consider those prophecies which describe the principal ecclesiastical
events in history which form the basis of, or lead up to, the Last
Reformation. The subject as outlined in the prophecies and as based on
the facts of history, naturally divides into four parts, or epochs, as
follows:

I The Apostolic Period
II The Medieval Period
III Era of Modern Sects
IV The Last Reformation

For the sake of brevity, we shall, as far as possible, exclude from
our present inquiry those prophecies pertaining to civil and political
affairs, retaining only such as have an important bearing on the
church subject.

CHAPTER XI

THE APOSTOLIC PERIOD

[Sidenote: The star-crowned woman]

The twelfth chapter of Revelation introduces an important line of
prophetic truth respecting the church, beginning with these words:
"And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the
sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve
stars: and she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained
to be delivered." "And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule
all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God,
and to his throne. And the woman fled into the wilderness, where
she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a
thousand two hundred and threescore days" (verses 1, 2, 5, 6).

As we have already stated and as will be made very clear hereafter,
symbols drawn from human life are used to represent ecclesiastical
affairs. Therefore in the symbol now before us we have a
representation of the church, and from the general description given
we infer that it must be the pure church of God, for the brightest
luminaries of heaven are gathered around her and no evil thing is said
concerning her. That this woman is the special object of God's care
and concern is further shown by the fact that when she fled into the
wilderness, she had "a place prepared of God, that they should feed
her there." That this interpretation of the woman is correct is also
shown by other texts in Revelation.

In chapter 21:9 an angel talking with John said, "Come hither, I will
shew thee the _bride_, the Lamb's wife." And again, in chapter 19:7,
where the church is undoubtedly referred to, a great multitude is
represented as saying, "Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to
him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his _wife_ hath made
herself ready." In