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Las diagrammas suivants illustrent la mathode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 MICROCOPY RESOLUTION TEST CHART (ANSI and ISO TEST CHART No. 2) 1.0 I.I 1.25 ■ 5.0 '"" " ""13.2 1 3.6 14.0 1.4 2.5 2.2 2.0 1.8 1.6 A APPLIED IM/1GE Inc 1653 East Main Street Roctiester, New York 14609 (716) 482 - 0300 - Phone (716) 288 - 5989 - Fax USA ■' '*^^' Dec, 1872. No. 1. FUTURE. IXIIIBITINGAIIEOIOGY AS A-^IEKC!E. I HENEY ^ENTW0BTir MONK. he issued Monihiu, price 6d. / LONDON PUBLISHED FOR THE AUTHOR, BY CATTY AXD DOE SON, l, lYY L^$-i^ PATEKNOSTER ROW. ^T . . ••• / i"?5 INTEODUCTION. The object of this monthly publication is to throw as much light as possible upon the hitherto dark future ; to ueterniine what can be known with abso- lute certainty with regard to coming events ; and to distinguish clearly between mere opinion and positive knowledge. The undersigned, having been fortunate enough to discover two great universal laws existing in Nature which appear to be at tlie foundation of theology as a science, now presents them for consideration to the public, that everyone may judge for himself how far a knowlediic of these laws may tend to throw li^ht on the future ; and he holds himself prepared to answer, in the subsequent numbers of this journal, any reasonable objections that may be made in refer- ence to the existence or practical working of these two 2;reat universal laws. HENRY WENTWORTH MONK, My I I a ai ai in gi ru of ge( ro( for 900823 NEW DISCOYEEIES BELATIVB TO THE SOLAR SYSTEM. ^*/^ ^' /y£SBSIVE ALTERNATION. ^ I iin^ WOU) IS? The sciences of geology and chemistry answer this question most positively in the affirmative. Geology exhibits the earth to our mental vision as it appeared in all the past ages during which it has sustained any variety of life, from the highest conceivable forms of animal and vegetable organisations down to the very lowest imaginable. The earth, which we now . -. covered with great nations of men, with a wonderful variety of quad- rupeds and vertebrates generally, and with trees and plants of the highest order, passes in review before the eye of the geologist a, he examin^^ strata^af^er^ strata of aqueous rock icr mdes in depth ^lowerltrata exhibiting lower forms of auimul and . k*> water and of tlie nqneous rock encompassing our earth have always existed in some form or condition. Before the aqueous rock was formed the materials of which it is composed undoubtedly existed, cither in solution or sus|)onsion, in the water or in tiie atmosphere, or else iu association with the igneous rock about the surface of our earth. So, alsi, before the ocean of water itself existed in the form or condition of water, the particles of which it is composed must have previously existed in some other form or condition : the question is, What form or con- dition ? Chemistry answers this question most satisfactorily and conclusively, by informing us that pure water is composed of two gases, hydrogen and oxygen, in certain propor- tions ; that when hydrogen is burnt it unites with the requisite proportion of oxygen, and water is the natural result. When we know this, how can we possibly avoid the conclusion that our earth was first covered with an ocean of water simply by the burning up of a vast volume of hydrogen gas, which must jjreviously have enveloped it (much as our atmosphere of air d^es at jtresent) ? That, therefore, the particles of which the waters of the ocean are composed existed previously in the form of hydrogen and oxygen gas. This would make it quite clear that our earth was once a ball of ;-ijeous rock enveloped in hydrogen gas — au abundance of oxygen gas being also present about its sur- face, as well as vast quantities of other substances in the gaseous condition ; for all those materials which have since entered into the composition of the num.erous strata of aqueous rock must have previously existed in some other 6 form or condition, nnd tlie particles wliich wcro not in composition with the grcfxt ball of ij^neous rock must ncces- snrily liavo been held in t-uspension in the vast volume of hydiogen gas whicli enveloped it. This is proved also by the fact that when the hydrogen gas was burnt no solid substance remained but igneous rock alone, all the other substances being in solution or suspension in the water of j the ocean or in the atmosphere. The (piostion now arises, How long was this earth burn- ing its surface ? Clieinistry answers that its transition from a ball of fire to a globe covered with water mu-t have been instan- taneous, for a ball of pure igneous rock, surrounded by hydrogen gas with an abundance of oxygen (all other substances being either in the gaseous condition or else held in suspension by gas), presents no obstacle Avhatevcr to the immediate burning of the hydrogen, however large its volume may be, so that it should be instantaneously con- verted into its proportionate quantity of water — its sudden conversion being accompanied with a corresponding explo- sion. But though chemistry thus assures us that the transition of the earth from a ball of fire to a globe covered with water was instantaneous, yet the same science does not fail also to assure us with equal certainty that our earth had been a burning world for thousands of years at least before it had at last changed its condition suddenly from a ball of fire to a globe covered with water. A familiar illustration will easily give a fair idea how this conclusion is arrived at. Did we see a large quantity of coal' ashes, and a proportionate volume of coal-smoke in *• > tti (^/Ji. its vicinity, wo could not re.ist the conclusion that coal had « been burning for hours, as we could not possibly otherwise account for the presence of such a quantity of coal-a.hes and smoke. Igneous rock is to a burnt world what coal-ashes are to burnt coal ; and gas, and substances held in suspension by gas, are to a burning world what smoke is to burning coal ; therefore, when we see a vast quantity of igneous rock, and a proportionate amount of substances either in the gaseous condition or else held in suspension by gas, we cannol avoid the conclusion that the burning has corresponded in magni- tude an but as my space is very limited I shall be contented at present with simply stating that, were our solar system in its reverse condition, it would evidently appear as a " triple star" to an observer situated at one of the nearest (appa- rently) " fixed stars," for the light from none of the minor planets would be seen separ^^lejly from that great distance, the separate light from Jupiter and Saturn alone being 13 % discernible, on account of their great magnitude and dis- tance from the central orb. The position of the great central orb would be visible also by reason of tlie amount of light in its vicinity, for the numerous minor planets would to- gether furnish considerable light, and its enormous disc woulu reflect not a little, so that its position might be quite apparent even at so great a distance (with the aid of a good telescope). Thus, it being undeniable that were our solar system in its reverse condition it would appear to a sufficiently distant observer as a " triple star," we may therefore very reason- ably conclude that the *' triple stars " which we see in the distance are simply solar systems more or less like ours, but in the reverse condition. 14 PERPETUAL EE-CREATION. CHAPTER III. From what has been said in the two former chapters it may be more or less clear to the reader that by the operation of the great universal law of Successive Alternation provision is made for the continual re-production of light and heat in sufficient quantity for all the requirements of the solar system eternally ; that while oceans of water in one portion of the solar sy^item are occupied for thousands of years in buildiug up miles in thickness of aqueous rock, in the >ther portion of the soiar system the constituent gases of water, hydrogen, and oxygen are occupied for thousands of years also in burning miles in thickness of aqueous rock that a sufficiency of light and heat may be always supplied. And so on, alternately, in succession — water, in its fluid con- dition, always building up aqueous rock in one of the grand divisions of the solar system ; while water in its gaseous condition, as hydrogen and oxygen, is always consuming aqueous rock in the other grand division of the solar system. It may be plain enough that light and heat may thus be • ^>* 15 eternally re-produced ; but it is also equally plain that every vestige of animal and vegetable life must be com- pletely obliterated throughout the whole solar system at every successive alternation : for in the burning portion of the solar system which explodes, of course there is no animal or vegetable life ; and in the other portion, which is set on fire by the explosion, of course every trace of such life must be instantly obliterated. What provision, then, do we find in nature calculated to cause the various forms of animal and vegetable organisations to constantly re- appear again after each successive alternation ? The great universal law of Perpetual lie-creation rules expressly for this very purpose. It may be rather difficult for us to comprehend the working of this law, for only one portion of it is seen by us at present ; nevertheless I shall attempt to illustrate it by comparison with the well-known law of Re-production, to which it is somewhat analogous. Let us suppose that one wholly unacquainted witn this law should find a flock of birds, and that he is desirous of know- ing how birds originate ; upon investigation he finds that birds come from eggs. Delighted at this discovery, he may very naturally think that he has only to find out where eggs come from, and that then he will certainly know the first origin of birds. Accordingly he pursues his investigations, and is rewarded eventually by the