A REFUTATION OF ATHEISTICAL DENIAL OF THE TRUTHOF PROPHECY,FOUNDEDUPON THE NATIONAL IDENTITIESINTHE WESTERN HEMISPHERE.
"For had ye believedMOSES,ye would have believed Me, for he wrote of Me; but if ye believed notHIS WRITINGS,how shall ye believeMy words?"Christto the Pharisees.
"For had ye believedMOSES,ye would have believed Me, for he wrote of Me; but if ye believed notHIS WRITINGS,how shall ye believeMy words?"
Christto the Pharisees.
The Tyrian translation of the "Rosetta-Stones" of Ancient America, we maintain, has brought to light the fulfilment of another Prophecy from Holy-Writ, and which for centuries has been dormant from the want of a correct, or an apparent application; but, that Prophecy was uttered concerning the Tyrian Nation, and is now directly applicable to those "sojourners afar off." This discovery possesses a double power and testimony: viz.—
1st. It unfolds thecausewhy Tyrians should be on the Western Continent, by pointing at the terrible event, and its results leading to theeffect.
2dly. While the Prophecy directs us to the fact of the Tyrian Migration;—the discovery and identity of the Tyrians being on the Western Hemisphere establish the truth and fulfilment of the Prophecy;—thus giving additional value to that portion of Scripture, which in the eyes of unbelievers has been looked upon with impious doubt or suspicion.
In a Work like the present, wherein an Original Theory, claims to be admitted into the Library of History,—and to be established there, upon the solid ground of argument and investigation only,—there is, therefore, no points of argument or objections that can consistently be passed by as unworthy of notice: and although under other circumstances, our early education, and mature belief would not permit even the mention of those sceptics, from whose lips in regard to this Prophecy objections will come,—yet in justice to our subject, and in duty and devotional gratitude to that Religion, through the merits of which we believe Salvation alone can be received,—we cannot retreat from the encounter even with the foes of Faith, but boldly meet them upon their own chosen field of atheism;—for this discovery in Tyrian-America has forced them into a defile, from which,—like the army in the Caudian death-vale,—there is no escape from the guarded and surrounding passes!
Arguments to prove Scriptural truths, are not requiredfor those who have placed their hope, as an anchor of Salvation, within the safe harbour of the Two Testaments:—but, even those believers will rest upon Ararat with confirmed security; and sceptics may be led (from finding no resting-place) to approach that Ark for safety, and to bring with them even the olive-leaf, when Time continues to give forth, even at this day,—renewed proofs that the visioned words of the Sacred Prophets, were originally from The SupremeGod!
Such a Divine herald wasMoses; and next in dignity from the importance of his mission wasIsaiah. The millions of Christians now living, and the thousands of millions covered by the mantle of death, within the dark mansions of the grave, do, and have believed, that that inspired writer truly foretold to Ahaz, King of Judæa, that "God's sign" should be theMiraculous Birthfrom aVirgin-Mother of aRedeemer—ofChrist Immanuel. [i. e.God with us.]
That same Prophet foretold the Fall of Tyrus.JeremiahandEzekieldid the same. Their writings concerning that event respectively bear date 712-606-588 yearsB. C.They also foretold that Judæa should be captive to the Babylonian 70 years; which time, computed from the capture of Jerusalem and destruction of the first Temple, 588B. C., to the period of building theSecondTemple, 518B. C., would exactly complete the fulfilment of the Prophecy: or if the time is computed from the captivity of theKingof Judæa, 606B. C., to the return of the Jewish people from Babylon,536B. C., then the 70 years are, also, exactly accomplished.
Tyrus, saidIsaiah, should be forgotten as a Nation for 70 years; which time, reckoned from the first year of the Siege by Nebuchadnezzar, 585B. C., brings the period to 515B. C., the year in which the Second Temple wasdedicated; and at which the Tyrians assisting, they obtained again their National position: therefore, that Prophecy, and that concerning Judæa, were strictly fulfilled.
