The seventh and last head has not yet been identified. Before considering it, however, I wish to call attention to another point that has already been referred to. The beast that John here saw, with the seven heads and ten horns, was Rome under the Papal power. Did new Rome in reality have the seven heads? No. The dragon John saw in chapter 12 is represented as having seven heads and ten horns, and signified Rome under the Pagan power. Did old Rome really possess the ten horns? No. According to verse 12 in this chapter, they were to arise future of John's time. But notice carefully that the seven heads, which according to this description, belonged to the beast sustaining the Papal power in after years, are here explained by the angel as signifying the very forms 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 same heads and horns serve for both the dragon and the beast. This could not possibly be a true representation unless they were both in reality the same beast, they being represented as two only for the purpose of describing the two phases of Roman history—Pagan and Papal.

With this point established, that these two forms of Roman history are the same beast, we are now prepared to understand the statement that the beast "was and is not, and yet is." This is equivalent to saying that the beast existed, it ceased to exist, and then it came into existence again. This was exactly the history of Rome. Its downfall under the Pagan form was described under the fourth trumpet as an eclipse of the sun, moon and stars, so that they shone not for a third part of the day and night. For a time it seemed not to exist. A little later the eclipse is lifted; the beast exists again under the Papal form. In this is set forth clearly the wounding and the healing of the beast. The wound was inflicted on its sixth, or Imperial, head (for the first five had already fallen, according to the historical facts just related), being accomplished by the hordes of Northern barbarians overturning the empire of the West. It appeared for a time that the beast was indeed wounded unto death; but not so: to the surprise of all, he survived under the form of the seventh head. At this point the question is sure to be asked, How could the beast continue to live if its seventh head was to continue but "a short space"? This is accounted for by the fact that there was what might be appropriately called an eighth head, but which was in reality of the seven. "And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven." Verse 11.

The identification of the seventh head will now make the matter complete. The facts all meet in the Carlovingian empire, or the empire of Charlemagne. In the year 774 Charlemagne completed the work begun by Pepin twenty years before and overthrew the kingdom of the Lombards in Italy, which was the last of the three horns plucked up before the little horn of Daniel. By this victory he became complete master of Italy, and he received the title Patrician of Rome. This was not merely an honorary title, such as had for ages been conferred upon certain individuals; but it was a distinct form of civil government and supreme, taking the same rank with that of the Consular, the Decemvirate, the Triumvirate, 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 the West under its Gothic form. In his Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Gibbon says: "In the twenty-six years that elapsed between the conquest of Lombardy and his Imperial coronation, Rome, which had been delivered by the sword, was subject, as his own, to the scepter, of Charlemagne. The people swore allegiance to his person and family; in his name, money was coined, and justice was administered, and the election of Popes was examined and confirmed by his authority—except an original and self-inherent claim of sovereignity, there was not any prerogative remaining which the title of emperor could add to the Patrician of Rome." This decisive testimony by the highest authority on the subject shows conclusively that all the power of sovereignty resided in Charlemagne as the Patrician of Rome, and that this, therefore, is a proper head to be ranked with the other six that preceded it.[14]

[Footnote 14: Commentators frequently identify the seventh head with the Exarchate of Ravenna. After the overthrow of the kingdom of the Ostrogoths in Italy by Belisarius, the general of Justinian, about the middle of the sixth century, the territory became subject to the emperor of the Eastern empire and was ruled by him through an Exarch whose place of residence was Ravenna. This Exarchate (sometimes called Patriciate) continued until about the middle of the eighth century, when it was terminated by Astolphus, king of the Lombards, who made Ravenna the capital of the Lombardic kingdom in 752. Three years later the Lombards were defeated by Pepin, who made the Holy See a present of the lands he conquered 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 century that the Exarchate of Ravenna remained its existence was but little more than a name, the real power of government being usurped by the Papacy. It could hardly be considered an inconsistency were we to interpret the seventh head as signifying both the Patriciate of Ravenna and the Patriciate of Charlemagne that closely followed it; but in the present work I have restricted its application to the latter form because of its distinctive characteristic as constituting a supreme civil power entirely independent of the empire of the East, and because of its importance in the revival of the empire of the West.]

This head, however, continued only "a short space"; and an eighth arose on Christmas, the first day of the year 800 (as time was then reckoned), when Charlemagne was crowned emperor of Rome, and thus revived the empire of the West. This eighth head, however, was "of the seven"; for it was the same as the sixth, both being Imperial—the first being in the Augustan line, and the other in the Carlovingian, and separated from each other by the seventh, or Patriciate. Considered one way, there were eight heads, but two of them were alike, hence only seven; for the eighth was of the seven. According to verse 11 it was under the eighth head that the beast subsisted at the time he was carrying the woman of this chapter, which exactly accords with the historical facts in the case; and the same was continued in a line of emperors reaching down to the time of the French Revolution.

The ten horns had "received no kingdom as yet." This signifies that at the time when the Revelation was given they had not yet arisen. When they did come into existence they were to receive power as kings with the beast and were to give to it their power and strength. It is a singular fact that a distinct head should continue to exist after these horns had arisen and developed into powerful kingdoms; but herein the remarkable accuracy of prophecy is clearly shown. It is said that they should make war with the Lamb and that the Lamb should overcome them. Some think that this has reference to the persecution of the saints during the Dark Ages; but it seems to me that it would have been stated differently if such were its meaning. It may be a prophetical reference to the battle of Armageddon, which will be terminated by the coming of the Son of God himself to overthrow completely all the powers of wickedness.

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 far explained already that it is unnecessary to go over the same ground again. Already the civil powers of Europe are beginning to cast this woman aside as an old, wrinkled, haggard prostitute is cast off by her lovers. Already they have deprived her of all temporal authority such as she possessed in guiding this beast of chapter 17, as explained under the fifth plague in the preceding chapter. Whether they are destined to become 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 chronology of the events described in the preceding chapter brings us down to the time when the ten horns turn against the Papacy by depriving her of her temporal authority. This, as we have already seen, was completely fulfilled in 1870 and constituted the fifth plague. In the description of the sixth plague which followed, it was shown that the great city which was invaded was composed of three parts—Paganism (the modern form of the dragon power), Catholicism, and Protestantism. The same great city is here brought to view, and the angel from heaven, with a mighty voice, cries, "Babylon the Great is fallen, is fallen." This fall of Babylon can not signify a literal destruction; for there are certain events to take place in Babylon after her fall which entirely precludes that idea; for instance, the calling of God's people out of her, in order that they may not receive of her plagues. In these plagues is embraced her literal destruction, or complete overthrow. The fall is therefore a moral one; for the result of it is that Babylon becomes "the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird."

Protestants who make any attempt to interpret these prophecies usually limit the designation "Babylon the Great" in these verses to the church of Rome, because the woman symbolizing the apostate church in the preceding chapter is denominated "Babylon the Great." Ver. 5. But the same verse also declares her to be the "Mother of harlots;" and if she as a degraded woman stands as the representative of a corrupt church, her unchaste daughters, also, must symbolize churches that are her descendants; 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 of that "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 is referred to in a given instance—whether Pagan, Papal, or Protestant.

A careful study of the prophecy now under consideration will show that it has particular reference to the Protestant division of Babylon. It contained many of God's children; whereas Paganism was always a false religion and never held any of God's saints. Under the reign of Catholicism, the people of God are represented in all the symbols of this book relating thereto as existing entirely separate from that communion. The description of this apostate church given in the preceding chapter shows clearly that instead of being partly composed of God's saints, she was their most bitter and relentless persecutor, yea, was "drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus." This is definite proof that the present phase of Babylon under consideration is the Protestant division; and her moral fall is the grand signal for the escape of God's people who have partly composed her number, as the fall of ancient Babylon was for the escape of the Israelites. In their younger days the Protestant organizations (symbolized by the daughters) were of much better character than the mother church from whom they descended. Many of them started out on reform. While a spiritual people, God worked with them; but when they made their image to the beast, they suddenly declined, and this voice from heaven finally declares them to be in a fallen condition—entirely void of salvation, except a very few chosen saints that have not defiled their garments, contained therein.

That this application of the term Babylon is correct, and also, the fallen condition ascribed to her in accordance with the facts, I will prove by the following testimonies of Protestants themselves. The first is 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 occurs several times in the New Testament. Here (in the Apocalypse) it is spoken of as 'that great city,' and her fall is doomed 'because she hath made 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-horned monster, and upon her forehead is written, 'Mystery, Babylon the Great.' With this woman the kings of the earth are said to have committed fornication. In chapter 18 the fall of the great city, Babylon is detailed at length, and it is again said that all the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her. The harlot with Babylon stamped on her brow, and the great city of fornication styled Babylon, in chapters 14 and 18, are one and the same existence.

"There is an ancient city of Babylon often mentioned in the Old Testament, but ages before John wrote, it had ceased to be inhabited, the only dwellers among its lonely ruins were howling beasts and hissing serpents. It has never been rebuilt to this day and has passed away forever. John refers therefore not to old Babylon, but to some power yet unseen (when he was upon the earth), that should be revealed in due time, and of which old Babylon was a symbol. Let us notice some of the features of ancient Babylon.

"1. On that site took place the confusion of tongues which divided those who before had been of one speech and one family, into various tribes and schisms at variance with each other and of various tongues. The word Babylon, a memorial of this event, means confusion, and is derived from Babel.

"2. Old Babylon persecuted the people of God and destroyed the temple in Jerusalem.

"3. It carried the people of God into captivity.

"4. It was a mighty, resistless universal empire. The antitype, the spiritual Babylon, must correspond. There is a power that exhibits all these characteristics. By apostasy from the truth it originated the schism which has divided the family of God into different sects and parties which speak a different spiritual language. It has carried the church into a long captivity by binding upon it the thralldom of superstition. It has been a constant persecutor of the saints, and has enjoyed an almost universal dominion. That power is the woman that sits upon the seven-headed beast ... the false woman, symbolical of a false church, the great apostate spiritual dominion of Rome. And we may add, out of which have come—directly or indirectly—all the religious sects of the present day."

Dr. Barnes says: "The word Babylon became the emblem of all that was haughty and oppressive, and especially of all that persecuted the church of God. The word here (Rev. 18:4) must be used to denote some power that resembled the ancient and literal Babylon in these characteristics. The literal Babylon was no more; but the name might be used properly to denote a similar power."

Wm. Kinkade, in Bible Doctrine, page 249, says, "I think Christ has a true church on earth, but its members are scattered among the various denominations, and are more or less under the influence of mystery Babylon and her daughters."

Alexander Campbell says: "A reformation of Popery was attempted in Europe full three centuries ago. It ended in a Protestant hierarchy, and swarms of dissenters. Protestantism has been reformed into Presbyterianism, that into Congregationalism, and that into Baptistism, etc., etc. Methodism has attempted to reform all, but has reformed itself into many forms of Wesleyanism. All of them retain in their bosom—in their ecclesiastical organizations, worship, doctrines, and observances—various relics of Popery. They are at best a reformation of Popery, and only reformations in part. The doctrines and traditions of men yet impair the power and progress of the gospel in their hands." On Baptism, p.15.

Again, he says: "The worshiping establishments now in operation throughout Christendom, increased and cemented by their respective voluminous confessions of faith, and their ecclesiastical constitutions, are not churches of Jesus Christ, but the legitimate daughters of that mother of harlots, the church of Rome." How any man could possess as much light on this subject as did Mr. Campbell, and then build a sect himself, is more than I can understand.

Lorenzo Dow says of the Romish Church: "If she be the mother, who are the daughters? It must be the corrupt, national, established churches that came out of her." Dow's Life, p. 542.

In the Religious Encyclopaedia, Article Antichrist, we read: "The writer of 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, and receive not of her plagues.' If such persons are to be found in the 'mother of harlots,' with much less hesitation may it be inferred that they are connected with her unchaste daughters, those national churches which are founded upon what are called Protestant principles."

In the Encyclopaedia of Religious Knowledge we read: "An important question, however, says Mr. Jones, stills remains for inquiry: Is Antichrist confined to the church of Rome? The answer is readily returned in the affirmative by Protestants in general; and happy had it been for the world had that been the case. But although we are fully warranted to consider that church as 'the mother of harlots,' the truth is that by whatsoever arguments we succeed in fixing that odius charge upon her, we shall, by parity of reasoning, be obliged to allow other national churches to be her unchaste daughters, and for this plain reason, among others, because in their very constitution and tendency they are hostile to the nature of the kingdom of Christ."

One of Martin Luther's guests remarked that the world might continue fifty 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 up infinite sects and schisms, which are at present hidden in men's hearts and nature. No; may the Lord come at once, for there is no amendment to be expected."

Mr. Hartly, a learned churchman, has remarked as follows: "There are many prophecies which declare the fall of the ecclesiastical powers of the Christian world, and though each church seems to flatter itself with the hope of being exempted, yet it is very plain that the prophetical characters belong to all. They all have left the true, pure, simple religion, and teach for doctrines the commandments of men."

Says Mr. Simpson, in Plea for Religion: "We Protestants, too, read the declaration of the third angel against the worshipers of the beast and his image, and make ourselves easy under the awful denunciation by applying it exclusively to the church of Rome; never dreaming that they are equally applicable not only to the English, but to every church establishment in Christendom, which retains any of the marks of the beast. For though the Pope and the church of Rome is at the head of the grand twelve hundred and sixty years' delusion, yet all other churches, of whatever denomination, whether established or tolerated, which partake of the same spirit, or have instituted doctrines and ceremonies inimical to the pure and unadulterated gospel of Christ, shall sooner or later share in the fate of that immense fabric of human ordinances."

Says Mr. Hopkins: "There is no reason to consider the antichristian spirit and practices confined to that which is now called the church of Rome. The Protestant churches have much of Antichrist in them, and are far from being wholly reformed from the corruptions and wickedness, in doctrine and practice, in it. Some churches may be more pure and may have proceeded farther in a reformation than others; but where can the church be found which is thoroughly purged from her abominations? None are 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 of indignation and wrath which will be poured out, so all the Christian world will have a distinguished portion of it: as the inhabitants of it are much more guilty than others. There is great reason to conclude that the world, particularly that part of it called Christian and Protestant, will yet make greater and more rapid advances in all kinds of moral corruption and open wickedness, till it will come to that state in which it will be fully ripe and prepared to be cut down by the sickle of divine justice and wrath."

Mr. O. Scott (Wesleyan Methodist) says: "The church is as deeply infected with a desire for worldly gain as the world. Most of the denominations of the present day might be called churches of the world, with more propriety than churches of Christ. The churches have so far gone from primitive Christianity that they need a fresh regeneration—a new kind of religion."

Said T. DeWitt Talmage: "I simply state a fact when I say that in many places the church is surrendering, and the world is conquering.... There is a mighty host in the Christian church, positively professing Christianity, who do not believe the Bible, out and out and in and in.... Oh! we have magnificient church machinery in this country; we have sixty thousand American ministers; we have costly music; we have great Sunday-schools; and yet I give you the appalling statistics that in the last twenty-five years, laying aside last year, the statistics of which I have not yet seen,—within the last twenty-five years the churches of God in this country have averaged less than two conversions a year each! There has been an average of four or five deaths in the churches. How soon, at that rate, will this world be brought to God? We gain two; we lose four. Eternal God! what will this come to?"

Bishop Roberts said: "The popular religion of this country is not the religion of the New Testament. It has some of its features but not all. It is lacking in grand fundamental elements. It answers many good purposes—restrains, refines, elevates, and gives to society a high grade of civilization; but fails to secure the great end which Christianity is designed to accomplish—the salvation of the soul. It dazzles but to blind, it promises but to deceive; it allures by worldly considerations to a heaven of purity, which no worldling can enter; it gives to its votaries, who long to eat of forbidden fruit, the assurance of impunity from the threatened evils, and leads them on by siren strains from the Paradise of purity into the broad road which ends at last in the blackness of the darkness of an eternal night of despair!"

Says the Golden Rule: "The Protestants are outdoing the Popes in splendid, extravagant folly in church building. Thousands on thousands are expended in gay and costly ornaments to gratify pride and a wicked ambition, 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 Popish pride, upon which millions are squandered in our cities, virtually exclude the poor for whom Christ died, and for whom he came especially to 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 the broad way that leads to death. Politics, commerce, and nominal religion, all connive at sin, reciprocally aid each other, and unite to crush the poor. Falsehood is unblushingly uttered in the forum and in the pulpit; and sins that would shock the moral sensibilities of the heathen, go unrebuked in all the great denominations of our land. These churches are 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 truly righteous are diminished from the earth, and no man layeth it to heart. The professors of religion of the present day, in every church, are lovers of the world, conformers to the world. Lovers of creature-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; and did 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 of nothing.'"

I have by no means exhausted the supply of similar testimonies of Protestants now before me, but for lack of space I must conclude. In the face of these amazing facts can any one deny that Protestantism is a part of great Babylon and is in a fallen condition?

"The merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies." A certain writer on this text has said: "Who take the lead in all the extravagancies of the age? Church-members. Who load their tables with the richest and choicest viands? Church-members. Who are foremost 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 of the luxury, even show, and pride of life, resulting from the vanity and sin of the race? Answer, To a modern church-assembly on a pleasant Sunday." Though this writer interpreted the text literally, yet he spoke a vast amount of truth, as every one knows.

