68 



REV. JOHN URQUHART^ ON 



a clear and broad account of conditions that will endure to all 

 after time. No test of the possession of genuine predictive 

 power could well be more absolute than is afforded by this 

 prophecy. The probabilities were against its fulfilment. It 

 declares that Egypt will never rise again to her old pre-eminence, 

 but will decline more and more till it occupies the lowest place 

 among the nations. But for centuries afterwards the fruitful- 

 ness of Egypt was proverbial. Her natural position and her 

 long, broad waterw^ay enabled her to tap the productions and 

 the industries of Central Africa. The Ked Sea and her canals 

 enabled her also to benefit by the commerce of East and West. 

 The high and varied abilities and the vast industries of her own 

 people may be said to have assured her revival even from the 

 deepest prostration to which she could be subjected. Neverthe- 

 less, the prediction is the accurate summation of her after 

 history. Never once since has she ruled over the nations. She 

 has fallen lower and lower until she is now Lhe basest of the 

 kingdoms. 



It will be observed also that the continuity of Egypt is 

 assumed, and it is to continue to exist as a kingdom. These 

 particulars are remarkable enough. With a foreknowledge of 

 Egypt's perpetual decline we should infallibly have foretold its 

 eventual extinction, or, at least, the loss of its separate existence 

 as a people. But does the description "a base kingdom, yea . . . 

 the basest of the kingdoms " present any true account of Egypt's 

 present condition ? The description is exact. She has no place 

 in the Council of the nations. No other nationality seeks her 

 friendship or dreads her enmity. Beyond a rude species of 

 cultivation she has no industries. There is nothing in the 

 character of her people or in the ability and uprightness of her 

 rulers to excite expectation of revived greatness or power. She 

 is a hopeless wreck, and is held together only by the strong 

 hand of a distant nation which her fathers never knew. 



The closer inspection of the condition of Egypt confirms 

 more fully the aptness of the phrases in the prophetic descrip- 

 tion. Financial control is no longer in the hands of the 

 Khedive — the king — of Egypt. He cannot impose a tax or 

 receive the proceeds of it. The British Government officials 

 levy the taxes ; and out of the income these yield they pay the 

 interest on the Khedive's debts. They pay the wages of his 

 officials and his own salary ! It is, indeed, " a base kingdom," 

 and if there is a baser I cannot say where that is to be found. 



There is a prediction in the much abused Book of Daniel 

 which seems worthy of notice. The second chapter contains 



