The end of the ages

Front matter

'fe

BORN IN BETHLEHEM, N. J., MARCH 30, 1814. DIED IN BROOKLYN, N. Y. , MAY 20, 1881.

with Forecasts of the approaching

Preface

The present volume is a record of thoughts and discoveries that have been accumulating during a period of more than thirty years. It is believed that the proper time for its publication has arrived, and that its philosophizings, monitions and warnings as well as its hopeful pictures of the near future will now be received as they could not have been during any anterior and less ripened condition of the minds of the world.

The author has no apology to make for the apparently pretentious title page which he has chosen. The book is intended to be all that the title implies; and whether, in this respect, it is a success or a failure, can only be judged after a careful and candid perusal. Many things new to all readers and some things not a little startling, will be found in these pages; but the accompanying rational and mathematical proofs of the positions taken, will, it is hoped, be sufficient to shield the author from every suspicion of aiming at mere sensation.

The volume is placed before a scrutinizing and candid public with much hope, little fear, and with an unbounded desire for the outworking of the great and beneficent uses for America AND THE WORLD, an exposition of which will be found in its pages.

The Author.

Chapter I. The American Republic; Its Growth Of A Hundred Years, And What

OF ITS FUTURE?

Survey of the past — Our logbook and dead reckoning one hundred years ago, and now — Wonderful growth — Caution against self-complacency — Warnings of History — Lessons of the Hebrew Republic — The Grecian Democracies — The Republics of Rome, Switzerland, Italy, South America — We are floating down the same stream — Approaching crisis— Whither are we drifting ? — Looking out for judgment — Objects of this work — Guides of our inquiries — Evolution as indefinitely held by scientists — Evolution in definite gradations — Evolution in musical octaves — The science of universal correspondences — The numbers 7, 12, and 3 furnish the golden key to unlock mysteries, ...----- Pages 1-13

CHAPTER II. A NE\yLY DISCOVERED LAW OF CYCLES IN HISTORY; AND OUR POSITION IN

TIME THENCE DETERMINED.

CYCLES OF HISTORY NO. I. — THE CYCLE OF THE AMERICAN REPUBLIC.

Discovery of the Law of cycles in history — Many years' fruitless search — Arbitrary divisions of time eschewed, and natural ones alone regarded; Discovery of twelve year waves; their demonstration — I. Revohitionary and C/ifl^^zV period, 1776-1788; Articles of Confederation; Their failure; Convention in 1787 — II. The Organizing ^&x\oA, 1788-1800; Constitution of U. S. Government organized under it. Washington President; Old Federal party — III. The 7>j-//«^ period, 1800-1812; Localization of government at Washington; Intrigues of the Mother country — IV. The Median period, 1812-1824; War with England; A higher status acquired; Opposition to Slavery, Era of good feeling in politics; Visit of LaFayette — V. Period of Ideas and Aspirations, 1824-1836; Political and religious segregations; Free Schools; Railroads; Inventions; Speculations — VI. Period of i^rmte^if, 1 836-1 848 — Magnetic Telegraph; War with Mexico

VI THE END OF THE AGES.

in the interest of slavery; circle of civilization round the globe completed — VII. Period of Ripeness, 1S48-1860 — Wheat and tares; Free soil party; Failure of compromise between Liberty and Slavery; Repeal of Missouri compromise — Troubles in Kansas — Republican party organized; Author's prediction of quasi national death in i860; Election of President Lincoln — Secession and Rebellion, ------- 14—23

Chapter III

CYCLES IN HISTORY NO. II. — FIRST COLONIAL CYCLE, l6o8-l6g2.

Discovery of the Cycles of Colonial History — Period I., 1608-1620; Settlement on the James River in 1607-8 — Three times seven times twelve years to 1776 — II., — 1620-1632: Landing of the Mayflower in 1620; Sojourn in Holland the previous 12 years — III., 1632-1644: Charter of Maryland to Lord Baltimore in 1632 — Large emigration and colonization at various points; Governmental order; First confederation of New England colonies — IV., 1644-1656: Charter of Rhode Island — Religious liberty; The Cromwellian Commonwealth; Restrictive acts of Parliament; Republicanization — V., 1656-1668: Religious denominations; "Colonies already hardened into republics" — VI., 1668-1680: England's right to tax colonies denied — VII., Characteristics of an End; General extinction of Colonial charters; English Revolution, ----- 24-33

Chapter IV

CYCLES OF HISTORY NO. III. — SECOND COLONIAL. CYCLE, 1692-I776.

