The Euphrates is used in the Bible 21 times. In the Old Testament
Deut. i. 7, xi. 24; Josh. i. 4; 2 Sam.

19 times; viz: Gen. ii. 14, xv. 18;
viii. 3; 2 Kings xxiii. 29, xxiv. 7; 1 Ch. v. 9, xviii. 3; 2 Ch. xxxv. 20;
Jer. xiii. 4, 5, 6, 7, xlvi. 2, 6, 10, li. 3. In the 19 passages, the literal river
is always intended. In the New Testament, the Euphrates is twice named:
both being found in the Apocalypse. In Rev. ix. 14, are these words,
"Loose the four angels, (messengers or agents) which are bound in (at)
the great river Euphrates." The distinguished Commentator, Woodhouse
says, "The great river Euphrates, a famous river, which had its rise in
Paradise, (Gen. ii. 14) and runs through the frontiers of Cappadocia, Syria,
Arabia, Deserta, Chaldea, and Mesopotamia, and falls into the Persian
Gulf."-Calmet. All our learned expositors agree in calling the Euphra-
tes, in this passage, the literal river of that name. The Ottoman empire
is here a living acting agent, divided into four Sultanies, bound by some
other agencies, at the Euphrates as an axis. The mystic (?) Euphrates
bound at the literal Euphrates! With such an interpretation we do not
agree. In 20 passages the term Euphrates is the name of the literal river.
There remains but one other passage, Rev. xvi. 12. Is this the name of a
symbolic river? From this we have dissented for many years. We have
not been able to reconcile that interpretation with the laws of symbols.
One principle is evidently violated: When a word or object departs from
the literal meaning, that departure is somewhere explained, if not it would
be no part of God's revealed system. If, then, the word Euphrates is here
a symbol, where is that symbol interpreted?

If the term Euphrates be the name of the literal river, it requires no explanation since it is distinctly defined in 20 passages; but if, in this 21st passage it has a figurative (symbolic) meaning, where is that figure interpreted? For, to be a part of revelation, it must be explained somewhere. For an illustration of our meaning read Rev. i. 20. "The mystery (symbol) of the seven stars, which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks," explained,-"The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven candlesticks that thou sawest, are the seven churches." Look at the visions of Daniel and their divine interpretations. These explanations are necessary to make them elements of God's revealed purposes. We have, then, this rule, "where a term is used out of its ordinary sense, it must be explained somewhere;" but Euphrates in Rev. xvi. 12, is used out of its ordinary sense; therefore, it must be explained, or defined somewhere. Where, then, is its interpretation? If that interpretation is found anywhere in the Bible, it must be in Rev. xvii. 15. "The waters which thou sawest, where the whore (mystic Babylon) sitteth, are people, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues." But mystic Babylon was sustained by the Latin and German or Gothic kingdoms, and therefore, those kingdoms (mystic waters) have the same relationship to mystic Babylon, that the literal Euphrates had to the literal Babylon. No one pretends that mystic Babylon is the Mohammedan hierarchy; and yet the usual interpretation of Euphrates (Rev. xvi. 12), forces upon us such an interpretation. Since the Euphrates is not named, as the meaning of the

waters in Rev. xvii. 15, we are obliged to say, that Euphrates of Rev. xvi. 12, is the name of the literal river, which is spoken of in the 20 passages above quoted. What then is its drying up? And who are the kings of the east?

SECOND QUESTION-IS IT NECESSARY THAT THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE SHOULD BE TOTALLY ANNIHILATED BEFORE THE COMING OF CHRIST FOR HIS PEOPLE?

The Ottoman, or Turkish empire is, simply, the present or reigning dynasty of the Mohammedan empire of the false prophet, Mohammed. That empire was equally powerful under its first or Arabian dynasty; so it might be again. The empire of the Koran is the empire of the false prophet. If Mohammed Ali, viceroy of Egypt, had been allowed to overthrow the Ottoman dynasty, would the dominion of the false prophet have then terminated, or would it only have added a third dynasty to that empire? Was not Mohammed Ali as sincere a Mohammedan as the Sultan? The idea as we see it, is this: "The empire of the false prophet is not dependent for its existence upon the Turk. He may be driven from Constantinople, out of Anatolia, and beyond there, and yet, the dominion of the false prophet by means of the Koran might number its 180,000,000, and, under another dynasty or some pretender, an el Mehdi muster warriors by the millions. The future great confliet is not simply with the Turk, but with Mohammedanism-it will be a religious war: the cross against the crescent, the wild beast and the Pagan world, or the dragonChrist is personally present in that conflict and his bride is with him. Read its history in Rev. xix.

