NINETEEN HUNDRED AND FIFTY-SEVEN. DISCOURSE XVI.
“SIGNS OF THE TIMES”—THE RETURN TO JERUSALEM—FORCES OF RUSSIA AND ENGLAND—PRESENT LOCALITY OF ANCIENT NATIONS—ORIGIN OF AMERICAN REPUBLICANISM—FEDERATION OF THE NATIONS COMING—EVOLUTION AND DEVOLUTION.
“Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.”—Daniel xii. 12.
So according to the prophet Daniel there is a time to come in which it will be blessed to live. The prophecies of Daniel are generally of a material character—that is, they have special reference to this world politically, and to this end he had direct and special reference to certain kingdoms in existence at the time of writing, as well as others that were to come into being. Of all the prophets he concerns himself the most with positive data of the rise and fall of nations. The figures of the data used, we freely confess, are difficult to understand and interpret. The Church and times are greatly in need of some man competent on this point. All prophetic students know the diversity and confusion in this department of theology. Of all the difficult departments of theology none exceed the numerical. The numerical symbolism of the Bible is as yet but little understood. True, indeed, we are improving. Aided by Providence, we are enabled to interpret some dates by data—that is, certain events occurring locate us and point out the prophetic period we are in. Like the captain who is unable by his certain and usual modes of calculating to find his whereabouts, does so by currents, the Gulf-stream, islands, colour of waters, &c., did we know the exact quantity of Daniel’s two thousand and three hundred days, his times, time, and half a time, his seventy weeks, his thousand two hundred and ninety days, and the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days, then we could deal with the prophecies with a definitiveness to which as yet we are strangers.
The times, however, are peculiarly interesting from the very fact that the Church is waking up to the importance of prophetic study. “Coming events cast their shadows before,” is a trite but true saying, and here as true as anywhere. Men feel in their fears and hopes the pressure of prophecy. The Church is remarkably anxious and unrest. Governments are suspicious and confused. The populace are restless and threatening. Indeed, everything conspires in Church, State, and people, to forecast the future. A thunderstorm is felt before it is seen or heard. It shadows the mind, thrills the nerves, and pains the rheumatic limbs. Many in 1858 felt war coming in our own country. Many were at a loss to interpret their fears. Some, however, interpreted the signs of the time and sounded an alarm.