ngs with which to "hurt men"--operating in the religious
world--symbolize their position as propagators of a false faith. Thus
they are set forth in their two-fold character--as invincible warriors
and as the zealous professors of a delusion, whose sting was like that
of a scorpion when he strikes a man.

"And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless
pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue
hath his name Apollyon." The following fact of history will explain
this: "The Saracens had their Caliphs, the successors of Mohammed, who
united in themselves the supreme civil, military and ecclesiastical
powers. They were the high-priests of their religion, the commanders of
their armies, and the emperors of the nation." This king over them
signifies a succession of rulers, and they are well described as "the
angel of the bottomless pit," for that is the very place where the
delusion is said to have originated. Mahomet, as a fallen star, opened
the pit and let out the smoke, and his successors, who grasped his power
and authority, are fitly characterized as angels from the same place,
bearing the name Abaddon or Apollyon, which terms both signify
Destroyer.

Is not this a wonderful combination of symbols which can be carried out
with surprising accuracy? What human ingenuity could have ever contrived
such a marvelous series of events, and described them under such
appropriate symbols? Finally, let me ask, Where in the whole compass of
universal history can be found another series of events so perfectly
meeting every requirement of the symbols? In this we must acknowledge
the hand of God.

12. One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more
hereafter.

This announcement, that one woe is past, meaning that the period of one
hundred and fifty years during which the Saracens were to continue their
conquests has ended, serves an important purpose in enabling us to fix
the chronology of the events described. It proves that they succeed each
other.

13. And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the
four horns of the golden altar which is before God,

14. Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the
four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.

15. And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an
hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third
part of men.

16. A