Struggles for empire in America — Effects on the Colonies — Period I., 1692- 1704: New Charter to Massachusetts; Extension of territory but with curtailed privileges; New beginning — Causes of alienation — Controversy about salaries of governors — Forebodings of Colonial revolt — II., 1704- 1716: First American Newspaper — Oueen Anne's War — Educating the colonies to self-reliance — III., 1716-1728: Government of Maryland restored to Lord Baltimore — New Orleans settled by French — Designs of French in the West — IV., 1728-1740: Completion of the number of Colonies that subsequently fought in the Revolution — Birth of the leading spirits of that struggle — V., 1740-1752: Cordon of French forts in the West; War between England and France, and Peace of Aix-la-Chapelle; "Ohio company" formed — VI., 1 752-1 764: New complications; The "French and Indian War" — Expulsion of the French from all America except Louisiana, in 1763 — British Supremacy — Fruitage — VII., 1764- 1776: Seeds of revolution in oppressive acts of Parliament; Discontent and fermentation — British troops fire on Boston citizens; Cargoes of tea destroyed — Battles of Lexington and Bunker Hill — -Reflections and summing up of evidence — "Eureka!" ----- 34-41

THE END OF THE AGES. VU

Chapter V. Cycle Of The Christian Era, Its Graded Sub-cycles, And When

CLOSED.

Another long and discouraging search — New unit of 252 years — First Period, 1-252: The chaotic and propagating Period — Declining Roman Empire and irruption of Barbarians — Significant Confederation of Frank tribes — Second Period, 252-504: The period of forms and transformations; Conversion of Constantine; Clovis, victorious and converted, becomes the first French monarch; whole French nation converted — This ends the period — Third Period, 504-756: Power and dominion acquired; Pope of Rome declared universal Bishop; His temporal power established by Pepin,. King of France in 756 — Fourth Period, 756-1008: Events characteristic of the period; The church and the world; The dark age; Light from a non-Christian quarter — Abderaman, the Moor, founds a kingdom in Spain, also in 756 — Arts and sciences cultivated by the Moors and disseminated through Europe during subsequent centuries; Empire of Charlemagne; Feudalism — Checks on the power of kings; Origin of baronial castles; Equilibration; Quasi republic of co-equal barons; Modern Europism rises from old Romanism; Panic concerning the end of the world — Fifth Period, 1008-1260: Tendencies to rise; Ambition of Popes; The crusades; The good incidentally accomplished thereby; Local schools formed; Revival of learning; Chivalry; Elevation of the common people; Popular combinations; Origin of civic Republics; Levantine commerce; Magna Charta; English House of Commons established in 1258; Correspondence to other fifths; Papal power the bond of the Christian world — Sixth Period, 1260-1512: Decline of papal power over kings; Philip the Fair rebukes Boniface VIII. — Origin of the "great schism;" Ecclesiastical arts and adornments; Cathedrals; The church sinks into a moral stupor; Academies, colleges and universities; Libraries; Art of Printing; Civil and social conditions improve; A "tiers etat;" The Hanseatic League; Improvements in navigation; The magnetic needle and the stars as guides; Dreams of Columbus; His Discovery of America; Significant ending of the Sixth Period — Seventh Period, 1512-1764: A crisis necessitating a change; Vices and crimes of the popes and corruption of the Roman Church; Threat of Louis XII.; Reform Councils called at Pisa in 1511 and in Rome in 1512; These fruitless; Sale of indulgences; Luther aroused and the religious revolution inaugurated; The philosophy of this great change; Why the year 1764 was the fitting period of the close — Disclosures of Swedenborg — Era of Science; Priestly; Herschel; Mesmer; Gall and Spurzheim; Hutton; Werner; La Place; Hahnemann; Daguerre; Morse; Kerchoff and Bunsen — Spectroscope, ----- 42-73

Viii THE END OF THE AGES.

