Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1902-10-03

the regions of the antarctic. They
girdle the earth from east to west in
endless and intermina BILE windings.
They invade the sacred precincts of
the home, they trample over the fair
names of cities, states and nations.
they tail through kings palaces and
trace their presence in legislative halls
and executive mansions. Commercial
and industrial life echoes with the
tramp of the devils feet; the social
and ecclesia stical spheres feel the
trembling and shaking of his coming
and going. Take your newspaper
which records the doings of a day and
follow through page after page the
footprints of the prince of this world
Murders, robberies, drunken brawls,
social scandals. divorces, political cor
ruption, forgeries, defalcations, en-
bezzlements, domestic and neighbor-
hood quarrels, law suits, strikes and
1ockouts, oppression, selfishness, dis
tress and sickness and woes of every
description. Oh. how the devil is raw
aging this earth to-day he goes
hither and thither. No soul has ever
come into the world that has not met
him and felt his power. You have met
him. You are meeting him day after
day. Look for the footprints and rec
ognize his presence.
Satan is a great student Of human
nature. He knows your every weak
ness, your natural tendency. He keeps
a record of all your past failures and
mistakes and sins, and on occasion
throws them up at you to discourage
you and to prove to you that there is
no use Of trying any more to do right.
He knows your family history from
your first ancestors down, and under
stands your inherited weaknesses. He
is a great strategist and knows from
what point to make his attack. If he
cannot lure by some dainty and at
tractive bait, he will try to goad to
desperation and drive you to do his
will.
Our Responsibility are not to
blame for Satan's presence in the
world; we are not to be held account
able for his activity; we cannot even
be condemned because he besets us on
every hand and tries to lead US astray
Our responsibility begins only when
we yield to the temptation. We are
certain of meeting Satan. AS he goes
to and fro in the earth it would be
strange indeed if we did not meet him
or some of his emissaries. Until he is
chained by the Lord during the mill
lennial period, we cannot find place
on this earth where his hideOus and
unwelcome presence may not penetrate.
We are not to blame because he Whis-
pers in our ears and seeks to entice US
into forbidden paths and wicked in
dull licences, but we are to blame when
we link our arm in his and let him walk
with us while he explains to US how
the wrong can be done and covered up
how the dishonest act can be commit
ted and not found out. how the appe-
tite and lusts can be INDUCED and the
harvest of wrecked home and ruined
life not be reaped-
David Was not to be blamed because
his palace had a delightful and cool
promenade on its roof; it was not his
fault that a thoughtless and silly wom-
an posed before an undraped window
looking out towards his palace walls,
but he was responsible for allowing
his eyes to be the channels through
which sinful desires and purposes
might enter his heart. He was not to
be condemned because Satan was at
his side that night, but it was his fault
because he let him argue with him and
lead him step by step into the awful
sin.
Peter was not to blame because Sa-
tan wanted to sift him a wheat. but
he was to blame for following his
Lord so far off as to become a coward
and thus fall an easy victim to Satan
through the Gliding of a young
maiden.
Our Saviour. Jesus Christ. met Satan
repeatedly during His earthly life. He
was tempted in all points like as we
are and yet without sin, because at
the point of temptation refuge was
found in Gods Word and Get thee be-
hind me, Satan" drove the demon from
his presence. Resist the Devil and he
the Devil You cannot shut him out of
the world, but you can keep him from
trespa ssing upon the domains of your
heart and life.
The Worlds Struggle.-The world is
making an heroic struggle in battling
against Satan. 1t is bringing its cul-
ture, its wisdom, its power and infiu-
ence, it's laws and its penal and re-
formatory institutions to bear upon
the works of Satan, and it does not
cause the arch fiend one anxious mo-
ment or single troubled, thought. Our
Lord in His para BILE of the man and
the unclean spirit gives us a picture of
the world in its efforts to get rid of tn e
Devil and his works. The man sue
ceeded in driving out the unclean spir.
it which was disfguring and distortin G
his life. He sweeps out all the filth
ness left behind by the demon and then
proceeds to garnish his heart with cul-
ture and refinement and wisdom of
the world And while he is beholding