The Two Treaties

In Short

This work is a theological treatise written in the wake of the 1878 Congress of Berlin. It interprets contemporary European geopolitics—specifically the decline of the Ottoman Empire and the increased British influence in the Middle East—as the fulfillment of biblical prophecy. By mapping historical events onto specific passages from the Old and New Testaments, the text argues that current international treaties are setting the stage for the restoration of Israel to Palestine, which will ultimately signal the final return of the Messiah to reign in Zion.

The Story

The narrative begins with a call to national thanksgiving following the avoidance of a major European war. The author establishes that while the peace treaty negotiated in Berlin is imperfect, it represents a profound moment in history that demands spiritual attention. He rejects the notion that such events are merely political maneuvering, insisting instead that the reader must view them through the lens of the "Prophetic Scriptures." The core of the argument rests on the identification of the Ottoman Empire as a decaying power, symbolized in scripture as the "drying up of the Euphratean flood."

As the borders of Turkey in Europe are drastically reduced and the administration of Turkish territory in Asia falls under British counsel, the author sees the physical manifestation of a spiritual countdown. He describes these political shifts not as an end in themselves, but as the clearing of a path. The decay of the Ottoman system, which he characterizes as the "treader down" of Jerusalem, is presented as the necessary precursor to the restoration of the Jewish people to their ancestral home. He argues that England, through its newfound treaty responsibilities, is inadvertently acting as a divine instrument to stabilize the region, thereby creating the security necessary for the return of the Jewish diaspora.

The arc of the argument moves from the political reality of 1878 to a vision of the future. The author rejects the idea that the Jews would be indifferent to such a restoration, suggesting that once a stable, just government is established in the region—an outcome he believes England is compelled to seek—those with capital and enterprise will flock to Palestine. He connects this anticipated migration to the promises made to Abraham, viewing the modern map of Syria as a mirror of the original biblical land grant.

The story concludes with a shift from the temporal to the eternal. The restoration of the Jews is portrayed as the "budding of the fig tree," a harbinger of the approaching "summer" of the Second Advent. The author asserts that the return of the Jewish people is the final sign that the world is on the cusp of a transformative spiritual era. He urges the reader to look beyond political news and see the sovereign hand of God orchestrating these events to prepare for the return of the Lord to Mount Zion, effectively folding the headlines of the 19th century into the grand narrative of salvation history.

How It Unfolds

The call to vigilance The author opens by framing the recent diplomatic peace as a spiritual signpost, urging believers to move beyond mere gratitude and toward prophetic study. He establishes the analogy of the fig tree to explain why current events should be read as indicators of the approaching end.

The decay of an empire The middle section provides a detailed analysis of the Treaty of Berlin, comparing the maps of Europe and Asia before and after the conflict. The author argues that the loss of Ottoman territorial control and the imposition of British oversight in Asia are the primary fulfillments of the "drying up" of the Euphrates.

The restoration of the land The focus shifts to Palestine, where the author posits that the current state of neglect and misrule will be corrected by a protective British administration. This stability, he claims, will naturally attract the Jewish people back to the region, fulfilling ancient prophecies regarding the scattering and regathering of Israel.

The final appearing The book concludes by linking these geopolitical movements to the promise of the Second Advent. The return of the Jews is defined as the vital prelude to the Lord's arrival, transforming the reader’s view of contemporary international relations into an expectant wait for a cosmic transformation.

The People

The central "figure" in this text is the Ottoman Empire, depicted not as a sovereign state but as a historical vessel that has completed its divinely appointed, if destructive, task. The author views its inevitable decline as a necessary clearing of the stage for future events.

Contrasting this is the Jewish people, whom the author describes as the rightful heirs to the land promised to Abraham. He portrays them as a dispersed nation currently waiting for a secure environment to reclaim their heritage. He argues they possess the necessary capital and desire to rebuild, needing only the removal of "Turkish misrule" to return.

England serves as the primary modern agent in the author's argument. He views the nation—and its Queen—as a "nursing mother" to the Jewish people, albeit perhaps unintentionally. While the British government acts out of political and commercial necessity, the author believes they are being guided by a higher authority to create the "firm, just" government required for the prophecy to unfold.

Finally, the student of prophecy is the intended reader, a person who must shift from being a "passive spectator" of world events to an active observer of signs. This reader is challenged to stop viewing the world through the lens of secular interest and to begin viewing it as a series of divine signals pointing toward the end of the age.

In Its Own Voice

The author uses the analogy of the seasons to explain the relationship between current events and the future.

“When we see the fig tree budding in spring we know that summer is at hand, and so when we see these predicted signs we are to conclude without a doubt that the great deliverance is near.”

Regarding the role of the Ottoman Empire in history, the author frames its collapse as a calculated end to a period of instability.

“The Ottoman was let loose from the Euphrates as a scourge on Apostate Christendom; he has done his work, though not for God’s glory, and is now laid aside by the same hand that raised him up.”

He concludes his argument by asserting the link between the return of the Jewish people and the final Advent of the Lord.

“There cannot be a doubt that the return of the Jews and the coming of the Lord are most intimately connected in the Word of God.”

What It's Really About

This book is an exercise in providential history. It seeks to answer the question of how a believer should interpret the rapid and confusing political changes of the modern era. The central argument is that the history of nations is not random, but is subject to a divine plan that prioritizes the restoration of Israel and the return of Christ. It posits that the "Great Powers" of the day, specifically England, are acting as unwitting agents of this plan. The text is fundamentally about the transition from a long period of biblical exile to a new, final era of divine governance, challenging the reader to find coherence in the chaotic shifting of national borders.

Why Read It Today

Reading this work today offers a fascinating window into the late Victorian evangelical mind. It is a time capsule of "pre-millennialist" thought, where the daily newspaper—specifically reports on the "Eastern Question"—served as a devotional text. Modern readers will find the author’s confidence in the alignment of secular diplomacy and divine decree both startling and illuminating.

The prose is precise, warm, and highly structured, making for a smooth, if dense, reading experience. However, the reader should be prepared for the author's period-specific attitudes; his clinical assessment of the "decay" of the Ottoman Empire and his paternalistic view of British influence in the Middle East reflect the colonial worldview of the 19th century. There is no attempt to hedge these claims; the author writes with the certainty of a man who believes he has found the key to history. Those interested in the history of ideas, the development of Zionism, or the evolution of religious thought regarding the "End Times" will find this a vital primary source. It is not a book for a casual read, but rather for those who want to understand how faith once served as a primary tool for interpreting the shifting, often violent, map of the world.