Chapter XI: Front Matter (11)

Unto the Image of the beast.—“The vitality of the Image is to come from the two‐horned Beast; the Church of England. A few years ago the Episcopal Church took an important step toward vitalizing the Church Federation movement. That important step was the recognition of the ministers of the denominations represented in the Evangelical Alliance. Previously no minister not ordained by the laying on of hands of a Catholic or an Episcopalian bishop was allowed to preach from an Episcopalian pulpit. Perhaps this recognition of the Image is all the vitalization the Image needs, but we are inclined to expect more. For years the Episcopalians have proffered reordination to the ministers of the different denominations represented in the Evangelical Alliance. And they still proffer it. We have been inclined to expect that the ministers would finally concede the point and accept a reordination at the hands of an Episcopal bishop. But we are not sure of this. It is possible that, to meet the requirements of the case, some other way will be found by which the Episcopal Church will recognize the Church Federation without obligating the ministers to be reordained. We are waiting for this.” (Z. ’13‐343.) “If the various ministers of other denominations in considerable numbers accept reordination as ministers at the hands of Episcopalian Bishops, the validity of other ordination will be speedily questioned. The authority of this so‐called ‘Apostolic Ordination’ will give seeming right of authority, dignity and power. After the prominent ministers of various denominations submit themselves to such reordination, the ‘lesser lights’ will make a rush for it.”—Z. ’10‐308.

Canon Henson, of Westminster Abbey, has said: “The logical goal of modern tendencies is not toward Disestablishment, but toward a fuller and worthier Establishment. Why should not the nation draw into its service all the organized Christianity instead of limiting itself to a single denomination? I rejoice to observe a beginning made in this direction by recent legislation, which has recognized for certain civic purposes the status of Nonconformist clergymen.” (Z. ’06‐6.) The change of name of the “Image of the Beast” to that of “False Prophet” in Rev. 16:13, between the _sixth_ and _seventh_ plagues, indicates it was vitalized prior to the publication of Vol. VII (the 7th plague). Truly it now _lives_—in the minds of the clergy—but it will grow stronger.

The matter is growing in the minds of those interested, as the following dispatches show: “Washington, Dec. 31, 1916.—In a signed document addressed to the nation, more than fifty prelates and laymen of various denominations representing many sections of the country have united in a warning against what they declare may be a premature peace in Europe which ‘may bring a curse instead of a blessing.’ ” “Last winter commissions of all American Protestant churches met at Garden City, L. I., for the first time, and adopted a general platform on which it recommended that the World Conference on Faith and Order proceed. Pope Benedict XV. sent a letter to the commissions, assuring them of his ‘deep interest and prayers.’ ”—_Literary Digest_, January 13, 1917.

That the image of the beast should both speak.—Thus far he has been significantly “silent” as far as claiming any real power or authority is concerned; but the time for the breaking of the silence is near.—Jer. 8:14‐17; Rev. 8:1.

And cause that as many as would not worship the Image of the beast.—“Worship of this symbolic beast and his image is to be the great test or trial upon professing Christians in every province of symbolic Babylon in the end of this Age. And we have the same inspired record as authority for the statement that only those who refuse to render worship to those powerfully influential religious systems (symbolized by the beast and his image) will be counted by the Lord as ‘overcomers’ and be made His joint‐heirs as members of His elect Church. (Rev. 20:4.) And there are some the world over who, with a courage not less than that of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed‐nego, declare publicly that the Lord God alone shall have the worship and the service which they can render. The faithful few will be exposed to fiery experiences—boycotted socially, boycotted in business, slandered in every conceivable manner, and often by those of whom they least expect it, who, according to the Lord’s declaration, will say ‘all manner of evil against them falsely.’ (Matt. 5:11,12.)”—Z. ’99‐170.

Should be killed.—“Soon we shall have their ‘Union’ or ‘Confederacy’ (Isa. 8:12), and the bitter fruits of Union in error will speedily manifest themselves in tyranny, as during the Dark Ages.” (Z. ’04‐212.) “To us the Scriptures indicate that the prosperity of the Federated Protestant ‘Image’ will for a little time be so great, so pronounced, and its arrogance become so great that the sympathy of the masses will be entirely alienated and turned into bitterness.” (Z. ’10‐309). It may be objected that the Church would have no part in the killing of their fellow worshippers, but ecclesiastics themselves have a better understanding of the ecclesiastical mind and ecclesiastical conscience. The following is from the pen of Rt. Rev. Chas. D. Williams, Protestant Episcopal Bishop of Michigan:

“It is an appalling thought that the Church should have had a part in the crime of Calvary, and yet it did, and that the chief part. The ecclesiastical mind is a closed mind—and there is nothing it resents so much as being pried open to receive a new idea. Its settled rule of judgment, its accepted test of truth, is, ‘What is new is never true, and what is true is never new.’ The other characteristic of a perverted religion is the ecclesiastical conscience. It is strikingly illustrated by one Good Friday scene. A procession is sweeping through the streets of Jerusalem, bound for the Governor’s Palace. Who compose this procession? They are the religious leaders of the people the prominent divines, the chief ecclesiastics. What is the business they have in mind? They are intent on committing the greatest crime in history. But at Pilate’s threshold they stop. Why? Ah, they have stumbled across a canon of the Church. If they should enter a heathen house that Passover morning, they would become ceremonially defiled and unfit to partake of the sacrament.” (Z. ’15‐339.) “In 1526 Prof. Tyndale, having prepared his MS., published it in Germany, because of the opposition of the English clergy. He imported his New Testaments into London, in whose shops the people began to purchase them. At this same time the Germans were learning something of the New Testament and its different teachings, from Luther and his associates. The Church of England bishops forthwith bought up the entire edition in the shops, and publicly burnt them in front of St Paul’s Cathedral, London. They knew that the eighteen Ecumenical Councils had declared to be true Christian faith many things not taught in the Bible, and had omitted many things that are taught therein. They feared that the people, becoming Bible students, would know of these things, and thus would be upset the general belief based in the creeds—and not in the Bible. Then, too, they warned the people against putting any construction upon the Bible that would make it different from the teaching of the so‐ called ‘Apostolic Bishops’ in the creeds—threatening them with eternal torment. As it was, Tyndale and some of the others interested in the Bible suffered martyrdom, as enemies of the ‘Apostolic Bishops,’ and their creeds and institutions.”—Z. ’15‐253. Are the clergy divinely ordained?

