rfni ITS EISE, GOYEENMENT AND DESTIlsrY INDICATED IN THE BIBLE. I B Y- "W. EC. ID. TOTTEH^. ( ) Knterwl acconlin;; to Act of Congress, iu the year 1874, by W. H. D. Totten, in tl.o Office of ' the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C. ALL RIGHTS B ESER VED. ^PITTSBURGH, PA.: A. A. Anderson A Sons, Book and Job Printers, Dispatch Building, 67 and 69 Fifth Avfnue. 1874. ^^.^^ ^ ^ ^e ^^ OG^re^ ce^^^ ' 0? H E United Sips of America ; ITS EISE, GOYEENMENT AND DESTIJN^T INDICATED IN THE BIBLE. BY "W- H. ID. TOa?TE2Sr. Homestead, P. V. & C. R. R., Allegheny County, Penn'a, March 6th, 1874. /-^1:0FVK1^T^^^ -74 ^ ' <•■'> ^ PITTSBURGH, PA.: A. A. Anderson &. Sons, Book and Job Printers, Dispatch Building, 67 and 69 Fifth Avenue 1874. Entered according to Act of Coagress, in the year 1874, by W. H. D. Totten, in the office of the Librarian of Congress, in Washington, D. C. PEADER, your earnest attention is asked to the evidence herein adduced in support of the claim contained in the title, in the full confidence that you will be deeply impressed with the probability of its truth or correctness, if not altogether convinced of it. If you are not convinced, then you must take some other inter- pretation for the symbols than those which have been accepted by expositors for mamy years ; and you must show that the order of events as stated to occur, does, by your interpretation, bring you to the rise of a government, answering in all respects to the one pre- dicted, and which we claim to be this government of these United States and no other. We claim that this evidence is too conclusive to excuse its disre- gard by any Christian, especially a citizen of these United States, or any member of this nation ; for if this government is mentioned in the Bible, and its character and destiny even hinted at, it mani- festly becomes the privilege and duty of every one concerned in it to diligently seek all the information obtainable concerning them. The nation thus has forced upon its attention and compliance cer- tain duties, from which it must not, dare not shrink, while it also has numerous and precious promises of prosperity, development and stability. True reforms, therefore, will be inaugurated and vigor- ously prosecuted, with the full expectation of success. But we will not occupy space in enumerating the effects of a gen- eral acceptance of the position we take ; they will readily occur to most of our readere. Neither do we think it necessary to furnish any thing in the way of an apology for seeking in the Bible for statements concerning this republic. The finding of such state- ments effectually dispenses with all such apologies, even if it was not evident to the most casual reader of the Bible that much of its space is occupied with statements concerning many nations. Indeed skeptics have brought as an argument against the inspira- tion of the Bible, the statement, that while it mentions many com- paratively insignificant governments with much detail, yet not a word is said about this great republic. And from the standpoint of relationship to the Christian church, the objection is well taken; for if the nations, and even tribes, of antiquity have been put on the Bible record because they were either friendly or opposed to the ancient Jewish church, how certainly should we expect that the na- tions which either persecuted or defended the Christian church, would be pointed out? The object of our eifort is to show, that chief among the latter is this republic ? The writer disclaims any purpose or desire of casting odium on any class of persons who may appear to be unfavorably alluded to in this treatise. His desire and object in such allusions is to present the historical facts as they bear on the claim he advances: while he would by no means encourage blindness or indifference towards the evil workings of the anti-Christian systems, yet he does not forget that the multitude who have been taught to revere them, are not to be charged with the making of the systems or with a clear appre- hension of the evil results of their workings upon themselves, or the enormity of the injustice of forcing others to adopt their doctrines and practices. fN support of the opinion, that all the truth or truths which the Bible was written to convey to us, have not yet been appre- hended by expositors, and may not be for perhaps many years to come, we offer the statement of Rev. John Robinson, pastor of the Puritans, made in his farewell address to them, just before they embarked for America. This development of truth will no doubt be made chiefly concern- ing the privileges and duties of Christians as constituting a body politic, while some views of spiritual things may be somewhat modi- fied. V We look for a clearer light regarding civil aifairs, because the statements concerning spiritual things are so clear and explicit, and we may properly say understood, that but comparatively little change can be confidently expected in them. As a Christian nation we already occupy a peculiar position among the nations of the earth, and in perhaps many respects we are to be in our relations to other nations the antitype of the ancient Jews. But, to the statement of Rev. J. Robinson. We copy it from Robert Baird's Religion in America, page 101. This farewell charge is related in Edward Winslow's "Brief Narrative." It is here subjoined in the language in which it is given by that author, from whom alone it became known to the world: "We are now ere long to part asunder, and the Lord knoweth whether ever he (their pastor, John Robinson,) should live to see our faces again. But whether the Lord had appointed it or not, he charged us before God and His blessed angels, to follow him no farther than he followed Christ ; and if God should reveal any thing to us by any other instrument of His, to be as ready to receive it as ever we were to receive any truth by his ministry, for he was very The United States of America. confident the Lord had more truth and light yet to break forth out of His holy word. He took occasion also, miserably to bewail the state and condition of the reformed churches, who were come to a period in religion, and would no further go than the instruments of their reformation. As for example, the Lutherans, they could not be drawn to go beyond what Luther saw, for whatever part of God's will He had further imparted and revealed unto Calvin, they will rather die than embrace it. And so also saith he, you see the Calvinists they stick where he left them, a misery much to be lamented, for though they were precious, shining lights in their times, yet God hath not revealed His whole will to them ; and were they now living, saith he, they would be as ready and willing to embrace further light as that they had received. " Here also he put us in mind of our church covenant, at least that part of it whereby we promise and covenant with God and one another to receive whatsoever light or truth shall be made known to us from His Avritten word; but withal exhorted us to take heed what we received for truth, and well examine and compare it, and weigh it with other scriptures of truth before Ave received it. For, saith he, it is not possible the Christian world should come so lately out of such thick anti-Christian darkness, and that full perfection of knowledge should break forth at once." Such is the remarkable farewell address, as reported by WinsloAV. "Words," says Prince in his annals, speaking of it, " almost astonish- ing in that age of low and universal bigotry which then prevailed in the English nation, wherein this truly great and learned man (John Robinson) seemed to be the only divine who was capable of rising into a noble freedom of thinking and practicing in religious matters, and even of urging such an equal liberty on his own people. He labors to take them oif from their attachment to him, that they might be more entirely free to search and follow the scriptures." Indicated in the Bible. We will now proceed to the examination of the Bible for some prediction of the rise of this republic. Such we claim to find in the 2d and 7th chapters of Daniel. (The reader will find the text at the close of the work.) The first of these chapters records a dream of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, B. C. 603, and the interpreta- tion of it by Daniel, to whom the dream of the king, as well as the interpretation of it, was supernaturally shown. In the 31st verse Daniel commences the explanation, '•'■Thou, 0, king, saivest" (or was seeing), meaning an attentive or prolonged ob- servation, "anc^ behold