All the holy prophets, from the beginning of the world, have taken up the theme of the glorious coming of the Son of Man in the latter days, to reign on the earth. In connection with this stupendous event they have depicted, in graphic and prophetic measure, the terrible scenes that are to precede it. The wicked who will not listen to the mandates of heaven are to be swept from the earth by judgments, as with the overwhelming rush of a flood. Famine, plague, pestilence, war, commotions, uprisings and destructions, in all the most appalling forms, will visit those who delight in revelling in the {189} filth of iniquity that now rises as an offence in the sight of the hosts of heaven. The period of those tribulations, which have already begun to appear, has been characterized as the "Great and dreadful day of the Lord." This fearful time, "when the wicked shall slay the wicked," is a necessity as a preparatory process before the coming of the King of Kings. A millennium--a reign of righteousness and peace--would be an impossibility with myriads of human beings on the earth that are sunk in the slough of corruption, delighting in deeds of violence and strife. They repent not, and to introduce purity and peace, those whose lives are in contravention of, instead of in harmony with those conditions, must be blotted out of existence. Therefore it is decreed in the heavens that those who remain at His coming will be those only who will bow to His sceptre, deporting themselves in accordance with righteousness and truth. Were it not for the realization of a glorious promise the earth, because of the corruption of those living upon it, would be smitten with an irretrievable curse. The nature of that promise is set forth in the 5th and 6th verses of the last chapter of Malachi: "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he will turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse."