"Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations; spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes; for thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited."-Isa. liv. 2, 3.

In the writings of the prophets the feminine gender is often used when speaking of the House of Israel, and the masculine when denoting the House of Judah. Quite frequently Israel is spoken of as a divorced woman, as being cast off, and as being barren. Judah remaining faithful to the throne of David and the temple service, and abiding in the land much longer than Israel, is presented as one married. So you will understand Jeremiah iii. 8, when he says: "And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce." Again, Isaiah l. 1: "Thus saith the Lord, Where is the bill of your mother's divorcement whom I have put away?" Yet, though Israel was divorced, forsaken, cast off, and desolate, she was to have more children than married Judah. So the verse preceding the text says: "Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud thou that didst not travail with child; for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord." Then come the words of the text bidding her enlarge the place of her tent, or dwelling-place, to stretch forth her curtains, so as to cover over the new-gotten habitations. To spare not-that is, to be not tardy, or slow-in lengthening out her cords-that is, her influence-and strengthen her stakes-that is, her authority; but to break forth on every hand where there is an opening, and inherit the seed of the Gentiles, and make the languishing and poverty-stricken cities of the nations to be inhabited; in this conquest to go on and fear not.

These exhortations are given, and promises are made to Israel after she had left Palestine. No one can say truthfully that they have yet been fulfilled in no degree or sense, unless they find such fulfilment in the conquests of the Saxon race. These predictions cannot apply to the Jews, for they are few, nationless, and without a government. Touching the past history of both Judah and Israel in Palestine, we shall find it to be barren of victories, territory, acquisition, and number, in comparison to other nations. They have never occupied the land given to Abraham in fulness. In Solomon's time they bare rule only over a part of it. The Gentiles and heathens have occupied it more and longer than the sons of Abraham. But what failed to be accomplished in the past, is held grandly in reserve for this day, the next few years. G.o.d will remember His promise to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David. He will remember it to fulfil it, in spite of h.e.l.l or earth.

We have been blind and guilty in the past, unconscious of our origin, and as a natural consequence, ignorant of our place and special work. In interpreting the Word of G.o.d we have been lavish in spiritualising, and greedy in materialising, overlooking the fact that nine-tenths of the Old Testament is a material history about one people, and that through them G.o.d's special providence was to flow to all other nations; and the New Testament plants the life and prosperity of the Gentile world upon the course and progress of Israel. G.o.d said to Abraham, "In thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed:" and more, "and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." Israel, being scattered and cast off, became a blessing to the world. They gave to the surrounding nations the only true idea of G.o.d, for in their lowest condition and idolatry they preserved the name and knowledge of Jehovah, and Christ sent His disciples after them through one of their own Tribe-namely, Benjamin-telling them not to go into the way of the Gentiles, nor into the cities of the Samaritans, "but go rather to the lost sheep of the House of Israel." To these sheep Christ declares He was sent. Where were these sheep? They were scattered about in Central Asia-in Scriptural language in Cappadocia, Galatia, Pamphylia, Lydia, Bithynia, and round about Illyric.u.m. From these very regions came the Saxons: from here they spread abroad North and West, being the most Christian of any people on the face of the earth then, as well as now. Their reception of the Gospel gave them power over the surrounding nations, to whom they were, as it had been foretold, witnesses for Jesus and providence in a very special manner. What then, we say with Paul, will be the blessing of Israel-recognized and fully restored to G.o.d's favour? If so much good was carried and bestowed upon the Gentile nations because Israel was scattered, how much, and what are the blessings in store for those nations when Israel and Judah be restored? Paul compares it to a resurrection-like as when the barrenness and desolation of a Winter is supplanted by the fruits and beauties of Summer. "If the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?" (Rom. xi. 15).

