Chapter VIII: Part 8

Because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die. (2 Sam. 12 : 14.)

Children are Not Punished for the Sins of their Parents.

The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father. (Ezek. 18 : 20.)

Neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers. (Deut. 24 : 16.)

Man is Justified by Faith Alone.

By the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified. (Rom. 3 : 20.)

Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ. (Gal. 2 : 16.)

The just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith. (Gal. 3 : 11, 12.)

For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory. (Rom. 4 : 2.)

Man is Not Justified by Faith Alone.

Was not Abraham our father justified by works?... Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. (James 2 : 21, 24.)

The doers of the law shall be justified. (Rom. 2 : 13.)

It is Impossible to Fall from Grace.

And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand. (John 10 : 28.)

Neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom. 8 : 38, 39.)

It is Possible to Fall from Grace.

But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned; in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die. (Ezek. 18 : 24.)

For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance. (Heb. 6 : 4, 5, 6.)

For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. (2 Peter 2 : 20, 21.)

No Man is Without Sin.

For there is no man that sinneth not. (1 Kings 8 : 46.)

Who can say, I have made my heart clean; I am pure from my sin? (Prov. 20 : 9.)

For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good and sinneth not. (Eccl. 7 : 20.)

There is none righteous, no, not one. (Rom. 3 : 10.)

Christians are Sinless.

Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; ... he cannot sin, because he is born of God.... Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not.... He that committeth sin is of the devil. (1 John 3 : 9, 6, 8.)

There is to be a Resurrection of the Dead.

The trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised. (1 Cor. 15 : 52.)

And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; ... and they were judged, every man according to their works. (Rev. 20 : 12, 13.)

The hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth. (John 5 : 28, 29.)

For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised. (1 Cor. 15 : 16.)

There is to be no Resurrection of the Dead.

As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away, so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more. (Job 7 : 9.)

The dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward. (Eccl. 9 : 5.)

They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise. (Is. 26 : 14.)

Reward and Punishment to be Bestowed in this World.

Behold the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth, much more the wicked and the sinner. (Prov. 11 : 31.)

Reward and Punishment to be Bestowed in the Next World.

And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. (Rev. 20 : 12.)

Then he shall reward every man according to his works. (Mat. 16 : 27.)

According to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. (2 Cor. 5 : 10.)

Annihilation the Portion of all Mankind.

Why died not I from the womb? Why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly?... For now should I have lain still and been quiet; I should have slept; then had I been at rest, with kings and counselors of the earth, which built desolate places for themselves; or with princes that had gold, who filled their houses with silver; or as a hidden, untimely birth I had not been; as infants which never saw the light. There the wicked cease from troubling, and there the weary be at rest.... The small and great are there, and the servant is free from his master. Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul, which long for death, but it cometh not, ... which rejoice exceedingly and are glad, when they can find the grave? (Job. 3 : 11, 13-17, 19-22.)

The dead know not anything.... For there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave whither thou goest. (Eccl. 9 : 5, 10.)

For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth the beasts, even one thing befalleth them; as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no pre-eminence above a beast.... All go unto one place. (Eccl. 3 : 19, 20.)

Endless Misery the Portion of a Part of Mankind.

These shall go away into everlasting punishment. (Mat. 25 : 46.)

And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.... And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Rev. 20 : 10, 15.)

And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever. (Rev. 14 : 11.)

And many of them that sleep in the dust shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. (Dan. 12 : 2.)

The Earth is to be Destroyed.

The earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. (2 Peter 3 : 10.)

They shall perish, but thou remainest. (Heb. 1 : 11.)

And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away, and there was no place found for them. (Rev. 20 : 11.)

The Earth is Never to be Destroyed.

Who laid the foundations of the earth that it should not be removed forever. (Ps. 104 : 5.)

But the earth abideth forever. (Eccl. 1 : 4.)

No Evil Shall Happen to the Godly.

There shall no evil happen to the just. (Prov. 12 : 21.)

Who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? (1 Peter 3 : 13.)

Evil Does Happen to the Godly.

Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. (Heb. 12 : 6.)

And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant, Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and upright man?... So went Satan forth ... and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown. (Job 2 : 3, 7.)

