angel had to appear, and then to perform his task and explain the prophetical images and other things which have not been understood before that explanation; because the Lord came at that time as a thief, Revel. xvi:  15.  The thief is not seen, when he takes away what he finds suitable for his use.  And the same have we done in our mission in which was gradually disclosed, that Christ comes by us, his messengers, and discloses what is needed, by the direction of his invisible agents who are operating through our mediumship.

If you keep all that has been said in this book, you will comprehend the hints which we have given as preparations at our approach to the development of what we have promised in the inscription of this treatise.  Others have tried to show from their position, and Doctor Bengel with application of historical and astronomical erudition endeavoured to make it most evident, that the Beast with seven heads and ten horns in the 13th chapter of the Revelation, is the papal monarchy.  At length came the 3rd angel or messenger, Revel. xiv:  9, by whose mediumship the whole chain was developed, which testifies the same.  And Heavenly Congress of the 144,000 martyrs, Revel. xiv:  1, who superintend, that prophecy given under their direction, is exactly fulfilled, (as there is the case with the prophecies of the Revelation,) have given also such testimonies of this truth, that the most stubborn materialist if he studies to learn truth, finds superabundance of most striking evidences, that hosts of spirits were co-operating, that prophecy was fulfilling, till at length by unexpected events the Divine seal was attached to its fulfilment by our mediumship.  We will give later in this treatise striking testimonies of this truth.  But here was the preparation, that you may understand the following hints on the 9th and 10th verses of the 17th chapter of the Revelation in connection with the inscription of this treatise.

Doctor Bengel was the first who has discovered, after an investigation for many years in the Bullarium Romanum, in which the dates of the papal letters which are known under the name of the Papal Bulls, bear besides the time, the place from which they issued, that is, the place of the Papal See or Chair, or of the papal government.  In the 17th chapter is the same Beast with the seven heads and ten horns which appears in the first verse of the 13th chapter, only that in the 17th chapter it appears in another state, to wit, the seer says in Revelation, xvii:  3d, “I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.”  This woman is called in the 5th verse:  “Babylon the great, the mother of harlots and abominations.”  The same woman is called in the 3d verse of the second chapter in the second epistle to the Thessalonians “the apostasia or apostasy,” what your translators expressed with “a falling away.”  In the preceding treatise we quoted a prophecy in the