The United States has more than three hundred col

leges and fifteen thousand newspapers. In 1775 there were only fifty post-offices, and Dr. Franklin, the postmaster-general, could visit them all with his own horse and buggy. Now there are more than thirty-three thousand post-offices, and the length of the post-routes aggregates 256,000 miles, while four railroad lines connect the Atlantic with the Pacific Ocean.

A Youthful Power with a Mild Government.

4. The new kingdom should in some particulars resemble a lamb. This characteristic points very plainly to the United States. "And he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon." A lamb is a young and gentle animal. This kingdom, then, should be a young kingdom. with a mild government, and this is true of the United States. No such thing can be said of Russia, or China, or any other great power in the world. Neither can it be applied to any of the kingdoms previously spoken of by the prophets.

The two horns may have reference to the two principles which have been most prominent in the Constitution of this government; to wit, civil and religious liberty. The men who founded the republic declared that they would found a church without a pope, and a state without a king, and these two, the state and the church, have been so kind and gentle that millions of people from other countries have come to the United States to enjoy greater liberty and happiness.

Yet this power was not always to be mild. It should at last follow in the footsteps of its predecessors, and become a persecuting power like the dragon. The prophet says of the two-horned beast that "he spake as a dragon."

8 "Thoughts on Daniel and the Revelation.” p. 560.

9 Rev. 13: II.

A government speaks by its laws. According to this prophecy we may expect persecution even in this free republic, which for so many years has been a refuge for the persecuted.

A Republic.

"10

5. The United States is a republic. This characteristic cannot easily be misunderstood. We notice that the beast with two horns has no crowns on its horns, while the dragon had crowns on his seven heads, and the first beast had crowns on his ten horns. This points very plainly to a republic. This is farther seen from the fourteenth verse, where we read of the second beast, that it said "to them. that dwell on the earth that they should make an image" to the first beast. The word ge, translated "earth," also means land. The image to the first beast is made by certain laws which are issued. This government will say to those who dwell in their land that they must vote for an amendment to the Constitution which will bring about the desired results. The government desiring the subjects of their land to make an image, or to vote for such laws as will bring it about, shows plainly that the government here spoken of is a republic.

A Gathering Place for Believers.

6. This country is a gathering place for the children of God of all denominations.-This is a point which must not be overlooked. The United States is a nation where the children of God in the last days have been gathered more than in any other nation on earth. For this, if for no other reason, it ought to be spoken of in the prophetic word.

Babylon, Persia, Grecia, and Rome are spoken of in the prophecy because the people of God, when these kingdoms were in their highest power, were under their supremacy,

10 Rev. 13: 14.

and were closely connected with them. There are other great kingdoms in the world whereof the prophecy does not speak, such as Japan or China, because the people of God have been but little connected with them. But every

one can see that in our days the United States is foremost in gospel work, and all kinds of missionary undertakings. It is the great center from which the light in our days shines forth.

11

The New Power Honors the Papacy.

7. The papal power finds its best support and help in the United States. The second beast "exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him," and makes his subjects worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.' This shows that the first beast is a distinct and separate power at the same time the second beast reigns with great power, and does this before him, or, as it is rendered in the Danish translation, "before his face." It can truthfully be said that the original signifies "in his presence." The first beast looks upon the things going on in the dominion of the second beast. The pope is an interested spectator of the scenes transacted in the free republic of the United States.

How clearly this part of the prophecy is being fulfilled! The papal church has turned its eyes to the United States. Having in a great degree lost its influence in Europe, it has gained that much greater influence and power in America; and it is through the influence of America that the papal church will finally regain its former glory, and cause all the world to wonder after the first beast. 12 The Catholics have for many years been favored in America, and the Protestants try to unite with them in many things.

In 1888 there was a remarkable instance of the great esteem in which the papacy was held by the United States

11 Rev. 13: 12.

12 Rev. 13: 3.