“And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound” (Revelation 8:6).

We logically look for the sounding of trumpets to follow the fiery judgments which were poured upon the Jewish nation in fulfillment of the symbolic picture of Christ casting the golden censer filled with fire to the earth. These judgments as we have seen resulted finally in the complete overthrow of the Jewish polity. The city of Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed by the Romans in the year 70 AD; it was not, however, until 135 AD that their subjection was fully accomplished. This latter date marked the last attempt of the Jews to free themselves from the Roman yoke, and to re-establish their nationality. We will therefore look for the events symbolized by the first trumpet, sometime after 135 AD. And this will be found to be in agreement with all the noted expositors of the Historical school who have written during the past three centuries. Those who have written since the Nineteenth Century opened are agreed that six of these trumpet visions have met their fulfillment, some of them teaching that the seventh is at the present time meeting its fulfillment. The following general statement of Mr. Russell, will be found in agreement with these conclusions:

“The seven trumpets of Revelation are all symbolic, and represent seven great periods of time and their events. Suffice it here to say that we find ourselves today in the midst of the very events which mark the sounding of the seventh trumpet. The great voices, the increase of knowledge, the angry nations, etc., taken in connection with time prophecies, establish this as a fact. Many events are yet to transpire before this seventh or last trumpet ceases to sound; as, for instance, the rewarding of the saints and prophets, the resurrection of all the dead, etc. In fact, it covers the entire period of the Millennial reign of Christ, as indicated by the events which are to transpire under it (Revelation 10:7, 11:15,18).

“The events mentioned under the preceding six trumpets of Revelation refer to humanity’s doings, while the seventh refers specially to the Lord’s work, and covers the ‘Day of the Lord.’ ”

Two general facts or propositions are thus before us: first, that the fulfillment of the symbolic occurrences described in connection with the sounding of these trumpets covers great periods of time and their events; second, that the six refer to humanity’s doings, distinguished from the seventh, which refers to the doings of the Lord.

In regard to the general significance of angels and what they may represent, it is important that we keep in mind that “the mighty angels, messengers, or agents of His power, are various, and may properly be understood as applying to and including all the various agencies, animate and inanimate, which shall be used by our Lord in the overthrow of the evil systems of the present, and in the chastisement of evil doers.”

The sounding of literal trumpets when mentioned in the Scriptures is always for the purpose of making announcements of various kinds, as the summoning of an assembly, the mustering of hosts to battle, the sounding of an alarm giving warning of evils, dangers, or judgments threatened, and the proclaiming of good or evil tidings.

More than this, let the reader carefully consider that the sounding of trumpets in the Scriptures occurs in connection with movements in the world which bring enlightenment, liberty, and deliverance from error, superstition and oppression. The blowing of trumpets by the priests of ancient Israel, announcing the year of Jubilee, brought liberty from bondage, a recovery of rights, and a restoration of families to their original inheritances (Leviticus 25). This significant event in Israel’s history, occurring every forty-ninth or fiftieth year, foreshadowed or typified the “times of restitution” for all mankind, the great antitypical thou- sand-year day of Jubilee. The blowing of the trumpets by the priests of Israel announcing their Jubilee typified the sounding of the seventh trumpet of Revelation. “In the type, the trumpet of Jubilee was to be sounded when the Jubilee year began, to proclaim liberty throughout all the land, unto all the inhabitants thereof (Leviticus 25:10). The antitype [times of restitution] is ushered in with the sounding of the (symbolic) ‘seventh trumpet,’ the ‘trump of God,’ the ‘last trump.’ It is indeed the great trumpet; it announces liberty to every captive; and while at first it means the surrender of many expired claims and privileges, and a general time of disturbance and unsettling of usages, habits, etc., its full import, when rightly appreciated, is ‘good tidings of great joy which shall be unto all people.’ ”

With these impressions in mind as to the symbolical significance of angels and trumpets, we begin our inquiry as to the import of this symbolic picture.

