of God, and the salvation-work done among them before their lapse into sectarianism, I can not attribute to this false prophet. For lack of sufficient light, however, they also submitted to human organizations just as did those who were deceived in movements wholly deceptive and false from the beginning. But in that case they did not thereby become false worshipers, and those of that class who retain their spirituality are the ones whom the Lord denominates his people. When the voice is heard calling them out of Babylon, the numerous communicants of Protestantism, its great revivals so called, its financial enterprises, its missionary efforts, its civilizing effects on barbarous nations, its social, moral, and intellectual influences upon the race-all these mighty works are brought forward to prove that the system is of God. But in this they deceive themselves, for this is not sufficient to show that this beast is a true prophet, when on account of the deceptions practised God has denominated him a false prophet."

True, the term "false prophet" with reference to the beast includes both the religion and the institution of Protestantism; but, in reality,

the beast in Revelation 13, which is said to have brought fire from heaven, refers more to Protestantism as a religion than to the sectarian institution, for this is clearly referred to as an image made to the first beast. So while the sects of Protestantism that have been the outgrowth of spiritual reformations have brought real fire down from heaven, those that have been the outgrowth of man have never done this, but have been wild-fire, fanatical movements filled with more excitement than spirituality, and, as Brother Smith says in his work, have "only pretended to bring fire from heaven." In both cases, people have been deceived, and so they point to such spiritual reformations or such seasons of excitement and false enthusiasm as an excuse for the existence of their various institutions. All these systems are but images to popery.

As soon as these images were formed, the next step was to mark their subjects. The poor blind Adventists suppose that this mark is keeping Sunday, but this is folly and ignorance. This mark signifies the instilling of the doctrines of the various sects into the minds of their adherents. The members of every sect organization are indelibly marked. You can not become

one of them without solemnly agreeing to believe the doctrines taught in their disciplines, accepting the government of their man-made institutions, subscribing to the rules of faith that originate with the sect. This shows how its members worship the beast. The mark in the right hand may signify the right hand of fellowship, which takes them into these institutions. It is further said "that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name." Jesus said to his ministers, "Freely ye have received, freely give." Paul says that he made the gospel of Christ without charge. God's ministers received the everlasting gospel which they preach, from the Lord. They receive it free. The anointing teaches them; they are taught of God. Hence they give the gospel out free. But in sect-Babylon the ministers make merchandise of the gospel and of the people. They traffic; that is, buy and sell. What they preach costs them considerable. They must take a certain course in order to get the theology they are to preach to the people. So after they obtain it, they hire out and sell it for so much a year. "They can never have enough . . . all look to their own

way, every one for his gain from his quarter." Isa. 56:9, 11. Every sect has its perculiar mark or doctrine with which to mark its adherents. Sectarians have erected "preacher factories" for the express purpose of marking their ministers with their particular marks. For example, a Methodist seminary will never send out Lutheran preachers. A Presbyterian seminary never sends out Baptist preachers who preach Baptist doctrine. Ah, they receive another mark.

A man must have the doctrines of Babylon and belong to one of the various Protestant sects or he will not be allowed to preach in their houses of worship. A few years ago a brother in the ministry went into a certain town to find a place to conduct a series of holiness meetings. He was directed by a Presbyterian lady to their pastor, whom she said was a believer in the doctrine of holiness. When the brother called on the minister and made known his errand, the first question asked him was this: "Are you a member of the Presbyterian church?" The brother answered in the negative. He did not have the name of the beast. The next question that greeted him was this:

"Do you believe the Westminster confession of faith to be orthodox?" He answered, "No, sir." He did not have the mark of the beast. The last question asked was: "Do you belong to any of the various orthodox Protestant denominations?" The brother said, "No." He did not have the number of his name. The answer was, "You can not have our house." This explains what is meant by not allowing any one to buy and sell-preach the gospel-except those who have the name, mark, and number of the name of the beast. This has a real fulfilment in Protestantism today.

There is one more point I will explain here. The second beast represents Protestantism as a whole, or the religion of Protestantism, while the image represents the sectarian institutionthe sect organizations. The number 666, which was to make up the second beast, signifies the great multiplicity of sects that make up Protestantism. Without any reflection whatever upon the spiritual reformations during the age of Protestantism, and the many revivals that were held there in years past, the sect institutions themselves were never used of God. God simply worked through the humble instrumen