ctically force the true people of God to ignore absolutely
all sectarian lines and step out on the broad platform of truth and
universality, united in Christ alone, knowing no head but Christ and
no creed but His truth? Who can tell?

[Sidenote: A fundamental difference]

In the present work I have given a brief historical sketch of the
leading ecclesiastical events, showing the apostasy as it existed
under two phases, the corruption of evangelical faith and the reign
of ecclesiasticism. I have also shown that the reformations of
Protestantism have tended to the correction of that first phase
pertaining to doctrine, but that a complete reformation requires the
elimination of ecclesiasticism. Hence what I have termed the Last
Reformation, if it is to be the _last_, not only must include the
restoration of pure doctrinal truth but must also restore the real
church of the New Testament. So far as true doctrine is concerned,
such a reformation will differ from other evangelical movements in
degree only--it must ultimately comprehend the whole truth. But the
fundamental difference between the reformation herein considered and
all other preceding reformations is that it strikes the death-blow
to the very root of error that produced the sect system--_human
ecclesiasticism_--and substitutes therefor the administrative
authority of the Holy Spirit working in varying degrees in all the
members of Christ throughout the world. The last reformation therefore
must differ from all others, not in degree only, but _also in kind_.

[Sidenote: The witness of prophecy]

God alone understands the future. During the ages past he has not left
his own work without the witness of prophecy. We may rest assured,
therefore, that in the prophecy of the divine Word he has given us
an outline of the history of his church. So I shall ask the reader to
patiently follow me through a brief sketch of ecclesiastical events
as described in the prophecies of the Revelation. Such an examination
will throw a large amount of additional light on the subjects I have
already treated historically, and will also give us a divinely drawn
picture of the church of the future. Such will enable us to understand
better the real character and extent of THE LAST REFORMATION.

PART III

The Church in Prophecy

CHAPTER X

INTERPRETATION OF PROPHETIC SYMBOLS

[Sidenote: Value of prophecy]

The value of prophecy in establishing the religion of the Bib