The predictions of the prophets, which have been most wonderfully fulfilled since the commencement of the Christian era, and especially those predictions concerning the United States of America

Front matter

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Preface

Are you desirous to know, kind reader, what you may expect from this book, that you have not met with, and will not meet with, in other works on Prophecy ?

I. It will be shown that the fourth Beast or government foretold by Daniel was the Pagan Roman Umpire, and that the Beast seen by St. John the Divine, arise out of the sea, was the Papal Roman Government ; and although they both had seven heads and ten horns, they were two distinct Beasts or governments, and each held its supremacy over the nations 1260 years, the period foretold by the Prophets.

II. That the seven ages of the Church, or Christian Dispensation, are foretold under the beautiful allegory of the Seven Churches in Asia, and that each age was or will be 420 years.

III. That there were to be but four notable Beasts or governments, in which all others would be included, after the giving of this Revelation; and that they did gain the supremacy over each other at the predicted time.

IV. That the United States of America is the fourth Beast, or Flying Eagle, seen in the Vision by St. John on the Isle of Patmos; the United States of America is also represented under the allegory of the two-horned Beast which St. John saw coming up out of the earth ; then the Image to the Beast, the " Southern Confederacy," is foretold, and its destiny — the wars in this country, as well as the wars of other nations are foretold — the war we are now in — the year it was to begin — when the main fighting of the war will be over, and when the troubles in which we are involved will finally end.

V. That gunpowder and firearms are foretold — that the application of steam is foretold, both upon sea and land — and also the art of Printing. The application of Electricity is foretold, and one of the most noticeable purposes for which it would be used in all the annals of time.

PREFACE.

VI. That the Woman, the emblem of the true Church, the Bride, goes into the wilderness twice, instead of once, as has been heretofore taught by other authors, and therefore they have been looking long ago for the end of this dispensation, and the second Advent and Millennium ! That the holy city was trodden down, and the two witnesses killed, during the woman's first sojourn in the wilderness. And what is meant by the locusts coming up from the Bottomless Pit — the four Angels loosed in the great River Euphrates — the woman clothed with the sun — the Angel standing in the sun. That the woman was in the wilderness the first time, precisely the number of years foretold by the prophet, and so it will be as to her second sojourn — 1260 years each time.

VI T. That the opening of the seven seals did occupy 420 years — 60 years to each seal. That the sounding of the Seven Trumpets then followed in regular Chronological order, and required 1260 years — or 180 years to each trumpet. Then follows the pouring out of the Seven Vials, occupying 1260 years more — equal to 180 years for each vial. What I notice as being most remarkable, is the fact, that about the 7000th year of the world, and the 3000th year of the Christian Era, is the grand period of events. That the seventh age of the Church will end A. D., 2940. That the woman's second sojourn in the wilderness ends A. I)., 2940. That the Seventh Vial period ends A. D., 2940.. That the two-horned Beast, or United States of America, will have completed its number of years by A. D., 2940. Then the 2300 days of the prophet Daniel will end in the same year, A. D., 2940. Then cometh the end at an unknown hour, the second Advent of the Son of Man in the clouds of Heaven; the Cleansing of the Sanctuary from all errors in doctrine, corruptions in practice, and unrighteous, ness in government ; the first Resurrection, and the longdesired Millennium, when Messiah shall reign king alone over all the nations of the Earth. The Author.

Introduction

That wonderful Image seen in the Vision of the King of Babylon, which so troubled him when asleep, and occasioned him so much "solicitude when awake, denoted four of the great empires, or kingdoms of the world. Daniel, the prophet of Jehovah, was chosen from among the wise men of the kingdom of Babylon, to interpret the King's Vision. In the interpretation (see Dan. chap, ii:), we are told the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians and the soothsayers, could not reveal unto the king his vision and the interpretation thereof. But there is a God in heaven, said Daniel, that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to mankind what shall be in the latter days.

" And in the days of these Kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed ; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. Forasmuch as thou sawest that the Stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver and the gold ; the great God hath made known to the

IV INTRODUCTION.

king what shall come to pass hereafter ; and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure."

The different parts of the Image, represented different empires, according to the interpretation. The head of Gold, represented the Babylonian empire. The breast and arms of Silver, the Medo-Persian empire. The belly and thighs of Brass, the Grecian empire, under Alexander the Great. The legs and feet of Iron, the Pagan Roman empire. And the ten toes of mingled iron and clay, the Papal Roman empire, after the "whole system of Pagan Roman jurisprudence had been remodeled by Pope Justinian, A. D., 540.

