Page:Item 9 1861.pdf/191

From Historical Hastings
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possible nor improbable that the dead in Christ should rise again. – The reverend gentleman next referred to the indications of the present dispensation drawing to a close, among which he enumerated several important events in the life of Pius IX during the last two years, and quoted from the Tablet (Roman Catholic paper) to show that anti-Christ did not mean opposed to Christ, but in the place of Christ. It would never be understood what the Papacy was till it was seen as a system which dislodged distinctive truths, and put in their place destructive errors. The present condition of the Pope had been made a parellel(sic) to the crucifixion. The French Emperor said “Behold the man:” England shouted “Away with him, crucify him;” Sweden said “He is deserving of death;” Austria uttered “What evil hath he done?” Sardinia shrieked “We will not have this man to reign over us;” Prussia said “We find no fault in him;” Spain said “I am innocent of the blood of this just man;” the French Empress softly whispered to her husband “Have you nothing to do with this just man, for I have suffered much in a dream concerning him;” and the sovereigns under Papal sway chorused “Surely, he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.” And the Pope said to them all “Sit you here while I go and pray.” Now, what shocking blasphemy was this! No man can look at the Romish system without seeing that its vitality had declined almost to a thread, and the hour as well as the power of its terrible retribution was shortly to come. – The state of the Turkish Empire was instanced as further evidence of the approach of stupendous events. Ever since the vial fell on it the Euphatean(sic) waters had been steadily drying up. In 1821, when she was in danger, the Greeks revolted, and they were in full revolt now. The Greeks in the whole Turkish dominion were threatening to march and join their countrymen. Could it be wondered at? There were nine millions of Christians of one sort and another under the government of the Sultan and only two millions of Mahommedans. The instance the “sick man” died there were two great candidates for his slippers, and the great war of the Apocalypse would then be brought about. The Emperor of Russia wanted one slipper – Constantinople, and the French Emperor wanted the other slipper – Palestine, knowing that it was the high ​road​ to India. Great complications would arise out of the rival claims, and direful wars might result. The nation itself was in utter decay. The Mahommetans(sic) were becoming depopulated wherever they might be, the deaths everywhere being more numerous than the births. The decay had been so rapid and so exhaustive as to indicate its speedy end . . . . Why did the Jews covet the being buried in their own land? It was the logical result of the of their present feeling to be restored to Palestine; and when that phenomenon was presented, it would be -