Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 271, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 November 1912 — THE ARMAGEDDON OF THE SCRIPTURES [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE ARMAGEDDON OF THE SCRIPTURES

Pastor Russell Presents Some Astounding Views. He Claims That the Time For tha Establishment of Messiah’s Kingdom Is Here—Not Recognizing This Truth, Papacy, Protestantism and the Civil Powers of Earth Are About to Unite In Common Cause —Unitedly These Three Most Powerful Influences Are Preparing For the Battle of Armageddon.

Brooklyn, N. Y., Nov. ®3. The Brooklyn Academy of Music was crowded to the limit today to bear Pastor Russell’s discourse on the “Battle of Armageddon.” His tex{ was: “He gathered them together unto a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armaged-

don” (Revelation xvi, 16). He said: Armageddon in the Hebrew signifies the Mount of Destruction. The Lord has associated the name Armageddon "with the controversy between Truth and Error, during which the New Age of Messiah's glory will be ushered in. “Unclean Spirits Like Frogs.” Three unclean spirits will proceed from the mouth of the Beast, the Dragon and the False Prophet, and will assemble the kings and their armies on one side for the great Armageddon battle. In this symbolie&Hanguage, doctrines are represented as “frogs.” Frog characteristics are pomJteusness, inflation of dignity, and croaking. The symbol signifies that these three Systems will send forth similar teachings. They will look wise, and see little respecting differences between them. They will prate on Apostolic Authority, the Divine prerogatives of ihe clergy and the civil power. They will croak respecting the results of personal and press liberties and cause the wheels of progress to turn backward. The kings and their armies represent political kings, princes and retainers; commercial kings, princes and retainers; and religious kings, princes and retainers. Each of these will marshal millions of humanity. The croaking of the “unclean spirits” wilt bring these to a condition of frenzy.

The Dragon of Revelation represents the Civil power: the leopard represents Papacy; “False Fropliet” is another name for the Image of the Beast of Revelation xiii,.-d4, 15—Federated Protestantism. Good people iu these Systems are being led into the Armageddon battle without realizing - that they are to “fight against God.” The Bible declares that God has committed to the Gentile Governments the privilege of ruling the earth during a period of 2,520 years-“ The Times of the Gentiles.” Meantime, God has been electing a saintly few froSn all nations, to be associated with Messiah in His Kingdom. Neglecting the teachings of the Bible, Christendom thinks that their armies are to fight the Christian warfare. Suddenly the most terrible revolution will occur. (Revelation xviii. 10; xvi. 18.) The masses will hope for victory through the ballot. When this final recourse shall have failed the social explosion will bring anarchy. “There shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation.” (Daniel xii, 1.) Our Lord added. “Except those days be shortened. there could no flesh be saved.” (Matthew xxiv, 21, 22.) But the Elect, with their glorious Head, will Install “the New Heavens and Earth.” Armageddon Not Yet but Soon.

For forty years the Armageddon forces have been mustering for conflict. Strikes, lockouts and riots. Court and Army scandals in Europe, Insurance, Trust and Court scandals iu America, have shaken public confidence. Dynamite plots, charged by turns on employees raid on employers, havte made each distrustful of the other. The Hues of battle are distihctly marked. But Armageddon cannot yet be fought, according to prophecy. Gentile times have still two years to run. The “image of the beast” of our context must be transformed from a mere mechanism to a living force. Protestant Federation realizes that its organization will be futile unless it receive vitalization—unless its clergy be recognized as possessed of apostolic ordination to teach. This the prophecy Indicates will come from the two-hom-ed beast, symbolically representing the Church of England. Protestantism and Catholicism, operating in conjunction for the suppression of human liberties, await this vivifying of the Image, which Armageddon must follow — perhaps a year after, according to the Prophetic Word. Still another thing intervenes: Although the Jews are gradually obtaining control of Palestine, and although nineteen millionaires are there, nevertheless prophecy requires au evidently larger number of wealthy Hebrews to be there before the Armageddon crisis. “Jacob's trouble” in the Holy Laud will come at the very close of Armageddon. Then Messiah’s Kingdom will begin to be manifested in the land of promise. Through Its Divinely appointed princes Messiah’s Kingdom, all-pow-erful but Invisible, will begin to roll •way the curse and lift op mankind.