THEY WILL MAKE AN IMAGE TO THE BEAST.
By M. E. Cornell
"Saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast which had the wound by a sword and did live." Rev. xiii, 14. BEFORE we can ascertain what would constitute an "image to the beast," it will be necessary for us to know of what the "beast" was composed. Most commentators agree with us that the beast with seven heads and ten horns, whose work is so definitely marked in the first part of this chapter, is a symbol of the Papal church. We believe this for the following reasons; viz., 1. That church has fulfilled every specification in the prophecy. 2. When a prophecy is applied in the right place, there will be a perfect fitness in the application. And when not rightly applied, there will not be a perfect fulfillment of all the specifications laid down. 3. We have no record of any power that ever performed a similar work. 4. History establishes the fact that the Roman43Catholic church, when clothed with civil power, has exactly fulfilled every point in the prophecy; therefore the beast is a symbol of the Roman Catholic church, united with the government. From verse 11, and onward in this chapter we have a minute description of these United States, under the symbol of the two-horned beast. Now if the above reasons are valid, the prophecy of the two-horned beast is permanently fastened upon this government. The two lamb-like horns are found here. The dragon voice is heard here. The great wonders and miracles, by which the people are being deceived, are performed here. This is the last specification mentioned before the making of the image; therefore we have no reason to doubt but that the time has come for the saying to go forth, Make an image to the beast. When the beast had the dominion, all its authority must be Catholics. The popular sentiment then was that none should hold offices in the government, except they professed the Catholic faith. (The popular religion at that period was Catholicism.) They legislated upon religious subjects, and required all men to conform to the popular institutions and dogmas of Papacy, or suffer and die. The image must be made in the United States, where Protestantism is the prevailing religion. Image signifies likeness; therefore Protestantism and Republicanism will unite; or, in other words, the making of laws will go into the hands of Protestants, when all its authority will profess the popular sentiments of the day, and make laws binding certain religious institutions upon all without distinction. Before such a work can be done here, speeches must be made in favor of such a change. Men of influence and talent must advocate from the pulpit and through the press, the necessity of sending men to congress and the state legislature, who are professors of religion, and will legislate in favor of popular religious institutions. This would be saying to the people, Make an image to the beast—let Christian men hold the reins of government. This work has commenced in earnest in Michigan. The saying has gone forth, that "Christian men" (Protestants) "should rule." In proof of this we copy a few sentences from a sermon lately preached in Jackson, Mich., by the pastor of the M. E. Church in that place, and published by the request of fifteen of the citizens of the village, such as Lawyers, Physicians, Merchants, &c. The pamphlet is entitled, "The political duties of Christian men and Ministers." Over the request, the object of the sermon is given as follows:— "The design of this Sermon is, to defend the political rights and privileges of Christian men and ministers, and to teach that conscience should take the place of party prejudice in the choice of our rulers; and it is now published in accordance with the following request: REV. J. S. SMART—
DEAR SIR: The undersigned, having listened to your Sermon on the 'Political Duties of Christian Men and Ministers,' and believing its sentiments to be such as should be disseminated at the present time, do respectfully solicit a copy of the same for publication." We omit the names of the signers, as they are probably all unknown to the readers of the Review, except C. P. Russel. As we copy from this Sermon we will italicize those parts which have a particular bearing upon the subject under consideration, that the reader may the more readily see our object in the quotation, and save us the trouble of making lengthy remarks. On page 4, speaking of religion and politics, we read the following: "And is not the man who attempts to put asunder what God hath so evidently joined together, an enemy to all good government?" Again, on page 6, speaking of the rights of ministers, he says: "I claim that we have, and ought to have just as much concern in the government of this country, as any other men. . . . We are profoundly interested in the prosperity and permanency of this government." &c. Page 12. "How absurd it is for the people of any nation to think of enjoying peace and prosperity long under the government of impious and unprincipled rulers. A greater curse could not fall upon this, or any other country, than that it should be governed by infidel and licentious politicians. It is not only a great folly, but a great sin to elect such men to rule over us. There is no such thing as banishing conscience from politics. It is just as much a 'moral act' to vote as it is to pray." Remarks. If it is a "moral act" to vote, then the man who will not vote is an immoral man, and the same with regard to prayer; so that the man who does not vote or neglects to pray is not, according to this sermon, fit to occupy any responsible station in this government; for the main drift of the sermon is to show that none but "moral men should hold the reins of government." And as nearly all the praying men who do not belong to some of the popular sects, are men that will not vote, we conclude that when Mr. Smart, and those who signed the request acknowledging that they believed his sentiments, see their desire accomplished, they will see the making of laws in the hands of sectarian men. This conclusion is strengthened by the following from page 13: "Let the voice of virtue be heard though it be feeble. But thank God, we are not alone. We are the mass of the people. Virtue in