eadth of the earth to compass the camp of the saints just before
the end of time.

The fact that the reign of God's people on earth is divided into two
distinct periods is shown also by other prophecies. In the seventh
chapter of Daniel is recorded a vision of four great beasts, symbolizing
the Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Grecian, and Roman empires. Verse 18,
connected with Dan. 2:31-44, shows that the saints were to possess the
kingdom of God before the overthrow of all these four kingdoms, which
was actually fulfilled by Jesus Christ appearing during the reign of the
Roman empire and planting the kingdom of God in the earth. See Mark
1:15; Luke 12:32; 16:16; Col. 1:13. Then follows a description of the
rise of the Papacy, which was to "_wear out the saints of the most
High_" for a time, times, and the dividing of times--three and one-half
times, or forty-two months, or, prophetically, twelve hundred and sixty
years. This, as before explained, reaches to the year A.D. 1530. During
this period the public reign of the saints on earth ceased. Then
immediately following it is said, "The judgment shall sit, and they
shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it _unto the
end_." This does not refer to the final judgment; it is a spiritual
judgment that commences before that time and continues "_unto the end_."
For example of a similar _judgment_ see Acts 7:7.

God had a people during the Protestant era who walked in all the light
they possessed and who were filled with judgment against the beast-power
that had worn out the saints for ages. And though in places some were
put to death for refusing to worship the image of the beast that
lifeless professors had set up, yet there were from time to time
reformations that resurrected many people to life in Christ. A little
later, however, the real spiritual reign of the saints is perfectly
restored in the pure gospel light of the evening time, and now the next
verse is fulfilled, which says, "And the kingdom and dominion, and the
greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the
people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting
kingdom." It is only reasonable to suppose that the public reign on
earth would commence gradually and would finally reach its perfect
fulfilment, just the same as it ceased gradually in the beginning.
Therefore we can not point to a definite date exactly marking the end of
the thousand years, any more th