Now atheistical writers endeavour to maintain thatMoses,Isaiah,Daniel,Jeremiah,Ezekiel, and the long line of Prophets never existed, and that the entire Volume of the Bible was originally written byEzra! the chief Priest and Lawgiver of the Jewish Nation, at the return from the captivity in Babylon, 536B. C.; and that, as he wrote from 536 to 456B. C., therefore in composing the Bible,after the dates of the events specified, he could, and did, so arrange the Prophecies, asifspoken by men who lived before the fulfilments, but, who in fact (they argue) never did exist; and that he wrote nothing for Prophecy, the accomplishment of which was to take place after his (Ezra's) own time,and that no fulfilment of any ProphecyAFTER HIS TIMEcan beHISTORICALLYestablished,—the foretelling of which is anywhere found in the Old Testament! That is the data upon which atheists and deists found their arguments against the Bible,—against the vital principle of its truth,—viz., the Prophecies.
We, therefore, propose to meet those arguments, andrefute the reckless denials, upon their own chosen ground,—giving them, even the advantage of the latest date claimed by them,—viz., 456B. C., the latest period in which Ezra wrote.
Before we refute their pseudo-reasoning upon the Prophecies, we will shew that Scriptural authority isnotrejected by them; that it is distinctly allowed by them, although unconsciously. It must be apparent that they admit the authority of the Bible, and the existence of the Jews as a Nation (which they deny), for they accredit Ezra and his companions as writers and compilers of The Volume, "after their return as Captives from Babylon." Here then is a direct admission (though unwittingly) that the Jews were a Nation, and of sufficient importance to have been made captive by so powerful a Monarch as the King of Babylon; and that they returned at all, is only obtainable from the Bible, and they admit "their return;" therefore they admit therecordof the Scripture!
Again:—they say with apparent triumph, in regard to the Bible being in the letters of Babylon, and not in the Jewish characters (and thence they deduce that the Jews were not a Nation),—viz., "As all these men (Ezra and his followers) had been captives in Babylon, and could no where else be taught to write, how could these Books (i. e.of the Bible) beCOMPOSEDin any other than the Chaldæan characters?"i. e.letters.
We grant that the Bible wasTRANSLATEDby Ezra, and his Scribes, into the Chaldee, which was the language of the learned among the Babylonians, and acquired by the Jews during their captivity; and is nowat this day, the language (i. e.letters) of our present Hebrew Bible;—but, 36 years before the Captivity, viz., 624B. C., the Mosaical Books of the Laws, (i. e.the Pentateuch and others) were found in the Old Temple, and they were read by Shaphan to King Josiah, and of course in the original language ofIsrael(not Hebrew), which we will prove in the next Volume to have been nearly identical with those of ancient Phœnicia and Egypt. Therefore, that the Book or Books were now written by Ezra in the Chaldee—or right-angular letter—is a conclusive proofthat it was a Translation, and being so, as a necessity, it must have been from anoriginalBook or Bible, and consequently, ofantecedentdate to the period of Ezra.
Even in the Apocryphal Book of Esdras (2d) (and quoted from as authority by atheists), and who is identical from date with Ezra,—there is a sentence proving the previous existence of the Bible, which he is about to rewrite, or translate.—Esdras (i. e.Ezra) says, in his address to The Deity,—
"But if I have found grace before thee, send the Holy-Ghost into me,and I shall write all that hath been done in the World since the beginning[i. e.the Creation]WHICH WERE WRITTEN IN THE LAW[i. e.Original Books ofMoses] that men may find thy path, and that they which will live in latter days, may live." [i. e.eternally.]
Now the capitalized line distinctly proves the existence of a previous Book of "the Law," and in the original language; and the preceding line defines that itcontained "all that had been done in the World" from the Creation; therefore, the Books of Moses (and others) as we read them at this day.
The first translation of the Bible was by Ezra, 536B. C., from the original language of Israel, into the Chaldee characters; (i. e.incorrectly calledHebrewby us at this day)—the second translation was from the Chaldee into the Greek letters, in the reign of Ptolemy Philadelphus, 277B. C., when 72 learned Jews (Chaldee and Greek Scholars) were employed upon the subject; consequently the Bible remained in the Chaldæan language untranslated for 259 years. In the period ofThe Saviourthe Bible was read, not only in the Chaldee-Hebrew, but in the Greek language; and that being the prevailing tongue (as before stated) in Phœnicia, consequent upon the invasion by Alexander; as, also, at Jerusalem and in Egypt, the precepts of the Old Testament were, therefore, understood by the Jews and the Gentiles, who were thus prepared to receive aMessiah, through the intelligence derived only from the Sacred Prophets.Christvisited the coasts of Tyrus and Sidon, and was addressed by the Woman of Faith (without doubt) in the Greek language. [Mathew xv. 21-28.]
