H' I ARMAOEDDON OF I THE SCRIPTURES I ' Startling Presentation ot Cera- I log Events. I .PASTOR RUSSELL'S VIEWS, H Churchaa of All Denomination and th B Civil Power of Earth Are About to H Unite In Common Cauee Powerful H Influono PreparlnQ For the Battle H of Armageddon A Reign of Anarchy M Will Be the Reault of the Warfare M Until The Meeelah Takes Control. H rm Brooklyn, N. Y., WwMb"' wi ,,rook,y11 Acmlomy H M EJ I of SI u ' c H !MPrM$ ,row(,e(i to ii' i,,n H --RK,' j It todnj to honr H uMBivi jEI i'nHtr (tusHuii'H H Wf Ml dlHcourHc on thu H HH "ifattlo or Annual Annu-al . fov M$a Kcililon" llh text IK Kfiai W,,M: "IJo i'1111'4-'1'"'1 H - Ir ""'"' t0Kt'tm'r int" H IVBMMWk mm, n pluco culled In H (MPRPlMD) lllu ijw toimiic "'" " " A. r in it o il d o u," H (Ituvolntloii xvl. 1(1.) Tlio Hpunkor Haiti; H Al'IIIIIKt'lldOII III till) Uulll-OW HlKllllUiH j , tlio "Hill of MckIiIiIo," or Mount of Do H Htrtictlon II whh fitmoiiH tin n Imttlo H Held In Old TimtnmiMit Union. H Thu l.ortl Iiiih ml'uii lit to iiNHOflntu thu , iiiiino Ariiiiiffcddon. wllli lllu Brwit con- Jtrovoi'Hy hutwiMMi Truth mid IJrror. rl:lit and wrong. (I ml ti f til Mitmmon. j with which till ko will clone, ikmImIi. B4 (i lid thu New Aku or MchhIiiIi'h Klory H, bo iiNhuri'd In II o Iiiih iiirioHoly iihcmI H hlhl.v Hymholk'itl llureH of Hu-odi in Blj thu liiHt loul or the lllulo, evidently H with ii vlmv to hldhiK corlnln Impor- 1 tnnt tnittm until tho duo tluio for tholr HJ rovuiiliiHuiL Hut uvun in the duo time. Ht tint Mllilo iiHHiiii'rt tin, "Nono of the HJ wicked mIiiiII uiidoi-Htiuid" (Diiulol xll. Hfl D. l()i -none who nro out of heart luir Rj tunny with Clod but only tlio wimi of Hj UIh pconlo-thu "wIho virgin" cluan or Hf thu MtiHtor'x pafuhlc. H 1 have Ioiik avoided prouontntlou of 1 : my uutlitrntuiHllmr of our text and Uh Hj 4 " -context. I tulu It up now by rumiPHt li!j, " - ?- bt'cmtin I bollovo It In duo tlmo to Bf , bo understood. I dlelalni nny Bpeclal H' ItiHpliiitlou. Ill Home pnrtlculnrn my H vIuwh (igree with thowo or other Hlblo Hr RtudiMitH. mid In other rcnpoctH they B,. dlHimree. Hneli hearer intiHt uhu IiIh Hl own Judgment, do hln own UlbloHtudy, H oud reach IiIh own coiicIurIoiih. H Kindly reiuenilier that I inn not re- H vpotiNlhlu for the llKtireBof Hpeuch uued 1 I y the Lord. My Intorprotatloua doin- Bi (Iced ooiiMtltute a terrlblu iirrnlKiiinent HI of luHtltutloiiH which wo hnvo all rover Hn unced and which eiuhrnco good people, H of Kood wurdn :md pod worlirt, God'ti H( saintly people In these various liiHtltu H tloiiH, IhiIiih c)iuparatlvoly fow. are H ' Ignored when aynteuiB iih n wliole nro H ! ilea It with In prophecy. 1 The Dragon, Ueast, Fade Prophet. Hi Our context tella im that threo lui- H pure Hplrlta (tenehlnH) will go forth H from the mouths of the DraKou. thu H IleiiHt and the Fnlne Prophet, nud theHo H ' three will lie In accord, and ayinhollcal- H ly the doctrines are repreHentint by H "froKH." Thene thive doctrlucH are to H, have a mighty tutluencu throughout tho H clvtlUed earth They art) to gather H the kings and their armies to thu great H Hnttle of Armageddon. H . The (ecclesiastical kings nud prince. H ' and their retinues of clergy and faith- H 4 fill adherents, will Ih gntheanl in Ketld H phalanx- Protestant and Catholic. The H klni and captains of Industry, and an H many as can be Influenced by them. Hj will te gathered to the Hume aldo. The H H)lltlcal kings and princes, vrlth nil H their tieuchmeu and retainers, will fol- H low In Hue on the samo aldo. The H tluauclal kings nud merchnnt princes, H ami nil whom they can Intluenco by the H most gigantic power ever yet exercls- HH ed In the world, will Join the nme H ntdo, ncconllug to this prophocj-. H These "doctrines of demons," rpr- H nented by the "ftxs." will lead many Hj noble piHde In Uds gnut army to ntv H Hume an sttltu'do quite contrary to H their preference For a time the H wheeU of liberty and progress will be H turned backward and medieval ro H strHluts will Ih eoiiRldorod necessary H for ttelfpnH'rton - for the malute H mtuce of the present order of things H 'Td gtvjng this Interpretation. It la H necosssry for us to Indicate what Is H HymlMtltaed b the Omgon, the lleust. H and the Fsle Prophet. Jtlhle students H . of nearly all denominations agree with Hi lls that the "Drsgon" of Hovelntlon H renrusents the purely Civil Power R Protestant Interpreters genernlly sgrt'e H, ttiat the "Hctut like n looptml" (Hove B lotion xllt, -H rvprtxents the Inwcy B Uut fewer still, we fer. will be resdy 1 to suppoit our view tht Pttestantisni H' Is the "InmKO of the UeNst" (Hevctntlou B, xltl. IRl In our context given another H name, "t'iJe fnlse lVophet," We urge i no one to accept our InterpretKthm Hi nor tthnll we think bard, of a,nx who Vaii HH.La. ,ft. a,..,,,,.,.