1858. Verse 17 And the sun went down and there was thick darkness; and behold, a smoking furnace and a flaming torch which passed between those pieces.

'And the sun went down' means the final period when the close came. 'And there was thick darkness' means when hatred existed in place of charity. 'And behold, a smoking furnace' means grossest falsity. 'And a flaming torch' means the heat of evil desires. 'Which passed between those pieces' means that it divided off those that belonged to the Church from the Lord.