THE following letter, written fully seventy seven years ago, never, so far as we know, found its way before now into print, yet it seems to us well worth printing. The author, Lieut.-Colonel W. Matthews, had a remarkable prevision of the improvements that should take place by and by in locomotion, and the way in which he connects that prevision with matters of prophetic interest which are very much in the foreground at the present hour, is fitted to give readers profitable meditation. We owe our use of this letter to a kind friend at Rainham, Kent. J. R. M.
To the Rev. Henry Birch,
Waterloo Place, Cranbrook, Kent.
My dear Friend,—As you have my original observations on the times, which I wrote to our late friend, Dr. Butler, in November last, I wish you would add my present observations to them, as I am writing out a copy for my old friend, Richard Douch, at Eastburn, Sussex, and I shall add to it what I am now going to write to you, which will complete all I wish to say on the subject. Since I wrote to Dr. Butler, a friend has objected to me that the Saviour’s question, “But can ye not discern the signs of the times?” is addressed to hypocrites (Matt. xvi. 3), and, therefore, cannot apply to the sincere believer. My answer to which is, that Christ adopts the same method with His own people; for when John the Baptist sent two of His disciples to Christ to ask Him, “Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?” He does not say, “Go and tell John I am He”; but refers them to the signs of the times, saying, “Go, and show John again those things which ye do hear and see; the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he whosoever is not offended in me” (Matt. xi. 3-6). So, also, when the disciples asked Him as to the end of the world and other things, when it should be (Matt. xxiv. 3), He does not tell them when it should take place, but gives them a description of the signs of these times.
There is one peculiar sign of the present times, which I did not intend to notice, but, on reflection, think it as well to do so; although I shall no doubt be well laughed at and ridiculed for my opinion, but that will not hurt or affect me, I mean the quickness of travelling by sea and land with steam power. All this is preparatory to the next, or Philadelphian, church state; if not, in conjunction with the pouring out of the seven last vials of wrath, the first dawn or harbinger of the glorious morning of the Church. But wonderful as those modes of travelling are, I think it is nothing to what is yet to come, either for ease or swiftness. My belief is, we shall be able to fly in the air with as much safety as we now travel by sea in steam-vessels, or on land-railroads with steam carriages. I have no doubt that this will be brought to pass before Rome’s final destruction, and will be one of the principal signs of the times before that event takes place. My reason for so thinking is this: At Anti-Christ’s destruction the gospel in its original purity is to be preached to all nations: and John says, “I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.” (Rev. xiv. 6.) The angel here is not an angel by nature, but by office, the same as the seven angels of the seven churches mentioned in the second and third chapters of Revelation, that is, ministers of the gospel. John in vision saw him, “fly in the midst of heaven.” And I expect to see it in reality, however improbable it may appear at present.
When Colonel Fulton built his first steam vessel in America, it was called, in derision, “Fulton’s folly.” The same Colonel Fulton offered to build steam vessels for Bonaparte in 1803, to bring his gunboats and fleet to the English coast in a dead calm, but Bonaparte scouted the idea of such a thing. It was only in 1815 the first steam vessel ran in the river Thames, and I can well remember how it was laughed at and ridiculed, and yet to what perfection it has been brought!
A fish, by means of its fins and tail, can swim against the stream, and a bird, by means of its wings and tail, can fly against the wind. Now, God has given wisdom to men to construct machinery to propel a ship against wind and tide swifter than a fish can swim. He has also given them wisdom to propel carriages on land swifter than any beast can run, and which in point of speed far exceed steam-vessels on water; but the last mode of travelling, yet to be discovered, will exceed in swiftness the fowls of heaven. Why should it be thought any more impossible for the Almighty to give wisdom and understanding to men to construct machinery to a balloon suspended in the air, which should have the properties of the wings and tail of a bird, to propel it through the air, and to ascend and descend at pleasure, any more than to construct machinery having the properties of the fins and tail of a fish to propel a ship through the water against wind and tide, or the properties of the legs of beasts to propel carriages on land? I can see no impossibility in the matter, and from the Scripture I have quoted, I have long thought that balloons would ultimately, and before Rome’s destruction, be as easily guided in the midst of heaven, or through the air, to any point or places required, as steam vessels are now through the sea; and that by this means missionaries would be sent to all parts of the world to preach the gospel to the heathen, as being the most easy and expeditious mode of travelling—which missionaries would principally consist of Jewish Converts, after their restoration to Palestine, and the destruction of Gog’s, or the Emperor of Russia’s army; and so says the Holy Ghost, by Isaiah, “And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to the isles afar off that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles” (Isaiah lxvi. 19).
These Jews will be no more like our present missionaries than a lion is like a cat or a monkey; but as a lion is to other beasts or cattle, so will a Jew be to another missionary. And so says God Himself: “And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep; who, if he go through both treadeth down, and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver” (Micah. v. 8). For they will be as great a blessing to the nations of the earth as they have been a curse to them, for hundreds of years past. “And thus saith the Lord: And it shall come to pass as ye were a curse among the heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel, so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing. Fear not, but let your hands be strong.” (Zech. viii. 13.)
Seeing these things are promised, how diligent ought we to be in praying for their conversion and restoration, as well as doing everything in our power to bring it to pass. I believe this scripture yet stands good as regards that people: “Blessed is he that blesseth thee and cursed is he that curseth thee” (Numbers xxiv. 9).
Yours in truth and love,
(Signed)
W. MATTHEWS.
6 RECTORY PLACE,
WOOLWICH, 2nd March, 1840.