large towns the Hebrew preponderance was still more conspicuous; and in some of the ancient Polish provinces the descendants of Abraham had it all their own way. On classifying the students of the universities and high schools, the startling result is displayed that the superior academies are attended by five times as many Jews in proportion to Christians, regard, of course, being had to the general population, of which the Israelites form scarcely one and a-half per cent. The educated Jews form part in all the revolutionary movements from the Ural to the Atlantic, and from Lapland to Sicily. They are, as it were, the yeast of the European fermentation. The Jew element is perceptible in the Galician peasantry, in the Finnish malcontents, in the Servian progressists, and in the surging masses of revolutionary Poland." Moreover, it is confidently stated that wheresoever of late the Jew is foundwhether in Scandinavia, in Continental Europe, in England, on the edge of the North African sea-shore, or in the desert of the South-he has lost the downcast hopelessness of former years; a change has come over him; he feels his membership with a nation

1 N.B.-The first Edition of this work was published in 1863. Hence this quotation from a periodical bearing date 1862. I retain it in this Edition because since that time the progress of the Jews has been steadily advancing, and their position has become yet more honourable in every nation.

which is rising into greatness; his face is looking towards Jerusalem, and he expects with confidence that the day is close at hand when he shall return to the land of the covenant, and inherit the fruition of the promises.

Besides this, all is getting ready for the reception of Israel in the HOLY LAND. There is wealth there. Cultivation is going on, and fruitfulness follows. JERUSALEM itself has undergone a change. The city, not many years ago, was poor and miserable in its appearance, the houses mean and dirty, the streets narrow and crooked. Now the streets are wide and straight, and alive with the busy hum of traffic. Many handsome buildings have been erected, with beautiful gardens attached, in which flourish all the luscious fruits of this favoured clime. Fine churches, synagogues, hospitals, dispensaries, hotels, and stores are everywhere met with; and rich men from Constantinople, Babylon, Bagdad, Damascus, Egypt, England, France, and other places, have contributed by their presence to improve and beautify Jerusalem.1 Preparation, then, is going on in Israel's ancient capital; and seeing it is evident that the heart of all the nation is set earnestly upon the hallowed territory, and that the people are obtaining power in the world, and favour also, of no ordinary kind; I know not what now hinders but that we may

1 Taunton's Days in which we Live.

seriously expect the sons of Israel will speedily call Palestine their own, and people that long-promised land with those WHOSE RIGHT IT IS.

A most important question here comes before us, viz. : IN WHAT STATE AS TO RELIGION will the tribes of Israel be when they return to Palestine? Will they first embrace the Gospel? or will they be restored in unbelief?

Yea, I will gather

We find the LORD thus speaking by Ezekiel : "Because ye are all become dross; behold, I will gather you in the midst of Jerusalem. As they gather silver, and brass, and iron, and lead, and tin, into the midst of the furnace to blow the fire upon it, to melt it, so will I gather you in mine anger and in my fury, and I will LEAVE YOU THERE AND MELT YOU. you, and blow upon you in the fire of my wrath, and ye shall be melted in the midst thereof: as silver is melted in the midst of the furnace, so shall ye be melted in the midst thereof and ye shall know that I THE LORD have poured out My fury upon you." Now this gathering of Israel was to be after they should have been scattered among the heathen, and dispersed in the countries, and after they should have been so dealt with that the heart of the nation, could not "endure," nor the hands thereof be "strong." This language is not certainly consistent with the return of Israel in a converted state; neither,

1 Ezek. xxii.

indeed, is that of any other part of Scripture. But rather the whole voice of prophecy bids us first behold the tribes of Israel (or part thereof) gathered and established in the land of their fathers, and then afterwards, the Spirit of the Lord outpoured upon their sin-bound hearts. But I will not dwell further upon this interesting question at the present point, because it will necessarily come before us again as we proceed.

Another subject for inquiry of no slight importance comes before us with regard to Israel's return. WHO SHALL BE THEIR LEADER? UNDER WHOSE AUSPICES WILL THEIR RETURN TO PALESTINE BE BROUGHT ABOUT? BY WHOM WILL THE LAND OF THE COVENANT BE PLACED IN THEIR POSSESSION? WHAT POTENTATE WILL INTEREST HIMSELF IN THEIR RESTORATION, AND TAKE THEIR CASE IN HAND?

We answer-so far as Judah, Benjamin, and Levi are concerned-ANTICHRIST. The ANTICHRIST Will restore the Jews!!!

The GREAT OPPONENT of the God of Israel will fulfil the Lord's most Holy Word, and carry out His hallowed purposes. To suit his own ungodly ends he will make a league with the peculiar people, adhere thereto for a short time, then break it, and be the instrument of bringing about a tribulation, in which the Jews shall be sufferers indeed-a tribulation such as has not been since the world was.

For awhile we will give attention to this ANTICHRIST. Afterwards the case of Israel will come again before our notice.

In the twelfth chapter of REVELATION, upon which we have already dwelt, we read of "WAR IN HEAVEN" 1 -"And there was War in Heaven; Michael and his angels fought against the Dragon, and the Dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in Heaven. And the great Dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world; he was cast out into the Earth, and his angels were cast out with him." This prophecy concerning "War in Heaven" is introduced indeed in the midst of an allegory, and may in a certain measure be itself allegorical. Most likely it is so. But this is clear; Satan, the devil which deceives the world, is declared to contend some point of serious import, in which the interests of mankind have intimate concern, the angels of God being his opponents. He is overcome, and cast down upon the earth, and may no longer interfere except upon its surface. Whether the contest will be (as it were) army against army-spiritual beings in array against spiritual beings; or whether it will be, so to speak, the moral force of

1 See further particulars in notes to The Book of Revelation in Diagram. Article "Satan."