The Revelation of Jesus Christ - The Herald

A brief summary of the great events that have transpired since St. John was given the
visions--the events of history that have been a result of both true and false Christianity's
influence in the world, described in the mystical symbology of the Revelation visions--and
the tracing of these events as they have slowly but surely developed and have finally
reached the conditions existing today, will, we believe, be helpful to see our particular
place in the Divine Plan and purpose, and enable us to realize our proximity to the
greatest of all predicted events, the establishment of God's Kingdom over the earth. All the
details connected with these great events have been considered quite fully. We briefly
summarize these events:
1. The cruel and dreadful persecutions of the true Church through the instigation of the
Pagan rulers and priesthood in the second and third centuries, and in the early years of the
fourth.
2. The cessation of Pagan persecution about 313 AD through the elevation of Constantine
the Great to the throne of the Roman Empire. He, unlike all other Roman emperors up to
his day, professed friendliness to nominal Christianity and caused Pagan persecution to
cease.
3. The great increase of both true and nominal Christianity, resulting in the early part of
the fourth century in the complete overthrow of the Pagan Roman religion and
civilization.
4. The establishment in its place of a professed Christian civilization in which the true
teachings of Christ and the simple, pure Christian life became to a large extent shut out
from view, indeed, looked upon and treated as heretical.
5. The downfall of the imperial rule which held sway from the city of Rome, commonly
mentioned in history as the overthrow of the Western Roman Empire, and considered by
all historians to be the most stupendous event as affecting the human family and the
Christian religion since the birth of Christ up to that time--476 AD.
6. The gradual rise into power of the bishops of Rome, until 539 when the Roman bishop
became generally recognized as head of the Church, by an official decree of Justinian, the
emperor.
7. The rise of Mohammedanism, which was providentially used as a woe, a scourge on
apostate Eastern Roman Christianity, causing in 1453 the downfall of the Eastern Roman
Empire, even threatening the same of Western Rome, that is, the divided power of
Western Rome, the ten kingdoms. This power began its ravages about 622 and continued
into the nineteenth century, although with decreasing force.
8. The Protestant Reformation of the sixteenth century, resulting in the division of
Christendom into two parts, Roman Catholic and Protestant, effecting a deadly wound on
Papacy's rule and influence in the world. This followed the downfall of Eastern Rome's
capital.