of the
popular denominations of to-day are a certain number of years in school
and a certain number of histories and commentaries mastered. The
qualifications as given by Paul are almost wholly ignored. The profession
of the ministry in the sect world has been dragged down to a level with
the professions of the world. A young man decides to be a physician. He
goes to school and learns his profession. He receives his diploma, comes
out and practises what he was taught at school, and makes his living
thereby. Another young man decides to be a lawyer. He studies for that
profession, is admitted to the bar, practises, and makes his living
thereby. Another young man decides to be a preacher. He goes to school and
learns his profession. He is licensed, comes out and preaches, and makes
his living thereby.

"For the mystery of iniquity doth already work." This is the spirit of
antichrist, of which John says, "even now already is it in the world."
This antichrist, apostate spirit is a mystery. It contains a hidden
mysterious power that has blinded and deceived millions of souls. Even in
Paul's time it began its hidden mysterious working. The Roman Catholic
sect arose and met this description of the "man of sin" as given by Paul.
The Waldenses in the thirteenth century looked upon the church at Rome as
the "whore of Babylon," and the "man of sin." Those blinded by the
mysterious, delusive spirit of iniquity considered such language against
the "holy church" as blaspheming against God. Protestantism to-day with
its great bishops and reverends and D. D.'s and creeds and systems, forms
and ceremonies, almost as perfectly meets the description of the "man of
sin" as does the Roman hierarchy. The same hidden mysterious delusive
spirit has so intoxicated its subjects that they consider such speech as
blasphemy.

This "man of sin" is described as coming with signs and lying wonders. The
lying wonders of this dark reign of the "son of perdition" are almost
innumerable. It is said that a milkwhite dove descended from heaven with a
phial of oil at the baptism of Cloris.

A Sicilian hermit had a revelation from heaven in which was revealed that
the prayers of the monks of Clugny would be effectual for the deliverance
of the departed spirits from the expiatory flames of a middle
state.--_Mosheim's Church History_.

A woman named Julian pretended she had a revelation from God in which it
was disclosed to her to be the will of God that a