forbade all preaching on the subject, then in 1692 deposed Petersen on account of this feature of his teaching, and had him. expelled from the principality of Lüneburg. His remaining years were spent on a country estate near Magdeburg, where he gave himself to study and writing.

In the same year in which he was expelled from Lüneburg, Petersen brought out in two parts a work entitled, "Die Wahrheit des herrlichen Reiches Jesu Christi, welches in der siebenten Posaunen noch zu erwarten ist " (The Truth of the Glorious Kingdom of Jesus Christ, which is to be expected at [the sounding of] the seventh trumpet). He also wrote commentaries on the Psalms, on Daniel, and on the minor prophets, in all of which his convictions concerning the coming kingdom find clear expression. When he died, in Zerbst, Jan. 31, 1727, he left behind him seventy printed books and pamphlets, besides over a hundred works in manuscript. Among the latter were a large number of hymns. Petersen was one of the foremost religious teachers of his time, and a powerful advocate of the claims of prophetic study to occupy a large place in the Christian church.

The writer of greatest prominence among the German theologians of the seventeenth century who gave special attention to the prophecies, was Johann Albrecht Bengel, born at Winnenden, a village near Stuttgart, Würtemberg, on the 24th of June, 1687. Early in life he became an ardent student, giving special attention to philosophy and mathematics. At the University of Tübingen he devoted himself chiefly to the study of theology.

Like many other thoughtful students, young Bengel was troubled with religious doubts. He himself alludes to the "many arrows which pierced his poor heart, and made his youth hard to bear." But as he applied himself to the prayerful study of the Scriptures, his faith grew firm, and he rapidly advanced in the knowledge of divine things. After spending a year as vicar at Metzingen, he became a tutor at the University of Tübingen in 1708. Five years later he was made professor in the cloister school at Denkendorf, which was a seminary for the training of candidates for the ministry. After receiving this appointment, he traveled in different parts of Germany for a year, visiting various schools, including those of the Jesuits, in order to learn their methods.

It was in the course of this tour that Bengel had his attention especially attracted to the prophetic portions of Scripture. At Halle he became deeply interested in Doctor Anton's series of lectures on the Apocalypse. Professor Lang, another member of the faculty of that university, drew his attention to Vitringa's

"Anakrisis." Also while at Halle, which was becoming an important center of the Pietist movement, he found congenial society in a group of men, leaders in the movement, teachers in the university, who believed that the time was drawing near for the second advent.

Returning from his travels, Bengel took up his work at the school in Denkendorf with great enthusiasm, and for twentyeight years devoted his best energies to the training of young

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men for the ministry. He was a successful teacher, and also possessed great power as a writer. His most widely known single work, entitled, "Gnomon," is a commentary on the entire New Testament, and a monument of good judgment and ripe scholarship. It furnished a large amount of the matter for Wesley's "Annotatory Notes upon the New Testament," and has been freely drawn upon for numerous other commentaries and helps. Another famous work was his "Ordo Temporum," in which he endeavored to cover the whole field of sacred chronology.

Bengel's special interest centered, however, in the prophecies of the Revelation, and it was his earnest desire to expound these

important portions of the Word in such a simple way that even the common people could understand them. Following his "Exposition of the Revelation of St. John," he issued "Sixty Practical Addresses on the Apocalypse," which were a development of lectures given at the Sunday evening prayer meetings. These addresses are free from technicalities, and largely form the details of historical chronology. Their aim is to dwell on the practical help to be derived from the book of Revelation. The addresses were translated into English, and widely circulated in Great Britain under the patronage of John Wesley. There have also been a number of editions of the "Gnomon."

TYRE A WITNESS TO FULFILLED PROPHECY

They shall destroy the walls of Tyrus, and break down her towers." Eze. 26: 4.

Bengel's influence as a teacher of young men who entered the ministry in different parts of Germany, was very great; but his influence has extended far beyond Germany through the numerous books that he wrote. Probably no other continental theologian did so much as he to call attention to the importance of the prophetic portions of the Word, and to set forth clearly and simply their meaning, especially as relates to the second coming of Christ.

Turning again to prophetic study in England, we see the renowned Sir Isaac Newton devoting a good portion of his time during the latter part of his life to a systematic study of the books of Daniel and the Revelation, and embodying the results of his investigations in a book entitled, "Observations upon the Prophecies of Daniel and the Apocalypse of St. John," which was published posthumously in the year 1733. Newton was not

the first Englishman widely celebrated for his scientific attainments, to interest himself in prophecy. Early in the seventeenth century Sir Francis Bacon, founder of the inductive method in philosophy, expressed the desire that a book might be written containing the prophecies of Holy Writ, and an account of how they had been historically fulfilled. Newton's work covers this ground in part. He gives an interpretation of Daniel's dreams, and considers the relation of the Apocalypse to the writings of Moses and to the prophecies of Daniel.