Consider, too, the wickedness carried on everywhere in sect Babylon unrebuked, 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 modern church entertainment where a bared female foot, projecting from beneath a curtain, was sold to the highest gentleman bidder, who had the privilege of kissing its owner and taking her to supper, he would probably answer, "Have I not told you, 'Babylon is fallen'?" If his attention was called to the fact that the members of a prominent church, in a novel entertainment, displayed the likeness of a donkey, minus the tail, while the members one by one were blindfolded, and, amid the uproarous laughter of the crowd assembled, were given the detached part to see who could place it the nearest where it belonged, he would say with double emphasis, "Have I not told you, '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'?" The "abominations" are by no means confined to the mother in the Revelation, but are also to be found in abundance in connection with her harlot 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, that God had a people in Babylon who up to this time were free from her contaminations; second, that they received a positive call from heaven to "come out"; third, that all who refused to obey the heavenly command would become partakers of her sins and receive of her plagues; fourth, that those who came out were to pour the strongest judgments upon Babylon—"reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled, fill to her double." It is evident that the "torment and sorrow" which God's people give Babylon after their departure is not a temporal retaliation—for they never indulge in such, and the Word of God forbids it—but is altogether of a spiritual nature; hence the fierce judgment they inflict is executing the Word of truth, which brings to light all the wickedness and abominations contained therein. "Death, and mourning, and famine" only remain. This symbolizes that all spiritual life has departed, while famine and mourning are left. That such is the actual fact 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 all their loose moralities, are making inroads into the sacred enclosure of the church; and as a satisfaction for all this worldliness, Christians are making a great deal of Lent and Easter and Good Friday, and church ornamentations. It is the old trick of Satan. The Jewish church struck on that rock; the Romish church was wrecked on the same; and the Protestant 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, which summed up is a fashionable church. That Methodists should be liable to such an outcome, and that there should be signs of it in a hundred years from the 'sail-loft,' seems almost the miracle of history; but who that looks 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 the ladies, and even the wives and daughters of the ministry, put on 'gold and pearls and costly array'? Would not the plain dress insisted upon by John Wesley and Bishop Asbury, and worn by Hester Ann Rodgers, Lady Huntington, and many others equally distinguished, be now regarded in Methodist circles as fanaticism? Can any one going into the Methodist church in any of our chief cities distinguish the attire of the communicants from that of the theater and ball-goers? Is not worldliness seen in the music? Elaborately dressed and ornamented choirs, who in many cases make no profession of religion and are often sneering skeptics, go through a cold artistic or operatic performance, which is as much in harmony with spiritual worship as an opera or theater. Under such worldly performances spirituality is frozen to death.

"Formerly every Methodist attended class and gave testimony of experimental religion. Now the class-meeting is attended by very few, and in many churches abandoned. Seldom the stewards, trustees and elders of 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 holy enthusiasm and joy are regarded as fanaticism.

"Worldly socials, and fairs, festivals, concerts and such like have taken the place of religious gatherings, revival meetings, class and prayer meetings of earlier days. How true that the Methodist discipline is a dead letter! Its rules forbid the wearing of gold or pearls or costly array; yet no one ever thinks of disciplining its members for violating them. They forbid the reading of such books and the taking of such diversions as do not minister to godliness, yet the church itself goes to frolics and festivals and fairs, which destroy the spiritual life of the young, as well as the old. The extent to which this is now carried on is appalling. The spiritual death it carries in its train will only be known when the millions it has swept into hell shall stand before the judgment.

"The early Methodist ministers went forth to sacrifice and to suffer for Christ. They sought not places of ease and affluence, but of privation and 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, a truckling, a timeserving ministry, without faith, endurance, and holy power. Methodism formerly dealt in the great central truth. Now the pulpits deal largely in the generalities and in popular lectures. The glorious doctrine of entire sanctification is rarely heard and seldom witnessed in the pulpits."

This lengthy quotation shows clearly the spiritual condition of Methodism, and certainly she is no worse than the rest. God is calling his people out of "all the places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day." Ezek. 34:12. Those who refuse to walk in the light will go into darkness. God help people to "flee out of the midst of Babylon, 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 Babylon already introduced. It must be borne in mind, however, that this is the spiritual judgments following her moral fall, and not her final and everlasting literal destruction. The latter is described under another symbol a little further on in this series of prophecy.

The symbol here is that of a great city, the grand metropolis of the world, the mart of earth's commerce; a superb city, their [sic] being no end to its luxuries and magnificence. In it everything that can minister to the appetite, gratify the taste, and feed the pride of the human soul is to be found in profusion, being described at length. This great city is suddenly afire, and her merchants and the great men of the world who sustain her are overwhelmed with sorrow at the sight of all their wealth disappearing. Thus is great sect Babylon represented. She is a mighty city extending not only over the Apocalyptic earth, but, as symbolized by the ship-masters, sailors, and foreign traders, over the whole world. Suddenly she is set on fire by heaven's truth and her spiritual magnificence destroyed. The apostle Paul describes the great apostasy as a system that the "Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming." 2 Thes. 2:8. That spiritual consumption is now taking place in accordance with the symbols of this chapter, but the entire literal destruction of old Babylon will take place coincident "with the brightness of his coming," as described in the following chapter.

That sectarians are greatly alarmed over the sad condition of their fallen churches is clearly shown by the many quotations already given from Protestant writers. They may not be aware that it is a judgment from heaven upon man-made organizations; but such we know it to be in the light of eternal truth. Not only are they bewailing the loss of spiritual life and the desolating famine in sectdom, as was Bishop Foster and others, but they are beginning to tremble for their own safety and to wonder what the final outcome of it all will be. Wherever the gospel truth has been preached in all its purity, the sectarian denominations have been left destitute of spiritual life; for the children of God have heard his call, "Come out of her, my people," and have made their escape to Zion. Hence the ministers of Babylon cry out continually, "Stop! you are tearing our churches down," "You are taking our 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 of all the "places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day" (Ezek. 34:12) into the one church that Jesus built. "Babylon is fallen, 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's people are delivered from sect Babylon; and while the judgments of eternal truth are being poured out upon her, all heaven and earth is called 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 of her, a mighty angel predicts her eternal doom. "With violence shall that great 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 her divisions brought to view in this series of prophecy and shows her final destruction at the coming of Christ, when she shall suddenly be thrown with terrific force, like a great millstone descending into the sea, and "shall be found no more at all." According to the symbols here given she will be like a city completely destroyed, not one inhabitant or living creature remaining. Thus her eternal doom is pictured and remains to be yet fulfilled.

