Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-09-20
SATAN IN COUNCIL.
An ALLEGoRY.


lpast, Satan. the Prince Of the Power. OF the
Air. called council in Pandemonium, Lu-
lcifer himself was seated upon throne Of
Esplendor, wearing upon bis brow diadem
of living FIRE. while, from the gems with which
it was encrusted. flashed ihtolerable radiance.
Myriads upon myriada of fallen spirits, rank
II upon rank Of Principalities and Powers, and
sof those angels which kept not their frs
estate thronged to the hall Of audience
Silent they sat in that ilimitable hall, which
lsalphureous flames lighted up, while the
lurid smoke hung ike canopy over tht
scone
/ Then up rose Satan, born to rule. VIII
Il 81 81 volt IKE zsa part EnatehlaSs in eVi
as in power, and thus spake:
Princes and Potentates, who do my bid
ding, and who best serve me when most =,
thwart the Almighty, listen! Ye know tha
we have tried our subtlest wiles upon tht
race of men. But so hedged in are they by
holy influences, and watched over by gooC
angels sent from above, that we can scarcely
destroy single soul Therefore, most noble
chiefs, have I called you together, to take
counsel Of your wisdom how we may best
ruin mankind while they dwell upon the
earth, and most surely afterwards bring them
to this pit Of woe. Speak ye, each his mind
and to him who shall give wisest counsel
and offer strongest means to effect this, ouI
royal purpose, | will give the dominion of
the earth and seat at my right hand for
ever.
I Thus spake the fend, and hell, to its in
most centre, resounded with applause.
Then up rose Moloch, horrid king, be-
smeared with blood Of human sacrifice and
spake Oh chief Of many throned powers
that led the embattled seraphim to war;
claim the offered prize. am the spirit o
cruelty. | hardened the heart of the frs
murderer. Give me dominion over the earth
will sharpen the assassin's knife will
bring the rack, the wheel, the fire of perse
cution, upon man. will change man int
a pirate and robber, and bid millions t.
rot in dungeons and in chains | will bring
war upon the earth, and amid the smoke O
burning cities, will teach to rend each othe
like wild beasts, till continents shall reek witt
midnight massacre will call men togethe
by hundreds and thousands, to cash eac
other with horrid wounds, and will max
them devilish engines, that in a second shal
blow whole squadrons into the air. The
shall they come. oh MASTER shrieking fror
the red battlefield, to people thy dark dom
mons.
Scarcely, amid applause, had the ferc
Moloch ended hisspeech, when Belial arose
the fairest seeming, but withal, subtlest
>'Fo satfsOs-z Ez----c.-I:- car,,a On
movement, and of most persuasive aspect
eloquent in speech;
= To make the worse appear
Inc better reason; and perplex and dash
Maturer N counsels; for his thoughts were low,
10 vice industrious, but to noble deeds
Ilmorous and slothful-yet he pleased the ear,
And thus he spake: Let me, the spir
OF Discord, rule the Earth, for without m
war could never be. will spread all falls
reports, and set every man against his neigt
Dor, and darken the counsels of the nation:
TILL anarchy, and confusion, and hatred sha
arise and fill the whole earth. will por
the tongue Of the slanderer as a serpent
tooth, and set his heart on fire of hell!
will be the author of all evil counsels. an
false witnessings, and fraud and secret ma
hgnlty; till even good men, prosecuted an,
torn, shall doubt and deny that JehovaI
reigns, and die bias pheming, to come an,
dwell forever with the damned. Let til
dominion of the Earth be mine, o Master
souls oF men. 1---T-h"ll hA peonled with tn
Then Mammon arose;
"The meanest, and least erect
n A. its hat fall from heaven,
who would not heed the glories DER his hea
but on the golden pavements at his feet t'
ever gazed.
Listen unto me, 0 Satan, for thou kno7
est my power upon the souls of men. dl'
nae dominion over them, and hell shall new
be empty. will make men lunatics al
fools. and send them through polar snoN
and torrid burnings, to dig in the holes al
corners Of the earth, mid savage beasts al
men more savage, for a few handsfui OF y
low dust! So intent shall they be, sifti
and grasping the paltry ore, that they sh
; forget the starry crowns that heaven ou'
them and fever and famine shall come
sweep them as chaff from the threshing flo
5 to the great burning. And even before tn
corpses are fairly stiffened, their companie
f shall gather like yultures, to fight and G.
e each other for the gold which the dead h'
# left. too, will sharpen the assassin's KIN
e and help on the robber and the burglar
e All ties, however strong or holy, will bre
n and teach men to come and worship
l. tho the path to my altar shall be over BILE
l. ing hearts, noble aspirations, and all else
J. piyes charm to the life of man. At
p command, shall that glorious race, who
i created erect, to look upon the stars
IS the divine signet Of high intelligence +
ii their brows and fetter and conhne their M
u ty spirits, till they become dwarfs, that
ek NAV do my bidding. l will whisper Ill
h ear of the young maiden, in the pride OF
By beauty, and straightway shall she forget
ny pliohted VOWS to the youth who loves
az and leave him heart-broken to die;
of thouph sickened with disgust, she shal
nd to the altar, and we'd the gray-haired WI
by who hath heaped up gold. Nay, men
bow down and do him reverence ana
him wise, and good, and great, though
piece Of gold he owns is stained with 0
BIZ or vrung from the hand of want oy
va onnressiou. The possessor Of gold shall
me self become infatuated, and atmidnlght
the steal from his bed, on tip-toe, and lo'
his cautiously around in fear of robbery
un- open his iron chest, and count over eacl
tering coin, and hug it to his hear