It is reasonable to suppose that this world is subject to the providence of G.o.d. Such a supposition is grandly sustained by the laws and operations of nature without, and the experience and intuitions of the mind within; and I believe this providence to be all-comprehensive, bounding, and cognising all things, past, present, and future, both small and great; claiming the ages for its measure, the universe for the field of its operations, and the Infinite as the source of power. "The Lord Jehovah reigns, let the earth rejoice." Let me persuade you to thoroughly believe in the precision, the intimacy, and the completeness of this providence. This doctrine we need to fully learn and accept.

"In the beginning G.o.d created the heavens and the earth," and it is He "who hath measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, and meted out heaven with a span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance." Aye, and more, yet closer still does this providence approach us in our affairs. "By Him kings reign and princes decree judgment. He bringeth the princes to nothing; He maketh the judges of the earth as vanity."

Even closer yet, for without His permission a sparrow cannot fall to the ground; and so intimate is He with us, that He knoweth the number of the hairs of the head. Now all this kind of Bible instruction is intended to teach the nearness of G.o.d to us, and His interest and intimacy with nations and nature. Let us not think for a moment that nations can rush to war and be outside this circle of providence. Let us study to know G.o.d's mind, His plans and purposes with the nations; for rest satisfied that His plan will finally be accepted by men and nations, and His purposes will prevail. Kings may plan, diplomatists may diplomatise, scientists may a.n.a.lyse, theologians may teach and preach their isms, and politicians may make platforms and construct rings, yet none, nor all combined, can stay the hand of G.o.d. "He doeth according to His will in the armies of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth." He can initiate, permit, modify, and destroy. Once we truly recognise the sovereignty of G.o.d over us, conceit will lie dead at the feet of humility.

The Church at large has but a slender hold upon this great doctrine.

They look upon the great movement of wars and strife, rising and falling of nations, as looks the country stranger upon a railway engine the first time, the whirling wheels, the steam and smoke and burnished boiler rivet his attention so completely, that he sees not the driver in his car. So men are dazed with the show of pomp of courts and councils, with the harangues of legislators and march of regiments, that they discern not the master hand behind that directs all. "Verily, Thou art a G.o.d that hidest Thyself." No, no, friends; English bravery, nor American ingenuity will not account for all that England has done on the line of victories, and the marvellous and rapid growth of these United States.

As G.o.d said long ago through Moses, so He could say to-day-for heavenly counsel was given to the children of Israel on entering the Promised Land, with a design of suppressing their pride and enabling them to form a correct idea of their success in driving the strong and greater nations of Canaanites and Philistines-"Speak not thou in thine heart, after that the Lord thy G.o.d hath cast them out from before thee saying: For my righteousness the Lord hath brought me in to possess this land; but for the wickedness of these nations the Lord doth drive them out from before thee. Not for thy righteousness, or the uprightness of thine heart, dost thou go to possess the land, but for the wickedness of those nations the Lord thy G.o.d doth drive them out from before thee, that He may perform the word which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Understand, therefore, that the Lord thy G.o.d giveth thee not this good land to possess it for thy righteousness, for thou art a stiff-necked people" (Deut. ix. 4).

By the same rule and for the very same reason that Israel conquered Palestine, does England go on from conquest to conquest. And because G.o.d remembered to perform His promises made to the patriarchs upon their seed, America was opened for the Puritans, who are without doubt the descendants and representatives of Mana.s.seh, of whom G.o.d said "he should be a people, a great people."

The rule of England and America over other people, is to be as life from the dead-that is, whatsoever country England conquers and rules, it is better for the people, and the country, and the world. They give to the people a liberty that they would not have given to themselves; they develop the resources of the country as never before, and by trade and commerce bless the people and cause them to be a blessing unto others.

And better still, they make known to the conquered ones, in due time, the riches of faith in Christ. So we have no hesitation in saying, a thing patent to every unprejudiced observer, that the aborigines of the conquered colonies of Great Britain are treated better by their conquerors than they ever treated themselves. The Africans, in the conquered colonies of Africa, are better off under British rule than those colonies or portions unconquered are. The hosts of India enjoy more, fare better in every grace and virtue in all that goes to adorn and develop mankind, under the British government and protection than they ever did or would under self-government. So the French, Germans, Italians, Russians, Spaniards, and the numerous progeny of emigrants to this country, fare better in every way with Mana.s.seh, than they did in their own lands. Of course, both in England's rule and America's, there are many defects; but taking all in all, the good will out-weigh the bad; and more so as the years roll on.