13:16. And he causeth all, both small and great.—“The great feast which preceded the fall of Babylon would seem to correspond well with the great denominational union expected soon, and the season of rejoicing which will accompany it. The gold and silver vessels of the Lord’s house which were profaned may fitly represent not only the precious truths of Divine Revelation, but also the Lord’s consecrated people—the golden vessels representing the Little Flock, and the more numerous silver vessels representing the ‘Great Company.’ What may be the character of the defilement and injury of these is of course problematical; but in any case we remember that those consecrated vessels were all highly honored, and restored to the Temple by Cyrus, and likewise we know that not only the truths of Divine Revelation will all be cared for by our Lord, but also that all that are His shall be glorified in the spiritual Temple which He will rear shortly.”—Z. ’99‐175.

[Rich and] Poor AND RICH.—“So popular will Federated Churchianity become that to even criticize it will be a ‘crime’ worthy of crucifixion in some form—socially and financially, if not physically. Politicians will quickly realize that their bread is buttered on that side, and be ready to enact legislation of any kind desired by the Federation. Mammon‐worship will take on new forms temporarily, but power will soon debauch the unregenerate mass and drive out the regenerate faithful who may temporarily be misled by the great ‘Union’ movement in the name of Christ, but without His Spirit or authority.”—Z. ’06‐6.

Free and bond.—“It is altogether possible, indeed probable we think, that John’s course which brought him into conflict with Herod was in some degree typical of the course of the Gospel Church in this present time; and of the course of events that may be expected. If it be a type, Herod would represent civil government, and the unlawful wife would represent the nominal church, which throughout the symbolic Scriptures is represented as a woman, Jezebel, etc. Should it prove to be a type by its fulfilment in antitype, the fulfilment will probably be on something like the following lines: (1) A partial reunion of Church and State. [This has now been accomplished by the Alliance of the United States with Great Britain.] (2) In such case it would become the duty of the true Church, the forerunners and announcers of the Messianic Kingdom, to reprove the civil powers as well as the nominal church systems, and to declare their union unlawful—contrary to the Word of God. (3) The effect of this would pretty surely be to awaken the animosity of both civil and religious powers; but it would draw out specially the animosity and venom of the latter. (4) The church nominal, in her false position would be anxious to stifle the reproofs and to destroy the reprovers, and the effect would be that the civil power would be induced to pass such legislation as would restrain the liberty of the faithful ones and hinder them from public utterances;—as John was hindered by imprisonment. (5) Herodias’ daughter (united Protestantism) will become the tool for the destruction of the most loyal servants of God.”—Z. ’98‐95.

To [receive] GIVE HIM a mark in their right hand or in their [foreheads] FOREHEAD.—By contrast with Ex. 13:9; 28:26‐38; Deut. 6:8; Z. ’07‐265; Rev. 7:3; 14:1; Ezek. 9:4‐6. “Consecration to the service of the beast is what is signified here.” (Cook.) (Lev. 19:28.) “All classes of Christians must bow; all must, in some way, give evidence of their support of the Image and consecration to its interests and laws; either a public, open profession of being members of the Alliance, and hence supporters (mark in forehead), or at least a giving of some assistance and influence to the principles of Image organisation—(the right‐hand support).” (Z. ’80‐1‐2.) This implies a re‐establishment of the inquisition _soon_—in some form of house‐to‐house “investigation” or public enrollment.

13:17. [And] That no man might buy or sell.—“The ‘buying and selling,’ like the other features, is symbolic, and refers to dealing in spiritual things. [But it may be literally fulfilled as well in the year of prospective famine now at hand.] None may be recognized as having any right to teach or preach or baptize or administer the emblems of our Lord’s death, except those licensed by some orthodox member of the Image, and acts of such persons (‘unlicensed’) are not counted valid.”—Z. ’80‐1‐2.

Save he that had the mark [or the name] of the beast.—Protestants affiliated with the Federal Council of Churches—already “marked,” stamped O. K. by the papacy.

Or his name.—Roman Catholics.

Or the number of his name.—Consent to the principle of clergy rule in matters of faith, order and war (murder.)—Rev. 15:2.

13:18. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath [understanding] AN EAR count the number of the beast.—“Here is scope for ingenuity. Let people of shrewd intelligence calculate the number of the Wild Beast; for it indicates a certain man, and his number is 666.”—Weym.

For it is the number of a man.—The Man of Sin, the Papacy.—Rev. 19:20; 2 Thes. 2:3.

[And his number is] Six hundred threescore and six.—In the Greek this number is six hundred (represented by the Greek letter χ), plus sixty (represented by the Greek letter ξ), plus six (represented by the Greek letter ζ). It is not as though it read six plus six plus six.

“The following extract on this point is from a work entitled The Reformation, bearing the date of 1832:

“ ‘Mrs. A.,’ said Miss Emmons, ‘I saw a very curious fact the other day; I have dwelt upon it much, and will mention it. A person, lately, was witnessing a ceremony of the Romish Church. As the pope passed him in the procession, splendidly dressed in his pontifical robes, the gentleman’s eye rested on these full, blazing letters in front of his mitre (tiara—crown): VICARIVS FILII DEI, the Vicar of the Son of God. His thoughts, with the rapidity of lightning, reverted to Rev. 13:18.’ ‘Will you turn to it?’ said Mrs. A. Alice opened the New Testament, and read: ‘Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.’ She paused, and Miss Emmons said, ‘He took out his pencil, and marking the numerical letters of the inscription on his tablet, it stood 666.’ ” (Smith.) This explanation was approved by Pastor Russell, and was given by him at a Convention Question Meeting.

