Review and Herald, Vol. 4, No. 21.
The seventh day of the week is the only weekly Sabbath of God's appointmentPage 1
Earlier text: The seventh day of the week is the only weekly Sabbath of God's appointmentTHESE angels are either literal or symbolic. As preaching messages of gospel truth to mankind has not been the work of literal angels, we conclude they are symbolic. They are symbols of religious teachers, who teach on earth a corresponding message.—The first has the “everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth.” The angel that John saw in heaven is a symbol of a class of men who preach to their fellow-men the everlasting gospel.—The angel testifies that the hour of God’s judgment “is come;” therefore he does not symbolize that class of religious teachers who prophesy a temporal millennium before the judgment. He symbolizes that class who teach that the period to expect the judgment “is come.” And the proclamation of the coming of Christ to judge the quick and dead, that has been given, the last fifteen years, is a perfect fulfillment of the first angel’s message. Rev. xiv, 6, 7. All the angels of this chapter are, of the same character; that is, they with their messages, are symbols of proclamations given in this mortal state. If we admit that the first angel symbolized the Advent movement in the past, to be consistent, we must also admit that there are important messages of truth to be given after the great movement on the Advent question. It is a fact that the Advent body was once united in the belief that the proclamation of Christ’s coming, as taught by Wm. Miller and others, was a fulfillment of the first angel’s cry. It is also a fact that the Advent body, with few exceptions, has believed that the movement relative to the nominal churches, when the Advent people left them by thousands, was a fulfillment of the second angel’s message. Then why not now expect the third angel’s message?—We certainly should if our former positions were correct. A portion of the Advent body have followed down the track of prophecy to the cry of the third angel, and see the providence of God now moving out a people on the important truths of the third angel.—“Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus,” [Rev. xiv,] are important items of this message. A Sabbath reform necessarily follows the proclamation of the commandments of God at this time. The advent people generally believed that we were living in the period of the fulfillment of the angels of Rev. xiv, till the claims of all the commandments of God, in the third angel’s message, was urged upon them. Since that time many of them have left their former position; some place these angels in the past, while a few others put them in the future age. It is to be feared that the Sabbath cross prevents many of our Advent brethren from embracing the natural and consistent view that this is the period for the third cry. The fact that it follows the other two, which are now in the past, and also the fact that “here” is a portion of the Advent body keeping the commandments of God, not excepting the fourth, is good evidence that this is the period to expect the loud cry of the third angel. O Lord, speed it on! We give the following from the Advent Harbinger, of June 30, 1849, which gives the real position of the Advent people generally, of the angels of Rev. xiv, up to that time. The Harbinger says:— “We offered some reasons last week for dissenting from the supposition that the important message proclaimed by the angel in this text [Rev. xiv, 6, 7] is exclusively confined to ‘the Advent question.’ We purpose now to show, provided that what is called the ‘Advent question’ is the sole proclamation of this angel, that it was not the only proclamation that was to be made at the closing up scenes of the gospel dispensation. Some have seemed to overlook the important fact, that there are other messages, which follow in quick succession, the one under consideration, and that they are no less imperatively given, important in their character, and fearful in their threatenings, than is the first. “It will be observed, that the message of the ‘everlasting gospel’ closes with the seventh verse; and that the next verse gives another message in the following words: “‘And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.’ “Now, if the first angel and his proclamation, denote a certain class of ministers and their message to the world, we cannot see why the second angel and his proclamation may not signify another class of ministers, with another message to the people. It most certainly does. But this is not all; for there is another angel, that follows the one already named, with another most imperative and fearful message, in the following words: “‘And the third angel followed them, [the other two,] saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven, saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth. Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them.’ “A more fearful message than this is not found in the Sacred Volume. Like the first, it is uttered with a loud voice. It calls upon all men not to engage in worshiping the beast, &c., while the first demands that worship be paid to God. The first proclaims the hour of God’s judgment come, and the last proclaims to every Anti-christian worshiper, that he shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, and shall be tormented with fire and brimstone. The last relates to a time of sore trial, when it will be necessary for their salvation, for the saints to call into exercise their patience, and the faith of Jesus; for great will be their conflicts, and there will be comparatively no faith in the land. Such will be their trials in this respect, that it will be blessed to die in the Lord.