These four Sultanies are doubtless signified by "the four angels" that

were bound in the river Euphrates. The Euphrates here is employed as a

symbol, not of the Turks themselves--for the horsemen are their symbol,

as we shall see--but of the binding of the angels. The use of this word

as a symbol is derived from a fact of history, being the object,

according to Herodotus, that kept Cyrus back from entering the city of

Babylon. While the Persian monarch surrounded the walls of that ancient

metropolis of the Babylonian empire, with his army, he was held in

restraint by the river Euphrates; and it was not until he had diverted

its waters into an artificial channel that he gained an entrance. So,

also, these Sultanies, or leaders of the Turks, were held under

restraint as if bound by the river Euphrates, until the time appointed

for them to go forth on their mission of conquest. Different causes held

them back. For a long time they were involved in fierce and almost

continuous wars with the neighboring Tartar tribes on the east and the

north, and at the same time the Crusaders of Europe were carrying on a

determined war with the Saracens for the possession of the Holy Land.

For two centuries the armies of Christendom poured into Syria and

Palestine to recover from the hands of the "infidels," as they were

called, the holy sepulchre and the country that gave birth to

Christianity; but when Europe finally abandoned the project, then went

forth the command to loose the four angels, "which were prepared for an

hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of

man." To kill men symbolically, I have already shown, signifies the

destruction either of an empire as a political body or of the church

(that is, the so-called church) as a religious body. The locusts under

the fifth trumpet were to do neither; but the symbolic characters of

this vision are "to slay the third part of men," by which is set forth

the fall and subjugation of the Eastern empire and church; just as,

under the fifth trumpet, the fall of the Western empire was described by

the darkening of a third part of the sun, moon, and stars.

Before considering the time-prophecy in this vision, we will pass on to

notice a few particulars respecting the horses and their riders. The

horsemen possessed breastplates of fire, jacinth, and brimstone; while

out of the mouths of the horses proceeded fire, smoke, and brimstone.

There is evidently a special design in distinguishing between the horses

and their riders. These symbols, being drawn from different sources--the

former from the natural world and the latter from human life--point out

the two characteristics of the Turks as a politico-religious power. The

symbolic description of the two is almost identical. The horsemen had

breastplates of fire, jacinth (purplish or reddish blue), and brimstone.

This describes the character of the Turks as a religious system. Out of

the horses' mouths proceeded fire, smoke, and brimstone, which

represents the Moslems as a political power. The only difference is that

the smoke is substituted for the jacinth, but they very nearly agree in

color. We are thus brought to the conclusion that the political and the

religious power of the Turks is in harmony and agreement with each

other--united in the closest manner possible, like a horse and its

rider, and both animated by the same spirit. That spirit is perhaps

their fierce, fanatical, aggressive, intolerant character.

The tails of the horses were like serpents with heads, their power being

in their mouth and in their tails--the one a lion, the other a serpent.

It was by the fire, the smoke, and the brimstone that came from their

lion-heads that the third part of men was killed, or their conquests

were made; then with their serpent-like tails would they torment or

"hurt" all those who would not adopt the Moslem faith, being in this

respect like the scorpion locusts. Their lion-heads would denote their

invincible strength and courage; and their serpent-tails, the tormenting

sting inflicted upon those whom they subdued but who would not accept

their religion. It is not said that the riders were the direct agents of

destruction--not the Moslem faith as a religion--but it was the horses

that accomplished the deadly work--the Ottomans as a political body.

This was the power that extended conquests and established their empire,

although it was accompanied by the religious system, working in perfect

harmony.

It is said that the "rest of the men which were not killed by these

plagues" repented not. This expression doubtless signifies the Western,

or Latin, church. They saw these judgments of the Euphratean horsemen on

the Eastern empire, and the triumph of the Moslem sword and faith (the

woe fell as a judgment upon the Eastern church); still, they continued

as before in their abominable idolatries, by which is probably meant

their worship of the virgin Mary, saints, relics, and images. There was

no reformation. Error, superstition, and ecclesiastical usurpation

prevailed as before.

The Turks obtained their first victory over the Christians of the

Eastern, or Greek, empire in A.D. 1281. Within ten years the Latins who

inhabited Palestine were entirely overthrown (see Gibbon, Vol. VI, p.

47), and the way was now clear for Turkish aggression against the Greek

empire. Before the end of the century the four Sultanies mentioned were

combined into one consolidated empire under Osman (corrupted by

Europeans into Ottoman) and from him took the name which it still

retains--the Ottoman empire. From the time they were let loose, the

Turks continued their aggressions until A.D. 1453, when Constantinople

fell before their victorious arms, and the Eastern empire, with the last

of the Constantines, sunk to rise no more. "The Turkish sword and the

religion of the Koran were enthroned in the Christian metropolis of the

Roman emperors; and the proud Moslem had the Christian dog completely

under his foot." The Ottoman power, however, continued to grow and make

new conquests until the year A.D. 1672, when they conducted a successful

campaign against Poland, in which forty-eight towns and villages were

ceded to the Sultan, with promise of an annual tribute of two hundred

and twenty thousand ducats. See Encyclopædia Britannica, Art. Turkey.

This was the last victory they ever gained wherein the Ottoman empire

obtained any advantage. A little later they marched against Vienna, but

sustained a miserable defeat. "Venice and Russia now declared war

against Turkey; misfortune followed misfortune; city after city was rent

away from the empire; the Austrians were in possession of almost the

whole of Hungary, the Italians of almost all the Morea." Encyclopædia

Britannica, Art. Turkey. So the power of the Ottomans to extend their

conquests and to add to their empire, ended with the victory over the

Poles in A.D. 1672. This fact is even admitted by Demetrius Cantemir,

prince of Moldavia, one of their historians, in the following language:

"This was the _last_ victory by which any advantage accrued to the

Othman state, or any city or province was annexed to the ancient bounds

of the empire." In accordance with this statement, the same historian

entitles the first part of his history up to the victory over the Poles

in 1672 the History of _the Growth of the Othman Empire_, and the

remaining portion, _The Decay of the Othman Empire_.

Calculating now the time during which these horsemen were prepared to

extend their conquests--"an hour, and a day, and a month, and a

year"--we find according to prophetic, or symbolic, time--thirty days in

a month, three hundred and sixty in a year--that it signifies three

hundred and ninety-one years and fifteen days. This is exactly the

period of time that elapsed between their first victory in A.D. 1281 and

their last conquest in A.D. 1672. I can not verify the fifteen days,

because no history at my command states the exact days of the month on

which these victories occurred.

One more point of importance must be considered before we conclude this

chapter, and that is the continuance of the Ottoman power. The first, or

Saracen, woe had power to torment men "five months," or one hundred and

fifty years, during which time they continued their ravages. The second

woe began when the command was given to loose the four angels, or the

beginning of the Ottoman conquests. "An hour, and a day, and a month,

and a year," or three hundred and ninety-one years, marked the time

during which they were "prepared" to extend their conquests. But it is

not stated that the woe itself, or the Ottoman power, would then cease;

for it is not represented as ending until after the death and the

resurrection of the witnesses (chap. 11:14), immediately following which

the coming of Christ and the general judgment, or the third woe, is

described. Verses 15-18. The Turkish power has made no advance for

centuries, but has been on the decline; yet it will endure for its

allotted time. It furnishes us a way-mark by which we can determine our

position along the pathway of time; for when it falls, we may rest

assured that the coming of Christ is imminent.

For nearly two centuries it has been the wonder of civilized nations how

that corrupt, tyrannical government, which has been described as a

"despotism tempered by assassination," could exist in the increased

light and onward advance of modern civilization. Concerning its position

in Europe, Judson, in his recent history of Europe in the Nineteenth

Century, says: "The Turkish empire has been an element of unrest in

Europe. It has long been plain to all that it is not permanent. It has

taken no root. The Turks are merely encamped in Europe; and it is merely

a question of time when the last of them must return across the

Bosphorus." Pp. 269, 270. But Turkey will continue to hold this

territory of the old Greek empire until the time appointed by the Father

for her overthrow. The nations of Europe have often conspired for her

overthrow. This is what is known as the great Eastern Question, which

has been described by one writer as "the expulsion of the Turk from

Europe, and the scramble for his territory." But it has not yet been

accomplished, for the very reason doubtless, that it _could not_ take

place before the resurrection of the witnesses, of which we will speak

later. Judson thus continues his account of the matter: "As soon as this

idea was realized [that Turkish power in Europe must fall] by the

Western nations, in place of the dread of the Turk which had so long

been part and parcel of European thinking, the question of the disposal

to be made of the Turkish possessions became matter of live interest.

And this is the Eastern Question. The Greek empire vanished forever when

the last Constantine fell in 1453. The only problem is one of partition.

And the heart of it all is the disposal to be made of Constantinople.

That imperial city is a site that, in strong hands, means power and

wealth. What shall become of it? Russia early formed designs of

conquest.... The empress Catherine ... had a grand scheme for a

restoration of the Greek empire under a Russian prince. Alexander I., at

Tilsit, planned a partition of the Ottoman empire with Napoleon, but the

latter declined to see Constantinople in Russian hands.

'Constantinople,' said he, 'is the empire of the world.' In 1844

Nicholas visited England and made guarded suggestions to the

prime-minister about the Turkish lands. The Ottoman empire, said he, was

a sick man, nearly at the last extremity.... England declined to plan

for a share of the inheritance, and nothing was done. In 1853 Nicholas

resumed the subject with the British ambassador at St. Petersburg. The

sick man, he now held, was at the point of death.... But again England

declined and, indeed, the next year went to war with Russia to save the

sick man from a premature end at the hands of the would-be administrator

of the estate. Another power doubly interested in the future of the

Turkish dominions is Austria. That empire has been the traditional enemy

of the Turk, and at the end of the seventeenth century was the actual

bulwark of Europe against Mohammedan conquest. When the tide of war

rolled the other way, Austria was ready to share in the spoils. Twice

near the end of the eighteenth century, was an alliance made between

Russia and Austria for the partition of Turkey," etc. Pp. 270, 271.

Thus, we find that these designs of nations for the overthrow of Turkey

have so far been overruled; for God will not allow that power to come to

"a _premature end_."

CHAPTER X.

And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed

with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was

as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:

2. And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his

right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth,

3. And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when

he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices.

4. And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was

about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me,

Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write

them not.

5. And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the

earth lifted up his hand to heaven,

6. And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created

heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the

things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are

therein, that there should be time no longer:

7. But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he

shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as

he hath declared to his servants the prophets.

8. And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again,

and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand

of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth.

9. And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the

little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it

shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet

as honey.

10. And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate

it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I

had eaten it, my belly was bitter.

11. And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many

peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.

In the preceding chapter we had a history of the two great woes that

befell apostate Christendom. In this chapter we have in contrast a

portion of the history of God's true church, to show us that all was not

lost even though the Eastern church was greviously tormented by the

serpent-tails of the horses and the Western church still continued as

before in her sorceries, fornications, and abominable idolatries.

The symbol is that of an angel from heaven. This is not the seventh, or

the third woe angel, who ushers in the general judgment (chap.

11:15-18), but it is a special messenger appearing on earth with the

awful message that the end of time is near and that when the seventh

angel soon begins to sound the mystery of God shall be finished and

there shall be time no longer. This mighty angel is symbolical of some

human agencies of distinguished character; for it stands in striking

contrast with the destructive powers described under the preceding

trumpets. When angels appear on the panoramic scene only in the temple

above, they themselves are not symbolic characters, but only the

conductors of the Revelation; but whenever they appear on earth, they

represent distinguished agencies among men. In the present vision the

symbol is drawn, not from the natural world, but from the heavenly, and

the scene is laid upon earth; therefore we must look to the history of

the church to find its fulfilment in some distinguished agencies

appearing for the defence of Christ and his truth. The cloud, rainbow,

face as the sun, and feet as pillars of fire, are doubtless intended to

set forth their beautiful, benignant character, and to show that the

angel is not such an one as those that were bound in the river

Euphrates. This one has the bow of covenant promise upon his head, and

his face shines as the sun.

