hero; we become anxious for him, and desires toknow the issues, and so are tempted to skip a few pages and get at theend unwisely and unlawfully. Thus I think many are carried away by aloving desire for the millennium; they become anxious for the return ofthe Hero of redemption; they skip a few pages of Providence, and come tothe end too soon. 

These days are preparative, and in such a preparative stage we arewarranted to look for the fulfilment of certain prophecies; forprophecies, indeed, of such a nature and character that no Bible studentneed be mistaken as to the time, place, and conditions of fulfilment. Wehave called your attention to one of these prophecies, and pointed out toyou how the same was literally fulfilling before the eyes of all. God, in olden times, made promises to Abraham, the patriarchs, and their seed. These promises were nothing more nor less than prophecies. He attestedthe same by His own oath. He called to witness the sun, moon, stars, sea, night, day, the seasons, seedtime and harvest. These He called Hisordinances. These ordinances may depart from before Him, but the seed ofIsrael should not cease to be a nation. They were not only to be anation, but a company of nations. To this end, in the latter days, theywere to come in possession of the isles of the sea, the coasts of theearth, waste and desolate places; to inherit the seed of the Gentiles, and cause their desolate cities to be filled. They were to possess andrule over the heathen. In the latter days they were to possess Edom andEsau—that is, Turkey—and so come in possession of their own land, Palestine. Now I call you to witness, and ask you if these things areso? Before your eyes, before mine, before the eyes of all the world, Godis fulfilling His promises made to the fathers. 

The very exceptions to the sweeping and comprehensive possessions of theseed of Jacob are pyramidal witnesses to the same. The House of Judahwas to become homeless, without a nation and without a government, afterthey left Palestine; but to be a people known by the race feature, and bytheir unwavering adherence, attachment, and fidelity to the Mosaicworship. This exception all can see, and none can truthfully deny. Theyhave had money and men enough to buy and rule a nation, but as yet theyhave none. Their talent, their ability, and their money, have been thechief factor in the rule, prosperity, and greatness of many nations inthe past as well as now. And the second conception is not less grand andconclusive. Let any one inquire what was to be the portion of the Tribeof Manasseh, and they will find that Manasseh was to be a distinctpeople, a great people; for so said the dying patriarch Jacob. Now sucha people, a great people, we hold Manasseh to be at this day in thepeople of the United States. Some sixty colonies England has overrun, established, or conquered, and she is busy at work yet conquering andgathering in. But is it not remarkable that she has never lost one ofthe many save the United States? Will any one give an earthly reason forthis marvellous exception? I presume no one can. There is, however, aDivine reason. Moses, when giving his prophetic benediction to theTribes of Israel, gives us an insight into this question. Speaking ofJoseph and the wonderful blessing in store for his sons Ephraim andManasseh, he says: “His glory is like the firstling of his bullock, andhis horns are like the horns of unicorns; and with them he shall push thepeople together to the ends of the earth; _and they are the ten thousandsof Ephraim_, _and they are the thousands of Manasseh_” (Deut, xxxiii. 17). And further light is thrown on this subject when we notice whatIsaiah says in the forty-ninth chapter. The children of Israel, whensettled in some Isles, would lose a portion of themselves, and still the“children which thou shalt have _after thou hast lost the other_, shallsay again in thine ears, The place is too strait for me, give place to methat I may dwell. ” The simple and natural interpretation of such apassage is, that the Isles referred to were the British Isles. Thechildren lost refer to Manasseh, the Pilgrims, and Puritans who came fromEngland. And the cry for more room after they have left, shall leadEngland to look for lands in which to colonise her surplus population, all of which she has done and is doing. 

Surely in these things there is something more than chance. Yes, thereis a divine purpose fulfilled. Seeing, then, that God will put the landinto Israel’s hand, there will run another blessing parallel withthis—namely, a peculiar increase of the seed, or children of Israel, sothat they may occupy and control these lands. These two prophecies areto be fulfilling on a parallel line at the same time. Are they sofulfilling? We answer, Yes; and the answer all the world may verify, forthe facts are of such a nature that if they are not so fulfilling it canbe very easily disproved. 

The prophet tells us in the text that the children of Israel are to benumerous—to be numerous in an extraordinary degree—so much so that itshall appear partly miraculous when such increase is compared to otherpeople or judged by the common methods of reasoning. Hosea had threechildren; the first a son. He called him Jezreel. This son was set fora witness that God would cause to cease the House of Israel inPalestine—that Israel should cease to be a nation for a time. This ideaIsaiah points out under the type of an abandoned wife. God stylesHimself the Husband of Israel, and that He had given the wife a bill ofdivorcement. Thus the two prophets agree, and history ratifies both. 

Hosea’s second child he calls Lo-Ruhamah. She was set for a witness thatGod would take away His mercy from the House of Israel for a time, andthat God would utterly take them away out of the land. So He did; for afew years after this we find the children of Israel were carried captiveinto Assyria by Shalmaneser, and the Assyrians were brought and put intheir place. And from these Assyrians, who were planted in the citiesand country left by the children of Israel, we get the Samaritans, whowere, as you see, not Jews nor Israelites by generation—they weremanufactured Jews only. “And the Lord removed Israel out of His sight, as He had said by all His servants the prophets. So was Israel carriedaway out of their own land to Assyria unto this day” (2 Kings xvii. 23). During this captivity, which is even in force till now, barren Israel, the divorced one, was to have more children than the married one—namely, Judah. 

We find that the third child born to Hosea is called Lo-ammi, meaning, “Ye are not My people. ” This child pro-figured the casting out of theJews; that they would refuse to accept God in Christ, and He thereforewould reject them. Thus the Jews became wanderers from their own land. And the land rests in desolation, enjoying her Sabbath of rest, while hersons and daughters are being chastised and trained for their return. 

The time will come when God will call Israel to Him, and have mercy uponher, when the divorced one shall be restored to her husband. “And itshall be at that day, saith the Lord, that thou shalt call Me Ishi, andshalt call me no more Baali” (Hos. Ii. 16). Now Ishi means husband, andBaali stands for Lord. Saxons have been looked upon as being infidels bythe rest of the world. The Mohammedans and Buddhists never reckoned theSaxons as being the sons of God; and Catholic Europe and Greek Russiahave looked upon England as infidel and heretical. And the Saxonsthemselves never went so far in their knowledge as to know who they were, their origin and work. But the prophet says: “It shall come to pass thatin the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not My people, there itshall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God. ” And thetime will come when Lo-Ruhamah shall become Ru-hamah, which means to haveobtained mercy. And Lo-Ammi shall become Ammi, which means that this isMy people. And Jezreel, which was a sign of dispersion, shall be thesign of gathering. “Then shall the children of Judah and the children ofIsrael be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and theyshall come up out of the land; _for great shall be the day of Jezreel_. ”Then the Jews (Ammi) will call the Saxons their sister, long lost, butfound at last. The Saxons (Ru-hamah) will call the Jews their brother, those whom in the past they have hated and persecuted; and thoughtthemselves far removed from Jewish blood. Now they both will acknowledgea common generation, and Abraham their father. And one with his eyeshalf open can see this part of the prophecy fulfilling. The Jews, England, and United States, from this and henceforth, are one ininterest, policy, and destiny. 

These being the latter days, let us look for the signs of the multiplyingof the seed so that they be as the sea sands God promised to Abraham, saying: “That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I willmultiply thy seed as the stars of heaven and as the sand which is uponthe sea-shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies” (Gen. Xxii. 17). Old Jacob foretold that Joseph would be a fruitful bough, whose branches would run over the wall—that is, colonise. This increaseis to be seen in two ways. Let me direct your attention to one of theseways, in a special manner, because it is so singular and unique, sodistinct and discernable. In Jeremiah xxx. 10, 11, we find a remarkablestatement: “Fear not, O Israel, for I am with thee, saith the Lord, tosave thee. Though I make a full end of all nations whither I havescattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee; but I willcorrect thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished. ”That Israel has been punished and corrected no one will deny who isacquainted with her history and sojourn from the time she was carriedcaptive to this day. But has the other part of the saying beenfulfilled? We answer, Yes—as the law of colonisation has progressed. The Ancient Britons are no more; Saxon Israel has entirely supplantedthem, just as Manasseh in the United States is supplanting the aboriginesor Indians. They perish and disappear like snow before the rising sun. Not all we can do on the line of legislation, philanthropy, and religion, is sufficient to stay the ravages of this long-ago declared decree ofHeaven. Go to Canada, and you find they are perishing; in Newfoundlandthey are entirely gone, and in every other province they are fastdisappearing, save such as are saved by incorporation, by marriage, andsalt stayed by the power of Christianity; but both these remedies areonly temporal—they perish in spite of all in the heated atmosphere ofIsrael’s civilisation. Some few tribes may hold their own and seem toincrease, but such does not invalidate the evidence of the decree. Forthey have perished in such numbers, and so uniformly, when in contactwith Israel, that history proclaims the decree fulfilled. 

The native inhabitants of Van Dieman, called Tasmanians, have entirelybecome extinct. The Maories of New Zealand are rapidly diminishing. Fifty years ago they were 200, 000 strong; now only about 50, 000. In afew more years they will be gone. The same is true in all the otherAustralian provinces. The same is true of many isles of the sea, also ofthe African colonies. In these things, so exceptional, we can surelysay, with the magicians of old who contended against Moses, “This is thefinger of God. ” Thus we see Israel increasing, by the law of diminutiongoing on among the Gentiles. Israel in the latter day was to be blessedwith plenty in the orchards, stall, and field: “For I will lay no morefamine upon you, saith the Lord. ” The past year we learn that some10, 000, 000 of Chinese perished in famine. India, in one part, has beengreatly reduced in number by the same scourge. This country will bepartly protected from the operation of this law—for no doubt a largeportion are from Abraham. “But unto the sons of the concubines, whichAbraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, Eastward, unto the East country” (Gen. Xxv. 6). Thissame scourge does not follow the colonising of other nations. It did notfollow Spain, nor the Dutch, nor France. 

If you turn to the prophets, you will soon learn how they are to increasein the latter days—not by a comparison on the line of diminution only, but in and from themselves. “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, thatI will sow the House of Israel and the House of Judah with the seed ofman and beast” (Jer. Xxxi. 27). Have these days come? We again say, Yes; and these kind of prophecies are being fulfilled in this day in sospecial a manner as to make certain the times we live in. ThroughIsrael, Judah, and Manasseh, the earth is to find the equilibrium ofpeace. The Jews will furnish the money, for in the increasingascendancy, and multiplying power, and authority of England and America, the Jews will draw closer to them and invest more and more their moneywith them, because of greater security and profit. The balance of powerand even compulsion will be in the hands of England and America, to forcearbitration on disputing nations, and they will do so, having set theprecedents themselves in the Alabama and fish treaties. At present, manywill refuse this idea, and point to the famous Monroe doctrine. Now thatdoctrine has had its time, nearly; and it has served a good purpose forthe country. The mercantile growth, and general producing power of thiscountry, will cause us to abandon our selfish protection policy; for ofall other people on the face of the earth we will want free trade; for wewill have the greatest surplus of mercantile and agriculturalproductions, and in a short time our very position and ability will pushaway all competitors. Once our mercantile and agricultural interests arecast in other nations, we will then have an interest in their wars andpeace, and will be led to interfere. 

The chief way in which the balance of power will fall into English andAmerican hands is in the fulfilling of the blessings of the text: themultiplying of this people, first by natural increase, and second byincorporation and absorption. Look at this law of absorption; howvigorous and sure! If you turn into a field of grass fowls, pigs, horses, and cows, you get chicken-meat, pork, horseflesh, and beef. Theindividualism in each creature absorbs and converts the same field ofgrass into themselves. So into this country are coming people of everynation and race, but the individualism of Manasseh will in due time makethem all Manassehites. The children of the Russians, Poles, Spanish, andso on, become American in taste, manners, and sympathies. They are beinggrafted into the tree of Manasseh. 

But look at the law of increase naturally. Take the population ofseveral countries as given in the last census, and carefully note therelative increase, and how long it takes each nation to double itsnumber. Russia, eighty-six millions, doubles every 100 years; Germany, forty-two millions, doubles every 100 years; Turkey, forty-sevenmillions, doubles every 550 years; Austria, thirty-seven millions, doubles every 100 years; France, thirty-six millions, doubles every 140years; Great Britain, thirty-three millions, doubles every 55 years;United States, forty millions, doubles every 25 years; Italy, twenty-seven millions, doubles every 125 years; Egypt, seventeenmillions, doubles every 150 years; Spain, sixteen millions, doubles every112 years; English colonies, ten millions, doubles every 25 years. Nowmake a calculation for 100 years, from 1878 to 1978, and see how thesecountries stand in population and their relative position. Russia willhave one hundred and seventy-two millions; Germany, eighty-four; Turkey, fifty-six; Austria, seventy-four; France, fifty-nine; Great Britain, onehundred and thirty-seven; Italy, forty-one; Egypt, twenty-nine; Spain, twenty-eight; United States, six hundred and forty; and the Englishcolonies, one hundred and sixty—and that is not reckoning the natives inthe colonies, only the descendants of the English. Of course, in acountry like India, the natives will be a considerable number, and theymight properly be reckoned in with the colonial items, and so swell thenumber of Israel’s power. 

Now these figures show a wonderful conclusion. In simple language, wefind that in 1978, the English-speaking race, or Israelites, will number937 millions, while all of Russia, Germany, Turkey, Austria, France, Italy, Egypt, and Spain, will only number 543 millions. Where then, weask, will be the balance of power? And why should this certain law comeinto operation at this time, if it be not the blessing foretold by theprophets? And can we not see that these are the latter days, and thatGod is fulfilling His promises to Israel?

The blood of Abraham and the faith of Abraham have been wonderfullypreserved and projected down through the centuries with telling effect. And on this line the Darwinian theory of election is very true, for thesurvival of the fittest is the proclaimed law of Heaven. There is powerin land possession and there is power in number, and if these two factorsmaintain their force for one hundred years, then we infer of certaintythat the sceptre of rule and destiny of the world will be in the hands ofIsrael, unless the laws of nature are reversed, and the promises of Godfail. The Word of God cannot fail or return unto Him void; it mustaccomplish that whereunto He sent it and prosper in things designed, oras Jeremiah xxiii. 20 says: “The anger of the Lord shall not return untilHe has executed and till He has performed the thoughts of His heart; inthe latter days ye shall consider it perfectly. ”

ISRAEL AND LANGUAGE. DISCOURSE V. 

LATTER DAY PROPHETIC PROMISES—TIME OF ISRAEL’S REVIVAL—PYRAMIDTESTIMONY—BRITISH ISLAND POPULATION IN 1882—AFFINITY BETWEEN ENGLISH ANDHEBREW—CELL OF THE HONEYBEE—ORIGIN OF LANGUAGE—LION OF LANGUAGES—FOREIGNTESTIMONY—ALL TONGUES INDIGENOUS BUT ENGLISH—THE PRE-MILLENNIAL TOKENS. 

 “For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve Him with one consent. ”—Zephaniah iii. 9. 

In the last two discourses we called your attention to two propheciesthat are now fulfilling; they are on parallel lines of time andterritory. The first had reference to the rapid accumulation of thelands of the earth by Israel. Accepting the Anglo-Saxons as being thechildren and descendants of Jacob, it naturally follows that theprophetic blessings and promises made to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and theirheirs, should find a fulfilment in these, the latter days, and that suchfulfilment should be found in the English nation, among the Jews, and inthe United States. It is easy to see and believe that the cursesprophetically pronounced on Judah and Israel have been fulfilled, especially on the House of Judah. The promises to the House of Israelare now being grandly realised. England is in possession of the isles ofthe sea, the coasts of the earth, the waste and desolate places, theheathen is her inheritance, and she is inheriting the seed of theGentiles, and causing their desolate cities to be inhabited. From thetaking of Jamaica, by General Penn, in 1655, to the peaceful cession ofCyprus, the course of this little island nation has been onward andupward. And if her conquests and progress are not amenable to prophecy, for an interpretation, then the wonder is still greater. The facts arewith us, and must be accounted for some way. The second had reference tothe multitudinous seed of Israel in the latter days. Till two hundredyears ago the Anglo-Saxons were not in this respect distinct from otherraces; indeed, for centuries they were distinct rather for their weaknessin multiplying power and number. Many other races have exceeded them inthis particular. But no sooner do we come abreast of the latter day timethan we find the laws of centuries changed. In thermal science it is anaxiom that heat expands all bodies, and of course that cold contractsthem. But to this general rule there is one beautiful and benevolentexception: it is in water; for if we start with water at thirty-twodegrees, we find the remarkable phenomenon of cold expanding all belowthirty-two, and heat expanding all above. If we take water at 212degrees and withdraw it from the heat, it will continue to contract tillwe reach thirty-two; then the law is reversed, and the water expands. Now the reversion of this law, at this particular point, is wonderfullyexpressive of Divine forethought and benevolence. By such a change iceis made to float in water, and so save our lakes, streams, and wells frombeing frozen solid. As this exception is to thermal science, so is thelaw of reproduction to Israel in this day. This people, who have beenbehind other races, now, at an appointed time, step to the front. Thelaw seems to be reversed, and that too for a benevolent purpose—for thevery purpose that they might be able to fulfil the mission assigned themin these last days, to occupy the new lands and evangelise the world. One prophecy seems to call for the other, for what would be the use ofthe lands without the people, or the people without the lands? It is anamazing fact that Queen Victoria should bear rule over one-third of thepopulation of the whole earth, and that Israel, including Manasseh, should own one-fourth of the land. 

But this amazing fact is made reasonable when we accept the Queen asbeing of the seed of David, and an heir to the promises attaching toDavid’s throne, and when we accept the Anglo-Saxons as being the Ten LostTribes of Israel. Then prophecy, Providence, and facts, are atrinity—they are one sublime whole. God, speaking through Moses, said Hewould punish to reform Israel for seven times—and seven timesprophetically understood, means 2, 520 years. If we allow that Israelwere carried captive in the year 725 before Christ, then Israel wouldcome into freedom, or be reformed, about 1795; because if we add 725 to1, 795, we get 2, 520. Up to this point they were to be robbed of theirchildren and to be few in number (see Lev. Xxvi. 22). In the year 1795Israel were to be relieved from these curses; and about this time thisspecial law of reproduction came into operation; or, if we take thelamentations of Hosea vi. 1–3: “Come and let us return unto the Lord, forHe hath torn, and He will heal us; He hath smitten, and He will bind usup; after two days will He revive us; in the third day He will raise usup, and we shall live in His sight. Then shall we know if we follow onto know the Lord. His going forth is prepared as the morning, and Heshall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto theearth. ” By this passage, our day and the special providences of thisperiod are mournfully and graphically referred to. Here a day stands fora thousand years, “for a day with the Lord is as a thousand years;” sothat when two thousand years should have passed by, Ephraim, who standsfor Israel, was to be revived and blessed with fruitfulness sometimeduring the third day, or thousand years. In ancient time a day wascounted when it had a majority—that is, when it had passed the half. Theprophet here says we were to be revived, or raised up, on the third day. So, if you again take these three thousand-year days, you will find thattwo of them are to be completely passed, and during the third we were tobe raised. The number we have given, 2, 520, exactly meets theinterpretation—2, 000 complete, and 520 make a majority for the third dayby the twenty over the half. These prophetic figures tally well with theexisting state of things. About the beginning of this century Englandassumed to lead the world. It is a remarkable coincidence that, in thelast century, the question of how to multiply the population was asubject of debate and legislation in the British Parliament. But whatlegislation failed to do, God in His providence did at the appointedtime. 

It is a curious fact, and well worth noticing, that the famous witness ofthe Lord of hosts in Egypt, the Great Pyramid, forecasts what the numberof Israel and Judah would be in the year 1882. As Israel is symbolisedin the Grand Gallery, it is found that the cubic contents of the same, ininches, is about 36, 000, 000; thus by some this is interpreted to meanthat inches stand for individuals, and if so, then England proper willhave this number in 1880. Whether this is a true interpretation or not, we all know that these figures will be about right. The Queen’s Chamberof the Pyramid symbolises the number and condition of the Jews. 

From these two prophecies, so sublimely fulfilling, let me invite yourattention to another that is now maturing. It, too, is parallel with theother two. We refer to the peculiar growth, power, and progress of theEnglish language. After Israel went into captivity, they were to losetheir language and take or form another. “For with stammering lips andanother tongue will He speak to this people” (Isa. Xxviii. 11). We willall agree that the English language is not the Hebrew; and if we areIsraelites, then indeed God is speaking to us in another tongue, for fewof us read His Word in Hebrew. It is read to the millions in theEnglish; hence the millions hear God speak to them in another tongue thanthat of Hebrew. Between the English and Hebrew languages there is anintimate relation, especially back a few years, before the English hadgrown so much. The Hebrew was a very limited language; not numberingmore than 7, 000 words. The English is now said to number about 80, 000. The most lavish writer does not use over 10, 000; the common average isabout 3, 000. In the English we have not less than 1, 000 Hebrew roots. This, comparing the languages a few years back, is a large percentage. In names of persons and places the Hebrew is very prominent in England. 

I take it for a fact that language is of Divine origin. Men have writtenon the origin of language from every standpoint; the majority of themtrying to account for its existence without allowing so noble a source. The first man, Adam, I believe, could talk as easily and naturally as hecould see, and hear, and taste. Speech was a part of his endowment. There is nothing more wonderful in a man talking than a bird singing, save that speech is a higher order of utterance. Dumb nature performsmarvels every day as mighty and wonderful as man’s talking. Thehoney-bee builds its cells, ignorant of the fact that such constructionis the solution of a problem which had troubled men for centuries tosolve. At what point shall certain lines meet so as to give the mostroom with the least material and have the greatest strength in thebuilding? This problem is said to have been worked out by a Mr. McLaughland, a noted Scotch mathematician, who arrived at his conclusionby laborious and careful fluxionary calculation. To his surprise, and tothe surprise of the world, such lines and such a building were found inthe common bee cell. Now I hold that the same Creator who gave to thebee the mathematical instinct could endow man with the instinct ofspeech. Even to animal instinct we find a certain variation andpermitted latitude in what is called adaptive instinct. So in man wefind this same instinct of adaptation in a higher sense. The instinctcomes into play when we suppose a number of persons separated fromothers, each living in different quarters of the globe. In such acondition, though of the same language when first separated, they wouldnot remain so long—that is, in the primitive state of society. Thus, among the tribes of Africa, at this day, languages are widening andvarying from a once common centre. So Israel in captivity would lose theHebrew gradually. The language of the people among whom they settled wasthe Sanskrit, from which a score of languages have come—the German, French, and Italian, Saxon and others. The Saxon of to-day, comparedwith the Saxon of 2, 000 years ago, is very different; so much so that forus to learn and speak it would be equal to learning a new language. Thusthe English language is a thing of growth. In the year 1362 the Saxonwas made the court language of England. From that time onward its growthhas been wonderful. 

The prophetic outlines and Divine place of this language may be seen inthe germal foundations, which give unto it such vigour, tenacity, andcapabilities of expansion. All the features of this language go to showthat it is destined to be the medium of a world’s intercourse, and thatit very suitably belongs to Israel, in whose hand will be the destiny ofthe world. It is the lion of languages. It will grow anywhere, and byreason of its tenacity when once it gets a foothold it abides. It ispeculiarly suited to the humanities of every race, clime, and condition;there is no limit to its expansive adaptability. It is in a specialmanner voracious in the destruction of other languages; wherever it goes, it sounds the death-knell of all the rest. 

Soon as this language entered Britain, it began its work of destruction. Before it has disappeared the real British, the Cymric or Welsh, Erse orIrish, the Gaelic of Scotland, and the Manx of the Isle of Man. TheBritish Keltic is entirely gone; the rest are entirely local. Besidethese it ousted from the island the Norse, the Norman-French, and severalother tongues that tried to transplant themselves on English soil. It isat work in every part of the globe, planting itself and displacingothers. A few years ago French was the language best suited for atraveller on the Continent. But this has changed. Now the English is byfar superior. And why is it that the English is supplanting all others?To answer such a question in a scientific way, one cannot do better thanquote from the great and learned German philologist, Prof. Grimm, ofBerlin. He says of it: “It has a thorough power of expression, such asno other language ever possessed. It may truly be called aworld-language, for no other can compare with it in richness, reasonableness, and solidity of texture. ” But perhaps the most definiteand distinct testimony given by a foreigner touching the future ubiquityof the Anglo-Saxon race and language, is that put forward by ProvostParadol, a learned Frenchman. He says “that neither Russia nor unitedGermany, supposing that they should attain the highest fortune, canpretend to impede that current of things, nor prevent that solution, relatively near at hand, of the long rivalry of European races for theultimate colonisation and domination of the universe. The world will notbe Russian, nor German, nor French, alas! nor Spanish. ” He concludesthat it will be Anglo-Saxon. 

A British poet has presented in poetry the special features of several ofthe European languages, which we give:—

 “Greek’s a harp we love to hear; Latin is a trumpet clear; Spanish like an organ swells; Italian rings its bridal bells; France, with many a frolic mien, Tunes her sprightly violin; Loud the German rolls his drum When Russia’s clashing cymbals come; But British sons may well rejoice, For English is the human voice. ”

There are eight languages in the bounds of Christian civilisation thatmay be accounted powerful, because they are the tongues of vigorouspeople; they are the English, Russian, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and Scandinavian. But of these all are indigenous, exceptthe English, so that they die if transplanted. Look at this country andbehold what a cemetery it is for languages. Once the French had stronghold and promised to abide here; but it is now nearly gone, even from thestate of Louisiana and Canada, the last places of retreat. 

If we take note of the population according to these several languages, we shall see the prophetic future of the English. It is spoken by aboutninety millions, Russian seventy-five, German fifty-six, French forty, Spanish thirty-eight, Italian twenty-nine, Portuguese fourteen, andScandinavian nine. Within the control of the governments of theselanguages we find England to have rule over 255, 000, 000 people, who donot as yet speak English, and we find that the other seven have onlyseventy-five millions outside of themselves. Here is an importantdifference. If we look at them by territorial limits, leaving outRussia, we find the English language to own 13, 382, 686 square miles, Germany 449, 684, French 571, 578, Spanish 4, 694, 811, Italian 114, 466, Portuguese 4, 028, 311, and Scandinavian 1, 308, 830. The aggregate numberof square miles possessed by these six languages, is 11, 167, 620, whichaltogether, you see, own 2, 215, 066 miles square less than the English. The balance itself is more than Germany, France, and Spain put together. The English language is divided only into two governments, but the othersix are divided into twenty-six, all of which governments are bitter onetoward the other; each trying to supplant one another, while England andthe United States are at peace, and will ever remain so. In one hundredyears from now the English language will be spoken by a thousand millionpeople. Thus we need no stretch of fancy to see that what the prophetspeaks of in the text will be accomplished in due time. 

This language will soon be universal; by common consent it will becomethe language of the world. All the changes going on among nationsforecast its ubiquity. China, by an imperial decree, has just added toher language 700 English words. Her sons by the thousand are with us, and by the thousand they are learning our mother tongue. The Japanese, till a few years ago, carried on their foreign correspondence through theDutch, but now they have changed to the English. Besides, in the 50, 000schools in Japan English is being taught. If science has an answer forthis strange phenomenon, so have we. Ours is, that it is the will ofHeaven. Confusion of tongues came at Babel as a punishment. By thismeans Heaven scattered the unwilling descendants of Noah. When Noah cameforth from the Ark, God bade him multiply and replenish the earth—thatis, fill it up. Babel, however, was built as a monument ofcentralisation, for the builders gave as a reason for building it, “Lestwe be scattered abroad upon the face of the earth. ” By a confusion oftongues they were scattered. Since then we have had some 1, 500 distinctlanguages, and some 3, 500 colloquials, or say 5, 000 different forms ofspeech. At the present time 600 of the primary are dead, so that thereare about 900 languages now spoken on all the earth, with about 2, 500colloquials. 

When these means have answered their end—namely, to make us occupy allparts of the earth—then they will die out. It then follows that as theworld fills, languages must disappear. So they do. The English andGerman were the last languages to come into existence. No new ones arenow being made. Alphabets are increasing, because missionaries arereducing spoken languages among the heathen into a written form. TheBible is translated into two hundred different tongues. This itself willonly lead the millions back to English. All ship papers are now made outin English excepting the French, and no doubt they will soon have tofollow in the wake. 

The day of Pentecost foreshowed the universality of some language. Pentecost was a type, and the English is the antitype. The strangersfrom Phrygia, Pamphylia, Libya, Pontus, and Cappadocia, mingled with theParthians, Medes, Elamites, Cretes, and Arabians. They all heard theGospel in their own tongue. The different tongues make a wall ofdivision, making them strangers one with another; but the Holy Ghost tookaway this wall, and they were all face to face, able to understand oneanother. The same power that here multiplied the gift of tongues—givingto some several—surely could give to Adam one. Away with a faith thatcannot give God credit with being the Author of language. 

No sooner do we see England in guardian possession of Syria than the ideaenters into the scheme of reform of extending the English language. TheBoard of Directors of the Syrian Protestant College at Beyrout have showntheir appreciation of the new era of British influence by a recent vote, which is to the effect that on January 1, 1879, all instruction in thecollege shall be through the English language. The Arabic will only betaught as any other dead language. This remarkable action shows thatBritish influence in Syria is hereafter to be more than simplydiplomatic; it is to be an all-pervading and controlling power, affectingevery interest of Society. Truly another Pentecostal day is drawingnigh—a day when all the world shall hear the Gospel in the language ofIsrael. In all these things we see the lively tokens and pre-millennialagencies hastening on the day of the Lord. 

ISRAEL AND GENTILE FULNESS. DISCOURSE VI. 

MEANING OF GENTILE FULNESS—BLESSINGS THROUGH JUDAH AND EPHRAIM—BESTRELIGION—JEWS OUTWITTED—WHY BENJAMIN WAS KEPT AT JERUSALEM—FRENCHPROTESTANTISM—GENTILE FULNESS CONTEMPORARY WITH TO-DAY—WHAT ITIS—EXCEPTIONAL TURKEY. 