a great image'' (or one image that was grand). The expression, "image," meaning primarily a shadow, and then any thing that represents any thing. The word is applied to man, (in Genesis, 1st chapter, 27th verse), where he is said to be created in the image of God. It is a word often used to denote idols, which are supposed to be a representation of the gods, either in their forms or characters. '•''This great image, ivhose brightness was excellent, stood before thee, and the form thereof loas terrible.'' A human form, but, partly owing to the materials, and partly to what might be almost called an appearance or expression of life in it, its appear- ance was '"''bright and terrible." ^'This image's head was of fine gold," good gold — unalloyed; "/m's breast and his arms of silver, his belly and thighs of brass, his legs of iron; his feet part of iron and part of clay," or as stated in the 41st verse, '■'•the feet and toes part of potter's clay and part of iron;" and again more explicitly in the 42d verse, " the toes of the feet loere part of iron and part of clay." These different metals are thus interpreted by Daniel. '•'•Tliou (Nebuchadnezzar), 0, king, art a king of kings; for the Crod of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power and strength and glory." ^''And wherever the children of men divell, the beasts of the field and foivls of the heaveii hath he given unto thy hand, and hath made 8 The United States of America. thee r'uler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.'' "All the ancient histories " (says Bishop Newton, as quoted by Albert Barnes), " almost are lost, but there are some fragments even of heathen his- torians yet preserved Avhich speak of this mighty conqueror and his extended empire. Berosus, in Josephus, says that he held in sub- jection Egypt, Syria, Phoenicia, Arabia, and by his exploits sur- passed all the Chaldeans and Babylonians who reigned before him. That he led his array as far as the pillars of Hercules (or straits of Gibralter), in Spain, and thence to Thrace and Pontus. '■''And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee."" This refers to the Medo-Persian kingdom established by Cyrus about 65 years after this dream, or 538 years before the birth of Christ, and which continued 205 years, until the overthrow of Darius Codomanus, 333 before Christ, at which time arises the third kingdom of brass, '■'' which shall hear rule over all the earth.'' It is well known that the Macedonian empire, founded by Alexander the Great, succeeded to the territory which had been occupied by the Medo-Persian empire (represented by the silver of the image), and which continued, not only during Alexander's life time, but the symbol includes also the rule of his four successors, until the con- quest of the same territory by the Roman empire, represented by the iron of the image. This (Roman) empire succeeded the Mace- donian — about 'oQ years before Christ. Let us now turn to the 7th chapter of Daniel, where we will find the record of a vision or dreams he had about 48 years after his explanation of the "great image." "/w the first year of Belshassar, king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream, and visions of his head upon his bed: then he ivrote the dream, and told the sum of the matters." Belshazzar was the last of the kings of Babylon. The account of his last feast, when the hand- writing appeared on the wall, announcing the doom of his kingdom, is given in the 5th chapter of Daniel (2d verse, 7th chapter). '■'■Dan- Indicated in the Bible. iel 8pake and said, I saw in my vision hy niyht, and behold., the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea'' (3cl verse), '■'■and four great beasts came up from tJie sea, diverse one from another.'" We have now come to the point in this dream of Daniel which corres- ponds to that of the vision of the great image (2d chapter, 32d verse). " This image's head was of fine gokl;" the head of the image is here symbolized by ''the firsf (beast), Avhich "was like a lion, and had eagle's wings. I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it tras lifted, up from the earth., and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a ina.ns heart was given it." I quote from the notes of Albert Barnes in the exposition of the text. He says, " Now in regard to the application of this symbol (of the lion) there can be but little difficulty, and there is almost no difference of opinion among expositors. All, or nearly all, agree that it refers to the kingdom of Babylon, of which Nebuchadnezzar was the head. " Thou, or thy kingdom, is this head of gold." (5th verse.) '•'^And behold another beast, a second (rising after the first beast or lion, out of the sea), like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it; and they said thus unto it: Arise, devour much flesh." The application of this symbol is evidently to the kingdom which succeeded the Babylonian. This was represented by the sil- ver portion of the great image, and the kingdom of the Medes and Persians, or Medo-Persian empire, is undoubtedly referred to. ((3th verse.) ^'And after this I beheld, and lo, another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four ivings of a foiol; the beast had also four heads, and dominion was given to it." Here we have the "leopard" given as the symbol for the same kingdom which was represented in tJie image by the ^^ brass," and the refer- ence is quite undoubtedly to the Macedonian empire under Alexan- der the Great, and his four successors. 10 \, The United States of America. (7th verse.) ^^ After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it laas diverse from all the beasts that tvere before it; and it had ten horns." This symbol corres- ponds to the iron part of the image, — the ten horns corresponding to the ten toes of the image, and the reference is according to most interpreters, and the evident suitableness of the symbols to the Roman empire. I quote from Barnes: ''The fourth kingdom symbolized by the fourth beast is accurately represented by the Roman power. This is true in regard to the place which that power would occupy in the history of the world, on the supposition that the first three referred to the Babylonians, the Medo-Persian, and the Macedonian. On this supposition every thing in the symbol is fulfilled. The fourth beast, so mighty, so terrific, so powerful, so unlike all the others, — armed with great iron teeth and witli claws of brass — trampling down and stamping on all the earth, well represents the Roman dominion. The symbol is such as we would now use to represent that power, and in every respect that empire was well represented by the symbol." (8th verse.) Daniel continues: "i considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom tliere were three of the first liorns plucked up b// the roots: and be- hold, in this horn tvere eyes lilce the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things." And in tlie 20th verse: ''that spake eery great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows." And 21st verse: "/ beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them: (22d verse), until the ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the Most High, and the time came that the saints possessed tlte kingdom." Indicated in the Bible. U (25th verse.) It is further said of this horn, as an enemy of the saints, that "he shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and think to chayige times and laivs: and they shall he given into his hands until a time, times, and the dividing of time.'' (26th verse.) ^^But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and destroy it unto the end.'' (27th verse.) '"''And the kingdom and donmiion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heavens, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an eve^'lastiyig kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him." We wish now to call attention to the order of the eveyits mentioned in the 2d and 7th chapters, of which we have partly given an expla- nation. As previously stated, the first great event is the Babylonian empire; next the Medo-Persian ; next the Grecian or Macedonian empire, and next the Roman empire. In the explanation of the parts of the image referring to this empire — which were the legs, feet and toes (of iron and clay) — there is a distinct statement that the kingdom or empire "'would be divided," according to the number of the toes, into ten parts ; the word divided not referring exclusively, if primarily, to the want of union between the iron and the clay, of which the