Where, then, in the history of God's true church do we find the agencies

corresponding to the symbol? We find them in the _holy ministry_ that he

has raised up and is now sending forth to preach the pure gospel and to

declare the speedy sounding of the seventh trumpet and the coming of the

Lord Jesus Christ to earth again.

"Lo, the angel now is standing on the sea and on the land;

How his voice the air is rending as to God he lifts his hand!

What an awful, awful message! Help us, Lord, this truth to see:

When the seventh trumpet thunders, then shall time no longer be.

"One more trumpet yet to summon us before the judgment seat,

Then the time of our frail planet will be said to be complete.

How the wicked will be wailing and the righteous overjoyed

When with fire the heav'ns are burning and the earth shall be destroyed!"

This angel "set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the

earth," that his lion-like voice might be heard over all the world. This

shows that the earth (the Apocalyptic earth--the territory of the Roman

empire) was not the only place where the message was to be borne; it was

to be sounded upon the sea, which would indicate its promulgation among

all nations.

When his mighty voice sounded, "seven thunders uttered their voices";

and when about to record what they said, John was commanded to "seal up

those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not." The

fact that they were not to be recorded shows that they were to

constitute no part of this Revelation. John evidently thought so at

first; for they had the appearance of revelation, something clothed with

divine authority, but they were not to be delivered to the church. What,

then, were they? The most probable supposition is, that they were things

that God for some reason did not choose to have revealed. Their sayings

may have described events just prior to the end so perfectly as to leave

the world in no doubt respecting the nearness of Christ's second coming;

whereas it appears in the Scriptures that God has designed that it

should be a matter of considerable uncertainty, especially to the

unsaved. However, we can obtain no satisfactory explanation of the

things uttered by the seven thunders; for we can not identify positively

what John was commanded to "seal up."

This angel had in his hand a little book that John was required to take

and eat. In advancing and taking the book, John himself becomes an actor

in the symbolic scene, the same as was the book and the angel from whose

hand he took it. Therefore we must now consider John a symbol of

something in this vision. Some of the commentators have supposed that

this book signified the remainder of the book of Revelation. But John

was commanded to _write_ the Revelations, not to _eat_ them. And if he

ate them, how, then, could they constitute the remainder of the book?

Its true signification is undoubtedly the word of God. In making such an

application we do not necessarily make one book merely a symbol of a

larger one, as the Bible is, but of God's _revealed will_, just the same

as the sealed book of chapter V was the symbol of the divine purposes.

When we come to explain the resurrection of the witnesses in chapter XI,

it will be found that this is the time when the word of God is again

taught in all its purity, being restored for the first time, in its

perfect sense, since the morning time of this dispensation. A great

spiritual famine has for centuries overspread the earth. Since the time

the black horse of the third seal entered on his career, the people have

been starving for spiritual food. The few crumbs that have been dropped

during the reign of Protestantism have been eagerly gathered up by the

spiritually-minded; but, thank God! the time has now arrived when the

messengers appear with food from heaven, and the multitudes of earth's

starving millions can "eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the

name of the Lord God." Joel 2:26. Halleluiah!

In taking the book from the hand of the angel and eating it, John became

a symbol of the church, or people of God, who receive the Word from the

hand of his ministers. The sweetness of its taste signifies the

eagerness with which people receive it and the gladness experienced when

they first partake of the heavenly manna; while the bitterness resulting

therefrom probably symbolizes the bitter persecutions and oppositions of

which it is the occasion. "Yea, and _all_ that will live godly in Christ

Jesus shall suffer persecution." 2 Tim. 3:12.

John was told to "prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and

tongues, and kings," which signifies that the people of God must again

be witnesses of his saving grace throughout all the world. In the

beginning of this dispensation all his people prophesied among the

nations; for Christ had said unto them, "Ye shall be _witnesses_ unto

me, both in Jerusalem, and in Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the

uttermost parts of the earth." Acts 1:8. So, also, in this evening time

we go forth again on the same mission, inspired by the soon-coming of

our Savior.

"Even so come, Lord Jesus."

CHAPTER XI.

And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel

stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the

altar, and them that worship therein.

2. But the court which is without the temple leave out, and

measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy

city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.

3. And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall

prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in

sackcloth.

4. These are the two olive-trees, and the two candlesticks

standing before the God of the earth.

5. And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their

mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt

them, he must in this manner be killed.

6. These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days

of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to

blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they

will.

The two principal objects of this vision is the city of Jerusalem with

its holy temple and worshipers, and two witnesses prophesying for twelve

hundred and sixty days. These are not objects from the natural world;

therefore we may conclude that we have not here to do with political

events, while the character of the symbols point us with certainty to

the history of the church.

There is a possibility that the speaker here is not the angel of the

preceding chapter; for the words in verse 1 "and the angel stood" may be

an interpolation, they being found in very few manuscripts. See the

Revised Version and the Emphatic Diaglott, Greek and English. If not,

then he must be the angel through whom the Revelation was given. Chap.

1:1; 22:8. Whether the angel is the same as the one in the preceding

chapter or not, it is evident that that series of prophecy ends with

chapter 10, and that he here introduces a new line of events running

over the entire gospel dispensation[7], in which John as an active agent

in the panoramic vision still stands as a symbol of the people of God,

who, in striking contrast with the blind devotees of an apostate church,

are commanded to "measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them

that worship therein." The temple with its altar and court and the holy

city itself, here used as symbols, are representative of something

analagous, and refer to no other than the outward, visible church of God

with its doctrines and worshipers. Its measurement is designed to show

how far it conforms to the true church; while the rod is a symbol of the

revealed will of God, by which the measurement is brought as to a true

standard.

[Footnote 7: This statement may seem to conflict with the classification

of events in the "Diagram of the Revelation," where this prophecy is

treated, not as an independent series, but as part of a compound series

beginning with chapter 8 and ending with chapter 11. For thus

classifying it my reason is, that the line of prophecy beginning with

chapter 8 introduces the seven trumpets, and therefore the series is not

complete until the seventh trumpet is given, which event concludes the

line of truth given in the present chapter.]

By noticing briefly the arrangement of the temple and the purposes to

which the different apartments were put, we shall be able to understand

better the design of this vision. The temple proper consisted of two

apartments. In the first stood the altar of incense and other things; in

the second, the ark of the covenant, etc. The priests officiated in the

first apartment regularly, while into the second went the high-priest

alone once every year. This, Paul informs us, was a shadow of a greater

and more perfect tabernacle. Heb. 9:1-11; 8:2. The altar that is

mentioned and that John was to measure is a symbol of the great cardinal

doctrine of the church--the atonement and mediation of Christ. He was

the sacrifice made for sin, through whom we have redemption and access

unto God. John was also told to measure those who worshiped therein--the

officiating ministers in the sanctuary--who were thus made symbols of

the ministers and the teachers in the church. To measure the temple of

God, then, was to ascertain the great doctrines taught in the Scriptures

and symbolized by the sanctuary, the altar, and the priests; namely, the

doctrines of the New Testament concerning God as the supreme lawgiver,

the atonement of Jesus Christ as the only ground for justification, and

the ministers whom he appointed to officiate in his church.

These are the great principles corrupted by the Papacy. Instead of the

one supreme God, we find another in the temple of God, "showing himself

that _he_ is God." Christ was not recognized as the supreme and only

head of the church; but instead the Pope claimed the title of universal

head and legislated supreme, while his decrees and anathemas were

accepted as from Jehovah himself. Christ was not regarded as the only

mediator between God and man, but the virgin Mary and the saints were

exalted to share the mediatorial throne, the mother being more honored

than the Son. Penance, counting of beads, works of supererogation, were

believed to be more effectual in obtaining forgiveness of sin than

living faith in our only Redeemer. Finally, in place of the humble

ministers of Christ whom he appointed to officiate in his church, there

were haughty lords and rulers, making the most extravagant claims to

power and authority over the minds and consciences of men. The court of

the temple was the space outside of the sanctuary occupied by the

congregation while the worship within was conducted by the priests. John

was told to leave this out and measure it not; for it was given to the

Gentiles to tread under foot, or profane, for the space of forty and two

months, or twelve hundred and sixty days. In the estimation of a Jew,

the Gentiles were all idolaters and outside of God's covenant favor. As

a symbol, then, we are to understand that the great body of worshipers

thus brought to view are not the true children of God at all, but are,

as it were, uncircumcised, idolatrous Gentiles, having no connection

whatever with the great head of the church and no part in the covenant

of his mercy. The whole city of Jerusalem was to be given over to this

profane multitude and by them desecrated for forty-two months, denoting

that this great company of worshipers was to constitute the visible,

external church during the period specified. It is as though the city of

Jerusalem were occupied by the idolatrous heathen, and the Jews driven

out as aliens. These Gentiles, then, were to constitute the one great

(so-called) universal church--the Church of Rome.

Forty and two months, or twelve hundred and sixty days, are symbolic

time, signifying twelve hundred and sixty years, during which time the

power of apostasy was to reign supreme over the minds of men. The same

period is also referred to frequently in subsequent chapters. It is

necessary, then, for us to ascertain at what period of time the church

was given over to a profane multitude that was not the true people of

God. Some have supposed that this must refer to the time when Popery

became fully established. Such, however, could not be the case (although

the time-period includes that important event); for the power of

apostasy was greatly developed centuries before the final supremacy of

the Popes was established, and was necessary in order to prepare the way

for their exaltation. The Popes obtained their authority by degrees. In

A.D. 606 the emperor Phocas conferred the title "Universal Bishop" upon

the Pope of Rome. In A.D. 756 the Pope became a temporal sovereign. Yet

the power of Papal usurpation did not reach the summit until the reign

of the impious Hildebrand, who succeeded to the Popedom in A.D. 1073,

under the title of Gregory VII. But according to the symbols before us,

we must look for a period not so much when the Popes were enabled to

definitely enforce their arrogant claims, as when the ministry became

corrupted and when the inhabitants of the city, or the devotees of the

visible church, became a profane multitude entirely estranged from the

covenant of promise. The usurpations of the ministry that accompanied

this great change in the external church have been considered already

under the symbols of chapter VI. This mighty transformation to a church

containing nothing but uncircumcised Gentiles was fully accomplished

during the latter half of the third century, from which date we must

look for the true disciples of the Lord as entirely separate from the

hierarchy. A few quotations from standard and ecclesiastical histories

will show this important epoch in the rise of the Papacy that plunged

the world into almost universal apostasy.

"The living church retiring gradually within the lonely sanctuary of a

few solitary hearts, an external church was substituted in its place,

and all its forms were declared to be of divine appointment. Salvation

no longer flowing from the Word, which was henceforward put out of

sight, the priests affirmed that it was conveyed by means of the forms

they had themselves invented, and that no one could obtain it but by

these channels.... The doctrine of the church and the necessity of its

visible unity, which had begun to gain ground in the _third century_,

favored the pretensions of Rome." D'Aubigne's History of the

Reformation, Book I, Chap. 1.

"At the end of the third century almost half the inhabitants of the

Roman empire, and of several neighboring countries, professed the faith

of Christ. About this time endeavors to preserve a unity of belief, and

of church discipline, occasioned numberless disputes among those of

different opinions, and led to the establishment of an ecclesiastical

tyranny." Encyclopædia of Religious Knowledge.

