on earth should prevent his sounding his trumpet. Accordingly, on Friday, the last day of September-three days only before the day of doom-he blows it loud, long, and strong. On Saturday he repeats the blast, and all Hotzendorf, and the country round about, assembled around him. The whole of Sunday was spent in hearing the confessions of the multitude, some of whom had come forty miles to hear him. Monday, the day of doom, the last the world would ever see, at length dawned.

Agreeably to previous arrangement, the congregation of believers early assembled in the church, which was solemnly prepared for the occasion. A sad and terrorstricken audience was that. Dark thoughts shot wildly through their minds. Gloomy forebodings swept drearily across their hearts. Suddenly they start from their awful reveries, for the prophet's step is heard on the threshold. All eyes are now fixed upon him as he moves with measured tread up the solemn aisle. He reverently ascends the sacred desk, impressed with a sense of the hour's importance. Now, with an air of sincerity and confidence, he rises to preach for the last time. Mark how easily and completely, with his "twenty-two irrefragable arguments," he overcomes the sophistry of cavilers! He divides the Scriptures into two parts, the verbal and the mathematical; and then proceeds to prove, what will surely be confirmed after the lapse of a few brief moments, that the day of Judgment is at the door. As the moment advances, he passes from argument to exhortation. Now the moment is about to strike. Deceived, as we have been so many times, we are half inclined to wish that Michael's prediction may be verified. We are almost willing to see the end of the world, since the end of such senseless prophesying will be involved in the catastrophe. There are good reasons, in this case, for supposing that the prediction may be true. The prophet is a learned man-a careful student of the ancient prophecies. Besides, he is a mathematician of considerable note, and has reached his conclusions through great labor and unexampled caution. And has he not over a score of unanswerable arguments in support of his prophecy? Surely, we are not to be disappointed this time. Hark! the clock strikes eight, the hour of doom! With unfaltering

confidence, and triumphant exultation, he cries, “Venit, Venit!"-and descends from the desk. Broken sighs and sobs from the awe-struck congregation respond to his exclamation. The hour, however, passes slowly onward, and the earth continues to revolve. The audience gather courage and composure, and begin to hope in the falsity of his prophecy. It is needless to say that the prophet grows uneasy. It would not be agreeable to be proved a false prophet in such a place, and under such circumstances. He would much prefer to meet his God in judgment, than to be the victim of the "tender mercies" of that enraged auditory. But an expression of assurance suddenly lights up his countenance. He discerns a thunder-cloud rising in the distance, and he remembers (strange that he should have forgotten it)that Christ declared that he should come in the clouds of heaven. Yon rolling storm-cloud surely is his chariot! Upon that he must be riding, and the judgment is about to sit, and the books to be opened. He makes another appeal to his auditors. He is answered, as at the first, with sighs and groans. But, lo! the deceptive stormcloud suddenly breaks! It is scattered by the winds, and no judge alights from its back. Fanaticism will endure much; and that fanatical congregation long await the expected doom in fearful apprehension. At length the patience even of their fanaticism begins to grow restive. The boldest and hungriest march out of the church with an expression gathered upon their brows which bodes evil to the prophet. The more timid and credulous soon follow. The last vestige of credence is now smitten down by the keen blade of outraged appetite, and the cry is heard," Bread! Bread!" But where is it to be obtained? They made no provision for the morrow ere they entered that church, believing that no morrow would ever dawn. Theirs is a desperate extremity, for hunger must be appeased, since the world still moves! Mortified and enraged, under the goadings of appetite, they soon become as unreasonable as when under the sway of fanaticism. Their ire must have vent upon some object, or they will perish in the attempt to suppress its throes. But upon whom shall it vent itself? Upon the cause of their delusion and suffering, of course.

And this it does.

Hard

The poor prophet is seized and carried to Wittenberg, where he is obliged publicly to confess his error. would have been his fate then had it not been for the shielding influence of his old friend, Luther. He was soon released from his "durance vile," and was quietly received by the people of Hotzendorf, till more suitable provision should be made for him. He died April 17th, 1567. Thus passed from the world one of the most notable prophets that ever alarmed its inhabitants. We now bid adieu to the once renowned Michael Stiefel. 13

We must pass by several minor prophets of this century, and come down to the next, the seventeenth century. Nor can we pause long here, although we meet several deserving of notice.

In 1658, one Walter Gastello published a book setting forth that God was soon to come in vengeance "to consume this too sinful city of London." Thomas Venner appeared about this time. On some accounts his is worthy of passing notice. Thomas acquired considerable property as a wine cooper. At length he became a millennarian, strongly convinced that Christ was soon to appear, and that all human governments would cease to exist. He regarded both Cromwell and Charles II. as usurpers of Christ's dominion. He persuaded his followers that it was their duty to rise and seize upon the kingdom, in the name of Christ. A rabble accordingly assembled in the streets, with Venner at their head, and proclaimed King Jesus. They were attacked by the militia, whom they desperately resisted, believing themselves invulnerable. They were at length overcome, and Venner, with twelve of his followers, were publicly executed, in January, 1660, or 1661. They affirmed to the last, that, "if they had been deceived, Christ himself was their deceiver."

John Mason, a somewhat noted enthusiast, appeared about this time. John was a minister at Water-Stratford, near Buckingham. He was a simple, pious man, and and somewhat erudite for the times. After a while, he became, to use another's language, "bewildered by the mysteries of Calvinism, and infatuated with millenary 13 North American Review, vol. 16.

notions. He was firmly persuaded that he was Elias, appointed to announce the near approach of Christ, who was soon to commence his millennial reign, and was to establish his throne at Water-Stratford." "Never," says another writer, "was there a scene of more frantic joy, expressed by singing, dancing, and all the wildness of enthusiastic gesture, and rapturous vociferation, than was for some time seen at Stratford, where a mixed multitude assembled to hail the approach of King Jesus. Every vagabond, and village-fiddler, that could be procured, bore part in the rude concert of this tumultuous jubilee." 14

In the latter part of this century, and the first of the eighteenth, a class of fanatics appeared, styled the French Prophets. They made their first appearance in Dauphiny, and Vivarais, about the year 1688. During this year, five or six hundred, of both sexes, claimed to be prophets. The burden of their prophecy was, that the reign of Christ was at hand-the final Judgment at the door. Three or four of this class passed over to England in 1706. Before the close of that year they made three or four hundred converts in and about London.

The eighteenth century was not barren of prophets. Whiston, the mathematician, appeared in this eventful century. He was a student of the ancient prophets, and calculated, from the data they furnish, the very day, and hour, of the world's destruction. A good anecdote is related of Whiston, who was better at cyphering than prophesying. He owned an estate which he was anxious to sell. He offered it to a friend on a thirty years' purchase. On hearing the proposal, his friend started with well-feigned astonishment. "What's the matter?" said Whiston," the price I ask is a fair one-less than others rate its value." "I do not wonder," replied the other, at what others may do; they may know no better; but you, Mr. Whiston, you, my friend, too, to ask of me thirty years' purchase, when you yourself know that, in less than half that time, all men's property will be common, and no man's estate worth six-pence."

Dr. Lloy, Bishop of Worcester, prophesied about this

14 Eccentricities of Literature, p. 230.

time, at the age of ninety. Lord Napier, the inventor of Logarythms, may be named in this category. He predicted the end of the world, and lived to see his prediction falsified, and to laugh at his folly. In 1772, a hermit, at Trieste, prophesied the total destruction of that city in May, 1772. Great alarm was the consequence. Many deluded people left the city. When the day passed, and the smoke of half-deserted Trieste was seen "gracefully curling" towards heaven, as usual, the public indignation was unbounded. It did not subside until the poor monk

was hung.

In the year 1761, two men appeared at Cologne, who said that they could speak in any language, and claimed to be heaven-sent, to make certain prophetic announcements, and turn men to repentance. The following were among the predictions they were commissioned to make: Constantinople will be destroyed in 1766. The true God will be acknowledged by all nations in 1767. A valiant man gives his testimony to it in 1768. England will be overflowed in 1769. There will be an earthquake all over the world in 1770. The sun, moon, and stars will fall in 1771. The globe of the earth will be burnt in. 1772. And the final judgment will be set in 1773. They had their day and their fanatical followers. 15

In the latter part of this century, the Methodist denomination was thrown into convulsions by the predictions of one George Bell. George prophesied that the end of the world was near. His prediction failed;-he turned infidel, and afterward found a "lower deep "-he became a rabid, conscienceless politician.

In the year 1780, occurred what is generally known as the "dark day." It excited great fear, especially throughout New-England. Many supposed that the "ends of the ages "had come, and that the "bright sun was extinguished." But that staid luminary rose quite brilliantly the next morning, and smiled upon the ignorance it duped the day before.

This enlightened nineteenth century, as we boastfully term it, has had its alarms, neither few in number nor limited in extent. The visit paid our orbit by the comet

15 Ecc. of Literature, pp. 234, 235.