In some manner the worshipers of Protestant images also receive the number 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 chapter 11:7, 8) the true Vicars of Christ on earth—the Word and Spirit of God—have been set aside, and conferences of men have taken their places in all the official acts relative to spiritual affairs. Hence the number of the name applies to them as well. What that number specially symbolizes I do not know, unless it is, as has been explained by others—division. While the policy of Romanism has been that of unity, still the false claims made by one individual can be as well made by another, 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 a symbol of the whole, since his system has been so largely copied by the rest. The whole structure of sectarianism is built on the principle of division, and it so happens that there is always enough left to divide again. So this special number is perhaps the symbol of endless division, signifying the great number of human organizations claiming to be churches of Christ. The church of God, however, is built on the principal 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 the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name." To "buy or sell" is to engage in the ordinary pursuits of life and have intercourse with human society. Applying this as a symbol to the analagous department of the church, we have the fact set forth that those without the special mark have no more recognized standing in the so-called churches than men that are not allowed to buy or sell have in a community. But selling, as a symbol, would specially indicate the dealing out of truth, or the preaching of the gospel. A Holy Ghost minister in the clear light of heaven's truth, independent of all the creeds of Babylon, will not be allowed the privilege of laboring freely among sectarians, after the truth for which he stands becomes well known. And if he holds meetings in the community, the members of the sects are often warned by their leaders against "buying"—receiving—it from the Holy Ghost minister, because of his not having the mark or name of the beast. Their ministers are specially marked, for they come out of their colleges and theological seminaries with the stamp of their respective doctrines upon them and a license from the sect to enter its ministry; and those not thus marked or designated have no place among them. This may also explain the manner in which the beast causes those who will not worship the image to be killed—an analagous killing; namely, an ecclesiastical cutting-off, or excommunication, as explained in previous chapters.⁹

Footnote 9: (return)

The early history of Protestantism shows that at that time the principle of religious intolerance brought over from Romanism manifested itself in the actual putting to death of numerous dissenters. For example see pp. 252, 291-294 of the present work. It is possible that the persecuting principle ascribed to the two-horned beast may include both the literal and the ecclesiastical cutting-off, reference being made directly to the intolerant spirit.

The facts just stated are well illustrated by the following circumstances. A few years ago a brother in the ministry went into a certain 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 the minister and made known his errand, the first question asked him was this, "Are you a member of the Presbyterian church?" The brother answered in the negative. He did not have the name of the beast. The next question that greeted him was this, "Do you believe the Westminster Confession of Faith to be orthodox?" He answered, "No, sir." He did not have the mark of the beast. The last question asked was, "Do you belong to any of the various orthodox Protestant denominations?" The brother said, "No." He did not have the number of his name. The answer was, "You can not have our house."

While on a missionary trip in the Near East, the writer, in company with another brother, attended a Seventh-Day Adventist service in Bucharest, Roumania. After the sermon another brother requested that we be given the opportunity to speak a little, but the request was absolutely refused. It was explained that we would say nothing against them or their work but only speak about salvation; but we were not permitted even to testify in a few words. The difficulty was that we did not have either the "mark of the beast" or its "name."

There is no difficulty in identifying this company on Mount Sion as the true people of God in marked contrast with the worshipers of all corrupt and false religion. As to the chronology of the event, it is evident that we have here a continuation of the same series of prophecy beginning with the apostolic period in chapter XII, describing alternately the true church and the false church.

At the beginning of this series the true church, symbolized by the star-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, were brought into prominent view. It is therefore fitting that the true church should again appear and be given her proper position and work in the world before the end of all earthly things.

That the company here brought to view represents the true church is shown by its agreement with the church of God before the apostasy began. In the seventh chapter we have seen that before the political calamities befell the Western Roman Empire the work of sealing God's servants was accomplished, twelve thousand from each of the twelve tribes of Israel being sealed, thus representing symbolically the fact that God's church, comprising the true Israel, was perfect and complete, no part being omitted. In the chapter under consideration we have this divine sealing process again after the apostasy, and once more the definite number 144,000 occurs, showing that the church before the end is to be perfect and complete.