Concerning the Roman diocese, the Encyclopædia Britannica says, "Before

the termination of the third century the office was held to be of such

importance that its succession was a matter of interest to ecclesiastics

living in distant sees." Vol. XIX, p. 488.

"Almost proportionate with the extension of Christianity was the

decrease in the church of vital piety. A philosophizing spirit among the

higher, and a wild monkish superstition among the lower orders, fast

took the place in the third century of the faith and humility of the

first Christians. Many of the clergy became very corrupt, and

excessively ambitious. In consequence of this there was an awful

defection of Christianity." Marsh's Church History, p. 185.

"We have found it almost necessary to separate, and indeed widely to

distinguish the events of the two first, from those of the third

century, for nearly at this point we are disposed to place the FIRST

CRISIS in the internal history of the church." Waddington's Church

History.

"This season of external prosperity was improved by the ministers of the

church for the exertion of new claims, and the assumption of powers with

which they had not been previously invested. At first these claims were

modestly urged, and gradually allowed; but they laid a foundation for

the encroachments which were afterwards made upon the rights of the

whole Christian community, and for lofty pretensions to the right of

supremacy and spiritual dominion.... Several alterations in the form of

church government appear to have been introduced during the third

century. Some degree of pomp was thought necessary.... The external

dignity of the ministers of religion was accompanied by a still greater

change in its discipline.... Many of the Jewish and Pagan proselytes ...

languished in the absence of ceremonies which were naturally adapted to

the taste of the unreflecting multitude, while the insolent infidel

haughtily insisted upon the inanity of a religion which was not

manifested by an external symbol or decoration. In order to accommodate

Christianity to these prejudices, a number of rites were instituted; and

while the dignified titles of the Jewish priesthood were through a

compliance with the prejudices of that people, conferred upon the

Christian teachers, many ceremonies were introduced which coincided with

the genius of Paganism. The true gospels were taught by sensible images,

and many of the ceremonies employed in celebrating the heathen mysteries

were observed in the institutions of Christ, which soon in their turn

obtained the name of mysteries, and served as a melancholy precedent for

future innovations, and as a foundation for that structure of absurdity

and superstition which deformed and disgraced the church." Rutter's

History of the Church, pp. 52-56.

This "season of external prosperity" mentioned by Rutter began with the

accession of Gallienus to the imperial throne in A.D. 260. Up to this

time the hand of persecution had been raised against the church almost

incessantly; but from 260 until the reign of Diocletian persecution

almost ceased, during this space of about forty years. But this period

also marked the greatest decline in spiritual things and a marvelous

development of the hierarchy. Speaking of the bishop of Rome in these

times, Dowling says, "He far surpassed all his brethren in the

magnificence and splendor of the church over which he presided; in the

riches of his revenues and possessions; in the number and variety of his

ministers; in his credit with the people; and in his sumptuous and

splendid manner of living." History of Romanism, p. 34.

Ammianus Marcellinus, a Roman historian, who lived during these times,

adverting to this subject, says: "It was no wonder to see those who were

ambitious of human greatness, contending with so much heat and animosity

for that dignity, because when they had obtained it, they were sure to

be enriched by the offerings of the matrons, and of appearing abroad in

great splendor, of being admired for their costly coaches, and sumptuous

feasts, outdoing sovereign princes in the expenses of their table." This

led Proetextatus, a heathen, who was præfect of the city, to say, "Make

me bishop of Rome, and I'll be a Christian too!"

Speaking of the period now under consideration, Eusebius, "the father of

church history," "mentions one Paul, who was at this time bishop of

Antioch; who lived in luxury and licentiousness, and who was a teacher

of erroneous doctrines, and usurped so great authority that the people

feared to venture to accuse him. In the conclusion of the same chapter

in which this is found, he shows that after a general council was held

at Antioch, this Paul was excommunicated and robbed of his bishopric by

the bishops of Rome and Italy; from this it appears that they possessed

an authority still greater than that usurped by Paul." The following are

his words: "Paul, therefore, having thus fallen from the episcopate,

together with the true faith as already said, Domnus succeeded in

administration of the church at Antioch. But Paul being unwilling to

leave the building of the church, an appeal was made to the emperor

Aurelian, who decided most equitably on the business, ordering the

building to be given up to those whom the Christian bishops of Italy and

Rome should write." Eccl. History, Book VII, Chap. 30. The Encyclopædia

Britannica says that this council at which Paul was excommunicated was

held "probably in the year 268," and that "Paul continued in his office

until the year 272, when the city was taken by the emperor Aurelian, who

decided in person that the church-building belonged to the bishop who

was in epistolary communication with the bishops of Rome and Italy."

Vol. XVIII, p. 429.

The above extracts show not only the development of error in the church,

but also the great power already obtained by the hierarchy. Geo. Fisher

says, "The accession of Constantine [A.D. 312] found the church so

firmly organized under the hierarchy that it could not lose its identity

by being absolutely merged in the state." History of the Christian

Church, p. 99.

In the year A.D. 270 Anthony, an Egyptian, the founder of the monastic

institution, fixed his abode in the deserts of Egypt and formed monks

into organized bodies. "Influenced by these eminent examples [Anthony,

Hilarion, et al.] immense multitudes betook themselves to the desert,

and innumerable monasteries were fixed in Egypt, Ethiopia, Lybia and

Syria. Some of the Egyptian abbots are spoken of as having had five,

seven, or even ten thousand monks under their personal direction; and

the Thebias, as well as certain spots in Arabia, are reported to have

been literally crowded with solitaries. Nearly a hundred thousand of all

classes, it is said, were at one time to be found in Egypt.... Although

the enthusiasm might be at a lower ebb in one country than in another,

it _actually affected the church universal_, so far as the extant

materials of ecclesiastical history enables us to trace its rise and

progress.... The more rigid and heroic of the Christian anchorets

dispensed with all clothing except a rug, or a few palm leaves round the

loins. Most of them abstained from the use of water for ablution; nor

did they usually wash or change the garments they had once put on; thus

_St. Anthony_ [the founder of this order] bequeathed to Athanasius a

skin in which his sacred person had been wrapped for half a century.

They also allowed their beards and nails to grow, and sometimes became

so hirsute, as to be actually mistaken for hyænas or bears." Hist. of

Romanism, pp. 88, 89. Reader, what was the condition of the so-called

church in A.D. 270 that could make the introduction of such abominations

possible? Although many more historical quotations on this point might

be added, I will conclude with the two following extracts from Joseph

Milner.

"We shall, for the present, leave Anthony propagating the monastic

dispositions, and extending its influence not only into the next

century, but for many ages after, and conclude this view of the state of

the _third century_, with expressing our regret that the faith and love

of the gospel received toward the close of it a dreadful blow from the

encouragement of this unchristian practise." Cen. III, Chap. 20.

"Moral, and philosophical, and monastic instructions will not effect for

men what is to be expected from evangelical doctrine. And if the faith

of Christ was so much declined (and its decayed state _ought to be dated

from about the year 270_), we need not wonder that such scenes as

Eusebius hints at without any circumstantial details took place in the

Christian world." Cent. IV, Chap. 1.

After reading the foregoing statements of historians, the reader will, I

believe, agree with me that the year 270 is a consistent date to mark

the time when the visible external church was wholly given over to the

profane multitude of uncircumcised, idolatrous Gentiles to tread under

foot. Measuring forward the allotted period of twelve hundred and sixty

years brings us to the exact date of the first Protestant creed (_the

Augsburg Confession_) in A.D. 1530. We must point to this date both for

the end of Rome's universal spiritual supremacy and for the rise of

Protestantism. D'Aubigne, in his History of the Reformation, when he

comes to this period, says: "The conflicts hitherto described have been

only partial; we are entering upon a new period, that of general

battles. Spires (1529) and Ausburg (1530) are names that shine forth

with more immortal glory than Marathon, Pavia, or Marengo. Forces that

up to the present time were separate, are now uniting into one energetic

band." Book XVIII, Chap. 1. "The first two books of this volume contain

the most important epochs of the reformation--the Protest of Spires, and

the Confession of Augsburg.... I determined on bringing the reformation

of Germany and German Switzerland to the _decisive epochs_ of 1530 and

1531. The history of the reformation, properly so called, is then in my

opinion almost complete in those countries. The work of faith has there

attained its apogee: that of conferences, of interims, of diplomacy

begins.... The movement of the sixteenth century has there made its

effort. I said from the very first, It is the history of the reformation

and not of Protestantism that I am relating." D'Aubigne, Preface to Vol.

V.

The next important object in the vision is the "two witnesses" that

prophecied in sackcloth. From the description given, it would appear at

first that these witnesses were active intelligent agents; and as such,

belonging to the department of human life, they would symbolize the

church, the number two denoting the ministry and the people of God. But

the church is already symbolized in this chapter, the angel representing

the ministry, as in the preceding chapter, and John, who is clearly one

of the symbolic agents in this vision, representing the church;

therefore the two witnesses must be representative of something else.

Since the actions ascribed to them are drawn from the department of

human life, it is evident that their interpretation is to be found in

connection with the affairs of the church. By way of explanation, verse

4 represents them to be "the two olive-trees, and the two candle-sticks

standing before the God of the earth," although it is not stated that

any olive-trees and candle-sticks were shown in this prophetic vision.

In this reference is made to the fourth chapter of Zechariah, where two

olive-trees are represented as standing one on each side of a golden

candle-stick, distilling into it their oil for light. When asked for the

signification of the two olive-trees and the candlestick, the angel

answered, "This is the _Word_ of the Lord ... by my _Spirit_, saith the

Lord." Ver. 6. That the Word of God and the Spirit of God are special

witnesses is proved by many texts. Jesus said, "Search the Scriptures

... they are they which _testify_ of me." John 6:39. "This gospel of the

kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a _witness_ unto all

nations." Mat. 24:14. "The Holy Ghost also is a _witness_." Heb. 10:15.

"The Spirit itself beareth _witness_." Rom. 8:16. "It is the Spirit that

beareth _witness_." 1 John 5:6. It is the Spirit acting in conjunction

with the Word of God that gives spiritual life, through regeneration,

unto men, and which opens their understanding that they may know the

things of God. 2 Cor. 2:9-15.

God may have given us the explanation that these two witnesses were the

same as the olive-trees and the candle-sticks to prevent our being led

astray with the supposition that they were actually intelligent agents.

(I speak humanly.) Accepting this statement, the actions of these

witnesses here described can be explained only by the figure of speech

known as Personification, by which it is proper, under certain

conditions, to attribute life, action, and intelligence to inanimate

objects. Thus, the blood of Abel is said to have cried from the ground.

Gen. 4:9, 10. "The stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of

the timber shall answer it." Hab. 2:11. "The hire of the laborers ...

which is of you kept back by fraud crieth: and the cries ... are entered

into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth." Jas. 5:4. "The mountains and the

hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of

the field shall clap their hands." Isa. 55:12. I would not attempt to

vary from the general order and explain these two witnesses by the

figure of personification, were it not for the fact that the two

olive-trees and the two candle-sticks are here given as a means of

explanation; and trees and candle-sticks, we know, are not active,

intelligent agents, and consequently do not necessarily symbolize such.

To "hurt" the Word and Spirit of God is to oppose, corrupt, or pervert

their testimony and to turn people away from them; and the judgments of

Heaven are pronounced in that Word and by that Spirit against such as

turn away from the truth unto fables. They shall have their part in the

lake that burns with fire and brimstone. Rev. 20:15; 22:8. It is also

said of them: "These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the

days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to

blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will."