Chapter VI. Discovery Of An Anterior Cycle In The Modern Series 1524-i608

A suggestive error which led to an important truth; True order of the Series; The Republic of 1776-1860, a. Fourth instead of a Thit'd — Luther's Declaration of Independence from Rome in 1524 commences the First modern ■cycle — First Period, 1524-1536: Luther in swinging loose from Rome, is followed by several German Princes — New structure of religious and political society commenced; Peasants' War; Anabaptist prophets; Diets assembled by Emperor Charles V., to consider case of Reformers; End of 12 years finds the Pope, Paul III., on the defensive; Overthrow of Papal power in England — Second Period, 1536-1548: Council of Trent — War against Reformers with unfavorable results to latter — "Articles of the Interim;" Question in the hands of the Secular Power — Pope concedes that reforms are needed — Third Period, 1548-1560: "Articles of the Interim" unsatisfactory to both parties — Council of Trent revived — Ambitious designs of the Emperor: Battle of Inspruck; Emperor defeated and compelled to accede to conditions securing religious liberty in Germany — Emperor abdicates, leaving his son Philip king of Spain and the Netherlands, as Philip 11. — Philip devolves the government of Netherlands on his sister, with Granvalla her minister — Fourth Period, 1560-1572: Characteristics of a Fourth— Spanish Inquisition in Holland — Its cruelties provoke resistance; Granvalla replaced by Alva; Thousands sacrificed and rebellion provoked — William I. of Orange — Church of England crystallized; Dissentients, taking the name of Puritans, organize in 1566, the middle of the cycle — Fifth Period, 1572-1584: Massacre of the night of St. Bartholomew; Fleet of 150 privateers, always successful against Spanish — William I. sovereign commander over four provinces; Other Netherland provinces unite — The Holland Republic proclaimed; William assassinated in 1584 — Sixth Period, 1584-1596: Prince Maurice, William's successor, an accomplished general; Takes Breda by surprise and delivers four provinces — Constantly victorious till Spanish power was broken — Aid from England; Defeat of the "Invincible Armada."— Seventh Period, 1596-1608: Ripening seeds; Prosperity of Holland and decline of Spanish power — Suspension of arms and negotiations opened in 1607 — Peace of 12 years declared in 1609 — Spain expels Morescoes, - - - - 74-8?

Chapter VII

Review of Methods and Summary of Results — Characteristics of the plan pursued; No human contrivance; An intelligent and divine plan; The Logos or word of God — Human history as well as all things in nature, a garment of God, --------- 88-92

THE END OF THE AGES. IX

Chapter VIII. True Philosophy Of History Incidentally Disclosed

History a jumble as now studied — Law of cycles confirmed by other facts — Periodical movements in universal nature — From millionths of seconds to millions of years — Teaching history by chronological and cyclic charts —

93-96

Chapter IX. Corroborative Facts In Anterior History

History anterior to Christ; The three times fourteen generations of Matt. I. 17; The number 42 a remarkable number; Its occurrence in Egyptian theology; 42 journeys of the Israelities; 42 phrenological faculties — These in pairs making 84; Square of 42 equals 1764 — The third of that 588, the number of years from Babylonish captivity to Christ — Curious divisors, quotients and numerical correlations, . . . 97-103

Chapter X

THE SUMMIT OF THE AGES AND SURVEY THENCE OF CATHOLIC AND PROT- ESTANT CHRISTENDOM.

Dominant Ideas; Religion supreme — Catholicism the supreme standard in the past — It has been preeminently the Church; Protestantism a transitional movement, rooted in, and rising out of the Catholic Cycle; Its sects so many roots of a new Tree; Protestant changes since 1764; Catholicism standing still; Seeking universal dominion; Reaching after worldly power; This consistent with her principles; Her movements to be watched; Her wonderful persistence explained; Swedenborg on Last Judgment; Her end or radical change in the near future; Another hint of this from the law of numbers — The number of recognized popes to 1764; The number of popes since 1764; Her day of grace 120 years, like that of the antediluvians; Spiritual republicanization will save her; Tendencies opposed to her present policy all powerful; Yet she defies them ; Exalts faith over reason; Ecumenical Council of 1870; Declaration of Papal infallibility: Same day, France declares war against Germany — Withdrawal of troops from Rome; Napoleon III. a prisoner; Overthrow of Pope's temporal power; A terrible rebuke — Reflections; Peter and his "rock;" Truth mightier; Church's usefulness in the past; Obstructing truth, she becomes a power of evil; Then "come out from her my p6ople" — The fairer structure, and true Holy Catholic Church of the future; The upshot of the chapter, ---------- 104-125

X THE END OF THE AGES. '

Chapter XI

COINCIDENT CLOSING OF OUR NATIONAL CYCLE, AND OF THE CYCLE OF THE WORLD, DEMONSTRATED BY FACTS AND PERIODIC NUMBERS.