True, an arbitrary purpose and an individualism is seen on the surface, yet under it all there is the hand of G.o.d. The farmer is free as to what he sows, but the Divine, without interfering with his freedom, regulates the harvest to plenty or famine. The Saxon people, England and America, stand in a new light to the world by the teachings of the Bible. Being Israel or the Ten Lost Tribes, they become at once the chosen agents of G.o.d for the glorious purpose of evangelising the whole world, and finally, by reducing the whole earth to the plane of universal liberty and peace.

It was necessary that these two nations should first be taught the art of mediation, for the ends of peace; that they should learn and show to the world that national disputes and grievances can be settled without an appeal to the sword. Hence we have, and what is much better, the world has, Geneva and Alabama and the fish bounty treaty of Canada and the United States. Not all the press did on either side, nor all the carping and bl.u.s.tering of individuals, could prevent the happy consummation of both these treaties. To G.o.d be praise, for they are prophetic harbingers of a better day coming.

No hand nor power, nor combination of powers, can stop the onward march of Israel to her G.o.d-ordained goal. Her future is to spread on the right hand and on the left. Island after island, colony after colony, will fall into her hands for mutual benefit. Russia may contest this march, and will, for she is as much the appointed agent of contest from Heaven as England is to advance. In a few years she will try to take the place of England among the nations, as she has just done in Afghan. Russia promised, no doubt, that she would and could protect the Ameer against England, but the bargain was outside of the aims of Providence, hence it could not be sustained. It is ordained of Heaven that Afghan fall into the hands of England, if England be Israel.

Against this fate-like division of the world Russia is going to contend and fight whenever she gets a chance. It would pay Russia and many other countries to read that "When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when He separated the sons of Adam, He set the bounds of the people according to the children of Israel" (Deut. x.x.xii. 8). These bounds G.o.d will maintain wherever they run; whatever country they cut in two, no matter, the earth must finally conform to this Divine geography.

This purpose is strongly set forth by Isaiah xliv. 7: "And who, as I, shall call and shall declare it, and set it in order for Me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming and shall come." This same st.u.r.dy fact is taught by Paul when speaking to the Athenians, telling them that G.o.d "hath made of one blood all nations of men to dwell on the face of the earth, _and hath determined the times before appointed_, _and the bounds of their habitations_." National destinies are not so much things of chance, or prizes for the sword, as many think. G.o.d promised to David, when both Israel and Judah were prosperously settled in Palestine under David's reign, that He would appoint a place for His people Israel, and plant them there, and they should not be moved, neither should the wicked afflict them, as aforetime (2 Sam. vii. 10.) This promise G.o.d has kept. He has given them the British Isles, where none can afflict them, as they were wont to do when Israel was scattered in Asia and Europe. G.o.d has found Mana.s.seh a home in this land of blessings and rich acres.

England, by a necessity, was forced to find new countries to provide for her multiplying population. Then she is forced to enter other nations as a missionary. She, with Mana.s.seh, is chiefly responsible for the evangelisation of the world, and of course they are at work all over the world, for England and the United States send out more missionaries than all the world beside. Russia needs no land for colonisation, for now her inhabitants number only thirty-four to the square mile, while England numbers 889. If we take in all the territory under Russia and England, even then England has more to the square mile than Russia. Russia comprises about 8,000,000 square miles, and England, with her late additions, leaving out the United States, numbers about 9,000,000.

Joining Ephraim and Mana.s.seh together, they own one-fourth of the whole world-namely, about 13,000,000 square miles; the whole earth numbers 51,340,800 square miles. Besides, Russia is not a missionary country.

