MORE than 2560 years ago, Nahum, the prophet, was shown two wonderful signs that would be known among men, in the day of the preparation of the Lord; or just before his second advent.
The first in order, is as follows, viz., "The chariots shall be with flaming torches in the day of his preparation, and the fir-trees shall be terribly shaken. The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall jostle one against another in the broad ways, they shall seem like torches, they shall run like the lightnings." Chap. ii, 3, 4.
Neither scripture nor history describes any such traveling vehicle until we reach the nineteenth century. Here the steam engines are continually showing their fiery torches; rolling their chariots, freighted with passengers and goods through the land. Within the last fifteen years they are known in the four quarters of the globe. Many of them are now called the lightning trains, speeding their course over the rail track at the rate of 40 or 50 miles per hour; hence, as the prophet says, they do "run like the lightnings." Surely no one will doubt this sign.
Second. "And the fir-trees shall be terribly shaken." There is one species of trees, which have been so terribly shaken, that hardly any fruit has been found upon them since 1842. These are called button-wood; some call them sycamore trees. The following is Noah Webster's view of fir:—
"Fir, The name of several species of the genus Abies, allied to the pines, and valued for their timber; as the Scotch fir, silver fir," &c. Again, "Fir, a tree or its wood."
The fir-tree and myrtle-tree will come up in the new earth, "and it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off." Isa. lv, 13. "The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir-tree, the pine-tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of my Sanctuary; and I will make the place of my feet glorious." Isa. lx, 10, 13. As the fir-tree was one of the materials in constructing the earthly sanctuary, so it is to have an everlasting abiding place by the heavenly, in the new earth.
Sycamore-tree. Says the illustrated concordance, (founded on) Cruden and Butterworth, The sycamore is a tree, called the Egyptian fig-tree; its name is composed of sycos, a fig-tree, and moros, a mulberry tree. It partakes of the nature of each of these trees; of the mulberry tree in its leaves, and of the fig-tree in its fruit. [The plane-tree is like our button-wood.]
From the foregoing testimony it is evident that the sycamore, or wild fig-tree of Asia, is not the very same as the sycamore in America, though it bears a resemblance as shown above. Neither can the fir-tree of Asia be a species of the pine-tree in America, as is also stated; because the scriptures show the fir-tree, and the pine-tree to be two distinct species, both in the desert, and for ornamental trees to beautify the place of the heavenly Sanctuary in the new earth. Isa. xli, 19; lx, 11-13. Hence we conclude that the name of the fir-tree has undergone some change since Nahum's prophecy of twenty-five centuries. 1. Because we have no tree in America bearing the one specific name of fir-tree. 2. Because the prophecy speaks of the fir-trees being terribly shaken at the time of, and in connection with, the fiery torches, in the day of the Lord's preparation. 3. Because we have a tree that bears all the distinctive marks of the prophecy, being called by two names interchangeably; viz., button-wood and sycamore.
Before 1842, this tree of two names was among the most flourishing trees of the forest, or door-yard. Their fruit was a small round ball about the size of a small peach; when matured the outer part was like down, or fir, easily blown from the stone by the wind. The shaking of these trees was simultaneous throughout the land. The public journals of that day pronounced the work a very singular phenomenon, and endeavored to account for it in various ways. I will mention two that were relied upon as the most reasonable and conclusive. 1. The frost had destroyed them. 2. The worms had taken their roots. That both of these were unfounded is evident, because they still live. Many of them are still living in the rivers, and in standing ponds of water, where neither frost nor worms could harm them; and they show the effects of the same terrible shaking, as those that stand in the thick forest and among the barren rocks, or dry soil.
It was generally supposed that button-woods were all dead. If that had been the case, they would not have answered to the prophecy. Nahum saw that a tree, terribly shaken, would be without fruit. Chap. iii, 12. Compare this with Rev. vi, 13.
What Nahum calls the fir-tree, then, will be found without fruit. Since 1842 I have examined many thousands of the button-wood-tree to satisfy myself with respect to this prophecy. In all situations, either by the water courses, or on the most elevated soil, it was a very rare thing to find anything like fruit on them. Up to 1851, I do not remember to have seen over six or eight that bore fruit; and this was stunted, showing but little more than half its former size; since which time I perceive that quite a number of these trees are improving in their foliage, and I have seen some half dozen more having fruit, or balls on them.
