ystem of false
belief that was overthrown. This great system, as opposed to
Christianity, can all be summed up under the one word _infidelity_.
_Infidel_ signifies "a heathen; one who disbelieves in Christ, or the
divine origin and authority of Christianity."--Webster. This system was
positively an antichristian power that sought by every possible means to
destroy the religion of Jesus and to blot out his very name. It failed
in the attempt. It was bound. During the long reign of Popery, when the
doctrine was be-a-Catholic-or-die, infidelity could not publicly lift
its head in the sense in which it was cast down by the early Christians.
It had no power over the nations of the Apocalyptic earth to then
deceive them; but they were greatly deceived by a false Christianity
until almost all the world wondered after the beast. The release of the
dragon, then, in order to be entirely satisfactory and consistent, must
embrace the following points: First, it must at least include the
development of a great public antichristian power whose avowed object is
to destroy the whole fabric of Christianity. Second, being bound by
divine power, his release must be the result of divine permission for a
special purpose. Third, the scene of his imprisonment must necessarily
be the place of his release; namely, the earth--the Apocalyptic
earth--the territory of the Roman empire.

We find all these requirements meeting a most perfect fulfilment in the
events described under the pouring out of the first vial, which was done
by the direction of Him that sat upon the throne. A sufficient history
of that fearful system of infidelity which, through the labors of
Voltaire and his coadjutors, spread throughout all Europe has already
been given. The very object of the leaders of this movement was the
extermination of the Christian religion, and their secret watchword was
"Crush the wretch," meaning Jesus Christ. The dragon was loose in all
his terrible features. The Pagans upheld a false belief; these modern
worshipers of the dragon did likewise and publicly exalted the "Goddess
of Reason" as an object of devotion, setting aside every tenth day for
their hellish orgies in her honor. The former endeavored to overthrow
the Christian religion; the latter had for its special aim the utter
destruction of everything Christian either in name or in character. This
devilish system spread over all Europe and almost undermined the whole
fabric of society, and t