The Revelation of Jesus Christ - The Herald

this, and does so still, even in her decrepitude and decay. She claims two swords, she
holds two keys, she crowns her Pontiff with two crowns, the one a mitre of universal
bishopric; the other, a tiara, of universal dominion. 'There is indeed a mystery on the
forehead of the Church of Rome, in the union of these two supremacies; and it has often
proved a mystery of iniquity. It has made the holiest mysteries subservient to the worst
passions; it has excited rebellion on the plea of religion; it has interdicted the last spiritual
consolations to the dying, and Christian interment to the dead, for the sake of revenge, or
from the lust of power. It has forbidden to marry, and yet has licensed the unholiest
marriages. It has professed friendship for kings, and has invoked blessings on regicides
and usurpers. . . . Pius IX, in the year 1848, addressed the people of Rome thus: "It is one of
the many great blessings which God has lavished on Italy, that our three millions of
subjects should have two hundred millions of brother subjects of every language and
nation." So that to the present day, Rome, by her extravagant and guilty claims, does all in
her power to identify herself with the harlot of the Apocalypse, who sits upon many
waters, which are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.'--See Hyslop's Two
Babylons."
Identified by her characteristic attire
"And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and
precious stones and pearls."--Ver. 4.
We have already seen what the clothing and ornamentation of this harlot woman in a
general way were designed to represent. This description of her attire is in perfect keeping
with that of a literal harlot. We believe that this representation is designed to teach how
the mother system uses all the seductive arts and worldly attractions that wealth can
purchase to allure and blind all but true worshipers to bow down at her altars. Some of the
daughter systems have followed the example of the mother.
We identify the Romish Church as the "Mother of Harlots" of the Apocalypse by her
characteristic attire. The characteristic dress of the popes, cardinals, arch-bishops, etc., is of
purple, scarlet, and gold, adorned with precious stones and pearls. This is the manner in
which they dress in their churches, in their conclaves and in their processions. The robes
and mitres of Romish popes and bishops are covered with gold and silver, and adorned
with diamonds, sapphires, emeralds, chrysolites, jaspers, pearls, and all kinds of jewels
and precious stones. The Papal diadem or crown surpasses all those of other monarchs.
The Church of Rome, alone in these particulars meets all the requirements described of the
Mother of Harlots of the Apocalypse.
The next descriptive symbol seen by St. John was a golden cup in the harlot's hand, full of
abominations and impurities of her fornication. (Ver. 4.) A cup, when employed as a
symbol in the Scriptures, has various meanings. In this Scripture it would seem to
represent the boastful claim of the Roman Catholic Church system to be the only
repository and dispenser of Divine Truth. In her case, however, the contents of the cup