“And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth” (Revelation 16:1).

The temple from which this voice is heard seems to be the same as that mentioned in the preceding vision — the great nominal Church systems, now being rejected and forsaken by the Lord. The loud voice seems to be the voice of Christ, God’s representative. A comparison with a prophecy of Isaiah, which doubtless refers to the same events and time, enables us to see that this is the correct interpretation of these words. The translation of the words of Isaiah as given by Ferrar Fenton is as follows:

“Depart, depart, go out from there, and touch not now the vile! Come out from her, depart, and bring the vessels [the precious truths] of the Lord. You will not go in haste, or marching as in flight; but the Lord before you march, Israel’s God will guard your rear” (Isaiah 52:11,12).

A careful consideration of the context will show that this prophecy relates to the period when the Lord shall return to Zion; in other words, the Second Advent of Christ. We quote the two previous verses:

“Lift, Watchman, your voice, shout together and cheer, when clearly you see that the Lord comes to Zion; burst out into cheers with Jerusalem’s ruins, for the Lord comforts His people — delivers Jerusalem! The Lord strips His strong arm, in the sight of all nations, all borders of earth will then see our God is victorious!” (verses 9,10).

The words of verses 11 and 12 connect with this Revelation vision, and show clearly that the exhortation is for the Lord’s true people, who have in their possession the holy vessels of Divine truth, to no longer be contaminated with the errors of the false systems — Babylon and her offspring. Furthermore, the words, “Israel’s God will guard your rear,” plainly teach that He will be the last one to forsake the nominal temple, to reject altogether the professing Church of the last days of the harvest. This seems most clearly to show that the loud voice from the temple is the voice of Christ, Jehovah’s representative.

The same momentous event, and the same period, is referred to in Revelation 18:4-6 (Fenton’s translation):

“Then I heard another voice from the heaven, saying, ‘Come out of her, My people! that you may not be partakers with her sins, and that you may not become recipients of her plagues; for her sins are piled up as high as heaven; and God has remembered her wickedness. Repay to her what she has given; and redouble it in accordance with her doings. The cup which she has poisoned, poison it double for her.’ ”

First Vial Poured on the Land

We now come to consider the symbolic portrayal of the plagues which gradu- ally but rapidly consume and finally produce the complete destruction of the great false systems, commonly called Christendom.

“And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image” (Revelation 16:2).

We will not be surprised when we examine the interpretation and application of this symbolic vial, as given by expositors in general, to find that they apply it to a period much earlier than the harvest. Indeed, we find that there has been a general disposition to apply this first vial judgment to the outbreak of infidelity, beginning just before the French Revolution and Reign of Terror. This outbreak of infidelity, according to these expositors, was caused through the circulation of the infidel literature of Voltaire and others of those times. This had the effect of exposing the false doctrines and worship of the Roman Catholic Church, thus weakening its power and influence. It was not until later years that the fall from favor of Protestantism began to be seen. It was the thought of these expositors that these vial judgments would affect only the Roman Catholic system. They understood that the image of the beast described a particular aspect or phase of Romanism. The larger number of these lived and wrote before the formation of the Evangelical Alliance, which we understand to have been the beginning of the image of the beast.

Those who keep before their mind the progressive character connected with the understanding of these visions, as history has unfolded them, will recognize that it was impossible for these expositors to understand the full significance of prophetic visions. In the light of the events of history since the Evangelical Alliance was formed in 1846, the various aspects of the anti-Christian apostasy, as represented in these symbols of the “beast,” “mark of the beast,” “image of the beast,” and “worshipers of the image” are more clearly seen. In this fuller light, as we have already shown, we could not look for the first vial judgment to begin until after the “image of the beast” — organized sectarian Protestantism — had come into existence.

In considering the interpretation of these seven vial symbols, it will be of advantage to keep in mind the following basic principle, already noted, namely “that one plague or evil goes on increasingly, after a second and third, etc., are added, until in the end the entire seven forms of evil will be operating simultaneously” (C. T. Russell).

It was the thought of this writer that all except the seventh of these plagues had begun in a small measure to meet fulfillment at the time he wrote these words. With this introductory word we submit the interpretation offered by Mr. Russell as being most reasonable:

“These evils, called plagues or bowls of wrath, are designed to rid the world of every form of evil and wrong. The class symbolized by the land or earth, we understand to mean all people under religious restraint, of whatever name or order. Land or earth as a symbol represents settled, organized religious society, as sea represents the restless, irreligious unsettled masses of humanity. Those having the mark (characteristics) of the beast (Papacy) and those worshipping his image (Protestantism), as hitherto shown, are the great mass of non-overcoming and nominal Christians.

“It is upon this [latter] class that the trouble [plague or evil] first comes. While Roman Catholics constitute an important proportion of this earth class, yet the trouble does not affect them at first, as shown from the fact that the ulcer is not upon those worshipping the beast, but on those worshipping the image and having the marks or characteristics of the beast (Papacy), which indicates clearly the various shades and degrees of Protestantism.

“Their trouble is compared to an ulcer — ‘an evil and malignant ulcer.’ To appreciate the symbol let us consider the literal: An ulcer is a running sore; it is an evidence of constitutional disorder, and very painful. A cancer in its worst stages becomes a malignant ulcer. An ulcer is a cankerous sore, that is, one which eats, corrupts, and destroys. Now carry the thought — what an ulcer or bad cancer is to a man will illustrate the character of the consuming, life-draining trouble coming upon the systems constituting Protestantism, so-called, which ultimately will destroy it. It arises from within itself; it is a constitutional disorder, caused by the errors inherited and retained from the ‘mother of harlots and abominations.’ There is no cure for this evil — the blood is poisoned, it has permeated the entire body, and death must ensue.

“There was a time — in the days of Luther and the Reformation when the daughters might have been radically healed, but her false ministers ‘healed the hurt of the daughter of My people slightly, saying Peace, peace; when there is no peace.’ (Jeremiah 8:11). Now there is no balm in Gilead, there is no physician there — therefore she is not healed. Her King is not in her, she is spued out of his mouth (Jeremiah 8:22, Young’s Translation. See also Revelation 3:16 and 18:23). There is no remedy, these systems must die. The disorder comes from within. Already these disorders have broken out, and though the canker is care- fully concealed, the bad odor and distress are noticeable.”

As this interpretation and forecasting of the fulfillment of this first vial symbol was made forty years ago, it will not be a difficult matter to test its truthfulness. The interpretation in brief comprehends the following matters:

(1) That this “vial” or “plague” would affect the various sects of Protestantism and their supporters.

(2) That the cause of the plague would be an inward one, namely the false doctrines inherited from the mother system, the Church of Rome, and the retention of these false doctrines in their creeds.

(3) That evidences that these false doctrines would eventually cause the death of the different sects began to be seen by God’s true saints long years ago.

(4) That the evil effects of these false doctrines retained in the creeds would continue to increase more and more in the forty years that would follow this exposition.

(5) That the disease produced by the retention of these false doctrines would eventually prove fatal and result in death to these various sects of Protestantism.

(6) That the incurability of the disease was because of these sects being cast off from God’s favor, that is, because her “King was no longer in her.”

(7) That Roman Catholicism and its supporters would not be affected by this first plague.

Those who are acquainted with the history of the Protestant sects of Christendom for the past forty years, and whose spiritual vision is not dimmed, have no difficulty in identifying each one of these peculiar features described in this symbolic vision of Revelation with this analysis of the same as meeting their fulfillment in the forty years that have passed. Some of the faithful Watchers living today can remember well the conditions that existed in Protestantism just a few years before this exposition was written. The signs of decay began to be very manifest after the great Moody awakening of 1877 and 1878. The teaching of “Evolution” and “Higher Criticism” began about that time, and has since slowly but surely caused the undermining of faith in the Divine authenticity and inspiration of the Scriptures. The false doctrines of human immortality, eternal torment, and others inherited from the mother system — doctrines which were supposed quite generally to be taught in the Scriptures — continued to be retained in the creeds, notwithstanding the fact that these false doctrines, except human immortality, were gradually, secretly, rejected by the chief supporters of these sects. The effect of such secret rejection of them, while believing them to be taught in the Scriptures, could mean but one result — that of gradually undermining faith in the Scriptures. The false doctrine of human immortality, however, was quite generally retained, and as this was taught as a basis or foundation for all hope of a future life, the true doctrine of the ransom-sacrifice of Christ was gradually eliminated in the preaching of the professed ministers of Christ, though there were some notable exceptions.

It is not necessary to describe the gradual departure of these sects as a whole from the foundation truths, the positive essentials, the possession of which can alone prove them to be in any measure “plants of the Divine planting”; and we are informed by the Divine Master that “every plant which My Heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up” (Matthew 15:13). It is necessary only to note their condition at the present time to discover that the great climax of apostasy has been reached, and the next thing in order is their “rooting up.” The fact that there are still in these sects individuals who endeavor to hold on to these fundamentals and continue to give the sects their support is no evidence that these systems, as such, have not been judged and “found wanting” — that they are no longer plants of the Divine planting. The Scriptures plainly teach that the systems will continue to contain some, indeed many, of the Lord’s (deceived) consecrated ones until the seventh vial is poured out. It is, however, only the symptoms of death, increasing more and more, that are portrayed in the symbolic ulcer’s appearance on those who have the mark of the beast and who are worshipers of the image.

There can be no question, however, that the discovery of the untruthfulness of these false doctrines of eternal torment, etc., inherited from the mother system, associated with the belief on the part of the great leaders and supporters of the Protestant sects that these false doctrines were taught in the Scriptures, leading logically to a practical rejection of the Scriptures themselves, has caused these leaders and supporters to have more or less torment of mind. This will be seen as we note the peculiar position in which they have been placed by their unbelief in the Divine authority of the Scriptures. If they were honest, they would have to admit that their organizations have no more Divine authority than any of the fraternal, benevolent societies of the world. This has evidently caused considerable torment of mind, because of their unwillingness to acknowledge these things, and by thus doing be compelled to stifle the voice of conscience. The same trouble of mind caused by stifling the conscience would be felt by those who still persisted in believing in the fundamentals of Christianity and who yet continued to give these various sects their support. The most terrible torment of mind is yet to come, and will take place in connection with the great climax — the death-throes that naturally follow the continued existence of this deadly disease. This will be in connection with the last phase of the great time of trouble coming upon these rejected systems.

How true it is that the saints who have, through the knowledge of God’s great Plan of the Ages, “gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark,” are delivered from this first plague, and, as we shall endeavor to show in succeeding chapters, will be delivered from the entire seven.

Second Vial Poured on the Sea

“And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea” (Revelation 16:3).

The symbols employed in this vision of the second plague — the sea becoming blood, as of one dead; and every living soul dying in the sea — are not dissimilar to some we have found used in other visions of the Revelation. In some respects the symbols of this second plague or vial resemble those of the vision of the second trumpet. In that, as in this, it is the symbolic sea that is affected. In the trumpet symbol, however, only one-third of the sea, and one-third of the creatures in the sea, were affected; whereas in this all of the sea and all of the creatures in the sea are affected. This would indicate that the second plague judgment will be final, in that the sea-class and those individual units that comprise the sea would cease to be, that is, as such. The sea, as a symbol, as we have seen, usually represents the masses of mankind; in this instance, seemingly the irreligious masses, those not under the restraint of religious influences.

The second trumpet symbol — that of the burning mountain cast into the sea — we interpreted as representing the overthrow of the Western Roman Empire, 476 A.D. One-third of the creatures in the sea being destroyed, we explained as representing that proportion of the sea-class becoming absorbed in the new professed Papal Christian civilization that followed. This feature of the second plague symbol we explain the same, only that when fully completed, all of the sea-class — “those in the sea” — will become absorbed in the new order, the “new heavens and new earth” condition in which “there will be no sea” (Revelation 21:1). In other words, this second plague is designed to teach that the dreadful conditions brought about by this great judgment plague will finally result for good in that the irreligious masses of mankind will be brought to acknowledge the righteousness of God’s claims to their homage and worship. This recognition will be in connection with the full establishment of God’s Kingdom over mankind, as we read, “For all nations shall come and worship before Thee, because Thy judgments are made manifest”; these judgments being symbolized by the “seven last plagues” (Revelation 15:4). We have already noted that these seven last plagues are designed “to rid the world of every form of evil and wrong … to cause the ending of the present reign of evil, and a necessary preparation for the reign of righteousness.”

It will be seen that the second plague has special reference to no other but the “sea”-class. The period of time covered is the same as that of the first plague. In other words, the great unrest and disturbances caused by the discontent of the “sea”-class, which conditions mark the beginning of the second plague, commenced about the same time that the indications of death began to be manifest in the Protestant religious systems — the image of the beast — these death indications being symbolized by the appearance of the “ulcer” of the first plague on the worshipers. The two visions are contemporaneous in their fulfillment and increase in severity until their destructive work is completed.