TheNew Testamentwas originally written in the Greek language,—for that was the language of the learned at the period of the Apostles,—and consequently the Gospel was quickly promulgated—both by writing and preaching—to the nations surrounding Jerusalem:—thus the invasion of Alexander,—by establishing in Syria, Palestine, and Egypt, one language,(i. e.the Greek) became an instrument, (although from a pagan,) for the promulgation of the true Faith,—thence fulfilling that "from evil cometh good."
The latest date of Ezra is 456B. C., and sceptics boldly assert "That no Prophecypreviouslyannounced [as to date] in the Bible, can be proved fromhistoryto have been fulfilledafterthat date!"
The first refutation (apart fromThe Redeemer'sprophesied birth) is from the ProphetDaniel. From his vision he foretold that the fall of the Medes and Persians should be caused by a Grecian monarch (i. e.Alexander of Macedon), the former were portrayed as the horns of a Ram, and the latter as a brutal Goat. "And the Ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia,—and the rough goat is the king of Grecia." Thecausefor Alexander's invasion of his enemy's territory is then given: "Behold there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia, and the fourth [Darius] shall be far richer than they all, and by his strength, through his riches,he shall stir up all against the realm of Greece."
The Prophecy then actually foretells what shall happen upon the death of Alexander, whereby his identity as the "king of Grecia" is absolute,—viz.,
"His (king of Grecia) kingdom shall be broken, andshall be dividedtowards the four winds of Heaven, andnot to his posterity, nor according to his dominion (Macedonia) which he ruled; for his kingdom shall be plucked up, even for others besides those [i. e.his posterity]. Now that (Alexander's dominion) being broken, whereasfourstood up for it,—four kingdomsshall stand up out of the nation—and in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressions are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences shall stand up."
Now every classic reader knows that Alexander conquered Darius, monarch of the Medes and Persians, and that upon the death of the Macedonian, that his kingdom was "divided" and that it did not descend "to his posterity," that "four kingdomsdidstand up out of the nation"—[i. e.of Macedonia]—viz., Asia was taken by Antigonus as his share;—Seleucus had Babylon and the surrounding provinces, Lysimachus the cities of the Hellespont, and Ptolemeus possessed Egypt—thus were the four new kings created,—Macedonia the original "nation," was given to Cassander. Here then is the direct fulfilment of Prophecy, and upon the authority of acknowledged History, which is the authority desired by sceptics. Now for the data.—Danielprophesied 553 yearsB. C., Ezra translated the Bible from the original tongue [536B. C.], therefore ninety-seven years afterDaniel; but, following out the atheistical assertion,—viz.,—no fulfilment is proved from History (not Scriptural) after Ezra,—here then is a conclusive refutation, for Alexander died, and his kingdom was divided in 323B. C.,consequently 213 yearsAFTERthe translation of the Bible by Ezra; and the historic facts are firmly established upon the time-honoured authority of Arrian, Diodorus Siculus, Plutarch, and Josephus.
Ezekiel'sProphecy of the first fall, and of the general fate of Tyrus, was in the year 588B. C., threeyears before the commencement of the Babylonian siege. In that Prophecy he says,
"Therefore thus saith theLord God: Behold I am against thee, O Tyrus, and will cause many nations to come up against thee, as the sea causeth his waves to come up. And they shall destroy the walls of Tyrus and break down her towers. I will also scrape her dust from her, and I will make her like the top of a rock.It shall be a place for the spreading of Nets in the midst of the sea." * * * * * "I will make theelike the top of a rock,—thou shalt be a place to spread Nets upon, for I theLordhave spoken it, saith theLord God."
What Tyrus was finally to become is twice uttered byEzekiel, as shewn by the above italicised quotations. Ezra's latest date is 456B. C., but what is Tyrus at the present day—twenty-three Centuries afterEzra? Why it is the living witness of the actual and identical fulfilment of the Prophecy!—for every Traveller from the Mediterranean testifies to the fact, that upon thetop of the rocksof the site of ancient Tyrus, are daily seen, spread out and drying in the sunlight,some fifty or sixty Nets, belonging to about the same number of fishermen, who reside in the vicinity! It is scarcely necessary to add, that those poor fishers of the sea have not in any manner been in collusion to establish the Sacred writings; but in all probability from their being uneducated Mahomedans, (yet believers in the Koran) are in total ignorance of the Bible, or the principles of Prophecy.