Keeping in mind the Scriptural interpretation of the sounding of trumpets, and the fact that the first six refer to man’s doings, in connection with his efforts to liberate the world from error and superstition, we believe it is reasonable to apply the events connected with the sounding of these six trumpets to movements associated with both the rise and decline of certain false religious systems. We believe it is also reasonable to expect that these movements would be associated with a proclamation of some features of gospel truth, exposing erroneous and superstitious ideas concerning God and His dealings with mankind, and gradually weakening the hold and influence of these false systems upon humanity. This method of interpreting the occurrences depicted under the six trumpets is in perfect harmony with that of the seventh; the difference is that the seventh, being the “trump of God,” would bring full light and liberty — a complete deliverance for both the Lord’s saints and all mankind. The vision does not, however, have so much to do with the symbolical significance of the sounding of the trumpet as it does with that which St. John saw as following its sounding.

The First Trumpet

“The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up” (Revelation 8:7).

This symbol is drawn from the material world, and is that of a terrific storm of hail and fire (lightning), in connection with which the lightning flashes were incessant, setting fire to the trees and grass; and as such storms are accompanied by winds, there would be the spreading of destruction over the earth. Historical expositors have very generally applied the events that occur in connection with the sounding of the first four trumpets in the Fourth Century to the destructive incursions of the Gothic, barbaric hordes of the North into the Western Roman Empire, which resulted finally in its overthrow. It seems to us, however, that this great hail and fire storm of the first trumpet, so destructive in its work, most fittingly depicts the influences that worked together to cause the over-throw of the Pagan civilization; the overthrow of the Roman government itself, as we shall endeavor to show later, being depicted by the symbolic occurrences of the second trumpet. The hail and lightning, etc., proceeding from the literal heavens, would represent certain influences that had their rise in the symbolical heavens of Christianity. Hail, in this instance seems to represent those sharp cutting truths which exposed and eventually destroyed the chief root of the Pagan superstition — Polytheism.

A hail storm is generally accompanied by lightning and is produced by a certain electrical state of the atmosphere. That the fire of the symbol means lightning, may be seen from several Scriptures, “And the Lord sent thunder and hail, and the fire [lightning] ran along upon the ground” (Exodus 9:23, Psalms 105:32). “Hail” is used in the Scriptures as the symbol of judgment truths, and in this symbol very fittingly refers to judgments upon Paganism, which was the first enemy aside from Judaism that the Church encountered in its proclamation of the truth. “And the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies” (Isaiah 28:17) is a prophecy that especially refers to the effects of judgment truths upon the false religious systems of the last times. It is thus by comparing Scripture with Scripture that we discover the meaning of symbols.

The hail and lightning are represented in the vision as mingled with blood. Blood, when visible, is employed in the Scriptures as a symbol of death by violence. It is used in this sense in Isaiah 34 in connection with a prophecy describing the final judgments of God in the last days upon the “wild beast” nations of earth: “And the mountains [kingdoms] shall be melted with their blood. The sword [judgment truths] of the Lord is filled with blood [evidence that these judgment truths shall produce death, destruction of the nations]. For it is the day of the Lord’s vengeance, and the year of recompenses for the controversy of Zion” (Isaiah 34:1-8). It is used in this first trumpet symbol in the same way, and if correct in our application, it is designed to intensify the destructive- ness of the judgments on Paganism.

Trees in the primitive method of building were used for pillars or posts. In harmony with this we find the figure of trees, according to their size and height, employed in many Scriptures to symbolize the several degrees of great or rich men, nobles, or subordinate rulers of the government. In Zechariah 11:1,2, we have this figurative use of trees: “Howl, fir tree, for the cedar is fallen; because all the mighty [men] are spoiled.” The inference in these last words, “all the mighty are spoiled,” is that the prophecy does not refer to literal trees, but to men — leaders. Nebuchadnezzar, the great king of Babylon, is symbolized by a tree (Daniel 4:20-22, see also Isaiah 2:13, 10:17,18,19, Jeremiah 22:7,23, Ezekiel 17, 31:3,4). The application of this to the vision would seem to represent that the nobles, princes, and subordinate civil and religious Pagan rulers would renounce or become dead to the Pagan superstition, thus gradually working toward the end of Pagan civilization.

