Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1840-02-05

Which relate to The future history of the
adjoining countries, are not so much veil
cd by symbolical language, as to elude
the understanding, even of the most neg
Iligent observers. 1t is true, that in these
instances both the prophecy and the ful-
himent appear 10 US in the light of a dist
ant antiquity. They have accomplished
their end. They kept alive the faith and
worship OF successive generations. They
multiplied the evidences of the,true re)i-
glon, and account for phenomenon in
ancient history that is otherwise icexpli.
Cable the existence and preservation OF
one solitary monument of pure theism in
the midst OF a corrupt and idolatrous
world.
But to descend little farther We
gather from the state of opinions at the
time OF our Savior so many testimonies
to the clearness of the old prophecies -
The time and the place of our Savior's
appearance in the world, and the triumph-
ant progress, if not the nature of his
Kingdom, were perfectly understood bv
the priests and chief men of Judea. We
have it from the testimony of profane an.
thors, that there was, at that time. pen.
eral expectation of prince and propb
ct all over the East. The destruction Of
Jerusalem was another example of the
fullllment Of clear prophecy; and this
added to other predictions uttered by our
Savior, and which received their accom-.
plshment in the first generation Of the
Christian church, would have lis use in
sustaining the faith of the disciples amlds,
the perplexities of that anxious and dis.
tresslng period.
We can even come down to the present
day, and point to the accomplishment Of
clear prophecies in the actual history Of
the world. The present state Of Eoynt
and the present state of the Jews, are the
examples which we fix upon The one is
an actual tuliIment of clear prophecy
the other Is also an actual fulflment, and
forms IN itself the ikeliest preparation for
another accomplishment that is vet tc
come. Nor do we conceive, that these
clear and literal fuliI,nents exhaus, the
whole of the argument from prophecy
They only form one part of the arou
ment but part so obvious and irresistible
as should invite every lover of truth to
the examination of the remainder. Thew
should secure such degree of respec,
for the suhJec, as TO engage the attention
and awaken even IN the mind Of the mos,
rapid and superficial observer, suspicion
that there may be something in it. They
should soften that contempt which repels
so many from investigating the argume n,
at all; or at all events, they render ,ha
contempt inexcusable.
The whole history of the Jews is cal
cuIated to allure the curiosity, and had i
not been leagued with the defence and H.
luStratIon OF our faith, would have drawn
| the attention of many philosopher. as
the most singular exhibition of human ma
ture that ever was recorded in The ANIMAL:
Of the world. The most satisfying cause
OF this phenomenon is TO be looked for If
the history which describes its ORIGIN and
progress and by denying the truth o.
| that history, you abandoB the only expla
nation which can be given of this won
derfuI people. 1t is quite in vain to tall
of the lmmuiabiily of Eastern habits, az
exempified in the nations of Asia. VIVA
other people ever survived the same ami
hilating processes We do not talk o
conquest. where the whole amount of the
effect is in general a change of dvnast,
: or of government; but where the ian
guage, the habits, the denomination, ant
above all, lhe geographical position, still
remain to keep up the identity of the PEG
pie. But In the history of the Jews, w
see a strong Indestructible principle
which maintained them in separate form
of existence amid changes that no othe
+; nation ever survived. We confne oul
selves to the overthrow of their nation i
the first century of our epoch, and appea
, 10 the disnterested testimonies of TAcitu
a and Josephus, if ever the cruelty of wa
: devised a process of more terrible energ
!, for the utter extirpation Of a name, and
q remembrance from the world. The
have been dispersed among all countrie.
v They have no common tie of locality G
/ government to keep them together. A
: the ordinary principles of assimilation
: which make law, and religion, and mar
J. ners, so much a matter of geograph,
are in their instance suspended Eve
: the smallest particles of this broken ma.
e have resisted an affinity Of almost unive
; sal operation, and remain undiuted b
e the strong and overwhelming admixlu
o OF foreign ingredients. And in exceptio
i to every thing which history has recor'
l. ed of the revolutions OF the species, v
). see in this wonderful race a vigoro'
D, principle of identity. which has remain'
d in undiminished force for nearly tv
ID thousand years. and still pervades eve
.e shred and fragment of their widely sea
. I.-ad roonI sfion Novu Is tho inf1iei I