This indicates the fact that these were God's own special witnesses sent

in his name and by his authority, as were the prophets of old. Elijah

shut up heaven by prayer; Moses called down the plagues upon Egypt; and

these were God's attestations that they were his divinely commissioned

servants. So these two witnesses had power to shut heaven and to smite

the earth with plagues, not literally, but herein is symbolically set

forth the fact that they were God's appointed agents, even though

despised and rejected, like Elijah in the midst of apostate Israel and

Moses amid idolatrous Egypt, yet, like them, with the seal of Heaven

upon their ministry.

In the beginning of this dispensation these two witnesses were the

vicars of Christ in his church upon earth. The word of God and the

Spirit of God were the Governors of his people. At that time they had

perfect freedom of action among the children of God; but when the

apostasy arose, the governing power of the Word and Spirit of God in the

church was gradually usurped by the rising hierarchy, until, finally,

men had entire authority in what was called the visible church. This was

brought about when, to quote Mosheim's words, the bishops grasped the

power and authority "to prescribe authoritative rules of faith and

manners." D'Aubigne explains it thus: "Salvation no longer flowing from

the _Word_, which was henceforward put out of sight, the priests

affirmed that it was conveyed by means of the forms they had themselves

invented, and that no one could attain it except by these channels....

Christ communicated to the apostles, and these to the bishops, the

unction of the _Holy Spirit_; and this Spirit is to be procured only in

that order of succession.... Faith in the heart no longer connected the

members of the church, and they were united by means of bishops,

archbishops, popes, mitres, canons and ceremonies." History of the

Reformation, Book I, Chap. 1. Thus, the Word and Spirit of God as the

true vicars of Christ in his church were finally expelled from what was

looked upon as the one visible church, and with them the true worshipers

also were driven out; and nothing remained in the public view except the

great company of profane idolaters already referred to. The same is

referred to in a subsequent chapter as the flight of the true church

into the wilderness, where, hidden from sight, she had a place prepared

of God for twelve hundred and sixty days. So after all, God had a true

church during the Dark Ages--a people that stood in opposition to the

abounding corruption and iniquity of the church of Rome; a people that

rejected the established hierarchy and gave heed to the Word and Spirit

of God. But their numbers were so few, comparatively, that the

operations of the two witnesses were greatly limited; hence they are

represented as being clothed in sackcloth, a symbol of melancholy and

mourning.

Among those who opposed the teachings of that apostate church were the

Cathari, Poor Men of Lyons, Lombards, Albigenses, Waldenses, Vaudois,

etc. The name Waldenses and Albigenses have frequently been loosely

applied to all the bands of people that passed under various titles in

different countries and that opposed the doctrines and ecclesiastical

tyranny of Rome. Speaking of the twelfth century, Bowling says: "There

existed at that dark period, when 'all the world wondered after the

beast,' a numerous body of the disciples of Christ, who took the New

Testament for their guidance and direction in all the affairs of

religion, rejecting the doctrines and commandments of men. Their appeal

was from the decisions of councils, and the authority of popes,

cardinals, and prelates, to the law and the testimony--the words of

Christ and his holy apostles." History of Romanism, p. 272. Egbert, a

monkish writer of that age, speaking of them, says that he had often

disputed with these heretics, "a sort of people," he adds, "who are very

pernicious to the Catholic faith, which, like moths, they corrupt and

destroy. They are armed," says he, "_with the words of Scripture_ which

in any way seem to favor their sentiments, and with these they know how

to defend their errors, and to oppose the Catholic truth. They are

increased to great multitudes throughout all countries, to the great

danger of the church [of Rome]."

For lack of space, an extensive history of these interesting people can

not be given; but a few references to them by their most inveterate

enemies, the Papists themselves, are of such importance that I can not

pass them by unnoticed. The testimony given by Evervinus, a zealous

Catholic, in a letter he wrote to the celebrated Bernard, at the

beginning of the twelfth century, relative to the doctrine and manners

of these so-called _heretics_, is exceedingly valuable. Says he: "There

have lately been some heretics discovered among us, near Colonge [sic:

Cologne], of whom some have, with satisfaction returned again to the

church. One that was a bishop among them, and his companions, openly

opposed us, in the assembly of the clergy and laity, the lord-archbishop

himself being present, with many of the nobility, maintaining their

heresy from _the words of Christ and his apostles_. But, finding that

they made no impression, they desired that a day might be fixed, upon

which they might bring along with them men skilful in their faith,

promising to return to the church, provided their teachers were unable

to answer their opponents; but that otherwise, they would rather die

than depart from their judgment.

"Upon this declaration, having been admonished to repent, and three days

allowed them for that purpose, they were seized by the people, in their

excess of zeal, _and committed to the flames_! and, what is most

astonishing, they came to the stake and endured the torment not only

with patience, but even with joy. In this case, O holy father, were I

present with you, I should be glad to ask you, how these members of

Satan could persist in their heresy with such constancy and courage as

is rarely to be found among the most religious in the faith of Christ?"

He then proceeds: "Their heresy is this: They say that the church (of

Christ) is only among themselves, because they alone follow the ways of

Christ, and imitate the apostles, not seeking secular gains.... Whereas

they say to us, 'Ye join house to house, and field to field, seeking the

things of this world.'... They represent themselves as the poor of

Christ's flock, who have no certain abode, fleeing from one city to

another, like sheep in the midst of wolves, enduring persecution with

the apostles and martyrs: though strict in their manner of

life--_abstemious, laborious, devoted, and holy_ ... living as men who

are not of the world. But you, say they, lovers of the world, have peace

with the world, because ye are in it. False apostles, who adulterate the

word of God, seeking their own things, have misled you and your

ancestors. Whereas, we and our fathers, having been born and brought up

in the apostolic doctrine, have continued in the grace of Christ, and

shall continue so to the end.... They affirm that the apostolic dignity

is corrupted by indulging itself in secular affairs, while it sits

[professedly] in St Peter's chair. They do not hold with the baptism of

infants, alleging that passage of the gospel, 'He that believeth and is

baptized shall be saved.' They place no confidence in the intercession

of saints and all things observed in the church, which have not been

established by Christ himself, or his apostles, they pronounce to be

superstitious. They do not admit of any purgatory fire after death,

contending, that the souls of men, as soon as they depart out of the

bodies, do enter into rest or punishment ... by which means they make

void all the prayers and oblations of the faithful for the deceased....

I must inform you also, that those of them who have returned to our

church, tell us that they had great numbers of their persuasion,

scattered almost everywhere.... And as for those who were burnt, they,

in defense they made of themselves, told us that this heresy had been

_concealed from the time of the martyrs_ [by which is meant the early

period of Christianity] and that it had existed in Greece and other

countries."

Although Bernard began a strenuous opposition to these people, still he

testifies: "If you ask them of their faith, nothing can be more

Christian-like; and if you observe their conversation, nothing can be

more blameless, and what they speak they make good by their actions....

As to life and manners, he circumvents no man, overreaches no man, does

violence to no man. He fasts much and eats not the bread of idleness;

but works with his hands for his support."

Claudius, archbishop of Turin, who joined in hunting and persecuting

them to the death, writes, "Their heresy excepted, they generally live a

purer life than other Christians." Again, "In their lives they are

perfect, irreproachable, and without reproach among men, addicting

themselves with all their might to the service of God."

The sum and substance of their offense is mentioned by Cassini, a

Franciscan friar, where he says, "That ALL THE ERRORS of these Waldenses

consisted in this, that they denied the church of Rome to be the holy

mother church, and _would not obey her traditions_."

In conclusion I quote from the celebrated Roman Catholic historian

Thuanus. He states their tenets as follows: "That the church of Rome,

because it renounced the true faith of Christ, WAS THE WHORE OF BABYLON

... that consequently _no obedience was to be paid to the Pope_, or to

the bishops who maintain her errors; that a monastic life was the sink

and dungeon of the church, the vows of which [relating to celibacy] were

vain ... that the orders of the priesthood were marks of the great beast

mentioned in the Apocalypse; that the fire of purgatory, the solemn

mass, the consecration days of churches, the worship of saints, and

propitiations for the dead, were the devices of Satan." Lib. VI, Sec.

16, Lib. XXVII. The chief offense of these so-called heretics seems to

have been that they denounced the Pope as "Antichrist" and the apostate

church of Rome as "the Babylonish harlot."

7. And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast

that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against

them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.

8. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great

city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also

our Lord was crucified.

9. And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations

shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall

not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.

10. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them,

and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because

these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.

11. And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God

entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great

fear fell upon them which saw them.

12. And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them,

Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and

their enemies beheld them.

At the expiration of the twelve hundred and sixty years the scene

changes. The prophecy of the witnesses in their sackcloth state, hidden

away from sight in the wilderness, ends, and they are now brought out

into public view--but only to be killed. Their slaughter takes place at

the hands of the beast. When we come to consider chapter XIII, we shall

see that the Papacy is described as a beast reigning for forty-two

months, or twelve hundred and sixty years, after which time another

beast possessing great power and authority appears on the scene. This

second beast is Protestantism, and through it the murder of the two

witnesses at the close of the Papal supremacy in the vision before us

was effected.

It would seem, by the similarity of statement that the beast "ascendeth

out of the bottomless pit," that the slaughter of the witnesses was

effected by the Papal beast (chap. 17:7, 8); but the Mohammedan delusion

also is said to have proceeded from "the bottomless pit." Chap. 9:1, 2.

The expression _bottomless pit_ is doubtless used merely to signify the

source of certain powers in contradistinction to the heavenly source

from which others proceeded. Although the Papal beast is said to have

originated in the bottomless pit, the second beast also doubtless

proceeded from the same source, for he possessed many of the

characteristics of the former, and caused the earth to worship the first

beast, as explained in chapter 13. That he was not of heavenly origin is

shown by the statement that he came up "out of the earth." Chap. 13:11.

But the direct proof that it was the Protestant beast, and not the Papal

beast--although the same expression as to its origin is used concerning

it--that slew the two witnesses, is found in the fact that the reign of

the first, or Papal, beast was limited to forty two months (chap. 13:5),

corresponding to the twelve hundred and sixty years in which the

witnesses prophesied in the vision before us; while it was after the

_close_ of this period, at the time when the second, or Protestant,

beast arose (chap. 13:11), that the witnesses were slain.

To many this may seem a hard saying; but I request that the matter be

given the most careful attention in the light of prophecy and divine

truth. It is true that the Sixteenth Century Reformation at first

brought the witnesses out of the wilderness of seclusion where they had

remained during the long night of Romanism and exhibited them to the

public view; but when thus placed upon exhibition, they were soon robbed

entirely of their position as the Vicars, or Governors, of God's church.

Since creed and sect-making first began, the Word and Spirit have not

possesed governing power and authority in Protestantism; but men have

usurped that place and prescribed authoritative rules of faith and

practise for the people. The principles of Higher Criticism have so far

pervaded the realm of sectarian theology that a vast number of the

clergy no longer regard the Bible as the inspired word of God to man,

but simply as a remarkable piece of religious literature recording the

natural development of the religious consciousness among a peculiarly

sensitive race of people. Protestantism certainly has placed the Bible

on the dissecting table and dismembered it in a manner wholly unknown

before. While Protestants will not for a moment allow the blessed Book

to be hidden out of sight--put "into graves"--still they will not grant

it that place it should occupy as the sole discipline of faith, so it is

a dead letter to them. That all-glorious doctrine of Bible _unity_,

which fills the whole New Testament, strikes a deathblow to all the

carnal divisions and institutions of sectarianism; and so with one

accord they unite in _fighting it_. "Oh, the good old blessed Bible! we

could not do without it," say they; yet, as everybody knows, they are

governed by the discipline and laws that they or their representatives

have formulated. Thus, the Word and Spirit of God are brought under the

public gaze, only to be treated with such indignity in God's sight, and

killed; while infidels look on, and tauntingly remark, "Either the

religion of to-day is no Christianity, or the Word of God is a lie."

In the beginning of this dispensation the church of God not only

consisted of all those who were spiritual, but constituted a visible,

organic body as well, made up of numerous local congregations that were

separate in the management of their internal affairs, yet interrelated

with each other, and were directed by humble pastors, who were, in

reference to each other, _equal_. The Word of God was their only

discipline, and the Spirit of God, their great Teacher and Guide. Thus,

the two witnesses were active in their official position, in the public

view, as the Vicars or Governors of the church of God on earth. When,

however, men usurped the place of these Vicars by ignoring the Spirit

and rejecting the Word and making their own rules of faith, the effect

was a national hierarchy--the church of Rome, which for twelve hundred

and sixty years stood in the public view. Yet the two witnesses were

still alive, though driven into obscurity and "clothed in sackcloth";

for they still acted in their official position in the congregations of

the medieval Christians already referred to, who resisted the doctrines

of men and clung tenaciously to the simple, primitive form of church

government and allowed the Spirit and Word authority supreme.

But during the Protestant era Christians the world over became

identified with the various sects, hence were representing to the world

the beast power instead of the true church. Thus, during the Protestant

period, the church of God, _in its organic form_, was not represented

anywhere on earth; for its members were scattered among those who were

"worshiping the beast and his image." Hence the two witnesses, during

this era, had no place to operate in their official capacity as the

Governors of God's church and are therefore represented as slain. The

government of Protestant sects is not effected by the Word and Spirit;

for the institutions themselves are of human origin, and men are their

law-makers and governors.

When the two witnesses are deprived of their governing power and the

rules and disciplines of men substituted in their place, a decline into

worldliness is the invariable result. This has been the case repeatedly

in sectarianism. In fact, Protestantism, as a component part of that

great city Babylon, has so given herself over to "revellings,

banquetings, and abominable idolatries," that a voice from heaven has

declared her to be "the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul

spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird." Chap. 18:2.

Witness the shows, festivals, frolics, grab-bag parties, kissing bees,

cake-walk lotteries, and other abominations unnumbered, that are carried

on without shame, under the guise of religion, in the high places of

this modern Babylon! If the Word of God with the full power and

authority of his Spirit could be turned in upon them, it would be like

the torment of fire; but no, it is dead to them, and they rejoice and

make merry and continue in "the same excess of riot."

In the description before us, this city of sectarianism in which the two

witnesses are slain is "spiritually [or mystically] called Sodom and

Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified." It is a mystical Sodom, Egypt

and Jerusalem--a Sodom for wickedness and lewdness, an Egypt for the

captivity and oppression of God's people, and a Jerusalem for the

crucifying of the Son of God afresh and putting him to an open shame.

Thus, this city mystically combines the wickedness of the three most

wicked places on earth--Sodom, Egypt, and Jerusalem. These facts we

shall notice more particularly hereafter.

But these two witnesses were not always to remain trampled under foot in

the streets of great Babylon; for a time came when "the spirit of life

from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great

fear fell upon them which saw them." In this is portrayed the

reformation which is now taking place in the world. About the year A.D.

1880 God began to raise up holy men and women whom he commissioned to

preach the everlasting gospel of the kingdom again; and they went forth

in his name calling upon God's people everywhere to come "out of all

places where they had been scattered in the cloudy and dark day" (Ezek.

34:12) and to take up their abode in the one true church of Jesus

Christ, his body, independent of all sectarianism and the creeds and

disciplines of men. In this assembly of the faithful, gathered out of

all nations, no man nor set of men attempts to form laws or regulations

for the supervision of spiritual affairs; but with one consent they

humbly bow before the only true Lawgiver (Jas. 4:12), and say, "The

government shall be upon his shoulder" (Isa. 9:6); and the Word and

Spirit of God have perfect control of his saints. Halleluiah! They can

preach, teach, and believe every word of truth placed in the Sacred

Volume, without a conference or discipline of men forbidding. Standing

upon this apostolic platform of eternal truth, they hurl the thunders of

divine judgment against the hidden works of darkness, causing the

graceless devotees of fallen Babylon to quake with fear and to "gnaw

their tongues for pain."

After the resurrection of these witnesses, a voice from heaven is heard,

saying, "Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and

their enemies beheld them." This ascension to heaven in the presence of

their enemies, which according to this chapter occurred before the end

of time, has reference undoubtedly to their great exaltation. "Thy

greatness is grown, and _reacheth unto heaven_." Dan. 4:22. We see that

in this text a similar expression signifies great exaltation. So this

work is destined to assume such proportions that the people of earth may

have the privilege of seeing the truth. In the preceding chapter John,

as a symbol of the church at this time, under the living ministry

symbolized by the rain-bow angel, was told that he "must prophesy again

before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings." Verse 11.

The signification of the time-period of three days and a half claims our

attention next. According to the foregoing explanation, it will be seen

that the writer applies it as three centuries and a half, or three

hundred and fifty years--from A.D. 1530 to A.D. 1880. It will be

necessary to adduce strong reasons for thus applying it. In the first

place, the time-prophecies of the Bible are by no means confined to the

year-day manner of interpretation. Many times in the Old Testament the

expression occurs, "And it shall come to pass _in that day_," which

expression is admitted by all to have reference to the gospel day, or

the entire gospel dispensation. When the church of Philadelphia was

promised deliverance from the _hour_ of temptation which was to come

upon all the world (chap. 3:10), no one supposes that a short period of

only one week is specified. The rulers of the ten kingdoms were to

"receive power as kings _one hour_ with the beast" (chap. 17:12), which

expression will be shown later to really cover many years. We might

point out many such exceptions were it necessary.

Again, it was the beast that came up at the expiration of the twelve

hundred and sixty years, or Protestantism, that slaughtered the

witnesses, and we could not expect their resurrection during the reign

of Protestantism, which every one will admit was longer than three and

one-half years, according to the year-day application. The events as

they have developed prove that it was just three and one-half centuries

before Protestantism was entirely ignored and the Spirit and Word

recognized as the sole Governors in the church of God. Besides, the

general trend of events following the formation of Protestantism

naturally divide the succeeding centuries into separate periods. The

first (sixteenth) was a fierce conflict for the establishment of

Protestantism; the second (seventeenth) was a violent reaction, wherein

the church of Rome nearly triumphed over her hated opposers; while the

third (eighteenth) is specially noted in history as the period of

infidelity or reason. This division of time was so noticable that

D'Aubigne, who wrote about A.D. 1835, in his famous History of the

Reformation, refers to it in the following remarkable language: "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? [1830-1930] 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.

The writer is thankful to God that he is permitted to see the fourth day

ending "in the victory of Him to whom triumph belongs." And may we, my

brethren, be grateful to our dear Lord that it is our privilege to have

part in this glorious reformation of divine truth that is now sweeping

over the world and gathering the elect together for the soon-coming of

the Savior.

13. And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the

tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of

men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave

glory to the God of heaven.

14. The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh

quickly.

At the time the witnesses reach their greatest exaltation, a great

earthquake takes place upon earth, and the tenth part of the city falls.

The nature of the symbol would point us to some political upheaval.

Since the great city of Babylon is composed of different divisions (as

will be seen hereafter), it is a matter of doubt as to which part of the

city is here referred to; but most probably that of the hierarchy as

embraced in one of the ten divisions or kingdoms. Since the fulfilment

of this prediction is yet future, I speak with hesitation and wait for

the event to make all clear. It is probable, however, that either in

this political revolution, or about that time, the Ottoman power will be

overthrown; for immediately the announcement is made, "The second woe is

past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly."

15. And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices

in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the

kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for

ever and ever.

16. And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on

their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,

17. Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art,

and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy

great power, and hast reigned.

18. And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the

time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou

shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the

saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and

shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.

19. And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was

seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were

lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and

great hail.

The seventh angel that here sounded is the third woe-angel, and

according to the description before us, ushers in the general judgment.

When the temple of God was opened that this mighty event might take

place on earth, there were "lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and

an earthquake, and great hail." Wondrous commotions took place in the

world, for kingdoms and empires were all overthrown, and Jesus Christ

was the only king remaining, and his mission was to raise the dead that

they might be judged, to give reward to the prophets and saints, and to

banish with everlasting destruction those that corrupted the earth. The

description itself is too plain to need further comment.

"The temple of God" that was opened in heaven is to be understood as

symbolical (as explained in chap. 6:9), and not literal. In other words,

the heavenly world appeared to John symbolized after the sanctuary of

the temple on earth. Chap. 15:5-8; 16:1, 7, 17, etc. This is proved

clearly by the fact that, when the real heaven, the future home of the

redeemed, is described, John says, "I saw _no temple_ therein." Chap.

21:22.

Before dismissing the visions of this chapter, I wish to call attention

to one more point hitherto referred to--that of parallelism and

contrast. While we have the history of the church apostate described by

the treading down of the holy city, we have also, in immediate contrast

and running parallel therewith, a history of the true church existing

during the same period of twelve hundred and sixty years, although it

was in a sackcloth state. And while the reign of Protestantism is

described as a period during which the two witnesses were in one sense

dead, we have in immediate contrast a history of the last great

reformation, in which the spirit of life from God again enters these

same witnesses, and they stand upright on their feet, to the

consternation of all their adversaries. Amen.

CHAPTER XII.

And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed

with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a

crown of twelve stars:

2. And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and

pained to be delivered.

3. And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a

great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven

crowns upon his heads.

4. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of Heaven, and

did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the

woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child

as soon as it was born.

5. And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all

nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto

God, and to his throne.

6. And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a

place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a

thousand two hundred and threescore days.

The three principal objects of this vision are the woman clothed with

the sun, the man-child born of her, and a red dragon with seven heads

and ten horns. These, being drawn from nature and human life, would

point us both to the church and to the state for their fulfilment. The

symbols, also, are living agents, and we should expect the objects they

represent to be such.

This woman is an appropriate symbol of the church of God, which is

composed of living, intelligent beings; and that it is the true and not

an apostate one, is shown by the fact that upon her flight into the

wilderness she had a place prepared of God where she was nourished for

twelve hundred and sixty days. In a subsequent portion of the Apocalypse

a vile harlot is taken as the representative of the church apostate. In

this way a proper correspondence of character and quality is kept up.

This woman appeared, not in the temple above, but in the firmament of

heaven, where she was clothed with the sun, the moon under her feet, and

upon her head a crown of twelve stars. Thus the brightest luminaries of

heaven were gathered around her. Arrayed in this splendid manner, she is

easily distinguished from an apostate church, which would not be so

highly favored with such attire in this exalted position. Doubtless the

objects with which she is adorned have some special signification. The

moon is a fit symbol of the old covenant, above which the church had

just risen, only to be clothed in the superior brightness and glory of

the new covenant. And as the moon shines only with a borrowed light,

obtaining its illumination from the sun; so, also, the old covenant was

only a shadow of the good things to come and now stands eclipsed in the

brightness and transcendant glory of that new and better dispensation.

According to the explanation given of the seven stars in the right hand

of Jesus (chap. 1:19), we are authorized to regard stars as a symbol of

Christian ministers, and the twelve that appear most prominently in the

first history of the church are the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

The dragon, a beast from the natural world, would properly symbolize a

tyrannical, persecuting government. This was a red dragon with seven

heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. In the following

chapter we read that John saw a beast rising up out of the sea with the

same number of heads and horns, but ten crowns on his horns. And the

dragon gave him (the beast) "his power, and his seat, and great

authority." Verse 2. So far as the heads and horns are concerned, the

only difference between the two is that the crowns--a symbol of supreme

authority and power--have been transferred from the heads to the horns.

