city, the grand metropolis of the
world, the mart of earth's commerce; a superb city, their [_sic_] being
no end to its luxuries and magnificence. In it everything that can
minister to the appetite, gratify the taste, and feed the pride of the
human soul is to be found in profusion, being described at length. This
great city is suddenly afire, and her merchants and the great men of the
world who sustain her are overwhelmed with sorrow at the sight of all
their wealth disappearing. Thus is great sect Babylon represented. She
is a mighty city extending not only over the Apocalyptic earth, but, as
symbolized by the ship-masters, sailors, and foreign traders, over the
whole world. Suddenly she is set on fire by heaven's truth and her
spiritual magnificence destroyed. The apostle Paul describes the great
apostasy as a system that the "Lord shall _consume_ with the spirit of
his mouth, and shall _destroy_ with the brightness of his coming." 2
Thes. 2:8. That spiritual consumption is now taking place in accordance
with the symbols of this chapter, but the entire literal destruction of
old Babylon will take place coincident "with the brightness of his
coming," as described in the following chapter.

That sectarians are greatly alarmed over the sad condition of their
fallen churches is clearly shown by the many quotations already given
from Protestant writers. They may not be aware that it is a judgment
from heaven upon man-made organizations; but such we know it to be in
the light of eternal truth. Not only are they bewailing the loss of
spiritual life and the desolating famine in sectdom, as was Bishop
Foster and others, but they are beginning to tremble for their own
safety and to wonder what the final outcome of it all will be. Wherever
the gospel truth has been preached in all its purity, the sectarian
denominations have been left destitute of spiritual life; for the
children of God have heard his call, "Come out of her, my people," and
have made their escape to Zion. Hence the ministers of Babylon cry out
continually, "Stop! you are tearing our churches down," "You are taking
our best members away from us," etc. But we can not withhold the truth;
for the time has come when God is gathering his people together out of
all the "places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark
day" (Ezek. 34:12) into the one church that Jesus built. "Babylon is
fallen, is fallen."

20. Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye ho