 “Now, if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles, how much more their fulness. ”—Rom. Ii. 12. 

Paul, the author of this epistle to the Romans, tells us that he was anIsraelite of the seed of Abraham and of the Tribe of Benjamin. The factso conveyed it is necessary that we keep in mind, if we would interpretaright this epistle. He introduces to our notice three parties: theJews, who include at this time the Tribes of Judah and Levi; theIsraelites, who embraced the Tribe of Benjamin and the other nine Tribesthat had been in captivity for about eight hundred years—the wholetogether are generally known as the Ten Lost Tribes. In the third partywe have the Gentiles. This word Gentile usually denotes and includes thenon-Jewish nations and people. The Hebrew word _goyim_, in early Biblehistory, was equivalent to our word nation. It finally began to denoteany people who were not of the sacred seed of Abraham. The Greek word sorendered is _ethnos_, which means a multitude or nation. In the NewTestament another word is sometimes used in a more limited sense—namely, _hellenes_, which is translated Greeks. Ignorance of these threeparties, their place in Providence, and relation one to the other, hasgiven rise to much needless controversy and division in the domain oftheology. Men have argued for an election and a reprobation, layinggreat stress on the 9th, 10th, and 11th chapters of Romans, that is in nowise taught. The election Paul deals with is a literal one, havingreference to a distinct people, whom God has elected for a special workin this world. This people God calls “His people, ” “His inheritance, ”“His chosen, ” “His witnesses, ” “His servants. ” “This people have Iformed for Myself; they shall shew forth My praise” (Isa. Xliii. 21). Hence exclaims the Psalmist, “Blessed is the nation whose God is theLord; and the people whom He hath chosen for His own inheritance. ”

It will be evident to any careful Bible reader that God called Abrahamfrom Ur, in Chaldea, from his own kindred, for a special design. ThroughAbraham’s seed Jehovah designed that blessings, temporal and spiritual, should flow to all nations. He selected this seed for His own training, instruction, and culture, to the end that they might train, instruct, andevangelise the rest of mankind. Through Judah was to come spiritualblessings, because from Him was the Messiah; and through Ephraim, asrepresentative of the Ten Tribes, was to come temporal blessings. Andthis in the past has been the order of providential procedure; it is thepresent order, and it is to be the future. Look and verify thisstatement and order by an examination of the nations of the earth at thistime, by asking yourselves the question: What form of religion among themany on earth is best suited to develop man, to conserve his truestinterest, and crown him with the greatest measure of peace, plenty, liberty, and security? Surely to this question there can be but oneanswer—it is the religion of our Lord Jesus Christ. And it is evidentthat Christ came of the Tribe of Judah. If we seek among the nations forthe best form of civilisation and the best government, we shall find thesame to be in the bounds of Israel and Manasseh—England and America. Here we shall find individualism the best developed, and liberty thefullest grown. In this conclusion the intelligent of every other nationwill concur. We assume no risk in making this statement. Thus, withoutdoubt, the world at large is greatly indebted to the religion of Jesus, who was of Judah, and to the Anglo-Saxons, for the best and purest formsof political organisations or governments. The Anglo-Saxons being theTen Lost Tribes, it therefore follows that God has carried out the designincluded in Abraham’s call, and the promise made that in his seed shouldall the nations of the earth be blessed. To us it seems to have been aroundabout way. Had Israel been obedient to God in Palestine, and hadJudah received Jesus as the true Messiah, the state of the nations mostcertainly would have been very different to what it is now. Still, through all, and for all, the purpose of heaven has been carried forward. 

In studying Providence it is always well to remember that God is notdependent on the harmonious co-operation of His creatures for theaccomplishment of His purpose. He can gain His ends either through ourhate or love, resistance or co-operation. When the Jews had crucifiedChrist, they naturally thought they had cut short His career and cut offHis influence; for so it would appear by all human reasoning. Even thedisciples did not see how He could be the Messiah and Deliverer of Israelwhen He allowed Himself to be crucified. The hope of Israel was buriedwith the dead Christ. They had hoped that it had been He who should haveredeemed Israel; but this hope was then dead. But by His resurrectionthey saw through the secret of Providence, and they saw that God wasfaithful in devising a way of escape, and able to bring to pass His ownglorious purpose. So Peter voices their experience when he says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which, accordingto His abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by theresurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. ” The Jews soon found outthey had made a mistake in crucifying Jesus; for the risen Christ wasmightier than the teaching Jesus. They had crushed a seed to the earthwhich sprang forth in renewed beauty and grace; whose death was life andwhose loss was gain. In common parlance they had been outwitted. Theyslew a man and He rose a God. They in wrath offered a sacrifice once andfor all, even for the very sin in which they were then indulging. Theyunknowingly abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light. The critical and unbelieving Sadducees, who denied another life thanthis, gave aid in proving another and a better; for Christ risencondemned their unbelief. The proud and ritualistic Pharisee, who lovedthe temple and its gorgeous ceremony, destroyed one and made the other ofnone avail, for in the planted death of Jesus they laid the foundation ofanother and grander temple—one composed of living stones—and made thetemple service meaningless; for the anti-type had swallowed up the type;the real, the ideal. In all this they had reasoned on a human plan, which is not high enough to wholly overlook and explore the kingdom ofGod. Paul, in 1 Cor. Ii. 7, makes this matter plain: “But we speak thewisdom of God in a mystery; even the hidden wisdom which God ordainedbefore the world unto our glory, which none of the princes of this worldknew; for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord ofglory. ” Jesus committed His life to the wave-tide of their rage, and wasfloated to death and victory. On the man side there was purpose andhate, and for this they were responsible; and on the Divine side we havewisdom and love working out the salvation of a lost race. 

Jesus came to His own and they did not receive Him. Who were His own?We answer, the Jews; for He was of Judah. But if His own did not receiveHim, we ask, who did? The answer is, that Israel received Him. TheIsraelites in the land at that time were the Tribe of Benjamin. They hadbeen providentially selected for this work nearly a thousand yearsbefore. This one Tribe of Benjamin has a very peculiar history; and ityou will study it over, it will greatly serve to confirm your faith inthe Divine inspiration of the Bible and the unity and forethought ofProvidence. The original theocracy of Israel consisted of Twelve Tribes. This theocracy was divided under Rehoboam, Solomon’s son and successor. Ten Tribes seceded, and formed a kingdom, which is ever after called thekingdom of Israel; their first king was Jeroboam. But it is verysingular to notice, that one of these Ten Tribes is lent to the kingdomof Judah, and this one Tribe is Benjamin. In this was the Divineprovision for the time of Christ. We find in the first book of Kings, eleventh chapter, that Solomon displeased the Lord by his wicked ways, and the Lord said: “Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast notkept My covenant and My statutes which I have commanded thee, I willsurely rend the kingdom from thee, and I will give it to thy servant(Jeroboam was Solomon’s servant at that time); notwithstanding in thydays I will not do it, for David thy father’s sake; but I will rend itout of the hands of thy son. Howbeit I will not rend away all thekingdom, but will give one Tribe to thy son, for David My servant’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake, which I have chosen. ” All the kingdomevidently meant the Ten Tribes. The same truth Ahijah, the Shilonite, taught when he rent his new garment into twelve pieces, and gave toJeroboam ten. “And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces; for thussaith the Lord, the God of Israel: Behold, I will rend the kingdom out ofthe hands of Solomon and will give Ten Tribes to thee. ” Then comes inthe reserve clause again: “But he shall have one Tribe for My servantDavid’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake, the city which I have chosen outof all the Tribes of Israel. ” And the reason for the reservation of thisTribe is clearly expressed in verse 36: “And unto his son will I give oneTribe, that David My servant may always have a light before Me inJerusalem. ” Now it is plain why this Tribe was an exception. The cityof Jerusalem, God says, He has chosen out of all the cities of Israel, because to this city would the Messiah come. And beautifully agreeingwith the forethought is the fact that when the Tribes had their lotsassigned them in Palestine, the city of Jerusalem fell in the portion ofBenjamin. 

The Tribe then were owners of the city, and they received Christ. Thedisciples and first followers and converts were chiefly from this Tribeof Benjamin. After this Tribe received Christ, then their work was donein Jerusalem. So they were to separate from the kingdom of Judah, andseek out their own brethren and unite with them. The time of theirseparation had been foretold by the prophet, and pointed out by theSaviour. The time of their departure would be coincident with the siegeand destruction of their beloved city. So cried Jeremiah down throughthe centuries, “Oh, ye children of Benjamin, gather yourselves to fleeout of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and set upa sign of fire in Beth-haccerem, for evil appeareth out of the North andgreat destruction “(Jer. Vi. 1). If any of you are mindful to examinehistory, you will find that war came, that the destruction was terrible, and more, you will find that the Benjaminites escaped. These pointsprofane historians thoroughly confirm. Having fulfilled theirGod-appointed mission with the kingdom of Judah and in Jerusalem, Heavengave them to be light-bearers to the whole world; first to specially findtheir own brethren of the House of Israel, and carry them the Gospel, andthey would carry it unto all the earth. Thus the Saviour said, “Go notin the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter yenot. But go rather to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. ” Peter inhis epistle tells where these lost sheep were scattered. Agreeable tothe Saviour’s command they went forth, and preached as they went, and socarried the Gospel of Jesus with them. As a Tribe they finally settledin Normandy, and gave to France her Protestantism, which, from that dayto this, Catholicism has not been able entirely to uproot, though it hasmade several desperate attempts. They finally, however, as a Tribe, under the Norman conquest, entered England and united with the other nineTribes. Their advent, and the way they came, is very graphicallysymbolised in the unicorn on the royal arms of England. The unicorn islooking Westward, and is attached to the crown by a chain—showing that itcame from the East. 

With these facts in one’s mind, read those difficult passages in Romans, and all will be plain. Take, for instance, Romans xi. 17: “And if someof the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wertgrafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness ofthe olive tree. ” Here it is manifest that we have three partiesmentioned. The branches broken off mean Judah and Levi, the wild olivestands for the Gentiles, the people in among whom they were grafted, orroot of whose fatness they were partakers, mean the Israelites. The hopeof Jewish restoration is nicely set forth in verse 24: “For if thou wertcut out of the olive tree, which is wild by nature, and wert graftedcontrary to nature into a good olive tree, how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree. ”Again, the wild olive stands for the Gentiles, the good olive tree forIsrael, the branches broken off, but which may be grafted in again, forthe Jews. Thus to this theory of interpretation the whole Bible respondseasily and reasonably. With this kind of interpretation one need nottwist and distort the sacred Word in order to understand it. I trust theday is near when men will expound the sacred Scriptures by the rules ofcommon sense. 

The calamity that happened to the nine Tribes of Israel in been carriedcaptive has been turned into good by our heavenly Father—into good forthem and all the world. “Therefore the Lord removed Israel out of Hissight, as He had said by all His servants the prophets. So was Israelcarried away out of their own land to Assyria unto this day” (2 Kingsxvii. 23). Keeping back the Tribe of Benjamin is a marvel of goodness. And with Paul we may exclaim: “Now if the fall of them be the riches ofthe world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles, howmuch more their fulness. ” If Israel had been able to contribute so muchof Christianity to the world, and evolve in her imperfect state such anequitable form of government, what will her contribution be whengathered, restored, and once again put into a theocratic relation to God?“For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, whatshall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?” This people whohave been scattered among the Gentiles God is collecting out from amongthem for His own glorious purpose and work. Thus scattered they havebeen a mystery—a mystery among the Gentiles. Paul to the Colossianssays: “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory ofthis mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you the hope ofglory. ”

When will the fulness of the text take place? We answer. Before long. The fulness here stands over against the Gentile fulness. In the threelast discourses we called your attention to Israel’s maturing fulness inland, people, and language. And now, if you will consider the state ofthe Gentile nations, it will be apparent to you that the time of Gentilefulness is now present. These Gentile nations are now overflowing. TakeChina with her teeming millions, and ask why she has not peopled theworld? for surely she could have done so long ago. But she barred herown doors by making it unlawful for any of her subjects to leave theflowery kingdom—forbidding heaven to such as should die outside. Now, however, she must permit emigration or perish by famine. Take thecountries of Europe, and is it not strange that Israel’s fulness of land, people, and language is made the fuller by these nations contributingtowards the same? The fulness of the Gentiles is made to flow into thefulness of Israel. These countries, outside of Israel-England, have nocolonies to send their overflow to; hence, they are filling up the domainof Israel and so hastening on her fulness. The French, Germans, Italians, and Spaniards forsake their land and language, thus adding toIsrael’s fulness; for they chiefly settle down within the bounds ofIsrael. To this Gentile fulness there was to be one strangeexception—that was in the Turkish nation. This nation is set forth bythe prophet under the figure of the River Euphrates. In their firstappearance they were to be very numerous. In the eleventh century theybegan to invade Europe. The historian Gibbon, speaking of them, says:“Myriads of Turkish horsemen overspread the whole Greek empire, until atlast Constantinople fell into their hands. ” From 1453 till now have theyheld this grand capital. John, in Rev. Ix. , pictures this invasion, andspeaks of the number of horsemen. He speaks of them as having power intheir mouths and tails. This language is very expressive when weremember the Moslem’s war-cry, which was “The sword of Mahomet and ofGod. ” And in one of the first of their great battles they lost theirstandard; but, not long baffled, the commander-in-chief cut off the tailof his beautiful steed, and, putting it on the end of a pole, hoisted itas a standard. This ensign they long used. This kingdom, however, is todry up—that is, to disappear gradually, as a river dries up. All this istaking place. Turkey sends emigrants nowhere. They are literally dyingout. In number they are fewer each year. Turkey will pass away for wantof Turks. Her territory will be taken away from her gradually. Howremarkable the dealings of Providence with men and nations!

Up to the point of Gentile fulness, Israel was to be partly blind, forGod’s plans, through Israel, were to remain a mystery for a time. “For Iwould not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest yeshould be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happenedto Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. ” Our idea isthat the Gentile fulness is now in, and if so, it is natural, then, thatIsrael should be found, and about this time have her eyes opened. Up tothis time of fulness, Jerusalem was to be trodden down. “And they shallfall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations;and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times ofthe Gentiles be fulfilled” (Luke xxi. 23). Now, the Jews did fall by theedge of the sword, as the Saviour foretold; they were carried captiveinto all nations; Jerusalem has been trodden under foot. Thus, then, dowe see three parts of His prophecy literally fulfilled; and so surelywill the fourth part be, which is, that in connection with Gentilefulness this treading shall cease, and proud, imperial Salem shall lifther head once more free from tyrant hands and heathen tramping, to becomethe city of God and His chosen ones. 

When Moses was sent to deliver the children of Israel from Egypt, he wasequipped with miraculous power that he might convince Pharaoh and theEgyptians what was the will of Jehovah; but not more so than are theprophetic students of this day; for the presence of the Divine gleamsforth all around in the miracles of prophecy now so wonderfullyfulfilling in this our day. 

DREAM IMAGE OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR. DISCOURSE VII. 

FUTURE HISTORY OF THE WORLD—THE DESTRUCTION OF THE PAPACYCOMMENCED—IRELAND TO BE FREE AND INDEPENDENT OF ENGLAND AND ROME—FUTUREGLORY OF BRITAIN AND THE UNITED STATES. 

 “Thou, O King, sawest and beheld a great image. This great image whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. ”—Dan. Ii. 31. 

About 2, 500 years ago the kingdom of Babylon was strong, great, andprosperous. The king of this vast empire is known in history asNebuchadnezzar. His reign had been marked with great victories over thesurrounding nations. The mighty Empire of Assyria he had conquered;Egypt he had wasted and almost destroyed; Palestine he had reduced tostrange and pitiable desolation, having carried the Jewish inhabitantscaptive into the region of Babylon. Among these captives we find Daniel, the prophet of Judah. In the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’sconsolidated reign, as king over Babylon and Assyria, he dreamed a dreamwhich gave him much anxiety of mind and troubled him very much. Thisdream he could not remember nor explain, save that it had left a terribleimpression on his mind. The wise men were confounded, for they couldneither declare the vision or its meaning. The king, in his rage, decreed them all to death. At this point appears Daniel, one of thecaptives of Judah. Moved of God, he presents himself before the king andmakes known to him the vision and interpretation. 

The king had seen a great metallic image, excellent in brightness andterrible in form. It was a human figure of massive proportions, standingerect with outstretched arms, and of a mixed and strange composition. The head was of fine gold. The breast and arms were of silver. Thebelly and thighs of brass. The legs of iron, the feet part of iron andpart of clay. While the king was gazing on this monstrous figure withintense interest, his attention was arrested by the appearance of a smallstone—this stone was alone; there appeared no hands handling it or movingit. It was cut out of the mountain without hands. In this stone thereappears to be a good deal of the supernatural. At once this little stoneassaults the image, beginning at the feet. The battle is surely unequal;the battle continues, and during the struggle the stone actually grows;the image falls to pieces—the feet, thigh, breast, and head—and victoryis with the stone. By the time the image is wholly destroyed the stonehas become a mountain; or, as Daniel said to Nebuchadnezzar, “Thou sawesttill that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image uponhis feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. Then wasthe iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold broken to piecestogether, and became like the chaff of the Summer threshing-floors; andthe wind carried them away, that no place was found for them; and thestone that smote the image became a great mountain and filled the wholeearth. ”

In this vision and interpretation we have a line of history laid bare soclearly that we need not err. The beginning is the time and kingdom ofNebuchadnezzar. The image stands for four great earthly monarchies, extending down through the centuries even to this time and day—and alittle further; for these monarchies are not yet wholly destroyed, andthe stone-kingdom does not yet fill the world. Of this fifth, or stonekingdom, there is to be no end by conquest, or decay, or succession. Daniel says that this kingdom shall not be left to other people—that is, it shall never be succeeded. 

The peculiar features of the stone-kingdom make it interesting toascertain what kingdom, monarchy, and people stand for it; for suchkingdom, though small at the beginning, is to grow, prosper, and continueto the end of time. Guided by the Scriptures and history, let us lookfor these four earthly monarchies; and the better to accomplish our task, let us stretch the giant figure on his back; then his head of gold willrest in Babylon, his silver breast and arms will take in Media andPersia, his belly and thighs will take in Greece, and his legs and feetwill take in Rome. Thus, then, the gold head stood for Babylon, and isnow in this day represented and found in Russia—for Russia is acontinuation of Babylon. The _Czar_ is on the line of Nebuchadne_zzar_. This gold-headed kingdom will be the last destroyed—the destructionbegins at the feet. Russia, therefore, has yet a lease of life andprosperity; but, finally, she too will yield the contests and disappearbefore the stone-kingdom. The gold stands for work and endurance, as thehead is significant of supremacy; but the stone will finally destroy it. 

The silver, next in value and endurance, of which were the arms andbreast, stands for Persia. Centuries ago Persia was the great Power ofthe earth. At one time it would seem as if she never would decay or everhave a rival; but her day came, and she has dwindled down to the littlekingdom and monarchy—the Persia of to-day. Her power is gone, she isconsumptive, and will soon disappear as a separate kingdom. The presentvisit of the King of Persia to the Czar at St. Petersburg is not withoutmeaning. The gold head of Russia will need the assistance of the arms ofPersia by-and-bye. 

The brass parts stand well and appropriately for ancient Greece—an Empireonce so gigantic and powerful, a people so polished and learned, but longago their time, and work, and place were marked out. And now the time isnearly gone and the work done, hence they will soon disappear. Thepresent little kingdom of Greece is all that is left. Brass is in itselfcorrosive, so the Greek Empire has gradually eaten itself away. Whatsublime lessons the prophets of old taught us!

The iron and clay, of which were the legs and feet, stand for the greatRoman Empire, which in its day was so solid and grand with its law andorder, its soldiers and statesmen. This Empire that tried the hopelessexperiment of mixing clay and iron—that is, Church and State asinaugurated by Constantine. This nation that tried to fuse togetherPaganism and Christianity. This nation that tried to stand on two equalfeet, and to encompass the whole of man, body and spirit. Well mightDaniel say of this brittle Empire that it should be partly strong andpartly weak. In conscience and the empire of the soul Christ alone isKing. No wonder that the Roman Empire has disappeared. The iron part isnow entirely gone. The Pope and the Church of Rome foolishly arrogate tothemselves to be this kingdom. They still try and believe in mixing theiron and clay—they yet claim authority in the spirit realm. Obedience toChrist and the Pope cannot be on the spiritual or clay side. No man cansupremely serve two masters. On the iron side no man can be loyal to hiscountry and the Pope at the same time. No man can serve two masters atthe same time, both of which claim and demand supremacy. These thingscannot be mixed. “And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men, but they shall notcleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. ”

How true the prophetic utterances of the prophet! The Catholics andProtestants do not mix easily, not socially, not politically, noreducationally. How are we to mix freely with those who think we areheretics and damnable? How can we socially mix with a people so lordlyin their claims and deficient in character as many are—a people who, whentrue to their profession, must be our secret or open enemies—who sinktheir manhood and parental claims, so as to depend upon the priest forforgiveness and on him for instruction? Thus, at the priest’s command, the coming generations are divided and embittered in the fact of separateschools for Catholics and Protestants. These men of clay and lordly air, claim rights superior to the State, despising the State provision foreducation. Daniel said, “The dream is certain, and the interpretationthereof sure. ” If so, as sure as the iron part has disappeared, so willthe clay. 

Now a clearer view, a purer faith and greater liberty are dawning uponour Catholic friends, which is making many of them feel too manly andnoble to be longer slaves to priest or Pope. Bereft of temporal power, they henceforth will have to win and fight their way, as others, on thepurity of their doctrines and practice. In such a strife we can but wishthem, and all who love the Lord Jesus Christ, great success. 

Thus in the short outline of these four kingdoms we see enough to show usthat God has kept His word. How marvellous are His ways! how completeHis work!

Let us now look at this stone kingdom. This fifth kingdom is as muchmaterial and political as the other four, and stands for a king, country, and people. It does not come into existence until the image is perfect. For it is while Nebuchadnezzar was looking at the image he saw the stonecut out of the mountain—its growth was gradual. Its work was to destroythis image and fill the world. As these kingdoms became weaker andsmaller, it would become stronger and larger. 

What king, country, and people respond to this kingdom? The answer is aseasy as to find the other, if we keep our minds free from prejudice andopen to truth. 

First, this kingdom was of Divine origin. Second, it was small at first. Third, the more it fights the more it grows. Fourth, it breaks in piecesthis image, beginning at the feet. It is in fact the sworn enemy of allthe four kingdoms. Fifth, it is to fill the world and thus become auniversal kingdom and monarchy. In this latter sense it will be a fittype of the kingdom of Christ. 

Just such a kingdom as this did God repeatedly promise to Abraham and hisdescendants. David’s throne and seed royal are to be established beforeHim for ever. He promised to David’s throne perpetuity, and that David’sseed should always be on the throne—not in a spiritual sense as somethink—but naturally and actually in this world. 

God promised to Israel, as a people and a kingdom, such pre-eminence inorigin, power, and growth. The answer, then, is simple andplain—England, as representing the Lost Tribes of Israel, and QueenVictoria being a direct descendant from David. For she came of JamesVI. , of Scotland—he from Bruce and Duncan, and Malcolm, and Kenneth, andKenneth through the kings of Argyleshire, Alpin, and Donald, and Fergus. Then through the long line of Irish Kings from Earca to Heremon, of Tara, and he married Tea Tephi, the daughter of Zedekiah, who, through Jeremiahthe prophet, had been hid from the destroying vengeance ofNebuchadnezzar. He killed all her brothers and kindred, and put out theeyes of Zedekiah and took him a captive to Babylon, where he died. 

Look also at the British nation, learned as they are, yet no historiancan tell who the English were originally. Sharon Turner, the best andmost trustworthy on the origin of the Saxons, fails to solve thequestion. He traces them into Central Asia, but there he stops. Theyhere form part of the Aryan race, speaking the Sanscrit language, fromwhich came the Greek and Latin. And from this place and people cameforth the Goths and their language, and also the Saxons and theirlanguage came to view here. The German and Saxon both seem to have comeforth from the Aryan stock. 

The very place the Saxons came from is the very place where the LostTribes were carried captive to by the King of Assyria, about 725 yearsbefore Christ, as we read in the second book of Kings, seventeenthchapter. Take the very word Saxon. This word comes from the Sanscrit:Saka Suna. Saka means era, epoch, or date, and Suna means void, without. Hence the word Saxon means a people whose origin is unknown—void of date. True, Nebuchadnezzar saw no hands cutting the little stone out from themountain. The origin of the English nation is hid because God cast awayHis people for a time—not for ever. It is this view of the stone kingdomthat corresponds to the prophets, to history, especially to the Englishhistory. 

The very island itself is insignificant, and no doubt was once joined tothe continent of Europe. The formation on both sides of the EnglishChannel—that is, on the French and English coasts, are the same—namely, chalk. The ocean in time past washed through a passage, and thusprepared a place for exiled Israel to rest in, and renew their strength. 

Why should this small island and a few and scattered people become sopowerful, so as to sweep the sea, and dictate on land, constantly engagedin war, and though small, winning victory upon victory, and like thestone, growing stronger and stronger, after fighting the whole of Europe, giving liberties in religion that oftentimes imperilled her safety athome, opening her ports to all the world, and venturing to compete intrade with all nations?

How came they to take India, a country of so vast an extent, so powerful, rich, and chivalrous a country, at that time composed of sixteen separateand powerful nations, speaking thirty-six different languages, andnumbering in population some 200, 000, 000?

With all her faults, still to her the world owes much. She has stood forliberty in person and conscience. The world has little to-day whichennobles men and nations but what she has produced or aided in producing. 

The right foot of the image stands for France, while the left signifiesSpain. On these two feet long stood Rome, as all know. When these twofeet were broken, then soon followed the downfall of Rome as an empire, and as they are conquered for Jesus, so will the empire of Rome, as aChurch, fall. 

In the year 1346 took place the battle of Cressey, led by Edward III. Then the little stone fell on the right foot, and since then it hasfallen on that same foot victoriously 218 times. On the left foot, Spain, thirty-five times. All this time this stone has been growing. In1665 the English, under General Penn, took Jamaica, and every four yearssince they have added a colony. Now that little stone bears rule overfifty-five colonies, one empire, namely, India, and one dominion, Canada. And yet, mighty as England was, she could not subdue the Americanprovinces, feeble and scattered colonists as they were. Then they soughtto fight against Providence. Old Jacob blessed the sons of Joseph, Ephraim, and Manasseh, and then predicted their destiny, saying ofManasseh, “He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great; buttruly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shallbecome a multitude of nations. ” So they are; and so Manasseh is a greatpeople in the American nation. 

This stone cut out of the mountain has much to do and destroy; it isstill watching the head of gold. Israel and Babylon are still face toface. Greece will first disappear, although England is trying to reviveit. Next, Persia will go, then Babylon, or head of gold. Russia willhave grown to giant-like proportions, and will finally measure swordswith England. The stone will win. England will then move her royalresidence and throne to Jerusalem. Every country and province may thenbe independent, like Canada, but federated to the central government. Ireland will then be free, yes, doubly free—free from Rome and free fromEngland as a State, but still federated to the central government. It isthus this stone will fill the earth. America will federate, the centralgovernment will be destroyed. State rights increase. These are some ofthe things suggested and taught by this vision. 

LITTLE HORN AND TURKEY. DISCOURSE VIII. 

THE TURKS THE ISHMAELITES—ENGLAND AND RUSSIA TO PARTITION THE MAHOMMEDANEMPIRE—WHY ENGLAND SYMPATHISES WITH TURKEY. 

 “And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the South, and toward the East, and toward the pleasant land. ”—Daniel viii. 9. 

Nebuchadnezzar had a dream, in which he saw a great metallic image ofhuman form. The head of gold stood for Babylon; the silver arms andbreast for Persia; the brass belly and thighs for Greece; the iron legsand feet of iron and clay for Rome. To all this we find history hasfaithfully and beautifully responded. 

A few years after this we find that Daniel has a dream, which isinterpreted to him by an angel. From it we learn that the ten toessymbolised ten kingdoms which were to arise out of the Roman Empire. 

In the chapter from which we take our text, we are introduced into thesecrets of a vision which Daniel had. The place of the vision is on thebanks of the River Ulai, in the province of Elam, and in the gorgeouspalace of Shushan—a place and palace made famous and familiar to us bythe doings of King Ahasuerus and Queen Esther. In other words, the sceneis changed from the palace of Babylon to the palace of Persia. 

In this vision, Pesia is typified by a ram, the two horns of whichrepresented Persia and Media, for they formed one Empire at this time, under the powerful rule and reign of Cyrus, who, coming from the East, pushed his conquests “Westward, and Northward, and Southward. ” “The twohorns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher cameup last. ” From history we know that Media conquered Persia, and we know, also, that finally Persia gained ascendancy, so that the higher came uplast, and is even in existence to-day as the small kingdom of Persia; butMedia has long since disappeared. 

While the seer Daniel was considering, behold an he-goat came from theWest. This goat had a notable horn between his eyes. Horn generallysymbolises power; here it symbolises a king of peculiar power, Danieltells us. Goat-like, it bounded over the earth rapidly, pushing andgoring its adversaries. Can any one at all acquainted with history failto see how fitly and grandly this description of the goat forecasts theorigin and progress of the Greek Empire?

Substitute Alexander the Great for the notable horn, and you at once matehistory and this vision. Surely God has not left Himself withoutwitnesses. “Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger ofGod. ” So we may freely say unto the historians and students of history, Truly, in these things we see the finger of God. 

Could any historian describe more faithfully and accurately theinvasions, conquests, and victories of Alexander the Great, especiallyhis assault on the Persians? How marvellous and simple the descriptionby Daniel: “And he came to the ram that had two horns (Persia), which Ihad seen standing before the river, and ran unto him in the fury of hispower; and I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved withcholer against him, and smote the ram, and brake his two horns; and therewas no power in the ram to stand before him, but he cast him down to theground, and stamped upon him: and there was none that could deliver theram out of his hand. ”

And with the same majestic simplicity we have the downfall of Alexanderand the division of his Empire described. Listen! “Therefore thehe-goat waxed very great; and when he was strong the great horn wasbroken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds ofheaven. ”

To fully understand the sacred writer here, you must call to mind alittle of history, more and better, for all knowledge only aids us thebetter and better to read the Bible. 

