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    THE MANNER OF ITS RISE

    John says, [verse 11,] “I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth.” Here is the peculiar manner of its rise: “ Out of the earth.”TBUS 19.2

    The four beasts, [Daniel 7,] also the first beast [Revelation 13,] are said to rise out of the sea, [sea, or “waters,” denoting “people, nations,” etc; Revelation 17:15,] by the striving of the winds. These winds, are not the literal winds of heaven. But they symbolize something connected with the movements of the people, like the operations of the winds upon the water. The winds cause raging waves of the sea which cast up mire and dirt. So here are commotions among the people, which caused kingdoms to arise; [aggressive wars;] symbolized by the blowing of the winds of heaven. It was by aggressive wars that the four kingdoms of Daniel 7, arose.TBUS 19.3

    John saw a beast, or kingdom, “coming up out of the earth.” No winds striving, but it comes up, seeming to indicate an independent rise; not from the help of others, or by aggressive wars, but contrary to the rise of the first beasts, it seems to have its nourishing qualities within itself; or like the plants of earth, exists subject to such principles as impart to it power to extract from those objects around it that nourishment which is congenial to its growth. “It comes up,” and creates no great stir in its first steps of onward progress; but is seen a distinct government, like a weed in some secluded garden. Our attention has been attracted by the plants. Uncultivated, unobserved, a weed has made its appearance. So with these United States in their first appearance as a nation, on the stage of action. A few met in convention, and with boldness framed their declaration, and announced to the world that they were an independent people, and should maintain their just rights.TBUS 20.1

    These United States, since 1798, when first noticed in the prophecy, have not risen by wars and conquest, but by means of that which existed within themselves. Their form of government is such that it attracts other people and States to unite themselves to the Federation; and thus cause a growth in numbers, territory, and industry; or cause the beast to “come up.” Some object, saying that there has been a bloody war in these United States; the revolution. That war was before the beast occupies a place in the vision. The Revelator introduces his career at the point where the Papal beast is led into captivity, 1798. When first introduced in prophecy, it is a beast with two horns, speaking; which shows that it had already commenced its work, and rise, when presented before him. To show that this power has not risen by war, but in the manner already presented, I will copy from the Dublin Nation.TBUS 20.2

    “In the East there is arising a colossal centaur called the Russian Empire. With a civilized head and front, it has the sinews of a huge barbaric body. There one man’s brain moves 70,000,000. There all the traditions of the people are of aggression and conquest in the West. There but two ranks are distinguishable—serfs and soldiers. There the map of the future includes Constantinople and Vienna as outposts of St. Petersburg.TBUS 21.1

    “In the West an opposing and still more wonderful American empire is EMERGING. We Islanders have no conception of the extraordinary events which, amid the silence of the earth, are daily adding to the power and pride of this gigantic nation. Within three years territories more extensive than these three kingdoms, France and Italy put together, have been quietly and in almost ‘matter of course’ fashion annexed to the Union.TBUS 21.2

    “Within seventy years, seventeen new sovereignties, the smallest of them larger than Great Britain, have peaceably united themselves to the Federation. No standing army was raised, no national debt sunk, no great exertion was made, but there they are. And the last mail brings news of the organization of three more great States about to be joined to the thirty. Minnesota in the North-west; Deseret in the South-west, and California on the shores of the Pacific. These three States will cover an area equal to one half the European Continent.TBUS 21.3

    “Nor is this a mere addition on the map-it is not piling barren Pelion upon uncultivated Ossa. It is an actual conquest of new strength and resources. Already has Minnesota its capital-St. Paul-which has its journals, churches, schools, parties, interests and speculations. The Mormon founders of Deseret are doing what the Puritans did in Massachusetts two centuries ago-taking care to possess themselves of the best lands and waters in their new State. Instead of becoming a lawless horde of adventurers, the settlers in California, are founding cities, electing delegates, magistrates, sheriffs, and Congressmen, as methodically and as intently as if they trod the beaten paths of life on the Atlantic shores of the Continent.TBUS 22.1

    “And with this increase of territory, there is a commensurate increase of industry in the older States. The census of 1850 about to be taken in the United States, will show a growth of numbers, territory and industry, entirely unexampled in human history. Let the ‘gray powers of the old world’ look to it-let the statesmen of France, Germany, and Russia, read the census carefully though it should startle them. Let despotism count every man of these millions as a mortal enemy, and every acre of that vast commonwealth as an inheritance of mankind mortgaged to the cause of freedom. America is as grand a field for enterprise as when the ships of Columbus first neared the shores of Guanihana.”TBUS 22.2

    The foregoing quotation illustrates fully the manner in which this power has arisen. As marked out in the prophecy, it has “come up out of the earth.” Grown to its present magnitude without the clash of arms or national debts, while with the other kingdoms it has been just the reverse.TBUS 23.1

    We shall next noticeTBUS 23.2

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