Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1912-11-14

TIE I1eUTeW
Armage d o n. "
Revelation xvi 16) The speaker said:
Armageddon I'm the Hebrew signifies
the Hill of Megiddo," or Mount of De
struction. 1t was famous as battle
field in Old Testament times.
The Lord has seen fit to associate the
name Armageddon. with the great con
troversy between Truth and Error.
right and wrong, God and Mammon.
with which this age will close, perish,
and the New Age of Messiah's glory
be ushered in He has purposely used
highly symbolical figures of speech in
the last book Of the Bible, evidently
with a view to hiding certain impor
tant truths until the due time for their
revealment. But even In the due time.
the Bible assures US, None of the
wicked shall understand" Daniel xii,
8, 10)-none who are out Of heart har.
mony with God-but only the wise of
the Masters parable.
/ have long avoided presentation OF
my understanding Of our text and it's
context. ! take it up now by request
and because / believe it is due time to
be understood. / disclam any special
inspiration. In some particulars my
views agree with those of other Bible
students. and in other respects they
disagree Each nearer must use his
own judgment. do his own Bible study
and reach his own conclusions.
Kindly remember that / am not re-
sponslble for the figures of speech used
by the Lord. My interpretations do in
deed constitute a terrible arraignment
of institutions which we have all rever
enced and which embrace good peop'p
of good words and good works. Gods
sanity people in these various institu
tons, being comparatively few, are
ignored when systems as whole are
dealt with in prophecy.
The Dragon, Beast, False Prophet.
Our context tells us that three i'm
pure spirits teachings) will go torih
from the mouths Of the Dragon. the
Beast and the False Prophet, and these
three will be in accord. and symboliCul
ly the doctrines are represented by
frogs" These three doctrines are to
have mighty influence throughout The
civilized earth. They are to gather
the kings and their armies to the great
Battle of Armageddon.
The ecclesiastical kings and princes
and their retinues Of clergy and faith
full adherents, will be gathered in sniid
phalanX Protestant and Catholic. The
kings and captains Of industry. and rs
many as can be influenced by them
will be gathered to the same side. The
political kings and princes. with aI
their henchmen and retainers, will fol
low in line on the same side. The
financial kings and merchant princes
and all whom they can influence by H.
most gigantic power ever yet exercis
ed in the world will join the same
side. according TO this prophecy.
These doctrines of demons" repre-.
sented by the frogs" will lead many
noble people in this great army to rs
sumo an attitude quite contrary to
their preference. For n time the
wheels of liberty and progress will be
turned backward and medieval re-
straints will be considered necessary
for representation the mainte
nance of the present order of things
In giving this Interpretation. it is
necessary for us to indicate what is
symbolized by the Dragon. the Beast
and the False Prophet. Bible students
of nearly all denominations. agree with
us that the Dragon" of Revelation
represents the purely Civil Power
Protestant interpreters generally agree
that the Beast like a leopard" Reve
lation xiii. p represents the Papacy
But fewer still. we fear, will be ready
to support our view that Professionalism
is the Image of the Beast" (Revelation
xiii, 15) In our context given another
name, "the False Prophet" We urge
no one to accept our Interpretation
nor shall we think hard of any vino
refuse 1t. We will neither SANDER nor
otherwise injure them now. nor threat
en- them with eternal torture. They
have the same right to their views thai
have. and the same right to maxi
them known TO others. And l. fo,
one. will be very glad to consider any
thing which opponents may set forth
as their interpretations Of our text.
"unclean Spirits Like Frogs"
The symbolisms of Scripture, right
ly understood. are always forceful
When the Holy Spirit used/a frog
to symboIIcally represent certain