this cannot be, you will see at a glance. The beast has its own
character; that was long ago written out by the prophets, and up to the
present time it has filled in the outlines with a marvellous minuteness.
In these things many good and wise men have erred in making prophecies
fit certain persons, and nations, and times, instead of waiting for these
things to fit on to prophecy. Let us not be prophetic forgers. Let no
one deceive you in these matters. Adventism, Millerism, Shakerism,
Spiritualism, are untimely excesses. As systems they are, as yet, out of
place. This subject of Anti-Christ, as to who he will be, and when he
will appear, I shall be obliged to leave for next Sunday evening, as my
time is up. May the good Lord guide us into the ways of truth and peace.
ANTI-CHRIST AND LITTLE HORN.
DISCOURSE X.
SECOND DISCOURSE OF THE MONSTER--WHO HE WILL BE AND HIS NAME--HOW HE WILL
OBTAIN POWER--TROUBLE FOR GERMANY, FRANCE, AND
RUSSIA--COMMUNISM--ROMANISM--SHAKERS--MATTHIAS, WEST--CHESTER PROPHET.
"Let no man deceive you by any means; for that day shall not come,
except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be
revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself
above all that is called God, or that is worshipped, so that he, as
God, sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is
God."--2 Thess. ii. 3, 4.
We may reasonably ask why Paul gave the Thessalonians this caution, and
the answer will appear at once if we read his first epistle to this
people. There you will find Paul writing to them about the second coming
of Christ, which writing the Thessalonians had evidently misunderstood,
and this misunderstanding was working mischief among them. They had
false hopes and expectations. Their faith, instead of exciting them to
holy activity in Church and State, had begun to paralyse all their
efforts. "For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that _we_
which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent
them which are asleep; for the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven
with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trump of God;
and the dead in Christ shall rise first (that is, before Christ
descends); then _we_ which are alive and remain shall be caught up
together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so
shall _we_ ever be with the Lord" (1 Thess. iv. 15-17). It was the
frequent use of the pronoun "we" that had confused them--_we_ who remain,
_we_ who are alive. The Thessalonians had inferred from this that the
second coming of Christ would take place in their day. Hence, to correct
this impression Paul thus writes in his second epistle. The two verses
preceding the text show us Paul's intent. "Now we beseech you, brethren,
by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together
unto Him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by
spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ
is at hand." Then comes in the text, "Let no man deceive you," &c.
In reasoning on such important subjects as Anti-Christ, resurrection, and
second coming of Christ, we should always be mindful of the Scriptural
order. When we sit down to take dinner, we follow the order that custom
has prescribed, soup, fish, meats, and dessert. Children, however, if
let alone, would reverse this order by beginning with the dessert first.
So with many Christians, they reverse the order of things as laid down in
the Bible. They make Christ to come before Anti-Christ, and Anti-Christ
to come before the Jews and Ten Lost Tribes are gathered together again
and settled after their first estate in Palestine. The Millerites could
neither have deceived themselves nor others had they taken knowledge of
the relation of things. The Jews and Lost Tribes had not been gathered
together then, the temple had not been built in Jerusalem, as described
in the last chapter of Ezekiel, neither had Anti-Christ appeared. But
such was the folly of men then, and not less now than then. Four-fifths
of the prophecies of the Bible refer to the history of Judah and Israel
in their own land, their captivity and return in the latter day. Still
men take one-fifth and confuse themselves and everybody else. They have
brought the prophets and prophecy into bad repute by ignorantly or
wilfully interpreting the same.
We freely avow now that the prophecy fulfilling at present is the finding
of the Lost Ten Tribes, then their union with the Jews, then their
restoration to Palestine, then after being settled there for some time,
the Jews, as Jews, having built their new temple, and having established
the Mosaic temple service again, and the Lost Tribes as Christians, then
and there we may look for Anti-Christ--not before. Not for the sake of
boasting, and yet without fear, we freely invite ministers or laymen
anywhere to disprove these facts, and to such we will respond cheerfully
if asked for farther proof. The Lost Tribes, we believe, are come to
light, and may be found in the Saxon race chiefly as represented in this
country and Great Britain. If this be so, then we may look for the
preparatory signs in Providence and nations, and thank Heaven, these are
at hand and in accord with the Divine Word.