"And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth." We have already shown that Protestantism, as well as her mother Romanism, has been guilty of shedding innocent blood; and as the term Babylon includes both these divisions, when the great city is thrown down with violence, Romanism and Protestantism will sink together, and then this awful treasure—the blood of prophets and of saints—shall be brought to light in that last great 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 of much people saying, "Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honor, and power, unto the Lord our God." This great song of praise doubtless came from the lips of the angelic throng; for immediately the four living creatures and the four and twenty elders reechoed the same shout of praise, saying, "Amen; Alleluia." Then came a voice from the throne calling upon the servants of God, both small and great, to unite on this occasion in one grand and sacred song of praise; and this sublime chorus fell upon the ear of the enraptured apostle "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. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife [or bride] hath made herself ready." Was not here a hearty response to that call, "Rejoice over her thou heaven"? While this scene shows the interest all heaven takes in these wondrous scenes of earth, it is doubtless intended especially to represent the joy and thanksgiving of God's people who have "gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name."

The marriage of the Lamb which was about to take place was a special theme of joy on this occasion. In the Scripture the term marriage is frequently used to represent a special union between Christ and his people. Thus, the early church was represented as being free because of the death of the law, that they "should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead." Rom. 7:4. So, also, the eternal union of Christ with his people is here described under the figure of marriage. In one sense they have been married to Christ all through this dispensation; in another sense they have not. The church has had the promise of this eternal union, hence she has been betrothed to Christ; but left in the world, she has been driven into the wilderness, while a corrupt and drunken prostitute and her harlot daughters have been in the public view. Now, however, the judgments of God have descended upon Babylon, and the bride of Christ appears in all her beauty again, "arrayed in fine linen, clean and white"; and the next great event is her 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 and magnificence, the joy and splendor of the occasion being enhanced according to the rank and wealth of the parties. But earth has never witnessed such an event as this special marriage of the Lamb. Well may the 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 to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready." The special preparations that the bride is making represents the glorious holiness reformation that is now sweeping over the world, gathering God's people together for the splendid event. "Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb."

"These are the true sayings of God." They are almost too glorious to be believed; still, they are no idle dreams of fancy: they are true, yea "the true sayings of God." In the contemplation of such a wonderful event, the beloved apostle was carried away, as it were, with holy enthusiasm, and he fell at the feet of the angel to worship. We do not know just what the motives or impressions were that caused him to do this. But his soul was full, full to overflowing, and he could not but adore and worship. The angel, however, refused the homage thus offered, by the declaration that he himself, also, was the servant of Christ and one of the brethren that had the testimony of Jesus; "for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." The idea is: "I am a fellowservant with you, and we both have his testimony. You bear witness to him now in this present generation; I bear witness to those who are to come. You witness now of his death and resurrection; I tell of his future glory and triumphs. We are both, therefore, engaged in the same good work. The testimony 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 no one. He is the same one who appeared to John in the beginning. Then he stood in the midst of the seven golden candle-sticks, the sure defense of the churches, holding the seven stars in his right hand. Now, however, he appears from the opened heavens on a white horse, his mission "to judge and make war." The description of his person, his names, and his attributes, unmistakably proclaim him the Son of God. He is the "faithful and true," the name by which he made himself known to the churches of Philadelphia and Laodicea. "His eyes as a flame of fire" denotes omniscience; and as a searcher of all hearts he made himself known to the church of Thyatira. "Many crowns" are a symbol of supreme sovereignty and doubtless signify his many victories. "And he had a name written which no man knew but he himself." He had names by which he might be known to mortals; but he had one name that no created intelligence could understand: it was known only to him. What that name was, of course, is not given; it could not be. If the human mind could not conceive it, human language could not convey it. We can know him as the Faithful and true Witness, as the Word of God, and as King of kings and 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 to the blood of his enemies sprinkled upon his raiment in treading the winepress of God's wrath, and denotes that he was going forth to the dread work of vengeance. To this I shall refer more fully hereafter. His name is also called "the Word of God," which, when used as a personal appellation in the Scriptures, always signifies Jesus Christ.

Before considering his mission further and the armies that accompanied him, I wish to call special attention to the nature and the chronology of this event. If the present series of prophetic symbols (which begin with chap. 17) is a narrative of continuous events reaching to the end, then the vision before us is a description of the second coming of Christ, the event which was just previously announced and for which the bride had made herself ready. The usual interpretation given it is, that it is a sublime description of the servants of Christ going forth under his direction to spread the truth everywhere among the nations—in short, that it is the triumph of gospel truth over error under the providential government of Christ. That such a meaning can be derived from the vision by taking it in a figurative sense there can be no doubt, and this is what commentators generally do. They make the whole a figurative description of the triumph of the gospel, Christ being present only by his superintending providence. It is made simply a highly poetic description of the victory of truth and righteousness. In this case, however, the principles of symbolic language are clearly abandoned and a mere ordinary figurative meaning given. If we follow strictly the laws of symbolic language, as we manifestly ought, we shall be compelled to take another view of it.

In the first place, if this does not describe the actual coming of Christ, then his second coming is nowhere described in the Revelation. That so great an event should merely be alluded to in a few places and nowhere symbolically described seems incredible. At the judgment scene brought to view in the following chapter the presence of Christ is assumed, but it is not stated. Again, there are no victories of love and mercy described at all in the vision before us; but, on the contrary, it is a scene of fearful judgment—a terrible treading of "the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God," the complete overthrow of every opposing power; while the beast and the false prophet are represented as taken and cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. Surely, this is not the work of the church of God. But let it be remembered especially that this last event takes place under the seventh plague, which is the "filling up" of the wrath of God, and that Christ previously announced under the sixth vial, "Behold, I come as a thief." Christ comes in reality when this seventh plague occurs. To represent the glorious triumphs of Christianity by the mission of the church, 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's wrath, is at war with every principle of symbolic language.

But can this vision of Christ upon a white horse denote a mere providential superintendence, such as Christ constantly exercises over the church and its spiritual affairs on earth? Certainly not by any principle of symbolic language. Throughout the whole prophecy thus far we have seen that whenever any symbolic agent is brought upon the panorama, whether horseman, or beasts, or locusts, or harlot, or whatever else, it always denotes some corresponding agents appearing on earth and beginning their appropriate work. The symbolic agent is real. But here is a symbolic appearance of Christ. By what law could such a symbolic appearance represent merely a providential superintendence? And if his appearance was necessary in this case, why was it not necessary in every event, to show that it was done under his direction? Again, if this symbolic appearance of Christ is not his real appearance, how can we tell that there is any reality in the appearance of the horsemen of the first four seals, the ten-horned beast, or the harlot woman? What right have we to remove one agent from the panorama as an actual agent there any more than another? And if this is not his real appearance, upon what principle of interpretation can we ever establish the fact of his second coming? It is evident to all that, if we can turn this agent into a mere providential one, we can do the same with another, and thus set aside his second coming altogether. Then, what shall we say in the next chapter when some one steals our weapons and declares that the great white throne before which all the dead, small and great, stand is nothing but that providential government of God under which all sinners pass condemnation upon themselves and their sins find them out? If we can deal thus with symbols, we can do anything with them and can make out any meaning we please.

