The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1903-06-12


three directions. BY way of the flesh
or the lower animal nature, by way of
| the higher human nature or temporal
ambition, aud by way of the religious
instincts or spiritual pride. Every
| temptation which comes to man may
| be classified under one of these three
| divisions. 1t is illustrat ted by the three
fold temptation of Jesus in the wilder
ness. 1t is with a conception of the
full scope of temptation which leads
John to write: "All that is in the world,
! the lust of the flesh. and the lust OF the
eyes and the pride of life, is not of
the Father, but is of the world"
The devil is a great general. even if
he is a coward and poltroon, and he has
long since learned that the weakest
point is the place where victory is most
likely to be won. A great many people
willfully or carelessly refuse to recog
nlZe that they have a weakest point.
n UR text is suggestive of the bat
" tlefield. When the devil is around
IT either means fight or surrender.
The devil never fights unless he has
to. His favOrite method is to suggest
truce at the very start. If the soul
consents, he encamps on the spot and
Immediately sets his snares which en-
trap the sOul-and bring it under his
power. James. who tells us to resist
the devil. in the opening portion of
his letter shows us how the devil
operates. He takes the matter up at
the point where the soul has entered
into a truce with the devil and the
latter has camped on the spot. Then.
says James. man is drawn away of
his own lust, and enticed. Then,
when lust hath conceived. it bringeth
forth sin: and sin, when it is finished,
bringeth forth death" These words
describe accurately the way in which
the devil wins his conquest over the
soul. The devil has come in the guise
OF some temptation. Instead of inn
mediate resistance and no parleying
the voice of the devil is listened to
as he pleads for a hearing. 1t is at
this point that temptation begins to
be sin. The devil, given his oppor-
tunity, is not slow to hold up the
temptation in its most attractive
light. He covers up the sting. He
makes it appear to be a thing great
as he did in the garden with Eve and
makes the thing desired look good
and wholesome and delightful. Here
is where man is drawn away of his
own lust and enticed,' and it is only
step farther to the full commission
of the deed and the complete victory
of the devil over the soul.
Vice is a monster of so frightful mien,
AS to be hated needs but to be seen;
Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face,
We first endure, then pity then embrace"
7 HE above lines of Poe is the,
thought of James expressed
pOetically, and shows the process by
which the soul is brought to final and
unconditional surrender. But if it is
a case of fight, let us go out to the
battlefield and witness the conflict.
In Bunyan's Holy War, wherein the
author graphically describes the sub
jugation of the town of Mansoul by
the devil and its subsequent deliv-
erance by Emmanuel, the son of the
good and great King Shaddai. Capt.
Resistance is represented as standing
on the walls of the town to defend it
against the attack of the devil. and
it is not until this brave defender
has been killed that the devil is able !
to win his conquest over the town of |
is being reenacted to-day. The town |
of Mansoul attacked, Capt. Resist
anCe, the only fighting man in the !
place. goes out to give him battle |
If he be killed the town is absolutely |
at the mercy of the enemy. Capt |
Resistance may be brave. he may !
fight hard, yea even desperately, but |
if he is not properly equipped for the |
conflict he will at last fall before the |
fiery darts of the Wicked One" Re
sistance must be intelligent to be eff
fectual. One must understand the |
degree and quality of resistance
which turns an attacking devil into
fleeing devil. There is resistance
which repels the devil, but does not 7
cause him to flee. He never shows
his back in such n case, but Just
backs off face front and knows he
has been delayed but not defeated
The devil isn't made to tremble a bit
in the face of the resistance which
some people offer. for he is quick to
ing qualities Man fails to equiv his
Capt. Resistance with the armor that
ran protect and the sword which can
wound the devil and make him fee.
FAITH is the only armor which will
turn the poison darts of the devil
Without this shield in the hand. Capt
Resistance is sure 10 be killed sooner
Or later. This is bit of armor which
comes from Gods workshop. and the
leviPs most powerful guns have never
1een known to penetrate it. To-day
when a nation produces a new and
powerful gun, the other nations seek
o construct armor for its ships and
'orts which will offer safe and sure
assistance to its steel-pointed missiles
Nan has been experimenting for thou
ands of years to discover some armor
# his own manufacture which will
,e able to turn the broadsides of the
Ievil. but up to the present time we
ave never heard of any that was
trong enough to resist. Strange, is
I not, when this is true, that man
ails to equip himself with the simple
md light but impregnable armor of
aith, and to take the Sword of the