Worldly Good and Prosperity the Lot of the Godly.

There shall no evil happen to the just. (Prov. 12 : 21.)

For the Lord loveth judgment and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved forever.... The wicked watcheth the righteous and seeketh to slay him. The Lord will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.... Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright; for the end of that man is peace. (Ps. 37 : 28, 32, 33, 37.)

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly.... Whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. (Ps. 1 : 1, 3.)

And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man. (Gen. 39 : 2.)

So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning. (Job 42 : 12.)

Worldly Misery and Destitution the Lot of the Godly.

They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword; they wandered about in sheep-skins and goat-skins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; ... they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. (Heb. 11 : 37, 38.)

These are they which came out of great tribulation. (Rev. 7 : 14.)

Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. (2 Tim. 3 : 12.)

And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake. (Luke 21 : 17.)

Worldly Prosperity a Blessing and a Reward of Righteousness.

There is no man that hath left house or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake and the gospel's, but he shall receive a hundred-fold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands. (Mark 10 : 29, 30.)

I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread. (Ps. 37 : 25.)

Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord.... Wealth and riches shall be in his house. (Ps. 112 : 1, 3.)

If thou return unto the Almighty, thou shalt be built up.... Then thou shalt lay up gold as dust. (Job 22 : 23, 24.)

In the house of the righteous is much treasure. (Prov. 15 : 6.)

Worldly Prosperity a Curse and a Bar to Future Reward.

Blessed be ye poor. (Luke 6 : 20.)

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth.... For where your treasure is there will your heart be also. (Mat. 6 : 19, 21.)

And it came to pass that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom. (Luke 16 : 22.)

It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. (Mat. 19 : 24.)

Wo unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation. (Luke 6 : 24.)

The Christian Yoke is Easy.

Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you.... For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. (Mat. 11 : 28-30.)

Who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? (1 Peter 3 : 13.)

The Christian Yoke is Not Easy.

In the world ye shall have tribulation. (John 16 : 33.)

Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. (2 Tim. 3 : 12.)

Whom the Lord loveth be chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.... But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards and not sons. (Heb. 12 : 6, 8.)

The Fruit of God's Spirit is Love and Gentleness.

The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness. (Gal. 5 : 22.)

The Fruit of God's Spirit is Vengeance and Fury.

And the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him.... And he ... slew a thousand men. (Judges 15 : 14, 15.)

And it came to pass on the morrow that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, ... and there was a javelin in Saul's hand. And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall with it. (1 Sam. 18 : 10, 11.)

Prosperity and Longevity Enjoyed by the Wicked.

Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power? Their seed is established in their sight with them, and their offspring before their eyes. Their houses are safe from fear. (Job 21 : 7, 8, 9.)

They [men of the world] are full of children and leave the rest of their substance to their babes. (Ps. 17 : 14.)

I was envious at the foolish when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.... They are not in trouble as other men.... Behold, these are the ungodly who prosper in the world; they increase in riches. (Ps. 73 : 3, 5, 12.)

There is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness. (Eccl. 7 : 15.)

Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? Wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously? (Jer. 12 : 1.)

Prosperity and Longevity Denied to the Wicked.

The light of the wicked shall be put out.... Terrors shall make him afraid on every side.... He shall be driven from light into darkness, and chased out of the world. He shall neither have son nor nephew among his people, nor any remaining in his dwellings. (Job. 18 : 5, 12, 18, 19.)

But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days. (Eccl. 8 : 23.)

Bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days. (Ps. 55 : 23.)

The years of the wicked shall be shortened. (Prov. 10 : 27.)

They [the hypocrites] die in youth. (Job. 36 : 14.)

Be not over much wicked, neither be foolish; why shouldst thou die before your time? (Eccl. 7 : 17.)

Poverty is a Blessing.

Blessed be ye poor.... Woe unto you that are rich! (Luke 6 : 20, 24.)

Hath not God chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom? (James 2 : 5.)

Riches a Blessing.

The rich man's wealth is his strong tower, but the destruction of the poor is their poverty. (Prov. 10 : 15.)

If thou return unto the Almighty then thou shalt be built up.... Thou shalt then lay up gold as dust. (Job 22 : 23, 24.)