feet and toes were composed. If the empire had not been divided into ten parts, there would have been no significance in toes as a symbol ; and especially is this true of the statement in the 42c? verse, where the toes represent the whole Roman kingdom. '■'■And as the toes of the feet tvere part of iron and part of clay, so the kiiig- dom [whole kingdom in ten parts,) shall be partly strong and partly broken or brittle." (43d verse.) '■''And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves ivith the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is 7iot mixed ivith clay." Here the expression, " shall mingle themselves ivith the seed (chil- 12 The United States of America. dren) of men,'" is explained to mean especially the mingling of the bai-barians — such as the Goths, Huns, Vandals — with the Romans, and Avhich very act was the dividing of the empire into ten parts or kingdoms. (44th verse, 2d chapter.) '•'•Arid in the days of these kings [or kingdom,) shall the Grod of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall Stan d forever. x\ll the statements made concerning the fourth or Roman king- dom, in the 42d, 43d and 44th verses, relate and apply to it as divided into ten parts. "J/i the days of these kings,'' (or kingdoms), then, (referring to the symbol of ten toes,) ^^ shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed.'' This kingdom, then, is set up during the time (or at some date after its commence- ment,) in which the Roman empire was divided into ten parts. As this is more explicitly stated in the 7 th chapter, we will turn to it. In the 7th verse we have a description of the fourth beast, closing thus, "aw6? it had ten horns." These horns correspond to the toeS of the image, and signify ten kingdoms existing at the same time' In the eighth verse, "/ considered the horns, and behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things." (9th verse.) "i beheld till the thrones were cast doivn"' (or placed,) '■'and the ancient of days did sit, whose garment ivas white as snoiv and the hair of his head like the pure ivool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his ivheels as burning fire"^ Indicated in the Bible. 13 (lOtli verse.) "^ fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand., thousands ministered unto him, arid ten times ten thousand stood before hirn; the judgrnent was set, arid the books were opened." (11th verse.) "/ beheld then because of the voice of the great words ivhich the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed and given to the burning flame.'' (12th verse.) "-As concerning the rest of the {four) beasts they had their dominion taken aivay; yet their lives tvere prolonged for a season and time." (13th verse.) "/ saw 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." (14th verse.) ^''And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and language, should serve him: his domiriion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall riot be destroyed." Here we will stop to inquire when does the ^^ ancient of days" sit ? whose " throne was like the fiery Jiame, aud his wheels as burning fire." Daniel says in the 21st verse, "i beheld, and the same (little) horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; (22d verse,) until the ancient of days came, aud judgment was given to the saints of the Most Sigh, and the tirne came that the saints possessed the kingdom." Here it is distinctly stated that the " little horn " is to prevail in war against the saints, until the coming of the ^''ancient of days," and of course the ''''ancient of days " does not come until the end of the time during which this horn thus prevails. If, then, we can learn how long this "little horn" is to continue its successful opposition to "the saints," we can then 14 The United States of America. tell how long after the ten horns rose, or the Roman empire was divided into ten parts, how long it must be after this until the ^^ ancient of daps" comes. We wish to learn this, because it is manifestly after the ^''ancient of days'' comes, that ^'■one like the Son of Man (13th verse) came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the ''ancient of days,''' (while "the judgment was set, and the books were opened,") ^'■and they brought him (who is like the Son of Man,) near before him," (the ancient of days). Thtn and there ivas given him dominion, and glory, and a hingdom," ^c; also at the same time, or when the '•'■ ancient of days" comes, ^''judgment was given to the saints of the Most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom." The duration of the '■^little horn" which fixes the date of these important events, is stated to Daniel by the angel who gives him the explanation of the fourth beast, to be for '•« time and times, and the dividitig of time." Let us read the 24th, 25th and 2Gth verses: ^^And the ten horns out of this (fourth) kingdom, are ten kings that shall arise: arid an- other (horn or kingdom,) shall rise after tlum; and he shall be diverse from the first, (ten horns, as having eyes, arid a mouth that spake very great things — see 20th verse). And lie shall sub- due three kings (25th verse), and he shall speak great words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, arid think (or hope) to change times and laws: and they (the saints) shall be given into his hands until a time and times, and the dividing of time." But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. And the kingdom (27th verse), and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him." Here, then, the duration of the little horn is given as for a " time, and times, and the dividing of time." We hardly think it necea- Indicated in the Bible. 15 sary to give the list of authorities and their reasons for explaining this expression as signifying three years and a half — (time, one year; times, two years; and dividing of time, half a year). This would make forty-two months, or twelve hundred and sixty days, — and taking each day for a year (which is the rule in prophecy), it is* so many (1260) years. It is 1260 years, then, from the time or period when the Roman empire was divided into ten parts, or however long after that, that the little horn rose, until the " ancient of days" comes, until the kingdom is given to "owe like the Son of Man^^ until ''Hlie time came that the saints possessed the kingdom." Let us inquire then what learned men have stated regarding the division of the Roman empire into ten parts : I quote from Barnes: "Out of this one sovereignty, represented by the fourth beast, ten powers or sovereignties, represented by the ten horns, were to arise. Now, one has only to look into any his- torical work to see how in fact the Roman power became distributed and broken up in this way into a large number of kingdoms, occupy- ing the portions of the world once governed by Rome." To see that there is no difficulty in making out the number ten, I cast my eye on the historical chart of Lyman, and found the following kingdoms and sovereignties specified as occupying the same territory which was possessed by the Roman empire and springing from that, viz: The Vandals, Alians, Suevi, Heruli, Franks, Visigoths, Ostrogoths, Burgundians, Lombards, Britons. The Roman empire as such had ceased, and the power was thus distributed. Calmet admits this division of the empire into ten parts, and quotes Berangaud, Bos- suet and DuPin. And Machiaveli, with no design of furnishing an illustration of this prophecy, and probably with no recollection of it, has men- tioned these names ; First, the Ostrogoths, in Moesia ; second, the 16 The United States of America. Visigoths, in Pannonia; third, Sueves and Alians, in Gascoign and Spain ; fourth, the Vandals, in Africa ; fifth, the Franks, in France ; sixth, the Burgundians, in Burgundy ; seventh, the Heruli and Turingi, in Italy ; eighth, the Saxons and Angles, in Briton ; ninth, *"the Huns, in Hungary; tenth, the Lombards, at first upon the Danube and afterwards in Italy. But as we are after dates, we refer to the chronologer, Bishop Lloyd, as to when this division began, as quoted by the commenta- tor Scott. He gives it thus: 1st, the Huns, A. D. 356; 2d, the Ostrogoths, A. D, 377; 3d, the Visigoths, A. D. 378; 4th, the Franks, A. D. 407 ; 5th, the Vandals, A. D. 407 ; 6th, the Sueves and Alians, A. D. 407 ; 7th, the Burgundians, A. D. 407 ; 8th, the Heruli and Rugii, A. D. 476 ; 9th, the Saxons, A. D. 476 ; 10th, the Longobards (or Lombards,) in the north of Germany, A. J). 