By the fire.—The sermons full of hell-fire.
And [by] the smoke.—Smoke is a symbol of confusion. The following is an extract from an article on the brain written by a well-known physician and alienist:
“To illustrate how effectually such conceptions served to block all progress in the science of life we may quote one instance from a ponderous volume in my library with the date 1618 on Physiology and Anatomy by Hilkiah Crooke, Physician and Professor on Anatomy and Chirurgery to His Majesty, James I. Speaking of the origin and growth of hair, he says: ‘The immediate matter of the haires is a sooty, thicke, and earthly vapour, which in the time of the third concoction (distillation) is elevated by the strength of the action of naturall heate, and passeth through the pores of the skin, which heate exiceateth or drieth this moysture of these sootie and thicke vapours, for the vapour being thicke, in his passage leaveth some part of it selfe, to wit, the grossest, in the very outlet, where it is impacted by a succeeding vapour arising where the former did, is protruded and thrust forward, so that they are wrought together in one body. The straightness of the passages of the skin were through the matter of the haires is anoyded, formeth them into a small roundness, even as a wyre receyeth that proportion whereof the whole is, where through it is drawne.’ One great office of the hairs of the head, therefore, Crooke perceived to be to lead off ‘the vapors which otherwise would choke and make smoaky the braine,’ though how hopelessly choked the brains of all bald heads hence would be he does not mention.” A study of the foregoing leads to the conclusion that the various churches must have been founded by [pg 166] bald-headed men, and the smoke being unable to find its way out through their scalps naturally had to come out of their mouths!
And [by] the brimstone.—Yes, indeed; plenty of brimstone.
Which issued out of their mouths.—Especially when an evangelist firm is in town looking for shekels.
9:19. For [their power] THE POWER OF THE HORSES is in their mouth.—Assuredly, assuredly; it certainly is not in the Scriptures.
And in their tails.—Followers, “Workers,” class-leaders.—Isa. 9:15.
For their tails were like unto serpents.—Bright enough to know better.
And had heads.—Wills of their own—unlike the “Beheaded” saints (Rev. 20:4.)
And with them they do hurt.—Damage the cause of Truth.