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Signs of the Times, Vol. 4, No. 2.

CHRIST WEEPING OVER JERUSALEM

Signs of the Times

Jan 10, 1878

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Jan 10, 1878

CHRIST WEEPING OVER JERUSALEM.

By Ellen G. White

BY MRS. E. G. WHITE.
THE triumphal ride of Christ into Jerusalem, just prior to his crucifixion, was the dim foreshadowing of his coming in the clouds of heaven with power and glory amid the triumph of angels and rejoicing of the saints. Then will be fulfilled the words of Christ: "Verily ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord." Zechariah, in prophetic vision, was shown the day of final triumph, when Christ shall come in glory, and also the condition of the Jews who rejected him at his first advent: "And they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his first-born."
The tears of Christ as he wept over Jerusalem were for the sins of all time. The Jewish nation was a symbol of the people of all ages who scorn the pleadings of Infinite love. Those who profess to be the representatives of Christ upon earth, yet whose lives are a continual denial of him may read their own condemnation in Christ's denunciation of the self-righteous Jews. The Saviour came to the world bringing the light of truth; but his counsel has ever been rejected and his mercies despised by those who have allowed selfishness and the love of mammon and worldly honor to possess the temple of the heart.
The sin of Jerusalem was in the rejection of her then present mercies and warnings. As a tender father pities a loved but erring and rebellious son, so had Jesus compassion upon Jerusalem. He had sent prophets and wise men with counsel, entreaties and warnings of threatened judgments if she refused to forsake her sins. For centuries sacrificial blood had flown continuously, symbolizing the great atonement of the Son of God, to be offered for the salvation of man. But though the sacrifices of beasts had been abundant, they could not supply the place of true sorrow for sin and obedience to God. A broken heart and contrite spirit would have been of far more value in the sight of God than multitudes of offerings without true repentance.
Jerusalem had not improved her privileges, she had rejected the warnings of the prophets, and slain the holy representatives of God. But the generation whom Jesus denounced were not responsible for the sins of their fathers, only so far as they followed their evil practices, and thus made themselves accountable for their course of hatred and revenge in persecuting the ancient messengers of God. It was the present mercies and warnings which that generation were rejecting that fastened guilt upon them which the blood of bulls and goats could not wash away. Proud, self-righteous and independent, they were separating farther and farther from Heaven, and had become willing subjects of Satan. The Jewish nation had been for centuries forging the fetters which that generation were fastening irrevocably upon themselves.
The tears of Christ expressed his anguish at seeing his people bringing sure destruction upon themselves. Gladly would he have broken from their necks the yoke of bondage to a heathen nation. But, while the Pharisees bitterly complained of their humiliation and oppression, they refused with hatred the only help that could relieve them from captivity and make them a free and happy people. The voice of the Saviour had been heard for three years inviting the weary and heavy laden to come unto him and he would give them rest. He had scattered blessings wherever his feet had trod. But, instead of returning his love with gratitude, they thrust Christ from them, and were now about to seal their own doom by putting him to death.
The earthly Jerusalem represents a large majority of the professed Christians of this age of the world. The Saviour has dispensed to us his blessings at the infinite sacrifice of his own life. This is our day of mercies and privileges. In every age of the world there is given to men their day of light and privileges, a probationary time in which they may become reconciled with God. But there is a limit to this grace. Mercy may plead for years and be rejected and slighted; but there comes a time when mercy makes her last plea. The sweet winning voice entreats the sinner no longer, and reproofs and warnings cease.