In Nebuchadnezzar's metallic image we saw Rome symbolised by the legs,
composed of iron and clay. We saw, also, that the little stone cut out
of the mountain began its destructive assault on the image, by striking
the feet; these it would first break, so Rome politically has
disappeared. The ten toes, however, symbolised ten kings or kingdoms
that were to arise in the latter day, or at the time of the end. These
ten kingdoms are also symbolised in Daniel's dream by ten horns that came
out of the head of the nondescript animal that stood for Rome. It is out
of one of these ten horns that another little horn grows, having eyes
like a man and a mouth speaking great things--that is, Anti-Christ. It
is at once plain, then, that ere Anti-Christ can appear, these ten
kingdoms must be formed. How, when, and where will these ten kingdoms be
formed? The clay part of Rome is still alive, and is designated by
Daniel, and by John in Revelation, under the name of beast; and here you
need to be careful, for the word beast is sometimes given to Anti-Christ,
so as not to confound it with the word beast when it stands for the
Romish Church. They will be formed out of Spain, Italy, France, and part
of Austria. Edom, Moab, and the sons of Ammon in Austria, are to be
free--that is, the Poles, Magyars, and Hungarians. The setting up of
these ten kingdoms will begin in France by a revolution.
By the doctrine of infallibility, these countries are claimed by Rome,
and wedded to her, and this doctrine of infallibility makes a divorce
impossible. Rome waits only her time to reclaim her supposed own. And
this doctrine of infallibility will make it a holy war, hence good and
true Catholics everywhere will be obliged to sustain the same by their
money, or presence, or prayers. This, to many of our Catholic friends,
will sound strange. But this they know, if such an emergency ever does
arise--they cannot well fight against the infallible Church--between
commands and duties, they will readily prefer the Pope and Church to king
and country.
The Jesuits are now, and have long been, preparing for such an event:
they expect it. By their plottings and intrigues they will again, as
many times before, involve the Church in war. They are busy sowing the
seeds of discord. In past time both the Church itself and nations have
banished these crafty fellows from their pale and country. The United
States alone, of the nations of the earth, is the only one that has not
so done. But even among us they are plotting and manoeuvring to such an
extent that it will not be long before America will be tested and tried
on this same subject.
Among the preparatory signs of the coming of Anti-Christ we have
Communism, which is destined to spread. In Europe it will unsettle every
throne but one--that is, Israel, England. We fear that neither the
Church nor State comprehend the terrible power that is thus quietly
organising in this and other lands. It is this uprising of the
Communists and intriguing of the Jesuits in our own land, that will call
General Grant once more to the front, as we pointed out to you months
ago. The recent European Congress resulted in patching up a temporary
peace between Russia, England, and Turkey. A place will be provided for
the Duke of Edinburgh, who, having married the Czar's daughter, will
enable the two Powers to agree. He may not be the first prince, still he
and his seed are to find a kingdom in that place. Russia will be willing
for England to have Constantinople, and exercise a provisional
protectorate over Turkey, with a view of strengthening his daughter's
chances. England will thus come peaceably in possession of Palestine.
Germany, being tied to both the Russian and English thrones by blood and
marriage, will also freely consent. Besides, Germany is going to pass
through a severe trial. The old Emperor will soon die, and also
Bismarck, then a new prince will advise the new king, new counsel, and
new blood, near and on the throne. Germany will become a prey to
internal strife, fanned by the discontented Catholics of the Empire, that
number some 15,000,000, and weakened by the Communistic elements. Not
much longer can Germany bear the strain of her immense army and enormous
taxes in consequence.
Russia also will have all she can do to stay the desire for reform, and
the claims of the Nihilists or Communists. Thus will Providence prepare
His people's way back to Palestine.
If God promises once He does so fifty times, that He will restore Israel
and Judah to their own land. To this one thing all Providence is
concentrating, and this is the key that unseals prophecy and Providence.
"And I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to
return, and will build them as at the first" (Jer. xxxiii. 7). They will
form a free province, electing their own rulers and governors. They will
be quite democratic, doing away with all titles, being the children of
the Lord. "And the nobles shall be of themselves, and their governor
shall proceed from the midst of them" (Jer. xxx. 21); or, as stated by
Isaiah, chap, i, verse 26, "And I will restore thy judges as at the
first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning; afterward thou shalt be
called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city." Thus they will be
a free province, managing their own affairs under the patronage and
protection of England. Now it is this freedom that will open the door
and prepare the way for Anti-Christ. He will be elected governor because
of his supposed superiority in manners, science, and benevolence. He
will appear as a lamb at first, according to John, but once in power his
true character will appear. He will be a great scientist, and in the
eyes and faith of the multitude He will be able to work miracles--to
bring, scientifically, fire down from heaven. So clever will he be that
he will deceive some of the very elect.
Before his election he will have been a man of great power and influence.
Once in power he will contrive to centre all power and interests in
himself. He will pander to the Communists--to the Romish Church--to the
scientific infidels of the day. In this feature he will draw heavily
upon the Germans, and create quite a sympathy in England and this
country. "For some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and
to purge, and to make them white even to the time of the end" (Dan. xi.
35).