The laws of symbolic language require us to take the appearance of Christ 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 name and person because there is no other that can represent his infinite dignity and majesty. And the symbols connected with him denote the object of his mission and the work which he performs. His white horse shows him now a glorious conqueror; his crowns denote his supreme dominion; the sword of his mouth and his vesture dipped in blood denote the dread work of vengeance upon his enemies; while the army following him doubtless denotes the "ten thousands of his saints" that accompany him when he comes. Jude 14. The bride has already prepared herself for his coming, and now the eternal union takes place. "Blessed are they which 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 little remains to be said. The symbol is that of vast slaughter on a battle-field, which gathers all the birds of heaven and the beasts of the forest to the prey. The enemies gathered for this battle were "the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies," together with the false prophet. This is the grand confederacy of wickedness formed under the mission of the three unclean spirits that went forth, not only unto the kings of the earth, but also into the whole world. This is not a literal collecting of armies, hence not a literal slaughter upon a battlefield, nor a literal assembling of carrion birds; but it is a symbolic representation of the final and eternal destruction of the allied powers of sin. As will be further described in the following chapter, they were gathered together for the purpose of overthrowing the church of God and anticipated a complete victory in the battle of Armageddon; but the sudden appearance of Jesus Christ to rescue his bride results in their complete overthrow. The special theme of this series of prophecy has been the history of apostate Christendom; hence the beast and the false prophet are represented as being taken and thrown into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. "The remnant" that were slain refers to the other powers of wickedness not embraced in Catholicism and Protestantism This series being now traced to its close, the narrative returns to take up another important theme of prophetic truth.



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 at the second advent; but by considering carefully the different things enumerated in this chapter—the binding of the dragon; then a thousand years; after that the Armageddon battle; and last of all the judgment scene, in which all the dead, both small and great, are rewarded, and all the powers of wickedness cast into the lake of fire—it will be seen at once that this is not a continuation of the series of prophecy immediately preceding, but an entirely new theme, running partly parallel with that series, and both ending at the same point—the second coming of Christ and the general judgment, in which the lake of fire is the final doom of the combined powers of wickedness. In that series the beast and the false prophet—Romanism and Protestantism—were the chief powers of evil under consideration; in this series the dragon feature predominates. If this be not true, then there will be two judgment scenes and the wicked cast into the lake of fire twice. Positive proof of 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 a particular character is designated—the dragon—and implies that the object has already been introduced. In his first appearance upon the symbolic panorama (chap. 12:3) he is simply styled a dragon, but in every subsequent instance he is called the dragon, which proves that the same character is meant. In addition to the former remarks on chapter 12:9 relative to the terms applied to this antichristian power, the following quotation from the People's Cyclopaedia will throw some light on the subject: "In the mythical history and legendary poetry of almost every nation, the dragon appears as the emblem of the destructive and anarchistic principle.... Like the serpent, the dragon is always a minister of evil ... the object of which is to fight order, harmony, and progress. In Christian art, the dragon is the emblem of sin.... It is often represented as crushed under the feet of saints and martyrs.... Sometimes its prostrate attitude signifies the triumph of Christianity over Paganism." Art. Dragon. Considering this usage of these terms for ages, it is not strange that they were applied also to that great antichristian, persecuting system of Paganism, which stood before Christianity as its greatest barrier to "order, harmony, and progress."

The angel that overthrew this public system of Pagan infidelity symbolizes the primitive host of Christians, the ministers in particular. Some have supposed that he represented Christ; but, as already shown conclusively, Christ can not be symbolized by an inferior intelligence, hence always appears upon the scene in his own character, proclaiming his own eternal name. The fact that this angel possessed the key of the bottomless pit is no proof that he is Christ, even though in chapter 1:18 Jesus is said to have certain keys; for in chapter 9:1 we find that a fallen star—the symbol of Mohammed—is said to have "the key of the bottomless pit" also. At the most, this expression is only a symbol of power and authority, be it good or bad. In the gospel the same figure is applied to God's ministers, where they are given authority to bind the powers of wickedness on earth. Mat. 16:19; 18:18. The chain is a symbol of the power to bind.

When Christianity first commenced its warfare with this huge system of error, almost the entire then-known world was under its deceptive influence; but by a long conflict, in which thousands of the noble followers of the Lamb were slaughtered, this antichristian public system of Pagan infidelity was at last completely overthrown, and the final result was, that the civilized world became as completely Christian (nominally at least) as it ever had been Pagan. This great transformation could never have been effected without the undying heroism and whole-hearted consecration of the first disciples of Christ. From this time the dragon as such—as a public deceiver of the nations throughout the Apocalyptic earth—was overthrown. This marks the beginning of the thousand years mentioned.

Since many of the principles of heathenism were copied by the church of Rome, it may be difficult for some to understand at first why it is said that the dragon no longer deceived the nations after being cast down by primitive Christianity; but this becomes clear when we consider what the dragon really was and what the church of Rome was understood to be. A time came when the entire civilized world knew that heathenism as such was wrong and rejected the very idea of a plurality of gods; but they were led to believe that they could adapt many of their former rites and ceremonies to the worship of the one true God in whom they believed and thereby render acceptable service to him, and were sure that the Romish church was the one true apostolic church. It was not the dragon, or heathenism, that then deceived them; it was Christianity—a false Christianity. The manner in which the people were deceived during the time following the casting down of heathenism in the beginning has already been considered in chapters XII, XIII, XVII, XVIII, etc., covering the same period of time included in the one thousand years in the vision before us.