That day had now come to Jerusalem. Jesus, from the summit of Olivet, in a voice broken by irrepressible sobs and tears, makes his last appeal to the nation of his choice: "If thou hadst known, even thou, in this thy day the things which belong to thy peace—" A little remnant of the day still remained in which Jerusalem might see and repent of her fatal error and turn to Christ, while the fast westering sun yet lingered in the heavens there was time for her to be saved. The angel of mercy had long plead for the impenitent city; but now she prepared to step down from the golden throne, while the words of irrevocable justice were spoken:—"But now they are hid from thine eyes."
The words of Christ, spoken upon the mount reach to our time. His tears were for our impenitence. He has sent to us as he did to the Jews, great light. There have been given to us reproofs, entreaties, warnings and the Saviour's yearning love. As the temple courts were desecrated by unholy traffic in the days of Christ, so the temple of the heart where Christ should be enshrined is defiled by selfishness, love of the world, malice, envy and unholy passion. The Saviour sends messages to warn the sinner of danger and rouse his heart to repentance, but they are too often received as idle tales. Many of those who profess godliness are as unsanctified by the Spirit of God to-day as were the Pharisees in the days of Jesus. The light of truth is rejected by thousands because it involves a cross; it does not harmonize with their practices, and the natural inclinations of their hearts.
The prophets of God did not find favor with apostate Israel because through them their hidden sins were brought to light. Ahab regarded Elijah as his enemy, because the prophet was faithful to unfold the monarch's secret iniquities. So to-day the servants of Christ, the reprover of sin meets with scorn and rebuffs. Bible truth, the religion of Christ struggles against a strong current of moral impurity.
Prejudice is even stronger now in the hearts of men than it was in Christ's day. Men, prompted by Satan raise doubts as to the truth of God's word, and exercise their independent judgment. They choose darkness rather than light at the peril of their souls; for God does not propose to remove every objection against his truth which the carnal heart can offer. The mysteries of the word of God remain such forever to those who refuse to accept the precious rays of light which would illuminate their darkness. Divine love sheds tears of anguish over man formed in the likeness of their Maker who will not accept his love and receive the impress of his divine image.
Christ overlooked the world and all ages from the hight of Olivet; and his words are applicable to every individual who slights the pleadings of his divine mercy. Scorner of love, he addresses you to-day. It is "thou, even thou," who shouldst know the things which belong to thy peace. Proportionate to the light received will be the retribution of the sinner.
The most responsible period for the Jews was when Jesus was in their midst. And yet even the disciples appreciated but lightly the presence of God's Son until it was removed from them, when Christ ascended to heaven. The Redeemer was unwilling to sever his connection with the Jewish nation. He had borne with its impenitence and abuse for years. He regarded them with the same unselfish devotion which a mother feels toward the child of her care. For centuries he had stayed the bolts of God's wrath from falling on Jerusalem. But now she had filled up the cup of her iniquity by persecution of the Son of God, and divine vengeance was to fall upon her. Jesus gazed upon the city and temple he had loved, with inexpressible anguish, "Oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not."
If the Jewish people could have thrown off their bigotry and blind unbelief long enough to have looked into the depths of the loving, compassionate heart of Jesus they could never have crucified the Lord of glory. But they were perverse and self-righteous, when the priests and rulers heard the prophetic voice of the past sounded in trumpet tones by the multitude, in answer to the question "Who is this?" they did not accept it as the voice of inspiration. The long list of ancient authorities pointing forward to Jesus as the Messiah, and which were quoted by the disciples, brought no proof to their hearts. But they were too much amazed and angered to express their indignation in words. Just as they were secretly and artfully laying their plans to put Jesus to death, behold, the humble Galilean is suddenly invested with honor that he had never before claimed, and receives homage which he had hitherto refused.
The dignitaries of the temple are dumb with astonishment. Where now is the boasted power of priests and rulers over the people! The authorities had announced that whoever should acknowledge Jesus to be the Christ was to be put out of the synagogue and deprived of its sacred privileges. Yet here are the enthusiastic multitude shouting loud hosannas to the Son of David, and recounting the titles given him by the prophets. As well might the priests and rulers attempt to deprive the earth of the shinning face of the sun, as to shut from the world the beams of glory from the Son of Righteousness. In spite of all opposition the kingdom of Christ was confessed by the people.
When the priests and rulers recovered their voices they murmured among themselves, "Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? Behold the world is gone after him." But they soon shook off the paralyzing effect of the strange exhibition of which they were witnesses, and tried to intimidate the crowd by threatening to complain of them to the civil authorities as raising an insurrection. Some of the Pharisees carried out their threats, and angrily denounced Jesus to the Roman officers present as the leader of a rebellion. Others joined them, accusing the Saviour of setting himself up as king in defiance of the Roman power. Annas, the priest, urged that he was about to take possession of the temple and reign as king in Jerusalem.
But the calm voice of Jesus hushed for a moment the clamorous throng as he proclaimed that his kingdom was not of this world; that he had not come to establish a temporal rule; that he should soon ascend to his Father, and his accusers should see him no more until he should come again in glory and then, too late for their salvation they should acknowledge him, saying, "Blessed is He who cometh in the name of the Lord."
Jesus spoke these words with sadness and with singular power. The Roman officers were silenced and subdued. Their hearts, though strangers to divine influence, were moved as they had never been moved before; and a sudden hush fell upon the multitude. He who could command the elements, whose voice had stilled the angry waters of the deep, could also quell the excitement and apprehension of heathen men who had not rejected his light and steeled their hearts against him by prejudice. The Roman officers read love, benevolence and quiet dignity in the calm and solemn face of Jesus. They were stirred by a sympathy they could not understand. Before them was a man of humble mien, but of God-like bearing. They were more inclined to pay him homage than to arrest him for insurrection.
They perceived that the priests and rulers were the only persons who were angry and creating a disturbance. They therefore turned upon them, and charged them with being the occasion of all the confusion. The priests and Pharisees, chagrined and defeated by this, turned to the people with their complaints, and wrangled among themselves with loud and angry disputation. There was a division of opinion among the priesthood regarding Jesus. Annas vehemently accused him of being an imposter. Caiaphas had publicly acknowledged him to be a prophet, but considered that his death was necessary to the fulfillment of prophecy. These two leaders gathered parties to their opinions. The majority of the common people were in favor of Jesus, declaring that no man could do the works that he had done. The Pharisees were loud in their denunciations of him, because he reproved their hypocrisies and iniquities, and turned the people from their influence. These lofty persons could not deny or reason away his mighty miracles, so they urged that he performed them through the power of Beelzebub, the prince of devils.
While these angry contentions were going on, Jesus, the subject of all this disputation, passed unnoticed to the temple and looked about it with sorrowful eyes. All was quiet there, for the scene that had transpired upon Olivet had called all the people away from the temple. After looking upon it for a short time with solemn countenance, Jesus withdrew from the temple with his disciples, and passed on to Bethany. And when the people would have placed him upon the throne as king of Israel, he was nowhere to be found.
Important events clustered around the close of Christ's ministry. His triumphal entrance into Jerusalem, his cleansing of the desecrated temple and the blighting of the barren fig-tree, all pointed to the doom of Jerusalem. The tears of Jesus upon the mount, when he overlooked the city of his love and care, while in the midst of the rejoicing and hosannas of thousands, were the last pleadings of rejected love and compassion.

