Joseph Wild

“ Great fear will fall upon them who saw the dead so raised. This time the telegraphs will be muffled, and the news is kept back from the nations as much as possible; but astonishment ends not here, for over the destroying and now idolatrous city of Jerusalem hangs a peculiar cloud, and voices peal as thunder through the air, to call the attention of the multitudes. And when every eye is skyward, the cloud moves and opens, as a chariot of fire and glory, and rising in majesty and composure up above roofs, temples, and pinnacles, will be seen the two witnesses of Christ ”

“ The United States fulfils the rôle of the Tribe of Manasseh. Therefore, to understand the prophecies, Providence, and the present movement of nations, as well as the future lot and destiny of each, we must read the Scriptures in this light. God has made the children of Israel and throne of David His executive, in time, on earth. They are His executive for civilisation, evangelisation, order, and conquest. Through them God will conquer the world to an universal peace. As Moses was to God, so is Israel. Moses being a Divine executor, was to the people a god—so is Israel to all mankind. ”

“ Again Canaan will become the glory of all lands, and Jerusalem the glory of Canaan. Here, again, after centuries of wandering, shall the throne of David find rest, and on it one of David’s seed, chosen and anointed of God, accepted of men, and served by the nations. Crowned and imperial Salem shall become the home of her long-captive sons and daughters. Israel and Judah shall meet together, and shall be one stick, one people, having one head, one throne, one city, one Lord, even Jesus. ”

“ What form of religion among the many on earth is best suited to develop man, to conserve his truest interest, and crown him with the greatest measure of peace, plenty, liberty, and security? Surely to this question there can be but one answer—it is the religion of our Lord Jesus Christ. And it is evident that Christ came of the Tribe of Judah. If we seek among the nations for the best form of civilisation and the best government, we shall find the same to be in the bounds of Israel and Manasseh—England and America. ”

“ So from the taking of Bagdad by the Turks in 1057, which was the overthrow of the Saracens, until the capture of Constantinople in 1453, which overthrew the Greek Empire, we have just 396 years. And the time for the drying up of Turkey is at hand; and so it comes to pass.
Dear friends, how wonderful are the dealings of our God! Can we shut our eyes to His Divine revelation? Let us be wise in the day of grace, taking heed to the sure Word of prophecy, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place. The world indeed is dark, and all confusion. ”

“ Here, and in other discourses, we have to content ourselves at many points with mere statements, for to defend every point would take too long a time, and would not suit our purpose. It is our desire in all these discourses to incite you to study, to teach you to examine for yourselves; to prepare you against being unduly led away by Adventism, Communism, or Infidelity; to give you an interest in Providence and history. Do you ask if any will be led away by such a false pretender? We answer, Yes—unless humanity undergoes some radical change. ”

“ Why should this small island and a few and scattered people become so powerful, so as to sweep the sea, and dictate on land, constantly engaged in war, and though small, winning victory upon victory, and like the stone, growing stronger and stronger, after fighting the whole of Europe, giving liberties in religion that oftentimes imperilled her safety at home, opening her ports to all the world, and venturing to compete in trade with all nations? ”

“ The few years to come are pregnant with angry forces. Men are busy in Russia, Germany, France, England, and America, sowing the winds, and the harvest will surely be whirlwinds. But, beyond all, the sky is clear. War ceases, commerce revives, the nations accept a settled peace, science and religion join hand in hand to prepare the wastes and woes of war. The beast is overcome, Anti-Christ is slain, and the dragon is banished from the earth. Jerusalem again rises in splendour from the grave of desolation. ”

“ The silver, next in value and endurance, of which were the arms and breast, stands for Persia. Centuries ago Persia was the great Power of the earth. At one time it would seem as if she never would decay or ever have a rival; but her day came, and she has dwindled down to the little kingdom and monarchy—the Persia of to-day. Her power is gone, she is consumptive, and will soon disappear as a separate kingdom. ”

