The Revelation Explained An Exposition, Text by Text, of the Apocalypse of St. John Showing the Marvelous Development of the Prophecies from the Time oftheir Delivery on the Isle of Patmos--The Establishment and Growth ofChristianity--Rise of Mohammedanism in the Eastern Empire--Of the Papacyin the Western Division--Of Protestantism--The Civil History of theTerritory Comprising the Ancient Roman Empire until the End ofTime--Together with the Conflicts and Triumphs of the Redeemed until theFinal Judgment, and their Eternal Reward and Home in the "New Heavensand New Earth. " By F. G. SMITH Author of "What the Bible Teaches" and "The Last Reformation, " etc. * * * * * "Behold the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare:before they spring forth I tell you of them. " Isa. 42:9. "Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret untohis servants the prophets. " Amos 3:7. PREFACE. The subject of prophecy should be of interest to every Bible student. Its importance can not be overestimated. By it we are enabled toascertain our true position in this time-world. From the early dawn ofcreation, Inspiration has foretold with certainty the great factsconnected with the history of God's chosen people. By this means alone, the divinity of Jesus Christ and the truth of our holy religion has beenestablished in many minds; for it is not in the power of mortals thus tovaticinate future events. With such surprising accuracy have thesepredictions been fulfilled that even infidels ofttimes bear witness totheir truthfulness. "Behold the former things are come to pass, and newthings do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them. " Isa. 42:9. "For I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is nonelike me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient timesthe things that are not yet done. " Isa. 46:9, 10. The Revelation is a rich mine of prophetic truth. The history of thecurrent dispensation is there delineated in advance so perfectly that wecan not but attribute its authorship to Him who knoweth the end from thebeginning, and worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. Itwas written for the special benefit of the people of God, and we shouldgive it prayerful consideration. In the preparation for this work, I have gleaned historical informationfrom all the general and ecclesiastical histories, encyclopedias, etc. , within my reach, and only regret that I had not access to a stillgreater number. However, knowing that large books are seldom read, Idetermined in advance not to write an extensive work, but to condensethe subject matter as much as possible, and, therefore, I have beenobliged to omit much valuable material previously gathered. For thisreason many lines of prophetic truth penned by others of the sacredwriters have been passed over in silence, even though relating to thesame events as certain symbolic visions in the Revelation. I have availed myself of all the helps and the commentaries within myreach in the study of this important subject. However, I have but seldomreferred to the opinions of expositors. In most cases their explanationsare not based upon any established rule of interpretation, and thedefinite laws of symbolic language are usually overlooked ordisregarded. Ordinary readers of the Revelation have always supposedthat the only course for them was to take the opinion of some learnedexpositor and to believe on _his authority_; and when they have foundthat equally learned and judicious men sustained the most oppositeviews, they have been bewildered amid conflicting opinions and havedecided that, when such men were at issue, it was useless for them toinvestigate. While, therefore, I have made every available use of theiropinions, it was only for the purpose of forming my own and of enablingmyself so to unfold the nature of the symbols that every one might seefor himself the propriety of the interpretation given. The present knowledge that has been attained of this prophetic book islargely the result of the combined efforts of all who have labored tounfold its meaning. No one has had the honor of first understanding allits parts, and very few have failed to contribute something, more orless, to its true interpretation. Therefore I have endeavored as much aspossible to gather up the good from the labors of my predecessors and tocombine it with the results of my own study and research. The Expositionof Mr. Lord has had an important bearing on this work. For manybeautiful thoughts concerning the nature and the use of symbols, in thechapter on the nature of symbolic language, I must acknowledge specialindebtedness to the Lectures of Thomas Wickes on the Apocalypse, delivered many years ago, although I have ofttimes arrived at quitedifferent conclusions in their interpretation throughout the Revelation. Much appreciated assistance has been derived from the works of othercommentators as well. There is considerable disagreement among historians themselves regardingcertain historical points, but their differences are of minor importanceso far as the present work is concerned. When such points were involved, I have simply endeavored to follow the best authorities. Lengthy orimportant quotations from other writers have been duly credited wherethey appear, hence no special mention is necessary in this place. Minorextracts are merely enclosed within quotation-marks. The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, 6 Vols. , Philadelphia, 1872, is the edition of Gibbon's Rome from which quotations are made. To assist in simplifying the subject and in placing it before the readerin a concise, comprehensive manner, a number of useful diagrams havebeen added; for they serve about the same purpose in the study of asubject so complicated as do maps in the study of geography. I wouldespecially call attention to the large "Diagram of the Revelation, "where the various lines of prophetic truth are outlined in parallelseries, enabling the reader to comprehend at once where the symbolicnarrative returns to take up a new line of thought covering the sameperiod of time. In these diagrams, however, no attempt has been made toset forth every phase of thought connected with the subject; only themain features have been outlined. Feeling directed by the Lord to undertake this work and realizing thegreatness of the task, I have earnestly sought for divine wisdom andguidance, and I humbly acknowledge his gracious assistance in itsprosecution; and while I can not indulge the hope that human fallibilityhas been overcome, yet I firmly believe that a careful reliance upon theHoly Spirit has been an effectual means of avoiding error and unfoldingmany of the hitherto mysterious prophecies of this wonderful book. Tohis worthy name I ascribe all praise and glory. The future, doubtless, will witness a still greater development of this subject; for men of Godmore worthy and possessing greater abilities will arise, who, beginningwhere we have left off, will continue its investigation and throw uponit additional light as yet unrevealed. That the Lord will bless The Revelation Explained to the good of hischurch upon earth and grant it a place, however small, in the cause ofpresent truth, is my earnest prayer. Yours in Christ, F. G. Smith. _Grand Junction, Mich. , June 26, 1906_. PREFACE TO FOURTH EDITION The reception accorded this work when it was first submitted to thepublic was more than gratifying to the author. The lapse of time hasonly tended to confirm still more strongly the fundamental nature of theprinciple of interpretation adopted. In order to supply the constantdemand, the fourth edition is now issued. I have taken advantage of this opportunity to make certain revisionsnecessitated by an increase of knowledge since the work was firstwritten, nearly twelve years ago. This revision, however, did notrequire an entire re-writing and does not involve a change infundamentals. F. G. Smith. _Anderson, Ind. , Mar. 1, 1918_. CONTENTS. PrefaceNature of Symbolic Language CHAPTER I. Introduction, verses 1-11Vision of Christ, verses 12-20 CHAPTER II. Message to Ephesus, verses 1-7Message to Smyrna, verses 8-11Message to Pergamus, verses 12-17Message to Thyatira, verses 18-29 CHAPTER III. Message to Sardis, verses 1-6Message to Philadelphia, verses 7-13Message to Laodicea, verses 14-22 CHAPTER IV. Vision of God's Throne CHAPTER V. The Book with Seven Seals CHAPTER VI. First Seal Opened, verses 1, 2Second Seal Opened, verses 3, 4Third Seal Opened, verses 5, 6Fourth Seal Opened, verses 7, 8Fifth Seal Opened, verses 9-11Sixth Seal Opened, verses 12-17 CHAPTER VII. God's Servants Sealed, verses 1-8The White-Robed Company, verses 9-17 CHAPTER VIII. Seventh Seal Opened, verses 1-5First Trumpet Sounded, verses 6, 7Second Trumpet Sounded, verses 8, 9Third Trumpet Sounded, verses 10, 11Fourth Trumpet Sounded, verses 12, 13 CHAPTER IX. Fifth Trumpet Sounded, verses 1-12Sixth Trumpet Sounded, verses 13-21 CHAPTER X. The Rainbow Angel CHAPTER XI. Temple and Holy City, verses 1, 2The Two Witnesses, verses 3-6The Witnesses Slain, verses 7-10The Witnesses Resurrected, verses 11-14Seventh Trumpet Sounded, verses 15-19 CHAPTER XII. Woman and Man-Child, verses 1-6Michael and the Dragon, verses 7-12The Woman's Flight, verses 13-17 CHAPTER XIII. The Leopard Beast, verses 1-9"The Faith of the Saints, " verse 10The Two-Horned Beast, verses 11-18 CHAPTER XIV. The 144, 000 on Mount Sion, verses 1-5The Three Angels, verses 6-11"The Patience of the Saints, " verses 12, 13Harvest of the World, verses 14-20 CHAPTER XV. Seven Last Plagues CHAPTER XVI. The First Vial, verses 1, 2The Second Vial, verse 3The Third Vial, verses 4-7The Fourth Vial, verses 8, 9The Fifth Vial, verses 10, 11The Sixth Vial, verses 12-16The Seventh Vial, verses 17-21 CHAPTER XVII. "Babylon the Great, " verses 1-6Beast and Ten Kingdoms, verses 7-18 CHAPTER XVIII. Fall of Babylon CHAPTER XIX. Marriage of the Lamb, verses 1-10Coming of Christ, verses 11-21 CHAPTER XX. The Dragon Bound, verses 1-6The Dragon Released, verses 7-10The Judgment Scene, verses 11-15 CHAPTER XXI. New Heaven and Earth, verses 1-8The Heavenly Jerusalem, verses 9-27 CHAPTER XXII. River and Tree of Life, verses 1-5Christ's Coming and Eternity, verses 6-21 Nature of Symbolic Language. Before proceeding with the interpretation of this wonderful book, itwill be necessary for us to pause and make inquiry concerning the natureof the language employed in its prophecies and concerning the mode ofits interpretation. It will be seen at a glance that it is wholly unlikethe common language of life; and it will be useless for us to undertaketo ascertain its signification unless we understand perfectly theprinciples upon which it is founded. The question may be asked, "Is the language intelligible at all?"Considering the variety of interpretations placed upon it by expositorsand the opinions generally held respecting it, we might conclude that itis not. The majority of the people look upon these prophecies as "a massof unintelligible enigmas, " and are ready to tell the student ofRevelation that this book "either finds or leaves a man mad. " But are weto look upon its language as being applied at a venture, without anydefinite rule, capable of every variety of meaning, so that we can neverbe quite _sure_ that we have its correct interpretation? Commentators generally unite in attaching a definite meaning to certainsymbols, and they tell us that these can not be applied otherwisewithout violating their nature. They may not give us their reasons forthus applying them (in fact, they generally do not), yet it is evidentlyassumed that such reasons do exist. Now, if reasons actually exist why adefinite signification must be applied to the symbol in the one case, why do they not exist in another case, and in all cases? If any lawexists in the case at all, it is a uniform one, for a law that does notpossess uniformity is no law; otherwise, it would be an unintelligiblerevelation, and the only possible thing left for us to do would be toattempt to solve it like a riddle--guess it out. It would be as if thewriter were to use words with every variety of meaning peculiarly hisown attached, without informing the reader what signification to givethem in a given instance. No man has a right thus to abuse written orspoken language; and we may take it for granted that the God of heavenwould not make such an indiscriminate use of symbolical language whenmaking a revelation to men. There is no other book the wide world aroundin which language is as carefully employed as in the Bible; and we canrest assured that when God gave this Revelation to Jesus Christ "to_show_ unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass, " hemade choice of proper symbols whose meaning can be definitely evolved, provided we can but ascertain the great underlying principles upon whichtheir original selection was based. In the ordinary communication of our thoughts we employ arbitrary signsand sounds to which we have universally agreed to fix a definitemeaning. Thus, our entire spoken language is made up of a great varietyof sounds or words with which by long practise we have become familiar. We call a certain object a horse, not because there is any similaritybetween the sound and the animal designated, but because we have agreedthat that sound shall represent that object. So, also, we have agreedthat the characters h-o-r-s-e shall represent the same thing; and by theuse of twenty-six characters, called the alphabet, placed together invarious combinations, we are able to write our entire spoken language. The incidents connected with the introduction of written language amonga barbarous people are worthy of remark in this connection. That thoughtcan be conveyed to persons at a distance by the use of certaincabalistic characters seems to them incredible, and when compelled tobelieve it, they look upon the person that can accomplish such wondersas embodying something supernatural. These things I mention merely tocall attention to the fact that spoken and written language is a curiousand wonderfully complicated affair. This is brought forcibly to ourminds when we hear persons conversing in a foreign tongue, or when wepick up a book the characters of which are wholly unlike those of ourown language. To us an English book is full of instinctive beauty, everyletter or mark possessing a definite meaning that is instantly conveyedto our minds, because we have become familiar with them by diligentstudy and practise. There are other ways of transferring thought besides the complicatedsystem just mentioned--ways which are much more natural and simple. Thus, a simpler way to represent a certain object would be to draw apicture of it; or, better still, to represent a certain character orquality by exhibiting, not the object itself, but an analagous one whosepeculiar character that property is; for examples: the quiet, peaceful, gentle disposition of a child, by a lamb; a man of cunning, artful, deceptive disposition, by a fox; or a cruel, bloodthirsty, vindictivetyrant, by a tiger, etc. This is hieroglyphical or symbolic language. This language takes precedence over every other for naturalness andsimplicity, being common to a greater or less extent among all nationsand intelligible to all. Spoken language was undoubtedly a gift from God originally, whilewritten language is probably a mere human invention. We are not tosuppose that the first attempts to convey thought in writing would be byan alphabetical system, but by the symbolic, it being, as before stated, the most natural and within reach of the ordinary ingenuity of man. Thisis proved by the fact that the inscriptions on the ancient monuments ofEgypt and the inscriptions of other nations of antiquity are of thischaracter. It is also a fact worthy of notice that, four thousand yearslater, men of other countries and of other languages have, by much studyand a careful comparison of the symbols, been able to decipher withaccuracy those hierographical representations. [1] This of itself issufficient to establish the point that definiteness can be attached tothe use and the interpretation of carefully-selected symbols, when theprinciples that governed their original selection are discovered. [Footnote 1: The systems of hieroglyphical writing employed by variousnations have, for the most part, remained unintelligible until a key oftheir interpretation was discovered. In 1799 M. Bouchard, a Frenchcaptain of engineers, while digging intrenchments on the site of an oldtemple near the Rosetta mouth of the Nile, unearthed a black stonecontaining a trilingual inscription in hieroglyphics, demoticcharacters, and Greek. The last paragraph of the Greek inscriptionstated that two translations, one in the sacred and the other in thepopular Egyptian language, would be found adjacent; hence thiscelebrated stone has afforded European scholars a key to the languageand writing of the ancient Egyptians. The cuneiform writing of theBabylonians and Persians remained a mystery also until modern times, butgreat progress has now been made in the deciphering of thousands ofinscribed clay tablets, cylinders, prisms, etc. The key to itsinterpretation is the celebrated inscription at Behistun, cut upon theface of a high rock three hundred feet above its base, and recording aportion of the history of Darius. It is written in the cuneiformcharacters, in three languages--Median, Persian, and Assyrian. ] I do not wish to be understood as implying that the symbolical languageof Scripture is identical with the hieroglyphics of ancient monuments. There may be different kinds of symbolic representations; but they arenot arbitrary, as is spoken language, and can not be arbitrarilyapplied; a fixed law governs them all. Now, the book of Revelation is made up of this symbolic language. It isnot, however, confined to this book alone. There are many instances ofit to be found elsewhere in the sacred volume, and in many cases it isexplained by inspiration itself, thus giving us a reliable key to thewhole. Joseph's dream of the eleven sheaves that made obeisance to hissheaf was of this description (Gen. 37:7, 8), and his eleven brethrenwere angered, because its meaning was apparent--that they should behumbled before him. Also, his dream of the sun, the moon, and the elevenstars (verses 9, 10) was understood to signify the subjection of theentire family unto him, which was actually fulfilled after Joseph'sexaltation in Egypt. The chief butler's dream of the vine with threebranches bearing grapes, which he took and pressed into the king's cup, was interpretated by Joseph as signifying the butler's restoration inthree days to his former position of cup-bearer to the king; while thechief baker's dream of the three baskets upon his head, out of which thebirds ate, was interpretated as signifying his execution in the samelength of time. Gen. 40. Pharaoh's dream of the seven fat kine and theseven lean kine, also of the seven full ears and the seven thin ears, signified seven years of plenty and seven years of famine. Gen. 41. Again, the four divisions of King Nebuchadnezzar's wonderful image wasexplained by Daniel as signifying four universal monarchies and the tentoes as signifying the ten minor kingdoms which grew out of the fourth;while the stone that was cut out of the mountain without humanintervention he interpreted as signifying the divine kingdom of God. Dan. 2. The two-horned ram of Daniel's vision (chap. 8), according tothe explanation of the angel, symbolized the Medo-Persian empire, itstwo horns signifying the two dynasties of allied kings that composed it. The he-goat signified the Greco-Macedonian empire; his great horn, itsfirst mighty king; and the four horns that replaced the great one whenbroken represented four kings under whom the empire would eventually bedivided into as many parts. In the Apocalypse itself we have a number ofsymbols divinely interpreted, "The seven stars are the angels of theseven churches. " "The seven candle-sticks which thou sawest are theseven churches. " "The ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings. " "Thewaters which thou sawest ... Are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. " "The woman which thou sawest is that great city whichreigneth over the kings of the earth, " etc. It will be seen that the great underlying principle or _law_ upon whichsymbolic language is based is ANALOGY. An object is chosen to representnot itself, but something of analagous character. Webster defines _symbol_ as follows: "The sign or representation of anymoral thing by the images or properties of natural things. Thus, a lionis the _symbol_ of courage; the lamb is the _symbol_ of meekness orpatience. " Home, in his Introduction to the Study of the Bible, says:"By symbols we mean certain representative marks, rather than expresspictures; or, if pictures, such as were at the time _characters_, andbesides presenting to the eye the resemblance of a particular object, suggested a general idea to the mind, as when a _horn_ was made todenote _strength_, an _eye_ and _scepter, majesty_, and in numberlesssuch instances; where the picture was not drawn to express merely thething itself, but something else, which was, or was conceived to be, analagous to it. " The main idea, then, as expressed in the foregoingdefinitions, is the representation of an object, not by a picture ofitself, but by something analagous, such as the exhibition of moralqualities by images drawn from nature. But the use of symbols is notconfined to the representation of moral subjects alone. Anything may besymbolized to which a corresponding analagous object can be found. To establish the principle of analogy here laid down, it will benecessary to refer only to a few of the numerous examples of divinelyinterpreted symbols in the Scriptures. Any one can readily perceive theanalogy between the seven fat kine of Pharaoh's dream and as many yearsof plenty; so, also, with the seven full, healthy ears that grew up onseven stalks. Likewise, the analogy between the seven thin kine and asmany years of famine, and the seven thin, blasted ears that representedthe same thing, is apparent. One fat kine or one full ear wouldsymbolize one year of plenty, when crops were abundant; while sevenwould represent as many distinct seasons of prosperity, etc. Kine do notrepresent kine, but something analagous. The beasts of Daniel's visionsdo not represent animals like themselves, or a multitude of suchanimals, but something of analagous disposition. The analogy between awild, ferocious beast, stamping upon or devouring everything within itsreach, and a cruel, persecuting, tyrannical government is apparent. Ahorn does not signify a horn, but some great power, such as a dynasty ofkings or rulers; and what the horn is to the animal in manifesting itsdesolating disposition, kings and rulers are to an empire in executingthe persecuting or oppressive principles of the body politic. A pure, chaste virgin is used to symbolize the true church of God; whereas acorrupt harlot is chosen to represent an apostate church, andfornication her idolatrous worship. Although this principle is worthy of further elucidation, yet enough hasbeen said to firmly establish the point that symbolic language isfounded upon analogy. It is also clear that, whenever we attach aliteral signification to a symbolic object, we immediately destroyentirely its use as a symbol. So we may accept it as one establishedlandmark in the interpretation of the Apocalypse, that every symbol, regardless of the department from which it is taken--whether from thematerial universe, the animal kingdom, human life or the heavenlyrealm--stands as the representative, not of itself, but of some otherobject of analagous character not found in the same department fromwhich it is drawn. This develops another important fact worthy of attention. If the greatlaw of symbolic language is based upon analogy, it is clear to ademonstration that the symbols employed _must be_ definitely applied. They can not be arbitrary, as the words composing our spoken languageare. There is nothing in the nature of the thing to prevent our callinga horse an elephant, provided we had only agreed universally to adoptthat designation of the animal referred to (arbitrary sounds can bearbitrarily applied); but we violate nature when we attempt to make aferocious tiger the symbol of an innocent child, or represent ablood-thirsty tyrant by the symbol of a lamb. A disgusting, pollutedharlot may be the proper symbol of an apostate church, but of the pure, holy church of God--_never_. A proper correspondence must be kept up. Wemust follow nature strictly. Symbols are drawn from every department--from animate and inanimatecreation, from animal life and human life, from the visible universebelow and the heavenly world above, and also from some objects of fancyto which there is no corresponding object in existence, such as Daniel'sfour-headed beast, or the one in the Revelator's vision with seven headsand ten horns; but in the selection of the same a proper correspondenceof quality is kept up. The symbols that are chosen to set forth thegreat spiritual affairs of the church are such as are in themselvesnobler than those selected to describe the political affairs of kingsand empires, because in the divine estimation the church is ofinfinitely greater importance and occupies a more honorable positionthan worldly kingdoms. Thus, a beautiful virgin bride is chosen torepresent the church of God; whereas a great red dragon with seven headsand ten horns is chosen to symbolize the Pagan Roman empire. Theglorious body of God's reformers is set forth under the symbol of anangel from heaven, with his face as the sun, his feet as pillars offire, and a rainbow upon his head; whereas the Saracen warriors ofMahomet are locusts upon the earth, with stings of scorpions. Thedepartment of human and angelic life is chosen to set forth thespiritual affairs of the church, while the department of nature and ofanimal life represents the political affairs of nations. To this generalrule, there is at least one exception. Certain things connected withGod's chosen people under the old dispensation are considered propersymbols to represent similar things or events in the New Testamentdispensation, without special regard to the department from which theyare drawn. Thus, the temple, altar, incense, candlesticks, holy city, etc. , of the former age, though not taken from the department of humanor angelic life, are, nevertheless, clearly used to represent affairs ofthe church, the analogy in the case being apparent because of theirformer prominence as connected with the Lord's covenant people. Again, when the symbol selected is that of a living, active, intelligentagent, it represents an analagous intelligent agent. Likewise, theactions of the former plainly denote analagous actions in the latter, and the effects produced by the actions of the symbolic agent signifyanalagous effects produced by the actions of the agent symbolized. Tomake it clearer: agents symbolize agents, actions symbolize actions, andeffects symbolize effects. If this be not true--if agents can symbolizeactions and effects as well as agents, or if actions can symbolizeagents and effects--then all is an inextricable maze of confusion, andwell may we repeat the words uttered by a certain minister to thewriter, "The book should have been called Mystification, notRevelation. " The same principle of analogy is carried out in another particular. Whenever the enemies of God or destructive agents are intended, objectsof a corresponding desolating character are chosen as their symbols;whereas the peaceful triumphs of the cross, as exhibited by God's chosenpeople, are described under symbols of an equally benign and gentlecharacter. Thus, the anti-christian, persecuting power of Rome isdescribed as a ferocious wild beast, stamping everything beneath itsfeet and spreading desolation on every side. The Vandal hordes ofNorthern barbarians, who, under Genseric overran the Western Romanempire early in the fifth century, are symbolized by a volcanic mountaincast into the sea and spreading its streams of molten lava in everydirection. The fearful pest of Mohammedanism is a dense smoke issuingfrom the bottomless pit and darkening the heavens. The Saracens ofMahomet are swarms of locusts appearing upon the earth, with scorpionstings, tormenting men five months, or, prophetically, one hundred andfifty years. On the other hand, a church is a candle-stick; its pastor, a beautiful star; the whole church, a virgin bride; the gloriousassembly of God's reformers, a rainbow angel, etc. From the foregoing it will be seen that symbols are not words, butthings, chosen because of some analagous resemblance to represent otherthings; and by a careful study of the nature of the symbols themselveswe can ascertain where to look for their fulfilment. In the present workno attempt has been made to prove the interpretations given merely bythe authority of learned names (for they can be arrayed on every side ofa passage), but the nature of the symbols themselves has been developed;and the reader will be able to judge how nearly the known laws ofsymbolic language have been followed. It will be necessary, however, to notice another exception to the rulesgiven, although it can scarcely be said to form an exception--it ratherproves the very position taken. Undoubtedly, there are some few objectswhose nature forbids their symbolization, there being no object inexistence of analagous character that can be chosen as theirrepresentative. God, evidently, can not be symbolized; for where is theindividual in heaven or on earth that can stand as his representative?"To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare untohim?" Isa. 40:18. Man can not represent him, angels can not; forwhenever they appear on the panoramic scene, they denote distinguishedagencies among men. There may be certain symbols connected with hisperson, setting forth his divine attributes and proclaiming the eternalmajesty of his name; but he himself is described as "One sitting upon athrone, " before whom the created intelligences of earth and heaven falldown and worship unceasingly, but no symbol of Him is given. The sameexception also applies to the person of Jesus, our Savior and Redeemer. While the human aspect of the Savior, as exhibited during theincarnation in his sacrificial death, may be properly symbolized by alamb, as in chap. V, there is no created intelligence in God's greatuniverse that can be chosen to represent, in his true, essentialdivinity, Him who does not deem it robbery to claim equality with God. There may, likewise, be certain symbols connected with his person togive us at least a faint impression of his divine character and infinitemajesty; yet when he appears upon the symbolic scene, he distinctlyannounces, "I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and wasdead; and, behold, I am alive forevermore. " "He hath on his vesture andon his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. " Sowhenever the divine Christ appears on the symbolic scene, he comes inhis own person, proclaiming his own name, and we need look for no symbolof him. Upon the opening of the fifth seal, the souls of the martyrs arerepresented as crying unto God from the altar for the avenging of theirblood on those who dwell on the earth. Where is there an object in allcreation analagous to a disembodied spirit? None can be found. It iseasy to give them an arbitrary name; therefore they appear in theRevelation under their own appropriate title, as "the _souls_ of themthat were slain. " Chap. 6:9, 10, also 20:4. This exception applies to every case where no corresponding object canbe selected as a symbol. Where the nature of the subject forbids itssymbolization, there the description must of necessity be literal, andall such objects appear under their own appropriate titles. Otherwise, we are to look upon the entire book of Revelation as a vast collectionof symbols whose interpretation is to be found, not in the departmentfrom which they are taken, but in another, to which they bear a certainanalagous resemblance. Although not pertaining strictly to the subject of symbolic language, yet a word respecting the plan of the prophecy will be appropriate atthis time. The prophetic events are not arranged after the ordinary planof histories, narrating all the contemporaneous events in a givenperiod, whether civil, religious, literary, scientific, or biographical, thus finishing up the history of that period; but it consists of anumber of distinct themes running over the same ground. The proof ofthis assertion will appear as we proceed with the development of theprophecies. May the wisdom of heaven direct us in the perusal of this wonderful bookof Revelation, and may we at last be "accounted worthy to obtain thatworld, " and the glorious privilege of rendering eternal praise to "Himthat sitteth upon the throne, " "upholding all things by the word of hispower, " "declaring the end from the beginning, " and revealing his mightyworks unto the children of men. CHAPTER I. The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: 2. Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw. 3. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand. This book of the Revelation is frequently styled the Apocalypse, derivedfrom the word by which it is designated in Greek. Jesus Christ havingreceived it from God, its author, designed it for the future benefit ofhis church, and communicated it to his servants by the hand of thebeloved apostle John. Its character is described by its title"Revelation, " which signifies something revealed or made known; and itsobject was to "show unto his servants things which must shortly come topass. " This object of God's in delivering the Revelation to his churchshould be a sufficient refutation of the popular theory that this bookis unintelligible, and its varied symbols wrapped in such deep mysterythat their meaning can not be evolved; for it is not consonant with thesupreme power and wisdom of the God-head to suppose that, in making arevelation to man, he would make the fatal mistake of clothing hislanguage with a mystery that defies the intellect of mortals to unveil. It is said of the things herein revealed that they "must shortly come topass, " by which is meant not that they were all to be completelyfulfilled within a short time, but that the series of special eventspredicted were soon to begin. Thus, we speak of a century or eternity asnear at hand, by which we mean that the events of the period spoken ofare about to commence, although the end of the series may be very faroff. But who are "his servants"? For whose benefit was the Revelation given?Surely it was for all those who become children of God by faith inChrist Jesus, from the beginning of the gospel dispensation when it wasgiven, until the end of time; for a benediction is pronounced upon _all_those who read and hear its prophecies and "keep those things which arewritten therein. " It was this promised blessing unto the earnestinquirers into the truths of Revelation that enabled the writer todecide to give these prophecies the consideration that is justly theirdue, and to recognize their infinite importance to the present church;"for the time is at hand" that will close the series of events hereinpredicted and usher in eternity. Every fulfilment of prophecy bringswith it new duties, and enjoins fresh responsibilities upon the peopleof God; yea, "every revolving century, every closing year, adds to theurgency with which attention is challenged to the concluding portion ofHoly Writ. " Daniel prophetically described some of the events containedalso in the Apocalypse, but he was told to shut up the words and sealthe book _until_ the time of the end, when "many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. " It has been a matter of conjecture as to who the angel or messenger wasthat Christ sent to deliver the prophecies to John. Some suppose it tohave been Gabriel, because of his having been a chosen instrument todeliver similar prophecies to Daniel. Some think it was Elijah, hehaving been translated that he should not see death, and afterwardsappearing on the mount of transfiguration. Others think it was one ofthe redeemed sons of earth; because afterward, when rejecting theworship John was about to tender him, he says, "See thou do it not: I amthy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony ofJesus: worship God. " Chaps. 19:10; 22:9. But we can not identify thismessenger positively, as no definite information is given. To theserevelations received John bore a faithful record of all things that he_saw_, implying the fact that they passed in vision before him and hebeheld them as in a picture. 4. JOHN to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; 5. And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 6. And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 7. Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. 8. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. The Apocalypse opens with the salutation of John to the seven churchesin Asia, unto whom it was particularly addressed, and for whom specialmessages were prepared. There were other congregations of the church ofGod in Asia, or Asia Minor, besides the seven to whom the Revelation wassent, such as Colosse, Miletus, Troas, etc. Why only seven wereaddressed, we do not know, unless it be that the number seven is used, as elsewhere in the Sacred Volume, to denote fulness or completeness, being, as has been said, "a kind of memorial of the great facts of thefirst seven days of time which have divided all ages into cycles ofweeks. " So when we read of Christ's walking in the midst of the sevenchurches, we are to understand that he is in all the congregations ofhis people; and the ministers of the seven churches who are upheld bythe Lord himself are representative, in one important sense at least, ofthe entire Christian ministry; for Christ has promised to be with themalway "even unto the end of the world. " Mat. 28:20. This salutation of John's is one of great beauty and splendor, settingforth, as it does, the divine attributes of the great Jehovah in astriking manner as he "which is, and which was, and which is to come, "an expression embracing eternity and designating the eternal, unchangeable God. The seven spirits before his throne describe the thirdperson in the Trinity, as will appear clearer hereafter, seven beingused as a sacred or perfect number designating his dignity andexcellence. Some have supposed that seven angelic spirits were heredescribed; but it is not consistent with the honor due the God-head tosuppose that created intelligences should be exalted to a plane ofequality with the supreme Deity. Moreover, they would probably have beendescribed as seven _angels_, and not as seven _spirits_. Jesus Christ is mentioned next and more fully described, he being thedirect author of the Revelation. He is "the first begotten of the dead, the prince of the kings of the earth, " and the one "that loved us, andwashed us from our sins in his own blood. " The statement that Christ isthe "first-begotten of the dead, " is parallel to similar expressions inthe Bible, where he is declared to be "the first-fruits of them thatslept, " "and the first-born from the dead. " Though others had beenrestored to life before the resurrection of Christ, yet he was the firstto rise with an immortal, glorified body. These expressions may alsodenote that Christ was the chief or central figure among all those whoarose. But it was by virtue of his coming and of his victory over deaththat any were enabled to rise before his resurrection, as in the mindand purpose of God, who "calleth those things which be not as thoughthey were" (Rom. 4:17), Christ was ordained to die and rise again, fromthe foundation of the world. He is the "prince of the kings of theearth" by virtue of his being exalted to the right hand of God, with"angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him. " 1 Pet. 3:22. "Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in thatwhich is to come. " Eph. 1:21. "Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, "describes the great atonement work of Jesus Christ, by which we arecleansed from all sin and made a royal, kingly priesthood unto God evenin this world. Every soul that has received the blessed experience Johnhere describes will be able to appreciate the unbounded rapture thebeloved apostle felt in the contemplation of this wonderful theme ofredemption that caused him to ascribe to God, its author, "glory anddominion forever and ever. " This Jesus is he who will come again, not in humiliation and suffering, but in glory and honor; not as a Lamb to shed his blood for the sins ofthe world, but as the Lion of the tribe of Juda, with infinite power andmajesty, causing all the kindreds of earth to wail because of him. Theblasphemous Jews, who clamored for his crucifixion; Pilate, whodelivered him up; and the Roman soldiery, who drove the nails andpierced his side, producing a death of greatest ignominy--all will seehim when he comes. But while the proud enemies of God and the crueloppressors of his saints are overwhelmed with terror at the sight of Hisperson, the saints of all ages will shout for joy, saying, "Even so. Amen. " "The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. " Inthe face of this awful truth, how dare men assert that the second adventwill usher in a thousand years of peace and tranquility, during whichtime the wicked will lie in their graves, when God's word declares that_every eye_ shall see him when he comes? The present description of Christ closes with the statement that he isthe Alpha and the Omega, which, being the first and last letters of theGreek alphabet, mean the same as "the beginning and the ending"; whilethe whole concludes with the statement that he is the one "which is, andwhich was, and which is to come, the Almighty"--which is the same as thedescription given of God in verse 4. Nothing in addition to this couldbe ascribed to Christ. Every attribute with which the Deity himself isinvested is here ascribed to Jesus Christ. If our Savior is anythingmore than this description declares him to be, it is beyond the reach ofour finite minds to comprehend. The sacred writers everywhere speak ofhim as a being worthy of worship and praise; and this fact, taken inconnection with the universal proneness of men to take the honor fromGod and to give it to those who are no gods, is a convincing proof thatChrist is God and, as such, is worthy of all honor and praise; andnowhere is there given in regard to Christ a warning caution such asJohn received from the angel at whose feet he fell to worship--"See thoudo it not ... Worship God. " 9. I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. 10. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, 11. Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. At the time the Revelation was given, John was a prisoner in the Isle ofPatmos (now called Patmo or Patino), a small, desolate, rocky island inthe Aegean sea, near the coast of Asia Minor, its greatest length fromnorth to south being about ten miles, and its greatest breadth six. Tothis lonely place, according to Jerome and others, John was exiledduring the reign of the tyrant Domitian, in A. D. 95. The reason of hisbanishment is given--"For the word of God, and for the testimony ofJesus Christ. " Having confined him to this barren spot, the emperor nodoubt thought he had effectually cleared the world of this preacher ofrighteousness. Doubtless the persecutors of John Bunyan[2] thought thesame when they had him shut up in Bedford jail. But when men think thetruth is dead and buried out of sight, God suddenly gives it aresurrection with thirty-fold greater glory. It was so in this case. Thegiving of the book of Revelation--the writing on this spot of thehistory of the church in advance--has changed the name of this rockyisland from deepest infamy to one of sacred interest and holyrecollections. The death of Domitian occurred in A. D. 96, and hissuccessor, the humane Nerva, recalled those who had been exiled becauseof their faithfulness to Christianity; and John returned to Ephesus, where he spent the remainder of his days, dying a natural death at theadvanced age of about one hundred years. [Footnote 2: John Bunyan (1628-1688) was a Puritan. After therestoration of the Stuarts to the throne, at the close of the EnglishRevolution and the failure of the Commonwealth, he was imprisoned fortwelve years "on account of non-conformity to the established worship. "It was during this dreary confinement that he wrote his "Pilgrim'sProgress, " the most admirable allegory in English literature. ] The humble manner in which John speaks of himself is affectionate. Hedoes not represent himself to the churches as some great apostle orprophet, but as "your brother and companion in tribulation, " a sharerwith them in the trials and the persecutions that they were all calledupon to endure. He also testified that he was "in the kingdom andpatience of Christ, " of which we will speak more hereafter. It was on the first day of the week, or the Lord's day, that the visionrecorded in this chapter was given John, while he was "in the Spirit, "or under the influence of the spirit of prophecy. He was commanded towrite in a book the things that he saw and to send it unto the sevenchurches of Asia. It is important to bear in mind the fact that thesevisions are things that John _saw_, all the actors and events passingbefore him as a moving panorama--the most stupendous scene that humaneyes have ever beheld, containing the future political history ofvarious nations and kingdoms and also the history of the church in herdifferent phases from the beginning until the final consummation. Of theseven churches we will speak more particularly hereafter. 12. And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; 13. And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. 14. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; 15. And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. 16. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. 17. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: 18. I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. The hieroglyphic, or symbolic, characters now begin. Turning in thedirection from which the voice came, John saw seven beautifulcandle-sticks and standing in their midst, a personage whose appearancewas inexpressibly glorious. John had recognized the voice of Christannouncing "I am the first and the last, " but he was not prepared forthe sight that met his gaze when he turned and found himself in theimmediate presence of his August Majesty, the Son of God. A human formwas there, but clothed in such vestments as proclaimed God; and nowonder mortality was overwhelmed when ushered into the presence of theuncreated Deity--he whose feet glowed as brass in a furnace, whose eyeswere as a flame of fire, and whose voice was as the sound of manywaters. Any man would have fallen as dead before such a personage as ishere described. Men may talk atheism, but it is the atheism of the lipsand of a coward heart, an atheism that would flee appalled before theburning footsteps of the Deity, and the irresistible conclusion wouldbe, "It is God himself. " John was not left in doubt regarding the identity of this personage;for, laying his hand upon the prostrate form of the apostle, he said, "Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and wasdead; and, behold, I am alive forevermore, Amen; and have the keys ofhell and of death. " The ever-living One entered death's domains andpermitted himself to be bound with chains; but at his pleasure he brokethem asunder, conquered death, and rose triumphant, carrying with himthe keys of hell and of death; and he has ascended on high, aliveforevermore; and at his voice all the dead will arise at his appearing, for the grave can no longer hold its victims. This vision settles an important fact--that when Christ appears upon thepanoramic scene, he comes in his own person, and not in the character ofa created substitute. There may be symbols connected with hisperson--the sword of his mouth may signify vengeance upon his enemies;his eyes as a flame of fire, superior intelligence and penetratingvision, etc. --but he distinctly announces himself to be the Christ ofGod. There is no creature in the universe that could personate "him thatliveth, and was dead, but is alive forevermore. " 19. Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter; 20. The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches. Here John received a special commission to write the things of thefuture that were to be given, the things that were then taking place, and also certain events which had come under his personal observationduring his life-time, and which were also included in the symbolicvisions, thus covering the entire gospel dispensation. The special symbols employed in this introductory vision are hereexplained by Christ himself, thus leaving us in no doubt whatever. Astar is a fit symbol of the position of a Christian minister--set in thechurch to give the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the world;while a candle-stick fitly represents the congregation working with himand sustaining him in his position. The special power ofChrist--symbolized by his right hand--is manifested in upholding hisministers, while he walks in the midst of his churches, ready with thesword of his mouth to defend them from the attacks of their adversariesand to prove their constant Guardian and Protector. CHAPTER II. Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; 2. I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: 3. And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast labored, and hast not fainted. 4. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. 6. But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate. 7. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. The special messages to the seven churches of Asia Minor are not of suchthrilling interest as are the symbolic visions of the remainder of thebook, yet we can learn many beneficial lessons from the variousexperiences of these congregations. At the time the Revelation was given, Ephesus was the chief capital ofProconsular Asia and its pride and glory. It was also that country'schief mart of idolatry, containing, as it did, the magnificent temple ofDiana, which is reckoned as one of the seven wonders of the world. Thistemple, according to the disclosures of modern excavations, was fourhundred and eighteen feet in length, and two hundred and thirty-nine inwidth, with one hundred beautiful external pillars of Parian marble, each a single shaft about fifty-six feet high. The city was proud of thetitle it had received, "Servant of the Goddess, " and even the Romanemperors vied with wealthy natives in lavishing gifts to her. One of thelatter, named Vibius Salutaris, presented a large quantity of gold andsilver images to be carried annually in procession. In this proud, wealthy, idolatrous city the apostle Paul planted aChristian church, and the great inroads the gospel made into theprevalent system of idolatry is shown by one circumstance mentioned inthe Book of Acts. "And many that believed came, and confessed, andshowed their deeds. Many of them also which used curious arts broughttheir books together, and burned them before all men: and they countedthe price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. Somightily grew the word of God and prevailed. " Acts 19:18-20. Fiftythousand pieces of silver would be equal to ten thousand dollars' worth, or, according to some estimates, six times that amount. But ten thousanddollars' worth of books on incantation and magic alone destroyed, considering the scarcity of books in that day, shows the wondrous extentto which the gospel had been accepted. This was made the occasion of agreat tumult in the city, when one, Demetrius, seeing that the prestigeof Diana was diminishing, stirred up the people of the city against Pauland his companions, and cried vehemently, "Great is Diana of theEphesians!" The souvenir silver shrines and images of this goddess, which had been in such demand by the multitudes of people constantlyvisiting the city, were no longer sought for when the knowledge of theone true God was made known; and well might Demetrius and hisfellow-craftsmen be alarmed as their means of wealth disappeared. The spiritual condition of this church in Paul's time is worthy ofnotice; for it presents a striking contrast with its condition at thetime when the special message of the Revelation was addressed to it. Paul in his epistle to the Ephesians taught them the glorious doctrineof entire sanctification (chap. 5:25-27), and they had received theexperience; for he gives them the express command, "Grieve not the holySpirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. " Chap. 4:30. And again, "After that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holySpirit of promise. " Chap. 1:13. Their ministers, also, had been placedin their position by authority of the Holy Ghost, and were commanded tofeed the flock. See Acts 20:28. When this was their heavenly experience, their "first works" of patience, love, and perseverance, were acceptableunto Christ; but it was not their present condition. A sad declensionhad taken place; therefore the declaration, "I have somewhat againstthee, because thou hast left thy first love. " This was no mere humanestimate placed upon their piety, but it was their condition as Christhimself knew it to be. He "who walketh in the midst of the seven goldencandlesticks, " and knoweth the hearts of all men, declared they hadfallen, and commanded them to repent and to do the first works. How sadthat a congregation which had one time enjoyed the fulness of God'sfavor should fall from grace and be threatened with destruction by theLord himself! But there is one consolation to be obtained from theexperience of this church, and that is, that even if persons haveenjoyed an experience of pardon and of sanctification and have lost it, there is a possibility of their recovering the favor of God, providedthey "repent, and do the first works. " But Christ, who in chapter 1:5 is said to be "the faithful witness, "will not overlook anything that is good, nor censure a congregationunjustly. He finds in this church one fact worthy of commendation--theirabhorrence of the deeds of the Nicolaitans. The infamous practisesattributed to this party are promiscuous sexual intercourse and theeating of things sacrificed to idols. It is said to have derived itsname from Nicolas, a proselyte of Antioch, who was one of the sevendeacons appointed by the church at Jerusalem, Acts 6:5. But there is nosatisfactory evidence that Nicolas was its founder; and it is the beliefof many, that the sect attributed their origin to him simply to gain theprestige of his name. However, its mention in this connection issufficient proof that at this time those corrupt principles had beenwidely promulgated. The letter closes with an admonition and a promise--an admonition togive heed to the things uttered by the Spirit, and a promise ofeverlasting life to the overcomer. This shows that Christ does notapprove or condemn indiscriminately. If the great mass of professorscontinue in their backslidden condition, the individual that gives heedto God's Word and is made an overcomer will have a right to "the tree oflife, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. " What, may we ask, has been the fate of this church against which Christuttered the threat of removal? There is no proof that they gave heed tothe exhortation to repent, and the candle-stick has long since beentaken away. Not a vestige of a church remains to mark the site of thisonce important congregation; nay, the city itself is no more, the stork, the jackal, and a few miserable Turkish huts alone remaining on the siteof this once proud metropolis where thousands congregated and cried, "Great is Diana of the Ephesians!" 8. And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last which was dead, and is alive; 9. I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. 10. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. 11. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. Smyrna was situated on a bay of the Aegean Sea, its beautiful harborrendering it from time immemorial one of the most important commercialcities of Asia Minor. History does not inform us when the gospel wasfirst introduced in this city; but at a very early date a largecongregation existed there, with the venerable Polycarp as its pastor. He suffered death by martyrdom under the reign of Marcus Aurelius aboutA. D. 167. In each of the seven letters to the churches Christ introduces himselfby some appellation significant of the character he assumes toward them. In this he styles himself "the first and the last, which was dead, andis alive, " a fact very important for that congregation to rememberduring the great seasons of persecution and oppression through whichthey were to be called to pass. Against this church Christ has no words of condemnation to utter; all isencouragement and promise. Their condition of poverty is mentioned. Itis probable that this very poverty arose because of their acceptingChristianity and taking joyfully the spoiling of their goods; for it isa well-known fact that, when individuals embrace Christianity in anidolatrous land, they are disinherited by parents, cast out byrelatives, and denied public employment. Even the community refuses toassociate with them or to render them assistance in any form. Theirmeans of subsistence is thus cut off, and they are harassed in everypossible manner. Perhaps this is the very trial of poverty the church ofSmyrna passed through; but Christ declares that they are rich: yea, Godhath "chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of thekingdom which he hath promised to them that love him. " Jas. 2:5. Theirenemies may think that they have reduced them to a condition ofwretchedness, but in this the persecutors are mistaken. God says therighteous are rich. A certain writer has remarked, "There is many a richpoor man, and many a poor rich man. " The blasphemy of opposing, self-styled Jews is next mentioned. In allprobability the term _Jew_ is applied in its spiritual sense. Pauldeclares that "he is not a Jew which is one outwardly ... But he is aJew which is one inwardly" (Rom. 2:28, 29), and that "if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. " Gal. 3:29. These persons professed to belong to the true "Israel of God"(Gal. 6:16), but they were without salvation; and the Smyrnaen churchwould not recognize them as belonging to the congregation, and thereforethe only name that could be applied to them was "the synagogue ofSatan. " Had they been tolerated in the assembly of the righteous, Christwould have condemned or rebuked the church for not performing theirduty, the same as he did the churches of Pergamos and Thyatira. Great persecutions for the church of Smyrna are predicted; but he "whichwas dead, and is alive forevermore, " having passed through the ordeal ofsuffering and death himself, stands in a position to speak words ofcomfort and consolation, assuring them in the strongest terms that, although wicked men and the devil may cast them into prison andpersecute them unto the death, yet "he that overcometh shall not be hurtof the second death. " The overcomers are of the number of those who, having had "part in the first resurrection, on such the second deathhath no power. " Chap. 20:6. The ten days doubtless are prophetic time(which will be explained later) and signify ten years, which wasprobably fulfilled in the terrible persecution that began under thereign of Diocletian, and continued ten years, or from A. D. 302 to 312. The subsequent history of Smyrna has been different from that ofEphesus, in that it has retained its name and importance until thepresent day, being the greatest commercial city in the Levant. It has apopulation of more than two hundred thousand, several thousand of whombelong to the Greek and Armenian churches. The light there has becomedimmed, but let us pray that God will soon remember the faith andperseverance of his ancient servants and again trim the lamps that onceshone so brightly. 12. And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges; 13. I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth. 14. But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumbling-block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. 15. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate. 16. Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. 17. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it. Pergamos was a city of considerable importance, the ancient metropolisof the province of Mysia and the residence of the Attalian kings. The description here given of Christ is in accordance with the characterof the church addressed and the work he found necessary to perform init. They are said to be located "where Satan's seat is. " Pergamos was acity reputed to be "sacred to the gods" and was one of the headquartersof idolatry. There are numerous such cities now among the Hindoos andother idolatrous nations. These cities are regarded with peculiarveneration and sanctity, and they contain the most honored temples. Inthe midst of such surroundings the influences against Christianity wouldbe very great. The congregation is commended because of its loyalty and steadfastnessduring a period of persecution in which Antipas was slain. When thispersecution occurred, we are not informed; and as to the identity ofAntipas, we are also left in uncertainty. Some suppose him to have beenthe elder of the church. Christ censures them severely, however, for tolerating persons in theirmidst who held the doctrine of Balaam and the pernicious sentiments ofthe Nicolaitans, and he threatens to fight against them with the swordof his mouth unless they repent. The doctrine of Balaam is partlyexplained--he "taught Balak to cast a stumbling-block before thechildren of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commitfornication. " When Balak desired Balaam to pronounce a curse againstIsrael, God by various means miraculously prevented Balaam's doing so;but Balaam craftily instructed Balak to make use of the women of Moab toseduce the men of Israel to sacrifice to their idols and to indulge inthe licentious accompaniments to such idolatry. In many places inheathen countries to-day vile women are attached to the temples of thegods, and at certain stated feasts licentiousness becomes a sanctionedpart of the religious celebration. Balaam's plan was successful. God wasdispleased with Israel, and because of this fornication there fell inone day twenty-four thousand. For a full account see Num. 22-25;31:13-17. It would appear that the doctrine of Balaam and the doctrine of theNicolaitans were classed as two different heresies; but the corrupttenets of the latter were identical with those of the former, and theprobable meaning is, "As the Hebrews had Balaamites among them; so, likewise, you have among you the Nicolaitans teaching the samepernicious doctrines. " It is also a singular fact that the Hebrewsignification of Balaam and the Greek of Nicolas is the same--"subduerof the people. " Thus the doctrine of Balaam would stand as arepresentation of the principles taught by the Nicolaitans. The letter to this church also closes with an exhortation and a promise. Hidden manna and a white stone in which is inscribed a new name arerewarded the overcomer. The interpretations of this white stone havebeen various, but the difficulty seems to lie in determining whichancient custom is meant. The most satisfactory to my mind is thatcontained in the following account by Mr. Blunt: "In primitive times, when traveling was rendered difficult from want ofplaces of public entertainment, hospitality was exercised by privateindividuals to a very great extent, of which, indeed, we find frequenttraces in all history, and in none more than in the Old Testament. Persons who partook of this hospitality, and those who practised it, frequently contracted habits of friendship and regard for each other, and it became a well-established custom among the Greeks and Romans toprovide their guests with some particular mark, which was handed downfrom father to son, and insured hospitality and kind treatment wheneverit was presented. This mark was usually a small stone or pebble, cut inhalves, upon each of which the host and the guest mutually inscribedtheir names, and then interchanged with each other. The production ofthese stones was quite sufficient to insure friendship for themselves ordescendants whenever they traveled again in the same direction; while itis evident that these stones required to be privately kept, and thenames written upon them carefully concealed, lest others should obtainthe privileges instead of the persons for whom they were intended. " Sothose who have obtained salvation and are overcomers through the bloodhave received the sure pledge of Christ's eternal friendship (whichthose who know not God can not receive) and are invited to partake ofall of his hospitalities, even to "eat of the hidden manna, " which isexperienced by the truly sanctified. 18. And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass; 19. I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first. 20. Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. 21. And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. 22. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. 23. And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works. 24. But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden. 25. But that which ye have already hold fast till I come. 26. And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: 27. And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. 28. And I will give him the morning star. 29. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. To this congregation Christ manifests himself in the character of him"who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet like finebrass, " denoting the fact that he is the great discerner of all heartsand that he is able to render unto every man according to his deeds. Whether the expression, "his feet like fine brass, " has any particularsignification, I am unable to say. This letter opens with a commendation of the works, the charity, theservice, and the faith of this church. In these things they had madeconsiderable advancement. Nevertheless, Christ had something againstthem, because they had suffered "that woman Jezebel" to teach falsedoctrines and to seduce the servants of Christ to compromise withidolatry and to commit fornication. It is improbable that Jezebel washer real name; but she was a Jezebel in character, named in this letterafter King Ahab's wicked wife, who killed the Lord's prophets, seducedher husband into idolatry, and fed the priests of Baal at her own table. Some have supposed that this appellation designated a number or class ofpeople teaching these doctrines; but the manner in which "her children, "or disciples, are spoken of would seem rather to point out a particularwoman--one who was a leader and the chief instrument of mischief. The long-suffering of Christ had been manifested in this case. He hadgiven her an opportunity to repent of her evil deeds, but she would not. Now he declares that he will cause his judgments to descend upon her andher followers. By casting her into a bed is doubtless meant that hewould bring her down upon a bed of sickness and pain and thus make her amost distressing object. Her partners in sin were to suffer "greattribulation, " and "her children, " or disciples, he would kill withdeath, or deadly pestilence. Thus would this whole corrupt party bevisited with divine judgments according to their works; while theirgreat pretensions to wisdom and discernment, "as they speak, " or as theyterm it, will be shown to be nothing but the "depths of Satan. " The frequent references to these gross sins in the letters to thechurches may seem a little strange to us in the altered circumstances ofsociety in which we live; but when we consider the tone of publicsentiment and the prevalence of idolatry at that time, it will be seenthat the lapse into these sins was very easy. Some compromised with theheathen by joining in their idolatrous feasts, maintaining that the meatwas not affected one way or the other, and this proved but astepping-stone to the licentious principles and the corrupt practises ofthose with whom they thus associated. The remainder of this letter is full of encouragement to the faithful. The only burden Christ placed upon them was a severe censure becausethey tolerated that abominable party in their midst. They were exhortedto continue faithful and were promised power over the nations. Thesethey should rule with a rod of iron, the same as Christ, who receivedthis power from his Father. The law, or rod, with which Christ, and hispeople with him, as _kings_ and priests, rule the nations is the word ofGod, the most unyielding law, based upon the greatest authority, everwritten. "Let the saints be joyful in glory ... Let the high praises ofGod be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand; to executevengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; to bindtheir kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; toexecute upon them the _judgments written_: this honor have _all hissaints_. " Psa. 149:5-9. CHAPTER III. And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. 2. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. 3. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. 4. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. 5. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. 6. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. Sardis was one of the chief cities of western Asia Minor. It wasbeautifully situated on the river Pactolus, in the middle Hermus valley, at the foot of Mount Tmolus, and was once the capital of the kingdom ofLydia, the place of residence of Croesus and other Lydian kings. It wasa city of great opulence and splendor, and "distinguished for thevoluptuous and debauched manners of its inhabitants. " To this church Christ introduces himself as "he that hath the sevenSpirits of God, and the seven stars"--that is, he has control of theHoly Spirit's agency and of his ministers. Thus, the great spiritualagencies of the church are in his keeping to bestow or to take away ashe pleases. Considering the dead condition of this church of Sardis, itwas very appropriate for Christ thus to address himself to them. He hasno words of commendation to offer, no works of charity, service, faith, and patience of which to approve. They had works, but these were not"perfect before God. " They were threatened with sudden visitation, asunexpected as a thief breaking in unawares upon the slumbering inmatesof a dwelling in the still hours of night. Their condition was differentfrom that of any of the churches before mentioned. They are not chargedwith such vile practises as prevailed at Pergamus and Thyatira, thedoctrine of the Nicolaitans had gained no foothold among them, yet theirworks were not perfect. "Thou hast a name that thou livest, and are_dead_. " They had maintained the external form of religion, but thevital power of godliness was lacking. Although Christ could not commend this church as a body, on account oftheir lack of spirituality, yet he testified, "Thou hast a few nameseven in Sardis which have not defiled their garments. " In the midst ofall the cold formalism of professors and surrounded by worldliness andiniquity, a few preserved their Christian integrity and were approved bythe Lord. "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this... To keep himself unspotted from the world. " Jas. 1:27. All suchovercomers have the promise of being clothed in white raiment ("therighteousness of saints "--chap. 19:8) and of having their namespreserved in the "book of life" in heaven and confessed before theFather and the holy angels. Wondrous admission into the heavenly realm!Presented to the Father and the innumerable hosts of heaven _by theLord, himself_, there, amid sacred environments, to enjoy thetranscendent felicity of eternal blessedness! "They are worthy, " saithChrist. Although this church was threatened with sudden visitation, there is nohint given of the manner in which this should be fulfilled, for thereason, perhaps, that it might be all the more unexpected. The churchhas long since passed out of existence. The city itself has lain inruins for centuries, the modern village of Sart composed of a few hutsinhabited by semi-nomadic Yuruks alone remaining near the ancient site. Cattle now graze on grassy plains once traversed by streets and throngedwith the inhabitants of this superb metropolis. 7. And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; 8. I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. 9. Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. 10. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. 11. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. 12. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God, and I will write upon him my new name. 13. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. Philadelphia was once a large and powerful city, and it continued thusuntil later times. Prior to the time the Revelation was written, it hadsuffered severely from repeated earthquakes, which caused it to bealmost deserted by its inhabitants. Subsequently, however, it recoveredand became a prosperous, influential city. The character Christ assumes toward this church is that of the Holy andTrue--one who will justly reward them for their patience andperseverance--and by virtue of his possessing the key of David (a symbolof power and authority), he is able to place before them an open doorwhich no man can shut. The character of this church is wholly unlike that of the preceding. Inthat, there was nothing to commend, but much to condemn; whereas tothis, all is admonition, encouragement, and promise, because they had"kept the word of his patience" and had not denied his name. Christ knewtheir works and that they were worthy of approval. They still possessed"a little strength" and had not denied his name. Christ, who always upholds and rewards his faithful followers, althoughthey be few in number and constitute the despised of earth, was notunrighteous that he should overlook this humble congregation of devoteddisciples that had kept his word, but he made them a number of specialpromises _because_ of their faith and perseverance. The first was theassurance that he had set before them an open door which no man couldshut. A door is a means either of entrance or of escape, and signifiesthat God was going to open before them a greater field of enlargementand success, or else would furnish them a sure means of escape andprotection from their cruel and relentless persecutors. It will beremembered that the church of Smyrna also received nothing butcommendation and encouragement; but there was no promise of an open doorto them. On the contrary, they were told that they should be tried, castinto prison, and suffer tribulation ten days. They were comforted, however, with a certain assurance of future reward and a crown ofeverlasting life. But before the church of Philadelphia there was openeda scene of greater prosperity, deliverance from enemies, greaterenlargement, and the glorious prospect of seeing multitudes of soulsbrought under the influence of the saving gospel of Christ. The next promise was that of deliverance from opposing Jews, who were tobe humbled before them. This refers, doubtless, to persons who had amere profession of Christianity and who were not recognized by thecongregation--the same as the blaspheming Jews of Smyrna. Thefaithfulness of God's elect would eventually be the means of bringingthem back to an experience of salvation, so that they would worship inthe midst of the church again. Another promise to this congregation was, "I also will keep thee fromthe hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world. " Somedreadful calamity is here predicted, during which the power of God wouldbe mercifully manifested in granting this church a special preservation. Some suppose it to have reference to a great general persecutionthroughout the Roman empire, during which the Christians of Philadelphiawould be spared. This may have been the fact; but whether it was or not, we have no means of information. When we come to consider the symbols ofchapter 9, in which the delusive error of Mohammedanism is set forth, wewill see what a period of sore trial this delusion was to the Easternchurches. It is also a fact that, in the midst of this abounding heresy, the church of Philadelphia was preserved as was no other church of Asia. When the followers of Mohammed were sweeping like a whirlwind over theEastern empire, ravaging everything before them, Philadelphia remainedan independent Christian city, when _all the other_ cities of Asia Minorwere under the power of the Saracen sword. It held out against theOttoman power until the year 1390 A. D. , when it surrendered to SultanBayazid's mixed army of Ottoman Turks and Byzantine Christians (?). Thiswas six years after the death of Wickliffe, "the morning star of thereformation, " who opposed the corruptions of the Papacy, gave the worldthe first English translation of the Bible, and sowed the seeds thatsoon grew and produced a Huss, a Jerome, and a Luther. So God preservedthe Christians of Philadelphia in the East until he began raising upothers to herald his truth in the West, whose labors soon ripened intothe glorious Reformation of the Sixteenth Century. His final promise to the overcomer is that he shall be made a pillar inthe temple of God, and receive the name of God, of Christ, and of theNew Jerusalem, or city of God. In some manner the Christian is labelledwith the name of God, whose property he is; with the name of Christ, bywhom he was purchased; and with the name of the New Jerusalem, or cityof God, his inheritance and eternal abiding-place; and he is made apillar in the temple of God. By turning to Heb. 12:22, 23, we find thatthe general assembly and church of God in this dispensation constitutes, in one important sense, the New Jerusalem, or city of God, in which theovercomers abide. "But ye _are come_ unto Mount Sion, and unto the cityof the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem ... To the general assemblyand church of the first-born, which are written in heaven. " The churchis also styled the house or temple of God, composed of people out of allnations who "are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone; in whom all thebuilding fitly framed together groweth unto _an holy temple_ in the Lord... For an habitation of God through the Spirit. " Eph. 2:20-22. See also1 Cor. 3:17; 1 Pet. 2:5; 1 Tim. 3:15. To be a pillar in this temple of God means to occupy a conspicuous oruseful position in supporting the truth, examples of which are to befound in such characters as "James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to bepillars" in the church in apostolic times. Gal. 2:9. In the last prayerof Christ to the Father, he says concerning his disciples, "While I waswith them in the world, I kept them in thy name" (John 17:12); and sincethe church promised by Christ (Mat. 16:18) has been established, wecontinually bear the name of the Father, its title being the church orcity of God. We also bear the new name of Christ, as explained inchapter 2:17, and we meet together and worship in that name (Mat. 18:20), obeying the exhortation of the apostle Paul--"Whatsoever ye doin word or deed, do all _in the name of the Lord Jesus_, giving thanksto God and the Father by him. " Col. 3:17. A better understanding of themanner in which we receive the name of God and of his city will beobtained when we come to the consideration of the followers of a false, degenerate church represented as receiving the "mark of the beast, " bywhich they are designated. To inquire further into the history of this church, Philadelphia stillremains with a population of about fifteen thousand. It contains anumber of places of public worship, a resident (Greek) archbishop, andseveral inferior clergy. Mr. Keith, in his "Evidence of Prophecy, "speaks of the then presiding bishop, and says that he acknowledges "theBible as the only foundation of all religious belief" and admits that"abuses have entered into the church, which former ages might endure, but the present must put down. " It is also a singular coincidence thatthe modern Turkish name of the city, Ala-Shehr, signifies "city of God. " This description of the church of Philadelphia I will bring to a closeby adding the following extract from Gibbon, recorded in his notedhistory entitled "The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. " It is ofespecial value since the writer, being an avowed infidel, can not beconvicted of misconstruing historical facts in order to favorChristianity. "The captivity or ruin of the seven churches of Asia was consummated [bythe Ottomans] A. D. 1312, and the barbarous lords of Ionia and Lydiastill trample on the monuments of classic and Christian antiquity. Inthe loss of Ephesus the Christians deplore the fall of the firstcandle-stick of the Revelation. The desolation is complete; and thetemple of Diana and the church of Mary will equally elude the search ofthe curious traveler. The circus and three stately theatres of Laodiceaare now peopled with wolves and foxes. Sardis is reduced to a miserablevillage. The God of Mohammed without a rival is invoked in the mosquesof Thyatira and Pergamus; and the populousness of Smyrna is supported bythe foreign trade of the Franks and Armenians. _Philadelphia alone_ hasbeen saved by prophecy or courage. At a distance from the sea, forgottenby the emperors, encompassed on all sides by the Turks, her valiant sonsdefended their religion and freedom above fourscore years, and at lengthcapitulated with the proudest of the Ottomans. Among the Greek coloniesof Asia, Philadelphia is still erect--a column in a scene of ruins--apleasing example that the path of honor and safety may sometimes be thesame. " Vol. VI. , p. 229. 14. And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 15. I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 17. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 18. I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye salve, that thou mayest see. 19. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 20. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 21. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. 22. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. Laodicea was one of the wealthiest cities of Asia Minor. It was builtupon some low hills, and occupied an important situation in the centerof a very fertile district. It was famous for its money transactions andfor the beautiful soft wool grown by the sheep of the country, whichfacts are both alluded to in the message. Verses 17, 18. During thereign of Tiberius Cęsar it was entirely destroyed by an earthquake, butits wealthy inhabitants rebuilt it immediately. A Christian church wassoon planted there; for Paul makes the request that his epistle to theColossians be read in the church of Laodicea and that his epistle to thechurch of Laodicea (which was not included in the New Testament canon)be read unto them. Col. 4:16. The condition of this church, according to the burden of the message, was worse than that of any of the others; for there is not only nocommendation of former faith and piety, but it is not even said of them, as of the church at Sardis, that a few names were left who had notdefiled their garments. Christ, who here represents himself in thecharacter of the "faithful and true Witness, " testifies that they are"neither cold nor hot. " They did not have enough piety nor zeal to causethem to do anything for the honor of Christ and his cause, neither werethey open enemies. They were merely lukewarm, insincere friends, and, assuch, were in a position to do the greatest harm. A certain writer hassaid, "We always dread a professed but insincere friend; he is the leastdesirable of all relations. " They are further described as being satisfied to remain in theirlukewarm condition, indulging themselves in the riches and the pleasuresof this life. Theirs was a rich, prosperous, influential church in theirestimation, and they were proud of it; but "the faithful and trueWitness" declares that they were "wretched, and poor, and blind, andnaked. " What a contrast this congregation presents with the churches ofSmyrna and Philadelphia, whose poverty and "little strength" areexpressly mentioned, but who were rich in spirituality, and who receivedno reproof, but words of comfort! They of Laodicea possessed no truegold from the mine of gospel truth, no white raiment of righteousness tohide their spiritual nakedness, no clear vision to enable them todiscern the things of the Spirit. In fact, they lacked everythingnecessary to constitute a church of which the Lord could approve andwhich would be an honor to his cause. But notwithstanding their sadcondition, Christ still pleads with them to repent of their doings andto allow him to come in and sup with them, promising the overcomer theprivilege of sharing the throne of his Redeemer. On account of their lukewarmness a severe threat was uttered--"I willspue thee out of my mouth. " Allusion is doubtless made to the formercatastrophe that overthrew the city under Tiberius, thus giving themwarning of the destruction that might come upon them in the future. Theresult has been in accordance with the prediction. God spued that churchout of his mouth centuries ago, and nothing remains of that proud, wealthy city. Not even a Turk has any fixed residence on the spot. Itsruins alone remain in their desolation, "rejected of God, deserted ofman, its glory a ruin, its name a reproach. " The Encyclopędia Britannicasays, "Its ruins are of wide extent.... There is no doubt, however, thatmuch has been buried beneath the surface by the _frequent earthquakes_to which the district is exposed. " The prophecies concerning these individual churches have been fulfilled;so that even infidelity itself bears witness to the "strangeverification of Apocalyptic promise and threatening. " Two of thechurches, Ephesus and Laodicea, where no spiritual souls remained, werethreatened with utter extinction. They are now in utter ruins--forsaken, desolate. Sardis, too, where only a few names were left, is reduced to asmall Turkish village, without a church or a Christian. Pergamus andThyatira, where much spirituality remained, but where wickedness alsowas tolerated, still survive, though but mere remnants of their formergreatness. While Smyrna and Philadelphia, where Christ found nothing tocondemn and to whose churches he uttered only words of comfort andpromise, remain until the present day and are the brightest spots on thewhole scene, standing like erect columns in the midst of the surroundingruins. I do not wish, however, to give too much prominence to the citiesthemselves in the fulfilment of these prophecies. The churches locatedin these seven cities of Asia were doubtless the main thing underconsideration in the utterance of these promises and threatenings. Yetit is a singular fact that the subsequent history of the citiesthemselves has accorded in a remarkable degree with the nature of theprophecies uttered. It may be that God has preserved Smyrna andPhiladelphia because of the piety of their ancient inhabitants. He who held the seven stars in his right hand and walked in the midst ofthe seven golden candle-sticks, still possesses the control of hisministers and is present in the congregations of the righteous; but letus all take warning from the example of the churches of Asia, and livesuch a life of devotion, charity, faith, and patience as Christ, the"faithful and true Witness, " will approve of, that we may "walk with himin white" and have right to the "tree of life which is in the midst ofthe paradise of God. " CHAPTER IV. After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter. 2. And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. 3. And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. 4. And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold. 5. And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God. 6. And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. 7. And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. 8. And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. 9. And when those beasts give glory and honor and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, 10. The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11. Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. It is probable that the Apocalypse was communicated to John in parts, orconsisted of a series of symbolic visions. This is indicated by theexpression "after this I looked, " and is also confirmed by the wordsfollowing, "And immediately I was in the spirit, " implying that thevision recorded in chapter 1, which was given on the Lord's day, hadbeen interrupted and that a new one now began when the angel withtrumpet voice gave summons for him to ascend to heaven "in the spirit"(or under the influence of the spirit of prophecy) to behold the eventsof the future, passing before him as a vast moving picture. This fact of John's ascension to heaven to behold certain visions of thefuture (which begin properly with chapter 6) will serve to explain manyallusions to things said to occur in heaven, merely signifying that Johnwas in heaven when these things were revealed to him, although theirfulfilment was intimately connected with the affairs of the church onearth, for whose benefit the Revelation was given and unto whom it wassent. When the apostle ascended through the door that had been opened untohim, the first object that met his vision and absorbed his soul was athrone with the Almighty seated upon it, around whom all the inhabitantsof heaven were assembled. No symbol of God is given, for the reason thatthere is no analagous object that can be chosen as his representative. True, John saw a throne, but that is a symbol, not of God himself, butof his supreme power and authority. One was seated upon the throneseparate from the throne itself. It is not said that a jasper or asardine stone was seated thereon, for that would be to make such anobject the representative of God; but he that sat on the throne "was tolook upon" like a jasper or sardine stone. The jasper mentioned was inall probability the diamond, and is described in chapter 21:11 as astone most precious, clear as crystal; while the sardine stone was abrilliant gem of a red hue. This description naturally suggests thevestments of a great monarch in a position of authority upon his throne. The main idea, then, as here expressed, is that the appearance of theAlmighty was so inexpressibly glorious that it could be likened tonothing except the beauty of the most resplendent gems. But God himselfappears in his own person, unrepresented by another, for the reason, asabove stated, that no inferior intelligence of earth or heaven cananalagously represent the uncreated Deity. The throne of the omnipotent One was surrounded by a beautiful rainbowof emerald clearness, and was probably a perfect one, or a completecircle, such as ours would be could it come wholly into our sight. Therainbow on the cloud, to Noah and his descendants, constitutes the surepledge of God's covenant promise not to destroy the earth with anotherdeluge; so, also, the bow surrounding the throne is a symbol of God'scovenant favor with his people eternally. There were "lightnings and thunderings and voices" proceeding from thethrone--the same outward manifestations as heralded the Godhead when hecame down on Sinai to declare his holy law. The "seven lamps of fireburning before the throne" are said to signify the seven spirits of God. These are not lamp-stands or candle-sticks, such as the ones in themidst of which the Son of God walked on earth, but seven lights orflames of fire, representing the operation of the Holy Spirit upon thehearts of men and women. Surrounding the throne also was "a sea of glasslike unto crystal. " In the Greek it stands in a little differentform--"And before the throne _as it were_ a sea of glass. " Describingthe same object in chapter 15:2, the Revelator says, "I saw _as it were_a sea of glass. " It was a broad expanse spread out before the thronewith a glassy or transparent appearance like crystal. Its significationwill be made clear hereafter. In addition to this description of the throne and Deity, our attentionis directed to certain objects before and surrounding the throne. Fourbeasts and four and twenty elders are brought to view. The word _beasts_is a very unfortunate translation, being necessarily associated in ourminds with the brute creation. It is not the word _therion_, which inthirty-five instances in the Apocalypse is translated beast, denoting ananimal of wild disposition, but the word _zoon_, which signifies "aliving creature, " and is thus rendered by many of the translators of theNew Testament. Their being full of eyes signifies sleepless vigilanceand superior intelligence and discernment. The chief description givenof the first living creature is that it was "like a lion. " It is stated, not that the creature was a lion, but that it was "like a lion. " Itpossessed some peculiar quality characteristic of the lion; namely, strength and courage. The second living creature, "like a calf, " or, more properly, the ox, is symbolic of sacrifice or of patient labor. Thethird, with "a face as a man, " denotes reason and intelligence. Whilethe fourth, "like a flying eagle, " is an emblem of swiftness andfar-sighted vision. But the peculiar qualities thus symbolized are possessed by the fourliving creatures themselves, and what do _they_ represent? To whom arethe four and twenty elders referred? They are particularly distinguishedfrom the angelic throng. In the ninth verse of the following chapter theelders and the living creatures represent themselves as the host ofpeople redeemed by the blood of Christ "out of every kindred, andtongue, and people, and nation. " The above-mentioned characteristics, then, are the peculiar possession of God's people--power and courage toattack all enemies and to gain the victory; a spirit of perseverance inpatiently laboring for Christ, with a willingness to sacrifice theirlives, if necessary, for the glory of God; ability to receive a"knowledge of the truth, " that they may understand the will of God inChrist Jesus concerning them; and power and willingness to obeyinstantly when able to discern spiritual things, rising above the thingsof earth and the trials and persecutions of life--soaring away toloftier heights, there to bask continually in the blessed sunlight ofGod's eternal presence. Why was it necessary that the redeemed company of God's people should berepresented by _four_ living creatures? Doubtless because it wouldprobably have been very difficult to select any _one_ creature combiningall the characteristics desired to represent all God's people of allages. It is also a significant fact that all the people of God on earthwere included in four great dispensations--ante-deluvian, post-deluvian, Mosaic, and Christian; although it is not certain that _four_ livingcreatures were selected for the special purpose of showing the number ofdispensations. However, this division of time is well established in theBible. Peter reckons a new world beginning with Noah (2 Pet. 3:6, 7), stating that the old world had been destroyed. 2 Pet. 2:5. God came downupon Mount Sinai and delivered the old covenant, thus marking a distinctdispensation; while Jesus Christ established the new covenant andushered in the fourth and last dispensation. See Heb. 12:18-24. Underthe first dispensation, Abel by faith offered unto God an "excellentsacrifice"; men "began to call upon the name of the Lord" (Gen. 4:26);Enoch "walked with God" and "was translated that he should not seedeath"; while Noah, "a preacher of righteousness, " was "perfect in hisgeneration" and "condemned the world" by his preaching and obedience. The second dispensation was graced with a faithful Abraham, who"staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong infaith, " from which circumstance he was called "the friend of God" andhas justly received the title "father of the faithful. " In his footstepsfollowed Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses. The law age contains the namesof many illustrious prophets of God, and the New Testament era aboundswith brilliant examples of faith and devotion. The ministry of John the Baptist can not be said to form anotherdispensation, because of its short duration (he preceding Christ but sixmonths), and being at the time unknown outside of a very limitedterritory. Another dispensation could not be begun and _completed_ whilethe old covenant dispensation was yet in force; for that would make twodispensations in full force at the same time--a thing impossible. Also, John's work, according to the evangelist, marks the beginning of thegospel dispensation (Mark 1:1-4), from which time the kingdom of God waspreached and men pressed into it. Luke 16:16. It was by virtue of the future atonement-work of Christ that any wereenabled to enjoy God's favor in Old Testament times. Even theirsacrifices, which originated in the family of Adam and which werecontinued from generation to generation, pointed forward to thesacrificial offering of the Savior and by this means purchased covenantfavors with Heaven. So, after all, the atonement was for their benefitas well as for ours. Paul expressly informs us that Christ died for the"redemption of the transgressions that were _under the firsttestament_. " Heb. 9:15. "Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and _all theprophets_" are "in the kingdom of God" (Luke 13:28), and constitute apart of this great redeemed host set forth under the symbol of the fourliving creatures. The four and twenty elders, although representing themselves as a partof this redeemed company, evidently have some special signification; forthey are presented to us as separate characters from the four livingcreatures. Who are they? Undoubtedly they represent the ministers ofGod, the number twenty-four also signifying perfection or completeness, being drawn from certain facts connected with the two dispensations inwhich God has had a clerical ministry. The natural heads of the tribesof Israel were the twelve patriarchs; while the spiritual heads of theChristian church are the twelve apostles of the Lamb, they constitutinga part of the foundation upon which it is built. Eph. 2:20. In asubsequent chapter we have an account of the sealing of the twelvetribes, by which is meant the sealing, not of the literal Israel, but ofthe spiritual, the twelve tribes being selected from the properdepartment to stand as a symbol of the true Israel in this dispensation, which is expressly said to consist of people of all nations. NaturalIsrael and spiritual Israel are frequently used to designate God'speople; so, also, in the case before us the twelve patriarchs as headsof the natural Israel and the twelve disciples as heads (in oneimportant sense) of the spiritual Israel are taken to represent theentire ministry. In the description of the New Jerusalem we findconspicuously inscribed the names of the twelve tribes of the childrenof Israel and of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, thus making the numbertwenty-four. Chap. 21:12, 14. Although the ministers seem to be a special class among thoseconstituting the redeemed multitude, yet their intimate connection withthe remainder is set forth under another symbol--that of wings _attachedto_ the four living creatures. Each of the four living ones possessedsix wings, which, taken numerically, make up twenty-four again. Thewings of a living creature would signify its means of flight; and it isby the action of the ministry, who "go into all the world" as flyingmessengers to preach the everlasting gospel, that the church of God isestablished among all nations. Thus, under the symbol of livingcreatures with wings is set forth the glorious harmony and unity thatexists in the body of Christ between ministry and laity. The elders are represented as being clothed in white raiment and aspossessing golden crowns. "White raiment" is a symbol of righteousness(chap. 19:8), while crowns represent special power and authority. God'sministers possess both. They are made righteous through the blood of theeverlasting covenant and are given power over all the power of the enemyand authority to heal the sick and to cast out devils. The entire company are engaged in worshiping God unceasingly, the elderscasting their crowns before the throne, thus ascribing all praise, honor, and glory to Him who has delegated to them the authority theypossess. And may we, my brethren, never grow weary in well-doing andconclude that the worship of God grows monotonous; but let us, withheart and soul, join the universal chorus, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord GodAlmighty. " CHAPTER V. And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. 2. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? 3. And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. 4. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. 5. And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. 6. And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. 7. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. 8. And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of saints. 9. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; 10. And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. 11. And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; 12. Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing. 13. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard it saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. 14. And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever. The vision of this chapter is but a continuation of the preceding one, being a sublime description of the exaltation and office-work of Christin his two-fold character as the Lion of the tribe of Juda and as asacrificial offering for the sins of the world. The Apocalypse openswith the words, "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave untohim, " and it is fitting that his special prerogatives andcharacteristics, together with the true position he occupies, shouldfirst be revealed. This was especially necessary in view of the fact tobe revealed, that another would soon arise usurping the rights andprerogatives belonging to Christ alone, claiming to be supreme head ofthe church, sitting as God in the temple of God, and "showing himselfthat _he_ is God. " 2 Thes. 2:4. The attention of John was directed to an object "in the right hand ofHim that sat on the throne"--a book sealed with seven seals--and to amighty angel calling with a loud voice for some one to come forward andloose the seals and open the book. No created intelligence of earth orheaven dared to step forward and declare himself able to accomplish theresult required, and because of this John wept much. The form of books in use when the Revelation was given was unlike thoseused now. They consisted of strips of parchment or other material, longer or shorter, rolled up. The book in the symbolic vision before usconsisted of a roll containing seven pieces each one rolled and sealedseparately, so that the outer seal could be broken and the contents ofits strip read without disturbing the remaining ones. Had the seals allbeen on the outside, nothing could have been read until they were allbroken; whereas the loosing of each seal was followed by some discoveryof the contents of the roll. This book in the hand of God is symbolical of something. Most of thecommentators think it represents the book of Revelation, in which case, of course, it would not include the present description of the bookitself, but only of its contents as applied to subsequent chapters. Butthis view, of itself, is unsatisfactory for many reasons. The rulesgoverning the use and the interpretation of symbolic language wouldforbid the thought of one book's symbolizing another book; for the mainidea conveyed by the term _symbol_ is, that the symbolic object standsas the representative, not of itself, but of something analagous. Reasoning by analogy, what would the contents of a sealed book in thehand of God symbolize? Evidently, the infinite counsels and purposesknown only to Jehovah. Its being written within and on the backsidewould indicate that those purposes were full and complete, being allwritten out and understood by him who "knoweth the end from thebeginning" and "worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. "Its being sealed denotes that the contents were unrevealed, while itsbeing in the right hand of God--the hand of his power--shows that he isable to carry into execution his divine purposes and that none shall beable to alter them or to wrest them from him. While the events future of John's time form a part of the great plan andcounsels of Jehovah, yet it is taking a very limited view of the subjectto suppose that they alone constitute the sealed book of this vision;for then would that greatest of all events, the atonement of Christ andthe earliest triumphs of the gospel, have no special part in the sealed, mysterious counsels of the infinite One. It is much more consistent withthe characteristics and attributes of God to make this book a symbol, not merely of a part, but of all his divine plans and purposes in theentire gospel dispensation. This position gains credence from the factthat the visions of the Revelation cover many times the whole periodfrom the incarnation to the end. When the very first seal is broken, theearly success and triumphs of the gospel, as experienced in John'slifetime, are portrayed. According to the vision before us, it was byvirtue of Christ's death that he was able to open the book at all; andthe plan of redemption itself, which is based upon his atonement, isdeclared by the Scriptures to be a "mystery which from the beginning ofthe world hath been _hid in God_. " Eph. 3:9. This redemption scheme wasthe great center of attraction to the prophets of the old dispensation, who "inquired and searched diligently" that they might comprehend itsdeep mysteries, "which things the _angels desired to look into_. " 1 Pet. 1:10-12. Now, if the contents of the sealed book were (at the time of thisvision) only the history of events to be, why was it that no man onearth or in heaven, nor even an angel before the throne, was foundworthy to "look into" it or to communicate its secrets to the childrenof men. Gabriel was sent as a worthy messenger to communicate to Daniela long series of future events reaching even until the end of time. Butthe contents of this roll were such that no created intelligence ofearth or heaven was able to unfold them. All remained unfathomablemystery--until Christ stepped forward in his character as a sacrificialLamb and declared himself able to undertake the task of loosing theseals and of opening the book. "Unto you it is given to _know themystery_ of the kingdom of God" (Mark 4:11), he said to his disciples, "even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is _made manifest_ to his saints. " Col. 1:26. "Verily I say untoyou, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see thosethings which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those thingswhich ye hear, and have not heard them. Blessed are your eyes, for theysee; and your ears, for they hear. " Mat. 13:17, 16. The fact that the suffering and death of Christ was a past event at thetime when the Revelation was given does not constitute a valid objectionto the position taken, that the contents of the sealed book embrace theplan of redemption during the entire period of its operation; for thereason that, in order to form a complete and continuous narrative, pastevents are frequently referred to in the Apocalypse. Thus, John saw abeast with seven heads signifying seven kings; but he was expresslyinformed that "_five are fallen_, one is [exists at present], and theother is not yet come. " Chap. 17:10. When Christ appears on the symbolic stage, he is introduced by the elderas "the Lion of the tribe of Juda, " and "the Root of David. " The lion, being the king of beasts and the monarch of the forest, is indicative ofpower, such as Christ possesses. Christ is elsewhere denominated "Kingof kings and Lord of lords, " and he himself laid claim to "all power inheaven and on earth, " it having "pleased the Father that in him shouldall fulness dwell. " Why he is termed "the Lion of the tribe of Juda, " Iam unable to say, unless the expression is borrowed from the prophecyrecorded of him in Gen. 49:10--"The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto himshall the gathering of the people be. " His being the "Root of David"shows that he is the source and sustainer of David as to his positionand power. David was specially ordained of the Lord and sustained byhim. Of this there can be no doubt. David was a type; Christ is theantitype. David's position as ruler over natural Israel constitutes atype of Christ's position as ruler over the spiritual Israel; and it isin this sense that Christ reigns upon the throne of his father David. Luke 1:32, 33. And since Christ came in the line of David's descendants, he is called the offspring of David and a rod out of the stem of Jesse. Isa. 11:1, 10. His connection with the throne of David being evident, heis entitled to the right to reign over his people. The appellation_Lamb_ is one of the peculiar titles by which the Son of God isdesignated, having reference to that part of his mission in which heconstituted a sacrificial offering for sin. His forerunner John was ableto prophetically discern him in this character, and pointed to him as"the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. " John 1:29. The Lamb was said to have seven horns and seven eyes. A horn is a symbolof power, and seven, being a sacred or perfect number, denotes thefulness of power possessed by Christ; while the seven eyes signify theseven spirits of God, or the Holy Spirit, which, being under the directcontrol of Christ, is sent forth into the world to effect theregeneration of men. When the Lion of the tribe of Juda stepped forward and undertook thetask of revealing the secret counsels and purposes of Jehovah to theworld, immediately a song of praise ascended from the lips of theredeemed sons of earth. The song was new, adapted to a new theme, andsung on a new occasion. "The four beasts and four and twenty elders felldown before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials[censers] full of odors, which are the prayers of saints. And they sunga new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open theseals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thyblood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hastmade us unto our God kings and priests, and we shall reign on theearth. " This song beautifully expresses the honor due to Jesus Christ inhis office-work as Redeemer of the world, by virtue of which people outof every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, are saved unto God andmade kings and priests on the earth. The angel who appeared to theJudean shepherds while they were watching their flocks by night, comforted them with the welcome announcement: "Fear not: for, behold, Ibring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to _all people_. Forunto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christthe Lord. " Luke 2:10, 11. Since the preaching of the gospel began, men are instructed to "seekfirst the kingdom of God" (Mat. 6:33), and they "press into it" (Luke16:16) by the saving virtue of Him "who hath delivered us from the powerof darkness, and hath translated us _into the kingdom_ of his dear Son. "Col. 1:13. Taking our place by the side of the writer of the Revelation, we testify with him that we are already "in the kingdom and patience ofJesus Christ" (Rev. 1:9), and that we "receive abundance of grace and ofthe gift of righteousness, " whereby "we _reign in life_ by one JesusChrist. " Rom. 5:17. In this happy condition, redeemed by the blood ofJesus, our Savior, made "a royal [kingly] priesthood" in the "holynation" of "peculiar people" that have been gathered out of all nationsof earth (1 Pet. 2:5, 9), we feel like singing anew this glad song ofredemption in honor of Jesus, our only Lord and Savior, who is God overall, blessed forever! Amen. This new and rapturous song of the redeemed was immediately caught by agreater multitude of the angelic order, an innumerable company, even"ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, " andtogether, with loud and united voices, did they swell the mighty anthem, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, andwisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing. " And again theheavenly strain was raised to loftier heights, until the stupendouschorus rolled around the universe, by every creature in heaven and onearth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, saying, "Blessing and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth uponthe throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever. " A few gifted voices ofearth may possess such power and sweetness as almost to entrance us withtheir melody of song; but what an oratorio will it be, my brethren, when, released from the narrow limits of mortality, that sublime strainsung by the redeemed of all ages and ten thousand times ten thousand andthousands of thousands of angels, bursts in upon our ransomed souls! Didhuman thought ever reach the conception of music like this? Did the eyesof a mortal ever behold such rapturous scenes? You may feast your eyesupon earth's greatest beauty--Yosemite Valley, Yellowstone Park, NiagaraFalls, may pass before your vision; you may climb the lofty Alpinesummit and behold the snow-streaked and snow-capped peaks towering tothe heavens around you--or you may listen to the best music evercomposed by a Mozart, a Handel, or a Beethoven, or the finest everexecuted by a Liszt, a Rubenstein, or a Paderewski; yet I must tell youupon the authority of God's word that "eye hath not _seen_, nor ear_heard_, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things whichGod hath prepared for them that love him. " 1 Cor. 2:9. This vision shows very clearly the lofty position to which Christ hasbeen exalted, possessing "a name which is above every name"; for theentire company of angels and redeemed saints unite in extolling him withsongs of praise, and that, too, before the very throne of the Deity andin the presence of his infinite Majesty. Surely we can not doubt thatours is a divine Savior, and one worthy of all praise, honor, power anddominion both now and forever. Though John beheld this wonderful vision in heaven, yet we must rememberthat it was given and recorded for the benefit of God's people uponearth. The plan of redemption was not actually revealed in heaven, for"Jesus Christ came _into the world_ to save sinners" (1 Tim. 1:15), andit was here that he was ordained to "taste death for every man. " Heb. 2:9. The ransomed company thus brought to view is intended to point outthe redeemed of earth; for there is no salvation to be obtained inheaven, in which place no blood was shed--the blood is one of the agentsthat bears witness in the earth. 1 John 5:7, 8. The central figures ofthis vision were God, the Holy Spirit, and Christ, around whom theliving creatures and elders were gathered, and they, in turn, weresurrounded by the angelic throng. This entire scene was doubtlessintended to represent the exalted character of spiritual things onearth, where the plan of redemption was revealed and the redeemed hostgathered out of all nations. In a very important sense the Father, theSon, and the Holy Ghost all dwell in the spiritual church, or newJerusalem, and are thus "in the midst" of God's people, surrounded bythe redeemed host who unceasingly worship them, and they, in turn, havethe promise that "the angel of the Lord encampeth round about them"(Psa. 34:7); yea, "an innumerable company of angels" reside in this"heavenly Jerusalem, " or "city of the living God, " unto which we, as apart of the "general assembly and church of the first-born, " "_arecome_" in this dispensation. Heb. 12:22, 23. CHAPTER VI. And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. 2. And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer. We have now reached the point where the thrilling interest of this bookcommences. With the opening of the seals of the book of God's purposeswe have the prophecies of the future, the unfolding of the events to be, described under appropriate symbols. The contents of six seals arecontained in this and the following chapter, while the seventh occupiesthe remainder of the volume. A word relative to the plan of the prophecies will be appropriate atthis time. I will again state what will be made very clearhereafter--that the events are narrated by series, and not by centuries. A particular theme is taken up and carried through to its completion, then the narrative returns and another subject is traced to its end. Thus, the entire book consists of a number of distinct parallel seriescovering the same ground. Upon the opening of the first seal, John is summoned as with a voice ofthunder by one of the living creatures to draw near; and the object thatmeets his vision is a white horse with its rider. The symbol is that ofa victorious warrior, being drawn from the civil and military life ofthe Romans. The symbol is one of dignity. It does not consist of someinanimate object such as a mountain, a sea, or a river, neither is it awild ferocious beast; but it is that of a living, active, intelligentbeing, and he, as denoted by various insignia, a conqueror. He rides awhite horse, such as victors used in triumphal procession; his bow andcrown are also symbols of victory. He goes forth conquering and toconquer, or to make conquests. This symbol is a faithful representation of the early triumphs ofChristianity in its aggressive conflict with the huge systems of errorwith which it had to contend. Some have supposed that the riderrepresented Jesus Christ; but this can not be, for many reasons, two ofwhich I will give. First. Christ always appears on the symbolic stage inhis own character, unrepresented by another, for the reason, as beforestated, that there is no creature that can analagously represent Him whoclaims equality with God. Not one name or attribute peculiar to him ismentioned in the description. Second. There are four horsemen brought toview in this chapter, and the symbols all being drawn from the samedepartment, must have the same general application. If the firsthorseman symbolizes _a definite personage_, so do the remaining three;but we should have great difficulty in identifying the last three, giving them an individual application. Others make the first horseman a symbol of the gospel itself, but thegospel is not a living, active, intelligent agent, such as the symbolevidently is, but is only a system of the revealed truth. All congruityand appropriateness in the comparison is lacking. But let us give this symbol further consideration. It is not enough thatits interpretation alone be given, but the reader is justly entitled toa knowledge of the process by which we arrive at the truth. In the firstplace, we have a symbol of great dignity and excellence, and we mustlook for an object of corresponding character. The symbol is that of aliving agent, and consequently, we must look for its fulfillment in anactive, intelligent agent. The purity, or whiteness, of the horse onwhich the rider was seated would indicate an agency of mild, beneficentcharacter. Finally, the symbol is drawn, as before stated, from thecivil and military life of the Romans. Now, according to the laws ofsymbolic language, a symbol never represents an object like itself, butan analagous one in another department. A wild beast does not representa wild beast, but something of analagous character. Seven fat and sevenlean kine do not represent kine like themselves, but somethinganalagous--seven years of plenty and as many of famine. There are onlytwo great series of events described in the Revelation--the history ofecclesiastical events and the political history of certain nations. Thepresent symbol is drawn from one of these departments--the political orthe civil life of the Romans; and leaving the latter department to findits signification in another department, we have no place to go exceptinto the department of ecclesiastical affairs. Entering, therefore, thespiritual realm, and looking about us for an object that perfectly meetsevery requirement of the symbol, we find it in _the humble ministers ofChrist_, who boldly went forth in obedience to the divine command toextend the peaceful triumphs of the cross and to carry the gospel of thekingdom of God "into all the world. " Mark 16:15-18; Mat. 28:19, 20. Thissuccession of faithful, holy, devoted men is worthy of a place inApocalyptic vision. They went forth "conquering and to conquer"; and thevictories they gained were such as the world never witnessed before. Worthy are they to wear a victor's crown, for they have "fought a goodfight. " Because of its connection with events following, it is necessary for usto consider the divine position of these first ministers of the church. Their _equality_ is clearly taught in the New Testament. Christ gavethem the express command, "Be not ye called Rabbi: for one is yourMaster, even Christ; and all ye are _brethren_. " Mat. 23:8. When two ofthe disciples manifested a desire to gain preeminence over theirbrethren and their aspirations displeased the ten, Christ said to themall, "Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion overthem, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it_shall not be so among you_. " Mat. 20:25, 26. Thus a perfect standard ofequality in the ministry is lifted up. The beloved apostle, the writerof the Revelation, when addressing the elders of the seven churches ofAsia in particular, humbly and affectionately represented himself astheir "_brother_ and companion in tribulation. " Rev. 1:9. I will now adduce the testimony of several creditable historians, whoare compelled to admit the humble equality of the New Testamentministry, notwithstanding the fact that some of them belonged tochurches containing a very _unequal_ ministry. Mosheim says: "The rulers of the church were called their presbyters orbishops, which two titles are, in the New Testament, undoubtedly appliedto the same order of men.... Let no one confound the bishops of thisprimitive and golden period of the church, with those of whom we read inthe following ages. For, though they were both distinguished by the samename, yet they differed extremely, and that in many respects. " Vol. I, p. 99. This fact is now admitted by nearly all denominations, evenEpiscopalians. In the work entitled "Episcopacy Tested by Scripture, "published by the Protestant Episcopal Tract Society, New York, theauthor, one of their able advocates, makes the following admissionconcerning the title _bishop_ in the New Testament, "that the name isthere given to the middle order or presbyters; and _all_ that we read inthe New Testament concerning _bishops_, including of course the words_overseer_ and _oversight_, which have the same derivation, is to beregarded as pertaining to that middle grade"--the presbyters or elders. Page 12. The noted historian Waddington, also an Episcopalian, makes the sameadmission in the following words: "It is also true that in the earliestgovernment of the first Christian society, that of Jerusalem, not theelders only, but the 'whole church' were associated with the apostles;and it is even _certain_ that the terms _bishop_ and _elder_ or_presbyter_ were, in the first instances, and for a short period, sometimes used synomously, and indiscriminately applied to the _sameorder_ in the ministry. " Church History, Part I, p. 41. The italicizingis mine. The well-known historian Milman, also an Episcopalian, in his History ofChristianity, says, "The earliest Christian communities appear to havebeen ruled and represented, in the absence of the apostle who was theirfirst founder, by their elders, who are likewise called bishops, oroverseers of the church. " Page 194. Kurtz, in his Church History, says: "To aid them in their work, or tosupply their places in their absence (Acts 14:23), the apostles ordainedrulers in every church, who bore the common name of _elders_ from theirdignity, and of _bishops_ from the nature of their office. Thatoriginally the elders were the same as the bishops, we gather withabsolute certainty from the statements of the New Testament and ofClement of Rome, a disciple of the apostles. (See his first epistle tothe Corinthians, Chaps. 42, 44:52. ) 1. The presbyters are expresslycalled bishops--compare [the Greek especially] Acts 20:17 with verse 28, and Titus 1:5 with verse 7. 2. The office of presbyter is described asnext to and highest after that of apostle (Acts 15:6, 22). Similarly, the elders are represented as those to whom alone the rule, the teachingand the care of the church is entrusted (1 Tim. 5:17; 1 Pet. 5:1, etc. ).... In [several] passages of the New Testament and of Clement weread of many bishops in one and the same church. In the face of suchindubitable evidence, it is difficult to account for the pertinacitywith which Romish and Anglican theologians insist that these two officeshad from the first been different in name and functions.... Even Jerome, Augustine, Urban II. (1091) and Petrus Lombardus admit that originallythe two had been identical. It was reserved for the Council of Trent toconvert this truth into a heresy. " Pages 67, 68. Chrysostom, Theodoret, and others also admitted the same. Many similar historical testimonies now lying before me to the humbleequality of the New Testament ministry could be added; but lest thereader become weary, I will conclude with the following beautifuldescription from D'Aubigne in his noted History of the Reformation: "Thechurch was in the beginning a community of brethren, guided by a few ofthe _brethren_. " Again, "All Christians were priests of the living God, with _humble pastors_ as their guides. " Vol. I, pp. 35, 50. With this description of the early ministers of Christ, who went forthunder the symbol of the first horseman to disciple all nations, we havethe events pertaining to the early history of the church, laid beforeus; until the opening of the second seal brings us to another importantphase of its history. 3. And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. 4. And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword. The symbol of this seal is that of a rider going forth on a red horsearmed with a great sword with which to take peace from the earth and tokill. It is drawn from the same source as that of the preceding one, butdiffering greatly in the character of the horseman and the object of hismission. The symbol is one of great dignity--a living, intelligentagent--drawn from civil and military life. For the same reason as givenbefore, we must go out of the department of civil life into the historyof religious affairs to find its fulfilment. Notice, also, the peculiar characteristics of this horseman and whereinhe differs from that of the first seal. The color of the horse is red, denoting something very different from the peace, purity, and benignityof the white. Instead of gaining glorious spiritual conquests andtriumphs, like him of the first seal, he was to take peace from theearth. In the place of a victor's crown, he possesses "a great sword"with which to kill, denoting an agent of great destruction. Where shall we look in the history of religious affairs to find theobject that meets the requirements of this symbol? Who were the active, intelligent agents that appeared as the great opposers of theestablishment of Christianity by the rider of the white horse? We findthe answer undoubtedly in the propagators of the _Pagan religions_. Assoon as Christianity began to gain a foothold in the Roman Empire, thepriests and supporters of Paganism were exasperated to the last degree, and they determined to crush out the Christian religion. An example ofPagan opposition is found in the nineteenth chapter of Acts, where it isrecorded that the preaching of the gospel so stirred the people ofEphesus that they were filled with wrath and for the space of about twohours cried out, saying, "Great is Diana of the Ephesians!" This greatconflict between Christianity and Paganism will be more fully describedunder other symbols in a subsequent chapter, therefore I will make thisdescription brief. The destruction of life brought about by this rider of the red horsedoubtless signifies the great slaughter of the Christians at the handsof the Pagans. During ten seasons of severe persecution, which occurredunder the reigns of the emperors Nero, Domitian, Trajan, MarcusAurelius, Septimus Severus, Maximus, Decius, Gallus, Valerian, andDiocletian, the Christians suffered every indignity that theirrelentless persecutors could heap upon them. They had their eyes burnedout with red-hot irons; they were dragged about with ropes until lifewas extinct; they were beheaded, stoned to death, crucified, thrown towild beasts, burned at the stake; yet "they overcame by the blood of theLamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their livesunto the death. " Chap. 12:11. It may appear at first that taking the rider of the horse as a symbolicagent but the killing which he effected as literal, is an inconsistencyand a variation from the laws of symbolic language; but such is notnecessarily the case. One principle laid down in the beginning was, thatthe description of an object or event must necessarily be literal whenno symbolic object could be found to analagously represent it. Thedestruction of human life could not well be represented symbolically, there being no destruction analagous to it whose meaning would beobvious; hence it must appear as a literal description. This is provedby many texts in the Revelation that will admit of no other application;such as verses 9-11 of this chapter; chapter 13:10; 17:6; etc. But the literal destruction of life may be chosen as a symbol torepresent a destruction to which it is plainly analagous; such as thedestruction of spiritual life, the overthrow of the civil orecclesiastical institutions of society, etc. That it is sometimesemployed thus as a symbol will be shown clearly in subsequent chapters. Hence, in every instance where killing men is the work of a symbolicagent, the context, or general series of events with which it isconnected, must determine whether the literal or symbolicalsignification is intended. In the present prophecy under considerationit is much more consistent to give it the literal application; for thedevotees of Paganism did not destroy the spiritual life of the church, which would be an analagous killing; neither did they succeed inoverthrowing the structure of Christianity. 5. And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. 6. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine. This symbol is also that of a horseman, differing from the precedingones only in his characteristics. He is seated upon a black horse, denoting something dark or appalling in its nature, the very opposite ofthat of the first seal. He possesses no bow nor crown, but instead hehas a pair of balances in his hand for weighing food. This he deals outonly at exorbitant prices--"a measure of wheat for a penny, and threemeasures of barley for a penny. " The penny, or denarius, is equal toabout fifteen cents of our money, and was the ordinary wages of a daylaborer. In the parable of our Lord recorded in Mat. 20, the householderis represented as hiring laborers for a penny a day to labor in hisvineyard. The measure, or _choenix_, of wheat was the usual dailyallowance of food for a man. So according to the rate given, it wouldrequire a day's labor to supply food sufficient for one man, which showsan enormous price placed upon these necessaries of life. In ordinarytimes the penny would procure about twenty measures of wheat instead ofone, and fifty or sixty measures of barley instead of three. Surely thisrepresents famine prices. The expression "see thou hurt not the oil and the wine" seems to havesome direct connection with the exorbitant schedule of food rates. Thefollowing facts of history, as recorded by Lord, will serve to make thematter clear: "The taxes required in the Roman empire, to sustain thecourt and civil service, the army and desolating wars, and the hungrybrood of office-holders, as well as to provide largesses to thesoldiers, were excessive in the extreme, so as to prove an almostinsupportable burden to the people. The ordinary and economical expensesof the government were great; but when we take into view that during aperiod of seventy-two years previous to Diocletian, there weretwenty-six individuals who held the imperial crown, besides a greatnumber of unsuccessful aspirants, and that each of these must secure thefavor of the army and the people by large donations of money, we maywell conceive that the taxes and exactions laid to raise the neededamount must have proved a crushing burden. They were so great assometimes to strip men of their wealth and reduce them to poverty. Thesewere laid upon everything that could be brought into service. Nothingwas too insignificant to escape.... The taxes might be paid in money, orin produce, grain, fruit, oil, or whatever else it might be;... Theexactions were so excessive that the people were led to avoid them inevery possible mode, as men always will under such circumstances. " Oncein fifteen years, a Roman indiction, an assessor would go round to levyupon the products of the soil, and the assessment was made according tothe amount of the yield. One method adopted to secure a lower assessmentat this time was that of mutilating their fruit trees and vines. We findamong the Roman laws severe enactments against such as "feign poverty, or cut a vine, or stint the fruit of a tree" in order to avoid a fairvaluation, and the penalty attached was the death of the offender andthe confiscation of all his property. The fact that this law existedshows that the offense was committed and also that the exactions of thegovernment must have been of the most oppressive kind. With these facts before us it is easy to discern the nature of thesymbol, being that of a Roman magistrate prepared to enforce his severeexactions upon the people at the exorbitant rate of three measures ofwheat for a penny and three measures of barley for a penny, accompaniedby the solemn injunction, "See thou hurt not the oil and the wine, " thatis, the olive-trees and the vines. It is evident that we must, as before, go out of the department of civiland military life into the realm of ecclesiastical history to find thetrue fulfilment of this symbol. The black color of the horse woulddenote something directly opposite to that of the first seal; and sincethe symbol of the first seal represented the establishment of the puregospel of Jesus Christ, this symbol must represent the great apostasyand spiritual darkness that covered the world at a later period. And ifthe horseman of the first seal represented the chosen ministry who wentforth in a glorious mission to win trophies of grace, the horseman ofthis seal must represent _an apostate ministry_, possessing power andauthority to enforce the severest exactions upon the bread of life, thusproducing a desolating spiritual famine. This marvelous change from the humble apostolic ministry to an apostateone did not occur suddenly, but by degrees; and as it has a greatbearing upon other lines of truth to be brought out in subsequentchapters, it will be profitable to consider the most important steps bywhich this transformation was effected. When the desire for precedence or superiority first manifested itselfamong the disciples, Christ repressed it (Mat. 20:25, 26), and itappeared no more in their midst; but before the close of the firstcentury it is evident that a thirst for preeminence existed in thehearts of some who had been the servants of the church. An example ofthis is to be found in Diotrephes, who exalted himself above hisministerial associates. The Apostle John says concerning him: "I wroteunto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminenceamong them, receiveth us not. Wherefore if I come, I will remember hisdeeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and notcontent therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, andforbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church. " 3 John9, 10. In the historical extracts given in the explanation of the firsthorseman, it is clear that the first ministers were all equal; but atime came about the close of the first century when the most influentialamong the clergy grasped the power and exalted themselves to a positionof authority over the rest. The manner in which this transformation waseffected is explained by the learned Gieseler as follows: "After thedeath of the apostles, and the pupils of the apostles, to whom thegeneral direction of the churches had always been conceded, some oneamongst the presbyters of each church was suffered gradually to take thelead in its affairs. In the same irregular way the title of _bishop_ wasappropriated to the first presbyter. " Eccl. Hist. , Vol. I, p. 65. In thedays when the apostles were active in the affairs of the church therewere but two classes in the ministry--elders, or bishops, and deacons;but when one of the presbyters was exalted to a higher position than therest and assumed to himself the exclusive use of the word bishop, therewere three classes. To quote the words of Geo. P. Fisher: "After wecross the limit of the first century we find that with each board ofelders there is a person to whom the name of bishop is speciallyapplied, although, for a long time, he is likewise often called apresbyter. In other words, in the room of a two-fold, we have athree-fold ministry. " Hist. Of the Christian Church, p. 51. The height to which the single bishop of authority in a church had beenexalted is well illustrated in the Ignatian Epistles. Ignatius wasbishop of Antioch and was condemned by the emperor Trajan to sufferdeath by being thrown to the wild beasts in the amphitheatre in Rome. His execution in this manner took place Dec. 20, A. D. 107. He wrote anumber of epistles, a few extracts from which I will give. "Wherefore itis fitting that ye should run together in accordance with the will ofyour bishop, which thing also ye do. For your justly renownedpresbytery, worthy of God, is fitted as exactly to the bishop as thestrings are to the harp. " To the Ephesians, Chap. 4. "See that ye allfollow the bishop, even as Jesus Christ does the Father.... Let no mando anything connected with the church without the bishop. " To theSmyrnaean's, Chap. 8. "It is not lawful without the bishop either tobaptize or to celebrate a love-feast; but whatsoever he shall approveof, that is also pleasing to God. " Smyrnaean's, Chap. 8. "It is well toreverence both God and the bishop. He who honors the bishop has beenhonored of God; but he who does anything without the knowledge of thebishop, does [in reality] serve the devil. " Smyrnaean's, Chap. 9. The power of these bishops advanced steadily during the second century. The churches of the cities where they were located extended themselvesinto the surrounding country and smaller towns, and the presbyters orelders of these inferior churches were presided over by the bishop oftheir mother church, and in this manner the great system of diocesanepiscopacy was developed. [3] [Footnote 3: The ancient signification of the term _diocese_ must not beconfounded with the modern usage of the term. It then designated aterritory or district, usually containing a number of minor churches, presided over by one bishop. ] In the latter part of the second century when the disputes concerningEaster and Montanism arose, the custom of diocesan bishops consultingwith each other on important doctrines began, and this developed in thethird century into regular provincial synods, or councils. On account ofthe ecclesiastical or political importance of the cities in which theywere located, certain bishops had a special deference given them, andthey were not slow to take advantage of the opportunity to exaltthemselves to the presidency of these councils; and in a very short timethey possessed immense power and constituted entirely a separate order, designated by the term metropolitan. The manner in which this important step in the great apostasy was takenand the effects produced thereby is well described in the words of thehistorian Mosheim (referring to events of the third century), from whomI quote: "In process of time, all the Christian churches of a provincewere formed into one large ecclesiastical body, which, like confederatestates, assembled at certain times, in order to deliberate about thecommon interests of the whole.... These councils ... _changed the wholeface of the church_, and gave it a new form; for by them the ancientprivileges of the people were considerably diminished, and the power andauthority of the bishops greatly augmented.... At their first appearancein these general councils, they acknowledged that they were no more thanthe delegates of their respective churches, and that they acted in thename, and by the appointment of their people. But they soon changed thishumble tone, imperceptibly extended the limits of their authority, turned their influence into dominion, and their councils into laws; andopenly asserted, at length, that Christ had empowered them to prescribeto his people, _authoritative rules of faith and manners_.... The orderand decency of these assemblies required that some one of the provincialbishops met in council, should be invested with a _superior_ degree ofpower and authority; and hence the rights of _metropolitans_ derivetheir origin. "--Church History, Cent. II, Part 2. When a usurping clergy grasps the power to prescribe "authoritativerules of faith and manners, " to employ the words of Mosheim, we may wellconceive that the true amount of pure spiritual food was exceedinglysmall and could be procured only at starvation rates. He who reads theecclesiastical events of the third century will find it only too truethat many of the cardinal virtues of apostolic Christianity were almostlost sight of and that a great spiritual famine existed in the earthover which this dark horseman of the third seal careered. Instead ofsalvation through the Spirit of God being carefully taught, baptismalregeneration was exalted, and the people were instructed in the savingvirtues of the eucharist. The Platonic idea concerning sin having itsseat in the flesh was adopted, and therefore perfect victory orsanctification was made to consist in the mortification of the naturalappetites and desires of the body, with the result that a life offasting, celibacy, or self-inflicted torture was looked upon as thesurest means of obtaining the favor of Heaven. The writings of sucheminent church Fathers as Tertullian, Origen, Cyprian and others nowlying before me, contain the surest evidences of the woeful extent towhich this dark cloud of superstition and error had settled down overthe world during the period of which I write. 7. And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. 8. And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth. The usual interpretation given this horse and its rider is to apply itto the desolating wars and famines that occurred in the Roman Empire. This view is embodied in the celebrated painting "Death on the PaleHorse, " in which death is represented as going forth with war, pestilence, famine, and wild beasts, to ravage the Roman empire. We areinformed by historians that dreadful pestilences and famines did prevailand in some places nearly depopulated the country, and that theremaining inhabitants could not make head against the beasts thatmultiplied in the land. But the fact that such events occurred is notsufficient proof that this symbol has reference to such. Famines andpestilences may have occurred many times without forming a part of theApocalyptic vision. The greatest objection to giving this part of the vision such a literalinterpretation is, that it fails to bring out its symbolic character. Towhat, then, does it refer? We have, as before, a horseman, indicatingthat the agent is one of the same general character, differing mainly inhis features and mission. This horse was of a livid, cadaverous hue, denoting an agent of ghastly, terrible nature. The living rider bore theawful name of "Death, " or as in the original, "The Death, " by way ofemphasis. Death literally was not the agent--it is not so stated--butthe rider was termed The Death, or The Destroyer, because of histerrible mission; and Hell followed with him. Applying the laws of symbolic language as heretofore, it is evident thatthis symbol represents a great persecuting ecclesiastical power. Andwith this thought before us, we can scarcely fail to recognize it as atrue description of _the Papacy_. The great apostasy, described underthe preceding seal, prepared the way for the final and completeestablishment of the "man of sin"; but during the period there broughtto view the ministers of religion, power-seeking and apostate as theywere, were unable to enforce their claims by the power of persecution. Under the present seal, however, is represented a later stage of theircorruption, when a great hierarchal system, sustained and upheld by thearm of civil power, was able to bear tyrannical rule over a greatportion of the earth. During this period clerical ambition andusurpation reached its greatest height. After speaking of the power possessed by the metropolitans, Mosheimsays: "The universal church had now the appearance of one vast republic, formed by a combination of a great number of little states. Thisoccasioned the creation of a new order of ecclesiastics, who wereappointed in different parts of the world, as _heads_ of the church, andwhose office it was to preserve the consistence and union of thatimmense body, whose members were so widely dispersed throughout thenations. Such was the nature and office of the Patriarchs. " ChurchHistory, Cent. II, part 2. Thus, the bishops, or metropolitans, of certain of the most importantcities were exalted to a still higher position as special _heads_ of thechurch. They were termed _Exarchs_ at first, after the title of theprovincial governors, but afterwards received the more ecclesiasticalappellation _Patriarchs_. The term Patriarch had been in use for a longtime in the church signifying merely a bishop, irrespective of thedignity he possessed, but it was finally limited to this higher class ofthe clergy, in which sense I now employ it. The cities that firstenjoyed this chief distinction were Alexandria, Rome, and Antioch. Thegeneral council of Nice (A. D. 325) in its sixth canon recognized thesuperior authority already possessed by these cities. See D'Aubigne'sHist, of Reformation, Vol. I, p. 41. The general council ofConstantinople in its third canon placed the bishop of Constantinople inthe same rank with the other three Patriarchs; and the general councilof Calcedon exalted the See of Jerusalem to a similar dignity, doubtlessbecause of its ancient importance as the birthplace of Christianity. Thus, Patriarchs were established in the five political capitals of theRoman empire; and they were considered the "_heads of the church_, "having spiritual authority over the whole empire. These were the onlyPatriarchates of importance. Certain ecclesiastics of the Church of Romeeven at the present time bear the honorary title Patriarch; but, toquote the words of the Encyclopędia Britannica, "In a strictly technicalsense, however, that church recognizes only five Patriarchates, those ofConstantinople, Alexandria, Jerusalem, Antioch, and Rome. " Art. Patriarch. In the years 637 to 640 Jerusalem, Alexandria, and Antiochfell into the hands of the Saracen followers of Mohammed, whichterminated their importance, and later the Greek schism separated thePatriarch of Constantinople from Rome; and thus the Patriarch of Romewas left in undisputed possession of the field and was soon recognizedas universal head of the church. So under the symbol of this dread rideron a pale horse is portrayed the great hierarchal system by which thePapacy was fully developed in the West. It is fitting that we notice particularly the agents of destructionemployed by this rider. He possesses a sword with which to kill--thesame instrument wielded by the rider of the red horse--but it is evidentthat he uses it with more terrific energy, by reason of which hereceives the name Death, or The Destroyer. It is possible, also, that inthis case a sword, wielded by the hand of an ecclesiastical power, maybe used as a symbol of a spiritual cutting off, or excommunication. Thesword of excommunication has been the most terrible ever wielded byhuman hand. When this pale horseman was careering over the world in thezenith of his power, excommunication and interdiction were the terror ofindividuals and the scourge of nations. At his word the rights of anindividual as king, ruler, husband or father, nay, even as a _man_, wereforfeited, and he was shunned like one infected with the leprosy. At hiscommand the offices of religion were suspended in a nation, and its deadlay unburied, until its proud ruler humbled himself at the feet of theecclesiastical tyrant who bore rule over the "fourth part of theearth. "[4] [Footnote 4: This tyranny of the Popes is well illustrated by thequarrel that took place between Hildebrand (Pope Gregory VII. ) and HenryIV. Of Germany. Gregory attempted to make certain reforms, but Henryrefused to recognize those innovations. Gregory excommunicated theemperor, with the result that he was "shunned as a man accursed byHeaven. " His authority lost and his kingdom on the point of going topieces, Henry had but one thing to do--seek the pardon of the Pope. Hefound the Pontiff at Canoosa, but Gregory refused to admit the penitentto his presence. "It was winter, and for three successive days the king, clothed in sackcloth, stood with bare feet in the snow of the court-yardof the palace, waiting for permission to kneel at the feet of thePontiff and to receive forgiveness. " On the fourth day he was grantedadmittance to the presence of the Pope. During the Pontificate of Innocent III. Philip Augustus, king of France, put away his wife. Innocent commanded him to take her back and forcedsubmission by means of an interdict. This submission of a brave, firm, and victorious prince shows the tremendous power wielded by the Popes inthat period. The manner, also, in which Innocent III. Humbled King John of Englandaffords another illustration of the power of the Popes. John caused thevacant See of Canterbury to be filled, in accordance with the regularmanner of election, by one of his favorites. Innocent declared theappointment void, as he desired that the place should be filled by oneof his friends. John refused to allow the Pope's archbishop to enterEngland as Primate. Innocent then excommunicated John, laid all Englandunder an interdict, and incited Philip, king of France, to war, offeringhim John's kingdom upon the very liberal condition that he go over andtake it. The outcome of the matter was that John was compelled to yieldto the power of the Pope. He even gave him England as a perpetual fief, and agreed to pay the Papal See the annual sum of one thousand marks. ] The loss of life by spiritual famine was extreme. The Word of God, whichis spirit and life to God's people (Jno. 6:63), was laid under interdictand the common people deprived of its benefits. At the time the blackhorse appeared, a little food could be obtained at famine prices; butwhen the fourth arrived, he was empowered to kill "with hunger. " Also, one of his agents of destruction was death, or pestilence, a fit symbolof false and blasphemous doctrines breathed forth like a deadlypestilence blasting everything within its reach. Invocation of saints, worship of images, relics, celibacy, works of supererogation, indulgences, and purgatory--these were the enforced principles ofreligion, and like a pest they settled down upon the people everywhere. This rider also brought into operation "the beasts of the earth" to aidhim in his destructive work. To kill with sword or hunger shows thatsuch work of destruction is performed solely by him who has it in hispower; but to kill with beasts indicates that _they_ perform the deadlywork according _to their own natures_. Nothing is clearer than the factthat wild beasts stand as a symbol of persecuting tyrannicalgovernments; hence we are to understand that this rider was to employalso the arm of civil power to aid him in the deadly work. Howstrikingly this represents the historical facts of the case! In alltruly Roman Catholic countries the civil governments were only a cipheror tool in the hands of the church, and the ecclesiastics were the realrulers of the kingdom. But whenever any dark work of persecution was tobe performed, the wild beast was let loose to accomplish the result. When charged, however, with the bloody work, the Catholics alwaysanswer, "Oh, we _never persecute_--don't you see, it is the wild beaststhat are covered with gore--our hands are clean, " yet they themselvesheld the chain that bound the savage monsters. We shall have occasion ina subsequent chapter to trace further the pathway of this dread rider ashe reels onward in the career of ages, "drunken with the blood of thesaints. " This work of destruction performed by the dread rider on the pale horseis considered by many as a literal description of the persecutions ofthe Papacy. While Catholics usually charge the civil powers with thisbloody work, it is an undeniable fact of history that the Popes oftenordered or sanctioned crusades against the Waldenses, Albigenses, andother peoples (see remarks on verses 9-11, chap. 17:6), in which thesword, starvation, and every other means of cruelty imaginable werebrought into use to exterminate the so-called heresy. And in view of thefact explained in the comments on verses 3 and 4 of this chapter, that_killing_ is sometimes to be understood in a literal sense on account ofthere being nothing to analagously represent such destruction of life, it is not a violation of the laws of symbolic language thus to interpretit. It might be consistent in this case to give it a twofoldapplication; the agreeing facts of history regarding the Papacy stronglysuggest it. Thus, the _sword_ could signify a literal destruction oflife, as in verse 4, and also, in the present case, an ecclesiasticalcutting off by the Papacy, or excommunication; and _hunger_ couldsignify literal death by starvation, and also, as in verses 5 and 6, adestruction of spiritual life, etc. Where, let me ask, in the whole compass of human writings can be found aseries of events of such thrilling interest, so great in magnitude, asis contained in these eight verses? Who but the Omnipotent could haveconceived such a wonderful development of the power of iniquity and withsuch master-strokes of power compressed them into so small a scene ofsymbolic imagery? The impress of divinity is here speaking from everyline. 9. And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: 10. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? 11. And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. Upon the opening of this seal the scene changes entirely. No morehorsemen appear, but instead the souls of the martyrs are seen at thealtar crying for vindication of their blood upon the cruel oppressors ofearth. The question arises, Are these souls symbols of something else, or are they what they are here stated to be, "the souls of them thatwere slain"? Evidently, the latter, appearing under their own name andcharacter, because they can not properly be symbolized. They weredisembodied spirits, and where is there anything of analagous characterto represent such? Angels can not; for whenever they are employed assymbols, it is to designate distinguished agencies among men. Theytherefore appear under their own appropriate title as "the _souls_ ofthem that were slain. " These souls appeared "under the altar, " that is, _at the foot of thealtar_, being the same as that described in chap. 8:3--"And anotherangel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer, and there wasgiven unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers ofall saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. " Thus, theheavenly world, as opened up before John, appeared symbolized after thesanctuary of the temple in which stood the golden altar, or altar ofincense. Some have supposed that the brazen altar was the one referredto, signifying the living sacrifice these souls made of themselves toGod. But there is no altar mentioned in the symbols except the goldenaltar. Besides, these were not sacrificial victims; for Christ was madea complete sacrifice for sin, while these only suffered martyrdombecause of their faithfulness to the cause of Christ. It is much morereasonable to suppose that their interceding cries went up from thegolden altar, where the "prayers of all saints" ascended with muchincense. Their prayers to God for the avenging of their blood shows theexpectation on their part that the judgments of Heaven would descendupon the cruel and haughty persecutors and oppressors of earth, andtheir surprise was that the day of retribution had been so long delayed. The history of the church as developed under the preceding seals givesparticular force to this cry of the martyrs. For nearly three centuriesthe civil power of Pagan Rome had been employed to crush the cause ofGod. During ten terrible seasons of persecution they had been crucified, slain with the sword, sawn asunder, devoured by beasts in the arena, andgiven to the flames. When Constantine, a nominal Christian emperor, ascended the throne and protected religion by law, it was believed thatpersecutions must cease; but soon the discovery was made that the swordhad only changed hands, there having risen an ecclesiastical hierarchydestined to "glut itself upon the blood of which heathen Rome had onlytasted. " The world was now made the arena for the terrible coursings ofthe pale horseman, and the "beasts of the earth" were let loose to fallwith savage fury upon their helpless victims, until millions lost theirlives at the instigation of the apostate Church of Rome. Is it anywonder that the souls of these martyrs should cry unto God for thevindication of their righteous blood? It is said that "white robes were given unto every one of them. " Byreferring to chap. 3:4; 7:9, 13, 14, it will be seen that "whitegarments" and "white robes" are sometimes used as a symbol to describe apart of the heavenly inheritance. The martyr-spirits, although impatientat the delay of avenging judgment, received a righteous reward. But theperiod of tribulation to the church was not yet over. The cup ofiniquity in the hands of her enemies was not yet full, and they weretold to "rest for a little season, until their fellowservants also, andtheir brethren, that should be killed as they were, should befulfilled. " The account given seems to indicate an important epoch, aperiod in which the martyrs had reason to expect the vindication oftheir righteous blood, but which, instead, was to be followed by anothergreat period of persecution. Considering the time of the events alreadydescribed in this series of prophecy, we have no difficulty in fixingthe chronology of this event at the dividing-point between the era ofPapal supremacy and the age of Protestantism--or at the Reformation ofthe Sixteenth Century. Did severe slaughter and persecution follow theReformation? Witness the reign of Mary Tudor, frequently styled "BloodyMary. " During three years of her reign, 1555 to 1558, two hundred andeighty-eight were _burnt alive_ in England! Think of the inhumanmassacre of the innocent Waldenses of southern France by the violentbigot Oppede (1545), who slew eight hundred men in one town, and thrustthe women into a barn filled with straw and reduced the whole toashes--only a sample of his barbarity; or of their oppression insouthern Italy by Pope Pius IV. (1560), at whose command they were slainby thousands, the throats of eighty-eight men being cut on one occasionby a single executioner! Witness the horrible massacre of St. Bartholomew in Paris (Aug. 21, 1572), when the Queen dowager, theinfamous Catherine de Medici, lured immense numbers of the innocentHugenots into the city under the pretext of witnessing a marriagebetween the Hugenot Henry, king of Navarre, and the sister of CharlesIX. , king of France--when the gates were closed and the work ofwholesale slaughter began at a given signal and raged for three days, during which time from six to ten thousand were butchered in Parisalone! Think of the rivers of blood in the Netherlands, where the Dukeof Alva boasted that in the short space of six weeks he had put eighteenthousand to death! Witness the dragoonading methods and other inhumanpersecutions to "wear out the saints of the Most High, " that followedthe revocation of the Edict of Nantes (1685) by Louis XIV. , king ofFrance, during whose reign three hundred thousand were brutallybutchered--while Pope Innocent XI. Extolled the king by special letteras follows: "The Catholic church shall most assuredly record in hersacred annals a _work of such devotion toward her_, and CELEBRATE YOURNAME WITH NEVER-DYING PRAISES ... For _this most excellentundertaking_"!! My heart sickens with horror in the contemplation ofsuch events. Eternal God! can thy righteous eye behold suchheart-rending scenes of earth, and thy hand of power not be extended tohumble to the dust these cruel, haughty oppressors of thy people? 12. And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; 13. And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig-tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. 14. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. 15. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; 16. And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; 17. For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? Upon the opening of this seal the scene changes again. The symbols areall drawn from an entirely different source. We are taken out of thedepartment of civil life into the scenes of nature, which is a clearevidence that the history of the church is no longer underconsideration. Had God intended to here continue her history, he wouldno doubt have employed symbols derived from the same source as thosepreceding, so as to prevent our being led astray. No more horsemen orliving characters appear, but we behold the most terrific convulsions ofnature--a mighty earthquake, the darkening of the sun and the moon, thefalling of the stars, and finally the dissolution of the heavens, together with the mountains and the islands being removed. If thehistory of the church is no longer under consideration, this greatchange of symbols directs us with absolute certainty into the politicaland civil world for their fulfilment. Of course, we are not to supposethat this is a literal description. In this manner the dignity and the excellence in the use and theinterpretation of symbols is preserved. To describe the religioushistory of the church, noble symbols chosen from the department of humanlife are selected; while symbols drawn from an inferior department--thatof nature--are chosen to represent political affairs. This point willappear very clear as we proceed in the interpretation of the Apocalypse. It is just what we might naturally expect. The question may be asked, If these symbols from nature representpolitical affairs, where in the events of civil history shall we lookfor their fulfilment? Every one will readily perceive the analogybetween an earthquake and a political revolution, when all society is ina state of agitation as when the solid earth trembles. It is alsoevident that the sun, moon, and stars bear the same analagousrelationship to the earth that kings, rulers, and princes do to the bodypolitic; while the firmament of heaven is analagous to the entire fabricof civil government, the symbolic heaven in which the symbolic orbs areset to give light. The symbols, then, point us to the most terrible revolutions--whensociety is in a state of agitation, when kingdoms are overthrown andtheir rulers and princes thrown from their positions or made objects ofthe most gloomy terror; yea, when the entire fabric of civil governmentis finally overthrown and all the institutions and organizations ofsociety are swept away as with a tornado. This is the time ofconsternation to the great men of earth, when they shall hide"themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains, " and say tothe mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of himthat sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: for thegreat day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?" This isthe time that the martyrs looked forward to when they cried, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on themthat dwell on the earth?" A large portion of the Apocalypse is occupiedwith the history of these persecuting powers, civil and ecclesiastical. It is their dominacy that constitutes the long period of tribulation tothe church, when the witnesses prophesy in sackcloth and the faithfulare ground into the dust by the feet of these proud oppressors as theystand in the high places of the earth. But the cries of the slaughteredsaints have ascended to the throne as incense; God speaks; the judgmentsof Heaven descend upon these lofty ones; and a voice from heavendeclares, "They have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and _thouhast given them blood to drink_; for they are worthy. " This is surely a striking combination of symbols, and the way they arearranged would indicate that their fulfilment occupied a considerableperiod of time. First we have a great earthquake, afterwards thedarkening of the sun and the moon, with the falling of the stars, andfinally the dissolution of the heavens themselves, with the sweepingaway of mountains and islands. This description covers the same periodas that described under the seven last plagues, beginning with certainfearful revolutions in which the nations that had slaughtered themillions of God's people were given "blood to drink, " and ending finallyin "the great day of his wrath" that shall sweep them from theirpositions eternally. The full explanation of these events can not atpresent be appreciated by the reader, therefore I reserve it for thefuture, to be more fully developed under other symbols. In these six seals we have a vivid outline of mighty events, politicaland ecclesiastical, extending from the earliest stage of Christianity tothe end of time. This description in advance was no mere humanproduction. No human foresight would have detected, and no mortal mindwould have conceived, events so wonderful and so farreaching in theircharacter. Any other history would sooner have been imagined. It takesdivine wisdom to understand the true position of the church in thepresent, and she can scarcely read her past history by natural wisdomalone, much less outline the future. First the establishment ofChristianity is symbolized, then the violence of the Pagan party, theapostasy, and final establishment of the "man of sin, " until themillions of earth are crushed by the spiritual tyranny or by the arm ofcivil power, and the cry of the martyrs goes up "How long, O Lord?" Butthey are told to rest "a little season, " when they shall witness thehand of God laid upon these persecuting nations of earth, convulsingthem in the most fearful revolutions, and ending finally in theircomplete overthrow in that last "great day of God Almighty. " CHAPTER VII. And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. 