The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1878-03-30
Synopsis efa sermon Delivered
at the Presbyterian Church,
sabbath Morning. March 2 4th,
IS7s, by Rev. Diekey.

ISIS, by Rev. Diekey.
Text: Luke IL. %: But when a
stronger than he shall come upon him
and overcome him, he taketh from him
all his arnfor wherein lac trusted, and di-
videth his spoils.n
The nature of man originally was
a palace, a masterpiece CO e;yine
architect; every chamber showed the
divine excellence of a Divine Being.
God made man in his own image, af
ter his own likeness, but he made him
subject to changes. At times we may
compare him to broken looking
glass. We see the fragments lying
around, showing what it once was;
faculties that were once given to God
are now consecrated to the devil;
here lies piece of column and there
fragment of broken statue; the
heart is now occupied by Satan, now
a prince of the world. But there is
an internal influence, a spirit that
works within, led captive at the Lords
will. We have an example demon
strating this in His delivering the Is
raelites, in the wilderness from, the
Egyptians.
The devil is greater than man in
intellect, strengthened by the expert
ence of thousand years. He is, by
this parable, to be east from his place
dispelled from his power. Christ
does not divide the spoils with the
devil, but appropriates things and
works to accord with his own use.
The power of the devil is destroyed
when Christ wrenehes from him the
things which he has in possession,
and converts them into good. When
ship at sea is captured, the ship and
stores are not destroyed, but used by
the captors for their own service.
Christ, when he takes possession of
the human heart, turns it to a good
purpose, but all his experience from
reading, his habits and his faculties
belong to him as before; his love of
the MUSES. are not destroyed; he does
not forever hush that voice in silence.
Every sensation is still with the same.
The Lord does not bride His tongue.
Sarcasm, repartee, ETC., when laid at
the feet of Christ, is not taken from
him. The Apostle Paul was not
changed when he became converted,
but his faculties were made to serve
a purpose of good. If a man be am
bilious, religion does not wilt his hope
of wealth, influence, DC, when laid at
the feet of Christ. They are only
turned to good; he does not lose them.
Man is like an engine; rushing into
danger in one moment, and retracing
to safety at another: now running to
Satan and them back to good.
l do not believe that this world will
ever be destroyed. There is not a
spot on the face of this sphere, but is
blotted with Satan's work; constant
misery has been always great with
tears and sorrow. God has made every
variety for happiness; from the sweep
ing rivers, rolling and majestic oceans,
rugged mountains and grand old hills
down to the beautiful and delicate
flowers. God, in his infinita mercy
and goodness, is not going to destroy
all these. Examples of his mercy,
holiness and goodness are numerous.
For all the world Christ has laid down
his life; it was here he saw the great
problem of forgiveness and taught the
wandering hosts of heaven how he
could make the works of God divine
For this reason / believe this earth
will stand.
We hand the devil things that do not
belong to him. When God cursed the
ground, he admonished Adam that
weeds would multiply upon the face of
the earth. But weeds are of good the
men of the medical profession admin
lister them. Long since have they
delved deep into the bowels of the earth
for roots and herbs to see what is
suitable and adapted for the threats
of the sick. Weeds are good to feed
the birds of the air. Flowers are moth
ing but weeds. In some places our
favorite flower are trampled as we
would the dog-fennel. In some coun-
tries, the thistle is cultivated with
great taste, and with the mullin, which
they call velvet leaves. Now are they
graceful? Are not the flowers in our
fields beautiful in their tint, but are
they not hateful when they retard our
crops? And now take them in our
garden, cultivate them, and are they
not pretty? Cultivate your children.