discovery that eggs come from birds ; but, nevertheless, he finds out at the same time that he is as far as ever from the discovery of the first origin of birds. He has merely found out that birds origi- nate from eggs, and, in turn, reproduce eggs, ad itifinituni ; and has so far discovered nothing at all reppectiug the origin of the first egg. 16 As, in the well-known law of Re-production, birds origi- nate from eggs, and, in turn, reproduce eggs, ad infinitum, so also in the great universal law of Perpetual Re-creation conscious mind, and progressive intelligence, originate from animal organisation, and, in turn, re-create animal organisation, ad injinitum. In our own day we see conscious mind and progressive intelligence originating by means of the highest form of animal organisation, namely, that of man ; for the eyes, ears, and brain of man (everywhere over the surface of the earth) are originating continually so many millions of individual conf^ious minds and progressive intelligences. This is evidently undeniable. Can anyone reasonably deny that man possesses a conscious mind ? or can it reasonably be denied that it was his animal organisation (eyes, ears, brain, &c.) which first originated that conscious mind ? It is evidently quite clear that his conscious mind did not exist before his animal organisation, and it is equally clear that it did begin to exist as soon as his animal organisation was capable of originating it. Man not only possesses conscious mind but also progres- sive intelligence, to which there is evidently no limit whatever. Can any man say, Thus far may the intelligence of man progress, but no further? Does not the experience of every day prove that the more a man knows the more he may know, and the greater his power on account of that knowledge the greater it may be ? In short, once admit that the intelligence of the mind of man is progressive, and there is evidently no limit whatever to its possible advances in any direction. Especially should it be admitted, also, that the conscious mind and progressive intelligence of man ' •#M» r 4im survives the dissolution of the animal body. Thus it is quite clear that in our own day conscious mind and pro- gressive intelligence originate from animal organisation as certainly as birds originate from eggs ; and the revelations of the science of geology show with equal clearness that the reverse was the case during the geological periods thousands of years ago, for then animal organisation originated from conscious mind and progressive intelli- gence. To be convinced of this we have only to consider that the existence of the animal organisation proves conclusively the pre-existence of the conscious miud capable of creating that organisation, just as the existence of ordinary mechan- ism proves the pre-existence of the mechanic capable of manufacturing it. That the intelligence was progressive which was occupied in creating the various forms of animal organisation during the geological periods, is indicated with sufficient clearness by the fact that the very simplest organised forms were created first, and afterwards the more complex, until ulti- mately the animal organisation of man was created so perfect as to be capable of originating again, in its turn, conscious mind and progressive intelligence similar to that which created it. Therefore, when we thus take a comprehensive view of the creation from the earliest geological periods to our own day we cannot reasonably avoid the conclusion that, as conscious mind and progressive intelligence evidently originate from animal organisation in our own days, so certainly also did anim.al organisation, originate from conscious mind and progressive intelligence during the 18 geological periods. Consequently we conclude that con- scious mind and progressive intelligence oiiginnte from animal organisation and, in turn, re-create animal or- ganisation every few thousand years, ad infinitum,, as certainly as birds originate from eggs and, in turn, re- produce eggs every few moutiis, or as oak-trees originate from acorns and, in turn, reproduce acorns every few years, ad injinitum. This is the great universal law of Perpetual Re-creation, and this law is evidently at the foundatio.? of theology as a science, for it proves conclusively that nan is the "son" and " heir of God" the Creator ; and that the thousands of millions of individual minds and progressive intelligences, which originate by means of the animal organisation of man during these thousands of years, are destined here- after to be the " hosts " which will be occupied in the great work of re-creation thousands of years hence, when another alternation shall have occurred, and this earth shall be again covered with water, after it shall have contributed its share of light and heat to the solar system by burning its surface for thousands of years. Thus do we discover that suitable occupation is provided for our minds hereafter for thousands of years, until