Earlier text: PARADISETHOUGHTS ON THE BOOK OF DANIEL.
VERSE 1. Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. 2. I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me. 3. How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation. This chapter opens, says Dr. Clarke, with “a regular decree, and one of the most ancient on record.” It was from the pen of Nebuchadnezzar, and was promulgated in the usual form. He wishes to make known, not to a few only, but to all people, nations, and languages, the wonderful dealings of God with him. People are ever ready to tell what God has done for them in the way of benefits and blessings. We ought to be no less ready to tell what God has done for us in the way of humiliation and chastisements. And Nebuchadnezzar sets us a good example in this respect, as we shall see from the subsequent portions of this chapter. He frankly confesses the vanity and pride of his heart, and the means that God took to abase him. With a genuine spirit of repentance and humiliation, he thinks it good, of his own free will, to show these things, that the sovereignty of God may be extolled, and his name adored. In reference to the kingdom, he claims no longer immutability for his own, but makes a full surrender to God in acknowledging his kingdom alone to be everlasting, and his dominion from generation to generation. VERSE 4. I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house, and flourishing in my palace: 5. I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me. 6. Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream. 7. Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof. 8. But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and before him I told the dream, saying, 9. O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof. 10. Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed: I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great. 11. The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth. 12. The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it. 13. I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and a holy one came down from Heaven. 14. He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches. 15. Nevertheless, leave the stump of his roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth. 16. Let his heart be changed from man's and let a beast's heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him. 17. This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men. 18. This dream I king Nebuchadnezzar have seen. Now thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof, forasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the interpretation: but thou art able; for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee. In the events here narrated, several striking points may be noticed. 1. Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in his house. He had accomplished successfully all his enterprises. He had subdued Syria, Phœnicea, Judea, Egypt, and Arabia. It was probably these great conquests that puffed him up, and betrayed him into such vanity and self-confidence. And this very time when he naturally would, and did, feel most at rest and secure, when it was most unlikely that he would allow a thought to disturb his self-complacent tranquility, this very time God takes to trouble him with fears and forebodings. 2. The means by which God did this. What could strike with fear the heart of such a monarch as Nebuchadnezzar? He had been a warrior from his youth. With the perils of battle, and the terrors of slaughter and carnage, he had often stood face to face, and his countenance had not blanched nor his nerves trembled. And what should make him afraid now? for no foe threatened, no hostile cloud was visible. As the most unlikely time was taken for him to be touched with fear, so the most unlikely means were selected with which to accomplish it—a dream. His own thoughts, and the visions of his own head were taken to teach him what nothing else could, a salutary lesson of dependence and humility. He who had terrified others, but whom no others could terrify, was made a terror to himself. 3. A still greater humiliation than that narrated in the second chapter, was brought upon the magicians. There they boasted that if they only had the dream they could make known the interpretation. Here Nebuchadnezzar remembers distinctly the dream, but meets the mortification of having his magicians ignominiously fail him again. They could not make known the interpretation, and resort is again had to the prophet of God. 4. The remarkable illustration of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar. This is symbolized by a tree in the midst of the earth. Babylon, where Nebuchadnezzar reigned, was about in the midst of the then known world. It reached unto heaven, and the leaves thereof were fair. Its external glory and splendor were great; but this was not all of it, as is the case with too many kingdoms. It had internal excellences. The fruit of it was much, and it had meat for all. The beasts of the field had shadow under it, the fowls of heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it. What could represent more plainly and forcibly the fact, that Nebuchadnezzar ruled his kingdom in such a way as to afford the fullest protection, support and prosperity to all his subjects. To really accomplish this, is the perfection of earthly governments and the highest glory of any kingdom. 5. The mercy that God mingles with his judgments. When order was given that this tree should be cut down, it was commanded that the stump of the roots should be left in the earth, and protected with a band of iron and brass, that it might not be wholly given to decay, but that the source of future growth and greatness might be left. The day is coming when the wicked shall be cut down, and no such residue of hope be left them. No mercy will be mingled with their punishment. They shall be destroyed both root and branch. 6. An important key to prophetic interpretation. Vs. 16. “Let seven times pass over him,” said the decree. This is plain, literal narration; hence the time is here to be understood literally. How long a period is denoted? This may be determined by ascertaining how long Nebuchadnezzar, in fulfillment of this prediction, was driven out to have his dwelling with the beasts of the field; and this, Josephus informs us, was seven years. A “time,” then, denotes one year. When used in symbolic prophecy, it would of course denote symbolic or prophetic time. A “time” would then denote a prophetic year, or, each day standing for a year, three hundred and sixty literal years. 7. The interest that the holy ones, or the angels, take in human affairs. They are represented as demanding this dealing with Nebuchadnezzar. They see, as mortals never can see, how unseemly a thing is pride in the human heart. And they approve of, and sympathize with, the decrees and providences of God, with which he works for the correction of these evils. Man must know that he is not the architect of his own fortune, but there is One who ruleth in the kingdom of men, on whom his dependence should be humbly placed. A man may be a successful monarch; but he should not pride himself upon that; for, without the Lord had set him up, he would have been the basest of men. 8. Nebuchadnezzar acknowledges the supremacy of the true God over the heathen oracles. He appeals to Daniel to solve the mystery. Thou art able, he says, for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee. The Septuagint has the singular, the Spirit of the holy God. The Meaning of Living Soul
By C. Beecher
It is generally conceded that by the expression, “God breathed into him the breath of life, and man became a living soul,” no more is meant than that God caused him to breathe, and he became a living animal. “Living soul” is applied to him in common with birds, beasts, and reptiles, in the same chapter.—C. Beecher. Self-Denial in Christian Life
A CONFIRMED Christian is one that taketh self-denial for the one leaf of his religion. THE REPEATED ANNOUNCEMENT.
By Roswell F. Cottrell
There are two proclamations of the fall of Babylon promised in the prophecy of Revelation; and, though the same thing is repeated in regard to her fall, yet there is a marked difference in the power and effect of the two. In the first instance, Rev. xiv, 8, it is simply stated that “there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” And this simple statement is the more remarkable, by contrast, from the fact of its intervening between two messages both of which are given with a loud voice. But when Babylon’s fall is announced the second time, Rev. xviii, 1, it is represented by an angel “having great power,” the earth being “lightened with his glory,” and crying “mightily with a strong voice.” Why is this very marked and remarkable difference? The answer is, that subsequent developments make it far more evident that Babylon is fallen, than it was when the first announcement was made. 1. She makes more rapid and apparent progress in her downward course, becoming evidently the “habitation of devils, the hold of every foul spirit, and the cage of every unclean and hateful bird. 2. Increasing light on the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, which she rejects, exhibits her deformities and vile apostasies, by contrast, in a more glaring light. While the judgment-hour message was being given in 1844, before the end of the 2300 days in the autumn of that year, it became evident to the few that believed that message to be from Heaven, that the nominal churches were in a fallen state from the fact that it was then made evident, as never before, that they did not love the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ. The time had then come for the true announcement to be truly made, Babylon is fallen, as predicted in Rev. xiv, 8. But this was evident only to the few that believed and had an experience in the advent doctrine at that time. Hence, compared with the time message then being heralded to the world, it was not proclaimed with a loud voice. But since that time, modern Spiritualism has appeared in the world, based upon a leading fable of the nominal church, and it has been growing more and more apparent that Babylon is becoming the habitation of devils, the hold of every foul spirit, and the cage of every unclean and hateful bird. Add to this the fact that the third message is now proclaiming the most clear and simple truth respecting the commandments of God, and that this truth is being rejected and spurned, and the doctrines of the Papacy and the Devil are being so evidently preferred, and it is easy to see how the second announcement of the fall of Babylon will unite with the third message, as its first announcement joined with the first in 1844. What a mighty work is just before us! when Babylon’s sins will have reached to Heaven, and the voice from Heaven will call God’s people out, making a final separation between those that truly love God and those that love him not! Who shall live and stand when God shall do this? Reader, prepare for the test. CHRIST SHALL DESTROY THE WORKS OF THE DEVIL.
