the Mohammedan armies to commence their tor ment on a certain people for 150 years?

Verse 10, the period is again referred to. "And their power was to hurt men five months." The 11th verse pointed out the time when those months were to commence. "And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, (that is, a destroyer,) but in the Greek tongue he hath his name Apollyon," (destroyer.)

The beginning of the five months, then, is when these armies have ONE king over them, of the character above described.

After the death of Mahomet, his followers were divided into various factions, under several leaders. In this state they continued until the close of the 13th century. They were then united under one government, under Othman, the founder of the Ottoman or Turkish empire. The founder of the government, as well as the government itself, was truly described when called Abaddon, or Apollyon, a destroyer.

But this king was to be the angel, or chief minister, of the bottomless pit, or of the religion. which arose from thence under Mahomet. Such was Othman; and such have been his successors. Like the Pope of Rome, the Turkish Sultan has exercised supreme power, both civil and ecclesiastical, throughout his dominions. This empire was established A. D. 1299. "And on the 27th day of July, 1299, Othman first invaded the territory of Nicomedia," to commence his attack on the Greek empire. (See

Gibbon's History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.)

Beginning in 1299, the 150 years would end A. D. 1449. In that year, John Palealogus, the Greek emperor, died, and left no children to suc ceed him in the throne; and his brother Constan tine Deacozes was to succeed him. But, from some cause or other, although it was a time of peace, before he dared to ascend his brother's throne, he sent ambassadors to Amurath, the Turkish Sultan, to ask his permission; and having obtained it, he assumed the government of the empire. Thus, for 150 years, from 1299 to 1449, although the two powers were almost continually engaged in broils and contentions, yet the Turks could not prevail against the Greeks. "Their power was to torment," by sudden excur sions. Thus far they might go, but no farther. The 150 years ended, and with it virtually ended the Greek empire; because from that time the Greek emperor only reigned by permission of his deadly foe. Thus closed the sounding of the fifth angel, and thus ended the first woe. The men then which they were to torment were the Greeks.

SOUNDING OF THE SIXTH ANGEL.

Verses 12-15. "One wo is past, and behold there come two woes more hereafter. And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, 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, to slay the third part of men."

One wo ended with the 5 months or 150 years, and two more were to succeed it. The second wo began when the sixth angel began to sound. The same power which had restrained the Ottomans to the work of tormenting men five months, on the sounding of the sixth angel commanded that restraint to be taken off. "Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. And the four angels were loosed."

The four angels" are the four principal nations of which the Ottoman empire is composed, located in the neighborhood of the Euphrates. They had hitherto been confined to the work of tormenting the Greeks, without politically putting them to death. But from this time they were to slay, politically kill, that nation.

Accordingly, when the 150 years ended, the Turks were loosed, and the independence of the Greeks ceased, by their voluntarily acknowledging that they only existed politically by the permission of the Turkish Sultan.

But the duration of their dominion over the Greek empire is limited to "an hour," 15 days; "and a day," one year; "and a month," 30 years; "and a year," 360 years; the whole amounting to 391 years and 15 days. Both periods, the 150 years, and 391 years and 15 days, are 541 years and 15 days. The first period was fulfilled, and the four angels were loosed. Hence, we may expect that when the second period closes, with it will close the reign of the Otto

mans in Constantinople. If the time for com mencing the periods was at the time of the first onset of the Ottomans upon the Greeks, July 27th, 1299, THEN THE WHOLE PERIOD WILL END IN AUGUST, 1840.

All observers of the signs of the times must acknowledge that, from present appearances in the eastern world, there is nothing improbable in the idea that the Turkish power will fall in the course of the present year. If it does, we shall be furnished with another demonstration of the fulfilment of prophetic periods, and shall be able to decide with certainty that the 9th chapter of Revelation predicts the Mohammedan government. The conclusion, also, that the sounding of the last trump is at the door, will be inevitable and irresistible to all who believe the word of God.

I wish to invite the reader's particular attention. to this point. It is, on some accounts, the most important event of time predicted, and to take place in futurity. After the fall of Constantinople, or the Turkish power located there, we may not look for any very signal event to take place as an index of the coming of the Lord, until the mystery of God is finished.

ACCOMPLISHMENT OF THE FOREGOING CALCULATIONS.

When the above was written, the result was in futurity, and was purely a matter of calculation; but now, however, the time is passed, and it is

proper that we should inquire whether the event has answered the calculations.

1. HAS, THEN, THE OTTOMAN SUPREMACY IN CONSTANTINOPLE BEEN BROKEN, OR HAS IT BEEN

LOST?

1st Testimony. The London Morning Herald, after the capture of St. Jean d'Acre, speaking of the state of things in the Ottoman empire, says: "We (the allies) have conquered St. Jean d'Acre. We have dissipated into thin air the prestige that till lately invested as with a halo the name of Mehemet Ali. We have, in all probability, destroyed forever the power of that hitherto successful ruler. But have we done aught to restore strength to the Ottoman empire? WE FEAR NOT. BEEN REDUCED TO THE RANK OF A PUPPET; AND

WE FEAR THAT THE SULTAN HAS

THAT THE SOURCES OF THE TURKISH EMPIRE'S. STRENGTH are ENTIRELY DESTROYED."

"If the supremacy of the Sultan is hereafter to be maintained in Egypt, it must be maintained, we fear, by the unceasing intervention of England and Russia."

What the London Morning Herald last November feared has since been realized. The Sultan has been entirely, in all the great questions which have come up, under the dictation of the christian kingdoms of Europe: and on them he has been dependent for support against Mehemet.

2d Testimony. The following is from Rev. Mr. Goodell, missionary of the American Board at Constantinople, addressed to the Board, and by them published in the Missionary Herald, for April, 1841, page 160::--

"The power of Islamism is broken forever; and