The contrast of this company with the ecclesiastical powers in the preceding chapter proclaims in an unmistakeable manner the fact that we have here described a true reformation and work of God before the end of time. In the morning-time of the dispensation the redeemed of earth were represented as singing praises to Christ; so also the company here brought to view unite in singing a song which only the redeemed can know. This company is on Mount Sion, not in the darkness of the wilderness, they are with the Lamb, not wandering after the beast; they are not even following the beast that was "like a lamb," but they are with the true Lamb, the Savior of the world; they have the "Father's name 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 with women, for they are virgins." Fornication and adultery, as will be explained later, is a symbol of spiritual idolatry; and the chastity of this redeemed company shows that they were free from the abominations of the apostasy. They "follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth." Their names are 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 days standing 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—its communicative genius. It not only stands clear from the apostasy, but it sounds the warnings of God and proclaims his message. The first messenger had a very important message to deliver, even "the everlasting gospel." His message was not limited to the inhabitants of "the earth"—the Apocalyptic earth—only, but included "every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people," showing that it was of universal importance. It was not a new gospel, but the everlasting gospel, the same gospel preached before the long period of apostasy. There is one phase different, however, and that is that the nearness of the second coming of Christ is a leading feature; the messenger with loud voice warns the people to prepare for the awful judgment just at hand by turning to "worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters." The apostle Paul cautioned the Thessalonian brethren not to entertain the idea that the advent of Christ was then near at hand, for it could not come until after the great period of apostasy that he predicted; but here is a messenger now claiming that the "hour of his judgment is come"—an event just at hand. He carries his special message to all people; for Jesus declared, "This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." Matt. 24:14. This represents the restoration of gospel truth in the reformation that was begun about the year A.D. 1880 and that is now being carried to all nations by a holy ministry.

The nature of this restoration work is clearly shown. Its leading feature is its missionary character, the proclamation of the pure gospel to "every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people." Since the days of the apostles the whole gospel has not been boldly declared and carried forward with burning missionary zeal. Romanism and Protestantism have conducted their missionary work and, according to chap. 16:14, their sphere of influence will extend throughout "the whole world"; but here is clearly set forth the fact that God has authorized another universal message and world-wide work wholly distinguished from all others. The contrast between the worshipers of the beast and his image and those composing the redeemed company on Mount Sion is so clear, also the nature of the work done by each, that we can not possibly identify them as being one.

This work of conducting a world-wide missionary enterprise may appear to be a gigantic task, but the seeming impossibility vanishes when we consider the fact (to be more fully developed hereafter) that God calls into this service all his people who are yet under the sectarian yoke. With this great host already dispersed over the world, the work of making known this last message can and will be accomplished.

The positive statement that the hour of his judgment is come shows that the end is exceedingly near; hence the second and third angels must follow the first in the closest proximity possible in order to introduce their messages before the wrath of God is poured out upon apostate Christendom. The time is so short that these three messengers can not possibly refer to three distinct reformations in the world; hence they must signify three important phases in the one last reformation that carries 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 are inseparably connected. The second cry was against Babylon, that she had fallen. Rev. 18:1, 2 proves this fall of Babylon to be a moral one—a giving away to ungodliness, iniquity and all manner of deception. According to chapter 16:19 the great city of Babylon is composed of three parts, being a confederation of the dragon¹⁰ (heathenism), the beast (Catholicism), and the false prophet (Protestantism). Chap. 16:13, 14. It is evidently to this latter division of Babylon that this second message applies; for Paganism was always a false religion, and Catholicism was always a corrupt one, during whose reign the church of God, as already shown, was separate. Protestantism, then, was the only part of the great city that could fall morally or spiritually. During the space of three hundred and fifty years, from the formation of the first Protestant creed, she held reign and authority over the people of God, who were scattered among her hundreds of opposing sects.

Footnote 10: (return)

That the dragon should be a part of great Babylon seems at first improbable; but in this statement reference is made, not to the dragon in his original, or Pagan, state, but to the form in which he is manifesting himself in these last days to deceive the nations, working in conjunction with apostate Christendom. This phase of the dragon power which brings him into harmony with, and, in reality, a part of, modern Babylon, will be more clearly understood when we come to consider the three unclean spirits that come out of the mouth of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet (chap. 16:13, 14), and the release of the dragon in chapter 20:7-9.

In this condition the faithful children of God, although bearing the mark and name of the beast, longed for restoration of the divine, primitive standard; but in the cloudy atmosphere of that period they could not clearly discern the whole truth. Later, when the full tidings of the everlasting gospel came, there came also a revelation that Babylon is fallen and that God is calling his people out of confusion just before the end of time.

I call to witness every child of God who has been with the present reformation from its beginning, if there were not three special phases of the development of the truth, as follows: 1. A wonderful revival of spirituality among a few of God's chosen ones, caused by the "everlasting gospel" being revealed to them as never before. 2. The knowledge of the truth and deep experience thus obtained prepared the way for the next step, which was the discovery that the "churches" were a part of the great Babylon of Revelation and were in a fallen condition, "a hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful 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 or worship his image without forfeiting eternal salvation and that the fearful judgments of heaven would soon descend upon every one who refused to obey the message and to walk in the light. The last two phases, which apply to Babylon, are the same and in the same order as the description given in chapter 18:1-4. First, an angel from heaven cries mightily with a strong voice, "Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen"; and then "another voice" from heaven says, "COME OUT OF HER, MY PEOPLE." The three successive phases of the message are now all combined in one, and God is gathering his holy remnant "out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day" (Ezek. 34:12) into the one body of Jesus Christ. Halleluiah! John, also, saw this glorious result of the three messages—"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. And they sung the song of Moses the servant of God [a song of deliverance], and the song of the Lamb [the song of redemption], saying, Great and marvelous 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!

Those of the Lord's people who through lack of sufficient light were yoked up with unbelievers in Protestantism, labored faithfully to upbuild the very sectarian institutions that God was against and that were destined to be destroyed, though they themselves were saved as by fire; but from the time this reformation began the redeemed die in the triumphs of a living faith, and their labors in upbuilding the true cause and kingdom of God are still blessed and fruitful, being perpetuated in the works that follow them.

"Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." As before mentioned, God's people during the reign of Romanism expected her universal supremacy to come to an end, and their patience was greatly exercised in waiting for the appointed time to arrive. It came with a great spiritual reformation. Then followed another period of apostasy, during which time God's people again looked forward to something better in the future. Many remarkable predictions of this present holiness reformation were uttered 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 which the sixteenth century was unable to accomplish." History of the Reformation, Book XV, Chap. 1.

Fletcher: "Only He will come with more mercy, and will increase the light 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 his arm openly are still concealed from us. Oh, when will the communion of saints be complete? Lord, hasten the time; and let me have a place among them that love thee, and love one another in sincerity." This is an extract from a letter written by John Fletcher to Mr. Wesley, dated London, 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 the strength of an idea to penetrate the masses, to stir nations, and to hurry 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 a heaven-descended idea possess, when God opens to it the gates of the heart! 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 the Reformation; and it will be seen in future ages." Book VI, Chap. 12.

"It has been said that the three last centuries, the sixteenth, the seventeenth, and the eighteenth, may be conceived as an immense battle of three days' duration. We willingly adopt this beautiful comparison.... The first day was the battle of God, the second the battle of the priest, the third the battle of reason. What will be the fourth? In our opinion, the confused strife, the deadly contest of all these powers together, to end in the victory of Him to whom triumph belongs." Book XI, Chap. 9.

Lorenzo Dow, comment on Rev. 14:6-11; 18:1-5: "The angel, or extraordinary messenger, with his assistants, proclaiming the fall of Babylon will be known in his time. Also the one warning the people of God to come out of Babylon literally, spiritually, and practically, will be known also, and such other threatening for the omission of compliance is not to be found in all the Bible." Dow's Works, p. 533.

The following extracts are from an old book written about 1812 by Theophilus R. Gates and entitled "Truth Advocated." Through the kindness of a sister living in Allegan County, Michigan, the writer was enabled to secure the following from the only copy of this book known to be in existence—she having borrowed it of her neighbor, a relative of its author.

On Rev. 14:11: "I would here gladly drop the subject, lest I give offense; but duty compels me to remark, what can not be denied, that an inordinate attachment to certain systems and forms of religion, has occasioned all the strifes, animosities, and persecutions, that have so long agitated the Christian world; and if God be just, every one must drink of the cup of his indignation, according to his offense. The beast and his image, as it exists in Protestant countries, seems in this place particularly 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 certainly be received; for a company in the next chapter are to be seen that had gotten the victory over the beast, his image, his mark, and the number of his name. It is also equally true that as yet it has never gone forth; and that at the time, great afflictions or suffering of some kind will be undergone to exercise the patience of the saints.... It is at this 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 the earth, and of the whole world, to gather them to the great battle of the great day of God Almighty. The greatest possible efforts, indeed will now be made by all the sectarians to keep up their existence ... nor is it any wonder that hireling ministers and system worshipers, Demetrius like, should be stirred up and raise no small stir about the way; for it is evident, not only their craft is in danger of being set at naught by this testimony, but also the great Diana of systems and forms of religion to be despised, and their magnificence destroyed, whom now almost the whole Christian world worshipeth." Pp. 281-283.

"And now commences an era of light and suffering, when the corrupt churches (with the kings of the earth and great men united with them) being about to be wholly brought down, make one general muster against Christ and his true worshipers. These things are clear to me as a ray of light; and whoever lives at this time will see as great opposition and spite to the true way of righteousness then set forth from sectarians and professors generally, as there was from the Jews towards Christ and his testimony: and also, like the Jews, at the very time they oppose the true way of the Lord with all their might, they will no doubt make the greatest 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 only are all things. I know that such a time will be; for we are assured by the angel, these are the true sayings of God: and I also believe that it will take place within two centuries from this time. But oh! how corrupt doth the world now appear to me.... Help me, O Lord, I pray thee, to do thy will.

