Page:Mahometanism in its relation to prophecy - or, an inquiry into the prophecies concerning antichrist, with some reference to their bearing on the events of the present day (IA mahometanisminit00philrich).pdf/165

 were so remarkably conspicuous in Saracenic history.

The Apostle continues, "and the dragon gave him his own strength and great power." What can be more characteristic of Mahometanism than this prophecy? If ever there was an empire of which this was eminently true, it surely was the great Mahometan Saracenic empire. The dragon had given a portion of his strength and power to the other great empires, but as they all possessed it in common, and none of them had it in any superior degree over the rest, it could hardly be a characteristic distinction of any one of them in particular. But here in the case of this Apocalyptic beast, it is given as a most special characteristic, that it was to be emphatically the seat of Satan's power. Now either Mahometanism came from the devil, or it did not; if it did, then in that ease it was a political and religious system, endowed with vast power and territorial strength, raised up for the special purpose of warfare with Christianity and the true religion of God. That this was the special mission of Mahometanism is what it asserted of itself, and what has been fully borne out by its history from the beginning up to the present day. Assuming, then, the truth of Christianity and the falsehood of Mahometanism, no