The “speaking” of any government must be the public promulgation of its will on the part of its law-making and executive powers.  Is this nation, then, to issue unjust and oppressive enactments against the people of God?  Are the fires of persecution, which in other ages have devastated other lands, to be lighted here also?  We would fain believe otherwise; but notwithstanding the pure intentions of the noble founders of this government, notwithstanding the worthy motives and objects of thousands of Christian patriots to-day, we can but take the prophecy as it reads, and expect nothing less than what it predicts.  John heard this power speak; and the voice was that of a dragon.

Nor is this so improbable an issue as might at first appear.  The people of the United States are not all saints.  The masses, notwithstanding all our gospel light and gospel principles, are still in a position for Satan to suddenly fire their hearts with the basest of impulses.  This nation, as we have seen, is to exist to the coming of Christ; and the Bible very fully sets forth the moral condition of the people in the days that immediately precede that event.  Iniquity is to abound, and the love of many to wax cold.  Evil men and seducers are to wax worse and worse.  Scoffers are to arise, saying, Where is the promise of his coming?  The whole land is to be full of violence as it was in the days of Noah, and full of licentiousness as in the city of Sodom in the days of Lot.  And when the Lord appears, faith will scarcely be found upon the earth, and those who are ready for his coming will be but a “little flock.”  Can the people of God expect to go through this period, and not suffer persecution?  No.  This would be contrary to the lessons taught by all past experience, and just the reverse of what we are warranted by the word of God to expect.  “All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”  If ever this was true in the history of the church, we may expect it to be emphatically so when, in the last days, the world is in its aphelion as related to God, and the wicked touch their lowest depths of iniquity and sin.

Let, then, a general spirit of persecution arise in this country, and what is more probable than that it should assume an organized form?  Here the will of the people is law.  And let there be a general desire on the part of the people for certain oppressive enactments against believers in unpopular doctrines, and what would be more easy and natural than that such desire should immediately crystallize into systematic action, and their oppressive measures take the form of law?  Then we have just what the prophecy indicates.  Then is heard the voice of the dragon.