The foregone forms a refutation, no matter how latesceptics would date the writing, or the compilation of the Bible, for the fulfilment has been seen for ages, and is still visible upon the rocks of Tyrus. Why should we wonder then that another proof of the truth of Sacred Prophecy should only have been discovered in our own day, and upon the Western Continent? But mankind may well wonder, and they will so continue through all posterity, at the mysterious and inscrutable ways of The Almighty,—in the contemplation (we dare not say contrast) of whose ever-fruitful Power, the high soaring mind of man seem not only uncultured, but inarable!
The grand, yet silent majesty ofGod,—His vivid, brilliant, and rapid Mind,—Are figured in the lightning's piercing flash,—When darting through the world's chaotic night,It penetrates and illumines all time and space!But mind of Man,—is like to the sequent thunder,Loud reverberating from cloud to cloud,Harmless, yet noisy; so from clime to climeHe sends his loud sounding mandates,—no thoughtGiving, that his power ne'er had been, had notManitou'seye-flash first oped the Time-cloud!Thus merely following aseffect,—directionFrom aCause,—of a Creation,—which heCan neither—(with all his loud thunder-talk)—Increase or diminish,—tarnish or illumine![17]
The grand, yet silent majesty ofGod,—His vivid, brilliant, and rapid Mind,—Are figured in the lightning's piercing flash,—When darting through the world's chaotic night,It penetrates and illumines all time and space!But mind of Man,—is like to the sequent thunder,Loud reverberating from cloud to cloud,Harmless, yet noisy; so from clime to climeHe sends his loud sounding mandates,—no thoughtGiving, that his power ne'er had been, had notManitou'seye-flash first oped the Time-cloud!Thus merely following aseffect,—directionFrom aCause,—of a Creation,—which heCan neither—(with all his loud thunder-talk)—Increase or diminish,—tarnish or illumine![17]
The grand, yet silent majesty ofGod,—
His vivid, brilliant, and rapid Mind,—
Are figured in the lightning's piercing flash,—
When darting through the world's chaotic night,
It penetrates and illumines all time and space!
But mind of Man,—is like to the sequent thunder,
Loud reverberating from cloud to cloud,
Harmless, yet noisy; so from clime to clime
He sends his loud sounding mandates,—no thought
Giving, that his power ne'er had been, had not
Manitou'seye-flash first oped the Time-cloud!
Thus merely following aseffect,—direction
From aCause,—of a Creation,—which he
Can neither—(with all his loud thunder-talk)—
Increase or diminish,—tarnish or illumine![17]
The discovery and identity of theTyrianRuins in Ancient America must give a complete annihilation to the impious argument of the atheists, forIsaiahwrote 256 yearsbeforeEzra, 380 before the Tyrian Siege by Alexander, and 712 beforeChrist. The first part of the newly-applied Prophecy was accomplished at the Macedonian massacre, and the rescuing of the "remnant"by the Sidonians,—this was in 332B. C., consequently 204years after the Biblical translation by Ezra:—while the last line of that Prophecy,—viz.,
"Her own feet shall carry her afar off to sojourn," although accomplished in the same year, has only been discovered (from the Ruins of Ancient America) to have been fulfilled, together with the "local habitation," at this present time,—and therefore 2298 years afterEzra,—and 2554 years from its original promulgation byIsaiah! And the reader should remember this important fact,—viz., that the discovery of the Ruins has beensincethe atheistical writings of the sceptics,—their names we will not offend the eye with! If a man would crush a serpent, he should not elevate it to an idol, but place his heel upon its head, that it may be trodden under foot, and so forgotten! Bring forward thevenomof the serpent, if you will, and analyze it,—that you may avoid its corrupting qualities,—but give nonameto the serpent-sceptic itself,—lest thatthatfame might have been the sole object of his ambition, and by granting his wish, it would have the evil tendency of inciting others to imitation. Many a public villain has become so, merely from the desire of acquiring the notoriety of a preceding one, whose name could only be equalled, by the imitation, or excelling of those crimes leading to the creation of the name. It is the same in the path of virtuous Patriotism. To acquire the name of an Alfred or a Washington, we must imitate the deeds, or the quality of the deeds, that made them so justly renowned,—the Name of the Hero is the attraction,—and therefore, in all records ofcrime, the names of the criminals, should not be held up to public gaze and wonder: for the desire ofevil notoriety, forms no small minority in the human family. But in justice to fallen Nature, it would not be difficult to prove that all atheistical writers have been victims of insanity or intemperance,—the latter vice often producing the former calamity;—and there is nothing more astounding in hearing an unconfined Maniac deny the existence of aGod,—than that one asylumned should assume thatheisThe Almighty! or that one should deny thatChristin his Divine Character was upon earth, than that another should really believe thatheis theSaviour![18]But the misfortune hasbeen, and is, that theirprinted worksmay be read by persons of weak intellects, and so lead them into the paths of darkness and confusion.
