[B] It was in the autumn that the army of Cestius closed in upon Jerusalem. According to the careful record of Graetz, the Jewish historian, it was evidently on a Wednesday that the Roman army retired, pursued by all the forces of the city. This was the instant for the flight of the Christians. Next day "the Zealots, shouting exultant war songs, returned to Jerusalem (8th October)."--_"History of the Jews," Vol. II, p. 268._ The day before was the time for unhindered flight. [C] Apollonius, the friend and counselor of Titus, left a similar testimony to the latter's conviction that there was something supernatural about the forces of destruction let loose upon Jerusalem: "After Titus had taken Jerusalem, and when the country all round was filled with corpses, the neighboring races offered him a crown: but he disclaimed any such honor to himself, saying that it was not he himself that had accomplished this exploit, but that he had merely lent his arms to God, who had so manifested His wrath."--_Philostratus, "Life of Apollonius," book 6, chap. 29._ [Illustration: LISBON FROM ACROSS THE BAY The scene of the great earthquake and tidal wave, Nov. 1, 1755, when in six minutes sixty thousand people perished.] THE LISBON EARTHQUAKE OF 1755 "Lo, There Was a Great Earthquake" The first of a series of signs of the approaching end is thus described by the revelator: "I beheld when He had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake." Rev. 6:12. [Illustration: THE LISBON EARTHQUAKE "There shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places." Matt. 24:7.] The verses immediately preceding this scripture plainly describe the days of persecution of the saints of God, and the era of protest and reform that cut short that time of tribulation. Then this first sign appears. This is in harmony with Christ's statement that the signs of His second coming should begin to appear following the tribulation of those days. Just about the close of the days of tribulation occurred the Lisbon earthquake, as it is called, though its effects reached far beyond Portugal. Prof. W.H. Hobbs, geologist, says of it: "Among the earth movements which in historic times have affected the kingdom of Portugal, that of Nov. 1, 1755, takes first rank, as it does, also, in some respects, among all recorded earthquakes.... In six minutes sixty thousand people perished."--_"Earthquakes," pp. 142, 143._ "Lo, there was a great earthquake," the revelator said. It was indeed "a great earthquake," and great was its influence. In all the world, men's hearts were mightily stirred. James Parton, an English author, says of it: