ple have but little religion themselves. There is no good reason for believing that Infidelity has died away there, but that it is now as abundant as it was forty years ago, though not appearing so manifest as then. The same may come to pass in all nations. While they wear the Christian name, the people may in heart and practice be under the influence of the darkest Atheism.

The destruction of the great combination, the confederacy of the wicked of the earth, which we have noticed, as predicted of the last days, is to be destroyed by signal judgment. As neither the confederation nor the judgment upon it has yet taken place, we know not what will be the specific nature or the form of the organized opposition, nor of the destruction that is to sweep it away, as the language used in describing them is doubtless highly figurative. It is obvious, however, that the overthrow and calamity of that great association of the wicked will be awful indeed. "For behold the Lord will come with fire and with chariots, like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury and his rebukes with flames of fire. For by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh; and the slain of the Lord shall be many."-Isa. 66: 15, 16. In the prophecy of Ezekiel it is said respecting the collected forces of Gog, "and I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord God; every man's sword shall be against his brother. And I will plead with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain

upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him an overflowing rain, and great hail stones, fire and brimstone." Ezek. 38: 21, 22. In Zechariah it is foretold that the people who have fought against Jerusalem shall have their flesh consume away, while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their sockets, and their tongues shall consume away in their mouths." extraordinary mustering of mankind (Gog and Magog-the whole earth) when named in Revelations, has its destruction thus graphically described: "And a fire came down out of heaven and consumed them."

This

These judgments upon the wicked are evidently to occur in the latest period of time, just preceding the great promised change in the condition of the world. In the last days of Time, there will be the most remarkable display of impiety and wickedness; and correspondingly remarkable will be the curse. By licentiousness and judgments the world will be seen hastening rapidly to its final doom, all giving tokens that the awful day of decision is just at the door.

From the descriptions given in the Scriptures, it is obvious that the terrible calamities to be visited upon the inhabitants of the earth in the last days, will have no effect to reform them. Of course they will become but the more reprobate and hardened as the vials of wrath are suc cessively poured out upon the world. The rays of the sun soften those substances which are in a condition, or are of a character to be thus affected

by them, while those of a different character do but grow the harder under them. The tendency of the Gospel is to make men better; but if not honestly received by them, they become the more corrupt for having enjoyed its influences or offers. So with afflictive dispensations, as chastisements; if the subjects of them do not "kiss the rod" and bow submissively to the authority that appoints it, the malignity of the heart is roused and its corruption strengthens itself but the more, till the evil principles and feelings break forth in the most flagrant deeds and blasphemous language. So it is predicted of the last days: "And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God which had power over these plagues, and they repented not to give him glory." And again: "They gnawed their tongues for pain, and blasphemed the God of Heaven because of their pains and sores, and repented not of their deeds. And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, each stone about the weight of a talent, and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, for the plague thereof was exceeding great."-Rev. 16: 9-11-21.

At length the crisis arrives-the time for the decisive stroke, the concluding act and closing scene of the world's great temporal drama, arrives! The wicked nations are marshalled, and in the field-the Beast and the False Prophet and the Kings of the earth are assembled the hosts of Gog and Magog are arrayed-all surrounding the Holy Encampment, waiting and just ready to

fall upon the "Beloved City," for the speedy and complete extermination of all the righteous from the earth, and the extinction of the Lord's cause from the world. The saints of that day, possessing the meekness and unresisting forbearance and faith of the primitive followers of Christ, having no carnal weapons, can be delivered only by superhuman interposition. And He does not betray their trust-at the last moment of their perilous exposure, he "arises to judgment"-he himself appears to the rescue of his people, the "meek of the earth."

A fiery

storm descends in fury upon their enemies. "Upon the wicked the Lord will rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest, and destroy them by the brightness of his coming"-thus at once putting an end to all their machinations against His people and their blasphemies against Himself. And thus shall close the scene of a world's sinfulness, wicked rage and tumult, to which shall now succeed an everlasting calm and reign of righteousness and peace. Blessed Savior! how long before that hour shall arrive? Come quickly-but in thine own time!

CHAPTER XV.

THE TIME AND SIGNS OF THE NEAR ARPROACH

OF THE END OF THE WORLD AND OF

THE DAY OF DOOM.

THIS is to occur while yet some of the kingdoms or parts of the kingdoms of the earth represented in the image of Nebuchadnezzar's vision remain. In the second chapter of Daniel, the vision is clearly explained. The image, in its different parts, represents four great monarchies, one of them then existing, the others to succeed it, until the kingdoms of this world should come to a close. According to the interpretation of the dream, "the God of heaven" was to set up a kingdom, in the time of these, bearing no resemblance to them. In the end it was to break them to pieces, causing them to become as the chaff of the summer threshing floor, driven away by the winds. It was itself to become as a great mountain, filling all the earth, entirely taking the place of these earthly dominions, and not to be "consumed, but to stand forever." This is the kingdom of the Messiah.

Now, it appears that we, of this day, are in the time and circumstances signified by the legs and feet of the image of Nebuchadnezzar's image. The present is the time of the ten kingdoms into which the last great monarchy was to be di