01-27-2021, 11:07 PM
B. THE ABOVE WITH My CORRELATION OF THE IDEAS OF SAINTS AND SAGES ADDED:
I. There have been and will be types of Anti-Christ.
II. The life of mankind on earth is, as it were, divided into ages, and the last age may be considered divided into two stages. The first stage is to end with the overthrow of Anti-Christ, and
the second with the second coming of Christ, Universal Judgment, etc.
III. During succeeding generations evils would multiply with individuals and nations drifting even farther from God. and ever increasing numbers losing all faith. Certain scourges would afflict
various countries such as wars, revolutions, tyrannical rulers. class struggles, persecutions and the like, but none of these would bring in its wake peace, unity or mass conversions.
IV. It is unlikely that the first stage of the last age commenced with the apparently irreparable loss of unity among Christians which was consummated in the 16th century.
V. Towards the end of this first stage there would be a preview to or an event particularly typical of the reign of Anti-Christ and his overthrow. It would take the form of three powerful
but evil rulers who would cause a "flesh hewing course of warfare" and persecute Jews and Christians. They are to overcome their enemies. Two of them. however, seem destined to
be overcome by the third and he is to fall before a good ruler aided visibly by God. This visible aid is to be in some way a type of three days darkness noted below.
VI. Peace and a notable return of Governments and individuals to God and Christian unity shall follow. A great Pope and a great civil leader shall be responsible. This good sign. although a
preview or type cf what may be expected after Anti-Christ will be of short duration for the forces of evil will not have been vanquished but only momentarily upset. (Here ends the
subject matter of this volume.)
VII. This peace is to be followed by the end of the first stage of the last age; namely, the three and one-half years of almost universal domination by Anti-Christ. The persecutions of that
time will exceed in cruelty and extent anything that the world has seen and in no other time shall evil have so triumphed. Very few will remain faithful to God and live. It will seem as
though the Church has ceased to exist. On the other hand, Henoch and Elias, the prophets of the Lord, by word and deed shall combat Anti-Christ and his diabolical hoards. The two
prophets shall be martyred shortly before the end of the period. During the last terrible battle when all seems lost, will come three days darkness with the exterminating angels. When
the darkness lifts there will not remain alive on earth an unconvertible evil man.
VIII. There follows at once a millenium in a less strict sense. It is the peace previewed before Anti-Christ and in turn a type of the true millenium. It would seem that Christ would appear in
the skies or at least that there would be some happening typical of His Second Coming. and that it would be apparent that there was a preview of the Last Judgment. Would the Just
martyred by Anti-Christ then rise from the dead. this being the first resurrection spoken of in the Apocalypse? Would an earthly reward symbolical of heavenly rewards be bestowed
upon the confessors who had escaped the beast? This seems not too clear but we are led to expect at least this, that there follows the fall of Anti-Christ an interval during which there
will be universal peace and union in one faith under one shepherd with Christian life marvelously exemplified in the individual and in society. How long this symbol of a millenium will last is
not clear but the common opinion of the Fathers was that it would not be long. (Here ends the subject matter of the Second Volume.)
IX. Near the very end of this last stage of the last age the powers of Hell would again be loosed. Evil would rule but for a short time only. This time upheavals in nature would announce
approaching doom, and in the end all men would perish from the earth. This final and universal destruction is certainly to be by fire. The real Second Coming of Christ seems to be
connected with this time.
X. Then follow the resurrection of the dead, the universal judgment and the new Jerusalem or true millenium. (Here ends the subject matter of the third and last volume.)
Even if in one or other, or for that matter all instances, my tentative application of prophecy be not justified in the light of the future, it means merely that I am wrong. The private prophets may also have erred, but they may have had in mind other things than those which I have supposed. At any rate, it is the future alone that will praise or condemn both private commentators and private prophets. Some prophecies recorded here and applied by me to times before Anti-Christ may in whole or in part have been intended for his reign only.
We must also remember that many have, ever since the beginning, thought or professed to think that they saw signs of Anti-Christ and the rest in their generations. The future contradicted them. What the sincere ones noted were rather signs or types of Anti-Christ and the rest. Despite this, one seems to err not when, despite the errors of the past, he tries in his day to understand, for in one generation or other what true prophets have foretold must come to pass; and on the other hand, God tells us that certain of these things will come as a thief in the night and that we must ever be prepared.
The only apology one might have for thinking that our age may be a critical one in Christian history is that in past Christian times evil organizations were either among non... Christians or Christians in circumscribed localities, whereas in our day the great anti-Christian forces and the anti-Christian philosophies of materialistic secret societies are already widespread, well armed and in the field for world-wide domination. On the other hand, their leaders and even the rank and file are for the most part Christians by baptism, and even natives of lands steeped in Christian traditions.