By John Matteson
“For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the Devil.” 1 John ii, 8. This text states in very plain words the object for which God sent his own dear Son into this world, and for which Christ endured and suffered so much. He will destroy the works of the Devil. How important that we have a clear conception of what constitutes the works of the Devil; or are able clearly to distinguish between the works of Christ and the works of the Devil. — This would be a good way to decide the Sabbath question. All Bible readers will acknowledge that the seventh day was once sanctified and blessed, was once the Sabbath. All that we need to decide now is: Was that work the work of the Devil, or was it the work of Christ? If the sanctification of the seventh-day Sabbath was the work of the Devil, then those are correct who teach that Christ has abolished the ancient Sabbath; for Christ came to abolish or destroy the works of the Devil. But if Christ is the author of the seventh-day Sabbath then you have made a fatal blunder in attributing that to Christ which really is the work of the Devil, to wit., the attempt to destroy or abolish the seventh-day Sabbath. It is evident that the seventh-day Sabbath once existed. It is also evident that some one has tried to abolish or change the same. Now be not satisfied before you have clearly ascertained whether this is the work of Christ or of the Devil. Daniel predicted that the little horn, or papal power should think or attempt to change times and laws. The great head of that power is certainly the Devil. The Sabbath cannot be classed among shadows and ceremonies; for it existed before ever sin existed, and there could be no figures of atonement as long as there was no cause for atonement. If our opponents therefore persist, without the least Scripture testimony to that effect, to claim that the seventh-day Sabbath is abolished or destroyed, we would urge upon them to prove that Satan is its author. But if they will not, they represent Christ as destroying his own work. Christ was the author of the Sabbath. Proof: “By him were all things created.” Col. i, 16. “By whom also he [the Father] made the worlds.” Heb. i, 2. “All things were made by him.” John i, 3. “The Sabbath was made for man.” Mark ii, 27. Then Christ did make the Sabbath for man at creation. Christ was the agent by whom the Father made this world. He gave light to the sun, and he gave sanctity to the seventh day. Blind men may argue that they see no light about the sun. Blind professors may argue that they see no sanctity about the Sabbath of the Lord. But this has not impaired the splendor of the sun. It shines as brightly as ever. So likewise the seventh-day Sabbath is as holy as ever, in spite of all the slander and abuse that has been poured forth against it by the blind. And in spite of all the hallucinations and counterfeit splendor of a rival Sabbath, the day which was sanctified at creation still shines with unimpaired splendor, although a sin-polluted atmosphere is not so well adapted to the display of its glory, and a correct idea of its sanctity, as the pure and holy air of Paradise. And the fact that there is still a people in the earth who celebrate this divine institution, after such powerful attacks by the enemy, is a strong proof of the truthfulness of the word of God, and of the genuineness of the work among God's remnant people. The Sabbath of Jehovah has risen above the raging surges for nearly 6000 years. It will stand the storm a little longer, and soon the unpolluted atmosphere of the new earth shall reflect all the rays of its everlasting glory, and every heart shall rejoice in its splendor, when all flesh shall worship before the Lord from Sabbath to Sabbath. Isa. lxvi, 23. Dear reader, decide in your own mind the question: Is the seventh-day Sabbath the work of the Devil? Christ came to destroy the works of the Devil. Beware lest you take side with the enemy. LIONS IN THE WAY.
By E. ENGLES
"The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets." Prov. xxii, 13. And thus he tries to excuse himself for the neglect of what he ought to do. To those who trust in God, his promise is, "There shall no evil befall thee. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet." Ps. xci, 10, 13. Christiana and her party in Bunyan's Pilgrim had their lions to encounter, as Christian had before them. "Now Mr. Great-heart was a strong man, so he was not afraid of a lion. But yet, when they were come up to the place where the lions were, the boys that went before were now glad to cringe behind, for they were afraid of the lions; so they stepped back and went behind." When Mr. Great-heart was confronted by Giant Grim, the owner of the lions, he addressed him thus:— "'It is the king's highway that we are in, and in this way it is that thou hast placed the lions; but these women, and these children, though weak, shall hold on their way in spite of thy lions.' And with that he gave him again a downright blow, and brought him upon his knees. With this blow also he broke his helmet, and with the next he cut off an arm. Then did the giant roar so hideously, that his voice frightened the women, and yet they were glad to see him lie sprawling upon the ground. Now the lions were chained, and so of themselves could do nothing.142 Wherefore, when old Grim, that intended to back them, was dead, Mr. Great-heart said to the pilgrims, 'Come now and follow me, and no hurt shall happen to you from the lions.' They therefore went on, but the women trembled as they passed by them; the boys also looked as if they would die; but they all got by without further hurt." How true it is that there are lions, and legions of evil things, in the Christian's way; hindrances and dangers in his path to the celestial city. There is the lust of pride, the heart of unbelief, the love of the world, and the apathy of a careless soul sleeping in self-righteous security. These are real lions, that put the life of our spirituality in danger; but we must watch, and pray, and strive, and struggle against them, and look onward to the city with the golden gates, taking courage, for stronger is he who is for us, than those who are against us. Dear brethren, with the prospect before us, with the word of God in our hands, and the love of God in our hearts, let us fear neither lions nor legions of evil things; being persuaded that "neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor power, nor things present, nor things to come, nor hight, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." "Oh! would that all were faithful found;
That still, whate'er our lot,
This truth so bright for sorrow's night,
Might never be forgot—
E'en when our path looks lone and drear,
Our Saviour's presence still is near." REPORT FROM BRO. WHITE.
By James White
Since our return, in January, from the eastern tour, to Battle Creek, our labors have been confined most of the time with the church and interests of the cause located in that city. Our work has been hard, and sometimes discouraging. We were very much worn in January, and should have had rest. But this we cannot find in Battle Creek. We toiled on, until Mrs. W. could labor no longer, and I was becoming gloomy. We had designed accomplishing much writing at Battle Creek, but in this we have been sorely disappointed. We have been kept from it, either from laboring for those who needed help, some of whom felt no need of it, from discouragements, or from sickness. It has even been impossible to notice a large portion of our correspondence. For several weeks before leaving Battle Creek, Mrs. W. was becoming more feeble. We decided at one time to seek relief, by a journey to New York and New England; but her unfavorable condition at so unfavorable a season, discouraged us in this. Then we decided to try a short tour among some of our strongest churches, in hope of finding them in a condition to help us, instead of perpetually drawing upon us for help. April 13, Mrs. W. was in a fainting condition much of the day. In answer to prayer she was relieved, and the 14th was better. The 15th we rode twenty-eight miles to Bro. Owens in Hastings, and enjoyed a good degree of freedom on the way, and good rest for the night. The 16th we rode fifty miles to Bro. Root's in Wright. The last fifteen miles was in a violent storm, which did not harm us. We enjoyed two excellent meetings with the church on the Sabbath, the 17th. We both enjoyed a good degree of freedom. Here we visited the camp-ground, with Bro. Root, and enjoyed a good season of prayer where God so signally blessed his people assembled last September. And it did seem to me that God would graciously bless his people should they there assemble in his name again. That is an excellent place, and that church is willing, and, I think, worthy of such a blessing in their midst, as they had last September. First-day, the 18th, we came to Greenville. The last few miles of this journey was in a violent storm. We found rest at Bro. Maynard's, and found ourselves next morning unharmed by the journey and storm. Yesterday and to-day we have been keeping house at our old place, and are quite comfortable with the few remaining things not removed to Battle Creek, and some borrowed at Bro. Maynard's. This seems like home. Mrs. W. is very much improved in health, and we enjoy the light labor among the strawberries, blackberries, raspberries and grapes. Here the Lord has blessed us in our afflictions more than in any other place. Here we can accomplish more than in Battle Creek, especially in writing. When returning from a long, wearying tour, we could rest; but, not in Battle Creek, until a great change takes place with that people. We erred in complying with the request of the Battle Creek church to move our head-quarters to that city. Things there were not ready for us. Great mistakes had been made in the management of matters pertaining to the interests of the cause there, in our absence, without our counsel, and, in some things, against our entreaties. When those who had made the mistakes should correct them, as far as possible, and when the church should get into a place to help us in our labors, then, and not till then, could it be our duty to settle in their midst. We are not in the least responsible for the mistakes referred to above. I greatly erred in accepting responsibilities at our last General Conference. When those who had embarrassed the cause, should do all they could to relieve it, instead of leaving the burden to those who had taken no part in these mistakes, then it would be soon enough for us to take responsibilities in these matters. We had nearly fallen under the burdens of the past few months. We design that this sad lesson shall lead us to seek more carefully and earnestly to walk in the path of duty. Greenville, April 20, 1869. REPORT FROM CALIFORNIA.
By D. T. Bourdeau
Two Sabbaths have passed since the last report from this place was written. The interest has been steadily increasing, and the work has been deepening. Between twenty-five and thirty have already embraced the Sabbath, and many more are leaning toward the truth. A recent discussion on the Sabbath question between Bro. Loughborough and Eld. McCorkal, a Disciple preacher, has served to raise the interest still higher. This discussion was held in a large barn in the Piner-district, last Monday and Tuesday, before a large concourse of people from the surrounding country and from Santa Rosa. God helped Bro. L., and the victory of truth was complete. Many who came to the discussion with prejudice, left us with a friendly feeling, convinced that we had the truth on the Sabbath, and anxious to hear further on the subject. Never did the truth seem so precious to us as at this discussion. Never did we feel so sensible of the divine aid, that God was working. Never did we see so great a revolution in so short a time. Though our opponent used boasting, jests, and rashness, manifested a defiant, and overbearing spirit, of which some of his own members were ashamed, we felt shielded by a heavenly influence. Many have asked for a copy of Bro. L.'s summing up speech, but as we have not time to write so much, we have promised to prepare this speech, with the main positions taken, for the REVIEW, which will satisfy all, and give those who take the REVIEW a feeling that this periodical is emphatically their paper. We have decided to hold a general meeting of the Sabbath-keepers of Petaluma, Windsor, San Francisco, and Santa Rosa, in this place, in a week from next Sabbath and Sunday, for the general encouragement of the believers, to attend to the ordinance of baptism, labor for the salvation of souls, and decide upon the place where we shall commence tent operations, etc., in about three weeks. We have several places before us. God direct. Brethren and sisters, our hearts are encouraged. The hardest blows to start the work on this coast have been struck. The message is commanding the attention of the people. God is raising up friends, who have the cause at heart, and will sustain it. The work is being cut short. The people are working fast, and laying aside their idols, even before we touch them. Sinners are being converted. I believe the loud cry is right upon us. We want to keep humble. We never felt so much of the compelling power, to move us out to trust in God, and venture out in his name. Pray for us. God is strengthening us physically. THE JUDGMENT.
By E. A. Duke
AND is it indeed a fact that we are living in the time of the Judgment, when each individual case of the righteous dead is being brought up, and decided for eternity? And have we all a suit pending in Heaven, very soon to be brought in review before the great tribunal bar of God? And are these the last notes of warning which we hear sounding from the watchmen on the walls of Zion? These are, indeed, startling facts. “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Oh! solemn thought! And how will the case stand with you and me, my brother, my sister? Shall we be weighed in the balance and found wanting, or shall we stand the searching test, and hear the joyful sound, Well done? Oh! may Heaven grant that the latter may be the case. An incident occurred a few years ago in the vicinity of Wellsville, near where I reside, which made an impression upon my mind that never will be erased while I live. A faithful and beloved brother was there preaching the word, and trying to present the truth before the people, and his overtaxed strength gave way, and he was prostrated upon a bed of sickness, and the tent with which he was traveling was left in the care of others. In a few days, as he grew worse, he requested the prayers of the church; and when asked what they should pray for, his answer was, Not that I may recover and resume my labors among you, but that I may not come up to the Judgment deceived. How often I have thought of this, and thought of the many who, perhaps, are honest in heart, and are striving, to a certain extent, to overcome, have an anxious desire to be saved, a hope of eternal life, an expectation of gaining Heaven; and yet, after all this, fail, and come up to the Judgment deceived. Oh! what anguish will rend such hearts. Of all classes on earth, I think this one will be most to be pitied. God forbid that you or I, dear reader, should be found among that disappointed company. Shall we bear this in mind, and now, while the day lasts, and while we have time and opportunity, make sure work for eternity? Or shall we, who have endeavored to keep God’s holy law, and have acted a part in presenting this last message before a dying world, be found sleeping when Jesus leaves the most holy place? This will be a silent work, yet it will soon be accomplished, nevertheless. And shall we fail of our object because of slothfulness? Oh! think of these things, and let us be aroused by the faithful warnings of the servants of God, come out of this deathlike stupor which Satan has thrown over us, and go to work in sober earnest to remove the rubbish from the door of our hearts, let Jesus in to sup with us and we with him, and be willing to receive the truth in all its different branches, and be faithful in all things, watching unto prayer, and keeping all our words, and thoughts, and acts, that we may not come up to the Judgment deceived.
