m (the modern form
of the dragon power), Catholicism, and Protestantism. The same great
city is here brought to view, and the angel from heaven, with a mighty
voice, cries, "Babylon the Great is fallen, is fallen." This fall of
Babylon can not signify a literal destruction; for there are certain
events to take place in Babylon after her fall which entirely precludes
that idea; for instance, the calling of God's people out of her, in
order that they may not receive of her plagues. In these plagues is
embraced her literal destruction, or complete overthrow. The fall is
therefore a moral one; for the result of it is that Babylon becomes "the
habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of
every unclean and hateful bird."

Protestants who make any attempt to interpret these prophecies usually
limit the designation "Babylon the Great" in these verses to the church
of Rome, because the woman symbolizing the apostate church in the
preceding chapter is denominated "Babylon the Great." Ver. 5. But the
same verse also declares her to be the "_Mother_ of harlots;" and if she
as a degraded woman stands as the representative of a corrupt church,
her unchaste daughters, also, must symbolize churches that are her
descendants; and if the real name of the _mother_ is Babylon, as stated,
the proper name of her harlot daughters must be Babylon also. Whether,
therefore, the mother or the daughters are referred to, it is all
"Babylon the Great," because it is all the same family and is a part of
that "GREAT CITY which reigneth over the kings of the earth." Chap.
17:18. We must, therefore, have something besides the mere title
"Babylon the Great" to determine which division of the great city is
referred to in a given instance--whether Pagan, Papal, or Protestant.

A careful study of the prophecy now under consideration will show that
it has particular reference to the Protestant division of Babylon. It
contained many of God's children; whereas Paganism was always a false
religion and never held any of God's saints. Under the reign of
Catholicism, the people of God are represented in all the symbols of
this book relating thereto as existing entirely separate from that
communion. The description of this apostate church given in the
preceding chapter shows clearly that instead of being partly composed of
God's saints, she was their most bitter and relentless persecutor, yea,
was "_drunken with the blood of the saints_, a