Porte. This was refused, and the result was the utter destruction of the powerful Turkish fleet at Navarino, and the erection of the independent kingdom of Greece. Thus Turkey in Europe was pressed back on all sides. Now, the northern boundary, which was so recently at the Danube, has been driven south to the Balkans. Roumania and Servia have ceased even to be tributary, and have taken their place among independent States. Bosnia has gone under the protection of Austria, as Roumania did under that of Russia, in 1829. 'Rectified' boundaries give Turkish territory to Servia, Montenegro, and Greece. Bulgaria takes the place of Roumania as a self-governing principality, having no dependence on the Porte, and paying only an annual tribute. Even south of the Balkans the power of the Turk is crippled, for Roumelia is to have 'home rule' under a Christian governor. And so again the frontier of Turkey in Europe is pressed back on all sides, until the territory left is but the shadow of what it was sixty years ago. To produce this result has been the policy and the battle of Russia for more than half a century; for nearly that space of time it has been the struggle of some of the other 'powers' to maintain the 'integrity' of the Turkish empire. Which policy has succeeded, and which failed, the comparison of maps at intervals of twenty-five years will show. Turkey in Europe has been shriveled up in the last half century. It is shrinking back and back toward Asia, and, though all the 'powers' but Russia should unite their forces to maintain the Ottoman system in Europe, there is a manifest destiny visible in the history of the last fifty years that must defeat them."

A correspondent of the Christian Union, writing ⚫ from Constantinople under date of Oct. 8, 1878, said:

"When we consider the difficulties which now beset this feeble and tottering government, the only wonder is that it can stand for a day. Aside from the funded debt of $1,000,

000,000 upon which it pays no interest, it has an enormous floating debt representing all the expenses of the war, its employes are unpaid, its army has not been disbanded or even reduced, and its paper money has become almost worthless. The people have lost heart, and expect every day some new revolution or a renewal of the war. The government does not know which to distrust most, its friends or its enemies."

Thus all evidence goes to show that the Turk must soon leave Europe. Where will he then plant the tabernacles of his palace? In Jerusalem ? That certainly is the most probable point. Newton on the Prophecies, p. 318, says: "Between the seas in the glorious holy mountain, must denote, as we have shown, some part of the Holy Land. There the Turk shall encamp with all his power, yet 'he shall come to his end, and none shall help him'shall help him effectually, or deliver him.”

Time will soon determine this matter; and it may be but a few months. And when this takes place, what follows? Events of the most momentous interest to all the inhabitants of this world, as the next chapter immediately shows.

Chapter XII.

CLOSING SCENES.

VERSE 1. And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time; and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.

A definite time is introduced in this verse: "At that time." What time? The time to which we are brought in the closing verse of the preceding chapter, the time when the king of the north shall plant the tabernacles of his palace in the glorious holy mountain; or, in other words, when the Turk, driven from Europe, shall hastily make Jerusalem his temporary seat of government. We noticed in remarks upon the latter portion of the preceding chapter some of the agencies already in operation for the accomplishment of this end, and some of the indications that the Turks will very soon be obliged to make this move. And when this event takes place, then, according to this verse, we look for the standing up of Michael, the great prince. This movement on the part of Turkey is the signal for the standing up of Michael; that is, it marks this event as next in order. And to

guard against all misunderstanding, let the reader note that the position is not here taken that the next movement against the Turks will drive them from Europe, or that when they shall establish their capital at Jerusalem, Christ begins his reign without the lapse of a day or an hour of time. But here are the events, to come, as we believe, in the following order: 1. Further pressure brought to bear in some way upon the Turk. 2. His retirement from Europe. 3. His final stand at Jerusalem. 4. The standing up of Michael, or the beginning of the reign of Christ, and his coming in the clouds of heaven. And it is not reasonable to suppose that any great amount of time will elapse between these events.

Who, then, is Michael? and what is his standing up? Michael is called, in Jude 9, the archangel. This means the chief angel, or the head over the angels. There is but one. Who is he? He is the one whose voice is heard from Heaven when the dead are raised. 1 Thess. 4:16. 1 Thess. 4:16. And whose voice

is heard in connection with that event?

The voice

of our Lord Jesus Christ. John 5:28. Tracing back the evidence with this fact as a basis, we reach the following conclusions: The voice of the Son of God is the voice of the archangel: the archangel, then, is the Son of God. But the archangel is Michael; hence Michael is also the Son of God. But the expression of Daniel, "the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people," is alone sufficient to identify the one here spoken of

as the Saviour of men. He is the Prince of life; Acts 3:15; and God hath exalted him to be a "Prince and a Saviour." Acts 5:31. He is the great Prince. There is no one greater save the sovereign Father.

And he standeth for the children of thy people. He condescends to take the servants of God in this poor mortal state, and redeem them for the subjects of his future kingdom. He stands for us. We are essential to his future purposes, an inseparable part of the purchased inheritance; and we are to be the chief agents of that joy in view of which Christ endured all the sacrifice and suffering which has marked his intervention in behalf of the fallen race. Amazing honor! Be everlasting gratitude repaid him for his condescension and mercy unto us. Be his the kingdom, power, and glory, forever and ever.

We now come to the second question, What is the standing up of Michael? The key to the interpretation of this expression is furnished us in verses 2 and 3 of chapter 11. "There shall stand up yet three kings in Persia;" "a mighty king shall stand up that shall reign with great dominion." There can be no doubt as to the meaning of these expressions in these instances. They mean, to take the kingdom, to reign. The same expression in the verse under consideration must mean the same. At that time, Michael shall stand up, shall take the kingdom, shall commence his reign.

But is not Christ reigning now? Yes, associated