Our latitude and longitude; Whither drifting? Other predictions from the law of cycles; Acquiescence in the results of war, in 1872; Next Clymacteric period in 1884; Modified by conjunction of the Cycle of the world; A new aspect of the subject; The Race a Unit, and has its grand cycle; "Westward the tide of empire;" The circle now complete; The East and West united; Japanese embassadors in i860 and 1872; Root and fruit of the Tree of Humanity; Infancy in Eastern Asia- — Maturity in America; Periodicity of the world's cycle, and wonderfully confirmatory numbers; Seeds of a new and universal civilization; Reform must come first; The approximal time of the great change; Prophetic symbolism of the old Pyramid, - - - - - - - - - - 126-139

Chapter XII. Bible Prophecies Concerning The Time Of The End

Prophetic numbers in Daniel and the Apocalypse; The "abomination of desolation;" The "daily sacrifice;" The "holy place;" The Temple — (withmeanings) — The "princes of the Gentiles" and worldly rule contrasted with the "Kingdom not of this world;" When was the "abomination of desolation" set up? — Pope Pelagius II. claims supreme dignity; Gregory the Great, and Boniface III. renew the claim — The tyrant Phocas confirms; "Antichrist, the man of sin;" Invisible government of the church not extinct; The two witnesses; Even the secularized papacy overruled for good; Beginning and close of the numbers and periods; Approximate agreement with the old pyramid index, ------- 140-149

Chapter XIII. Our National Idea

Ideas of primeval and despotic nations defined; Their progress traced; Ideas on which the American Republic was founded; National Independence, and Equal Rights of Man; These all worked up and actualized; At present, without a distinctive Idea; A national body without a national soul; Hence a state of political decay, tending to anarchy or despotism; No hope from existing political parties; Wanted, a new Idea — Onward! Onward!

150-159 CHAPTER XIV.

CAN AMERICA GO ONWARD IN HER PRESENT COURSE WITHOUT FINAL AND CERTAIN DISRUPTION?

Success of our Government in the past; Its structure admirable in some respects, defective in others; Folly of unqualified suffrage; Corruptions

THE END OF THE AGES. XI

thence arising; Bribery by official patronage; Bar-room cliques and primary elections; Legislation bought and sold; All departments demoralized; Decline of respect towards law-makers and laws; Thence corruptions in social life; Fashionable Christianity; Have we any statesmen? Defects in our educational system; Our political body diseased; Can we go on in this way? The answer formed in the public conscience; Black Friday and financial depression; Discontent of workingmen; Trades Unions and strikes; Forebodings of change; The "good ne%v" times, rather than the "good old" times — "Wanted, a new political Idea," - - 160—170

Chapter XV. Labor Throes That Precede The New Political And Social Birth

The New Idea eternally IS, and must be discovered, not contrived; The ascended Spirit of the Old; Slavery destroyed, and the spirit of Liberty inspiring all; Laboring population becoming restive; Trades Unions; Their mistakes and inconsistencies; Injustices to non-society men; Injury to themselves; War with capital; Threats of violence; Hostility against what they . would like to be and do themselves; Kesponsibilities of the wealthy; Poverty and suffering widespread; Prayers of the poor will be heard; Riotous passions; French Revolution; July riots of 1877; Communism and its menaces; Terrible possibilities of destruction; Such a coup imminent; The iron-heeled despot conditionally invoked ; Yet, ' ' Wanted — A New National Idea,'' .-.-..-... 1 71-185

Chapter XVI. Is Political And Social Reform Possible Without Organic Change?

Existing evils not merely functional, but organic; Our primary movements in politics; Nominations necessary to elections; Caucuses and primary elections; Nominations generally controlled by selfish tricksters; No remedy for this under present system; Bad nominations practically more than half disfranchise good citizens; Ultimate rootlets of government in the rum shop; Foulness and disease thence to the whole body; The national ship in the trough of the sea; Citizens' Associations ineffective as means of reform and why? — The question heading the chapter, answered. No! — How of social evils? — Effects of preaching virtue; Organic instrumentalities necessary; Some reformers and their theories; Plausible, but will not work; Hope of finding our way out, ----... 186-195

Chapter XVII

IS THE GOVERNMENT OF THE AMERICAN REPUBLIC THE HIGHEST FORM OF GOVERNMENT THAT IS POSSIBLE ?