I. There have been and will be types of Anti-Christ.
II. The life of mankind on earth is, as it were, divided into ages, and the last age may be considered divided into two stages. The first stage is to end with the overthrow of Anti-Christ, and
the second with the second coming of Christ, Universal Judgment, etc.
III. During succeeding generations evils would multiply with individuals and nations drifting even farther from God. and ever increasing numbers losing all faith. Certain scourges would afflict
various countries such as wars, revolutions, tyrannical rulers. class struggles, persecutions and the like, but none of these would bring in its wake peace, unity or mass conversions.
IV. It is unlikely that the first stage of the last age commenced with the apparently irreparable loss of unity among Christians which was consummated in the 16th century.
V. Towards the end of this first stage there would be a preview to or an event particularly typical of the reign of Anti-Christ and his overthrow. It would take the form of three powerful
but evil rulers who would cause a "flesh hewing course of warfare" and persecute Jews and Christians. They are to overcome their enemies. Two of them. however, seem destined to
be overcome by the third and he is to fall before a good ruler aided visibly by God. This visible aid is to be in some way a type of three days darkness noted below.
VI. Peace and a notable return of Governments and individuals to God and Christian unity shall follow. A great Pope and a great civil leader shall be responsible. This good sign. although a
preview or type cf what may be expected after Anti-Christ will be of short duration for the forces of evil will not have been vanquished but only momentarily upset. (Here ends the
subject matter of this volume.)
VII. This peace is to be followed by the end of the first stage of the last age; namely, the three and one-half years of almost universal domination by Anti-Christ. The persecutions of that
time will exceed in cruelty and extent anything that the world has seen and in no other time shall evil have so triumphed. Very few will remain faithful to God and live. It will seem as
though the Church has ceased to exist. On the other hand, Henoch and Elias, the prophets of the Lord, by word and deed shall combat Anti-Christ and his diabolical hoards. The two
prophets shall be martyred shortly before the end of the period. During the last terrible battle when all seems lost, will come three days darkness with the exterminating angels. When
the darkness lifts there will not remain alive on earth an unconvertible evil man.
VIII. There follows at once a millenium in a less strict sense. It is the peace previewed before Anti-Christ and in turn a type of the true millenium. It would seem that Christ would appear in
the skies or at least that there would be some happening typical of His Second Coming. and that it would be apparent that there was a preview of the Last Judgment. Would the Just
martyred by Anti-Christ then rise from the dead. this being the first resurrection spoken of in the Apocalypse? Would an earthly reward symbolical of heavenly rewards be bestowed
upon the confessors who had escaped the beast? This seems not too clear but we are led to expect at least this, that there follows the fall of Anti-Christ an interval during which there
will be universal peace and union in one faith under one shepherd with Christian life marvelously exemplified in the individual and in society. How long this symbol of a millenium will last is
not clear but the common opinion of the Fathers was that it would not be long. (Here ends the subject matter of the Second Volume.)
IX. Near the very end of this last stage of the last age the powers of Hell would again be loosed. Evil would rule but for a short time only. This time upheavals in nature would announce
approaching doom, and in the end all men would perish from the earth. This final and universal destruction is certainly to be by fire. The real Second Coming of Christ seems to be
connected with this time.
X. Then follow the resurrection of the dead, the universal judgment and the new Jerusalem or true millenium. (Here ends the subject matter of the third and last volume.)
APOLOGY FOR THIS BOOK
Even if in one or other, or for that matter all instances, my tentative application of prophecy be not justified in the light of the future, it means merely that I am wrong. The private prophets may also have erred, but they may have had in mind other things than those which I have supposed. At any rate, it is the future alone that will praise or condemn both private commentators and private prophets. Some prophecies recorded here and applied by me to times before Anti-Christ may in whole or in part have been intended for his reign only.
We must also remember that many have, ever since the beginning, thought or professed to think that they saw signs of Anti-Christ and the rest in their generations. The future contradicted them. What the sincere ones noted were rather signs or types of Anti-Christ and the rest. Despite this, one seems to err not when, despite the errors of the past, he tries in his day to understand, for in one generation or other what true prophets have foretold must come to pass; and on the other hand, God tells us that certain of these things will come as a thief in the night and that we must ever be prepared.
The only apology one might have for thinking that our age may be a critical one in Christian history is that in past Christian times evil organizations were either among non... Christians or Christians in circumscribed localities, whereas in our day the great anti-Christian forces and the anti-Christian philosophies of materialistic secret societies are already widespread, well armed and in the field for world-wide domination. On the other hand, their leaders and even the rank and file are for the most part Christians by baptism, and even natives of lands steeped in Christian traditions.