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which, if computed from the period of the investiture of Pope Stephen II. with royalty, will terminate about the commencement of the next Millenary, A.d. 2000. Then will Popery have finished its earthly career by a consumption decreed for its extermination from earth, preparatory to the latter day glory of the Church, when "The kingdom, and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him."

Again :

II. In the third year of Belshazzar's reign, two years after the foregoing vision, Daniel had another prophetic revelation made to him in a vision of a second "little horn," which is recorded in the eighth chapter of his book. In this vision the prophet saw a powerful ram, with two horns, and also a remarkable he-goat, with one notable horn between his eyes. After unparalleled victories over the ram, and every thing that came in its way, the great horn of the he-goat was broken, and in its stead came up four notable horns towards the four winds of heaven. "Out of one of the four came forth a little horn, that waxed great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the pleasant land, and magnified itself, and cast down the truth to the ground, and practised, and prospered."

The prophet also, in his vision, heard conversation between celestial saints, one of which, in answer to the question "How long the vision ?" replied, "Unto two thousand three hundred days," (i. e. prophetic years.) The prophet also heard a celestial voice which directed the Angel Gabriel to make the prophet understand the vision. Gabriel obeyed, and gave the following explanation. "The ram having two horns are the kings

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(or kingdoms) of Media and Persia. The he-goat is the king (or kingdom) of Grecia, and the great horn between his eyes is the first king. The great horn being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kings shall stand up out of the nation but not in his power. And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance and understanding dark sentences shall stand up. His power shall be mighty; he shall destroy wonderfully, and prosper and practise, and destroy the mighty and holy people, and magnify himself in his heart; and stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand."

The object foretold by this emblem of the second "little horn," it is verily believed, is the grand system of Mahometan Imposture. Reasons for this belief are the following:

1. The source from whence the imposture originated, namely, out of one of the kingdoms of Alexander's divided empire. [Chap. ix. 8.] The ram with the two horns was an emblem of the kingdoms of Media and Persia. The he-goat was an emblem of the Grecian empire, and the one notable horn between the goat's eyes was evidently designed to represent Alexander the Great, the celebrated conqueror of the world. On Alexander's demise, his dominions were divided between his four most celebrated generals, Seleucus Nicator, Ptolemy, Lysimachus, and Cassander, of whom the two first were the most celebrated in history. Seleucus inherited Syria, and Ptolemy's portion was the kingdoms of Egypt and Arabia, which belonged to one of the grand divisions of the empire aforesaid. Mecca was a city of Arabia, and the place of Mahomet's birth, which was within the limits of Ptolemy's jurisdiction. As the little horn came forth

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out of one of them, and as Mahomet was, in fact, born in one of those kingdoms once belonging to Alexander's empire, make it evident that the "little horn" in the vision, was the emblem of Mahomet, the False Prophet.

2. Another reason for applying this vision to Mahomet is, THE TIME FORETOLD of the rise OF MAHOMETANISM. Verse 23d, “In the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full." When Mahomet arose and formed his system of imposture, the four kingdoms of Alexander's divided empire had been swallowed up by the Roman power; the latter (last) end of their kingdom had come; and the transgressors of Roman iniquity under papal ambition for anti-Christian pre-eminence in the church and ecclesiastical domination over it had "COME TO THE FULL," by the imperial consecration of Boniface III. as supreme head of the church. In that very same year, a.d. 606, Mahomet the False Prophet, the grand impostor of the Eastern world, commenced his professed communications with God in a cave in Arabia, where he matured the plan of his notable system of iniquity. Daniel calls the object seen in his vision a "little horn." The celestial interpreter describes the "little horn" to signify "a king of fierce countenance; understanding dark sentences; which would stand up," i. e., would rise into power.

3. Another reason for applying this second vision of a "little horn" to Mahomet is, the NATURE OF THE AVOWED OBJECT TO WHICH HE DEVOTED HIS LIFE. This was to propagate in the world a new religion, the sum of which was, that there is one God; that Mahomet is his prophet superior to Moses, Abraham, Jesus Christ, and 224,000 other inferior prophets. That his Koran supersedes all other sacred books.

That at the final

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resurrection and judgment, Mahometans will attain to Paradise by passing over a bridge called "AL SIRAT." This bridge is said to be laid over the midst of hell; to be finer than a hair; sharper than the edge of a sword; beset on each side with briers and hooked thorns, for the trial of all who pass; that all mankind have to pass the bridge to obtain the Mahometan paradise; that Mahomet and all his true followers will pass it with the swiftness of lightning; but, that all others will be caught by the thorns and be hurled headlong into the abyss beneath them, which has seven apartments, or degrees of punishment, the deepest of which is for hypocrites, such as profess to be Mahometans but are not. All but Mahometans will suffer endless punishment; but professed Mahometans, who may be guilty of heinous sins, so that they are hurled from the bridge by the thorns, will not be punished more than 7000 years, nor less than 900. [Vid. Encyc. Rel. Kn.]

The Mahometan system of religion, represents Paradise as the everlasting abode of all true Mahometans, where they will forever enjoy the Tree of happiness, called "TUBA." This notable tree is said to stand at the palace of Mahomet, with branches reaching to the house of every believer residing in the Mahometan Paradise, or heaven. Every branch is laden with all manner of fruits, and viands, dressed and ready for use, so that whatever a person wishes to have, the bough of the tree containing it will spontaneously bend down to the hand and afford the desired food. This tree of happiness is said to be so large, that a person mounted on the fleetest horse could not gallop across its shadow in one hundred years. Rivers of water, milk, wine, and honey, are said to flow in constant streams from the root of Tuba,

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the tree of happiness, to allay the thirst and afford pleasure to all the inhabitants of Paradise.

But the superior attractions of the Mahometan heaven of paradisial pleasure, are said to be the enjoyment of the society of innumerable black-eyed girls, of the most ravishing appearance, created of pure musk, the richest perfume, residing in secluded pavilions of hollow pearls sixty miles in length and breadth. Such a Mahometan heaven, it would be natural to suppose, would be worth living for, fighting for, and dying for. Hence when Mahometan soldiers inquired of their General what their reward would be if they should be killed in the wars of conquest? the answer was, "You shall have Paradise!”

One of the religious practices of Mahometans is a pilgrimage to Mecca. This is said to be expressly commanded in the Koran; and is considered so indispensable, that no person can ever attain to the Mahometan Paradise, without once in lifetime, at least, making a pilgrimage to the city of the Prophet's birth. Such is the nature of the Mahometan Imposture. The whole system was founded on the principle of self-exaltation, in fulfilment of the prediction, "He shall magnify himself in his heart, even to the Prince of the Host."

4. ANOTHER REASON IS MAHOMET'S SUCCESS.-In Gabriel's explanation of the vision of this second little horn," the emblem was described to be, “A king of fierce countenance;" who would be "mighty, destroy wonderfully, and practise and prosper." This was true of Mahomet to a high degree. He soon learnt by experience that his new-fangled religion was capable of being spread rapidly and extensively by the power of the sword. This was the irresistible argument, which compelled millions to embrace and