Revelation 11:13

"And the same hour was there. great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven."

Here we have presented the results of the exaltation of the witnesses. At the time of the exaltation. great earthquake takes place. This earthquake is not. physical agitation of the earth, but. moral and religious upheaval, an agitation of thought. The shaking of the earth is. symbol of the convulsion of society. This earthquake prostrates. tenth part of the city, "Sodom and Egypt, where our Lord was crucified," and after the destruction of. part of its population, the rest give glory to God.

I have reached. part of Revelation where. speak with great modesty. The events here described are in part at least yet in the future. It is perhaps possible for us to form. correct idea of the unfulfilled part from its connection with what has already passed into history. The following conclusions seem to be justified:

1. As. result of the exaltation of the witnesses, or in other words, of the general diffusion of Bible knowledge, the power of Rome must be shaken. This has already taken place. The Bible is being distributed in France, Spain, Italy, and in Rome itself. The people are fast breaking loose from the superstition of ages. Priestcraft has lost its hold upon all the more intelligent portion of society.. great moral earthquake began the very hour the witnesses were exalted and has continued to the present time.

2.. tenth part of the city shall be shaken down. As there were ten kingdoms which upheld the papacy, (Revelation 17:12) this prophecy means that one of these kingdoms shall fall away from Rome.. think that we can see that this event is in progress. The Italian nation has seized upon the property of the monastic orders, established universal religious toleration, wrested from the Pope the States of the Church, and occupied Rome itself. The Pontiff, secluded in the Vatican, holds no communication with the King of Italy who occupies an old Papal palace in Rome. Victor Emmanuel died in excommunication, and the present King of Italy is under Papal censure. Protestant churches are being established in every city of Italy, and it would not be surprising that the State, at any time, should formally dissolve all connection with the Romish Church.. similar tendency has prevailed in France since the fall of Napoleon III. The State has exiled the Jesuits, prohibited other religious orders from teaching the children and taken education out of the hands of the priests. It has also placed Protestant churches on the same footing before the law as the Catholic, and it is certain that if the Republic is perpetuated, France will be lost to the Papacy.

The slaying of seven thousand men refers to some event that will clearly fulfill the prophecy, but cannot be described because it has not yet occurred. As. consequence "the remnant are affrighted and give glory to the God of heaven, which probably signifies their repentance and return to the true faith. The "Great City" is to be overthrown and the instrumentality by which this shall be accomplished is the Word of God. When this event is fully consummated the period indicated by the sixth trumpet,--the age of the world which embraces the nineteenth century,--shall come to. close.