EGYPT IN 1882-ITS PRESENT STATE.

The inhabitants of any country stamp their peculiar characteristics upon its physical aspects. What a sad contrast between the land in its era of monuments, and Egypt of to-day! How fallen, since the time that Joseph sat on its throne next to Pharaoh. What shadows have cast their gloom over the land since that time! Perpetually under the domination of foreigners: the Assyrian, the Persian, the Macedonian, the Roman, the Arabian, the Georgian and Tartar Slaves, and the indolent Turk. What is its present condition?

Of the land itself we have but few notes to append. The hand of Jehovah is open still, pouring its fertilizing waters into the many tributaries of the White and the Blue rivers to be wafted down and deposited by the Nile in Lower Egypt. The once fertile valley of the Pharaohs, with its 4,000 towns and cities, can yet produce as perfect a flora when properly irrigated. It is still the Eden of flowers. An author remarks, "As a commercial country, it possesses inestimable facilities. Bees are now carefully reared, honey forming an important article of trade. The verdure of Upper Egypt generally withers at the end of four or five months, and commences earlier than in Lower Egypt. In consequence of

this, the Lower Egyptians collect the bees of several villages, in large boats; each hive having a mark by which the owner can recognize it. The men having charge of them, they commence the gradual ascent of the Nile, stopping whenever they come to a region of herbage and flowers.

At break of day the bees issue from their cells in thousands; and busily collect the sweets of the flowers, which are spread in luxuriant profusion around them, returning to their hives laden with honey, and issuing forth again in quest of more, several times during the course of a day. Thus for three or four months, they travel in a land of flowers, and are brought back to the place whence they started, with the delicious product of the sweet orange-flowers, which perfume the Said, the roses of Faioum, and the jessamines of Arabia." Nature still has its charms in the valley of Egypt.

The defects are in her people; their habits, their religion, their government, and their rulers. The inhabitants are a mixture of the descendant of Ham, Shem, and Japheth. During her protracted history, the valley of the Nile has been the great magnet of the human race, as the land of natural resources. Such a mixture of races, religions and of laws, has been productive of endless discord. These strifes have produced constant wars, terminating in subjugations and changes of dynasties. These endless wars have exhausted the resources of the country, and debased the people. The inhabitants are under the bondage of rapacious rulers. The poor of Egypt are under a deplorable servitude. Their officers rob them of the fruits of their severe labor. Their food and clothing are reduced to a scanty pittance. They are not allowed to make use of corn and rice for food, since all that they can raise is demanded by their masters. Indian millet, forming a coarse bread, water, raw onions, sometimes a little honey, cheese, dates, and sour milk, form their constant, and only food.

Their clothing is still worse. "A shirt of coarse linen dyed blue, and a black cloak, a cloth bonnet, with a long red woolen handkerchief rolled around it, form their costume." Such a population, dwelling in miserable hovels, moving among the monuments of ancient grandeur, awakens in the mind of the stranger a painful interest. This is the land of the haughty Pharaohs. These are their proud structures erected to perpetuate their names through all ages. This land is the Hebrew house of bondage; the valley claimed by Jehovah as his own, the land of the plagues, visited upon a wicked ruler, for the oppression of his own people. The land of foreign rulers, continued twenty-two centuries. The world's ancient seminary-the bridge of three continents.

The present of Egypt is known and read of all; but few remarks are, therefore, required of us to enable the reader to take in her present position. Let us make a brief summary preparatory to glancing at her future.

HER UPRISING-ITS RESULTS AND ITS BEARINGS ON THE FUTURE.

1. Egypt has a population composed of a heterogeneous mass, attracted to her soil from all nations. They form (to use a chemical term) a mechanical mixture. No durable union exists among its elements.

Each race partial to the members of its own family, forms a community by itself. Their interests are selfish and exclusive. Their laws are neither understood nor respected by the people at large, and, consequently, not readily obeyed. Their officers are tyrannical and exacting. They associate as masters and slaves, no sympathy existing between them. Egypt is at this time, not wisely governed, for the reason that it is not suited to the national prejudices. A national parliament in Egypt is like parlor refinement among savages. It may suit the European population, but totally unsuited to the natives. Nations, like individuals, change their constitutions, only by the dissolution of the old organic bodies; such will. be the fate of Egypt. Her foreign European population can never fuse into a nation with Oriental ideas.

