HE seer's vision of the seals was abruptly broken by the vision of chapter 7: 1-8, the supplementary prophecy belonging to the sixth seal, falling in time between verses 13 and 14 of chapter 6. "After these things I saw," begins a new vision. It does not imply that the things which he saw came in God's plan after the things already seen, but that the seeing comes after, altho sometimes, as in this vision, the new vision is really of subsequent occurrence.
The sixth seal shows the just wrath of God visited upon the world which for six thousand years had received from the hand of God life with all its blessings. It had repaid Him by strife, ingratitude, rebellion, and the perversion of every good gift. Now the time had come when the seed-sowing of centuries had become fully ripe, the harvest of the earth must be reaped.
But through the ages God has had His faithful witnesses to His life. His truth is the sufficiency of His all-saving grace. From the last generation, most trying of all, will come a loyal company, bowing only to His authority, represented by the sealed ones, twelve times twelve thousand. But that is not all. For the encouragement of His people must He show the reaping of the harvest of righteousness, the end of the struggle of the faithful witnesses, who through the long ages have nobly stood for God, His truth, and righteousness; and these form the encouraging topic of our lesson to-day.
The Answer of the Text
[The answers to the questions are from the American Revised Version. Omitting questions, and disregarding sometimes the capital at the beginning and the period at the close of an answer, the text may be read continuously. In notes and comments both versions are used without designation.]
1. After the sealing of the 144,000, what comprehensive vision was given John?
After these things I saw, and behold, a great multitude, which no man could number, out of every nation and of all tribes and peoples and tongues.
2. Where did they stand, and in what were they arrayed?
Standing before the throne and before the Lamb, arrayed in white robes, and palms in their hands.
3. What did they joyously acclaim?
And they cry with a great voice, saying, Salvation unto our God who sitteth on the throne, and unto the Lamb.
4. Who joined with them in holy worship?
And all the angels were standing round about the throne, and about the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell before the throne on their faces, and worshiped God.
5. What ascription of praise did they repeat?
Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God forever and ever. Amen.
6. What question was asked John, and what did he reply?
And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, These that are arrayed in the white robes, who are they, and whence came they? And I say unto him, My lord, thou knowest.
7. Who did the elder say they were?
And he said to me, These are they that come out of the great tribulation, and they washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
8. Where is their place in God's universe?
Therefore are they before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He that sitteth on the throne shall spread His tabernacle over them.
9. What experiences are past forever?
They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun strike upon them, nor any heat.
10. What marvelous change occurs in their career?
For the Lamb that is in the midst of the throne shall be their Shepherd, and shall guide them unto fountains of waters of life; and God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes.
Note and Comment
1. A great multitude.—The redeemed of God from all ages and generations, from all tongues and tribes, from all nations and governments. As God has witnessed to all, so from all will come witnesses for Him. His witnessing may be in sun and moon and stars, for they witness of His glory, and His glory is salvation to the heart that receives Him. Compare Ps. 19:1-6 with Rom. 10:18. "For the invisible things of Him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even His everlasting power and divinity; that they may be without excuse." Rom. 1:20. The thoughtful heart, reasoning from God's power and wisdom, manifested in the creation and controlling of suns and moons and stars, would also conclude that He is a being of infinite perfection in every attribute,—in love, justice, mercy. And so should we seek Him and find Him, for "He is not far from each one of us." Acts 17:27. The truth of God which condemns the repentant sinner is sufficient to save if received to save. "Who is wise, that he may understand these things? prudent, that he may know them? for the ways of Jehovah are right, and the just shall walk in them; but transgressors shall fall therein." Hosea 14:9. God can send an angel if He will, as He did to Cornelius the Roman centurion; or a dream, as He did to the heathen kings of Egypt and Babylon. Every soul will be without excuse in God's great day of judgment, for every soul will have had sufficient light to condemn, and the witnesses from every age will demonstrate that every soul has had sufficient light to be saved.
