Austria were comprised within the limits of the Roman Empire." We need not be surprised, therefore, if Hungary becomes divorced from Austria, and the latter severs her alliance with the German Empire. And when that division comes, if not before, we may expect Italy to retrieve all the territory that rightly belongs to her.

4. As to the nations farther south and east, there can be little doubt that Bulgaria will withdraw her loyalty from Germany, and that Rumania will be enabled to break the chains now binding her to the same empire on the one hand and to Russia on the other.

5. Palestine will not return to the Turk, and Armenia at last will be delivered from the awful bondage of the same tyrant.

IV

We had pursued our study of the map to this point, when there was freshly brought to our attention a recent volume, "The Roman Empire in Prophecy," by W. E. Vine, M. A., an English Bible student, collaborator with Dr. Hogg in a valuable commentary on Paul's Epistles to the Thessalonians. His work on the Roman Empire was the outcome of conversations with inquirers since the outbreak of the present war, in which he drew upon the study he had given to the subject for over twenty years.

He raises the question as to whether Germany is to be considered a part of the Roman Empire because of the conquest and rule of Charlemagne in the eighth century, but apparently dismisses it in favour

of the principle of interpretation spoken of above; namely, that within the meaning of the prophecy, the Roman Empire stands for its limits at the close of the first century of the Christian era.

With this principle in mind, he notices "certain circumstances of past and present history suggestive of future issues," from which, even at the risk of some repetition, it is interesting to quote, because of its corroboration of the above:

1. Commencing with north Africa, the author observes that practically the same strip of territory which belonged to the Roman Empire in the times of the apostles has passed directly under the government of countries which were themselves then within the empire; and no country then outside of the empire has been permitted to annex that territory since the Saracens and Turks were dispossessed of it.

2. Passing to Asia, the present war has already dispossessed Turkey of Mesopotamia, and most of Armenia and Palestine, and brought them under the control of Great Britain, a country of the Roman Empire.

3. As to Greece, it obtained its ancient province of Macedonia as an outcome of the Balkan War of 1912, and to-day its boundaries are approximately what they were in the Roman Empire.

4. The dual monarchy of Austria-Hungary was partly within and partly without the Roman Empire. What are now Hungary, Transylvania, and Bessarabia were without, while Pannonia or Austria west of the Danube was within. Even when, in a later century Dacia (now Transylvania, Bessarabia, etc.)

was annexed, the two parts of the present dual kingdom were separate. And we all know, as Mr. Vine says, that "the separation of the two parts has been a practical question of European politics for some time, and may be hastened by present events.

5. "The northern and northeastern boundaries of Italy embraced the Trentino and the peninsula of Istria. Noticeable, therefore, are the present efforts of Italy to acquire these very districts, efforts which are likely to achieve success.

6. "Roman states north of Italy covered what are now Baden, Würtemberg, Luxemburg and a large part of Bavaria, the possibility of an eventual severance of which from Prussian domination has been much discussed of late.

7. "The Rhenish provinces of Alsace and Lorraine, originally part of the Roman province of Gallia (now France) were snatched from that country by Germany in the Franco-Prussian war of 1870-71. Their recovery is a supreme object of the efforts of the French in the present war."

Our author speaks in an equally interesting manner of England and her colonies, and also of the United States, should the latter continue in alliance with her, but space will not permit further attention to the subject at this time. He would be understood. as speaking not dogmatically, however, but by way of suggestion only, and yet that the Scripture will be absolutely fulfilled he has no doubt, though the exact mode of its accomplishment is known only to God.

QUESTIONS ON THE LESSON

1. Summarize the previous lesson.

2. What was the point of the previous lesson to be proved in the present one?

3. What period of the Roman Empire is in mind?

4. Name the nations of the Roman Empire in Europe, Asia and Africa.

5. What makes for their great responsibility?

6. What is obvious as to certain countries external to the Roman Empire?

7. What division of German territory is likely to take place?

8. What is likely to happen in the Austrian empire? 9. What about the Balkans and Palestine?

10. What authority is quoted in this lesson in addition to Mr. Newton?

11. What does he say about North Africa?

12. About Asia and Greece?

13. About Austria-Hungary and Italy?

14. About Germany and France?

XX

IS THE KAISER THE ANTICHRIST?

A

I

MONG the many questions in the realm of prophecy which have arisen during the war, one of the most persistent has been, "Is the Kaiser the Antichrist?" which we consider in this chapter.

Two or three months ago occasion was had to correspond with several Bible teachers who are authorities in prophetic study, when the question of the Kaiser's being the Antichrist was taken up. The letters were so interesting and informing that permission was obtained to publish some of them.

I

The first is from the Rev. I. M. Haldeman, D. D., pastor of the First Baptist Church, Seventy-ninth Street and Broadway, New York City, who writes:

"There are many things in the career, attitude and speech of the Kaiser, together with his victorious march to the East, which suggest the Antichrist. Should he succeed as he is now endeavouring to do in raising an army of a million or two of Asiatics; should he take possession of Persia, Armenia and the Euphratean valley; set up a kingdom from Bagdad