There is not a particle of sense in the entire twenty-two chapters, except such as refer to earthly particulars. The combination is false in conception, and pernicious in its tendencies. He sees and hears things so glaringly ridiculous that it is really surprising that any sensible preacher can regard the writings in the light of seriousness. It is perhaps as unique an erratic compilation of material substances as was ever produced, based on ignorance, superstition, and a diseased mind. That man, St. John the Divine, had no more conception of the size of this earth or its configuration than he had of electricity, or a steam-engine. Of course I understand that theologians do not--or pretend not to--look upon the statements literally. They may interpret the contents of Revelation from a spiritual point of view, nothing will or can relieve it of its defects. Whatever he meant by his ravings, in those days, they do not contain a particle of practical sense. When he beheld the doors of heaven open and heard a sound of a trumpet, he was immediately in the spirit. Then his mind spliced together thrones of jasper, emerald, seats, elders, white raiment, crowns of gold, seven lamps, seven spirits, a sea of glass, and four beasts full of eyes, a lion, calf, man, eagle, six wings, four horses, death and hell, seven angels, seven vials of wrath, hail, fire, blood, thunder, lightning, brimstone, a bottomless pit, etc., etc. Thoughts were flying through his brain that embraced pretty much all he knew, that he had either heard, read about, or had had some personal experience of, bringing all the things, objects, substances, and phenomena to bear upon his imagination, forming ideas to illustrate his heaven or hell, his saints and sinners, his salvation and his perdition. The mind was in a state of delirious confusion. John's mind had had a larger experience, his imagination was more amplified and expanded, than the mind and imagination of his predecessors Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and Zechariah. The time and locality were not the same. The burden of John's thoughts was of a quite different nature. The nervous phenomena of theological excitement and irritation was purely visionary, while those of the Old Testament were largely tainted with the politics of their time. The former writers were loaded down with the expected ruin of their nationality; were filled with patriotism; were hoping and wishing for some one to come and help them out of their dire distress. Their ideas and thoughts led them to flights of imagination within the limits of their knowledge. John was fully charged with the philosophy and teachings of his times, and he mustered all his knowledge to open the gulf between the two extremes of bliss and punishment, the saved and lost. Thus he invented the appearance of heaven, with all the material substances, to exhibit its fearful glory, and showed the interior of his bottomless pit with its darkness, fire and brimstone. All these things might