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diff --git a/27177.txt b/27177.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6f4bcef --- /dev/null +++ b/27177.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6566 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Lost Ten Tribes, and 1882, by Joseph Wild + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: The Lost Ten Tribes, and 1882 + + +Author: Joseph Wild + + + +Release Date: November 6, 2008 [eBook #27177] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LOST TEN TRIBES, AND 1882*** + + +credit + + + +Transcribed from the 1880 Robert Banks edition by David Price, email +ccx074@pglaf.org + + 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 Continental +Congress, 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 plate +of the first and original Seal, which, by use, has been worn out. The +one now in use is the second; it differs from the first that, by an +accident, 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 twenty +from one hundred and thirty which I have given to my own congregation +during the past three years. I have tried to have them lean one against +another, to the end that the argument might be continuous and somewhat +complete. The reader will remember, however, that the vast subject of +which they treat, cannot be fairly and completely presented in such a +volume 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 and +thoroughly understand the Scriptures. I soon found that a large portion +was 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 general +use for Scripture exegesis, among what they called orthodox authors, were +very defective and unsatisfactory. The fact was forced upon me that the +true method, or key of interpretation, was not in use. I was always +persuaded that the Bible was a unit, and that the principles contained in +such a unit were beautifully related; and because of such a faith, I +wondered more and more as I grew older why we had not a better key of +interpretation. Men spiritualised at random, without any kind of rule, +except their own fancy. In this manner they expounded the material +history of the Old Testament. The whole arrangement was a Babel. + +I had faintly discerned that the Scriptures made a distinction between +the House of Israel and the House of Judah, and that the prophecies +belonging to one could not, in fairness, be applied to the other; and +that some prophecies applied to both. It always seemed strange to me, +that the people which God said He had chosen for Himself, should not be +known. The Jews were always known, but where was "Israel, His +inheritance?" Again, I could see no point in the Lord swearing so +positively about David's seed and throne lasting to the end of time. +Taking them in a typical sense, they were about the poorest types that +could have been selected, because of the shortness of their existence, +according to the general mode of interpretation. Just at this point of +my experience I came across a book, entitled "Our Israelitish Origin," by +the late John Wilson, the reading of which confirmed me in my +convictions, and aided me to a better knowledge of the good Book of +Providence. + +After some twenty years of experience, I began to teach the principles of +interpretation embodied in these discourses. Some three years ago I +began to give a series of sermons on the Ten Lost Tribes. I soon found +my own congregation, as well as the public, were interested and profited +with the same, as was manifest from the large and constant attendance +thereon. By personal interviews and letters, I have been gratified to +learn that many have been savingly and truly converted to God through +these Discourses. Especially has this been the case with those who were +infidel in faith and action towards God and His Word. I have received +hundreds of letters thanking me that the key of interpretation presented +had made the Bible an interesting and easily understood book. The +interest created gave rise to numerous requests for copies of my sermons. +The notice by the public press now and again intensified the interest and +increased the demand. To meet this desire I made arrangements with the +editor and proprietor of a weekly paper called the _Champion_ to publish +my evening Discourses. At once the arrangement was found to be +profitable to him, agreeable to me and admirably suited to the public. +So for more than a year the _Champion_ has been my faithful messenger on +this line, and will continue to be. It is a weekly paper, published at +132, Nassau Street, New York; price one dollar per year. I am not +personally interested more than this. With its politics and other matter +I have nothing to do; but for the sermonic matter I hold myself +responsible. I feel free to express my pleasure in the wonderful +increase of its circulation. I am glad it goes all over the States, the +Dominion 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, of +Bay Ridge, near Brooklyn. On this subject I found him remarkably well +posted. 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 attention +was called to the valuable writings of our English brethren on this +point, Edward Hine, Rev. Mr. Glover, M.A., Rev. Mr. Grimaldi, M.A., +Philo-Israel, and a host of others, whose writings have helped me very +much. Our English friends have now a vast store of this kind of +literature; while, so far as I know, we have no home production. This is +one reason I feel satisfied in sending forth this volume. + +For years I have been greatly interested in Pyramidology, in the +teachings of the Great Pyramid at Gizeh in Egypt. Twenty years ago I had +confidence to lecture frequently on the subject, and a few years since it +was in my mind to publish a small work on it. The necessity of such work +was wisely and competently taken out of my hands, however, by the +appearance of a book entitled, "The Stone Miracle," by Rev. Dr. Seiss, of +Philadelphia. This is a book admirably suited to beginners on this line +of study. And if one wants to go further and be specially informed on +Pyramidology, why let them get "Our Inheritance in the Great Pyramid," a +work by Professor Piazzi Smyth, Astronomer-Royal of Scotland. To this +man God has given a fine mind and a large heart for a special place and +work. But what pleases me above all, is that this Pyramid, being the +_Lord's Pillar_, and _His Witness_, should so finely tally with the +Scriptures and Providence; that the teachings of this monument are in +harmony with the principles of interpretation, as applied to the +prophecies in these Discourses. + +By several small engravings I have sought to aid the mind of the reader +through the eye. In the Royal Arms of England there is considerable of +history; the position of the lions, unicorn, crown, and indeed all +connected with it is significantly expressive. In these things, the +accidental grouping, so far as man was concerned, were as much under +Divine supervision as the blundering of the Jews in the crucifying of +Jesus. So, Divinely considered, they Divinely reveal. We know not the +mind of our fathers in the matter of selecting and composing the items +that 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 very +distinct, but it is the best we could do. As it is, it will aid the +reader 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 an +iron ring, much worn and rusted. It is a bluish steel-like colour, mixed +with some veins of red. It has been in its present resting place 583 +years. + +The main idea I wish to convey in this book, is that God is conducting +His Providence through His ancient chosen people, Israel, whom I believe +are found in the Saxon race. And His throne on earth, through which flow +the purposes of Providence, is David's throne, which I believe to be at +present the English throne. Queen Victoria (and God bless her) I believe +to be of David's seed. The United States fulfils the _role_ of the Tribe +of Manasseh. Therefore, to understand the prophecies, Providence, and +the present movement of nations, as well as the future lot and destiny of +each, we must read the Scriptures in this light. God has made the +children of Israel and throne of David His executive, in time, on earth. +They are His executive for civilisation, evangelisation, order, and +conquest. 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 to +the people a god--so is Israel to all mankind. Spiritual Israel will +come through literal Israel. + +I have expressed myself freely, and shall cheerfully grant reviewers, +critics, and readers, the same privilege. I send forth this book with a +pure 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 I +desire, in the first place, to point out to you a few very important +distinctions included in the prophecies. Suppose the Bible to be a great +palace, with its royalty, royal children, servants, and subjects. You +desire to go through it and view it intelligently, and to understand all +about its inhabitants and laws of government; now to do so, you must have +keys, 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 might +confound the King with some servant, and visitors might be mistaken for +the children of the household. Thus your ideas would be considerably +mixed; you would be guilty of talking about the King, when you really +meant some servant, and of prophesying for the royal children in the name +of the visitors. The years would come and go, but events would not +happen as you had prophesied. Each generation would take your report and +follow in your footsteps, thus confusion and disappointment would keep +pace with the passing generations. + +What is here made a matter of supposition, has been a solemn fact on the +line of human experience. Men have studied the Bible and Providence in +this ignorant and confused way. Theologians have thrown aside all +restraints, and well-defined limitations and distinctions of the Bible in +their assumed liberty of expounding and spiritualising the same. No +matter to them that there is a God-revealed distinction between Judah and +Israel, Manasseh and Ephraim, Samaritans and Gentiles, and the throne of +David and the throne of the heathen. Writers and speakers are guilty of +using the words Judah and Israel in a synonymous sense, though the words +stand for different people, history, and prophecies, soon after the +descendants of Jacob settled in Palestine. To aid you in seeing this +historical confusion and folly, let me call your attention to them +separately. + + + +JUDAH. + + +What does this word stand for in the Bible? In the _first_ place it is +the name of the fourth son of Jacob. In the _second_ place it was the +name of his direct descendants or Tribe. In the _third_ place it became +the name of the portion of the country occupied by this Tribe in the +Promised Land. In the _fourth_ place it became the name of a kingdom and +government; this fourth name included the Tribe of Benjamin and their +territory. In the _fifth_ place it became the name of the whole country +of Palestine, and is now often so used. To-day this word stands for +those we call Jews, who, as they allow among themselves, represent and +only include Judah and Levi. + +On the death of Solomon the country and Tribes finally separated into two +Houses, kingdoms, and governments. Nine Tribes went with Jeroboam, and +three with Rehoboam--namely, Judah, Levi, and Benjamin. The nine-tribed +House was called Israel, the three-tribed House Judah. This separation +was about 975 B.C. (1 Kings xii.). From that day to this these two +Houses have never been united; but they are to be, as scores of +statements to that effect are in the good Book (Hosea i. 11). About 580 +B.C. the House of Judah was taken captive into Babylon, remaining 70 +years, then they returned to their own land and remained till the year of +our Lord 70, when Jerusalem was destroyed and they were scattered. + +Prophecies referring to the Jews are numerous and in striking contrast to +those 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. To +be without government. 5. Not to be owners of landed property, though +they will have money, until toward the latter days. 6. They were to be a +proverb. 7. They were to be few in number. 8. They are to retain a +special type of features. 9. They were to be repeatedly robbed. 10. +They were to reject Christ. 11. To retain the Mosaic service till +returned to their own land. 12. They are to keep their name, and many +such distinctions, none of which should be applied to Israel. All these +things have been and are fulfilled, or fulfilling, and though men are +wonderfully given to spiritualising, few, if any, venture to spiritualise +Judah's curses. Men and ministers calling themselves Gentiles, are rude +enough to spiritualise the blessings of Judah, and stealing them, apply +them to themselves. + + + +ISRAEL. + + +1. A name given to Jacob after wrestling with the Angel. 2. A term +applied sometimes to all the descendants of Jacob. 3. In a spiritual +sense, those who believe in Christ. 4. A name that covered and included +the nine Tribes which went with Jeroboam and formed the kingdom of +Israel. They remained a distinct kingdom, and till now a nationality. +From 975 to 725 B.C. they had some 19 kings. They were finally carried +captive into Assyria by Shalmanezer (2 Kings xvii.). From that captivity +they 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 a +while, and come to light in the latter day. They are known in the +Scriptures in contradistinction from others by such terms as the +following: "_All Israel_," "_All the House of Israel wholly_," "_The +House 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 any +other, especially from the Jew, with whom they are so often confounded. +The history of the two peoples have been wide apart and as different as +they well could be. + +1. They were to be _lost_. 2. They were to be _divorced_ from the +Mosaic law. 3. They were to lose their _name_. 4. They were to lose +their _language_. 5. They were to _possess_ the isles of the sea, coasts +of the earth, waste and desolate places, to inherit the portion of the +Gentiles, their seed, land, and cities. 6. They are to be great and +successful _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 have +David's _throne_ and seed ruling over them. 15. They are to _possess_ +Palestine, and invite their brethren of Judah to return. And thus I +might repeat some sixty positive marks and distinctions setting forth +Israel; and yet men wilfully persist in confounding them with the Jews, +or looking for this great and favoured people of the Lord among the +lowest of human kind, Indians, Africans, and so on. + + + +SAMARITANS. + + +The Samaritans were not Jews or Israelites, strictly speaking. They of +course became Jewish in their customs and worship. Originally they were +Assyrians. When the nine Tribes were carried captive, they were brought +and put in their place. "And the King of Assyria brought men from +Babylon and from Cuthah, and from Ava, and from Hamath, and from +Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria, instead of the +children of Israel" (2 Kings xvii. 24). The Jews and the Samaritans +never wholly mixed; one was always distasteful to the other. They never +were 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 of +Israel and Judah. Neither the Old or New Testament can be well +understood unless one understands the place of this Tribe in Providence. +They were always counted one of the Ten Tribes, and reckoned with them in +the 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 to +be in readiness to receive Him, and so they did. At the destruction of +Jerusalem they escaped, and after centuries of wanderings turn up as the +proud and haughty Normans. Finally they unite with the other Tribes +under William the Conqueror. A proper insight into the work and mission +of Benjamin will greatly aid one in interpreting the New Testament. He +was set apart as a missionary Tribe, and at once set to work to spread +the Gospel of Jesus. Most of the disciples were Benjaminites. Then, +after 800 years of fellowship with Judah, they were cut loose and sent +after their brethren of the House of Israel. It was needful that the +Lion and the Unicorn should unite. + + + +MANASSEH AND EPHRAIM. + + +The history of these two representative characters is worth your careful +study. The whole of the circumstances of Jacob blessing them must be +accepted as Divinely directed. Manasseh was to be a great people, and so +I believe he is. In the United States I find this promise literally +fulfilled. This is the Key to the settlement of this land; to the +agitations of the Pilgrims and Puritans in England. The mission, work, +and place of the United States may be found in the prophecies relating to +this Tribe. Let anyone examine the great seal of the United States, and +study its design, and surprise will fill the mind that facts, Providence, +and prophecies do so wonderfully agree. Take the obverse side. Here you +have an eagle with outstretched wings; the bird is perfect, not double +headed and deformed, as in other cases where the eagle has been or is the +national bird. The striped escutcheon on its breast, in its beak a +scroll, inscribed with a motto, "_E pluribus Unum_"--one out of many, as +Manasseh was, and as the country is building up a grand nationality and +oneness 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 or +right talon is an olive branch, a symbol of peace; in the sinister or +left talon is a bundle of 13 arrows. But it is on the reverse side of +the great seal that we have a wonder. Here we have an unfinished +Pyramid; a portion of the top is gone, exactly the same as the Great +Pyramid 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 be +for a sign and for a witness unto the Lord of hosts in the land of +Egypt." Now it is somewhat singular that the Congress of 1782 should +have adopted so remarkable a sign, one that would witness to God and tell +of their origin. The reverse side is the under side, and shows from +whence 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 in +the centre is an all-seeing eye. Over the eye we have _Annuit Coeptis_, +which means, "_He prospers our beginning_." On the base of the Pyramid +we have in letters, 1776, and underneath the following motto--"_Novus +ordo seclorum_," meaning a "New era in the ages." The suggestion of the +items upon the great seal was from Sir John Prestwich, Bart., an +Englishman. He gave the suggestions to the American Minister, John +Adams, and thus the same were conveyed to Congress and adopted. + +We have in the facts of the great seal a series of coincidents that +connect this country with the Tribe of Manasseh. When the Tribes +marched, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh went together on the West side +of the ark, for their homes were Westward. On their battalion banner was +the figure of a youth, denoting activity, with the motto, "The cloud of +Jehovah rest on them, even when they go forth out of the camp." Here we +have the origin of the cloud on the seal. And when we remember that +Manasseh was brought up at the foot of the Pyramid, and could see it from +his palace home at Memphis, then we get a cue to the figure of the +Pyramid on the seal. {23} + + + +PYRAMID. + + +The Pyramid is a wonderful witness for God and His people. This building +in Egypt has stood for 4,000 years; finished and complete, it stood for +about 3,000 before anybody ventured to find a way into it. Then, at a +great 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 it +should be a stone trough, and more singular to my mind, that the Ark of +the Covenant and this stone trough should be of equal capacity; and the +laver in which the priest washed his feet in the temple was exactly of +the same size. And Solomon's molten sea contained just as much water as +would fill the King's Chamber in which this trough was found. Can any +man 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 is +used quite frequently in a generic sense, and stands for the Ten Tribes +and Manasseh. To Reuben by birthright was the lead politically, but it +was taken from him and given to Joseph, and so to Ephraim. From Judah +came the Chief Ruler--that is, Christ; but the birthright was Joseph's (1 +Chron. v. 1). + + + +THRONE OF DAVID. + + +To this throne God pledged under oath a perpetuity. Also He pledged that +some one of David's seed should always be on it. The throne and seed are +pledged an unconditional existence. This being so, it follows that they +must be now in existence, and that finally all thrones will be swallowed +up by this one. Queen Victoria is of David, and the English throne is +David's. Hence all the promises and prophecies referring to David's +throne may be found on this line. For prophecy not being of private +interpretation such facts may be proven. + + + +GENTILES. + + +The word Gentile generally embraces all those nations and people outside +of the Twelve Tribes. Keeping these few distinctions in mind, you will +be enabled to read the Bible interestingly and with the proper +understanding. Prophetic evidence is a strong kind of proof. Study the +Word on this line and you will find Providence and history lending +glorious 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 +LOST ISRAEL MAY BE KNOWN--THE GIVING WILL CORRESPOND TO THE +MULTIPLYING--THE PROMISE, 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 the +time it was given Abraham had, by command, offered his only son Isaac, +which offering, to all human appearance, would leave the old patriarch +again childless; but his faith staggered not, for human incompetence does +not circumscribe the bounds of Divine sufficience. The God who commanded +Abraham to offer, recalled the command at a certain stage of the +fulfilment, counting the faith of Abraham for righteousness. In +Abraham's faith Isaac was really sacrificed; hence the Divine approval: +"By Myself have I sworn, saith the Lord; for because thou hast done this +thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, that in blessing I +will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars +of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea-shore; and thy seed +shall possess the gate of his enemies." An oath with men in this day +does not mean much in the way of confirmation, but not so with God's +oath. An oath ought to be sacred, and should be the end of doubt and +strife. God made a promise to Abraham, and because He could swear by no +greater, He sware by Himself. And Abraham lived to see the promise begin +to fulfil, and to-day the heirs of Abraham may look and see the same +promise fulfilling, for, as Paul says in Heb. vi. 17: "Wherein God, +willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the +immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath." + +Who are the heirs of promise? For to them belong many and precious +promises, both spiritual and temporal. Spiritually, they are to lead and +be responsible for the evangelisation of the world. Temporally, they are +to be a numerous seed, a powerful people. They are to occupy the ends of +the earth, the uttermost parts of the earth, the coasts of the earth, the +waste and the desolate places of the earth, the isles of the sea, the +heathen, as an inheritance. They are to inherit the Gentiles, and make +the 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; they +are to possess the gates of their enemies. Surely such a people should +be found, for all these things make it impossible for them to be hid in a +corner. One cannot help saying with the Psalmist: "Blessed is the nation +whose God is the Lord; and the people whom He hath chosen for His own +inheritance." + +In the English Court of Chancery are vast sums of money, large fortunes +waiting for heirs. The court frequently advertises for them, and many in +every land respond and are eager to prove their claims; they are anxious +to be known and accepted as the descendants and lawful heirs of certain +testators. It is oftentimes difficult to establish their claims and +prove satisfactorily their identity. The court demands that the +evidences of heirship be very definite. In this they are right. But we +venture to say that even the English Court of Chancery would not turn +away a claimant who had all the distinct marks and abounding evidence of +identity that mark and characterise the children of Abraham, especially +so in the latter day, for then these characteristics are to be clearer +and fuller. + +The Jews are known; they have been known all down the centuries; they +have not been able to hide themselves. In keeping with the Word of God +they have fulfilled up to the present time the prophecies attaching to +them. 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 the +descendants of Reuben, Simeon, Zebulun, Issachar, Dan, Gad, Asher, +Naphtali, Joseph, and Benjamin, are lost, but not extinct. They are in +the world, for God has not cast away His people for ever. If the Two +Tribes give us nine millions, how many should we expect the Ten Tribes to +furnish? Most certainly not less than forty-five millions. To the Ten +Tribes the special promises of fruitfulness were given. To the Ten +Tribes belong a greater portion of prophecy; and in the history of the +world more is allotted to Israel than to Judah. Indeed, the world's +history pivots on the Ten Lost Tribes. + +I believe you know the God-revealed distinction between the words Israel +and Judah. You know that they have a distinct history. Their place and +work, promises and blessings, chastisements and rebukes, are as distinct +and different as silver and gold. + +The spiritual heirs of Abraham are all who are embraced in the saving and +atoning covenant of grace in Christ. I do not say all who believe, for +there will be more in heaven without faith than those with--namely, all +those who have died before the years of responsibility, with many of the +Pagan world who, never having heard of a Saviour, have therefore never +denied Him. In a spiritual sense, they are children. I believe in this +matter with Paul, who says, when writing to the Romans, chap. ii.: "There +is no respect of persons with God; for as many as have sinned without law +shall also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law +shall be judged by the law. For when the Gentiles, which have not the +law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the +law, are a law unto themselves; which show the work of the law written in +their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts +the meanwhile accusing, or else excusing one another." Thus, under the +law 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 be +blessed, spiritually. In this sense Abraham's seed embraces persons of +every age, clime, and race. + +But who are the seed of Abraham according to the flesh? We answer, the +descendants of the Twelve Tribes. Now to the natural seed the Bible +assigns a distinct work and place. This natural seed is divided in the +Bible, the word Israel standing generally for the Ten Tribes, and Judah +for Two Tribes. These divisions have separate paths appointed them to +walk in through the centuries. "All the House of Israel wholly," "the +whole House of Israel," "all the House of Israel," have a special work. +The Ten Tribes are especially called in the Scriptures the seed of +Abraham. Sometimes "My chosen," again "Mine inheritance," and "My +servant." God, in referring to them in their scattered state, and of His +gathering them together, says (Isa. xli. 8): "But thou, Israel, art My +servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen; the seed of Abraham My friend--thou +whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the +chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art My servant; I have chosen +thee and not cast thee away." The Ten Tribes are sometimes designated by +the word Jacob. If we once get a clear idea who the seed are, then we +can search among the people of the earth to find them, because in the +latter day they were to be so different from other people, and distinctly +marked, we will have no great difficulty in finding them. Of the special +marks, one was they were to possess the gates of their enemies. The +multitudinous seed and other characteristics we will pass by for the +present. + +This seed were to possess the gates of their enemies; of this we are +assured by the oath of God. The word gate here, you will admit, is used +in a generic sense. It means a place of prominence, a position of +strength, a strategetic point, as the entrance into a city. Remembering +that in olden times the cities were walled around, the gate was an +important point of defence; or, as the narrow entrance into a bay, like +the entrance into New York Bay or port, the Narrows we call them. Here +the cities of New York and Brooklyn could best and first be defended. +Again, a gate in the general vernacular means any stronghold: a tower, an +island, a mountain pass. Now, of this seed it is plainly stated that +they shall possess the gates of their enemies. + +The text would be very finely illustrated if we supposed that Mexico held +Governor's Island, in the middle of our bay, and defiantly dictated to us +doctrines of trade, politics, and religion. As arrogant and as impudent +as this would seem, yet such is the case with this seed of Abraham and +other nations. Believing that the Saxon race are the Ten Lost Tribes, it +then follows that the English nation is the chief representative of these +Tribes, and that they should be in possession of the gates of their +enemies. Are they? We answer, yes. And every year confirms and makes +more clear the answer. This you say is a theory. Grant it. You know +that in science a theory is formed and then applied. If you form a +theory about the tides or formation of the planets, or this world, your +theory 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 with +the same. Now science accepts that theory which applies best, that which +accounts for facts the most reasonably, and harmonises the most +naturally. Such theory is then the science of the day, and will be so +accepted 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, between +England and France, nearer to the French shore than England; the +inhabitants, being a majority of them French, speaking French. Yet when +France was England's greatest and most dangerous enemy, England held +then, as now, the gates of her enemies. Properly speaking, and adjudged +by any human rule, they belong to France--as naturally as the island of +Heligoland, at the month of the Elbe, belongs to Germany. Gibraltar, +Malta, Cyprus, Suez Canal, Island of Perim in the Straits of Babelmandeb +in 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 into +Afghanistan. In and around the vast empire of India you have Bombay, +Calcutta, Madras, with many similar strongholds; Rangoon, on the Irawady +river, commanding and even menacing Burmah. The vast empire of China is +carefully guarded and held in check by such gates as Singapore, Malacca, +Penang, Hong Kong and Cowloon. Sarawak in Borneo, and Labuan off the +coasts, are such gates. Africa is being gradually gobbled up; her +strongholds and vast areas of country are falling into the hands of +England; the coasts are fast coming under British rule. Recently England +has come into possession of three gates--namely, the island of Socotra, +near the Red Sea, the island of Cyprus in the Mediterranean, and the +Sublime Porte, the lofty gateway, Constantinople. And it is now rumoured +that England is negotiating with Portugal for Delogoa Bay in +South-eastern Africa; price, three million dollars. But this people are +not satisfied with all these gates. They want--and they will get what +they want in a very short time, thank Heaven; not what they +deserve!--they want the famous Khyber Pass. This pass is a narrow road +between mountain rocks that rise over two thousand feet at the lowest +point. It is some twenty-eight miles long, while for twenty-two miles +the average width is only 150 feet. The Eastern end the English already +hold, called the Peshawur Pass. + +Afghanistan is a country in Asia. It is about the size of England, 460 +miles from North to South, and 430 from East to West. On the North it is +bounded by Turkestan, East by India, South by Beloochistan, and West by +Persia. The population numbers about 7,000,000. They are as wild as the +country is broken and irregular. They are chiefly agriculturists. The +country is rich in minerals and timber. In time past they have seldom +been at peace, being very generally at war among themselves. Afghan is a +Persian word, and means that which is wrapped around--no doubt having +reference to the mountain chain that hems in the whole land. The people +themselves, however, name their country Vilayet, which means the land of +our ancestors. They claim that in their country lived Adam and his +children, also Noah and his. They say they had in their possession once +the 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 the +present time they have Noah's ark. It is embedded in the ground, with a +portion protruding out, which pilgrims to the top of Dera Ismael +Khan--that is, the sacred mountain of Israel--are permitted to see and +touch. Many have supposed the Afghans to be the Ten Lost Tribes. It has +been the folly of many of the learned, in time past, to hunt for, and +actually 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 more +wretched, the better. Hence, the wild Indians of the continent, the +bushmen of Africa, the aborigines of Australia, the Laplanders of the +North, 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. Solomon +built store cities in Hamath, Tadmor in the wilderness, and many others. +These store cities were on the great highway which he made through the +desert, so as to bring the trade of Dedan and Sheba to Jerusalem. That +Hebrew names are given to the mountains, places, rivers, and persons, no +one can deny; but such does not prove them to be the Lost Tribes--it +shows away back Jewish influence and intercourse. They do not speak the +Hebrew, but two languages called the Pukhtu and Pushtu. In either +language there are few, if any, traces of the Hebrew. No doubt the Lost +Tribes, after being scattered into Central Asia, when taken captive about +725 B.C., wandered, some of them into Afghan, and probably for a time +settled there, and gave names to the country. The Afghans themselves +went into the country from India, and as the Tribes moved Westward they +left the Afghans in possession. + +The Afghan country comes now into great importance because it is on the +highway of the march of Israelitish civilisation and progress. England +wants it; and I predict she shall get it. Russia wants it, and at +present seems to have the upper hand; but Russia or England, or the +world, can avail nothing against the purposes of Jehovah. The gates are +promised to Israel, therefore she will get them. The English have +already an army of 35,000 men in the Peshawur Valley. Russia is +gathering a force, and ere long the two countries will be brought face to +face. The end of the whole muddle will be that England will take charge +of Afghan. Thirty-three years ago Disraeli wrote his novel called +"Tancred." In this novel he makes the Queen of England the Empress of +India, and one of her favourite officers is made Earl Beaconsfield; so +far fancy has become fact. But in that same novel the future of the +present strife has been set forth. It has been very finely put by the +London _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 Lord +Beaconsfield's presence, the Prime Minister remarked: 'Ah! I perceive +you have been reading "Tancred." That is a work to which I refer more +and more every year--not for amusement, but for instruction.' And if +anyone will take the trouble just now to refresh his memory of 'Tancred,' +he will see how much Lord Beaconsfield has borrowed from it in relation +to his policy. Turn, for instance, to this passage: 'If I were an Arab +in race as well as in religion,' said Tancred, 'I would not pass my life +in schemes to govern mere mountain tribes.' 