So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning, for he had 14,000 sheep, and 6,000 camels and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses. (Job 42 : 12.)

Neither Poverty nor Riches a Blessing.

Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me; lest I be full and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor and steal, and take the name of my God in vain. (Prov. 30 : 8, 9.)

Wisdom a Source of Enjoyment.

Happy is the man that findeth wisdom.... Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and in her paths are peace. (Prov. 3 : 13, 17.)

Wisdom a Source of Vexation, Grief, and Sorrow.

And I gave my heart to know wisdom.... I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit. For in much wisdom is much grief, and he that increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorrow. (Eccl. 1 : 17, 18.)

A Good Name a Blessing.

A good name is better than precious ointment. (Eccl. 7 : 1.)

A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches. (Prov. 22 : 1.)

A Good Name is a Curse.

Woe unto you when all men shall speak well of you. (Luke 6 : 26.)

Laughter Commended.

To everything there is a season, and a time.... A time to weep and a time to laugh. (Eccl. 3 : 1, 4.)

Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun than to eat and to drink, and to be merry. (Eccl. 8 : 15.)

A merry heart doeth good, like a medicine. (Prov. 17 : 22.)

Laughter Condemned.

Woe unto you that laugh now. (Luke 6 : 25.)

Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. (Eccl. 7 : 3, 4.)

The Rod of Correction a Remedy for Foolishness.

Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him. (Prov. 22 : 15.)

There is No Remedy for Foolishness.

Though thou shouldst bray a fool in mortar, ... yet will not his foolishness depart from him. (Prov. 27 : 22.)

Temptation to be Desired.

Count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations. (James 1 : 2.)

Temptation Not to be Desired.

Lead us not into temptation. (Mat. 6 : 13.)

Prophecy is Sure.

We have also a more sure word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place. (2 Peter 1 : 19.)

Prophecy is Not Sure.

At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it; if that nation against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; if it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good wherewith I said I would benefit them. (Jer. 18 : 7-10.)

The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means.... From the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. (Jer. 5 : 31, and 6 : 13.)

Man's Life was to be One Hundred and Twenty Years.

His days shall be a hundred and twenty years. (Gen. 6 : 3.)

Man's Life is but Seventy Years.

The days of our years are three score years and ten. (Ps. 90 : 10.)

Miracles a Proof of Divine Mission.

Now, when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, and said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and show John again those things which ye do hear and see; the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised. (Mat. 11 : 2-5.)

Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God; for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. (John 3 : 2.)

And Israel saw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians; and the people feared the Lord and believed the Lord and his servant Moses. (Ex. 14 : 31.)

Miracles Not a Proof of Divine Mission.

And Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants and it became a serpent. Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers. Now, the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments, for they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents. (Ex. 7 : 10-12.)

If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder come to pass whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods which thou hast not known, and let us serve them, thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. (Deut. 13 : 1-3.)

If I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do our sons cast them out? (Luke 11 : 19.)

Moses was a Very Meek Man.

Now, the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth. (Num. 12 : 3.)

Moses was a Very Cruel Man.

And Moses said unto them, Have ye saved all the women alive?... Now, therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man. (Num. 31 : 15, 17.)

Elijah Went up to Heaven.

And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. (2 Kings 2 : 11.)

None but Christ Ever Ascended into Heaven.

No man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of Man. (John 3 : 13.)

All Scripture is Inspired.

All scripture is given by inspiration of God. (2 Tim. 3 : 16.)

Some Scripture is Not Inspired.

But I speak this by permission and not by commandment.... But to the rest speak I, not the Lord. (1 Cor. 7 : 6, and 5 : 12.)

That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord. (2 Cor. 11 : 17.)

THE DEVIL.

I have nothing new to offer on this old subject, and I therefore warn the reader not to expect any wonderful revelations. The Devil is not an object of recent discovery. He is as old as the hills. Everybody seems to know him, and he seems to know everybody. It would therefore be in vain for me to attempt to give any information respecting this old friend. However, as there are some thoughts which persist in bolting into my mind regarding old Nick, I have concluded to jot them down for those who have a taste for devilish reading.

