As the voices ceased, the conspiracy against the Lamb of God arose as from a smoking pit, and appeared above the throng of mortals, in the form of a demon of gigantic dimensions. Upon his head were many horns, each of which emitted a volume of lurid flame, which, like a cloud, enveloped that portion of the earth in the burning magnetism of fiendish hate. Upon his forehead was written, "Crucify him, crucify him; for he is not worthy to live. He is a seducer of the people." And upon his breast was written, "Apollyon;" or the "Manifestation of Enmity to Good." Upon his heart was seen in blazing characters, "Jesus shall not triumph; but death shall doom him to the tomb where mortals slumber, and inactivity reigns. There he who has called himself the Son of God, and made himself equal with God, shall feel the deathfetters of my irrevocable decree. Then I will dash his followers upon the rocks of human prejudice; gloom, and oppression, and dismay shall be their lot throughout all ages."

"Hear ye this," said a sepulchral voice, "hear ye this," hissed ten thousand serpent-tongued demoniac visages, while the vault below quivered as if some mighty potentate of a nether region had, with his blazing sceptre, touched the fountain, the mighty deep.

Then arose out of the pit a flame, which, although concealed from mortals, ascended amid this throng, causing the sphere of their being to blend and burn like mingling flames; and as each appeared a self-supporter of the fiery element, so by coalescence the intensity was increased until the host presented the appearance of a burning destructive tempest. This, as a magnetic principle, pervaded the congregation of mortals, who were instruments in the external, inspired to consummate the merciless and fiendish design upon Jesus, the meek and humble sufferer.

"The battle heightens," said an angel, who stood above the tempest in the atmosphere of heavenly purity; "With wonder, all ye heavens, behold the scene. Now death and hell combine; now the powers of evil charge upon the God-Man, who, while contending with the united force of enmity and destruction, by reason of sympathy with the race of mortals, is weighed down with the sorrows and sins of men."

"And," said another voice, "who shall determine the issue? for, lo! myriads of the servants of evil congregate, and mortals who surround the sufferer are becoming like those who inspire them.

Then I saw them lead Jesus into the audience-chamber of the rulers of the people. Upon his head was a platted crown of thorns. His temples were pierced, and blood ran down his cheeks. His hands were also bound. He did not murmur, but looking upward moved his lips as if speaking. Suddenly the host that had arisen from the pit, fell back as though smitten by some mighty hand, and exclaims, "Lo! he speaks with God! and with pity beholds the multitude of mockers. The issue is not equal. Our prompter is hate, malice, revenge; his is love, meekness and submission. Flee we must from the power of that gentle Spirit. It is the deepest hell to endure his tenderness, and we cannot contend with his love."

Then again appeared the special manifestation of Evil in gigantic form; and he stretched forth his hand, from which proceeded a dark volume of self-consuming elements, and in a voice of terror said, "Arise! enter the combat, for now is the battle set! What, though he looks upon his tormentors in love, I have turned many hearts of love into hate; many calm spirits into madness; many a praying soul into the utterance of blasphemy. He shall not prevail, for now the conflict approaches the consummation period. This day, by my own hand, I will achieve for myself immortal victory." Thus saying, he prompted a mortal, who approaching Jesus as he stood among his accusers, smote him with the palm of his hand.

Then I heard a movement as if the heavens above had fallen. I looked, and lo! all the angels were upon their knees, and bowing their heads, raised their snow white and spotless hands toward heaven; heaven was in mourning.

Then again I saw one approach Jesus saying, "Art thou the Christ? art thou the King of the Jews?" And Jesus answered, "Thou sayest it." And lo! the power of darkness gave way, for his voice disturbed the regions of death, and all was silent.

"He, your Redeemer," said an angel to the infants in grief, "is smitten by the impious agent of the sphere of death, and his temples pierced by the crown of thorns. By this, evil is represented. It is its element, its determination, to smite the manifestation of good, and without that disposition it could not exist. These vile beings that arise from their nether abode, and like a cloud from some smoking pit darken the earth, are those evil spirits, that torment the sons of men. Filled with lust, and unable to indulge the propensity, they seek to vent their insatiate passions in vengeance upon bewildered mortals. And as Jesus shall rescue the humble soul from their power, and as he is the manifestation of the Incarnate Spirit, and his mission with men, in the condition of a Redeemer is to sever the power of the enchanter and break in pieces his kingdom which is established with men, so the prince of the power of darkness shall seek to conquer him, and dash in pieces, like a broken potsherd, the Kingdom of Peace which he shall establish on earth.

"Moreover, here the two principles meet. Death and hell arise, from the nether magazine; raging with the inextinguishable fires of pride and fiendish hate, and being convinced that the decisive hour is at hand, prompted by that embodiment, called Satan or Deceiver, they venture the engagement. The theatre of action is the external world, for there the condition of men renders them susceptible to influences from the spheres of good and evil.

"Yea, more, they are intellectual beings, and responsible, hence moral beings condemned in transgression. Therefore the righteousness of God’s Throne declares against the sinner; so then Justice,—and Justice is my name,—must also be maintained if the violator live. Man must perish, or through some wise provision there must be a medium or mediator between him and the law violated. To this end a Ransom has been proferred, as embodying all that is necessary to enter the great vortex of human degradation, and grasp the awful current, and stand amid the conflicting elements, while rescuing the sinner. And this can only be effected by the reversion of the movement of the destructive tendency of the race. Those arising from the pit unite this deadly tendency with the powers of death and hell; and therefore, to save the sinner, death and hell shall be held subject to the will of the Conqueror. The principle of evil shall be bound by Omnipotent and eternal Will. For the depraved race Mercy hath appeared, and in her arms bringeth a Ransom, saying on him God hath laid help, and that he is mighty and able to save. And lo! the Offering now descendeth the vortex."

Then said a voice, "I am Mercy. I offer the Ransom." Again said Justice, "If he be able, he shall triumph over death, hell and the grave; but he shall not strive nor cry, neither in contention shall his voice be heard." Then, answered Mercy, "He is like a lamb for the slaughter, like a sheep dumb before her shearers, he openeth not his mouth." "Even so," said Justice, "and he shall also make his soul and offering for sin before he shall see his seed." Again, answered Mercy, "Although he descends the vortex of death, his days shall be prolonged, and the pleasure of the Lord, the work of Redemption, shall prosper in his hands." His Kingdom shall be an everlasting Kingdom, and to his Government there shall be no end; for through the Mediator, God shall be just in the salvation and justification of him that believeth." "Amen!" answered Justice. "Hallelujah, hallelujah, amen!" arose from spirits, angels and seraphs.

Then I heard Jesus say to him who inquired the nature and object of his mission, and who had referred him to the danger of his position, "For this cause came I into the world, that the world might be saved; and since no man can come to the Father but by me, I submit to the consequence of my mission." Then with great emotion Mercy lifted her eyes to the heaven above, and said, "Great is thy goodness, O God, since for the Salvation of the sinner the just entered death’s dominion and rescueth the unjust." Then approaching Justice, she extended her hand saying, "Dost thou accept the Offering I bring as adequate?" Then Justice bowed over the bleeding form of humanity, which again appeared, and received the extended hand of Mercy, saying, "When this Offering shall have in meekness endured unto the end, then the sinner shall be restored through repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus."