The Apocalypse of St. John

This is a photographic reprint of the original to insure accuracy. With the speculation that Peter the Roman has arrived, it is time to consider the Apocalypse and what it predicts for these times. The book of the Apocalypse is unlike any other book of the New Testament-and is full of consolation and instruction to all who read its inspired and prophetic words. It lifts the soul up to the beauty and grandeur of Heaven-shows us in all their glory the joys and triumphs of those who were once like ourselves- but who are now changed and happy with those "who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." How consoling it is to turn from the sordid things of earth-to he carried away with the sublime words that lead us to the throne of God-to the company of the Angels and Saints-to the new Jerusalem with streets of gold-to the river and tree of life-to hear the voice of God Himself saying "Blessed is he that keepeth the words of the prophecy of this book." The following pages will be most interesting to those who love to study the word of God. Father Berry has entered a new field-for there is practically no study of the Apocalypse in the English language-and the points and explanations he has placed before us are both interesting and instructive. The student will read it with pleasure and profit. St. Jerome tells us "The Apocalypse has as many mysteries as words-or rather mysteries in every word." The author has tried in a simple scholarly way to help us view them all with pleasure and understanding. In the study of Holy Scripture it is necessary to bear in mind that its various books are not separate and independent works. It is true, they were written by persons widely distant from one another in time and place, yet the Holy Ghost, their true Author, coordinates them all to one common purpose. The different books are but so many chapters of one and the same great work whose first chapter recounts the origin of tht' world by creation; its last, foretells the final consummation of all things. The intervening chapters relate 'in order various happenings between these two extremes. The Bible does not give a complete history of mankind; in fact it is not intended to teach history as such. The Holy Ghost wishes to strengthen our faith, arouse our hopes in the mercies of God, and instill our hearts with the fear of His punishments. For this purpose lIe gives a summary view of God's dealings with mankind. There is only an occasional glimpse of things not closely connected with this main purpose. the origin of the material world is briefly sketched while the creation of the angels is only referred to incidently. But the questions which concern us more directly are treated at length. Our nature, our origin, and our destiny summarize the content of Holy Scripture. It teaches that man is a free and intelligent being created in a state of grace and destined to be united with God in Heaven for all eternity. Through abuse of free will man fell from this high estate and is daily exposed to sin and suffering, but the merits of Christ's death on the cross have redeemed man's fallen nature and placed him once more upon the way of salvation. The person of Christ thus becomes the central figure of all Scripture. He is the "alpha and omega, the beginning and the end. As God, He created all things "and without Him was made nothing that was made in Him was life and the life was the light of men." As man, Christ is the greatest handiwork of God, the "first-born of every creature." As the God-man, He is our Redeemer, the "only name under Heaven given to men whereby we must be saved." Thus is Jesus Christ the centre from which all things radiate, around which all revolve, and in which all must finally converge.