It will be seen that as trees symbolize the leaders, so grass by the law of analogy must symbolize the common people. In applying the symbol of the vision under consideration it would mean that the common people would become dead to Paganism and become absorbed in the Paganized Christianity that took its place.

It is stated that one third of the earth and the same of the trees were affected by the terrible storm. Earth in the passage would symbolize the organized Pagan Roman Empire. Applying the vision to the overthrow of Pagan civilization, we quote Mosheim’s Ecclesiastical History:

“When we look attentively into the matter, we shall find that the execution of these rigorous laws that were enacted against the worshipers of the gods, was rather leveled at the multitude [green grass] than at persons of eminence and distinction [trees]; for it appears that during the reign and after the death of Theodosius, many of the most honorable and important posts were filled by persons whose aversion to Christianity, and whose attachment to Paganism were sufficiently known.”

Another interpretation of the expression “third part,” which appeals to some to be most reasonable, is that it applies to the Western part of the Roman earth. Mr. Elliott calls attention to a fact stated by Gibbon that during the period of the early trumpets, the Roman Empire was divided into three parts, and that it was the third and Western part that was destroyed. See Gibbon’s Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.

As accounting for the large numbers, in fact practically all of the people (green grass) renouncing Paganism, and many embracing Christianity (?) during those days, let the following from Mosheim’s History be carefully noted

“There is no doubt that the victories of Constantine the Great, the fear of punishment, and the desire of pleasing this mighty conqueror and his imperial successors, were the weighty arguments that moved whole nations, as well as particular persons, to embrace Christianity.”

Another important factor that was used to bring all mankind into the professing Christian Church was the establishment of schools in which the younger element were instructed in the truths (?) of Christianity. The same historian has noted this:

“There was just reason to apprehend that the truth might suffer if the Christian youth, for want of proper instructors of their own religion, should have recourse, for their education, to the schools of pagan philosophers and rhetoricians. Schools were established in many cities. Libraries were also erected, and men of learning were nobly recompensed. All this was indispensably necessary to the successful execution of the scheme that was laid for abrogating by degrees the worship of the gods [of Paganism].”

It will thus be seen by those who have a clear knowledge of the Lord’s Plan that this first trumpet represented humanity’s doings — unregenerate man’s efforts to liberate his fellows from the bondage of superstition. It, however, like all of his efforts, measurably failed; though it served to bring the “little flock” class into new experiences of trial and testing.

Concerning this important event of human history which followed imme- diately the reign of Diocletian (about 313 AD), the following from an eminent writer emphasizes its special significance:

“In its internal character and far-reaching effects this revolution is one of the greatest and most remarkable that has ever taken place in the history of the world.

“The ruin of Paganism, as Gibbon has pointed out, is perhaps ‘the only example of the total extirpation of any ancient and popular superstition.’ During the long period of a thousand years the dark shadow of Paganism had covered the city and empire of Rome. Its temples were innumerable and adorned with the utmost magnificence. Its wealth, the accumulation of ages, was fabulously great. Its priesthood was established and endowed by government, the Roman emperor himself occupying the position of the supreme pontiff of the hierarchy. In the [early part of the] Fourth Century this monstrous system was brought to ruin. Working upwards from the lowest strata of society, the belief in the unity of the Godhead, and the divinity of the Christian religion, a belief commended by the lives, and sealed by the blood of martyrs, had gradually reached the highest classes in the community, and effected the conversion of the Roman Emperor. The conviction that ‘the idolatrous worship of fabulous deities, and real demons, is the most abominable crime against the Supreme Majesty of the Creator’ led to the subversion of the temples of the Roman world, and the total suppression of Paganism” (H. G. Guinness).