The Sphynx riddle; The question to be candidly met; The force that under lies all progress; God is "knowable" in degrees; Natural gradations

Xll THE END OF THE AGES.

of society to be traced: I., Savagism — Fetichism — How originated; Its true side; Its superstitious side; II., Barbarism — Polytheism or Manitouism; Tribal relations; How originated; III., Despotism — Sovereignism — How originated; A God simply of power; hence a government of power; IV., The Crude or Demi-Republic — Jehovism — A God of Justice and Mercy; Government after this type; V., The Ascending or Progressive Republic — Paternism; (Christ's Teachings; God the Universal Father; Union with him — Many members of one Body; Christ preached to spirits in prison; Church also descended into hells of the dark ages; It works from bottom to top of whole scale of humanity; Bottom depths reached in middle of cycle; Gradual emergence thence; Gradations upward; Return of Husbandman to his Vineyard; Second coming of Christ — "Paternism" complemented by Fraternism — Infidelity organizes nothing; It merely disintegrates; Foundation of the Fifth order, '"The Ascending or Progressive Republic; VI. The Universal and Harmonic Republic; VII., The Spiritual Commune — Communism possible only at the bottom and top ends of the scale — Types of the Commune in the past and present, -_-...-. 196-215

Chapter XVIII

traces of the path that leads onward.

Previous proofs that we cannot go onward without change; Certainty that there is a way out; This must h& found, not contrived; Next stage a Fifth in the Scale of Seven; Functions and correspondences of Fifths — Complementary relations in the scale; Argument thence; Present 84 year subcycle answering to period from 1008 to 1260; Urban Republics and cooperative guilds; Hints from these; Our present 84 year subcycle a fifth m\h^ cycle of modern history — Strength of the argument; Traces of the path begin to appear, ---.-..-.- 216-225

Chapter XIX

analysis of social elements as preliminary to the question of

reconstruction.

The Body Politic a Man; Its primary ingredients and tissues; Seven correlative degrees present now and always; These degrees described and illustrated in their serial order; They constitute the sum total of human qualities; Their gradations relative, and each susceptible of infinite improvement, We have them representatively in our individual selves; Shakespeare's "Seven Ages;" No absolute equality; Superior and subordinate autonomies; Room relatively for kings and princes in every class, - 226-237

THE END OF THE AGES. Xlll

CHAPTER XX. ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY OF THE TRUE BODY POLmC

Knowledge of it necessary to diagnosis and remedy; Nature persistently interrogated; The. grand divisions of the political organs and functions described; Raw Material; Mechanics and Manufactures; Distribution or commerce; Money and its laws of distribution and circulation; Exaltation, refinement and beautification of all things; Wisdom and its offices in the Body Politic; Spirituality; God in the Constitution, - - 238-254

CHAPTET XXI.

CLASSIFICATION OF ORGANIZABLE AND CORRELATIVE GUILDS.

Working forces of these several departments; These almost self-defined; Enumerated in serial order; Their offices; Progress and interchangeability of positions — Each in the position for which nature fits him, - 255-260

Chapter XXII

THIS SYSTEM TESTED AND CONFIRMED BY FARTHER HARMONIOUS CORRELA- TIONS, AND CORRESPONDENCES IN NATURE AND HISTORY.

Previous classifications all inclusive; Social machinery proved; Additional and special correspondences — With the nutritive system; Mouth and teeth of the Grand Man to be specially cared for; The gross divisions of the anatomy, from feet upward; The political feet to be tenderly cared for — Correspondence with the senses; With the mental faculties; With the animal kingdom beneath man; Absolute harmony of the Series; Mutual necessities of its parts; Many members and one Body, as in the Christian Church; The Community responsible for crime; Crime would soon cease under such an organization, --------- 261-268

Chapter XXIII

THE CONSTITUENCY OF THE TRUE POLITICAL GOVERNMENT, AND HOW IT MAY BE ORGANIZED.

Harmony of interests secured; No hope in existing parties; Proposed new basis of Representation — Declaration for the new departure; Sources of Interest Representation, and how available; Proposed new Primary movements; Guilds represented at nominating Conventions; How the machinery would work and with what results; An objection answered; The rights of women; No present change in organic laws needed,

269-281

XIV THE END OF THE AGES.