483 ; in Hungary, A. D. 526. The reader will remember that it is stated in the 24th verse, ^^ and another shall rise after them'' (the ten), '"''and (25tli verse,) he shall speak great words against the Most High," &c., and shall continue thus for 1260 years. Since the last of the ten kingdoms does not take its position (or rise,) un- til the year A. D. 526, the eleventh one, or little horn, cannot appear in a decided form until after that date (A. D. 526), and as it continued 1260 years, these numbers added, give 1786 as the earliest date for the coming of the ancient of days, and the giving of a kingdom to one like the Son of Man." What then is intended by this " little horn'' which was to continue 1260 years? The writer does not intend to enter upon a discussion of this question, for the excellent reason that it has already been most thoroughly examined, and little, if any thing additional, can be advanced regarding it. We refer the reader to the many exposi- tors who have searched history for such a described power as would meet or satisfy the account here and elsewhere given of what this Indicated in the Bible. 17 "little horn" was to be and do. Our decided opinion, however, is that of those who refer the symbol (little horn,) to the Papacy. (See Barnes' notes on Daniel, page 323). If, then, we go back 1260 years from the birth of this nation (the United States of America), in 1789, (when George Washington was inaugurated and the new constitution became the organic law,) we shall find a decided epoch in the rise of Roman Catholicism. 1789 less 1263, gives 529 as this date, which is the second year of the reign of Justinian as emperor of the Roman empire. He issued his code or collection of laws in this year (529). Of their bearing upon Roman Catholicism, the historian Gibbon says: "His code, and more especially his novels (or supplemental enactments), confirm and enlarge the privi- leges of the- clergy, and in every dispute between a monk and a layman, the partial judge was inclined to pronounce that truth and innocence, and justice, were always on the side of the church." And as more clearly showing what were his religious views and practices which were so largely embodied in his laws and decisions, we will further quote from Gibbon's description of them: "It affords an unfavorable prejudice that his theology should form a very promi- nent feature of his portrait. The sovereign sympathized with his subjects in their superstitious reverence for living and departed saints. * * * In his public and private devotions the emperor was assiduous and exemplary ; his prayers, vigils and fasts (he often went two days and nights without food,) displayed the austere pen- ance of a monk; his fancy was amused by the hope or belief of personal inspiration. He had secured the patronage of the Virgin, and St. Michael, the archangel. Constantinople and the provinces of the east were decorated with the monuments of his religion. To promote the temporal and spiritual interest of the church was the serious business of his life ; and the duty of father of his country was often sacrificed to that of defender of the (Roman Catholic,) 18 The United States of America. 'faith.' The controversies of the times were congenial to his tem- per and understanding." " While the barbarians invaded the provinces, while the victorious legions marched under the banners of Belisarius and Narses, Justi- nian was content to vanquish at the head of a synod. Toleration was not the virtue of the times, and indulgence to rebels has seldom been the virtue of princes. The reign of Justinian was a uniform, yet various scene of persecution ; and he appears to have surpassed his indolent predecessors, both in the contrivance of his laws and the rigor of their execution. The term of three months was as- signed for the conversion or exile of all heretics (anti- Catholics). The Montanists, of Phrygia, on the approach of the Catholic priests and soldiers, grasped with alacrity the crown of martyrdom. The conventicle and the congregation perished in the flames. The Arian clergy, of Constantinople, whose wealth and magnificence equalled that of the senators, was despoiled by Justinian. "The remaining pagans within the empire were compelled to be baptized. Seventy thousand pagans were detected and converted in Asia, Phrygia, Lydia and Caria; ninety-six churches were built for the new proselytes, and linen vestments, bibles and liturgies, and vases of gold and silver were supplied by the pious munificence of Justinian. " The Jews were oppressed by a vexatious law which compelled them to observe the festival of Easter the same day on which it was celebrated by the Christians (Catholics). The Samaritans, of Pal- estine, were compelled to be baptized by Justinian, and they rebell- ed. They were finally subdued by the regular army, but not until 20,000 were slain, and twenty thousand sold to Persia and India; it has been computed that 100,000 Roman subjects were extirpated in the Samaritan war, which converted the once fruitful province Indicated in the Bible. 19 into a howling wilderness. But in the creed of Justinian the guilt of murder could not be applied to the slaughter of unbelievers, and he piously labored with fire and sword to establish the unity of the Christian (Catholic) faith. The reconciliation of the Greeks and Latins established the tome of (pope) St. Lea as the creed of the emperor and the empire." And he further states concerning the feelings of the Roman Catholics towards him (Justinian): " The Catholics were attached to Justinian, who, between the Nestorian and Eutychian heresies, trod the narrow path of inflexible and intolerant orthodoxy." * * * (page 22). "After a schism of thirty-four (34) years he reconciled the proud and angry spirit of the Roman pontiff', and spread among the Latins a favorable report of his pi«us respect for the apostolic see. The thrones of the east were filled with Catholic bishops de- voted to his interest, the clergy and the monks were gained by his liberality, and the people were taught to pray for their future sov- ereign, the hope and pillar of the true (Roman Catholic) religion." Let us now return to the consideration of the laws of Justinian : (A. D. 527). "When Justinian ascended the throne, the reformation of the Roman jurisprudence was an arduous but indispensable task. In the space of ten centuries the infinite variety of laws and legal opinions had filled many thousand volumes which no fortune could purchase and no capacity could digest. Books could not easily be found ; and the judges, poor in the midst of riches, were reduced to the exercise of their illiterate discretion. The subjects of the Greek provinces were ignorant of the Latin language that disposed of their lives and property; and the barbarous dialect of the Latins was im- perfectly studied in the academies of Berytus and Constantinople. As an Illysian soldier, that idiom was familiar to the infancy of Justinian. His youth had been instructed by the lessons of juris- prudence, and his imperial choice selected the most learned civilians 20 The United States of America. of the east to labor with their soyereign in the work of reformation. The theory of professors was assisted by the practice of advocates and the experience of magistrates ; and the whole undertaking was animated by the spirit of Trihonian. This extraordinary man was a native of Side, in Pamphylia; and his genius, like that of Bacon, embraced, as his own, all the business and knowledge of his age. Tribonian composed a double panegyric of Justinian, and the life of the philosopher Theodotus. * * * * Q^l^^g council of Jus- tinian listened to his eloquence and wisdom." Tribonian adored the virtues of his gracious master (Justinian), and he affected a pious fear that Justinian, like Elijah or Eomulus, would be snatched into the air and translated alive to the mansions of celestial glory." "In the first year of his reign (527,) he directed the faithful Tribonian and nine learned associates to revise the ordi- nances of his predecessors, as they were contained, since the time of Hadrian, in the Gregorian, Hermogenian and Theodosian codes; to purge the errors and contradictions, to retrench whatever was obsolete or superfluous, and to select the wise and salutary laws best adapted to the practice of the tribunals and the use of his subjects. The work was accomplished in fourteen months; and the twelve (12) books or tables, which the new decimvirs produced, might be de- signed to imitate the labors of their Roman predecessors. The new code of Justinian was honored with his name and confirmed by his royal signature : authentic transcripts were multiplied by the pens of notaries and scribes ; they were transmitted to the magistrates of the European, the Asiatic, and afterward the African provinces, and the laiv of the empire was proclaimed on solemn festivals at the doors of churches. A more arduous operation was still behind; to extract the spirit of jurisprudence from the decisions and conjec- tures, the questions and disputes of the Roman civilians. Seven- teen lawyers, with Tribonian at their head, were appointed by the Indicated in the Bible. 