PROPOSITION 1. By the first message of Rev. 14, we are brought to the beginning of the work of Judgment; but two other messages follow, involving a probationary work, before the Lord comes; therefore the Judgment of Rev. 14: 7, transpires before the close of human probation. PROPOSITION 2. Future rewards and punishments are determined wholly by the Judgment; hence, the bestowal of any retributive reward or punishment, must be preceded by a work of Judgment. PROPOSITION 3. The living righteous are rewarded instantly at the appearing of Christ; for without space for any investigation of character, or decision of cases, they are changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye at the last trump. 1 Cor. 15: 51, 52. And preceding this change of the living, the righteous dead are raised. 1 Thess. 4: 16, 17. A judgment work, therefore, of some kind precedes the second coming of Christ. To what extent is it necessary that this work should be carried before the coming of Christ takes place? It is necessary that all the members of the human family should, so to speak, be classified; that is, that the line of distinction should be drawn between the righteous and the wicked, and that it should be determined to which class every one belongs. And whoever will think seriously upon this point a moment, will see that it is absolutely necessary that this much should be determined beforehand, inasmuch as immortality is instantly conferred upon all the righteous at the second coming of Christ; and God has not seen fit to decide by his own omniscience who are worthy of immortality, but has left the determination of that question to the investigation and decision of the Judgment, that an intelligent universe may be able to understand for themselves the righteousness of his doings. And how far must the Judgment be carried to determine this point? It must go so far as to embrace an investigation of the life record of every individual; a record which we have every reason to infer is kept in the books above; Rev. 20: 12; for all are to be judged out of the things written in the books according to their works; and in no other way, save by an absolute exertion of God's omniscience, could each one's character and destiny be determined. There is therefore a preliminary work of investigation of character, previously determining and deciding to which of the two classes, the righteous and the wicked, every one belongs, that must take place before the Lord comes. This is the nature of the Judgment, to the hour, or period, of which we are brought by the first message of Rev. 14. And we think enough evidence has been presented in preceding articles showing that the present generation has heard this message, to create in every mind an intense interest in the question which next arises, Are we now in the inexpressibly solemn and important period of the investigative Judgment which just precedes the revelation of Jesus Christ in the clouds of heaven? U. S.