What beast save the goat could characterise Alexander and his reign? Hewas the son of Philip of Macedon, born 356 B. C. , and died in 323. Hebegan his reign at twenty years of age, and closed it in twelve years andeight months. No man in the same time ever fought so many battles, wonso many victories, and subdued so many people. No man, before or since, ever ruled over so many people and such a kingdom. Queen Victoria is inthese things his only rival. But with his sudden death the fruits of hisvictories are re-distributed. His Empire was divided into four parts;the four Diadochi were his successors. What lessons may men and nationslearn by studying the prophecies!

“For prophecy came not in old time by the will of man; but holy men ofGod spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost;” and unto this sure wordof prophecy we do well to take heed, as unto a light that shineth in adark place. “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture is ofany private interpretation” (2 Peter i. 20). As naturally as natureresponds to the seasons, so will providence to prophecy. We can discernSpring-time, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. The garden will reveal to usWinter as distinct from Summer, so in interpreting prophecy we mustalways look for an agreement between providence and the world. Asnaturally as the goat symbolises Alexander, so will providence in naturalhistory respond. Winter, with its winds, storms, and frost; with itsleafless trees and desolate gardens, proclaim, beyond a doubt, whichseason of the four is bearing rule. Such a thing cannot be of privateinterpretation; and prophecy, when fulfilled, is as easy seen, and is notof private interpretation. A man is as foolish in forging prophecy asone would be in trying to forge Winter by putting artificial leaves ontrees, and flowers on bushes. The thing is easily known if we exerciseour reason. In this line of thought we are sorry to note that men havemore faith than reason; hence the blunderings of prophetic writers, andthe leaders of Adventism and Millenarianism. Prophecy unfulfilledcommands and demands our faith—much more faith than reason, for it isimpossible to see how some things can come to pass, but if they aresubjects of prophecy they surely will, whether we understand them or not. A prophecy fulfilled, however, appeals more to reason than faith, for iffulfilled, it can readily be demonstrated. 

As naturally as the female and male birds know each other and matetogether, so will events and prophecy. This kind of argument Isaiahuses: “Seek ye out the Book of the Lord and read; no one of these shallfail, none shall want her mate, for My mouth it hath commanded, and HisSpirit it hath gathered them” (Isa. Xxxiv. 16). I charge you to bewareof prophetic dentists who put false teeth in the mouth of prophecy; whoby their haste and impatience forestall prophecy and weaken men’s faithinstead of strengthening it. Prophetic evidence is very strong evidence, both for the Christian and the infidel. 

Some will fail to be convinced when prophecy is fulfilled. Jew-like, they will blind their eyes and shut their ears to the evidences and voiceof fulfilled prophecy. The entire career of our Lord Jesus Christ wasforetold and mapped out by the Old Testament writers. Moses declared Hisfamily; Micah the place of His birth; Isaiah the virginity of His mother;Zechariah His triumphant entry into Jerusalem; David His life, resurrection, and ascension, with many other kinds of evidence of adetailed and general character; yet the Jews, who claimed to be wellversed in the Old Testament, rejected Christ. Keep these things in mindwhile we now consider the text more directly. 

You remember that out of the goat kingdom there came up four notableones, and out of one them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceedinggreat toward the South, East, and pleasant land, or land of Palestine. Now this horn is not to be confounded with the little horn of the fourthkingdom spoken of in chapter vii. , for that horn might justly be calledthe eleventh toe horn, as it comes into existence after the ten-toekingdoms. The little horn of the text is explained in verse 23 to be aking of fierce countenance. He was to appear in the latter time. Itwill be interesting for us to ascertain what king, people, and countrythis little horn stands for. Daniel has given us a very vivid picture ofthe king. He is to be of fierce countenance, to understand darksentences, to stand up in power and might, not however in his own power;he will claim to be appointed and authorised of God, and will pretend torule in God’s name; he will destroy wonderfully even the mighty of theworld and the holy people; he will be very prosperous and practical, giving a great impetus to trade. By means of his prosperity he willbecome proud and strong, and will destroy many. He will actually standup in place of Jesus—Prince of princes. But finally he will be brokenwithout a hand. Thus, you see, Daniel gives us twelve special featuresof his person and reign. Without doubt the mate of these descriptionswill be found on the person of Mahommed, and his successors in religionMahommedanism, and in people and country the Turks and Turkey. 

Mahommed had his religion and himself recognised about the year 622 atMecca. From that time and place he went forth to waste and to destroy. As his religion prevailed, so he subdued the country or territory. Heunited in himself the rights and prerogatives of king, priest, andprophet, making it obligatory upon his followers to prepare a way andenforce his religion by the sword. He was indeed a king of fiercecountenance. Thus sprang Mahommedanism and the Turkish nation intoexistence. As a people, they are chiefly the descendants of Esau andIshmael. If one desires to know the history and final destiny of thispeople, let him study the prophetic utterances concerning Esau andIshmael. They are the descendants of Abraham, and so they very naturallyfall into the prophetic line. 

The Hungarians came from this family through Lot. The Poles and Magyarsare from Moab and Ammon. These things being so, it is no wonder theHungarians and Turks should sympathise, nor that England should have aliking for Turks, England being the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel. Allianceand sympathy between England and Turkey has a deeper root and meaningthan some are willing to admit. Turkey, however, as a distinct empire, is nearly at an end. The recognition of the Ten Lost Tribes, and theirrestoration with the Jews to Palestine, is connected with the downfall ofTurkey. “Saviours are to come up on Mount Zion to judge the Mount ofEsau, and the kingdom shall be the Lord’s” (Obad. ). 

How clearly speaks Obadiah again when he says, “How are the things ofEsau searched out! how are his hidden things sought up! All the men ofthy confederacy have brought thee even to the border; the men that wereat peace with thee have deceived thee, and prevailed against thee; theythat eat thy bread have laid a wound under thee; there is noneunderstanding in him. Shall I not in that day, saith the Lord, evendestroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of the Mount ofEsau?”

These are the latter times of the king of fierce countenance. HearDaniel inquiring of the angel in this vision, “How long shall be thevision concerning the daily sacrifice and the transgression ofdesolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden underfoot? And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days. ”These days are generally allowed to stand for years. If so, Jerusalemwas destroyed 70 A. D. The time Daniel saw this vision was about 490B. C. ; take 70 from this leaves 420. From 2, 300 take 420, and we have1, 880. “Then shall the sanctuary be cleansed. ” What means this? Itmeans Jerusalem will recur back again into the hands of the Jews andIsrael. Christ said that the Jews “should fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations; and Jerusalem shall be troddendown of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled” (Lukexxi. 24). 

Now we know the Jews did fall by the sword when the Romans tookJerusalem. Second, we know they were scattered among the nations. Third, Jerusalem has been trodden under foot—so much so, that Christianshave not been permitted to stand on Mount Zion, where now stands theMosque of Omar. And this is the city of the great King. This is MountZion, from which is yet to go forth the law. This is Jerusalem that Godpromises to yet again make the chief place of the earth. “Arise, shine, for the light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. ”When, we ask, will the fulness of the Gentiles come in? We answer, Soon. Think of what God has taught us in His Word. We, as the Lost Tribes, have indeed been ignorant of our origin and destiny. “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should bewise in your own conceits, that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in” (Rom. Xi. 25). This timeis nicely pointed out by John in Rev. Xi. 2: “But the court which iswithout the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given untothe Gentiles, and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and twomonths;” or, as explained in the following verse, a thousand two hundredand three-score days. Accepting a day for a year again, and we have1, 260 years. Taking Mahommed power to date from 622, or about, then 622and 1, 260 make 1, 882. Now just as sure as Jerusalem is now trodden underfoot, as certainly will it be free. 

“Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautifulgarments, O Jerusalem, the holy city; for henceforth there shall no morecome into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean. Shake thyself from thedust; arise and sit down, O Jerusalem; loose thyself from the bands ofthy neck, O captive daughter of Zion” (Isa. Lii. 1, 2). 

England is appointed of God to take possession of Palestine and restoreJerusalem. God has told us through Isaiah that He will lay vengeanceupon Edom by the hand of Israel. The many days of the vision of Danielare now gone; the time is nearly up. 

“For Zion’s sake will I not hold My peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake Iwill not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth; and the Gentiles shallsee thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory. ” It is the duty of thewatchmen of Zion to discern the signs of the times and become obedientunto heavenly instruction. “Ye that make mention of the Lord, keep notsilence, and give Him no rest till He establish, and till He makeJerusalem a praise in the earth” (Isa. Lxii. 1, 2, 6, 7). 

LITTLE HORN AND ANTI-CHRIST. DISCOURSE IX. 

PROPHETIC WONDERS—TWENTY MARKS OF THE MONSTER—THE BERLINCONGRESS—ANTI-CHRISTS MANY—MISTAKES BY WRITERS. 

 “I considered the horns, and behold! there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots; and behold! in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things. ”—Daniel vii. 8. 

In the visions and dream recorded by Daniel in this chapter we have thesame subject matter as that contained in the dream of Nebuchadnezzar ofthe metallic image. In this the subject is carried further into thefuture, bringing to view some new items of interest, under differentsymbols and more of detail. The four kingdoms of the metallic image arein this dream presented by the symbolism of four beasts. Babylon by alion which had eagle’s wings, setting forth the strength and swiftness ofthe same. Persia by a bear raised up on one side. Persia at this timewas composed of Media as well, but the one-sided position of the beardenotes the dying out of Media and the continuance of Persia. The sameidea is conveyed in the eighth chapter and third verse: “The ram had twohorns, and one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last. ”Media was a kingdom before Persia, but Persia was to survive Media; allthis history confirms. After the Medo-Persian Empire declined, Persiasurviving, held on to Babylon, Lydia, and Egypt—that is, when the bearwas raised up on one side, it held in its mouth three ribs, and wasstrong for a time. 

The Macedonian Empire Daniel saw under the type of a leopard, which hadon its back four wings of a fowl; the beast also had four heads. Babylonwas represented by two wings, but it is very fitting that Alexander andhis empire should have four wings, for no conqueror ever flew so fastover the earth as this same monarch. In the metallic image he isrepresented by brass, in this by a leopard, and in the one we noticed inDiscourse VII. , by the goat. How wonderfully appropriate are thesesymbolisms. The four heads of this leopard stand for the four kingdomsinto which the Macedonian Empire was divided on the death ofAlexander—namely, first, Egypt under Ptolemy; second, Syria underAntigonus; third, Asia Minor under Lysimachus; fourth, Greece underCassandar. These four kings were the four leading generals of Alexander. 

The fourth beast of this vision is a nondescript; for among all theanimal creation there could not be found one that could suitablyrepresent Rome. But one was made for the purpose, combining in itselfall that is fierce and terrible. “And behold a fourth beast, dreadfuland terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth; itdevoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet ofit; and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and ithad ten horns. ” Its teeth were of iron and its claws of brass. What amonster! The other beasts faithfully represented their respectivekingdoms, and so did this. What a record! What a counterpart we have inhistory of this beast! “Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in thestreets of Askelon, ” lest the Pagan rejoice, and the heathen mock at us, and the infidel triumph over us. Blot out from Time’s record the 24th ofAugust, 1572. Let not our children learn the name of St. Bartholomew, for fear they should despise Christianity. Quench the flames ofSmithfield, destroy the Inquisition, and divorce Christianity from such akingdom, from such a beast. Thank heaven! the beast is dying; its teethare worn to the very gum by the gnawings of centuries; its claws are notnow sharp, so it cannot now crush the innocent, as in days gone by, nortear with its brass claw the weak. Though the beast is growing old andweaker, yet let us remember that its death struggle is yet to come. Thebeast has been wounded, but this shall only serve to intensify its rage. To be forewarned is to be forearmed, if we are wise. 

This beast, Daniel tells us, had ten horns, and these horns are tenkings—that is, kingdoms—that shall arise. Just here we may reasonablyask whether these ten kingdoms are yet in existence, and the answer is, No. Some of them may be; of course they are in existence, as was GeneralGrant before the war, but not yet distinct or assigned their special workand place. The time, however, for them all to appear is near at hand. Of this we may rest satisfied, when once they are all in existence wewill have no difficulty in knowing them. Prophecy unfulfilled is alwaysmore difficult to interpret than when it is fulfilling or fulfilled. Wehave no doubt but some of these horns are in existence, and from what wecan glean from prophecy and history, some are not yet in their properplace. 

The special province of prophecy is to prepare us for what is coming. Searching into prophecy enables us to forecast the future with tolerablecertainty, just as the scientists can tolerably forecast the weather bystudying the laws, forces, and inclinations of nature. So the Christianstudent, by studying prophecy, Providence, and history, and comparingthem, can know much of what is coining. On the Divine side all prophecyis certain, but on the human it can only be approximated. Prophecyfurnishes the strongest kind of evidence in favour of the existence ofGod—inspiration of the Scriptures and Providence. The Lord Himself callsour attention to this kind of evidence frequently in the Bible. “Produceyour cause, saith the Lord; bring forth your strong reasons, said theKing of Jacob. Let them bring them forth and show us what shall happen;let them show the former things what they be, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or declare us things for to come” (Isa. Xli. 21, 22). 

Prophecy does not interfere with the coming to pass of an event, orsuppress man’s freedom no more than the man at Washington, who gives usthe weather probabilities, makes the weather or regulates nature. Evenwhen men know the sequence of a thing they oftentimes persist in doingit. The soldiers who wrangled at the cross about the dividing of thegarments of the crucified One, thought little and cared less forprophecy; but when they came to the Saviour’s vest, they fell into theline of prophecy, for at once they cast lots for that, all of which hadbeen fore-written for hundreds of years. Run and tell that young manthat the place he is entering is the way of death. Tell him that the airis foul, that the furniture and painted humanity are all gotten up todeceive. Tell him that in a few years he will repent ever having seensuch a place. And what is your reward? It is that you are laughed atand esteemed as one that interferes, and told to mind your own business. The young man is free and self-confident. Look in a few years for thatsame young man and you shall find him a terrible example of fulfilledprophecy. Diseased, worn, weak, and weary, he cries in the anguish ofsoul for his folly. “And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thybody are consumed, and say, How have I hated instruction, and my heartdespised reproof?” (Prov. V. 11, 12). 

The famous European Congress which met in Berlin, we foresaw would meet, near three years ago, and told you the conditions under which it would becalled. In the dark days of the past did we not repeat to you our faith, as fostered from prophecy, that England could not go to war? Many ofyou, and persons in different parts of the country, advised me by letterwhen the telegraph despatches came crowding and threatening, that I hadso said. The intention was to break my faith, or at least to remind methat I had not spoken correctly. What now? who is right? This Congresscompleted a prophetic period. After it was over new scenery appeared anda new act came upon the stage. But more of this by-and-bye. 

Among the results of this Congress will be an enlargement of England’spower over Turkey and Egypt. For England must possess Constantinople, because to Israel it is promised that he shall possess the gates of hisenemies, and this is one of the finest gates in the world. Palestinewill come into the hands of England, and be opened up for the return ofthe Jews, who, when the time comes will go in multitudes, and the LostTribes representatively. “I will take you one of a city, and two of afamily, and I will bring you to Zion” (Jer. Iii. 14). In a few years menwill understand why, in this country, as well as in England, people arehunting up their genealogy, and by tradition, history, and heraldry, trying to ascertain of what family they are. The re-settlement ofPalestine by God’s chosen people, the Lost Tribes, no one can deny whoreads and believes the Bible. Hanging upon the fulfilment of this greatfact are many other prophecies and events, which are of great interest tothe Church and the world. 

1st. The ten-toed kingdom must be formed. These kings are to form analliance with the beast, or Church of Rome, as representative of thisbeast. “And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which havereceived no kingdom as yet, but receive power as kings one hour with thebeast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength untothe beast” (Rev. Xvii. 12). Thus strengthened, the beast will make warwith the saints, or chosen, but it will be her final struggle, for instruggling she will die. These ten kings will forsake her. 

2nd. Anti-Christ has to appear after the settlement of Palestine. Anti-Christ is represented by the other little horn spoken of in thetext. This little horn is to come forth from one of the ten horns. He, too, will ally with the beast. The subject of Anti-Christ is a veryinteresting one; on it men have written and speculated much and wildly. In studying a subject of this kind, we should first ascertain theScripture teachings on it, then look for the preparative signs in theChurch and world, and finally, for the counterpart, which, once inexistence, no one can fail to recognise. The time, person, and work ofAnti-Christ have been very clearly set forth in the Old and NewTestaments, especially by Isaiah, in the fourteenth chapter and twelfthto sixteenth verses; by Daniel in the seventh and eleventh chapters, under the symbolism of this little horn; by Paul in second Thessalonians, second chapter and first to twelfth verses; also by John in Revelation, thirteenth chapter and nineteenth chapter and twentieth verse, besidesmany other references. 

Of Anti-Christ the early Christian fathers had different views. 1st. Some thought that he would be Satan assuming the appearance of a man. 2nd. Some thought he would be a hybrid, the offspring of Satan by aharlot; of this opinion were Lactantius and Sulspitius. 3rd. Hilary, Jerome, and others thought he would be Satan incarnated. 4th. Chrysostom, Theopolact, and Theodoret thought he would be a real manunder the influence of the devil. This latter view we accept as beingthe nearest to the Scripture teaching. In the Scriptures he goes by thenames of Lucifer, man of sin, son of perdition, and that wicked one. Nowall these names are indicative of some special feature of his character. Man of sin points out the intensity of the person in wickedness. As sometime ago a man was called “the wickedest man in New York, ” so Anti-Christwill be called the man of sin, having been the greatest sinner of humankind. 

From the Scriptures we find that he will be characterised by some twentypeculiarities. These we will just enumerate: a cunning seducer, a vileimposter, a bold blasphemer, a great tyrant, a wonderful organiser anddiplomatist; hence he will readily make alliances with other kings andstrengthen himself; a pretentious and hypocritical Communist, dividinghis lands, money, and treasure among the people; he will be veryambitious and aspiring, doing or being anything so he may gain his point;he will be very self-willed; he will be very boastful, speaking greatwords; he will be very cruel, not heeding the plea of woman; he will bevery sacrilegious, sitting in the temple of God—that is, the new temple, built by the returned Jews—and actually claim to be God; he will be ascientific spiritualist, able to work miracles, even to bring fire downfrom the clouds; he will be very powerful by his alliance, apparentgenerosity, and scientific deception; he will be a great liar, makingtreaties and breaking them whenever it suits him; he will be very wicked, guilty of all manner of crime; his reign will be short as a king, onlyabout three-and-a-half years. Before this he will have been a man ofpower and position. He will suddenly be destroyed in the time of afearful uprising of the people; he will remain unburied in the streets ofJerusalem for a time, then, finally, his remains will be burnt up. Theseand many other facts inspiration furnish us beforehand of this mostwonderful character. 

Against this person our Saviour warned the Jews and all the Church, butespecially the Jews, and He did so for special reasons, which will appearhereafter in this discourse. Christ said, “I am come in My Father’sname, and ye receive Me not; if another shall come in his own name, himye shall receive. ” At the time of Anti-Christ’s death there will beraging a fearful war, and coincident with this war there will be anotherSaint Bartholomew massacre in several of the ten-toed kingdoms. Thebeast and Anti-Christ are to be destroyed about the same time. It willbe the last plot of the Jesuits, who are hounding to death poor Leo. XIII. A glimpse of that time the Saviour showed to His disciples, whenHe said: “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since thebeginning of the world, to this time, no, nor ever shall be; and exceptthose days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved; but forthe elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. Then, if any man shallsay unto you, Lo! here is Christ, or there, believe it not; for thereshall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signsand wonders, insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive thevery elect. Behold! I have told you before” (Matt. Xxiv. 21–25). 

What a warning the Saviour gave the Jews, but how little have they andthe Church heeded it! In the second century appeared the famous BarCochebas, with his thousands of followers, who in his final struggle wasslain with some sixty thousand of his adherents. Also, think ofAntiochus Epiphanes and his terrible delusions, the thousands and tens ofthousands who flocked to his standard. So marvellous was this delusion, that many have actually made him out to be Anti-Christ, but those whothus reason take the shadow for the substance, and do violence to alltrue Scripture exegesis. Antiochus Epiphanes could not be Anti-Christ, for he was out of time, and meets but few of the special conditions ofAnti-Christ. History records the appearance of not less than twenty-fiveAnti-Christs, or persons who have claimed to be the Messiah of the Jews. How unbelief exposes a man or a people!

Some have laboured to make it appear that Mahommed was Anti-Christ, butwith all his badness, he is not bad enough to be Anti-Christ. He revilednot God, he never sat in His temple, he did not die in Jerusalem. He hadan honourable burial. 

Some have tried to prove that Romanism and the Pope were Anti-Christ, butthis cannot be, you will see at a glance. The beast has its owncharacter; that was long ago written out by the prophets, and up to thepresent time it has filled in the outlines with a marvellous minuteness. In these things many good and wise men have erred in making propheciesfit certain persons, and nations, and times, instead of waiting for thesethings to fit on to prophecy. Let us not be prophetic forgers. Let noone deceive you in these matters. Adventism, Millerism, Shakerism, Spiritualism, are untimely excesses. As systems they are, as yet, out ofplace. This subject of Anti-Christ, as to who he will be, and when hewill appear, I shall be obliged to leave for next Sunday evening, as mytime is up. May the good Lord guide us into the ways of truth and peace. 

ANTI-CHRIST AND LITTLE HORN. DISCOURSE X. 

SECOND DISCOURSE OF THE MONSTER—WHO HE WILL BE AND HIS NAME—HOW HE WILLOBTAIN POWER—TROUBLE FOR GERMANY, FRANCE, ANDRUSSIA—COMMUNISM—ROMANISM—SHAKERS—MATTHIAS, WEST—CHESTER PROPHET. 

 “Let no man deceive you by any means; for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped, so that he, as God, sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. ”—2 Thess. Ii. 3, 4. 

We may reasonably ask why Paul gave the Thessalonians this caution, andthe answer will appear at once if we read his first epistle to thispeople. There you will find Paul writing to them about the second comingof Christ, which writing the Thessalonians had evidently misunderstood, and this misunderstanding was working mischief among them. They hadfalse hopes and expectations. Their faith, instead of exciting them toholy activity in Church and State, had begun to paralyse all theirefforts. “For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that _we_which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not preventthem which are asleep; for the Lord Himself shall descend from heavenwith a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trump of God;and the dead in Christ shall rise first (that is, before Christdescends); then _we_ which are alive and remain shall be caught uptogether with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and soshall _we_ ever be with the Lord” (1 Thess. Iv. 15–17). It was thefrequent use of the pronoun “we” that had confused them—_we_ who remain, _we_ who are alive. The Thessalonians had inferred from this that thesecond coming of Christ would take place in their day. Hence, to correctthis impression Paul thus writes in his second epistle. The two versespreceding the text show us Paul’s intent. “Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering togetherunto Him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither byspirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christis at hand. ” Then comes in the text, “Let no man deceive you, ” &c. 

In reasoning on such important subjects as Anti-Christ, resurrection, andsecond coming of Christ, we should always be mindful of the Scripturalorder. When we sit down to take dinner, we follow the order that customhas prescribed, soup, fish, meats, and dessert. Children, however, iflet alone, would reverse this order by beginning with the dessert first. So with many Christians, they reverse the order of things as laid down inthe Bible. They make Christ to come before Anti-Christ, and Anti-Christto come before the Jews and Ten Lost Tribes are gathered together againand settled after their first estate in Palestine. The Millerites couldneither have deceived themselves nor others had they taken knowledge ofthe relation of things. The Jews and Lost Tribes had not been gatheredtogether then, the temple had not been built in Jerusalem, as describedin the last chapter of Ezekiel, neither had Anti-Christ appeared. Butsuch was the folly of men then, and not less now than then. Four-fifthsof the prophecies of the Bible refer to the history of Judah and Israelin their own land, their captivity and return in the latter day. Stillmen take one-fifth and confuse themselves and everybody else. They havebrought the prophets and prophecy into bad repute by ignorantly orwilfully interpreting the same. 

We freely avow now that the prophecy fulfilling at present is the findingof the Lost Ten Tribes, then their union with the Jews, then theirrestoration to Palestine, then after being settled there for some time, the Jews, as Jews, having built their new temple, and having establishedthe Mosaic temple service again, and the Lost Tribes as Christians, thenand there we may look for Anti-Christ—not before. Not for the sake ofboasting, and yet without fear, we freely invite ministers or laymenanywhere to disprove these facts, and to such we will respond cheerfullyif asked for farther proof. The Lost Tribes, we believe, are come tolight, and may be found in the Saxon race chiefly as represented in thiscountry and Great Britain. If this be so, then we may look for thepreparatory signs in Providence and nations, and thank Heaven, these areat hand and in accord with the Divine Word. 

In Nebuchadnezzar’s metallic image we saw Rome symbolised by the legs, composed of iron and clay. We saw, also, that the little stone cut outof the mountain began its destructive assault on the image, by strikingthe feet; these it would first break, so Rome politically hasdisappeared. The ten toes, however, symbolised ten kings or kingdomsthat were to arise in the latter day, or at the time of the end. Theseten kingdoms are also symbolised in Daniel’s dream by ten horns that cameout of the head of the nondescript animal that stood for Rome. It is outof one of these ten horns that another little horn grows, having eyeslike a man and a mouth speaking great things—that is, Anti-Christ. It isat once plain, then, that ere Anti-Christ can appear, these ten kingdomsmust be formed. How, when, and where will these ten kingdoms be formed?The clay part of Rome is still alive, and is designated by Daniel, and byJohn in Revelation, under the name of beast; and here you need to becareful, for the word beast is sometimes given to Anti-Christ, so as notto confound it with the word beast when it stands for the Romish Church. They will be formed out of Spain, Italy, France, and part of Austria. Edom, Moab, and the sons of Ammon in Austria, are to be free—that is, thePoles, Magyars, and Hungarians. The setting up of these ten kingdomswill begin in France by a revolution. 

By the doctrine of infallibility, these countries are claimed by Rome, and wedded to her, and this doctrine of infallibility makes a divorceimpossible. Rome waits only her time to reclaim her supposed own. Andthis doctrine of infallibility will make it a holy war, hence good andtrue Catholics everywhere will be obliged to sustain the same by theirmoney, or presence, or prayers. This, to many of our Catholic friends, will sound strange. But this they know, if such an emergency ever doesarise—they cannot well fight against the infallible Church—betweencommands and duties, they will readily prefer the Pope and Church to kingand country. 

The Jesuits are now, and have long been, preparing for such an event:they expect it. By their plottings and intrigues they will again, asmany times before, involve the Church in war. They are busy sowing theseeds of discord. In past time both the Church itself and nations havebanished these crafty fellows from their pale and country. The UnitedStates alone, of the nations of the earth, is the only one that has notso done. But even among us they are plotting and manœuvring to such anextent that it will not be long before America will be tested and triedon this same subject. 

Among the preparatory signs of the coming of Anti-Christ we haveCommunism, which is destined to spread. In Europe it will unsettle everythrone but one—that is, Israel, England. We fear that neither the Churchnor State comprehend the terrible power that is thus quietly organisingin this and other lands. It is this uprising of the Communists andintriguing of the Jesuits in our own land, that will call General Grantonce more to the front, as we pointed out to you months ago. The recentEuropean Congress resulted in patching up a temporary peace betweenRussia, England, and Turkey. A place will be provided for the Duke ofEdinburgh, who, having married the Czar’s daughter, will enable the twoPowers to agree. He may not be the first prince, still he and his seedare to find a kingdom in that place. Russia will be willing for Englandto have Constantinople, and exercise a provisional protectorate overTurkey, with a view of strengthening his daughter’s chances. Englandwill thus come peaceably in possession of Palestine. 

Germany, being tied to both the Russian and English thrones by blood andmarriage, will also freely consent. Besides, Germany is going to passthrough a severe trial. The old Emperor will soon die, and alsoBismarck, then a new prince will advise the new king, new counsel, andnew blood, near and on the throne. Germany will become a prey tointernal strife, fanned by the discontented Catholics of the Empire, thatnumber some 15, 000, 000, and weakened by the Communistic elements. Notmuch longer can Germany bear the strain of her immense army and enormoustaxes in consequence. 

Russia also will have all she can do to stay the desire for reform, andthe claims of the Nihilists or Communists. Thus will Providence prepareHis people’s way back to Palestine. 

If God promises once He does so fifty times, that He will restore Israeland Judah to their own land. To this one thing all Providence isconcentrating, and this is the key that unseals prophecy and Providence. “And I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel toreturn, and will build them as at the first” (Jer. Xxxiii. 7). They willform a free province, electing their own rulers and governors. They willbe quite democratic, doing away with all titles, being the children ofthe Lord. “And the nobles shall be of themselves, and their governorshall proceed from the midst of them” (Jer. Xxx. 21); or, as stated byIsaiah, chap, i, verse 26, “And I will restore thy judges as at thefirst, and thy counsellors as at the beginning; afterward thou shalt becalled, The city of righteousness, the faithful city. ” Thus they will bea free province, managing their own affairs under the patronage andprotection of England. Now it is this freedom that will open the doorand prepare the way for Anti-Christ. He will be elected governor becauseof his supposed superiority in manners, science, and benevolence. Hewill appear as a lamb at first, according to John, but once in power histrue character will appear. He will be a great scientist, and in theeyes and faith of the multitude He will be able to work miracles—tobring, scientifically, fire down from heaven. So clever will he be thathe will deceive some of the very elect. 

Before his election he will have been a man of great power and influence. Once in power he will contrive to centre all power and interests inhimself. He will pander to the Communists—to the Romish Church—to thescientific infidels of the day. In this feature he will draw heavilyupon the Germans, and create quite a sympathy in England and thiscountry. “For some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, andto purge, and to make them white even to the time of the end” (Dan. Xi. 35). 