The last feature in the Image, is designed to denote the same thing as the ten horns of the Beast of the Apocalypse, seen in the Vision of St. John coming up out of the sea. As iron is able to bruise and break in pieces all other materials ; so the old Roman empire bruised and broke all other kingdoms and dictated laws to the world, for a time, times and a half time.

As the Beast with iron teeth, rent to pieces all that came in his way, as a lion among the lambs of a flock, so the Pagan Roman empire smote the Shepherd of Israel, and scattered and devoured the humble followers of the meek and lowly Jesus in the early ages of Christianity.

We have here a prophetic description of the kingdom of Christ, as the fifth great empire that should

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arise after the date of this prophecy ; but unlike all the others which had arose, flourished, and previously passed away, it should stand forever. It is represented under the similitude of a Stone cut out of the mountain without hands — that is, without the wisdom and power of man — but by the Spirit of the Lord. Therefore, the first heralds of this kingdom were required to tarry at Jerusalem, until they were endued with power from on high, by the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

The Prophet was permitted to see the Stone roll onward by superhuman power, smiting the feet of the Image, and shattering it to atoms, and yet passing on without impediment, and finally becoming a great mountain or kingdom, and filling the whole world.

In the history of the Church, we have seen the counterpart of the emblem, that Christianity had a small beginning, and was evidently sustained by an unseen power, and that thus the prophecy of Daniel has been wonderfully fulfilled. Mankind were astonished at the supernatural events which transpired, when Messiah made his humble advent in the manger of Bethlehem. Little did the kings in their rage, and people in their vain imaginations, when they set themselves against the Lord and against his Anointed, expect him to set up a kingdom, that should break in pieces all others, and itself alone be eternal.. Let us behold him in his humiliation ! He was

VI INTRODUCTION.

born of a poor Virgin, and accouched in a manger, for want of room among the rich men, in the beautiful village Bethlehem. He became poor for our sake, and led a life of poverty, persecution and sorrow, and yet a life of laborious usefulness, from the manger to Mount Moriah. He died one of the most painful and ignominious of deaths on the Roman cross, but arose triumphantly from the dead, on the predicted morning of the third day. He then commissioned his Apostles, the former fishermen of Galilee, to go into all the world, and preach the laws of his kingdom to every creature. He then ascended on high, and sent down the Holy Spirit, the promised Comforter, to give efficiency to the Gospel, to prove its divinity, and convince, pardon and save the apostate children of men.

The Disciples and Apostles on the day of Pentecost, the day of the first fruits of the Spirit, which had been typified for ages by the first fruits of their fields, did begin, persevered and prospered in their work of faith and labor of love by the power of the Holy Spirit. And thus it was the Stone, rolling forth from Mount Zion, smote the feet and legs of the Image, and is still rolling on, and shall crush and break in pieces the Image, and grind it to powder, and scatter it to the four winds of heaven. And still the little Stone shall roll on and increase until it become a great mountain, and fill the whole earth forever.

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It will be our object, in this little volume, to notice the certainty of the fulfillment of the predictions of the Prophets, the glory of Messiah's kingdom, and the probable time when it shall be fully established in the world.

The certainty of the fulfillment of this prophecy is founded on the promise made by the Father to the Son : " I, the Lord, have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thy hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles, to open the blind eyes, to bring forth the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison-house."

Here is another promise to the same purpose, that Messiah should have universal dominion, as the reward of his suiferings : " Thus saith the Lord, it is a light thing that thou shouldst be my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and restore the preserved in Israel. I will also give thee for a light of the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation to the ends of the earth."

Again, another promise to the same purpose is contained in the Second Psalm : " Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession." But he has asked for these ; therefore all nations shall come and worship before him, when he shall reign king alone over all the earth.

The second consideration on which we found the

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certainty of Messiah's universal dominion is, his undoubted qualification to accomplish the work which the Father has given him to do. In regard to the perfection of his attributes, and his adorable qualifications, his own testimony is confirmed by the highest authority in the universe.