The Aborigines of North America cannot be made to comprehend that an atheist really does exist, although they have been so informed; it being so at variance with their own confirmed and Religious conviction. In illustration of this belief and veneration, we may be excused from quoting from our own unpublished Work upon Tecumseh,—the great Chieftain of the Northern Aborigines. It is part of Tecumseh's speech upon reviewing the Decalogue, and the necessity of our Laws, and is addressed to an Anglo-Saxon.
* * * * * * * * * *Yet for all thy laws, and large solemn books,Ye have among ye those who disbelieveThe bright existence of a God Supreme!Yet they can scent the flower, or view a falling Star!Throughout all the Indian Tribes,—or race,There is not one such wretch, fool, or madman!Deny aGod!—Manitou!—in mercyPlace Thou th' unbeliever where he may gazeIn awe-struck wonder atNiagära!—The living principle of th' Universe!Ope Thou his deaf ears to that mighty voice,Which doth silence e'en the loud thunder-storm,—Whose presence there is not known, save its fire!Strike Thou conviction to his dying heart;*And as he gazes upon the RainbowsCircling the mist-column of those waters,—Let him feel that they are the living typesOf that mighty Arch, which Thine Eye of loveHath look'd upon; and which, as CovenantOf Thy parental care, will e'en surviveThe Earth-destroying tempest of the World!
* * * * * * * * * *Yet for all thy laws, and large solemn books,Ye have among ye those who disbelieveThe bright existence of a God Supreme!Yet they can scent the flower, or view a falling Star!Throughout all the Indian Tribes,—or race,There is not one such wretch, fool, or madman!Deny aGod!—Manitou!—in mercyPlace Thou th' unbeliever where he may gazeIn awe-struck wonder atNiagära!—The living principle of th' Universe!Ope Thou his deaf ears to that mighty voice,Which doth silence e'en the loud thunder-storm,—Whose presence there is not known, save its fire!Strike Thou conviction to his dying heart;*And as he gazes upon the RainbowsCircling the mist-column of those waters,—Let him feel that they are the living typesOf that mighty Arch, which Thine Eye of loveHath look'd upon; and which, as CovenantOf Thy parental care, will e'en surviveThe Earth-destroying tempest of the World!
* * * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * * * *
Yet for all thy laws, and large solemn books,Ye have among ye those who disbelieveThe bright existence of a God Supreme!Yet they can scent the flower, or view a falling Star!Throughout all the Indian Tribes,—or race,There is not one such wretch, fool, or madman!Deny aGod!—Manitou!—in mercyPlace Thou th' unbeliever where he may gazeIn awe-struck wonder atNiagära!—The living principle of th' Universe!Ope Thou his deaf ears to that mighty voice,Which doth silence e'en the loud thunder-storm,—Whose presence there is not known, save its fire!Strike Thou conviction to his dying heart;*And as he gazes upon the RainbowsCircling the mist-column of those waters,—Let him feel that they are the living typesOf that mighty Arch, which Thine Eye of loveHath look'd upon; and which, as CovenantOf Thy parental care, will e'en surviveThe Earth-destroying tempest of the World!
Yet for all thy laws, and large solemn books,
Ye have among ye those who disbelieve
The bright existence of a God Supreme!
Yet they can scent the flower, or view a falling Star!
Throughout all the Indian Tribes,—or race,
There is not one such wretch, fool, or madman!
Deny aGod!—Manitou!—in mercy
Place Thou th' unbeliever where he may gaze
In awe-struck wonder atNiagära!—
The living principle of th' Universe!
Ope Thou his deaf ears to that mighty voice,
Which doth silence e'en the loud thunder-storm,—
Whose presence there is not known, save its fire!
Strike Thou conviction to his dying heart;*
And as he gazes upon the Rainbows
Circling the mist-column of those waters,—
Let him feel that they are the living types
Of that mighty Arch, which Thine Eye of love
Hath look'd upon; and which, as Covenant
Of Thy parental care, will e'en survive
The Earth-destroying tempest of the World!
Isaiahseems to have alluded (inferentially at least) to the Western Hemisphere in his Tyrian Prophecy,—he writes:
"Her own feet shall carry her afar off to sojourn!"—the place or land, therefore, is not named by the Prophet,—or its locality defined by any relative name of any land then known,—yet it was to be "afar off," and to be reached by the means of Navigation, for the remnant were to "cry aloud from theSea" in thanksgiving for their escape from the National massacre. Throughout the Scripture, names of localities are almost invariably defined; and in this very prophecy byIsaiah,—he says—"The burden ofTyre,"—"Howl, ye ships ofTarshish," "the land ofChittim," "the merchants ofSidon," "the seed ofSihor," "concerningEgypt," "the land of theChaldeans," "theAssyrianfounded it," &c.—but where the "sojourners" were to go is not specified, and for this apparent reason,—viz., that the "afar off" Continent had no "local habitationor a name" among the then existing nations of the Earth, whereby it could be designated; and when to this is joined the fact, that the "remnant" of the Tyrians are only found on that great Continent,—and that wherever they went "afar off" it should be by Nautical means;—these, we submit, form a conclusive proof that what is now termed America, but then nameless, was contemplated by the Prophet in his great prediction;—for we think that we are justified in the propositional belief, that when the pre-ordinance ofThe Almightywas manifested to the Prophet,—thesacred prescience then obtained, conveyed the intelligence of the equi-hemispherical character of the Earth!
Sceptics may say,—"There is the Prophecy ofNoah!—is that sustained by these newly-discovered ofIsaiah's, and by this present History?"—we answer distinctly in the affirmative,—and further, that the identity of Tyrians and Hebrews on the Western Continent, together with their Conquerors, completely establish the fulfilment of both the first Prophecy and the Malediction!
After the insult to his person by his youngest Son, the Patriarch uttered the Curse upon his youngestgrandson—Canaan, as enlarged upon in the commencement of the Second Book of this Volume. The last recorded words of Noah are as follows: viz.—
"Cursed beCanaan! a servant of servants shall he be unto hisbrethren. Blessed be the LordGodofShem, and Canaan shall behisservant. God shall enlargeJapheth, [the eldest] and he shalldwell in the tentsof Shem; and Canaan shall behis[Japheth's] servant."—We offer the following brief analysis: viz.—
1st.Canaan shall be the servant of Shem:—proof of fulfilment as follows,—viz., Canaan's ten younger sons were the founders of the great family of the Canaanites,—these were subdued, slain or made captives byMosesandJoshua, of the House of Israel, descended from Shem.
2d.Canaan shall be a servant to his own Brethren:—proofof fulfilment,—viz., The eldest Brother of Canaan was Cush, the founder of the Assyrian, Babylonian, and Persian Kingdoms,—these conquered and enslaved, or made vassal all the Nations of Phœnicia,—these latter countries were descended from Canaan.
3d.Godshould enlarge Japheth;—proof of fulfilment,—viz., Japheth is regarded as the founder of Europe,—branches of that family now overspread not only Europe, but Asia, Africa, and the Continent of America,—every part of theChristianizedworld is occupied by the descendants of Noah's eldest Son!
4th.Japheth shall dwell in the tents of Shem:—proofs of fulfilment,—viz., the great family of Israel descended from Shem. When the Judæan branch was made captive by the Babylonian, the Jewsreturnedto Jerusalem after 70 years, according toIsaiah'sprophecy; therefore, they may be regarded as only beingabsentfrom their Country. When again stationary, and in their "tents" they were subdued by the Romans in Judæa, who actually "dwelt in their tents" or habitations; and even upon the site of the Jewish Temple, in the following century, Hadrian built one to Jupiter. The Romans were descended from Japheth.
At the Revolt of the Ten Tribes under Jeroboam, that great branch of Israel retired to Samaria. They were finally captured by the Assyrians and taken into Media and Assyria. A small portion, however, were suffered to remain at Samaria. Eventually a great majority of the Ten Tribes reached the Northern portionof the Western Hemisphere. The "tents" or dwelling-places of these Israelites were, and are, at this day occupied by the Anglo-Saxon and Norman races, and these are of the family of Japheth.
