open shame in the persons of his slain witnesses. It follows of
course,--that place is to be utterly destroyed; having committed the
crimes and contracted the guilt of all those unpardonable criminals.
(Ps. lxxiv. 13, 14; Ezek. xxxi. 18; Isa. xiii. 19; Luke xxi. 20.) For
similar reasons, Babylon is afterwards mentioned repeatedly as the place
of this tragic event, this unpardonable crime,--the slaying of the
witnesses, (ch. xviii. 24.) It is to be specially noted here, that in
ascertaining the place of the death of these distinguished servants of
Christ, our attention is directed by the Holy Spirit to a "street" of
the city. At present it is assumed that _streets_ of the city and
_horns_ of the beast substantially harmonize as symbols. Now look over
the streets of the great city: contemplate the horns of the beast:
ascertain which is most guilty of persecution. In estimating the
relative degree of guilt, the degree of heavenly light against which the
criminal has rebelled is to be taken into the account. (John xv. 22;
Matt. xi. 24.) In view of these scriptural principles, and the actual
condition of Christendom as portrayed in authentic history, would the
conjecture seem presumptuous, should we venture to designate--Great
Britain? There, for centuries, the witnesses have been most numerous,
active, and pointed, in testifying against encroachments on the
crown-rights of Messiah. There also, lordly prelates, in close alliance
with a blasphemous horn of the beast, have often vied with the sworn
vassals of the "man of sin," in murdering the saints of God. "Therefore
it is no great thing" if, throwing off the mask of Protestantism,
English prelacy, combining with Romish Jesuitism, should make common
cause with undisguised infidelity, in slaying the witnesses against
their heaven-daring rebellion. The signs of the present time, (1870,)
render our conjecture not improbable. We give it only as a _conjecture_;
for in reference to events yet future,--as we believe that of the death
of the witnesses to be,--we may not presume to _prophesy_.--"Three days