Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-05-16

! the early commentators, Mede, Sc. as relating
| to totally different events, centuries asunder
| The result Of this separation has been remeni
| less confusion. In the present volume IL Is
shewn, that the two series begin from the same
point.-,he establishment oftne Infuisition,and
continue together; the Trumpels giving Inc
civil and political view Of the events, the Viais
1.-THE ecclesiastical; and both ending IN the uni
versal war. which the Interpretation shews 10
be the merit great event to the French Revolution
! and to be in fact approaching rapldly,-its APP
nroach being declared in the prophecy to be ac-
companied by certain signs, which our com
mon exDerience admits TO be obvious al the
present hour, viz. the extraordinary dlstriou-
lion of the Bible, the continued influence over
Europe of the four great powers by whom the
French empire was put down, &c. The uni
versal war is shewn to be predicted at the
close of no less than four Of The visions, and to
be detailed with circumstances OF measureless
terror. 1t is fully shewn from the prophecy,
that it shall be ushered in by a sudden revival
of atheism, superstition, and religious violence,
acting upon the European nations until they
are inflaned into war All the elements oil ter
ror and ruin shall be reused; Professionalism per-
secuted; popery, after 'momen,ary triumph,
utterly DESTROYED; general shock OF Kingdoms
consummated by some vast and palpable deyel-
opmenr of the Divine Power, al once protecting
the church, and extinguishing, in remediless
and boundless devastation, inhdelity and idola-
try.
"This prophecy takes successfully the Ian
guage of the prophets s1ulting over the fall oil
the great and opulent cites Of the East, the bro
ken scep,res, The spoiled wealth and burning
palaces and temples of Tyre and Babylon; the
still s,erner denunciations over the crimes Of
Jerusalem; the images Of wild and sudden inra-
SION, and hopeless battle; the massacre, the con-
hagra,ion, the final crush Of poity, power, and
name Even the agencies ofna,ure are summon
ed to deepen the prediction, earthquakes and
subterraneous fire, lishlnings and ponderous
and fatal hail And in the midst Of this chaos
Of bioodshed, fire, & tempest lowers the form OF
the Averger flashing with terrible lustre, crown.
ed and armed with the power and the wrath Of
Deity against a world that has for SO many ages
of long suffering resisted his Spirit, worshipped
idols, and ensaved and slain his people-God,
a consuming fire.! is further declared, tina, this
catastrophe is now approaching hour by hour;
that the French revolution was to have been The
last great event before it; with but brief in
tervening period, occupied by Providence in
and securing the true church, in
spreading the Scriptures, and in giving last
opportunity to the unbelievcr and the idolator
to accept the truth of God. The Apocalypse
thus assumes the rank Of not merely an eluci.
iation of the Divine will in the past, nor AN evil
lence of the general Truth Of Christianity, but
IF warning Of the highest and most pressing
nature TO all men, in the entire range Of human
society. 1t is not the mere abstract study Of
he theoioeian, nor the. solitary contemplation
IF the man OF piety; but great document adj
dressed 10 the mighty of the earth; wisdom
Ealing out truHpet-tongued to the leaders of
rational councils; the descended minister of
to sMsFeS Is hs peril already daTkenng
,ver their heads, and cut themselves loose from
hose unscriptura and idolatrous faiths with
which they mus, otherwise so down; the Spirit
,f God commanding the teachers and holders
If the true faith 10 prepare themselves by the
cultivation of their powers, by visl'ant purI-
". by generous and ballowed courage, for
that high service Of God and man in which they
NAV so soon be called on to act, and perhaps to
su ffer; and proclaiming 10 all men alike the In
finite urgency of redeeming the time before the
arrival Of a period that to the whole world OF
idoia,ry, European aud barbarian, shall come
with civil ruin, of which the subversion OF Je.
rusalem was bu, type; and with physical
destruction that can fad no parallel bat in the
inc yi,abe fury of The deluge.'
Having thus briefly stated the nature OF Mr..
CROWS work, we must limi' ourselves 10 giving
few specimens Of the style; promising that,
for the sake of putting his Interpretation to the
seyercst test. he has given 1t verse by verse,
mode which allows OF the readers instant de-
lection Of any siraining Of the original, if such
there should be; but which, on the other h nd,
is, bevond all comparison, the most advantage
ous in point Of clearness and conviction.
"7ne fail Of Plagiarism The triumph Of
Christianity was come. Ihe0dosius, a states
man, soldier, and man of virtue, was called
from obscuri,y to the empire. ne lingering
reiuc ance of the throne 10 repress the ancient
superstition, was suddenly changed for wise
and bold activity. A succession OF DEGREES,
like successive flashes of light !roE the sword
of the Spirit, smote the worship Of the idols,
closed the heather temples, aud established
Christianity as the religion Of ne Roman world.
Thus fell Plagiarism; the gieat antagonist OF
truth, purify, and wisdom; The p mperer OF hu-
man passion and PRIDE; splendid and stately 10
fhe GU. but made tn be he DDDresSOt ard the