2. Before the throne.—God accepts them; they are acquitted before the Lamb. He prevailed, conquered, overcame for them. They have overcome in Him. White robes.—Washed and made clean in the blood of the Lamb. Rev. 1:5; 1 John 1:7. Palms.—Palm branches, a reminder of all the way in which God led them, and the blessings He bestowed. So the children of Israel came to the joyous Feast of Tabernacles with palm branches as a memorial season of the journeyings and deliverances in the wilderness. Even thus the redeemed host call to mind with rejoicings the goodness of God which led them through all the perils of the wilderness of this world.
3. Salvation.—Why not salvation? for they are saved; but they are not saved by armies or States, or by their own power or righteousness or wisdom, or by church or council or priest, but by divine power; and hence they sing, "Salvation unto our God," the infinitely great, infinitely kind and loving Father. Our God.—Who gave His Son to die, and to the Lamb who died. There is no room here for creature glory or for division of the Godhead in the salvation of the race. The whole redeemed7host with immortal, God-anointed vision ascribe the salvation to both the Father and the Son, to our God and the Lamb.
4. All the angels standing.—The swift messengers of God ready to do instant service. The elders.—Our Lord's redeemed human assistants in His priestly work, during all the centuries the pledge of salvation to all who believe. (See on Revelation 4.) The living creatures.—God's organized cherubim and seraphim—mighty forces who have been systematically engaged in conquering and swinging into God's purposes all the complex powers and antagonistic combinations of earth. Now they can rejoice.
5. Saying.—Note the sevenfold ascription. Compare with 5:12 in the ascription to the Lamb, when all these wonderful attributes are classed under "the power," and as Bengel says "should be read as one word." The Lamb had conquered, by dying, all the wolves of blackness, all the tigers of hell. He was worthy to receive the power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing. Now that the great multitude of all ages and generations and tribes and tongues had conquered, it is seen that the great, infinite, loving heart of God has been above and in and through it all, and again to Him the sevenfold ascription of praise rises and swells from all who have been engaged with Him in the salvation of souls, that ascription buttressed before and behind by the joyous Amen, the mighty affirmation of the truth of God.
AMEN.
Blessing
and Glory
and Wisdom
and Thanksgiving
and Honor
and Power
and Might
be unto our God forever and ever.
AMEN.
6. Of the elders.—One of those who had met and suffered the trials and tribulations as John had suffered and was suffering, asks John the question, that the fact might be more strongly impressed upon the seer. John did not attempt to tell; he might have recalled the mighty promises of God and the songs of chapter 5:9, 10, 13, but he preferred to hear the redeemed ones declare the mighty throng.
7. Out of the great tribulation.—We do not understand this great multitude as referring to those redeemed from some particular age, for they came out of every nation and of all tribes and peoples and tongues. The great tribulation would therefore include all tribulations of this old sin-cursed earth, the tribulation of the universe, costing the eternal sacrifice of the Son of God, and resulting in the fruitage of all the redeemed ones who have been cleansed in the blood of the Lamb; for we are assured that "all that would live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." 2 Tim. 3:12. And thus "through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God." Acts 14:22. And in the last conversation of our Saviour with His disciples, just before His prayer for their unity, He assures them, "In the world ye have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." John 16:33. The great tribulation of Rev. 7:14, we conclude, differs from what is called in a more general way "great tribulation" in Matt. 24:21. The latter denotes a period of special tribulation—the greatest of the ages—of "the great tribulation" which covers all earth's travail of sin and sorrow.
8. Before the throne.—Redeemed by the mightiest sacrifice that a universe could offer, conquering by divine grace the mightiest of foes, by all the suffrages of a purified creation they are brought the nearest the throne of Love, who redeemed them by the Sacrifice Infinite. This vision we may well apprehend is at the time when all God's children are gathered home, when Christ our Lord at His second coming presents them as glad trophies of eternal victory. They hold glad rejoicing before the throne of the universe; the living tabernacle of ten thousand times ten thousands of angels is spread over them. They are His and His forever. Persecuted and hunted by all the demon spirits and demons incarnate, they are now saved forevermore.
