The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 4

VII. Romeyn—Final Overthrow of Papacy Prophesied

The rise of Napoleon to power in France furnished a new incentive for fresh study and speculation in the field of prophecy. Might he be the “eighth” king of Revelation 17:11? Just as the French Revolution and the “discomfiture” of the Papacy was confidently interpreted as fulfilling Revelation 11, so now the concordat between Napoleon and the pope was thought possibly to be the “healing of the wound” of the papal “Beast ³³ PFF4 96.2

PROPHECY ASCENDANT AT TURN OF CENTURY And was the setting up of: Catholic establishments in the Rhenish Confederation, in Holland and Switzerland, to be considered further evidence of the verity of Bible prophecy? PFF4 96.3

Among those seeking an answer to such questions was JOHN B. ROMEYN ³⁴ pastor of the Presbyterian church of Albany, New York, who emphasized the application of prophecy to the Papacy in a sermon on September 8, 1808. The day had been appointed for “Fasting, Humiliation, and Prayer” by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States. After portraying the merited judgments to be visited upon the Papacy, as foretold by prophecy, he expressly declares: “We are indubitably in that period which is called in Scripture, ‘the last days,’ and drawing near to the end thereof ³⁵ PFF4 97.1

Romeyn outlines the four world monarchies of Daniel—Babylonia, Persia, Grecia, and Rome—followed by the ten divisions of Rome, as the northern barbarians established themselves within its borders. These, he adds, now include Spain, Portugal, France, Switzerland, Germany south of the Danube, Hungary, Italy, Britain, Belgium, and Holland. Romeyn then describes the “spiritual empire of the church of Rome” which arose “under the emblem of the little horn of the fourth beast” of Daniel 7, and which he thought was likewise symbolized by the two-horned beast from the earth, in Revelation 13 ³⁶ PFF4 97.2

Its spiritual domination was to last three and a half times (or 42 months, or 1260 year-days), which, “according to common calculation,” is the same number of years. Suggesting A.D 606 as the year of its beginning, or possibly 756, he repeats, specifically, in this case, the one in 1801 between Napoleon Bonaparte, as first consul, and Pius VII, defining the restored privileges of the Roman Catholic Church in France and regulating the relations between the ecclesiastical and civil powers. “It is evident, that we are not far from the end of the whole period.” Then “this grand apostasy—this spiritual empire of Rome,” guilty of a whole category of false doctrines and practices, including persecutions, cruelties, and the Inquisition, directed against God and His followers—is to be overthrown, as those whom she has deceived will turn upon her. Texts are cited in proof from Revelation 17 and 18. The kingdoms of this world will then become the kingdoms of our Lord. The end will come suddenly, though the preparatory events have begun in the wars and revolutions already under way. Of this Romeyn logically declares, “These seem to have begun; for, if the time of her end cannot be far off, the causes to produce that end must be in existence ³⁷ PFF4 97.3

Uncommon wrath against mystical Babylon is developing, he adds. Then he continues: “History produces no parallel to the events now passing on the theatre of action. Never, since time began, have interests so immense been at stake”—revolution, the crash of kingdoms, wars, disasters. Next he asks, “Are not these events the judgments of God?” Are they not falling upon the Roman hierarchy, and “within the bounds of the territory of the fourth empire which Daniel saw?” The “indignation of the Lord began in France,” then marched over Germany, and has fallen with force upon Italy, Switzerland, and Holland, and is beating upon Spain and Portugal, twin centers of the great apostasy. Romeyn makes it clear to his hearers that he is not justifying the conduct of the revolutionary leaders of France and the “scourge of God”—Napoleon. If we must favor the latter because he “is marching in a course prescribed by God,” then “the witnesses to truth, who opposed the grand apostasy, which they knew would last for 1260 years, were guilty of a crime.” Napoleon is permitted to scourge Protestant countries also, which have come only partly out of Babylon. He hopes that America will escape the calamities that await the ten kingdoms included in mystical Babylon; for we have never, as a nation, been subject to her spiritual dominion ³⁸ PFF4 98.1

The death of the Two Witnesses, he felt, is near, at the hand of some emperor of the new line recently established by Napoleon—who is the “eighth head” of the beast, according to Faber. Catholic superstition has been restored in France by Napoleon, and a Catholic cardinal has been appointed to be chief of all the congregations of the Rhenish Confederation, over which, together with Holland and Switzerland, a “popish government” has been set up. More than that, “the religion of Rome is the court religion of almost all the ancient ten kingdoms.” Thus the way is paved for the slaying of the Witnesses—a dreadful persecution, he thought, of true Christians in general—near the end of the 1260 years, probably in the present generation or the next ³⁹ PFF4 99.1

This will come three and one-half years before the end of the period, during a “revival of popery,” in a period of tyranny, superstition, and lawlessness in church and state throughout “mystical Babylon, among the ten kingdoms ⁴⁰ Thus ends the first sermon. PFF4 99.2

A series of luminous footnotes to the printed discourses disclose his wide acquaintance with prophetic expositors, including Faber, Lowman, Bishop Newton, Ussher, Vitringa, Jurieu, Chandler, Jortin, Sherlock, Johnson, and Bell. These notes deal with variant views, evidences, the extent of papal persecutions, the Beast, the Papacy, and the fourth empire, the French restoration of papal power, and the grievous days just ahead-all these, and more. Such was the published viewpoint of Albany’s popular Presbyterian preacher. PFF4 99.3