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BABYLON THE GREAT.

This is as plainly fulfilled as the former. Nebuchadnezzar, the head of the Babylonian king, claimed the power of a God, pretended to make a God, and then compelled his subjects to fall down and worship it; and if they would not, death was the consequence. This mystical Babylon has done the same. The Pope claims to be the vicegerent of God on earth. He also claims the power of making the common bread and wine, the actual body and blood of God. They have also put to death many millions of heretics, as they call those who do not follow in their creed.

THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS.

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Well may the Church of Rome claim the title of Mother Church; and those churches which have come out from her may as well be called HARLOTS. For there are few of them at this time, but are partaking of the old mother's character, and committing the same ABOMINATIONS of pride, vain show, worldly grandeur and riches, popular applause and political power.-Where is there a Protestant sect but now claims the same authority as the Pope over those who

may honestly differ from them in understanding the word of God? Never did the Church of Rome persecute the Protestant Covenanters more when they fled from her fellowship, than the sects of the present day would the Adventists had they the power. See the venom of our sectarian papers which is cast out against those who believe in the near coming of the dear Savior. They have all, in their turn, been Come-outers. Why not let the Advent brethren have the same privilege? Why complain? You gave us a sample, we are only working after the copy. You once called the Church of Rome the MOTHER OF HARLOTS. We, because you partake of her nature, and perform her acts, call you HARLOTS. This is the Scripture language, and was once yours, when you

came out.

6. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus; and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.

John saw this false church of Rome persecuting the saints, and shedding the blood of the martyrs of Jesus; and when he saw her cruel and bloody acts, he marvelled and wondered greatly why such a power could exist among rational, and intelligent men.

hath the seven heads and ten horns.

The angel inquires of John why he should marvel? He then informs him that he will tell him the mystery of this false Church, that has her power, seat and great authority from the Roman empire; and also of the Roman empire, which had the seven forms of government and ten kings.

8. The beast that thou sawest, was, and is not: and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit and go into perdition and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, (whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world,) when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

The kingdom thou sawest John, was already in existence before you saw it in your vision. It is not yet under the power of the false Church of Rome. But this Church shall arise out of the gross darkness that shall cover the earth, when the Church shall fall away, as Paul tells us, 2 Thess. ii. 3, into ignorance, superstition, will-worship, pride, bigotry and idolatry; and shall go into perdition, or be destroyed by the brightness of Christ's coming, when he shall come to take vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the Gospel. And then

they who dwell upon the earth shall wonder at their own stupidity and base ingratitude, in not believing the word of God, and in slighting the overtures of mercy, while they enjoyed a probation; yet they will neglect so great salvation, and not have their names recorded in the Lamb's book of life, which God prepared in the beginning of the world, for all those who would believe and obey the gospel. And they will wonder and perish in the general destruction of the kingdoms of the Roman empire, which is now Pagan, not yet Papal. But it is the same bloody perecuting power it will be when it becomes Papal; for then it will only be an image of what it now is.

9. And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.

This is an explanation for the inquiring minds of those who desire an understanding in the word of God. The seven executive heads are seven forms of government. See comments on Rev. xiii. 1.

10. And there are seven kings; five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.

These seven executive heads, here called Kings, have and will exist in the Roman

5, Triumvirate—these forms had all passed when John saw his vision; "and one is," that is Imperial, then in power; the "other," Kingly, "is not yet come." The kings did not exercise their power over the empire of Rome until after about 508 years after Christ. Then the Kingly must be the supreme head for a short space; all of which did take place between A. D. 508 and A. D. 538.

11. And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.

The kingdom of Rome, which was in power then; but not in its church state. For when the Church of Rome should obtain its supremacy, it would be the eighth head, in succession. Yet the Roman Church would be of the seven; that is, it would have all the seven forms of government of the former Roman, and no other; and although it would be in the succession, the eighth head yet it only retains the seven forms. In that sense, it would not probably be a new form of government, but "is of the seven"-combining all forms of government into one; and at the end it shall go into perdition.