The Revelation of Jesus Christ - The Herald

It is our thought that the symbolic expression of "biting their tongues," etc., refers to
Papacy's being compelled to take back some of its former claims, thus proving these claims
to be false. Already has this feature begun to have a fulfillment; indeed, had begun its
fulfillment in 1883. Thus explains the same writer:
"The tongues of Papacy are its decrees and utterances, past and future. To bite, then, in
pain, implies contradiction and denial of former utterances. Whether this signifies a
contradiction and reversal of previous utterances of the Papal hierarchy, or whether it
means controversy and differences between the living rulers of the Church, we may not
decide, but it will probably include both of these difficulties, and in their attempt to justify
their contradictory teachings, God's character will be further dishonored, misrepresented,
or blasphemed."
Concerning this peculiar symbol an illustration is cited of its fulfillment as having already
taken place at the time he gave the forecast in 1883. We quote this illustration, especially
calling attention to the fact that it has had a more complete fulfillment in the events since
that time, thus confirming this application:
"As an illustration of this symbol, 'biting their tongues,' we note Papacy's present
humiliating concessions and contradiction of her former teachings, in her present
recognition of the Protestant governments of Europe, which Papacy not only did not
create, but actually cursed, and encouraged her faithful to use every means to destroy.
This biting is occasioned by the pain and humbled condition in which Papacy finds
herself. She has lost all temporal power, and to maintain long her spiritual influence, feels
that she must not antagonize the governments which she can no longer claim the right to
control."
As further showing the fulfillment of this symbolism we quote from a secular journal of
June 1, 1920, a very recent decision of the Pope, rescinding a former decree which forbade
Catholic rulers to visit the king of Italy at Rome on account of the present Italian dynasty
taking the dominion of Rome away from the Pope in 1870 and making the city its capital:
"Pope Benedict has issued an encyclical letter announcing that while he maintains the
claims of the Holy See to temporal power, he rescinds the order forbidding Catholic rulers
to visit the king of Italy in Rome. It is understood that the first monarch to visit Rome
under the new conditions will be King Alphonso of Spain. . . . Continuing, the pontiff
renews the protests made by his predecessors for the purpose of protecting the rights and
dignities of the Holy See and asks that, once peace being re-established, the abnormal
conditions affecting the head of the Church shall also be brought to an end, as, he says,
they are prejudicial to the tranquillity of the peoples.
"His Holiness urges the nations to join together fraternally to reduce if not to eliminate the
military expenditures which are weighing heavily upon the finances of the various States. .
. . The pontiff declares that the Church will not fail to cooperate with this association of
peoples with an efficiency to which history [?] bears witness."