Untitled article by Dudley Marvin Canright

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Third-day, August 27, 1867

THE GAME OF LIFE,

By Dudley Marvin Canright

Or Christian and Satan Contending for the Mastery.

In the Boston Museum, there is a representation, in wax figures, of “The Game of Life.” A chess board rests upon a tomb stone. On the right side of this sits Christian in deep study, with his head resting on his hand, looking on the chess board. On the left stands Satan watching Christian with a sharp, piercing look. They are playing at a game of chess. In the background stands Christian’s angel looking on with mournful countenance. On the board are small figures in different shapes representing different passions and virtues. On Satan’s side the figures are, first, the king, representing Satan himself, second, is the queen, voluptuous pleasure. His officers are six vices, as follows: Indolence, anger, pride, falsehood, avarice, unbelief. On man’s side of the board is, first, the king, representing himself, second, his queen, religion. Man’s officers are six virtues, namely: hope, truth, peace, humility, innocence, love. Satan has just removed peace of mind from the board and places himself there. Man has removed anger and one doubt and placed his soul on the board.

And thus the game proceeds,—Satan endeavoring to remove Christian from the board. He tries to get truth off and introduce falsehood. If he can get pride on the board he is then at liberty to remove humility. He tries hard to introduce unbelief and thus remove hope from the board. Christian is trying equally hard to keep love, peace of mind, &c., on the board, and to remove doubt, anger, pride, and falsehood. The contest appears to be a close one, and it is doubtful which will gain the victory. If Satan is shrewd enough to get all his figures on the board, and Christian’s off, then Christian will lose his soul. But if Christian can get his figures on the board and Satan’s off, Christian will save his soul, and Satan will lose his game. The guardian angel watches the game with intense interest and anxiety.

Now this to my mind is a very forcible illustration of the Christian warfare. The Christian must conquer and eradicate from his heart all anger, pride, avarice, unbelief, love of pleasure, &c. In their stead he must cultivate truth, humility, love, prayer, innocence, hope, and such like. Satan opposes this work and seeks every opportunity to lead man into pride, avarice, love of the world, falsehood, deception, &c., and thus the warfare goes on in man’s soul, while angels anxiously watch the result. Every time that the Christian neglects prayer, indulges in doubt, yields to covetousness, pride, love of the world, anger, or anything that is evil, he is defeated and Satan gains the victory. If he does not succeed in overcoming these things, Satan gains a final victory, and man loses his soul. I hope that I shall not soon forget the impression made on my mind by beholding this illustration. Reader, how is the game between you and Satan progressing?

D. M. CANRIGHT.

Boston, Mass.