"Whenever any body of people come into notice, establish their rules and institutions, and become a respectable sect, they are the people of God then only in name; they cease to have the nature any longer; and whoever unites himself to the same, constitutes himself one of the beast's party, and so far as his influence extends, he helps to establish the kingdom of Antichrist in the earth. This is clear from the prophecies of the Revelation, and it will answer no purpose to take offense when the truth is spoken. These things will, moreover, sooner or later be declared with great plainness by some one; and then will the man of sin put forth all his strength; then will persecution come, and the beast muster his armies to defend himself and to destroy the assailants, but in vain; for however few their number may be at first, and however furious the battle may rage against them, they are destined to conquer. And herein the words of Christ will fitly apply, 'Fear not, little flock; 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 things will continue until the evil is remedied.... When this shall take place, time only can determine with certainty. It will probably commence slowly, and not come with any great outward observation. Few will at first see or embrace the way, being strange to them, and appearing on account of their prejudices, and the way they have been taught by the false prophet, to be wrong and improper: moreover, being opposed to all others, they will have all others to oppose them. But though they are despised 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 to these unclean spirits ... and it is not necessary to say much here upon the subject; only I would just observe, that this will be a time of greater trial to Christians in general, and in a time in which more will be deprived of every particle of true religion through the influence of false ministers belonging to the different societies in Christendom, than any that has ever yet been in the world. But while they are making these great exertions, they are only preparing themselves and their deluded votaries for a more awful and complete destruction. For God Almighty is against them, and they against Him; though they will know it not, but think perhaps all the while they are his peculiar favorites, and that they are employed in maintaining his cause, like the Jews before 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 of sin, of wickedness and delusion, testifying according to the best light given me; and any light that I can possibly communicate will in a little time become as the feeble shining of the sun, by reason of the greatness of the light that shall be hereafter." P. 354.

"A true and living testimony will go forth before this last period of the awful judgments of God comes to a close, and in consequence of rejecting it, like the Jews of old, the wrath of God will come upon them to the uttermost. The testimony against the worshipers of the beast, by the third angel, Rev. 14:9, is the testimony that effectually overthrows the kingdom of darkness and establishes the truth as it is in Jesus, pure and undefiled.... The authors of this testimony will ... unlike to all who go before them, attack the evil at its root, and expose the deceit, hypocrisy and wickedness of the different sects in a way that has never before been done; for which they will suffer the greatest persecution. You may look upon these things as the reveries of my own fancy; but some day or other, people will witness to the truth of what I now write." Pp. 421, 422.

"All the reformations which go before this last great reform will only be partial and temporary. They will only lop off the branches, or at the most, only strike at the body of the corrupt tree, while the roots remain 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 establish truth in the earth, it will be to establish their creed, raise up their sect, and bring the whole world into their way. And when the faithful witnesses whom God will raise up shall openly declare that they have all gone 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; that sects are an abomination to the Lord; denounce eternal death upon every advocate and adherent of men-made establishments; ... I say when such a testimony as this goes forth, as it sooner or later will, no wonder that the sects, all with one accord, should set themselves against it—should call it heresy—declare it will ruin the churches if it is not suppressed.... Although, as I have before testified, I am only as the voice of one crying in the wilderness—a mere babe in the knowledge of these things which are to be revealed hereafter, yet I expect to raise a host of bigots and hypocrites against me.... Nor can it be very long before the true light, in a very especial manner, will shine.... If these things do not come to pass, then let me be called an enthusiast or a 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 very difficult for me to identify positively. Until clearer light on the matter is received, I choose to withhold an explanation rather than to indulge in speculation. Its usual explanation is to apply the gathering of the harvest of the earth to the work of the reformation now taking place and the vintage scene to the final destruction of the wicked, their punishment being symbolized by the treading of the "winepress of the wrath of God." This may be its signification. It is certain, however, that in a subsequent chapter, the final judgment of the wicked is symbolized by the treading of "the wine-press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God." Beyond this I can not now speak with certainty.

