chapter 2:17, and we meet together and worship in that name (Mat.

18:20), obeying the exhortation of the apostle Paul--"Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all _in the name of the Lord Jesus_, giving thanks to God and the Father by him." Col. 3:17. A better understanding of the manner in which we receive the name of God and of his city will be obtained when we come to the consideration of the followers of a false, degenerate church represented as receiving the "mark of the beast," by which they are designated.

To inquire further into the history of this church, Philadelphia still remains with a population of about fifteen thousand. It contains a number of places of public worship, a resident (Greek) archbishop, and several inferior clergy. Mr. Keith, in his "Evidence of Prophecy," speaks of the then presiding bishop, and says that he acknowledges "the Bible as the only foundation of all religious belief" and admits that "abuses have entered into the church, which former ages might endure, but the present must put down." It is also a singular coincidence that the modern Turkish name of the city, Ala-Shehr, signifies "city of God."

This description of the church of Philadelphia I will bring to a close by adding the following extract from Gibbon, recorded in his noted history entitled "The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire." It is of especial value since the writer, being an avowed infidel, can not be convicted of misconstruing historical facts in order to favor Christianity.

"The captivity or ruin of the seven churches of Asia was consummated [by the Ottomans] A.D. 1312, and the barbarous lords of Ionia and Lydia still trample on the monuments of classic and Christian antiquity. In the loss of Ephesus the Christians deplore the fall of the first candle-stick of the Revelation. The desolation is complete; and the temple of Diana and the church of Mary will equally elude the search of the curious traveler. The circus and three stately theatres of Laodicea are now peopled with wolves and foxes. Sardis is reduced to a miserable village. The God of Mohammed without a rival is invoked in the mosques of Thyatira and Pergamus; and the populousness of Smyrna is supported by the foreign trade of the Franks and Armenians. _Philadelphia alone_ has been saved by prophecy or courage. At a distance from the sea, forgotten by the emperors, encompassed on all sides by the Turks, her valiant sons defended their religion and freedom above fourscore years, and at length capitulated with the proudest of the Ottomans. Among the Greek colonies of Asia, Philadelphia is still erect--a column in a scene of ruins--a pleasing example that the path of honor and safety may sometimes be the same." Vol. VI., p. 229.

14. And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

15. I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

16. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

17. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

18. I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye salve, that thou mayest see.

19. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

20. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

21. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

22. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Laodicea was one of the wealthiest cities of Asia Minor. It was built upon some low hills, and occupied an important situation in the center of a very fertile district. It was famous for its money transactions and for the beautiful soft wool grown by the sheep of the country, which facts are both alluded to in the message. Verses 17, 18. During the reign of Tiberius Cæsar it was entirely destroyed by an earthquake, but its wealthy inhabitants rebuilt it immediately. A Christian church was soon planted there; for Paul makes the request that his epistle to the Colossians be read in the church of Laodicea and that his epistle to the church of Laodicea (which was not included in the New Testament canon) be read unto them. Col. 4:16.

The condition of this church, according to the burden of the message, was worse than that of any of the others; for there is not only no commendation of former faith and piety, but it is not even said of them, as of the church at Sardis, that a few names were left who had not defiled their garments. Christ, who here represents himself in the character of the "faithful and true Witness," testifies that they are "neither cold nor hot." They did not have enough piety nor zeal to cause them to do anything for the honor of Christ and his cause, neither were they open enemies. They were merely lukewarm, insincere friends, and, as such, were in a position to do the greatest harm. A certain writer has said, "We always dread a professed but insincere friend; he is the least desirable of all relations."

They are further described as being satisfied to remain in their lukewarm condition, indulging themselves in the riches and the pleasures of this life. Theirs was a rich, prosperous, influential church in their estimation, and they were proud of it; but "the faithful and true Witness" declares that they were "wretched, and poor, and blind, and naked." What a contrast this congregation presents with the churches of Smyrna and Philadelphia, whose poverty and "little strength" are expressly mentioned, but who were rich in spirituality, and who received no reproof, but words of comfort! They of Laodicea possessed no true gold from the mine of gospel truth, no white raiment of righteousness to hide their spiritual nakedness, no clear vision to enable them to discern the things of the Spirit. In fact, they lacked everything necessary to constitute a church of which the Lord could approve and which would be an honor to his cause. But notwithstanding their sad condition, Christ still pleads with them to repent of their doings and to allow him to come in and sup with them, promising the overcomer the privilege of sharing the throne of his Redeemer.

On account of their lukewarmness a severe threat was uttered--"I will spue thee out of my mouth." Allusion is doubtless made to the former catastrophe that overthrew the city under Tiberius, thus giving them warning of the destruction that might come upon them in the future. The result has been in accordance with the prediction. God spued that church out of his mouth centuries ago, and nothing remains of that proud, wealthy city. Not even a Turk has any fixed residence on the spot. Its ruins alone remain in their desolation, "rejected of God, deserted of man, its glory a ruin, its name a reproach." The Encyclopædia Britannica says, "Its ruins are of wide extent.... There is no doubt, however, that much has been buried beneath the surface by the _frequent earthquakes_ to which the district is exposed."

The prophecies concerning these individual churches have been fulfilled; so that even infidelity itself bears witness to the "strange verification of Apocalyptic promise and threatening." Two of the churches, Ephesus and Laodicea, where no spiritual souls remained, were threatened with utter extinction. They are now in utter ruins--forsaken, desolate. Sardis, too, where only a few names were left, is reduced to a small Turkish village, without a church or a Christian. Pergamus and Thyatira, where much spirituality remained, but where wickedness also was tolerated, still survive, though but mere remnants of their former greatness. While Smyrna and Philadelphia, where Christ found nothing to condemn and to whose churches he uttered only words of comfort and promise, remain until the present day and are the brightest spots on the whole scene, standing like erect columns in the midst of the surrounding ruins.

I do not wish, however, to give too much prominence to the cities themselves in the fulfilment of these prophecies. The churches located in these seven cities of Asia were doubtless the main thing under consideration in the utterance of these promises and threatenings. Yet it is a singular fact that the subsequent history of the cities themselves has accorded in a remarkable degree with the nature of the prophecies uttered. It may be that God has preserved Smyrna and Philadelphia because of the piety of their ancient inhabitants.

He who held the seven stars in his right hand and walked in the midst of the seven golden candle-sticks, still possesses the control of his ministers and is present in the congregations of the righteous; but let us all take warning from the example of the churches of Asia, and live such a life of devotion, charity, faith, and patience as Christ, the "faithful and true Witness," will approve of, that we may "walk with him in white" and have right to the "tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God."