scene.

domain of Rome. The society of the Jesuits acquired and retained immense influence, in the courts of the kings of Europe, and in the most distant regions; Rome became at least a secondary, a reflex Babylon. It seemed as if she were about to acquire more than she had lost by the reformation. But soon a wondrous change came over the Within little more than one hundred years past, the productions of infidel writers, the American and French revolutions; the multiform and ever increasing influence of the press; the new power of worldly democracy, as opposed to the fanatical democracy of an earlier period ;* practical infidelity, semi-belief and indifferentism; philosophical" self-righteousness"; the extension of the colonial power of England; and last, though not least, neological christianity, or infidelity, it is not very material which term is employed, have wrought an entire change, in the condition of the governing nations of the earth. The temporal power of Rome, has dwindled to insignificance; and its spiritual power, though nominally more considerable, is probably more nominal than real. The days of superstition, and implicit belief, are rapidly passing away. Are we on the eve of great prophetical developments?

Little appears to be said, in the more accessible books of reference, concerning the history of the Greek church, since the Turks became possessed of Constantinople. It has been intimated that during this period, the RussoGreek church has withdrawn from the spiritual jurisdiction of the Patriarch, and that Peter I. declared himself the head of the church. He attempted considerable reforms. It is said that there is more unanimity in the Russian church, than in any other considerable body of Christians. They have not fallen into different denominations, like the Protestants, nor into different schools, so to speak, like the Catholicks. Previous to the Greek revo

*I trust I shall not be misunderstood in the use of these terms. I employ them, as general expressions, in the sense in which I suppose they would be employed, by those best informed. I judge no man.

lution, and perhaps still, the Patriarch at Constantinople, dwelt in a palace; and there were 23 churches of the Greek communion, in the city. The patriarchal church was dedicated to St. George. I will not here insist upon Providential coincidences, signs of the times; it is sufficient that unavoidable association conducts the mind to a kingdom whose patron saint is St. George, and which is the first commercial nation on the globe. Whose chief city, as I have seen it affirmed, like Rome and Constantinople, is seated on seven hills. However this may be, London, the commercial metropolis of the world, must be regarded as the representative city of the Babylon of scripture. St. George was also chosen the patron saint of that nation which discovered the modern route to the wealth of the East; and his name is perhaps connected with more orders of chivalry than that of any other individual. And if the historic record be true, what a worthy patron for the scripture Babylon. In homely parlance, a trading character, and "money catcher." An army contractor, and one of the worst of his class. Accused of peculation, he fled from a suit commenced against him, with his ill gotten wealth. Possessed of talent, versatility and energy, he became bishop of Alexandria. Here his avarice and rapacity were such that he was expelled from the city, the people rising against him as one man. Recovering his authority, with much difficulty, he continued his career, till he was ignominiously dragged to prison. Here, after a few days, he was slain in a tumult of the "Pagan populace," (perishing much like the founder of the Mormons,) and thus acquiring the honours of martyrdom. Of course, Pope Gelasius, "who placed him among the martyrs of the churches, rejects his acts as spurious, and the composition of heretics."

VII. BABYLON-IS NOT HEATHENDOM.

Aside from a corrupt christianity, and the individual system, the only other power on earth, I believe, which it can be surmised answers to the description of Babylon, is Paganism. But Paganism can be disposed of in few words. There may be some resemblance, in Paganism, to the traffick, the sorceries, and the persecutions of Babylon; but Babylon is too exclusively and splendidly commercial, and too rich, to represent Paganism. There is a unity about Babylon, which cannot be predicated of Paganism. Instead of being represented by all the gods and goddesses of the pantheon, and many others without the pale of classical mythology, she is personified by a single splendid and wealthy harlot, who sometimes persecutes, but who is greatly admired by the merchants of the earth, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea-all that had ships in the sea, were made rich, by reason of her costliness-but none worshipped her. Nothing appears to be said of worship, in the entire connexion; or nothing but what is quite as susceptible, or more so, of another explanation. Babylon appears to become more and more an habitation of devils, instead of less and less. See Rev. 18: 2. All nations have drank of the wine of her cup, she reigneth, as has been shewn, over the kings of all the earth; but there are nations, like the United States, that have never been Pagan. Her name, Mother of abominations of the earth, when so many of these have commenced in nominally christian lands! It is not true of Paganism, that she sits a queen, and is no widow, and fears no sorrow, but notoriously the reverse. It is not true that in her will be found at her final destruction, the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.t

