Spiritualism arises to act its part in the world's history. The description is, “I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.” Rev. 16:13, 14. How is this beast further described? In Rev. 17:3 the apostle “saw a woman” who sat “upon a scarlet-colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.” He adds: “I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns. The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.” Rev. 17:7, 8. He then explains the beast and the woman, as follows: “The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.” Verse 9. Then he changes his symbol from mountains to “seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come.” Verse 10. This one, which “is not yet come,” had not existed when John saw the vision. “The woman . . . is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.” Verse 18. Here he continues the object-lesson of the working of Satan in the beast and an apostate church. What, then, will be the final masterly effort of deception of the “beast that was, and is not, and yet is”? Will it not be the personal appearing of Satan on the earth to accomplish that which he had failed fully to accomplish through paganism, papacy, Protestantism, and Spiritualism, through human agencies? This personal appearance of Satan himself is thus described:— As the crowning act in the great drama of deception, Satan himself will personate Christ. The church has long professed to look to the Saviour's advent as the consummation of her hopes. Now the great deceiver will make it appear that Christ has come. In different parts of the earth, Satan will manifest himself among men as a majestic being of dazzling brightness, resembling the description of the Son of God given by John in the Revelation. The glory that surrounds him is unsurpassed by anything that mortal eyes have yet beheld. The shout of triumph rings out upon the air, “Christ has come! Christ has come!” The people prostrate themselves in adoration before him, while he lifts up his hands, and pronounces a blessing upon them, as Christ blessed his disciples when he was upon the earth. His voice is soft and subdued, yet full of melody. In gentle, compassionate tones he presents some of the same gracious, heavenly truths which the Saviour uttered; he heals the diseases of the people, and then, in his assumed character of Christ, he claims to have changed the Sabbath to Sunday, and commands all to hallow the day which he has blessed. He declares that those who persist in keeping holy the seventh day are blaspheming his name by refusing to listen to his angels sent to them with light and truth. This is the strong, almost overmastering, delusion. Like the Samaritans who were deceived by Simon Magus, the multitudes, from the least to the greatest, give heed to these sorceries, saying, This is “the great power of God.”—Great Controversy, page 624. Let us review the points to which we have called attention:— First, Satan is a real being. He was once an angel of light in heaven. Sin originated with him in heaven, and he was cast out to this earth. Second, he developed his system of iniquity through the governments of the earth, and especially pagan Rome, and, in its changed form, the papacy. As paganism and the papacy failed to accomplish the design of Satan, he now works through the two-horned beast, or false prophet (the United States of America), which is Protestantism. This power is an object-lesson of the crowning act of Satan. The third act in deceiving the world will be through the agency of Spiritualism. Miracles will be wrought, the sick will be healed, and many undeniable wonders will be performed. These spirits will profess faith in the Bible, and manifest respect for the institutions of the church. Their work will be accepted as a manifestation of divine power; hence the immortality of the soul and Sunday sacredness will be prominent doctrines that will bring the people under satanic deceptions. The Protestants of the United States will be forced, in stretching their hands across the gulf, to clasp the hand of Spiritualism. In this they will reach over the abyss to clasp hands with the Roman power; and under the influence of this threefold union, this country will follow in the steps of Rome in trampling on the rights of conscience. Fourth, even this will fail to accomplish Satan's purpose; for the commandment-keepers still live. He himself then appears here and there, in different places of the earth, and becomes in reality the fulfillment of the beast that was, and is not, and yet is, after the object-lesson has been given by pagan Rome, papal Rome, and the United States. He appears here, and then disappears, only to reappear at some other place, and thus he will influence paganism, the papacy, and Protestantism to denounce those who honor the Bible Sabbath, accusing them of breaking down the moral restraints of society, causing anarchy and corruption, and calling down the judgments of God upon the earth. Then the dignitaries of the church and state will unite to bribe, persuade, or compel all classes to honor the Sunday, under the generalship of Satan himself. The protection of human laws will be withdrawn from those who honor the law of God, and in different lands there will be a simultaneous movement for the destruction of the people of God. “As the time appointed in the decree draws near, the people will conspire to root out the hated sect. It will be determined to strike in one night a decisive blow, which shall utterly silence the voice of dissent and reproof.”—Great Controversy, page 635. But in this hour of utmost extremity, God will interpose for the deliverance of his chosen. The people of God will come from prison cells, from hidden, solitary retreats, from the forests and the mountains, while in every quarter companies of armed men, urged on by the hosts of evil angels, are preparing for the work of death. At this time comes the final triumph of the people of God. The Third Angel's Message is a warning against this approaching storm. Many who now profess the truth will abandon their position and join the ranks of opposition. They will unite with the world, partake of its spirit, and will view matters in a different light than they did when they accepted the truth. When the test is brought, they choose the easy and popular side. The time of the Third Angel's Message, therefore, can never be past when the warning will not be applicable, or will not be given by the chosen people of God. It is to this coming struggle that we are pointing especially at the present time. The beast and the false prophet will lead the world. Papacy in the Old World, and Protestantism in the New, will maintain their identity; for it is these two powers alone, directing the world, that go into the lake of fire. “And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshiped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.” Rev. 19:19, 20.