The exposition we have given thus far of this second plague would be sufficient to cover the explanation of the vision were it not for the particular statement that the sea became as, or like, the blood of a dead man. It would seem that there must be some special significance attached to this expression, which is found only in this vision. To understand the significance will require a careful examination, for we must discover the difference between the blood of a dead man and that of a living man. Here again we are assisted by Mr. Russell’s very able presentation:

“To appreciate the trouble on this [sea] class we must study the symbol. Blood in a living creature is full of vitality, but the blood of a dead person is the very reverse. After death, the blood rapidly begins to separate into two parts — a watery liquid called serum, and a more solid substance termed clot. As soon as this separation has been accomplished, the clot begins to putrefy or corrupt. Applying this, we understand it to teach that a great and thorough disintegration will occur in this large [irreligious] class of humanity, after which one element will rapidly corrupt and putrefy. Among the irreligious masses have been numbered such noble specimens of humanity as Stephen Girard, George Peabody, and Peter Cooper, besides many less notable, honestly skeptical souls.(1) The result of the commingling of such with the masses imparted a life-principle and vitality. But reading this plague, we realize that a separation of these two elements is due, the result of which will be decay and death to every principle of morality and virtue in this class — when every living thing (active element of virtue and benevolence) in this sea-class will perish. In other words, remove the element which advises prudence, morality, and right-doing, from the counsels of the restless masses — from the Labor Leagues and other associations — and let the lower element control itself, and the result would quickly be the destruction of life, property, laws, and peace — a grand reign of anarchy in the name of communism.

“From other Scriptures we are taught to expect just such an uprising which eventually shall overthrow the kingdoms of earth. But the beginning of this is all we must look for now [1883] — the separation of the serum from the clot — of the vital from the corrupting element. This seems to be now in progress. Men of noble minds who realized the oppression of the masses by money and governments and desired to assist in their amelioration are forced to withdraw because of the spirit of recklessness which pervades the masses, leading to assassinations in other countries and threats of the same in this land. …

“But we should remember that the full results of this evil or plague will not be felt for many years; it has its beginning only, now.”

(1) These words were written in 1883. Since that time there have come on the stage of human life many other men of like stamp.

We believe it will be seen that this forecast of events made over forty years ago perfectly fits the symbols of this second plague vision. It is a most remarkable prediction, and to our mind shows that this expositor had, through a knowledge of God’s wonderful Plan and the sure word of prophecy, and the signs of the times, a clear apprehension of all that has occurred in the sea-class of humanity up to the present time; and the near approach of the overthrow of the present order in a state of anarchy. It is a most reasonable interpretation of this second plague vision, and the history of the past forty years has confirmed its correctness. While it is not yet completely fulfilled, all the signs of our times point to this near completion. The disposition that has existed for some time, particularly since the great World-war, on the part of the rank and file of the labor organizations to disregard the wise counsels of the conservative, law-abiding leaders, is tending to force a separation of these two elements. This evil is assuming a more and more threatening character and indicates the great crisis as near at hand. It is clear, even to many who have no knowledge of the sure word of prophecy, that this great crisis can hardly be averted much longer. The critical, strained conditions existing in both the labor and capital world, together with the increased cost of living and the demands of labor for higher and higher wage, point to a serious locking of arms in conflict between these two classes. The student of the Bible, however, is enabled to look beyond the present troubles, to the time when the great King, who is divinely appointed to rule, and who is clothed with power to execute the Divine purposes, and endued with wisdom to solve all these perplexing problems, will assume authority and bring order out of chaos, absorbing the “sea”-class.

Expositors have very generally applied the vision of this second plague to the events of the Reign of Terror of the French Revolution. This is not to be wondered at, for the scenes that occurred in connection with this momentous event and the causes which led to it were very similar to the terrible scenes that are now closing this age, and the causes leading up to the same. In many respects, however, this application fails. The events of the French Revolution — particularly the Reign of Terror — were to a large extent local and confined to France, while those depicted in this vision are world-wide in extent. The events of the French Revolution and Reign of Terror resulted largely in weakening the Papal system, from which it has partially recovered; while the vision of this second plague has a special reference — not to Papacy, but to the “sea”-class of humanity, and describes a final ending of the same. There can be no question, however, that Papacy will be affected indirectly by this judgment plague; indeed, all the religious governments will be affected. These events, as we shall see, are portrayed in a special manner in other of the “plague” visions. Furthermore, this plague cannot be located so far back in history as the French Revolution, but must meet its fulfillment after the image of the beast is formed, which was, as we understand, in 1846. Still further, when this vision of the second plague begins to meet its fulfillment, these evil occurrences among the irreligious classes symbolized increase more and more in severity until the “sea”-class is absorbed in the new order, the new earth state.

Third Vial Poured on Rivers and Fountains of Waters

“And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood. And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because Thou hast judged thus. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and Thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy. And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Thy judgments” (verses 4–7).

Two of the principal symbols employed in this vision of the third plague, namely fountains and rivers, are found in the third trumpet vision. In that, as also in this, the fountains and rivers are affected, although in a different way. In the trumpet symbol the fountains and rivers are represented as becoming embittered (poisoned); in this third plague vision the fountains and rivers are changed to blood, thus becoming distasteful, loathsome, to those accustomed to drink of them. The fountains and rivers, when pure, are the true sources and channels of truth — Christ, the Apostles and Prophets, etc. In this vision of the third plague the Protestant (so-called) impure, muddy channels seem to be represented. These systems inherited from the “mother” system, Papacy, many egregious errors, and for a long time they retained and taught zealously these errors in connection with a certain measure of truth. In the symbol under consideration there seems to be represented the fact that a time came when, through increased knowledge and independent thinking, this mixture of truth and error became distasteful, loathsome. In the vision this is represented by these fountains and rivers changing to blood.

We are familiar with the interpretations of this vision given by many expositors. Nearly all of them since the Reformation make the fountains and rivers of this vision to represent peoples, which is consistent with their erroneous interpretation of the same in the third trumpet. The only interpretation that seems to meet all the requirements of the symbol is the one given below; and its application to the history of the Protestant sects for the past forty years will be found to be most reasonable. This explanation and application of this feature of the vision was made in 1883:

“This third element of trouble results from the turning of the rivers and fountains of water into blood. Running waters symbolize truth. The river channels through which water (truth) has flowed symbolize the various sects or denominations. The fountains symbolize the founders and schools of these various systems — the places or men in whom these channels had their start or beginning.

“For a long time, water — truly very muddy in some, but nevertheless a mixture of water — has flowed in these various systems, of which many have partaken and have been refreshed. But a change comes, and that which once refreshed will [and we may truthfully add, has] (gradually) become loathsome as blood. (Blood has been advised as a medical remedy, but in such cases it is taken immediately on being drawn from the animal, else it would be poisonous, for its change is rapid — hence a river of blood could symbolize only loathsomeness and death.)