2. And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea. 3. Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. 4. And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. 5. Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. 6. Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nepthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand. 7. Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. 8. Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand. A clear understanding of the two visions in the chapter before us can beobtained only by considering the plan of the prophecy already referredto. The events are narrated by series. A particular theme is taken upand followed through to its completion; then the narrative returns andanother theme is introduced. But this is not all. Whenever the historyof abounding error or iniquity is set forth, we have in immediateconnection and in perfect contrast therewith a history of the truepeople of God; thus, the contemporaneous history of righteousness andiniquity, truth and error, a true church and a false one. The visions ofthis chapter cover the same period of time as the events described inthe preceding chapter, but form the most perfect contrast. The studentof Revelation who unfolds the dark history of apostasy and iniquitycontained in the preceding seals might naturally be led to ask, Is thisthe melancholy end of God's church? Does it deteriorate rapidly and turnout so badly, after all? As an answer to these questions, God gives usnext a history of his own people, showing that he preserved his ownchurch complete, although Antichrist reigned in power. The principal points in the vision before us are the tempestuous windsabout to descend upon the earth, and the sealing of God's servants. Thefirst of these, being drawn from nature, would lead us to look for itsfulfilment in political events; while the latter, derived from humanlife, directs us into the affairs of the church. The "four winds of theearth" from the "four corners of the earth" signify all the winds fromevery direction--the cardinal points of the compass; while the fourangels signify all the agencies that have control of these winds, whichfor the present are held in restraint in order to give opportunity forthe sealing of the Lord's servants. _Angels_ in the Scripture isfrequently used to denote evil agencies as well as good, the contextdetermining which is meant. See Chap. 12:7. The design of the winds wasto "hurt the earth, the sea, and the trees. " What, let me ask, in the political world is analagous to tempestuousstorms sweeping over the earth? What but huge masses of men, excited byfierce passions, precipitating themselves upon the inhabitants of anempire, sweeping everything before them in the fury of their march andspreading desolation on every side? In the symbols of the next chapterwe find that just such hordes of men--barbarians--under their angels, orleaders, precipitated themselves upon the Roman empire; and the fearfuleffects upon the earth, the sea, and the green trees produced thereby, is particularly detailed. For the present, however, they are held underrestraint until the sealing of the servants of God should beaccomplished, then they were to go forward in their work of destruction. The sealing of the servants is not making them the people of God, butrather marking or designating them as such, just as later we find thedevotees of a corrupt apostate church specified as having the "mark ofthe beast. " Considerable light can be thrown upon the subject of thesealing of God's servants and of the mark of the beast by consultingRoman history for the origin of such expressions. The many conquests ofthe Roman arms furnished so many prisoners that they became a drug inthe slave-markets of the world, and were so numerous that in many placesthey outnumbered the Roman citizens ten to one. In the first centurybefore Christ it is said that some Sicilian estates were worked by asmany as twenty thousand slaves. "That each owner might know his own, thepoor creatures were _branded like cattle_. " The "mark of the beast"possessed by the followers of a false communion will be found to consistof an Antichristian spirit by which they are filled with "doctrines ofdevils. " So, also, "the seal of the living God" consists of the givingof the Holy Spirit, by which his people are led into all truth. See John14:26. While Sabbatarians vainly try to prove that keeping the seventhday is the seal of God in this dispensation, yet there is not one textof Scripture that hints such a thing, but, on the contrary, theScriptures are against them. "Grieve not the _Holy Spirit_ of Godwhereby _ye are sealed_ unto the day of redemption. " Eph. 4:30. Again, the Word of God says, "Now he which stablished us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us is God; who hath also sealed us, and given theearnest of the Spirit in our hearts. " 2 Cor. 1:21, 22. The time thissealing of the people of God takes place is thus described: "_After_that ye believed, ye were _sealed_ with that Holy Spirit of promise. "Eph. 1:13. The winds of heaven were restrained until the work of _fullsalvation_ could be firmly established in the earth. When Christappeared, the Roman empire was in a state of comparative quiet, and theimmense hosts of foreign invaders did not appear until the firmestablishment of Christianity, being held back by the power of God untilhis work should be accomplished. In the description of the sealing given, twelve thousand were selectedfrom each of the twelve tribes. Some have supposed this to havereference solely to salvation work among the Jewish nation; but thatwould be adopting the literal mode of interpretation, thus destroyingits symbolic character. The twelve tribes are chosen from the properdepartment to represent the church or "Israel of God" in thisdispensation, irrespective of nationality. The twelve gates in the wallof the heavenly city are named after the twelve tribes of the childrenof Israel (chap. 21:12), showing that it is only through "Israel" thatany one can enter the New Jerusalem. Since the gospel is given to allnations, this can not signify literal Israel. "The children of thepromise are counted for the seed. " Rom. 9:8. "If ye be Christ's, thenare ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. " Gal. 3:29. Since the vision is symbolical, we are to consider the numbers given assymbolical also, the definite number of twelve thousand from each of thetribes showing that the church of God was _complete and perfect_, nopart being omitted. 9. After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; 10. And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. 11. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, 12. Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. 13. And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? 14. And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. 16. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. 17. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living mountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. In this scene the vision is carried forward to the close of the longperiod of tribulation and persecution to the church of God, when all herenemies are finally overthrown; and here are the glorious results, theharvest gathered: a great multitude whom no man can number, gathered outof all nations, and kindreds, and peoples, and tongues, standing beforethe throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms intheir hands, the symbols of their victory. The scene is laid in heaven, and refers undoubtedly to the end of time when the heavenly world willbe opened up to all the faithful who have suffered for Christ amid thetrials and the oppositions through which his church is called to pass inthis present world. We are expressly informed by one of the elders whothese are in white robes and whence they came, so there can be noquestion respecting them. This is the glorious company of the redeemedof all ages who "came out of great tribulation, and have washed theirrobes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore they arebefore the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; andhe that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hungerno more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. " What a contrast with the scenes of earth, when oppressedby famine, and cold, and nakedness, and peril, and sword, they werekilled all the day long! But their sufferings are over; "for the Lambwhich is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead themunto living fountains of waters and God shall wipe away all tears fromtheir eyes. " This redeemed company is represented as uniting in a song of praise andthanksgiving to God for bringing them through their long period oftrial, "saying Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, andunto the Lamb"; while heaven resounds with universal praise as theangels and all the redeemed host take up the chorus and swell the mightyanthem "saying, Amen; blessing, and glory, and wisdom and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might be unto our God forever and ever. Amen. " It is clear that, in this chapter and the one preceding, we have twogrand parallel and comprehensive histories--in one, the process ofcorruption in the so-called church and the final judgments that overtookthese cruel persecutors of the Lord's people; in the other, the settingapart and sealing of God's servants, their preservation from thecontaminations of an apostate church, and the final glorious triumph ofall who endure unto the end. This vision has often been applied in a figurative manner to thespiritual reign of God's people on earth before the end of time--thatthey are overcomers through the blood of Christ, that God dwells withthem in his church, that their spiritual needs are all supplied so theyhunger and thirst no more--but a careful study of the plan of theprophecy will show that its real signification is the heavenly state atthe end. As the sixth seal describes the final overthrow of all theantichristian powers that have oppressed God's people on earth; so thisvision describes the great white-robed company gathered out of everynation, kindred, tongue, and people, who have been preserved faithfulthrough all these trials and tribulations, and who receive at last thecrown of everlasting life. This last vision will be more fully describedunder certain symbols contained in the last two chapters of this book;while the earthquake, the falling of the stars, etc. , of the sixth sealwill be more perfectly detailed in chapters 15 and 16. CHAPTER VIII. And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. 2. And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets. 3. And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. 4. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand. 5. And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake. The remainder of the book is embraced in the contents of the seventhseal. This may appear a little singular at first, being so much largerthan the preceding ones. But it is easily understood when we considerthe six as being a synopsis of the whole book, containing a history ofthe church apostate to the final consummation, and also thecontemporaneous history of the truth church of God; while the seventhgives in detail the account of these great persecuting powers, civil andecclesiastical, and the trials and triumphs of the saints in the NewJerusalem--developing more fully the events described under the six. Upon the opening of the seventh seal, "there was silence in heaven aboutthe space of half an hour. " Whether this interval of silence is intendedto be symbolical of any event on earth I do not know; neither have Iseen any solution of the matter that is consistent or satisfactory. Somehave supposed that it denoted a cessation of persecution among theChristians of earth. But if that were the case, then its opposite, "voices in heaven, " would indicate seasons of persecution. There wereseveral seasons of rest from persecution enjoyed by the early saints, and why should one period be singled out more than the rest and be thusdescribed? Besides, "a half hour, " according to prophetic time wouldsignify only about one week, a period too short certainly to takeaccount of. Others have supposed that it signified the end of the world, and that heaven would then be deserted for a short time while thejudgment was taking place. But the events following show that the end ofthe world is not here described, therefore it can not have reference tosuch. Moreover, it is extremely doubtful whether silence in heaven wouldbe a proper symbol of such an event. I do not perceive the analogy. Infact, such an interpretation of _silence_ would be literal and notsymbolic. Its explanation would seem to be found in connection with certain factsstated respecting the opening of the preceding seals--that voicesfollowed them. When the first four seals were opened, John heard thevoices of the four beasts, "as it were a voice of thunder"; and on theopening of the fifth, he heard the souls of the martyrs crying unto God;but when the seventh was opened, there was silence for a time. Thecontrast is noticeable; but whether it has any special signification, Iam unable to say; perhaps not. Before the sounding of the seven trumpets, the acceptableness of theprayers of the saints is represented by an angel offering incense "uponthe golden altar which was before the throne. " This scene was doubtlessintroduced to lend encouragement to God's children--that, althoughiniquity abounded on every side and the judgments of God were poured outupon the people, still the prayers of the faithful few were acceptablein his sight, ascending before the throne like sweet incense from offthe golden altar. After offering up the incense with the prayers of all saints, the sameangel took his censer and filled it with fire from off the altar andcast it (the fire) upon the earth--a token of God's avengingjudgments--"and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, andan earthquake. " These, of course, were on earth, and symbolized therevolutions and convulsions now about to take place in the empire. 6. And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. 7. The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up. We here enter upon a series of prophecies developing fully thesuccessive steps in the decline of the Western Roman empire, by which itfinally tottered to its fall. It was necessary that this persecuting, tyrannical government should be subverted in order to give opportunityfor the establishment of apostate Christianity in the form of thePapacy, as it constituted the "let" or hindrance to the full developmentof the "man of sin" mentioned by the apostle in 2 Thes. 2. Thatpersecuting, Pagan Rome was a serious obstacle confronting thedevelopment of apostasy was recognized even by the early Christians. Thus, Tertullian, in his notable Apology, chapter 32, says: "Christiansare under a particular necessity of praying for the emperors, and forthe continued state of the empire; because we know that dreadful powerwhich hangs over the world, and _the conclusion of the age, whichthreatens the most horrible evils, is restrained by the continuance ofthe time appointed for the Roman empire_. This is what we would notexperience; and while we pray that it may be deferred, we hereby showour good-will to the perpetuity of the Roman state. " In a subsequentchapter it will be seen that Pagan Rome, broken up into minor divisionsand no longer able to maintain her position in the political world, resigns her power and authority into the hands of the rising Papacy. Therefore it is not surprising that the means by which this great changeis effected should be made the subject of prophetic revelation. Besides, we have other things to guide us in the interpretation. We can readilyidentify the symbols under the fifth trumpet with the curse ofMohammedanism in the Eastern empire, and we would naturally suppose thatthe first four precede those. Again, the symbols are all drawn from thenatural world, which leads us assuredly into the political affairs ofthe empire for their fulfilment. They are also of the most destructivenature, therefore we look for objects of a corresponding desolatingcharacter. Finally, the vision of the preceding chapter representsfierce, destructive winds as about to descend upon the earth, beingtemporarily held in check to give opportunity for the primitiveestablishment of Christianity, implying that they would afterwards belet loose to burst like a tornado upon the empire. It is said positivelythat power was given "to hurt the earth and the sea" (chap. 7:2), and inthe vision before us the effects produced upon the earth and the treesare particularly detailed. "The earth" signifies the Roman empire, or that portion of the earthmade the subject of apocalyptic vision. That this application of theword _earth_ is correct, is shown by various Scriptures. "And it came topass in those days, that there went out a decree from Cęsar Augustusthat _all the world_ should be taxed. " Luke 2:1. "The queen of the South... Came from the _uttermost parts of the earth_ [southern Arabia] tohear the wisdom of Solomon. " Mat. 12:42. "Ye shall be witnesses ... Untothe _uttermost part of the earth_. " Acts 1:8. The apostles carried thegospel personally, only throughout the territory of the then-knowncivilized world--the Roman empire. Upon this earth there descended inthe vision before us a fierce storm of hail and fire, mingled withblood. Its being mingled with blood would indicate its destructiveeffects. One characteristic of this symbol particularly is worthy ofnotice. Hail and fire cast upon the earth would become absorbed speedilyor pass into new combinations with the surrounding elements, thus notremaining in any permanent form except in its effects. In thisparticular it is wholly unlike the symbol of the next trumpet, which isthat of a burning mountain cast into the sea, for such a body wouldnaturally remain permanently where it fell; whereas a storm of hail andfire would soon disappear. Also, the statement that this storm was castupon the earth would indicate that it was a calamity descending fromwithout upon the empire. Where, now, do we find the object that fully meets the requirements ofthis symbol--destructive agents descending upon the Roman empire like afurious storm of hail and fire, accomplishing the first important steptoward the subverting of the empire? We find it in the irruption of thefierce Gothic tribes of the North, who, under Alaric, burst like atornado upon the empire about the beginning of the fifth century, spreading destruction and desolation upon every side. The following quotations and facts from the highest authority on thesubject, Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (Vol. III, pp. 190-294), will give the reader an idea of the awful effects produced bythe invasions of these barbarous tribes. The great Theodosius, emperorof the Western Roman empire, "had supported the frail and moulderingedifice of the republic, " but upon his death he was succeeded by theweak Honorious. In a few months the Gothic barbarians were in arms. "Thebarriers of the Danube were thrown down, the savage warriors of Scythiaissued from their forests ... And the various tribes of barbarians, whoglory in the Gothic name, were irregularly spread over the woody shoresof Dalmatia to the walls of Constantinople. " They were "directed by thebold and artful genius of Alaric, " who soon concluded that the conquestof Constantinople was an impracticable enterprise. He "disdained totrample any longer on the prostrate and ruined countries of Thrace andDacia, and he resolved to seek a plentiful harvest of fame and riches ina province which had hitherto escaped the ravages of war.... The troopswhich had been posted to defend the straits of Thermopylę retired ... Without attempting to disturb the secure and rapid passage of Alaric;and the fertile fields of Phocis and Bęotia were instantly covered by adeluge of barbarians, who massacred the males of an age to bear arms, and drove away the beautiful females, with the spoil and cattle of theflaming villages. The travelers who visited Greece several yearsafterwards, could easily discover the deep and bloody traces of themarch of the Goths.... The whole territory of Attica, from thepromontory of Sunium to the town of Megara, was blasted by his balefulpresence; and, if we may use the comparison of a contemporaryphilosopher, Athens itself resembled the bleeding and empty skin of aslaughtered victim.... Corinth, Argos, Sparta, yielded withoutresistance to the arms of the Goths; and the most fortunate of theinhabitants were saved, by death, from beholding the slavery of theirfamilies and the conflagration of their cities. " Arcadius, the emperor of the East, wishing to dissuade Alaric fromfurther conquests and such wholesale massacres, promoted him to the rankof Master-general of the eastern Illyricum, but it had an oppositeeffect. "The birth of Alaric, the glory of his past exploits, and theconfidence in his future designs, insensibly united the body of the[Gothic] nation under his victorious standard; and, with the unanimousconsent of the barbarian chieftains, the Master-general of Illyricum waselevated, according to the ancient custom, on a shield, and solemnlyproclaimed king of the Visigoths. Armed with this double power, situatedon the verge of the two empires, he alternately sold his deceitfulpromises to the courts of Arcadius and Honorious; until he declared andexecuted his resolution of _invading the dominions of the West_.... Hewas tempted by the fame, the beauty, the wealth of Italy, which he hadtwice visited; and he secretly aspired to plant the Gothic standard onthe walls of Rome, and to enrich his army with the accumulated spoils ofthree hundred triumphs. " He marched into Italy, and the emperor fledbefore him. A temporary respite was finally procured by the promise of apayment of four thousand pounds of gold. Alaric soon appeared, however, before the very walls of Rome, and thatsplendid city, surrounded by hordes of barbarians, was soon reduced to awretched condition by famine. Two representatives of the Romans waitedupon Alaric for terms of peace, stating that if such could not bearranged the inhabitants of the city, animated by despair, would fightto the bitter end. To this the haughty conqueror made this famous reply:"The thicker the grass, the easier it is mowed. " With an insultinglaugh, he named the ransom required--all the gold and silver containedin the city, all the rich and precious movables, together with all theslaves. Then the ministers humbly asked, "What do you intend to leaveus?" "Your lives, " the haughty king replied, and retired. He finallyrelaxed a little and fixed other terms, which included the immediatepayment of the enormous sum of five thousand pounds of gold, thirtythousand pounds of silver, besides other treasure. "The victoriousleader, who united the daring spirit of a barbarian with the art anddiscipline of a Roman general, was at the head of a hundred thousandfighting men; and Italy pronounced, with terror and respect, theformidable name of Alaric. " A second time Rome was besieged by Alaric and taken. Honorious wasdeposed and Attalus made emperor; but Honorious was afterwards restored. In A. D. 410 he again marched upon the city, captured and entered it. "Eleven hundred and sixty-three years after the foundation of Rome, theimperial city, which had subdued and civilized so considerable a part ofmankind, was delivered to the licentious fury of the tribes of Germaniaand Scythia. " For six days the city was sacked by the barbaroussoldiery, and the horrible scenes of robbery, murder, and rapine thatensued can not be described. It has been said that "civilized warfare issufficiently terrible, " but that would be almost a blessing comparedwith such scenes as these. For a space of four years Alaric ravagedItaly almost without opposition. The slaughter and devastation that followed this storm of "hail andfire" is thus described: "The banks of the Rhine were crowned like thoseof the Tiber, with houses and well-cultivated farms; and if a poetdescended the river, he might express his doubts on which side wassituated the territory of the Romans. This scene of peace and plenty wassuddenly changed into a desert, and the prospect of the smoking ruinscould alone distinguish the solitude of nature from the desolation ofman. The flourishing city of Mentz was surprised and destroyed, and manythousand Christians inhumanly massacred in the church. Wurms perishedafter a long and obstinate siege. Strasburg, Spires, Rheims, Tournay, Arras, Amiens, experienced the cruel oppression of the German yoke, andthe consuming flames of war spread from the banks of the Rhine over thegreatest part of the seventeen provinces of Gaul. That rich andextensive country, as far as the ocean, the Alps and the Pyrenees, wasdelivered to the barbarians, who drove before them, in a promiscuouscrowd, the bishop, the senator and the virgin, laden with the spoils oftheir houses and altars. " Another historian describing the same, a few years after the event, says: "The barbarians meeting with little resistance, indulged in theutmost cruelty. The cities which they captured, they so utterlydestroyed that no traces of them now remain, except in Thrace andGreece, except here and there a tower or a gate. All the men who opposedthem they slew, young and old, and indeed spared not women, nor evenchildren. Whence there is still but a sparse population in Italy. Theplunder which they seized in every part of Europe was immense, andespecially at Rome, where they left nothing, either public or private. "In this latter description reference is also made to some laterinvasions, but they were all of the same desolating character. These historical facts show how the green grass, or the feebler portionof society--the tender sex, the young, and the aged--were consumedbefore this fearful storm of hail and fire; and also how the trees, orthe stronger portion--those better able to make resistance--sufferedgreatly. It is also a fact to be observed that these fierce tribes which overranItaly, harassed or captured Rome repeatedly, and threatened theoverthrow of the empire, made no permanent settlement in that territory. "Under Alaric the Goths make no lasting settlement. In the long tale ofintrigue and warfare between the Goths and the two Imperial courts whichfills up this whole time, cessions of territory are offered to theGoths, provinces are occupied by them, but as yet they do not take rootanywhere; no Western land as yet becomes Gothia, "--EncyclopędiaBritannica, Art. Goths. After the death of Alaric (A. D. 412), however, they settled in the southern part of Spain and Gaul[5]--part of theterritory of the West--but they no longer threatened the life of theempire; but, on the contrary, they became allies of the Romans inopposing the dreadful incursions of the Huns and other barbarians. Thustheir invasion of the West was at first terribly destructive--like astorm of hail and fire--but their ravages soon ceased, except in theirdisastrous and weakening effects. [Footnote 5: This division of the Gothic tribes is commonly called theVisigoths (Western Goths), as distinguished from the Ostrogoths, orEastern Goths. ] 8. And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood; 9. And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed. The symbol of this trumpet is that of a volcanic mountain cast into thesea, whence it sends forth its streams of lava in every direction untila third of the creatures in the sea are destroyed, thus spreadingdesolation on every side. It would naturally remain where it fell, apermanent instrument of destruction. We have here a description of the next step of importance in thedownfall of the Western empire. The second great invasion was that of"the terrible Genseric" with his Vandal hordes, who pushed southwardthrough Gaul and Spain, conquered the Carthaginian territory of northernAfrica, and there formed a permanent independent government in A. D. 439. From this fixed place, he continued for years to make incursions uponthe bordering cities and islands, burning the cities, murdering theinhabitants, and intercepting the commerce of the Mediterranean. Duringhis military career, 429-468, he became the terror of the inhabitants ofthe empire, insomuch that historians designate him "the terribleGenseric. " The depredations committed by his followers were but arepetition of such scenes of barbarity as have already been described inthe invasions of Alaric under the first trumpet, therefore I will notdevote much space to the historical facts in the case. Their deeds, however, were such that the very term _Vandal_ has come to be used as adesignation of any man of ferocious character. Concerning the importantpart that this chieftain acted in the downfall of the Western empire, Gibbon uses this significant language: "Genseric, a name which, in thedestruction of the Roman empire, has deserved an equal rank with thenames of Alaric and Attila. " Vol. III, p. 370. In the year 454 the empress Eudoxia wished to be revenged on Maximus, who had murdered her husband Valentinian and had grasped the throne, andshe secretly invited Genseric to attack Rome. That fierce general, whois described by the Encyclopędia Britannica as "cruel toblood-thirstiness, cunning, unscrupulous, and grasping, " was glad toundertake the task, and he soon landed an army of Vandals and AfricanMoors at the gates of the city. It was soon taken and for fifteen daysgiven over to be sacked by the barbarous soldiery. When they had gluttedtheir savage instincts with the horrible deeds of murder and rapine, loaded with the spoils of the imperial city, they returned to Africa, taking with them an immense number of captives, including Eudoxia andher two daughters. This desolating incursion left the empire weak andtottering to its fall. Genseric "became the tyrant of the sea; thecoasts of Italy, Greece, and Asia, were again exposed to his revenge andavarice. Tripoli and Sardinia returned to his obedience; he added Sicilyto the number of his provinces; and before he died, in the fulness ofyears and glory, he beheld the FINAL EXTINCTION of the empire of theWest. " Gibbon, Vol. III, pp. 497, 498. By "the sea" into which this burning mountain was cast is meant, not theMediterranean nor any other literal sea, but the heart of the empire, and that in a state of agitation. The empire was in a state ofcomparative quiet when Alaric appeared; therefore the storm of hail andfire is represented as falling upon "the earth, " as a result of whichsociety was thrown into a state of great agitation, and moved to itsdepths, like an ocean in a storm. This was its condition when Genseric, from his fixed position in Africa, began his desolating incursions;therefore the next symbol is that of a mountain cast into "the sea. " Bythe sea becoming blood is doubtless meant the destruction of life in theempire, and "the third part" denotes the vast extent of the destruction. I must speak with hesitation on what is signified by "the creatureswhich were in the sea" and the "ships. " By analogy I would be led torefer the former to the rulers and the dignitaries in the empire, theybearing an analagous position to the empire that fishes do to the watersof the sea; while the latter may refer to public monuments andstructures. 10. And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; 11. And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter. The description given of this star is similar to that of a large burningmeteor, such as we frequently see shooting athwart the heavens. It fellrapidly to earth, as such meteors often do, and struck thefountain-heads of the rivers, imparting to them such a poisonous qualityas caused the death of those who drank the waters. This symbol is also drawn from the natural world, and hence we must lookfor its fulfilment in political events. The rapidity of its fall anddisappearance in the waters would direct us to an agent who would appearsuddenly and soon disappear, and whose career would leave bitterresults. The direct effects of this meteor were experienced by therivers and the fountains of waters, which bear an analagous relation tothe sea that bordering tribes and nations do to an empire. The heart ofthe empire, or "the sea, " was directly affected by the burning mountain, under the preceding trumpet; while the tributaries of the sea, or thebordering tribes, are made the subject of direct attack under thissymbol and the poisonous qualities of their waters carried to fardistant points. Under this striking symbol we have a description of the third importantstep in the downward course of Rome--the short but eventful career ofAttila, with his terrible Scythians, or Huns. Singularly, Attila wassaid to "possess the iron sword of the war-god _Mars_, " and he claimedfor himself the designation or title "The Scourge of God"; while hisfollowers were even more cruel and barbarous, if possible, than theGoths and the Vandals. Coming from the remote solitudes of Asia under the leadership of theirfierce king, they poured like a tornado, first upon the inhabitants ofthe Eastern empire (in 442, 445) and then turned their attentionwestward. Attila ruled over "nearly all the tribes north of the Danubeand the Black sea, " and under his banner fought Ostrogoths, Gepidę, Alani, Heruli, and many other Teutonic peoples. Says Gibbon: "The wholebreadth of Europe, as it extends above five hundred miles from theEuxine to the Adriatic, was at once invaded, and occupied, and desolatedby the myriads of barbarians whom Attila led into the field. " It was theboast of Attila that the grass never grew on the spot which his horsehad trod. In 451 he led his forces, seven hundred thousand strong, through the center of Germany into the heart of Gaul, where he was metat Chalons by the combined forces of the Visigoths, Alans, Franks andRomans, and was defeated, with the loss of one hundred and seventythousand of his men. This was one of the most gigantic as well as one ofthe most important battles of history. A rivulet flowing through thefield of battle is said to have been colored and swollen by the blood ofthe slain. The next year, however, with a greater force at his command, he fell with headlong fury upon northern Italy; but he did not attackRome. Suddenly and seemingly without cause, he withdrew his army; andthis peculiar action of his has been the wonder of historians eversince. Says the Encyclopędia Britannica: "Attila at once withdrew fromItaly, but the motive which led him to act thus is not known. " Accordingto the prophecy, he was to fall upon the "rivers and fountains ofwaters" only. A short time later, in 453, he died, and "the vast empireover which he had ruled broke up _immediately_ after his death, no onechief being powerful enough to seize the supremacy. " Thus his short butwonderful career of about twelve years ended suddenly, like a meteorfalling into a river. But the effects of this invasion were farreaching. Rome in her decliningstrength, being unable to cope with these immense hordes of barbarians, was forced to call to her assistance the half-civilized tribes of Gothicbarbarians against a more dreaded foe. The success that attended theseconflicts of the combined forces were the means of giving greaterpolitical importance to these Gothic tribes and securing theirindependence. But while they rose, Rome fell. By the very act ofemploying such weapons in defense, Rome robbed herself of the littlepolitical strength remaining, and she was obliged to accept the bitterconsequences. Under each of these first three trumpets the extent of destruction isindicated by the expression "the third part. " Since the successive stepsin the downfall of the empire is the subject under consideration, thisexpression as here applied doubtless has particular reference to theloss of political power and life, rather than referring directly to theloss of human life sustained. With this thought in view, it is evidentthat the political importance of the empire was entirely destroyed bythese desolating incursions. Of the truth of this fact all historiansagree. Nothing of Rome remained, except the semblance of a government, when the time arrived for the sounding of the next trumpet. 12. And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise. The symbol of this trumpet is that of an eclipse of sun, moon, andstars, so that they shone not for a third part of the day and night. Under the sixth seal we showed that these luminaries of heaven are takenas symbols of rulers and princes; for the latter bear an analagousrelation to the empire that the former do to the earth. In thedarkening, then, of the sun, moon, and stars, we are to look for somedisastrous change or overthrow in the imperial government. Such an eventoccurred only a few years after the events described under the precedingtrumpets. With her political strength and resources exhausted, Romecould no longer maintain a separate existence, and Odoacer, king of theHeruli, overthrew Momyllus Augustulus, the last of the Roman line ofemperors, and caused himself to be proclaimed king of Italy in A. D. 476. This terminated the Western empire; and thus was the Roman sun eclipsedin darkness. In a subsequent chapter, however, we will find the eclipselifted at a later period and _New Rome_ enjoying all the power andauthority lost in her predecessors of the old Augustin line. Odoacer continued in possession of his kingdom seventeen years. Then hewas defeated and slain by Theodoric, and by him the kingdom of theOstrogoths was established in Italy. Sixty years later this kingdom wassubverted by Belisarius, the general of Justinian, emperor of the East, to whom it became a tributary province. In each of the principal citiesof Italy Justinian appointed a governor with the title of Duke, insubordination to another with the title of Exarch, whose residence wasat Ravenna. "Thus, at last, was Rome, once the proud mistress of theworld, reduced to a poor dukedom, made tributary to the Exarch ofRavenna, and he holding his authority at the will of the emperor ofConstantinople, the seat of the Eastern empire. " Thus, under the symbols of these four trumpets we have developed thewondrous history of the downfall of imperial Rome, in order to giveopportunity for the scenes of the drama yet to follow. The "man of sin"could not be fully revealed in all his terrible features until thishindrance was removed out of the way. Imperial Rome for three centuriesstood as the great opposer of God's people and slaughtered thousands, perhaps millions, of the Lord's innocent servants, and the hand ofretributive Justice was finally extended to humble her to the dust. Singularly, the persons whom God made choice of to effect her downfallhave either regarded themselves as special instruments whose mission itwas to punish the world or else have received such designations byhistorians because of their awful work. Contemporary historiansdistinguish Alaric by the epithets "The Scourge of God, " "The Destroyerof Nations"; while the great Vandal leader is designated "The TerribleGenseric. " Attila claimed the title "The Scourge of God. " 13. And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound! The later editions of the Greek New Testament give the word _eagle_instead of _angel_--denoting a messenger or angel flying with theswiftness of an eagle. This messenger doubtless is not intended to besymbolic; for it is not one of the seven angels, but a messengerpossessing a warning, and that warning is given "to the inhabitants ofthe earth, " as if they were addressed directly. It simply announces thatthe three trumpets yet to sound will possess greater calamities to thepeople of earth than those that have preceded, by reason of which theyare called woes. The manner, also, in which the woe trumpets are spokenof afterwards confirm the statement that the announcement is literal andnot symbolical. "One woe is past, and, behold, there come two more woeshereafter. " Chap. 9:12. "The second woe it past: and, behold, the thirdwoe cometh quickly. " Chap. 11:14. These announcements are evidentlyliteral, and serve to explain the passage before us. Accordingly, thelast three trumpets are generally referred to as the woe trumpets. CHAPTER IX. And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. 2. And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. 3. And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 4. And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. 5. And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. 6. And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. 7. And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men. 8. And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. 9. And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle. 10. And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months. 11. And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon. The symbols of this trumpet are of a very peculiar character andpeculiarly combined. They are not drawn entirely from the natural world, showing that we are not to look for their fulfilment in political eventsalone; neither are they drawn from human life in any such way as toindicate events in the religious history of the church. The leadingcharacters in it, however, are living, active agents of such adestructive nature as to entitle them to the designation of a woe. The first object presented in the vision is a "star" fallen to theearth. Our translation conveys the idea that this star was in the act offalling; but in the original it is different, being there represented ashaving fallen, its dejection from heaven to earth being complete. Theonly place that it appeared in view was on the earth, and there it isdescribed as fallen. A star is a symbol either of a civil ruler or of areligious teacher, the symbols in connection deciding whether it is setin the political or the ecclesiastical firmament. But this was not sucha star as He who walketh in the midst of the golden candle-sticksholdeth in his right hand, but it was a _fallen_ star, indicating thatit was the propagator of a false faith. To this star was given a key. In the Gospels the same figure isemployed, where the ministers of Christ are represented as possessingthe keys of the kingdom of heaven, showing that they acted in his nameand by his authority. How appropriate, then, is this symbol as appliedto a false teacher, who possesses, not the keys of the kingdom ofheaven, but, instead, "the key of the bottomless pit"! Thus, under thesymbol of the star and the key, we have the teacher and his authorityset forth. Armed with this authority, this false teacher "opened thebottomless pit; and there rose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of agreat furnace; and the sun and air were darkened by reason of the smokeof the pit. " In the Scriptures Jesus is represented as the Sun ofrighteousness, while "the light of the _glorious gospel_ of Christ"illuminates the world. But here we have something of the oppositecharacter--a dense smoke eclipsing the sun and darkening the heavens. Have we not here a fit representation of a delusive faith proceedingfrom its true source, "the bottomless pit"? And is not a fallen star anappropriate symbol of its propagator? In representing a system of religion by these objects from nature wedepart from the general rule first laid down--that objects of naturesymbolize political affairs, while the department of human and angeliclife is chosen to represent religious affairs. But the reader shouldbear in mind one important exception to this rule--that thingsprominently connected with the history of the people of God in formerages are frequently employed (regardless of the department to which theybelong) to represent spiritual things, their interpretation being easilyseen; such as candle-sticks, altar, temple, incense, etc. When theplague of "thick darkness" covered the land of Egypt for three days, "the children of Israel had light in their dwellings. " In the exodus theLord went before them "by night in a pillar of fire, to give themlight. " After the erection of the tabernacle the holy place wasconstantly illuminated. This natural light in the Jewish age constitutesa beautiful type of the spiritual "light of the glorious gospel ofChrist" that has "shined in our hearts" in the Christian dispensation. This spiritual light comes from Christ, the "Sun of righteousness, " the"true Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world"; andproceeds, also, from his people, who "shine as lights in the world. " Butit is the "light of the _gospel_. " This light proceeds in a specialsense from God's ministers, who are represented as "stars" (chap. 1:20)and who possess "the keys of the kingdom of heaven. " Mat. 16:19; 18:18. How appropriate, then, that a _fallen_ "star, " possessing "the key ofthe bottomless pit, " should be a symbol of a religious impostor, andthat the smoke which darkened the heavens, eclipsing the sun, the sourceof light, should represent a prominent delusive faith! I have alreadymentioned the fact that the symbols of this vision lead to a series ofevents entirely separate in their nature from the spiritual history ofthe church as developed under other symbols. We find its fulfilment inMohammed and the delusive system he promulgated. In the year 606 Mahometretired to a cave in Hera, near Mecca, and there received his pretendedrevelations, although it was not until six years later that he began toteach his doctrines publicly and to gain followers outside of the circleof his own family and personal friends. Gibbon, Vol. V. , p. 121. The next object in the vision is the locusts that came out of the smoke, to which was given power like scorpions, or power to inflict a deadlysting like scorpions. To what living agents, then, did the delusion ofMohammedanism give birth--agents of a destructive nature like scorpionlocust? Evidently, the Saracens, [6] those warrior followers of Mohammedwho flocked to his standard. These locusts received the express commandthat "they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any greenthing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal ofGod in their foreheads. " The successor of Mohammed, Abubeker, gave theSaracens a command that they should "destroy no palm-trees, nor burn anyfields of grain; cut down no fruit-trees, nor do any mischief to cattle, only such as you kill to eat. " This command was singular, yet itdoubtless is not the fulfilment of the command to the locusts; for thatwould be adopting a literal meaning instead of a symbolic one, and tocomplete the picture we should have had literal Saracens instead oflocusts. We can not consistently make a part literal and the remaindersymbolical. In the explanation of the first trumpet (chap. 8:6, 7), weshowed that grass and trees symbolized the inhabitants of a kingdom, grass representing the feebler and trees the stronger portions ofsociety. The fact, then, that these locusts were not to destroy thegreen grass and trees show that they were not sent as a scourge upon thepolitical empire only, as was the storm of hail and fire under the firsttrumpet. Had their mission been like that of natural locusts, to destroyevery green thing, we should then conclude that they were sent as ascourge upon the empire alone, having nothing whatever to do with asystem of religion. These locusts, however, were commanded not to dowhat natural locusts always do--eat green grass and trees--and werecommissioned to do what locusts never do--"hurt men, " but only those whohave not the seal of God in their foreheads; that is, the worshipers ofa false, idolatrous church, who are not known unto God as his truepeople. This is positive proof that the design of this vision is to setforth some awful religious imposture; for the "men" that they were tohurt are found in the department which by analogy represents religiousevents. [Footnote 6: "In earlier times the name of Saraceni was applied byGreeks and Romans to the troublesome Nomad Arabs of the Syro-Arabiandesert. "--_Encyclopędia Britannica_. In the Middle Ages, however, Europeans began to call all their Moslem enemies Saracens. It is in thelimited sense that it is here applied, designating the first followersof Mohammed before the rise of the Ottoman empire. ] The fact that their commission was to torment those "men which have notthe seal of God in their foreheads, " is a proof also of the wide-spreadapostasies that had already taken place. This was the time when the palehorseman was careering over the world carrying desolation everywhere byhis instruments of oppression--sword, pestilences, famine, and the wildbeasts of the earth. "The churches both in the Western and Easternempire were in the most deplorable condition, being corrupted with thegrossest ignorance and idolatry; the virgin Mary, the saints, andmiserable relics of every description being worshiped in the place ofJehovah, and superstition reigning with sovereign power over all minds. "The Saracen warriors of Mohammed were sent as a scourge upon apostateChristendom, overrunning the very territory where the gospel was firstpreached, and were commissioned to "torment" the false professors ofChristianity. In regard to the kind and the extent of the injury they were to inflict, it is said that "to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was asthe torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. And in those daysshall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. " The Saracens, as here described underthe symbol of the locusts, sustained a two-fold relation, and thecareful and perfect manner in which the symbols are selected to set itforth is worthy of particular notice. In the first place, the Saracenswere a political body. As such, locusts would fitly represent them. Butthey were also a religious body, and how could that fact be symbolicallycombined with the other? It is done by the locusts' being forbidden toact out their own nature in eating grass and trees, and their beingcommanded instead to "hurt men, " thus changing the field of theiroperations into the department of human life--the department that ischosen to symbolically set forth religious events. Thus thepolitico-religious system of the Saracens is accurately set forth. This, also, is nearly as clear as a demonstration that the position alreadytaken concerning the nature and the use of symbolic language is correct. It was given that they should "not kill" men. We have already shown thatkilling men when used symbolically signifies the destruction of thepolitical or ecclesiastical organizations and institutions of society. We could not consistently interpret it as literal slaughter, but as someanalagous destruction. Now, the Saracen power was, as already stated, apolitico-religious system, and its warriors were an infatuated set ofreligious fanatics, described by historians as "carrying the sword inone hand, and the Koran in the other. " Thus, they had it in their powerto kill either religiously or politically--destroy either the church orthe empire--but they did neither, for their mission was not to kill, butto "torment. " "They made extensive conquests and gained immense numbersof converts. But they did not overthrow the Eastern empire, althoughthey repeatedly attacked and besieged Constantinople, suffering, however, uniform defeat in the attempt. Neither did they destroy thechurch, corrupt and apostate as it was. To idolators and infidels theyput the alternative of the Koran or death; but allowed the Christians toretain their church organization, laying them, however, under severecontributions, and treating them to the ignominious appellation ofChristian dogs. " Concerning the character of Mohammed, Gibbon informs usthat "he seldom trampled on a prostrate enemy, and he seems to promise, that on the payment of a tribute, the least guilty of his unbelievingsubjects might be indulged in their worship, or at least in theirimperfect faith" (Vol. V, p. 129), and this, of course, would be thenatural tendency of his followers. The Armenian and the Greek churchessurvived, and still exist in that portion of the world, but they haveindeed been greviously tormented. "The proud Moslem, glorying in hisprophet and religion, has heaped every possible insult and injury uponthe Christians, " yet he suffered them to live, but live only for him totorment. Surely the oppressions thus experienced are appropriatelydescribed by the words, "as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketha man. " Under such torments the professed Christians might court death, but such is not granted; and still they survive, but only to be"tormented. " The Moslem had "the Christian dog" completely under hisfoot. We now turn our attention to the period of time during which theseSaracen locusts were to continue their ravages. It is given as "fivemonths, " or one hundred and fifty days. As this description is entirelysymbolic, we must consider the time symbolic also, for time certainlycan be symbolized as well as anything else. It is very appropriate fordays to symbolize years, for they are analagous periods of time; thediurnal revolution of the earth being taken to represent the earth'sannual movement. Such a system of reckoning time was known centuriesago. When Jacob complained to Laban because he had been given Leahinstead of Rachel, "Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the first-born. Fulfil her _week_, and wewill give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve me yet_seven other years_. And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week ... Sevenother years. " Gen. 29:26-30. In this case it will be seen that a day wasused to represent a year, since seven days, or one week, representedseven years. When the law was given, Moses recognized the week of sevennatural days, the last day of which was constituted a Sabbath of restfor Israel; but he also instituted a week of seven years, the last yearof which was a sabbatical year of rest unto the land. This last factwill explain such expressions as "forty days, _each day for a year_"(Num. 14:34), and "I have appointed thee each day for a year. " Ezek. 4:6. This period, then, of "five months, " or one hundred and fifty days, would represent symbolically one hundred and fifty years. As beforestated, it was in the year A. D. 612 that Mohammed began to expound hisdoctrines publicly and to gather adherents around his standard, fromwhich point the locusts commenced, although the smoke had been let outof the pit a little previously. For a period of one hundred and fiftyyears from this date, they continued their ravages, until A. D. 762. Thenthey "built Bagdad, which became their settled seat of empire; andhenceforth they became a settled nation, making no further conquests. "From that date their power began to decline. But during this one hundredand fifty years they spread over the country like swarms of devouringlocusts. According to the well-known facts of history, "they overranArabia, Palestine, Persia, Egypt, and the northern shores of Africa, from which they passed to the conquest of Portugal and Spain. " Thesewere the countries that had been the most oppressed by a priest-riddenchurch and where especially were to be found those "men which have notthe seal of God in their foreheads. " Europe was trembling and filledwith apprehension at what her fate might be at the hands of thesefanatic warriors who fought with savage fury, under the promise of theirprophet that, if slain in battle, they should be immediately transportedto Paradise. At the zenith of their power, and confident of success, they passed from Spain into France four hundred thousand strong. Buthere they exceeded their mission. The southern provinces of Francecontained many Christians who had the "seal of God" upon them, and thiscountry became the seat of the Waldenses and Albigenses, of whichinteresting people we shall learn more hereafter. The invading host wasmet at Tours by Charles, grandfather of Charlemagne, who dealt them sucha crushing blow that he was ever afterward designated by the surnameMartel--the Hammer. This battle was one of the fiercest recorded inhistory. The Saracens who had scarcely ever experienced defeat foughtwith the fury of despair, until, according to the accounts of that age, three hundred and seventy-five thousand of their number lay upon thefield of battle with their general. This decisive victory saved Europefrom her threatened subjection to the Mohammedan faith. The next point in the vision to claim our attention is the particulardescription of these locusts. Some of the points mentioned might find aliteral fulfilment in the personal appearance of the Saracens--such asthe crowns signifying the turbans they wore, etc. , but we must adherestrictly to the symbolic mode of interpretation and look for theirfulfilment in Saracen character. Their being like war-horses denotestheir warlike disposition. The crowns on their heads signify their greatsuccess and triumphs. Their faces of men and hair like women doubtlesssignify their boldness on the one hand and their effeminateness on theother. Their teeth as the teeth of lions show their ferocity ofcharacter. Their breastplates of iron indicate their invincibility orelse their insensibility to injuries inflicted upon them. The sound oftheir wings like horses and chariots running to battle denotes themultitude and rapidity of their conquests. Their tails like scorpions, containing stings with which to "hurt men"--operating in the religiousworld--symbolize their position as propagators of a false faith. Thusthey are set forth in their two-fold character--as invincible warriorsand as the zealous professors of a delusion, whose sting was like thatof a scorpion when he strikes a man. "And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomlesspit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tonguehath his name Apollyon. " The following fact of history will explainthis: "The Saracens had their Caliphs, the successors of Mohammed, whounited in themselves the supreme civil, military and ecclesiasticalpowers. They were the high-priests of their religion, the commanders oftheir armies, and the emperors of the nation. " This king over themsignifies a succession of rulers, and they are well described as "theangel of the bottomless pit, " for that is the very place where thedelusion is said to have originated. Mahomet, as a fallen star, openedthe pit and let out the smoke, and his successors, who grasped his powerand authority, are fitly characterized as angels from the same place, bearing the name Abaddon or Apollyon, which terms both signifyDestroyer. Is not this a wonderful combination of symbols which can be carried outwith surprising accuracy? What human ingenuity could have ever contrivedsuch a marvelous series of events, and described them under suchappropriate symbols? Finally, let me ask, Where in the whole compass ofuniversal history can be found another series of events so perfectlymeeting every requirement of the symbols? In this we must acknowledgethe hand of God. 12. One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter. This announcement, that one woe is past, meaning that the period of onehundred and fifty years during which the Saracens were to continue theirconquests has ended, serves an important purpose in enabling us to fixthe chronology of the events described. It proves that they succeed eachother. 13. And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, 14. Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. 15. And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men. 16. And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them. 17. And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone. 18. By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths. 19. For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt. 20. And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: 21. Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts. At the sounding of the sixth trumpet, or the second woe trumpet, a voiceis heard from the four horns (all the horns) of the golden altar. Thisprobably denotes that the very same altar where incense was offered upto God with the prayers of all saints was now crying out to him forvengeance upon an apostate church. That church had reached the summit ofapostasy and iniquity, the virgin Mary, the saints, and thousands ofidols in the form of miserable relics being worshiped more than God. Because of these abominable idolatries, a voice is heard crying from thegolden altar for the avenging judgments of Heaven, which were theloosing of the four angels bound in the river Euphrates. The symbols ofthis vision are also of peculiar character and drawn from differentdepartments. We have four angels bound in the Euphrates, an immense armyof horsemen, then a large number of horses with heads as of lions, andfire, smoke, and brimstone issuing from their mouths. The horses thusparticularly described are evidently intended to have a definitesymbolical signification, and being objects of nature, they wouldindicate a political or military power. The horsemen, being objects fromhuman life, would point us to some religious body; while the angelssignify the leaders that have control of these agencies. Their beingcommissioned "to slay the third part of men" show that they willoverthrow some of the established institutions of society. We are tolook, therefore, for some politico-religious power that should invadeand overthrow the empire. We are, of course, directed to the Easternempire; for the Western division was subverted under the symbols of thefirst four trumpets. With these specifications before us, we shall haveno difficulty in identifying the power intended--_the Turkish, orOttoman, empire_. Its agreement with the symbolic representations of thevision will be manifest from a statement of the facts of history. "The Turks were of Tartar or Scythian origin, from the northern regionsof Asia, whence also the Huns hived upon Europe during the fourth andfifth centuries. The latter passed to the north of the Black sea fromRussia, and swept the regions of the Danube and the Rhine. The Turks, passing to the east of the same, fell upon the empire from that quarter. They took possession of Armenia Major in the ninth century, where theyincreased, and in the space of two hundred years became a formidablepower, being at the end of this period combined into four Sultanies, theheads of which were at Bagdad, Damascus, Aleppo, and Iconium. The firstof these was erected A. D. 1055; the two next A. D. 1079, and the lastA. D. 1080--all of them within twenty-five years, and the three lastwithin two. " These four Sultanies are doubtless signified by "the four angels" thatwere bound in the river Euphrates. The Euphrates here is employed as asymbol, not of the Turks themselves--for the horsemen are their symbol, as we shall see--but of the binding of the angels. The use of this wordas a symbol is derived from a fact of history, being the object, according to Herodotus, that kept Cyrus back from entering the city ofBabylon. While the Persian monarch surrounded the walls of that ancientmetropolis of the Babylonian empire, with his army, he was held inrestraint by the river Euphrates; and it was not until he had divertedits waters into an artificial channel that he gained an entrance. So, also, these Sultanies, or leaders of the Turks, were held underrestraint as if bound by the river Euphrates, until the time appointedfor them to go forth on their mission of conquest. Different causes heldthem back. For a long time they were involved in fierce and almostcontinuous wars with the neighboring Tartar tribes on the east and thenorth, and at the same time the Crusaders of Europe were carrying on adetermined war with the Saracens for the possession of the Holy Land. For two centuries the armies of Christendom poured into Syria andPalestine to recover from the hands of the "infidels, " as they werecalled, the holy sepulchre and the country that gave birth toChristianity; but when Europe finally abandoned the project, then wentforth the command to loose the four angels, "which were prepared for anhour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part ofman. " To kill men symbolically, I have already shown, signifies thedestruction either of an empire as a political body or of the church(that is, the so-called church) as a religious body. The locusts underthe fifth trumpet were to do neither; but the symbolic characters ofthis vision are "to slay the third part of men, " by which is set forththe fall and subjugation of the Eastern empire and church; just as, under the fifth trumpet, the fall of the Western empire was described bythe darkening of a third part of the sun, moon, and stars. Before considering the time-prophecy in this vision, we will pass on tonotice a few particulars respecting the horses and their riders. Thehorsemen possessed breastplates of fire, jacinth, and brimstone; whileout of the mouths of the horses proceeded fire, smoke, and brimstone. There is evidently a special design in distinguishing between the horsesand their riders. These symbols, being drawn from different sources--theformer from the natural world and the latter from human life--point outthe two characteristics of the Turks as a politico-religious power. Thesymbolic description of the two is almost identical. The horsemen hadbreastplates of fire, jacinth (purplish or reddish blue), and brimstone. This describes the character of the Turks as a religious system. Out ofthe horses' mouths proceeded fire, smoke, and brimstone, whichrepresents the Moslems as a political power. The only difference is thatthe smoke is substituted for the jacinth, but they very nearly agree incolor. We are thus brought to the conclusion that the political and thereligious power of the Turks is in harmony and agreement with eachother--united in the closest manner possible, like a horse and itsrider, and both animated by the same spirit. That spirit is perhapstheir fierce, fanatical, aggressive, intolerant character. The tails of the horses were like serpents with heads, their power beingin their mouth and in their tails--the one a lion, the other a serpent. It was by the fire, the smoke, and the brimstone that came from theirlion-heads that the third part of men was killed, or their conquestswere made; then with their serpent-like tails would they torment or"hurt" all those who would not adopt the Moslem faith, being in thisrespect like the scorpion locusts. Their lion-heads would denote theirinvincible strength and courage; and their serpent-tails, the tormentingsting inflicted upon those whom they subdued but who would not accepttheir religion. It is not said that the riders were the direct agents ofdestruction--not the Moslem faith as a religion--but it was the horsesthat accomplished the deadly work--the Ottomans as a political body. This was the power that extended conquests and established their empire, although it was accompanied by the religious system, working in perfectharmony. It is said that the "rest of the men which were not killed by theseplagues" repented not. This expression doubtless signifies the Western, or Latin, church. They saw these judgments of the Euphratean horsemen onthe Eastern empire, and the triumph of the Moslem sword and faith (thewoe fell as a judgment upon the Eastern church); still, they continuedas before in their abominable idolatries, by which is probably meanttheir worship of the virgin Mary, saints, relics, and images. There wasno reformation. Error, superstition, and ecclesiastical usurpationprevailed as before. The Turks obtained their first victory over the Christians of theEastern, or Greek, empire in A. D. 1281. Within ten years the Latins whoinhabited Palestine were entirely overthrown (see Gibbon, Vol. VI, p. 47), and the way was now clear for Turkish aggression against the Greekempire. Before the end of the century the four Sultanies mentioned werecombined into one consolidated empire under Osman (corrupted byEuropeans into Ottoman) and from him took the name which it stillretains--the Ottoman empire. From the time they were let loose, theTurks continued their aggressions until A. D. 1453, when Constantinoplefell before their victorious arms, and the Eastern empire, with the lastof the Constantines, sunk to rise no more. "The Turkish sword and thereligion of the Koran were enthroned in the Christian metropolis of theRoman emperors; and the proud Moslem had the Christian dog completelyunder his foot. " The Ottoman power, however, continued to grow and makenew conquests until the year A. D. 1672, when they conducted a successfulcampaign against Poland, in which forty-eight towns and villages wereceded to the Sultan, with promise of an annual tribute of two hundredand twenty thousand ducats. See Encyclopędia Britannica, Art. Turkey. This was the last victory they ever gained wherein the Ottoman empireobtained any advantage. A little later they marched against Vienna, butsustained a miserable defeat. "Venice and Russia now declared waragainst Turkey; misfortune followed misfortune; city after city was rentaway from the empire; the Austrians were in possession of almost thewhole of Hungary, the Italians of almost all the Morea. " EncyclopędiaBritannica, Art. Turkey. So the power of the Ottomans to extend theirconquests and to add to their empire, ended with the victory over thePoles in A. D. 1672. This fact is even admitted by Demetrius Cantemir, prince of Moldavia, one of their historians, in the following language:"This was the _last_ victory by which any advantage accrued to theOthman state, or any city or province was annexed to the ancient boundsof the empire. " In accordance with this statement, the same historianentitles the first part of his history up to the victory over the Polesin 1672 the History of _the Growth of the Othman Empire_, and theremaining portion, _The Decay of the Othman Empire_. Calculating now the time during which these horsemen were prepared toextend their conquests--"an hour, and a day, and a month, and ayear"--we find according to prophetic, or symbolic, time--thirty days ina month, three hundred and sixty in a year--that it signifies threehundred and ninety-one years and fifteen days. This is exactly theperiod of time that elapsed between their first victory in A. D. 1281 andtheir last conquest in A. D. 1672. I can not verify the fifteen days, because no history at my command states the exact days of the month onwhich these victories occurred. One more point of importance must be considered before we conclude thischapter, and that is the continuance of the Ottoman power. The first, orSaracen, woe had power to torment men "five months, " or one hundred andfifty years, during which time they continued their ravages. The secondwoe began when the command was given to loose the four angels, or thebeginning of the Ottoman conquests. "An hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, " or three hundred and ninety-one years, marked the timeduring which they were "prepared" to extend their conquests. But it isnot stated that the woe itself, or the Ottoman power, would then cease;for it is not represented as ending until after the death and theresurrection of the witnesses (chap. 11:14), immediately following whichthe coming of Christ and the general judgment, or the third woe, isdescribed. Verses 15-18. The Turkish power has made no advance forcenturies, but has been on the decline; yet it will endure for itsallotted time. It furnishes us a way-mark by which we can determine ourposition along the pathway of time; for when it falls, we may restassured that the coming of Christ is imminent. For nearly two centuries it has been the wonder of civilized nations howthat corrupt, tyrannical government, which has been described as a"despotism tempered by assassination, " could exist in the increasedlight and onward advance of modern civilization. Concerning its positionin Europe, Judson, in his recent history of Europe in the NineteenthCentury, says: "The Turkish empire has been an element of unrest inEurope. It has long been plain to all that it is not permanent. It hastaken no root. The Turks are merely encamped in Europe; and it is merelya question of time when the last of them must return across theBosphorus. " Pp. 269, 270. But Turkey will continue to hold thisterritory of the old Greek empire until the time appointed by the Fatherfor her overthrow. The nations of Europe have often conspired for heroverthrow. This is what is known as the great Eastern Question, whichhas been described by one writer as "the expulsion of the Turk fromEurope, and the scramble for his territory. " But it has not yet beenaccomplished, for the very reason doubtless, that it _could not_ takeplace before the resurrection of the witnesses, of which we will speaklater. Judson thus continues his account of the matter: "As soon as thisidea was realized [that Turkish power in Europe must fall] by theWestern nations, in place of the dread of the Turk which had so longbeen part and parcel of European thinking, the question of the disposalto be made of the Turkish possessions became matter of live interest. And this is the Eastern Question. The Greek empire vanished forever whenthe last Constantine fell in 1453. The only problem is one of partition. And the heart of it all is the disposal to be made of Constantinople. That imperial city is a site that, in strong hands, means power andwealth. What shall become of it? Russia early formed designs ofconquest.... The empress Catherine ... Had a grand scheme for arestoration of the Greek empire under a Russian prince. Alexander I. , atTilsit, planned a partition of the Ottoman empire with Napoleon, but thelatter declined to see Constantinople in Russian hands. 'Constantinople, ' said he, 'is the empire of the world. ' In 1844Nicholas visited England and made guarded suggestions to theprime-minister about the Turkish lands. The Ottoman empire, said he, wasa sick man, nearly at the last extremity.... England declined to planfor a share of the inheritance, and nothing was done. In 1853 Nicholasresumed the subject with the British ambassador at St. Petersburg. Thesick man, he now held, was at the point of death.... But again Englanddeclined and, indeed, the next year went to war with Russia to save thesick man from a premature end at the hands of the would-be administratorof the estate. Another power doubly interested in the future of theTurkish dominions is Austria. That empire has been the traditional enemyof the Turk, and at the end of the seventeenth century was the actualbulwark of Europe against Mohammedan conquest. When the tide of warrolled the other way, Austria was ready to share in the spoils. Twicenear the end of the eighteenth century, was an alliance made betweenRussia and Austria for the partition of Turkey, " etc. Pp. 270, 271. Thus, we find that these designs of nations for the overthrow of Turkeyhave so far been overruled; for God will not allow that power to come to"a _premature end_. " CHAPTER X. And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire: 2. And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth, 3. And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices. 4. And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not. 5. And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, 6. And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer: 7. But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets. 8. And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth. 9. And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey. 10. And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter. 11. And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings. In the preceding chapter we had a history of the two great woes thatbefell apostate Christendom. In this chapter we have in contrast aportion of the history of God's true church, to show us that all was notlost even though the Eastern church was greviously tormented by theserpent-tails of the horses and the Western church still continued asbefore in her sorceries, fornications, and abominable idolatries. The symbol is that of an angel from heaven. This is not the seventh, orthe third woe angel, who ushers in the general judgment (chap. 11:15-18), but it is a special messenger appearing on earth with theawful message that the end of time is near and that when the seventhangel soon begins to sound the mystery of God shall be finished andthere shall be time no longer. This mighty angel is symbolical of somehuman agencies of distinguished character; for it stands in strikingcontrast with the destructive powers described under the precedingtrumpets. When angels appear on the panoramic scene only in the templeabove, they themselves are not symbolic characters, but only theconductors of the Revelation; but whenever they appear on earth, theyrepresent distinguished agencies among men. In the present vision thesymbol is drawn, not from the natural world, but from the heavenly, andthe scene is laid upon earth; therefore we must look to the history ofthe church to find its fulfilment in some distinguished agenciesappearing for the defence of Christ and his truth. The cloud, rainbow, face as the sun, and feet as pillars of fire, are doubtless intended toset forth their beautiful, benignant character, and to show that theangel is not such an one as those that were bound in the riverEuphrates. This one has the bow of covenant promise upon his head, andhis face shines as the sun. Where, then, in the history of God's true church do we find the agenciescorresponding to the symbol? We find them in the _holy ministry_ that hehas raised up and is now sending forth to preach the pure gospel and todeclare the speedy sounding of the seventh trumpet and the coming of theLord Jesus Christ to earth again. "Lo, the angel now is standing on the sea and on the land; How his voice the air is rending as to God he lifts his hand! What an awful, awful message! Help us, Lord, this truth to see: When the seventh trumpet thunders, then shall time no longer be. "One more trumpet yet to summon us before the judgment seat, Then the time of our frail planet will be said to be complete. How the wicked will be wailing and the righteous overjoyed When with fire the heav'ns are burning and the earth shall be destroyed!" This angel "set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on theearth, " that his lion-like voice might be heard over all the world. Thisshows that the earth (the Apocalyptic earth--the territory of the Romanempire) was not the only place where the message was to be borne; it wasto be sounded upon the sea, which would indicate its promulgation amongall nations. When his mighty voice sounded, "seven thunders uttered their voices";and when about to record what they said, John was commanded to "seal upthose things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not. " Thefact that they were not to be recorded shows that they were toconstitute no part of this Revelation. John evidently thought so atfirst; for they had the appearance of revelation, something clothed withdivine authority, but they were not to be delivered to the church. What, then, were they? The most probable supposition is, that they were thingsthat God for some reason did not choose to have revealed. Their sayingsmay have described events just prior to the end so perfectly as to leavethe world in no doubt respecting the nearness of Christ's second coming;whereas it appears in the Scriptures that God has designed that itshould be a matter of considerable uncertainty, especially to theunsaved. However, we can obtain no satisfactory explanation of thethings uttered by the seven thunders; for we can not identify positivelywhat John was commanded to "seal up. " This angel had in his hand a little book that John was required to takeand eat. In advancing and taking the book, John himself becomes an actorin the symbolic scene, the same as was the book and the angel from whosehand he took it. Therefore we must now consider John a symbol ofsomething in this vision. Some of the commentators have supposed thatthis book signified the remainder of the book of Revelation. But Johnwas commanded to _write_ the Revelations, not to _eat_ them. And if heate them, how, then, could they constitute the remainder of the book?Its true signification is undoubtedly the word of God. In making such anapplication we do not necessarily make one book merely a symbol of alarger one, as the Bible is, but of God's _revealed will_, just the sameas the sealed book of chapter V was the symbol of the divine purposes. When we come to explain the resurrection of the witnesses in chapter XI, it will be found that this is the time when the word of God is againtaught in all its purity, being restored for the first time, in itsperfect sense, since the morning time of this dispensation. A greatspiritual famine has for centuries overspread the earth. Since the timethe black horse of the third seal entered on his career, the people havebeen starving for spiritual food. The few crumbs that have been droppedduring the reign of Protestantism have been eagerly gathered up by thespiritually-minded; but, thank God! the time has now arrived when themessengers appear with food from heaven, and the multitudes of earth'sstarving millions can "eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise thename of the Lord God. " Joel 2:26. Halleluiah! In taking the book from the hand of the angel and eating it, John becamea symbol of the church, or people of God, who receive the Word from thehand of his ministers. The sweetness of its taste signifies theeagerness with which people receive it and the gladness experienced whenthey first partake of the heavenly manna; while the bitterness resultingtherefrom probably symbolizes the bitter persecutions and oppositions ofwhich it is the occasion. "Yea, and _all_ that will live godly in ChristJesus shall suffer persecution. " 2 Tim. 3:12. John was told to "prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, andtongues, and kings, " which signifies that the people of God must againbe witnesses of his saving grace throughout all the world. In thebeginning of this dispensation all his people prophesied among thenations; for Christ had said unto them, "Ye shall be _witnesses_ untome, both in Jerusalem, and in Judea, and in Samaria, and unto theuttermost parts of the earth. " Acts 1:8. So, also, in this evening timewe go forth again on the same mission, inspired by the soon-coming ofour Savior. "Even so come, Lord Jesus. " CHAPTER XI. And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. 