from place to place, and the transmission of
intelligence from point to point, stood about where it did in the days
of the patriarchs. Suddenly waters of that long stream over whose
drowsy surface scarcely a ripple of improvement had passed for three
thousand years, broke into the white foam of violent agitation. The
world awoke from the slumber and darkness of ages. The divine finger
lifted the seal from the prophetic books, and brought that predicted
period when men should run to and fro, and knowledge should be
increased. Then men bound the elements to their chariots, and reaching
up laid hold upon the very lightning and made it their message-bearer
around the world. Nahum foretold that at a certain time the chariots
should be with flaming torches and run like the lightnings. Who can
behold in the darkness of the night, the locomotive dashing over its
iron track, the fiery glare of its great lidless eye driving the shadows
from its path, and torrents of smoke and sparks and flame pouring from
its burning throat, and not realize that ours are the eyes that are
privileged to look upon a fulfillment of Nahum's prophecy. But when this
should take place, the prophet said that the times would be burdened
with the solemn work of God's preparation.

"Canst thou send lightnings," said God to Job, "that they may go and say
unto thee, Here we are?" If Job were living to day, he could answer,
Yes. It is one of the current sayings of our time that Franklin tamed
the lightning, and Prof. Morse taught it the English language.

So, in every department of the arts and sciences, the advancement that
has been made within the last half century is without precedent in the
world's history. And in all these the United States take the lead. These
facts are not, indeed, to be taken as a fulfillment of the prophecy, but
they show the spirit of the age in which we live, and point to this time
as a period when we may look for wonders of every kind.

The particular wonders to which the prophecy refers are evidently
wrought for the purpose of deceiving the people; for verse 14 reads,
"And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by means of those miracles
which he had power to do in the sight of the beast." This identifies the
two-horned beast with the false prophet of Rev. 19:20; for this false
prophet is the power that works miracles before the beast, "with which,"
says John, "he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast,
and them