'I'll tell you,' said the +Emir, springing from his divan, and flinging the tube of his nargileh to +the other end of the tent, 'the game is in our own hands if we have +energy. There is a combination which would entirely change the whole +face of the world and bring back empire to the East. Though you are not +the brother to the Queen of the English, you are, nevertheless, a great +English prince, and the Queen will listen to what you say, especially if +you talk to her as you talk to me, and say such fine things in such a +beautiful voice. Nobody ever opened my mind like you. You will +magnetise the Queen as you have magnetised me. Go back to England and +arrange this. You see, gloss over it as they may, one thing is clear, it +is finished with England . . . Let the Queen of the English collect a +great fleet, let her stow away all her treasure, bullion, plate, and +precious arms; be accompanied by all her court and chief people, and +transfer the seat of her empire from London to Delhi. There she will +find an immense empire ready-made, a first-rate army, and a large +revenue. In the meantime I will arrange with Mehemet Ali. He shall have +Bagdad and Mesopotamia, and pour the Bedouin cavalry into Persia. I will +take care of Syria and Asia Minor. The only way to manage the Afghans is +by Persia and by the Arabs. We will acknowledge the Empress of India as +our suzerain, and secure for her the Levantine coast. If she like, she +shall have Alexandria, as she now has Malta. It could be arranged. Your +Queen is young. She has an _avenir_. Aberdeen and Sir Robert Peel will +never give her this advice; their habits are formed. They are too old, +two _ruses_. But you see! the greatest empire that ever existed; besides +which she gets rid of the embarrassment of her chambers! and quite +practicable! For the only difficult part, the conquest of India, which +baffled Alexander, is all done.' Who can avoid seeing that Lord +Beaconsfield has been quite recently referring to this passage--'not,' as +he said, 'for amusement, but for instruction?' These are all the ideas +of his recent policy in germ--especially the treatment of the British +Empire as having its centre of gravity in the far East--the use of the +Indian Army for conquest to be made in Western Asia--the acquisition of +the Levantine coast for Great Britain--the active alliance between the +British power and the Mohammedan power--and last, not least, the getting +rid, to a great extent at least, by the help of Indian leverage, of 'the +embarrassment 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 aside +as two 'ruses.'" + +England has indeed adopted an Oriental policy, and forward she must go to +execute Jehovah's purpose. Russia is preparing on a gigantic scale. In +Prussia the most flourishing branch of trade among the Germans at present +is the manufacturing of arms for Russia. Though the late war be over, +still Russia is buying ships, and fitting them out in this country. She +feels bitterly her defeat through English diplomacy: England taking +Cyprus, assuming protection over Asiatic Turkey, and making Russia yield +back to Turkey 30,700 geographical miles which was contained in the +original Treaty of San Stefano. The following from the Government organ +of Russia will give you some idea of her chagrin. + +The St. Petersburg _Golos_ says that the Treaty of Berlin has produced an +almost crushing impression on the Russian public. "It is felt that +Russia has not attained her object; that she has been deceived by her +friends, and that she has foolishly helped her enemies with her victories +. . . What is the reason of our failure? One-half per cent. of our +population have perished in the war, hundreds of millions have been +expended, and yet the Eastern Question is not solved and the Treaty of +Berlin is merely a truce. The last war has clearly shown all our +national peculiarities as well as our moral and material strength . . . +All the military requirements which depended on the inbred qualities of +the Russian soldier were brilliantly carried out; but where knowledge and +preparation were demanded we were not equal to the task. It was probably +for this reason that we felt so much hurt on reading of the boldness of +Lord Beaconsfield, who doubtless reckoned on the superior culture of +Englishmen to that of Russians. All classes of Russian society are +responsible for this. We do not estimate culture and knowledge at their +true value. Most of us say that mental work does not bring money, and +that culture is a means of corruption . . . In Western Europe, on the +other hand, people have arrived by hard experience at the conviction that +intelligence, capacity, culture, and energy, bring men to the front, and +give them peace at home and power abroad. It is the knowledge of how to +make the best possible use of their energy and abilities that has enabled +the English to derive success from our victories and sacrifices. May +this be a lesson to us." + +But enough; one knows the end ere they begin, for the Word of God is +true. We do not argue that the English are so much smarter than other +people; no, but we account for their success because they are the +executive nation of Divine Providence. It falls to the lot of those who +do not believe this theory to account for their success without allowing +them to be smarter. + + + + +ISRAEL AND TERRITORY. +DISCOURSE III. + + +PROMISES TO ISRAEL--MATERIAL NATURE--LOCATION OF THE TRIBES IN CHRIST'S +DAY--GOD'S PROVIDENCE--BRITISH AND AMERICAN RULE--LIFE FROM THE +DEAD--TEACHING THE NATIONS PEACEFUL ARBITRATION--ENGLAND AND +RUSSIA--AFGHANISTAN FALLS TO ANGLO-ISRAEL--GOD'S POLITICAL +GEOGRAPHY--ANGLO-SAXON EVANGELISATION--RUSSIA OPPOSING IT--BRITISH AND +RUSSIAN 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 when +speaking of the House of Israel, and the masculine when denoting the +House of Judah. Quite frequently Israel is spoken of as a divorced +woman, as being cast off, and as being barren. Judah remaining faithful +to the throne of David and the temple service, and abiding in the land +much longer than Israel, is presented as one married. So you will +understand Jeremiah iii. 8, when he says: "And I saw, when for all the +causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, +and given her a bill of divorce." Again, Isaiah l. 1: "Thus saith the +Lord, Where is the bill of your mother's divorcement whom I have put +away?" Yet, though Israel was divorced, forsaken, cast off, and +desolate, she was to have more children than married Judah. So the verse +preceding the text says: "Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break +forth into singing, and cry aloud thou that didst not travail with child; +for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the +married wife, saith the Lord." Then come the words of the text bidding +her enlarge the place of her tent, or dwelling-place, to stretch forth +her curtains, so as to cover over the new-gotten habitations. To spare +not--that is, to be not tardy, or slow--in lengthening out her +cords--that is, her influence--and strengthen her stakes--that is, her +authority; but to break forth on every hand where there is an opening, +and inherit the seed of the Gentiles, and make the languishing and +poverty-stricken cities of the nations to be inhabited; in this conquest +to go on and fear not. + +These exhortations are given, and promises are made to Israel after she +had left Palestine. No one can say truthfully that they have yet been +fulfilled in no degree or sense, unless they find such fulfilment in the +conquests of the Saxon race. These predictions cannot apply to the Jews, +for they are few, nationless, and without a government. Touching the +past history of both Judah and Israel in Palestine, we shall find it to +be barren of victories, territory, acquisition, and number, in comparison +to other nations. They have never occupied the land given to Abraham in +fulness. In Solomon's time they bare rule only over a part of it. The +Gentiles and heathens have occupied it more and longer than the sons of +Abraham. But what failed to be accomplished in the past, is held grandly +in reserve for this day, the next few years. God will remember His +promise to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David. He will remember it to +fulfil it, in spite of hell or earth. + +We have been blind and guilty in the past, unconscious of our origin, and +as a natural consequence, ignorant of our place and special work. In +interpreting the Word of God we have been lavish in spiritualising, and +greedy in materialising, overlooking the fact that nine-tenths of the Old +Testament is a material history about one people, and that through them +God's special providence was to flow to all other nations; and the New +Testament plants the life and prosperity of the Gentile world upon the +course and progress of Israel. God said to Abraham, "In thee shall all +the families of the earth be blessed:" and more, "and in thy seed shall +all the nations of the earth be blessed." Israel, being scattered and +cast off, became a blessing to the world. They gave to the surrounding +nations the only true idea of God, for in their lowest condition and +idolatry they preserved the name and knowledge of Jehovah, and Christ +sent His disciples after them through one of their own Tribe--namely, +Benjamin--telling them not to go into the way of the Gentiles, nor into +the cities of the Samaritans, "but go rather to the lost sheep of the +House of Israel." To these sheep Christ declares He was sent. Where +were these sheep? They were scattered about in Central Asia--in +Scriptural language in Cappadocia, Galatia, Pamphylia, Lydia, Bithynia, +and round about Illyricum. From these very regions came the Saxons: from +here they spread abroad North and West, being the most Christian of any +people on the face of the earth then, as well as now. Their reception of +the Gospel gave them power over the surrounding nations, to whom they +were, as it had been foretold, witnesses for Jesus and providence in a +very special manner. What then, we say with Paul, will be the blessing +of Israel--recognized and fully restored to God's favour? If so much +good was carried and bestowed upon the Gentile nations because Israel was +scattered, how much, and what are the blessings in store for those +nations when Israel and Judah be restored? Paul compares it to a +resurrection--like as when the barrenness and desolation of a Winter is +supplanted by the fruits and beauties of Summer. "If the casting away of +them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them +be, but life from the dead?" (Rom. xi. 15). + +It is reasonable to suppose that this world is subject to the providence +of God. Such a supposition is grandly sustained by the laws and +operations of nature without, and the experience and intuitions of the +mind within; and I believe this providence to be all-comprehensive, +bounding, and cognising all things, past, present, and future, both small +and great; claiming the ages for its measure, the universe for the field +of its operations, and the Infinite as the source of power. "The Lord +Jehovah reigns, let the earth rejoice." Let me persuade you to +thoroughly believe in the precision, the intimacy, and the completeness +of 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 out +heaven 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 our +affairs. "By Him kings reign and princes decree judgment. He bringeth +the princes to nothing; He maketh the judges of the earth as vanity." +Even closer yet, for without His permission a sparrow cannot fall to the +ground; and so intimate is He with us, that He knoweth the number of the +hairs of the head. Now all this kind of Bible instruction is intended to +teach the nearness of God to us, and His interest and intimacy with +nations and nature. Let us not think for a moment that nations can rush +to war and be outside this circle of providence. Let us study to know +God's mind, His plans and purposes with the nations; for rest satisfied +that His plan will finally be accepted by men and nations, and His +purposes will prevail. Kings may plan, diplomatists may diplomatise, +scientists may analyse, theologians may teach and preach their isms, and +politicians may make platforms and construct rings, yet none, nor all +combined, can stay the hand of God. "He doeth according to His will in +the armies of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth." He can +initiate, permit, modify, and destroy. Once we truly recognise the +sovereignty of God over us, conceit will lie dead at the feet of +humility. + +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 falling +of nations, as looks the country stranger upon a railway engine the first +time, the whirling wheels, the steam and smoke and burnished boiler rivet +his attention so completely, that he sees not the driver in his car. So +men are dazed with the show of pomp of courts and councils, with the +harangues of legislators and march of regiments, that they discern not +the master hand behind that directs all. "Verily, Thou art a God that +hidest Thyself." No, no, friends; English bravery, nor American +ingenuity will not account for all that England has done on the line of +victories, and the marvellous and rapid growth of these United States. +As God said long ago through Moses, so He could say to-day--for heavenly +counsel was given to the children of Israel on entering the Promised +Land, with a design of suppressing their pride and enabling them to form +a correct idea of their success in driving the strong and greater nations +of Canaanites and Philistines--"Speak not thou in thine heart, after that +the Lord thy God hath cast them out from before thee saying: For my +righteousness the Lord hath brought me in to possess this land; but for +the wickedness of these nations the Lord doth drive them out from before +thee. Not for thy righteousness, or the uprightness of thine heart, dost +thou go to possess the land, but for the wickedness of those nations the +Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee, that He may perform +the word which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and +Jacob. Understand, therefore, that the Lord thy God giveth thee not this +good land to possess it for thy righteousness, for thou art a +stiff-necked people" (Deut. ix. 4). + +By the same rule and for the very same reason that Israel conquered +Palestine, does England go on from conquest to conquest. And because God +remembered to perform His promises made to the patriarchs upon their +seed, America was opened for the Puritans, who are without doubt the +descendants and representatives of Manasseh, of whom God said "he should +be a people, a great people." + +The rule of England and America over other people, is to be as life from +the dead--that is, whatsoever country England conquers and rules, it is +better for the people, and the country, and the world. They give to the +people a liberty that they would not have given to themselves; they +develop the resources of the country as never before, and by trade and +commerce 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, the +riches of faith in Christ. So we have no hesitation in saying, a thing +patent to every unprejudiced observer, that the aborigines of the +conquered colonies of Great Britain are treated better by their +conquerors than they ever treated themselves. The Africans, in the +conquered colonies of Africa, are better off under British rule than +those colonies or portions unconquered are. The hosts of India enjoy +more, fare better in every grace and virtue in all that goes to adorn and +develop mankind, under the British government and protection than they +ever did or would under self-government. So the French, Germans, +Italians, Russians, Spaniards, and the numerous progeny of emigrants to +this country, fare better in every way with Manasseh, than they did in +their own lands. Of course, both in England's rule and America's, there +are 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 what +he sows, but the Divine, without interfering with his freedom, regulates +the 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. Being +Israel or the Ten Lost Tribes, they become at once the chosen agents of +God for the glorious purpose of evangelising the whole world, and +finally, by reducing the whole earth to the plane of universal liberty +and peace. + +It was necessary that these two nations should first be taught the art of +mediation, for the ends of peace; that they should learn and show to the +world that national disputes and grievances can be settled without an +appeal to the sword. Hence we have, and what is much better, the world +has, Geneva and Alabama and the fish bounty treaty of Canada and the +United States. Not all the press did on either side, nor all the carping +and blustering of individuals, could prevent the happy consummation of +both these treaties. To God be praise, for they are prophetic harbingers +of a better day coming. + +No hand nor power, nor combination of powers, can stop the onward march +of Israel to her God-ordained goal. Her future is to spread on the right +hand and on the left. Island after island, colony after colony, will +fall into her hands for mutual benefit. Russia may contest this march, +and will, for she is as much the appointed agent of contest from Heaven +as England is to advance. In a few years she will try to take the place +of England among the nations, as she has just done in Afghan. Russia +promised, no doubt, that she would and could protect the Ameer against +England, but the bargain was outside of the aims of Providence, hence it +could not be sustained. It is ordained of Heaven that Afghan fall into +the hands of England, if England be Israel. + +Against this fate-like division of the world Russia is going to contend +and fight whenever she gets a chance. It would pay Russia and many other +countries to read that "When the Most High divided to the nations their +inheritance, when He separated the sons of Adam, He set the bounds of the +people according to the children of Israel" (Deut. xxxii. 8). These +bounds God will maintain wherever they run; whatever country they cut in +two, 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 I +appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming and shall +come." This same sturdy fact is taught by Paul when speaking to the +Athenians, telling them that God "hath made of one blood all nations of +men to dwell on the face of the earth, _and hath determined the times +before appointed_, _and the bounds of their habitations_." National +destinies are not so much things of chance, or prizes for the sword, as +many think. God promised to David, when both Israel and Judah were +prosperously settled in Palestine under David's reign, that He would +appoint a place for His people Israel, and plant them there, and they +should not be moved, neither should the wicked afflict them, as aforetime +(2 Sam. vii. 10.) This promise God has kept. He has given them the +British Isles, where none can afflict them, as they were wont to do when +Israel was scattered in Asia and Europe. God has found Manasseh a home +in this land of blessings and rich acres. + +England, by a necessity, was forced to find new countries to provide for +her multiplying population. Then she is forced to enter other nations as +a missionary. She, with Manasseh, is chiefly responsible for the +evangelisation of the world, and of course they are at work all over the +world, for England and the United States send out more missionaries than +all the world beside. Russia needs no land for colonisation, for now her +inhabitants number only thirty-four to the square mile, while England +numbers 889. If we take in all the territory under Russia and England, +even then England has more to the square mile than Russia. Russia +comprises about 8,000,000 square miles, and England, with her late +additions, leaving out the United States, numbers about 9,000,000. +Joining Ephraim and Manasseh together, they own one-fourth of the whole +world--namely, about 13,000,000 square miles; the whole earth numbers +51,340,800 square miles. Besides, Russia is not a missionary country. +She neither sends any, nor accepts any, being at present the only nation +closed to missionary operation and toleration. The past few years Russia +has gained rapidly in territorial power. With the conquest of Bokhara +and portions of Turkestan, or Independent Tartary, she has added some +800,000 square miles. + +At the beginning of the last century the Russian advance forts were 2,500 +miles distant from those of England. At the close of the century the +distance was 2,000. Then in 1810 it was reduced to 1,000. And since +1855 it has been reduced to 400. And now, of course, they want it +reduced to nothing by getting control of Afghan. + +How wonderfully clear are the fulfilling events of the prophecy. This +king of the North is to become a strong king, who, when Israel and Judah +are settled in Palestine, will have spirit and power to attack them. So +he is ripening, growing, and gathering power ready. Russia now comprises +nine crowns, eight of which are crowns of conquest. Russia's one grand +desire is to possess Palestine, especially Jerusalem. The Crimean war +was waged for rights and extended privileges in this holy city. To-day +Russian pilgrims swarm thither by the thousands every year. A few years +ago she built outside the Jaffa gate what she called an hospice, which +was designed to be nothing more nor less than a fort. It is in a +position 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 be +permitted by Providence to pour her troops into this "land of unwalled +villages," and when having nearly achieved the ambitious plan of ages, +and nearly realised her one great national idea, she will perish, to rise +no more, "on the mountains of Israel." Her history is set forth by +Ezekiel xxxviii. and xxxix. chapters. + +Palestine and Jerusalem have borne undeniable evidence for prophecy and +Providence. The whole land and the Book have been wonderfully agreed +during the past eighteen centuries. How significant and telling the +wailings and lamentations of the devout Jews, who crowd under the walls +of the mosque of Omar, the site of the ancient temple. Here, each +returning Sabbath, groups of Jews may be heard dolefully crying: "_Ali +bene_, _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 day +build Thy house speedily." Yes, mourning brethren of Judah, the time is +coming when the house shall be built and the voice of wailing no more +heard in the streets. + +Can any student or inquirer after the truth fail to see that in our day a +prophecy is being fulfilled? Can any one shut their eyes to the +wonderful fact that Israel is breaking forth on the left and on the +right? God has long ago said that Israel were the people of His +inheritance, and that Jacob was the lot of His inheritance, or His +girdle, or cord, as the word lot means. Then, if you turn your attention +to Great Britain and her colonies, including Manasseh, you will see this +girdle or measuring line around the earth. Let me aid you by pointing +the same out for you. Look at the Eastern hemisphere circle, enclosing +the Gentile nations. Begin with Great Britain; pass on to the Channel +Islands, 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, and +the Dominion of Canada. In the Western hemisphere commence the circle +with Canada and United States, Fiji Islands, New Zealand, Falkland +Islands, British Guiana, British Honduras, West India Islands, and +Newfoundland. Do we not plainly see that Israel is possessing "the isles +of the sea," "coasts of the earth," "waste and desolate places?" These +things are not hid in a corner; they proclaim the intentions of God, an +over-ruling Providence; and who and where the Lost Tribes are. A miracle +and prophecy are fulfilling before our eyes. + + + + +ISRAEL AND POPULATION. +DISCOURSE IV. + + +PROPHETIC LATTER DAYS--OUR BEARINGS IN THE AGES--UNWISE +IMPATIENCE--ISRAEL TO BE ALWAYS A NATION--HER EMPIRE--HISTORIC CAREER OF +AND FUTURE OF ENGLAND, AMERICA, AND JUDAH--RELATIVE INCREASE OF +POPULATION--THE INFIDEL SAXON--JEWISH, BRITISH, AND AMERICAN INTERESTS +ONE--A FULL END OF ALL NATIONS BUT ISRAEL--FAMINE HENCEFORTH ONLY FOR THE +HEATHEN--ARBITRATION TO BE ENFORCED BY ISRAEL--AMERICAN +ABSORBTION--STARTLING FIGURES OF FUTURE POPULATION--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 prophetic +student, and the Church of Christ at large, that the time of days spoken +of should be known. For connected with these days are a number of +prophecies waiting fulfilment, and they are of such a nature that their +fulfilment may easily be discerned. In breadth and scope they cover much +territory and include many people. They cannot be hid in a corner, for +the parts are so numerous and the interests so great. The fulfilment of +these prophecies will make a radical and fundamental change in Church and +State. + +I take it for granted we are now entering into the time of the latter +days--a time that precedes by a natural consequence the millennium. It +is, therefore, unwise on the part of any person to claim that Christ may +come 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 the +circle of Providence and our position in the ages. The story and work of +redemption are grand, full of interest and thrilling incidents; still we +must take things in their order. Some stories we read are very +fascinating. The plot culminates, the characters and incidents converge +toward and centre in the hero. At such a point we are often carried away +with our sympathy for the hero; we become anxious for him, and desires to +know the issues, and so are tempted to skip a few pages and get at the +end unwisely and unlawfully. Thus I think many are carried away by a +loving desire for the millennium; they become anxious for the return of +the Hero of redemption; they skip a few pages of Providence, and come to +the end too soon. + +These days are preparative, and in such a preparative stage we are +warranted to look for the fulfilment of certain prophecies; for +prophecies, indeed, of such a nature and character that no Bible student +need be mistaken as to the time, place, and conditions of fulfilment. We +have called your attention to one of these prophecies, and pointed out to +you 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 attested +the same by His own oath. He called to witness the sun, moon, stars, +sea, night, day, the seasons, seedtime and harvest. These He called His +ordinances. These ordinances may depart from before Him, but the seed of +Israel should not cease to be a nation. They were not only to be a +nation, but a company of nations. To this end, in the latter days, they +were to come in possession of the isles of the sea, the coasts of the +earth, waste and desolate places; to inherit the seed of the Gentiles, +and cause their desolate cities to be filled. They were to possess and +rule over the heathen. In the latter days they were to possess Edom and +Esau--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 are +so? Before your eyes, before mine, before the eyes of all the world, God +is fulfilling His promises made to the fathers. + +The very exceptions to the sweeping and comprehensive possessions of the +seed of Jacob are pyramidal witnesses to the same. The House of Judah +was to become homeless, without a nation and without a government, after +they left Palestine; but to be a people known by the race feature, and by +their unwavering adherence, attachment, and fidelity to the Mosaic +worship. This exception all can see, and none can truthfully deny. They +have had money and men enough to buy and rule a nation, but as yet they +have none. Their talent, their ability, and their money, have been the +chief factor in the rule, prosperity, and greatness of many nations in +the past as well as now. And the second conception is not less grand and +conclusive. Let any one inquire what was to be the portion of the Tribe +of Manasseh, and they will find that Manasseh was to be a distinct +people, a great people; for so said the dying patriarch Jacob. Now such +a people, a great people, we hold Manasseh to be at this day in the +people of the United States. Some sixty colonies England has overrun, +established, or conquered, and she is busy at work yet conquering and +gathering in. But is it not remarkable that she has never lost one of +the many save the United States? Will any one give an earthly reason for +this marvellous exception? I presume no one can. There is, however, a +Divine reason. Moses, when giving his prophetic benediction to the +Tribes of Israel, gives us an insight into this question. Speaking of +Joseph and the wonderful blessing in store for his sons Ephraim and +Manasseh, he says: "His glory is like the firstling of his bullock, and +his horns are like the horns of unicorns; and with them he shall push the +people together to the ends of the earth; _and they are the ten thousands +of Ephraim_, _and they are the thousands of Manasseh_" (Deut, xxxiii. +17). And further light is thrown on this subject when we notice what +Isaiah says in the forty-ninth chapter. The children of Israel, when +settled in some Isles, would lose a portion of themselves, and still the +"children which thou shalt have _after thou hast lost the other_, shall +say again in thine ears, The place is too strait for me, give place to me +that I may dwell." The simple and natural interpretation of such a +passage is, that the Isles referred to were the British Isles. The +children lost refer to Manasseh, the Pilgrims, and Puritans who came from +England. And the cry for more room after they have left, shall lead +England 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, there +is a divine purpose fulfilled. Seeing, then, that God will put the land +into Israel's hand, there will run another blessing parallel with +this--namely, a peculiar increase of the seed, or children of Israel, so +that they may occupy and control these lands. These two prophecies are +to be fulfilling on a parallel line at the same time. Are they so +fulfilling? We answer, Yes; and the answer all the world may verify, for +the facts are of such a nature that if they are not so fulfilling it can +be very easily disproved. + +The prophet tells us in the text that the children of Israel are to be +numerous--to be numerous in an extraordinary degree--so much so that it +shall appear partly miraculous when such increase is compared to other +people or judged by the common methods of reasoning. Hosea had three +children; the first a son. He called him Jezreel. This son was set for +a witness that God would cause to cease the House of Israel in +Palestine--that Israel should cease to be a nation for a time. This idea +Isaiah points out under the type of an abandoned wife. God styles +Himself the Husband of Israel, and that He had given the wife a bill of +divorcement. Thus the two prophets agree, and history ratifies both. + +Hosea's second child he calls Lo-Ruhamah. She was set for a witness that +God would take away His mercy from the House of Israel for a time, and +that God would utterly take them away out of the land. So He did; for a +few years after this we find the children of Israel were carried captive +into Assyria by Shalmaneser, and the Assyrians were brought and put in +their place. And from these Assyrians, who were planted in the cities +and country left by the children of Israel, we get the Samaritans, who +were, as you see, not Jews nor Israelites by generation--they were +manufactured Jews only. "And the Lord removed Israel out of His sight, +as He had said by all His servants the prophets. So was Israel carried +away 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 the +Jews; that they would refuse to accept God in Christ, and He therefore +would reject them. Thus the Jews became wanderers from their own land. +And the land rests in desolation, enjoying her Sabbath of rest, while her +sons and daughters are being chastised and trained for their return. + +The time will come when God will call Israel to Him, and have mercy upon +her, when the divorced one shall be restored to her husband. "And it +shall be at that day, saith the Lord, that thou shalt call Me Ishi, and +shalt call me no more Baali" (Hos. ii. 16). Now Ishi means husband, and +Baali stands for Lord. Saxons have been looked upon as being infidels by +the rest of the world. The Mohammedans and Buddhists never reckoned the +Saxons as being the sons of God; and Catholic Europe and Greek Russia +have looked upon England as infidel and heretical. And the Saxons +themselves 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 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." And the +time will come when Lo-Ruhamah shall become Ru-hamah, which means to have +obtained mercy. And Lo-Ammi shall become Ammi, which means that this is +My people. And Jezreel, which was a sign of dispersion, shall be the +sign of gathering. "Then shall the children of Judah and the children of +Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they +shall 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, but +found at last. The Saxons (Ru-hamah) will call the Jews their brother, +those whom in the past they have hated and persecuted; and thought +themselves far removed from Jewish blood. Now they both will acknowledge +a common generation, and Abraham their father. And one with his eyes +half open can see this part of the prophecy fulfilling. The Jews, +England, and United States, from this and henceforth, are one in +interest, policy, and destiny. + +These being the latter days, let us look for the signs of the multiplying +of 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 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). Old Jacob foretold that Joseph would be a fruitful bough, +whose branches would run over the wall--that is, colonise. This increase +is to be seen in two ways. Let me direct your attention to one of these +ways, in a special manner, because it is so singular and unique, so +distinct and discernable. In Jeremiah xxx. 10, 11, we find a remarkable +statement: "Fear not, O Israel, for I am with thee, saith the Lord, to +save thee. Though I make a full end of all nations whither I have +scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee; but I will +correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished." +That Israel has been punished and corrected no one will deny who is +acquainted with her history and sojourn from the time she was carried +captive to this day. But has the other part of the saying been +fulfilled? We answer, Yes--as the law of colonisation has progressed. +The Ancient Britons are no more; Saxon Israel has entirely supplanted +them, just as Manasseh in the United States is supplanting the aborigines +or 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 of +Heaven. Go to Canada, and you find they are perishing; in Newfoundland +they are entirely gone, and in every other province they are fast +disappearing, save such as are saved by incorporation, by marriage, and +salt stayed by the power of Christianity; but both these remedies are +only temporal--they perish in spite of all in the heated atmosphere of +Israel's civilisation. Some few tribes may hold their own and seem to +increase, but such does not invalidate the evidence of the decree. For +they have perished in such numbers, and so uniformly, when in contact +with Israel, that history proclaims the decree fulfilled. + +The native inhabitants of Van Dieman, called Tasmanians, have entirely +become extinct. The Maories of New Zealand are rapidly diminishing. +Fifty years ago they were 200,000 strong; now only about 50,000. In a +few more years they will be gone. The same is true in all the other +Australian provinces. The same is true of many isles of the sea, also of +the African colonies. In these things, so exceptional, we can surely +say, with the magicians of old who contended against Moses, "This is the +finger of God." Thus we see Israel increasing, by the law of diminution +going on among the Gentiles. Israel in the latter day was to be blessed +with plenty in the orchards, stall, and field: "For I will lay no more +famine upon you, saith the Lord." The past year we learn that some +10,000,000 of Chinese perished in famine. India, in one part, has been +greatly reduced in number by the same scourge. This country will be +partly protected from the operation of this law--for no doubt a large +portion are from Abraham. "But unto the sons of the concubines, which +Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, +while he yet lived, Eastward, unto the East country" (Gen. xxv. 6). This +same scourge does not follow the colonising of other nations. It did not +follow Spain, nor the Dutch, nor France. + +If you turn to the prophets, you will soon learn how they are to increase +in 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, that +I will sow the House of Israel and the House of Judah with the seed of +man 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 so +special a manner as to make certain the times we live in. Through +Israel, Judah, and Manasseh, the earth is to find the equilibrium of +peace. The Jews will furnish the money, for in the increasing +ascendancy, and multiplying power, and authority of England and America, +the Jews will draw closer to them and invest more and more their money +with them, because of greater security and profit. The balance of power +and even compulsion will be in the hands of England and America, to force +arbitration on disputing nations, and they will do so, having set the +precedents themselves in the Alabama and fish treaties. At present, many +will refuse this idea, and point to the famous Monroe doctrine. Now that +doctrine has had its time, nearly; and it has served a good purpose for +the country. The mercantile growth, and general producing power of this +country, will cause us to abandon our selfish protection policy; for of +all other people on the face of the earth we will want free trade; for we +will have the greatest surplus of mercantile and agricultural +productions, and in a short time our very position and ability will push +away all competitors. Once our mercantile and agricultural interests are +cast in other nations, we will then have an interest in their wars and +peace, and will be led to interfere. + +The chief way in which the balance of power will fall into English and +American hands is in the fulfilling of the blessings of the text: the +multiplying of this people, first by natural increase, and second by +incorporation and absorption. Look at this law of absorption; how +vigorous and sure! If you turn into a field of grass fowls, pigs, +horses, and cows, you get chicken-meat, pork, horseflesh, and beef. The +individualism in each creature absorbs and converts the same field of +grass into themselves. So into this country are coming people of every +nation and race, but the individualism of Manasseh will in due time make +them all Manassehites. The children of the Russians, Poles, Spanish, and +so on, become American in taste, manners, and sympathies. They are being +grafted into the tree of Manasseh. + +But look at the law of increase naturally. Take the population of +several countries as given in the last census, and carefully note the +relative increase, and how long it takes each nation to double its +number. Russia, eighty-six millions, doubles every 100 years; Germany, +forty-two millions, doubles every 100 years; Turkey, forty-seven +millions, doubles every 550 years; Austria, thirty-seven millions, +doubles every 100 years; France, thirty-six millions, doubles every 140 +years; 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, seventeen +millions, doubles every 150 years; Spain, sixteen millions, doubles every +112 years; English colonies, ten millions, doubles every 25 years. Now +make a calculation for 100 years, from 1878 to 1978, and see how these +countries stand in population and their relative position. Russia will +have one hundred and seventy-two millions; Germany, eighty-four; Turkey, +fifty-six; Austria, seventy-four; France, fifty-nine; Great Britain, one +hundred and thirty-seven; Italy, forty-one; Egypt, twenty-nine; Spain, +twenty-eight; United States, six hundred and forty; and the English +colonies, one hundred and sixty--and that is not reckoning the natives in +the colonies, only the descendants of the English. Of course, in a +country like India, the natives will be a considerable number, and they +might properly be reckoned in with the colonial items, and so swell the +number of Israel's power. + +Now these figures show a wonderful conclusion. In simple language, we +find that in 1978, the English-speaking race, or Israelites, will number +937 millions, while all of Russia, Germany, Turkey, Austria, France, +Italy, Egypt, and Spain, will only number 543 millions. Where then, we +ask, will be the balance of power? And why should this certain law come +into operation at this time, if it be not the blessing foretold by the +prophets? And can we not see that these are the latter days, and that +God is fulfilling His promises to Israel? + +The blood of Abraham and the faith of Abraham have been wonderfully +preserved and projected down through the centuries with telling effect. +And on this line the Darwinian theory of election is very true, for the +survival of the fittest is the proclaimed law of Heaven. There is power +in land possession and there is power in number, and if these two factors +maintain their force for one hundred years, then we infer of certainty +that the sceptre of rule and destiny of the world will be in the hands of +Israel, unless the laws of nature are reversed, and the promises of God +fail. The Word of God cannot fail or return unto Him void; it must +accomplish that whereunto He sent it and prosper in things designed, or +as Jeremiah xxiii. 