2. But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. 3. And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. 4. These are the two olive-trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. 5. And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. 6. These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will. The two principal objects of this vision is the city of Jerusalem withits holy temple and worshipers, and two witnesses prophesying for twelvehundred and sixty days. These are not objects from the natural world;therefore we may conclude that we have not here to do with politicalevents, while the character of the symbols point us with certainty tothe history of the church. There is a possibility that the speaker here is not the angel of thepreceding chapter; for the words in verse 1 "and the angel stood" may bean interpolation, they being found in very few manuscripts. See theRevised Version and the Emphatic Diaglott, Greek and English. If not, then he must be the angel through whom the Revelation was given. Chap. 1:1; 22:8. Whether the angel is the same as the one in the precedingchapter or not, it is evident that that series of prophecy ends withchapter 10, and that he here introduces a new line of events runningover the entire gospel dispensation[7], in which John as an active agentin the panoramic vision still stands as a symbol of the people of God, who, in striking contrast with the blind devotees of an apostate church, are commanded to "measure the temple of God, and the altar, and themthat worship therein. " The temple with its altar and court and the holycity itself, here used as symbols, are representative of somethinganalagous, and refer to no other than the outward, visible church of Godwith its doctrines and worshipers. Its measurement is designed to showhow far it conforms to the true church; while the rod is a symbol of therevealed will of God, by which the measurement is brought as to a truestandard. [Footnote 7: This statement may seem to conflict with the classificationof events in the "Diagram of the Revelation, " where this prophecy istreated, not as an independent series, but as part of a compound seriesbeginning with chapter 8 and ending with chapter 11. For thusclassifying it my reason is, that the line of prophecy beginning withchapter 8 introduces the seven trumpets, and therefore the series is notcomplete until the seventh trumpet is given, which event concludes theline of truth given in the present chapter. ] By noticing briefly the arrangement of the temple and the purposes towhich the different apartments were put, we shall be able to understandbetter the design of this vision. The temple proper consisted of twoapartments. In the first stood the altar of incense and other things; inthe second, the ark of the covenant, etc. The priests officiated in thefirst apartment regularly, while into the second went the high-priestalone once every year. This, Paul informs us, was a shadow of a greaterand more perfect tabernacle. Heb. 9:1-11; 8:2. The altar that ismentioned and that John was to measure is a symbol of the great cardinaldoctrine of the church--the atonement and mediation of Christ. He wasthe sacrifice made for sin, through whom we have redemption and accessunto God. John was also told to measure those who worshiped therein--theofficiating ministers in the sanctuary--who were thus made symbols ofthe ministers and the teachers in the church. To measure the temple ofGod, then, was to ascertain the great doctrines taught in the Scripturesand symbolized by the sanctuary, the altar, and the priests; namely, thedoctrines of the New Testament concerning God as the supreme lawgiver, the atonement of Jesus Christ as the only ground for justification, andthe ministers whom he appointed to officiate in his church. These are the great principles corrupted by the Papacy. Instead of theone supreme God, we find another in the temple of God, "showing himselfthat _he_ is God. " Christ was not recognized as the supreme and onlyhead of the church; but instead the Pope claimed the title of universalhead and legislated supreme, while his decrees and anathemas wereaccepted as from Jehovah himself. Christ was not regarded as the onlymediator between God and man, but the virgin Mary and the saints wereexalted to share the mediatorial throne, the mother being more honoredthan the Son. Penance, counting of beads, works of supererogation, werebelieved to be more effectual in obtaining forgiveness of sin thanliving faith in our only Redeemer. Finally, in place of the humbleministers of Christ whom he appointed to officiate in his church, therewere haughty lords and rulers, making the most extravagant claims topower and authority over the minds and consciences of men. The court ofthe temple was the space outside of the sanctuary occupied by thecongregation while the worship within was conducted by the priests. Johnwas told to leave this out and measure it not; for it was given to theGentiles to tread under foot, or profane, for the space of forty and twomonths, or twelve hundred and sixty days. In the estimation of a Jew, the Gentiles were all idolaters and outside of God's covenant favor. Asa symbol, then, we are to understand that the great body of worshipersthus brought to view are not the true children of God at all, but are, as it were, uncircumcised, idolatrous Gentiles, having no connectionwhatever with the great head of the church and no part in the covenantof his mercy. The whole city of Jerusalem was to be given over to thisprofane multitude and by them desecrated for forty-two months, denotingthat this great company of worshipers was to constitute the visible, external church during the period specified. It is as though the city ofJerusalem were occupied by the idolatrous heathen, and the Jews drivenout as aliens. These Gentiles, then, were to constitute the one great(so-called) universal church--the Church of Rome. Forty and two months, or twelve hundred and sixty days, are symbolictime, signifying twelve hundred and sixty years, during which time thepower of apostasy was to reign supreme over the minds of men. The sameperiod is also referred to frequently in subsequent chapters. It isnecessary, then, for us to ascertain at what period of time the churchwas given over to a profane multitude that was not the true people ofGod. Some have supposed that this must refer to the time when Poperybecame fully established. Such, however, could not be the case (althoughthe time-period includes that important event); for the power ofapostasy was greatly developed centuries before the final supremacy ofthe Popes was established, and was necessary in order to prepare the wayfor their exaltation. The Popes obtained their authority by degrees. InA. D. 606 the emperor Phocas conferred the title "Universal Bishop" uponthe Pope of Rome. In A. D. 756 the Pope became a temporal sovereign. Yetthe power of Papal usurpation did not reach the summit until the reignof the impious Hildebrand, who succeeded to the Popedom in A. D. 1073, under the title of Gregory VII. But according to the symbols before us, we must look for a period not so much when the Popes were enabled todefinitely enforce their arrogant claims, as when the ministry becamecorrupted and when the inhabitants of the city, or the devotees of thevisible church, became a profane multitude entirely estranged from thecovenant of promise. The usurpations of the ministry that accompaniedthis great change in the external church have been considered alreadyunder the symbols of chapter VI. This mighty transformation to a churchcontaining nothing but uncircumcised Gentiles was fully accomplishedduring the latter half of the third century, from which date we mustlook for the true disciples of the Lord as entirely separate from thehierarchy. A few quotations from standard and ecclesiastical historieswill show this important epoch in the rise of the Papacy that plungedthe world into almost universal apostasy. "The living church retiring gradually within the lonely sanctuary of afew solitary hearts, an external church was substituted in its place, and all its forms were declared to be of divine appointment. Salvationno longer flowing from the Word, which was henceforward put out ofsight, the priests affirmed that it was conveyed by means of the formsthey had themselves invented, and that no one could obtain it but bythese channels.... The doctrine of the church and the necessity of itsvisible unity, which had begun to gain ground in the _third century_, favored the pretensions of Rome. " D'Aubigne's History of theReformation, Book I, Chap. 1. "At the end of the third century almost half the inhabitants of theRoman empire, and of several neighboring countries, professed the faithof Christ. About this time endeavors to preserve a unity of belief, andof church discipline, occasioned numberless disputes among those ofdifferent opinions, and led to the establishment of an ecclesiasticaltyranny. " Encyclopędia of Religious Knowledge. Concerning the Roman diocese, the Encyclopędia Britannica says, "Beforethe termination of the third century the office was held to be of suchimportance that its succession was a matter of interest to ecclesiasticsliving in distant sees. " Vol. XIX, p. 488. "Almost proportionate with the extension of Christianity was thedecrease in the church of vital piety. A philosophizing spirit among thehigher, and a wild monkish superstition among the lower orders, fasttook the place in the third century of the faith and humility of thefirst Christians. Many of the clergy became very corrupt, andexcessively ambitious. In consequence of this there was an awfuldefection of Christianity. " Marsh's Church History, p. 185. "We have found it almost necessary to separate, and indeed widely todistinguish the events of the two first, from those of the thirdcentury, for nearly at this point we are disposed to place the FIRSTCRISIS in the internal history of the church. " Waddington's ChurchHistory. "This season of external prosperity was improved by the ministers of thechurch for the exertion of new claims, and the assumption of powers withwhich they had not been previously invested. At first these claims weremodestly urged, and gradually allowed; but they laid a foundation forthe encroachments which were afterwards made upon the rights of thewhole Christian community, and for lofty pretensions to the right ofsupremacy and spiritual dominion.... Several alterations in the form ofchurch government appear to have been introduced during the thirdcentury. Some degree of pomp was thought necessary.... The externaldignity of the ministers of religion was accompanied by a still greaterchange in its discipline.... Many of the Jewish and Pagan proselytes ... Languished in the absence of ceremonies which were naturally adapted tothe taste of the unreflecting multitude, while the insolent infidelhaughtily insisted upon the inanity of a religion which was notmanifested by an external symbol or decoration. In order to accommodateChristianity to these prejudices, a number of rites were instituted; andwhile the dignified titles of the Jewish priesthood were through acompliance with the prejudices of that people, conferred upon theChristian teachers, many ceremonies were introduced which coincided withthe genius of Paganism. The true gospels were taught by sensible images, and many of the ceremonies employed in celebrating the heathen mysterieswere observed in the institutions of Christ, which soon in their turnobtained the name of mysteries, and served as a melancholy precedent forfuture innovations, and as a foundation for that structure of absurdityand superstition which deformed and disgraced the church. " Rutter'sHistory of the Church, pp. 52-56. This "season of external prosperity" mentioned by Rutter began with theaccession of Gallienus to the imperial throne in A. D. 260. Up to thistime the hand of persecution had been raised against the church almostincessantly; but from 260 until the reign of Diocletian persecutionalmost ceased, during this space of about forty years. But this periodalso marked the greatest decline in spiritual things and a marvelousdevelopment of the hierarchy. Speaking of the bishop of Rome in thesetimes, Dowling says, "He far surpassed all his brethren in themagnificence and splendor of the church over which he presided; in theriches of his revenues and possessions; in the number and variety of hisministers; in his credit with the people; and in his sumptuous andsplendid manner of living. " History of Romanism, p. 34. Ammianus Marcellinus, a Roman historian, who lived during these times, adverting to this subject, says: "It was no wonder to see those who wereambitious of human greatness, contending with so much heat and animosityfor that dignity, because when they had obtained it, they were sure tobe enriched by the offerings of the matrons, and of appearing abroad ingreat splendor, of being admired for their costly coaches, and sumptuousfeasts, outdoing sovereign princes in the expenses of their table. " Thisled Proetextatus, a heathen, who was pręfect of the city, to say, "Makeme bishop of Rome, and I'll be a Christian too!" Speaking of the period now under consideration, Eusebius, "the father ofchurch history, " "mentions one Paul, who was at this time bishop ofAntioch; who lived in luxury and licentiousness, and who was a teacherof erroneous doctrines, and usurped so great authority that the peoplefeared to venture to accuse him. In the conclusion of the same chapterin which this is found, he shows that after a general council was heldat Antioch, this Paul was excommunicated and robbed of his bishopric bythe bishops of Rome and Italy; from this it appears that they possessedan authority still greater than that usurped by Paul. " The following arehis words: "Paul, therefore, having thus fallen from the episcopate, together with the true faith as already said, Domnus succeeded inadministration of the church at Antioch. But Paul being unwilling toleave the building of the church, an appeal was made to the emperorAurelian, who decided most equitably on the business, ordering thebuilding to be given up to those whom the Christian bishops of Italy andRome should write. " Eccl. History, Book VII, Chap. 30. The EncyclopędiaBritannica says that this council at which Paul was excommunicated washeld "probably in the year 268, " and that "Paul continued in his officeuntil the year 272, when the city was taken by the emperor Aurelian, whodecided in person that the church-building belonged to the bishop whowas in epistolary communication with the bishops of Rome and Italy. "Vol. XVIII, p. 429. The above extracts show not only the development of error in the church, but also the great power already obtained by the hierarchy. Geo. Fishersays, "The accession of Constantine [A. D. 312] found the church sofirmly organized under the hierarchy that it could not lose its identityby being absolutely merged in the state. " History of the ChristianChurch, p. 99. In the year A. D. 270 Anthony, an Egyptian, the founder of the monasticinstitution, fixed his abode in the deserts of Egypt and formed monksinto organized bodies. "Influenced by these eminent examples [Anthony, Hilarion, et al. ] immense multitudes betook themselves to the desert, and innumerable monasteries were fixed in Egypt, Ethiopia, Lybia andSyria. Some of the Egyptian abbots are spoken of as having had five, seven, or even ten thousand monks under their personal direction; andthe Thebias, as well as certain spots in Arabia, are reported to havebeen literally crowded with solitaries. Nearly a hundred thousand of allclasses, it is said, were at one time to be found in Egypt.... Althoughthe enthusiasm might be at a lower ebb in one country than in another, it _actually affected the church universal_, so far as the extantmaterials of ecclesiastical history enables us to trace its rise andprogress.... The more rigid and heroic of the Christian anchoretsdispensed with all clothing except a rug, or a few palm leaves round theloins. Most of them abstained from the use of water for ablution; nordid they usually wash or change the garments they had once put on; thus_St. Anthony_ [the founder of this order] bequeathed to Athanasius askin in which his sacred person had been wrapped for half a century. They also allowed their beards and nails to grow, and sometimes becameso hirsute, as to be actually mistaken for hyęnas or bears. " Hist. OfRomanism, pp. 88, 89. Reader, what was the condition of the so-calledchurch in A. D. 270 that could make the introduction of such abominationspossible? Although many more historical quotations on this point mightbe added, I will conclude with the two following extracts from JosephMilner. "We shall, for the present, leave Anthony propagating the monasticdispositions, and extending its influence not only into the nextcentury, but for many ages after, and conclude this view of the state ofthe _third century_, with expressing our regret that the faith and loveof the gospel received toward the close of it a dreadful blow from theencouragement of this unchristian practise. " Cen. III, Chap. 20. "Moral, and philosophical, and monastic instructions will not effect formen what is to be expected from evangelical doctrine. And if the faithof Christ was so much declined (and its decayed state _ought to be datedfrom about the year 270_), we need not wonder that such scenes asEusebius hints at without any circumstantial details took place in theChristian world. " Cent. IV, Chap. 1. After reading the foregoing statements of historians, the reader will, Ibelieve, agree with me that the year 270 is a consistent date to markthe time when the visible external church was wholly given over to theprofane multitude of uncircumcised, idolatrous Gentiles to tread underfoot. Measuring forward the allotted period of twelve hundred and sixtyyears brings us to the exact date of the first Protestant creed (_theAugsburg Confession_) in A. D. 1530. We must point to this date both forthe end of Rome's universal spiritual supremacy and for the rise ofProtestantism. D'Aubigne, in his History of the Reformation, when hecomes to this period, says: "The conflicts hitherto described have beenonly partial; we are entering upon a new period, that of generalbattles. Spires (1529) and Ausburg (1530) are names that shine forthwith more immortal glory than Marathon, Pavia, or Marengo. Forces thatup to the present time were separate, are now uniting into one energeticband. " Book XVIII, Chap. 1. "The first two books of this volume containthe most important epochs of the reformation--the Protest of Spires, andthe Confession of Augsburg.... I determined on bringing the reformationof Germany and German Switzerland to the _decisive epochs_ of 1530 and1531. The history of the reformation, properly so called, is then in myopinion almost complete in those countries. The work of faith has thereattained its apogee: that of conferences, of interims, of diplomacybegins.... The movement of the sixteenth century has there made itseffort. I said from the very first, It is the history of the reformationand not of Protestantism that I am relating. " D'Aubigne, Preface to Vol. V. The next important object in the vision is the "two witnesses" thatprophecied in sackcloth. From the description given, it would appear atfirst that these witnesses were active intelligent agents; and as such, belonging to the department of human life, they would symbolize thechurch, the number two denoting the ministry and the people of God. Butthe church is already symbolized in this chapter, the angel representingthe ministry, as in the preceding chapter, and John, who is clearly oneof the symbolic agents in this vision, representing the church;therefore the two witnesses must be representative of something else. Since the actions ascribed to them are drawn from the department ofhuman life, it is evident that their interpretation is to be found inconnection with the affairs of the church. By way of explanation, verse4 represents them to be "the two olive-trees, and the two candle-sticksstanding before the God of the earth, " although it is not stated thatany olive-trees and candle-sticks were shown in this prophetic vision. In this reference is made to the fourth chapter of Zechariah, where twoolive-trees are represented as standing one on each side of a goldencandle-stick, distilling into it their oil for light. When asked for thesignification of the two olive-trees and the candlestick, the angelanswered, "This is the _Word_ of the Lord ... By my _Spirit_, saith theLord. " Ver. 6. That the Word of God and the Spirit of God are specialwitnesses is proved by many texts. Jesus said, "Search the Scriptures... They are they which _testify_ of me. " John 6:39. "This gospel of thekingdom shall be preached in all the world for a _witness_ unto allnations. " Mat. 24:14. "The Holy Ghost also is a _witness_. " Heb. 10:15. "The Spirit itself beareth _witness_. " Rom. 8:16. "It is the Spirit thatbeareth _witness_. " 1 John 5:6. It is the Spirit acting in conjunctionwith the Word of God that gives spiritual life, through regeneration, unto men, and which opens their understanding that they may know thethings of God. 2 Cor. 2:9-15. God may have given us the explanation that these two witnesses were thesame as the olive-trees and the candle-sticks to prevent our being ledastray with the supposition that they were actually intelligent agents. (I speak humanly. ) Accepting this statement, the actions of thesewitnesses here described can be explained only by the figure of speechknown as Personification, by which it is proper, under certainconditions, to attribute life, action, and intelligence to inanimateobjects. Thus, the blood of Abel is said to have cried from the ground. Gen. 4:9, 10. "The stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out ofthe timber shall answer it. " Hab. 2:11. "The hire of the laborers ... Which is of you kept back by fraud crieth: and the cries ... Are enteredinto the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. " Jas. 5:4. "The mountains and thehills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees ofthe field shall clap their hands. " Isa. 55:12. I would not attempt tovary from the general order and explain these two witnesses by thefigure of personification, were it not for the fact that the twoolive-trees and the two candle-sticks are here given as a means ofexplanation; and trees and candle-sticks, we know, are not active, intelligent agents, and consequently do not necessarily symbolize such. To "hurt" the Word and Spirit of God is to oppose, corrupt, or perverttheir testimony and to turn people away from them; and the judgments ofHeaven are pronounced in that Word and by that Spirit against such asturn away from the truth unto fables. They shall have their part in thelake that burns with fire and brimstone. Rev. 20:15; 22:8. It is alsosaid of them: "These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in thedays of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them toblood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will. "This indicates the fact that these were God's own special witnesses sentin his name and by his authority, as were the prophets of old. Elijahshut up heaven by prayer; Moses called down the plagues upon Egypt; andthese were God's attestations that they were his divinely commissionedservants. So these two witnesses had power to shut heaven and to smitethe earth with plagues, not literally, but herein is symbolically setforth the fact that they were God's appointed agents, even thoughdespised and rejected, like Elijah in the midst of apostate Israel andMoses amid idolatrous Egypt, yet, like them, with the seal of Heavenupon their ministry. In the beginning of this dispensation these two witnesses were thevicars of Christ in his church upon earth. The word of God and theSpirit of God were the Governors of his people. At that time they hadperfect freedom of action among the children of God; but when theapostasy arose, the governing power of the Word and Spirit of God in thechurch was gradually usurped by the rising hierarchy, until, finally, men had entire authority in what was called the visible church. This wasbrought about when, to quote Mosheim's words, the bishops grasped thepower and authority "to prescribe authoritative rules of faith andmanners. " D'Aubigne explains it thus: "Salvation no longer flowing fromthe _Word_, which was henceforward put out of sight, the priestsaffirmed that it was conveyed by means of the forms they had themselvesinvented, and that no one could attain it except by these channels.... Christ communicated to the apostles, and these to the bishops, theunction of the _Holy Spirit_; and this Spirit is to be procured only inthat order of succession.... Faith in the heart no longer connected themembers of the church, and they were united by means of bishops, archbishops, popes, mitres, canons and ceremonies. " History of theReformation, Book I, Chap. 1. Thus, the Word and Spirit of God as thetrue vicars of Christ in his church were finally expelled from what waslooked upon as the one visible church, and with them the true worshipersalso were driven out; and nothing remained in the public view except thegreat company of profane idolaters already referred to. The same isreferred to in a subsequent chapter as the flight of the true churchinto the wilderness, where, hidden from sight, she had a place preparedof God for twelve hundred and sixty days. So after all, God had a truechurch during the Dark Ages--a people that stood in opposition to theabounding corruption and iniquity of the church of Rome; a people thatrejected the established hierarchy and gave heed to the Word and Spiritof God. But their numbers were so few, comparatively, that theoperations of the two witnesses were greatly limited; hence they arerepresented as being clothed in sackcloth, a symbol of melancholy andmourning. Among those who opposed the teachings of that apostate church were theCathari, Poor Men of Lyons, Lombards, Albigenses, Waldenses, Vaudois, etc. The name Waldenses and Albigenses have frequently been looselyapplied to all the bands of people that passed under various titles indifferent countries and that opposed the doctrines and ecclesiasticaltyranny of Rome. Speaking of the twelfth century, Bowling says: "Thereexisted at that dark period, when 'all the world wondered after thebeast, ' a numerous body of the disciples of Christ, who took the NewTestament for their guidance and direction in all the affairs ofreligion, rejecting the doctrines and commandments of men. Their appealwas from the decisions of councils, and the authority of popes, cardinals, and prelates, to the law and the testimony--the words ofChrist and his holy apostles. " History of Romanism, p. 272. Egbert, amonkish writer of that age, speaking of them, says that he had oftendisputed with these heretics, "a sort of people, " he adds, "who are verypernicious to the Catholic faith, which, like moths, they corrupt anddestroy. They are armed, " says he, "_with the words of Scripture_ whichin any way seem to favor their sentiments, and with these they know howto defend their errors, and to oppose the Catholic truth. They areincreased to great multitudes throughout all countries, to the greatdanger of the church [of Rome]. " For lack of space, an extensive history of these interesting people cannot be given; but a few references to them by their most inveterateenemies, the Papists themselves, are of such importance that I can notpass them by unnoticed. The testimony given by Evervinus, a zealousCatholic, in a letter he wrote to the celebrated Bernard, at thebeginning of the twelfth century, relative to the doctrine and mannersof these so-called _heretics_, is exceedingly valuable. Says he: "Therehave lately been some heretics discovered among us, near Colonge [sic:Cologne], of whom some have, with satisfaction returned again to thechurch. One that was a bishop among them, and his companions, openlyopposed us, in the assembly of the clergy and laity, the lord-archbishophimself being present, with many of the nobility, maintaining theirheresy from _the words of Christ and his apostles_. But, finding thatthey made no impression, they desired that a day might be fixed, uponwhich they might bring along with them men skilful in their faith, promising to return to the church, provided their teachers were unableto answer their opponents; but that otherwise, they would rather diethan depart from their judgment. "Upon this declaration, having been admonished to repent, and three daysallowed them for that purpose, they were seized by the people, in theirexcess of zeal, _and committed to the flames_! and, what is mostastonishing, they came to the stake and endured the torment not onlywith patience, but even with joy. In this case, O holy father, were Ipresent with you, I should be glad to ask you, how these members ofSatan could persist in their heresy with such constancy and courage asis rarely to be found among the most religious in the faith of Christ?" He then proceeds: "Their heresy is this: They say that the church (ofChrist) is only among themselves, because they alone follow the ways ofChrist, and imitate the apostles, not seeking secular gains.... Whereasthey say to us, 'Ye join house to house, and field to field, seeking thethings of this world. '... They represent themselves as the poor ofChrist's flock, who have no certain abode, fleeing from one city toanother, like sheep in the midst of wolves, enduring persecution withthe apostles and martyrs: though strict in their manner oflife--_abstemious, laborious, devoted, and holy_ ... Living as men whoare not of the world. But you, say they, lovers of the world, have peacewith the world, because ye are in it. False apostles, who adulterate theword of God, seeking their own things, have misled you and yourancestors. Whereas, we and our fathers, having been born and brought upin the apostolic doctrine, have continued in the grace of Christ, andshall continue so to the end.... They affirm that the apostolic dignityis corrupted by indulging itself in secular affairs, while it sits[professedly] in St Peter's chair. They do not hold with the baptism ofinfants, alleging that passage of the gospel, 'He that believeth and isbaptized shall be saved. ' They place no confidence in the intercessionof saints and all things observed in the church, which have not beenestablished by Christ himself, or his apostles, they pronounce to besuperstitious. They do not admit of any purgatory fire after death, contending, that the souls of men, as soon as they depart out of thebodies, do enter into rest or punishment ... By which means they makevoid all the prayers and oblations of the faithful for the deceased.... I must inform you also, that those of them who have returned to ourchurch, tell us that they had great numbers of their persuasion, scattered almost everywhere.... And as for those who were burnt, they, in defense they made of themselves, told us that this heresy had been_concealed from the time of the martyrs_ [by which is meant the earlyperiod of Christianity] and that it had existed in Greece and othercountries. " Although Bernard began a strenuous opposition to these people, still hetestifies: "If you ask them of their faith, nothing can be moreChristian-like; and if you observe their conversation, nothing can bemore blameless, and what they speak they make good by their actions.... As to life and manners, he circumvents no man, overreaches no man, doesviolence to no man. He fasts much and eats not the bread of idleness;but works with his hands for his support. " Claudius, archbishop of Turin, who joined in hunting and persecutingthem to the death, writes, "Their heresy excepted, they generally live apurer life than other Christians. " Again, "In their lives they areperfect, irreproachable, and without reproach among men, addictingthemselves with all their might to the service of God. " The sum and substance of their offense is mentioned by Cassini, aFranciscan friar, where he says, "That ALL THE ERRORS of these Waldensesconsisted in this, that they denied the church of Rome to be the holymother church, and _would not obey her traditions_. " In conclusion I quote from the celebrated Roman Catholic historianThuanus. He states their tenets as follows: "That the church of Rome, because it renounced the true faith of Christ, WAS THE WHORE OF BABYLON... That consequently _no obedience was to be paid to the Pope_, or tothe bishops who maintain her errors; that a monastic life was the sinkand dungeon of the church, the vows of which [relating to celibacy] werevain ... That the orders of the priesthood were marks of the great beastmentioned in the Apocalypse; that the fire of purgatory, the solemnmass, the consecration days of churches, the worship of saints, andpropitiations for the dead, were the devices of Satan. " Lib. VI, Sec. 16, Lib. XXVII. The chief offense of these so-called heretics seems tohave been that they denounced the Pope as "Antichrist" and the apostatechurch of Rome as "the Babylonish harlot. " 7. And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. 8. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. 9. And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. 10. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth. 11. And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. 12. And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. At the expiration of the twelve hundred and sixty years the scenechanges. The prophecy of the witnesses in their sackcloth state, hiddenaway from sight in the wilderness, ends, and they are now brought outinto public view--but only to be killed. Their slaughter takes place atthe hands of the beast. When we come to consider chapter XIII, we shallsee that the Papacy is described as a beast reigning for forty-twomonths, or twelve hundred and sixty years, after which time anotherbeast possessing great power and authority appears on the scene. Thissecond beast is Protestantism, and through it the murder of the twowitnesses at the close of the Papal supremacy in the vision before uswas effected. It would seem, by the similarity of statement that the beast "ascendethout of the bottomless pit, " that the slaughter of the witnesses waseffected by the Papal beast (chap. 17:7, 8); but the Mohammedan delusionalso is said to have proceeded from "the bottomless pit. " Chap. 9:1, 2. The expression _bottomless pit_ is doubtless used merely to signify thesource of certain powers in contradistinction to the heavenly sourcefrom which others proceeded. Although the Papal beast is said to haveoriginated in the bottomless pit, the second beast also doubtlessproceeded from the same source, for he possessed many of thecharacteristics of the former, and caused the earth to worship the firstbeast, as explained in chapter 13. That he was not of heavenly origin isshown by the statement that he came up "out of the earth. " Chap. 13:11. But the direct proof that it was the Protestant beast, and not the Papalbeast--although the same expression as to its origin is used concerningit--that slew the two witnesses, is found in the fact that the reign ofthe first, or Papal, beast was limited to forty two months (chap. 13:5), corresponding to the twelve hundred and sixty years in which thewitnesses prophesied in the vision before us; while it was after the_close_ of this period, at the time when the second, or Protestant, beast arose (chap. 13:11), that the witnesses were slain. To many this may seem a hard saying; but I request that the matter begiven the most careful attention in the light of prophecy and divinetruth. It is true that the Sixteenth Century Reformation at firstbrought the witnesses out of the wilderness of seclusion where they hadremained during the long night of Romanism and exhibited them to thepublic view; but when thus placed upon exhibition, they were soon robbedentirely of their position as the Vicars, or Governors, of God's church. Since creed and sect-making first began, the Word and Spirit have notpossesed governing power and authority in Protestantism; but men haveusurped that place and prescribed authoritative rules of faith andpractise for the people. The principles of Higher Criticism have so farpervaded the realm of sectarian theology that a vast number of theclergy no longer regard the Bible as the inspired word of God to man, but simply as a remarkable piece of religious literature recording thenatural development of the religious consciousness among a peculiarlysensitive race of people. Protestantism certainly has placed the Bibleon the dissecting table and dismembered it in a manner wholly unknownbefore. While Protestants will not for a moment allow the blessed Bookto be hidden out of sight--put "into graves"--still they will not grantit that place it should occupy as the sole discipline of faith, so it isa dead letter to them. That all-glorious doctrine of Bible _unity_, which fills the whole New Testament, strikes a deathblow to all thecarnal divisions and institutions of sectarianism; and so with oneaccord they unite in _fighting it_. "Oh, the good old blessed Bible! wecould not do without it, " say they; yet, as everybody knows, they aregoverned by the discipline and laws that they or their representativeshave formulated. Thus, the Word and Spirit of God are brought under thepublic gaze, only to be treated with such indignity in God's sight, andkilled; while infidels look on, and tauntingly remark, "Either thereligion of to-day is no Christianity, or the Word of God is a lie. " In the beginning of this dispensation the church of God not onlyconsisted of all those who were spiritual, but constituted a visible, organic body as well, made up of numerous local congregations that wereseparate in the management of their internal affairs, yet interrelatedwith each other, and were directed by humble pastors, who were, inreference to each other, _equal_. The Word of God was their onlydiscipline, and the Spirit of God, their great Teacher and Guide. Thus, the two witnesses were active in their official position, in the publicview, as the Vicars or Governors of the church of God on earth. When, however, men usurped the place of these Vicars by ignoring the Spiritand rejecting the Word and making their own rules of faith, the effectwas a national hierarchy--the church of Rome, which for twelve hundredand sixty years stood in the public view. Yet the two witnesses werestill alive, though driven into obscurity and "clothed in sackcloth";for they still acted in their official position in the congregations ofthe medieval Christians already referred to, who resisted the doctrinesof men and clung tenaciously to the simple, primitive form of churchgovernment and allowed the Spirit and Word authority supreme. But during the Protestant era Christians the world over becameidentified with the various sects, hence were representing to the worldthe beast power instead of the true church. Thus, during the Protestantperiod, the church of God, _in its organic form_, was not representedanywhere on earth; for its members were scattered among those who were"worshiping the beast and his image. " Hence the two witnesses, duringthis era, had no place to operate in their official capacity as theGovernors of God's church and are therefore represented as slain. Thegovernment of Protestant sects is not effected by the Word and Spirit;for the institutions themselves are of human origin, and men are theirlaw-makers and governors. When the two witnesses are deprived of their governing power and therules and disciplines of men substituted in their place, a decline intoworldliness is the invariable result. This has been the case repeatedlyin sectarianism. In fact, Protestantism, as a component part of thatgreat city Babylon, has so given herself over to "revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries, " that a voice from heaven hasdeclared her to be "the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foulspirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. " Chap. 18:2. Witness the shows, festivals, frolics, grab-bag parties, kissing bees, cake-walk lotteries, and other abominations unnumbered, that are carriedon without shame, under the guise of religion, in the high places ofthis modern Babylon! If the Word of God with the full power andauthority of his Spirit could be turned in upon them, it would be likethe torment of fire; but no, it is dead to them, and they rejoice andmake merry and continue in "the same excess of riot. " In the description before us, this city of sectarianism in which the twowitnesses are slain is "spiritually [or mystically] called Sodom andEgypt, where also our Lord was crucified. " It is a mystical Sodom, Egyptand Jerusalem--a Sodom for wickedness and lewdness, an Egypt for thecaptivity and oppression of God's people, and a Jerusalem for thecrucifying of the Son of God afresh and putting him to an open shame. Thus, this city mystically combines the wickedness of the three mostwicked places on earth--Sodom, Egypt, and Jerusalem. These facts weshall notice more particularly hereafter. But these two witnesses were not always to remain trampled under foot inthe streets of great Babylon; for a time came when "the spirit of lifefrom God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and greatfear fell upon them which saw them. " In this is portrayed thereformation which is now taking place in the world. About the year A. D. 1880 God began to raise up holy men and women whom he commissioned topreach the everlasting gospel of the kingdom again; and they went forthin his name calling upon God's people everywhere to come "out of allplaces where they had been scattered in the cloudy and dark day" (Ezek. 34:12) and to take up their abode in the one true church of JesusChrist, his body, independent of all sectarianism and the creeds anddisciplines of men. In this assembly of the faithful, gathered out ofall nations, no man nor set of men attempts to form laws or regulationsfor the supervision of spiritual affairs; but with one consent theyhumbly bow before the only true Lawgiver (Jas. 4:12), and say, "Thegovernment shall be upon his shoulder" (Isa. 9:6); and the Word andSpirit of God have perfect control of his saints. Halleluiah! They canpreach, teach, and believe every word of truth placed in the SacredVolume, without a conference or discipline of men forbidding. Standingupon this apostolic platform of eternal truth, they hurl the thunders ofdivine judgment against the hidden works of darkness, causing thegraceless devotees of fallen Babylon to quake with fear and to "gnawtheir tongues for pain. " After the resurrection of these witnesses, a voice from heaven is heard, saying, "Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; andtheir enemies beheld them. " This ascension to heaven in the presence oftheir enemies, which according to this chapter occurred before the endof time, has reference undoubtedly to their great exaltation. "Thygreatness is grown, and _reacheth unto heaven_. " Dan. 4:22. We see thatin this text a similar expression signifies great exaltation. So thiswork is destined to assume such proportions that the people of earth mayhave the privilege of seeing the truth. In the preceding chapter John, as a symbol of the church at this time, under the living ministrysymbolized by the rain-bow angel, was told that he "must prophesy againbefore many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings. " Verse 11. The signification of the time-period of three days and a half claims ourattention next. According to the foregoing explanation, it will be seenthat the writer applies it as three centuries and a half, or threehundred and fifty years--from A. D. 1530 to A. D. 1880. It will benecessary to adduce strong reasons for thus applying it. In the firstplace, the time-prophecies of the Bible are by no means confined to theyear-day manner of interpretation. Many times in the Old Testament theexpression occurs, "And it shall come to pass _in that day_, " whichexpression is admitted by all to have reference to the gospel day, orthe entire gospel dispensation. When the church of Philadelphia waspromised deliverance from the _hour_ of temptation which was to comeupon all the world (chap. 3:10), no one supposes that a short period ofonly one week is specified. The rulers of the ten kingdoms were to"receive power as kings _one hour_ with the beast" (chap. 17:12), whichexpression will be shown later to really cover many years. We mightpoint out many such exceptions were it necessary. Again, it was the beast that came up at the expiration of the twelvehundred and sixty years, or Protestantism, that slaughtered thewitnesses, and we could not expect their resurrection during the reignof Protestantism, which every one will admit was longer than three andone-half years, according to the year-day application. The events asthey have developed prove that it was just three and one-half centuriesbefore Protestantism was entirely ignored and the Spirit and Wordrecognized as the sole Governors in the church of God. Besides, thegeneral trend of events following the formation of Protestantismnaturally divide the succeeding centuries into separate periods. Thefirst (sixteenth) was a fierce conflict for the establishment ofProtestantism; the second (seventeenth) was a violent reaction, whereinthe church of Rome nearly triumphed over her hated opposers; while thethird (eighteenth) is specially noted in history as the period ofinfidelity or reason. This division of time was so noticable thatD'Aubigne, who wrote about A. D. 1835, in his famous History of theReformation, refers to it in the following remarkable language: "It hasbeen said that the three last centuries, the sixteenth, the seventeenth, and the eighteenth, may be conceived as an immense battle of _threedays'_ duration. We willingly adopt this beautiful comparison.... Thefirst day was the battle of God, the second the battle of the priest, the third the battle of Reason. What will be the fourth? [1830-1930] Inour opinion, the confused strife, the deadly contest of all these powerstogether, TO END IN THE VICTORY OF HIM TO WHOM TRIUMPH BELONGS. " BookXI, Chap. 9. The writer is thankful to God that he is permitted to see the fourth dayending "in the victory of Him to whom triumph belongs. " And may we, mybrethren, be grateful to our dear Lord that it is our privilege to havepart in this glorious reformation of divine truth that is now sweepingover the world and gathering the elect together for the soon-coming ofthe Savior. 13. And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven. 14. The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly. At the time the witnesses reach their greatest exaltation, a greatearthquake takes place upon earth, and the tenth part of the city falls. The nature of the symbol would point us to some political upheaval. Since the great city of Babylon is composed of different divisions (aswill be seen hereafter), it is a matter of doubt as to which part of thecity is here referred to; but most probably that of the hierarchy asembraced in one of the ten divisions or kingdoms. Since the fulfilmentof this prediction is yet future, I speak with hesitation and wait forthe event to make all clear. It is probable, however, that either inthis political revolution, or about that time, the Ottoman power will beoverthrown; for immediately the announcement is made, "The second woe ispast; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly. " 15. And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. 16. And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, 17. Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. 18. And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth. 19. And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail. The seventh angel that here sounded is the third woe-angel, andaccording to the description before us, ushers in the general judgment. When the temple of God was opened that this mighty event might takeplace on earth, there were "lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, andan earthquake, and great hail. " Wondrous commotions took place in theworld, for kingdoms and empires were all overthrown, and Jesus Christwas the only king remaining, and his mission was to raise the dead thatthey might be judged, to give reward to the prophets and saints, and tobanish with everlasting destruction those that corrupted the earth. Thedescription itself is too plain to need further comment. "The temple of God" that was opened in heaven is to be understood assymbolical (as explained in chap. 6:9), and not literal. In other words, the heavenly world appeared to John symbolized after the sanctuary ofthe temple on earth. Chap. 15:5-8; 16:1, 7, 17, etc. This is provedclearly by the fact that, when the real heaven, the future home of theredeemed, is described, John says, "I saw _no temple_ therein. " Chap. 21:22. Before dismissing the visions of this chapter, I wish to call attentionto one more point hitherto referred to--that of parallelism andcontrast. While we have the history of the church apostate described bythe treading down of the holy city, we have also, in immediate contrastand running parallel therewith, a history of the true church existingduring the same period of twelve hundred and sixty years, although itwas in a sackcloth state. And while the reign of Protestantism isdescribed as a period during which the two witnesses were in one sensedead, we have in immediate contrast a history of the last greatreformation, in which the spirit of life from God again enters thesesame witnesses, and they stand upright on their feet, to theconsternation of all their adversaries. Amen. CHAPTER XII. And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: 2. And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. 3. And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. 4. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of Heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. 5. And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne. 6. And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days. The three principal objects of this vision are the woman clothed withthe sun, the man-child born of her, and a red dragon with seven headsand ten horns. These, being drawn from nature and human life, wouldpoint us both to the church and to the state for their fulfilment. Thesymbols, also, are living agents, and we should expect the objects theyrepresent to be such. This woman is an appropriate symbol of the church of God, which iscomposed of living, intelligent beings; and that it is the true and notan apostate one, is shown by the fact that upon her flight into thewilderness she had a place prepared of God where she was nourished fortwelve hundred and sixty days. In a subsequent portion of the Apocalypsea vile harlot is taken as the representative of the church apostate. Inthis way a proper correspondence of character and quality is kept up. This woman appeared, not in the temple above, but in the firmament ofheaven, where she was clothed with the sun, the moon under her feet, andupon her head a crown of twelve stars. Thus the brightest luminaries ofheaven were gathered around her. Arrayed in this splendid manner, she iseasily distinguished from an apostate church, which would not be sohighly favored with such attire in this exalted position. Doubtless theobjects with which she is adorned have some special signification. Themoon is a fit symbol of the old covenant, above which the church hadjust risen, only to be clothed in the superior brightness and glory ofthe new covenant. And as the moon shines only with a borrowed light, obtaining its illumination from the sun; so, also, the old covenant wasonly a shadow of the good things to come and now stands eclipsed in thebrightness and transcendant glory of that new and better dispensation. According to the explanation given of the seven stars in the right handof Jesus (chap. 1:19), we are authorized to regard stars as a symbol ofChristian ministers, and the twelve that appear most prominently in thefirst history of the church are the twelve apostles of the Lamb. The dragon, a beast from the natural world, would properly symbolize atyrannical, persecuting government. This was a red dragon with sevenheads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. In the followingchapter we read that John saw a beast rising up out of the sea with thesame number of heads and horns, but ten crowns on his horns. And thedragon gave him (the beast) "his power, and his seat, and greatauthority. " Verse 2. So far as the heads and horns are concerned, theonly difference between the two is that the crowns--a symbol of supremeauthority and power--have been transferred from the heads to the horns. In chapter 17 John saw the same beast again and there received thefollowing explanation of the seven heads: "And there are seven kings:five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when hecometh he must continue a short space. " Verse 10. Concerning the hornshe was told, "The ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which havereceived no kingdom as yet. " Verse 12. With this explanation before usit will be easy to identify the dragon of chapter 12 and the beast ofchapters 13 and 17 as the Roman empire, the first under the Pagan andthe second under the Papal form. The seven heads signify the sevendistinct forms of supreme government that ruled successively in theempire. The five that had already fallen when John received the visionwere the Regal power, the Consular, the Decemvirate, the MilitaryTribunes and the Triumvirate. "One is"--the Imperial. [8] Theidentification of its seventh and last head we shall leave until later. The ten horns, or kingdoms, which had not yet arisen when the Revelationwas given, were the ten minor kingdoms that grew out of the WesternRoman empire during its decline and fall. The historian Machiard, ingiving an account of these nations, and without any reference to theBible or its prophecies, reckons ten kingdoms, as follows: 1. The Ostrogoths in Maesia;2. The Visigoths in Pannonia;3. Sueves and Alans in Gascoigne and Spain;4. Vandals in Africa;5. Franks in France;6. Burgundians in Burgundy;7. Heruli and Turings in Italy;8. Saxons and Anglis in Britain;9. Huns in Hungary;10. Lombards, at first on the Danube, and afterwardsin Italy. [Footnote 8: The fact that commentators and historians differ in theirenumeration of the forms of government that ruled in Rome is often asource of confusion to ordinary readers. Hence an explanation isnecessary. Rome was first ruled by kings, and therefore the first formof government is designated by either the term _Kings_ or the term_Regal Power_. Upon the expulsion of the kings and the formation of therepublic, the royal power was entrusted to two men who held it for ayear, and were called _consuls_. In times of great public danger theconsuls were superseded by a special officer called a _dictator_, whohad supreme power. As the early life of the republic was oftenthreatened with grave dangers, Rome was often governed by a dictator;hence this form of government is sometimes called the Dictatorship. Thethird form was the _Decemviri_, a government by ten men, who compiledthe twelve famous Tables of Laws. In 444 B. C. Another change was made bythe appointment of _Military Tribunes_ (whose numbers varied) withconsular power. These were frequently called _Consuls_. The fifth formwas the _Triumvirate_, a government by three men. The sixth was the_Imperial_. Hence the different forms can be enumerated thus: 1. TheRegal Power, or Kings. 2. Consula or Dictators. 3. Decemvirate. 4. Military Tribunes, Tribunes, or Consuls. 5. Triumvirate. 6. Imperial. The seventh form will be considered in another place. See remarks onchap. 17:7-11. ] Other historians agree substantially with this. These kingdoms all arosewithin one hundred and seventy years. The dragon is described with thehorns, although they were not now in existence and did not arise untilnearly the time when the dragon became the beast; likewise, he isrepresented with seven heads, although he really possessed only one headat a time, and five had already fallen and one being yet to come. He isdescribed with all the heads and horns he ever had or was to have. The tail of this dragon "drew the third part of the stars of heaven, anddid cast them to the earth. " Some people who have never learned thenature of symbolic language try to imagine such a literal creature asthe one here described and picture in their minds what an awful thing itwould be to see the third part of the stars falling to the earth. Butreal stars that are fixed or planetary never fall, and if they did, theywould be as apt to fall in an opposite direction as toward the earth. Besides, if one should come tumbling down here, it would knock thisworld into oblivion. But with a knowledge of the proper use of symbolswe can easily identify this dragon with the Roman empire under its Paganform; and the casting down of the stars, which were doubtless used assymbols of ministers as in verse 1, signifies the warfare which thisawful beast power waged against the church of God, in which herministers were always a shining mark for the first persecution andsuffered terribly for the cause they represented. The man-child is the next object that claims our attention. Some havesupposed that it represented Jesus Christ in his first advent to theworld. But this could not be; for Christ is never represented as beingthe offspring of the church, but, on the other hand, is declared to beits originator. Some, also, have supposed that it represented the churchbringing forth Christ to the world in a spiritual sense. This, however, would be in direct conflict with the known laws of symbolic language. Avisible, living, intelligent agent, such as this man-child evidentlywas, could not be the symbol of an invisible spiritual presence. Besides, it has been clearly shown that Christ always appears in his ownperson, unrepresented by another, from the fact that he can not besymbolized. It is clear that this child can not signify a singledefinite personage; for after he is caught up to God, there is still aremnant of the woman's seed left upon earth. See verse 17. What, then, does the man-child signify? It symbolizes the mighty host ofnew converts or children that the early church by her earnest travailbrought forth. The seeming incongruity that the church, or mother, andher children are alike only serves to establish the point in questionwhen rightly understood. A child is of the same substance as its motherand is designed to perpetuate the race. So, also, the new-born babes inthe church are just the same spiritually as those who are older, and areintended to perpetuate the church of God on earth. But this explanationof itself is not sufficient to entirely satisfy an inquiring mind, andthe question is sure to be asked, Why was it necessary that the churchof God in this dispensation should be represented by two individuals--awoman and her son? I also will ask a question--Why, on the other hand, was it necessary that the great apostasy of this dispensation should berepresented by the double-figure of a woman and her daughters? Theanswer to the latter question would readily be given--to symbolize twodistinct phases of apostasy. So, also, it was necessary that adouble-symbol, such as a woman and her son, should be chosen to setforth _two phases_ of the church brought to view in this chapter. If buta single symbol were used, how could the church be thereby representedas continuing on earth and fleeing into the wilderness and at the sametime be represented as "overcome, " persecuted to the death, and "caughtup unto God and to his throne"? This double-phase of the church--theexperience of the saints on earth and the reign of the martyrs inParadise--will be made very clear to the reader hereafter. But it wouldbe impossible to set forth these two phases under one symbol, andtherefore two are chosen. There is also direct Scripture testimony on this point. "Before shetravailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered ofa _man-child. _ Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things?Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation beborn at once? For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth herchildren. " Isa. 66:7, 8. According to Heb. 12:22, 23, this Zion, orSion, referred to is the New Testament church, and the man-child thatshe is said to bring forth is interpreted by Isaiah as "a nation born atonce. " Such language perfectly describes the rapid increase in theChristian church on Pentecost and shortly afterward, when thousands wereadded in one day. According to the apostle Paul, the host of Jews andGentiles reconciled unto God through Jesus Christ constituted "one newman" in Christ. Eph. 2:15. See also Gal. 3:28. R. V. This man-child wasto rule all nations with a rod of iron. For an explanation of this rulesee remarks on chapter 2:26, 27. The twelve hundred and sixty days willbe referred to later. 7. And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 8. And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 10. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. 11. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. 12. Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. 13. And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. 14. And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. 15. And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. 16. And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon east out of his mouth. 17. And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. In this vision we have a series of events covering exactly the sameperiod of time as that of the preceeding one; namely, a history of thechurch up to and including her flight into the wilderness, and of thesame opposing dragon. In this description, however, the events are moreperfectly detailed. Because this dragon was called the Devil and Satan, many have been ledinto the idea that it signified the Prince of darkness himself. Butsurely we could not suppose that Beelzebub has any such appearance asthis dragon. The foregoing explanation concerning his heads and hornsshows conclusively that the Pagan Roman empire is meant, and notBeelzebub. Why, then, was it called the Devil and Satan? Among theHebrews the term _Satan_ was frequently used in a very liberal sense andapplied to different objects, signifying merely an adversary or opposer. According to Young's Analytical Concordance the Hebrew word for Satan istranslated _adversary_ in a number of texts, a few of which I will referto. Num. 22:22: "And the angel of the Lord stood in the way for an_adversary_ [Satan, Heb. ] against him. " Here an angel of the Lord iscalled a Satan to Balaam. In 1 Sam. 29:4 David is called an adversary(Heb. Satan) to the Philistines. In 2 Sam. 19:22 certain opposers aresaid to be adversaries (Satans, Heb. ) unto David; while in 1 Kings 11:25a certain man was said to be an adversary (Satan) to Israel all the daysof Solomon. A number of other instances could be given if necessary. Inthe New Testament, also, the term _Satan_ is sometimes used to signifymerely an opposer. "But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behindme, Satan. " Mat. 16:23. In 1 Cor. 10:20 Paul declares "that the thingswhich the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to _devils_. " Paganismstood as the great opposer of Christianity, hence was a Satan(adversary) unto it; while the apostle denominated its religious ritesas devil-worship. I do not question the fact that the spirit ofBeelzebub was manifested in the thing; but the dragon itself was theempire, as is proved by the heads and the horns. However, the Devil andthe agency through which he works are often used interchangeably. Satanand the serpent in Eden stand in the same relation as do Satan, orBeelzebub, and Paganism in the New Testament; hence to bind Paganism wasto bind the Devil and Satan in one important sense. The dragon would be a beast from the natural world (if such a creatureactually existed) and as such could represent nothing more than a civilempire; but in the vision under consideration he is represented asaccompanied by _angels_ actuated by his spirit and defending his cause. By this combination of symbols is set forth the politico-religioussystem of the empire--a religion that denied the doctrine of the oneexclusive God and the divinity of Jesus Christ. It was the religion of_infidelity_. It was the dragon as a false religious system thatChristianity attacked, and not the State itself. The following quotationfrom Butler's Ecclesiastical History will show the relation ofChristians to the empire: "The Romans were accustomed to tolerate all new religions if they tooktheir place by the side of those already existing, and if they did notcast reproach upon them.... But Christianity, by its very natureexclusive in its claims ... Was offensive to the Romans and to theState. A religion which cast contempt upon the religions and ritessanctioned by the laws, and endeavored to draw men away from them, seemed to express thereby contempt and hostility for the State itself. Hence Christianity was branded as a malignant superstition, andChristians spoken of as the enemies of the human race.... From theletter of Pliny to Trajan, it was evidently recorded as an _religioillicita_, and the mere fact of being a Christian was counted of itselfa crime.... The exclusiveness of Christianity seemed also to place itsdisciples in a position of direct disloyalty to the emperors and theState. 'The emperor was ex-officio _Pontifex Maximus_; the gods werenational. Cicero declares as a principle of legislation, that no oneshould be allowed to worship foreign gods, unless they were recognizedby public statute. Maecenas thus counselled Augustas: Honor the godsaccording to the customs of your ancestors, and compel others to worshipthem. Hate and punish those who bring in strange gods. ' As the Romanempire was founded on the absolutism of the State, and made nothing ofpersonal rights, Christianity, which first taught and acknowledged them, would be peculiarly offensive to the State. Moreover, the conscientiousrefusal of Christians to pay divine honor to the emperor and hisstatutes, and to take part in idolatrous ceremonies at public festivals... And their constant assembling themselves together, brought themunder the suspicion and obloquy of the emperors and the people. " Pp. 49, 50. The dragon was stationed in the same heaven where the woman appeared. This signifies his exalted position in the world. While the dragon wasin the height of his power and glory, Michael (Jesus Christ--Jude 9; 1Thes. 4:16; John 5:28) and his followers appeared on the scene, and afierce battle for supremacy ensued, resulting in the final victory ofthe hosts of Michael. That it was against the dragon as a religioussystem that the Christians fought is proved by the kind of weapons theyemployed. "And they overcame him by the _blood of the Lamb_ and by the_word of their testimony_; and they loved not their lives unto thedeath. " Christianity never sought to overturn the civil empire, but didwith all the power of truth oppose the huge system of error sustained byit and gained such decisive victories that the cry was heard, "Now iscome salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the powerof his Christ; for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, whichaccused them before our God day and night. " The Devil himself suffered asevere defeat when his favorite agents, the dragon and his followers, were cast down from their lofty position and Christianity was exaltedinstead. Says Butler: "The final victory of Christianity over heathenismand Judaism, and the mightiest empire of the ancient world, a victorygained without physical force, by the moral power of faith andperseverance, of faith and love, is one of the sublimest spectacles ofhistory, and one of the strongest evidences of the divinity andindestructible life of our holy religion. " P. 40. But the fact that many Christians lost their lives in this conflict(verse 11), insomuch that the man-child is represented as being caughtup unto God (verse 5), shows that the dragon employed also the arm ofcivil power in his opposition to the growing truth. The rapid increaseof Christianity, despite the violent opposition and persecution of thePagan party, can be no better represented than by a quotation from thenotable Apology of Tertullian, who wrote during the persecution bySeptimus Severus, about the end of the second century. "Rulers of the Roman Empire, " he begins, "you surely can not forbid theTruth to reach you by the secret pathway of a noiseless book. She knowsthat she is but a sojourner on the earth, and as a stranger findsenemies; and more, her origin, her dwelling-place, her hope, herrewards, her honors, are above. One thing, meanwhile, she anxiouslydesires of earthly rulers--not to be condemned unknown. What harm can itdo to give her a hearing?... The outcry is that the State is filled withChristians; that they are in the fields, in the citadels, in theislands. The lament is, as for some calamity, that both sexes, every ageand condition, even high rank, are passing over to the Christian faith. "The outcry is a confession and an argument for our cause; for we are apeople of yesterday, and yet we have filled every place belonging toyou--cities, islands, castles, towns, assemblies, your very camp, yourtribes, companies, palace, senate, forum. We leave to you your templesalone. We can count your armies: our numbers in a single province willbe greater. We have it in our power, without arms and without rebellion, to fight against you with the weapon of a simple divorce. We can leaveyou to wage your wars alone. If such a multitude should withdraw intosome remote corner of the world you would doubtless tremble at your ownsolitude, and ask, 'Of whom are we the governors?' "It is a human right that every man should worship according to his ownconvictions ... A forced religion is no religion at all.... Men say thatthe Christians are the cause of every public disaster. If the Tiberrises as high as the city walls, if the Nile does not rise over thefields, if the heavens give no rain, if there be an earthquake, if afamine or pestilence, straightway they cry, Away with the Christians tothe lion.... But go zealously on, ye good governors, you will standhigher with the people if you kill us, torture us, condemn us, grind usto the dust; your injustice is the proof that we are innocent. Godpermits us to suffer. Your cruelty avails you nothing.... The ofteneryou mow us down the more in number we grow; the blood of Christians isseed. What you call our obstinacy is an instructor. For who that sees itdoes not inquire for what we suffer? Who that inquires does not embraceour doctrines? Who that embraces them is not ready to give his blood forthe fulness of God's grace?" Another writer has said: "The church in this period appears poor inearthly possessions and honors, but rich in heavenly grace, inworld-conquering faith and love and hope; unpopular, even outlawed, hated and persecuted, yet far more vigorous and expansive than thephilosophies of Greece, or the empire of Rome; composed chiefly ofpersons of the lower social ranks, yet attracting the noblest anddeepest minds of the age, and bearing in her bosom the hope of theworld; conquering by apparent defeat and growing on the blood of hermartyrs; great in deeds, greater in sufferings, greatest in death forthe honor of Christ and the benefit of generations to come. " This triumph of early Christianity over Paganism was a theme worthy ofthe song. "Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of ourGod, and the power of his Christ. " Even before the death of theapostles, according to the younger Pliny, the temples of the gods inAsia Minor were almost forsaken. No wonder, then, that even theinhabitants of heaven were called upon to rejoice at so great a victoryattained by the followers of the Lamb. But the same voice also says, "Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil iscome down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hathbut a short time. " This represents the violence of the Pagan party uponits defeat, being exasperated to the exercise of greater opposition andcruelty wherever the means and the power were still in their hands. Castdown from his exalted position in the heavens--the religious sphere--hisecclesiastical prestige lost, he had no place to abide but in theearth--the political kingdom--whence he took up arms, and "woe to theinhabitants of the earth. " But "the days of Paganism in the empire werenumbered. " The Devil knew that he had but a short time, therefore hecame down in great wrath. This is in accordance with the facts ofhistory. Paganism did not die an easy death, but struggled hard andlong. When cast from his high position, however, the dragon "persecuted thewoman which brought forth the man-child. " The true idea expressed in theoriginal is that he _pursued_ the woman, and this signification isindicated by what follows--"To the woman were given two wings of a greateagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where sheis nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face ofthe serpent. " The _time_ as a definite period signifies one year; hencea time, times, and half a time would be three and one-half years, ortwelve hundred and sixty days, as before explained. There is an apparentincongruity or contradiction of statement in reference to the symbolshere; but it is a contradiction that when rightly understood throwslight upon the whole subject. It will be noticed that the woman andMichael with his angels symbolize the same object--the people of God. Under the latter figure they were triumphant and the dragon wasdefeated. Yet after he was cast down, he turned upon the woman andpursued her, and thus, the church appeared to be the defeated party. According to this, then, the Pagan party is represented as _prevailing_soon after he met _defeat_ and the church apparently _defeated_ soonafter her period of _triumph_. Here again we have two separate symbolsof the same object in order to represent two of its different phases. This is explained satisfactorily by noticing carefully the facts. Thewoman, who is always the true church composed of holy people, was atfirst identical with the visible church, or the great body ofChristians, and in this condition was successful in spreading the puregospel and casting down the powers of iniquity symbolized by the dragon. But the dragon politically, as symbolized by his being a beast from thenatural world, with heads and horns, remained in power for some time, his religious prestige only being lost. Christianity did not attempt tocast down the dragon in the sense of destroying the civil empire. As iswell known, a great spiritual declension followed the period of thechurch's greatest triumph, which decline drove the woman, or the truechurch, into the wilderness; hence to all appearances the church becamea defeated party. About this same time, the dying cause of Paganismrevived for a season in terrible severity in the latter part of thethird century; hence to all appearances the dragon was triumphant. Thissupreme effort of Paganism's to regain its former position will bebetter understood in connection with what follows regarding the floodwhich he cast out of his mouth. But that the dragon was not permanentlytriumphant is shown by the fact that he afterwards resigned his powerand position unto the beast. Chap. 13:2. As to the meaning of the "two wings of a great eagle" given the woman toaid her in her flight, I am not able to say positively. Some apply themto "the grace and providence of God which watched over the church";others to the "spiritual gifts of faith, love, " etc. , which, likesupporting wings, bore the church above her enemies. But I can not seehow the wings of a great eagle can properly symbolize such things. Theyare not drawn from the right source. Perhaps nothing more is intended bythe wings than to denote the fact of her successful flight. That thisidea is the correct one seems quite clear when we consider the fact thatthe remarkable deliverance of the Israelites from Egyptian bondage isset forth under the same figure, that of eagles' wings. "Ye have seenwhat I did unto the Egyptians, and how _I bare you on eagles' wings_, and brought you unto myself. " Ex. 19:4. With the wings of such apowerful bird she was able to escape, so that the dragon could notovertake her. "And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. And the earthhelped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up theflood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. " Here is a peculiarcombination of symbols from different departments--the serpent, a floodof water, the woman, and the earth. The last two as allies is a veryunusual circumstance. Some refer the flood of waters to heresies thatarose in, or was connected with, the hierarchy about this time; but inthat case how could it be said that it was the serpent that cast it out?Others apply it to errors that the Pagan party introduced baptized withthe name of Christianity, when they professed to become converts at alater period. It is certainly an appropriate _figure of speech_ to say aflood of error or of false doctrine; but whether a flood of water is aproper _symbol_ of the same is another question. I do not think it is. Water, being an object of nature, would point us to something political. False doctrines are usually symbolized by something different fromobjects in nature. There is considerable difficulty in verifying the symbol, but I willsubmit what up to the present has seemed to me as the most satisfactoryexplanation. It appears from the description that this was about thelast great public effort the dragon made to overwhelm the church andthat he was exasperated to this supreme effort by the humiliating defeathe had suffered. The means he employed was _water_, an object of nature;hence we are to look for some great political event by which the dragonmade his master-effort to destroy the woman shortly after her flightinto the wilderness. In A. D. 284 Diocletian, a Pagan, succeeded to theimperial throne. Before the close of his reign (305), the Christianssuffered the most terrible persecution ever received at the hands ofPagan Rome. It continued ten years--A. D. 302-312. It was the design ofthis emperor to completely extirpate the very name of Christianity, andhis unfortunate victims were slain by the thousands throughout theempire. "But the master-piece of [his] heathen policy was the order toseek and burn all copies of the Word of God. Hitherto the enemy had beenlopping off the branches of the tree whose leaves were for the healingof the nations; now the blow was made at the root. It had once been thepolicy of Antiochus Epiphanes, when he madly sought to destroy theJewish Scriptures. It was both wise and wicked. It had but one defect, it could not be carried into complete execution. The sacred treasure wasin too many hands, and too many of its guardians were brave and prudent, to make extermination possible. An African bishop said, 'Here is mybody, take it, burn it; but I will not deliver up the Word of God. ' Adeacon said, 'Never, sir, never! Had I children I would sooner deliverthem to you than the divine word. ' He and his wife were burnt together. "Butler's Eccl. History, p. 66. But "_the earth_ helped the woman"--another unlooked-for politicalevent. Worn out with the cares of State, boasting that the very name ofChrist was abolished, and dying with a loathsome disease, the tyrantabdicated his throne. A number of individuals claimed imperial honors;but Constantine, the ruler of Gaul, Spain, and Britain, fought his wayagainst contending rivals and finally entered Rome, the capital, intriumph. Enthroned as emperor of the West, he immediately issued anedict of toleration favorable to the Christians (A. D. 313) and soonbecame a professed Christian himself and by law made Christianity theestablished religion of the empire. In 324, having crushed all rivals, he became sole emperor of the Roman world, and with a view of promotingChristianity convened what is known as the First General Council of theChurch, at Nicaea in Asia Minor, A. D. 325. The prestige of Paganism as areligious power had been overthrown long before by the followers ofChrist, but now its political importance received a death-blow, only afew expiring struggles appearing subsequently before the final downfallof Western Rome. Thus, the earth helped the woman and swallowed up theflood of persecution which the dragon cast out. "And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with theremnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have thetestimony of Jesus. " Finding that he could not destroy or exterminatethe church of God, he determined to make war upon its individualmembers. CHAPTER XIII. And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. 2. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. 3. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. 4. And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? 5. And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. 6. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. 7. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. 8. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. 9. If any man have an ear, let him hear. 10. He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. In this vision John beheld a beast rise out of the sea. Hisappearance--like that of a leopard with the feet of a bear and a mouthlike a lion--indicated that he was some terrible creature. He was also apersecutor of the saints, the same as the dragon that preceded him. Asbefore explained, this beast, also, symbolizes the Roman empire; for hepossesses the same heads and horns as the dragon, the only differencebeing that the supreme power and authority, as indicated by the crowns, is now vested in the ten horns, or minor kingdoms, instead of in theseven heads. The dragon as a political power represented Rome before heroverthrow by the barbarians; the beast as a political power representsnew Rome. A careful study of the characteristics of this beast, however, will showthat he represents more than a civil power. As a mere beast from thenatural world he could symbolize nothing more than some political power;but it will be noticed that, combined with his beastly nature, there arealso certain characteristics that belong exclusively to the departmentof human life--a mouth _speaking_ great things; power to magnify himselfagainst the God of heaven; the ability to single out the saints of Godand kill them, and to set himself up as an object to be worshiped, etc. This combination of symbols from the two departments--those of animaland of human life--points us with absolute certainty to Rome as apolitico-religious system. Ask any historian what world-wide powersucceeded Rome Pagan, and he will answer at once, "Rome Papal. " While it is not my general design to explain the many lines of prophetictruth described under similar symbols in other parts of the Bible, yet Iwill ask the reader here to pardon the slight digression while I callattention briefly to a few thoughts in the seventh chapter of Danielregarding this same Papal power. Daniel received a vision of four great beasts, which were interpreted tosymbolize four universal monarchies. Verse 17. These were theBabylonian, the Medo-Persian, the Greco-Macedonian, and the Roman. Thefourth beast possessed ten horns, which were explained to signify tenkingdoms to arise out of the fourth empire. This is identical with thedragon of Rev. 12, except the latter possessed seven heads not mentionedby Daniel. In the midst of the ten horns (ten minor kingdoms) grew up a_little_ horn, which soon assumed greater proportions than his fellows, taking the place of three of the original horns, and into his hand thesaints of the Most High were given for "a time and times and thedividing of time, " or twelve hundred and sixty years. This eleventh horndiffered from the ten in that it possessed a mouth speaking greatthings, and the eyes of a man. A horn with eyes and mouth in it is avery unusual thing, yet it is just such a combination as we might expectwhen we possess a correct knowledge of symbols. Being drawn from twodepartments--human life and animal life--this double-symbol directs usto a politico-religious system that came up among the ten horns thatgrew out of the old Roman empire. We instantly identify it with thegrowing Papacy, which arose to a position of great authority inconjunction with the new Roman empire. Three of the horns, or temporal kingdoms, were overthrown in order togive room for the complete development of this politico-religious power. Since great changes have frequently occurred among the nations of Europeoriginally embraced in the ten minor kingdoms, different powers havebeen referred to as the three described in Daniel's prophecy; but themost satisfactory explanation to my mind is that of the three kingdomsin Italy that were overthrown as if to give the hierarchy room fordevelopment, and that gave the Papacy its _first_ temporal sovereignty, thus completing the symbol by constituting her a civil as well as anecclesiastical horn. Odoacer, in A. D. 476, overthrew the old empire of the West andestablished the kingdom of the Heruli in Italy. Seventeen years later itwas subverted by Theodoric, who established the kingdom of theOstrogoths, which continued sixty years; then it, in turn, wasoverthrown by Belisarius, but was soon succeeded by the Lombards. TheLombard kingdom was subverted by Pepin and Charlemagne, who, aschampions of the church, gave a large part of their dominions to the Seeof Rome and thus favored the Papacy with her first temporal power. Thuswere the kingdoms of the Heruli, Ostrogoths, and Lombards plucked up bythe roots upon the very territory occupied first by the Papacy as atemporal power, and as if to give it room. The careful student of Daniel 7 will notice immediately the strikingsimilarity between the politico-religious system symbolized by thelittle horn and the leopard beast of Revelation 13 under consideration. The following parallels between them prove their identity: "1. The little horn was a blasphemous power: 'He shall speak great wordsagainst the Most High. ' Dan. 7:25. The leopard beast of Rev. 13:6 doesthe same: 'He opened his mouth in blasphemy against God. ' "2. The little horn made war with the saints, and prevailed againstthem. Dan. 7:21. This beast also, Rev. 13:7, makes war with the saints, and overcomes them. "3. The little horn had a mouth speaking great things. Dan. 7:8, 20. Andof this beast we read, Rev. 13:5: 'And there was given unto him a mouthspeaking great things and blasphemies. ' "4. The little horn rose on the cessation of the Pagan form of the Romanempire. This beast rises at the same time; for the dragon, Pagan Rome, gives him his power, his seat, and great authority. "5. Power was given to the little horn to continue for a time, times, and the dividing of time, or twelve hundred and sixty years. Dan. 7:25. To this beast also power was given for forty and two months, or twelvehundred and sixty years. Rev. 13:5. "6. At the end of the twelve hundred and sixty years the universaldominion of the little horn was to begin to decline, being consumed anddestroyed unto the end. Dan. 7:26. This beast, also, Rev. 13:10, was tobe led into captivity and 'killed with the sword. '" These points prove identity. To quote the words of a certain expositor:"When we have in prophecy two symbols ... Representing powers that comeupon the stage of action at the _same time_, occupy the _sameterritory_, maintain the _same character_, do the _same work_, exist the_same length of time_, and meet the same _fate_, those symbols representthe same _identical power_. " To this all must agree. Hence we have inthe vision before us a description of Papal Rome in her two-foldcharacter as a temporal and a religious power. The wounding and healingof the head of the beast will be explained in chapter XVII. How the same heads and horns can serve both the dragon and the leopardbeast will be better understood later. For the present it will besufficient to state that it is because they are the same beast inreality, being clothed, in its later form, in a Christian garb, insteadof the worn-out garments of infidelity or heathenism possessed by theformer. This transfer is expressed in the following words: "And thedragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. " Verse 2. This beast, then, succeeded to the dominion held by the dragon. It waslike an old, established firm retiring and giving its standing andcredit and well-earned reputation to a new partnership, to conduct asimilar business. While this beast, as before observed, represents the developed religiousand political power of the Papacy combined, still the actions ascribedto it show plainly that it is in its character as an _ecclesiastical_beast that its terrible features are here delineated. No one wouldsuppose that a mere political power would set itself up as an object tobe worshiped, exalting itself above the God of heaven, and then singleout and slaughter the saints for not complying therewith. As far asrendering obedience to civil governments is concerned, the Christians ofall ages have been the most peaceful and obedient servants of all. So weshall hereafter refer always to the _beast_ as an ecclesiastical power, unless otherwise stated. This beast all the world admired. "And they worshiped the dragon whichgave power unto the beast: and they worshiped the beast, saying, Who islike unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?" The peopleworshiped the established hierarchy, and they also worshiped the dragonfrom which the beast obtained so much of his power. The expression"_worshiped_ the dragon" shows plainly that it is the dragon as areligious system that is referred to, and not the old civil empire. How, then, could the old heathen worship be perpetuated in the church of Romeand form a part of her religious services? By adopting rites andceremonies purely Pagan in their origin. Since I have already statedthat the beast and the dragon as temporal powers were about the same inreality, except the change of sovereignty from the heads to the horns, it will now be necessary to show the remarkable similarity in spiritthat existed between them as religious powers, the one being thesuccessor of the other. 1. The high-priest of the Pagan religions was called Pontifex Maximus, and he claimed spiritual and temporal authority over the affairs of men. The Pope of Rome possesses the same title and makes the same claims, andhe is clad in the same attire as the Pagan Pontiff. 2. The heathen were accustomed to wear scapulars, medals, and images toshield them from the common ills and dangers of life. Romanists wear thesame and for the same purpose. 3. The Pagans, by an official process called _deification_, frequentlyexalted men who had lived among them to a position worthy of specialhonor and worship. Papists, by a similar process called _canonisation_, raise their former men of prominence to the dignity of _saints_ and thenoffer up prayers to them. The foregoing practises are derived from Paganism; also from Judaism orPaganism came their practise of burning incense in public worship, theuse of holy water, burning wax candles in the daytime, and votive giftsand offerings. Other heathen principles are: 4. Adoration of idols and images, a practise expressly forbidden by theMosaic law and unsanctioned by primitive Christianity; 5. Road gods and saints (in Catholic countries); 6. Processions of worshipers and self-whippers (especially in Catholiccountries); 7. Religious orders of monks and nuns. One who has read of the vestalvirgins of old will recognize at once where monkery originated. In the city of Rome there still stands an old heathen temple built byMarcus Agrippa and dedicated in the year B. C. 27 to _all the gods_. Inthe year A. D. 610 it was reconsecrated by Pope Boniface IV. To "theblessed Virgin and all the saints. " From that time until the present dayRomanists in the same temple have prostrated themselves before _the verysame images_ and have devoutly emplored them by the same forms of prayerand for the very same purposes as did the heathen of old. The onlydifference is, that instead of calling this idol Jupiter, they call itPaul; instead of denominating that one Venus, they call it Mary, etc. Well has Bowling said: "The scholar, familiar as he is with the classicdescriptions of ancient mythology, when he directs his attention to theceremonies of Papal worship, can not avoid recognizing their closeresemblance, if not their absolute identity. The temples of Jupiter, Diana, Venus or Apollo, their 'altars smoking with incense, ' their boysin sacred habits, holding the incense box, and attending upon thepriests, their holy water at the entrance of the temples, with their_aspergilla_, or sprinkling-brushes, their thuribula, or vessels ofincense, their ever-burning lamps before the statues of their deities, are irresistibly brought before his mind, whenever he visits a RomanCatholic place of worship, and witnesses precisely the same things. "History of Romanism, pp. 109, 110. Having failed in his direct attacks against the Christian church, withthe accession of Constantine, who established Christianity as the Statereligion, the dragon soon clothed his pernicious principles in aChristian garb and made war against the remnant of the woman's seed thatkept the commandments of God, through the rising hierarchy, under thename of Christianity; but his heads and horns being visible, and hebeing unable to control his tongue, his real sentiments crop out, and heis easily identified. It is not to be supposed, however, that the beastwould appear suddenly in full possession of the immense power ascribedto him in this chapter. On the contrary, Daniel represents it as a_little_ horn at first, whose look finally became "more stout than hisfellows. " Dan. 7:8, 20. Such ecclesiastical power was attained only bythe process of gradual development. According to the vision hisuniversal power was limited to "forty and two months, " or twelve hundredand sixty years. Since this has reference to the beast as anecclesiastal power, which according to Daniel grew up by degrees, thetime should be calculated the same as in chapter 11:2, 3--dated from thetime when the external, visible church was wholly in the hands of theprofane multitude of Gentiles and the true church crowded into thewilderness. The nationalized hierarchy, however, continued to advance togreater degrees of power over the nations, until it reached its zenithunder the pontificate of Gregory VII. , A. D. 1073-1080. The great things and blasphemies spoken by this beast are doubtlessfulfilled by the prerogatives and rights belonging to God alone whichthis apostate church, especially through her regularly constituted head, claims. In fact, the Pope is the real mouth of this beast, the one whodictates her laws with great authority. He claims to be the vicar ofChrist on earth and supreme head of the church, even, as in the case ofPope Innocent, denominating himself the one before whom every knee mustbow, of things in heaven, and things on earth, and things under theearth. He claims power over the souls of all men on earth and even aftertheir departure from earth. If this is not blasphemy against God, histabernacle, or church, and "them that dwell in heaven, " then I am whollyunable to imagine what would fulfil the prediction. Among theblasphemous titles assumed are these: Lord God the Pope, King of theWorld, Holy Father, King of kings, and Lord of lords, Vicegerent of theSon of God. He claims infallibility (which was backed up by theEcumenical council of 1870) and has for ages. Further, he claims powerto dispense with God's laws, to forgive sins, to release from purgatory, to damn, and to save. All the inhabitants of the earth were to worship him, except those whosenames were in the book of life. Thank God that even during the dark ageof Romanism a people existed who were owned by the Lord and who refusedto render idolatrous worship to this tyrannical beast. For furtherinformation regarding these medieval Christians, see remarks on chapter11:3. But these saints who opposed the Papal assumptions were made theobject of fearful persecutions, until Rome glutted herself upon theblood of millions of God's holy saints. This will be more fullydescribed in chapter 17, where this apostate church appears underanother symbol, "drunken with the blood of the saints, and with theblood of the martyrs of Jesus. " In all their severe trials, however, they were comforted with the knowledge that Justice would not alwayssleep, but that a time would come when her retributive hand would bestretched forth to lead into captivity their persecuting enemies andbreak their world-wide reign of tyranny and usurpation. "Here is thepatience and the faith of the saints. " To a number of people God gavespecial foresight of the coming reformation of the sixteenth century, inwhich the universal spiritual supremacy of the Papacy ended. A few ofthe many examples will be profitable. Says D'Aubigne: "John Huss preached in Bohemia a century before Lutherpreached in Saxony. He seems to have penetrated deeper than hispredecessors into the essence of Christian truth. He prayed to Christfor grace to glory only in his cross, and in the inestimable humiliationof his sufferings.... He was, if we may be allowed the expression, theJohn Baptist of the reformation. The flames of his pile kindled a firein the church that cast a brilliant light into the surrounding darkness, and whose glimmerings were not to be so readily extinguished. John Hussdid more: prophetic words issued from the depths of his dungeon. Heforesaw that a real reformation of the church was at hand. When drivenout of Prague and compelled to wander through the fields of Bohemia, where an immense crowd followed his steps and hung upon his words, hehad cried out: 'The wicked have begun by preparing a treacherous snarefor a goose. But if even the goose, which is only a domestic bird, apeaceful animal, and whose flight is not very far in the air, hasnevertheless broken through their toils, other birds, soaring moreboldly towards the sky, will break through them with still greaterforce. Instead of a feeble goose, the truth will send forth eagles andkeen-eyed vultures. ' This prediction was fulfilled by the reformers. "When the venerable priest had been summoned by Sigismund's order beforethe Council of Constance, and had been thrown into prison, the chapel ofBethlehem, in which he had proclaimed the gospel and the future triumphsof Christ, occupied his mind much more than his own defence. One nightthe holy martyr saw in imagination, from the depths of his dungeon, thepictures of Christ which he had painted on the walls of his oratory, effaced by the Pope and his bishops. This vision distressed him; but onthe next day he saw many painters occupied in restoring these figures ingreater number and in brighter colors. As soon as the task was ended, the painters, who were surrounded by an immense crowd, exclaimed, 'Nowlet the popes and bishops come! they shall never efface them more!' Andmany people rejoiced in Bethlehem, and I with them, adds John Huss. 'Busy yourself with your defence rather than with your dreams, ' said hisfaithful friend, the Knight of Chlum, to whom he had communicated thisvision. 'I am no dreamer, ' replied Huss, 'but I maintain this forcertain, that the image of Christ will never be effaced. They havewished to destroy it, but it shall be painted afresh in all hearts bymuch better preachers than myself. The nation that loves Christ willrejoice at this. And I, awaking from the dead, and rising so to speak, from my grave, shall leap with great joy. '" History of the Reformation, Book I, Chap. 6. This bold witness for Christ was burned at the stake July 6, 1415, byorder of the General Council of Constance. When the fagots were piled uparound him ready for the torch, he said to the executioner, "You are nowgoing to burn a goose [Huss signifying goose in the Bohemian language];but in a century you will have a swan whom you can neither roast norboil. " Fox's Book of Martyrs. This was fulfilled in Martin Luther. Henry Institorus, an inquisitor, uttered these remarkable words: "'Allthe world cries out and demands a council, but there is no human powerthat can reform the church by a council. The Most High will find othermeans, which are at present unknown to us, although they may be at ourvery doors, to bring back the church to its pristine condition. ' Thisremarkable prophecy, delivered by an inquisitor at the very period ofLuther's birth, is the best apology for the reformation. " Andrew Proles, provincial of the Augustines, used often to say: "Whence, then, proceeds so much darkness and such horrible superstitions? O mybrethren! Christianity needs a bold and a great reform, and methinks Isee it already approaching.... I am bent with the weight of years, andweak in body, and I have not the learning, the ability, and eloquence, that so great an undertaking requires. But God will raise up a hero, whoby his age, strength, talents, learning, genius and eloquence, shallhold the foremost place. He will begin the reformation; he will opposeerror, and God will give him boldness to resist the mighty ones of theearth. " John Hilten censured the most flagrant abuses of the monastic life, andthe exasperated monks threw him into prison and treated him shamefully. "The Franciscan, forgetting his malady and groaning heavily, replied: 'Ibear your insults calmly for the love of Christ; for I have said nothingthat can injure the monastic state: I have only censured its most cryingabuses. ' 'But, ' continued he (according to what Melancthon records inhis Apology for the Augsburg Confession of Faith), 'another man willrise in the year of our Lord 1516: he will destroy you, and you shallnot be able to resist him. '" In 1516 Luther held a public discussion with Feld-kirchen, in which heupheld certain doctrines of truth that made a great stir among theRomanists. Says D'Aubigne: "The disputation took place in 1516. This wasLuther's first attack upon the dominion of the sophists and upon thePapacy, as he himself characterizes it. " And again, "This disputationmade a great noise, and it has been considered as the beginning of thereformation. " Book I, Chap. 9. The next year, however, he enteredpublicly upon the actual work of reformation. Frederick of Saxony, surnamed the Wise, was the most powerful elector ofthe German empire at the period of the reformation. A dream he had andrelated just before the world was startled by the first great act ofreformation is so striking that I feel justified in repeating it in thisconnection. It was as follows: "Having gone to bed last night, tired and dispirited, I soon fell asleepafter saying my prayers, and slept calmly for about two hours and ahalf. I then awoke, and all kinds of thoughts occupied me untilmidnight.... I then fell asleep again, and dreamed the Almighty sent mea monk, who was a true son of Paul the apostle. He was accompanied byall the saints, in obedience to God's command, to bear him testimony, and to assure me that he did not come with any fraudulent design, butthat all he should do was conformable to the will of God. They asked mygracious permission to let him write something on the doors of thepalace-chapel at Wittemberg, which I conceded through my chancellor. Upon this, the monk retired thither and began to write; so large werethe characters that I could read from Schweinitz what he was writing[about 18 miles]. The pen he used was so long that its extremity reachedas far as Rome, where it pierced the ears of a lion which lay there, andshook the triple crown on the Pope's head. All the cardinals and princesran up hastily and endeavored to support it.... I stretched out my arm:that moment I awoke with my arm extended, in great alarm and very angrywith this monk, who could not guide his pen better. I recovered myself alittle.... It was only a dream. I was still half asleep, and once moreclosed my eyes. The dream came again. The lion, still disturbed by thepen, began to roar with all his might, until the whole city of Rome, andall the States of the holy empire, ran up to know what was the matter. The Pope called upon us to oppose this monk, and addressed himselfparticularly to me, because the friar was living in my dominions. Iagain awoke, repeated the Lord's prayer, entreated God to preserve hisHoliness, and fell asleep.... I then dreamt that all the princes of theempire, and we along with them, hastened to Rome, and endeavored oneafter another to break this pen; but the greater our exertions thestronger it became: it crackled as if it had been made of iron: we gaveit up as hopeless. I then asked the monk (for I was now at Rome, now atWittemberg) where he had got that pen, and how it came to be so strong. [In those days they used goosequills for pens. ] 'This pen, ' replied he, 'belonged to a Bohemian goose [Huss] a hundred years old. I had it fromone of my old schoolmasters. It is so strong because no one can take thepith out of it, and I am myself quite astonished at it. ' On a sudden Iheard a loud cry; from the monk's long pen had issued a host of otherpens. I awoke a third time; it was day light. " History of theReformation, Book III, Chap. 4. Frederick related the foregoing to his brother John, the Duke of York, on the morning of Oct. 31, 1517, stating that he had dreamed it duringthe previous night. The same day at noon Martin Luther advanced boldlyto the chapel at Wittemberg and posted upon the door ninety-five theses, or propositions, against the Papal doctrine of indulgences. This was hispublic entrance upon the great work of reformation. The importance ofthe Reformation of the Sixteenth Century is incalculable. It gave thedeathblow to the universal spiritual supremacy of Rome. As we havealready seen, the Papacy had for centuries held despotic sway over theminds and the consciences of men. One potent cause of the Reformationwas the great Revival of Learning that marked the close of the medievaland the beginning of the modern period of history. This great mentalawakening contrasted sharply with the blind ignorance and superstitionof the Middle Ages, and caused many men to doubt the Scripturalauthority of many of the doctrines and ceremonies of the Church of Rome;such as invocation of saints, auricular confession, use of images, worship of the Virgin Mary, etc. Scandals and abuses in the Church of Rome also hastened the Reformation. During the fifteenth century the morals of that church had sunk to thegreatest depths of iniquity. The Popes themselves were, in some cases, monsters of impurity and iniquity, insomuch that historians are obligedto draw the vail over many of their dark deeds. But the real occasion of the revolt of the northern nations of Europeagainst the jurisdiction of Rome was the controversy regardingindulgences. "These in the Catholic church, are remissions, to penitentsof punishment due for sin, upon the performances of some work of mercyor piety, or the payment of a sum of money. " When Leo X. Was elected tothe Papal dignity (1513), he found the church in great need of money forthe building of Saint Peter's and other undertakings, and he hadrecourse to a grant of indulgences to fill the coffers of the church. The power of dispensing these indulgences in Saxony in Germany was givento a Dominican friar named Tetzel. This fanatic enthusiast entertainedthe most exaggerated opinion of the efficacy of indulgences. In hisharrangues he uttered such expressions as the following: "Indulgences are the most precious and the most noble of God's gifts. ""There is no sin so great that an indulgence can not remit; ... Only lethim pay well, and all will be forgiven him. " "Come, and I will give youletters, all properly sealed, by which even the sins that you intend tocommit may be pardoned. " "I would not change my privileges for those ofSt. Peter in heaven; for I have saved more souls by my indulgences thanthe apostle by his sermons. " "The Lord Omnipotent hath ceased to reign;he has resigned all power to the Pope. " See D'Aubigne's History of theReformation, Book III, Chap. 1. Martin Luther was an Augustine monk and a teacher of theology in theUniversity of Wittemberg. Before Tetzel appeared in Germany, Lutherpossessed a wide reputation for learning and piety, and he had alsoentertained doubts respecting many of the doctrines of the church. During an official visit to Rome in 1510 he was almost overwhelmed withsorrow because of the moral corruption there; but while penitentiallyascending on his knees the sacred stairs of the Lateran, he seemed tohear a voice thundering in his soul, "The just shall live by faith!"This marked an important epoch in his career. When Tetzel appeared in Saxony with his indulgences, Luther fearlesslyopposed him. He drew up ninety-five theses against the infamous trafficand nailed them to the door of the church at Wittemberg, and invited allscholars to criticise them and point out if they were opposed to thedoctrine of the Word of God or of the early church Fathers. Here theinvention of printing proved to be a powerful agency in advancing thecause of reformation by scattering copies of these theses everywhere;and soon the continent of Europe was in a perfect turmoil ofcontroversy. The Pope excommunicated Luther as a heretic. In replyLuther burned the Papal bull publicly at Wittemberg. Shortly afterwardLuther produced his celebrated translation of the Bible in the Germanlanguage. Even a brief history of the entire Reformation would be toolarge for the limits of the present volume, therefore with a few wordsrespecting the nature of the work of the Reformation we will pass on toanother prophetic vision. The great secret of the early success of the reformers was their appealfrom the decisions of councils and regulations of men to the Word ofGod. So long as the Word and Spirit of God were allowed their properplace as the Governors of God's people, the work was a spiritualblessing. But this happy state of affairs did not long continue. Withina few years the followers of the reformers were divided into hostilesects and began to oppose and persecute each other. Luther denouncedZwingle as a heretic, and "the Calvinists would have no dealings withthe Lutherans. " The first Protestant creed was the Augsburg Confession(1530). This date marks an important epoch. From this time the peoplebegan to lose sight of the Word and Spirit of God as their Governors andto turn to the disciplines of their sects, which they upheld by everymeans possible. Thus we find Calvin at Geneva consenting to the burningof Servetus, because of a difference of religious views; and in Englandthe Anglican Protestants waged the most bitter, cruel, and relentlesswar not only against Catholics, but against all Protestants who refusedto conform to the Established Church. The Protestants placed armies inthe field and fought for their creeds, as during the Thirty Years' Warin Germany and the long period of the Hugenot wars in France. The realwork of the Reformation, the promulgation of so much of the truth of theBible, was an inestimable blessing to the world; but the rise ofProtestantism (organized sectism) in 1530 introduced another period ofapostasy as distinct in many of its features as was that of Romanismbefore it. The historian D'Aubigne recognizes an important change atthis period. He says: "The first two books of this volume contain the most important epochs ofthe Reformation--the Protest of Spires, and the Confession ofAugsburg.... I determined on bringing the reformation of Germany andGerman Switzerland to the _decisive epochs of_ 1530 and 1531. Thehistory of the Reformation, properly so-called, is then in my opinionalmost complete in those countries. The work of faith has there attainedits apogee: that of conferences, of interims, of diplomacy begins.... The movement of the Sixteenth Century has there made its effort. I saidfrom the very first, It is the history of the Reformation and not ofProtestantism that I am relating. " Preface to Vol. V. 11. And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. 12. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 13. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 14. And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. 15. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. 16. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 17. And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. 18. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six. The symbolic description of this beast directs us also to a politicaland a religious system rising at the expiration of the twelve hundredand sixty years' reign of the first beast, but that he was no suchterrible beast politically as the one before him is proved by the factthat he had but two horns and they _like a lamb_. This beast rose "outof the earth"--the Apocalyptic earth, or the territory of the Romanempire. The first beast rose out of the sea, which, as before shown, signifies the heart of the empire in an agitated state; for the tenhorns came up through the greatest political convulsions that the pageof history records. When John beheld the second beast "coming up, "however, the empire was in a state of comparative quiet, although fiercewars followed afterward. He stands as a symbol of _Protestantism_ inEurope; although his power and influence afterwards extended beyond the"earth"--the Apocalyptic earth--into "the whole world. " Chap. 16:14. That this beast came up upon the same territory occupied by the Papacyis proved also by the statement that "he exerciseth all the power of thefirst beast before him. " It was predicted in a subsequent chapter(17:16) that the ten horns, or kingdoms of Europe, after supporting thePapacy during the Dark Ages, would later turn against her. This has meta remarkable fulfilment under the reign of Protestantism. The first two nations to turn violently against Popery were England andGermany. They have ever since been the chief supporters and defenders ofProtestantism, and they are doubtless the two kingdoms symbolized by thetwo horns of the beast. While at one time the Pope was a temporalsovereign and could, by his political and ecclesiastical power, humblewith ease the mightiest nations of Europe before him, his authority hasbeen wrested from him by degrees, so that to-day not a vestige of histemporal power remains, and his anathemas fall harmlessly. The nationshave asserted their rights as kings. When King Victor Emmanuel enteredRome on the twentieth day of September, 1870, the Pope's temporal sunset forever, and he does not control even the city in which helives--Rome. He is often referred to as "the prisoner of the Vatican. ""He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity, " said theprophecy; "he that killeth with the sword must be killed with thesword. " It was by force of arms that the Popes obtained and maintainedtheir temporal power over the nations, and by the force of arms theyhave had their authority torn from them. Religion has been referred toas "the basis of government"; for the legislators of any country are toa great degree influenced in their deliberations by religioussentiments. In all Protestant countries that greatest of Protestantprinciples, religious liberty, is as truly recognized by statute as wasthat infernal principle of the Papacy, religious intolerance, whenformerly enforced by law. Protestant principles have so far permeatedthe nations of Europe formerly controlled by the Papacy that religioustoleration is generally granted. In Italy, the headquarters of Popedom, where the Catholics are greatly in the majority, religious liberty isgranted by law. And even Spain, denominated by the EncyclopędiaBritannica "the most Catholic country in the world, " exhibits "a generalindifferentism to religion, " meaning that the fanaticism and intoleranceof former ages that caused thousands, and perhaps millions, to be slain, is rapidly dying out. In the vision before us, however, the specialactions ascribed to this beast--_speaking_, working miracles, deceiving, making an image and imparting life to it, etc. , which all belongproperly to the department of human life--show conclusively that it isthe character of this beast as an _ecclesiastical power_ that is thechief point under consideration. He was not to become such a terriblebeast politically (for his horns were only _like a lamb_), but "he_spake_ as a dragon. " As soon as we enter the department to which_speaking_ by analogy refers us, we find this beast to be a greatreligious power; and it is in this character alone that he is dilineatedin the remainder of the chapter. That the description of a religioussystem is the main burden of this symbol, is shown also by the fact thatit is in every case referred to in subsequent chapters as the "falseprophet. " Chap. 16:13; 19:20; 20:10. Therefore every reference I make tothis second beast hereafter should be understood as signifying thereligious system of Protestantism, unless otherwise stated. That Protestantism in its many forms can be properly represented by asingle symbol--a beast or false prophet--may seem a little strange atfirst; but when we come to consider next the making of an image to thebeast, it will be seen that the Protestant sects, from God's standpointof viewing, are all alike in character, as were the multitudinous formsof heathen worship represented under the single symbol of the dragon. Hence only one beast, or the making of one image, was necessary to standas representative of the entire number. It will be noticed by the readerthat from verse 12 to the close of the chapter the term _beast_signifies the first beast, or the Papacy, and that the second beast, orProtestantism, is designated by the pronoun _he_. _Image_ is defined to be "an imitation, representation, similitude ofany person or thing; a copy, a likeness, an effigy. " The second beast, then, is to manufacture something in _imitation_ of the first beast. Ifany doubt exists as to which phase of the first beast, political orecclesiastical, is copied, it can be settled by considering what is saidof the image made from the original. "The image of the beastshould--_speak_. " This directs us by analogy, as heretofore explained, to the department of religious affairs; hence the second beast forms an_ecclesiastical organization_ in imitation of the hierarchy of Rome. Atthis juncture the Protestant will doubtless exclaim, "Oh, our churchesare nothing like the church of Rome!" But consider a little in the lightof truth. God's Word teaches that they bear the close relationship of_mother_ and her _daughters_ (Rev. 17:5), and by the help of the Lord weshall point out a similarity of character in this and subsequentchapters. The symbol of the church of Rome in chapter 17 is that of acorrupt _prostitute_, while the symbol of Protestantism is that of her_harlot daughters_. The Roman church is a humanly organized institutiongoverned by a set of fallible men, their claims of infallibility to thecontrary notwithstanding. Protestant sects, likewise, are all humanorganizations (even though they may sometimes deny it), and are governedby a man or a conference of men. The Roman Catholic church makes andprescribes the theology that her members believe. Protestant churches, also, make their own disciplines and prescribe rules of faith andpractise. The Word of God, inspired by his Spirit, could not be enforcedin Romanism without destroying it; for its main spirit is Antichrist. So, too, the whole Word in Protestantism would soon annihilate herGod-dishonoring sects; for they are all contrary to its plain teachings, which condemn divisions and enjoin perfect unity and oneness upon theredeemed of the Lord. What is said concerning the image of the beastapplies to sectarianism as a whole and the human organization of all herso-called churches, regardless of the differences that exist betweenthem as individual institutions; for they may differ as widely as thevarious systems of heathen religions symbolized by the dragon, yet theycan be represented by the single symbol of an image to the first beast, because they are built upon the same general principles--are but humanorganizations, falsely called churches of Christ, and are all contraryto the Scriptures. Imparting life to the image of the beast simply signifies the completeorganization of the ecclesiastical institutions so that they are capableof self-government and their decrees possess authority. Every livingbody is animated by a spirit. The sectarian spirit that animates theMethodist body will lead people into that body, etc. ; but the one Spiritof God will, if permitted, baptize us all into the one body of Christ, where we can all "drink into one Spirit. " 1 Cor. 12:13. "And he spake asa dragon" signifies the great authority by which his laws are enactedand enforced upon the people. "And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down fromheaven on the earth in the sight of men, and deceiveth them that dwellon the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do inthe sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, thatthey should make an image to the beast. " Fire from heaven upon Elijah'ssacrifice was the attestation of God to his divine mission. Bringingdown fire from heaven, then, symbolically describes the claims of thisbeast to being a true prophet of the Lord. At this point we must make a distinction which, being true in the factsof history, must necessarily be intended in the symbolic representation. According to the symbols of the preceding chapter the woman, or truechurch, "fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared ofGod, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred andthreescore days. " The time-prophecy is the same and covers the sameperiod as the reign of the Papal beast; therefore just as an importantchange in the Papacy occured at the expiration of the prophetic period, so also we must expect a radical change with respect to the true church:it must no longer be completely obscured in the wilderness. As the Reformation, and Protestantism as a religion, was the means ofending Rome's universal spiritual supremacy, so also the same movementmust be regarded as possessing sufficient light and truth to again bringinto prominence the work of the Spirit and the true people of God. "Firefrom heaven" may therefore be regarded as describing the divine work ofreformation, the unfolding of truth accompanied by the saving power ofGod. Such spiritual work has accompanied the origin of various religiousmovements during the Protestant era. The general description of the two-horned beast, however, brings intoprominence an evil characteristic--the disposition to lead people intodeception by making an image to the beast and then worshiping it. Theevil does not inhere in the work of bringing down "fire from heaven, "but in image-making and image-worship, for which the Spiritual worksimply furnished an occasion. The Spiritual work of reformation istherefore to be distinguished from the later work of creed- andsect-making. And since the beast takes advantage of Spiritmanifestations, in order to deceive men, he becomes a sort of apostateand is denominated "the _false prophet_. " See Chap. 16:14; 19:20. Ecclesiastically considered, the two-horned beast stands as the symbolof the religious system of Protestantism as a whole--a peculiarcombination of truth and error, of good and bad, of "fire from heaven"and false, miracle-working power (chap. 16:14); while the "image to thebeast" signifies the sectarian institution--the man-made, man-controlled, unscriptural sect machinery manufactured in imitation ofthe Papal original. To exalt such earth-born churches and lead people toadore and worship them is but a species of idolatry and the rankestdeception. It is a sad fact that multitudes of people in Protestantismare more devoted to their particular church than they are to the LordJesus Christ. They can witness the open rejection of God's precious Wordand the vilest profanation of his holy name, without uttering a word ofprotest; but let anyone say a word against _their church_, and instantlythey are aroused to the highest pitch of excitement--beast-worshipers! The Protestant era has witnessed many wonderful reformations in whichthe true fire of God fell upon waiting souls, but this initial work ofthe Spirit has in each case been employed as an excuse for taking thenext step--making an image. Thousands of honest souls, lacking betterlight, have been induced to submit to such human organization. But thetruly saved have always loved and adored their Lord more than the humanchurch to which they were attached, therefore they should not beregarded as beast-worshipers. They are the ones whom the Lorddenominates his people when the voice is heard calling them out ofBabylon. Chap. 18:4. The "mark of the beast" next claims our attention. The beast referred tois the Papacy. How did the Papacy mark its subjects? Undoubtedly, by thefalse spirit which animated that organization, branding them all withits delusive doctrines and errors. In a previous chapter the servants ofGod were represented as receiving the seal of God in their foreheads. This was shown to signify the pure Word and doctrines of the Bible beingplanted within them by the Holy Spirit. In making the sect image inimitation of the Papal original, then, the principle of marking subjectshas also been copied. The members of every sect organization areindelibly marked. You can not become one of them without solemnlyagreeing to believe the doctrines taught in their discipline andaccepting the government of their man-made institutions. Subscribing tothe rules of faith and practise that originated with the sect shows howits members worship the image. They are also said to worship the firstbeast, the original of the image. How is this fulfilled? In the samemanner that the worshipers of the first beast worshiped the dragon thatpreceded it; namely, by accepting and believing false principles offaith that originated in the system immediately preceding. Protestantsects have transferred many of the false doctrines of Romanism to theirown creeds, hence they worship the first beast just as truly as thePapists worshiped the dragon by accepting heathenish principles. Thegreatest principle of false doctrine that originated with Catholicism, and one that has been transferred to _every Protestant sect_, is, that ahuman organization is necessary to complete the church of Christ onearth. The church of Rome has an earthly head and a human government;and Protestants, also, firmly believe the unscriptural doctrine thatthey must bow to an organization of men and thus be under a visibleheadship: they receive the mark of the beast. Many sects have alsocopied other Popish doctrines, such as infant baptism, the destructionof all outside of the pales of the church (?), infantile damnation, sprinkling, and other things too numerous to mention. Thus, they worshipthe first beast as well as his image. They also receive the "name of the beast. " Here again "beast" refers tothe Papacy. The Papal beast was represented as being full of the namesof blasphemy, which blasphemy was shown to signify the usurpation ofprerogatives and rights belonging to God alone. The greatestecclesiastical usurpation reached by the Romish hierarchy was that ofclaiming to be the head of the church and the right to prescribe andenforce their doctrines, naming their organization the _Holy CatholicChurch_. In making their sect organizations in imitation, Protestants, as above stated, have transferred the same principle and make the sameblasphemous claim of a right to make disciplines to govern God's people, and then name their sect machinery a _church_ of God. The name may beMethodist, Baptist, Mennonite, Episcopalian, or what not, it is only a_beast name_, yet a name that you must accept if you desire to becomeone of them. They not only receive the name of the beast, but also receive the"number of his name. " It will be necessary first to explain what ismeant by the number of a name. "The modern system of notation by thenine digits and the cipher, was not introduced until the tenth century, but on account of its superior excellence, has since superseded everyother. Previous to this great discovery, the letters of the alphabetwere used to denote numbers, each letter having the power of a _number_as well as a _sound_. The same system is still retained among us forcertain purposes. The Roman letters I. V. X. L. C. D. M. , have each thepower of expressing a number. This, however, was the common and the bestmode of notation that the ancients possessed. " The number of a name, therefore, was merely the number denoted by the several letters of thatname. The number of the name of the beast--the first beast--is said to be thenumber of a _man_. When we enter the Romish hierarchy and search for aman the number of whose name will be six hundred and sixty-six, wherecould we go more appropriately than to the Pope himself, its authorizedhead? The Scriptures point him out particularly as the "_man_ of sin, ""the son of perdition. " 2 Thes. 2:3, 4. Has the Pope of Rome a name theletters of which, used as numerals, make six hundred and sixty-six? Yes. He wears in jeweled letters upon his miter the following blasphemousinscription: _Vicarius Filii Dei_--Vicar of the Son of God. Taking outof this name all the letters that the Latins used as numerals, we havejust six hundred and sixty-six. U and V were both formerly used todenote five. V ..... 5 F ..... 0 I ..... 1 I ..... 1 C ... 100 L .... 50 A ..... 0 I ..... 1 R ..... 0 I ..... 1 I ..... 1 D ... 500 U ..... 5 E ..... 0 S ..... 0 I ..... 1 --- 666 In some manner the worshipers of Protestant images also receive thenumber of this name--six hundred and sixty-six. The name is that of"Vicar of the Son of God. " In all Protestantism (see remarks on chapter11:7, 8) the true Vicars of Christ on earth--the Word and Spirit ofGod--have been set aside, and conferences of men have taken their placesin all the official acts relative to spiritual affairs. Hence the numberof the name applies to them as well. What that number speciallysymbolizes I do not know, unless it is, as has been explained byothers--_division_. While the policy of Romanism has been that of unity, still the false claims made by one individual can be as well made byanother, and by many, which has been the case, as just explained;therefore it would not be improper at all to make the Pope's number asymbol of the whole, since his system has been so largely copied by therest. The whole structure of sectarianism is built on the principle ofdivision, and it so happens that there is always enough left to divideagain. So this special number is perhaps the symbol of endless division, signifying the great number of human organizations claiming to bechurches of Christ. The church of God, however, is built on theprincipal of unity; division is destruction to its true nature and life, for it is Christ's body. It is further said that "no man might buy or sell, save he that had themark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. " To "buy orsell" is to engage in the ordinary pursuits of life and have intercoursewith human society. Applying this as a symbol to the analagousdepartment of the church, we have the fact set forth that those withoutthe special mark have no more recognized standing in the so-calledchurches than men that are not allowed to buy or sell have in acommunity. But _selling_, as a symbol, would specially indicate thedealing out of truth, or the preaching of the gospel. A Holy Ghostminister in the clear light of heaven's truth, independent of all thecreeds of Babylon, will not be allowed the privilege of laboring freelyamong sectarians, after the truth for which he stands becomes wellknown. And if he holds meetings in the community, the members of thesects are often warned by their leaders against "buying"--receiving--itfrom the Holy Ghost minister, because of his not having the mark or nameof the beast. Their ministers are specially marked, for they come out oftheir colleges and theological seminaries with the stamp of theirrespective doctrines upon them and a license from the sect to enter itsministry; and those not thus marked or designated have no place amongthem. This may also explain the manner in which the beast causes thosewho will not worship the image to be killed--an analagous killing;namely, an ecclesiastical cutting-off, or excommunication, as explainedin previous chapters. [9] [Footnote 9: The early history of Protestantism shows that at that timethe principle of religious intolerance brought over from Romanismmanifested itself in the actual putting to death of numerous dissenters. For example see pp. 252, 291-294 of the present work. It is possiblethat the persecuting principle ascribed to the two-horned beast mayinclude both the literal and the ecclesiastical cutting-off, referencebeing made directly to the intolerant spirit. ] The facts just stated are well illustrated by the followingcircumstances. A few years ago a brother in the ministry went into acertain town to find a place to conduct a series of holiness meetings. He was directed by a Presbyterian lady to their pastor, who, she said, was a believer in the doctrine of holiness. When he called on theminister and made known his errand, the first question asked him wasthis, "Are you a member of the Presbyterian church?" The brotheranswered in the negative. He did not have the _name of the beast_. Thenext question that greeted him was this, "Do you believe the WestminsterConfession of Faith to be orthodox?" He answered, "No, sir. " He did nothave the _mark of the beast_. The last question asked was, "Do youbelong to any of the various orthodox Protestant denominations?" Thebrother said, "No. " He did not have the _number of his name_. The answerwas, "You can not have our house. " While on a missionary trip in the Near East, the writer, in company withanother brother, attended a Seventh-Day Adventist service in Bucharest, Roumania. After the sermon another brother requested that we be giventhe opportunity to speak a little, but the request was absolutelyrefused. It was explained that we would say nothing against them ortheir work but only speak about salvation; but we were not permittedeven to testify in a few words. The difficulty was that we did not haveeither the "mark of the beast" or its "name. " CHAPTER XIV. And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads. 2. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: 3. And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. 4. These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. 5. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God. There is no difficulty in identifying this company on Mount Sion as thetrue people of God in marked contrast with the worshipers of all corruptand false religion. As to the chronology of the event, it is evidentthat we have here a continuation of the same series of prophecybeginning with the apostolic period in chapter XII, describingalternately the true church and the false church. At the beginning of this series the true church, symbolized by thestar-crowned woman, fled into the wilderness and was there lost to view;while the leopard beast and the two-horned beast of chapter XIII, symbolizing the two leading forms of organized Christianity, werebrought into prominent view. It is therefore fitting that the truechurch should again appear and be given her proper position and work inthe world before the end of all earthly things. That the company here brought to view represents the true church isshown by its agreement with the church of God before the apostasy began. In the seventh chapter we have seen that before the political calamitiesbefell the Western Roman Empire the work of sealing God's servants wasaccomplished, twelve thousand from each of the twelve tribes of Israelbeing sealed, thus representing symbolically the fact that God's church, comprising the true Israel, was perfect and complete, no part beingomitted. In the chapter under consideration we have this divine sealingprocess again after the apostasy, and once more the definite number144, 000 occurs, showing that the church before the end is to be perfectand complete. The contrast of this company with the ecclesiastical powers in thepreceding chapter proclaims in an unmistakeable manner the fact that wehave here described a true reformation and work of God before the end oftime. In the morning-time of the dispensation the redeemed of earth wererepresented as singing praises to Christ; so also the company herebrought to view unite in singing a song which only the redeemed canknow. This company is on Mount Sion, not in the darkness of thewilderness, they are with the Lamb, not wandering after the beast; theyare not even following the beast that was "like a lamb, " but they arewith the true Lamb, the Savior of the world; they have the "Father'sname written in their foreheads, " not the mark or the name of the beast. It is said of them that "these are they which were not defiled withwomen, for they are virgins. " Fornication and adultery, as will beexplained later, is a symbol of spiritual idolatry; and the chastity ofthis redeemed company shows that they were free from the abominations ofthe apostasy. They "follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. " Their namesare in the book of life, and they do not worship the beast. Chap. 13:8. Here, then, we have a symbol of the church of God in the latter daysstanding distinct from the great apostasy. 6. And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, 7. Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. 8. And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. 9. And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, 10. The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: 11. And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. 12. Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. 13. And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them. Another phase of the last reformation is here brought to view--itscommunicative genius. It not only stands clear from the apostasy, but itsounds the warnings of God and proclaims his message. The firstmessenger had a very important message to deliver, even "the everlastinggospel. " His message was not limited to the inhabitants of "theearth"--the Apocalyptic earth--only, but included "every nation, andkindred, and tongue, and people, " showing that it was of universalimportance. It was not a new gospel, but the everlasting gospel, thesame gospel preached before the long period of apostasy. There is onephase different, however, and that is that the _nearness_ of the secondcoming of Christ is a leading feature; the messenger with loud voicewarns the people to prepare for the awful judgment just at hand byturning to "worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, andthe fountains of waters. " The apostle Paul cautioned the Thessalonianbrethren not to entertain the idea that the advent of Christ was thennear at hand, for it could not come until after the great period ofapostasy that he predicted; but here is a messenger now claiming thatthe "_hour of his judgment is come_"--an event just at hand. He carrieshis special message to all people; for Jesus declared, "This gospel ofthe kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto allnations; and _then shall the end come_. " Matt. 24:14. This representsthe restoration of gospel truth in the reformation that was begun aboutthe year A. D. 1880 and that is now being carried to all nations by aholy ministry. The nature of this restoration work is clearly shown. Its leadingfeature is its missionary character, the proclamation of the pure gospelto "every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people. " Since the daysof the apostles the whole gospel has not been boldly declared andcarried forward with burning missionary zeal. Romanism and Protestantismhave conducted their missionary work and, according to chap. 16:14, their sphere of influence will extend throughout "the whole world"; buthere is clearly set forth the fact that God has authorized anotheruniversal message and world-wide work wholly distinguished from allothers. The contrast between the worshipers of the beast and his imageand those composing the redeemed company on Mount Sion is so clear, alsothe nature of the work done by each, that we can not possibly identifythem as being one. This work of conducting a world-wide missionary enterprise may appear tobe a gigantic task, but the seeming impossibility vanishes when weconsider the fact (to be more fully developed hereafter) that God callsinto this service all his people who are yet under the sectarian yoke. With this great host already dispersed over the world, the work ofmaking known this last message can and will be accomplished. The positive statement that the _hour_ of his judgment is come showsthat the end is exceedingly near; hence the second and third angels mustfollow the first in the closest proximity possible in order to introducetheir messages before the wrath of God is poured out upon apostateChristendom. The time is so short that these three messengers can notpossibly refer to three distinct reformations in the world; hence theymust signify three important phases in the one last reformation thatcarries the gospel to all nations in the short period of an "hour, "which time also includes the final judgment. A careful study of these three messages will show that they areinseparably connected. The second cry was against Babylon, that she hadfallen. Rev. 18:1, 2 proves this fall of Babylon to be a moral one--agiving away to ungodliness, iniquity and all manner of deception. According to chapter 16:19 the great city of Babylon is composed ofthree parts, being a confederation of the dragon[10] (heathenism), thebeast (Catholicism), and the false prophet (Protestantism). Chap. 16:13, 14. It is evidently to this latter division of Babylon that this secondmessage applies; for Paganism was always a false religion, andCatholicism was always a corrupt one, during whose reign the church ofGod, as already shown, was separate. Protestantism, then, was the onlypart of the great city that could fall morally or spiritually. Duringthe space of three hundred and fifty years, from the formation of thefirst Protestant creed, she held reign and authority over the people ofGod, who were scattered among her hundreds of opposing sects. [Footnote 10: That the dragon should be a part of great Babylon seems atfirst improbable; but in this statement reference is made, not to thedragon in his original, or Pagan, state, but to the form in which he ismanifesting himself in these last days to deceive the nations, workingin conjunction with apostate Christendom. This phase of the dragon powerwhich brings him into harmony with, and, in reality, a part of, modernBabylon, will be more clearly understood when we come to consider thethree unclean spirits that come out of the mouth of the dragon, thebeast, and the false prophet (chap. 16:13, 14), and the release of thedragon in chapter 20:7-9. ] In this condition the faithful children of God, although bearing themark and name of the beast, longed for restoration of the divine, primitive standard; but in the cloudy atmosphere of that period theycould not clearly discern the whole truth. Later, when the full tidingsof the everlasting gospel came, there came also a revelation thatBabylon is fallen and that God is calling his people out of confusionjust before the end of time. I call to witness every child of God who has been with the presentreformation from its beginning, if there were not three special phasesof the development of the truth, as follows: 1. A wonderful revival ofspirituality among a few of God's chosen ones, caused by the"everlasting gospel" being revealed to them as never before. 2. Theknowledge of the truth and deep experience thus obtained prepared theway for the next step, which was the discovery that the "churches" werea part of the great Babylon of Revelation and were in a fallencondition, "a hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean andhateful bird. " Chap. 18:2, 3. Hence the cry went up, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen. " 3. Then followed immediately the message to God's people to"flee out of the midst of Babylon and deliver every man his soul, "warning them that no one could any longer bear the mark of the beast orworship his image without forfeiting eternal salvation and that thefearful judgments of heaven would soon descend upon every one whorefused to obey the message and to walk in the light. The last twophases, which apply to Babylon, are the same and in the same order asthe description given in chapter 18:1-4. First, an angel from heavencries mightily with a strong voice, "Babylon the great is fallen, isfallen"; and then "_another voice_" from heaven says, "COME OUT OF HER, MY PEOPLE. " The three successive phases of the message are now allcombined in one, and God is gathering his holy remnant "out of allplaces where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day" (Ezek. 34:12) into the one body of Jesus Christ. Halleluiah! John, also, sawthis glorious result of the three messages--"And I saw as it were a seaof glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory overthe beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number ofhis name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. And theysung the song of Moses the servant of God [a song of deliverance], andthe song of the Lamb [the song of redemption], saying, Great andmarvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou king of saints. " Chap. 15:2, 3. Let all the people of God rejoice! "Hail the day so long expected, Hail the year of full release; Zion's walls are now erected, And the watchmen publish peace. "Now on Shiloh's wide dominion, Hear the trumpets loudly roar: Babylon's fallen, is fallen, is fallen, Babylon's fallen to rise no more. " Those of the Lord's people who through lack of sufficient light wereyoked up with unbelievers in Protestantism, labored faithfully toupbuild the very sectarian institutions that God was against and thatwere destined to be destroyed, though they themselves were saved as byfire; but from the time this reformation began the redeemed die in thetriumphs of a living faith, and their labors in upbuilding the truecause and kingdom of God are still blessed and fruitful, beingperpetuated in the works that follow them. "Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep thecommandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. " As before mentioned, God'speople during the reign of Romanism expected her universal supremacy tocome to an end, and their patience was greatly exercised in waiting forthe appointed time to arrive. It came with a great spiritualreformation. Then followed another period of apostasy, during which timeGod's people again looked forward to something better in the future. Many remarkable predictions of this present holiness reformation wereuttered by some of the most spiritual saints during the Protestant era, and I can not refrain from mentioning a few of them in this connection. D'Aubigne: "The nineteenth century is called to resume the work whichthe sixteenth century was unable to accomplish. " History of theReformation, Book XV, Chap. 1. Fletcher: "Only He will come with more mercy, and will increase thelight that shall be at eventide, according to his promise in Zech. 14:7. I should rather think that the visions are not yet plainly disclosed;and that the day and hour in which the Lord will begin to make bare hisarm openly are still concealed from us. Oh, when will the communion ofsaints be complete? Lord, hasten the time; and let me have a place amongthem that love thee, and love one another in sincerity. " This is anextract from a letter written by John Fletcher to Mr. Wesley, datedLondon, May 26, 1757, as given in Joseph Benson's life of Fletcher, pp. 39, 40. D'Aubigne again: "In every age it has been seen how great is thestrength of an idea to penetrate the masses, to stir nations, and tohurry them, if required, by thousands to the battle-field and to death. But if so great be the strength of a human idea, what power must not aheaven-descended idea possess, when God opens to it the gates of theheart! The world has not often seen so much power at work; it was seen, however, in the early days of Christianity, and in the time of theReformation; and _it will be seen in future_ ages. " Book VI, Chap. 12. "It has been said that the three last centuries, the sixteenth, theseventeenth, and the eighteenth, may be conceived as an immense battleof three days' duration. We willingly adopt this beautifulcomparison.... The first day was the battle of God, the second thebattle of the priest, the third the battle of reason. What will be thefourth? In our opinion, the confused strife, the deadly contest of allthese powers together, to _end in the victory of Him to whom triumphbelongs_. " Book XI, Chap. 9. Lorenzo Dow, comment on Rev. 14:6-11; 18:1-5: "The angel, orextraordinary messenger, with his assistants, proclaiming the fall ofBabylon will be known in his time. Also the one warning the people ofGod to come out of Babylon literally, spiritually, and practically, willbe known also, and such other threatening for the omission of complianceis not to be found in all the Bible. " Dow's Works, p. 533. The following extracts are from an old book written about 1812 byTheophilus R. Gates and entitled "Truth Advocated. " Through the kindnessof a sister living in Allegan County, Michigan, the writer was enabledto secure the following from the only copy of this book known to be inexistence--she having borrowed it of her neighbor, a relative of itsauthor. On Rev. 14:11: "I would here gladly drop the subject, lest I giveoffense; but duty compels me to remark, what can not be denied, that aninordinate attachment to certain systems and forms of religion, hasoccasioned all the strifes, animosities, and persecutions, that have solong agitated the Christian world; and if God be just, every one mustdrink of the cup of his indignation, according to his offense. The beastand his image, as it exists in Protestant countries, seems in this placeparticularly meant; and our own land is full of the number of his name. That such a testimony will one day go forth we must believe, or else St. John saw that which will never be: and the testimony will as certainlybe received; for a company in the next chapter are to be seen that hadgotten the victory over the beast, his image, his mark, and the numberof his name. It is also equally true that as yet it has never goneforth; and that at the time, great afflictions or suffering of some kindwill be undergone to exercise the patience of the saints.... It is atthis very time, no doubt, that the three unclean spirits, like frogs, come out of the mouth of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet;spirits of devils working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of theearth, and of the whole world, to gather them to the great battle of thegreat day of God Almighty. The greatest possible efforts, indeed willnow be made by all the sectarians to keep up their existence ... Nor isit any wonder that hireling ministers and system worshipers, Demetriuslike, should be stirred up and raise no small stir about the way; for itis evident, not only their craft is in danger of being set at naught bythis testimony, but also the great Diana of systems and forms ofreligion to be despised, and their magnificence destroyed, whom nowalmost the whole Christian world worshipeth. " Pp. 281-283. "And now commences an era of light and suffering, when the corruptchurches (with the kings of the earth and great men united with them)being about to be wholly brought down, make one general muster againstChrist and his true worshipers. These things are clear to me as a ray oflight; and whoever lives at this time will see as great opposition andspite to the true way of righteousness then set forth from sectariansand professors generally, as there was from the Jews towards Christ andhis testimony: and also, like the Jews, at the very time they oppose thetrue way of the Lord with all their might, they will no doubt make thegreatest possible show of religion, will think they are the true church, yea will have a zeal for God, carrying on religion with great success, forming societies, sending missionaries among the heathen, etc. , etc. That such an event will take place is very clear. " Pp. 286-288. "This happy period I never expect to see: but known unto the Lord onlyare all things. I know that such a time will be; for we are assured bythe angel, these are the true sayings of God: and I also believe that itwill take place _within two centuries_ from this time. But oh! howcorrupt doth the world now appear to me.... Help me, O Lord, I praythee, to do thy will. "Whenever any body of people come into notice, establish their rules andinstitutions, and become a respectable sect, they are the people of Godthen only in name; they cease to have the nature any longer; and whoeverunites himself to the same, constitutes himself one of the beast'sparty, and so far as his influence extends, he helps to establish thekingdom of Antichrist in the earth. This is clear from the prophecies ofthe Revelation, and it will answer no purpose to take offense when thetruth is spoken. These things will, moreover, sooner or later bedeclared with great plainness by some one; and then will the man of sinput forth all his strength; then will persecution come, and the beastmuster his armies to defend himself and to destroy the assailants, butin vain; for however few their number may be at first, and howeverfurious the battle may rage against them, they are destined to conquer. And herein the words of Christ will fitly apply, 'Fear not, littleflock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. '"P. 313. Speaking of sectarianism, he says further: "The same round of thingswill continue until the evil is remedied.... When this shall take place, time only can determine with certainty. It will probably commenceslowly, and not come with any great outward observation. Few will atfirst see or embrace the way, being strange to them, and appearing onaccount of their prejudices, and the way they have been taught by thefalse prophet, to be wrong and improper: moreover, being opposed to allothers, they will have all others to oppose them. But though they aredespised and hated, and few in number, the Lord is with them. " Pp. 322, 323. On Rev. 16:13, 14: "I have already delivered my views with respect tothese unclean spirits ... And it is not necessary to say much here uponthe subject; only I would just observe, that this will be a time ofgreater trial to Christians in general, and in a time in which more willbe deprived of every particle of true religion through the influence offalse ministers belonging to the different societies in Christendom, than any that has ever yet been in the world. But while they are makingthese great exertions, they are only preparing themselves and theirdeluded votaries for a more awful and complete destruction. For GodAlmighty is against them, and they against Him; though they will know itnot, but think perhaps all the while they are his peculiar favorites, and that they are employed in maintaining his cause, like the Jewsbefore them, when it is only their own cause and men's traditions. " P. 338. "I am but as the voice of one crying in the wilderness of error and ofsin, of wickedness and delusion, testifying according to the best lightgiven me; and any light that I can possibly communicate will in a littletime become as the feeble shining of the sun, by reason of the greatnessof the light that shall be hereafter. " P. 354. "A true and living testimony will go forth before this last period ofthe awful judgments of God comes to a close, and in consequence ofrejecting it, like the Jews of old, the wrath of God will come upon themto the uttermost. The testimony against the worshipers of the beast, bythe third angel, Rev. 14:9, is the testimony that effectually overthrowsthe kingdom of darkness and establishes the truth as it is in Jesus, pure and undefiled.... The authors of this testimony will ... Unlike toall who go before them, attack the evil at its root, and expose thedeceit, hypocrisy and wickedness of the different sects in a way thathas never before been done; for which they will suffer the greatestpersecution. You may look upon these things as the reveries of my ownfancy; but some day or other, people will witness to the truth of what Inow write. " Pp. 421, 422. "All the reformations which go before this last great reform will onlybe partial and temporary. They will only lop off the branches, or at themost, only strike at the body of the corrupt tree, while the rootsremain untouched and uninjured. But when this last testimony goes forth, the very roots of the corrupt tree will be attacked. " P. 426. "Every sect is under an idea that whenever the Lord comes to establishtruth in the earth, it will be to establish their creed, raise up theirsect, and bring the whole world into their way. And when the faithfulwitnesses whom God will raise up shall openly declare that they have allgone out of the way, that the greatest professors have so much of guile, selfishness and party spirit about them as to be nothing but hypocrites, and that a person must be better than they are or be lost forever; thatsects are an abomination to the Lord; denounce eternal death upon everyadvocate and adherent of men-made establishments; ... I say when such atestimony as this goes forth, as it sooner or later will, no wonder thatthe sects, all with one accord, should set themselves against it--shouldcall it heresy--declare it will ruin the churches if it is notsuppressed.... Although, as I have before testified, I am only as thevoice of one crying in the wilderness--a mere babe in the knowledge ofthese things which are to be revealed hereafter, yet I expect to raise ahost of bigots and hypocrites against me.... Nor can it be very longbefore the true light, in a very especial manner, will shine.... Ifthese things do not come to pass, then let me be called an enthusiast ora deceiver. " Pp. 444-446. 14. And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. 15. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time has come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. 16. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped. 17. And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. 18. And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. 19. And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20. And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs. The special characters of this vision and their work have been verydifficult for me to identify positively. Until clearer light on thematter is received, I choose to withhold an explanation rather than toindulge in speculation. Its usual explanation is to apply the gatheringof the harvest of the earth to the work of the reformation now takingplace and the vintage scene to the final destruction of the wicked, their punishment being symbolized by the treading of the "winepress ofthe wrath of God. " This may be its signification. It is certain, however, that in a subsequent chapter, the final judgment of the wickedis symbolized by the treading of "the wine-press of the fierceness andwrath of Almighty God. " Beyond this I can not now speak with certainty. CHAPTER XV. And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God. 2. And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. 3. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. 4. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest: 5. And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened: 6. And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles. 7. And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever. 8. And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled. The scene presented to us in this vision is but an introduction to thesolemn scenes of awful judgment immediately following. The first thingthat attracted John's attention was a sign, great and marvelous, "sevenangels having the seven last plagues. " The reason why these aredenominated the "last plagues" is because that "in them is filled up thewrath of God. " These are the completion, then, the finishing up of thework of divine judgment against the persecutors of the church. When thelast one is poured out the work is done, the time of judgment is over. These angels are not designed to symbolize any agencies on earth, forthey do not appear on earth; they are simply the conductors of theRevelation. God never commissions his people on earth to perform suchgreat judgments upon their persecutors as the temporal judgments of theseven last plagues will be shown to be; but, on the contrary, he hasgiven them the express command not to avenge themselves, but to sufferwrong. He himself lays exclusive claim to this prerogative, saying, "Vengeance is _mine_; I will repay, saith the Lord. " Rom. 12:19. As soon as the subject of the plagues is introduced and before they arepoured out, the narrative suddenly changes and a short history of God'sredeemed saints is given. This, perhaps, thus occurs for two reasons--toassist us in fixing the chronology of the events described and toencourage us with the thought that, even while the awful judgments ofGod are being "made manifest" upon the haughty oppressors of earth, Godhas a chosen people who have "gotten the victory over the beast, andover his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name. "They stand upon the "sea of glass, having the harps of God"--a symbol ofmelody and praise--and sing the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb. The song of Moses was that sung by the Israelites when they had escapedto the further side of the Red Sea, thus securing perfect deliverancefrom their enemies. So, also, this company of worshipers sing a greatsong of deliverance--deliverance from the beast and his image. Inchapters 4 and 5 John saw the great host redeemed before the apostasystanding on this sea of glass, singing the song of redemption--the songof the Lamb--but this company are enabled to sing another song aswell--the song of deliverance--for they have "gotten the victory overthe beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number ofhis name. " Halleluiah! "Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord GodAlmighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. " As before stated (chap. 8:3), the heavenly world as opened up to Johnappeared symbolized after the sanctuary of the temple. By "the temple ofthe tabernacle of the testimony, " out of which the seven angels camefully prepared for their work, is meant the most holy place of thesanctuary, called "the tabernacle of the testimony" because there wasdeposited in it, beneath the wings of the cherubim, the ark of thetestimony, or God's covenant. It was therefore as from the most holyplace of the sanctuary--from the very presence of the Deity--that theseangels went forth commissioned to execute the seven last plagues. Thisshows that they went by the divine command as ministers of vengeance. The purity and beauty of their attire denoted both the spotlessexcellency of their characters and the justice of the work in which theywere to engage. Although theirs was a work of awful avenging judgment, still the garments they wore would not be soiled thereby; and theirflowing robes of white were girded up with a beautiful golden girdle. Therefore there is no inconsistency between the purity and love of Godand the work of his vengeance. It would seem to human reasoning that thetwo are irreconcilable, but these symbols teach differently. These angels received their vials (goblets) of wrath at the hands of oneof the four living creatures, who are symbols of the redeemed sons ofearth. Their deliverance by one of these doubtless denotes that thesejudgments were to be executed in their behalf and in answer to theirprayers. For centuries the wrath of deadly persecutors had been pouredout upon God's people, until the cry ascended from the lips of themartyrs, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge andavenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?" Chap. 6:10. Now theirprayer is answered, and by their hand, as it were, the vials of wrathare delivered with the divine sanction unto the seven angels to bepoured out upon these proud oppressors of the Lord's people. Thesevials, too, were "full of wrath. " What a fearful expression! _Full ofwrath_, even "_the wrath of God_, who liveth forever and ever. " Therewas nothing in them but wrath and that to the very brim. As soon as the vials were delivered, "the temple was filled with smokefrom the glory of God. " This symbol is taken from the Shekinah whichfilled the ancient tabernacle. We read that when the tabernacle wasfinished, "a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the gloryof the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter intothe tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and theglory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. " Ex. 40:34, 35. The same thingoccurred at the dedication of Solomon's temple. "The cloud filled thehouse of the Lord, so that the priests could not stand to ministerbecause of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house ofthe Lord. " 1 Kings 8:10, 11. So, also, in the symbol before us the gloryof God filled the temple so that no man was able to enter. This isintended to set forth the fact that these avenging judgments were forthe manifestation of the divine glory and that there was no access tothe throne of God nor to his mercy-seat to alter them or to stay theirexecution. Such is the sublime scene presented to our view preparatoryto the pouring out of the seven last great plagues. CHAPTER XVI. And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth. 2. And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image. A great voice out of the temple, now filled with the glory of the divinepresence, commanded the seven angels to enter upon their mission. Itcame, therefore, from God, who alone fixed the time for these judgmentsto begin. Before an intelligent explanation of these plagues can be given, however, the following points must be made clear: 1. _Where_ the vialswere poured out. 2. _Upon whom_ they were emptied. 