“This we understand to be a picture of a change rapidly taking place in religious channels — their creeds, though containing as much truth and error as ever, are coming to be regarded differently. General enlightenment is greater, and what was once received without question is now becoming loathsome and death-like. As in a similar plague (literally) upon Egypt, the people digged wells for water because they could no longer drink of the bloody rivers, so here — independent thinkers are digging for themselves, for purer waters than the regular channels afford. Truly this turning of the waters of their channels into blood is among the causes of anxiety and great annoyance to the sectarian, but only the few yet [in 1883] realize this trouble.”

We next inquire regarding the significance of the succeeding part of the vision — that of the utterance of the angel of the waters, expressing assent to the justice displayed by the Almighty in the sending of this plague: “And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because Thou hast judged thus.” The older expositors, in harmony with their interpretation of the “temple,” the “seven angels” coming out of the temple, etc., as representing scenes and occurrences taking place in heaven, apply this angel to a heavenly being or beings. But in harmony with our interpretation of these features thus far, we believe it to be more consistent to understand this angel to represent those in the harvest time who, because of their understanding of the truth concerning the wonderful Plan of God and the near approach of the time for blessing the world, are enabled to see the necessity as well as the justice on the part of God in exposing the errors of the creeds and making them obnoxious, loathsome to the supporters of the sects and denominations. As observed by Mr. Russell:

“The angel of the waters — or the messenger of the real Truth — is able to see in this a righteous judgment of God against those systems.”

Next in the vision are the words: “For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and Thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.” Whatever may be the import of these words, they express the reason assigned for the plague coming upon the false religious systems. Keeping in mind that the plague signifies that the mixture of truth and error of the creeds becomes so loathsome that they can no longer be received by the supporters of the sects, and instead of their searching the Scriptures to discover the pure, unadulterated waters (truth), they ignore or reject the pure channel, will assist to a comprehension of this peculiar, but very significant expression. The inclination on the part of commentators in general is to understand these words, “they poured out the blood of saints and of prophets,” to refer to the persecution by these systems of the saints and prophets unto death. This is the interpretation of nearly all expositors. We believe the following is more reasonable and correct, and shows remarkable research and insight into the fulfillment of the vision. The more it is considered in the light of the facts of recent history, the more its correctness, we believe, will be seen. However, this can be grasped only by those whose knowledge of “present truth” has opened their eyes to see the true situation in the various Protestant sects and denominations. We give the interpretation:

“The direct cause of this trouble is mentioned — they had poured out the blood of the saints and prophets.

“Is it inquired in what sense this was done? We answer that blood in a person is life, and to pour it out is to waste it. The life of the saints is truth — God’s Word — as it is written: ‘The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life,’ and ‘The testimony of Jesus is the spirit [vitality, life] of prophecy.’ Hence to have wasted the life-principle of saints and prophets would be to have wasted the words and testimony of Jesus. This they did by neglecting His Word, and receiving instead the traditions of men, which errors have corrupted and defiled the truths they possess to such an extent that the thinking ones are fast coming to that condition where they cannot drink from those channels.

“In these very channels, or systems, where the teaching of Satan has been preserved, viz.: that man has an existence which can never cease, and hence must continue forever (Genesis 3:4), nine-tenths of them in misery — in these same channels, the teachings of the Prophets that the wages of sin is death, but that God has provided for ‘times of restitution of all things, spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began’ (Acts 3:21), is neglected, cast aside, wasted. And hence it is that they will get blood to drink shortly. The creeds of these systems, being so mixed with error by the retaining of Satan’s lie and the rejection of the Lord’s testimony, both through the words and example of prophets and saints, they will soon come to recognize them as too obnoxious and nauseating to be palatable to either themselves or the world.”

(C. T. Russell)

Thou Gavest Them Blood to Drink

Since the above exposition of this plague was given, events have occurred which have resulted more and more, not only to confirm its correctness, but to give further light on one of its peculiar features. This is that contained in the expression: “Thou gavest them also blood to drink.” The rejection of those portions of the creeds that have misrepresented and maligned God’s character, instead of causing an honest searching of the Scriptures — which would have resulted in the discovery that they were not taught in them — has resulted in a wave of what is termed Higher Criticism, which is nothing less than another form of infidelity — a disbelief altogether in the Scriptures as a Divine revelation. The great religious leaders who hold this teaching are found chiefly in Protestantism, and continue, inconsistently, to retain the name Christian.

The final terrible scenes of the age, when this and each of the other plagues will be in operation, will be caused very largely by this movement of Higher Criticism, Modernism, etc., which has the effect not only of undermining faith in the Scriptures, but also of causing an utter disregard of God and His claims. It will be in connection with these terrible scenes that the truthfulness of the Sacred Writings will be most thoroughly demonstrated. Then the great so-called religious leaders — the Higher Critics — will be compelled to acknowledge the truthfulness of the Divine Word. It will not be difficult to imagine the terrible anguish of mind of these self-exalted religious leaders when they are forced, almost against their will, to give up their unbelief, their infidelity; and this anguish will be but increased as they have a very forceful illustration of the terrible effects of their teaching in the awful scenes of the great tribulation, such as never was before. “Thou gavest them blood to drink.”

“And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Thy judgments”(Revelation 16:7).

The altar referred to here is doubtless the altar of sacrifice. The words proceeding from the altar are in response to the messenger of the waters (truth). The significance of this part of the vision is thus explained by the same writer: “The altar represents the class of prophets and saints whose testimonies for truth were sealed with their lives, the testimony of whose lives had been wasted. These speak not audibly, but in that figurative way in which Abel’s blood is said to have cried out. The testimony of these condemns the present systems as worthy of having this trouble or plague, because of their previous disregard of truth. While nominal church systems have become great and popular in worldly favor, both in the days of the Prophets and ever since, in the days of the saints, yet now as ever, this success and popularity has been the result of an alliance with the world and a participation of its spirit. Since, as well as in the days of the Prophets, to live separate from the world and to boldly advocate the Truth in opposition to the worldly mixture of error, has cost persecution and either literal or symbolic beheading — or cutting off. The testimony of every sacrifice for truth, acceptable to God, is here represented as condemning the course of these systems and justifying the retribution represented in this third plague — ‘for they are worthy.’ ”

Fourth Vial Poured on the Sun

“And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give Him glory” (Revelation 16:8, 9).