—That this message covers the perilous times just before the advent of Christ, seems certain, from the fact, that the account that follows speaks of one ‘like unto the Son of man,’ seated on a white cloud, with a sharp sickle in his hand, with which he reaps the harvest of the earth. “These important facts conclusively settle the following points: 1. That this last message is located in the last moments of time. Indeed, it is the last message to an idolatrous church, before the coming of their rejected Lord. We do not suppose, however, because it is the last message, that it is the only one that should be proclaimed in the last days. The other two, doubtless, run parallel, and should be proclaimed with it; and all other Bible truths, as duty may demand. 2. That it is of equal importance with the first and second which precede it. It is not reasonable to suppose that the less important would be given last; and, besides, the character of the last message places it at least on par, in point of importance, with any message of the Bible. Carefully compare it with any other, and decide whether we judge correctly or not. If it is of this high importance, then it should be proclaimed with as loud voice as the first: and let any one beware how he attempts to still the cry.—It is the voice of God, through his messengers, and must and will be heard. Amen.” SPECIMEN OF ADVENT FAITH.—In the Herald of Gospel Liberty, of Sept. 16, 1808, in a sermon on the signs spoken of by the Saviour, after showing that the signs in the sun and in the moon were fulfilled in 1780, as Adventists now generally believe, the author says, on the signs of the stars:—‘Whether there have been any particular signs in the stars, I am not able to determine; but while there are so many other signs, we may expect them soon.’ “Is it not remarkable, that the true interpretation of these signs, as we believe, up to that time, should have led to such an expectation of that which follows them in the prophecy? and the fulfillment of that expectation should have been as remarkable, in the falling stars in 1833, as the darkening of the sun and moon were in 1780?” Remedy against Covetousness.
“LET every one consider that the mind of man is no more satisfied with much than it is with little; and therefore the desire of having brings the mind to a perpetual agitation. 1. That covetousness is the root of all evil, [1 Tim. vi, 10;] from hence come wars, hatred, enmity, seditions, and innumerable evils, which turn away the mind from spiritual things, and from God. 2. That he consider the shortness of his life, and that no man’s life consisteth in the abundance of his riches, as our Saviour admonisheth. Luke xii, 15. 3. That he trust in God, who feedeth the sparrows and the young ravens. 4. That he is a steward, and not a lord of temporal riches. 5. That he set before his eyes the example of Christ, and all holy men, who despised earthly riches, to be richer in God. 6. That he remember it was spoken by our Saviour, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts xx, 35. 7. That the best riches are treasures in heaven.—Matt. vi, 20.” THERE is no subject more wondrous than this, “the Patience of God.” Think of the lapse of ages during which that patience has lasted—six thousand years! Think of the multitudes who have been the subjects of it. Millions on millions in successive climes and centuries! Think of the sins which have all that time been trying and wearying that patience—their number, their heinousness, their aggravation! The world’s history is a consecutive history of iniquity, a lengthened provocation of the Almighty’s forbearance! The Church, like a feeble ark; tossed on a mighty ocean of unbelief; and yet the world, with its cumberers, still spared! The cry of its sinful millions at this moment “enters the ears of the God of Sabaoth,” and yet, “for all this, His hand of mercy is stretched out still!” And who is this God of patience? It is the Almighty Being who could strike these millions down in a moment; who could, by a breath, annihilate the world!—nay, who would require no positive or visible forthputting of His omnipotence to effect this, but simply to withdraw his sustaining arm. Surely, of all the examples of the Almighty’s power, there is none more wondrous or amazing than “God’s power over himself.” He is slow to anger. “Judgment is his strange work.” “He visits iniquity unto the third and fourth generation.” He shows mercy unto thousands of generations. God bears for fifteen hundred years, from Moses to Jesus, with Israel’s unbelief; and yet as a pious writer remarks, He speaks of it as but a day. All day long have I stretched out my hands to a disobedient and gainsaying people. What is the history of all this tenderness? My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are, your ways my ways, saith the Lord! —Selected. "And blessed be his glorious name for ever; and let the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen, and Amen." Ps. lxxii, 19.
"For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea." Heb. ii, 14.
"Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it." Num. xiv, 23.
"For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope; because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God." Rom. viii, 19-21. This must ever be the attitude of the Church. In one sense it may be said to be the attitude of the whole human race ever since the fall. Who is satisfied? Who is living in the contented enjoyment of the present? Who is not sensible of a craving which he has never yet been able to appease? But the difference between the Church and the world is this: the Church has something to look forward to—something fully satisfying, and which rests on the sure word of God; whereas the world is ever grasping at shadows, and ever finding itself miserably deceived. The Church looks forward with an air of calm and confident expectation; the world, with an air of busy, restless, anxiety. The Church looks forward to what Christ shall be able to achieve for it; the world, to what it may be able to achieve for itself.—But alas! it must be acknowledged that the Church has too often mingled the fruitless expectation of the world with its own. There is far too little among believers of that peaceful contemplation of the future which is their privilege, simply because there is not a clear apprehension of the things for which they are entitled to hope. They look around them, and see sin prevailing, and darkening clouds gathering on every side, but having inquired little into the purposes of God, they are fain to turn from the prospect with a sigh, and a mournful acquiescence in the truth that God can make all things work together for good to them that are called according to his purpose. Unquestionably such was not the temper, such were not the consolations, of the early Church. Let us then open our Bibles, and endeavor to trace in the sacred record what are "the things hoped for," which are the inheritance of his people, and upon what it was that they bent their eager gaze when they sought for strong consolation amid abounding iniquity. The first promise, given immediately after the fall, was, that the seed of the woman should bruise the head of the serpent, Gen. iii, 15. In this, as in a bud, were wrapped up the whole dealings of God with the fallen world, down to the very end. But much more must have been revealed to the early patriarchs than this, for we find Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesying, "The Lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him." Jude 14, 15. We find Abraham "rejoicing to see the day of Christ, and he saw it and was glad." John viii, 56. We find Jacob, in blessing his children, teaching them to look forward to the future triumphs of the Messiah. "The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come, and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass's colt unto the choice vine, he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes; his eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk." Gen. xlix, 10-12. Moses in like manner takes up the prophetic strain, and closes his song with these emphatic words, "For I lift up my hand to heaven, and say, I live for-ever, if I whet (the form of an oath, and meaning, As I live for ever I will whet) my glittering sword, and my hand take hold on judgment, I will render vengeance166 unto mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me. I will make mine arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh, and that with the blood of the slain and of the captives, from the beginning of revenges upon the enemy. Rejoice, O ye nations with his people, for he will avenge the blood of his servants, and will render vengeance to his adversaries, and will be merciful to his land and to his people." Deut. xxxii, 40-43. Hearken also to the words of Job: "I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth; and though after my skin worms shall destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God." Job xix, 25, 26. It is to the same note that all the harps are tuned, when the full choir of prophets pour from their golden strings the animating strains which were to arouse a slumbering Church, and console the drooping spirits of the faithful. There is ever a day of vengeance spoken of. They deplore, in wailing accents, the back-slidings of the people, or with indignant reproofs they warn them of the fruits of their doings: but evermore they hold forth a mighty avenger, coming with his raiment stained with blood;—a refiner and purifier of silver, watching his glowing furnace;—a day of wrath and trouble, of darkness and gloominess; and then they speak of a glorious resurrection, a renovated earth, an age of peace and of exulting joy. Again, when we turn to the New Testament, we find that the same great truths were held forth by the apostles as the consolation of believers, and the great encouragement to holy walking. "Exhorting one another, and so much the more as ye see the day approaching." "Ye have need of patience, that after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise; for yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry." Heb. x, 23, 37. "We beseech you, brethren, by the coming of Christ." 2 Thess. i, 10. "The Lord direct your hearts into the patient waiting for Christ." 2 Thess. iii, 5. "I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him." 1 Thess. iv, 13, 14. "Seeing, then, that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens, being on fire, shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat. Nevertheless, we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." 