3. _Why_ they werethus poured out. 4. _When_ they were fulfilled, or, rather, at what timethey began to be fulfilled. These points we will first briefly considerin the order named, after which we will discuss the _nature_ of theplagues and their individual application. 1. The place where these vials of wrath were poured out was "upon theearth"; that is, the Apocalyptic earth, or that portion of the earthmade the special subject of Apocalyptic vision; namely, the territory ofthe ten kingdoms. The last two vials, however, will be found to embracea larger territory. 2. They were poured out upon those "which had the mark of the beast, andupon them which worshiped his image. " It has already been shown that theimage made by the second beast of chapter 13 was the Protestantecclesiastical organizations; hence the "beast" here referred to, towhich the image was made, must signify the ecclesiastical hierarchy ofRome, the original. So the plagues fell upon the adherents of bothorganized Romanism and Protestantism in Europe. 3. The reason why the judgments of the first three vials especiallydescended upon them was because "they had shed the blood of saints andprophets. " Verse 6. That Romanism was a fierce oppressor of God's peoplehas already been noticed: Protestantism as their persecutor, also, mustnow be considered further. Protestant sects after they first becameestablished and got power in their own hands, acted much in the samemanner as the church of Rome did before them, persecuting, banishing, imprisoning, and even putting to death those who refused to receivetheir tenets or to conform to the system of religion they had adopted. The Lutherans, at first a pious, persecuted people, on becoming numerousand exalted by the favor of the great, established a certain system ofreligion and then, when it was in their power, persecuted, imprisoned, banished, or put to death all that dissented. As early after theReformation as 1574, in a convention at Torgaw, they established thereal presence in the eucharist and instigated the Elector of Saxony toseize, imprison, and banish all the secret Calvinists that differed fromthem in sentiment, and to reduce their followers by every act ofviolence, to renounce their sentiments and to confess the ubiquity. Peucer, for his opinions, suffered ten years of imprisonment in theseverest manner. In 1577 a form of concord was produced in which thereal manducation of Christ's body and blood in the eucharist wasestablished and heresy and excommunication laid on all that refused thisas an article of faith, with pains and penalties to be enforced by thesecular arm. Crellius, in 1601, was put to death. In Switzerland, before the city of Zurich was entirely safe itself fromthe encroachments of Romanism, its Protestant council condemned a youngman named Felix Mantz to be drowned because he insisted that thebaby-sprinkling of Romanism was not baptism and that all who hadreceived the rite ought to be immersed. This sentence was carried intoeffect. The severest laws were passed in different countries of Europeagainst the Anabaptists, and large numbers were banished or burnt at thestake. See Encyclopędia Britannica, Art. Anabaptists. Protestants mayclaim this was because of their fanaticism on other lines; but itremains a fact, nevertheless, that the chief sentiment at the base ofthese laws was religious persecution and that Protestants sanctioned andcarried them into execution. King Henry VIII. , the founder of the Established Church in England, adopted the most stringent laws to enforce its doctrines. Certainarticles of religion were drawn up, known in history as the "Bloody SixArticles. " Concerning these the People's Cyclopędia says: "The doctrineswere substantially those of the Roman Catholic Church. Whoever deniedthe first articles (that embodying the doctrine of transubstantiation)was to be declared a heretic, and burnt without opportunity ofabjuration; whoso spoke against the other five articles should, for thefirst offense, forfeit his property; and whosoever refused to abjure hisfirst offense, or committed a second, was to die like a felon. " Art. Henry VIII. "The royal reformer persecuted alike Catholics andProtestants. Thus, on one occasion, three Catholics who denied that theking was the rightful head of the church, and three Protestants whodisputed the doctrine of the real presence in the sacrament, ... Weredragged on the same sled to the place of execution. " In speaking of thatperiod of history and of the religious persecutions of the times, Myerssays: "Punishment of heresy was then regarded, by both Catholics andProtestants alike, as a duty which could be neglected by those inauthority only at the peril of Heaven's displeasure. Believing this, those of that age could consistently do nothing less than labor toexterminate heresy with axe, sword and fagot. " General History, p. 553. That religious intolerance even at a later date was practised inEngland, witness the twelve years' imprisonment of John Bunyan and thehundreds confined in jails throughout that country for not conforming tothe established religion. It was such severe persecution by that earlyProtestant sect that drove the Puritans from England's fair country tothe then inhospitable shores of America, that they might have anopportunity to worship God according to the dictates of their ownconscience. In Scotland the Covenanters "insisted on their right toworship God in their own way. They were therefore subjected to mostcruel and unrelenting persecution. They were hunted by English troopersover their native moors and among the wild recesses of their mountains, whither they secretly retired for prayer and worship. The tales of thesuffering of the Scotch Covenanters at the hands of the EnglishProtestants form a most harrowing chapter of the records of the ages ofreligious persecution. " This list might be considerably augmented, butit is unnecessary. However, that Protestant persecution and tyrannyshould never reach the enormous extent of the Romanists before them isproved by the fact that her horns were "like a lamb. " Chap. 13:11. 4. It is very important for us to ascertain the _time_ for the beginningof these plagues; for they can not be identified unless we understandthe chronology of the events described. It is a fact no one can questionthat the seventh plague is the judgment of the last day, for in theseven "is filled up" the wrath of God; hence they are denominated the_last_ plagues. It is also a fact, well-known to all who are spiritualand who understand the truth in the present reformation, that certainevents said to occur under the period of the sixth plague are _now_taking place; namely, the confederation of all false religions to opposethe people of God, led on by the "unclean spirits" that come "out of themouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of themouth of the false prophet. " Verses 13, 14. Therefore five of the plagues precede the time in which we are nowliving. It is evident that the plagues could not begin before thereformation; for the vials were poured out upon the "image of thebeast"--Protestantism--also. Hence we are directed to some periodbetween the sixteenth century and the present day for theircommencement. The reason _why_ the first judgments especially werepoured out will assist us in determining the starting-point--"They haveshed the blood of saints and prophets. " This expression seems toindicate that the time for the plagues to begin was after Romanism andProtestantism ceased putting people to death because of their religioussentiments. That this is the correct idea is clearly proved by what wassaid to the martyrs when they cried unto God for the avenging of theirblood on them that dwell on the earth. "And it was said unto them, thatthey should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow-servantsalso and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should befulfilled. " Chap. 6:10, 11. For additional information concerning theterrible persecutions that followed the Sixteenth Century Reformation, see remarks on chapter 6:10, 11. We must now determine about what time the great persecutions referred toceased, or nearly ceased, and that will give us the right starting-pointfrom which to reckon the pouring out of the first vial. In A. D. 1685 therevocation of the Edict of Nantes, by Louis XIV. Of France, took place, and in the terrible persecutions that occurred during his reign threehundred thousand are said to have lost their lives. The time that we areendeavoring to establish, then, must be later than the seventeenthcentury. Louis died in 1714. Persecutions continued from time to time inFrance, with considerable severity, until about the middle of thecentury. "Soon after this ... The flowing of heretic blood ceased, though an effort was made in 1765 by the Popish clergy to resist thetendency to toleration by a remonstrance to the king. " History ofRomanism, p. 608. A few individual cases of persecution may haveoccurred later in other countries; but in the main we are safe inpointing to about the middle of the eighteenth century for the generalcessation of these religious _murders_. We will now consider the natureof the first plague. The pouring out of this vial produced the most painful malignant ulcersupon the human body. Such ulcers are evidently not political calamities;for the symbol is drawn, not from nature, but from human life. Still, itis not drawn from a human being as a whole (in which case religiousevents would be symbolized), but only from his body. What, then, is theanalagous object of which the human body may stand as a properrepresentative? Evidently, the mind. We would naturally pass from thebodily to the mental; and what painful ulcers are to the one, marringits beauty and filling it with burning anguish, such are blasphemousopinions and malignant principles to the other. Considering the time for this plague pointed out above, the student ofRevelation who is acquainted with the history of the past will scarcelyfail to discern at once, in the striking points of this symbol, thosehorrible principles of infidelity, atheism, and licentiousness, whichwere spread so extensively over Europe during the latter half of theeighteenth century, and which were the most efficient causes in bringingabout the fearful convulsions which followed in the French Revolution. That all may understand this matter in its proper light, however, itwill be necessary to state some of the facts respecting this "noisomeand grievous sore" that fell at that time upon the inhabitants ofEurope. In writing upon the causes that led up to the French Revolution, Mr. Wickes gathered the following facts of history mainly from theEncyclopędia of Religious Knowledge, under the articles headed_Philosophists_ and _Illuminati_. I will quote his own language, as itis very pointed. "Philosophists was a name given to several persons in France, whoentered into a combination to overthrow the religion of Jesus, anderadicate from the human heart every religious sentiment. The man moreparticularly to whom this idea first occurred, was Voltaire, who beingweary (as he said himself) of hearing it repeated that twelve men weresufficient to establish Christianity, resolved to prove that one mightbe sufficient to overturn it. Full of this project, he swore, before theyear 1730, to devote his life to its accomplishment, and for some timehe flattered himself that he should enjoy alone the glory of destroyingthe Christian religion. He found, however, that associates would benecessary; and from the numerous tribe of his admirers and disciples, hechose D'Alembert and Diderot, as the most proper persons to co-operatewith him in his designs. He contrived also to enlist Frederick II. , kingof Prussia, who became one of his most zealous coadjutors, until hefound that Voltaire was waging war with the throne as well as the altar. This, indeed, was not originally Voltaire's intention. He was vain; fromnatural disposition an aristocrat, and an admirer of royalty. But whenhe found that almost every sovereign but Frederick disapproved of hisambitious designs, as soon as he perceived their issue, he determined tooppose all the governments on earth rather than forfeit the glory withwhich he flattered himself, of vanquishing Christ and his apostles inthe field of controversy. "He now set himself, with his associates, D'Alembert and Diderot, toexcite universal discontent with the established order of things. Forthis purpose, they formed secret societies, assumed new names, andemployed an enigmatical language. In their secret meetings theyprofessed to celebrate the mysteries of _Mythra_; and their greatobject, as they professed to one another, was to confound the wretch, meaning Jesus Christ. Hence their secret watchword was 'Crush thewretch. ' The following are some of their doctrines, as found in theirbooks expressly designed for general circulation. Sometimes standing outin their naked horror, at other times enveloped in sophistry anddisguise. The Universal Cause, that God of the philosophers, of theJews, and of the Christians, is but a chimera and a phantom--Thephenomena of nature only prove the existence of God to a fewprepossessed men--It is more reasonable to admit, with Manes, of atwo-fold God, than of the God of Christianity--We can not know whether aGod really exists, or whether there is any difference between good andevil, or vice and virtue--Nothing can be more absurd than to believe thesoul a spiritual being--The immortality of the soul, so far fromstimulating men to the practise of virtue, is nothing but a barbarous, desperate, fatal tenet, and contrary to all legislation--All ideas ofjustice and injustice, of virtue and vice, of glory and infamy, arepurely arbitrary, and dependent on custom--Conscience and remorse arenothing but the foresight of those physical penalties to which crimesexpose us--The man who is above the law, can commit, without remorse, the dishonest act that may serve his purpose--The fear of God, so farfrom being the beginning of wisdom, should be the beginning offolly--The command to love one's parents is more the work of educationthan of nature--Modesty is only an invention of refinedvoluptuousness--The law which condemns married people to live together, becomes barbarous and cruel on the day they cease to love one another. "Such were the atrocious sentiments, though sometimes artfully veiled, which were disseminated in their books, and which, spreading all overEurope, imperceptibly took possession of the public mind, and preparedthe way for the subversion of religion, morals, and government. As soonas the sale of the works was sufficient to pay expenses, inferioreditions were printed and given away, or sold at a very low price;circulating libraries of them were formed, and reading societiesinstituted. While they constantly denied these productions to the world, they contrived to give them a false celebrity through their confidentialagents and correspondents, who were not themselves always trusted withthe entire secret. "By degrees they got possession nearly of all the reviews and periodicalpublications; established a general intercourse, by means of hawkers andpedlars, with the distant provinces; and instituted an office to supplyall schools with teachers; and thus did they acquire unprecedenteddominion over every species of literature, over the minds of all ranksof people, and the education of the youth, without giving any alarm tothe world. The lovers of wit and polite literature were caught byVoltaire; the men of science were perverted, and children corrupted inthe first rudiments of learning, by D'Alembert and Diderot; strongerappetites were fed by the secret club of Baron Holbach; the imaginationsof the higher orders were set dangerously afloat by Montesquieu; and themultitude of all ranks was surprised, confounded, and hurried away byRousseau. Thus was the public mind in France completely corrupted, andthe way prepared for the dreadful scenes that followed. " But there is also another chapter to the dark history of this "noisomeand grievous sore. " The same author says again: "After Voltaire had broached his system of infidel philosophy, andbrought it unto perfection, it was taken up by the celebrated Dr. AdamWeishaupt, professor of canon law in the University of Ingolstadt, andby him perfected as a system of light or illuminism. On the 1st of May, 1776, he founded, among the students of the above-named University, asecret society under the name of the _Illuminati_, whose avowed objectwas to diffuse the light of science, these secret societies being somany radiating centers of light. But the science taught was the mostatrocious infidelity, and its object the overturning of all governmentand religion. Free masonry, being in high repute all over Europe whenWeishaupt first formed the plan of his society, he availed himself ofits secrecy to introduce his new order, which rapidly spread, by theefforts of its founders and disciples, through all those countries, andfound its way even to the United States. It would not be possible hereto give even an outline of the nature and constitution of thisextraordinary society--of its secrets and mysteries--of the deepdissimulation, consummate hypocrisy, and shocking impiety of its founderand his associates--of their Jesuitical arts in concealing their realobjects, and their incredible industry and astonishing exertions inmaking converts--of the absolute despotism and complete system of_espionage_ established throughout the order--of the blind obedienceexacted of the _novices_, and the absolute power of life and deathassumed by the order and conceded by the novices--of the pretendedmorality, real blasphemies, and absolute atheism of the founder and histried friends. Reference can only be made to these things aswell-established facts. "It is important here to bear in mind one or two facts, in order torealize what an engine of corruption this secret organization of the_Illuminati_ was. One fact is, the high popularity which these secretsocieties at that period enjoyed. It was unbounded. There is somethingwhich commends such secret organizations most powerfully to the depravedhuman nature. Men love them because they are secret, and because theycan wield such tremendous power. The other fact to be considered, is theabsence, to a such vast extent, of the controlling elements of truereligion in the European mind, and its predisposition to skepticism. TheReformation of the Sixteenth Century had broken the shackles of priestlyPapal superstition over the human mind; and [true] evangelical doctrinenot being introduced to supply the vacuum, the mass swung readily overfrom the regions of dark superstition to blank atheism. Thus were theelements ready prepared to hand for such spirits as Voltaire, D'Alembert, Diderot, Weishaupt, and others, to work upon, and by reasonof their secret powerful agencies, to mould to their own liking. "It was now this damning system of infidelity, under the specious nameof philosophy, light, and science, spread with such untiring industryover the European mind, that unhinged the whole framework of society, and prepared it, like a vast magazine, for an awful explosion. All theprinciples that held society together in the fear of God and futureretribution--regard for human law--respect for magistrates, parents, andthe marriage-tie--yea, in the very distinctions of virtue and vice, hadbeen unsettled or taken away. They had been reasoned down and laughedout of the world; and when these only restraints, which God has imposedupon human selfishness and passion were removed, what was then to holdback those fierce passions and that deep selfishness from the mostunbounded excesses? God was no more feared--government was no moresacred--religion was a delusion--immorality was a lie--virtue was aname--the marriage-tie was a farce--modesty was refined voluptuousness:and when men were persuaded of these things, society began to roll andheave under the long swells of that portentous storm of wrath which wassoon to break, in all its desolating fury, over the earth. " In the facts here presented it may be seen how far we are justified inapplying to them this first vial of wrath. The vial was poured out "uponthe earth"--on the inhabitants of the ten kingdoms when in a state oftranquility. This was their condition, unsuspicious of danger, when thedread infection was spread through society. According to the testimonyof Pres. Dwight, within ten years from the first establishment of theIlluminati, in 1776, "they were established in great numbers throughGermany, Sweden, Prussia, Poland, Austria, Holland, France, Switzerland, Italy, England, Scotland, and America. They spread with a rapidity whichnothing but fact could have induced any sober mind to believe. " This system of infidelity is well symbolized by a noisome, greviousulcer, which is loathsome to the sight, offensive to the smell, corrupting to the body, and productive of awful pain. That it appearedso to others besides the author of the Revelation is shown by thefollowing epithets which Burke, the celebrated English orator, appliedto the spirit of the French Revolution, which was only the dischargedvirus of these ulcers. He styled it "the fever of Jacobinism;" "theepidemic of atheistical fanaticism;" "an evil lying deep in thecorruptions of human nature;" "such a plague, that the precaution of themost severe quarantine ought to be established against it. " The result, he says, was "the corruption of all morals, " "the decomposition of allsociety. " What greater plague could fall upon Romanism and Protestantismthan this fearful scourge of infidelity? I have dwelt for a considerable length of time upon this subject, because of its deep interest, and also because I desired to verify theapplication of the symbol as much as possible, on account of its closeconnection with the pouring out of the vials which follow. 3. And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea. This vial was poured out upon the "sea. " The sea is a large body ofwater within the earth, subject to violent storms and agitations. As asymbol it would denote some central power or kingdom within the symbolicearth in a state of revolution. The effects produced by this vial weretwo-fold--the waters were changed into blood as of a dead man, and allthe living creatures in the sea died. The waters of the sea representthe inhabitants of this kingdom (see a similar explanation of _water_ inchap. 17:15) as the earth does the inhabitants of the empire, or the tenkingdoms. The living creatures in the sea, therefore, could signify therulers and princes of the kingdom, as they bear an analagous relation tothe people that fishes do to the waters. The statement that the watersof the sea became "as the blood of a dead man" is doubtless intended tosignify a much more dreadful state of things than if they had simplybeen changed to blood. They were converted into black and poisonous, orcorrupt, blood. This denotes the vast slaughter and massacre of theinhabitants of this kingdom; while the death of the living creaturesdenotes the extinction of those in power. It may appear at first that making the conversion of water into blood asymbol of bloodshed is adopting the literal method of interpretation;but not so, and for the following reason: The symbol is taken fromnature, the waters of the sea representing the inhabitants of thekingdom. The waters are changed into an unnatural state or element, thatof blood, and this change denotes an analagous one passing upon theinhabitants. Their continuing in life would be their remaining aswaters: their massacre and destruction would be the waters changed toblood--a horrible and unnatural element. Likewise, the death of theliving things in the sea is a similar destruction overtaking the kings, rulers, and princes. With our understanding of the nature of the first vial, which preparedthe way for the pouring out of this one, we shall have no difficultywhatever in identifying this symbol with the terrible convulsions of theFrench Revolution. It followed as a necessary consequence of the first. Voltaire and his coadjutors had insulted and trampled in the dusteverything held sacred in human eyes, and this fully prepared the wayfor the scenes of terror that followed. In studying these vials the reader should bear in mind constantly thereason _why_ they were sent as judgments upon the nations ofEurope--because of their former oppression of God's people. From thedays when the Popes received their first temporal authority at the handsof the Carlovingian king, Pepin and Charlemagne, France[11] constitutedthe real backbone of the Papacy, the very center of her power andauthority, as all history will show. In the fourteenth century the Papalseat was removed from Rome to Avignon, in France, where it remained forabout seventy years. During this period all the Popes were French, and"all their policies were shaped and controlled by the French kings. " Towrite a history of the Papacy during the Dark Ages is to outline thehistory of France, so closely are their affairs interwoven. Hence it isonly natural that she should be symbolized as the "sea" in this part ofthe Apocalypse, with the other nations as tributaries. Ver. 4-6. Thatthe French Revolution was in its effects a terrible blow to the thronesof despotism throughout Europe is shown by the following quotation fromthe Encyclopędia Britannica: "We are coming to the verge of the FrenchRevolution, which _surpasses all other revolutions the world has seen_in its completeness, the largeness of its theatre, the long preparationfor it ... Its _influence on the modern history of Europe_. " Art. France. [Footnote 11: Pepin and Charlemagne were, properly speaking, simplyGerman princes reigning in Gaul. The kingdom of France is usually datedfrom the accession of the first of the Capetian kings, late in the tenthcentury, 987. However, the Frankish nation, of whom the Carlovingiankings were leaders, laid the foundation of the French kingdom and gave anew name to Gaul--France. ] This revolution commenced on the fifth of May, 1789, in the Convocationof the States General, for the redress of grievances and the extricationof the government and nation from the difficulties under which they werelaboring. A conflict had been going on between despotism and popularrights, the throne and nobility contending for absolute power, and thepeople, for freedom. But when in this encounter the popular partytriumphed, there was no fear of God before the eyes of those who seizedthe reins of government. The infidelity of Voltaire and his associateshad removed the last restraint upon human passion, and the scenes ofterror that followed are without a parallel in history. The king wascondemned to death and executed. The barbarous execution of the queen, Marie Antoinette, followed in about six months, and this was immediatelysucceeded by the decree of the National Convention, of the most infamouscharacter, that of the violation of the tombs of St. Dennis and theprofanation of the sepulchres of the kings of France. I will quote fromSir A. Alison's noted History of Europe: "By a decree of the Convention, these venerable asylums of departedgreatness were ordered to be destroyed.... A furious multitudeprecipitated itself out of Paris; the tombs of Henry IV. , of Francis I. , and of Louis XII. , were ransacked, and their bones scattered in the air. Even the glorious name of Turenne could not protect his grave fromspoilation. His remains were almost undecayed, as when he received thefatal wound on the banks of the Lech. The bones of Charles V. , thesavior of his country, were dispersed. At his feet was found the coffinof the faithful Du Gueselin, and the French hands profaned the skeletonbefore which English invasion had rolled back. Most of these tombs werefound to be strongly secured. Much time, and no small exertion of skilland labor, were required to burst their barriers. They would haveresisted forever the decay of time or the violence of enemies; theyyielded to the fury of domestic dissension. This was followedimmediately by a general attack upon the monuments and remains ofantiquity throughout all France. The sepulchres of the great of pastages, of the barons and generals of the feudal ages, of thepaladins, and of the crusaders, were involved in one undistinguishedruin. It seemed as if the glories of antiquity were forgotten, or soughtto be buried in oblivion. The tomb of Du Gueselin shared the same fateas that of Louis XIV. The skulls of monarchs and heroes were tossedabout like foot balls by the profane multitude; like the grave-diggersin Hamlet, they made a jest of the lips before which the nations hadtrembled. " Having begun by waging this profane warfare upon their own gloriousdead, another scene of the fatal drama immediately succeeded. The sameauthor continues: "Having massacred the great of the present andinsulted the illustrious of former ages, nothing remained to therevolutionists but to direct their vengeance against heaven itself. Pache, Hebert, and Chaumette, the leaders of the municipality publiclyexpressed their determination 'to dethrone the God of heaven, as well asthe monarchs of earth. ' To accomplish this design, they prevailed onGobet, the apostate constitutional bishop of Paris, to appear at the barof the Assembly, accompanied by some of the clergy of his diocese, andthere abjure the Christian faith. He declared 'that no other nationalreligion was now required but that of Liberty, equality, and morality. 'Many of the constitutional bishops and clergy in the Convention joinedin the proposition. Crowds of drunken artisans and shameless prostitutescrowded to the bar, and trampled under their feet the sacred vases, consecrated for ages to the holiest purposes of religion. The churcheswere stripped of all their ornaments; their plate and valuable contentsbrought in heaps to the municipality and the Convention, from whencethey were sent to the mint to be melted down. Trampling under foot theimages of our Savior and the Virgin, they elevated, amid shouts ofapplause, the busts of Marat and Lepelletier, and danced around them, singing parodies on the Halleluiah, and dancing the Carmagnole. "Shortly after a still more indecent exhibition took place before theassembly.... Hebert and Chaumette, and their associates, appeared at thebar and declared 'that God did not exist, and that the worship of Reasonwas to be substituted in his stead. ' A veiled female, arrayed in bluedrapery, was brought into the Assembly; and Chaumette, taking her by thehand, 'Mortals, ' said he, 'cease to tremble before the powerlessthunders of a God whom your fears have created. Henceforth acknowledgeno divinity but Reason. I offer you its noblest and purest image; if youmust have idols, sacrifice only to this. ' When, letting fall the veil, he exclaimed, 'Fall before the august Senate of Freedom, O Veil ofReason!' At the same time, the goddess appeared personified by acelebrated beauty, the wife of Momoro, a printer, known in more than onecharacter to most of the Convention. The goddess after being embraced bythe president, was mounted on a magnificent car, and conducted, amid animmense crowd, to the cathedral of Notre Dame, to take the place of theDeity. There she was elevated on a high altar, and received theadoration of all present, while the young women, her attendants, whosealluring looks already sufficiently indicated their profession, retiredinto the chapels around the choir, where every species of licentiousnessand obscenity was indulged in without control, with hardly any veil fromthe public gaze. To such a length was this carried, that Robespierreafterward declared that Chaumette deserved death for the abominations hehad permitted on that occasion. Thenceforward that ancient edifice wascalled the _Temple of Reason_. " Such horrible events are sickening to relate; but as I started out todescribe the condition of this "sea" when it became as the blood of adead man, I must be faithful to the task. God was now dethroned; theservices of religion abandoned; every tenth day set apart for thehellish orgies of atheism and Reason; Marat was deified; the instrumentof death sanctified by the name "the holy Guillotine"; on the publiccemeteries was inscribed, "Death is an Eternal Sleep"; marriage was acivil contract, binding only during the pleasure of the contractingparties. Mademoiselle Arnout, a celebrated comedian, expressed thepublic feeling when she said, "_Marriage the sacrament of adultery_. "What an awful harvest would be expected of such seed! Alison continues: "A Revolutionary Tribunal was formed at Nantes, under the direction ofCarrier, and it soon outstripped even the rapid march of Danton andRobespierre. Their principle was that it was necessary to destroy _enmasse_, all the prisoners. At their command was formed a corps, calledthe Legion of Marat, composed of the most determined and bloodthirsty ofthe revolutionists, the members of which were entitled, on their ownauthority, to incarcerate any person whom they chose. The number oftheir prisoners was soon between three and four thousand, and theydivided among themselves all their property. Whenever a further supplyof captives was wanted, the alarm was spread of a counter-revolution, the _generale_ beat, the cannon planted; and this was followedimmediately by innumerable arrests. Nor were they long in disposing oftheir captives. The miserable wretches were either slain with poinardsin prison, or carried out in a vessel and drowned by wholesale in theLoire. On one occasion a hundred 'fanatical priests, ' as they weretermed, were taken out together, striped of their clothes, andprecipitated into the waters.... Women big with child, infants eight, nine, and ten years of age, were thrown together into the stream, on thesides of which men, armed with sabres, were placed to cut off theirheads if the waves should throw them undrowned on the shore. "On one occasion, by orders of Carrier, twenty-three of therevolutionists, on another twenty-four, were guillotined without anytrial. The executioner remonstrated, but in vain. Among them were manychildren of seven or eight years of age, and seven women; theexecutioner died two or three days after, with horror at what he himselfhad done. So great was the multitude of captives who were brought in onall sides, that the executioners, as well as the company of Marat, declared themselves exhausted with fatigue; and a new method ofdisposing of them was adopted, borrowed from Nero, but improved on theplan of that tyrant. A hundred or a hundred and fifty victims, for themost part women and children, were crowded together in a boat, with aconcealed trap-door in the bottom, which was conducted into the middleof the Loire; at a signal given, the crew leaped into another boast, thebolts were withdrawn, and the shrieking victims precipitated into thewaters, amid the laughter of the company of Marat, who stood on thebanks to cut down any who approached the shore. This was what Carriercalled his _Republican Baptisms_. The _Republican Marriages_ were, ifpossible, a still greater refinement of cruelty. Two persons ofdifferent sexes, bereft of every species of dress, were bound together, and after being left in torture in that situation for half an hour, thrown into the river. Such was the quantity of corpses accumulated inthe Loire, that the water of that river was affected, so as to render apublic ordinance necessary, forbidding the use of it to the inhabitants;and the mariners, when they heaved their anchors, frequently brought upboats charged with corpses. Birds of prey flocked to the shores and fedon human flesh; while the very fish became so poisonous, as to induce anorder of the municipality of Nantes, prohibiting them to be taken by thefishermen. "The scenes in the prisons which preceded these horrible executionsexceeded all that romance had figured of the terrible. Many women diedof terror the moment a man entered their cells, conceiving that theywere about to be led out to the noyades; the floors were covered withthe bodies of their infants, numbers of whom were yet quivering in theagonies of death. On one occasion, the inspector entered the prison toseek for a child, where, the evening before, he had left above threehundred infants; they were all gone in the morning, having been drownedthe preceding night. Fifteen thousand persons perished either under thehands of the executioner, or of disease in prison, in one month: thetotal victims of the Reign of Terror at that place exceeded thirtythousand. " After narrating scenes of terror in Paris, Alison says again: "Suchaccumulated horrors annihilated all the charities and intercourse oflife. Before daybreak the shops of the provision merchants were besiegedby crowds of women and children, clamoring for the food which the law ofthe _maximum_ in general prevented them from obtaining. The farmerstrembled to bring their fruits to the market, the shop-keepers to exposethem to sale. The richest quarters of the town were deserted; noequipages of crowds of passengers were to be seen on the streets; thesinister words, _Propriete Nationale_, imprinted in large characters onthe walls, everywhere showed how far the work of confiscation hadproceeded. Passengers hesitated to address their most intimate friendson meeting; the extent of calamity had rendered men suspicious even ofthose they loved most. Every one assumed the coarsest dress, and themost squalid appearance; an elegant exterior would have been the certainforerunner of destruction. At one hour only were any symptoms ofanimation seen: it was when the victims were conveyed to execution; thehumane fled with horror from the sight, the infuriated rushed in crowdsto satiate their eyes with the sight of human agony. "Night came, but with it no diminution of the anxiety of the people. Every family early assembled its members; with trembling looks theygazed around the room, fearful that the very walls might harbortraitors. The sound of a foot, the stroke of a hammer, a voice in thestreets, froze all hearts with horror. If a knock was heard at the door, every one, in agonized suspense, expected his fate. Unable to enduresuch protracted misery, numbers committed suicide. 'Had the reign ofRobespierre, ' said Freron, 'continued longer, multitudes would havethrown themselves under the guillotine; the first of social affections, the love of life, was already extinguished in almost every heart. '" With one more quotation from this historian I will dismiss this horribletheme: "The combination of wicked men who thereafter governed France, iswithout parallel in the history of the world. Their power, based on theorganized weight of the multitude, and the ardent co-operation of themunicipalities, everywhere installed by them in the position of power, was irresistible. All bowed the neck before this gigantic assemblage ofwickedness. The revolutionary excesses daily increased, in consequenceof the union which the constant dread of retribution produced amongtheir perpetrators. There was no medium between taking part in theseatrocities, and falling a victim to them. Virtue seemed powerless;energy appeared only in the extremity of resignation; religion in theheroism of which death was endured. There was not a hope left forFrance, had it not been for the dissentions which, as the natural resultof their wickedness, sprung up among the authors of the publiccalamities. "It is impossible not to be struck, in looking back on the fate of thesedifferent parties, with the singular and providential manner in whichtheir crimes brought about their own punishment. No foreigninterposition was necessary, no avenging angel was required to vindicatethe justice of divine administration. They fell the victims of their ownatrocity, of the passions which they themselves had let loose, of theinjustice of which they had given the first example to others TheConstitutionalists overthrew the ancient monarchy, and formed a limitedgovernment; but their imprudence in raising popular ambition paved theway for the tenth of August, and speedily brought themselves to thescaffold; the Girondists established their favored dream of a republic, and were the first victims of the fury which it excited; the Dantonistsroused the populace against the Gironde, and soon fell under the axewhich they had prepared for their rivals; the anarchists defied thepower of 'heaven itself, ' but scarce were their blasphemies uttered, when they were swept off by the partners of their bloody triumphs. Oneonly power remained, alone, terrible, irresistible. This was the powerof Death, wielded by a faction steeled against every feeling ofhumanity, dead to every principle of justice. In their iron hands, orderresumed its sway from the influence of terror; obedience becameuniversal, from the extinction of hope. Silent and unresisted, they ledtheir victims to the scaffold, dreaded alike by the soldiers whocrouched, the people who trembled, and the victims who suffered. Thehistory of the world _has no parallel_ to that long night of suffering, because _it has none to the guilt which preceded it_; tyranny neverassumed so hideous a form, because licentiousness never required sosevere a punishment. " Prom this awful description, which might be carried to almost anyextent, the reader will understand the force of the prophecy whichdeclared that the "sea became as the blood of a dead man, and everyliving soul died in the sea. " 4. And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood. 5. And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus. 6. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy. 7. And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments. Fountains and rivers are tributaries to the sea, and thus, theysymbolize the inferior communities and nations belonging to theApocalyptic earth. France was the great central power and the sea ofrevolution upon which the second vial descended. The surrounding nationswere the rivers and fountains upon which the third was poured. It is notsaid of them that they became as the blood of a dead man, nor that everyliving thing in them died, but only that "they became blood. " Thissymbol denotes the insurrections and desolating wars in which thenations of Europe were involved for a number of years, growing out ofthe French Revolution. I shall not here take time nor space to enterinto the historical details relating to this statement; the facts arewell known. "The blood-thirsty Jacobinism of France waged war not onlyupon its own monarchy, but sought to overturn all the thrones andfabrics of despotism in Europe. The same system of infidelity andatheism had been spread through the kingdoms there, though not to sogreat an extent as in France, and prepared the elements for revolutionin them likewise. " The French republic encouraged these agitations andby a unanimous decree of the Assembly, in 1792, set itself in openhostility with all the established governments of Europe. It was inthese words: "The National Convention declares in the name of the Frenchnation, that it will grant fraternity and assistance to all people whowish to recover their liberty; and it charges the executive power tosend the necessary orders to the generals, to give succor to suchpeople, and to defend those citizens who have suffered, or may suffer inthe cause of liberty. " "The Revolution, having accomplished its work inFrance, having there destroyed royal despotism, ... Now set itself aboutfulfilling its early promise of giving liberty to all peoples. In aword, the revolutionists became propagandists. France now exhibits whather historians call her social, her communicative genius. " Napoleon wasright when he said that a revolution in France was sure to be followedby a revolution throughout Europe. "France conceived the idea that shehad a Divine mission, as the great apostle of liberty, to propagaterepublicanism through all the kingdoms of Europe. In her madness ofintoxication she undertook the work, threw down the gauntlet, and thefierce tocsin of war sounded from nation to nation, until the continentwas converted into one vast battle-field. " The "angel of the waters" signifies the angel that had charge of thevial of wrath poured out upon the rivers and fountains of waters. Infull view of the awful plagues sent upon the inhabitants of earth, onegrand thought seemed to occupy his mind--the righteousness of thesejudgments. It is not such a thought as humanity would have in mind whenreading the history of these fearful convulsions of society, one sceneof terror only preparing the way for another more horrible, until theywould feel like closing the book and asking, "When will this awful nightof horror be over? When will these avenging judgments cease?" These, however, were not the thoughts of this angel clothed in spotlessgarments; for, draining his vial to the dregs and forcing the nations todrink it, he said: "Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, andshalt be, because thou hast judged thus. For they have shed the blood ofsaints and prophets, and thou hast given them _blood to drink_; for theyare worthy. " Truly, in this the Word of God is fulfilled, which says, "My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways. " Isa. 55:8. That class of people who represent God as a kind, loving Fatheronly, one who will not take vengeance upon the objects of his owncreation--let them visit in the pages of history these nations ofEurope, scathed and blasted with the hot thunderbolts of divine wrath, until their minds sicken with horror at the sight of human agony andblood. In full view of these horrifying scenes let them hear the angelof the waters saying, "Thou art righteous, O Lord ... Because thou hastjudged thus; for they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, andthou hast given them blood to drink, for they are worthy"; while anothervoice from heaven, even from the altar, replies, "Even so, Lord GodAlmighty, _true and righteous_ are thy judgments"--and their theologymust here break down. The thoughts just expressed confirm with certainty our interpretation ofthe "sea" and "rivers and fountains of waters" as signifying thosenations which had been the persecutors of the saints, and show, also, the character of the divine judgments as being the shedding of theirblood. They had shed the blood of saints and prophets, and now the samecup of wrath was placed to their lips, and they were forced to drink itto the dregs. God remembered the sighs and groans of his faithfulfollowers; the cry of the martyrs for the avenging of their blood on"them that dwell on the earth" reached his ear; and now the time ofretribution began. 8. And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. 9. And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory. The sun is the great central luminary of the earth, under whose geniallight and warmth everything rejoices and develops in forms of beauty. When, however, a scorching power is given to his rays, the earth becomesas a furnace in which every green thing is burnt up. What the sun is tothis world, such are the ruling powers to a kingdom; and power beinggiven them to scorch as with fire denotes that the government would beadministered, not for the good of the people, but for the purpose ofoppression. A scorching sun, therefore, is a proper symbol of tyrantrulers. Still keeping in view the object of God in sending these firstplagues--the punishment of the nations embraced within the territory ofthe ten former kingdoms of Europe--we are directed with certainty to thenext great scourge that followed as a result of those alreadydeveloped--the almost universal military empire of Napoleon. The successof three of the four greatest military leaders the world has everseen--Alexander, Cęsar, and Charlemagne--has been so clearly predictedby inspiration that no believer in the truth of Revelation attempts todeny it; therefore it is not surprising that the fourth--Napoleon--should also be assigned a place in Apocalyptic vision: not so muchbecause of his all-powerful military genius merely, but because of hismighty influence and effects upon the very nations that were especiallymade the subject of prophecy, as they stand connected with the historyof God's people for centuries. At the close of the Revolution the Frenchnation had not virtue nor religion necessary to remedy the evils underwhich they had long been suffering from the oppression of theirmonarchs; for when they undertook the work and demolished the throne, they let loose all the wildest elements of wrath to rage withoutrestraint. The nation rejected God, and God rejected the nation. He gavethem up to their own madness, to the fury of the most atrociouswickedness that was ever developed under heaven. "From the wild excessesand intolerable calamities of blood-red republicanism, the people wererejoiced at length to find a refuge in a gigantic military despotism, which became the terror and scourge of Europe. " But the hand of God wasin this thing, also. When the sun scorches the earth with burning heat, it is God that gives it its power. So Napoleon with his iron will andtowering genius was only an instrument in God's hand for scourging theguilty nations. In the ordinary sense of the term Napoleon was not atyrant to his own nation. Still, his government was a despotism toFrance; while to the Apocalyptic earth, or the ten kingdoms, he was ascorching sun, for his empire extended over the whole. It finally becamea saying that "if Napoleon's cocked hat and gray coat should be raisedon the cliffs of Boulogne, all Europe would run to arms. " This agreeswith the statement of the historian Judson, concerning the monarchs ofEurope, that "the mere name of Napoleon was a dread to them. " None ofthem could stand before his terrible onset. "Europe was shaken from endto end by such armies as the world had not seen since the days ofXerxes. Napoleon, whose hands were upheld by a score of distinguishedmarshals, performed the miracles of genius. His brilliant achievementsstill dazzle, while they amaze, the world. " The crowns and scepters ofEurope he held as play-things in his hand, to dispose of at pleasure. Says Wickes: "Never in the history of Christendom were ancient dynastiesoverthrown, and new ones created, kings made and unmade, within so shorta period, as during the unparallelled career of this great conqueror. Hehad the crowns and kingdoms of all Europe in his gift, to settle as hepleased, or bestow as presents upon his relatives and friends. To hisbrother Jerome he gave the crown of Westphalia; to his brother Louis, the crown of Holland; to his brother Joseph, the kingdom of Spain; tohis brother-in-law and general Murat, the kingdom of Naples; and othershe conferred upon his favorite marshals. " When he invaded Russia, a territory outside of the Apocalyptic earth, heexceeded his mission, and there met with the most terrible overthrow. Although he entered that kingdom with the most magnificent army that hehad ever gathered together, yet for suffering and disaster that famousretreat from burning Moscow stands without a parallel in history. It wasnot the Russian armies that prevailed against him; it was God thatfought against him with the blasts of his north wind. These speedilysilenced those tremendous parks of artillery that had thundered upon thefields of Jena, Friedland, Wagram, Marengo and Austerlitz, and scatteredthose invincible battalions that had marched triumphant over Europe. Ney, at the head of the National Guards, ever before victorious, wascompelled to beat a hasty retreat, glad to escape with the smallestremnant of his host. Napoleon failed here because God had given him nomission to perform in that territory. Concerning his ambition, the Encyclopędia Britannica says: "With a frameof iron, Napoleon could endure any hardships; and in war, in artilleryespecially and engineering, he stands unrivalled in the world'shistory.... He could not rest, and knew not when he had achievedsuccess.... He succeeded in alienating the peoples of Europe, in whosebehalf he pretended to be acting. And when they learned by bitterexperience that he had absolutely no love for liberty, and encouragedequality only so long as it was an equality of subjects under his rule, they soon began to war against what was in fact a world-destroyingmilitary despotism. " He was inspired with the most unbounded ambition, which was nothing short of despotism over all Europe, if not the world. Universal empire was his grand object, or, as it has been expressed byhistorians, a desire to concentrate "the world in Europe--Europe inFrance--France in Paris--Paris in _himself_. " Says Wickes: "The empirewhich he actually reared in Europe was a vast, oppressive, centralizeddespotism.... To build it up, he desolated France through his terribleconscriptions, requiring the whole strength and flower of the nation tosupply his armies. It is stated that after the wars of Napoleon therewere three times the number of women in France that there were of men. The fathers, the husbands, the sons, the brothers, had fallen upon thebattle-field, and thus desolated almost every household in the kingdom. Similar desolation also he carried by his wars into the other kingdoms. " The dread of Napoleon settled down upon all the nations of Europe. Theycould not cope with his mighty genius, and therefore his presence was aterror to them. When the allied powers secured his first abdication, in1814, and sent him to the island of Elba, the desolating results of hislong career were shown in the work that the Congress of Vienna wascalled upon to perform when it assembled in the fall of 1814. While therepresentatives of the powers were laboring to repair the damage thathad been wrought and to adjust the territorial limitations of thevarious nations that had been altered or entirely demolished, theassemblage was suddenly surprised the following spring by the news thatNapoleon had escaped from Elba and was enroute to Paris. The terror andconsternation in Europe then experienced is shown by the followingquotation from Sir James Mackintosh, a man of high reputation as ajurist, as a historian, and as a far-sighted and candid statesman: "Was it in the power of language to describe the evil! Wars which hadraged for more than twenty years throughout Europe, which had spreadblood and desolation from Cadiz to Moscow, and from Naples toCopenhagen; which had wasted the means of human enjoyment, and destroyedthe instruments of social improvement; which threatened to diffuse amongthe European nations the dissolute and ferocious habits of a predatorysoldiery ... Had been brought to a close.... Europe seemed to breatheafter her sufferings. In the midst of this fair prospect and of theseconsolatory hopes, Napoleon Bonaparte escaped from Elba; three smallvessels reached the coast of Provence; their hopes are instantlydispelled; the work of our toil and fortitude is undone: the blood ofEurope is spilled in vain. " The bitterest ingredients in the cup of these nations was thehumiliating overthrow of their own government and their subjection tothe hated _republican_ despotism of France. It was a scorching sun thatthey could not endure. Still, they repented not to give God glory; theycontinued as before. After Napoleon had accomplished the purpose forwhich he was intended, God permitted this stupendous genius to besubdued; but it required the combined powers of Europe to secure hisdownfall. Creasy, in his Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World, says concerningthe battle of Waterloo, "The great battle which ended the twenty-threeyears' war of the first French revolution, and which quelled the manwhose genius and ambition had so long _disturbed and desolated theworld_, deserves to be regarded by us ... With peculiar gratitude forthe repose which it secured for us and for the greater part of the humanrace. " 10. And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, 11. And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds. Under this vial the symbols differ somewhat. The "beast" is evidentlythe one of whom the image was made, referred to in verse 2--the Papacy. The seat that the Papacy occupied from the time the dragon resigned infavor of the beast (chap. 13:2) was his position of temporal power andauthority. In the following chapter the Papacy is described as _seated_upon a ten-horned beast, the ten horns of which symbolized the kingdomsof Europe. In this position it was able to exercise a guiding influenceover the European nations. We have already seen what great power thePopes exercised in this direction during the Dark Ages. But the "beast"of chapter 17 himself, as distinguished from his horns, symbolizes theHoly Roman Empire, which was a revival of the old empire of the Cęsars. This revived "world-empire" was closely allied to the Papacy. WhenCharlemagne, the Carlovingian king, restored the empire of the West, hewas crowned "Emperor of the Romans" by Pope Leo III. , A. D. 800. "ThePopes made the descendants of Charles Martel kings and emperors; thegrateful Frankish princes defended the Popes against all their enemies, imperial and barbarian, and dowering them with cities and provinces, laid the basis of their temporal sovereignty, which continued for morethan a thousand years. " After the decline of the Carlovingian power theimperial authority was again revived by Otto the Great (962), who wascrowned Emperor of the Romans by the Pope. Henceforth the empire of theWest was termed the _Holy Roman Empire_. "From this time on it was therule that the German king who was crowned at Aachen had a right to becrowned ... Emperor at Rome. " So the general rule was that the Popesupheld the emperors, and the emperors sustained the Popes in theirposition as the spiritual heads of the church and as temporal rulersover the Papal states, which were granted them originally by thedonations of Pepin and Charlemagne. In chapter 13 the civil powers of Europe and the ecclesiastical power ofRome are not shown by a double symbol--a woman and a beast--as inchapter 17, but are there represented by a combination of symbols drawnfrom the departments of human life and animal life, which shows that apolitico-religious system is intended, as heretofore explained; hencethe term _beast_, as there used, signifies either the Papacy or thecivil power. Thus the term is used in the present chapter underconsideration, and has reference here to the beast as an ecclesiasticalpower--the Papacy--and his "seat" refers to his temporal authority. This vial, then, being poured out upon his seat, with the result thathis kingdom was filled with darkness--a symbol drawn from nature--pointsto the downfall of the Pope as a temporal ruler. Thus he would bedeprived of his "seat. " We have already seen that each plague prepares the way for a succeedingone. Under the reign of Napoleon the Holy Roman Empire was dissolved(1806). This was the beginning of the end of the Pope's temporalauthority; for the two had in a great measure been for agesinterdependent upon each other. Pius VII. Was made a prisoner and thetemporal sovereignty of the Roman See declared to be at an end; whilethe Pope himself was forced to disown all claim to rank as a temporalruler. Of course, this was but a temporary overthrow; for when theperiod of Reaction came, the Pope recovered also temporal authority. Butthe vast territories of Avignon, Venaissin, Bologna, Ferrara, and theRomagna--representing fully _a third_ of all the Papal dominions--whichhad been forcibly ceded to France under Napoleon, was never restored tothe Roman See. From that time the sun of the Pope's temporal kingdomrapidly approached the horizon; while the inhabitants of his dominionscontinued to blaspheme God through the atheistical Jacobinism thatinfested to so great an extent the whole mass of society--symbolized bytheir "sores"--and the firm supporters of Popery were filled withexcessive chagrin and mortification of mind--symbolized by their"pains"--because the power of their leader, who professed temporalsovereignty over the whole earth, was being suddenly destroyed and hiskingdom left in darkness. Concerning this matter the People'sCyclopędia, after speaking of the blow the Pope's spiritual supremacyreceived at the Reformation, says: "But in her relations to the Statethe Roman church has since passed through _a long and criticalstruggle_. The new theories _to which the French Revolution gavecurrency_ have still further modified these relations. " In the secondrevolution of 1848 the Pope's temporal authority was about to beentirely destroyed by the attempted establishment of the republic ofItaly; but at this juncture France, who, notwithstanding her plagues, had not repented of her former deeds, not willing to desert entirely thePapal cause after upholding it faithfully for centuries, interfered, andthe Pope was sustained in his position by a French garrison until 1870(except a short time in 1867), at which time the success of King VictorEmmanuel and his capture of the Eternal City established the freegovernment of United Italy. The temporal sun of the Pope set forever;his kingdom was left in darkness. 12. And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. 13. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. 15. Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. 16. And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. The symbols under this vial are so different that at first they scarcelylook like anything constituting a plague. By recalling a fewcircumstances of history we shall understand why the river Euphrates wasselected as a symbol, and also, its true signification in thisconnection. This river was connected with ancient Babylon, and whilerunning in its own channel was the protection of the city and anobstacle to its capture. By turning the water of this river from itscourse, King Cyrus (according to the account given by Herodotus)succeeded in overthrowing the city, with the result that God's peoplewho were at that time in captivity there received permission to returnto their own land and to rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem. Ezra1:1-3. Under the sixth trumpet this symbol was applied to the fourangels as a symbol of the restraint placed upon their operations, theybeing bound in that river. As there are no agents in this vision who arerepresented as bound, we must apply it to the city itself, the name ofwhich is given in verse 19--Babylon--being a symbol of one of itsdefenses. According to verse 19 this mystical Babylon is composed ofthree parts, being made up of the dragon (in his modern form), thebeast, and the false prophet mentioned in verse 13. And its location isnot confined to the territory of the ten kingdoms; for its field ofoperations is not only that of the "earth"--the Apocalyptic earth--but"_of the whole world_. " Ver. 14. In one division of this great city, that of the false prophet, God's people were long held in captivity; butits spiritual overthrow was to be accomplished by the drying up of theEuphrates of its defenses, that the way of the kings of the East mightbe prepared. [12] [Footnote 12: Applying the Euphrates (an object from nature) as a symbolof ecclesiastical affairs in this manner appears to be in violation ofthe laws of symbolic language laid down; but we should bear in mind thefact that events of whatever nature connected with the history of God'schosen people in the old dispensation are of themselves proper symbolsof similar events in the New Testament dispensation. Thus the temple, altar, candle-sticks, incense, holy city, etc. , of the formerdispensation, although of themselves objects from nature, arenevertheless clearly used to represent affairs of the church, because oftheir former significance as connected with the people of God. The factthat the great city of this chapter is spiritual Babylon (see verse 19)is positive proof that the river Euphrates is here applied in the propermanner. ] To the Hebrews the term _east_ had a much more extensive significationthan with us, to whom its only distinction is that it is the point ofthe sun's rising. But beyond this, it was to the Jews the cardinal pointof the compass to which they naturally looked first. Their temple wasbuilt toward the east, its principal entrance being in that direction. The most powerful and enlightened kingdoms of the world lay to the eastof Judea, and they included them all under the general term, sons orchildren of the East (Orientals) and kings of the East, comprehendingnot only Arabia and the lands of Moab and Ammon, but also Armenia, Assyria, Mesopotamia, Babylonia and Chaldea. Travelers from thesecountries would all enter Judea from the east, and they were consideredOrientals. These nations were also distinguished for their proficiencyin science and learning. The Magi, or wise men of the East, came toworship the infant Jesus at Jerusalem. They were eminent in the scienceof astrology, which was considered the greatest science of that day. TheEast, therefore, was looked to for wise men; and it is a noticeable factthat the pathway of science, of literature, and of empire has ever beenfrom that direction, so as to have passed into a proverb, "westward thestar of empire holds its way. " "The kings of the East, " then, employedas a symbol of this sixth vial, is not intended to signify any personsliterally from that quarter of the earth, but represents the bringing inof knowledge and understanding. Thank God that we live in the time whenthe defenses of spiritual Babylon have been broken through and whenlight and knowledge on the Word of God has reached the hearts of manyredeemed souls held in bondage there! And like the Israelites of old, when Cyrus, entered the ancient Babylon through the dry river-bed of theEuphrates, they have come out with rejoicing and made their way to Zionagain. Halleluiah! That the spiritual downfall of Babylon is a realplague to sectarians there can be no doubt, and it is plainly declaredto be such in chap. 18:8, where the same event is described. At the very time when the defenses of Babylon are thrown down, the threeunclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon(Paganism), and out of the mouth of the beast (Romanism), and out of themouth of the false prophet (Protestantism), to gather together all thewicked powers throughout "the whole world" for that last great day ofGod Almighty. [13] There is no analagous object to which a _spirit_ canbe made a symbol; therefore we must regard them as being literallyspirits of devils, here appearing under their own appropriate title. Their mission is to form a confederation of all the gigantic powers ofwickedness, slimy and loathsome as the animal to which they are likened, and to array themselves against the cause of Christ. [Footnote 13: I do not suppose that these three unclean spirits shouldbe limited in their operations to Paganism, Romanism, and Protestantism;for that leaves out Mohammedanism, which is neither Pagan, Roman, norProtestant, yet is certainly "false prophecy"; and the three spiritswere to gather the "whole world. "] Armageddon, where the spirits gathered all the enemies of truth andrighteousness together, means the mountain of Megiddo, the memorablefield of the overthrow of Sisera's mighty host by Barak. It was also theplace of great defeat to the Israelites in the time of Josiah and thescene of his death. The name, therefore, stands as a symbol for a fieldof slaughter or defeat and denotes that when the confederation ofwickedness is complete, the united host of God's enemies will be utterlydefeated, as by the overthrow of Megiddo. This great conflict withpowers of wickedness and spirits infernal will be further explained inchapter XX. Simultaneous with the notable events of this vial, the announcement ismade of the near-coming of Christ to the world--"Behold I come as athief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest hewalk naked, and they see his shame. " The children of God that have beengathered out of old Babylon rejoice in the glad announcement and say, "Even so come, Lord Jesus. " 17. And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. 18. And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. 19. And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. 20. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 21. And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great. The application of this vial to the judgments of the last great day isso plain that but little comment is here necessary. It was poured "intothe air, " a region of vast extent, not confined to a given locality, butembracing the whole earth. Hence this plague is universal. When theseventh angel emptied his vial, "There came a great voice out of thetemple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. " All is nowfulfilled. The work of wrath is finished. The description of the plaguefollows, but it follows only _as a description_. As actuallyaccomplished, it preceded that great voice, which was uttered in view ofthe thing already brought to pass. The dissolution of the earth itself upon which we live is not heredescribed, although according to the teaching of other scriptures itoccurs at this time; but the symbols, being drawn from the department ofthe operations both of humanity and of nature, show the complete andfinal overthrow of all the great powers civil and ecclesiastical. Thedominancy of these great powers has been the chief burden of Apocalypticvision, and here their utter destruction at last is set forth undervarious symbols. The weight of the Jewish talent is said to have beenone hundred and fourteen pounds. Such a mass of ice descending fromheaven would beat down everything in its resistless, desolating fury. There is no intimation, however, of men being killed under this or theaccompanying symbols; therefore as individuals they survive, while thestorm of wrath falls upon the civil and ecclesiastical institutions ofsociety, resulting in their utter annihilation. This is the "great dayof his wrath" described under the sixth seal, to the symbols of whichthis description bears a striking resemblance, as any one can see at aglance. Well may the oppressors of earth say to the mountains and hills, "Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on thethrone, and from the wrath of the Lamb: for the great day of his wrathis come; and who shall be able to stand?" Chap. 6:16, 17. CHAPTER XVII. And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will show unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: 2. With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. 3. So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. 4. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: 5. And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. 6. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration. Here again the narrative returns to take up another series of thehistory. A number of times we have been taken over the same ground. Itis this feature of the Apocalypse more than any other that has misledand perplexed commentators. Attempting to explain it as one continuousnarrative from beginning to end, they have been compelled to considernumerous passages as "digressions, " "parentheses, " or "episodes, " etc. As already observed, however, the prophecy is not arranged after theordinary plan of histories, narrating all the contemporaneous events ina given period, whether civil, religious, literary, scientific, orbiographical, thus finishing up the history of that period; but itconsists of a number of distinct themes running over the same ground. In this chapter a more particular description of the church of Rome, "that great city which reigneth over the kings of the earth" (verse 18), is given under the symbol of a drunken harlot. With this vile prostitute"the kings of the earth have committed fornication"--they haveencouraged her in her corruption and idolatries--"and the inhabitants ofthe earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. " Thislatter symbol is doubtless taken from the cup of drugged wine with whichlewd women were accustomed to inflame their lovers. So had this apostatechurch made "the inhabitants of the earth"--of the ten kingdoms--drunkenwith her wine-cup and thus rendered them willing partakers in herabominable idolatries. She is described in two positions--first, as"sitting upon many waters, " which the angel informs us "are peoples, andmultitudes, and nations, and tongues" (verse 15); and second, "upon ascarlet-colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven headsand ten horns. " The first position denotes her wide supremacy in theworld over distant peoples and nations; the second, the closerelationship that she sustained to the civil power. That beast carriedher in royal state. The civil powers of Europe have usually lentthemselves as a caparisoned hack for this great whore to ride upon andhave considered themselves highly honored thereby. This beast was fullof the names of blasphemy, which were the same as the blasphemousassumptions of the Papacy, as explained in chapter XIII, showing that heagreed perfectly with this apostate church in her impious claims andsupported her in them, making himself equally guilty and deserving ofthe same name. What is intended exactly by his scarlet color I do notknow. The same power under its Pagan form was represented as a reddragon. The appearance of this woman was that of the most splendid character, nor are we to suppose the contrary because she was such an infamousprostitute. She may have been, and according to the description was, allthat, but still her appearance was such as to bewitch her admirers andvotaries. Robes of purple and scarlet, with the most costly profusion ofgold and diamonds, were superb adorning, even regal splendor. All thatskill and wealth could do in magnificence of attire was bestowed uponher to set forth her charms. The "golden cup in her hand" was as torichness in harmony with her dress, while as to contents it set forthher character, for it was "full of abominations and filthiness of herfornication. " This cup was an appropriate symbol of her atrociouswickedness and idolatries. This woman had also a name written on her forehead. It was not, indeed, placed there by herself nor by her admirers; but He who drew thissymbolic picture placed it there that all might know her true character. "MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OFTHE EARTH. " Although this apostate church was only in embryo in theapostles' day, yet the apostle who gave us a careful delineation of itsterrible characteristics declared that it was then developing anddenominated it a _mystery_. "The mystery of iniquity doth already work. "2 Thes. 2:7. The same apostle regarded as an unquestionable fact that_godliness_ was a mystery (1 Tim. 3:16); but he who peruses the historyof the Papacy will be forced to declare with emphasis, "Withoutcontroversy great is the mystery of Romanism. " She is also styledBabylon the Great. This name is derived from ancient Babylon. This citywas the center of the earth's idolatry and stood first of all as thedirect enemy of God's people. So, likewise, this church is the center ofearth's spiritual idolatry. There are other harlots, or corruptchurches, in the world beside her; but she is the _mother_ of them all. They are all children by her side. Some of them greatly honor her and indeep veneration call her "_our holy mother church_;" but God brands heras the "mother of harlots and abominations of the earth. " But the statement that she was a harlot merely, does not entirelydescribe her character. She was a _drunken_ harlot. Drunken withwhat--wine? No indeed; that were a very small sin for her. She was"drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrsof Jesus. " Romanists positively declare that their church neverpersecutes; but with the picture of this drunken prostitute before oureyes, we shall be hard to convince. To illustrate this point fully wouldbe to write a book of martyrs much larger than the present work; so, forlack of space only, we shall have to content ourselves with merelybringing forward a few of many historical proofs showing _that theythemselves_ claim the right to exterminate heretics. Innumerable provincial and national councils have issued the most crueland bloody laws for the extermination of the Waldenses and otherso-called heretics; such as the Councils of Oxford, Toledo, Avignon, Tours, Lavaur, Albi, Narbonne, Beziers, Tolosa, etc. Since Papists willassert that these had no authority to establish a doctrine of the church(although they clearly reflect its spirit), I remind the reader thatsome of their _General_ Councils have by their decrees pronounced thepunishment of death for heresy. At least six of these highest judicialassemblies of the Romish church, with the Pope at their head, haveauthoritatively enjoined the persecution and extermination of heretics. Extracts from the Acts of these Councils could be given if spacepermitted. 1. The second General Council of Lateran (1139), in itstwenty-third canon. 2. The third General Council of Lateran (1179), under Pope Alexander III. 3. The fourth General Council of Lateran(1215), under the inhuman Pope Innocent III. , which exceeded in ferocityall similar decrees that had preceded it. 4. The sixteenth GeneralCouncil, held at Constance in 1414. This Council, with Pope Martinpresent in person, condemned the reformers Huss and Jerome to be burnedat the stake and then prevailed on the emperor Sigismund to violate thesafe-conduct that he had given Huss, signed by his own hand, in which heguaranteed the reformer a safe return to Bohemia; and the inhumansentence was carried out, with the haughty prelates standing by tosatiate their eyes on the sight of human agony. This council alsocondemned the writings of Wickliffe and _ordered his bones to be dug upand burnt_, which savage sentence was afterwards carried into effect;and after lying in their grave for forty years, the remains of thisfirst translator of the English Bible were reduced to ashes and throwninto the brook Swift. Well has the historian Fuller said, in referenceto this subject, "The brook Swift did convey his ashes into Avon, theAvon into Severn, the Severn into the narrow seas, and they into themain ocean. And thus the ashes of Wickliffe are the emblem of hisdoctrie, which is now dispersed all over the world. " 5. The Council ofSienna (1423), which was afterwards continued at Basil. 6. The fifthGeneral Council of the Lateran (1514). The laws enacted in eachsucceeding Council were generally marked, if possible, with augmentedbarbarity. Says the learned Edgar, in his Variations of Popery: "The principle ofpersecution, being sanctioned not only by theologians, Popes andprovincial synods but also by General Councils, _is a necessary andintegral part of Romanism_. The Romish communion has, by itsrepresentatives, declared its right to compel men to renounce heterodoxyand embrace Catholicism, and to consign the obstinate to the civil powerto be banished, tortured, or killed. " St. Aquinas, whom Romanists callthe "angelic Doctor, " says, "Heretics are to be compelled by corporealpunishments, that they may adhere to the faith. " Again, "Heretics maynot only be excommunicated, but _justly killed_. " He says that "thechurch consigns such to the secular judges _to be exterminated from theworld by death_. " Cardinal Bellarmine is the great champion of Romanism and expounder ofits doctrines. He was the nephew of Pope Marcellus, and he isacknowledged to be a standard writer with Romanists. In the twenty-firstand twenty-second chapters of the third book of his work entitled _DeLaicis_, he enters into a regular argument to prove that the church hasthe right, and should exercise it, of punishing heretics with death. Theheading is his, together with what follows. "Chapter XXI. _That heretics, condemned by the church, may be punishedwith temporal penalties and even death. _ We will briefly show that thechurch has the _power and ought_ to cast off incorrigible heretics, especially those who have elapsed, and that the secular power ought toinflict on such temporal punishments and even death itself. 1. This maybe proved from the Scripture. 2. It is proved from the opinions and lawsof the emperors, _which the church has always approved_. 3. _It isproved by the laws of the church ... Experience proves that there is noother remedy;_ for the church has tried step by step all remedies--firstexcommunication alone; then pecuniary penalties; afterward banishment;_and lastly has been forced to put them to death; to send them to theirown place_.... There are three grounds on which reason shows thatheretics should be put to death: the first is, Lest the wicked shouldinjure the righteous; second, That by the punishment of a few many maybe reformed. For many who were made torpid by impunity, are _roused bythe fear of punishment_; AND THIS WE DAILY SEE IS THE RESULT WHERE THEINQUISITION FLOURISHES, " etc. "Chapter XXII. _Objections answered. _ It remains to answer theobjections of Luther and other heretics. Argument 1. From the history ofthe church at large. 'The church, ' says Luther, 'from the beginning evento this time, _has never burned a heretic_. Therefore it does not seemto be the mind of the Holy Spirit that they should be burnt!' [He surelymisunderstood Luther. ] I reply that this argument proves not thesentiment, but the ignorance, or impudence of Luther; FOR AS ALMOST ANINFINITE NUMBER WERE EITHER BURNED OR OTHERWISE PUT TO DEATH, Luthereither did not know it, and was therefore ignorant; or if he knew it, heis convicted of impudence and falsehood, --for _that heretics were oftenburnt_ BY THE CHURCH may be proved by adducing a few from many examples. Argument 2. 