ulti- mately we shall be prepared for even higher work than this, for progressive intelligence knows no limit, and work of a much higher character (and at present much more in- conceivable to the mind of man) than the mere creation of animal and vegetal)le organisation has yet to be understood and executed by conscious minds and progressive intelligences which have no higher origin than man's, for the creation of solar systems out of that which would probably appear to .A 19 the mind of man at present absolutely nothing has yet to he accounted for ; and, in comparison to such work as this, the creation of the various animal and vegetable organisa- tions arc but simple manufactures out of materials whoso properties are already, to some extent, tolerably well-known to man. 20 THEOLOGY AS A SCIENCE. lif CHAPi i:r IV. " And God said, Let us miiko man in our imago, aftor our likfinoss. So God created man in his own image, in tho image of God created he him."— (Gon. i. 26, :i7.) Christendom professes to believe that great truth which is conveyed to us by the words at the head of this chapter ; but if Cliristeiuloni once understood the two great universal laws which are now for the first time published to the world, multitudes would doubtless then no longer merely profess to believe that marvellous truth which is so clearly stated in the few words here quoted from the Bible, but they would also have tlie satisfaction of knoiving that man was most certainly created " in the image of God " and after the likeness of his Creator, for Christendom would then know that our solar system produces thousands of millions of "Gods," of "sons of God," or of "angels of God " regu- larly every few thousand rears, as naturally aj : - dves produce swarms of bees every few months. la there any part of this universe coMcerning which it may be said with truth, " The Eternal Spirit is not there " ? c IS there any point in infinite space that the Infinite Spirit Joe' . ,- ecupv ? The Eternal Spirit undoubtedly fills all "tit* 21 space, tl.ougli its preseiKc may bo as imperceptible to 09 as is tlie electricity wlii-li perva.l^'s the utuiospl.ero of our earth. Let this bo clearly unclerstcod and the emllese muliiplic.ition of " Go.ls," of '" ■'ons of God," or df " angels of God," is easily enough explained; for let an animal organisation like that of man be created anywhere, the Kternul Spirit, being everywhere, cannot fail to be liiere also, and the perfect animal organisation of man will impress an individual consciousness upon the Kternal Spirit, so that evermore another conscious mind and pro- gressive intelligence shall exist more or less in unison with God the Creator. Should any ask how the eyes, ears, and brain of man can possibly impress an individual consciousness upon Eternal Spirit, it may be answered that the photographic apparatus will serve to illustrate this in some d- -ree : for as by means of this apparatus light impresses the i nage of any portion of the visible creation upon the photogra nhic plate, so also do the eyes, ears, and brain of man serve to impress upon Eternal Spirit an individual con^cious^e^^ ot some portion of the " wisdom, knowledge, and joy " ma u- fested in the universe, which individual consciousness when once impressed can never afterwards be wholly ol)literate 1, but must exist and progress in some degree to all eternity, "increasing with the increase of God." "The Gods," the "sons of God," or the "angels ci God," who are represented as saying, "Let us make mat. in our image," are the thousands of millions of conscious minds and progressive intelligences which originated from animal orf^'ii'isatiop.9 like ours, existing upon our earth beiore the last alternation occurred thousands of years ago. 22 They are evidently the "hosts" referred to when Jehovah .s called - the Lord of Hosts." They recognised Jehovah as their representative of unity and order, and so became, for all practical purposes, " one with God " the Eternal, being ever afterwards incapable of acting otherwise than in accordance with the Supreme Will. These " hosts " of the Lord God Jehovah were occupied in creating the various forms of animal and vegetable life for thousands of years before they had acquired the know- ledge, wisdom, and skill requisite to create the extremely wonderful organisation of man, which is so perfect as to be capable of originating conscious mind and progressive intel- ligence as much like that of the Creator as the form of the infant is like that of its parent. The progression made by these "hosts" of the Lord in understanding the great mysteries involved in the creation, 18 plainly enough recorded in the successive strata of aqueous rock, the gradations being quite as clearly marked from time to time as are the gradations of man's progress in understanding the mechanical arts : for instance, man first crosses a stream on a simple log of wood ; he then hollows out a log and propels it by means of a paddle; he