2 Peter iii, 11, 13. On this subject, therefore, the Old Testament and the New are perfectly accordant. They both alike hold forth as the object of the Church's hope, a coming Saviour, a day of vengeance, a glorious resurrection, and an earth freed from the curse. We build no theory on these facts at present. All we do is to ask whether the hopes of the Church now are accordant with these declarations. And if it must be acknowledged that they are not, then we ask again, Is there not prevalent a very culpable neglect of a large portion, nay, of the largest portion, of the Word of God? He has thought fit, it would seem, to devote a principal share of his revelation to man to subjects from which the Church now-a-days turns with cold unconcern. Can this conduct be defended? No. And if you would be looking forward, you must inquire what God would have you to look for, that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints. It is very commonly put forward as an excuse for omitting the careful study of one portion of Scripture, that it is not so important as others. We presume not to settle the relative importance of the several portions of the Word of God. Unquestionably every man's first duty is to make his calling and election sure. But in addressing Christians we would say, Beware of imagining that the Bible was given you to make you acquainted with one individual truth, or with one set of truths. It was given to teach "the truth," that is, all truth. You ought, therefore, to be still searching this mine of hidden treasure, not merely to discover confirmations of truths already received, but to ascertain the whole counsel of God. Look abroad over the whole face of Scripture from beginning to end; and do not, like Balaam, seek some point of view whence you may only behold a portion of God's revelation, because you dare not steadily contemplate the whole of it. Do you say you are satisfied with what you already know? How ungrateful when God has laid before you so rich a treasure. This surely is not the spirit of the weaned child, who is ever seeking strong meat instead of milk. You, if you desire the sincere milk of the word, desire also never to have anything more than the food of babes. You are satisfied with the first principles of the oracles of God, and have no wish to go on unto perfection. Heb. v, 12, 14. Who knows how greatly your conceptions of God in all his attributes might be heightened by more enlarged intercourse with his revelation of himself. You might know more, far more, of his wisdom; more, far more, of his love, of his majesty, and his glory: you might have much clearer views of the harmony of all these attributes in the consummation of the work of redemption, if you did not treat the greater portion of his record as a sealed book, into which it is hopeless for you to look. Now, you are but wandering on the shore of a mighty ocean, and from your point of view the prospect is necessarily limited. But spread your sails and venture forth upon its bosom, and in the great deep you shall see the wonders of the Lord. Your faith will then be the faith of the apostles—the substance of things hoped for; your consolations will be those of the holy men of old, whose patient endurance was sustained by the conviction, that yet a little while, and he that should come would come and would not tarry. But there are other considerations which ought to induce us to give heed to the sure word of prophecy. There is first the example of the cloud of witnesses who compass us about. Which of them did not feel it to be his duty to ascertain what God's promises were, and his privilege to lean upon them? Adam and Abel doubtless were upheld by the assurance of the coming "Seed," who should by blood make atonement for the sins of the world. Heb. xi, 4. Enoch looked forward to the coming of the Lord. Noah was moved with fear by his conviction that the earth that then was should be overflowed with water. Heb. xi, 7. Abraham was greatly consoled by the promise that though his seed should be afflicted 400 years, God would at length deliver them from the house of bondage. Gen. xv, 13, 14. Jacob, as the most valuable inheritance which he could bequeath his children, told them what should befall them in the latter days, Gen. xlix, 1. And he and his fathers looked forward to a better country, even a heavenly—to a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Heb. xi, 10, 16. So deeply impressed was Joseph with the truth of the prediction that God would lead back his people to the land of promise, that he commanded that they should take with them his bones. Heb. xi, 22. Moses was expecting the immediate fulfillment of this promise when he left the palace of Pharaoh and went out to see his brethren at their labors; and we have already had occasion to notice, how, having felt the consoling efficacy of the prophecies handed down from preceding ages, he left in his song a rich treasure of the same character, for the men that should come after him. All these built their hopes upon unfulfilled prophecy. Nor can we doubt that David, when he sang so sweetly of Him of whom he was a type; and Isaiah when he dwelt so soothly on the glory of the latter days; and the other prophets who followed them, blessed God for the prophecies, that in their days were unfulfilled, and rejoiced in being made the instruments of adding to the revelation which was to be the stay of ages yet to come. But we also find them making use of prophecy to guide their own conduct. It was by the study of former prophecies that Daniel came to know that the set time for God's favoring Israel was just at hand. Dan. ix, 2. Prophecy taught the aged saints to wait day by day in the temple for the consolation of Israel. Luke ii, 35, 36. Prophecy told the apostles how to proceed in the election of a successor to Judas. Acts i, 16, 20, 21. It was to unfulfilled prophecy that Christ himself constantly directed the attention of his disciples as pointing out that he should suffer. Luke xviii, 31. And he upbraids the Jews for their inattention to it as not discerning the signs of the times. Matt. xvi, 3. For this neglect he reproaches them as hypocrites,—men who had the outward form of religion, and yet, by not looking forward, showed that they were ignorant of its power. There are, moreover, distinct recommendations of the study of unfulfilled prophecy in the Word of God. Peter says, "Ye have also a more sure word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn and the day-star arise in your hearts." 2 Peter i, 19. The Book of Revelation contains more than one blessing to those that read it and understand it. "Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand." Rev. i, 3. "Blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book." Rev. xxii, 7. Who would willingly cast away such a blessing? Who that looks for it would neglect the word of prophecy? Is the Church generally heedless of this duty? Are there many followers of Christ who think that time spent in such studies is wasted, and who wait till the fulfillment of these prophecies before they will seek to understand them? Let us not stumble at this, nor think that we may safely follow their example. Christ himself tells us that even the Church shall slumber,—"When the Son of Man cometh shall he find faith on the earth?" Luke xviii, 8. In what connection were these memorable words spoken? At the close of a parable intended to teach men that they should pray always and not faint. Pray for what? For the coming of the time when God should avenge his own elect. For this the Church, as a disconsolate widow, should be ever praying. The time will arrive:—"I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man (the avenger) cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" It is to be looked for, then, that in the latter days many, or even the majority of Christians, should be forgetting their hope, and careless about the coming of him who shall avenge their cause, and open the way to the enjoyment of the purchased inheritance. And this very consideration ought to awaken us from our slumbers. The day is far spent, the night is at hand. Now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. Nor was there ever a time when it was more incumbent upon the Christian to muster every hope that can animate and invigorate his soul. All prophecy tells us, and the signs of the times too warn us, that a dark night is near at hand,—a time of trouble such as never came upon the world before. It is well that, as individuals, we should have our calling and election sure. And more especially would we call upon all who love the Lord Jesus to give to these matters a prayerful consideration. Thus only can they be preserved from running into pernicious error. Satan hath, undoubtedly, a great interest in preventing these truths from being generally received. In order to accomplish his design, he will transform himself even into an angel of light. Already he has succeeded in tempting some to wander very far from divine truth. And having gained his purpose so far, by associating these views with the most dangerous heresies, he would willingly, under the mask of a regard for truth, dissuade men from inquiring into them at all. But let us not fall a prey to his devices. The prayerful study of God's Word can never lead us into error. Let us not lean to our understanding, but seek the teaching of the Spirit. Thus shall we be preserved from both extremes of error, and enabled to drink at the full streams of divine revelation, without mingling with our draught the polluted waters of mere human knowledge. And thus the star of our hopes will be the same to which the Church in every age has looked,—the morning-star, at whose ascending the toil-worn watchman may cease his wanderings, for then he knows that the avenger cometh in his might. For this event the people of God should daily pray, saying, "Wilt thou not avenge the cause of thine own elect?" The souls under the altar cry, "How long, O Lord, holy, and true?" The whole creation groaneth and travaileth under bondage. The earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God; nay, we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. In this the longings of all animated things (did they but know what they longed for) must centre, and no marvel that it should be so, for Christ himself, seated at the right hand of God, is waiting until his enemies be made his footstool. "O thou who art the joy of the universe, the Saviour of the lost, whose right it is to reign, come, wear thy many crowns! The saints are waiting for thy coming! The earth groans for thy coming! Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly.
"Hark, there is a voice that says, behold I come quickly. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. Amen, amen." —Advent Tracts, Vol. 1. The Number of the Beast.
By J. M. Stephenson
In presenting this subject I propose the following order: 1. The beast numbered is a definite beast. This is evident by reference to the following passages: Rev. xiii, 17. “And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” In this passage, the mark, the number and the name, all, evidently, refer to the same beast, i. e., the beast which had the wound by the sword and did live. Rev. xiii, 3, 14; xiv, 9–12. In the last clause of verse 17, in the message, the mark and the name inhere in the Papal beast. See Rev. xv, 2. “And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.” Here the mark and the number, the image and the name, all refer to the Papal beast. The pronoun his in each case personifies the same beast, i. e., “his image, his mark, his number,” or the number of his name.—Hence it is the beast with seven heads and ten horns, and not the two-horned beast that is numbered. 2. It is a definite number, i. e., 666, Hence, it cannot refer to man’s mode of reckoning; for any number from one to the highest number in the reach of human computation, would be as much in accordance with man’s mode of reckoning as 666. 