“ Compressed by the straits of Florida, it rushes forth to warm and replenish the earth and isles of the sea. So the forces of a Divine Providence compressed in Abraham go forth to bless mankind. The Gulf-stream is water in water, and Abraham’s seed are men among men. Providence is at once clear and intelligible, and history is at once plain, reasonable, and harmonious, when interpreted in harmony with the Abrahamic covenant. The scattering and returning of Israel and Judah to Palestine, and the intervening history, from the time of dispersion to the Return, is clear as noon-day. ”

“ So men are dazed with the show of pomp of courts and councils, with the harangues of legislators and march of regiments, that they discern not the master hand behind that directs all. “Verily, Thou art a God that hidest Thyself.” No, no, friends; English bravery, nor American ingenuity will not account for all that England has done on the line of victories, and the marvellous and rapid growth of these United States. ”

“ Can any student or inquirer after the truth fail to see that in our day a prophecy is being fulfilled? Can any one shut their eyes to the wonderful fact that Israel is breaking forth on the left and on the right? God has long ago said that Israel were the people of His inheritance, and that Jacob was the lot of His inheritance, or His girdle, or cord, as the word lot means. Then, if you turn your attention to Great Britain and her colonies, including Manasseh, you will see this girdle or measuring line around the earth. ”

“ Why Irish Catholics should ask for freedom when they so voluntarily bind themselves to a foreigner, I fail to see. As the Protestants of the North have asked, and had granted, spiritual freedom in the severance of Church and State, so let the men of the South ask and demand, and stop not short of freedom from Rome. A free religion is the parent of a free State, and a free State of free school. A people who are not wise enough to take care of their own religion, are very poorly prepared to be the guardians of liberty. My belief is that Ireland ought to be free. ”

“ Well might Daniel say of this brittle Empire that it should be partly strong and partly weak. In conscience and the empire of the soul Christ alone is King. No wonder that the Roman Empire has disappeared. The iron part is now entirely gone. The Pope and the Church of Rome foolishly arrogate to themselves to be this kingdom. They still try and believe in mixing the iron and clay—they yet claim authority in the spirit realm. Obedience to Christ and the Pope cannot be on the spiritual or clay side. No man can supremely serve two masters. ”

“ If, then, the Two Tribes number nine millions, how many ought we to expect the Ten Tribes to number? If the Two Tribes have stood and survived the shock and persecution of centuries when known, and therefore open to assault, is it not reasonable to suppose that the Ten Tribes will be in existence, a numerous and powerful people, for they have been hid, and thus have they evaded the persecution that a knowledge of their nationality would have entailed upon them from the Gentile and Pagan nations? ”

“ Back in the middle of last May (1878) , England and Turkey formed an alliance, offensive and defensive. Nay, more, for Turkey cedes to England the fruitful and strategic island of Cyprus. What a triangle of strongholds—Cyprus, Malta, and Gibraltar! Shades of Bonaparte! Where is France in these days? She is renewing her strength, and is wisely standing aside so as not to oppose Providence. In all this there is nothing new or strange to the prophetic student. For long ago it was written of Israel that she should be a company of nations, and possess the gates of her enemies. ”

“ So we have no hesitation in saying, a thing patent to every unprejudiced observer, that the aborigines of the conquered colonies of Great Britain are treated better by their conquerors than they ever treated themselves. The Africans, in the conquered colonies of Africa, are better off under British rule than those colonies or portions unconquered are. The hosts of India enjoy more, fare better in every grace and virtue in all that goes to adorn and develop mankind, under the British government and protection than they ever did or would under self-government. ”

“ The earth again stood forth in virgin strength, lonely, bare, and citiless, but with a potency and promise inviting and grand. Across these swelling floods one craft had been safely borne; in it was stored the seed-stock of a new world of man and beast. The destruction had been complete and terrible. If we credit Dr. Gurney and others who have written on this subject, the population far exceeded the inhabitants of to-day. But whether they did or did not, we know that many must have perished, and civilisation must have been hurled back to a primitive beginning. ”

