it began with the first coming of Christ. When Protestantism arose, it was stigmatized by Roman Catholics as Anti-christ, whilst Protestants in turn insisted upon it that the sacred writers, in using the word Anti-christ, had precisely the Papacy in view. The earlier Protestants, however, thought that these thousand years of the Apocalypse belonged either to the past, or was about coming to an end. Soon, however, the error was perceived. Then it was taught, after the example of the early Fathers, that this reign is still in the future. The Roman view contradicted the teaching of the book itself so plainly that it was resisted with confidence and zeal. The Protestant theologians adhered almost unanimously to the doctrine of their church on this subject. Only here and there one like Hengstenberg lapsed back to the solution of the question adopted by the Roman Catholic teachers. Since the Reformation many commentaries have appeared, as well as treatises on the Apocalypse, representing the most various and divergent points of view. Some attempted a literal interpretation, and were not intimidated by the monstrosities which were to be matters of faith for Christian believers. Others explained it historically, without regard to the requirements of a biblical system of symbolism. Thus the Book was interpreted according to general and ecclesiastical history, and not the latter according to the former. Others again adopted an allegorical method. Thus, through the labors of many, the only proper and satisfactory method was reached. Hitherto the arrangement of the composition had not been ascertained; many things were joined which did not belong together, and many were sundered which were intended to stand in closest connection.

Before the real arrangement of the Apocalypse was ascertained, it had become evident that it did not set forth a single on-flowing course of events in a continuous narrative. The number seven occurring seven times indicated the different divisions, for there were seven churches, seven seals, seven trumpets, seven thunders, a seven-headed beast, seven vials and a Sabbath, forming the consummation of the whole. At last the

cyclical arrangement disclosed itself; for it became that the Revelation consisted of different books, ead ponding to one of these cycles, representing one of t visions. Each of these sections respectively descr course or movement of the Christian Church in it progress toward its final consummation, making one of i prominent, but beginning the history each time anew commencement. The different sections are inter-de like the links of a chain, and form one complete wh the discovery of this arrangement, Dr. Lange brought and order out of uncertainty and confusion. First h that the Book fell into two halves. The former of th scribes the growth and development of the Church, v course of the world toward its end. The latter, the of Christ for the perfecting of His Kingdom, in judg well as glory, involving the termination of the present things. Dr. Lange makes further subdivisions, accor the requirements of the form and the contents of the Bo the first cycle that of the seven churches-we have the tian Church in its earthly course on to the end of the as the ground and centre of the world's history-in other the starting-point of the whole movement afterwards to forth. The second cycle-that of the seven seals-e universal history proper in the sense of church history is, the way in which the Church completes its course in i tact with the world. The third cycle-that of the trum represents the call to repentance on account of the corr of the Church, as militant, in its progress towards its he goal. In the fourth cycle-the seven thunder voices-w the sealed awakening periods, the reformations as they from time to time in the course of the Church develop The fifth cycle, with its seven-headed beast, mirrors for seven world-powers, false Christianity, culminating in christ, the Man of Sin, and persevering in its opposition Kingdom of God. The sixth cycle-that of the seven vi indicates the divine interference in the form of concluding,

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ments, of which the last includes the one on Babylon, the Beast, and Satan, and ends with the general judgment. Thereupon follows the seventh cycle, as the eternal Sabbath, the Kingdom of glory in the glorified world.

But these cycles need further consideration in order fully to understand the arrangement of the book into its various divisions and subdivisions. In each one of the cycles is to be observed a double representation, an apparent repetition, which requires further explanation. In the case of each, the fulfilment on earth is preceded by an occurrence in Heaven or the spiritworld, which first discloses the divine decree in reference to what is to take place upon the earth. The facts in the case had previously been observed; but Dr. Lange was the first to solve the problem here presented in a satisfactory way.* He

* Ebrard and J. T. Beck, who wrote their commentaries prior to the appearance of that of Lange, express themselves as follows:

"The present period of the interpretation of the Revelation may well be designated as one of general confusion (Verwirrung). . . . Indeed all seems more unsettled and confused now than ever. On the one side we find an arbitrary allegoricalism, which takes things to be symbols which are not and cannot be symbols, and on the other a literalism which understands, in the literal sense, things that in the Revelation are treated and explained as symbols (Bilder). . . That school exists only in germinal form, which finds the ground-momenta of Church development prophesied thus, which finds neither conjectures nor ideas -neither church-historical passages nor eschatological details in the Apocalypse, but real, true prophecy."-Ebrard, pp. 26, 27.