In chapter 17 John saw the same beast again and there received the

following explanation of the seven heads: "And there are seven kings:

five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he

cometh he must continue a short space." Verse 10. Concerning the horns

he was told, "The ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have

received no kingdom as yet." Verse 12. With this explanation before us

it will be easy to identify the dragon of chapter 12 and the beast of

chapters 13 and 17 as the Roman empire, the first under the Pagan and

the second under the Papal form. The seven heads signify the seven

distinct forms of supreme government that ruled successively in the

empire. The five that had already fallen when John received the vision

were the Regal power, the Consular, the Decemvirate, the Military

Tribunes and the Triumvirate. "One is"--the Imperial.[8] The

identification of its seventh and last head we shall leave until later.

The ten horns, or kingdoms, which had not yet arisen when the Revelation

was given, were the ten minor kingdoms that grew out of the Western

Roman empire during its decline and fall. The historian Machiard, in

giving an account of these nations, and without any reference to the

Bible or its prophecies, reckons ten kingdoms, as follows:

1. The Ostrogoths in Maesia;

2. The Visigoths in Pannonia;

3. Sueves and Alans in Gascoigne and Spain;

4. Vandals in Africa;

5. Franks in France;

6. Burgundians in Burgundy;

7. Heruli and Turings in Italy;

8. Saxons and Anglis in Britain;

9. Huns in Hungary;

10. Lombards, at first on the Danube, and afterwards

in Italy.

[Footnote 8: The fact that commentators and historians differ in their

enumeration of the forms of government that ruled in Rome is often a

source of confusion to ordinary readers. Hence an explanation is

necessary. Rome was first ruled by kings, and therefore the first form

of government is designated by either the term _Kings_ or the term

_Regal Power_. Upon the expulsion of the kings and the formation of the

republic, the royal power was entrusted to two men who held it for a

year, and were called _consuls_. In times of great public danger the

consuls were superseded by a special officer called a _dictator_, who

had supreme power. As the early life of the republic was often

threatened with grave dangers, Rome was often governed by a dictator;

hence this form of government is sometimes called the Dictatorship. The

third form was the _Decemviri_, a government by ten men, who compiled

the twelve famous Tables of Laws. In 444 B.C. another change was made by

the appointment of _Military Tribunes_ (whose numbers varied) with

consular power. These were frequently called _Consuls_. The fifth form

was the _Triumvirate_, a government by three men. The sixth was the

_Imperial_. Hence the different forms can be enumerated thus: 1. The

Regal Power, or Kings. 2. Consula or Dictators. 3. Decemvirate. 4.

Military Tribunes, Tribunes, or Consuls. 5. Triumvirate. 6. Imperial.

The seventh form will be considered in another place. See remarks on

chap. 17:7-11.]

Other historians agree substantially with this. These kingdoms all arose

within one hundred and seventy years. The dragon is described with the

horns, although they were not now in existence and did not arise until

nearly the time when the dragon became the beast; likewise, he is

represented with seven heads, although he really possessed only one head

at a time, and five had already fallen and one being yet to come. He is

described with all the heads and horns he ever had or was to have.

The tail of this dragon "drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and

did cast them to the earth." Some people who have never learned the

nature of symbolic language try to imagine such a literal creature as

the one here described and picture in their minds what an awful thing it

would be to see the third part of the stars falling to the earth. But

real stars that are fixed or planetary never fall, and if they did, they

would be as apt to fall in an opposite direction as toward the earth.

Besides, if one should come tumbling down here, it would knock this

world into oblivion. But with a knowledge of the proper use of symbols

we can easily identify this dragon with the Roman empire under its Pagan

form; and the casting down of the stars, which were doubtless used as

symbols of ministers as in verse 1, signifies the warfare which this

awful beast power waged against the church of God, in which her

ministers were always a shining mark for the first persecution and

suffered terribly for the cause they represented.

The man-child is the next object that claims our attention. Some have

supposed that it represented Jesus Christ in his first advent to the

world. But this could not be; for Christ is never represented as being

the offspring of the church, but, on the other hand, is declared to be

its originator. Some, also, have supposed that it represented the church

bringing forth Christ to the world in a spiritual sense. This, however,

would be in direct conflict with the known laws of symbolic language. A

visible, living, intelligent agent, such as this man-child evidently

was, could not be the symbol of an invisible spiritual presence.

Besides, it has been clearly shown that Christ always appears in his own

person, unrepresented by another, from the fact that he can not be

symbolized. It is clear that this child can not signify a single

definite personage; for after he is caught up to God, there is still a

remnant of the woman's seed left upon earth. See verse 17.

What, then, does the man-child signify? It symbolizes the mighty host of

new converts or children that the early church by her earnest travail

brought forth. The seeming incongruity that the church, or mother, and

her children are alike only serves to establish the point in question

when rightly understood. A child is of the same substance as its mother

and is designed to perpetuate the race. So, also, the new-born babes in

the church are just the same spiritually as those who are older, and are

intended to perpetuate the church of God on earth. But this explanation

of itself is not sufficient to entirely satisfy an inquiring mind, and

the question is sure to be asked, Why was it necessary that the church

of God in this dispensation should be represented by two individuals--a

woman and her son? I also will ask a question--Why, on the other hand,

was it necessary that the great apostasy of this dispensation should be

represented by the double-figure of a woman and her daughters? The

answer to the latter question would readily be given--to symbolize two

distinct phases of apostasy. So, also, it was necessary that a

double-symbol, such as a woman and her son, should be chosen to set

forth _two phases_ of the church brought to view in this chapter. If but

a single symbol were used, how could the church be thereby represented

as continuing on earth and fleeing into the wilderness and at the same

time be represented as "overcome," persecuted to the death, and "caught

up unto God and to his throne"? This double-phase of the church--the

experience of the saints on earth and the reign of the martyrs in

Paradise--will be made very clear to the reader hereafter. But it would

be impossible to set forth these two phases under one symbol, and

therefore two are chosen.

There is also direct Scripture testimony on this point. "Before she

travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of

a _man-child._ Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things?

Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be

born at once? For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her

children." Isa. 66:7, 8. According to Heb. 12:22, 23, this Zion, or

Sion, referred to is the New Testament church, and the man-child that

she is said to bring forth is interpreted by Isaiah as "a nation born at

once." Such language perfectly describes the rapid increase in the

Christian church on Pentecost and shortly afterward, when thousands were

added in one day. According to the apostle Paul, the host of Jews and

Gentiles reconciled unto God through Jesus Christ constituted "one new

man" in Christ. Eph. 2:15. See also Gal. 3:28. R.V. This man-child was

to rule all nations with a rod of iron. For an explanation of this rule

see remarks on chapter 2:26, 27. The twelve hundred and sixty days will

be referred to later.

7. And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought

against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,

8. And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in

heaven.

9. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called

the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was

cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

10. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come

salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the

power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast

down, which accused them before our God day and night.

11. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the

word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the

death.

12. Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them.

Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil

is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth

that he hath but a short time.

13. And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he

persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.

14. And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that

she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is

nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face

of the serpent.

15. And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after

the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the

flood.

16. And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her

mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon east out of

his mouth.

17. And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make

war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of

God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

In this vision we have a series of events covering exactly the same

period of time as that of the preceeding one; namely, a history of the

church up to and including her flight into the wilderness, and of the

same opposing dragon. In this description, however, the events are more

perfectly detailed.

Because this dragon was called the Devil and Satan, many have been led

into the idea that it signified the Prince of darkness himself. But

surely we could not suppose that Beelzebub has any such appearance as

this dragon. The foregoing explanation concerning his heads and horns

shows conclusively that the Pagan Roman empire is meant, and not

Beelzebub. Why, then, was it called the Devil and Satan? Among the

Hebrews the term _Satan_ was frequently used in a very liberal sense and

applied to different objects, signifying merely an adversary or opposer.

According to Young's Analytical Concordance the Hebrew word for Satan is

translated _adversary_ in a number of texts, a few of which I will refer

to. Num. 22:22: "And the angel of the Lord stood in the way for an

_adversary_ [Satan, Heb.] against him." Here an angel of the Lord is

called a Satan to Balaam. In 1 Sam. 29:4 David is called an adversary

(Heb. Satan) to the Philistines. In 2 Sam. 19:22 certain opposers are

said to be adversaries (Satans, Heb.) unto David; while in 1 Kings 11:25

a certain man was said to be an adversary (Satan) to Israel all the days

of Solomon. A number of other instances could be given if necessary. In

the New Testament, also, the term _Satan_ is sometimes used to signify

merely an opposer. "But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind

me, Satan." Mat. 16:23. In 1 Cor. 10:20 Paul declares "that the things

which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to _devils_." Paganism

stood as the great opposer of Christianity, hence was a Satan

(adversary) unto it; while the apostle denominated its religious rites

as devil-worship. I do not question the fact that the spirit of

Beelzebub was manifested in the thing; but the dragon itself was the

empire, as is proved by the heads and the horns. However, the Devil and

the agency through which he works are often used interchangeably. Satan

and the serpent in Eden stand in the same relation as do Satan, or

Beelzebub, and Paganism in the New Testament; hence to bind Paganism was

to bind the Devil and Satan in one important sense.

The dragon would be a beast from the natural world (if such a creature

actually existed) and as such could represent nothing more than a civil

empire; but in the vision under consideration he is represented as

accompanied by _angels_ actuated by his spirit and defending his cause.

By this combination of symbols is set forth the politico-religious

system of the empire--a religion that denied the doctrine of the one

exclusive God and the divinity of Jesus Christ. It was the religion of

_infidelity_. It was the dragon as a false religious system that

Christianity attacked, and not the State itself. The following quotation

from Butler's Ecclesiastical History will show the relation of

Christians to the empire:

"The Romans were accustomed to tolerate all new religions if they took

their place by the side of those already existing, and if they did not

cast reproach upon them.... But Christianity, by its very nature

exclusive in its claims ... was offensive to the Romans and to the

State. A religion which cast contempt upon the religions and rites

sanctioned by the laws, and endeavored to draw men away from them,

seemed to express thereby contempt and hostility for the State itself.

Hence Christianity was branded as a malignant superstition, and

Christians spoken of as the enemies of the human race.... From the

letter of Pliny to Trajan, it was evidently recorded as an _religio

illicita_, and the mere fact of being a Christian was counted of itself

a crime.... The exclusiveness of Christianity seemed also to place its

disciples in a position of direct disloyalty to the emperors and the

State. 'The emperor was ex-officio _Pontifex Maximus_; the gods were

national. Cicero declares as a principle of legislation, that no one

should be allowed to worship foreign gods, unless they were recognized

by public statute. Maecenas thus counselled Augustas: Honor the gods

according to the customs of your ancestors, and compel others to worship

them. Hate and punish those who bring in strange gods.' As the Roman

empire was founded on the absolutism of the State, and made nothing of

personal rights, Christianity, which first taught and acknowledged them,

would be peculiarly offensive to the State. Moreover, the conscientious

refusal of Christians to pay divine honor to the emperor and his

statutes, and to take part in idolatrous ceremonies at public festivals

... and their constant assembling themselves together, brought them

under the suspicion and obloquy of the emperors and the people." Pp. 49,

50.

The dragon was stationed in the same heaven where the woman appeared.

This signifies his exalted position in the world. While the dragon was

in the height of his power and glory, Michael (Jesus Christ--Jude 9; 1

Thes. 4:16; John 5:28) and his followers appeared on the scene, and a

fierce battle for supremacy ensued, resulting in the final victory of

the hosts of Michael. That it was against the dragon as a religious

system that the Christians fought is proved by the kind of weapons they

employed. "And they overcame him by the _blood of the Lamb_ and by the

_word of their testimony_; and they loved not their lives unto the

death." Christianity never sought to overturn the civil empire, but did

with all the power of truth oppose the huge system of error sustained by

it and gained such decisive victories that the cry was heard, "Now is

come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power

of his Christ; for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which

accused them before our God day and night." The Devil himself suffered a

severe defeat when his favorite agents, the dragon and his followers,

were cast down from their lofty position and Christianity was exalted

instead. Says Butler: "The final victory of Christianity over heathenism

and Judaism, and the mightiest empire of the ancient world, a victory

gained without physical force, by the moral power of faith and

perseverance, of faith and love, is one of the sublimest spectacles of

history, and one of the strongest evidences of the divinity and

indestructible life of our holy religion." P. 40.

But the fact that many Christians lost their lives in this conflict

(verse 11), insomuch that the man-child is represented as being caught

up unto God (verse 5), shows that the dragon employed also the arm of

civil power in his opposition to the growing truth. The rapid increase

of Christianity, despite the violent opposition and persecution of the

Pagan party, can be no better represented than by a quotation from the

notable Apology of Tertullian, who wrote during the persecution by

Septimus Severus, about the end of the second century.

"Rulers of the Roman Empire," he begins, "you surely can not forbid the

Truth to reach you by the secret pathway of a noiseless book. She knows

that she is but a sojourner on the earth, and as a stranger finds

enemies; and more, her origin, her dwelling-place, her hope, her

rewards, her honors, are above. One thing, meanwhile, she anxiously

desires of earthly rulers--not to be condemned unknown. What harm can it

do to give her a hearing?... The outcry is that the State is filled with

Christians; that they are in the fields, in the citadels, in the

islands. The lament is, as for some calamity, that both sexes, every age

and condition, even high rank, are passing over to the Christian faith.

"The outcry is a confession and an argument for our cause; for we are a

people of yesterday, and yet we have filled every place belonging to

you--cities, islands, castles, towns, assemblies, your very camp, your

tribes, companies, palace, senate, forum. We leave to you your temples

alone. We can count your armies: our numbers in a single province will

be greater. We have it in our power, without arms and without rebellion,

to fight against you with the weapon of a simple divorce. We can leave

you to wage your wars alone. If such a multitude should withdraw into

some remote corner of the world you would doubtless tremble at your own

solitude, and ask, 'Of whom are we the governors?'

"It is a human right that every man should worship according to his own

convictions ... a forced religion is no religion at all.... Men say that

the Christians are the cause of every public disaster. If the Tiber

rises as high as the city walls, if the Nile does not rise over the

fields, if the heavens give no rain, if there be an earthquake, if a

famine or pestilence, straightway they cry, Away with the Christians to

the lion.... But go zealously on, ye good governors, you will stand

higher with the people if you kill us, torture us, condemn us, grind us

to the dust; your injustice is the proof that we are innocent. God

permits us to suffer. Your cruelty avails you nothing.... The oftener

you mow us down the more in number we grow; the blood of Christians is

seed. What you call our obstinacy is an instructor. For who that sees it

does not inquire for what we suffer? Who that inquires does not embrace

our doctrines? Who that embraces them is not ready to give his blood for

the fulness of God's grace?"

Another writer has said: "The church in this period appears poor in

earthly possessions and honors, but rich in heavenly grace, in

world-conquering faith and love and hope; unpopular, even outlawed,

hated and persecuted, yet far more vigorous and expansive than the

philosophies of Greece, or the empire of Rome; composed chiefly of

persons of the lower social ranks, yet attracting the noblest and

deepest minds of the age, and bearing in her bosom the hope of the

world; conquering by apparent defeat and growing on the blood of her

martyrs; great in deeds, greater in sufferings, greatest in death for

the honor of Christ and the benefit of generations to come."

This triumph of early Christianity over Paganism was a theme worthy of

the song. "Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our

God, and the power of his Christ." Even before the death of the

apostles, according to the younger Pliny, the temples of the gods in

Asia Minor were almost forsaken. No wonder, then, that even the

inhabitants of heaven were called upon to rejoice at so great a victory

attained by the followers of the Lamb. But the same voice also says,

"Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is

come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath

but a short time." This represents the violence of the Pagan party upon

its defeat, being exasperated to the exercise of greater opposition and

cruelty wherever the means and the power were still in their hands. Cast

down from his exalted position in the heavens--the religious sphere--his

ecclesiastical prestige lost, he had no place to abide but in the

earth--the political kingdom--whence he took up arms, and "woe to the

inhabitants of the earth." But "the days of Paganism in the empire were

numbered." The Devil knew that he had but a short time, therefore he

came down in great wrath. This is in accordance with the facts of

history. Paganism did not die an easy death, but struggled hard and

long.

When cast from his high position, however, the dragon "persecuted the

woman which brought forth the man-child." The true idea expressed in the

original is that he _pursued_ the woman, and this signification is

indicated by what follows--"To the woman were given two wings of a great

eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she

is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of

the serpent." The _time_ as a definite period signifies one year; hence

a time, times, and half a time would be three and one-half years, or

twelve hundred and sixty days, as before explained. There is an apparent

incongruity or contradiction of statement in reference to the symbols

here; but it is a contradiction that when rightly understood throws

light upon the whole subject. It will be noticed that the woman and

Michael with his angels symbolize the same object--the people of God.

Under the latter figure they were triumphant and the dragon was

defeated. Yet after he was cast down, he turned upon the woman and

pursued her, and thus, the church appeared to be the defeated party.

According to this, then, the Pagan party is represented as _prevailing_

soon after he met _defeat_ and the church apparently _defeated_ soon

after her period of _triumph_. Here again we have two separate symbols

of the same object in order to represent two of its different phases.

This is explained satisfactorily by noticing carefully the facts. The

woman, who is always the true church composed of holy people, was at

first identical with the visible church, or the great body of

Christians, and in this condition was successful in spreading the pure

gospel and casting down the powers of iniquity symbolized by the dragon.

But the dragon politically, as symbolized by his being a beast from the

natural world, with heads and horns, remained in power for some time,

his religious prestige only being lost. Christianity did not attempt to

cast down the dragon in the sense of destroying the civil empire. As is

well known, a great spiritual declension followed the period of the

church's greatest triumph, which decline drove the woman, or the true

church, into the wilderness; hence to all appearances the church became

a defeated party. About this same time, the dying cause of Paganism

revived for a season in terrible severity in the latter part of the

third century; hence to all appearances the dragon was triumphant. This

supreme effort of Paganism's to regain its former position will be

better understood in connection with what follows regarding the flood

which he cast out of his mouth. But that the dragon was not permanently

triumphant is shown by the fact that he afterwards resigned his power

and position unto the beast. Chap. 13:2.

As to the meaning of the "two wings of a great eagle" given the woman to

aid her in her flight, I am not able to say positively. Some apply them

to "the grace and providence of God which watched over the church";

others to the "spiritual gifts of faith, love," etc., which, like

supporting wings, bore the church above her enemies. But I can not see

how the wings of a great eagle can properly symbolize such things. They

are not drawn from the right source. Perhaps nothing more is intended by

the wings than to denote the fact of her successful flight. That this

idea is the correct one seems quite clear when we consider the fact that

the remarkable deliverance of the Israelites from Egyptian bondage is

set forth under the same figure, that of eagles' wings. "Ye have seen

what I did unto the Egyptians, and how _I bare you on eagles' wings_,

and brought you unto myself." Ex. 19:4. With the wings of such a

powerful bird she was able to escape, so that the dragon could not

overtake her.

"And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman,

that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. And the earth

helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the

flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth." Here is a peculiar

combination of symbols from different departments--the serpent, a flood

of water, the woman, and the earth. The last two as allies is a very

unusual circumstance. Some refer the flood of waters to heresies that

arose in, or was connected with, the hierarchy about this time; but in

that case how could it be said that it was the serpent that cast it out?

Others apply it to errors that the Pagan party introduced baptized with

the name of Christianity, when they professed to become converts at a

later period. It is certainly an appropriate _figure of speech_ to say a

flood of error or of false doctrine; but whether a flood of water is a

proper _symbol_ of the same is another question. I do not think it is.

Water, being an object of nature, would point us to something political.

False doctrines are usually symbolized by something different from

objects in nature.

There is considerable difficulty in verifying the symbol, but I will

submit what up to the present has seemed to me as the most satisfactory

explanation. It appears from the description that this was about the

last great public effort the dragon made to overwhelm the church and

that he was exasperated to this supreme effort by the humiliating defeat

he had suffered. The means he employed was _water_, an object of nature;

hence we are to look for some great political event by which the dragon

made his master-effort to destroy the woman shortly after her flight

into the wilderness. In A.D. 284 Diocletian, a Pagan, succeeded to the

imperial throne. Before the close of his reign (305), the Christians

suffered the most terrible persecution ever received at the hands of

Pagan Rome. It continued ten years--A.D. 302-312. It was the design of

this emperor to completely extirpate the very name of Christianity, and

his unfortunate victims were slain by the thousands throughout the

empire. "But the master-piece of [his] heathen policy was the order to

seek and burn all copies of the Word of God. Hitherto the enemy had been

lopping off the branches of the tree whose leaves were for the healing

of the nations; now the blow was made at the root. It had once been the

policy of Antiochus Epiphanes, when he madly sought to destroy the

Jewish Scriptures. It was both wise and wicked. It had but one defect,

it could not be carried into complete execution. The sacred treasure was

in too many hands, and too many of its guardians were brave and prudent,

to make extermination possible. An African bishop said, 'Here is my

body, take it, burn it; but I will not deliver up the Word of God.' A

deacon said, 'Never, sir, never! Had I children I would sooner deliver

them to you than the divine word.' He and his wife were burnt together."

Butler's Eccl. History, p. 66.

But "_the earth_ helped the woman"--another unlooked-for political

event. Worn out with the cares of State, boasting that the very name of

Christ was abolished, and dying with a loathsome disease, the tyrant

abdicated his throne. A number of individuals claimed imperial honors;

but Constantine, the ruler of Gaul, Spain, and Britain, fought his way

against contending rivals and finally entered Rome, the capital, in

triumph. Enthroned as emperor of the West, he immediately issued an

edict of toleration favorable to the Christians (A.D. 313) and soon

became a professed Christian himself and by law made Christianity the

established religion of the empire. In 324, having crushed all rivals,

he became sole emperor of the Roman world, and with a view of promoting

Christianity convened what is known as the First General Council of the

Church, at Nicaea in Asia Minor, A.D. 325. The prestige of Paganism as a

religious power had been overthrown long before by the followers of

Christ, but now its political importance received a death-blow, only a

few expiring struggles appearing subsequently before the final downfall

of Western Rome. Thus, the earth helped the woman and swallowed up the

flood of persecution which the dragon cast out.

"And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the

remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the

testimony of Jesus." Finding that he could not destroy or exterminate

the church of God, he determined to make war upon its individual

members.

CHAPTER XIII.

And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up

out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his

horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

2. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his

feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a

lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great

authority.

3. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and

his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after

the beast.

4. And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the

beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto

the beast? who is able to make war with him?

5. And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things

and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty

and two months.

6. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to

blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in

heaven.

7. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to

overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and

tongues, and nations.

8. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose

names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from

the foundation of the world.

9. If any man have an ear, let him hear.

10. He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he

that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here

is the patience and the faith of the saints.

In this vision John beheld a beast rise out of the sea. His

appearance--like that of a leopard with the feet of a bear and a mouth

like a lion--indicated that he was some terrible creature. He was also a

persecutor of the saints, the same as the dragon that preceded him. As

before explained, this beast, also, symbolizes the Roman empire; for he

possesses the same heads and horns as the dragon, the only difference

being that the supreme power and authority, as indicated by the crowns,

is now vested in the ten horns, or minor kingdoms, instead of in the

seven heads. The dragon as a political power represented Rome before her

overthrow by the barbarians; the beast as a political power represents

new Rome.