Chapter XXIV

BRIEF REVIEW OF THE PRESENT POLITICAL SITUATION AND THE TERRIBLE WARNINGS IT CONTAINS.

Disorders enumerated; Present institutions powerless to correct them; Two pictures of the future; No time to be lost, - - - - 282-286

Chapter XXV. The New National Idea Defined, And The New Declaration

We have found it; NEW declaration; What think ye? — Objections answered; The times demand moral heroes, - - ■- - - - 287-295

Chapter XXVI

How shall we begin the work of reorganization ? — Chaos the mother of form — Organizing law of the universe the same everywhere; The egg; All organization has here its representative processes; Stages of embryotic formation traced; Ripened minds of the age constitute the new society ovum; How organic form may be gestated from these; Propaganda and campaign organized; Contrast of new and old platforms; superior dignity and moral force of the New; Success certain at least after a few experimental defeats; Then onward to victory! .--.... 296-306

Chapter XXVII

what may be and will be DONE UNDER THE NEW POLITICAL ORGANIZA- TION.

Farther characteristics of a Government thus organized; Farther action will suggest itself; What legislation may do; True laws are, and are not man-made ; Registration by classes; Autonomies and chartered rights; Police surveillance; Boards of statistics; Overstocking and understocking; Financial problems easily solved; Graduated taxation; Study of correspondences; Antagonisms supplanted by sympathies; Religious fraternity; Crime and poverty ceased, and prisons and poorhouses closed — Retrospect of the path of argument; The two paths of the future, and whither leading; The new Age, and fifth stage of civilization; Visions of Glory — Then forward! ----- 307-319

THE END OF THE AGES, XV

Chapter XXVIII. Present Perplexity Of All Nations And The Only Way Out Of It

All nations disturbed and anxious; Causes of the same — Discontent of masses — Repression fails — World's great year closed; Harvest time of old Institutions; Reconstruction needed; Remedies found in natural laws; Indifferent whether Kings or Presidents bear rule, when JN'ature rules all; No disloyalty in the plans ; Bad men disturbers; Moral sentiment in the ascendant, if organized; The "healing of the nations;" The "New Earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness," - . . . 320-325

Chapter XXIX

WHAT NATION SHALL LEAD? — AND THE GRAND PROCESSION THAT WILL FOLLOW IN THE ROAD TO THE UNIVERSAL REPUBLIC.

Hint from the Centennial Exhibition; Correlation of Races and Nations — Anglo-Saxon Race with its ingredients; Elements of universality; Hence its power to permeate; Extensive geographical dominions; Seeds of new Republics and civilizations; Lost tribes of Israel; American Branch of Anglo-Saxon Race; The Race sublimated and farther universalized; Now hand in hand with England, America must furnish the Central Idea j Must sound the trumpet of the Jubilee; Mission oi France, Germany and Italy — Triune specialties and future tripartite Republic; Russia and her mission; Japan and her mission; These seven great nations the active forces; Auxiliary and subordinate nations; Negative nationalities; America to sound the march; Why others must follow; The Universal Republic of Nations; The world's Star of Hope, ------- 326-341

Chapter XXX. Basic Outlines Of The Universal Religion. — Part I

Religion a necessity of society; A Universal Religion necessary to Universal Union; Search for its principles; Supposed Universal Council of Christians, Buddhists, Mohammedans, etc.; Jargon of discussion; On the point of disruption; The "Gray-haired Scribe" called to the platform; His prayer; His discourse; i. Concerning the existing forms of religion; 2. Specialties and careers of religious systems; A higher and better one than all of them now needed; 3. Resources of written revelation; 4. All parts of the scheme mutually consistent; Appeals to the Book of Nature; 5. How to read it — Correspondences; Lessons — I. Law of gravitation, physical and moral — II. Heat and Light — Love and Wisdom; These teach the broadest outlines of the Universal religion ; The speaker takes his seat but is urged and consents to go on, - - - - 342-356

XVI THE END OF THE AGES.

Chapter XXXI

BASIC OUTLINES OF THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION. — PART II. SPECIAL DOCTRINES AND MORAL LESSONS.