No one knoweth the Father in all the perfection of his nature, all the wisdom of his counsels, and all the immutability of his purposes, but the Son ; and no one knoweth the Son but the Father, as they alone are of the same essence and exhibit the same attributes. The Messiah is God manifest in the flesh ; the express image of his person, and the brightness of the Father's glory.

None but a divine personage could give, and none but a divine personage could receive, such a privilege as above promised. None but God manifest in the flesh could be competent to the eternal redemption and salvation of countless millions of the human race. But the many titles of the Messiah, which are contained in the Scriptures of Truth, evince his qualifications for the subjugation of all things to himself, and the final salvation of the world. He is not only able to overthrow whatsoever is wrong, and set up his glorious kingdom, but to establish and maintain it forever, for it shall never be destroyed ; but it shall break in pieces and destroy all other kingdoms : and thus the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdom of Messiah.

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In the predictions of the prophets, your attention is invited to the universal glory of Messiah's kingdom, which includes the victory obtained over all other kingdoms, the blessings bestowed, and their everlasting duration. The prophet saw the stone cut out of the mountain, without hands, rolling down the mountain side, instinct with the power of 8 God, rushing and bounding toward the great image, smiting and breaking its feet of iron and clay ; and the stone, increasing in size and velocity, is still seen rolling onward, bounding and rebounding, till it grinds the fallen image to powder, and scatters it as the dust of the summer threshing-floor to the four winds of heaven. The prophet beholds it become a living stone — disallowed, indeed, of men, but truly approved of God, and endued with the power of perpetual motion, rolling onward and crushing whatever opposes its progress, and growing to such a magnitude that it finally fills the whole earth ; and thus the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of Messiah.

This is the salt carried forth by the fishermen of Galilee, seasoning the nations to save from utter ruin ! the little leaven from Jerusalem, hid in the Gospel meal, spreading through the whole world, to elevate every human creature ! the living waters from the fountains of the eternal Lebanon, to purify and give everlasting life to a perishing world ! This is the victorious dominion of Messiah, from Jerusa-

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lem to Japan, in the East; from Mount Zion to America, in the West. From sea to sea, and from pole to pole, the Gospel is being preached to every nation, tribe, and family of man, according to the great commission, " Go ye into all the world, and preach my Gospel to every creature."

In the predictions of the prophets we are called to consider the blessings bestowed by the establishment of the Redeemer's kingdom.

Indisputable testimony hath established the fact that Christ hath ascended on high, " and received gifts for men ; yea, for the rebellious also ;" good and perfect gifts for the righteous, and gifts of power for the destruction of all impenitent rebels, that God may dwell among them that are obedient to the laws of his kingdom. All power is given unto him in heaven and in earth, and with him are treasured up all the stores of wisdom and knowledge, so that he can save his friends to the utmost, or destroy his enemies suddenly and forever without remedy.

The Gospel Salvation shall be as the waters of a mighty ocean, spreading over the whole earth — not as the Deluge to drown, not to be frozen by wintry frost, nor evaporated by summer heat; but there shall be a fullness of its blessings from land to land, from shore to shore, from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same. The African, the Australian, the Chinese, and the American Indian, shall be as thoroughly instructed in divine things as the

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Anglo-Saxon ; and the Anglo-Saxon shall then be seven times more intelligent than now. And this shall not be a mere superficial knowledge, but it will be truly experimental and practical. It shall be a faith unfeigned, of the operation of God, working by love and purifying the heart. The light and influence of the Gospel shall then be as the sun shining in his strength. In that day there shall be only one Lord, and his name one, for he shall be king alone over all the earth.

Among the blessings of the Millennial age — and such an age will come in his own times — when Messiah shall reign the only potentate over all the earth, there shall be universal righteousness, peace, joy and prosperity in all lands. Nation shall no more lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more, for Messiah's kingdom shall not be maintained by the arts and power of war. The contents of the arsenal shall be sent to the foundry, and the armory shall be emptied at the blacksmith's shop, and the weapons of war shall be turned into the peaceful implements of agriculture.

The climate and seasons shall be more genial, and earth, air and water, purified by fire, shall every where be more salubrious, and the days of those years shall be as the days of heaven upon earth. Behold the prophetic emblems of that age of profound and universal peace ! See the wolf dwelling in peace with the lamb ! the leopard lying down

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quietly with the kid ! the cow and the bear feeding friendly together in the same field ! See the infant leading the lion by the mane, and playing with the asp c«ud the adder, and none of these ferocious or dangerous creatures are disposed to hurt or destroy ! Behold two virgins, heavenly twins, Holiness and Happiness, more beautiful than Sarah and Esther ; more united than David and Jonathan ; more inseparable than Ruth and Naomi ; hand in hand, joyfully walking on over the world, singing with heavenly melody, the song once sung by angels at Bethlehem : Glory to God in the highest; on earth peace and good-will to men !

