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CHAPTER X.

MODERN TYRE.

IF critical analysis of Dr. Cumming's reading of biblical theism demonstrates the fact that his views are loose, illogical, and self contradictory, so in like manner will the truth be made apparent, that his published interpretation of ancient Hebrew prophecy or poesy, does not warrant that favourable opinion respecting its bearing upon the vaticination of coming events, that a considerable portion of the reading public have formed of it. In addition to the book entitled "The Great Tribulation coming upon the Earth," the public have extensively partaken of another dainty dish, ycleped "Redemption Draweth Nigh," in which appear several remarkable statements. In reference to Great Britain, Dr. Cumming never hesitates, in all his published works, lectures, and speeches, or sermons, to predict for her a safe passage through all those mighty tribulations and catastrophes that are to befall other nations. In support of

this view of the future, the Rev. Mr. Chamberlain's interpretation is accepted, which would serve to indicate that the prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel point to Great Britain as instrumental in bringing about the restoration of the Israelites to Palestine.

Well then, accepting this reading as correct, which interprets the ships of Tarshish to mean the naval glory of England, it follows that Tyre must be typical of this same maritime power of great Britain, and if that be so, it will be found that upon this interpretation the conclusions arrived

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at by Dr. Cumming, and those who agree with him, are as wide of the target of truth, as if these expounders of the phophecy had turned their backs upon the mark when they fired their great theological blunderbusses at it; for if the ships of Tarshish alluded to by the ancient Hebrew seers do actually indicate in prognostic poesy the navy of Great Britain, then how can Dr. Cumming and others continue blind to the startling fact, that not one, but all the prophets cry woe and desolation to these ships, or the navy of Tarshish, and predict ruin and dispersion to the commercial empire of Tyre, to which the aforesaid ships of Tarshish belong.

It is acknowledged that the predicted judgment upon Tyre, pronounced by the prophet "Isaiah" in the twentythird chapter, was never fulfilled, that is to say, it was not carried out against ancient Tyre, but it may yet prove true of a great commercial empire of which the former Tyre served the Hebrew seer as a type.

Isaiah apostrophises this great maritime power in a very remarkable way, his burden of woe against Tyre is commenced with:

"Howl ye ships of Tarshish, for it is laid waste, so that "there is no house, (or harbour of refuge,) no entering in."

What is this mysterious blow that is to shake to pieces the dockyards, arsenals, and forts of these ships? The answer is, that the Edipus to riddle the Sphinx is to come from Chittim to reveal this mischief to them. Now the land of Chittim is the land of golden rocks, where these rocks are bruised or pounded, and thus Chittim stands for either Australia or California.

We are told that the destruction of this fortress is to be analogous to some ancient and now overlooked or buried historical event that took place in "Egypt;" of this more, shortly, meantime the prophet's statements in this chapter require very careful attention. He asks:

"Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crown"ing city, whose merchant princes,' and traders are the "honourable of the earth?" and he answers, that the Lord

of Hosts has purposed, or predestined this disaster, to defile the pride of all human glory, and bring into contempt all held in esteem for titles and wealth by men.

It is emphatically stated, that the ruin of this empire comes through and by the very means relied upon so confidently for security, that is, its insular position. This enigma is shadowed forth in the fourth and repeated in the eleventh verse, where it is said:

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"He stretched out his hand over (through and under?) "the 'sea,' he shook the kingdoms. The Lord hath given a "commandment concerning this merchant (empire?) to destroy the strengths (strongholds or fortresses?) thereof." The people of this nation, typified by ancient Tyre, are, it is plain, islanders, and not as continental people, for more than once their insular position is spoken of.

When the tenth chapter is read it may be found that the prophet declares that the rod of the Almighty's anger and indignation, is placed in the hand of one who is likened to a scatterer, or disperser, and who is sent as a messenger of destruction against a certain "hypocritical nation," or the people whose pharisaic cant has excited God's wrath. The seer or prophet says, that an especial charge is given to this scattering chief or monarch, to plunder the nation against whom he is sent. The words are, "Take the spoil, and take "the prey, and tread them down like the mire in the "streets." In the twenty-fourth verse the same riddle of this Sphinx is repeated that is to be found in the twentythird chapter just quoted, namely, that the rod of affliction is to be used after the manner of Egypt.

