Here again the objection will be raised: "But that revelation was the last communication from heaven, and its closing chapter forbids any further revelation." That is also a popular error promulgated by men professing to be ministers of Christ, and finding themselves destitute of divine power and inspiration. Here is the passage they quote: "For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of {244} this book, if any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book." (Rev. XXII; 18.) It is astonishing how plain and simple language can be wrested from its evident meaning to suit the purpose of sophistry. There is not a word in that text which conveys the remotest intimation that revelation and prophecy were to cease, or that God would no more speak to man. It is a prohibition against the addition by man of anything to that which God reveals. The next verse forbids the taking away of anything from the "book of this prophecy." That is, the Book of Revelation. These commands have reference to that one book, and that only. The compilers of the New Testament have placed it last in the collection of scriptural books, and the strained, unnatural and absurd application which has been made of the words we have quoted have been attached to the whole volume of the Bible. It is all wrong and ridiculous. The idea that the Almighty placed a seal upon His own mouth when He simply forbade men to add to what He said, is certainly most remarkable for sane people to entertain. If that singular notion were correct, then both the angel who gave the revelation, and John, who received it, violated the heavenly injunction, for we read that the angel gave to John a mission in figurative manner, which he thus explained: "Thou must prophecy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings." (Rev. X; 11.) It is well known that the Epistles of St. John were written after he received the revelation on Patmos. While the true Church of Christ remained on earth the spirit of revelation and prophecy also remained. When that spirit departed there was but a dead form left. Only by the restoration of divine communication with man could the Church of Christ be re-established on earth. Only by raising up a Prophet to commence the latter-day dispensation could our Heavenly Father maintain His invariable method from the beginning of the world. And instead of men, professing to be His servants, opposing and fighting against divine revelation, they ought to hail with gladness the re-opening of the heavens and shout for joy that the rays of the Millennial morning have burst upon the world.