The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1875-10-21
A Prayer for satan.

The following hymn we give here for It's
deep and pure spirituality. Indeed, we
know of nothing more beautiful and touch
ing of its kind in all literature. There is
such a whole-souledness, sticha vein Of true
and universal piety in It, that, to us. 1T is
worth thousand shiploads of theological
speculation and reasoning. 1t is scripture
of the heart, out of its profoundest deep.
The author, Thomas Aquinas, was famous
saint of the church in the thirteenth CEN
turY. The sentiment Of the hymn reminds
US of Burns's kind-hearted apostrophe to
the same unsavory parsonage: - r 1ea
owould ye take q thoughf ana mend; =
Ye aiblins might, i dinns ken 49,
1t also recalls that passage so redolent Of
pathos and inspiration, in the s'Robert Fal-
coner'r of Macdonald, where the boy
Robert, who has been stuffed to repletion
with grim and satanic theology, which is
crammed fuller with damnation than Gehe-
ma is with bnmstone, revolts against it, and
declares that when be enters heaven, ir-
stead of selfshly feastingl on the good
things there, be will call for volunteers to
GO with him down to hell, among his friends
and neighbors, and share the agonies and
sorrows of the lost i1st5 ~ .n
Be il observed here that it was a common
thing among many, of the early Christians,
and some of the fathers, to believe in the
salvation even of Satan. Gregory Nyssen,
the brother Of Basil the Great, and afoE
lower Of the eminent Bishop Origen, in the
fourth century, was one of this stamp, He
says: "That as the devil assumed feshly
shape in order to ruin human nature, so the
Lord took flesh for the salvation Of man
and thus He blesses not only him who was
ruined, but him also who led men into per
ditioD so that he both delivers man from
sin, and heals the author Of sin himself. :
| In this famous prayer the happiness OF the
deity, the imperieetion Of bis Kingdom
with part Of the angels under coDdemna.
ton, the STARRY leader of the Seven" 50
humiliated, the beseechiDg prayer 70 Jesus,
tue dawning light upon poor AquiDas's sol
tary soul IN commun;on with his God. and
the differences of an infinite aD.s0hicine
love-all these are perfect in their way and
kind:
.ss THE tBAytE ekIxT THoxts AqUtske.
..on God. /" be raid, -it cannot be
Should IN his fAd n4 0fbs 10 Thee.
and 11.oa be hsppy % Tiny throne ras.
II sere not KIND; may, Father. f-y.
Il wee o. nj, q God. Ifsy. E,f 3
Opr4y f4r satan. Je a.: prsy.
-.EIox can rhy kirgfoas ever come.
y hile IhesefAir sng howl brl0e 2
Al hely voices uouia Dc damn,
\ AL loving = would Oh with Wof,
To thIt X The loE Edifest peer of h atell.
The starry leader ~ the Seven.
Would never, RsseF, be fDfgisen-
Pray for the devil Jerusf pray. e
o fsther, think upon Thy child,
~ Turn from thine IN briehf world aHay
And look mp N that daHgeon Mid
o 6fodi o Je6ufs J, hssu dark
bat den % VOL . Sagiouf. marx
How angsls g'oaa, hcw vssP. hssk. ha'ks
All night Aquipas knslf slone.
Alo1- win blark and dfesdfal nigh.
Uu'il arnidsl hie pleading naoan
The dnfk -ess ebncd aeny lu Nehf,
Tim role ths salns. % ffati. rAsd h.
ssIfdsrkscss shEnge odswn Win Jbec,
The des5 msf yet an angel b"