The religious elements of modern Egypt are still more difficult to fuse into a homogeneous mass. By what power, human or divine, can there be a union between Mohammedanism and Christianity? The Christian system allows no compromise, neither does the religion of the Koran. The Koran and the Bible can have no fellowship.

European aggression caused the recent rebellion. That rebellion had a national and a religious phase. The British interests have now triumphed in Egypt. She is there to remain till the time of the future northern invasion.

PRELUDE CERTAIN QUESTIONS CONSIDERED.

A brother propounds the following questions: 1. Does the sixth vial reach beyond the rapture of the saints? 2. Is there not a space of time between the rapture of the saints, and His (Christ's) public appearing with his saints on Mount Zion? How long before? 3. Does not this time cover the time of the pouring out of the seventh vial? 4. Is it not the work of Christ and his army of immortalized holy ones first to clear the enemies out of the land, the antitype of David's reign? 1. Does the sixth vial reach beyond the rapture of the saints? What is the Rapture of the aints? Some of our readers may not understand this term; and, therefore fail to comprehend the act intended. Rapture means a removal by some force, from the Latin rapere, raptum, to carry off by force-Webster. When applied to the saints, the act is explained in 1 Thes. iv. 17. "Then we which are alive (and) remain shall be caught up (away) together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord." This is called the rapture of the saints. Will the sixth vial reach beyond this event? Beyond it, we think; not far, however. The day of God's wrath includes seven distinct periods, according to the number of vials, each vial having its own period. Five of these periods are completed; the sixth period is now in progress, with many of its most noted events still in the future! 1. The great river Euphrates must be dried up. 2. The three unclean spirits must gather the kings of the earth, and of the whole world to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. 3. A remnant at least, of the twelve tribes, must return to Palestine, and

occupy that land, and the city Jerusalem. The great conflict of Rev. xvi. 14, belongs to the sixth period. At some point previous to that battle the rapture takes place, since in that conflict Jesus of Nazareth "will open His eyes upon the house of Judah." Zech. xii. 4. The gathering at the close of the thousand years, is by another agent, Rev. xx. 7. The precise time of the coming of the son of man, and the rapture is unknown. The signs of that coming as given by the Savior, indicate its vicinity. "Watch therefore."

2. Is there not a space of time between the rapture of the saints and his (Christ's) public appearing with His saints on Mount Zion? How long is this space? We shall consider these but one question, since one answer will cover the two. We cannot fully satisfy the demands of this question, since the events are too complicated.

If, in this question, the Mount of Olives be substituted for Mount Zion, we should answer: One thousand years at least, since that standing is at the close of the Millenium. In answering the question as it now stands, many conflicting interpretations are involved. Where did Christ appear with His "saints" on Mount Zion? We have failed to find such a passage. John saw a Lamb stand on the Mount Zion, and with him a hundred forty (and) four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads. Rev. xiv. 1. We do not question their identity, but we question the office, and the time. Christ will reign with His saints on Mount Zion-but we question if that reign is brought to view in Rev. xiv. 1. The coming of Christ will be in his royalty—a Nobleman, having received the kingdom; one like the Son of man, who receives a kingdom from the Ancient of days. When he comes, he has many crowns. The order of events as enunciated in Rev. xix. 7-21; and Rev. xx., is the following: 1. The rapture. 2. The marriage. 3. The marriage supper. 4. The descent of the Faithful and True, to judge and make war. 5. The warrior described: His eyes as a flame of fire, and on his head many crowns; vesture dipped in blood; his name, the Word of God. 6. The armies of heaven, (the bride), on white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, follow him. 7. Out of his mouth a sharp sword. 8. On his vesture, a name written, King of kings, Lord of lords. 9. The overthrow of the hostile army. 10. The binding of Satan. 11. The thousand years' reign. 12. Satan loosed. 13. The final battle. 14. Close of the official reign of subjugation. The New Heavens and New Earth and the joint reign follow. Our space will not allow a full answer. Will give it in our next number and explain. Deut. xxxiii. 1-3; Hab. iii. 1-6; and Isa. lxiii, 1-8; also the 24th Psalm, as these are the principal texts, which are quoted to establish the view that Christ, with His saints first descends upon Mount Sinai, thence takes His line of march through the great wilderness to Palestine, invisible to the outer world. till he appears on Mount Zion; then fulfilling Psa. xxiv. 7-10. As we are now about to treat of the events to transpire in the age of subjugation, these points are appropriate, using, however, a due degree of caution, not rushing on where angels fear to tread.