THE FALLING SKIES; A. D. 300-340. Rapid Spread of Christianity-Persecu- tions by Pagan Rome-Polycarp in the Flames-The Blood of the Martyrs-Con- stantine's Vision-He Overthrows Paganism-"Great Pan is Dead".. THE TRUMPETS OF DOOM; A. D. 340-500. Tragic Death of Valentinian-De- struction of the Image of Serapis-Triumphs of Christianity-Valens and the Goths -Alaric and the Sack of Rome-Genseric and the Vandals-Siege of Aquileia-Italy Ravaged by Attila and his Huns-Odeacer Overthrows the Western Empire.............131 THE TRUMPETS OF WOE; A. D. 500-1453. Riot in Constantinople-War about Images-Judgment of the Plague-Story of Mahomet-Battle of Yermuk— Caled the Sword of God—Astonishing Conquests of the Saracens-Peter the Her- mit-The Crusades-Rise of the Turkish Power-Fall of Constantinople and the THE LION'S ROAR; A. D. 1453-1520. Inauguration of Leo X.-Memorable Scene at Rome-Rise of the Popes-Their Titles and Wealth-Tetzel Selling Indul- gences-Story of Luther-The Theses Nailed to the Church Door-Commotion THE ASCENSION OF THE WITNESSES; A. D. 1520-1552. Tetzel Outwitted -Corruption of the Papal Hierarchy-Alexander VI.-Story of the Witnesses— Luther at Worms-Defeat of Charles V. at Innspruck-"Peace of Religion"............187 TWO MEMORABLE EARTHQUAKES; A. D. 1526-1648. Sack of Rome by the Germans-The Famous "Protest" of Spires-Spread of the Reformation-Battle of Lepanto-Sack of Magdeburg-Story of Gustavus Adolphus-He Rescues the Protestant States-He Dies on the Field of Victory at Lutzen-End of the Thirty THE DRAGON'S MASTERPIECE; A. D. 325-1648. -Alliance of Church and State-How the Pope was Born-Coronation of Charle- magne-Hildebrand and Henry IV. at Canossa-Absolute Sway of Innocent III.— Identification of the Papal Beast-The Papal Clergy-The Councils-The Name THE TWO SICKLES; A. D. 1648-1789. The Moravian Brothers-The Story of Whitefield-Great Work of the Wesleys-Jonathan Edwards-Maria Theresa at Presburg-Frederick the Great and the Seven Years' War-Battle of Leuthen- FOUR BITTER CUPS; A. D. 1789-1809. Storming of the Bastile-The Goddess of Reason-Outbreak of the French Revolution-The Papal Church Demolished in France Career of Lord Nelson-Catholic Naval Power Destroyed-Ten Wars in Five Years-Hohenlinden in Prophecy-Terrible Battle of Austerlitz-Napoleon the OUR OWN TIME IN PROPHECY; A. D. 1809–1890. Macdonald's Charge at Wagram-The Pope Driven out of Rome-Garibaldi frees Italy-The Campaign of Sadowa-Bismarck and Emperor William-Louis Napoleon Surrenders at Sedan- The Pope Loses his Temporal Power-"The Unspeakable Turk"-The Hero of Pla- tea-Battle of Navarino-Rapid Decline of Turkish Power-Rationalism-Jesuitism LOOKING FORWARD. A. D. 1890-3000 (?) Meaning of the "Great Hail"- Fall of the "Cities of the Nations"-The White Horse and his Rider-Meaning of GOD'S ANCIENT PEOPLE IN THE NEW ERA. Dispersion of the Jews-Their Unparalleled Sufferings-Their Wonderful Preserva- AMERICA IN THE COMING CRISIS.-ROMANISM. -Anglo-Saxon Supremacy-Increase of Romanists-They aim to Rule America- Features of the Great Conflict-How the Victory will be Wou....... AMERICA IN THE COMING CRISIS.-SOCIALISM. The Next Great Step-Unrest of Society-Unanswerable Questions-A Crisis Near-Aims of the Socialists-The FOREGLEAMS OF THE KINGDOM. Wonderful Circumstances of Christ's Resur- rection and Transfiguration-They Foreshadow the Future-Approach of a World- VISIONS OF IMMORTALITY. The "Inner Man"—The Spiritual Body-Substan- tial if not Material-Its Marvelous Powers-"The Saints in Light"-Death Com- AUTHOR'S INTRODUCTION. DUTY OF STUDYING PROPHECY. The apostle Paul on one occasion traces the sin of the Jewish rulers in compassing the death of Christ to their lack of an understanding of the prophecies of his coming. The language employed is very emphatic: "For they that dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every Sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him." And yet there are those to-day who not only do not know the voices of the prophets, but who do not seek to do so. Nay more they argue in defence of this neglect and even set it up as a virtue, claiming that at this time, so long after the days of the prophets, it is no longer profitable to devote time to their writings. They doubtless had a mission to the men of their time; but for us the other parts of Scripture are all that is needful. But why then, we are ready to ask, did God cause these prophecies to be put on record, and made an important and indestructible portion of His authoritative word? Why did Christ declare formally and with great emphasis that he had not come to destroy the law and the prophets, but to fulfill, thus putting the prophecies on an equal footing with the other portions of the inspired oracles? Why did he quote them so often? It is evident that he had studied them. Why did he upbraid his disciples for failing to understand them? It is evident that they had not studied them any too much. And why do the apostles in their writings continually refer to them and reproduce not only their thoughts and sentiments but even their words and metaphors and prevailing style? It is evident that they had studied them, and studied them with unsurpassed diligence and ardor. The prophetical writings form no small part of the body of Holy Scripture. The prophets of the Old Testament enumerate two hundred and fifty chapters, or nearly one third of the book. And so numerous are prophetical passages in the other books, that they make another considerable fraction to be added. In the first Gospel we find two full chapters given to prophecy, and long passages also in other parts of the book. Christ himself was pre-eminently a prophet. And his apostles were prophets. Paul's letters to the Thessalonians are largely concerned with prophetic subjects. So is Peter's second epistle. And the last book of the Bible, the closing utterances of the beloved John, is (after the first three chapters at least) a sublime symbolic prophecy. Not to study prophecy would be to ignore and neglect a very large part of the divine oracles. If you get a letter from a friend on an important business matter, you do not imagine that he could possibly intend that a third part of it should be skipped in the reading and taken no notice of. And it is incredible that God should have caused so large a body of sublime prophecy to be put on record merely to be overlooked and neglected. If there be some things difficult to solve, this is no more true than it is of other scriptures, and is rather a motive for more earnest, thoughtful study. And if some men have given loose wing to a heated fancy and become crazy enthusiasts in their interpretations, this is no reason why sober men should avoid the subject. The like is happening on every other subject. Every age has its cranks. It is not long since an article appeared in which the writer declared that he had discovered a method of squaring the circle. But this is no reason why clear headed people should abandon the study of Geometry. A short time since a man went stark mad over his business; but no one has thought of ceasing to do business on that account. No doubt some have studied prophecy for improper ends, and have sought to pry into mysteries never meant to be revealed; as for example the exact day and hour, when the world shall be burned. But this is no reason why it should not be studied for proper ends, and with the spirit of reverent humility. Perhaps even such study as the former is better than none. Some of the sublimest of the sciences have begun in this way. In the age of Pythagoras the theory was held that number is the essence of all things. The theory was absurd, but the earnest study which resulted, and by which the science of arithmetic was rapidly built up, was a good and useful thing. The earliest astronomy was simply astrology—that is, an attempt to |