21 emperor to exercise an absolute jurisdiction over the "Vforks of their predecessors. The rapid composition (by them) of the digests or pandects, in three years, will deserve praise or censure according to the merit of the execution. The edition of this great work was de- layed a month after that of the institutes. * * * The code, the pandects and the institutes were declared to be the legitimate system of civil jurisprudence; they alone were to be admitted in the tribu- nals, and they alone were taught in the academies of Rome, Con- stantinople and Berytus. Justinian addressed to the senate and provinces his eternal oracles; and his pride, under the mask of piety, ascribed the consummation of this great design to the support and inspiration of the deity. As the legislator of the empire, Justin- ian might repeal the acts of the Antonines, or condemn, as seditious, the free principles, which were maintained by the last of the Roman lawyers. But the existence of past facts is placed beyond the reach of despotism, and the emperor was guilty of fraud and forgery when he corrupted the integrity of their text, inscribed with their venerable names, the words and ideas of his servile reign, and suppressed by the hand of power the pure and authentic copies of their senti- ments." He continues: "It is the first care of a reformer to pre- vent any future reformation. To maintain the text of the jjo-'^^dficts, the institutes and the code, the use of ciphers and abbreviations was rigorously proscribed; and as Justinian recollected that the per- petual edict had been buried under the weight of commentators, he denounced the punishment of forgery against the rash civilians who should presume to interpret or pervert the will of their sovereign. Every year," or according to the historian Procopius, " each day of his long reign was marked by some legal innovation, many of his acts were rescinded by himself. * * * These incessant, and for the most part trifling, alterations can be only explained by the venal spirit of a prince, who sold without shame his judgments and his 22 TJie United States of America. laws." "This (Justinian) code is obeyed or respected by the na- tions of modern Europe." We will now glance at the support and establishing of the Roman Catholic church by Justinian, as eftected by the buildings he erect- ed. Of these Gibbon says: (Volume 3, page 41, Gibbon.) "The edifices of Justinian were cemented with the blood and treasure of his people, but those stately structures appeared to announce the prosperity of the empire, and actually displayed the skill of their architects (page 42). The genius of Anthemius and his colleague, Isadore, the Milesian, was excited and employed by a prince whose taste for architecture had degenerated into a mischievous and costly passion. Within forty days after the burning of the church of St. Sophia (at Constanti- nople, during the Nika (vanquish) sedition, Justinian undertook its rebuilding." " The design or plan was formed by the architect, Afithemius, and his genius directed the hands of ten thousand workmen, whose pay- ment in pieces of fine silver was never delayed beyond the evening." The emperor, himself clad in a linen tunic, surveyed each day their rapid progress, and encouraged their diligence by his famili- arity, his zeal and his rewards. "It was dedicated five years eleven months and ten days after its first foundation, and in the midst of the solemn festival, Justinian exclaimed with devout vanity, ' Glory be to God who has thought me worthy to accomplish so great a work. I have vanquished thee, Solomon!'" "He (Gibl)on) states the lowest computation of the cost of this church building and its vessels and ornaments, was five million dol- lars. In Constantinople alone, and the adjacent suburbs, he dedi- cated twenty-five churches to the honor of Christ, the Virgin, and the saints ; most of these churches were decorated with marble and Indicated in the Bible. 23 gold. He also built the churcli of St. John, at Ephesus, and one to the Virgin, at Jerusalem. The pious munificence of the emperor was diffused over the Holy Land. He built monasteries for both sexes, sank wells and founded hospitals for the relief of pilgrims. Almost every saint in the calendar acquired the honors of a temple." Just 1260 years after the year (527) when Justinian was prepar- ing his code, occurred these transactions. In May, 1787, represen- tatives from all the States, excepting Rhode Island, met in conven- tion in the State House, in Philadelphia, with Washington as President. They soon perceived that the ^'■Articles of Confedera- tion,'" by which the colonies had hitherto been united, allowed too much independent state sovereignty for the safety of the national life ; that a greater centralization of power was all important to the existence of the republic. Keeping this in view, the convention framed the national constitution. This constitution became the organic law of the republic on March 4th, 1789, and George Wash- ington was inaugurated first President, April 30th, 1789. Of course the writer has nothing to do with fixing the reign of Justinian as an epoch of the Roman empire, nor yet has he been the first to insist that it is one of the epochs in the rise of the "little horn," or the Papacy; this has been advanced by Faher many years ago in his large work on the Prophecies, and he is frequently and favorably quoted by the commentator "Scott." Some of the state- ments concerning the reign of Justinian as an epoch, are these: " The events of his reign excite our curious attention by their num- ber, variety and importance," and again, "I shall now proceed to describe the reign of Justinian, which will deserve and occupy an ample space." In his manual of General History, John J. Anderson, says: "The famous reign of Justinian, over the empire of the east, commenced in 527 A. D., and lasted thirty-eight years." "It is remarkable 24 The United States of Ameriea. for the code of laws which the emperor caused to be framed, and for the victories of Belisarius and Narses, the two greatest generals of the age." ''The former defeated the Vandals, in Africa, in two great battles, and recovered the provinces which they had subdued. He next reduced Sicily," &c. His reign is remarkable for the number and destructiveness of the earthquakes, and the depopula- tion caused by the pestilence and famine. We will close this account of Justinian's reign with a quotation concerning Theodora, his Avife. "In the exercise of supreme power, the first act of Justinian was to divide it (the supreme power,) with the woman wliom he loved, t\iQ faynous Theodora, whose stra7ige elevation cannot be applauded as the triumph of female virtue. Theodora had been an actress — her skill was confined to the pantomime arts; she excelled in buf- foon characters, * * * gj^e left Constantinople in company with Ecebolus, who had obtained the government of the African pentapolis. Ecebolus soon rejected an expensive or faithless com- panion ; she was reduced at Alexandria to extreme distress. In the most abject state of her fortune and reputation, some vision, either of sleep or fancy, had Avhispered to Theodora the pleasing assurance that she was destined to become the spouse of a potent monarch. She returned from Paphlagonia to Constantinople; assumed, like a skillful actress, a more decent character ; relieved her poverty by the laudable industry of spinning wool, and affected a life of chastity and solitude in a small house which she afterward chanijed into a magnificent temple. Her beauty, assisted by art or accident, soon attracted, captivated, and fixed the [flien) patrician, Justinian, who already reigned with absolute sway under the name of his uncle (Justin, then emperor in name). Justinian delighted to ennoble and enrich the object of his affection; he was determined, perhaps by religious scruples, to bestow on her the sacred and legal character Indicated in the Bible. 