-, i,.., . - i wniminiBuw.iiniiii refuse ftr w win ncitner ainnaor nor othervvlJMj Injure them now. nor threaten threat-en them wllli eternal torture. They hnvo thoiuifiie right to their views that I hnvo, and the name right to make them known to othorn. And, I, for one. will Ik very glad to consfder nny-thing nny-thing which opponent mny act forth ns their Interpretations of our text. "Unclean 8ptrlta Like Froga." Tlic symbolisms of Rcrlpture. rightly right-ly understood, are nlwuyx forceful When I he Holy Spirit used n "frog" to symbolically represent rortnln doftrinea or tonchlugs, we may bo mire tho true application will (It well. A frog tins n uago look, a wise look It swells Itself up In nn apparent en-den en-den vor to Impresa tho beholder. Its great mouth welt represents Its chief power, used to cronk. Applying theno symbols, we learn that no evil spirit, lnlluence. teaching, will come from the Protoatnnt churches federated, from tho Church of Home, and from tho Civil authorities, all In full agreement Tho spirit of nil will lx boastful; nn air of superior wisdom and knowledge will bo proudly nsauuv H-all will cronk In hnrrnony. All will tell of dlro rcsulta thnt would follow. Involving the Interest of both tho present and tho future life, If their counsel bo not followed. However conflicting con-flicting tho creeds, tho differences will be Ignored In tho gonoral proposition that nothing ancient must bo disturbed, disturb-ed, or looked Into, or repudiated. Tho Divine authority of tho Church, nud tho Divine right of kings, nsldo from tho Church, will not bo nllowod to conflict. Any porsoiw or teachings In conflict with these boastful and nn-scriptural nn-scriptural claims will bo branded us everything rile, at the mouths of theso "frogs" speaking from pulpits, and platforms and through the religious and secular press. Tho nobler senti-meals senti-meals of some will bo strangled by tho philosophy of the mime evil spirit which Npolco through Calaphns, tho high priest, respecting Jchiih. Ah Cnla-pliiiy Cnla-pliiiy declared It expedient to commit a crime In violation of Justice, human nud Divine, to be rid of Jesus and Hid teachings, ho this "frog" spirit will approve ap-prove of every violation of principle necessnry to their self-protection. The croaking of theso "frog" sphiUi or loot rl nes will gather tho kings nnd princes, financial, political, religious nnd Industrial into one great army riio spirit of fear, inspired by the iroalclnga of theso "frogs," will scourge tho passions of otherwise good and reasonable men to fury, desperation. In their blind following of these evil ipirltH. evil doctrines, they will bo ready to micrlllco llo and everything on tho ultar of what they mistakenly jupposo Is Justice, truth and rlghleous-ocsh, rlghleous-ocsh, under a Divine nrrnngomont. For u brief time, as we understand tho Scriptures, these combined forces it Armageddon will triumph. Free mecch, free malls, and other liberties which hnvo come to be the very breath if tho masses in our day, will bo ruthlessly ruth-lessly shut off under tho plea of neces-ilty, neces-ilty, tho glory of Cod, tlio commands of the Church, etc. All will seem to bo j 'creno, until tho great nodal explosion 1 In our context described ns the "great liiirtluiimko." An "eartlniuake," In lymbolto language, signifies social revolution, and the declaration of the ?onto.t Is that nono like unto It over before occurred. (Uevelntlon xvl, IS, 10.) Jesus described It as n tlmo of trouble such as never was since theru was a nation. Matthew xxlv, 21. The Lord Will Qathor Thorn. The false, frog-llko teachings will callier together Into one host tho great? the rich, thu wise, the learned and the kings of tho earth, to battle. At this juncture Dlvlnu Power will step forward, for-ward, and