his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

21. And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceedeth out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

The supper is designed to express, figuratively, three things. It shows, in the first place, the close of the day, that being the meal always taken after the toil and labor of the day have ended. This supper is given at the end of the gospelday. It expresses, in the second place, the final and complete overthrow of all systems and powers which are opposed to the universal government of Christ, comprehended under the title of the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, the false prophet that had delivered them by miracles, and all the worshipers of the beast and false prophet. All are represented as being conquered, and left upon the field to be devoured by the fowls of heaven.

In this picture the idea of total overthrow and abandonment is complete. This will be the end of the judgment day, when all that remains opposed to the authority of Christ will be like the garbage which is thrown out to feed the birds that prey upon such matter.

The third point of reference in this figure is its allusion to certain means which will precede and indicate the approach of this great supper.

These means I consider as referred to by the angel standing in the sun, and crying to all the fowls of heaven to prepare themselves for the supper of the great God.

Our Savior's conversation at different times respecting the signs and wonders which would precede the end of the gospel day, afford much instruction; and what he spoke in a mere literal way the prophet addresses to us allegorically.

It is enjoined upon Christians to watch for the occurrence of those signs to which Christ and his apostles have referred them.

There are events constantly arising upon the surface of the world's history, which outwardly, and, to superficial observers, wear nothing but a political aspect, when, at the same time, they may be intimately connected with the interests of Christianity. Some of those occurrences which have struck me as being of this character, I will refer to.

Upon all hands it will be admitted that England has exceeded all other nations in spreading the knowledge of the gospel. Her convenient position, her wide, extended commerce, her immense wealth, and her practical acquaintance with the doctrines of the Bible, have eminently qualified her to take the lead in enlightening the nations around her, and also to carry the light of the gospel to distant countries.

The angel that called the fowls of heaven to this great supper is represented as standing in the sun. The meaning of this is, that we may expect to see, in the country referred to under the symbol of the sun, some unusual and very extraordinary occurrences-not such as the ordinary means of proclaiming the gospel, but which will tend powerfully to bring about the overthrow of the beast, the false prophet, and the kings of the earth, associated with them in the manner described in the twentieth verse. That overthrow will be both political and religious-kings and their armies signifying the former, and the beast and the false prophet the latter.

The occurrences which I consider as represented, particularly by the angel crying to the fowls of heaven to gather themselves to the great supper, will exert a great influence upon both of the above-named interests.

The combined effort of the different Protestant nations to bring about great moral and political changes in the earth, must exert a powerful influence favorable to that object. Even small associations in limited communities, often produce the most salutary effects upon the moral and social habits of the people amongst whom they exist; how much greater results should we look for from the harmonious and united

labor of Christian nations gathered together from different parts of the earth, by their representatives, for the promotion of these objects.

We must bear in mind that the last three verses of the chapter express the events which give the supper its state of complete preparation. These are the taking of the beast and the false prophet, and casting them into the lake-burning with fire and brimstone, and killing the remnant, or the kings of the earth with the sword. But these events are to be brought about by means, which are chiefly the spread of the gospel, and whatever is calculated to open the way for it.

Such means are those now under consideration. They give to the present age its peculiar adaptation to produce the signs referred to in the above-mentioned verses.

The "World's Peace Convention," held in England, with whose zealous people the idea originated, some four or five years ago, was something novel as a means of impressing Christianity upon the world. The proposal to hold such a convention was promptly responded to by the churches of this and other Protestant countries.

It is true that the convention, so far as outward appearances indicated its effects, did not produce any very striking results. Indeed the enemies of religion considered it an abortion, and exulted in its failure. But this is not the way to judge of the success of great moral revolutions.

Providence often moves in the accomplishment of great results, with very slow steps; and the means which in the end prove most effectual, are often in the beginning the least promising. This Peace Convention was one of the means which, in the aggregate, constituted this angel, and very likely it did all that it was necessary at that time should be done. It sowed the seed-it put the mind of the church in a train of thinking which was quite new to it. The old notion, too much entertained by men, that, because some Christians were not of their nation, they were not brethren, began to be discarded. This was one evidence of the growth of

the seed and of the good fruit it was destined to produce. It is still germinating and sending its roots deeper into the affections of Christians in various lands, producing a more generous and universal sentiment of good-will. But what do we now see, as another development of means auxiliary to the rapid extension of Christianity? at this very time* England is holding, in her great metropolis, a grand exhibition of human skill in the improvements in the mechanical arts, by the different nations of the world. She has opened a great field for noble rivalship in useful and ornamental works of art and genius. Will not this exert a great influence in banishing national antipathies, and removing prejudices, which owe their existence to nothing but ignorance of the mutual relations of men to each other?

When these honest men from different nations laid down their works of art and genius side by side, then looked each other in the face and grasped each other's hands with greetings of friendship, was not a new chord of feeling touched, and a nobler sentiment of fraternal sympathy awakened than ever had stirred in their hearts before? How the old autagonism of national and social prejudice must have melted down under the warm inspirations of that great Christian sentiment of universal brotherhood-Peace on earth and good will to all men. This was the great moral principle which arose out of this exhibition, and which diffused itself throughout the Crystal Palace, and went with the people when they separated and returned to their distant homes.

I very much doubt if this "World's Fair" would ever have been heard of if the "World's Peace Convention" had not been held previously. It is in this way that the great and wonderful plans of divine goodness are accomplished. One step leads on to another; one event gives rise to another, until the actors in the drama become amazed themselves at the wonderful results which have arisen so unexpectedly from

* 1851.

circumstances, which in their beginning never contempleted such results.

There was one striking circumstance connected with this world's exhibition worthy of particular notice, and which gives it a character suitable to the signs of the times. I allude to the solemn, religious service with which it was opened. When all things were arranged and ready for inspection, a solemn pause held the vast throng in deepest silence. The first act was to acknowledge the God of heaven as the common Father of all nations, without whose blessing the ingenuity and labor of man profiteth nothing.

England, in the person of her queen, reverently bowed before the Lord, and all the people bowed, while the Primate of England offered to the Most High the homage of assembled nations. Then the voice of the multitude broke forth, like the sound of many waters, and, mingling with the rich and solemn tones of great organs and other musical instruments, filled the Crystal Palace with hosannas to the God of all the earth.

Was not this a scene worthy of being held up in the midst of the greatest Protestant nation of the world, as a sign of the speedy overthrow of all the powers that opposed the progress of Christianity? What could be better calculated than this "Industrial Exhibition," conducted as it was, to unite different nations in one common feeling of brotherhood and Christian sympathy?

Let the Crystal Palace stand; let it remain to commemorate the epoch when the angel stood in the sun, and cried to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven to gather or prepare themselves for the supper of the Great God.

In another view of the subject this exhibition possesses an important character. It shows the absurdity of supposing that it was ever intended by the Author of Christianity that it should creep through the world in solitude and silence. The arts and sciences are her proper companions. In her