of this symbol to our own government, say that it denotes some phase of
the papacy; for in that case it would be a part of the preceding, or
leopard beast.

To avoid this difficulty, it is claimed that the two-horned beast
represents the religious or ecclesiastical, and the leopard beast the
civil, power of Rome under papal rule; that these symbols correspond to
the beast and woman in Rev. 17, the one representing the civil power,
the other the ecclesiastical. But this claim also falls to the ground
just as soon as it is shown that the leopard beast represents the
religious as well as the civil element of that power. And nothing is
easier than to show this.

Take the first symbol, the dragon. What does it represent? Rome. But
this is not enough; for Rome has presented two great phases to the
world, and the inquirer wants to know which one is intended by this
symbol. The answer then is, Pagan Rome; but just as soon as we add
"Pagan," we introduce a religious element; for paganism is one of the
mightiest systems of false religion ever devised by the arch-enemy of
truth. It was, then, the religious element in the empire that determined
what symbol should be used to represent it; and the dragon represented
Rome while under the control of a particular form of religion.

But the time comes when another symbol is introduced upon the scene--the
leopard beast arises out of the sea. What power is symbolized by this?
The answer is still, Rome. But the dragon symbolized Rome, and why not
let that symbol continue to represent it? Whoever attempts to answer
this question must say that it is because a change had taken place in
the power. What change? Two kinds of changes are conspicuous in the
history of Rome: changes in form of government, and a change in