t of this vision is a nondescript; for among all the
animal creation there could not be found one that could suitably
represent Rome. But one was made for the purpose, combining in itself
all that is fierce and terrible. "And behold a fourth beast, dreadful
and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth; it
devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of
it; and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it
had ten horns." Its teeth were of iron and its claws of brass. What a
monster! The other beasts faithfully represented their respective
kingdoms, and so did this. What a record! What a counterpart we have in
history of this beast! "Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the
streets of Askelon," lest the Pagan rejoice, and the heathen mock at us,
and the infidel triumph over us. Blot out from Time's record the 24th of
August, 1572. Let not our children learn the name of St. Bartholomew,
for fear they should despise Christianity. Quench the flames of
Smithfield, destroy the Inquisition, and divorce Christianity from such a
kingdom, from such a beast. Thank heaven! the beast is dying; its teeth
are worn to the very gum by the gnawings of centuries; its claws are not
now sharp, so it cannot now crush the innocent, as in days gone by, nor
tear with its brass claw the weak. Though the beast is growing old and
weaker, yet let us remember that its death struggle is yet to come. The
beast has been wounded, but this shall only serve to intensify its rage.
To be forewarned is to be forearmed, if we are wise.

This beast, Daniel tells us, had ten horns, and these horns are ten
kings--that is, kingdoms--that shall arise. Just here we may reasonably
ask whether these ten kingdoms are yet in existence, and the answer is,
No. Some of them may be; of course they are in existence, as was General
Grant before the war, but not yet distinct or assigned their special work
and place. The time, however, for them all to appear is near at hand.
Of this we may rest satisfied, when once they are all in existence we
will have no difficulty in knowing them. Prophecy unfulfilled is always
more difficult to interpret than when it is fulfilling or fulfilled. We
have no doubt but some of these horns are in existence, and from what we
can glean from prophecy and history, some are not yet in their proper
place.

The special province of prophecy is to prepare us for what is co