תמונות בעמוד
PDF
ePub

and Smyrna, hundreds died of the cholera every day. And although the accounts vary in detail, all denote a terrible mortality. Earthquakes, floods, pestilences, have been added to wars and internal commotions, such as might shake the stability of the firmest government-if any were verily stable in these days of general pestilence and peril: but least of all does the empire of Turkey seem competent or fated to withstand such shocks, and to survive much longer such accumulated calamities. Yet the question now is, whether there be facts enough indicative of decay, disorganization, and death, which shew that since the boding calm that preceded the year 1820, while the last plagues are coming on the earth and in the course of fulfilment, the vial of wrath has already left tokens that it has began to be poured upon the great river Euphrates. There is, we apprehend, many a sign to shew; and many a sign to be still seen. And having been brought to this point by the whole course of antecedent events, as historically recorded, we would now draw the conclusion, as we have endeavoured to establish the premises, in other and better words than our own.

"The gradual wasting of the strength of the Ottoman empire is strikingly foretold in Scripture, under the emblem of the drying up of the great river Euphrates, that the way of the kings of the east may be prepared. No prophecy could be in a course of more striking fulfilment ; and as simultaneously with the accomplishment of this prediction, the 'marks' of the last days are becoming daily more strongly impressed on the men, and opinions and events of the present generation, it peculiarly becomes the church to be standing on her watch-tower, looking with interest, sobriety, faith, and hope, on the things which the Lord is bringing on the earth.”*

* Record.

It has been the single object of the writer throughout the preceding pages to trace the accordance between history and prophecy through past ages to the present day, that, in this respect, the signs of these times may be seen. It is not his purpose here to point to "other marks of the last days," or to look to the signs of other times, beyond those which history has brought already into view. But that such "marks" are daily impressed upon the events of the present generation, the renewed signs may perhaps be already rising into view. We have seen the river Euphrates flowing from its sources in the mountains, and overflowing many countries, till at last it has begun to be dried up. The drying of its waters is preparatory for the way of the kings of the east. They have not yet passed over its channel, which is still drying up; but if by the kings of the east, the Jews or Israelites be designed, some sign may be seen that the preparation of their way is begun.

66

The angel, in revealing the last vision of Daniel, thus announced its purpose. "I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days." And comparing things spiritual with spiritual, we read in reference to the fall of the empire of the grand seignior, of which Judea forms part, And tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: and he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many. And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palaces (or the tents of his camp, or pavilion) between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him. And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the CHILDREN OF THY PEOPLE; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that same time:

[merged small][ocr errors]

and at that time THY PEOPLE SHALL BE DELIVERED, every one that shall be found written in the book.

The event cannot yet be determined; nor is the mode of the fulfilment of the prophecy a matter of revelation; in its appointed time once fully come, it will then speak and not lie: and all, perhaps, that can yet be seen, if even that be discernible by our feeble sight, is some sign of the declared process of preparation. It is at least worthy of remark and observation, that while perfect religious freedom has been bequeathed to the numerous Jews in the territory of Algiers by the conquest of the French, while they now are there governed by rulers of their own choice and of their own nation, a new thing for many ages to their race, and while the kingdoms of Europe have gradually been relaxing, and in repeated instances wholly abrogating, the severe penal laws long enacted and enforced throughout Christendom against them, the very Turks have changed their tone from that of persecutor to protector of the outcast children of Abraham, the sultan has proclaimed their religious toleration and liberty, and the son of the pacha of Egypt, who holds Judea in immediate possession, has abolished every restriction against their free entrance into Jerusalem. These at least are signs of the times, in conjunct reference to the gradual wasting of the strength and depopulation of the Ottoman empire, and to the laws of Christians and Turks in reference to the Jews, such as never before have been seen. The decree of religious toleration issued by the Porte, and the subjoined firman of the governor of Dgiddah (Jiddah) may yet have their place in a historical commentary on the text which seals the doom of the Turkish empire, and perhaps betokens the consequent restoration of the Israelites to the land of their fathers. Without the aid of any speculation, it may yet be reserved

for themselves to prove their claim to the title of kings of the east.. God will do his work, his strange work, and bring to pass his act, his strange act. If the commencement be strange, what may not the conclusion be? We give the quotation fully, as it here comes timely to our hand.

"JERUSALEM REFORMED.-And by a Turk! In the month of February, Ibrahim Pacha, the governor of Dgiddah, addressed the following firman to the mollah, the sheikh, and the other magistrates of Jerusalem Jerusalem contains temples and monuments which Christians and Jews come from the most distant countries to visit. But these numerous pilgrims have to complain of the enormous duties levied upon them on the road. Being desirous of putting an end to so crying an abuse, we order all the Mussulmans of the pashaliks of the Saide, and of the districts of Jerusalem, Tripoli, &c. to suppress all duties or imposts of that nature, on all the roads, and at all the stations, without exception. We also order, that the priests who live in the buildings belonging to the churches in which the gospel is. read, and who officiate according to the ceremonies of their religion, be no longer compelled to pay the arbitrary contributions which have been hitherto imposed upon them.'”*

It would seem, from many words of prophecy, that the kingdoms of the earth must yet pass through the fiery ordeal of national judgments, before it can be fully written, JERUSALEM REFORMED. Of Zion the Lord saith-Behold I have graven thee on the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me. Thy children shall make haste; thy destroyers and they that made thee waste shall go forth of thee, &c. Isa, xlix. 15, 16. Mahomet, or Mahometanism,

* Extracted from the Caledonian Mercury, 7th May 1932.

as symbolised by the little horn of the he-goat, magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and the PLACE OF THE SANCTUARY was cast down. And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised and prospered. Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, 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 THREE HUNDRED DAYS; then shall the sanctuary be CLEANSED, Dan. viii. 11, 14. The first event which is expressly specified and defined in the things noted in the scripture of truth is the fact that the fourth king of Persia, after the days of the prophet, by his strength through his riches stirred up all against the realm of Grecia, Dan. xi. 2. Xerxes began his march from Asia in the year 481 before the Christian era, and in the following year he entered Greece and passed Thermopyla, August, 480. And having seen how the intermediate history was all developed in the words of Daniel and the revelation of Jesus Christ, till we have come down to the period that the extinction of the Turkish power seems manifestly in progress, till Mahometanism is falling without hand, and Mahometans, no longer a woe to Christendom, killing one another, till the free exercise of the Christian religion is proclaimed in Jerusalem, and the way of the Jews open without penalty or restraint to Jerusalem again, and the sultan has issued the decree of equal toleration to every faith, and the Turkish empire so depopulated that we need not to wait till the great river Euphrates shall begin to be dried up, may we not look again to the times and the seasons that are passed, and see whether the period may not be commenced for the cleansing of

« הקודםהמשך »