228 BERTHA'S VISIT TO UER 



in all parts of Asia. Tamerlane also led his 

 Moguls, who were another branch of Japhet's 

 progeny, into Hindostan ; and their descendants 

 gradually obtained possession of that immense 

 country, a part of Shem's original inheritance. 

 These events, and others of the same nature, 

 may be considered as the accomplishment of that 

 prophecy ; not only because they answer to the 

 natural import of its terms, but because they 

 have had great influence on the state of true 

 religion in various parts of the world ; so that in 

 this interpretation we find the two circumstances 

 which are the characteristics of a true inter- 

 pretation, an agreement with the facts recorded 

 in history, and a connection of the particular 

 prediction with the general system of the pro- 

 phetic word. 



" It would seem, however, that some amicable 

 intercourse between parts of those two great 

 families is implied by the expression, ' Japhet's 

 dwelling in the tents of Shem' ; for the settle- 

 ments made by the Portuguese, English, Dutch, 

 and French in different parts of India, which was 

 apart of Shem's inheritance, may be taken in this 

 sense. And consequences cannot but arise of 

 great importance, from such numerous and exten- 

 sive settlements of Christians, in countries where 

 the light of the Gospel has been for ages ex- 

 tinguished. 



"There is still a third sense : but in order to 