our text tells us that IIH hall gather the marshaled hosts to Armageddon to the Mountain of De-Rtmctlon. De-Rtmctlon. Tho very thing which they sought to avert by their union, federation, federa-tion, etc., will bo tho very thing they will hasten. Other Serlpturea tell ua that (3 oil will bo represented by tho (3 rout Messiah, and that lie will be on the side of the masses. Thus we read In Daniel xll. I: "At that tlmo shall Michael the Godlike One Measlnh) stand up" nssuane authority. He will take possession of Ills Kingdom In a mnuuer little looked for by many of those who erroneously hnvo been claiming that they were His Kingdom, and authorised by Him to rolgn in His name and In His stetul. Jesus declared, "His servants yo are unto whom ye render service." Some ! may be rendering service to Satnn and to error, who claim to be rendering service to God and to righteousuess; and some or these may bis. serving lg tiormitly, as did Saul or Tarsus, who "vorlly thought thnt ho did (Jod a service" serv-ice" In persecuting the Church Tho j Kame principle holds true reversely As an imrthly king does not hold himself him-self rvou8lblc ror the moral character or each soldier who tights In his battles, bat-tles, so the Lord dooa uot vouch ror the moral character of nil who wilt enlist and flght on His Ride of any quostton. "His servauts they aro to whom they render service," whatever the motive or object prompting them. The same principles will npply In the coming llattlo of Armageddon, God's iddo of thnt battle will be too peopte's ld. nud the very noudescrlpt host.) the people, will be plttedat the begin-' aUur of the. battle. Auorcbista, Social- f - - -- - ; " " fstJ; nnd hot-hendetl radical or evory school of reason and unreason, will be In the forofront of that battle. The majority of the poor and tho middle clnss prefer pence nt almost any price A comparatively small number. God'B consecrated people will at henrt In? longing ibr MtBslnh'fl Kingdom. These will bldo the Urd's time nnd wait pn-tlently pn-tlently for It; they will be of good Courage, knowing the outcome outlined In the "more sure word or prophecy." to which they have dotifj well to take heed, "ah unto n light shining In n dnrk plnce until the Day dnwn."-H Peter I, 10. Thp mnnKcs will be restless of their restraint, but will bo connclou of their own weakness as compared to the kings nnd princes, financial, religious nnd political, which will then hold sway. Hesldea. the mnases hnvo no sympathy with anarchy. They realize truly that tho worst form of government govern-ment Is better thnn none. The mnsses will seek relief throngh the ballot and peaceful ro-ndJUHtmcut of earth' ar fairs for the elimination of evil, for tho pladnjf of monopolies and utilities nnd the supplies of nnturo In the hands of tho pcoplo for tho public good. Tho crlslfc will bo reached when tho hitherto hither-to upholders of law shall become violators vio-lators of tho Inw and rcslsters of the will of tho majority nn expressed by tho bnllot Fear for tho futuro will lend tho well-meaning innascn to desper-ntlon; desper-ntlon; nud anarchy will result when Socialism falls. The Cloud's Sliver Llnlnu. norrlblo would bo this outlook for (ho futuro did wo not have the Infnlll-bio Infnlll-bio "Word of God assuring us of a glorious outcomo! Divine Wisdom has withhold until our day the great knowledge knowl-edge nnd skill which Is at thu same tlmo breeding millionaires nud dlscon tents. Had God lifted tho veil a thou-sntid thou-sntid years sooner, tho world would hnvo lined up for Its Armageddon a thousand yenrs sooner. But that would hnvo been too soon for tho DI-vlno DI-vlno purpose, becnuso Messiah's Kingdom King-dom Is to bo the great Thousand Year-Sabbath of tho world's history God In kindness veiled our eyes until tho time when the gathering to Armageddon Ar-mageddon would Immediately precede Messiah's taking to Himself His great power, nnd beginning Ills reign. Iteve Inllon xl, 17, 18. "Send Them Qtrong Dolualons." St Paul wrQto prophetically of our time, that IL would be one of serious trial and testrijg to many professing to bo Chrlstln.!. Tho reason for this he atatos thaJTi received not the Truth in tho lovcJLlt. HI Thessalonlana 11, 10. 