“The power of Antichrist, and the manifestation of The man of Sin, himself,” cried the Bishop, solemnly. “The Monk of ——,” he went on “has been the first to voice the awful claims of this Man of Sin.”
A week later!!!
Like a sow that returneth to the mire, London, England, the world had returned to its old careless life. The fever for sport, pleasure, money-getting, drinking, gambling, licentiousness, was fiercer than ever. Everyone aimed at forgetting what had happened a week before—and the bulk of the people were succeeding in finding the lethal element.
There had been many conversions during the first forty-eight hours after the Translation of the Church, but, since then, scarcely one. Already there had arisen, all over the land, all over the world in fact, as the American, Australasian, and Foreign Press Telegrams made clear, a multitude of men and women who were preaching the maddest, most dangerous doctrines.
Among the most popular, and successful, of these was Spiritualism. Not the comparatively mild form known before the Great Translation, but an open, hideous blasphemous exhibition that proved itself to be, what it had really always been—demonology.
Antichrist’s sway had begun. Satan was a positive, active, agent. The restraints of the Holy Spirit were missing, for HE had left the earth when the Church had been taken away. Other restraints were also taken from the midst of the people, since, whether the world recognise it or not, the fact remains, that the people of God are the Salt, the preservative of the earth.
Final word! Whether or no, the writer has failed in the purpose he had when he set pen to paper; whether or no he has bungled his subject; whether the reader is, or is not willing to accept the main statements of the special teaching in this book, does not really affect the real question, namely, The Near Return of our Lord. His word to us, whether we believe and accept it, or whether we slight and reject it, is:—
“BEHOLD I COME QUICKLY!” Be YE also ready, for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of Man COMETH.
For the Lord Himself SHALL descend from Heaven.... And the dead in Christ shall rise FIRST: Then, we which are alive and remain, shall be Caught up together with them IN THE CLOUDS, to meet the Lord IN THE AIR: and so shall we ever be with the Lord!
TO-DAY?
PERHAPS!