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/283

 The twenty-first verse foretells a plague of great hail coming down from heaven upon men. This may signify, at least it seems to me that it symbolizes, what we have already seen described in the latter verses of the eleventh chapter of Daniel, namely, the irruption of the King of the North into the provinces of Europe, Asia, and Africa to the south of his dominions. We need not say how we believe that this prediction will be fulfilled. But a vast storm of mighty hail, such as that described by St. John, would aptly symbolize the irruption of mighty hosts from the north, bearing down upon the decayed and disorganized populations, whether of Turkey, on the one hand, or of Germany, Italy, France, and Spain, on the other. It is a remarkable fact, whatever be the ground for such an opinion, that there is a very prevalent belief on the continent, that Europe is now on the verge of a great political and social catastrophe, very analogous to what occurred at the close of the old Roman empire. When I was at Munich, in 1844, I heard this conviction expressed in the most positive terms by the late illustrious Görres, and it was shared by all other politicians and men of reflection with whom I conversed, whether at Munich, or generally on the continent. I do not think the events of 1848 can in any way have tended to diminish this conviction, or make it less prevalent; while the subsequent rush of Europe into the arms of absolutism, is certainly no sign of returning health. These violent changes from the extremes of democracy to the extremes of despo-