She neither sends any, nor accepts any, being at present the only nation closed to missionary operation and toleration. The past few years Russia has gained rapidly in territorial power. With the conquest of Bokhara and portions of Turkestan, or Independent Tartary, she has added some 800,000 square miles.

At the beginning of the last century the Russian advance forts were 2,500 miles distant from those of England. At the close of the century the distance was 2,000. Then in 1810 it was reduced to 1,000. And since 1855 it has been reduced to 400. And now, of course, they want it reduced to nothing by getting control of Afghan.

How wonderfully clear are the fulfilling events of the prophecy. This king of the North is to become a strong king, who, when Israel and Judah are settled in Palestine, will have spirit and power to attack them. So he is ripening, growing, and gathering power ready. Russia now comprises nine crowns, eight of which are crowns of conquest. Russia's one grand desire is to possess Palestine, especially Jerusalem. The Crimean war was waged for rights and extended privileges in this holy city. To-day Russian pilgrims swarm thither by the thousands every year. A few years ago she built outside the Jaffa gate what she called an hospice, which was designed to be nothing more nor less than a fort. It is in a position commanding the whole city, and is a place of great strength.

Often she has tried to possess the city and land. By-and-bye she will be permitted by Providence to pour her troops into this "land of unwalled villages," and when having nearly achieved the ambitious plan of ages, and nearly realised her one great national idea, she will perish, to rise no more, "on the mountains of Israel." Her history is set forth by Ezekiel x.x.xviii. and x.x.xix. chapters.

Palestine and Jerusalem have borne undeniable evidence for prophecy and Providence. The whole land and the Book have been wonderfully agreed during the past eighteen centuries. How significant and telling the wailings and lamentations of the devout Jews, who crowd under the walls of the mosque of Omar, the site of the ancient temple. Here, each returning Sabbath, groups of Jews may be heard dolefully crying: "_Ali bene_, _Ali bene_; _bene bethka_; _bekarob_, _bimheira_, _bimheira_; _beyamenue_, _bekarob_," which, being interpreted, means, "Lord build, Lord build; build Thy house speedily, in haste, in haste; even in our day build Thy house speedily." Yes, mourning brethren of Judah, the time is coming when the house shall be built and the voice of wailing no more heard in the streets.

Can any student or inquirer after the truth fail to see that in our day a prophecy is being fulfilled? Can any one shut their eyes to the wonderful fact that Israel is breaking forth on the left and on the right? G.o.d has long ago said that Israel were the people of His inheritance, and that Jacob was the lot of His inheritance, or His girdle, or cord, as the word lot means. Then, if you turn your attention to Great Britain and her colonies, including Mana.s.seh, you will see this girdle or measuring line around the earth. Let me aid you by pointing the same out for you. Look at the Eastern hemisphere circle, enclosing the Gentile nations. Begin with Great Britain; pa.s.s on to the Channel Islands, Gibraltar, Malta, Cyprus, West Coast African Colonies, St.

Helena, Cape Colonies, Mauritius, Seych.e.l.les, Perim, Aden, Ceylon, India, Burmah, Straits Settlements, Labuan, Australian Colonies, Hong Kong, and the Dominion of Canada. In the Western hemisphere commence the circle with Canada and United States, Fiji Islands, New Zealand, Falkland Islands, British Guiana, British Honduras, West India Islands, and Newfoundland. Do we not plainly see that Israel is possessing "the isles of the sea," "coasts of the earth," "waste and desolate places?" These things are not hid in a corner; they proclaim the intentions of G.o.d, an over-ruling Providence; and who and where the Lost Tribes are. A miracle and prophecy are fulfilling before our eyes.

ISRAEL AND POPULATION.

DISCOURSE IV.

