witnesses still prophesied_, although clothed in sackcloth,
an emblem of melancholy and mourning. While the visions of the
Revelator describe particularly the power of apostasy and iniquity
reigning during the Dark Ages, they do not fail to give us the
assurance that at the same time God had a people whose names were
written in the book of life (chap. 13:8)--"saints" (chap. 13;10).
And these were made the object of the most violent persecution (chap.
13:17; 17:6).

It is rather difficult to trace the true work of God during those
times; for his "saints" were either ignored by the professed multitude
or else regarded as heretics. But there existed in different countries
bands of people who opposed the doctrines and ecclesiastical tyranny
of Rome and who claimed adherence to the simple, primitive faith
of Christ as expressed in the gospel. Among these were the Cathari,
Lombards, Albigenses, Waldenses, and Vaudois. I will not say that all
these so-called heretics are to be regarded as the true people of God,
but from the few records that we have of them, derived chiefly from
their enemies, it seems clear that there were among them many who were
truly "saints" and who clung tenaciously to the true faith of Christ.
God's Word and Spirit were therefore prophesying, although in
an unnatural condition, symbolized by the sackcloth state of the
witnesses. We must also remember that even among the Catholic party
were to be found noble persons whose hearts were true to whatever
truth they had and whose emotions and aspirations at times broke over
the bounds of traditional theology and gave expression to sentiments
Scriptural and sublime.

The time period first specified in this special scene is the same
twelve hundred and sixty years that marks the reign of the beast and
therefore closes with the reformation of the sixteenth century. We
shall have occasion to return to this series later and trace its
predictions down to our own times.

CHAPTER XIII

ERA OF MODERN SECTS

[Sidenote: Another epoch predicted]

We have seen that the 1,260-year universal reign of the first beast
of Revelation 13 ends with the period of the Reformation. The exact
manner in which this should be accomplished is not definitely given
in the prophecy, aside from the statement, "He that leadeth into
captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must
be killed with the sword" (verse 10). This description would seem to
indica