“Under Constantine, 324-337 AD, as all the world knows [says the historian] occurred the greatest revolution in Roman history since the birth of Christ, namely the establishment of Christianity as the religion of the state. From this time on, the political fortunes of the Empire possess only secondary importance; it is the struggles of the Christian sects and the rise of the Roman Catholic Church that mainly attract the attention of the historian.”

Thus by compromise with the worldly spirit, the professed Church overthrew the system of Paganism, and in a sense made Christianity (in name) the State religion, only to have seductively introduced into her communion a paganized idolatrous worship. All this, however, was permitted to come and was overruled by Christ to test and develop the “elect” class, the “little flock.” It is well to keep in mind that the testimony of the Truth was to have two effects: first, the drawing of those individuals who would receive it gladly into good and honest hearts, and cause such to bear fruit to the glory of God; and, second, to exert an indirect influence in enlightening the world, and to some extent delivering from error and superstition. The Church’s testimony to the Truth would of necessity bring opposition and persecution from the Pagan priests, and this would be over- ruled by Christ to keep her pure, and to discipline and develop her for her future station. It would also be true that very many of the world who would become enlightened would themselves engage in the conflict of overthrowing supersti- tion and error. We find that history records this to have been true. Most naturally this would bring a temptation to the Lord’s followers to unite with these in this conflict, and thus they would have their efforts diverted from heavenly to earthly things — from spiritual things to human things. This is exactly what did occur, and all but a few of the Lord’s followers lost sight of their true mission.

We learn from history that for a period of more than a century after its institu- tion, the Church of Christ was faithful to her mission — not to try to overthrow the Pagan Roman Empire, but to preach the Gospel. The effects produced by her faithfulness were twofold:

(1) To draw to herself the true wheat.
(2) To exert an indirect influence upon many of the world, both upon those in high circles, and upon those in the common walks of life, to nominally embrace Christianity. The larger part of these in Scripture phraseology would be called “tares” — mere professors.

During nearly this entire period the Church encountered great opposition, and experienced terrible persecution, through the influence of the Pagan priests: “Edicts of a severe nature were issued against them, and the magistrates, animated by the priests and by the multitude, shed their blood with a cruelty, which frequently exceeded even the dictates of the most barbarous laws” (Mosheim’s Ecclesiastical History).

History informs us that at the beginning of the Third Century an event occurred that revolutionized public sentiment toward Christianity:

“About the same time Constantine the Great, who had hitherto manifested no religious principles of any kind, embraced Christianity. In process of time … he was convinced of the falsehood and impiety of all other religious institutions; and, acting in consequence of this conviction, he exhorted earnestly all his subjects to embrace the Gospel [?]; and at length employed all the force of his authority in the abolition of the ancient superstition [Paganism]. His designs, however, with respect to the abolition of the ancient religion of the Romans, and the tolerating of no other form of worship but the Christian, were only made known toward the latter end of his life, by the edicts he issued for destroying the heathen temples, and prohibiting sacrifices.”

History also tells of how a very large number of people made a profession of Christianity at this time, and these entered heartily into this work of over- throwing Paganism, and converting the whole Roman world. It was from activity in this work that the “little flock” of faithful ones kept aloof, and it was not long before these began to experience persecution, because they would not unite with and support the State Church.

The Second Trumpet

“And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood; and the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed” (Revelation 8:8,9).

This second trumpet portrays what we believe to be the overthrow of a great kingdom or empire. The symbolism, which is that of a burning mountain being cast into the sea, is a very familiar one to students of prophecy. Bible students are generally agreed that a mountain when used symbolically nearly always refers to a kingdom. The Kingdom of Christ is frequently represented by a mountain: “And the stone which smote the image [of earthly empires] became a great mountain [kingdom], and filled the whole earth.” This is explained by the Prophet, “In the days of these kings [kingdoms] shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms and it shall stand forever” (Daniel 2:35,44).

The Psalmist David when speaking of his kingdom makes use of this symbol: “Lord thou hast made my mountain to stand strong” (Psalms 30:7), evidently referring to the stability of his kingdom.