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 the solemn scenes of awful judgment immediately following. The first thing that attracted John's attention was a sign, great and marvelous, "seven angels having the seven last plagues." The reason why these are denominated the "last plagues" is because that "in them is filled up the wrath of God." These are the completion, then, the finishing up of the work of divine judgment against the persecutors of the church. When the last 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, for they do not appear on earth; they are simply the conductors of the Revelation. God never commissions his people on earth to perform such great judgments upon their persecutors as the temporal judgments of the seven last plagues will be shown to be; but, on the contrary, he has given them the express command not to avenge themselves, but to suffer wrong. 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 are poured out, the narrative suddenly changes and a short history of God's redeemed saints is given. This, perhaps, thus occurs for two reasons—to assist us in fixing the chronology of the events described and to encourage us with the thought that, even while the awful judgments of God are being "made manifest" upon the haughty oppressors of earth, God has a chosen people who have "gotten the victory over the beast, and over 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 of melody 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 escaped to the further side of the Red Sea, thus securing perfect deliverance from their enemies. So, also, this company of worshipers sing a great song of deliverance—deliverance from the beast and his image. In chapters 4 and 5 John saw the great host redeemed before the apostasy standing on this sea of glass, singing the song of redemption—the song of the Lamb—but this company are enabled to sing another song as well—the song of deliverance—for they have "gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name." Halleluiah! "Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints."

As before stated (chap. 8:3), the heavenly world as opened up to John appeared symbolized after the sanctuary of the temple. By "the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony," out of which the seven angels came fully prepared for their work, is meant the most holy place of the sanctuary, called "the tabernacle of the testimony" because there was deposited in it, beneath the wings of the cherubim, the ark of the testimony, or God's covenant. It was therefore as from the most holy place of the sanctuary—from the very presence of the Deity—that these angels went forth commissioned to execute the seven last plagues. This shows that they went by the divine command as ministers of vengeance. The purity and beauty of their attire denoted both the spotless excellency of their characters and the justice of the work in which they were to engage. Although theirs was a work of awful avenging judgment, still the garments they wore would not be soiled thereby; and their flowing robes of white were girded up with a beautiful golden girdle. Therefore there is no inconsistency between the purity and love of God and the work of his vengeance. It would seem to human reasoning that the two are irreconcilable, but these symbols teach differently.

These angels received their vials (goblets) of wrath at the hands of one of the four living creatures, who are symbols of the redeemed sons of earth. Their deliverance by one of these doubtless denotes that these judgments were to be executed in their behalf and in answer to their prayers. For centuries the wrath of deadly persecutors had been poured out upon God's people, until the cry ascended from the lips of the martyrs, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?" Chap. 6:10. Now their prayer is answered, and by their hand, as it were, the vials of wrath are delivered with the divine sanction unto the seven angels to be poured out upon these proud oppressors of the Lord's people. These vials, too, were "full of wrath." What a fearful expression! Full of wrath, even "the wrath of God, who liveth forever and ever." There was nothing in them but wrath and that to the very brim.

As soon as the vials were delivered, "the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God." This symbol is taken from the Shekinah which filled the ancient tabernacle. We read that when the tabernacle was finished, "a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle." Ex. 40:34, 35. The same thing occurred at the dedication of Solomon's temple. "The cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of the Lord." 1 Kings 8:10, 11. So, also, in the symbol before us the glory of God filled the temple so that no man was able to enter. This is intended to set forth the fact that these avenging judgments were for the manifestation of the divine glory and that there was no access to the throne of God nor to his mercy-seat to alter them or to stay their execution. Such is the sublime scene presented to our view preparatory to the pouring out of the seven last great plagues.

2. They were poured out upon those "which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshiped his image." It has already been shown that the image made by the second beast of chapter 13 was the Protestant ecclesiastical organizations; hence the "beast" here referred to, to which the image was made, must signify the ecclesiastical hierarchy of Rome, the original. So the plagues fell upon the adherents of both organized Romanism and Protestantism in Europe.

3. The reason why the judgments of the first three vials especially descended upon them was because "they had shed the blood of saints and prophets." Verse 6. That Romanism was a fierce oppressor of God's people has already been noticed: Protestantism as their persecutor, also, must now be considered further. Protestant sects after they first became established and got power in their own hands, acted much in the same manner as the church of Rome did before them, persecuting, banishing, imprisoning, and even putting to death those who refused to receive their tenets or to conform to the system of religion they had adopted. The Lutherans, at first a pious, persecuted people, on becoming numerous and exalted by the favor of the great, established a certain system of religion and then, when it was in their power, persecuted, imprisoned, banished, or put to death all that dissented. As early after the Reformation as 1574, in a convention at Torgaw, they established the real presence in the eucharist and instigated the Elector of Saxony to seize, imprison, and banish all the secret Calvinists that differed from them in sentiment, and to reduce their followers by every act of violence, to renounce their sentiments and to confess the ubiquity. Peucer, for his opinions, suffered ten years of imprisonment in the severest manner. In 1577 a form of concord was produced in which the real manducation of Christ's body and blood in the eucharist was established and heresy and excommunication laid on all that refused this as an article of faith, with pains and penalties to be enforced by the secular arm. Crellius, in 1601, was put to death.