Newton, like Bengel, well understood that he was writing of some things in advance of the time. Referring to the statement in Daniel concerning the closing up of the book till the time of the end, he writes:

""Tis therefore a part of this prophecy, that it should not be understood before the last age of the world; and therefore it makes for the credit of the prophecy, that it is not yet understood. But if the last age, the age of opening these things, be now approaching, as by the great successes of late interpreters it seems to be, we have more encouragement than ever to look into these things. If the general preaching of the gospel be approaching, it is to us and our posterity that those words mainly belong: 'In the time of the end the wise shall understand, but none of the wicked shall understand.' Dan. 12:4, 10. 'Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein.'""Observations upon the Prophecies of Daniel and the Apocalypse of St. John," pp. 250, 251, edition 1733.

Newton was deeply impressed with the value of prophetic studies as a means of strengthening faith in God's providence, and he confidently looked forward to a future time when difficulties would be cleared away, and the full meaning of the prophecies should shine forth. The event of things predicted many ages before would then "be a convincing argument that the world is governed by Providence."

He goes on to say:

"As the few and obscure prophecies concerning Christ's first coming were for setting up the Christian religion, which all nations have since corrupted; so the many and clear prophecies concerning the things to be done at Christ's second coming, are not only for predicting but also for effecting a recovery and re-establishment of the long-lost truth, and setting up a kingdom wherein dwells righteousness. The event will prove the Apocalypse; and this prophecy, thus proved and understood, will open the old prophets, and all together will make known the true religion, and establish it. For he that will understand the old prophets, must begin with this; but the time is not yet come for understanding them perfectly, because the main revolution predicted in them is not yet come to pass. In the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God shall be finished, as He hath declared to His servants the prophets:' and then the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our Lord and His Christ, and He shall reign forever.' Rev. 10:7; 11:15. There is already so much of the prophecy

fulfilled, that as many as will take pains in this study, may see sufficient instances of God's providence; but then the signal revolutions predicted by all the holy prophets, will at once both turn men's eyes upon considering the predictions, and plainly interpret them. Till then we must content ourselves with interpreting what hath been already fulfilled.

"Among the interpreters of the last age, there is scarce one of note who hath not made some discovery worth knowing; and thence I seem to gather that God is about opening these mysteries. The success of others put me upon considering it; and if I have done anything which may be useful to following writers, I have my design."— Id., pp. 252, 253.

In the course of his exposition of these prophecies, Newton referred to the rapidity with which events must be brought to pass in order to prepare the way for the universal spread of the gospel at the time predicted, and he avowed his belief that men would discover the means of passing from place to place with unwonted speed, perhaps at the rate of fifty miles an hour. Voltaire scoffed at the suggestion, saying that it not only contradicted the principles of common sense and sound philosophy, but was proof of the bewildering and entangling influence of Christianity on the mind of a great man. While recognizing the services Newton had rendered to the cause of philosophy, he expressed deep regret to see the great philosopher rendered a dotard by applying his mind to the study of Holy Writ!

A longer and more elaborate work on the prophecies was written by Thomas Newton, bishop of Bristol. Appearing first in 1782 in connection with other works by this author, it was soon issued separately, and so great was the demand that eighteen editions appeared in the course of the next half century.

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Another Englishman of the eighteenth century, who showed a deep interest in prophetic studies, was William Warburton, bishop of Gloucester. It was his belief that on the right determination of the prophecies relating to Antichrist one might rest the whole truth of the Christian religion." A vigorous defender of the prophecies throughout his life, one of his last acts was to found, in 1768, the Warburtonian lecture at Lincoln's Inn, "to prove the truth of revealed religion . . . from the completion of the prophecies of the Old and New Testaments which relate to the Christian church, especially to the apostasy of papal Rome."

The first series of lectures on this foundation were delivered by Warburton's friend, Richard Hurd, D. D., bishop of Worcester. Published in 1772 under the title, "An Introduction to the Study of the Prophecies Concerning the Christian Church, and in Particular Concerning the Church of Papal Rome," they met with instant recognition as an able treatment of a subject of great timeliness, and went into a number of editions,