V 5 I 1 C 100 A 0 R 0 I 1 V 5 S 0 —— F 0 I 1 L 50 I 1 I 1 —— D 500 E 0 I 1 —— —— Total 666

On the pope’s crown in the Vatican museum is the recognized and most used title of the pope, VICARIVS FILII DEI (Vicar of the Son of God.) The word VICARIVS is on the top of the threefold crown. The word FILII is on the second circlet; and the words are made from dark, shining precious jewels. The word DEI is on the under part of the threefold crown and is made of 100 diamonds. “The Tiara is a bee‐hive shaped, somewhat bulging head‐ covering, ornamented with three crowns. It is first mentioned by Pope Constantine, in A. D. 715. It first appears on papal coins in the reign of Sergius III., A. D. 911. At this period it was merely a cap of white stuff. The papal coins of the 11th century leave it doubtful whether the ornamental band at the lower edge of the tiara is intended to represent a crown or merely a decoration. It is only in representations dating from the late 13th century that the circlet appears as a regular spiked crown. The second circlet was added by Pope Boniface VIII., A. D. 1303. The third was added under Clement V., A. D. 1311.” (Brit.) The reason for the addition of any of these crowns is unknown, or why the pope should have any crown at all. The words VICARIVS FILII DEI are, it is said, also carved over the entrance to the Vatican.

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Gideon’s Band.

“Count Me the swords that have come.”
“Lord, thousands on thousands are ready.”
“Lo! these are too many, and with them are some
Whose hearts and whose hands are not steady.
He whose soul does not burn,
Let him take up his tent and return.

“Count Me the swords that remain.”
“Lord, hundreds on hundreds are daring.”
“These yet are too many for Me to attain
To the victory I am preparing.
Lead them down to the brink
Of the waters of Marah to drink.”

“Lord those who remain are but few,
And the hosts of the foe are appalling,
And what can a handful such as we do?”
“When ye hear from beyond, My Voice calling,
Sound the trump! Hold the light!
Great Midian will melt in your sight!”

Revelation 14—The Five Harvest Messages

14:1. And I looked, and, [lo, a] BEHOLD THE Lamb.—See Rev. 5:6; 13:8; John 1:29, 36; Acts 8:32; 1 Pet. 1:19.

Stood on the Mount Sion.—The Return of the Lord is here pictured as accomplished the sleeping saints raised, and the full number called. This was all fulfilled in 1878. (Rev. 11:17.) At that time our Lord took unto Himself His great power and began His Reign.

And with Him an hundred forty and four thousand.—See Rev. 7:4.

Having His [Father’s] name AND THE NAME OF HIS FATHER.—How beautiful and how true that we have _both_ the Father and the Son in our minds, while trinitarians must necessarily have more or less, and are proportionately confused.

Written in their foreheads.—Isa. 44:5; Rev. 7:3; Ex. 13:9; 28:26‐38; Deut. 6:8; Z. ’07‐265; Ezek. 9:2‐6.

14:2. And I heard a voice.—The message of Present Truth from the lips of the Lord’s saints on this side of the veil. They are on Mount Zion in the spirit of their minds.

From heaven.—“We are seated with Him in Heavenly places.”—Rev. 13:6.

As the voice of many waters.—A great outpouring of Truth, in many tongues.—Rev. 1:16; 19:6.

And as the voice of [a great] thunder.—Seven thunders, the seven volumes of _Scripture Studies_.—Rev. 8:5; 10:3, 4.

And [I heard] the voice WHICH I HEARD WAS AS THAT of harpers harping with their Harps.—“The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments constitute what the Lord Himself designates ‘the Harp of God.’ (Rev. 15:2.) And the various testimonies of the Law and the Prophets are the several chords of that Harp, which, when tuned by the Holy Spirit dwelling in our hearts, and swept by the fingers of the devoted servants and searchers after Divine Truth, yields the most enchanting strains that ever fell on mortal ears.”—F. 233; Rev. 5:8.

14:3. And they [sang as it were] SING a new song.—The Lord particularly promised that in this Harvest time, out of His Storehouse would come things _new_. (Matt. 13:52; 24:45.) “In symbol He pointed out to us the fact that the Message of His grace in the closing days of this Gospel Age would be so different from the commonly accepted message, misnamed the Gospel, that it would properly be termed a new song.”—Z. ’00‐37; Rev. 5:9; 15:3.

AND IT WAS before the Throne.—While still on earth. Compare Rev. 4:5 and 5:6.

And before the four beasts.—Every declaration of Present Truth has for its object the presentation of one or more of the Divine attributes—Justice, Power, Love and Wisdom. All that we do in the service of the Truth is done in their sight.—Rev. 4:7‐10.

And BEFORE the elders.—The prophecies. In all that we do we are pointing to the prophecies and fulfilling them. How often it was said of our Lord Jesus, that He said or did this or that “That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the mouth of” one of the Prophets.

And no man could learn that song but the 144,000.—“Nothing is more manifest than that it is necessary to be somewhat of an ‘overcomer’ of the world and its spirit which pervades nominal Christendom, ere any would have the courage to sing this song—to declare before men the lengths, breadths, heights and depths of the goodness and grace of the Divine Plan, of which Jesus and His Sacrifice are the center. To all others ‘the fear of man bringeth a snare,’ and stoppeth their mouths from speaking ‘forth the praise of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.’ ‘But the people that do know their God [His Character and Plan] shall be valiant and do exploits,’ and like the Apostles of old will feel and say. ‘Whether it be right to obey God or men, judge ye; but we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard,’—Dan. 11:32; Acts 4:19, 20.”—Z. ’00‐37.