this country is not weak; her ranks are strong in numbers, and invincible from the righteousness of her cause. Invincible if united! Let not her ranks be broken by party names." This last extract speaks too plain to be misunderstood. Let us review it. After hiding himself and other ministers and religious men behind the word virtue, the speaker says: We are the mass, &c., and goes on to boast of strength and numbers. We inquire how many! The prophetic word answers, The number is 666, which is the whole number of the name of the beast. Rev. xiii, 18. But Mr. Smart says: "Let not her ranks be broken by party names." Ah, this is as we expected. The whole family of Babylon must agree and unite to defend certain leading doctrines and institutions which they all believe from the mother (Catholic church) down through all the 666 names, even to the youngest of the daughters. (Protestant sectarian bodies.) As Mr. Smart says in page 4, "No man's profession should screen him from the rebukes of the divine law," and that it is duty to "protest against all the wrong doings of men," we shall feel the greater liberty to make use of his words. Let us hear him again. Page 8. "Now I trust I have made it sufficiently plain that it is right and proper to mix religion with politics; that is, to breathe truth, and honor, and justice, and purity, and love, into the nostrils of our political system that it may become an 'immortal being' and that God may pronounce it very good." Again on Page 16, after speaking of intellectually tall, and morally upright men, he says: God grant that such men may be promoted to rule over us, and that all political brambles may be plucked up by the roots, that the existence and honor of this republic may be immortal." Now if we understand the sentiments expressed by this minister, and believed by those who requested their publication, they can be summed up as follows: Let praying men that will perform the moral act of voting for men that believe in praying and voting, (which as we have seen are very scarce out side of sectarian churches) be promoted to rule over us. And then under such an administration let our political system become an immortal being, or as expressed in the closing words of the sermon, "God grant that the existence of this republic may be immortal." The word, immortal, signifies endless existence, not subject to change, indestructible. Then we shall understand these men, that they want the reins of this government to pass into the hands of professed "Christian men," and then exist to all eternity. Our Saviour teaches men to pray, "Thy kingdom come," but the prayer of these men is very different. It is virtually as follows: "Lord let not thy kingdom come to all eternity; because if thy kingdom comes the honor and existence of this republic cannot be immortal." Again, if Mr. Smart's prayer should be granted, the word of prophecy must fail; for it plainly teaches that God's kingdom shall break in pieces and consume all earthly kingdoms and stand forever; [Dan ii, 44.] but if this republic should become indestructible, in the hands of sectarian men, there would be one set of rulers and one earthly government which could not be destroyed. That men who have not yet seen the light of present truth should utter such sentiments as are expressed in the sermon from which we have now taken a few extracts, is not so great a marvel; but that a man who has once been enlightened concerning the destiny of all earthly governments should acknowledge to the public, that he believes such sentiments and that they should be disseminated at the present time, is a mystery not easily solved, unless it be upon the principle laid down by Jesus Christ in these words: "But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness." Matt. vi, 23. Or perhaps the principle laid down by the apostle John, will better explain this case: "He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes. 1 John ii, 10 11. When we consider the fact that the leading doctrines which are held by the mass of the Protestant sects, are in harmony with those of the Catholic, and that already the authorities are legislating upon religious subjects, and laying heavy penalties upon men because they will not violate their own consciences in regard to sacred and religious principles, we cannot doubt that the "image" will soon be complete. Certain elements which now exist, will, when united, make a perfect image to the beast which had the wound and did live. The saying has gone forth that these elements must be combined; that it is perfectly right and proper that these elements should be mixed together. How rapidly and how sure is this work progressing. The word of prophecy cannot fail. The final test will surely come. Already we hear a dragon voice with dreadful threatening: Profane not our institutions, lest ye suffer. Who then shall be able to stand! O ye fellow pilgrims that have endured small tests, a greater is before you. A mighty final struggle. We shall need great faith. O let us gather it for a treasure and we shall go through. But we must first go to battle. Yes war is declared between the dragon and the commandment-keepers. See Rev. xii, 17. But is the battle near? See the spirits going forth to all the world. Hear that voice "Make an image!" These words are spoken low, but distinct. Watch! do not dare to slumber now. Let us see to it, that we have on the whole armor. The decree is already written out in the minds of men, and will soon be signed. Then will be heard the dreadful proclamation, Ye shall neither buy nor sell if ye receive not the mark! Ye shall be killed if ye worship not the image of the beast! Must we come to this? must we pass the solemn test? Yes there is no way of escape. The sure word marks it thus, and it is inevitable. Then we will now resolve that we will sooner die than worship that image, or receive his fatal mark. The faithful will be delivered. Zion's number all sealed will bear the voice of God and victory will turn on Zion's side. The saints will give a mighty shout of victory over the beast and the image, and sing the song of deliverance on Mount Zion. O glorious hope! Blessed prospect now just before us. It fills my soul with glory! Dear saints may we be there.