menced its march, will traverse and overcome all nations so that they shall renounce all allegiance to the Saviour. He thus power

fully describes the climax :

"To a certain extent we have already said, the positive as well as the negative rejection of Christ has been exhibited. 'Not this man,' was at first the cry at Pagan Rome; but as the struggle went on, that cry assumed more of the positive, not this man, but Jupiter; not this man, but our hero gods. In like manner after Paganism had sunk, and Popery was shooting up and ripening, it was for a long time simply 'Not this man;' but when the strife arose, and the battle was waged, it came to be,-Not this man, but the church,-Not this man, but the priest,-Not this man, but the Virgin. So for a century past, during which infidelity has been upspringing, the cry has been simply negative,-'Not this man.' But now we may already see it changing, and passing over into the more positive form, as the crisis is making haste,-Not this man, but science, -Not this man, but philosophy,-Not this man, but liberty; till it shall, ere long, merge yet more distinctly into the bold acclamation in behalf of Satan's representative. Not this man, but Antichrist,-Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber.'

3rd. He most faithfully pourtrays the signs in the professing world:

"It is a trite proverb, but not the less true on that account, that every one has his day. There are two days especially spoken of in Scripture. Man's day,— God's day. The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, &c. (2 Peter iii. 10) that will be the beginning of God's day. The present may be emphatically termed Man's day. (1 Cor. iv. 3.) It is with sorrow we see in the professing Church the broad, distinct, unmistakeable features of the same widespread evil. Man's day, with all its solemn consequences, so lightly thought of at the present time. 'Self-willed, lovers of their own selves.' Many asking like Pilate, 'What is truth,' and then, like him, turning their backs upon Jesus, not caring about the answer.

'For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but after their own lusts shall they they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears, and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.' (2 Tim. iv. 3.) Have we not here a vivid description of the great majority of the professors of Christianity, has not the time come 'when they will not endure sound doctrine,' that is, the holy self denying doctrines of God's word, as taught by Christ and his apostles, but after their own lusts have heaped to themselves teachers having itching ears. See we not here the immense numbers of these talented, popular orators as they are now termed, who can gather their crowded assemblies, who when returning home, dwell upon the beautiful images, the picturesque scenery, &c., wherewith their favourite preacher has so delighted and astonished them."

The author considers that the signs are but as yet in their germ: hence, that the events which constitute them are to have a progressive and full development. He does not therefore regard the coming of Christ to be as near as do some of our friends and brethren. But till that event there will be no bright period. The scenes of earth will become more awful to the very daybreak of that glorious season. Space will not permit us to make more extracts. These will prove that the work deserves a perusal.

EDITOR.

The above is a scheme of Daniel's general prophecies, which I have been enabled to construct from the writings of the interpreters. It exhibits at one view the four political and four mental powers, which for centuries past have ruled and influenced the bodies and minds of the most enlightened portion of the human species.

1. It will be observed that the above set of chronological prophecies consists of four distinct visions, and that each successive one is characterized from the preceding by the introduction of a new mental power. In the first vision which was vouchsafed to Nebuchadnezzar, and interpreted by Daniel, the four political powers are set forth under the dazzling symbol of a splendid metallic image, and the first of the metal powers, namely, Christianity, under the figures of a little stone and a great mountain.

2. The second vision was seen by the Prophet himself and interpreted to him at his own request by the angel. It is substantially the first prophecy repeated under a new set of symbols, viz., four beasts instead of four metals, with the introduction of a new mental power, namely, Catholicism, which the angel describes locally,

circumstantially, and chronologically as arising in the West amid the troubles of the Roman Empire, acquiring a triple crown, blaspheming God, changing times and laws, and wearing out the saints of the Most High, for the long period of twelve hundred and sixty years.

3. The third vision introduces a third mental power, namely, Mahomedanism, arising in the East when the transgressions of the apostate Christians were come to the full. This power is described as destroying the holy people, magnifying himself, and opposing Christ the Prince of princes.

Mahomet retired to his cave in company with Sergius, an apostate Christian minister, to form the Alcoran, in 606, the very year in which the saints in the West were given into the hands of the Pope by the tyrant Phocas. So we see that the apostate mental power of Mahomedanism in the East, and the apostate mental power of Catholicism in the West, originated in the same year, that is, in 606; and as they were to continue for twelve hundred and sixty years to oppose and oppress Christianity, we have only to add 1260 to 606 in order to obtain the year when God shall commence their utter destruction. These two numbers added together bring us down to the year 66 of the present century.

4. The fourth vision introduces a fourth mental power, namely, Atheism, described as being self-willed, elevating itself above every god, and in an especial manner speaking marvellous things against the true God, the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom the Prophet styles the desire of women;" and, in short, disregarding every god, until, for political purposes, it unites itself again to Catholicism, from whose bosom it originally sprung. All this has been verified in the history of France, where Atheism was publicly set up by the national authorities in 1793.