Which were redeemed from the earth.—_Agorazo_, acquired at the forum.—E. _443_, 429.

14:4. These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins.—“All Bible exponents of the Protestant kind recognize there are two Women especially mentioned in Revelation; the one the true Woman, the Bride class, the other the false Woman; and Protestants in general understand that false Woman to represent the papacy. Then again other Protestants understand that the Scriptures which refer to the mother and daughters refer to the papacy, and these denominational daughters, or systems, which sprang from her, and have more or less of her nature, disposition and characteristics. The Bible proposition is that the Church is a Virgin Church; viz.: not united to the world at all, and that this is the error that was made by the early Church in leaving Christ as the prospective Bridegroom and becoming united with the nation of Rome. This constituted an illicit union; for as the Bride of Christ she had no right whatever to be associated with any earthly dominion; therefore in becoming associated with the Roman Emperor she lost her standing. We are to remember that this word ‘harlotry’ as used in Revelation is merely a symbolical term; there is nothing more than that to be understood. God speaks of some of His children as being in Babylon. Babylon is the name for the mother, the papal system, and the daughters also have the same name. It means confusion, mixture and improper relationship. Now then some are in Babylon and not of Babylon, just the same as the children of Israel were carried captive into Babylon, but they were not Babylonians. And in due time God sent forth the Message to all Natural Israel that if those who had been carried in captivity into Babylon desired to return to the Lord their God, and to the Land of Promise, they might do so. Cyrus gave that decree, you remember, and many of them did return.

“No one is called out of Babylon until he hears the Lord’s voice. So you and I may have been in Babylon for years and not have had any responsibility or any impurity; we were not defiled, because we did not know any better. But He says, ‘Come out of her, My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins.’ That implies that you are not yet partakers of her sins; you are My people, in her, but not yet partakers. I was not responsible for what was in my head from childhood; and God did not hold me responsible; nor you, nor anyone else; but after we come to see the great errors which are taught by Babylon’s system then we are responsible. We have said things about our Heavenly Father that we would be ashamed to say about ourselves or of our earthly parents.

“We have said He created our world of mankind and knew what He was doing, had full power and full wisdom, and intended from the beginning to damn nine hundred and ninety‐nine out of every thousand, and to have them roast through all eternity; and that He made fireproof devils to handle them; that He created a great place called hell in which all of this diabolical work was going on. No honorable man would treat a poor rat that way—predestinate the rat before it was born, foreordain it to eternal torture. And now then after we once see that this doctrine is blasphemy against God, after we once see that it was evidently instigated by our great Adversary, the Devil—after we once see what an awful thing it is—if then we wish to uphold earthly systems and give our lives, strength, talents and means, to upholding these diabolical teachings, then we are worse than any others there; we are the worst of them all. What right has any man to stay inside of a denomination and deny the teachings of that denomination? He is branding himself as a fraud, professing to believe what he knows he does not believe, claiming to teach what he knows he should not teach; or, on the other hand, teaching that which he knows is wrong, and professing that which he does not believe at all. The whole matter is wrong; such are defiled by the Women.

“But those who come out when they see the right and wrong on the question, who take their stand for right, they are delivering their souls from Babylon. ‘Flee out of Babylon, saith the Lord; deliver every man his soul.’ Now no one is responsible to flee out unless he sees that it is Babylon, but the very suggestion that it is Babylon to every honest person means that he should make an investigation, and a thorough one, to know whether or not he is in Babylon. If he says, ‘Well, God’s voice says “flee out of Babylon,” and I believe that the system is Babylon, but I do not wish to look into it for fear I find it true,’ that means he is dishonest with himself; he is defiling himself. There is only one way of being thoroughly honest, and that is to be honest.” (Pastor Russell.) “That the words can only be understood spiritually seems to follow from the whole tone of Apocalyptic symbolism:—see the mention of the Bridegroom and the Bride, of the Harlot and her fornications. Elsewhere we have the language of Ps. 45, of the Canticles, of the Book of Hosea, above all of 2 Cor. 11:2:—‘I have espoused you to one Husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.’ ”—Cook.

[These are they which] THOSE WHO follow The Lamb.—On this side of the veil.

Whithersoever He goeth.—Those who fail to “Walk in the light as He is in the light” find sooner or later that they “walk in darkness” for the light goes on and leaves them.—John 1:6, 7; Prov. 4:18.

These were redeemed from among men.—They are a separate class, “from among” men. “The thought is that of public purchase; and all the other uses of this word _agorazo_, throughout the New Testament, emphatically support a most commercial signification. We call especial attention to the signification of this word, because the tendency to deny that there was a purchase of our race effected by a _price_ given for man’s release from the ‘curse’ is prevalent and a growing one—very subversive of the true faith, once delivered to the saints.”—E. _443_, 430.

[Being the first‐fruits] FROM THE BEGINNING unto God and [to] IN the Lamb.—“Separated from the entire mass as the best absolutely.—Num. 18:12.” (Cook) Deut. 26:2; Jas. 1:18.

14:5. And in their mouth.—By contrast to the lies of the False Prophet.

Was found no [guile] FALSEHOOD.—They fully and thoroughly believe the doctrines they teach.—Psa. 15:1, 2.

For they are without fault [before the Throne of God].—“Faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding Joy.”—Jude 24; Eph. 5:27; Psa. 15:1‐5.

14:6. And I saw [another] AN angel.—_The Divine Plan of the Ages_, Volume I of the _Scripture Studies_.

Fly in the midst of heaven.—“From one end of heaven to the other” amongst Christian people of all denominations.—Matt. 24:31.

Having the everlasting Gospel.—The same Gospel preached by our Heavenly Father (Gal. 3:8), the Lord Jesus Christ (John 10:16), the holy Apostles (Acts 15:13‐18), the holy Prophets (Acts 3:19‐24) and the holy Angels (Luke 2:10, 13, 14); but entirely overlooked by the clergy.

To preach unto them that dwell on the earth.—To independent Christians.—Rev. 13:13, 14.

And [to] UNTO every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.—All mankind, living and dead.—1 Tim. 2:4‐7.

14:7. [Saying] with a loud voice.—By millions of copies circulated earth‐ wide.

Fear God, and give glory to Him.—Rather than to creeds, sects and clergy.

For the hour of His judgment is come.—The _MILLENNIAL DAWN_, the dawn of the thousand‐year Judgment Day of Christ, is at hand.—Rev. 15:4; 11:18.

And worship Him that made Heaven, and earth, and the sea.—God, our Heavenly Father, the Creator of all things.—Neh. 9:6; Psa. 33:6, 124:8; Acts 14:15; 17:24.

And the fountains of waters.—His Heaven‐sent Word.

14:8. And there followed another [angel] A SECOND.—Volume II of _Scripture Studies_.

Saying, [Babylon is fallen,] is fallen, [that] BABYLON, THE great [city].—Chapters 7 and 9 of Volume II are particularly devoted to this theme. “The name Babylon originally signified God’s gate‐way; but afterward, in derision, it came to mean _mixture_ or _confusion_. In the book of Revelation this name is applied specifically to the church nominal, which, from being the gate‐way to glory, became a gate‐way to error and confusion, a miserable mixture composed chiefly of tares, hypocrites,—a confused mass of worldly profession in which the Lord’s jewels are buried, and their true beauty and luster hidden.” (C. 153.) “The name Babylon was applied, not only to the capital city of the Babylonian empire, but also to the empire itself. Babylon, the capital, was the most magnificent, and probably the largest, city of the ancient world. It was built in the ‘form of a square on both sides of the Euphrates river; and, for protection against invaders, it was surrounded by a deep moat filled with water and inclosed within a vast system of double walls, from thirty‐two to eighty‐five feet thick, and from seventy‐ five to three hundred feet high. On the summit were low towers, said to have been two hundred and fifty in number, placed along the outer and inner edges of the wall, tower facing tower; and in these walls were a hundred brazen gates, twenty‐five on each side, corresponding to the number of streets which intersected each other at right angles. The city was adorned with splendid palaces and temples and the spoils of conquest.’ ” (D. 23; Jer. 51:8; Rev. 18:2.) “This use of the aorist—in the sense of the ‘prophetic preterite’—expresses the certainty of the fall: see chapters 10:7; 11:18; 18:2; and see on chapter 15:1. The language is taken from Isa. 21:9, the verb denoting the violent fall and overthrow of kingdoms—see Ezek. 30:6; and see on chapter 17:10. With the fall of Babylon, the capital of the ungodly world‐kingdom, the Old Testament connects the redemption of the people of God.—Isa. 13:19; 47:1; Jer. 51:1‐10.”—Cook.

Because [she made all nations drink of] ALL NATIONS HAVE FALLEN THROUGH the wine of the wrath of her fornication.—“The ruin of all the nations of earth is here attributed directly to the fact that ‘Babylon made all the peoples drunk with the wine [spirit, influence] of her fornication’—worldly affiliation.”—C. 164, 104; Jer. 51:7; Rev. 2:20; 17:2, 5; 18:3; 19:2.

14:9. And [the] ANOTHER, A third angel followed them.—Volume III of the _Scripture Studies_ followed I and II.

Saying with a loud voice.—Proclaiming clearly, in chapters 2, 4 and 6.

If any man worship the beast.—The Papacy.

And his image.—The Evangelical‐Alliance‐Spiritism combination.—Rev. 13:11, 13, 14, 15; 14:11; 15:2; 16:2, 13; 19:20; 20:10; Matt. 24:24.

And receive his mark In his forehead, or in his hand.—See Rev. 13:16, 17.

14:10. The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God.—The Message of Present Truth.

Which is poured out without mixture.—Different from Babylon’s _mixed_ wine.—Isa. 5:20‐22.

Into the cup of His indignation.—“The Lord our God hath put us to silence and given us water of gall to drink, because we have sinned against the Lord.”—Jer. 8:14; Isa. 51:17‐20; Jer. 25:26‐28; Rev. 18:6; 16:19; Psa. 60:3; 75:8.

And he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone.—Whoever worships, reverences, human institutions and doctrines more than the Word of the Lord has experienced the torment here specified. Doctrines of hell fire and brimstone have been his portion.—Rev. 9:17‐19.

In the presence of the holy angels.—The Harvest workers on this side of the veil.—Matt. 13:39.

And in the presence of the Lamb.—“In the days of the Son of Man;” after the Second Advent has taken place.

14:11. And the smoke of their torment.—“A noun, unlike a verb (or ‘time‐ word,’ as the Germans call it), does not indicate time. So ‘the smoke of their torment’ may mean that of pain endured once for all, and then at an end. There is nothing in this verse that necessarily implies an eternity of suffering. In a similar way the word ‘punishment’ or ‘correction’ in Matt. 25:46 gives in itself no indication of time. Cp. Gen. 19:28; Jude 7.” (Weym.)

“About _endless torment_:

“(a) The doctrine is found nowhere in the Old Testament, nor any hint of it. The expression, in the end of Isaiah, about the fire unquenched and the worms not dying, is plainly of the corpses of men upon the physical earth.

“(b) The doctrine of endless torment was, as a historical fact, brought back from Babylon by the Rabbis.

“(c) St Paul accepts nothing of it as far as we can tell, never making the least allusion to the doctrine.

“(d) The Apocalypse asserts that not only _death_, but _hell_ shall be cast into the Lake of Fire.

“(e) The Christian Church has never really held it exclusively till now.

