(chap. 16:13, 14), and the release of the
dragon in chapter 20:7-9.]

In this condition the faithful children of God, although bearing the
mark and name of the beast, longed for restoration of the divine,
primitive standard; but in the cloudy atmosphere of that period they
could not clearly discern the whole truth. Later, when the full tidings
of the everlasting gospel came, there came also a revelation that
Babylon is fallen and that God is calling his people out of confusion
just before the end of time.

I call to witness every child of God who has been with the present
reformation from its beginning, if there were not three special phases
of the development of the truth, as follows: 1. A wonderful revival of
spirituality among a few of God's chosen ones, caused by the
"everlasting gospel" being revealed to them as never before. 2. The
knowledge of the truth and deep experience thus obtained prepared the
way for the next step, which was the discovery that the "churches" were
a part of the great Babylon of Revelation and were in a fallen
condition, "a hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and
hateful bird." Chap. 18:2, 3. Hence the cry went up, "Babylon is fallen,
is fallen." 3. Then followed immediately the message to God's people to
"flee out of the midst of Babylon and deliver every man his soul,"
warning them that no one could any longer bear the mark of the beast or
worship his image without forfeiting eternal salvation and that the
fearful judgments of heaven would soon descend upon every one who
refused to obey the message and to walk in the light. The last two
phases, which apply to Babylon, are the same and in the same order as
the description given in chapter 18:1-4. First, an angel from heaven
cries mightily with a strong voice, "Babylon the great is fallen, is
fallen"; and then "_another voice_" from heaven says, "COME OUT OF HER,
MY PEOPLE." The three successive phases of the message are now all
combined in one, and God is gathering his holy remnant "out of all
places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day" (Ezek.
34:12) into the one body of Jesus Christ. Halleluiah! John, also, saw
this glorious result of the three messages--"And I saw as it were a sea
of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over
the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of
his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. And they
sung