In Switzerland, before the city of Zurich was entirely safe itself from the encroachments of Romanism, its Protestant council condemned a young man named Felix Mantz to be drowned because he insisted that the baby-sprinkling of Romanism was not baptism and that all who had received the rite ought to be immersed. This sentence was carried into effect. The severest laws were passed in different countries of Europe against the Anabaptists, and large numbers were banished or burnt at the stake. See Encyclopædia Britannica, Art. Anabaptists. Protestants may claim this was because of their fanaticism on other lines; but it remains a fact, nevertheless, that the chief sentiment at the base of these laws was religious persecution and that Protestants sanctioned and carried them into execution.

King Henry VIII., the founder of the Established Church in England, adopted the most stringent laws to enforce its doctrines. Certain articles of religion were drawn up, known in history as the "Bloody Six Articles." Concerning these the People's Cyclopædia says: "The doctrines were substantially those of the Roman Catholic Church. Whoever denied the first articles (that embodying the doctrine of transubstantiation) was to be declared a heretic, and burnt without opportunity of abjuration; whoso spoke against the other five articles should, for the first offense, forfeit his property; and whosoever refused to abjure his first offense, or committed a second, was to die like a felon." Art. Henry VIII. "The royal reformer persecuted alike Catholics and Protestants. Thus, on one occasion, three Catholics who denied that the king was the rightful head of the church, and three Protestants who disputed the doctrine of the real presence in the sacrament,... were dragged on the same sled to the place of execution." In speaking of that period of history and of the religious persecutions of the times, Myers says: "Punishment of heresy was then regarded, by both Catholics and Protestants alike, as a duty which could be neglected by those in authority only at the peril of Heaven's displeasure. Believing this, those of that age could consistently do nothing less than labor to exterminate heresy with axe, sword and fagot." General History, p. 553.

That religious intolerance even at a later date was practised in England, witness the twelve years' imprisonment of John Bunyan and the hundreds confined in jails throughout that country for not conforming to the established religion. It was such severe persecution by that early Protestant sect that drove the Puritans from England's fair country to the then inhospitable shores of America, that they might have an opportunity to worship God according to the dictates of their own conscience. In Scotland the Covenanters "insisted on their right to worship God in their own way. They were therefore subjected to most cruel and unrelenting persecution. They were hunted by English troopers over their native moors and among the wild recesses of their mountains, whither they secretly retired for prayer and worship. The tales of the suffering of the Scotch Covenanters at the hands of the English Protestants form a most harrowing chapter of the records of the ages of religious persecution." This list might be considerably augmented, but it is unnecessary. However, that Protestant persecution and tyranny should never reach the enormous extent of the Romanists before them is proved 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 beginning of these plagues; for they can not be identified unless we understand the chronology of the events described. It is a fact no one can question that the seventh plague is the judgment of the last day, for in the seven "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 spiritual and who understand the truth in the present reformation, that certain events said to occur under the period of the sixth plague are now taking place; namely, the confederation of all false religions to oppose the people of God, led on by the "unclean spirits" that 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." Verses 13, 14.

Therefore five of the plagues precede the time in which we are now living. It is evident that the plagues could not begin before the reformation; for the vials were poured out upon the "image of the beast"—Protestantism—also. Hence we are directed to some period between the sixteenth century and the present day for their commencement. The reason why the first judgments especially were poured out will assist us in determining the starting-point—"They have shed the blood of saints and prophets." This expression seems to indicate that the time for the plagues to begin was after Romanism and Protestantism ceased putting people to death because of their religious sentiments. That this is the correct idea is clearly proved by what was said to the martyrs when they cried unto God for the avenging of their blood on them that dwell on the earth. "And it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow-servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled." Chap. 6:10, 11. For additional information concerning the terrible 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 to ceased, or nearly ceased, and that will give us the right starting-point from which to reckon the pouring out of the first vial. In A.D. 1685 the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, by Louis XIV. of France, took place, and in the terrible persecutions that occurred during his reign three hundred thousand are said to have lost their lives. The time that we are endeavoring to establish, then, must be later than the seventeenth century. Louis died in 1714. Persecutions continued from time to time in France, with considerable severity, until about the middle of the century. "Soon after this ... the flowing of heretic blood ceased, though an effort was made in 1765 by the Popish clergy to resist the tendency to toleration by a remonstrance to the king." History of Romanism, p. 608. A few individual cases of persecution may have occurred later in other countries; but in the main we are safe in pointing to about the middle of the eighteenth century for the general cessation of these religious murders. We will now consider the nature of the first plague.