The Unprofitable Servant

Of what can I boast? What can I claim for my services? When I have done all that is commanded, what can I say, but that I am an unprofitable servant! I have only occupied the talents that were given me.

"We Shall Be Like Him."

We shall be like him, oh, beautiful thought! Well may our souls with rapture be wrought. After the sorrows, the woe, and the tears, We shall be like him when Jesus appears.
After the conflict in peace to sit down, After the cross to be wreathed with the crown, After the dust and the soil of the way, With him and like him forever to stay.
Never again shall the throbbing head ache, Never again shall the beating heart break, Never the task drop from wearying hands, Nor the feet ever fail in the brightest of lands.
Never shall sin with the trail of its shame, Shadow love's sunlight, nor chill its clear flame; Saviour, oft grieved in the house of thy friends, Ne'er will we wound thee when earth's frail life ends.
Death! this thought does away with thy sting, Makes us triumphant to meet thee and sing "Glory to God!" When the Jordan is passed We shall go home and be like him at last.
Master, alas! thee we've often denied— When the world scorned we have shrunk from thy side; Yet, blessed Jesus, thou knowest thy love. Pardon and help us with grace from above.
When thou appearest, oh, rapturous thought! Well may our souls into rapture be wrought; We shall be like thee when time is all o'er, Wound thee, deny thee, offend thee no more.