'Experience shows that terror is not useful. ' I replyEXPERIENCE PROVES THE CONTRARY--for the Donatists, Manicheans, andAlbigenses WERE ROUTED AND ANNIHILATED BY ARMS, " etc. So this high dignitary of the Catholic church, a cardinal, a nephew ofone Pope and the special favorite of others, freely admits the charge sooften laid to Popery by creditable historians--the butchering of an"infinite number" of people that differed from them--and here laborshard to uphold it as a principle of righteousness. Their bloody crusadesagainst the innocent, unoffending Waldenses, Albigenses, and otherpeoples, in which thousands, and in the aggregate _millions_, wereslaughtered like venomous reptiles, stand out on the page of historywith a prominence that can not be mistaken; and they themselves can notdeny it. Dowling has well said that their "history is written in linesof blood. Compared with the butcheries of holy men and women by thePapal Antichrist, the persecutions of the Pagan emperors of the firstthree centuries sink into comparative insignificance. For not a tithe ofthe blood of martyrs was shed by Paganism, that has been poured forth byPopery; and the persecutors of Pagan Rome never dreamed of the thousandingenious contrivances of torture which the malignity of Popishinquisitors succeeded in inventing. " P. 541. If any of my readers suppose that the character of Popery has changedwith the lapse of ages, I must tell you that such is not the ease. Popery is unchangeable and this her ablest advocates declare. Chas. Butler, in the work he wrote in reply to Southey's book of the church, says, "It is most true that the Roman Catholics believe the doctrines oftheir church to be unchangeable; and that it is a tenet of their creed, that what their faith ever has been, such it was from the beginning, _such it is now_, and SUCH IT EVER WILL BE. " A copy of the eleventhedition of The Faith of Our Fathers, published in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1883, lies before me. It was written by Archbishop (now Cardinal)James Gibbons, the highest authority of the Roman Catholic church inthis country. In page 95 he says: "It is a marvelous fact, worthy ofrecord, that in the whole history of the church, from the nineteenthcentury to the first, no solitary example can be adduced to show thatany Pope or General Council ever revoked a decree of faith or moralsenacted by any preceding pontiff or council. Her record in the pastought to be a sufficient warrant that she will _tolerate no doctrinalvariations in the future_. " So the doctrine of her inherent right topersecute and slay every one who disagrees with her, which has beenenacted by Pontiffs and General Councils and so carried out in the past, is still in vogue and would now be enforced were it in her power to doso. While this statement of Gibbons' shows the unchangeable spirit ofPopery, still it is the basest presumption upon the historical knowledgeof the reader. The facts are that the _official_ acts of some of theirPopes and General Councils have been so far wrong that Romaniststhemselves have been compelled to admit it. Thus the _sixth_ GeneralCouncil, which was held at Constantinople in 680, and which everyCatholic accepts as Ecumenical, condemned, in the strongest terms, PopeHonorius as a Monothelite _heretic_. Let them attempt to deny it, and wewill bring forward our proof. Romish authors themselves admit it, thewell-known Dupin with the rest, as appears by the following extract fromhis writings: "The Council had as much reason to censure him as Sergius, Paulus, Peter, and the other Patriarchs o£ Constantinople. " He adds inlanguage yet more emphatic, "This will stand for certain, then, thatHonorius _was condemned_, AND JUSTLY TOO, AS A HERETIC, by the sixthGeneral Council. " Dupin's Eccl. History, Vol. II, p. 16. The Decretals of Isodore furnish another example of Papal infallibility(?). For ages these documents were the chief instrument of the Popes inextending their power and the proof of the righteousness of theirassumptions to excessive temporal authority. Wickliffe declared themfalse and apocryphal. For this he was condemned by the sixteenth_General Council_, held at Constance in 1414, and his bones ordered dugup and burnt because of his daring impudence. The spurious character ofthese false decretals have since been proved beyond the shadow of adoubt; and since it is impossible to deny it longer, it is admitted evenby Romanists. So, after all, this _infallible_ Council was wrong, thePapists themselves being the judges. Pope Benedict IX. Was guilty of such flagitious crimes that he became anobject of public abhorrence, and he finally _sold_ the Popedom. One ofhis infallible (?) successors in the Papal chair, Pope Victor III. , pronounced this infallible (?) profligate a person "abandoned to allmanner of vice. A _successor of_ SIMON THE SORCERER, and NOT OF SIMONTHE APOSTLE. " I do not question the truth of this assertion, but whatbecomes of their boasted uninterrupted apostolical succession? Baronius, the Popish annalist, confesses that Pope Sergius III. Was "the slave ofevery vice, and the most wicked of men. " Among other horrid acts Platinarelates that he _rescinded the acts_ of Pope Formosus, compelled thosewhom he had ordained to be re-ordained, dragged his dead body from thesepulchre, beheaded him as though he were alive, and then threw him intothe Tiber! This Pope cohabited with an infamous prostitute named Maroziaand by her had a son named John, who afterwards ascended the Papalthrone, through the influence of his licentious mother, under the nameof John XI. So the unlawful amours of Sergius produced this infallible, necessary link in the _holy_ chain of uninterrupted apostolicalsuccession! It must be remembered, also, that the Popes have for ageslaid claim themselves to infallibility; and in the last General Councilof that body, held at the Vatican in 1870, it was declared a dogma ofthe church. Romanists will tell us that this decree refers only to hisofficial acts, and not to his personal character; but official acts havebeen the main thing under consideration in the case of Sergius, Honorius, and Benedict. But if such monsters of vice can produce good, holy, infallible acts, as Papists declare, then Jesus Christ ismistaken; for he declared positively that "a corrupt tree _bringethforth evil fruit_ ... Neither can a corrupt tree bring forth goodfruit. " Mat. 7:17, 18. "God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every mana liar. " Rom. 3:4. During these dark ages thousands of priests, who wereby the laws of the church denied their Scriptural right of possessing awife (1 Cor. 7:9, etc. ), lived openly with concubines; and the Councilof Toledo decreed that they should not be condemned therefor, providedthey were content with one. But the devil produced his master-piece of iniquity in the person ofRoderic Borgia, who ascended the Papal throne in 1492 under the name ofAlexander VI. The utmost limits assigned to Papal depravity wererealized in him, so that the very name Borgia has come to be used as adesignation of any person unusually wicked. Says Waddington: "Theecclesiastical records of fifteen centuries ... Contain no name soloathsome, no crimes so foul as his.... Not one among the many zealousannalists of the Roman church has breathed a whisper in his praise.... He publicly cohabited with a Roman matron named Vanozia, by whom he hadfive acknowledged children. Neither in his manners nor in his languagedid he affect any regard for morality or decency; and one of theearliest acts of his pontificate was, to celebrate, with scandalousmagnificence, in his own palace, the marriage of his daughter Lucretia. On one occasion this prodigy of vice gave a splendid entertainment, within the walls of the Vatican, to no less than fifty publicprostitutes at once, and that in the presence of his daughter Lucretia, at which entertainment deeds of darkness were done, over which decencymust throw a veil; and yet this monster of vice was, according to Papist... The vicar of God upon earth, and was addressed by the title of HISHOLINESS!!" But why stir this cesspool of filth any longer? Is not thatchurch of which Alexander VI. Was for eleven years the crowned andanointed head--a necessary link in the boasted chain of _holy_apostolical succession, the pretended vicar of Christ upon earth--is itnot, I ask, fitly described by the pen of inspiration "MOTHER OF HARLOTSAND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH, " as she reeled onward in the career ofages, "drunken with the blood of the saints"? 7. And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carriest her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns. 8. The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. 9. And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. 10. And there are seven kings; five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. 11. And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. 12. And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. 13. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. 14. These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful. The angel promises to explain "the mystery of the woman and of the beastthat carried her. " The beast is the same as the secular beast with sevenheads and ten horns, described in chapter 13. An explanation of itsheads and horns has already been given. The expression "the seven headsare seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth, and there are sevenkings, " requires further explanation. Many have understood the mountainsto signify the seven mountains on which the city of Rome is said to bebuilt; but that is adopting the literal mode of interpretation, and iscontrary to the laws of symbolic language. The more obvious meaning isthat the seven heads represent seven mountains and also seven kings; butthis probably is not the idea intended. The heads of a beast are not theproper symbol of mountains. The fact, too, that the woman is representedas sitting upon these mountains, shows that they are to be taken as asymbol, as well as the woman, and not the object symbolized. They are, then, the same as the heads and denote the seven kings or seven forms ofgovernment under which the Roman empire subsisted. The seventh and last head has not yet been identified. Beforeconsidering it, however, I wish to call attention to another point thathas already been referred to. The beast that John here saw, with theseven heads and ten horns, was Rome under the Papal power. Did new Romein reality have the seven heads? No. The dragon John saw in chapter 12is represented as having seven heads and ten horns, and signified Romeunder the Pagan power. Did old Rome really possess the ten horns? No. According to verse 12 in this chapter, they were to arise future ofJohn's time. But notice carefully that the seven heads, which accordingto this description, belonged to the beast sustaining the Papal power inafter years, are here explained by the angel as signifying the veryforms of government by which _Pagan_ Rome subsisted. "Five _are fallen_[a past event], one _is_ [exists at this present time], and the other_is not yet come_. " So according to divine interpretation, the sameheads and horns serve for both the dragon and the beast. This could notpossibly be a true representation unless they were both in reality the_same beast_, they being represented as two only for the purpose ofdescribing the two phases of Roman history--Pagan and Papal. With this point established, that these two forms of Roman history arethe same beast, we are now prepared to understand the statement that thebeast "was and is not, and yet is. " This is equivalent to saying thatthe beast existed, it ceased to exist, and then it came into existenceagain. This was exactly the history of Rome. Its downfall under thePagan form was described under the fourth trumpet as an eclipse of thesun, moon and stars, so that they shone not for a third part of the dayand night. For a time it seemed not to exist. A little later the eclipseis lifted; the beast exists again under the Papal form. In this is setforth clearly the wounding and the healing of the beast. The wound wasinflicted on its sixth, or Imperial, head (for the first five hadalready fallen, according to the historical facts just related), beingaccomplished by the hordes of Northern barbarians overturning the empireof the West. It appeared for a time that the beast was indeed woundedunto death; but not so: to the surprise of all, he survived under theform of the seventh head. At this point the question is sure to beasked, How could the beast continue to live if its seventh head was tocontinue but "a short space"? This is accounted for by the fact thatthere was what might be appropriately called an eighth head, but whichwas in reality of the seven. "And the beast that was, and is not, evenhe is the eighth, and is of the seven. " Verse 11. The identification of the seventh head will now make the mattercomplete. The facts all meet in the Carlovingian empire, or the empireof Charlemagne. In the year 774 Charlemagne completed the work begun byPepin twenty years before and overthrew the kingdom of the Lombards inItaly, which was the last of the three horns plucked up before thelittle horn of Daniel. By this victory he became complete master ofItaly, and he received the title Patrician of Rome. This was not merelyan honorary title, such as had for ages been conferred upon certainindividuals; but it was a distinct form of civil government and supreme, taking the same rank with that of the Consular, the Decemvirate, theTriumvirate, etc. , in the earlier history of the nation. It lasted, however, only "a short space, " or twenty-six years, when Charlemagne, having extended his conquests over all the western part of Europe, assumed the Imperial title and thus revived the empire of Rome in theWest under its Gothic form. In his Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Gibbon says: "In the twenty-six years that elapsed between the conquestof Lombardy and his Imperial coronation, Rome, which had been deliveredby the sword, was subject, as his own, to the scepter, of Charlemagne. The people swore allegiance to his person and family; in his name, moneywas coined, and justice was administered, and the election of Popes wasexamined and confirmed by his authority--except an original andself-inherent claim of sovereignity, there was not any prerogativeremaining which the title of emperor could add to the Patrician ofRome. " This decisive testimony by the highest authority on the subjectshows conclusively that all the power of sovereignty resided inCharlemagne as the Patrician of Rome, and that this, therefore, is aproper head to be ranked with the other six that preceded it. [14] [Footnote 14: Commentators frequently identify the seventh head with theExarchate of Ravenna. After the overthrow of the kingdom of theOstrogoths in Italy by Belisarius, the general of Justinian, about themiddle of the sixth century, the territory became subject to the emperorof the Eastern empire and was ruled by him through an Exarch whose placeof residence was Ravenna. This Exarchate (sometimes called _Patriciate_)continued until about the middle of the eighth century, when it wasterminated by Astolphus, king of the Lombards, who made Ravenna thecapital of the Lombardic kingdom in 752. Three years later the Lombardswere defeated by Pepin, who made the Holy See a present of the lands heconquered from them--the origin of the temporal power of the Popes. Pepin was succeeded by his son Charlemagne, who was appointed_Patrician_ of Rome, by the Pope, in 774. During the last half centurythat the Exarchate of Ravenna remained its existence was but little morethan a name, the real power of government being usurped by the Papacy. It could hardly be considered an inconsistency were we to interpret theseventh head as signifying both the Patriciate of Ravenna and thePatriciate of Charlemagne that closely followed it; but in the presentwork I have restricted its application to the latter form because of itsdistinctive characteristic as constituting a supreme civil powerentirely independent of the empire of the East, and because of itsimportance in the revival of the empire of the West. ] This head, however, continued only "a short space"; and an eighth aroseon Christmas, the first day of the year 800 (as time was then reckoned), when Charlemagne was crowned emperor of Rome, and thus revived theempire of the West. This eighth head, however, was "of the seven"; forit was the same as the sixth, both being Imperial--the first being inthe Augustan line, and the other in the Carlovingian, and separated fromeach other by the seventh, or Patriciate. Considered one way, there wereeight heads, but two of them were alike, hence only seven; for theeighth was of the seven. According to verse 11 it was under the eighthhead that the beast subsisted at the time he was carrying the woman ofthis chapter, which exactly accords with the historical facts in thecase; and the same was continued in a line of emperors reaching down tothe time of the French Revolution. The ten horns had "received no kingdom as yet. " This signifies that atthe time when the Revelation was given they had not yet arisen. Whenthey did come into existence they were to receive power as kings withthe beast and were to give to it their power and strength. It is asingular fact that a distinct head should continue to exist after thesehorns had arisen and developed into powerful kingdoms; but herein theremarkable accuracy of prophecy is clearly shown. It is said that theyshould make war with the Lamb and that the Lamb should overcome them. Some think that this has reference to the persecution of the saintsduring the Dark Ages; but it seems to me that it would have been stateddifferently if such were its meaning. It may be a prophetical referenceto the battle of Armageddon, which will be terminated by the coming ofthe Son of God himself to overthrow completely all the powers ofwickedness. 15. And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. 16. And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. 17. For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. 18. And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth. The special thoughts contained in these verses have been so farexplained already that it is unnecessary to go over the same groundagain. Already the civil powers of Europe are beginning to cast thiswoman aside as an old, wrinkled, haggard prostitute is cast off by herlovers. Already they have deprived her of all temporal authority such asshe possessed in guiding this beast of chapter 17, as explained underthe fifth plague in the preceding chapter. Whether they are destined tobecome a still greater enemy to her, the future will determine. CHAPTER XVIII. And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. 2. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. 3. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. A movement of mighty power is symbolized in these verses. The chronologyof the events described in the preceding chapter brings us down to thetime when the ten horns turn against the Papacy by depriving her of hertemporal authority. This, as we have already seen, was completelyfulfilled in 1870 and constituted the fifth plague. In the descriptionof the sixth plague which followed, it was shown that the great citywhich was invaded was composed of three parts--Paganism (the modern formof the dragon power), Catholicism, and Protestantism. The same greatcity is here brought to view, and the angel from heaven, with a mightyvoice, cries, "Babylon the Great is fallen, is fallen. " This fall ofBabylon can not signify a literal destruction; for there are certainevents to take place in Babylon after her fall which entirely precludesthat idea; for instance, the calling of God's people out of her, inorder that they may not receive of her plagues. In these plagues isembraced her literal destruction, or complete overthrow. The fall istherefore a moral one; for the result of it is that Babylon becomes "thehabitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage ofevery unclean and hateful bird. " Protestants who make any attempt to interpret these prophecies usuallylimit the designation "Babylon the Great" in these verses to the churchof Rome, because the woman symbolizing the apostate church in thepreceding chapter is denominated "Babylon the Great. " Ver. 5. But thesame verse also declares her to be the "_Mother_ of harlots;" and if sheas a degraded woman stands as the representative of a corrupt church, her unchaste daughters, also, must symbolize churches that are herdescendants; and if the real name of the _mother_ is Babylon, as stated, the proper name of her harlot daughters must be Babylon also. Whether, therefore, the mother or the daughters are referred to, it is all"Babylon the Great, " because it is all the same family and is a part ofthat "GREAT CITY which reigneth over the kings of the earth. " Chap. 17:18. We must, therefore, have something besides the mere title"Babylon the Great" to determine which division of the great city isreferred to in a given instance--whether Pagan, Papal, or Protestant. A careful study of the prophecy now under consideration will show thatit has particular reference to the Protestant division of Babylon. Itcontained many of God's children; whereas Paganism was always a falsereligion and never held any of God's saints. Under the reign ofCatholicism, the people of God are represented in all the symbols ofthis book relating thereto as existing entirely separate from thatcommunion. The description of this apostate church given in thepreceding chapter shows clearly that instead of being partly composed ofGod's saints, she was their most bitter and relentless persecutor, yea, was "_drunken with the blood of the saints_, and with the blood of themartyrs of Jesus. " This is definite proof that the present phase ofBabylon under consideration is the Protestant division; and her moralfall is the grand signal for the escape of God's people who have partlycomposed her number, as the fall of ancient Babylon was for the escapeof the Israelites. In their younger days the Protestant organizations(symbolized by the daughters) were of much better character than themother church from whom they descended. Many of them started out onreform. While a spiritual people, God worked with them; but when theymade their image to the beast, they suddenly declined, and this voicefrom heaven finally declares them to be in a fallen condition--entirelyvoid of salvation, except a very few chosen saints that have not defiledtheir garments, contained therein. That this application of the term _Babylon_ is correct, and also, thefallen condition ascribed to her in accordance with the facts, I willprove by the following testimonies of Protestants themselves. The firstis from Vision of the Ages; or, Lectures on the Apocalypse, by B. W. Johnson, member of the Christian sect. "It is needful to inquire what the term _Babylon_ means. It occursseveral times in the New Testament. Here (in the Apocalypse) it isspoken of as 'that great city, ' and her fall is doomed 'because she hathmade all nations drunk with the wine of her fornication. ' In Rev. 17:5, a scarlet harlot is seen sitting upon the seven-headed and ten-hornedmonster, and upon her forehead is written, 'Mystery, Babylon the Great. 'With this woman the kings of the earth are said to have committedfornication. In chapter 18 the fall of the great city, Babylon isdetailed at length, and it is again said that all the kings of the earthhave committed fornication with her. The harlot with Babylon stamped onher brow, and the great city of fornication styled Babylon, in chapters14 and 18, are one and the same existence. "There is an ancient city of Babylon often mentioned in the OldTestament, but ages before John wrote, it had ceased to be inhabited, the only dwellers among its lonely ruins were howling beasts and hissingserpents. It has never been rebuilt to this day and has passed awayforever. John refers therefore not to old Babylon, but to some power yetunseen (when he was upon the earth), that should be revealed in duetime, and of which old Babylon was a symbol. Let us notice some of thefeatures of ancient Babylon. "1. On that site took place the confusion of tongues which divided thosewho before had been of one speech and one family, into various tribesand schisms at variance with each other and of various tongues. The wordBabylon, a memorial of this event, means confusion, and is derived fromBabel. "2. Old Babylon persecuted the people of God and destroyed the temple inJerusalem. "3. It carried the people of God into captivity. "4. It was a mighty, resistless universal empire. The antitype, thespiritual Babylon, must correspond. There is a power that exhibits allthese characteristics. By apostasy from the truth it originated theschism which has divided the family of God into different sects andparties which speak a different spiritual language. It has carried thechurch into a long captivity by binding upon it the thralldom ofsuperstition. It has been a constant persecutor of the saints, and hasenjoyed an almost universal dominion. That power is the woman that sitsupon the seven-headed beast ... The false woman, symbolical of a falsechurch, the great apostate spiritual dominion of Rome. And we may add, out of which have come--directly or indirectly--_all the religious sectsof the present day_. " Dr. Barnes says: "The word _Babylon_ became the emblem of all that washaughty and oppressive, and especially of all that persecuted the churchof God. The word here (Rev. 18:4) must be used to denote some power thatresembled the ancient and literal Babylon in these characteristics. Theliteral Babylon was no more; but the name might be used properly todenote a similar power. " Wm. Kinkade, in Bible Doctrine, page 249, says, "I think Christ has atrue church on earth, but its members are scattered among the variousdenominations, and are more or less under the influence of mysteryBabylon and her daughters. " Alexander Campbell says: "A reformation of Popery was attempted inEurope full three centuries ago. It ended in a Protestant hierarchy, andswarms of dissenters. Protestantism has been reformed intoPresbyterianism, that into Congregationalism, and that into Baptistism, etc. , etc. Methodism has attempted to reform all, but has reformeditself into many forms of Wesleyanism. All of them retain in theirbosom--in their ecclesiastical organizations, worship, doctrines, andobservances--various relics of Popery. They are at best a reformation ofPopery, and only reformations in part. The doctrines and traditions ofmen yet impair the power and progress of the gospel in their hands. " OnBaptism, p. 15. Again, he says: "The worshiping establishments now in operationthroughout Christendom, increased and cemented by their respectivevoluminous confessions of faith, and their ecclesiastical constitutions, are not churches of Jesus Christ, but the legitimate daughters of thatmother of harlots, the church of Rome. " How any man could possess asmuch light on this subject as did Mr. Campbell, and then build a secthimself, is more than I can understand. Lorenzo Dow says of the Romish Church: "If she be the mother, who arethe daughters? It must be the corrupt, national, established churchesthat came out of her. " Dow's Life, p. 542. In the Religious Encyclopaedia, Article Antichrist, we read: "The writerof the book of Revelation tells us he heard a voice from heaven saying, 'Come out of her, my people, that ye partake not of her sins, andreceive not of her plagues. ' If such persons are to be found in the'mother of harlots, ' with much less hesitation may it be inferred thatthey are connected with her unchaste daughters, those national churcheswhich are founded upon what are called Protestant principles. " In the Encyclopędia of Religious Knowledge we read: "An importantquestion, however, says Mr. Jones, stills remains for inquiry: IsAntichrist confined to the church of Rome? The answer is readilyreturned in the affirmative by Protestants in general; and happy had itbeen for the world had that been the case. But although we are fullywarranted to consider that church as 'the mother of harlots, ' the truthis that by whatsoever arguments we succeed in fixing that odius chargeupon her, we shall, by parity of reasoning, be obliged to allow othernational churches to be her unchaste daughters, and for this plainreason, among others, because in their very constitution and tendencythey are hostile to the nature of the kingdom of Christ. " One of Martin Luther's guests remarked that the world might continuefifty years, and he replied: "Pray God that it may not exist so long;matters would be even worse than they have been. There would rise upinfinite sects and schisms, which are at present hidden in men's heartsand nature. No; may the Lord come at once, for there is no amendment tobe expected. " Mr. Hartly, a learned churchman, has remarked as follows: "There aremany prophecies which declare the fall of the ecclesiastical powers ofthe Christian world, and though each church seems to flatter itself withthe hope of being exempted, yet it is very plain that the propheticalcharacters belong to all. They all have left the true, pure, simplereligion, and teach for doctrines the commandments of men. " Says Mr. Simpson, in Plea for Religion: "We Protestants, too, read thedeclaration of the third angel against the worshipers of the beast andhis image, and make ourselves easy under the awful denunciation byapplying it exclusively to the church of Rome; never dreaming that theyare equally applicable not only to the English, but to every churchestablishment in Christendom, which retains any of the marks of thebeast. For though the Pope and the church of Rome is at the head of thegrand twelve hundred and sixty years' delusion, yet all other churches, of whatever denomination, whether established or tolerated, whichpartake of the same spirit, or have instituted doctrines and ceremoniesinimical to the pure and unadulterated gospel of Christ, shall sooner orlater share in the fate of that immense fabric of human ordinances. " Says Mr. Hopkins: "There is no reason to consider the antichristianspirit and practices confined to that which is now called the church ofRome. The Protestant churches have much of Antichrist in them, and arefar from being wholly reformed from the corruptions and wickedness, indoctrine and practice, in it. Some churches may be more pure and mayhave proceeded farther in a reformation than others; but where can thechurch be found which is thoroughly purged from her abominations? Noneare wholly clear from an antichristian spirit and the fruits of it.... And as the church of Rome will have a large share in the cup ofindignation and wrath which will be poured out, so all the Christianworld will have a distinguished portion of it: as the inhabitants of itare much more guilty than others. There is great reason to conclude thatthe world, particularly that part of it called Christian and Protestant, will yet make greater and more rapid advances in all kinds of moralcorruption and open wickedness, till it will come to that state in whichit will be fully ripe and prepared to be cut down by the sickle ofdivine justice and wrath. " Mr. O. Scott (Wesleyan Methodist) says: "The church is as deeplyinfected with a desire for worldly gain as the world. Most of thedenominations of the present day might be called _churches of theworld_, with more propriety than churches of Christ. The churches haveso far gone from primitive Christianity that they need a freshregeneration--a new kind of religion. " Said T. DeWitt Talmage: "I simply state a fact when I say that in manyplaces the church is surrendering, and the world is conquering.... Thereis a mighty host in the Christian church, positively professingChristianity, who do not believe the Bible, out and out and in andin.... Oh! we have magnificient church machinery in this country; wehave sixty thousand American ministers; we have costly music; we havegreat Sunday-schools; and yet I give you the appalling statistics thatin the last twenty-five years, laying aside last year, the statistics ofwhich I have not yet seen, --within the last twenty-five years thechurches of God in this country have averaged _less than two conversionsa year_ each! There has been an average of four or five deaths in thechurches. How soon, at that rate, will this world be brought to God? Wegain two; we lose four. Eternal God! what will this come to?" Bishop Roberts said: "The popular religion of this country is not thereligion of the New Testament. It has some of its features but not all. It is lacking in grand fundamental elements. It answers many goodpurposes--restrains, refines, elevates, and gives to society a highgrade of civilization; but fails to secure the great end whichChristianity is designed to accomplish--the salvation of the soul. Itdazzles but to blind, it promises but to deceive; it allures by worldlyconsiderations to a heaven of purity, which no worldling can enter; itgives to its votaries, who long to eat of forbidden fruit, the assuranceof impunity from the threatened evils, and leads them on by sirenstrains from the Paradise of purity into the broad road which ends atlast in the blackness of the darkness of an eternal night of despair!" Says the Golden Rule: "The Protestants are outdoing the Popes insplendid, extravagant folly in church building. Thousands on thousandsare expended in gay and costly ornaments to gratify pride and a wickedambition, that might and should go to redeem the perishing millions!Does the evil, the folly, and the madness of these proud, formal, fashionable worshiper, stop here? These splendid monuments of Popishpride, upon which millions are squandered in our cities, virtuallyexclude the poor for whom Christ died, and for whom he came especiallyto preach. " The report of the Michigan Yearly Conference, even as long ago as 1851, published in the True Wesleyan of Nov. 15, says: "The world, commercial, political, and ecclesiastical are alike, and are together going in thebroad way that leads to death. Politics, commerce, and nominal religion, all connive at sin, reciprocally aid each other, and unite to crush thepoor. Falsehood is unblushingly uttered in the forum and in the pulpit;and _sins that would shock the moral sensibilities of the heathen, gounrebuked in all the great denominations of our land_. These churchesare like the Jewish church when the Savior exclaimed, 'Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites. '" Robert Atkins, in a sermon preached in London, says: "The trulyrighteous are diminished from the earth, and no man layeth it to heart. The professors of religion of the present day, in every church, arelovers of the world, conformers to the world. Lovers ofcreature-comfort, and aspirers after respectability. They are called to_suffer_ with Christ, but they shrink even from reproach. Apostasy, _apostasy_, APOSTASY, is engraven on the very front of every church; anddid they know it, and did they feel it, there might be hope; but alas!they cry 'We are rich, and increased in goods, and stand in need ofnothing. '" I have by no means exhausted the supply of similar testimonies ofProtestants now before me, but for lack of space I must conclude. In theface of these amazing facts can any one deny that Protestantism is apart of great Babylon and is in a fallen condition? "The merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of herdelicacies. " A certain writer on this text has said: "Who take the leadin all the extravagancies of the age? Church-members. Who load theirtables with the richest and choicest viands? Church-members. Who areforemost in extravagance in dress, and all costly attire?Church-members. Who are the very personification of pride and arrogance?Church-members. Where shall we look for the very highest exhibition ofthe luxury, even show, and pride of life, resulting from the vanity andsin of the race? Answer, To a modern church-assembly on a pleasantSunday. " Though this writer interpreted the text literally, yet he spokea vast amount of truth, as every one knows. Consider, too, the wickedness carried on everywhere in sect Babylonunrebuked, with the preachers ofttimes in the lead. Shows, festivals, frolics, grab-bag parties, cake-walk lotteries, kissing-bees, etc. , etc. If the apostle were here to-day and we should inform him of a modernchurch entertainment where a bared female foot, projecting from beneatha curtain, was sold to the highest gentleman bidder, who had theprivilege of kissing its owner and taking her to supper, he wouldprobably answer, "Have I not told you, 'Babylon is fallen'?" If hisattention was called to the fact that the members of a prominent church, in a novel entertainment, displayed the likeness of a donkey, minus thetail, while the members one by one were blindfolded, and, amid theuproarous laughter of the crowd assembled, were given the detached partto see who could place it the nearest where it belonged, he would saywith double emphasis, "_Have I not told you_, 'BABYLON THE GREAT ISFALLEN, IS FALLEN, AND IS BECOME THE HABITATION OF DEVILS, AND THE HOLDOF EVERY FOUL SPIRIT, AND A CAGE OF EVERY UNCLEAN AND HATEFUL BIRD'?"The "abominations" are by no means confined to the _mother_ in theRevelation, but are also to be found in abundance in connection with herharlot daughters. 4. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. 5. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. 6. Reward her even as she rewarded yon, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double. 7. How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. 8. Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her. Here we have a number of important truths brought before us--first, thatGod had a people in Babylon who up to this time were free from hercontaminations; second, that they received a positive call from heavento "come out"; third, that all who refused to obey the heavenly commandwould become partakers of her sins and receive of her plagues; fourth, that those who came out were to pour the strongest judgments uponBabylon--"reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto herdouble according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled, fill toher double. " It is evident that the "torment and sorrow" which God'speople give Babylon after their departure is not a temporalretaliation--for they never indulge in such, and the Word of God forbidsit--but is altogether of a spiritual nature; hence the fierce judgmentthey inflict is executing the Word of truth, which brings to light allthe wickedness and abominations contained therein. "Death, and mourning, and famine" only remain. This symbolizes that all spiritual life hasdeparted, while famine and mourning are left. That such is the actualfact is shown by the following lamentation of the late Bishop R. S. Foster concerning his own sect, the Methodist Episcopal: "The ball, the theatre, nude and lewd art, social luxuries, with alltheir loose moralities, are making inroads into the sacred enclosure ofthe church; and as a satisfaction for all this worldliness, Christiansare making a great deal of Lent and Easter and Good Friday, and churchornamentations. It is the old trick of Satan. The Jewish church struckon that rock; the Romish church was wrecked on the same; and theProtestant church is fast reaching the same doom. "Our great dangers as we see them, are assimilation to the world, neglect of the poor, substitution of the form for the fact of godliness, abandonment of discipline, a hireling ministry, an impure gospel, whichsummed up is a fashionable church. That Methodists should be liable tosuch an outcome, and that there should be signs of it in a hundred yearsfrom the 'sail-loft, ' seems almost the miracle of history; but who thatlooks about him to-day can fail to see the fact? "Do not Methodists, in violation of God's Word and their own discipline, dress as extravagantly and as fashionably as any other class? Do not theladies, and even the wives and daughters of the ministry, put on 'goldand pearls and costly array'? Would not the plain dress insisted upon byJohn Wesley and Bishop Asbury, and worn by Hester Ann Rodgers, LadyHuntington, and many others equally distinguished, be now regarded inMethodist circles as fanaticism? Can any one going into the Methodistchurch in any of our chief cities distinguish the attire of thecommunicants from that of the theater and ball-goers? Is not worldlinessseen in the music? Elaborately dressed and ornamented choirs, who inmany cases make no profession of religion and are often sneeringskeptics, go through a cold artistic or operatic performance, which isas much in harmony with spiritual worship as an opera or theater. Undersuch worldly performances spirituality is frozen to death. "Formerly every Methodist attended class and gave testimony ofexperimental religion. Now the class-meeting is attended by very few, and in many churches abandoned. Seldom the stewards, trustees and eldersof the church attend class. Formerly nearly every Methodist prayed, testified or exhorted in prayer-meeting. Now but very few are heard. Formerly shouts and praises were heard; now such demostrations of holyenthusiasm and joy are regarded as fanaticism. "Worldly socials, and fairs, festivals, concerts and such like havetaken the place of religious gatherings, revival meetings, class andprayer meetings of earlier days. How true that the Methodist disciplineis a dead letter! Its rules forbid the wearing of gold or pearls orcostly array; yet no one ever thinks of disciplining its members forviolating them. They forbid the reading of such books and the taking ofsuch diversions as do not minister to godliness, yet the church itselfgoes to frolics and festivals and fairs, which destroy the spirituallife of the young, as well as the old. The extent to which this is nowcarried on is appalling. The _spiritual death it carries in its train_will only be known when _the millions it has swept into hell_ shallstand before the judgment. "The early Methodist ministers went forth to sacrifice and to suffer forChrist. They sought not places of ease and affluence, but of privationand suffering. They gloried not in their big salaries, fine parsonages, and refined congregations, but in the souls that had been won for Jesus. Oh, _how changed!_ A hireling ministry will be a feeble, a timid, atruckling, a timeserving ministry, without faith, endurance, and holypower. Methodism formerly dealt in the great central truth. Now thepulpits deal largely in the generalities and in popular lectures. Theglorious doctrine of entire sanctification is rarely heard and seldomwitnessed in the pulpits. " This lengthy quotation shows clearly the spiritual condition ofMethodism, and certainly she is no worse than the rest. God is callinghis people out of "all the places where they have been scattered in thecloudy and dark day. " Ezek. 34:12. Those who refuse to walk in the lightwill go into darkness. God help people to "flee out of the midst ofBabylon, and deliver every man his soul. " 9. And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, 10. Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come. 11. And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: 12. The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, 13. And cinnamon, and odors, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men. 14. And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all. 15. The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, 16. And saying, Alas, alas that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! 17. For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, 18. And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city! 19. And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate. In this description we have a continuation of the judgments of Babylonalready introduced. It must be borne in mind, however, that this is thespiritual judgments following her moral fall, and not her final andeverlasting literal destruction. The latter is described under anothersymbol a little further on in this series of prophecy. The symbol here is that of a great city, the grand metropolis of theworld, the mart of earth's commerce; a superb city, their [_sic_] beingno end to its luxuries and magnificence. In it everything that canminister to the appetite, gratify the taste, and feed the pride of thehuman soul is to be found in profusion, being described at length. Thisgreat city is suddenly afire, and her merchants and the great men of theworld who sustain her are overwhelmed with sorrow at the sight of alltheir wealth disappearing. Thus is great sect Babylon represented. Sheis a mighty city extending not only over the Apocalyptic earth, but, assymbolized by the ship-masters, sailors, and foreign traders, over thewhole world. Suddenly she is set on fire by heaven's truth and herspiritual magnificence destroyed. The apostle Paul describes the greatapostasy as a system that the "Lord shall _consume_ with the spirit ofhis mouth, and shall _destroy_ with the brightness of his coming. " 2Thes. 2:8. That spiritual consumption is now taking place in accordancewith the symbols of this chapter, but the entire literal destruction ofold Babylon will take place coincident "with the brightness of hiscoming, " as described in the following chapter. That sectarians are greatly alarmed over the sad condition of theirfallen churches is clearly shown by the many quotations already givenfrom Protestant writers. They may not be aware that it is a judgmentfrom heaven upon man-made organizations; but such we know it to be inthe light of eternal truth. Not only are they bewailing the loss ofspiritual life and the desolating famine in sectdom, as was BishopFoster and others, but they are beginning to tremble for their ownsafety and to wonder what the final outcome of it all will be. Whereverthe gospel truth has been preached in all its purity, the sectariandenominations have been left destitute of spiritual life; for thechildren of God have heard his call, "Come out of her, my people, " andhave made their escape to Zion. Hence the ministers of Babylon cry outcontinually, "Stop! you are tearing our churches down, " "You are takingour best members away from us, " etc. But we can not withhold the truth;for the time has come when God is gathering his people together out ofall the "places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and darkday" (Ezek. 34:12) into the one church that Jesus built. "Babylon isfallen, is fallen. " 20. Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her. This verse is so clear that it requires no special explanation. God'speople are delivered from sect Babylon; and while the judgments ofeternal truth are being poured out upon her, all heaven and earth iscalled upon to rejoice and to give glory to God. "We stand in the glory that Jesus has given, The moon as the day-spring doth shine; The light of the sun is now equal to seven, So bright is the glory divine. "Now filled with the Spirit and clad in the armor Of light and omnipotent truth, We'll testify ever and Jesus we'll honor, And stand from sin Babel aloof. "The prophet's keen vision transpiercing the ages, Beheld us to Zion return; We'll sing of our freedom, though Babylon rages, We'll shout as her city doth burn. " 21. And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all. 22. And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee; 23. And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived. 24. And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth. Following the moral fall of Babylon and the call of God's people out ofher, a mighty angel predicts her eternal doom. "With violence shall thatgreat city Babylon be thrown down, and _shall be found no more at all_. "This doubtless has reference to the entire city of Babylon in all herdivisions brought to view in this series of prophecy and shows her finaldestruction at the coming of Christ, when she shall suddenly be thrownwith terrific force, like a great millstone descending into the sea, and"shall be found no more at all. " According to the symbols here given shewill be like a city completely destroyed, not one inhabitant or livingcreature remaining. Thus her eternal doom is pictured and remains to beyet fulfilled. "And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of allthat were slain upon the earth. " We have already shown thatProtestantism, as well as her mother Romanism, has been guilty ofshedding innocent blood; and as the term Babylon includes both thesedivisions, when the great city is thrown down with violence, Romanismand Protestantism will sink together, and then this awful treasure--theblood of prophets and of saints--shall be brought to light in that lastgreat day of God Almighty. CHAPTER XIX. And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honor, and power, unto the Lord our God: 2. For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. 3. And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever. 4. And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia. 5. And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. 6. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. 7. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. 9. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. 10. And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. The scene of this vision is laid in heaven. John heard a great voice ofmuch people saying, "Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honor, andpower, unto the Lord our God. " This great song of praise doubtless camefrom the lips of the angelic throng; for immediately the four livingcreatures and the four and twenty elders reechoed the same shout ofpraise, saying, "Amen; Alleluia. " Then came a voice from the thronecalling upon the servants of God, both small and great, to unite on thisoccasion in one grand and sacred song of praise; and this sublime chorusfell upon the ear of the enraptured apostle "as it were the voice of agreat multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice ofmighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotentreigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him for themarriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife [or bride] hath made herselfready. " Was not here a hearty response to that call, "Rejoice over herthou heaven"? While this scene shows the interest all heaven takes inthese wondrous scenes of earth, it is doubtless intended especially torepresent the joy and thanksgiving of God's people who have "gotten thevictory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and overthe number of his name. " The marriage of the Lamb which was about to take place was a specialtheme of joy on this occasion. In the Scripture the term _marriage_ isfrequently used to represent a special union between Christ and hispeople. Thus, the early church was represented as being free because ofthe death of the law, that they "should be _married_ to another, even tohim who is raised from the dead. " Rom. 7:4. So, also, the eternal unionof Christ with his people is here described under the figure ofmarriage. In one sense they have been married to Christ all through thisdispensation; in another sense they have not. The church has had thepromise of this eternal union, hence she has been betrothed to Christ;but left in the world, she has been driven into the wilderness, while acorrupt and drunken prostitute and her harlot daughters have been in thepublic view. Now, however, the judgments of God have descended uponBabylon, and the bride of Christ appears in all her beauty again, "arrayed in fine linen, clean and white"; and the next great event isher public marriage to Christ when he comes to claim her as his own. The marriage scene is one of the most joyful that we witness on earth, and among Eastern nations especially was celebrated with great pomp andmagnificence, the joy and splendor of the occasion being enhancedaccording to the rank and wealth of the parties. But earth has neverwitnessed such an event as this special _marriage of the Lamb_. Well maythe inhabitants of heaven and earth, in view of this sublime spectacle, swell the song of praise--"Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor tohim: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath madeherself ready. " The special preparations that the bride is makingrepresents the glorious holiness reformation that is now sweeping overthe world, gathering God's people together for the splendid event. "Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of theLamb. " "These are the true sayings of God. " They are almost too glorious to bebelieved; still, they are no idle dreams of fancy: they are true, yea"the true sayings of God. " In the contemplation of such a wonderfulevent, the beloved apostle was carried away, as it were, with holyenthusiasm, and he fell at the feet of the angel to worship. We do notknow just what the motives or impressions were that caused him to dothis. But his soul was full, full to overflowing, and he could not butadore and worship. The angel, however, refused the homage thus offered, by the declaration that he himself, also, was the servant of Christ andone of the brethren that had the testimony of Jesus; "for the testimonyof Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. " The idea is: "I am a fellowservantwith you, and we both have his testimony. You bear witness to him now inthis present generation; I bear witness to those who are to come. Youwitness now of his death and resurrection; I tell of his future gloryand triumphs. We are both, therefore, engaged in the same good work. Thetestimony of Jesus and the spirit of prophecy are the same. To God, therefore, we must both bow. " See remarks on chap. 1:1. 11. And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12. His eyes were as a flame _of_ fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. That the person described in this vision is Christ is questioned by noone. He is the same one who appeared to John in the beginning. Then hestood in the midst of the seven golden candle-sticks, the sure defenseof the churches, holding the seven stars in his right hand. Now, however, he appears from the opened heavens on a white horse, hismission "to judge and make war. " The description of his person, hisnames, and his attributes, unmistakably proclaim him the Son of God. Heis the "faithful and true, " the name by which he made himself known tothe churches of Philadelphia and Laodicea. "His eyes as a flame of fire"denotes omniscience; and as a searcher of all hearts he made himselfknown to the church of Thyatira. "Many crowns" are a symbol of supremesovereignty and doubtless signify his many victories. "And he had a namewritten which no man knew but he himself. " He had names by which hemight be known to mortals; but he had one name that no createdintelligence could understand: it was known only to him. What that namewas, of course, is not given; it could not be. If the human mind couldnot conceive it, human language could not convey it. We can know him asthe Faithful and true Witness, as the Word of God, and as King of kingsand Lord of lords; but there is one name that we can not know. His"vesture dipped in blood" refers, not to the blood of atonement, but tothe blood of his enemies sprinkled upon his raiment in treading thewinepress of God's wrath, and denotes that he was going forth to thedread work of vengeance. To this I shall refer more fully hereafter. Hisname is also called "the Word of God, " which, when used as a personalappellation in the Scriptures, always signifies Jesus Christ. Before considering his mission further and the armies that accompaniedhim, I wish to call special attention to the nature and the chronologyof this event. If the present series of prophetic symbols (which beginwith chap. 17) is a narrative of continuous events reaching to the end, then the vision before us is a description of the second coming ofChrist, the event which was just previously announced and for which thebride had made herself ready. The usual interpretation given it is, thatit is a sublime description of the servants of Christ going forth underhis direction to spread the truth everywhere among the nations--inshort, that it is the triumph of gospel truth over error under the_providential_ government of Christ. That such a meaning can be derivedfrom the vision by taking it in a _figurative_ sense there can be nodoubt, and this is what commentators generally do. They make the whole afigurative description of the triumph of the gospel, Christ beingpresent only by his superintending providence. It is made simply ahighly poetic description of the victory of truth and righteousness. Inthis case, however, the principles of symbolic language are clearlyabandoned and a mere ordinary figurative meaning given. If we followstrictly the laws of symbolic language, as we manifestly ought, we shallbe compelled to take another view of it. In the first place, if this does not describe the actual coming ofChrist, then his second coming is nowhere described in the Revelation. That so great an event should merely be alluded to in a few places andnowhere symbolically described seems incredible. At the judgment scenebrought to view in the following chapter the presence of Christ is_assumed_, but it is not stated. Again, there are no victories of loveand mercy described at all in the vision before us; but, on thecontrary, it is a scene of fearful judgment--a terrible treading of "thewinepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God, " the completeoverthrow of every opposing power; while the beast and the false prophetare represented as taken and cast alive into a lake of fire burning withbrimstone. Surely, this is not the work of the church of God. But let itbe remembered especially that this last event takes place under the_seventh_ plague, which is the "filling up" of the wrath of God, andthat Christ previously announced under the sixth vial, "Behold, _I come_as a thief. " Christ comes in reality when this seventh plague occurs. Torepresent the glorious triumphs of Christianity by the mission of thechurch, the gospel and the Holy Spirit, under the symbol of Christ, going forth to judge, to make war, and to tread the winepress of God'swrath, is at war with every principle of symbolic language. But can this vision of Christ upon a white horse denote a mereprovidential superintendence, such as Christ constantly exercises overthe church and its spiritual affairs on earth? Certainly not by anyprinciple of symbolic language. Throughout the whole prophecy thus farwe have seen that whenever any symbolic agent is brought upon thepanorama, whether horseman, or beasts, or locusts, or harlot, orwhatever else, it always denotes some corresponding agents appearing onearth and beginning their appropriate work. The symbolic agent is real. But here is a symbolic appearance of Christ. By what law could such asymbolic appearance represent merely a providential superintendence? Andif his appearance was necessary in this case, why was it not necessaryin every event, to show that it was done under his direction? Again, ifthis symbolic appearance of Christ is not his real appearance, how canwe tell that there is any reality in the appearance of the horsemen ofthe first four seals, the ten-horned beast, or the harlot woman? Whatright have we to remove one agent from the panorama as an actual agentthere any more than another? And if this is not his real appearance, upon what principle of interpretation can we ever establish the fact ofhis second coming? It is evident to all that, if we can turn this agentinto a mere providential one, we can do the same with another, and thusset aside his second coming altogether. Then, what shall we say in thenext chapter when some one steals our weapons and declares that thegreat white throne before which all the dead, small and great, stand isnothing but that providential government of God under which all sinnerspass condemnation upon themselves and their sins find them out? If wecan deal thus with symbols, we can do anything with them and can makeout any meaning we please. The laws of symbolic language require us to take the appearance ofChrist in this vision just as we do the appearance of any other agent, as a real event. We can not consistently give it any other meaning. His_symbolic_ appearance must represent his _real_ appearance; otherwise, it can never be represented by anything. Jesus appears in his own nameand person because there is no other that can represent his infinitedignity and majesty. And the symbols connected with him denote theobject of his mission and the work which he performs. His white horseshows him now a glorious conqueror; his crowns denote his supremedominion; the sword of his mouth and his vesture dipped in blood denotethe dread work of vengeance upon his enemies; while the army followinghim doubtless denotes the "ten thousands of his saints" that accompanyhim when he comes. Jude 14. The bride has already prepared herself forhis coming, and now the eternal union takes place. "Blessed are theywhich are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. " 17. And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; 18. That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses; and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. 19. And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. 20. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. 21. And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh. The foregoing explanation so nearly covers this ground that littleremains to be said. The symbol is that of vast slaughter on abattle-field, which gathers all the birds of heaven and the beasts ofthe forest to the prey. The enemies gathered for this battle were "thebeast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, " together with thefalse prophet. This is the grand confederacy of wickedness formed underthe mission of the three unclean spirits that went forth, not only untothe kings of the earth, but also into the whole world. This is not aliteral collecting of armies, hence not a literal slaughter upon abattlefield, nor a literal assembling of carrion birds; but it is asymbolic representation of the final and eternal destruction of theallied powers of sin. As will be further described in the followingchapter, they were gathered together for the purpose of overthrowing thechurch of God and anticipated a complete victory in the battle ofArmageddon; but the sudden appearance of Jesus Christ to rescue hisbride results in their complete overthrow. The special theme of thisseries of prophecy has been the history of apostate Christendom; hencethe beast and the false prophet are represented as being taken andthrown into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. "The remnant" thatwere slain refers to the other powers of wickedness not embraced inCatholicism and Protestantism This series being now traced to its close, the narrative returns to take up another important theme of prophetictruth. CHAPTER XX. And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years. 3. And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. It is commonly supposed that the events here described are to occur atthe second advent; but by considering carefully the different thingsenumerated in this chapter--the binding of the dragon; then a thousandyears; after that the Armageddon battle; and last of all the judgmentscene, in which all the dead, both small and great, are rewarded, andall the powers of wickedness cast into the lake of fire--it will be seenat once that this is not a continuation of the series of prophecyimmediately preceding, but an entirely new theme, running partlyparallel with that series, and both ending at the same point--the secondcoming of Christ and the general judgment, in which the lake of fire isthe final doom of the combined powers of wickedness. In that series thebeast and the false prophet--Romanism and Protestantism--were the chiefpowers of evil under consideration; in this series the dragon featurepredominates. If this be not true, then there will be two judgmentscenes and the wicked cast into the lake of fire twice. Positive proofof the position here taken will be given as we proceed. The power here referred to as "the Devil and Satan" is also denominated"the dragon. " This use of the definite article shows clearly that aparticular character is designated--_the_ dragon--and implies that theobject has already been introduced. In his first appearance upon thesymbolic panorama (chap. 12:3) he is simply styled _a_ dragon, but inevery subsequent instance he is called _the_ dragon, which proves thatthe same character is meant. In addition to the former remarks onchapter 12:9 relative to the terms applied to this antichristian power, the following quotation from the People's Cyclopędia will throw somelight on the subject: "In the mythical history and legendary poetry ofalmost every nation, the dragon appears as the emblem of the destructiveand anarchistic principle.... Like the serpent, the dragon is always aminister of evil ... The object of which is to fight order, harmony, andprogress. In Christian art, the dragon is the emblem of sin.... It isoften represented as crushed under the feet of saints and martyrs.... Sometimes its prostrate attitude signifies the triumph of Christianityover Paganism. " Art. Dragon. Considering this usage of these terms forages, it is not strange that they were applied also to that greatantichristian, persecuting system of Paganism, which stood beforeChristianity as its greatest barrier to "order, harmony, and progress. " The angel that overthrew this public system of Pagan infidelitysymbolizes the primitive host of Christians, the ministers inparticular. Some have supposed that he represented Christ; but, asalready shown conclusively, Christ can not be symbolized by an inferiorintelligence, hence always appears upon the scene in his own character, proclaiming his own eternal name. The fact that this angel possessed thekey of the bottomless pit is no proof that he is Christ, even though inchapter 1:18 Jesus is said to have certain keys; for in chapter 9:1 wefind that a _fallen star_--the symbol of Mohammed--is said to have "thekey of the bottomless pit" also. At the most, this expression is only asymbol of power and authority, be it good or bad. In the gospel the samefigure is applied to God's ministers, where they are given authority tobind the powers of wickedness on earth. Mat. 16:19; 18:18. The chain isa symbol of the power to bind. When Christianity first commenced its warfare with this huge system oferror, almost the entire then-known world was under its deceptiveinfluence; but by a long conflict, in which thousands of the noblefollowers of the Lamb were slaughtered, this antichristian public systemof Pagan infidelity was at last completely overthrown, and the finalresult was, that the civilized world became as completely Christian(nominally at least) as it ever had been Pagan. This greattransformation could never have been effected without the undyingheroism and whole-hearted consecration of the first disciples of Christ. From this time the dragon _as such_--as a public deceiver of the nationsthroughout the Apocalyptic earth--was overthrown. This marks thebeginning of the thousand years mentioned. Since many of the principles of heathenism were copied by the church ofRome, it may be difficult for some to understand at first why it is saidthat the dragon no longer deceived the nations after being cast down byprimitive Christianity; but this becomes clear when we consider what thedragon really was and what the church of Rome was understood to be. Atime came when the entire civilized world knew that heathenism as suchwas wrong and rejected the very idea of a plurality of gods; but theywere led to believe that they could adapt many of their former rites andceremonies to the worship of the one true God in whom they believed andthereby render acceptable service to him, and were sure that the Romishchurch was the one true apostolic church. It was not the dragon, orheathenism, that then deceived them; it was Christianity--_a falseChristianity_. The manner in which the people were deceived during thetime following the casting down of heathenism in the beginning hasalready been considered in chapters XII, XIII, XVII, XVIII, etc. , covering the same period of time included in the one thousand years inthe vision before us. We can not apply this period specified as literally one thousand yearswithout varying from every principle of time prophecy in the Revelation, for they are all symbolic; neither can we apply it according to theusual year-day method, which, signifying three hundred and sixtythousand years, would throw this series of events out of harmony withthe time-periods allotted to the other themes of truth running over thesame ground and terminating at the same point--the general judgment. Therefore, to be consistent, we shall have to apply it as (so far ashuman knowledge of the exact dates is concerned) an indefinite length oftime, on the same principle that "the hour of temptation" in chapter3:10, the three and one-half days in chapter 11:9, and the "hour" inwhich the ten kingdoms receive power with the beast (chap. 17:12), etc. , are applied. 4. And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. We have in this description another division of the subjectintroduced--a history of God's people, or one phase of the church, during the same thousand years following the casting down of the dragon. "They lived and reigned with Christ. " It was those who had "part in thefirst resurrection" that were exalted to this honored position withChrist. Millenarians always _assume_ that this refers to a literalresurrection at the second coming of Christ, but no such thing is hintedat. Not one word is said about literally resurrected saints reigning. John says, "I saw the _souls_ of them which were beheaded for thewitness of Jesus ... And _they_ lived and reigned with Christ a thousandyears. " Nothing whatever is said about any reign on earth at all; butthe description shows plainly that it was disembodied spirits that werereigning with Christ in Paradise during the period that followed thecasting down of the dragon, which was in reality one of long apostasyand darkness on earth. Before and during this conflict with Paganism thechurch of God was publicly triumphant on earth. Afterward, during theapostasy, a false church was, in the public view, triumphant, while thechurch of God was crowded out of sight into the wilderness. However, thereign of God's saints did not cease; for when they were slaughtered bytheir relentless persecutors and deprived of their reign on earth, theywere, as symbolized by the man-child, caught up to God and to his throneand there "lived and reigned with Christ" during the thousand yearsunder consideration. This same thought concerning the reign of the martyrs in Paradise whilethe powers of evil triumphed on earth, was brought to view on theopening of the fifth seal in chapter 6:9-11. "And when he had opened thefifth seal, I saw under the altar the _souls of them that were slain_for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: and theycried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dostthou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? Andwhite robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said untothem, that they should rest yet for a little season, until theirfellowservants also and their brethren, _that should be killed as theywere_ should be fulfilled. " This quotation will make clear one pointconcerning the refusal of the martyrs to worship the beast and hisimage. We are not to understand that every soul of the martyrs John sawin these visions reigned during the entire period under consideration;but he beheld the reign of the saints above during the one thousandyears, and he saw there the souls of all the martyrs--such as had beenslain in the early days of Christianity (chap. 12:11); such as refusedto worship the beast and were martyred therefor (chap. 13:7); and also, such as "should be killed as they were" (chap. 6:11) and were put todeath shortly after the formation of the image of the beast. Chap. 13:15; 16:6. This company of souls that the apostle saw reigning with Christ abovewere those who had had part "in the first resurrection, " which had madethem "blessed and holy. " They were not on earth; they were disembodiedspirits above, hence had not been literally resurrected. The Scripturesclearly teach that mankind in their ordinary condition are "_dead_ intrespasses and in sins, " and that through salvation, which makes them"blessed and holy, " they are "quickened" to a new life in Christ. Eph. 2:1. That this is Scripturally "the first resurrection" is proved mostpositively by the words of Christ--"Verily, verily, I say unto you, thehour is coming, _and now is_, when the _dead_ shall hear the voice ofthe Son of God: and they that hear _shall live_. He that heareth myword, and believeth on him that sent me, _hath_ everlasting life, andshall not come into condemnation, but is _passed from death unto life_. "John 5:25, 24. Although many other proofs could easily be given, this ofitself is sufficient to establish the point that the host of earlyChristians who had "passed from death unto life" in Christ and who gavetheir lives gladly for the sake of Christ, constituted the ones referredto as having had "part in the first resurrection. " According to verse 6it was only on those who had part in the first resurrection that thesecond death had no power. The church at Smyrna received the surepromise from Christ himself that they should "not be hurt of the seconddeath" (chap. 2:11); and this shows beyond all question that even atthat early date they had had part in this first resurrection that makesmen blessed and holy. It is the trick of Beelzebub to deceive souls by causing them tooverlook the fact that this first resurrection that made men blessed andholy is of a spiritual nature and to fix their hopes in two literalresurrections at the end. There will be but one literal resurrectionthen, as is clearly shown by the account given of the judgment in thischapter, verses 11-15. The writer of the Revelation declared positively, "Behold, he cometh with clouds: and _every eye_ shall see him, and theyalso which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail becauseof him. " Chap. 1:7. If this does not prove that there is but one literalresurrection when Christ comes, then I would not know how to state sucha fact if I desired. Furthermore, Jesus himself, in the same chapter inwhich he described "the first resurrection, " says most positively thatall the literal dead shall be resurrected at the same time. "Marvel notat this, " he says: "the _hour_ is coming, in the which all that are inthe graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that havedone good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. " John 5:28, 29. This _hour_certainly can not signify more than a short period of time. In theirefforts to prove two literal resurrections, millenarians always quotewith emphasis, "The dead in Christ shall rise first. " 1 Thes. 4:16. Indoing so they, either ignorantly or wilfully, wrest the Scriptures totheir own destruction; for any one can see at a glance that no suchthing as two resurrections is even hinted at. Verses 15-17 simply teachthis, that the righteous who are living on the earth at the time Christappears will not ascend to heaven _before_ the righteous dead areresurrected, but the dead will rise first, then they will all be caughtup together at one and the same time. The wicked are not mentioned inthis connection; for, as stated, Paul was writing this only for thecomfort and the edification of the church. In the following chapter, however, their "sudden destruction" at the second coming of Christ ismentioned as a warning to the church. It is evident that the first resurrection as applied in this connectionspecified particularly that phase of the church which, as symbolized bythe man-child, was caught up to God through martyrdom and there "livedand reigned with Christ. " The other phase of the church, symbolized bythe woman, is not said to reign with Christ a thousand years, but, onthe other hand, is represented as driven into the wilderness, her publicreign on earth being ended by the holy city being trodden under foot ofa profane multitude of apostate beast-worshipers; and the two witnesses, clothed in sackcloth, were prophesying only in a few isolated, individual hearts. A careful study of this scripture, taken in connection with others inthe Revelation applying to the same object, will show that all God'speople, both those here brought to view during the thousand years andthose following that period, are spoken of as dead people resurrectedand reigning. They are considered under two phases--those who, assymbolized by the man-child, were caught up to God through martyrdom andthere lived and reigned with Christ; and those who, as symbolized by thewoman, were deprived of their public reign on earth and were driven intothe wilderness during the same period. The first phase were "priests ofGod and of Christ" and reigned with him in Paradise (chap. 6:9-11); but"the rest, " the phase symbolized by the woman, did not live and enjoytheir public reign again, as in the early days of Christianity, untilthe expiration of the thousand-year period. It is true that individualson earth received life from God and were thus spiritually resurrectedduring the thousand-year period; but the dominant beast-power martyredthem by thousands, the two witnesses were then in their sack-clothstate, and thus the public triumphal reign of the saints on earthceased. The statement of verse five that "the rest of the dead lived notagain until the thousand years were finished" should be applied not inan individual, but in a general sense, the same as the reign aboveduring the same period is considered. There is also some doubt as to theauthenticity of this sentence. It is not found in the VaticanManuscript, which is one of the oldest in existence; and the SyriacVersion, which has come down to us from early days through an entirelyseparate channel, does not contain it. However, it is evident that thephase of the church symbolized by the woman actually reigns triumphantlyon earth after the thousand years is finished; for verses 7-9 of thischapter show that the dragon, combined with Gog and Magog, goes forth onthe breadth of the earth to compass the camp of the saints just beforethe end of time. The fact that the reign of God's people on earth is divided into twodistinct periods is shown also by other prophecies. In the seventhchapter of Daniel is recorded a vision of four great beasts, symbolizingthe Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Grecian, and Roman empires. Verse 18, connected with Dan. 2:31-44, shows that the saints were to possess thekingdom of God before the overthrow of all these four kingdoms, whichwas actually fulfilled by Jesus Christ appearing during the reign of theRoman empire and planting the kingdom of God in the earth. See Mark1:15; Luke 12:32; 16:16; Col. 1:13. Then follows a description of therise of the Papacy, which was to "_wear out the saints of the mostHigh_" for a time, times, and the dividing of times--three and one-halftimes, or forty-two months, or, prophetically, twelve hundred and sixtyyears. This, as before explained, reaches to the year A. D. 1530. Duringthis period the public reign of the saints on earth ceased. Thenimmediately following it is said, "The judgment shall sit, and theyshall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it _unto theend_. " This does not refer to the final judgment; it is a spiritualjudgment that commences before that time and continues "_unto the end_. "For example of a similar _judgment_ see Acts 7:7. God had a people during the Protestant era who walked in all the lightthey possessed and who were filled with judgment against the beast-powerthat had worn out the saints for ages. And though in places some wereput to death for refusing to worship the image of the beast thatlifeless professors had set up, yet there were from time to timereformations that resurrected many people to life in Christ. A littlelater, however, the real spiritual reign of the saints is perfectlyrestored in the pure gospel light of the evening time, and now the nextverse is fulfilled, which says, "And the kingdom and dominion, and thegreatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to thepeople of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlastingkingdom. " It is only reasonable to suppose that the public reign onearth would commence gradually and would finally reach its perfectfulfilment, just the same as it ceased gradually in the beginning. Therefore we can not point to a definite date exactly marking the end ofthe thousand years, any more than we can locate exactly the time of itscommencement; but we must be satisfied just to consider this symbolicexpression as covering a long period of time during which theseimportant phases of deep truth are considered merely from a generalstandpoint. This special reign of a thousand years above is doubtless brought to ourview for the express purpose of making the history of the triumph ofChristianity continuous. When interrupted on earth, the scene issuddenly transferred to Paradise; then when the woman comes out of thewilderness and the public reign on earth begins again, while the womanis being prepared as a bride for the coming of the Lamb, the scene, asthe following description in verse 9 also will show, is againtransferred to earth. The reign above does not in reality cease with theexpiration of the thousand years, but we are permitted to obtain a viewof it only for that length of time during the down-trodden state of thechurch on earth. This reign of the martyrs' above is placed in directcontrast with the public reign on earth during the same time, whichconsisted of multitudes of people worshiping the beast, recieving hisimage and his mark. What the "thrones" on which they sat and the"judgment" given them signifies, I do not know for certain, but it isdoubtless the same exalted privilege and authority which Christ promisedto all his over-comers--to sit with him on his throne. Chap. 3:21. 7. And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8. And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. 9. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. 10. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. The loosing of Satan, or the dragon, is the first important point to beconsidered. Before this matter can be rightly understood, however, wemust take into account carefully certain facts regarding his binding. Itwas not the dragon as a political power that Christianity attacked (itdid not labor to that end), but it was its huge public system of falsebelief that was overthrown. This great system, as opposed toChristianity, can all be summed up under the one word _infidelity_. _Infidel_ signifies "a heathen; one who disbelieves in Christ, or thedivine origin and authority of Christianity. "--Webster. This system waspositively an antichristian power that sought by every possible means todestroy the religion of Jesus and to blot out his very name. It failedin the attempt. It was bound. During the long reign of Popery, when thedoctrine was be-a-Catholic-or-die, infidelity could not publicly liftits head in the sense in which it was cast down by the early Christians. It had no power over the nations of the Apocalyptic earth to thendeceive them; but they were greatly deceived by a false Christianityuntil almost all the world wondered after the beast. The release of thedragon, then, in order to be entirely satisfactory and consistent, mustembrace the following points: First, it must at least include thedevelopment of a great public antichristian power whose avowed object isto destroy the whole fabric of Christianity. Second, being bound bydivine power, his release must be the result of divine permission for aspecial purpose. Third, the scene of his imprisonment must necessarilybe the place of his release; namely, the earth--the Apocalypticearth--the territory of the Roman empire. We find all these requirements meeting a most perfect fulfilment in theevents described under the pouring out of the first vial, which was doneby the direction of Him that sat upon the throne. A sufficient historyof that fearful system of infidelity which, through the labors ofVoltaire and his coadjutors, spread throughout all Europe has alreadybeen given. The very object of the leaders of this movement was theextermination of the Christian religion, and their secret watchword was"Crush the wretch, " meaning Jesus Christ. The dragon was loose in allhis terrible features. The Pagans upheld a false belief; these modernworshipers of the dragon did likewise and publicly exalted the "Goddessof Reason" as an object of devotion, setting aside every tenth day fortheir hellish orgies in her honor. The former endeavored to overthrowthe Christian religion; the latter had for its special aim the utterdestruction of everything Christian either in name or in character. Thisdevilish system spread over all Europe and almost undermined the wholefabric of society, and threatened to convert the world from Christianityto the worship of the Goddess of Reason. Its foothold gained was soextensive and its effects so far-reaching that prominent historians, D'Aubigne among the number, have denominated the period of its greatesttriumph "the day of Reason. " It is one of the three and one-half dayscovered by the prophecy in Rev. 11:9. I do not wish to be understood, however, as limiting the release of thedragon and his work to the system of infidelity that had its origin inFrance. I merely refer to that unfortunate system as the beginning ofthe dragon's release and work--the re-introduction to the world of thoseprinciples of public hostility to Christianity which had lain buriedsince the days of Pagan Rome. The dragon in the beginning was adeceptive system, one that "deceived the whole world"; but itsdeceptions were uncovered by the light of Christianity, and then itbecame the bitter public opposer of the religion of Christ. In therelease of the dragon the order is reversed. He first appears as thepublic enemy of Christianity in the form already mentioned, butafterwards changes his tactics to milder methods in order the better to"deceive" the people, as we shall see hereafter. But there is another chapter in the history of the dragon's career thatwe must not overlook--his partnership with Gog and Magog. The originalsignification of the terms _Gog and Magog_ is difficult to ascertain, asall known accounts are conflicting. The terms occur in Ezek. 38 and 39also. In the Revelation, however, it is clear that these terms areapplied to Romanism and Protestantism, and under the special leadershipof this spirit of antichrist they are gathered together to battleagainst the saints of the most High. I will again quote the descriptionof this union as given under the sixth vial, which refers to the presenttime: "And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouthof the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouthof the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, workingmiracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the wholeworld, to gather them to the battle of that great day of GodAlmighty.... And he gathered them into a place called in the Hebrewtongue Armageddon. " Chap. 16:13-16. It will be noticed that the field ofoperations under this grand confederation of the three unclean spiritsis enlarged so that it includes not merely the Apocalyptic earth, but"the whole world. " In order to form a confederation of powers each of which holds its owndistinctive principles, it is necessary that each make certainconcessions, in outward appearance at least, so that they can worktogether in harmony against a common foe. In this case it will benecessary that three points be conceded before the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet can agree. First, the dragon must not appear inhis true character as antichristian; he must be clothed in somedifferent attire in order to "deceive. " Second, Catholicism must stopher work of slaying those who disagree with her and cover up her trueprinciples. Third, Protestantism must cease protesting against theabominations of Catholicism. We are living in the time when thisconfederation of the powers of wickedness is being effected; thereforewe must not expect to see the dragon as a terrible creature with headsand horns standing as the open adversary of God, but we must look forhim dressed up in a garb "to deceive. " If necessary he can place himselfunder a Christian garb without violating his conscience--of which he hasnone. It will perhaps be beneficial to give the reader a short account of someof the forms under which the dragon is manifesting himself at thepresent time in order to "deceive" the people. It will be rememberedthat, in the description of the first vial, which represented the awfulsystem of infidelity that was spread over Europe, Dr. Adam Weishaupt ofthe University of Ingolstadt, formed a secret society under the name ofthe Illuminati in order the better to spread these wicked principles. Aquotation was also made showing that "_Freemasonry_ being in high reputeall over Europe when Weishaupt first formed the plan of his society, heavailed himself of its secrecy to introduce his new order, which rapidlyspread, by the efforts of its founders and disciples, through all thosecountries. " Now, if Freemasonry was such an excellent channel for thedragon to begin his work through, is it not reasonable to suppose thathe would still retain his position in that order, and especially since_the very name of Christ_ is barred from its rites, rules, andceremonies? And this thought is especially convincing when we considerthe fact that Freemasonry is in its very nature and constitution only aform of Paganism. This vast body is founded on what they call the"ancient mysteries. " The following is taken from Masonic Salvation byFred Husted: "Warburton says: 'Each of the Pagan gods had (beside the public andopen) a secret worship paid unto him, to which none were admitted butthose who had been selected by preparatory ceremonies called initiation. This secret worship was called "the mysteries. "' "Mackey, another member of this order, says: 'These mysteries existed inevery country of heathendom, in each under a different name, and to someextent under a different form, but always and everywhere with the samedesign of inculcating (teaching) by allegorical and symbolical teachingsthe great Masonic doctrines of the unity of God and the immortality ofthe soul. This one important proposition and the fact which itenumerates (states) must never be lost sight of, in any inquiry into theorigin of Freemasonry; for the Pagan mysteries were to the spuriousFreemasonry of antiquity precisely what the Masters' lodges are to theFreemasonry of the present day. ' "This is certainly a frank statement, coming as it does from a man whois an acknowledged and highly esteemed authority in matters pertainingto the craft. Daniel Sickles says, 'In Egypt, Greece, and many otherancient nations Freemasonry, that is, the Mysteries, was one of theearliest agencies employed to effect the improvement and enlightenmentof man. ' Pierson says, 'The identity of the Masonic institutions withthe ancient Mysteries is obvious, ' which means clearly to be seen, manifest to any and all. "Masons say that the order is founded on the Bible--that is, unlearnedMasons say so. Geo. Wingate Chase, in the Digest of Masonic Law, says:'The Jews, the Turks, each reject either the New Testament or the Old orboth, and yet we see no good reasons why they should not be made Masons. In fact, Blue Lodge [first three degrees] Masonry has nothing whateverto do with the Bible. It is not founded on the Bible. If it were, itwould not be Masonry; it would be something else. ' "Sickles says in speaking of the third, or Master Mason's degree, 'Thereare characters impressed upon it which can not be mistaken. _It isthoroughly Egyptian_. ' He further says that the tradition is older by athousand years than Solomon. 'That our [Masonic] rites embrace all thepossible circumstances of man, moral, social, and spiritual, and have ameaning high as the heavens, broad as the universe, and profound aseternity. ' Sickles in Gen. Chiman Rezon. "The writer was informed when the charges were given him 'that ourancient brethren worshiped in high hills and in low vales, and thatguards were placed to keep off cowans or eves-droppers. ' By referring toScripture we at once find the character of those who worshiped in highhills and low vales, and why they needed a guard to keep offeves-droppers. 'Thou saidst, I will not transgress; when upon every highhill and under every green tree thou wanderest, playing the harlot. 'Jer. 2:20; 3:6. 'Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein thenations which ye shall possess served other gods, upon the highmountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree. ' Deut. 12:2. 'Enflaming themselves with idols under every green tree, slaying thechildren in the vales under the clifts of the rocks.... Even thitherwentest thou up to offer sacrifice. ' Isa. 57:5-7. They were not afraidof Ahab and Jezebel (2 Kings 7:10; 1 Kings 14:23), and they grew andmultiplied in their reigns, and in the reigns of all those of whom it isrecorded that 'they did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord. 'Some of the kings of Israel and of Judah destroyed their high places forthem and were highly favored of God for so doing. "Again, 'The precepts of Jesus could not have been made obligatory upona Jew. A Christian would have denied the sanction of the Koran. AMohammedan must have rejected the law of Moses, and a disciple ofZoroaster would have turned from all, to the teaching of hisZend-Avesta. The universal law of nature, which the authors of the oldcharges have properly called the moral, is therefore the _only law_suited in every respect to be adopted as the Masonic code. ' Mackeys'Textbook, Masonic Jurisprudence. If the statements just quoted do notplace the secret society of Masonry on a footing decidedly Pagan, it isdifficult to say just where it does stand.... "Tammuz, or Osiris of Egypt, who is declared to be the original of HiramAbiff the temple-builder, is still mourned for. Ezek. 8:14. See Young'sAnalytical Concordance or any standard Greek Mythology. Now seePiersons' Traditions of Freemasonry. 'The Masonic legend stands byitself, unsupported by history, or other than its own traditions. Yet wereadily recognize in Hiram Abiff the Osiris of the Egyptians, theMithras of the Persians, the Bacchus of the Greeks [god of drunkenness, or feasts and the like], the Dionysis of the fraternity of artificers, and the Atys of the Phrygians, whose passions, deaths, and resurrectionswere celebrated by these people respectively. ' Thus it is clearly shownthat each of these ancient nations had its counterfeit Savior andRedeemer, and it is here proved by the words of Masonic Grand Masters, authors, and authorities, that Masonry is of Pagan origin. " When we think of the millions of devotees of this form of Paganism, multitudes of church-members and preachers, surely it is not difficultto see that the dragon is loose in deceiving power again. That he ismeeting with great success in forming his confederation of all falsereligions, is obvious. The world's Parliament of Religions, held inChicago in the year 1893, is an illustration of this statement. Thedragon, the beast, and the false prophet met in "mutual confidence andrespect, " a "brotherhood" of religions. Theism, Judaism, Mohammedanism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Shintoism, Zoroastrianism, Catholicism, the Greek Church, and Protestantism in many forms--allthese were represented. And the devotees of these religions met, as theysaid, "To unite all religion against all irreligion; to make the goldenrule the basis of this union; and to present to the world _substantialunity of many religions_. " The following are a few extracts fromaddresses made before the Parliament. President Charles Carroll Bonney, in the opening address, said:"Worshipers of God and lovers of man: Let us rejoice that we have livedto see this glorious day.... That we are permitted to take part in thissolemn and majestic event of a World's Congress of Religions. Theimportance of this event can not be overestimated. Its influence on thefuture relations of the various races of men, can not be too highlyesteemed. If this Congress shall faithfully execute its duties withwhich it has been charged, it shall become the joy of the whole earth, and stand in human history like a _new Mount Zion_, crowned with glory, and marking the actual beginning of a _new epoch of brotherhood_ andpeace. _For when the religious faiths of the world recognize each otheras brothers, children of one Father_, whom all profess to love andserve, then, and not until then, will the nations of the earth yield tothe spirit of concord and learn war no more.... We meet on the mountainheight of absolute respect for the religious convictions of eachother.... This day the sun of a new era of religious peace and progressarises over the world, dispelling the dark clouds of sectarian strife. _It is the brotherhood of religions. _" Chairman John Henry Barrows, in his address, said: "We are here not asBaptists and Buddhists, Catholics and Confucians, Parsees andPresbyterians, Methodists and Moslems; we are here as members of aParliament of Religions, over which flies no sectarian flag, ... Butwhere for the first time in large council is lifted up the banner oflove, fellowship, brotherhood.... Welcome, one and all, thrice welcometo the world's first Parliament of Religions! Welcome to the men andwomen of Israel, the standing miracle of nations and religions! Welcometo the disciples of Prince Siddartha, the many millions who worshiptheir lord Buddha as the light of Asia! Welcome to the high-priests ofthe national religion of Japan! This city has every reason to begrateful to the enlightened ruler of 'the sunrise kingdom. ' Welcome tothe men of India, and all faiths! Welcome to all the disciples ofChrist! ... It seems to me that the spirits of just and good men hoverover this assembly. I believe the spirit of Paul is here. I believe thespirit of the wise and humane Buddha is here, and of Socrates thesearcher after truth.... When a few days ago I met for the first timethe delegates who have come to us from Japan, and shortly after thedelegates who have come to us from India, I felt that the arms of humanbrotherhood had reached almost around the globe. " World's Parliament ofReligions, Chap. III. Similar congresses have since been held. While Inever expect to see all these principles of evil under one organizedform, yet it is evident that the spirits of devils that have gone forthinto "all the world" are uniting them all under one _spirit_--that ofAntichrist. Another form in which the old dragon is manifesting himself and unitingthousands of people against the truth, and one in which the "miracles"ascribed to this latest confederation of Satan are performed, is that of"Christian Science. " Attracted by its healing doctrine, multitudes arelured into this deceptive communion of Mrs. Eddy's. At the very best hersystem is, as every historian knows, only a slight revision of theOriental Philosophy; and notwithstanding its forged name _Christian_, itis truly subversive of the doctrine of Christ. Her grand centraldoctrine of the "allness" of mind and the unreality of matter is a truecopy of the "fantastic idealism" of the Gnostics. Gnosticism was basedon "speculative knowledge. " So is Mrs. Eddy's theory. Gnosticism deniedthe "_true humanity_ of the Redeemer, and made his person a merephantom, and his work a mere illusion. " So does Christian Science. Although Mrs. Eddy clamours loudly that her work is _Christian_ and hermultitude of followers believe her claim, still a careful study of herwork Science and Health will convince any unprejudiced person that sheutterly repudiates the atonement-work of Jesus Christ by denying hisperson and the reality of sin and matter. Though the system may containsome good moral principles, yet it has no power to save men from sin, since it denies the existence of actual sin. Her denial of the onepersonal God--"all is infinite mind, and its infinite manifestations, "--is but a swing of the pendulum from the godless and graceless system ofthe materialistic philosophy propounded by Darwin and Haeckel and is asabsurd and unscriptural (although opposite) as the rankest Pantheism. The salvation of the soul through faith in Jesus Christ has absolutelyno place in the Christian Science creed. It is nothing but a species ofuniversalism. Individuals of every evil class and character--self-lovers, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient toparents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, profane, murderers of fathers and mothers, man-slayers, whoremongers, liars, drunkards, sorcerers, perjured persons, backbiters, haters ofGod, despiteful, inventors of evil things, implacable, unmerciful, abominable, and those unto every good work reprobate--any and all ofthese characters can and do come to the healers of Christian Science, and _not one word is said to them about getting salvation_ throughrepentance and living faith in the Savior; but, on the other hand, theyare received as follows: "As _children of God_ you have a right to thehealing of your bodies"! The dragon is in it! I warn people to beware. "They are the spirits of devils, working miracles, " and form animportant proof that we are near the end of time. Another form in which the dragon is manifesting his power on thedeceptive and miracle-working line is modern Spiritualism. Multitudes ofpeople of all classes are believers in this soul-destroying doctrine. The system is generally acknowledged to be but a modern form of what wasanciently styled witchcraft, necromancy, magic, etc. , while the mediumsof to-day are of the same class as those formerly known as "witches, ""sorcerers, " "magicians. " This they themselves often admit. The systemis so well known both in doctrine and in its pernicious effects that Iwill not devote further space to the matter. [15] In many other forms thedragon is working his deceptions upon the people. [Footnote 15: For further consideration of this subject read the book"Modern Spiritualism Exposed, " by the publishers of this work. ] Millions of church-members and thousands of preachers are numbered amongthese antichristian organizations of Freemasonry, Christian Science, Spiritualism, etc. , etc. , gathered together under the influence of thespirits of devils working miracles, mighty signs, and wonders. On theother hand, the churches are filled with persons who in spirit arenothing but skeptics and infidels. Said T. De Witt Talmage on oneoccasion, "There is a mighty host in the Christian church, positivelyprofessing Christianity, who _do not believe the Bible_, out and out, inand in, from the first word of the first verse of the first chapter ofthe Book of Genesis, down to the last word of the last verse of the lastchapter of the Book of Revelation. " Is it any wonder that such is thecase when a large number of the preachers themselves are in realityskeptics? A newspaper clipping before me contains the following, utteredon March 28, 1905, by the Rev. B. A. Green, pastor of the First BaptistChurch, of Evanstown, Ill. , before about a hundred of his fellowministers: "All the truth in the world is not contained in one book, norin books of theology, God was too big for one temple and he is also toobig for one book. God is everywhere. His truth is found in all goodbooks. The pastor of to-day should read the modern psychology and modernliterature, _especially the works of fiction_ which deal with religiousor social phases of modern life. " A large portion of the sectarianministry reject entirely the Mosaic account of the creation, and acceptinstead the modern theory of evolution. The following quotation is from the Rev. Minton J. Savage, pastor of theChurch of the Messiah, New York, N. Y. , who is an acknowledged leader inthe "higher criticism. " This was in answer to an attack made on thehigher critics by a convention of the American Bible League. "The menwho are leading in the higher criticism of the Bible and who are nowbeing assailed so bitterly by the American Bible League, arerepresentative scholars of the world, scientific thinkers, leaders, teachers, who have given us a new universe, a new conception of God, anew idea concerning the origin and nature of man. They are not seekingto support or to undermine anything. They are seeking for the truth asthe only sacred thing on earth. "I would like to consider what this book is about over which all thiscontroversy is raging. It is really not one book, but sixty-six smallvolumes. They were written during a period of nearly a thousand years, in different countries, by different people. The first book was writtenabout eight hundred years before Christ. The first five books of theBible were written between five and six hundred years before Christ. Thehistorical books tell us about the day of Judges, then of Kings, thewars of Israel, until the time of captivity. Then the book of Job, purely anonymous, and no one knows who wrote it. Then the book of thePsalms, the hymn-book of the people of Israel, and the books of theprophets. It would be more proper to call them preachers, for they makeno effort to foretell anything, but merely told the people that if theyfollowed certain lines of conduct certain things would happen. "No book was placed in the Bible by anything that claimed to be divineauthority. No law concerning the Biblical canon was ever issued by thechurch earlier than the sixteenth century and that changed nothing; itsimply recognized what had come to be a fact. These books driftedtogether and came to be bound as one, by force of gravity, by commonconsent, and there are one or two books in the New Testament whichscholars could miss without feeling any the poorer. "Nobody, then, is assaulting the Bible, for the simple reason that theBible as such has never made any claim. The Bible does not claim to beinspired; it does not claim to be infallible. No writer of one book isauthorized to speak for the author of any other book. One verse issometimes referred to as meaning something. The writer of the last bookin the Bible utters a curse against anybody who should presume to add toor take from the words of that book. He does not say that the book isinfallible; he simple curses anybody that interferes with it, asShakespeare uttered a curse against anybody who interfered with hisbones. I suppose that God might have given us an infallible book, if hehad chosen, and if he had given us such a book he would have made ussure that it was infallible. " "If I were compelled to believe that God holds me responsible for Adam'ssin and that the immense majority of the world is doomed to everlastingtorment, and that only a selected few here and there are to entereternal felicity, I might bow my head and accept it, but I could notrejoice in it. It is barbarous. Men who try to make us accept suchdogmas are the real infidels of the world, and it is infidelity whichthey are creating--infidelity a hundred times worse than that which theycall by the name. If you would blot out every Bible in the world to-dayyou would not even endanger its life, nor would you destroy religion. "From _The Toledo News-Bee_, May 14, 1904. All these allied powers of wickedness in conflict with the few of God'ssaints who serve him acceptably, constitute the battle ofArmageddon--that battle of the last great day. It is not a literalcollecting of armies nor a literal conflict, but a fierce battle betweentruth and error. The outward indications are that the enemies of Godwill triumph; but let us remember that it is destined to "end in thevictory of Him unto whom triumph belongs. " Fire will come down from Godout of heaven and devour them. This symbol is doubtless taken from thecircumstance of Elijah where he commanded fire to come down and destroyhis enemies; and it will be as with such an overthrow that the powers ofwickedness shall meet their doom in that last great day of God Almighty. 11. And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14. And death and hell were cast, into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. This series of events, as far as it pertains to the doom of evil men, ends properly with verse 10, where the combined powers of wickedness arerepresented as being cast into the lake of fire. This last event, however, is in the present scene more fully described. It is fittingthat the judgment scene should be more fully described; for with thischapter we have the last special history of the powers of evil given. Many times we have been led up to the time of the final overthrow of allthe powers of wickedness, but the manner in which that great eventoccurs has not been perfectly detailed. Here we have another illustration of that principle of symbolic languagelaid down in the beginning--that objects and events whose nature forbidstheir symbolization appear under their own names or titles and theirdescription must of necessity be literal. The appearance of the greatGod must be considered an actual event; for, as clearly shown, he cannot be symbolized, neither can he appear as the symbol of some otherobject, from the fact that there is no other object of analagous natureof which he could stand as the representative. The resurrection ofitself is an event of such a peculiar nature as to forbid itssymbolization. What is there analagous to it which could here beemployed? There are, perhaps, analagous changes in the vegetable andanimal kingdoms; but symbols drawn from that quarter would indicate somepolitical change instead. Paul may, indeed, speak of the decay and thegrowth of seeds to _illustrate_ the resurrection; but the decay of aseed does not _symbolize_ the death of a saint, neither does itsgermination _symbolize_ his resurrection. Nor is there any change thatcan do it. There is the same necessity of speaking of the resurrectionin its literal meaning as there was of representing the spirits of themartyrs under their own appropriate titles. The earth and the heaven fleeing away from before God's presence so thatno place is found for them, must be understood as describing the literaldissolution of this world when Christ comes; for it is clear from theScriptures that such an event will occur at that time. Peter says that"the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which_the heavens shall pass away_ with a great noise, and the elements shallmelt with fervent heat, _the earth also_ and the works that are therein_shall be burned up_. " 2 Pet. 3:10. Nothing can be found to symbolizeperfectly such a mighty event; hence it appears as a literal descriptionof the final catastrophe of this old world. It is evident that there are symbols connected with this appearance ofGod, as truly as there were symbols connected with Christ in hisappearance in chap. 19. The _throne_ is a symbol of judgment and ofsupreme sovereignty, its dazzling whiteness indicating the impartialityand justice of the proceedings. The _books_, likewise, are symbols. Weare not to suppose that there are literal books in heaven, in whichChrist or some angelic secretary notes down all the affairs of earth. The language and the symbols of Scripture are accommodated to the humanunderstanding, hence books are used as a symbol to denote that thecharacter and the actions of men are all as perfectly known andremembered as if they had been recorded in the archives of heaven. The_book of life_, in which the names of the faithful are often said to beinscribed, denotes that God knows all his chosen people. In thefollowing chapter it is called the Lamb's book of life. This scene, then, as a whole, is a sublime description of theresurrection and the final judgment of all men and the dissolution ofthe earth on which we now live. That the righteous will be judged atthis time is shown by the fact that the book of life, in which the namesof the righteous only are recorded (Chap. 21:27; Exod. 32:33), will alsobe opened; and verse fifteen implies that the names of some during thisjudgment scene were found recorded in that book. The wicked receivetheir eternal portion by being cast into the lake of fire; while thereward of the righteous is described in the remaining part of thisseries, contained in the two following chapters. CHAPTER XXI. And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. The events of this chapter are a continuation of the series of prophecyconsidered in the preceding one, only describing an entirely differentphase--the final reward and eternal home of God's people. We have tracedmany series of prophecies through the long weary pathway of centuries, only to find the termination of the powers of wickedness in the lake offire at the end of time or their overthrow otherwise set forth underappropriate symbols; but in no instance has the final reward of God'speople after the judgment been fully described. That glorious event ofthe future was referred to in chap. 7 as the final in-gathering of theredeemed "of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues. " Thedescription however, was incomplete. Since the eternal abode of thewicked is referred to often, the subject would seem incomplete without adescription of the final glories and triumphs of the redeemed in theirfuture and eternal home. Though their earthly pilgrimage is fraught withsorrow, death, pain, wretchedness, and misery, by the hands of theirviolent oppressors, yet they shall witness the complete overthrow of alltheir enemies in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, and theythemselves shall be rewarded eternally; for "God shall wipe away alltears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, neither crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the formerthings are passed away. " It is fitting that such a sublime theme shouldbe reserved as the grand climax of the book of Revelation. With the dissolution of the earth on which we live, which event has justbeen described, it is evident that the many lines of prophecy leading upto that great event are no longer under special consideration, but thata new theme subsequent to the judgment scene is introduced with thewords of the Revelator immediately following--"I saw _a new heaven and anew earth:_ for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away;and there was no more sea. " The heaven, earth, and sea that passed awaycertainly refers to the earth that now is and to the aerial heavensurrounding it; therefore the new heaven and the new earth brought toview must signify the future and eternal home that Jesus went toprepare. We could not consistently make the one literal and the othersymbolical. This accords perfectly with the teaching of the apostlePeter where he says: "The day of the Lord will come as a thief in thenight; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, andthe elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the worksthat are therein shall be burned up.... Nevertheless we, according tohis promise, look for _new heavens and a new earth_, wherein dwellethrighteousness. " 2 Pet. 3:10-13. The holy city of God, the New Jerusalem, is next introduced. Since thismeets its fulfilment in the new order of things subsequent to thejudgment scene, it must have special reference to the future abode ofthe saints in the new earth. Many of the symbols here describing the NewJerusalem, and even New Jerusalem itself, are often used to set forththe church of God in the New Testament dispensation. The church on earthand the church of God in heaven are in one important sense the samething, as they constitute but one family (Eph. 3:15); yet in anothersense there is a difference, and the proper distinction must be observedeven when the same symbols or titles are used to describe or designateboth phases. A similar two-foldness is seen in many lines of truth. InHeb. 12:22, 23, we are represented as dwelling in the city of God inthis dispensation; yet verse 27 of this chapter and the fourteenth ofthe following chapter plainly show our entrance into the city at theend. The Scriptures represent God as dwelling on earth in his church, which, of course, is considered in a spiritual sense; but his actualthrone and place of abode is in heaven. A new creation brought about byChrist in his first advent is set forth by various texts; still, itremains a fact that a new creation will actually be brought to viewafter the present world is no more and that the same will be our eternalhome. We obtain spiritual life through Christ now, hence have right tothe tree of life; yet in another sense our access to the tree of life isat the end and we then enter in through the gates into the city. Chap. 22:14. Hence it is proper to speak of the city of God as both presentand future, by observing the proper distinction, just as the Scripturesspeak of the church in a twofold sense as being both on earth and inheaven, or of the spiritual kingdom in the present and the eternalkingdom in the end. It is Scriptural to speak of God's throne as beingon earth in the midst of his saints in a spiritual sense and also of itsbeing located in heaven. The tree of life is a present realizationspiritually and also a future reality. We dwell in the city of Godnow--in the suburbs, as it were--but we shall "have a right" to it inthe future state when we are ushered into the very heart of the greatmetropolis and stand before the actual throne of the Deity, in thepresence of his August Majesty. In the New Testament dispensation the heavenly elements of the NewJerusalem have descended to earth in the form of the new covenant, andGod's people obtain a foretaste of heaven's glory and are made pure evenas Christ is pure, and are therefore represented as having "come untoMount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem"(Heb. 12:22, 23); and God dwells with them in a very important sense. 2Cor. 6:16. They are one with the redeemed above, and together theyconstitute one "family in heaven and earth, " all loving the same Father, adoring the same King, drinking from the same fountain of life eternal, and all basking in the same divine light that beams from the throne ofGod. In another sense, however, there is a difference between them; forthey are separated by the line of mortality, one phase being located onearth and the other in heaven. But when at the last day the redeemed ofearth have access to the tree of life in its perfect sense, there willbe henceforth only one phase to the New Jerusalem, or church of God, which will be in its relation to the new earth, as specially describedin the prophecy under consideration, when "_all things_" are made newand "the former things are passed away. " 5. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. 6. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. 7. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 8. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. The declarations contained in these verses proceed from God himself andannounce the fact that he hath now fulfilled all that he designed. Hispromises to his faithful children are brought to pass, as well as histhreatening to his foes. All things are made new and the former thingsare passed away. Not only has the strife, the commotion, and the sin inthe old order of things passed away, but the new creation, whereindwelleth righteousness, has been introduced, the grand long-looked-forera of eternal blessedness to the saints. Oh, halleluiah! "And he saidunto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. " "And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginningand the end. " When the seventh angel of chap. 16:17 poured out his vial, the voice of God from the throne said, "It is done, " signifying that thelast judgments were complete. Here again the same voice is heard asbefore, referring to the same thing--the accomplishment of God's greatpurposes. The enemies of the church have been overthrown, her longperiod of warfare has ended, and the eternal day of Zion's glory hascome. Then follow his blessed promises held out to the faithful, andalso the reward to the wicked. These are to be understood as referringto these classes, not at the day of judgment, but when the Revelationwas given to John and therefore to us. "I will give unto him that isathirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcomethshall inherit all things [in the margin, _these things_]: and I will behis God, and he shall be my son. " "This is the reward in reserve forthose who endure through this period of trial and overcome at last. Theyshall drink of living waters, which will be sweet and refreshing indeedto those who have toiled through this fight; and they shall inheritthese things--these new heavens and earth. God shall be their God, andthey his sons. Oh, what an honor! what a destiny in reserve for thefaithful! with what glorious anticipations may the believer look forwardto the revelations of that day, and with Paul say, 'If by any means Imay attain unto the resurrection of the dead. ' "What warning also to the wicked! The same voice that utters thepromise, pronounces also the threatening. 'The fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, andidolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake whichburneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. ' God says, 'These words are true and faithful. ' They came from him who sat upon thethrone, the Alpha and Omega. He has put his everlasting seal to them, and pledged his veracity to their truth. " Dear reader, will you acceptthe word of Him who can not lie and choose to suffer affliction with thepeople of God until our Lord shall come to call his ransomed home? Orwill you decide to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, only to beresurrected at the last great day to "shame and everlasting contempt"?There is no intimation of future salvation for the transgressor. Thelake of fire still stands as the symbol of eternal destruction, and intoit the fearful and unbelieving and wicked of every name are cast. 9. And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. 10. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, 11. Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; 12. And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: 13. On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. 14. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 15. And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. 16. And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. 17. And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel. 18. And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. 19. And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; 20. The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. 21. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. 22. And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. 23. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. 24. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it. 25. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. 26. And they shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into it. 27. And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life. We have here a magnificent description of the New Jerusalem, representing the home of the redeemed. The various symbols employed inits description must of course he understood as symbolical. We have nomeans of knowing just what our future home will be like; but that itwill be a place of wondrous beauty and transcendent glory is shown bythe fact that everything which is considered grand and glorious in thisworld is here chosen to represent the home of the redeemed. The symbolsselected to describe it are objects of such priceless worth, evenexceeding royal splendor, that we pause in astonishment and exclaim, "What must the reality be?" The conditions upon which entrance to thiscity may be obtained (ver. 27; chap. 22:14) show clearly that our futureand eternal home is the chief burden of this vision and not merely ourspiritual inheritance in this world. "In approaching Jerusalem, the traveller is not aware of its proximity, until, ascending an eminence, the glorious city bursts upon hisastonished vision, when he is ready to exclaim with thePsalmist--'Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth is MountZion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great king. '" Psa. 48:2. John was carried to "a great and high mountain, " from whichcommanding point of view he was enabled to survey in all its boundlessextent the surpassing glories of the New Jerusalem. Never didimagination conceive anything approaching the sublimity and grandeur ofthe scene here described by the pen of inspiration. It was "a greatcity"--how great we shall soon discover--the _holy_ Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God. The ancient city of Jerusalem was regarded as sacred because in it Godhad recorded his name, and it contained his holy temple, his place ofresidence on earth. Thither the tribes of Israel went up to worship;"Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. " So, also, this NewJerusalem was "_the holy city_, " an antitype of the former. It isdescribed as "having the glory of God, and her light was like unto astone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. " "Theglory of God" was that visible manifestation, called the Shekinah, whichJehovah made of himself in the tabernacle of his ancient people. Thefollowing facts concerning it will give us an understanding of itssignification as connected with the New Jerusalem: "Jehovah was the accepted King and Lawgiver of his people Israel, and hehad his tabernacle among them, where he abode by his presence, where hemight be approached and consulted, and make communications of his will. That visible presence was 'the glory of God' or the Shekinah; and theJews regarded it with the highest possible veneration, as the embodimentof the Deity. The sacred writers often speak of it in the same terms asof Jehovah himself. They refer to this when they speak of _seeing God_. 'Then went up Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of theelders of Israel, _and they saw the God of Israel_. ' Ex. 24:9, 10. 'Isaw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and histrain filled the temple. ' Isa. 6:1. And again in verse 5: 'For mine eyes_have seen_ the King, the Lord of hosts. ' The spiritual essence of Godcan not, of course, be revealed to mortal vision, yet there was amanifestation of the Deity which was made visible to the eyes of men, and which Moses and Isaiah speak of as _seeing God_. It is spoken of asthe _presence_ and _face_ of Jehovah. 'And he said, _My presence_ shallgo with thee, and I will give thee rest. ' Ex. 33:14. 'And the Lord spakeunto Moses _face to face_, as a man speaketh unto his friend. ' Ex. 33:11. " The New Jerusalem that John saw descending from God--which denotes itsheavenly origin--had "the glory of God: and her light was like unto astone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. " Itdazzled as the purest diamond. In verse 23 we are informed that itilluminated the whole city so that there was "no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the _glory of God did lightenit, and the Lamb is the light thereof_. " In ancient times "the glory ofGod" filled the _tabernacle_, the place of his abode; but here it filled_the whole city_. In that tabernacle the Shekinah was the manifestationof the divine glory of Jehovah. In the New Jerusalem Jesus Christ, whois "the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, "illuminates the entire city of God. Oh, halleluiah! In olden times the cities were surrounded with walls, designed as adefense against all enemies. The more important the city, the higher andstronger were the walls built. Having walls, it was necessary also tohave gates to furnish ingress and egress to the inhabitants. These gateswere in charge of faithful guardians, who had authority to open and toclose them according to the regulations of the city. In accordance withthis idea the city of God is represented as having "a wall great andhigh. " This wall represents the security of Zion, whose inhabitantswithin can rest in peace and safety. The three gates on each siderepresent the free and easy access into the city from every quarter. Anciently, it was customary to give names to the gates of a city, justas we now do to our streets. The gates of this holy city were namedafter the twelve tribes of the children of Israel, which embraced allGod's ancient covenant people, and which denotes the perfection andcompleteness of our heavenly home as including all the spiritual Israel. "And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the namesof the twelve apostles of the Lamb. " The twelve foundations, or ratherthe twelve courses of stone in the foundation, are more fully describedhereafter. The names of the twelve tribes were on the gates to denotethat the city was composed of God's true and complete Israel, and thenames of the twelve apostles are on the foundation to denote that thiscontains the church which was "built upon the foundation of the apostlesand prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone. " Eph. 2:20. The system of truth that they preached to the world forms thedoctrinal basis of the church of God, they having received it fromheaven "by inspiration of God, " and their names all appear; and togetherthey constitute one harmonious, solid foundation upon which the churchshall stand forever. The dimensions of the city as measured by the angel are next given astwelve thousand furlongs, or one thousand five hundred miles. By thestatement that the length, the breadth and the height are equal, somehave supposed that the city was one thousand five hundred miles high. Toquote the words of a certain commentator: "The language, however, willbear another meaning, which is far more natural. It is not that thelength and breadth and height were severally equal to _each other_, but_equal with themselves_; that is the length was everywhere the same, thebreadth everywhere the same, and the height the same. It was perfect andsymmetrical in all its proportions. This is confirmed by the factdistinctly stated, that the wall was one hundred and forty and fourcubits high, or two hundred and sixteen feet, a proper height for awall; while it is said only that 'the length is as large as thebreadth. '" This writer reckoned but eighteen inches for a cubit, whereassome figure twenty-two. A city one thousand and five hundred miles highwith a wall only two hundred and sixteen or two hundred and sixty fourfeet high, would be altogether out of proportion. The wondrous dimensions of this city set forth the fact that our futurehome far exceeds in grandeur and extent everything that is looked uponas glorious upon earth. Who ever heard of a city one thousand and fivehundred miles square? We have had empires so large, but no such cities. In this representation the city does not encompass the entire earth asshe in one sense really does, because it would be impossible thus torepresent her and at the same time she be represented as a city withinthe earth, into which the nations bring their "glory and honor. " Theancient city of Babylon with its beautiful hanging-gardens, the verytriumph of human skill, and the city itself lying in a foursquare, beingfifteen miles on each side, was unsurpassed in human loveliness. But thecity of God is represented as _fifteen hundred_ miles square, whichdimensions are out of all proportion with anything existing on earth;hence its beauty and magnificence must be ascribed to God only. "And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was puregold like unto clear glass. " The jasper is the same crystal gem beforementioned. What a wondrous wall it must have been! It was not made ofsuch common material as granite, freestone, or marble, which can makethe most imposing structures that human pride can rear, and which arefit for the residence of lofty kings; but it was of jasper, clear ascrystal. Think of the wall of this holy city being nearly three hundredfeet high and stretching around the city six thousand miles, all builtof the purest diamond! No stretch of the human imagination can properlycompass such a vision. In rearing earthly structures men seek suchmaterial as combine durability, cheapness, beauty, and ease of beingwrought. Look at this wall! For _durability_, it has the mostindestructible material that can be found on earth. For _beauty_, thelanguage of man can not even convey a meagre description of its amazingloveliness. For _cheapness_--God's riches were inexhaustible, hence itwas not necessary to take this into consideration. For _ease of beingwrought_--think of the vast amount of labor it requires to cut and shapeeven one large diamond, it being said to require in some cases years ofincessant toil; yet God could afford to build the wall of this city ofsuch material. Oh, wonders of God's handiwork! How inexpressiblyglorious! This, my dear reader, symbolizes the priceless worth of oureternal home, secured through the atonement. Study the plan ofredemption. There is nothing equal to it in the universe. "What is a manprofited, if he gain the whole world, and _lose his own soul_?" Men become greatly agitated over the announcement of the discovery ofgold in the Klondyke, in the Australian continent, in California, andwith feverish excitement they abandon their homes and rush headlong tothe reputed El Dorado, fearing neither famine, storms, deserts, nor theicy northern blasts. But all the gold ever mined from the bowels of theearth is insignificant and forms no comparison with the representationof this city. Its streets and mansions were built, not of common cement, lumber, nor even granite and marble, but _of pure gold_. The twelve courses of stone in the foundation of the wall have alreadybeen mentioned. It is here particularly described. One might supposethat, according to human custom, rougher material would be selected forthe foundation. Not so, however. The most brilliant and costly gems werechosen to lay these courses. Nothing cheap nor common had anything to doin the construction of this marvelous city. It was altogether beyond thereach of men to imitate: it was God's own handiwork; and we can not butadmire its wondrous beauty. It is unnecessary to give a minutedescription of the gems of which these foundation-courses were composed. They were the most beautiful and costly of which men possess anyknowledge. In appearance they represent various colors of the mostdelicate shades. Royal persons wear even the smallest of these gems upontheir persons and imagine themselves richly adorned; but in this city ofGod they appear in such abundance that they are even selected to formthe basis, or foundation, of the wall. "And the twelve gates were twelvepearls; every several gate was of one pearl. " We have rich necklaces ofpearl; but where is the individual that was ever blessed with such aprofusion of wealth that he could ornament the gates of a city withpearls? The gates of the New Jerusalem, however, were not merelyornamented or studded with pearls--that were a very small thing forher--but each gate was of one solid pearl. To conceive the immensity ofthis representation we must consider the size of the gates required toaccommodate the multitudes constantly entering and departing from acity. To be in proportion to the wall they would have to be of immensesize, and also of prodigious strength in order to resist the assaults ofenemies, as they would be the first places attacked. The gate of thetemple called Beautiful, mentioned in the Book of Acts, which was in thewall surrounding the temple, is said to have been seventy-five feet highand sixty in width, built of Corinthian brass. Yet immense as they were, those in the New Jerusalem were each of one solid pearl. Oh, beautifulcity of God, the home of the saints! The most prominent object within the walls of the ancient Jerusalem wasthe magnificent temple on Mount Zion. It was the chief ornament andglory of the city. In the New Jerusalem, however, no temple is seen. Alas! is not this a great defect? What is Jerusalem without a templewhere the tribes may go up and worship before the Lord? Oh, they need notemple in this glorious city of God; for there is one there greater thanthe temple: "the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. "This doubtless sets forth the fact that the worship of God is pure andspiritual and of free access to all. Under the old dispensation the highpriest alone, and he but once a year, was permitted to enter the sacredprecincts of the Deity as limited to the inner sanctuary of the temple. Now God's people need no mediating priest to offer up a specialsacrifice that the will of God might be known; but all are kings andpriests who offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by JesusChrist (1 Pet. 2:5); yea, as saith the prophet, "they _shall all knowme_ from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord. "Jer. 31:34. No temple is needed that the Shekinah of the divine presencemay take up its abode between the cherubim in the most holy place, but"the glory of the Lord" fills the entire city. It can not be confined toa given locality. "The Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple ofit, " and they constitute the glory of the New Jerusalem as did thetemple on Mount Zion that of the old. "The nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it. " Canany one conceive the grandeur and the sublimity of the scene when alight that eclipses the sun and the moon is reflected from streets andmansions of gold, or comes streaming through a wall composed of the mostbrilliant gems of different hues, with gates of solid pearl? No wonder, then, that the poet has denominated it "the beautiful light of God"! Thegates are open continuously, for they are not closed by day, and "thereshall be no night there. " But "there shall in no wise enter into itanything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, ormaketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of Life. "This, my dear reader, is the reward of the New Testament church, "thechurch of God. " CHAPTER XXII. And he showed me a pure river of water of life, dear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: 4. And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. 5. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. The description of the New Jerusalem continues in the first five versesof this chapter. By the "river of the water of life" is doubtless meantfull salvation, which as a mighty flowing stream issues "out of thethrone of God and of the Lamb. " To this fountain of living waters aninvitation is now given to all to come and partake to theirsatisfaction. "The Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him thatheareth say, Come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of lifefreely. " Verse 17. As a defense to God's people in this world salvationis represented as a great wall surrounding them (Isa. 26:12); but as asource of joy, holiness and happiness, it is a living stream whereof allmay partake. While this symbol meets an appropriate fulfilment in thepresent dispensation, yet salvation will also be the eternal possessionof the saints in the world to come, when "they shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor anyheat. For the Lamb, which is in the midst thereof, shall feed them, andshall _lead them unto living fountains of waters_; and God shall wipeaway all tears from their eyes. " Chap. 7:16, 17. In a most appropriate place, upon the banks of the river, grew "the treeof life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit everymonth: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. "The tree of life in the garden of Eden was a symbol of man's immortalityor incorruption, or rather the _means_ of it; for after his fall it wassecurely guarded and he driven from the garden, "lest he put forth hishand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever"(Gen. 3:22) and thus frustrate the decree of God just uttered--that heshould return unto dust and corruption. In the New Jerusalem, however, that tree of life blooms again and bears fruit abundantly, yeacontinuously, as symbolized by "every month, " and no cherubim withflaming sword are placed to guard all approach to it. The privilege isopen; for it is added immediately, "There _shall be no more curse_. "This, then, symbolizes the removal of spiritual death and theimpartation of everlasting life in this world and immortality in thenext. The tree of life grew on both sides of the river. On this side ofthe line of mortality we have access to it in one important sense, whilethose in the future world are preserved also by its healing benefits. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit abide in this city. God revealshimself, not to a few chosen priests only through the Shekinah of hispresence, but to all his servants--"they all see his face. " As in theancient tabernacle he manifested himself by "the glory of the Lord, " orthe Shekinah, which was represented as "seeing his face"; so, also, the"glory of the Lord" abides in the New Jerusalem, filling the entire citywith the holy manifestation of the divine presence. His people are"sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, " by which they possess thename of their Father--not the name of the beast nor of his image, but_the name of the Father_. "And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neitherlight of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shallreign forever and ever. " This city has no need of natural or artificiallight, "for the Lamb is the light thereof. " Chap. 21:23. The light ofthe sun stands connected with the light of a candle and both arerepresented as unnecessary, which denotes that "there shall be no nightthere, " but one clear eternal day. 6. And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to show unto his servants the things which must shortly be done. 7. Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book. The language of symbols is discontinued. With the description of the NewJerusalem closes the grand panoramic scene of this book. Wondrous indeedhave been the events of earth prophetically outlined, but we have theassurance that "these things are faithful and true. " A continuouspolitical and ecclesiastical history of that portion of the earth madethe subject of Apocalyptic vision, from the dawn of Christianity untilthe last day, was here written down in advance. After the permanentdivision of the empire, which occurred under Valens and Valentinian[16]in A. D. 364, it was necessary that the political and the ecclesiasticalhistory of the empire should be divided in the prophecy. Thisinspiration has done. The downfall of the Western empire is clearlypredicted in the symbols under the first four trumpets; but the eclipseis afterwards lifted, and the same Western empire again appears inImperial form under the control of the Papacy. After giving their powerand strength unto the beast during the Dark Ages, the horns afterwardturn against the Papacy and rob her of all her temporal authority andpower, thus pointing us clearly to the history of modern Europe, inwhich the prophecy has been actually fulfilled. They themselves end atthe judgment of the last day. Thus, the political history of the Westernempire is carried through to the end. The Eastern division of the empireis also made a subject of prophecy, and its overthrow is described underthe sixth trumpet. This was effected by the second woe, or the rise ofthe Ottoman power, and that woe is represented as continuing until afterthe death and the resurrection of the two witnesses and terminatingshortly before the end of time. Therefore the political history of theEastern empire, which has been under the power of the Turks forcenturies, is outlined until the end. The ecclesiastical history of theEastern empire is also given, its most prominent feature being the riseand the development of that pest of Mohammedanism, which rests like adark cloud over that fair country until this day. In the Westerndivision the rise of the Papacy, its continuation, the rise ofProtestantism and its duration, are all clearly outlined, reaching downto these last days. Then the scene is suddenly enlarged and is carriedbeyond the limits of the earth--the Apocalyptic earth--into "the wholeworld, " when the powers of wickedness are combined in spirit toantagonize the reformation of holiness and truth which God is using togather his faithful ones together in preparation for the coming of theSon of God to judgment. In view of these wonderful events of the lastdays, how comforting the words of the text before us--"Behold, _I comequickly:_ blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of thisbook"! [Footnote 16: Some historians give A. D. 395 as the date of the permanentdivision of the empire. The government of the Eastern and Westerndivisions was separate from the accession of Valens and Valentinian, in364, until during the reign of Theodosius the Great, when the West, through the jealous rivalries of different competitors for the throne, had fallen into great disorder. Theodosius twice interposed to rightmatters and finally took the government into his own hands for the spaceof four months, in 395, when he died, after arranging for the divisionof the empire between his two sons Arcadius and Honorius. ] 8. And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which showed me these things. 9. Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God. The mind of the apostle was so enraptured with the visions he beheldthat he could not but adore and worship; but the angel that had been thechosen instrument to reveal these prophecies refused his act of homageand instructed him to "worship God. " Created intelligences are notworthy of such respect; to God alone all honor and praise belongs. JesusChrist our Redeemer is God--God over all, blessed forever. As such he isworthy of the homage supreme of all our hearts, the praises of all ourlips. 10. And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand. 11. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. 12. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. 13. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. 14. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. 15. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. The popular opinion is that this book of the Revelation is sealed; butJohn received the direct command, "_Seal not_ the sayings of theprophecy of this book. " The majority of the teachers of Babylon to-dayare fulfilling Isaiah 29:9-11, and that is the reason why it has becometo them a sealed book. God makes known the blessed truths of theprophecies of this book to his own beloved children, who walk before himin sincerity and truth. A blessing is pronounced upon us if we keepthem. His coming is near at hand, and his reward is with him to renderunto every man according as his work shall be. No offers of salvationwill be extended when Christ appears to give us access to the tree ofimmortal life and an abundant entrance into the eternal city beyond; butit will then be said, "He that is unjust, _let him be_ unjust still: andhe which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. ""Dogs" are left without. This term as applied to a person is one ofgreat reproach. It is so among us, and much more so among the Jews, bywhom that animal was regarded as unclean. It signifies evil workers. Evil characters of every class will have no part in the heavenly realm, but will be cast into the lake of fire. It will be the perfection ofmisery to be banished forever from the presence of God and thecompanionship of all that is good and holy. "Blessed are they that dohis commandments, that they may have right to the tree of Life, and mayenter in through the gates into the city. " 16. I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. 17. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. The statements of these verses have been considered heretofore, hencethere is no necessity of further comment on them in this connection. 18. For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19. And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. Here is the most solemn warning against any one who should presume tocorrupt the prophecies of the Revelation by adding to or taking awayfrom them. Nor was such a warning needless. This book contains the longhistory of God's church, and also the history of all her persecutors, painted in colors of deepest infamy, and the final doom that awaitsthem. These enemies were to ride in triumph over the earth during a longcareer of centuries, when the children of God should be trodden downbeneath their feet, as it were, while they boasted themselves as beingthe true church, the anointed of heaven. These Revelations were to behanded down to succeeding generations through these very persecutors. The great whore of Babylon had her likeness taken and then committed toher for preservation. Would she not falsify them? Nearly all the earlyrecords of the church have been corrupted by the church of Rome. Forages it has been a doctrine of that institution that pious fraud wasconsistent and even commendable when practised to further the influenceof that church. Yea, she has proclaimed openly and unblushingly that ifher cause could be promoted by deception and lies they were perfectlyjustifiable; and her practise has been consistent with her teachings. Inview of the fact that God's Word was to pass through the depths of this"mystery of iniquity, " it is not surprising that we find annexed to thisconcluding portion of Holy Writ the awful anathema: "If any man shalladd unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that arewritten in this book: and if any man shall take away from the words ofthe book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the bookof life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are writtenin this book. " 20. He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. 21. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. What importance is attached to the second coming of Christ! Over andover again it is stated distinctly. It is the grand climax unto whichall the series of events in this book leads. "Are you ready, waiting for the Lord? See, the signs proclaim him near; In the awful thunders of his Word, Now his coming steps we hear. "Now are many running to and fro, Spreading holiness around; And the evening light begins to glow, Soon we'll hear the trumpet's sound. "Hark! the solemn warning unto all, Judgment's coming, oh, how soon! Flee, O man, at Mercy's final call, Heaven trembles at your doom. "Christ is coming, oh, the heavenly sight! Our Beloved can't delay, For his bride is robed in snowy white, Ready for the marriage-day. " Amen. "Even so come, Lord Jesus. " Then will appear the great "Alpha andOmega, the beginning and the ending. " In the beginning he "created theheaven and the earth. " In the end, John said, "I saw a new heaven and anew earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away;and there was no more sea. " In the beginning Satan entered the domain ofGod's people to deceive and destroy. In the end he is cast out, and willdeceive the nations no more. In the beginning sickness, pain, sorrow, and wretchedness found entrance to the world. In the end "God shall wipeaway all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more sorrow, norcrying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things arepassed away. " In the beginning the people of earth were placed under theiron hand of death, who has claimed his teeming millions. In the end, "Isaw the dead, small and great, stand before God.... And the sea gave upthe dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the deadwhich were in them ... And death and hell were cast into the lake offire. " In the beginning was a blooming garden containing the tree ofimmortal life. In the end we find the tree of life again "in the midstof the Paradise of God. " In the beginning a curse was placed upon thisearth. In the world to come "there shall be no more curse: but thethrone of God and of the Lamb shall be in it. " In the beginning thefirst Adam lost his universal dominion over the earth. In the end wefind Jesus Christ, the second Adam, crowned King of kings and Lord oflords, and reigning in triumph and glory forever. In the beginning manwas barred from the tree of life and driven from the garden of Eden. Inthe end, "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may haveright to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into thecity. " INDEX A Aachen, 326. Abaddon, 162. Abubekr, first caliph, 155. Aegean Sea, 36, 46. Africa, conquered by Saracens, 160. Ahab, 53. Alani, 145. Alans, 146, 215. Alaric, invades Italy, 136-141, 149. Ala-Shehr, 63. Albi, council of, 339. Albigenses, 113, 161, 196, 270, 342. Aleppo, 165. Alexander I. , 172. Alexander the Great, 320. Alexander VI. , Pope, 346, 347. Alexandria, 109, 110. Alison, A. , quoted, 307-315. Ammianus Marcellinus, quoted, 188. Amiens, 140. Ammon, 330. Anabaptists, 292. Anglo-Saxons, 215. Anthony, founder of monasticism, 189, 190. Antioch, 104, 109, 110. Antioch Epiphanes, 230. Antipas, 49. Apollo, 241. Apollyon, 162. Aquinas, Thos. , 340, 341. Arabia, 330; conquered by Saracens, 160. Arras, 140. Arcadius, Roman emp. , 137, 138, 440, n. Argos, 137. Armageddon, 332. Armenia, 330; conquered by Turks, 165. Arnout, Mme. , quoted, 310. Asbury, Bishop, 368. Assyria, 330. Astolphus, k. Of Lombards, 352, n. Athanasius, 190. Athens, 137. Attalus, 139. Atkins, Robert, quoted, 365. Attica, 137. Attila, 142, 145, 146, 149. Atys, 407. Augsburg, 191. Augsburg Confession (A. D. 1530), 191, 247, 252, 253. Augustine, 96. Augustines, Order of, 246, 251. Augustulus, Roman emp. , 148. Augustus Cęsar, first Roman emp. , 222. Aurelian, Roman emp. , 189. Aurelius, Marcus, Roman emp. , 46, 98. Austerlitz, battle of, 322. Avignon, 327; removal of Papal chair to, 305, 306; council of, 339. B Babylon, taken by Cyrus, 166, 329, 331; great edifices of, 432. Babylonian empire, 330, 397. Bacchus, 407. Bagdad, founded (A. D. 762), 160, 165. Balaam, 49, 50. Balak, 50. Barak, 332. Barnes, Dr. , quoted, 359. Baronius, quoted, 345. Barrows, John Henry, quoted, 409, 410. Basil, council of, 340. Bayazid, Sultan, 61. Bedford jail, 36Beethoven, 88. Behiston rock, noted inscription on, 18, n. Belisarius, general of Justinian, 148, 236, 351, n. Bellarmine, Cardinal, quoted, 341, 342. Benedict IX. , Pope, 345, 346. Bernard, 197; quoted, 199. Beziers, council of, 339. Boetia, 137. Bohemia, 244, 339. Bologna, 327. Bonaparte, Jerome, 321. Bonaparte, Louis, 321. Bonaparte, Joseph, 321. Bonaparte, Napoleon, 172, 317, 320-325, 327. Boniface IV. , Pope, 240. Bonney, Chas. Carroll, quoted, 408, 409. Borgia, Roderick, 346, 347. Bosphorus, 171. Bouchard, M. , 18, n. Buddha, 409. Bunyan, John, his imprisonment, 36, n. , 293. Burgundians, 215. Burgundy, 215. Burke, quoted, 303. Butler, quoted, 222, 223, 224, 230, 231. C Cadiz, 324. Cęsar, 320. Cęsar Augustus, Roman emp. , 222. Calcedon, council of, 110. Calvin, John, reformer, 252Calvinists, 252, 291. Campbell, Alexander, quoted, 359, 360. Canoosa, 111. Canterbury, See of, 112, n. Carlovingian dynasty, 325, 326, 350-352. Carrier, 310, 311. Cassini, quoted, 200. Cathari, 196. Catherine de Medici, 118. Catherine the Great of Russia, 172. Chaldea, 330. Chalons, 146. Charlemagne, 236, 305, 320, 325; restores the Western empire, 325, 326, 350-352; patriciate of, 350, 351, also n. Charles Martel, 161, 325. Charles V. , k. Of France, 307. Charles IX. , k. Of France, 118. Chase, Chas. Wingate, quoted, 405. Chaumette, 308, 309. Christians, persecutions of, 97, 295; by the Roman emperors (ten seasons of), 98, 116, 230, 231; by the Papacy, 113, 116-118, 196-200, 243, 295, 338-344; by Protestants, 252, 291-294. Christian Science, 410, 411. Chrysostom, 96. Cicero, 222. Claudius, quoted, 199. Clement of Rome, 95. Cologne (wrongly spelled Colonge in text), 197. Constance, council of, 244, 245, 339, 345. Constantine the Great, 189, 231, 241. Constantinople, 158; captured by the Turks (A. D. 1453), 169; council of, 109, 344. Constitutionalists, 314. Consular power, 214, also n. , 351. Copenhagen, 324. Corinth, 137. Council, first of church, 231. Councils, general, of church, 109, 231, 321, 339, 340, 345, 346. Covenanters, Scotch, 293, 294. Creasy, quoted, 324. Crellius, 292. Croesus, k. Of Lydia, 56. Crusades, 166. Cyprian, 107. Cyrus the Great, his capture of Babylon, 166, 329, 331. D Dacia, 137. D'Alembert, 297-303. Dalmatia, 136. Damascus, 165. Daniel, prophecies of, 235-238. Danton, 310. Dantonists, 315. Darwin, 411. D'Aubigne, quoted, 96, 185, 191, 192, 195, 208, 209, 244, 245, 247, 253, 276, 277. Decemvirate, 214, also n. , 351. Decius, Roman emp. , 98. Decretals of Isodore, 344. Demetrius, 43. Demetrius Cantemir, quoted, 170. Diana, 241; temple of at Ephesus, 42, 64. Diderot, 297-808. Dictator, office of, at Rome, 214, n. Diocletian, Roman emp. , 48, 98, 230. Dionysis, 407. Diotrephes, 102, 103. Donatists, 342. Domitian, Roman emp. , 36, 98. Domnus, 189. Dow, Lorenzo, quoted, 278, 360. Dowling, quoted, 187, 188, 189, 190, 196, 241, 243. Duke of Alva, 118. Du Guesclin, 307. Dupin, quoted, 344. Dwight, Pres. , quoted, 303. E Easter, 105. Eastern Empire, See _Roman Empire_. Eastern Question, 172, 173. Edgar, quoted, 340. Edict of Nantes, 118, 295. Egbert, quoted, 196, 197. Egypt, conquered by Saracens, 160. Elba, Island of, 323, 324. Ephesus, fate of, 45, 64, 68; temple at, 42. Eudoxia, 143. Euphrates, 164, 166; turned by Cyrus, 166, 329, 331. Eusebius, quoted, 188, 189. Evervinus, quoted. 197-199. F Farrara, 327. Feldkirchen, 247. Fisher, Geo. , quoted, 103, 189. Fletcher, John, quoted, 277. Formosus, Pope, 345. Foster, Bishop R. S. , quoted, 368-370. France, invaded by Saracens, 161. Francis I. , of France, 307. Franks, 146, 215. Frederick of Saxony, quoted, 247-249. Frederick II. , k. Of Prussia, 297. French Revolution, 305-315, 324, 352. Freron, quoted, 313, 314. Friedland, battle of, 322. Fuller, quoted, 340. G Gallienus, Roman emp. , 187Gallus, Roman emp. , 98. Gascoigne, 215. Gates, Theophilus R. , quoted, 278-283. Geneva, 252. Genseric, k. Of Vandals, 25, 142, 143, 149. Germania, 139. Gepidę, 145. Gibbon, quoted, 64, 136-138, 142, 143, 145, 158, 351. Gibbons, Cardinal, quoted 343, 344. Gieseler, quoted, 103. Girondists, 315. Gnostics, 410. Gobet, 308. Goddess of Reason, 209, 401. Goths, 136, 141. Greek Empire (Eastern Empire), See _Roman Empire_. Green, B. A. , quoted, 412, 413. Gregory VII. , Pope, 111, 184, 242. H Haeckel, 411. Hamlet, 307. Handel, 88. Hartley, quoted, 361. Heads, seven, of dragon and Papal beasts, signifying seven forms of government, 214, also n. , 235, 349, 350. Hebert, 308, 309. Henry VIII. , k. Of England, 292. Henry IV. , k. Of France, 307. Henry IV. , emperor of Holy Roman empire, 111. Henry, k. Of Navarre, 118. Hera, 154. Hermus, 56. Herod Agrippa, 240. Herodotus, 166, 329. Heruli, 145, 148, 215, 236. Hieroglyphics, 18, 19, n. Hilarion, 189. Hildebrand, See _Gregory VII_. Hilton, John, quoted, 246, 247. Hiram Abiff, 407. Holbach, Baron, 300. Holland, 321. Holy Roman Empire, 325, 326, 351; dissolved (A. D. 1806), 327. Honorius, Roman emp. , 136, 138, 139, 440, n. Honorius, Pope, 344, 346. Hopkins, quoted, 362. Horn, the little, of Daniel 7, a symbol of the Papacy, 235-238, 350, 357. Horn, of the goat, symbol of Alexander, 20. Horns, ten, of the Dragon and Papal beast, signifying ten kingdoms, 14, 215, 235, 236, 349. Horns, three, plucked up before the little horn, 236, 350, 351. Horns, four, of the goat, symbolizing four divisions of Alexander's empire, 20. Hugenots, 118. Hugenot wars, 252. Hungary, 169, 215. Huns, 141, 145, 146, 215. Huntington, Lady, 369. Huss, John, 62, 244, 245, 249, 339. I Iconium, 165. Ignatius, his epistles, extracts from, 104. Illuminati, 297-303, 404. Illyricum, 137. Indulgences, 250, 251. Imperial power, 214, also n. Innocent III. , Pope, 111, n. , 339. Innocent XI. , Pope, 118. Institorus, Henry, quoted, 246. Interdicts, 111, also n. , 112, also n. Ionia, 64. Isodore, false Decretals of, 344, 345. Islam, See _Mohammedanism_. J Jena, battle of, 322. Jerome, 36, 96. Jerome of Prague, 62, 339. Jerusalem, captured by Saracens, 110. Jezebel, 53. John XI. , Pope, 345. John, k. Of England, his quarrel with Innocent III. , 112, n. Johnson, B. W. , quoted, 357-359. Judson, quoted, 171, 172, 321. Jupiter, 241. Justinian, Roman emp. , 148, 351, n. K Kinkade, Wm. , quoted, 359. Klondyke, 433. Koran, 158, 406. Kurtz, quoted, 95, 96. L Laodicea, fate of, 64, 67, 68. Lateran, councils of, 329, 339, 340. Lavaur, council of, 339. Leo III. , Pope, 325. Leo X. , Pope, 250. Lepelletier, 308. Liszt, 88. Lombards, 196. Lombards (barbarians), 215, 236, 350. Lombardy, 351. Lord, Mr. , quoted, 100. Louis XII. , k. Of France, 307. Louis, XIV. , k. Of France, 118, 295, 307. Lucretia, 347. Luther, Martin, reformer, 62, 244, 246, 247, 249, 251, 252, 342; quoted, 361. Lutherans, 252, 291. Lydia, 56, 64. M Machiard, 215. Mackey, quoted, 405. Mackintosh, Sir James, quoted, 323, 324. Męcenas, 222. Męsia, 215. Mahomet, See _Mohammed_. Manes, 298. Manicheans, 342. Mantz, Felix, 292. Marat, 308, 310, 311. Marathon, battle of, 191. Marcellus, Pope, 341. Marcus Aurelius, Roman emp. , 46, 98. Marengo, battle of, 191, 322. Marie Antoinette, q. Of France, her execution, 306. Marozia, 345. Marsh, quoted, 186. Martin, Pope, 339. Mary Tudor, 117. Maximus, Roman emp. , 98, 143. Mecca, 154. Megara, 137. Megiddo, 332. Melanchthon, Philip, 247. Mentz, 140. Mesopotamia, 330. Metropolitan, office of, 105, 106. Military Tribunes, 214, also n. Milman, quoted, 95. Milner, Joseph, quoted, 190, 191. Mithras, 407. Moab, 330. Mohammed, 61, 154-162, 389. Mohammedanism, 25, 61, 134, 154-173, 331, 341. Moldavia, prince of, 170. Momoro, 309. Momyllus Augustulus, Roman emp. , 148. Montanism, 105. Monasticism, rise of, 189, 190. Montesquieu, 300. Morea, 170. Moscow, 322, 324. Mosheim, quoted, 94, 105, 106, 109. Mozart, 87. Murat, 321. Myers, quoted, 293. Mysia, 49. Mythra, mysteries of, 298. N Nantes, 310; edict of, 118, 295. Naples, 324. Napoleon, See _Bonaparte_. Narbonne, council of, 339. National Convention of France, 307, 317. Nero, Roman emp. , 98, 311. Nerva, Roman emp. , 36. Ney, Marshal, 322. Niagara Falls, 87. Nicaea, council of, 109, 231. Nicolaitans, 44, 49, 50. Nicholas, 172. Nicolas, 44. Notre Dame, 309. O Odoacer, 148, 236. Oppede, 117. Oriental Philosophy, 410. Origen, 107. Osiris, 407. Ostrogoths, 141, 145, 148, 215, 236, 351, n. Othman, See _Ottoman_. Otto the Great, 326Ottoman, 61, 169. Ottoman empire, 64, 165, 173, 441. Oxford, council of, 339. P Pactolus, 56. Pache, 308. Paderewski, 88. Paganism, 97, 214-232, 331, 388-390. Palestine, conquered by Saracens, 160; invaded by Crusaders, 166. Pannonia, 215. Papacy, first steps to apostasy, 102, 184, 185; growth of its power, 103-107, 108, 110, 111, 184, 236-243, 352, n. ; Pope styled Universal Bishop, 110, 184; blasphemous titles of, 242, 243, 264, 337; its war against the saints, See _Christians, persecutions of;_ at its height, 111, also n. , 184, 236, 305, 326, 236-243; temporal power of, 184, 236, 305, 326, 336, 352, n. ; removal of Papal chair to Avignon, 305, 306; spiritual supremacy lost at the Reformation, 191, 249-251; revolt of the temporal princes, 255, 355; end of its temporal power, 255, 327, 328; decree of Papal infallibility, 243, 346. Papal States, See _Papacy, temporal power of. _Patmos, 36. Patriarch, office of, 109, 110. Patriciate, 350, 351, also n. Paul of Antioch, 188, 189. Paulus, 344. Pavia, battle of, 191. Pepin, Carlovingian king, 236, 305, 326, 350. Pergamus, fate of, 64, 68. Persecutions, See _Christians, persecutions of. _Persia, conquered by Saracens, 160. Petrus Lombardus, 96. Peucer, 292. Philadelphia, remarkable preservation of, 61-64, 68. Philip Augustus, 111. Philosophists, 297-303. Phocas, Roman emp. 184. Phocis, 137. Pius IV. , Pope, 327. Platina, 345. Pliny, 222, 226. Poland, 169. Polycarp, 46. Pontifex Maxima, 222, 239. Poor Men of Lyons, 198. Popes, power of, See _Papacy_. Portugal overrun by Saracens, 160. Prague, 244. Proles, Andrew, quoted, 246. Protestantism, rise of, 191, 252, 254; its false miracles, 259-261; its persecutions, See _Christians, persecutions of. _Proetextatus, 188. Puritans, 293. R Ravenna, 148, 351, 352, n. ; exarchate of, 351, n. Reformation, the, 249-252; predictions of by medieval Christians, 243-249. Regal power, 214, also n. Reign of Terror in France, 306-315. Revival of Learning, 249. Rheims, 140. Roberts, Bishop, quoted, 364. Robespierre, 307, 309, 313. Rodgers, Hester Ann, 368. Romagna, 327. Roman Empire, forms of, See _Heads, seven_, and _Horns, ten_; Christianity the State religion under Constantine, 116, 231; division of under Valens and Valentinian, 440; overrun by barbarians, 25, 125, 136-141, 142, 143, 145, 146, 148; fall of Western division (A. D. 476), 133, 148, 236, 440; fall of Eastern division (A. D. 1453), 167, 169, 172, 440, 441. Rome, 109, 138, 139, 143. Rosetta stone, 18, n. Rosseau, 300. Rubenstein, 88. Rutter, quoted, 186. S St. Anthony, 189, 190. St. Aquinas, quoted, 340. St. Bartholomew, massacre of, 117. St. Dennis, 307. St. Petersburg, 172. Salutaris Vibius, 42. Saracens, 26, 61, 110, 156-163. Sardinia, 143. Sardis, capital of Lydia, 56; fate of, 58, 64, 68. Savage, Minton J. , quoted, 413-415. Saxons, See _Anglo-Saxons. _Saxony, 244, 250, 251. Schweinitz, 248. Scott, 0. , quoted, 363. Scythia, 136, 139. Septimus Severus, Roman emp. , 98, 224. Sergius, Pope, 344, 345, 346. Sickles, Daniel, quoted, 405. Siddartha, 409. Sienna, council of, 340. Simpson, quoted, 362. Sisera, 332. Smyrna, preservation of, 48, 64, 68. Socrates, 409. Spain, overrun by Saracens, 160. Sparta, 137. Spires, 140, 191; diet of, 191, 253. Spiritualism, 411, 412. States-General, of France, 306. Strasburg, 140. Suevi, 215. Sultanies, Turkish, names of, 165. Sunium, 137. Symbols, See _Hieroglyphics_. T Tables of Laws, Roman, 214. Talmage, T. DeWitt, quoted, 363, 412. Temple of Reason, 309. Tertullian, 107; quoted, 134, 224-226. Tetzel, 250, 251. Theodoret, 96. Theodoric, 148, 236. Theodosius the Great, Roman emp. , 136, 440, n. Thermopylae, 137. Thrace, 137. Thuanus, quoted, 200. Thyatira, fate of, 64, 68. Tiberius Cęsar, Roman emp. , 66. Tilsit, 172. Tmolus, Mount, 56. Toledo, council of, 339, 346. Toloso, council of, 339. Torgaw, 291. Tournay, 140. Tours, 161; council of, 339. Trajan, Roman emp. , 98, 104, 222. Trent, council of, 96. Tribunes, 214, also n. Tripoli, 143. Triumvirate, 214, also n. , 351. Turenne, 307. Turin, 199. Turings, 215. Turks, See _Ottoman empire. _ U Universal Bishop, Pope styled, See _Papacy. _Urban II. , 96. V Valens, Roman emp. , 440, also n. Valentinian, Roman emp. , 143, 440, also n. Valerian, Roman emp. , 98. Vandals, 25, 142, 143, 215. Vanosia, 347. Vatican, council of, 346. Vaudois, 196. Venaissin, 327. Venus, 241. Vicarius Filii Dei, blasphemous title of the Pope, 264. Victor Emmanuel, 255, 328. Victor III. , Pope, 345. Vienna, attacked by Turks, 169; congress of, 323. Visigoths, 138, 141, 146, 215. Voltaire, 297-302, 305, 306, 401. W Waddington, quoted, 94, 186, 346, 347. Wagram, battle of, 322. Waldenses, 113, 117, 161, 196, 200, 270, 339, 342. Warburton, quoted, 404. Waterloo, battle of, 324. Weishaupt, Dr. Adam, 300, 302, 403. Wesley, John, 368. Western Empire, See _Roman Empire_ also _Charlemagne_ and _Holy Roman Empire. _Westphalia, 321. Wicks, Thos. , quoted, 297-303, 321, 323. Wittemberg, 248, 249; university of, 251. Wurms, 140. Wycliffe, 61, 340, 344. X Xerxes, 321. Y Yellowstone Park, 87. Yosemite Valley, 87. Yuruks, 58. Z Zend-Avesta, 406. Zoroaster, 406. Zurich, 292. Zwingle, Ulrich, reformer, 252.