Part 29

Their system is essentially Pantheistic, all things being regarded by them as a part and parcel of Deity. They argue that “every object which has an existence in the universe must be in its nature good and pure, on the principle that the effect must partake of the nature of the cause, and the stream must be the corresponding emanation of the fountain from which it flows.”—Elements of Spiritual Philosophy, p. 55. They teach that human spirits are “formed primarily from the animating essences that pervade the creation,—which essences,” they say, “are the breath and presence of the Divinity;” and hence they argue, “that there are no spirits which are intrinsically evil in their nature, and none which do not present in their inward depths the reflection of divine purity,” Ib. p. 56. Going still further, they claim that there is no existing “source of positive evil,” “no principle of this nature in the human spirit,” and that consequently “there can be no evil designs to emanate from such a source,” Ib. p. 60.

These assertions are put forth authoritatively; for the “Elements of Spiritual Philosophy” are attested by witnesses to be “written by Spirits of the Sixth Circle, R. P. Ambler, Medium.” And if they are met by the declarations written by those who spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, they reply: “The Christian who deifies his Bible is as much an idolater as the heathen who burns his incense before his household image. It is surely attributing to the book what the Pagan attributes to his image.”—Shekinah, April No., p. 251. Christianity, they denominate, “learned scepticism, baptized in the name of Jesus,” &c., Ib., p. 301. Thus are they warring against the word of God, and placing themselves in direct conflict with the Almighty.

This warfare is not only avowed to be against the God of the Bible, but is recognized by themselves as the last great conflict previous to the millennium. They regard this subject as “the great question of the age, which is destined to convulse and divide Protestantism, and around which all other religious controversies must necessarily revolve.”—Davis’ Review of Bushnell, page 3. The millennium which is to be thus ushered in, they regard as a period when “every one that desires will be able to hold direct intercourse and conversation with the spirit world.”—Spiritual Tel., Vol. 1, No. 1. Says Davis: “The thunders of a stupendous reformation are soon to issue from the now open mouth of the Protestant church. The supernatural faith,” i.e. a belief in the authenticity of Scripture, “will be shaken, as a reed in the tempest. New channels will be formed for the inflowing of new truths, and then a long-promised era will steal upon the religious and political world.”—Review of Bushnell, p. 187.

In another place he says: “You may be assured of the truth of this approaching crisis. The world must recognize it, because it will be accompanied with war; for politics are inseparably connected, all over the world, with religious systems. Religion will develop reason; but politics will impel the masses to unsheath the sword, and to stain the bosom of Nature with blood! Friends of progress! be not discouraged; for the FINAL CRISIS must come; then the strange interregnum,” Ib. p. 217. “Protestantism as now constructed will first decay; because it is to be divided into two,—the smallest party will go back into Catholicism; the other will go forward into Rationalism. And then, after a succession of eventful years, a political revolution will hurl the Catholic superstructure to the earth, and the prismatic bow of promise will span the heavens. The children of earth will then be comparatively free and happy! for the millennial epoch will have arrived; and there will be something like a realization of peace on earth, and good will toward all men!” Ib. p. 221.

Such are their delusive hopes, while setting themselves against the Lord, and against his Anointed. The Bible teaches that multitudes will be deceived by them, and, if it were possible, some of the elect; and hence:

The Admonition.

“Behold, I come like a thief. Happy is he who watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.” Rev. 16:15.

“The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat,” 2 Pet. 3:10. The Saviour said to his disciples: “Watch, therefore; for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come,” Matt. 24:42. Says Paul: “Yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night; for when they shall say, peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh, ... and they shall not escape; but ye, brethren, are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief,” 1 Thess. 5:1-6.

Thus will the day of the Lord come, as a thief, on those who are careless and indifferent to its approach; but it will not thus overtake those who watch, and keep their garments. Because so many will be deceived by the strange performances of the spirits of demons, and their miracles so delude the multitude, Christ’s coming will be to them sudden and unexpected. Therefore the greater necessity for watchfulness. While this is a predicted means for lulling the world to sleep, it is given to the Christian as an indication of the near coming of Christ, whose advent synchronizes with the outpouring of the seventh vial. The blessing pronounced on those who watch, is an intimation that the people of God will be expecting Christ’s advent, while others will be taken by surprise: “unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation,” Heb. 9:28. “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us, that denying ungodliness, and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ,” Titus 2:11-13.

Those who keep their garments, are those who have not “defiled” them with sin, (3:4); they will walk with Christ in white, being worthy; “for the fine linen” in which they are to be arrayed “is the righteousness of saints,” 19:8. To be destitute of this, is to be unclothed; and hence the Saviour says: “I counsel thee to buy of me ... white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear,” 3:18. The intimation is clear, that to be deceived by the unclean spirits, is to lose those robes of righteousness, and to be found naked at Christ’s appearing.

The Success of the Spirits.

“And they gathered them into a place called in Hebrew Armageddon.” Rev. 16:16.

Before the coming of the Lord, and as a preparation for that event, the nations are to be thus gathered. Armageddon is the name of a valley at the foot of Mount Megiddo, famous for its bloody slaughters. It fitly symbolizes the final gathering of the nations. The enemies of God will marshal for the final conflict. The powers of darkness will fancy themselves on the verge of victory; and then will be poured out:

The Seventh Vial.

“And the seventh poured out his bowl on the air; and there came a loud voice from the temple [of heaven], from the throne, saying, It is done! And there were lightnings, and voices, and thunders; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were on the earth, so mighty and so great an earthquake. And the great city became three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon was remembered before God, to give to her the cup of the wine of his furious wrath. And every island fled, and the mountains were no more. And vast hail, weighing a talent, fell from heaven on men; and men reviled God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceedingly great.” Rev. 16:17-21.

The atmosphere is not limited, like a river, or portion of the earth, to a given locality, but encircles the globe. Consequently the effect of the vial poured out on the air, would be universal, and not local like the effects of the previous vials. The air is the region of storms. These symbolize the expression of conflicting opinions, and violent outbursts of passion; which may be the commencement of that “great battle,” for the preparation of which the unclean spirits went forth under the sixth vial, to gather the people, and which terminates by the slaying of the remnant with the sword of the Lord, 19:21.

An earthquake is a symbol of a political revolution. As this is to be greater than all preceding ones, it must extend to all nations. It is during the earthquake, that the cities fall and the mountains and islands flee away. This commotion evidently synchronizes with the “time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time,” when God’s “people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book,” Dan. 12:1.

“It is done,” is a declaration indicating the completion of the work symbolized. It marks the termination of the events of the seventh vial, which are described in the verses following:

“The great city” is “Babylon,” (14:8); which “reigneth over the kings of the earth,” (17:8); and which John had seen sitting “upon many waters,” 17:1. This was doubtless seen when he saw the waters of the symbolic Euphrates being dried up, 16:12. Babylon, being a symbol of the Roman hierarchy, its triple division indicates a like division of the church of Rome, not geographical, but under different leaders, previous to its destruction.

“The cities of the nations,” must symbolize other hierarchies, analogous to that of Rome, of which there are the Greek church, in Russia and Greece, the Arminian and Syrian churches, and other corrupt nationalized establishments. All such will become disconnected, like Babylon, with the governments by which they are sustained.

“Great Babylon” then comes into remembrance to drink the cup of the wine of the fierceness of God’s wrath. Because her sins have reached unto heaven, “God hath remembered her iniquities,” 18:5. This synchronizes with her destruction, symbolized in Rev. 18:8-23. As the Papacy continues till Christ’s coming (Dan. 7:21, and 2 Thess. 2:3-8), this epoch must synchronize with that event, when he comes to receive his chosen ones.

With the destruction of Babylon, occurs the subversion of all national authority. As ecclesiastical hierarchies are symbolized by cities, the “mountains” and “islands” on which they are situated must symbolize the larger and smaller governments; and their removal from their places, their subversion in the great moral “earthquake” which is to overwhelm them. This synchronizes with the sixth seal, when they are all “removed out of their places,” (6:14); and it leaves the inhabitants of earth in a state of anarchy. It is at this time that the kings and great men of the earth become aware that the great day of God’s wrath is come, 6:15-17. With this time of trouble, comes the deliverance of God’s people, (Dan. 12:1); who shall be caught up together “to meet the Lord in the air,” 1 Thess. 4:17. To them the Lord has said, “Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noon-day. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Because thou hast made the Lord which is my refuge, even the Most High, thy habitation,” Ps. 91:5-9.

The removal of the saints leaves the wicked exposed to the vengeance of God’s wrath, of which a terrific hail-storm on their defenceless heads, is an expressive symbol. The Lord said, by Isaiah: “Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding-place. And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it. From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report. For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it: and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it. For the Lord shall rise up as in Mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act. Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong: for I have heard from the Lord God of hosts a consumption even determined upon the whole earth,” Isa. 28:17-22.

This must synchronize with the final conflict, (symbolized in Rev. 19:19-21): also with the casting of the vine of the earth into the wine-press of God’s wrath (14:19), and terminates the battle of “Armageddon,”—the “battle of that great day of God Almighty,” 16:14.

The Judgment of the Harlot.

“And one of the seven angels, who had the seven bowls, came and talked with me, saying, Come here; I will show thee the judgment of the great harlot who sitteth on many waters; with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.” Rev. 17:1, 2.

The Roman hierarchy had been frequently referred to in the preceding visions; but an institution, so interwoven with the history of the nations, required a more full and minute symbolization.

The subject of this vision is announced to the revelator, by one of the angels who had the seven vials;—very probably, the seventh. The harlot is identified as one “that sitteth upon many waters.” Ancient Babylon was thus addressed: “O thou that dwellest upon many waters, abundant in treasures, thine end is come, and the measure of thy covetousness,” Jer. 51:13. She is also described as “The well-favored harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, that selleth nations through her whoredoms, and families through her witchcrafts,” Nahum 3:4. Therefore the harlot whose judgment is to be more minutely shown, is the city of the previous vision, which received the cup of the wine of God’s wrath (16:19), and which probably was shown to John on the waters of the Euphrates, (16:12); for the reference indicates that she had been thus previously exhibited,—the waters on which she was seated, being the people, nations, &c., which sustained and defended her idolatries, 17:15. In the vision now to be shown John, the Roman hierarchy is symbolized by Babylon; but it is first exhibited as: