Year: 1864

scan the history of the powers and Govern
ments of earth, during the period of thou
sand years of the past, feel that we have just
grounds for conjecture as to the application of
this particular class of prophecies as found in
the Old Testament, and in the vision of the
Apocalypse.


By comparing the events of our history as
| "a nation, from the first settlement of New
England by the Puritars, from the old home
Iup to the present daY--with certain Of the
prophetic statements we haye already cited,
we think we have night to the conclusion
that the portion of this western continent oc-
cupied BY the United States. is the promised
land of the future, as designated by ancient
prophecy; that the American people, native,
and adopted, or naturalized, are the modern
Israel, that the nation was born in q day as
foretold by the seers of aneiAnt ti,nA on the
4rn OF July, 1776, when the "Declaration Of
Indepence," was adopted, signed, and pro-
claimed to all the world by the Congress as
| sembled, and in defense of which, each mem
Der of that Congress pledged his lifei his
property, and his sacred honor. 1t was then
that the New Jerusalem came down from
Heaven, showing the Government Of the
United States to be a God-given institution,
against the essential principles Of which, the
powers of earth and hell combined shall never
prevail


The most perfect Government on earth,
framed after the model of the ancient Hebrew
Commonwealth. which was God-given also,
devised in Heaven; and when it had served
its purpose on earth, it was taken away until
by the law of progression, people should be
sufficiently advanced to know how to appre-
ciate it, and use it, and make it blessing to
all people throughout all time.


We need not refer you to the successful
struggles of the revolutionary fathers, result
ing through the blessing of God, in the
Acknowledgement of their Independence by
the Government of Great Britain.


We need not refer you to the unparalleled
growth and prosperity of the nation from the
time Of the adoption of the Constitution by
the people, until the close of the year 1867


You are all familiar with these matters.


With the increase of power, numbers, and


wealth, we increased in corruption; and


wrongs multiplied among US until we forgot


the Lord who formed our nation for us, and
gave US favor In the eyes of other nations.


And many among US were like Nebuchad-
nezzar of old, so dazzled and bewildered by
the prosperity which had settled around them,
as to think that they had built this great ma
ton by the might of their power, and for the
honor of their majesty, and that therefore they
could destroy it, and build upon its ruins an
other nation, which for greatness, wealth, and


power, should not be surpassed in all the
world.


All this is presented in the prophecy to
which we have already referred, but which
very few of the students of prophecy have


been lead to apply to this nation and its af-
fairs. The application has always been made
to the outward form of the Church as the
: parties in conflict and desension; the Roman
Catholic and Protestant powers in all parts OF
the world. And all this is partly true, but
true only IN part; for the Protestant Church
was the first representation of liberty as q
principle.


And the Roman Catholic power, whether
in the ecclesiastical or secular form, symbol
lied by the dragon, was the representative of
despotism in every form.


But in the prophecies Of Daniel and John,
the conflict is to be between the governments
of earth.


Thus, Daniel declares the great government
or power, which is the representative of liber-
i ty. and its safeguard and protection under the
figure of g stone rejected by the builders
John, as q city coming down from Heaven
But the stone was hewn without hands; that
is with human hands or labor. E.-
The government of the first settlements of
| America was of this kind.


4 It proceeded from Britain without the aid
Of Britain. 1t made its own laws, and estab-
lished itself in q wilderness. The colonies
: grew when the parent country neglected
f; them.


! They were oppressed when it undertook
e their care.


They established their independence by
A the aid of prayer and thanksgiving to God, for
' victory.


: They formed their constitution BY its aid,
;; and by the earnest supplicatiOns Of devout,
e sincerely piOus men.


q Thus, in the United States, was the grand
government established which shall make
e liberty universal, and truth and righteousness
; as widespread as the earth.
n In the prophecies of the Apocalypse, there
S is no regular connection, or succession Of
i events. There seems in this arrangement, as
s well as in other matters connected with the
: great subject, full illustration of the phrase
It uttered by the Savior-"The first shall be last,
:, and the last shall be first" And this is SO


in the order of events detailed in the Book
i Thus we find the "beast''-the dragon


the symbol Of despotism in the old world as
1t we before remarked, in the form of ecclesi-
T sstical and secular-but when applied to this


country-the symbol Of the slave power,
n which is one and the same from the earliest
l. ages until now. But this is the last, and cul-
r minating phase of tyranny, claiming posses
/ sion of the bodies and souls of men and
d women; their property, their labor, and every
e thing they have.


Centuries ago, this beast, this dragon,
= united all the powers of Europe, to assail
N liberty, as it existed in the Protestant Church,
and in Constitutional Government in Great