The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-01-31
THE MILLENNIUM AT HAND.

THE darkest hour is just before
dawn" says the old saw; and the Scrip
ture prophets have informed us, from
time immemorial, that as the last hour
of this goodly world approaches, pre-
paratory to the millennium, wars and
rumors of wars, earthquakes on the land
and sea, and descriptions and rascality
among naen, are to prevail. We begin
to believe, indeed we have every day
good evidence, that the time for the full
fillment of the long -wished-for millen-
MUM is at hand.
Not only individuals, not only society,
not only petty governments, but dy
nasties are tottering, great nations are
shaken with the chills and fever of revo-
luton, and venerated geographical land
marks are being rubbed out with force
almost as certain as the work of awful
cataclysms.
We go to Europe, and war stretches
her broad, black wings over all the land.
The Russian Bear devours the impet-
uous Turk. Every day brings fresh ac-
counts of disaster, and the triumphant
Russ marches ON to his destiny, which
is to wipe one more nation from the map
of Europe, absorbing or dividing it
among his neighbors, and taking the
lions share for himself.
England is watching the great conflict
with a wary and anxious eye, spreading
out by degrees her nets in every direc-
ton, preparatory to snaring part oi
Turkey or her dependencies when she
falls to pieces. The gentle Queen may
favor neutrality in a public form, bu
in secret her Cabinet Counselors are
sharpening dull bayonets, polishing
rusty guns, organizing the army, equip
ping powerful ships, and putting every
thing in grand order for mighty spring
when the hour comes for action.
Bismarck, pronounced by cable dis
patches sick in bed, be assured, is moi
too i'll to have telephone at his ca
which extends through every section o
the civilized globe, and Germany will
not lose a jot of her mastery by inaction
She is alive, and knows her rights, ant
can maintain them. Austria will recog
nize no settlement of Eastern question
, that does not give her plum from tn
/, pie. France has her own inward troubles
!, but can easily forget them for the none
! when the time comes for division anon
= other nations, and when spoils are to b
: distributed. Greece is in arms, read
to light to the death for self-preservs
ton. And thus the scent of blood. th
odor of powder, and the scream of wa
= pervades every section of Europe.
On the American continent there a,
: national troubles, too. And in th
6 petty States surrounding us tn
|, dogs of war have been slipped, and al
tapping their lewd lips with carnag
Mexico is in travail, and some of hi
many factions have even endeavore,
y upon the Texas border, to embroil tt
citizens of this country in a war,
that they might gain standing ft
y their broken cause. The Costa Rical
y and Guatemalans, two brothers
~ nations, have insulted each other, as
- preparatory measure for bitter fgh
" And thus the spirit of spite goes fro
place to place, --.-..9
,e In business circles, all over the worl
a the era of stagnation and death has com
lg Banks burst merchants are bankruptet
Of officers of once high repute embezzle IL
ie funds of the people and disappear, ar