The pouring out of this vial produced the most painful malignant ulcers upon the human body. Such ulcers are evidently not political calamities; for the symbol is drawn, not from nature, but from human life. Still, it is not drawn from a human being as a whole (in which case religious events would be symbolized), but only from his body. What, then, is the analagous object of which the human body may stand as a proper representative? Evidently, the mind. We would naturally pass from the bodily to the mental; and what painful ulcers are to the one, marring its beauty and filling it with burning anguish, such are blasphemous opinions and malignant principles to the other.

Considering the time for this plague pointed out above, the student of Revelation who is acquainted with the history of the past will scarcely fail to discern at once, in the striking points of this symbol, those horrible principles of infidelity, atheism, and licentiousness, which were spread so extensively over Europe during the latter half of the eighteenth century, and which were the most efficient causes in bringing about the fearful convulsions which followed in the French Revolution. That all may understand this matter in its proper light, however, it will be necessary to state some of the facts respecting this "noisome and grievous sore" that fell at that time upon the inhabitants of Europe. In writing upon the causes that led up to the French Revolution, Mr. Wickes gathered the following facts of history mainly from the Encyclopædia of Religious Knowledge, under the articles headed Philosophists and Illuminati. I will quote his own language, as it is very pointed.

"Philosophists was a name given to several persons in France, who entered into a combination to overthrow the religion of Jesus, and eradicate from the human heart every religious sentiment. The man more particularly to whom this idea first occurred, was Voltaire, who being weary (as he said himself) of hearing it repeated that twelve men were sufficient to establish Christianity, resolved to prove that one might be sufficient to overturn it. Full of this project, he swore, before the year 1730, to devote his life to its accomplishment, and for some time he flattered himself that he should enjoy alone the glory of destroying the Christian religion. He found, however, that associates would be necessary; and from the numerous tribe of his admirers and disciples, he chose D'Alembert and Diderot, as the most proper persons to co-operate with him in his designs. He contrived also to enlist Frederick II., king of Prussia, who became one of his most zealous coadjutors, until he found that Voltaire was waging war with the throne as well as the altar. This, indeed, was not originally Voltaire's intention. He was vain; from natural disposition an aristocrat, and an admirer of royalty. But when he found that almost every sovereign but Frederick disapproved of his ambitious designs, as soon as he perceived their issue, he determined to oppose all the governments on earth rather than forfeit the glory with which he flattered himself, of vanquishing Christ and his apostles in the field of controversy.

"He now set himself, with his associates, D'Alembert and Diderot, to excite universal discontent with the established order of things. For this purpose, they formed secret societies, assumed new names, and employed an enigmatical language. In their secret meetings they professed to celebrate the mysteries of Mythra; and their great object, as they professed to one another, was to confound the wretch, meaning Jesus Christ. Hence their secret watchword was 'Crush the wretch.' The following are some of their doctrines, as found in their books expressly designed for general circulation. Sometimes standing out in their naked horror, at other times enveloped in sophistry and disguise. The Universal Cause, that God of the philosophers, of the Jews, and of the Christians, is but a chimera and a phantom—The phenomena of nature only prove the existence of God to a few prepossessed men—It is more reasonable to admit, with Manes, of a two-fold God, than of the God of Christianity—We can not know whether a God really exists, or whether there is any difference between good and evil, or vice and virtue—Nothing can be more absurd than to believe the soul a spiritual being—The immortality of the soul, so far from stimulating men to the practise of virtue, is nothing but a barbarous, desperate, fatal tenet, and contrary to all legislation—All ideas of justice and injustice, of virtue and vice, of glory and infamy, are purely arbitrary, and dependent on custom—Conscience and remorse are nothing but the foresight of those physical penalties to which crimes expose 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 far from being the beginning of wisdom, should be the beginning of folly—The command to love one's parents is more the work of education than of nature—Modesty is only an invention of refined voluptuousness—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 over Europe, imperceptibly took possession of the public mind, and prepared the way for the subversion of religion, morals, and government. As soon as the sale of the works was sufficient to pay expenses, inferior editions were printed and given away, or sold at a very low price; circulating libraries of them were formed, and reading societies instituted. While they constantly denied these productions to the world, they contrived to give them a false celebrity through their confidential agents and correspondents, who were not themselves always trusted with the entire secret.

"By degrees they got possession nearly of all the reviews and periodical publications; established a general intercourse, by means of hawkers and pedlars, with the distant provinces; and instituted an office to supply all schools with teachers; and thus did they acquire unprecedented dominion over every species of literature, over the minds of all ranks of people, and the education of the youth, without giving any alarm to the world. The lovers of wit and polite literature were caught by Voltaire; the men of science were perverted, and children corrupted in the first rudiments of learning, by D'Alembert and Diderot; stronger appetites were fed by the secret club of Baron Holbach; the imaginations of the higher orders were set dangerously afloat by Montesquieu; and the multitude of all ranks was surprised, confounded, and hurried away by Rousseau. Thus was the public mind in France completely corrupted, and the way prepared for the dreadful scenes that followed."