It was always a question that greatly perplexed me, when a boy, why God should create the Devil. I never could see it in any other light than that of an egregious blunder. Why should an infinitely good being create an infinitely bad being? Why did not the Creator make all of his creatures perfect? Why did he not save them from being lost? Why did he form man to place him in the garden to be tempted and ruined when it was in the Creator's power to prevent his fall? Why did he not create him so good and so strong that it would be impossible for him to do wrong? Why was the Serpent (the Devil) made so much stronger and wiser than man? If Adam had only been made a great deal stronger, and the Serpent less seductive, the human race might have had a glorious and brilliant career. But as it was a powerful serpent-devil on the one hand, and on the other, a weak-headed know-nothing man, is it not clear that better results could not have been expected?

Why did not the author of the red man (Adam) tell him that he was going to have a severe temptation?--that he was soon to meet his great adversary? It is highly probable that Adam could have made a better showing if he had only been advised of the situation in time. But as it was he did not have a fair chance. It would have been no more than justice to have told Adam and Eve all about the Serpent-devil which was hid away somewhere in the garden like a snake in the grass. It would have been only fair to have posted on all the fences and walls about the garden, this sign, "Adam and Eve, Beware of Snakes!" This would have given them a chance for their lives. Poor Adam and Eve! They were not a bad lot, but were transplanted too early, and were nipped in the bud by the great original Serpent, who was acting according to his nature and circumstances, and therefore we cannot find it in our hearts to be too severe on his Satanic Majesty. If Satan was great, it was not won by his own powers, he had greatness thrust upon him. Let us be just; let us give the Devil his due. I have no doubt but he has grievances, if there were any court where he could offer his complaints.

The Creator made both man and Serpent-devil, knowing just what would and must come to pass, and he did it all for his own glory. He also made hell for his own glory. Surely the Lord's ways are not our ways. For no Modoc Indian would entertain such a design toward his children, no matter how bad they might be, or how vicious his own nature.

We cannot think of a creator without seeing that he as the author of all things, is responsible for good and evil, for right and wrong, for ignorance and knowledge, for truth and error. Man is therefore, no more responsible for his nature than a steam engine is responsible for its defects. The defects must be attributed to the maker in both cases.

Adam knew good and evil without eating of the tree of knowledge. He had a brain, and his thoughts were imperfect; sometimes they were relatively correct, and then again they were wholly wrong or in error. This was knowing good and evil, therefore he knew good and evil without eating of the prohibited fruit, just as surely as he had a brain. The tree of knowledge is a very childish story. Knowledge does not grow on trees, nor does much of it exist in heads which entertain such fables as a divine revelation.

Man was created with a brain to do his thinking and knowing, and by its very nature of knowing he must know good and evil, and yet he is cursed for knowing good and evil. As well might the Creator give the bird wings, toss it in the air and then damn it for flying. But even supposing the story to be true, namely, that the fruit of the tree made one to know good and evil, why should such desirable fruit be forbidden? What would the world be without the knowledge of good and evil? Man cannot know good without also knowing evil. They are inseparable. God himself knows good and evil, and if it is good for him to have such knowledge, then it surely must be good for you and me. The love of knowledge is the fountain of life. Man must have knowledge or his life is a mere cipher. All hail then to Mother Eve, who first tasted of the tree of knowledge, who first quenched her thirst at this fountain from which the whole race of thirsty souls have delighted to drink. Mythology abounds in stories about the gods; about their imperfections and weaknesses, but this account of the Serpent-devil and the tree of knowledge is the silliest fable of all, and has entailed indescribable misery upon the human race. The prohibition of knowledge has left an inherited twist in human nature. Even now in the afternoon of the nineteenth century mankind does not know much--and it is largely due to this first commandment not to partake of the fruit of the tree of knowledge. Has not the church always prohibited knowledge? Has she not stood in the way of every great reform? Knowledge is not important. Only believe. Believe in the Bible, but believe it only as the priest explains it.