“(f) Since the Reformation it has been an open question in the English Church.

“(g) The Church of England, by the deliberate expunging of the 42nd Article, which affirmed endless punishment, has declared it, authoritatively, to be open.

“(h) It is so, in fact. Neither I nor any others who have denied it can be dispossessed or proceeded against legally, in any way whatsoever.—Rev. Chas. Kingsley, May 9, 1857.”—Z. ’11‐363.

Ascendeth up for ever and ever.—“The remembrance of the destruction of these systems of deception and error will be lasting, the lesson will never be forgotten—as smoke, which continues to ascend after a destructive fire, is testimony that the fire has done its work.—See also Isa. 34:8‐10.”—H. 64; Rev. 19:3.

And they have no rest day or night.—A literal fulfillment of this is expected. (Rev. 7:3.) A few days of it will be enough to satisfy the most ardent lover of the torment system of religion. And it will be a just recompense of reward.

Who worship the beast and his Image.—“All will at once concede that if a literal worshipping of a beast and image were meant in verse 9, then few, if any, in civilized lands are liable to the penalty of verse 11; and if the beast and his image and worship and wine and cup are symbols, so also are the torments and smoke and fire and brimstone.”—H. 64; Rev. 14:9.

And whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.—Of fear, sympathy or worship.

14:12. Here is the patience of the saints.—Their crowning trial.

[Here are they] that keep the commandments of God.—The commandments of God during the Harvest time are to proclaim, “Gather My saints together unto Me;” “Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul: be not cut off in her iniquity.”—Psa. 50:5; Jer. 51:6.

And the faith of Jesus.—“He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” (1 John 3:16.) The Great Company class are our brethren and we ought to show as much interest in them as we do in the Little Flock. The gathering of the full number of the Very Elect would give us no reason to discontinue Harvest work.

14:13. And I heard a voice from Heaven.—The Heavenly Father’s Word.

Saying [unto me], Write.—The message found in chapter 9 of Volume III.

Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord.—“Each member of the Body of Christ must finish his sacrifice in actual death. They are reckoned of God as being already dead, and they are exhorted so also to reckon themselves: ‘Reckon ye yourselves dead indeed unto sin.’ No other dead men can be said to die but this class of dead ones, who must finish their course of sacrifice in actual death.”—C. 241; 1 Thes. 4:16.

From henceforth.—From the spring of 1878.

[Yea,] saith the Spirit.—The Word of God, in Rev. 6:11. “Nowhere in the Scriptures is death represented as in any sense a blessing, except in this one instance; and here it is particularly limited and made applicable to a certain specific time.”—C. 240.

That they may rest from their labors.—“Poor, bruised ‘feet,’ now despised of men, none but yourselves fully appreciate your privileges. None others can appreciate the joy you have in proclaiming Present Truth.” (C. 236.) “One by one the ‘feet’ class will pass from the present condition, in which, though often weary and wounded, they are always rejoicing, to the other side the veil;—‘changed’ in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, from mortality to immortality, from weakness to power, from dishonor to glory, from human to Heavenly conditions, from animal to spirit bodies.” (C. 237.) “Instead of the Kingdom waiting for the living members to finish their course, the Kingdom work began at once; and the living ones on this side the veil are privileged to know ‘the mysteries of the Kingdom’ and to engage in Kingdom work before their ‘change;’ and as they die (will not fall ‘asleep,’ but) will be ‘changed’ in the moment of death, resurrected as part of the blessed and holy First Resurrection.”—D. 622.

[And] FOR their works do follow them.—“Their _work_ will not cease with this change; for all those who will be counted worthy of that change to glory will be already enlisted in the service of the Kingdom on this side the veil: only the weariness, the labor feature, will cease with the change.” (C. 238.) “We may not be able to judge accurately as to what features of the great work are now being carried on by the Lord and His glorified saints beyond the veil; but we may be sure that they are active participants in the work assigned the members of the same Kingdom class, whose course and service are not yet ended on this side the veil—the Harvest work.”—D. 624; 1 Cor. 15:58.

14:14. [And I looked], and behold a white cloud.—See Rev. 10:1. As the cloud indicates the Time of Trouble, so the white indicates the pure motive back of it.

And upon the cloud [one sat] I SAW ONE SITTING like unto the Son of Man.—“To the Jewish House Jesus presented Himself in three characters—as Bridegroom (John 3:29), Reaper (John 4:35, 38) and King (Matt. 21:5, 9, 4). To the Christian House He presents Himself in the same characters. (2 Cor. 11:2; Rev. 14:14, 15; 17:14.)”—B. 238.

Having on His head a golden crown.—The Divine nature, Immortality, the highest form of life.—2 Tim. 4:8; Jas. 1:12; 1 Pet. 5:4.

And in His hand a sharp sickle.—“This Harvest, like the Jewish one, is to be first a time of trial and sifting upon the Church, and afterward a time of wrath upon the world, including the nominal Church. That which tried fleshly Israel in the Harvest of their Age was the truth then presented to them. The truth then due was the sickle, and it separated the ‘Israelites indeed’ from the nominal Jewish Church; and of the true wheat there was but a fragment compared to the professors. So also is the Harvest of this Age. The Harvest of the Gospel Age, like that of the Jewish Age, is under the supervision of the Chief Reaper, our Lord Jesus, who must then be present.”—A. 238.

14:15. And another angel.—The Witness to the Lord in the Land of Egypt. (Isa. 19:20.) See pages 309, 311, Vol. III, and observe that Chapter 10, Vol. III, _Scripture Studies_, is in reality a separate book.

Came out of [the] HIS temple, crying with a loud voice.—Throughout the 66 pages of his testimony.

To Him that sat on the cloud.—To our Present Lord.

Thrust in Thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come [for thee] to reap.—The Great Pyramid confirms the Bible’s teaching that the time of Harvest has come.