The crowning glory of Messiah's kingdom, to which the prophets would call our attention, is its duration. " It shall not be destroyed, nor left to other people." However numerous and mighty the enemies of this kingdom, they can not overthrow it; therefore it shall stand forever. Where now are the once illustrious empires of Assyria, Egypt, Babylon, Persia, Greece and Pagan Rome ? Where are the Pharaohs, the Ptolomies and the Caesars? Where are the regal descendants of the once proud houses of York and Lancaster, of Bourbon and Hapsburg ? These have all been disrobed of their glory, and their kingdoms have been destroyed. But the King of Zion, the Prince of the Kings of the Earth, liveth through all time, and is himself the Father of Eternity, the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the

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ending, the first and the last. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and of his dominion there shall be no end !

When shall these things be ? This question was asked ages ago, and only indirectly answered. We shall attempt, in this small volume, to show by the testimony of two witnesses, at least, that of Daniel and John of Patmos — that all the great vicissitudes and changes in kingdoms and empires, Church and State, have been set forth in the predictions of the Prophets, under mystical and allegorical emblems, which we shall endeavor to explain and apply, to show the reader that we are not left in utter uncertainty about the time of the end of the present dispensation and the commencement of the Millennium or Kingdom of Righteousness. The language of the inspired writers, viewed in connection with the signs of the times, has led many in past ages, as well as at the present time, to the conclusion that it is nigh at hand, even at the door. Our blessed Lord Jesus Christ said, while personally present with his disciples on earth, that " of that day and hour knoweth no man," but he did not say he never would reveal it ; but on the contrary, he said, " I have many things to say to you, but I will speak with you hereafter," and this he did in that notable Book, " The Revelation of Jesus Christ" in which the Church is represented under the allegory of the seven churches in Asia, and the whole period of time from his first

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to his second Advent is divided into twenty-one periods; seven seal periods, seven trumpet periods, and seven vial periods. Many learned divines have been, and still are, of the opinion, that Popery and Mohammedanism, the Antechrists of the East, and the West, must fall about A. L>., 1866, and then the Millennium will begin !

However different writers on the Prophecies differ in their opinions as to the fulfillment of these predictions, all these speculations have proved uncertain, though not unprofitable, as they have led to a more critical reading of the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make us wise unto salvation.

"What matters it, if our watches do not exactly agree, as to the hour of the night ? We all know that the night is far spent, the day is at hand, and the magnitude and importance of our duty require prompt and earnest attention and action. But we have a more sure word of prophecy, as to its fullness and clearness, than was given to the patriarchs. I believe God foreknows all events, and in the Revelation of Jesus Christ, has foretold all the great revolutions, and especially the setting up the Millennial Kingdom on Earth.

But where shall we begin our calculations ? The seven-headed and ten-horned Beast or government, seen by Daniel, coming up out of the sea, the fourth great empire after the date of his prophecy, was the Pagan Roman empire, and was to hold the

INTRODUCTION. XV

supremacy among the governments of Earth, for a time, times and a half time, or one thousand two hundred and three score days, or 1260 common years. If this be a correct interpretation of the prophecy of Daniel, history must show that from the founding of Rome by Remus and Romulus, that the empire did not undergo any material change, and maintained the supremacy among the nations, for the period predicted by Daniel. But history does show that the Pagan Roman empire stretched out its scepter of power over the nations for more than a thousand years, and reigned mistress of the world, from 740 B. C, to 520 A. D. Therefore, as the coincidence between prophecy and history is so exact, we conclude the fulfillment complete.

