The Image of the Beast.
By Wm. C. Gage.
THE curious and rapid changes in public opinion have often been made a subject of remark by mauy statesmen and orators, and the ease with which the views of the masses are said to be moulded by designing men, has been considered by some as a barrier to a republican form of government. Yet the keen-sighted observer cannot fail to see that some of these wonderful changes are but the development of a germ long hidden and dormant, which has only waited for the favoring elements to foster its growth, and hasten it to maturity. This peculiarity is strikingly manifested in the eagerness of the public to endorse anything and everything teudiug to a union of church and State. While the unvarying profession of our government has ever been "liberty of conscience aud freedom to all," and it would seem to the casual observer that this principle had always beeu carried out, yet, if we carefully examine our history, we shall find that practice has uot always conformed to profession. This is familiarly illustrated in the case of our Puritan forefathers, who were ready to persecute those who differed from them, even while their own backs were smarting from the wouuds of religious intolerance. Perhaps some may claim that, notwithstanding this was a marked characteristic of the early stages of our governmeut, we have uow outgrown it, and are further removed than ever from a union of church and State. For the beuefit of such, we subjoin the following extracts from a lecture delivered iu Concord, N. H., by a very popular clergyman, before a "full and delighted audience," who mauifested their approbation by "frequent applause." “The Flag and the Cross are my theme to-night. The Cross is the symbol of our religion. It reminds us of the fatherhood of God, the brotherhood of man, the sacrifice of Christ, the redemption of the world. The Flag is the emblem of our nationality, the symbol of liberty and order. They should be associated, intertwined about our altars. There is no desecration in the act. There is little danger of too intimate union between church and State. If our religion be uot brought iuto coutact with politics and business, and all the everyday concerus of life, it is not a blessing, but a curse. The assumption that Christian ministers should not intermeddle with affairs of State, is a great aud aud daugerous heresy. We have uudertakeu, as a natiou, to divorce the Flag and the Cross. * Wouli we have our nation prosper, we must solemnize anaw the union between the Cross and the Flag. That the above is a fair expositiou of public opinion, is appareut from the fact that it was "frequently applauded," and thus virtually eudorsed by a large and iutelligent audience. While those who are observiug may be led to iuquire, "What will be the result of all this?" the student of prophecy cau confidently answer, "A uuiou of church and State," for to him it is but an evideuce that the "sure word of prophecy" is being fulfilled, which demands an "image to the beast." Rev. xiii, 14, 15. All expositors are agreed in saying that "the beast" is the Roman Catholic power, which was distinguished in prophecy as a uniou of church and State. Its "image" will be like it, and therefore a similar uuiou must be expected under the government symbolized by the two-horned beast of Rev. xiii.