The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1861-07-09 00:00:00

bread and biscuit baker, of Portland, an insolvent,
s first examination, supported by it. N.
tarneli Inrd, Esq.

- -
IML CUMMING'S SECOND LECTURE ON
PROPH EC Y.

Dr. Cumming delivered his second lecture on pro-
phecy on Wednesday—again to a crowded audience.
Ile said that his former lecture referred to Old Testa-
ment prophesies—he should now more particularly
refer to those passages in the New Testament bearing
upon things to come—Matthew 24, 2-5, Luke 21, and
Revelations 16. The first of theso chapters referred,
not only to the destruction of Jerusalem, but also of
more important events—to a time when this earth
would become a purer and better sphere, when we
should see Christ as he is, and worship him as we
ought. The prediction "Nation shall rise against
nation, and kingdom against kingdom" was fulfilled.
The whole world Was in a ferment, and without an
exception, every state was restless and appre-
hensive of future danger. Russia and Fran ;e, he
believed, would ultimately meet in Palestine, and
God's people would be brought in with the fulness
of the Gentiles. Another prediction was, "There
shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes in
divers places." Most commentators thought that
.incelS-1". hen the angel poured the seve,,th vial
into the air, a universal dere...ion of vital have had
been the characteristic of b 1111 l auity. I'l,> civiammi'
could not now treat diseases as they were treated 50
years ago. Where depleting medicines used to be
given, quinine and port wine are now eniployed.
lie crops had been spoilt in Great Britain; the vines
had failed in Madeira, Spain, and Franca; and Ire-
hind and ham, could prove the truth of the prediction.
At M enclose, 100,000 persons had been swallowed up by
an earthquake. Again "False prophets shall arise,
and shall deceive many." This prophecy he thought
referred to the papacy, who wrought "lying mira-
cles." There were also those who professed, by
miracles, to hold conversation with the dead. He
did sot believe their statement' • were true. The
milleaium would not preceed the coming of Christ,
but Christ would first come, and then the milleniurn.
By the drying up of the river Euphrates, spoken of
in Revelations xi., 12 verse, was meant the gradual,
but total destruction of the Ottoman Empire. He
thought it impossible for the new Sultan to preserve
the nation, as "the sick man" was gradually sinking,
and we made a great blunde in going to war with Russia
to preserve it, although we did it with the best in-
tentions. All the Jews would, on its fall, return once
more to Jerusalem, their hallowed home. The simi-
larity of the Chinese, or 'Parton, and the Jewish
customs was remarkable, and the lost tribes would
most probably be found among the nations of the
East. The Jews, scattered over every land were
anxiously expecting the coming of the Messiah who
was to be revealed to them in Palestine; the prophet
says "they shall return to their own land in vessels
of bulrushes." Bishop Horsley said, 60 years ago,
that this could not be the literal meaning; but mast
ho some vessels of great power and speed. The
Hebrew words were " Pelei-gole." Pelei meant •
vessel of any description—gole, anything that drinks
and lives upon water. Did this refer to ocean
steamers ? Again, it was said in Isaiah xvi. 20 verse,
"They shall come nut of all nations in chariots and
on swift beasts." Mezzofanti, a wonder of
erudition, who knew twenty-one languages,
defined these vehicles, "as whose wheels
turned, with the swiftness of clouds." Were
there locomotives? If so, it was a joyous thought
that England would, by the discoveries which her
sons had been allow I to make, aid the return of
God's people to thei.. own land. In referring to the
decay of the Cher"l: of Rome, the lecturer stated
that Father Iguatitw ewe said "If the Church of
Rome be not the onlv church of the living God, she
is the master-piece et die devil; she can be nothing
between." Now he (tl.- lecturer) believed it belonged
to the second alt rnative. An its property I
had been obtained I,y fraud and uninatitiable
means; and as the I.lst rank of French soldiers
retired from Rome, aa explosion would take place
which would shake the pope and his cardinals from
their seats in the Vati. vo. In reference to England's I
destiny, he said he would not glorify our own
country; she had mavy great and grievous sins, but
she was, like the Jew& 'fold, destined to do a great
work for God, and iinuld advance in power and
greatness till her settinv sun blended its rays with
those of that Sun whieli should no more set. In
England there was an inadequate supply of the
teachers of religion; and churchmen and dissenters
should not disagree, as by and by they would all be
one—there would he no distinotion, but all would
be out-and-out christians. If the Prince of Wale.,
when in Rome, wished to worship in the English
church, be had to go outside the city to a little room
in a. granary, above some pigsties, which, with r
"pint worthy his illustrious mother, he did. The
loyalty which animates Englishmen was the result of
pure religious influence, and our own country was a
glorious example of a nation exalted by righteous-
ness. The great results of the late revivals of
religion were genuine and glorious, although the
devil endeavoured to pass a spurious imitation of
God's work; but there was no gold without gßoy.
In conclusion, he said our duty was to pray for the
fulfilment of the great prophecy—" I will pour out
my Spirit on all flesh," and earnestly exhorted all to
prepare to meet Christ at his appearing. (Applause.)