only on the pages of history. Even every dispensation of God prior to Christianity opposed another by which it was to be succeeded. But every principle of Christianity is eternal-the everlasting gospel, the eternal Spirit, the eternal God, the eternal Christ, his everlasting love, everlasting joy, everlasting righteousness, and everlasting peace. All these constitute the everlasting kingdom of grace; and since the saints possess these elements in their hearts, theirs is an everlasting reign, an everlasting possession.

Following the setting up of the everlasting kingdom, came the reign of the little horn and great apostasy (verses 19-21; 24, 25). During this long period the saints were martyred by the millions. This power prevailed against them. This was to continue until judgment was given to the saints of the Most High; and this judgment executed was to take away the dominion of the horn, to "consume and destroy it to the end" (verse 25). This began with the Reformation of Protestantism and reaches its grand climax in the evening light. The consuming here spoken of evidently refers to the executing of the flaming judgments of truth against false worship and false systems of religion. The fire

of salvation and holiness has a consuming effect upon corrupt systems of religion. For example, the preaching of Luther and other reformers in the sixteenth century could well be illustrated as setting fire to the whole system of papal religion. "I will make my word in thy mouth fire and this people wood, and it shall devour them.” Of course, we are not to understand this literally, but such figuratively was the effect of the preaching during the Reformation. The power and dominion of Rome was largely taken away, and honest souls held within her deceptive fold were led out into clear light. And so in this evening time, as the judgments of truth that were executed in the clear morning of the Christian era are restored to the church, and the saved execute these against every false system of religion and even against false worshipers, the effect is the same upon these as the preaching of the reformers was upon Rome. And as honest souls accept the preaching of the pure gospel, they will be led to renounce the false and corrupt systems in which they have been held and come out into clear light.

This consuming and destructive work against

false religions has been going on for some time, and the whole realm of sectism has to some extent felt its withering effect; but I am sure that in a deeper and broader sense will the whole realm of apostate religion be made to feel the burning effects of the pure gospel of Jesus Christ. Not only will apostate Christianity be made to feel this, but as the pure gospel goes to all nations, false religions of every kind will be affected by it; and as people renounce these and accept Christianity, in this sense the dominion of false religions will be taken away. This blessed work will continue "until the end."

We have reached the evening light-the restoration of the whole truth, and in this is comprehended full salvation from all sin and false religion, a pure church restored and an enjoyment of all the rich blessings of the kingdom of Christ. "And the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom." Verse 22. Thank God! we have reached that time. In the morning-light age the kingdom of God, as we have seen, spread over the entire Roman empire and Christianity conquered paganism therein. That was the then-known world. But after the great apostasy, when we reach the evening-light age

of the church and the saints again possess the kingdom, "the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High” (verse 27). Yes, “dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages should serve him." Verse 14. That is, in all the earth in all nations where the gospel is destined to go, there will be found disciples of Jesus offering praise and honor and glory to his matchless name. Here, then, we have the glorious triumph of Christianity set forth. It becomes universal. In this sense the church of God, the saints, the beloved city, shall have the dominion under the whole heaven. Christ will have true disciples among all people, nations, and languages; and they shall serve him. This state of things shall continue until the end.

Gog and Magog; or, The Final Conflict.

The events in the closing years of this dispensation will be very similar to those in its beginning. History shall repeat itself. Back in the morning-light age of the church Christianity opposed every false religion. This was unavoidable, for in its very principles it stands opposed to every false way. As Christianity spread principally throughout the pagan Roman empire, its effects were mostly felt there. As will be the case in these last days, the pagan systems of religion went crashing to pieces before the onslaughts of Christianity. Back there this was confined to Rome, while in this evening time it will be universal, all over the world.

In Revelation 12, as fully considered in previous chapters, after Christianity cast down the dragon-paganism throughout the Roman empire-"he persecuted the woman"-church (verse 13). The dragon became "wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed" (verse 17). As the pagan systems were overthrown and Christianity spread throughout the entire Roman empire, the devotees of these false systems, seeing their