Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1862-02-12
FOR THE SPIRIT OF THE AGE.
The Devil in Disguise.
And Satan came also among them."JobLe.

The Devil in Disguise.
And Satan came also among them."-Jobis. |
The devil first appeared in the form of
a serpent but ever since, when personality
showing himself 10 the world, he has la
Ken the form of man and thus VI identi-
ty him as Q real inhabitant of the earth.
His first show caused man to fear every
thug that bellies to the dust" so to
hatter aud deceive, he has ever since wore
another dress. What q good thing it
would be if man would always shun Ger. |
tain OF his own species as he does his iens
OF poisonous reptiles. I mean some that
appear as men, for if the human form was
not there, devils only could be seen.
The old deceiver is a meddlesome fell
low, for ne tries to have a finger in every
body's business. Even at revival meetings
ne takes q seat and sends up his mour-
ners among the convicted and frequently
has registered some of the names of his
most loyal sub ects on the church books.
When a church is to beget organized be goes
up too to his men put in as officers
aud ne frequently succeeds. When a
church manifests an icy GOODNESS during
several consecutive years, and that too,
under the thunderings of the man of God,
we may safely conclude that tie devil had
a hand In electing most Of its officers. He
frequently transforms himself into an angel
OF light, and clothes himself with the vest
ments of the holy ministry-and he can
utter as loud a groan at church as a saint.
In political affairs the devil works as as.
slduously as in the church. When elec>
ton day rolls around we find he has not
forgotten to have his candidate out, for
drunkards, blasphemers, seducers, liars
and fools are sent on to contend with SO.
bef, honest men for the suffrages of the
people. Thus he fills our legislative halls
with his men, who with impunity violate
the laws OF their State, and thus he man
ages TO subvert governments, to demolish
the civil and religious institutions Of
States, and to rain fire and blood on an In
nocent people. AS a politician he does not
at all times show forth his real character
but in the legislative halls, when a bill is
introduced TO suppress immortality in GER
tain localities, or to restore quiet to a dis
tractsd country, one might think him le-
gion from the voices in which he speaks
his opposition. One might be deceived
too, and take him for a true patriot, when
to carry his point, he tries to show its un.
constitutionality, and, in o mighty strain Of
%eloquence, portrays the downfall of the
chief corner stone of the fabric of liberty
There is another place where the devi
a" comes also among them" When a Di
vision of the Sons of Temperance is to b,
organized he is. there, and if he finds b.
cannot stop the whole proceedings by stir
ring up opposition, he clogs its wheels b,
inducing q number Of close>fsted person
to join who will not pay forty cents a yea
! for the support of the cause, and by send
| ing In contentious persons to stir ap strif
= among the members. After he has trie,
f almost everything to stop the work of re
= form, and finds a faithful few still holdin
on, ne tries the advantage that may b
taken of the pledge; he sends round som
. oUAcKs oih roots and liquor. Thus b
. tries to undermine the pledge with VIII,
y he calls medicine, and he frequently sue
is ceeds, for the pledge does not prohibit tt
l. use of spirits as a medicine. Like son
D. church members who think they can ser,
- both God and mammon, Their e are Sons
o. Temperance who lick their lips when tn
is see the root doctor coming. Such hyp
'r critics, no doubt, wish their threats we
j. ten miles long, and that the mediei
would taste good all the way. There
o, not a set of men that a true Son of Tel
ts perance looks on with the same contem
as the root doctors that give all their me-
cines in liquor. Not long since / "
walking along the road with a friend, VIII
n met a man in a buggy. "That is ]
ny -" said my companion, see his lar
&c trunk on behind-it is filled with roo
1 herbs, &C."
"How does he give his medine,'
Try asked.
I'D "In spirits-every thing in spirits ; q
lay he processes to cure all manner of disease
zee. was the answer.
had often heard it said that q doc
bic would not take his own physic, but / CO
see clearly that this old acknowledging Fl
HE, his unnatural heshiness, was very fono
'ato the principal ingredient of his. I
yer evening / thought a good deal about s
= y doctors aad their medicines, and cam
{ o. the conclusion that | could set up my
ma as doctor, and use nothing but wheat do
mob pills alone, and cure five cases of sick
<in to their one. Who doubts it that kr
u anything of man and his disessesi
Swannanoa, N. G. T. c..