It seems that the Serpent-devil knew more about the nature of man, and what would result from his eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge than God did. Jehovah told Adam in plain terms, that if he ate of the fruit of that tree he would die that very day. But the Serpent-devil told Eve (in French I suppose) that she and her "hubby" would do no such a thing, but on the contrary it would be a great blessing to them, and that they would become as gods (there were lots of gods in those days and many of them "no great shakes"), knowing good and evil. It turned out just as the Serpent-devil had told Mother Eve; they did not die. And when God saw what Adam and Eve had done he called a conclave of gods, and after due deliberation voted to drive them out of the garden penniless, to live upon the cold charities of an unfriendly world. And this is the same God who commands us to forgive and to love our enemies. That would not be god-like, and therefore I hold the commandment invalid.

In this august assemblage of the celestial hosts, one of their number assigns the reasons for expelling Adam and Eve from the garden in these words: "Behold the man (and woman) has become as one of us to know good and evil." (Gen. 3 : 22.) Here we see it is a surprise to the gods that man had become as one of them, knowing good and evil. Yet these gods are supposed to know all things from all eternity to all eternity. Do the gods forget things as we poor mortals do?

The Serpent had told Eve just what would happen, and God told Adam just that which did not happen. The Serpent said: "For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. Ye shall not surely die." (Gen. 3 : 5, 4.) The Serpent gave it straight, and God made a mistake to say the least. In all this story about the fall of man, the Devil appears to be a better friend of man than his Creator.

The Serpent was in reality not the enemy, but the friend of man. He spoke words of truth and encouragement to Adam at a time when he needed good counsel. It is not to be forgotten that he spoke the truth. The poisonous tongue of malice has called him the father of lies, but this saying is a lie itself--and a bald-headed lie of sufficient antiquity to be itself most appropriately called the father of lies. The Devil, Lucifer, is the light-bearer, the truth revealer; but the world at large has an impression that there is a screw loose somewhere, and have unwittingly ascribed the evil to the Devil, when a very slight study of his character and deeds will show that "the Devil is not half as black as he is painted."

The next account we have of him is in the book of Job (not a Hebrew writing), where he appears under the title of Satan. It is to be borne in mind that he has many names. In the book of Genesis we left him a serpent with a curse pronounced upon him: "Because thou hast done this thou art cursed above all cattle [what kind of cattle is a snake?] and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly thou shalt go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life." (Gen. 3 : 14.) Prior to the great fall of Adam and Eve, when they fell upward and became as the gods, it seems the Serpent had always hopped along erect, on the tip end of his tail, but because he had divulged some court secrets, he was condemned to crawl upon his belly the rest of his natural life (which is, I should remark, uncommonly long); but in the book of Job he says of himself that he has been "walking up and down in the earth." Who told him to get up? Was he not cursed to go on his belly for all time to come? How could he walk? A snake has no legs. When, where, how, and by whom was this transformation of a hideous serpent into a prince-like man, accomplished? I don't know. Perhaps it is a sort of Santa Claus story, coming down to us from the childhood of the race. All peoples have similar traditions which spring from early myths. Our Devil story will have to get in line and march in the procession of fables. There are many people, and people of the very best kind, who do not have any Devil. He has left them and gone on a permanent vacation. On the other hand, there are folks who could not feel happy if they thought there were no Devil. To all such, who may read this, I would ask a few questions which if they will intelligently answer, I shall be greatly obliged.

Did the Serpent talk? How could he speak without having the vocal organs necessary to human speech? Who taught him the use of language? What language did he speak? Was it French? I merely suggest the French, as Adam and Eve took French leave of the garden. Did the Serpent reason like a man? How could he with such a small head and not even a spoonful of brains, know so much more than Adam and Eve? Yea, he even knew more than God himself--for God did not know, or else he fibbed, that man would not die if he ate the forbidden fruit. He did not seem to know that man would become as the gods by partaking of this tree, but the Serpent knew all this and possibly much more; but how could so much superior knowledge be crowded into so small a head? Some of our congressmen with domes of unusual dimensions do not know as much as this inexperienced Serpent did. How are we to account for this? Let some devilishly wise man explain to a benighted world why Satan has been so wickedly traduced.

In the book of Job we have a second account of the Devil: "Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them. And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and upright man, one that feareth God and escheweth evil? Then Satan answered the Lord and said, Doth Job fear God for naught? Hast not thou made a hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? Thou hast blest the work of his hands and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth thine hand now and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thy hand. So Satan went from the presence of the Lord." (Job 1 : 6-12.) Then follows an account of the destruction of the cattle and children of Job, and yet he would not curse God. Satan then suggested that to afflict him in person would bring out his weakness and deeply hidden wickedness. Job was tormented with boils, and three gratuitous advisors, and did not curse God, but came very nearly giving his counselors a cuss word or two. They exasperated him beyond measure.

