The Revelation of Jesus Christ - The Herald

and dignitaries of the Church, who hold the patronage of her benefices. They, and others
also, have grown rich by trafficking in these things. All that art and music can furnish to
make her worship attractive has been introduced into her idolatrous ritual. Those who
furnish these things have in the past been enriched, or at least have gained a livelihood
thereby.
That ye receive not of her plagues
"And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, My people, that ye be
not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached
unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities."--Rev. 18:4,5.
It is most evident that this call out of Babylon, like the announcement of its fall, comes
from heaven. In other words, it is the Lord Himself who calls. The "voice," as in other
instances where the symbol is employed, represents the human agencies used. As the
visions of the Revelation describe two great fallen, rejected systems, the Papal and the
Protestant, from which His people are to separate themselves, the call includes a command
to come out of both. It is seen quite clearly by many of the Lord's saints at the present time
that both the mother and the daughter systems have fallen from God's favor, and have
been rejected by Him. It was seen just as clearly by many of the Lord's saints in the
Reformation and subsequently, as history shows, that the great mother system was even
then a fallen, rejected one.
It would seem apparent, therefore, that the fulfillment of this vision under consideration,
as applied to the great Romish system, the more wicked of the two, began in the great
Reformation Movement four centuries ago. The illumination of the earth by the first angel
and the voice from heaven seem to denote that at that time, sufficient light, truth, was
given to expose the false doctrines and corrupting influence of the great "Mother of
Harlots," and to cause a cry for the Lord's people to separate themselves from it. This
would denote that at the time when the exposure of Papal corruption would begin, some
of God's true saints would be more or less entangled in this corrupt system. In fact, this
was true all through the history of the Romish Church, up to the period of the
Reformation; some of the most devoted and godly of men were connected with this great
apostate Church. History furnishes us the names of many prominent saints of God who up
to this time had thought it their duty to remain in her fold, hoping by so doing to
accomplish her reformation.
A statement by Mr. Russell bearing upon this point seems indeed confirmatory of the
above as to the time when this vision of Babylon's fallen condition was to begin to have its
fulfillment, particularly as it relates to the Romish system:
"The Reformation was, in a sense, the beginning of a new era, a dawning of light where all
had been darkness, the separation of the true from the false, and a new start in the way of
Truth. 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.' Compared with the mighty hosts of
their enemies, the little band of Reformers had but 'a little strength'; but they knew that