20 says: "The anger of the Lord shall not return until +He has executed and till He has performed the thoughts of His heart; in +the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly." + + + + +ISRAEL AND LANGUAGE. +DISCOURSE V. + + +LATTER DAY PROPHETIC PROMISES--TIME OF ISRAEL'S REVIVAL--PYRAMID +TESTIMONY--BRITISH ISLAND POPULATION IN 1882--AFFINITY BETWEEN ENGLISH +AND HEBREW--CELL OF THE HONEYBEE--ORIGIN OF LANGUAGE--LION OF +LANGUAGES--FOREIGN TESTIMONY--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 prophecies +that are now fulfilling; they are on parallel lines of time and +territory. The first had reference to the rapid accumulation of the +lands of the earth by Israel. Accepting the Anglo-Saxons as being the +children and descendants of Jacob, it naturally follows that the +prophetic blessings and promises made to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and their +heirs, should find a fulfilment in these, the latter days, and that such +fulfilment should be found in the English nation, among the Jews, and in +the United States. It is easy to see and believe that the curses +prophetically pronounced on Judah and Israel have been fulfilled, +especially on the House of Judah. The promises to the House of Israel +are now being grandly realised. England is in possession of the isles of +the sea, the coasts of the earth, the waste and desolate places, the +heathen is her inheritance, and she is inheriting the seed of the +Gentiles, and causing their desolate cities to be inhabited. From the +taking of Jamaica, by General Penn, in 1655, to the peaceful cession of +Cyprus, the course of this little island nation has been onward and +upward. And if her conquests and progress are not amenable to prophecy, +for an interpretation, then the wonder is still greater. The facts are +with us, and must be accounted for some way. The second had reference to +the multitudinous seed of Israel in the latter days. Till two hundred +years ago the Anglo-Saxons were not in this respect distinct from other +races; indeed, for centuries they were distinct rather for their weakness +in multiplying power and number. Many other races have exceeded them in +this particular. But no sooner do we come abreast of the latter day time +than we find the laws of centuries changed. In thermal science it is an +axiom that heat expands all bodies, and of course that cold contracts +them. But to this general rule there is one beautiful and benevolent +exception: it is in water; for if we start with water at thirty-two +degrees, we find the remarkable phenomenon of cold expanding all below +thirty-two, and heat expanding all above. If we take water at 212 +degrees and withdraw it from the heat, it will continue to contract till +we reach thirty-two; then the law is reversed, and the water expands. +Now the reversion of this law, at this particular point, is wonderfully +expressive of Divine forethought and benevolence. By such a change ice +is made to float in water, and so save our lakes, streams, and wells from +being frozen solid. As this exception is to thermal science, so is the +law of reproduction to Israel in this day. This people, who have been +behind other races, now, at an appointed time, step to the front. The +law seems to be reversed, and that too for a benevolent purpose--for the +very purpose that they might be able to fulfil the mission assigned them +in 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 of +the lands without the people, or the people without the lands? It is an +amazing fact that Queen Victoria should bear rule over one-third of the +population 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 as +being of the seed of David, and an heir to the promises attaching to +David's throne, and when we accept the Anglo-Saxons as being the Ten Lost +Tribes of Israel. Then prophecy, Providence, and facts, are a +trinity--they are one sublime whole. God, speaking through Moses, said +He would punish to reform Israel for seven times--and seven times +prophetically understood, means 2,520 years. If we allow that Israel +were carried captive in the year 725 before Christ, then Israel would +come into freedom, or be reformed, about 1795; because if we add 725 to +1,795, we get 2,520. Up to this point they were to be robbed of their +children and to be few in number (see Lev. xxvi. 22). In the year 1795 +Israel were to be relieved from these curses; and about this time this +special law of reproduction came into operation; or, if we take the +lamentations of Hosea vi. 1-3: "Come and let us return unto the Lord, for +He hath torn, and He will heal us; He hath smitten, and He will bind us +up; after two days will He revive us; in the third day He will raise us +up, and we shall live in His sight. Then shall we know if we follow on +to know the Lord. His going forth is prepared as the morning, and He +shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the +earth." By this passage, our day and the special providences of this +period are mournfully and graphically referred to. Here a day stands for +a thousand years, "for a day with the Lord is as a thousand years;" so +that when two thousand years should have passed by, Ephraim, who stands +for Israel, was to be revived and blessed with fruitfulness sometime +during the third day, or thousand years. In ancient time a day was +counted when it had a majority--that is, when it had passed the half. +The prophet 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 +that two of them are to be completely passed, and during the third we +were to be raised. The number we have given, 2,520, exactly meets the +interpretation--2,000 complete, and 520 make a majority for the third day +by the twenty over the half. These prophetic figures tally well with the +existing state of things. About the beginning of this century England +assumed to lead the world. It is a remarkable coincidence that, in the +last century, the question of how to multiply the population was a +subject of debate and legislation in the British Parliament. But what +legislation failed to do, God in His providence did at the appointed +time. + +It is a curious fact, and well worth noticing, that the famous witness of +the Lord of hosts in Egypt, the Great Pyramid, forecasts what the number +of Israel and Judah would be in the year 1882. As Israel is symbolised +in the Grand Gallery, it is found that the cubic contents of the same, in +inches, is about 36,000,000; thus by some this is interpreted to mean +that inches stand for individuals, and if so, then England proper will +have 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 Chamber +of the Pyramid symbolises the number and condition of the Jews. + +From these two prophecies, so sublimely fulfilling, let me invite your +attention to another that is now maturing. It, too, is parallel with the +other two. We refer to the peculiar growth, power, and progress of the +English language. After Israel went into captivity, they were to lose +their language and take or form another. "For with stammering lips and +another tongue will He speak to this people" (Isa. xxviii. 11). We will +all agree that the English language is not the Hebrew; and if we are +Israelites, then indeed God is speaking to us in another tongue, for few +of us read His Word in Hebrew. It is read to the millions in the +English; hence the millions hear God speak to them in another tongue than +that of Hebrew. Between the English and Hebrew languages there is an +intimate relation, especially back a few years, before the English had +grown so much. The Hebrew was a very limited language; not numbering +more 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 is +about 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 written +on the origin of language from every standpoint; the majority of them +trying to account for its existence without allowing so noble a source. +The first man, Adam, I believe, could talk as easily and naturally as he +could 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 performs +marvels every day as mighty and wonderful as man's talking. The +honey-bee builds its cells, ignorant of the fact that such construction +is the solution of a problem which had troubled men for centuries to +solve. At what point shall certain lines meet so as to give the most +room with the least material and have the greatest strength in the +building? This problem is said to have been worked out by a Mr. +McLaughland, a noted Scotch mathematician, who arrived at his conclusion +by laborious and careful fluxionary calculation. To his surprise, and to +the surprise of the world, such lines and such a building were found in +the common bee cell. Now I hold that the same Creator who gave to the +bee the mathematical instinct could endow man with the instinct of +speech. Even to animal instinct we find a certain variation and +permitted latitude in what is called adaptive instinct. So in man we +find this same instinct of adaptation in a higher sense. The instinct +comes into play when we suppose a number of persons separated from +others, each living in different quarters of the globe. In such a +condition, though of the same language when first separated, they would +not remain so long--that is, in the primitive state of society. Thus, +among the tribes of Africa, at this day, languages are widening and +varying from a once common centre. So Israel in captivity would lose the +Hebrew gradually. The language of the people among whom they settled was +the Sanskrit, from which a score of languages have come--the German, +French, and Italian, Saxon and others. The Saxon of to-day, compared +with the Saxon of 2,000 years ago, is very different; so much so that for +us to learn and speak it would be equal to learning a new language. Thus +the English language is a thing of growth. In the year 1362 the Saxon +was made the court language of England. From that time onward its growth +has been wonderful. + +The prophetic outlines and Divine place of this language may be seen in +the germal foundations, which give unto it such vigour, tenacity, and +capabilities of expansion. All the features of this language go to show +that it is destined to be the medium of a world's intercourse, and that +it very suitably belongs to Israel, in whose hand will be the destiny of +the world. It is the lion of languages. It will grow anywhere, and by +reason of its tenacity when once it gets a foothold it abides. It is +peculiarly suited to the humanities of every race, clime, and condition; +there is no limit to its expansive adaptability. It is in a special +manner 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 or +Irish, the Gaelic of Scotland, and the Manx of the Isle of Man. The +British Keltic is entirely gone; the rest are entirely local. Beside +these it ousted from the island the Norse, the Norman-French, and several +other tongues that tried to transplant themselves on English soil. It is +at work in every part of the globe, planting itself and displacing +others. A few years ago French was the language best suited for a +traveller on the Continent. But this has changed. Now the English is by +far 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 than +quote from the great and learned German philologist, Prof. Grimm, of +Berlin. He says of it: "It has a thorough power of expression, such as +no other language ever possessed. It may truly be called a +world-language, for no other can compare with it in richness, +reasonableness, and solidity of texture." But perhaps the most definite +and distinct testimony given by a foreigner touching the future ubiquity +of the Anglo-Saxon race and language, is that put forward by Provost +Paradol, a learned Frenchman. He says "that neither Russia nor united +Germany, supposing that they should attain the highest fortune, can +pretend to impede that current of things, nor prevent that solution, +relatively near at hand, of the long rivalry of European races for the +ultimate colonisation and domination of the universe. The world will not +be Russian, nor German, nor French, alas! nor Spanish." He concludes +that it will be Anglo-Saxon. + +A British poet has presented in poetry the special features of several of +the 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 that +may be accounted powerful, because they are the tongues of vigorous +people; they are the English, Russian, German, French, Spanish, Italian, +Portuguese, and Scandinavian. But of these all are indigenous, except +the English, so that they die if transplanted. Look at this country and +behold what a cemetery it is for languages. Once the French had strong +hold and promised to abide here; but it is now nearly gone, even from the +state 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 about +ninety millions, Russian seventy-five, German fifty-six, French forty, +Spanish thirty-eight, Italian twenty-nine, Portuguese fourteen, and +Scandinavian nine. Within the control of the governments of these +languages we find England to have rule over 255,000,000 people, who do +not as yet speak English, and we find that the other seven have only +seventy-five millions outside of themselves. Here is an important +difference. If we look at them by territorial limits, leaving out +Russia, 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 number +of square miles possessed by these six languages, is 11,167,620, which +altogether, 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 other +six are divided into twenty-six, all of which governments are bitter one +toward the other; each trying to supplant one another, while England and +the United States are at peace, and will ever remain so. In one hundred +years from now the English language will be spoken by a thousand million +people. Thus we need no stretch of fancy to see that what the prophet +speaks of in the text will be accomplished in due time. + +This language will soon be universal; by common consent it will become +the language of the world. All the changes going on among nations +forecast its ubiquity. China, by an imperial decree, has just added to +her 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 the +Dutch, but now they have changed to the English. Besides, in the 50,000 +schools in Japan English is being taught. If science has an answer for +this strange phenomenon, so have we. Ours is, that it is the will of +Heaven. Confusion of tongues came at Babel as a punishment. By this +means Heaven scattered the unwilling descendants of Noah. When Noah came +forth from the Ark, God bade him multiply and replenish the earth--that +is, fill it up. Babel, however, was built as a monument of +centralisation, for the builders gave as a reason for building it, "Lest +we be scattered abroad upon the face of the earth." By a confusion of +tongues they were scattered. Since then we have had some 1,500 distinct +languages, and some 3,500 colloquials, or say 5,000 different forms of +speech. At the present time 600 of the primary are dead, so that there +are about 900 languages now spoken on all the earth, with about 2,500 +colloquials. + +When these means have answered their end--namely, to make us occupy all +parts of the earth--then they will die out. It then follows that as the +world fills, languages must disappear. So they do. The English and +German were the last languages to come into existence. No new ones are +now being made. Alphabets are increasing, because missionaries are +reducing spoken languages among the heathen into a written form. The +Bible is translated into two hundred different tongues. This itself will +only lead the millions back to English. All ship papers are now made out +in English excepting the French, and no doubt they will soon have to +follow in the wake. + +The day of Pentecost foreshowed the universality of some language. +Pentecost was a type, and the English is the antitype. The strangers +from Phrygia, Pamphylia, Libya, Pontus, and Cappadocia, mingled with the +Parthians, Medes, Elamites, Cretes, and Arabians. They all heard the +Gospel in their own tongue. The different tongues make a wall of +division, making them strangers one with another; but the Holy Ghost took +away this wall, and they were all face to face, able to understand one +another. The same power that here multiplied the gift of tongues--giving +to some several--surely could give to Adam one. Away with a faith that +cannot give God credit with being the Author of language. + +No sooner do we see England in guardian possession of Syria than the idea +enters into the scheme of reform of extending the English language. The +Board of Directors of the Syrian Protestant College at Beyrout have shown +their 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 the +college shall be through the English language. The Arabic will only be +taught as any other dead language. This remarkable action shows that +British influence in Syria is hereafter to be more than simply +diplomatic; it is to be an all-pervading and controlling power, affecting +every interest of Society. Truly another Pentecostal day is drawing +nigh--a day when all the world shall hear the Gospel in the language of +Israel. In all these things we see the lively tokens and pre-millennial +agencies hastening on the day of the Lord. + + + + +ISRAEL AND GENTILE FULNESS. +DISCOURSE VI. + + +MEANING OF GENTILE FULNESS--BLESSINGS THROUGH JUDAH AND EPHRAIM--BEST +RELIGION--JEWS OUTWITTED--WHY BENJAMIN WAS KEPT AT JERUSALEM--FRENCH +PROTESTANTISM--GENTILE FULNESS CONTEMPORARY WITH TO-DAY--WHAT IT +IS--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 an +Israelite of the seed of Abraham and of the Tribe of Benjamin. The fact +so conveyed it is necessary that we keep in mind, if we would interpret +aright this epistle. He introduces to our notice three parties: the +Jews, who include at this time the Tribes of Judah and Levi; the +Israelites, who embraced the Tribe of Benjamin and the other nine Tribes +that had been in captivity for about eight hundred years--the whole +together are generally known as the Ten Lost Tribes. In the third party +we have the Gentiles. This word Gentile usually denotes and includes the +non-Jewish nations and people. The Hebrew word _goyim_, in early Bible +history, was equivalent to our word nation. It finally began to denote +any people who were not of the sacred seed of Abraham. The Greek word so +rendered is _ethnos_, which means a multitude or nation. In the New +Testament another word is sometimes used in a more limited sense--namely, +_hellenes_, which is translated Greeks. Ignorance of these three +parties, their place in Providence, and relation one to the other, has +given rise to much needless controversy and division in the domain of +theology. Men have argued for an election and a reprobation, laying +great stress on the 9th, 10th, and 11th chapters of Romans, that is in no +wise taught. The election Paul deals with is a literal one, having +reference to a distinct people, whom God has elected for a special work +in this world. This people God calls "His people," "His inheritance," +"His chosen," "His witnesses," "His servants." "This people have I +formed for Myself; they shall shew forth My praise" (Isa. xliii. 21). +Hence exclaims the Psalmist, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the +Lord; and the people whom He hath chosen for His own inheritance." + +It will be evident to any careful Bible reader that God called Abraham +from Ur, in Chaldea, from his own kindred, for a special design. Through +Abraham'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, and +evangelise the rest of mankind. Through Judah was to come spiritual +blessings, because from Him was the Messiah; and through Ephraim, as +representative of the Ten Tribes, was to come temporal blessings. And +this in the past has been the order of providential procedure; it is the +present order, and it is to be the future. Look and verify this +statement and order by an examination of the nations of the earth at this +time, by asking yourselves the question: What form of religion among the +many on earth is best suited to develop man, to conserve his truest +interest, and crown him with the greatest measure of peace, plenty, +liberty, and security? Surely to this question there can be but one +answer--it is the religion of our Lord Jesus Christ. And it is evident +that Christ came of the Tribe of Judah. If we seek among the nations for +the best form of civilisation and the best government, we shall find the +same to be in the bounds of Israel and Manasseh--England and America. +Here we shall find individualism the best developed, and liberty the +fullest grown. In this conclusion the intelligent of every other nation +will concur. We assume no risk in making this statement. Thus, without +doubt, 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 forms +of political organisations or governments. The Anglo-Saxons being the +Ten Lost Tribes, it therefore follows that God has carried out the design +included in Abraham's call, and the promise made that in his seed should +all the nations of the earth be blessed. To us it seems to have been a +roundabout way. Had Israel been obedient to God in Palestine, and had +Judah received Jesus as the true Messiah, the state of the nations most +certainly 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 not +dependent on the harmonious co-operation of His creatures for the +accomplishment of His purpose. He can gain His ends either through our +hate or love, resistance or co-operation. When the Jews had crucified +Christ, they naturally thought they had cut short His career and cut off +His influence; for so it would appear by all human reasoning. Even the +disciples did not see how He could be the Messiah and Deliverer of Israel +when He allowed Himself to be crucified. The hope of Israel was buried +with the dead Christ. They had hoped that it had been He who should have +redeemed Israel; but this hope was then dead. But by His resurrection +they saw through the secret of Providence, and they saw that God was +faithful in devising a way of escape, and able to bring to pass His own +glorious purpose. So Peter voices their experience when he says, +"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which, according +to His abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the +resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." The Jews soon found out +they had made a mistake in crucifying Jesus; for the risen Christ was +mightier than the teaching Jesus. They had crushed a seed to the earth +which sprang forth in renewed beauty and grace; whose death was life and +whose loss was gain. In common parlance they had been outwitted. They +slew a man and He rose a God. They in wrath offered a sacrifice once and +for all, even for the very sin in which they were then indulging. They +unknowingly abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light. +The critical and unbelieving Sadducees, who denied another life than +this, gave aid in proving another and a better; for Christ risen +condemned their unbelief. The proud and ritualistic Pharisee, who loved +the temple and its gorgeous ceremony, destroyed one and made the other of +none avail, for in the planted death of Jesus they laid the foundation of +another and grander temple--one composed of living stones--and made the +temple 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 of +God. Paul, in 1 Cor. ii. 7, makes this matter plain: "But we speak the +wisdom of God in a mystery; even the hidden wisdom which God ordained +before the world unto our glory, which none of the princes of this world +knew; for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of +glory." Jesus committed His life to the wave-tide of their rage, and was +floated to death and victory. On the man side there was purpose and +hate, and for this they were responsible; and on the Divine side we have +wisdom 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 receive +Him, we ask, who did? The answer is, that Israel received Him. The +Israelites in the land at that time were the Tribe of Benjamin. They had +been providentially selected for this work nearly a thousand years +before. This one Tribe of Benjamin has a very peculiar history; and it +you will study it over, it will greatly serve to confirm your faith in +the Divine inspiration of the Bible and the unity and forethought of +Providence. 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 the +kingdom of Israel; their first king was Jeroboam. But it is very +singular to notice, that one of these Ten Tribes is lent to the kingdom +of Judah, and this one Tribe is Benjamin. In this was the Divine +provision 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 not +kept My covenant and My statutes which I have commanded thee, I will +surely rend the kingdom from thee, and I will give it to thy servant +(Jeroboam was Solomon's servant at that time); notwithstanding in thy +days I will not do it, for David thy father's sake; but I will rend it +out of the hands of thy son. Howbeit I will not rend away all the +kingdom, 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 kingdom +evidently meant the Ten Tribes. The same truth Ahijah, the Shilonite, +taught when he rent his new garment into twelve pieces, and gave to +Jeroboam ten. "And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces; for thus +saith the Lord, the God of Israel: Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of +the hands of Solomon and will give Ten Tribes to thee." Then comes in +the reserve clause again: "But he shall have one Tribe for My servant +David's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have chosen out +of all the Tribes of Israel." And the reason for the reservation of this +Tribe is clearly expressed in verse 36: "And unto his son will I give one +Tribe, that David My servant may always have a light before Me in +Jerusalem." Now it is plain why this Tribe was an exception. The city +of Jerusalem, God says, He has chosen out of all the cities of Israel, +because to this city would the Messiah come. And beautifully agreeing +with the forethought is the fact that when the Tribes had their lots +assigned them in Palestine, the city of Jerusalem fell in the portion of +Benjamin. + +The Tribe then were owners of the city, and they received Christ. The +disciples and first followers and converts were chiefly from this Tribe +of Benjamin. After this Tribe received Christ, then their work was done +in Jerusalem. So they were to separate from the kingdom of Judah, and +seek out their own brethren and unite with them. The time of their +separation had been foretold by the prophet, and pointed out by the +Saviour. The time of their departure would be coincident with the siege +and destruction of their beloved city. So cried Jeremiah down through +the centuries, "Oh, ye children of Benjamin, gather yourselves to flee +out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and set up +a sign of fire in Beth-haccerem, for evil appeareth out of the North and +great destruction "(Jer. vi. 1). If any of you are mindful to examine +history, you will find that war came, that the destruction was terrible, +and more, you will find that the Benjaminites escaped. These points +profane historians thoroughly confirm. Having fulfilled their +God-appointed mission with the kingdom of Judah and in Jerusalem, Heaven +gave them to be light-bearers to the whole world; first to specially find +their own brethren of the House of Israel, and carry them the Gospel, and +they would carry it unto all the earth. Thus the Saviour said, "Go not +in the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye +not. But go rather to the lost sheep of the House of Israel." Peter in +his epistle tells where these lost sheep were scattered. Agreeable to +the Saviour's command they went forth, and preached as they went, and so +carried the Gospel of Jesus with them. As a Tribe they finally settled +in Normandy, and gave to France her Protestantism, which, from that day +to this, Catholicism has not been able entirely to uproot, though it has +made several desperate attempts. They finally, however, as a Tribe, +under the Norman conquest, entered England and united with the other nine +Tribes. Their advent, and the way they came, is very graphically +symbolised in the unicorn on the royal arms of England. The unicorn is +looking Westward, and is attached to the crown by a chain--showing that +it came 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 some +of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert +grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of +the olive tree." Here it is manifest that we have three parties +mentioned. The branches broken off mean Judah and Levi, the wild olive +stands for the Gentiles, the people in among whom they were grafted, or +root of whose fatness they were partakers, mean the Israelites. The hope +of Jewish restoration is nicely set forth in verse 24: "For if thou wert +cut out of the olive tree, which is wild by nature, and wert grafted +contrary 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 for +Israel, the branches broken off, but which may be grafted in again, for +the Jews. Thus to this theory of interpretation the whole Bible responds +easily and reasonably. With this kind of interpretation one need not +twist and distort the sacred Word in order to understand it. I trust the +day is near when men will expound the sacred Scriptures by the rules of +common sense. + +The calamity that happened to the nine Tribes of Israel in been carried +captive has been turned into good by our heavenly Father--into good for +them and all the world. "Therefore the Lord removed Israel out of His +sight, as He had said by all His servants the prophets. So was Israel +carried away out of their own land to Assyria unto this day" (2 Kings +xvii. 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 of +the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles, how +much more their fulness." If Israel had been able to contribute so much +of Christianity to the world, and evolve in her imperfect state such an +equitable form of government, what will her contribution be when +gathered, restored, and once again put into a theocratic relation to God? +"For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what +shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?" This people who +have been scattered among the Gentiles God is collecting out from among +them for His own glorious purpose and work. Thus scattered they have +been a mystery--a mystery among the Gentiles. Paul to the Colossians +says: "To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of +this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you the hope of +glory." + +When will the fulness of the text take place? We answer. Before long. +The fulness here stands over against the Gentile fulness. In the three +last discourses we called your attention to Israel's maturing fulness in +land, people, and language. And now, if you will consider the state of +the Gentile nations, it will be apparent to you that the time of Gentile +fulness is now present. These Gentile nations are now overflowing. Take +China with her teeming millions, and ask why she has not peopled the +world? for surely she could have done so long ago. But she barred her +own doors by making it unlawful for any of her subjects to leave the +flowery kingdom--forbidding heaven to such as should die outside. Now, +however, she must permit emigration or perish by famine. Take the +countries of Europe, and is it not strange that Israel's fulness of land, +people, and language is made the fuller by these nations contributing +towards the same? The fulness of the Gentiles is made to flow into the +fulness of Israel. These countries, outside of Israel-England, have no +colonies to send their overflow to; hence, they are filling up the domain +of Israel and so hastening on her fulness. The French, Germans, +Italians, and Spaniards forsake their land and language, thus adding to +Israel's fulness; for they chiefly settle down within the bounds of +Israel. To this Gentile fulness there was to be one strange +exception--that was in the Turkish nation. This nation is set forth by +the prophet under the figure of the River Euphrates. In their first +appearance they were to be very numerous. In the eleventh century they +began to invade Europe. The historian Gibbon, speaking of them, says: +"Myriads of Turkish horsemen overspread the whole Greek empire, until at +last Constantinople fell into their hands." From 1453 till now have they +held this grand capital. John, in Rev. ix., pictures this invasion, and +speaks of the number of horsemen. He speaks of them as having power in +their mouths and tails. This language is very expressive when we +remember the Moslem's war-cry, which was "The sword of Mahomet and of +God." And in one of the first of their great battles they lost their +standard; but, not long baffled, the commander-in-chief cut off the tail +of his beautiful steed, and, putting it on the end of a pole, hoisted it +as a standard. This ensign they long used. This kingdom, however, is to +dry up--that is, to disappear gradually, as a river dries up. All this +is taking place. Turkey sends emigrants nowhere. They are literally +dying out. In number they are fewer each year. Turkey will pass away +for want of Turks. Her territory will be taken away from her gradually. +How remarkable the dealings of Providence with men and nations! + +Up to the point of Gentile fulness, Israel was to be partly blind, for +God's plans, through Israel, were to remain a mystery for a time. "For I +would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye +should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened +to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in." Our idea is +that the Gentile fulness is now in, and if so, it is natural, then, that +Israel should be found, and about this time have her eyes opened. Up to +this time of fulness, Jerusalem was to be trodden down. "And they shall +fall 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 of +the Gentiles be fulfilled" (Luke xxi. 23). Now, the Jews did fall by the +edge of the sword, as the Saviour foretold; they were carried captive +into all nations; Jerusalem has been trodden under foot. Thus, then, do +we see three parts of His prophecy literally fulfilled; and so surely +will the fourth part be, which is, that in connection with Gentile +fulness this treading shall cease, and proud, imperial Salem shall lift +her head once more free from tyrant hands and heathen tramping, to become +the city of God and His chosen ones. + +When Moses was sent to deliver the children of Israel from Egypt, he was +equipped with miraculous power that he might convince Pharaoh and the +Egyptians what was the will of Jehovah; but not more so than are the +prophetic students of this day; for the presence of the Divine gleams +forth all around in the miracles of prophecy now so wonderfully +fulfilling in this our day. + + + + +DREAM IMAGE OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR. +DISCOURSE VII. + + +FUTURE HISTORY OF THE WORLD--THE DESTRUCTION OF THE PAPACY +COMMENCED--IRELAND TO BE FREE AND INDEPENDENT OF ENGLAND AND ROME--FUTURE +GLORY 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, and +prosperous. The king of this vast empire is known in history as +Nebuchadnezzar. His reign had been marked with great victories over the +surrounding nations. The mighty Empire of Assyria he had conquered; +Egypt he had wasted and almost destroyed; Palestine he had reduced to +strange and pitiable desolation, having carried the Jewish inhabitants +captive into the region of Babylon. Among these captives we find Daniel, +the prophet of Judah. In the second year of Nebuchadnezzar's +consolidated reign, as king over Babylon and Assyria, he dreamed a dream +which gave him much anxiety of mind and troubled him very much. This +dream he could not remember nor explain, save that it had left a terrible +impression on his mind. The wise men were confounded, for they could +neither declare the vision or its meaning. The king, in his rage, +decreed them all to death. At this point appears Daniel, one of the +captives of Judah. Moved of God, he presents himself before the king and +makes known to him the vision and interpretation. + +The king had seen a great metallic image, excellent in brightness and +terrible in form. It was a human figure of massive proportions, standing +erect with outstretched arms, and of a mixed and strange composition. +The head was of fine gold. The breast and arms were of silver. The +belly and thighs of brass. The legs of iron, the feet part of iron and +part of clay. While the king was gazing on this monstrous figure with +intense interest, his attention was arrested by the appearance of a small +stone--this stone was alone; there appeared no hands handling it or +moving it. It was cut out of the mountain without hands. In this stone +there appears to be a good deal of the supernatural. At once this little +stone assaults 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 +victory is with the stone. By the time the image is wholly destroyed the +stone has become a mountain; or, as Daniel said to Nebuchadnezzar, "Thou +sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image +upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. Then +was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold broken to +pieces together, and became like the chaff of the Summer +threshing-floors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found +for them; and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain and +filled the whole earth." + +In this vision and interpretation we have a line of history laid bare so +clearly that we need not err. The beginning is the time and kingdom of +Nebuchadnezzar. The image stands for four great earthly monarchies, +extending down through the centuries even to this time and day--and a +little further; for these monarchies are not yet wholly destroyed, and +the stone-kingdom does not yet fill the world. Of this fifth, or stone +kingdom, 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 to +ascertain what kingdom, monarchy, and people stand for it; for such +kingdom, though small at the beginning, is to grow, prosper, and continue +to the end of time. Guided by the Scriptures and history, let us look +for 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 will +rest in Babylon, his silver breast and arms will take in Media and +Persia, his belly and thighs will take in Greece, and his legs and feet +will take in Rome. Thus, then, the gold head stood for Babylon, and is +now in this day represented and found in Russia--for Russia is a +continuation of Babylon. The _Czar_ is on the line of Nebuchadne_zzar_. +This gold-headed kingdom will be the last destroyed--the destruction +begins at the feet. Russia, therefore, has yet a lease of life and +prosperity; but, finally, she too will yield the contests and disappear +before the stone-kingdom. The gold stands for work and endurance, as the +head is significant of supremacy; but the stone will finally destroy it. + +The silver, next in value and endurance, of which were the arms and +breast, stands for Persia. Centuries ago Persia was the great Power of +the earth. At one time it would seem as if she never would decay or ever +have a rival; but her day came, and she has dwindled down to the little +kingdom and monarchy--the Persia of to-day. Her power is gone, she is +consumptive, and will soon disappear as a separate kingdom. The present +visit of the King of Persia to the Czar at St. Petersburg is not without +meaning. The gold head of Russia will need the assistance of the arms of +Persia by-and-bye. + +The brass parts stand well and appropriately for ancient Greece--an +Empire once so gigantic and powerful, a people so polished and learned, +but long ago their time, and work, and place were marked out. And now +the time is nearly gone and the work done, hence they will soon +disappear. The present little kingdom of Greece is all that is left. +Brass is in itself corrosive, so the Greek Empire has gradually eaten +itself away. What sublime lessons the prophets of old taught us! + +The iron and clay, of which were the legs and feet, stand for the great +Roman Empire, which in its day was so solid and grand with its law and +order, its soldiers and statesmen. This Empire that tried the hopeless +experiment of mixing clay and iron--that is, Church and State as +inaugurated by Constantine. This nation that tried to fuse together +Paganism and Christianity. This nation that tried to stand on two equal +feet, and to encompass the whole of man, body and spirit. Well might +Daniel say of this brittle Empire that it should be partly strong and +partly weak. In conscience and the empire of the soul Christ alone is +King. No wonder that the Roman Empire has disappeared. The iron part is +now entirely gone. The Pope and the Church of Rome foolishly arrogate to +themselves to be this kingdom. They still try and believe in mixing the +iron and clay--they yet claim authority in the spirit realm. Obedience +to Christ and the Pope cannot be on the spiritual or clay side. No man +can supremely serve two masters. On the iron side no man can be loyal to +his country and the Pope at the same time. No man can serve two masters +at the same time, both of which claim and demand supremacy. These things +cannot be mixed. "And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, +they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men, but they shall not +cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay." + +How true the prophetic utterances of the prophet! The Catholics and +Protestants do not mix easily, not socially, not politically, nor +educationally. How are we to mix freely with those who think we are +heretics and damnable? How can we socially mix with a people so lordly +in their claims and deficient in character as many are--a people who, +when true to their profession, must be our secret or open enemies--who +sink their manhood and parental claims, so as to depend upon the priest +for forgiveness and on him for instruction? Thus, at the priest's +command, the coming generations are divided and embittered in the fact of +separate schools for Catholics and Protestants. These men of clay and +lordly air, claim rights superior to the State, despising the State +provision for education. Daniel said, "The dream is certain, and the +interpretation thereof sure." If so, as sure as the iron part has +disappeared, so will the clay. + +Now a clearer view, a purer faith and greater liberty are dawning upon +our Catholic friends, which is making many of them feel too manly and +noble 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 the +purity of their doctrines and practice. In such a strife we can but wish +them, and all who love the Lord Jesus Christ, great success. + +Thus in the short outline of these four kingdoms we see enough to show us +that God has kept His word. How marvellous are His ways! how complete +His work! + +Let us now look at this stone kingdom. This fifth kingdom is as much +material 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 stone +cut out of the mountain--its growth was gradual. Its work was to destroy +this image and fill the world. As these kingdoms became weaker and +smaller, it would become stronger and larger. + +What king, country, and people respond to this kingdom? The answer is as +easy as to find the other, if we keep our minds free from prejudice and +open 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 pieces +this image, beginning at the feet. It is in fact the sworn enemy of all +the four kingdoms. Fifth, it is to fill the world and thus become a +universal kingdom and monarchy. In this latter sense it will be a fit +type of the kingdom of Christ. + +Just such a kingdom as this did God repeatedly promise to Abraham and his +descendants. David's throne and seed royal are to be established before +Him for ever. He promised to David's throne perpetuity, and that David's +seed should always be on the throne--not in a spiritual sense as some +think--but naturally and actually in this world. + +God promised to Israel, as a people and a kingdom, such pre-eminence in +origin, power, and growth. The answer, then, is simple and +plain--England, as representing the Lost Tribes of Israel, and Queen +Victoria being a direct descendant from David. For she came of James +VI., of Scotland--he from Bruce and Duncan, and Malcolm, and Kenneth, and +Kenneth 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 Jeremiah +the prophet, had been hid from the destroying vengeance of +Nebuchadnezzar. He killed all her brothers and kindred, and put out the +eyes of Zedekiah and took him a captive to Babylon, where he died. + +Look also at the British nation, learned as they are, yet no historian +can tell who the English were originally. Sharon Turner, the best and +most trustworthy on the origin of the Saxons, fails to solve the +question. He traces them into Central Asia, but there he stops. They +here form part of the Aryan race, speaking the Sanscrit language, from +which came the Greek and Latin. And from this place and people came +forth the Goths and their language, and also the Saxons and their +language came to view here. The German and Saxon both seem to have come +forth from the Aryan stock. + +The very place the Saxons came from is the very place where the Lost +Tribes were carried captive to by the King of Assyria, about 725 years +before Christ, as we read in the second book of Kings, seventeenth +chapter. 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 the mountain. The origin of the English nation is hid because God +cast away His people for a time--not for ever. It is this view of the +stone kingdom that corresponds to the prophets, to history, especially to +the English history. + +The very island itself is insignificant, and no doubt was once joined to +the continent of Europe. The formation on both sides of the English +Channel--that is, on the French and English coasts, are the same--namely, +chalk. The ocean in time past washed through a passage, and thus +prepared a place for exiled Israel to rest in, and renew their strength. + +Why should this small island and a few and scattered people become so +powerful, so as to sweep the sea, and dictate on land, constantly engaged +in war, and though small, winning victory upon victory, and like the +stone, growing stronger and stronger, after fighting the whole of Europe, +giving liberties in religion that oftentimes imperilled her safety at +home, opening her ports to all the world, and venturing to compete in +trade 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 separate +and powerful nations, speaking thirty-six different languages, and +numbering in population some 200,000,000? + +With all her faults, still to her the world owes much. She has stood for +liberty in person and conscience. The world has little to-day which +ennobles men and nations but what she has produced or aided in producing. + +The right foot of the image stands for France, while the left signifies +Spain. On these two feet long stood Rome, as all know. When these two +feet 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 a +Church, 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 has +fallen on that same foot victoriously 218 times. On the left foot, +Spain, thirty-five times. All this time this stone has been growing. In +1665 the English, under General Penn, took Jamaica, and every four years +since they have added a colony. Now that little stone bears rule over +fifty-five colonies, one empire, namely, India, and one dominion, Canada. +And yet, mighty as England was, she could not subdue the American +provinces, feeble and scattered colonists as they were. Then they sought +to fight against Providence. Old Jacob blessed the sons of Joseph, +Ephraim, and Manasseh, and then predicted their destiny, saying of +Manasseh, "He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great; but +truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall +become a multitude of nations." So they are; and so Manasseh is a great +people in the American nation. + +This stone cut out of the mountain has much to do and destroy; it is +still watching the head of gold. Israel and Babylon are still face to +face. Greece will first disappear, although England is trying to revive +it. Next, Persia will go, then Babylon, or head of gold. Russia will +have grown to giant-like proportions, and will finally measure swords +with England. The stone will win. England will then move her royal +residence and throne to Jerusalem. Every country and province may then +be independent, like Canada, but federated to the central government. +Ireland will then be free, yes, doubly free--free from Rome and free from +England as a State, but still federated to the central government. It is +thus this stone will fill the earth. America will federate, the central +government will be destroyed. State rights increase. These are some of +the things suggested and taught by this vision. + + + + +LITTLE HORN AND TURKEY. +DISCOURSE VIII. + + +THE TURKS THE ISHMAELITES--ENGLAND AND RUSSIA TO PARTITION THE MAHOMMEDAN +EMPIRE--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 of +human form. The head of gold stood for Babylon; the silver arms and +breast for Persia; the brass belly and thighs for Greece; the iron legs +and feet of iron and clay for Rome. To all this we find history has +faithfully and beautifully responded. + +A few years after this we find that Daniel has a dream, which is +interpreted to him by an angel. From it we learn that the ten toes +symbolised ten kingdoms which were to arise out of the Roman Empire. + +In the chapter from which we take our text, we are introduced into the +secrets of a vision which Daniel had. The place of the vision is on the +banks of the River Ulai, in the province of Elam, and in the gorgeous +palace of Shushan--a place and palace made famous and familiar to us by +the doings of King Ahasuerus and Queen Esther. In other words, the scene +is changed from the palace of Babylon to the palace of Persia. + +In this vision, Pesia is typified by a ram, the two horns of which +represented 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 two +horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came +up last." From history we know that Media conquered Persia, and we know, +also, that finally Persia gained ascendancy, so that the higher came up +last, and is even in existence to-day as the small kingdom of Persia; but +Media has long since disappeared. + +While the seer Daniel was considering, behold an he-goat came from the +West. This goat had a notable horn between his eyes. Horn generally +symbolises power; here it symbolises a king of peculiar power, Daniel +tells us. Goat-like, it bounded over the earth rapidly, pushing and +goring its adversaries. Can any one at all acquainted with history fail +to see how fitly and grandly this description of the goat forecasts the +origin and progress of the Greek Empire? + +Substitute Alexander the Great for the notable horn, and you at once mate +history and this vision. Surely God has not left Himself without +witnesses. "Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of +God." 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 the +invasions, conquests, and victories of Alexander the Great, especially +his assault on the Persians? How marvellous and simple the description +by Daniel: "And he came to the ram that had two horns (Persia), which I +had seen standing before the river, and ran unto him in the fury of his +power; and I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with +choler against him, and smote the ram, and brake his two horns; and there +was no power in the ram to stand before him, but he cast him down to the +ground, and stamped upon him: and there was none that could deliver the +ram out of his hand." + +And with the same majestic simplicity we have the downfall of Alexander +and the division of his Empire described. Listen! "Therefore the +he-goat waxed very great; and when he was strong the great horn was +broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of +heaven." + +To fully understand the sacred writer here, you must call to mind a +little of history, more and better, for all knowledge only aids us the +better and better to read the Bible. + +What beast save the goat could characterise Alexander and his reign? He +was the son of Philip of Macedon, born 356 B.C., and died in 323. He +began his reign at twenty years of age, and closed it in twelve years and +eight months. No man in the same time ever fought so many battles, won +so 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 in +these things his only rival. But with his sudden death the fruits of his +victories are re-distributed. His Empire was divided into four parts; +the four Diadochi were his successors. What lessons may men and nations +learn by studying the prophecies! + +"For prophecy came not in old time by the will of man; but holy men of +God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost;" and unto this sure word +of prophecy we do well to take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a +dark place. "Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture is of +any private interpretation" (2 Peter i. 20). As naturally as nature +responds to the seasons, so will providence to prophecy. We can discern +Spring-time, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. The garden will reveal to us +Winter as distinct from Summer, so in interpreting prophecy we must +always look for an agreement between providence and the world. As +naturally as the goat symbolises Alexander, so will providence in natural +history respond. Winter, with its winds, storms, and frost; with its +leafless trees and desolate gardens, proclaim, beyond a doubt, which +season of the four is bearing rule. Such a thing cannot be of private +interpretation; and prophecy, when fulfilled, is as easy seen, and is not +of private interpretation. A man is as foolish in forging prophecy as +one would be in trying to forge Winter by putting artificial leaves on +trees, and flowers on bushes. The thing is easily known if we exercise +our reason. In this line of thought we are sorry to note that men have +more faith than reason; hence the blunderings of prophetic writers, and +the leaders of Adventism and Millenarianism. Prophecy unfulfilled +commands and demands our faith--much more faith than reason, for it is +impossible to see how some things can come to pass, but if they are +subjects of prophecy they surely will, whether we understand them or not. +A prophecy fulfilled, however, appeals more to reason than faith, for if +fulfilled, it can readily be demonstrated. + +As naturally as the female and male birds know each other and mate +together, so will events and prophecy. This kind of argument Isaiah +uses: "Seek ye out the Book of the Lord and read; no one of these shall +fail, none shall want her mate, for My mouth it hath commanded, and His +Spirit it hath gathered them" (Isa. xxxiv. 16). I charge you to beware +of prophetic dentists who put false teeth in the mouth of prophecy; who +by their haste and impatience forestall prophecy and weaken men's faith +instead 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 voice +of fulfilled prophecy. The entire career of our Lord Jesus Christ was +foretold and mapped out by the Old Testament writers. Moses declared His +family; 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 a +detailed and general character; yet the Jews, who claimed to be well +versed in the Old Testament, rejected Christ. Keep these things in mind +while we now consider the text more directly. + +You remember that out of the goat kingdom there came up four notable +ones, and out of one them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding +great 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 fourth +kingdom spoken of in chapter vii., for that horn might justly be called +the eleventh toe horn, as it comes into existence after the ten-toe +kingdoms. The little horn of the text is explained in verse 23 to be a +king of fierce countenance. He was to appear in the latter time. It +will be interesting for us to ascertain what king, people, and country +this little horn stands for. Daniel has given us a very vivid picture of +the king. He is to be of fierce countenance, to understand dark +sentences, 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 to +rule in God's name; he will destroy wonderfully even the mighty of the +world and the holy people; he will be very prosperous and practical, +giving a great impetus to trade. By means of his prosperity he will +become proud and strong, and will destroy many. He will actually stand +up in place of Jesus--Prince of princes. But finally he will be broken +without a hand. Thus, you see, Daniel gives us twelve special features +of his person and reign. Without doubt the mate of these descriptions +will be found on the person of Mahommed, and his successors in religion +Mahommedanism, and in people and country the Turks and Turkey. + +Mahommed had his religion and himself recognised about the year 622 at +Mecca. From that time and place he went forth to waste and to destroy. +As his religion prevailed, so he subdued the country or territory. He +united in himself the rights and prerogatives of king, priest, and +prophet, making it obligatory upon his followers to prepare a way and +enforce his religion by the sword. He was indeed a king of fierce +countenance. Thus sprang Mahommedanism and the Turkish nation into +existence. As a people, they are chiefly the descendants of Esau and +Ishmael. If one desires to know the history and final destiny of this +people, let him study the prophetic utterances concerning Esau and +Ishmael. They are the descendants of Abraham, and so they very naturally +fall into the prophetic line. + +The Hungarians came from this family through Lot. The Poles and Magyars +are from Moab and Ammon. These things being so, it is no wonder the +Hungarians and Turks should sympathise, nor that England should have a +liking for Turks, England being the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel. Alliance +and sympathy between England and Turkey has a deeper root and meaning +than some are willing to admit. Turkey, however, as a distinct empire, +is nearly at an end. The recognition of the Ten Lost Tribes, and their +restoration with the Jews to Palestine, is connected with the downfall of +Turkey. "Saviours are to come up on Mount Zion to judge the Mount of +Esau, and the kingdom shall be the Lord's" (Obad.). + +How clearly speaks Obadiah again when he says, "How are the things of +Esau searched out! how are his hidden things sought up! All the men of +thy confederacy have brought thee even to the border; the men that were +at peace with thee have deceived thee, and prevailed against thee; they +that eat thy bread have laid a wound under thee; there is none +understanding in him. Shall I not in that day, saith the Lord, even +destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of the Mount of +Esau?" + +These are the latter times of the king of fierce countenance. Hear +Daniel inquiring of the angel in this vision, "How long shall be the +vision concerning the daily sacrifice and the transgression of +desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under +foot? And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days." +These days are generally allowed to stand for years. If so, Jerusalem +was destroyed 70 A.D. The time Daniel saw this vision was about 490 +B.C.; take 70 from this leaves 420. From 2,300 take 420, and we have +1,880. "Then shall the sanctuary be cleansed." What means this? It +means Jerusalem will recur back again into the hands of the Jews and +Israel. 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 trodden +down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled" (Luke +xxi. 24). + +Now we know the Jews did fall by the sword when the Romans took +Jerusalem. Second, we know they were scattered among the nations. +Third, Jerusalem has been trodden under foot--so much so, that Christians +have not been permitted to stand on Mount Zion, where now stands the +Mosque of Omar. And this is the city of the great King. This is Mount +Zion, from which is yet to go forth the law. This is Jerusalem that God +promises 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 be +wise 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 time +is nicely pointed out by John in Rev. xi. 2: "But the court which is +without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto +the Gentiles, and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two +months;" or, as explained in the following verse, a thousand two hundred +and three-score days. Accepting a day for a year again, and we have +1,260 years. Taking Mahommed power to date from 622, or about, then 622 +and 1,260 make 1,882. Now just as sure as Jerusalem is now trodden under +foot, as certainly will it be free. + +"Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful +garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city; for henceforth there shall no more +come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean. Shake thyself from the +dust; arise and sit down, O Jerusalem; loose thyself from the bands of +thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion" (Isa. lii. 1, 2). + +England is appointed of God to take possession of Palestine and restore +Jerusalem. God has told us through Isaiah that He will lay vengeance +upon Edom by the hand of Israel. The many days of the vision of Daniel +are now gone; the time is nearly up. + +"For Zion's sake will I not hold My peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I +will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, +and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth; and the Gentiles shall +see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory." It is the duty of the +watchmen of Zion to discern the signs of the times and become obedient +unto heavenly instruction. "Ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not +silence, and give Him no rest till He establish, and till He make +Jerusalem 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 BERLIN +CONGRESS--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 the +same subject matter as that contained in the dream of Nebuchadnezzar of +the metallic image. In this the subject is carried further into the +future, bringing to view some new items of interest, under different +symbols and more of detail. The four kingdoms of the metallic image are +in this dream presented by the symbolism of four beasts. Babylon by a +lion which had eagle's wings, setting forth the strength and swiftness of +the same. Persia by a bear raised up on one side. Persia at this time +was composed of Media as well, but the one-sided position of the bear +denotes the dying out of Media and the continuance of Persia. The same +idea is conveyed in the eighth chapter and third verse: "The ram had two +horns, 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; all +this history confirms. After the Medo-Persian Empire declined, Persia +surviving, held on to Babylon, Lydia, and Egypt--that is, when the bear +was raised up on one side, it held in its mouth three ribs, and was +strong for a time. + +The Macedonian Empire Daniel saw under the type of a leopard, which had +on its back four wings of a fowl; the beast also had four heads. Babylon +was represented by two wings, but it is very fitting that Alexander and +his empire should have four wings, for no conqueror ever flew so fast +over the earth as this same monarch. In the metallic image he is +represented by brass, in this by a leopard, and in the one we noticed in +Discourse VII., by the goat. How wonderfully appropriate are these +symbolisms. The four heads of this leopard stand for the four kingdoms +into which the Macedonian Empire was divided on the death of +Alexander--namely, first, Egypt under Ptolemy; second, Syria under +Antigonus; third, Asia Minor under Lysimachus; fourth, Greece under +Cassandar. These four kings were the four leading generals of Alexander. + +The fourth beast of this vision is a nondescript; for among all the +animal creation there could not be found one that could suitably +represent Rome. But one was made for the purpose, combining in itself +all that is fierce and terrible. "And behold a fourth beast, dreadful +and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth; it +devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of +it; and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it +had ten horns." Its teeth were of iron and its claws of brass. What a +monster! The other beasts faithfully represented their respective +kingdoms, and so did this. What a record! What a counterpart we have in +history of this beast! "Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the +streets 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 of +August, 1572. Let not our children learn the name of St. Bartholomew, +for fear they should despise Christianity. Quench the flames of +Smithfield, destroy the Inquisition, and divorce Christianity from such a +kingdom, from such a beast. Thank heaven! the beast is dying; its teeth +are worn to the very gum by the gnawings of centuries; its claws are not +now sharp, so it cannot now crush the innocent, as in days gone by, nor +tear with its brass claw the weak. Though the beast is growing old and +weaker, yet let us remember that its death struggle is yet to come. The +beast 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 ten +kings--that is, kingdoms--that shall arise. Just here we may reasonably +ask 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 General +Grant before the war, but not yet distinct or assigned their special work +and 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 we +will have no difficulty in knowing them. Prophecy unfulfilled is always +more difficult to interpret than when it is fulfilling or fulfilled. We +have no doubt but some of these horns are in existence, and from what we +can glean from prophecy and history, some are not yet in their proper +place. + +The special province of prophecy is to prepare us for what is coming. +Searching into prophecy enables us to forecast the future with tolerable +certainty, just as the scientists can tolerably forecast the weather by +studying the laws, forces, and inclinations of nature. So the Christian +student, by studying prophecy, Providence, and history, and comparing +them, can know much of what is coining. On the Divine side all prophecy +is certain, but on the human it can only be approximated. Prophecy +furnishes the strongest kind of evidence in favour of the existence of +God--inspiration of the Scriptures and Providence. The Lord Himself +calls our attention to this kind of evidence frequently in the Bible. +"Produce your cause, saith the Lord; bring forth your strong reasons, +said the King 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, or +suppress man's freedom no more than the man at Washington, who gives us +the weather probabilities, makes the weather or regulates nature. Even +when men know the sequence of a thing they oftentimes persist in doing +it. The soldiers who wrangled at the cross about the dividing of the +garments of the crucified One, thought little and cared less for +prophecy; but when they came to the Saviour's vest, they fell into the +line of prophecy, for at once they cast lots for that, all of which had +been fore-written for hundreds of years. Run and tell that young man +that the place he is entering is the way of death. Tell him that the air +is foul, that the furniture and painted humanity are all gotten up to +deceive. Tell him that in a few years he will repent ever having seen +such a place. And what is your reward? It is that you are laughed at +and 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 that +same young man and you shall find him a terrible example of fulfilled +prophecy. Diseased, worn, weak, and weary, he cries in the anguish of +soul for his folly. "And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy +body are consumed, and say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart +despised 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 be +called. 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 of +you, and persons in different parts of the country, advised me by letter +when the telegraph despatches came crowding and threatening, that I had +so said. The intention was to break my faith, or at least to remind me +that I had not spoken correctly. What now? who is right? This Congress +completed a prophetic period. After it was over new scenery appeared and +a 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's +power over Turkey and Egypt. For England must possess Constantinople, +because to Israel it is promised that he shall possess the gates of his +enemies, and this is one of the finest gates in the world. Palestine +will come into the hands of England, and be opened up for the return of +the Jews, who, when the time comes will go in multitudes, and the Lost +Tribes representatively. "I will take you one of a city, and two of a +family, and I will bring you to Zion" (Jer. iii. 14). In a few years men +will understand why, in this country, as well as in England, people are +hunting up their genealogy, and by tradition, history, and heraldry, +trying to ascertain of what family they are. The re-settlement of +Palestine by God's chosen people, the Lost Tribes, no one can deny who +reads and believes the Bible. Hanging upon the fulfilment of this great +fact are many other prophecies and events, which are of great interest to +the Church and the world. + +1st. The ten-toed kingdom must be formed. These kings are to form an +alliance with the beast, or Church of Rome, as representative of this +beast. "And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have +received no kingdom as yet, but receive power as kings one hour with the +beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto +the beast" (Rev. xvii. 12). Thus strengthened, the beast will make war +with the saints, or chosen, but it will be her final struggle, for in +struggling 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 the +text. 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 very +interesting one; on it men have written and speculated much and wildly. +In studying a subject of this kind, we should first ascertain the +Scripture teachings on it, then look for the preparative signs in the +Church and world, and finally, for the counterpart, which, once in +existence, no one can fail to recognise. The time, person, and work of +Anti-Christ have been very clearly set forth in the Old and New +Testaments, especially by Isaiah, in the fourteenth chapter and twelfth +to 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, besides +many 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 a +harlot; 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 man +under the influence of the devil. This latter view we accept as being +the nearest to the Scripture teaching. In the Scriptures he goes by the +names of Lucifer, man of sin, son of perdition, and that wicked one. Now +all these names are indicative of some special feature of his character. +Man of sin points out the intensity of the person in wickedness. As some +time ago a man was called "the wickedest man in New York," so Anti-Christ +will be called the man of sin, having been the greatest sinner of human +kind. + +From the Scriptures we find that he will be characterised by some twenty +peculiarities. These we will just enumerate: a cunning seducer, a vile +imposter, a bold blasphemer, a great tyrant, a wonderful organiser and +diplomatist; hence he will readily make alliances with other kings and +strengthen himself; a pretentious and hypocritical Communist, dividing +his lands, money, and treasure among the people; he will be very +ambitious and aspiring, doing or being anything so he may gain his point; +he will be very self-willed; he will be very boastful, speaking great +words; he will be very cruel, not heeding the plea of woman; he will be +very 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 a +scientific spiritualist, able to work miracles, even to bring fire down +from the clouds; he will be very powerful by his alliance, apparent +generosity, and scientific deception; he will be a great liar, making +treaties 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, only +about three-and-a-half years. Before this he will have been a man of +power and position. He will suddenly be destroyed in the time of a +fearful uprising of the people; he will remain unburied in the streets of +Jerusalem for a time, then, finally, his remains will be burnt up. These +and many other facts inspiration furnish us beforehand of this most +wonderful character. + +Against this person our Saviour warned the Jews and all the Church, but +especially the Jews, and He did so for special reasons, which will appear +hereafter in this discourse. Christ said, "I am come in My Father's +name, and ye receive Me not; if another shall come in his own name, him +ye shall receive." At the time of Anti-Christ's death there will be +raging a fearful war, and coincident with this war there will be another +Saint Bartholomew massacre in several of the ten-toed kingdoms. The +beast and Anti-Christ are to be destroyed about the same time. It will +be 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, when +He said: "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the +beginning of the world, to this time, no, nor ever shall be; and except +those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved; but for +the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. Then, if any man shall +say unto you, Lo! here is Christ, or there, believe it not; for there +shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs +and wonders, insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the +very elect. Behold! I have told you before" (Matt. xxiv. 21-25). + +What a warning the Saviour gave the Jews, but how little have they and +the Church heeded it! In the second century appeared the famous Bar +Cochebas, with his thousands of followers, who in his final struggle was +slain with some sixty thousand of his adherents. Also, think of +Antiochus Epiphanes and his terrible delusions, the thousands and tens of +thousands who flocked to his standard. So marvellous was this delusion, +that many have actually made him out to be Anti-Christ, but those who +thus reason take the shadow for the substance, and do violence to all +true Scripture exegesis. Antiochus Epiphanes could not be Anti-Christ, +for he was out of time, and meets but few of the special conditions of +Anti-Christ. History records the appearance of not less than twenty-five +Anti-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, but +with all his badness, he is not bad enough to be Anti-Christ. He reviled +not God, he never sat in His temple, he did not die in Jerusalem. He had +an honourable burial. + +Some have tried to prove that Romanism and the Pope were Anti-Christ, but +this cannot be, you will see at a glance. The beast has its own +character; that was long ago written out by the prophets, and up to the +present time it has filled in the outlines with a marvellous minuteness. +In these things many good and wise men have erred in making prophecies +fit certain persons, and nations, and times, instead of waiting for these +things to fit on to prophecy. Let us not be prophetic forgers. Let no +one deceive you in these matters. Adventism, Millerism, Shakerism, +Spiritualism, are untimely excesses. As systems they are, as yet, out of +place. This subject of Anti-Christ, as to who he will be, and when he +will appear, I shall be obliged to leave for next Sunday evening, as my +time 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 WILL +OBTAIN POWER--TROUBLE FOR GERMANY, FRANCE, AND +RUSSIA--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, and +the answer will appear at once if we read his first epistle to this +people. There you will find Paul writing to them about the second coming +of Christ, which writing the Thessalonians had evidently misunderstood, +and this misunderstanding was working mischief among them. They had +false hopes and expectations. Their faith, instead of exciting them to +holy activity in Church and State, had begun to paralyse all their +efforts. "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 prevent +them which are asleep; for the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven +with 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 Christ +descends); then _we_ which are alive and remain shall be caught up +together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so +shall _we_ ever be with the Lord" (1 Thess. iv. 15-17). It was the +frequent use of the pronoun "we" that had confused them--_we_ who remain, +_we_ who are alive. The Thessalonians had inferred from this that the +second coming of Christ would take place in their day. Hence, to correct +this impression Paul thus writes in his second epistle. The two verses +preceding the text show us Paul's intent. "Now we beseech you, brethren, +by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together +unto Him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by +spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ +is at hand." Then comes in the text, "Let no man deceive you," &c. + +In reasoning on such important subjects as Anti-Christ, resurrection, and +second coming of Christ, we should always be mindful of the Scriptural +order. When we sit down to take dinner, we follow the order that custom +has prescribed, soup, fish, meats, and dessert. Children, however, if +let alone, would reverse this order by beginning with the dessert first. +So with many Christians, they reverse the order of things as laid down in +the Bible. They make Christ to come before Anti-Christ, and Anti-Christ +to come before the Jews and Ten Lost Tribes are gathered together again +and settled after their first estate in Palestine. The Millerites could +neither have deceived themselves nor others had they taken knowledge of +the relation of things. The Jews and Lost Tribes had not been gathered +together then, the temple had not been built in Jerusalem, as described +in the last chapter of Ezekiel, neither had Anti-Christ appeared. But +such was the folly of men then, and not less now than then. Four-fifths +of the prophecies of the Bible refer to the history of Judah and Israel +in their own land, their captivity and return in the latter day. Still +men take one-fifth and confuse themselves and everybody else. They have +brought the prophets and prophecy into bad repute by ignorantly or +wilfully interpreting the same. + +We freely avow now that the prophecy fulfilling at present is the finding +of the Lost Ten Tribes, then their union with the Jews, then their +restoration to Palestine, then after being settled there for some time, +the Jews, as Jews, having built their new temple, and having established +the Mosaic temple service again, and the Lost Tribes as Christians, then +and there we may look for Anti-Christ--not before. Not for the sake of +boasting, and yet without fear, we freely invite ministers or laymen +anywhere to disprove these facts, and to such we will respond cheerfully +if asked for farther proof. The Lost Tribes, we believe, are come to +light, and may be found in the Saxon race chiefly as represented in this +country and Great Britain. If this be so, then we may look for the +preparatory signs in Providence and nations, and thank Heaven, these are +at 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 out +of the mountain began its destructive assault on the image, by striking +the feet; these it would first break, so Rome politically has +disappeared. The ten toes, however, symbolised ten kings or kingdoms +that were to arise in the latter day, or at the time of the end. These +ten kingdoms are also symbolised in Daniel's dream by ten horns that came +out of the head of the nondescript animal that stood for Rome. It is out +of one of these ten horns that another little horn grows, having eyes +like a man and a mouth speaking great things--that is, Anti-Christ. It +is at once plain, then, that ere Anti-Christ can appear, these ten +kingdoms must 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 by John in Revelation, under the name of beast; and here you +need to be careful, for the word beast is sometimes given to Anti-Christ, +so as not to 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, the Poles, Magyars, and Hungarians. The setting up of +these ten kingdoms will 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 divorce +impossible. Rome waits only her time to reclaim her supposed own. And +this doctrine of infallibility will make it a holy war, hence good and +true Catholics everywhere will be obliged to sustain the same by their +money, or presence, or prayers. This, to many of our Catholic friends, +will sound strange. But this they know, if such an emergency ever does +arise--they cannot well fight against the infallible Church--between +commands and duties, they will readily prefer the Pope and Church to king +and 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, as +many times before, involve the Church in war. They are busy sowing the +seeds of discord. In past time both the Church itself and nations have +banished these crafty fellows from their pale and country. The United +States alone, of the nations of the earth, is the only one that has not +so done. But even among us they are plotting and manoeuvring to such an +extent that it will not be long before America will be tested and tried +on this same subject. + +Among the preparatory signs of the coming of Anti-Christ we have +Communism, which is destined to spread. In Europe it will unsettle every +throne but one--that is, Israel, England. We fear that neither the +Church nor State comprehend the terrible power that is thus quietly +organising in this and other lands. It is this uprising of the +Communists and intriguing of the Jesuits in our own land, that will call +General Grant once more to the front, as we pointed out to you months +ago. The recent European Congress resulted in patching up a temporary +peace between Russia, England, and Turkey. A place will be provided for +the Duke of Edinburgh, who, having married the Czar's daughter, will +enable the two Powers to agree. He may not be the first prince, still he +and his seed are to find a kingdom in that place. Russia will be willing +for England to have Constantinople, and exercise a provisional +protectorate over Turkey, with a view of strengthening his daughter's +chances. England will thus come peaceably in possession of Palestine. + +Germany, being tied to both the Russian and English thrones by blood and +marriage, will also freely consent. Besides, Germany is going to pass +through a severe trial. The old Emperor will soon die, and also +Bismarck, then a new prince will advise the new king, new counsel, and +new blood, near and on the throne. Germany will become a prey to +internal strife, fanned by the discontented Catholics of the Empire, that +number some 15,000,000, and weakened by the Communistic elements. Not +much longer can Germany bear the strain of her immense army and enormous +taxes in consequence. + +Russia also will have all she can do to stay the desire for reform, and +the claims of the Nihilists or Communists. Thus will Providence prepare +His people's way back to Palestine. + +If God promises once He does so fifty times, that He will restore Israel +and Judah to their own land. To this one thing all Providence is +concentrating, and this is the key that unseals prophecy and Providence. +"And I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to +return, and will build them as at the first" (Jer. xxxiii. 