But there is also another chapter to the dark history of this "noisome and grievous sore." The same author says again:

"After Voltaire had broached his system of infidel philosophy, and brought it unto perfection, it was taken up by the celebrated Dr. Adam Weishaupt, professor of canon law in the University of Ingolstadt, and by 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, a secret society under the name of the Illuminati, whose avowed object was to diffuse the light of science, these secret societies being so many radiating centers of light. But the science taught was the most atrocious infidelity, and its object the overturning of all government and religion. Free masonry, being in high repute all over Europe when Weishaupt first formed the plan of his society, he availed himself of its secrecy to introduce his new order, which rapidly spread, by the efforts of its founders and disciples, through all those countries, and found its way even to the United States. It would not be possible here to give even an outline of the nature and constitution of this extraordinary society—of its secrets and mysteries—of the deep dissimulation, consummate hypocrisy, and shocking impiety of its founder and his associates—of their Jesuitical arts in concealing their real objects, and their incredible industry and astonishing exertions in making converts—of the absolute despotism and complete system of espionage established throughout the order—of the blind obedience exacted of the novices, and the absolute power of life and death assumed by the order and conceded by the novices—of the pretended morality, real blasphemies, and absolute atheism of the founder and his tried friends. Reference can only be made to these things as well-established facts.

"It is important here to bear in mind one or two facts, in order to realize what an engine of corruption this secret organization of the Illuminati was. One fact is, the high popularity which these secret societies at that period enjoyed. It was unbounded. There is something which commends such secret organizations most powerfully to the depraved human nature. Men love them because they are secret, and because they can wield such tremendous power. The other fact to be considered, is the absence, to a such vast extent, of the controlling elements of true religion in the European mind, and its predisposition to skepticism. The Reformation of the Sixteenth Century had broken the shackles of priestly Papal superstition over the human mind; and [true] evangelical doctrine not being introduced to supply the vacuum, the mass swung readily over from the regions of dark superstition to blank atheism. Thus were the elements ready prepared to hand for such spirits as Voltaire, D'Alembert, Diderot, Weishaupt, and others, to work upon, and by reason of their secret powerful agencies, to mould to their own liking.

"It was now this damning system of infidelity, under the specious name of philosophy, light, and science, spread with such untiring industry over the European mind, that unhinged the whole framework of society, and prepared it, like a vast magazine, for an awful explosion. All the principles that held society together in the fear of God and future retribution—regard for human law—respect for magistrates, parents, and the marriage-tie—yea, in the very distinctions of virtue and vice, had been unsettled or taken away. They had been reasoned down and laughed out of the world; and when these only restraints, which God has imposed upon human selfishness and passion were removed, what was then to hold back those fierce passions and that deep selfishness from the most unbounded excesses? God was no more feared—government was no more sacred—religion was a delusion—immorality was a lie—virtue was a name—the marriage-tie was a farce—modesty was refined voluptuousness: and when men were persuaded of these things, society began to roll and heave under the long swells of that portentous storm of wrath which was soon to break, in all its desolating fury, over the earth."

In the facts here presented it may be seen how far we are justified in applying to them this first vial of wrath. The vial was poured out "upon the earth"—on the inhabitants of the ten kingdoms when in a state of tranquility. This was their condition, unsuspicious of danger, when the dread infection was spread through society. According to the testimony of Pres. Dwight, within ten years from the first establishment of the Illuminati, in 1776, "they were established in great numbers through Germany, Sweden, Prussia, Poland, Austria, Holland, France, Switzerland, Italy, England, Scotland, and America. They spread with a rapidity which nothing but fact could have induced any sober mind to believe."

This system of infidelity is well symbolized by a noisome, grevious ulcer, which is loathsome to the sight, offensive to the smell, corrupting to the body, and productive of awful pain. That it appeared so to others besides the author of the Revelation is shown by the following epithets which Burke, the celebrated English orator, applied to the spirit of the French Revolution, which was only the discharged virus of these ulcers. He styled it "the fever of Jacobinism;" "the epidemic of atheistical fanaticism;" "an evil lying deep in the corruptions of human nature;" "such a plague, that the precaution of the most severe quarantine ought to be established against it." The result, he says, was "the corruption of all morals," "the decomposition of all society." What greater plague could fall upon Romanism and Protestantism than 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 the application of the symbol as much as possible, on account of its close connection with the pouring out of the vials which follow.