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Introduction.

By Mr. M. W. Green.

To the student of prophecy the Book of Daniel will of necessity occupy a most important place, and its realistic pictures of the events to occur in the latter days, willform a chief portion of study. Of Daniel himself very little more is known than is recorded in the Book itself. That he was descended from one of the highest of the Judean families, if not from royalty itself, seems clear from the statement in the first chapter of the Book (i, 3), and from Josephus (Ant. b. x. ch., § 1). The circumstances of his captivity in Babylon, with the eventful life he led there, will be known to every reader of the Bible; and the striking coincidences existing between the events described in the visions of Daniel and the facts of history, are too numerous and clear to escape the attention of even the most superficial reader of the Book.

One of the most interesting problems of the present day is as to the condition of the Israelites during the later periods of the present dispensation. In looking into the Scriptures we find certain very remarkable promises made in reference to them. It was said to Abraham that his seed should be as the stars for multitude, as the sand upon the sea-shore, and as the dust of the earth. No language could possibly more clearly indicate immense multitudes than that which is used. On coming out of Egypt they numbered 603,550 fighting men over 20 years of age. Considering that the tribe of Levi was not included in this enumeration, and making reasonable allowance for the women and children, their number on leaving Egypt could not have been less than about two millions. In Deuteronomy (ch. i, 10-11) Moses speaks of them as already being as the stars for multitude compared with their small beginning, and then adds these very important words: "The Lord God of your fathers make you a thousand times so many more as ye are, and bless you, as he hath promised you!" Here, then, we have intimation that the promise of God to the Israelites involved their becoming at some period of their history at least two thousand millions in number.

But another remarkable promise made to the Israelites was that they should extend east, west, north, and south; that they should possess the gates, or strong places, of their enemies; that of them should arise a nation and a company of nations; and that in them, as the seed of Abraham, all the nations of the earth should be blessed. It needs little acquaintance with the past to know that by the people who have been looked upon as Israelites this comprehensive promise has never been page break realized; and taking into account the fact that we are now beyond doubt in the latter days of the dispensation when the promises should be fulfilled, it appears impossible that these promises can be fulfilled to the ten or twelve millions of Jews who are scattered over the world.

The question then arises, "Have the promises of God failed, or does the seed of Abraham exist now, having a national organisation, but ignorant of their ancient and noble origin?" The first part of the question cannot possibly be, but the second part may be true. How, then, can this be ascertained? Let us suppose a case. We find certain promises made in Scripture respecting a certain people, but having lost the means of identifying this people, we are unable to show that the promises have been fulfilled. In looking upon the nations around, however, we find one in whom all the promises which were made to this "certain people" are fulfilled, or seem on the point of being fulfilled, to the very letter. In seeking to know the origin of the nation in whom the predictions are fulfilled, we trace them to a certain place, and as living there at a certain time, and migrating thence westward. In looking now to the history of the people to whom the promises were made, we find this singular fact—viz., that they were transported as captives from their own land to the very place, and at the very time, where, and at which, we find the original ancestors of the one nation now in possession of the fulfilled promises. If our supposed case be a true one, would it not amount to a demonstration that the "certain people" to whom the promises were originally made, and the one nation in whom they were found fulfilled, were one and the same people Such appears to be the only reasonable conclusion.

That the ancestors of the British nation are traceable up to the very point in place and time, where, and when, the ten tribes were carried captive by the King of Assyria, and from which captivity the body of them never returned, seems beyond doubt, and thus suggests a common origin. That the promises made to the Israelites are already in large measure fulfilled in the British, seems equally clear. That Britain possesses the gates or strong places of those who were the enemies of Israel may be learned from any map of the British possessions. That she has become a nation (America) and a company of nations (Britain and her Colonies) is equally well demonstrated. That by her mercantile and missionary agencies Britain is becoming a blessing to all the nations of the earth is an established fact of which every Briton may well be proud. That she is destined to exercise an overpowering sway among all the nations is supported by a comparison of her rapid development during the last decade. Her bank deposits in 1869 were £22,000,000; in 1879 they were nearly £40,000,000 sterling. The thrift of her people is shown by deposits in savings banks in 1869 of £51,000,000, and in 1879 of £76,000,000. The letters passing through the post office have increased from 874,000,000 in 1869 to 1,239,000,000 in 1879. Her population is increasing at the rate double that of any other nation in the world, and treble that of many. Her language is spoken in every part of the globe, and some of the learned savans of the most advanced nations predict that it page break will become the universal language of the earth. Her imports have steadily increased, so that notwithstanding the disturbed condition of Europe during the last few years, the difference from 1869 and in favour of 1879 is £12,000,000. The carrying capacity of the British and Coloniallyowned vessels is nearly twenty million tons, or about equal to the aggregate of that owned by all the other nations of the world. Statistics prove that crime and pauperism are decreasing within her boundaries, so that while in 1869 the number of convicted prisoners was 14,340, in 1879 it was 12,525; the number of paupers in 1869 being 1,281,000, and in 1879 1,037,000. At the same time education also is advancing, so that from 1869 to 1879 there is a difference of 122 per cent, in favour of the latter date. The data all seem clearly to indicate that a point of pre-eminent glory yet lies before Britain.

The purpose of the writer in the following pages has been to show that this pre-eminence of Britain is clearly indicated in the vision of the golden-headed image of Nebuchadnezzar and the stone cut out without hands. The subject is one of intense interest, and the writer has endeavoured to deal with it in a fair and dispassionate manner. The principle of interpretation suggested seems the only reasonable one, and causes the meaning of the entire vision to shine out as a sunbeam. The facts presented are the result of close reading and careful study, and seem conclusively to establish the position taken, that the fifth kingdom which the God of Heaven was about to set up, and which, in its beginnings, is represented as a stone cut out without hands, which smites the image on its feet, and ultimately fills the whole earth, is none other than the British nation. Though the conclusion is one of startling import, and one from which those who have not considered the subject may shrink, yet a careful study of the several facts presented will amply repay the reader.

The author desires to acknowledge that in some instances he has worked upon suggestions and arguments, in these pages, found in the writings of the following contributors to British-Israel literature:—

Philo Israel, editor of "The Banner of Israel;"

Rev. Dr. Joseph Wild, author of "The Lost Ten Tribes and 1882;"

Edward Hine, editor of "Life from the Dead," &c.;

J. G. Shaw, author of "Britain, the Fifth and Unconquerable Empire;"

Cymru, "When did the Hebrews first settle in Britain?"

Colonel Gawler, "Dan the Pioneer of Israel," &c.;

Carpenter. The Israelites Found;"

Rev. F. R. A. Glover, M.A., "The Remnant of Judah;"

Rev, B. W. Savile, "Are we Israelites?"

Bishop Titcomb. "The Israelitish Post Bag;"

Professor Tanner, in "Life from the Dead;"

J. W. Forrest—"The Saxons of the East and West;"

And many others whose names are not within reach.

He also wishes to convey, in this form, his sincere thanks to Mr. M. W. Green, Christian Minister, of this city, for the excellent and concisely put argument, which introduces this pamphlet to the reader.

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