They are now the last trees in putting forth their leaves, and about the first to die and fall. About the last of Aug. almost every tree shows more or less dead leaves; while all others around them are flourishing. The large ones can be readily recognized over half a mile distant because of their spotted brown and light color, and dead limbs. Those that were large and flourishing out of the forest, show long horizontal limbs. Since 1842 they have ceased to grow that way, and have turned their stunted twigs heavenward, significant of their helpless, barren state, yet still living to point their owner, and the traveler, to the Holy One above, who more than 2560 years ago, said by the mouth of one of his holy prophets, "The chariots shall be with flaming torches in the day of his preparation, and the fir-trees shall be terribly shaken."
I would here observe that these trees are among the largest. A few months since as I was passing by Eagle Creek, Hancock, Co., Ohio, I saw the one so often noted by travelers. This one was so terribly shaken that a part of it had separated from the main branch, within ten years. It measured 38 feet in circumference, some five feet from its base. If hollowed out, it would make a comfortable dwelling for a small family.
It is a well-known fact, that for the last fourteen years, North America has been the principal field of labor in sounding the first, second and third angelic messages of Rev. xiv, showing the preparation work for the second coming of the Lord, in close connection with Nahum's prophecy of the flaming chariots, and terribly-shaken fir-trees. As the first sign of this prophecy is so readily admitted by all, seeing it is an undeniable fact, will not the second sign be fulfilled in connection with it? We answer, Yes, and think we have shown the proof.
The reader may say we have no tree separately and distinctly called the fir-tree in America, that answers to the prophecy. We answer, that we have a tree here that exactly answers to the prophecy of the fir-tree, differing only in the name. We have already shown that this tree having two names, proves that there has been a change from the original, hence we believe that the fir-tree in the prophecy is what we call the button-wood-tree in North America.
If the reader is still in doubt, let him turn again to the prophecy and read, "And the fir-trees shall be terribly shaken." When? Ans. When the railroad trains will be seen running like the lightnings. What else? Ans. Messengers and people being conveyed in them; teaching, and listening to, the solemn proclamation of the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ from heaven. Will this sign and proclamation of the coming one, be so clear that men of common sense dare not deny it, and yet no sign of the terribly-shaken fir-trees that is spoken of so positively in connection with them be seen, or even heard of in the world? You answer, No; because a part of the prophecy would fail, and doubts would immediately arise respecting the application of the first sign. Then the one we have described must be the true sign; for it answers both in time and place.
If any doubt yet remains with respect to this sign, then examine it for yourselves. It has been a permanent standing sign, distinguished from all other trees of the field and forest since 1842.
Again you say this tree is dead, or dying. Then they have been a long while about it. Let an examination be made even this month, and most all that are pronounced dead will show some live sprouts. Of the many thousands which I have seen, I do not remember to have found over ten that was really dead. The prophet does not say the fir-trees shall die; but they "shall be terribly shaken."
Thousands have been cut down by their proprietors from where they once stood, as their most desirable ornamental tree. It would seem as though their terrible, deathlike, unaccountable appearance, so alarmed them, or hope of their recovery was so doubtful, that they cut them down as "cumbers of the ground," and to their astonishment they found their timber sound, exhibiting still the principles of life. The truth of their story was, they were only "terribly shaken."
Then if all the suggestions, examinations and philosophical researches of our wisest men have failed to account for this wonderful phenomena, sign, or if you please miracle, during the space of twelve years in the past, shall we not acknowledge that the Most High God who ruleth over all men, has simply fulfilled his word also in this particular, and we are now witnessing the very sign in the terribly-shaken trees, of which he spake by the mouth of his holy prophet 2560 years ago; viz., "The chariots shall be with flaming torches in the day of his preparation, and the fir-trees shall be terribly shaken."
JOSEPH BATES.
Arkwright, Chaut. Co., N. Y., Sept 2d, 1854.