It was the disposition of expositors who lived just subsequent to the French Revolution to apply this vial symbol, as they did the preceding ones, to the calamitous events that occurred in connection with that revolution. The sun is interpreted by these expositors to represent the revolutionary rulers of those times, and the scorching rays of the sun to describe the despotic sway and oppressions of these rulers. Those blaspheming God on account of the plagues are understood to be the people of France. This interpretation would be a most natural one to those who understood these vial plagues to refer to judgments on Roman Catholicism. The unfolding of the events of history since that time has revealed that not only was this too early a date to apply the vision, but that this woe-plague, as also the others, has a much wider application.

The sun, when used as a symbol, generally represents the light of the Gospel; in a wider sense it sometimes represents the light of truth in general. There is no symbol employed in the Scriptures that is more common. It is used in many of the Old Testament prophecies and is found very frequently in the Revelation visions. Among the symbols of the fourth trumpet there is portrayed a darkening of the sunlight, which we interpreted to represent the substitution of gross errors for the truths of God’s Word by the false religious system of Papacy. We also found the same symbolism used in the fifth trumpet, which we interpreted to mean the darkening of the sunlight of truth by the great eastern apostasy of Mohammedanism.

The effects produced in the world by the darkening of the Truth by Papacy was the bringing in of what is generally called the Dark Ages — a period of ignorance and superstition, affecting both nations and individuals. The Reformation of the Sixteenth Century caused the Gospel sun to shine in a measure; but the formation of the Protestant sects prevented it from shining in its fullness. There was a sufficiency of light, however, shed by the Reformation to liberate to a large extent the nations from the yoke of Papal bondage, bringing in, as the Nineteenth Century dawned, a gradual increase of knowledge. In the opening years of the Nineteenth Century the Bible began to come into the possession of the people in general. It was not, however, until about 1874 that the full blaze of Gospel sunlight began to shine for the benefit of the Lord’s consecrated. About this time also the masses of mankind, because of a more general diffusion of knowledge, were aroused to more independent thinking. Matters pertaining to the rights and wrongs of man then began to be discussed, and this has gone on increasingly up to the present time.

The various organizations of labor and capital, etc., existing today began to be formed in those days. This increase of knowledge has caused discussions and contentions over the rights and wrongs of the classes, and has become more and more heated as the years have passed. The tendency is at the present time toward a concentration of all these organizations into two classes, in opposition one to the other. The shaking and unsettling of the present order of things is causing conditions that are bringing great trouble and disturbance of mind to mankind in general, as the various remedies provided by legislators are tried and fail to bring the hoped-for cure. All this, it is generally admitted, has been caused by an increase of knowledge, described in this symbol as an unusual increase and diffusion of sunlight. This seems to be what is portrayed in this fourth-plague symbol.

“Here the misery of some is caused by an increase of sunlight. The increase of the sunlight means an increased brilliancy of Gospel light and knowledge. This increase of light is to affect all classes, as is indicated by its not being limited to a certain class as the other plagues are limited: to ‘sea,’ ‘land,’ ‘rivers,’ etc. It comes upon men — mankind in general — and upon representative leaders of men in particular. It is the increase of light — knowledge — which is causing independence of thought and action among all classes of society. It causes differences between kings and subjects, between capital and labor, between clergy and laity; the increasing light is doing it all. It is Gospel light too; for no matter how infidels may scoff at the Bible and affect to have superior liberty to that which it teaches, it nevertheless remains a fact that the grandest liberty is that where Christ makes free; and the essence of Gospel light is in the Master’s words, ‘Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’ It is truth that is spreading — truth on every subject: truth relative to the rights and authority of kings; truth relative to the rights both of capital and labor; truth relative to the claimed superiority and lordship of a self-elevated class termed the clergy.”

To the consecrated, enlightened follower of Christ, all these things — which are to a very large extent troubling the minds of the great leaders of men, as well as the enlightened law-abiding classes — are only causes for rejoicing, knowing that not only their redemption draweth nigh, but also the deliverance of the groaning creation is very soon to be realized. They know that these are the signs that were foretold to indicate the ushering in of the better day for our world. This trouble (plague) is necessary, and is one special feature of the birth-throes of the new era.

“The conflict is between truth and superstition — light and darkness; it will be a severe struggle, but truth is mighty and shall prevail; debasing the proud and exalting the humble. Those whose deeds are evil — who are in the wrong — hate the light, is the Master’s testimony. It would curtail their power and lower their position to elevate all others to equality. These are scorched or troubled by the increase of light, and none more so than religious lords; for it is the increase of light which doubtless helps to turn the waters of their cherished channels into blood — corruption — making their doctrines and creeds, which emanated from fountains of the Sixteenth Century, distasteful and obnoxious.

“ ‘And they blasphemed the name of that God.’ Blasphemy, as the word is used in Scripture, does not signify profane swearing, but rather a misstatement of character. For instance, Jesus was accused of ‘blasphemy’ because he said he was the Son of God (John 10:33). These zealous sectarians become so angry against present unfoldings of Truth, which prove the love and mercy of God as well as His justice, that they go to the very extreme of opposition and grossly misstate God’s character, and often wrest His Word from its true import to sustain their theories.

“This, which is a plague to others, is a wondrous boon to those who are out of Babylon and humbly enjoying the leading of God’s spirit from the one fountain direct — the Word of God. This increase of Gospel light, and consequent increased light thrown upon the Law shadows — showing the true teachings of the tabernacle and its services and sacrifices — are pointedly foretold in symbol by the Prophet (Isaiah 30:26), who says: ‘The light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day that the Lord bindeth up the breach of His people, and healeth the stroke of their wound.’ It is the same day (period) in which He assembles the outcasts, and makes up His jewels.”

Fifth Vial Poured on Seat of Beast

“And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, and blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds” (Revelation 16:10, 11).

It seems quite evident that this fifth judgment plague finds its fulfillment in Papacy. This is seen in the fact that it is represented as being poured out on the “throne of the beast.” There is a very general agreement amongst expositors on this point. Mr. Russell states: “This pictures to us trouble coming upon Papacy (the beast); not so much upon the masses of Romanists as upon those in authority, its rulers — the throne power — their clergy. Papacy’s walls are higher, its claims are stronger, and its claims to Divine authority and infallibility of longer standing than those of the Protestant system — her daughters; therefore she the longer escapes the increasing light of this ‘Day of the Lord,’ and hence the longer escapes the trouble consequent to her errors. But she shall not escape the trouble.”

With regard to the particular time to apply the vision there is a variation among expositors. A very general tendency on the part of those who lived just subsequent to the French Revolution is to apply it to occurrences in connection with that most remarkable event. For several reasons previously stated, this would seem to be too early a period. It would rather seem to represent events in Papacy’s career occurring subsequent to the time when it made its greatest, most blasphemous claim to throne power, against the Most High. It was at this very stage of her blasphemous claims that the Prophet Daniel seems to have reference when describing the judgment that took away Papacy’s temporal authority. “I beheld then,” Daniel says, “because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake” (Daniel 7:11). This voice was heard in 1870.