The Scriptures having pointed out the special features of his character,
we see that many of these features are already in the world. This is
Anti-Christ. This is the spirit of Anti-Christ. And when God withdraws
His restraining power, Anti-Christ will embody all these forces and
characteristics in himself. And all men having these features, will
sympathise with him, and aid him. God alone is now keeping back and down
this spirit of Anti-Christ until His own chosen time. "And now ye know
what withholdeth, that he might be revealed in his time; for the mystery
of iniquity doth already work, only he who now letteth will let until he
be taken out of the way (that is, till God withdraws Himself), and then
shall that wicked be revealed."
Anti-Christ means one opposed to Christ. Also it means one opposed to
Christ, and yet desires to be Christ--who wishes to be received as
Christ. And when the time comes, he will be received by many. The Jews
will be looking for, and expecting the coming of, their Messiah, hence
many of these will be deceived. Many radical Adventists and Millenarians
will accept him, because they are in haste in their expectations: many of
these will follow him. Indeed, the whole world seems ripe to furnish him
a quota. But who will he be? Answer: He will be a French Jew, who will
intermarry into the Bonaparte family. His title will be Napoleon I. of
Palestine. This word Napoleon, resolved into Greek equivalents, is equal
to Apollyon, and as a number stands for 666. "Here is wisdom. Let him
that hath understanding count the number of the beast, for it is the
number of a man; and his number is six hundred threescore and six" (Rev.
viii. 18).
Christ, when warning the Jews of Anti-Christ, said, "I am come in My
Father's name, and ye receive Me not; if another shall come in his own
name, him ye will receive." Here, and in other discourses, we have to
content ourselves at many points with mere statements, for to defend
every point would take too long a time, and would not suit our purpose.
It is our desire in all these discourses to incite you to study, to teach
you to examine for yourselves; to prepare you against being unduly led
away by Adventism, Communism, or Infidelity; to give you an interest in
Providence and history. Do you ask if any will be led away by such a
false pretender? We answer, Yes--unless humanity undergoes some radical
change. Take a few instances:--
Our Shaker friends believed in Mother Ann Lee. This woman in 1770, while
living in Manchester, England, pretended to have a special revelation
from Heaven, making known unto her that she was the female side of
Christ--as Jesus was the revelation of the male side. As Eve was taken
out of Adam, the female principle separated from the male, so she was
separated from Christ. This, and much that is curious, do these sincere,
honest, and industrious people believe.
Take another example, nearer home, and of which some of you are
cognizant, having known the pretender and many of his duped followers.
We refer to Matthias, the prophet of Westchester County. This pretended
lord began his labours in Albany, N.Y., in 1830. First he taught himself
to be God's high priest, then the Saviour, then he claimed to be God. On
being asked where he was from, he would answer: "I am a traveller, and my
legal residence is Zion Hill, Westchester County, New York State. I am a
Jewish teacher and priest of the Most High God, saying and doing all that
I do, under oath, by virtue of my having subscribed to all the covenants
that God hath made with man from the beginning up to this time. I am
chief high priest of the Jews of the Order of Melchizedec, being the last
chosen of the twelve apostles, and the first in the resurrection which is
at the end of 2,300 years from the birth of Mahommed, which terminates in
1830. I am now denouncing judgment on the Gentiles, and that judgment is
to be executed in this age."
He appeared in fine pontifical robes, with a rule six feet long in his
right hand; with this he was to measure off God's holy city. In his left
hand he had a two-edged sword. Underneath his pontifical robe he had a
rich olive broadcloth cloak, lined and faced with silk and velvet;
besides, he wore a brown frock coat, with several stars on each breast,
with a splendid gold star on the left. His belt was of white cloth,
fastened by a golden clasp, and surmounted with an eagle. He wore a
cocked hat of black beaver, trimmed with green, the rear angle being
surmounted by the golden symbol of glory.
He moved from Albany to New York, and here succeeded most wonderfully,
winning over some of the finest families of Fifth Avenue, and the richest
and best merchants of this city. His followers furnished him with plenty
of money, carriages, a mansion in the city, and one in the country.
Finally he was accused and detected of the worst crimes, and at last was
sent to Sing Sing. While in jail he issued the following proclamation:
"As I live, there shall be no more sowing in the earth until I, the
twelfth and last of the apostles, am delivered out of the house of
bondage." For fear of this proclamation many of the farmers refused to
sow, and they set to work to deliver him, and succeeded. He left the
jail, and may be living yet to read what we now state to you.
It is really wonderful how easily men are deceived in religious matters.
Let us study the Word, ask God's guidance in knowing and doing His will.
Time is gone. I have said but little, much more might be said. In my
next discourse I will introduce you to two old men who will visit
Anti-Christ.
THE TWO WITNESSES.
DISCOURSE XI.