25 of wife. But the laws of Rome (Roman empire,) expressly prohib- ited the marriage of a senator Avith any female who had been a theatrical performer. The empress (his aunt) refused to accept her for her niece, and even Vigilantia, the superstitious mother of Jus- tinian, was seriously apprehensive lest the levity and ai'rogance of the artful Theodora might corrupt the piety and happiness of her son. These obstacles were removed by the inflexible constancy of Juntinian. He patiently waited the death of the empress (his aunt); he despised the tears of his mother, who soon sank under the weight of her affliction; and a law ivas promulgated in the name of the emperor Justin, which permitted those females who had been ac- tresses, to contract a legal union with the most illustrious of the Romans. This indulgence was speedily followed by the solemn nup- tials of Justinian and Theodora, A. D. 525. Her dignity was gradu- ally exalted with that of her lover ; and as soon as Justin had in- vested his nephew Avith the purple, the patriarch (or bishop,) of Constantinople placed the diadem on the heads of the emperor and empress of the east. But the usual honors trhich the severiti/ of Roman manners had alloived to the wives of princes., could not sat- isfy either the ambition of Theodora or the fondness of Justinian. He seated her on the throne as an equal and independent colleague in the sovereignty of the empire, and an oath of allegiance was im- posed on the governors of the provinces in the joint names of Jus- tinian and Theodora. "• The eastern world fell prostrate before the genius and fortune of the bear keeper's daughter; and she who had polluted the theatre of Constantinople, was adored as a queen in the same city, by grave magistrates, orthodox (Roman Catholic) bishops, victorious generals and captive monarchs. "From a motive of shame or contempt, she often declined'the ser- vile homage of the multitude, escaped from the odious light of the 26 The United States of America. capital, and passed the greatest part of the year in the palaces and gardens which were pleasantly seated on the sea coast of the Pro- pontis and the Bosphorus. Her private hours were devoted to the prudent as well as grateful care of her beauty, the luxury of the bath and table, and the long slumbers of the evening and morning." The most illustrious personages of the state were crowded into a dark and sultry anti-chamber, and when at last, after tedious attend- ance (or waiting) they were admitted to h'ss the feet of Theodora, they experienced, as her humor might suggest, the silent arrogance of an empress, or the capricious levity of a comedian. Her rapa- cious avarice to accumulate an immense treasure, may be excused hi/ the appreheiision of her husband's death, which could leave no alternative between ruin and the throne. But the reproach of cruelty, so repugnant even to her softer vices, has left an indelible stain on the memory of Theodora. Her numsrous spies observed and zealously reported every action or tvord or look injurious to their royal mistress. Whosoever they accused were cast into her peculiar prisons inaccessible to the incpdries of Justice, and it was rumored that the torture of the rack or scourge had been inflicted in the p)res- ence of a female tyrant insensible to the voice of prayer or pity. "■The senator or bishop Avhose death or exile Theodora had pro- nounced, was delivered to a trusty messenger, and his diligence was quickened by a menace from her own mouth. 'If you fail in the execution of my commands, I swear by him who liveth forever, that your skin shall be flayed from your body.' In the twenty-fourth year of her marriage and twenty-second of her reign, she died of cancer." (The italics are ours.) But we must call attention to the occurrence of the French revo- lution in the same year that this nation began its existence (1789), showing the beginning of the fulfillment of the declaration in Danieb Indicated in the Bible. 27 7th chapter, 26th verse. "5m/ the jiidg7nent shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and destroy it unto the etid." This revokition was a terrible blow to the Papacy. The Rev. Ashbel Green (see his life, page 31), while comparing the origin and conduct of the French and American revolution, says of the latter. "An irruption took place of the most ferocious and infer- nal passions that human nature has ever exhibited. The leaders of this revolution, with no exception known to me, were destitute of every thing like religion or genuine morality. They talked indeed of morality, but openly professed to abhor religion, unless after the extermination of every semblance of Christianity, the Avorship of a harlot, in the guise of the goddess of reason, might be called their religion. Many of the leaders, as every body knows, were avowed atheists. Their priests were sacrificed by hccato^nbs." Another epoch in the rise of Roman Catholicism, and which has been more generally accepted by expositors, is based on the decree of the emperor Phocas in the year 606, constituting the pope of Rome Boniface III. — universal bisliop. Of this emperor we give a brief account. In the year 602 (A. D.) Phocas was raised from the rank of cen- turion to the throne of the empire. Gibbon (volume 3, page 225) says : "The pencil of an impartial historian his delineated the por- trait of a monster ; his diminutive and deformed person, the close- ness of his shaggy eyebrows, his red hair, his beardless chin, and his cheek disfigured and discolored by a formidable scar. Ignorant of letters, of laws, and even of arms, he indulged in the supreme rank a more ample privilege of lust and drunkenness, and his brutal pleasures were either injurious to his subjects or disgraceful to him- self." After recounting the slaughter of his predecessor, Maurice, and his wife and nine children, he continues; "After such an ex- ample it would be superfluous to mention meaner victims. Their 28 The United States of America. condemnation was seldom preceded by the forms of trial, and their punishments were embittered by the refinements of cruelty. Their eyes were pierced, their tongues were torn from the root, their hands and feet were amputated ; some expired under the lash, others in the flames, others were transfixed with arrows. The companions of Phocas were the most sensible, that neither his favor, nor their ser- vices, could protect them from a tyrant, the worthy rival of the Caligulas and Domitians of the first age of the empire." H. H. Milman, D.D., in his history of Latin Christianity (volume 2, page 264) says "The brief pontificate of Boniface III. (from 606 to 607,) is marked by the assumption of that awful title before which Christendom bowed for so many centuries, that of universal bishop," * * * "Neither the motive of the donor of this mag- nificent privilege, nor the donor himself, commend this gift. It was the tyrant Phocas who hated the patriarch of Constantinople for his humanity in protecting, as far as he had power, the widow and the three helpless daughters of the murdered emperor, Maurice, from his vengeance ; and this hatred of the patriarch of Constanti- nople, rather than the higher respect for the bishop of Rome, still less any mature deliberation on the justice of their respective claims, awarded the superiority to the old Rome." It has been the expressed expectation of expositors that, in the year 1866 (606 + 1260), events would occur that would materially hasten the downfall of the Papacy. Let us examine the record for that year, to see how far those expectations have been realized. Prominent among the occurrences of that year is that of the war between Prussia and Austria. The Edinburgh Review (volume 132, page 586) says: "Never was there a war shorter than that of 1866 ; but its consequences were immense. It restored the national existence of Germany, and Indicated in the Bible. 