For the Harvest of the earth is ripe.—“The use of a sickle is to gather wheat, not to ripen it.”

14:16. And He that sat on the cloud.—The Lord Jesus, during His Parousia, overruling and withholding the Time of Trouble.

Thrust in His sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.—Reading verses 13‐16 connectedly, we note that the resurrection of the sleeping saints is recorded, and is immediately followed by the Harvest. This suggests that the Harvest proper began in 1878; and that the three and a half years prior to the spring of 1878 was devoted to preliminary work, but not to Harvest work in the full sense. It was not proper to say “Come out of her, My people,” until Babylon was cast off, in the Spring of 1878.—Rev. 3:14; Matt. 13:30; 24:31.

14:17. And another angel.—Pastor Russell himself, after the harvesting of the saints was finished. (Volumes IV, V, VI are not shown in this strictly Harvest chapter, as they are more used for the upbuilding of the saints than as Harvest instruments. They are, however, shown in Rev. 10:4; 15:8; 16:1‐18.)

Came out of the Temple which is in Heaven.—The Church in glory, on the other side of the veil.

He also having a sharp sickle.—The privilege of guiding the work of bringing forth out of the Divine Storehouse all the Master’s store of provisions, as needed, and of directing the execution upon the nominal church of the chastisements promised in the Holy Word. “Blessed is that servant, whom his Lord when He cometh shall find so doing. Of a truth I say unto you, that He will make him ruler over _all that He hath_.”—Luke 12:44; Psa. 49:5‐9; Isa. 21:1‐10.

14:18. And another angel.—The corporate body which Pastor Russell organized to finish his work. See Rev. 8:3‐5, which describes the same matter as here narrated.

Came out from the altar.—The place of sacrifice. The SOCIETY is maintained by the sacrifices of the saints.

Which had power over fire.—Authority over the publication and distribution of expositions of Ezekiel and John the Revelator, symbolical “coals of fire.”—Isa. 6:6; Ezek. 10:2.

And cried with a loud [cry] VOICE to Him that had the sharp sickle.—What a disappointed cry went up from the whole Church that dear Brother Russell went beyond the veil without writing the Seventh Volume of _Scripture Studies_, for which we all have looked so long!

Saying, Thrust In Thy sharp sickle.—Oh, that the Lord would wind up the present order of things, in whatever way He might elect!—Joel 3:9‐14, 13; Matt. 13:39‐43.

And gather the clusters of the vine of the earth.—In the Adventist cluster there are 6 bunches of smaller sects; in the Baptist 15; Brethren (Dunkard) 4; Plymouth Brethren 4; River Brethren 3; Catholic Apostolic 2; Churches of the Living God 3; Churches of the New Jerusalem 2; Disciples of Christ 2; Evangelical Bodies 2; Faith Associations 9; Friends 4; Latter‐Day Saints 2; Lutheran 21; Scandinavian Evangelical Bodies 3; Mennonite 13; Methodist 16; Moravian 2; Pentecostal bodies 2; Presbyterian 12; Protestant Episcopal 2; Reformed 4; United Brethren 2.

For her grapes are fully ripe.—All these sects have long ago taken their stand against the Truth and therefore against the Lord. O Lord, judge them with Thy Truth! Thou hast called them the “abominations of the earth” and so they are. Bring their man‐made clergy‐ridden systems to an end and make their memory to perish from the earth! Amen.—Isa. 65:17; Rev. 17:5; Jer. 6:9‐30.

14:19. And the angel thrust in his sickle [into] UPON the earth.—Distributed far and wide among order‐loving people the good news that nominal Zion’s travail is at hand, and the new and better order of things near.

And gathered the vine of the earth.—Brought together all the sects in virulent opposition to the Message of the Truth.

And cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.—“The fruitage of the True Vine is Love, and is precious to the Father; but the fruitage of the Vine of the Earth is selfishness in various forms, and will be ultimately gathered into the great winepress of the wrath of God in the great Time of Trouble with which this Age will close.” (F. 207; Rev. 19:15.) “While the taking of different names was wrong, it was an evidence of a deeper wrong—of a selfish, party spirit. It was an evidence that those Corinthians who took the party names had never appreciated the oneness of the Body of Christ; that they did not really appreciate that Christ is the only Head, Leader and Standard; and that His is the only name by which His followers should recognize themselves and each other.” (Z. ’08‐116.)

Many of the clergy are today followers of Darwin and Socrates instead of Moses and Christ And both Darwin and Socrates were mentally unsound. The following is from Dr. Dorland’s _The Age of Mental Virility_: “It is likewise exceptional to find an unusually short nose, such as that possessed by Darwin and Socrates, among men of intellect. Nasal abbreviation is one of the well‐known signs of degeneracy, as is also the sessile or otherwise misshapen ear, the sugar‐loaf skull, the close‐set eyes, and other physiognomic irregularities, including the cretinoid face. The latter, strange to relate, has been noted in certain men of remarkable genius, including Darwin and Carlyle, Rembrandt, Pope and Socrates. I wish to emphasize at this point the assertion that not every individual who chances to possess one of the above mentioned physical peculiarities is to be immediately stamped as a degenerate. It is only when there is a combination of two or more of these traits, especially if this combination has been noted as a family peculiarity, that the suspicion will be awakened; and this may then be confirmed and the condition established by close and careful investigation.” “Socrates,” writes Pedigo, “presented one of the most interesting studies in dual personality and subconscious conditions in all history in his memorable daemon, which he said guided him and inspired him with wisdom.” “Herbert Spencer was the victim of a fixed delusion.”