Empires and kingdoms being destroyed by revolutionary troubles, or other disturbing causes, are, in prophetic symbology, represented by mountains being carried into the sea. In one of the prophetic Psalms which portrays in symbolic language the terrible scenes that occur in connection with the close of this age, we have these words: “Therefore will not we [God’s saints] fear, though the earth [organized society] be removed, and though the mountains [kingdoms] be carried into the midst of the sea” (Psalms 46:2). In one of the closing visions of the Revelation, that of the “seventh vial,” we read that the “mountains were not found,” meaning in this case that the kingdoms of earth were overthrown (symbolically burnt up) to make room for the Kingdom of Christ (Revelation 16:20).

Careful examination and comparison of all the facts of history, we believe, reveal to us that the symbolic vision of this second trumpet had its fulfillment about a century and a half after the Pagan religion had ceased to be in a national sense the religion of the Roman Empire. The symbolism is that of a burning mountain being cast into the sea.

In our endeavor to uncover the meaning of these symbolic visions of Revela- tion, we are keeping in mind the exhortation of St. Peter: “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation; for the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man; but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:20,21). To our understanding the meaning of these words is not that God is necessarily going to choose some special individual and miraculously make known to him the meaning of Scriptural prophecy, but rather that we are to study their meaning, comparing Scripture with Scripture, carefully noting other prophecies in which the same symbols are employed that have had their fulfillment. Thus their meaning having been made evident, we should make use of this knowledge in the interpretation of prophecies not yet fulfilled.

One has said: “No single prophecy must be read alone, as if it stood apart from the rest, but in connection with the whole plan of it in the Word. It is comparatively easy to find some plausible application of a single passage; it is quite another thing to make this fit with a general prophetic testimony. Comparison of passage with passage on this subject is what we are invited and compelled to, therefore, if we would have truth instead of theory, realized certainty rather than conjecture. Moreover, it will be plainly of importance to find some comprehensive prophecy connecting itself with some fixed points on Scripture, with which others may be then securely connected.”

In applying this rule to the prophecy of this second trumpet symbol, we discover that there is one other place in the Scriptures where the symbolism of a “burnt mountain” is employed and explained. It is in connection with a prophecy referring to the ancient Babylonian Empire, and reads: “I will render unto Babylon and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea all their evil that they have done. … Behold I am against thee O destroying mountain, [kingdom] which destroyest all the earth, and I will stretch out mine hand upon thee and roll thee down from the rocks, and will make thee a burnt mountain” (Jeremiah 51:24,25). This prophecy, as all Bible students know, refers to the complete overthrow of the ancient Baby- lonian Empire by the Medes and Persians 538 BC.

From this fulfilled symbolic prophecy we are enabled to ascertain the meaning of the vision under consideration. We learn:

(1) That a “burnt mountain” is employed by “holy men of old moved by the holy Spirit” to describe a destroyed kingdom.

(2) That a “burning mountain” symbolizes a kingdom in process of destruction.

(3) That a “burning mountain cast into the sea” would symbolize a kingdom which had been gradually disintegrating, finally becoming extinct.

We consider next the symbolic significance of a “sea.” A sea that is calm symbolizes an orderly collection of men in a quiet and peaceable state or condition. A sea troubled and tumultuous describes a collection of men restless and turbulent and at war (Daniel 7:2). Waters (plural) frequently symbolize peoples (Revelation 17:15); a sea being a collection of waters becomes the symbol of a people gathered into one body politic. It is doubtless the “sea” condition represented by a collection of men at war or in commotion, that is employed in the symbol of this second trumpet.

