Jubilean period, to the same date of the Hegira, A.D. 622, was the same square period, for B. c. 603 added to A.D. 622 makes equally 1225; the Hegira, it will be seen, thus dividing the whole period of the 2450 years of the times of the Gentiles into two equal squares, each having 35 for its root, the sum of the roots making therefore the sacred number 70. Thus the re-establishment of the Jews in Jerusalem in the year 1847 was found to be doubly indicated in the prophecies of Daniel, first by the expiration of the period of the 2450 years of the vision of the Great Image, as illustrated by the type of the Jubilee, proving that the Jews will be restored to their own land in that year; and secondly, by the expiration of the 2400 years of the vision of the Ram and the He-goat, indicating also that the sanctuary at Jerusalem will be cleansed in that same year from the abominations of the Mahometan superstition. And we have also a third indication from the nature of the period itself, commencing A.D. 622, and ending A. D. 1847, as being found to be a square, or sacred number."

And yet, after all this, the year 1847 passed away, as the year 1822 had done, to the confusion of Mr. Frere's predictions. Well might the "Society of Prophetic Students" write to him to know how he took it, and what he had to say for this system; especially as we have reason to believe that several writers whose difference of opinion on other points Mr. Frere pathetically deplores, agreed with him, though on other grounds from those which he had adopted, in the opinion that great fulfilments of prophecy would take place in the year 1847. One of these coincidences is really curious, and worth mentioning.

F

Everybody who has paid any attention to the controversy on the true mode of interpreting the prophecies, is aware that those who deny that the 1260 days are 1260 years have been charged with opposing "the Protestant interpretation." This was of course the mere clamour of ignorance, which found it easier to raise a party cry than to refute an argument; and which was better able to influence men's passions than their understandings. It was addressed, however, frequently in honest ignorance, by those, and to those, who knew nothing of the opinions of any Protestants out of their own little circle, and who had no idea that there was scarcely a Lutheran student of prophecy, lay or clerical, to be found who would not have treated the writings of Mr. Frere, Mr. Faber, and the whole school of "year-day" interpreters as baseless dreams. What may be the state of things at this moment in Germany we are not able to say, but certainly until within a few years the prevalent, and almost universal belief, rested in the interpretation suggested by Bengel. A few words on the history of his system may very properly follow what we have detailed respecting Mr. Frere's.

Bengel's first publication on prophecy was an attack on the year-day. It was printed, in the year 1727, in the sixth volume of Schelhorn's Amanitates Literariæ, and it was shortly after followed by a work on the same subject in German. Some years, however, elapsed before his own scheme of interpretation was elaborated and given to the public. The long and short of this

learned and pious divine's system seems to have been (but our readers will understand that we do not, like Mr. Frere, pledge ourselves to be "intelligible," though we hope we may be sufficiently understood for our present purpose) that the numbers in the Apocalypse were of two sorts, namely, mystical or natural. So that in regard of the times, as one of Bengel's most admiring followers observes, "Since we understand the natural times, we may bring the mystical (geheimen prophetischen) into their terms, as soon as we get a key to the proportion which the latter bear to the former." Such a key was found (we will not stay to enquire how) in the number of the beast. Those who are not satisfied with reading what we have given of Mr. Frere's numerical exercises, may examine the processes by which Bengel arrived at his "Apocalyptic Progression." They are tedious and puzzling enough, and it is sufficient for our purpose to give the result. This was that the numbers of apocalyptic times formed a regular progression, which looked so strange on paper that people found it irresistible.

The "time no longer," oùкéti Xpóvoç, or no

whole period between, 999% and .

1111 years.

"Thus an accurate consideration of the text discovers a regularly ascending series of periods, as here stated. The difficulty that a 'short time' (ch. xii. 12) should denote the long space of 8888 years, is done away by considering that our computation is by halftimes (viz. 1114). Now, the ancients used to reckon no less than seven to the completion of a time (kaipóc); hence, four times (or 222 × 4) might easily be denominated 'a short time,' ¿λiyoç κаιрóç."

6

One thing is very certain, and another not less sofirst, that Bengel was an eminently learned, pious, and talented man; and the other, that he thought he had made great discoveries, or rather believed that peculiar disclosures had been made to him, which he received as good gifts from the Father of Lights, with true gratitude and humility. He wrote to J. F. Reuss :-

"Dec. 22, 1724.

"It is impossible for me to withhold from you a disclosure, which, however, I must request you to keep entirely to yourself. By the help of the Lord, I have found the number of the Beast. It is six hundred and sixty-six years, from A.D. 1143 to A.D. 1809."

6 Memoir of the Life and Writings of Bengel, by Burk; translated from the German by the Rev. R. F. Walker, 1837; p. 290. The biographer puts this passage in marks of quotation, but does not say whence it is derived. Perhaps he might have made it clearer. What it means we do not know.

In a few years, however, he published; and the following passage (which his biographer gives us without the date, but which was probably written about the year 1740), is very curious, as shewing that the good man was not more mistaken in the interpretation itself, than in his anticipations of the reception which it would meet with.

"The Great Tribulation, which the primitive church looked for from the future Antichrist, is not arrived, but is very near; for the predictions of the Apocalypse, from the tenth to the fourteenth chapter, have been fulfilling for many centuries; and the principal point stands clearer and clearer in view, that within another hundred years the great expected change of things may take place. Even though within the next five years the Beast's chronological number should still remain unexpired, such a failure in our apocalyptical calculations is no more than the crack of a pane in the window of a large edifice. Still let the remainder stand, especially the GREAT TERMINATION which I anticipate for 1836. Let the periods intervening issue as they may-they are only the woof of my system, not the warp: the latter is good, though the former, I am well aware, has its defects. On every point I do not insist with equal assurance; but I lay the total, such as it is, before the public; and let posterity consider it for themselves-correcting some parts, and confirming others, as experience of fulfilment shall direct. I have long made up my mind as to my explanations of the Apocalypse,—that they will seem to have come to nothing, so soon after I am dead, and that my very name, as one of its expositors, will fall into disrepute,-nevertheless, a time will arrive when the truth of my allegations will be recognised with the seal of public approval.”--Memoir, p. 316.