The clergy are the ones directly responsible for the war in Europe. It was not their province to convince the rulers of those countries that their kingdoms are parts of God’s Kingdom of peace, holiness, justice, love and truth—monstrous! They are an entirely unauthorized class—except by themselves; a self‐perpetuating fraud. They have brought upon their heads the blood of all the nations of the earth in this world war; and God will require it at their hands. In the spring of 1918, and from that time onward forever, it will be as unsafe to tell the lies that have filled Babylon’s exchequers as it will to be a king.—Zech. 13:2‐6. “Though controversy and words of passion and arguments will be and are among the weapons used in this battle, especially in the beginning of it, yet it will not end with these. Every prophetic detail indicates that before it ends it will be most sanguinary, a fierce and terrible storm.”—D. 529; Jer. 25:26‐38; Isa. 63:1‐6; Lam. 1:15.

14:20. And the winepress.—The Seventh Volume of _Scripture Studies_, the work that will squeeze the juice out of the “Abominations of the earth.” Cook’s _Revelation_, page 709, calls attention to the peculiar fact that this word is _both masculine and feminine_. This seemingly indicates the Lord’s recognition of the co‐operation of the _sisters_, particularly in the closing feature of the Harvest work. Priscilla was such a valuable helper that she was named before her husband in Acts 18:18.

Was trodden without the city.—“In symbolic prophecy a ‘city’ signifies a religious government backed by power and influence. Thus, for instance, the ‘holy city, the new Jerusalem,’ is the symbol used to represent the established Kingdom of God, the overcomers of the Gospel Church exalted and reigning in glory.” (D. 25.) “The treading of the winepress is the last feature of Harvest work. The reaping and gathering is all done first.” (D. 18.) Worldly editors have applied this verse to the great war now raging in Europe; but this expression makes it impossible to so apply it. If the war is the winepress and Christendom the city, it is not being trodden _without_ the city, but right in its midst. This suggests that the Revelator referred to another city; and with propriety; for this chapter is devoted to Harvest work only. What city more appropriate to refer to then than the Bethel, the Divinely appointed center for the Harvest work, the embryo Kingdom of God on earth? See Rev. 19:15.

And blood.—Teachings which though truthful will be death‐dealing and seem “bloody” to sectarianism. (“And blood came out of the winepress even unto the horse bridles” is a parenthetical clause. Without this parenthesis the verse reads: “And the winepress was trodden without the city by the distance of a thousand and two hundred furlongs.”)

Came out of the winepress.—The exposition of the prophecies of Ezekiel and the Revelator.

Even unto the horse bridles.—So deep as to strangle and drown the old false doctrinal hobbies so long ridden. Sectarianism will be the universal laughing‐stock. See Rev., chapters 8 and 9. “Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out My hand, and no man regarded; but ye have set at nought all My counsel, and would none of My reproof; I will mock when your fear cometh; when your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. Then shall they call upon Me, but I will not answer; they shall seek Me early, but they shall not find Me; for that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord. They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way.”—Prov. 1:24‐31.

By the space of a thousand and [six] TWO hundred furlongs.—This can not be interpreted to refer to the 2100 mile battle line of the world war. A furlong or stadium is not a mile and this is without the city whereas the battle line is within the city. See Rotherham’s translation.

A stadium is 606‐¾ English ft.; 1200 stadii are, mi., 137.9.

The work on this volume was done in Scranton, Pa. As fast as it was completed it was sent to the Bethel. Half of the work was done at an average distance of 5 blocks from the Lackawanna station, and the other half at a distance of 25 blocks. Blocks in Scranton are 10 to the mile. Hence the average distance to the station is 15 blocks, or, 1.5 mi.

The mileage from Scranton to Hoboken Terminal is shown in time tables as 143.8 and this is the mileage charged to passengers, but in 1911, at an expense of $12,000,000, the Lackawanna Railroad completed its famous cut‐ off, saving 11 miles of the distance. From the day the cut‐off was completed the trainmen have been allowed 11 miles less than the time table shows, or a net distance of 132.8 mi.

Hoboken Ferry to Barclay Street Ferry, New York, is 2.0 mi.

Barclay Street Ferry to Fulton Ferry, New York, is 4,800 feet or 0.9 mi.

Fulton Ferry, New York, to Fulton Ferry, Brooklyn, is 2,000 feet or 0.4 mi.

Fulton Ferry, Brooklyn, to Bethel, is 1,485 feet or 0.3 mi.

Shortest distance from place where the winepress was trodden by the Feet Members of the Lord, Whose guidance and help alone made this volume possible. (John 6:60, 61; Matt. 20:11.), mi., 137.9

Revelation 15—The Song Of The Saints

15:1. And I saw another sign.—_Seemion_, the same word used by our Lord when He said, “Then shall appear the _sign_ of the Son of Man.” The proofs of the Lord’s Second Advent are here referred to.

In heaven.—Among God’s professed people.

Great and marvelous.—Very different in tone and contents from other Bible “helps.”

Seven angels.—The seven volumes of _Studies in the Scriptures_.

Having the seven last plagues.—The seven volumes of _Studies in the Scriptures_ together constitute the third and last woe poured out upon papacy.—Rev. 16:1‐21; 22:18.

For in them is filled up the wrath of God.—Their united testimony is that the Times of the Gentiles have expired, the Reign of Christ has begun, all earthly potentates—Civil, Social, Ecclesiastical and Financial—must give way to the New Order of things, and will not give way peaceably, but must be ejected.

15:2. And I saw as it were a sea of glass.—The Time of Trouble made transparent. We can see why the Lord permits it, and see the Golden Age of glory, peace and Divine blessing that lies just beyond.

Mingled with fire.—The coming anarchy. “They are the waves of the Red Sea, which appears on fire as the Sun of righteousness arises upon them, on the margin of which the true Israelites sing the song of Moses and the saving Lamb. Standing on its shore are seen those who are delivered from the beasts’ sway as the Israelites were in their exodus from the land of Pharaoh. The song of Moses is sung by delivered Israel after the Egyptian plagues: here the hymn of praise is sung by the redeemed before the plagues are renewed and the Church gains its last victory over the antichristian world.”—Cook.