Now while it must be admitted that the Devil does not show up to as great advantage in this fable as he does in that relating to the tree of knowledge, yet we should not jump to our conclusions. Let us review this Job story.

We are surprised at the dignified manners of Satan. He walks in with lordly airs among the sons of God. No one present said to him, "Get out of here." He struts around in the gay company as one of them. We hardly know how to understand such familiarity possible between the sons of God and Satan. If, however, the sons of God in those days were no better than the sons of God are in these, it is not in the least surprising that Satan should conduct himself as well as the best of them. But why did God permit him to do these cruel things to Job? In a certain book by God, we are told to "resist the Devil and he will flee from thee." This would have been splendid medicine for the doctors who prescribed it. Satan did not come there so far as we see to work any temptation. It was God who set up the temptation before Satan. He began by asking Satan what he thought of Job. What mattered it what his opinion of Job might be? Why should his opinion be asked? Was it not showing respect to him? God should have said, "Get behind me Satan."

Satan had seen many men who could not stand in the hour of trial, and not knowing Job he took him for a man of that kind; God, however, knew Job to be a "perfect" man and ought to have protected him from all evil. Yet he did nothing of the kind, but on the contrary, clothed Satan with power of destroying his cattle and children, and afflicting him with tormenting boils. We see then that it is not Satan who is responsible for the sufferings of the patient man, but God himself, who first shows respect to Satan's presence and his opinions, then gives him power by which he does a monstrous wrong to a good man and his family. But if Satan's part is bad God's is worse. He is the author of all of Job's miseries. If God had been just, he would not have led off to his Satanic Majesty with such a temptation as to ask him his opinion of Job. It was immaterial what his opinion was; but it was all important that if there were a God in Israel that he should protect and honor the "perfect" man, Job.

But aside from the barbarities of this myth, look at its childish absurdities. How could the omniscient, whose eyes are in every place, beholding the evil and the good, need to ask Satan where he came from! Was not God, the omnipresent, everywhere on earth? If Satan had been going up and down the country would he not of necessity have met God again and again? Obviously these great opponents must have often met. Again, it was useless for God to ask Satan what his opinion of Job was, or would be after he tested him, as he knows all things past, present, and to come, in heaven, earth and hell (I mean hades). It is evident that Satan's opinion is not needed or cared for, because after all the trials Job suffered were ended, there is not one word given as to what Satan's opinion of Job was, and yet in the beginning of the story this seems to be its sole object. After Job suffers a long time from bodily sores and "miserable comforters" Satan vanishes from the scene in a very obscure way, and God blesses Job with twice as much as he had before. He had more sheep, more camels, more oxen, and more asses. He became father of seven sons and three daughters, the same number of sons and daughters that were slain by Satan, instigated by God. Why were these ten innocent persons murdered? Had they no rights that a just God was bound to respect? Shall not the judge of all the earth do right? Certainly he ought to. But in this case the judge pleads guilty of this crime. In reply to Satan God says: "Although thou movedst me against him to destroy him without cause." (Job 2 : 3.) Here is an unqualified confession of wronging Job and his children without a show of justice; and even the cattle, I imagine, would protest against the outrageous slaughter perpetrated on them. If these asses were like Balaam's, I am sure they would enter suit for damages.

"So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning, for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses. He had also seven sons and three daughters." (Job 42 : 12, 13.) It is clear that the Lord had nothing to do whatever with these blessings. Job had had sheep, camels, oxen, asses, and children before, without any assistance from the Lord; and if he secured a similar stock of cattle and a family of children it was by his own management and husbandry.