after- wards finds a boat with oars more convenient than a canoe, and a ship with sails a still greater improvement ; and a steam-ship driven by complicated machinery better again than any of the former ; and thus progression is gradually made by man in the art of shipbuilding or of navigation, or of any other art whatever. ^^ That^^a similar progression was gradually made by the "hosts" of the Lord, who were occupied for so many thousands of years in the work of creation, is indicated 23 plainly enough by the simplest organisations being created first, and afterwards the more complex, as shown by the science of geology. That the " hosts" of the Lord, or '' the angels of God," were employed in the work of creation is also indicated with equal clearness by the exclamation of the Psalmist, saying, "Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word. Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts, ye ministers of his that do his pleasure" (Ps. ciii. 20,21). Thus the voice of inspiration appears but as an echo to the voice of science when both are clearly understood. Science tells us that conscious mind and progressive in- telligence gradually effected the work of creation ; and Revelation informs us that the " hosts," or " the angels of the Lord," were the conscious minds and progressive intel- ligences that excelled in strength, that did His command- ments, hearkening unto the voice of His word ; so that when God speaks it is done, not by magic as it were, but by the " hosts " or " angels of the Lord," who are " hearken- ing unto the voice of His word." When " Gods," or " sons of God," or « the angels of God," or the "hosts of the Lord," had created man in their own image and after their own likeness, they had fully accomplished the great work towards which all the previous efforts of creation tended ; for they had at last framed an animal organisation which was capable of originating con- scious mind and progressive intelligence similar to that of the Creator ; and in effecting this great work they had pj>owif|of| themselves with the means of securing the exist- ence of thousands of millions of beings like themselves, who 24 would hereafter joyfully engage i;i the work of re-creation, when by the operation of the great universal law of Succes- sive Alternation every vestige of animal and vegetable organisation shall have been completely obliterated from the whole solar system. The conscious minds and progressive intelligences now originating by means of the animal organisation of man are the thousands of millions of beings Avho are destined here- after to become like " the angels of God," or like " the hosts of the Lord," or "the sons of God," or "Gods," that they may joyfully occupy themselves for thousands of years in performing the work of re-creation, when the next successive alternation shall have again accomplished its great work of destruction. We being then the " hosts of the Lord," will reco'^uise Jesus Christ as our representative of unity and order ; He will be eternally our LORD God, for He has fairly earned this eternal position, and we shall then be one with Him as He is one with God the Father, as is indicated in His prayer concerning us as recorded by the Apostle John :— " Neither pray I for these (few apostles) alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word ; that they all may he one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I In thee, that they also may he one in us " (John xvii. 20, 21). Thus does Jesus Christ testify to the fact that not only- three persons may be one with Him as He is one with the Father, but that three hundred thousand million persons (or any number whatever) might thus be one with God : "As Tiiou, Father, art in me, and I in tiiee, that they ALSO MAY BR ONE IN US." Some may be disposed to consider such assertions as 25 these blasphemous, but let such remember that it was for just such bltippliemy (?) that the blinded Jews of old cruci- fied the Saviour of the world. He had said " God was his Father, making himself equal with God." Said they, " What blasphemy ! " But He had done even more than, this, for He had proved from their own sacred writings that not only Himself but also all men " to whom the word of God came" were Gods ; that, in short. He differed not from other men in nature but in character, He being sanctified or holy while others (though partaking of the same nature as himself) were all more or less unholy. When accused of blasphemy for saying that He is the Son of God, Jesus Christ responds to the Jews, " Is it not written in your law, I said ye are Gods. If he called them Gods to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), how say ye to him whom the Father hath sanctified and sent into the world. Thou blasphemest, because I said, I am the Son of God ? " It is part of the eighty-second Psalm that Jesus Christ quotes in vindicating Himself. It is there written : " I have said. Ye are Gods, and all of you are