E. A. DUKE. As our age is acknowledged to be a progressive one, the following culled items will show wherein we are progressive—not in righteousness, but backward, to eternal perdition. RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS, etc. Boston Journal, of Feb. 11, 1869, speaking of Manchester, N. H., “Correspondent” says: “I am safe in saying that less than half of this people, who are of a suitable age to attend church, ever enter a religious meeting of any kind. . . . Churches are thinly attended, compared with thirty years ago. . . . One reason why some of the churches in the larger towns have lost their hold on the affections of a large portion of the people, is because they have become the temples of fashion and display, instead of the sanctuary. . . . Another cause of the diminution is the dullness and monotonous duration of the sermons. . . . For a series of years ’tis the same trite phraseology, both in preaching and prayer; the same threadbare arguments, and stale illustrations.” Father Ignatius, lecturing in London, said, “There were (900,000,000) nine hundred millions who do not believe in Christ at all;” and that it was “a pity the few believers in Christ should quarrel among themselves.”—New York Rural, of Jan. 2, 1869. Dr. Holland, in Springfield Republican, says, on “Religion at home and abroad, in Switzerland,”: “We see everywhere the Sabbath desecrated. . . . They forget that there is a world to be converted. . . . Religion is a thing apparently unknown here.” Herald, of July 11, 1868, states that at Lyons (France), the “clergy have Sunday services earlier, so that the people could attend the races.” Post, of Dec. 4, 1868, says: “Rev. Mr. Denton, the Bible Agent, to give Bibles to every family in the county, canvassed Warren, Mass. Out of four hundred and sixty-seven families, three hundred and sixty-eight claim to attend church, eighty of which had no Bibles; eighteen refused to accept one, even as a gift.” Publisher’s Circular, of Dec. 15, 1868, says: “Charles Read, of London, has to have $50,000 by the publishers of the New York Galaxy for writing a novel for that paper.” Putnam, for January, 1869, says: “Of the writing of many novels in England, there is not only no end, but a fresh beginning.” INCREASE OF CRIMES. Round Table, of Dec. 19, 1868, on “Chapter of Horrors,” says: “Dismal as has been the long catalogue, crimes and casualties of the last ten years have shocked the most refined centres of the world.” Day’s Doings, of Dec. 12, 1868. The Leader on “The Blood Carnival,—the Reign of Terror,—the Plague Murder,” etc., says: “Every paper throughout the country was compelled to devote its columns to the detail of deeds of self-destruction. Men, women and children seemed to be taken suddenly weary of life and143 earth, and rushed to death and the unknown. Every possible variety of self-extinction was successfully practiced. Some resorted to the rope, others to the knife, others again to the water, and not a few to the cup of poison. Even the young lad, or budding maiden, who from their youth knew nothing of the world, seemed to have become tired of it, before they had learned any thing about it, and rid themselves of existence as they would of a burden. And now, at the present date, even while we write these lines, a carnival of blood is holding revel in our midst. The plague of murder is upon us. North, South, East, and West, we read of women and men killed by women and men. We cannot suffer our eyes to rest upon a stray paragraph, without the well-grounded fear that it may contain the account of some recent tragedy. The very demon of crime seems to be stalking in earth night and day, seeking whom it may devour. The plague of murder appears to be confined to no particular locality. ‘No pent-up Utica confines its powers,
But the whole boundless universe is’—
blood and death. In the country, amid rural sights and sounds, amid all the breezy freedom of the fields, the fiend is active. . . . But in the corrupt and corrupting city, the plague of murder is especially virulent. It affects with its foul influence both high and low, rich and poor. The knife, the gun, and even the poker, are used to fulfill the mad dictates of hate, avarice, and drink.”
