The Fulfilment [Fulfillment] of Prophecy Concerning the Arabs

The history of the Arabs, so opposite in many respects to that of the Jews, but as singular as theirs, was concisely and clearly foretold.-It was prophesied concerning Ishmael:-"He will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand will be against him: and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren. I will make him fruitful, and multiply him exceedingly; and I will make him a great nation. Gen. xvi 12; xvii. 20.

The fate of Ishmael is here identified with that of his descendants; and the same character is common to them both. The historical evidence of the fact, the universal tradition, and constant boast of the Arabs themselves, their language, and preservation for many ages of an original rite, derived from him as their primogenitor, confirm the truth of their descent from Ishmael. The fulfilment [fulfillment] of the prediction is obvious. Even Gibbon, while he attempts from the exceptions which he specifies to evade the force of the fact, that the Arabs have maintained a perpetual independence, acknowledges that these exceptions are temporary and local; that the body of the nation has escaped the yoke of the most powerful monarchies; and that "the arms of Sesostris and Cyrus, of Pompey and Trajan, could never achieve the conquest of Arabia." But even the exceptions which he specifies, though they are justly stated, and though not coupled with such admissions as invalidate them, would not detract from the truth of the prophecy. The independence of the Arabs was proverbial in ancient as well as in modern times; and the present existence, as a free and independent nation, for a people who derive their descent from so high antiquity, demonstrates that they have never been wholly subdued, as all the nations around them have unquestionably been; and that they have ever dwelt in the presence of their brethren. They not only subsist unconquered to this day, but the prophesied and primitive wildness of their race, and their hostility to all, remains unsubdued and unaltered. "They are a wild people; their hand is against every man; and every man's hand is against them." In the words of Gibbon, which strikingly assimilate with those of the prophecy, they are armed against mankind." Plundering is their profession. Their alliance is never courted, and can never be obtained; and all that the Turks, or Persians, or any of their neighbors can stipulate for from them, is a partial and purchased forbearance. Even the British, who have established a residence in almost every country, have entered the territories of the descendants of Ishmael to accomplish only the premeditated destruction of a fort and to retire. It cannot be alledged [alleged] with truth, that their peculiar character and manner, and its interrupted permanency, are the necessary results of the nature of their country. They have continued wild and uncivilized, and have retained their habits of hostility towards all the rest of the human race, though they possessed for three hundred years countries the most opposite in their nature from the mountains of Arabia. The greatest part of the temperate zone was included within the limits of the Arabian conquests; and their empire extended from the confines of India to the shores of the Atlantic, and embrace a wider range of territory than ever was passed by the Romans, those boasted masters of the world.-The period of their conquest and dominion was sufficient, under such circumstances, to have changed the manners of any people: but, whether in the land of Shinah, or in the valleys of Spain, on the banks of the Tigris, or the Tagus, in Arabia the blessed, or Arabia, the barren, the prosperity of Ishmael have ever maintained their prophetic character; they have remained, under every change of condition, a wild people; their hand has still been against every man, and every man's hand against them.

The natural reflection of a recent traveler, on examining the peculiarities of an Arab tribe, of which he was an eye-witness, may suffice, without any art of controversy, for the illustration of this prophecy: "On the smallest computation, such must have been the manners of those people for more than three thousand years: thus in all things verifying the prediction given of Ishmael at his birth, that he, in his posterity, should be a wild man, and always continue to be so, though they shall dwell for ever in the presence of their brethren.-And that an acute and active people, surrounded

for ages by polished and luxurious nations, should from their earliest to their latest times, be still found a wild people, dwelling in the presence of all their brethren, (as we may call those nations,) unsubdued and unchangeable, is indeed a standing miracle; one of those mysterious facts which establish the truth of prophecy."

Recent discoveries have brought to light the miraculous preservation and existence, as a distinct people, of a less numerous, but no less interesting race; "a plant which grew up under the mighty cedar of Israel, but was destined to flourish when that proud tree was leveled to the earth." "Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before me forever."-Jer. xxxv 19. The Rechabites still exist, "a distinct and easily distinguishable" people.-They boast of their descent from Rechab. profess pure Judaism, and all know Hebrew. Yet they live in the neighborhood of Mecca, the chief seat of Mahometanism, and their number is stated to be sixty thousand. The account given of them by Benjamin of Tudela, in the twelfth century, has very recently been confirmed by Mr. Wolff, and, as he witnessed, and heard from an intrepid "Rechabite cavalier," there is not a man wanting to stand up as a son of Rechab.

TIMES AND SEASONS

CITY OF NAUVOO,

AUGUST 15, 1845.

THE DAY WE LIVE IN-There never was a more eventful day, than the one we live in. The spring and summer brought us such a catalogue of disaster by water and calamities by land that the very 'report of them was a vexation; and now while the elements seem to rest a little from the work of ruin among men, the angry passions of the people are awaking for a pastime of vengeance. The freedom of the press is trampled under foot in Kentucky, and a printing establishment transported to another State. In New York the Landlord and tenant have commenced an argument, ad hominem, to free a free government of the relics of nobility and monarchy. One man has been killed in Delaware county in indeavoring [endeavoring] to make sale of property for rent upon a Landlord's warrant; and as the passions of men are now easily excited, more victims than one may expect to be sacrificed.

The day we live in, is full of very important events. The whole earth seems to be in commotion, and, with what inexpressible joy ought every saint to keep the commandments which have been given for the salvation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints!

If salvation had been, in ancient times, as plenty in Egypt as in the land of Canaan, would there have been any need of leading Israel out of bondage? If God be served as well in Babylon as in Jerusalem, why was the Temple of Solomon reared in the latter city? We throw out these hints to awaken the saints abroad to their duty. Trouble, vexation, yea, a day of anguish and wrath, is at the doors of this generation; and instead of better times, look out for worse: yea, prepare for that day when he that will not take up the sword and fight his neighbor, must, of necessity, flee to Zion for safety.

The words of the Savior to the Jews must be applied to the Gentiles: "O Jerusalem., Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold your house is left unto you desolate."