The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1912-11-08

Reyelation xvi, 1871 The speaker said
Armageddon In the Hebrew signifies
the Hill Of Megiddo.' or Mount Of De
struction, 1t was famous us a battle
field In Old Testament times.
The Lord has seen 1T TO associate thr
name ~Armageddon. with the great con
trorersy between Truth and Error.
right and wrong, God and Mamuoon
with which this age will close, perish
and the New Age of Messiah's glory
be usheTed in. He has purposeIy used
highly %symbolical figures of speech In
the lust book Of the Bible. evidently
with n view to hiding certain impnr
tant truths until the due time for their
%rerealment. But even in the due time.
the Bible assures us. None of the
wicked shall understand" Daniel xii.
8, l0s-none who are out Of heart har
mony With God-but only the wise OF
His p~eople-the wise virgin" class of
the Masters parable.
b l have long avoided presentation OF
my understanding of our text and lts
context. | take It up now by request
and because I believe It la due time to
be understood. | discIaIm any sI'e"ial
inspiration. In some particulars my
| views agree with those Of other Bible
students, and ln other respects they
disagree. Each hearer must use his
own Judgment do his own Bible study.
and reach his own conclusions,
Kindly remember that | am not re-
sponsible for the figures OF speech used
by the Lord. My interpretations do In.
deed constitute n terrible arralgnment
Of institutions which we have all v
eneed and which embrace good people,
of good words and good works. Gods
sanity people In these various instltu
tons, being comparatively few. are
ignored when systems az a whole are
dealt with In prophecy. .... h
Tho Dragon, Beast. False Prophet.
Our context tells US that three I'M
pure spirits teachings, viii 80 forth
from the mouths OF the Dragon. the
Beast and the False Prophet. and these
three will be In accord. and symbolicaE.
ly the doctrines are represented by
frogs" These three doctrines are to
have a mighty influence throughout the
civilized enrth They are to gather
the kings and their armies to the great
Battle Of Arnlageddon.
The ecclesiastical kings and princes.
aud their r~etinnes Of clergy and faith
ful adherentR. will he gathered In solid
phaianx Protestant and Catholic The
kings aud captains Of industry. and as
many az can he Influenced by them.
wifi be gathered tn the same side. The
political kings and princes. with all
their hencbmen and retainers. will fol
low In line ~ the same side. The
financial kings and merchant princes,
and all whom they can Influence by the
most gigantic power ever yet erercis
ed In the world, will Join the same
side. according TO this prophecy.
These doctrines Of demons repre-.
scented by the frogs" will lead many
noble people In this great army to as
sumo an attitude quite contrary 70
their preference For n time the
wheels Of liberty and progress will be
turned backward and medieval re
straints VIII be considered necessary
for sell. preservaiiDn-for the mainte
nance Of the present order Of things
In giving this Interpretation. 1t is
necessary for us to Indicate what is
symbollzed by the dragon. the Reast.
and the False Prophet. Bihta students
Of nearly NIL den0ir3 natfons agree with
us That the Dragon" Of Revelation
represents the purely Civil Power.
Protestant Interpreters generally agree
that the Beast like a leopard" Reve
lati0n Kill. o. represents the Papacy.
But fewer still. we fear. will be ready
TO support our view that Professionalism
IN the Image Of the Beast" fR~eyelation
ELI. i5, In our context giyen another
M me. .the False Prophet" We urge
40 one to accept our Interpretation.
b shall we think hard Of any who
refuse IT We will neither slander no
otherwise injure them nov, D threat
en- them with eternal torture. They
hare fie nj nj right to their views that
I finse. and the same right to make
them known 10 others. And /. for
ONE. VIII be very glad TO consider any
thing which opponents may vet forth
as their interpretations Of our text.
W4HMNNr8 KA LANHHfaAl
Aunelssn Spirits Like Frogs.
me syfsbcIisns or Scripture. right
W understood. are always forcefuI
when the Holy Spirit used a frog
To synsiyuItcatiy represent certain