The Reign of Popery.

We will again return to 2 Thessalonians 2. Simultaneously with the falling away-apostasy-"that man of sin," "the son of perdition," would be revealed; "who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he as God, sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God." Verses 3, 4. This man of sin refers to the church of Rome, and especially to her bishop, or pope. In these every specification of the prophecy is fulfilled. The pope was exalted to be the head of the so-called church. In the previous chapters we have traced the church from the time of the humble equality of her ministers, as seen in the days of the apostles, to the time when this order was changed and a third office was created-a bishop raised over the common elders, or overseers-and then to the time when archbishops were appointed over other bishops. This exalting of man kept right on, lifting the archbishop higher and higher, until the whole thing ripened into pop

ery.

This exaltation was the work of darkness,

and the pope himself, "the son of perdition." He "exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped." This certainly was fulfilled in popery. The pope, it is said, claimed power to remit the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost-something that neither Christ nor the Father claimed to do. The pope was exalted above every object of adoration; God and Christ were secondary. The pope became the source whence emanated every institution relative to divine worship, all the doctrines of religion, and all rites and ceremonies. He held the highest authority and place in the church, setting himself up as the universal head of the church. He acted as God, taking upon himself God's titles and attributes, and arrogating to himself the authority that belongs to the Most High. The pope claimed infallibility; power to damn and to save. Such titles were conferred upon him as "Vicegerent of the Son of God," "Most Holy Pope," etc. 2 Thess. 2:9, 10 describes this awful reign of deception and darkness, which continued over one thousand years.

Popery was foretold in the prophecy of Daniel. "Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the

heaven strove upon the great sea. And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another. The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made to stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it. And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh. After this I beheld, and lo, another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it. After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns. I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of

man, and a mouth speaking great things." Dan. 7:2-8.

This vision troubled Daniel, so he asked an angel its meaning. The reply was, "These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth." Verse 17. These were the Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Grecian, and Roman kingdoms. The first-the one like a lion-represented Babylon. At first the lion had eagle's wings, denoting the rapidity with which Babylon extended its conquests under Nebuchadnezzar. After a time the wings were plucked, and a man's heart was given to it. It no longer flew like an eagle upon its prey. The boldness and spirit of the lion was gone; a man's heart, weak, timorous, and faint, had taken its place. This was the case during the closing years of its history, when it became enfeebled and effeminate through wealth and luxury.

The second beast-the one like a bear-represented the Medo-Persian kingdom-a kingdom composed of two nationalities. The beast raised itself on one side. This was fulfilled in the Persian division, which came up last and attained the higher eminence, for it

became the controlling power in the kingdom. The three ribs in its mouth may signify the three provinces Babylon, Lydia, and Egypt, which were especially ground down and oppressed by this power. By the overthrow of these provinces, a stimulus was given the Medes and Persians to undertake further conquests. Thus they said, "Arise, devour much flesh."

The third beast-the one like a leopard-signified the Grecian empire. The four wings upon its back, like the two wings of the first beast, denote rapidity of conquest. The conquests of Grecia under Alexander have no parallel in historic annals for suddenness and rapidity. The four heads of this beast represent the four divisions into which Grecia was split. The Grecian empire maintained its unity little longer than the life of Alexander. Within fifteen years after his brilliant career ended, the kingdom was divided among his four leading generals.

Concerning the fourth kingdom, Daniel wanted a more explicit explanation. "Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of