children of the Most High ; but ye shall die like men," 8sc. The Hebrew word used here (D"^n7J^ Gods) is precisely the same word which is translated " God " in the first chapter of Genesis, which indicates as plainly as possible that man is precisely of the same nature as the Creator, and that "all " men are destined ultimately to bo "children of the Most High" God. Unity does not necessarily imply equality by any means; it is only by a very absurd confusion of terms that one supposes that it does. The members of one's body are all in perfect unity, yet they are by no means equally valuable 26 or important. In like manner we may all ultimately be *' one with God," though as unequal with God the Creator as the various members of our body are unequal to the head. Jesus Christ expressly disclaims any equality between the Creator, Himself, or the Holy Spirit. What can be more explicit than his declaration, "The Father is greater than I"? and that the Holy Spirit which he was about to send to His Apostles was inferior to Himself is clearly enou^^h indicated by his saying concerning this "Spirit of Truth," " the Comforter," " He shall not speak of himself, hut whatso- ever he shall hear that shall he speak. lie shall (jlorify me, for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you " (John xvi. 13, li). Such words certainly imply inferiority to the Saviour. When theology is generally understood as a science it will be seen that the human race has necessarily but a limited 1'' me to exist on this earth; that the perfection of humanity must therefore be secured within that limited time, else the spirit of man will not be prepared for the great work required of it hereafter, when it must be asso- ciated with the Creator. There are some good reasons for supposing that the next alternation in our solar system will occur about two thousand years hence ; that then this earth and all the other planets will be converted instantly into flaming suns revolving round one great central habitable world to furnish it with a sufficiency of light and heat. Should it be sus- ceptible of proof that we have good reason to anticipate this great change within about two thousand years, surely that is little enough time in which to perfect humanity, even though great nations engaged heartily in so grand a 27 ■^m: work. "When we consider how little the world has advanced the last two thousand years, why should we expect it to advance much more rapidly the next two thousand yeara socially, morally, or intellectually, unless organised efforts on a grand scale are made for that express purpose? What tho world needs now more than anythii)g else is evidently some security against serious warfare between great nations. The High Court of Arbitration at Geneva may give us an idea how such a security may be provided. "Why not have a permanent high court of arbitration ? "Why should not Palestine be chosen as the permanent seat of such a "high court"? And why should not every nation be fairly represented in such a universal high court of arbitration as this would be ? Palestine occupies the central position between all the great continents of the earth : Asia being at its back, Europe on its right, and Africa at its left, while it is about equi-distant from America and Australia, the Medi- terranean and Red Seas being provided as great natural higliways to make its shores more easy of access. Geo- graphically its position could not possibly be better for such a purpose, and politically it is too insignificant to excite jealousy in any of the great nations. Besides, the religious sympathy of Christendom is naturally in favour of Palestine being chosen for such a purpose, especially as the ancient prophecies are very explicit on this subject. Did the nations once agree to such a universal high court of arbitration being permanently located in Pales- tine, wherein every nation would be fairly represented, of course there would never afterwards l)e the slightest excuse for one great nation going to war with another, for qsqty 28 mlsundevsfanJinfj between nations might tlien bn settled eqnitably by such a court. The whole world being ready to condemn any injustice, of course none would be done ; consequently all iirmies which are at present maintained to protect one nation from another might immediately be dispensed with, each nation ever after requiring but troops sutricient to secure ordei' within its own limits, the whole power of the combined world guaranteeing every nation perfect freedom from any serious aggression. All this is evidently quite practicable now that we have such an abundance of railroads, steamboats, and telegra[)hs, and the hearty exertion of a few thousand men in favour of so grand a work is all that is really now needed to make a universal permanent peace an established fact upon the earth ; so that the whole world may soon become but as one great nation for all practical purposes, and would doubtless prosper so marvoUously that