3. It is a definite man who is numbered. "It is the number of a man,” not of man or men; hence it cannot refer to the ancient mode of reckoning by letters; because that makes the number indefinite; as there have lived more than one man whose name numbered 666. Some have referred this number to the first Pope, others to Latinus, and others to Napoleon Buonaparte. But, if, as Adventists profess to believe, the Bible be its own expositor, we must find a clue to the man here spoken of, in some part of that Book. What saith the Scriptures? Ans. They distinctly bring to view, two definite men, as the heads of the two great antagonistical churches—the Christian and the Anti-christian. The one represented by the Man, Christ Jesus, and the other by the “Man of Sin.” 2 Thess. ii, 3. “And that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.” That this man represents the Papal Anti-christian church, we all believe. And he will represent that church until the revelation of Christ.—Verses 8, 9. The church represented by this man, continued a unit nearly a thousand years after its foundation, when it commenced breaking up under Luther and Calvin, and these divisions have continued dividing and subdividing until, according to the Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, they now number about six hundred three score and six. We may trace the lineage of every Protestant church back to the mother of harlots, [Rev. xvii, 5,] and we can go no further. Not only are they daughters by natural descent, but by initiation. I have not room in one epistle to note the points of identity between the daughters and the mother. Suffice it to say, the Protestant churches are the daughters, or she has none. But that she has daughters is evident from Rev. xvii, 5. In reference to their character, the text says, they are harlots. Now, a harlot mother may have chaste and virtuous daughters; also, harlot daughters may have a virtuous mother; but all, mothers and daughters, are included in the same Babylon (Babel) of confusion. Rev. xvii, 5. They are harlots because of their intercourse with the man of sin. And their number is the number of a man, (the man of sin,) and his number is six hundred three score and six. Those churches collectively or individually have that number. To illustrate, compare the mother and her daughters to one family, represented by one man who is the head of the family; and who represents the whole family; and consequently has the number of the mother and all her daughters, if her family be composed exclusively of daughters. Or it might be illustrated by a great organization, plural in form, but having a unit sign.—For example, the 1001 Society. The number of the society, collectively, or every division, and every number belonging thereto is, 1001. Hence the number of his name, [Babylon. Rev. xiv, 8; xvii, 5.] i. e., the church represented by him is, 666; and this is the number of every division of that church, and of every member belonging thereto; hence the number is coupled with the mark and the name of the beast, as a matter of equal importance, and as involving the same consequences. Rev. xvii, 15; xv, 2. If all the Protestant Churches are represented by Harlot women—then to belong to those churches is to be defiled with women; hence John in his description of the 144,000, (who obtained the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name. Rev. xv, 2,) says, These are they which were not defiled with women: for they are virgins. Rev. xiv, 4. To belong to any of the Protestant Churches of this land, is to be a part of the body of the Two-Horned Beast; and to aid in any way, by our property, or by our influence, in supporting those Churches, is to be an accomplice with them; and to be an accomplice with them, will involve us in their fearful destiny.—Once more: To belong to Babylon is to endorse her sins; and to endorse her sins, is to doom ourselves to receive her plagues. See Rev. xviii, 2–5. I believe the mighty cry of Rev. xviii, 2–12, synchronizes with the loud cry of Rev. xiv, 9–12; for both are messages of unprecedented importance, to be proclaimed with a loud—a mighty—voice; both are associated with the same Babel of confusion; both cry aloud, Separation! Separation!! and both toll the same solemn note of warning: “If any man worship the beast and his image,” &c.—“Come out of her my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” Amen. Union, Rock Co., Wis., Nov. 7th, 1853. Under this head a correspondent of the Boston Investigator, gives the following suggestive paragraph:— "My two acres of Sunday Corn, that I promised to raise for the purpose of buying Liberal Books with the proceeds of the sale, I have not harvested yet, but I think it will yield about seventy bushels per acre. It stands about twelve feet high, and all the work upon it was done on Sunday. I don't see but what Nature or Providence has smiled upon my Sunday work, though the priests tell us that no labor performed on that day ever prospers. My two acres of corn tell another story." How shall Christians be prepared to meet the errors that abound? No given rules can define every position which the enemy takes. As the road is very broad, and the enemy is called a crooked serpent, his course is devious, and his forms changing. Formalism and rationalism, hypocrisy and infidelity, and all the various forms of iniquity, combine to destroy the saints of God and blind the minds of the children of men. Still, there is a remedy. The Holy Scriptures are inspired of God. They are mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds. Divine truth can fill the soul, and then the chaff can find no room. Heavenly love casts out fear. The sword of the Spirit is the word of God, and the "Jerusalem blade," as Bunyan calls it, will cut its way through. Let the Holy Scriptures be read; let the gospel be preached in simplicity and power, and it will destroy error just as certainly as the fire consumes the canebrake with its insects and reptiles. How cheerfully should every Christian take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, and put on the whole armor of God, and so be strong in the Lord and the power of his might! How cheerfully and zealously should every minister of the gospel declare the counsel of God in thunder tones, and tell in promises kind and sweet that Jesus lives to save! Then will error die, false teachers fail, and love and truth survive and triumph in immortal day.—Selected.