It should be kept in mind that Papacy had already experienced what may properly be termed preliminary judgments. The great Reformation Movement and the occurrences of the French Revolution, as also the revolutionary disturbances in Europe which succeeded the French Revolution, had terribly shaken Papacy’s power and influence. These we have found depicted in other visions. As we have noted, the seven plagues are stated to be the seven last plagues, in which is “completed the wrath of God.” Despite the disastrous effects that the Reformation and the French Revolution had upon Papacy, it did not reach the climax of its blasphemous claims until 1870.

This is the date of two very remarkable events, only two months apart. The first occurred July 18, and was that of the Papal decree of infallibility, which is considered quite generally to be the most blasphemous of all its claims against the “Most High.” The second occurred on September 20 of the same year, and was that of the loss of all temporal authority. Concerning these two events a noted writer has said: “Pius IX sent out his famous encyclical letter, summoning the Ecumenical Council for 1870. Six archbishop-princes, 49 cardinals, 11 patriarchs, 680 archbishops and bishops, 28 abbots, 29 generals of orders — 803 spiritual rulers representing the Church of Rome throughout the world — obeyed the summons to attend this Vatican Council, which solemnly decreed the dogma that the occupant of the Papal chair is, in all his decisions with regard to faith and morals, infallible. Arrangements had been made to reflect a glory around the person of the pope by means of mirrors at noon, when the decree was made [July 18, 1870]; but the sun shone not that day. A violent storm broke over Rome, the sky was darkened by tempest, and the voices of the council were lost in the rolling of the thunder! “On the very day following this culmination of Papal arrogance and self-exaltation was declared that terrible Franco-German war, in which the French Empire of Louis Napoleon — by the soldiers of which the Pope was maintained on his tottering throne — fell. The temporal sovereignty of the Papacy fell with it. No sooner had the French troops been withdrawn from Rome, and the French Empire collapsed, than the Italian government announced its intention of entering the Roman States, and did so. On September 20, 1870, Rome was declared the capital of the kingdom of Italy, and became the residence and seat of the government of Victor Emmanuel. The Times’ summary for that year says: ‘The most remarkable circumstance in the annexation of Rome and its territory to the kingdom of Italy is the languid indifference with which the transfer has been regarded by Catholic Christendom. A change which would once have convulsed the world has failed to distract attention from the more absorbing spectacle of the Franco-German war. Within the same year the Papacy has assumed the highest spiritual exaltation to which it could aspire, and lost the temporal sovereignty it had held for a thousand years.’ “The temporal dominion of Rome Papal has already been consumed. Not a nation in Europe remains under it, and men marvel that they ever did bow beneath it. The spiritual power of Papacy, its idolatrous religion, remains, and will remain to the end; but the secular power is a thing of the past.” — H. Grattan Guinness

This fifth-plague symbol seems to describe more especially Papacy’s reversal of these decrees, etc. We give a definition of the Papal claim to infallibility, and note at what time this blasphemous claim became centered in the Papal “throne”: “Infallibility in controversial theology means the immunity from error in all that regards faith and morals, which is claimed by the Roman Catholic Church [as represented in its head, the pope]… Infallibility, as put forward by the Roman Church, involves not alone an actual historical immunity from error, but also such a positive and abiding assistance of the spirit of God as will at all times both protect against the possibility of error, and guide and direct in the faithful teaching of all necessary truth. The infallibility claimed by the Roman Church is thus of two kinds, passive and active — the first (Matthew 16:18), in virtue of which the Church never can receive or embrace any erroneous doctrine, no matter by whom proposed; the second, in virtue of which she is charged with the function (Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:15; Ephesians 4:11–16) of permanently teaching to the world the essential truths of God, of actively resisting every access of error, and of authoritatively deciding every controversy by which the oneness of belief among the faithful may be endangered. Catholics regard this gift as a natural and necessary accompaniment of the authority in matters of faith with which they believe the Church to be invested…” — International Encyclopedia

Up to the year 1870, this infallibility was supposed to be centered in the decisions of the great general councils presided over by the pope; but at the general Ecumenical Council convened at Rome in 1870, it was decided that this power and authority was centered in the pope himself. Continuing:“Two very important and practical questions, however, arise regarding it… By the decree of the Vatican Council, 1870, this controversy has been decided; and it is now agreed that the doctrinal decrees of the pope teaching ex cathedra are to be accepted as possessing the same infallibility which attaches to the teaching of the Church.”

And they Bit their Tongues

Papacy’s kingdom being darkened by this plague seems to refer to a time when there would be a lack of unity and harmony among her leaders, as expressed by Mr. Russell: “It [the trouble] comes on the throne or ruling class, and their kingdom is filled with darkness—uncertainty—absence of former unity and harmony, and in their trouble the pain will be increased by tongue-biting.”

This symbol of biting the tongue is a very peculiar one and evidently has a deeper significance than that attached to it by most expositors. The general idea has been that this expression refers simply to the effects on Papacy because of the troubles that came to her on account of her loss of power and influence by Napoleon. We believe, however, that it refers to matters that have occurred since 1870, and will meet fulfillment in a deeper sense in the near future.

It is our thought that the symbolic expression of “biting their tongues,” etc., refers to Papacy’s being compelled to take back some of its former claims, thus proving these claims to be false. Already has this feature begun to have a fulfillment; indeed, it had begun its fulfillment in 1883. Thus explains the same writer: “The tongues of Papacy are its decrees and utterances, past and future. To bite, then, in pain, implies contradiction and denial of former utterances. Whether this signifies a contradiction and reversal of previous utterances of the Papal hierarchy, or whether it means controversy and differences between the living rulers of the Church, we may not decide; but it will probably include both of these difficulties, and in their attempt to justify their contradictory teachings, God’s character will be further dishonored, misrepresented, or blasphemed.”

Concerning this peculiar symbol, an illustration is cited of its fulfillment as having already taken place at the time he gave the forecast in 1883. We quote this illustration, especially calling attention to the fact that it has had a more complete fulfillment in the events since that time, thus confirming this application:“As an illustration of this symbol, ‘biting their tongues,’ we note Papacy’s present humiliating concessions and contradiction of her former teachings, in her present recognition of the Protestant governments of Europe, which Papacy not only did not create, but actually cursed, and encouraged her faithful to use every means to destroy. This biting is occasioned by the pain and humbled condition in which Papacy finds herself. She has lost all temporal power, and to maintain long her spiritual influence, feels that she must not antagonize the governments which she can no longer claim the right to control.”