after another thousand years man would bo prepared to become as one family, for the combined efforts of the nations during a thouhand years of universal peace and [>rosperity could scarcely fail, under tolerably wise direction, to make all the necessaries of life, such as food, clothing, and shelter, as free as air and water — as these may be supposed to be now within tiie limits of a moderately prosperous man's family. Conse- quently, then the making provision for the necessaries of life will not be the grand object of individual exertion, and the great cause of care and anxiety with every indi- vidual man generally, as it is now, for then there will be ample opportunities for the individual efforts to be directed into the superior channels of excellence in science, in art, in wisdom, iu knowledge, &c. And then we may hope that 1 29 ''^.^''c.^m- 1 the time will have come concerning which it is predicted that "the tabernacle of God sliall be wiih men, and He will dwell with them," &c. ; that man may then attain the highest degree of perfection of which his present compound nature is susceptible. In the meantime it rests with the men of this generation to prepare the way for this ultimate perfection of humanity, by now taking measures to make war between great nations impossiljle in future ; that burdensome standing armies may be dispensed with, and the etfbits of humanity in general directed towards the amelioration of the condition of the whole human family. Why should not a proportion of the British people take the initiative in so grand a work, by petitioning the Government of this country to propose to the other Governments of Ciiristendom that negotiations be immediately entered into with the ISultan of Turkey for the purchase of Palestine ; that that country may henceforth be the scat of a permanent higli court of arbitration, in which every nation may be fairly represented ; that there may be no exeu!-e for war hereufter, so that large standing armies may be immediately disbanded, with the exception only of that comparatively small proportion of militaiy which may be considered requisite to secure order within the limits of the respective Governments ? Each nation might agree to set apart a sum equal to the cost of its superfluous standing army for but one year, and this sum would doubtless be sufficient to pay the Sultan for all Palestine to its extreme limits, and also buy the good-' will of its present inhabitants, and construct a magnificent harbour at Acre, near ]\Iount Carmel (where one niifrht easily be constructed at comparatively little cost), and a 30 railroad from tliere to the Mount of OHve?, where suitable buildings might be erected for the accommodation of the permanent high court of arbitration and of the chosen re- presentatives of every nation in the earth ; and the surplus which might remain after doing all this might go towards the construction (and miiinteiiance for a few years) of lines of railway northwr.rd to Lebanon, southward to i^gypt, aud eastward to the Euphrates. Who can say that all this is not as practicable as many other enterprises which have already proved quite success- ful durint; this eventful century ? "Where is the real ditriculty ? If this enterprise were once fairly undertaken there is evidently none whatever. The movement needs only to be well commenced and the accomplishment of the object is assured. Let those, then, who are willing to realise such a beneficent object only declare themselves with the least possible delay, and there is little doubt that the result will be as favourable to all concerned as could be wished or hoped for by the most sanguine. Should such a permanent high court of arbitration not be established noiv, before Europe happens to become involved in a general war, it will certainly then be established on the ruins of Christeudom, after such a war shall have desobted the foremost nations of the earth, because after so severe a lesson men of this age will never hazard the repetition of such universal sorrow and distress for lack of a little fore • sight and prudent precaution. Consequently the question is not so much shall we establish a permanent high court of arbitration, for that must be done any way in self-defence sooner or later now that modern facilities of inter-communi- eation have bro'jght the nations so near together for good or 31 for evil ; but the question really is, Shall we lake this necessary precaution now against such a terrible cnhvinity threatening Europe and the world before the evil actually comes upon us ? or shall we rather wait a little while, and then take precautions against a repetition of the evil after Europe is desolated ? We should consider that the circumstances of the world are entirely changed now from what they were in the last generation, and if we are wise we should accommodate ourselves to the present changed condition of alTuirs. Eankhk & Co., I'l-inttTS, Brury Hou8e, St. Maiy-k'-Strancl, London, W.C.