*Rev. 18:7.

+Rev. 18:24.

VIII.

BABYLON-ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE THAT BABYLON IS THE INDIVIDUAL SYSTEM-PROOFS OF THE SOCIAL OR COMMUNITY SYSTEM FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT.

There is another proof that Babylon is the individual system, which of itself is well nigh sufficient. It is this. That if the individual system should be superseded by the social, there will be a destruction of the former, throughout the earth, very similar, (figuratively speaking,) to that described in the eighteenth chapter of Revelation. That the individual system is to be superseded by the social, there is abundant evidence in the Old Testament, some of which, as I proposed in a former section, I will now consider. And first, of the vision in the nine last chapters of the prophet Ezekiel. This, or the first chapter, has already been referred to, but we will go somewhat more into particulars.

No one, at all conversant with the scriptures, can read this description, without being convinced that it relates to the glorious period so often referred to, by the prophets of the Old Testament. Civil government is recognized, but with few particulars, other than the mention of the prince, and injunctions to the princes of Israel, in figurative language, to justice and religious observances. See ch. 45: 9-25. The descriptions relate, for the most part, to the religious establishment, and the social, domestick, and economick arrangements. Chap. 43: 1, 2; 4-7. Afterward he brought me to the gate, even the gate that looketh toward the east: And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory. And the glory of the Lord came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east. So the spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house. And I heard him speaking unto me out of the house; and the man stood by me.

And he said unto me, Son of man, the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel forever. In chapter 47, mention is made of the healing waters, which issued out of the sanctuary, by which it appears, all vegetable and animal life is healed, or, restored to the paradisaical state. At the conclusion, chap. 48: 35, it is said, And the name of the city from that day shall be, The LORD is there. That the social organization prevails, is shewn more especially in the fortieth chapter, in which is described the frame of the city; but there are not wanting, in the second part of the vision, intimations to the same effect. The cherubim and palm trees on all the walls of the house round about seem to indicate a permanent and unfailing supply of food and clothing.* In the vision of the healing waters, ch. 47, and of the very many trees on the banks, all trees for meat, it is said, ver. 12, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed. Here again permanent and unfailing supply seems to be intimated. Immediately after the above, commences an account of the distribution of the land among the tribes; and it is said, ver. 14, ye shall inherit it, one as well as another. If this refers, as seems probable, to individuals, it need not be insisted that the social arrangement can alone, permanently secure this result.†

In chapter 40, verses 35-49, describing the north court, which represents England, we find that while the entire

*See ch. 1: 11, and 46: 19-24. As the literal temple at Jerusalem was ornamented with cherubim and palm trees in a similar manner, might there not have been an allusion to the shew-bread, or continual bread as it is called, Numb. 4: 7? Twelve loaves, equal to the number of the tribes, were placed upon the golden table of the shew-bread, by the priests of the week, every Sabbath, where they remained during the week. The shew-bread could be lawfully eaten by the priests, but by none else. The meaning of the Hebrew, which is translated shew-bread, is "bread of faces," or "bread of the faces." Does not this designation lead to the true or ultimate purport of the sacred rite?

+See ch. 47: 21-23. The lot here spoken of, especially as concerning an inheritance for strangers, may refer to various things, other than individual possession, sufficient for the maintenance of a family. Indeed, in a small country