22 MARCH 1940, Page 6

The verse—Revelation xiii, 18—regarding the number of the beast has

received an infinite variety of interpretations in the course of history. I offer one more—as matter for Easter reflections. The verse runs, it will be remembered— Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast ; for it is the number of a man ; and his number is six hundred, threescore and six.

Who is the 666 man-beast? The answer is plain. Number the alphabet. Let A be too, B be Ica, and so to about T. which is 119. (That will be far enough.) Then discover what letters 107, 1o8, 119, III, 104, and 117 stand for, and whether they add up to 666. On my reckoning they do. * * * *