years of plenty and as many of famine.  There are only two great series of events described in the Revelation—­the history of ecclesiastical events and the political history of certain nations.  The present symbol is drawn from one of these departments—­the political or the civil life of the Romans; and leaving the latter department to find its signification in another department, we have no place to go except into the department of ecclesiastical affairs.  Entering, therefore, the spiritual realm, and looking about us for an object that perfectly meets every requirement of the symbol, we find it in the humble ministers of Christ, who boldly went forth in obedience to the divine command to extend the peaceful triumphs of the cross and to carry the gospel of the kingdom of God “into all the world.”  Mark 16:15-18; Mat. 28:19, 20.  This succession of faithful, holy, devoted men is worthy of a place in Apocalyptic vision.  They went forth “conquering and to conquer”; and the victories they gained were such as the world never witnessed before.  Worthy are they to wear a victor’s crown, for they have “fought a good fight.”

Because of its connection with events following, it is necessary for us to consider the divine position of these first ministers of the church.  Their equality is clearly taught in the New Testament.  Christ gave them the express command, “Be not ye called Rabbi:  for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.”  Mat. 23:8.  When two of the disciples manifested a desire to gain preeminence over their brethren and their aspirations displeased the ten, Christ said to them all, “Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.  But it shall not be so among you.”  Mat. 20:25, 26.  Thus a perfect standard of equality in the ministry is lifted up.  The beloved apostle, the writer of the Revelation, when addressing the elders of the seven churches of Asia in particular, humbly and affectionately represented himself as their “brother and companion in tribulation.”  Rev. 1:9.

I will now adduce the testimony of several creditable historians, who are compelled to admit the humble equality of the New Testament ministry, notwithstanding the fact that some of them belonged to churches containing a very unequal ministry.

Mosheim says:  “The rulers of the church were called their presbyters or bishops, which two titles are, in the New Testament, undoubtedly applied to the same order of men....  Let no one confound the bishops of this primitive and golden period of the church, with those of whom we read in the following ages.  For, though they were both distinguished by the same name, yet they differed extremely, and that in many respects.”  Vol.  I, p. 99.