PUBLISHER'S NOTE
AFTER the Lord's Second Coming, what will happen to those left behind? What will the Tribulation period be like? What will happen during the reign of the Antichrist? What is meant by "The Mark of the Beast"? What will be the fate of those who refuse to bear this mark?
All of these questions and many others connected with the mark of the beast, are answered in this realistic, startling, awe-inspiring story.
Although entirely fictional, the author has based his narrative on just what the Bible teaches concerning the Great Tribulation - that awful period of distress and woe that is coming upon this earth during the time when the Antichrist will rule with unhindered sway. It is a story you will never forget - a story that has been used of GOD in the salvation of souls, and in awakening careless Christians to the need of a closer walk with JESUS in their daily lives. This volume deserves a wide reading. It should be in every Sunday School Library and in every home.
DEDICATION
'To That Champion of "The Word of GOD"
G. Campbell Morgan, D.D.
This book is
(By his permission) humbly
Dedicated,
in recognition of the spiritual help
and a deep quickening
to Bible study received by the
author
PREFACE
THE great acceptance with which the Author's previous volume "In the Twinkling of an Eye" was received, when published in Oct. 1910, together with the many records of blessing resulting from the perusal, leads him to hope that the present volume may prove equally useful.
The subjects treated in this volume are possibly less known, (even among some who hold the truth of the Lord's Near Return in joyful Hope) than the subjects handled "In the Twinkling of an Eye," but they certainly should have as much interest as the earlier truths, and should lead (those hitherto unacquainted with them) to a careful, prayerful searching of "The Word."
The Author would here mark his indebtedness to Dr. Joseph A. Seiss, and Dr. Campbell Morgan, for the inceptive thoughts re Judas Iscariot, and The Antichrist. Dr. Campbell Morgan's very remarkable sermon on "Christ and Judas" - under date December 18, 1908 - while being profoundly interesting and illuminating, it has proved to the Author to be the only sound theory of explanation of that perplexing personality - Judas Iscariot - he has ever met.
While cleaving close to Scripture, at the same time it has settled the life-long perplexity of the writer of this book, as to the difficulties surrounding "The Traitor."
The fictional form has again been adopted in this volume, for the same reasons that obtained in the writing of "In the Twinkling of an Eye." The use of the fictional style for the presentment of sacred subjects is ever a moot-point with some people. Yet, every parable, allegory, etc., (not excepting Bunyan's Master-piece) is fictional form. So that the moot-point really becomes one of degree and not of principle - if Bunyan, Milton, and Dante, be allowed to be right.
Certain it is that many thousands have read, and have been awakened, quickened, even converted, by reading "In the Twinkling of an Eye," "Long Odds," "He's coming To-morrow," (Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe) who would never have looked at an ordinary pamphlet or book upon the subject. One of the truest and most noted leaders (in the "Church") on our great convention platforms, himself an authority, and voluminous writer on the pre-millenarian view of our Lord's near Return, (a perfect stranger, personally, to the writer) wrote within a week or two of the issue of "In the Twinkling of an Eye," saying: "I have just finished reading your wonderful book 'In the Twinkling of an Eye.' It has solemnized me very greatly-more than anything for a long time . . . May the Lord use your book to STARTLE the careless, ill-taught professing Christians . . . Please send me 24 copies, etc., etc."
The desire of the author of "The Mark of the Beast" has been to further "startle" and awaken "careless, ill-taught professing Christians," by giving some faint view of the fate of those professors who will be "left behind" to go through the horrors of The Tribulation. To be true to his subject, and to his convictions, the author has had to approach one or two delicate subjects. These he has sought to touch in a veiled, a guarded way. Each reader, if desirous of pursuing more minutely the study of those special parts, can do so by referring to other Christian author's works.
That there is a growing interest in the whole subject of "The Lord's Coming," is very apparent in many ways. The intense interest and quickening that has accompanied the Author's many series of Bible Readings on "The Near Return of our Lord," during the past twelve months especially, would have proved the revived interest in the subject-if proof had been needed.
Sydney Watson
"The Firs." Vernham Dean. Hungerford. Berks.
April 24th. 1911