at was
manifested by the nations represented by the dragon and the leopard-like
beast. And the statement that the beast with two horns "causeth the earth
and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast," indicates that
the authority of this nation is to be exercised in enforcing some
observance which shall be an act of homage to the papacy.

Such action would be directly contrary to the principles of this
government, to the genius of its free institutions, to the direct and
solemn avowals of the Declaration of Independence, and to the
Constitution. The founders of the nation wisely sought to guard against
the employment of secular power on the part of the church, with its
inevitable result--intolerance and persecution. The Constitution provides
that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion,
or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," and that "no religious test
shall ever be required as a qualification to any office of public trust
under the United States." Only in flagrant violation of these safeguards
to the nation's liberty, can any religious observance be enforced by civil
authority. But the inconsistency of such action is no greater than is
represented in the symbol. It is the beast with lamb-like horns--in
profession pure, gentle, and harmless--that speaks as a dragon.

"Saying to them that dwell on the earth, that _they_ should make an image
to the beast." Here is clearly presented a form of government in which the
legislative power rests with the people; a most striking evidence that the
United States is the nation denoted in the prophecy.

But what is the "image to the beast"? and how is it to be formed? The
image is made by the two-horned beast, and is an image _to_ the first
beast. It is also called an image _of_ the beast. Then to learn what the
image is like, and how it is to be formed, we must study the
characteristics of the beast itself,--the papacy.

When the early church became corrupted by departing from the simplicity of
the gospel and accepting heathen rites and customs, she lost the Spirit
and power of God; and in order to control the consciences of the people,
she sought the support of the secular power. The result was the papacy, a
church that controlled the power of the state, and employed it to further
her own ends, especially for the punishment of "heresy." In order for the
United States to form an image of the beast, the religious power must so
control the