Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-08-26

Sf holy writ, we confess we oeiong 10
!, class who believe most of the book
speaks Of things yet to come, and that
more terrible Sfulfillments of the fore
casts are yet in store for the world.
Over three score years ago the late
Rev. Elias Harrison, then pastor of
the First Presbyterian Church, /, on
south Fairfax street, delivered Sc
ries of lectures upon the opening of
the seals so wildly described in the 9th
chapter of the Apocalypse-the same
chapter which occupied the attention
Of the evangelist alluded to last We'd
nesday night. Rev. Mr.. Harrison,
following in the usual rut of thought,
assumed that certain events, e. g., the
Breaking up Of the Roman Empire,
rise of Mahomet, incidents in connec-
tion with the Reformation, rise Oh
democratic forms of government, etc.
etc, were meant by the thrilling pic
lures of the Apocalypse. This has.
long been the opinion expressed III
standard commentaries.
It is necessary for us to print the
chapter which has been the SUBJECT
of. these discourses:
And saw when the Lamb opened oHe
of the seals, and | heard as IL
the noise of thunder, one OF the lo"i
boasts saving. Come and see. Ana
saw. and behold white horse: ana ne
that sat on him had a bow; ana
crown was given unto him; ana lie
went forth conquerlnG, and 10 cohque.'
And when he had opened the ina sea''
T heard the second beast say come
and see. And there went out announce
horse that was red: and power was
GIVEN to him that sat thereon 10 lah'
nence fr.m TIC cath, anu Tx tEcH
shoulG kill Snc anotha:': and t"r'e
vac given into him :-rc1- s"'id.
Aud wien l,c lad opened the third sea-
nCarG; TIE tki,d beast say, Conc ana
see. And I beheld, ana ID a biack
horse: and he that sat on hin: had
nail Of rs.lances in his hand. And
heard = voice in the midst OF the i"uf-
Ec:,H,S sa:.. \ measure of whcat FIR 4
pcnr:. and three measures Of barley
for q PENN; and see thou hurt moi
the oil ;.rd the wine. And when &c n'i
opened tits fourth seal. heard the
voice of the fourth beast say, Come
and sec. And I looked, and behold
pale horse; and his name that sat on
him was DEATH, and He'll followed with
him. And power was given unto them
over the fourth part of the cath, to
iSfll with sword, and with hunger. and
With the beasts of the earth. Ard
yE,lcn he had opened the fifth seal. J.
saw under the altar the souls of them
that were slain for the word of God,
md for the testimony which they held:
sitl they cried with loud voice, say
ne. How long, o Lord; holy and true;
lGSt thou not judge and avcnge ON
sJfeod on them that dwell on the cath?
And white robes were given unto every
Gi,n of them; and it was said uni"
gncrn, that they should rest yet for Il
little season, until their fcllow-scr.
wants also and their brethren, that
should be killed as they were should
be fulfilled. md l beheld when he had
opened the sixth seal. and 10; there
was great earthquake; and the sun
became black as sackcloth of hair, anu
the moon became as blood; And the
stars of heaven fell anto the earth
even as a fig tree castcth her untimely
figs, when she is shaken OF Il mighty
wind. And the heaven departed as al
scroll when it is rolled together: and
cd out of their places. And the kings
of the earth. and the great men, anu
the rich mcn: and the chief captains.
and the mighty men, and every bond
man. and every free man: hid them
selves in the dens and in the rocks ut
the mountains: Md said to the noun
tains and rocks, Fall on US. and hide
us from the face Of him that stitch
on the throne; and from the wrath OF
the Lamb: For the great day of his
wrath is come; and who shall be able
to stand?
Without attempting to throw any
special light upon this terrible fore
cast, it is needless to say that no such
things have happened in the history
of the world, but it may be asked, IS
the red horse loose today? The black
horse of famine, we are told, is to
follow, and after it the pale horse
(pale green, or gangrenousi represen-
ting death.
The words come and see," uttered
at the appearance of each equine are
said to be erroneous by Bible schol-
ars. The Single word "come" is in
all the earlier manuscripts, which
really means "go!"
Readers of the Bible will observe
that these startling events are vir-
tually the same forecasted by the
Lord Himself when He tells US that
before the second advent there will
be wars and rumors of'wars, famines,
pestilences, fearful signs from heaven