We can not apply this period specified as literally one thousand years without varying from every principle of time prophecy in the Revelation, for they are all symbolic; neither can we apply it according to the usual year-day method, which, signifying three hundred and sixty thousand years, would throw this series of events out of harmony with the time-periods allotted to the other themes of truth running over the same ground and terminating at the same point—the general judgment. Therefore, to be consistent, we shall have to apply it as (so far as human knowledge of the exact dates is concerned) an indefinite length of time, on the same principle that "the hour of temptation" in chapter 3:10, the three and one-half days in chapter 11:9, and the "hour" in which 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 subject introduced—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 the first resurrection" that were exalted to this honored position with Christ. Millenarians always assume that this refers to a literal resurrection at the second coming of Christ, but no such thing is hinted at. Not one word is said about literally resurrected saints reigning. John says, "I saw the souls of them which were beheaded for the witness of Jesus ... and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years." Nothing whatever is said about any reign on earth at all; but the description shows plainly that it was disembodied spirits that were reigning with Christ in Paradise during the period that followed the casting down of the dragon, which was in reality one of long apostasy and darkness on earth. Before and during this conflict with Paganism the church of God was publicly triumphant on earth. Afterward, during the apostasy, a false church was, in the public view, triumphant, while the church of God was crowded out of sight into the wilderness. However, the reign of God's saints did not cease; for when they were slaughtered by their relentless persecutors and deprived of their reign on earth, they were, as symbolized by the man-child, caught up to God and to his throne and there "lived and reigned with Christ" during the thousand years under consideration.

This same thought concerning the reign of the martyrs in Paradise while the powers of evil triumphed on earth, was brought to view on the opening of the fifth seal in chapter 6:9-11. "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: 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? 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." This quotation will make clear one point concerning the refusal of the martyrs to worship the beast and his image. We are not to understand that every soul of the martyrs John saw in these visions reigned during the entire period under consideration; but he beheld the reign of the saints above during the one thousand years, and he saw there the souls of all the martyrs—such as had been slain in the early days of Christianity (chap. 12:11); such as refused to 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 to death 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 above were those who had had part "in the first resurrection," which had made them "blessed and holy." They were not on earth; they were disembodied spirits above, hence had not been literally resurrected. The Scriptures clearly teach that mankind in their ordinary condition are "dead in trespasses 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 most positively by the words of Christ—"Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life." John 5:25, 24. Although many other proofs could easily be given, this of itself is sufficient to establish the point that the host of early Christians who had "passed from death unto life" in Christ and who gave their lives gladly for the sake of Christ, constituted the ones referred to as having had "part in the first resurrection." According to verse 6 it was only on those who had part in the first resurrection that the second death had no power. The church at Smyrna received the sure promise from Christ himself that they should "not be hurt of the second death" (chap. 2:11); and this shows beyond all question that even at that early date they had had part in this first resurrection that makes men blessed and holy.

It is the trick of Beelzebub to deceive souls by causing them to overlook the fact that this first resurrection that made men blessed and holy is of a spiritual nature and to fix their hopes in two literal resurrections at the end. There will be but one literal resurrection then, as is clearly shown by the account given of the judgment in this chapter, verses 11-15. The writer of the Revelation declared positively, "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." Chap. 1:7. If this does not prove that there is but one literal resurrection when Christ comes, then I would not know how to state such a fact if I desired. Furthermore, Jesus himself, in the same chapter in which he described "the first resurrection," says most positively that all the literal dead shall be resurrected at the same time. "Marvel not at this," he says: "the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done 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 their efforts to prove two literal resurrections, millenarians always quote with emphasis, "The dead in Christ shall rise first." 1 Thes. 4:16. In doing so they, either ignorantly or wilfully, wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction; for any one can see at a glance that no such thing as two resurrections is even hinted at. Verses 15-17 simply teach this, that the righteous who are living on the earth at the time Christ appears will not ascend to heaven before the righteous dead are resurrected, but the dead will rise first, then they will all be caught up together at one and the same time. The wicked are not mentioned in this connection; for, as stated, Paul was writing this only for the comfort and the edification of the church. In the following chapter, however, their "sudden destruction" at the second coming of Christ is mentioned as a warning to the church.

It is evident that the first resurrection as applied in this connection specified particularly that phase of the church which, as symbolized by the man-child, was caught up to God through martyrdom and there "lived and reigned with Christ." The other phase of the church, symbolized by the woman, is not said to reign with Christ a thousand years, but, on the other hand, is represented as driven into the wilderness, her public reign on earth being ended by the holy city being trodden under foot of a 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 in the Revelation applying to the same object, will show that all God's people, both those here brought to view during the thousand years and those following that period, are spoken of as dead people resurrected and reigning. They are considered under two phases—those who, as symbolized by the man-child, were caught up to God through martyrdom and there lived and reigned with Christ; and those who, as symbolized by the woman, were deprived of their public reign on earth and were driven into the wilderness during the same period. The first phase were "priests of God 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 enjoy their public reign again, as in the early days of Christianity, until the expiration of the thousand-year period. It is true that individuals on earth received life from God and were thus spiritually resurrected during the thousand-year period; but the dominant beast-power martyred them by thousands, the two witnesses were then in their sack-cloth state, and thus the public triumphal reign of the saints on earth ceased. The statement of verse five that "the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished" should be applied not in an individual, but in a general sense, the same as the reign above during the same period is considered. There is also some doubt as to the authenticity of this sentence. It is not found in the Vatican Manuscript, which is one of the oldest in existence; and the Syriac Version, which has come down to us from early days through an entirely separate channel, does not contain it. However, it is evident that the phase of the church symbolized by the woman actually reigns triumphantly on earth after the thousand years is finished; for verses 7-9 of this chapter show that the dragon, combined with Gog and Magog, goes forth on the breadth of the earth to compass the camp of the saints just before the end of time.