The Fall of the Roman Empire

We inquire, Where or at what time in the history of this Gospel Age do we find that a great kingdom or empire was gradually overthrown, and in connection with its overthrow caused great disturbances and calamities to the “sea” class? There doubtless have been a number of such occurrences in history, but as a rule most of these have been of local significance only. How shall we know which of these is referred to in the symbolism of this second trumpet? The logical answer is that it would be the empire that follows, and is closely connected with the fulfillment of the first trumpet symbols. In our exposition of the first trumpet we noted that the great storm of hail, etc., which was the symbol employed under that trumpet, fitted perfectly with the disturbances and commotions associated with the efforts to overthrow the pagan religion (not the empire) in the second and third centuries and the early part of the fourth.

We inquire next, Was there, in connection with the gradual passing away of the influence of Paganism over the people of the Roman Empire, a great kingdom or empire that through wars and commotions was gradually overthrown soon after? Was the overthrow of that kingdom an event of great significance in the fulfilling of other inspired prophecies of “holy men of old”? If so, was it of special importance in connection with the development of the “little flock” of joint-heirs of the coming Kingdom?

Without doubt the answer is that there was such a kingdom overthrown which met all these conditions. This kingdom was one whose rise and fall occupied a very large place in the prophecies of Daniel. It was the one symbolized by the “legs of iron” of the great metallic image of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (Daniel 2), and is described much more in detail in Daniel’s vision (Daniel 7). It was the Western Roman Empire, symbolized by the “fourth beast” of that vision.

Less than two centuries after the ecclesiastical revolution in connection with the change of the religion of the Roman Empire from Paganism to Christianity, the Western Roman Empire, which had ruled the world from its capital city, Rome, since a short time before the birth of Christ, was overthrown, and began to be broken up into several lesser kingdoms. This event, next to the overthrow of the Pagan religion itself, is one of the most important in the history of the world since the birth of Christ. Its final collapse occurred 476 AD in which year Odoacer the King of the Heruli, took possession of the city of Rome and Romulus Augustulus, the last reigning emperor of Western Rome, was dethroned. The Eastern

Roman Empire with its capital at Constantinople, continued to exist, however, until 1453 AD. The Roman kingdom began its career in the city of Rome, which has been called the “eternal city.” It was here that its central government was always located. With its overthrow the world entered upon a new era. The historian informs us that, “Modern history, in a comprehensive sense, begins with the downfall of the Western Roman Empire; for with that event the volume of ancient history was closed” (Swinton, Outlines of the World’s History). It was only about half a century from this, in 533 AD, that a Roman bishop of the Church was declared in a decree of Justinian, the emperor of Eastern Rome, to be the head over all the churches of so-called Christendom; and from this time, the Roman bishops began to exercise a ruling influence, not only in the professed Church, but over all the kingdoms into which the Roman Empire was divided.

For two centuries, the fourth and fifth, the great empire of Western Rome was undergoing the process of dissolution. The Gothic hordes of the North had made incursion after incursion into its territory. It was, during this long period of disintegration, in a condition fittingly described in symbol as a “burning mountain.” In harmony with the symbolism of Babylon given by Jeremiah, as referred to above, the Western Roman Empire after 476 AD became a “burnt [destroyed] mountain.” The kingdom — ruling power — became divided (Daniel 2:41). Its ruling dynasty, which had held universal sway for about five centuries was (symbolically speaking) “cast into the sea” — the restless people at war. It continued, however, in the symbols of Daniel, to be described under the figure of the “fourth beast,” but no longer the fourth empire universal; and entered upon that phase of its rule, symbolized by the “ten horns” of the “beast.” These ten horns we are informed by the revealing angel, represented the ten kingdoms which on an average have occupied the territory of the original Roman Empire since that time (Daniel 7:20, Revelation 13:1).

The symbols of this second trumpet do not describe in detail the method by which this great empire was destroyed; but rather describe the effects produced on the “sea” class by the commotions which accomplished it. History, however, records it very fully, as being through the moral degeneracy and weakness of its ruling Emperors. Through these causes the Empire became an easy object of prey to the barbaric tribes of the North, who, through continuous invasions into its territories spread devastation in many provinces, spoiling the Empire of its wealth. It gradually grew weaker and weaker in its power to resist, until finally it succumbed to the king of the Heruli.

