Of the church in Philadelphia.—“Philadelphia means brotherly love. This stage of the Church’s history began at the Reformation; and there are many still living who possess the characteristics described.” (Z. ’16‐347.) The exact point of time at which the Philadelphia epoch of the Church began was at midday, October 31, 1517. It was at that hour that Luther nailed his ninety‐five theses on the church door at Wittenberg. “Nailing up that paper was the beginning of a great division in the Church; of thrones tumbled into the dust and kings with them; of empires rent asunder; of lands desolated by war; of massacres and horrible outrages against the lives and liberties of men; of thirty years continuous war in Germany; of Paris and the vine‐clad valleys of Italy drenched in blood; of fires kindled all over England for the burning of men, women and children; of men hurled headlong from precipices, roasted over slow fires, starving in dungeons, subjected to every form of cruelty—but with all this, the advance of justice, truth and liberty, the beginning of a new era in human affairs.” (Coffin.) “The theses ran through all Germany in fourteen days, for all the world was complaining about the indulgences; and Luther became renowned, because at last somebody had come who took hold of the thing.”—McC. Write.—Luther wrote the first translation of the Bible into German. These things saith He that is [holy] TRUE.—The direct reference is to Christ (1 John 5:20); but characteristic of Luther was his great love of truth. When the Papal legate came demanding that he recant, he replied, “I stand by the truth. I will not take it back.” He that it [true] HOLY.—See Mark 1:24. Luther’s special message was “Justification by faith”—_real_ holiness. One of the theses on the door was, “Those who truly repent of their sins have a full remission of guilt and penalty.” He that hath the key of David.—“All power in Heaven and earth.” (Matt. 28:18; Luke 1:32.) Luther’s theses were antagonistic to the system actually ruling all over the world. When a representative came warning that his death would surely follow failure to recant, and asking him where he could go when all had orders not to harbor him, he replied, “I will abide under the cope of heaven.” [He] AND that openeth.—See Luke 24:32. And no man [shutteth] SHALL SHUT.—“No doubt all the powers of Satan were exerted to close the door then opened; but ‘He that is true’ had said, ‘which no man can shut.’ ”—Z. ’16‐347; Isa. 22:22.