th those preached to.

"Again, it has been generally recognised that 'the drying up of the
waters of the great river Euphrates,' mentioned in the sixteenth chapter
of Revelation, refers to the decay and extinction of Turkish power, and
is a sign of the near approaching end of the world as we know it. The
capture of Jerusalem and the successes in Mesopotamia are great strides
forward in the destruction of the Ottoman Empire; though it must be
admitted that the Gallipoli episode proved that the Turk still possesses
a 'notable horn' of strength. Historically speaking, this drying up of
Ottoman power has been going on for the past century; the last two years
have witnessed a great acceleration of the process, and there can be no
doubt that complete desiccation is within sight.

"Closely following on the words concerning the drying up of Euphrates
comes the prophecy of Armageddon, that world war with which the Second
Coming is to be so closely associated. Once begun, the world war can
end only with the return of Christ, and His coming will be sudden and
unexpected, like that of a thief in the night.

"Let us examine the facts. In history, exactly as in St. John's Gospel,
the world war is immediately preceded by the drying up of Euphrates, or
the decay of Turkish power. This fact alone would be enough to connect
the present conflict with the Armageddon of Revelation and therefore to
point to the near approach of the Second Advent. But further evidence of
an even more solid and convincing nature can be adduced.

"Armageddon is brought about by the activities of three unclean spirits,
as it were toads, which come out of the mouths of the Dragon, the Beast,
and the False Prophet. If we can identify these three powers of evil
much light will clearly be thrown on the whole question.

"The Dragon, the Beast, and the False Prophet can all be identified in
history. Satan, who can only work through human agency, has used these
three powers in the long war against Christ which has filled the last
nineteen centuries with religious strife. The Dragon, it has been
sufficiently established, is pagan Rome, and the spirit issuing from its
mouth is the spirit of Infidelity. The Beast, alternatively symbolised
as a Woman, is undoubtedly the Papal power, and Popery is the spirit
which it spews forth. There is only one power which answers to the
description of the False Prophet, the wolf in sheep's clothing, the
agent of the devil working in