“ The different tongues make a wall of division, making them strangers one with another; but the Holy Ghost took away this wall, and they were all face to face, able to understand one another. The same power that here multiplied the gift of tongues—giving to some several—surely could give to Adam one. Away with a faith that cannot give God credit with being the Author of language. ”

“ This is Jerusalem that God promises to yet again make the chief place of the earth. “Arise, shine, for the light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.” When, we ask, will the fulness of the Gentiles come in? We answer, Soon. Think of what God has taught us in His Word. We, as the Lost Tribes, have indeed been ignorant of our origin and destiny. “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits, that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in” (Rom. xi. 25) . ”

“ The God who commanded Abraham to offer, recalled the command at a certain stage of the fulfilment, counting the faith of Abraham for righteousness. In Abraham’s faith Isaac was really sacrificed; hence the Divine approval: “By Myself have I sworn, saith the Lord; for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea-shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies.” ”

“ In this vision and interpretation we have a line of history laid bare so clearly that we need not err. The beginning is the time and kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar. The image stands for four great earthly monarchies, extending down through the centuries even to this time and day—and a little further; for these monarchies are not yet wholly destroyed, and the stone-kingdom does not yet fill the world. Of this fifth, or stone kingdom, there is to be no end by conquest, or decay, or succession. Daniel says that this kingdom shall not be left to other people—that is, it shall never be succeeded. ”

“ Every throne should be double-kinged; that is God’s purpose, that is Heaven’s plan. Christ wants no earthly throne excepting that way. As the Creator is Lord of lords and King of kings, so Christ after His resurrection assumed His Father’s place, and stands to us as God to the Jews of old. All power was given to Him in heaven and in earth, therefore, He, Christ, has long since begun His reign, and He must continue to reign until He hath put all enemies under His feet. When David was king over Israel and Judah, so was God. We repeat, every throne should be double-kinged. ”

“ Now that little stone bears rule over fifty-five colonies, one empire, namely, India, and one dominion, Canada. And yet, mighty as England was, she could not subdue the American provinces, feeble and scattered colonists as they were. Then they sought to fight against Providence. Old Jacob blessed the sons of Joseph, Ephraim, and Manasseh, and then predicted their destiny, saying of Manasseh, “He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great; but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations.” ”

“ How wonderfully clear are the fulfilling events of the prophecy. This king of the North is to become a strong king, who, when Israel and Judah are settled in Palestine, will have spirit and power to attack them. So he is ripening, growing, and gathering power ready. Russia now comprises nine crowns, eight of which are crowns of conquest. Russia’s one grand desire is to possess Palestine, especially Jerusalem. The Crimean war was waged for rights and extended privileges in this holy city. To-day Russian pilgrims swarm thither by the thousands every year. ”

“ I do not say all who believe, for there will be more in heaven without faith than those with—namely, all those who have died before the years of responsibility, with many of the Pagan world who, never having heard of a Saviour, have therefore never denied Him. In a spiritual sense, they are children. I believe in this matter with Paul, who says, when writing to the Romans, chap. ii.: “There is no respect of persons with God; for as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law. ”

“ As this exception is to thermal science, so is the law of reproduction to Israel in this day. This people, who have been behind other races, now, at an appointed time, step to the front. The law seems to be reversed, and that too for a benevolent purpose—for the very purpose that they might be able to fulfil the mission assigned them in these last days, to occupy the new lands and evangelise the world. One prophecy seems to call for the other, for what would be the use of the lands without the people, or the people without the lands? ”

“ Kings may plan, diplomatists may diplomatise, scientists may analyse, theologians may teach and preach their isms, and politicians may make platforms and construct rings, yet none, nor all combined, can stay the hand of God. “He doeth according to His will in the armies of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth.” He can initiate, permit, modify, and destroy. Once we truly recognise the sovereignty of God over us, conceit will lie dead at the feet of humility. ”