Police News of New York says:—“It is impossible to account for the gradual increase of crime in the various cities of the Union. . . . Crime is on the increase in every city and town in the United States. Many of the crimes comprehend some of the most frightful in the calendar, and a number of them are really nameless. Who will explain the cause of this steady expansion?” Portland Transcript, of January 9, 1869, thinks that “Lewiston (Maine) rivals Sodom and Gomorrah in wickedness, if one is to believe the Lewiston Journal; which makes the startling revelation that three hundred cases of abortion occur there annually.” The Last Sensation, of January 18, says: “In France there were 139,000 convictions; in England there were 339,000 convictions for crimes committed. Such news from the London Times is astounding, when we consider that England is the greatest missionary place or country on the globe. But all these things prove conclusively the Scriptures true, that wickedness shall increase, seducers waxing worse and worse, and people having only a form of godliness.” The New York Herald, June 13, 1868, says:—“There are five millions and a quarter dollars spent for prostitution in New York; and 172,000 people affected with disease.” The same paper states that “tobacco is used by eight hundred millions of people.” The Congregationalist & Recorder, of Oct. 29, 1868, quoting from the Christian Mirror, an article on “Pre-infanticide,” says:—“On investigation and proof from high medical authority, the proof is all on one side. Let the imagination draw the darkest picture that reason could allow, and it would fail to set forth the shocking details of this horrid home of crime. . . . Full one-third of the population of our land fall by the hands of violence. . . . ’Tis more destructive than war, slavery, and intemperance put together. A blood stain upon Christianity, forcing a hundred times more hands to heaven red with blood, for the curse of God, than all other murders in our land put together. . . . The crime itself has become a fashion.” The Herald says that “it took two days to burn the obscene books of a London publisher.” What would the aggregate of missionary London be? The same paper calls the present state of things the “Rain of the knife,” and adds that “there are four hundred and nine arrests in New York City every twenty-four hours.” The Alta Californian urges that San Franciscans, who have babies they want to get rid of, may “have the decency to throw them into the bay, and not leave so many about the streets, as it has become disagreeable.” After reading these things who can say that the world is progressing in Christianity? I would that man would pay more attention to the word of God, than to the fables of these last days. Harper’s Magazine for last May, page 809, on amusements, says: “That the ballet should enchant the public for more than a year, is declared to be another proof of our demoralized condition; another of those horrible portents in which we seem to behold the advent of the disastrous end of things.” Can we expect other than a sad state of things to exist, when boys have become demons in crime? Says The Boston Herald:—“A party of boys broke into the family tomb of the Putnam family, at Danvers, Mass., stole the silver plate from the coffins, sold the bones of the bodies to peddlers; and when arrested were playing foot-ball with the skulls.” This was last May. A FEW WAR ITEMS. Rouher, the French minister, said: “All nations must ever be prepared for war; for no confidence could be placed in the fraternity of nations.” The Tribune says: “The great war will at last be unavoidable.” Yes, the last great battle of God Almighty will come, and will not tarry long. “Very large purchases of hay have been made in New York for the French government, also heavy purchases of horses for the same party, and the enormous accumulation of bullion in the Bank of France, equal to $250,000,000 (two hundred and fifty millions of dollars), is looked upon by not a few of the longest heads in financial and business circles as indicating a coming war.” The Paris Presse states that the French Minister of War is establishing in the Hotel Des Invalides two magazines to receive all the necessary material for an army of two hundred thousand men, entering on a campaign. The first magazine already contains the field ovens, machines for making biscuits, boxes of bandages, surgical instruments, ambulances, etc. Says the New York Post of Sept. 15, 1868: “The Rome correspondent to Pall Mall Gazette says: Nothing is now talked of but the new Saint Maria Taigi, who died in 1837. A great sensation has been created by her prophecies, which were confided to her by her confessor, Father Natali, now ninety years old; who has faithfully related them as the events successively happened. The other day the confessor was asked whether Maria Taigi prophesied any further danger from the Garibaldians? Yes, he answered; and in these days we shall see the Tiber as full of corpses as it is now of fish. At this moment fish are so abundant in the Tiber, owing to the floods from the Umbria, that the Romans pick them out of the water with their hands.” May we not neglect the signs of the times, as they are beacons of the coming future.—JOHN TAYLOR, in World’s Crisis.