Now, to keep up the predictions of prophecy, with the future chain of events, we need a further revelation than that given to Daniel. This deficiency, however, is fully supplied by the prophetic visions of St. John upon the Isle of Patmos ; while he stood upon the sands of iEgean Sea, he saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns ; a beast or government precisely like the one seen by Daniel, except that on its heads it had the names j of blasphemy, or its heads, its rulers in the government assumed blasphemous titles, prerogatives and power. This Beast or government seen by St. John, was the Papal Roman government, to w T hich Daniel's Beast, with seven heads and ten horns, gave his military

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power and his seat of government, Rome, and his great legal authority. If this interpretation be correct, history must show that the Papal power did assume the supremacy among the nations, and took the place of the Pagan Roman government between the years A. D., 520 and 540, and held the same for a thousand two hundred and three score days, or 1260 common years. But history does positively show, that the whole system of Pagan Roman jurisprudence was remodeled by Pope Justinian, aided by the most learned jurists of the Roman empire, and that this event occurred about the year A. D., 523, and from that time the Papal power was supreme among the nations, and power was given unto him to continue to hold the supremacy forty-two months, according to the prediction by St. John, which forty-two months are 1260 years, which brings us down the course of time to A. D., 1783. Therefore, as the coincidence of prophecy and history is exact, we hold that the fulfillment is complete.

St. John saw another Beast or government coming up out of the Earth, which is the last Beast or government foretold by the prophets. Now, as the American government has all the characteristic qualities of this Beast, and as it is the only government on earth that came into existence in the year 1783, or the year in which we should expect the two-horned Beast to come up out of the earth, therefore, we justly conclude that the United States of America

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is as certainly foretold, and under the same similitude, as any of the great governments of time. Therefore, we conclude as the two-horned Beast is to exercise all the power of the first Beast before him, he must have the time to do it in, and hence we conclude, that the American government will hold the supremacy over all other governments, for more than a thousand years yet to come, and that the Millennium will not commence within the limits of a thousand years ; nor will it be set up until the second Advent, and under the personal dominion of the Messiah. " Wherefore, we receiving a kingdom which can not be moved, let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear ; for our God is a consuming fire " to everything that may oppose the progress and establishment of this kingdom.

This little volume is but an abridgment of a large work by the author, containing about 500 royal octavo pages, which has been more than twenty years in preparation. The large volume is entitled, " The Voice of the Prophets," and may be ordered at any time by addressing the author, at Cincinnati, Ohio ; and will be sent to order, anywhere, by express, on the receipt of three dollars, bound in sheep. Many of the predictions of the prophets, which have been fulfilled since the commencement of the Christian era can only be hinted at in this small volume ; and yet they are fully explained in the large work.

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One special object in abridging " The Voice of the Prophets/' was to bring the facts and truths contained therein before our loyal and gallant soldiers, in a convenient and portable form, that they may see that this government is ordained and appointed of God, and that they are doing God service by overthrowing its enemies.

Whether we consider the limits or the latitude of the present little volume, for the sake of order, we shall only take for our guide, the predictions of one of the prophets, that of " St. John the Divine." Whatever predictions may be contained in the other prophets, must be merely referred to, as the limits of the present work, for the object contemplated, will not admit of quotations.

The Revelation of Jesus Christ by St. John, according to the interpretation given in this work, presents to the mind of the reader as in a grand panorama, all the great characters, actions and events of time, from the first to the second Advent of the Lord Jesus Christ. Whosoever, therefore, shall teach, that other great events will occur, which are not foretold in this Revelation, is a false prophet ; therefore, " if any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book." On the other hand, if any man shall teach that the great events foretold in the prophecy of this book, will not be fulfilled, he is a false teacher ; and, therefore, " if any man shall take away

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from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the Book of Life, and out of the Holy City, and from the things which are written in this book." We shall be compelled, for the sake of brevity to give merely an epitome of the Apocalypse, and such predictions of the Prophets as may appear directly to our present purpose. " Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein."

The Author.

PREDICTIONS OF THE PROPHETS,

AN EPITOME OF THE APOCALYPSE

OR

THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRI8T.

Chapter I

Of all the predictions of the prophets, which have been made know to mankind, none are so important as the words of the prophecy of this book. God, at sundry times, and in divers manners made known his will to man in former ages by the prophets ; but in the last times, or gospel dispensation, he has spounto us by his Son. In the Evangelists, the doctrines and duties of Christianity are set forth, as the law of the Church of the living God. In the Acts of the Apostles, this law is magnified and made honorable as exemplified in the faith and practice of Christians for the time of one generation. In the Epistles to the Churches, and to individual Christians, the doctrines and duties required by the Gospel Statutes, are fully eliminated and unfolded, and the whole 3'