A BRIEF LECTURE ON THE DEVIL.
Text.—“Your adversary the Devil walketh about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” 1 Peter v, 8. Introductory. There is a Devil.—See text, and many other texts, for which you are referred to in almost any portion of the Bible. The Devil is an adversary.—References as above to be studied in the light of many chapters of your personal experience. The Devil is malevolently active.—He goeth about on the mission of destruction. I. He rises early.—If you awake betimes, and think to walk forth to the accompaniment of the matin song of birds, you will be shocked, it may be, to find him in advance of you. His engines are in operation, his shops are open, his artisans are busy, his agents are abroad, his nets are spread, his incantations are wrought, his pits are digged; earlier than waiting fathers, he has made ready for their sons; earlier than praying pastors, he is in pursuit of their flocks; earlier than morning prayers, he is afoot, “seeking whom he may devour.” II. He sits up late.—“Nine o’clock, and all’s well,” once chanted the pacing watchman, but when he said, “All’s well,” the Devil must have laughed in sardonic scorn. The red fires of his work were burning all over the crowded city. “Ten o’clock, and all’s well,” and pious people said their prayers and laid down to sleep, and here, and, in this city alone, here two thousand dram-shops stood open—gay lights made them cheerful, and the Devil laughed again as he saw the sons of ministers and deacons, class-leaders, stewards, sons of very good people in the country, turning in. Well he knew for what they were in training. “Eleven o’clock, and all’s well,” and yet theaters crowded with young men and women, boys and girls, lurid with the air of sin, redolent of blasphemy, the air thick with moral pollution, were in full blast; concert-cellars gathered their motley crews, dance-houses rung with wassail cheer. The tempted turned away from honest labor, sought in vain, crouched beside the wall, and an eager, hungry look was in their eyes—the Devil must have laughed as he heard the drowsy watchman cry, “All’s well,” and saw good people sound asleep. “Twelve o’clock, and all’s well.” Once a year, some churches hold a watch-night, and with solemn song and prayer live the old year out and the new year in. It is an event prepared for, talked of, got ready for, and remembered as an epoch! Now go out. Midnight! Hear the billiard balls as they are smitten; hark to the rattle of the dance; hear the oaths and curses of men around their card-table—the gambling hells keep watch-night, seven times each week. Midnight! Yet through half-opened blinds streams the light of the house of the strange woman; her doors are open, and from them there is a direct and short path to the shade of hell. On through the small hours, hot-footed, he keeps his way. Along his path is theft and arson and violence, ghastly murder, or outraged virtue—the sin-born babe is strangled—the wandering homeless wretch takes his plunge into eternity to escape the starvation or retribution of time. III. He takes no vacation.—The schools are closed, for the hot summer is upon them, and then the Devil gathers the children to his schools. They are free. He never suspends for absence, nor expels for misconduct. He makes no distinction in color. All are welcome. He opens his school in the dusty street, in shade of stables and saloons, beside timber piles and wood-yards, on the dock, by the depot—anywhere. With what a glee he sings parody on the song: “Gather them in,
Gather the children in.” The churches are closed. ’Tis hot weather. The heat comes in through walls of thick stone, through windows of costly stained glass, and down through roofs of slate. The minister perspires, the organist sweats, the bellows-blower grows anxious. Let all have vacation. Shut up the house of God, four, five, or six, long weeks—let the pastor go away—all hands for vacation! Except the Devil. He is busier now than ever. His chapels are open, and are made more than ever attractive. The organ is dumb, but shall there be no music? The Sabbath is now to be especially worked, for Satan has it all his own way, and it will go hard with him if he does not so well improve the two months of closed churches, that he can afford to be comparatively easy during the minister’s protracted winter siege. He takes no “noon-spell,” but “goes about” on his dangerous quest without cessation. 1. Be sober—thoughtful, considerate. 2. Be vigilant—ever watchful. 3. Remember he is “your adversary,” and he goes about to destroy you.—N. W. Christian Advocate.