The Scriptures having pointed out the special features of his character, we see that many of these features are already in the world. This isAnti-Christ. This is the spirit of Anti-Christ. And when God withdrawsHis restraining power, Anti-Christ will embody all these forces andcharacteristics in himself. And all men having these features, willsympathise with him, and aid him. God alone is now keeping back and downthis spirit of Anti-Christ until His own chosen time. “And now ye knowwhat withholdeth, that he might be revealed in his time; for the mysteryof iniquity doth already work, only he who now letteth will let until hebe taken out of the way (that is, till God withdraws Himself), and thenshall that wicked be revealed. ”

Anti-Christ means one opposed to Christ. Also it means one opposed toChrist, and yet desires to be Christ—who wishes to be received as Christ. And when the time comes, he will be received by many. The Jews will belooking for, and expecting the coming of, their Messiah, hence many ofthese will be deceived. Many radical Adventists and Millenarians willaccept him, because they are in haste in their expectations: many ofthese will follow him. Indeed, the whole world seems ripe to furnish hima quota. But who will he be? Answer: He will be a French Jew, who willintermarry into the Bonaparte family. His title will be Napoleon I. OfPalestine. This word Napoleon, resolved into Greek equivalents, is equalto Apollyon, and as a number stands for 666. “Here is wisdom. Let himthat hath understanding count the number of the beast, for it is thenumber of a man; and his number is six hundred threescore and six” (Rev. Viii. 18). 

Christ, when warning the Jews of Anti-Christ, said, “I am come in MyFather’s name, and ye receive Me not; if another shall come in his ownname, him ye will receive. ” Here, and in other discourses, we have tocontent ourselves at many points with mere statements, for to defendevery point would take too long a time, and would not suit our purpose. It is our desire in all these discourses to incite you to study, to teachyou to examine for yourselves; to prepare you against being unduly ledaway by Adventism, Communism, or Infidelity; to give you an interest inProvidence and history. Do you ask if any will be led away by such afalse pretender? We answer, Yes—unless humanity undergoes some radicalchange. Take a few instances:—

Our Shaker friends believed in Mother Ann Lee. This woman in 1770, whileliving in Manchester, England, pretended to have a special revelationfrom Heaven, making known unto her that she was the female side ofChrist—as Jesus was the revelation of the male side. As Eve was takenout of Adam, the female principle separated from the male, so she wasseparated from Christ. This, and much that is curious, do these sincere, honest, and industrious people believe. 

Take another example, nearer home, and of which some of you arecognizant, having known the pretender and many of his duped followers. We refer to Matthias, the prophet of Westchester County. This pretendedlord began his labours in Albany, N. Y. , in 1830. First he taught himselfto be God’s high priest, then the Saviour, then he claimed to be God. Onbeing asked where he was from, he would answer: “I am a traveller, and mylegal residence is Zion Hill, Westchester County, New York State. I am aJewish teacher and priest of the Most High God, saying and doing all thatI do, under oath, by virtue of my having subscribed to all the covenantsthat God hath made with man from the beginning up to this time. I amchief high priest of the Jews of the Order of Melchizedec, being the lastchosen of the twelve apostles, and the first in the resurrection which isat the end of 2, 300 years from the birth of Mahommed, which terminates in1830. I am now denouncing judgment on the Gentiles, and that judgment isto be executed in this age. ”

He appeared in fine pontifical robes, with a rule six feet long in hisright hand; with this he was to measure off God’s holy city. In his lefthand he had a two-edged sword. Underneath his pontifical robe he had arich olive broadcloth cloak, lined and faced with silk and velvet;besides, he wore a brown frock coat, with several stars on each breast, with a splendid gold star on the left. His belt was of white cloth, fastened by a golden clasp, and surmounted with an eagle. He wore acocked hat of black beaver, trimmed with green, the rear angle beingsurmounted by the golden symbol of glory. 

He moved from Albany to New York, and here succeeded most wonderfully, winning over some of the finest families of Fifth Avenue, and the richestand best merchants of this city. His followers furnished him with plentyof money, carriages, a mansion in the city, and one in the country. Finally he was accused and detected of the worst crimes, and at last wassent to Sing Sing. While in jail he issued the following proclamation:“As I live, there shall be no more sowing in the earth until I, thetwelfth and last of the apostles, am delivered out of the house ofbondage. ” For fear of this proclamation many of the farmers refused tosow, and they set to work to deliver him, and succeeded. He left thejail, and may be living yet to read what we now state to you. 

It is really wonderful how easily men are deceived in religious matters. Let us study the Word, ask God’s guidance in knowing and doing His will. Time is gone. I have said but little, much more might be said. In mynext discourse I will introduce you to two old men who will visitAnti-Christ. 

THE TWO WITNESSES. DISCOURSE XI. 

TROUBLOUS TIMES—APPEARANCE OF THE WITNESSES—WHO ARE THEY?—HOW THEY CAN BEIDENTIFIED—THEIR MISSION, WORK, AND SUFFERING—THE TIME AND CIRCUMSTANCESOF CHRIST’S COMING. 

 “And I will give power unto My two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and three-score days, clothed in sackcloth. ”—Rev. Ii. 3. 

We will all agree that the person and work of Anti-Christ are yet in thefuture. For while Anti-Christ is ruling in Jerusalem, and battling withthe saints of the Most High, having conquered and plucked up by the rootsthree of the ten-horned kingdoms by his victories and cunning craft, andhis alliance with the beast or the Church of Rome, he will become proud, blasphemous, and arrogant, and will at once try to force the people toworship the beast. He will claim to be the promised Jewish Messiah. Hewill enter the new Jewish Temple and actually sit enthroned as Godincarnated, commanding the people to worship him. He will be so receivedby the Jews, some of the Israelites and the Romish Church, by theCommunists and scientific infidels, and by “such as do wickedly againstthe covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries, ” men of understanding shallfall; indeed, Christianity will seem to be about destroyed. 

Russia will aid by her influence his pretensions with a secret purpose totake the spoils and gain her long-desired object, Jerusalem andPalestine. England will stand aloof for a time, waiting an opportunityto interfere. Then will be a time to try men’s faith—to test the Church. England and America will stand alone as representing freedom andreligious liberty. “And then shall many be offended and shall betray oneanother, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall ariseand deceive many; and because iniquity shall abound, the love of manyshall wax cold; but he that shall endure unto the end shall be saved. ”This is the time when Communism, infidelity, and Romish Jesuitism willcombine against God and liberty, and, thank heaven, this is the timeappointed when they all will be destroyed. Then the kingdoms of thisworld will be given to the saints of the Most High. The struggle will befierce, long, and terrible, but victory will be on the Lord’s side. 

In the very midst of these awful times there will appear two famouspersons as witnesses for Jesus: one who will specially appear to theJews, the other to Israel, and both testify for God and Jesus. These twowitnesses will turn the tide of battle, confront Anti-Christ and hishost, and give to the world new views of God and Providence. 

These two old men, or witnesses, will be endowed with miraculous power tobring fire down from heaven, or turn the water streams into blood, andsmite the earth with all manner of plagues, as often as they will. Theirpresence and power will cast a gloom o’er the nations of the earth, andAnti-Christ and his allies. They will finally be slain in the streets ofJerusalem. At the time of their death a great feast will be held tocommemorate the victories of Anti-Christ, and to inaugurate the settingup of an image of him in the temple. So in the city there will bepeoples, kindreds, and tongues of many nations. And they will see thedead bodies of the two witnesses lying exposed and unburied in thestreets for three days and a-half, for Anti-Christ will not suffer themto be buried. On the wings of the wind, by the telegraph and by signals, the news of their death will spread rapidly abroad to all the nations ofthe earth. Infidelity, and Communism, and the Jesuits will beemboldened. Feasting and rejoicing will be the order of the day. “Andthey that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another, because these two prophets tormentedthem that dwelt upon the earth. ” That will be the merry wake for you—awake that will suddenly end, and that too, before the corpses are buried. The victories will be cut short and the rejoicing checked. 

The spirit of life from God shall enter into the two exposed andcorrupting bodies, and they shall stand upon their feet to defyAnti-Christ and his host, and laugh at the pains of death. Great fearwill fall upon them who saw the dead so raised. This time the telegraphswill be muffled, and the news is kept back from the nations as much aspossible; but astonishment ends not here, for over the destroying and nowidolatrous city of Jerusalem hangs a peculiar cloud, and voices peal asthunder through the air, to call the attention of the multitudes. Andwhen every eye is skyward, the cloud moves and opens, as a chariot offire and glory, and rising in majesty and composure up above roofs, temples, and pinnacles, will be seen the two witnesses of Christ; theyenter in and are borne heavenward. “And they ascended up to heaven in acloud, and their enemies beheld them. ” Then, while the multitude arewrapt in wonder and all amazement, the pinnacles sway to and fro, thehouses rock, the earth trembles, the walls of the city fall, and Olivetcleaves in twain. Then Anti-Christ is slain with many of his followers, and the remnant fear unto repentance. “And the same hour there was agreat earthquake, and a tenth part of the city fell, and in theearthquake were slain of men seven thousand, and the remnant wereaffrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven. And the seventh angelsounded, and there were great voices in heaven, saying, the kingdoms ofthis world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and Heshall reign for ever and ever. ”

These are some of the wonders yet to come. Then how say some thatAnti-Christ has already been? The witnesses have not yet appeared: theyhave not yet wrought their miracles. The Lost Ten Tribes and thescattered Jews have not yet been gathered from all countries whither theLord God hath scattered them, and placed in their own land, to go out nomore, to be plucked up no more. Jerusalem is yet being trodden underfoot, the land is comparatively desolate, no temple yet adorns the city, nor priest, nor Levite, attend at the altar. Pshaw! upon the Biblicalinterpreters of this day, who wilfully or ignorantly careen through theline of prophecies, despising the order established by God. They arelike the girl with her novel, who cannot wait to read through the book, and take events in their order, but she turns to the last leaf to findthe destiny of her hero. So men, borne by passion and choice, skip byseveral of the prophecies, and harp everlastingly on the last—the comingof the blessed Jesus—“He whom the heavens must receive until the times ofrestitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all Hisholy prophets since the world began” (Acts iii. 21). The world is notyet ready for Christ; it is yet too much upside down, too much confused. But God is in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself. It does not nowlook like God; so God and Christ, Providence and the Church, must work ontill the house is in order for His return. “_Hon dei ouranon mendexasthai archri chronon apokataseos panton_, ” whom, indeed, heaven mustretain until the time of restoration of all things. If things are notnow restored or reconciled, or in order, why, then, Christ cannot come. He will not come to put them in order; this He has left for and with theChurch to do, and has promised to be with His Church to the end. 

A few Sunday evenings ago, a brother kindly asked me where the Churchwould be while Anti-Christ was reigning. I simply said anywhere andeverywhere, wherever it happened to be. He thought the Church would betaken away by Christ; he referred me to several passages. I said, Comenext Sunday evening, as those passages will be partly considered in mynext sermon. He replied that he might be taken up by that time. Allright, I said, then we will excuse you. Now, in the name of commonsense, why have men, and why do men, down through the centuries, and now, entertain such views? Because every Bible reader must see that there aremany prophecies that must be fulfilled before Christ can come—one ofwhich is the appearance of the two witnesses of the text. They will bespecially sent and commissioned to testify for Christ, as againstAnti-Christ. 

Let us now ascertain who these two witnesses are, or are to be. I findon examining the subject all manner of views set forth. And, as is oftenthe case in studying a subject of this kind, I find few that agree—somuch so, that at last I found relief in turning from what men said andthought to what God in His Holy Word had written and said. 

First. They are two men. Second. They are sent to Jerusalem which, because of the wickedness of the city at the time of their visit, will becalled Sodom and Egypt; but, lest we should mistake the place from thesenames, John adds: “Where also our Lord was crucified. ” So Isaiah i. 10says: “Hear the word of the Lord, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto thelaw of our God, ye people of Gomorrah. ” This fixes safely the place. Besides, the place is pointed out from the fact that they opposeAnti-Christ, who at that time we know will be at Jerusalem. Third. Theyare sent. You ask where they are sent from? The answer is, From heaven, from standing before the God of the whole earth. Fourth. Who sendsthem? We answer, Jesus—because the Book of the Revelation is “theRevelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto John. ” Fifth. What werethey sent for? In the first place they were to be special witnesses forJesus, for He calls them His two witnesses. In the second place, theywere to prophesy, to be prophets in the fullest sense, to forecast thefuture, to interpret past and present; to work miracles; to assumecontrol in directing State affairs. Sixth. It is worth your carefulnotice to note that they are not constituted witnesses by being sent;they are sent because they are witnesses. They are not then to beendowed with miraculous power; “these have power” in the present tense. These facts, if nicely considered, will at once suggest the persons. 

Whoever they are, they must have gone from earth to heaven with theirbodies, two persons who have escaped death, for their death takes placein Jerusalem. They must have been prophets before they left earth forheaven the first time. And in the third place, they must at some timeand place have been special witnesses for Christ. In fact, they are twoanointed ones, or, in other words, they are two persons who have been setapart and prepared for the very visit spoken of in the text. 

Daniel, when speaking of them, and the visit spoken of in the text, callsone “the Ancient of Days;” the other one was “like the Son of Man. ” Herepresents these two persons as sitting in judgment on Anti-Christ, andthe seven horns, or kingdoms. “And the ten horns that were in his headand of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of thathorn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose lookwas more stout than his fellows (this is Anti-Christ). I beheld, and thesame horn made war with the saints and prevailed against them, until theAncient of Days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the MostHigh, and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom” (Dan. Vii. 20). 

Many interpret “the Ancient of Days” and the “one like the Son of Man” tobe Christ. They stagger not at the fact that there are two persons, andthat they are introduced one to another, and that the Ancient of Daysseems to be the greatest. It is nothing to such interpreters that thereare two persons; these they make one. The one looking like the Son ofMan they make out to be the Son of God, although Daniel says he onlylooked like Him. The judgment spoken of by Daniel they make out to bethe general judgment, when, in fact, Daniel tells on what and where theysat in judgment—namely, at Jerusalem. About Anti-Christ—and thatAnti-Christ is soon destroyed after this—and “as concerning the rest ofthe beasts (that is, the seven horns), they had their dominion takenaway; yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time. ” Thevision and scene of the whole chapter belongs to this world, and thekingdom of the saints here spoken of is as much material and political asthe other. The difference is, the rulers and people are Christians, theyare called saints. 

Every throne should be double-kinged; that is God’s purpose, that isHeaven’s plan. Christ wants no earthly throne excepting that way. Asthe Creator is Lord of lords and King of kings, so Christ after Hisresurrection assumed His Father’s place, and stands to us as God to theJews of old. All power was given to Him in heaven and in earth, therefore, He, Christ, has long since begun His reign, and He mustcontinue to reign until He hath put all enemies under His feet. WhenDavid was king over Israel and Judah, so was God. We repeat, everythrone should be double-kinged. 

To this end will come these two witnesses. Who will they be? We answer, Moses and Elijah: these are the two brave old men now living and waitingto fulfil their mission. For hundreds of years they have been anointed. Moses is “the Ancient of Days;” the “one like the Son of Man” is Elijahthe Tishbite. This interpretation chimes in with the Divine Word, without twisting and distorting to make both ends meet. 

We said these two were to be human: so they are. They being sent fromheaven, we said they must have passed by death with their bodies; so theydid. They were to be prophets; so they are, two of the grandest prophetsof all. They were to have power over fire and water; so they had whenthey lived on earth. The bloody stream of the Nile gives witness forMoses. The parched land and time of drought speaks of Elijah in Ahab’stime. They both called fire down on them who sought to hurt them. Theywere to be special witnesses of Christ; so they were on the Mount ofTransfiguration. These two olive trees stood one on each side of thegolden candlestick, Jesus; Peter, James, and John, testify to having seenMoses and Elijah. These two old veterans know Christ well, hence theywill be sent to testify for Him against Anti-Christ. Moses is a Jew. Hewill appeal unto the Jews, who will be found in the new temple, performing according to the old Mosaic law. He will change and lead hispeople from Anti-Christ to Christ. Elijah is an Israelite. He willspecially bear testimony to the Israelite, his long-lost, but thenrestored, brethren. 

More next Sunday evening on these two Christian heroes. 

MOSES AND ELIJAH. DISCOURSE XII. 

MORE ABOUT THE TWO WITNESSES—MORMONISM—GOD RULING AMONG THENATIONS—CAREER OF THE TWO WITNESSES—ANTI-CHRIST—THE THRONE AND HOUSE OFDAVID. 

 “And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever. ”—Rev. Ii. 15. 

Last Sabbath evening we called your attention to two special witnesseswho are at a given time to appear at Jerusalem for a specific purpose. At the time of their appearance Anti-Christ will be reigning with greatpower and pomp. He will have succeeded in persuading the Jews and manyothers that he is the promised Jewish Messiah; this claim he will be ableto sustain and confirm in the eyes of the multitude, from the very factthat he will, to all appearance, work miracles. Nor need we query thatsuch a thing can take place. Look at some of the facts of our own day, and see how pliable human nature is. There are millions of people whosincerely believe that Leo XIII. Is God’s vicegerent, and that he isinfallible. Take into account the Mormonism of this day, and see howterrible a thing in the name of Christianity can be established andmaintained. Aye, in the nineteenth century, and in the United States ofAmerica. Or look in upon the Spiritualists and consider their claims andpretensions. Thousands upon thousands of them are persuaded that theyare _en rapport_ with heaven and in communication with spirits andspirit-land. Then you will not be surprised at the pretensions, claims, and success of Anti-Christ. In our calm and unprejudiced considerationof these organisations, we are bound to admit that they have done more, and owe more for their success, to deception and error, than to truth andopenness. Each in its turn has been caught in the act of deceiving, andhas been frequently exposed, but of what avail? Truly but little. We donot mean that in these systems there is no good, for surely there is, butthat the errors and deceptions are of so glaring a kind, that we wonderthat anybody of common sense can be so easily led astray. 

With these facts before us, can we wonder any longer that Anti-Christshall be so successful? The very occasion and peculiar times andincidents of the reign of Anti-Christ will call for some specialmanifestations on the part of the Divine One that shall soberly andclearly confront the hollow and hypocritical pretensions of that age. Hence the appearance of the two witnesses—Moses the Ancient of Days, andElijah the Tishbite, who will look like the Son of God. 

Allow us to submit further evidence in proof that the two witnesses ofJohn in Rev. Xi. Are none other than Moses and Elijah: for many passagesof Holy Writ are sealed to the understanding till we comprehend who thetwo witnesses are, their mission and work. We will notice theattributive features of these witnesses as they are related by John inthis chapter—that is, Rev. Xi. 

In the first place, there are two persons or individualities; thisappears plainly from the tenor of the whole record. They are spoken ofas “they, them, their mouth, their feet, as dying and being resurrected. ”But, strange to say, after all this plainness of speech, men have becomeso accustomed to spiritualise and generalise that Anti-Christ stood forRome, and naturally enough, having generalised Anti-Christ, they must dothe same with the two witnesses; hence they found them in the Churches ofthe Waldenses and Albigenses. In such an interpretation nearly all theattributive features of these witnesses are ignored. Such as that theyhad power to work miracles, to lie unburied in the streets of Jerusalemfor three days and a half. Some have laboured to prove that the Old andNew Testaments were these witnesses, others that they were symbolised bythe law and Gospel. Again, some that the two sacraments, baptism and theLord’s supper, were these two witnesses, and so on almost without end. These instances will suffice for our present purpose; for surely any ofyou reading God’s own Word need not so blunder. 

In the second place, Jesus calls them His two witnesses. Now, in whatsense were they His? for such they are now. Not that they will be Hiswhen they appear, but they will appear to oppose Anti-Christ at Jerusalembecause they are sent. The prophets are all witnesses; for, as Petersays, “To Him give all the prophets witness. ” The apostles werewitnesses, and all believers are witnesses for Jesus; yet these two areso in a special and pre-eminent sense. Let any one read the account ofthe transfiguration of Jesus and the circumstances attendant thereon, andall will be plain. Moses and Elias (another spelling for Elijah) we findwere present, as well as Peter, James, and John. When Christ wastransfigured, “Behold there appeared unto them Moses and Elias” (Matt, xvii. 3). These two persons talked with Jesus, “and spake of His deceasewhich He should accomplish at Jerusalem. ” Thus, then, they were specialwitnesses for Christ, and so they will come again and witness for Him inthe time appointed. 

The number of days we must take in a literal sense; here the 1, 260 daysand 3½ days are the days appointed for their work and death. It is wellto remember that many of the prophetic numbers contain a double prophecy. Thus 1, 260 here may be coincident with the treading down of Jerusalem byMahommedanism. But whether it is or not, does not vitiate the literalquantity when applied to these two witnesses. In the third place, theyare called two olive trees and two candlesticks standing before the Godof the whole earth. The figurative meaning will be found by finding somepassage where two trees are mentioned in the interpretation given—such apassage by Zechariah iv. Here the prophet saw two olive trees and askedof the angel the meaning; and the angel said, “Knowest thou not whatthese be?” And I said, “No, my Lord. ” Then said he, “_These are twoanointed ones_ that stand by the Lord of the whole earth. ” The simplemeaning is, that the two olive trees mean two persons, who are in heavenat present, but are anointed—that is, set apart, selected for somedistinct work for God. 

Moses and Elijah evidently were anointed and specially selected, for itis probable they both escaped death. The wonder connected with thedisappearance of Moses and the translation of Elijah now finds somemeasure of explanation. None doubt the translation of Elijah. John theBaptist was not Elias, except he was to go before Christ in the spiritand power of Elias; in this sense John stood for Elias. John the Baptistprepared the way of Christ the first time, so will Elias for Christ’ssecond coming. The record of Moses’s departure from this world is asmysterious as it is dramatic. But, certainly, neither the mysterious northe dramatic have any meaning excepting we allow something Divinelyspecial. To die as other people, would mean nothing on the line ofspecialities; but he did not so die. He went from the people alive; noone saw him die or dead. He went up into Mount Horeb and never returned. So, so far as the people were concerned, he was to them a dead man, forhe went from them no more to return. The word death in Hebrew has notless than six meanings, one of which is simply to disappear. This is themeaning that we must attach to the death of Moses. Neither his grave norbody have ever been found. 

There is a peculiar passage in the book of Jude where “Michael thearchangel, when contending with the devil, he disputed about the body ofMoses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, TheLord rebuke thee. ” Now, Satan then had power over death in some wayDivinely permitted. Paul says (Heb. Ii. 14), speaking of Christ, “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He alsoHimself likewise took part of the same; that through death He mightdestroy him _that had the power of death_—that is, the devil. ” When Godwas translating Moses, passing him by death, Satan fought with Michael, who was God’s messenger, to inflict the sting of death on Moses, andalthough Michael carried Moses on by death into the presence of God, Satan durst not bring a railing accusation against him. 

Jude, in his epistle, probably quoted from one of the now lost books ofRevelation, which was entitled, “The Ascension or Assumption of Moses theservant of God. ” The Church father, Origen, makes mention of this work, but, like the book and prophecies of Enoch, from which Jude makes aquotation, it has been lost, they having served their purpose. Thefairest and most generous interpretation, then, is, that Moses did notdie the ordinary death, but disappeared, was, in fact, translated, anointed, and set apart for a special work in connection with his ownpeople, the Jews, in the days of the coming Anti-Christ. Thus, withoutany trouble, he could appear with Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration. And it is worthy of note that before he disappeared in Horeb—the sacredwriter is mindful to tell us “Moses was an hundred and twenty years oldwhen he died—_his eye was not dim nor his natural force abated_” (Deut. Xxiv. 7). But, supposing Moses died naturally, there is nothingunreasonable or irregular in concluding that God resurrected him as amortal for future use. True, he will die again as a witness; so thereare in heaven now eight persons who have died twice in this world—namely:

The child raised by Elijah (1 Kings xvii. 21). The child of Elisha (2 Kings iv. 35). The Moabite soldier who came to life on touching the bones of Elisha (2Kings xiii. 21). The daughter of Jairus (Luke viii. 55). The widow’s son at Nain (Luke vii. 15). Lazarus of Bethany (John xi. 44). Dorcas or Tabitha by Peter (Acts ix. 40). Eutychus by Paul (Acts xx. 10). 

Anti-Christ will be a great electrician; electricity by that time will bea fearful power in the hands of science. Edison with his genius andmarvellous discoveries, and others of like gifts, will have perfected theuse of this agent in a wonderful degree. Anti-Christ will make use ofthis power to cower his enemies and bring them in fear-subjection. Hewill bring fire down from heaven. The two witnesses, however, will beclothed with Divine power; they will be able to bring fire by a simplecommand—this they both understood and used when on earth. 

Moses called fire down upon the 250 rebellious Korahthites, as we read inNumbers xvi. Ahab, the King of Israel, thought to punish and compel theobedience of Elijah; but God gave fire from heaven in answer to theprophet’s prayer. So when Ahaziah sent a captain and fifty men to bringElijah into the king’s presence, they found him sitting on the top of ahill and commanded him to come down. “And Elijah answered and said tothe captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, then let fire come down fromheaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire fromheaven, and consumed him and his fifty” (2 Kings i. 10). Thus will thesetwo anointed ones be able to contend with Anti-Christ and all the powersof scientific infidels. “If any man hurt these two witnesses, by thevery means used so shall they be killed. ”

“These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of theirprophecy, and have power over waters to turn them to blood. ” To whomwould these gifts and attributes apply better than to Elijah, who in thedays of the wicked King Ahab sealed the heavens against rain for threeyears and a half? and to Moses, who, when contending with Pharaoh, turnedthe sweet flowing Nile into a stream of blood? What two prophets hadsuch a wide range of prophetic energy and liberty as Moses and Elijah?None. Well may the Revelator say, then, of them, that they can smite theearth with all manner of plagues as often as they will. 

By awful and sublime manifestations the world shall see that God rules inthe heaven and on the earth. They shall learn that Anti-Christ is afalse Christ. Then shall fear and repentance fall upon the people. TheJews shall be convinced, and converted, and persuaded by the appearanceof their beloved Moses. They shall know of a truth that the Messiah hasbeen, and is waiting to come again. Referring to that time the prophetZechariah calls it a time of trembling, the time of a terrible siege. But he tells us that “The Lord also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the House of David, and the glory of the inhabitants ofJerusalem, do not magnify themselves against Judah. ” Thus we learn thatthe Jews, who have been so long despised and bereft of a king, country, and government, shall see through the great mystery of Providence first. The House of David is found in the royal family of England. The Jews, seeing this, will invite, in concert with all the inhabitants ofJerusalem, the English Government to take charge of their affairs. 

“Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gatheredtogether and appoint themselves one _head_” (Hosea i. 2). The Jews willthen be Christians. “For they shall look upon Him whom they havepierced, and they shall mourn for Him, as one mourneth for his only son. ”

At this time the whole world will be amazed and confounded at thedestruction of Anti-Christ and his host. The Jews, the House of David, and the Lost Tribes, Israel, the Saxons, will hold a council inJerusalem. David’s house, which God selected, and throne, both of whichthe Almighty promised perpetuity to, shall be found and recognised in theEnglish throne and royal family. The Saxon race shall distinctivelyappear as long-lost Israel. So that the Jews, and David’s House, andIsrael, will unite and acknowledge Christ as Lord and Master. They willmake known to America, who stands for Manasseh, and all the colonies, thedecision of the said council; all parties will see, and accept, andfederate for the world’s conquest and peace. 

This federation of the ancient people, the literal seed of Abraham, willcause jealousies and alliances on the part or rest of the world, excepting some portions of France, Austria, and Prussia. The beast, dragon, and Anti-Christ’s force, that will survive the shock of the twowitnesses, will all unite for an onslaught upon England, but especiallyPalestine. Russia, though nominally Christian, will join the beast orRomish Church. The dragon means the Pagan portion of the world. Thuswill be inaugurated the battle of Armageddon, the issues of which we arepermitted to know through Revelation. Then will the kingdoms of thisworld become the kingdoms of our Lord and His Christ. 

With many, and to many, these things are but as dreams; they arechimerical. But one thing is certain: the history of the Church andProvidence in the future are appallingly grand. Providence was grand inleading forth His people of old from Egypt. But He will be no less grandwhen He shall set His hand a second time to recover His people as He haspromised to do. 

“Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David arighteous branch, and a king shall reign and prosper, and shall executejudgment and justice in the earth. In His days Judah shall be saved, andIsrael shall dwell safely, and this is His name whereby He shall becalled, The Lord our Righteousness. ” (That is, the ruler of God’schoice—a king, then, in fact, by Divine right. ) “Therefore, behold, thedays come, saith the Lord, that they shall no more say, The Lord liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; but, The Lord liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the House ofIsrael out of the North country, and from all countries whither I haddriven them, and they shall dwell in their own land” (Jer. Xxiii. 68). 

God has now one of the seed of David on the throne, and He has a Jewdoing her bidding, executing her decrees over and for Israel. For thoughIsrael were to be numerous and powerful, yet to David’s seed belongs thethrone. 

The recent Congress was but a forerunner of the one yet to come. Thecrownless king, Disraeli, who forced the Congress, is, perhaps, anunconscious instrument in the hands of Providence. But whether he be ornot, he is hastening on the day with lightning speed. Forth from therecent Congress he goes, having once again linked the destinies ofEngland to the Continent, which has been so strangely severed, tillRussia, Italy, Austria, France, and Spain might each test the other, andeach find their appointed place. Now, again, England pledges herself aContinental Power—nay, more—an Asiatic Power. She will come forth fromthe Congress the virtual ruler of Turkey, the owner of Palestine. 

BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON. DISCOURSE XIII. 

THE COMBATANTS ON BOTH SIDES—WHO “THE KINGS OF THE EAST” ARE—THE GREATNAPOLEONIC IDEA—DISRAELI, LINCOLN AND GRANT—ENGLAND’S POLICY INTURKEY—FUTURE WARS AND INTRIGUES—THE GREAT BATTLE-FIELD—GATHERING OF THENATIONS—EARTHQUAKES—JERUSALEM A SEAPORT. 

 “And He gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. ”—Rev. Xvi. 16. 

Christian students and prophetic writers are generally agreed on threethings touching this great event. First, that there is to be such adecisive battle fought. Second, that it will take place in some part ofPalestine. Third, that this great struggle will be final, the end ofwar, the beginning of the Millennium morn. 

In the Scriptures the contestants are pointed out, as they rally underthe standards of the _dragon_, the beast, and _Anti-Christ_ on one side, and on the other, under the standard of David, will be the _called_, the_chosen_, and the _faithful_; or, in other words, the Ten Lost Tribes asfound chiefly in the Saxon race, with all who sincerely believe on theLord Jesus Christ. 

In another sermon we pointed out to you the plain fact of the existenceof David’s throne and David’s seed as found and seen specially in thethrone of England. We there see how faithfully God has kept His promiseto David and His people. For God frequently told David that his throneshould be established unto all generations, and of David’s seed thereshould never be wanting a man to sit thereon. It is the permanence, thegrandeur, and progressive character of this throne and people that makeit a fitting type of Christ and His Church. Nay, more, it is on thisthrone that Christ now sits, so far as this world goes; and it is throughthis people that He reigns, and He will and must reign until He hasconquered a universal peace. It is a delusion too long entertained bythe Church to think that David’s throne and seed have not now, nor forcenturies had, an existence. It is a delusion that we should notentertain for a moment to think that the Ten Tribes of Israel are lostfor ever, or that their work or mission is fulfilled. As surely as theTwo Tribes, Judah and Levi, now exist, fulfilling and filling in theoutlines of prophetic history, so surely are Reuben, Simeon, Zebulun, Issachar, Dan, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh inexistence, answering the purpose of an all-seeing Providence. 

Who are the kings of the East spoken of in the Scriptures? We answer, They are the royal ones of the House of David. The word king, both inHebrew and Greek, means such. This seed God chose, and made them royalby that very selection. They have been away from their own land, Palestine, wandering and dwelling in the West. But God in Providence ispreparing a way for their return. In connection with the pouring out ofthe sixth vial upon the great river of the Euphrates, or upon Turkey, asmost writers agree, the waters are to dry up—that is, Turkey is to decay, to be absorbed. And why? “That the way of the kings of the East mightbe prepared” (Rev. Xvi. 12). 

These kings have been away from the East, and their return is assured, and the preparation for such return is to be seen at this time and inconnection with the decay of Turkey. If Turkey, as symbolised by theriver Euphrates, is drying up, then these kings must be advancingEastward; and so they are. 

The crownless king, Disraeli, who, like many other men God has raised up, is for these times an index finger pointing out the way of Providence. He is a receptive agent of Divine force, to the intent that he mayinterpret a Divine purpose. He may know, or he may not know, that he isso directed of heaven. The prophets of old were seldom permitted tointerpret or understand their own prophecies. If they asked, likeDaniel, the meaning, they were told to “go their way, ” for oftentimes thewords were “closed up and sealed until the time of the end. ” No wonderthis man, against all England nearly, and to the amazement of all theworld, proclaims the Queen of England the Empress of India, for the wayof the kings of the East must be prepared. 

Napoleon Bonoparte’s grand idea was to prepare the way of the kings ofthe East and make himself and his descendants these kings. “ConquerEngland and the world is ours, ” he said. But when his secret andwell-prepared assault on England was revealed and frustrated by a chainof providential events, he hit upon another plan to get possession ofPalestine. Seventy years ago he invited all the leading Jews of theworld to a secret council in Paris; he wished them to aid him in gettingpossession of Palestine. He pretended to want their return. He gavethem certain privileges and laboured to procure more from the othernations; he did much for the Jews in enlarging their liberties and takingaway from them the curse of society. The one idea that is distinctlyNapoleonic, is to possess Palestine. The late Napoleon had his idea, andin his day this idea had become a part of France; so much so, that Francethought herself to be then and now the real protector of Palestine. Itwas for this idea that she allied with England and Turkey in the Crimeanwar. It was to keep Russia back from possessing the holy places. Nottill France was weakened could England advance on her way East rapidly;so Germany was used to destroy her prestige and cause her to stand asidetill England proceeds on her way homeward. 

It was a comely sight, some five years ago, to see two Jews closetedtogether making a secret bargain—one had power, the other had money. Theman of power asked the man of money to lend him twenty million dollars;it was done. At once the man of power purchases with this twentymillions part of his fatherland back again—the Suez Canal. This verycanal is on the boundary of the land of Palestine as given to Abrahamcenturies ago. By this very route the old patriarch entered the PromisedLand. It was fitting, indeed, that this should be the first piecepurchased back. No one knew save those directly interested. Englandmurmured and France protested, but the thing was done. Poor France, bleeding and divided, could do but little; for Disraeli and Rothschildhad done the work. The way of the kings of the East must be prepared. So on they go. A man who executes a Divine purpose is always strong. Abraham Lincoln, in the history of our country, was so chosen and led ofGod. The politicians, and statesmen, and generals, and many of thepeople were against him at first; but the Lord was with him, so hemarched on to victory, the country following in the wake. And thoughdead, not forgotten, the country and the civilised world are marching onafter him, and now they have nearly overtaken him. Lincoln’s ideas andthe country’s are nearly equal. A man led of God is generally a gooddistance behind, and the people led by such a man are equally as farbehind him as he is behind God. But this nation and Abraham Lincoln arenow one, and in those things in which they once were divided they are aunit, with more than the honoured Lincoln; for they are a unit with Godand providence. Thus follows the English nation in the wake of Disraeli, and the world is coming on behind, and the day will come when all will bea unit. It does not shock our idea of human honesty much when we learnthat this crownless king played a double game with Russia and Turkey. Itis intensely Jewish, but if it were only Jewish, then it would be verydetestable; it is more, it is Divine in part. “Had the princes of thisworld known, they would not have crucified the Prince of Glory. ” Had theprinces of the late Berlin Congress known the double game being played byone of the quietest of their number, they would not have done as theydid. Turkey in Asia was given over to England’s protection, aye, yes, that included Palestine. The island of Cyprus is given overentirely—surely the way of the kings of the East is being grandlyprepared. 

Why did not the Congress hand over to England’s protection Turkey inEurope? For reasons good and sufficient. Turkey in Europe will be thecause of much strife, of several wars, and of strange alliances; hence itwould not have done for Israel-England to be mixed up with it. Constantinople alone, of European Turkey, England will keep. Israel isto be much preserved from war, until the great battle of Armageddon comeson. Against that time she will have to husband her strength andresources. It is marvellous now to think that what the Congress settledas belonging to England, none dispute—all is peace. But Russia’s shareand Austria’s are in arms. Servia, Greece, Roumania, and all the Turkishprovinces rebel and are in a state of disquietude, that portends war andstrife again in a few years. But England will have nothing to do withit, excepting that Russia and Austria, with the consent of Germany, Italy, and France, are to set a precedent for England, which in a fewyears she will need. It is plain that if Russia and Austria can force byarms the conditions of the Berlin Congress, England will be at liberty todo the same without any interference even from France. The Congresshanded over to England’s keeping Turkey. England, then, can make Turkeydo her bidding by force of arms sustained by the very precedent alreadyset. Thus will Israel-England open up Palestine for Christiansettlement. The Mahommedans will murmur and resist to have the holyplaces taken from them, but no matter; England, when the time comes, willenforce it. It is just here that Turkey and England will dispute, and ineach dispute England will find a reason for drawing the lines a littletighter around poor Turkey. 

The contestants on one side at the great battle of Armageddon, youremember, are the dragon, the beast, and Anti-Christ. Now what people isrepresented by the term dragon? We answer, the Pagan nations andauthorities, just as the Chinese have on their standards to-day a dragon, as we have the eagle. The Mahommedans, Hindoos, Brahmins, Buddhists, andall Pagan idolaters, are summed up in the word dragon. At present, England is tolerant with the subjects and adherents of these differentworshippers and religions; but the time will come when she will no longertolerate the same; thus will they arraign themselves against her in thebattle of Armageddon. This will come to pass as the gradual destructionof Mormonism in our country. This system has been fortified by law; nowlaws are being arraigned against it. It is now only tolerated, and in ashort time it will be wiped out of existence. 

The final battle referred to in the text is to occur at a place called inthe Hebrew tongue Armageddon, the literal meaning of which is at themount of Megido. In olden times there was a city called Megiddon; itstood in what is now called the great plain of Esdraelon—a plain thatlies midway between the Sea of Galilee and the Mediterranean. It wasalso called Jezreel. The prophet Hosea speaks of this place, battle, andtime, all by this one word. Referring to the time when the children ofJudah and of Israel are gathered together under one head in their ownland, he says, “For great shall be the day of Jezreel” (Hos. I. 11). Itis spoken of in the Scriptures and history as the valley of Jehoshaphat, because here Jehoshaphat, the King of Judah, gained a great victory; forhere the Lord fought against the enemies of Israel, as He will in thecoming battle. Joel iii. 12 says, referring to this coming struggle, “Let the heathen be waked up and come to the valley of Jehoshaphat: forthere will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. ”

There is one name given to this time and battle that is very significantand striking. Have you ever noticed it? If not, let me call yourattention to it. It is called “That great day of God Almighty, ” by Johnin the chapter of the text. The day of the Lord of hosts by Isaiah. Ezek. Xxx. 3: “Howl ye! Woe worth the day! For the day of the Lord isnear: it shall be the time of the heathen. ” And Joel says, “Multitudes, multitudes, in the valley of decision; for the day of the Lord is near inthe valley of decision. ” By the prophets Amos, Obadiah, Zephaniah, Zechariah, Malachi, and apostles Paul and Peter, it is called the day ofthe Lord. 

You ask if this battle may not have taken place. We answer, No. Of sucha battle we have no record. Again, it will be the end of the war—thefinal overthrow of Paganism, the beast, and Anti-Christ. Malachi says, “Behold I will send you the prophet Elijah before the coming of thatgreat and dreadful day of the Lord. ” Elijah has not yet been a witness. At the time of this great battle nature is to take a wonderful part. Aswhen Christ was on the cross, the sun darkened, the rocks rent, themountains shook, so in connection with this battle there shall be somestrange wonders—earthquakes, thundering, lightning, hail and fire. TheMount of Olives will divide; the valley of the Dead Sea will fill withwater and join to the Mediterranean; Jerusalem will become a seaport; anappointed centre from which, being central to all the world, will goforth the ships of the Lord. The city of Jerusalem, between this timeand that, will be considerably enlarged, then it will divide into threeparts. At the time of this dividing John says, “That the cities of thenations are to fall”—London, Paris, Berlin, Rome, St. Petersburg, andmany others—that all may turn to Jerusalem, the capital appointed ofHeaven. 

If you wish to know more of the particulars of this day, read theprophets, study what John the Revelator says under the sixth vial andsixth seal. With awful grandeur and with terrible majesty have thesacred writers set forth this day and time. 

That this day will come, who will deny? Look at the world ripening forthis day. Here, in our own land, as well as others, the forces arematuring, the agents are at work. Many of the events of the past year wewere permitted to forecast by looking into the future through theprophets, and onward yet we look. And the events coming are neither lessin number, merit, or force, than those passed. Keep the events ofprophecy in their proper order lest they confuse you. The Jews and TenLost Tribes are to be found and possess Palestine before this battle. Anti-Christ is to appear. The two witnesses, Moses and Elijah, are toappear. And Jesus, our beloved Master, will not come till the world issettled long in perpetual peace—till the house is prepared for the bride, then shall He come. But with lightning speed events are crowding onalong the ages. The accumulative forces of centuries are pressing hardupon time present. The time of the end is near—not the end of time, butthe time appointed of God in which certain great things are to beaccomplished. Eighteen hundred years ago John cried out, “Loose the fourangels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. And the four angelswere loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, anda year” (Rev. Ix. 14). 

The Turkish Power originated on the banks of the Euphrates. It first wasdivided into four Sultanies—namely, Bagdad, Aleppo, Damascus and Cesarea. These are typified under four angels. Their time was to be 396 years anda fraction—an hour, day, month, and year. Thus, taking a day for a year, 365 for the year, thirty for the month, one for the day, and we have 396. So from the taking of Bagdad by the Turks in 1057, which was theoverthrow of the Saracens, until the capture of Constantinople in 1453, which overthrew the Greek Empire, we have just 396 years. And the timefor the drying up of Turkey is at hand; and so it comes to pass. 

Dear friends, how wonderful are the dealings of our God! Can we shut oureyes to His Divine revelation? Let us be wise in the day of grace, taking heed to the sure Word of prophecy, as unto a light that shineth ina dark place. The world indeed is dark, and all confusion. But His Wordshows unto us order in all this confusion, blessed be His name. Morenext Sunday evening. 

ARMAGEDDON AND THE PYRAMID. DISCOURSE XIV. 

THE FORCES IN THE BATTLE—TIME OF ITS OCCURRENCE—MISTAKES OF ADVENTISTS—ACHURCH “STRIKE” WANTED—THE HARD TIMES AFTER 1882—HISTORY OF THE WORLDTILL 1935—HINE’S THEORY. 

 “These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them; for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and they that are with Him are called, and chosen, and faithful. ”—Rev. Xviii. 14. 

Last Sunday evening we considered the subject of the great battle ofArmageddon. This evening we will take up the same subject for furtherconsideration. This battle, we learn, is to be very terrible, such a oneas the world has not had. Fearful as some of the wars of the past havebeen, this will overshadow them all in skill, fierceness, number, slaughter, devastation, and wide-spread ruin. It will, in some respects, be like one of the wars of olden times. For in this struggle God isagain to take a direct part, as He did for His people Israel and Judah intimes of old. Again shall the forces of nature do battle for God and Hispeople; again they shall be full of instinctive revenge. Hear us, andbelieve us, Denis Kearney, Providence will then “pool the issues” of the_called_, the _chosen_, and the _faithful_. The called are the Jews, thechosen are Israelites, and the faithful embrace all of every nation whobelieve in Christ. Then many will wade in pools of blood and perish. The birds of prey are to hold high carnival on the dead bodies of theslain. The spirit of Satan, that now worketh in the children ofdisobedience, will pool the issues of hell and death in the hosts of the_dragon_, _beast_, and _false prophet_. For though these three powersare diverse in their aims, professions, and intents, yet we learn frommany passages of the Divine Book that they will join hands and agree upona common policy, federating together that they may contend with thecalled, the chosen, and the faithful. “And I saw three unclean spiritslike frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth ofthe beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are thespirits of devils working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of theearth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that greatday of God Almighty” (Rev. Xvi. 13, 14). Here indeed will be a poolingof the issues, a pooling that will divide the whole world into two forcesor parties. 

Now the canvass has begun, preparations are going on, party lines arebeing drawn, powers are concentrating, and men are rallying under theirrespective standards, getting the world ripe and ready for the cominggenerations, into whose hands the destinies of that day will be cast. Few of us now living can personally take part in that final battle, excepting as we do so by impressing the unborn millions with our ideas. Like as David prepared the material for the building of the temple, andhis son Solomon carried forward the same, so the work of this generationis simply preparatory, and that of the coming will be executive. 

Several wars will take place before that of Armageddon, which in theirnature will be fierce and terrible. Still these will all bepreparatory—leading on to the day of decision and the battle final. Onthis point many err, and their error has a pernicious influence on theChurch and the world. They interpret the preparatory signs as if theywere final; hence the end with such is too near. A sincere anxiety takespossession of their soul, which utterly unfits them to judge aright thesigns of the times and tokens of Providence. Thus were a portion of theAdvent Church thrown into confusion the 8th of last July because they hadfixed upon the seventh as the time for the ending of the world. Andhuman folly and haste will repeat itself again on the 10th of April next, because another portion of the Advent brethren have fixed upon the 9th ofApril as the time of the end. It is a wonder the first did not take the4th of July instead of the seventh, for then a stranger might think theend was nigh in some of our cities; or why didn’t the other party selectthe 1st of April, for no doubt it would have proved a more propitiousday? But thus it is, and will be again before the appointed time ofHeaven comes. Man is a creature of haste and sudden impulse, especiallyso in his religious experience. Kings and nations, Churches and sects, have laboured hard in times past to force the issues of Providence andgive speed and certainty to times and events. 

The prophecies affecting our days are clear; so much so, that he who runsmay read, if need be. But an impatient activity urges men on, bedazzlingtheir eyes, which at once unnerves and unfits them for reading orjudging. “In your patience possess ye your souls, ” said the blessedMaster to His disciples of old, and not less through them unto us. 

“Order is Heaven’s first law, ” it has been said; and surely orderpervades the prophecies. But the pulpits in general over-ride thisorder, and are not slow to malign such men as Edward Hine, of London, England, when the fact is, that his theory of the prophecies and mode ofinterpretation are vastly more natural, responsive, and reasonable thanthe ill-adjusted, unnatural, and non-responsive system of currenttheology. A person is under obligation to use that key for the unlockingof prophecy which fits the best, and that responds to providential eventsthe most natural, without regard to the antiquated systems and mode ofChurch, sect, or college theology. Hine’s theory, as it is calledsometimes, is as much superior to the old system of interpretation, asthe railway Pullman car is to the ricketty old stage coach. 

The Anglo-Saxon Israel theory neither destroys or introduces any newprinciple, but discovers and applies that which had been long hidden. The introduction of steam and electricity did not destroy or produce anynew principle, but simply discovered and applied, in an improved form, that which had been in the world from Adam down till now. 

As men in science, mechanics, and practical life, throw overboard men andthings of the past, so should we in theology, Church life, andexperience, when we can do better. Reverence for persons, and respectfor ideas, should not enslave us. Let us move on, doing better andbetter. We do not care to believe all the theology of a Martin Luther. When we can make an advance on men, or theories, we should do so. Baconand Newton are now in part rejected, without intending, or in fact doingthem any dishonour or disrespect. So are Calvin and Wesley, on the sameprinciple, by every good theologian. If a theory be advanced that opensup the Scriptures, and especially the prophecies, better than thosebefore existing, let the pulpit accept it, throwing aside its mawkishnessand age-intrenched stupidity. I have no hesitation to say, after overtwenty-five years of experience with preachers and pulpit, that themajority of preachers are lazy and indifferent in study. For this reasonmany of them are deterred from examining any new theory. Many have saidto me, and written to me, that if they accepted the Lost Tribe theory itwould destroy nearly all their old sermons, and necessitate the making ofnew ones—a work they were not willing to undertake. It will, therefore, be a long time before the pulpit is reformed. In these days there aremany strikes. While in Canada, on my vacation, I agreed to lecture for aChurch choir on the prophet Jeremiah’s visit to Ireland. But somepreachers banded together and stopped it; and, in consequence of it, thechoir struck and refused to sing the following Sunday. Passing by thisstrike, I really wish the laymen would strike and call the pulpit to anaccount and rouse it from its lethargy, and demand that it shoulduntrammel itself and be free and equal to the age and demand. I have metwith miserly persons who didn’t believe in beautiful churches, or themissionary cause, or any cause indeed that wanted money. They wouldargue for plainness, and so on. The secret of their peculiar ideas onthese matters was to be found in their stinginess and their love ofmoney. They advocated such theories because it saved them fromcontributing. Like a man I met with on my vacation tour who said that hesaved forty dollars a year by pretending to be angry with the minister orsome of the deacons when they came round collecting money. Someministers, no doubt the majority of them, talk about holding on to theold landmarks and being orthodox for the very reason that to make a moveimplies labour, which they are not willing to give, hence they prateabout orthodoxy and landmarks as a pretext to cover over theirindifference. He is the most orthodox who searches after the truth andkeeps up with the age. “Prove all things, hold fast that which is good, ”says Paul. These pretended followers of Paul say: “Prove nothing, holdfast what you have got. ”

It is as plain as A, B, C, that the Bible teaches the return of the Jewsand Ten Lost Tribes of Israel to the land of Palestine. Also, that afterthey are settled in this land Anti-Christ appears. The dragon and beastare already in existence, but Anti-Christ is not; the spirit ofAnti-Christ is. When Israel and Judah are settled and prosperous in theold fatherland, then is to come on the battle of Armageddon. ThankHeaven! that though the struggle will be awful, it will be final, andvictory will turn on the Lord’s side. Then will be set up a kingdom thatshall endure in abiding peace and prosperity for at least a thousandyears. The world will nestle in regaling plenty and great assurance. This kingdom is to be set up in the latter days of the four kingdomsspoken of by Daniel. By this we understand that these kingdoms will havetheir day, and by succession, after a time, run out. Thesekingdoms—namely, Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome—are now disappearing. Rome, politically, is gone, Persia will soon be absorbed, also Greece. Babylon, being continued in the Empire of Russia, has yet a gloriousfuture before it for the next fifty years or so, then she will disappearto rise no more. The cry will go forth, “Babylon is fallen. ” InNebuchadnezzar’s image you will remember that the stone cut out of themountain began to destroy the metallic image upward, hence these kingdomswill disappear in reverse order to their origin. First Rome, which hasgone; next Greece, which is nearly gone; then Persia, and then Russia. The new kingdom will fill the world. Already it foreshadows the outlinesof possession by its immense territory of to-day. Then a scion of theHouse of David shall be enthroned in Jerusalem. All the other greatcapitals will have been destroyed. It is surprisingly grand to read ofthat day, king and kingdom. Let me read to you a few verses fromJeremiah, chapter xxiii. : “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that Iwill raise unto David a righteous branch, and a King shall reign andprosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In Hisdays Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely; and this is Hisname whereby He shall be called: the Lord our Righteousness. Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that they shall no more say, TheLord liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land ofEgypt; but, The Lord liveth, which brought up and which led the seed ofthe House of Israel out of the North country, and from all countrieswhither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land. ” Thewords, “that day, ” are often used, and if we desire to know when that dayis, we have data in the great fact that it is the other side ofArmageddon, and Armageddon is the other side of the settlement of Israeland Judah in Palestine. 

I wish, just here, to correct many of you, as well as some of the publicjournals. Of late I have frequently seen it stated in the papers that Ipredicted the end of the world in 1882. And many persons have actuallyasked if I did really think so. The truth of the matter is, in mysermons on the Great Pyramid I pointed out to you the remarkable factthat the Grand Gallery was 1, 882 inches long. Beginning with the birthof the Saviour, these inches stand for years. This gallery suddenlyends, excepting that it is continued in a narrow passage, the narrowestin the whole building, for fifty-three inches. Then comes the King’sChamber, which before you enter, you pass under a portcullis in the formof an olive leaf. In this chamber all is equal, quiet, and central. Now, what I believe this pillar of witness in Egypt teaches (see Isa. Xix. 19) is, that in 1882 the whole world will enter upon a time of greattrouble, war, pestilence, and famine, and for fifty-three years thesetroubles will continue more or less. Then about 1935 will occur thebattle of Armageddon, which will be the finishing touch, the end of wars. I arrive at this, when I follow the teachings of the Pyramid, by adding1882 and 53, which gives me 1935. Even then the world will not end, butonly begin the millennium morn, which will last for a thousand years ormore. 

Now corresponding to these facts are the events of Providence. As whenSpring is nigh we know by certain signs, so we know from the Scriptures, Providence, and Pyramidal teaching, where we stand and the season we arein. “O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky, but can ye notdiscern the signs of the times?” said Jesus to the proud and criticalPharisees and learned and doubting Sadducees. These parties affected tobe specially wise and discriminating in their knowledge of the times andseasons, and interpreting the prophets and writings of Moses. Yet theirconduct betrayed their ignorance, for they saw not the end of that grandold prophetic age, nor the fading symbolism of the temple, nor thedeparting glory and decay of their nation. They knew not the fulness ofthe time in which they lived, though it bulged out like a mountain. Theydid not know that _one time hath ended_, another _time begun_, for theystill dated their documents 4032 of the world, when it was the year ofour Lord and their Lord 32. 

The antediluvians stand condemned because they were willingly ignorant ofthe Providential tokens and signs of the times. They set at naught theteachings and warnings of Noah, and in exulting pride they rejected theidea of a special Providence. Their faith, like many in this day, wasplanted and nourished by the laws of nature, and the analogouscontinuance of the same, not accepting the doctrine of a DivineProvidence. They cried aloud, “Where is the promise of His coming? Forsince the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from thebeginning of the creation. ”

Do you, like the Jews of old, demand more signs, when those given you arenot understood, or, if understood, they are undervalued? The prophetshave been lavish in portraying the calamities of the _last days_, or thetimes into which we are entering. For the words _last days_ are the fewyears preceding the battle of Armageddon. The calamities of these daysare of four kinds: First, social disorders; second, religious feuds andwars; third, wonderful political disturbances; fourth, temporal orphysical disasters. Of the social condition of these last days, Paulinstructs us: “This know, also, that in the last days perilous timesshall come. ” Then he groups together nineteen immoral attributes of thesocial state of these last days: “Men shall be lovers of their ownselves, covetous, boasters, proud blasphemers, disobedient (to parentsespecially), unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce despisers, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasure more than God, formal in religion” (2Timothy iii. ). What, we ask, will be the state of society when thesocial condition becomes such?

The religious feuds and persecutions of the last days we can but faintlyconceive. It was terrible when the beast, two hundred years ago, heldsway. The Inquisition, the rack, the stake, and all the horrors of awise age will be brought to bear. For in these days to come, the beastwill be joined by Anti-Christ, who will burn with rage, and vent hisdispleasure on Christ’s followers. Also the barbarism and savagedisposition of the Pagans will be let loose. Then will the dragon tearand destroy. This will, indeed, be a day or time of visitation. Thepolitical disturbances will be terrible. Nation against nation plottingand deceiving; internal strife and outward dangers. These are of a kindto appal one in reading them. Then come the temporal or physical evils. These are to be a horrible train of ills in the form of pestilence, famine, and earthquakes. The plague of yellow fever is as nought to someof the scourges that will then go forth. Gibbon, the historian, tells ofa plague that swept away two-thirds of Europe and Asia. At that time thedead lay unburied by thousands. In Constantinople, for three months, five and even ten thousand persons died daily. The famines in India andChina give us some idea of those yet to come. Of the earthquakes, suchas have been will be repeated in increasing terror, violence, anddestruction. To all these shall be added fire from heaven, hail, whirlwinds, and floods. These are times that will try men’s souls. Readthe prophets for yourselves, and range yourselves on the Lord’s side. 

WONDERS OF THE FUTURE. DISCOURSE XIV. 

PURPOSE OF THE FLOOD—THE ABRAHAMIC CURRENT—RENDING MOUNT OLIVET—FORMEREARTHQUAKES—BOUNDARIES OF PALESTINE—DAN AND GAD TO GUARD THE “GATES”—GADTHE SCOTCHMAN—THE FUTURE JERUSALEM—THE DEAD SEA AND MEDITERRANEAN TO BEJOINED—MISTAKE OF SPIRITUALISING EVERYTHING. 

 “And His feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the East: and the Mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the East and toward the West, and there shall be a very great valley; and half the mountain shall remove toward the North, and half of it toward the South. ”—Zech. Xiv. 4. 

Some four thousand years ago the earth was washed with the regeneratingwaters of a terrible flood. Millions were suddenly cut off, with theirhandiwork and antediluvian civilisation. The swelling floods subsided, and the God-avenging waters retired to their appointed place. The earthagain stood forth in virgin strength, lonely, bare, and citiless, butwith a potency and promise inviting and grand. Across these swellingfloods one craft had been safely borne; in it was stored the seed-stockof a new world of man and beast. The destruction had been complete andterrible. If we credit Dr. Gurney and others who have written on thissubject, the population far exceeded the inhabitants of to-day. Butwhether they did or did not, we know that many must have perished, andcivilisation must have been hurled back to a primitive beginning. Nodoubt the present seas and oceans cover over the ruins of that age. Eliphaz, the Temanite, when addressing Job, said: “Hast thou marked theold way, which wicked men have trodden, which were cut down out of time?_whose foundation was overflown with a flood_?” Now is it not reasonableto suppose that in this and every other great change in nature God has apurpose—a design agreeable with His own exalted character? He is toowise to err, and too good to be unkind. The flood came for the samereason that He only gave Adam one wife. And what was that reason? Itwas that He might fill the world with a godly seed. “And did not He makeone? Yet had He the residue of the Spirit. And wherefore one? That Hemight seek a godly seed” (Mal. Ii. 15). The same Spirit which made oneEve could have made twenty, for the residue of the Spirit was with Him. It was in the interest of morality and godliness that the flood came. 

When this design began to fail of being accomplished by the increasedwickedness of the post-diluvians, then God called Abram, and throughAbraham and his seed designed that this purpose should flow on and befulfilled. Through this Abrahamic channel flow all the purposes of aDivine Providence in this world. Through his seed all the nations of theearth are to be blessed. The children of Abraham are the appointed andDivinely authorised agents of God. Through them, as primary, he has, andis, and will evangelise the world. Abraham stands to the generations ofearth as the Gulf-stream to Europe and the isles of the sea. ThisGulf-stream is our largest river; being the longest, broadest, anddeepest. Its bottom and banks are cold water. Compressed by the straitsof Florida, it rushes forth to warm and replenish the earth and isles ofthe sea. So the forces of a Divine Providence compressed in Abraham goforth to bless mankind. The Gulf-stream is water in water, and Abraham’sseed are men among men. Providence is at once clear and intelligible, and history is at once plain, reasonable, and harmonious, wheninterpreted in harmony with the Abrahamic covenant. The scattering andreturning of Israel and Judah to Palestine, and the intervening history, from the time of dispersion to the Return, is clear as noon-day. Theirlocation, oppression, prosperity, and victories, have long been foretoldby prophets inspired of God. 

