have taken this poor man in and dressed his sores, and fed him from his bountiful table. But he was too proud and selfish. The starving beggar desired simply the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover, the dogs came and licked his sores. Oh, how sinful and haughty was that man!

But the time came when "the rich man died, and was buried." His mortal body returned back to dust. But did that end his existence? Was his soul buried in the grave, too? No. "In hell [Hades] he lifted up his eyes being in torments." Mark the fact, that while his body was buried his soul was in torment.

Here

Now let us glance briefly at the other side. "And it came to pass that the beggar died." Did that end his existence? No. He "was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom [rest]." At death the real inner man departed. He did not go down with the decomposing body, but was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom, the Paradise of God. he was "comforted," while the rich man "afar off" was in a state of torment. This narrative of the Savior perfectly concurs with the multiplied scriptures already cited which so clearly teach the conscious state of the soul after death. Other important truths in this lesson will be considered in future chapters.

In Rev. 5 the plan of redemption is symbolically brought to view as a book sealed with seven seals. Finally the Lion of Judah (Christ) prevailed to open it. The seven seals cover the time of its

accomplishment from the incarnation of Christ to the end of time. The opening of each seal brings a new epoch through which the church was to pass. At the opening of the first seal a white horse is seen; "and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him and he went forth conquering, and to conquer." Rev. 6:1, 2. This signifies the triumphs. of Christ's kingdom in the early morning of the Christian era. White horse denotes its strength and purity.

The opening of the second seal brings to view a red horse, and a time of great slaughter. See Ver. 3, 4. This was fulfilled in the bloody persecutions of pagan Rome against the primitive Christian church. Tens of thousands were slain by that iron power.

Next came a black horse (Rev. 6:5, 6), which signifies the great apostate church which supplanted the true. Black denotes the awful dark heresies and superstitions which during the dark ages hid the brilliant radiancy of gospel light and salvation from the earth, a time of awful spiritual famine.

Following this a pale horse, and his name that sat on him was Death. He killed men with the sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth. Ver. 7, 8. This was the reign of popery, and the slaughter of the Christians at her hand. About 270 A. D. the devil manufactured an apostate church-the Catholic. When this sect became universal, the imperial spirit and head of Rome, which under the Cæsars was the persecuting

power against the early Christian church, revived, and clothed itself in a Christian garb, and began to persecute the seed of the woman, the church, worse than when clothed in heathen garb. This was popery. Rev. 6:8 was fulfilled to the letter under the reign of the papacy. Some authorities place the number at 55, 000, 000 who suffered martyrdom at the cruel hands of Rome; and in the exact manner herein described. This brings us to consider the fifth seal.

"And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the Word of God, and for the testimony which they held and they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blocd on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled." Rev. 6: 9-11.

Here the souls of that great multitude who were slain under the second and fourth seals are brought to view; viz., the thousands and millions who were slain for the Word of God, and for the testimony which they held during the reign of heathen Rome and papal Rome. They were the disembodied spirits of that host who laid down their lives for the gospel. They were conscious. They were at rest. They were "under the altar." Upon the altar would signify labor, sacrifice, and service. But under the

"And it

altar signifies that their labors were done. was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season. "" You see they were at rest. "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord: ... that they may rest from their labors." Chap. 14: 13. In that home of the soul "the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary be at rest." Yes, "they rest together; they hear not the voice of the oppressor. The small and great are there; and the servant is free from his master." Job 3: 17-19. Oh, how comforting these scriptures, when we believe the truth, since life and immortality are brought to light in the gospel. These souls were not on the earth, for they spoke of them "that dwell on the earth." Their bodies had been slain on the earth. But their murderers could not kill the soul. Mat. 10:28. Their souls still lived, and were conscious.

While thus reigning with the Lord these souls desired of him to know when he would avenge their blood on them that dwell upon the earth. They were told that they should rest a "little season, " until their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. This, of course, referred to a second bloody martyrdom that would take place. This, no doubt, was fulfilled after the sixteenth century reformation, when tens of thousands of Protestants laid down their lives before the papal power was broken. This may also include the putting to death of God's saints just before the end. God will avenge the blood of the

martyrs by casting the beast into the burning flame, or lake of fire. Dan. 7:11; Rev. 19: 20; 20: 10.

But the point we call the reader's attention to is the fact that those souls whose bodies had been slain were alive, under the altar of God, and conversed with the Lord. So while the body is dead and mouldering in the tomb, the soul still continues to live “absent from the body, and present with the Lord." This line of Scripture testimony could be very much drawn out, but we deem the foregoing sufficient proof to convince all reasonable minds.

CONFIRMING WORDS AND DYING TESTIMONIES.

It will, no doubt, be edifying to the reader to add a few of the many clear testimonies of eminent saints and dying men.

"Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace."-Simeon.

"Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.” -Jesus Christ.

"Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."-Stephen.

"I am now ready, and the time of my departure is at hand."-Paul.

"Paul, when he had borne his testimony before rulers, departed from the world and went into the holy place."-Clement of Rome, a colaborer with Paul (Phil. 4:3). In his epistle to the Corinthians.

"There was Peter who, having borne his testimony,