A careful study of the characteristics of this beast, however, will show

that he represents more than a civil power. As a mere beast from the

natural world he could symbolize nothing more than some political power;

but it will be noticed that, combined with his beastly nature, there are

also certain characteristics that belong exclusively to the department

of human life--a mouth _speaking_ great things; power to magnify himself

against the God of heaven; the ability to single out the saints of God

and kill them, and to set himself up as an object to be worshiped, etc.

This combination of symbols from the two departments--those of animal

and of human life--points us with absolute certainty to Rome as a

politico-religious system. Ask any historian what world-wide power

succeeded Rome Pagan, and he will answer at once, "Rome Papal."

While it is not my general design to explain the many lines of prophetic

truth described under similar symbols in other parts of the Bible, yet I

will ask the reader here to pardon the slight digression while I call

attention briefly to a few thoughts in the seventh chapter of Daniel

regarding this same Papal power.

Daniel received a vision of four great beasts, which were interpreted to

symbolize four universal monarchies. Verse 17. These were the

Babylonian, the Medo-Persian, the Greco-Macedonian, and the Roman. The

fourth beast possessed ten horns, which were explained to signify ten

kingdoms to arise out of the fourth empire. This is identical with the

dragon of Rev. 12, except the latter possessed seven heads not mentioned

by Daniel. In the midst of the ten horns (ten minor kingdoms) grew up a

_little_ horn, which soon assumed greater proportions than his fellows,

taking the place of three of the original horns, and into his hand the

saints of the Most High were given for "a time and times and the

dividing of time," or twelve hundred and sixty years. This eleventh horn

differed from the ten in that it possessed a mouth speaking great

things, and the eyes of a man. A horn with eyes and mouth in it is a

very unusual thing, yet it is just such a combination as we might expect

when we possess a correct knowledge of symbols. Being drawn from two

departments--human life and animal life--this double-symbol directs us

to a politico-religious system that came up among the ten horns that

grew out of the old Roman empire. We instantly identify it with the

growing Papacy, which arose to a position of great authority in

conjunction with the new Roman empire.

Three of the horns, or temporal kingdoms, were overthrown in order to

give room for the complete development of this politico-religious power.

Since great changes have frequently occurred among the nations of Europe

originally embraced in the ten minor kingdoms, different powers have

been referred to as the three described in Daniel's prophecy; but the

most satisfactory explanation to my mind is that of the three kingdoms

in Italy that were overthrown as if to give the hierarchy room for

development, and that gave the Papacy its _first_ temporal sovereignty,

thus completing the symbol by constituting her a civil as well as an

ecclesiastical horn.

Odoacer, in A.D. 476, overthrew the old empire of the West and

established the kingdom of the Heruli in Italy. Seventeen years later it

was subverted by Theodoric, who established the kingdom of the

Ostrogoths, which continued sixty years; then it, in turn, was

overthrown by Belisarius, but was soon succeeded by the Lombards. The

Lombard kingdom was subverted by Pepin and Charlemagne, who, as

champions of the church, gave a large part of their dominions to the See

of Rome and thus favored the Papacy with her first temporal power. Thus

were the kingdoms of the Heruli, Ostrogoths, and Lombards plucked up by

the roots upon the very territory occupied first by the Papacy as a

temporal power, and as if to give it room.

The careful student of Daniel 7 will notice immediately the striking

similarity between the politico-religious system symbolized by the

little horn and the leopard beast of Revelation 13 under consideration.

The following parallels between them prove their identity:

"1. The little horn was a blasphemous power: 'He shall speak great words

against the Most High.' Dan. 7:25. The leopard beast of Rev. 13:6 does

the same: 'He opened his mouth in blasphemy against God.'

"2. The little horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against

them. Dan. 7:21. This beast also, Rev. 13:7, makes war with the saints,

and overcomes them.

"3. The little horn had a mouth speaking great things. Dan. 7:8, 20. And

of this beast we read, Rev. 13:5: 'And there was given unto him a mouth

speaking great things and blasphemies.'

"4. The little horn rose on the cessation of the Pagan form of the Roman

empire. This beast rises at the same time; for the dragon, Pagan Rome,

gives him his power, his seat, and great authority.

"5. Power was given to the little horn to continue for a time, times,

and the dividing of time, or twelve hundred and sixty years. Dan. 7:25.

To this beast also power was given for forty and two months, or twelve

hundred and sixty years. Rev. 13:5.

"6. At the end of the twelve hundred and sixty years the universal

dominion of the little horn was to begin to decline, being consumed and

destroyed unto the end. Dan. 7:26. This beast, also, Rev. 13:10, was to

be led into captivity and 'killed with the sword.'"

These points prove identity. To quote the words of a certain expositor:

"When we have in prophecy two symbols ... representing powers that come

upon the stage of action at the _same time_, occupy the _same

territory_, maintain the _same character_, do the _same work_, exist the

_same length of time_, and meet the same _fate_, those symbols represent

the same _identical power_." To this all must agree. Hence we have in

the vision before us a description of Papal Rome in her two-fold

character as a temporal and a religious power. The wounding and healing

of the head of the beast will be explained in chapter XVII.

How the same heads and horns can serve both the dragon and the leopard

beast will be better understood later. For the present it will be

sufficient to state that it is because they are the same beast in

reality, being clothed, in its later form, in a Christian garb, instead

of the worn-out garments of infidelity or heathenism possessed by the

former. This transfer is expressed in the following words: "And the

dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority." Verse 2.

This beast, then, succeeded to the dominion held by the dragon. It was

like an old, established firm retiring and giving its standing and

credit and well-earned reputation to a new partnership, to conduct a

similar business.

While this beast, as before observed, represents the developed religious

and political power of the Papacy combined, still the actions ascribed

to it show plainly that it is in its character as an _ecclesiastical_

beast that its terrible features are here delineated. No one would

suppose that a mere political power would set itself up as an object to

be worshiped, exalting itself above the God of heaven, and then single

out and slaughter the saints for not complying therewith. As far as

rendering obedience to civil governments is concerned, the Christians of

all ages have been the most peaceful and obedient servants of all. So we

shall hereafter refer always to the _beast_ as an ecclesiastical power,

unless otherwise stated.

This beast all the world admired. "And they worshiped the dragon which

gave power unto the beast: and they worshiped the beast, saying, Who is

like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?" The people

worshiped the established hierarchy, and they also worshiped the dragon

from which the beast obtained so much of his power. The expression

"_worshiped_ the dragon" shows plainly that it is the dragon as a

religious system that is referred to, and not the old civil empire. How,

then, could the old heathen worship be perpetuated in the church of Rome

and form a part of her religious services? By adopting rites and

ceremonies purely Pagan in their origin. Since I have already stated

that the beast and the dragon as temporal powers were about the same in

reality, except the change of sovereignty from the heads to the horns,

it will now be necessary to show the remarkable similarity in spirit

that existed between them as religious powers, the one being the

successor of the other.

1. The high-priest of the Pagan religions was called Pontifex Maximus,

and he claimed spiritual and temporal authority over the affairs of men.

The Pope of Rome possesses the same title and makes the same claims, and

he is clad in the same attire as the Pagan Pontiff.

2. The heathen were accustomed to wear scapulars, medals, and images to

shield them from the common ills and dangers of life. Romanists wear the

same and for the same purpose.

3. The Pagans, by an official process called _deification_, frequently

exalted men who had lived among them to a position worthy of special

honor and worship. Papists, by a similar process called _canonisation_,

raise their former men of prominence to the dignity of _saints_ and then

offer up prayers to them.

The foregoing practises are derived from Paganism; also from Judaism or

Paganism came their practise of burning incense in public worship, the

use of holy water, burning wax candles in the daytime, and votive gifts

and offerings. Other heathen principles are:

4. Adoration of idols and images, a practise expressly forbidden by the

Mosaic law and unsanctioned by primitive Christianity;

5. Road gods and saints (in Catholic countries);

6. Processions of worshipers and self-whippers (especially in Catholic

countries);

7. Religious orders of monks and nuns. One who has read of the vestal

virgins of old will recognize at once where monkery originated.

In the city of Rome there still stands an old heathen temple built by

Marcus Agrippa and dedicated in the year B.C. 27 to _all the gods_. In

the year A.D. 610 it was reconsecrated by Pope Boniface IV. to "the

blessed Virgin and all the saints." From that time until the present day

Romanists in the same temple have prostrated themselves before _the very

same images_ and have devoutly emplored them by the same forms of prayer

and for the very same purposes as did the heathen of old. The only

difference is, that instead of calling this idol Jupiter, they call it

Paul; instead of denominating that one Venus, they call it Mary, etc.

Well has Bowling said: "The scholar, familiar as he is with the classic

descriptions of ancient mythology, when he directs his attention to the

ceremonies of Papal worship, can not avoid recognizing their close

resemblance, if not their absolute identity. The temples of Jupiter,

Diana, Venus or Apollo, their 'altars smoking with incense,' their boys

in sacred habits, holding the incense box, and attending upon the

priests, their holy water at the entrance of the temples, with their

_aspergilla_, or sprinkling-brushes, their thuribula, or vessels of

incense, their ever-burning lamps before the statues of their deities,

are irresistibly brought before his mind, whenever he visits a Roman

Catholic place of worship, and witnesses precisely the same things."

History of Romanism, pp. 109, 110.

Having failed in his direct attacks against the Christian church, with

the accession of Constantine, who established Christianity as the State

religion, the dragon soon clothed his pernicious principles in a

Christian garb and made war against the remnant of the woman's seed that

kept the commandments of God, through the rising hierarchy, under the

name of Christianity; but his heads and horns being visible, and he

being unable to control his tongue, his real sentiments crop out, and he

is easily identified. It is not to be supposed, however, that the beast

would appear suddenly in full possession of the immense power ascribed

to him in this chapter. On the contrary, Daniel represents it as a

_little_ horn at first, whose look finally became "more stout than his

fellows." Dan. 7:8, 20. Such ecclesiastical power was attained only by

the process of gradual development. According to the vision his

universal power was limited to "forty and two months," or twelve hundred

and sixty years. Since this has reference to the beast as an

ecclesiastal power, which according to Daniel grew up by degrees, the

time should be calculated the same as in chapter 11:2, 3--dated from the

time when the external, visible church was wholly in the hands of the

profane multitude of Gentiles and the true church crowded into the

wilderness. The nationalized hierarchy, however, continued to advance to

greater degrees of power over the nations, until it reached its zenith

under the pontificate of Gregory VII., A.D. 1073-1080.

The great things and blasphemies spoken by this beast are doubtless

fulfilled by the prerogatives and rights belonging to God alone which

this apostate church, especially through her regularly constituted head,

claims. In fact, the Pope is the real mouth of this beast, the one who

dictates her laws with great authority. He claims to be the vicar of

Christ on earth and supreme head of the church, even, as in the case of

Pope Innocent, denominating himself the one before whom every knee must

bow, of things in heaven, and things on earth, and things under the

earth. He claims power over the souls of all men on earth and even after

their departure from earth. If this is not blasphemy against God, his

tabernacle, or church, and "them that dwell in heaven," then I am wholly

unable to imagine what would fulfil the prediction. Among the

blasphemous titles assumed are these: Lord God the Pope, King of the

World, Holy Father, King of kings, and Lord of lords, Vicegerent of the

Son of God. He claims infallibility (which was backed up by the

Ecumenical council of 1870) and has for ages. Further, he claims power

to dispense with God's laws, to forgive sins, to release from purgatory,

to damn, and to save.