PREFACE.

of destruction has been widely and amply rendered. The old Temple has been thrown down and despoiled, and the “children of Israel” have been carried away captive to “Babylon,”—the mystic name of the stronghold of Materialism In this context, materialism refers to the philosophical view that only physical matter exists, denying the reality of the soul or spirit.. As it is written; “The vessels of the House of the Lord,”—that is, the doctrines of the Church,—“great and small, and the treasures of the Temple and of the King and of the princes, were carried away to Babylon. And the enemies set fire to the House of God, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem,”—that is, the Soul The authors interpret the physical city of Jerusalem as a symbol for the human soul or the internal spiritual state.,—“and burnt all her towers, and whatsoever was precious they destroyed.”

Time it is now for the fulfilment of the second and last act of the prophetical drama;—

“Thus saith Cyrus,”—that is, The Lord original: Κύριος (Kyrios). The authors are making a wordplay between the name of the Persian King Cyrus and the Greek word for 'Lord.', the Christ;—“All the kingdoms of the earth hath the God of heaven given me, and He hath charged me to build Him again a House in Jerusalem.” “Who is there of you, who will go up and build again the Temple of the Lord God of Israel?”

In these words is expressed the intention of the writers of this book. And if they have preferred to withhold their names, it is neither because they distrust the genuineness of their commission or the soundness of their work, nor because they shrink from the responsibility incurred; but in order that their work may rest upon its own merits