lypse, it is plain, that if one vision of the same era was to be sealed, that all the others must be also; and that if one was rightly explained, all the rest could easily be. The reason, therefore, why the Apocalypse has been a sealed book, has been because Daniel's visions of the same era were sealed. It is plain, also, that the sealing of the vision to "the time of the end," was determined upon by God himself; and all attempts at explanation, during that period, would, from the necessity of the case, be erroneous, because God had decreed it. It also follows, that all systems of explanation, projected during that era, are in gross error; and, of course, all systems now in vogue, which adopt the same old erroneous principles, must be essentially incorrect. It also follows, that a discovery was to be made of the true principles of explanation, and that by these the mystery should be unveiled. Again; the periods of three and a half times, 1290 days, 1260 days, 42 months, and 2300 days, which are found in this period of veiled prophecy, must, also, be veiled in signification, as well as every other part of the prophecy, because they form the most extraordinary parts of it. Indeed, it was specially to these periods that the mystery spoken of was to be applicable. For Daniel, immediately after he heard the duration of the prophecy was to be three and a half times, says, “I heard, but I understood not; then said I, O my Lord, what (when) shall be the end of these things? And he said, Go thy way Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end."-Dan. xii. That is, the whole prophecy was to be mysterious, but the three and a half times were to be so pre-eminently. It has been taken for granted, in past ages, that a prophetic day represented a solar year, and this notion still prevails in all systems of prophetic expositors now in vogue.

Now, if this principle had been correct, the prophecy would have been no mystery, but would have been unveiled long ago. But, as this would involve the veracity of God, it follows that the assumption is perfectly gratuitous, and that all modern theories, based upon this principle, are essentially heterodox. Now, there is not a word in scripture that proves that a prophetic day represents a solar year, not one; so that the assumption is an arrogant one, at the very beginning, and has nothing to give it any claim to credence. It is true that Israel was in the wilderness "forty years, each day for a year, after the number of days in which ye searched the land; and it is also true, that Ezekiel was to represent the 390 years of Israel's past transgression, by a day for a year; but this proves nothing, with reference to the 1290 days of Daniel being taken for 1290 solar years. It may afford grounds for a rough guess, but is no basis of a close, sound, and infallible estimate, none in the least. But it is replied, that the seventy weeks were fulfilled, by taking a day as a solar year. To this we answer, that the assertion is totally void of correctness; for the seventy weeks of Daniel, if they represent weeks of days, would only make 490 days, or years; whereas, the seventy weeks were to be dated from the decree of Cyrus to restore and build Jerusalem; and were to extend to the destruction of Jerusalem, by the Romans, which is an era of at least 603 years; so that at this rate there is a deficiency of 113 years. But it is said these weeks, or years, were to extend to the crucifixion. We answer then, that they fall short of the time seventy-four years. But again it is said, they are to be dated from the decree of restoration, given to Ezra by Longimanus. We then reply, that 490 years is six years greater than the period between this last decree and the crucifixion. So that, in

no case does a day represent a solar year. But again; we object to the theory, not only because it is a baseless assumption in the first place, but because it produces the wildest discrepancy between the fulfillment of the same events. For instance, it is said, in Daniel viii., that it shall be 2300 days from the destruction of Jerusalem till the sanctuary and host shall cease to be trodden under foot. Now, as these would be solar years, according to this theory, it would be in A. D. 2368, when the sanctuary would be cleansed. But, in the twelfth chapter it is said, that in three and a half times, or 1260 days, from the destruction of Jerusalem, the power" of the holy people shall cease to be scattered; which is precisely the same thing as that predicted to occur at the end of the 1260 days. This, however, would bring the restoration of Israel as early as 1328 A. D., making a difference of 1000 years between the times of the occurrence of the very same event. Again; the 1290 and 1335 days are most positively pinned down to the cessation of the daily sacrifice, as their beginning epoch; and, according to this absurd theory, they must have ended in 1358, and 1403, which is ridiculous. Now, at the end of all these periods, symbolized by days and years, the very same identical events were to occur, and they were all to begin at the same identical epoch; and it therefore follows, that they all represented but one era, which would close at one given period.

We again object to the theory, because it is obliged to wrest the scriptures" from their only legitimate sense, and give a fanciful exposition to them. Nothing can be plainer than that the scripture states that the beginning of the 2300 and 1290 and 1335 days should be at the downfall of Jerusalem. And yet the advocates of this theory have most unscrupulously and boldly affirmed,

that it was impossible that they could begin there, even if God did say so. The consequence has been, that theories without number have been projected to give them another starting point, and no two have agreed together as to the proper points or point. Such a course has darkened God's words by counsel without knowledge, and thrown discredit upon prophecy and upon God himself. "Order is heaven's first law;" and the endless jargon of these presuming Solomons has proved that they were in the grossest error. From the nature of things, the whole system of prophecy, from the beginning of the world to its close, must be a simple, compact, and harmonious unit; but this theory not only fails to harmonize the prophets, but is fully chargeable with logical, if not with profane, heresy. It harmonizes nothing, but disorganizes every thing in its path. It places the carnal Israel superior to the spiritual; transforms literal terms to figures, and vice-versa at will; it allows redemption to Palestine, but denies it to the world; it annihilates the globe at the removal of the curse, and makes the “restitution of all things," to be the annihilation of all things; fixes one epoch for the day of judgment, and then another; originates religious epidemics, and deceives the people; rejects revelation rather than its own rhapsodies; is proud, arbitrary, self-conceited, positive, heady, high-minded, and black with error; and yet it claims the confidence of mankind. Surely it is unworthy of belief.

Again; we are opposed to the theory, because it never correctly calculated any future event; while, at the same time, it has professed to be infallible in its calculations. Millerism was based upon it; and what has become of it? Let the faded ascension robes answer. It never showed a past realization of prophec, that conformed

to it; yet it draws on space, and hides its head in the darkness of the future, and says it will do better by and by. But it is hopeless to expect anything from it; it has no scripture to endorse it, and no proof from experience; it has wrested the scriptures, disappointed hopes, transgressed all logical authority, thrown prophecy into confusion, contradiction, and double mystery; resting upon wild speculation, it has injured religion; supported only by opinions and not by merits, deceiving and being deceived, it is as untenable as falsehood, and as shallow as ignorance.

Past theories of interpretation being wrong, from the decree of God, and from their own absurdities, it follows that some new scheme of exposition must be discovered in order to solve at length the great mysteries of God. The mystery was not always to remain; for prophecy would be nonsense to the world, if it were never to be understood; its being concealed "till the time of the end," and only till then, implies that it was certainly to be known at that time; besides which, the text expressly affirms that the "wise shall understand," but that "none of the wicked shall." The terms "wise" and "wicked "" are symbolic and generic, and of course they are prophetic terms of multitude, and refer to great classes in the world at the time of unsealing. A discovery was therefore to be made, and the time of its occurrence, and the people who were to know it, are distinctly specified. The next question of importance to decide is, What is meant by the "time of the end?" This can be answered by looking at the events which were to characterize it. 1. It was to be at about the end of the three and a half times mentioned in the 12th chapter of Daniel. And as this period is interpreted to be 1290 and 1335 days, it is possible the present age is the one. 2. It was