Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1873-12-19
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Lecture by Gerald Massey.


Gerald Massey tho English poet, deliv-
cred his first lecture in this country at Uni
ty Chapel, at One hundred a nd twenty
eighth street, near Fourth avenue.
His subject was, "Why God does
not Kill the Devil" aud was history of
the orthodox devil in different ages and
with different races. Having proved the
devil to be myth, he proceeded to show
that the only evil spirit now is one created
by men themselves, and that spiritualism
throws the most light upon that subject.
Mr. Massey is clear, rapid speaker, with
a good command of language and flow of
thoughts.
In the opening portion of the lecture, he
stated that the human mind had been
dwarfed by the shadow of ideas, the real
meaning of which had been lost. A great
deal of that which had been forced upon us
as Gods revelation was mass of inverted
myths, and we have done nothing so stulti
flying as taking those things from people
90 uninspired and bigotted as the Jews.
According to the Jews, the Almighty talk
ed and walked with man and never told
him of the devil or hell, unless it be ad-
mitted, as some claim, that He was the
devil himself in disguise. The devil is not
the natural production of unperverted
man, but of theology. In tracing these
myths we have to go through a great deal
of impurity. AS we get to the fountain
head, the stream runs sparkling with puri-
ty, but further on it has gathered mud
like a river. The myths, devils included,
are personiicatens of natural phenomena
pertaining to man himself. Religion be-
gan with nature. With the Egyptians the
male element was first the higher. Ano-
ther age changed that, and the female ele-
ment was the higher. The lecturer here
spoke of the ancient religions and deities,
CHASING them as male or female, speaking
particularly of the Egyptians, Assyrians,
Phnnicians and Hebrews, in way that
was rather confusing. He seemed to have
foreseen this result, for he said that II he
had created some confusion in his auditors
mind, it wnnld only show the confusion OF
etIc Uld Testament regarding the Creator.
The Romish Church was built upon the fe-
male element, the motherhood the Protes-
tant on the male, the fatherhood. The
serpent at first was not recognized as
symbol of evil, but as a benefcent A Ia
ter theology of the feminine persuasion de-
nounced him as evil.
The devil acquired his name from the
Egyptians, and has his worshippers. The
old French represented a good devil. The
good devil was lost because thcologists
have always done their worst TO vilify
preceding religions. Here as elsewhere
certain natural facts were first symbols of
goodness, and afterward changed into
things of horror, and gave birth to hell.
In the book of Job, which is held to be an
Arabian work, Satan is one of the sons of
God, and goes forth TO be the tempter of
man. Al we go further, we find satani-
cal influence lying behind the serpent. This
is poor and wretched devil of our Chris
tian Theology. Imagine spiritual Being
who would seem to be created by God eX-
pressly TO torment humanity The Devil
of our most ancient traditions, in which
Nature in her darkest moods was persona
fled and portrayed, was pretty much play
ed out until it was revived by the theology
of Luther and Calvin. The Devil of the
middle ages is poor enough, indeed, and
has become grotesque image, for the poor
ignorant peasant was cunning enough to
outwit him. Jack always triumphed over
the Giant then, and, indeed, both Devil
and Giant had one origin. Our foretathers,
the Norsemen, had very little respect for
the Devil, and thought of Hell as the next
best place to Heaven. The NnrO1men
knew naught of He'll Of E'oriasting FIRE.
If they had Icurd of it, it might have
proved the more attractive place of the two
A good man once went out among them to
enforce that theory, but found himself
in the wrong latitude. When he had pic
turcd tho burning lake and the fire and ter
ror OF the place, he looked about him and
was amazed at the result. Instead of see
ing tears of anguish and expressions of
dismay, he discovered they were blubber-
ing in quite a different fashion, for their
faces had frightened into full moons of hap
piness, and they sat rubbing their hands as
if spiritually warming themselves at the
fire which was warranted never to go out.
laughter. For the picture was delight
full change from the life they led in their
inclement climate. They were ready and
willing to 60 to such place at once.
1t remained for Luther, Calvin and Mil
ton, to resuscitate the devil, and this they
did with vengeance. Perhaps they over
did it, for they certainly doubled the devil
by putting one IN hell and &c other in nea-
ven. The affect of their doctrines might
be understood pretty clearly from the dia-
logue between colored preacher and his
flock. Remember" said he, impressive
ly, "dere are two roads only open to you,
one leads to destruction and de odder
straight to perdition." "Hold on Brut
DER" cried one of his hearers, do ty
bofe lead dat way ?'' YES" was the So
lemn response. Den" said the frigAten-
ed man, ''under desc pelpleXing apl diff
cult circumstances, dis Niger makes tracks
for de woods" Laughter 1t IS not the
religion of the world. 1t is the Gd lay nS'
ure OF theology. SWedenDeTS tSu otpeis .
who have beOn, believe, as tsmillar with
spiritual life as with that OF earth, never
saw the devil in this way. Che devil there
is one that does not need TO be killed, but
only needs ripping up in order, to see the
sawdust. l can imagine people who are
not at all sure of their souls who woul9
feel the world TO be rather hollow aharH
there was no devil in it. The truth . y
as l. ecessary for humanity as for ongrrot
and barbarian fruit-uees to g9 cer.au tway.
ten roots of this kind in the PAST eus eusseJ Nv
Humanity has been 50 Eaucn detb dst become
false interpreters that phas aipt not 10 be
necessary, as has seen saiSt sato uI ,ho h.antv
in orde. TO appreCcsstGe Ghrist ,Is ' W.
I Oni s;%nif ifcanas of the lif oil onrlst' & W. W.
have talked Sore ol rue sffble way of realizing
have isi f,ar r'HL th. any abstract idea of Hell
the heSddi;l p d,',;l an offer. The real devil is
and ",v orl.hg us with most internal activi-
eNe, o'iaiaying the very devil with this
. >, oriI aI of ours. We have been following
Sba Tu,.t tom of faith, and the devil has been
'nsring us indeed. 1t is not a spiritual
niure created for the purpose OF dragging