ading "In the Twinkling of an Eye,"
"Long Odds," "He's coming To-morrow," (Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe) who
would never have looked at an ordinary pamphlet or book upon the
subject. One of the truest and most noted leaders (in the "Church") on
our great convention platforms, himself an authority, and voluminous
writer on the _pre_-milleniarian view of our Lord's near Return, (a
perfect stranger, personally, to the writer) wrote within a week or two
of the issue of "In the Twinkling of an Eye," saying:

"I have just finished reading your _wonderful_ book "In the Twinkling
of an Eye." It has _solemnised_ me _very greatly_--more than anything
for a long time . . . . May the Lord use your book to _STARTLE_ the
careless, ill-taught professing Christians . . . Please send me 24
copies, etc., etc."

The desire of the author of "The Mark of the Beast" has been to further
"startle" and awaken "careless, ill-taught _professing_ Christians," by
giving some faint view of the fate of those _professors_ who will be
"_left behind_" to go through the horrors of The Tribulation.

To be true to his subject, and to his convictions, the author has had
to approach one or two _delicate_ subjects. These he has sought to
touch in a veiled, a guarded way. Each reader, if desirous of pursuing
more minutely the study of those special parts, can do so by referring
to other Christian author's works.

That there is a growing interest in the whole subject of "The Lord's
Coming," is very apparent in many ways. The intense interest and
quickening that has accompanied the Author's many series of Bible
Readings on "The Near Return of our Lord," during the past twelve
months especially, would have proved the revived interest in the
subject--if proof had been needed.

SYDNEY WATSON.

"The Firs," Vernham Dean, Hungerford, Berks.

April 24th, 1911.

THE MARK OF THE BEAST

PROLOGUE.

It was late August. The year 18-- no matter the exact date, except that
the century was growing old. A small house-party was gathered under the
sixteenth century roof of that fine old Warwickshire house, "The Antlers."

"Very old famerly, very old!" the head coachman was fond of saying
to sight-seers, and others. "Come over with William of Normandy,
the first Duerdon did. Famerly allus kept 'emselves very eleck,
cream-del-al-cream, as the saying is in hupper cirkles."

The coachman's estimate of the Duerdon House will serve all the purpose
we n