9. No more.—The redeemed have entered a home in which there will be no longing forever for the best of the time that is past, for in that very best there has truly been sadness, and in the happiest moments fear. This has all given way to "quietness and assurance forever." Isa. 32:17. The evil things are no more. Hunger and thirst, cold and nakedness, are forever past. The scorching heat of sun-baked deserts or the cruel cold of wintry storms and blasts is no more. Fever and famine, hunger and want, prison and slavery, persecution and tribulation, will never-more come upon the heart. It is God and home forever.
10. The Lamb . . . shall be their Shepherd.—He has been the unseen Shepherd through all the past; He has gathered them from amidst the cruel mountains and high hills, from the beetling crag and the broken, jagged rock, from the thorny thicket and deep slough. He has snatched them from the jaws of the beasts of prey; and in the pitiless storms of "the cloudy and dark day," He has gone to their rescue. He has taken them from the foodless, waterless desert, and has led them to green fields. He has bound up the broken limbs, strengthened the weak and the sick, quietly led the feeble, carried the young. Through all earth's weary way has He led and watched by their side. His presence saved them and "bare them and carried them all the days of old." Now at last He has brought them home. Henceforth all the way will be fountains of waters; all the way, tearless and joyous eyes; all the way, glad voices, praising the God who saved, the Lamb who died to redeem.
9. After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
10. And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.
11. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshiped God,
12. Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God forever and ever. Amen.
13. And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?
14. And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest, And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
15. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple: and He that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.
16. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.
17. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.
The Kingdom of Satan
By H. A. St. John
II. Second Phase of Satan's Kingdom
WE have now seen that the first phase of Satan's kingdom covers the period of human probation, a period of about six thousand years, a mixed state of good and evil; and that it will terminate when Jesus comes, divides the spoils of the long controversy with Satan, leaving Satan's portion all locked in the embrace of death. Jesus opens the prison-house of Satan, the grave, and delivers therefrom all His own subjects, and takes them to the place He has prepared for them. When the Saviour departs with His own, and by the seven last plagues the earth is left utterly emptied, and spoiled by the curse, all the cities thereof are broken down. There is no man. The whole earth is again broken and void. Darkness and discord will hold high revel.
Here, in this region of awful gloom, where there is nothing beautiful or good, Satan, with his myriad of fallen angels, will reign a thousand years. His human subjects, a mighty host like the sands of the sea, are all quiet, in the prison-house of death. Satan has the power of death (Heb. 2:14), but he can not give life. He has no key wherewith to open the graves of his subjects, even tho he might desire so to do. He has the power of death, for he brought sin and death into the world; so he and his millions of demons must be content to reign over desolation, darkness, and death for a thousand years.
Satan is the prince and power of darkness. For the perpetration of evil, he, together with all his subjects, chooses darkness rather than light. How fitting it is that Satan should be given one thousand years to reign in this world with no opposing element of loving loyalty to God. He has long tried to exterminate all good from the earth; hence when that second phase of his kingdom shall come, all good will be completely eliminated, and it would seem that he ought to be contented with the results of his conflict, a world left to his own sour will, for a thousand years. And what a never-to-be-forgotten lesson to all the universe of God, will be revealed by this second chapter of rebellion against God's government, this second period and phase of Satan's kingdom.
H. A. ST. JOHN.
The Valley of Humility
“The higher life is reached through the valley of humility. He who would rise high must first be prepared to step down very low.”
The Devil’s Line
“Toe the devil’s line, and you must march to his time.”
Qualities of Strong Character
"SYMPATHY, cheerfulness, repose, self-sacrifice—these qualities reveal strength of character, and prove the nobility of the soul of their possessor."
Gaining a Good Reputation
The way to gain a good reputation, is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear.—Socrates.
The Earthly and Heavenly Sanctuaries
By O. E. Jones
By O. E. Jones
And let them make Me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them. According to all that I show thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it. Ex. 25: 8, 9.
PROBABLY no other subject in all the Bible so beautifully sets forth the plan of salvation as that of the sanctuary. Moses was instructed to build a sanctuary after the pattern shown him in the mount. It was composed of two apartments, called holy and most holy, separated by a veil, or curtain. The furnishings were also to be made after the pattern shown him. In the first apartment were the table of showbread, the candlestick with seven lamps, and the altar of incense. In the second apartment was placed the ark of His testament. The lid of the ark was called the mercy-seat; and on either end of the mercy-seat were cherubim made of beaten gold covering the mercy-seat with their wings.
In the ark were kept the two tables of stone, upon which were the Ten Commandments written with the finger of God. Daily administration by the priests in behalf of repentant sinners was performed in the first apartment. The offender, burdened with his guilt, would bring an offering, usually a lamb or goat without blemish, and placing his hands upon the offering, confessed his sin. The offering was then slain, the blood taken by a priest, some of it sprinkled upon the altar, and what remained was poured out upon the ground just before the veil which separated between the holy and the most holy place.
Thus in figure the sin was transferred from the offender first to the offering, and then through the blood of the offering taken into the sanctuary. Thus faith was shown in God's promise of a Saviour, one who would die in the sinner's stead — "the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."
The daily service was closed up once a year with a special service in the most holy place upon the tenth day of the seventh month. This service was performed by the high priest only. Of this service we read in Leviticus, the sixteenth chapter:
And he [the high priest] shall take the two goats, and present them before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the Lord, and the other lot for the scapegoat. [Notice the marginal reading for "scapegoat" is "Azazel," a name applied to Satan.] And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the Lord's lot fell, and offer him for a sin-offering. But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the Lord, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness. Verses 7-10.
Again we read:
Then shall he kill the goat of the sin-offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the veil, . . . and sprinkle it upon the mercy-seat, and before the mercy-seat: and he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness. . . .
And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat: and Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness: and the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness. Verses 15, 16, 20-22.
And this shall be a statute forever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you: for on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the Lord. Verses 29, 30.
And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a Day of Atonement, to make an atonement for you before the Lord your God. For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people. And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people. Lev. 23: 28-30.
This was a day of judgment to Israel. Each individual case must be tried, the life must compare perfectly with the law in the ark. Every wrong must be made right, every sin put away; and any who failed to do this before the close of this day's service, were cut off, destroyed from among God's people.
The earthly sanctuary was built after the9pattern of the heavenly. The revelator in vision saw the heavenly sanctuary with its seven lamps of fire, altar of incense, and ark of His testament.
After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven. . . . And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne. Rev. 4: 1, 5.
And when He had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven. . . . And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. Rev. 8: 1, 3.
And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in His temple the ark of His testament. Rev. 11: 19.
The apostle Paul has much to say concerning the services in the heavenly sanctuary. In Hebrews we read:
Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an High Priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. Heb. 8: 1, 2.
The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience. . . . But Christ being come an High Priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? Heb. 9: 8, 9, 11-14.
In Christ we find a remedy for sin, an offering without blemish — one who died in our stead, “the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God.” Through the blood sins confessed are conveyed to the sanctuary above. In 1 Tim. 5: 24 we read:
Some men’s sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after.
Every sin must be sent beforehand to judgment. The life must be in perfect harmony with the law in the sanctuary above, which admits of no sin, as it is written:
Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image. . . .
Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. . . .
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work: . . . for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Honor thy father and thy mother. . . .
Thou shalt not kill.
Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Thou shalt not steal.
Thou shalt not bear false witness. . . .
Thou shalt not covet. Ex. 20: 3-17.
O, that men and women would consider what is the result of transgressing God’s law under any and every circumstance! Transgression is a dishonor to God and a curse to man.
