s would come and go, but events would not
happen as you had prophesied. Each generation would take your report and
follow in your footsteps, thus confusion and disappointment would keep
pace with the passing generations.

What is here made a matter of supposition, has been a solemn fact on the
line of human experience. Men have studied the Bible and Providence in
this ignorant and confused way. Theologians have thrown aside all
restraints, and well-defined limitations and distinctions of the Bible in
their assumed liberty of expounding and spiritualising the same. No
matter to them that there is a God-revealed distinction between Judah and
Israel, Manasseh and Ephraim, Samaritans and Gentiles, and the throne of
David and the throne of the heathen. Writers and speakers are guilty of
using the words Judah and Israel in a synonymous sense, though the words
stand for different people, history, and prophecies, soon after the
descendants of Jacob settled in Palestine. To aid you in seeing this
historical confusion and folly, let me call your attention to them
separately.

JUDAH.

What does this word stand for in the Bible? In the _first_ place it is
the name of the fourth son of Jacob. In the _second_ place it was the
name of his direct descendants or Tribe. In the _third_ place it became
the name of the portion of the country occupied by this Tribe in the
Promised Land. In the _fourth_ place it became the name of a kingdom and
government; this fourth name included the Tribe of Benjamin and their
territory. In the _fifth_ place it became the name of the whole country
of Palestine, and is now often so used. To-day this word stands for
those we call Jews, who, as they allow among themselves, represent and
only include Judah and Levi.

On the death of Solomon the country and Tribes finally separated into two
Houses, kingdoms, and governments. Nine Tribes went with Jeroboam, and
three with Rehoboam--namely, Judah, Levi, and Benjamin. The nine-tribed
House was called Israel, the three-tribed House Judah. This separation
was about 975 B.C. (1 Kings xii.). From that day to this these two
Houses have never been united; but they are to be, as scores of
statements to that effect are in the good Book (Hosea i. 11). About 580
B.C. the House of Judah was taken captive into Babylon, remaining 70
years, then they returned to their own land and remained till the year of
our Lord 70, when Jerusalem was destroyed and