This Atheistical power was to flourish until the time of the end *Antichrist.-Various and often contradictory have been the opinions of men concerning Antichrist. Le Clerc supposed the rebel Jews to be Antichrist, and Vanderhest made it the Sanhedrim; Grotius explained it of Rome Papal, and many have supposed it to be the Roman Emperors; but the Council of Gap awarded this title to the Pope; and Henry IV. of France was not a little mortified to be thus declared an Imp of Antichrist. Hypolitus, however, held the Devil himself to be Antichrist, and that he would appear in human shape before the end of the world. But all this discrepancy is the mere result of impatience in the interpreters; and those who have been favoured with a fuller development of God's providence have very properly explained Antichrist of the French nation, when in the year 1793, the public authorities declared the people free from every mental power of Mahomet, the Pope, Christ, and even God, and this is doubtless the true and genuine era of the present mental independance so much boasted of. Those who advocate the mental independance of Atheism have blundered in fixing its chronology to 1827-they should have dated it from 1793, when the French nation openly excommunicated every mental power, and gave a public sanction to Atheism. The lawless rodomontade of a few individuals will never be accounted for an era in any matter.

the period allotted for the prevalence of Atheism, Mahomedanism, and Catholicism. Atheism is with great propriety believed by interpreters to be the real Antichrist which was to appear in the last days, because it denies both the Father and the Son.

This mental power has diffused itself all over France, Switzerland, many parts of Germany and the Netherlands; it is to be found in Scotland, England, and Ireland, and is now publicly proclaimed and defended in certain periodical prints in the United States, where a number of distinguished foreigners, lured thither by the political freedom of that land, have succeeded in forming a nucleus of Atheism, and bid defiance to every thing affecting to be from God, whether law or gospel.

Whether these things be exactly so or not, it is very certain that the first vision shows us the origin of Messiah's kingdom under the figure of "a little stone;" and the second vision shows it at the beginning of the Millennium, when "the beast" (that is, the Roman Empire) is slain and his body destroyed and given to the burning flame; then is Messiah, the only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords, exhibited in all his glory.

"I saw," says Daniel, "in the night visions, and behold one like the Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of Days; and they brought him near before him, and there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed." Thus Christianity is not shown to be a scheme of mediation only, but a system of universal government also, having God for its author. "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Messiah." "Behold he cometh on clouds, and every eye shall see him."

DANIEL.

ON THE EATING OF BLOOD AND OF THINGS

OFFERED TO IDOLS.

TO THE EDITOR.-Dear Brother, -My reasous for believing that the decree in Acts xv. was intended to prevent the Gentiles giving offence to the Jews at Jerusalem, who at that period were all zealous for the law, (see Acts xxi. 20) are the following:

In exact accordance with Moses, it strictly forbids the eating of things strangled, of blood, and of meats offered to idols; while not one of these are forbidden in any other part of the New Testament; on the contrary, they seem to be allowed.

The words of the decree, "Abstain from meats offered to idols," contains a strict command, not limited to idol temples, or to any class of individuals.

one.

In 1 Cor. viii. 4-9: As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) but to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled. But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse. But take heed lest by any means this liberty of your's become a stumblingblock to them that are weak." The eating of meats offered to idols is here allowed. It limits the above decree to ignorant and weak believers, forbiding others to offend them by eating.

You say that "blood is often used as equivalent to life and death," and yet maintain that in these instances it is not used figuratively! This is equivalent to saying that blood, and life, and death, are all literally the same!

The following is my authority for saying that the word life is used figuratively in the command which forbids the use of blood; and that it typified the blood of Jesus, which redeemeth our lives from destruction::

"And whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, that eateth any manner of blood; I will even set my face against that soul that eateth blood, and will cut him off from among his people. For the life of the flesh is in the blood and I have given it to you upon the altar to make au atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. Therefore I said to the children of Israel, No soul of you shall eat blood. ** For it is the life of all flesh; the blood of it is for the life thereof." Lev. xviii 10-14.

The reason above given for abstaining from the use of blood no longer exists; blood is no longer given us upon the altar to make an atonement for our souls. In the new Institution another emblem has been chosen to represent the blood of the sin-destroying Lamb. "This cup," said Jesus, "is the new testament in my blood." The Jews were forbidden to eat of the emblem of Christ's blood. The command given to Christians is, "Drink ye all of it: " and doubtless there is a design in this change. The Jews, as a nation, suffered not with Christ: the Gentiles who believe have fellowship in his sufferings. The emblem given to the Jews was blood; perhaps foreshadowing their guilt in the cutting off of the Messiah. That given to the Gentiles is wine: to them the blood of Jesus brings joy and