29 brought within view its complete consolidation. It consummated the national unity of Italy. It put an end to all possibility of refusing the demands of Hungary. As part of the Hungarian arrangement, it secured free govern- ment for the whole Austrian empire. And, lastly/, in thus restoring the power of utterance and action to that country, it shattered the fabric of Ultraniontanism which had been built up by the Con- cordat of 1855." "It is indeed wonderful to reflect that only seven years have elapsed since Austria appeared to be on the point of establishing an absolute supremacy for herself in Germany, by introducing into the confederation the whole of her non-Germanic population. How well for Europe that she has escaped that ill-omened and ill-con- ceived consummation ! Singularly contrasted with the fortunes of her southern sister (Austria), have been those of Prussia. In 1865 her population was 20,000,000; it is now over 30,000,000, besides 8,000,000 inhabitants of the South German States whose sympa- thies are with the German nation." Not only was the Papacy seriously weakened by the humiliation and weakening of Austria, and the "consummation of the national unity of Italy," but the significance of this struggle of 1866 in the increase of power which it developed, or brought to Germany, is manifest in the use of it made since then, in the still farther weakening the support of the Papacy by the overthrow of Napoleon III., 'The Son of the Church,' between the 5th of August and the 5th of September, 1870." Referring to the effect of this struggle betAveen Prussia and France directly upon the papal temporal power, the same writer (page 285) says: "France, as was natural, found it needful, on the outbreak of the war, to withdraw her troops from Rome; the decrepit structure of the Pope's civil government, on the removal of its prop, immmediately began to totter." 30 The United States of America. "We may now pronounce it level with the ground; there seems to be scarcely a hope or a fear of its restoration, and possibly the day may come when it may be generally believed that the downfall of the temporal power of the popedom has, in its ulterior results, been the greatest and most fruitful among all the great and fruitful consequences of the war," We have referred to the rise of Roman Catholicism as gradually accomplished, yet marked by dates of unusual success in its estab- lishment. In a similar manner the "kingdom is set up which is eventually to supercede it." From the glorious times of Justinian, when first by his code (in 529) the Papacy was declared to be the religion of the empire, we have seen that the measure of 1260 years brings us to the establish- ment of this republic. The application of the same measurement to the date of 606, should likewise bring us to an epoch of success, or advancement in the history of this nation. What then do we find in the record for 1866 ? The great Avar which was began and continued in the interest of slaveholders, is closed by their surrender in 1865 ; and slavery, by the amendment to the national constitution, declared (December 18th, 1865,) abolished, and thus are four or five millions of human beings liberated, and with the blighting effects of the practice upon its moral sense and republican spirit, and its peace and unity, our country is no longer to be cursed. Immeasureably has this nation risen in its self-respect, and in the respect of other nations, by the abolition of slavery. This "setting up" of this government by still further improvements in its statutes and administration, will undoubtedly continue until it reaches that perfection of government which "is a terror to all evil doers, and for the praise of those who do well." Indicated in the Bible, 31 In Daniel, 7th chapter, 18th verse, it is predicted that "^Ae saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom^ and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever." Evidently the kingdom referred to here is the same as that in the 14th verse, which is given to "one like the Son of Man." The reader will notice the expression, "shall take the kingdom." Barnes says: "The word rendered sam^s means the holy, and the refer- ence is undoubtedly to the people of God on the earth, meaning here that they would take possession of the kingdom, or that they would rule." Christians are repeatedly called "saints" in the New Testament, and only those who, in modern times, fill, in their belief and practice, the Bible description of saints can be prophesied of above as taking the kingdom. These persons must also be identified by their being under the persecuting power of whatever is meant by the "little horn," and for the time specified as "a time, times, and the dividing of time," by which is meant, we confidently aifirm, the Papacy, for 1260 years. Now, it is a plain record of history that this country was settled by the very persons whom the Papacy persecuted, and most of them came here to escape such persecution. Certainly those cannot be included among the saints who are persecutors of the saints. At the close of the American Revolution (1784) there were 1,415 Protestant ministers and 1,888 churches, and 26 Roman Catholic priests and 52 churches. We will now consider some of the apparent difficulties in the text which our interpretation requires to be removed or rather recon- ciled, but would here again remind the reader that the order of the events here given — and their separation by the specified time — as stated, must not be lost sight of, for, as each of these visions— 32 The United States of America. that of the image of the 2d chapter, and the other vision of the four beasts, in the 7th chapter — is complete in itself, we cannot go out- side of it, or of the two as referring to the same events, for any modification of the statements they contain. It is just as evident as language can state it, that the kingdom here spoken of has no organized existence "until" after the duration (for a time, times, and dividing of time,) of the '■'■little ho7-n." We have seen that the "little horn" cannot have a distinct appearance until ^^ after" the ten horns arose, which thus effectually throws forward from the Christian era, or birth or ministry of Christ, the rise of the little horn to a later date than A. D. 526. Therefore this kingdom can- not be interpreted to mean the spiritual kingdom set up by our Savior during his ministry and the labors of his apostles. That a spiritual kingdom was referred to in both these visions, seems to have been assumed by expositors, because God is stated to be so directly concerned or acting in its '■^setting up" as in the 2d chapter, 44th verse, ^^ shall t fie Grod of heaven set up a king- dom," losing sight of such expressions as that contained in the same chapter, 37th verse, 'Hhe Crod of heaven hath given thee (Nebu- chadnezzar) a kingdom," which is the same substantial expression as that in the 7th chapter, 27th verse, '■'■the kingdom, ^-c, shall he given to the people of the saints" Likewise is "dominion " given to the third beast, or Macedonian empire. Also see Daniel 4th chapter, 17th verse, ^^the Most High rideth in the kingdoyn of men., and giveth it to whomsoever He ivill, and setteth up over it the basest (most humble or lowly,) of men." But as the kingdom which is mentioned in the 7th chapter, or vision of the four beasts, as being given to (13th and lltli verses) one like the Son of Man, and (verses 18th, 22d and 27th) to the saints, is no doubt the same kingdom as that mentioned in the 2d chapter, or vision of the Great Image, we will examine the language concern- Indicated in the Bible. 33 ing it, to see what it contains, that woukl suggest, or support, the interpretation that a spiritual kingdom is referred to. In the 2d chapter and 44th and 45th verses, the text reads, ''And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never he destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, hut it shall hreak in pieces and consimie all these kingdotns, and it shall stand for ever.'" (45th verse.) ^'■For as much as thou saw est that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake iri pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold.'' Here "a kingdom" is said to be ''set up" by the Crod of heaven, and the symbol of it in the vision is the '■^ stone cut out of the mountain without hands." The expression, ^^ without hands," has no doubt had very much to do with fixing the interpretation to a spiritual kingdom. That a stone should be cut out of a mountain, and move off" towards and strike the image, without any source of power to do so being seen to act on it, has been understood as distinctly referring to a kingdom as set up without human "hands" or "human concurrence," and consequently that it referred to Christ's spiritual kingdom. Without going into an extended review of ex- positors' views on the translation of the expression, '■'■without hands," we will give the authority for saying that it simply means that the stone, in its cutting out and motion towards the Image, is self-moved. See Barnes' note on 2d chapter, 34th verse: "The stone appeared to be self-moved." "It became detached from the mountain, and, as if instinct with life, struck the image and demol- ished it." "The stone was seen to be self detached from the mountain." Another Hebrew scholar gives the same exposition of "without hands," that it implies self-motion to the stone in