Through all the changes in nature God has a design. He prepared theworld for Adam and his seed, and He did so by some wonderful upheavingand overturning; this scientists will admit. This world, in its presentshape and condition, indicates fierce and protracted struggles. Theoutlines of strange and sublime revolutions are imprinted on herrock-ribbed bosom. Look at her cloud-capped mountains, her snow-crownedpeaks, her wild and rocky wastes, her barren plains and sandy deserts, her fruitful hills and luxuriant valleys, her mighty oceans and swellingseas, her inland lakes and rolling rivers; these tell us of a time longago—of the time when the Mighty One went forth to work a work, to build ahouse and make a home for His creature, man. And as it was necessary inthe preparatory stage to tune nature to the coming man, so all alongthrough the history of the centuries we find nature holding a subordinaterelation to man. The world is not run on one principle and man onanother, but both are permeated by a Divine force and led on to a Divineend. All things are ours, and we are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s; thisis the established order of subordination. Most certainly it cannot beunscientific in the Author of nature to make the same His messenger forgood or evil. It is not unscientific to throw a line from the shore to aship in distress, even though thrown from the mouth of a cannon, nor isit counted unscientific to use that same cannon in war to destroy men. 

The earthquake spoken of in the text is, indeed, a small affair incomparison to some that have occurred in this world; and if the same Godbe living now as then, surely He can rend in twain the little mountain ofOlivet. And if we grant to the infidel scientist of to-day the fact thatthere is no God, still the thing prophesied of is neither unreasonable orimpossible, because what has been may be again; and as the demand in thiscase is small in comparison to what has been, surely this thing may cometo pass. In times past Providence and the wants of the Church have beentimely aided by convulsions in nature, and if they were only soaccidentally, why then accidentally they may all agree again. To thescientist, especially the geologist, there can be no great difficulty increditing the miracles of the text when we think of the successiverevolutions that have taken place. Fires, and floods, and earthquakes, have done sublime service in the past, whether we credit the same toNature or to God. That an earthquake, or any peculiar expression ofnature, should be timed to meet a special condition of the Church or thespecial purposes of a Providence, is not strange. In such an event therereally is no more wonder than that a man should set an alarm on his clockto go off at three minutes past four in the morning. Some men canswallow big things if you will only allow them to make out the author tobe Nature. But whether we attribute the things past to Nature or to God, we know that wonderful things have happened. 

Seismology, the science of earthquakes, is by no means void of interest. The earthquake catalogue of the British Association takes notice of, andrecords the occurrence of, over 6, 000 that happened between 1606 B. C. And1842 A. D. Some of these have been terrible in force, destruction, andextent, oftentimes changing the whole face of a country, its climate, andriver courses. The great earthquake of 1783 in Calabria, probably causedthe death of 100, 000 people; it was felt over a great part of Europe. The city of Lisbon was visited on the morning of November 1st, 1755, withan earthquake so severe that in a few minutes 60, 000 persons perished, and most of the city was destroyed and buried beneath the water of thebay some 600 feet. 

The country given to Abraham embraces all of what we call Syria. It iscentral, and specially adapted for the future purposes of God throughAbraham’s seed. Beginning with the North-west corner, the boundarieswill be Mount Taurus, river Euphrates, Persian Gulf, Arabian Sea, RedSea, River Nile, and Mediterranean, enclosing Syria, Arabia Deserts, Arabia Felix and Arabia Petrœa. Thus it will be seen that the Abrahamicinheritance is surrounded by water, except at two points—namely, theNorth-west land boundary, which is between the Euphrates and theMediterranean Sea. The entrance is through the mountain range of Taurus, and forms a natural gate or mountain pass from Europe and Asia intoPalestine. Here, when the Tribes are resettled in the land of Palestine, this gate will be in the allotment of Dan. Our Irish brethren will againbe in the North-west, where they will have to fight and defend the landand the truth, as in days of old, for their brethren. The fact is, “Danshall judge his people as one of the Tribes of Israel, ” said old Jacob. The judge in olden times sat in the gate. So will Dan sit. Moses saidthat Dan was a lion’s whelp. Among Israel it is customary to put lionsas guards at gateways. The Southwest corner, between the Mediterraneanand the Sea of Suez, forms the other land boundary. Through this gatewill come the teeming millions of Africa. At this gate will be the Tribeof Gad—that is, a portion of the Scotch, the lowlanders. The Tribes willbe hemmed in one by another so that they cannot enlarge their territory;but Gad can, for a vast country opens up beyond the gate. It is barren;still the desert is to blossom as a rose. Of Gad it was said by Moses, “Blessed be He that enlargeth Gad; he dwelleth as a lion and teareth thearm with the crown of the head. And he provided the first part forhimself, because there, in a portion of the lawgiver, was he seated. ”You remember that Sinai is in this portion. What sight and foresightJacob and Moses had! The land as thus bounded would be 600 miles broadfrom the Red Sea to the River Euphrates, and 1, 390 between the Red Seaand Persian Gulf, and from the Mediterranean to the Arabian Sea, 1, 600. These boundaries you will glean by taking note of the several promises toAbraham and his seed, as recorded in Gen. Xv. 10, and Exod. Xxiii. 31, and Deut. Xi. 24. The land so promised and given specially to Abrahamand his seed, the descendants of Abraham never yet occupied, no, not halfof it, even in the palmy days of King Solomon. Will it ever be? Weanswer, Yes, as sure as the seasons and night and day. He is faithfulthat has promised, and will do it. 

This remarkable peninsula will be the theatre of the future glory ofIsrael and Judah. As finely described by the Rev. A. B. Grimaldi, itwill be found to be most exactly and suitably placed to enable them tofulfil their high destiny to all nations, and become the centre of alllands, the praise and beauty of the whole earth. This land has, in fact, a central position for communication, commerce, and all other advantagesof civilisation not enjoyed by any other portion of land in the wholeworld; while the peculiar geographical formation is such that it has animmense seaboard, and is therefore fitted for vaster commercial and navaloperations than have ever yet been seen, commanding, as it does, thethree most important seas and the two largest rivers of the whole world. 

This land, as laid out by Ezekiel, will be divided into thirteenlongitudinal strips, sixty miles long, and twenty broad. In the verycentre will be a portion, some fifty miles square, which will be dividedand apportioned to what is called the holy oblation—namely, in the verymiddle will be the temple, a mile square, or larger than ever the wholecity of Jerusalem has yet been. Then the city will be ten miles square. On one side will be a portion for the priests; on another, a portion forthe Levites; and on the other two sides, the prince’s or king’s portion. This portion, which will be on the East and West sides, will be sixtymiles long by ten broad, or some 600 miles square. But it is clear hewill need it, for he will not be supported by taxes. He will have tojudge the land. He cannot take any more land. He will have to supporthis own family. No public grant to his children. He will have to beliberal with the temple. He will have sixty miles of sea coast to defendand sixty miles of land frontier to protect, and thus cover some of theweaker tribes. The city will have 720 square miles as a suburb, in whichto raise supplies specially for itself. It will in reality be in twoparts—one called by the prophets the profane; here will the commercialbusiness be done. The other part will be sacred. Into it strangers willnot enter; it will be holy—a quiet habitation. “There the glorious Lordwill be unto us a place of broad rivers and streams, wherein shall go nogaily with oars, neither shall gallant ships pass thereby. ” The cityproper will be some thirty miles North of the present city of Jerusalem. 

NINETEEN HUNDRED AND FIFTY-SEVEN. DISCOURSE XVI. 

“SIGNS OF THE TIMES”—THE RETURN TO JERUSALEM—FORCES OF RUSSIA ANDENGLAND—PRESENT LOCALITY OF ANCIENT NATIONS—ORIGIN OF AMERICANREPUBLICANISM—FEDERATION OF THE NATIONS COMING—EVOLUTION AND DEVOLUTION. 

 “Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. ”—Daniel xii. 12. 

So according to the prophet Daniel there is a time to come in which itwill be blessed to live. The prophecies of Daniel are generally of amaterial character—that is, they have special reference to this worldpolitically, and to this end he had direct and special reference tocertain kingdoms in existence at the time of writing, as well as othersthat were to come into being. Of all the prophets he concerns himselfthe most with positive data of the rise and fall of nations. The figuresof the data used, we freely confess, are difficult to understand andinterpret. The Church and times are greatly in need of some mancompetent on this point. All prophetic students know the diversity andconfusion in this department of theology. Of all the difficultdepartments of theology none exceed the numerical. The numericalsymbolism of the Bible is as yet but little understood. True, indeed, weare improving. Aided by Providence, we are enabled to interpret somedates by data—that is, certain events occurring locate us and point outthe prophetic period we are in. Like the captain who is unable by hiscertain and usual modes of calculating to find his whereabouts, does soby currents, the Gulf-stream, islands, colour of waters, &c. , did we knowthe exact quantity of Daniel’s two thousand and three hundred days, histimes, time, and half a time, his seventy weeks, his thousand two hundredand ninety days, and the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days, then we could deal with the prophecies with a definitiveness to which asyet we are strangers. 

The times, however, are peculiarly interesting from the very fact thatthe Church is waking up to the importance of prophetic study. “Comingevents cast their shadows before, ” is a trite but true saying, and hereas true as anywhere. Men feel in their fears and hopes the pressure ofprophecy. The Church is remarkably anxious and unrest. Governments aresuspicious and confused. The populace are restless and threatening. Indeed, everything conspires in Church, State, and people, to forecastthe future. A thunderstorm is felt before it is seen or heard. Itshadows the mind, thrills the nerves, and pains the rheumatic limbs. Many in 1858 felt war coming in our own country. Many were at a loss tointerpret their fears. Some, however, interpreted the signs of the timeand sounded an alarm. 

The few years to come are pregnant with angry forces. Men are busy inRussia, Germany, France, England, and America, sowing the winds, and theharvest will surely be whirlwinds. But, beyond all, the sky is clear. War ceases, commerce revives, the nations accept a settled peace, scienceand religion join hand in hand to prepare the wastes and woes of war. The beast is overcome, Anti-Christ is slain, and the dragon is banishedfrom the earth. Jerusalem again rises in splendour from the grave ofdesolation. Again Canaan will become the glory of all lands, andJerusalem the glory of Canaan. Here, again, after centuries ofwandering, shall the throne of David find rest, and on it one of David’sseed, chosen and anointed of God, accepted of men, and served by thenations. Crowned and imperial Salem shall become the home of herlong-captive sons and daughters. Israel and Judah shall meet together, and shall be one stick, one people, having one head, one throne, onecity, one Lord, even Jesus. “Therefore, they shall come and sing in theheight of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord, forwheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and ofthe herd; and their soul shall be as a watered garden, and they shall notsorrow any more at all” (Jeremiah xxxi. 12). 

No one can read the prophecies that find their fulfilment after thebattle of Armageddon—or, as the prophets have it, “after thosedays”—without being ravished with delight. Israel in her palmy days, andJudah in her glory! A nation called of God, and ruled by God throughDavid or Solomon; how inviting! When Heaven was their Defence andProvider; when the fidelity of men to God was enough of defence, and themorality of a people was a rich manure giving an abundant harvest infield, stall, and orchard; then we see the true position of a nation, itsgrandeur and prosperity. I am convinced that morality has a moreintimate relation with the forces and wealth of nature than we are in thehabit of believing. God can give increased measure to the harvest, fruitfulness to the vine, plenty in the orchard, increase in the stall, and addition to the household. Time upon time are these blessingspromised by the prophets to Israel and Judah in the latter day. 

Take notice of a few statements of the prophets responding to thosetimes—the times that will ensue after the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel andthe Jews are again possessed of, and settled in, Palestine. Jeremiah, inthe 30th chapter and 31st, refers to those times: “For lo, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will bring again the captivity of My people, Israel and Judah, saith the Lord; and I will cause them to return to theland that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it”—referringto this time and the battle of Armageddon, in which Israel will be testedas we have before shown. “Alas! for that day is great, so that none islike it; it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be savedout of it. ” Now, we ask, why will it be specially a time of trouble? Weanswer, Because of the strength of the combined forces that will bearrayed against Israel—that is, England. The forces, as set forth in theScriptures, are _thirteen on one side_, _led by Russia_, and _four on theother_, which will be _led by England_. The _thirteen_ are: 1st, Gog;2nd, Magog; 3rd, Rosh; 4th, Meshech; 5th, Tubal; 6th, Persia; 7th, Ethiopia; 8th, Libya; 9th, Gomer; 10th, Togarmah; 11th, the Beast; 12th, the Dragon; and 13th, Anti-Christ. The _four_ are: 1st, Sheba; 2nd, Dedan; 3rd, Merchants of Tarshish with all their young lions; 4th, theJews and Israelites settled in Palestine, that will not be led astray byAnti-Christ. 

To understand the prophets when forecasting the future, we must keep inmind that in speaking of a nation’s destiny in the future, they wouldspeak of it by the name it had at that time, if such a nation had anexistence at that time. But in course of time, such nations would changetheir name, and sometimes locality; in such a case they must be found. For instance, if one desires to know the destiny of Turkey, he will findit set forth by the prophets under the name of Edom and Esau. Moab andAmmon are found in the Poles and Hungarians; they were the sons of Lot. In all parts of the world the children of Abraham have an attachment foreach other. Thus India was peopled at first by the descendants ofAbraham; hence they will mix with, and accept English rule sooner thanany other people. “But unto the sons of the concubines which Abrahamhad, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while heyet lived, Eastward, unto the East country” (Gen. Xxv. 6). If we traceback the origin of a people to their head or founder, we will betterunderstand their peculiarities and national idiosyncrasies. StudyIshmael to understand the Arabs, Esau to understand the Turks, Ammon andMoab to understand the Poles and Hungarians. Study the character andcondition of Manasseh in Egypt, as being brought up in a palace, andbeing the lawful heir, but deprived of his birthright by a Providencewhich he could not understand, and you have at once a key to the Pilgrimcharacter, and the characteristics of a real American—why he hatestitles, kings, and aristocracies. But he forgets not the place of hisyouth when he had the great seal made; for on the reverse of the greatseal of the United States you will have the figure of a Pyramid crownedwith the All-seeing eye. No Tribe but the Tribe of Manasseh could say, or did say, “We are a great people. ” Yet so this Tribe said to Joshua(see Josh. Xvii. ). So we often say, “We are a great people. ”

Rachel and Leah, the two wives of Jacob, are the real source of theseparation of the Ten Tribes of Israel from Judah. Each wife sought tohave her son as a leader. Thus between Judah and Joseph began the spiritof rivalry. Ephraim took up the cause of Rachel. David and Saul’sbitterness lies here. David stood for Leah, and Saul for Rachel. Thedescendants of the North of Ireland, being from the Tribe of Dan, haveever been distinct from the rest of the Irish in features, enterprise, spirit and religion; for the others are the Canaanites of old, thePhilistines. 

Who do the thirteen enemies stand for to-day? Let me answer you briefly. Gog stands for the Caucasians or mountain tribes of Caucasus. Magogcovers the inhabitants and country North of the Caucasian mountains, andthey are known as Tartars. Rosh, or Roosh, means the real Russians. Their ruler is called by the Prophet Ezekiel _Nasi Roosh_. We translateit the chief prince of Meshech. This portion, or people of Russia, arethe old Babylonians, hence the hate and rivalry between England and thatnation. Meshech means the Muscovites, who made Moscow what it is. Tubalis found in the Siberians. Meshech and Tubal are generally mentionedtogether in the Scriptures, and, strange to say, they are found togetherin history to-day. Moscow is the capital of Meshech, for though to theworld St. Petersburgh seems to be, yet every imperial document is signedand dated Moscow. Tobolski is the capital of Tubal or Siberia. Persiastill retains its ancient name, and will be easily recognised. Also thesame with Ethiopia. Libya takes in a portion of the African race. Gomerstands for the Germans in part, for those who descended from Gomer. Fromthis word Gomer is Gomeron, Gemren, and the country Germia, hence, Germany and Germans. Togarmah includes the people of IndependentTartary. The Dragon includes China. The Beast, the Jesuits and theirfollowers, which will take in France, Spain, Italy, and South America;and at first divide even England, especially Ireland, and the UnitedStates. Anti-Christ will be chiefly sustained by the Jews, who will havebeen settled in Palestine. 

The four opposing forces led by England: Sheba represents India, who isalready training for this time of battle. Dedan embraces Arabia, especially that part occupied by the Sultan of Muscat. Merchants ofTarshish and all the young lions, means England and her colonies, inwhich is embraced the United States. Manasseh will have to stretch out ahelping hand to Jacob in the time of his trouble, for she cannot allowliberty to be enslaved, and freedom of worship and conscience to betrampled under foot. The plague will come here sooner than we think, bya civil and internal division among ourselves, which will force us totake part. The Jews that are not carried away with Anti-Christ will joinwith their brethren of Israel. The called, the chosen, and the faithful, will be one party, and they will be on the Lord’s side. 

If during the late Turkish war we could have had our despatches agreeableto ancient names of people and country, they would have sounded queer. Instead of reading of the Russians passing the Caucasus, and moving uponErzeroum by way of Kars, we should have read: Rapid advance of theBabylonians under the chief prince of Meshech. Successful passage of thePison. The whole land of Havilah occupied. The men of Togarmah rally atGihon. Fierce fighting in Eden. The invaders defeated in the mountainsof Ararat. For according to ancient names of people and country, suchwas the fact. It is comforting to all God’s people to know from His Wordthat there is a time of peace; that there is a golden age in the nearfuture. Dr. McKay has the Christian idea in his poem:

 “There is a good time coming, boys, Wait a little longer; Let us aid it all we can, Every woman, every man, The good time coming. ”

When will the 1, 335 days of years, spoken of in the text, end? Weanswer, About the year 1957. And why that year? Because these daysevidently date there, beginning from the time the daily sacrifice istaken away and the city trodden under foot. The little goat horn ofDaniel viii. 9 stands, we have before shown you, for Turkey. “And out ofone of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great towardthe South, and toward the East, and toward the pleasant land. ” It standsfor Mahommedanism, which was to overturn Christianity for a given period, a time, times, and a half time, or in figures, 1260. Now Mahommed wasaccepted and crowned at Mecca in the year 622. If we add 1260 and 622, we have 1882—a time that is very plainly pointed out in the Pyramid. Daniel says, “Seventy weeks are determined upon Thy people and upon Thyholy city, ” Jerusalem. These weeks put into prophetic years make 490, which, of course, brings us to the time when Jerusalem was destroyed byTitus. Daniel asked how long the vision concerning the daily sacrificeand transgression of desolation to give the sanctuary and people to betrodden down? The answer was, Unto 2, 300 days, taking a day for a year. Jerusalem was destroyed in the year 70. Take this from 490 and we have420. Now these 420 years taken from 2, 300 will bring 1880. Then thesanctuary is to be cleansed—that is, Jerusalem will be in the possessionof England. She now is. 

From about 1880, or 1882, England will possess Jerusalem. In the twelfthchapter of Daniel, eleventh verse, we find thirty days added to the1, 200, making 1, 290; these added thirty years denote the time Englandwill have to contend for her right to Palestine. It will finally beacknowledged, however, by all nations. In 1935 the battle of Armageddonwill end, but Palestine will not be fully settled down to a peacefulpossession till 1957. Then the government will be fully established andacknowledged all over the world. The kings and Gentile nations will havegone up to Jerusalem and given in their adherence. Then all the worldwill be federated to David’s throne. The year 1957 I arrive at by thesame rule as the other—1, 335 when added to 622, makes 1, 957. “Blessed, ”says Daniel, “are they who see that time. ”

The world is to undergo some marvellous changes these next fewyears—mechanically, politically, socially, and morally; the telephone, the phonograph, the microphone, the telemachole and coming improvementswill transform our modes of labour and learning beyond our presentconception. God times inventions and improvements to the advancement ofHis kingdom. 

I do not regard inventions as mere accidents, but as the outcoming of aDivine intent through human agencies. Watts and Wesley both did goodservice for the Church and the world. Edison and others of kindred mindsare scientific prophets. “The earth is the Lord’s and the fulnessthereof. ” All is made subservient to the progress of the kingdom ofheaven. The doctrine of the evolution of man as taught by Darwin isneither complimentary to man or God; but the doctrine of devolution is. Man is a developing creature; a creature who takes centuries to grow in. The devolution of God is through man by means of all the increasingfacilities and agencies that make man stronger, wiser, and better. Thesecret powers and forces of nature are revealed to man in the ratio ofhis ability to apply them, on the same scale as we instruct our children. 

In the latter days, or the period spoken of by Daniel, nature will beDivinely prompted with an impulse of generosity not now known, for thenmen will be wise enough, strong enough, and good enough, to use the sameand not abuse. The prophetic teachings glow with promises of regalingplenty, peace and good will in those days. “I will multiply upon you manand beasts; and they shall increase and bring fruit; and I will settleyou after your old estates, and will do better unto you than at yourbeginnings; and ye shall know that I am the Lord” (Ezek. Xxxvi. 11). Again: “I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of thefield, that ye receive no more reproach of famine, among the heathen. ” Isubmit and believe that all this God will do by what men are pleased tocall natural law. The Divine will not rudely break in upon His ownestablished laws. 

Sin impairs the energy and growth of man, and so infringes upon Nature. As man frees himself from the bondage and sequences of sin, he will risehigher and higher in his command and authority over Nature’s forces. Three several times the earth has been cursed, which curse is graduallyremoved as man returns unto his God in loving and obedient service. “Andnow art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth toreceive thy brother’s blood from thy hand. When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength” (Gen. Iv. 11). Thesecret of a world’s wealth and peace lies here, and it were well ifreformers and agitators understood this. For they work best who work inharmony with God and His laws. 

 [Picture: Pyramid picture]

 “In that day there shall be an altar to the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to the Lord; and it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt. ”—Isaiah xix. 19. 

THE STONE WITNESS. {159}DISCOURSE XVII. 

THE GREAT PYRAMID—WHO JOB WAS—WHO BUILT THE PYRAMID—WHAT IT WAS BUILTFOR—AN EPITOME OF THE EARTH—THE HISTORY OF MAN CONTAINED IN IT, PAST ANDFUTURE—SCIENCE AND THE BIBLE, ETC. , ETC. 

The wonderful discourses of the Rev. Dr. Wild, of Brooklyn, werecontinued last Sunday evening, before a thronged congregation in ElmPlace Church. Under the organ gallery, behind the pulpit, was arepresentation of the Pyramid, or as the learned doctor terms it, “thestone Bible, ” its massive rectangular dark stone foundation and some ofthe most interesting of its interior passages, chambers, and mysteries. All eyes were fastened in scrutiny upon it, well knowing that somerevelation of unusual Christian interest would be made by the Doctor fromit as soon as his lecture commenced. The preliminary exercises ofsinging by a well-trained choir and prayer were therefore impatientlylistened to by many whose thoughts were concentrated on the wonders ofthe Pyramid and its astounding confirmation of the prophetic Scriptures. Dr. Wild read a lesson from Job xxxviii. , remarking that the author ofthat book was also the engineering director or architectural author ofthe Pyramid and identical with Shem and Melchisedec. The book of Job isthe oldest book in the world by 200 or 300 years. Shem, or Job, wasninety-eight years old when he entered the ark, and he lived thirty yearsafter Abraham, with whom therefore he shook hands, as well as withMethuselah, who shook hands with Adam. Only one man, therefore, stoodbetween Adam and Shem, and only two, or not quite two, between Adam andAbraham. The book of Berosus, of Babylon, is the only one that compareswith Job in antiquity. This was the age of tradition before Mosescompiled the first portions of it. In the days of Abraham, Shem was thepatriarch, or oldest, of his family; and it was therefore to him he didhomage, according to the patriarchal custom, under the name ofMelchisedec, when returning from the slaughter of the kings. Shem hadbrought with him from the days before the flood much of the knowledge andwisdom which had been accumulated in the earth during the 2, 000 yearsprevious to that event, and which was swept away when only eight personswere saved in the ark. We have been told that the human race hasgradually improved, and that our ancestors in far off ages were monkeys, or something of that sort, but the remains of the ruins and knowledge ofantiquity show everything the reverse of this to be the truth. Look atthat Pyramid. We could not build it to-day, with all our boastedscience. It will bear in every respect the closest scientific scrutiny. Our greatest scientists are only beginning to comprehend the depths ofits mysteries, yet it is over 4, 000 years old. The capstone on top of itis a Pyramid in itself, in miniature, unlike anything of the kind or anyother building on the earth. The reverend gentleman then continued toread from Job xxxviii. , and shew that the writer of it was master ofastronomical and geographical science and the builder of the Pyramid, which is a miniature of the measurement of the earth and indicates thehistory of the human race. After this preliminary dissertation he tookfor his text Isaiah xxviii. 29: “This also cometh forth from the Lord ofhosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working. ”

The Bible is a growing book, being more read and better understood as theyears pass by; and as men shall increase in knowledge and power, so theBible will gain in influence and authority. Opposition to its teaching, and vaunting denial of its authority, shall be made subservient to itsinterests by goading on the Church to a wiser and more noble defence andexposition of the same. No theology can levy upon the well-defined factsof science in confirmation of the sublime teachings of inspiration. TheChristian student need not hold himself in timid dread for fear thescientist will discover aught in the realms of nature that willcontradict the Word of God: for as sure as God is the Author of both, sosurely shall we find an agreement between revelation and science at everypoint truly understood—increased light means increased evidence. Nationsand men, nature and Providence, are united witnesses for God, and theScriptures, and the more we know of the past, the better shall weunderstand the present and forecast the future. Let us recognise thefuture. Let us recognise the important difference between the Biblesubjectively and objectively—that is, between what the Bible really isand what men think it is. Let us be free enough, bold enough, and wiseenough, to claim the Bible itself. Let us unyoke it from tradition, which claims to be superior, or even equal. Let us divorce it fromcouncils, from creeds, from sects and denominations; let us lift it upout of the ecclesiastical rut of ages. Let us with a commendable pridecount ourselves worthy and able to formulate our own creeds, make our ownprayers and confessions, accounting that the liberties of our fathershave been bequeathed to their children, and that the same God who gavethem liberty and power is no less gracious to us, their offsprings. Traditions, councils, creeds, and degrees are worth much unto us as aidsto a higher life, and a nobler civilisation. The Christian fathers, theLuthers, Calvins, Knoxes, Wesleys, and others, were our servants, as wewill be the servants of coming generations. They worked grandly, theywrought well, they procured for us a goodly heritage; to them we areindebted. Yet it was not their purpose nor the design of Providence toenslave us, or to stereotype the Church for the ages to come. Increasedlight is increased evidence, enabling us the better to understand theWord of God. When a publisher has stereotyped a book, he is naturallyloath to make any change or correction; so Churches who have stereotypedthe Bible are very unwilling to change, to receive light. Hence, theyare sometimes found opposing the march of a better civilisation, provingand sustaining all manner of institutions and tyrannies: the torturingand terrible Inquisition of Spain, the punishment and hanging of supposedwitches by England and New England, the bondage and slavery of the South. So, to prove their creeds and systems correct, they each have a mode oftheir own, Catholic, Episcopalian, Baptist, Congregational, Methodist, &c. _So also_, theologians have often been impatient to reconcile theScriptures with history, even to suggest mistakes in the sacred record. Instance Daniel being made the THIRD RULER. _They supposed it meantsecond_, but later researches show that Babylon had two rulers at thattime—namely, Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar—so Daniel was made a third. See the remains of Borsippia, near Babylon (Dan. V. 29). Now we knowthat both Daniel and Berosus, the old Babylonian historians, were right, and the Bible was right in using the word third. God in His revelationhas always been equal to man’s need. Tradition—Abraham saw Shem, forShem lived some thirty years after Abraham’s death. Shem, andMelchisedek, and Job, are likely the same person. Certainly, Shem andMelchisedek are the same, and by Egyptian historians called Philitis. This Philitis was the builder of the Great Pyramid. Now Shem sawMethuselah and Methuselah Adam. Thus, then, tradition would besufficient. As tradition failed, the written Word began. There islittle doubt now but that _Shem_, called also Melchisedek, was thebuilder of the Pyramid, being instructed of God, as his father Noah hadbeen in building the ark, and as Moses with the tabernacle, and Solomonwith the temple, as the prophet in the text and context shows that thewisdom of the man is often the gift of God. _See Moses also_. “And theLord spake unto Moses, saying: See, I have called by name Bezaleel, theson of Uri, the son of Hur, of the Tribe of Judah; and I have filled himwith the Spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and inknowledge, and in all manner of workmanship: to devise cunning works, towork in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in cutting of stones, toset them, and in carving of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship. And, behold, I have given him Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the Tribeof Dan; and in the hearts of all that are wise-hearted I have put wisdomthat they may make all that I have commanded thee” (Exodus xxxi. 1–6). 

Let us look at this building, for it is a special revelation for thesetimes. For this precise and scientific day God has provided. Scienceand the Bible are interlocked in this building; they agree, they testifyfor the same God, yet they witness to the same Christ, the Providence andhistory of His chosen people. This stone book could not be read tillnow; it even takes the most precise scientific men of the day to read it. For thousands of years there has been no one in the court of the worldable to question and interpret this witness of the Lord in Egypt. Thescientists have been asking for some other revelation than the Bible, forthe supernatural in a scientific form, for something beyond man, forsomething all could see, for something that would answer to pure science, for something that could be seen, handled, measured, tested, and amenableto mathematics; something superhuman, for something in which the humanand the Divine blend. Thank Heaven, all they ask is granted in thisstone monument. Here we have science forecast for thousands of years;here we have the grandest of problems in science solved, and thesublimest phenomena of religion and science crystalised, symbolising andteaching the most marvellous facts in religion, sociology, and astronomy. It is not a tomb, nor granary, nor temple, but a pillar and witness untothe Lord of hosts. Think of a few facts. 1. Its location, the centre ofthe land surface of the whole earth. Hence the best zero point on earthfor meridianal and latitudinal calculations. Central to clime—here is norust, moss, nor frosts to destroy, nor earthquake—a well-chosen spot forsuch a pillar. 2. Its form and size—symbolising the earth quantity inits weight of five millions of tons—the freight of 1, 250 of the largeststeamers leaving New York. Its shape, or inclination from base to apex, the same as from the pole to the equator. To express this the buildersloped in ten feet for every nine in height. On this building the suncan shine upon the whole of it twice a year without a shadow. Thisbuilding is the most correctly orient of any structure on the earth. Itis the highest, largest, and oldest building on earth, rising to theheight of 486 feet and a fraction, which height if multiplied by ten ninetimes gives the distance of the earth from the sun; or pile a thousandmillion pyramids one on the other, and the last would touch the sun. Asit stood perfect it was the circle squared; for the height is the radiusof a circle, whose circumference, if divided into four equal parts, eachpart would equal one of the surface sides of the base—closer inapproximation than Walli’s Indivisibles, or Newton’s Fluxions, orLiebnitz’s Calculus. The door of entrance was some forty-nine feet fromits base, and 300 inches East of the centre, so as at once to express thetilt of the earth’s axis from the plane of its orbit, and by its heightfrom the ground express the Precession of the Equinoxes. What a witnessoutwardly, when complete, of polished marble, covering some thirteen anda half acres, within and without clean and free from idolatrous marks. But God foretold the place and purpose of this huge pile through theprophet Isaiah (xix. 19, 20): “In that day shall there be an altar to theLord in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the borderthereof to the Lord. And it shall be for a sign and for a witness untothe Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt. ” Here we see the _altar andpillar_ are _one_ and the same, and a scientific fact is expressed whenthe prophet says it shall be in the midst and on the border. Theposition of the Pyramid is such, being at the sector point of Upper andLower Egypt, thus being on the border of both, yet in the midst. Thesector point of the arm is where the wrist joins the hand. The spreadinghand represents Lower, and the arm Upper Egypt. (See on frontispiece thesector plate. )

May we ask what the pillar and witness—the Pyramid—has to say on theJewish question, for it has not left this fact unnoticed? At thejunction of the first ascending passage with the Grand Gallery, on theleft-hand side, or East, there is a horizontal passage-way leading towhat is called the Queen’s Chamber. This chamber is on the twenty-fifthcourse of masonry. Now, it is allowed, the Grand Gallery expresses thetime of Christ’s advent and fulness of time—enlarged liberty. Theascending passage being only four feet high, men were cramped in passingup, but on reaching the Grand Gallery they were free, for it istwenty-eight feet high. 

The passage to the Queen’s Chamber is only four feet, and is it notstrange that it is altogether Jewish? This low horizontal passageterminates in a grand Sabbatic room, which symbolises the JewishSabbath-week, feasts, and time periods. 

From this passage we learn that the Jews rejected Christ, and went off bythemselves, refusing the liberty of Christ. So as truly as the coming ofChrist had been forecast in this Pyramid, so had His rejection by theJews. 

The very mortar in this chamber is mixed with salt. The chamber isseven-sided. The last seventh of the passage-way sinks down, giving moreroom to move in. Salt was an article used freely with the Jews insacrificing. Seven was a sacred number. The sinking of the last seventhpart of the passageway floor may mean the enlarging privilege of the Jewsin this latter day. Of the civilised nations, only Russia and Spainforbid them citizenship. Even Turkey admits them now as citizens. 

The Jews have been represented as being blind in part. The passage-wayand chamber have been difficult to explore because of foul air, therebeing no ventilating tubes as in the King’s Chamber. 

But, strange to say, a gentleman exploring this chamber a short time ago, found two tubes by an accident in striking the side wall with a hammer. The tubes had been left entirely closed over with a thin unbroken scale. These tubes extended inward through the masonry, and into the stonesforming the walls of the room, all nicely cut, but for about one inchthey were not cut through into the room itself. Thus the whole wasdesigned is evident. This thin scale no doubt symbolises the conditionof the Jew. His eyes are now open, the time of his wandering nearlyspent, as told by this Pyramid. 

The curses foretold upon the Jews have been terribly fulfilled. So shallthe blessings foretold now in reserve. It was foretold that he wouldreject Christ; so he did. But it is also foretold that he will yet lookupon Him whom he pierced, and mourn and repent, and accept the trueMessiah. Lo-ruhamah represents Lost Israel; Lo-Ammi represents cursedJudah; Ruhamah represents Israel found; Ammi represents the curse removedfrom the Jews. So now we must say, as the prophet Hosea long agoinstructed us—we Saxons—“Say ye unto your brother, Ammi, ” and you Jews, “say to your sisters, Ruhamah. ”

We have esteemed the Jews as cursed; we will soon esteem them blest. TheJews have never thought we were their brethren, the descendants ofAbraham. But God is revealing in this latter day His own great plan; andChrist will be the Saviour of both. 

“In His days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely. Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that they shall no moresay, The Lord liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out ofEgypt; but, The Lord liveth, which brought up, and which led the seed ofthe House of Israel out of the North country, and from all countrieswhither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land” (Jer. Xxiii. 6–8). 

Glorious times are near at hand for the Church and the world. Greatthings hath God promised, all of which He will in His own good time bringto pass. 

The very dimensions of the doorway are of thrilling import, expressing insquare inches the time of the Adamic world, which, when added to otherfigures, forecast the time of the end, or the 6, 000 years, and point outthe date of the beginning of the Millennium morn, or Sabbath of theearth—the period spoken of by Daniel when he says, “Blessed is he thatwaiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirtydays. ” This period we approximated in our last Discourse, and made itout to be about 1, 957. The door-way in square inches is 1, 949; takethese inches for years, and we have, before the building of the Pyramid, of years 1949 A. M. , time of building 2170 B. C. , and length of GrandGallery, 1, 882, and we get a total of 6, 001. This is indeed a closeapproximation. 

SIGNS AND WONDERS. DISCOURSE XVIII. 

THE STONE PROPHET IS THE WILDERNESS—NO WAR FOR FOUR YEARS—THE GREATSTRUGGLE TO COMMENCE IN 1882—PRUSSIA ANCIENT ASSYRIA—ENGLAND, GERMANY, AND EGYPT TO BE ALLIES—THE FUTURE HISTORY OF THE WORLD—THE PHILISTINESTHE SOUTHERN IRISH—WHO THEIR GREAT ANCESTOR WAS, ETC. 

 “The great, the mighty God, the Lord of hosts, is His name. Great in counsel, and mighty in work; for Thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men; to give every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings; which has set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, even unto this day. ”—Jer. Xxxii. 18–20. 

Egypt is intimately connected with Palestine in providential history, both past, present, and future. No student can have a proper knowledgeof the Jewish and Israelitish nation unless he be familiar with the earlycivilisation and power of Egypt. From this land went forth the Caphtorimto settle Palestine, led forth by the great and good Melchisedek, afterhe had built the Pyramid. Under his reign they first settled Palestine, built and made Jerusalem their capital. On the death of Melchisedek theylost their allegiance to God, they became an idolatrous people, and wererejected by Jehovah as His special agents. They are known in afterhistory under the name of Philistines, which simply means the followersor subjects of Philitis—a name which the early historians of Egypt gaveto the builder of the Pyramid, which was none other person thanMelchisedek. By the Israelites they were driven out of Palestine, andfinally settled in the South of Ireland, as Irish historians allow. 

Another member of the family of Shem was called—namely, Abraham, fromwhom came God’s chosen people—Israel and the Jews. They also had tosojourn in Egypt, and they, too, were sent to Palestine, and graffed onto the purpose of God, where the Philistines had been broken off. 

“Have not I brought up Israel out of the land of Egypt, and thePhilistines from Caphtor?” (Amos ix. 7). 

Egypt has played a noble part in the providence of God throughMelchisedek, Abraham, Joseph, and Moses. Even the blessed Jesus is saidto be called from this land. “Out of Egypt have I called My Son. ” TheEgyptians gave to the world the first translation of the Hebrew Bible, and it was for centuries the stronghold of Christianity after thedestruction of Jerusalem. The best of the Christian fathers wereEgyptians, and in the coming struggle, the great war, which will beginabout 1882, again Egypt will become conspicuous with England and Prussia. For the Prussians are the Assyrians as the English art the Lost Tribes ofIsrael. Bismarck may manœuvre as he please, and be as pro-Russian as Dr. Storrs, yet when the time comes he and his people will fall in with theprovidential purpose, and become an ally with Israel-England; and timidand bankrupt Egypt will then come forth to take her place once more amongthe nations of the earth as an independent Power. Hear what the prophetIsaiah says in chap. Xix. : “And the Lord shall smite Egypt, He shallsmite and heal it, and they shall return even to the Lord, and He shallbe entreated of them, and shall heal them. In that day shall there be ahighway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrians shall come into Egyptand the Egyptians into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with theAssyrians. In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and withAssyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land, whom the Lord of hostsshall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt My people, and Assyria the work ofMy hands, and Israel Mine inheritance. ”

“_In that day_” refers to this day, now at hand. To this the GreatPyramid is witness. For in verses 19 and 20 of this chapter we read: “In_that day_ shall there be an altar to the Lord in the midst of the landof Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to the Lord. And IT shallbe for a SIGN and for a WITNESS unto the Lord of hosts in the land ofEgypt. ”

The word translated pillar is from the Hebrew word Matzaybhah, and meansa large structure—some monument that is pre-eminent. The Hebrew wordAmmood is translated pillar also, and corresponds to the English wordpillar much better. 

The word _altar_, in Hebrew, means lion, carrying with it the samemeaning as pre-eminence. And is not this Pyramid preeminent? and is itnot the lion of monuments, pre-eminent as being the oldest, pre-eminentas being the highest, pre-eminent as being the largest, pre-eminent inlocation—being _central_ to all the land surface of the earth, pre-eminent in construction, unlike any other buildings, except such ashave been modelled after it, pre-eminent in orientation—that is, beingexactly East, North, West and South. 

Perfect orientation men in past ages and countries have tried to expressin temples, churches, observatories, and monuments, yet none havesucceeded so well as the Pyramid builders. 

The famous Uranibourg Observatory, built by aid of the EuropeanGovernments, under the skilful supervision of the learned Tycho Brahe, was found to be five minutes of a degree askew in its orientation whenfinished. 

A few years ago our Government determined to have one perfect point oforientation, fixing upon Mount Agamenticus in the State of Maine. They, at a great cost, and time, and labour, concluded their work, and foundthey were in error somewhere about the four-hundredth part of a second;although they tried to solve the problem by three distinctprocesses—namely, differences of zenith distance, absolute zenithdistances, and by transits in prime vertical. 

How then came these ancient architects so early in the world’s historyand progress to build so skilfully? How were they able some 4, 000 yearsago to find the poles, and determine the latitude and longitude soprecisely? Answer, ye godless scientists, and tell us how thesemonkey-men were so skilled. How did they know without your instrumentsand instruction which parallel of latitude to choose so as to be on thatline which would mark the half-way of the world’s surface between theequator and the poles?

And why did they lay bare and make smooth the lime-stone table rock onwhich they built close to its Northern edge? Why press so closely to thebrink of the hill on the North side when there was plenty of room on theSouth side?

Truly this witness of God is against you. In this building are “signsand wonders” even to this day, and as surely also are the eyes of Jehovahopen upon all the ways of the children of men. 

Know ye not that the accumulated forces and results of centuries havebeen bequeathed to the present generation as a legal heritage for cultureand profit?

Happily for us God has not left Himself without witnesses. Long beforeGod made bare His arm through Moses, and wrought miracles to convincePharaoh and the Egyptians, He had wrought one miracle, a miracle whichwould cover the ages; not to be seen by a few only, or last for a day, but to be seen by the millions and last for centuries. 

In this Pyramid we have a valuable inheritance. Its finish, its beauty, its magnitude provokes our criticism, and yet must command ouradmiration. This watchman on the walls of time, this sentinel in chargeof the secrets and treasures of the sires of long ago, this prophet inthe wilderness in rugged garb, proclaiming the will of Heaven, as thenmade known, and now manifest, this Daniel who can interpret for us thefuture, this mile-stone of the ages, we do revere. 

By it we are enabled to adjust our chronological dates, rectify historyin some of its most important points, and judge more correctly of theattainments of our ancestors; nay, more and better, to form a truerestimate of ourselves and discern the finger of God in the manipulationsof men, and an overruling Providence in the rise and fall of nations. 

These signs and wonders confirm God’s Word, for they prove inspiration afact; inspiration of a kind and in the very manner demanded by theunbelieving scientists. Here is a building superhuman, and of course inpart supernatural, like the Bible. In this building the human and theDivine blend. 

If any deny this, it remains with them to account for it, and show how apeople so far back in the world’s history could be so wise and learned;how they could embody so much of the sciences. One thing is certain, ifthe Divine had nothing to do with this building, then we are left to theconclusion that man was much superior to what the Darwinian theoryadmits. If void of the Divine, then the development theory is destroyed. If we admit the Divine, then it follows that inspiration is a fact. 

The building is there, and it was there in the day of Egypt’s oldesthistorians. It has been counted as one of the seven wonders of theworld. 

It did not embody the ideas of the Egyptians in science, astronomy, meteorology, or religion. As their historians allow, it was built byforeigners which they hated. 

Nothing idolatrous was carved on it, within or without. It was a witnesspure and clean. The Egyptians proclaimed and believed the earth to besquare—this building proclaimed the earth round. The builders bevelledthe face of the rock in a ratio of eight inches to the mile—the veryquantity that science to-day admits to be the curviture of the earth—andaccepts in surveying. It was their knowledge of this fact that kept thebuilding sound, without the cracking of a joint, through centuries, though so high. The Egyptians did not use the sacred amma, or cubit, which is about twenty-five of our inches. They used a profane cubit, asSir Isaac Newton shows. 

This sacred cubit was a well and easily established proportion of theearth’s diameter—the very standard now used by the English Government insurveying. 

The stones of the Pyramid were twelve feet long, eight feet broad, andfive deep, making twenty-five total. The building itself was afive-faced figure. The Egyptians hated five. No wonder that Mosesharnessed the Israelites in fives as they left Egypt, or that he shoulddivide his book into five parts. 

No wonder that the Queen’s Chamber should be on the twenty-fifth courseof masonry, and the King’s Chamber on the fiftieth course, which is theyear of jubilee, or deliverance—which year, as indicated in the Pyramid, is the year 1935. 

The Egyptians calculated from the moon in their chronology. But thisbuilding takes its calculations from the sun circle. The Egyptian yearwas 354 days, with an intercalary month of thirty-three days added everythree years. 

The year embodied in the Pyramid was 365 days, five hours, forty-eightminutes, forty-seven and seven-tenths seconds. If a person took a rod ofa cubit length, and measured one of the base sides of the Pyramid, hewould find this twenty-five inch measure to be contained as often asthere are days in the year, with the same fraction in inches as thehours, minutes, and seconds. 

Is it impious to ask how these builders knew the solar year socompletely? They knew the sun’s circle of 448 years, which completes acircle of time without any excess or deficiency. This they ran intoweights and measures as God’s religion does. 

The Pyramid, having four sides, would divide this circle into four parts, which make 112 pounds, or a hundred-weight; or, if multiplied by five, the faces of the Pyramid, 448 would give 2, 240, or a ton. 

In the descending and ascending passages a person must stoop to passthrough them, but when the Grand Gallery is reached, they can standupright, for this gallery enlarges seven times the proportions of theothers. The first passages are only four feet high; this istwenty-eight. 

The first ascending passage is 1, 542 inches in length—the time, takinginches for years, from the exodus of Israel from Egypt to Christ. 

Christ brings enlarged liberty. He was symbolised by the ton—the end ofweight scale. “When the fulness of time was come, God sent forth HisSon. ”

Again, thirty-three inches in this gallery is an open sepulchre withfifty-six empty graves in miniature, carved out, telling, again, by astrange coincident, the life years of the Saviour and His resurrection;also the number of those who rose immediately after. For “the graveswere opened, and many bodies of the saints which slept arose and came outof the graves after His resurrection” (Matt. Xxvii. 52). 

Another remarkable feature is, that at the end of this gallery, the wallbulges forward about four inches, as if it were going to fall in. Thisgallery, on the floor is 1, 882 inches; on the roof, 1, 878 inches. Thisexplains to us our very times. The shadow of war—Russia and Englandappearing as if they would fight every day. But they know not thecounsels of God, nor His sublime purpose. Surely, as the text declares, “Our God is great in counsel and mighty in work; and His eyes are openupon all the ways of the sons of men. ” More next Sunday evening, Godwilling, about His own marvellous witnesses. Let us praise and adoreHim. 

 “_And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles_, _in the midst of many people as a_ LION _among the beasts of the forest_, _as a_ YOUNG LION _among the flocks of sheep_: _who_, _if he go through_, _both treadeth down and teareth in pieces_, _and none can deliver_. ”—Micah v. 7. 

 [Picture: Coat of Arms with Lion and Unicorn]

 “_His glory is like the firstling of his bullock_, _and his horns like the_ HORNS OF UNICORNS: _with them he shall push the people together to the_ ENDS _of the_ EARTH. ”—Deut. Xxxiii. 17. 

THE THRONE OF DAVID. DISCOURSE XIX. 

ENGLAND’S PROPHECY FULFILLED IN THE BERLIN CONGRESS—THE HARP OF TARA THEHARP OF ISRAEL—THE FUTURE EUROPEAN ALLIANCES—ROYAL SUCCESSION OF THEHOUSE OF ISRAEL. 

 “I will overturn, overturn, overturn it; and it shall be no more, until He comes whose right it is; and I will give it Him. ”—Ezekiel xxi. 27. 

The closing of the famous European Congress will now freely permit us tocanvass the work and results of the same, and to compare the sequenceswith the teachings of the prophets and intentions of Providence. Theresults of the Congress have taken the world by surprise. The very factthat one should have been held under the enforced conditions of thecrownless king, Disraeli, was a wonder in itself. But the wonder is notconfined to the meeting and work of the Congress, for outside of, and inspite of the Congress, a treaty has been made which converts wonder intoamazement. Back in the middle of last May (1878), England and Turkeyformed an alliance, offensive and defensive. Nay, more, for Turkey cedesto England the fruitful and strategic island of Cyprus. What a triangleof strongholds—Cyprus, Malta, and Gibraltar! Shades of Bonaparte! Whereis France in these days? She is renewing her strength, and is wiselystanding aside so as not to oppose Providence. In all this there isnothing new or strange to the prophetic student. For long ago it waswritten of Israel that she should be a company of nations, and possessthe gates of her enemies. 

It is not by might, nor power of human origin, that these events must bejudged, or that they come to pass. But surely by the Spirit of God. “There is a spirit in man, and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth itunderstanding. ” Here Job gives us the key to unlock the mysteries of thecrownless king and his success. The apothegm of Bonaparte is as false ashe was unsuccessful—namely, that Providence is always on the side of thestrongest battalions. In Israel, in time of old, this was seldom true. In fact, it was not true in the experience and campaigns of Bonaparte. The logic of such a faith has been the ruin of lovely France more thanonce, and will be again. For it must needs be that France break heralliance with England, though now they are friends. France in a fewyears will ally with the Beast, the Roman Church, in its last strugglefor rule and supremacy; and she will join hands with Anti-Christ. Francewill repeat the follies of ’93. She will again seek to dethroneReligion, and enthrone Reason. Her Marats, Desmoulens, Herberts, Clootzes, and Robespierres are at hand ready to overturn. And the Churchof her choice is patiently waiting to re-enact the scenes of blood andterror of St. Bartholomew. Her time of opportunity will appear to havecome in a few years. Bismarck and Kaiser William will be out of the way, and Germany will languish for want of two equal successors. And Francewill not forget to pay back the debt of revenge she owes to Germany, andseek to reclaim her prestige in councils, and especially to restore herlost influence over Egypt, Turkey, and the Mediterranean. 

Last year it would not have been so easy to see how France and Englandwere to become once again enemies. This Cyprus wedge has cleft open alittle farther the dark and mysterious way. 

Last Monday we received the astounding telegram of the treaty betweenEngland and Turkey. It evidently was a surprise, we have no doubt, evento Rev. Dr. Storrs, and the _New York Herald_, as well as to many otherswho could see nothing but defeat and shame for Israel-England. From Dr. Storrs we have not heard what he now thinks of his child of promise, Russia. From the _Herald_ we did hear, for, by the way, the _Herald_ isone of our morning papers. By an editorial of a column and a half the_Herald_ struggled nobly to wriggle out of the tight corner in which itssympathies for Russia had crowded it. We like and admire the _Herald_, because of its tact and ingenuity in getting news first from any part ofthe world. Still this time she was behind time. Two years ago, fromthis pulpit, we announced the exciting facts of the past week. LastSunday evening we closed our discourse in these words: “Now, again, England pledges herself a Continental Power, nay, more, an Asiatic Power. She will come forth from the Congress the virtual ruler of Turkey, theowner of Palestine. ”

If the Saxons be the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel—and most certainly theyrespond to all the features that were to distinctly mark them when found, as written in the Bible—then the English throne is a continuation ofDavid’s throne, and the seed on it must be the seed of David, and theinference is clear—namely, that all the blessings attaching by holypromise to David’s throne must belong to England. This is the key thatunravels and makes plain the marvellous and sublime history of theEnglish nation and throne. We know many scout the idea of the LostTribes ever being found, although over thirty times God declares by theprophets that they must return; surely before they return they must befound. God has not cast away His people for ever. No, no. He declaresIsrael to be His inheritance, and that this people He had formed forHimself. 

The Two Tribes forming the Jews of to-day are said by the bestcalculation to number about nine millions. If, then, the Two Tribesnumber nine millions, how many ought we to expect the Ten Tribes tonumber? If the Two Tribes have stood and survived the shock andpersecution of centuries when known, and therefore open to assault, is itnot reasonable to suppose that the Ten Tribes will be in existence, anumerous and powerful people, for they have been hid, and thus have theyevaded the persecution that a knowledge of their nationality would haveentailed upon them from the Gentile and Pagan nations?

Some, indeed, persist in looking for God’s chosen seed—His people, Hisinheritance—among the bushmen of Africa, the Indians of America; indeedwherever they can find a people mean, and few, and very low in the scaleof civilisation. They overlook the fact that Israel, not the Jews, wereto be the most powerful and prolific people on the face of the earth, tobe as sands of the sea, as the stars of heaven. Especially were thesepromises to be true in the latter day—for then God promises to multiplythem, men, beasts, and the fruits of the field. This is one of the signsof the times, and it is a remarkable one. See our harvest, see ourcattle, and see the Saxon race—doubling, at least, every forty years. Noother nation is doubling at that rate. Germany comes the nearest, andboth in Prussia and Austria they only double every one hundred years. Inone hundred years from to-day the Saxons will control the world for peaceand Christ. 

To this end God is overturning, and will overturn until the whole worldshall be federated around one throne, and that throne is David’s—the onlythrone God ever directly established, and the only one He has promisedperpetuity to. God has a land—Palestine. He has a people—Israel. Hehas a throne—David’s, and for that throne He has a seed, just as the seedof Levi was selected for Temple service. 

This kingdom is the fifth kingdom, to be set up in the latter days ofthose kings, says Daniel. The kingdom was never to be left unto otherpeople. It is typified by the stone cut out of the mountain that is tofill the world. Why then stand amazed at the cession of Cyprus toEngland, if she be Israel. To her was promised the isles of the sea, thecoasts of the earth, the waste and desolate places—the heathen anduttermost parts of the earth, as a possession. Already out of thefifty-one million square miles which composes the earth, England, including the United States, now owns about fourteen millions, or sayone-fourth. She bears rule over one-third of the people of the earth;she adds a colony every four years on an average. At the present rate itwill not be long before the kingdoms of this world will be given to thesaints of the Most High. It is no marvel in the light and instruction ofprophecy that this throne and people should be so stable and prosperous. 

Turn your attention to the founding of this throne of David. You willfind the throne and seed unconditionally federated, the place and measureof prosperity conditioned on the obedience of the people and throne toGod. “The Lord has sworn in truth unto David; He will not turn from it;of _the fruit of thy body_ will I set upon thy throne” (Psalm cxxxii. 11). Again, “I have sworn unto David, thy seed I will _establish forever_, and build up thy throne to _all_ generations” (Psalm lxxxix. 3, 4). This promise is to all generations—not a part, nor simply for sixtyyears. For the kingdom was rent in twain when Rehoboam, the grandson ofDavid, began to reign. The throne of David would be about the pooresttype of Christ’s throne and rule, and reign, if we can only see it inPalestine. There it was soon divided, very corrupt. “If ye can break Mycovenant of the day and night in their season, then may also My covenantbe broken with David My servant, that he should not have a son to reignupon his throne . . . Thus saith the Lord: If My covenant be not with dayand night, and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven andearth, then will I cast away the seed of Jacob and David My servant, sothat I will not take any of _his seed_ to be rulers over the seed ofAbraham” (Jer. Xxxiii. 25, 26). Let anybody of the same mind read theseventh chapter of the second book of Samuel, and they will see that Godpromised to David that his house and kingdom should be established forever, and that God would set up the seed of David after him. Well mightDavid exclaim when he sat before the Lord, “Who am I, O Lord God, andwhat is my house, that Thou hast brought me hitherto? And this was yet asmall thing in Thy sight, O Lord God; but Thou hast spoken also of Thy_servant’s house for a great while yet to come_. ” It is a pity men willnot take and interpret the Bible by the rules of common sense. 

David at this time was king over all the Tribes and was at peace, andsettled and prospered. But God told him that “He would appoint a placefor _My people Israel_, and will plant them that they may dwell in aplace of their own and move no more. ” This promise was to Israel. Ifthe promises of the multitudinous seed were to be fulfilled to Israel, then it would be necessary to find them another place, for Palestinewouldn’t hold them. So God has planted them. God never promised to findthe Jews another country; Palestine is specially reserved for them. Theyhave been without country, king, or government. In the year 725 B. C. TheJews and Israelites were separated, and since that time they have neverbeen united. But the day is coming, says the prophet, when they shalldwell together and appoint one head over them. The Israelites are onlyto return to Palestine representatively (Jer. Iii. 14). 

When Nebuchadnezzar carried the Jews captive, he took the king, Zedekiah, with him, and destroyed all his family, and all the real royal seed ofDavid. Zedekiah died in Babylon. He placed upon the throne of David, Gedaliah. Now Gedaliah was not of the seed royal: but God was displeasedand permitted the crown to go to others. Ezekiel was taken captive toBabylon in the reign of Jehoiachim, the father of Zedekiah. The prophecyof the text was written in Babylon, and refers to Zedekiah, whom Ezekielcalls the “wicked prince of Israel, whose day is come, iniquity shallhave an end. Thus saith the Lord God, Remove the diadem and take off thecrown, this shall not be the same; exalt him that is low, and abase himthat is high. I will overturn, overturn, overturn it, and it shall be nomore until He comes whose right it is; and I will give it to Him. ”

Now all this is plain if we keep in mind that Zedekiah was the lastprince of the House of David that ever reigned in Palestine. God removedthe diadem. But in the course of time a lawful heir of the seed of Davidshall appear, and the throne and the seed will be established again inJerusalem. It is to this end Providence is overturning Turkey to makeway for this seed royal. But where is this seed royal? Answer: It is onthe English throne. Listen carefully to the following:

Jeremiah tells us that with him he had the daughters of Zedekiah, who hadby some means escaped the destroying edicts of Nebuchadnezzar (Jer. Xliii. 6). And from Jer. Xliv. 14, we learn that they visited Egypt, andfrom Jer. Xliv. 28, we learn that a small number escaped. Now Jeremiah, being the only prophet in Judah at that time, had a right to take chargeof the royal seed. He could not stay in Egypt, nor in Palestine, norwould he go to Babylon. Where, then, did the prophet go? He no doubttook ship with the Danites, and sailed for Cornwall, in England, for thisplace was called Tarshish. We learn from Ezekiel the ships of Dan tradedin tin, and other things. History and tradition both agree that therelanded on the coast of Ireland in the North, a divine man and a princess. God had promised to Jeremiah his life wherever he went. “But thy lifewill I give thee for a prey in all places whither thou goest” (Jer. Xlv. 5). 

 [Picture: Jacob’s Stone]

The North of Ireland had been settled with the Tribe of Dan; they at onceunderstood who their visitor was. They called him Olam Folla, meaning aDivine man or teacher. The princess was called Tea Tephi, the beautifulone from the East. This princess was married to Heremon, of Ulster, theking of Lothair Croffin, for such was the name of the city of Tara. Thisword Tara is Arat spelled backward. The Hebrew reads from right to left;English left to right. Lothair Croffin was changed into Tara at the timeof the wedding. Tara means law. Thus began the seed of David to takeroot, and from there it spread over all Ireland, then to Scotland, thenceto England, and Jacob’s Stone in Westminster Abbey marks the journey ofDavid’s throne, and has always kept with the seed, and they have beenalways crowned on it. Ezekiel’s riddle is at once solved. The tendertwigs were Zedekiah’s daughters. One of these twigs was planted by thegreat waters in a land of traffic. Our Episcopalian friends intended bytheir beautiful service to aid the members of their communion to read inorder, and through the Bible, or a given portion of each chapter, onceper year. But strange to say, this 17th chapter of Ezekiel, they haveleft out both of the Old and New Lectionary. It is itself a riddle, whythis should so happen, that the only two chapters of the Bible left outor proscribed are the 17th and 21st of Ezekiel. Surely blindness in parthas happened to Israel, and what we esteemed as accidental in theincreased light of Revelation, stands to view as the ordered purposes ofan all-seeing God. 

The royal standard of England has nine lions on it and a unicorn. Letanyone set this standard before him as a map, the right hand willrepresent East, the top North, left West, the bottom South. The unicorncomes from the East, it has a chain round its neck. So the Tribe ofBenjamin came that way, and, as Normans, were finally attached to thethrone. The big lion comes from the West, so it did from Ireland toScotland and London. On the top we have a crown, and on the top of thiswe have a lion. On the first quarter are three lions, second quarterone, on the third a stringed harp with an angel’s head, and on the fourththree lions, the total of lions nine, and an unicorn. The fact is, thisstandard, had we time, teaches a world of history, and with the Psalmistwe may say: “Thou hast given a banner to them that fear Thee; that it maybe displayed because of the truth” (Psalm lx. 4). The genealogy anddescent of Queen Victoria from Zedekiah we will furnish you. Thisgenealogy has been got up by the faithful and very persevering labours ofRev. F. R. A. Glover, M. A. , and Rev. A. B. Grimaldi, M. A. , twoEpiscopalian clergymen of England. The chart is supposed to be as nearperfect as any such thing can be. If any of you find any defect be kindenough and let me know. In the following genealogy those who reignedhave K. Prefixed—the dates after private names refer to their birth anddeath, those after Sovereign’s names to their accession and death. 