11. i TluWiiibicrrcd their own errouo-ouh errouo-ouh theories, tjie Apostle explains, and therefore GM will glvo them over to a "strong deluon," aud let them believe the Ho which they preferred, and let them suffer1 for missing tho Truth which they did not love. Thus they will bo In tho condemned host, "lighting "light-ing against God," because cf tholr lack of lovo for tho Truth. It Is sad to say that wo nil an Chris-j Chris-j Hans have been laboring under n thorough thor-ough delusion rospectlug God's Plan. Wo have claimed that Christ set up His Church in Kingdom power, nnd that tho Church has been reigning on the enrth s His representative On tho strength of this delusion, 'Jews and heretics have been persecuted to death as opponent to Christ's Kingdom. All tho while we thoughtlessly repeated tho Lord's prayer: "Thy Kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth, ns In Heaven." Wo knew thnt tlie nedeeraer said that He would come again to mako us nis Bride nnd Joint-heirs; but wo Ignored tho Scriptures Wo were drunk, ns the Scriptures symbolically Bar. "nll-antlotui jvcre .drunk" wUJj the ffllsedoctrlne. 'it Is this raise doctrine that will constitute the "frog" spirit which soon will begin to cronk and to prepare for Armageddon. Tho Bible presentation is thnt the world Is a section of the universe in rebellion ngnlnst Divine authority, under un-der the captaincy of Satan and bis associated as-sociated fallen angels. By Divine grace Jesus has .already "tasted death for every man;, and the merit of that sacrifice sac-rifice must, eventually, grant Adam and his posterity a full, fair opportunity for tho attainment of everlasting life. All who thus seek the Divine program and are walking In the light may know something nt least respecting tho "times aud seasons." Theso brethren "arc not In darkness, that that day nud that battle or Armageddon) should ovortako" them "as a thief unawares. un-awares. Armageddon Not Yet but 8oon. For forty years the Armageddon rorces hnvo been mustering ror both sides or tho conflict. Strikes, lockouts nnd riots, great and small, havo been merely Incidental skirmishes as the belligerent parties crossed each other's paths. Court nnd Army scandals In Europe, Insurance, Trust nnd Court scandals In America, havo shaken public pub-lic confidence. Dynamite plots, charged charg-ed by turns on employees and on employers, em-ployers, havo further shaken confidence confi-dence nnd tended to make each dls trustful of the other. Bitter nnd angry reelings on both sides are more and more manifest Tho lines or bnttlo are dally becoming more distinctly mnrked Nevertheless Armngeddon cannot yet bo fought Other matters Intervene nccordlng to prophecy Gcutllc times have still two years to run. The "Imago or the Beast" or our context must yet receive life power The Image must be transformed from a mere mechanism to a living force Protestant Federation realizes that Its organization will still be futile Unless It recclvo virilization unless Its clergy directly or Indirectly shall be rccog uized as possessed of apostolic ordlun tlon nnd uuthorlty to tench. This the prophecy indicates will come from the two horned benst, which, we believe, symbolically represents tho Church ot England. High-handed activities of Protestantism nud Catholicism, operating operat-ing In conjunction for tho suppression of human liberties, nwnlt this vivirylnj of tho Image This may come soon but Armngeddon cannot precede it but must follow perhaps a year after It, nccordlng to our vlow of tho Prophecy Still another thlug Intervenes: Al though tho .Tows aro .gradually flowing into Palestine, gradually obtaining control con-trol of q ln,nd of Canaan, nnd although al-though reports say that alrondy nineteen nine-teen millionaires nro there, neverthe loss prophecy requires nn evidently larger number of wenlthy nobrews to be there Iwfore tho Armngeddon crisis i " ' a a,, 3j ixf-r&icR&C ltiae&t wunOritauo: 1 that "Jacob's trouble" In the Holy 3 Land will come nt tho very close ot m Armageddon Then Messiah's King- i dom will begin to be manifested. 1 Thenceforth Israel In the land of prom- fl Ise will gradually rise from the ashei S of the pnnt to the grandeur of proph- ecy. Through its Divinely appointed princes Messlnh's Kingdom, all-power- 8 fol but Invisible, will begin to roll 1 way the curse nnd to lift up mankind I