THE MYSTERY OF 666.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 20 July 1916, Page 3

THE MYSTERY OF 666.

" REVELATIONS " AND THE

KAISER

By HORATIO BOTTOMLEY.

[Continued.]

Here is a truly remarkable coincidence. The war began in July 28, 1914 —when Austria declared war on Serbia —and on July 27, 1914, the Kaiser had lived 666 months ! That deserves a paragraph all to itself.

But that is a lot more. What about the "King?" Chapter XVII says: " And there were seven kings; five are fallen . . . .

and the Beast, even he is the eighth." Let us try to solve that parable. It is a most interesting study. First, take the kingdoms engaged —omitting Germany — the Beast, who is the Eighth King. We have England, Russia, Italy, Belgium, Servia, Austria and Bulgaria—that makes seven (France is a Republic; so is Portugal; Montenegro, a principality ; Japan cannot be said to have really come into the war, and Turkey is outside the pale of Christendom). And thus, at this very moment, you get the "Seven Kings " ! But what about the five that " are fallen " ? Let us see —Belgium and Servia have gone ; and that is as far as I can get at present —although I believe that Bulgaria is about to be smashed up. That would make three —leaving two more to be accounted for.

But what is this ? " Five are fallen, and one is and the other is not yet come ; and when he cometh he must continue a short space." What can those words mean ? May it not be that they relate to the late advent of Roumania and Greece upon the scene, replacing Bulgaria and Austria, and still leaving the Seven Kings —Greece being the one which " must continue a short time " —•

till the Allies place her on a new footing amongst the reorganised Balkan States ? Think that over.

And now a word about the Eighth King's ally, Austria. John says : " I beheld anotherbeast coming up out of the earth and he had two horns like a lamb." There, clearly, is the dual, lamblike kingdom of Austria-Hungary It is all very remarkable. And here js a strange thing : " I saw one or* his heads (those of the Beast) as it were wounded to death ; and his deadly wound was healed; and all the world wondered after the Beast." You remember that throat trouble —said to be cancer —and the recent operation? And what about Zepps and bombs ? " And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from Heaven on the earth in the sight of men." There you lla^ye it. And, again, read this: "And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great River Euphrates . . . .' and I saw three unclean spriits ... come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the False Prophet." We have already seen that the Beast and the Dragon are Germany and Austria, and who but Turkey can the " False Prophet" be ? Is not the Sultan called the Prophet ? A fascinating theme, isn't it? The more you study the Book, the more remarkable the vision becomes. I confess it haunts me. If these words do not describe the condition of the people of Germany before the war, they are without meaning: "And they worshipped the dragon (Austria) that gave power unto the beast (G-er-many); and they worshipped the beast, saying, ' Who is like unto the beast —who is able to' make war with him ?' " And what else but a reference to Qermany's commercial policy qan. this mean: "And he causeth all, both small ai*4 great, rich 3,nd poor, free and "bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads ; and that no man might buy or sell, save that he had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name." I won't be tempted to dwell upon the "mark" —but I note, its presence a.U the samei v \

And what is the ultimate fate of the beast? Listen: "God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agrge and give their kingdoms untqthe beast, until the words of God shall, he .fjVifUled," And then ? " The hc^M gaeth into perdition.." And ' the merchants . . . shall *weep and mourn . . . for no man buyeth their merchandise any more." I have • omjtted certain v-c-?ds which appear to disguise obvious meaning of the prophecy—a-.id which is emphasized by a later. verse: " For in qne great richer is come to nought. And every shipmaster . . . and as many as.'trade,by sea, stood afar off." And I.ljke this best of all: "Reward her;'as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works ; in' the cup which she hath filled, fill her to tl^e double.-* They knew the meaning of the word reprisals in those days ! The End.