But supposing them a gift from God as damages sustained by Job at the hand of Satan through the instigation of God, yet they could not assuage his grief for the loved ones ruthlessly torn from his embrace. It is easy to see that this story is nothing more than an oriental tale--a myth. It is wanting not only in fact, but it teaches very bad morals. There is nothing ennobling in it. 1. God had no moral right to permit Satan to come unrebuked into the company of the sons of God. An earthly father teaches his children to avoid "evil communications," but on this occasion the heavenly father did not scorn the company of Satan, but treated him respectfully. 2. Again, the infinite being would not need to ask the Devil what his opinion of Job was, for he would know beforehand. 3. The infinitely good being would not want the Devil's opinion--nor would he value it a straw, if it were given before it was asked. 4. The infinitely just ruler of the universe would not give the great adversary of man and God such diabolical power over that "perfect and upright man" Job. Nor would he have permitted the three "miserable comforters," reeling mentally under the blind staggers of a blind theology, to have added more torment to that imposed by his Satanic Majesty. Nor would he have permitted him to murder the seven sons and three daughters, as a mere matter of experiment in testing Job's staying powers. All this is so horrible that the afterthought of more camels and asses, as a compensation is an insufficient patch to cover the unqualified wrongs done to the man of Uz. Even Job does not shine as conspicuously in all this as he should. Job ought to have protested with all his might and main against both God and Devil, that his individual rights were invaded. He should have taken a change of venue, to have a hearing before some other god, where there was a slight hope of securing more justice. But he didn't and the consequence is we are all advised, when suffering the outrageous wrongs of despotism, to "be patient like Job." It has been a great evil to the human family that Job was no "kicker;" it has opened wide the flood gates of tyranny, and transfused the cowardly blood of sheep into the veins of men. Oh, that Job had kicked and taken an appeal, what an inspiration it would be to the fold of God now, to resist the shears of the fleecers! to rebel against the rule of robbers!

Some questions to be answered by the man who pounds the Bible and claims to understand the Greek scriptures:

1. Who were the sons of God?

2. How many were there present, and were there still more of them elsewhere?

3. Where did they come from?

4. Were they any relation to the people of Nod?

5. Who were their mothers?

6. What were their occupations?

7. Where are they now?

8. Where did the Devil come from?

9. Did God create him or did he make himself?

10. If God made him then is he not responsible for all that old Nick does?

11. If he is as terribly demoniacal as orthodox theology describes him, "why in 'l don't God kill the Devil?"

12. If he cannot kill him does it not prove that the Devil is his match; and if he can, but will not, does it not prove that he sustains him and approves of his work?

13. In the light of modern theology is not the Devil almost always successful? Does he not have a larger kingdom, a larger following than God?

14. Why did the Creator inflict such a hellish punishment upon Adam and Eve, and let the Serpent off so lightly?

15. Has the punishment inflicted upon the Devil lessened his power?

16. Have the curses which God has pronounced on the world made it better?

17. Is there any place in the record, accounts of the Devil's stealing, robbing, and murdering?

18. Are there not numerous stories in the Bible recounting the robberies and murders perpetrated in the name and by the sanction of God? Some times the people of God destroyed five thousand, ten thousand, twenty thousand, fifty thousand, seventy thousand, and in one instance six hundred and seventy thousand, as in the case of Pharaoh and his hosts in the Red sea. Did Satan ever try to do anything as hellish as this?

19. Is the Devil the father of lies? When did he tell a deliberate falsehood? To Eve? Oh no, it was the other party who did that business.

20. Did he lie when he took Jesus up into an exceeding high mountain, etc., and saith unto him, "All these will I give thee," etc.? (Mat. 4 : 8.) It is claimed that old Beelzebub lied on this occasion. It would hit the bull's eye in the center if we were to say that the writer of this story about Jesus being carried off bodily into an exceeding high mountain, was the boy responsible for this lie. But without resting the case there let us see how it opens out. It is urged that "the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof;" but it may be urged that the Devil is called "the prince of this world," implying that he has just claims both by conquest and possession; and therefore he could have given at least a quitclaim deed.