The fact that the reign of God's people on earth is divided into two distinct periods is shown also by other prophecies. In the seventh chapter of Daniel is recorded a vision of four great beasts, symbolizing the Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Grecian, and Roman empires. Verse 18, connected with Dan. 2:31-44, shows that the saints were to possess the kingdom of God before the overthrow of all these four kingdoms, which was actually fulfilled by Jesus Christ appearing during the reign of the Roman empire and planting the kingdom of God in the earth. See Mark 1:15; Luke 12:32; 16:16; Col. 1:13. Then follows a description of the rise of the Papacy, which was to "wear out the saints of the most High" for a time, times, and the dividing of times—three and one-half times, or forty-two months, or, prophetically, twelve hundred and sixty years. This, as before explained, reaches to the year A.D. 1530. During this period the public reign of the saints on earth ceased. Then immediately following it is said, "The judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end." This does not refer to the final judgment; it is a spiritual judgment 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 light they possessed and who were filled with judgment against the beast-power that had worn out the saints for ages. And though in places some were put to death for refusing to worship the image of the beast that lifeless professors had set up, yet there were from time to time reformations that resurrected many people to life in Christ. A little later, however, the real spiritual reign of the saints is perfectly restored in the pure gospel light of the evening time, and now the next verse is fulfilled, which says, "And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom." It is only reasonable to suppose that the public reign on earth would commence gradually and would finally reach its perfect fulfilment, just the same as it ceased gradually in the beginning. Therefore we can not point to a definite date exactly marking the end of the thousand years, any more than we can locate exactly the time of its commencement; but we must be satisfied just to consider this symbolic expression as covering a long period of time during which these important phases of deep truth are considered merely from a general standpoint.

This special reign of a thousand years above is doubtless brought to our view for the express purpose of making the history of the triumph of Christianity continuous. When interrupted on earth, the scene is suddenly transferred to Paradise; then when the woman comes out of the wilderness and the public reign on earth begins again, while the woman is being prepared as a bride for the coming of the Lamb, the scene, as the following description in verse 9 also will show, is again transferred to earth. The reign above does not in reality cease with the expiration of the thousand years, but we are permitted to obtain a view of it only for that length of time during the down-trodden state of the church on earth. This reign of the martyrs' above is placed in direct contrast with the public reign on earth during the same time, which consisted of multitudes of people worshiping the beast, recieving his image and his mark. What the "thrones" on which they sat and the "judgment" given them signifies, I do not know for certain, but it is doubtless the same exalted privilege and authority which Christ promised to 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 be considered. Before this matter can be rightly understood, however, we must take into account carefully certain facts regarding his binding. It was not the dragon as a political power that Christianity attacked (it did not labor to that end), but it was its huge public system of false belief that was overthrown. This great system, as opposed to Christianity, can all be summed up under the one word infidelity. Infidel signifies "a heathen; one who disbelieves in Christ, or the divine origin and authority of Christianity."—Webster. This system was positively an antichristian power that sought by every possible means to destroy the religion of Jesus and to blot out his very name. It failed in the attempt. It was bound. During the long reign of Popery, when the doctrine was be-a-Catholic-or-die, infidelity could not publicly lift its 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 then deceive them; but they were greatly deceived by a false Christianity until almost all the world wondered after the beast. The release of the dragon, then, in order to be entirely satisfactory and consistent, must embrace the following points: First, it must at least include the development of a great public antichristian power whose avowed object is to destroy the whole fabric of Christianity. Second, being bound by divine power, his release must be the result of divine permission for a special purpose. Third, the scene of his imprisonment must necessarily be the place of his release; namely, the earth—the Apocalyptic earth—the territory of the Roman empire.

We find all these requirements meeting a most perfect fulfilment in the events described under the pouring out of the first vial, which was done by the direction of Him that sat upon the throne. A sufficient history of that fearful system of infidelity which, through the labors of Voltaire and his coadjutors, spread throughout all Europe has already been given. The very object of the leaders of this movement was the extermination of the Christian religion, and their secret watchword was "Crush the wretch," meaning Jesus Christ. The dragon was loose in all his terrible features. The Pagans upheld a false belief; these modern worshipers of the dragon did likewise and publicly exalted the "Goddess of Reason" as an object of devotion, setting aside every tenth day for their hellish orgies in her honor. The former endeavored to overthrow the Christian religion; the latter had for its special aim the utter destruction of everything Christian either in name or in character. This devilish system spread over all Europe and almost undermined the whole fabric of society, and threatened to convert the world from Christianity to the worship of the Goddess of Reason. Its foothold gained was so extensive and its effects so far-reaching that prominent historians, D'Aubigne among the number, have denominated the period of its greatest triumph "the day of Reason." It is one of the three and one-half days covered by the prophecy in Rev. 11:9.

I do not wish to be understood, however, as limiting the release of the dragon and his work to the system of infidelity that had its origin in France. I merely refer to that unfortunate system as the beginning of the dragon's release and work—the re-introduction to the world of those principles of public hostility to Christianity which had lain buried since the days of Pagan Rome. The dragon in the beginning was a deceptive system, one that "deceived the whole world"; but its deceptions were uncovered by the light of Christianity, and then it became the bitter public opposer of the religion of Christ. In the release of the dragon the order is reversed. He first appears as the public enemy of Christianity in the form already mentioned, but afterwards 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 that we must not overlook—his partnership with Gog and Magog. The original signification of the terms Gog and Magog is difficult to ascertain, as all known accounts are conflicting. The terms occur in Ezek. 38 and 39 also. In the Revelation, however, it is clear that these terms are applied to Romanism and Protestantism, and under the special leadership of this spirit of antichrist they are gathered together to battle against the saints of the most High. I will again quote the description of this union as given under the sixth vial, which refers to the present time: "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. 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.... And he gathered them into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon." Chap. 16:13-16. It will be noticed that the field of operations under this grand confederation of the three unclean spirits is 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 own distinctive principles, it is necessary that each make certain concessions, in outward appearance at least, so that they can work together in harmony against a common foe. In this case it will be necessary that three points be conceded before the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet can agree. First, the dragon must not appear in his true character as antichristian; he must be clothed in some different attire in order to "deceive." Second, Catholicism must stop her work of slaying those who disagree with her and cover up her true principles. Third, Protestantism must cease protesting against the abominations of Catholicism. We are living in the time when this confederation of the powers of wickedness is being effected; therefore we must not expect to see the dragon as a terrible creature with heads and horns standing as the open adversary of God, but we must look for him dressed up in a garb "to deceive." If necessary he can place himself under a Christian garb without violating his conscience—of which he has none.