Most Historical writers who have attempted to expound this vision have applied it to a second stage of the invasion of the Roman Empire by the Gothic tribes — that of the Vandals. There are some who interpreting this second trumpet, apply the casting of the burning mountain into the sea, to England’s breaking away from the Papacy during the reign of Henry VIII, in the beginning of the Sixteenth Century. England, however, was not overthrown or destroyed at that time, as the symbol of a mountain being cast into the sea invariably in Scripture symbology teaches; nor was this the proper time in history for the vision to have its fulfillment.

It now remains for us to consider those symbols that describe the effects produced upon the “sea” class by the wars and invasions of these barbaric tribes of the North in connection with the gradual overthrow of this great empire. The symbols to be considered are three in number:

(1) The third part of the sea becoming blood.

(2) The third part of the creatures in the sea that had life dying.

(3) The third part of the ships that sailed upon the sea being destroyed.

The sea becoming blood evidently describes in a general way the calamitous effects produced upon the people of the Empire as a whole by the invasions of these barbaric tribes, and also the effects of the misrule of the Roman emperors. Blood, when visible, as we have learned from Scripture usage, symbolizes death by violence. “Bloody times” are times of great calamities, brought about by the loosing of human passions. The scenes occurring in connection with wars and invasions of an empire and the misrule of its governing powers, together with its overthrow, are accompanied by great distress to the peoples, and are followed by periods of lawlessness — anarchy. Wars usually cause famine, and excessive taxation of the people in whose land war is waged, bringing discontent. On the overthrow of a government, the peoples are loosed from the restraining influences of its laws, and until a stable government is established, a state bordering on anarchy prevails. The significance of this symbol is very forcibly illustrated in the present time in the effects produced by the great war in Europe, resulting in the overthrow of the autocratic governments of Russia, Austria, Germany, and others. The contending factions of the “sea” classes, each endeavoring to assume the reins of government, cause a condition that very vividly pictures the meaning of this symbol of the “sea becoming blood.”

Similar conditions existed during the invasions into the Roman territory, and also followed for some time the downfall of Western Rome. The historian describes the terrible condition existing in this period:

“In the beginning of this [fifth] century the Roman Empire was divided into two distinct sovereignties, one of which comprehended the eastern provinces, the other those of the West. Honorius, who governed the Western provinces … neglected the great affairs of the empire, and, inattentive to the weighty duties of his station held the reins of government with an unsteady hand. The Goths taking advantage of this criminal indolence, made incursions into Italy, laid waste its fairest provinces, and sometimes carried their desolations as far as Rome, which they ravaged and plundered in the most dreadful manner. These calami- ties which fell upon the western part of the empire from the Gothic depredations, were followed by others still more dreadful under the succeeding emperors. A fierce and warlike people, issuing out of Germany, overspread Italy, Gaul, and Spain, the noblest of all the European provinces, and erected new kingdoms in these fertile countries; and Odoacer, at last, at the head of the Heruli, having conquered Augustulus, in 476, gave the mortal blow to the Western Empire and reduced all Italy under his dominion” (Mosheim’s Ecclesiastical History).

The Roman bishop at this time was becoming very influential, and historians inform us that the people in general began to look to this ecclesiastic for help in their troubles; and in this manner events began to shape themselves in the direction of the Roman bishop assuming the powers of the civil rulers and gradually to take the reins of government in Rome. The third part would seem to represent that proportion of the empire experiencing these calamities.

The next part of the symbolism is that of the third part of the living creatures that were in the sea that had life, dying. The creatures in the sea represent the peoples as individuals or units that constituted the civilization of those times.

The civilization during the period of the Pagan Roman Empire was a Pagan civilization; that is, in religious matters, Polytheism, a belief in many gods, molded and fashioned the minds, customs, and habits of mankind of both the higher and lower classes (“trees” and “grass”) in all the various relations of life. The symbols of the first trumpet, as we have seen, describe the indirect effects of Christianity upon this Pagan civilization, uprooting it, and finally establishing in its place a new, a so-called Christian civilization. It was, however, as all true Christians know, a very impure form of Christianity. In certain matters Constantine and the emperors which succeeded him ruled the professed Church. Constantine himself, however, sought without success to unite the various sects, and to harmonize the disturbances that arose on account of differences of belief. Gradually during this period the Pagan temples were either destroyed or converted into houses of worship for those who made a profession of Christianity.

Regarding the type of Christianity that existed in these times we read again from Mosheim:

“While the Roman Emperors were studious to promote the honor of Christianity by the auspicious protection they afforded the Church and their most zealous efforts to advance its interests, the inconsiderate and ill directed piety of the bishops cast a cloud over the beauty and simplicity of the Gospel by the prodigious number of rites and ceremonies which they had invented to embellish it. And here we may apply that well known saying of Augustine, that the yoke under which the Jews formerly groaned was more tolerable than that imposed upon many Christians in this time. The rites and institutions by which the Greeks and Romans, and other nations had formerly testified their religious veneration for fictitious deities were now adopted, with some slight alterations by Christian bishops, and employed in the service of the true God. These fervent heralds of the Gospel, whose zeal outran their candor and ingenuity, imagined that the nations would receive Christianity with more facility, when they saw the rites and ceremonies to which they were accustomed, adopted in the Church and the same worship paid to Christ and martyrs which they had formerly offered to their idol deities. Hence it happened that in these times the religion of the Greeks and Romans differed very little in its external appearance from that of the Christians. Gorgeous robes, mitres, tiaras, wax tapers, crosiers, processions, images, gold and silver vases, and many such circumstances and pageantry were equally seen in the heathen temples and the Christian Churches.”

Such was the civilization that existed during the period of the Christian Roman Emperors, from Constantine about 313 AD to Romulus Augustulus 476 AD. We must not obtain the impression, however, that this Christian civilization was united or harmonious in its doctrines or forms of worship. On the contrary it was broken up into sects and divisions, very much the same as that of the present so called Christian civilization. While to a very large extent these various sects all looked to the emperors to guide and protect them in many ways, yet there was no unanimity of doctrine, or methods and forms of worship. During this period there was, according to the historian, a certain freedom and independence enjoyed in these matters by the various sects. The unification of these came after the overthrow of the imperial power which this second trumpet depicts. Indeed it had been foretold that the imperial power at Rome was the hindrance that would have to be removed before this unification under one head could take place. This head is the “man of sin,” the Papacy (2 Thessalonians 2:5). Quoting again the same historian:

“We are not, however, to think that the same method of worship was uniformly followed in every Christian society, for this was far from being the case. Every bishop consulting his own private judgment, and taking into consideration the nature of the times, the genius of the country in which he lived, and the char- acter and temper of those whom he was appointed to rule and instruct, formed such a plan of Divine worship as he thought the wisest and best. Hence, that variety of liturgies which were in use before the bishop of Rome had usurped the supreme power in religious matters and persuaded the credulous and unthinking that the model, both of doctrine and worship was to be given by the ‘mother’ Church, and to be followed implicitly throughout the Christian world.”

With this brief summary of the history of those times we are enabled to understand the meaning of these symbolisms. The “living creatures” dying in the sea would seem to refer to the individual units of the Christian civiliza- tion of those times, represented by the clergy and laity, dying to this extent of freedom enjoyed in religious matters, and becoming absorbed, swallowed up in the Roman Catholic Papal system, which soon followed the overthrow of the Western Roman Empire.

“Ships” represent inanimate objects and in this case seem to represent the many denominations or sects. These, like the living creatures in them, were eventually extinguished, and lost their independent existence by being swal- lowed up in the great apostasy, the Papal system. Thus was the predicted hindrance removed. A new experience was now coming to the “little flock” class, as it came in contact with this great persecuting power — the Antichrist. The rise of this power, we believe, is portrayed in the symbolisms of the third trumpet.