In examining the trumpets of Rev. 8 and 9 in former articles in the REVIEW it was the intention to consider only the first four. We will now add a few thoughts by way of concluding the subject. The four trumpets already examined complete the history of those forms of the Roman government under which Rome succeeded so remarkably. Her emperors, consuls and senate, are no more. Three out of the ten nationalities into which the Roman power had merged, were removed by the civil-religious power which arose. The dominant powers, after A. D. 538, were the Huns, Visigoths, Burgundians, Suevi, Franks, Anglo-Saxons, Lombards, and the civil-religious power, the papacy, which grew out of the eastern part of the empire after its tripartite division. According to prophecy, these powers were to govern the world. They were not only to rule the world then, but their authority was to affect the nations as long as the world should stand. But how is this? It appears from the fact that the very beast of Dan. 7, after having three horns plucked up by the roots, was the identical beast which was given to the burning flame. That beast, after A. D. 538, had eight horns, and it was in this condition when the prophet watched it, until it passed into the burning flame. The other beasts representing the Medo-Persian and Grecian kingdoms, which had formerly had a governing influence in the world, merely continued to exist. They were not to have a governing influence among the nations while the papal beast existed. The prophet says, Dan. 7:12, “They had their dominion taken away.” Historians have not lost sight of this fact which prophecy here specifies. Mitchell says: “About the end of the fourth century, barbarous nations from the North and East commenced inroads on the Roman Empire, and in the course of the succeeding hundred and fifty years overthrew the Roman power.” “About the last of the eighth century, the various little tribes which rose on the ruins of the Roman Empire, gradually merged into a few great monarchies, which, in general outline, have continued till the present day.” Ancient Geography, pp. 143, 149. Here, then, we have a standard author, with whom many a school boy is familiar, who corroborates our assertion that certain powers were to exercise a controlling influence in the world. But you may say, We cannot identify them; nations are too much intermingled. Can you identify the papacy? You answer, Yes; the papacy has stood out prominently. You will also admit that this power will exist until it is destroyed by the brightness of the coming of the Son of God. Now, what became of the other seven horns which had crowns? Did the prophet see them without crowns? Did he lose sight of them? No, but some suppose these powers are mixed up with other nationalities, so that their identity is lost. But the material of which they were composed forbids such a conclusion. They were represented under the figure of clay and iron. You may mix clay and iron and remix them, and the clay still appears and the iron also, just as they did before you attempted to form the compound. The Huns, who threw off the Roman yoke, A. D. 356, and soon enlarged their kingdom until it embraced a territory nearly as large as Russia proper, under whose banners the Scythian, Slavic, Bulgarian, Avar, and Finnish tribes served, are people of the same lineage as those who occupy Russia to-day. Their government has never been interrupted, and their aggressive character has continued the same. They have the same fierce and warlike spirit that characterized the rude troops of Attila in A. D. 451. This same character to-day makes Russia control the broadest territory of any nation beneath the sun. If that Scythian power has ever been subdued, who did it? Napoleon I. came the nearest to succeeding; but he failed, and the most of the vast army which he marched into Russia perished. Smith, in his “History of the World,” Vol. iii. p. 740, says: “The Huns were Scythians, and like them a collection of family tribes or hordes.” Again, p. 743, he says: “The power of the Huns was revived in its old seats, under other names, by the Bulgarians, the Avars, and the Khazars; and to the present day the Hunnish blood is still abundant—in some cases predominant—in Bulgaria, Hungary, the Danubian principalities, Volhynia, Podolia, Cherson, Taurida, and the Crimea.” It seems that the original Burgundians were Germans. The people who now occupy the territory which constituted a part of the Burgundian kingdom in A. D. 407, are, as near as we can learn from history, still of German descent and belong to the Germanic Confederation. Another power was the Suevic, the modern Portuguese. This nationality had its rise in A. D. 407. They have since retained their identity, and the Portuguese language is spoken by many millions in Europe, Africa, and South America; and the influence of the Portuguese government has a great bearing, especially in the commercial and naval affairs of the world. The Visigoths merged into what is called the Spanish kingdom, and have had an uninterrupted governing influence since A. D. 407. The Spanish government influences and controls many millions in Europe and America. The French, whose kingdom first had its rise A. D. 407, have sustained a separate position and have ever exercised a strong governing influence. The Anglo-Saxon power, which had its rise A. D. 476, has ever since retained its identity; and its language and laws bear sway in every quarter of the globe. The sun is always shining upon English possessions, and none will attempt to deny the controlling influence of the Anglo-Saxon race. The Lombards became a distinct people in A. D. 483. In their posterity the Italians are classified. History shows a successive line of Lombard supremacy in the Italian government. To-day a Lombard prince is heir to the Italian throne, or rules on it, and the Italian power is one of those which were to possess uninterrupted dominion till the destruction of all earthly kingdoms. See “Hayden’s History of Dates,” p. 269. The papacy completes the number of powers which were to rule mankind and determine the bounds of empires and the fate of battles, until He whose right it is to reign shall come and dash the wicked nations to pieces and take the kingdom unto himself. The peculiarity of these powers is, that their monarchical forms have been uninterrupted, and will continue so, until probation closes. We therefore do not expect to see the Portuguese submit to the king of Spain; nor the people of England subject to a French monarchy; nor will the Italian people ever be subservient to the crown of Russia. Efforts may be made through war, diplomacy, and marriage, to effect a union of these kingdoms, but it never can be done; for the prophecy declares that they shall not cleave one to another. The papal power may consume away; but it will be in existence when Jesus comes: “And then shall that wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming.” 2 Thess. 2:8. “I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake; I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.” Dan. 7:11. But some may say that there are other powers in the earth holding a greater prominence than these we have mentioned, why may not they be more properly called great or ruling powers? We say, 1. Other powers have had an interrupted dominion since their rise. 2. They did not arise soon enough. 3. All the other powers of the earth have been, or are, governed, directly or indirectly, by these eight specified governments. It has never been possible to fully break up these governments and destroy their identity. Charlemagne tried it; the Arabian Caliphs attempted to do it; Napoleon I. felt sure of accomplishing the project; but he utterly failed, and became an exile for presuming to thwart the fulfillment of the prophecy which says: “They shall not cleave one to another.” It was folly for Napoleon to attempt to do what God said should not be done. The combined nations of the earth never have dismembered these nationalities nor can they ever efface these specified ruling powers from the earth; for God declares that it is this beast that is to be given to the burning flame; and these very powers have, as we understand, fulfilled the specifications of the prophetic symbol. When the world is fully ripe for destruction, then will their identity cease. Then they shall become like the chaff of the summer-threshing floor which the wind drives away so that no place is found for it. The threatening storm that is looming up in the East need not alarm us. Europe, with her 5,000,000 of soldiers ready to give battle, cannot in any emergency invalidate the word of God. We yet behold, according to the words of the prophet, the divided form of Daniel’s metallic image; and as we see the armies and navies of the Old World stand in awe of each other, we are certain that out of the great controversy there shall come forth a remnant people who will be unscathed and unaffected by political conflicts. The call that gathers them is going forth. Out of every nation, tongue, kindred and people is being collected a company whose union will be complete. They will present a formidable array. They will appear like an army with banners. They are to march together, and not break their ranks. They shall see eye to eye. They have perfected a holy character. They shall have become so blameless and faultless that they are without rebuke. They reflect the true image of the Refiner. We long to see the victory turn on Zion’s side.