Yers. 18--21.-Second vision: four hO'Nl,S and four cat-penters. "Then lifted I up mine eyes, and saw, and behold four horns. And I said unto the angel that to.lked with me, What be these? And he answered me, These are the horns which ho.ve scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem," etc. This is the second vision that the prophet had that night. The "horn" in the Dible is a symbol of power (Amos vi. 13). The horns here represent possibly those worldly kingdoms which had been, or were to be, opposed to the Jewish people, namely, Babylon, Persia., Greece, and Rome. 'fhese four were symbolized in the colossal figure which filled the imagination of Nebuchadnezzar in his dream. Whom do the "four carpenters" symbolize, or, as some translate it, the "four smiths"? Undoubtedly, those instruments by which the moral Governor of the world overcomes all the enemies of truth and right. The interpreting angel says, in relation to these four smiths, or workmen, that they had "come to fray," or terrify and cast down, the hostile powers represented by the horns. This vision presents to us the cause of right on the earth, and suggests two thoughts in relation to it. I. THAT THE CAUSE OF RIGHT ON THE EARTH HAS STRONG ANTAGONISTS. Here are four horns, four mighty powers, all of which are in dead hostility to the covenant people. They are represented as those who have "scattered Judah, so that no man did lift np his head." The enemies of the true scatter and crush. Though Babylon, Persia, Greece, 11.Dd Rome have long since passed away, the horns, or the mighty powers of evil, are still here, and are at work. What are they? Reigning materialism is a horn ; practical atheism is a horn; intolerant superstition is a horn; and dominant sel,fi.shness is a born. All these mighty forces are ever at work in order to destroy the cause of right and truth upon the earth. They are the "principalities a.ncl powers of darkness," against which all that is righteous, true, and pure upon the earth have to wrestle for existence. II. THAT THE CA USE OF T.RUTH UPON THE EARTH HAS DIVINE DEFENDEitS. Here are four carpenters, or smiths, who appear to "fray them, to cast out the horns of the Gentiles." Mark, the defenclers were: 1. Men, not angels. God saves man by man. "rho were the fir~t apostles? 2. Working men. Toilers, labourers. It is man as man, not philosopher, poet, king, millionaire, that has to battle for the right. The greatest moral victories have been won by men in the lower walks of life. 3. They were skill.ed men. These men had a trade; they were craftsmen; they had been trained to the work they undertook. There is a skill required in order to strike effec- tively at the errors and wrongs of life. Stupid men, however good their intentions, accomplish but little, if anything, io the noble cause. They must be men of good natural sagacity, and that sagacity trained by the Spirit of God. ~ man to convert souls must have as much aptitude for the work as the carpenter has rn orde1· to shape tbe wood to his purpose, or the smith to mould and shape the metals. CoNcLusroK. Thank God that if the" horns" are here, there are carpenters here also to bring them to rnin, and to build up the blessed kingdom of truth and righteousness. -D.T.
EXPOSITION.
OHAPTER ll revelation of God's mercy to Israel. Oon- sequent on the destruction of enemies shall Vere. 1-13.--§ 5. The third f1iaion: the be the growth and development of the rM1L with the meat1uri'll9•line. chosen people till the time of their fl nal glory (comp. eh. i. 16). There id some Ver. 1.-(Heb. ii 5.) I lifted up mine difficulty in arranging the details of this eyes again (comp. eh. v. 1; vi. I; Dan. vision, depending in great measure on the viii. 3). This third vision makes a further decision we arrive at with regard to the OTT, II, 1-13.] THE BOOK OF ZECHARJAH. 17