10. John's Vision Foreshadowing the Apostasy.--Among the many revelations given to the Apostle John while a prisoner on the Isle of Patmos was one in which he saw an angel "fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, "Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters." [123] From this it is learned that in the hour of God's judgment the gospel will be brought to the earth by an angel, and thence proclaimed to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, a very good evidence that in the "hour of God's judgment" all the world would be without the gospel, or why this restoration at that time and its universal proclamation if the nations at the time indicated already possessed it? 11. Thus through revelation the ancient prophets foresaw the great apostasy from the gospel of Jesus Christ. We who live now after the great event has occurred, in the light of historical facts, see it no more plainly than did these ancient servants of God through the gift of prophecy. They read the history of it by the light of revelation, we by the light of history, and the former is a light no less certain than the latter. {197} REVIEW. 1. By what means were the apostles and still more ancient prophets made acquainted with the great apostasy from the Christian religion? 2. Repeat the several prophecies concerning the rise of false teachers in the church. 3. Give the passage which predicts the rise of hypocrisy and austerity of life. 4. In what passage of Paul's writings is the rise of anti-Christ predicted? 5. What does letteth and let in this passage mean? Give proof. 6. State in what way Paul's great prophecy has been fulfilled. 7. State Isaiah's great prophecy respecting the apostasy. 8. What objection may be urged to our application of this prophecy? 9. How would you meet the objection? 10. What great judgment is still pending over the world because of their wicked apostasy? 11. What vision given to St. John on Patmos foreshadowed a universal apostasy? 12. If the gospel from the time it was established on the earth by Messiah's personal ministry had continued with men until now, would there be any necessity for restoring it to the earth in the hour of God's judgment? 13. Was the fact of the apostasy read by the light of the spirit of prophecy less clear than when by the light of historical facts? {198} SECTION VIII.