TROUBLOUS TIMES--APPEARANCE OF THE WITNESSES--WHO ARE THEY?--HOW THEY CAN
BE IDENTIFIED--THEIR MISSION, WORK, AND SUFFERING--THE TIME AND
CIRCUMSTANCES OF CHRIST'S COMING.
"And I will give power unto My two witnesses, and they shall prophesy
a thousand two hundred and three-score days, clothed in
sackcloth."--Rev. ii. 3.
We will all agree that the person and work of Anti-Christ are yet in the
future. For while Anti-Christ is ruling in Jerusalem, and battling with
the saints of the Most High, having conquered and plucked up by the roots
three of the ten-horned kingdoms by his victories and cunning craft, and
his alliance with the beast or the Church of Rome, he will become proud,
blasphemous, and arrogant, and will at once try to force the people to
worship the beast. He will claim to be the promised Jewish Messiah. He
will enter the new Jewish Temple and actually sit enthroned as God
incarnated, commanding the people to worship him. He will be so received
by the Jews, some of the Israelites and the Romish Church, by the
Communists and scientific infidels, and by "such as do wickedly against
the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries," men of understanding shall
fall; indeed, Christianity will seem to be about destroyed.
Russia will aid by her influence his pretensions with a secret purpose to
take the spoils and gain her long-desired object, Jerusalem and
Palestine. England will stand aloof for a time, waiting an opportunity
to interfere. Then will be a time to try men's faith--to test the
Church. England and America will stand alone as representing freedom and
religious liberty. "And then shall many be offended and shall betray one
another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall arise
and deceive many; and because iniquity shall abound, the love of many
shall wax cold; but he that shall endure unto the end shall be saved."
This is the time when Communism, infidelity, and Romish Jesuitism will
combine against God and liberty, and, thank heaven, this is the time
appointed when they all will be destroyed. Then the kingdoms of this
world will be given to the saints of the Most High. The struggle will be
fierce, long, and terrible, but victory will be on the Lord's side.
In the very midst of these awful times there will appear two famous
persons as witnesses for Jesus: one who will specially appear to the
Jews, the other to Israel, and both testify for God and Jesus. These two
witnesses will turn the tide of battle, confront Anti-Christ and his
host, and give to the world new views of God and Providence.
These two old men, or witnesses, will be endowed with miraculous power to
bring fire down from heaven, or turn the water streams into blood, and
smite the earth with all manner of plagues, as often as they will. Their
presence and power will cast a gloom o'er the nations of the earth, and
Anti-Christ and his allies. They will finally be slain in the streets of
Jerusalem. At the time of their death a great feast will be held to
commemorate the victories of Anti-Christ, and to inaugurate the setting
up of an image of him in the temple. So in the city there will be
peoples, kindreds, and tongues of many nations. And they will see the
dead bodies of the two witnesses lying exposed and unburied in the
streets for three days and a-half, for Anti-Christ will not suffer them
to be buried. On the wings of the wind, by the telegraph and by signals,
the news of their death will spread rapidly abroad to all the nations of
the earth. Infidelity, and Communism, and the Jesuits will be
emboldened. Feasting and rejoicing will be the order of the day. "And
they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them and make merry,
and shall send gifts one to another, because these two prophets tormented
them that dwelt upon the earth." That will be the merry wake for you--a
wake that will suddenly end, and that too, before the corpses are buried.
The victories will be cut short and the rejoicing checked.
The spirit of life from God shall enter into the two exposed and
corrupting bodies, and they shall stand upon their feet to defy
Anti-Christ and his host, and laugh at the pains of death. Great fear
will fall upon them who saw the dead so raised. This time the telegraphs
will be muffled, and the news is kept back from the nations as much as
possible; but astonishment ends not here, for over the destroying and now
idolatrous city of Jerusalem hangs a peculiar cloud, and voices peal as
thunder through the air, to call the attention of the multitudes. And
when every eye is skyward, the cloud moves and opens, as a chariot of
fire and glory, and rising in majesty and composure up above roofs,
temples, and pinnacles, will be seen the two witnesses of Christ; they
enter in and are borne heavenward. "And they ascended up to heaven in a
cloud, and their enemies beheld them." Then, while the multitude are
wrapt in wonder and all amazement, the pinnacles sway to and fro, the
houses rock, the earth trembles, the walls of the city fall, and Olivet
cleaves in twain. Then Anti-Christ is slain with many of his followers,
and the remnant fear unto repentance. "And the same hour there was a
great earthquake, and a tenth part of the city fell, and in the
earthquake were slain of men seven thousand, and the remnant were
affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven. And the seventh angel
sounded, and there were great voices in heaven, saying, the kingdoms of
this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He
shall reign for ever and ever."