LIFE SKETCHES.

By James White

CHANNEL I—CONCLUDED. ANCESTRY, EARLY LIFE AND CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE.
I HAD walked only two miles on that delightful spring morning, when all nature, animate and inanimate, seemed to join my glad heart in the praise of God, before the same impression came upon me, as I was passing a neat log cottage. Something said to me, Go into the house. I stepped to the door, and called for a drink of water. And who should bring it to me but a young lady who had attended my school the past winter. As she recognized me, she exclaimed, “Why, school-master, walk in.” This family had just moved from the district, three miles, to a new settlement surrounded by forests. The father was absent. The mother and children greeted me with more than usual cordiality, each calling me Master. There was the place for my work to commence. I told my errand, and asked the privilege to pray.
“Oh, yes!” said the already weeping woman. “But let me send out the children and call in my neighbors.” Some half-dozen little boys and girls received dispatches from their mother, and cheerfully ran to as many log cottages with the word, “Our school-master is at our house, and wishes to pray, and mother wants you to come as soon as you can.” In less than half an hour I had before me a congregation of about twenty-five. In conversing with them, I learned that not one of that company professed Christianity. Lectures on the second advent had been given near them, and a general conviction that the doctrine might be true rested upon the people. And as I related my experience of the few weeks in the past, stating my convictions relative to the soon coming of Christ, all were interested. I then bowed to pray, and was astonished to find that these twenty-five sinners all bowed with me. I could but weep. They all wept with me. And after pointing them to Christ, as best I could with my limited experience and knowledge of the Scriptures, I shook their hands, said farewell, and joyfully pursued my journey.
As I entered the district I had so recently left, all seemed changed, yet no changes worthy of note had taken place but in me. The school-house where I had spent happy hours in teaching willing minds, was closed, and my scholars were pursuing their daily tasks in the field and kitchen. I had left them, a proud, prayerless backslider, but now had come to pray with them. It seemed to me that the Lord could not have selected a duty more humbling to my pride. The district was made up of Universalists, formal professors, respectable sinners, and infidels. My employer, who had also engaged me to teach their school the next winter, was an infidel. I lost no time in making known the object of my visit, and in visiting and praying from house to house. No one opposed me. Some were deeply affected and bowed with me. My infidel friend said to me as I asked permission to pray in his house:—
“I am very sorry, Mr. White, to find you in this state of mind. You are a good teacher, and a gentleman. I shall not forbid you.”
This reception was decidedly cold when compared with what I had met from others. This infidel was evidently much disgusted and disappointed, but tried to conceal his feelings out of respect to mine. I tried to pray, and passed to the next house. In a few days my work in this direction was finished for that time, and I returned home with the sweet assurance that I had done my duty. A few weeks afterward, however, I visited the place again. A general reformation was in progress, under the labors of a Christian minister. On Sunday, the meeting was held in a barn. The interest was general, and the congregation large. After the minister closed his remarks, I improved a few moments. I felt deeply, and my testimony reached the people, especially my scholars and their parents.
The following summer, lectures were given in the town-house at Troy, and the next winter most of the people of that town embraced religion.
Much of the summer I was unsettled as to duty. I had visited my scholars, and sometimes hoped to be excused from anything further of the kind, and feel free to pursue my studies. But the definite idea of proclaiming the soon coming of Christ, and warning the people to prepare for the day of the Lord, was impressed upon my mind. I did not dare attend school. The Spirit of the Lord had driven me from the school-room once, and in following a sense of duty I had been greatly blessed. How could I resist present convictions, and again try to shut myself away from the Lord, over my books? But how could I renounce all my fondly-cherished hopes of the future? My brother in Ohio said to me by letter: “Come out into the sunny West, James, and I will help you.” “Well,” said I, “when I become a scholar.” How could I give up my school-books, and with my small stock of education think of becoming a preacher?
A school-mate, Elbridge Smith, who had also been a room-mate at St. Albans and at Reedfield, was a special friend of mine. He was a fine young man, of good habits, yet not a Christian. I loved him for what he was, and we mutually in confidence freely stated to each other all our plans, hopes and difficulties. To this young man I first opened my mind freely upon the subject of the second advent, and my convictions of duty to preach the doctrine. He treated the matter with candor, and seemed troubled as he learned from my own lips that I was inclined to believe that Christ would come about the year 1843. He had given the subject no study, but evidently feared it might be so. He replied as follows:
“You know I am not a Christian, and therefore am poorly prepared to give you advice in relation to religious duty. I think of these things more than many suppose, though I publicly take no personal interest in them. I, however, think it well for me, and safe for you, to say at this time, Follow the convictions of your own mind.”
I highly esteem this friend of my youth for his candor and good counsel. Who could have done better? We have met but a few times since, as I soon left that part of the State to proclaim the coming of the Lord, and he for Bowdoin College. He graduated in two years from that time, studied law, and now Elbridge Smith is a judge somewhere in the West.
The struggle with duty was a severe one. But I finally gave out an appointment, and had some freedom. I soon sent an appointment to speak at the Troy town-house. The congregation was large. Had rather a lean time, and felt embarrassed. And what seemed to well-nigh finish me, a good, honest, simple-hearted woman came up to me at the close of the meeting and said: “Elder White, please come to our house and take dinner.” The word Elder cut me to the heart. I was confused and almost paralyzed. I will not attempt to narrate anything further that occurred on that day. The remaining portion of the day has ever seemed like a blank. I can only remember my confusion and anguish of spirit as I heard the unexpected word, Elder. I was unreconciled at the prospect before me, yet dared not refuse what seemed to be duty, and turn to my books. I was urged to speak in the presence of two young preachers, and attempted to preach. In twenty minutes became confused and embarrassed, and sat down. I lacked resignation and humility, therefore was not sustained. I finally gave up all for Christ and his gospel, and found peace and freedom.
Soon my mind was especially called to the second advent by hearing Elders J. V. Himes and A. Hale speak several times upon the subject, in the city of Bangor, Me. I then saw that it was a subject that required study, and felt the importance of commencing in earnest to prepare myself to teach others. I purchased Advent publications, read them closely, studied my Bible, and spoke a few times during the summer on the second coming of Christ with freedom, and felt encouraged.
J. W.