PROPHETIC LATTER DAYS-OUR BEARINGS IN THE AGES-UNWISE IMPATIENCE-ISRAEL TO BE ALWAYS A NATION-HER EMPIRE-HISTORIC CAREER OF AND FUTURE OF ENGLAND, AMERICA, AND JUDAH-RELATIVE INCREASE OF POPULATION-THE INFIDEL SAXON-JEWISH, BRITISH, AND AMERICAN INTERESTS ONE-A FULL END OF ALL NATIONS BUT ISRAEL-FAMINE HENCEFORTH ONLY FOR THE HEATHEN-ARBITRATION TO BE ENFORCED BY ISRAEL-AMERICAN ABSORBTION-STARTLING FIGURES OF FUTURE POPULATION-THE BALANCE OF POWER.

"Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered; and it shall come to pa.s.s that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not My people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living G.o.d."-Hosea i. 10.

A period of time is frequently referred to in the Scriptures as being the "latter days." It is, therefore, very important for the prophetic student, and the Church of Christ at large, that the time of days spoken of should be known. For connected with these days are a number of prophecies waiting fulfilment, and they are of such a nature that their fulfilment may easily be discerned. In breadth and scope they cover much territory and include many people. They cannot be hid in a corner, for the parts are so numerous and the interests so great. The fulfilment of these prophecies will make a radical and fundamental change in Church and State.

I take it for granted we are now entering into the time of the latter days-a time that precedes by a natural consequence the millennium. It is, therefore, unwise on the part of any person to claim that Christ may come any day, and that His millennial reign may be begun at any moment.

It is but fair that we should carefully consider our bearings in the circle of Providence and our position in the ages. The story and work of redemption are grand, full of interest and thrilling incidents; still we must take things in their order. Some stories we read are very fascinating. The plot culminates, the characters and incidents converge toward and centre in the hero. At such a point we are often carried away with our sympathy for the hero; we become anxious for him, and desires to know the issues, and so are tempted to skip a few pages and get at the end unwisely and unlawfully. Thus I think many are carried away by a loving desire for the millennium; they become anxious for the return of the Hero of redemption; they skip a few pages of Providence, and come to the end too soon.

These days are preparative, and in such a preparative stage we are warranted to look for the fulfilment of certain prophecies; for prophecies, indeed, of such a nature and character that no Bible student need be mistaken as to the time, place, and conditions of fulfilment. We have called your attention to one of these prophecies, and pointed out to you how the same was literally fulfilling before the eyes of all. G.o.d, in olden times, made promises to Abraham, the patriarchs, and their seed.

These promises were nothing more nor less than prophecies. He attested the same by His own oath. He called to witness the sun, moon, stars, sea, night, day, the seasons, seedtime and harvest. These He called His ordinances. These ordinances may depart from before Him, but the seed of Israel should not cease to be a nation. They were not only to be a nation, but a company of nations. To this end, in the latter days, they were to come in possession of the isles of the sea, the coasts of the earth, waste and desolate places; to inherit the seed of the Gentiles, and cause their desolate cities to be filled. They were to possess and rule over the heathen. In the latter days they were to possess Edom and Esau-that is, Turkey-and so come in possession of their own land, Palestine. Now I call you to witness, and ask you if these things are so? Before your eyes, before mine, before the eyes of all the world, G.o.d is fulfilling His promises made to the fathers.

The very exceptions to the sweeping and comprehensive possessions of the seed of Jacob are pyramidal witnesses to the same. The House of Judah was to become homeless, without a nation and without a government, after they left Palestine; but to be a people known by the race feature, and by their unwavering adherence, attachment, and fidelity to the Mosaic worship. This exception all can see, and none can truthfully deny. They have had money and men enough to buy and rule a nation, but as yet they have none. Their talent, their ability, and their money, have been the chief factor in the rule, prosperity, and greatness of many nations in the past as well as now. And the second conception is not less grand and conclusive. Let any one inquire what was to be the portion of the Tribe of Mana.s.seh, and they will find that Mana.s.seh was to be a distinct people, a great people; for so said the dying patriarch Jacob. Now such a people, a great people, we hold Mana.s.seh to be at this day in the people of the United States. Some sixty colonies England has overrun, established, or conquered, and she is busy at work yet conquering and gathering in. But is it not remarkable that she has never lost one of the many save the United States? Will any one give an earthly reason for this marvellous exception? I presume no one can. There is, however, a Divine reason. Moses, when giving his prophetic benediction to the Tribes of Israel, gives us an insight into this question. Speaking of Joseph and the wonderful blessing in store for his sons Ephraim and Mana.s.seh, he says: "His glory is like the firstling of his bullock, and his horns are like the horns of unicorns; and with them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth; _and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim_, _and they are the thousands of Mana.s.seh_" (Deut, x.x.xiii.