The fourth and fifth verses of the ninth, and the twentysixth and twenty-seventh verses of the tenth chapter, relate to the ultimate miraculous overthrow of the invading hosts, by the instrumentality of Messiah's obedience to the will of the great eternal Father and pre-purposer.

Not one, but all the prophets have something to say on this subject, or those momentous events ushering in the advent of the seventh and final Messiah. For instance, Jeremiah when he speaks of these last days makes especial

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mention of the descendants of "Ephraim," and when he alludes to "Tyrus," or the great commercial empire of which ancient Tyre was typical, he asserts that the charge of destruction is directed against her "sea shore," and he describes the destroying messengers coming with spreading wings like an eagle, in fact, the eagles are their standards. The fortress, (says he,) alluding to some particular place, is taken, the strongholds are surprised, the soldiers hearts' in great trouble and pain, because a "fire and explosive flame," that is gunpowder, have burst out of the "midst of the land," and burnt up the covering, protecting, or defending armour of the naval and military authorities.

In the fifty-first chapter the prophet Jeremiah takes "Babylon" as a type of the great metropolis of the descendants of Ephraim, and apostrophises, by his faculty of second sight or prophecy, this Babylon in the following terms :— "O thou that dwellest upon many waters (an insular position) having abundant treasures, thine end is come, and "the measure of thy covetousness."

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The citizens, he says, shall roar like lions, (British lions,) and shall shake themselves like lion's whelps, for the sea (Sphinx again) is come up upon Babylon, and she is covered with the waves thereof. The solution of this enigma of the turning of her sea defences, is that her sea is dried up, (undermined?) The houses are burnt, and the fortifications or bars are destroyed. One post shall fly to meet another message to show to the monarch of this island maritime power, that the line of defence is taken at one end, for the sea is dried up, and the water ditch is dry ground. In fact, that there is a clearly drawn analogy between the capture of ancient and modern Babylon.

Ezekiel in the twenty-seventh and twenty-eighth chapters takes up the lamentations of Tyrus, as follows:

"What can equal 'Tyrus,' like her destroyed in the midst "of the seas? When thy manufactures were exported sea"borne (in ships ?) out of thee, thou filledst many nations, "thou didst enrich the kings of the earth with the abun"dance of thy wealth and merchandise. In the day when

"thou shalt be broken by the seas (Sphinx again) in the "depths of the waters, thy merchandise and all thy citizens "in the midst of thee shall fall, and all the inhabitants of "the isles shall be astonished at thee, and their kings sore " afraid.

"With thy wisdom and understanding thou hast gotten "thee riches, gold, and silver into thy treasures, by thy "great wisdom, and by trading thou hast increased thy "riches, thine heart is exalted hecause of thy riches. "Therefore, thus saith the Lord. Because thou hast set "thy mind as the mind of God, behold I will bring foreign"ers upon thee, the terrible of nations, and they shall draw "their swords against the beauty of thy wisdom, and shall "defile thy brightness, they shall bring thee down to the "grave, and thou shalt die the deaths of the slain in the "midst of the seas."

The solution of this riddle is again afforded by the seer, who says:

"I will bring forth a fire (of gunpowder?) from the midst "of thee, it shall consume thee, and I will bring thee to "ashes in the presence of all them that behold thee."

Amos likens this commercial empire to Damascus, to Edom, to Gaza, and to Tyrus. He writes as if composing a musical fugue, and threatens the devastation of an explosive fire upon each antitype, to devour the palaces of the city.

To return to the significance of Isaiah's statements respecting the means to be employed to scatter the power of modern Tyrus, which is detailed in the fifth verse of the twenty-third chapter thus:

"As at the report concerning Egypt,' so shall they be "grievously pained at the report of Tyre."

The question then arises, what is this report concerning ancient Egypt, and what were the marvels of this country? Napoleon Bonaparte declared that he had resolved to repeat these marvels of "Egypt" at Cherbourg; and his nephew has shewn to all, except the self-deceived, that he intends carrying out his uncle's designs.

I now furnish my interpretation of this great Sphinx's