5th and lastly.Canaan shall also be the Servant of Japheth:—proofs of fulfilment,—viz., Canaan's eldest Son was Sidon, who founded the kingdom of that name; from Sidon descended Tyrus;—both were subdued, destroyed, or enslaved by the Macedonians, who were of the Japheth family.
From Canaan (through the branches of Sidon and Tyrus) sprung Carthage. This nation was compelled to be the enslaved "Servant" of Rome,—who, like the Conqueror of Tyrus, was descended from Noah's first-born.
From Canaan (Tyrus and Sidon) descended the Guanches of the Fortunate Isles,—these were conquered by the Sons of Spain, also of the European or Japheth family.
From the Canaan Fugitives of Tyrus was founded the Tyrian family in Ancient America,—these were also massacred and enslaved by the Spaniard,—the descendant from Japheth! Thus on the Western Hemisphere, by the Cortezian and Anglo-Saxon Conquests, was accomplished the finality ofNoah'sProphecy and Malediction upon the last of the house of Canaan!
The most discordant mind must perceive, even in this brief review of Noah's Prophecy, the most perfect harmony of Truth founded upon History;—and what is the Bible if it will not bear this test? It consequently demands the investigation of direct historic facts, andthence becomes the diapason of harmonious Truth,—the Messiah of Language,—truly "The Sent of God" for man's instruction here,—and his only hope of a beatific blessing hereafter!
Man thinks not, that when his Soul shall from hence,It will speed a Spirit from star to star:—World after world,—each deified,—shall receive it,—Thence bounding,—from our earthly sin redeem'd,—And sanctified through each celestial sphere,—And gloried by the Creator's diadem,—'Twill be enthronëd in the breast ofGod!—There to remain, pure, brilliant, and immortal![19]
Man thinks not, that when his Soul shall from hence,It will speed a Spirit from star to star:—World after world,—each deified,—shall receive it,—Thence bounding,—from our earthly sin redeem'd,—And sanctified through each celestial sphere,—And gloried by the Creator's diadem,—'Twill be enthronëd in the breast ofGod!—There to remain, pure, brilliant, and immortal![19]
Man thinks not, that when his Soul shall from hence,
It will speed a Spirit from star to star:—
World after world,—each deified,—shall receive it,—
Thence bounding,—from our earthly sin redeem'd,—
And sanctified through each celestial sphere,—
And gloried by the Creator's diadem,—
'Twill be enthronëd in the breast ofGod!—
There to remain, pure, brilliant, and immortal![19]
While the collective contents of this chapter will confirm the true belief in the Christian's mind, sincerely do we hope that those who may have entertained wavering doubts, will cast them from their stranded hearts; and in future let those citadels of nature become the confiding homes of refuge amid all the storms of earthly life; may they feel in sorrow or misfortune, that the Two Testaments,—like the Saviour of Life, will pass over the wild waves of apparent despair, and that the ocean of thought will be tranquil!—but to the sceptic,—the God-denying atheist, and the labyrinth-lost materialist,—we have presented the full language of irrefragable argument,—have encountered them with uncompromising resolution, and upon the Ezraic ground of their own selection; and from which they cannot retreat,—they must there remain confounded and defeated; and to the following undeniable, unanswerable conclusion they must be dumb,—or if they speak, be it in humility and repentance: viz.—
No sophistry or empty volubility, adorned with all the inthralling powers of language or eloquence, can controvert, or overthrow, established andhistoric facts; they are the essentials to the proofs, and are the only, and the conclusive proofs themselves, that Prophecies have been fulfilled: when, therefore, incontrovertible truths are brought from the archives of acknowledged History,—and they substantiate—and undeniably,—the actual accomplishment of Prophecies,—then those inspired Visions of an unapproached future, upon being so proven to have become the now stern realities of the past, or of the present,—they must,—they can be only viewed and received, as the Divine pre-ordinances ofAlmighty God,—promulgated to a wondering world, from the hallowed lips of His chosen Prophets and Mediators!—Such sacred messengers to Mankind, were Moses, Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel;—and the last Prophet upon Earth,—fulfilling by His presence the Truth of Holy-Writ—was The Son of God,—The Messiah—
The Omnipotent Redeemer of the Universe!
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END OF VOLUME I.,ORTHE TYRIAN ÆRA.