its cut- ting out and striking the image. We will now turn to the significance of the expression, "moun- tain " from which the stone was cut. Notwithstanding the opinions of some expositors that there is no special significance to be attached to this expression, yet others have felt that there must be some rela- tion between the mountain and the stone which was cut from it, and have thus interpreted it. Some have thought that the mountain meant the Roman empire, out of which the gospel church was taken; Augustine supposed it to mean the Jewish nation; others 3 84 The United States of America. supposed it to mean the mountainous country of Judea in which Christ was born, or to the tomb from which Christ sprang to life and victory. These are evidences of belief in a connection between the two, the stone and mountain. We think that an unprejudiced view of these symbols — stone and mountain — ayouM justly infer the following characters and relationships. First, then, as to the stone, it is evidently of the same general chai'acter or kind as the moun- tain, whatever the mountain may be ; it is not stated that the stone is even of one material or kind of rock, and the mountain of another kind. This is well brought out in the way it is stated as being de- tached, it being cut out, or as Barnes expresses it (notes on Daniel, page 158), cut from the Parent Rock. So close, indeed, is this identity of the stone and mountain, that it may almost, if not alto- gether, in truth be said that the stone is not a separate stone until it is cut out. Even while it is being detached the stone exhibits inherent pow- er, which is further shown in its actions and developments. We feel justified then in the inference, that — the stone and mountain being identical — the mountain also represents poiver, for the stone is but a part of it. We might go further in commenting on the symbols in this respect, but we might thereby appear to refine on them ; our purpose must be accomplished without any straining. That the expression, "mountain," is used to denote a nation, there are several instances in the Bible. (In Jeremiah 51st chap., 25th verse) "•Behold I am against thee destroying mountain, saith the Lord, which destroyed all the earth;" thus speaking of Babylon and the inhabitants of Chaldea or the Babylonian empire. Also, in Revelation 8th chapter, 8th and 9th verses. The reader has perhaps already surmised the application we pro- pose to make of these symbols. The '■^mountain'' is the British Nation, and the stone is the combined thirteen colonies cutting loose from it, by their oum power (self-acting) becoming independent. The identity of language and usages, of opinions and practices of civil government, of the colonies and the mother country ("parent rock") is known to all. This republic was a part of the British nation; identified with it in almost every respect, and even until the very year 1776 hoping to be reconciled to, and remain a part of it. i Indicated in the Bible. 35 That the British nation is well represented by a "mountain" — as being a great and even dominant power, at the time the stone was being cut out — or the colonies declared and fought for their independence, is well sustained by the records of Britain's power in those years. In August, 1776, Vergennes urging the king of France to war against England, speaks of the latter as "arrogating the exclusive empire over the seas," of "the tyranny of the Eng- lish in all parts of the globe." (Bancroft's History of the United States, vol. 9, pages 65 and 6S and on page 70.) — "A large part of the nobility of France panted for an opportunity to tame the haugh- tiness of England, which, as they said to one another, after having crowned itself with laurels, and grown rich by conquests, and mas- tered all the seas, and insulted every nation, noAv turned its insatia- ble pride against its own colonies." Of the colonies he says: — "Thirteen states had risen up, free from foreign influence, to create their own civil institutions, and join together as one." Their population being about three millions. In all resources a ^^stone" indeed, compared with the mountain mother country. With reference to the difficulty of applying the terms, "everlast- ing," "forever and ever," &c., to a civil government, we will give "Barnes" opinion expressed in his note on verse 18th, of the seventh chapter. Speaking of the time when "-the saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.'' he says when all offices shall be in the hands of good men, then this prediction will be accomplished in respect to all that is fairly implied in it. Referring to its duration, he says: "What is here affirmed will be true if such a reign should continue on earth to the winding up of all things. * * * * It is not necessary to interpret this as meaning that there Avould be literally an eternal kingdom on this earth." Similar expressions, evidently signifying a period limited by the duration of the world, occur elsewhere; as in Genesis, 13th chap. 15th verse, Grod says to Abram: ''For all the land which thou seest, to thee loill I give it, and to thy seed forever ;'' and in Gene- sis 17th chap., 18th verse, '' I ^v ill give unto thee and to thy seed after thee, all the land of Canaan /or an everlasting possessison." Another reason for referring these symbols and statements to a 36 The United States of America. spiritual kingdom, is that this kingdom is said to be given to "owe like the Son of Man." "He has said" (Luke, 18th chapter, 36th verse): "Ji^/ hingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then u'oidd my servants fight, that I shall not he delivered to the Jews: hut noiv is my kingdom not from hence." Again in Matthew, 18th chapter, 3d verse: " Verily I say unto you: except ye he converted and hecome as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." But we need not multiply references. These expressions, taken either alone, or in connection with the failure of the Jews to receive a temporal kingdom, has fixed the interpretation of the statements concerning the "kingdom of God," kingdom of heaven, &c., to a spiritual sense. And yet the statement concerning our Savior as a leader of actual armies, and as obtaining victories in this manner — by the blood shed and loss of life — over the enemies of His cause and people, are just as decided, and perhaps as numerous, as those which undoubtedly refer to spiritual victories. Any one who does not propose to adopt that exceedingly mistaken rule of interpretation which hunts for a spir- itual meaning as the primary one for every passage, cannot but be convinced that the Messiah is not only the Prince of Peace, but a "man of war." That His garments are stained not only with his own blood for the atonement of the people, but also with the blood of his enemies. Let the reader turn to the 63d chapter of Isaiah, and in the 1st to the 6th verse, inclusive, he will find the other character — that of a '•'■man of war" — given to the Savior: 1. Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah ? this that is glorious in his apparel, traveling in the great- ness of his strength ? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. 2. Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in wine-fat ? 3. I have trodden the wine-press alone ; and of the people there was none with me ; for I will tread them in mine anger, and tram- ple them in my fury ; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. 4. For the day of vengeance is in mine heart and the year of my redeemed is come. 5. And I looked, and there teas none to help, and I wondered Indicated in the Bible. 87 that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me. 6. And I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth. On this passage Scott remarks: "These verses contain a pro- phetical representation of the victories of Christ over the enemies of His church; for of Him the passage must be interpreted, nor can so much as an accommodation of it to any other be admitted. But it is remarkable that many have understood it of the sufferings of Christ and of his being covered with His own blood, though nothing can be more evident than that He is represented by the prophet as covered with the blood of His enemies, and as a mighty conqueror and avenger, and not as a Lamb slain for the sacrifice." Also the same character and office is plainly stated to be the Sav- ior's in Revelation, 19th chapter, 11th to 21st verse, "m righteous- ness doth he judge and make war.'' '■'•And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army." ^'■And the Beast was taken,"