his progress, and to change the order of things, as may best conserve his interest. He therefore proceeds to level mountains and exalt valleys; he lays his hand upon Royal Brows, and plucks Diadems from Kingly Heads; bids Monarchs abdicate their Thrones, and crushes Nations with his iron grasp.

Shall we not deem these manifestations important, and this the age of wonders foretold by the spirit of prophecy? "Behold," saith the Spirit, "The shield of His mighty men shall be made red, the valiant men are in scarlet: the chariots shall be with flaming torches in the day of his preparation, and the fir trees shall be terribly shaken. The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall jostle one against another in the broad ways: they shall seem like torches, they shall run like the lightnings. The gates of the rivers shall be opened and the palace shall be dissolved." Naham ch. 2.

And again: "Ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars. Nation shall rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there shall be famine and pestilence; and upon earth distress of nations with perplexity; men's hearts failing them for fear and for looking after those things which are coming upon the earth; for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall ye see the signs of the Son of Man coming

in the clouds. And when ye begin to see these things come to pass, then lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh."

Another and by no means inferior indication that the old world is passing away, is manifested in that undefinable mingling of man's spiritual nature with his efforts for freedom, and which pros pectively blends the present with the consequences of a portentious future. This is revealed by the revolutions now razing the governments of men from their foundations.

Some of the most prominent actors in this great political drama now moving before the amazed world, although professedly prompted by the spirit of an improved governmental policy, seem inspired by some strange influences.

Some seem urged forth by a desire of ecclesiastical supremacy, as instanced in the disruption of kingdoms in the eastern world; some are pro fessing holy dictum from the spirits of fallen heroes, others from the Eternal Spirit.

Leading statesmen in every Kingdom and Government, are predicting events pregnant with new born policy, which shall effect significant changes in the jurisprudence of men and nations-and their predictions are borne in haste over every sea, and chase each other along the telegraphic wires of every land. And thus the world is agitated,

monarchs are untiring in their efforts to confirm their power, while appears an almost universal desire with the populace to arise out of the present and to assume new forms of government.

And our own Nation, a nation hitherto, crowned with honor and bearer of the ensign of peace, is aroused from its peaceful repose, and war is devastating the land. Brother is armed against brother, and father against son, so at in truth "a man's foes are those of his ow

mouse.'

وو

The world feels the commotion of this farfamed and hitherto much honored Republic-and nations stand aghast while witnessing the awful conflict, and as is recorded of a fallen city,—

"The merchants of the earth stand afar off saying alas, that great city, which was clothed in fine linen, and decked with gold! For in an hour so great riches has come to naught, and every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea stood afar off, and cried, when they saw the smoke of her burning, alas, alas, that city wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costli ness! for in one hour she is made desolate."*

Terror has seized the hearts of Americans, and widows and orphans mourn for their loved ones

*Rev. 18.

slain in the conflicts-in that land hitherto deemed a nation of hope, the world's asylum.

Combattants are invoking the arm of Jehovah to aid in their struggle, while the hand of war clutches the government with its bloody grasp. The pious are before the throne, while the profane vent their spirit of revenge.

Learned divines, throughout Christendome, are scrutinizing the phenomena of the day to deter mine their relation to the events which, according to the prophets, are immediately to precede the millenial reign; and the press is uttering their deductions in every civilized land.

As we emerge from these exciting scenes we meet another wild wave of the great maelstrom which is bearing the past to its gloomy sepulchre. And here are gyrating the prophets of unnumbered modern "isms," who are announcing their mission to what they term a church-enthralled race. These, while seeking to annul the Bible, denouncing it as the tool of cunning priestcraft, aver that they are commissioned to reveal the laws and counsels of "Superior Spheres," and therefore laws which, if obeyed-and they affirm they must be sooner or later-will result in freedom from the bonds of biblical religion, which is the object of their mission.

From these whirling elements, therefore, arises

a strange form; one of gigantic dimensions, on whose frantic brow is inscribed "Harmonial Spiritualism," and controlling the senses of these modern prophets, poets and seers, it moves its multitudinous tongue and we hear, as the utterances of ten thousand voices, "Manes," "Manes." Self-redeemed Nature arises supernal. All is well."

These prophets and advocates of harmonial spiritualism assay to compete with Bible miracles by the display of their strange powers, and numbering their forces as the stars of heaven, shout their triumph, and the overthrow of the Christian Religion.

Some, however,

Less bold by far and courteous too

Sing of Jesus, as

The Man Divine:

But denying human depravity, the reason why men need the Savior, they make void his Mission, and by flattering unsound and pleasureloving churchmen, wheedle them into stepping stones to the tympanum of a capricious public, where perched these proud Euphuists

Warble forth enchanting Strains
Of senseless melody.

These authors of spiritual vagaries, poetic fancies, and transcendental dreamings, by charming, render enthusiastic the unstable and excitable members of community. Hence originate con