Page:Mahometanism in its relation to prophecy - or, an inquiry into the prophecies concerning antichrist, with some reference to their bearing on the events of the present day (IA mahometanisminit00philrich).pdf/255

 and, in fact, we have already seen what a variety of interpretations have been suggested by different Catholic commentators: and if we are right in our opinion that the 1260 days signify 1260 years, it is quite clear that Enoch and Elias have not been on earth for that period, up to the present time at least. But we think, on examining the context, that it becomes still more obvious that the Apostle means the whole body of the clergy: he says, "these are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks, that stand before the Lord of the earth." Now we confess we hardly see how such words as these are applicable to Enoch and Elias, whereas to the clergy they are perfectly so. The clergy may well be said "to stand before the Lord of the earth," because they stand at His altar and minister unto Him, standing before Him as "dispensers of His mysteries," and priests of the new covenant. They may well be compared to olive trees, because they dispense the chrism of salvation, and because it is with the oil of the olive that they are consecrated to the service of God's altar; and they may no less properly be called "the two candlesticks," because they dispense the light of truth to mankind by their preaching and their example. And we have already seen why they should be called the two olive