As further showing the fulfillment of this symbolism, we quote from a secular journal of June 1, 1920, a very recent decision of the Pope, rescinding a former decree which forbade Catholic rulers to visit the King of Italy at Rome on account of the present Italian dynasty taking the dominion of Rome away from the Pope in 1870 and making the city its capital:“Pope Benedict has issued an encyclical letter announcing that while he maintains the claims of the Holy See to temporal power, he rescinds the order forbidding Catholic rulers to visit the king of Italy in Rome. It is understood that the first monarch to visit Rome under the new conditions will be King Alphonso of Spain. Continuing, the pontiff renews the protests made by his predecessors for the purpose of protecting the rights and dignities of the Holy See and asks that, once peace being re-established, the abnormal conditions affecting the head of the Church shall also be brought to an end, as, he says, they are prejudicial to the tranquillity of the peoples. “His Holiness urges the nations to join together fraternally to reduce, if not to eliminate, the military expenditures which are weighing heavily upon the finances of the various States. … The pontiff declares that the Church will not fail to cooperate with this association of peoples with an efficiency to which history bears witness.”

Of course, students of prophecy know well that the object of all this is to attain on Papacy’s part its former influence and control in human affairs. To appreciate in its fullest sense how humiliating it must be for Papacy to make these concessions, it will be necessary to keep in mind that the whole line of popes are, in the Scriptures, portrayed under the symbolism of one man, the Man of Sin; and also to have in mind the boastful, blasphemous claims made by this power in the past—although, on account of the bright shining of truth, its claims have not been of so public a nature until quite recently. The following are among the false claims that have been made:

• that it is the only true Church;

• that it is essential to salvation to be subject to the Roman pontiff;

• that it has both temporal and spiritual dominion over all kings and kingdoms;

• that it is infallible in its teachings and decrees;

• that it has the right to turn over heretics to the civil power to be punished.

Mr. Russell adds: “When we remember that it was the same Papal system which in its prosperity had ‘a mouth speaking great things’ (Daniel 7:8–25; Revelation 13:5), making boastful claims, it should not surprise us that God should ordain as part of its reward that it should eat its own words.”

It is well to keep in mind the fact that it is the spread of Bible Truth that has compelled Papacy to take back, to disannul, many of her former decrees. It is especially worthy of note that the Bible has been the means used to gradually consume the false doctrines of Papacy. This is the means particularly specified by St. Paul that was to do this, as his words show: “Whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth,” that is, by His Word.

“Holy Scripture is of course the form in which the word or spirit of the Lord’s mouth retains a sensible existence and influences human society. ‘The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.’

“Does not the extreme jealousy with which the Papacy has always endeavored to bury the Bible in an unknown tongue, or to undo its teachings by false interpretations, betray its inveterate antagonism to the power destined to ‘consume’ it? ‘There is an instinct of apprehension, a consciousness, which antecedent to experience, divines danger; it seems discernible in the alarm with which Romanism recoils from Holy Scripture.’

“The Creed of Pius IV—that creed, a belief in which is, according to Papal declaration, essential to salvation—expressly states that the Bible is not for the people: ‘Whosoever will be saved’ must renounce it. It is a forbidden book. Bible Societies are ‘Satanic contrivances.’ Bible burnings are most Catholic demonstrations. All this dread of Scripture, all this violent opposition to its circulation, is a plain proof that the Papacy recognizes in the Word of God its worst antagonist. Experience shows it is right.

“Wherever the Word of God has free course, the power of the Papacy is at an end. The Reformation sprang from a recovered Bible; and wherever, as in Scotland, the popular mind is imbued with Scripture, Romanism has no chance. It is the absence of Bible knowledge that enables the Papacy to retain its sway—in Spain and other European countries, in Mexico, in Brazil, and in parts of Ireland. …

“Pius IX, in his Encyclical Letter of 1850, speaks of Bible study as ‘poisonous reading,’ and urges all his venerable brethren with vigilance and solicitude to put a stop to it. A clergyman lost his wife in Rome and wished to put a text on her tombstone. The Pope refused permission, not only on the ground that it was unlawful to express a hope of immortality as to a ‘heretic,’ but because it was ‘contrary to law, to publish in the sight of the Roman people any portion of the Word of God’! …

“‘After the day of Christianity had dawned, she was able to cover Europe with darkness; and by the exclusion of the Bible, to perpetuate that darkness from age to age. The enormity of this wickedness cannot be known on earth. But she cannot conceal from herself that, despite her anathemas, her indices expurgatorii, her tyrannical edicts by which she still attempts to wall round her territory of darkness, the Bible is destined to overcome in the conflict. Hence her implacable hostility—hostility founded to a large extent on fear. To Popery, a single Bible is more dreadful than an army ten thousand strong. When she meets the Bible in her path, she is startled, and exclaims with terror, “I know thee who thou art! Art thou come to torment me before the time?”’

“For the last three hundred years, ever since the Reformation, the Papacy has been in process of consumption by the spirit of the Lord’s mouth. It will ere long [when the seventh plague is poured out] be ‘destroyed by the brightness of his coming.’”

Other Changes in the Attitude of Rome

As still further proving what seems to be the correctness of this interpretation and application of this very significant symbol, we call attention to a letter written by Pius X in which there are utterances that are in direct conflict with the decrees and anathemas of Pius IX against the Bible. The letter was written in 1905. Supplementing the letter we quote a comment on the same by the Christian Intelligencer in an article entitled “The Pope on the Bible”:

“It betokens a marked change in the attitude of the Church of Rome toward the Bible for the laity, when the Pope gives his blessing to an association engaged in sending it forth in the language of the people. The St. Jerome Association is engaged in this for Italy, and when requested to bestow his blessing on the new work and the spread of the Gospel, the Pope answered:

‘Gladly do I give my blessing, and that with both hands and with full heart, for I do not doubt that this work will produce the richest fruit and is already blessed by God. The more we read the Gospel the stronger our faith becomes. The Gospels are writings that are valuable for everybody and under all circumstances. I have lived among the common people and know what they want and what pleases them. Tell them the simplest Bible stories and you will have attentive listeners and effect blessed results.

‘Your purpose is to spread the Gospels. You are doing a noble work. Some people think [Pius IX, for one] that the peasants, with their plain, everyday way of thinking, would not profit by the reading of the Scriptures. This is incorrect. The average peasant is a shrewder thinker than we may suspect, and knows how to draw the correct lessons from the Scriptures, often even better than many of the preachers. But it is not only the common people and the lower classes who will profit by the reading of the Scriptures.

