secret societies; for ye who were in darkness are now light in the Lord, and should walk as children of light, having no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reproving them.-Eph. 5:6-17. But as we come closer and closer to the great crisis of this "evil day" it will doubtless be manifest to those who view the situation from the standpoint of "the sure word of prophecy," that, even if there be cases where principle is not involved, it will be the part of wisdom to withdraw from the various social and financial bondages which must inevitably succumb to the ravages of world-wide revolution and anarchy. In that time (and, bear in mind, it will probably be within the next few years) financial institutions, including insurance companies and beneficial societies, will go down; and "treasures" in them will prove utterly worthless. These caves and rocks of the mountains will not furnish the desired protection from the wrath of this "evil day," when the great waves of popular discontent are lashing and foaming against the mountains (kingdoms-Rev. 6:15-17; Psa. 46:3); and the time will come when men "shall cast their silver into the streets, and their gold shall be as though it were unclean [margin]: their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord. They shall not [with their wealth] be able to satisfy their souls, neither [to] fill their bowels: because it was the stumbling block of their iniquity." (Ezek. 7:19. Compare also verses 12-18, 21, 25-27.) Thus will the Lord make a man's life more precious than fine gold, even the golden wedge of Ophir.-Isa. 13:12. But those who have made the Most High their refuge need not fear the approach of such times. He shall cover them with his feathers, and under his wings shall they trust; yea, he will show them his salvation. As the wildest confusion approaches they may comfort their hearts with the blessed assurance that" God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble;" and say, "Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed [though the present social order be entirely overthrown]; and though the mountains [kingdoms] be carried into the midst of the sea [overwhelmed in anarchy]; though the waters thereof roar and be troubled; though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof." God will be in the midst of his faithful saints, who make him their refuge, and they shall not be moved. God will help Zion early in the Millennial morning; she shall be "accounted worthy to escape all those things coming upon the world."—Psa. 46; Luke 21:36. "THE GATHERING STORMS OF DOUBT." "Our Father, while our hearts unlearn Still let our hallowed altars burn "Help us to read our Master's will "The brother man, the pitying friend, "If 'mid the gathering storms of doubt "Our prayers accept; our sins forgive; Shape for us holier lives to live, And nobler work to do." The above original verses were read by Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes before the Young Men's Christian Union, Boston, June 1, '93. They indicate that he realized somewhat the darkness overhanging Babylon. STUDY III. THE NECESSITY AND JUSTICE OF THE DAY OF VENGEANCE. UPON THIS GENERATION, TYPE AND ANTITYPE.-THE Great TribulaTION A LEGITIMATE EFFECT FROM PRECEDING CAUSES. THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF "CHRISTENDOM," AND HER ATTITUDE TOWARD THEM.-OF CIVIL AUTHORITIES, OF RELIGIOUS LEADERS, OF THE VARIOUS Ranks of the Masses of MeN IN CIVILIZED LANDS.-THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE HEATHEN NATIONS TO CHRISTENDOM AND TO THE TROUBLE. THE Judgment of God.—"VENGEANCE IS MINE: I WILL REPAY, Saith THE LORD." "Verily, I say unto you, All these things shall come upon tion."-Matt. 23:34-36; Luke 11:50, 51. O this genera To those unaccustomed to weighing principles from the Το standpoint of an exact moral philosophy it may seem strange that a subsequent generation of humanity should suffer the penalty of the accumulated crimes of several preceding generations; yet, since such is the expressed judgment of God, who cannot err, we should expect mature consideration to make manifest the justice of his decision. In the above words, our Lord declared that thus it should be with the generation of fleshly Israel whom he addressed in the end of the typical Jewish Age. Upon them should come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, who was slain between the temple and the aitar.-Matt. 23:35. That was a terrible prophecy, but it fell upon heedless and unbelieving ears; and, true to the letter, it had its fulfilment about thirty-seven years later, when civil strife and hostile invaders accomplished the fearful recompense. Of that time we read that the inhabitants of Judea were divided by jealousies into many warring factions, and that mutual mistrust reached its highest development. Friends were alienated, families were broken up, and every man suspected his brother. Theft, impostures and assassinations were rife, and no man's life was secure. Even the temple was not a place of safety. The chief priest was slain while performing public worship. Then, driven to desperation by the massacre of their brethren in Cæsarea, and apparently appointed everywhere else for slaughter, the whole nation united in revolt. Judea was thus brought into open rebellion against Rome, and in defiance against the whole civilized world. Vespasian and Titus were sent to punish them, and terrible was their overthrow. One after another of their cities was swept away, until at last Titus laid siege to Jerusalem. In the spring of A. D. 70, when the city was crowded with the multitudes who came up to the feast of the Passover, he drew up his legions before her walls, and the imprisoned inhabitants shortly became the prey of famine and the sword of the invaders and civil strife. When any managed to creep out of the city they were crucified by the Romans; and so dreadful was the famine that parents killed and ate their own children. The number that perished is stated by Josephus to have been over a million, and the city and temple were reduced to ashes. Such were the facts in fulfilment of the above prophecy upon rebellious fleshly Israel in the end of their age of special favor as God's chosen people. And now, in the end of this Gospel age, according to the broader significance of the prophecy, is to come the parallel of that trouble upon nominal spiritual Israel, which, in its widest sense, is Christendom-"a time of trouble such as was not since there was a nation," and hence in some sense even more terrible than that upon Judea and Jerusalem. We can scarcely imagine a trouble more severe than that above described, except in the sense of being more general and widespread, and more destructive, as the machinery of modern warfare signally suggests. Instead of being confined to one nation or province, its sweep will be over the whole world, especially the civilized world, Christendom, Babylon. We may therefore regard that visitation of wrath upon fleshly Israel as a foreshadowing of the greater indignation and wrath to be poured upon Christendom in the end of this age. Those who in their haste incline to view this course of the Almighty toward this generation as unjust have only failed to comprehend that perfect law of retribution, which surely, though often slowly, works out its inevitable results. The justice, yea, the necessity and the philosophy of it, are very manifest to the thoughtful and reverent, who, instead of being inclined to accuse God of injustice, apply their hearts to the instruction of his Word. THE GREAT TRIBULATION A LEGITIMATE EFFECT FROM PRECEDING CAUSES. We stand to-day in a period which is the culmination of ages of experience which should be, and is, in some respects, greatly to the world's profit; especially to that part of the world which has been favored, directly and indirectly, with the light of divine truth-Christendom, Babylon,whose responsibility for this stewardship of advantage is consequently very great. God holds men accountable, not only for what they know, but for what they might know if they would apply their hearts unto instruction,—for the |