The Devil is an expensive luxury of the church. It costs about $1,000,000,000 annually for preaching against the Devil. Even if there is less said derogatory to his Satanic Majesty now-adays, yet it costs just as much, and more too, for drawing it mild, than it did formerly, for describing the split hoof, horns, and spear-headed tail, hell, etc. Notwithstanding the fact that the people want less Devil and more bread and beef, yet they must have some Devil. Hence the church clings to its Devil-idol with which to scare the people. To give up the Devil is to break up house-keeping all around. If there be no Devil then there is no hell; and if no hell, there is no salvation; and if no salvation there is no need of preaching; and "no preach no pay." How could a fat minister with a fat salary, look such a ghost as that in the face? Yes, it would be impossible for the church to survive without the Devil. The clergy have to fall back upon him in times of revival to stir up the fears of uninformed people.

The Devil has had many hard names heaped upon him, for example: The Tempter; the Adversary or Satan; Beelzebub; the Prince of Devils; the Strong One; the Enemy, or the Hostile One; the Serpent; Lying Spirit; Lucifer; Son of the Morning; Prince of Darkness; Prince of the Power of the Air; the Accuser; Angel of the Bottomless Pit; Angel of Light; Mammon; Belial; Legion; the Foul Spirit; the Unclean Spirit; the God of this World; the Great Red Dragon; Abaddon; Apollyon, the Destroyer, etc. Besides these sacred titles, he is equally well known by certain house-hold names, as, Old Nick; Old Splitfoot; the Old Scratch; Old Harry; Old Horny; the Old Boy; the Deuce; the Dickens; auld Clouty; Nickie; Ben; his Satanic Majesty, etc. It must be confessed that these names do not carry much sanctity with them, nor do they leave us in love with the character they represent. But before we proceed further, it is only simple justice (that is giving the Devil his due), to call attention to the various names by which God has been known.

The early Hebrew literature speaks of gods, not God. We find the following names ascribed to them: El; Elohim; El Shaddai; Shaddai; Elvoh; Yahve, or Jah. The following is a personal photograph as nearly as we can draw it, of the Jewish Jehovah as described in the Bible: "There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it." (Ps. 18 : 8.) "Round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies." (Ps. 18 : 11.) "His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire." (Rev. 1 : 14.) "And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace." (Rev. 1 : 15.) "He had horns coming out of his hand." (Hab. 3 : 4.) "And burning coals went forth at his feet." (Hab. 3 : 5.) "In the midst of the seven candle-sticks one like unto the son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot and girt about the paps with a golden girdle." (Rev. 1 : 13.) "And he had in his right hand seven stars; and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword." (Rev. 1 : 16.)

This God has violated all the moral laws he ever gave to man. He approved of lying, robbing, adultery, murder, war, and all the great crimes known to man.

Is it any wonder that Theodore Parker should say to the Calvinist who was trying to convert him, "The difference between us is simple,--your God is my Devil."

The reader has his choice--or he may say "good Lord good Devil," and float with the current. There is, however, no disguising the fact that between God and the Devil, as described in the Bible, the Devil sustains the better moral character of the two. He is not spotless and clean, it is true, but he has infinitely less bloodshed to answer for than Jehovah.

Where the Devil did he come from? I am reminded of this form of expression by a little incident related of a Scotch preacher, who took for his text, on one occasion, the following passage: "The Devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour." (1 Peter 5 : 8.) It must be borne in mind, in order to better understand the full force and beauty of the preacher's division of the text into three heads, that it was common in earlier times to repeat the pronoun in a sentence, for example, John Smith, his book, Mary she has come home, etc. In charming accord with this old style, the minister divided his text into three parts. He said, "My brethren, we will first inquire where the Devil he was walking to? and secondly, who the Devil he wanted to devour? and thirdly, what the Devil he was roaring about?"

Having gratuitously thrown in this gem, we proceed to answer the question, "Where the Devil, did he come from?"

It is evident that the earlier Hebrew literature is almost wholly free from any traces of a personal Devil, and that later writings of the same people show strong outline of such a personality of evil.

While it is true that Satan is a Hebrew word, it is equally true that the word does not denote a being at all, but means anything adverse or opposing. We may cite in illustration a few passages. Second Samuel 19 : 22: "David said, What have we to do with you, ye sons of Jeremiah, that ye should this day be adversaries unto me?" First Kings 11 : 14: "And Jehovah stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Adomite." First Kings 11 : 23: "And God stirred up another adversary, Rezon, the son of Eliadah."

In these instances, the word rendered adversary or adversaries, is Satan, and means nothing more than an opponent.