pon the same territory occupied by the Papacy
is proved also by the statement that "he exerciseth all the power of the
first beast before him." It was predicted in a subsequent chapter
(17:16) that the ten horns, or kingdoms of Europe, after supporting the
Papacy during the Dark Ages, would later turn against her. This has met
a remarkable fulfilment under the reign of Protestantism.

The first two nations to turn violently against Popery were England and
Germany. They have ever since been the chief supporters and defenders of
Protestantism, and they are doubtless the two kingdoms symbolized by the
two horns of the beast. While at one time the Pope was a temporal
sovereign and could, by his political and ecclesiastical power, humble
with ease the mightiest nations of Europe before him, his authority has
been wrested from him by degrees, so that to-day not a vestige of his
temporal power remains, and his anathemas fall harmlessly. The nations
have asserted their rights as kings. When King Victor Emmanuel entered
Rome on the twentieth day of September, 1870, the Pope's temporal sun
set forever, and he does not control even the city in which he
lives--Rome. He is often referred to as "the prisoner of the Vatican."
"He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity," said the
prophecy; "he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the
sword." It was by force of arms that the Popes obtained and maintained
their temporal power over the nations, and by the force of arms they
have had their authority torn from them. Religion has been referred to
as "the basis of government"; for the legislators of any country are to
a great degree influenced in their deliberations by religious
sentiments. In all Protestant countries that greatest of Protestant
principles, religious liberty, is as truly recognized by statute as was
that infernal principle of the Papacy, religious intolerance, when
formerly enforced by law. Protestant principles have so far permeated
the nations of Europe formerly controlled by the Papacy that religious
toleration is generally granted. In Italy, the headquarters of Popedom,
where the Catholics are greatly in the majority, religious liberty is
granted by law. And even Spain, denominated by the Encyclopaedia
Britannica "the most Catholic country in the world," exhibits "a general
indifferentism to religion," meaning that the fanaticism and intolerance
of former ages that caused thousands, and perhaps mill