Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1866-01-01
The Year 1853.

The year which commenced with this day IS
one to which, as most Of our readers are aware,
a great portion of the christian world has been
looking forward for centuries with eager anti
cipatiOn, as pregnant with events of moment
GUS interest TO the whole human race. They
derive this belief from the study and interpre-
tation of the prophecies contained in the book
Of DANIEL and the Apocalypse, from which
they conclude that 1866 is to be the commence
ment Of the millennium.
The eleventh and twelfth chapters Of DANIEL,
and the eighteenth and nineteenth chapters of
the Book of Revelations, contain prophecies
evidently referring to the same events, and
each designating, in the language peculiar to
prophecy, 4 certain period at which the events
shall take place. When compared, they are
found to correspond exactly in point of time,
and that time is 1860 years. At the end Of
that time it is foretOld that some great anti
christian power shall be overthrow, and the
millennium commence. PrOtestants regard
Papacy and the Mahometan Kingdoms as the
power in question. The Angel tells DANIEL that
all this shall happen in ga time, times, and
half time" that is, in twelve hundred and
sixty prophetic days or actual years, from a
certain event, which is afterwards spoken of as
the setting up of the determination that
maketh desolate." What particular event is
aere alluded to, is not known. The Scriptures
always allude to the " abominatiOn that
maketh desOlate" as something directed i'm
mediately against Omnipotence or His worship.
PrOtestants believe that the particular events
lere alluded to, are the assumption of supreme,
,piritual and temporal power by the Bishop OF
,ome, and the rise of the Mahometan impoS
ure. They maintain that these events both oc-
,urred the same year, viz in 6O6. Twelve
hundred and sixty years from that period,
ring us to this present year. 1t seems to be
greed that the introduction of the state OF
.hings described as peculiar to the millennium,
, To be gradual, not violent or Immediate
'thers think that the prophecies, both OF
)ANIEL and of JOHN, refer TO period somewhat
.arlier than 1866. They say that if the year
,e reckoned at 800, instead of 365 days, we shall
re brought exactly to that period They say
nat in that year the Pope was expelled from
rome, that he was from that moment shorn OF
Ill political power, that his downfall is slowly
progressing, that he exists only by the protec
ion of France, that he will never recover his
power, but go on declining until he shall have
Illcn entirely, sc.
For our own part, we do not believe that
he millennium will commence this year.
There are too many things to be done before |
hat blessed period shall open upon the world
Iahometanism, and other religious impOStures, |
are to be overthrow the Jews are to be con- |
,erted and restored the heather comprising |
It least two-thirds of the human race) are to |
De converted to Christianity. There are hard |
" any, we imagine, hopeful or credulous |
enough to expect that these things will be |
lone the present year. They could not, IN
Iced, be accomplished except by a succession
Of miracles so stupendOus that all those re-
corded in the Scriptures combined would be |
unworthy to be named in the same day with |
them, and Providence never intervenes with |
sudden and startling miracles in such cases.
The prophecies will all be fulfilled, as a vast
multitude Of them have been fulfilled already. |
Heaven and earth may pass away, but not one |
word of prophecy shall fall to the ground. But |
no man ever did, or ever will, interpret the
meaning, we verify believe, of one of them be-
fore its fulfllment. After fulfllment, every |
man looks back and says, 'What fools men |
we're not to have seen this ''-for the accom-
plishment of prophecy is so distinct that it can
leave no doubt on the mind. The language |
Of prophecy is always obscure, and was doubt |
less made so by design. Its accomplishment |
IS the highest evidence the ALMIGHTY has |
youchsafed of the sacred character of His |
Book. None but GOD can foreknow anything |
A prophecy accomplished must, therefore, be
Of GoD. The Scripture contains an infinite |
number ofprophecies, stretching from the Gre
alton of man to the end of time. As far as the |
world has yet gone, they have all been fulfilled |
with the most astonishing accuracy. There
fore the Bible must be of Divine origin, and in
the Bible is to be found all that is necessary |
for man to know with regard to his welfare
here and in eternity. The study Of the holy |
writings, which the desire to penetrate into the
future stimulates and perpetuates, is, never
Jheless, very laudable. 1t calls attention to
the Bible, and causes it to be read much more
largely than it otherwise would be. Number
less works, have been written on the very sub
iect we are treating of. A large proportion of
them are distinguished for the learning and
ability they display. Some of them overflow
with eloquence, and all Ofthem are extremely
Some fanatics there have been,
and some madmen; but, for the most part, no
body has been hurt and many have been bene-
fitted by these Investigations.