fore has a claim upon the sympathy and support of every one taking an interest in the advance of nations in prosperity, civilisation and happiness. "It is not too much to say that there is no existing or projected railroad that can for a moment compare, in point of interest and importance, with that of the Euphrates Valley. It brings two quarters of the globe into juxta-position, and three continents-Europe, Asia, and Australia-into co-relation. It binds the vast population of Hindustan by an iron link with the people of Europe, it inevitably entails the colonisation and civilisation of the great valleys of the Euphrates and Tigris, the resuscitation in a modern shape of Babylon and Nineveh, and the re-awakening of Ctesiphon and Bagdad of old." Many more passages might be quoted from various quarters to the like effect; but it will be sufficient to subjoin the following extract from the journal of the late General Sir Charles Napier. "Breeze feels cool, and the thermometer sticks at 90° in the shade: yet it is pleasant to see the waves rolling in. Somewhere among them lies Alexander's golden cup, and a little way off lies Alexander himself. The sand of the Gedrosian desert is falling on my paper as I write; and not far beyond lies Babylon. Civilisation was travelling West in Alexander's time; but now how changed is the grand drama! More than two thousand years have passed, and civilisation arises on the rear of barbarism: we English have seized the baggage, are following up our blow, and in a few years shall be at Babylon, a revived empire! We could reach it more easily than Alexander. Hadge, on the borders of the Gedrosian desert, lately offered me its sovereignty; and Burpore, on the confines of Persia, surrendered simply to a forged letter with my name! We shall go slowly, but one hundred years will see us at Babylon. [ I could do as I pleased, that should be my road home."—(Life of Sir C. Napier, vol. iv., p. 70.) 161 REMARKS ON AN ADDRESS LATELY DELIVERED IN THE JEWISH SYNA- IT may be a fitting conclusion to this series of papers to consider some of the principles that are being introduced amongst the Jews. If there be a nation on the earth likely to aid effectually in the estab lishment of the Ephah in the land of Shinar, it is they. Devoted to commerce--abounding in wealth -patient in labour-acquainted with the language of every land—and likely soon to re-occupy Palestine-all these things supply them with unequalled facilities for introducing civilisation, and establishing commerce in the East. And when we remember the invariable habit of prophetic Scripture to treat in detail of those periods only with which Israel nationally are concerned-and that manifested and completed fulfilments of prophecy are always connected with them; it adds strength to the conviction, that the period of the establishment of the Ephah will be one in which they will bear no unimportant part, as a gathered and recognised nation in Jerusalem. We are SO near to the last days that we may M expect their approach to be indicated, more and more, by the outward events and by the moral principles which Scripture marks as distinctively characteristic of the close. The near connection into which all the countries included within the Roman earth are being drawn by similarity of interests and the like; the spread of popular monarchic (or as the Scripture would say), "clayiron" principles of government throughout these Roman kingdoms; the re-appearance of Egypt and of Greece as separate principalities, according to Daniel viii.; the disposition of many in Israel to return to Jerusalem, all these and many similar circumstances show that the nations, as to their outward arrangements, are being brought into the form which Scripture describes them as bearing in the latter day. Of moral signs, one of the most important would be the spread of like principles in Jewish and Gentile minds. And this is progressing. Many a Gentile mind is exulting in the progress of those principles which are now changing politically and socially the character of Europe. They conceive that the destruction of past evil is the sure herald of future good; and because man, whilst controlled has been unhappy, they think, that man, controlling himself, must be blest. To relax therefore, as much as possible, every bond, human or divine, that fetters the will of man; to select from the Scripture such parts as are deemed serviceable for purposes of human happiness here; to reject or else hold in abeyance the distinctive doctrines of God's word; to put human brotherhood in the place of brother. hood in the Spirit-to apply to the coming period of darkness and judgment the glorious promises of millennial peace, have been habits long prevalent in Gentile minds; but as yet they have not been so distinctly apparent among Jews. The following extracts, however, will show that Judaism is likely soon to join hand in hand with Gentilism-and that they will thus tread together the path of Apostasy. Perhaps Judaism will lead. It is comparatively of little moment by what individual or on what occasion the words which I am about to transcribe were spoken. It is enough to know that they have been spoken, and that thoughts like these are not foreign to the hearts and ears of Israel. Their journal too in this country accepts and applauds them. Indeed, sentiments like these must have their effect wherever and by whomsoever spoken, for they are the principles of the day-the principles by which God is permitting Satan to accelerate the delusion of the closing hour. Whether permission has or has not been granted to build the Synagogue or Temple, is comparatively a trivial question. We are concerned with the sentiments, the Sadduceeism of modern Israel. The following are the extracts. They will enable us to form some notion of what the system is, which, after being hidden in the Ephah, is to be |