host. Thus did Rome, when both Herod and Pontius Pilate conspired against Jesus.

6. He shall destroy, wonderfully, the mighty and the holy people. Let from 50 to 100 millions of martyrs make good this charge against persecuting Rome. See Religious Encyclopedia.

7. It was the only power that succeeded the four kingdoms which waxed EXCEEDING GREAT.

8. In this vision Grecia succeeds Medo-Persia, just as it had been seen twice before; and it is absurd to suppose that the power which follows them in this vision is a different power from the one which twice before had been seen succeeding them, in chapters ii and vii; and that power was Rome.

9. He shall be broken without hand. How clear a reference to the stone cut out without hand, which smites the image upon its feet. Chap ii, 34.

THE 2300 DAYS.

Besides the symbols of governments contained in Dan. viii, there is a definite period of time brought to view, which claims attention. As recorded in verse 13, Daniel heard one saint ask another the question, how long the vision should be concerning the daily [sacrifice] and the transgression of desolation to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot. The angel then addressed himself to Daniel and said, "Unto two thousand and three hundred days, then shall the sanctuary be cleansed." Waiving for the present the question as to what may constitute the sanctuary, we wish to ascertain if possible the nature, the commencement, and termination of this period of time. There are two kinds of time to be met with in the Bible; literal and sym

bolic. In symbolic time, a day signifies a year. Num. xiv, 34; Eze. iv, 6. To which class do the 2300 days belong? Being brought in connection with acknowl edged symbols, it would be both easy and natural to infer that they partook of the nature of the rest of the vision and were symbolic, presenting us with a period of 2300 years. And that such is the case is further evident from the fact, as is shown in the investigation of Dan. viii, that the field of the prophet's vision, was the empires of Persia, Greece and Rome. The 2300 days there given cannot therefore be literal days; for literal days (scarcely six years and a half) would by no means cover the duration of any one of these empires singly, much less embrace so nearly the whole of their existence put together, as they evidently do. They must consequently denote 2300 years. Can we now ascertain the commencement of this period? We answer, Yes; the key to the matter being in the ninth chapter of Daniel, between which and the eighth there is an unmistakable connection, as we shall now endeavor to show.

After their mention in verse 14, the 2300 days are not again spoken of in chapter viii. All the other parts of the vision are there fully explained; it must have been, therefore, this point concerning the time, that troubled the mind of the prophet, and in reference to which, solely, that he exclaims at the end of the chapter, I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it.

It was in the third year of Belshazzar, B. C., 553, that Daniel had this vision of chapter viii. Fifty-three years previous to this time, Jerusalem had been taken by Nebuchadnezzar, and the seventy years' captivity commenced; and thirty-five years before this, the Chaldeans had utterly demolished the city, broken down its

shine upon

walls and burnt the house of God with fire. 2 Chron. xxxvi, 19. Daniel had learned from the prophecy of Jeremiah, [chapter xxv], that the seventy years of captivity were drawing near their close, in the first year of Darius, B. C., 538, as we read in the first verses of Dan. ix; and it is evident that he so far misunderstood the period of the 2300 days as to suppose that they ended with the seventy years of Israel's servitude; therefore, turning his face toward the prostrate city and the ruined temple of his fathers, he prays God to cause his face to his sanctuary which is desolate. Verse 17. "While I was speaking in prayer," says he, [chapter ix, 20-23]," even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation. And he informed me and talked with me, and said, O, Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding. At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to show thee; for thou art greatly beloved; therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision. Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city," &c.

That this is a continuation of the explanation of the vision of chapter viii, would seem sufficiently evident without the aid of any special argument to prove it so. But as there is a vital point that hinges upon this fact, we will offer a few reasons which place it beyond the limits of contradiction.

1. Gabriel had received a charge [chapter viii, 16], to make Daniel understand the vision; but at the end of that chapter, Daniel says he was astonished at the vision, but none understood it. Gabriel therefore did not complete his mission in chapter viii; the charge

still rested upon him, Make this man to understand the vision.

2. The being who came to Daniel at the time of the supplication, was the very same who had appeared to him in the vision at the beginning; namely, Gabriel. And that he had now come to undeceive him concerning his application of the time, is evident in that he says, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding. Why did he not give him a full understanding of the vision at first? We answer, because he revealed to him all that he was then able to bear. He fainted and was sick certain days.

3. Direct reference is made to the vision at the beginning. And if that is not the vision of chapter viii, it is impossible to find it. And again, if Gabriel does not explain in chapter ix, what he omitted in chapter viii, it is impossible for any man to show wherein Gabriel fulfilled his commission to make this man understand the vision.

4. When Gabriel commenced his further explanation, he did not explain the symbol of the ram; for that he had already explained. He did not explain the goat; for he had likewise explained that. Neither did he commence about the little horn; for he had made that plain also in chapter viii. What then did he explain? The very point there omitted; namely, the time: Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people, &c. These facts are sufficient to show the connection of Dan. ix with the vision of chapter viii. But how do the words of Gabriel, Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people, &c., explain the period of the 2300 days? The answer is, The word rendered determined, signifies literally, cut off. Gesenius, in his Hebrew Lexicon, thus defines it: Properly, to cut off; tropically, to divide,

and so to determine, to decree. The Englishman's Hebrew Concordance says, Determined, literally divided. From what period are the seventy weeks divided, or cut off? From the 2300 days; for there is no other period given from which they can be taken; and this is placed beyond a doubt by the connection of the two chapters, which has already been proved.

Having now ascertained that the 70 weeks of Dan. ix are the first 490 years of the 2300 days, and that consequently the two periods commence together, we further learn that this period of weeks dates from the going forth of a commandment to restore and build Jerusalem. Dan. ix, 25. If then we can definitely locate this commandment, we have the starting point for the great period of the 2300 years. The Bible furnishes us

with four tests by which to determine when the true date is found:

1. From the time of the commandment, 49 years were to witness the completion of the street and wall of Jerusalem. Dan. ix, 25.

2. Threescore and two weeks from this time, or, in all, 69 weeks, 483 years, were to extend to Messiah the Prince.

3. Sixty-nine and a half weeks were to extend to the crucifixion-the cessation of sacrifice and oblation in the midst of the week. Verse 27.

4. The full period of 70 weeks was to witness the complete confirmation of the covenant with Daniel's people.

In the seventh of Ezra, we find the decree for which we seek. It went forth in B. c. 457. Much concerning this decree, and the date of its promulgation, might here be said. But a more full explanation of it may more properly be given in another place. I will