III. Moral responsibility taught by planetary laws; IV. Lessons of subordinate centers and orbits — Principalities, powers etc. ; Parents and children; V. Lessons of diversities of degrees, and progress; VI. Lessons of comets; VII. Extra orbital motions; VIII. Eclipses, Lenses, Reflectors — Priests, Pastors and Teachers; IX. Consequences of non-recognition of a common center of gravity; Atheism uncenters and disintegrates; Universal non-religion would be universal social chaos, 357-370

Chapter XXXII

Basic OUTLINES OF THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION — PART III. SOME HIGHER MYSTERIES DISCLOSED.

The speaker urged to still continue his discourse; X. Concernhig the Eternal Creative, Generative and Regenerative Logos, Word or Wisdom; Nebular theory; Sevenfold order of Creation; XL Divine embodivients in matter in the process of creation; Eternal Dualism; Origin of Evil; Ground of Correspondences; A pause, and canvass of t?he audience; The speaker urged still to continue; XII. Divine Incarnation or the Logos made flesh; Characteristics and titles of the Divine. Man; XIII. Concerning Vicariates Atonement; True and false views of this doctrine; XIV. Salvation, and in what does it consist ? Prejudice aroused, and small parties secede from the council; Criticisms and the gray-haired Scribe's answer; He continues; XV. Prayer; XVI. Individual and social worship; XVII. The Universal Hierarchy — Conclusion of the gray-haired Scribe's discourse; Conclusion of the book, ---.... 371-392

Chapter I

THE AMERICAN REPUBLIC; ITS GROWTH OF A HUNDRED YEARS, AND WHAT OF ITS FUTURE ?

Survey of the past — Our logbook and dead reckoning one hundred years ago, and now — Wonderful growth — Caution against self-complacency — Warnings of History — Lessons of the Hebrew Republic — The Grecian Democracies — The Republics of Rome, Switzerland, Italy, South America — We are floating down the same stream — Approaching crisis — Whither are we drifting ? — Looking out for judgment — Objects of this work — Guides of our inquiries — Evolution as indefinitely held by scientists — Evolution in definite gradations — Evolution in musical octaves — The science of universal correspondences — The numbers 7, 12, and 3 furnish the golden key to unlock mysteries.

npHE design of the present work, as will be seen, quite trans- -*- cends the special concerns of the American nation and people. Nevertheless it is to you, my countrymen, that I make my first and loudest appeal. I will first ask you to accompany me in a brief survey of the past of our Republic, and of some of the significant aspects of the present, so that we may intelligently consider the preparatives for that crisis of change in the near future of which the laws of nature and all present signs and tendencies seem to forewarn us.

As manners on the sea of national life, let us consult our log book, work up our dead reckoning, observe the position of the stars, and keep up all due vigilance to avoid the breakers that may lie in our course. If the past has had its triumphs, the present is pregnant with both opportunities and perils; and it is for US to extract from all the lessons of wisdom that which will guide us safely onward.

One hundred years ago we were a population of barely three millions, struggling through poverty, and blood, and fire, to grasp the prize of national independence. Now we number more than sixty millions, with a territory three thousand miles wide; with a soil and climate consisting of all desirable varieties; with mineral resources well nigh boundless; with navigable rivers hundreds and even thousands of miles long; w^ith a net-work of railroads and telegraph wires covering the whole surface of the land; with populous cities strung along all the great trunk lines of travel; with a commerce whitening every sea; with educational institutions among the best in the world, and accessible to all classes of our people; with a genius for invention and discovery that stands unrivaled; with a development in the arts and sciences equal if not superior to anything presented by the nations of the old world; and with ideas and institutions which arrest the attention and secure the profound respect of the philosophers and men of science in all the nations of the earth. How proud was America on her late centennial year in witnessing the representatives of the arts and sciences, and the stages of progress in civilization, attained by each and all the nations of the earth, collected upon her shores, and in perceiving that she herself, although so young was fully equal to the best of them! And how it opened to the patriotic sons and daughters of our Republic, the visions of glory strewed along the path of our future progress for the hundred years to come !

But let us not be too self-complacent. Rapid progress, if not wisely directed, may be attended with violentcollisions and an over-weening pride is usually the mother of humiliation. Thus Nebuchadnezzar, walking in his palace, mused with himself: "Is not this great Babylon that I have built, for the house of the Kingdom, by the might of my power, and for the honor of my majesty ?" But it is recorded that while these words were yet in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from Heaven, saying: "The kingdom is departed from thee;" and the sequel was that the presumptuous monarch was driven from the habitations of men, and made a companion for the beasts of the field.