"The philological and historical apparatus furnishes the striking proof that the school-learning, with its mass of contradictory explanations accumulating for years, has only thrown the matter into confusion, and that the key is elsewhere to be sought."-Beck, p. 1.

"That almost every period has its own explanation, does speak against the book. Inasmuch as it claims to be the completing key-stone of prophecy, it must place a peculiar task upon each period, and allow to each a peculiar significance. As the centuries labor at the out-birth of its contents, so must they likewise labor upon its interpretation. No period becomes master of its contents; to each falls only its proper share, but in each case, amid much error, something of the truth. The successive development of the interpretation is two-fold-progress toward understanding, and progress toward fulfilment ; perhaps the assertion could be ventured that the commentaries on the Revelation are in their failures and successes at the same time commentaries on the times in which they were written."-Beck, p. 4.

divides each cycle into two parts, namely, into a cel earthly representation, of which the former exhibits place in the heavenly spiritual world; the latter, t historical reality.* With this method of resolving th tion into divisions, a satisfactory solution of the which it was involved has been reached; and upon basis will future expositions likely continue to rest, these too will contribute to a still fuller unfolding of will for an unknown length of time to some remain un A still more difficult question is one which is conne

"In its own superior order of existence, the spiritual world ha ter of positive reality and substance, which goes immeasurably visible and tangible show of things in the world of nature. The spir is not the pale shadow of the natural. On the contrary, it is the c natural-that on which it depends-the interior soul of the natural, which it draws its continual life-the universal issue and end of the that in which only all its powers and possibilities become complet world or universe full of concrete existence and sensible experien living relations, activities and powers, full of endlessly diversified pl scenery and surroundings, with which for grandeur, beauty and glor verse of nature can bear no comparison whatever.”—Dr. J. Williams Christianity and Humanity." MER. Rev., Octo., 1873, p. 474.

“That which shall and must take place upon earth, in the evolution proceeds only from that which, as a higher reality, is already p heaven, and can be shown. Above is already fore-typified all that t will unfold to us, as the idea of the world and its history was prese before the foundation of the world. So far as we are carried u through the revelation and the showing which removes the veil and re events, so far we know the future reserved from human eye. To as heaven, is in its nature to prophesy for earth.

Let us read and learn, so shall we also see and hear; then will to the heavens be opened, and thereby “all things in the invisible world shown as present, living, moving action-as far as it belongs to the c revelation of the Lord Jesus in glory" (as Rieger profoundly and t presses himself.) If we open the door of our hearts to the Lord Jesus last Epistle requires, at the close, He will open the door of heaven to us according to his capacity and need, and according to the measure gift; so that we shall in the general, if not in the specific understan him to whom it was shown in Patmos, behold and understand the conf victory of the kingdom of God in Christ, and what shall be from this the end. Thus the Lord's word gives free permission to the desire of to look into His great futurity."--Rudolph Stier on Rev, xxi. 5–8.

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the prophetic numbers of the Apocalypse, which owing to senseless and premature calculations have brought discredit on the Book. The prophetic times as well as numbers are not to be understood as having to do with duration of time. Some of the latter have no numerical value at all. The number three refers to the trinity, consequently, signifies holiness, or something else as the context may require. The nearness of the end of the world can never be determined from the numbers and times of Revelation; nor is it their intention to furnish any disclosures of this kind. There are signs of the times which betoken the coming of the Lord, but these consist of events of developing stages and historical formations in the Church and the world. Attention is directed to these as bearing upon the looked-for end. But the Church must expect nothing beyond intimations of this kind. To look for more is a symptom of a spurious Christianity. Our task is comprised in the three Christian virtues of faith, fidelity and patient expectation. We are to believe that the Lord will really come; we are to be faithful, so as not to be surprised at His advent; we are to wait, that is, to be on the lookout for the glorious appearance of our Redeemer when He shall finally come to complete His work in the salvation of His people. This implies not calculating by arithmetic, but watching the signs of the times, which distinctly enough indicate that His approach is near at hand.

The present work is intended for members of the Church. Why shall not the laity be made acquainted with the insight into the Apocalypse which has been secured by the labors of many through the course of the ages? The revelation was given by Christ for the Churches, whilst the exposition of it is assigned to the ministerial office. In each period of the Church's history from the beginning, in connection with the plainest promises and threats, God has disclosed as much of its contents as was needful for each. But, unfortunately, the needs of the laity have been overlooked. Work has been done for those who are trained in the sciences; but too little consid