7). They will +form a free province, electing their own rulers and governors. They will +be quite democratic, doing away with all titles, being the children of +the Lord. "And the nobles shall be of themselves, and their governor +shall proceed from the midst of them" (Jer. xxx. 21); or, as stated by +Isaiah, chap, i, verse 26, "And I will restore thy judges as at the +first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning; afterward thou shalt be +called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city." Thus they will be +a free province, managing their own affairs under the patronage and +protection of England. Now it is this freedom that will open the door +and prepare the way for Anti-Christ. He will be elected governor because +of his supposed superiority in manners, science, and benevolence. He +will appear as a lamb at first, according to John, but once in power his +true character will appear. He will be a great scientist, and in the +eyes and faith of the multitude He will be able to work miracles--to +bring, scientifically, fire down from heaven. So clever will he be that +he 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 in +himself. He will pander to the Communists--to the Romish Church--to the +scientific infidels of the day. In this feature he will draw heavily +upon the Germans, and create quite a sympathy in England and this +country. "For some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and +to 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 is +Anti-Christ. This is the spirit of Anti-Christ. And when God withdraws +His restraining power, Anti-Christ will embody all these forces and +characteristics in himself. And all men having these features, will +sympathise with him, and aid him. God alone is now keeping back and down +this spirit of Anti-Christ until His own chosen time. "And now ye know +what withholdeth, that he might be revealed in his time; for the mystery +of iniquity doth already work, only he who now letteth will let until he +be taken out of the way (that is, till God withdraws Himself), and then +shall that wicked be revealed." + +Anti-Christ means one opposed to Christ. Also it means one opposed to +Christ, 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 be looking for, and expecting the coming of, their Messiah, hence +many of these will be deceived. Many radical Adventists and Millenarians +will accept him, because they are in haste in their expectations: many of +these will follow him. Indeed, the whole world seems ripe to furnish him +a quota. But who will he be? Answer: He will be a French Jew, who will +intermarry into the Bonaparte family. His title will be Napoleon I. of +Palestine. This word Napoleon, resolved into Greek equivalents, is equal +to Apollyon, and as a number stands for 666. "Here is wisdom. Let him +that hath understanding count the number of the beast, for it is the +number 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 My +Father's name, and ye receive Me not; if another shall come in his own +name, him ye will receive." Here, and in other discourses, we have to +content ourselves at many points with mere statements, for to defend +every 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 teach +you to examine for yourselves; to prepare you against being unduly led +away by Adventism, Communism, or Infidelity; to give you an interest in +Providence and history. Do you ask if any will be led away by such a +false pretender? We answer, Yes--unless humanity undergoes some radical +change. Take a few instances:-- + +Our Shaker friends believed in Mother Ann Lee. This woman in 1770, while +living in Manchester, England, pretended to have a special revelation +from Heaven, making known unto her that she was the female side of +Christ--as Jesus was the revelation of the male side. As Eve was taken +out of Adam, the female principle separated from the male, so she was +separated 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 are +cognizant, having known the pretender and many of his duped followers. +We refer to Matthias, the prophet of Westchester County. This pretended +lord began his labours in Albany, N.Y., in 1830. First he taught himself +to be God's high priest, then the Saviour, then he claimed to be God. On +being asked where he was from, he would answer: "I am a traveller, and my +legal residence is Zion Hill, Westchester County, New York State. I am a +Jewish teacher and priest of the Most High God, saying and doing all that +I do, under oath, by virtue of my having subscribed to all the covenants +that God hath made with man from the beginning up to this time. I am +chief high priest of the Jews of the Order of Melchizedec, being the last +chosen of the twelve apostles, and the first in the resurrection which is +at the end of 2,300 years from the birth of Mahommed, which terminates in +1830. I am now denouncing judgment on the Gentiles, and that judgment is +to be executed in this age." + +He appeared in fine pontifical robes, with a rule six feet long in his +right hand; with this he was to measure off God's holy city. In his left +hand he had a two-edged sword. Underneath his pontifical robe he had a +rich 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 a +cocked hat of black beaver, trimmed with green, the rear angle being +surmounted 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 richest +and best merchants of this city. His followers furnished him with plenty +of 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 was +sent 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, the +twelfth and last of the apostles, am delivered out of the house of +bondage." For fear of this proclamation many of the farmers refused to +sow, and they set to work to deliver him, and succeeded. He left the +jail, 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 my +next discourse I will introduce you to two old men who will visit +Anti-Christ. + + + + +THE TWO WITNESSES. +DISCOURSE XI. + + +TROUBLOUS TIMES--APPEARANCE OF THE WITNESSES--WHO ARE THEY?--HOW THEY CAN +BE IDENTIFIED--THEIR MISSION, WORK, AND SUFFERING--THE TIME AND +CIRCUMSTANCES OF 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 the +future. For while Anti-Christ is ruling in Jerusalem, and battling with +the saints of the Most High, having conquered and plucked up by the roots +three of the ten-horned kingdoms by his victories and cunning craft, and +his 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 to +worship the beast. He will claim to be the promised Jewish Messiah. He +will enter the new Jewish Temple and actually sit enthroned as God +incarnated, commanding the people to worship him. He will be so received +by the Jews, some of the Israelites and the Romish Church, by the +Communists and scientific infidels, and by "such as do wickedly against +the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries," men of understanding shall +fall; indeed, Christianity will seem to be about destroyed. + +Russia will aid by her influence his pretensions with a secret purpose to +take the spoils and gain her long-desired object, Jerusalem and +Palestine. England will stand aloof for a time, waiting an opportunity +to interfere. Then will be a time to try men's faith--to test the +Church. England and America will stand alone as representing freedom and +religious liberty. "And then shall many be offended and shall betray one +another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall arise +and deceive many; and because iniquity shall abound, the love of many +shall wax cold; but he that shall endure unto the end shall be saved." +This is the time when Communism, infidelity, and Romish Jesuitism will +combine against God and liberty, and, thank heaven, this is the time +appointed when they all will be destroyed. Then the kingdoms of this +world will be given to the saints of the Most High. The struggle will be +fierce, long, and terrible, but victory will be on the Lord's side. + +In the very midst of these awful times there will appear two famous +persons as witnesses for Jesus: one who will specially appear to the +Jews, the other to Israel, and both testify for God and Jesus. These two +witnesses will turn the tide of battle, confront Anti-Christ and his +host, and give to the world new views of God and Providence. + +These two old men, or witnesses, will be endowed with miraculous power to +bring fire down from heaven, or turn the water streams into blood, and +smite the earth with all manner of plagues, as often as they will. Their +presence and power will cast a gloom o'er the nations of the earth, and +Anti-Christ and his allies. They will finally be slain in the streets of +Jerusalem. At the time of their death a great feast will be held to +commemorate the victories of Anti-Christ, and to inaugurate the setting +up of an image of him in the temple. So in the city there will be +peoples, kindreds, and tongues of many nations. And they will see the +dead bodies of the two witnesses lying exposed and unburied in the +streets for three days and a-half, for Anti-Christ will not suffer them +to 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 of +the earth. Infidelity, and Communism, and the Jesuits will be +emboldened. Feasting and rejoicing will be the order of the day. "And +they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them and make merry, +and shall send gifts one to another, because these two prophets tormented +them that dwelt upon the earth." That will be the merry wake for you--a +wake 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 and +corrupting bodies, and they shall stand upon their feet to defy +Anti-Christ and his host, and laugh at the pains of death. Great fear +will fall upon them who saw the dead so raised. This time the telegraphs +will be muffled, and the news is kept back from the nations as much as +possible; but astonishment ends not here, for over the destroying and now +idolatrous city of Jerusalem hangs a peculiar cloud, and voices peal as +thunder through the air, to call the attention of the multitudes. And +when every eye is skyward, the cloud moves and opens, as a chariot of +fire and glory, and rising in majesty and composure up above roofs, +temples, and pinnacles, will be seen the two witnesses of Christ; they +enter in and are borne heavenward. "And they ascended up to heaven in a +cloud, and their enemies beheld them." Then, while the multitude are +wrapt in wonder and all amazement, the pinnacles sway to and fro, the +houses rock, the earth trembles, the walls of the city fall, and Olivet +cleaves in twain. Then Anti-Christ is slain with many of his followers, +and the remnant fear unto repentance. "And the same hour there was a +great earthquake, and a tenth part of the city fell, and in the +earthquake were slain of men seven thousand, and the remnant were +affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven. 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." + +These are some of the wonders yet to come. Then how say some that +Anti-Christ has already been? The witnesses have not yet appeared: they +have not yet wrought their miracles. The Lost Ten Tribes and the +scattered Jews have not yet been gathered from all countries whither the +Lord God hath scattered them, and placed in their own land, to go out no +more, to be plucked up no more. Jerusalem is yet being trodden under +foot, the land is comparatively desolate, no temple yet adorns the city, +nor priest, nor Levite, attend at the altar. Pshaw! upon the Biblical +interpreters of this day, who wilfully or ignorantly careen through the +line of prophecies, despising the order established by God. They are +like 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 find +the destiny of her hero. So men, borne by passion and choice, skip by +several of the prophecies, and harp everlastingly on the last--the coming +of the blessed Jesus--"He whom the heavens must receive until the times +of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all +His holy prophets since the world began" (Acts iii. 21). The world is +not yet 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 now look like God; so God and Christ, Providence and the Church, +must work on till the house is in order for His return. "_Hon dei +ouranon men dexasthai archri chronon apokataseos panton_," whom, indeed, +heaven must retain until the time of restoration of all things. If +things are not now 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 the Church 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 Church +would be while Anti-Christ was reigning. I simply said anywhere and +everywhere, wherever it happened to be. He thought the Church would be +taken away by Christ; he referred me to several passages. I said, Come +next Sunday evening, as those passages will be partly considered in my +next sermon. He replied that he might be taken up by that time. All +right, I said, then we will excuse you. Now, in the name of common +sense, why have men, and why do men, down through the centuries, and now, +entertain such views? Because every Bible reader must see that there are +many prophecies that must be fulfilled before Christ can come--one of +which is the appearance of the two witnesses of the text. They will be +specially sent and commissioned to testify for Christ, as against +Anti-Christ. + +Let us now ascertain who these two witnesses are, or are to be. I find +on examining the subject all manner of views set forth. And, as is often +the case in studying a subject of this kind, I find few that agree--so +much so, that at last I found relief in turning from what men said and +thought 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 be +called Sodom and Egypt; but, lest we should mistake the place from these +names, John adds: "Where also our Lord was crucified." So Isaiah i. 10 +says: "Hear the word of the Lord, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the +law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah." This fixes safely the place. +Besides, the place is pointed out from the fact that they oppose +Anti-Christ, who at that time we know will be at Jerusalem. Third. They +are sent. You ask where they are sent from? The answer is, From heaven, +from standing before the God of the whole earth. Fourth. Who sends +them? We answer, Jesus--because the Book of the Revelation is "the +Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto John." Fifth. What were +they sent for? In the first place they were to be special witnesses for +Jesus, for He calls them His two witnesses. In the second place, they +were to prophesy, to be prophets in the fullest sense, to forecast the +future, to interpret past and present; to work miracles; to assume +control in directing State affairs. Sixth. It is worth your careful +notice to note that they are not constituted witnesses by being sent; +they are sent because they are witnesses. They are not then to be +endowed 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 their +bodies, two persons who have escaped death, for their death takes place +in Jerusalem. They must have been prophets before they left earth for +heaven the first time. And in the third place, they must at some time +and place have been special witnesses for Christ. In fact, they are two +anointed ones, or, in other words, they are two persons who have been set +apart and prepared for the very visit spoken of in the text. + +Daniel, when speaking of them, and the visit spoken of in the text, calls +one "the Ancient of Days;" the other one was "like the Son of Man." He +represents these two persons as sitting in judgment on Anti-Christ, and +the seven horns, or kingdoms. "And the ten horns that were in his head +and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that +horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look +was more stout than his fellows (this is Anti-Christ). I beheld, and the +same horn made war with the saints and prevailed against them, until the +Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the Most +High, 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" to +be Christ. They stagger not at the fact that there are two persons, and +that they are introduced one to another, and that the Ancient of Days +seems to be the greatest. It is nothing to such interpreters that there +are two persons; these they make one. The one looking like the Son of +Man they make out to be the Son of God, although Daniel says he only +looked like Him. The judgment spoken of by Daniel they make out to be +the general judgment, when, in fact, Daniel tells on what and where they +sat in judgment--namely, at Jerusalem. About Anti-Christ--and that +Anti-Christ is soon destroyed after this--and "as concerning the rest of +the beasts (that is, the seven horns), they had their dominion taken +away; yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time." The +vision and scene of the whole chapter belongs to this world, and the +kingdom of the saints here spoken of is as much material and political as +the other. The difference is, the rulers and people are Christians, they +are called saints. + +Every throne should be double-kinged; that is God's purpose, that is +Heaven's plan. Christ wants no earthly throne excepting that way. As +the Creator is Lord of lords and King of kings, so Christ after His +resurrection assumed His Father's place, and stands to us as God to the +Jews of old. All power was given to Him in heaven and in earth, +therefore, He, Christ, has long since begun His reign, and He must +continue to reign until He hath put all enemies under His feet. When +David was king over Israel and Judah, so was God. We repeat, every +throne 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 waiting +to 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 Elijah +the 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 from +heaven, we said they must have passed by death with their bodies; so they +did. They were to be prophets; so they are, two of the grandest prophets +of all. They were to have power over fire and water; so they had when +they lived on earth. The bloody stream of the Nile gives witness for +Moses. The parched land and time of drought speaks of Elijah in Ahab's +time. They both called fire down on them who sought to hurt them. They +were to be special witnesses of Christ; so they were on the Mount of +Transfiguration. These two olive trees stood one on each side of the +golden candlestick, Jesus; Peter, James, and John, testify to having seen +Moses and Elijah. These two old veterans know Christ well, hence they +will be sent to testify for Him against Anti-Christ. Moses is a Jew. He +will appeal unto the Jews, who will be found in the new temple, +performing according to the old Mosaic law. He will change and lead his +people from Anti-Christ to Christ. Elijah is an Israelite. He will +specially bear testimony to the Israelite, his long-lost, but then +restored, brethren. + +More next Sunday evening on these two Christian heroes. + + + + +MOSES AND ELIJAH. +DISCOURSE XII. + + +MORE ABOUT THE TWO WITNESSES--MORMONISM--GOD RULING AMONG THE +NATIONS--CAREER OF THE TWO WITNESSES--ANTI-CHRIST--THE THRONE AND HOUSE +OF DAVID. + + "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 witnesses +who 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 great +power and pomp. He will have succeeded in persuading the Jews and many +others that he is the promised Jewish Messiah; this claim he will be able +to sustain and confirm in the eyes of the multitude, from the very fact +that he will, to all appearance, work miracles. Nor need we query that +such 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 who +sincerely believe that Leo XIII. is God's vicegerent, and that he is +infallible. Take into account the Mormonism of this day, and see how +terrible a thing in the name of Christianity can be established and +maintained. Aye, in the nineteenth century, and in the United States of +America. Or look in upon the Spiritualists and consider their claims and +pretensions. Thousands upon thousands of them are persuaded that they +are _en rapport_ with heaven and in communication with spirits and +spirit-land. Then you will not be surprised at the pretensions, claims, +and success of Anti-Christ. In our calm and unprejudiced consideration +of 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 and +openness. Each in its turn has been caught in the act of deceiving, and +has been frequently exposed, but of what avail? Truly but little. We do +not mean that in these systems there is no good, for surely there is, but +that the errors and deceptions are of so glaring a kind, that we wonder +that anybody of common sense can be so easily led astray. + +With these facts before us, can we wonder any longer that Anti-Christ +shall be so successful? The very occasion and peculiar times and +incidents of the reign of Anti-Christ will call for some special +manifestations on the part of the Divine One that shall soberly and +clearly confront the hollow and hypocritical pretensions of that age. +Hence the appearance of the two witnesses--Moses the Ancient of Days, and +Elijah the Tishbite, who will look like the Son of God. + +Allow us to submit further evidence in proof that the two witnesses of +John in Rev. xi. are none other than Moses and Elijah: for many passages +of Holy Writ are sealed to the understanding till we comprehend who the +two witnesses are, their mission and work. We will notice the +attributive features of these witnesses as they are related by John in +this chapter--that is, Rev. xi. + +In the first place, there are two persons or individualities; this +appears plainly from the tenor of the whole record. They are spoken of +as "they, them, their mouth, their feet, as dying and being resurrected." +But, strange to say, after all this plainness of speech, men have become +so accustomed to spiritualise and generalise that Anti-Christ stood for +Rome, and naturally enough, having generalised Anti-Christ, they must do +the same with the two witnesses; hence they found them in the Churches of +the Waldenses and Albigenses. In such an interpretation nearly all the +attributive features of these witnesses are ignored. Such as that they +had power to work miracles, to lie unburied in the streets of Jerusalem +for three days and a half. Some have laboured to prove that the Old and +New Testaments were these witnesses, others that they were symbolised by +the law and Gospel. Again, some that the two sacraments, baptism and the +Lord's supper, were these two witnesses, and so on almost without end. +These instances will suffice for our present purpose; for surely any of +you reading God's own Word need not so blunder. + +In the second place, Jesus calls them His two witnesses. Now, in what +sense were they His? for such they are now. Not that they will be His +when they appear, but they will appear to oppose Anti-Christ at Jerusalem +because they are sent. The prophets are all witnesses; for, as Peter +says, "To Him give all the prophets witness." The apostles were +witnesses, and all believers are witnesses for Jesus; yet these two are +so in a special and pre-eminent sense. Let any one read the account of +the transfiguration of Jesus and the circumstances attendant thereon, and +all will be plain. Moses and Elias (another spelling for Elijah) we find +were present, as well as Peter, James, and John. When Christ was +transfigured, "Behold there appeared unto them Moses and Elias" (Matt, +xvii. 3). These two persons talked with Jesus, "and spake of His decease +which He should accomplish at Jerusalem." Thus, then, they were special +witnesses for Christ, and so they will come again and witness for Him in +the time appointed. + +The number of days we must take in a literal sense; here the 1,260 days +and 3.5 days are the days appointed for their work and death. It is well +to remember that many of the prophetic numbers contain a double prophecy. +Thus 1,260 here may be coincident with the treading down of Jerusalem by +Mahommedanism. But whether it is or not, does not vitiate the literal +quantity when applied to these two witnesses. In the third place, they +are called two olive trees and two candlesticks standing before the God +of the whole earth. The figurative meaning will be found by finding some +passage where two trees are mentioned in the interpretation given--such a +passage by Zechariah iv. Here the prophet saw two olive trees and asked +of the angel the meaning; and the angel said, "Knowest thou not what +these be?" And I said, "No, my Lord." Then said he, "_These are two +anointed ones_ that stand by the Lord of the whole earth." The simple +meaning is, that the two olive trees mean two persons, who are in heaven +at present, but are anointed--that is, set apart, selected for some +distinct work for God. + +Moses and Elijah evidently were anointed and specially selected, for it +is probable they both escaped death. The wonder connected with the +disappearance of Moses and the translation of Elijah now finds some +measure of explanation. None doubt the translation of Elijah. John the +Baptist was not Elias, except he was to go before Christ in the spirit +and power of Elias; in this sense John stood for Elias. John the Baptist +prepared the way of Christ the first time, so will Elias for Christ's +second coming. The record of Moses's departure from this world is as +mysterious as it is dramatic. But, certainly, neither the mysterious nor +the dramatic have any meaning excepting we allow something Divinely +special. To die as other people, would mean nothing on the line of +specialities; but he did not so die. He went from the people alive; no +one 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, for +he went from them no more to return. The word death in Hebrew has not +less than six meanings, one of which is simply to disappear. This is the +meaning that we must attach to the death of Moses. Neither his grave nor +body have ever been found. + +There is a peculiar passage in the book of Jude where "Michael the +archangel, when contending with the devil, he disputed about the body of +Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The +Lord rebuke thee." Now, Satan then had power over death in some way +Divinely permitted. Paul says (Heb. ii. 14), speaking of Christ, +"Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also +Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might +destroy him _that had the power of death_--that is, the devil." When God +was translating Moses, passing him by death, Satan fought with Michael, +who was God's messenger, to inflict the sting of death on Moses, and +although 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 of +Revelation, which was entitled, "The Ascension or Assumption of Moses the +servant of God." The Church father, Origen, makes mention of this work, +but, like the book and prophecies of Enoch, from which Jude makes a +quotation, it has been lost, they having served their purpose. The +fairest and most generous interpretation, then, is, that Moses did not +die the ordinary death, but disappeared, was, in fact, translated, +anointed, and set apart for a special work in connection with his own +people, the Jews, in the days of the coming Anti-Christ. Thus, without +any trouble, he could appear with Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration. +And it is worthy of note that before he disappeared in Horeb--the sacred +writer is mindful to tell us "Moses was an hundred and twenty years old +when he died--_his eye was not dim nor his natural force abated_" (Deut. +xxiv. 7). But, supposing Moses died naturally, there is nothing +unreasonable or irregular in concluding that God resurrected him as a +mortal for future use. True, he will die again as a witness; so there +are 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 (2 +Kings 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 be +a fearful power in the hands of science. Edison with his genius and +marvellous discoveries, and others of like gifts, will have perfected the +use of this agent in a wonderful degree. Anti-Christ will make use of +this power to cower his enemies and bring them in fear-subjection. He +will bring fire down from heaven. The two witnesses, however, will be +clothed with Divine power; they will be able to bring fire by a simple +command--this they both understood and used when on earth. + +Moses called fire down upon the 250 rebellious Korahthites, as we read in +Numbers xvi. Ahab, the King of Israel, thought to punish and compel the +obedience of Elijah; but God gave fire from heaven in answer to the +prophet's prayer. So when Ahaziah sent a captain and fifty men to bring +Elijah into the king's presence, they found him sitting on the top of a +hill and commanded him to come down. "And Elijah answered and said to +the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from +heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from +heaven, and consumed him and his fifty" (2 Kings i. 10). Thus will these +two anointed ones be able to contend with Anti-Christ and all the powers +of scientific infidels. "If any man hurt these two witnesses, by the +very means used so shall they be killed." + +"These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their +prophecy, and have power over waters to turn them to blood." To whom +would these gifts and attributes apply better than to Elijah, who in the +days of the wicked King Ahab sealed the heavens against rain for three +years and a half? and to Moses, who, when contending with Pharaoh, turned +the sweet flowing Nile into a stream of blood? What two prophets had +such 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 the +earth with all manner of plagues as often as they will. + +By awful and sublime manifestations the world shall see that God rules in +the heaven and on the earth. They shall learn that Anti-Christ is a +false Christ. Then shall fear and repentance fall upon the people. The +Jews shall be convinced, and converted, and persuaded by the appearance +of their beloved Moses. They shall know of a truth that the Messiah has +been, and is waiting to come again. Referring to that time the prophet +Zechariah 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 of +Jerusalem, do not magnify themselves against Judah." Thus we learn that +the 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 of +Jerusalem, the English Government to take charge of their affairs. + +"Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered +together and appoint themselves one _head_" (Hosea i. 2). The Jews will +then be Christians. "For they shall look upon Him whom they have +pierced, 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 the +destruction of Anti-Christ and his host. The Jews, the House of David, +and the Lost Tribes, Israel, the Saxons, will hold a council in +Jerusalem. David's house, which God selected, and throne, both of which +the Almighty promised perpetuity to, shall be found and recognised in the +English throne and royal family. The Saxon race shall distinctively +appear as long-lost Israel. So that the Jews, and David's House, and +Israel, will unite and acknowledge Christ as Lord and Master. They will +make known to America, who stands for Manasseh, and all the colonies, the +decision of the said council; all parties will see, and accept, and +federate for the world's conquest and peace. + +This federation of the ancient people, the literal seed of Abraham, will +cause 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 two +witnesses, will all unite for an onslaught upon England, but especially +Palestine. Russia, though nominally Christian, will join the beast or +Romish Church. The dragon means the Pagan portion of the world. Thus +will be inaugurated the battle of Armageddon, the issues of which we are +permitted to know through Revelation. Then will the kingdoms of this +world become the kingdoms of our Lord and His Christ. + +With many, and to many, these things are but as dreams; they are +chimerical. But one thing is certain: the history of the Church and +Providence in the future are appallingly grand. Providence was grand in +leading forth His people of old from Egypt. But He will be no less grand +when He shall set His hand a second time to recover His people as He has +promised to do. + +"Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a +righteous branch, and a king shall reign and prosper, and shall execute +judgment and justice in the earth. In His days Judah shall be saved, and +Israel shall dwell safely, and this is His name whereby He shall be +called, The Lord our Righteousness." (That is, the ruler of God's +choice--a king, then, in fact, by Divine right.) "Therefore, behold, the +days 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 of +Israel out of the North country, and from all countries whither I had +driven 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 Jew +doing her bidding, executing her decrees over and for Israel. For though +Israel were to be numerous and powerful, yet to David's seed belongs the +throne. + +The recent Congress was but a forerunner of the one yet to come. The +crownless king, Disraeli, who forced the Congress, is, perhaps, an +unconscious instrument in the hands of Providence. But whether he be or +not, he is hastening on the day with lightning speed. Forth from the +recent Congress he goes, having once again linked the destinies of +England to the Continent, which has been so strangely severed, till +Russia, Italy, Austria, France, and Spain might each test the other, and +each find their appointed place. 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, the owner of Palestine. + + + + +BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON. +DISCOURSE XIII. + + +THE COMBATANTS ON BOTH SIDES--WHO "THE KINGS OF THE EAST" ARE--THE GREAT +NAPOLEONIC IDEA--DISRAELI, LINCOLN AND GRANT--ENGLAND'S POLICY IN +TURKEY--FUTURE WARS AND INTRIGUES--THE GREAT BATTLE-FIELD--GATHERING OF +THE NATIONS--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 three +things touching this great event. First, that there is to be such a +decisive battle fought. Second, that it will take place in some part of +Palestine. Third, that this great struggle will be final, the end of +war, the beginning of the Millennium morn. + +In the Scriptures the contestants are pointed out, as they rally under +the 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 as +found chiefly in the Saxon race, with all who sincerely believe on the +Lord Jesus Christ. + +In another sermon we pointed out to you the plain fact of the existence +of David's throne and David's seed as found and seen specially in the +throne of England. We there see how faithfully God has kept His promise +to David and His people. For God frequently told David that his throne +should be established unto all generations, and of David's seed there +should never be wanting a man to sit thereon. It is the permanence, the +grandeur, and progressive character of this throne and people that make +it a fitting type of Christ and His Church. Nay, more, it is on this +throne that Christ now sits, so far as this world goes; and it is through +this people that He reigns, and He will and must reign until He has +conquered a universal peace. It is a delusion too long entertained by +the Church to think that David's throne and seed have not now, nor for +centuries had, an existence. It is a delusion that we should not +entertain for a moment to think that the Ten Tribes of Israel are lost +for ever, or that their work or mission is fulfilled. As surely as the +Two Tribes, Judah and Levi, now exist, fulfilling and filling in the +outlines of prophetic history, so surely are Reuben, Simeon, Zebulun, +Issachar, Dan, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh in +existence, 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 in +Hebrew and Greek, means such. This seed God chose, and made them royal +by that very selection. They have been away from their own land, +Palestine, wandering and dwelling in the West. But God in Providence is +preparing a way for their return. In connection with the pouring out of +the sixth vial upon the great river of the Euphrates, or upon Turkey, as +most 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 +might be 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 in +connection with the decay of Turkey. If Turkey, as symbolised by the +river Euphrates, is drying up, then these kings must be advancing +Eastward; 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 may +interpret a Divine purpose. He may know, or he may not know, that he is +so directed of heaven. The prophets of old were seldom permitted to +interpret or understand their own prophecies. If they asked, like +Daniel, the meaning, they were told to "go their way," for oftentimes the +words were "closed up and sealed until the time of the end." No wonder +this man, against all England nearly, and to the amazement of all the +world, proclaims the Queen of England the Empress of India, for the way +of the kings of the East must be prepared. + +Napoleon Bonoparte's grand idea was to prepare the way of the kings of +the East and make himself and his descendants these kings. "Conquer +England and the world is ours," he said. But when his secret and +well-prepared assault on England was revealed and frustrated by a chain +of providential events, he hit upon another plan to get possession of +Palestine. Seventy years ago he invited all the leading Jews of the +world to a secret council in Paris; he wished them to aid him in getting +possession of Palestine. He pretended to want their return. He gave +them certain privileges and laboured to procure more from the other +nations; he did much for the Jews in enlarging their liberties and taking +away from them the curse of society. The one idea that is distinctly +Napoleonic, is to possess Palestine. The late Napoleon had his idea, and +in his day this idea had become a part of France; so much so, that France +thought herself to be then and now the real protector of Palestine. It +was for this idea that she allied with England and Turkey in the Crimean +war. It was to keep Russia back from possessing the holy places. Not +till France was weakened could England advance on her way East rapidly; +so Germany was used to destroy her prestige and cause her to stand aside +till England proceeds on her way homeward. + +It was a comely sight, some five years ago, to see two Jews closeted +together making a secret bargain--one had power, the other had money. +The man 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 +twenty millions part of his fatherland back again--the Suez Canal. This +very canal is on the boundary of the land of Palestine as given to +Abraham centuries ago. By this very route the old patriarch entered the +Promised Land. It was fitting, indeed, that this should be the first +piece purchased back. No one knew save those directly interested. +England murmured and France protested, but the thing was done. Poor +France, bleeding and divided, could do but little; for Disraeli and +Rothschild had 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 of God. The politicians, and statesmen, and generals, and many +of the people were against him at first; but the Lord was with him, so he +marched on to victory, the country following in the wake. And though +dead, not forgotten, the country and the civilised world are marching on +after him, and now they have nearly overtaken him. Lincoln's ideas and +the country's are nearly equal. A man led of God is generally a good +distance behind, and the people led by such a man are equally as far +behind him as he is behind God. But this nation and Abraham Lincoln are +now one, and in those things in which they once were divided they are a +unit, with more than the honoured Lincoln; for they are a unit with God +and 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 be +a unit. It does not shock our idea of human honesty much when we learn +that this crownless king played a double game with Russia and Turkey. It +is intensely Jewish, but if it were only Jewish, then it would be very +detestable; it is more, it is Divine in part. "Had the princes of this +world known, they would not have crucified the Prince of Glory." Had the +princes of the late Berlin Congress known the double game being played by +one of the quietest of their number, they would not have done as they +did. Turkey in Asia was given over to England's protection, aye, yes, +that included Palestine. The island of Cyprus is given over +entirely--surely the way of the kings of the East is being grandly +prepared. + +Why did not the Congress hand over to England's protection Turkey in +Europe? For reasons good and sufficient. Turkey in Europe will be the +cause of much strife, of several wars, and of strange alliances; hence it +would not have done for Israel-England to be mixed up with it. +Constantinople alone, of European Turkey, England will keep. Israel is +to be much preserved from war, until the great battle of Armageddon comes +on. Against that time she will have to husband her strength and +resources. It is marvellous now to think that what the Congress settled +as belonging to England, none dispute--all is peace. But Russia's share +and Austria's are in arms. Servia, Greece, Roumania, and all the Turkish +provinces rebel and are in a state of disquietude, that portends war and +strife again in a few years. But England will have nothing to do with +it, excepting that Russia and Austria, with the consent of Germany, +Italy, and France, are to set a precedent for England, which in a few +years she will need. It is plain that if Russia and Austria can force by +arms the conditions of the Berlin Congress, England will be at liberty to +do the same without any interference even from France. The Congress +handed over to England's keeping Turkey. England, then, can make Turkey +do her bidding by force of arms sustained by the very precedent already +set. Thus will Israel-England open up Palestine for Christian +settlement. The Mahommedans will murmur and resist to have the holy +places taken from them, but no matter; England, when the time comes, will +enforce it. It is just here that Turkey and England will dispute, and in +each dispute England will find a reason for drawing the lines a little +tighter around poor Turkey. + +The contestants on one side at the great battle of Armageddon, you +remember, are the dragon, the beast, and Anti-Christ. Now what people is +represented by the term dragon? We answer, the Pagan nations and +authorities, just as the Chinese have on their standards to-day a dragon, +as we have the eagle. The Mahommedans, Hindoos, Brahmins, Buddhists, and +all Pagan idolaters, are summed up in the word dragon. At present, +England is tolerant with the subjects and adherents of these different +worshippers and religions; but the time will come when she will no longer +tolerate the same; thus will they arraign themselves against her in the +battle of Armageddon. This will come to pass as the gradual destruction +of Mormonism in our country. This system has been fortified by law; now +laws are being arraigned against it. It is now only tolerated, and in a +short time it will be wiped out of existence. + +The final battle referred to in the text is to occur at a place called in +the Hebrew tongue Armageddon, the literal meaning of which is at the +mount of Megido. In olden times there was a city called Megiddon; it +stood in what is now called the great plain of Esdraelon--a plain that +lies midway between the Sea of Galilee and the Mediterranean. It was +also called Jezreel. The prophet Hosea speaks of this place, battle, and +time, all by this one word. Referring to the time when the children of +Judah and of Israel are gathered together under one head in their own +land, he says, "For great shall be the day of Jezreel" (Hos. i. 11). It +is spoken of in the Scriptures and history as the valley of Jehoshaphat, +because here Jehoshaphat, the King of Judah, gained a great victory; for +here the Lord fought against the enemies of Israel, as He will in the +coming battle. Joel iii. 12 says, referring to this coming struggle, +"Let the heathen be waked up and come to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for +there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about." + +There is one name given to this time and battle that is very significant +and striking. Have you ever noticed it? If not, let me call your +attention to it. It is called "That great day of God Almighty," by John +in 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 is +near: 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 in +the valley of decision." By the prophets Amos, Obadiah, Zephaniah, +Zechariah, Malachi, and apostles Paul and Peter, it is called the day of +the Lord. + +You ask if this battle may not have taken place. We answer, No. Of such +a battle we have no record. Again, it will be the end of the war--the +final overthrow of Paganism, the beast, and Anti-Christ. Malachi says, +"Behold I will send you the prophet Elijah before the coming of that +great 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. As +when Christ was on the cross, the sun darkened, the rocks rent, the +mountains shook, so in connection with this battle there shall be some +strange wonders--earthquakes, thundering, lightning, hail and fire. The +Mount of Olives will divide; the valley of the Dead Sea will fill with +water and join to the Mediterranean; Jerusalem will become a seaport; an +appointed centre from which, being central to all the world, will go +forth the ships of the Lord. The city of Jerusalem, between this time +and that, will be considerably enlarged, then it will divide into three +parts. At the time of this dividing John says, "That the cities of the +nations are to fall"--London, Paris, Berlin, Rome, St. Petersburg, and +many others--that all may turn to Jerusalem, the capital appointed of +Heaven. + +If you wish to know more of the particulars of this day, read the +prophets, study what John the Revelator says under the sixth vial and +sixth seal. With awful grandeur and with terrible majesty have the +sacred writers set forth this day and time. + +That this day will come, who will deny? Look at the world ripening for +this day. Here, in our own land, as well as others, the forces are +maturing, the agents are at work. Many of the events of the past year we +were permitted to forecast by looking into the future through the +prophets, and onward yet we look. And the events coming are neither less +in number, merit, or force, than those passed. Keep the events of +prophecy in their proper order lest they confuse you. The Jews and Ten +Lost Tribes are to be found and possess Palestine before this battle. +Anti-Christ is to appear. The two witnesses, Moses and Elijah, are to +appear. And Jesus, our beloved Master, will not come till the world is +settled long in perpetual peace--till the house is prepared for the +bride, then shall He come. But with lightning speed events are crowding +on along the ages. The accumulative forces of centuries are pressing +hard upon time present. The time of the end is near--not the end of +time, but the time appointed of God in which certain great things are to +be accomplished. Eighteen hundred years ago John cried out, "Loose the +four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. And the four +angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a +month, and a year" (Rev. ix. 14). + +The Turkish Power originated on the banks of the Euphrates. It first was +divided into four Sultanies--namely, Bagdad, Aleppo, Damascus and +Cesarea. These are typified under four angels. Their time was to be 396 +years and a 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 the overthrow of the Saracens, until the capture of Constantinople in +1453, which overthrew the Greek Empire, we have just 396 years. And the +time for 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 our +eyes 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 in +a dark place. The world indeed is dark, and all confusion. But His Word +shows unto us order in all this confusion, blessed be His name. More +next Sunday evening. + + + + +ARMAGEDDON AND THE PYRAMID. +DISCOURSE XIV. + + +THE FORCES IN THE BATTLE--TIME OF ITS OCCURRENCE--MISTAKES OF +ADVENTISTS--A CHURCH "STRIKE" WANTED--THE HARD TIMES AFTER 1882--HISTORY +OF THE WORLD TILL 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 of +Armageddon. This evening we will take up the same subject for further +consideration. This battle, we learn, is to be very terrible, such a one +as the world has not had. Fearful as some of the wars of the past have +been, 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 is +again to take a direct part, as He did for His people Israel and Judah in +times of old. Again shall the forces of nature do battle for God and His +people; again they shall be full of instinctive revenge. Hear us, and +believe us, Denis Kearney, Providence will then "pool the issues" of the +_called_, the _chosen_, and the _faithful_. The called are the Jews, the +chosen are Israelites, and the faithful embrace all of every nation who +believe 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 the +slain. The spirit of Satan, that now worketh in the children of +disobedience, will pool the issues of hell and death in the hosts of the +_dragon_, _beast_, and _false prophet_. For though these three powers +are diverse in their aims, professions, and intents, yet we learn from +many passages of the Divine Book that they will join hands and agree upon +a common policy, federating together that they may contend with the +called, the chosen, and the faithful. "And I saw three unclean spirits +like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of +the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the +spirits of devils working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the +earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great +day of God Almighty" (Rev. xvi. 13, 14). Here indeed will be a pooling +of the issues, a pooling that will divide the whole world into two forces +or parties. + +Now the canvass has begun, preparations are going on, party lines are +being drawn, powers are concentrating, and men are rallying under their +respective standards, getting the world ripe and ready for the coming +generations, 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, and +his son Solomon carried forward the same, so the work of this generation +is simply preparatory, and that of the coming will be executive. + +Several wars will take place before that of Armageddon, which in their +nature will be fierce and terrible. Still these will all be +preparatory--leading on to the day of decision and the battle final. On +this point many err, and their error has a pernicious influence on the +Church and the world. They interpret the preparatory signs as if they +were final; hence the end with such is too near. A sincere anxiety takes +possession of their soul, which utterly unfits them to judge aright the +signs of the times and tokens of Providence. Thus were a portion of the +Advent Church thrown into confusion the 8th of last July because they had +fixed upon the seventh as the time for the ending of the world. And +human 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 of +April as the time of the end. It is a wonder the first did not take the +4th of July instead of the seventh, for then a stranger might think the +end was nigh in some of our cities; or why didn't the other party select +the 1st of April, for no doubt it would have proved a more propitious +day? But thus it is, and will be again before the appointed time of +Heaven comes. Man is a creature of haste and sudden impulse, especially +so in his religious experience. Kings and nations, Churches and sects, +have laboured hard in times past to force the issues of Providence and +give speed and certainty to times and events. + +The prophecies affecting our days are clear; so much so, that he who runs +may read, if need be. But an impatient activity urges men on, bedazzling +their eyes, which at once unnerves and unfits them for reading or +judging. "In your patience possess ye your souls," said the blessed +Master to His disciples of old, and not less through them unto us. + +"Order is Heaven's first law," it has been said; and surely order +pervades the prophecies. But the pulpits in general over-ride this +order, 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 of +interpretation are vastly more natural, responsive, and reasonable than +the ill-adjusted, unnatural, and non-responsive system of current +theology. A person is under obligation to use that key for the unlocking +of prophecy which fits the best, and that responds to providential events +the most natural, without regard to the antiquated systems and mode of +Church, sect, or college theology. Hine's theory, as it is called +sometimes, is as much superior to the old system of interpretation, as +the railway Pullman car is to the ricketty old stage coach. + +The Anglo-Saxon Israel theory neither destroys or introduces any new +principle, but discovers and applies that which had been long hidden. +The introduction of steam and electricity did not destroy or produce any +new 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 and +things of the past, so should we in theology, Church life, and +experience, when we can do better. Reverence for persons, and respect +for ideas, should not enslave us. Let us move on, doing better and +better. 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. Bacon +and Newton are now in part rejected, without intending, or in fact doing +them any dishonour or disrespect. So are Calvin and Wesley, on the same +principle, by every good theologian. If a theory be advanced that opens +up the Scriptures, and especially the prophecies, better than those +before existing, let the pulpit accept it, throwing aside its mawkishness +and age-intrenched stupidity. I have no hesitation to say, after over +twenty-five years of experience with preachers and pulpit, that the +majority of preachers are lazy and indifferent in study. For this reason +many of them are deterred from examining any new theory. Many have said +to me, and written to me, that if they accepted the Lost Tribe theory it +would destroy nearly all their old sermons, and necessitate the making of +new 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 are +many strikes. While in Canada, on my vacation, I agreed to lecture for a +Church choir on the prophet Jeremiah's visit to Ireland. But some +preachers banded together and stopped it; and, in consequence of it, the +choir struck and refused to sing the following Sunday. Passing by this +strike, I really wish the laymen would strike and call the pulpit to an +account and rouse it from its lethargy, and demand that it should +untrammel itself and be free and equal to the age and demand. I have met +with miserly persons who didn't believe in beautiful churches, or the +missionary cause, or any cause indeed that wanted money. They would +argue for plainness, and so on. The secret of their peculiar ideas on +these matters was to be found in their stinginess and their love of +money. They advocated such theories because it saved them from +contributing. Like a man I met with on my vacation tour who said that he +saved forty dollars a year by pretending to be angry with the minister or +some of the deacons when they came round collecting money. Some +ministers, no doubt the majority of them, talk about holding on to the +old landmarks and being orthodox for the very reason that to make a move +implies labour, which they are not willing to give, hence they prate +about orthodoxy and landmarks as a pretext to cover over their +indifference. He is the most orthodox who searches after the truth and +keeps up with the age. "Prove all things, hold fast that which is good," +says Paul. These pretended followers of Paul say: "Prove nothing, hold +fast what you have got." + +It is as plain as A, B, C, that the Bible teaches the return of the Jews +and Ten Lost Tribes of Israel to the land of Palestine. Also, that after +they are settled in this land Anti-Christ appears. The dragon and beast +are already in existence, but Anti-Christ is not; the spirit of +Anti-Christ is. When Israel and Judah are settled and prosperous in the +old fatherland, then is to come on the battle of Armageddon. Thank +Heaven! that though the struggle will be awful, it will be final, and +victory will turn on the Lord's side. Then will be set up a kingdom that +shall endure in abiding peace and prosperity for at least a thousand +years. The world will nestle in regaling plenty and great assurance. +This kingdom is to be set up in the latter days of the four kingdoms +spoken of by Daniel. By this we understand that these kingdoms will have +their day, and by succession, after a time, run out. These +kingdoms--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 +glorious future before it for the next fifty years or so, then she will +disappear to rise no more. The cry will go forth, "Babylon is fallen." +In Nebuchadnezzar's image you will remember that the stone cut out of the +mountain began to destroy the metallic image upward, hence these kingdoms +will disappear in reverse order to their origin. First Rome, which has +gone; next Greece, which is nearly gone; then Persia, and then Russia. +The new kingdom will fill the world. Already it foreshadows the outlines +of possession by its immense territory of to-day. Then a scion of the +House of David shall be enthroned in Jerusalem. All the other great +capitals will have been destroyed. It is surprisingly grand to read of +that day, king and kingdom. Let me read to you a few verses from +Jeremiah, chapter xxiii.: "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I +will raise unto David a righteous branch, and a King shall reign and +prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In His +days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely; and this is His +name whereby He shall be called: the Lord our Righteousness. Therefore, +behold, the days 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 of Israel out of the North country, and from all countries +whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land." The +words, "that day," are often used, and if we desire to know when that day +is, we have data in the great fact that it is the other side of +Armageddon, and Armageddon is the other side of the settlement of Israel +and Judah in Palestine. + +I wish, just here, to correct many of you, as well as some of the public +journals. Of late I have frequently seen it stated in the papers that I +predicted the end of the world in 1882. And many persons have actually +asked if I did really think so. The truth of the matter is, in my +sermons on the Great Pyramid I pointed out to you the remarkable fact +that the Grand Gallery was 1,882 inches long. Beginning with the birth +of the Saviour, these inches stand for years. This gallery suddenly +ends, excepting that it is continued in a narrow passage, the narrowest +in the whole building, for fifty-three inches. Then comes the King's +Chamber, which before you enter, you pass under a portcullis in the form +of 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 great +trouble, war, pestilence, and famine, and for fifty-three years these +troubles will continue more or less. Then about 1935 will occur the +battle 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 adding +1882 and 53, which gives me 1935. Even then the world will not end, but +only begin the millennium morn, which will last for a thousand years or +more. + +Now corresponding to these facts are the events of Providence. As when +Spring is nigh we know by certain signs, so we know from the Scriptures, +Providence, and Pyramidal teaching, where we stand and the season we are +in. "O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky, but can ye not +discern the signs of the times?" said Jesus to the proud and critical +Pharisees and learned and doubting Sadducees. These parties affected to +be specially wise and discriminating in their knowledge of the times and +seasons, and interpreting the prophets and writings of Moses. Yet their +conduct betrayed their ignorance, for they saw not the end of that grand +old prophetic age, nor the fading symbolism of the temple, nor the +departing glory and decay of their nation. They knew not the fulness of +the time in which they lived, though it bulged out like a mountain. They +did not know that _one time hath ended_, another _time begun_, for they +still dated their documents 4032 of the world, when it was the year of +our Lord and their Lord 32. + +The antediluvians stand condemned because they were willingly ignorant of +the Providential tokens and signs of the times. They set at naught the +teachings and warnings of Noah, and in exulting pride they rejected the +idea of a special Providence. Their faith, like many in this day, was +planted and nourished by the laws of nature, and the analogous +continuance of the same, not accepting the doctrine of a Divine +Providence. They cried aloud, "Where is the promise of His coming? For +since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the +beginning of the creation." + +Do you, like the Jews of old, demand more signs, when those given you are +not understood, or, if understood, they are undervalued? The prophets +have been lavish in portraying the calamities of the _last days_, or the +times into which we are entering. For the words _last days_ are the few +years preceding the battle of Armageddon. The calamities of these days +are of four kinds: First, social disorders; second, religious feuds and +wars; third, wonderful political disturbances; fourth, temporal or +physical disasters. Of the social condition of these last days, Paul +instructs us: "This know, also, that in the last days perilous times +shall come." Then he groups together nineteen immoral attributes of the +social state of these last days: "Men shall be lovers of their own +selves, covetous, boasters, proud blasphemers, disobedient (to parents +especially), unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce +breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce despisers, traitors, heady, +high-minded, lovers of pleasure more than God, formal in religion" (2 +Timothy iii.). What, we ask, will be the state of society when the +social condition becomes such? + +The religious feuds and persecutions of the last days we can but faintly +conceive. It was terrible when the beast, two hundred years ago, held +sway. The Inquisition, the rack, the stake, and all the horrors of a +wise age will be brought to bear. For in these days to come, the beast +will be joined by Anti-Christ, who will burn with rage, and vent his +displeasure on Christ's followers. Also the barbarism and savage +disposition of the Pagans will be let loose. Then will the dragon tear +and destroy. This will, indeed, be a day or time of visitation. The +political disturbances will be terrible. Nation against nation plotting +and deceiving; internal strife and outward dangers. These are of a kind +to 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 some +of the scourges that will then go forth. Gibbon, the historian, tells of +a plague that swept away two-thirds of Europe and Asia. At that time the +dead lay unburied by thousands. In Constantinople, for three months, +five and even ten thousand persons died daily. The famines in India and +China give us some idea of those yet to come. Of the earthquakes, such +as have been will be repeated in increasing terror, violence, and +destruction. To all these shall be added fire from heaven, hail, +whirlwinds, and floods. These are times that will try men's souls. Read +the 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--FORMER +EARTHQUAKES--BOUNDARIES OF PALESTINE--DAN AND GAD TO GUARD THE +"GATES"--GAD THE SCOTCHMAN--THE FUTURE JERUSALEM--THE DEAD SEA AND +MEDITERRANEAN TO BE JOINED--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 regenerating +waters of a terrible flood. Millions were suddenly cut off, with their +handiwork and antediluvian civilisation. The swelling floods subsided, +and the God-avenging waters retired to their appointed place. The earth +again stood forth in virgin strength, lonely, bare, and citiless, but +with a potency and promise inviting and grand. Across these swelling +floods one craft had been safely borne; in it was stored the seed-stock +of a new world of man and beast. The destruction had been complete and +terrible. If we credit Dr. Gurney and others who have written on this +subject, the population far exceeded the inhabitants of to-day. But +whether they did or did not, we know that many must have perished, and +civilisation must have been hurled back to a primitive beginning. No +doubt the present seas and oceans cover over the ruins of that age. +Eliphaz, the Temanite, when addressing Job, said: "Hast thou marked the +old way, which wicked men have trodden, which were cut down out of time? +_whose foundation was overflown with a flood_?" Now is it not reasonable +to suppose that in this and every other great change in nature God has a +purpose--a design agreeable with His own exalted character? He is too +wise to err, and too good to be unkind. The flood came for the same +reason that He only gave Adam one wife. And what was that reason? It +was that He might fill the world with a godly seed. "And did not He make +one? Yet had He the residue of the Spirit. And wherefore one? That He +might seek a godly seed" (Mal. ii. 15). The same Spirit which made one +Eve 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 increased +wickedness of the post-diluvians, then God called Abram, and through +Abraham and his seed designed that this purpose should flow on and be +fulfilled. Through this Abrahamic channel flow all the purposes of a +Divine Providence in this world. Through his seed all the nations of the +earth are to be blessed. The children of Abraham are the appointed and +Divinely authorised agents of God. Through them, as primary, he has, and +is, and will evangelise the world. Abraham stands to the generations of +earth as the Gulf-stream to Europe and the isles of the sea. This +Gulf-stream is our largest river; being the longest, broadest, and +deepest. Its bottom and banks are cold water. Compressed by the straits +of Florida, it rushes forth to warm and replenish the earth and isles of +the sea. So the forces of a Divine Providence compressed in Abraham go +forth to bless mankind. The Gulf-stream is water in water, and Abraham's +seed are men among men. Providence is at once clear and intelligible, +and history is at once plain, reasonable, and harmonious, when +interpreted in harmony with the Abrahamic covenant. The scattering and +returning of Israel and Judah to Palestine, and the intervening history, +from the time of dispersion to the Return, is clear as noon-day. Their +location, oppression, prosperity, and victories, have long been foretold +by prophets inspired of God. + +Through all the changes in nature God has a design. He prepared the +world for Adam and his seed, and He did so by some wonderful upheaving +and overturning; this scientists will admit. This world, in its present +shape and condition, indicates fierce and protracted struggles. The +outlines of strange and sublime revolutions are imprinted on her +rock-ribbed bosom. Look at her cloud-capped mountains, her snow-crowned +peaks, her wild and rocky wastes, her barren plains and sandy deserts, +her fruitful hills and luxuriant valleys, her mighty oceans and swelling +seas, her inland lakes and rolling rivers; these tell us of a time long +ago--of the time when the Mighty One went forth to work a work, to build +a house and make a home for His creature, man. And as it was necessary +in the preparatory stage to tune nature to the coming man, so all along +through the history of the centuries we find nature holding a subordinate +relation to man. The world is not run on one principle and man on +another, but both are permeated by a Divine force and led on to a Divine +end. All things are ours, and we are Christ's, and Christ is God's; this +is the established order of subordination. Most certainly it cannot be +unscientific in the Author of nature to make the same His messenger for +good or evil. It is not unscientific to throw a line from the shore to a +ship in distress, even though thrown from the mouth of a cannon, nor is +it counted unscientific to use that same cannon in war to destroy men. + +The earthquake spoken of in the text is, indeed, a small affair in +comparison to some that have occurred in this world; and if the same God +be living now as then, surely He can rend in twain the little mountain of +Olivet. And if we grant to the infidel scientist of to-day the fact that +there is no God, still the thing prophesied of is neither unreasonable or +impossible, because what has been may be again; and as the demand in this +case is small in comparison to what has been, surely this thing may come +to pass. In times past Providence and the wants of the Church have been +timely aided by convulsions in nature, and if they were only so +accidentally, why then accidentally they may all agree again. To the +scientist, especially the geologist, there can be no great difficulty in +crediting the miracles of the text when we think of the successive +revolutions that have taken place. Fires, and floods, and earthquakes, +have done sublime service in the past, whether we credit the same to +Nature or to God. That an earthquake, or any peculiar expression of +nature, should be timed to meet a special condition of the Church or the +special purposes of a Providence, is not strange. In such an event there +really is no more wonder than that a man should set an alarm on his clock +to go off at three minutes past four in the morning. Some men can +swallow big things if you will only allow them to make out the author to +be 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, and +records the occurrence of, over 6,000 that happened between 1606 B.C. and +1842 A.D. Some of these have been terrible in force, destruction, and +extent, oftentimes changing the whole face of a country, its climate, and +river courses. The great earthquake of 1783 in Calabria, probably caused +the 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, with +an 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 the +bay some 600 feet. + +The country given to Abraham embraces all of what we call Syria. It is +central, and specially adapted for the future purposes of God through +Abraham's seed. Beginning with the North-west corner, the boundaries +will be Mount Taurus, river Euphrates, Persian Gulf, Arabian Sea, Red +Sea, River Nile, and Mediterranean, enclosing Syria, Arabia Deserts, +Arabia Felix and Arabia Petroea. Thus it will be seen that the Abrahamic +inheritance is surrounded by water, except at two points--namely, the +North-west land boundary, which is between the Euphrates and the +Mediterranean Sea. The entrance is through the mountain range of Taurus, +and forms a natural gate or mountain pass from Europe and Asia into +Palestine. Here, when the Tribes are resettled in the land of Palestine, +this gate will be in the allotment of Dan. Our Irish brethren will again +be in the North-west, where they will have to fight and defend the land +and the truth, as in days of old, for their brethren. The fact is, "Dan +shall 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 said +that Dan was a lion's whelp. Among Israel it is customary to put lions +as guards at gateways. The Southwest corner, between the Mediterranean +and the Sea of Suez, forms the other land boundary. Through this gate +will come the teeming millions of Africa. At this gate will be the Tribe +of Gad--that is, a portion of the Scotch, the lowlanders. The Tribes +will be 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 the arm with the crown of the head. And he provided the first +part for himself, because there, in a portion of the lawgiver, was he +seated." You remember that Sinai is in this portion. What sight and +foresight Jacob and Moses had! The land as thus bounded would be 600 +miles broad from the Red Sea to the River Euphrates, and 1,390 between +the Red Sea and Persian Gulf, and from the Mediterranean to the Arabian +Sea, 1,600. These boundaries you will glean by taking note of the +several promises to Abraham 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 Abraham and his seed, the descendants of Abraham never yet +occupied, no, not half of it, even in the palmy days of King Solomon. +Will it ever be? We answer, Yes, as sure as the seasons and night and +day. He is faithful that has promised, and will do it. + +This remarkable peninsula will be the theatre of the future glory of +Israel and Judah. As finely described by the Rev. A. B. Grimaldi, it +will be found to be most exactly and suitably placed to enable them to +fulfil their high destiny to all nations, and become the centre of all +lands, the praise and beauty of the whole earth. This land has, in fact, +a central position for communication, commerce, and all other advantages +of civilisation not enjoyed by any other portion of land in the whole +world; while the peculiar geographical formation is such that it has an +immense seaboard, and is therefore fitted for vaster commercial and naval +operations than have ever yet been seen, commanding, as it does, the +three most important seas and the two largest rivers of the whole world. + +This land, as laid out by Ezekiel, will be divided into thirteen +longitudinal strips, sixty miles long, and twenty broad. In the very +centre will be a portion, some fifty miles square, which will be divided +and apportioned to what is called the holy oblation--namely, in the very +middle will be the temple, a mile square, or larger than ever the whole +city 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 for +the 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 sixty +miles long by ten broad, or some 600 miles square. But it is clear he +will need it, for he will not be supported by taxes. He will have to +judge the land. He cannot take any more land. He will have to support +his own family. No public grant to his children. He will have to be +liberal with the temple. He will have sixty miles of sea coast to defend +and sixty miles of land frontier to protect, and thus cover some of the +weaker tribes. The city will have 720 square miles as a suburb, in which +to raise supplies specially for itself. It will in reality be in two +parts--one called by the prophets the profane; here will the commercial +business be done. The other part will be sacred. Into it strangers will +not enter; it will be holy--a quiet habitation. "There the glorious Lord +will be unto us a place of broad rivers and streams, wherein shall go no +gaily with oars, neither shall gallant ships pass thereby." The city +proper 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 AND +ENGLAND--PRESENT LOCALITY OF ANCIENT NATIONS--ORIGIN OF AMERICAN +REPUBLICANISM--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 it +will be blessed to live. The prophecies of Daniel are generally of a +material character--that is, they have special reference to this world +politically, and to this end he had direct and special reference to +certain kingdoms in existence at the time of writing, as well as others +that were to come into being. Of all the prophets he concerns himself +the most with positive data of the rise and fall of nations. The figures +of the data used, we freely confess, are difficult to understand and +interpret. The Church and times are greatly in need of some man +competent on this point. All prophetic students know the diversity and +confusion in this department of theology. Of all the difficult +departments of theology none exceed the numerical. The numerical +symbolism of the Bible is as yet but little understood. True, indeed, we +are improving. Aided by Providence, we are enabled to interpret some +dates by data--that is, certain events occurring locate us and point out +the prophetic period we are in. Like the captain who is unable by his +certain and usual modes of calculating to find his whereabouts, does so +by currents, the Gulf-stream, islands, colour of waters, &c., did we know +the exact quantity of Daniel's two thousand and three hundred days, his +times, time, and half a time, his seventy weeks, his thousand two hundred +and ninety days, and the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days, +then we could deal with the prophecies with a definitiveness to which as +yet we are strangers. + +The times, however, are peculiarly interesting from the very fact that +the Church is waking up to the importance of prophetic study. "Coming +events cast their shadows before," is a trite but true saying, and here +as true as anywhere. Men feel in their fears and hopes the pressure of +prophecy. The Church is remarkably anxious and unrest. Governments are +suspicious and confused. The populace are restless and threatening. +Indeed, everything conspires in Church, State, and people, to forecast +the future. A thunderstorm is felt before it is seen or heard. It +shadows 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 to +interpret their fears. Some, however, interpreted the signs of the time +and sounded an alarm. + +The few years to come are pregnant with angry forces. Men are busy in +Russia, Germany, France, England, and America, sowing the winds, and the +harvest will surely be whirlwinds. But, beyond all, the sky is clear. +War ceases, commerce revives, the nations accept a settled peace, science +and 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 banished +from the earth. Jerusalem again rises in splendour from the grave of +desolation. Again Canaan will become the glory of all lands, and +Jerusalem the glory of Canaan. Here, again, after centuries of +wandering, shall the throne of David find rest, and on it one of David's +seed, chosen and anointed of God, accepted of men, and served by the +nations. Crowned and imperial Salem shall become the home of her +long-captive sons and daughters. Israel and Judah shall meet together, +and shall be one stick, one people, having one head, one throne, one +city, one Lord, even Jesus. "Therefore, they shall come and sing in the +height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord, for +wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of +the herd; and their soul shall be as a watered garden, and they shall not +sorrow any more at all" (Jeremiah xxxi. 12). + +No one can read the prophecies that find their fulfilment after the +battle of Armageddon--or, as the prophets have it, "after those +days"--without being ravished with delight. Israel in her palmy days, +and Judah in her glory! A nation called of God, and ruled by God through +David or Solomon; how inviting! When Heaven was their Defence and +Provider; when the fidelity of men to God was enough of defence, and the +morality of a people was a rich manure giving an abundant harvest in +field, stall, and orchard; then we see the true position of a nation, its +grandeur and prosperity. I am convinced that morality has a more +intimate relation with the forces and wealth of nature than we are in the +habit 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 blessings +promised by the prophets to Israel and Judah in the latter day. + +Take notice of a few statements of the prophets responding to those +times--the times that will ensue after the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel and +the Jews are again possessed of, and settled in, Palestine. Jeremiah, in +the 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 the +land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it"--referring +to this time and the battle of Armageddon, in which Israel will be tested +as we have before shown. "Alas! for that day is great, so that none is +like it; it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved +out of it." Now, we ask, why will it be specially a time of trouble? We +answer, Because of the strength of the combined forces that will be +arrayed against Israel--that is, England. The forces, as set forth in +the Scriptures, are _thirteen on one side_, _led by Russia_, and _four on +the other_, 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, the +Jews and Israelites settled in Palestine, that will not be led astray by +Anti-Christ. + +To understand the prophets when forecasting the future, we must keep in +mind that in speaking of a nation's destiny in the future, they would +speak of it by the name it had at that time, if such a nation had an +existence at that time. But in course of time, such nations would change +their 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 find +it set forth by the prophets under the name of Edom and Esau. Moab and +Ammon 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 for +each other. Thus India was peopled at first by the descendants of +Abraham; hence they will mix with, and accept English rule sooner than +any other people. "But unto the sons of the concubines which Abraham +had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he +yet lived, Eastward, unto the East country" (Gen. xxv. 6). If we trace +back the origin of a people to their head or founder, we will better +understand their peculiarities and national idiosyncrasies. Study +Ishmael to understand the Arabs, Esau to understand the Turks, Ammon and +Moab to understand the Poles and Hungarians. Study the character and +condition of Manasseh in Egypt, as being brought up in a palace, and +being the lawful heir, but deprived of his birthright by a Providence +which he could not understand, and you have at once a key to the Pilgrim +character, and the characteristics of a real American--why he hates +titles, kings, and aristocracies. But he forgets not the place of his +youth when he had the great seal made; for on the reverse of the great +seal of the United States you will have the figure of a Pyramid crowned +with 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 the +separation of the Ten Tribes of Israel from Judah. Each wife sought to +have her son as a leader. Thus between Judah and Joseph began the spirit +of rivalry. Ephraim took up the cause of Rachel. David and Saul's +bitterness lies here. David stood for Leah, and Saul for Rachel. The +descendants of the North of Ireland, being from the Tribe of Dan, have +ever been distinct from the rest of the Irish in features, enterprise, +spirit and religion; for the others are the Canaanites of old, the +Philistines. + +Who do the thirteen enemies stand for to-day? Let me answer you briefly. +Gog stands for the Caucasians or mountain tribes of Caucasus. Magog +covers the inhabitants and country North of the Caucasian mountains, and +they are known as Tartars. Rosh, or Roosh, means the real Russians. +Their ruler is called by the Prophet Ezekiel _Nasi Roosh_. We translate +it the chief prince of Meshech. This portion, or people of Russia, are +the old Babylonians, hence the hate and rivalry between England and that +nation. Meshech means the Muscovites, who made Moscow what it is. Tubal +is found in the Siberians. Meshech and Tubal are generally mentioned +together in the Scriptures, and, strange to say, they are found together +in history to-day. Moscow is the capital of Meshech, for though to the +world St. Petersburgh seems to be, yet every imperial document is signed +and dated Moscow. Tobolski is the capital of Tubal or Siberia. Persia +still retains its ancient name, and will be easily recognised. Also the +same with Ethiopia. Libya takes in a portion of the African race. Gomer +stands for the Germans in part, for those who descended from Gomer. From +this word Gomer is Gomeron, Gemren, and the country Germia, hence, +Germany and Germans. Togarmah includes the people of Independent +Tartary. The Dragon includes China. The Beast, the Jesuits and their +followers, which will take in France, Spain, Italy, and South America; +and at first divide even England, especially Ireland, and the United +States. Anti-Christ will be chiefly sustained by the Jews, who will have +been settled in Palestine. + +The four opposing forces led by England: Sheba represents India, who is +already training for this time of battle. Dedan embraces Arabia, +especially that part occupied by the Sultan of Muscat. Merchants of +Tarshish and all the young lions, means England and her colonies, in +which is embraced the United States. Manasseh will have to stretch out a +helping hand to Jacob in the time of his trouble, for she cannot allow +liberty to be enslaved, and freedom of worship and conscience to be +trampled under foot. The plague will come here sooner than we think, by +a civil and internal division among ourselves, which will force us to +take part. The Jews that are not carried away with Anti-Christ will join +with 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 agreeable +to ancient names of people and country, they would have sounded queer. +Instead of reading of the Russians passing the Caucasus, and moving upon +Erzeroum by way of Kars, we should have read: Rapid advance of the +Babylonians under the chief prince of Meshech. Successful passage of the +Pison. The whole land of Havilah occupied. The men of Togarmah rally at +Gihon. Fierce fighting in Eden. The invaders defeated in the mountains +of Ararat. For according to ancient names of people and country, such +was the fact. It is comforting to all God's people to know from His Word +that there is a time of peace; that there is a golden age in the near +future. 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? We +answer, About the year 1957. And why that year? Because these days +evidently date there, beginning from the time the daily sacrifice is +taken away and the city trodden under foot. The little goat horn of +Daniel viii. 9 stands, we have before shown you, for 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." It stands +for Mahommedanism, which was to overturn Christianity for a given period, +a time, times, and a half time, or in figures, 1260. Now Mahommed was +accepted 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 Thy +holy city," Jerusalem. These weeks put into prophetic years make 490, +which, of course, brings us to the time when Jerusalem was destroyed by +Titus. Daniel asked how long the vision concerning the daily sacrifice +and transgression of desolation to give the sanctuary and people to be +trodden 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 have +420. Now these 420 years taken from 2,300 will bring 1880. Then the +sanctuary is to be cleansed--that is, Jerusalem will be in the possession +of England. She now is. + +From about 1880, or 1882, England will possess Jerusalem. In the twelfth +chapter of Daniel, eleventh verse, we find thirty days added to the +1,200, making 1,290; these added thirty years denote the time England +will have to contend for her right to Palestine. It will finally be +acknowledged, however, by all nations. In 1935 the battle of Armageddon +will end, but Palestine will not be fully settled down to a peaceful +possession till 1957. Then the government will be fully established and +acknowledged all over the world. The kings and Gentile nations will have +gone up to Jerusalem and given in their adherence. Then all the world +will be federated to David's throne. The year 1957 I arrive at by the +same 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 few +years--mechanically, politically, socially, and morally; the telephone, +the phonograph, the microphone, the telemachole and coming improvements +will transform our modes of labour and learning beyond our present +conception. God times inventions and improvements to the advancement of +His kingdom. + +I do not regard inventions as mere accidents, but as the outcoming of a +Divine intent through human agencies. Watts and Wesley both did good +service for the Church and the world. Edison and others of kindred minds +are scientific prophets. "The earth is the Lord's and the fulness +thereof." All is made subservient to the progress of the kingdom of +heaven. The doctrine of the evolution of man as taught by Darwin is +neither 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 increasing +facilities and agencies that make man stronger, wiser, and better. The +secret powers and forces of nature are revealed to man in the ratio of +his 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 be +Divinely prompted with an impulse of generosity not now known, for then +men will be wise enough, strong enough, and good enough, to use the same +and not abuse. The prophetic teachings glow with promises of regaling +plenty, peace and good will in those days. "I will multiply upon you man +and beasts; and they shall increase and bring fruit; and I will settle +you after your old estates, and will do better unto you than at your +beginnings; 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 the +field, that ye receive no more reproach of famine, among the heathen." I +submit and believe that all this God will do by what men are pleased to +call natural law. The Divine will not rudely break in upon His own +established 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 rise +higher and higher in his command and authority over Nature's forces. +Three several times the earth has been cursed, which curse is gradually +removed as man returns unto his God in loving and obedient service. "And +now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to +receive thy brother's blood from thy hand. When thou tillest the ground, +it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength" (Gen. iv. 11). The +secret of a world's wealth and peace lies here, and it were well if +reformers and agitators understood this. For they work best who work in +harmony 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 BUILT +FOR--AN EPITOME OF THE EARTH--THE HISTORY OF MAN CONTAINED IN IT, PAST +AND FUTURE--SCIENCE AND THE BIBLE, ETC., ETC. + +The wonderful discourses of the Rev. Dr. Wild, of Brooklyn, were +continued last Sunday evening, before a thronged congregation in Elm +Place Church. Under the organ gallery, behind the pulpit, was a +representation of the Pyramid, or as the learned doctor terms it, "the +stone Bible," its massive rectangular dark stone foundation and some of +the most interesting of its interior passages, chambers, and mysteries. +All eyes were fastened in scrutiny upon it, well knowing that some +revelation of unusual Christian interest would be made by the Doctor from +it as soon as his lecture commenced. The preliminary exercises of +singing by a well-trained choir and prayer were therefore impatiently +listened to by many whose thoughts were concentrated on the wonders of +the Pyramid and its astounding confirmation of the prophetic Scriptures. +Dr. Wild read a lesson from Job xxxviii., remarking that the author of +that book was also the engineering director or architectural author of +the Pyramid and identical with Shem and Melchisedec. The book of Job is +the oldest book in the world by 200 or 300 years. Shem, or Job, was +ninety-eight years old when he entered the ark, and he lived thirty years +after Abraham, with whom therefore he shook hands, as well as with +Methuselah, who shook hands with Adam. Only one man, therefore, stood +between Adam and Shem, and only two, or not quite two, between Adam and +Abraham. The book of Berosus, of Babylon, is the only one that compares +with Job in antiquity. This was the age of tradition before Moses +compiled the first portions of it. In the days of Abraham, Shem was the +patriarch, or oldest, of his family; and it was therefore to him he did +homage, according to the patriarchal custom, under the name of +Melchisedec, when returning from the slaughter of the kings. Shem had +brought with him from the days before the flood much of the knowledge and +wisdom which had been accumulated in the earth during the 2,000 years +previous to that event, and which was swept away when only eight persons +were saved in the ark. We have been told that the human race has +gradually improved, and that our ancestors in far off ages were monkeys, +or something of that sort, but the remains of the ruins and knowledge of +antiquity show everything the reverse of this to be the truth. Look at +that Pyramid. We could not build it to-day, with all our boasted +science. It will bear in every respect the closest scientific scrutiny. +Our greatest scientists are only beginning to comprehend the depths of +its mysteries, yet it is over 4,000 years old. The capstone on top of it +is a Pyramid in itself, in miniature, unlike anything of the kind or any +other building on the earth. The reverend gentleman then continued to +read from Job xxxviii., and shew that the writer of it was master of +astronomical and geographical science and the builder of the Pyramid, +which is a miniature of the measurement of the earth and indicates the +history of the human race. After this preliminary dissertation he took +for his text Isaiah xxviii. 29: "This also cometh forth from the Lord of +hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working." + +The Bible is a growing book, being more read and better understood as the +years pass by; and as men shall increase in knowledge and power, so the +Bible will gain in influence and authority. Opposition to its teaching, +and vaunting denial of its authority, shall be made subservient to its +interests by goading on the Church to a wiser and more noble defence and +exposition of the same. No theology can levy upon the well-defined facts +of science in confirmation of the sublime teachings of inspiration. The +Christian student need not hold himself in timid dread for fear the +scientist will discover aught in the realms of nature that will +contradict the Word of God: for as sure as God is the Author of both, so +surely shall we find an agreement between revelation and science at every +point truly understood--increased light means increased evidence. +Nations and men, nature and Providence, are united witnesses for God, and +the Scriptures, and the more we know of the past, the better shall we +understand the present and forecast the future. Let us recognise the +future. Let us recognise the important difference between the Bible +subjectively and objectively--that is, between what the Bible really is +and what men think it is. Let us be free enough, bold enough, and wise +enough, to claim the Bible itself. Let us unyoke it from tradition, +which claims to be superior, or even equal. Let us divorce it from +councils, from creeds, from sects and denominations; let us lift it up +out of the ecclesiastical rut of ages. Let us with a commendable pride +count ourselves worthy and able to formulate our own creeds, make our own +prayers and confessions, accounting that the liberties of our fathers +have been bequeathed to their children, and that the same God who gave +them liberty and power is no less gracious to us, their offsprings. +Traditions, councils, creeds, and degrees are worth much unto us as aids +to a higher life, and a nobler civilisation. The Christian fathers, the +Luthers, Calvins, Knoxes, Wesleys, and others, were our servants, as we +will be the servants of coming generations. They worked grandly, they +wrought well, they procured for us a goodly heritage; to them we are +indebted. Yet it was not their purpose nor the design of Providence to +enslave us, or to stereotype the Church for the ages to come. Increased +light is increased evidence, enabling us the better to understand the +Word of God. When a publisher has stereotyped a book, he is naturally +loath to make any change or correction; so Churches who have stereotyped +the Bible are very unwilling to change, to receive light. Hence, they +are sometimes found opposing the march of a better civilisation, proving +and sustaining all manner of institutions and tyrannies: the torturing +and terrible Inquisition of Spain, the punishment and hanging of supposed +witches 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 of +their own, Catholic, Episcopalian, Baptist, Congregational, Methodist, +&c. _So also_, theologians have often been impatient to reconcile the +Scriptures with history, even to suggest mistakes in the sacred record. +Instance Daniel being made the THIRD RULER. _They supposed it meant +second_, but later researches show that Babylon had two rulers at that +time--namely, Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar--so Daniel was made a third. +See the remains of Borsippia, near Babylon (Dan. v. 29). Now we know +that both Daniel and Berosus, the old Babylonian historians, were right, +and the Bible was right in using the word third. God in His revelation +has always been equal to man's need. Tradition--Abraham saw Shem, for +Shem lived some thirty years after Abraham's death. Shem, and +Melchisedek, and Job, are likely the same person. Certainly, Shem and +Melchisedek are the same, and by Egyptian historians called Philitis. +This Philitis was the builder of the Great Pyramid. Now Shem saw +Methuselah and Methuselah Adam. Thus, then, tradition would be +sufficient. As tradition failed, the written Word began. There is +little doubt now but that _Shem_, called also Melchisedek, was the +builder of the Pyramid, being instructed of God, as his father Noah had +been in building the ark, and as Moses with the tabernacle, and Solomon +with the temple, as the prophet in the text and context shows that the +wisdom of the man is often the gift of God. _See Moses also_. "And the +Lord spake unto Moses, saying: See, I have called by name Bezaleel, the +son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the Tribe of Judah; and I have filled him +with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in +knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship: to devise cunning works, to +work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in cutting of stones, to +set 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 Tribe +of Dan; and in the hearts of all that are wise-hearted I have put wisdom +that 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 these +times. For this precise and scientific day God has provided. Science +and the Bible are interlocked in this building; they agree, they testify +for the same God, yet they witness to the same Christ, the Providence and +history of His chosen people. This stone book could not be read till +now; 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 world +able to question and interpret this witness of the Lord in Egypt. The +scientists have been asking for some other revelation than the Bible, for +the supernatural in a scientific form, for something beyond man, for +something all could see, for something that would answer to pure science, +for something that could be seen, handled, measured, tested, and amenable +to mathematics; something superhuman, for something in which the human +and the Divine blend. Thank Heaven, all they ask is granted in this +stone monument. Here we have science forecast for thousands of years; +here we have the grandest of problems in science solved, and the +sublimest phenomena of religion and science crystalised, symbolising and +teaching the most marvellous facts in religion, sociology, and astronomy. +It is not a tomb, nor granary, nor temple, but a pillar and witness unto +the Lord of hosts. Think of a few facts. 1. Its location, the centre of +the land surface of the whole earth. Hence the best zero point on earth +for meridianal and latitudinal calculations. Central to clime--here is +no rust, moss, nor frosts to destroy, nor earthquake--a well-chosen spot +for such a pillar. 2. Its form and size--symbolising the earth quantity +in its weight of five millions of tons--the freight of 1,250 of the +largest steamers leaving New York. Its shape, or inclination from base +to apex, the same as from the pole to the equator. To express this the +builder sloped in ten feet for every nine in height. On this building +the sun can shine upon the whole of it twice a year without a shadow. +This building is the most correctly orient of any structure on the earth. +It is the highest, largest, and oldest building on earth, rising to the +height of 486 feet and a fraction, which height if multiplied by ten nine +times gives the distance of the earth from the sun; or pile a thousand +million pyramids one on the other, and the last would touch the sun. As +it stood perfect it was the circle squared; for the height is the radius +of a circle, whose circumference, if divided into four equal parts, each +part would equal one of the surface sides of the base--closer in +approximation than Walli's Indivisibles, or Newton's Fluxions, or +Liebnitz's Calculus. The door of entrance was some forty-nine feet from +its base, and 300 inches East of the centre, so as at once to express the +tilt of the earth's axis from the plane of its orbit, and by its height +from the ground express the Precession of the Equinoxes. What a witness +outwardly, when complete, of polished marble, covering some thirteen and +a half acres, within and without clean and free from idolatrous marks. +But God foretold the place and purpose of this huge pile through the +prophet Isaiah (xix. 19, 20): "In that day shall there 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." Here we see the _altar and +pillar_ are _one_ and the same, and a scientific fact is expressed when +the prophet says it shall be in the midst and on the border. The +position of the Pyramid is such, being at the sector point of Upper and +Lower Egypt, thus being on the border of both, yet in the midst. The +sector point of the arm is where the wrist joins the hand. The spreading +hand represents Lower, and the arm Upper Egypt. (See on frontispiece the +sector plate.) + +May we ask what the pillar and witness--the Pyramid--has to say on the +Jewish question, for it has not left this fact unnoticed? At the +junction of the first ascending passage with the Grand Gallery, on the +left-hand side, or East, there is a horizontal passage-way leading to +what is called the Queen's Chamber. This chamber is on the twenty-fifth +course of masonry. Now, it is allowed, the Grand Gallery expresses the +time of Christ's advent and fulness of time--enlarged liberty. The +ascending passage being only four feet high, men were cramped in passing +up, but on reaching the Grand Gallery they were free, for it is +twenty-eight feet high. + +The passage to the Queen's Chamber is only four feet, and is it not +strange that it is altogether Jewish? This low horizontal passage +terminates in a grand Sabbatic room, which symbolises the Jewish +Sabbath-week, feasts, and time periods. + +From this passage we learn that the Jews rejected Christ, and went off by +themselves, refusing the liberty of Christ. So as truly as the coming of +Christ had been forecast in this Pyramid, so had His rejection by the +Jews. + +The very mortar in this chamber is mixed with salt. The chamber is +seven-sided. The last seventh of the passage-way sinks down, giving more +room to move in. Salt was an article used freely with the Jews in +sacrificing. Seven was a sacred number. The sinking of the last seventh +part of the passageway floor may mean the enlarging privilege of the Jews +in this latter day. Of the civilised nations, only Russia and Spain +forbid them citizenship. Even Turkey admits them now as citizens. + +The Jews have been represented as being blind in part. The passage-way +and chamber have been difficult to explore because of foul air, there +being 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 stones +forming the walls of the room, all nicely cut, but for about one inch +they were not cut through into the room itself. Thus the whole was +designed is evident. This thin scale no doubt symbolises the condition +of the Jew. His eyes are now open, the time of his wandering nearly +spent, as told by this Pyramid. + +The curses foretold upon the Jews have been terribly fulfilled. So shall +the blessings foretold now in reserve. It was foretold that he would +reject Christ; so he did. But it is also foretold that he will yet look +upon Him whom he pierced, and mourn and repent, and accept the true +Messiah. Lo-ruhamah represents Lost Israel; Lo-Ammi represents cursed +Judah; Ruhamah represents Israel found; Ammi represents the curse removed +from the Jews. So now we must say, as the prophet Hosea long ago +instructed 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. The +Jews have never thought we were their brethren, the descendants of +Abraham. But God is revealing in this latter day His own great plan; and +Christ 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 more +say, The Lord liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of +Egypt; but, The Lord liveth, which brought up, and which led the seed of +the House of Israel out of the North country, and from all countries +whither 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. Great +things hath God promised, all of which He will in His own good time bring +to pass. + +The very dimensions of the doorway are of thrilling import, expressing in +square inches the time of the Adamic world, which, when added to other +figures, forecast the time of the end, or the 6,000 years, and point out +the date of the beginning of the Millennium morn, or Sabbath of the +earth--the period spoken of by Daniel when he says, "Blessed is he that +waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty +days." This period we approximated in our last Discourse, and made it +out to be about 1,957. The door-way in square inches is 1,949; take +these 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 Grand +Gallery, 1,882, and we get a total of 6,001. This is indeed a close +approximation. + + + + +SIGNS AND WONDERS. +DISCOURSE XVIII. + + +THE STONE PROPHET IS THE WILDERNESS--NO WAR FOR FOUR YEARS--THE GREAT +STRUGGLE TO COMMENCE IN 1882--PRUSSIA ANCIENT ASSYRIA--ENGLAND, GERMANY, +AND EGYPT TO BE ALLIES--THE FUTURE HISTORY OF THE WORLD--THE PHILISTINES +THE 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 knowledge +of the Jewish and Israelitish nation unless he be familiar with the early +civilisation and power of Egypt. From this land went forth the Caphtorim +to settle Palestine, led forth by the great and good Melchisedek, after +he had built the Pyramid. Under his reign they first settled Palestine, +built and made Jerusalem their capital. On the death of Melchisedek they +lost their allegiance to God, they became an idolatrous people, and were +rejected by Jehovah as His special agents. They are known in after +history under the name of Philistines, which simply means the followers +or subjects of Philitis--a name which the early historians of Egypt gave +to the builder of the Pyramid, which was none other person than +Melchisedek. By the Israelites they were driven out of Palestine, and +finally settled in the South of Ireland, as Irish historians allow. + +Another member of the family of Shem was called--namely, Abraham, from +whom came God's chosen people--Israel and the Jews. They also had to +sojourn in Egypt, and they, too, were sent to Palestine, and graffed on +to the purpose of God, where the Philistines had been broken off. + +"Have not I brought up Israel out of the land of Egypt, and the +Philistines from Caphtor?" (Amos ix. 7). + +Egypt has played a noble part in the providence of God through +Melchisedek, Abraham, Joseph, and Moses. Even the blessed Jesus is said +to be called from this land. "Out of Egypt have I called My Son." The +Egyptians gave to the world the first translation of the Hebrew Bible, +and it was for centuries the stronghold of Christianity after the +destruction of Jerusalem. The best of the Christian fathers were +Egyptians, and in the coming struggle, the great war, which will begin +about 1882, again Egypt will become conspicuous with England and Prussia. +For the Prussians are the Assyrians as the English art the Lost Tribes of +Israel. Bismarck may manoeuvre as he please, and be as pro-Russian as +Dr. Storrs, yet when the time comes he and his people will fall in with +the providential purpose, and become an ally with Israel-England; and +timid and bankrupt Egypt will then come forth to take her place once more +among the nations of the earth as an independent Power. Hear what the +prophet Isaiah says in chap. xix.: "And the Lord shall smite Egypt, He +shall smite and heal it, and they shall return even to the Lord, and He +shall be entreated of them, and shall heal them. In that day shall there +be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrians shall come into +Egypt and the Egyptians into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with +the Assyrians. In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with +Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land, whom the Lord of hosts +shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of +My hands, and Israel Mine inheritance." + +"_In that day_" refers to this day, now at hand. To this the Great +Pyramid 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 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." + +The word translated pillar is from the Hebrew word Matzaybhah, and means +a large structure--some monument that is pre-eminent. The Hebrew word +Ammood is translated pillar also, and corresponds to the English word +pillar much better. + +The word _altar_, in Hebrew, means lion, carrying with it the same +meaning as pre-eminence. And is not this Pyramid preeminent? and is it +not the lion of monuments, pre-eminent as being the oldest, pre-eminent +as being the highest, pre-eminent as being the largest, pre-eminent in +location--being _central_ to all the land surface of the earth, +pre-eminent in construction, unlike any other buildings, except such as +have been modelled after it, pre-eminent in orientation--that is, being +exactly East, North, West and South. + +Perfect orientation men in past ages and countries have tried to express +in temples, churches, observatories, and monuments, yet none have +succeeded so well as the Pyramid builders. + +The famous Uranibourg Observatory, built by aid of the European +Governments, under the skilful supervision of the learned Tycho Brahe, +was found to be five minutes of a degree askew in its orientation when +finished. + +A few years ago our Government determined to have one perfect point of +orientation, fixing upon Mount Agamenticus in the State of Maine. They, +at a great cost, and time, and labour, concluded their work, and found +they were in error somewhere about the four-hundredth part of a second; +although they tried to solve the problem by three distinct +processes--namely, differences of zenith distance, absolute zenith +distances, and by transits in prime vertical. + +How then came these ancient architects so early in the world's history +and progress to build so skilfully? How were they able some 4,000 years +ago to find the poles, and determine the latitude and longitude so +precisely? Answer, ye godless scientists, and tell us how these +monkey-men were so skilled. How did they know without your instruments +and instruction which parallel of latitude to choose so as to be on that +line which would mark the half-way of the world's surface between the +equator and the poles? + +And why did they lay bare and make smooth the lime-stone table rock on +which they built close to its Northern edge? Why press so closely to the +brink of the hill on the North side when there was plenty of room on the +South side? + +Truly this witness of God is against you. In this building are "signs +and wonders" even to this day, and as surely also are the eyes of Jehovah +open upon all the ways of the children of men. + +Know ye not that the accumulated forces and results of centuries have +been bequeathed to the present generation as a legal heritage for culture +and profit? + +Happily for us God has not left Himself without witnesses. Long before +God made bare His arm through Moses, and wrought miracles to convince +Pharaoh and the Egyptians, He had wrought one miracle, a miracle which +would 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 our +admiration. This watchman on the walls of time, this sentinel in charge +of the secrets and treasures of the sires of long ago, this prophet in +the wilderness in rugged garb, proclaiming the will of Heaven, as then +made known, and now manifest, this Daniel who can interpret for us the +future, this mile-stone of the ages, we do revere. + +By it we are enabled to adjust our chronological dates, rectify history +in some of its most important points, and judge more correctly of the +attainments of our ancestors; nay, more and better, to form a truer +estimate of ourselves and discern the finger of God in the manipulations +of men, and an overruling Providence in the rise and fall of nations. + +These signs and wonders confirm God's Word, for they prove inspiration a +fact; inspiration of a kind and in the very manner demanded by the +unbelieving scientists. Here is a building superhuman, and of course in +part supernatural, like the Bible. In this building the human and the +Divine blend. + +If any deny this, it remains with them to account for it, and show how a +people 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, if +the Divine had nothing to do with this building, then we are left to the +conclusion that man was much superior to what the Darwinian theory +admits. 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 oldest +historians. It has been counted as one of the seven wonders of the +world. + +It did not embody the ideas of the Egyptians in science, astronomy, +meteorology, or religion. As their historians allow, it was built by +foreigners which they hated. + +Nothing idolatrous was carved on it, within or without. It was a witness +pure and clean. The Egyptians proclaimed and believed the earth to be +square--this building proclaimed the earth round. The builders bevelled +the face of the rock in a ratio of eight inches to the mile--the very +quantity that science to-day admits to be the curviture of the earth--and +accepts in surveying. It was their knowledge of this fact that kept the +building 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, as +Sir Isaac Newton shows. + +This sacred cubit was a well and easily established proportion of the +earth's diameter--the very standard now used by the English Government in +surveying. + +The stones of the Pyramid were twelve feet long, eight feet broad, and +five deep, making twenty-five total. The building itself was a +five-faced figure. The Egyptians hated five. No wonder that Moses +harnessed the Israelites in fives as they left Egypt, or that he should +divide his book into five parts. + +No wonder that the Queen's Chamber should be on the twenty-fifth course +of masonry, and the King's Chamber on the fiftieth course, which is the +year 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 this +building takes its calculations from the sun circle. The Egyptian year +was 354 days, with an intercalary month of thirty-three days added every +three years. + +The year embodied in the Pyramid was 365 days, five hours, forty-eight +minutes, forty-seven and seven-tenths seconds. If a person took a rod of +a cubit length, and measured one of the base sides of the Pyramid, he +would find this twenty-five inch measure to be contained as often as +there are days in the year, with the same fraction in inches as the +hours, minutes, and seconds. + +Is it impious to ask how these builders knew the solar year so +completely? They knew the sun's circle of 448 years, which completes a +circle of time without any excess or deficiency. This they ran into +weights 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 pass +through them, but when the Grand Gallery is reached, they can stand +upright, for this gallery enlarges seven times the proportions of the +others. The first passages are only four feet high; this is +twenty-eight. + +The first ascending passage is 1,542 inches in length--the time, taking +inches for years, from the exodus of Israel from Egypt to Christ. + +Christ brings enlarged liberty. He was symbolised by the ton--the end of +weight scale. "When the fulness of time was come, God sent forth His +Son." + +Again, thirty-three inches in this gallery is an open sepulchre with +fifty-six empty graves in miniature, carved out, telling, again, by a +strange coincident, the life years of the Saviour and His resurrection; +also the number of those who rose immediately after. For "the graves +were opened, and many bodies of the saints which slept arose and came out +of the graves after His resurrection" (Matt. xxvii. 52). + +Another remarkable feature is, that at the end of this gallery, the wall +bulges forward about four inches, as if it were going to fall in. This +gallery, on the floor is 1,882 inches; on the roof, 1,878 inches. This +explains to us our very times. The shadow of war--Russia and England +appearing as if they would fight every day. But they know not the +counsels 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 open +upon all the ways of the sons of men." More next Sunday evening, God +willing, about His own marvellous witnesses. Let us praise and adore +Him. + + "_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 THE +HARP OF ISRAEL--THE FUTURE EUROPEAN ALLIANCES--ROYAL SUCCESSION OF THE +HOUSE 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 to +canvass the work and results of the same, and to compare the sequences +with the teachings of the prophets and intentions of Providence. The +results of the Congress have taken the world by surprise. The very fact +that one should have been held under the enforced conditions of the +crownless king, Disraeli, was a wonder in itself. But the wonder is not +confined to the meeting and work of the Congress, for outside of, and in +spite of the Congress, a treaty has been made which converts wonder into +amazement. Back in the middle of last May (1878), England and Turkey +formed an alliance, offensive and defensive. Nay, more, for Turkey cedes +to England the fruitful and strategic island of Cyprus. What a triangle +of strongholds--Cyprus, Malta, and Gibraltar! Shades of Bonaparte! +Where is France in these days? She is renewing her strength, and is +wisely standing aside so as not to oppose Providence. In all this there +is nothing new or strange to the prophetic student. For long ago it was +written of Israel that she should be a company of nations, and possess +the gates of her enemies. + +It is not by might, nor power of human origin, that these events must be +judged, 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 it +understanding." Here Job gives us the key to unlock the mysteries of the +crownless king and his success. The apothegm of Bonaparte is as false as +he was unsuccessful--namely, that Providence is always on the side of the +strongest 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 than +once, and will be again. For it must needs be that France break her +alliance with England, though now they are friends. France in a few +years will ally with the Beast, the Roman Church, in its last struggle +for rule and supremacy; and she will join hands with Anti-Christ. France +will repeat the follies of '93. She will again seek to dethrone +Religion, and enthrone Reason. Her Marats, Desmoulens, Herberts, +Clootzes, and Robespierres are at hand ready to overturn. And the Church +of her choice is patiently waiting to re-enact the scenes of blood and +terror of St. Bartholomew. Her time of opportunity will appear to have +come 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 France +will not forget to pay back the debt of revenge she owes to Germany, and +seek to reclaim her prestige in councils, and especially to restore her +lost influence over Egypt, Turkey, and the Mediterranean. + +Last year it would not have been so easy to see how France and England +were to become once again enemies. This Cyprus wedge has cleft open a +little farther the dark and mysterious way. + +Last Monday we received the astounding telegram of the treaty between +England and Turkey. It evidently was a surprise, we have no doubt, even +to Rev. Dr. Storrs, and the _New York Herald_, as well as to many others +who 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_ is +one 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 its +sympathies for Russia had crowded it. We like and admire the _Herald_, +because of its tact and ingenuity in getting news first from any part of +the world. Still this time she was behind time. Two years ago, from +this pulpit, we announced the exciting facts of the past week. Last +Sunday 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, the +owner of Palestine." + +If the Saxons be the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel--and most certainly they +respond to all the features that were to distinctly mark them when found, +as written in the Bible--then the English throne is a continuation of +David's throne, and the seed on it must be the seed of David, and the +inference is clear--namely, that all the blessings attaching by holy +promise to David's throne must belong to England. This is the key that +unravels and makes plain the marvellous and sublime history of the +English nation and throne. We know many scout the idea of the Lost +Tribes ever being found, although over thirty times God declares by the +prophets that they must return; surely before they return they must be +found. God has not cast away His people for ever. No, no. He declares +Israel to be His inheritance, and that this people He had formed for +Himself. + +The Two Tribes forming the Jews of to-day are said by the best +calculation to number about nine millions. If, then, the Two Tribes +number nine millions, how many ought we to expect the Ten Tribes to +number? If the Two Tribes have stood and survived the shock and +persecution of centuries when known, and therefore open to assault, is it +not reasonable to suppose that the Ten Tribes will be in existence, a +numerous and powerful people, for they have been hid, and thus have they +evaded the persecution that a knowledge of their nationality would have +entailed upon them from the Gentile and Pagan nations? + +Some, indeed, persist in looking for God's chosen seed--His people, His +inheritance--among the bushmen of Africa, the Indians of America; indeed +wherever they can find a people mean, and few, and very low in the scale +of civilisation. They overlook the fact that Israel, not the Jews, were +to be the most powerful and prolific people on the face of the earth, to +be as sands of the sea, as the stars of heaven. Especially were these +promises to be true in the latter day--for then God promises to multiply +them, men, beasts, and the fruits of the field. This is one of the signs +of the times, and it is a remarkable one. See our harvest, see our +cattle, and see the Saxon race--doubling, at least, every forty years. +No other nation is doubling at that rate. Germany comes the nearest, and +both in Prussia and Austria they only double every one hundred years. In +one hundred years from to-day the Saxons will control the world for peace +and Christ. + +To this end God is overturning, and will overturn until the whole world +shall be federated around one throne, and that throne is David's--the +only throne God ever directly established, and the only one He has +promised perpetuity to. God has a land--Palestine. He has a +people--Israel. He has a throne--David's, and for that throne He has a +seed, just as the seed of Levi was selected for Temple service. + +This kingdom is the fifth kingdom, to be set up in the latter days of +those kings, says Daniel. The kingdom was never to be left unto other +people. It is typified by the stone cut out of the mountain that is to +fill the world. Why then stand amazed at the cession of Cyprus to +England, if she be Israel. To her was promised the isles of the sea, the +coasts of the earth, the waste and desolate places--the heathen and +uttermost parts of the earth, as a possession. Already out of the +fifty-one million square miles which composes the earth, England, +including the United States, now owns about fourteen millions, or say +one-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 it +will not be long before the kingdoms of this world will be given to the +saints of the Most High. It is no marvel in the light and instruction of +prophecy that this throne and people should be so stable and prosperous. + +Turn your attention to the founding of this throne of David. You will +find the throne and seed unconditionally federated, the place and measure +of prosperity conditioned on the obedience of the people and throne to +God. "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 for +ever_, and build up thy throne to _all_ generations" (Psalm lxxxix. 3, +4). This promise is to all generations--not a part, nor simply for sixty +years. For the kingdom was rent in twain when Rehoboam, the grandson of +David, began to reign. The throne of David would be about the poorest +type of Christ's throne and rule, and reign, if we can only see it in +Palestine. There it was soon divided, very corrupt. "If ye can break My +covenant of the day and night in their season, then may also My covenant +be broken with David My servant, that he should not have a son to reign +upon his throne . . . Thus saith the Lord: If My covenant be not with day +and night, and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and +earth, then will I cast away the seed of Jacob and David My servant, so +that I will not take any of _his seed_ to be rulers over the seed of +Abraham" (Jer. xxxiii. 25, 26). Let anybody of the same mind read the +seventh chapter of the second book of Samuel, and they will see that God +promised to David that his house and kingdom should be established for +ever, and that God would set up the seed of David after him. Well might +David exclaim when he sat before the Lord, "Who am I, O Lord God, and +what is my house, that Thou hast brought me hitherto? And this was yet a +small 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 will +not 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, and +settled and prospered. But God told him that "He would appoint a place +for _My people Israel_, and will plant them that they may dwell in a +place of their own and move no more." This promise was to Israel. If +the promises of the multitudinous seed were to be fulfilled to Israel, +then it would be necessary to find them another place, for Palestine +wouldn't hold them. So God has planted them. God never promised to find +the Jews another country; Palestine is specially reserved for them. They +have been without country, king, or government. In the year 725 B.C. the +Jews and Israelites were separated, and since that time they have never +been united. But the day is coming, says the prophet, when they shall +dwell together and appoint one head over them. The Israelites are only +to 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 of +David. Zedekiah died in Babylon. He placed upon the throne of David, +Gedaliah. Now Gedaliah was not of the seed royal: but God was displeased +and permitted the crown to go to others. Ezekiel was taken captive to +Babylon in the reign of Jehoiachim, the father of Zedekiah. The prophecy +of the text was written in Babylon, and refers to Zedekiah, whom Ezekiel +calls the "wicked prince of Israel, whose day is come, iniquity shall +have an end. Thus saith the Lord God, Remove the diadem and take off the +crown, this shall not be the same; exalt him that is low, and abase him +that is high. I will overturn, overturn, overturn it, and it shall be no +more 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 last +prince of the House of David that ever reigned in Palestine. God removed +the diadem. But in the course of time a lawful heir of the seed of David +shall appear, and the throne and the seed will be established again in +Jerusalem. It is to this end Providence is overturning Turkey to make +way for this seed royal. But where is this seed royal? Answer: It is on +the English throne. Listen carefully to the following: + +Jeremiah tells us that with him he had the daughters of Zedekiah, who had +by some means escaped the destroying edicts of Nebuchadnezzar (Jer. +xliii. 6). And from Jer. xliv. 14, we learn that they visited Egypt, and +from 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 charge +of the royal seed. He could not stay in Egypt, nor in Palestine, nor +would he go to Babylon. Where, then, did the prophet go? He no doubt +took ship with the Danites, and sailed for Cornwall, in England, for this +place was called Tarshish. We learn from Ezekiel the ships of Dan traded +in tin, and other things. History and tradition both agree that there +landed 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 life +will 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 once +understood who their visitor was. They called him Olam Folla, meaning a +Divine man or teacher. The princess was called Tea Tephi, the beautiful +one from the East. This princess was married to Heremon, of Ulster, the +king of Lothair Croffin, for such was the name of the city of Tara. This +word Tara is Arat spelled backward. The Hebrew reads from right to left; +English left to right. Lothair Croffin was changed into Tara at the time +of the wedding. Tara means law. Thus began the seed of David to take +root, and from there it spread over all Ireland, then to Scotland, thence +to England, and Jacob's Stone in Westminster Abbey marks the journey of +David's throne, and has always kept with the seed, and they have been +always crowned on it. Ezekiel's riddle is at once solved. The tender +twigs were Zedekiah's daughters. One of these twigs was planted by the +great waters in a land of traffic. Our Episcopalian friends intended by +their beautiful service to aid the members of their communion to read in +order, and through the Bible, or a given portion of each chapter, once +per year. But strange to say, this 17th chapter of Ezekiel, they have +left out both of the Old and New Lectionary. It is itself a riddle, why +this should so happen, that the only two chapters of the Bible left out +or proscribed are the 17th and 21st of Ezekiel. Surely blindness in part +has happened to Israel, and what we esteemed as accidental in the +increased light of Revelation, stands to view as the ordered purposes of +an all-seeing God. + +The royal standard of England has nine lions on it and a unicorn. Let +anyone set this standard before him as a map, the right hand will +represent East, the top North, left West, the bottom South. The unicorn +comes from the East, it has a chain round its neck. So the Tribe of +Benjamin came that way, and, as Normans, were finally attached to the +throne. The big lion comes from the West, so it did from Ireland to +Scotland and London. On the top we have a crown, and on the top of this +we have a lion. On the first quarter are three lions, second quarter +one, on the third a stringed harp with an angel's head, and on the fourth +three lions, the total of lions nine, and an unicorn. The fact is, this +standard, had we time, teaches a world of history, and with the Psalmist +we may say: "Thou hast given a banner to them that fear Thee; that it may +be displayed because of the truth" (Psalm lx. 4). The genealogy and +descent of Queen Victoria from Zedekiah we will furnish you. This +genealogy has been got up by the faithful and very persevering labours of +Rev. F. R. A. Glover, M.A., and Rev. A. B. Grimaldi, M.A., two +Episcopalian clergymen of England. The chart is supposed to be as near +perfect as any such thing can be. If any of you find any defect be kind +enough and let me know. In the following genealogy those who reigned +have K. prefixed--the dates after private names refer to their birth and +death, 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's +daughter. 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 of +Saxe-Gotha. + +148. K. George III. (1760-1830), Princess Sophia of Mecklenburgh +Strelitz (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 is +assuring and grand. God will assuredly overturn till His throne once +more is planted in Jerusalem. + + + + +JEREMIAH AND ST. PATRICK. +Discourse XX. + + +THE PROPHET'S COMMISSION--HIS LIFE--THE TRIBES IN HIS DAY--LANDING OF +JEREMIAH IN IRELAND--WHAT HE BROUGHT WITH HIM--COLONISATION OF +IRELAND--JEREMIAH THE FOUNDER OF THE ANCIENT IRISH GOVERNMENT AND +RELIGION--TEA TEPHI AND HEREMON--THE ANCIENT IRISH FLAG--THE HARP AND +LION--SEASON OF IRELAND'S HISTORICAL PRESTIGE--CAUSES OF HER DECLINE--ST. +PATRICK A BENJAMITE--HOW ROME DESTROYED JEREMIAH'S MEMORY AMONG THE +IRISH--DESTRUCTION OF TARA--ULSTER NEVER CONQUERED--IRISH +INDEPENDENCE--ARK OF 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 the +prophet Jeremiah. Never before, or since, was such a commission given to +mortal man. It is not that Jeremiah is constituted a prophet for his own +people, or over his own nation, and country, but he was Divinely +appointed and set over the nations and kingdoms of the earth, with an +authority "to root out, pull down, destroy, and throw down." Surely he +was rightly named, for the word Jeremiah means the exalted, or appointed +one of the Lord. By common consent, the Jews gave him the first place +and name among the prophets. Up to the time of the Babylonian captivity +he was second, Isaiah being first. But after the captivity, on the +re-arrangement of the holy canon, his name was put first, and ever after +he was regarded and accepted as the patron saint of Judea. He was born +of 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 of +Benjamin. His work and commission awaited him, because they antedated +his birth, for he says (chap. i. 4), "Then the word of the Lord came unto +me, saying, Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before +thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee +a _prophet unto the nations_." Jeremiah's life-work, extent, and +devotion, can only find a parallel in the majesty and compass of his +commission. It is the extent of this commission that I wish you would +specially notice, for it is neither tribal nor national in its +limitations. He was ordained a prophet unto the nations. Hear the voice +of his wailing (chapter xv. 10), "Woe is me, my mother, that thou hast +borne 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 that +he was forbidden to marry in his own land, for "the Word of the Lord came +unto me, saying, Thou shalt not take thee a wife, neither shalt thou have +sons and daughters in this place" (Jeremiah xvi. 2). The claims of a +wife and cares of a family could only have been harshly fitted on to such +a work and commission. Indeed, every peculiar fact in the life of +Jeremiah may be best accounted for by taking into consideration the +greatness of his commission. To discard this is simply to invite +confusion, and yet, strange to say, many prefer confusion rather than +admit that he performed the _role_ assigned him of Heaven. For this very +reason writers, even Jewish historians, are at a loss to account for the +latter half of the prophet's life. They do not seem to know where he +spent his last days; they know not the time, manner, nor place of his +death. And why, you ask? We answer, Because they selfishly and +persistently limited his life and labours to his own land. They have not +been willing to allow that he was set as a prophet over nations and +kingdoms. Then again, they have been willing to allow him to be a puller +down and destroyer, but not a builder and planter. To grant that he was +a builder and planter, would have obliged them to have found the place of +his building and the objects of his planting. These they well knew could +not be found in Palestine, and they were as loath as many are unwilling +to-day to permit Jeremiah to leave his own land. A man who would be +equal to the Bible must be large-hearted, generous, and free, not +fettered and bound by the errors of youthful training, the selfishness of +sectarianism, the bigotry of orthodoxy, or the indifference of +infidelity, but seek the truth, no matter from whence, or what it upsets +or 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 to +what you have got. + +Try now, and reasonably and patiently follow me while I trace the +wanderings of Jeremiah to Old Ireland. You will be surprised to find how +intimate Irishology and theology are. + +Ireland and the Tribe of Dan have a peculiar history, which history only +can be made plain by reference to the Bible. Ireland has had much to +undergo, yet of it God says, "To the islands He will repay recompense: so +shall 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, and +England was Tarshish, and Dannoii and Baratamac, or Land of Tin. Yar in +Eirin means the land of the setting sun. Hibernia is an Hebrew word, and +means from beyond the river of waters. + +Two colonies settled in Ireland; the first, the Phoenicians, who were the +Philistines or ancient Canaanites; the second settlers were the Tuath de +Danan, meaning the Tribe of Dan. The words are Hebrew, yet in Irish. +For further information let any one read "Pinnock's Catechism on +Ireland." The Phoenicians were a sea-faring people; pressed by Israel, +Egypt, and Assyria, they finally left Canaan, and settled in Ireland. We +find nine-tenths of Irish historians agreeing on this. Then the +monuments teach the same--ancient inscriptions, one of which written was, +"We are Canaanites who have fled from Joshua, the son of Nun, the +robber." The people who show tourists the seven churches of +Glendenlough, say they are Hittites and Hivites. Again, ruins of Baal +temples, Cromlechs, round towers, go to confirm the same. Customs--Baal +fires, on May eve, in Irish Ninna-baal-tinne; funeral wakes, or cup of +consolation, forbidden to Israel when they sought to copy after the +Philistines. "Neither shall men give them the cup of consolation to +drink for father or mother" (Jer. xvi. 7). The Irish language came from +the Phoenician, the alphabet of both being composed of sixteen letters +originally, the only alphabet in the world so agreeing. From the Irish +came the Gaelic, Welsh, Cornwall, and the Manx from them all. + +The second settlement of Ireland is what puzzles historians of +to-day--not the 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 a divine folk. The Tribe of Dan was a sea-faring Tribe, +trading from Tyre to Tarshish for tin, and so became acquainted with the +British Isles, and during Ahab's persecution many of them fled; so of the +Simeonites who settled in Wales. This shows us why the North and South +of Ireland should be so distinct to this day in religion, enterprise, and +general characteristics. When the Tribe of Dan finally left Palestine, +they with the other Nine Tribes went North, settling in Denmark, as in +the North of Ireland, leaving their names on rivers, hills, cities, and +things. + +It is this that accounts for so many words of an Hebrew origin being +found in the Irish language. General Vallancy has compared thousands and +finds them thus related to the Hebrew. Instance: Jobhan-Moran, Chief +Justice; Rectaire, Judge; Mur-Ollam, School of the Prophets; Ollam-Folla, +Divine Teacher; Mergech, a Depository; Tara, Law; Tephi, Prince of the +East; Lia-Fail, Stone of Destiny; Eden Gedoulah, Precious Stone. + +If to Irish history we join Bible history, all is plain. God promised +David repeatedly that he should always have his throne and on it his +seed. The permanence of David's throne makes it a fit type of Christ's. +Now, Jeremiah took charge of Zedekiah's daughter when Nebuchadnezzar took +the Jews captive. He went to Egypt, then escaped, God promising to keep +him whithersoever he went. So he disappears. No account of his death in +the Bible. He had charge of the ark of the covenant, royal seed and +Jacob's pillow--the stone of Israel. Irish histories, some twenty of +which we find agree, say that about 585 B.C., a divine man landed in +Ulster, 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's +daughter, to Eoiacaid, who agreed to abandon Baal worship and build a +school for the prophets. So he did. He then assumed the title of +Heremon of Tara. From Tara, which was changed from Lothair Croffin into +Tara. From Tephi comes our goddess of Liberty, on old coins, sitting on +a lion. Now, at Tara, Jeremiah buried the ark of the covenant, tables of +law, &c., and instituted the nine-arch degree of Masonry, to keep in mind +its hiding-place,--so all may understand Jer. iii. 16: "And it shall come +to 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 the +Lord; neither shall it come to mind; neither shall they remember it; +neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more." This +means that when the ark is found the ceremony will end; for the ark has +to 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, then +St. 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 knew +that Judah, Levi, and Benjamin, were in Babylon, filling in the seventy +years of captivity, and the small remnant that Nebuchadnezzar left of +them in Judah were scattered hither and thither. The Nine Tribes, or +Israel, were settled in Central Asia, and were spreading Northward and +Westward. This he knew, as easily as Peter did centuries after, when he +wrote his epistle to the brethren, scattered abroad in Pontus, Galatia, +Cappadocia, and Asia; or as James, who dedicated his epistle to the +Twelve Tribes which were scattered abroad; or as the Blessed Master who +commissioned and sent His disciples after the lost sheep of the House of +Israel. The place and locality of the Nine Tribes were known to the +Jewish nation in the time of Josephus, the historian, for he speaks of +them, and gives them a fraternal letter which the House of Judah sent +unto the House of Israel. You are to keep in mind that it is after this +the Tribes of Israel are to be lost. All prophecies after 700 B.C., up +to 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 these +prophecies not being understood, till these latter days, Israel was as +actually lost as if there had been no such prophecies. These prophecies +were 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 then +the "isles had to wait for the law." In due time this law was carried to +them by the missionary Tribe of Benjamin. This very thing and time the +prophet had foretold, for he says: "Wherefore glorify ye the Lord by the +Urim; the name of the Lord God of Israel in the islands of the Western +sea." 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 their +trading they had become acquainted with Northern Europe and the British +Isles. During the persecutions of Ahab thousands of them had left +Palestine, settling in Denmark--this word Denmark means the circle of +Dan. In course of time they crossed the sea and took possession of the +North of 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 of these 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 way of the other Tribes; and the royal seed, the ruling +power, shall hide itself in him. "Dan shall be a serpent by the way; an +adder in the path that 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 Thy salvation, O Lord." Dan did wait, until the prophet +Jeremiah landed in his midst with Tea Tephi, the daughter of Zedekiah, +the royal seed, with the 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, the pillar witness, which is now in the royal chair in +Westminster Abbey; and also with the standard of Judah. Thus the +prophet, who was the rightful custodian of all these things, carefully +cared for the same, leaving them in charge of Dan. All but the stone +have been concealed till the latter day. For on this stone have been +crowned all the kings and queens of David's line. + +Now just here we must take up history--especially Irish history--for in +this matter and at this very point, you will find profane and sacred +histories agreeing. One will beautifully explain the other; nor can +anybody understand Irish history unless they get the key from sacred +history. To take this key later writers have been unwilling, and, +therefore, they have been unable to solve the problem embodied in this +race and nation. No people on the face of the earth have been less +understood and more misrepresented. The real allophyllians of +Ireland--that is, the first native settlers--are unknown. The present +inhabitants are not autochthonal, no more than we are the first settlers +of this country. On one point all old historians are agreed--namely, +that Ireland has been settled by two distinct colonies of people; and +from these two colonies came the present Irish race. These two colonies +were distinct in features, manners, customs, enterprise, and religion, +and after all these centuries have passed away, these differences are +discernable in some degree, especially so in enterprise and religion. +And though, of course, in these latter years, they have become +considerably mixed, yet an appeal on either of these points will mark out +the Danite from the Phoenician. From the loud boasting of the Phoenician +Irishman in Ireland, when speaking of America, you would think that he +would pluck out his eyes and give them for a gift if need be. Well, a +few years ago, Chicago was bitterly scourged with a fire. The need and +distress thus caused appealed to the nations of the earth for help. The +response 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 the +Tribe of Dan; Dublin in the South, of the Phoenicians. Belfast sent +36,000 dols.; Dublin, 2,000 dols. Why this difference? We answer, +Forsooth, the people of Belfast are Danites; they of Dublin are +Phoenicians. + +The Phoenicians, or Philistines, were the ancient Canaanites. They took +early possession of Ireland. On this point the old as well as the new +historians generally agree. But there was another early settlement in +the North of Ireland whom the historians called _Tuath de Danan_, which +simply means the folks of the Tribe of Dan. They introduced into the +Irish language hundreds of Hebrew words, with many customs and legends of +the Hebrews. They were very distinct in their enterprise and religion +from the other settlers. About the year 580 B.C. there appeared before +this people a strange man, whom the historians call _Ollam-Folla_, which +means a divine teacher; the name or title is in Hebrew. This man, +whoever he was, soon wielded great power in their midst. What he +commanded they seemed ready to do. He very soon inaugurated wonderful +reforms. He gave them a parliament, made them give up their idolatrous +customs. He founded a college to train students to teach and preach his +religion. It was called _Mur-Ollam_, school of the Divine. Here again +the name is Hebrew, although in Irish. This wonderful man had with him a +fair young princess, whose name in Hebrew-Irish was _Tea Tephi_, which +means the beautiful one from the East. This lovely princess was married +to the governor of Ulster, Heremon. He resided in the City of Lothair +Croffin. In the agreement of the marriage, among many things, he was to +accept 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 or +banner emblem, the harp and lion, and to be crowned on the wonderful +stone called in Irish-Hebrew, _Lia-Fail_, which means stone of destiny, +sometimes called _Eben Gedoulah_, the precious stone. From this Tea +Tephi we get our female goddess of liberty, who on old coins is seated +upon a lion with the Davidian harp in her hand. + +Our text tells us that Jeremiah was to plant and build up. Here he +planted, and here he did build. He planted and built a throne, a +college, and a religion. Turn to Ezekiel, chapter xvi., and read the +famous riddle. Tea Tephi is the tender twig that was cropped off from +the high cedar, King Zedekiah, and planted among the merchants by great +waters on the mountain of Israel. She was the tender one that was to +take root downward. To Jeremiah, the Lord said, "Verily it shall be well +with thy remnant." Nay, more, He told him that He would give him his +life 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 again +take root downward, and bear fruit upward. For out of Jerusalem shall go +forth a remnant and they that escape out of Mount Zion; the zeal of the +Lord of hosts shall do this." And Ezekiel, in his captivity, sent forth +a prophecy referring to the wicked prince, Zedekiah, saying of his throne +in the name of Jehovah: "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." So was this throne overturned, and was never after established in +Jerusalem. You will notice that there are three overturnings, and as +Scriptural language is emphatic and not superfluous or tautological, +these overturnings mean something. Turn to history, and you will find +this throne has been turned over just three times--first, from Jerusalem +to Ireland; second, through King Fergus to Scotland, and, third, through +King James, from Scotland to England. This throne can never be turned +over again, for Jerusalem will be incorporated into the British Empire. +The throne has turned over till it got home again; hence, as surely as we +live, Palestine will go into the hands of England. The throne, religion, +and education established by the prophet have ever kept together. This +is the secret of Ireland's prestige and marvellous pre-eminence in +centuries past. The college of Armach could boast of 7,000 students at a +time. Missionaries went forth from Ireland through all Europe, teaching +Christianity, 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 to +her when she permitted her religion to be corrupted and controlled by +foreigners; and by these same Italian intriguers she is now impoverished +and enslaved. But for this the throne might have remained with her +to-day, and England and Scotland have been under her. But when a nation +loses her religion, she loses the right arm of power, and the ability to +preserve freedom. + +Jeremiah was the patron-saint for Ireland for a long time. Simeon (the +Welsh) had and have David; and as surely as the Welsh have kept their +saint, so surely ought Ireland. St. Patrick is looked upon by many as a +mythical person. I believe, however, that he was a veritable man. The +best 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 is +reported as having died March 17th, 465, in the county Down. His +father's name was Calpurnius. Young Calpurnius, or St. Patrick, as he +was afterwards called, had a hard life of it in youth. I believe him to +have been a Benjamite, a Christian; for the Benjamites began to fill in +that part of France about that period. This Tribe were by nature +missionaries. This prompted him to desire to redeem his brethren in +Ireland. In Ulster he began his labours. From this same Tribe others +had visited Ireland. History mentions four who preceded St. Patrick. +The name of St. Paul, by many, is connected with a visit to Ireland. It +is very easy to see how Jeremiah, the patron-saint of Judah, would be +installed in such a relation with the Danites after his death. He was +the real sainted patriarch of Ireland. And by a crafty design of Rome, +young Calpurnius was created sainted patriarch, or St. Patrick, and by +this means Rome linked the greater part of the Irish nation on to +herself. Anybody honest and familiar with history knows that St. Patrick +was a Christian, and in no sense of the word a Roman Catholic. The fact +is, Rome began early to covet Ireland. Once they got possession, it was +necessary for them to destroy the influence of Jeremiah. This they did, +in part, by substituting the name of St. Patrick in the place of the +prophet's; and more, they then set to work to destroy even the old and +famous capital city of Tara. In 565 St. Ruadham, along with a _posse_ of +bishops and chiefs of the South of Ireland, cursed the city, so that +neither King nor Queen might ever rule or reign therein again. They +forced the government, monarchy and people to abandon the place. From +thence Tara was deserted, and the harp sounded no more through Tara's +halls. The city thus cursed crumbled to ruins, and remains to this day +buried, 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 +the Shannon--Rome never got, nor never will. Irishmen clamour for +independence, to be free from England, and wonder why they are not. The +reason is that God cannot trust liberty to them; for a people that yoke +themselves to a foreigner, and give themselves over to be governed in +spiritual matters, would make a poor effort if trusted with their +temporal government. We all know that if Ireland had been free, she +would not long have remained so, for body, as well as soul, she would +have committed to the Italians. Why Irish Catholics should ask for +freedom when they so voluntarily bind themselves to a foreigner, I fail +to 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 of +the South ask and demand, and stop not short of freedom from Rome. A +free religion is the parent of a free State, and a free State of free +school. A people who are not wise enough to take care of their own +religion, are very poorly prepared to be the guardians of liberty. My +belief is that Ireland ought to be free. She ought to be an independent +province, with responsible government, as other English provinces. And +once she becomes free religiously, it will not be long before she will be +free politically. Substitute Jeremiah for St. Patrick, and the Lord +Jesus 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, published +by Robert Banks, price 2d. + +{159} This Discourse we give to the reader as reported. 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