‘No matter how many prayer books and books of devotion there may be for the priest, none is better than the Gospels. This is an unsurpassed book of devotion, the true bread of life. I grant an especial apostolic blessing on all those who preach the Gospel, who hear and read it, whether on a Sunday or a week day. I bestow my blessing on all members of the St. Jerome Society and all who cooperate in the sacred work of spreading the Gospel.’ ”

This certainly is a contradiction and reversal of previous utterances of the Papal hierarchy, and it produced at the time controversies and differences between the living rulers of the Church. As further illustrating this pope’s attempts at reform—which the reader will note is a direct reversal of the decrees and anathemas of Pius IX, and which thus establishes more fully the foregoing interpretation of this feature of the vision—we quote from an article by The Bulwark:

“‘Back to the Gospels!’ comes the cry from the Vatican, sounding the knell of Catholicism. After centuries of crafty misrepresentation of the Scriptural teachings, the Church of Rome has been forced to acknowledge the error of its ways, and at last a man has been found honest enough and of sufficient boldness of heart to say, ‘We have sinned; let us return to the truth.’ A reformer in the Vatican! It is a difficult role to play. Will Pius X be able to carry it through effectively?

“Five centuries ago John Huss made the first attempt, in Germany, to bring about a reformation in the Catholic Church, but the time was not yet, and the priests were too strong for him. Despite the fact that he carried a safe-conduct, under the seal and hand of the German Emperor himself, for his journey to Constance, he was seized, condemned as a heretic, and burned at the stake. A century later saw the rise of three mighty champions for Truth—Luther, Calvin, and Zwingli—who successfully drew from the otherwise rotten body of the Almighty Church of the Middle Ages the only healthy elements therein, wherewith to build up the real Church of Christ. The rich priests and tyrannical nobles, however, assisted by the cunning and unscrupulous Jesuits, tightened their hold upon the ignorant masses and wrapped the cloak of ignorance more closely around them. These brought a rich income to their worthy masters, who repaid them with adulterations of Christ’s teachings suited to their vile purposes. The truths of the Gospels became hidden or utterly unrecognizable under the accumulated dogmas of centuries of Popery.

“From the many official booklets which have been published of late [1905], and which have been directly inspired by the present Pope [Pius X], it is easy to see that he, along with many of his high-placed followers, has come to the conclusion that some measure of reformation has become an urgent necessity within the Roman Catholic Church, otherwise the mighty edifice may totter to a fall.”

This article goes on to enumerate some of the reforms at which Pius X aims, and which are indeed interesting. We shall be confined, however, to a general statement as showing the way these proposed reforms were received by some of the noted officials and official organizations of the Papacy:

“Reform literature has been particularly in evidence throughout Italy of late [1905], and the publication of pamphlets goes on continually. Bishop Bonnemelli of Cremona, for instance, has published a pastoral letter in book form, and with the full permission of the Pope, which may be taken as a typical example. Referring to the worship of the Virgin Mary, he says: ‘It shocks Christian feeling and common sense to see the Virgin Mary and many saints placed upon the same level as our Lord Jesus Christ.’ The Bishop then goes on to criticize the superstitious worship of St. Antonius of Padua and the financial exploitation connected therewith. ‘Not only are there people who believe in him,’ he says, ‘but there are those who turn him to good business account, and also others who afford permission for the conduct of such transactions.’ ”

Continuing, the article shows that, doubtless through the advice of influential leaders in the Romish Church, these commendable efforts of the Pope were checked; and the fact that we hear nothing about these reforms continuing in the Papal dominions is evidence that they have failed. Quoting further:

“Since the above article was written, a Rome correspondent informs us that Pius X has appointed a committee consisting of several Cardinals and Doctors of Catholic Divinity to consider and decide upon the measures of reform to be adopted. The Intransigents and Jesuits, continues the correspondent, are highly indignant at the lines of policy taken up by the Pope, as they can see only too well that should the meditated reforms be carried out, the knell of the priesthood’s power is sounded, and their hitherto uncurbed license at an end. These latter views find strong confirmation in the fact that outside of Italy the Catholic priests are careful not to breathe a word of the movements, pregnant with meaning, which are going on in Papal circles, since they fear, and with good cause, that as soon as the Vatican announces that the dogmas hitherto propagated by them as Gospel truths are entirely wrong and merely the results of former abuses on the part of the clergy, people will immediately come to the conclusion that where so much is false it is useless to look for aught that savors of the truth, and will, in their disgust at the manner in which they have been misled, turn their thoughts toward the true faith and so swell the ranks of the Protestant believers.”

While this reform movement has evidently ceased, we have illustrated in the above quotation one of the ways in which the Roman Catholic laity over the world may become enlightened—that is, through defections in its own priesthood; for it is plain that the Scriptures teach that it will be by such an enlightenment concerning Papacy’s false claims that the system will finally be destroyed. The expectation on the part of the writer of the above article, however, that there will be a flocking to Protestantism at the time of this exposure, is without any Scriptural warrant. Protestantism, to a very large extent, has discarded the Scriptures as a divinely inspired writing.

Mr. Barnes, commenting upon this fifth plague, applies it as follows:

“Here, however, there was a direct blow aimed at that power, yet not such as to secure its final overthrow, for that is reserved to the pouring out of the last vial, verses 17–21. All that is represented here is a heavy judgment which was merely preliminary to that final overthrow, but which affected the very seat of the beast. The phrase, ‘the seat of the beast,’ means the seat or throne which the representative of that power occupied—the central point of the anti-Christian dominion. I understand this as referring to the very seat of the Papal power—Rome—the Vatican.”

Commenting on the expression, “And his kingdom was full of darkness,” Mr. Barnes gives as the meaning of this: “confusion; disorder; distress; for darkness is often the emblem of calamity (Jeremiah 13:16; Isaiah 59:9–10; Ezekiel 30:18; 32:7–8; 34:12; Joel 2:2).”

In concluding our examination of the fifth plague vision it will be to the point, as bearing on the fact of its having had only a partial fulfillment up to the present time, to keep in mind the suggestion “that the full results of this evil or plague will not be felt for many years; it has its beginning only, now. It is well also to remember that one plague or evil goes on increasingly, after a second and third, etc., are added, until in the end the entire seven forms of evil will be operating simultaneously.”

It will thus be seen that when the seventh plague is meeting its fulfillment, each of the others will also be operating, and together will work to the accomplishment of the Divine purpose—the overthrow of every form of evil and wrong, producing genuine repentance and reformation on the part of those who live through that judgment period.