LESSON TWENTY.

By Uriah Smith

THE SEVEN TRUMPETS.

THE political events of this dispensation are properly symbolized by trumpets, those heralds of war and revolution. These are brought to view in the 8th, 9th and a part of the 11th chapters of Revelation.
The record of the first trumpet begins with verse 7 of chapter 8. These trumpets are the counterpart of the prophecy of the second chapter of Daniel. That prophecy brings to view the dividing of the Roman kingdom into ten parts as represented by the ten toes of the great image; and the first four of the seven trumpets introduce the events by which this division was effected.
The first trumpet represents hail and fire mingled with blood cast upon the earth. It was fulfilled by the invasion of the Roman Empire by the Goths under Alaric, commencing A. D. 395. This invasion is represented by hail from the fact that the invaders came from the frozen regions of the North. It is further described as fire mingled with blood because the course of the invaders was marked by slaughter and conflagration.
The second trumpet brings us to a new location and another event. A great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea. The next great invasion of the Roman Empire which shook it to its foundation and conduced to its fall, was that of the Vandals under Genseric. The base of his operations was at Carthage in Africa. The date of his career is marked by the years 428 to 468. His warfare was carried on by sea, well symbolized by a great mountain burning with fire cast into the sea. He ravaged and devastated all those provinces of the Roman Empire which lie upon the Mediterranean.
The frequent reference to the third part, noticed in the trumpets, has allusion to the tripartite division of the Roman Empire. Twice it was divided into three parts before its permanent division into Eastern and Western Rome; and when the third part is spoken of in this prophecy, it refers to that division in which the events of the trumpet under consideration were taking place.
The third trumpet brings to view another invading chieftain, who, like a comet or a blazing star, flamed over the Roman Empire. It was Attila at the head of his warlike Huns. The name of this star is called Wormwood as describing the bitter consequences of this invasion and the terrors and miseries wrought by this war-like chief.
This star fell upon the third part of the rivers and fountains of waters. The scene of Attila's operations was in the northern part of Italy, the regions in which so many streams and rivers have their source. Attila styled himself "The scourge of God," and made his boast that the grass never grew where his horse had trod.
The fourth trumpet is described in the 12th verse and brings to view the blotting out of the third part of the sun, moon, and stars. These are undoubtedly here used as symbols representing the three highest sources of authority in the Roman Empire; namely, emperors, consuls and senators; and we naturally infer from the phraseology of the text that it denotes their overthrow. We have now come to the time when the Western Empire of Rome was extinguished. The date, as given by Gibbon, is 476 or 479. It was accomplished by Odoacer who was succeeded by Theodoric the Ostrogoth; and the events of the trumpet were finally accomplished by Justinian. The Imperial office, the sun, was extinguished by Odoacer. Justinian abolished the Consulship, the moon, and Narses, the general of Justinian extinguished the Senate, the stars. Thus in the third part of the Roman Empire, the sun, moon and stars were smitten, here represented as a third part of these luminaries.
Another angel, not one of this series of seven, is now introduced declaring that the three remaining trumpets will be trumpets of woe.
Two of these trumpets, the 5th and 6th, occupy, in equal portions, the whole of the ninth chapter of Revelation. The prophet now turns from those agencies which were employed to scourge Rome and break it up into political divisions, to those agencies which were employed to scourge it as an ecclesiastical power after its change from Paganism to the Papacy.
Eleven verses are used in describing the fifth trumpet. A star is first seen falling from heaven unto the earth. This star was Chosroes, the king of Persia. He was overthrown by Heraclius, the emperor of the Eastern Empire. His fall was the key by which the bottomless pit was opened For Rome in overthrowing Persia, utterly exhausted herself; and thus the only two powers which were capable of meeting and crushing Mohammedanism, namely, Persia and Eastern Rome, were virtually taken out of the way by this revolution. The bottomless pit symbolizes the wastes of the Arabian desert from which issued a great smoke or the dark and delusive doctrines propogated by Mohammed and his fanatical followers. Chosroes, after his loss of empire was murdered in the year 628; and the year 629 is marked by the conquest of Arabia and the first war of the Mohammedans against the Roman Empire. The locusts that came out of the smoke symbolized the Arabian horsemen as they went forth to fight what they called the battles of the Lord.
Their mission was to torment men five months, but not to kill them. Verses 5 and 10. This period is doubtless prophetic, denoting 150 years. The question then arises, From what point are these years to be dated? The 11th verse gives us the key to the solution of the query. They had a king over them whose name is given both in Hebrew and Greek as the destroyer. The conclusion naturally follows that the five months of torment must have taken place under this Ottoman power after its consolidation into a kingly government. Previous to the time of Othman the Mohammedan power was composed of separate and distinct tribes. Under the policy of this man they were consolidated into one government with himself as king. His government was founded near the close of the thirteenth century and has ever since been known, from the name of its founder, as the Ottoman Empire.
