BIBLE PROPHECY RESPECTING THE TURK.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5041, 21 May 1877, Page 3

BIBLE PROPHECY RESPECTING THE TURK.

At the Wesleyan Church, Manners-street, on Sunday evening, the Rev. A. Reid delivered a sermon on the above subject to a large congregation. He took his text, or rather texts, for there were two of them, from Revelations »c. 16v., and 16c. 12 v.—“ And the nnm ber of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand; and X heard the number of them.” “ And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates ; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the .east might be prepared.” Mr. Reid said these two texts contained ample matter for several sermons. A craving for the knowledge of the future was general amongst men, and God had vouchsafed sufficient to enable man to prepare for his future state during his probation here on earth. Some people objected that the questions which agitated statesmen and politicians were merely political and not religious questions ; but as regarded the Turks there were distinct predictions in the Bible; indeed they occupied a considerable space in the sacred volume. He referred to the allegory of the seven seals, trumpets, and vials, and said the Turk was to be found under the sixth seal and the sixth vial. Whence did the Turk come 1 Why was he permitted to ravage Western Asia ? When and how was he to be removed ? Whence did the Turk come ? It was to the Saracens we were indebted for the introduction of the Turk to the rest of the world ; 100 years after the death of Mahomet they crossed the Pyrenees, but their progress was then arrested. The Saracens were those Arabs who embraced the doctrines of Mahomet, and made for a time rapid conquest, and overthrew the Turks in Bokhara'; who embraced Mahometanism and became the warriors to fight for the Turns, who became the masters. A compromise was subsequently effected whereby the Turk became the temporal lieutenant of Mahomet, and the Caliph the spiritual one. Constantinople fell into the hands of the Turks in 1153, up to which time they had been gradually, as it were, prepared for the event. Mr. Reid then referred to the seizure of Jerusalem by the Turks, and to the crusaders who went forth to rescue the holy places from the hands of the infidel, with poor results, although Jerusalem was recovej-ed for a time. The effect of the crusades on Europe was, however, of great importance. He then alluded to the conquest of the Moguls by the Ottoman, and other events of Eastern history, and said it was to be regretted that the patriotism and piety of Christian Europe did not take advantage of the internal dissension of the Turks long ago, to rescue Constantinople from the infidels in whose bands it now remained as a shame and defiance to Christian Europe. As to why the Turk was permitted to ravage Western Asia was pointed out by the text, and was because Christian men worshipped saints and images, and repented not of their murders and sorceries. He then alluded to the Inquisition, to the sale of indulgences, to the doctrine of purgatory, and to the fact (as stated by Blaekstone), that unless the Mortmain Act had been passed all the land in England would have passed from the lay owners to the Church. It was for these reasons that the Turks had been permitted to ravage Western Europe; and it was a question of deep importance bow far England was responsible for so far preventing the Turk from being driven from the capital. As to the removal of the Turk, the kingdom was now breaking to pieces, and but for the support of the Allied Powers Turkey would have ere now been in the hands of Russia. The sixth vial was being poured out. Turkey was going, and it was well that she should go. He did not say it was necessary to slaughter the Turks, but they must cease to be Turks. They must become civilised to be saved. They were committing suicide themselves by their barbarity. Turkey was in the world’s way, and must be wiped out unless she reformed and ceased her oppressions. The Turk should bemadeChristian, if possible; but the Christians nations were not now in a condition to undertake the task with much hope of success. The divisions in the Christian Church were the obstacles; but as the brotherly feeling which existed to a great extent amongst different denominations increased, ultimately the evangelisation of Turkey might take place. He urged the young especially to do what they could to convert the infidels of the Bast, by rising to a more exalted piety than their forefathers. There would be a, collection for foreign missions, and by that means something could be done towards the accomplishment of that great work, the evangelisation of Turkey and of China. At the close of the service a collection was made and liberally responded to.