17). And further light is thrown on this subject when we notice what Isaiah says in the forty-ninth chapter. The children of Israel, when settled in some Isles, would lose a portion of themselves, and still the "children which thou shalt have _after thou hast lost the other_, shall say again in thine ears, The place is too strait for me, give place to me that I may dwell." The simple and natural interpretation of such a pa.s.sage is, that the Isles referred to were the British Isles. The children lost refer to Mana.s.seh, the Pilgrims, and Puritans who came from England. And the cry for more room after they have left, shall lead England to look for lands in which to colonise her surplus population, all of which she has done and is doing.

Surely in these things there is something more than chance. Yes, there is a divine purpose fulfilled. Seeing, then, that G.o.d will put the land into Israel's hand, there will run another blessing parallel with this-namely, a peculiar increase of the seed, or children of Israel, so that they may occupy and control these lands. These two prophecies are to be fulfilling on a parallel line at the same time. Are they so fulfilling? We answer, Yes; and the answer all the world may verify, for the facts are of such a nature that if they are not so fulfilling it can be very easily disproved.

The prophet tells us in the text that the children of Israel are to be numerous-to be numerous in an extraordinary degree-so much so that it shall appear partly miraculous when such increase is compared to other people or judged by the common methods of reasoning. Hosea had three children; the first a son. He called him Jezreel. This son was set for a witness that G.o.d would cause to cease the House of Israel in Palestine-that Israel should cease to be a nation for a time. This idea Isaiah points out under the type of an abandoned wife. G.o.d styles Himself the Husband of Israel, and that He had given the wife a bill of divorcement. Thus the two prophets agree, and history ratifies both.

Hosea's second child he calls Lo-Ruhamah. She was set for a witness that G.o.d would take away His mercy from the House of Israel for a time, and that G.o.d would utterly take them away out of the land. So He did; for a few years after this we find the children of Israel were carried captive into a.s.syria by Shalmaneser, and the a.s.syrians were brought and put in their place. And from these a.s.syrians, who were planted in the cities and country left by the children of Israel, we get the Samaritans, who were, as you see, not Jews nor Israelites by generation-they were manufactured Jews only. "And the Lord removed Israel out of His sight, as He had said by all His servants the prophets. So was Israel carried away out of their own land to a.s.syria unto this day" (2 Kings xvii. 23).

During this captivity, which is even in force till now, barren Israel, the divorced one, was to have more children than the married one-namely, Judah.

We find that the third child born to Hosea is called Lo-ammi, meaning, "Ye are not My people." This child pro-figured the casting out of the Jews; that they would refuse to accept G.o.d in Christ, and He therefore would reject them. Thus the Jews became wanderers from their own land.

And the land rests in desolation, enjoying her Sabbath of rest, while her sons and daughters are being chastised and trained for their return.

The time will come when G.o.d will call Israel to Him, and have mercy upon her, when the divorced one shall be restored to her husband. "And it shall be at that day, saith the Lord, that thou shalt call Me Ishi, and shalt call me no more Baali" (Hos. ii. 16). Now Ishi means husband, and Baali stands for Lord. Saxons have been looked upon as being infidels by the rest of the world. The Mohammedans and Buddhists never reckoned the Saxons as being the sons of G.o.d; and Catholic Europe and Greek Russia have looked upon England as infidel and heretical. And the Saxons themselves never went so far in their knowledge as to know who they were, their origin and work. But the prophet says: "It shall come to pa.s.s that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not My people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living G.o.d." And the time will come when Lo-Ruhamah shall become Ru-hamah, which means to have obtained mercy. And Lo-Ammi shall become Ammi, which means that this is My people. And Jezreel, which was a sign of dispersion, shall be the sign of gathering. "Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land; _for great shall be the day of Jezreel_."

Then the Jews (Ammi) will call the Saxons their sister, long lost, but found at last. The Saxons (Ru-hamah) will call the Jews their brother, those whom in the past they have hated and persecuted; and thought themselves far removed from Jewish blood. Now they both will acknowledge a common generation, and Abraham their father. And one with his eyes half open can see this part of the prophecy fulfilling. The Jews, England, and United States, from this and henceforth, are one in interest, policy, and destiny.

These being the latter days, let us look for the signs of the multiplying of the seed so that they be as the sea sands G.o.d promised to Abraham, saying: "That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven and as the sand which is upon the sea-sh.o.r.e; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies" (Gen.

xxii. 17). Old Jacob foretold that Joseph would be a fruitful bough, whose branches would run over the wall-that is, colonise. This increase is to be seen in two ways. Let me direct your attention to one of these ways, in a special manner, because it is so singular and unique, so distinct and discernable. In Jeremiah x.x.x. 10, 11, we find a remarkable statement: "Fear not, O Israel, for I am with thee, saith the Lord, to save thee. Though I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee; but I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished."

That Israel has been punished and corrected no one will deny who is acquainted with her history and sojourn from the time she was carried captive to this day. But has the other part of the saying been fulfilled? We answer, Yes-as the law of colonisation has progressed.

The Ancient Britons are no more; Saxon Israel has entirely supplanted them, just as Mana.s.seh in the United States is supplanting the aborigines or Indians. They perish and disappear like snow before the rising sun.

Not all we can do on the line of legislation, philanthropy, and religion, is sufficient to stay the ravages of this long-ago declared decree of Heaven. Go to Canada, and you find they are perishing; in Newfoundland they are entirely gone, and in every other province they are fast disappearing, save such as are saved by incorporation, by marriage, and salt stayed by the power of Christianity; but both these remedies are only temporal-they perish in spite of all in the heated atmosphere of Israel's civilisation. Some few tribes may hold their own and seem to increase, but such does not invalidate the evidence of the decree. For they have perished in such numbers, and so uniformly, when in contact with Israel, that history proclaims the decree fulfilled.

The native inhabitants of Van Dieman, called Tasmanians, have entirely become extinct. The Maories of New Zealand are rapidly diminishing.

Fifty years ago they were 200,000 strong; now only about 50,000. In a few more years they will be gone. The same is true in all the other Australian provinces. The same is true of many isles of the sea, also of the African colonies. In these things, so exceptional, we can surely say, with the magicians of old who contended against Moses, "This is the finger of G.o.d." Thus we see Israel increasing, by the law of diminution going on among the Gentiles. Israel in the latter day was to be blessed with plenty in the orchards, stall, and field: "For I will lay no more famine upon you, saith the Lord." The past year we learn that some 10,000,000 of Chinese perished in famine. India, in one part, has been greatly reduced in number by the same scourge. This country will be partly protected from the operation of this law-for no doubt a large portion are from Abraham. "But unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, Eastward, unto the East country" (Gen. xxv. 6). This same scourge does not follow the colonising of other nations. It did not follow Spain, nor the Dutch, nor France.

