h her teeming millions, and ask why she has not peopled the
world? for surely she could have done so long ago. But she barred her
own doors by making it unlawful for any of her subjects to leave the
flowery kingdom--forbidding heaven to such as should die outside. Now,
however, she must permit emigration or perish by famine. Take the
countries of Europe, and is it not strange that Israel's fulness of land,
people, and language is made the fuller by these nations contributing
towards the same? The fulness of the Gentiles is made to flow into the
fulness of Israel. These countries, outside of Israel-England, have no
colonies to send their overflow to; hence, they are filling up the domain
of Israel and so hastening on her fulness. The French, Germans,
Italians, and Spaniards forsake their land and language, thus adding to
Israel's fulness; for they chiefly settle down within the bounds of
Israel. To this Gentile fulness there was to be one strange
exception--that was in the Turkish nation. This nation is set forth by
the prophet under the figure of the River Euphrates. In their first
appearance they were to be very numerous. In the eleventh century they
began to invade Europe. The historian Gibbon, speaking of them, says:
"Myriads of Turkish horsemen overspread the whole Greek empire, until at
last Constantinople fell into their hands." From 1453 till now have they
held this grand capital. John, in Rev. ix., pictures this invasion, and
speaks of the number of horsemen. He speaks of them as having power in
their mouths and tails. This language is very expressive when we
remember the Moslem's war-cry, which was "The sword of Mahomet and of
God." And in one of the first of their great battles they lost their
standard; but, not long baffled, the commander-in-chief cut off the tail
of his beautiful steed, and, putting it on the end of a pole, hoisted it
as a standard. This ensign they long used. This kingdom, however, is to
dry up--that is, to disappear gradually, as a river dries up. All this
is taking place. Turkey sends emigrants nowhere. They are literally
dying out. In number they are fewer each year. Turkey will pass away
for want of Turks. Her territory will be taken away from her gradually.
How remarkable the dealings of Providence with men and nations!

Up to the point of Gentile fulness, Israel was to be partly blind, for
God's plans, through Israel, were to remain a mystery for a time. "For I