Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1812-12-19

The many UNSUCCESSFUL at'eihp's
to explain prophecy. aud the uncer-
tn;o,y aud indecision of the !earaeu'
has induced good men TO give up the
subject 40 doubtful, if not desperate
In this study as we'll as in others
NAV not a cause Of difficulty be IN
the mind itself? Must not ne WAC
searches the prophecies in expect"
ton Of finding Information it was
never the intention of the prophet to
give. be unavoidaaly disappointed
Nav not anv author be misappre-
hsntlsd in detail. whose ultimate %
ieet is not con.,rehended! II pro
pheev is anticipated history, m'ist'
not agree withrctrospertise history.
or at least not contradict II
We live upwards Of seventeen nun
d,e,i ,ears in advance Of the date ol
the great Christian prophecy, called
the hook af Revelation. Let us com
pare the prophetic. -rd The l'teral
history. The Christian Church was
commenced, in one of the provinces Of
the Roman Em1igc. II from 1tberias
to Constantine, Was in fact, contra
~ TO the seserai or particular laws
| Of the Empire. b. he E,inperor>
Constantine christianity was indeed
leralized bu, ,he laws in favor of
Christianity had scarcely begas to
operate. before the religious contro
yeTsy between the t'H,ns AMI ne
Orthodox began to Effect f'.e tharrtl
Then great parties OF nrott's'ns
| Christians participated ia t'ie benefit
| Of the laws, or suffered u.;!cr them.
arcnrdin: as the r-iSning &'ns@ror
haDDened to be inlunn'r'I Nv their
spiuions. Finally wish ;.,r ,townsais
! OF the WESTERN Empire every thlaS
| fell into anarchy. t'te eastern h.m-
Dire continued to dech1i- un(!i ii, il
nal extinction by the Romans. 3a'
in the eighth century Of Toe Chris
tian era. the western t.mHare Was
resior.i'k resrttIe.! n. Gharie maggie.
From thai time to ;fe present ao
form Of Empire. o. .? Reiigj'n 'lls
| ever been established 10 the west o.
Europe. except IL has nn't" The ho'v'
Or Christian name. h'ng 81 the
holy Romnn Empire has Been un'-
ssra,!g associated with "a iiaa Of sue
cessors bearing the title Of E'npo
rors. 70 the present Including
| period Of more than ;'l"usHnd wears
these Emperors nave been The noni-
nal, or real sove~-ss:ns 81 italy, and
| either of Germany, Or Of France. or
| Of both.
Now let us turn to the book OF Re
| yelatian, and sre Il We can iind II sin
| gle proper name o. ANY person, tax
in. part fer, or against the Chareh.
between the reign Of I'itsrias and
| Constantine: or between Coastan-
tine asi the extraction af ne western
Nu,nire. Il Constantine named III
! this Prophecy? Has any imperial
pa,roa of the Orthodox. or Of the
.iriaas ever been dseyPnered? BIT
though it should be admitted that
40 proper name CT any conspicuous
| actsr has been immor,ahzed by the
Prophet during the old Empirc;
does aot the modern empire furnish
an exception? Is not the name OF
Napoleon |. OF Sufficient Importance
to entitie it 10 4 place in prophecy i?
Do not the letters of his name when
reekoned numerically amount to 600?
80 say ssme-anI others no les. in
genius tell us. that these numeral
letters may be found in fourteen other
distinguished names. observe 600
are not proper name--they are nos
even an sppeiiattse, nor are they said
By the Prophet to be The number oil
the name-he calls them "the nam
Der OF the beast itsslf why not date
For what reason should this Chris
tan be mentioned by name in pre-
ference to many others! What has
he done. ss yet, mere than Mahomed.
or Atilla, and many more, which
might b. mentioned, or his boasted
predecessor Chsrlsnagne. 10 whom
he appears to be tho historical, pro
nhsticai. and true politico. military
successor; that is head Of Europe.
TIE fact. if sura it DC, that NO
proper name is mentioned in the book
of Revelation merits attention.
Why thi, departure from the usage
of the old Testament Prophets, who
egten introduce proper names into
their predictions? Perhaps, for Sc
vera, reasons. Were not the great
events foretold in this prophecy TO De
fulfilled in those countries where the
Gospel should be preached! Ii then