The heavenly sanctuary, too, is cleansed. Sins confessed are disposed of not once every year, but once in the end of the world — once for all time; not by the blood of animals, but by the blood of the Son of God. We again read:
It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: nor yet that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; for then must He often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation. Heb. 9: 23-28.
In the typical service the high priest, in removing the sins from the sanctuary, confessed them upon the head of the scapegoat. So Christ will place all confessed sins upon Satan, the originator and instigator of sin.
The scapegoat, bearing the sins of Israel, was sent away into a land not inhabited. So Satan, bearing the guilt of all the sins which he has caused God’s people to commit, will be for a thousand years confined to the earth, which will then be desolate, without inhabitant; and he will at last suffer the full penalty of sin in the fires that shall destroy all the wicked.
Thus the great plan of redemption will reach its accomplishment in the final eradication of sin, and the deliverance of all who have been willing to renounce evil.
Hastings, Nebraska.
Our Bible Reading
Righteousness and Life
1. Who only is righteous?
And He said unto him, Why callest thou Me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. Matt. 19: 17.
For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness; His countenance doth behold the upright. Ps. 11: 7.
The Lord is righteous in all His ways, and holy in all His works. Ps. 145: 17.
2. Who only is the source of life?
For with Thee is the fountain of life: in Thy light shall we see light. Ps. 36: 9.
Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil. Heb. 2: 14.
5. What is the only way out of death into life?
In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof there is no death. Prov. 12: 28.
6. In whom alone may we obtain righteousness?
And their righteousness is of Me, saith the Lord. Isa. 54: 17.
7. How may we obtain righteousness?
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being JUSTIFIED FREELY by His grace through the redemption that is IN CHRIST JESUS: whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God. Rom. 3: 23-25.
8. But in that faith what else do we obtain in Him?
And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that YE MAY KNOW THAT YE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. 1 John 5: 11-13.
Balm of Gilead
By John Francis Olmsted
By John Francis Olmsted
THE earth swings on in endless space
In a mysterious way
Which proves there is a mighty Hand
That changes night to day;
Yet we are prone to careless be
Regarding things divine,
And often fail to recognize
God's wondrous ways sublime.
But He who rules in yonder sky,
Within the realms of light,
Attended by angelic hosts,
E'er sees us day and night.
His eyes are ever on the world,
Beholding false and true.
We ne'er can hide a thing from Him
With whom we have to do.
Then we should ever thankful be
That God e'er rules and reigns.
He sees the penitential tear,
And cleanses crimson stains.
His soothing balm of Gilead
Is for the sinners' need,
And Christ Himself will guide His own
Where He shall ever lead.
Columbus, Ohio.
Jesus Loves You
By F. M.
ONE hot summer day I saw a flock of sheep running as tho for life. I knew the bugs were at them; but there was a cripple in that flock, that could not keep up with the rest. Lonely and suffering, it lagged far behind. My heart went out in sympathy to that sheep. That rushing flock made me think that that was sometimes the case with God’s people, bitten by the serpent, suffering from sin, rushing from its contaminating influence, and its awful dangers, thinking perhaps (if not saying) that the one who lags behind is forever lost.
Poor, despairing, distracted soul, you are the very one the great Shepherd is most solicitous for. He will not leave you behind. He will carry you on His shoulder. Crippled by sin and failure tho you may be, Jesus loves you. F. M.
Exhibition of Old Bibles
An exhibition of old Bibles in which some originals will be shown, is being organized by Dr. F. G. Kenyon, the librarian of the British Museum, to be held in the museum in connection with the celebration of the tercentenary of the Authorized Version. The manuscripts will illustrate the progress of the Bible from the earliest days, beginning with examples of the Hebrew and Greek originals, and going on to the Latin Vulgate. There will also be examples of the early English manuscripts.11In the printed book section the first example will be a copy of Tyndale's New Testament, translated in 1526. Following this will be shown all other printed editions. Letters from Cromwell and Cranmer will be shown, with other descriptive matter relating to the history of different copies of the Bibles on exhibition.