Is this proclamation a thing of the past? It is a solemn warning of the coming of the seven last plagues. An attentive perusal of Rev. xiv, 9-12; xv; xvi, 1, 2, must settle this beyond all dispute. The plagues are not to come upon men unheralded. They are to have solemn warning of their approach; the reason why they come is to be set forth; and the way of escape declared. The plagues come upon that class which the third angel threatens, and for the very sin which he denounces. This warning is the immediate precursor of the plagues, and is addressed to the very generation that shall drink their unmixed wrath. But can we not place this message of warning far in the past? Not unless we can put the angel who announces that “the hour of his judgment is come” still farther into the past. Few Adventists will consent to such an interpretation. But this is “THE THIRD” message of a series that begins with the warning concerning the Judgment. It is a message denouncing wrath without mixture of mercy, and it is immediately followed by the harvest of the earth, and the battle of the great day. These facts seem to be quite sufficient to show that the third proclamation belongs to the last generation, and is the immediate precursor of the time of trouble. But there is another line of argument quite independent of this, that is very decisive in its character. The third angel utters his warning with direct reference to the work of the two-horned beast. The things which the third angel forbids under such fearful penalty, the two-horned beast requires men to do upon pain of death. Rev. xiii, 14, 15. Now is this work of the two-horned beast in the past? If it is, the third angel's message must be still further back in the past, for it relates directly to what the two-horned beast is to do. But if the peculiar work of this power that is so solemnly denounced by the third angel, remains to be fulfilled, then the third angel addresses his warning to us, and we ought to regard it. Let us consider several important facts. 1. The two-horned beast is distinguished from the ten-horned beast, which is called “the first beast,” while this is called “another beast.” Then it follows that the two-horned beast does not do his peculiar work earlier than the ten-horned beast; for in that case the two-horned beast would be the first beast. It follows also that he does not do his special work at the same time that the ten-horned beast performs his; for in that case neither could properly be called the first beast. Each beast has a peculiar work of persecution to do. This work they do not do at the same time. One such source of distress is enough for one time. The first beast had 1260 years of cruel power in which he warred upon the saints. This ended in 1798. The work of the two-horned beast is this side of that time. The ten-horned beast lives till the Judgment, so that the two-horned beast with his later work of persecution, acts in the sight of the first beast after he is healed of his deadly wound. The work of the two-horned beast does therefore pertain to the close of this dispensation, and of consequence, the third angel's warning pertains to the closing period of probation, and is rightly placed after the announcement that the hour of God's judgment has come. 2. But there is another thing to be considered. The two-horned beast does his cruel work after a season of deception more wonderful than the world has ever seen. See Rev. xiii, 13, 14. The persecution is preceded, and directly caused, by the miracles which are wrought. It is evidently caused by Satan working with all power, and signs, and lying wonders. 2 Thess. ii, 9, 10. This season of lying wonders is no doubt “the hour of temptation from which those only are preserved who have kept the words of Christ's patience. Rev. iii, 10, 11; xiv, 12. The two-horned beast of Rev. xiii, 11-18, is admitted on all hands to be the same as the false prophet of chap. xvi, 13; xix, 20. In fact a careful study of these three chapters leaves no chance to doubt the point. This being established one important fact follows as a certainty. The miracles of the false prophet or two-horned beast are wrought by the unclean spirits. These unclean spirits—how fittingly chosen is that word “unclean”—now fill our land; yes, even the whole world is filled with their unholy presence. The hand of God holds this mighty agency for evil in check. But it is in our land everywhere, and the nation and the rulers are leavened with its pernicious teachings. The time will come, when these spirits will even go out of the mouth of the great powers, i. e., with their authority, to do their final work. Now, candid reader, does not the prophecy which is already preparing for its accomplishment by this unhallowed agency, clearly evince that the present is the time for the third angel's warning? God gives the warning before the deception is suffered to exert its real strength upon our race; yet he permits this evil agency to develop itself sufficiently to show that everything is ready for the accomplishment of the predicted work. The unclean spirits perform the miracles that cause the formation of the image, and the giving of power to this image to kill those who will not worship it. This work is not yet accomplished. But this terrible test is just what the third angel warns us is coming. The very agency is marshaling its forces, that is to cause, first, the overwhelming deception, and next, the terrible scene of distress predicted in Rev. xiii, 14, 15. Therefore this is the time for the warning voice of the third angel. 3. The spirit of prophecy has placed one mark upon this work of deception that enables us to determine with absolute certainty whether it relates to the past or the future. The power of Satan is, among other wonderful things, to bring down fire from heaven upon the earth in the sight of men. Now we know that this most astonishing miracle has not been wrought by Satanic agency in the past. God has restrained his power that he has not been able in the past to do this thing. See an instance in 1 Kings xviii. Nor will God suffer him to do it in the future till the third angel gives warning of this miracle of Satanic power. Satan is restrained till men have warning, and despise or at least neglect the word of solemn admonition. Now the fact that this miracle of Satan's mighty power is to be openly and publicly performed is a solemn guaranty that it has not taken place in the past in some obscure place where there was no one to take notice of it, or place it upon record. The miracle has not been performed. Then the work of deception of Rev. xiii, 13, 14, is before us. It is not in the past. The formation of the image is in consequence of the deception. It is, therefore, to follow the letting loose of Satan's mighty power. Then the scene of conflict, concerning which the third angel warns us, is just before us. And, therefore, the third angel's proclamation belongs to us at this time. Are not these things so?