ADAM TO VICTORIA. GENERATIONS. 

1. Adam (B. C. 4000–3070), Eve. 

2. Seth (B. C. 3873–2978). 

3. Enos (B. C. 3765–2860). 

4. Cainan (B. C. 3675–2765). 

5. Mahalaleel (B. C. 3605–2710). 

6. Jared (B. C. 3540–2578). 

7. Enoch (B. C. 3378–3013). 

8. Methuselah (B. C. 3313–2344). 

9. Lamech (B. C. 3126–2344). 

10. Noah (B. C. 2944–2006), Naamah. 

11. Shem (B. C. 2442–2158). 

12. Arphaxad (B. C. 2342–1904). 

13. Salah (B. C. 2307–2126). 

14.. Heber (B. C. 2277–2187). 

15. Peleg (B. C. 2243–2004). 

16. Reu (B. C. 2213–2026). 

17. Serug (B. C. 2181–2049). 

18. Nahor (B. C. 2052–2003). 

19. Terah (B. C. 2122–2083), Amtheta. 

20. Abraham (B. C. 1992–1817), Sarah. 

21. Isaac (B. C. 1896–1716), Rebekah. 

22. Jacob (B. C. 1837–1690), Leah. 

23. Judah (b. B. C. 1753), Tamar. 

24. Hezron. 

25. Aram. 

26. Aminadab. 

27. Naashon. 

28. Salmon. 

29. Boaz (B. C. 1312), Ruth. 

30. Obed. 

31. Jesse. 

KINGS OF ISRAEL. 

32. K. David (B. C. 1085–1015), Bathsheba. 

33. K. Solomon (B. C. 1033–975), Naamah. 

34. K. Rehoboam (B. C. B. 1016, d. 958), Maacah. 

35. K. Abijam (B. C. 958–955). 

36. K. Asa (B. C. 955–914), Azubah. 

37. K. Jehoshaphat (B. C. 914–889). 

38. K. Jehoram (B. C. 889–885), Athaliah. 

39. K. Ahaziah (B. C. 906–884), Zibiah. 

40. K. Joash (B. C. 885–839), Jehoaddan. 

41. K. Amaziah (B. C. B. 864, d. 810), Jecholiah. 

42. K. Uzziah (B. C. B. 826, d. 758), Jerushah. 

43. K. Jotham (B. C. B. 783, d. 742). 

44. K. Ahaz (B. C. B. 787, d. 726), Abi. 

45. K. Hezekiah (B. C. B. 751, d. 698), Hephzibah. 

46. K. Manasseh (B. C. B. 710, d. 643), Meshullemeth. 

47. K. Amon (B. C. B. 621, d. 641), Jedediah. 

48. K. Josiah (B. C. B. 649, d. 610), Hamutah. 

49. K. Zedekiah (B. C. 599–578). 

KINGS OF IRELAND. 

50. K. Heremon fl. (B. C. 580), Q. T. Tephi. She was Zedekiah’sdaughter. Reigned 15 years. 

51. K. Irial Faidh (reigned 10 years). 

52. K. Eithriall (reigned 20 years). 

53. Follian. 

54. K. Tighernmas (reigned 50 years). 

55. Eanbotha. 

56. Smoirguil. 

57. K. Fiachadh Labhriane (reigned 24 years). 

58. K. Aongus Ollmuchaidh (reigned 27 years). 

59. Maoin. 

60. K. Rotheachta (reigned 25 years). 

61. Dein. 

62. K. Siorna Saoghalach (reigned 21 years). 

63. Oliolla Olchaoin. 

64. K. Giallchadh (reigned 9 years). 

65. K. Aodhain Glas (reigned 20 years). 

66. K. Simeon Breac (reigned 6 years). 

67. K. Muireadach Bolgrach (reigned 4 years). 

68. K. Fiachadh Tolgrach (reigned 7 years). 

69. K. Duach Laidhrach (reigned 10 years). 

70. Eochaidh Buaigllcry. 

71. K. Ugaine More the Great (reigned 30 years). 

72. R. Cobhthach Coalbreag (reigned 30 years). 

73. Meilage. 

74. K. Jaran Gleofathach (reigned 7 years). 

75. K. Conla Cruaidh Cealgach (reigned 4 years). 

76. K. Oiloilla Caisfhiaclach (reigned 25 years). 

77. K. Eochaidh Foltlenthan (reigned 11 years). 

78. K. Aongus Tuirmheach Teamharch (reigned 30 years). 

79. K. Eana Aighneach (reigned 28 years). 

80. Labhra Luirc. 

81. Blathuchta. 

82. Easamhuin Eamhna. 

83. Roighnein Ruadh. 

84. Finlogha. 

85. Fian. 

86. K. Eodchaidh Feidhlioch (reigned 12 years). 

87. Fineamhnas. 

88. K. Lughaidh Raidhdearg. 

89. K. Criomhthan Niadhnar (reigned 16 years). 

90. Fearaidhach Fion Feachtnuigh. 

91. K. Fiachadh Fionoluidh (reigned 20 years). 

92. K. Tuathal Teachtmar (reigned 30 years). 

93. K. Conn Ceadchathach (reigned 20 years). 

94. K. Art Aonfhir (reigned 30 years). 

95. K. Cormc Usada (reigned 40 years). 

96. K. Caibre Liffeachair (reigned 27 years). 

97. K. Fiachadh Sreabthuine (reigned 30 years). 

98. K. Muireadhach Tireach (reigned 30 years). 

99. K. Eochaidh Moigmeodhin (reigned 7 years). 

100. K. Nail of the Nine Hostages. 

101. Eogan. 

102. K. Murireadhach. 

103. Earca. 

KINGS OF ARGYLESHIRE. 

104. K. Feargus More Mac Earca (A. D. 487). 

105. K. Dongard (d. 457). 

106. K. Conrad (d. 535). 

107. K. Aidan (d. 604). 

108. K. Eugene IV. (d. 622). 

109. K. Donald IV. (d. 650). 

110. Dongard. 

111. K. Eugene V. (d. A. D. 692). 

112. Findan. 

113. K. Eugene VII. (d. A. D. 721), Spondan. 

114. K. Etfinus (d. A. D. 761), Fergina. 

115. K. Achaius (d. A. D. 819), Fergusia. 

116. K. Alpin (d. A. D. 834). 

SOVEREIGNS OF SCOTLAND. 

117. K. Kenneth II. (d. A. D. 854). 

118. K. Constantin II. (d. A. D. 774). 

119. K. Donald VI. (d. A. D. 903). 

120. K. Malcolm I. (d. A. D. 958). 

121. K. Kenneth III. (d. A. D. 994). 

122. K. Malcolm II. (d. A. D. 1003). 

123. Beatrix m. Thane Albanach. 

124. K. Dunkan I. (d. A. D. 1040). 

125. K. Malcolm III. Canmore (A. D. 1055–1093), Margaret of England. 

126. K. David I. (d. A. D. 1153), Maud of Northumberland. 

127. Prince Henry (d. A. D. 1152), Adama of Surrey. 

128. Earl David (d. A. D. 1219), Maud of Chester. 

129. Isobel m. Robert Bruce III. 

130. Robert Bruce IV. M. Isobel of Gloucester. 

131. Robert Bruce V. M. Martha of Carrick. 

132. King Robert I. Bruce (A. D. 1305–1329), Mary of Burke. 

133. Margery Bruce m. Walter Stewart (I. ). 

134. K. Robert II. (d. A. D. 1390), Euphemia of Ross (d. A. D. 1376). 

135. K. Robert III. (d. A. D. 1406), Arabella Drummond (d. A. D. 1401). 

136. K. James I. (A. D. 1424–1437), Joan Beaufort. 

137. K. James II. (d. A. D. 1360), Margaret of Gueldres (d. A. D. 1463). 

138. K. James III. (d. A. D. 1488), Margaret of Denmark (d. A. D. 1484). 

139. K. James IV. (d. A. D. 1543), Margaret of England (d. A. D. 1539). 

140. K. James V. (d. A. D. 1542), Mary of Lorraine (d. A. D. 1560). 

141. Q. Mary (d. A. D. 1587), Lord Henry Darnley. 

SOVEREIGNS OF GREAT BRITAIN. 

142. K. James VI. And I. (A. D. 1603–1625), Ann of Denmark. 

143. Princess Elizabeth (1596–1613), K. Frederick of Bohemia. 

144. Princess Sophia m. Duke Ernest of Brunswick. 

145. K. George I. (1698–1727), Sophia Dorothea Zelle (1667–1726). 

146. K. George II. (1727–1760), Princess Caroline of Auspach(1683–1737). 

147. Prince Frederick of Wales (1707–1751), Princess Augusta ofSaxe-Gotha. 

148. K. George III. (1760–1830), Princess Sophia of MecklenburghStrelitz (1744–1818). 

149. Duke Edward of Kent (1767–1820), Princess Victoria of Leiningen. 

150. Q. Victoria (b. 1819, cr. 1838), Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg. 

Thus do we see how God has kept His word to David, and with this view, English and American history are at once understandable. The future isassuring and grand. God will assuredly overturn till His throne oncemore is planted in Jerusalem. 

JEREMIAH AND ST. PATRICK. Discourse XX. 

THE PROPHET’S COMMISSION—HIS LIFE—THE TRIBES IN HIS DAY—LANDING OFJEREMIAH IN IRELAND—WHAT HE BROUGHT WITH HIM—COLONISATION OFIRELAND—JEREMIAH THE FOUNDER OF THE ANCIENT IRISH GOVERNMENT ANDRELIGION—TEA TEPHI AND HEREMON—THE ANCIENT IRISH FLAG—THE HARP ANDLION—SEASON OF IRELAND’S HISTORICAL PRESTIGE—CAUSES OF HER DECLINE—ST. PATRICK A BENJAMITE—HOW ROME DESTROYED JEREMIAH’S MEMORY AMONG THEIRISH—DESTRUCTION OF TARA—ULSTER NEVER CONQUERED—IRISH INDEPENDENCE—ARKOF THE COVENANT—RUINS OF TARA. 

 “See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant. ”—Jer. I. 10. 

In these words we have set forth the Divine commission given to theprophet Jeremiah. Never before, or since, was such a commission given tomortal man. It is not that Jeremiah is constituted a prophet for his ownpeople, or over his own nation, and country, but he was Divinelyappointed and set over the nations and kingdoms of the earth, with anauthority “to root out, pull down, destroy, and throw down. ” Surely hewas rightly named, for the word Jeremiah means the exalted, or appointedone of the Lord. By common consent, the Jews gave him the first placeand name among the prophets. Up to the time of the Babylonian captivityhe was second, Isaiah being first. But after the captivity, on there-arrangement of the holy canon, his name was put first, and ever afterhe was regarded and accepted as the patron saint of Judea. He was bornof a priestly family, about 641 B. C. , in the priestly town of Anathoth, which was situated a few miles North of Jerusalem, in the territory ofBenjamin. His work and commission awaited him, because they antedatedhis birth, for he says (chap. I. 4), “Then the word of the Lord came untome, saying, Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and beforethou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained theea _prophet unto the nations_. ” Jeremiah’s life-work, extent, anddevotion, can only find a parallel in the majesty and compass of hiscommission. It is the extent of this commission that I wish you wouldspecially notice, for it is neither tribal nor national in itslimitations. He was ordained a prophet unto the nations. Hear the voiceof his wailing (chapter xv. 10), “Woe is me, my mother, that thou hastborne me a man of strife and a man of contention to the _whole earth_. ”

Consistent with the vastness of this commission is the recorded fact thathe was forbidden to marry in his own land, for “the Word of the Lord cameunto me, saying, Thou shalt not take thee a wife, neither shalt thou havesons and daughters in this place” (Jeremiah xvi. 2). The claims of awife and cares of a family could only have been harshly fitted on to sucha work and commission. Indeed, every peculiar fact in the life ofJeremiah may be best accounted for by taking into consideration thegreatness of his commission. To discard this is simply to inviteconfusion, and yet, strange to say, many prefer confusion rather thanadmit that he performed the _rôle_ assigned him of Heaven. For this veryreason writers, even Jewish historians, are at a loss to account for thelatter half of the prophet’s life. They do not seem to know where hespent his last days; they know not the time, manner, nor place of hisdeath. And why, you ask? We answer, Because they selfishly andpersistently limited his life and labours to his own land. They have notbeen willing to allow that he was set as a prophet over nations andkingdoms. Then again, they have been willing to allow him to be a pullerdown and destroyer, but not a builder and planter. To grant that he wasa builder and planter, would have obliged them to have found the place ofhis building and the objects of his planting. These they well knew couldnot be found in Palestine, and they were as loath as many are unwillingto-day to permit Jeremiah to leave his own land. A man who would beequal to the Bible must be large-hearted, generous, and free, notfettered and bound by the errors of youthful training, the selfishness ofsectarianism, the bigotry of orthodoxy, or the indifference ofinfidelity, but seek the truth, no matter from whence, or what it upsetsor overturns of preconceived ideas. The command is, “Prove all things, and hold fast that which is good. ” To hear some people talk and lament, you would think that the command was, Prove nothing, but hold hard on towhat you have got. 

Try now, and reasonably and patiently follow me while I trace thewanderings of Jeremiah to Old Ireland. You will be surprised to find howintimate Irishology and theology are. 

Ireland and the Tribe of Dan have a peculiar history, which history onlycan be made plain by reference to the Bible. Ireland has had much toundergo, yet of it God says, “To the islands He will repay recompense: soshall they fear the name of the Lord from the West. ”

Ireland’s first name was Scuite’s Land, or the Island of the Wanderers. Her second name was Scotia Major, and Scotland was Scotia Minor, andEngland was Tarshish, and Dannoii and Baratamac, or Land of Tin. Yar inEirin means the land of the setting sun. Hibernia is an Hebrew word, andmeans from beyond the river of waters. 

Two colonies settled in Ireland; the first, the Phœnicians, who were thePhilistines or ancient Canaanites; the second settlers were the Tuath deDanan, meaning the Tribe of Dan. The words are Hebrew, yet in Irish. For further information let any one read “Pinnock’s Catechism onIreland. ” The Phœnicians were a sea-faring people; pressed by Israel, Egypt, and Assyria, they finally left Canaan, and settled in Ireland. Wefind nine-tenths of Irish historians agreeing on this. Then themonuments teach the same—ancient inscriptions, one of which written was, “We are Canaanites who have fled from Joshua, the son of Nun, therobber. ” The people who show tourists the seven churches ofGlendenlough, say they are Hittites and Hivites. Again, ruins of Baaltemples, Cromlechs, round towers, go to confirm the same. Customs—Baalfires, on May eve, in Irish Ninna-baal-tinne; funeral wakes, or cup ofconsolation, forbidden to Israel when they sought to copy after thePhilistines. “Neither shall men give them the cup of consolation todrink for father or mother” (Jer. Xvi. 7). The Irish language came fromthe Phœnician, the alphabet of both being composed of sixteen lettersoriginally, the only alphabet in the world so agreeing. From the Irishcame the Gaelic, Welsh, Cornwall, and the Manx from them all. 

The second settlement of Ireland is what puzzles historians of to-day—notthe old historians, for they, nine out of ten, admit that the Formorians, Firbolgs, and Tuath de Danans, were one and the same people. They were adivine folk. The Tribe of Dan was a sea-faring Tribe, trading from Tyreto Tarshish for tin, and so became acquainted with the British Isles, andduring Ahab’s persecution many of them fled; so of the Simeonites whosettled in Wales. This shows us why the North and South of Irelandshould be so distinct to this day in religion, enterprise, and generalcharacteristics. When the Tribe of Dan finally left Palestine, they withthe other Nine Tribes went North, settling in Denmark, as in the North ofIreland, leaving their names on rivers, hills, cities, and things. 

It is this that accounts for so many words of an Hebrew origin beingfound in the Irish language. General Vallancy has compared thousands andfinds them thus related to the Hebrew. Instance: Jobhan-Moran, ChiefJustice; Rectaire, Judge; Mur-Ollam, School of the Prophets; Ollam-Folla, Divine Teacher; Mergech, a Depository; Tara, Law; Tephi, Prince of theEast; Lia-Fail, Stone of Destiny; Eden Gedoulah, Precious Stone. 

If to Irish history we join Bible history, all is plain. God promisedDavid repeatedly that he should always have his throne and on it hisseed. The permanence of David’s throne makes it a fit type of Christ’s. Now, Jeremiah took charge of Zedekiah’s daughter when Nebuchadnezzar tookthe Jews captive. He went to Egypt, then escaped, God promising to keephim whithersoever he went. So he disappears. No account of his death inthe Bible. He had charge of the ark of the covenant, royal seed andJacob’s pillow—the stone of Israel. Irish histories, some twenty ofwhich we find agree, say that about 585 B. C. , a divine man landed inUlster, having with him the king’s daughter, stone of destiny, and ark, and many other wonderful things. The people of Ulster, of Dan, understood the old adventurer. Jeremiah married Tephi, Zedekiah’sdaughter, to Eoiacaid, who agreed to abandon Baal worship and build aschool for the prophets. So he did. He then assumed the title ofHeremon of Tara. From Tara, which was changed from Lothair Croffin intoTara. From Tephi comes our goddess of Liberty, on old coins, sitting ona lion. Now, at Tara, Jeremiah buried the ark of the covenant, tables oflaw, &c. , and instituted the nine-arch degree of Masonry, to keep in mindits hiding-place, —so all may understand Jer. Iii. 16: “And it shall cometo pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith the Lord, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of theLord; neither shall it come to mind; neither shall they remember it;neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more. ” Thismeans that when the ark is found the ceremony will end; for the ark hasto be found and go before the Jews when they return to their own land. Jeremiah was the first Grand Master. He, too, is the real St. Patrick—simply the Patriarchal Saint, which became St. Patriarch, thenSt. Patrick. The Roman Church introduced St. Patrick to offset the St. Patriarch. 

Jeremiah well knew where the Tribes of Israel were in his day. He knewthat Judah, Levi, and Benjamin, were in Babylon, filling in the seventyyears of captivity, and the small remnant that Nebuchadnezzar left ofthem in Judah were scattered hither and thither. The Nine Tribes, orIsrael, were settled in Central Asia, and were spreading Northward andWestward. This he knew, as easily as Peter did centuries after, when hewrote his epistle to the brethren, scattered abroad in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, and Asia; or as James, who dedicated his epistle to theTwelve Tribes which were scattered abroad; or as the Blessed Master whocommissioned and sent His disciples after the lost sheep of the House ofIsrael. The place and locality of the Nine Tribes were known to theJewish nation in the time of Josephus, the historian, for he speaks ofthem, and gives them a fraternal letter which the House of Judah sentunto the House of Israel. You are to keep in mind that it is after thisthe Tribes of Israel are to be lost. All prophecies after 700 B. C. , upto this, our day, and till about 1882 A. D. , that had reference to Israel, plainly mark out the dwelling-place of these Tribes, and yet theseprophecies not being understood, till these latter days, Israel was asactually lost as if there had been no such prophecies. These prophecieswere first sent North, then West, and then to the “isles of the sea. ”The law of the Gospel of Jesus would be sent to these Tribes; till thenthe “isles had to wait for the law. ” In due time this law was carried tothem by the missionary Tribe of Benjamin. This very thing and time theprophet had foretold, for he says: “Wherefore glorify ye the Lord by theUrim; the name of the Lord God of Israel in the islands of the Westernsea. ” How true, indeed “the isles of the sea saw it and feared. ”Jeremiah knew that the Tribe of Dan were a seafaring people, and in theirtrading they had become acquainted with Northern Europe and the BritishIsles. During the persecutions of Ahab thousands of them had leftPalestine, settling in Denmark—this word Denmark means the circle of Dan. In course of time they crossed the sea and took possession of the Northof Ireland, settling in the province of Ulster. The Tribe of Simeon, that had ever cast its lot with Dan, left Palestine and settled in Wales. Read the prophetic benedictions of the patriarch Jacob in the light ofthese historical facts, and they will stand out in sunlight brightness. “Dan shall judge his people as _one_ of the Tribes of Israel. ” In his_oneness_, all alone he shall go out first, mark out and prepare the wayof the other Tribes; and the royal seed, the ruling power, shall hideitself in him. “Dan shall be a serpent by the way; an adder in the paththat biteth the horses’ heels so that his rider shall fall backward. ”Yes, Dan will be hid among the Gentiles. He will bite them, sting them, frustrating their purposes. Then exclaims Jacob: “I have waited for Thysalvation, O Lord. ” Dan did wait, until the prophet Jeremiah landed inhis midst with Tea Tephi, the daughter of Zedekiah, the royal seed, withthe ark of the covenant, the tables of the law, the Urim and Thummim, which would enable Dan to judge his people, with the stone of Jacob, thepillar witness, which is now in the royal chair in Westminster Abbey; andalso with the standard of Judah. Thus the prophet, who was the rightfulcustodian of all these things, carefully cared for the same, leaving themin charge of Dan. All but the stone have been concealed till the latterday. For on this stone have been crowned all the kings and queens ofDavid’s line. 

Now just here we must take up history—especially Irish history—for inthis matter and at this very point, you will find profane and sacredhistories agreeing. One will beautifully explain the other; nor cananybody understand Irish history unless they get the key from sacredhistory. To take this key later writers have been unwilling, and, therefore, they have been unable to solve the problem embodied in thisrace and nation. No people on the face of the earth have been lessunderstood and more misrepresented. The real allophyllians ofIreland—that is, the first native settlers—are unknown. The presentinhabitants are not autochthonal, no more than we are the first settlersof this country. On one point all old historians are agreed—namely, thatIreland has been settled by two distinct colonies of people; and fromthese two colonies came the present Irish race. These two colonies weredistinct in features, manners, customs, enterprise, and religion, andafter all these centuries have passed away, these differences arediscernable in some degree, especially so in enterprise and religion. And though, of course, in these latter years, they have becomeconsiderably mixed, yet an appeal on either of these points will mark outthe Danite from the Phœnician. From the loud boasting of the PhœnicianIrishman in Ireland, when speaking of America, you would think that hewould pluck out his eyes and give them for a gift if need be. Well, afew years ago, Chicago was bitterly scourged with a fire. The need anddistress thus caused appealed to the nations of the earth for help. Theresponse was grand and glorious. Even hateful old John Bull did well. But what did Ireland do? Take two of her leading cities as an example;one in the North, the other in the South. Belfast in the North, of theTribe of Dan; Dublin in the South, of the Phœnicians. Belfast sent36, 000 dols. ; Dublin, 2, 000 dols. Why this difference? We answer, Forsooth, the people of Belfast are Danites; they of Dublin arePhœnicians. 

The Phœnicians, or Philistines, were the ancient Canaanites. They tookearly possession of Ireland. On this point the old as well as the newhistorians generally agree. But there was another early settlement inthe North of Ireland whom the historians called _Tuath de Danan_, whichsimply means the folks of the Tribe of Dan. They introduced into theIrish language hundreds of Hebrew words, with many customs and legends ofthe Hebrews. They were very distinct in their enterprise and religionfrom the other settlers. About the year 580 B. C. There appeared beforethis people a strange man, whom the historians call _Ollam-Folla_, whichmeans a divine teacher; the name or title is in Hebrew. This man, whoever he was, soon wielded great power in their midst. What hecommanded they seemed ready to do. He very soon inaugurated wonderfulreforms. He gave them a parliament, made them give up their idolatrouscustoms. He founded a college to train students to teach and preach hisreligion. It was called _Mur-Ollam_, school of the Divine. Here againthe name is Hebrew, although in Irish. This wonderful man had with him afair young princess, whose name in Hebrew-Irish was _Tea Tephi_, whichmeans the beautiful one from the East. This lovely princess was marriedto the governor of Ulster, Heremon. He resided in the City of LothairCroffin. In the agreement of the marriage, among many things, he was toaccept her religion, give her joint authority, and build the Mur-Ollam, or college, and sustain it. Also to change the name of his city from_Lothair Croffin_ to _Tara_, which means law; to adopt her standard orbanner emblem, the harp and lion, and to be crowned on the wonderfulstone called in Irish-Hebrew, _Lia-Fail_, which means stone of destiny, sometimes called _Eben Gedoulah_, the precious stone. From this TeaTephi we get our female goddess of liberty, who on old coins is seatedupon a lion with the Davidian harp in her hand. 

Our text tells us that Jeremiah was to plant and build up. Here heplanted, and here he did build. He planted and built a throne, acollege, and a religion. Turn to Ezekiel, chapter xvi. , and read thefamous riddle. Tea Tephi is the tender twig that was cropped off fromthe high cedar, King Zedekiah, and planted among the merchants by greatwaters on the mountain of Israel. She was the tender one that was totake root downward. To Jeremiah, the Lord said, “Verily it shall be wellwith thy remnant. ” Nay, more, He told him that He would give him hislife for a prey whithersoever he went. And in 2 Kings xix. 30, we read:“And the remnant that is escaped of the House of Judah shall yet againtake root downward, and bear fruit upward. For out of Jerusalem shall goforth a remnant and they that escape out of Mount Zion; the zeal of theLord of hosts shall do this. ” And Ezekiel, in his captivity, sent fortha prophecy referring to the wicked prince, Zedekiah, saying of his thronein the name of Jehovah: “I will overturn, overturn, overturn it, and itshall be no more until He comes whose right it is, and I will give itHim. ” So was this throne overturned, and was never after established inJerusalem. You will notice that there are three overturnings, and asScriptural language is emphatic and not superfluous or tautological, these overturnings mean something. Turn to history, and you will findthis throne has been turned over just three times—first, from Jerusalemto Ireland; second, through King Fergus to Scotland, and, third, throughKing James, from Scotland to England. This throne can never be turnedover again, for Jerusalem will be incorporated into the British Empire. The throne has turned over till it got home again; hence, as surely as welive, Palestine will go into the hands of England. The throne, religion, and education established by the prophet have ever kept together. Thisis the secret of Ireland’s prestige and marvellous pre-eminence incenturies past. The college of Armach could boast of 7, 000 students at atime. Missionaries went forth from Ireland through all Europe, teachingChristianity, and founding schools. Few men can compare to Virgilus, Eregina, Columbanus, and Columba. In olden times she was known as the“Isle of the Saints. ” The day of Ireland’s weakness and distress came toher when she permitted her religion to be corrupted and controlled byforeigners; and by these same Italian intriguers she is now impoverishedand enslaved. But for this the throne might have remained with herto-day, and England and Scotland have been under her. But when a nationloses her religion, she loses the right arm of power, and the ability topreserve freedom. 

Jeremiah was the patron-saint for Ireland for a long time. Simeon (theWelsh) had and have David; and as surely as the Welsh have kept theirsaint, so surely ought Ireland. St. Patrick is looked upon by many as amythical person. I believe, however, that he was a veritable man. Thebest authorities make out that he was born at Bonavena, in ancient Gaul, near what is now called Boulogne, some time about 387 A. D. He isreported as having died March 17th, 465, in the county Down. Hisfather’s name was Calpurnius. Young Calpurnius, or St. Patrick, as hewas afterwards called, had a hard life of it in youth. I believe him tohave been a Benjamite, a Christian; for the Benjamites began to fill inthat part of France about that period. This Tribe were by naturemissionaries. This prompted him to desire to redeem his brethren inIreland. In Ulster he began his labours. From this same Tribe othershad visited Ireland. History mentions four who preceded St. Patrick. The name of St. Paul, by many, is connected with a visit to Ireland. Itis very easy to see how Jeremiah, the patron-saint of Judah, would beinstalled in such a relation with the Danites after his death. He wasthe real sainted patriarch of Ireland. And by a crafty design of Rome, young Calpurnius was created sainted patriarch, or St. Patrick, and bythis means Rome linked the greater part of the Irish nation on toherself. Anybody honest and familiar with history knows that St. Patrickwas a Christian, and in no sense of the word a Roman Catholic. The factis, Rome began early to covet Ireland. Once they got possession, it wasnecessary for them to destroy the influence of Jeremiah. This they did, in part, by substituting the name of St. Patrick in the place of theprophet’s; and more, they then set to work to destroy even the old andfamous capital city of Tara. In 565 St. Ruadham, along with a _posse_ ofbishops and chiefs of the South of Ireland, cursed the city, so thatneither King nor Queen might ever rule or reign therein again. Theyforced the government, monarchy and people to abandon the place. Fromthence Tara was deserted, and the harp sounded no more through Tara’shalls. The city thus cursed crumbled to ruins, and remains to this dayburied, awaiting a glorious resurrection. Rome caught her prize at last;but neither Rome nor any other power ever enslaved or conquered Ulster. Beyond the pale—that is, the dividing line, running from the Boyne to theShannon—Rome never got, nor never will. Irishmen clamour forindependence, to be free from England, and wonder why they are not. Thereason is that God cannot trust liberty to them; for a people that yokethemselves to a foreigner, and give themselves over to be governed inspiritual matters, would make a poor effort if trusted with theirtemporal government. We all know that if Ireland had been free, shewould not long have remained so, for body, as well as soul, she wouldhave committed to the Italians. Why Irish Catholics should ask forfreedom when they so voluntarily bind themselves to a foreigner, I failto see. As the Protestants of the North have asked, and had granted, spiritual freedom in the severance of Church and State, so let the men ofthe South ask and demand, and stop not short of freedom from Rome. Afree religion is the parent of a free State, and a free State of freeschool. A people who are not wise enough to take care of their ownreligion, are very poorly prepared to be the guardians of liberty. Mybelief is that Ireland ought to be free. She ought to be an independentprovince, with responsible government, as other English provinces. Andonce she becomes free religiously, it will not be long before she will befree politically. Substitute Jeremiah for St. Patrick, and the LordJesus for the Pope, then the day of freedom will not long tarry. 

 LONDON: PRINTED BY ROBERT BANKS, RACQUET COURT, FLEET STREET, E. C. 

Footnotes:

{23} Essay on “Manasseh and the United States, ” by the author, publishedby Robert Banks, price 2d. 

{159} This Discourse we give to the reader as reported. In all theothers we have excluded the reporter’s introduction and personalreferences.