The first assault of Othman upon the Eastern Empire took place on the 27th day of July, 1299. Commencing the five months' torment from this event, they would end 150 years later, in 1449. As we inquire for the events which mark the termination of that period, we are brought to the sounding of the next trumpet.
When the sixth angel sounded, a voice was heard, saying, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. The river Euphrates must here be taken for a symbol of that kingdom of which it was the principal river, which was the Ottoman or Turkish Empire. The four angels are supposed to mean the four chief Sultanies of which that Empire was composed. These were Iconium, Aleppo, Damascus, and Bagdad. They were loosed so that they should hereafter have not simply the power of tormenting, but of destroying. This was accomplished by the following events:—
When the last emperor of the Greeks, John Paleologus, died, leaving no children, Constantine Deacozes succeeded to the empire; but he would not venture to ascend the throne without asking the consent of Amurath, the Turkish Sultan. Thus he virtually surrendered his power into Turkish hands. And this was in the very year when the 150 years of the preceding trumpet ended, namely, in 1449. Amurath, soon after died and was succeeded by Mohammed II. in 1451, who set his heart on possessing Constantinople. The siege commenced April 6, 1453, and the city was taken on the 16th of May following. The eastern seat of the Cæsars thus became the seat of the Ottoman Empire and has so remained to this day.
The principal point for exposition under this trumpet is the prophetic period brought to view in verse 15. The angels were loosed for an hour, a day, a month, and a year. This reduced from prophetic to literal time gives us the following period: A year 360 days, 360 years. A month, 30 days, 30 years, a day, one year, an hour, a twenty-fourth part of a prophetic day, fifteen literal days, making in all 391 years and 15 days. This added to the point in 1449 where the 150 years ended, brings us to August 11, 1840.
The means by which their conquests were achieved is described in verses 17 and 18 as fire and smoke and brimstone; and it is a remarkable fact that in this revolution gun-powder was first used for purposes of war. Thus we have a prophecy of the remarkable invention of gun-powder written by John in A. D. 96.
As the prophetic period of this trumpet commenced by the voluntary surrender of power into the hands of the Turks by the Christian emperor of the East, so we might conclude its termination would be marked by the voluntary surrender of that power by the Turkish Sultan back again into the hands of the Christians. In 1838 Turkey became involved in war with Egypt. The Egyptians bid fair to overthrow the Turkish power unless other nations should interfere. To prevent this, the four great powers of Europe, England, Russia, Austria and Prussia interfered to sustain the Turkish government. Turkey accepted their intervention. A conference was held in London at which an ultimatum was drawn up to be presented to Mehemet Ali, the Pacha of Egypt. It is evident that when this ultimatum should be placed in the hands of Mehemet matters would then be committed into the hands of the Christian powers. And on the day when this was submitted to him the Sultan addressed a note to the ambassadors of the four powers inquiring what should be done in case Mehemet refused to comply with the terms which they had proposed. The answer was that he need not alarm himself about any contingency that might arise; for they had made provision for that. And what day was this? The 11th of August, 1840. Thus the second woe ended, and the sixth trumpet ceased its sounding.
Passing over the 10th and a portion of the 11th chapters of Revelation, the series of trumpets is again taken up in verse 14 of chapter 11. The events of this trumpet are described in the five following verses. They are such as show that this trumpet witnesses the conclusion of all earthly kingdoms and the beginning of the everlasting reign of Christ. Among the events introduced the opening of the temple of God in Heaven. Verse 19. This was the commencement of the work of cleansing the sanctuary, as explained in the exposition of that subject. This is the same as the finishing of the mystery of God spoken of in Rev. 10:7 which was to mark the beginning of the sounding of that angel. We therefore place the beginning of that trumpet in the autumn of 1844, and the little space termed "quickly" which was to intervene between the second and third woes reached from August 11, 1840, where the sixth trumpet ceased to sound to the autumn of 1844 where the seventh commenced. The 18th verse of Rev. 11 shows that this trumpet covers the concluding troubles of the last days and reaches over to the destruction of the wicked at the end of the thousand years. U. S.

THE BIBLICAL INSTITUTE.

HELD IN OAKLAND, CAL., APRIL 1-17, 1877.

[IN this form we give a synopsis of the lectures presented at this Institute, the aim being to give principal facts, dates and references, with as few words as will serve to connect them. The lessons are not intended to measure the recitations. A lesson embraces an entire subject; but some of these occupied a number of recitations in the class.]

LESSON TWENTY.

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