If you turn to the prophets, you will soon learn how they are to increase in the latter days-not by a comparison on the line of diminution only, but in and from themselves. "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will sow the House of Israel and the House of Judah with the seed of man and beast" (Jer. x.x.xi. 27). Have these days come? We again say, Yes; and these kind of prophecies are being fulfilled in this day in so special a manner as to make certain the times we live in. Through Israel, Judah, and Mana.s.seh, the earth is to find the equilibrium of peace. The Jews will furnish the money, for in the increasing ascendancy, and multiplying power, and authority of England and America, the Jews will draw closer to them and invest more and more their money with them, because of greater security and profit. The balance of power and even compulsion will be in the hands of England and America, to force arbitration on disputing nations, and they will do so, having set the precedents themselves in the Alabama and fish treaties. At present, many will refuse this idea, and point to the famous Monroe doctrine. Now that doctrine has had its time, nearly; and it has served a good purpose for the country. The mercantile growth, and general producing power of this country, will cause us to abandon our selfish protection policy; for of all other people on the face of the earth we will want free trade; for we will have the greatest surplus of mercantile and agricultural productions, and in a short time our very position and ability will push away all compet.i.tors. Once our mercantile and agricultural interests are cast in other nations, we will then have an interest in their wars and peace, and will be led to interfere.

The chief way in which the balance of power will fall into English and American hands is in the fulfilling of the blessings of the text: the multiplying of this people, first by natural increase, and second by incorporation and absorption. Look at this law of absorption; how vigorous and sure! If you turn into a field of gra.s.s fowls, pigs, horses, and cows, you get chicken-meat, pork, horseflesh, and beef. The individualism in each creature absorbs and converts the same field of gra.s.s into themselves. So into this country are coming people of every nation and race, but the individualism of Mana.s.seh will in due time make them all Mana.s.sehites. The children of the Russians, Poles, Spanish, and so on, become American in taste, manners, and sympathies. They are being grafted into the tree of Mana.s.seh.

But look at the law of increase naturally. Take the population of several countries as given in the last census, and carefully note the relative increase, and how long it takes each nation to double its number. Russia, eighty-six millions, doubles every 100 years; Germany, forty-two millions, doubles every 100 years; Turkey, forty-seven millions, doubles every 550 years; Austria, thirty-seven millions, doubles every 100 years; France, thirty-six millions, doubles every 140 years; Great Britain, thirty-three millions, doubles every 55 years; United States, forty millions, doubles every 25 years; Italy, twenty-seven millions, doubles every 125 years; Egypt, seventeen millions, doubles every 150 years; Spain, sixteen millions, doubles every 112 years; English colonies, ten millions, doubles every 25 years. Now make a calculation for 100 years, from 1878 to 1978, and see how these countries stand in population and their relative position. Russia will have one hundred and seventy-two millions; Germany, eighty-four; Turkey, fifty-six; Austria, seventy-four; France, fifty-nine; Great Britain, one hundred and thirty-seven; Italy, forty-one; Egypt, twenty-nine; Spain, twenty-eight; United States, six hundred and forty; and the English colonies, one hundred and sixty-and that is not reckoning the natives in the colonies, only the descendants of the English. Of course, in a country like India, the natives will be a considerable number, and they might properly be reckoned in with the colonial items, and so swell the number of Israel's power.

Now these figures show a wonderful conclusion. In simple language, we find that in 1978, the English-speaking race, or Israelites, will number 937 millions, while all of Russia, Germany, Turkey, Austria, France, Italy, Egypt, and Spain, will only number 543 millions. Where then, we ask, will be the balance of power? And why should this certain law come into operation at this time, if it be not the blessing foretold by the prophets? And can we not see that these are the latter days, and that G.o.d is fulfilling His promises to Israel?

The blood of Abraham and the faith of Abraham have been wonderfully preserved and projected down through the centuries with telling effect.

And on this line the Darwinian theory of election is very true, for the survival of the fittest is the proclaimed law of Heaven. There is power in land possession and there is power in number, and if these two factors maintain their force for one hundred years, then we infer of certainty that the sceptre of rule and destiny of the world will be in the hands of Israel, unless the laws of nature are reversed, and the promises of G.o.d fail. The Word of G.o.d cannot fail or return unto Him void; it must accomplish that whereunto He sent it and prosper in things designed, or as Jeremiah xxiii. 20 says: "The anger of the Lord shall not return until He has executed and till He has performed the thoughts of His heart; in the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly."